cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improvements in Joint Domain-Range Modeling for Background Subtraction

In many algorithms for background modeling, a distribution over feature values is modeled at each pixel. These models, however, do not account for the dependencies that may exist among nearby pixels. The joint domain-range kernel density estimate (KDE) model by Sheikh and Shah [7], which is not a pixel-wise model, represents the background and foreground processes by combining the three color dimensions and two spatial dimensions into a five-dimensional joint space. The Sheikh and Shah model, as we will show, has a peculiar dependence on the size of the image. In contrast, we build three-dimensional color distributions at each pixel and allow neighboring pixels to influence each other’s distributions. Our model is easy to interpret, does not exhibit the dependency on image size, and results in higher accuracy. Also, unlike Sheikh and Shah, we build an explicit model of the prior probability of the background and the foreground at each pixel. Finally, we use the adaptive kernel variance method of Narayana et al. [5] to adapt the KDE covariance at each pixel. With a simpler and more intuitive model, we can better interpret and visualize the effects of the adaptive kernel variance method, while achieving accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art on a standard backgrounding benchmark.
Postlung Transplant Survival is Equivalent Regardless of Cytomegalovirus Match Status

Background The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the relationship between donor–recipient cytomegalovirus (CMV) serologic status and posttransplant survival in the current era and (2) temporal changes in posttransplant survival by CMV matching status. Methods De-identified data were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing. Based on pretransplant CMV serologic status (+ or −) of recipients (R) and donors (D), posttransplant survival was compared among three groups: D+⊻R−, D±⊻R+, and D−⊻R−. Primary analysis focused on transplants performed January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004, in recipients 18 years of age or older. To assess temporal trends in survival among groups, all lung transplants occurring between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2004, were considered and divided into three periods based on transplant year: 1990 through 1994, 1995 through 1999, and 2000 through 2004. The primary outcome measure was survival, reported as rate of death per 100 patient-years. Kaplan–Meier analysis with log-rank test was used for time-to-event analysis. Results During the current era (2000 through 2004), D+⊻R− (n = 951), D±⊻R+ (n = 2,676), and D−⊻R− (n = 772) exhibited no differences in survival ( p = 0.561), with rates of death per 100 patient-years of 16.6 (95% confidence interval, 14.9 to 18.5), 15.0 (95% confidence interval, 14.0 to 16.0), and 14.7 (95% confidence interval, 13.0 to 16.6), respectively. However, survival was significantly different for groups in the earlier eras of 1990 through 1994 ( p p p p p = 0.351) did not change significantly with time. Conclusions In the current era, survival after lung transplantation is statistically equivalent regardless of CMV match status. Although in previous eras survival was worse among the D±⊻R+ and D+⊻R− groups, in this era of aggressive CMV prophylaxis, CMV mismatch should not be sufficient grounds to decline a lung allograft offer.
Management of epilepsy in children with autism

Summary Epilepsy is a major cause of morbidity in autism. The diagnosis and management of epilepsy in autism is complicated by a high prevalence of co-morbid neurodevelopmental disorders and co-medication. The prevalence of epilepsy is highest in those autistic children with cognitive, motor and receptive language difficulties. The underlying pathophysiology of Autism, its high rate of paroxysmal electroencephalographic abnormalities and its association with epilepsy is debated. Suggestions regarding the appropriate investigation and management of autistic children presenting with possible epilepsy are outlined.
Sound art and the sonic unconscious

This essay develops an ontology of sound and argues that sound art plays a crucial role in revealing this ontology. I argue for a conception of sound as a continuous, anonymous flux to which human expressions contribute but which precedes and exceeds these expressions. Developing Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz’s conception of the perceptual unconscious, I propose that this sonic flux is composed of two dimensions: a virtual dimension that I term ‘noise’ and an actual dimension that consists of contractions of this virtual continuum: for example, music and speech. Examining work by Max Neuhaus, Chris Kubick, Francisco Lopez and others, I suggest that the richest works of sound art help to disclose the virtual dimension of sound and its process of actualisation.
Complex Image Recognition and Web Security

Web services offered for human use are being abused by programs. Efforts to defend against these abuses have, over the last 5 years, stimulated the development of a new family of security protocols able to distinguish between human and machine users automatically over graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and networks. AltaVista pioneered this technology in 1997; by 2000, Yahoo! and PayPal were using similar methods. Researchers at Carnegie- Mellon University [2] and then a collaboration between the University of California at Berkeley and the Palo Alto Research Center [9] developed such tests. By January 2002 the subject was called human interactive proofs (HIPs), defined broadly as challenge/response protocols that allow a human to authenticate herself as a member of a given group: e.g., human (vs. machine), herself (vs. anyone else), etc. All commercial uses of HIPs exploit the gap in reading ability between humans and machines. Thus, many technical issues studied by the image recognition research community are relevant to HIPs. This chapter describes the evolution of HIP R&D, applications of HIPs now and on the horizon, relevant legal issues, highlights of the first two HIP workshops, and proposals for an image recognition research agenda to advance the state of the art of HIPs.
Evolving diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy historically defined by the presence of end-organ damage, specifically, hypercalcemia, renal failure, anemia, and bone lesions (CRAB features) that can be attributed to the neoplastic process. In 2014, the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) updated the diagnostic criteria for MM to add specific biomarkers that can be used to make the diagnosis of the disease in patients who did not have CRAB features. In addition, the update allows modern imaging methods including computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT to diagnose MM bone disease. These changes enable early diagnosis, and allow the initiation of effective therapy to prevent the development of end-organ damage in patients who are at the highest risk. This article reviews these and several other clarifications and revisions that were made to the diagnostic criteria for MM and related disorders. The updated disease definition for MM also automatically resulted in a revision to the diagnostic criteria for the asymptomatic phase of the disease termed smoldering MM (SMM). Thus the current diagnosis and risk-stratification of SMM is also reviewed in this article. Using specific prognostic factors, it is possible to identify a subset of patients with SMM who have a risk of progression to MM of 25% per year (high-risk SMM). An approach to the management of patients with low- and high-risk SMM is discussed.
An SVD and derivative kernel approach to learning from geometric data

Motivated by problems such as molecular energy prediction, we derive an (improper) kernel between geometric inputs, that is able to capture the relevant rotational and translation invariances in geometric data. Since many physical simulations based upon geometric data produce derivatives of the output quantity with respect to the input positions, we derive an approach that incorporates derivative information into our kernel learning. We further show how to exploit the low rank structure of the resulting kernel matrices to speed up learning. Finally, we evaluated the method in the context of molecular energy prediction, showing good performance for modeling previously unseen molecular configurations. Integrating the approach into a Bayesian optimization, we show substantial improvement over the state of the art in molecular energy optimization.
The astounding buckyball buckyball

Abstract A novel super-buckyball nano-structure is constructed from 60 buckyballs, each placed at the corners of a giant truncated icosahedron with each component buckyball connected to its 3 neighbor buckyballs.
Quantification of liver fat

Fat accumulation in the liver causes metabolic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia by affecting insulin resistance, and increasing the risk of cardiac complications and cardiovascular disease mortality. Fatty liver diseases are often reversible in their early stage; therefore, there is a recognized need to detect their presence and to assess its severity to recognize fat-related functional abnormalities in the liver. This is crucial in evaluating living liver donors prior to transplantation because fat content in the liver can change liver regeneration in the recipient and donor. There are several methods to diagnose fatty liver, measure the amount of fat, and to classify and stage liver diseases (e.g. hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis): biopsy (the gold-standard procedure), clinical (medical physics based) and image analysis (semi or fully automated approaches). Liver biopsy has many drawbacks: it is invasive, inappropriate for monitoring (i.e., repeated evaluation), and assessment of steatosis is somewhat subjective. Qualitative biomarkers are mostly insufficient for accurate detection since fat has to be quantified by a varying threshold to measure disease severity. Therefore, a quantitative biomarker is required for detection of steatosis, accurate measurement of severity of diseases, clinical decision-making, prognosis and longitudinal monitoring of therapy. This study presents a comprehensive review of both clinical and automated image analysis based approaches to quantify liver fat and evaluate fatty liver diseases from different medical imaging modalities. An overview on recent advances in liver fat quantification from histology, MR, US and CT is provided.The role of dedicated imaging modalities for quantification of liver fat is highlighted.The potential role of automated image processing methodologies to aid in image analysis is assessed.
Concentrations of serum constituents in cold-stressed calves from heifers fed inadequate protein and(or) energy.

A study with neonatal calves was conducted to determine the effects of maternal crude protein (CP) and(or) metabolizable energy (ME) malnutrition, cold stress (0 or 21 degrees C), and age on concentrations of selected serum constituents. For each of 2 yr, 60 artificially bred Angus heifers were assigned randomly to a 2 x 2 factorial nutritional plan 150 d before predicted parturition. The diets provided each heifer with either .32 or .96 kg/d of CP and 8.7 or 12.6 Mcal/d of ME. Blood samples were obtained from heifers at parturition and from their calves at birth and at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h of age. Sera were analyzed for concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Creat), iron, total protein (TProt), alkaline phosphatase (AlkPhos), total bilirubin (TBil), and cholesterol (Chol). Mean correlations of these constituents in calf sera between 12-h adjacency intervals were high, but those between longer times (48 or 60 h) were low. Simple correlations of serum constituents between cows and calves at birth were low except for BUN (r = .578 and .295 for yr 1 and 2, respectively). There were significant main treatment effects for maternal CP consumption on BUN levels, for environmental temperature on BUN, Creat, and TBil levels, and for years on BUN, Creat, iron, and AlkPhos levels in calves. Significant polynomial relationships were found over hours of age for all variables. Blood urea N decreased in normal calves but remained relatively constant at a low level in deficient calves. Year x hour of age interactions occurred for iron, TProt, AlkPhos, TBil, and Chol. Protein x year x hour of age interactions were found for iron and Chol. These results suggest that random sampling times are not useful for decision making during the first 72 h after birth. Consideration must be given to multiple samples taken at specific calf ages, to environmental temperatures, and to maternal protein nutritional levels when interpreting calf blood sera data.
Effect of ivermectin on survival and fecundity of horn flies and stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae).

Adult horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), were fed on a blood diet that was fortified by the addition of known quantities of ivermectin [Merck MK933, at least 80% of 22,23-dihydro-5- O -demethylavermectin A10 and not more than 20% 22,23-dihydro-5- O -demethyl-25-de(1-methylpropyl)-25-(1-methylethyl)avermectin A12], came from heifers injected with the therapeutic dosage of ivermectin, or came from steers treated with a sustained-release implant containing ivermectin. The effect of ivermectin on flies was dependent upon species and sex of flies and dosage and length of time the flies fed on blood. Horn flies were more susceptible than stable flies and males of both species were more susceptible than females. Mortality increased with length of time flies fed on blood. In addition to mortality, ivermectin in the blood diet reduced number and hatch of eggs. The LC50 (and 95% CL) was 3.2 ng/ml (2.9–3.4) for male horn flies and 6.6 ng/ml (6.2–7.0) for female horn flies fed on treated blood for 88 h. For male stable flies fed on treated blood for 72 h, the LC50 was 37.5 ng/ml (26.0–50.2) of blood. The value for female stable flies was outside the range of dosages tested.
COS degradation by selected CO-utilizing bacteria. Scientific note.

The results of this study support the hypothesis that several organisms that are capable of utilizing CO are also capable of degrading CO-like compounds, such as COS. Three organisms,Peptostreptococcus productus,Rhodospirillum rubrum, andEubacterium limosum, were shown to metabolize COS at rates much higher than that of the reaction of COS with H2O.Clostridium lJungdahlii, on the other hand, was not found to have an ability to degrade COS. H2S was detected as a maJor gas-phase product, but stoichiometric product yields have not yet been determined. Index Entries: Carbonyl sulfide; degradation; bacteria; synthesis gas; CO-utilizing bacteria.
Spanish-Speaking People in the United States: Some Research Constructs and Postulates

Adequate, and reasonably current, research information on specific ethnic groups is a constant problem to the diligent social science researcher. All too often the studies containing adequate or current data on minority groups tend to treat them collectively, superficially, or in passing, and many specialized studies often lack the kind of useful real specificity that is sought. In addressing itself to this problem, the American Ethnological Society has done a great service to the academic world by publishing the papers and proceedings of the annual meetings, illustrative of which is the 1968 Proceedings dealing with the Spanish-speaking people in the United States.** The 1968 Proceedings includes the papers presented at the Annual Spring Meeting (Detroit, May 3-4, 1968) of AES. Of twelve papers (a 13th paper is a student contribution, winner of the Elsie Clews Parsons Prize, on economic variables and types of household composition in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northern Montana), the major concern is with Mexican-Americans, and furnishes a number of valuable studies on various facets of the new and energetic identity which Mexican-Americans are achieving. Included are two generally theoretic papers which deal with " Sampling and Generalization in Anthropological Research on Spanish-speaking Groups" (Thomas Weaver); and Social Class, Assimilation and Acculturation (Joan W. Moore). Weaver cautions against the generalizations that are derived from socio-anthropological data dealing with 5.1 million Spanish-speaking persons living in the United States and who represent many different national origins and suboultures; and he notes cogently (as an illustration), that although more than half the total of the Spanish-speaking population in New Mexico lives in urban areas, only two dissertations
The influence of sulphur fuming on the sulphur dioxide′s remaining quantity in dioscorea opposita thunb

Aim To investigate the influence of sulphur fuming on the sulphur dioxide′s remaining quantity in dioscorea opposita thunb.Methods Hydrochloric acid was added to make the sulphur in dioscorea opposita thunb of sulphur dioxide,and the water to which any starch indicator had been added was used as the absorb liquid,and the sulphur dioxide′s remaining quantity was determined by the iodine titration method.Results The sulphur dioxide′ s remaining quantity in dioscorea opposita thunb which was not fumed is 0,and with the increment of sulphur,the sulphur dioxide′s remaining quantity increases.If the placing time extended,the remaining quantity will be lowered slightly.For the dioscorea opposita thunb which was processed by traditional methods and sold in market compared to the dioscorea from the other provinces,the sulphur dioxide′s remaining quantity is lower evidently.Conclusion The traditional producing area′s processing method of dioscorea opposita thunb can make the sulphur dioxide remain more.So this method should be ameliorated urgently under the premise in the certain scope.This method can be used for the determination of sulfur dioxide in dioscorea opposita thunb.
Recurrent Prostate Cancer Despite Undetectable Prostate Specific Antigen

Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a sensitive tumor marker following definitive therapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Detectable levels of PSA after radical prostatectomy indicate residual and/or recurrent cancer. Therefore, we were surprised to document recurrent cancer following radical retropubic prostatectomy in a man who had undetectable serum PSA levels. This observation suggests that careful clinical monitoring remains essential after definitive therapy, since rare patients may have recurrent and/or residual carcinoma despite undetectable levels of PSA.
HbA1c levels as a function of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Aims Understanding the role of emotion in glycemic control may be critical for the long-term treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study we investigated the relationship between measures of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence and HbA 1c levels in adult patients with T2 diabetes. Methods 100 adult patients with T2 diabetes completed assessments of emotional regulation (i.e., affect intensity/lability) and emotional intelligence and were then correlated with HbA 1c levels with several relevant covariates. Results HbA 1c levels were significantly associated with affect intensity (AI: r =.24, p =.018) and with emotional intelligence (EI: r =−.29, p =.004), but not affect lability. These results were the same even after adding income, state depression scores, insulin-dependent status, serum cholesterol, diabetes literacy and self-care as covariates (AI: β =.33, p =.001; EI: β =−.31, p =.002). Diabetes self-care, but not diabetes literacy, was also associated with HbA 1c levels ( β =−.29, p =.003). Conclusions These data suggest that aspects of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence play a role in glycemic control in adult patients with T2 diabetes and do so even in the context of several variables relevant to diabetes. If so, interventions that can reduce affect intensity and/or increase emotional intelligence may represent a new strategy in the glycemic control of adult patients with T2 diabetes.
Using virtual environments to evaluate assumptions of the human visual system

Virtual reality applications provide an opportunity to test human vision in well-controlled scenarios that would be difficult or impossible to generate in real physical spaces. This paper presents a study intended to evaluate the importance of possible assumptions made by the human visual system. Using a CAVE simulation, participants viewed and counted virtual furniture objects in a variety of experimental manipulations. The assumption of uprightness against inversion, or the ‘gravity constraint,’ was identified as a significant assumption of the visual system (p < 0.001). Monocular vs. binocular vision was also demonstrated as an important factor in this study (p = 0.01), while color vs. grayscale did not have a significant impact on task performance (p = 0.16). By including the binocular cue, and the assumption about the direction of gravity, the scene reconstruction produced by our computer vision model is reliable. The model can detect and count symmetrical objects in a 3D real scene and then recover their 3D shapes.
Whose Schools Are These and What Are They for?: The Role of the Rule of Law in Defining Educational Opportunity in American Public Education

Publisher Summary Equity in funding is not the only issue in dispute in the state right-to-education cases. Funding sources aside, the more recent state school finance cases have focused less on the funding patterns for schools and more on the adequacy, or sufficiency, of educational opportunities and outcomes. There is every reason to believe that this is the wave of the future in school finance litigation and, perhaps, state legislation. The focus on asserting a right to an adequate education and on the opportunities required to provide that education may represent a powerful shift in the efforts to define the nature and role of schools. Or the consideration of issues of adequacy may be the point at which the ambiguous dialog over the nature and role of schools may finally break down. If every child is to be the recipient of an adequate education, can there be an agreement on a definition of the nature and content of such education? Is an adequate education for all children the same as the appropriate education people have agreed to provide students with disabilities? And if they can agree on what should be provided, can they agree to provide the resources to make this education available for all children?
The Investments of US Individuals or Corporations Abroad

This chapter discusses the investments of US individuals or corporations abroad: from the business form (subsidiary vs. branch) to the election under the entity classification rules. The use of hybrid, disregarded entities is also covered.
Bridging the Worlds of Home and School: A Study of the Relational Worlds of First-Generation Students in a School of Social Work

This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact pdxscholar@pdx.edu. Recommended Citation Cunningham, Miranda, "Bridging the Worlds of Home and School: A Study of the Relational Worlds of First-Generation Students in a School of Social Work" (2016). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 3088.
Arguing the safety of FPGAs within safety critical systems

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are common in electronic systems and are being increasingly used in safety critical and safety related systems. The primary standards for complex electronic hardware in safety critical systems are primarily intended at developers to achieve approval of the device by the certification body, rather than to explicitly argue safety, although many of the activities will be common. Whilst there is ongoing research into various aspects related to FPGA safety, overarching safety arguments are required to link these areas. This paper identifies how faults/failures can arise in FPGA development and proposes an approach for arguing safety. This approach is intended for use by safety assessors and has been applied to a number of assessments. (6 pages)
Two PTP receptors mediate CSPG inhibition by convergent and divergent signaling pathways in neurons

Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase σ (PTPσ) and its subfamily member LAR act as transmembrane receptors that mediate growth inhibition of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). Inhibition of either receptor increases axon growth into and beyond scar tissues after CNS injury. However, it is unclear why neurons express two similar CSPG receptors, nor whether they use the same or different intracellular pathways. We have now studied the signaling pathways of these two receptors using N2A cells and primary neurons derived from knockout mice. We demonstrate that both receptors share certain signaling pathways (RhoA, Akt and Erk), but also use distinct signals to mediate CSPG actions. Activation of PTPσ by CSPGs selectively inactivated CRMP2, APC, S6 kinase and CREB. By contrast LAR activation inactivated PKCζ, cofilin and LKB1. For the first time, we propose a model of the signaling pathways downstream of these two CSPG receptors. We also demonstrate that deleting both receptors exhibits additive enhancement of axon growth in adult neuronal cultures in vitro. Our findings elucidate the novel downstream pathways of CSPGs and suggest potential synergy of blocking their two PTP receptors.
Object transportation by cooperative robots

In this paper, we present a cooperative object transportation strategy for a pair of nonholonomic vehicles. We demonstrate via experiments that cooperative robots can be used to autonomously transport an object that is too heavy or cumbersome for a single robot to do individually using minimal inter-vehicle communication. The proposed control strategy is divided in three phases: contact, re-orientation, and cooperative transportation. The first two phases consist of driving the robots from any arbitrary initial configuration toward the object, establishing physical contact with the object, and re-orienting themselves according to the objects desired destination. The third phase consists of cooperatively transporting the object by assuming a novel inter-vehicle topology. The two first phases require initial inter-vehicle communication, whereas the third phases assumes that each robot is rigidly connected to the object. Collectively, these results demonstrate the ability to transport an object using multiple robots with minimal intervehicle communication.
Diabetes in the Medicare Aged Population, 2004

The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) contains a wealth of information on the health status of Medicare beneficiaries. In particular, the 2004 MCBS included a series of questions about diabetes care for those who reported they had the condition, and diabetes screening for those who said they did not. This highlight reviews some of the characteristics of the diabetic population compared to the non-diabetic population.
Toxicogenomic analysis of aristolochic acid-induced epithelial injury and carcinogenesis

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1905 Aristolochic acid (AAI) is a naturally occurring herbal toxin whose cumulative ingestion results in tubulointerstitial fibrosis and leads to end-stage renal failure. Patients with aristolochic acid-associated nephropathy (AAN) also exhibit high prevalence of upper urothelial carcinomas. We used an in vivo model of AAN to explore molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of AAI. The susceptible mouse strain C3H/He was treated by daily intraperitoneal administration of AAI. Accumulation of DNA adducts in the renal cortex was demonstrated by 32P-post-labeling methods. Histopathological evaluation revealed progressive cell death (necrosis/apoptosis), significant inflammation and fibrosis starting on day 3. RNA extracted from the renal cortex was subjected to DNA array analyses (7 time-points with time-matched untreated animals as controls) using Affymetrix mouse genome 430A 2.0 arrays. Rigorous statistical filtering and gene ontology (GO, biological process) representation analyses revealed extensive transcriptional reprogramming including rapid mobilization of genes involved in p53-dependent DNA damage and repair responses, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (Cdkn1a/p21, Pcna, Gadd45b/g, Ercc1, Rad51), inflammatory/immune response (monocyte chemotactic proteins Ccl2/Mcp1 and Ccl8/Mcp2, Cxcl1/Gro1, C3), and fibrogenic mechanisms implicating TGF-β directed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the tubular epithelia (Tgfb1, Tgfbr1, Fos, S100a4/Fsp1, Col1a1, Col3a1, Fn1, Ctgf, Dcn, Mmp2). Next, we used Affymetrix human genome U133A 2.0 arrays to analyze primary (HKPTC) and immortalized (HK-2) human proximal tubular cells treated by AAI. We observed broad overlap between the mouse model and cultured human cells in both rapid DNA adduct formation and expression patterns involving key gene orthologs, supporting our primary hypothesis that proximal tubular cells are the primary target in AAN. In conclusion, our toxicogenomic approach provides novel insights into molecular networks underlying pathogenesis of AAN and is being extended to expression profiling of carcinogenic effects of AAI in murine urothelium.. (Research supported by NIH grant ES 04068)
Experimental analysis of the flow near the boundary of random porous media

The aim of this work is to experimentally examine flow over and near random porous media. Different porous materials were chosen to achieve porosity ranging from 0.95 to 0.99. In this study, we report the detailed velocity measurements of the flow over and near random porous material inside a rectangular duct using a planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. By controlling the flow rate, two different Reynolds numbers were achieved. We determined the slip velocity at the interface between the porous media and free flow. Values of the slip velocity normalized either by the maximum flow velocity or by the shear rate at the interface and the screening distance K1/2 were found to depend on porosity. It was also shown that the depth of penetration inside the porous material was larger than the screening length using Brinkman’s prediction. Moreover, we examined a model for the laminar coupled flow over and inside porous media and analyzed the permeability of a random porous medium. This study provided ...
Equal Educational Opportunity and Quality Education

This article presents a reconceptualization of the role of culture in the attainment of equality of educational opportunity, and a discussion of how the use of culture in education can be a vehicle of either liberation or oppression. It shifts the focus of educational problem solving from that of victim analysis or the analysis of minority deficits to an examination of the forces of racism and oppression as they have been and are reflected in education. The use of culture as a tool for liberation is discussed.
ONSET OF ASYMPTOMATIC SKELETAL METASTATIC DISEASE SEEN ON DXA

ABSTRACT Objective: Skeletal metastases are common in cancers such as those of the breast, prostate, and lung and most often diagnosed when they come to clinical attention due to pain. We describe ...
Behavioral Consistency and Personality Coherence

In this chapter, attention will expand beyond description of behavior toward explanation and understanding of behavior and personality. This redirection will require a brief foray into domains of philosophy of science concerned with the structure of theories, meaning, and reference. Within this broader context, the specific problem of construct validity in psychological measurement will be considered. The inherent contradiction of thinking of systematic method variance in the context of a realistic philosophy of science will be exposed. Block’s (1975) notion of the coherence of personality will be used to assist in a reformulation of construct validity which banishes the idea of method variance as a form of systematic error. Further discussion of the coherence of personality will turn attention back to the already described structural representation of behavior in order to delineate details in the identification of personality coherence, and attributes of specific measurement devices.
Five Decades of Children's Group Treatment—An Overview

Given the propensity of children for peer-group involvement, group therapy has emerged over the past five decades as a clinically-valued intervention modality for many youths with mental health problems. With children who had been subject to physical or sexual abuse, it has even become an empirically-supported treatment of choice. After an overview of the most frequently used models of long- and short-term group therapy, lesser known approaches, such as psychoeducational, support, and parent groups, are depicted. Favorable outcome measures suggest that group methods are likely to play an increasingly important role in the healthcare field's current search for more pragmatic and cost-effective treatment measures. Further research needs to be based on more clearly delineated patient problems and on processes of change.
Tau accumulation in astrocytes in progressive supranuclear palsy is a degenerative rather than a reactive process.

Tau-immunoreactive astrocytes in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) have a distinctive morphology and are referred to as tufted astrocytes (TA). We hypothesized that TA may be a degenerative change in reactive astrocytes. To test this hypothesis we examined the relationship of TA to gliosis in PSP. We first examined the distribution of gliosis [glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes], TA, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and pretangles in brain sections of neuropathologically pure PSP cases. Second, we examined PSP cases complicated by infarcts or Alzheimer's disease, since these cases would have reactive astrocytes associated with lesions. We used double immunostaining for GFAP and tau for cases with vascular lesions, and triple immunostaining for GFAP, tau and β-amyloid protein for sections with senile plaques. There was no correlation between the distribution of gliosis and TA, with gliosis prominent in globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus, and TA prominent in motor cortex and striatum. On the other hand, gliosis paralleled the distribution of NFT, but not the distribution of pretangles, suggesting that NFT contributes to gliosis in PSP. Although reactive astrocytes were present around infarcts and senile plaques, TA were not associated with these lesions. Tau accumulation in astrocytes in PSP was not preferential to (and was actually independent of) reactive astrocytes. This is consistent with the notion that tau accumulation in astrocytes is a degenerative rather than reactive process. Unlike NFT, astrocytic degeneration does not seem to contribute to gliosis or neuronal loss in PSP, and its clinical significance remains unclear.
LOW CRITICAL MASS.

Criticality parametrics for enriched fissionable reactor fuel in water have been extended to the effects of thick moderator reflectors, with emphasis on beryllium. The result was a minimum critical...
Isotopic Homogenization of Strontium in Open Systems

After the presentation and discussion of the isotopic composition of strontium in different igneous and sedimentary rocks in the preceding chapters, we now return to the problem of dating by the Rb-Sr method. We stated in Chapter II that one of the prerequisites for dating rocks or minerals is that their concentrations of rubidium and strontium and their 87Sr/86Sr ratios must have changed only as a result of decay of 87Rb to 87Sr. When this condition is not satisfied, the dates calculated from the equations derived in Chapter II do not indicate the age of a rock, but may instead date the end of the alteration process that disturbed its 87Rb-87Sr decay scheme.
SEGMENTING ROOT CANAL SYSTEMS USING AN OPEN SOURCE SLICER SOFTWARE

Background The development of 3-dimensional (3D) imaging provides exciting opportunities in oral and maxillofacial radiology and endodontics, specifically in regenerative endodontic therapies.1 Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of creating a virtual 3D model of a molar root canal system by using micro-CT images to produce scaffolds with similar shapes with an open source slicer software. Materials and methods An extracted molar tooth was scanned by using the Bruker Skyscan micro-CT (Kontich, Belgium), at 10 µm resolution, 16 bits depth, and 360 degrees rotation, using a step-and-shoot detector motion at 80 kV. The images were reconstructed by using NRecon software and initially stored as TIFF (tagged Image File Format) files and later converted to DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine). The converted DICOM files were imported into the 3D slicer software. There were difficulties with segmenting these images as the file size was in excess of 1 gigabyte (GB), and the computer was not compatible. The segmentation was done by using 3D slicer software2,3 by selecting the region of interest (ROI) and then using the threshold tool to segment the root canal. All 3D models were stored as STL (stereolithography) files. For these kinds of files, it is recommended that extremely fast computers with a minimum random access memory (RAM) of 32 GB be used for the images to even be displayed. Preliminary results Preliminary results indicate that root canal systems can be segmented accurately from micro-CT images by using segmentation software. Future directions Future research will be expanded to validate these finding by measuring and comparing images of sectioned teeth and 3D printed models of root canals.
Learning in Participatory Planning Processes: Taking Advantage of Concepts and Theories Across Disciplines

In our years of teaching, activism, and research, we have recognized the need for improved tools for capturing and analyzing the nuances and complexities of learning in civic engagement and partici...
Cost-utility of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in patients with cardiac arrest

Abstract Background Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a resource-intensive tool that provides haemodynamic and respiratory support in patients who have suffered cardiac arrest. In this study, we investigated the cost-utility of ECPR (cost/QALY) in cardiac arrest patients treated at our institution. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who received ECPR following cardiac arrest between 2012 and 2018. All medical care-associated charges with ECPR and subsequent hospital admission were recorded. The quality-of-life of survivors was assessed with the Health Utilities Index Mark II. The cost-utility of ECPR was calculated with cost and quality-of-life data. Results ECPR was used in 32 patients (15/32 in-hospital, 47%) with a median age of 55.0 years (IQR 46.3–63.3 years), 59% male and 66% African American. The median duration of ECPR support was 2.1 days (IQR 0.9–3.8 days). Survival to hospital discharge was 16%. The median score of the Health Utilities Index Mark II at discharge for the survivors was 0.44 (IQR 0.32–0.52). The median operating cost for patients undergoing ECMO was $125,683 per patient (IQR $49,751–$206,341 per patient). The calculated cost-utility for ECPR was $56,156/QALY gained. Conclusions The calculated cost-utility is within the threshold considered cost-effective in the United States (
Ethnic Churches as an Important Space of Co-ethnic Resources for Immigrant Entrepreneurs

This paper provides new evidence that religious organizations with high co-ethnicity can be a space utilized by immigrant entrepreneurs for ethnic resources, especially for those with limited familial resources. Although a number of qualitative studies have previously identified the resource attainment through ethnic churches among immigrant entrepreneurs, such evidence is limited in quantitative analysis and the role of coethnicity is unclear. With the data from the New Immigrant Survey, this study shows that regardless of ethnic backgrounds and religious congregations, immigrant entrepreneurs with limited familial resources have a higher level of church involvement, and higher co-ethnicity in churches also increases the church involvement of immigrant entrepreneurs. These findings suggest that immigrant entrepreneurs may actively seek resources in ethnic churches. From a policy perspective, religious organizations that target immigrants in ethnic communities can potentially benefit immigrant entrepreneurs by providing co-ethnic resources and help them overcome initial barriers during economic assimilation.
(μ2-2-Meth­oxy­ethanol-κ3O1:O1,O3)(2-meth­oxy­ethanol-κO1)tris­(μ2-3,4,5,6-tetra­fluoro-o-phenyl­ene-κ2C1:C2)trimercury(II)

In the title compound, [Hg3(C6F4)3(C3H8O2)2], two O atoms from one 2-meth­oxy­ethanol ligand and one O atom from the second 2-meth­oxy­ethanol ligand coordinate three HgII atoms [Hg—O = 2.765 (7)–2.890 (8) A] in the trimeric organomercurial Lewis acid (o-C6F4Hg)3. The hy­droxy groups are involved in formation of intra- and inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds; the latter link two mol­ecules into centrosymmetric dimers. An extensive net of weak inter­molecular C—H⋯F inter­actions further consolidates the crystal packing.
Fiber Bragg Grating Design for Photonic-Enabled RF Cancellation

As the frequency spectrum becomes increasingly crowded, wireless devices could greatly benefit from sensing network traffic on different bands. This capability is enhanced by including Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) technology, which allows users to additionally detect on their own transmit channel. RF cancellation is a critical component of many STAR systems, and has recently been extended to operate over 1 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth. These wideband cancellers utilize photonic components, specifically Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), to provide tunable time delay elements within compact packages. This paper investigates the critical parameters of a FBG within a photonic-enabled RF canceller, and presents the results of an 80-tap design that can greatly advance the development of future STAR systems.
CRISPR‐based curing and analysis of metabolic burden of cryptic plasmids in Escherichia coli Nissle 1917

E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) has long been used as an over-the-counter probiotic and has shown potential to be used as a live biotherapeutic. It contains two stably replicating cryptic plasmids, pMUT1, and pMUT2, the function of which is unclear but the presence of which may increase the metabolic burden on the cell, particularly in the context of added recombinant plasmids. In this work, we present a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9-based method of curing cryptic plasmids, producing strains cured of one or both plasmids. We then assayed heterologous protein production from three different recombinant plasmids in wild-type and cured EcN derivatives and found that production of reporter proteins was not significantly different across strains. In addition, we replaced pMUT2 with an engineered version containing an inserted antibiotic resistance reporter gene and demonstrated that the engineered plasmid was stable over 90 generations without selection. These findings have broad implications for the curing of cryptic plasmids and for stable heterologous expression of proteins in this host. Specifically, curing of cryptic plasmids may not be necessary for optimal heterologous expression in this host.
In-Home Video Telehealth for Dementia Management: Implications for Rehabilitation.

The progressive nature of dementia requires ongoing care delivered by multidisciplinary teams, including rehabilitation professionals, that is individualized to patient and caregiver needs at various points on the disease trajectory. Video telehealth is a rapidly expanding model of care with the potential to expand dementia best practices by increasing the reach of dementia providers to flexible locations, including patients’ homes. We review recent evidence for in-home video telehealth for patients with dementia and their caregivers with emphasis on implications for rehabilitation professionals. Eleven studies were identified that involved video visits into the home targeting patients with dementia and/or their family caregivers. The majority describe protocolized interventions targeting caregivers in a group format over a finite, pre-determined period. For most, the discipline of the interventionist was unclear, though two studies included rehabilitation interventions. While descriptions of utilized technology were often lacking, many reported that devices were issued to participants when needed and that technical support was provided by study teams. Positive caregiver outcomes were noted but evidence for patient-level outcomes and cost data are mostly lacking. More research is needed to demonstrate implementation of dementia best care practices through in-home video telehealth. Though interventions delivered using in-home video telehealth appear to be effective in addressing caregivers’ psychosocial concerns, the impact on patients and the implications for rehabilitation remain unclear. Larger, more systematic inquiries comparing in-home video telehealth to traditional visit formats are needed to better define best practices.
Targeting BCL2 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Other Hematologic Malignancies

Apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death, occurs normally during development and aging. Members of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) family of proteins are central regulators of apoptosis, and resistance to apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Targeting the apoptotic pathway via BCL2 inhibitors has been considered a promising treatment strategy in the past decade. Initial efforts with small molecule BH3 mimetics such as ABT-737 and ABT-263 (navitoclax) pioneered the development of the first-in-class Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved oral BCL2 inhibitor, venetoclax. Venetoclax was approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, and is now being studied in a number of hematologic malignancies. Several other inhibitors targeting different BCL2 family members are now in early stages of development.
On Eliminating Root Nameservers from the DNS

The Domain Name System (DNS) leverages nearly 1K distributed servers to provide information about the root of the Internet's namespace. The large size and broad distribution of the root nameserver infrastructure has a number of benefits, including providing robustness, low delays to topologically close root servers and a way to cope with the immense torrent of queries destined for the root nameservers. While the root nameserver service operates well, it represents a large community investment. Due to this large cost, in this paper we take the position that DNS' root nameservers should be eliminated. Instead, recursive resolvers should use a local copy of the root zone file instead of consulting root nameservers. This paper considers the pros and cons of this alternate approach.