cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An interface for real-time classification of articulations produced by violin bowing

We introduce a software system for real-time classification of violin bow strokes (articulations). The system uses an electromagnetic motion tracking system to capture raw gesture data. The data is analyzed to extract stroke features. These features are provided to a decision tree for training and classification. Feedback from feature and classification data is presented visually in an immersive graphic environment.
Ice edge detection and ice/water classification utilizing the ERS-1 and TOPEX altimeters

The Naval Oceanographic Office Altimetry Data Fusion Center (ADFC) has a requirement to provide daily ice edge positions to the Navy/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ice Center in Suitland, Maryland. These positions were provided operationally in 1987-88 during the GEOSAT mission. The GEOSAT altimeter-derived ice edge positions were based on an index of the ratio of two engineering parameters which are not available in either the ERS-1 Altimeter Fast Delivery Product or the TOPEX/POSEIDON data received by the ADFC. Therefore, algorithms had to be developed based on the parameters that were available, including wind speed, significant wave height, peakiness, and off-nadir pointing. Since there are advantages and disadvantages to using each of these parameters for ice detection, the algorithms employ a multiple parameter approach. Results of validation studies in which the altimeter-derived ice products were coupled to imagery show that the currently operating radar altimeters can be exploited for operational ice edge mapping. >
Piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, and crystal structure

By visualizing polar crystals as a network of permanent dipole moments, the piezo- and ferroelectric properties of dielectrics may be derived from the standpoint of molecular symmetry. This approach is used to clarify the relation between the sphalerite and wurtzite structures, the ferroelectric feedback effect in barium titanate, aspects of domain formation, and the interrelationship between ferro and piezoelectricity.
Supercomputer for animal model evaluation of Ayrshire milk yield

Abstract Best linear unbiased predictions of additive genetic values were obtained from first lactation Ayrshire milk records (110,278) without forming mixed model equations. The model included fixed herd-year-season (20,322) and genetic group (12) effects and random cow and residual effects; sires (7641) were included through the relationship matrix. Group was determined by birth year and whether dam was evaluated. Herd-year-season solutions were obtained by Gauss-Seidel iteration; other solutions were by second-order Jacobi iteration. Only one copy of data sorted by herd-year-season was required. Iteration was on a Cray XMP-24 supercomputer. Relaxation factors from .3 to .9 were tested on 100 rounds of iteration with optimum .83. Iteration for 400 rounds produced solutions with five-digit accuracy. Accuracy of solutions from fewer rounds was determined by comparison with these solutions. About 1s of central processing unit time was required per round, which suggested this method may be practical for larger data sets. After 100 rounds, exponential extrapolation was tested over a range of relaxation factors and achieved accuracy that normally would occur 50 to 80 rounds later. With some relaxation factors, 125 to 150 rounds were required before exponential extrapolation was beneficial. Optimum relaxation factor and benefit from exponential extrapolation may differ for other data sets.
The Effects of Intensive Tact Instruction on Audience-Accurate Tacts and Conversational Units.

We examined the effects of intensive tact instruction on emission of audience-accurate verbalizations of 2 middle school students using a delayed multiple baseline design across participants. Dependent variables were accurate and inaccurate audience controlled tacts and conversational units during non-instructional times. Following baselines, students were taught tact sets of 5-novel stimuli. The instruction consisted of teaching 100 tact learn units daily until students met criterion on 10 sets of 5 tact stimuli. Students significantly increased audience-accurate tacts, conversational units, and inaccurate tacts/conversational units decreased for one student. We discuss the role of tact repertories on audience relevant verbalizations by students with histories of low preschool language interactions with parents.
Adsorbate‐catalyzed anodic dissolution and oxidation at surfaces in aqueous solutions

Certain adsorbates, particularly sulfur and iodine, present at submonolayer coverages catalyze anodic dissolution or oxidation at selected transition metal surfaces. No change in adsorbate surface coverage or oxidation state is observed during the dissolution process, indicating that the process is truly catalyzed by the adsorbed impurity. This allows enhanced dissolution to take place in environments entirely free of solvated forms of the impurity. In the case of iodine, the mechanism depends in part on the relative strength of iodine–metal vs. metal–metal bond strengths, but also depends on other factors that are as yet poorly understood. In the case of adsorbed sulfur, the effect is related to the ability of adsorbed sulfur to hinder the formation of an oxide layer via the complete dissociation of water at the solid surface. The relevance of these adsorbate-catalyzed processes to intergranular stress corrosion cracking and semiconductor device processing are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poisson modeling of ultraconfined AlGaAs-GaAs semiconductor devices with selective doping

An ultraconfined compound semiconductor device is investigated by using a two-dimensional iterative Poisson solver (TIPS). The device confines electrons into one-dimensional channels through the use of selective doping. The electron confinement is found to be a sensitive function of gate width and implant dose of the selective doping, and it is limited by the lateral straggle of the implantation. >
Health Literacy and Communication Quality in Health Care Organizations

The relationship between limited health literacy and poor health may be due, in part, to poor communication quality within health care delivery organizations. We explored the relationship between health literacy status and receiving patient-centered communication in clinics and hospitals serving communication-vulnerable patient populations. Thirteen health care organizations nationwide distributed a survey to 5929 patients. All patients completed seven items assessing patient-centered communication. One third also completed three items assessing health literacy. The majority of patients had self-reported health literacy challenges, reporting problems learning about their medical condition because of difficulty understanding written information (53%), a lack of confidence in completing medical forms by themselves (61%), and needing someone to help them read hospital/clinic materials (57%). Logistic regression models showed that, after adjustment for patient demographic characteristics and health care organization type, patients with limited health literacy were 28% to 79% less likely than those with adequate health literacy to report their health care organization "always" provides patient-centered communication across seven communication items. Using a scaled composite of these items, limited health literacy remained associated with lower reported communication quality. These results suggest that improving communication quality in health care organizations might help to address the challenges facing patients with limited health literacy. They also highlight that efforts to address the needs of patients with limited health literacy should be sensitive to the range of communication challenges confronting these patients and their caregivers.
Targeted deletion of one or two copies of the G protein β subunit Gβ5 gene has distinct effects on body weight and behavior in mice

We investigated the physiological role of Gβ5, a unique G protein β subunit that dimerizes with regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins of the R7 family instead of Gγ. Gβ5 is essential for stability of these complexes, so that its knockout (KO)causes degradation of the entire Gβ5-R7 family. We report that the Gβ5-KO mice remain leaner than the wild type (WT) throughout their lifetime and are resistant to a high-fat diet. They have a 5-fold increase in locomotor activity, increased thermogenesis, and lower serum insulin, all of which correlate with a higher level of secreted epinephrine. Heterozygous (HET) mice are 2-fold more active than WT mice. Surprisingly, with respect to body weight, the HET mice display a phenotype opposite to that of the KO mice: by the age of 6 mo, they are ≥15% heavier than the WT and have increased adiposity, insulin resistance, and liver steatosis. These changes occur in HET mice fed a normal diet and without apparent hyperphagia, mimicking basic characteristics of human metabolic syndrome. We conclude that even a partial reduction in Gβ5-R7 level can perturb normal animal metabolism and behavior. Our data on Gβ5 haploinsufficient mice may explain earlier observations of genetic linkage between R7 family mutations and obesity in humans.—Wang, Q., Levay, K., Chanturiya, T., Dvoriantchikova, G., Anderson, K. L., Bianco, S. D. C., Ueta, C. B., Molano, R. D., Pileggi, A., Gurevich, E. V., Gavrilova, O., and Slepak, V. Z. Targeted deletion of one or two copies of the G protein β subunit Gβ5 gene has distinct effects on body weight and behavior in mice.
An implementation algorithm and design of a novel leading zero detector circuit

A novel way of implementing the leading zero detector (LZD) circuit is presented. The implementation is based on an algorithmic approach resulting in a modular and scalable circuit for any number of bits. This implementation is compared with the results obtained using modern logic synthesis (LS) tools in the same 0.9- mu m CMOS technology. This approach to LZD design yields both speed and area advantages over LS. >
GlueQoS: middleware to sweeten quality-of-service policy interactions

A holy grail of component-based software engineering is write-once, reuse everywhere. However, in modern distributed, component-based systems supporting emerging application areas such as service-oriented e-business (where Web services are viewed as components) and peer-to-peer computing, this is difficult. Non-functional requirements (related to quality-of-service (QoS) issues such as security, reliability, and performance) vary with deployment context, and sometimes even at run-time, complicating the task of re-using components. In this paper, we present a middleware-based approach to managing dynamically changing QoS requirements of components. Policies are used to advertise non-functional capabilities and vary at run-time with operating conditions. We also provide middleware enhancements to match, interpret, and mediate QoS requirements of clients and servers at deployment time and/or runtime.
Heme Oxygenase-1 Regulates Cardiac Mitochondrial Biogenesis via Nrf2-Mediated Transcriptional Control of Nuclear Respiratory Factor-1

Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is a protective antioxidant enzyme that prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis, for instance, during progressive cardiomyopathy. Here we identify a fundamental aspect of the HO-1 pr...
Policing and Surveillance

Some of what officers do in incidents suspected of being bias crimes is similar to what they do with other cases that are not believed to be bias-motivated. For instance, if the crime is reported to the police, as the first responders police patrol officers may need to secure the crime scene, collect evidence, and/or arrest any perpetrators remaining on the scene. As an additional matter, the patrol officer who responds may also need to provide assistance to victims and/or call for medical assistance. It is at this point — when interacting with the victim — that the role played by officers responding to a hate crime call begins to diverge. Research has shown that in hate crime cases, victims are often especially destabilized and, as first responders, law enforcement officers have a significant role to play in comforting the victims and reassuring him or her that the attacker will not return (Levin, 1993; Kelly, 1993). After the victim has been tended to, in many jurisdictions the responding officer may also have the discretion to decide whether to file a report. If no report is filed, the criminal justice inquiry will end at this point as the existence of a police report was crucial to later investigation. If a report is filed, police detectives who are often charged with crime investigation have the discretion to decide whether the crime is worthy of investigation. In cases that are considered worthy of investigation, police investigators are charged with gathering evidence to support criminal charges. In jurisdictions with hate crime statutes, police may also be required to identify or classify particular crimes as hate crimes. Because of the peculiarities attendant to hate crime, task of responding to, classifying, and investigating this type of crime is distinct from the police role in other areas. The peculiarities of the demands on the police, and officers’ resulting responses are the subject of this chapter.
Kleptomania: making sense of the nonsensical.

OBJECTIVE: Kleptomania, or the irresistible impulse to steal unneeded objects, is a poorly understood disorder. The objectives of this paper are to critically review and integrate existing data and to make suggestions for further research. DATA COLLECTION: Information was gathered by reviewing the English-language literature on kleptomania. Cases were chosen for review that approximated the diagnosis as defined in DSM-III-R. These cases were analyzed in terms of their relationship to previous theories about the disorder, and larger relevant studies were examined. Using the data organized into a table, the author explores areas of convergence and disagreement and discusses the methodological difficulties of the different studies. FINDINGS: Kleptomania is more common than previously thought. The "typical" individual with kleptomania is a 35-year-old woman who began to steal when she was 20 years old. Her thefts bring both relief and guilt. She probably has not sought treatment on her own but suffers from a necessary, pervasive, repetitive, and self-destructive act. She may have a history of sexual dysfunction or sexual preoccupation and may be unhappily married to an emotionally unsupportive husband. She has been labile and dysphoric for many years and may have a personality disorder. She has probably had a tumultuous, stressful childhood and may dissociate. CONCLUSIONS: The author proposes a biopsychosocial model of the etiology of kleptomania based on data from the literature. This model emphasizes possible childhood abuse as a precipitating factor in later development of kleptomania. More complete research is needed in the study of kleptomania.
Sustainability of physical activity promoting environments and influences on sustainability following a structural intervention in residential children’s homes

Research examining sustainability of health promotion programs within organizational settings is limited. The Environmental Interventions in Residential Children's Homes (ENRICH) was a structural intervention that trained Wellness Teams (WTs) within residential children's homes (RCH) to target environmental changes that promote physical activity (PA) among residential youth. This study examines the sustainability of PA promoting environments and influences on sustainability within RCHs. A sustainability survey was administered to 14 RCHs 2 years after receiving ENRICH. Variables included sustainability of PA promoting environments, Organizational Influences, perceived organizational and individual benefits, and implementation of PA and general (i.e. Global) wellness activities. Activities reported as sustained and barriers were used descriptively to inform sustainability. Path analyses explained the relationship between sustainability influences and sustainability of PA promoting environments. Sustainability was found in 8 of 14 (57%) RCHs. Sustained activities reflected greater Global versus PA implementation. Global implementation mediated the relationship between Organizational Influences and sustainability, which may have been more easily achieved since Global activities were most likely controlled by WTs and did not require extensive organizational support from RCH administrators. Results highlight the importance of defining and assessing different implementation types when measuring sustainability and influences on sustainability within RCHs organizations.
Asphaltene aggregation and impact of alkylphenols.

The main objective of this study was to provide novel insights into the mechanism of asphaltene aggregation in toluene/heptane (Heptol) solutions and the effect of alkylphenols on asphaltene dispersion through the integration of advanced experimental and modeling methods. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images revealed that the onset of asphaltene flocculation occurs near a toluene/heptane volume ratio of 70:30 and that flocculates are well below 1 μm in size. To assess the impact of alkylphenols on asphaltene aggregation, octylphenol (OP) and dodecylphenol (DP) were evaluated by impedance analysis based on their ability to delay the precipitation onset and to reduce the size of nonflocculated asphaltene aggregates in 80:20 toluene/heptane solutions. Although a longer dispersant chain length did not affect the precipitation onset, it reduced the size of the aggregates. Molecular dynamics simulations were then performed to understand the mechanism of interaction between a model asp...
Quality Principles and Practices in Higher Education

(1999). Quality Principles and Practices in Higher Education. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 70, No. 6, pp. 739-741.
Circle communication: An old form of communication useful for 21st century leadership

Circle communication is a form of group exchange that builds a network of relationships, a sense of community. Through practices of active listening, intentional speaking, and conscious self-monitoring, circle communication emphasizes individual contribution while building consensus to fulfill the purpose of the group. In this regard, circle communication supports a shared leadership in which all individual and unique perspectives are engaged to create the common ground for action. Circle communication emerges from a shared humanity, which can balance the "division of labor" and people only being known by their specific organizational roles. Both are needed to sustain an organization. By nurturing the human side, regardless of role and function, circle communication intersects with diversity or the uniqueness of each individual, storytelling, coaching, guiding, and mentoring, as well as discovering and responding to conflict.
Alternative format for presenting research by pharmacy residents at national meetings

ASHP supports increasing the number of opportunities for residents to present their work as part of their professional development during their training. Residents are the future of pharmacy, and ASHP is committed to enhancing the skills and experiences of the newest members of our profession. The
Hidden in Plain Sight

Software developers have long tried to appropriate the value of visible features and functions of their programs. Historically, they used copyright to do so, but then shifted to patenting as copyright protection for methods of operation waned. Given newfound difficulties patenting software functions, developers have one more place to turn: trade secrets.Trade secrets have always protected the hidden aspects of programs, but can they be used to protect visible or easily discernible program features? This article suggests a new way developers might use trade secrets to protect visible program features. It examines how they might do so, relying on traditional case law and confidentiality precautions used to keep secrets. In doing so, the article considers whether and how such protection could be achieved in theory and in practice.The article then asks how software licensing would change if trade secret protection of discernible features were achieved. It considers how software might be delivered (including software as a service), the potential for trade secret trolls, the role of open source development, and the potential effect on innovation incentives.Finally, the article considers the alternative normative views associated with this new type of software protection.
On the Characteristics of the English Plosive Consonants[t]and[d]

On the criteria of the work of the vocal cords, the place of articulation and the manner of articulation, the author describes the characteristics of [t] and [d] when they stand alone. He also elaborates their degree of aspiration, incomplete plosion, nasal plosion, lateral plosion, the difference in the articulation of [t] between British and American as well as the articulation of [t] and [d] when the letter or letter groups standing for their pronunciation are the same.
Epidemiological characteristics and control strategies of occupational poisoning in Dongguan City

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of occupational poisoning in Dongguan City from 2006-2012,put forward the prevention and control strategies. [Methods]The descriptive epidemiological method was adopted to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of occupational poisoning in Dongguan City from 2006-2012. [Results]①272 diagnosed cases of occupational diseases were reported by direct reporting network system in Dongguan City from 2006-2012. The incidence rate of occupational poisoning presented the overall upward trend,and showed the characteristics of group. Most of cases were chronic occupational poisoning,accounting for 64. 34%.②The acute occupational poisoning was mainly organic solvent poisoning which was dominated by halogenated hydrocarbon(59. 79%),while the chronic occupational poisoning mainly included benzene poisoning(49. 14%) and n-hexane poisoning(39.42%).③The male patients with acute occupational poisoning were significantly more than female patients,and there was no significant difference in incidence rate of chronic occupational poisoning between males and females. ④Most of patients with both acute and chronic occupational poisoning were young adults under 45 years old. ⑤The patients with acute occupational poisoning were mainly the workers whose working age was less than 5 years old,while the patients with chronic occupational poisoning were mainly the employees whose working age was more than 10 years old. ⑥Most of patients with both acute and chronic occupational poisoning were reported in south towns with developed economy,followed by the central and north towns. ⑦The trade distribution focused on light industries. ⑧The economic type was dominated by non-public-owned economy. ⑨The cases of chronic occupational poisoning were mainly reported in the large enterprises,while the cases of chronic occupational poisoning were mainly found in small and medium enterprises.[Conclusion]The occupational poisoning has not been effectively controlled in Dongguan City,and it changes from the type of traditional single disease to the type of diverse diseases. New occupational poisoning cases have appeared constantly,for example,the acute occupational poisoning caused by chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent. It is necessary to establish the effective and reasonable management system and carry out comprehensive measures.
Nocturnal Prolactin Levels in Infertility

Since serum prolactin rises during sleep in normal women, nocturnal serum prolactin concentrations were determined every 30 minutes in follicular phase and again in luteal phase in 13 regularly menstruating infertile women with daytime normoprolactinemia, 8 of whom had luteal phase defects. When compared with controls, there was an increased serum prolactin elevation in 7 women. Six of the women with nocturnal hyperprolactinemia took bromocriptine for two menstrual cycles. This treatment eliminated the excessive nocturnal prolactin rise but did not result in consistent improvement in endometrial development. Polytomographic findings compatible with a pituitary microadenoma were seen in 5 of 7 women with nocturnal hyperprolactinemia. Random daytime prolactin levels may be normal in infertile women who have nocturnal hyperprolactinemia associated with x-ray evidence of pituitary microadenoma.
Munich: The Continuing Escape from Reality

I Germany’s annexation of Austria did not fulfill Hitler’s territorial ambitions. In February 1938, the German leader advised Europe that he would protect the peoples of German origin “who were not in a position through their own efforts to obtain … for themselves the rights to … political and ideological freedom.” Following the Anschluss, Hitler’s irredentism marked Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, with its large, discontented German majority, as his next objective. The Paris Conference had established the Czech nation on the foundation of the old kingdom of Bohemia, but had added a motley collection of nationalities to round out its frontiers – Poles, Hungarians, Slovaks, Ruthenians, as well as Czechs and Germans. The Sudeten Germans dominated the narrow northern and western border between Czechoslovakia and Germany, as well as the Czech border with Austria in the south. For Czechoslovakia, this mountain frontier, with its strong fortifications, held a strategic importance that far transcended its size and population. The Sudetenland contained the bulk of Czechoslovakia’s natural resources and heavy industry, including the famed Skoda munitions works. Equally troubling, the Anschluss demonstrated the diminution of Anglo-French power to sustain what remained of the Versailles settlement.
Community-Engaged Mindfulness and Social Justice: An Inquiry and Call to Action

This chapter presents an argument for mindfulness and secular Buddhism as inherently suffused with what might be called social justice concerns and thus calls for mindfulness teaching which includes practices and teachings that make explicit the links between mindfulness and social justice. Drawing on my experience within the fields of mindfulness teaching, law teaching, and contemplative pedagogy, in the first part of this chapter, I discuss how the practices we call mindfulness tend to cultivate a felt sense not only of interconnectedness and compassion but also of solidarity—unity of agreement in feeling or action (especially among individuals with a common purpose)—among practitioners, that assist us in working together for a more just world. I support these claims by reference to an exploratory case study: an offering of community-engaged mindfulness to address a community facing revelations of racism among law enforcement in a major American city.
Entwicklung und formative Evaluation eines Konzepts zum Transfer von Erfahrungswissen bei Servicetechnikern mittels videofallbasiertem Lernen

Zum Erwerb von Erfahrungswissen im servicetechnischen Bereich gibt es wenige theoriegeleitet entwickelte und evaluierte Konzepte. Das im Beitrag vorgestellte Modul „Learn with an Expert“ (LEX) aus dem Lern- und Transferkonzept „ServiceLernLab“ soll den Erwerb von Erfahrungswissen und die Entwicklung von Storungsdiagnosekompetenz bei jungen Servicetechnikern fordern. Der Kern des Moduls LEX besteht in einem videofallbasierten Lernen mit einem Serviceexperten an einer komplexen Laserschneidanlage, in die technische Storungen (Fehlerfalle) implementiert wurden. Im Beitrag wird zunachst uber die theoriegeleitete Entwicklung und Gestaltung der Lernumgebung auf der Grundlage situierter und problembasierter Instruktionsprinzipien berichtet. Weiterhin werden (formativen) Evaluationsergebnisse zur Uberprufung der Fehlerfallschwierigkeiten durch Servicetechniker (n = 3) und der Bewertung der Gebrauchstauglichkeit (Usability) von Modul LEX durch Servicetechniker (n = 44) dargestellt. Schlusselworter: Videofallbasiertes Lernen, situiertes Lernen, Erfahrungswissen, technische Storungsdiagnose, Servicetechniker
RNAi: An effective gene therapy approach to squamous cell carcinoma related oncogene (SCCRO)

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 4595 Introduction : New therapies are sorely needed to improve outcome for patients with head and neck carcinoma. We identified a novel oncogene Squamous Cell Carcinoma Related Oncogene (SCCRO) , amplified in mucosal squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, lung, and cervix. To validate SCCRO as a useful target in head and neck cancer, we transfected several cell lines with SCCRO antisense and demonstrated a significant reduction of SCCRO protein expression, growth, and viability, when compared to matched controls. Given the limited clinical applicability of antisense therapies, we aimed to develop a retroviral RNA-interference (RNAi) system for SCCRO targeting and demonstrated its efficacy in silencing SCCRO expression in vitro and in vivo . Methods : We screened seven different RNAi constructs against SCCRO for efficacy. We identified construct 339, targeting region 339-357 along SCCRO cDNA, that appeared to be most effective. SCCRO-339 was ligated into pSUPER-retro-neo-GFP, a recombinant retroviral RNAi vector featuring a fused neomycin/EGFP selection cassette driven by a PGK promoter. SCCRO -Null, a nonspecific oligonucleotide, was also designed and used to prepare a control null vector. Virus was produced by transient cotransfection of 293T with the recombinant pSUPER retroviral construct and the pCL-Ampho packaging vector. Results : SCCRO -339 RNAi construct uniformly resulted in SCCRO protein suppression in all head and neck carcinoma cell lines tested. Furthermore, it reduced growth and viability, and increased the apoptotic fraction of MDA1386 head and neck cancer cells harboring SCCRO amplification. In addition, SCCRO abrogation led to reduced capacity for anchorage-independent growth on soft agar assay. Conversely, no effects were noted in the control 584 cell line lacking SCCRO amplification. Conclusion : These results establish the efficacy of RNAi-based gene therapy in oncogenes activated by amplification. Use of the pSUPER system is being tested in vivo and shows promise for clinical use in the future.
Secondary Nucleation — A Review

Crystallizing systems, that is supersaturated systems in which crystals are already present, can form new nuclei at conditions under which primary (spontaneous) nucleation would not occur. This phenomenon leads to the definitions which will be followed in this paper: a) Secondary is the nucleation which occurs, irrespectively of its mechanism, only because of the presence of crystals of the material being crystallized. When no crystals are present no nucleation occurs. b) The terms primary or spontaneous nucleation will be used to characterize any nucleation that is not secondary in nature. This includes both the classical homogeneous and the heterogeneous nucleation.
Description of a new grasshopper species of the Melanoplus artemisiae species group, M. carharti n. sp. (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae) from the Flat Top Mountains of northwestern Colorado.

A new grasshopper species, Melanoplus carharti n. sp. (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae), is described and illustrated from Garfield and Eagle counties, Colorado and is included in the M. artemisiae species group. This is the first occurrence of a grasshopper from the M. artemisiae species group in Colorado. With the addition of this species, the M. artemisiae species group now includes seven species, four from Idaho and one each from Montana, Utah, and Colorado.
Hospital and Emergency Department Throughput Improvement

Visits to emergency departments (ED) are increasing and overcrowding has become a serious problem for hospitals, patients, physicians, and clinical staff. In this case study, a cross-functional team representing the ED, inpatient floors, and units including clinical, ancillary support staff, and non-clinical members applied Lean Six Sigma methodologies and tools to drastically reduce the patient length of stay (LOS) and the percent of patients Left Without Being Seen. There was a 31 % reduction in LOS which is closely tied to patient satisfaction. The percent of Left Without Being Seen was reduced from 6.5 to 0.3 %. The door to doctor time was reduced by 78 % to an average of 23 minutes. Patient Satisfaction scores increased by 24 to 89.9 % which placed this EDs department in the top 1 % of EDs nationally.
A Practical and Accurate Alternative to PERT

Many real world projects can be represented by stochastic activity network (SAN) models, where the duration of some or all of the project activities are, at best, known in probabilistic sense. These models are known in the literature as PERT networks and they are analyzed using the PERT procedure. It has been known for many years that the Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) provides inaccurate information about the project completion time. Quite often this inaccuracy is large enough to render such estimates as not helpful. As a result of this inaccuracy, many improvements since the introduction of PERT in 1959 have been developed. However, in spite of this inaccuracy and the many improvements, PERT procedure continues to be taught and presented in most text books on Project Management. This is due, perhaps, to its simplicity, and ease of its application. In this paper a new alternative is developed that addresses the issues of accuracy and practicality simultaneously in analyzing SAN models. The new procedure is based on a more accurate representation of the distribution function of the project completion time. We first show that the project completion time can in certain instances be accurately represented by a normal distribution, but in many other instances it can not. In these other instances we show that the project completion time can be more accurately represented by an extreme value distribution. Hence, SAN is first characterized as to when we can use the normal distribution and when we can use extreme value distribution. In the first case, PERT estimates are accurate and will be used; however, in the second case a new procedure is developed that is easy to use, and results in more accurate estimates of the project completion time and its statistics. In this paper examples are also provided that illustrate the above characterization of SANs and the accuracy and practicality of the new procedure.
Radiation therapy for patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer: A survey study of medical oncologists.

e20025Background: National guidelines recommend prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) and consideration for thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) for patients with extensive stage small cell lung cance...
Health Care in America: The Relationship Between Subjective and Objective Assessments of Hospitals

Measuring public service performance is a central issue for modern governments. Less attention, however, has been paid to the similarities and differences between various performance indicators. In...
Video coding standards: AVS China, H.264/MPEG-4 part 10, HEVC, VP9, DIRAC and VC-1

Summary form only given. Video coding standards: AVS China, H.264/MPEG-4 PART 10, HEVC (high efficiency video coding a.k.a. H.265), VP9 (Google), DIRAC (BBC) and VC-1 (SMPTE) are presented. HEVC is the latest standard developed by ITUT and ISO/IEC. Encoder/decoder functionalities along with advantages/applications are discussed. Open source software, ftp/web sites, standards documents, review papers, conformance bit streams, test sequences, performance (comparison/evaluation) metrics, keynote speeches, tutorials, reflectors and related resources are listed. Research projects at M.S. and Ph.D. levels are outlined.
Increasing Rates of Opioid Misuse Among Older Adults Visiting Emergency Departments.

Objective This study sought to investigate factors associated with opioid misuse-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults and changes in outcomes associated with these visits, using multiple years of nationally representative data. Methods A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample was conducted. Study inclusion was limited to adults aged 65 years and older. Diagnostic codes were used to identify opioid misuse disorder; sampling weights were used to adjust standard estimates of the errors. Descriptive and multivariate procedures were used to describe risk and visit outcomes. Results ED visits by older adults with opioid misuse identified in the ED increased sharply from 2006 to 2014, representing a nearly 220% increase over the study period. Opioid misuse was associated with an increased number of chronic conditions, greater injury risk, and higher rates of alcohol dependence and mental health diagnoses. Conclusion The steep increase in opioid misuse observed among older adult ED visits underscores the critical need for additional research to better understand the national scope and impact of opioid misuse on older adults, as well as to better inform policy responses to meet the needs of this particular age group.
The Development of a Framework for Curriculum Integration

This work-in-progress paper describes the initial stages of the development of a framework to understand learning outcomes related to technical content, professional skills, tools, and values across an entire engineering undergraduate curriculum. This iterative process of development has been undertaken by the mechanical engineering faculty of a new engineering program in order to map and plan for an overall integrated curriculum. The current status of the framework and intended future work are detailed.
Frame-based radiosurgery of multiple metastases using single-isocenter volumetric modulated arc therapy technique

Single-isocenter volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique can provide stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment with improved delivery efficiency for treating multiple metastases. Nevertheless, planning is time consuming and verification of frame-based SRS setup, especially at noncoplanar angles, can be challenging. We report on a single-isocenter VMAT technique with a special focus on improving treatment workflow and delivery verification to exploit the minimized patient motion of the frame-based SRS. We developed protocols for preplanning and verification for VMAT and evaluated them for ten patient cases. Preplans based on MRI were used to generate comparable treatment plans using CT taken on the day of treatment after frame placement. Target positioning accuracy was evaluated by stereoscopic in-room kV imaging. Dosimetric accuracy of the noncoplanar plan delivery was validated using measurement-guided 3D dose reconstruction as well as film-based end-to-end test with a Rando phantom. Average absolute differences of homogeneity indices, conformity indices, and V12Gy between MR preplans and CT-based plans were within 5%. In-room imaging positioning accuracy of 0.4 mm was verified to be independent of the distance to the isocenter. For treatment verification, average local and global passing rates of the 3D gamma (1 mm, 3%) were 86% and 99%, respectively. D99 values were matched within 5% for individual target structures (>0.5 cc). Additional film analysis confirmed dosimetric accuracy for small targets that had large verification errors in the 3D dose reconstruction. Our results suggest that the advantages of frame-based SRS and noncoplanar single-isocenter VMAT technique can be combined for efficient and accurate treatment of patients with multiple metastases.
Silica-Supported Immobilized Amine for CO2 Capture Processes: Molecular Insight by In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract CO2 is a major greenhouse gas responsible for global climate changes. One potential cost-effective approach to limit CO2 emissions is the use of silica (SiO2)-based immobilized amines for capturing CO2 from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants which account for more than 40% of annual CO2 emission around the globe. This chapter discusses the approaches for preparation and fabrication of silica-based amine sorbents, their uses in fixed and fluidized bed, and issues related to scale-up and deployment of CO2 capture processes. The insight into the structure of silica and the kinetics of CO2 capture processes will be shed by examining the in situ infrared spectroscopic results. The focus will be directed toward elucidating the interactions between silica and immobilized amine as well as the bonding between CO2 and immobilized amines at a molecular level.
THE UTILITY OF DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY IN ASSESSING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS PRIOR TO KIDNEY TRANSPLANT

The progression of chronic kidney disease to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with increased incidence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients typically undergo cardiac risk assessment prior to renal transplant. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a common non-
Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Procedures

This chapter discusses technical aspects of video-assisted thoracic surgery procedures to address the lungs and mediastinum. A number of different approaches fall under the classification of VATS from purely thoracoscopic approaches to approaches using limited access incisions.
A Paradigm Shift: Supporting the Multidimensional Identities of Black Male Youth

Black male youth are poorly represented in the counseling literature. There is a focus on development from a deficit model and lack of attention to their complex and multidimensional identities. In...
Comparison of Six-Month Post-Heart Transplant Survival between Status 1B/2 and Status 4-6 Recipients before and after the UNOS Allocation System Change

Purpose The UNOS heart allocation policy change in 2018 emphasized heart transplantation (HT) for patients based on medical urgency by prioritizing the sickest patients. The impact of the policy change on less critically ill patients is unclear, and to date no analysis on these patients has been performed. We compare the characteristics and outcomes of status 1B/2 recipients with status 4-6 recipients. Methods In the UNOS database, patients registered as status 1B/2 transplanted within 1 year prior to policy change (PRE, N=499) and patients listed as status 4-6 transplanted within 1 year after policy change (POST, N=351) were identified. Baseline characteristics were compared using the Mann Whitney U test and Chi square test as appropriate. 6-month survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Univariate cox regression was performed as well as multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis which adjusted for recipient age, donor age, creatinine, bilirubin, dialysis requirement, and ischemic time. Results There was no significant difference in 6-month post-transplant survival in the PRE vs. POST group (95% vs 93%, p=0.27). Additionally, on univariate (HR: 1.38 [0.78, 2.47]) and multivariate analysis (HR: 1.33 [0.73, 2.42]), the policy change was not a significant predictor of 6-month post-transplant survival. Median ischemic time (2.9 hrs vs 3.0 hrs, p=0.025) and distance from donor to recipient hospitals (74.0 nmi vs. 106.0 nmi, p=0.001) was increased in the POST group while there was no difference in median waitlist time (48 days vs 44 days, p=0.72). Dialysis after listing was more common in the POST group (0.4% vs 2.8%, p=0.007). In the POST group, there was also an increase in female recipients (37.3% vs 46.2%, p=0.012) and female donors (38.9% vs 52.4%, p=0.001) with no difference in gender mismatch (13.0% vs 14.2%, p=0.682). Conclusion Though there was a significant increase in ischemic time and geographical distribution, the heart allocation policy change did not affect six-month post-transplant survival for lower acuity patients. The median waitlist time was unchanged.
THE HISTORIA AVGVSTA BEFORE MS PAL. LAT. 899: LOST MANUSCRIPTS AND SCRIBAL MEDIATION

This article re-evaluates the role of the manuscript tradition of the Historia Augusta in debates over the original contents and authorship of the text. Evidence for physical disruptions to the text before our oldest surviving manuscripts points to an earlier manuscript distributed across multiple codices. A multi-volume archetype eliminates critical arguments against the author's claims about lives missing before the Life of Hadrian as well as in the lacuna for the years a.d. 244–260. Other multi-volume codices of the eighth and ninth centuries show that loss of an initial volume would have disrupted the textual tradition for the index, titles and authorial attributions. Comparison of our most complete early witness, Pal. lat. 899, to the independent branches of the textual tradition shows discrepancies between these paratextual elements as expected in a disrupted tradition. Ultimately, this article concludes that the current debates on authorship and the original scope of the Historia Augusta rest on paratextual elements from a single branch of the manuscript tradition, raising doubts about the centrality of these controversies to understanding the work.
Two Type VI Secretion Systems in Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22Sm exhibit differential target specificity for bacteria prey and oyster larvae

ABSTRACT Vibrio coralliilyticus is an extracellular bacterial pathogen and a causative agent of vibriosis in larval oysters. Host mortality rates can quickly reach 100% during vibriosis outbreaks in oyster hatcheries. Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SS) are rapidly polymerizing, contact dependent injection apparatus for prey cell intoxication and play important roles in pathogenesis. DNA sequencing of V. coralliilyticus RE22Sm indicated the likely presence of two functional T6SSs with one on each of two chromosomes. Here, we investigated the antibacterial and anti-eukaryotic roles of the two T6SSs (T6SS1 and T6SS2) against E. coli Sm10 cells and Crassostrea virginica larvae, respectively. Mutations in hcp and vgrG genes were created and characterized for their effects upon bacterial antagonism and eukaryotic host virulence. Mutations in hcp1 and hcp2 resulted in significantly reduced antagonism against E. coli Sm10, with the hcp2 mutation demonstrating the greater impact. In contrast, mutations in vgrG1 or vgrG2 had little effect on E. coli killing. In eastern oyster larval challenge assays, T6SS1 mutations in either hcp1 or vgrG1 dramatically attenuated virulence against C. virginica larvae. Strains with restored wild type hcp or vgrG genes reestablished T6SS-mediated killing to that of wild type V. coralliilyticus RE22Sm. These data suggest that the T6SS1 of V. coralliilyticus RE22Sm principally targets eukaryotes and secondarily bacteria, while the T6SS2 primarily targets bacterial cells and secondarily eukaryotes. Attenuation of pathogenicity was observed in all T6SS mutants, demonstrating the requirement for proper assembly of the T6SS systems to maintain maximal virulence. Importance Vibriosis outbreaks lead to large-scale hatchery losses of oyster larvae (product and seed) where Vibrio sp. associated losses of 80 to 100 percent are not uncommon. Practical and proactive biocontrol measures can be taken to help mitigate larval death by Vibrio sp. by better understanding the underlying mechanisms of virulence in V. coralliilyticus. In this study, we demonstrate the presence of two Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SS) in V. coralliilyticus RE22Sm and interrogate the roles of each T6SS in bacterial antagonism and pathogenesis against a eukaryotic host. Specifically, we show that the loss of T6SS1 function results in the loss of virulence against oyster larvae.