cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancing robustness for speech recognition through bio-inspired auditory filter-bank

One of the important properties observed in basilar membrane filtering, aimed to improve robustness of the human ear, is lateral inhibition-based level-dependent frequency resolution. However, this particular property has not been extensively considered for improving robustness of the speech processing systems. In this work, an auditory filter-bank which includes lateral inhibition based on input stimulus providing a good fit to human auditory masking is used for improving robustness of the speech recognition system. The gammachirp auditory filter is the real part of the analytic gammachirp function which has been shown to provide an accurate description for the asymmetric and lateral inhibition observed in the basilar membrane filtering. The gammachirp is characterised with asymmetry in the low frequency tail of auditory filter response and models level dependent properties such as decrease in gain and a shift in the centre frequency of the filter with increase in level. The speech recognition experiments using the standard HTK framework are performed on standard Aurora-5 digit task database, both simulated and real data recorded with distant microphones in a hands-free mode at a real meeting room. The gammachirp-based features show reliable and consistent improvements when compared to the conventional features used for speech recognition.
The Great Temple of Tenochtitlán: Center and Periphery in the Aztec World

The remains of the great double pyramid of Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire, came to light during the spectacular excavation project undertaken by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia from 1978 to 1982. This volume offers three views of the "Templo Mayor" as the quintessential sacred space within the Aztec empire, presented in a collaborative effort by an archaeologist, an ethnohistorian, and a historian of religion."
A comparison of physiological variables in aged and young women during and following submaximal exercise

Previously, we have examined how aging affects the physiological responses of men to endurance exercise. In the present investigation, we aimed to extend our assessment of the influence of aging on exercise-induced responses by focusing on women. Ten young (20.3 +/- 0.3 years; mean +/- SE) and 10 aged (75.5 +/- 1.2 years) women performed 30 min of cycling at 60-65% of their predetermined peak oxygen uptake. Data for respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate, blood pressure, rectal temperature, and plasma metabolites were collected before exercise, at the 15th and 30th min of exercise, and at 5 and 15 min postexercise. A two-way, repeated measures ANOVA with main effects of age and time was conducted on each variable. Our findings showed that age affected exercise-induced responses of each variable quantified. Although RER, heart rate, temperature, and lactate were significantly (P < 0.05) higher among young women, blood pressure and glucose values were greater among aged women. Moreover, unlike previous results noted among men where age-related differences primarily occurred during postexercise recovery, in women the effect of aging was detected during exercise itself. The data presented here indicate that aging impacts physiological responses of women to prolonged endurance exercise even when relative intensity (% of peak oxygen uptake) is held constant. Combined with our earlier study on men, these findings suggest that gender interacts with aging to determine whether age-related differences are manifested during exercise itself, or during postexercise recovery.
The long and short isoforms of Ret function as independent signaling complexes

Ret, the receptor tyrosine kinase for the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family ligands (GFLs), is alternatively spliced to yield at least two isoforms, Ret9 and Ret51, which differ only in their C termini. To identify tyrosines in Ret that are autophosphorylation sites in neurons, we generated antibodies specific to phosphorylated Y905Ret, Y1015Ret, Y1062Ret, and Y1096Ret, all of which are autophosphorylated in cell lines. All four of these tyrosines in Ret became phosphorylated rapidly upon activation by GFLs in sympathetic neurons. These tyrosines remained phosphorylated in sympathetic neurons in the continued presence of GFLs, albeit at a lower level than immediately after GFL treatment. Comparison of GFL activation of Ret9 and Ret51 revealed that phosphorylation of Tyr(905) and Tyr(1062) was greater and more sustained in Ret9 as compared with Ret51. In contrast, Tyr(1015) was more highly phosphorylated over time in Ret51 than in Ret9. Surprisingly, Ret9 and Ret51 did not associate with each other in sympathetic neurons after glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor stimulation, even though they share identical extracellular domains. Furthermore, the signaling complex associated with Ret9 was markedly different from the Ret51-associated signaling complex. Taken together, these data provide a biochemical basis for the dramatic functional differences between Ret9 and Ret 51 in vivo.
A microprocessor trainer simulator

Historically, a two semester sequence of courses in microprocessor software and interfacing was taught using a processor such as the Motorola 6800. However, advances in the field have necessitated teaching more advanced microprocessors (such as the Intel 80/spl times/85 family) in the software course. For several reasons the interfacing course is still taught using the Motorola 6800. Reasons include legacy laboratory hardware, tractability of the 8 bit hardware bus, and the popularity of the 6800 family derivatives as embedded controllers. Students are now required to master the 6800 architecture and assembly language in a short time at the beginning of this course. To ease this learning process, the author has developed a software simulation of the popular Heathkit Model ET-3400A microprocessor trainer. All hardware experiments are carried out on the physical trainers, but students can do software development at home without physically possessing a trainer. Anecdotal evidence to date suggests that the simulator is of significant benefit to the students in quickly mastering the 6800 architecture.
A dialysis patient with blurred vision

Papilloedema is a term that describes a non-inflammatory swelling of the optic nerve head that is now restricted only to patients with increased intracranial pressure. It thus implies a clinical diagnosis in addition to a physical finding while the term optic disc swelling is employed for the mere clinical description. We describe a haemodialysis patient who developed sudden onset of optic disc oedema with a blurred vision that was not associated with increased intracranial pressure and resolved spontaneously.
Sulfinimines (Thiooximine S‐Oxides): Asymmetric Synthesis of Methyl (R)‐(+)‐β‐Phenylalanate from (S)‐(+)‐N‐(Benzylidene)‐p‐Toluenesulfinamide

Sulfinimines (thiooximine s-oxides): Asymmetric synthesis of methyl (R)-(+)-β-phenylalanate from (S)-(+)-N-(benzylidene)-p-toluenesulfinamide intermediate: 10.35 g (66.8 mmol) of (S)-(+)-p-toluenesulfinamide (2) intermediate: 2.65 g (10.9 mmol) of (S)-(+)-N-(benzylidene)-p-toluenesulfinamide (3) in 50 mL of anhydrous ether intermediate: 2.13 g (6.7 mmol) of (Ss,R)-(+)-methyl N-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-3-amino-3-phenylpropanoate (4) product: methyl (R)-(+)-β-phenylalanate Keywords: addition, to CN; enamine or imine formation; hydrolysis, miscellaneous; replacement reactions, miscellaneous; stereoselective reactions, diastereoselective
High-resolution signal synthesis for time-frequency distributions

Bilinear time-frequency distributions (TFDs) offer improved resolution over linear time-frequency representations (TFRs), but many TFDs are costly to evaluate and are not associated with signal synthesis algorithms. The spectrogram (SP) decomposition and weighted reversal correlator decomposition have been used to define low-cost, high-resolution TFDs. The authors show that the vector-valued square-root of a TFD (VVTFR) provides a representational underpinning for the TFD. By synthesizing signals from modified VVTFRs, they define high-resolution signal synthesis algorithms associated with TFDs. The signal analysis and synthesis packages can be implemented as weighted sums of SP/short-time Fourier transform (STFT) signal analysis and synthesis packages. The algorithms exhibit desirable properties, and yield results superior to STFT signal synthesis for a simple example. >
Methionine, choline, betaine and fish products in a simplified ration.

Abstract PREVIOUS investigations at this Station have indicated a supplementary value for choline and methionine in a simplified corn and soybean oil meal ration. Gerry et al. (1948) found these factors to be interchangeable to a certain extent, but that methionine was of somewhat more value than choline. However, Clandinin et al. (1946) using a somewhat more complex ration concluded that choline and methionine cannot be considered interchangeable. Using four different soybean oil meals they found that only one was improved by choline, whereas all four were improved by methionine additions. However, their experiment was terminated when the chicks were four weeks of age. Gerry et al. found that 4 weeks was not sufficient time for bringing out these relative values. Almquist and Grau (1945) state that even if high levels of choline are employed the addition of cystine cannot compensate for a methionine deficiency. These authors have indicated (1944) that . . .
Management of Constipation in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

OBJECTIVES To develop a practical, readily applied algorithm for primary health care providers to identify, evaluate, and manage constipation in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). METHODS The Gastroenterology Committee of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN), a multisite consortium of centers dedicated to improving standards of medical care for children with ASDs, guided the development of the constipation algorithm through expert opinion and literature review. The algorithm was finalized based on results of field testing by nongastrointestinal, ATN autism medical specialists at 4 ATN sites. A systematic review and grading of the literature pertaining to constipation and children with ASDs was also performed. RESULTS Consensus among the ATN Gastroenterology Committee identified that in children with ASDs, (1) subtle or atypical symptoms might indicate the presence of constipation; (2) screening, identification, and treatment through a deliberate approach for underlying causes of constipation is appropriate; (3) diagnostic-therapeutic intervention can be provided when constipation is documented; and (4) careful follow-up after any intervention be performed to evaluate effectiveness and tolerance of the therapy. Literature review revealed limited evidence for the clinical evaluation or treatment strategies of children with ASD and constipation. CONCLUSIONS Constipation and its underlying etiology have the potential to be effectively identified and managed using a systematic approach. Lack of evidence on this topic in the literature emphasizes the need for research.
Aerosolized Medications for Gene and Peptide Therapy

Inhalation therapy has matured to include drugs that: (1) deliver nucleic acids that either lead to the restoration of a gene construct or protein coding sequence in a population of cells or suppress or disrupt production of an abnormal gene product (gene therapy); (2) deliver peptides that target lung diseases such as asthma, sarcoidosis, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis; and (3) deliver peptides to treat diseases outside the lung whose target is the systemic circulation (systemic drug delivery). These newer applications for aerosol therapy are the focus of this paper, and I discuss the status of each and the challenges that remain to their successful development. Drugs that are highlighted include: small interfering ribonucleic acid to treat lung cancer and Mycobacterium tuberculosis; vectors carrying the normal alpha-1 antitrypsin gene to treat alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; vectors carrying the normal cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene to treat cystic fibrosis; vasoactive intestinal peptide to treat asthma, pulmonary hypertension, and sarcoidosis; glutathione to treat cystic fibrosis; granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to treat pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; calcitonin for postmenopausal osteoporosis; and insulin to treat diabetes. The success of these new aerosol applications will depend on many factors, such as: (1) developing gene therapy formulations that are safe for acute and chronic administrations to the lung, (2) improving the delivery of the genetic material beyond the airway mucus barrier and cell membrane and transferring the material to the cell cytoplasm or the cell nucleus, (3) developing aerosol devices that efficiently deliver genetic material and peptides to their lung targets over a short period of time, (4) developing devices that increase aerosol delivery to the lungs of infants, (5) optimizing the bioavailability of systemically delivered peptides, and (6) developing peptide formulations for systemic delivery that do not cause persistent cough or changes in lung function.
Effects of a memory aid in probability learning

Eighty Ss served in a probability-learning experiment where π (.70 or.90), instructions (random or problem solving), and memory aid (present or absent) were varied factorially. Memory aid consisted of lights which informed S which events had been correct on the three previous trials. Conditional response probabilities were closer to conditional event probabilities in memory-aid conditions, especially under problem-solving instructions.
Dynamic Analysis of Thin Asphalt Pavements by Using Cross-Anisotropic Stress-Dependent Properties for Granular Layer

A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) model was developed to investigate the dynamic responses of thin, flexible pavement under impulsive loading similar to a falling weight deflectometer test. The FE model simulated the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) surface layer as a linear viscoelastic material and considered the cross-anisotropic stress dependent modulus for the unbound base layer. Implicit dynamic analysis was used to consider the effect of inertia on pavement structural responses. Using two thinpavement structures of different HMA layer thicknesses, 76 and 127 mm, the study analyzed the effects of cross-anisotropic stress-dependent aggregate base modulus and dynamic analysis on pavement responses, including surface deflection, tensile strain at the bottom of the HMA layer, deviator stress in the base layer, and compressive strain on top of the subgrade. Results showed that use of the cross-anisotropic stress-dependent modulus for the unbound base layer resulted in greater predicted pavement response...
The Unheard Voice in Sentencing Reform Movement: Crime Victims

For the first time in decades substantive criminal justice reform appears to be a possibility. There seems to be bipartisan consensus that some reform is necessary to address flaws in the American system. In the past, such efforts have fallen short for a host of reasons. One of them was the failure to include law enforcement and prosecutors in the dialog. No criminal justice reform can be achieved if those tasked with executing it are not part of the deliberative process. Fortunately, efforts regarding the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 have included law enforcement and prosecutors. However, one voice remains sidelined throughout this legislative debate: victims. This essay calls upon Congress and other policy makers to include the crime victim perspective in sentencing reform. Only by doing so can these reform efforts achieve the legitimacy necessary to succeed.
Economic Trends of Change

Six fundamental forces underlie the need for business change. These forces are each integrated in the later chapters of this book. Taking a broad-brush approach, we can see the reach and impact of these six forces, each of which interacts with others to multiply both the effect and complexity of any given trend.
Guanidinium: A Route to Enhanced Carrier Lifetime and Open-Circuit Voltage in Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

Hybrid perovskites have shown astonishing power conversion efficiencies owed to their remarkable absorber characteristics including long carrier lifetimes, and a relatively substantial defect tolerance for solution-processed polycrystalline films. However, nonradiative charge carrier recombination at grain boundaries limits open circuit voltages and consequent performance improvements of perovskite solar cells. Here we address such recombination pathways and demonstrate a passivation effect through guanidinium-based additives to achieve extraordinarily enhanced carrier lifetimes and higher obtainable open circuit voltages. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements yield carrier lifetimes in guanidinium-based films an order of magnitude greater than pure-methylammonium counterparts, giving rise to higher device open circuit voltages and power conversion efficiencies exceeding 17%. A reduction in defect activation energy of over 30% calculated via admittance spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence intensi...
Energy-Optimal Control of RO Desalination

A novel model-based control system for the operation of a spiral-wound RO membrane desalination system was developed with a focus on maintaining energy-optimal operation. The control scheme utilized an operational model for spiral-wound RO desalting with a supervisory controller providing real-time updates of membrane permeability and the appropriate feed pressure set-points for maintaining the target permeate productivity at the lowest feasible specific energy consumption. System RO feed pressure and flow rates were controlled by a lower-level RO controller through adjustment of the RO high pressure feed pump, variable frequency drive, and RO concentrate valve. Seawater desalination tests with an RO plant, capable of permeate productivity up to 18 000 gallons/day, demonstrated effective self-adaptive energy-optimal operation, subject to feed salinity fluctuations, constraints imposed by the system’s physical limitations (i.e., minimum and maximum feasible operational pressures and flow rates), and the th...
A preference technique to investigate visual acuity in the rat

Hooded rats were placed on a center board with a plain surface (black or white) under glass on one side and a black and white striped pattern (parallel or perpendicular to the center board) under glass on the other. Striations of 1/4 in, 1/8 in and 1/16 in were used. Ss descended from the center board to the 1/4 in and 1/8 in stripes significantly more frequently than to the plain surface, not significantly so for the 1/16 in stripes. This experiment agrees in general with Lashley’s conclusions on the limits of acuity in the hooded rat, and it shows that a preference technique that requires no training can be used to investigate visual acuity.
Effects of Different CH4-H2 Gas Compositions on the Morphology and Growth of Diamond Grown by Hot Filament CVD

Diamond films have been grown on single crystal Si and polycrystalline mullite substrates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition. Both substrates offer a good thermal expansion match with diamond. Gas mixture ratios of CH 4 :H 2 ranged from 0.1–1.0%. The remaining deposition parameters were: substrate temperature, 750°C; filament temperature, 1800°C; gas pressure, 5×10 3 Pa; gas flow rate, 52 seem except for the 0.1% CH 4 :H 2 ratio deposition in which the flow rate was 120 seem. Film thicknesses were determined from cross sectional SEM micrographs. The average growth rates on the mullite increased nearly linearly with increasing CH 4 gas fraction, ranging from 0.05 μm/hr to 0.21 μm/hr. Growth rates on the Si substrates were slightly lower for identical growth conditions. Surface SEM micrographs revealed that the roughness of the films decreased with increasing CH 4 gas fraction during deposition. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that crystalline grain size in the films decreased with increasing CH 4 gas fraction. No preferred crystallographic orientation was seen in the diffraction patterns. Isolated particles were also grown on Si substrates under the same deposition conditions as the film growth. As the CH 4 gas fraction increased, the particle growth displayed increasing rates of secondary particle nucleation resulting in a less well faceted morphology.
Clinical effect of refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura treated by rituximab combined with dexamethasone in children

Objective To discuss the effect and safety of rituximab combined with dexamethasone in the treatment of children with refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(RITP).Methods Twenty-two patients were diagnosed as RITP,which were divided into control group and observation group.The patients in control group were treated with high-dose dexamethasone,and those in the observation group were treated with low-dose dexamethasone combined with rituximab.The therapeutic effects and the drug adverse effects in two groups were observed respectively.Besides,the expressions of CD20+ B cells in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry in 11 patients before and after treatment.Results The effective rates of observation group was significantly higher than those in control group(P0.05).There was no significant difference of the drug adverse effects between two groups.The platelet counts of the observation group after treatment was significantly higher than those before treatment.The expression of CD20+ B cell after treatment was significantly lower than those before treatment.Conclusion The treatment of RITP in children with rituximab combined with dexamethasone could result in better therapeutic effects and lower drug adverse effects.
Language and the psychoanalytic process: psychoanalysis and Vygotskian psychology. II.

This paper follows our previous one, where we described a psychoanalytic conception of language, thought, and internalization that is informed by the thinking of Lev Vygotsky. Here, several aspects of the analytic process which allow for the understanding of ineffable experiences in the analysand's history and the analytic situation are investigated: specifically, primal repression, metaphor, and the role of speech in free association. It is suggested that Freud's notion of primal repression be revived and redefined as one aspect of the descriptive unconscious. Some implications of primal repression for transference and resistance are explored. The metaphoric in its broad sense is examined as one example of how early dynamic experiences embedded in the process of language acquisition can be reached within the clinical situation. It is proposed that an understanding of free association is enhanced by awareness of distinctions between inner, egocentric, and social speech. The basic rule can be interpreted a...
Effects of age and level of physical activity on plasma norepinephrine kinetics.

We examined the effects of age and physical activity on plasma norepinephrine (NE) kinetics in active and inactive older and younger men. NE kinetics were estimated by calculation of the rates of NE appearance and clearance during infusion of tritiated norepinephrine [( 3H]-NE). Older active men had the highest level of plasma NE (pg/ml) and NE appearance (microgram.min-1.FFW-1, where FFW is fat-free weight) relative to younger men and inactive older men. NE clearance (l.min-1.FFW-1) was not influenced by age or physical activity. No significant associations were noted between percent body fat, supine blood pressure with resting levels of NE, NE appearance, and NE clearance. We concluded that 1) chronic participation in physical activity by older men, but not younger men, is associated with higher resting levels of plasma NE and NE appearance and 2) the degree of adiposity does not influence plasma NE kinetics in healthy younger and older men. The level of physical activity is an influencing factor on plasma NE and NE appearance into circulation in healthy older men.
A mathematical framework for virtual IMRT QA using machine learning

Purpose: It is common practice to perform patient-specific pretreatment verifications to the clinical delivery of IMRT. This process can be time-consuming and not altogether instructive due to the myriad sources that may produce a failing result. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm capable of predicting IMRT QA passing rates a priori. Methods: From all treatment, 498 IMRT plans sites were planned in eclipse version 11 and delivered using a dynamic sliding window technique on Clinac iX or TrueBeam Linacs. 3%/3 mm local dose/distance-to-agreement (DTA) was recorded using a commercial 2D diode array. Each plan was characterized by 78 metrics that describe different aspects of their complexity that could lead to disagreements between the calculated and measured dose. A Poisson regression with Lasso regularization was trained to learn the relation between the plan characteristics and each passing rate. Results: Passing rates 3%/3 mm local dose/DTA can be predicted with an error smaller than 3% for all plans analyzed. The most important metrics to describe the passing rates were determined to be the MU factor (MU per Gy), small aperture score, irregularity factor, and fraction of the plan delivered at the corners of a 40 × 40 cm field. The higher the value of these metrics, the worse the passing rates. Conclusions: The Virtual QA process predicts IMRT passing rates with a high likelihood, allows the detection of failures due to setup errors, and it is sensitive enough to detect small differences between matched Linacs.
From Student to Full Professor

This chapter takes a look at the transitional phase required for success. How does one go from being a student to becoming a full professor? Making the paradigm shift from learning to instructing and from faculty to managing the faculty are mental mind-shifts which require the utilization of different skill sets. This chapter takes a look at how to navigate from being a student where the faculty who were once your professors are now your fellow colleagues. An in-depth discussion of how you can improve yourself in this arena to become accepted as a professor and not a student is explained. Obtaining acceptance, respect, and being valued by fellow faculty are also discussed in this chapter.
Phase decomposition of γ-U (bcc) in U-10 wt% Mo fuel alloy during hot isostatic pressing of monolithic fuel plate

Abstract Eutectoid decomposition of γ-phase (cI2) into α-phase (oC4) and γ′-phase (tI6) during the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of the U-10 wt% Mo (U10Mo) alloy was investigated using monolithic fuel plate samples consisting of U10Mo fuel alloy, Zr diffusion barrier and AA6061 cladding. The decomposition of the γ-phase was observed because the HIP process is carried out near the eutectoid temperature, 555 °C. Initially, a cellular structure, consisting of γ′-phase surrounded by α-phase, developed from the destabilization of the γ-phase. The cellular structure further developed into an alternating lamellar structure of α- and γ′-phases. Using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, qualitative and quantitative microstructural analyses were carried out to identify the phase constituents, and elucidate the microstructural development based on time-temperature-transformation diagram of the U10Mo alloy. The destabilization of γ -phase into α- and γ′-phases would be minimized when HIP process was carried out with rapid ramping/cooling rate and dwell temperature higher than 560 °C.
Distant supervision for emotion classification with discrete binary values

In this paper, we present an experiment to identify emotions in tweets. Unlike previous studies, which typically use the six basic emotion classes defined by Ekman, we classify emotions according to a set of eight basic bipolar emotions defined by Plutchik (Plutchik's "wheel of emotions"). This allows us to treat the inherently multi-class problem of emotion classification as a binary problem for four opposing emotion pairs. Our approach applies distant supervision, which has been shown to be an effective way to overcome the need for a large set of manually labeled data to produce accurate classifiers. We build on previous work by treating not only emoticons and hashtags but also emoji, which are increasingly used in social media, as an alternative for explicit, manual labels. Since these labels may be noisy, we first perform an experiment to investigate the correspondence among particular labels of different types assumed to be indicative of the same emotion. We then test and compare the accuracy of independent binary classifiers for each of Plutchik's four binary emotion pairs trained with different combinations of label types. Our best performing classifiers produce results between 75-91%, depending on the emotion pair; these classifiers can be combined to emulate a single multi-label classifier for Plutchik's eight emotions that achieves accuracies superior to those reported in previous multi-way classification studies.
Chemistry, Antimicrobial Mechanisms, and Antibiotic Activities of Cinnamaldehyde against Pathogenic Bacteria in Animal Feeds and Human Foods

Cinnamaldehyde is a major constituent of cinnamon essential oils produced by aromatic cinnamon plants. This compound has been reported to exhibit antimicrobial properties in vitro in laboratory media and in animal feeds and human foods contaminated with disease-causing bacteria including Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. This integrated review surveys and interprets our current knowledge of the chemistry, analysis, safety, mechanism of action, and antibiotic activities of cinnamaldehyde in food animal (cattle, lambs, calves, pigs, poultry) diets and in widely consumed liquid (apple, carrot, tomato, and watermelon juices, milk) and solid foods. Solid foods include various fruits (bayberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), vegetables (carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, and tomatoes), meats (beef, ham, pork, and frankfurters), poultry (chickens and turkeys), seafood (oysters and shrimp), ...
Quality of life and urolithiasis: the patient - reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS)

Author(s): Patel, Nishant; Brown, Robert D; Sarkissian, Carl; De, Shubha; Monga, Manoj | Abstract: BackgroundWith a high rate of recurrence, urolithiasis is a chronic disease that impacts quality of life. The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System is an NIH validated questionnaire to assess patient quality of life. We evaluated the impact of urolithiasis on quality of life using the NIH-sponsored PROMIS-43 questionnaire.Materials and methodsPatients reporting to the kidney stone clinic were interviewed to collect information on stone history and demographic information and were asked to complete the PROMIS-43 questionnaire. Quality of life scores were analyzed using gender and age matched groups for the general US population. Statistical comparisons were made based on demographic information and patient stone history. Statistical significance was Pl0.05.Results103 patients completed the survey. 36% of respondents were male, the average age of the group was 52 years old, with 58% primary income earners, and 35% primary caregivers. 7% had never passed a stone or had a procedure while 17% passed 10 or more stones in their lifetime. Overall, pain and physical function were worse in patients with urolithiasis. Primary income earners had better quality of life while primary caregivers and those with other chronic medical conditions were worse. Patients on dietary and medical therapy had better quality of life scores.ConclusionsUrolithiasis patients subjectively have worse pain and physical function than the general population. The impact of pain on quality of life was greatest in those patients who had more stone episodes, underscoring the importance of preventive measures. Stone prevention measures improve quality of life.
Cognitive factors affecting sequential dependencies in differential eyelid conditioning.

Sequential dependencies were examined as a function of learning, masking, and subject factors in a two-stage differential eyelid conditioning experiment. In Stage 1, all subjects were differentially conditioned to two Vanderplas and Garvin (1959) forms. In Stage 2, the conditional stimuli (CSs) were one of eight words, four reinforced (CS+) and four unreinforced (CS−), with taxonomic category (animalsvs. musical instruments) as the discriminandum, and different subjects were given semantic, physical, or no additional CS processing tasks. The results showed sizeable and highly significant sequential dependencies in the form of greater conditional response probabilities when CS + as opposed to CS− trials were recently experienced. These effects decreased overtrials, were greater in the groups given additional processing loads, and were in some cases greater in C-form responders than in V-form responders and greater in subjects who were unable to verbalize the differential contingencies. It was concluded that the magnitude of sequential dependencies was inversely related to the subject’s awareness of the differential contingencies and/or ability to use the contingency information to respond appropriately to the CS cues.
Physical function impairment in survivors of critical illness in an ICU Recovery Clinic.

Abstract Purpose The aims were to 1) determine feasibility of measuring physical function in our ICU Recovery Clinic (RC), 2) determine if physical function was associated with 6-month re-hospitalization and 1-year mortality and 3) compare ICU survivors' physical function to other comorbid populations. Materials and methods We established the Wake Forest ICU RC. Patients were seen in clinic 1 month following hospital discharge. Testing included the Short Form-36 questionnaire and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). We related these measures to 6 month re-hospitalizations and 1 year mortality, and compared patients' functional performance with other comorbid populations. Results Thirty-six patients were seen in clinic from July 2014 to June 2015; the median SPPB score was 5 (IQR 5). The median SF-36 physical component summary score was 21.8 (IQR 28.8). Mortality was 14% at 1 year. Of those who did not die by 1 year, 35% were readmitted to our hospital within 6 months of hospital discharge. SPPB scores demonstrated a non-significant trend with both mortality (p = 0.06) and readmissions (p = 0.09). ICU survivors' SPPB scores were significantly lower than those of other chronically ill populations (p Conclusions Physical function measurement in a recovery clinic is feasible and may inform subsequent morbidity and mortality.
Genetic and Environmental Determinants in Multiple Myeloma: Implications for Therapy

Multiple myeloma is an incurable hematopoietic malignancy linked to more than 10,000 deaths annually. This dyscrasia is associated with significant co-morbidities as a result of the clonal expansion of bone marrow resident, immunoglobulin secreting, plasma cells. As will most cancers, myeloma tumorigenesis is a defined by both genetic transforming events and the growth and survival factors provided by the bone marrow microenvironment. The earliest genetic aspects of myeloma tumorigenesis have been shown to result from non-random translocations of genes that normally function as determinants of cell proliferation or cell survival to regions juxtaposed to active immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) enhancer elements, Secondary somatic mutations are then acquired that affect oncogenic signaling via Ras, Raf, NF-κB, FGFR3, or myc. Further, the loss of tumor suppressor function with deletion of the short of arm of chromosome 17 as later events. These events have been characterized over the last several decades and provide a model for the progression from the premalignant MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), to smoldering myeloma, to active myeloma, to extramedually plasma cell leukemia, and cells lines. Even in the setting of a genetic disease, it has long been appreciated that the bone marrow microenvironment also promotes multiple myeloma cell pathogenesis and has become an important target for therapeutic intervention. With increased understanding of the both the genetics of myeloma and the bone marrow niche numerous novel therapies are underdevelopment that will be discussed within this book chapter with the anticipation of improved clinical outcomes.
The Global Learning Distinction: an Experiential Learning Research Project

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of integrating global learning and culturally-responsive teaching as part of a University curriculum to prepare graduates to enter a global workforce. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), global learning programs are an important aspect of culturally responsive teaching which help students to â€œunderstand and engage the diversities and commonalities among the worldâ€™s peoples, cultures, nations, and regionsâ€ (AAC&U, 2018). The objective of this experiential learning project, implemented at the College of Business at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, USA, was to research ways to engage students in active global learning both inside and outside of the classroom. Specifically, the problem being explored included needs to assess student attitudes toward global learning (1), understand perceived benefits of a Global Learning Distinction program (2), and identify an opportunity for students to get involved in the promotion of this program prior to the full launch in 2018 (3). Focus group research results are discussed and recommendations for future research in Global Learning.
A Low-Dimensional Nonlinear Dynamic Governing Interlimb Rhythmic Coordination

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a low-dimensional nonlinear dynamic governing interlimb rhythmic coordination. The standard circle map studied originally by Arnold has been used to provide a general theory of phase locking in two-oscillator systems via nonlinear coupling, and its potential application to coordination patterns in biological movement systems has been duly recognized. The particular mode of 1:1 frequency coordination—in-phase versus anti-phase—depends on the sign of the coupling coefficient K. The research program initiated by von Hoist suggests three major requirements for an experimental method directed at the dynamics of inter-appendage rhythmic coordinations. A major implication of von Hoist's perspective is that an interlimb rhythmic coordination is a pattern-selection process. Competition and cooperation among different attractors, both within a level and between levels, select the order parameter dynamics of the interlimb system.
Sexual Health in Elderly Women

Awareness of sexual health and its relevance as an integral component of overall health for both men and women continues to grow throughout the medical field. Management of male sexual health has progressed significantly in recent years with the advent of numerous medications and other treatment modalities. However, older adults, and elderly women in particular, are often overlooked with regard to their sexual health. Myriad reasons contribute to this neglect including hesitancy among older women to seek care related to vaginal or sexual problems and reluctance of physicians to explore these topics with their patients. Female sexual health remains a relatively young scientific field overall and particularly among urologists. This chapter will explore current research and clinical concepts associate with sexual health in elderly women. The physiology of sexual response associate with aging, recommendations for clinical evaluation and treatment are reviewed.
Hematological Facts and Formulas

Patients in the emergency department and the intensive care unit frequently have hematologic problems. These include anemia, coagulopathies, and thrombocytopenia to name just a few. In evaluation these patients, many laboratory tests and indices are obtained. The following formulas will aid the critical care practitioner in evaluating these hematologic parameters.
Bridging the gap between behavioral science and public health practice in HIV prevention.

RESEARCHERS RECORDED BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS of children and adolescents in the Bogalusa Heart Study (black and white populations) and in the Brooks Country Study (Hispanic population). Hispanic children had smaller stature, while whites and Hispanics tended to be fatter than blacks in childhood. In Bogalusa, black boys showed higher blood pressure levels. Hispanic girls showed lower systolic blood pressure than the other ethnic groups. In cultures with a high prevalence of hypertension, such as blacks in the United States, it is important to understand the effect of environmental factors like dietary intake and electrolytes and obesity on the control of hypertension.
Investigation of a Dynamic Property of Draupner Freak Wave

This paper presents an experimental study of the dynamic property of the Draupner freak wave by simulating it in the wave tank. We measure the horizontal particle velocity and the horizontal force on a vertical truncated cylinder caused by the laboratory freak wave. These results are compared with those of the equivalent-size laboratory Stokes 5th-order wave. The peak particle velocity of the freak wave is 2.4 times that of the laboratory Stokes 5th-order wave, and the peak force of the laboratory freak wave is 2.8 times that of the laboratory Stokes 5th-order wave. The freak wave force measured in the work is one that causes an impact, while the Stokes 5th-order wave force is an ordinary one.
An improved technique for determining higher order eigenvector coefficients

An improved method of determining higher order eigenvector coefficients associated with a general opening crack in a similar or bi-material configuration is presented. The method is based on the reciprocal work contour integral method. The method is tested on two problems of known solution. The method is found to be insensitive to finite element idealization error.
Body Composition and Nutritional Intake in Belgian Volleyball Players

Both theoretical considerations and research suggest that the composition of the body may significantly affect performance in sports (Williams 1989). Although research has not revealed a specific percentage of body fat or lean body mass ideal for any given sport, it has provided enough data to make some generalities. In general, research supports the finding that excess body fat may impair performance in sports, where the body needs to be moved rapidly or efficiently, such as volleyball.
Reason and Teaching (Routledge Revivals)

This title, first published in 1973, brings together a variety of papers by Israel Scheffler, one of America’s leading educational philosophers. The essays each stress the importance of critical thought and independent judgement to the organization of educational activities. In the first section, Scheffler adopts a metaphilosophical approach, emphasizing the role of philosophy in educational thought. A number of key concepts are dealt with next, including the study of education and its relation to theoretical disciplines, philosophical interpretations of teaching, and the education of teachers. The final section is critical, and deals with the writings of several key thinkers in the field. A broad and authoritative study, this reissue will provide any Philosophy student with an essential background to the criticism and theories surrounding the philosophy of education.
Human Gait Monitoring Using Footstep-Induced Floor Vibrations Across Different Structures

In this paper, we present a structure-adaptive approach for monitoring human gait using footstep-induced floor vibrations. Human gait information is critical for timely and accurate assessment and diagnosis of many health conditions. Footstep-induced vibration monitoring has been introduced in prior works as an accurate and cost-effective mean to provide continuous gait monitoring in indoor environments. Prior works in this field typically rely on inverse modeling approaches to map signal characteristics to gait information, but are limited due to varying signal characteristics in each new deployment structure. These changing characteristics introduce errors when attempting to use a model trained in one structure in another structure. To overcome this challenge, we propose a structure-adaptive approach that enables the transfer of a model trained in one structure to a new structure where no training data is present. To this end, we first find a lower-dimension space in which vibration responses share similarity across various structures and label the data in the target structure. Then, we use the labeled data to train a new model for footstep detection and monitoring in that structure. We evaluated our approach through real-world experiments in three types of structures (wood, concrete, and steel). Our evaluation results show that our approach achieves a footstep detection accuracy of between 85 and 97 percent and F1-score of between 86 and 97 percent, which represents 3-10X and 2. 2-15X improvements over the baseline approach, respectively.
Laughing to sexual education: feminist pedagogy of laughter as a model for holistic sex-education

ABSTRACTThis paper describes and analyses the ‘feminist pedagogy of laughter’ deployed in an original sex education presentation for college students, entitled Sexual Pleasure, Health, and Safety (...
Through Silicon Via-Aware Layout Design and Power Estimation in Sub-45 Nanometer 3D CMOS IC Technologies

We analyze the impact of through-silicon vias (TSVs) downsizing and future CMOS nanotechnology scaling on interconnect delay and power in 3-dimensional integrated circuits (3DICs). We study three different TSV sizes of $3\mu, 1.5\mu$ and $0.5\mu$ at three diverse technology nodes of 45nm, 32nm and $22\text{nm}$ . These technology variations are considered to investigate the impact on interconnect performance and power in 3D ICs. Our discussion also includes the impact of TSV cluster size variation on TSV capacitance which is important for early performance optimization in any given technology. A delay-aware 3D floorplanning tool with dynamic TSV clustering is used to simultaneously optimize TSV footprint and TSV cluster distribution. Our results show with scaling from 45nm to 22 nm., delay, for all TSV sizes increases by `41 %, while power reduces by `46%.
Enabling Immediate Access to Earth Science Models through Cloud Computing: Application to the GEOS-Chem Model

AbstractCloud computing platforms can provide fast and easy access to complex Earth science models and large datasets. This article presents a mature capability for running the GEOS-Chem global 3D ...
Four Observations About Hate Speech

Controversies pitting free speech against equality continue unresolved. The authors address four issues that arise in campus hate speech regulation as well as with other incidents of hate speech. The issues are: (1) strategy and use of resources within the progressive camp, (2) the costs of a free-speech regime versus one that puts antiracism first, (3) interest balancing, and (4) a tendency to frame the issue as one of procedure rather than substance.