cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption and Reaction Mechanisms of Thiophene over Sulfided Ruthenium Catalysts

Adjustable (hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation) ratios (i.e., selectivity) of thiophene over sulfided ruthenium catalysts have been observed to depend on the method of presulfidization. Sulfidization in 10% H 2 S/H 2 at 300–800K yielded a selectivity greater than 100, whereas a ratio of ca. 1 was noted after presulfidization in 100% H 2 S. The transition from one selectivity regime to another is reversible and can be changed via subsequent annealing or resulfidization procedures. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows similar results where sulfidization in 100% H 2 S yields: (i) a higher sulfur uptake with a corresponding 0.5 eV shift of the S 2 P1/2–3/2 peaks to higher binding energy; (ii) multilayer sulfur incorporation at lower temperatures; and (iii) similar reversible behavior following subsequent annealing or resulfidization. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption studies also reveal that sulfur coverages affect thiophene adsorption, orientation and cracking on ruthenium surfaces.
Can a Biocybernetic System be Used to Maintain Vigilance Performance

The present study examined whether a biocybernetic system could moderate performance in a vigilance task. The system manipulated critical signal (CS) amplitude based on an engagement index derived from the operator's own EEG. Knowledge of results (KR) for missed signals was also provided. Results showed that the biocybernetic system did not appear to moderate vigilance performance. Participants detected fewer signals over the course of the session. KR did seem to increase engagement and some aspects of performance. Future research is needed to investigate the viability of a biocybernetic system for maintaining performance on extended tasks requiring few overt responses.
An Investigation into the use of Neighboring Optimal Control in the Solution of a Perching Problem.

The applicability of Neighboring Optimal Control (NOC) in successfully perching a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is explored. In this research, an unpowered xed-wing aircraft is chosen as the ight vehicle that will perform a perching maneuver. The generation of the nominal perching trajectory is posed as an optimal control problem. Then, additional trajectories are generated that begin with perturbations from the initial conditions of the nominal trajectory but are still evaluated by the same cost functional used to generate the nominal trajectory. These trajectories are then used in a neighboring optimal control scheme. Results from simulation show that, for the vehicle considered, the perturbations from the nominal trajectory that the neighboring optimal control strategy is able to successfully perch are too narrow to serve as a su cient condition for successful perching.
UNIT WEIGHT,WATER CONTENT AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN CHINA AND UNITED STATES

In present,landfill is still the most important controlled method for municipal solid waste disposal in China. Correct selection of engineering properties of waste materials is of paramount importance. The properties of waste materials vary within broad ranges,change significantly with time,and are not easily amenable to direct measurement due to heterogeneity and hard inclusions. The components,unit weight,water content,and specific gravity for Chinese and USA waste materials are discussed in detail. The unit weight of Chinese waste is similar with USA waste,but the water content and specific gravity of Chinese waste are greater than those of USA waste. The testing methods for these properties are also presented. Some valuable results are concluded and discussed.
Theoretical study of alignment dynamics of magnetic oblate spheroids in rotating magnetic fields

Magnetic composites containing anisotropic magnetic particles can achieve properties not possible in corresponding bulk or thin films of the magnetic material. In this work, we discuss how planar magnetic anisotropy may be achieved in a composite by aligning disk-shaped particles in an in-plane rotating magnetic field. Previous efforts have reported a simple model of aligning particles in a high-frequency rotating magnetic field. However, no complete analytic solution was proposed. Here, we provide a full analytic solution that describes the alignment dynamics of microdisks in a rotating field that covers the entire frequency range. We also provide simplified solutions at both high-frequency and low-frequency limits through asymptotic expansions for easy implementation into industrial settings. The analytic solution is confirmed by numerical simulation and shows agreement with experiments.
Neuroendocrine mechanisms in athletes

Athletic activity may be associated with alterations in various neuroendocrine axes depending on the state of energy availability. In addition, genetic factors and an underlying predilection for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may predispose some athletes to develop functional hypothalamic amenorrhea earlier than other athletes. In conditions of low energy availability associated with athletic activity, changes that occur in various neuroendocrine axes are primarily adaptive, and aim to either conserve energy for the most essential functions, or allow the body to draw on its reserves to meet energy needs. These hormonal changes, however, then lead to changes in body composition and bone metabolism. Impaired bone accrual in younger athletes and low bone density in older athletes constitutes the major pathologic consequence of neuroendocrine changes associated with low energy availability. The female athlete triad of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone density is prevalent in certain kinds of sports and activities, particularly endurance sports, gymnastics, and ballet. It is essential to screen for this condition in athletes at every preparticipation physical and during office visits, and to put in place an effective treatment team to manage the triad early, in order to optimize outcomes.
The Contours of Complexity Between China and South Africa

As one of the most celebrated transitions to democracy, South Africa’s political evolution continues to amaze the world. The political twists and turns of the country’s liberation from apartheid rule have further captured the attention of many who referred to this process as rather “miraculous” given the unpredictability and turbulent events witnessed in the pre-democratic era. Before its born-again status in the 1990s, South Africa has seen over a generation of tumultuous and violent struggles, which saw a sharp escalation in the late 1980s toward the end of white minority rule. With a mixture of courageous leadership and persistent international pressure throughout the twentieth century, the transition to democratic rule and the rise of the Mandela led African National Congress (ANC) have been significant ingredients in a democratically free and economically vibrant South Africa. This emergence as a political model as well as South Africa’s economic dynamism—marks by its recent ascension to the BRICS club—on a continent that is dominated by less-free and unfree political systems that are economically challenged, has been historically variously shaped by both domestic and external variables. The April 26–27, 1994 elections were just but a result of the pile-up and ratcheting of several complex factors in the country’s historical course.
Role of Antiplatelet Therapy in Neurosurgery: Efficacy and Safety Profiles

Antiplatelet therapies are prescribed to reduce stent stenosis and prevent vascular events. However, antiplatelet therapy comes with risks because increased bleeding can occur. These risks are amplified in neurosurgery because the brain is highly vascular and is in a closed system. Small disruptions in the normal homeostasis of the brain can lead to disastrous consequences. It may be difficult to determine if discontinuing antiplatelet prior to surgery or continuing antiplatelet therapy through surgery is the best choice. To assist with this dilemma, a review of surgical guidelines and antiplatelet use is provided here. Currently, there is controversy regarding the role of antiplatelet therapy in hematoma expansion due to trauma or spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage. Also there is controversy about the usefulness of platelet transfusions in reducing mortality in patients with prior antiplatelet therapy utilization prior to spontaneous and traumatic hemorrhages. To help clarify these controversies, this chapter summarizes studies that have investigated these topics. We focus primarily on aspirin and clopidogrel because they are two of the most frequently used antiplatelets and have the most data available. Additionally, this chapter highlights the latest advances in antiplatelet therapy.
Evolution of electromechanical and morphological properties of piezoelectric thin films with thermomechanical processing

Abstract Piezoelectric polymers (PVDF and its co-polymers) in film and nanofiber forms are increasingly used for sensing, actuation and energy harvesting. Given the semi-crystalline structure of these polymers, their electromechanical coupling behavior changes with thermomechanical processing. This article reports on the evolution of the mechanical properties, piezoelectric properties and morphology of P(VDF-TrFE) poly[(vinylidenefluoride)-co-trifluoroethylene] piezoelectric polymer thin films fabricated by spin-coating during thermal annealing and drawing, studied via tensile test, polarized optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, polarized FTIR, and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). The results show that annealing and drawing process result in ∼10 and 13 folds improvement in the elastic modulus and strength of the films, respectively. In addition, the piezoelectric constant and electromechanical coupling improves by 30% and more than 17 times, respectively. These changes are accompanied by 65% increase in the percentage of the crystallinity of the semi-crystalline piezoelectric films, compared to the as-fabricated films.
Suicidal Ideation, Posttraumatic Stress, and Substance Abuse Based on Forcible and Drug- or Alcohol-Facilitated/Incapacitated Rape Histories in a National Sample of Women

Mental health symptoms differ among women with forcible rape (FR) compared to drug- or alcohol-facilitated/incapacitated rape (DAFR/IR) histories, but differences in suicidal ideation are unknown. The differences in suicidal ideation based on FR and DAFR/IR history were examined in national samples of college (n = 2,000) and household-residing (n = 3,001) women. For both college women and household-residing women, FR and DAFR/IR were associated with recent suicidal ideation. Differences emerged when examined indirectly through recent posttraumatic stress disorder, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse. Therefore, it is important to examine both FR and DAFR/IR when assessing suicidal ideation.
A Tunable Brake for HECT Ubiquitin Ligases

The HECT E3 ligases ubiquitinate numerous transcription factors and signaling molecules, and their activity must be tightly controlled to prevent cancer, immune disorders, and other diseases. In this study, we have found unexpectedly that peptide linkers tethering WW domains in several HECT family members are key regulatory elements of their catalytic activities. Biochemical, structural, and cellular analyses have revealed that the linkers can lock the HECT domain in an inactive conformation and block the proposed allosteric ubiquitin binding site. Such linker-mediated autoinhibition of the HECT domain can be relieved by linker post-translational modifications, but complete removal of the brake can induce hyperactive autoubiquitination and E3 self destruction. These results clarify the mechanisms of several HECT protein cancer associated mutations and provide a new framework for understanding how HECT ubiquitin ligases must be finely tuned to ensure normal cellular behavior.
What Are You Known For?: Learning User Topical Profiles with Implicit and Explicit Footprints

User interests and expertise are valuable but often hidden resources on social media. For example, Twitter Lists and LinkedIn's Skill Tags provide a partial perspective on what users are known for (by aggregating crowd tagging knowledge), but the vast majority of users are untagged; their interests and expertise are essentially hidden from important applications such as personalized recommendation, community detection, and expert mining. A natural approach to overcome these limitations is to intelligently learn user topical profiles by exploiting information from multiple, heterogeneous footprints: for instance, Twitter users who post similar hashtags may have similar interests, and YouTube users who upvote the same videos may have similar preferences. And yet identifying "similar" users by exploiting similarity in such a footprint space often provides conflicting evidence, leading to poor-quality user profiles. In this paper, we propose a unified model for learning user topical profiles that simultaneously considers multiple footprints. We show how these footprints can be embedded in a generalized optimization framework that takes into account pairwise relations among all footprints for robustly learning user profiles. Through extensive experiments, we find the proposed model is capable of learning high-quality user topical profiles, and leads to a 10-15% improvement in precision and mean average error versus a cross-triadic factorization state-of-the-art baseline.
Epitaxial ScAlN Etch-Stop Layers Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy for Selective Etching of AlN and GaN

Although selective dry etches exist for GaN, it is difficult to selectively etch AlN in heterostructures with other conventional III-N epitaxial materials. The reduction in etch rate resulting from the addition of 2%–16% scandium to Sc x Al1– x N in conventional Cl2/BCl3/Ar inductively coupled plasma etching is presented. Smooth, epitaxial Sc x Al1– x N layers are grown by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy directly on 4H-SiC substrates. The etch selectivity with respect to AlN is as high as 10.6 and 11.2 for ${x}~\boldsymbol =0.02$ and 0.16, respectively, allowing Sc x Al1– x N to act as an etch-stop layer with minimal misfit strain when grown within either AlN or GaN based heterostructures.
DeepSurv: personalized treatment recommender system using a Cox proportional hazards deep neural network

Medical practitioners use survival models to explore and understand the relationships between patients’ covariates (e.g. clinical and genetic features) and the effectiveness of various treatment options. Standard survival models like the linear Cox proportional hazards model require extensive feature engineering or prior medical knowledge to model treatment interaction at an individual level. While nonlinear survival methods, such as neural networks and survival forests, can inherently model these high-level interaction terms, they have yet to be shown as effective treatment recommender systems. We introduce DeepSurv, a Cox proportional hazards deep neural network and state-of-the-art survival method for modeling interactions between a patient’s covariates and treatment effectiveness in order to provide personalized treatment recommendations. We perform a number of experiments training DeepSurv on simulated and real survival data. We demonstrate that DeepSurv performs as well as or better than other state-of-the-art survival models and validate that DeepSurv successfully models increasingly complex relationships between a patient’s covariates and their risk of failure. We then show how DeepSurv models the relationship between a patient’s features and effectiveness of different treatment options to show how DeepSurv can be used to provide individual treatment recommendations. Finally, we train DeepSurv on real clinical studies to demonstrate how it’s personalized treatment recommendations would increase the survival time of a set of patients. The predictive and modeling capabilities of DeepSurv will enable medical researchers to use deep neural networks as a tool in their exploration, understanding, and prediction of the effects of a patient’s characteristics on their risk of failure.
A robust 2×2 CMOS receiver array for meter-scale point-to-point OOK VLC links

This paper presents a fully integrated 2×2 optical receiver array for Point-to-Point (P2P) On-Off-Keying (OOK) visible-light communication (VLC) links. The 2×2 PD-array design constraints and cross-talk issues are discussed. Each receiver exhibits a low input referred noise density of 5 pA/VHz to meet the sensitivity requirements of free-space optical wireless links in the visible spectrum. The VLC receiver is tested as a part of an optical setup at 2.7 m and 6.7 m distances from a 680-nm laser-diode source. A measured 2.3 Gb/s per-channel data-rate with a VLC-compliant bit-error-rate is achieved through the use of high bandwidth circuit design techniques and a programmable integrated equalizer function. The receiver is implemented in AMS 0.35 μm technology. Each single receiver draws 65 mA from a 3.3 V DC voltage supply. The complete array size is 2.0 mm × 1.6 mm.
Phase Noise of Diode Laser Frequency Comb and its Impact in Coherent Communication Systems

Phase noise performance of QD-based diode laser comb sources in coherent communication systems is reported. The performance results show that much higher linewidths can be tolerated compared to single frequency lasers, like DFB, due to unique phase noise characteristics.
Ultrasonographically Assessed Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Risk for Asymptomatic Cerebral Infarction

Cerebral infarction (CI) is still a leading cause of death in Japan. Thus, the management of risk factors for CI as primary prevention is one of the most important tasks in multiphasic health testing and services. To determine whether carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a risk for CI, ultrasonographically assessed carotid IMT was compared between normal subjects (N) and subjects with asymptomatic CI (ACI) in 243 subjects who underwent human brain dry dock. ACI was found in 68 people (28.0%). Age, body mass index, and mean blood pressure were higher in ACI than in N. Also, atherogenic index was higher in ACI than in N. Carotid IMT was significantly thicker in ACI than in N. Furthermore, incidence of atherogenic plaque in ACI was significantly higher than that in N. In conclusion, not only aging, obesity, blood pressure, and plasma lipids, but also carotid IMT may be a risk for ACI.
Indexing Methods for Faster and More Effective Person Name Search.

This paper compares several indexing methods for person names extracted from text, developed for an information retrieval system with requirements for fast approximate matching of noisy and multicultural Romanized names. Such matching algorithms are computationally expensive and unacceptably slow when used without an indexing or blocking step. The goal is to create a small candidate pool containing all the true matches that can be exhaustively searched by a more effective but slower name comparison method. In addition to dramatically faster search, some of the methods evaluated here led to modest gains in effectiveness by eliminating false positives. Four indexing techniques using either phonetic keys or substrings of name segments, with and without name segment stopword lists, were combined with three name matching algorithms. On a test set of 700 queries run against 70K noisy and multicultural names, the best-performing technique took just 2.1% as long as a naive exhaustive search and increased F1 by 3 points, showing that an appropriate indexing technique can increase both speed and effectiveness.
Curt Herbst's contributions to the concept of embryonic induction.

A Nobel Prize was awarded to Hans Spemann over 50 years ago (1935) for his discovery of the organizer effect in embryonic development. The citation did not mention induction. During the following year, when he published his book summarizing his work and thought, its title in German was Experimentelle Beitrage zu einer Theorie der Entwicklung (Experimental Contributions to a Theory of Development) (1). It was only in the English translation (1938) that the word induction was introduced into the title: Embryonic Development and Induction (2). But it was the concept of induction that was celebrated by the prize.
Attitudes of Residents and Program Directors Towards Research in Otolaryngology Residency.

Objective:To determine attitudes of residents and program directors towards research during residency training.Study Design:Survey of current otolaryngology residents and program directors.Setting:...
Toward a Coherent Framework: A Typology and Conceptualization of CSO Regulatory Regimes

Scholarship and practitioners interested in civil society organizations (CSOs) around the world have drawn attention to the growing set of laws—both restrictive and permissive—governing CSO activities. To date, however, there have been limited efforts to typologize these regulations which hinders the ability to analyze their emergence and effects. This article seeks to move scholarship toward a coherent framework by first, introducing a broad typology of governance, formation, operations, and resources provisions that allows for a systematic study of CSO laws and policies across contexts; and second, proposing four ideal-types of regulatory regimes, rigid-conservatism, bureaucratic-illiberalism, permissionless-association, and legitimized-pluralism. These regulatory regimes are political institutions that consist of multiple laws and constitutional protections that govern and protect civil society. The article theorizes the effect of each ideal-type regulatory regime on CSOs’ organizational ecology. To provide a concrete example, I apply the typology to the case of Kenya to show how its regulatory regime has changed incrementally over time. Methodologically, the article uses an iterative, inductive review and analysis of academic articles, book chapters, and practitioner reports contributing to our understanding of the laws and policies that regulate CSOs, or what I call CSO regulatory regimes.
Inter-ICU transfer of patients with ventilator dependent respiratory failure: Qualitative analysis of family and physician perspectives.

Abstract Objectives Ventilator dependent respiratory failure (VDRF) patients are seriously ill and often transferred between ICUs. Our objective was to obtain multi-stakeholder insights into the experiences of families during inter-ICU transfer. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with family members of VDRF patients as well as clinicians that have received or transferred VDRF patients to our hospital. Interviews were transcribed and template analysis was used to identify themes within/across stakeholder groups. Results Patient, family, clinician and systems-level factors were identified as key themes during inter-ICU transfer. The main findings highlight that family members were rarely engaged in the decision to transfer as well as a lack of standardized communication between clinicians during care transitions. Family members were reassured with the care after transfer in spite of practical and financial challenges. Clinicians acknowledged the lack of a systematic approach for meeting the needs of families and suggested various resources. Conclusions This is one of the first qualitative studies to gather a multi-stakeholder perspective and identify problems faced by families during inter-ICU transfer of VDRF patients. Practice implications Our results provide a starting point for the development of family-centered support interventions which will need to be tested in future studies.
Dissociating the contributions of reward-prediction errors to trial-level adaptation and long-term learning.

Abstract Reward positivity (RewP) is an EEG component reflecting reward-prediction errors. Using multilevel models, we measured single-trial RewP amplitude from trial-to-trial, while reward and prediction varied during learning. Sixty participants completed a category-learning task in either engaging or sterile conditions with the RewP time-locked to feedback. Sequential analysis of single-trial RewP showed its relationship to current and previous accuracy, and the probability of changing one’s response to subsequent stimuli. Simulations show these effects can be explained in detail by the dynamics of participants’ expectations according to principles of reinforcement learning. The single-trial RewP findings were consistent with previous literature linking RewP to reward-prediction error under reinforcement-learning theory. In contrast, the aggregate RewP was unrelated to the engagement manipulation or to delayed retention performance. Thus the present results provide a detailed computational account how RewP relates to acute adaptation, but suggest RewP plays little role in long-term learning.
Growing Degree Day: Noninvasive Remotely Sensed Method to Monitor Diet Crude Protein in Free-Ranging Cattle

Abstract The daily nutritional balance of free-ranging cattle is the net result of intake from available forage biomass and nutritive value weighed against the nutritional requirements of the animal. Plant phenology influences nutritive value. Plant phenology is dictated by time of year and an accumulation of photosynthetically active days. Growing degree day (GDD) is a concept that quantifies this relationship and has been used to predict nutritive value in perennial range grasses. GDD could be substituted for chemical analysis to inform grazing animal nutritional monitoring efforts. We hypothesized that in C4 grass-dominated rangelands, a cumulative GDD calculation would correlate with diet crude protein (CP) predictions obtained by fecal near infrared spectroscopy (FNIRS) from free-ranging cattle. Therefore, the objectives of our research were to evaluate the effectiveness of GDD to predict FNIRS-derived determinations of grazing cattle diet CP in 1) two groups of three individual animals grazing a small native pasture and 2) large commercial-scale herds grazing expansive rangelands. For the first objective, cumulative GDD and FNIRS-predicted diet CP were strongly correlated (r2 = 0.76; P
Radiological Assessment of Nuclear Power Stations

Publisher Summary Nuclear power reactors are safe, clean, and reliable sources of electrical energy; however, because of the enormous quantities of radionuclides produced in reactors, they are potentially dangerous to public health if any significant quantity is to escape to the environment. All systems constituting a nuclear power reactor are designed to mitigate the loss of radioactivity from the reactor containments. The small quantities that are discharged to the atmosphere or to the bodies of natural waters are discharged in a controlled manner. This chapter explains the types of data needed and the methods employed to calculate relevant radiation doses for planned or operating nuclear power stations. Several trends are anticipated for the future radiological assessments of nuclear power stations. Among them is an increased utilization of mathematical modeling simulations at various levels. Modeling and mathematical simulation will become increasingly important on regional, national, and international levels as well as on the local level.
Concentration Risk and Capital Requirements: Invisible Hands Driving Affect Bank Behavior in Bankruptcy Cases

Capital adequacy and concentration risk are key regulatory concerns regarding banks, but regulatory pressure on banks to stay well-capitalized and diversified may have unintended consequences, especially during downturns. Extending existing literature exploring the effect of regulatory capital requirements on bank lending behavior, we examine in this Article the impact of capital requirements on the actions taken by banks in bankruptcy proceedings. Building on our earlier work finding that the financial distress of banks between late 2007 and 2008 contributes to their liquidation preference in the bankruptcy proceedings of their residential developer debtors, we have built a Monte Carlo simulation model of credit portfolio losses to elucidate bank decision-making based on the relationship between capital requirements and portfolio risk factors. Next, through a statistical analysis of a dataset combining FDIC and PACER data, we find evidence that a high concentration of acquisition, development and construction loans in a bank’s portfolio is significantly associated with the probability that the bank may obtain relief from the automatic stay in bankruptcy to pursue foreclosure. This helps to further the understanding of the subtle effects of bank capital regulation and suggest potential improvements in the regulatory responses to the banking crisis.
Presence and Significance of α1-Antitrypsin in Human Brain Tumors

It is increasingly recognized that proteinases are involved in the basic biological events associated with the neoplastic growth. Tumor invasiveness and the ability of tumor cells in culture to degrade extracellular proteins are indirect evidence of the involvement of the proteolytic enzymes. More direct evidence has been provided by the detection of increased levels of proteinases capable of digesting connective tissue matrix component within the tumor environment1–7. Studies involving brain tumor tissues have demonstrated the production of plasminogen activators (PA) in high concentrations by cultured brain tumor cells8 and by a variety of fresh surgical specimen of human brain tumors.9
Endothelin Type A Receptor Antibodies Are Associated With Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Antibodies, Vascular Inflammation, and Decline in Renal Function in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation.

Introduction Autoantibody to angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R-Ab) has been recognized as a non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody relevant in transplantation. Endothelin type A receptor antibody (ETAR-Ab) has been strongly associated with AT1R-Ab, but the data in kidney transplantation are scarce. Methods We examined the relationship of ETAR-Ab and AT1R-Ab with clinical outcomes, biopsy findings, inflammatory cytokines, and HLA donor-specific antibody (DSA) in a cohort of pediatric renal transplant recipients. Sixty-five patients were longitudinally monitored for ETAR-Ab, AT1R-Ab, HLA DSA, interleukin (IL)-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, interferon-γ, IL-17, IL-6, renal dysfunction, hypertension, rejection, and allograft loss during the first 2 years post-transplant. Results Fifteen patients (23%) had AT1R-Ab alone, 1 (2%) had ETAR-Ab alone, 23 (35%) had both ETAR-Ab and AT1R-Ab, and 26 (40%) were negative for both antibodies at all timepoints. Having both ETAR-Ab and AT1R-Ab was associated with >30% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.024), arteritis (P = 0.016), and elevated IL-8 levels (P = 0.010), but not rejection, HLA DSA, or allograft loss. Having both antibodies resulted in greater increases in IL-8 compared with AT1R-Ab alone, even when controlled for additional clinical factors, including HLA DSA (P = 0.012). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that, in pediatric kidney transplantation, ETAR-Ab is highly associated with AT1R-Ab, but there are a subset of patients with AT1R-Ab alone. Having both antibodies is significantly associated with arteritis, elevated IL-8, and decline in renal function, and our results suggest possible interaction effects. Better understanding of this interaction may be informative in developing protocols for testing, treatment, and prevention of allograft injury.
Retail Availability and Characteristics of Addictive Areca Nut Products in a US Metropolis.

Consumption of the areca (betel) nut is the world’s fourth-most common addictive habit, only after caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Mastication of the nut releases psychoactive alkaloids that produ...
The role of fitness trackers and tailored feedback messages in motivating endometrial cancer survivors to increase physical activity: results of the MOVES trial

Objectives: Endometrial cancer (EC) survivors are often overweight or obese and may benefit from increased physical activity. Increases in daily step count of 2,000 steps per day has been shown to improve cardiovascular health. We sought to assess a fitness intervention (fitness tracker + tailored feedback messages) for EC survivors. Methods: A prospective trial of EC survivors was undertaken from September 2018 to December 2019. Thirty-nine survivors were approached for enrollment with 36 randomized (18 intervention, 18 control). All participants received a fitness tracker. Survivors were randomized 1:1 to receipt or non-receipt of weekly tailored feedback messages. The primary outcome was change in average daily step count from baseline (week 1) to study completion (week 12). Secondary outcomes included acceptability, and changes in metabolic lab parameters (serum glucose, LDL, and insulin levels), body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (W/H). The trial was powered to detect a clinically significant change in daily step count of 2,000 steps. Comparisons of baseline to study completion labs were made using the Wilcoxon Two-sample test. Student's T-test was used for comparisons of control and intervention groups. Results: At baseline, there was no difference in BMI (35.9 vs 36.7, p=0.81) or W/H ratio (0.9 vs 0.89, p=0.40) between control and intervention arms. Baseline daily step count was 5291 steps in the control arm and 4295 in the intervention arm (p=0.16). There was no difference in baseline metabolic labs including glucose (100 vs 103, p=0.85), serum insulin (13.1 vs 16.8, p=0.78), and LDL (150 vs 113, p=0.07). The intervention group saw a statistical change in average daily step count (4295 to 5332, p=0.02). The control group did not have a statistically significant change (5291 to 5600, p=0.40). For the primary outcome of average daily step count change, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (+309 control vs +1037 intervention, p=0.21). There was no difference in change in BMI (-0.27 vs -0.02, p=0.7), glucose (+1 vs -3, p=0.29), LDL (-9.1 vs -3.5, p=0.95) or insulin (-2.15 vs -1.95, p=0.32) between the control and intervention arms. Regarding acceptability, survivors found the feedback to be helpful (87%) and easy to understand (87%). Two-thirds of survivors found the messages to be motivating, 47% desired increased frequency of messaging, and 53% thought the weekly message was adequate. Overall, 33% of intervention survivors versus 22% of control survivors had decline in fitness tracker use during the intervention, resulting in missing step data (p=0.46). Conclusions: A fitness intervention using fitness trackers and tailored feedback messaging may improve physical activity as measured by daily step count in EC survivors, however, significant noncompliance with fitness tracker use was seen in both groups by study end. Tailoring the frequency of feedback messages to survivor preference may be important to optimizing this intervention.
Controlled breathing and autonomic rhythms: Influence of auditory versus visual cues.

Abstract We compared standard metrics of autonomic control in 20 humans (10 female) during spontaneous and controlled breathing. Subjects controlled breathing at 0.25 Hz following a metronome (auditory) or scrolling waveforms (visual). Respiratory rates and heart rates were lower during spontaneous breathing compared with auditory and visual. One heart rate variability metric was higher during visual compared with spontaneous breathing, but baroreflex sensitivity and muscle sympathetic nerve activity were not affected by breathing cues. A majority of subjects (86%) perceived that breathing to auditory cues was more difficult compared with visual cues, but this elevated perceived stress did not manifest physiologically.
Machine learning techniques for diagnosis of alzheimer disease, mild cognitive disorder, and other types of dementia

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common form of dementia which mostly affects elderly people. AD identification in early stages is a difficult task in medical practice and there is still no biomarker known to be precise in detection of AD in early stages. Also, AD is not a curable disease at this time and there is a high failure rate in clinical trials for AD drugs. Researchers are making efforts to find ways in early detection of AD to help in slowing down its progression. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art research on machine learning techniques used for detection and classification of AD with a focus on neuroimaging and primarily journal articles published since 2016. These techniques include Support Vector Machine, Random forest, Convolutional Neural Network, K-means, among others. This review suggests that there is no single best approach; however, deep learning techniques such as Convolutional Neural Networks appear to be promising for diagnosis of AD, especially considering that they can leverage transfer learning which overcomes the limitations of availability of a large number of medical images. Research is still on-going to provide an accurate and efficient approach for diagnosis and prediction of AD. In recent years, a number of new and powerful supervised machine learning and classification algorithms have been developed such as the Enhanced Probabilistic Neural Network, Neural Dynamic Classification algorithm, Dynamic Ensemble Learning Algorithm, and Finite Element Machine for fast learning. Applications of these algorithms for diagnosis of AD have yet to be explored.
Causal Knowledge as a Prerequisite for Interrogating Bias: Reflections on Hernán et al. 20 years later.

In their seminal 2002 paper, "Causal Knowledge as a Prerequisite for Confounding Evaluation: An Application to Birth Defects Epidemiology," Hernan et al. emphasized the importance of using theory rather than data to guide confounding control, focusing on colliders as variables that share characteristics with confounders but whose control may actually introduce bias into analyses. In this commentary, we propose that the importance of this paper stems from the connection that the authors made between non-exchangeability as the ultimate source of bias and structural representations of bias using directed acyclic graphs. This provided both a unified approach to conceptualizing bias and a means of distinguishing between different sources of bias, in particular confounding and selection bias. Drawing on examples from the paper, we also highlight unresolved questions about the relationship between collider bias, selection bias, and generalizability and argue that causal knowledge is not only a prerequisite for identifying confounders but also for developing any hypothesis about potential sources of bias.
Safety Properties: Invariance

A safety property asserts that some “bad thing” does not happen during execution. In this chapter, we consider invariance properties, an important class of safety properties. We discuss methods for proving that a program satisfies an invariance property and show how these methods can guide in the development of programs.
The role of remote sensing in determining the distribution and yield of crops

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the role of remote sensing in determining the distribution and yield of crops. It discusses the physical basis for remote sensing and its historical development. The physical basis for remote sensing is the distinctive character of electromagnetic radiance from natural and man-made scenes. Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about the Earth's surface from measurements of radiated energy made by aircraft or spacecraft-borne sensors. It discusses the basic systems and concepts involved in the acquisition and analysis of remotely sensed data. The material will be presented in the form of an energy-flow profile, consisting of (1) the source of energy, (2) energy flow through the atmosphere, (3) its interaction with the target, (4) measurement and recording of energy flow, and (5) processing and analysis of recorded energy. The chapter discusses the potential agricultural applications of remote sensing, including (1) crop identification and area estimation, (2) crop condition assessment, (3) yield forecast and estimation, (4) rangeland surveys, and (5) soil mapping.
Parts of the Whole: Quantitative Literacy on a Desert Island

Some of the specific institutional problems faced by quantitative reasoning courses, programs and requirements arise from the fragile intellectual position of “quantitative reasoning” as an idea, or meme. The process of isolation and reintroduction explains both the proliferation of living species and the way in which some difficult ideas take their place in a culture. Using evolutionary explanations as metaphor and the Copernican revolution as an example of a difficult idea, we draw lessons that can be applied to the “quantitative reasoning” meme, including the function of the National Numeracy Network as an island of protected discourse favoring the growth of the QR meme. We conclude that the mission of the National Numeracy Network should focus on attributes of that island, and in particular extend the mission beyond being a network, to being an actual community.
Model-Based Diagnostics and Fault Assessment of Induction Motors with Incipient Faults

Model-based diagnostics is relatively new for machine condition monitoring. Unlike signal-based approaches, health metrics are evaluated via physics-based models and sensor measurements. In this article, a framework of model-based fault diagnosis and severity assessment for induction motors is presented. A conventional symmetric induction motor model is suitable for simulation but cannot capture faulty behavior accurately. Induction motor is modeled in detail using vector bond graph technique. Staged faults are induced in simulation to emulate broken rotor bar, stator winding fault and bearing faults. Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) technique estimates and tunes parameters of the model to detect faults. Changes of the model parameters pinpoint degradation and faults of the actual system. Fault severity assessment is performed using Channel capacity technique, a novel heath metric based on Shannon’s information theory. Results suggest that stator winding faults and broken rotor bars can be detected with model-based diagnostics.
A snapshot of smokers after lung and colorectal cancer diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis may adversely affect treatment effectiveness, subsequent cancer risk, and survival. The prevalence of continued smoking after cancer diagnosis is understudied. METHODS: In the multi-regional Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance cohort (lung cancer [N = 2456], colorectal cancer [N = 3063]), the authors examined smoking rates at diagnosis and 5 months after diagnosis and also study factors associated with continued smoking. RESULTS: Overall, 90.2% of patients with lung cancer and 54.8% of patients with colorectal cancer reported ever smoking. At diagnosis, 38.7% of patients with lung cancer and 13.7% of patients with colorectal cancer were smoking; whereas, 5 months after diagnosis, 14.2% of patients with lung cancer and 9.0% of patients with colorectal cancer were smoking. Factors that were associated independently with continued smoking among patients with nonmetastatic lung cancer were coverage by Medicare, other public/unspecified insurance, not receiving chemotherapy, not undergoing surgery, prior cardiovascular disease, lower body mass index, lower emotional support, and higher daily ever-smoking rates (all P < .05). Factors that were associated independently with continued smoking among patients with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer were male sex, high school education, being uninsured, not undergoing surgery, and higher daily ever-smoking rates (all P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: After diagnosis, a substantial minority of patients with lung and colorectal cancers continued smoking. Patients with lung cancer had higher rates of smoking at diagnosis and after diagnosis; whereas patients with colorectal cancer were less likely to quit smoking after diagnosis. Factors that were associated with continued smoking differed between lung and colorectal cancer patients. Future smoking-cessation efforts should examine differences by cancer type, particularly when comparing cancers for which smoking is a well established risk factor versus cancers for which it is not. Cancer 2012;118: 3153–64. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Choice of predicate and narrative manipulation. Functions of dearu and da in modern Japanese fiction

Abstract This paper examines the two forms of copula, dearu and da , in modern Japanese fictional discourse. While most previous studies suggest that these two forms differ in terms of style, this paper proposes that the choice between the dearu and da predicate is motivated by a narrative manipulation that is realized by the external and internal positioning the text-producer takes toward the narrative scene. Specifically, dearu is effective in expressing a conceptual view most frequently taken from the text-producer's position external to the scene and it usually constitutes a narrative discourse. Da , on the other hand, is effective in expressing a perceptual point of view frequently based on the text-producer's position internal to the scene and it commonly constitutes a direct discourse. Further, it is shown that this external/internal distinction is supported by syntactic evidence that da , but not dearu , can occur in so-called Genshoobun ‘sentence of immediate description’. This paper is an attempt to investigate occurrences of linguistic devices that are seemingly random in literary discourse from a discourse functional perspective.
A Historical Overview of Preeclampsia‐Eclampsia

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive, multisystem disorder of pregnancy whose etiology remains unknown. Although management is evidence-based, preventative measures/screening tools are lacking, treatment remains symptomatic, and delivery remains the only cure. Past hypotheses/scientific contributions have influenced current understanding of preeclampsia pathophysiology and guided management strategies and classification criteria. To provide insight into how past hypotheses/scientific contributions have shaped current practice trends, this article provides a historical overview of preeclampsia-eclampsia.
The changing landscape of hepatitis C virus therapy: focus on interferon-free treatment:

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) affects over 185 million individuals worldwide, approximately 3% of the world's population. CHC can lead to quality of life impairment, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver failure and liver-related death. While CHC has been associated with increases in HCC, liver-related mortality and all-cause mortality, being cured of CHC is associated with improvement in these outcomes. Older interferon-based regimens were complex and toxic and required 6-12 months of therapy, with cure rates averaging around 40-45% for HCV genotype 1. Newer interferon-free regimens are now available in the US, Europe, Japan and in other countries. These regimens have short durations, minimal side effects, low pill burden and efficacy approaching 90-100%. We may eventually see single-tablet regimens lasting no more than 4-6 weeks. This review will summarize the data regarding these interferon-free regimens, including Gilead's Harvoni (sofosbuvir/ledipasvir), AbbVie's Viekira Pak (paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir with dasabuvir), and Janssen's Olysio (simeprevir) with sofosbuvir. Some practical considerations as we move into an interferon-free era will also be discussed, such as patient adherence and drug-drug interactions.