cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feedforward adaptations are used to compensate for a potential loss of balance

The central nervous system (CNS) must routinely compensate for unpredictable perturbations that occur during postural tasks. Such compensations could take the form of feedforward or feedback control. This study investigated whether the CNS, when faced with a potential postural perturbation, employs feedforward adjustments to reduce the near-term and overall likelihood of balance loss. Slips were induced, using bilateral low-friction platforms, during a sit-to-stand task in 60 safety-harnessed young adults. Subjects underwent a block of slipping trials, a block of nonslipping trials, then a mixed block of trials. After the first novel and unexpected slip, subjects were aware that a slip “may or may not occur.” The state (horizontal position and velocity) of the body center of mass (COM) at seat-off and the direction of balance loss (forward, no loss, backward) were determined for each trial. Feedforward adjustments were identified as between-trial changes in COM state at seat-off. Effects of these adjustments on the likelihood of balance loss were quantified using logistic regression. Results indicated that the likelihood of balance loss in each direction (forward, backward) under each condition (slipping, nonslipping) was significantly related to the COM state at seat-off. When faced with the potential perturbation, the CNS made near-term feedforward adjustments to reduce the likelihood of balance loss under the conditions last experienced; exposure to slipping and nonslipping conditions resulted in adjustments that reduced the likelihood of backward and forward balance losses, respectively. Subjects adapted their performance over the longer-term in a manner that significantly decreased their overall likelihood of balance loss in either direction under either condition. The CNS thus adapted to acquire an “optimal” movement strategy that reduced the reliance on reactive responses to maintain balance in an uncertain environment.
The price of privacy and the limits of LP decoding

This work is at theintersection of two lines of research. One line, initiated by Dinurand Nissim, investigates the price, in accuracy, of protecting privacy in a statistical database. The second, growing from an extensive literature on compressed sensing (see in particular the work of Donoho and collaborators [4,7,13,11])and explicitly connected to error-correcting codes by Candes and Tao ([4]; see also [5,3]), is in the use of linearprogramming for error correction.Our principal result is the discovery of a sharp threshhold ρ*∠ 0.239, so that if ρ
Pancreatits after endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography

Pancreatitis is the most common complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP); the reported incidence of this complication varies from less than 1% to 40%, but a rate of 4%-8% is reported in most prospective studies involving non-selected patients. Differences in criteria for defining pancreatitis, methods of data collection, and patient populations (i.e. number of high-risk patients included in the published series) are factors that are likely to affect the varying rates of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) can range from a minor inconvenience with one or two days of added hospitalization with full recovery to a devastating illness with pancreatic necrosis, multiorgan failure, permanent disability, and even death. Although, most episodes of PEP are mild (about 90%), a small percentage of patients (about 10%) develop moderate or severe pancreatitis. In the past, PEP was often viewed as an unpredictable and unavoidable complication, with no realistic strategy for its avoidance. New data have aided in stratification of patients into PEP risk categories and new measures have been introduced to decrease the risk of PEP. As most ERCPs are performed on an outpatient basis, the majority of patients will not develop PEP and can be discharged. Alternatively, early detection of those patients who will go on to develop PEP can guide decisions regarding hospital admission and aggressive management. In the last decade, great efforts have been addressed toward prevention of this complication. Points of emphasis have included technical measures, pharmacological prophylaxis, and patient selection. This review provides a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of published data on PEP and current suggestions for its avoidance.
Eigenfunctions of the transfer matrix in the presence of linear coupling

This paper presents an approach to computing the change in the linear orbit parameters, due to a perturbing field that couples the x and y motions, by computing the change in the eigenfunctions of the transfer matrix and then using the relationship between the eigenfunctions and the orbit parameters. This can be compared with the approach that computes the change in the transfer matrix and uses the relationship between the elements of the transfer matrix and the orbit parameters. For the case of coupled motion, the eigenfunction approach appears to be easier to apply than the transfer matrix approach, partly because the relationship between the transfer matrix and the linear orbit parameters is considerably more complicated in this case. Results are found for the change in the four eigenfunctions of the transfer matrix in the presence of linear coupling, and for the relationship between the eigenfunctions and the orbit parameters. >
Anxiety and the College Musician: A Study of Performance Conditions and Subject Variables

The purpose of this study was to determine response to anxiety in musical performance in relation to anxiety theory statements concerning A-Trait and/or A-State arousal and the Drive or motivational properties of anxiety. Performances of 60 subjects were recorded under a reduced and an enhanced anxiety situation and were evaluated for musical quality by five adjudicators.From research results it was found that anxiety had positive effects on subjects' performances due to the Drive properties of anxiety. Further, musicians tend to respond to anxiety in relation to anxiety theory hypotheses.
Hydrologic Vulnerability of Sagebrush Steppe Following Pinyon and Juniper Encroachment

Abstract Woodland encroachment on United States rangelands has altered the structure and function of shrub steppe ecosystems. The potential community structure is one where trees dominate, shrub and herbaceous species decline, and rock cover and bare soil area increase and become more interconnected. Research from the Desert Southwest United States has demonstrated areas under tree canopies effectively store water and soil resources, whereas areas between canopies (intercanopy) generate significantly more runoff and erosion. We investigated these relationships and the impacts of tree encroachment on runoff and erosion processes at two woodland sites in the Intermountain West, USA. Rainfall simulation and concentrated flow methodologies were employed to measure infiltration, runoff, and erosion from intercanopy and canopy areas at small-plot (0.5 m 2 ) and large-plot (13 m 2 ) scales. Soil water repellency and vegetative and ground cover factors that influence runoff and erosion were quantified. Runoff and erosion from rainsplash, sheet flow, and concentrated flow processes were significantly greater from intercanopy than canopy areas across small- and large-plot scales, and site-specific erodibility differences were observed. Runoff and erosion were primarily dictated by the type and quantity of ground cover. Litter offered protection from rainsplash effects, provided rainfall storage, mitigated soil water repellency impacts on infiltration, and contributed to aggregate stability. Runoff and erosion increased exponentially ( r 2 = 0.75 and 0.64) where bare soil and rock cover exceeded 50%. Sediment yield was strongly correlated ( r 2 = 0.87) with runoff and increased linearly where runoff exceeded 20 mm·h −1 . Measured runoff and erosion rates suggest tree canopies represent areas of hydrologic stability, whereas intercanopy areas are vulnerable to runoff and erosion. Results indicate the overall hydrologic vulnerability of sagebrush steppe following woodland encroachment depends on the potential influence of tree dominance on bare intercanopy expanse and connectivity and the potential erodibility of intercanopy areas.
On the conjunction fallacy in probability judgment: New experimental evidence regarding Linda

This paper reports the results of a series of experiments designed to test whether and to what extent individuals succumb to the conjunction fallacy. Using an experimental design of Tversky and Kahneman (1983), it finds that given mild incentives, the proportion of individuals who violate the conjunction principle is significantly lower than that reported by Kahneman and Tversky. Moreover, when subjects are allowed to consult with other subjects, these proportions fall dramatically, particularly when the size of the group rises from two to three. These findings cast serious doubts about the importance and robustness of such violations for the understanding of real-life economic decisions.
Problems and Benefits of Bird Ownership

Because research literature on human and avian interactions is limited, it seemed important to investigate the benefits and liabilities of pet-bird ownership. It was hypothesized that most pet bird owners would have other pet animals in addition to birds, that one-fifth of owners would have owned pet birds during childhood or adolescence, that they would report their birds provided physical and verbal companionship, and that most would admit to their being some real liabilities in owning birds. 50 men and 50 women bird owners were interviewed. Clearly, bird owners were also animal lovers, and their responses supported all the hypotheses. The primary benefits of bird ownership were friendship, companionship, and verbal interactions. The primary liabilities were messiness and noise. Respondents stated good bird owners needed to be patient, affectionate, and sensitively perceptive. These findings should help in training of both children and adults for careful nurturing of birds and other pets.
Cardiovascular evaluation in thoracopagus twins.

Thoracopagus is the most common form of conjoined twins. Cardiovascular evaluation is necessary to establish the existence of 2 separate hearts before planning surgical separation of the twins. This is usually done by cardiac ultrasound, cardiac catheterization, documenting 2 separate pulse rates on physical examination, and the presence of 2 independent QRS complexes on simultaneously recorded ECGs. A set of thoracopagus twins underwent cardiac catheterization to confirm the presence of severe congenital heart defect in 1 of the twins before surgical separation. The other twin had no congenital heart defect. ECG electrodes were placed in the chest of the twins, and the recording is shown in the Figure. Two independent QRS complexes were recorded in ECG lead III. One QRS complex (small arrow) appears to be marching through the other complex (larger arrow). Heart rates are similar.
Negotiating a Religious Identity: The Case of the Gay Evangelical

This article examines the process by which persons reconstruct their Evangelical religious identity to include the formerly incongruent homosexual identity. Members of one conservative gay Christian organization, called Good News, are profiled in the way they come to desire, construct, and solidify a gay Evangelical identity. Through a process of socialization, they renegotiate the boundaries and definitions of their religious identity to include a positive valuation of homosexuality. This accommodated, but still distinctively Evangelical, identity enables persons to resolve the dissonance between their Christian beliefs and their homosexual feelings. The case study explores how a religious identity is accommodated to incorporate incompatible aspects of the self. It provides an interesting glimpse at religious socialization outside of radical conversion. This somewhat unique example offers a look at how individuals and groups are involved in negotiating religious identities in a modern world.
Maternal Morbidity during Childbirth Hospitalization in California

Objective: To determine the incidence and risk factors for maternal morbidity during childbirth hospitalization. Methods: Maternal morbidities were determined using ICD9-CM and vital records codes from linked hospital discharge and vital records data for 1,572,909 singleton births in California during 2005–2007. Socio-demographic, obstetric and hospital volume risk factors were estimated using mixed effects logistic regression models. Results: The maternal morbidity rate was 241/1000 births. The most common morbidities were episiotomy, pelvic trauma, maternal infection, postpartum hemorrhage and severe laceration. Preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.96; 95% confidence interval 2.8,3.13), maternal age over 35 years, (AOR: 1.92; 1.79,2.06), vaginal birth after cesarean, (AOR: 1.81; 1.47,2.23) and repeat cesarean birth (AOR: 1.99; 1.87,2.12) conferred the highest odds of severe morbidity. Non-white women were more likely to suffer morbidity. Conclusions: Nearly one in four California women experienced...
Increased susceptibility to microdamage in Brtl/+ mouse model for osteogenesis imperfecta.

Abstract Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disease of collagen or collagen-related proteins that adversely impacts bone mass and fracture resistance. Little is known regarding the role that microdamage plays in OI and whether or not OI bone is more prone to damage accumulation than bone with unaffected collagen. The Brtl/+ mouse is a heterozygous model for OI which contains a Gly349Cys substitution in one COL1A1 allele, and demonstrates a low ductility phenotype. At 8 weeks of age, Brtl/+ demonstrates an increase in osteoclast number, which mimics the upregulated bone turnover often found in OI patients. We hypothesize that upregulated osteoclast activity in Brtl/+ is due, in part, to increased remodeling associated with microdamage repair. In the present study, we used Brtl/+ to investigate the susceptibility of OI bone to microdamage. The mouse ulnar loading model was used to induce microdamage and to test the hypothesis that Brtl/+ is more susceptible to damage accumulation than age-matched wild type (WT) counterparts. Linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) was used to investigate the fracture toughness properties of both Brtl/+ and WT bones to determine if there is any correlation with toughness and the degree of microdamage. Results show that Brtl/+ ulnae subject to normal cage activity demonstrate an inherently larger amount of microdamage than WT controls. Following axial compressive loading, Brtl/+ ulnae are more prone to damage than WT counterparts despite demonstrating a greater resistance to whole-bone deformation. Fracture toughness results demonstrate that Brtl/+ specimens, despite not exhibiting a significant difference, display a trend toward lower fracture toughness values than their WT counterparts. Correlations show that microdamage levels tend to increase as fracture toughness decreases. Together, these findings may have strong clinical implications for explaining increased fragility and remodeling activity in OI patients.
Using Triple Isotopes of Dissolved Oxygen to Evaluate Global Marine Productivity

Since the triple isotopic composition of dissolved O2 (17Δ) was introduced as a natural tracer of photosynthetic gross O2 production (GOP) over 10 years ago, observations of 17Δ have been used to constrain marine productivity throughout the global ocean. This incubation-independent approach has several advantages: It allows the determination of production free from containment artifacts and reduces logistical hurdles that can make obtaining productivity with traditional incubation-dependent methods difficult. As such, GOP estimates derived from 17Δ have been used to give insight into potential biases in incubation-based approaches and to evaluate satellite-based estimates of production at the regional scale. With increased use, we have also learned more about the potential biases and uncertainties of this approach, some of which have been addressed by recent method improvements. We recap the major advances the 17Δ method has brought to improved understanding of biological carbon cycling, from incubation b...
Voluntary Task Switching Patterns in Everyday Tasks of Different Motivational Levels

In everyday settings people frequently perform multiple tasks within brief periods of time, typically called multi-tasking, task switching or task interleaving. Experimental studies of these effects typically involve an external cue or interruption to signal that the participant must switch. In contrast, in real world task interleaving the person doing the task frequently initiates the switch (e.g., Czerwinski, Horvitz, & Wilhite, 2004). Why an individual decides to make a voluntary task switch is largely an unexplored topic; the present study was designed to investigate motivational factors in switching tasks. Participants were allowed to switch freely between three tasks of different levels of interest and frustration – playing a game, searching letter for the letter “e” in nonsense text, and reading about human factors psychology. After the session, they rated the tasks on scales of interest and frustration. The results suggest that the level of frustration produced by the task is a stronger motivator ...
Derivation of sample size formula for cluster randomized trials with binary responses using a general continuity correction factor and identication of optimal settings for small event rates

Trials for comparing interventions where cluster of subjects, rather than individuals, are randomized, are commonly called cluster randomized trials (CRTs). For comparison of binary outcomes in a CRT, although there are a few published formulations for sample size computation, the most commonly used is the one developed by Donner, Birkett, and Buck (Am J Epidemiol, 1981) probably due to its incorporation in the text book by Fleiss, Levin, and Paik (Wiley, 2003). In this paper, we derive a new 2 approximation formula with a general continuity correction factor (c) and show that specially for the scenarios of small event rates (< 0:01), the new formulation recommends lower number of clusters than the Donner et al. formulation thereby providing better eciency. All known formulations can be shown to be special cases at specic value of the general correction factor (e.g., Donner formulation is equivalent to the new formulation for c = 1). Statistical simulation is presented with data on comparative ecacy of the available methods identifying correction factors that are optimal for rare event rates. Table of sample size recommendation for variety of rare event rates along with code in\R" language for easy computation of sample size in other settings is also provided. Sample size calculations for a published CRT (\Pathways to Health study" that evaluates the value of intervention for smoking cessation) are computed for various correction factors to illustrate that with an optimal choice of the correction factor, the study could have maintained the same power with a 20% less sample size.
Health Care Reform: Why Not Best Practices?

The passage of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or “Obamacare”) in 2010 promises to bring about significant changes in the way that health care is provided and paid for in the United States of America (USA). Supporters of ACA point to a 2000 WHO study of worldwide health care systems in which the USA ranked 37 th as justification for proposed changes, and many of them have expressed a preference for ultimately implementing a single-payer or single-provider system (such as currently exists in Canada or the United Kingdom). Detractors, who generally label the act Obamacare, have expressed concerns about whether the act can achieve its stated objectives, whether it represents a negative step instead of a positive one, and whether the ultimate goal of a single-payer or single-provider system is desirable one or even an achievable one. In the context of the ongoing debate over health care in the USA, this paper reviews the WHO study and subsequent comparative analyses of world health care systems to address the following questions: Does the USA really have the 37th best health care system in the world? Does either a “single-payer” health care system or a “single-provider” health care system offer prospects for significant improvement? What model or models for delivery of health care services represent “best practices” and how can and should they be emulated?
High-energy femtosecond stretched-pulse fiber laser with a nonlinear optical loop mirror

A stretched-pulse fiber laser with a nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) produces 125-fs pulses with 1-nJ energy. These are the best results obtained with a laser utilizing a NOLM, which can be the basis for environmentally-stable designs.
ASYMMETRICAL MATING PATTERNS BETWEEN GEOGRAPHIC STRAINS OF DROSOPHILA MERCATORUM: A TEST OF THE KANESHIRO HYPOTHESIS.

Kaneshiro (1976) and Ohta (1978) observed asymmetrical behavioral isolation between species pairs of Hawaiian Drosophila whose phylogenetic relationships had previously been inferred from cytology, morphology, and biogeography. The mating patterns were onesided in that males from putative ancestral populations confined with ancestral and derived females exhibited either random mating or heterogamic mating, while derived males in the same situation mated homogamically. These observations were seminal to the development of Kaneshiro's hypothesis that such ancestral/ descendent asymmetries are the norm and thus may provide a basis for determining the direction of evolution among a group of closely related species or populations of the same species. The original hypothesis suggested that some elements of male courtship behavior are lost during founder events leading to the establishment of a new population. Derived females recognize and accept the courtship repertoire of ancestral males, which is complete, but ancestral females discriminate against derived males due to their deficient courtship sequence. Ohta (1978) proposed that founder events might also involve selection for decreased female discrimination, and this idea was subsequently incorporated into the hypothesis (Kaneshiro 1980, 1983; Kaneshiro and Giddings, 1987). A basic assumption was that mating propensities were equal in ancestral and derived populations. Thus, the hypothesis explained the results of male choice experiments in terms of female mate choice decisions, and relied heavily on the role of female discrimination. If this model describes a typical sequence of events, then asymmetrical mating patterns should demonstrate unambiguous directions of evolution, and would be of significant value in phylogenetic analysis. Summary discussions concerning this possibility appeared recently (Kaneshiro and Giddings, 1987; Ehrman and Wasserman, 1987; DeSalle and Templeton, 1987). Giddings and Templeton (1983) presented evidence supporting the model, but included two new constraints which they deemed essential for its applica-
HIGH HEAT-FLUX NETWORK HEAT PIPES EMPLOYING BOILING MECHANISMS IN A NARROW SPACE

The concept of the network heat pipe employing the boiling heat-transfer mechanism in a narrow space is described. Two flat-plate wickless network heat-pipes (or thermal spreaders) are designed, fabricated, and tested based on this concept. The fabricated thermal spreaders, which are made of copper and aluminum, are wickless, cross-grooved heat-transfer devices that spread a concentrated heat source to a much larger surface area. As a result, the high heat flux generated in the concentrated heat source may be dissipated through a finned surface by air cooling. The network heat pipes are tested under different working conditions and orientations relative to the gravity, with water and methanol as the working fluids. The maximum heat fluxes achieved are about 40 W/cm 2 for methanol and 110 W/cm2 for water with a total heat input of 393 W.
Current Concepts of Articular Cartilage Restoration Techniques in the Knee

Context:Articular cartilage injuries are common in patients presenting to surgeons with primary complaints of knee pain or mechanical symptoms. Treatment options include comprehensive nonoperative management, palliative surgery, joint preservation operations, and arthroplasty.Evidence Acquisition:A MEDLINE search on articular cartilage restoration techniques of the knee was conducted to identify outcome studies published from 1993 to 2013. Special emphasis was given to Level 1 and 2 published studies.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 3.Results:Current surgical options with documented outcomes in treating chondral injuries in the knee include the following: microfracture, osteochondral autograft transfer, osteochondral allograft transplant, and autologous chondrocyte transplantation. Generally, results are favorable regarding patient satisfaction and return to sport when proper treatment algorithms and surgical techniques are followed, with 52% to 96% of patients demonstrating good to ex...
Research on Operation Mode Optimization After Outage of Guyue and Shunjiang Lines

The outage of the two 500 kV lines of Guyue and Shunjiang caused by the line crossing construction of the Shangyu high-speed rail station decreases the grid stability in that area.This paper conducts the in-depth research on the operation mode adjustment in terms of the power flow calculation,transient stability analysis,short-circuit current verification and small signal stability analysis in order to reduce the grid operation risk.The result shows that enabling closed-loop operation of Qixian and Lanting lines(disabling the third transformer of Lanting station meanwhile) or Tai′an and Zhongfang lines can achieve the goal of operation mode optimization.
Layer 3 Excitatory and Inhibitory Circuitry in the Prefrontal Cortex: Developmental Trajectories and Alterations in Schizophrenia

Abstract Convergent evidence suggests that schizophrenia is a disorder of neurodevelopment with alterations in both early and late developmental processes hypothesized to contribute to the disease process. Abnormalities in certain clinical features of schizophrenia, such as working memory impairments, depend on distributed neural circuitry including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and appear to arise during the protracted maturation of this circuitry across childhood and adolescence. In particular, the neural circuitry substrate for working memory in primates involves the coordinated activity of excitatory pyramidal neurons and a specific population of inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons (i.e., parvalbumin-containing basket cells) in layer 3 of the DLPFC. Understanding the relationships between the normal development of—and the schizophrenia-associated alterations in—the DLPFC circuitry that subserves working memory could provide new insights into the nature of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Consequently, we review the following in this article: 1) recent findings regarding alterations of DLPFC layer 3 circuitry in schizophrenia, 2) the developmental refinements in this circuitry that occur during the period when the working memory alterations in schizophrenia appear to arise and progress, and 3) how various adverse environmental exposures could contribute to developmental disturbances of this circuitry in individuals with schizophrenia.
Disparities in Age-Associated Cognitive Decline Between African-American and Caucasian Populations: The Roles of Health Literacy and Education

Objectives To examine health literacy as a mediator of racial disparities in cognitive decline as measured by executive function in elderly adults. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Secondary analysis of ElderWalk trial in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants English-speaking African-American and Caucasian individuals in a walking intervention for community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older without dementia at baseline who completed baseline and 12-month evaluations (N = 198). Measurements Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Fluid and crystallized cognitive functions were measured at baseline and 12 months using the Trail-Making Test Part B minus Part B (TMT B–A) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Associations between health literacy and 12-month cognitive decline were modeled using multivariate linear regression. Results Participants with higher health literacy and education experienced less cognitive decline than those with limited health literacy according to the TMT B–A (P = .01). After adjusting for covariates, Caucasian participants (n = 63) experienced less decline than African-American participants (n = 135) on TMT B–A (P = .001) and COWAT (P = .001). Adjusting for health literacy led to a 25.3% decrease in the point estimate for racial difference in TMT B–A and a 19.5% decrease in COWAT. Although independently related to cognitive decline, educational attainment did not mediate racial differences. Conclusion Health literacy is a partial mediator of racial disparities in cognitive decline. These results indicate the need to develop interventions to mitigate cognitive decline that individuals with low heath literacy can use and to modify the healthcare environment to better accommodate this population.
Transthoracic echocardiographic imaging in diagnosis of post-operative left ventricular pseudoaneurysm.

A 29-year-old male presented with 7 days of fever and chest pain. His medical history was significant for rheumatic heart disease post-mechanical mitral and aortic replacement 6 years prior. Three months ago, the patient developed extensive atrial, valvular, and ventricular thrombus caused by non-compliance to warfarin; he subsequently underwent emergent redo double valve replacement with a …
A Monte Carlo simulation approach for quantitatively evaluating keyboard layouts for gesture input

Abstract Gesture typing is a method of text entry that is ergonomically well-suited to the form factor of touchscreen devices and allows for much faster input than tapping each letter individually. The QWERTY keyboard was, however, not designed with gesture input in mind and its particular layout results in a high frequency of gesture recognition errors. In this paper, we describe a new approach to quantifying the frequency of gesture input recognition errors through the use of modeling and simulating realistically imperfect user input. We introduce new methodologies for modeling randomized gesture inputs, efficiently reconstructing words from gestures on arbitrary keyboard layouts, and using these in conjunction with a frequency weighted lexicon to perform Monte Carlo evaluations of keyboard error rates or any other arbitrary metric. An open source framework, Dodona, is also provided that allows for these techniques to be easily employed and customized in the evaluation of a wide spectrum of possible keyboards and input methods. Finally, we perform an optimization procedure over permutations of the QWERTY keyboard to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach and describe ways that future analyses can build upon these results.
YinMem: A distributed parallel indexed in-memory computation system for large scale data analytics

Machine learning and graph analytics typically process data in an iterative way, reading the same data multiple times and sharing intermediate results across the worker nodes in cluster. Hadoop MapReduce and Spark are two popular open source cluster compute frameworks for large scale data analytics. Apache Spark is currently the state-of-the-art in-memory computation model extending MapReduce by transforming data into RDDs stored in memory. One limitation of Spark, however, lies in the fact that data transformation and distribution is implicitly managed by HDFS. Data locality is not guaranteed for iterative machine learning algorithms which read the same data multiple times. For example, data needed for operations to one worker node might reside in RDDs stored in other worker nodes. The resulting data shuffling becomes a bottleneck when iteratively reading such RDDs. We propose YinMem, a parallel distributed indexed in-memory computation system, bridging the gap between Hadoop ecosystem and HPC by replacing MapReduce with MPI while obtaining the advantage of the distributed data storage. YinMem achieves fair load balancing prior to computation for large sparse matrix by scheduling and distributing indexed data from NoSQL database to the RAM of working nodes. YinMem explores Alluxio as the in-memory storage system and enables efficient data sharing of intermediate results. Preliminary results show that YinMem has achieved 3 χ speedup to Spark, for computing eigenvalue and eigenvectors of a 16-million scale sparse matrix.
Using programmable calculators for financial applications

Electronic calculations are becoming an indispensable tool for financial practitioners. Several textbooks recommend the use of calculators in finance classes. However, the variety of forms and sizes make it a problem to pick the right choice for a practitioner. Some recent articles have discussed the use of financial calculators and others have attempted to program the Black–Scholes option pricing model in a programmable calculator using 'Reverse Polish Notation' (RPN) logic. Thus practitioners may be required to carry several calculators, for the different types of applications in his day–to–day job. Alternatively, they may carry a laptop computer with a bunch of programs. However, it may often be more convenient and economical to have a pocket calculator that can serve the function equally well. This paper selects a series of economical programmable calculators using algebraic logic, and programs the time value functions as well as the Black–Scholes option–pricing model in the same calculator. It gives the complete programming steps, including a brief theoretical background. Subsequently, it gives an application section in which it takes the reader step by step through the various programs showing the display of the calculator at every step. Thus the reader can check the programming steps and debug for errors if the answers do not match.
Pain Control Teaching in Anesthesia Residencies

In an effort to learn how pain control is taught in anesthesiology residencies, directors of 130 residencies were surveyed. Only 56% of the responding programs provide residents with a structured rotation in pain control. Reasons for this deficiency in pain control teaching and suggestions for improving the learning experience are presented. In addition, the concept and importance of the multidisciplinary approach to pain control is discussed.
Personalizing antiplatelet prescribing using genetics for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

ABSTRACTIntroduction. Clopidogrel is commonly prescribed with aspirin to reduce the risk for adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there is significant inter-patient variability in clopidogrel response. The CYP2C19 enzyme is involved in the biotransformation of clopidogrel to its pharmacologically active form, and variation in the CYP2C19 gene contributes to clopidogrel response variability.Areas covered. This article describes the impact of CYP2C19 genotype on clopidogrel pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and effectiveness. Examples of clinical implementation of CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy for patients undergoing PCI are also described as are emerging outcomes data with this treatment approach.Expert commentary. A large clinical trial evaluating outcomes with CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy after PCI is on-going. In the meantime, data from pragmatic and observational studies and smaller trials support improved outcomes with ...
Supporting Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Major Neurocognitive Disorders and Their Caregivers: Effective Occupational Therapy Interventions

Occupational therapy practitioners play a significant role in supporting adults with Alzheimer's disease and related major neurocognitive disorders, as well as their caregivers, through all phases of the disease process. This editorial highlights the systematic reviews completed in collaboration with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Project that summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice for this population. Readers are encouraged to translate and integrate this updated knowledge into everyday practice.
Spinal Lewy body pathology in older adults without an antemortem diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that Lewy body pathology (LBs) is present in the spinal cord of older community-dwelling adults without a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: We studied 162 prospective autopsies from older adults with PD (N=6) and without PD (N=156). We documented the presence of LBs in cerebrum and brainstem structures from each of the 6 regions used for Braak PD staging and 4 spinal cord levels (C5/6, T7, L4/5 and S4/5). Parkinsonism proximate to death was based on a previously validated measure present if 2 or more of the 4 signs of parkinsonism were present based on a modified version of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Results: Fifty-three of 156 individuals without PD (34%) had LBs in a least one site within the CNS. About half of cases with LBs in the cerebrum or brainstem, (25/53, 47%) also had spinal LBs. Almost 90% (22/25 88%) of cases with spinal LBs had LBs in the cerebrum (Braak stages 4-6) and about 10% (3/25, 12%) had only brainstem LBs (Braak stages 1-3). Four of 6 cases with PD showed LBs in cerebrum, brainstem and spinal cord. Individuals with LBs in the spinal cord were more likely to have clinical parkinsonism proximate to death compared to individuals with LBs in brainstem and cerebrum alone (52% vs 32%; Chi-Square х2 = 5.368, df = 1, p = 0.0.021) and more severe nigral neuronal loss (48%% vs 11%; Chi-Square х2 = 9.049, df = 1, p = 0.003). These findings were unchanged when we included cases with a history of PD. Conclusion: Older community-dwelling adults without a clinical diagnosis of PD have evidence of LBs throughout the CNS including the spinal cord which is associated with parkinsonism and more severe nigral neuronal loss. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Native species recovery after reduction of an invasive tree by biological control with and without active removal

Abstract Removal of invasive species is often an important, if not central, component of many riparian restoration projects, however little is known about the response of plant communities following this practice. In particular, active control of the exotic, dominant tree Tamarix spp is often a focus of riparian restoration, much of which occurring against a backdrop of biological control by a folivore beetle. Our research employed controls in both time and space to investigate the impact of active Tamarix removal methods in sites subjected to biological control in 40 sites sampled three times over a period of five years. We found that reduction in Tamarix cover was much greater over time with active means of removal, however the native understory increased both with and without active removal. Importantly, change in the relative cover of understory native species was significantly negatively correlated with change in Tamarix cover, with those sites that received a combination of low-disturbance-mechanical, chemical and bio-control showing greater increases in native understory dominance than those sites with biological control alone or high-disturbance mechanical control. Sites with only bio­control still contained 10% live Tamarix cover >7 yr since the beetle was released there. Taken together, these results suggest that the reduction of this exotic tree, even by biological control that leaves some canopy intact, can facilitate recovery of the native plant community. As such, this study supports the Field of Dreams hypothesis that states that once niches are restored, native plants should be able to recolonize.
Discontinuation of Postoperative Prophylactic Antibiotics After Noninstrumented Spinal Surgery: Results of a Quality Improvement Project

Background:Numerous medical society guidelines recommend discontinuation of antibiotics at a maximum of 24 hours after noninstrumented spinal surgery, even when a drain is left in place. As a resul...
Status threat, not economic hardship, explains the 2016 presidential vote.

This study evaluates evidence pertaining to popular narratives explaining the American public’s support for Donald J. Trump in the 2016 presidential election. First, using unique representative probability samples of the American public, tracking the same individuals from 2012 to 2016, I examine the “left behind” thesis (that is, the theory that those who lost jobs or experienced stagnant wages due to the loss of manufacturing jobs punished the incumbent party for their economic misfortunes). Second, I consider the possibility that status threat felt by the dwindling proportion of traditionally high-status Americans (i.e., whites, Christians, and men) as well as by those who perceive America’s global dominance as threatened combined to increase support for the candidate who emphasized reestablishing status hierarchies of the past. Results do not support an interpretation of the election based on pocketbook economic concerns. Instead, the shorter relative distance of people’s own views from the Republican candidate on trade and China corresponded to greater mass support for Trump in 2016 relative to Mitt Romney in 2012. Candidate preferences in 2016 reflected increasing anxiety among high-status groups rather than complaints about past treatment among low-status groups. Both growing domestic racial diversity and globalization contributed to a sense that white Americans are under siege by these engines of change.
Optimal Phase-to-Phase Control of Chemical Oscillations

We investigate the effectiveness of phase manipulation of chemical oscillations with open loop control based on phase model description. Minimum-power controls are applied to alter the phase of the oscillation from an arbitrary initial value to a desired value within one oscillatory cycle. We demonstrate the applicability of the controls by changing the instantaneous oscillation period of an oscillatory electrochemical system from an arbitrary predetermined initial phase. The experiments showed that the instantaneous period can be effectively modified from any initial phase for a range of ±30% of the natural (uncontrolled) period. Although the method is tested with electrochemical oscillations, the phase model description is general and holds promise in applications in a wide range of disciplines, for example, circadian rhythm adjustment in biology and therapeutic procedures in neuromedicine.
Comparing the antiproton and proton, and opening the way to cold antihydrogen

Our TRAP collaboration has developed and demonstrated slowing, trapping, and electron-cooling techniques that enable antiproton storage in thermal equilibrium at 4.2K. This is an average energy that is more than 1010 times lower than the energy of any previously available antiprotons. Months-long confinement of a single antiproton, at a background pressure <5×10−17 torr, and nondestructive detection of the radio signal from a single trapped antiproton, made it possible to show that the charge-to-mass ratios of the antiproton and proton differ in magnitude by <9 parts in 1011. This 90 parts per trillion comparison is nearly a milion times more accurate than previous comparisons, and is the most stringent test of PCT invariance with a baryon system by a similar amount. The avaibility of extremely cold antiprotons makes it possible to pursue the production of antihydrogen that is cold enough to trap for precise laser spectroscopy. The closest approach to cold antihydrogen to date is our simultaneous confinement of 4.2K antiprotons and positrons. All cold antiproton experiments so far were carried out at the CERN Laboratory with antiprotons coming from its Low Energy Antiproton Ring (LEAR). This unique facility has now closed. Future antihydrogen experiments will be pursued at the new Antiproton Decelerator ring at CERN, which was constructed for this purpose. Using the techniques developed by TRAP, antiprotons will be accumulated within traps rather than in storage rings, thereby reducing the operating expenses to CERN.
Clinical Awareness of Occupation-Related Toxic Exposure

Physicians should take an occupational and environmental history of patients suffering from toxic chemical exposure in the workplace and advise them on ways to minimize further exposure to themselves and their families. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Cosmology, Context, and Peace Education: A View from War Zones

In this chapter, “Cosmology, Context, and Peace Education: A View from War Zones,” Michael Wessells emphatically calls for a pedagogy of peace and peace education that unreservedly acknowledges and honors difference. Wessells suggests contextually appropriate peace education programs are much needed yet are relatively rare in many war zones. In rural Angola, for example, people have a spiritualistic, animistic cosmology that views events in the visible world as caused by the invisible events in the ancestors’ world. Here, peace has as much to do with harmony between the living and the ancestors as it does with relations between groups and people who are living. Unfortunately, power dynamics in the humanitarian system frequently lead international NGOs to impose their predominantly Western ideas of peace. This imposition makes peace education a neocolonial enterprise, and it undermines the equity, respect for diversity, and spirit of mutual learning that are central to peace education. Imposition can be avoided by taking a grounded approach that builds on local beliefs and practices, empowers local people, and works in a bottom-up rather than a top-down modality.