cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonrandom selection and the attributable cost of surgical-site infections.

OBJECTIVE: To study the extent to which selection bias poses problems for estimating the attributable cost of deep chest surgical-site infection (SSI) following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. DESIGN: Reanalysis of a prospective case-control study. SETTING: A large, Midwestern community medical center. PATIENTS: Cases were all patients who had an SSI (N = 41) following CABG and CABG and valve surgery between April 1996 and March 1998. Controls were every tenth uninfected patient (N = 160). METHODS: Estimates of the attributable cost of deep chest SSI were computed using unmatched comparison, matched comparison, linear regression, and Heckman's two-stage approach. RESULTS: The attributable cost of deep chest SSI was estimated to be $20,012 by unmatched comparison, $19,579 by matched comparison, $20,103 by linear regression, and $14,211 by Heckman's two-stage method. Controlling for selection bias substantially reduced the cost estimate, but the coefficient capturing selection bias was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Deep chest SSI significantly increases the cost of care for patients who undergo CABG surgery. Unmatched comparison, matched comparison, and linear regression estimated the attributable cost to be approximately $20,000. Although controlling for selection bias with Heckman's two-stage method resulted in a substantially smaller estimate, the coefficient for selection bias was not statistically significant, suggesting that the estimates derived from the other models should be acceptable. However, the magnitude of the difference between the models shows that the effect of selection bias can be substantial. Some exploration for selection bias is recommended when estimating the attributable cost of SSIs.
Power Efficient Embedded Processor Ip's through Application-Specific Tag Compression in Data Caches

In this paper, we present a methodology for power minimization by data cache tag compression. The set of tags being accessed by the major application loops is analyzed statically during compile time and an efficient and optimal compression scheme is proposed Only a very limited number of tag bits are stored in the tag array for cache conflict identification, thus achieving a significant reduction in the number of active bitlines, sense amps, and comparator cells. The underlying hardware support for dynamically compressing the tags consists of a highly cost and power efficient programmable encoder which lies outside the cache access path, thus not affecting the processor cycle time. A detailed VLSI implementation has been performed and a number of experimental results on a set of embedded applications and numerical kernels is reported Energy dissipation decreases of up to 95% can be observed for the tag arrays, while significant energy reductions in the range of 10%-50% are observed when amortized across the overall cache subsystem.
Investigating the temporal effects of respiratory-gated and intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment delivery on in vitro survival: an experimental and theoretical study.

Purpose To experimentally and theoretically investigate the temporal effects of respiratory-gated and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment delivery on in vitro survival. Methods and Materials Experiments were designed to isolate the effects of periodic irradiation (gating), partial tumor irradiation (IMRT), and extended treatment time (gating and IMRT). V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells were irradiated to 2 Gy with four delivery methods and a clonogenic assay performed. Theoretical incomplete repair model calculations were performed using the incomplete repair model. Results Treatment times ranged from 1.67 min (conformal radiotherapy, CRT) to 15 min (gated IMRT). Survival fraction calculations ranged from 68.2% for CRT to 68.7% for gated IMRT. For the same treatment time (5 min), gated delivery alone and IMRT delivery alone both had a calculated survival fraction of 68.3%. The experimental values ranged from 65.7% ± 1.0% to 67.3% ± 1.3%, indicating no significant difference between the experimental observations and theoretical calculations. Conclusion The theoretical results predicted that of the three temporal effects of radiation delivery caused by gating and IMRT, extended treatment time was the dominant effect. Care should be taken clinically to ensure that the use of gated IMRT does not significantly increase treatment times, by evaluating appropriate respiratory gating duty cycles and IMRT delivery complexity.
The Effects of Removing the GAT Domain from E. coli GMP Synthetase

E. coli GMP synthetase (GMPS) catalyzes the conversion of XMP to GMP. Ammonia, generated in the amino-terminal glutamine amidotransferase (GAT) domain, is transferred by an unknown mechanism to the ATP-pyrophosphatase (ATPP) domain, where it attacks a highly reactive adenyl-XMP intermediate, leading to GMP formation. To study the structural requirements for the activity of E. coli GMPS, we used PCR to generate a protein expression construct that contains the ATPP domain as well as the predicted dimerization domain (DD). The ATPP/DD protein is active in solution, utilizing NH4+ as an NH3 donor. Size-exclusion chromatography demonstrates a dimeric mass for the ATPP/ DD protein, providing the first evidence in solution for the structural organization of the intact GMPS. Kinetic characterization of the ATPP/DD domain protein provides evidence that the presence of the GAT domain can regulate the activity of the ATPP domain.
Time and Cost Sensitive Data-Intensive Computing on Hybrid Clouds

Purpose-built clusters permeate many of today's organizations, providing both large-scale data storage and computing. Within local clusters, competition for resources complicates applications with deadlines. However, given the emergence of the cloud's pay-as-you-go model, users are increasingly storing portions of their data remotely and allocating compute nodes on-demand to meet deadlines. This scenario gives rise to a hybrid cloud, where data stored across local and cloud resources may be processed over both environments. While a hybrid execution environment may be used to meet time constraints, users must now attend to the costs associated with data storage, data transfer, and node allocation time on the cloud. In this paper, we describe a modeling-driven resource allocation framework to support both time and cost sensitive execution for data-intensive applications executed in a hybrid cloud setting. We evaluate our framework using two data-intensive applications and a number of time and cost constraints. Our experimental results show that our system is capable of meeting execution deadlines within a 3.6% margin of error. Similarly, cost constraints are met within a 1.2% margin of error, while minimizing the application's execution time.
Bridging Media Processing and Selective Exposure A Dynamic Motivational Model of Media Choices and Choice Response Time

Based on the dynamic motivational activation (DMA) theoretical framework, a dynamic and stochastic semi-Markov choice model of channel changing behavior, called the ChaCha model, is developed and submitted to empirical testing. The ChaCha model integrates the motivated media processing and selective exposure behavior, and formalizes their reciprocal, recursive dynamic influences. It incorporates a logistic type of ratio of strength choice model, a reinforcement learning model, and the diffusion model of choice time to simultaneously predict sequential media channel choices and channel viewing durations. Real-time channel choice data from a selective exposure TV viewing experiment are used to test the model and to illustrate how this model can be used to understand dynamic cognitive mechanisms underlying the observed media choice behavior.
Strain-Relatedness of Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Recovered from Patients with Repeated Infection

Invasive disease following methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) detection is common, regardless of whether initial detection involves colonization or infection. We assessed the genetic relatedness of isolates obtained ≥2 weeks apart representing either repeated infections or colonization-infection sets to determine if infections are likely to be caused by previously harbored strains. We found that MRSA infection following initial colonization or infection is caused by the same strain in most cases, suggesting that a single successful attempt at decolonization may prevent the majority of later infection.
2003 Nobel Prize in Physics for Theoretical Work on Superfluid 3He

The element helium comes in two (stable) forms. 4 He and 5 He; at low temperatures and pressures both form liquids rather than solids. The liquid phase of the common isotope, ' 1 He, was realized' nearly a century ago, and since 1938 has been known to show, at temperatures below about 2 K, the property of superfluidity-the ability to flow through the narrowest capillaries without apparent friction. The light isotope, 2 He, is believed to be of quite a different nature; however,because of its similarity to the electrons in metals, which at low temperatures sometimes form Cooper pairs and thereby become superconducting, theorists in the 1960s and early 1970s had speculated that something similar might happen in liquid 3 He, which would then also show superfluidity though for reasons rather different than 4 He. In 1972 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments at Cornell University revealed the existence, below 3 millidegrees, if two new phases, one of which displayed extraordinary NMR properties. Anthony Leggett is one of the theorists who succeeded in fitting the experimental properties into the Cooper-pairing scenario; in particular, he explained the NMR behavior and predicted further novel NMR phenomena which were subsequently found.
A Qualitative Exploration of a Faith-based Support Group for Women with Disordered Eating

Religious faith is associated with fewer health risk behaviors, decreased psychological distress, anxiety, and depression, and increased coping skills and self-esteem. Amongst those with eating disorders and identifying as religious, there is evidence that an eating disorder has negative religious ramifications, yet only one investigation to date has examined a faith-based intervention for this population. The present study qualitatively explored the experience of faith-based support group participation for five women with an eating disorder. Participants identified a need for relational growth both in their relationship with God and others and, ultimately, experienced increased self-efficacy, connectedness, and hope. These themes are discussed in terms of their limitations and clinical implications.
Some Special Functions

A series of the form $$ \sum\limits_{j = 0}^\infty {{a_j}{{(x - c)}^j}}$$ is called a power series expanded about the point c. Our first task is to determine the nature of the set on which a power series converges.
An experimental study on the effects of relative rotation direction on the wake interferences among tandem wind turbines

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of relative rotation direction on the wake interferences among two tandemwind turbines models. While the oncoming flow conditions were kept in constant during the experiments, turbine power outputs, wind loads acting on the turbines, and wake characteristics behind the turbines were compared quantitatively with turbine models in either co-rotating or counter-rotating configuration. The measurement results reveal that the turbines in counter-rotating would harvest more wind energy from the same oncoming wind, compared with the co-rotating case. While the recovery of the streamwise velocity deficits in the wake flows was found to be almost identical with the turbines operated in either co-rotating or counter-rotating, the significant azimuthal velocity generated in the wake flow behind the upstream turbine is believed to be the reason why the counter-rotating turbines would have a better power production performance. Since the azimuthal flow velocity in the wake flow was found to decrease monotonically with the increasing downstream distance, the benefits of the counter-rotating configuration were found to decrease gradually as the spacing between the tandem turbines increases. While the counter-rotating downstream turbine was found to produce up to 20% more power compared with that of co-rotating configuration with the turbine spacing being about 0.7 D , the advantage was found to become almost negligible when the turbine spacing becomes greater than 6.5 D . It suggests that the counter-rotating configuration design would be more beneficial to turbines in onshore wind farms due to the smaller turbine spacing (i.e., ~3 rotor diameters for onshore wind farms vs. ~7 rotor diameters for offshore wind farms in the prevailing wind direction), especially for those turbines sited over complex terrains with the turbine spacing only about 1-2 rotor diameters.
The Art of Becoming: The Graffiti of Tikal, Guatemala

In their 1995 Latin American Antiquity article, Haviland and Haviland argued that the people who produced much of the graffiti of Tikal were depicting visions from altered states of consciousness. In this paper, I argue that there is room for alternative interpretations. Comparison with children"s drawings from across the world suggests that children or people without training in Maya representational conventions authored a portion of the graffiti. Though this portion may be small, the possibility that children were involved provides a rare opportunity to discuss the experience of childhood. I argue that the content of the graffiti and the inter-subjective context of its production reveal several processes of becoming. Among other things, the graffiti permit an account of how children learn: legitimate participation in a community of people with varied levels of experience. This relational understanding of graffiti production also provides grounds for considering innovation and transformation in the medium of expression. Finally, I argue that the act of representation gives young people a form of mastery over the themes they portray. This helps them to accommodate confusing or difficult relations in their lives and to harmonize with their world in such a way that makes them culturally intelligible subjects.
Digitization of The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium

The William and Lynda Steere Herbarium of The New York Botanical Garden has been digitizing specimens since 1995. At first, digitization included only specimen label data transcription, but specimen imaging was added in 1999. Over the years, computer technology has changed greatly, and consequently so have the hardware, software and workflow for accomplishing this work. Rapid digitization techniques developed mostly during the past five years have allowed a doubling in the rate at which specimens are digitized. Approximately 2.5 million specimens have been databased and 1.4 million have been digitally photographed. These data are served through the Garden’s C. V. Starr Virtual Herbarium and are shared through other data portals as well. Completion of the digitization of all American specimens (roughly five million) is projected by 2021.
Underwater Minefield Detection in Clutter Data Using Spatial Point-Process Models

In this paper, we study the problem of detection of underwater minefields amidst dense clutter as that of statistical inference under a spatial point-process model. Specifically, we model the locations (mine and clutter) as samples of a Thomas point process with parent locations representing mines and children representing clutter. Accordingly, the parents are distributed according to a homogeneous Poisson process and, given the parent locations, the children are distributed as independent Poisson processes with intensity functions that are Gaussian densities centered at the parents. This provides a likelihood function for parent locations given the observed clutter (children). Under this model, we develop a framework for penalized maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation of model parameters and parent locations. The optimization is performed using a combination of analytical and Monte Carlo methods; the Monte Carlo part relies on a birth–death–move procedure for adding/removing points in the parent set. This framework is illustrated using both simulated and real data sets, the latter obtained courtesy of Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC-PCD), Panama City, FL, USA. The results, evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively, underscore success in estimating parent locations and other parameters, at a reasonable computation cost.
Polishing mixed-bed resin,the recovery of oil pollution treatment

Due to the lube oil of the feed water pump leaking the condensate system,leading to the oil pollution of polishing mixed-bed resin system.In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of thermal systems,the contaminated resin was revived when the unit was stopped.Presented series tests about resin contamination condition and recovery methods.It also discussed the mechanism of oil pollution and its influencing factors,which can provide reference for the similar incidents.
Ammonia Exposure: A Common Cause for Sinusitis a Case Report and Review of the Literature:

Sinuses are a part of the upper respiratory system and sinusitis has been well-defined as an inflammation of the mucous membrane. Sinusitis occurs commonly as a result of allergies, polyps, common cold and environmental pollution. Reports of sinusitis secondary to ammonia exposure, while common clinically from a reporting point of view, have not been described extensively in the literature. We describe here a patient who was exposed to ammonia gas and developed chronic relapsing sinusitis. The mechanism of injury and review of the world literature indicate that although common clinically, chronic sinusitis as a result of ammonia exposure has not been described extensively.
Cross-well transport of photogenerated carriers in heterostructures

The quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) has been utilized in a number of devices including optical modulators, detectors, and the self electro-optic effect device (SEED). At present the speed limits of these devices are governed by the external circuit, but, as devices are reduced in size, the internal limitations on de vice speed become important.
Dynamic range enhancement in 1.55 /spl mu/m VCSELs using injection-locking

Optical injection locking is experimentally and theoretically demonstrated to enhance the RF gain and reduce the distortion of 1.55 /spl mu/m VCSELs over a range of carrier frequencies resulting from a high coupling ratio of injected power and VCSEL cavity.
Antiangiogenic Therapeutic Potential of Peptides Derived from the Molecular Motor KIF13B that Transports VEGFR2 to Plasmalemma in Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) localized on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) is a key determinant of the magnitude and duration of angiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The kinesin family plus-end motor KIF13B transports VEGFR2 to the EC surface, and as such, specific inhibition of polarized VEGFR2 trafficking prevents angiogenesis. We designed a series of bioactive peptides based on deep analysis of VEGFR2-binding domain of KIF13B that compete specifically with VEGFR2 binding of KIF13B and thereby potently inhibit angiogenesis. Expression of these peptides by lentivirus prevents VEGF-induced capillary network formation in Matrigel plugs and neovascularization in vivo . A synthetic soluble, cell-permeable, 23–amino acid peptide termed kinesin-derived angiogenesis inhibitor (KAI) not only prevents interaction of VEGFR2 with KIF13B but also trafficking of VEGFR2 in the plus-end direction to the EC plasmalemma. Kinesin-derived angiogenesis inhibitor also inhibits VEGF-induced EC migration and tumor growth in human lung carcinoma xenografted in immunodeficient mice. Thus, we describe a novel class of peptides derived from the site of interaction of KIF13B with VEGFR2 that inhibit VEGFR2 trafficking and thereby starve cancer of blood supply.
Runtime SES planning: Online motion planning in environments with stochastic dynamics and uncertainty

Motion planning in stochastic dynamic uncertain environments is critical in several applications such as human interacting robots, autonomous vehicles and assistive robots. In order to address these complex applications, several methods have been developed. The most successful methods often predict future obstacle locations in order identify collision-free paths. Since prediction can be computationally expensive, offline computations are commonly used, and simplifications such as the inability to consider the dynamics of interacting obstacles or possible stochastic dynamics are often applied. Online methods can be preferable to simulate potential obstacle interactions, but recent methods have been restricted to Gaussian interaction processes and uncertainty. In this paper we present an online motion planning method, Runtime Stochastic Ensemble Simulation (Runtime SES) planning, an inexpensive method for predicting obstacle motion with generic stochastic dynamics while maintaining a high planning success rate despite the potential presence of obstacle position error. Runtime SES planning evaluates the likelihood of collision for any state-time coordinate around the robot by performing Monte Carlo simulations online. This prediction is used to construct a customized Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (RRT) in order to quickly identify paths that avoid obstacles while moving toward a goal. We demonstrate Runtime SES planning in problems that benefit from online predictions, environments with strongly-interacting obstacles with stochastic dynamics and positional error. Through experiments that explore the impact of various parametrizations, robot dynamics and obstacle interaction models, we show that real-time capable planning with a high success rate is achievable in several complex environments.
Is the earth's interior dissolving?

The earth's core, although only 2900 km below the surface, will probably never be sampled by humankind. Nevertheless, it has been the object of a tremendous amount of study since it was directly mapped in 1912 by Gottingen physicist, Beno Gutenberg, using seismic waves. Now Elise Knittle and Raymond Jeanloz at the University of California, Berkeley, report the occurrence of chemical reactions between molten iron and solid silicates in tiny (0.15 mm diameter) models of the core-mantle boundary within their high-pressure diamond cell apparatus (1989 Geophys Res Lett. 16 60912). Their results could have an important influence on the physics of core and mantle convection processes.
Advancements in high power high frequency transformer design for resonant converter circuits

Medium and high frequency converters are gaining increasing interest for high power applications such as renewable energy and dc grids. Medium and high frequency transformers are an essential component in such converters. Advancing resonant converters to higher power levels challenges the transformer design in multiple aspects including power levels, switching frequency, ac and dc voltages insulation requirements and parasitic parameters. This paper presents design methods and recommendations for transformers that accomplish an industry-leading combination of power levels in the MW-class resonant frequencies up to 20kHz, operating AC voltages up to 5 kV, and dc offset voltages up to 300 kV. Design examples and test results of prototypes are presented along with results from applications where the transformers are integrated within high frequency converters.
Transformative science: a new index and the impact of non-funding, private funding, and public funding

AbstractUnderstanding how impactful scientific articles were funded informs future funding decisions. The structural significance of articles is broken down into two submeasures: citation count and “generativity” (a novel measure defined as being highly cited and also leading to a comparatively large number of other highly cited work). Generativity is an attempt to provide a quantitative operationalization of transformativeness, a concept often used as a funding criterion despite not being a well-defined construct. This report identifies highly impactful and generative publications indexed in the subject area of psychology in the Web of Science in the year 2002. Publications that reported funding sources were found to be more generative than those that did not, and research that was privately funded was found to be more generative than publicly funded research. This analysis is exploratory, and hopefully contributes to a foundation for future empirical investigations into the structure and nature of trans...
An Evaluation of Videomodeling on Fundamental Motor Skill Performance of Preschool Children

Proficiency in fundamental motor skills (FMS) is important for both the health and the overall growth and development of young children. To identify factors that facilitate the development of FMS, the study provided preliminary data on the effect of videomodeling (VM) on the acquisition of FMS by typically developing young children. Participants were six conveniently selected typically developing preschool-age children from an early care and education center. A multiple-baseline-across-participants single-subject research design was used to evaluate VM effects. Motor skill acquisition was assessed with validated developmental sequences of the standing long jump and the overarm throw. The results demonstrated that the VM intervention improved participants’ FMS performance and the improvement was maintained even after the withdrawal of the VM, 2 weeks after the last VM session. Qualitative data collected via a self-report enjoyment scale and field notes with the instructors elicited four factors that might have affected participants’ performance: their attention and motivation to perform the task and the skill complexity and reproduction. The data suggest that VM may be an efficient strategy for teaching FMS to preschool-age children.
A Slotted Aloha Message Concentration Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor network applications, including the Internet of Things (IoT), will benefit from message concentration protocols, which gather messages originating at a large number of spatially distributed nodes (devices) into a small subset of those nodes, each holding a subset of the messages. This concentration facilitates more efficient access to the network or cloud, in the aggregate, than when each device seeks individual direct access. Such protocols must be lightweight and capable of operating without knowledge of the (potentially dynamic) network topology. In this paper we propose an extremely simple multi-round Aloha-based protocol, wherein the set of live nodes in each round randomly partition into transmitters and receivers, and the receivers collect messages from all transmitters within range. The protocol requires judicious choice of both the multi-round contention probabilities and transmission powers to effectively tradeoff between the four performance metrics of interest - the degree of message concentration, the fraction of lost messages, the protocol delay, and the transmission power. We analyze a special case of this protocol using basic results from stochastic geometry and branching processes.
Model-free optimal control based automotive control system falsification

In this paper, the falsification of predefined requirements of a control system is formulated as an optimal control problem. We propose a framework that can be used to design input trajectories such that multiple requirements can be falsified by a single test trajectory. Furthermore, an algorithm based on gradient techniques is proposed for unknown nonlinear systems. A numerical example, treating a string of three vehicles that use adaptive cruise control to follow each other, is reported. The approach extends to the case where falsification is achieved by both input and parameter selection.
Mapping and estimating magnetic field variations due to a one-sided magnet

Homogeneous magnetic fields are desirable in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments for detecting the presence of nuclear species accurately. However, some applications such as oil well logging [1], perform NMR experiments in inhomogeneous magnetic fields with lower spatial accuracy [2–5]. Achieving improvements in spatial features requires a better understanding of the field profiles in such inhomogeneous fields. Therefore, in this paper, the magnetic field variations introduced due to a one-sided magnet are simulated and studied. A magnetic and a non-magnetic object are placed in the near field of a permanent magnet. Sections of the magnet's near-field region depicting the field decay and variations along different directions are analyzed. Prior NMR measurements do indicate that minor field variations affect the response of the magnetic moments from region to region leading to undesirable peak broadening in the frequency spectrum. However, field variations can be advantageous if the magnetic field profile is pre-mapped and changes in field profiles by placing known nuclei are pre-estimated. Pre-estimation would lead to a improved understanding of spatial resolution. This technique would also be useful for medical imaging purposes where different methods are utilized to obtain improved spatial resolution and contrast between different tissues/matter.
Optimal Groundwater Extraction under Uncertainty and a Spatial Stock Externality

We introduce a model that incorporates two important elements to estimating welfare gains from groundwater management: stochasticity and a spatial stock externality. We estimate welfare gains resulting from optimal management under uncertainty as well as a gradual stock externality that produces the dynamics of a large aquifer being slowly exhausted. This groundwater model imposes an important aspect of a depletable natural resource without the extreme assumption of complete exhaustion that is necessary in a traditional single cell (bathtub) model of groundwater extraction. Using dynamic programming, we incorporate and compare stochasticity for both an independent and identically distributed as well as a Markov chain process for annual rainfall. We find that the spatial depletion of the aquifer is significant to welfare gains for a parameterization of a section of the Ogallala Aquifer in Kansas, ranging from 2.9% to 3.01%, which is larger than those found previously over the region. Surprisingly, the inclusion of stochasticity in rainfall increases welfare gains only slightly.
Noncanonical GA and GG 5′ Intron Donor Splice Sites Are Common in the Copepod Eurytemora affinis

The noncanonical 5' intron donor splice sites GA and GG are exceedingly rare in described eukaryotic genomes; however, they are present in ∼12% of introns in the genome of the copepod Eurytemora affinis Failure to recognize the high frequency of these donor sites compromised the modeling of genes in this newly sequenced genome, including 10 conserved ionotropic glutamate receptor (GluR) family genes curated herein. These introns appear to have been acquired recently, along with many additional idiosyncratic introns. Their high frequency implies the evolution of modified intron donor splice site recognition in this copepod.
DADCA: An Efficient Distributed Algorithm for Aerial DataCollection from Wireless Sensors Networks by UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used as data collectors for Wireless Sensors Networks (WSN) on the ground. Most current research proposes optimizations for the itinerary creation of a single UAV. Our work, however, proposes a distributed algorithm for collecting WSN data using a dynamic set of UAVs. The algorithm takes into account the fact that UAVs could leave or join the group due to either recharging requirements or malfunctions. In our work we also consider the fact that UAVs only have medium-range communication capabilities (a few meters) in order to deliver collected data. Compared to the computationally costly and non-real-time Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) approach, our algorithm delivers approximately 13% more efficient sensory visiting at certain scenarios without using the optimized tour.
Associating Items with Scenes Identified in Social Q&A Data

We discuss the problem of discovering associations between typical situations (scenes) in our daily lives and their characteristic items, which refer to anything from real objects to imaginary beings or abstract concepts. Once scenes are associated with items, the scenes can be further computationally analyzed (e.g., compared, tracked) on the basis of their associated items. In our approach for mining such associations, a list L of items and a set D of Web documents, in which scenes are identified, are first prepared. Next, D is divided using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) into clusters, each of which can be regarded as corresponding to a distinct characteristic scene. Then, the relevance between the scenes and items in L is estimated on the basis of the statistical significance of occurrence of items in the clusters. We developed two simple techniques for improving the quality (consistency) of the clustering result obtained using LDA with the expectation that the improved clustering result yields better performance in revealing item-scene associations. The most effective of the two techniques, PACA, purifies original clusters (i.e., eliminates unwanted elements in each cluster) created using a clustering algorithm by using the outcome from another clustering algorithm. Through an experiment using pages in a social Q&A site, we verified the effectiveness of the cluster purification techniques and the total effectiveness of our approach of associating items with scenes.
Disagreements and third parties: dilemmas of neutralism in panel news interviews

Broadcast news interviewers in both Britain and the United States are obliged to maintain a formally neutral or neutralistic posture. Previous research has documented the language practices through which this is achieved in singular actions directed toward particular interviewees. Maintaining neutralism becomes more complex within panel interviews where interviewers ask questions of different interviewees in succession. In this environment, conduct toward successive interviewees can be compared and contrasted for evidence of partiality or favoritism. This paper analyzes in detail one particular panel interview in which the norm of neutralism appears to have been breached. This interview is examined in the spirit of deviant case analysis, with the main objective being to elucidate by reference to a counterexample how a neutralistic posture normally is maintained.
Identification of Dynamical Strictly Causal Networks

The paper presents a methodology for identifying the topology of strictly causal dynamical networks. Using a graph-theoretic representation of interconnected dynamical systems, each node is assumed to be a stochastic process whose output is influenced by an independent stochastic noise and outputs of other nodes. The links, which represent the influence of other nodes, are assumed to be strictly causal dynamical filters. When an invasive number of measured data is available, reconstruction techniques based on Granger causality are capable of tackling this problem, however, for very large networks they are rendered impractical. Under the assumption of the sparsity of a complex network including feedback and self-loops, we propose a consistent algorithm based on cycling least-squares that unveils the topology without any a priori knowledge about the structure. For non-invasive measurements, we cast the problem as a structured sparse signal recovery and propose another data-driven algorithm based on ideas borrowed from compressive sensing and matching pursuit to identify the network. To show the superiority of this method we compare its performance with those of the Granger causality and other state-of-the-art techniques through Monte-Carlo simulations.
INCREASE IN CARBONATE CONTRIBUTION FROM FRAMEWORK-BUILDING METAZOANS THROUGH EARLY CAMBRIAN REEFS OF THE WESTERN BASIN AND RANGE, USA

During the early Cambrian, organisms with robust skeletons began to integrate with microbialite reef structures. Specifically, archaeocyathan sponges were among the first metazoan reef-builders. Here we investigate the transition from microbial-dominated reef environments to metazoan-based reefs from strata in the western Basin and Range of California and Nevada. This study integrates point count data from petrographic thin sections with stable carbon isotopic and elemental composition of carbonates. From the earliest reef bearing formations to the latest, metazoan framework contribution increases from zero to 29.7%. This increase is linked to the addition of new framework-building organisms, namely coralomorphs, as well as an increase in archaeocyath body size. Correspondingly, Shannon's diversity increases from 0.652 to 1.492. However, skeletal contributions from additional organisms within the reefs (e.g., trilobites, echinoderms) appear unchanged and their diversity is not correlated with framework-builder diversity. A positive carbon isotopic excursion within the Lower Poleta Formation correlates with decreases in the abundances of uranium and molybdenum that suggest a global change in organic carbon burial as opposed to localized or diagenetic factors. This allows for chemostratigraphic correlation to published carbon isotopic data and provides a proposed regional age constraint of roughly 517 million years. Overall, early Cambrian reefs at this location exhibit a pattern of increasing metazoan contribution during the transition from microbial- to metazoan-based reef support, however, diversity remained low until additional organisms evolved to inhabit these ecosystems.
Reasons Why Post–9/11 Era Veterans Continue to Volunteer After Their Military Service:

A myriad reasons exist as to why individuals volunteer to serve in the U.S. military. However, less is known about why these same veterans who have returned home choose to serve again in their comm...
Seasonal Trends in Traumatic Digit Amputations: Experience of a Level І and a Level ІІ Hospital in a Northeastern State

Background: Traumatic digit amputations are common hand injuries in the United States. The primary aim of our study was to describe the relationship between season and mechanisms of amputation. Methods: The Emergency Department and Orthopaedic Surgery Billing Department databases of our level І institution in the Northeast were reviewed to identify patients with a traumatic digit amputation between January 2010 and December 2015. Inclusion criteria were defined as any patient presenting with a partial or complete amputation through Verdan zone I or II. All patient information was entered into a secure database, including date of injury, demographic information, digits amputated, mechanism of injury (crush, laceration, avulsion, bite, blast, saw, snow blower, or lawn mower), and Verdan zones of amputation. In addition to descriptive statistics, Fisher exact and χ2 tests were used to compare the incidence of these traumatic digit amputation mechanisms between seasons. Results: For this 6-year period, an average of 24 patients presented each season for treatment of a traumatic digit amputation. Of all seasons, spring had the highest proportion of lawn mower amputations (62.5%; P .30). Conclusions: Given that certain traumatic digit amputation mechanisms occur predictably during certain seasons, seasonal public education has the potential to prevent these debilitating injuries.
Thermodynamics of grease degradation

A bstract A review of grease degradation mechanisms and existing grease models is presented, followed by a detailed thermodynamic analysis of grease degradation. Fundamental formulations are derived from thermodynamic laws and applied to instantaneous nonlinear response of grease to loading. The resulting model of grease degradation relates grease shear stress response to mechanical work, temperatures and environmental effects via the irreversible entropy generated by these dissipative interactions. The model is experimentally verified, and a universally consistent grease characterization methodology is described. A near 100% agreement between the grease model and nonlinear data from uncontrolled experimental measurements is achieved. The model also gives rise to new material and process parameters to characterize grease for performance and hence, system optimization.
Clinical and Metabolic Correlates of Calcium Oxalate Stone Subtypes: Implications for Etiology and Management

Abstract Introduction: Calcium oxalate (CaOx) is the predominate component within renal calculi and can be divided into two subtypes: CaOx-monohydrate (COM) and CaOx-dihydrate (COD). COM and COD fo...
Growth performance and carcass composition of lambs infused for 28 days with a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue.

A human growth hormone-releasing factor analogue, [DesNH2Tyr1,D-Ala2,Ala15]hGRF(1-29)NH2 (GRF-A), was infused s.c. into lambs for 28 d to determine its effects on growth performance and carcass composition. Twenty crossbred wethers weighing 47.0 +/- .5 kg were implanted with 7-d osmotic minipumps at weekly intervals. Minipumps contained either vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide:H2O, 1:1) or GRF-A, released at a rate of 208 pmol (or .7 micrograms).h-1.kg-1. During the infusion period, plasma GH levels were increased (P less than .01) in GRF-A-treated wethers compared with control wethers (15.0 vs 9.3 ng/ml) and were higher on days that closely followed minipump implantation. Plasma IGF-I and hepatic IGF-I RNA concentrations were similar in lambs of both groups. Analogue treatment improved feed conversion (4.9 vs 5.8 kg dry matter/kg gain, P less than .05), increased average daily gain (.35 vs .30 kg, P = .05) and had no effect on feed intake, wool growth and body, carcass, selected organ and pituitary weights. Carcasses from GRF-A-infused lambs had less adjusted fat depth, a lower percentage of fat and a higher percentage of protein (P less than .05) than carcasses from control lambs. Magnitude of most effects of GRF-A on carcass measurements were correlated with the mean GH level that a lamb had during the infusion period. In conclusion, s.c. infusion of GRF-A improved feed utilization and altered carcass composition of feeder lambs in a relatively short period of time (28 d).
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Liposomal Bupivacaine in Total Joint Arthroplasty

Background:Appropriate pain control is one of the cornerstones necessary to promote positive clinical outcomes. A new bupivacaine liposomal formulation was designed to extend its analgesic effect f...
Is baseline routine renal ultrasound indicated for all MS patients

Background Most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) develop multiple urological complaints due to hyperactive or hypoactive bladder, and may have detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. Routine renal ultrasound (RUS) screening has been recommended for both symptomatic and asymptomatic MS patients; however, there is little data to support this practice. Methods Prospectively screened consecutive MS clinic patients in 2016–2017 with functional systems scores (FSS) indicating moderate to severe neurogenic bladder symptoms (FSS bladder ≥2) were sent for RUS. We also screened for history of urinary tract infections. Results 872 patients were screened between 3 September 2016 and 13 April 2017. 58 patients met inclusion criteria for RUS. 6 were excluded due to non-compliance with testing or unavailability of results; 52 patients were imaged. Only 3/52 patients were found to have renal pathology requiring follow-up. Of those three, one had known symptomatic nephrolithiasis, and one had subsequently normal findings, leaving one patient newly found to have valid abnormal upper urinary tract (UUT) findings. Multiple incidental findings were also discovered. Conclusion The minimal yield for significant UUT pathology found in this enriched group of symptomatic MS patients indicates that RUS screening for asymptomatic MS patients without clear risk factors is not indicated. Red flags for high risk of UUT complications should be used as triggers for baseline RUS screening in MS patients.
IoT Based Accident Location System & Traffic Management (ALSTM)

In today's scenario road accident are happens more frequently due to increase in population and the pride of living of people. In India, every two min. A road accident happens and due to this rate of fatality in India is high among other countries. So, a rescue system is needed to look for the accident and give proper treatment in time so that the rate of death should reduce. ALDSTM is the system which will automatically give the accident location coordinate to the rescue team so that they provide medical help to the victim as early as possible to save life. And also assist the medical team by conveying heart rate of injured person inside the car before they even reach to the location by using pulse detector. GPS module is used to get a location coordinates. GSM module used for conveying message to the rescue system, sensor like ADXL335 (accelerometer) used to detect the accident.
State Legislative Strategies to Pass, Enhance, and Obscure Preemption of Local Public Health Policy-Making

Introduction Local governments are often innovators of public health policy-making, yet states are increasingly preempting or prohibiting local control over public health issues. Previous research identified examples of strategies used by state legislatures to pass preemption in ways that may obscure public discussion about preemption or the topics preempted or enhance the strength of a previously passed preemptive law. Methods To systematically identify strategies to pass, obscure, or enhance preemption, in 2019, the authors conducted a content analysis of the full text of the bills from which preemptive laws in 5 policy areas (tobacco control, firearms, paid sick leave, food and nutrition, and civil rights) passed over a 5-year period (2014–2018) for preemptive laws that remained in effect as of January 2019. Results This research identified 5 methods state legislators used during the 5-year period to pass and support preemption: (1) pass preemptive bills quickly (11 laws); (2) obscure preemption by adding it to pre-existing bills on nonrelevant substantive topics (4 bills), bundling preemption of multiple nonrelated topics (4 bills), or titling bills in a way that does not reflect the substance of the bill (1 bill); (3) repeal and replace preemption (2 laws); (4) preempt litigation (1 law); and (5) enact punitive preemption (7 laws). Conclusions Strategies employed to pass preemption obscure public debate about preemption and the underlying public health and social justice issues at stake while minimizing the ability of local governments to protect their populations and the nation to learn from local policy successes.
Growth Management and Urban Planning in the United States

Growth management is a particular kind of comprehensive land use and facility planning used in parts of the United States to achieve a preferred form of the built and natural environment in a way that accommodates all projected growth. When done properly, growth management has been shown to elevate economic performance, raise the quality of life, reduce fiscal burdens, and improve environmental conditions relative to trend outcomes. This article defines growth management and its early history; outlines growth management's primary elements; differentiates growth management from related concepts; reviews growth management efforts at the state, regional, and local levels of government; and summarizes key benefits.