cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of inter-agent variation on system redundancy in multiagent systems

The goal of our research is to understand and model the effects of inter-agent variation in adaptively building and maintaining a back up pool of agents in multiagent systems (MAS). Redundancy is important in maintaining system stability during pertubations. We consider a decentralized MAS to which tasks are assigned. Specifically, we consider tasks in which agents gain experience by performing the tasks, and where past experience improves future performance. We refer to redundancy as the presence of a pool of extra agents with work experience. The motivation for our research is drawn from how we, as humans, build a back up team of workers with experience. Consider the following example of a football team. The gameday roster consists of 45 players of whom eleven play at any given time. Let it be the case that the team has eleven best players. The team achieves best performance each time it plays with these eleven. If, unfortunately, one or more members of this best team are unable to play, then the team no longer has the best performance. However, loss of a team’s performance is seldom seen due the presence of the back up players with experience for the eleven best players. Thus, the presence of back up players with experience contributes to maintaining team performance. The key to our investigation is balancing performance versus redundancy, that is, balancing the optimization of team performance versus the creation of a back up pool. When the best players always play, the team performance is at its best. The team, however, is unstable without the back up pool during perturbations. When the players in the back up pool play, the back up players gain experience. The team, however, is not capable of best performance. We investigate a method that uses inter-agent variation to balance the team performance and system redundancy. We assume a response threshold-based MAS [1]. Each agent has a threshold at which it responds to a task’s stimulus. Agents with
Advanced Imaging for Barrett's Esophagus and Early Neoplasia: Surface and Subsurface Imaging for Diagnosis and Management.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma bears one of the fastest rising incidence of any cancers and generally arises in the setting of gastroesophageal reflux and Barrett’s esophagus. However, early detection of neoplasia can be challenging since most patients are asymptomatic until they progress to more advanced and less curable stages, and early dysplastic lesions can be small, multifocal, and difficult to detect. Clearly, new imaging tools are needed in light of sampling error associated with random biopsies, the current standard of practice. Advances in endoscopic imaging including virtual chromoendoscopy, confocal laser endomicroscopy, and subsurface imaging with optical coherence tomography have ushered in a new era for detecting subtle neoplastic lesions. Moreover, in light of esophagus-sparing treatments for neoplastic lesions, such tools are likely to guide ablation and follow-up management. While there is no ideal single imaging modality to facilitate improved detection, staging, ablation, and follow-up of patients with dysplastic Barrett’s esophagus, new advances in available technology, the potential for multimodal imaging, and the use of computer-aided diagnosis and biomarkers all hold great promise for improving detection and treatment.
Metabolic dependencies in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal cancer with a long-term survival rate under 10%. Available cytotoxic chemotherapies have significant side effects, and only marginal therapeutic efficacy. FDA approved drugs currently used against PDA target DNA metabolism and DNA integrity. However, alternative metabolic targets beyond DNA may prove to be much more effective. PDA cells are forced to live within a particularly severe microenvironment characterized by relative hypovascularity, hypoxia, and nutrient deprivation. Thus, PDA cells must possess biochemical flexibility in order to adapt to austere conditions. A better understanding of the metabolic dependencies required by PDA to survive and thrive within a harsh metabolic milieu could reveal specific metabolic vulnerabilities. These molecular requirements can then be targeted therapeutically, and would likely be associated with a clinically significant therapeutic window since the normal tissue is so well-perfused with an abundant nutrient supply. Recent work has uncovered a number of promising therapeutic targets in the metabolic domain, and clinicians are already translating some of these discoveries to the clinic. In this review, we highlight mitochondria metabolism, non-canonical nutrient acquisition pathways (macropinocytosis and use of pancreatic stellate cell-derived alanine), and redox homeostasis as compelling therapeutic opportunities in the metabolic domain.
Wound Closure and Surgical Healing

Surgical technique and wound healing are some of the most important factors in durability of neuromodulation. Many implanters have not trained in a surgical residency. Limited number of surgical procedures in most pain fellowship programs as well as limited number of weekend cadaver courses that the fellows can attend is usually not sufficient to prepare them as independent implanters. Moreover, more standardized guidelines are necessary in the field to help standardize the practice. This chapter will summarize our proposed guidelines and relate the protocols to optimize surgical outcomes.
Retrospective analysis of phytoSERM for management of menopause-associated vasomotor symptoms and cognitive decline: a pilot study on pharmacogenomic effects of mitochondrial haplogroup and APOE genotype on therapeutic efficacy.

Objective PhytoSERM is a selective estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) modulator comprised of three phytoestrogens: genistein, daidzein, and S-equol. The PhytoSERM formulation promotes estrogenic action in the brain while largely inactive or inhibitory in reproductive tissue. A phase Ib/IIa clinical trial (ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT01723917) of PhytoSERM demonstrated safety and pharmacokinetics profile of PhytoSERM. While this study was not powered for efficacy analysis, we conducted a pilot, retrospective analysis to identify potential responders to PhytoSERM treatment, and to determine the optimal populations to pursue in a phase II clinical trial of efficacy of the PhytoSERM formulation. Methods In this retrospective analysis involving 46 participants (n = 16, placebo; n = 18, 50 mg/d PhytoSERM; and n = 12, 100 mg/d PhytoSERM), the therapeutic effect of PhytoSERM was stratified by 2 genetic risk modulators for Alzheimer's disease: mitochondrial haplogroup and APOE genotype. Results Our retrospective responder analysis indicated that participants on 50 mg of daily PhytoSERM (PS50) for 12 weeks significantly reduced hot flash frequency compared with their baseline (mean [95% CI])-1.61, [-2.79, -0.42], P = 0.007). Participants on 50 mg of PhytoSERM also had significantly greater reduction in hot flash frequency at 12 weeks compared with the placebo group (-1.38, -0.17 [median PS50, median placebo], P = 0.04). Fifty milligrams of daily PhytoSERM also preserved cognitive function in certain aspects of verbal learning and executive function. Our analysis further suggests that mitochondrial haplogroup and APOE genotype can modify PhytoSERM response. Conclusion Our data support a precision medicine approach for further development of PhytoSERM as a safe and effective alternative to hormone therapy for menopause-associated hot flash and cognitive decline. While definitive determination of PhytoSERM efficacy is limited by the small sample size, these data provide a reasonable rationale to extend analyses to a larger study set powered to address statistical significance.
Social class and self-concept consistency: Implications for subjective well-being and felt authenticity

Current accounts of social class (SES) hold that for upper-SES individuals, material advantages promote an orientation to the self and tendency to anchor behavior on internal states (e.g., traits),...
Thoracic Surgery In-Training Exam Predicts Written But Not Oral Board Pass Rates: A 15-Year Single-Center Analysis.

The purpose of the Thoracic Surgery Director's Association In-Training Exam (ITE) is to gauge competency and progression of thoracic surgery residents and to prepare residents for the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) examinations. We sought to identify the relationship between traditional resident ITE scores and success at passing the written or oral portion of the ABTS examinations. ITE and ABTS examination records from 2003 to 2019 were examined for all 2-year traditional cardiothoracic surgery residents at a single institution. Paired t tests were carried out between residents on their first- and second-year ITE. Bivariate logistic regression was performed on each of the second ITE component with written or oral board passing rate as the outcome of interest. Sixty residents completed training and took both written and oral boards. First attempt board pass rates were 90% for written and 75% for oral board examination. There was a significant improvement in test scores for each resident between the first the second ITE (P
LASER SURFACE ALLOYING OF 304 STAINLESS STEEL WITH TUNGSTEN POWDER

Laser surface alloying was employed to enhance the wear resistance of 304 stainless steel with pure tungsten powder. The effect of laser fluence on phase constituents, microstructure, hardness and ...
Multi-Phase Droplets as Dynamic Compound Micro-Lenses

This chapter demonstrates multi-phase droplets as compound micro-lenses with dynamically tunable focal lengths. The dynamic nature of these hydrocarbon-fluorocarbon droplets results in responsive micro-lenses that can be reconfigured to focus or scatter light, form real or virtual images, and display variable focal lengths. Experimental demonstrations of dynamic refractive control are complemented by theoretical analysis and optical modeling, including ray tracing and finite difference time domain simulations.
Optimizing design and dispatch of a renewable energy system

Abstract Renewable energy technologies are becoming increasingly important due to their cost-competitiveness, and because of enhanced climate concerns. We demonstrate the capabilities of an integer-programming optimization model that minimizes capital (investment) and operational costs, and utility charges, while adhering to system sizing constraints, demand requirements, and interoperability characteristics of the systems chosen. The model recommends an optimally sized mix of renewable energy, conventional generation, and energy storage technologies, while simultaneously optimizing the corresponding dispatch strategy. Our case studies explore several venues, i.e., a small campus and a local hospital, with complex utility rate tariffs, multi-technology integration opportunities, and incentives for renewable power production. Using an optimization model, versus applying rules of thumb, can produce millions of dollars in savings over a 25-year time horizon and result in thousands of kilowatts of installed renewable energy.
Diverticula in the gastrointestinal tract

The prevalence of diverticula varies depending on the location within the gastrointestinal tract. Diverticula of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine are rare, more frequent are peripapillary diverticula and colonic diverticula. Meckel diverticula can also be of relevance in adults. Diverticula have to be differentiated from intramural pseudodiverticulosis of the esophagus and bile duct cysts. An endoscopic and radiological diagnostic work-up is only necessary for symptomatic diverticula or complications. In some cases additional functional diagnostic tests, such as high-resolution esophageal manometry to detect underlying motility disorders (Zenker's diverticulum, epiphrenic diverticulum) or the hydrogen breath test to detect bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (diverticula of the small intestine) are mandatory. Effective treatment requires the close interdisciplinary cooperation between different specialist disciplines. Therapeutic modalities include pharmacotherapy, endoscopy and surgical methods.
Nonsingular Euler Parameterizations for Motion of a Point Mass in Atmospheric Flight

Three parameterizations are developed for modeling translational motion of a point mass in atmosphere flight over a central rotating body. Unlike well-known parameterizations such as spherical coordinate parameterizations, where position and velocity are parameterized using a magnitude an an Euler angle rotation sequence, the method presented in this research employs Euler parameters. Consequently, singularities and trigonometric functions are eliminated from the differential equations of motion. As a result, the new parameterizations presented in this paper offer computational advantages over standard parameterizations that employ Euler angle sequences. Finally, an example is studied where an atmospheric vehicle moves while in vertical flight, demonstrating the nonsingular nature of the formulations developed in this paper.
Towards single-chip radiofrequency signal processing via acoustoelectric electron-phonon interactions.

The addition of active, nonlinear, and nonreciprocal functionalities to passive piezoelectric acoustic wave technologies could enable all-acoustic and therefore ultra-compact radiofrequency signal processors. Toward this goal, we present a heterogeneously integrated acoustoelectric material platform consisting of a 50 nm indium gallium arsenide epitaxial semiconductor film in direct contact with a 41° YX lithium niobate piezoelectric substrate. We then demonstrate three of the main components of an all-acoustic radiofrequency signal processor: passive delay line filters, amplifiers, and circulators. Heterogeneous integration allows for simultaneous, independent optimization of the piezoelectric-acoustic and electronic properties, leading to the highest performing surface acoustic wave amplifiers ever developed in terms of gain per unit length and DC power dissipation, as well as the first-ever demonstrated acoustoelectric circulator with an isolation of 46 dB with a pulsed DC bias. Finally, we describe how the remaining components of an all-acoustic radiofrequency signal processor are an extension of this work. Radio frequency signal processing (RFSP) currently involves a mix of components with differing operation principles, which hinders miniaturisation. Here, Hackett et al. succeed in creating acoustic non-reciprocal circulators, amplifiers, and passive filters, paving the way for all acoustic single-chip RFSP.
A First-Order Image Restoration Model that Promotes Image Contrast Preservation

In this paper, we propose a novel first-order variational model for image restoration. The main feature of this model lies in the fact that it helps preserve image contrasts during the image restoration process. To achieve this, we design a new regularizer that presents a lower growth rate than any power function with a positive exponent for large image gradient. Augmented Lagrangian method is employed to minimize this variational model and convergence analysis is established for the proposed algorithm. Numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the features of the proposed model and also show the efficiency of the proposed numerical method.
Data-driven estimation of energy consumption for electric bus under real-world driving conditions

Abstract Reliable and accurate estimation of an electric bus’s instantaneous energy consumption is critical in evaluating energy impacts of planning and control of electric bus operations. In this study, we developed machine learning-based long short-term memory (LSTM) and artificial neural network (ANN) models to estimate 1 Hz energy consumption of electric buses based on continuous monitoring data of electric buses in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2019 and 2020. We propose a data-partitioning algorithm to separate energy charging and discharging modes before applying data-driven estimation models. A K-fold cross-validation-based model selection process was conducted to identify the optimal model structure and input variables in terms of prediction accuracy. The estimation results show the predicted mean absolute percentage error rates of LSTM and ANN models were 3% and 5%, respectively. We compared the proposed models with existing models in the literature based on the same testing data to demonstrate the predictability of our models.
NDE of Polymer Composites Using Magnetic Resonance Techniques

Polymer based materials have become increasingly important in structural applications primarily due to their high strength to weight ratio. As the use of polymer-based composites has increased, so has the need for reliable non-destructive evaluation techniques. In this paper, a new NDE method for these materials is proposed. The technique relies on the observation of an electron paramagnetic resonance (epr) absorption at the site of damage in a polymer. Using applied magnetic field gradients the physical location of damage can be discerned and an image of the damage site can be obtained. This should allow the detection of cracks and delaminations with high resolution, good sensitivity and good contrast.
Relationship between temperature sensitivity of capillary pressure and soil particle size

[1] In a review of data in the published literature, we found that the effect of temperature on capillary pressure in natural soils increased with decreasing geometric mean soil particle diameter. This observation had implications both for hydrologic modeling and for elucidating the mechanisms that controlled the temperature sensitivity of capillary pressure. Two mechanisms were suggested to explain this observation. The first mechanism proposed that changes in soil mineral particle size resulted in changes in the proportion of hydrophyllic and hydrophobic surfaces, yielding changes in their wettabilities, and temperature effects on capillary pressure. The second mechanism proposed that the observation was due to the effect of soil particle size on disjoining pressure. A model derived from the second mechanism could be fitted to the available data and yielded parameter estimates consistent with current models of disjoining pressure profiles above surfaces.
Familial Vocal Cord Dysfunction

Vocal cord paralysis is a common cause of neonatal stridor. Familial vocal cord dysfunction, however, is unusual. All three siblings in one family had neonatal stridor. Vocal cord dysfunction was confirmed after endoscopic examination in two of the children; a temporary tracheotomy was required by one child. Results of evaluation, including pulmonary function tests, suggest discrete dysfunction localized to the neuromuscular pathway responsible for vocal cord abduction. Endoscopy is of prime importance in the diagnosis of vocal cord dysfunction. In considering therapy, the physician must weigh both the potentially life-threatening nature of vocal cord paralysis, as well as the likelihood of eventual spontaneous resolution of many familial and idiopathic cases.
Web mediators for accessible browsing

We present a highly accurate method for classifying web pages based on link percentage, which is the percentage of text characters that are parts of links normalized by the number of all text characters on a web page. We also present a novel link grouping algorithm using agglomerative hierarchical clustering that groups links in the same spatial neighborhood together while preserving link structure. Grouping allows users with severe disabilities to use a scan-based mechanism to tab through a web page and select items. In experiments, we saw up to a 40-fold reduction in the number of commands needed to click on a link with a scan-based interface. Our classification method consistently outperformed a baseline classifier even when using minimal data to generate article and index clusters, and achieved classification accuracy of 94.0% on web sites with well-formed or slightly malformed HTML, compared with 80.1% accuracy for the baseline classifier.
Total Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide and Methane over Transition Metal Fluorite Oxide Composite Catalysts: I. Catalyst Composition and Activity

A novel metal oxide composite catalyst for the total oxidation of carbon monoxide and methane was prepared by combining fluorite oxides with active transition metals. The fluorite oxides, such as ceria and zirconia, are oxygen-ion-conducting materials having catalytic properties usually at high temperatures. Active base metal catalysts, such as copper, were used as additives to promote the catalytic properties of these oxides. The contact of the two types of materials gave rise to a high active oxidation catalyst. At a space velocity of about 42,000 h-1, complete carbon monoxide oxidation in air occurred at room temperature on the Au-0.05[Ce(La)]0.95Ox catalyst and at ca. 100°C on Cu-Ce-O composite catalysts. At the same space velocity, total oxidation of methane on the Cu-Ce-O catalyst doped with La2O3 or SrO took place at ca. 550°C. The specific carbon monoxide oxidation activity of the Cu-Ce-O catalyst was several orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional copper-based catalysts and comparable or superior to platinum catalysts. This type of composite catalyst also showed excellent resistance to water vapor poisoning. The enhanced catalyst activity and stability resulted from strong interaction of the transition metal and fluorite oxide materials.
Characterization of Yeast Bax Inhibitor, BXI1, Function in the Unfolded Protein Response and Calcium Signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Bax inhibitor-1 (BXI1) is an anti apoptotic gene whose human homolog's expression is upregulated in a wide range of human cancers. Studies have shown that Bxi1p is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and is involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR) that is triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. BXI1 is thought to act via a mechanism involving altered calcium dynamics. In this poster, we provide evidence that suggests that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein facilitates Ire1p clustering in response to ER stress and alters calcium signaling. With DTT induction experiments using Δbxi1 mutants and different UPR GFP reporters, we have confirmed our published data that suggests that BXI1 is involved in the UPR, Intriguingly, our preliminary data suggests that Bxi1p facilitates clustering of Ire1p during ER stress. [Our laboratory is supported by grant NIGMS R15 GM110578, awarded to N. Austriaco.]
Public response to cancer screening and detection programs. Determinants of health behavior.

As A BACKDROP against which to illuminate the kinds of educational problems that will be encountered in stimulating public acceptance of cancer screening and detection programs, an analysis should be presented of the conditions under which people take action leading to the detection or prevention of diseases. Unfortunately, very little pertinent research has been done with respect to cancer screening or detection programs. The bulk of the findings that will be reported has emerged from a series of investigations on public response to tuberculosis detection programs [I] as well as public response to preventive programs in the areas of dental diseases [2], rheumatic fever [3], influenza [4], and polio [5]. One specific study of women’s response to screening for cervical cancer has been made, but it is of unknown generality since the population studied was a group of female employees of the Chronic Disease Division of the Public Health Service [6]. The findings from these studies have led to the formulation of a model for explaining behavior in response to disease threat. Since the model has been spelled out in some detail in the published documents cited, its major pertinent elements will be given only briefly here. The principal components of the model that are relevant to this discussion include (1) the health motive or health threat, (2) beliefs about the utility of various courses of action in reducing the health threat and (3) conflicts among motives and potential courses of action, Other elements of the model that are less relevant here will not be discussed. 1. The health motive or threat
Mechanical environmental transport of actinides and 137Cs from an arid radioactive waste disposal site

Aeolian and pluvial processes represent important mechanisms for the movement of actinides and fission products at the Earth's surface. Soil samples taken in the early 1970's near a Department of Energy radioactive waste disposal site (the Subsurface Disposal Area, SDA, located in southeastern Idaho) provide a case study for studying the mechanisms and characteristics of environmental actinide and (137)Cs transport in an arid environment. Multi-component mixing models suggest actinide contamination within 2.5 km of the SDA can be described by mixing between 2 distinct SDA end members and regional nuclear weapons fallout. The absence of chemical fractionation between (241)Am and (239+240)Pu with depth for samples beyond the northeastern corner and lack of (241)Am in-growth over time (due to (241)Pu decay) suggest mechanical transport and mixing of discrete contaminated particles under arid conditions. Occasional samples northeast of the SDA (the direction of the prevailing winds) contain anomalously high concentrations of Pu with (240)Pu/(239)Pu isotopic ratios statistically identical to those in the northeastern corner. Taken together, these data suggest flooding resulted in mechanical transport of contaminated particles into the area between the SDA and a flood containment dike in the northeastern corner, following which subsequent contamination spreading in the northeastern direction resulted from wind transport of discrete particles.
Online Master's Students' Perceptions of Institutional Supports and Resources: Initial Survey Results.

This article presents the quantitative findings of an exploratory mixed methods study that investigated first- and second-year online graduate master’s students’: 1) perceptions of the importance of, and satisfaction with, administrative, academic, technical, and online community supports; 2) personal factors and grit level; and 3) differences, if any, that existed among students, in these areas. Findings showed that a large majority of students rated course-level supports (e.g., instructor support, embedded help, library) as important, in contrast to supports that might be needed on rare occasions (e.g., career services, bookstore) or by fewer students (e.g., veteran and international student services, writing center). Data stratification revealed differences between white and non-white students for career and counseling services, which white students rated “unimportant” and non-white students rated “very important.” Differences in students’ perception of importance and satisfaction with some services highlighted instructor and technical support as areas of focus for potential improvements. The study raises several questions important to online graduate education, such as: which supports and resources should be offered by institutions of higher education to promote success in online learning for online master’s graduate students? Are there strategies that need to be developed to better address the individual needs of a diverse student body, including nontraditional students and underrepresented minorities?
Improving Health Care Proxy Documentation Using a Web-Based Interview Through a Patient Portal

Objective Health care proxy (HCP) documentation is suboptimal. To improve rates of proxy selection and documentation, we sought to develop and evaluate a web-based interview to guide patients in their selection, and to capture their choices in their electronic health record (EHR). Methods We developed and implemented a HCP interview within the patient portal of a large academic health system. We analyzed the experience, together with demographic and clinical factors, of the first 200 patients who used the portal to complete the interview. We invited users to comment about their experience and analyzed their comments using established qualitative methods. Results From January 20, 2015 to March 13, 2015, 139 of the 200 patients who completed the interview submitted their HCP information for their clinician to review in the EHR. These patients had a median age of 57 years (Inter Quartile Range (IQR) 45–67) and most were healthy. The 99 patients who did not previously have HCP information in their EHR were more likely to complete and then submit their information than the 101 patients who previously had a proxy in their health record (odds ratio 2.4, P = .005). Qualitative analysis identified several ways in which the portal-based interview reminded, encouraged, and facilitated patients to complete their HCP. Conclusions Patients found our online interview convenient and helpful in facilitating selection and documentation of an HCP. Our study demonstrates that a web-based interview to collect and share a patient’s HCP information is both feasible and useful.
DIASTEMATOMYELIA (CONGENITAL CLEFTS OF THE SPINAL CORD): Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment

Diastematomyelia associated with the presence of a bony spicule arising from the posterior aspect of a vertebral body and transfixing the spinal cord or cauda equina has been encountered in 11 operative cases. In the last nine of these the diagnosis was made previous to operation. It seems apparent that progressive neurologic impairment of the lower extremities and of the rectal and vesical sphincters may result from increasing distortion of the neural axis as a result of fixation produced by these bony spicules during the growth period. The diagnosis is suspected in the presence of cutaneous midline defects, muscular imbalance in the lower extremities, gait disturbances, deformities of the feet, urinary or fecal incontinence or increasing enuresis. The diagnosis is confirmed on roentgen examination by the presence of a midline opacity usually in the region of a spina bifida or other vertebral anomaly or by visualization of two separate subarachnoid channels on myelography. Operative treatment consists in laminectomy with extradural removal of the bony spicule insofar as possible, followed by opening the dura with excision of its reflections adjacent to the spicule, excision of the remaining bony prominence down to the anterior dura, and division of all adhesions to the bifid cord or cauda equina until the latter is freely movable within a single dural canal. In all these cases there appeared to be complete division of the cord or cauda equina into separate parts rather than reduplication of the cord. Each half of the neural axis was invested with its own meninges. The operative findings in the 11 cases reported here, together with the brief follow-up observations noted to date, have convinced the authors that it constitutes good preventive medicine to carry out surgical treatment of diastematomyelia associated with spina bifida occulta at any time the diagnosis is made during infancy and early childhood.
Evaluation of a newly developed tobacco cessation program for people with disabilities.

Abstract Background Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for at least 480,000 deaths in the United States annually. People with disabilities smoke at a rate 1.5 times greater than the able-bodied population. Higher incidence of tobacco use among people with disabilities has been directly related to both unique and universal cessation barriers. Despite increased prevalence of tobacco use and cessation obstacles, evidence is lacking on the development of successful interventions targeting people with disabilities. Objective We aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of a cessation intervention tailored to people with disabilities. Methods Eighteen tobacco users with disabilities (56% African American, 64% male) participated in a 4-week, 8-session tobacco cessation program consisting of group sessions on managing addiction, relapse, and lifestyle changes specific to people with disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the conclusion of the program. A follow-up measure of smoking status, triggers, and nicotine replacement therapy usage was completed at 4 weeks and 6 months. Results Sixteen participants completed the intervention (89%), with participants on average attending 86% of sessions. Most participants rated the program as excellent (83%) or good (8%). Qualitative interviews revealed participants value social support, accessibility, and a tailored program. Four participants (22%) reported abstinence at six months, which is greater than the standard quit rate. Conclusion This study suggests tailoring a cessation program to the characteristics unique to people with disabilities may be critical in delivering meaningful and effective cessation interventions among this population.
The fetus with a diaphragmatic hernia

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is accurate; current techniques can detect lethal nonpulmonary anomalies and prevent diagnostic errors. Despite optimal conventional therapy, most fetuses with detectable CDH will die in the neonatal period (80% mortality). Polyhydramnios is both a common prenatal marker for CDH and a predictor of poor clinical outcome (only 11% survival). Surgical intervention before birth may be necessary to improve survival of the fetus with CDH and polyhydraminos.
Second-line and subsequent therapy for ovarian carcinoma.

Ovarian carcinoma continues to be the leading cause of death among gynecologic malignancies. Paclitaxel and platinum chemotherapy is still the treatment of choice after primary debulking surgery. Salvage chemotherapy with several single agents has only modest activity and does not prolong survival of patients with relapsed ovarian carcinoma. An intense search has been made for novel approaches to treatment of ovarian cancer, and several new treatments, such as immunotherapy and gene therapy, show promise. Newer combination chemotherapy regimens and molecularly targeted therapy need to be developed. High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation appears to benefit selected groups of patients and is still investigational. Whole abdominal radiotherapy for relapsed microscopic disease should be studied in prospective randomized trials. Women with advanced ovarian carcinoma should continue to be encouraged to participate in welldesigned clinical trials.
Down syndrome: analysis of airway size and a guide for appropriate intubation.

Objectives/Hypothesis The purpose of this study is to prospectively evaluate the airway size of children with Down syndrome (DS). Previous studies have observed an increase in postintubation stridor in children with DS. Anesthetic literature suggests using a smaller endotracheal tube in children with DS, but more specific recommendations are not offered. With this study, recommendations are presented for the appropriate endotracheal tube size to use in children with DS undergoing intubation. Study Design A prospective, nonrandomized study was performed on a cohort of 42 children with DS and 32 control subjects. Sizing of the airway was assessed through measurement of an air leak around the endotracheal tube at intubation. The size of the airway was also evaluated through measurements of the tracheal diameter at the “tracheotomy point” on magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) studies of the head and neck which were performed on a group of children with DS. These were compared with normative values of the tracheal diameter in children. Methods The proper size of endotracheal tube in a population of children with DS and in a group of normal controls was determined. The “proper size” of an endotracheal tube was defined as that size of tube which allowed an audible air leak around the tube between 10 and 30 cm of H2O pressure. Anesthetic technique was controlled and identical for all study subjects. Participants had no previous history of airway compromise, stridor, or previous intubation. Weight and age were recorded and evaluated for their influence on the results. A retrospective evaluation was made of MRI studies of the neck that were performed on children with DS. Using measurement techniques described by Reed et al., the tracheal diameters at the “tracheostomy point” were compared with normative values for children. Measurements were both obtained by the author and confirmed by a pediatric radiologist. Results Using this prescribed method to determine the proper size of endotracheal tube, the control group used endotracheal tubes that were predicted from established anesthesia charts and formulas. However, children with DS required endotracheal tubes at least two sizes smaller. Age was found to be a more reliable factor in predicting the endotracheal tube size. A table of endotracheal tube sizes for intubation in children with DS is presented. Evaluation of the tracheal diameter at the tracheotomy point revealed that children with DS have a smaller trachea when compared with control children. It is not only the subglottis that is smaller; the tracheal diameter as well must be assumed to be of a smaller diameter in children with DS. Conclusions Children with DS have smaller airways than other children. This is because of an overall decrease in the diameter of the tracheal lumens. Initial intubation of a child with DS should be performed with an endotracheal tube at least two sizes smaller than would be used in a child of the same age without DS, to avert potential trauma to the airway.
The Performance of Conical Horns

The experiments were performed to secure quantitative results with a conical horn used as a receiver. The approximate theory of A. G. Webster, when extended, and the experimental data herein presented lead to the following conclusions concerning such a horn acting as a receiver:Intensity at Vertex as a Function of Frequency.---The experimental variations of intensity at the vertex plotted with changing frequency, intensity of the arriving waves constant, demonstrate that: (a) The frequencies producing resonance are very closely integral multiples of the fundamental frequency.(b) The resonance peaks broaden and the minima between the peaks increase with increasing frequency.(c) Therefore the conical horn used as a receiver gives an amplification for any frequency nearly the same or greater than the fundamental.(d) The greater the frequency, the less the differences between maxima and minima, and thus a horn long compared to the wave-length of the least frequency involved, gives an amplification without highly marked resonance characteristics.(e) The function of frequency obtained experimentally varies with the horn angle chosen, but retains the same general character.Optimum Horn Angle for Fundamental Resonance.---There is a horn angle for which the amplification will be a maximum, assuming fundamental resonance. The optimum angle is greater the higher the frequency, 256 and 512 d.v. being used.Optimum Horn Angle; Overtones.---Using 512 d.v. as the fundamental and first and second overtone, similarly 256 d.v. as the fundamental and first overtone, the optimum horn angle decreases with the order of the harmonic, being greatest for the fundamental.End Correction.---The end correction of the conical horn is approximately 0.7 of the radius.Conical Attachments.---Cylindrical and conical attachments to a conical horn introduce their own resonance characteristics, which may be estimated as to frequency by treating the end attached as a free open end but applying a positive correction to the length if the angle of the attached tube is less, and a negative correction if greater.Limitations of Conclusions.---The conclusions apply strictly to the limits of frequency used in the experiment. Nevertheless they make more clear the nature of the action for all frequencies.
Effect of pore size and surface area of carbide derived carbons on specific capacitance

Abstract This work presents a systematic study on how pore size and specific surface area (SSA) of carbon effect specific capacitance and frequency response behavior. Carbide derived carbons (CDC) produced by leaching metals from TiC and ZrC at temperatures from 600 to 1200 °C have highly tailorable microstructure and porosity, allowing them to serve as excellent model systems for porous carbons in general. BET SSA and average pore size increased with synthesis temperature and was 600–2000 m 2 g −1 and 0.7–1.85 nm, respectively. Maximum specific capacitance in 1 M H 2 SO 4 was found to occur at an intermediate synthesis temperature, 800 °C, for both ZrC and TiC derived carbons and was 190 and 150 F g −1 , respectively. Volumetric capacitance for TiC and ZrC derived carbons was maximum at 140 and 110 F cm −3 . These results contradict an oft-reported axiom that increasing pore size and SSA, all other things being held constant, increases specific capacitance. A correlation between specific capacitance and SSA of micropores (less than 2 nm in diameter) has been shown. As expected, increasing pore size was found to improve the frequency response. However, CDCs with similar pore size distributions but obtained from different starting materials showed noticeable differences in impedance behavior. This highlights the importance of not only the pore size and specific surface area measured using gas sorption techniques, but also the pore shape or tortuousity, which is non-trivial to characterize, on energy storage.
Towards never-ending learning from time series streams

Time series classification has been an active area of research in the data mining community for over a decade, and significant progress has been made in the tractability and accuracy of learning. However, virtually all work assumes a one-time training session in which labeled examples of all the concepts to be learned are provided. This assumption may be valid in a handful of situations, but it does not hold in most medical and scientific applications where we initially may have only the vaguest understanding of what concepts can be learned. Based on this observation, we propose a never-ending learning framework for time series in which an agent examines an unbounded stream of data and occasionally asks a teacher (which may be a human or an algorithm) for a label. We demonstrate the utility of our ideas with experiments in domains as diverse as medicine, entomology, wildlife monitoring, and human behavior analyses.
The primary structure of rat ribosomal protein L3

The amino acid sequence of the rat 60S ribosomal subunit protein L3 was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in a recombinant cDNA. Ribosomal protein L3 has 403 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 46,106. Hybridization of the cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 7 to 9 copies of the L3 gene. The mRNA for the protein is about 1,400 nucleotides in length. Rat L3 is homologous to ribosomal proteins from other eukaryotes and to proteins from eubacterial, archaebacterial, and chloroplast ribosomes.
Marrow transplantation for malignant disease.

ABSTRACT The results of high-dose chemo-radiotherapy and marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling for various stages and types of leukemia and lymphoma are summarized. It has been shown that marrow transplantation can be carried out successfully using partially matched family members or matched unrelated donors. Some of the complications of marrow transplantation are discussed.
Self-adaptive stretch in anamorphic image compression

Discrete Anamorphic Stretch Transform is a newly introduced physics-based algorithm that compresses the image while preserving vital information. This transform is a reversible nonlinear operation both in terms of amplitude and phase. It reduces the space-bandwidth product by performing self-adaptive stretch where sharp features of the image are preferentially stretched without the need for feature detection or iterative algorithms. Here we present mathematical proof of self-adaptive stretch in anamorphic image compression. We also use the Stretched Modulation Distribution to shows the effect of self-adaptive stretch on the image and identify the proper kernel of the transform that leads to data compression. Experimental results presented here show application of our method as pre-compression to enhance WebP and JPEG 2000 formats.
The Key Role of Insulin Resistance in the Cardiometabolic Syndrome

Insulin resistance is invariably present in patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome and is thought to play a key role in its pathogenesis. It represents a complex interaction of maladaptive characteristics related to impaired insulin action at target organs and external factors such as genetics and environment. It is likely that the molecular factors that underlie insulin resistance and resultant hyperinsulinemia contribute to many of the clinical components of the cardiometabolic syndrome, although the precise associations remain poorly understood. Abnormalities of various adipocytokines (particularly reduced circulating levels of adiponectin and leptin) resistance may also play a role in the genesis of insulin resistance. Genetic factors are an important determinant of insulin sensitivity. Effective management of the cardiometabolic syndrome will ultimately depend on our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of key components of this disorder, such as insulin resistance.
Permuting streaming data using RAMs

This article presents a method for constructing hardware structures that perform a fixed permutation on streaming data. The method applies to permutations that can be represented as linear mappings on the bit-level representation of the data locations. This subclass includes many important permutations such as stride permutations (corner turn, perfect shuffle, etc.), the bit reversal, the Hadamard reordering, and the Gray code reordering.The datapath for performing the streaming permutation consists of several independent banks of memory and two interconnection networks. These structures are built for a given streaming width (i.e., number of inputs and outputs per cycle) and operate at full throughput for this streaming width.We provide an algorithm that completely specifies the datapath and control logic given the desired permutation and streaming width. Further, we provide lower bounds on the achievable cost of a solution and show that for an important subclass of permutations our solution is optimal.We apply our algorithm to derive datapaths for several important permutations, including a detailed example that carefully illustrates each aspect of the design process. Lastly, we compare our permutation structures to those of Jarvinen et al. [2004], which are specialized for stride permutations.
IBM system z10 I/O subsystem

The performance, reliability, and functionality of a large server are greatly influenced by the design characteristics of its I/O subsystem. The critical components of the IBM System z10™ I/O subsystem have, therefore, been significantly improved in terms of performance, capability, and cost. The first-order network has been redesigned from the long-evolved enhanced self-timed interface (eSTI) links to utilize InfiniBand™ links. A redesign of the host logic of I/O chips and the fiberoptic interfaces within the links made it possible to introduce InfiniBand-based IBM Parallel Sysplex® links. A broad range of legacy I/O channels have been carried forward to connect through InfiniBand, and a foundation has been laid for new channel types of improved functionality and performance. The first such hardware channel to be introduced is the next generation of Ethernet-virtualization data routers. A new and methodical recovery structure has been designed to ensure consistent, extensive support of reliability, availability, and serviceability. A building-block-oriented design process has been developed to enable the innovations that made these advances possible. Finally, a new performance verification methodology has been introduced to ensure that the system and subsystem designs are balanced to make effective use of the increased capacity.