cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ELECTRONIC POWER SUPPLIES

Essentially all electronic systems require a nonvarying supply voltage (or current), that is, a dc voltage (or dc current). On the other hand, the electric power supplied by utilities is characterized by an alternating voltage and current having a sinusoidal time dependence. In North America, a frequency of 60 Hz is common, whereas 50 Hz is used in most other areas of the world. Utility potentials depend on the usage: residential service is 120 V (rms) in North America, whereas 220–240 V is common for residential service elsewhere. A semiconductor junction diode allows a current in only one direction; its reverse-biased current is negligibly small and can be ignored for nearly all applications. Hence, a diode may be used to convert an alternating source of current to a current with a single direction – a process generally referred to as rectification. For many electronic applications it is also necessary to transform the utility voltage to a desired voltage using an iron-core transformer. The resistor R L of the power supply of Figure 6.1 represents the load to which electrical power is to be supplied. The secondary voltage of the transformer v Trans ( t ) is rectified by the diode, resulting in a load voltage v Load ( t ) that has a single polarity. The load current v Load ( t )/ R L also has a single polarity. The usefulness of the supply shown in Figure 6.1 is very limited because the load voltage is zero for a significant portion of each period of the input voltage.
Phospho-Inositol-3-Kinase Activity and Dysregulation in Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma

Although pediatric leukemias and lymphomas currently have reasonably high cure rates, persistent cases of relapsed and refractory disease are still observed. Additionally, as a consequence of the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that produce the high cure rates, children commonly experience undesirable toxicities including end organ damage, infertility, and secondary malignancies. Therefore, the work of several researchers and clinicians continues to concentrate on identifying specific molecular targets that can be inhibited to provide effective therapy while avoiding detrimental side-effects. A key signaling pathway commonly dysregulated in pediatric leukemias and lymphomas is the phospho-inositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathway. PI3K activity is increased due to somatic mutations PI3K regulatory or catalytic subunit genes, to increased protein expression of PI3K catalytic subunits, or to excess signaling from upstream oncogenic proteins. In parallel with clarification of the roles of various PI3K regulatory and catalytic subunits in pediatric disease, pharmaceutical companies have developed highly potent and specific inhibitors for the various PI3K catalytic subunits. This review will highlight the studies that have defined the role of the various PI3K regulatory and catalytic subunits in childhood hematologic malignancies, and address how these findings are now being translated in murine pre-clinical and human clinical trials.
Conventional Computers and Loosely Distributed Networks

The computer's single processor accesses a single memory, and inputs and outputs information to and from the external world. The processor's arithmetic logic unit plus controller and high-speed registers make up the single CPU. Often there are several input devices and several output devices and a hierarchy of successively slower and larger memories. However, computing is done by the single processor using data and program stored in its main memory. This chapter reviews this kind of traditional system. It also discusses several relatively straightforward first steps toward building computer systems that have more than one processor—computers with two or three processors sharing the main memory—and distributed networks of computers. It also describes the parallel aspects of serial computers.
Monarch Butterflies Use Regenerating Milkweeds for Reproduction in Mowed Hayfields in Northern Virginia

ABSTRACT. The effects of mowing milkweeds in areas visited by monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus L., Nymphalidae) were studied by counting the eggs and larvae on regenerating common milkweeds (Asclepias syriaca L., Apocyanaceae) in five adjacent mowed hayfields in northern Virginia in late summer 2015. At the same time monarch larvae were counted on mature senescent common milkweeds in unmowed areas adjacent or near to the mowed hayfields. Milkweeds supported populations of immature monarchs in both habitat types with initially many eggs and early instars found on regenerating plants in the mowed hayfields while late instars dominated the unmowed older milkweeds. As September proceeded, the censuses revealed an increase in the numbers of late instars on the mowed regenerating milkweeds whereas the abundance of larvae declined sharply on the older senescing milkweeds, many of which had lost all or most of their leaves. The study showed that late season mowing of hayfields provided adult female monarch b...
David Oliver: Treating NHS staff fairly when things go wrong.

In some recent high profile NHS scandals patients and their families have been failed horribly—think Mid Staffs,1 Morecambe Bay,2 and Southern Health.3 Hurt can be compounded by complacent, obfuscatory responses to complaints.4 It can be hard to defend the reputation of NHS staff amid justifiable anger. You can’t redress wrongs for one group by wronging another, but rebalancing the perspective can bring accusations of insensitivity. The NHS constitution sets out rights for employees and patients.5 Simplistic narratives focusing on individual accountability aren’t always fair to staff, and it shouldn’t be taboo to say …
Quantifying the Magnetic Alignment of Hi and Dust in the Diffuse ISM

Sensitive, high resolution observations of Galactic neutral hydrogen (Hi) reveal an intricate network of slender linear features, much as sensitive surveys of dust in Galactic molecular clouds reveal ubiquitous filamentary structure. Across the high Galactic latitude sky, diffuse Histructures are aligned with the interstellar magnetic field, as revealed by background starlight polarization (Clark, Peek, & Putman 2014) and by Planck 353 GHz polarized dust emission (Clark et al. 2015). These discoveries were enabled by the Rolling Hough Transform, a recently developed, open source machine vision algorithm.
A comprehensive assessment of exposures to respirable dust and silica in the taconite mining industry

ABSTRACTThis study assessed the present-day levels (year 2010–2011) of exposure to respirable dust (RD) and respirable silica (RS) in taconite mines and evaluated how the mining process influences exposure concentrations. Personal samples (n = 679) were collected to assess exposure levels of workers to RD and RS at six mines in the Mesabi Iron Range of Minnesota. The RD and RS concentrations were measured using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 0600 and NIOSH 7500, respectively. Between-mine, between-SEG (similar exposure groups), within-SEG, and within-worker components of variability for RD and RS exposures were estimated using a two- or three-way nested random-effects ANOVA model. The majority of RD concentrations across all mines were below the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). The highest concentrations of RD were often observed in either the Pelletizing or Crushing departments, which are inherently dusty operations. With a ...
Investigation of pressure dependence of interface thermal resistance in thermal greases by transient thermoreflectance

The laser-based, non-destructive, front heating/front detection type transient thermo-reflectance (TTR) method was adapted to measure soft materials, and it was subsequently deployed to measure the thermal properties of a couple of popular Thermal Interface Materials (TIM) used in the microelectronics industry. Both the thermal conductivity of the TIM layer and the interface thermal resistance between the TIM and the solid substrate can be measured. A special fixture was built that enables precise control of the applied pressure on the TIM, in the range 0 to 4000 kPa and above. As a result, the TTR measurement system can be used to extract the variation of the above mentioned TIM thermal properties with the applied pressure. Our results show that the interface thermal resistance decreases with the applied pressure until about 800 kPa after which it stays constant. The values are relatively small, suggesting very good thermal interface resistance. Overall it was found that compared to other systems, such as the those described by standard ASTM D5470, the laser based method used here possesses unique characteristics that makes it is better suited for measuring the interface thermal resistance in TIM films.
Is the zodiacal light intensity steady

It is pointed out that conclusions reported by Sparrow and Ney (1972, 1973) could be confirmed in an investigation involving the refinement of OSO-5 data on zodiacal light. It had been found by Sparrow and Ney that the absolute value of both the surface brightness and polarization of the zodiacal cloud varied by less than 10% over the 4-yr period from January 1969 to January 1973.
The Postpartum Period of Pregnancy Worsens Brain Injury and Functional Outcome After Cerebellar Hemorrhage in Rats

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most common causes of maternal deaths related to the postpartum period. This is a devastating form of stroke for which there is no available treatment. Although premenopausal females tend to have better outcomes after most forms of brain injury, the effects of pregnancy and child birth lead to wide maternal physiological changes that may predispose the mother to an increased risk for stroke and greater initial injury.
Recent Chemical and Reinforcement Development in the Reinforced Reaction Injection Molding Process for Automobile Applications

Since the early 70’s, fascias and bumper covers produced by the RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) process have been extensively used in the automobile industry. The advantages of high impact, class “A” surface and light weight merit consideration for volume usage by the industry. Yet the application has its limitations, the fascia materials are relatively poor in heat resistance and thermal expansion characteristics. Recent development work to improve the heat resistance and thermal expansion properties by adding reinforcement agents in the materials were carried out. At the same time RIM equipment that can handle abrasive fillers was being developed. Oldsmobile Division, General Motors Corporation, is the first automobile division to utilize the concept of RRIM (Reinforced Reaction Injection Molding) in designing a fender application for their 1981 “Sport Omega.” This paper is the summary of the development work in material evaluation for the RRIM fender application. Also, Olds-mobile Division recognizes the limitations of the fascia material in heat resistance and thermal expansion properties; a RRIM fascia material development was also carried out within the Division to improve the quality of the product in fascia application.
Enhanced depth penetration by dual-axis optical coherence tomography

Optical imaging techniques generally offer shallow penetration depths due to high scattering in biological tissue. We have recently developed dual-axis optical coherence tomography (DA-OCT) for interferometric imaging at extended depths. By illuminating and collecting at oblique angles, multiply forward scattered photons from deeper penetration depths were favorably detected. A Monte Carlo study demonstrated a >12-fold increase in signal-to-background ratio (SBR) in skin tissue at 1 mm depth by DA-OCT. A 1300 nm DA-OCT system was designed and constructed, offering an imaging depth of up to 2 mm in skin tissue
UNIT 9.9 Using the Generic Genome Browser (GBrowse)

A genome browser is software that allows users to visualize DNA, protein, or other sequence features within the context of a reference sequence, such as a chromosome or contig. The Generic Genome Browser (GBrowse) is an open-source browser developed as part of the Generic Model Organism Database project (Stein et al., 2002). GBrowse can be configured to display genomic sequence features for any organism and is the browser used for the model organisms Drosophila melanogaster (Grumbling and Strelets, 2006) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Schwarz et al., 2006), among others. The software package can be downloaded from the Web and run on a Windows, Mac OS X, or Unix-type system. Version 1.64, as described in the original protocol, was released in November 2005, but the software is under active development and new versions are released about every six months. This update includes instructions on updating existing data sources with new files from NCBI. Curr. Protoc. Bioinform. 28:9.9.1-9.9.25. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: computational biology; genome; GBrowse; genome browser
Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Feedback Modulation of Circadian Clock Gene Rhythms by Saturated Fatty Acids.

Proinflammatory signaling cascades have been implicated in the mechanism by which high fat diet (HFD) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) modulate fundamental circadian properties of peripheral clocks. Because the cytokines TNFα and IL-6 are key signals in HFD- and SFA-induced proinflammatory responses that ultimately lead to systemic insulin resistance, the present study examined the roles of these cytokines in the feedback modulation of peripheral circadian clocks by the proinflammatory SFA, palmitate. IL-6 and TNFα secretion in Bmal1-dLuc fibroblast cultures was increased during palmitate treatment although the time course and amplitude of the inductive response differed between these cytokines. Similar to the time-dependent phase shifts observed in response to palmitate, treatment with IL-6 or with the low dose (0.1 ng/ml) of TNFα at hour 12 (i.e., after forskolin synchronization) induced phase advances of fibroblast Bmal1-dLuc rhythms. In complementary experiments, treatment with neutralizing antibodies against these proinflammatory cytokines or their receptors to inhibit of IL-6- or TNFα-mediated signaling repressed palmitate-induced phase shifts of the fibroblast clock. These studies suggest that TNFα, IL-6 and other proinflammatory cytokines may mediate the feedback modulation of peripheral circadian clocks by SFA-induced inflammatory signaling.
Itinerant Data: Unveiling Gendered Scrutiny at the Border:

As national borders are being transformed into technologized zones of securitization and national power, the surveillance of particular individuals and groups has become routine. Aided by a public ...
Investigating comparative genocide teaching in two high school classrooms

This exploratory case study examined how two teachers used a comparative approach to teach genocide histories in a Holocaust Literature elective course. Through interviews and observations, we stud...
But What If It Doesn't Factor?.

After a long series of such examples, one of the students asked, "But what happens if the quadratic doesn't factor?" The stu dent teacher smiled, her faith in the heu ristic method renewed. She then proceeded, in response to the student's question, to develop solutions by completing the square and by deriving the quadratic formula. The presentation was excellent. My own students rarely ask questions that fit in so well with my prepared remarks. It was not the presentation, then, that concerned me ; it was rather a remark that followed the boy's question. "As a matter of fact, the expression ax2 + bx + c will rarely factor." As I sat in the rear of that classroom, some questions ran through my mind: "How often is 'rarely'?" and "Can we calculate the probability that a quad ratic will factor at all?" The question of factoring in this case usually means factoring over the integers, which is equivalent to the question "Will this quadratic equation have rational roots?" More precisely: "When will the discriminant b2 ? J+ac be a perfect square?" There were questions still unresolved in my mind: (1) What kind of sample space might be considered? (2) Could the members of the ordered triple (a, 6, c), a ?= 0 roam through the integers in an orderly manner? (3) Would a space con sisting exclusively of oneand two-digit numbers (positive, negative, and zero) be workable? After all, this is the type of coefficient most frequently found in ele mentary textbooks. With these thoughts in mind, I con sulted a colleague who had some computer experience and who could either tell me to stop wasting my time or help me to write a program that would give me the exact nature of the probability that a quadratic would factor under certain limited conditions. What follows is an ac
EFFECTIVENESS OF NEURAL MOBILIZATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN WITH RADICULOPATHY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Neural mobilization (NM) constitutes the most effective, common method for assessing and treating several neuromuscular disorders. The study at hand aims to determine the effectiveness of the NM technique compared to lumbar stabilization exercise (LSE) and Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (rESWT) in the physical therapy management of chronic low back pain (CLBP) with radiculopathy.Methods: Two groups comprising 30 participants and randomly chosen formed the basis of this investigation: Group A (NM, LSE, and rESWT) and Group B (LSE and rESWT). The period of three to six weeks constituted the time it took to measure the results herein reached baseline. The results of the observations focused on pain assessed by numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), Lumbar flexion range of motion (Lumbar FROM) by Schober’s method, and disability level as measured by the Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ).Results: In the control group, the mean scores of pain, lumbar FROM, and MODQ at baselines showed a high level of similarity (6.47, 2.87, and 43.71 respectively in the intervention group, and 6.20, 2.93 and 44.66. Both groups showed improvement in their pain scores at three weeks (P<0.05). However, only lumbar FROM and MODQ showed statistically significant improvement in favor of the intervention group at three weeks (P<0.05). By week 6, both groups achieved a statistically significant difference in the values of all variables.Conclusion: NM with LSE and rESWT is more effective than LSE and rESWT in the third week, and was similarly effective in the sixth week of the treatment. NM with LSE and rESWT may be an alternative treatment option in the treatment of CLBP.
A phase I study of the VEGFR kinase inhibitor vatalanib in combination with the mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, in patients with advanced solid tumors

Purpose Combining small-molecule inhibitors of different targets was shown to be synergistic in preclinical studies. Testing this concept in clinical trials is, however, daunting due to challenges in toxicity management and efficacy assessment. This study attempted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vatalanib plus everolimus in patients with advanced solid tumors and explore the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) studies as a predictive biomarker. Patients and Methods This single-center, phase I trial containing 70 evaluable patients consisted of a dose escalation proportion based on the traditional “3 + 3” design (cohort IA and IB) and a dose expansion proportion (cohort IIA and IIB). Toxicity was evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events. Antitumor activity was assessed using the Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Results The maximum tolerated doses were determined to be vatalanib 1250 mg once daily or 750 mg twice daily in combination with everolimus 10 mg once daily. No treatment-related death occurred. The most common toxicities were hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, fatigue, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. There was no complete response. Nine patients (12.9%) had partial response (PR) and 41 (58.6%) had stable disease (SD). Significant antitumor activity was observed in neuroendocrine tumors with a disease-control rate (PR + SD) of 66.7% and other tumor types including renal cancer, melanoma, and non-small-cell lung cancer. Conclusions The combination of vatalanib and everolimus demonstrated reasonable toxicity and clinical activity. Future studies combining targeted therapies and incorporating biomarker analysis are warranted based on this phase I trial.
The prevalence of fascial defects at prior stoma sites in patients with colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: Stoma reversal sites are a common location for incisional hernias. We aim to evaluate fascial defects at previous stoma sites in patients with a history of colorectal cancer. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study from a single center. We included adult patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, who underwent stoma reversal from 2011 to 2018 with at least one postoperative computed tomography scan. RESULTS: Of 92 patients, 40 (43%) were female, with a mean age of 58 years. Fascial defects were noted in 45 (49%) patients, with stoma-site hernias present in 24 (26%) patients. Posterior sheath defects were not associated with subsequent hernia development, and most hernias occurred within 2 years. Body mass index >30 was associated with increased risk of stoma-site hernia (odds ratio 11.9, P = 0.002), but smoking, hypertension, stoma type, pathologic stage, and chemotherapy within 90 days were not found to be significant. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of stoma-site hernias is high. Obesity appears to be a significant risk factor for the development of these hernias and most hernias occur quickly following surgery.
Silence of the Tweets: incorporating social media activity drop-offs into crisis detection

Although extreme events are inevitable, the associated cost to infrastructure and human life is not. We can mitigate these costs through improving the information available to emergency responders during and after crisis events via social media. Recent research has identified a correlation between spikes of Twitter activity and the infrastructural damage incurred during natural disasters. This research, however, overlooks emergencies occurring in areas in which people have lost power, lack the ability to connect to the internet, or, due to differences in social media perceptions, are uncompelled to Tweet during a disaster. To assess the prevalence of Twitter activity decreases and the relative importance of those decreases in detecting areas in crisis, we study crisis-driven Twitter activity deviations from “normal” in nine cities affected by the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. In analyzing more than 1.1 million Tweets across the season, we find that there is a stronger, more significant correlation between infrastructure damage and a metric that prioritizes both increases and decreases in Twitter activity than one that prioritizes only Twitter activity increases. These findings indicate that social media drop-offs could be representative of significant distress, and accounting for the apparent survivorship bias in social media will be critical to the equitable use of social media in crisis applications.
The musculoskeletal system in SLE

Abstract Along with cutaneous disease, musculoskeletal manifestations predominate in SLE with large series observing more than a 90% cumulative involvement, whereas some musculoskeletal complications, such as myositis and arthritis, reflect disease activity, others, such as osteonecrosis and osteoporosis, are typically adverse effects of treatment. In this chapter, we review common musculoskeletal manifestations that affect patients with SLE.
Bayesian Multi-objective Hyperparameter Optimization for Accurate, Fast, and Efficient Neural Network Accelerator Design

In resource-constrained environments, such as low-power edge devices and smart sensors, deploying a fast, compact, and accurate intelligent system with minimum energy is indispensable. Embedding intelligence can be achieved using neural networks on neuromorphic hardware. Designing such networks would require determining several inherent hyperparameters. A key challenge is to find the optimum set of hyperparameters that might belong to the input/output encoding modules, the neural network itself, the application, or the underlying hardware. In this work, we present a hierarchical pseudo agent-based multi-objective Bayesian hyperparameter optimization framework (both software and hardware) that not only maximizes the performance of the network, but also minimizes the energy and area requirements of the corresponding neuromorphic hardware. We validate performance of our approach (in terms of accuracy and computation speed) on several control and classification applications on digital and mixed-signal (memristor-based) neural accelerators. We show that the optimum set of hyperparameters might drastically improve the performance of one application (i.e., 52-71% for Pole-Balance), while having minimum effect on another (i.e., 50-53% for RoboNav). In addition, we demonstrate resiliency of different input/output encoding, training neural network, or the underlying accelerator modules in a neuromorphic system to the changes of the hyperparameters.
Benchmarking Outcomes: Reoperation for Aortic Valve Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch

Background Surgical reoperations for symptomatic aortic valve patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) are complex. The purpose of this research was to investigate the clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of patients who underwent reoperation for correction of symptomatic PPM after prior aortic valve replacement. Methods An institutional review identified 60 patients from 2004 to 2018 who underwent reoperative aortic valve replacement for PPM without structural valve degeneration. Univariate analyses were conducted to evaluate risk factors for perioperative mortality. Results Median patient age was 62.8 (interquartile range, 48.3-68.7) years, and mean body mass index was 29.2 ± 6.6 kg/m2. Thirty-nine (66%) patients underwent a first-time reoperation, and 18 (30.5%) underwent a second-time reoperation. The median interval between initial operation to reoperation for the treatment of PPM was 89 months. Thirty-four (56.7%) patients underwent aortic root replacement, while the remainder (43.3%) underwent aortic valve replacement. Additional procedures included replacement of the ascending aorta with or without aortic arch in 26 (43.3%) patients and coronary artery bypass grafting in 7 (12%) patients. Operative mortality and the rates of stroke and renal failure were 5.0%, 3.3%, and 5.0%, respectively. Echocardiographic follow-up was available in 64.9% of patients at a mean follow-up of 36.5 months. Preoperative mean pressure gradients were 32.1 ± 16.0 mm Hg and mean aortic valve area was 0.8 ± 0.3 cm2, and both improved to 6.6 ± 4.2 mm Hg and 2.3 ± 0.7 cm2 (P Conclusions Reoperative surgery for PPM is complex but may be performed with good outcomes and low mortality in experienced centers. These data provide excellent clinical and hemodynamic benchmarks for the treatment of PPM in the current era of valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Advanced Mathematical Modeling of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligent Addressing Satellite Transponder Distortions

This paper describes innovative frameworks and associated mathematical models using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligent (ML-AI) technology to address signal distortions caused by the satellite transponder (TXDER) and related operational conditions. The operating conditions include unknown Input Power Back-Off (IPBO) and unknown TXDER operating temperature due to satellite exposure to the space environment. The paper also presents and discusses an End-to-End Satellite System and Mathematical Model (E2E-SSM2) that can be used for generating training data and demonstrating of the proposed ML-AI frameworks.
A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Investigation of Mothers’ Disclosure of HIV to Their Children

Mothers living with HIV (MLH) must navigate disclosing their serostatus to their children, but the longitudinal impact on families remains unknown. This study examined HIV disclosure, parenting, parenting stress, and child adjustment among 174 MLH-child dyads (aged 6-14; 35% Latinx; 57% Black/African American). Quantitative data were collected over four waves spanning 15 months. Qualitative data were collected with 14 families in which disclosure had occurred. Latent change score modeling revealed that disclosure led to improvements in parenting stress, communication, and relationship quality. Disclosure did not predict child adjustment. Qualitative themes contextualized these findings, revealing stability and improvements in family functioning. MLH should be supported in disclosing their serostatus to their children to minimize parenting stress and bolster parenting skills.
Harnessing digital health to objectively assess cancer-related fatigue: The impact of fatigue on mobility performance.

Objective Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is highly prevalent among cancer survivors, which may have long-term effects on physical activity and quality of life. CRF is assessed by self-report or clinical observation, which may limit timely diagnosis and management. In this study, we examined the effect of CRF on mobility performance measured by a wearable pendant sensor. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial evaluating the benefit of exercise in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). CRF status was classified based on a Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) score ≤ 33. Among 28 patients (age = 65.7±9.8 years old, BMI = 26.9±4.1kg/m2, sex = 32.9%female) with database variables of interest, twenty-one subjects (75.9%) were classified as non-CRF. Mobility performance, including behavior (sedentary, light, and moderate to vigorous activity (MtV)), postures (sitting, standing, lying, and walking), and locomotion (e.g., steps, postural transitions) were measured using a validated pendant-sensor over 24-hours. Baseline psychosocial, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G), Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I), and motor-capacity assessments including gait (habitual speed, fast speed, and dual-task speed) and static balance were also performed. Results Both groups had similar baseline clinical and psychosocial characteristics, except for body-mass index (BMI), FACT-G, FACIT-F, and FES-I (p<0.050). The groups did not differ on motor-capacity. However, the majority of mobility performance parameters were different between groups with large to very large effect size, Cohen’s d ranging from 0.91 to 1.59. Among assessed mobility performance, the largest effect sizes were observed for sedentary-behavior (d = 1.59, p = 0.006), light-activity (d = 1.48, p = 0.009), and duration of sitting+lying (d = 1.46, p = 0.016). The largest correlations between mobility performance and FACIT-F were observed for sitting+lying (rho = -0.67, p<0.001) and the number of steps per day (rho = 0.60, p = 0.001). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that sensor-based mobility performance monitoring could be considered as a potential digital biomarker for CRF assessment. Future studies warrant evaluating utilization of mobility performance to track changes in CRF over time, response to CRF-related interventions, and earlier detection of CRF.
Utilizing In-Hospital Fabrication to Decrease Simulation Costs.

ABSTRACT Background Two restrictive factors for surgical training through simulation, are the cost of and accessibility to materials and consoles for simulation models. Commercial surgical simulation models continue to maintain high prices with a wide range of fidelity levels. We believe that by utilizing in-house fabrication, these barriers can be decreased while maintaining and even improving the functionality of surgical simulation models as well as increase their individualization and customization. Methods By using a combination of digital and manual fabrication techniques such as 3D printing and basic mold making methods, we were able to create models equivalent to current commercial products by utilizing the first of its kind MakerHEALTH space and collaborating with our surgical simulation staff. We then compared our research and development, start-up, materials, operational, and labor costs to buying comparable commercial models with the simulation usage rates of our institution. Results We were able to decrease the costs of a 6 model simulation sample set (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, common bile duct exploration, ventral hernia, chest tube insertion, and suture pads) at our institution from $99,646.60 to $13,817.21 for a medical student laborer, $14,500.56 for a surgical resident laborer, $15,321.08 for a simulation staff laborer, and $18,984.48 for an attending physician laborer. Conclusion We describe successful approaches for the creation of cost-effective and modular simulation models with the aim of decreasing the barriers to entry and improving surgical training and skills. These techniques make it financially feasible for learners to train during larger faculty-led workshops and on an individual basis, allowing for access to simulation at any time or place.
(Un)masking threat: Racial minorities experience race-based social identity threat wearing face masks during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, racial minorities in the United States were left in a double bind when deciding to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the virus: risk being racially profiled or ...
Experiential Education in Policing and Security

Police officers generally report that there is a great difference between what they learned about the profession during their classes in a college or university and even in what was taught in the police academy. In addition, the policing profession is constantly changing, becoming more standardized, with technological changes and more emphasis on service. These changes are not always emphasized in the formal classroom setting. This gap between the theory and practice of police work can be bridged somewhat through experiential learning in the form of internships, co-ops, workshops, and on-the-job training. In this chapter, police officers, academics, and students give testimony on their learning experiences during their preparation for police work and during their careers in police work.
Event-Free Survival of Children with Average-Risk Medulloblastoma: Treatment with Craniospinal Radiation Followed by Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Risk stratification for medulloblastoma separates average and high-risk disease based on age, degree of surgical resection, metastatic status and histopathologic appearance. In children with average-risk medulloblastoma, evolving therapy with surgical resection, craniospinal and focal radiotherapy, and chemotherapy has improved long-term survival to approximately 85 %. However, significant long-term adverse effects are more apparent and occur in a majority of survivors. Studies to improve cure rates while decreasing long-term morbidity are ongoing. Knowledge of the molecular sub-categories of medulloblastoma is rapidly emerging and may lead to refined risk criteria and improved treatment strategies through biological targeting.
Decreasing costs of distillation columns with vapor feeds

Abstract The total annual cost is compared for standard vapor feed distillation and two-enthalpy feed distillation in which part of the feed is condensed and fed above the vapor feed. Total annual costs for new equipment are typically slightly, but not significantly, lower for two-enthalpy feed. Retrofitting from vapor feed to two-enthalpy feed increases capacity at lower total annual cost than building another vapor feed column. The two-enthalpy feed system has better turndown properties than vapor feed columns. If a less expensive coolant can be used for condensing feed than for condensing distillate, two-enthalpy feed distillation has significantly lower total annual costs than vapor feed for both new equipment and retrofits. The systems studied were binary separations of methanol and water, ternary separation of methanol, ethanol, and water, and separation of two five component mixtures of methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, and n-pentane.
Activity lifespan: An analysis of user survival patterns in online knowledge sharing communities

Retaining participation is crucial for information services, online knowledge sharing services among them. We present the first comprehensive analysis of users’ activity lifespan across three predominant online knowledge-sharing communities. Extending previous work focusing on initial interactions of new users, we use survival analysis to quantify participation patterns that can be used to predict individual lifespan over the long term. We discuss how cross-site differences in user participation and the underlying factors can be related to differences in system design and culture. We conduct a longitudinal comparison of the communities’ evolvement between two distinct stages, the initial days just after the site launch and one year later. We also observe that sub-communities corresponding to different topics differ in their ability to sustain users. All results reveal the complexity and diversity in users’ engagement to a site and design implications are discussed.
Diffraction of Ocean Waves About a Breakwater

A previous paper analyzed the performance of a marina with wave energy approximately uniform in the interior because of wave absorption well-distributed along the marina shore. Except at the lowest...
Decomposing the American Obesity Epidemic

In recent decades, the prevalence of obesity in America has increased dramatically. Though it has attracted less attention, the demographic composition of the American population also changed during this period. We decompose the increase in the average body mass index of the American population over 30 years and show that demographic changes explain a statistically significant but economically marginal amount of the change. Instead, the rise in average obesity is best explained by increases in BMI within demographic groups. Furthermore, our results indicate that groups' experiences have been heterogeneous with younger women experiencing especially large gains in weight. We uncover some evidence consistent with the hypothesis that this can be at least partially attributed to increased labor force participation.
Nixon's Northern Strategy: Welfare Reform and Race after the Great Society

Using archived political strategy and policymaking documents from the Nixon administration, this paper identifies the origins of a welfare reform strategy intended to appeal to northern white voters. Welfare reform represented an effort by the Nixon administration to offer an alternative to the liberal social programs of the Great Society, and to do so in a way that consciously sought to exploit the racial fears of northern whites. Political scientists have long noted the relatively overt efforts of President Nixon to capitalize on the politics of race by appealing to white democrats opposed to Civil Rights. At the same time, there is a broad body of scholarship which observes the racial symbolism involved in welfare policy, and conservative efforts to exploit that symbolism in seeking to advance their political agenda. In keeping with the southern strategy, then, one might naturally assume that when the Nixon administration proposed a massive federal welfare reform in 1969, that part of this effort was geared to emphasizing the negative racial stereotypes circulating around the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. In an effort to investigate this supposition, this paper presents results from research on the general political strategy associated with the Nixon administration’s failed welfare reform proposal, using archived documents from the Nixon Presidential Materials project. The research confirms the importance of racial politics in the administration’s political efforts around welfare, but not in the expected fashion associated with the southern strategy. Rather, a distinctive northern strategy is identified that exploits northern white working-class concerns over second-wave civil rights activity. Welfare reform was positioned by the president as a policy that would appeal to white ethnic voters, and that would therefore help their broader political strategy of weakening Democratic Party strongholds in northern metropolitan suburbs.
Short Children and Growth Hormone

To the Editor.— The article by Bright et al 1 was a provocative description of two subjects with short stature, normal growth hormone (GH) responses to provocative testing, and low somatomedin-C (SM-C) concentrations, which increased after administration of GH. The authors conclude that the short stature in these individuals may be due to a biologically inactive GH molecule or to decreased dose responsiveness to GH of SM-producing cells. Their data also seem compatible with a third possibility: normal short children respond to GH administration with increases in SM-C plasma concentrations and growth rates.
Multimedia learning environments: Issues of learner control and navigation

Using schema theory as a framework, we view learning as an active, constructive process. It is affected not only by learners' internal knowledge structures, but by the external constraints of the learning environment as well (Kozma, 1991). This article examines how different internal learner characteristics (e.g., prior knowledge, self efficacy and interest) and different external constraints (e.g., learner control, instructional design and level of control) influence the learning process. Specifically, we address learning from a variety of multimedia environments such as video, hypertexts, kiosks and other hypermedia within a schema theoretic approach that incorporates a constructivist view.
Multilingualism in European Bilingual Contexts: Language Use and Attitudes

Multilingualism in European Bilingual Contexts is a timely publication in light of the European Union’s continuous and forceful promotion of multilingualism. The authors describe the research they present in the book as an “attempt to break some ground” (p. 249) in understanding the challenges of multilingualism in Europe, and through the book they advance the argument that language awareness will play a key role in overcoming those challenges. The book is based on a transnational research study that was conducted in nine different bilingual regions of Europe. The same research design and instrument were employed across all of the contexts that were studied to survey the language use and language attitudes of pre-service teachers. The scope of languages was broadened in this study to include not only minority and majority languages but also the foreign languages often used in the regions. Therefore, as the authors state, the book “goes beyond bilingualism and into multilingualism” (p. 4). The respective cases and the research report as a whole will help readers compare different language situations, identify common patterns, and also gain an understanding of how language education policies and sociolinguistic conditions exert influence on the ground in various European contexts.
Economics of Committees

An objective of this paper is to analyze the economic performance of committees; in particular, the optimal degree of consensus to be required for committee’s decision making (concerning acceptance or rejection of projects), and the optimal size of committee. Our focus is two basic trade-offs in organizational decision making: between the (Type I) errors of rejecting good projects and the (Type II) errors of accepting bad projects; and between gains from a more extensive evaluation of projects and the resources spent on evaluation. We provide a general characterization of the optimum, and we use this characterization to derive a number of qualitative results. For instance, if the two types of individuals’ errors of judgment are equal, then the marginal majority rule is optimal (that is, for an increment in the committee size by 2, the optimal consensus increases by 1). If, in addition, the losses from the two types of errors are equal, then the majority rule is optimal. The paper also analyzes hierarchies, polyarchies, and more complex forms of organization; and derives, for instance, simple interpretations of the optimal number of levels within a hierarchy, and units within a polyarchy. Among other questions which we address are, whether perfection in organizational decision making is feasible, and whether it is economically desirable.
6.3.3 Application of Patterns to Systems Engineering and Architecting

A system architecture pattern constitutes a high-level structure that has been used multiple times in the same or multiple system architectures, appropriate to the design of the major components of a system. It expresses the relation between the context, a problem, and a solution. It documents attributes and usage guidance. It should be time-proven in solving problems similar in nature to the problem under consideration. The existence of patterns is almost universal, and their use is evident in many domains. The human mind seems to perceive patterns without conscious thought - we notice an individual's personal habits because they form patterns. Patterns are also used in a number of engineering disciplines – software engineering, requirements engineering and mechanical engineering to name a few. The purpose of this paper is to discuss motivations for using patterns in architecting complex systems. Further, research relating to this subject is examined and summarized.
Detection of Adulteration in Blackberry Juice Concentrates and Wines

Adulteration of blackberry juice concentrates and wines with juice of sorbitol-containing fruits was detected by determining carbohydrates by high performance liquid chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and thin layer chromatography. Sorbitol is not fermented by yeast and can be detected in wines made from blackberry juice concentrates that contain sorbitol. High levels of sorbitol and quinic and malic acids suggest that an imported blackberry concentrate may have been adulterated with plum. Degradation of anthocyanin pigments during processing and storage limits the utility of pigment analyses in detecting adulteration.
Evaluating effects of constant and pulsed current in pulse initiated systems

Fuses are designed to protect electrical systems from atypical characteristic events like overcurrent impulses. Most fuses are one shot devices, as the protection of the other circuit components come from the breaking of the sacrificial device, therefore nuisance failures present a problem. Transient currents can cause unforeseen stress to electrical devices, including pulse initiated systems, which can lead to malfunctions, damage and even permanent failure of the system. In order to quantify the detrimental effects transient currents can have on pulse initiated systems this research will test fuses under both constant and pulsing signals of different amplitudes. Upon completion, any changes in the fuse's average opening times will be evaluated to determine if there were any quantifiable effects that have contributed to the aging process.