cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data mining navy flight and maintenance data to affect repair

A large portion of Naval aircraft maintenance is driven by avionics-related deficiencies. Military avionics systems rely heavily on built-in test (BIT) to troubleshoot discrepancies during unscheduled maintenance. One study found that analyzing BIT codes for trends (both at the aircraft level and at the squadron level) and scheduling maintenance accordingly, increased aircraft operational availability (Ao) by twenty-two percent within a single squadron [1]. The study focused on F/A-18C aircraft over a forty-four month period. While this is a substantial increase, it takes into account only organizational level (O-level) BIT data. It does not include all available information, such as historical maintenance data, operating environment, and past repair history. The Integrated Diagnostics and Automated Test Systems (IDATS) team at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Lakehurst is investigating the use of data mining to mitigate ambiguity within Naval avionics maintenance, with the intent of reducing costly and inefficient maintenance practices [2]. This includes building models from both aircraft historical maintenance data and BIT codes recorded to an aircraft's memory unit (MU) during a flight in order to identify trends in the data that would not be obvious or trivial to a maintainer. The IDATS team has utilized a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) data mining software package called ThinkAnalytics in combination with custom software tools to find meaningful trends within the F/A-18 BIT and maintenance datasets. ThinkAnalytics is a real-time enterprise data mining tool that provided the necessary data mining functionality. Trends identified by the software are currently being validated by the user and system Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to ensure that they are accurate, novel and/or non-trivial. Through the use of data mining, in combination with knowledge about how the system operates and communicates with other systems, BIT can be augmented to improve maintenance efficiency at all levels of maintenance.
Administrators' decisions about resource allocation

Do academic administrators make decisions about resource allocation differently depending on the discipline receiving the funding? Does an administrator's academic identity influence these decisions? This study explored those questions with a sample of 1,690 academic administrators at doctoral-research universities. Participants used fictional summaries of academic program reviews. The summaries had scenarios of increased-resources and shrinking-resources involving hard versus soft and pure versus applied disciplines. Administrators were forced to choose among them for funding decisions. Results showed that a hard-applied discipline, mechanical engineering, was evaluated as significantly more likely to receive additional resources and to be exempted from cuts than examples from other disciplinary groups: physics, English, and elementary education. Decisions varied significantly with participants' home disciplines, but not their longevity in academe or in administration.
Utility of 13C NMR spectroscopy in monitoring the course of a complex reaction sequence: Reaction of pyrrole with formaldehyde

The complex course of the reaction of pyrrole with formaldehyde has been completely elucidated by quantitative 13C NMR spectroscopy using the inverse-gated decoupling technique. The final product is 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrole (with a free 1-position), but three main intermediates containing 1-hydroxymethyl groups were identified, and the rise and subsequent fall of their populations followed. The intermediacy of additional compounds (formals) also renders the reaction more complex. The molar fractions of four hydroxy-methylpyrroles present in the reaction mixtures were calculated from the 13C NMR data and plotted against time. At 45 and 65°C pyrrole reacted completely with formaldehyde in 1 h and in less than 30 min, respectively. This work illustrates the utility of the 13C NMR investigation of an industrially important reaction.
Effects of Loading Protocol on the Cyclic Response of Woodframe Shearwalls

Standard construction 2.4m×2.4m woodframe shearwalls were tested using different loading protocols. The CUREE-Caltech protocols, recently developed by Krawinkler in 2001, were compared with other previously used protocols. The following protocols were considered in the study: monotonic, CUREE-Caltech standard (CUREE), CUREE-Caltech near-fault, sequential phased displacement (SPD), and international standards organization. Findings from the research indicate that loading sequence has a significant influence on shearwall performance. Protocols with a large number of cycles (SPD) tended to produce nail fatigue fractures, which were not nearly as prevalent in protocols with lower numbers of cycles (CUREE). The research clearly showed that the nail fatigue fractures were associated with a large energy demand related to the number of cycles, which resulted in a reduced ultimate strength and deformation capacity. The initial stiffness of the specimens was relatively unaffected by the loading protocol used; howev...
Inverse Relationship Between the Expression of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid for Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ and P450 Side Chain Cleavage in the Rat Ovary

Messenger RNA for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor g (PPARg) has been found in granulosa cells, and its expression decreases after the LH surge. We determined which developmental stage of ovarian follicle expresses mRNA for PPARg and evaluated the impact of PPARg agonists on steroidogenesis. Ovaries were collected from immature eCG/hCG-treated rats at 0 (no eCG), 24, and 48 h post-eCG and 4 and 24 h post-hCG. Ovarian tissue was serially sectioned and processed for in situ hybridization to localize mRNA corresponding to PPARg, aromatase, and the LH receptor, and P450 side chain cleavage (P450SCC) and to determine whether apoptotic cells were present. During follicular development, there was no correlation between the expression of mRNAs for PPARg and aromatase or the presence of apoptotic cells, but a general inverse correlation was observed between the expression of PPARg mRNA and LH receptor mRNA. At 4 h post-hCG, follicles expressing P450SCC mRNA had lost expression of PPARg mRNA. This inverse pattern of expression between PPARg and P450SCC mRNAs was also observed 24 h post-hCG, with developing luteal tissue expressing high levels of P450SCC mRNA but little or no PPARg mRNA. To determine the impact of PPARg on steroidogenesis, granulosa cells were collected from ovaries 24 h post-eCG and cultured alone, with FSH alone, or with FSH in combination with the PPARg agonists ciglitazone or 15-deoxyD 12,14 -prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2). Treatment of granulosa cells with PGJ2 stimulated basal progesterone secretion, whereas ciglitazone or PGJ2 had no significant effect on FSH-stimulated steroid production. These findings suggest that 1) PPARg may regulate genes involved with follicular differentiation and 2) the decline in PPARg in response to LH is important for ovulation and/or luteinization. apoptosis, corpus luteum, follicle, granulosa cells, ovary
Ring Circulator Theory, Design, and Performance

A compact, symmetrical, three-port S-band circulator composed of reciprocal T junctions and nonreciprocal phase shifters is investigated theoreticaly, and its experimental performance results are presented. The comparison of these results demonstrates that 1) circulators can he designed and their experimental performance described from a network model and 2) there is no theoretical limitation on the minimum amount of total differential phase shift necessary for perfect circulation. Bandwidth is investigated and techniques are discussed, including the introduction of a "backward wave" phase shifter, for achieving larger bandwidths. The stripline nonreciprocal comb-filter phase shifter used in the ring circulator is described and performance results are given.
Emerging Urban Applications of Broadband Optical Wireless Networking

Optical wireless technology offers a unique solution to a variety of communications needs. It provides a balanced option between the convenience of traditional radio frequency and the communication capacity of wired media. This offers novel solutions to existing and new communication challenges. Such uniqueness comes at a price, however, as the deployment of optical wireless is not straightforward. New challenges are introduced. Fortunately, much research has been done to overcome these challenges and to create new ways of applying this unique technology. Of the different possible areas in which optical wireless communication can be applied, urban networks effectively embrace its unmatched qualities. In this paper, we survey the use of optical wireless in urban applications.
The Assessment of Perceived Environmental Uncertainty and Economic Performance

Most models of the strategy formulation process suggest organization performance is related, to at least some degree, to the ability of top management to accurately assess the external environment and to reach a degree of consensus in this assessment. The research reported here tested these assertions within two distinct industry segments, U.S. producers of corrugated shipping containers and U.S. passenger airlines, andfound very limited support for these relationships. The results suggest that in complex, unstable environments, accuracy and consensus in assessing environmental uncertainty may actually detract from organization performance. Directions for future research are recommended.
Role of spatial ionic distribution on the energetics of hydrophobic assembly and properties of the water/hydrophobe interface.

We present results from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of large-scale hydrophobic plates solvated in NaCl and NaI salt solutions. As observed in studies of ions at the air–water interface, the density of iodide near the water–plate interface is significantly enhanced relative to chloride and in the bulk. This allows for the partial hydration of iodide while chloride remains more fully hydrated. In 1 M solutions, iodide directly pushes the hydrophobes together (contributing −2.51 kcal mol−1) to the PMF. Chloride, however, strengthens the water-induced contribution to the PMF by ∼−2.84 kcal mol−1. These observations are enhanced in 3 M solutions, consistent with the increased ion density in the vicinity of the hydrophobes. The different salt solutions influence changes in the critical hydrophobe separation distance and characteristic wetting/dewetting transitions. These differences are largely influenced by the ion-specific expulsion of iodide from bulk water. Results of this study are of general interest to the study of ions at interfaces and may lend insight to the mechanisms underlying the Hofmeister series.
Feedback functions for variable-interval reinforcement

On a given variable-interval schedule, the average obtained rate of reinforcement depends on the average rate of responding. An expression for this feedback effect is derived from the assumptions that free-operant responding occurs in bursts with a constant tempo, alternating with periods of engagement in other activities; that the durations of bursts and other activities are exponentially distributed; and that the rates of initiating and terminating bursts are inversely related. The expression provides a satisfactory account of the data of three experiments.
Kate Hevner Mueller: Woman for a Changing World

Kate Hevner Mueller was a pioneer, not only in student affairs administration but also in the graduate-level preparation of student affairs staff and in the education of women for diverse roles in society. At the same time, she was a scholar of many interests, from psychometrics to aesthetic expression, who made a lasting contribution to the knowledge and literature of student affairs. Mueller's personal papers included extensive autobiographical reflections on her life and her experiences as a teacher, researcher, and mentor. These writings, as well as the recollections of her students and colleagues, were fashioned into the “interview” that follows.
Nkx2-5 regulates cardiac growth through modulation of Wnt signaling by R-spondin3.

A complex regulatory network of morphogens and transcription factors is essential for normal cardiac development. Nkx2-5 is among the earliest known markers of cardiac mesoderm that is central to the regulatory pathways mediating second heart field (SHF) development. Here, we have examined the specific requirements for Nkx2-5 in the SHF progenitors. We show that Nkx2-5 potentiates Wnt signaling by regulating the expression of the R-spondin3 (Rspo3) gene during cardiogenesis. R-spondins are secreted factors and potent Wnt agonists that in part regulate stem cell proliferation. Our data show that Rspo3 is markedly downregulated in Nkx2-5 mutants and that Rspo3 expression is regulated by Nkx2-5. Conditional inactivation of Rspo3 in the Isl1 lineage resulted in embryonic lethality secondary to impaired development of SHF. More importantly, we find that Wnt signaling is significantly attenuated in Nkx2-5 mutants and that enhancing Wnt/β-catenin signaling by pharmacological treatment or by transgenic expression of Rspo3 rescues the SHF defects in the conditional Nkx2-5+/− mutants. We have identified a previously unrecognized genetic link between Nkx2-5 and Wnt signaling that supports continued cardiac growth and proliferation during development. Identification of Rspo3 in cardiac development provides a new paradigm in temporal regulation of Wnt signaling by cardiac-specific transcription factors.
Adalimumab for the treatment of Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disorder characterized by chronic, recurrent, often granulomatous inflammation affecting any part of the intestines, but most frequently involving the small bowel and colon. The development of novel biologic agents targeting tumor necrosis factor has revolutionized the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease. Adalimumab, a fully human anti-tumor necrosis factor monoclonal antibody, has recently been evaluated for Crohn’s disease and was found to be effective for induction of clinical response and remission in patients with active inflammatory disease. Preliminary experience also indicates that adalimumab is useful in patients with prior intolerance or loss of response to infliximab. The rate of adverse events is comparable to other tumor necrosis factor antagonists in rheumatoid arthritis, but longer studies are needed to evaluate both the long-term efficacy and safety of adalimumab in the treatment of Crohn’s disease.
PS74. Impact of Pre-Operative Embolization on Outcomes of Shamblin II and III Carotid Body Tumor Resections

Objectives: Blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) is very rare. Current literature is limited to case series of single center experience. Through an analysis of the National Trauma Databank (NTBD), the largest aggregation of United States trauma registry data, our aim was to more accurately characterize the injury patterns, management strategy and mortality of patients with BAAI. Methods: We used a nested case-control design. The cohort was patients age 16 years, with injury severity score (ISS) 16, treated at a level 1 or 2 trauma center in years 2007-2009. Cases were patients with BAAI and were matched by age and mechanism to 1815 randomly selected controls without BAAI. Data collected included age, gender, comorbidities, ISS, associated injuries, type and timing of vascular interventions and hospital disposition. Results: We identified 363 patients with BAAI from 156 centers. The mean ISS was 34 15 and the average age was 49 21 years. Most patients were injured in motor vehicle crashes (84%). In comparison to controls, lumbar spine fractures, pelvic fractures as well as injuries to the kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, small bowel and colon were all more frequent in association with BAAI (p 0.001). Mortality was greater in patients with BAAI (32% vs. 10% in controls, p 0.001), with two thirds of deaths occurring in the first 24 hours. Of the 286 patients surviving beyond 24 hours, 249 (87%) were managed non-operatively, 26 (9%) underwent endovascular repair and 11 (4%) underwent open repair (9 with aortic interposition graft, 2 with extra-anatomic bypass). 81% of repairs were performed within 48 hours. 216 (86%) patients managed non-operatively survived to hospital discharge. Conclusions: The index of suspicion for BAAI should be raised in severely injured patients by the presence of lumbar and pelvic fractures as well as intra-abdominal injury. While endovascular repair is the most common intervention, most patients are managed non-operatively and survive to hospital discharge.
The SecondOrder DeltaSigma Modulator

This chapter contains sections titled: The Second-Order Modulator: MOD2 Simulation of MOD2 Nonlinear Effects in MOD2 Alternative Second-Order Modulator Structures Decimation Filtering for Second-Order ?> ?> Modulators Conclusions This chapter contains sections titled: References
Avian Habitat Use in a Chronosequence of Bottomland Hardwood Forest Restoration Sites

Since the 1950s, anthropogenic activity has caused the loss of millions of hectares of bottomland hardwood forest in the Upper Mississippi River Valley, causing population declines in bird populations. Restoration of these forest stands has been ongoing for the past 2 decades. We assessed bird species presence on sites in the Upper Mississippi River Valley to quantify diversity and relate presence to habitat conditions and sites' age since restoration. We observed higher mean diversities at mature bottomland-forest sites during the spring and autumn, but nested ANOVAs indicated no significant differences among restoration-age categories during spring. During the autumn, the 15–23-y and the mature bottomland-forest categories were significantly different from the <7-y category. Predictive habitat models differed among species, but presence of forest-dwelling birds was positively related to forested conditions, such as tree height and tree density. Overall, our analyses show that a variety of birds use these sites, and we suggest further exploration of how assemblages may change in future surveys.
The End Is Near... Do We Know Everything About Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in HF Patients

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) using a treadmill or cycle ergometer has been employed to assess patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) since the late 1970s [(1)][1]. Exercise testing as a way to assess symptoms and functional capacity in patients with heart failure
Assembly of Reconfigurable Colloidal Structures by Multidirectional Field-Induced Interactions.

Field-directed colloidal assembly has shown remarkable recent progress in increasing the complexity, degree of control, and multiscale organization of the structures. This has largely been achieved by using particles of complex shapes and polarizabilites (Janus, patchy, shaped, and faceted). We review the fundamentals of the interactions leading to the directed assembly of such structures, the ways to simulate the dynamics of the process, and the effect of particle size, shape, and properties on the type of structure obtained. We discuss how directional polarization interactions induced by external electric and magnetic fields can be used to assemble complex particles or particle mixtures into lattices of tailored structure. Examples of such systems include isotropic and anisotropic shaped particles with surface patches, which form networks and crystals of unusual symmetry by dipolar, quadrupolar, and multipolar interactions in external fields. The emerging trends in making reconfigurable and dynamic stru...
Origin of repopulating cells in a mechanically depleted medullary cavity as determined by studies with marrow transplants.

The restoration of marrow in a mechanically depleted segment of rabbit femur has been reported to be a local phenomenon initiated by cells normally resident in bone. That marrow regeneration in an evacuated femur is independent of circulating stem cells has been confirmed in mice bearing a heterologous marrow transplant. Mice were given 800 R of whole-body X-radiation with experimental femur shielded. Rat marrow cells, his- tochemically distinguishable from those of the mouse by alkaline phosphatase staining, were then transplanted to the irradiated animals. The shielded femur diaphysis was evacuated by dextran perfusion, and 2 weeks later the animal was sacrificed. Imprints were made of the spleen and of the marrow in the contralateral limb, the epiphyseal ends of the depopulated femur, and the depopulated section of the femur. Alkaline phosphatase staining showed that all of the areas involved except the evacuated femur section had an abundance of alkaline-positive rat cells. The depopulated femur diaphysis showed a typical regenerating marrow tissue at 14 days and the cell constituents were of mouse cell origin.
Hemodynamic Monitoring in Severe Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

This article considers the conceptual basis underlying acute hemodynamic management in severe preeclampsia, and the potential usefulness of pulmonary artery (Swan-Ganz) catheterization in this management.
Effects of Physical Activity on DNA Methylation and Associations with Breast Cancer

Physical activity is associated with reduced breast cancer risk and improved disease outcome. Initial research indicates that physical activity can lower circulating levels of sex steroid hormones, improve insulin resistance, and reduce mitogenic growth factors. Recent investigation suggests that physical activity may have more profound impact on epigenetic regulation. As a key component of epigenetic regulation, DNA methylation has been found to be altered by physical activity. Physical activity may reduce DNA methylation in tumor suppressor genes and increase methylation in the genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines. Studies also suggest that physical activity may change the landscape of DNA methylation by increasing genome-wide methylation. These characteristic changes in DNA methylation are also observed in experimental studies in which healthy individuals or breast cancer patients with increased physical activity had significantly reduced DNA methylation in tumor suppressor genes and elevated methylation in the entire genome. All these molecular changes are consistent with the observations that physical activity is associated with low cancer risk and better patient survival, which explains the molecular mechanisms that underlie the beneficial effects of physical activity on cancer prevention and management.
Real Time Hyperspectroscopy for Dynamical Study of Carbon Nanotubes.

Photoluminescence excitation mapping used routinely to characterize semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sc-SWCNTs) is extended to provide time-dependent data. A hyperspectral method based on a supercontinuum light source and an imaging detector is demonstrated with excitation and emission wavelengths spanning 600–1000 and 1050–1650 nm, respectively, at time scales <100 ms. An example of a titration experiment is given to highlight the potential offered by the technique. Specifically, the dependence of luminescence yield on acceptor concentration is tracked for 18 different chirality assigned sc-SWCNT species. Dopant-induced quenching presents a simple dependence on nanotube diameter, with larger diameter being most affected, while chirality does not appear to be a dominant factor. In a second example, the successive addition of acceptor and donor molecules leads to a modulation of luminescence intensity upon hole doping and dedoping.
The hard road to reproducibility

Early in my Ph.D. studies, my supervisor assigned me the task of running computer code written by a previous student who was graduated and gone. It was hell. I had to sort through many different versions of the code, saved in folders with a mysterious numbering scheme. There was no documentation and
A Scalable Total Synthesis of (−)-Nakadomarin A

The convergent total synthesis of the manzamine alkaloid (−)-nakadomarin A (1) is described. The retrosynthetic analysis recognized spirocycle 3, assembled via an organocatalyst-promoted Michael addition/cyclization between bicyclic lactam 4 and furan aldehyde 5, both accessible from achiral starting materials and on a multigram scale. Lactam 4 is assembled through an SN2′/reduction/Staudinger/retro-aza-Claisen sequence on scale. After spirocyclization, the synthesis of nakadomarin is completed in only six steps.
Postsurgical outcome in patients with auditory auras and drug-resistant epilepsy.

Abstract Objectives We investigated the clinical features associated with olfactory auras in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and also hypothesized that this type of aura may predict worse postsurgical outcome in patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods In this retrospective analysis, data from all patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who underwent epilepsy surgery were reviewed. Patients were prospectively registered in a database from 1986 through 2016. We assessed outcome in the first 5 years after surgery to produce a Kaplan–Meier estimate of seizure recurrence. Post-surgical outcome was classified into two groups; 1) seizure-free, with or without auras; or 2) relapse of complex partial or secondarily generalized seizures. We also investigated the clinical features of patients with TLE and olfactory auras compared with those without olfactory auras. Results We studied 1186 patients. Thirty-seven patients (3.1%) reported olfactory auras with their seizures. Thirty-two patients had temporal lobe surgery. Intracranial video-EEG recording was performed in four patients. Three patients with lateral temporal neocortical seizures reported olfactory auras with their seizures; two of them were seizure-free after surgery. There were no significant clinical differences between patients with TLE and olfactory auras compared with those without. Seizure outcome after surgery was not significantly different between these two groups (p = 0.3; Cox–Mantel test). Conclusion The rarity of olfactory auras makes it difficult to propose new diagnostic and treatment strategies. A multicenter approach, which can enroll more patients, is needed to devise better therapies for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and this symptom.
Virtual curing of textile polymer matrix composites

Abstract A homogenization approach to simulate the curing process in textile composites is presented. Internal stresses build-up in a thermosetting polymer matrix during cure because of thermal expansion/contraction mismatch, chemical shrinkage and lack of uniformity in the thermal field. The matrix cures within the fiber tows as well as in the pockets outside the tows. Although the explicit modeling of each fiber and matrix is preferred, it is computationally prohibitive for tows containing large numbers of fibers. Instead, a homogenization approach that is presented here models the effective curing of the tow by extending the cure hardening instantaneously linear elastic (CHILE) model, originally developed for matrix curing. The possibility of damage and/or failure in the matrix during cure is modeled using the Bažant-Oh crack band model. Using cure parameters for the IM7-8552 material system, the effectiveness of the homogenization procedure is assessed by comparing the curing of a homogenized tow with the curing of discrete fiber–matrix tow, followed by the virtual curing of a 8-harness satin (8HS) weave. Subsequently, the 8HS weave mechanical response is computed. Lastly, the 8HS mechanical response when cure induced effects (manufacturing process) are not taken into consideration are assessed.
Linearized Non-Stokesian Drag in Turbulent Flow

An analytical technique has been developed which enables the nonlinear viscous drag force to be linearized. The linearized analysis was applied to the determination of a modified particle response function. It was found that nonlinear viscous drag tends to increase the particle response in a definite frequency band which tends to shift toward lower frequencies as particle size and weight are increased. It was found that in many cased of practical interest the nonlinear addition occurred at frequencies much higher than those at which the fluid's energy was contained. However, in the interpretation of the laboratory research data, inclusion of the nonlinear effects can become important because the frequency range of the fluid turbulence field is often much higher than it is under field conditions. As a result there can be significant common frequency range. The application used to illustrate the technique is but one of the uses of this theory. It is hoped that it may prove useful in others where non-Stokesian viscous drag effects must be considered. The ease with which this linearization technique can be applied to accommodate non-Stokesian drag conditions is a distinct advantage to extending the range of analytical treatment of problems of importance.
Evaluation of Pine Bark, Pine Bark With Wood, and Pine Tree Chips as Components of a Container Plant Growing Media

Three woody landscape species, Rhododendron indica ‘President Clay’, Ligustrum sinense ‘variegata’, and Ilex crenata ‘compacta’, were grown in media prepared from fresh pine bark, pine bark with wood, and pine tree chips. Although media were variable in physical properties, all exhibited very high hydraulic conductivity and low water holding capacity. The capacity of these media materials to hold fertilizer elements was very low. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus were rapidly removed by leaching while calciuum and magnesium were retained longer because of the low solubility of dolomitic limestone. Pine bark was the best growth media tested for all plant species. Pine bark with wood was less satisfactory than pine bark and growth was poorest in pine tree chips. More research is needed on the use of the organic amendments with greater amounts of wood before being widely used as organic components of growth media.
Deep Dynamic Programming: Optimal Control with Continuous Model Learning of a Nonlinear Muscle Actuated Arm

We outline a new technique for on-line continuous model learning control and demonstrate its utility by controlling a simulated 2-DOF arm actuated by 6 muscles as well as on an inverted pendulum. Work presented is part of an effort to develop controllers for human appendages rendered inoperable by paralysis. Computerized control provides an alternative to neural regeneration by means of electric muscle stimulation. It has been demonstrated that paralyzed individuals can regain self-powered mobility via use of external muscle controllers. A barrier to proliferation of the technology, is the difficulty in control over the living system which is highly nonlinear and unique to each individual. Here we demonstrate a novel, continuous model learning technique to simultaneously learn and control continuous, non-linear systems. The technique expands upon vanilla Q-learning and dynamic programming. Unlike typical Q-learning, where the action-value function updates are only for the most recent set of states visited and stored in memory, the method presented also generates updates to the action-value function for unvisited state-space and state-space visited far in the past. This is made feasible by giving the agent the ability to continually learn and update explicit local models of the environment and of itself, which we encapsulated in a set of deep neural networks.
Model-based Assessment of the Site-specific Cost of Monitoring

Abstract Several studies have developed costs of monitoring; however the costs are typically applied to generic sites and use a set of pre-selected monitoring approaches. In this study we use analytical models of leakage cases to assess the cost of leakage detection for sites with specified properties and assess the value of different monitoring approaches. We assume that leakage occurs at former production wells that have been plugged and abandoned (P&A). We compare pressure-based monitoring (PBM) and geochemical-based monitoring (GBM) techniques under the same economic constraints and to increase the spatial monitoring coverage. Then the project economics using probable correctness model provides estimates of the number of required PBM and GBM wells and their coverage ratio according to a defined annual budget. It was concluded that PBM technique has a better coverage over P&A wells than GBM technique and therefore is more cost-efficient.
RYR1 causing distal myopathy.

Background Congenital myopathies due to ryanodine receptor (RYR1) mutations are increasingly identified and correlate with a wide range of phenotypes, most commonly that of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility and central cores on muscle biopsy with rare reports of distal muscle weakness, but in the setting of early onset global weakness. Methods We report a case of a patient presenting with childhood onset hand stiffness and adult onset progressive hand weakness and jaw contractures discovered to have two variants in the RYR1 gene. Results The patient manifested with distal upper limb weakness which progressed to involve the distal lower limb, proximal upper limb, as well as the face in addition to limited jaw opening. Creatine kinase was mildly elevated with EMG findings supporting a myopathy. Muscle biopsy showed features consistent with centronuclear myopathy. Whole exome sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous pathogenic variant in RYR1 (c.12315_12328delAGAAATCCAGTTCC, p.Glu4106Alafs*8), and a heterozygous missense variant (c.10648C>T, p.Arg3550Trp) of unknown significance in compound heterozygous state. Conclusion We expand the spectrum of RYR1-related myopathy with the description of a novel phenotype in an adult patient presenting with hand weakness and suggest considering RYR1 analysis in the diagnosis of distal myopathies.
Lightweight Replication Through Remote Backup Memory Sharing for In-memory Key-Value Stores

Memory price will continue dropping in the next few years according to Gartner. Such trend renders it affordable for in-memory key-value stores (IMKVs) to maintain redundant memory-resident copies of each key-value pair to provision enhanced reliability and high availability services. Though contemporary IMKVs have reached unprecedented performance, delivering single-digit microsecond-scale latency with up to tens of millions queries per second throughput, existing replication protocols are unable to keep pace with such an advancement of IMKVs, either incurring unbearable latency overhead or demanding intensive resource usage. Consequently, the adoption of those replication techniques always results in substantial performance degradation.In this paper, we propose MacR, a RDMA-based high-performance and lightweight replication protocol for IMKVs. The design of MacR centers around sharing the remote backup memory to enable RDMA-based replication protocol, and synthesizes a collection of optimizations, including memory allocator cooperative replication and adaptive bulk data synchronization to control the number of network operations and to enhance the recovery performance. Performance evaluations with a variety of YCSB workloads demonstrate that MacR can efficiently outperform alternative replication methods in terms of the throughput while preserving sufficiently low latency overhead. It can also efficiently speed up the recovery process.
Orientation Uncertainty Characteristics of Some Pose Measuring Systems

We investigate the performance of pose measuring systems which determine an object's pose from measurement of a few fiducial markers attached to the object. Such systems use point-based, rigid body registration to get the orientation matrix. Uncertainty in the fiducials' measurement propagates to the uncertainty of the orientation matrix. This orientation uncertainty then propagates to points on the object's surface. This propagation is anisotropic, and the direction along which the uncertainty is the smallest is determined by the eigenvector associated with the largest eigenvalue of the orientation data's covariance matrix. This eigenvector in the coordinate frame defined by the fiducials remains almost fixed for any rotation of the object. However, the remaining two eigenvectors vary widely and the direction along which the propagated uncertainty is the largest cannot be determined from the object's pose. Conditions that result in such a behavior and practical consequences of it are presented.
Higher versus Lower Dose of Cefotetan or Cefoxitin for Surgical Prophylaxis in Patients Weighing One Hundred Twenty Kilograms or More.

Abstract Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend a 2-g dose of cefotetan and cefoxitin for surgical prophylaxis. Pharmacokinetic data suggest benefit from higher cefotetan and cefoxitin ...
Computed axial lithography: volumetric 3D printing of arbitrary geometries (Conference Presentation)

Lower-dimensional photopolymerization based additive manufacturing techniques have several drawbacks that currently limit the applicability and scope of 3D printing, including: topological constraints, the requirement for numerous complex support structures that later need to be removed, long print times for complex geometries, relative motion between the liquid resin and printed part, as well as debilitating mechanical weakness and anisotropy resulting from the inherently layered structure of the parts. We propose and demonstrate a novel volumetric 3D printing technique based on one of the most ubiquitous computational imaging methods in the field: computed axial tomography. Computed axial lithography (CAL) is a vat photopolymerization technique that exposes the entire resin volume by projecting images from a multiplicity of angles. The technique is a physical implementation of the filtered back projection algorithm for tomographic reconstruction. We use constrained non-convex optimization in order to generate images that are projected into the resin in order to sculpt a 3-dimensional energy dose that cures the desired arbitrary geometry. This eliminates the requirement for supports and enables complex and nested structures that were previously challenging or impossible to print. Further, the process is layer-less and does not involve any relative motion between the resin and the printed part, which has positive implications for mechanically isotropic part strength. We demonstrate support-less printing of complex geometries containing 10^8-10^9 voxels in 2-4 minutes, orders of magnitude faster than comparable techniques.
Performance Evaluation of Water Distribution Systems and Asset Management

Abstract Water distribution systems (WDS) are among the most critical civil infrastructure systems. A reliable and safe water supply is essential for the prosperity and continued well-being of soci...
The Use of Fuels for Muscular Work

It is probably fair to say that many, if not most, biochemists had lost interest in the fundamental physiological processes by the middle 1960’s, distracted by the extraordinary advances in molecular genetics and by the resurgence of interest in chemical anatomy. Many believed that our knowledge of such things as the metabolism of muscle was stale stuff-to be waded through in the classroom and then forgotten.
The microbiome and ophthalmic disease.

Progress in microbiome research has accelerated in recent years. Through the use of 16S rRNA assays and other genomic sequencing techniques, researchers have provided new insights about the communi...
Tumor growth fueled by spurious senescence phenotypes

Cancer treatments can induce a form of senescence that halts cellular division while allowing continued secretion of tumor-promoting proteins. We recently found that antiangiogenic treatment resistance can lead to a transient hijacking of the senescence-controlled secretory machinery that, when therapeutically targeted during treatment cessation, can blunt rebound tumor growth.
School quality and rural in‐migration: Can better rural schools attract new residents?

Studies in the nonmetropolitan population change literature have largely focused on the role of natural amenities and economic restructuring, but few have focused on the role of public services. This paper addresses the question of whether public services in nonmetropolitan counties, specifically the outcomes of public schools, could attract migrants. We use a Poisson regression technique little‐used in the migration literature to control for push and pull factors driving migration patterns and control for school quality. Results show that better schools can draw migrants to nonmetropolitan areas. Marginal effects are larger for nonmetropolitan counties not adjacent to metropolitan areas.
Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature on Acidic Oxygen-Containing Functional Groups and Electron Storage Capacities of Pyrolyzed Hydrochars

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermochemical process, where biomass is treated with subcritical water. Hydrochar, the solid product of HTC, is a carbon-rich material containing acidic funct...
Cue-shifting between acoustic cues: Evidence for directional asymmetry

Abstract Previous research shows that experience with co-varying cues is neither sufficient nor necessary for listeners to integrate them perceptually. Auditory Enhancement theorists explain this by positing that listeners integrate two cues more readily if the cues enhance each other’s percept. To isolate the role of enhancement from that of experience, we forced English adult listeners to shift attention between two enhancing cues that they do not use phonemically, pitch and breathiness, by reversing the informativeness of the two cues in a cue weighting experiment. Listeners were able to shift attention from pitch to breathiness and vice versa if the two cues were in an enhancing relation. When this relationship was reversed, listeners could shift attention from pitch to breathiness but not in the opposite direction. Clearly, both the change in informativeness and the enhancing properties of the cues influenced the listeners’ re-weighting of these cues. However, the directional asymmetry was not predicted. Moreover, the same asymmetry was observed in two new groups of listeners who have native language experience with either pitch or breathiness. We discuss the consequences of such asymmetric enhancement effects, rising from either processing limitations or articulatory contingencies, for language change.
Association of MAPT H1 subhaplotypes with neuropathology of lewy body disease

BACKGROUND Genetic variation at the microtubule-associated protein tau locus is associated with clinical parkinsonism. However, it is unclear as to whether microtubule-associated protein tau H1 subhaplotypes are associated with the burden of neuropathological features of Lewy body disease. OBJECTIVES To evaluate associations of microtubule-associated protein tau haplotypes with severity of Lewy body pathology and markers of SN neuronal loss in Lewy body disease cases. METHODS Five hundred eighty-five autopsy-confirmed Lewy body disease cases were included. Six microtubule-associated protein tau variants (rs1467967, rs242557, rs3785883, rs2471738, rs8070723, and rs7521) were genotyped to define common microtubule-associated protein tau haplotypes. Lewy body counts were measured in five cortical regions. Ventrolateral and medial SN neuronal loss were assessed semiquantitatively. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration was quantified by image analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the dorsolateral and ventromedial putamen. RESULTS The common microtubule-associated protein tau H2 haplotype did not show a strong effect on pathological burden in Lewy body disease. The rare H1j haplotype (1.3%) was significantly associated with a lower dorsolateral putaminal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (and therefore greater dopaminergic degeneration) compared to other microtubule-associated protein tau haplotypes (P = 0.0016). Microtubule-associated protein tau H1j was also nominally (P ≤ 0.05) associated with a lower ventromedial putaminal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (P = 0.010), but this did not survive multiple testing correction. Other nominally significant associations between microtubule-associated protein tau H1 subhaplotypes and neuropathological outcomes were observed. CONCLUSIONS A rare microtubule-associated protein tau H1 subhaplotype (H1j) may be associated with more severe putaminal dopaminergic degeneration in Lewy body disease cases. Microtubule-associated protein tau H1j has been associated previously with an increased risk of PD, and therefore our exploratory findings provide insight into the mechanism by which H1j modulates PD risk. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Globally Accurate Full-Dimensional Potential Energy Surface for H2 + HCl Inelastic Scattering

A globally accurate full-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the inelastic scattering between H2 and HCl is developed on the basis of a large number of points calculated at the coupled-c...
A CRISPR/Cas9 method to generate heterozygous alleles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a genetically facile organism, yet multiple CRISPR/Cas9 techniques are widely used to edit its genome more efficiently and cost effectively than conventional methods. The absence of selective markers makes CRISPR/Cas9 editing particularly useful when making mutations within genes or regulatory sequences. Heterozygous mutations within genes frequently arise in the winners of evolution experiments. The genetic dissection of heterozygous alleles can be important to understanding gene structure and function. Unfortunately, the high efficiency of genome cutting and repair makes the introduction of heterozygous alleles by standard CRISPR/Cas9 technique impossible. To be able to quickly and reliably determine the individual phenotypes of the thousands of heterozygous mutations that can occur during directed evolutions is of particular interest to industrial strain improvement research. In this report, we describe a CRISPR/Cas9 method that introduces specific heterozygous mutations into the S. cerevisiae genome. This method relies upon creating silent point mutations in the protospacer adjacent motif site or removing the protospacer adjacent motif site entirely to stop the multiple rounds of genome editing that prevent heterozygous alleles from being generated. This technique should be able to create heterozygous alleles in other diploid yeasts and different allelic copy numbers in polyploid cells.
Pulse electrodeposited manganese oxide on carbon fibers as electrodes for high capacity supercapacitors

Arrays of manganese dioxide (MnO2), a pseudocapacitive material, have been deposited on the carbon fibers (CF) of a carbon woven fabric by electrodeposition from a solution containing manganese sulfate and sulfuric acid using galvanostatic square waves. The thickness of the MnO2 was varied by increasing/decreasing the time of deposition, and the electrochemical performance of the MnO2 has been analyzed. The CF serves as a substrate material with high surface area, good electrical conductivity and excellent mechanical strength. The electrochemical properties of the resultant electrode were examined by cyclic voltammogram (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a three-electrode system. From the specific capacitance calculations obtained from CV and charge-discharge, a high specific capacitance of 769 F g-1 @ 5 mV s-1 (low weight electrode) has been achieved. The maximum area capacitance, estimated from the charge-discharge curves, was 790 mF cm-2 @ 5 mV s-1. The high-performance is attributed to the double layer capacitance of the CFs combined with the pseudocapacitive nature of MnO2, the large surface area, and high degree of ordering of the ultrathin MnO2.