cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Environmental factors that increase the food intake and consumption volume of unknowing consumers.

▪ Abstract Package size, plate shape, lighting, socializing, and variety are only a few of the environmental factors that can influence the consumption volume of food far more than most people realize. Although such environmental factors appear unrelated, they generally influence consumption volume by inhibiting consumption monitoring and by suggesting alternative consumption norms. For researchers, this review suggests that redirecting the focus of investigations to the psychological mechanisms behind consumption will raise the profile and impact of research. For health professionals, this review underscores how small structural changes in personal environments can reduce the unknowing overconsumption of food.
The Impact of Valuation Uncertainty in the Pricing of Risky Debt

Industry interest in equity‐based contingent claims models for evaluating credit risky securities has recently surged. These methods assume away valuation uncertainty that exists in practice. This article explores the impact of valuation uncertainty on these contingent claims models, by analyzing how varying levels of model uncertainty bias default probability estimates obtained from standard contingent claims models.
TRAP-Array: A Disk Array Architecture Providing Timely Recovery to Any Point-in-time

RAID architectures have been used for more than two decades to recover data upon disk failures. Disk failure is just one of the many causes of damaged data. Data can be damaged by virus attacks, user errors, defective software/firmware, hardware faults, and site failures. The risk of these types of data damage is far greater than disk failure with today's mature disk technology and networked information services. It has therefore become increasingly important for today's disk array to be able to recover data to any point in time when such a failure occurs. This paper presents a new disk array architecture that provides Timely Recovery to Any Point-in-time, referred to as TRAP-Array. TRAP-Array stores not only the data stripe upon a write to the array, but also the time-stamped Exclusive-ORs of successive writes to each data block. By leveraging the Exclusive-OR operations that are performed upon each block write in today's RAID4/5 controllers, TRAP does not incur noticeable performance overhead. More importantly, TRAP is able to recover data very quickly to any point-in-time upon data damage by tracing back the sequence and history of Exclusive-ORs resulting from writes. What is interesting is that TRAP architecture is amazingly space-efficient. We have implemented a prototype TRAP architecture using software at block device level and carried out extensive performance measurements using TPC-C benchmark running on Oracle and Postgress databases, TPC-W running on MySQL database, and file system benchmarks running on Linux and Windows systems. Our experiments demonstrated that TRAP is not only able to recover data to any point-in-time very quickly upon a failure but it also uses less storage space than traditional daily differential backup/snapshot. Compared to the state-of-the-art continuous data protection technologies, TRAP saves disk storage space by one to two orders of magnitude with a simple and a fast encoding algorithm. From an architecture point of view, TRAP-Array opens up another dimension for storage arrays. It is orthogonal and complementary to RAID in the sense that RAID protects data in the dimension along an array of physical disks while TRAP protects data in the dimension along the time sequence.
Conserved Noncoding Sequences among Cultivated Cereal Genomes Identify Candidate Regulatory Sequence Elements and Patterns of Promoter Evolution

Surveys for conserved noncoding sequences (CNS) among genes from monocot cereal species were conducted to assess the general properties of CNS in grass genomes and their correlation with known promoter regulatory elements. Initial comparisons of 11 orthologous maize-rice gene pairs found that previously defined regulatory motifs could be identified within short CNS but could not be distinguished reliably from random sequence matches. Among the different phylogenetic footprinting algorithms tested, the VISTA tool yielded the most informative alignments of noncoding sequence. VISTA was used to survey for CNS among all publicly available genomic sequences from maize, rice, wheat, barley, and sorghum, representing >300 gene comparisons. Comparisons of orthologous maize-rice and maize-sorghum gene pairs identified 20 bp as a minimal length criterion for a significant CNS among grass genes, with few such CNS found to be conserved across rice, maize, sorghum, and barley. The frequency and length of cereal CNS as well as nucleotide substitution rates within CNS were consistent with the known phylogenetic distances among the species compared. The implications of these findings for the evolution of cereal gene promoter sequences and the utility of using the nearly completed rice genome sequence to predict candidate regulatory elements in other cereal genes by phylogenetic footprinting are discussed.
Preferred pathways of behavioral contagion

A behavioral disorder is "contagious" if the risk to a given individual increases when someone in that person's vicinity, family, or social group develops the disorder. So understood, behavioral contagion may be involved in criminality, conduct disorder, drug abuse, suicide, and teenage pregnancy. Previous papers have shown that contagion generates highly distinctive result patterns, from which its presence may be inferred. The patterns concern prevalence in sibships of different size and, in case-control designs, the number of susceptible sibs that affected and unaffected individuals have. The present paper extends the analysis by allowing the likelihood of transmission from one sib to another to vary according as the two sibs are of the same or opposite gender, male or female, single borns or co-twins, fraternal or identical twins. The extension is illustrated by application to data on criminality in Danish twins previously reported by other workers. We will show that the distribution of criminality by gender and zygosity is better explained in terms of behavioral contagion than by previous analyses.
Scrambling the egg origin dogma

Evaluation of: Eggan K, Jurga S, Gosden R, Min IM, Wagers AJ. Ovulated oocytes in adult mice derive from non-circulating germ cells. Nature 441, 1109–1114 (2006) [1]. This interesting study investigates the hypothesis that stem cells in adult bone marrow and the circulatory system populate mouse ovaries and contribute to the germline. When pairs of GFP+ and GFP- parabiotic mice with joined circulatory systems were superovulated after 8 months of parabiosis, oocytes collected from the oviducts had the phenotype of the animal from which they had come. Follow-up experiments, in which oocytes were chemically destroyed before establishing parabiosis, yielded similar results. Injection of GFP+ or GFP- bone marrow cells into mice with ovaries ablated using ovotoxins or irradiation did not rescue production of ovulated oocytes. These data do not support the controversial hypothesis that bone marrow stem cells contribute to the germline of adult female mice.
Strengthening diversity in nursing: The practices and preparedness of nursing faculty

Objective: Faculty who are aware of culturally responsive practices are better positioned to implement teaching-learning strategies that meet the educational needs of culturally diverse learners. This study investigated the extent to which faculty used practices that promoted the academic success of African American and Hispanic minority nursing students and their preparedness in teaching these groups. Methods: The Nurse Educator Cultural Competency Survey was used to measure the cultural competence of 34 nurse educators in the domains of practices used in teaching under-represented minorities and preparedness to teach these groups. Data was analyzed using a descriptive design. Results: Findings revealed that not all faculty members felt adequately prepared to teach minorities or adopt practices that promoted their academic success. Conclusions: The underrepresentation of minority nurses may continue unless more research that examines the capacity of nursing programs to prepare all educators to create culturally responsive learning environments is undertaken.
Artificial screen for reducing seismic vibration generated by blasting

The purpose of blasting operations is rock fragmentation. Blasting is a key component in the overall rock fragmentation system - the first element of the ore extraction process. It provides appropriate rock material granulation or size that is suitable for loading and transportation. However, in spite of many advantages explosives have, their usage may cause environmental problem such as seismic vibration. One of the solutions to this particular problem may be application of an artificial screen as a barrier to the seismic wave path. The results of experimental research on the artificial screen concept, its characteristics and role in attenuation of seismic effects generated by blasting are presented. The experiment is based on two physical phenomena: (1) the size and degree of discontinuity and (2) the reflection and refraction of seismic waves. More than 1,500 laboratory measurements were conducted with different combinations of screen sizes, positions of the screen to blasting source, and intensities of blasting impulses. The results of the study show reduction of generated vibrations up to 58% by employment of artificial screens.
Cooperative Broadcast with Randomized Parity Forwarding

We present a randomized parity forwarding technique in cooperative broadcast networks. A single source sends a common message (codeword) to all nodes, and those nodes that correctly decode the message then generate a parity bit and broadcast it to the remaining nodes. The remaining nodes combine the original codeword from the source with the network-generated parity bits to construct a lower rate, and thus more powerful, error correcting code. The protocol overhead is significantly reduced by allowing each relay node to randomly generate a parity bit independent of other nodes. We present the average probability of decoding error and the energy saving as a function of the number of nodes in the network.
An Evolving Triadic World: A Theoretical Framework for Global Communication Research*

A macro theory that recognizes the worlds three competing center-clusters and their respective hinterlands o?ers a realistic framework for global communication research. This study has used recent data on world trade, computers, Internet hosts, and high-tech exports to map the triadization of the world in the Information Age. The original dependency theory and world-system theory perspectives emphasized the hierarchical linking of national societies to the capitalist world-economy in a center-periphery structure. The proposed global-triadization formulation looks at the center-periphery structure in terms of a capitalist world-economy dominated by three competing center economic clusters, each of which has a dependent hinterland comprising peripheral economic clusters. These clusters may not necessarily be geographically contiguous. Strong-weak relationships may exist within each center-cluster, as well as within each periphery-cluster, with one center-cluster occupying a hegemonic role. The rudimentary Information-Society Power Index, constructed for this study, can guide the researcher to test an abundance of hypotheses on the pattern of global communication and information ?ow with particular attention to source, message, channel, and receiver.
Automating rendezvous and proxy selection in sensornets

As the diversity of sensornet use cases increases, the combinations of environments and applications that will coexist will make custom engineering increasingly impractical. We investigate an approach that focuses on replacing custom engineering with automated optimization of declarative protocol specifications. Specifically, we automate network rendezvous and proxy selection from program source. These optimizations perform program transformations that are grounded in recursive query optimization, an area of database theory. Our prototype system implementation can automatically choose program executions that are as much as three, and usually one order of magnitude better than original source programs.
Psychometric Properties of the Career Clusters Interest Survey

The current study examined the psychometric support of the Career Clusters Interest Survey (CCIS) that provides subscales scores for the 16 Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) career clusters in a sample of 203 college students. Reliability of the subscales was supported with respect to internal consistency and 2-week stability estimates. A principal components analysis (PCA) of the subscale scores revealed that the CCIS yielded only two factors, a general one and one capturing People/Things. Correlation of these components with interest scores from the Personal Globe Inventory (PGI) revealed that the CCIS scales captured only the People/ Things dimension while not covering the Data/Ideas dimension or prestige. So, the instrument represents a very restricted range of interests. In addition, the agreement of the cluster scores from the CCIS with those provided by the PGI was very low. So, reliability support was provided but questions about the validity of the CCIS with respect to its coverage ...
Subsidence and Upper-Tropospheric Drying along Trajectories in a General Circulation Model.

A trajectory analysis of the Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3) moisture simulation is used to show that the model simulates upper-tropospheric moisture observations better than would be inferred from a traditional geographical comparison. The upper-tropospheric moisture simulation is compared to upper-tropospheric moisture derived from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 6.7-mm observations for September 1992. Trajectories start in convective regions of the Tropics and are followed into nonconvective subsidence regions. Moisture and pressure along the trajectories are determined for both the model and observations. Humidity values as a function of subsidence agree much better between observations and model than do geographical grid box comparisons, because the model does not simulate details in the large-scale flow pattern precisely. The relative humidity decreases slightly more slowly with subsidence along trajectories in the CCM3 simulation than in observations.
Strategies of Counter-Framing

Electoral campaigns and policy debates occur over-time. Throughout the campaign, competing sides push opposing frames and which frame proves most effective often determines who wins. Success hinges, in large part, on launching influential counter-frames – that is, frames that oppose earlier effective frames. Surprisingly, scholars have paid virtually no attention to the dynamics of counter-framing. In this paper, we explore how timing and repetition of counter-frames affect their success. Our results – based on an over-time experiment – show that the best counter-framing strategy is highly contingent on the nature of the respondents. For those who form initially strong opinions, the counter-frames are most effective when delayed in time, and perhaps surprisingly, not repeated. In contrast, the lag time between the initial frame and a counter-frame is irrelevant for those who form weak opinions, but repetition is often beneficial. Our findings highlight the contingent nature of successful framing and isolate sources of political power in campaigns.
Anatomy for Dance: An Expanded Design

The field of dance science offers a wealth of information that can enhance a dancer's training, contribute to a dancer's overall health maintenance, and assist in recovery from injury. Most dance curricula today require some study in anatomy and kinesiology as a way to help young dancers take advantage of knowledge gained from research in dance medicine and science. However, anatomy education often does not continue into the dance technique class. This article proposes that anatomy be taught in conjunction with the dance technique class so that dance students are better able to transfer scientific information into their dancing. The following discusses the scientific and philosophical reasons for this design, outlines a model and one possible way to integrate the proposed model into existing curricula, addresses possible curricular implications, and recommends that further research is needed to gain valuable support for this method.
Preparation of biodiesel from palm oil assisted by microwave

Using palm oil and methanol as raw material,KOH as catalyst,the biodiesel was prepared by transesterification reaction assisted with microwave.The effect on transesterification of the mole ratio of methanol to oil,catalyst dosage,reaction time and reaction temperature was researched.Through orthogonal analysis,the optimum conditions were obtained as follows:molar ratio of methanol to oil 7∶1,catalyst dosage 1.2%,reaction temperature 50℃ and reaction time 3 min.The conversion rate was more than 93% under the optimum conditions.The main quality indexes of the biodiesel obtained in the experiment reached Chinese biodiesel standard and American biodiesel standard.
Immunization coverage of national immunization program in Taizhou,Zhejiang,2013

Objective To understand the coverage of national immunization program(NIP) among local children and floating children in Taizhou,Zhejiang province.Methods Household questionnaire survey was conducted among 1954 local children selected by stratified cluster sampling in 126 villages in 63 townships in 9 counties.An face to face questionnaire survey was conducted among 256 floating children randomly selected in floating population living areas.Results The rate of vaccination certificate handling was 99.95%.The coverage rates of 1 dose of bacillus calmette-guerin(BCG),3 doses of oral polio vaccine(OPV),3 doses of diphtheria tetanus and pertussis combined vaccine(DTP3),the coverage of 1stdose of measles-containing vaccine(MCV) were above 95% and 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine(HepB) above 90%.The coverage of full vaccinations of all the five vaccines was 96.56%.The coverage rates of the fourth dose of OPV and DTP,the 2nddose of MCV and DT were all above 90% except those in Luqiao and Xianju.The coverage rates of group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine(MAP-A) newly included in NIP were all above 80% except that in Sanmen.The coverage rates of Japanese encephalitis vaccine(JEV) were above 80% except those in Luqiao,Xianju and Sanmen.The coverage rates of hepatitis A vaccine(HepA) were all above 90%.The coverage rates of both the 1stand 2nd dose of group A + C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine(MAP-A + C) were low,only 87.19% and 49.45%respectively and there were significant differences among different counties.The age specific differences in coverage rates of BCG,1stdose OPV,3rddose OPV and 3rddose DTP,in booster coverage rates of 4thdose OPV,4thdose DTP and 2nd dose MCV and in coverage rates of 2 dose MAP-A,1 dose MAP-A + C and 2 dose JEV among different age groups had statistical significance.The differences in coverage rates of BCG,2nddose DTP,2 dose HepB,2nddose MCV,4 dose DTP,2 dose JEV and 2 dose MAP-A + C and timely of immunization rate of 1stdose HepB and 1stdose MCV between local and floating children were statistical significant,and the coverage rates in local children were higher than those in floating children.Conclusion The coverage rates of basic immunization and booster immunization of the vaccines routinely used remained at higher level,but the coverage rates of the vaccines newly included in NIP were relatively low.The differences in the coverage of booster immunization of routinely used vaccines and the vaccines newly included in NIP among different age groups and between local and floating children were statistical significant.The coverage rates declined with the increase of age,and the coverage rates in local children were higher than those in floating children.
Lobb's generalisation of Catalan's parenthesisation problem revisited

In 1838, the Belgian mathematician Eugene C. Catalan (1814-1894) discovered that the number C n of well-fonned sequences, with n pairs of left and right parentheses, is given by where n > 0 [1, 2]. For example, there are exactly five well-formed sequences with three pairs of left and right parentheses: ()()(), ()(()), (())(), (()()), ((())). The case n = 0 yields the null sequence, often denoted by λ. Notice that ()) and ((()()), for example, are not correctly parenthesised.
Immunologic Considerations in Renovascular Hypertension

AbstractFor decades certain diseases, such as glomerulonephritis, polyarteritis nodosa, scleroderma and serum sickness, have been linked with autoimmune pathogenesis. During recent years a host of additional diseases traditionally thought to have some genetic predisposition but with obscure etiology have been suspected of being autoimmune in nature. Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, myasthenia gravis and thyroiditis are diseases of widely divergent organ systems, yet may well have common pathways of pathology via immune complexing mechanisms. Herein we present evidence supporting the concept that renal artery stenosis (occurring primarily in association with the middle aortic syndrome or after renal transplantation) is of immune etiology. Although the specific antigenic agent is still to be defined there is growing acceptance of the theory that medium and large vessels are subject to autoimmune vasculitis in many aspects similar to the autoimmune affections of small vessels.Several cases are presented. Some...
Reproductive Outcomes After Hysteroscopic Resection of Retained Products of Conception

Abstract Study Objective To characterize pregnancy outcomes after hysteroscopic resection of retained products of conception (RPOCs), especially as it relates to abnormal placentation. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Academic medical center. Patients All women who underwent hysteroscopic resection of RPOCs at Northwestern Prentice Women's Hospital between January 2004 and December 2014. Interventions Hysteroscopic resection of RPOCs. Measurements and Main Results The medical records of all cases of hysteroscopic resection of RPOCs between January 2004 and December 2014 were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, operative findings, surgical procedure, surgical pathology, and pregnancy outcomes for preceding and subsequent pregnancies were obtained. Our primary outcome was abnormal placentation in the pregnancy after the procedure. There were a total of 55 subsequent pregnancies and 38 live births. Among these pregnancies, 54.5% (30/55) were vaginal deliveries, 34.5% (19/55) were cesarean deliveries, and 7.3% (4/55) were early pregnancy losses. Abnormal placentation was present in 18.1% of subsequent pregnancies (10/55). This consisted of 3 patients with placenta previa, 2 with placenta accreta, and 5 with retained placenta. Conclusion Women who undergo hysteroscopic resection of RPOCs have a higher rate of abnormal placentation in subsequent pregnancies when compared with the general population. Although the etiology is likely multifactorial, the underlying pathology leading to the initial diagnosis of RPOCs is believed to play a major role.
A Noninvasive Surface Wave Method for Measuring the Complex Modulus of Viscoelastic Tissues

A noninvasive surface wave method is proposed for measuring the complex modulus of viscoelastic tissues. In this method, a small harmonic force is generated by a mechanical shaker on the tissue surface. The vibration on the tissue surface is measured by an ultrasound transducer. The surface wave speed is calculated locally over a short distance by a phase gradient method. The viscous properties of tissue are calculated from the attenuation of the surface wave amplitude with distance. Together, the complex modulus can be derived. Experiments are conducted in a 10% gelatin phantom and a pork loin sample between 100-300 Hz. Experimental results show that for a 10% gelatin phantom, its storage modulus is around 10 KPa and its loss modulus is around 0.5 KPa, for the pork loin sample, its storage modulus is between 5-15 KPa and its loss modulus is in between 0.5-5 KPa. The amplitude of the complex modulus is independent of the frequency for the gelatin material, however it increases with the frequency for the pork loin tissue. The results indicate that the surface wave is much more dispersive in the pork loin sample than in the gelatin phantom. These results are consistent with previous findings. The proposed method does not depend on viscoelastic constitutive models and can be used for evaluating the tissue viscoelastic properties.
Thermal mechanical noise based characterization of CMUTs using monolithically integrated low noise receiver electronics

Monolithic integration of CMUTs and CMOS electronics minimizes interconnect parasitics which is essential for low noise receiver design. Ideally the system noise should be dominated by the CMUT thermal-mechanical noise, which is shaped by CMUT electrical impedance. In addition to improved signal to noise ratio (SNR), a thermal mechanical noise limited detection system can be helpful to reveal information on CMUT characteristics. A transimpedance amplifier is custom designed in 0.35µm CMOS to be monolithically integrated with a forward looking volumetric imaging CMUT array element. TIA design is optimized to minimize noise taking advantage of the minimized parasitics provided by CMUT-on-CMOS approach. Output noise spectrum of the TIA connected to the CMUT element in air with and without DC bias clearly shows that the noise spectrum has a peak at the CMUT resonance frequency when a DC bias is applied. This demonstrates that noise measurements of CMUT elements in air can be used to characterize uniformity and functionality of array elements without the need for any external electrical or acoustic inputs. Transducer noise dominated detection in immersion is demonstrated through output noise spectrum measurement of the integrated system in water tank. A noise figure of 1.76dB is obtained in the CMUT bandwidth. In addition, the relation between the CMUT impedance and noise spectrum can provide means for implementing other types of sensors using CMUTs.
The Role of GM-CSF Signaling and CREB in Myeloid Proliferation and Survival.

Abstract Normal myelopoiesis is regulated by the delicate interplay between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the bone marrow microenvironment. Through the action of hematopoietic growth factors and their receptors, alterations of transcriptional regulation result in myeloid progenitor cell proliferation and survival. Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) and Interleukin-3 (IL-3) are cytokines that regulate myelopoiesis. GMCSF and IL-3 induce signaling pathways that activate serine threonine kinases, including MEK, ERK, and pp90RSK, leading to expression of immediate early genes such as early growth response gene-1 (egr-1). Analysis of promoter regions of egr-1 demonstrated that the cAMP response element, CRE, was necessary and sufficient for egr-1 expression in myeloid cells. We previously demonstrated that the transcription factor, CREB (cAMP Response Element Binding Protein), recognizes the CRE in the egr-1 promoter and is phosphorylated at serine 133 in response to GM-CSF and IL-3 through a MEK-dependent, protein kinase A-independent pathways. CREB is a leucine zipper transcription factor that regulates proliferation, differentiation, and survival of neuronal cells and lymphocytes. The majority of patients with acute lymphoid and myeloid leukemias express higher levels of CREB in their bone marrow. Therefore, we hypothesized that CREB plays a critical role in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis. To this end, we studied the biological and molecular effects of CREB in myeloid cells. CREB overexpression results in increased proliferation and survival through induction of cyclin A1 and other target genes. Transgenic mice that overexpress CREB in Gr-1/Mac-1+ cells develop myeloproliferative disease after one year. Knockdown of CREB using shRNAs leads to decreased proliferation and differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells and increased apoptosis of HSCs. Cell cycle analysis demonstrate that CREB downregulation in HSCs leads to greater numbers of cells in G1 and fewer cells in S phase. Both cyclin D1 and A1 levels are decreased in CREB shRNA-transduced HSCs. However, CREB knockdown of bone marrow progenitors did not affect long-term engraftment in transplantation assays. Recent findings on downstream pathways of CREB and potential target genes will be presented.
Improving the Management of Patients With Low-Risk Neutropenic Fever at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute.

Purpose:Neutropenic fever (NF) is an oncologic emergency and has resulted historically in inpatient management. The Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) score can be used to identify patients with NF at a low risk of complications who can be managed safely as outpatients. Despite established guidelines supporting outpatient management of low-risk neutropenic fever (LRNF), provider awareness is low, and inpatient admission for intravenous antibiotics continues to be standard of care.Methods:Inpatient provider algorithm implementation and education began in the second quarter of 2014. Providers calculated MASCC scores for patients with nonleukemia hematologic malignancies and solid tumors at admission. Data were collected in a prospectively maintained registry. Patients identified as low risk by MASCC score were placed under observation and started on oral antibiotics. If exclusion criteria and social barriers were not identified, discharge within 48 hours was planned.Results:Eigh...
Advances in Power Converters

Power converters have been extensively studied and implemented for small-scale applications. The advent of devices that are able to handle ever-higher voltages and power are enabling technologies that will transform the power grid as we know it today. Today’s grid largely comprises passive devices that cannot be as readily controlled, monitored, and reconfigured. The advances in grid power conversion will provide agility and robustness, allowing the grid to readily integrate renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar photovoltaics. This chapter discusses the enabling technologies, the building blocks of power converters and some topologies that are well suited for renewable energy applications and for integrating electric vehicles into the grid.
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy Leading to Severe Vitamin K Deficiency and Coagulopathy.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is seldom associated with significant vitamin K deficiency. We report a case of a 16-year-old primigravid patient at 24 weeks and 3 days of gestation who presented with pruritus, hematuria, and preterm labor. Laboratory work-up showed severe coagulopathy with Prothrombin Time (PT) of 117.8 seconds, International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 10.34, and elevated transaminases suggestive of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Her serum vitamin K level was undetectable (<0.1 nMol/L). Initial therapy consisted of intramuscular replacement of vitamin K and administration of fresh frozen plasma. Her hematuria and preterm labor resolved and she was discharged. She presented in active labor and delivered at 27 weeks and 1 day. Her bile acids (93 μ/L) and INR (2.32) had worsened. She delivered a male infant, 1150 grams with Apgar scores 7 and 9. The newborn received 0.5 mg of intramuscular vitamin K shortly after delivery but went on to develop bilateral grade III intraventricular hemorrhages by day 5. Intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy and nutrition issues were identified as the main risk factors for the severe coagulopathy of this patient. This case underlines the importance of evaluation of possible severe coagulopathy in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in order to avoid serious maternal or fetal adverse outcomes.
Proximal and Distal Effects of Sensation Seeking and Parenting Environments on Alcohol Use Trajectories from Early Adolescence to Early Adulthood

Adolescent alcohol use is related to disinhibition traits and family environments. However, research is scarce on whether these factors predict alcohol use trajectories distally, from early adolescence into early adulthood. We examined whether sensation seeking and parenting environments in early adolescence predicted adolescents’ alcohol use trajectories proximally (middle-adolescence) and distally (early adulthood). Using four waves of data from 345 adolescents (51.3% female; 80% white) and their primary caregivers, we estimated adolescents’ alcohol use trajectories and examined variability in these by sensation seeking and parental control. The findings revealed distal, positive associations between sensation seeking and alcohol use; and negative, proximal associations between parental control and alcohol use. Also proximally, there was a significant interaction between sensation seeking and parental control. We discuss implications for theory and practice.
Effect of standing or walking on physiological changes induced by head down bed rest: implications for spaceflight.

Background/hypothesis To simulate exposure to microgravity and to determine the effectiveness of intermittent exposure to passive and active +1 Gz force (head-to-foot) in preventing head-down bed rest (HDBR) deconditioning, 4 d of 6 degrees HDBR were used. Methods Volunteers were 9 males, 30-50 yr, who performed periodic standing or controlled walking for 2 or 4 h.d-1 in 15-min bouts, one bout per hour, or remained in a continuous HDBR control condition (0 Gz). Results Standing 4 h (S4) completely prevented, and standing 2 h (S2) partially prevented, decreases in post-HDBR orthostatic tolerance (survival rates with 30 min of upright tilt at 60 degrees). Walking, both 2 h (W2) and 4 h (W4), and S4 attenuated decreases in peak oxygen uptake compared to 0 Gz. Compared to 0 Gz, both S4 and W4 attenuated plasma volume loss during HDBR. Urinary Ca2+ excretion increased over time with HDBR; the quadratic trend for urinary Ca2+, however, was attenuated with W2 and W4. Conclusions We concluded that various physiological systems benefit differentially from passive +1 Gz or activity in +1 Gz and, in addition to the duration of the stimulus, the number of exposures to postural stimuli may be an important moderating factor.
Early origins of disease | Non-fetal

It is now accepted that certain chronic diseases of adulthood have fetal origins. It is less widely recognized that there remains substantial potential for nutritional programing of later disease risk during infancy and childhood. These may be mediated by different feeding regimes (especially breast-feeding vs artificial feeding) and by different growth trajectories. Research in this field is complicated by the fact that breast-feeding is strongly associated with maternal characteristics such as education and socio-economic status, which will impact on other aspects of a child's up-bringing that may themselves affect diseases of later life. Adults who were breastfed as infants tend to have lower cholesterol levels. There is evidence that early feeding patterns can affect later blood pressure, but breast-feeding does not appear to be strongly protective. Possible associations between breast-feeding and later obesity and diabetes require further research. Early postnatal growth trajectories are more strongly associated with adult disease outcomes and there is strong evidence that rapid postnatal growth can amplify the effects of retarded fetal growth.
Migration analysis: A case study for local public policy

This case study illustrates the extent to which internal migration data from decennialcensus sources, including published reports, Summary Tape Files, special migration tabulations, and Public Use Microdata Samples, as well as other migration data including decadal net migration estimates and Internal Revenue Service annual estimates can be combined to comprehensively evaluate the influence of migration on a particular county. The analysis of migration addresses public-policy concerns raised by the Dane County, Wisconsin, Department of Human Services regarding ``welfare magnetism'', the in-migration from out-of-state of poor, less-educated female householders with children receiving public assistance, and the county's contribution to Wisconsin's perceived ``brain drain'', the net loss through migration of more highly-educated individuals. While net migration is contributing to higher numbers and rates of persons living in the county with incomes at or below poverty, the in-migration of persons fitting the ``welfare magnet'' description is dwarfed by the in-migration of poor persons fitting the ``college student'' description.
The influences of relationship quality with external partners and required levels of approval of messaging on crisis preparedness

Abstract As funding for public health promotion is increasingly limited in the U.S., public relations research informing management of crises that threaten public health is especially critical. Crisis planning models such as Reynolds and Seeger’s (2005, 2014) crisis and emergency risk communication model offer comprehensive directives for crisis managers and present opportunities to extend the utility of best practice recommendations. A survey of public information officers (PIOs) (n=208) at local public health departments across the U.S. examines the quality of their relationships with partners in public health crisis management, including first responders, media, law enforcement, and hospitals, and reveals that relationships with key publics in crisis management are lacking. Further, PIOs at state governed health departments may face critical delays in releasing crisis messages, as their messages are required to clear more levels of approval than locally (city/county) governed departments. Implications and future research for these key variables extending public relations crisis communication research with a focus on inter-organizational relationships are discussed.
Does gravity come from quantum information

Reconciling quantum mechanics with gravity has long posed a challenge for physicists. Recent developments have seen concepts originally developed in quantum information theory, such as entanglement and quantum error correction, come to play a fundamental role in understanding quantum gravity. Recent developments have seen concepts originally developed in quantum information theory, such as entanglement and quantum error correction, come to play a fundamental role in understanding quantum gravity.
The Antithesist Vision of William Rhodes.

To conclude this presentation, I would like to say that children are much more resilient than I used to think they were; otherwise, how has the human race survived? I do not think that the trend of the times are in children's favor. But I do have greater confidence in the individual's ability to remake himself, with God's help, than I ever have had. Most children will make it when they grow up, in spite of us and our ministrations or lack of ministrations to them. In spite of their faults and flaws, human beings are divine, creative creatures. The amazing way in which we create our own reality out of the stuff of sparsely spaced, disorderly electrons and protons, which physicists believe are the only "stuff" of the uni verse, is wondrous and miraculous. It seems now from the findings of natural science that our whole familiar world emerges from consciousness in its natural and supernatural power. Truly, we are wondrous creatures.
Beyond Compare: The Extraordinary Career of Gregory Herek

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million differen...
The Influence of Polymer Processing Methods on Polymer Film Physical Properties and Vascular Cell Responsiveness.

Implantable vascular devices typically interface with blood and vascular tissues. Physical properties of device materials and coatings, independent of chemical composition, can significantly influence cell responses and implant success. Here, we analyzed the effect of various polymer processing regimes, using a single implant polymer - poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL), on vascular endothelial cell (EC), smooth muscle cell (SMC), and platelet response. PCL films were formed by varying three parameters: 1) formation method - solvent casting, melt pressing or spin coating; 2) molecular weight - 50 or 100 kDa; and 3) solvent type - dichloromethane (DCM) or tetrahydrofuran (THF). We quantified the relationship of polymer processing choice to surface roughness, wettability, and bulk stiffness; and to EC adhesion, SMC adhesion, and platelet activity state (PAS). Multiple regression analysis identified which processing method signficantly impacted (F-ratio>p-value; p<0.1) polymer physical properties and vascular cell interaction. Film formation method affected PCL roughness (Rq), wettability (°), and stiffness (MPa) with spin coating resulting in the most wettable (81.8±0.7°), and stiffest (1.12±0.07 MPa; p<0.001) polymer film; however, solvent cast films were the roughest (281±66nm). Molecular weight influenced wettability, with the highest wettability on 50 kDa films (79.7±0.7°; p<0.001) and DCM solvent films (83.0±1.0°; p<0.01). The multiple regression model confidently predicted (F-ratio=9.88; p=0.005) wettability from molecular weight (p=0.002) and film formation method (p=0.03); stiffness (F-ratio=4.21; p=0.05) also fit well tofilm formation method (p=0.02). Film formation method impacted SMC adhesion and platelet activity state, but not EC adhesion, with melt press PCL promoting the highest SMC adhesion (18000±1536 SMCs; p<0.05) and PAS (5.0±0.7 %PAS). The regression model confidently fit SMC adhesion (F-ratio=3.15; p=0.09) and PAS (F-ratio=5.30; p=0.05) to polymer processing choices, specifically film formation method (p<0.03). However, only SMC adhesion had a model that fit well (F-ratio=4.13; p=0.05) to the physical properties directly, specifically roughness and wettability (p<0.04).
Acute Onset Chorea/Ballismus in a Child- Thinking Beyond Strep

INTRODUCTION In children, signs of arterial ischemic stroke are often unrecognized at initial presentation; delayed diagnosis can hinder prompt intervention and compromise outcomes. Chorea/ballismus is a rare presenting sign of stroke in pediatrics, with 7 cases reported in the medical literature. CASE REPORT The parents of a 4 year-old healthy male received a phone call from school reporting "bizarre" movements of the right upper extremity. The arm would fling intermittently, unpredictably, violently and uncontrollably, losing control over whatever object or task was being undertaken. It was accompanied by …
Spelling-Aware Construction of Macaronic Texts for Teaching Foreign-Language Vocabulary

We present a machine foreign-language teacher that modifies text in a student’s native language (L1) by replacing some word tokens with glosses in a foreign language (L2), in such a way that the student can acquire L2 vocabulary simply by reading the resulting macaronic text. The machine teacher uses no supervised data from human students. Instead, to guide the machine teacher’s choice of which words to replace, we equip a cloze language model with a training procedure that can incrementally learn representations for novel words, and use this model as a proxy for the word guessing and learning ability of real human students. We use Mechanical Turk to evaluate two variants of the student model: (i) one that generates a representation for a novel word using only surrounding context and (ii) an extension that also uses the spelling of the novel word.
Toward a Taxonomy of Wearable Technologies in Healthcare

Wearable Technologies continue to dramatically change healthcare system in various ways. The proliferation of these wearable technologies used in healthcare has made the emerging discipline confusing to understand. To better understand the rapid, fast-moving change, we propose a taxonomy to classify wearable technologies in terms of three major dimensions: application, form, and functionality. This taxonomy is evaluated by conducting both literate and market mapping. By doing so, we were able to classify a number of existing wearable technologies in light of the taxonomy dimensions. This DSR project concludes with some practical implications as design principles.
A case report of three children with secondary hypertension caused by Liddle syndrome.

Background Liddle syndrome is a monogenetic cause of early-onset hypertension that is associated with hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis that is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion with variable penetrance. Case presentation We present a case report of three children seen at a tertiary children's hospital with varying severity of hypertension and electrolyte disturbances, who had genetic testing performed due to strong family history of hypertension. They were each subsequently found with the same genetic mutation of SCNN1B consistent with Liddle syndrome and started on epithelial sodium channel inhibitors with improvement in their blood pressure. Conclusion Due to its variable penetrance, Liddle syndrome can have varying severity of blood pressure and electrolyte disturbances. Prompt recognition of Liddle syndrome is important to prevent cardiovascular complications from uncontrolled hypertension.
Analysing uncertainty in parameter estimation and prediction for grey-box building thermal behaviour models

Abstract The potential reduction in energy consumption for space heating in buildings realised by the use of predictive control systems directly depends on the prediction accuracy of the building thermal behaviour model. Hence, model calibration methods that allow improved prediction accuracy for specific buildings have received significant scientific interest. An extension of this work is the potential use of calibrated models to estimate the thermal properties of an existing building, using measurements collected from the actual building, rather than relying on building specifications. Simplified thermal network models, often expressed as grey-box Resistor-Capacitor circuit analogue models, have been successfully applied in the prediction setting. However, the use of such models as soft sensors for the thermal properties of a building requires an assumption of physical interpretation of the estimated parameters. The parameters of these models are estimated under the effects of both epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty, in the model structure and the calibration data. This uncertainty is propagated to the estimated parameters. Depending on the model structure and the dynamic information content in the data, the parameters may not be identifiable, thus resulting in ambiguous point estimates. In this paper, the Profile Likelihood method, typical of a frequentist interpretation of parameter estimation, is used to diagnose parameter identifiability by projecting the likelihood function onto each parameter. If a Bayesian framework is used, treating the parameters as random variables with a probability distribution in the parameter space, projections of the posterior distribution can be studied by using the Profile Posterior method. The latter results in projections that are similar to the marginal distributions obtained by the popular Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. The different approaches are applied and compared for five experimental cases based on observed data. Ambiguity of the estimated parameters is resolved by the application of a prior distribution derived from a priori knowledge, or by appropriate modification of the model structure. The posterior predictive distribution of the model output predictions is shown to be mostly unaffected by the parameter non-identifiability.