cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Torsional vibration suppression of DFIG drive-chain under grid fault

The electromagnetic torque characteristics of DFIG(Doubly-Fed Induction Generator) and the relevant torsional vibrations are analyzed for different grid fault types and operating conditions,based on which,the influence of key drive-chain parameters on the torsional vibration is obtained. Analytical results show that,the scheme of drive-chain parameter configuration for reducing the modal coupling is ineffective in the suppression of torsional vibration during grid fault;the proper way is to weaken the torque overshoot during the fault occurrence and recovery and to increase the damping of drive-chain. A strategy of virtual drive-chain damping configuration based on the torsional angular velocity and additional electromagnetic torque is proposed. As the torsional angular velocity may not be easily obtained,an equivalent strategy of virtual drive-chain damping configuration based on generator speed is proposed as well. The characteristics of virtual configuration parameters and the effectiveness of two proposed strategies are verified by PSCAD simulations.
Growth Trait Comparison of Five Fine Varieties of Camellia Oleifera Grafted Seedling

The grafted experiment on five fine identified Varieties of Camellia Oleifera seedling were conducted at nursery base of Jianshui county from Jan to Jun in 2010.Test results showed that survival rate of five grafted varieties was 84.7%,seedlings grew well,the average height of half year growth was12.1 cm,the average diameter was 0.38 cm.The differences between graft survival rate,seedling height,diameter,root length,lateral root number among five fine grafted varieties were significant.No 9 and No 14 of Camellia Oleifera performed better.
Comparison of Agar Media for Detection and Quantification of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli in Cattle Feces

ABSTRACT The isolation and quantification of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from cattle feces are challenging. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of selected agar media in an attempt to identify an optimal medium for the detection and quantification of non-O157 STEC in cattle feces. Comparison studies were performed using CHROMagar STEC, Posse differential agar (Posse), Posse modified by the reduction or addition of antimicrobials, STEC heart infusion washed blood agar with mitomycin C (SHIBAM), and SHIBAM modified by the addition of antimicrobials. Fourteen STEC strains, two each belonging to serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157, were used to test detection in inoculated fecal suspensions at concentrations of 102 or 103 CFU/g. One STEC strain from each of these seven serogroups was used to estimate the concentration of recovered STEC in feces inoculated at 103, 104, or 105 CFU/g. Significantly more suspensions (P < 0.05) were posit...
TWO FRAGMENTED HUMAN BONE ASSEMBLAGES FROM YELLOW JACKET, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO

ABSTRACTAt least 20 bone assemblages showing features indicative of possible violence and cannibalism have been documented in the American Southwest. Excavations by the University of Colorado Museum field school at Yellow Jacket, southwestern Colorado, have revealed two separate examples of skeletal remains of multiple individuals that were broken and deposited during Pueblo II times between A.D. 950 and A D. 1050. In 1959 the fragmented remains of four individuals were found in a storage pit at Porter Pueblo (5MT-1), a residential site near Yellow Jacket Ruin (5MT-5). In 1987 a second bone deposit representing at least 10 individuals was found on the floor of a kiva at 5MT-3, another residential site in the Yellow Jacket complex. Taphonomic characteristics of these human skeletal remains are similar to those of other Anasazi bone assemblages for which cannibalism has been postulated. Evidence of human modification of the bone assemblages includes cutting, burning, and breaking.
The blemishes of modern society? Acne prevalence in the Dogon of Mali.

Background and Objectives: Non-communicable diseases may reflect an evolutionary mismatch between our human ancestry and modern environments. To explore the mismatch hypothesis for Acne vulgaris, we studied the prevalence and severity of acne in Dogon adolescents in Mali, West Africa. Methodology: We graded the prevalence and severity of acne in 1182 Dogon adolescents aged 11–18 years from nine villages using facial photos taken as part of a prospective cohort study. Eighty-nine (89%) of the individuals in the cohort migrated to the city during adolescence, enabling us to assess the effect of urban migration. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated the effect of predictor variables on the presence of acne. Results: The prevalence of acne in the cohort was 28%, with 90% of cases being mild or very mild. Thus, the prevalence and severity of acne was much lower than for adolescents in high-income countries. Controlling for age, puberty, and body mass index (BMI), the odds of boys developing acne was 85% lower in the city than in the villages (P = 0.002). Conclusion and Implications: Acne is similar to the ‘diseases of civilization’ in being promoted by the pro-inflammatory properties of modern diets. The low prevalence and severity of acne in the Dogon supports the mismatch hypothesis and suggests that acne should join the list of diseases of modern lifestyles. However, we also observed an unexpected decrease in acne in urban boys. Future research is needed for a deeper mechanistic understanding of the interplay between diet, inflammation, immune function and other environmental exposures that differ between urban and rural environments.
Optimal Design of the Shiryaev–Roberts Chart: Give Your Shiryaev–Roberts a Headstart

We offer a numerical study of the effect of headstarting on the performance of a Shiryaev–Roberts (SR) chart set up to control the mean of a normal process. The study is a natural extension of that previously carried out by Lucas and Crosier (Technometrics 24(3):199–205, 1982. https://doi.org/10.2307/1268679) for the CUSUM scheme. The Fast Initial Response (FIR) feature exhibited by a headstarted CUSUM turns out to be also characteristic of an SR chart (re-)started off a positive initial score. However, our main result is the observation that a FIR SR with a carefully designed optimal headstart is not just faster to react to an initial out-of-control situation, it is nearly the fastest uniformly, i.e., assuming the process under surveillance is equally likely to go out of control effective any sample number. The performance improvement is the greater, the fainter the change. We explain our optimization strategy, and tabulate the optimal initial score, control limit, and the corresponding “worst possible” out-of-control Average Run Length (ARL), considering mean-shifts of diverse magnitudes and a wide range of levels of the in-control ARL.
Piezoelectric energy harvesting using a novel cymbal transducer design

A novel bridge transducer based on the cymbal design has been developed for energy harvesting from impact loading by vehicle-induced deformations in pavement. The bridge transducer consists of a 2 mm thick 32×32 mm square soft PZT ceramic and hardened steel end caps. A novel electrode design is used to polarize the piezoelectric ceramic along its length, effectively utilizing d33 mode for enhanced energy generation. A prototype module with 64 bridge transducers were fabricated and loaded repeatedly to simulate vehicle traffic on a highway. When compared to the conventional transducer design, horizontal poling increases energy and voltage considerably. Each loading of the prototype transducer module generates 0.83 mJ of energy. Loading under simulated traffic conditions at 5 Hz generated 2.1 mW at a resistive load of 400 kOhm.
Akirin2 is essential for the formation of the cerebral cortex.

The proper spatial and temporal regulation of dorsal telencephalic progenitor behavior is a prerequisite for the formation of the highly-organized, six-layered cerebral cortex. Premature differentiation of cells, disruption of cell cycle timing, excessive apoptosis, and/or incorrect neuronal migration signals can have devastating effects, resulting in a number of neurodevelopmental disorders involving microcephaly and/or lissencephaly. Though genes encoding many key players in cortical development have been identified, our understanding remains incomplete. We show that the gene encoding Akirin2, a small nuclear protein, is expressed in the embryonic telencephalon. Converging evidence indicates that Akirin2 acts as a bridge between transcription factors (including Twist and NF-κB proteins) and the BAF (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling machinery to regulate patterns of gene expression. Constitutive knockout of Akirin2 is early embryonic lethal in mice, while restricted loss in B cells led to disrupted proliferation and cell survival. We generated cortex-restricted Akirin2 knockouts by crossing mice harboring a floxed Akirin2 allele with the Emx1-Cre transgenic line and assessed the resulting embryos using in situ hybridization, EdU labeling, and immunohistochemistry. The vast majority of Akirin2 mutants do not survive past birth, and exhibit extreme microcephaly, with little dorsal telencephalic tissue and no recognizable cortex. This is primarily due to massive cell death of early cortical progenitors, which begins at embryonic day (E)10, shortly after Emx1-Cre is active. Immunostaining and cell cycle analysis using EdU labeling indicate that Akirin2-null progenitors fail to proliferate normally, produce fewer neurons, and undergo extensive apoptosis. All of the neurons that are generated in Akirin2 mutants also undergo apoptosis by E12. In situ hybridization for Wnt3a and Wnt-responsive genes suggest defective formation and/or function of the cortical hem in Akirin2 null mice. Furthermore, the apical ventricular surface becomes disrupted, and Sox2-positive progenitors are found to “spill” into the lateral ventricle. Our data demonstrate a previously-unsuspected role for Akirin2 in early cortical development and, given its known nuclear roles, suggest that it may act to regulate gene expression patterns critical for early progenitor cell behavior and cortical neuron production.
Utility of MYD88 in the Differential Diagnosis and Choice of Second-Line Therapy in a Case of Nonsecretory Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma versus Free Light Chain Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.

The MYD88 L265P somatic variant (MYD88) has a high prevalence in Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), a form of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) associated with monoclonal IgM. Although the role of MYD88 in WM was initially reported in 2012, it was not until 2016 that MYD88 testing was included in the National Cancer Care Network (NCCN) Guidelines. We present a case illustrating the utility of MYD88 status in distinguishing atypical forms of WM from marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and in selecting second-line therapy with ibrutinib. In 2012, a 64-year-old male presented with dyspnea on exertion, a hemoglobin of 5.6 g/dL, a platelet count of 86,000, and monoclonal IgM kappa on serum immunofixation but no detectable M-spike. Bone marrow biopsy revealed 95% monoclonal B-lymphocytes with lymphoplasmacytic differentiation favoring a diagnosis of LPL/WM over MZL, with a favorable response to chemotherapy. This diagnosis was called into question 3 years later following relapse, and MZL was favored based on the lack of MYD88 mutation. One year later, however, repeat bone marrow biopsy detected the MYD88 mutation and therapy with ibrutinib yielded a favorable response. The distinction between certain lymphomas can be problematic and in this case MYD88 was helpful in clarifying a diagnosis of atypical LPL/WM from MZL and in selecting effective second-line therapy.
Primitive Quiescent CD34+ Cells in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Are Targeted by In Vitro Expanded Allogeneic Natural Killer Cells, Which Are Functionally Enhanced by Bortezomib Treatment.

Abstract Primitive quiescent CD34+ cells in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are relatively resistant to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors imatinib and dasatinib, which may explain the persistence of detectable BCR-ABL transcripts following treatment with these agents. Conversely, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can eradicate residual CML, suggesting that quiescent stem cells are eliminated by graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects. We studied the progeny of CD34+ cells after 4 days culture in serum-free media supplemented with interleukin-3, interleukin-6, stem cell factor, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and Flt-3 ligand in 14 CML patients (8 chronic phase, 6 advanced phase) who subsequently received T cell depleted SCT from their HLA-identical sibling donors. Cycling CD34-negative and CD34+, and non-cycling quiescent CD34+ CML cells were isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Fluorescence in situ hybridization in 4 representative CML patients revealed over 80% BCR-ABL positivity in both quiescent and cycling CD34+ and CD34-negative populations. Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we found the expression of BCR-ABL, and leukemia-associated antigens (LAA), WT1, PR3 and ELA2, were the same in both cycling and quiescent CD34+ cell populations in CML. LAA expression was not significantly different when compared with similarly cultured CD34+ cells from healthy donors. Pre-SCT quiescent CD34+ cells from CML patients were lysed by natural killer (NK) cells from their donors but were less susceptible than their cycling CD34+ and CD34-negative counterparts. Purified donor NK cells (n=7) expanded after 11–13 days culture with interleukin-2 and irradiated EBV-LCL lysed quiescent CD34+ CML cells as well as their cycling CD34+ and CD34-negative progeny. Previous studies have demonstrated that bortezomib can sensitize malignant cells to NK-cell tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) (Lundqvist et al Cancer Res. 2006 Jul 15;66(14):7317–25). Addition of bortezomib 10nM to CD34+ cell cultures enhanced cytotoxic effects of expanded donor NK cells on quiescent CD34+ CML cells. As observed with other malignancies, this enhanced sensitivity to NK-cytotoxicity correlated with increased expression of TRAIL receptors DR4 and DR5 on the surface of CD34+ quiescent cells, compared with cycling CD34+ or CD34-negative cells. Bortezomib treatment did not significantly affect the expression of MHC Class I, MIC A/B or Fas (CD95) on CD34+ quiescent or cycling cells. These results suggest that adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded donor NK cells with concomitant administration of bortezomib to the recipient may enhance cytotoxicity to quiescent CD34+ cells and may improve NK-mediated GVL effects. This may be particularly applicable to CML patients who are increasingly transplanted in more advanced stage disease, and so are at a greater risk of relapse post-SCT.
Characterization and prevalence of spondyloarthritis and peripheral arthritis among patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background Joint complaints such as spondyloarthritis and peripheral arthritis are the most common extraintestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, the evaluation of these symptoms are poorly described. Objectives To examine the clinical characteristics and prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other joint complaints among patients with IBD. Methods In a local cohort of patients diagnosed with IBD between 1996 and 2009, we performed a retrospective study at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. Patients with IBD were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes and confirmed by chart review. The occurrence of AS, peripheral arthritis, and other peripheral and axial joint symptoms were identified. Results We identified 626 patients with IBD between ages 18 and 90 (90% males), of whom 57% had ulcerative colitis (UC), 74% were Caucasians, and the mean age at diagnosis was 54 (±16) years. Among the study population, 108 patients (17%) had at least one type of joint pain. Among these 17% with joint pain, 12% had AS, 43% had peripheral arthritis, 32% had chronic back pain without AS, and 13% had other types of joint pain. The overall prevalence of peripheral arthritis among patients with IBD was three times higher than that of AS (7% vs 2.1%, respectively, OR 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-6.5; p=0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of AS or peripheral arthritis between patients with Crohn's disease and UC. The initial diagnosis of AS occurred after the initial diagnosis of IBD in 80% of patients within a mean (SD) period of 5.6 (±6) years. Conclusion Spondyloarthritis among patients with IBD is usually diagnosed after the initial diagnosis of IBD. No difference in the prevalence of AS or peripheral arthritis was observed by IBD type, age, or race. Recognition and understanding of these results will have important implications for the management of IBD patients with spondyloarthritis.
Preoperative cerebral hemodynamics from birth to surgery in neonates with critical congenital heart disease.

Background Hypoxic-ischemic white matter brain injury commonly occurs in neonates with critical congenital heart disease. Recent work has shown that longer time to surgery is associated with increased risk for this injury. In this study we investigated changes in perinatal cerebral hemodynamics during the transition from fetal to neonatal circulation to ascertain mechanisms that might underlie this risk. Methods Neonates with either transposition of the great arteries (TGA) or hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were recruited for preoperative noninvasive optical monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation, cerebral oxygen extraction fraction, and cerebral blood flow using diffuse optical spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy, 2 noninvasive optical techniques. Measurements were acquired daily from day of consent until the morning of surgery. Temporal trends in these measured parameters during the preoperative period were assessed with a mixed effects model. Results Forty-eight neonates with TGA or HLHS were studied. Cerebral oxygen saturation was significantly and negatively correlated with time, and oxygen extraction fraction was significantly and positively correlated with time. Cerebral blood flow did not significantly change with time during the preoperative period. Conclusions In neonates with TGA or HLHS, increasing cerebral oxygen extraction combined with an abnormal cerebral blood flow response during the time between birth and heart surgery leads to a progressive decrease in cerebral tissue oxygenation The results support and help explain the physiological basis for recent studies that show longer time to surgery increases the risk of acquiring white matter injury.
Abstractions and Directives for Adapting Wavefront Algorithms to Future Architectures

Architectures are rapidly evolving, and exascale machines are expected to offer billion-way concurrency. We need to rethink algorithms, languages and programming models among other components in order to migrate large scale applications and explore parallelism on these machines. Although directive-based programming models allow programmers to worry less about programming and more about science, expressing complex parallel patterns in these models can be a daunting task especially when the goal is to match the performance that the hardware platforms can offer. One such pattern is wavefront. This paper extensively studies a wavefront-based miniapplication for Denovo, a production code for nuclear reactor modeling. We parallelize the Koch-Baker-Alcouffe (KBA) parallel-wavefront sweep algorithm in the main kernel of Minisweep (the miniapplication) using CUDA, OpenMP and OpenACC. Our OpenACC implementation running on NVIDIA's next-generation Volta GPU boasts an 85.06x speedup over serial code, which is larger than CUDA's 83.72x speedup over the same serial implementation. Our experimental platform includes SummitDev, an ORNL representative architecture of the upcoming Summit supercomputer. Our parallelization effort across platforms also motivated us to define an abstract parallelism model that is architecture independent, with a goal of creating software abstractions that can be used by applications employing the wavefront sweep motif.
Convergence of the Godunov scheme for a scalar conservation law with time and space discontinuities

We consider the Godunov scheme as applied to a scalar conservation law whose flux has discontinuities in both space and time. The time-and space-dependence of the flux occurs through a positive mul...
Cognitive Biases Affect the Acceptance of Tradeoff Studies

Tradeoff studies involving human subjective calibration and data updating are often distrusted by decision makers. A review of objectivity and subjectivity in decision making confirms that prospect theory is a good model for actual human decision making. Relationships between tradeoff studies and the elements of experiments in judgment and decision making show that tradeoff studies are susceptible to human cognitive biases. Examples of relevant biases are given. Knowledge of these biases should help give decision makers more confidence in tradeoff studies.
High efficiency Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Lycopersicon based on conditions favorable for regeneration

A successful Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system involving a disarmed Ti plasmid is composed of two stages: transformation of cells and recovery of transformed plants. A tissue transformation system with 34% efficiency was developed using stem segments of the interspecific tomato hybrid Lycopersicon esculentum × L. pennellii. This transformation system emphasizes three factors favoring the recovery of transformed plants: 1) promotion of cell division activity at the inoculation site with kinetin in the incubation medium, 2) promotion of adventitious bud initiation by using organized tissue explants in culture, and 3) application of selection at the shoot development stage of adventitious regeneration.
Self-Efficacy as an Engaged Learner

Student underachievement brought about by low academic motivation is a major factor contributing to school dropout. Motivation affects students’ engagement, or how their cognitions, behaviors, and affects are energized, directed, and sustained during academic activities. According to Bandura’s social cognitive theory, self-efficacy (perceived capabilities for learning or performing actions at designated levels) is a key cognitive variable influencing motivation and engagement. The conceptual framework of social cognitive theory is described to include the roles played by vicarious, symbolic, and self-regulatory processes. We discuss how self-efficacy affects motivation through goals and self-evaluations of progress and how various contextual factors may influence self-efficacy. Research is described that relates self-efficacy to underachievement and dropout. This chapter concludes with programs designed to raise school success and recommendations for future research.
Heat-Related Training and Educational Material Needs among Oil Spill Cleanup Responders:

Heat-related illness (HRI), injury, and death among oil spill cleanup responders can be prevented through training and educational materials. This study assessed heat-related training and educational materials currently used and desired by oil spill cleanup responders. A needs assessment was completed by 65 oil spill cleanup responders regarding their occupational heat-related experiences and training needs. Oil spill cleanup responders reported participating on average in 37 oil spill cleanup activities per year. Most reported experiencing additional HRI risk factors, such as high temperatures and humidity and wearing personal protective equipment and clothing ensembles, respirators, and personal flotation devices. Many reported experiencing symptoms of HRI (profuse sweating, headache, weakness, decreased urine output, high body temperatures) and experiencing heat exhaustion. Although multiple prevention controls were reported, only 1 in 4 reported using an acclimatization plan. The most common training delivery method and education received included just-in-time training and printed materials. The most desirable future training delivery methods and education products were smartphone or tablet applications, printed materials, and online training. Findings from this study may be beneficial to safety and health professionals and health educators, particularly those interested in developing heat stress training and educational materials for oil spill cleanup responders.
Do Motor Neurons Contain Functional Prejunctional Cholinoceptors

Among the many mechanisms which may regulate acetylcholine (ACh) release from mammalian motor nerve terminals is the possibility of negative feedback by the neurotransmitter itself on prejunctional cholinoceptor sites. Autoregulation of neurotransmitter release has been documented in adrenergic systems (21) and in central and autonomic cholinergic systems (12, 15, 22). Negative feedback of released ACh through presynaptic muscarinic receptors has been shown in cerebral cortex (22), hippocampus (15), guinea pig ileum (12), sympathetic ganglion of the bull frog (13) and rat atrium (24).
Spectral–Spatial Diffusion Geometry for Hyperspectral Image Clustering

An unsupervised learning algorithm to cluster hyperspectral image (HSI) data that leverages spatially regularized random walks is proposed. Markov diffusions are defined on the space of HSI spectra with transitions constrained to near spatial neighbors. The explicit incorporation of spatial regularity into the diffusion construction leads to smoother random processes that are more adapted for unsupervised machine learning than those based on spectra alone. The regularized diffusion process is subsequently used to embed the high-dimensional HSI into a lower-dimensional space through diffusion distances. Cluster modes are computed using kernel density estimation and diffusion distances, and all other points are labeled according to these modes. The proposed method has low computational complexity and performs competitively against state-of-the-art HSI clustering algorithms on real data. In particular, the proposed spatial regularization confers both theoretical and empirical advantages over nonregularized methods.
Case Presentation: Adoption in the Cancer Setting

A 30-year-old woman presented to a referring hospital emergency room with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. She worked as a musician and had limited financial security but had medical insurance. Ultrasound was performed, demonstrating lobulated, bilateral ovarian masses with concern for ovarian torsion. Emergency surgery was performed to relieve ovarian torsion, and pathology revealed endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the right ovary and mixed clear-cell and endometrioid carcinoma. Unfortunately, the patient had a complicated postoperative course that included wound dehiscence and infection, delaying further cancer-directed therapy. She required a prolonged hospital stay, including prolonged antibiotics, a wound vac, and eventual discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). She has limited social support, with a sister living locally whom she stayed with after recovering in the SNF. She was in a relationship, but it ended shortly after cancer diagnosis. Following recovery, she was referred to gynecologic oncology for further management where it was recommended she undergo three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by interval staging/debulking surgery and then an additional three cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy.
An Efficient TCAD Model for TeraFET Detectors

We present a TCAD model for AlGaAs/InGaAs and AlGaN/GaN TeraFET detectors validated in a large dynamic range. The modeling results are in good agreement with the analytical theory of the THz detection using FETs and with the experimental data for the 130 nm AlGaAs/InGaAs HFETs. The model also demonstrates the response saturation at high intensities previously observed in measurements and reveals the physics of the response saturation associated with the gate leakage. The TCAD model reveals that the gate edge engineering could be even more important for the AlGaN/GaN HFETs.
Crossing the Cervicothoracic Junction in Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion: A Cohort Analysis.

Background The cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) has often been identified as an area of biomechanical vulnerability; however, few studies have examined the relative merits of extending fusions across this area. In this study, we sought to investigate the tradeoffs involved in fusing across the CTJ in cases of elective posterior cervical laminectomy and fusion. Methods We conducted a single-institution retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective, multilevel, posterior cervical decompression and fusion for degenerative cervical stenosis. Data were collected on baseline clinical and radiographic variables as well any subsequent complications or reoperations. Outcomes measures were compared between those who received fusion stopping at C7 with those who received fusion crossing the CTJ, with multivariate logistic regression used to adjust for any known confounders. Results Patients whose fusion crossed the CTJ were found to have more levels fused (mean: 5.8 vs. 3.5 levels, P Conclusions Crossing the CTJ was associated with increased surgical time, estimated blood loss, and the rates of wound dehiscence. These tradeoffs should be considered in planning posterior cervical decompression and fusion procedures.
Greater neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits after single closed head traumatic brain injury in adolescent versus adult male mice.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health concern affecting 2.8 million people per year in the United States, of whom about 1 million are children under 19 years old. Animal models of TBI have been developed and used in multiple ages of animals, but direct comparisons of adult and adolescent populations are rare. The current studies were undertaken to directly compare outcomes between adult and adolescent male mice, using a closed head, single-impact model of TBI. Six-week-old adolescent and 9-week-old adult male mice were subjected to mild-moderate TBI. Histological measures for neurodegeneration, gliosis, and microglial neuroinflammation, and behavioral tests of locomotion and memory were performed. Adolescent TBI mice have increased mortality (Χ2 = 20.72, p < 0.001) compared to adults. There is also evidence of hippocampal neurodegeneration in adolescents that is not present in adults. Hippocampal neurodegeneration correlates with histologic activation of microglia, but not with increased astrogliosis. Adults and adolescents have similar locomotion deficits after TBI that recover by 16 days postinjury. Adolescents have memory deficits as evidenced by impaired novel object recognition between 3-4 and 4-16 days postinjury (F1,26 = 5.23, p = 0.031) while adults do not. In conclusion, adults and adolescents within a close age range (6-9 weeks) respond to TBI differently. Adolescents are more severely affected by mortality, neurodegeneration, and inflammation in the hippocampus compared to adults. Adolescents, but not adults, have worse memory performance after TBI that lasts at least 16 days postinjury.
3-D MIMO-SAR Imaging Using Multi-Chip Cascaded Millimeter-Wave Sensors

Integration of multi-chip cascaded multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensors with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging will enable cost-effective and scalable solutions for a variety of applications including security, automotive, and surveillance. In this paper, the first three-dimensional (3-D) holographic MIMO-SAR imaging system using cascaded mmWave sensors is designed and implemented. The challenges imposed by the use of cascaded mmWave sensors in high-resolution MIMO-SAR imaging systems are discussed. Especially, important signal processing functions such as near-field multistatic image reconstruction suitable for large MIMO apertures, multi-channel array calibration, spatial sampling, and image resolution are presented in the context of 3-D MIMO-SAR imaging. The prototyped 3-D MIMO-SAR imaging system is described in detail, along with various real imaging results.
Integration Concept of Injection, Forming and Foaming: A Practical Approach to Manufacture Hybrid Structures

Motivated by the concept of the integrative production systems, the hybrid process of polymer injection molding and sheet metal forming, known as polymer injection forming (PIF), has been introduced to manufacture sheet metal-polymer components in a single operation. Despite the wide potential application of this technology, its implementation in actual industrial production has been hindered due to several challenges; a thick layer of polymer where there is deep deformation, non-uniform deformation due to pressure loss and the opposite phenomena of shrinkage and springback. To mitigate these practical issues, the novel idea of integrating supercritical fluid (Sc.F.) technology with the PIF process is introduced in this work. As the proposed technology is a manufacturing innovation, with no available information in the literature correlating to this concept, two sets of experiments are designed to investigate the feasibility of this integration. In the first set, the effect of blank material and shot volume as design variables were investigated over a range of Sc.F. weight percentage. To improve the cell morphology in experiments with the low-strength sheet material, several other processing scenarios are explored in the second set of experiments. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the capabilities of this concept manufacturing process in terms of initiating the foaming process within the simultaneous injection/forming process, ensuring weight reduction (of up to 16%) and complete elimination of issues related to shrinkage.
Primary tumor resection in de novo stage IV breast cancer patients

Breast and axillary surgery in Stage IV disease is outside current national guidelines but has been a topic of ongoing debate. A single institution retrospective study identified women with de novo stage IV BC from 2011-2016 to evaluate the rate and goals of primary site surgery. Only 10.2% (n = 27/265patients) had primary site surgery. The goal of surgery was most often treatment intent (n = 23, 85.1%) not palliation (n = 4, 14.8%). There was no 30-day mortality and low (n = 1, 3.7%) 30-day morbidity. Multi-disciplinary patient care pathways based on modern evidence may help identify patients potentially suitable for primary site surgery.
Factors Contributing to Extended Hospital Length of Stay in Emergency General Surgery

Emergency general surgery (EGS) is a field characterized by disproportionately high costs, post-operative mortality, and complications. We attempted to identify independent factors predictive of an...
Self-Assembly and Nucleation of a Two-Dimensional Array of Protein Subunits

Crystallization of protein subunits into a two-dimensional lattice is a cooperative phenomenon, which means that large polymers are much more stable than small ones. The reason is that molecules in the interior of the lattice have the maximum number of intersub-unit bonds, whereas those on the edge have exposed bond sites. Since the ratio of perimeter to internal surface decreases as the array increases in size the large polymers have more bond energy per subunit.
Retrospective Analysis of Demographic, Psychiatric, and Physical Characteristics That Impact Length of Stay on an Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatric Unit

Currently, the aging adult population is rising fast and presenting multiple challenges for the US healthcare system. Older adults present unique challenges in their care of medical and psychiatric conditions. This study retrospectively examined characteristics that are associated with length of stay on an inpatient geriatric psychiatric unit in an urban located psychiatric hospital. A sample of 74 individuals was examined. Factors that influenced length of stay included commitment status and discharge to a different level of care. Reducing the length of stay for geriatric patients can help reduce costs and improve health outcomes.
ADAPTATION AND INTRAINDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN SALES OUTCOMES: EXPLORING THE INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF PERSONALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITY

Many practices in the field of industrial-organizational psychology assume that individual performance is stable across time; yet, little is actually known about the extent to which performance varies within individuals. We specifically address this issue by exploring the longitudinal influence of a situational opportunity (referrals received from the central office) on intraindividual performance outcomes of sales representatives. We also explore Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience as traits that explain variation in adaptation to changes in referrals. Our results show that more weekly variation in individual performance resides within individuals than between individuals. A majority of this variance is explained by the situational opportunity of referrals. Furthermore, the positive relationship between referrals and outcomes is stronger for sales representatives high on Conscientiousness, but weaker for representatives high on Openness to Experience. COPYRIGHT © 2006 BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC.
A Secure Communication Method for CANBus

Modern vehicles have numerous Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and they communicate over CANbus. Thus CANBus is an essential element in intra-vehicle communication. But CANBus protocol was designed without communication security in mind and thus it is vulnerable to many cyber attacks. Its communication messages are not encrypted and vulnerable to eavesdropping attacks. The message sources are not authenticated and the message content is not protected from modification attacks. Therefore there is a great need for a secure communication method with CANBus. However, it is not trivial to design a good algorithm due to its message size limitation and the real-time constraint. Currently proposed algorithms tend to be overly sophisticated, which is not good for vehicle maintenance. In this paper, we propose a simple and efficient secure communication method for CANbus using a combination of symmetric and asymmetric key cryptography. Specifically, all ECUs exchange a Diffie-Hellman public key with each other and create shared keys among all ECUs. This shared key is used as a seed for deriving a one-time key for each packet. A sequence number is used for deriving a new key as well as for protecting packets from replay attacks. Source address authentication and message authentication are provided by digital signature based on ECDSA algorithm. Once a message is encrypted, it is signed using ECDSA. We implemented the proposed algorithm on Raspberry Pi as a proof of concept. This scheme can protect CANBus from eavesdropping, replay, data modification, source spoofing, and message fabrication attacks.
Disturbances in Nutrition Relating to Liver Disease in Man

Publisher Summary The liver as a site of synthesis and transformation of nutrients has been a source of biochemical interest and study for several generations. In spite of the intimate knowledge of biochemists of the role of the liver in receiving, synthesizing, and transforming nutrients, physicians and clinical investigators have awakened only recently to the realization that in man disturbances of nutrition are important causes of liver disease, and that once liver disease is established impaired functioning of the organ may condition a variety of nutritional disturbances, which may mimic primary nutritional deficiency. The unique circulation of the liver, receiving blood laden with nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract, provides it with substances essential for its activities of storage and the elaboration of new materials. The liver also excretes substances, which it has removed from the blood (for example, bilirubin) or, in part, made by it (for example, cholesterol) into the bile channels and therefore, to the gastrointestinal tract.
The Δ(3, 3) phase shift

The resonant Δ(3, 3) phase shift is calculated by an extension of a current algebra model which previously has successfully accounted for all of the low-energy nonresonant πN data. The relation among the complex-pole position, the maximum-speed point, the effective pole model mass, the ninety-degree point and the bare resonance mass is elucidated.
Appearance modeling for person re-identification using Weighted Brightness Transfer Functions

Appearance of individuals across multiple cameras varies a lot due to illumination and viewpoint changes making person re-identification a challenging problem. In this paper, we describe how to model this appearance variation by using a novel Weighted Brightness Transfer Function (WBTF). In combination with powerful low-level features, we show that WBTF leads to large performance improvements by assigning different weights to different BTFs and combining them accordingly. We have compared our algorithm on two public benhmark datasets: VIPeR and CAVIAR4REID dataset, achieving new state-of-the art performance on both datasets.
Rocket Science: An Investigation of Magnum ROCKET SCIENCE on Memory, Athletic Performance, Endurance, and Energy

This small pilot study used a double blind, between-subject, experimental design for the goal of investigating Magnum ROCKET SCIENCE and assess its claim to enhance memory, athletic performance, endurance, and energy. The placebo and the experimental groups performed four separate measures for each of the dependent variables. Memory was measured using a short-term memory test. Athletic performance was measured using repetitive exercise. Endurance was measured through exercise eliciting 70% of VO2 max. Energy was measured through a subjective questionnaire. All the results were recorded and compared to baseline assessments. Once the ten participants (N = 5 per group) completed two full sessions, the results were scored and significant differences were noted: Memory t (7.26) = p < 0.05, Athletic Performance t (6.04) = p < 0.05, Endurance t (6.43) = p < 0.05, and Energy t (4.78) = p < 0.05. There was zero adverse effects experienced with the use of the supplement. It was concluded that the participants taking ROCKET SCIENCE had a significant increase in memory, athletic performance, endurance, and energy when compared to the placebo group. ROCKET SCIENCE was shown to be reasonably safe with no side effects reported and may help athletes reach their individual training goals related to the product’s claims while performing similar exercises.
Corrections for overlapping spheres in the self-consistent field Xα scattered wave method: Part 2. Application to NH3

Abstract A modification of the self-consistent field Xα scattered wave (SCF-Xα-SW) method with overlapping spheres was proposed, and the application to H 2 O was reported in Part 1. In the present paper, the SCF-Xα-SW method with non-overlapping spheres (MT method), with overlapping spheres but using the MT formulation (OS method), and with overlapping spheres using our corrections (COS method) are applied to the study of ground states of NH 3 . In general, trends in the effects on the electronic charge distribution, the total Xα energy and the orbital energies due to the inclusion of the overlapping spheres, with and without the proper corrections, agree with the results for H 2 O. Corrections of overlapping spheres are found to be significant when the percentage overlap is equal to or greater than 0.5%. Computation times for the three methods are comparable. Criteria for choosing the radii of the atomic spheres were also investigated. The calculated valence orbital energies of NH 3 with an optimal set of atomic radii are E (3 α 1 ) = −0.8802 Ry, E (1 e ) = −1.1658 Ry and E (2 α 1 ) = − 2.0159 Ry compared with experimental values of E (3 α 1 ) = −0.8812 Ry, E (1 e ) = −1.1614 Ry and E (2 α 1 ) = −2.0213 Ry respectively.
Influence of Sucrose and Starch on the Development of Anemia in Copper- and Iron-Deficient Rats

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effects of sucrose and starch on the development of copper and iron deficiency. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 48) were fed one of eight diets in a 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design for 24 d. Two levels of copper (deficient, 0.7 microgram/g, or adequate, 8.3 micrograms/g) and iron (deficient, 8.3 micrograms/g, or adequate, 50 micrograms/g), and two types of carbohydrate (sucrose or starch, 62% of the diet) were fed. Copper-deficient rats had significantly lower hematocrit, hemoglobin and tibia iron levels and depressed copper and iron absorption when fed sucrose instead of starch. The apparent absorption of copper, but not iron, was significantly lower when rats deficient in both copper and iron were fed sucrose rather than starch. Iron-deficient rats fed sucrose apparently absorbed significantly more iron than those fed starch; however, sucrose did not significantly improve hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. The metabolism of copper and iron by rats fed diets adequate in these nutrients was not affected by the type of dietary carbohydrate. These data indicate that the type of dietary carbohydrate alters both copper and iron metabolism, particularly in copper-deficient rats.
Adaptable binary programs

To accurately and comprehensively monitor a program's behavior, many performance measurement tools transform the program's executable representation or binary. By instrumenting binary programs to monitor program events, tools can precisely analyze compiler optimization effectiveness, memory system performance, pipeline interlocking, and other dynamic program characteristics that are fully exposed only at this level. Binary transformation has also been used to support software-enforced fault isolation, debugging, machine re-targeting, and machine-dependent optimization. At present, binary transformation applications face a difficult trade-off. Previous approaches to implementing robust transformations result in significant disk space and run-time overhead. To improve efficiency, some current systems sacrifice robustness, relying on heuristic assumptions about the program and recognition of compiler-dependent code generation idioms. In this paper we begin by investigating the run-time and disk space overhead of transformation strategies that do not require assumptions about the program's control flow or register usage. We then detail simple information about the binary program that can significantly reduce this overhead. For each type of information, we show how it enables a corresponding type of binary transformation. We call binary programs that contain such enabling information adaptable binaries. Because adaptable binary information is simple, any compiler can generate it. Despite its simplicity, adaptable binary information has the necessary and sufficient expressive power to support a rich set of binary transformations.
Effects of Sensory Input and Alcohol Administration on Visual Evoked Potentials in Normal Subjects and Alcoholics

Ethanol is generally classed as a sedative drug. Following even low doses, diminished sensory sensitivity to taste, smell, and painful stimuli may occur. We have hypothesized that alcoholics may lack some normal perceptual/neurophysiological inhibitory mechanisms in their CNS which renders them especially vulnerable to the effects of sensory over-stimulation (Ludwig et al. 1977). Drinking ethanol by alcoholics may then represent an adaptive attempt to diminish sensory input either by inhibiting sensory input pathways or by releasing central sensory inhibitory pathways normally less active. Based on this hypothesis, we might expect alcoholics to have greater sensory responsiveness than matched non-alcoholic normal controls while sober, especially under conditions of intense or prolonged sensory stimulation. Ethanol might have a differential effect on sensory responsiveness in alcoholics and normal controls, with an especially effective pharmacological ‘dampening’ effect of the drug contributing to its reinforcing qualities in alcoholics.