cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discontinuous Bifurcation Analysis of a Coupled Rate-Dependent Damage and Plasticity Model for Impact Responses

To identify the transition from continuous to discontinuous modes in the failure evolution of quasibrittle materials under impact, a coupled rate-dependent damage and plasticity model is developed within the thermodynamics framework. Due to the simplicity in model formulation, a continuum tangent stiffness tensor could be obtained for discontinuous bifurcation analysis, and the model parameters could be calibrated from split Hopkins pressure bar experimental data available. The coupled rate-dependent model could describe not only the pressure-dependent hardening/softening response but also the degradation of material stiffness under impact. A geometric criterion with a corresponding solution scheme is presented to explore the rate-dependent transition from continuous to discontinuous failure modes in the Mohr coordinates. The uniaxial compressive loading path is considered to illustrate the loading rate effect on the critical localization orientation and hardening parameters. It appears from the preliminary results that the coupled rate-dependent local continuum model might be combined with a decohesion model via discontinuous bifurcation analysis so that large-scale simulation of failure evolution could be performed without invoking higher-order spatial terms in the stress-strain space.
Characterization of the Porphobilinogen Deaminase Deficiency in Acute Intermittent Porphyria: IMMUNOLOGIC EVIDENCE FOR HETEROGENEITY OF THE GENETIC DEFECT

The molecular pathology of the porphobilinogen (PBG)-deaminase deficiency in heterozygotes for acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) was investigated by means of biochemical and immunologic techniques. The stable enzyme-substrate intermediates (A, B, C, D, and E) of PBG-deaminase were separated by anion-exchange chromatography of erythrocyte lysates from heterozygotes for AIP and normal individuals. In normal lysates, the intermediates eluted in a characteristic pattern with decreasing amounts of activity (A > B > C > D > E), the combined A and B intermediates representing >75% of total recovered activity. In contrast, two different profiles were observed in lysates from heterozygotes for AIP. In most heterozygotes, the elution profile was similar to that of normal individuals, but each intermediate was reduced approximately 50%. A second profile in which the C intermediate had disproportionately higher activity than the A or B intermediates was observed in asymptomatic heterozygotes with high urinary levels of PBG (>5 mug/ml) as well as in heterozygotes during acute attacks. These findings suggested that the C intermediate (the dipyrrole-enzyme intermediate) may be rate limiting in the stepwise conversion of the monopyrrole, PBG, to the linear tetrapyrrole, hydroxymethylbilane. To investigate further the nature of the enzymatic defect in AIP, sensitive immunotitration and immunoelectrophoretic assays were developed with the aid of a rabbit anti-human PBG-deaminase IgG preparation produced against the homogeneous enzyme. Equal amounts of erythrocyte lysate activity from 32 heterozygotes for AIP from 22 unrelated families and 35 normal individuals were immunoelectrophoresed. There were no detectable differences in the amounts of cross-reactive immunologic material (CRIM) in lysates from the normal individuals and 25 heterozygotes from 21 of the 22 unrelated families with AIP. In contrast, when equal enzymatic activities were coimmunoelectrophoresed, all seven heterozygotes from one family had approximately 1.6 times the amount of CRIM compared with that detected in normal lysates. Consistent with these findings, immunotitration studies also demonstrated similar quantities of noncatalytic CRIM in lysates from this AIP family. When equal activities of the individual A, B, C, and D enzyme-substrate intermediates from normal and CRIM-positive erythrocytes were immunoelectrophoresed, increased amounts of immunoreactive protein were observed for each intermediate, B > A approximately C approximately D, from the CRIM-positive AIP variants. On the basis of these findings, it is hypothesized that the enzymatic defect in the CRIM-positive AIP family resulted from a mutation in the structural gene for PBG-deaminase which altered the catalytic as well as a substrate binding site. These studies of the enzymatic defect provide the first demonstration of genetic heterogeneity in AIP.
Physical and mental health status and health behaviors in male breast cancer survivors: a national, population‐based, case‐control study

Objective Identify the current physical and mental health status and health behaviors of male breast cancer survivors. Methods Using data from the national, population-based, 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, 66 cases of male breast cancer were identified (mean age = 66.2 years, mean time since diagnosis = 12.0 years). Male breast cancer cases were matched with 198 male BRFSS respondents with no history of cancer (control group) on age, education, and minority status. The male breast cancer and control groups were compared on physical and mental health status and health behaviors, using t-test and logistic regression analyses. Results The male breast cancer group reported poorer physical and mental health than controls. Male breast cancer survivors were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio = 2.41) and reported more physical comorbidities (Effect Size = 0.45) and activity limitations (Odds Ratio = 3.17), poorer life satisfaction (Effect Size = 0.41) and general health (Effect Size = 0.40), and more days in the past month when mental health (Effect Size = 0.49), and physical health (Effect Size = 0.29) were not good. In contrast, the male breast cancer and control groups were similar with regard to current health behaviors, including tobacco and alcohol use, diet, exercise, and health care. Conclusions The diagnosis and treatment of male breast cancer may be associated with clinically important and long-term deficits in physical and mental health status, deficits which may exceed those evidenced by long-term female breast cancer survivors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulating methane emission from a Chinese rice field as influenced by fertilizer and water level

Natural and agricultural wetlands are considered to be the major sources of global atmospheric methane (CH4). A onedimensional model was developed to simulate methane emission and used to examine the influence of various physical processes on the rate of methane emission. Three processes involved in the methane emission are implemented in the model: production, reoxidation and transport. Three transport pathways were considered: diffusion across water‐air or soil‐air interfaces, ebullition and diffusion through plants. These pathways are influenced by soil properties, plant growth, water-table conditions, temperature and external inputs (e.g. fertilizer). The model was used to examine the seasonal variation of the methane emission at a rice field in Hunan, China, which was observed during a field experiment for consecutive (early and late) rice seasons in 1992. The observed seasonal variations of methane emission, and role of plants in transporting methane to the atmosphere, are captured by the model simulation. Further model applications were conducted to simulate effects of fertilizer and water-level condition on the methane emission. The results indicate that unfermented organic fertilizer produces a higher methane emission rate than mineral fertilizer. The simulations with treatments of a deep-water covering and constant moisture reduced the methane emission. The rice field study provides a framework for further development of the model towards simulations based on spatially distributed variables (e.g. water table, soil temperature and vegetation) at a regional scale. Copyright  2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi-input CRISPR/Cas genetic circuits that interface host regulatory networks

Genetic circuits require many regulatory parts in order to implement signal processing or execute algorithms in cells. A potentially scalable approach is to use dCas9, which employs small guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to repress genetic loci via the programmability of RNA:DNA base pairing. To this end, we use dCas9 and designed sgRNAs to build transcriptional logic gates and connect them to perform computation in living cells. We constructed a set of NOT gates by designing five synthetic Escherichia coli σ70 promoters that are repressed by corresponding sgRNAs, and these interactions do not exhibit crosstalk between each other. These sgRNAs exhibit high on-target repression (56- to 440-fold) and negligible off-target interactions (< 1.3-fold). These gates were connected to build larger circuits, including the Boolean-complete NOR gate and a 3-gate circuit consisting of four layered sgRNAs. The synthetic circuits were connected to the native E. coli regulatory network by designing output sgRNAs to target an E. coli transcription factor (malT). This converts the output of a synthetic circuit to a switch in cellular phenotype (sugar utilization, chemotaxis, phage resistance).
Hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for limited hepatic metastases.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of liver metastases. Methods and Materials: The records of 69 patients with 174 metastatic liver lesions treated with SBRT between April 2001 and October 2004 were reviewed. The most common primary tumors were colorectal ( n = 20), breast ( n = 16), pancreas ( n = 9), and lung ( n = 5). The mean number of lesions treated per patient was 2.5 (range, 1–6). The longest diameter of the lesions ranged in size from 0.6 to 12.2 cm (median, 2.7 cm). Dose per fraction ranged from 2 Gy to 6 Gy, with a median total dose of 48 Gy (range, 30–55 Gy). Dose was prescribed to the 100% isodose line (IDL), with the 80% IDL covering the gross tumor volume with a minimum margin of 7 mm. Results: The median follow up was 14.5 months. Sixty patients were evaluable for response based on an abdominal computed tomography scan obtained at a minimum of 3 months after completion of SBRT. The actuarial overall infield local control rate of the irradiated lesions was 76% and 57% at 10 and 20 months, respectively. The median overall survival time was 14.5 months. The progression-free survival rate was 46% and 24% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. None of the patients developed Grade 3 or higher toxicity. Conclusion: Hypofractionated SBRT provides excellent local control with minimal side effects in selected patients with limited hepatic metastases.
Effects of antiprogesterone on pregnancy: I. Midpregnancy

Abstract Isoxazole is a synthetic steroid of the family of androstano[2,3-d] isoxazoles. It is an antiprogesterone (A-P), since by inhibiting the enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSDH), it blocks the conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone (P). The antifertility and in vivo mechanism of action of this A-P were studied in 130 rats in midpregnancy. The animals were treated on day 10 of pregnancy with a single oral dose of vehicle (41 controls) or 1.25 to 10 mg. of isoxazole (58 rats), or 10 mg. of isoxazole plus 5 mg. of P intramuscularly (31 rats). Subsequently, sampling was done once on days 10 through 14 of pregnancy. The samples collected were: (1) sets of conceptuses, (2) the tail vein blood, (3) the uterine vein blood, and (4) uterine tissue. The weights of 1,370 conceptuses were measured, and in 260 plasma and 130 tissue samples the concentrations of : (1) P, (2) estradiol-17β, and (3) prostaglandin F (PGF) were determined by radioimmunoassays. The minimum antifertility dose of isoxazole was 2.5 mg. per rat (9 mg. per kilogram of body weight), while a dose of 1.25 mg. was ineffective. Effective isoxazole treatment provoked fetal death in utero by 12 hours and spotting and significant reduction (P
The Future Fallacy: A Conversation About the 'Certainty Principle'

The “future of war” is a persistently present topic of discussion among national security professionals. Last year, the New America Foundation, a think tank, teamed with Arizona State University to create a “Future of War Project.” Another Washington think tank — the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments — describes itself as “specializ[ing] in thinking about the future of warfare.” Peter Singer of Brookings presented a “TED talk” in 2009 on warrior robots that has garnered nearly 1.2 million online views. Both the Navy and the Army have small, specially-selected annual cohorts chartered to be novel, independent, and to “think big thoughts” on the long-term future of their respective Services, “unconstrained” by present policy and doctrine. In early 2015, the Army’s Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth sponsored a writing competition on the “future of war.” The Army’s senior leadership seems to routinely probe the future when faced with a smaller Army and fewer resources than desired, and more threats than are comfortable. This essay tries an unconventional approach — a Socratic dialogue — to express a contrarian view. While not dismissing thoughtful, limited attempts to forecast the future as substantively wrong, this essay argues that even the attempt to make those forecasts — especially by those in uniform — may, under certain conditions, be misguided, distracting, and ultimately undermine the military’s credibility. The following dialogue is entirely fictional: what it may lack in realism, it may gain ground in its original take on a persistent problem.
HYBRID MONTE CARLO-DETERMINISTIC METHODS FOR REACTOR ANALYSIS

AnewvariantofahybridMonteCarlo–deterministic approach for simulating particle transport problems is presented and compared to the SCALE FW-CADIS approach. The new approach, denoted as the SUBSPACE approach, improves the selection of the importance maps in order to reduce the computational overhead required to achieve global variance reduction—that is, the uniform reduction of variance everywhere in the phasespace. The intended applications are reactor analysis problems where detailed responses for all fuel assemblies are required everywhere in the reactor core. Like FW-CADIS, the SUBSPACE approach utilizes importance maps obtained from deterministic adjoint models to derive automatic weight-window biasing. Unlike FWCADIS, the SUBSPACE approach does not employ fluxbased weighting of the adjoint source term. Instead, it utilizes pseudoresponses generated with random weights to help identify the correlations between the importance mapsthatcouldbeusedtoreducethecomputationaltime requiredforglobalvariancereduction.Numericalexperiments, serving as proof of principle, are presented to compare the SUBSPACE and FW-CADIS approaches in terms of the global reduction in standard deviation and the associated figures of merit for representative nuclear reactor assembly and core models.
Ultrastructural studies of H-1 parvovirus replication: II. Induced changes in the deoxyribonucleoprotein and ribonucleoprotein components of human NB cell nuclei

Abstract Ultrastructural changes in the nuclear DNP and RNP components of human NB cells induced by synchronous infection with H-1 parvovirus were studied using Bernhard's EDTA method of staining. Early events (12 h after infection) occurred in the nucleolus. Chromatin within the nucleolar fibrous centers condensed thereby converting the centers to vacuoles. DNP associated with the granular nucleolonema also contracted markedly, causing a disruption of this skein-like structure; it then migrated peripherally forming a heterochromatic cortex surrounding the granular nucleolar vestige. Subsequently (24–36 h after inoculation), condensation of extranucleolar chromatin took place concurrently with the accumulation of extensive amounts of interchromatin granules in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Conglomerates of perichromatin fibrils and interchromatin granules were frequently juxtapposed to the condensing chromatin. Large clumps of interchromatin granules were also closely associated with fragmenting nucleoli, and the apparent transformation of nucleolar granules into interchromatin granules was observed. Accumulation of H-1 protein on chromatin evidently fostered its condensation resulting in the pathology described.
Auditory concept identification as a function of subject sex and stimulus dimensions

Binary stimulus dimensions of duration, laterality, frequency, amplitude, and number were compared for their respective information values in auditory concept identification of males and females. Amplitude, without irrelevant information, was shown to provide significantly less information than the other dimensions with the exception of number. Males performed significantly poorer than females with laterality relevant under conditions of 1, 2, and 3 irrelevant dimensions. Sex differences in laterality were replicated with additional Ss.
Perceived control, knowledge and fear of AIDS among college students: an exploratory study.

It is reasoned that fear of AIDS can be an inhibiting factor for students' adopting protective health behavior against acquiring AIDS. The study examined (a) how knowledgeable students are about AIDS and being in control of their life situation and (b) the relationship between knowledge of AIDS, perceived control and other selected factors on students' fear of AIDS. Using a sample of N = 597, drawn from two east coast universities, it was seen that, although some misconceptions still persist, students were both knowledgeable and fearful about AIDS. Foreign students reported more fear of AIDS. Having less knowledge as to how AIDS is acquired and a perceived lack of control were two dominant factors shown to be statistically (P less than .05) related to a fear of AIDS. Some policy implications are discussed.
Direct effect of endotoxin on the gastric mucosal microcirculation and electrical gradient

The effects of intra-arterial infusion of E. coli endotoxin at 1.0 mg. per minute on the gastric total and mucosal blood flows, electrical potential difference, and ionic fluxes across the gastric mucosa were studied in an exteriorized, chambered preparation of canine fundic stomach. Gamma-labelled microsphere technique was used in addition to venous drainage and plasma aminopyrine clearance for the measurement of total and mucosal blood flow, respectively. In spite of normal systemic blood pressure throughout the experiment, E. coli endotoxin infusion caused a significant decrease in total gastric blood flow and in the fractional distribution of flow to the mucosae. There was no significant arteriovenous shunting of microspheres. Significant reduction in potential difference and hydrogen-ion back diffusion also was noted after endotoxin infusion, possibly as a consequence of reduced mucosal blood flow. The results indicate that significant gastric mucosal ischemia can occur and may represent a mechanism in the development of gastric erosions in endotoxemia, even in the absence of systemic hypotension.
Discussion on Early German Modern Tendency in Education Reform

In history, especially 17th-century Germany was divided into many parts in the past three decades of war. The economy has suffered serious setbacks, which lagging far behind in all aspects of Britain, France and other countries until the 19th century .In just a few decades ,Germany has been achieved the national unity and the Industrial Revolution, catched up with countries such as Britain and France and jumped to number one power in Europe. Successful education reform improves the overall quality of the people, and promotes the rapid development of science and technology, which creating favorable conditions for early modernization. Modern Germany has been able to achieve such amazing success, because Germany attaches great importance to education, especially the government support and implementation, which promotes its modernization process.
Cystadenoma of the pancreas. Report of a case and its arteriographic diagnosis.

A patient with cystadenoma of the pancreas is reported. The gross appearance of this neoplastic cyst at first laparotomy led to the diagnosis of pseudocyst of the pancreas which was treated by internal drainage through a cystogastrostomy. Postoperatively, the patient’s condition did not improve. Subsequently, the arteriographie appearance of the vascular pattern of the tumor was helpful in differentiating cystadenoma from pseudocyst and carcinoma. Radical resection of this large cystic tumor was accomplished in the second operation by subtotal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and wedge resection of the stomach. It is emphasized that cystadenoma and pseudocyst may be similar in gross appearance, cystadenoma exhibits characteristic arteriographie features, and total excision is the treatment of choice for this unusual condition.
[Investigation on the epidemiology of Far-East tick-borne spotted fever in the Northeastern area of China].

Objective To study the infection rate, epidemiological features of Far-East tick-borne spotted fever in the Northeastern area of China and to provide evidence for prevention and control. Methods Nine cities from the three Northeastern provinces were chosen. Human serum, rat, serum, free tick sample as well as blood from suspected patients were determined by indirect immuno-fluoresenee assay. Rickettsiae was identified by guinea pigs plant method. Results The overall rate of infection among human beings was 17.46% ,with R. heilongjiangensis antibody the major one among the nine cities. The annual infection rate was 9.4 %. In a two year period, the rates of being bitten by ticks among forestry workers was 92.8 %, and 33.5 % among soldiers. The antibody positive rate and tick-bite rate were positively correlated. The serum positive rate in rats was 27.3%. 20 strains were isolated from blood which confirmed that 16 cases were related to R. heilongjiangensis and another 16 cases were Far East tick-Dome spotted fever. Clinical features of the patients were also analyzed. Conclusion Nine cities from the east part of the Northeastern areas of China were confirmed of having R. heilongjiangensis infection (3.4%-27.4%). Our results also demonstrated that in those above-mentioned areas,there had been an existing natural foci of Far East tick-borne spotted fever. Key words: Rickettsiae heilongjiangii ; Spotted fever; Epidemiology survey
Collaborative entity extraction and translation

Entity extraction is the task of identifying names and nominal phrases (‘mentions’) in a text and linking coreferring mentions. We propose the use of a new source of data for improving entity extraction: the information gleaned from large bitexts and captured by a statistical, phrase-based machine translation system. We translate the individual mentions and test properties of the translated mentions, as well as comparing the translations of coreferring mentions. The results provide feedback to improve source language entity extraction. Experiments on Chinese and English show that this approach can significantly improve Chinese entity extraction (2.2%-relative improvement in name tagging Fmeasure, representing a 15.0% error reduction), as well as Chinese to English entity translation (9.1% relative improvement in F-measure), over state-of-the-art entity extraction and machine translation systems.
Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK)

In amplitude shift keying (ASK), the amplitude of the carrier changes in discrete levels in accordance with the input digital signal, while the frequency of the carrier remains the same. In this chapter, the ASK modulation is presented along with the respective spectrum and bandwidth. These materials have been augmented by diagrams and associated waveforms to make them easier for readers to grasp.
Let Us Talk About It: Heart Failure Patients' Preferences Toward Discussions about Prognosis, Advance Care Planning, and Spiritual Support.

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study is to describe preferences of patients with heart failure (HF) for having advance care planning (ACP) discussions with clinicians and to identify characteristics associated with those preferences. Background: National guidelines call for having ACP discussions with patients with serious illnesses such as HF. Many patients with HF do not discuss ACP with their physician despite wanting to have them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study between July 2007 and November 2009 within HF clinics affiliated with a large, urban, academic medical center. Patients with New York Heart Association HF classes II and III were surveyed about whether they had or would like to have discussions with their clinician about what to expect in the future regarding their HF, prognosis, ACP, and their surrogate choice. Results: Patients (n = 104) were on average 53 years old (standard deviation = 14.3; range: 21–84) and had Class II (57%) or Class III (43%) HF. Most pa...
Copyright Across the Cohort: A Qualitative Evaluation of the Dissemination of Intellectual Property Information on ARL Websites

Over thirty years of legislation since the Copyright Revision Act of 1976 has redefined how academic library professionals view their responsibilities regarding copyright oversight of their print and digital collections, as well as how they have disseminated intellectual property information to their constituencies. This article presents a qualitative evaluation of how copyright information is disseminated on twenty ARL websites -including how sampled sites communicate copyright leadership roles on campus and webpage "best examples". Sampled websites were also searched separately by the author and an undergraduate student to gauge how easily accessible the information was to a "novice user" and "experienced user". A comprehensive literature review is included in the article.
Real-time signal processing using DSP microprocessors - an undergraduate capstone design course at Georgia Tech

In 1996, Georgia Institute of Technology completely revised its undergraduate curriculum as part of a process of switching from a quarter system to a semester system. Two elements of the new, combined electrical and computer engineering curriculum were that (1) DSP replaced circuits as the initial sophomore ECE course and (2) a new "capstone design" requirement was added at the senior level. As a result of these changes, a new course, real-time signal processing using DSP microprocessors, was created to fulfill the capstone design requirement. This paper presents a detailed description of the course and a detailed analysis of the course's performance over the past eight years. The author compares and contrasts the effectiveness of this course to earlier undergraduate courses that also covered real-time DSP theory and practice. The author also discusses the evolutionary effectiveness of modern DSP development tools in terms of ease of understanding, ease of use, and effectiveness as measured by student success.
Definition of the Syndrome

Mario is a second grader who loves school. He knows how to read, enjoys math, and looks forward every day to art class. He creates pictures that are covered with thick layers of paint and stickers. These cover his refrigerator at home. His teacher has trouble getting him to stop his schoolwork and go outside for recess. Once outside, he prefers to play alone instead of joining the other children’s games. His classmates admire him for his artwork and his sticker collection, but wonder why he has difficulty taking turns and sharing. Sometimes Mario has trouble switching activities in class and can be very slow or tearful when starting a new project. He still hasn’t found a best friend.
Freestanding carbon aerogels produced from bacterial cellulose and its Ni/MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 decoration for supercapacitor electrodes

Bacterial cellulose (BC) was used as a raw material to produce freestanding carbon aerogels (CAs). The CAs were further decorated with Ni and MnO2/Ni(OH)2 hybrid via electrodeposition and redox reaction to produce carbon nanofiber networks decorated with electrochemically active metal and metal compounds. The properties of this novel material as supercapacitor electrodes were investigated. The electrochemical performance of the electrodes was examined in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte using cyclic voltammetry (CV), cyclic charge–discharge (CCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests. The results showed that a specific capacitance of 109 F g−1 was achieved at the current density of 1 A g−1. The electrodes could deliver an energy density of 9.4 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 4 KW kg−1 and demonstrated a high cyclability. These results showed great potential of this new material for supercapacitor electrodes. A flexible solid-state supercapacitor prototype was prepared using this material to demonstrate its function as a power source for a LED light. This study provided a new way to use BC as a biobased low-cost material for the fabrication of energy storage devices.
Other Tongues at Work: Foreign Language Accommodation in Multilingual Organizations in the U.S.

Foreign language minorities are a ubiquitous part of the 21st century workforce, yet they are underrepresented in the diversity management literature. What little is known about workplace foreign l...
Evaluation of Thermal Pasteurization for Control of Metalworking Fluid Biodeterioration

A study was undertaken on metalworking fluids containing high levels of bacteria which were thermally pasteurized every other week for 10 weeks. Samples were prepared in duplicate so that following heat treatment, one was returned to its original biofouled container Those fluids in the other set were returned to a thoroughly cleaned vessel Heat treatment eventually proved less effective on the fluid from the ‘dirty’ container.
Brain Monoaminergic Neurons: Distribution and Function in Relation to Regulation of Autonomic, Neuroendocrine and Immune Systems

Four monoamines—dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine and serotonin—are present in neurons in several brain regions known or believed to be involved in the regulation of autonomic, endocrine and immune function. Various lines of evidence implicate these monoamines in such regulation. Some current antihypertensive drugs act through central noradrenergic pathways, and the possibility exists for therapeutic intervention in other cardiovascular, endocrine or immune diseases by pharmacologic modification of central monoaminergic function.
White-box program tuning

Many programs or algorithms are largely parameterized, especially those based on heuristics. The quality of the results depends on the parameter setting. Different inputs often have different optimal settings. Program tuning is hence of great importance. Existing tuning techniques treat the the program as a black-box and hence cannot leverage the internal program states to achieve better tuning. We propose a white-box tuning technique that is implemented as a library. The user can compose complex program tuning tasks by adding a small number of library calls to the original program and providing a few callback functions. Our experiments on 13 widely-used real-world programs show that our technique substantially improves data processing results and outperforms OpenTuner, the state-of-the-art black-box tuning technique.
Vertebral body resection and lumbar corpectomies

Abstract Corpectomies in the lumbar spine are unique operations with important and well-deserving nuances that determine their ultimate safety and efficacy. Lumbar vertebral resections are indicated in deformity and non-deformity settings. For deformities, they are reserved for those that are severe and rigid. Infections, fractures, and tumors that compromise the weight-bearing capacity of the anterior and middle columns of the spine are also indicated for lumbar vertebrectomy. Anterior column structural support is required in non-deformity situations and may be accomplished with the use of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cement, osseous strut grafts (i.e. allografts/autograft), or titanium cages (static vs. expandable). The newest generation of cages have wide, rectangular footprints that span the apophyseal ring and provide a sound biomechanical environment and minimize the risk of cage subsidence compared to those with circular footprints. Neural decompression and placement of structural support can be accomplished by a variety of surgical approaches. While a traditional anterior approach is the gold-standard for lumbar vertebrectomies, minimally invasive lateral approaches and a posterior-only approach are viable management strategies. Supplemental fixation is also required and may be achieved with anterior-only instrumentation, posterior-only instrumentation, and circumferential instrumentation. In the review to follow, an evidence-based approach will be used to outline appropriate indications, surgical technique, and concomitant reconstructive and stabilization options for lumbar corpectomies. The discussion to follow ideally will help optimize outcomes for patients treated with vertebral resection and lumbar corpectomies in the lumbar spine.
Real-time indocyanine green angiography with the SPY fluorescence imaging platform decreases benign ureteroenteric strictures in urinary diversions performed during radical cystectomy.

Background:Ischemia is thought to contribute to benign ureteroenteric stricture (UES) after radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (RCUD). Our institution adopted the use of ureteral perfusion a...
Peer Support: a Human Factor to Enhance Engagement in Digital Health Behavior Change Interventions.

The purpose of this report is to develop a theoretical model based on empirical evidence that can serve as a foundation for the science of peer-support factors that facilitate engagement in digital health interventions for people with serious mental illness (SMI). A review of the literature on how peer-support specialist interaction with consumers with SMI in digital health behavior change interventions enhances engagement. Unlike relationships with other health providers, peer-to-consumer relationships are based on reciprocal accountability —meaning that peer-support specialists and consumer mutually help and learn from each other. Under the recovery model of mental illness, reciprocal accountability suggests autonomy, flexible expectations, shared lived experience, and bonding influence engagement in digital interventions. Separate yet related components of reciprocal accountability in the context of digital health intervention engagement include (1) goal setting, (2) task agreement, and (3) bonding. Hope and sense of belonging are hypothesized moderators of peer-support factors in digital health interventions. Peer-support factors help people with SMI learn to live successfully both in the clinic and community. Peer-support specialists add value and complement traditional mental health treatment through their professional training and lived experience with a mental illness. The proposed model is a pioneering step towards understanding how peer-support factors impact engagement in digital health behavior change interventions among people with a lived experience of SMI. The model presents proposed factors underlying the reciprocal accountability processes in the context of digital health intervention engagement. This model and related support factors can be used to examine or identify research questions and hypotheses.
11C-Choline PET Guided Salvage Radiation Therapy for Isolated Pelvic and Paraortic Nodal Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy: Rationale and Early Genitourinary or Gastrointestinal Toxicities.

Abstract Purpose To assess gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) adverse events (AEs) of 11C-choline-positron emission tomography (CholPET) guided lymph node (LN) radiation therapy (RT) in patients who experience biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy. Methods and Materials From 2013 to 2016, 107 patients experienced biochemical failure of prostate cancer, had CholPET-detected pelvic and/or paraortic LN recurrence, and were referred for RT. Patients received androgen suppression and CholPET guided LN RT (median dose, 45 Gy) with a simultaneous integrated boost to CholPET-avid sites (median dose, 56.25 Gy), all in 25 fractions. RT-naive patients had the prostatic fossa included in the initial treatment volumes followed by a sequential boost (median dose, 68 Gy). GI and GU AEs were reported per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) with data gathered retrospectively. Differences in maximum GI and GU AEs at baseline, immediately post-RT, and at early (median, 4 months) and late (median, 14 months) follow-up were assessed. Results Median follow-up was 16 months (interquartile range [IQR], 11-25). Median prostate-specific antigen at time of positive CholPET was 2.3 ng/mL (IQR, 1.3-4.8), with a median of 2 (IQR, 1-4) choline-avid LNs per patient. Most recurrences were within the pelvis (53%) or pelvis + paraortic (40%). Baseline rates of grade 1 to 2 GI AEs were 8.4% compared with 51.9% (4.7% grade 2) of patients post-RT (P Conclusions Salvage CholPET guided nodal RT has acceptably low rates of acute GI and GU AEs and no significant detriment in 14-month GI AEs. These data are of value in counseling patients and designing prospective trials evaluating the oncologic efficacy of this treatment strategy.
The Impact of Substance Arrests on the Efficacy of Mental Health Court

There is ample evidence that Mental Health Courts (MHCs) are effective in reducing recidivism for participants who are mentally ill. This study will examine if MHCs are effective for the large number of clients with mental illness who abuse substances. Participants in Brevard County Florida’s Mental Health Court (N = 118) were examined for a history of substance arrests. Those with a substance history (n = 63) were compared to those without a substance history and examined for the outcome variables of days free before rearrest, severity of rearrest, and offense type (e.g., substance related, etc.). A history of substance arrests resulted in more rearrests for any offense at 1 year and more rearrests for a substance offense 3 years post-MHC, compared to participants without prior substance arrests. A survival analysis demonstrated that more MHC graduates without substance arrest history were able to remain arrest free in the community than those with substance arrest history. For those participants with a substance arrest history, graduating MHC was associated with less rearrests in general, less substance rearrests, and less severe rearrests than their non-graduating comparison group. Within the first 6 months of leaving MHC, the amount of substance arrests before they enter the program predicts the amount of substance offenses committed after they leave the program, and the association is much stronger in those who do not graduate MHC. Findings suggest that MHC has a significant impact even on those with co-occurring disorders. However, they are at greatest vulnerability to relapse with substances within the first 6 months after leaving MHC, suggesting greater substance-specific supports in the community for dually diagnosed participants may be beneficial.
Sleep and neurocognitive decline in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Abstract Introduction To determine if sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and sleep duration predict seven-year neurocognitive decline in US Hispanics/Latinos (N = 5247). Methods The exposures were baseline SDB, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and sleep duration. The outcomes were change in episodic learning and memory (B-SEVLT-Sum and SEVLT-Recall), language (word fluency [WF]), processing speed (Digit Symbol Substitution), and a cognitive impairment screener (Six-item Screener [SIS]). Results Mean age was 63 ± 8 years, with 55% of the population being female with 7.0% Central American, 24.5% Cuban, 9.3% Dominican, 35.9% Mexican, 14.4% Puerto Rican, and 5.1% South American background. Long sleep (>9 hours), but not short sleep ( Conclusion Long sleep duration predicted seven-year cognitive decline.
Mitral Valve Disease in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy:Evaluation and Management

To discuss the critical role of the mitral valve (MV) in the pathophysiology of obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), evaluation of the MV in HCM, the impact of MV characteristics on treatment in HCM, and management of the MV at the time of septal myectomy. Multimodality imaging helps describe mitral abnormalities in HCM, though significant controversy persists on what to do with these abnormalities. In certain cases, intervention on the MV may be necessary, although outcomes may be worse in those who undergo mitral interventions. Thorough assessment of MV anatomy and function is paramount in evaluating a patient with HCM. Emphasis should be placed on thorough evaluation and description of mitral abnormalities in HCM. Given significant practice variation, future studies could compare MV practice differences across institutions and how these impact long-term outcomes.
A Hot Spot Proof of the Generalized Wall Theorem

If a sequence of numbers behaves like a random sequence, do we expect subsequences to also behave like a random sequence? Wall proved that normality of a base-b expansion is preserved along arithme...
The rise of disposable JUUL-type e-cigarette devices

For the first few years of the vaping epidemic, to draw in smokers, the tobacco industry provided disposable ‘try it and throw it out’ cigalike electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), potentially driven by desire to convince people to try a new product that looked similar to cigarettes with a low initial cost—about the same as (or less than) a pack of cigarettes1; much less than a typical reusable e-cigarette starter kit. As vaping became more widespread and normative and users moved into larger tank and mod style e-cigarettes,2 there was less need to persuade people to try e-cigarettes with a disposable product. Moreover, their availability from online vendors became more scarce and expensive, with the proportion of online vendors selling disposable e-cigarettes dropping from 55.2% in …
The analysis and solution of contact rubbing fault for low pressure rotor of gas-steam combined cycle turbine unit

The contact rubbing fault mechanism for low pressure rotor of gas-steam combined cycle steam turbine unit is analyzed deeply in this paper. It is include that the high start and stop frequency of the gas turbine, the special operation mode of the long-time turning and the high designed turbine turning speed are the main reasons for the axial displacement to the inlet side of the fir-tree root and the contact rubbing fault of the low pressure rotor . At the same time, this paper presents a solution to the problem of contact rubbing fault of low-pressure turbine rotor, and analyzes the dynamic stress and vibration frequency of the new blade after technical improvement. The results show that the stress of root and groove of the new blade and the vibration frequency of the new blade can meet the requirements of safe and stable operation of the unit.
A new artificial intelligence GANNATS model predicts gasoline demand of Saudi Arabia

Abstract This paper develops a novel AI and data-driven predictive model to analyze and forecast energy markets, and tests it for gasoline demand of Saudi Arabia. The AI model is based on a genetic algorithm (GA), artificial neural network (ANN), and data mining (DM) approach for time-series (TS) analysis, referred to as GANNATS. The GANNATS predictive model was successfully designed, trained, validated, and tested using real historical market data. Results show that the model yields accurate predictions with robust key performance indicators. A double cross-validation of the model verified that Saudi Arabia's gasoline demand declined by 2.5% in 2017 from its 2016 level. The model forecasts that Saudi gasoline demand will maintain a mild growth over the short-term outlook. Variables impact and screening analysis was performed to identify the influencing factors driving the gasoline demand. The recent decline in Saudi gasoline demand is primarily attributed to the improvements in vehicle efficiency, lifting of fuel price subsidies, declining population growth, and changes in consumer behavior. This paper enriches existing knowledge of best practices for forecasting domestic and global gasoline demand. In addition, the methodology presented improves on traditional econometric models and enhances the predictability and accuracy of forecasts of gasoline demand.
Managing Substance Use Disorder through a Walking/Running Training Program:

While emerging studies have demonstrated the benefit of exercise in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery outcomes, lack of motivation to engage in exercise has been indicated as one of many perceived barriers that contribute to low recruitment and adherence rates in SUD treatment. The current study aimed to explore participants' perceptions of attending a supervised exercise program (boot camp workouts, walking/running practice, and a race event) while in treatment for SUD. A total of 109 participants were recruited to a 14-week exercise training program and 61 chose to participate in, and completed, a race at the close of the program. Interviews were conducted during weeks 6 through 14 and data were examined using Thematic Analysis. Three main themes were identified: (1) pushing forward recovery through running, (2) gaining a sense of achievement by crossing the finish line, and (3) building a sense of belonging in the program. Implications for SUD recovery programs are discussed.
The Race-Blind Future of Voting Rights

A critical issue in any racial vote dilution case is the proportionality (or lack thereof) of a minority group’s representation: how well (or poorly) minority voters are represented relative to their share of the population. In an important recent opinion, Judge Easterbrook proposed replacing this proportionality benchmark with what we call the “race-blind baseline.” Under this approach, minority voters’ representation would be compared not to their population share but rather to the fraction of seats they would control if districts were drawn randomly and without the use of racial data. Unsurprisingly, conservative advocates have been quick to embrace Judge Easterbrook’s idea. The current Supreme Court, which has already dismantled part of the Voting Rights Act, may also be interested in adopting the race-blind baseline. Yet until now, no one has explored this benchmark’s implications: how it would affect minority representation as well as the partisan balance of power. In this Article, we tackle these questions for the first time. We do so using a technique—the random generation of district maps by a computer algorithm—that has become the gold standard in partisan gerrymandering cases, but that has not previously been deployed in the context of race and redistricting. We find, first, that in most states, a non-racial redistricting process would yield substantially fewer districts where minority voters are able to elect their preferred candidates. Judge Easterbrook’s proposal would thus cause a considerable drop in minority representation. Second, we show that the minority opportunity districts that arise when lines are drawn randomly are quite different from the ones that now exist. They are less likely to pack minority voters and more apt to represent them through coalitions with white voters. And third, contradicting the conventional wisdom about the link between minority and partisan representation, we demonstrate that Democrats would not benefit from the elimination of opportunity districts under the race-blind baseline. Rather, in the southern states where the benchmark would have the biggest impact, it is Republicans who would gain a partisan edge.