cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiplicity and Welt

This article interprets Jakob von Uexkull’s understanding of different beings’ Innenwelt , Gegenwelt , and umwelt through Deleuzian insights of multiplicity, context, and particularity. This Deleuzian interpolation into Uexkull’s insights acknowledges the absence of a unitary ‘human’ view of nature, recognizing instead that plural viewpoints of cultures, subgroups and individuals understand and interpret natural signs variously not just because of ideology but because of physiology and contrastive fundamental ways of accessing the world. Recent formative research in comparative neurobiology suggests that universal anthropological claims of cross-cultural semiotic similarity are incorrect. Interpreting biosemiotics as the investigation of apprehending the Innenwelt of radically different others (species), such semiotic understandings themselves are not necessarily generalizable between different members of the same species in a group, same-species groups in different natural cultural contexts, or even (as with humans) the same animal at different points of time (based on new understandings, patterns, or events of meaning altering interpretations of self and events). Conjoining Deleuze’s insights of the complexity of multiplicity with Uexkull’s scientific-imaginative system of comprehending other creatures’ ways of understanding their world offers an increased self-reflexivity regarding the simultaneous levels of actual semiotic activity for biosemiotic inquiry.
Walker Percy and the Witness-People: Signposts in a Strange Land

This chapter will explore selected writings of the American novelist and philosopher Walker Percy (1916–90). I have chosen Percy because he is a “Christian” thinker and novelist in the broadest sense of that term, and because his work expresses with peculiar clarity the same witness-people myth described in the preceding chapters. One persistent thread in Percy’s writings is his portrayal of the Jewish people as unique, wandering, suffering, and eternal witnesses — a people who individually and collectively symbolize God’s existence, presence and activity in the world. Just as striking as Percy’s decision to utilize this theme again and again in his work has been the failure of Percy’s critics to analyze it critically.
Generating Realistic Images from Hydrothermal Plume Data

Most data used in the study of seafloor hydrothermal plumes consists of sonar (acoustic) scans and sensor readings. Visual data captures only a portion of the sonar data range due to the prohibitive cost and physical infeasibility of taking sufficient lighting and video equipment to such extreme depths. However, visual images are available from research dives and from the recent IMAX movie, volcanoes of the deep sea. In this application paper, we apply existing lighting models with forward scattering and light attenuation to the 3D sonar data in order to mimic the visual images available. These generated images are compared to existing visual images. This can help the geoscientists understand the relationship between these different data modalities and elucidate some of the mechanisms used to capture the data.
A randomized trial of an acceptance-based behavioral intervention for weight loss in people with high internal disinhibition.

Objective To determine whether an acceptance-based behavioral intervention (ABBI) produces better weight losses than standard behavioral treatment (SBT) among individuals reporting high internal disinhibition. Methods Participants were 162 adults with overweight or obesity (mean BMI 37.6 kg/m2) randomly assigned to ABBI or SBT. Both interventions provided the same calorie intake target, exercise goal, and self-monitoring skills training. SBT incorporated current best practice interventions for addressing problematic thoughts and emotions. ABBI utilized acceptance-based techniques based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ABBI and SBT were compared on weight change and internal disinhibition change over 24 months. Results Mixed models analysis showed mean weight loss at 24 months was −4.1% (SE = 0.88) for ABBI and −2.4% (SE = 0.87) for SBT (P = 0.204). Secondary analyses showed that the ABBI group regained less weight from the end of treatment to the final follow-up (4.6 vs. 7.1 kg; P = 0.005), and that a significantly higher proportion of ABBI participants achieved a 5% weight loss (38% vs. 25%; P = 0.038) at 24 months. Conclusions Results suggest that ABBI could be helpful for improving the maintenance of weight loss for individuals who report high internal disinhibition.
Dietary Fat Effects on Animal Models of Breast Cancer

Carcinogenesis is a multistage process which is frequently influenced by environmental factors. Elements in our nutritional environment have been repeatedly identified as important influences in the final expression of many human cancers. In this regard, both epidemiologi-cal studies and laboratory investigations have indicated that high fat diets enhance the growth and development of breast cancer. The biochemical mechanisms responsible for this dietary effect remain obscure at present, but the potential benefits of better understanding this important relationship are well recognized. Since epidemiology has a limited capability for defining such complex biochemical events, animal tumors have become the main experimental models for study.
Secure LTE-Based V2X Service

Internet of Things (IoT) is the reality of a new and powerful ubiquitous technology. One of its main driving forces is the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long-Term Evolution (LTE), seeking to encompass all the applications of IoT. With this trend, 3GPP has finally made the Release 14 for LTE-based vehicle to everything (V2X) service. In this proposed paper, we evaluated the new LTE-based V2X architecture in regards to V2X message delivery and security requirements. We showed that a proper resource allocation and reference point (channel) selection could accommodate all types of V2X message deliveries. However, focusing more on security, we deemed that LTE-based V2X security falls short of meeting adequate security requirements, especially, to well preserve the privacy. Hence, we proposed a privacy preserving security for LTE-based V2X service. Considering the privacy as the top security requirement, we seamlessly integrate our security scheme with the specified LTE security architecture. Our scheme is scalable while fulfilling basic wireless message security requirements. We also provide the security and performance analysis to show the robustness and effectiveness of our proposed schemes.
Using Oral History to Assess Community Impact: A Conversation with Beverly C. Tyler, Historian, Three Village Historical Society

This article examines the impact of an acquisition by Special Collections at Stony Brook University Libraries on community relations. The department acquired two historically important letters about the Culper Spy Ring, an intelligence gathering effort on Long Island, New York, initiated by George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Through a guided conversation with local historian Beverly C. Tyler, the authors gained insights on how the letters influenced the community’s re-telling of history and the development of new exhibitions and programming. The conversation also provided context for the relationship between the university and its neighbors. The narrative developed into a significant asset in its own right, in the form of an oral history that provides evidence of a previously undocumented facet of university-community engagement over time.
Catheter ablation in patients with pleomorphic, idiopathic, premature ventricular complexes

Background Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) often originate from multiple locations. Objective The goals of this study were to assess characteristics of patients with pleomorphic, idiopathic PVCs and to determine the impact of pleomorphic PVCs on outcomes. Methods Records were collected from 153 consecutive patients referred for ablation of PVCs. Patients with structural heart disease (n = 34) or inadequate ambulatory electrocardiographic data (n = 19) were excluded. Results Among 100 consecutive patients (age 52 ± 15 years, 53% men, 31% pleomorphic vs 69% monomorphic) referred for ablation of idiopathic PVCs, the success rate was lower in patients with pleomorphic PVCs than in those with monomorphic PVCs (71% vs 90%, P = .017, overall 84%). The presence of pleomorphic PVCs was independently associated with unsuccessful ablation. A cutoff of ≥156 nonpredominant PVCs over 24 hours best differentiated successful from unsuccessful ablation procedures (area under the curve 0.64, sensitivity 56%, specificity 74%). Pleomorphic PVCs more often had an epicardial origin than did monomorphic PVCs (29% vs 9%, P = .008). Repeat ablation procedures were required in 20 patients (20%; 6 had pleomorphic PVCs). Of these 20 patients, 16 (80%) had recurrence of the former predominant PVC, 3 patients (15%) had an increase of a nonpredominant PVC, and 1 patient (5%) had a newly emerging PVC focus. Conclusion The presence of pleomorphic PVCs affects ablation outcomes. Successful elimination of the predominant PVC often results in successful ablation, even if not all PVCs are targeted. Although pleomorphic PVCs infrequently require repeat ablation procedures, most recurrences are due to reemergence of the originally targeted predominant PVC morphology.
PolicyMap: Mapping Social Determinants of Health

PolicyMap is a mapping resource from The Reinvestment Fund that offers access to a range of demographic and health-related data, including chronic disease incidence, health care provider locations, food access, mass transit, and other social determinates of health. This column features a sample search and describes the types of outputs available with PolicyMap.
Design Research at the Crossroads of Education and Practice

Abstract This paper takes an experiential perspective in describing the current situation in design education and design practice as seen through the eyes of someone on the ground at the crosshairs between research and design in education and practice. The current situation is marked by the fact that practice leads education in the integration of research with design. The integration is going well. The biggest challenges are the incompatibilities between how design research is done in practice and how research takes place at the university. With the rise of sponsored projects in academia, the need for integration becomes imperative. The North American Design Research Organization (NADRO) aims to serve that need. The paper will conclude with actions that the newly formed NADRO can take to explore and cultivate the new design space between research and design in education and practice.
14-nm FinFET Technology for Analog and RF Applications

This paper describes the features and performance of an analog and RF device technology development on a 14-nm logic FinFET platform. An optimized single-side gate contact RF device layout shows a ${F}_{t}/{F}_{\text {max}}$ of 314/180 GHz and 285/140 GHz for ${N}$ and PFinFET device, respectively. The double-side gate contact structure with contact on either end of active gate enhances the peak ${F}_{\text {max}}$ performance to 227 and 195 GHz for both ${N}$ and PFinFET devices, respectively. A significant boost in the PFinFET RF performance is observed compared to 28-nm planar PFET, which is attributed to the source/drain SiGe epitaxy stressor that results in higher hole carrier mobility. On the other hand, the thin channel body of FinFET structure facilitates a better electrostatic control of gate over the channel region and hence suppresses short channel effects including the drain-induced barrier lowering. Consequently, a significantly higher self-gain ( ${G}_{m}/{G}_{\text {ds}})~40$ and 34 for both NFinFET and PFinFET is achieved. In addition, N/PFinFETs demonstrate superior 1/f noise of 17/35 fV $^{2}\mu \text{m}^{2}$ /Hz at 1 kHz compared to 171/106 fV $^{\mathrm {\mathbf {2}}}\mu \text{m}^{2}$ /Hz of 28-nm planar N/PFETs. To extend the low-voltage operation and power saving of FinFET RF platform, ultralow ${V}_{t}$ N/PFinFETs in the range of 50 mV ${V}_{t}\text{s}$ are also developed. Furthermore, a deep n-well process is added to the platform to provide device and circuit isolation from substrate and supply noise, while realizing the creation of new devices such as vertical NPN, PCAP, and high breakdown voltage deep n-well junction diodes. Overall, a superior ${F}_{t}/{F}_{\textsf {max}}$ , high self-gain, low 1/f noise, and robust substrate isolation characteristics extend the capability of this new 14-nm FinFET technology to the analog and RF circuit applications.
Ozone impact minimization through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants in an ozone nonattainment area

Abstract Turnaround operations (start-up and shutdown) are critical operations in olefin plants, which emit large quantities of VOCs, NOx and CO. The emission has great potentials to impact the ozone level in ozone nonattainment areas. This study demonstrates a novel practice to minimize the ozone impact through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants located in Houston, Texas, an ozone nonattainment area. The study considered two olefin plants scheduled to conduct turnaround operations: one start-up and one shutdown, simultaneously on the same day within a five-hour window. Through dynamic simulations of the turnaround operations using ASPEN Plus Dynamics and air quality simulations using CAMx, the study predicts the ozone impact from the combined effect of the two turnaround operations under different starting-time scenarios. The simulations predict that the ozone impact from planned turnaround operations ranges from a maximum of 11.4 ppb to a minimum of 1.4 ppb. Hence, a reduction of up to 10.0 ppb can be achieved on a single day based on the selected two simulation days. This study demonstrates a cost-effective and environmentally benign ozone control practice for relevant stakeholders, including environmental agencies, regional plant operators, and local communities.
Solid organ transplantation of viral hepatitis C positive donor organs into viral hepatitis C negative recipients.

Purpose of reviewStrategies are needed to reduce waitlist mortality and increase transplantation rates. Advances in hepatitis C therapy has allowed the transplant community to look toward utilization of grafts from hepatitis C viremic donors to expand the organ pool. Use of such grafts for hepatitis
Comparison of two pediatric cases requiring the use of bivalirudin during cardiopulmonary bypass

Introduction:Comparison of two pediatric cases at our institution that utilized bivalirudin for anticoagulation on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB); a bilateral lung transplant (BLT) and a ventricular ...
Individual- and School-Level Factors Contributing to Disproportionate Suspension Rates: A Multilevel Analysis of One State:

Data from middle schools (n = 219), high schools (n = 200), and combined middle and high schools (n = 20) were used to examine individual- and school-level factors within a multilevel model associa...
Enzymatic-spectrophotometric method for determination of cholinesterase activity in whole blood: collaborative study

Ten collaborating laboratories assayed 4 blind duplicate pairs of whole bovine blood for cholinesterase activity. The 4 sample pairs ranged from normal (100%) to severely organo-phosphorus-inhibited (less than 10%) activity. Collaborators also received commercially available human lyophillized serum as an external control and a chromate solution to evaluate spectrophotometer performance. The Ellman kinetic assay was performed on a 1:1000 dilution of the whole blood in pH 8.0 phosphate buffer. The method monitors the increase in absorbance at 412 nm caused by formation of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid (yellow reaction product). Repeatability standard deviations (RSDr) ranged from 4.30 to 14.2%; reproducibility standard deviations (RSDR) ranged from 6.99 to 19.3%. The lower limit of detection was estimated to be 0.10 mumole/mL/min. The method has been approved interim official first action by AOAC.
Underwriting Traders of Financial Futures

A futures contract is an agreement to trade an asset at a specific time in the future, at a specific price. Traditionally, the asset involved would be a commodity such as corn, gold, etc. or a financial asset such as a bond or stock. Recently, futures markets have developed for economic variables such as interest rates, freight shipping rates, and currency exchange rates. At the time the contract is made, the buyer and seller agree on the future date of the trade, called the maturity date of the futures contract, and the price of the asset to be traded called the futures price. A forward contract is identical to a futures contract, except in the way the difference between the market price of the asset on the date of the trade and the futures price is handled. Forward contracts require that the difference be made up in cash to the gaining party at the time the trade takes place. Futures contracts require that changes in the futures price be paid in cash as they occur. That is, futures contracts are distinguished from forward contracts by daily resettlement of margin variations. This is called “marking to the market”. [It is interesting that until recent work by Cox et al. (1981) and others (French, 1983; Jarrow and Oldfield, 1981; and Richard and Sundaresan, 1981), most researchers in finance ignored this difference.]
Inferring presence of the western toad (Anaxyrus boreas) species complex using environmental DNA

Abstract Western toads (species complex comprised of Anaxyrus boreas, A. canorus, A. exsul, and A. nelsoni) are widely distributed in the western United States but are declining, particularly in the southeastern extent of their range. The subspecies A. b. boreas is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Reliable and sensitive methods for delineating distributions of western toads are critical for monitoring the status of the species and prioritizing conservation efforts. We developed two qPCR assays for detecting western toad DNA in environmental DNA samples. Both markers efficiently and reliably detect low concentrations of western toad DNA across their range in the conterminous U. S. without detecting non-target, sympatric species. To determine the optimal annual sampling period, we then tested these markers using repeated sampling in ponds where western toads were known to be present. Quantities of collected eDNA varied widely across samples, but sample-level detections across sites exceeded 80% for June sampling. In the later summer, detection dropped off sharply with only a single detection in the ten samples collected throughout August.
Ribonucleotide incorporation enables repair of chromosome breaks by nonhomologous end joining

The nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway preserves genome stability by ligating the ends of broken chromosomes together. It employs end-processing enzymes, including polymerases, to prepare ends for ligation. We show that two such polymerases incorporate primarily ribonucleotides during NHEJ-an exception to the central dogma of molecular biology-both during repair of chromosome breaks made by Cas9 and during V(D)J recombination. Moreover, additions of ribonucleotides but not deoxynucleotides effectively promote ligation. Repair kinetics suggest that ribonucleotide-dependent first-strand ligation is followed by complementary strand repair with deoxynucleotides, then by replacement of ribonucleotides embedded in the first strand with deoxynucleotides. Our results indicate that as much as 65% of cellular NHEJ products have transiently embedded ribonucleotides, which promote flexibility in repair at the cost of more fragile intermediates.
Robotic Transversus Abdominis Release

The transversus abdominis release (TAR) includes a wide lateral dissection, preservation of perforating nerves and vessels to the anterior abdominal wall, and medial advancement of both posterior and anterior fascial layers for re-creation of the linea alba. It reduces the risk of wound complications and reduces the risk of developing lateral hernias compared to other posterior component separation techniques. The TAR provides excellent space for mesh placement in order to reinforce the visceral sac and is applicable to many patients and many hernias. Traditionally the TAR has been an open procedure, requiring a large midline laparotomy incision and multiple-day hospital stays, but within the last few years, it has been found to be feasible, although technically difficult, to complete a TAR laparoscopically or endoscopically. The adoption and increased utilization of surgical robotics has allowed minimally invasive TAR to become much more widespread as the dissection and suturing are much less technically challenging with the EndoWrist® technology of the robot, as well as improved visualization.
Treatment-refractory Escherichia coli subdural empyema caused by infection of a chronic subdural hematoma in an infant

Subdural empyema (SDE) is a neurosurgical emergency that is typically treated with surgical drainage, either by burr hole or by craniotomy. Escherichia coli is an uncommon cause of SDE and is associated with infection of a pre-existing subdural hematoma. We report the case of an otherwise healthy, immunocompetent 4-month-old infant girl with an E. coli-infected subdural hematoma. The infection persisted despite aggressive neurosurgical treatment that included drainage of the subdural space through burr holes and, subsequently, a wide craniotomy was performed. Ultimately, after 30 days, the SDE resolved with good neurological outcome. A review of prior literature indicates that infected subdural hematomas (including those caused by E. coli) are typically less aggressive and respond to burr hole drainage. We illustrate the fulminant progression of the SDE in the face of neurosurgical treatment. Our experience suggests lowering the threshold for wide craniotomy in these incompletely understood cases.
Wide Bandgap (1.7 eV-1.9 eV) Dilute Nitride Quantum Engineered Solar Cells for Tandem Application with Silicon

This work investigates 1.7eV-1.9eV devices lattice matched to silicon where a p-i-n GaP solar cell, fabricated with an i-region that comprises a plurality of resonantly coupled quantum well of GaAsPN/GaP and investigates the evolution of the performance of these devices operating in tandem configuration with variety of advanced high efficiency silicon solar cells (i.e. HIT, PERC, PERT etc.).The band structures, evolution of bandgaps, and confinement energies are calculated using eight band k.p Hamiltonian that combines a Band Anti-Crossing model accounting for the incorporation of dilute amounts of nitrogen in the host matrix of a Kane-like semiconductor. The confinement energies are derived using a transfer matrix formalism and an envelope function approximation. Considering all possible electron/hole transitions, the optical absorption for coupled quantum well material systems are evaluated using the Fermi golden rule. Next, the performances of the targeted devices are analyzed within the framework of drift-diffusion model that incorporates realistic parameters extracted from past experiment along with demonstrated spectral response and I-V characteristic of record Si bottom cells. The study then explores the parameter design space and illumination conditions (AM0, AM1.5 and concentration) and identifies optimal parameters for achieving highest possible efficiency for each type of Si bottom cell. The study indicates the potential for 1 sun efficiencies exceeding 33% and 35% for series-connected two terminals and 4 terminal tandems respectively.
Photochemical Water Oxidation by Crystalline Polymorphs of Manganese Oxides: Structural Requirements for Catalysis.

The catalytic activity of different manganese oxides for photochemical water oxidation is determined.
COMPARISON OF HOLTER WITH PATCH AMBULATORY ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MONITORING IN CHILDREN: A PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL TRIAL

The standard for ambulatory arrhythmia detection in children is the multi-lead Holter monitor. The newer single-lead Zio XT® (Zio) patch monitor has been FDA-approved for use in adults. However, its utility in children has not been directly compared to the Holter. We studied the ability to detect
Effect of Preoperative Gabapentin With a Concomitant Adductor Canal Block on Pain and Opioid Usage After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background:An adductor canal block (ACB) and preoperative oral gabapentin have each been shown to decrease postoperative pain scores and opioid usage in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligame...
Technical note: accuracy and precision in stereotactic stem cell transplantation

While multiple trials have employed stereotactic stem cell transplantation, injection techniques have received little critical attention. Precise cell delivery is critical for certain applications, particularly when targeting deep nuclei. Ten patients with a history of ischemic stroke underwent CT-guided stem cell transplantation. Cells were delivered along 3 tracts adjacent to the infarcted area. Intraoperative air deposits and postoperative T2-weighted MRI fluid signals were mapped in relation to calculated targets. The deepest air deposit was found 4.5 ± 1.0 mm (mean ± 2 SEM) from target. The apex of the T2-hyperintense tract was found 2.8 ± 0.8 mm from target. On average, air pockets were found anterior (1.2 ± 1.1 mm, p = 0.04) and superior (2.4 ± 1.0 mm, p < 0.001) to the target; no directional bias was noted for the apex of the T2-hyperintense tract. Location and distribution of air deposits were variable and were affected by the relationship of cannula trajectory to stroke cavity. Precise stereotactic cell transplantation is a little-studied technical challenge. Reflux of cell suspension and air, and the structure of the injection tract affect delivery of cell suspensions. Intraoperative CT allows assessment of delivery and potential trajectory correction.
Ethical problems raised by genetics

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the ethical problems raised by genetics. It is to be recognized that at present, despite the abundant evidence that conventional methods could be used to breed desired types of humans, no such programme exists anywhere. Recessive detrimental genes can become far commoner than dominant ones. The gene frequency is calculated from this value to be one in fifty, and the frequency of carriers (heterozygotes) in the population is about 4 per cent. Better nutrition, better parental care, and, above all else, improved medical treatment and prevention of disease enable the bearers of once detrimental hereditary traits to survive into the fertile years of life. As for sympathy, empathy, or cooperativeness, no scientific way of measuring them has been attained, and no information as to the degree to which they are heritable rather than conditioned can be presented at this time. In the foreseeable future, eugenics, or genetic engineering, will be restricted to the same goals as surgery and medicine. The genetic disorder is thought to result from the accumulation of the substrate for the blocked step that can endeavor by means of dietary control, as in the case of phenylketonuria, to reduce the amount of the substrate and its byproducts and is possible to remove the diseased or malignant tissue by surgical means, as in the case of retinoblastoma. Although the advances of medicine and surgery in the direction of genetic engineering inevitably increase the burden of defective genes in the human gene pool, they should be classed as detrimental only to the extent of the cost of artificially ameliorating their consequences.
Promoting Counseling Skills in Audiology Clinical Supervisors: Considerations for Professional Development

Purpose Clinical supervision for counseling skill development can be variable and can undermine student ability to learn patient-centered care communication. The current study aimed to evaluate the...
Use of Technology

As in other fields, technology has the ability to change how we practice medicine. This chapter will discuss emerging technologies in health care including the electronic health record, medical devices including wearables, precision medicine, telehealth, and the use of smartphone applications. The chapter will also provide information on how best to adopt technology into practice.
At Palmyra Atoll, the fish‐community environmental DNA signal changes across habitats but not with tides

At Palmyra Atoll, the environmental DNA (eDNA) signal on tidal sand flats was associated with fish biomass density and captured 98%-100% of the expected species diversity there. Although eDNA spilled over across habitats, species associated with reef habitat contributed more eDNA to reef sites than to sand-flat sites, and species associated with sand-flat habitat contributed more eDNA to sand-flat sites than to reef sites. Tides did not disrupt the sand-flat habitat signal. At least 25 samples give a coverage >97.5% at this diverse, tropical, marine system.
Low-Level Environmental Heavy Metals are Associated with Obesity Among Postmenopausal Women in a Southern State

Both arsenic and cadmium are reported to be toxic to humans. The use of saliva as a biomarker of low-level exposures to these elements has not been adequately explored, and the putative relationship between exposure and obesity is unclear. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between salivary arsenic and cadmium concentrations and their association with obesity. Arsenic and cadmium concentrations were analyzed in human saliva samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry on 270 randomly selected women who participated in the Arkansas Rural Community Health Study. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between heavy metal concentrations and obesity. Stratified logistic regression was performed based on menopausal status. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate weight gain velocity. Significant positive associations were observed in postmenopausal women for both arsenic (OR = 4.43, 95% CI 1.91-10.28) and cadmium (OR = 2.72, 95% CI 1.23-5.99) concentrations, as well as significant trends among tertiles (p < 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). No relationship with obesity was evident among premenopausal women for either metal. A dose-response relationship was observed between increasing weight gain velocity and increasing metal concentrations. At concentrations well below governmental and industrial standards for acute toxicity, significant associations between obesity and concentration of these heavy metals are evident. The rate at which individuals gain weight is affected by metal concentrations and may play a role in the rapid increase in weight in postmenopausal women. These results might explain, in part, the missing variability in the increasing obesity pandemic in certain population exposed to these environmental toxicants.
Using reflective case narrative methodology to assess an introductory NVivo workshop

Despite the varied approaches to qualitative data analysis software (QDAS) instruction, teaching QDAS remains a challenge as students’ skills with digital tools and understanding of qualitative res...
Low-Rank Riemannian Optimization for Graph-Based Clustering Applications.

With the abundance of data, machine learning applications engaged increased attention in the last decade. An attractive approach to robustify the statistical analysis is to preprocess the data through clustering. This paper develops a low-complexity Riemannian optimization framework for solving optimization problems on the set of positive semidefinite stochastic matrices. The low-complexity feature of the proposed algorithms stems from the factorization of the optimization variable X=YYT and deriving conditions on the number of columns of Y under which the factorization yields a satisfactory solution. The paper further investigates the embedded and quotient geometries of the resulting Riemannian manifolds. In particular, the paper explicitly derives the tangent space, Riemannian gradients and Hessians, and a retraction operator allowing the design of efficient first and second-order optimization methods for the graph-based clustering applications of interest. The numerical results reveal that the resulting algorithms present a clear complexity advantage as compared with state-of-the-art Euclidean and Riemannian approaches for graph clustering applications.
Synovial Fluid Mitochondrial DNA Concentration Reflects the Degree of Cartilage Damage After Naturally Occurring Articular Injury

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a debilitating sequela to joint injury with no current therapeutics that can slow its progression. Early intervention, prior to the development of degenerative joint changes, has the potential for greater therapeutic success but requires early detection of joint injury. In other tissue types, trauma is associated with the extracellular release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which serves as a mitochondria-specific Damage Associated Molecular Pattern (mDAMP) to perpetuate inflammation. We demonstrated that chondrocytes release mtDNA following cellular stress and that mtDNA is increased in equine synovial fluid following experimental and naturally occurring mechanical injury to the joint surface. Moreover, we found a strong correlation between the degree of cartilage damage and mtDNA concentration. Finally, impact-induced mtDNA release was mitigated by mitoprotective treatment. These data suggest synovial fluid mtDNA may represent a sensitive marker of early articular injury, prior to the onset of changes on standard diagnostic imaging modalities. One Sentence SummarySynovial fluid mitochondrial DNA increases after articular injury, is associated with the degree of cartilage damage, and is mitigated by mitoprotective treatment.
Rare event failure test case generation in Learning-Enabled-Controllers

Machine learning models have prevalent applications in many real-world problems, which increases the importance of correctness in the behaviour of these trained models. Finding a good test case that can reveal the potential failure in these trained systems can help to retrain these models to increase the correctness. For a well-trained model, the occurrence of a failure is rare. Consequently, searching these rare scenarios by evaluating each sample in input search space or randomized search would be costly and sometimes intractable due to large search space, limited computational resources, and available time. In this paper, we tried to address this challenge of finding these failure scenarios faster than traditional randomized search. The central idea of our approach is to separate the input data space in region of high failure probability and region of low/minimal failure probability based on the observation made by training data, data drawn from real-world statistics, and knowledge from a domain expert. Using these pieces of information, we can design a generative model from which we can generate scenarios that have a high likelihood to reveal the potential failure. We evaluated this approach on two different experimental scenarios and able to speed up the discovery of such failures a thousand-fold faster than the traditional randomized search.
Beef Cattle Feeding in a Deep Bedded Hoop Barn: A Preliminary Study

A deep bedded hoop confinement building was constructed at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm in Southwest Iowa in 2004. The building consists of three pens. Shortly after the completion of construction a preliminary study was initiated to compare performance, carcass characteristics, and bedding and labor use to that of a conventional semi-confinement system. The cattle used in this study were steer and heifer calves from the ISU McNay Research Farm. Performance and carcass measurements appeared similar comparing the two systems. However, the hoop building cattle used more bedding and appeared to have lower mud scores. Labor use may have favored the hoop building compared to the conventional system. In 2005, a three year study was initiated to compare the systems with yearling steers. Two turns of yearling cattle will be fed each year, one in summer and one in winter.
DPO-1-sensitive K+ channels control the tone and reactivity of resistance-sized arterioles from brain and skeletal muscle (678.5)

Arterial smooth muscle cells possess prominent delayed rectifier K+ (KDR) currents. KDR currents may be mediated by KV1.5 channels, which are sensitive to inhibition by DPO-1. We tested the hypothe...
A factorization approach to C/sup 1/ stabilization of nonlinear triangular systems

We expand the class of systems to which back-stepping is applicable, by allowing states that are used as virtual controls to appear in non-invertible maps. Representing these maps as products of C/sup 1/ bijective maps and sign definite C/sup 0/ gains, we develop a recursive design which is robust to multiplicative uncertainties. When the linearization of the system is controllable, our design achieves global asymptotic stability, otherwise it guarantees global practical stability. The designed feedback system possesses desirable inverse optimality properties.
Metric-Driven Classification Analysis

Metric-driven classification models identify software components with user-specifiable properties, such as those likely to be fault-prone, have high development effort, or have faults in a certain class. These models are generated automatically from past metric data, and they are scalable to large systems and calibratable to different projects. These models serve as extensible integration frameworks for software metrics because they allow the addition of new metrics and integrate symbolic and numeric data from all four measurement abstractions. In our past work, we developed and evaluated techniques for generating tree-based classification models. In this paper, we investigate a technique for generating network-based classification models. The principle underlying the tree-based models is partitioning, while the principle underlying the network-based models is pattern matching. Tree-based models prune away information and can be decomposed, while network-based models retain all information and tend to be more complex. We evaluate the predictive accuracy of network-based models and compare them to the tree-based models.
Hindsight Bias, Visual Aids, and Legal Decision Making: Timing is Everything

Once individuals learn the outcomes of events, they tend to overestimate the ability with which they could have predicted the event (hindsight bias). We discuss the relation between processing fluency and hindsight bias in the context of visual animations designed to clarify complex events. Visual reconstructions, by increasing clarity while masking gaps or uncertainty in the underlying data, have been shown to increase hindsight bias in legal settings. More generally, any computer-generated visual may not only clarify data sets, but breed overconfidence. Further, by taking a broader view of judgments shift over time, a clearer portrait of hindsight bias may be achieved.
Solubility relationships in binary mixtures of hemoglobin variants Application to the "gelationrd of sickle-cell hemoglobin.

Abstract A thermodynamic treatment of solubility in binary mixtures of hemoglobin variants is presented. It is shown that the reported dependence of the minimum gelling concentration in five binary mixtures of the variants S, C Harlem' Korle-Bu and A may be satisfactorily accounted for using the derived solubility relations together with simple models relating structure to interaction energies in the condensed phase.
On the Efficiency of By-Product Lobbying

To explain the existence of large lobbying groups, Olsonproposes a `by-product theory': large lobbies are by-productsof industry associations that operate as monopolists inprivate goods markets. This paper explicitly formulatesOlson's by-product theory of lobby funding and examines itsefficiency as a funding method. Lobbying efficiency isenhanced by the association's ability to price-discriminate.Price discrimination, in turn, is facilitated by theassociation's superior knowledge of its members'characteristics. The paper also examines the relationshipbetween lobby strength and industry size, as well as thequestion of `who exploits whom' under by-product lobbying.
Mulitchannel real time spike sorting for decoding ripple sequences

In the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus, fast field oscillations termed sharp wave ripples have been identified as playing a crucial role in memory formation and learning. During ripple activity, particular sequences of neurons fire in a phenomena called replay. So termed because the spiking encodes patterns of past experiences, the exact role of the content of replay is an active subject of investigation in order to determines its relationship with learning and memory guided decision making. A need arises for systems that can decode replay activity during ripples in real time. This necessitates fast algorithms for both spike sorting and ripple detection with the lowest possible latency. A low latency implementation makes possible feedback experiments where decoded ripple sequences can, with minimal delay, trigger stimulating pulses that can disrupt particular kinds of decoded information before they can contribute to behavior. In this study, we optimize and implement a recently proposed online spike sorting algorithm for an increasingly popular electrophysiological software suite and measure improvements that greatly enhance its multi-tetrode decoding capabilities. Synchronizing with online ripple detection, this novel framework will allows experimenters to study the effects of disrupting replay activity with a degree of granularity hitherto unavailable.
Chemical and electron microscopic studies of factors associated with the release of penicillinase from Staphylococcus aureus.

The effect of various factors such as sodium chloride, sodium citrate, pH, buffers, and enzymatic and physical disruption of cells on the release of penicillinase by Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 14458 was investigated. Penicillinase was measured at selected time intervals from supernates of cultures grown in Antibiotic Medium 3 broth containing various concentrations of salts or buffers or from supernates of cultures treated with lysostaphin and subsequently disrupted by French press treatment. Incubation of cells with media containing either sodium chloride (5, 10, and 15%), sodium citrate (5 and 10%), or organic buffers (Tris-HC1, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5%; BES, 10 and 20%) resulted in a significant stimulation of the release of penicillinase when compared to control cells. It was also observed that pH 7.0–7.5 was optimal for penicillinase activity and release. From studies of enzymatic and mechanical disruption of cells, it was observed that an increase in ionic strength of the suspending medium to certain optimal levels appeared to stimulate the conversion of penicillinase to an extracellular form. Electron microscopic studies revealed that a large number of mesosomal vesicles seemed to be present in cells incubated for 4 hours in media containing various concentrations of sodium chloride. It is proposed that either appearance of vesicles or convolution of cell membrane, which may be caused by further synthesis of new membrane, is involved in stimulation of the synthesis and release of membrane-bound penicillinase.
A Model of Mentorship in Occupational Therapy: The Leadership of A. Jean Ayres

Over a period of 30 years, Dr. A. Jean Ayres conducted and disseminated research related to the theory and practice of sensory integration. The Center for the Study of Sensory Integrative Dysfunction was established to promote Ayres' research with 66 faculty members recruited by 1982. To describe how Dr. Ayres may have influenced the occupational therapy profession, a survey was conducted to document the scholarly/leadership productivity of Sensory Integration faculty. Of the 66 faculty members, 48 were located and sent survey packets. The return rate was 79% (n = 38). Respondents documented their productivity in eight categories and answered 18 questions about their leadership qualities. Ninety-seven percent of respondents indicated that Ayres had professionally influenced them. Fifty-one percent of respondents had doctorate degrees with 78% reported having academic teaching experience. This group of 38 professionals had produced 438 peer-reviewed articles, 707 nonpeer-reviewed publications, and 265 grants. Ayres' legacy is continued with the scholarly work of the Sensory Integration faculty who received professional mentorship.
A polymorphism within the promoter of the TGFβ1 gene is associated with radiation sensitivity using an objective radiologic endpoint.

Purpose To evaluate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the transforming growth factor-β1 ( TGFβ1 ) gene are associated with radiation sensitivity using an objective radiologic endpoint. Methods and Materials Preradiation therapy and serial postradiation therapy single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) lung perfusion scans were obtained in patients undergoing treatment for lung cancer. Serial blood samples were obtained to measure circulating levels of TGFβ1. Changes in regional perfusion were related to regional radiation dose yielding a patient-specific dose–response curve, reflecting the patient's inherent sensitivity to radiation therapy. Six TGFβ1 SNPs (-988, -800, -509, 869, 941, and 1655) were assessed using high-resolution melting assays and DNA sequencing. The association between genotype and slope of the dose–response curve, and genotype and TGFβ1 ratio (4-week/preradiation therapy), was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results 39 white patients with preradiation therapy and ≥6-month postradiation therapy SPECT scans and blood samples were identified. Increasing slope of the dose–response curve was associated with the C(-509)T SNP ( p = 0.035), but not the other analyzed SNPs. This SNP was also associated with higher TGFβ1 ratios. Conclusions This study suggests that a polymorphism within the promoter of the TGFβ1 gene is associated with increased radiation sensitivity (defined objectively by dose-dependent changes in SPECT lung perfusion).
Multilayer, low-parasitic, interconnection scheme for advanced submillimetre-wave GaN circuits

A multilayer, low-parasitic interconnection scheme for highly scaled GaN high electron mobility transistors is reported. The fabrication process offers three Au interconnects embedded in benzocyclobutene (BCB) dielectric, with an integrated air-box in the active area in order to minimise the gate parasitic capacitances. With the addition of the air-box, it is demonstrated that the performance of the BCB encapsulated device is similar to that of a non-encapsulated device. Furthermore, by utilising the multilayer interconnection scheme a low-loss (0.75 dB) 3 dB tandem coupler operating from 140 to 220 GHz is demonstrated.
Therapists’ Prototypical Assessment of Domestic Violence Situations

Prototypical perceptions by therapists have the potential to influence the therapeutic process of assessment. The purpose of this study is to begin to develop an understanding of how prototypes might affect marriage and family therapists' assessments of domestic violence situations. Participants evaluated one of three domestic violence scenarios that were identical in dynamics but different in terms of sexual orientation of the couple (i.e., heterosexual, gay, or lesbian). The most significant finding was that initial assessments of victim and perpetrator identification and power attribution differed depending on the sexual orientation of the couple. The "man as perpetrator, woman as victim" prototypical paradigm for heterosexual domestic violence emerged. In the same-sex scenarios, often "both" partners were perceived to be indicated both as victim and perpetrator. Language: en