cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass transfer with chemical reaction in a threehyphen;phase foam‐slurry reactor

Studies on mass transfer coupled with chemical reaction were conducted in a gas-liquid-solid foam bed contactor under a variety of operating conditions in order to establish the controlling parameters for such a contacting system. Analytical equations were derived in order to predict the influence of solids dissolution on the specific rate of absorption in the stable foam stage of a three-phase foam-slurry reactor. Experimental investigations on the absorption of carbon dioxide in the presence of an aqueous foam-slurry containing calcium hydroxide particles were carried out in order to verify the theoretical model. Results indicate that the gas-liquid interfacial area and gas flow rate strongly affected the rate of mass transfer, while solids holdup affected mass transfer rates only moderately over the range of solids holdup studied. A comparison with conventional chemical reactor configurations (e.g., bubble column, CSTR) was made to demonstrate the gas-liquid-solid system, for which this novel reactor might be employed. Foam stability enhancement, due to the presence of solid particles, was not observed.
The Generational Effects of Fiscal Policy in a Small Open Economy

The reform of the fiscal system has for many years occupied center stage in policy discussions in developing countries. The authors employ a simple overlapping generations (OLG) model in a small open economy setting to study the impact of fiscal policy reform on the welfare of various generations and on the country’s growth rate. The authors find that while reallocating public expenditures from transfers to productive expenditures has sizable positive growth effects, individuals who are retired at the time of the policy change experience a welfare loss. However, younger generations experience larger welfare gains. The authors also find that running a public debt to finance transfer payments can decrease growth substantially and only slightly increase welfare of retirees. However, if debt is used to finance education expenditures or infrastructure investment, growth and welfare increase but only in the short run.
The Cryptococcus neoformans Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitor mediates intracellular survival and virulence.

Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitors (Rho-GDI) are repressors of Rho-type monomeric GTPases that control fundamental cellular processes, such as cytoskeletal arrangement, vesicle trafficking, and polarized growth. We identified and altered the expression of the gene encoding a Rho-GDI homolog in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and investigated its impact on pathogenicity in animal models of cryptococcosis. Consistent with its predicted function to inhibit and sequester Rho-type GTPases, overexpression of RDI1 results in cytosolic localization of Cdc42. Likely as a result of this finding, RDI1-overexpressing strains exhibited altered morphology compared to that of the wild type, with apparent defects in maintaining proper cell polarity and cytokinesis. RDI1 deletion resulted in increased vacuole size in tissue culture medium and aberrant cell morphology at neutral pH. Maintenance of normal cell morphology is vital for C. neoformans pathogenicity. Accordingly, the rdi1 mutant strain also showed reduced intracellular survival in macrophages and severe attenuation of virulence in two murine models of cryptococcosis. This reduction in virulence of the rdi1 mutant occurs in the absence of major growth defects in rich medium and with classical virulenceassociated phenotypes.
Some properties of set yoghurt made from caprine milk and bovine–caprine milk mixtures fortified by ultrafiltration or the addition of skim milk powder

Set yoghurt was produced from caprine milk (A), 70% caprine-30% bovine (B) and 50% caprine-50% bovine milk (C) mixtures, and stored for 14 days at ±4°C. Two methods of fortification, namely ultrafiltration (UF) and the addition of bovine skim milk powder (SMP), were applied to the milk mixtures. Some chemical, physical, microbiological and sensory properties of the six samples were analysed on the 1st, 7th and 14th days of storage. The effects of milk type, concentration method and storage period on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of the samples were investigated statistically.
Rapid characterization of DNA oligomers and genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphism using nucleotide-specific mass tags

Using currently available MS-based methods, accurate mass measurements are essential for the characterization of DNA oligomers. However, there is a lack of specificity in mass peaks when the characterization of individual DNA species in a mass spectrum is dependent solely upon the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). Here, we utilize nucleotide-specific tagging with stable isotopes to provide internal signatures that quantitatively display the nucleotide content of oligomer peaks in MS spectra. The characteristic mass-split patterns induced by the partially 13C/15N-enriched dNTPs in DNA oligomers indicate the number of labeled precursors and in turn the base substitution in each mass peak, and provide for efficient SNP detection. Signals in mass spectra not only reflect the masses of particular DNA oligomers, but also their specific composition of particular nucleotides. The measurements of mass tags are relative in the mass-split pattern and, hence, the accuracy of the determination of nucleotide substitution is indirectly increased. For high sample throughput, 13C/15N-labeled sequences of interest have been generated, excised in solution and purified for MS analysis in a single-tube format. This method can substantially improve the specificity, accuracy and efficiency of mass spectrometry in the characterization of DNA oligomers and genetic variations.
Obtaining Valid Predictors by Minimizing Rating Errors in the Criterion.

The correlations between each of five predictors and supervisory ratings of job effectiveness were not significantly different from zero. On the basis of the job analysis that preceded the validation study, the author concluded that the low correlations between each of the five predictors and the criterion were not due to problems inherent in either the tests or the performance appraisal instrument. Rather, it was hypothesized that the low correlations were a result of rating errors made by supervisors. The results of an eight hour training program (Latham, Wexley, and Pursell, 1975) designed to minimize rating errors supported this hypothesis. Four of the five predictors correlated significantly with the performance ratings that were conducted after the supervisors had received the training.
A Tale of Two ADCs: Pipelined Versus SAR

Among numerous Nyquist-rate analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architectures introduced throughout the years, three have found the widest usage: flash, pipelined, and successive-approximation register (SAR) topologies. In this article, we focus on the last two and study their similarities and differences.
Strain analysis and rheology contrasts in polymictic conglomerates: An example from the Seine metaconglomerates, Superior Province, Canada

Deformed conglomerates typically display contrasting strains between different lithological clast populations and matrix, which can be exploited to provide information about effective viscosity contrasts. We analyzed three different clast populations (granitoid, mafic volcanic, and felsic volcanic) across a strain gradient in the Seine metaconglomerates of Ontario, Canada. We calculated finite strain using the Rf/4 method and bootstrap statistics. Granitoid clasts exhibited the least amount of strain, while the mafic and felsic clasts had similar, greater strains. We assumed that the bulk finite strain was recorded by the mafic clasts, given their large proportion of the rock and their similar composition to the matrix. We calculated effective viscosity contrasts using the finite strain information, assuming Newtonian viscous rheology. The two volcanic clast populations have similar effective viscosities, regardless of strain magnitude, with ratios of felsic/mafic ranging from 0.27 to 2.12 and average ratio of 1.19. The granitoid clasts are significantly more competent than the mafic clasts with effective viscosity ratios ranging from 2.35 to 12.39 and average ratio of 5.61. The results are consistent with a qualitative � � � � �
Power-aware rendezvous with shrinking footprints

In this paper we investigate how power consumption affects mobility-based coordination algorithms for multi-robot systems by explicitly coupling the control laws to the available power levels. In particular, we will consider a sensor network comprising of mobile sensors which use omni directional RF or radar based antennas for communication, with a disk-shaped communications footprint. As power decrease with time, the footprint shrinks as well, and in this paper we propose a controller that solves the rendezvous problem for such systems, thus providing a novel coupling between mobility algorithms and the available power levels.
Management of early carcinoma.

Summary 1. Two hundred and eighty-five patients suspected to have early, usually subclinical cervical cancer were subjected to cervical conization. 2. Systematic investigation of the conization specimens revealed 28 infiltrative cervical cancers, 156 intraepithelial or superficially invasive (microinvasive) cancers, and 37 severe squamous atypias. 3. The superficially invasive cancers (68 patients) were grouped with the truly intra-epithelial cancers as Stage 0. 4. Seventy-five percent of the Stage 0 cancers were treated by total hysterectomy. Residual cancer was demonstrated in 30 per cent of the hysterectomy specimens. 5. If during investigation of the cone, the Stage 0 lesion was assessed to be cleared, residual cancer could be found in only 6.5 per cent of the hysterectomy specimens. If the lesion was not designated as cleared by the cone, 45 per cent residual cancer was demonstrated. 6. Conization, as such, has a definite place in the management of young women with Stage 0 cervical cancer. This restricted treatment should only follow a thorough diagnostic evaluation and should be undertaken only if adequate follow-up surveillance can be assured.
Prompting participation in health: Fostering favorable attitudes toward personal health records through message design.

Abstract Objective Personal health records (PHRs) offer many benefits. However, a relatively small amount of individuals take advantage of PHRs. This study examined how message composition influences attitudes toward electronic PHRs. Methods Participants ( N =329) were randomly assigned to read one of two fictitious editorials proposing that all patients have PHRs. One version assigned linguistic agency (capacity for action) to PHRs (e.g., PHRs can guard against long-term health problems ) and the other to humans (e.g., people can guard themselves against long-term health problems ). Results One-way analyses of variance revealed significant main effects of agency on perceptions of PHR benefits. Respondents reported feeling more comfortable using PHRs and perceived them as more effective at protecting patients when agency was assigned to PHRs rather than to humans. Conclusion Messages with PHRs as the primary acting agents elicited favorable reactions about PHR use. Patients may be more willing to engage with this technology if the emphasis is put on what PHRs can do for patients. Practice implications : Providers and staff can make strategic choices about wording when discussing PHRs and healthcare. Attention to linguistic agency can help providers better engage patients in discussions about this topic and enable patients to become more proactive.
Nature of heart failure in patients with ventricular septal defect

To assess the contributions of systolic and diastolic dysfunction to congestive heart failure (CHF) in ventricular septal defect (VSD), we studied 13 children with VSD at catheterization using a Millar catheter. Eight children had CHF, whereas five did not. Phenylephrine was infused at a rate of 5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1, and M-mode echocardiography and pressure were measured simultaneously. Systolic left ventricular (LV) function was assessed by maximum LV pressure (LVP), rate of pressure development (dP/dt), and by the end-systolic pressure-diameter relation (ESPDR). Systolic myocardial function was assessed by the end-systolic stress-strain relation. Diastolic chamber function was assessed by the isovolumic relaxation time constant (tau) and by the end-diastolic pressure-diameter relation (EDPDR). Diastolic myocardial function was measured by the end-diastolic stress-strain relationship. With phenylephrine, maximum LVP increased from 99 +/- 5 to 119 +/- 4 mmHg with CHF and from 106 +/- 6 to 149 +/- 10 mmHg without CHF. +dP/dt was lower with CHF (1,582 +/- 96 mmHg/s) than without CHF (2,300 +/- 200 mmHg/s). The maximum slope of the ESPDR was 39 +/- 8 with CHF and 94 +/- 14 mmHg/cm without CHF. The maximum slope of the midwall stress-strain relation was 223 +/- 37 with CHF and 395 +/- 93 g/cm2 without CHF. tau was 25 +/- 2 without CHF compared with 32 +/- 3 ms with CHF. The EDPDR was shifted leftward with failure, whereas the stress-strain relation was similar for all patients. CHF in patients with VSD results primarily from systolic dysfunction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Case 19: A Patient with Status Asthmaticus

An 8-year-old girl presents to the emergency room with exacerbation of her asthma. She has been hospitalized five times previously, requiring salbutamol via nebulizer, oral slow-release theophylline preparation, and chest physiotherapy. She presents now with increased shortness of breath and wheezing that has gradually worsened over the past 24 h. On examination, she is pale, distressed, and hardly able to speak. Her vital signs are the following: heart rate: 136 beats per minute (bpm); blood pressure (BP): 140/60; and respiratory rate: 30 breaths per minute with poor air entry to both lung fields and soft, high-pitched wheezes heard all over.
Chemical and Structural Analysis of Nitridated Sapphire

The incorporation of nitrogen into sapphire substrates during nitridation was studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An increase in the intensity of nitrogen Is peak in XPS was observed upon longer nitridation. The surface morphology of the substrates was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). High resolution electron microscopy (HREM) was employed for structural analysis. The cross sectional TEM showed a thin layer of A1N buried between amorphous A1NX01-X and sapphire. This is the first direct observation of A1N on sapphire. The TEM images show a deeper penetration depth of nitrogen into a longer nitridated sapphire.
FURTHER STUDIES ON HEMOGLOBINOXYGEN EQUILIBRIUM

1. The dependence of the heme-heme interaction of human adult hemoglobin on the species and strength of the evironmental salts was studied. In a series of several neutral salt solution, the magnitude of the interaction was dependent not only upon the ionic strength but also upon the species of the environmental salt. In the latter of the two factors, the charge of the constituent cation appears to have a primary importance. All these results confirm our previous observations.2. Similar salt effects were also verified in potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.9). The magnitude of the effect was roughly comparable to that of the divalent cation neutral salts.3. An attempt was made to graphically estimate the intrinsic constants of the first asd fourth oxygen association (κ11 and κ4) by human adult hemoglobin. The κ4 value was 170 to 250 times as great as the κ1 in sodium chloride (μ=1.0), whereas the enhancement was only 14 to 25 fold in no salt medium.4. Oxygenation of hemoglobin was accompanied with a hyperchromicity and a slight blue shift in the medium ultraviolet range. These changes were completely reversible. The derived ultraviolet difference spectrum (oxy vs. deoxy subtraction) showed three difference peaks around 238, 275, and 290mμ. A linear correlation was shown between the degree of oxygenation and the magnitude of the ultraviolet spectral change.5. Deoxygenation of bovine oxy-hemoglobin induced a remarkable reduction in the alkali resistance.6. Discussions were made of a probable correlation of the alterations in the ultraviolet absorption and the alkali denaturation with a configurational change of hemoglobin molecule upon the oxygenation.
Stuhlinkontinenz bei Frauen über 40 Jahren: Wer ist gefährdet?

Diese Studie wurde durchgefuhrt, um bei ethnisch unterschiedlichen Frauen uber 40 Jahren die Pravalenz von Stuhlinkontinenz zu untersuchen sowie mit Stuhlinkontinenz assoziierte Risikofaktoren zu bestimmen. Die Studie „Reproductive Risks for Incontinence Study at Kaiser“ ist eine bevolkerungsbasierte Untersuchung von 2 109 willkurlich ausgewahlten Frauen mittleren Alters und alter (Durchschnittsalter 56 Jahre). Die Stuhlinkontinenz wurde mittels Patientenaussage festgestellt und nach der Haufigkeit ihres Auftretens eingestuft. Die Frauen berichteten uber den Grad der Belastung durch die Stuhlinkontinenz sowie ihre allgemeine Lebensqualitat. Potenzielle Risikofaktoren wurden durch Selbstbeurteilung, Befragung, eine korperliche Untersuchung und Prufung der Krankenakte beurteilt. Zur Feststellung der Unabhangigkeit von ausgesuchten Risikofaktoren und dem wesentlichen Ergebnis von jeder berichteten Stuhlinkontinenz im zuruckliegenden Jahr wurde die multivariate logistische Regressionsanalyse eingesetzt. 24% der Frauen gaben eine Stuhlinkontinenz in den letzten zwolf Monaten an (3,4% monatlich, 1,9% wochentlich, und 0,2% taglich). Eine grosere Haufigkeit von Stuhlinkontinenz war mit verringerter Lebensqualitat (Medical Outcome Short Form-36 Mental Component Scale Score, p = 0,01) sowie mit gestiegener Belastung (p < 0,001) assoziiert: so klagten 45% der Frauen mit Stuhlinkontinenz in den letzten zwolf Monaten und 100% der Frauen mit taglicher Stuhlinkontinenz uber eine masige oder grose Belastung. Bei der multivarianten Analyse stieg die Pravalenz von Stuhlinkontinenz im zuruckliegenden Jahr in Verbindung mit Adipositas [1,2 (1,1– 1,3)], chronisch obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung [1,9 (1,3–2,9)], Reizdarmsyndrom [2,4 (1,7–3,4)], Harninkontinenz [2,1 (1,7–2,6)] und Kolektomie [1,9 (1,1–3,1)] significoloproctology kant an [Odds Ratio per 5 kg/m2 (95% Konfidenzintervall)]. Latina-Frauen hatten eine geringere Wahrscheinlichkeit fur Stuhlinkontinenz als weise Frauen [0,6 (0,4– 0,9)]. Stuhlinkontinenz, ein alltagliches Frauenproblem, ist mit wesentlichen negativen Auswirkungen auf die Lebensqualitat verbunden. Einige der festgestellten Risikofaktoren sind vermeidbar oder modifizierbar und konnen den Verlauf der weiteren Forschung bei der Therapie der Stuhlinkontinenz beeinflussen.
Comparison of Beetles Collected from the Dung of Cattle Untreated and Treated with Fenvalerate Ear Tags and Pastured on Two Range Types in Western Nebraska

Comparisons were made of beetles collected at various times after deposition from the dung of cattle treated with fenvalerate-impregnated ear tags for horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), and untreated cattle. The study was conducted on cattle pastured in two different range types, sandhills prairie and a combination of mixed and sandsage prairie. The horn fly larvae present in dung from treated cattle were significantly fewer ( P < 0.05) than in dung from untreated cattle. However, consideration of beetles by a coefficient of community index and species evenness index indicated that lack of horn fly eggs and larvae did not create much difference in either numbers of species or of individuals within a species. There was a greater difference in beetles between the two rangeland types than between the treatments within each rangeland type.
Measuring Care Continuity: A Comparison of Claims-based Methods.

Background:Assessing care continuity is important in evaluating the impact of health care reform and changes to health care delivery. Multiple measures of care continuity have been developed for use with claims data.Objective:This study examined whether alternative continuity measures provide distin
Epidemiological Study of Hypertension in Rural Residents in Qinyuan Lime Stone Region

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics, risk factors and awareness,treatment and control for hypertension in rural residents in Qinyuan lime stone region.Method Stratified randomized sampling method was used in this study. A total of 780 residents with the age of 18～69 were examined for hypertension and the associated risk factors. EPI-Info 2002 and SPSS11.0 were used for statistical analysis. Result The morbidity rate of hypertension (MRH) in rural residents was 17.69%. The aged-standardized MRH was 14.01%. The increase of MRH was correlated with the increase in age. The risk factors of hypertension were alcohol consumption,high body mass index(BMI),high waist and hip ratio (WHR),workload,psychology factor(e.g. stress). The hypertension awareness,treatment and control rate were 25.36%, 21.74%, and 8.80%, respectively. Conclusion Lack of awareness and treatment, and low control rate of hypertension are the major causes of high prevalent of hypertension in the rural residents in Qinyuan lime stone region. Corresponding intervention measures should be taken to control and reduce the occurrence of the hypertension.
Photometry of Inulin and Polyfructosan by Use of a Cysteine/ Tryptophan Reaction

Described are a macromethod for measuring 2 to 30 mug of polyfructoside in sample volumes of 0.5 ml and a micromethod for measuring 40 to 400 ng in 10-mul samples. The absorptivity of the cysteine/tryptophan color product is 2.5-to 10-fold those found with use of five other colorimetric methods for inulin. The method is highly specific for alkali-stable polyfructoside. Color, measured at 515 nm, was maximal on development at 56 degrees C for 25 min in dilute (57-58% by vol) sulfuric acid, after the addition of the combined cysteine hydrochloride/tryptophan reagent. Analytical recoveries of inulin and polyfructosan from plasma and urine were complete. With initial alkaline heating, the endogenous blank inulinoid values averaged 0.6 +/- 0.47 (SD) mg/liter for plasma and 0.05 +1- 0.024 mg/min for urine. The coefficient of variation of the macromethod was less then 3%; that for the micromethod ranged from 1.3 to 6.3%. The micromethod appears adaptable to the determination of nanogram quantities of polyfructoside in nanoliter volumes of biological fluids.
Undulators and the Properties of Synchrotron Radiation

Relativistic charged-particle beams, when accelerated in a direction transverse to the direction of motion, emit copious quantities of electromagnetic radiation. This radiation is naturally and inevitably emitted when deflection magnets constrain the particles in circular accelerators to their closed orbits, and it is also emitted when charged particles circulate through specific devices known as wigglers and undulators. The radiation is pitched into an angular cone of characteristic angle 1/γ, where γ is the ratio of the kinetic energy of the particle to its rest energyE/mc 2. The spectral properties of the radiation are governed by the nature of the deflection field: for the incoherent sources (bend magnets and wigglers), the radiation is broadband with a characteristic wavelength λ ~ ρ/ γ3, whereρ is the instantaneous radius of curvature; for the periodic sources, the radiation is quasimonochromatic with characteristic wavelength λ~λ u /γ2, where λ u is the period of the device. The radiation can be strongly polarized, depending upon the details of the particle acceleration. Finally, the radiation emerges with the pulsed properties of the electron beam, which may involve a time scale of 10 psec or less. For these reasons, synchrotron radiation can be a far more intense source of vacuum ultraviolet, soft X-ray, and hard X-ray radiation than conventional sources, which generally rely upon inner-shell vacancy production or bremsstrahlung by intense electron beams.
Macroeconomic dynamics and magnitude of poverty: a comparative analysis of different regimes

The poverty level in Pakistan has been increasing and despite decades after independence it is still a very critical socioeconomic issue. This study examines the effects of macroeconomic variables (GDP, inflation, unemployment, and tax revenues) on the poverty rate in Pakistan since 1974 to 2014. Moreover, this study also investigated the impact of a different regime i.e. democracy and military regime with reference to macroeconomic variables and poverty rate. The descriptive statistical analysis was carried out by using graphs and inferential statistical analysis was performed using Pearsons correlation and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that the real GDP and tax revenues have significant negative effects on the poverty rate. The inflation also showed a significant positive effect on the poverty rate, which implied that an increase in inflation hurts the poor more and leads to increased poverty. The unemployment rate showed insignificant positive impact on the poverty rate. On the aspect of influence of different regimes i.e. democracy and military rule, the results showed democracy has a negative impact on the poverty rate, implying that the democratic regimes are more favourable for poverty reduction in Pakistan.
Transforming Growth Factor-β Governing the Transition From Inflammation to Fibrosis in Heart Failure With Preserved Left Ventricular Function

Cardiac remodeling is a term that broadly refers to changes in myocardial structure and function in response to injury. Irrespective of the injurious mechanism (ie, myocardial infarction, hypertensive heart disease, valvulopathy, myocarditis, or primary myocyte dysfunction), a decline in ventricular function activates several compensatory pathways designed to sustain tissue perfusion. Among these cascades, the sympathetic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) system stimulate myocyte hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis. Traditionally, this paradigm of cardiac remodeling is applied to subjects with heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction; however, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are poorly understood. Article see p 44 Although much attention has focused on myocyte biology in heart failure, regulation of cardiac fibrosis in the context of HFpEF remains an area of active investigation. The cardiac fibroblast is the primary cell type responsible for generating extracellular matrix (ECM) within the myocardium. This ECM is composed primarily of type I collagen (80%) and type III collagen (10%). The remaining 10% is composed of type V and type VI collagen, laminin, elastin, glycosaminoglycans, and proteoglycans.1 This collagen network provides mechanical support to the myocardium, organizes muscle contraction, synthesizes and releases growth factors in a paracrine and autocrine fashion, and promotes wound healing. The term fibrosis encompasses several processes including fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis and degradation, and conversion of fibroblasts …
Coastal Erosion and Archaeological Site Formation Processes on Santa Rosa Island, California

On California’s northern Channel Islands, marine erosion is actively destroying many archaeological sites, including large coastal villages and other permanent settlements. This permanently limits potential archaeological interpretations of the prehistoric maritime archaeological landscape. This chapter assesses the effects of two winters (rainy seasons) on 11 sites from four different locations on Santa Rosa Island, including the windward and leeward sides of the mountainous landform. This is done using GIS, site photography, and field measurements of specific points during the summers of 2013, 2014, and 2015. The erosion of sea cliffs from marine transgression occurs across the island, with midden deposits visibly eroding out of these coastal locations. Fluvial and eolian erosion are primarily related to site location, with those sites along the north and northwest coasts of the island eroding more extensively than those along the south and west coasts. Both of these factors are exacerbated by modern ranching that left the landscape denuded and unstable. Interpretations about differential site preservation and post-depositional processes provide important information that could influence the management and preservation of cultural resources in coastal locations.
A predictive coding framework for a developmental agent: Speech motor skill acquisition and speech production

Abstract Predictive coding has been hypothesized as a universal principle guiding the operation in different brain areas. In this paper, a predictive coding framework for a developmental agent with perception (audio), action (vocalization), and learning capabilities is proposed. The agent learns concurrently to plan optimally and the associations between sensory and motor parameters, by minimizing the sensory prediction error in an unsupervised manner. The proposed agent is solely driven by sensory prediction error and does not require reinforcement. It learns initially by self-exploration and later by imitation from the ambient environment. Our goal is to investigate the process of speech motor skill acquisition and speech production in such an agent. Standard vocal exploration experiments show that it learns to generate speech-like sounds (acoustic babbling followed by proto-syllables and vowels) as well as the timing for motor command execution. Random goal exploration leads to the self-organization of developmental stages of vocal sequences in the agent due to increase in complexity of vocalization. The self-organization is invariant to certain acoustic feature representations. Self-exploration allows the agent to learn to imitate environmental sounds quickly. It learns to vocalize differently in different environments.
Addressing the multisectoral impact of pressure injuries in the USA, UK and abroad.

Pressure injuries are problematic to health systems throughout the world, significantly harming over 7 million patients and adding extraordinary costs. The USA, for instance, experiences more than 2.5 million pressure injury cases per year which cause over 60 000 deaths—that is more than car accident fatalities in the USA—and cost the health system at least $9–$11 billion.1 The UK is no less affected by 700 000 cases per year that result in 27 000 deaths and cost the National Health Service (NHS) an estimated £1.4–£2.1 billion.2 Despite there being no reason to expect major differences in the presentation of pressure injuries between the two countries, the UK appears mainly to have a problem with chronic pressure ulcers, whereas the USA appears to have an increasing burden of acute pressure ulcers.3 4 The UK NHS reports chronic wounds accounting for 78% of the NHS spending on wound treatments.5 On the other hand, the acute issue in the USA may be connected to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement policy, which has cut payments since 2008 for hospitalised patients who acquired pressure injuries as well as penalised facilities with poorest hospital-acquired condition rates.6 7 This CMS policy also focuses financial responsibility of the pressure injury on the facility that identifies the wound, which means that facilities trying to correct other’s mistakes are often blamed. Like most quality measures derived from billing data that have a financial penalty, variability in pressure injury rates is a combination of changes in reporting and how clinicians care for patients by implementing a pressure injury prevention protocol. While we do not have empirical evidence for the relative proportions that these two domains contribute to pressure injury rates, our experience suggests that health systems’ initial response to CMS policy has been improvements in coding and tracking pressure injuries. …
Risk premia in commodity price forecasts and their impact on valuation

Abstract Commodity price driven valuation models require a stochastic price input if the value of managerial flexibility, such as the option to defer investment until the optimal time and the option to abandon a project, is to be estimated. The risk-neutral version of the stochastic price model is typically used in academic work; however, risk-adjusted models of the expected spot price are often used in practice. These two approaches are connected by a risk premium which is unfortunately often difficult to estimate. In this work, we use natural gas futures prices in a Kalman filter approach with maximum likelihood estimation to parameterize the Schwartz and Smith (2000) stochastic price model, and then apply an asset pricing model to address the large uncertainty of the risk premia parameter estimates. To evaluate the impact of the risk premia and other parameters in the two-factor price model on project valuation, we apply the price model to a prototypical shale gas investment, both for a base reference case as well as for cases where there are real options to optimally time decisions to invest or to abandon the project. Using this approach, we are able to determine the implied risk-adjusted discount rate that would be used with the spot price forecast, given the two-factor model risk premia, and we also discuss the impact of the risk premia on project value relative to other model parameters.
Simulation of Financial Systemic Risk and Contagion in the U.S. Housing Market

This paper presents an agent-based model (ABM) to model systemic risk in the housing market from 1986 to 2017. We provide a unique approach to simulating the financial market along with demonstrating the phenomenon of emergence resulting from the interconnected-behavior of consumers, banks and the Federal Reserve. Consumers can buy or rent properties, and these agents own characteristics such as income and may be employed or unemployed. Banks own balance sheets to monitor their assets and liabilities and participate in the interbank lending market with one another. This tool can assess the complexity of the United States’ housing market, conduct stress tests as interest rates fluctuate, and explore the landmark financial crisis and epidemic of foreclosures. This is important because understanding the impact from increases in foreclosed properties and changes in rates can help policymakers and bankers have a better understanding of the complexity within the housing market.
The Future of Dermatological Therapy and Preventive Dermatology

I generally start off any of my writing in response to questions I ask myself. And I asked myself many questions when I pondered the future of the skin and prevention of skin disease. Upon reflecting on the needs of my patients and others, dozens of possibilities arose from the myriad images, smells, touch, and sounds that have filled my head from patient interactions over the years. Although I began my inquiry with the more utilitarian potential of future skin developments, I also realized, given the enormous influence of esthetics among Homo sapiens, that the future progression will also include the “skin as entertainment” arena. What about the skin as a vehicle for delivery of other drugs besides creams and ointments? How about providing a built-in protection for those with a heightened need for sun protection, such as those unfortunate souls with the dramatic disease xeroderma pigmentosa? Or even a safeguard for the mild, fair-haired, red-eyed lass?
Geometry and Agent Coherence

This chapter presents the geometric coherence of the agent expressed by a graph of actions (flow) and nodes that can be sources or tasks (effort). Any graph source, action, tasks. Any agent of the first order can be considered to be a system, which by the use of resources can activate an action, which enables the task to be done. Resources can be physical resources, functions, tables of data or any type of information necessary to do the action. Action is a method or a set of methods by which we solve our problem. Initially, we can represent any simple agent using figure 3.1 and a network of simple agents.
Model for instrumented indentation of brittle open-cell foam

A model is developed and implemented for load-controlled instrumented conical indentation of a brittle open-cell foam on a dense substrate. A survey of observations suggests that such indentations are typified by displacement excursions at small indentation loads, load-displacement variability, localized crushing, and a discrete to continuum transition at intermediate loads. The model includes all these effects as well as stiffening at large loads as the substrate is encountered. Direct quantitative comparison is made with measurements of a silica foam on a soda-lime glass substrate, strongly supporting the physical basis of the model.
Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become

Disruptive innovation continues to transform markets, industries and expectations worldwide. That clever new Chinese social media feature can inspire startups and threaten incumbents in Boston, Berlin and/or Bangalore. New value can come from anywhere and everywhere. Customers and clients, not just rivals and competitors, now drive and determine disruption. My clients and classes live in this disruptive reality.
Varieties in the use of geometry in the teaching of linear algebra

Geometry is used in different ways in the teaching of linear algebra. In this paper, I offer a typology of these ways, which I call varieties, and address three central questions. The first question is, What varieties of use of geometry in the teaching of linear algebra exist? This question is addressed through an analysis of six linear algebra textbooks, republished in multiple editions in the last decade or so. The analysis resulted in seven varieties, which can be used by researchers to investigate systematically the use of geometry in the teaching of linear algebra, in and outside the classroom. The second question is, What are the different impacts of these varieties on students’ ability to accomplish the following: (a) abstract geometrically-based linear-algebraic concepts into general representations? (b) Extend geometrically-based linear-algebraic concepts to their counterparts in other models, such as space of polynomials, functions, and matrices? This question is addressed through analyses of a sample of various results reported in the literature. The third question is, What might account for these impacts? A conceptual basis underlying the results discussed in this paper is theorized.
Forced Linear Systems

Consider the system $${\rm{\dot x}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right) = {\rm{L}}\left( {{\rm{x}}_{\rm{t}} } \right)\mathop = \limits^{{\rm{def}}} \int_{ - {\rm{r}}}^0 {\left[ {{\rm{d\eta }}\left( \theta \right)} \right]{\rm{x}}\left( {{\rm{t}} + \theta } \right)} $$ (25.1) and the perturbed linear system $${\rm{\dot x}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right) = {\rm{L}}\left( {{\rm{x}}_{\rm{t}} } \right) + {\rm{f}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right)$$ (25.2) where f belongs to ℬ, the class of bounded continuous functions mapping (−∞,∞) into Rn with the topology of uniform convergence. For any σ in (−∞,∞), we know from our variation of constants formula that the solution x of (25.2) with initial value xσ at σ must satisfy $$\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{\rm{x}}_{\rm{t}} = {\rm{T}}\left( {{\rm{t}} - \sigma } \right){\rm{x}}_{\rm{\sigma }} + \int_{\rm{\sigma }}^{\rm{t}} {{\rm{T}}\left( {{\rm{t}} - {\rm{s}}} \right){\rm{X}}_0 {\rm{f}}\left( {\rm{s}} \right)ds,} } & {{\rm{t}} \ge \sigma } \\\end{array}$$ (25.3) .
Large-Scale Course Redesign: Putting Reflection Into Action

In 2013, with a 30% state budget cut after the Great Recession, many of the 450,000 California State University (CSU) students across the 23-campus system were unable to enroll in courses they need...
CRISP: Center for Research on Intelligent Storage and Processing-in-Memory

In this talk, I will give an overview of the CRISP: center for research on Intelligent Storage and Processing-in-memory, a center of JUMP program, sponsored by SRC and DARPA. As technology scales, data movement between the processing units (PUs) and the memory is becoming one of the most critical performance and energy bottlenecks in various computer systems, ranging from cloud servers to end-user devices. As we enter the era of big data, many emerging data-intensive workloads become pervasive and mandate very high bandwidth and heavy data movement between the computing units and the memory. To close the gap between the computing and the memory, the CRISP center has done extensive work to explore possible solutions, with a holistic approach from system software to device innovations.
The Impact of Learning Multiple Real-World Skills on Cognitive Abilities and Functional Independence in Healthy Older Adults.

Author(s): Leanos, Shirley; Kurum, Esra; Strickland-Hughes, Carla M; Ditta, Annie S; Nguyen, Gianhu; Felix, Miranda; Yum, Hara; Rebok, George W; Wu, Rachel | Abstract: ObjectiveThe natural learning experience from infancy to emerging adulthood, when considerable cognitive and functional growth is observed, mandates learning multiple real-world skills simultaneously. The present studies investigated whether learning multiple real-world skills simultaneously is possible in older adults and also whether it improves both their cognitive abilities (working memory, episodic memory, and cognitive control) and functional independence.MethodOver two studies (15 and 27 participants), older adults learned at least three new skills (e.g., Spanish, drawing, music composition) simultaneously for 3 months. Participants completed cognitive and functional assessments before, during, and after the intervention in both studies. Participants were recruited sequentially for an intervention or no-contact control group in Study 1, and Study 2 included only an intervention group, who also completed assessments 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the intervention (i.e., they served as their own control group).ResultsResults from both studies show that simultaneously learning multiple skills is feasible and potentially beneficial for healthy older adults. Learning multiple skills simultaneously increased cognitive abilities in older adults by midpoint of the intervention, to levels similar to performance in a separate sample of middle-aged adults, 30 years younger.DiscussionOur findings demonstrate the feasibility and potential of conducting a real-world skill-learning intervention involving learning three novel skills with older adults. Our multiskill intervention may provide broad cognitive gains, akin to the benefits experienced earlier in the life span.
Impact of nutritional and environmental factors on plasma urea and amino acid concentrations in pigs

A repeated measures experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and 32 free amino acids (PFAA), i.e., 10 essential (EAA), 9 non­ essential (NEAA) and 13 less common amino acids (LCAA), in pigs with two feeding methods are independent of sampling times after feeding. Seven castrated male pigs (mean of 65 kg) with surgically implanted catheters in the jugular vein were randomly assigned to either free access to feed or feeding of two equal-sized meals for 3 c. This study covered three 3-d treat­ ment periods. Blood samples were taken six times in 2-h intervals during the day (0800 to 1800) and again during the night (2000 to 0600). Average concentrations of PUN and most PFAA were not affected by the feeding method and day or night, but there were overall changes in concentrations over six sampling points. The dependence of changing patterns in PUN or PFAA over the sampling points on the feeding method is indicated by the significant interaction of sampling point and feeding method. Sampling points had a linear effect on all EAA, 5 NEAA and 4 LCAA; a quadratic effect on PUN, arginine, phenylalanine, asparagine, glycine, tyrosine, (3-alanine, ornithine and taurine; and a cubic effect on PUN, 8 EAA, 4 NEA.A and 4 LCAA. No interactions of day or night with the feeding method or the sampling points indicate that concentrations of PUN and PFAA between the day and night periods were independent of feeding methods or sampling times. In conclusion, the pigs fed twice daily had postprandial peak average concentrations of 4.92 mmoI/L PUN at 5 h and peak PFAA at 2 h after feeding during a 12-h day or night period. However, the pigs with free access to feed exhibited a 4% rhythmic fluctuation of PUN during the day or night and almost constant levels of most PFAA during a 24-h period. The results also suggest that concentrations of LCAA vary less than concentrations of EAA or NEAA in response to the experimental factors. INDEXING
K-means Clustering and Principal Components Analysis of Microarray Data of L1000 Landmark Genes

Abstract Dimensionality reduction methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) are used to select relevant features, and k-means clustering performs well when applied to data with low effective dimensionality. This study integrated PCA and k-means clustering using the L1000 dataset, containing gene microarray data from 978 landmark genes, which have been previously shown to predict expression of ~81% of the remaining 21,290 target genes with low error. Groups within the L1000 dataset were characterized using both microarray and clinical metadata to assess whether 978 landmark genes would improve clustering results, compared to a random set of 978 genes. The role of clinical variables, including morphological diagnosis, were assessed across k-means clustering groups within homogeneous tissue samples in the L1000 dataset. Results show that the 978 landmark genes better differentiated k-means clusters, relative to 978 randomly selected non-landmark genes. K-means clusters generated from the landmark genes showed more separation of cluster groups when plotted against the first two principal components, which capture a greater proportion of variation for the 978 landmark genes. These results suggest that the 978 landmark genes better represent the overall genetic profile of these heterogeneous samples. Future studies will implement predictive analytics techniques to further investigate the interaction of microarray data and clinical variables such as cancer stage.
Influence of crystal structure on constitutive anisotropy of silica sand at particle-scale

Abstract In spite of recent advanced geotechnical research regarding the influence of particle-scale morphology and fabric on the constitutive behavior of silica sands, there is still no published literature that investigated the influence of crystal structure of sand particles on their constitutive behavior. The main constituent of silica sand particles is quartz mineral, which has a trigonal crystal system and hexagonal lattice. This paper investigates the influence of quartz crystal structure on the constitutive response of silica sand particles using 3D X-ray diffraction (3DXRD), synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SMT), and 3D finite element (FE) analysis. Unconfined uniaxial compression experiments on single particles of synthetic silica cubes exposed the notion of constitutive anisotropy caused by the crystal structure of quartz. Since the silica cubes have simple regular geometry 1 m m 3 , they were loaded in different directions with respect to their crystal local planes. The crystal structure was also identified for a natural silica sand specimen composed of 2705 particles and loaded in confined uniaxial compression. Physical limitations of the experimental measurements made a strong case for the use of 3D FE analysis to study how the change in crystal local orientation of individual sand particles can fundamentally produce anisotropy in the constitutive response of natural sand specimens. The 3D FE analysis was validated to accurately model the crystal-based constitutive anisotropy in silica particles using the results of the silica cube experiments. The analysis was then executed on 3D FE meshes that closely matched the physical shape and fabric of the 2705 particles in the natural sand specimen. Both the experiments and 3D FE analysis showed that the crystal structure of quartz essentially causes a directional anisotropy in the constitutive behavior of silica particles.