cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
De la variation lexicale en franco-ontarien: les données du corpus de Casselman (Ontario)

Notre etude traite de l’alternance des formes exprimant les notions de « vehicule automobile » et de « travail remunere » dans un corpus d’entrevues recueillies dans le village franco-ontarien de Casselman. Apres avoir presente les etudes anterieures portant sur la variation lexicale en francais laurentien, nous exposons nos hypotheses, les principales caracteristiques de la communaute de Casselman, la methodologie, puis nos resultats analyses a la lumiere des recherches publiees jusqu’a maintenant. Notre objectif est de fournir des donnees provenant d’entrevues recentes, realisees aupres d’adultes et d’adolescents franco-ontariens, afin de : 1) degager les points de convergence et de divergence dans les pratiques linguistiques des Franco-Ontariens observes jusqu’a present, 2) fournir des preuves supplementaires appuyant la these de l’unite des varietes de francais laurentien, et plus globalement, 3) illustrer a nouveau l’interet des etudes lexicales en linguistique variationniste. Abstract: This study deals with the alternation in forms expressing the meanings motor vehicle and paid work in a corpus of interviews collected in the Franco-Ontarian village of Casselman. After discussing earlier studies of lexical variation in Laurentian French, we present our hypotheses, the main characteristics of the Casselman speech community, and our methodology. We then turn to our results, analysed in light of relevant published work. Our goal is to provide data from recent interviews with adult and adolescent Franco-Ontarians, in order to 1) establish points of convergence and diverence with the previously observed linguistic behaviour of Franco-Ontarians, 2) provide supplementary evidence supporting the hypothesis of Laurentian French unity, and more generally, 3) illustrate the value of lexically-based studies in variationist sociolinguistics.
Program Optimization for Testing Clock Errors on Multi-Meter Testing Devices

Smart meter clock is the fundamental of controlling the rate switch.Clock which is accurate or not is directly related to smart meters' ability to measure the peak,sharp,flat,valley and other time of electricity charge.According to practical work,this paper describes the program of 96 meter verification devices to test the clock errors,analyzes the factors of clock skew during the verification process,and proposes the optimization methods.By comparing the experimental data,it shows that the optimized program greatly improves the accuracy of clock verification.
Clinical and imaging features of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children

Objective To investigate the clinical and imaging features of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis(ADEM) in children.Methods Totally 22 patients of ADEM were enrolled.The clinical data were analyzed and imaging data of cranial MRI were reviewed,including information on the location(subcortical,central and periventricular white matter,cortex,deep gray matter,brain stem,and cerebellum),size and pattern of the lesions.Results The onset of ADEM was early,with the mean age of(6.0±3.2) years.Fever had a higher incidence(77.27% ) in ADEM.Encephalopathy and seizure were common,with the incidence of 45.45%(10/22).The incidence of movement impairment was 36.36%(8/22).Bilateral central white matter lesions were found in all patients.Periventricular lesions occurred in 59.09%(13/22).Cortical lesions were detected in 9 patients(9/22,40.91%),and deep gray matter lesions appeared in 6 patients(6/22,27.27%).Eighteen patients underwent second MRI,which showed brain atrophy in 8 patients.Conclusion ADEM presents various imaging findings in pediatric patients,including not only central white matter lesions,but also involvement of periventricular white matter and deep gray matter.Dynamic observation with MRI can be helpful to providing useful information for clinical diagnosis of ADEM.
Atmospheric Circulation and Climatic Change I. Approach to Paleoclimatic Reconstruction

Analogue and modelling approaches to paleoclimatic reconstruction are reviewed. Analogue methods include calculations of regional snowline lowering from field data and the analysis of extreme climatic events. Several examples are discussed. The relationship between changes in climate and changes in the frequency of circulation type is shown to be problematic, at least on short time-scales. Finally, the use of GCMS in paleoclimatic reconstruction is briefly discussed with reference to Glacial Maximum conditions.
1986 update of HIV seroprevalence, seroconversion, AIDS incidence, and immunologic correlates of HIV infection in patients with hemophilia A and B

A cohort of 181 patients with hemophilia A (149) and hemophilia B (32) cared for at the Hemophilia Center of Western Pennsylvania was followed to determine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence, seroconversion rate, and clinical and immunologic correlates of HIV infection. By December 1986, 82 (45%) were HIV seropositive, and of these, ten (12%) had developed AIDS, 28 (34%) had symptomatic HIV infection (CDC class III, IV), of whom 14 (17%) had AIDS-related complex (ARC), and 44 (54%) had asymptomatic HIV infection (CDC class II). The HIV seropositive group included 82% of those treated with factor VIII concentrate (97% severe, 5% moderate), 48% of those treated with factor IX concentrate (92% severe, 8% moderate), 10% of those treated with cryoprecipitate (67% severe, 33% moderate), and none of those treated with fresh frozen plasma. Based on 77 serially sampled HIV seropositive hemophiliacs (1977 to 1986), peak seroconversion occurred in 1982, with 14% (11 of 77) occurring since 1984. With increasing time from seroconversion, both T4 lymphocyte number and function (the latter measured by growth in soft agar [T colony assay]) progressively declined; T4 number declined to 135 +/- 26/mm3 (SEM), and colony count declined 1193 +/- 537 (control 3851 +/- 387) by 5 years after seroconversion. In those developing AIDS, total T4 fell below 100/mm3 (33 +/- 8/mm3) at diagnosis. In this cohort, the overall AIDS incidence is 5.5% (12% among the HIV seropositive) and in those seropositive 5 or more years, the AIDS incidence approaches 32%.
Active immunization of female rabbits with purified rabbit acrosin and effect on fertility.

Acrosin immunogen was purified from rabbit testes by sequential acid extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, cation-exchange, and affinity chromatography. Twelve females received intradermal injections of purified acrosin in Freunds complete adjuvant followed by a booster injection 6 weeks later. A radioimmunoassay for rabbit acrosin was developed and used to monitor the immune response of the recipients. The females were mated at the time when serum titers of acrosin antibodies were maximal. Four of the animals did not become pregnant, and three of these ha the highest antibody titers in the total group. The remaining eight rabbits delivered normal litters at term. Of four control females (immunized with bovine serum albumin), one did not become pregnant. The pregnancy rates for the control and acrosin-immunized rabbits were 75% and 67%, respectively. It is concluded that although active immunization with acrosin had no significant effect on fertility, the antibody titer produced may be a factor.
The Coast Guard’s Deepwater program

SEARCH AND RESCUE On the morning of February 28, 2009, four friends set out of harbor from Clearwater, Florida, in a 21-foot boat and anchored 70 miles offshore for a day of fishing. When they decided to head home, they found that their anchor was stuck. Believing that a hard tug would set them free, they secured the anchor line to the stern and pushed up the throttle. But instead of dislodging the anchor, the accelerating motor submerged the stern and the boat began taking on water and capsized just seconds later, tossing the friends into the Gulf waters. The friends were a remarkable group of athletes, though none was an experienced boater. Two of them played professional football: Marquis Cooper was a linebacker for the National Football League’s (NFL) Oakland Raiders and Corey Smith was a defensive end with the Detroit Lions. The other two, William Bleakley and Nick Schulyer, played football in college for the University of South Florida. The four boaters dove under the upturned boat to retrieve what they could. They brought up a few life vests but were unable to get any food or water. They were without a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, and while they had cell phones, they were too far away from shore to pick up service. The water temperature hovered around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Treading water, the four friends were at risk of hypothermia, dehydration, starvation, and predation from sharks.
Hemispheric differences and similarities in comprehending more and less predictable sentences

Abstract With a growing literature demonstrating the predictive nature of language processing, the current study examines contributions of the brain's two hemispheres in processing more and less probable sentence continuations. Specifically, we use the ERP method in conjunction with the visual half-field paradigm to test for hemispheric utilization of sentential constraint to (pre-)activate lexical information and resolve meaning. Taking advantage of the N400's semantic sensitivities, we find support for both hemispheres exhibiting remarkably similar involvement, across a range of message level constraint, in meaning construction. In contrast, hemispheric ERP patterns at a later processing stage differed, as reflected in an anterior post-N400 positivity (PNP) to constraint violations for words presented to the right but not left visual field (indicating a left hemisphere processing bias). We show here that hemispheric involvement in predictive sentence comprehension varies at different stages of word processing, and we examine these patterns’ (in)consistencies with findings from the hemi-field and central visual presentation literature.
Mass closure models for a system code based on six fields

Abstract System codes are used to analyze nuclear reactor systems during steady state and transient operations. These codes are able to predict pressure drop, void fraction distributions and temperature distributions for various coolants, geometries, and configurations. They also include models for various two-phase flow regimes. However, extreme flow conditions that involve significant phase change can tax the current code capabilities. A set of governing equations for a six-field model have been developed to improve the two-phase modeling capabilities of system codes. The six-field model includes continuous liquid, continuous vapor, large bubble, small bubble, large droplet, and small droplet fields. The governing equations derived previously track the mass, momentum, and energy balances for each of these fields. The mass closure relationships provide necessary components of the governing equations - the source terms for small droplets generated due to large droplet breakup, large bubble generation by coalescence, mass transfer due to phase change, and other physical mechanisms. The six field equations add several new variables to the system of governing equations. The closure models solve for these variables. Therefore, the increased number of governing equations requires several additional closure equations for solution. These closure equations are challenging to define for two-phase flow problem conditions. The necessary closure models to solve the six-field mass balance equations are defined in this work. For the case of some bubble interactions, suitable models have not been identified. For these cases, substitute models are recommended from the droplet closure models.
Advertising Appeals and a Psychological Scarcity Effect: Competitive Arousals and Implications on Purchase Interest

Economic theory stipulates that companies compete as a natural force of the free market system. Within the same theory, assumptions about how consumers respond to supply and demand fluctuations are made without due consideration for many tenets of consumer behavior like perceptions or attitudes. Only recently have researchers begun to explore the “human” effect of supply and demand, concentrating on scarcity-based situations (Brannon and McCabe 2010; Lynn 1989). These studies have focused largely on scarcity’s ability to increase desirability for goods, suggesting this occurs through mechanisms of perceived value (Lynn 1991), and consumers’ needs for uniqueness (van Herpen et al. 2005), since people who desire individuality recognize that owning scarce goods can create this distinction. Research indicates that advertisements with scarcity appeals lead to enhanced value perceptions and purchase intentions for scarce goods (Eisend 2008), because they create a sense of “missing out.” Behaviorally, the scarcity effect influences people’s tendency to attempt acquisition of resources that are scarce or becoming scarcer (Cialdini 1995). Evidence of this can be found with respect to auctions (Ariely and Simonson 2003; Ku et al. 2004), Black Friday shopping (Harrison, Reilly, and Gentry 2010), and special retail events (Nichols 2010).
Applications of Titration Calorimetry

In this lecture the concepts and calculation procedures developed in the previous lecture for titration calorimetry are applied to several chemical systems. The examples considered are chosen because of their relevance to understanding the techniques and potential uses of titration calorimetry both as a thermodynamic and analytical tool.
Room Temperature Sensing Achieved by GaAs Nanowires and oCVD Polymer Coating

Novel structures comprised of GaAs nanowire arrays conformally coated with conducting polymers (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-co-3-thiophene acetic acid) display both sensitivity and selectivity to a variety of volatile organic chemicals. A key feature is room temperature operation, so that neither a heater nor the power it would consume, is required. It is a distinct difference from traditional metal oxide sensors, which typically require elevated operational temperature. The GaAs nanowires are prepared directly via self-seeded metal-organic chemical deposition, and conducting polymers are deposited on GaAs nanowires using oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD). The range of thickness for the oCVD layer is between 100 and 200 nm, which is controlled by changing the deposition time. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates an edge-on alignment of the crystalline structure of the PEDOT coating layer on GaAs nanowires. In addition, the positive correlation between the improvement of sensitivity and the increasing nanowire density is demonstrated. Furthermore, the effect of different oCVD coating materials is studied. The sensing mechanism is also discussed with studies considering both nanowire density and polymer types. Overall, the novel structure exhibits good sensitivity and selectivity in gas sensing, and provides a promising platform for future sensor design.
Organizing the closet: Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy with a heterosexually married gay man

ABSTRACTThis case report describes the issues encountered during a course of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy conducted by a gay psychiatry resident and a heterosexually married gay client (“Eric”) with significant childhood trauma and personality pathology. The importance of clarifying a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder in patients struggling with sexual orientation is discussed as well as the appropriate response to a patient requesting assistance with changing his sexual orientation. The role and timing of self-disclosure of the therapist's sexual orientation are also briefly touched upon. Finally, the factors which promote transition to a positive gay identity are discussed.
Photomicroscopic Sublayer Velocity Measurement

The measurement of velocity in the boundary layer region can be a difficult problem using probes. The use of a microscope to observe the motion of small tracer particles can yield quantitative velocity data without disturbing the flow. The application of this technique to turbulent open channel flow is described. Micron particles which act as indicators of the instantaneous velocity vector were photographed through a microscope as they passed through the focal field which was oriented parallel to the channel bottom. By varying the location of the field, a profile normal to the bottom was obtained. The high speed motion picture film was analyzed to obtain particle velocity data which was in turn used to compute a mean velocity profile, turbulence intensity and skewness of the particle velocity distribution. It is pointed out that due to uncertainty of particle location within the focal field, errors in the computation of mean velocity and turbulence intensity can arise. These errors are analyzed quantitatively.
General instrumentation in HPLC

Abstract This chapter discusses the basic components of a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. Attention is given to origins of chromatographic analysis and recent advances in the field along with related HPLC techniques. The primary focus of the chapter regards the instrumental setup. Components of the instrument discussed in detail include mobile phase/solvent reservoir, solvent delivery system, sample introduction device, column, postcolumn apparatus, detectors, data collection and output, postdetection eluent processing, and connective tubing and fittings. An overview of various HPLC detectors is provided with discussion of unique detector characteristics and a comparison of advantages and drawbacks between them. Focus is placed on the most common detectors, including UV/Vis absorbance, fluorescence, electrochemical, conductivity, refractive index, and mass spectrometry detectors. This chapter provides a basic working knowledge of all instrumental components required for HPLC analyses.
Measurement of nucleotide excision repair activity and correlation with cisplatin sensitivity.

1077 Background: Nucleotide excision repair (NER) of DNA is necessary for removal of crosslinks and other damage produced by UV light, genotoxins and chemotherapies. Germline NER deficiency causes ...
Tackling host-circuit give and take.

The incorporation of additional gene circuits into hosts can often lead to unpredicted and undesirable behaviours. Recent work has developed a modelling framework that accounts for host–circuit interactions and can predict a variety of phenotypes at both single-cell and population levels.
ABSENCE OF VISUAL CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM ON LOW DOSE ATTENUATION CT DURING PET/CT PREDICTS VERY LOW INCIDENCE OF REVASCULARIZATION AND MACE

Absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) is known to predict low risk of subsequent major adverse coronary artery events (MACE). However, little is known about its ability in symptomatic patients (pts) undergoing stress testing to predict using CAC subsequent coronary revascularization (Revasc) and
A Tale of Two Visual Systems: Invariant and Adaptive Visual Information Representations in the Primate Brain.

Visual information processing contains two opposite needs. There is both a need to comprehend the richness of the visual world and a need to extract only pertinent visual information to guide thoug...
Direct Photons at the CERN ISR

A hard scatter between constituent partons in hadronic interactions usually results in a system of two jets at large angles accompanied by two spectator jets. The resulting high multiplicity and the variety of contributing diagrams make the comparison with theory difficult. However, processes where one of the out-going jets is replaced by a photon often offer a more incisive comparison between experiment and theory. Photons can be produced as a result of quark-gluon collisions (Compton process) or by quark-antiquark annihilation. There are several higher order processes involving the radiation of photons from interacting quarks (bremsstrahlung process) where the photon will be close to an accompanying jet. In proton-proton collisions at ISR energies, direct photon production is predicted to be dominated by the Compton process. This implies that the recoil (away-side) jet will be a quark jet and study of the recoil jet will thus be a study of quark fragmentation. Further, it would be expected that there will be no accompanying (same-side) jet, and a measurement of the direct photon cross section will measure the gluon structure function in the interacting protons (modulo soft gluon corrections).
Aging Cell Culture: Methods and Observations

Culturing and subcultivation of normal human diploid fibroblasts have advanced our understanding of the molecular events involved in aging. This progress is leading to the development of therapies that slow or ablate the adverse physiological and pathological changes associated with aging. It has been established that normal human diploid fibroblasts can proliferate in culture for only finite periods of time. Hayflick and Moorhead and others have described numerous types of cells, ranging from fetal to adult, that were incapable of indefinite proliferation. There are many ways to study aging in vitro, and this chapter summarizes some laboratory procedures.
Medicolegal Considerations in Urologic Anesthesia

Extreme position changes, electrolyte changes, presence of comorbidities such as obstructive sleep apnea, long and complex surgeries, bleeding risks, and an elderly population combine together to increase the risk of perioperative complications during urologic procedures. Not uncommonly these complications may be rightly or wrongly interpreted as malpractice, and the case becomes entrenched in the medicolegal system. Understanding this system and developing strategies to avoid poor or even catastrophic outcomes are essential to the entire urologic team.
Nonrelativistic Calculation of the Electron g Factor

Two of the major successes of modern quantum electrodynamics can be found in the calculations of the Lamb shift and the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron. Although no other theory can claim to successfully predict these quantities, it is nevertheless of interest to note that Bethe’s approximately correct calculation of the Lamb shift was based on a nonrelativistic electron coupled to the electromagnetic field.(1) On the other hand, attempts to utilize the same model to compute g — 2 led to failure and didn’t even result in the correct signa.(2)
Protein Classification with Improved Topological Data Analysis.

Automated annotation and analysis of protein molecules have long been a topic of interest due to immediate applications in medicine and drug design. In this work, we propose a topology based, fast, scalable, and parameter-free technique to generate protein signatures. We build an initial simplicial complex using information about the protein's constituent atoms, including its radius and existing chemical bonds, to model the hierarchical structure of the molecule. Simplicial collapse is used to construct a filtration which we use to compute persistent homology. This information constitutes our signature for the protein. In addition, we demonstrate that this technique scales well to large proteins. Our method shows sizable time and memory improvements compared to other topology based approaches. We use the signature to train a protein domain classifier. Finally, we compare this classifier against models built from state-of-the-art structure-based protein signatures on standard datasets to achieve a substantial improvement in accuracy.
Endoscopic technique for closure of enterocutaneous fistulas

Endoscopic over the scope clip (OTSC) closure represents a new technique for endoscopic management of enteric bleeding and tissue defects such as anastomotic leaks and enterocutaneous (EC) fistulas. We aim to describe our technical approach for OTSC closure of EC fistulas and convey our outcomes. This retrospective review includes ten patients who underwent OTSC application for EC fistulas by surgical endoscopists at a US tertiary care hospital from July 2015 to October 2017. Demographic data, along with type of defect, location, duration of lesion, success or failure of OTSC, and nutritional status were compiled. The ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator was used to project the risk of mortality, complications, length of stay, and risk of readmission had our patients undergone surgical correction of their fistula. Overall success for EC fistula closure was 70%. Acute fistulas were closed with a success rate of 86%. Chronic fistulas were closed successfully in only 33% of cases. Of patients successfully closed, NSQIP-predicted rates of mortality, any complication, and median length of stay were 21.1%, 34.5%, and 9.5 days, respectively. With OTSC, these patients experienced 0 mortalities, 0 complications, and had a median length of stay of 4 days. OTSC is an effective adjunctive measure to improving rates of successful closure of EC fistulas and compromised anastomosis. OTSC conveys a markedly improved procedural risk profile as compared to standard surgical correction.
Evaluating a Self-Determination Theory-Based Preventive Parenting Consultation: The Parent Check-In

Parent training is the treatment of choice for many childhood problems; yet there are notable gaps among available treatments related to access, content, and target age-range. This study examined the feasibility and initial effects of the Parent Check-In, a two-session preventive intervention based on Self-Determination Theory. The intervention was designed to enhance parents’ motivation and promote parenting skills on dimensions of autonomy support, structure, and involvement. Twenty-eight parents (27 mothers, 3 fathers, 2 participating as couples) of elementary school-age children (ages 8–12) participated in a pilot study with an intervention/waitlist control design. Results revealed that the Parent Check-In attracted parents from a range of families in varying degrees of distress, including several first-time treatment-seekers. Relative to a waitlist control group (n = 8), participants who received the Parent Check-In (n = 20) showed significantly greater increases in parental internal locus of control, autonomy support, and structure provision at a two-week follow-up. Effect sizes were moderate to large. Both groups showed improvements in parent involvement. Intervention effects on parenting stress and sense of efficacy were not significant. Preliminary evidence supports the efficacy of the Parent Check-In. Future directions for the development and validation of the intervention are discussed.
Work Hours and CO2 Emissions: Evidence from U.S. Households

The degrowth movement proposes worktime reduction policies to help high-income countries meet their climate goals while supporting full employment. However, the work hours elasticity of carbon emis...
Injury Prevention: Proof of Concepts in Aquaculture and Commercial Fishing.

“Farmer-generated innovations are typically simple, low-cost solutions. By definition, these solutions have a ‘proof-of-concept’ because they have been implemented.” – Melvin L. Myers, Robert M. Du...
Techniques and devices for the endoscopic treatment of gastroparesis (with video).

Background and Aims Gastroparesis is a symptomatic chronic disorder of the stomach characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Several endoscopic treatment modalities have been described that aim to improve gastric emptying and/or symptoms associated with gastroparesis refractory to dietary and pharmacologic management. Methods In this report we review devices and techniques for endoscopic treatment of gastroparesis, the evidence regarding their efficacy and safety, and the financial considerations for their use. Results Endoscopic modalities for treatment of gastroparesis can be broadly categorized into pyloric, nonpyloric, and nutritional therapies. Pyloric therapies such as botulinum toxin injection, stent placement, pyloroplasty, and pyloromyotomy specifically focus on pylorospasm as a therapeutic target. These interventions aim to reduce the pressure gradient across the pyloric sphincter, with a resultant improvement in gastric emptying. Nonpyloric therapies, such as venting gastrostomy and gastric electrical stimulation, are intended to improve symptoms. Nutritional therapies, such as feeding tube placement, aim to provide nutritional support. Conclusions Several endoscopic interventions have shown utility in improving the quality of life and symptoms of select patients with refractory gastroparesis. Methods to identify which patients are best suited for a specific treatment are not well established. Endoscopic pyloromyotomy is a relatively recent development that may prove to be the preferred pyloric-directed intervention, although additional and longer-term outcomes are needed.
The unbearable whiteness of being (in) Shakespeare

What happens to the critical work of scholars, teachers, and performers of Shakespeare if we take very seriously the whiteness of our author and the critical epistemologies that develop and contour the body of his corpus? How is such work affected by the BIPOC identities of these scholars, teachers, and performers? In this essay I consider these questions through a sustained critique of Shakespeare’s whiteness and the whiteness of the critical gaze that has been directed at Shakespearean canon. My essay is subtended by the personal, which is an important facet of the confessional mode being considered, interrogated, and recapitulated in this issue. My confession, to which I turn at the close of this essay, rehearses a pedagogical experience wherein the wages of whiteness exact their usual cost from me and my students, demanding that we yield to white practices of knowledge-making in Shakespeare.
Synthesis of 4-Hydroxy-2,6- cis -Tetrahydropyrans via Tandem Cross-Metathesis/Thermal S N 2′ Reaction

Tandem reactions have long been recognized as a powerful tool used to perform multiple-bond-breaking and multiple-bond-forming reactions in a single chemical operation [1, 2, 3]. Hence, the development of tandem reactions is a rapidly growing area in the realm of synthetic organic chemistry [4, 5, 6]. Tandem processes offer a powerful approach for conveniently accessing more complex architectures and permit efficient access to unique chemical structures from simple starting materials. Furthermore, they occasionally provide impressive reaction stereoselectivity compared to their stepwise counterparts [4]. The main advantages of tandem reactions are the reduction in overall steps by avoiding isolation of often highly reactive intermediates, minimal use of protecting groups, and the environmental benefits by saving time and reducing waste.
Baseline and 1-year longitudinal data from the National Restless Legs Syndrome Opioid Registry.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensory-motor neurological disorder. Low dose opioid medications are prescribed for treatment-refractory RLS. We describe baseline and 1-year longitudinal dosing and symptom outcomes for the National RLS Opioid Registry. METHODS Individuals currently taking a prescribed opioid for diagnosed RLS are included in the registry. Information on initial and current opioid dosages, side effects, past and current concomitant RLS treatments, RLS severity, psychiatric history, and opioid abuse risk factors were collected at baseline. Follow-up online surveys were performed at 6 months and 1-year. RESULTS Participants (n = 500) are primarily white, elderly, educated, and retired. Half of all subjects are on opioid monotherapy. Nearly 50% of all subjects are taking methadone, and one-quarter are taking oxycodone formulations. The median total daily opioid dose is 30.0 morphine milligram equivalents (MME). At baseline, three-quarters of registry participants had been taking a prescribed opioid for RLS for more than 1 year and one-third for more than 5 years, and had mild-moderate RLS symptoms. At 1-year follow-up, 31.2% increased dose (median = 10 MME) and 16.0% decreased dose of their opioid. An MME increase ≥25 was associated with: opioid use for non-RLS pain, <1 year of opioid use, opioid switch to methadone, and discontinuation of non-opioid RLS medications which, combined, accounted for 91.7% of those with 1-year follow-up increases ≥25 MME. CONCLUSIONS In refractory RLS, prescribed opioids are generally used at low doses with good efficacy. Longitudinally over 1 year, roughly one-third of participants increased their prescribed opioid dose, though generally by small amounts, with larger dose increases accounted for by predictable features.
An untethered soft cellular robot with variable volume, friction, and unit-to-unit cohesion

A fundamental challenge in the field of modular and collective robots is balancing the trade-off between unit-level simplicity, which allows scalability, and unit-level functionality, which allows meaningful behaviors of the collective. At the same time, a challenge in the field of soft robotics is creating untethered systems, especially at a large scale with many controlled degrees of freedom (DOF). As a contribution toward addressing these challenges, here we present an untethered, soft cellular robot unit. A single unit is simple and one DOF, yet can increase its volume by 8x and apply substantial forces to the environment, can modulate its surface friction, and can switch its unit-to-unit cohesion while agnostic to unit-to-unit orientation. As a soft robot, it is robust and can achieve untethered operation of its DOF. We present the design of the unit, a volumetric actuator with a perforated strain-limiting fabric skin embedded with magnets surrounding an elastomeric membrane, which in turn encompasses a low-cost micro-pump, battery, and control electronics. We model and test this unit and show simple demonstrations of three-unit configurations that lift, crawl, and perform plate manipulation. Our untethered, soft cellular robot unit lays the foundation for new robust soft robotic collectives that have the potential to apply human-scale forces to the world.
Empirical Bayes Methods

(1990). Empirical Bayes Methods. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 249-250.
Sovereign currency and long-term interest rates

This paper investigates the effects of government debt and deficits on long-term interest rates in 17 advanced economies over the period 1973–2016 from the perspective of currency sovereignty The empirical findings of this paper suggest the market penalizes non-sovereign nations for the same amount of fiscal deficit with higher interest rates than sovereigns In addition, non-sovereign countries face accelerating interest rates for an increase in the debt-to-GDP ratio beyond a certain threshold (49% to GDP) while such a pattern is not obvious among sovereign nations Overall, the results support Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) view that a monetarily sovereign government, as a monopoly issuer of currency, can influence the prices of their liabilities to a significant extent, somewhat independent of existing public debt and market sentiment © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Age-related differences in the retrieval of phonologically similar words during sentence processing: Evidence from ERPs

Abstract We investigated how phonologically similar words are encoded and retrieved from memory during sentence processing across younger and older adults. Critical sentences included two phonologically similar or dissimilar noun phrases (henceforth NPs) followed by a pronoun. We examined brain activity time-locked to the onsets of the second NP, and the pronoun to investigate the encoding and retrieval of the NPs, respectively. Encoding the second NP resulted in smaller N400 amplitudes when the preceding NP was phonologically similar, for both younger and older adults, suggesting age-invariant encoding facilitation with increasing phonological similarity. However, when processing the pronoun, younger adults exhibited greater negativity following phonologically similar NPs, suggesting retrieval difficulty, whereas older adults showed greater negativity for pronouns following dissimilar NPs, suggesting an apparent retrieval facilitation. A post-hoc behavioral experiment suggested that older adults perform shallow processing during retrieval. The results suggest age-related decline in retrieval, but not encoding, of phonological information.
Exposure to nicotine vapor produced by an electronic nicotine delivery system causes short-term increases in impulsive choice in adult male rats

Introduction Traditional cigarette use influences cost-benefit decision making by promoting impulsive choice. However, the impact of exposure via electronic nicotine delivery systems on impulsive choice remains unclear. Hence, the present study examined the short- and long-term effects of nicotine vapor on impulsive choice. Methods Twenty-four adult male rats were trained in the delay discounting task, to choose between small, immediate food rewards or large, delayed food rewards. After 24 days of training in the task, rats were exposed to vapor containing either 0, 12, or 24 mg/mL of nicotine, for ten days. To validate inhalation of nicotine vapor, serum cotinine levels were analyzed on exposure days 1, 5, and 10 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Following vapor exposure, rats were retrained in the discounting task until rats displayed stable responding, and the effects of nicotine vapor on choice preference were assessed. Results Rats exposed to 12 and 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor displayed higher serum cotinine levels than control rats exposed to 0 mg/mL vapor. There were no differences in impulsive choice between any vapor exposure groups when tested 15 days after exposure, across 6 days of stable responding, suggesting that nicotine vapor does not have long lasting effects on impulsive choice. Interestingly, a subsequent nicotine vapor challenge revealed short-term increases in impulsive choice immediately following a single exposure to 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor, relative to choice preference immediately following exposure to 0 mg/mL vapor. Conclusions These results suggest that exposure to nicotine vapor causes immediate, short-term increases in impulsive choice. Implications E-cigarette use is increasing at an alarming rate, particularly among adolescents and young adults. This is concerning given the lack of research into the effects of nicotine vapor exposure on the brain and behavior. The present study describes a viable rodent model of human e-cigarette use and suggest that exposure to nicotine vapor produces short-term increases in impulsive choice.
Nonlinear soil-structure behavior of a deployable and compliant anchor system

This paper presents a novel compliant geo-structural systems bio-inspired by awns on grass seeds for increasing anchor capacity while minimizing material usage. A compliant deployable structure is ...
Orienting Huxley: On B. L. Chakoo's Aldous Huxley and Eastern Wisdom

Defamiliarization was made possible, therefore, by a number of closely interrelated factors. Watership Down's characters are a group of twentieth-century English rabbits who physically behave almost as real rabbits do. The narrator brings us closer to them by very often focusing the story from these small animals' viewpoint. Finally, the story itself proves to be an adaptation of the monomyth; the rabbits walk along the same path which many a great human hero—real or fictitious—has followed from the beginning of time. Furthermore, this path has been understood by many—Adams among them—as the external expression of man's inner struggle to search for the meaning of life; therefore, we can also speak of a conscious psychological appeal on the part of the author. But, after all, the truth which remains is that the mythical hero who fights almost to the death to fulfill his quest is a simple small rabbit—or, to be more precise, a group of rabbits. Defamiliarization arose because the storyteller, coming again from the past, has chosen to tell us the old adventure of a new mythical rabbit-hero.
Using Integrative Play Therapy with Adoptive Families to Treat Reactive Attachment Disorder: A Case Example

Abstract This article outlines a case example of treatment using an integrative play therapy approach to treat an adoptive family where Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) was present. From a theoretical perspective, this article contributes to our understanding of how to integrate Structural Family Therapy, Theraplay(r), and other selected family play therapy models to target the needs of a specific population and diagnosis (namely adoptive families struggling with RAD). In terms of its value to current clinical practitioners, rich descriptions of play activities and techniques, along with their intended purposes, are also included. This study demonstrates preliminary research indications that play therapy with adoptive families does yield positive descriptive outcomes to treat Reactive Attachment Disorder.
Investigation of a training shoe as a supplemental conditioning device.

Abstract Varsity college football players (N = 40) at Jackson State University were pretested on leg lift strength, 6 cable-tension leg strength measures, vertical jump, standing broad jump, 10-yd dash speed, and ankle and knee flexibility. The subjects were then randomly assigned to either the experimental on control group. Both groups participated in an 8-wk conditioning program consisting of weight training 3 day wk, and endurance and agility running drills 2 day wk. The experimental group wore a supplemental training device, the “LEGG” Shoe, during the off-season conditioning sessions and to and from daily classes. The control group subjects wore regular tennis shoes during the conditioning sessions and street shoes during daily activities. Following the 8-wk conditioning program posttest data were gathered on the 12 experimental and 10 control group subjects who met all conditioning and testing requirements. The data for each variable were anlyzed using ANCOVA technique. Significant differences at th...
Flexible receptor docking for drug discovery.

Introduction: Molecular docking has become a popular method for virtual screening. Docking small molecules to a rigid biological receptor is fast but could produce many false negatives and identify less diverse compounds. Flexible receptor docking has alleviated this problem.Areas covered: This article focuses on reviewing ensemble docking as an approximate but inexpensive method to incorporate receptor flexibility in molecular docking. It outlines key features and recent advances of this method and points out problem areas that need to be addressed to make it even more useful in drug discovery.Expert opinion: Among the different methods introduced for flexible receptor docking, ensemble docking represents one of the most popular approaches, especially for high-throughput virtual screening. One can generate structural ensembles by using experimental structures, by structural modeling and by various types of molecular simulations. In building a structural ensemble, a judicious choice of the structures to b...
Limits to the relationship among recombination, disequilibrium and epistasis in two-locus models.

I determine limits to the equilibrium relationship among epistasis, recombination and disequilibrium in two-locus, two-allele models using linear programming techniques. I show that when allele frequencies are one-half at each locus, the symmetric model is the fitness pattern that generates the most disequilibrium for the smallest level of epistasis. When allele frequencies deviate from one-half, much larger levels of epistasis are required to generate similar levels of disequilibrium. I determine the level of epistasis required to generate observed significant levels of disequilibrium in natural populations. The overall implication is that disequilibrium will be large at equilibrium only between strongly interacting, closely linked loci.
Inferring the Evolutionary Histories of the Adh and Adh-Dup Loci in Drosophila Melanogaster from Patterns of Polymorphism and Divergence

The DNA sequences of 11 Drosophila melanogaster lines are compared across three contiguous regions, the Adh and Adh-dup loci and a noncoding 5' flanking region of Adh. Ninety-eight of approximately 4750 sites are segregating in the sample, 36 in the 5' flanking region, 38 in Adh and 24 in Adh-dup. Several methods are presented to test whether the patterns and levels of polymorphism are consistent with neutral molecular evolution. The analysis of within- and between-species polymorphism indicates that the region is evolving in a nonneutral and complex fashion. A graphical analysis of the data provides support for a hypothesized balanced polymorphism at or near position 1490, site of the amino acid replacement difference between Adh(f) and Adh(s). The Adh-dup locus is less polymorphic than Adh and all 24 of its polymorphisms occur at low frequency--suggestive of a recent selective substitution in the Adh-dup region. Adh(s) alleles form two distinct evolutionary lineages that differ one from another at a total of nineteen sites in the Adh and Adh-dup loci. The polymorphisms are in complete linkage disequilibrium. A recombination experiment failed to find evidence for recombination suppression between the two allelic classes. Two hypotheses are presented to account for the widespread distribution of the two divergent lineages in natural populations. Natural selection appears to have played an important role in governing the overall patterns of nucleotide variation across the two-gene region.
Satellite observations of desert dust‐induced Himalayan snow darkening

The optically thick aerosol layer along the southern edge of the Himalaya has been subject of several recent investigations relating to its radiative impacts on the South Asian summer monsoon and regional climate forcing. Prior to the onset of summer monsoon, mineral dust from southwest Asian deserts is transported over the Himalayan foothills on an annual basis. Episodic dust plumes are also advected over the Himalaya, visible as dust-laden snow surface in satellite imagery, particularly in western Himalaya. We examined spectral surface reflectance retrieved from spaceborne MODIS observations that show characteristic reduction in the visible wavelengths (0.47 nm) over western Himalaya, associated with dust-induced solar absorption. Case studies as well as seasonal variations of reflectance indicate a significant gradient across the visible (0.47 nm) to near-infrared (0.86 nm) spectrum (VIS-NIR), during premonsoon period. Enhanced absorption at shorter visible wavelengths and the resulting VIS-NIR gradient is consistent with model calculations of snow reflectance with dust impurity. While the role of black carbon in snow cannot be ruled out, our satellite-based analysis suggests the observed spectral reflectance gradient dominated by dust-induced solar absorption during premonsoon season. From an observational viewpoint, this study underscores the importance of mineral dust deposition toward darkening of the western Himalayan snow cover, with potential implications to accelerated seasonal snowmelt and regional snow albedo feedbacks.
Image display and background analysis with the Naval Postgraduate School infrared search and target designation system

Commercial frame grabber technology in IBM PC compatible computers has been adapted to allow direct digital input of infrared search and track data at rates of up to 10 mbytes per second, permitting real-time processing and display of false color thermal images. Examples of single frame displays and background suppression by frame subtraction are shown. On- board processed Fourier spectra and Fourier power spectra of selected frame lines are shown. Curve-fitted representations are compared for clear air, cloud and land clutter, and a commercial aircraft at close range.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.