cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Rabbit Model of Bacterial Osteomyelitis of the Tibia

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the rabbit model of bacterial osteomyelitis of the tibia. New Zealand White rabbits are the species of choice for this model and females weighing 2–3.5 kg and 8–12 weeks in age, are often used because of their low level of aggressive behavior. Once the rabbits arrives at the animal care facility, it is important to wait 7–10 days between arrival and initiation of infection in order to screen for those animals with infections, mainly Pasteurella multocida, but also Clostridium pilaformi, or antibiotic-induced overgrowth of intestinal Gram-negatives. This waiting period is also required for the animals to adjust to their new housing environment, which also makes the animals more relaxed during handling. The strain of S. aureus used in this model was obtained from a patient with osteomyelitis undergoing treatment at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The rabbits are anesthetized by using an intramuscular injection of 45 mg/kg ketamine. An 18G needle is then inserted percutaneously through the lateral aspect of the left tibial metaphysis into the intramedullary cavity. Then 0.15 ml of 5% sodium morrhuate, 0.1 ml of S. aureus (107cfu/ml), and 0.2 ml of sterile 0.85 % saline are injected sequentially. The optimum bacterial inoculum induces a significant localized osteomyelitis within two weeks of infection without a significant increase in mortality for the 6–8 weeks of postinfection survival required for study completion. After saline injection, the needle is removed and the animal is returned to its cage.
Uprooted Emancipators: Transatlantic Abolitionism and the Politics of Belonging

The scene unfolding before a group of American sailors who had intercepted a Portuguese slave ship in the South Atlantic could not have been more ghastly. African men and women, wrenched from their native shores, languished handcuffed on deck, covered in filth and tranquilized with rum. Attempts to speak with the terrified blacks bore no fruit until Philip Nolan, a decommissioned naval officer and participant in the rescue operation, managed to explain to the captives in broken Spanish that they need not fear their liberators. Nolan had all possible reason to pride himself on bringing this dramatic intervention to a happy conclusion. Yet his abolitionist heroism did little to soothe his troubled mind. While the Africans would be returned safely to their families, Nolan, who had forsaken his nation in a fit of anger, remained doomed to spending the rest of his life on the high seas, without permission to ever set foot on his native soil again. Stripped of his homeland, the exiled mariner found no comfort in an abstract humanity. His fate was to live and die as the notorious “Man without a Country.”1
Improving Power Integrity by Using Magnetodielectric Absorbers Along the Perimeters of Printed Circuit Boards

Maintaining low and smooth impedance over a wide range of frequency is one of the main issues in designing high-speed digital systems or mixed signal integrated circuits. Cavity resonances of a printed circuit board coupled with discontinuous return current paths, series inductance of the power distribution network, and parasitic inductance make potentials at power/ground planes unstable. One possible solution to improve power integrity and electromagnetic interference is to utilize a magnetodielectric absorber on the perimeter of the board. A mode-matching method and an impedance boundary condition are employed to obtain a computationally inexpensive model of the system. A contour plot of transfer impedance versus normalized surface impedance is introduced to provide useful information for determining the most suitable absorber. Numerical and measurement results are discussed. The results from the proposed modeling agree with those from the measurement and the simulation. The selected absorber effectively reduces selfimpedance and transfer impedance at resonant frequencies, but resonances are not completely eliminated at low frequencies due to the low loss of the absorber.
The Relationships Between Spiritual Well-Being, Quality of Life, and Psychological Factors Before Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Given shifting trends of religious identities in the USA, better understanding the impact of patients’ religious identities on health-related quality of life (QOL) may help tailor the use of psychological interventions. Men with prostate cancer (N = 43) completed measures of quality of life (QOL), spiritual well-being in two domains (i.e., Faith and Meaning/Peace), psychological state, and psychological trait before undergoing radiotherapy. We hypothesized that (1) higher existential Meaning/Peace would correlate with higher QOL and psychological trait protective factors (e.g., Agreeableness) and that (2) higher existential Meaning/Peace would correlate with lower depression, anxiety, and Neuroticism (i.e., a psychological trait risk factor). We did not anticipate similar relationships between religious Faith and QOL, depression, anxiety, or psychological traits and consider related analyses to be exploratory in nature. Meaning/Peace was indeed negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and Neuroticism. Meaning/Peace was positively correlated with Physical, Social, Functional, and Emotional well-being, as well as Extraversion. Religious Faith was positively associated with Functional well-being, but not the other state, trait, or QOL domains. In sum, prostate cancer patients’ sense of existential Meaning/Peace prior to radiotherapy was associated with well-being in many domains, whereas religious Faith appeared less so.
Estimation of a gaseous release into the atmosphere using a formation of UAVs

Abstract: The real-time estimation of a gaseous plume that results from gas released into the atmosphere by a moving aerial source is presented. The approach is utilizing a group of UAVs equipped with gas concentration sensors onboard and the concentration measurements are used in an estimation scheme in the form of a Luenberger observer. The estimator is modeled as the advection-diffusion equation, which is solved numerically in real-time using a finite volume method on a dynamically adapted computational grid. The UAVs maintain a rigid flying formation, with the control signals for the leader being provided by the Lyapunov-redesign method, which couples the UAV dynamics to the performance of the estimator. The follower UAVs provide plant information to the estimator and also compute the spatial gradients necessary for the implementation of the guidance scheme. Numerical examples illustrate the performance of the proposed approach.
Dual fixed-point CORDIC processor: Architecture and FPGA implementation

We introduce Dual Fixed Point CORDIC, that provides a compromise between Fixed Point and Floating Point CORDIC hardware implementations. A fully parameterized hardware is presented that allows for extensive exploration of the resources-accuracy design space, from which we generate optimal (in the multi-objective sense) realizations. We compare Fixed Point, Dual Fixed Point, and Floating Point CORDIC units in terms of resources and accuracy. Results show the effectiveness of Dual Fixed Point for CORDIC implementation where the increase in resources is largely offset by the high accuracy improvements.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant (AlloSCT) for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Which Has Relapsed Following Autologous SCT - Evidence for Potent Graft-Versus-Lymphoma Effect.

With the advent of reduced intensity conditioning regimens, new treatment options are available to patients who suffer relapse of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) following autoSCT, but the efficacy of this procedure is not proven. We retrospectively compared the cohort of adult patients who received alloSCT for relapse of HL following autoSCT to those who did not at a single institution. 64 patients underwent autoSCT for HL between 7/87 and 5/02: 41 for relapsed disease, 16 for primary refractory disease and 7 unclassified. Thirty-five patients (55%) relapsed at a median 12.5 months (range 0.9 to 140) after autoSCT. Eleven patients underwent alloSCT a median of 182 (35 – 645) days after relapse; 7/11 received reduced intensity conditioning, 5/11 received SCT from an unrelated donor. Of 24 patients who had relapsed after autoSCT (and did not receive an alloSCT), 16 survived at least 6 months and were considered in this analysis. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) > grade 2 occurred in only one patient, 5 /9 evaluable patients developed chronic GVHD (2 extensive). Five recipients of alloSCT have died: 2 with relapsed disease, 2 with disseminated fungal infections and 1 with interstitial pneumonitis. 6 patients remain alive, 5 remain free of disease. Median event free survival is12.5 months for recipients of alloSCT with median follow up of 3.1 years. Median overall survival is 4.1 years (64 days – 12.5+ years) and estimated overall survival is 71% at 3 years. This compares favorably with a median overall survival of 1.4 years in patients who survived at least 6 months, but did not receive alloSCT after relapse. Improved survival in the alloSCT cohort demonstrates that potent graft-versus-lymphoma activity can be achieved against HL without significant GVHD.
Deep inspiration breathhold for left-sided breast cancer patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy requiring internal mammary nodal irradiation.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of moderate deep inspiration breathhold (mDIBH) in reducing heart exposure in left breast cancer patients who have unfavorable cardiac anatomy and need internal mammary lymph node (IMLN) radiation therapy (RT). Methods and materials We used maximum heart distance (MHD), defined as the maximum distance of the heart within the treatment field, >1 cm as a surrogate for unfavorable cardiac anatomy. Twenty-two left breast cancer patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy requiring IMLN-RT underwent free-breathing (FB) and mDIBH computed tomography simulation and planning. Three-dimensional partially wide tangents (3D-PWTs) and intensity modulated RT plans were generated. Dose-volume histograms were used to compare heart and lung dosimetric parameters. Duration of treatment delivery was recorded for all fractions. Results MHD decreased significantly in mDIBH scans. mDIBH significantly reduced mean heart dose (222.7 vs 578.4 cGy; P Conclusions mDIBH is efficient and can effectively decrease mean heart dose in patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy who need IMLN-RT, thus simplifying planning and delivery for them. The reduction in mean heart dose is proportional to the reduction in maximum heart distance.
Association Between Time to Colonoscopy After a Positive Fecal Test Result and Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis

Importance The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is commonly used for colorectal cancer screening and positive test results require follow-up colonoscopy. However, follow-up intervals vary, which may result in neoplastic progression. Objective To evaluate time to colonoscopy after a positive FIT result and its association with risk of colorectal cancer and advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study (January 1, 2010-December 31, 2014) within Kaiser Permanente Northern and Southern California. Participants were 70 124 patients aged 50 through 70 years eligible for colorectal cancer screening with a positive FIT result who had a follow-up colonoscopy. Exposures Time (days) to colonoscopy after a positive FIT result. Main Outcomes and Measures Risk of any colorectal cancer and advanced-stage disease (defined as stage III and IV cancer). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were adjusted for patient demographics and baseline risk factors. Results Of the 70 124 patients with positive FIT results (median age, 61 years [IQR, 55-67 years]; men, 52.7%), there were 2191 cases of any colorectal cancer and 601 cases of advanced-stage disease diagnosed. Compared with colonoscopy follow-up within 8 to 30 days (n = 27 176), there were no significant differences between follow-up at 2 months (n = 24 644), 3 months (n = 8666), 4 to 6 months (n = 5251), or 7 to 9 months (n = 1335) for risk of any colorectal cancer (cases per 1000 patients: 8-30 days, 30; 2 months, 28; 3 months, 31; 4-6 months, 31; and 7-9 months, 43) or advanced-stage disease (cases per 1000 patients: 8-30 days, 8; 2 months, 7; 3 months, 7; 4-6 months, 9; and 7-9 months, 13). Risks were significantly higher for examinations at 10 to 12 months (n = 748) for any colorectal cancer (OR, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.05-2.08]; 49 cases per 1000 patients) and advanced-stage disease (OR, 1.97 [95% CI, 1.14-3.42]; 19 cases per 1000 patients) and more than 12 months (n = 747) for any colorectal cancer (OR, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.89-2.68]; 76 cases per 1000 patients) and advanced-stage disease (OR, 3.22 [95% CI, 2.44-4.25]; 31 cases per 1000 patients). Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with a positive fecal immunochemical test result, compared with follow-up colonoscopy at 8 to 30 days, follow-up after 10 months was associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer and more advanced-stage disease at the time of diagnosis. Further research is needed to assess whether this relationship is causal.
Hospitalization for Acute Pain in Sickle Cell Disease: Changes in Clinical Parameters and Factors Predicting Hospital Discharge and Re-Admission

Abstract Introduction: Acute vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is the hallmark clinical complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). VOC involves several mechanisms, including rigid erythrocytes, adhesive blood cells, activated coagulation, activated and dysregulated endothelium, inflammation, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Surprisingly few data document clinical and laboratory markers that change from steady state to VOC and during the hospital stay, and that predict subsequent rehospitalization. We characterized such markers in this study. Methods: Data were collected as part of a clinical trial of nitric oxide as potential treatment for VOC (DeNOVO). Participants, age ≥ 10 years requiring hospitalization for VOC, were recruited from 11 academic medical centers at the time of VOC. Length of hospital stay (LOS), change in visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, and hospital readmission within 30 days were study outcomes. Steady state laboratory values were available in a subgroup of patients for comparison. Differences between admission and steady state laboratory measures and changes in clinical and laboratory parameters from hospital admission to discharge were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to identify the independent predictors of LOS and 30-day readmission risk. Results: 150 recruited patients had a median (interquartile range; IQR) age of 24 (17-33) years; 50% were female, and 91% had HbSS genotype. The median VAS score at time of admission was 7.7 cm which subsided to 3.3 cm at time of discharge (P Conclusion: VOC is associated with neutrophilia and increased LDH, consistent with inflammation and hemolysis and/or tissue injury, although of insufficient magnitude to be used as diagnostic criteria. The magnitude of pain and marker of apparent bone involvement predict longer LOS. SCD patients with VOC carry a high burden of readmission risk, which is characterized by higher opioid utilization and earlier discharge from the index hospitalization. These concepts can shape models, especially to reduce readmission rate, to be evaluated in prospective clinical trials. *First two authors contributed equally to this work. Download : Download high-res image (134KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (80KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Lanzkron: NKT: Research Funding; Selexys: Research Funding; Prolong: Research Funding; PCORI: Research Funding; NHLBI: Research Funding; HRSA: Research Funding; GBT: Consultancy; Pfizer: Research Funding.
Mutual Gaze and Intersubjectivity

In this paper I will address the role of mutual gaze in social cognition. The exposition will run in two steps. First, I propose to examine some recent studies of joint visual attention in order to substantiate the view that social cognition is operative in infancy prior to the emergence of theoretical skills required to make judgements about other people’s states of mind. Such social cognition does not depend on intellectual procedures but rather on the communicative potential inherent in human bodies, for example, the ability to directly engage with others via mutual gaze. This view of sociality as dependent on bodily practices is broadly consistent with the phenomenological philosophy of Merleau-Ponty, which I propose to address second. Specifically, I will examine vision in the context of reversible dynamics which Merleau-Ponty believes regulate intercorporeal relations. This will allow me to expose some inner difficulties within Merleau-Ponty’s position as well as to point out the ways of resolving them by means of combined insights from developmental psychology and the analyses of interpersonal connectedness drawn from the dialogic tradition in philosophy.
Graph grammar-based controllable generation of puzzles for a learning game about parallel programming

In the context of a learning game to teach parallel programming, we describe a procedural content generation (PCG) approach that can be controlled to generate programming puzzles involving a desired set of concepts, and of desired size and "difficulty". Our approach is based on grammars to control the generation of the puzzle structure, and orthographic graph embedding techniques to render it into a two-dimensional grid for our game. The proposed PCG system is designed to work with a player model in order to provide personalized learning experiences. We present an evaluation of the variability of the generated puzzles using several metrics including challenge and solvability as evaluated by a custom-build model checker. Our evaluation shows that this PCG system can generate a large number of varied puzzles but it is still not able to generate puzzles with certain aesthetic and functional qualities found in puzzles generated by human authors.
‘Urban planning as the first step of architecture’ a response to the mass housing issue and the quality of its interior landscape: The Case Study of Pouillon’s Housing Estate ‘Diar El Mahçoul’ in Algiers

The problem of mass housing dates back to the fifties as a crisis of the modern movement. Several responses have been proposed through the charters of CIAM where the future of the mass housing construction was in standardization and heavy industrialization in the image of mass production system. This created a separation between the housing itself and its environment. Meanwhile, Fernand Pouillon, far from theoretical debates, was able to find answers to the mass housing production issue by returning to the design (composition) of the traditional city, where urban planning established the art of architecture, and housing with its inner landscape as a part of the city. Through the analysis of the housing estate Diar El Mahcoul of Fernand Pouillon, we will try to understand the modern vision of the future of housing, which were his references, his tools and how did he manage to do it? KEYWORDS: Architectural composition, architecture and urban planning, housing estate and city, mass housing, Diar El Mahcoul, Fernand Pouillon.
A Quantitative Synthesis of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Single-Subject Research

Abstract Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a contextual behavioral therapy that utilizes behaviorism within the therapeutic relationship to implement in-session changes with the idea that these changes will generalize outside of session. The therapist focuses on reinforcing adaptive behavior and decreasing problematic behavior. Although FAP has existed as a therapy for nearly three decades, there is a limited amount of research examining its efficacy, and the majority of FAP efficacy studies use single-subject data. The current study aims to synthesize data from 20 FAP single-subject design research studies in order to provide a quantitative estimate of its efficacy. The metrics used to synthesize the data in this study include percentage of non-overlapping data (PND), split-middle trend estimation (SMTE), reliable change index (RCI), and Swanson's dsw. For PND and SMTE analyses the overall mean effect sizes fell into the "questionably effective" to "fairly effective" classification. RCIs were consistently classified as "statistically reliable" and swanson's dsw analyses indicated that differences were large and reliable.
High conductivity in a nonplanar n-doped ambipolar semiconducting polymer

n-Doping of P(BTP-DPP) with the organometallic dimer (RuCp*mes)2, processed through sequential casting, is reported. Maximum conductivities of 0.45 S cm–1 were achieved that are relatively high for n-type semiconducting polymers. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy are consistent with the introduction of high carrier concentrations by sequential processing, leading to bipolaronic, or otherwise spin-paired carriers. P(BTP-DPP) has glassy ordering in thin films, observed using wide angle X-ray scattering, that allows efficient incorporation of the dopant as a function of processing condition. The changes in electrical conductivity as a function of the dopant concentration are proposed to occur by charge percolation through domains with a mixture of polaronic and bipolaronic carriers.
The effect of lipid levels on patient-reported outcomes in patients with rotator cuff tears

Background Lipid disorders could be associated with the prevalence and outcomes of rotator cuff diseases. This study aimed to learn how levels of various types of lipids influence the patient-reported outcomes of patients with rotator cuff tears (RCTs). Methods Data from a cohort study of 135 patients with RCTs were used. The outcome measures included Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) standardized shoulder assessment form, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, visual analog scale for pain and satisfaction, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12). Multivariable random-effects models were built to examine how total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein, and ratio of total cholesterol to HDL influence each outcome, controlling for covariates. Results After adjusting for age, gender, surgery, smoking, and baseline outcome values, patients with triglycerides >150 mg/dL had significantly higher pain visual analog scale ( β = 5.86; P = .017) and lower VR-12 physical component summary ( β = −2.71; P = .002) scores. Patients with low HDL had significantly worse WORC ( β = 132.26; P = .020) and ASES ( β = −7.05; P = .005) scores, more pain ( β = 6.69; P = .024), and less satisfaction ( β = −6.53; P = .008). The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL was associated with worse WORC ( β = 58.46; P = .006) and ASES scores ( β = −2.74; P = .002), more pain ( β = 4.49; P β = −1.03; P = .017). Conclusions Dyslipidemia may decrease the improvement of patient-reported outcomes in patients undergoing treatment for RCTs; high triglycerides and low HDL may have the most impact.
Health Factors in Attractiveness: Three Radio Talks

(1939). Health Factors in Attractiveness. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 275-316.
Impacts of In-Space Assembly as Applied to Human Exploration Architectures

Human missions to Mars present several major challenges that must be overcome, including delivering multiple large mass and volume elements, keeping the crew safe and productive, meeting cost constraints, and ensuring a sustainable campaign. Traditional methods for executing human Mars missions minimize or eliminate in-space assembly (iSA), which provides a narrow range of options for addressing these challenges and limits the types of missions that can be performed. This paper discusses recent work to evaluate how the inclusion of in-space assembly in space mission architectural concepts could provide novel solutions to address these challenges by increasing operational flexibility, robustness, risk reduction, crew health and safety, and sustainability. Several assembly focus areas identified through previous work were developed and evaluated to identify high-potential iSA applications that can have meaningful impacts on the challenges facing Mars missions. Architecture trade options were developed and assessed through sensitivity analyses, resulting in identification of six iSA-based architecture solutions that could be incorporated into Mars mission architectures with moderate levels of assembly. Assembly agent and infrastructure concepts were also developed that would be necessary to enable or facilitate the iSA operations. Several observations developed through the study are presented to inform future human mission architecture and campaign developments.
Multi-organ segmentation in clinical-computed tomography for patient-specific image quality and dose metrology

The purpose of this study was to develop a robust, automated multi-organ segmentation model for clinical adult and pediatric CT and implement the model as part of a patient-specific safety and quality monitoring system. 3D convolutional neural network (Unet) models were setup to segment 30 different organs and structures at the diagnostic image resolution. For each organ, 200 manually-labeled cases were used to train the network, fitting it to different clinical imaging resolutions and contrast enhancement stages. The dataset was randomly shuffled, and divided with 6/2/2 train/validation/test set split. The model was deployed to automatically segment 1200 clinical CT images as a demonstration of the utility of the method. Each case was made into a patient-specific phantom based on the segmentation masks, with unsegmented organs and structures filled in by deforming a template XCAT phantom of similar anatomy. The organ doses were then estimated using a validated scanner-specific MC-GPU package using the actual scan information. The segmented organ information was likewise used to assess contrast, noise, and detectability index within each organ. The neural network segmentation model showed dice similarity coefficients (DSC) above 0.85 for the majority of organs. Notably, the lungs and liver showed a DSC of 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. The segmentation results produced patient-specific dose and quality values across the tested 1200 patients with representative the histogram distributions. The measurements were compared in global-to-organ (e.g. CTDvol vs. liver dose) and organ-to-organ (e.g. liver dose vs. spleen dose) manner. The global-to-organ measurements (liver dose vs. CTDIvol: 𝑅 = 0.62; liver vs. global d’: 𝑅 = 0.78; liver vs. global noise: 𝑅 = 0.55) were less correlated compared to the organ-to-organ measurements (liver vs. spleen dose: 𝑅 = 0.93; liver vs. spleen d’: 𝑅 = 0.82; liver vs. spleen noise: 𝑅 = 0.78). This variation of measurement is more prominent for iterative reconstruction kernel compared to the filtered back projection kernel (liver vs. global noise: 𝑅𝐼𝑅 = 0.47 vs. 𝑅𝐹𝐵𝑃 = 0.75; liver vs. global d’: 𝑅𝐼𝑅 = 0.74 vs. 𝑅𝐹𝐵𝑃 = 0.83). The results can help derive meaningful relationships between image quality, organ doses, and patient attributes.
Coping With College Obstacles: The Complicated Role of Familia for First-Generation Mexican American College Students:

This qualitative study examined how first-generation Mexican American college students sought support from their families to cope with challenges. Some students had very close relationships with th...
An (Almost) Optimal Solution for Orthogonal Point Enclosure Query in ℝ3

The orthogonal point enclosure query (OPEQ) problem is a fundamental problem in the context of data management for modeling user preferences. Formally, preprocess a set S of n axis-aligned boxes (p...
An opportunity model of safety risks among jail officers

Abstract Purpose Correctional officers experience victimization and other safety hazards that may result in adverse health and occupational outcomes. Researchers have done their part to investigate the sources of safety risks for prison officers, but much less information has been gathered regarding the parallel dangers that jail officers endure. We drew from a general opportunity perspective to identify the correlates of safety risks among jail officers. Method Using data collected from 1264 individuals working in 18 jails in two states, we examined whether measures of officers' routines, suitability as targets, and levels of guardianship influenced how often they were threatened, their risk of assault victimization, or their perceptions of danger at work. Conclusions In general, our results showed that jail officers' safety risks vary according to their work assignments, degree of contact with inmates, antagonistic attitudes or characteristics, and extent of protection and support at work. Findings comport with the broader literature on safety and victimization as well as the small but growing number of studies that suggest individual and work-related conditions are important for identifying jail officers' safety risks.
Synthesis of Enantiopure ε-Oxapipecolic Acid

A six-step synthesis of orthogonally protected (S)-e-oxapipecolic acid is described, starting from a commercially available glutamate diester. The approach features mCPBA-mediated amine oxidation and an intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction to form the tetrahydrooxazine ring. The enantiopure building block was employed in the synthesis of a short model peptide to determine the amide rotamer preference N-terminal to the cyclic residue. In contrast to pipecolic acid, which exhibits a high cis amide population, the e heteroatom in oxapipecolic acid exerts a strong trans substantiating effect through lone pair repulsion.
Modeling voltammetry curves for proton coupled electron transfer: The importance of nuclear quantum effects.

We investigate rates of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in potential sweep experiments for a generalized Anderson–Holstein model with the inclusion of a quantized proton coordinate. To model this system, we utilize a quantum classical Liouville equation embedded inside of a classical master equation, which can be solved approximately with a recently developed algorithm combining diffusional effects and surface hopping between electronic states. We find that the addition of nuclear quantum effects through the proton coordinate can yield quantitatively (but not qualitatively) different IV curves under a potential sweep compared to electron transfer (ET). Additionally, we find that kinetic isotope effects give rise to a shift in the peak potential, but not the peak current, which would allow for quantification of whether an electrochemical ET event is proton-coupled or not. These findings suggest that it will be very difficult to completely understand coupled nuclear–electronic effects in electrochemical voltammetry experiments using only IV curves, and new experimental techniques will be needed to draw inferences about the nature of electrochemical PCET.
Timestamp-free Clock Syntonization for IoT using Carrier Frequency Offset

System-level timing fluctuations caused by unstable low-cost clocks and end-to-end communication delays are the main sources of uncertainties in existing synchronization mechanisms that rely on timestamp exchanges. This paper introduces a timestamp-free clock syntonization approach, carrier frequency offset (CFO)-assisted syntonization (CFOSynt), to estimate the clock skew between a pair of nodes by utilizing carrier frequency offset. To enable CFOSynt, we leverage the fact that RF oscillators in the radio can be used as the reference to calibrate the system clock oscillators, and the pairwise RF clock information is carried in the transmission carrier frequency. By incorporating CFO and capturing the clock frequency relationship in system clock skew estimation, CFOSynt can eliminate the need for timestamping and the impact of delay uncertainties. To validate the design, CFOSynt is implemented on two common off-the-shelf (COTS) IoT platforms with access to the CFO estimation from the radio chip. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate CFOSynt, and CFOSynt can estimate the clock skew of 32 kHz low-cost electronic oscillators with a mean error of -2.46 Hz. In comparison with timestamp-based approaches, CFOSynt achieves up to 70-90% improvement in skew estimation error and shows significant reliability when low-cost oscillators are used.
Contribution of First-Tarsometatarsal Joint Fusion to Deformity Correction in the Treatment of Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity:

Background:Severe adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) is often associated with painful medial column collapse at the naviculocuneiform (NC) joint. However, many surgeons surgically correct the...
The Venezuelan castro-communist counterinsurgency (1960-1968) and the fight for emergent democratic governments

Democracies, handicapped by constitutional conventions and structural mechanisms which enforce the practice of humanitarian ethics, are less well-equipped to address counterinsurgencies (COIN) than...
Simulations of crack extensions in arc-shaped tension specimens of uncharged and hydrogen-charged 21-6-9 austenitic stainless steels using cohesive zone modeling with varying cohesive parameters

Abstract Crack extensions in uncharged and hydrogen-charged side-grooved A(T) specimens of conventionally forged 21-6-9 austenitic stainless steels are simulated using the cohesive zone modeling approach. Two-dimensional plane strain finite element analyses with fixed cohesive parameters are first conducted to fit the experimental load-displacement curves. Similar analyses using varying cohesive parameters as functions of the crack extension are then conducted to fit the experimental load-crack extension and crack extension-displacement curves. The computational results with varying cohesive parameters can fit very well the experimental data. The computational results also indicate that the average cohesive energy for the hydrogen-charged A(T) specimen is lower than that for the uncharged A(T) specimen.
Self-E: Smartphone-Supported Guidance for Customizable Self-Experimentation

The ubiquity of self-tracking devices and smartphone apps has empowered people to collect data about themselves and try to self-improve. However, people with little to no personal analytics experience may not be able to analyze data or run experiments on their own (self-experiments). To lower the barrier to intervention-based self-experimentation, we developed an app called Self-E, which guides users through the experiment. We conducted a 2-week diary study with 16 participants from the local population and a second study with a more advanced group of users to investigate how they perceive and carry out self-experiments with the help of Self-E, and what challenges they face. We find that users are influenced by their preconceived notions of how healthy a given behavior is, making it difficult to follow Self-E’s directions and trusting its results. We present suggestions to overcome this challenge, such as by incorporating empathy and scaffolding in the system.
Prognostic value of early imaging following CAR T-cell therapy in DLBCL.

e19559Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapies lead to durable disease control in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). We assess...
Experimental and numerical investigation of fixed-height cold-formed steel wall assemblies bearing on concrete slabs

Abstract Cold-formed steel bearing walls are frequently installed on concrete slabs, which do not provide perfectly rigid and uniform conditions. However, existing design guidance assumes bearing condition has no impact on axial capacity, though cold-formed steel compressive members are particularly susceptible to these end conditions. Additionally, studs are typically installed at the edge of the concrete slab, which is prone to spalling and geometric irregularities, and stud walls are occasionally installed inadvertently overhanging from them. In this paper, the impact of non-uniform and partial bearing conditions on the axial strength of cold-formed steel (CFS) wall assemblies is identified and characterized experimentally and numerically. Studs of various cross-sections and bearing conditions were considered. Bearing conditions include: full bearing (edge distance ≥ 20.32 cm (8 inches)), close to the edge, at the edge, and partially overhanging from the slab. In addition to the experiments, high-fidelity finite element modeling of all the systems was conducted to validate the experimental results and elucidate the impact of parameters not captured during the tests. The results provide a means of evaluating existing design guidelines presented in the North American Specification of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI S100-16). Twenty-seven tests were conducted on CFS wall assemblies. They reveal that there is a potential need for improvement of current AISI specifications, where all bearing conditions are assumed rigid and uniform. Design recommendations for improving the current specification are discussed.
Optothermal Manipulation of Liquid Droplets

Optothermal manipulation of liquid was studied with surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsions. Trapping, assembly, and fusion of pure liquid droplets in an aqueous medium were demonstrated by applying an optothermal stimulus and adjusting medium compositions.
Matrix metalloproteinase-1 localization in the normal human uveoscleral outflow pathway.

PURPOSE. To determine the distribution of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in the uveoscleral outflow pathway and other anterior segment tissues of normal human eyes. METHODS. Normal human eyes were fixed in methacarn and sectioned and immunostained using a specific polyclonal antibody to MMP-1. Immunoreactivity was visualized using diaminobenzidine. To compare the staining intensity in various tissues, the mean optical density within the ciliary body, mid-iris stroma, iris root, uveal trabecular meshwork, cornea. and sclera was determined using imaging densitometry. To determine the cellular distribution of MMP-1 in ciliary muscle, additional sections were double-immunostained using antibodies to MMP-I and calponin. These sections were examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Specificity of the antibody to MMP-1 in ocular tissues was confirmed by western blot analysis with uveal tract homogenates. RESULTS. Moderate-to-strong MMP-1 immunoreactivity was observed in ciliary muscle, iris, sclera, cornea endothelium, and ciliary nonpigmented epithelium. Lighter immunoreactivity was observed in cornea epithelium, blood vessels, trabecular meshwork, Schlemm's canal, and associated collector channels. Confocal microscopy showed that ciliary muscle MMP-1 was primarily inside ciliary muscle cells. Densitometry showed that net optical density was approximately fivefold greater in ciliary muscle, iris root, and sclera than in trabecular meshwork. CONCLUSIONS. MMP-1 was prominently identified in regions of the anterior segment of normal human eyes associated with the uveoscleral outflow pathway and in the iris, corneal endothelium, and ciliary nonpigmented epithelium. These data support the hypothesis that MMP-1 activity is involved in regulating uveoscleral outflow facility.
Diffuse Lung Disease

Diffuse lung disease (DLD) comprises a diverse group of disorders characterized by widespread pulmonary parenchymal pathology and impaired gas exchange. While many of these disorders are categorized under the rubric of interstitial lung disease (ILD), some of these disorders involve the airspaces or peripheral airways in addition to, or rather than, the interstitium. Some of these disorders are present primarily in infancy or early childhood, while others that are prevalent in adulthood rarely occur in childhood. This chapter will review the classification of pediatric DLD and the characteristic imaging findings of specific disorders to facilitate accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate treatment of children with these disorders.
Run-time energy consumption estimation based on workload in server systems

This paper proposes to develop a system-wide energy consumption model for servers by making use of hardware performance counters and experimental measurements. We develop a real-time energy prediction model that relates server energy consumption to its overall thermal envelope. While previous studies have attempted system-wide modeling of server power consumption through subsystem models, our approach is different in that it uses a small set of tightly correlated parameters to create a model relating system energy input to subsystem energy consumption. We develop a linear regression model that relates processor power, bus activity, and system ambient temperatures into real-time predictions of the power consumption of long jobs and as result controlling their thermal impact. Using the HyperTransport bus model as a case study and through electrical measurements on example server subsystems, we develop a statistical model for estimating run-time power consumption. Our model is accurate within an error of four percent(4%) as verified using a set of common processor benchmarks.
Coordinated Insurance for Major Construction Projects

Major construction projects normally contain major risks for all the parties involved; purchase of insurance often provides a shifting and reduction of risk. In many major construction endeavors the owner elects by developing a Coordinated Insurance Program to purchase some or all of the insurance for the other participants. Decisions concerning this program include the basic decision to establish such a program and the specific decisions of what form the program should take. The first basic decision is often made by the owner's in-house forces by evaluating a checklist of pros and cons. Specific program definition requires a thorough risk analysis of premium costs, absorbed losses, and impacts on incentives to perform.
Association of premorbid intellectual function with cerebral metabolism in Alzheimer's disease: implications for the cognitive reserve hypothesis

OBJECTIVE: Clinical heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease has been widely observed. One factor that may influence the expression of dementia in Alzheimer's disease is premorbid intellectual ability. It has been hypothesized that premorbid ability, as measured by educational experience, reflects a cognitive reserve that can affect the clinical expression of Alzheimer's disease. The authors investigated the relation between estimates of premorbid intellectual function and cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with Alzheimer's disease to test the effect of differing levels of premorbid ability on neurophysiological dysfunction. METHOD: In a resting state with eyes closed and ears occluded, 46 patients with Alzheimer's disease were evaluated with positron emission tomography and [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy- D-glucose to determine cerebral metabolism. Premorbid intellectual ability was assessed by a demographics-based IQ estimate and performance on a measure of word-reading ability. RESULTS: After the authors controlled for demographic characteristics and dementia severity, both estimates of premorbid intellectual ability were inversely correlated with cerebral metabolism in the prefrontal, pre- motor, and left superior parietal association regions. In addition, the performance-based estimate (i.e., reading ability) was inversely correlated with metabolism in the anterior cingulate, paracentral, right orbitofrontal, and left thalamic regions, after demographic and clinical variables were controlled for. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that higher levels of premorbid ability are associated with greater pathophysiological effects of Alzheimer's disease among patients of similar dementia severity levels. These findings provide support for a cognitive reserve that can alter the clinical expression of dementia and influence the neurophysiological heterogeneity observed in Alzheimer's disease.
Conversion of baryonic fermions into squarks in neutron stars from supersymmetric dark matter Q-balls

The gauge-mediated model of supersymmetry breaking implies that stable nontopological solitons, $Q$-balls, could form in the early Universe and comprise the dark matter. It is shown that the inclusion of the effects from gravity-mediation set an upper limit on the size of $Q$-balls. When in a dense baryonic environment $Q$-balls grow until reaching this limiting size at which point they fragment into two equal-sized $Q$-balls. This $Q$-splitting process will rapidly destroy a neutron star that absorbs even one $Q$-ball. The new limits on $Q$-ball dark matter require an ultralight gravitino ${m}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\lesssim}\mathrm{keV}$, naturally avoiding the gravitino overclosure problem, and providing the minimal supersymmetric standard model with a dark matter candidate where gravitino dark matter is not viable.
Logical circuit filtering

Logical Filtering is the problem of tracking the possible states of a world (belief state) after a sequence of actions and observations. It is fundamental to applications in partially observable dynamic domains. This paper presents the first exact logical filtering algorithm that is tractable for all deterministic domains. Our tractability result is interesting because it contrasts sharply with intractability results for structured stochastic domains. The key to this advance lies in using logical circuits to represent belief states. We prove that both filtering time and representation size are linear in the sequence length and the input size. They are independent of the domain size if the actions have compact representations. The number of variables in the resulting formula is at most the number of state features. We also report on a reasoning algorithm (answering propositional questions) for our circuits, which can handle questions about past time steps (smoothing). We evaluate our algorithms extensively on AI planning domains. Our method outperforms competing methods, sometimes by orders of magnitude.
Learning in Retirement Peer Instructors: In Over their Heads or Swimming Comfortably?

The lengthening span of retirement, combined with projections of a growing aging population, has made the retirement population an increasingly important consumer group in education (Van der Kamp & Scheeren, 1997). In the 1960s, educational programming efforts for seniors were grounded in assumptions of decline. These assumptions, and a life stages conceptualization of the teachable moment (Havighurst & Orr, 1956), led to educational programs and services designed to prepare individuals to cope with the decrements of old age, the trauma of retirement, and one's gradual disengagement from life (Walker, 1996).
Conceptual design of beryllium targets for the generation of neutron beams for radiation therapy by the (p,n) reaction

A conceptual design is presented showing that, by judiciously choosing the beryllium target thickness and the backstop material, improvements can be achieved in dose--rate, skin sparing, and penetration of neutron beams generated by the same proton accelerator.