cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intelligent Trip Modeling on Ramps using ramp classification and knowledge base

Speed profile prediction on ramps is a challenging problem because speed changes on ramps involve complicated lane maneuvering and frequent acceleration or deceleration depending on geometry of the ramp and traffic volumes. Ramps can be categorized into three groups based on their interconnection of freeway: freeway entering ramps, freeway exit ramps, and inter freeway ramps. However, different geographical shapes of ramps within the same category cause different speed profile distributions. To predict speed profile on any ramp types, we proposed an Intelligent Trip Modeling on Ramp (ITMR) System that consists of a ramp classification method based on the decision tree and speed profile prediction neural networks. The proposed ITMR takes inputs from geographical data on the route and also the personal driving pattern extracted from the knowledge base built with the individual historical driving data. Experimental results show that the proposed system learned dynamic ramp speed changes very well to provide accurate prediction results on multiple freeway entering ramps, exit ramps and inter freeway ramps.
A study of the fate of [14C]maleic hydrazide in white ash and black locust seedlings by high‐performance liquid chromatography

The distribution and metabolic fate of [14C]maleic hydrazide in white ash and black locust seedlings were studied using high-performance liquid chromatography in conjunction with thin-layer chromatography and liquid scintillation spectrometry. Most of the maleic hydrazide was translocated to the leaves and stems of the black locust seedlings within 1 day after treatment but in the case of the white ash seedlings it remained in the stem tissue. After 30 days, the 14C was concentrated in the leaves of the black locust seedlings, but only in the stem and at the injection point of the white ash seedlings. Approximately 40 and 10% of the applied 14C was found at the injection points of the white ash and black locust seedlings, respectively. Chromatographic analysis of extracts showed no detectable metabolite in the black locust seedlings but two metabolites were detected in the white ash seedlings.
Observation of defects on insulator surfaces following bombardment with slow Kr35+, Xe44+, Th74+, and U70+ ions

Abstract We found unambiguous evidence of a new radiation effect from the occurrence of single ion defects which are created through the interaction of the Coulombic potential of slow highly charged ions (e.g. Xe 44+ and U 70+ ) and the surface of solid insulating materials (i.e. mica). In the cases studied, the kinetic energy of the ions is some 300–500 keV (ca. 2.2 keV/u), while the energy associated with the electrostatic potential of the incident ions approaches 200 keV. Defect production in mica has been investigated as a function of incident ion charge using an atomic force microscope. The volume of “blister-like” defects has been found to be proportional to the incident ion charge.
Doing criticism my way: A reply to Darsey

(1994). Doing criticism my way: A reply to Darsey. Western Journal of Communication: Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 308-312.
Paracrine activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in a simple in vitro model of wounded osteoblasts.

Abstract The immediate signal-transduction response of osteoblasts to acute trauma is poorly characterized. We have developed a simple in vitro model for osteoblast trauma to investigate aspects of the molecular mechanisms of wound healing in bone. Herein we report the specific, rapid, and transient phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 in osteoblasts as a response to disruption (“wounding”) of a confluent monolayer. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades of p38 and stress-activated protein kinase/c-jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) were not activated by this perturbation. The response to wounding was equivalent to the activation of ERK by the addition of exogenous growth factors, and the perturbation-dependent phosphorylation of ERK can be suppressed by an inhibitor of heparin-binding growth factors. Conditioned media from wounded monolayers can induce the phosphorylation of ERK in unperturbed monolayers. Using immunohistochemistry, it was demonstrated that the cells with increased levels of phosphorylated ERK were not localized to the wound edges. These results indicate that ERK activation is the result of an autocrine/paracrine response by osteoblasts to trauma. We speculate that osteoblasts respond to trauma with the release of soluble factors as part of an autocrine/paracrine modulation of the wound-healing process in bone.
Revolving doors : Imprisonment among the homeless and marginally housed population

Objectives. We studied a sample of homeless and marginally housed adults to examine whether a history of imprisonment was associated with differences in health status, drug use, and sexual behaviors among the homeless.Methods. We interviewed 1426 community-based homeless and marginally housed adults. We used multivariate models to analyze factors associated with a history of imprisonment.Results. Almost one fourth of participants (23.1%) had a history of imprisonment. Models that examined lifetime substance use showed cocaine use (odds ratio [OR]=1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.04, 2.70), heroin use (OR=1.51; 95% CI=1.07, 2.12), mental illness (OR=1.41; 95% CI=1.01, 1.96), HIV infection (OR=1.69; 95% CI=1.07, 2.64), and having had more than 100 sexual partners were associated with a history of imprisonment. Models that examined recent substance use showed past-year heroin use (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.14, 2.38) and methamphetamine use (OR=1.49; 95% CI=1.00, 2.21) were associated with lifetime imprisonme...
Cloud-hosted Simulation-as-a-Service for High School STEM Education

Abstract Despite their advanced status, nations such as the United States of America continue to face a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) crisis in their education system. Lack of effective teaching modalities that can leverage real-world examples to stimulate student interest in STEM concepts are identified as one of the reasons for this crisis. To address these challenges, our research is investigating the use of innovative and attractive modeling and simulation frameworks for concurrent, interactive and collaborative STEM education where vehicular traffic serves as the real-world example to reify STEM concepts. Existing traffic-related tools, such as traffic simulators, however, do not provide: (1) intuitive abstractions to construct, refine, and simulate various traffic models that are commensurate to the level of high school students, (2) concurrent and scalable model execution, and (3) collaborative learning environments. On the other hand, although intuitive abstractions such as Google Maps exist, these abstractions do not support semantics for dynamic behavior, which is representative of real-world traffic scenarios. To overcome both these challenges and address the STEM problem, this paper presents a Cloud-based, Collaborative, and Scaled-up Modeling and Simulation Framework for STEM Education called C2SuMo. The key contribution of this paper lies in the design and implementation of a cloud-based, elastic modeling and simulation framework that provides an intuitive, model-driven, collaborative, and concurrent visual simulation environment for STEM education. The paper also reports on insights we gained conducting a user study involving over sixty high school students.
A high power DPDT MMIC switch for broadband wireless applications

A new type of dual-pole double-throw (DPDT) antenna switch IC for broadband wireless applications has been developed. The IC exhibits a low insertion loss of 0.9 dB up to 5.0 GHz and 1.1 dB at 6 GHz, high power handling with P1dB about 34.5 dBm with a control voltage of 0/3 V and high linearity with input IP3 about 53 dBm.
A classifier for distribution feeder overcurrent analysis

This paper focuses on the problem of differentiating inrush currents from fault currents that are observed for a feeder at a distribution substation. This problem is important for feeder protection and power-quality monitoring purposes. The paper shows, using the actual field data, that it is not always easy to distinguish inrush currents from fault currents-as they do not have always well-defined waveforms. This paper shows that the two approaches-the Fourier transform, and the Wavelet transform can be adopted to extract features that make it possible to distinguish them from each other by using an artificial-neural-network-based classifier. The paper also illustrates how to address the issues for successful implementation of these schemes; such as prescreening of data, how to apply fast Fourier transform (FFT) and wavelet transform on the data, and the training of the artificial neural network in order to maximize the performance of the classifier. These issues are illustrated using the actual field data. The test results indicate that both FFT-based and wavelet-transform (WT)-based classifiers yield good results, but the WT-based classifier has better performance.
Modeling and simulation of optical networks using a virtual GMPLS-based optical switching router

This paper discusses the design and implementation of a simulation-based virtual optical switching router (VOSR). We built our VOSR model using the OPNET/spl trade/ process models that represent the GMPLS control plane functions. The GMPLS virtual model interfaces with a forwarding plane virtual model that represents the optical switching router in an optical core network. The VOSR model gives an integrated and realistic simulation of wavelength routing, wavelength assignment, wavelength switching, dynamic label switching path (LSP) setup and tear-down, distributed routing table calculation, and blocking mechanisms light paths. The VOSR models and simulations provide a framework for the analysis and evaluation of various wavelength routing and assignment algorithms. The basic VOSR model can be used to evaluate performance of optical network core models with hundreds of optical switching nodes. The forwarding plane model can be varied and includes different types of switching fabrics. The VOSR model can be set to represent internal optical switching routers, similar to label switched router (LSRs) in an electrical network world, except they switch wavelengths not labels. The VOSR model also represents label edge routers (LERs) that drop or add wavelengths to and from electrical edge networks, such as a GigE, ATM, or SONET. Our simulation results include the blocking rate, OSPF-TE bandwidth analysis, CPU utilization, which is highly comparable to a real GMPLS optical network. As the requirements for terahertz reach back emerges in DoD systems, the VOSR models and simulation environment can be applied to analysis and evaluation of optical core networks, such as carrier networks, gigabit expansion project, the global information grid (GIG), exploratory C5 grid (EC5G) core networks, and emerging enterprise and Internet backbones. In addition, research is being conducted that applies these concepts to interconnected islands of transparency with optical and wireless domains [R. Martinez et al., June 23-26 2003]. The U. S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command, Technology Integration Center (TIC) at Fort Huachuca, AZ, sponsored this research.
Flavoenzymes: Versatile catalysts in biosynthetic pathways

Covering: up to the end of May 2012 Riboflavin-based coenzymes, tightly bound to enzymes catalyzing substrate oxidations and reductions, enable an enormous range of chemical transformations in biosynthetic pathways. Flavoenzymes catalyze substrate oxidations involving amine and alcohol oxidations and desaturations to olefins, the latter setting up Diels–Alder cyclizations in lovastatin and solanapyrone biosyntheses. Both C4a and N5 of the flavin coenzymes are sites for covalent adduct formation. For example, the reactivity of dihydroflavins with molecular oxygen leads to flavin-4a-OOH adducts which then carry out a diverse range of oxygen transfers, including Baeyer–Villiger type ring expansions, olefin epoxidations, halogenations via transient HOCl generation, and an oxidative Favorskii rerrangement during enterocin assembly.
The computational application of the Cahn–Ingold–Prelog rules 1 and 2

Cahn–Ingold–Prelog (CIP) rules 1 and 2 (material differences) have been expressed in the formal logic of a high-level computer language (FORTRAN IV) on a laboratory minicomputer (PDP 11/40) by the program CHIRAL. An oversight in the CIP formalism in the treatment of rings was treated on an ad hoc basis; the problem has been expressed simply in terms of elementary graph theory in a way consistent with and similar to chemical notation. An example of the operation of CHIRAL is provided and the internal procedures discussed.
DART: a substrate for high speed asynchronous data IO

Large scale simulations of complex physics phenomena have long run times and generate massive amounts of data. Saving this data to external storage systems or transferring it to remote locations for analysis is a costly operation that quickly becomes a performance bottleneck. In this paper, we present DART (Decoupled and Asynchronous Remote Transfers), an efficient data transfer substrate that effectively minimizes the data I/O overhead on the running simulations. DART is a thin software layer built on RDMA technology to enable fast, low-overhead and asynchronous access to data from a running simulation, and support high-throughput, low-latency data transfers.
Ad-hoc association-rule mining within the data warehouse

Many organizations often underutilize their existing data warehouses. In this paper, we suggest a way of acquiring more information from corporate data warehouses without the complications and drawbacks of deploying additional software systems. Association-rule mining, which captures co-occurrence patterns within data, has attracted considerable efforts from data warehousing researchers and practitioners alike. Unfortunately, most data mining tools are loosely coupled, at best, with the data warehouse repository. Furthermore, these tools can often find association rules only within the main fact table of the data warehouse (thus ignoring the information-rich dimensions of the star schema) and are not easily applied on non-transaction level data often found in data warehouses. In this paper, we present a new data-mining framework that is tightly integrated with the data warehousing technology. Our framework has several advantages over the use of separate data mining tools. First, the data stays at the data warehouse, and thus the management of security and privacy issues is greatly reduced. Second, we utilize the query processing power of a data warehouse itself, without using a separate data-mining tool. In addition, this framework allows ad-hoc data mining queries over the whole data warehouse, not just over a transformed portion of the data that is required when a standard data-mining tool is used. Finally, this framework also expands the domain of association-rule mining from transaction-level data to aggregated data as well.
Burial increases seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) subspecies.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Seed longevity and persistence in soil seed banks may be especially important for population persistence in ecosystems where opportunities for seedling establishment and disturbance are unpredictable. The fire regime, an important driver of population dynamics in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, has been altered by exotic annual grass invasion. Soil seed banks may play an active role in postfire recovery of the foundation shrub Artemisia tridentata, yet conditions under which seeds persist are largely unknown. METHODS We investigated seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata subspecies in situ by retrieving seed bags that were placed at varying depths over a 2 yr period. We also sampled naturally dispersed seeds in litter and soil immediately after seed dispersal and before flowering in subsequent seasons to estimate seed persistence. KEY RESULTS After 24 mo, seeds buried at least 3 cm below the soil surface retained 30-40% viability whereas viability of seeds on the surface and under litter declined to 0 and < 11%, respectively. The density of naturally dispersed seeds in the seed bank was highly heterogeneous both spatially and temporally, and attrition varied significantly by region. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that Artemisia tridentata has the potential to form a short-term soil seed bank that persists longer than has been commonly assumed, and that burial is necessary for seed longevity. Use of seeding techniques that promote burial of some seeds to aid in formation of a soil seed bank may increase restoration potential.
A Statistics-Based Approach to Binary Image Registration with Uncertainty Analysis

A new technique is described for the registration of edge-detected images. While an extensive literature exists on the problem of image registration, few of the current approaches include a well-defined measure of the statistical confidence associated with the solution. Such a measure is essential for many autonomous applications, where registration solutions that are dubious (involving poorly focused images or terrain that is obscured by clouds) must be distinguished from those that are reliable (based on clear images of highly structured scenes). The technique developed herein utilizes straightforward edge pixel matching to determine the "best" among a class of candidate translations. A well-established statistical procedure, the McNemar test, is then applied to identify which other candidate solutions are not significantly worse than the best solution. This allows for the construction of confidence regions in the space of the registration parameters. The approach is validated through a simulation study and examples are provided of its application in numerous challenging scenarios. While the algorithm is limited to solving for two-dimensional translations, its use in validating solutions to higher-order (rigid body, affine) transformation problems is demonstrated
Impact of an Electronic Template on Documentation of Obesity in a Primary Care Clinic

Identification of obesity at well-child care (WCC) examinations is a step toward intervention. Studies have shown suboptimal documentation in primary care clinics that can improve with the use of electronic health records (EHRs). This study investigated the impact of a standardized EHR template on documentation of obesity at WCC visits and its impact on physician behavior. A cohort of 585 children with severe early onset obesity (body mass index >99th percentile, age <6 years) was identified with an electronic algorithm. Complete records of visit notes were reviewed to extract history taking, counseling, and recording of obesity at a WCC visit. Use of a standardized EHR template for WCC visits is associated with improvement in rates of documentation of obesity (47% vs 34%, P < .01), without interruption of workflow. Documentation of obesity in the chart improved nutritional (66% vs 44%, P < .001) and physical activity counseling (23% vs 9%, P < .001).
The Place-Based Structural Determinants and Effects of Self-Employment

This study expands on previous research by including a wider set of local economic and community factors affecting non-farm entrepreneurship or self-employment than have previously been considered. These factors affect both the rates of and returns to self-employment in US counties. Counties in which more residents voted for the Republican presidential candidate in 2000 had higher rates of self-employment and returns to self-employment in these counties also were higher. This result is attributed to a stronger "entrepreneurial spirit" and fewer rules and regulations to thwart self-employment efforts. While the presence of Wal-Mart stores depresses self-employment rates it may also raise the returns to self-employment. This supports the Schumpeterian prediction of creative destruction whereby the surviving self-employed are more productive as a result of competitive pressures. Local business service providers allow the self-employed to out-source non-core functions, raising their profitability. Temporary help and child daycare services are associated with both higher rates of self-employment and greater returns. Childcare services are not typically viewed as a constraint to expanded entrepreneurship but warrant greater attention. Couriers and messengers, and office supply and stationary stores are associated with significantly higher earnings from self-employment. The presence of junior colleges; business schools and computer and management training establishments; and technical and trade schools is associated with higher returns to self-employment. An opportunity clearly exists for expanding the roles of colleges, universities and professional schools in stimulating local rates of and returns to entrepreneurship.
Mobil Oil Exploration, Environmental Protection, and Contract Repudiation: It's Time to Recognize the Public Trust in the Outer Continental Shelf

In Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast, Inc. v. United States, 120 S. Ct. 2423 (2000), the U.S. Supreme Court held, 8-1, that the United States had repudiated its obligations under Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) lease contracts by enacting new environmental legislation, the since-repealed Outer Banks Protection Act (OBPA), that delayed oil and gas production off the coast of North Carolina until more comprehensive environmental studies could be completed. In addition, the Court upheld full restitution to Mobil Oil and Marathon Oil of the $158 million that they had paid for the leases, even though: (1) potential profits from the leases were highly speculative from the outset; (2) numerous delays had already occurred; (3) the delay imposed by the OBPA both was and was intended to be of limited duration; and (4) North Carolina has already objected to both companies' permit applications and exploration plans pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). After exploring the complex interactions of these three statutes and a review of the Supreme Court's decision, this article argues that the Court's decision was wrong even under principles of contract law. In addition, the paper argues that, more importantly, the Court completely ignored principles of the public trust doctrine and the environmental protection provisions of the OCSLA in reaching its decision. Without the active integration of the OCSLA's environmental and public trust dimensions into lease interpretation, the Supreme Court risks contracting the broader public interest in the outer continental shelf into oblivion.
Bile acid sulfates. II. Formation, metabolism, and excretion of lithocholic acid sulfates in the rat

Sulfate esterification has been shown previously to be a prominent feature of lithocholate metabolism in man. These studies were undertaken to ascertain whether this metabolic pathway is also present in rats, and to investigate the physiological significance of bile acid sulfate formation. Lithocholic acid-24-(14)C was administered to bile fistula rats, and sulfated metabolites were identified in bile by chromatographic and appropriate degradative procedures. They constituted only a small fraction (2-9%) of the total metabolites but a more significant fraction (about 20%) of the secreted monohydroxy bile acids, most of the lithocholate having been hydroxylated by the rat liver. When sulfated glycolithocholate was administered orally, it was absorbed from the intestine without loss of the sulfate, presumably by active transport, and secreted intact into the bile. In comparison with non-sulfated lithocholate, an unusually large fraction (24%) of the sulfated bile acid was excreted in the urine, and fecal excretion took place more rapidly. Both the amino acid and sulfate moieties were extensively removed prior to excretion in the feces. Hydroxylation of bile acid sulfates or sulfation of polyhydroxylated bile acids did not occur to any great extent, if at all.
Ex vivo perfused larynx model of phonation: preliminary study.

Objectives: Although excised laryngeal models and physical models of the larynx are important in the study of laryngeal dynamics, they cannot be used to study the influence of neuromuscular contraction on vocal fold vibration, especially with regard to the thyroarytenoid muscle. Our aim was to develop an ex vivo larynx model of phonation, and combine the benefits of the in vivo and excised laryngeal models to the ex vivo situation. Methods: Three canine larynges were surgically removed and perfused ex vivo with modified Krebs-Henseleit reperfusion solution. The laryngeal nerves were stimulated, and an assessment of neuromuscular viability, phonation, and vocal fold vibration was made. Results: Neuromuscular stimulation, phonation, and experimental manipulation were possible for several hours after the onset of ex vivo perfusion. Repeatable periodic phonation in short bursts was achieved. Perfusion appears critical to maintain ex vivo viability, as adductory force was almost immediately lost upon cessation of ex vivo perfusion. Conclusions: The ex vivo larynx model has the potential to facilitate the measurement of glottal variables in a neuro-muscularly correct model. We propose that the further development of this laryngeal model may be useful in the study of laryngeal dynamics, particularly when invasive measurements, such as that of glottal exit flow, are required.
Tailings and Mine Waste '04: Proceedings of the Eleventh Tailings and Mine Waste Conference, 10-13 October 2004, Vail, Colorado, USA

Written by specialists from the mining industry, this collection of over sixty papers from the eleventh annual Tailings and Mine Waste Conference deals with technical capabilities and developments, as well as regulations and environmental concerns. It includes papers on topics such as site characterization, radioactivity and ris
Influence of niobium pentoxide addition on the properties of glass ionomer cements.

Objective: To determine the influence of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) addition on the physical and chemical properties of glass ionomer cements (GICs). Materials and methods: Five, 10 or 20 wt.% of Nb2O5 were incorporated into commercial GICs (Maxxion R, Vitro Molar, Vitro Fil R) and one group of each GIC remained without Nb2O5 (control groups). The GICs were evaluated by Knoop hardness, compressive strength, acid erosion, particle size and radiopacity. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. Results: The addition of 10% and 20% reduced the microhardness of two GICs (p .05). Nb2O5 did not influence Maxxion R and Vitro Fil R regarding the acid erosion test (p > .05). Vitro Molar increased its acid erosion with 10% of Nb2O5 (p .05). Conclusion: The addition of 5 wt.% Nb2O5 did not affect the tested physical and chemical properties of the GICs and improved the radiopacity of one of the cements. These materials are therefore suitable for further testing of biomimetic remineralization properties.
Effect of temperature, water loading, and Ru/C catalyst on water-insoluble and water-soluble biocrude fractions from hydrothermal liquefaction of algae.

Abstract Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converts algal biomass into a crude bio-oil (biocrude) and aqueous-phase products. The effect of temperature, water loading, and added H2 and/or Ru/C catalyst on the properties of the biocrude that spontaneously separates from the aqueous phase post reaction and also the biocrude that is extractable from the aqueous phase by dichloromethane is explored herein. This report is the first to elucidate how the yields, compositions, heating values, and energy recoveries of the two biocrudes vary with the processing conditions above. Increasing temperature from 350 to 400 °C increased the yield of water-insoluble biocrude (38.1–42.5 wt%) and its hexane-soluble subfraction (63.7–85.6 wt%) while decreasing the yield of extractable, water-soluble biocrude (6.6–2.5 wt%). The Ru/C catalyst had the same effect. Reaction temperature and catalysts could be used to manipulate the proportions of water-soluble and water-insoluble biocrude from algae HTL and thereby manipulate biocrude quantity and quality.
Scattering of harmonic waves from a nonlinear elastic inclusion

This article considers the scattering of harmonics stemming from the interaction of a primary wave with a heterogeneous and elastically nonlinear inclusion present in an otherwise linearly elastic host medium. The elastodynamic equations of motion are derived for general elastic anisotropy up to a third-order in displacement nonlinearity (cubic nonlinearity). The method of successive approximations is applied in order to decouple the equations of motion into a linear system of equations. The linear equations permit the use of Green's functions to obtain the scattering amplitudes from an arbitrarily shaped inclusion. General forms of the scattering amplitudes are given as functions of scattering-based quadratic and cubic acoustic nonlinearity parameters. Shape factors are offered for some simple geometries in order to arrive at closed-form solutions. An explicit example is given in the case of a spherically shaped inclusion with isotropic elastic moduli. The influence of the second-, third-, and fourth-order elastic stiffnesses, primary and scattered wave mode types, and scattering angles are highlighted. Potential experimental techniques, based on the present scattering model, offer an alternative method of probing the nonlinear elastic properties of materials.
Impact insertion of osteochondral grafts: Interference fit and central graft reduction affect biomechanics and cartilage damage.

An osteochondral graft (OCG) is an effective treatment for articular cartilage and osteochondral defects. Impact of an OCG during insertion into the osteochondral recipient site (OCR) can cause chondrocyte death and matrix damage. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of graft-host interference fit and a modified OCG geometry on OCG insertion biomechanics and cartilage damage. The effects of interference fit (radius of OCG - radius of OCR), loose (0.00 mm), moderate (0.05 mm), tight (0.10 mm), and of a tight fit with OCG geometry modification (central region of decreased radius), were analyzed for OCG cylinders and OCR blocks from adult bovine knee joints with an instrumented drop tower apparatus. An increasingly tight (OCG - OCR) interference fit led to increased taps for insertion, peak axial force, graft cartilage axial compression, cumulative and total energy delivery to cartilage, lower time of peak axial force, lesser graft advancement during each tap, higher total crack length in the cartilage surface, and lower chondrocyte viability. The modified OCG, with reduction of diameter in the central area, altered the biomechanical insertion variables and biological consequences to be similar to those of the moderate interference fit scenario. Micro-computed tomography confirmed structural interference between the OCR bone and both the proximal and distal bone segments of the OCGs, with the central regions being slightly separated for the modified OCGs. These results clarify OCG insertion biomechanics and mechanobiology, and introduce a simple modification of OCGs that facilitates insertion with reduced energy while maintaining a structural interference fit. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:377-386, 2018.
Home Environmental Interventions for House Dust Mite

It has been 50 years since the dust mite was first appreciated to be a major source of allergen in house dust, and by extension a key trigger of allergic respiratory disease. Since that time a number of protein allergens have been identified and characterized, mainly from mite feces, and standardized mite extracts and IgE assays have been developed. Insights into the lifecycle of dust mites and aspects of mite allergen biology have shed light on the mechanisms that lead to respiratory disease and to the development of interventions that can minimize dust mite allergen exposure. It is now clear that dust mite allergy is a key contributor to asthma in many parts of the world, and that long-term avoidance can be effective for preventing sensitization and minimizing the development and severity of respiratory disease. Here, we discuss the evidence linking dust mites with respiratory disease, outline studies that support the efficacy of home environmental interventions, and highlight practical methods that have been shown to be effective as part of a multifaceted approach to dust mite avoidance.
Review: In older adults, exercise alone and some combination interventions reduce injurious falls vs usual care.

Source Citation Tricco AC, Thomas SM, Veroniki AA, et al. Comparisons of interventions for preventing falls in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2017;318:1687-99. 29114830
Hypereosinophilic syndrome preceding a diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma.

Introduction:Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare condition characterized by eosinophilia and organ destruction secondary to eosinophilic infiltration. The coexistence of primary B-cell lymph...
Infrared spectroscopy below the diffraction limit using an optical probe

Optical (visible) microscopy has established itself as an invaluable tool in Materials Science, and perhaps the canonical technique in Biology. Unfortunately, an optical image provides extremely limited information regarding chemical composition. A great deal of effort has been spent to circumvent this limitation through the use chemical dyes - most notably fluorescent markers - to achieve contrast between different chemical species. Infrared spectroscopy is an ideal technique to chemically fingerprint materials. Specifically, infrared microspectroscopy holds great promise as a labelless technique to achieve chemically specific microscopy. Unfortunately, the long wavelengths of the infrared lead to low spatial resolution in infrared microscopy, on the order of several microns. Traditionally, this limitation has been circumvented via scanning probe techniques such as s-SNOM and AFM-IR. While the scanning probe techniques provide excellent resolution, their contact nature and low signal levels limit the speed at which images can be acquired. We have developed a new technique to collect infrared hyperspectral images below the IR diffraction limit. Optically Sensed photothermal InfraRed Imaging micro-Spectroscopy (OSIRIS) permits the construction of infrared images on a resolution limited by the wavelength of the probe beam. In this technique, an infrared laser is used to excite the sample, while a short wavelength probe beam senses the resultant change in temperature. With this technique, hyperspectral images can be acquired orders of magnitude faster than the scanning probe techniques. Furthermore, a confocal setup permits tomography, which is extremely limited in the scanning probe techniques due to their surface nature.
The transmission of Archaeological Heritage through Interpretation. A case study focusing on the Open Archaeological Museum of Carnota (A Coruña, Galicia)

The aim of this paper is to present the importance of Heritage Interpretation for heritage promotion, and specifically, archaeological heritage with a tourist purpose. This Museum was chosen due to its increasing interest over the last years, in terms of valuing cultural heritage (excavations, improvement of accessibility, signalling...). Nevertheless, the Open Museum resources are in a risk of vulnerability and bad conservation if we consider the increment of visitors, both local population and tourists, because of the lack of a good management planning. It should therefore be developed a behaviour intervention plan in the resource, as it was valued for a spontaneous leisure use and not from a tourist perspective. In this context, the study used qualitative techniques, such as participant observation and in-depth interview, to evaluate the present situation. Finally, some conclusions are presented as well as a pre-interpretive proposal that could constitute a future planning basis.
Composite Materials with Interphase: Thermoelastic and Inelastic Effects

The effect of thin interphase between constituents of a composite material is described in terms of imperfect interface conditions which involve interface parameters. Elastic, viscoelastic and elastoplastic interphases are considered and their effect on the mechanical properties of composites is evaluated on the basis of the composite cylinder/spheres assemblage models and the generalized self consistent scheme approximation.
Hormonal Regulation of Apical Dominance

Plants develop from zygote to the adult form through a series of cellular and subcellular events. As young leaves, fruits and other structures emerge, they are elaborated into forms which are characteristic for each species. Moreover, they tend to appear in a highly ordered spatial relationship relative to each other. As circumstances vary, morphology may be altered or the arrangement of organs could change. The nature of these responses clearly indicates that the process of development is closely coordinated and that there is a hierarchical relationship among the interacting plant structures. Coordination of developmental activity among different parts is assumed to be achieved through a process of correlative control. In this view, dominant structures exert regulatory influence over others through a correlative signal which inhibits or otherwise alters development in the target structure.
1-2-3 Project: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Normalize and Systematize Palliative Care for All Patients With Cancer in the Outpatient Clinic Setting.

Background:Prior work to integrate early palliative care in oncology has focused on patients with advanced cancer and primarily on palliative care consultation. We developed this outpatient clinic ...
More than bargained for: pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema associated with synthetic cannabinoid use.

Over the past decade, the USA has seen an increase in both availability and consumption of synthetic cannabinoid products. While traditional cannabinoid exposure in the form of marijuana is known to be associated with a host of complications, such as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, new synthetic
Age-structured vectorial capacity in a ZIKV-Ae. aegypti model system

The transmission of vector-borne diseases is a dynamic process dependent on a multitude of factors. A better understanding of the temporal factors that modify transmission is needed. Here, we examined the effects of age at the time of infectious bloodmeal and the interaction with age-dependent life traits on the transmission potential of Zika virus (ZIKV) by Aedes aegypti. To do this, we applied three treatments: treatment Z, where mosquitoes were exposed to ZIKV at 5 days post-emergence; treatment M.Z, where mosquitoes were given a non-infectious bloodmeal at 5 days post-emergence, followed by a ZIKV-infectious bloodmeal at 12 days post-emergence; and treatment S.Z, where mosquitoes were exposed to ZIKV at 12 days post-emergence. We then observed the impact of these treatments on mosquito mortality, vector competence, and biting rate where we introduce a modification of the human landing rate to measure "laboratory bloodmeal landing rate" in the laboratory. Mosquitoes from treatment Z survived significantly longer than treatments M.Z and S.Z, though this difference was modest. There were no statistically significant differences observed in either vector competence or in biting rates among the three treatment groups when assessed as functions of days post exposure. When results were put in the context of mosquito age, we found a significant age effect in both vector competence and biting rate. Subsequently, we combined the life traits and viral kinetics results and modified the vectorial capacity equation in a way that addresses these age-dependent interactions, providing insight into the transmission potential of arboviruses as a function of mosquito age. Our principal finding is that mosquito age at the time of the infectious bite affects the subsequent transmission potential of the arbovirus, and offers a means by which to quantify this effect in our modified vectorial capacity equation.
Obesity and metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer: Results from the control arms of ASCENT2, MAINSAL and VENICE trials.

287Background: Previous findings regarding the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and survival in patients with prostate cancer are conflicting and may be disease-state dependent. We aimed t...
What Are the Primary Cost Drivers of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in the United States? A Cost-Minimization Analysis of 14,713 Patients.

Purpose To analyze the individual costs associated with anterior crucial ligament reconstruction (ACLR), accounting for patient demographics, perioperative decision making, and location of the surgical procedure (hospital vs ambulatory surgery center), utilizing a cost-minimization analysis in a large national database. Methods Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to determine which patient and surgical variables were the largest cost drivers for ACLR in the United States according to the State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Database. Results The average cost for ACLR (n = 14,713) was $24,707 (standard deviation, $15,644). When patient variables were considered, younger age (P 1 chronic medical condition ($1,749). Male sex, time in operating room, and older age also significantly increased ACLR cost. Conclusions The greatest contributor to cost of ACLR was the use of general anesthesia alone. Time spent in the operating room increased ACLR cost by $108 per minute. Patient factors included greater age, male sex, Hispanic ethnicity, number of chronic medical conditions, Medicare insurance, and annual income. Meniscal repair and regional nerve block did not significantly affect cost as determined by multivariate regression.
Right Ventricular Assist Devices

Decompensated right ventricular failure often proves refractory to medical therapy which can include diuretics, pulmonary vasodilators, systemic vasopressors, and inotropic agents. Here we discuss the use of mechanical support devices which can be employed to sustain RV function. We focus on the role of extracorporeal life support and innovative device therapies.
Achieving Mobile-Health Privacy Using Attribute-Based Access Control

Mobile Health (mHealth) refers to a healthcare-provision scheme which uses mobile communication devices for effective detection, prognosis and delivery of services. mHealth systems consists of sensors collecting information from patients, cell phones through which users access the data, and a cloud-based remote data store for holding health information of the patients. Healthcare data contains sensitive information and it must be protected from unauthorized access. Although role-based access control is commonly used for healthcare data, we advocate the use of attribute-based access control as it offers finer granularity of access and can be used across organizational boundaries. Specifically, we use the NIST Next Generation Access Control (NGAC) for representing the access control policies as it is efficient, expressive, and simplifies policy management. We propose an approach that allows constant time evaluation of access decisions based on using a graph database.
Spatially explicit land-energy-water future scenarios for cities: Guiding infrastructure transitions for urban sustainability

Abstract Cities drive the majority of global human resource consumption and serve as hubs of major infrastructural networks. To offset their resource demands, cities derive goods and resources from regions well outside urban boundaries inducing stress and impacts on distal ecosystems. As cities grow, these stressors are likely to increase, depending on choices about how resource demands will be addressed through new infrastructures; hence, city governance is extremely important to future global sustainability. However, to support effective decision-making and infrastructure transitions, developing tangible city-scale alternative future scenarios is needed. We present a methodology for developing plausible spatially explicit alternative futures for city infrastructures and discuss the tradeoffs in land, energy, carbon, and water resources among alternative future pathways. We first estimate future city populations and urban boundaries and characterize future land cover scenarios. Future population along with residential housing and commercial characteristics are used to estimate current and future electricity and water demand. We characterize the energysheds of cities, which then become the spatial template for designing future electricity production scenarios. Future electricity mixes and spatial distributions of powerplants provide wide-ranging tradeoffs in carbon reduction, water use reduction, and land usage. Additionally, we explore future alternatives for meeting water supply demands. Herein, we emphasize the importance of translating scenarios into physical on-the-ground relevance in order to ensure transparent communication among city- and utility-governance. Unless spatially explicit future infrastructure scenarios are provided, we believe city-level goals will become difficult to implement, or even worse, result in unintended consequences on regional natural resources.
Mercurial Hearts: Affect Spin, Work-Family Conflict, and Marital Satisfaction in Dual-Earner Couples

We examine the within-person spillover and between-person crossover relationships between global work-family conflict (WFC) and marital satisfaction among dual-earner couples. Drawing on the apprai...
Language exposure outside the home becomes more English-dominant from 30 to 60 months for children from Spanish-speaking homes in the United States:

Purpose:The purpose of the present study was to document the out-of-home exposure to English and Spanish experienced by children from Spanish-speaking homes in the United States during the preschoo...
Evaluation of long-term climate change impact on the growing season and water use of mature pecan in Lower Rio Grande Valley

Abstract Pecan is a major crop in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), New Mexico. New Mexico is currently the largest pecan producer in the United States. Pecan is also considered a major water user which can consume as much as 1200–1300 mm of water during the growing season. Climate change can have significant potential impact on the water requirement of pecan as well as its productivity and cost of production. This study evaluates the climate change effects on the duration of growing season (DGS) and water requirement of pecan in LRGV over the period of 1901–2019. Temperature data for the study period was used to identify the DGS. Hargreaves–Samani model was used to calculate reference evapotranspiration (ET0). Daily crop coefficient (Kc) over the study period was calculated using a developed regression model relating growing season Kc to cumulative growing degree days (GDD). The Mann-Kendall and Sen’s methods were applied to determine if there was a significant positive or negative trend in the DGS, ET0, and actual evapotranspiration (ETa). Statistical results showed a decreasing trend in the DGS over 1901–1950 whereas an increasing trend in the DGS was detected for the period of 1950–2019. Like the DGS variations, decreasing and increasing trends for both seasonal ET0 and ETa were observed for the first 50 years and the rest of the period with 99% confidence level, respectively. Results showed an increase of 124 mm in seasonal ETa between 1950 and 2019. The study showed that climate change effects in LRGV have been occurring for the study period, continuous increases in both DGS and ETa may bring changes in crop water requirement, and economics of pecan production as well as other horticultural challenges such as insufficient chill period for flowering, increased vivipary, and delayed or prolonged harvest.