cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable-sample methods for stochastic optimization

In this article we discuss the application of a certain class of Monte Carlo methods to stochastic optimization problems. Particularly, we study variable-sample techniques, in which the objective function is replaced, at each iteration, by a sample average approximation. We first provide general results on the schedule of sample sizes, under which variable-sample methods yield consistent estimators as well as bounds on the estimation error. Because the convergence analysis is performed pathwisely, we are able to obtain our results in a flexible setting, which requires mild assumptions on the distributions and which includes the possibility of using different sampling distributions along the algorithm. We illustrate these ideas by studying a modification of the well-known pure random search method, adapting it to the variable-sample scheme, and show conditions for convergence of the algorithm. Implementation issues are discussed and numerical results are presented to illustrate the ideas.
Environment-Dependent Generation of Photoacoustic Waves from Plasmonic Nanoparticles

Nanoparticle-augmented photoacoustics is an emerging technique for molecular imaging. This study investigates the fundamental process of the photoacoustic signal generation by plasmonic nanoparticles suspended in a weakly absorbing fluid. The photoacoustic signal of gold nanospheres with varying silica shell thicknesses is shown to be dominated by the heat transfer between the nanoparticles and the surrounding environment.
The evidence of the senses and the materiality of religion

Religious practices are commonly treated as evidence for something else, such as beliefs. There are a number of problems with privileging beliefs or ideas when trying to define religion. An alternative is to rethink the relationship between the materiality of religious activity and the ideas that have sometimes been taken to define ‘religion’. This approach may also be a productive way to look at religious practices across widely differing contexts without eliminating their fundamentally historical character. Resume Les pratiques religieuses sont habituellement envisagees comme des preuves d'autre chose, par exemple de croyances. Or le fait de privilegier les croyances ou les idees pour tenter de definir la religion pose plusieurs problemes. Une autre approche consiste a repenser la relation entre la materialite de l'activite religieuse et les idees qui ont parfois ete employees pour definir la « religion ». Cette approche peut etre un moyen productif d'examiner les pratiques religieuses a travers des contextes tres differents, sans eliminer leur caractere fondamentalement historique.
Influence of calcium (0.6 or 1.2%) and phosphorus (0.3 or 0.6%) content and ratio on the formation of urolithogenic compounds in the urine of Boer-cross goats fed high-concentrate diets

Abstract The population of meat goats in the U.S. increased dramatically between 2002 and 2007. With this increase has come an increase in the number of cases of obstructive urolithiasis being seen by veterinarians. Since this condition is often associated with imbalances in dietary Ca and P, the goal of this project was to investigate the influence of concentration and ratio of Ca and P in diets for meat goats on the formation of urolithogenic precursors. Using 8 Boer-cross, wether goats in replicated Latin squares, 4 diets containing either 0.3 or 0.6% P, 0.6 or 1.2% Ca, 0 or 2% added salt, and Ca:P ratios of 1:1 or 2:1 were offered (0.3% P, 2:1; 0.6% P, 1:1; 0.6% P, 2:1; and 0.6% P, 2:1 + salt). Serum, urine, and feces were collected in conjunction with water and feed intake measurements. All treatment groups had similar dry matter intakes (DMI; 838–887 g/d, P = 0.19) and N retention rates (6.2–7.0 g/d, P = 0.54). Water consumption per unit DMI was similar for goats eating both Ca:P = 2:1 diets without 2% added salt (2.06 g/g DMI and 1.89 g/g DMI for 0.6% P and 0.3% P, respectively). Water consumption was also similar for goats receiving the Ca:P = 1:1 (2.50 g water/g DMI) and 2% added salt diet (2.79 g water/g DMI); and, these levels were higher than those for the lower salt, 2:1 diets (P = 0.0002). Serum Ca, PO4, Mg, K, Na, Cl, HCO3, and anion gap all fell within normal ranges throughout the trial, as did serum urea N and glucose. Fecal DM was 10% lower in goats consuming 0.6% P, 1:1 than when other diets were offered (32% vs. 42%, P
Multiplierless predictor for DPCM of images

The design methodology of a multiplierless predictor is presented for differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) of images. Multiplierless implies that each coefficient of the predictor is a power-of-two number. Therefore, all multiplications can be performed by simple shifting operations. The predictor is designed as a two-dimensional (2-D) HR filter with periodic coefficients. Simulation results illustrate the efficiency of the proposed predictor in the DPCM of images.
Association Between Preinfarction Angina and Angiographic Findings in Non–ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background The association between preinfarction angina and angiographic findings has not been elucidated in patients with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Hypothesis Patients with preinfarction angina have favorable angiographic findings. Methods This retrospective study analyzed 481 patients who underwent coronary angiography within 5 days of presenting NSTEMI. Preinfarction angina was defined as experiencing ≥1 chest-pain episode within 7 days prior to admission. Infarct size was measured as the peak cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level, and large myocardial infarction (MI) was defined as a peak cTnI level >85th percentile value in the study population. Infarct-related artery (IRA) patency was defined as Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction grade 2 or 3 flow. Clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital mortality were compared between patients with and without preinfarction angina. Results Among 481 patients, 200 (42%) had preinfarction angina. Preinfarction angina was associated with smaller infarct size, indicated by lower peak cTnI levels (P = 0.006) and lower incidence of large MI (P = 0.02), and IRA patency (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality. On multivariate analysis, both preinfarction angina (odds ratio: 0.53, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.94, P = 0.03) and IRA patency (odds ratio: 0.30, 95% confidence interval: 0.17-0.52, P < 0.001) were independent negative predictors of large MI. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that preinfarction angina is a predictor of smaller infarct size and infarct-related artery patency in NSTEMI patients, suggesting that NSTEMI patients presenting without preinfarction angina are at increased risk of developing a large MI.
Performance Modeling of Aeroderivative Steam-Injected Gas Turbines and Combined Cycles Fueled From Fixed or Fluid-Bed Biomass Gasifiers

First-generation biomass integrated-gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/CT) technology, based on combined cycles and fluid-bed gasifiers, is likely to be commercially ready by the turn of the century, with ten or more commercially-oriented demonstration projects presently ongoing worldwide. In development and demonstration efforts to date, relatively little attention has been given to alternative cycle configurations or gasifier designs. Performance modeling is described here for steam-injected and combined cycle systems built around gas turbines resembling the GE LM2500, with fuel delivered from integrated fluid- or fixed-bed gasifiers. Some features of fixed-bed gasification appear to offer benefits, particularly for steam-injected cycles. A primary motivation for examining steam injection is expected capital cost savings compared to combined cycles, especially at total power plant capacities below 100 MW. (due to scale economies associated with steam bottoming cycles). Because of the inherently dispersed nature of biomass production, first-generation BIG/CT applications in the sub-100 MW. range will be common.
Free-surface formulation of mantle convection—II. Implication for subduction-zone observables

SUMMARY Viscous and viscoelastic models for a subduction zone with a faulted lithosphere and internal buoyancy can self-consistently and simultaneously predict long-wavelength geoid highs over slabs, short-wavelength gravity lows over trenches, trench-forebulge morphology, and explain the high apparent strength of oceanic lithosphere in trench environments. The models use two different free-surface formulations of buoyancydriven flows (see, for example, Part I): Lagrangian viscoelastic and pseudo-free-surface viscous formulations. The lower mantle must be stronger than the upper in order to obtain geoid highs at long wavelengths. Trenches are a simple consequence of the negative buoyancy of slabs and a large thrust fault, decoupling the overriding from underthrusting plates. The lower oceanic lithosphere must have a viscosity of less than Pa s in order to be consistent with the flexural wavelength of forebulges. Forebulges are dynamically maintained by viscous flow in the lower lithosphere and mantle, and give rise to apparently stiffer oceanic lithosphere at trenches. With purely viscous models using a pseudo-free-surface formulation, we find that viscous relaxation of oceanic lithosphere, in the presence of rapid trench rollback, leads to wider and shallower back-arc basins when compared to cases without viscous relaxation. Moreover, in agreement with earlier studies, the stresses necessary to generate forebulges are small (- 100 bars) compared to the unrealistically high stresses needed in classic thin elastic plate models.
Enhanced cooperation in the N-person iterated snowdrift game through tag mediation

This paper investigates whether tags can elevate cooperation levels in N-player iterated evolutionary snowdrift games. Tags give agents the ability to form groups that can prosper under certain circumstances. Previous work showed tags promote cooperation in iterated prisoner's dilemma games but no work has seen if they enhance cooperation in snowdrift games. We studied different tag models used in prisoner dilemma games and found they also promote cooperation in snowdrift games. We also discuss the relationship between tags and the red queen effect.
Bayesian Determination of the Reorder Point of a Slow Moving Item

Consider an inventory item for which the procurement or production setup lead time is nonzero. One of the commonly used methods of determining the reorder point of such an item is to specify the probability of a stockout or a desired service level fraction of demand that is to be instantaneously satisfied and then select the reorder level that will provide such service. However, such an approach has assumed that the probability distribution of demand during the lead time is exactly known. In many inventory situations this assumption is not justified, particularly in the case of a slow moving item with limited available sales history. For such a situation this paper explores the use of a Bayesian approach to selecting a reorder point.
How sampling and scale limit accuracy assessment of vegetation maps: A comment on Loehle et al. (2015)

Abstract Accuracy assessments of remote sensing products are necessary for identifying map strengths and weaknesses in scientific and management applications. However, not all accuracy assessments are created equal. Motivated by a recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management (Volume 342, pages 8–20), we explored the potential limitations of accuracy assessments related to characteristics of the field data: sampling bias and spatial resolution. The authors of the previous paper used data from variable radius plots near northern spotted owl nest sites to assess the predictive accuracy of gradient nearest neighbor (GNN) maps in portions of Oregon and Washington, USA. The field plots used for accuracy assessment (1) potentially biased the accuracy assessment toward older forests and (2) examined accuracy at finer scales than the imputation map predictions under consideration. To examine both the impacts of bias and scale in accuracy assessment, we assessed the predictive accuracy of GNN maps in western and southern Oregon. We found correlation coefficients between predicted (900 m2) and observed forest attributes for small plots (506 m2) were consistently lower than accuracy assessments using larger plots (4048 m2). Similarly, correlation coefficients based only on field plots near nest sites were lower than correlations based on all field plots. These results imply that sampling bias and small plot areas result in accuracy assessments that underestimate map predictive performance. In particular, assessing accuracy at spatial scales below the resolution of the map products are overly pessimistic (i.e., low correlation coefficients). While accuracy assessment is important, care needs to be taken to ensure that the sampling design for field data does not limit inference on map accuracy.
Managing Patients With Psoriasis in the Busy Clinic: Practical Tips for Health Care Practitioners

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease with significant comorbidities, whose management can be challenging given the variety of treatment options. It is critical for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, general practitioners, and dermatology trainees to have useful information about the treatment and monitoring of patients with psoriasis. Although certain aspects of care apply to all patients, each therapeutic agent has its own nuances in terms of assessments, dosing, and monitoring. The most appropriate treatment is based not only on disease severity but also on comorbid conditions and concomitant medications. These practitioners are vital in facilitating patient care by thorough understanding of systemic agents, selection criteria, dosing, and recommended monitoring. This article provides high-yield practical pearls on managing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. It includes case-based discussions illustrating considerations for special populations, such as pregnant women, children, and patients with comorbidities (eg, human immunodeficiency virus infection, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and history of malignancy).
Superoverpack: Tailor-Made Mixtures of Zeolites and Clays

Cation exchange and selective adsorption of cations by clays, zeolites and gels is well known and has been the subject of intensive research for decades. Numerous equations have been derived to describe the exchange of ions by clay systems (1, 2), and selective sorption of cations by clays has been long studied (3–5). Ion exchange has been established as a standard way of describing molecular sieve zeolites (6), and selectivities shown by a number of zeolites for Cs or NH4 or K (7–9) illustrate a few of many ion separations which could be performed with zeolite exchangers. Hydrous metal oxides typically as noncrystalline oxyhydroxide gels have also been extensively studied for the selective sorption of cations (10, 11). The vast majority of these studies of cation exchange equilibria and of selective adsorption have been made on single cation exchangers, i.e., the solution from which sorption occurs typically contains only one cation. Moreover, most of the work also involves one solid phase at a time, and little attention was paid as to what extent the sorbed ions are retained or fixed by the solid phase. Very little work has been done on adsorption and fixation of complex mixtures of ions by mixtures of clays and zeolites.
High-fat diet impairs spatial memory and hippocampal intrinsic excitability and sex-dependently alters circulating insulin and hippocampal insulin sensitivity

High-fat diets promoting obesity/type-2 diabetes can impair physiology and cognitive performance, although sex-dependent comparisons of these impairments are rarely made. Transient reductions in Ca2+-dependent afterhyperpolarizations (AHPs) occur during memory consolidation, enhancing intrinsic excitability of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. In rats fed standard diets, insulin can enhance memory and reduce amplitude and duration of AHPs. Effects of chronic high-fat diet (HFD) on memory, circulating insulin, and neuronal physiology were compared between young adult male and female Long-Evans rats. Rats fed for 12 weeks (from weaning) a HFD or a control diet (CD) were then tested in vivo prior to in vitro recordings from CA1 pyramidal neurons. The HFD significantly impaired spatial memory in both males and females. Significant sex differences occurred in circulating insulin and in the insulin sensitivity of hippocampal neurons. Circulating insulin significantly increased in HFD males but decreased in HFD females. While the HFD significantly reduced hippocampal intrinsic excitability in both sexes, CA1 neurons from HFD females remained insulin-sensitive but those from HFD males became insulin-insensitive. Findings consistent with these have been characterized previously in HFD or senescent males, but the effects observed here in young females are unique. Loss of CA1 neuronal excitability, and sex-dependent loss of insulin sensitivity, can have significant cognitive consequences, over both the short term and the life span. These findings highlight needs for more research into sex-dependent differences, relating systemic and neural plasticity mechanisms in metabolic disorders.
Parthenogenesis in the Pear-Slug Saw-Fly.

But few of our economic insects have been studied more than the common pear-slug or cherry-slug saw-fly, Caliroa cerasi Linn., yet concerning some points in its biology and life history we are as yet in doubt. Parthenogenesis, known to occur in some of the saw flies, has been suspected in the case of this species, but does not appear to have been sufficiently proved. Mr. R. L. Webster, in his bulletin on this pest* presents a good account of its biology and life history, but in regard to parthenogenesis (complete and successful) he states that it had not been sufficiently proved, yet some important observations were made which are mentioned in this paper. *Webster, R. L. The Pear-slug. Bul. No. 130, Iowa Agric. Exp. Sta. (1912).
A Novel Sin-Hyperbolic Creep Damage Model to Overcome the Mesh Dependency of Classic Local Approach Kachanov-Rabotnov Model

All materials include defects or voids. Under load, these defects can serve as a nucleus of crack initiation and propagation. Numerical analysis of notched specimen can provide prediction of creep damage or crack propagation of materials containing defects or initial cracks. However, FEM analyses using the local CDM approach exhibits mesh size dependency, and exhibits localized damaged zone around the crack. In this study, a novel Sin-hyperbolic (Sinh) model is demonstrated to significantly mitigate mesh dependency and exhibits a nonlocal damage distribution around the crack when compared to the classical Kachanov-Rabotnov model. Finite element analysis of circular notched specimen of 304 Stainless-Steel (SS) is performed. Contour plots of damage evolution, and mesh dependency of crack growth rate are discussed in detail. It is demonstrated that the Sinh model offers better creep damage, and crack growth analysis and significantly improves the stress sensitivity, damage localization, and mesh-dependency of numerical results.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Some Problems in Calculating Flow Around Two-Dimensional Cascade Profiles

A new method which can be used to construct a H-type grid for cascade flow calculation is presented in this paper. To test the feasibility of the grid, the subsonic and transonic full potential equations are solved by using finite difference approximations on a transformed coordinate system. It is found that in order to improve computing accuracy and reduce cost, four conditions should be fulfilled in constructing cascade grids. Also, the artificial viscosity scheme should be improved for cascade calculations.Copyright © 1985 by ASME
Reproductive Anatomy and Mating Rehavior of an Intersex Rat

This article describes the reproductive anatomy and behavior of a spontaneously occurring “intersex” rat. The clitoris was greatly hypertrophied and contained an “os penis.” Immediately ventral to this structure was a blind pouch giving an appearance of an infantile vagina. Irregular periods of cornification appeared in the vaginal smear. There was a bifurcated uterus with an inactive ovary on one side and an ovitestis on the other. Twenty-seven behavior tests conducted over a period of two months showed that mounting by a stimulus male inevitably evoked lordosis on the part of the intersex animal. There were no regular variations in the intensity of this “receptive” behavior. The readiness to display lordosis was comparable to that of a normal female in estrus. This female also showed frequent mounting responses when placed with receptive feminine partners, but this type of behavior is not uncommon with the normal female rat in our colony.
Temperature acclimation in culturedEucheuma isiforme from Florida andE. alvarezii from the Philippines

Branch cultures ofEucheuma alvarezii Doty var.tambalang Doty, farmed in the Philippines, andE. isiforme (C. Agardh) J. Agardh var.denudatum Cheney, from the west coast of Florida, were gradually transferred through three temperature regimes over a 6-week period. Photosynthetic responses were measured under a series of irradiances (P-I curves) and temperatures to determine immediate responses of the plants before, during and after completion of the transfers. The Philippine variety did not show acclimation to 18 °C either after gradual transfer from the initial culture temperature of 25 °C or when abruptly transferred from 25 to 18 °C. The Florida variety did show acclimation to 25 °C when gradually transferred from 18 to 22 to 25 °C over the 6-week period, but not if abruptly transferred from 18 to 25 °C. The west coast variety ofE. isiforme from Florida shows a temperature acclimation ability that parallels the seasonal changes in water temperature of its habitat.
Glycerol metabolism promotes biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes persistent infections in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Airway sputum contains various host-derived nutrients that can be utilized by P. aeruginosa, including phosphotidylcholine, a major component of host cell membranes. Phosphotidylcholine can be degraded by P. aeruginosa to glycerol and fatty acids to increase the availability of glycerol in the CF lung. In this study, we explored the role that glycerol metabolism plays in biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa. We report that glycerol metabolism promotes biofilm formation by both a chronic CF isolate (FRD1) and a wound isolate (PAO1) of P. aeruginosa. Moreover, loss of the GlpR regulator, which represses the expression of genes involved in glycerol metabolism, enhances biofilm formation in FRD1 through the upregulation of Pel polysaccharide. Taken together, our results suggest that glycerol metabolism may be a key factor that contributes to P. aeruginosa persistence by promoting biofilm formation.
Nuclear Medicine and Renal Disease

Radioisotope studies of renal clearance, renography, and imaging of kidney structure are procedures that have become well established in clinical nephrology, providing important noninvasive adjuncts to older diagnostic techniques. The result is earlier detection of renal dysfunction, better selection of patients for more definitive work-up, and more expeditious follow-up of treatment.
Clinical Vectorcardiography in Children

Corrected systems of spatial vectorcardiography may prove useful in achieving diagnosis of congenital heart defects in pediatric age groups—especially in estimating the severity of aortic stenosis and in distinguishing primum from secundum atrial septal defects. Frequently, say Drs. Gersony and Gamboa, the corrected VCG can supply information not available from the standard electrocardiogram.
Connected, oriented, closed boundaries in digital spaces: Theory and algorithms

Abstract. In many imaging applications, boundaries of objects need to be identified in multidimensional digital image data for the visualization and analysis of object information captured in the images. This chapter addresses the question of how to define boundaries in multidimensional digital spaces so that they are“closed” and connected, and they partition the digital space into an interior set that is connected and an exterior set that is connected. Using adjacency relations defined on the elements of the digital space and on boundary elements, we prove some basic results relating to these properties of boundaries. We examine in detail some specific boundary element adjacency relations and present efficient algorithms that track boundaries defined in binary images of any (finite) dimensionality.
Modes of Literary Inquiry: a Primer for Humanistic Formalism

I think we are entering a period in which a fruitful dialogue between traditional humanistic study and recent theory will address the challenges posed by deconstruction and Marxism, even while returning to a focus on literary works not as texts but as imagined worlds. Using Lawrence as my prime example and Conrad as my secondary example, I want to examine how humanistic formalism addresses a number of issues pertaining to literary study. By examining some recent scholarship and criticism, I shall locate some topics and issues that need to be reconsidered in the light of recent theory. In particular, we shall consider how we can discuss the author in the text.
Trust-based mixed-initiative teleoperation of mobile robots

A trust-based mixed-initiative scheme for the bilateral teleoperation of mobile robotic systems is proposed. In a mixed-initiative control scheme, the control task is shared between human and an in-situ autonomous robot controller. In a bilateral haptic teleoperation scheme, a human operator controls a robot remotely through some control device while receiving haptic force feedback cues. The bilateral haptic teleoperation is implemented with mixed-initiative control, by introducing computational two-way trust models, to increase the performance of the joint system. Mixed-initiative is enabled by scaling the manual and autonomous control inputs with a function of computational human-to-robot trust. The haptic force feedback is dynamically scaled with a function of computational robot-to-human trust and hence reduces the physical workload of operator. Passivity based techniques are developed for the proposed control scheme in the presence of such time-varying scales as well as communication delays. The trust-based mixed-initiative teleoperation scheme has been experimentally tested. The results indicate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme in improving task performance by 31% and reducing operator workload by 23.9% compared to the exclusively bilateral teleoperation.
Neuronal Network Effects of Drug Therapies for CNS Disorders

Abstract Many central nervous system (CNS) drug classes act selectively on specific sites in the neuronal networks for CNS disorders. The key selective target of therapeutic doses of CNS drugs on the network that mediates a CNS disorder is proposed to be an emergent property of neurons in a specific brain region. The emergent property is expressed due to the myriad of influences that are exerted on these specific neurons in the awake, behaving animal. The principal neurons in a specific nucleus within a neuronal network possess specific intrinsic properties and receptors on which various ascending and descending projection neurons and local cells release neuroactive substances and are also affected by local pH and ion concentrations. Endogenous neuroactive substances and exogenous agents, including drugs, are also carried via volume transmission and affect the properties of these principal neurons. The summation of all these influences determines whether the emergent property is expressed, the actual nature of that property, and the relative sensitivity of that group of neurons to a specific drug. Thus, when therapeutic doses are administered, many CNS drugs are proposed to act selectively on neurons in a specific nucleus in the neuronal network, which mediates this disorder, to produce the therapeutic effect. This emergent property is expressed uniquely in this network nucleus and causes this class of neurons to respond at the lowest therapeutic doses of each specific drug. When a drug in therapeutic doses is given to treat a CNS disorder, such as epilepsy or chronic pain, it exerts its effect by acting on an emergent property of neurons in a specific nucleus of the neuronal network for that disorder. Neuronal recordings in unanesthetized animals have led to the discovery that neurons in different network nuclei are affected by therapeutic doses of a number of these drugs, even drugs with closely related mechanisms of action. A common site of drug action in more than one CNS disorder can be observed when a specific brain region is involved in each of the CNS disorders, such as the periaqueductal gray in both pain and seizure networks, as seen with the anticonvulsant gabapentin. These data have led to the concept of anticonvulsant drugs as “network-modifying agents”, since these agents are proving effective on neuronal networks that mediate several different classes of CNS disorders.
Young Adult Street Vendors and Adverse Respiratory Health Outcomes in Bangkok, Thailand.

Air pollutants of concern include traffic-related air pollution, including particulate matter in respirable coarse and fine size fractions. There are no critical studies to date into associations between knowledge, awareness, and attitudes in using proper respiratory masks and prevalence of respiratory symptoms among urban street vendors in Thailand. In this study, we estimated adverse respiratory health outcomes among street vendors, in particular young adults, in Bangkok, Thailand, using a self-report questionnaire. Street vendors, who were not currently smoking and not having known diagnosed respiratory diseases, were recruited. They were selected from selected roadsides at Chong Nonsi, Bangkok. Participants (n = 30) reported having lower respiratory (50%), upper respiratory (37%), and other symptoms (70%). Also, 53% of participants had never used respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE: masks). Among those using PPE, all used masks not proper for particulate matter. Results suggested knowledge, awareness, and attitudes concerning proper PPE use needs to be increased among street vendors in Bangkok, Thailand.
Generation of New Paramagnetic Rhodium Species in NaX Zeolite and Coordination with Adsorbates

Rh(II) species are formed in NaX by heating in flowing oxygen. The various species formed after activation, oxidation, reduction and adsorption of various molecules are characterized by electron spin resonance (ESR) and electron spin echo modulation (ESEM) spectroscopies. Two dominant species, A and C, are generated after activation at 320-400° C and 450-500° C respectively. An activation temperature of 410-450° C generates diamag-netic Rh(II) dimers. Species A is suggested to be located in the β-cage and species C in the hexagonal prisms, based on interaction distances with adsorbates and on the effect of O2 on the ESR linewidth. Reduction of samples, activated at 240-400° C, with H2 generated a species designated as HI which has an isotropic g tensor at 77 K and shows a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect. HI is suggested to be complexed with hydrogen molecules and located in the β-cage. H2 is formed after reducing samples activated at 400-500° C and is probably not located in the α-cage. Oxidation with O2 generated additional species which did not interact with benzene or ethylene however, adsorption of water or methanol generated two major species, 01 and 02 which are probably located in the β-cage and are directly coordinated to water or hydroxyl groups.
WORKSHOP I. Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Adaptive Behavior

Quite typical of a rapidly advancing field of study, progress in the area of neurophysiological mechanisms of adaptive behavior has been marked by successive advances in both concept and technique. The major modern advance in concept was Papez’s idea (1937) that the rhinencephalon was not primarily concerned with olfactory functions in man, but rather with the control and expression of emotional behavior. Particularly he was thinking of the circuit involving the hippocampus, fornix, hypothalamus (mammillary bodies), mammillo-thalamic tract, anterior thalamus, and cingulate cortex.
On the Preferences Characterization of Additively Separable Utility

The keynote address surveys the hystorical background for constructing scalar-valued objective functions in the late 1950’s with special attention to the characterization of additively separable utility in terms of the preferences that it represents.
A Brief Introduction to Variational Mechanics

This chapter presents a brief overview of some of the mathematical preliminaries and tools that will be used throughout the book, especially in Chaps. 4–9. These include an introduction to calculus of variation which is used for the derivation of equations of motion using analytical approach, as well as a brief overview to variational mechanics and steps in deriving equations of motion of a dynamical system. These brief, but important preliminaries shall facilitate the derivations of the constitutive equations of piezoelectric materials and systems given in Part II of the book.
Assessment of diffuse myocardial fibrosis in systemic sclerosis by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by excessive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, including the heart. Traditional late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is dependent on differential (i.e., focal) fibrosis within the myocardium. However, diffuse interstitial myocardial fibrosis (DF) affecting the entire myocardium may be missed because no normal reference region exists. T1 mapping has been utilized in a variety of techniques to assess diffuse fibrosis: 1) pre-contrast T1 measurement (PreT1), 2) post-contrast T1 measurement (PostT1), 3) partition coefficient (PC), and 4) volume of distribution (VD). We sought to evaluate the accuracy of LGE and various T1 mapping techniques for the assessment of myocardial fibrosis in patients with SSc.
A Bandit Approach to Multiple Testing with False Discovery Control

We propose an adaptive sampling approach for multiple testing which aims to maximize statistical power while ensuring anytime false discovery control. We consider $n$ distributions whose means are partitioned by whether they are below or equal to a baseline (nulls), versus above the baseline (actual positives). In addition, each distribution can be sequentially and repeatedly sampled. Inspired by the multi-armed bandit literature, we provide an algorithm that takes as few samples as possible to exceed a target true positive proportion (i.e. proportion of actual positives discovered) while giving anytime control of the false discovery proportion (nulls predicted as actual positives). Our sample complexity results match known information theoretic lower bounds and through simulations we show a substantial performance improvement over uniform sampling and an adaptive elimination style algorithm. Given the simplicity of the approach, and its sample efficiency, the method has promise for wide adoption in the biological sciences, clinical testing for drug discovery, and online A/B/n testing problems.
Reporting Quantitative Methods and Findings: Best Practices Fidelity in the Leisure Science Literature

This article identified best practices for quantitative methods and results reporting and then evaluated leisure science articles’ adherence to them. A two-stage stratified sampling method identifi...
Off the Record: Police Surveillance, Muslim Youth, and an Ethnographer's Tools of Research.

Surveillance practices are becoming increasingly insidious, finding their way into nearly every aspect of public and private life in the United States. Surveillance by state policing agencies have ...
Sampling of 3DOF Robot Manipulator Joint-Limits for Haptic Feedback

Teleoperation of robotic proxies can extend human control to spaces, tasks and constraints that would otherwise be intractable or unattainable. The robustness to harsh environments, scalability, precision and repeatability of robots make them ideal for dangerous or difficult missions, and their use oftentimes reduces monetary and human cost. Maneuverable robot devices can provide more flexibility and articulation, but come at the cost of kinematic complexity. The kinematics and workspace of the remote device is oftentimes dissimilar to the input device, leading to potential confusion and frustration of the human operator. One solution is to constrain the input device motion to a scaled version of remote device joint ranges. This paper presents a method for doing so with 3 degree of freedom (DOF) manipulators and input devices with kinematic dissimilarities. The approach utilizes a simple tree structure, whereby a local Cartesian workspace limit is sampled and indexed by joint. This generates a locally sampled joint limit surface, represented as a point cloud. This local point cloud is then used to provide 3DOF haptic feedback to the operator as an indication that a joint limit has been reached, and provides kinesthetic force feedback to efficiently remove the operator from that joint limit. This work can improve usability of human-robot interfaces for teleoperation by allowing users to naturally intuit remote device joint limits and avoid confusion.
Multimodal exploration of non-motor neural functions in ALS patients using simultaneous EEG-fNIRS recording

Objective Despite the high prevalence of non-motor impairments reported in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), little is known about the functional neural markers underlying such dysfunctions. In this study, a new dual-task multimodal framework relying on simultaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recordings was developed to characterize integrative non-motor neural functions in people with ALS. Approach Simultaneous EEG-fNIRS data were recorded from six subjects with ALS and twelve healthy controls. Through a proposed visuo-mental paradigm, subjects performed a set of visuo-mental arithmetic operations. The data recorded were analyzed with respect to event-related changes both in the time and frequency domains for EEG and de/oxygen-hemoglobin level (HbR/HbO) changes for fNIRS. The correlation of EEG spectral features with fNIRS HbO/HbR features were then evaluated to assess the mechanisms of ALS on the electrical (EEG)-vascular (fNIRS) interrelationships. Main results We observed overall smaller increases in EEG delta and theta power, decreases in beta power, reductions in HbO responses, and distortions both in early and later EEG event-related potentials in ALS subjects compared to healthy controls. While significant correlations between EEG features and HbO responses were observed in healthy controls, these patterns were absent in ALS patients. Distortions in both electrical and hemodynamic responses are speculated to be associated with cognitive deficits in ALS that center primarily on attentional and working memory processing. Significance Our results highlight the important role of ALS non-motor dysfunctions in electrical and hemodynamic neural dynamics as well as their interrelationships. The insights obtained through this study can enhance our understanding of the underlying non-motor neural processes in ALS and enrich future diagnostic and prognostic techniques.
Timing of coronary artery bypass grafting after acute myocardial infarction may not influence mortality and readmissions

Abstract Objective Coronary artery bypass grafting is often delayed after acute myocardial infarction to avoid an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that the timing of coronary artery bypass grafting after acute myocardial infarction may not be consistently associated with postoperative outcomes. Methods All patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from 2011 to 2017 after an acute myocardial infarction were reviewed. A comparative analysis for time from myocardial infarction presentation to coronary artery bypass grafting was performed with primary outcomes including all-cause mortality and readmission. Results A total of 7048 patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Of these, 2058 patients had acute myocardial infarction with all relevant variables available for analysis. The study population was divided into 2 coronary artery bypass grafting timing cohorts, including less than 24 hours (n = 292) and 24 hours or more (n = 1766). Previous percutaneous coronary intervention, cardiogenic shock, and intra-aortic balloon pump were more prevalent in the less than 24 hours group. Operative mortality was significantly higher in the less than 24 hours cohort (7.19% vs 3.79%; P = .01). Diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, serum creatinine, age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and immunosuppression were significant predictors (P Conclusions After adjusting for baseline patient characteristics, there was no statistically significant difference between timing cohorts for mortality or major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event readmissions.
The Health of Children in the Latinx Farmworker Community in the Eastern United States

Children in Latinx farmworker communities are present as dependents of adult farmworkers or as hired farmworkers themselves. Both groups are at risk of health effects from their residence in these communities. Increasingly, the children in farmworker families are United States (US) citizens. The research based in the eastern US is fragmentary, but growing. It indicates substantial health risks tied to poverty, rural residence, and issues related to documentation status of children or their family members. Children in farmworker families experience limited access to both medical and dental care. Their two primary health issues are risk of overweight and obesity and risk of exposure to pesticides. Hired child farmworkers face substantial occupational health risks due to their physical, behavioral, and emotional immaturity. Existing research notes dangers of pesticide and heat exposure in particular. Improving the health of children in farmworker communities may require providing greater access to government services and revision of existing labor laws that permit minor children to work in agriculture without the protections afforded children in other industries.
2D materials for spintronic devices

2D materials are attractive for nanoelectronics due to their ultimate thickness dimension and unique physical properties. A wide variety of emerging spintronic device concepts will greatly benefit from the use of 2D materials, leading a better way to manipulating spin. In this review, we discuss various 2D materials, including graphene and other inorganic 2D semiconductors, in the context of scientific and technological advances in spintronic devices. Applications of 2D materials in spin logic switches, spin valves, and spin transistors are specifically investigated. We also introduce the spin-orbit and spin-valley coupled properties of 2D materials to explore their potential to address the crucial issues of contemporary electronics. Finally, we highlight major challenges in integrating 2D materials into spintronic devices and provide a future perspective on 2D materials for spin logic devices.
The Effect of Irradiation Sterilization on Poly(Lactic) Acid Films

Ionizing radiation is known to cause the deterioration of polymeric materials. In this study, the goal was to determine the effect of gamma and E-beam radiation on poly(lactic) acid (PLA) film at irradiation dosages of 1 to 30 kGy and on post-irradiated PLA after 9-months storage. The physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and permeability properties were investigated. Ionizing radiation of the commercial PLA film resulted in a decrease in molecular weight, crystallization temperature and melting temperature Tc and Tm, which suggested a degradation of PLA by irradiation. Irradiation had no effect on the color of the PLA film. The surface tension of PLA was decreased by gamma irradiation at dose of 1–10 kGy and E-beam irradiation at dose of 1–5 kGy. A decrease in the tensile strength, break elongation and elastic modulus was found for the gamma and E-beam irradiated PLA. Irradiation resulted in a decrease in water vapor and carbon dioxide permeability of PLA while there was no effect on oxygen permeability.
Analysis on cold state test of 300MW circulating fluidized bed boiler

Abstract A cold state test was performed on a 300MW circulating fluidized bed boiler. It mainly includes: calibration of air volume measuring device, uniformity test of secondary air nozzle and characteristics of lower secondary air baffle, resistance test of air distribution plate, and resistance test of material layer. By plotting the characteristic curves of the resistance of the air distribution plate and the resistance of the material layer with the air volume, the relevant analysis methods are given for the selection of the critical fluidized air volume, and the minimum fluidized air volume for hot operation is determined. The test results show that the air velocity of the secondary air nozzle is good, the adjustment performance of the lower secondary air baffle can meet the needs of changes of bed temperature, the minimum fluidized air volume is 150kNm3/h, and the returning device works normally.
Communication Between Pediatric Healthcare Providers and Somali Patients and Families: A Thematic Analysis

Background: Healthcare providers (HPs) receive variable training in cultural sensitivity despite an increasingly diverse US population. Somali refugee and immigrant families face challenges navigating the US healthcare system, yet little is known about how HPs understand or address existing communication barriers. We aimed to understand HPs’ perceptions of clinical interactions with Somali patient families, specifically related to potential barriers present during communication surrounding pediatric chronic diseases. Methods: A convenience sample of HPs from a US academic children’s hospital completed an anonymous, voluntary, online survey in 2019. Demographic data and a self-reported Likert scale (1=not confident/understood …
The Reflex and Behavior

Memory, learning, and higher function arise from operations of networks of adaptive elements. Physiologically, in terms of brain function, the elements are neurons and the networks may be considered as reflex pathways linking inputs and outputs by way of specifiable transforms. There are many reflex systems—some as simple as those in the spinal cord described by Sherrington [887], others much more complex. Means of influencing the transforms of adaptation in these systems have been known for years. Remarkable insights into reflex processes supporting memory and learning were gained within this century by I. P. Pavlov [759] and B. F. Skinner [908,910]. Their insights arose from an appreciation of the fundamental significance of the reflex as a mediator of behavior. The next few pages describe how this view evolved.