cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of chronic ankle instability on energy dissipation in the lower extremity.

AB Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of chronic ankle instability (CAI) on lower extremity joint energy dissipation patterns during a stop-jump task. Methods: Nineteen participants with self-reported CAI and 19 healthy control participants volunteered. Participants performed five double-leg vertical stop-jump tasks onto a force plate. Lower extremity kinetics and kinematics were examined with an electromagnetic tracking system interfaced with a nonconductive force plate. Lower extremity joint energy dissipations were calculated for the hip, knee, and ankle in the sagittal plane during 50, 100, 150, and 200 ms after initial contact with the force plate. Energy dissipation values were normalized to the product of body mass and height [J[middle dot](N[middle dot]m)-1]. Individual joint contribution to total lower extremity energy dissipation by the ankle, knee, and hip was reported as the percentage of energy dissipation by each joint over the total energy dissipation of all three joints. Independent t-tests and standard mean differences were conducted to assess differences in each dependent variable between the CAI and the control groups. Significance was set a priori at P < 0.05. Results: The CAI group demonstrated significantly less percentage of knee energy dissipation (P = 0.04) and higher percentage of ankle energy dissipation (P = 0.035) of the total energy dissipation during the 100 ms immediately after initial contact compared with the control group. Conclusions: We found altered energy dissipation patterns at the knee and ankle during a stop-jump task in the CAI group. These findings may provide insight into kinetic alterations that may be associated with CAI. Future research should consider this information as it may be used to develop more effective interventions to target these potentially modifiable energy dissipation patterns in those with CAI
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Germplasm Resources in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) by SSR Markers

A total of 545 sesame accessions, including domestic and foreign germplasm resources, were analyzed systematically with 42 SSR primer pairs. The results showed that 106 allele bands were detected among the sesame accessions, and the Shannon’s information index (I) was 0.4092. Analysis results of UPGMA clustering, two-dimension principal components and population structure were basically consistent; 545 varieties were divided into three groups in UPGMA dendrogram or three subgroups in population structure. There were the lower genetic differentiation coefficient and the closer sibship in worldwide sesame. The similarity coefficient of seven ecological groups in China ranged from 0.9811 to 0.5462, and there was no close genetic relationship between varieties from northern regions and other regions in China. The similarity coefficients for foreign varieties were from 0.9726 to 0.7442, and the genetic relationships of varieties from Africa zone was close to those from Japan zone, but not from China. It showed that the genetic basis of varieties from China was relatively narrow, and the genetic diversities of varieties were not completely related to geographic distribution, but the genetic diversities of varieties from abroad presented abundance. Therefore, the introduction of foreign resources should be reinforced, and the domestic resources from different regions should be utilized in the future sesame breeding.
Analysis of a lidar voxel-derived vertical profile at the plot and individual tree scales for the estimation of forest canopy layer characteristics

ABSTRACTThe goal of the current study was to develop methods of estimating the height of vertical components within plantation coniferous forest using airborne discrete multiple return lidar. In the summer of 2008, airborne lidar and field data were acquired for Loblolly pine forest locations in North Carolina and Virginia, USA, which comprised a variety of stand conditions (e.g. stand age, nutrient regime, and stem density). The methods here implement both field plot-scale analysis and an automated approach for the delineation of individual tree crown (ITC) locations and horizontal extents through a marker-based region growing process applied to a lidar derived canopy height model. The estimation of vertical features was accomplished through aggregating lidar return height measurements into vertical height bins, of a given horizontal extent (plot or ITC), creating a vertical ‘stack’ of bins describing the frequency of returns by height. Once height bins were created the resulting vertical distributions w...
Effects of aging on mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle of American American Quarter Horses.

Skeletal muscle from aged (17–25 yr) compared with young (2 yr) American Quarter Horses was characterized by a change in fiber-type composition and a decline in mitochondrial density and cytochrome...
Lowering detection limits for 1,2,3-trichloropropane in water using solid phase extraction coupled to purge and trap sample introduction in an isotope dilution GC-MS method.

Abstract Purge and trap sample introduction (PTI) has been the premier sampling and preconcentration technique for gas chromatographic determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water for almost 50 years. PTI affords sub parts-per-billion (ppb) detection limits for purgeable VOCs including fixed gases and higher boiling hydrocarbons and halocarbons. In this study the coupling of solid phase extraction (SPE) to PTI was investigated as a means to substantially increase enrichment and lower detection limits for the emerging contaminant, 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). Water samples (500 mL) were dechlorinated, preserved with a biocide, and spiked with the isotope labeled internal standard, d5-TCP. The entire 500 mL sample was extracted with activated carbon or carbon molecular sieve SPE cartridges, and then eluted with dichloromethane -- excess solvent was removed in a nitrogen evaporator and diethylene glycol “keeper” remaining was dispersed in 5 mL of water for PTI GC-MS analysis. The experimental Method Detection Limit (MDL) for TCP was 0.11 ng/L (ppt) and accuracy was 95–103% in sub-ppt determinations. Groundwater samples including impaired California sources and treated water (n = 21) were analyzed with results ranging from below the method reporting limit (0.30 ng/L) to > 250 ng/L. Coupling of SPE with PTI may provide similar reductions in detection limits for other VOCs with appropriate physical-chemical properties.
The Significance of the Amount of Fluid Surrounding the Brain to the Recognition of Brain Swelling (or Atrophy) at Autopsy: A New and Routinely Applicable Method of Diagnosing Abnormal Brain Size

A new method of measuring relative brain size (relative to the skull cavity) at autopsy is presented. It is convenient and accurate and may be applied almost routinely. It consists of measuring the volume of the brain and the fluids surrounding it. These two volumes together must equal the intracranial volume. An abbreviated method consists of relating the fluid volume to the brain weight. This abbreviated method should not be routinely relied on when the brain size deviates slightly from normal. A review of the pertinent literature shows that other existing methods of determining relative brain size are impractical. The significance of measuring peri-brain fluids at the time of brain removal has not been appreciated prior to this report.
The impact of orally administered phages on host immune response and surrounding microbial communities

Numerous studies have shown the efficacy of phage therapy in reducing foodborne pathogen carriage in food animals. Fewer studies have focused on host reactions, especially in terms of phage-mediated acute immune responses and effects on the gut microbiome. Here we administered E. coli O157:H7 phages in low (single dose of 105 PFU) or high (single dose of 107 PFU) quantities to mice. While there were time points at which cytokine levels in different treatment groups differed from one another, all cytokine levels remained within normal ranges for mice regardless of treatment. Similarly, the patterns of these differences were not dose related, indicating that phage treatment did not result in a strong acute immune response as measured here. In separate experiments, 3-week-old pigs received a diet containing an in-feed antibiotic or daily phage treatment. After two weeks, microbial DNA of ileal, cecal, and fecal contents was characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing. There were no statistical differences in performance among the different groups. Compared to control pigs (no antibiotic, no phage), antibiotic treatment significantly altered ileal microbiome composition (P < 0.05), with Bacilli being most affected (antibiotic treated: 22%; control: 76%; FDR = 0.0572). No significant differences were observed in cecal and fecal microbiome composition between antibiotic-treated and control pigs, and there were no differences in gut microbiome composition between phage treated and control pigs in any intestinal compartment. Significant abundance differences were observed at the OTU level, with OTUs belonging to genera such as Lactobacillus and Streptococcus being over- or under-represented in either antibiotic or phage treated groups compared to control pigs. Determining whether these changes are deleterious to host, however, requires further study.
Introduction: The Helium Problem

The history of attempts to understand the behavior of helium at low temperatures has been full of surprises, and this factor, probably more than any other, has stimulated the continuous and accelerating growth of helium research since 1908 when Kamerlingh Onnes first liquefied He4. The liquefaction itself, occurring at the then incredibly low temperature of 4°K, was indeed a triumph and perhaps the first of the surprises, since at that time the idea of “persistent gases” was still prevalent—and helium was the last of these to undergo reduction to the liquid state. However, subsequent investigations of this apparently simple substance have uncovered an abundance of complexities and surprises which in turn have sustained a remarkably high interest in the subject.
Barriers to and Facilitators of Evidence-Based Decision Making at the Point of Care Implications for Delivery Systems, Payers, and Policy Makers

Introduction: Physicians vary widely in how they treat some health conditions, despite strong evidence favoring certain treatments over others. We examined physicians’ perspectives on factors that support or hinder evidence-based decisions and the implications for delivery systems, payers, and policymakers. Methods: We used Choosing Wisely® recommendations to create four clinical vignettes for common types of decisions. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 specialists to identify factors that support or hinder evidence-based decisions. We examined these factors using a conceptual framework that includes six levels: patients, physicians, practice sites, organizations, networks and hospital affiliations, and the local market. In this model, population characteristics and payer and regulatory factors interact to influence decisions. Results: Patient openness to behavior modification and expectations, facilitated and hindered physicians in making evidence-based recommendations. Physicians’ communic...
Effect of stimulus range on the identification of distorted /r/ in synthesized adult and child /r-w/ continua

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if a distorted /r/ category could be identified in /r-w/ continua for adult and child speakers and to examine the effects on distorted /r/ identification of truncating the /r/ range so as to approximate the range of sounds produced by speakers with defective /r/. CV stimuli from /r-w/ continua modeled after adult and child vocal tracts were presented to speech pathology students who were required to identify the stimuli as R, W, or distorted /r/(R?) in full range and truncated range conditions. The results were the following: (1) the ambiguous stimuli were identified as R? considerably below the criterion level established for acceptability in the full range conditions, (2) there was a decrease in R? identifications of the ambiguous stimuli in the truncated range conditions, and (3) there was a shift in the identification of ambiguous child stimuli from R? to W in the truncated range conditions. Along with previous findings, these results demonstrate a considerable influence of the range of stimuli and the number of contrasting stimuli on R? identification and cast doubt on the assumption that distorted /r/ can be distinguished from the /r/ sound it is intended to represent.
Chapter 4 Lovely Hula Hands: The Many Faces of Hula

Shay begins this chapter by describing a hula performance, and locating the Hawaiians as one of the Polynesian peoples, connected by history, language, and customs, including dance customs. He focuses on the centrality of the mele, or verses, which the dance movements serve to emphasize and enhance, thus making the verses the most important aspect of the performance. He goes on to contrast and compare hula kahiko, or ancient hula, with hula ‘auana, modern hula. He proceeds to demonstrate the important role of the Hollywood film industry in giving the sexy and alluring dance an important place in the tourist industry in which the hula girl serves as an icon. He stresses the role of hula in the construction of Hawaiian identity.
Daily Associations of Stress and Eating in Mother–Child Dyads

Background and Aims. This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in mother–child dyads to examine the day-level associations of stress and eating. Method. Mothers and their 8- to 12-year-old children (N = 167 dyads) completed between three (weekday) and eight (weekend) EMA survey prompts per day at random nonschool times across 8 days. EMA measured perceived stress, and past 2-hour healthy (i.e., fruit and vegetables) and unhealthy (e.g., pastries/sweets, soda/energy drinks) eating. Results. Children reported more healthy and unhealthy eating on days when their mothers also engaged in more healthy and unhealthy eating, respectively. On days when mothers’ perceived stress was greater than usual, they reported more healthy eating. Discussion and Conclusions. Eating behaviors were coupled between mothers and children at the day level. Mothers’ stress was related to their own eating but not to children’s eating.
Analog and digital dynamic compensation techniques for delayed self-powered neutron detectors

Analog and digital methods have been developed to compensate for the time delay associated with rhodium self-powered neutron detector signals. This delay is caused by the decay of the neutron-activ...
Simultaneous suppression of superfluid and resistance on approach to superconductor-insulator transition in underdoped ultrathin Ca 0.3 Y 0.7 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 − δ films

Using simple four-terminal resistance measurements and two-coil superfluid stiffness measurements, we observe an extended temperature range wherein both the superfluid density and the resistance are substantially suppressed, in some cases below experimental resolution, in severely underdoped ultrathin films of ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.3}{\mathrm{Y}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ (CaYBCO). This temperature range $\ensuremath{\delta}{T}_{c}$, deemed the ``offset,'' is in some films more than $\frac{1}{2}$ of the resistive transition temperature. $\ensuremath{\delta}{T}_{c}$ scales linearly with the characteristic two-dimensional (2D) vortex unbinding temperature ${T}_{\text{2D}}$, growing larger with underdoping upon approach to the superconductor-insulator transition. Absent in three-dimensional samples of CaYBCO, we discuss the offset in the context of a previously observed 2D quantum critical point in the vicinity of the superconductor-insulator transition, as well as in the context of intrinsic and extrinsic inhomogeneities in the superconducting state of the film.
The Sacred and the Profane in the General Formula for Capital: The Octagonal Structure of the Commodity and Saving Marx’s Sociological Realism from Professional Marxology

“The Sacred and the Profane in the General Formula for Capital” argues that residual materialism and ordinary realism of the kind that plagues children and “savages” has rendered Marxist critiques of the commodity and capitalism not only counterproductive but exposes a secret resentment and perverse will to power. Contemporary Marxism does not, generally, operate from a truly sociological foundation but fantasizes about revolutionary class struggle and one day placing all capital under new management. The methodological objectivity and “stereoscopic” conceptualism arrived at through a dialectical analysis, perhaps best comprehended in the chapters on the dual nature of the commodity in the first volume of Capital, is seldom used by common one-eyed Marxists. Rather, we find over and over and over, that ideological compressions and distortions, not unlike the kind found in dreamwork, are made to stand in for actual critical theory. What is required is a reexamination and reconstruction of the general formula for capital such that the objective gaze that clearly distinguishes between the sacred and the profane, the supraliminal and the infraliminal, are maintained yet superseded. If we aim to march out of the swamp of narrow exchange-value, then we need a disenchanting grasp of the ontic depth of capitalism rather than redoubling confusion with imprecise ideology that does little more than help to solidify the hegemony of an elite class over the rest of humanity.
The Architecture of Sustainability-oriented Enterprise and Civilization

The evolution of the Classic Enterprise Information Infrastructure into Sustainability and Global Enterprise Information Infrastructure is defined. However, it is not the end of evolution. Since the SE operates within larger entities, such as Local, National, Global Information Infrastructures, these ones create the Civilization Information Infrastructure. The latter is the foundation for modern civilizations and furthermore is the foundation for the emerging Global Civilization with its repercussions for lower-level infrastructures as well as for the World Civilization. If such civilization wants to survive, it must be able to monitor and predict its sustainability in relationship with enterprises. In conclusion some recommendations will be addressed for the pathways to a sustainable future.
Structural and Biochemical Studies of a Biocatalyst for the Enzymatic Production of Wax Esters.

Wax esters are high-value products whose enzymatic synthesis is of increasing biotechnological interest. The fabrication of cell factories that mass produce wax esters may provide a facile route toward a sustainable, and environmentally friendly, approach to a large-scale process for this commodity chemical. An expedient route for wax ester biocatalysis may be facilitated by the action of enzymes termed wax ester synthases/diacylglycerol acyltransferases (WS/DGAT), which produce wax esters using fatty acids and alcohols as a precursor. In this work, we report the structure for a member of the WS/DGAT superfamily. The structural data in conjunction with bioinformatics and mutational analyses allowed us to identify the substrate-binding pockets, as well as residues that may be important for catalysis. Using this information as a guide, we generated a mutant with preference toward shorter acyl substrates. This study demonstrates the efficacy of a structure-guided engineering effort toward a WS/DGAT variant w...
A Tutorial on Hierarchical Lossless Data Compression

Hierarchical lossless data compression is a compression technique that has been shown to effectively compress data in the face of uncertainty concerning a proper probabilistic model for the data. In this technique, one represents a data sequence x using one of three kinds of structures: (1) a tree called a pointer tree, which generates x via a procedure called “subtree copying”; (2) a data flow graph which generates x via a flow of data sequences along its edges; or (3) a contextfree grammar which generates x via parallel substitutions accomplished with the production rules of the grammar. The data sequence is then compressed indirectly via compression of the structure which represents it. This article is a survey of recent advances in the rapidly growing field of hierarchical lossless data compression. In the article, we illustrate how the three distinct structures for representing a data sequence are equivalent, outline a simple method for designing compact structures for re presenting a data sequence, and indicate the level of compression performance that can be obtained by compression of the structure representing a data sequence.
Employing the relative phase of overtones in single mixture musical source separation

Recognition of structure in an audio mixture is a complex task which may be simplified by first isolating the individual sources in the mixture. There are several approaches to audio source separation. In the fortunate event that one has as many mixtures available as there are independent sources the methods of independent component analysis may be employed. If only a single mixture of multiple sources is available then it is possible to rely on previous knowledge of the individual sources to accomplish the task, or alternatively, on events common to sets of overtones. We propose a source separation method that uses the mutual correlations of the phases of overtones to group information vertically, i.e., in the frequency dimension of a spectrographic sound representation. We use the cleanly separable overtones to create filters to isolate the remaining overtones that are too closely spaced in frequency to be separated by reasonable length band-pass filters. Finally, we use the history of the signal itself to group data horizontally (in time). We discuss the advantages and the limitations of this method using a number of illustrative examples and a proposed quantitative perceptual metric.
THE MOTOR FUNCTIONS OF THE SMALL BOWEL

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the motor functions of the small bowel. The most important part of the digestive tract is the small bowel. It is the organ of digestion, and most of the symptoms of indigestion appear to arise in abnormalities in the motor functions of this tube. There are two main types of activity in the small bowel: (1) the rhythmic segmentations and the probably closely related swaying or pendular movements, and (2) the peristaltic rushes. In some animals and in man most of the forwarding of, intestinal contents is affected by peristaltic rushes, but some part is affected by rhythmic segmentation, and some by small, slowly traveling contractions. The bowel is “polarized” so that waves travel much more easily in one direction than another. It is not like a hose through which water can run just as easily in one direction as the other. The rate of the rhythmic contractions and the pendular movements is usually about the same. It is graded downward from duodenum to ileum.
Familial Aphasic Migraine (P3.110)

Objective: Though familial hemiplegic migraine and migraine with aphasia have both been reported, we report Familial Aphasic Migraine. Background: 68 year old male was unable to speak upon waking up on 10/7/17. Three hours later he developed excruciating holocephalic headache. Evaluation at an outside hospital revealed global aphasia. Patient has a previous history of similar symptoms in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014. CT/Angiogram, MRI/Venogram, spinal tap, were all unremarkable at the outside hospital. At our facility on 10/9/17, a Western Aphasia Battery revealed receptive, and expressive aphasia, anomia, impaired repetition, semantic and phonemic paraphasia, perseveration, severe agraphia without alexia, he had right homonymous hemianoptic visual extinction. The rest of the neurological exam was normal. CT perfusion on 10/11/17, and electroencephalogram on 10/10–10/11/17 were normal. Over the next five days the patient made significant improvement in his deficits. Starting at age 23 years his daughter had 3 episodes of migraine described as cheiro-oral paresthesia followed by aphasia for 3–5 hours followed by a holocephalic headache lasting 1–2 days. Starting at age 38 years his son had left 11 episodes of migraine described as left body ascending paresthesia followed by aphasia then followed by a headache lasting 1–2 hours. Starting at age 13 years his other son had several episodes of migraine described as left hemiparesis and aphasia followed by a severe headache, aphasia lasting 1–2 days. Genetic tests are pending. Design/Methods: NA Results: NA Conclusions: Though familial hemiplegic migraine and migraine with aphasia have both been reported in the literature. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of familial aphasic migraine. The most likely etiology of migraine is a wave of neuronal depolarization followed by a suppression of neuronal activity with corresponding blood flow changes, hyperemia followed by oligemia. Disclosure: Dr. Woolf has nothing to disclose. Dr. Iqbal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Atta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Harburg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Marks has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahluwalia-Singh has nothing to disclose.
Comparison of bonobo and chimpanzee brain microstructure reveals differences in socio-emotional circuits

Despite being closely related, bonobos and chimpanzees exhibit several behavioral differences. For instance, studies indicate that chimpanzees are more aggressive, territorial, and risk-taking, while bonobos exhibit greater social tolerance and higher rates of socio-sexual interactions. To elucidate the potential neuroanatomical variation that accompanies these differences, we examined the microstructure of selected brain areas by quantifying the neuropil fraction, a measure of the relative tissue area occupied by structural elements of connectivity (e.g., dendrites, axons, and synapses) versus cell bodies. In bonobos and chimpanzees, we compared neuropil fractions in the nucleus accumbens (NAc; core and shell), amygdala (whole, accessory basal, basal, central and lateral nuclei), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; dorsal and subgenual), anterior insular cortex (AIC), and primary motor cortex (M1). In the dorsal ACC and frontoinsular cortex (FI) we also quantified numbers of von Economo neurons (VENs), a unique subset of neurons thought to be involved in rapid information processing during social interactions. We predicted that the neuropil fraction and number of VENs in brain regions associated with socio-emotional processing would be higher in bonobos. In support of this hypothesis, we found that bonobos had significantly greater neuropil in the central and accessory basal nuclei of the amygdala, as well as layers V–VI of the subgenual ACC. However, we did not find a difference in the numbers of VENs between the two species. These findings support the conclusion that bonobo and chimpanzee brains differ in the anatomical organization of socio-emotional systems that may reflect species-specific variation in behavior.
Pharmacy Refill Data are Poor Predictors of Virologic Treatment Outcomes in Adolescents with HIV in Botswana

In adults living with HIV, pharmacy refill data are good predictors of virologic failure (VF). The utility of pharmacy refill data for predicting VF in adolescents has not been reported. We evaluated data from 291 adolescents on antiretroviral therapy. The main outcome measure was VF, defined as two consecutive HIV viral load measurements ≥ 400 copies/mL during 24-months of follow-up. Pharmacy refill non-adherence was defined as two consecutive refill adherence measurements < 95% during the same period. Fifty-three (18%) adolescents experienced VF. One hundred twenty-eight (44%) adolescents had refill non-adherence. Refill non-adherence had poor discriminative ability for indicating VF (receiver operating characteristic AUC = 0.60). Sensitivity and specificity for predicting VF was poor (60% (95% CI 46–74%) and 60% (95% CI 53–66%), respectively). The lack of a viable surrogate for VF in adolescents highlights the urgent need for more access to virologic testing and novel methods of monitoring adolescent treatment adherence.
Endoscopist Specialty Predicts the Likelihood of Recommending Cessation of Colorectal Cancer Screening in Older Adults.

Although the 2008 US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend against routine colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for adults aged 76–85, it is unclear what endoscopists recommend in practice. Our goal was to examine current practice around cessation of CRC screening in older adults. We included normal screening colonoscopy exams in adults ≥ 50 years old within the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry between 2009 and 2014. The primary outcome was endoscopists’ recommendation against further screening. The main exposure variables included patient age, family history of CRC, and endoscopist characteristics. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used. Of 13,364 normal screening colonoscopy exams, 2914 (21.8%) were in adults aged ≥ 65 and were performed by 74 endoscopists. Nearly 100% of adults aged 65–69 undergoing screening colonoscopy were given the recommendation to return for screening colonoscopy in the future. Only 15% of average-risk patients aged 70–74 were told to stop receiving screening, while 85% were told to return at a future interval, most frequently in 10 years when they would be 80–84. In the multivariable model, advancing patient age and the absence of family history of CRC were significantly associated with a recommendation to stop colonoscopy. Gastroenterologists were more likely to recommend stopping colonoscopy in accordance with guidelines than other non-gastroenterology endoscopists (adjusted OR (95% CI) 2.3 (1.6–3.4)). In a large statewide colonoscopy registry, the majority of older adults are told to return for future screening colonoscopy. Having a family history of CRC or a non-gastroenterology endoscopist increases the likelihood of being told to return for screening at advanced ages.
A comprehensive review of energy-related data for U.S. commercial buildings

Abstract U.S. commercial buildings consumed around 18% of total primary energy in 2017 and a 2.23 EJ increase is expected by 2050. Energy-related data for commercial buildings can be used for various applications, including benchmarking, building component analysis, market potential analysis, and policy making. Although there are plenty of data sources for energy usage in commercial buildings, they have not been thoroughly reviewed and summarized. As a result, users do not have comprehensive guidelines about selections of right data sources for specific application needs. To fill this gap, this paper conducts a comprehensive review to summarize data sources for energy usage in U.S. commercial buildings and discuss their usages for different applications. First, the paper summarizes the survey and simulation data sources for energy usage. The data sources are compared in terms of their data collection methods, released information, and relevant features. Second, this paper analyzes the applications for different survey and simulation data sources. This review categorizes the applications of data sources into five categories, including energy performance benchmarks, energy use forecasts and predictions, energy use contributions of building components, supports of building energy policies, and urban-scale energy use analysis. Moreover, the paper introduces several cases to demonstrate the usages of these data sources.
The Recognition of U.S. "Opt-Out" Class Actions in China

The question underlying this Article is whether judgments entered by a U.S. court in an “opt out” class action may be recognized and granted preclusive effects in China. More specifically, this Article seeks to investigate whether Chinese corporations and individuals investing in the United States may enjoy the benefits of a favorable class action judgment by merely choosing not to “opt out” or whether, in light of possible procedural and substantive rules under Chinese law, they might be required to take further action in order to do so. To answer such query, this Article proceeds by analysing Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(3), and by reviewing three securities fraud cases filed with the District Court for the Southern District of New York that touch on issues relating to “opt out” class action recognition outside the United States. The doubts shared by a majority of scholars in continental Europe as to the likelihood of “opt out” class action recognition by EU courts are then addressed, and a description of the key reasons grounding such broadly held opinion is furnished. This Article then goes on to compare the current Chinese legal system to continental European jurisdictions, tracing possible similarities and distinctions between the two and re-framing the question at issue under a Chinese law perspective. This Article concludes that, in light of the legal framework currently in place in the People’s Republic of China, it seems that Chinese courts would unlikely grant res judicata effects to a decision entered by a U.S. court in an “opt out” class action judgment and that—as a consequence of the posture recently adopted by the New York Southern District in such regard, and in the absence of any further action on their part—Chinese corporations and individuals would unlikely be able to benefit from the outcome of a similar lawsuit. * LL.B., Legal Studies, Bocconi University School of Law, 2006; M.Sc., Law, Bocconi University School of Law, 2008; LL.M., Harvard Law School, 2012. I would like to thank Professor William P. Alford for sharing his insight on this topic and for his helpful comments and suggestions throughout the drafting of this Article. I am also grateful to Salvo Arena Esq., partner at Chiomenti Studio Legale and to Professor Giovanni Iudica, Dean at Bocconi University School of Law who introduced me and drew my attention to the study of the recognition of foreign judgments in Europe. I also wish to thank my father, for his constant encouragement and support. All errors and opinions are my own. I would welcome any comments by email: aconzatti@llm12.law.harvard.edu. © 2013, Andrea Conzatti.
Physical activity in non-ambulatory toddlers with cerebral palsy.

Abstract Background Children with cerebral palsy are less likely to be physically active than their peers, however there is limited evidence regarding self-initiated physical activity in toddlers who are not able, or who may never be able, to walk. Aims The aim of this study was to measure self-initiated physical activity and its relationship to gross motor function and participation in non-ambulatory toddlers with cerebral palsy. Methods and procedures Participants were between the ages of 1–3 years. Physical activity during independent floor-play at home was recorded using a wearable tri-axial accelerometer worn on the child’s thigh. The Gross Motor Function Measure-66 and the Child Engagement in Daily Life, a parent-reported questionnaire of participation, were administered. Outcomes and results Data were analyzed from the twenty participants who recorded at least 90 min of floor-play (mean: 229 min), resulting in 4598 total floor-play minutes. The relationship between physical activity and gross motor function was not statistically significant (r = 0.20; p = 0.39), nor were the relationships between physical activity and participation (r = 0.05−0.09; p = 0.71−0.84). Conclusions and implications The results suggest physical activity during floor-play is not related to gross motor function or participation in non-ambulatory toddlers with cerebral palsy. Clinicians and researchers should independently measure physical activity, gross motor function, and participation.
Evaluation on capability of parasitic disease control and prevention among professional and technical personnel in medical and health institutions in Wuxi City

OBJECTIVE To understand the capability of parasitic disease control and prevention among professional and technical personnel in medical and health institutions in Wuxi City, so as to provide the evidence for promoting relative capability building. METHODS Forty-one professional and technical persons from 22 medical and health institutions received the evaluation through the theoretical knowledge exam and laboratory operation skill assessment. RESULTS The average score of theoretical knowledge exam was (76.5±15.6) with the pass rate of 80.5% and excellent rate of 48.9%. The average score, pass rate and excellent rate for Plasmodium blood slide making were (7.3±1.5), 87.8% and 41.5% respectively, the average score, pass rate and excellent rate for Plasmodium blood slide reading were (14.0±7.2), 31.7% and 12.2% respectively; the average score, pass rate and excellent rate for helminthes microscope examination were (19.4±10.4), 24.4% and 0 respectively; the average score, pass rate and excellent rate for Oncomelania hupensis snail identification were (8.6±1.1), 95.1% and 73.2% respectively. The average scores of helminthes microscope examination and Oncomelania hupensis snail identification were higher in the participants with middle-level professional title or above than in the participants with primary level professional title (both P < 0.05). The average scores of theoretical knowledge exam, Plasmodium blood slide reading and helminthes microscope examination were higher in the participants from disease control and prevention institutions than in the staff who came from medical institutions (all P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS The professional and technical personnel in medical and health institutions in Wuxi do better in theoretical knowledge, Plasmodium blood slide making and Oncomelania hupensis snail identification. However, the capability of parasite microscope examination is urgently needed to be improved in the future.
DNX-2401: an investigational drug for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma.

Introduction: High-grade gliomas (HGG) are extremely aggressive brain malignancies that are fatal. Despite maximal resection, chemotherapy, and radiation, these tumors inevitably recur and present ...
Reconfiguration Motion Planning for Variable Topology Truss

This paper presents an algorithm to do motion planning for a new class of self-reconfigurable modular robot: the variable topology truss (VTT). Modular robots consist of many modules that can be configured into various structures, and motion planning problem for modular robots with many degrees of freedom and many motion constraints is a significant challenge. In this paper, we propose a novel motion planning algorithm for modular robots to handle this problem with huge state space inspired by DNA replication process – the topology of DNA can be changed by cutting and resealing strands as tanglements form. In a variable topology truss, a single node with enough edge modules can split into a pair of nodes and two separate nodes can be merged to become an individual one. This self-reconfiguration ability results in more potential applications for this type of robots in unstructured environment, such as space and underseas but also leads to more challenges for reconfiguration planning. A novel way to model the robot in a nonuniform grid space is presented and a simple local planner is also developed to check the validation of possible actions. This approach significantly simplifies the problem and some experiment results show that the complicated problem can be solved in a reasonable time.
Local Delivery of Anti-biofilm Therapeutics

Biofilm infections are incredibly resistant to the immune response and antibiotic treatments, and often must be removed mechanically through tissue debridement or lavage. Current therapeutic methods for prevention and treatment include large doses of antibiotics and mechanical removal methods, which can lead to increased hospital time, costs, and trauma for patients. To combat these issues, therapies with emphasis on biofilm prevention and removal have been the subject of much current research. Methods in development include peptides and amino acids, fatty acids and lipids, enzymes, small molecules, metabolites, nanoparticles, and living cells. Each method uniquely targets the altered phenotypic state of bacteria within biofilm to either prevent biofilm formation entirely or treat existing biofilm infections, proving successful through the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies discussed in this chapter.
The Evolution of Safeguards

Implementation of IAEA safeguards and the drawing of safeguards conclusions has changed dramatically from an ad hoc arrangement in 1962, to an approach focused on verifying nuclear material at declared facilities and drawing safeguards conclusions at the level of individual facilities, to one that assesses the consistency of all safeguards relevant information regarding a State’s nuclear programme and draws a safeguards conclusion for the State as a whole. The notion of implementing safeguards that considers a State’s nuclear and nuclear-related activities and capabilities, as a whole, is referred to as the State-level concept. The State-level concept is applicable to all States with a safeguards agreement in force. Through implementing safeguards in the context of the State-level concept, a number of benefits in terms of effectiveness and efficiency have been realized, including taking better account of State-specific factors which allow for the development and implementation of customized State-level approaches (SLAs). SLAs provide options for safeguards measures to be implemented in the field and at Headquarters, allowing the IAEA to compare their cost-effectiveness and providing greater flexibility in safeguards implementation. Instead of mechanistically applying the activities listed in the safeguards criteria, the implementation of SLAs is focused on attainment of technical objectives. By doing so, safeguards implementation is more performance-oriented and is helping the IAEA to avoid spending resources on doing more than is needed for effective safeguards. The objectives are established by the Secretariat using structured and technically based analytical methods conducted according to uniform processes and defined procedures. Utilizing the same technically-based processes and procedures for developing SLAs for all States helps to ensure consistency and non-discrimination in safeguards implementation, efficient performance of the work, and more soundly based safeguards conclusions.
Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Hydrophobic Acrylic and Styrenic Polymers through Organic-Phase Photoiniferter-Mediated Polymerization

As many physical properties of polymers scale with molecular weight, the ability to achieve polymers of nearly inaccessibly high molecular weight provides an opportunity to probe the upper size lim...
Erratum to: Direct and Moderating Causal Effects of Network Support on Sleep Quality: Findings From the UC Berkeley Social Network Study.

BACKGROUND Sleep is an important, restorative behavior for health, yet many adults report troubled sleep. The existence of a support network may be beneficial for sleep quality, including as a buffer for stressful events, yet few studies have examined these relationships longitudinally. PURPOSE To examine the causal effect of changes in personal network support on sleep quality both directly and as a buffer of negative life events among young and older adults. METHODS The UC Berkeley Social Network survey collected data from young (21-30 year old, n = 475) and late middle-age (50-70 year old, n = 637) adults across three waves between 2015 and 2018. Participants reported on personal network characteristics, negative life events, and number of nights with trouble falling and staying asleep. Fixed effects models are used to examine causal relationships among each age cohort. RESULTS Direct effects of network support on sleep quality were observed among older adults. Insufficient practical support predicted higher rates of trouble falling asleep (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1.40, p < .01), while a desire for more social companions predicted lower rates of trouble staying asleep (IRR = 0.81, p < .01). Buffering effects of network support on sleep quality were observed among young adults. Changes in partnership status buffer the negative effects of the death of a close tie on trouble falling asleep (IRR = 0.75, p < .01) and persistent difficulties paying bills on trouble staying asleep (IRR = 0.45, p < 0.001) among young adults. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence for the direct and buffering role of network support on sleep quality. Our results indicate that efforts to improve sleep quality should address personal networks and the support they provide, perhaps especially during times of stress for younger adults.
Charge Regulation of Natural Amino Acids in Aqueous Solutions

The aim of this work is to develop a predictive model to describe the electrostatic behavior of 20 natural amino acids under diverse solution conditions. A coarse-grained model is proposed to accou...
Safety of fluoroscopically guided pain procedures in patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis

To examine the incidence of bleeding and infectious adverse events (AEs) in patients undergoing interventional, fluoroscopic-guided axial spine procedures to modulate pain. Retrospective data of patients undergoing fluoroscopically guided axial spine injections at a single tertiary care medical center Cancer Rehabilitation program in the USA were reviewed. AEs, type of chemotherapy, type of tumor, age, platelet and absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) prior to the procedure, and relevant past medical history were collected. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Sixty-three separately identifiable procedures across 28 patients met inclusion criteria. Zero AEs were recorded. Platelet and ANC were generally above the recommended safety threshold, but granulocyte colony stimulating factor was administered prior to four procedures to boost ANC levels. Multiple myeloma was the most common cancer diagnosis (64.3%). Various solid tumors made up the remaining cancer diagnoses. Epidural steroid injections (n=23) and medial branch blocks (n=23) were the most common procedures performed and lumbar (n=35) was the most common location of procedures. Three patients died within 30 days of the procedures but their deaths were not directly attributable to the injections. This provides preliminary data to support the safety of injections in patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy. Larger, multicenter studies are required before firm conclusions can be drawn.
Distortion Discovery: A Framework to Model, Spot and Explain Tumor Heterogeneity and Mitigate its Negative Impact on Cancer Risk Assessment

In a complex system of inter-genome interactions, false negatives remain an overwhelming problem when using omics data for disease risk prediction. This is especially clear when dealing with complex diseases like cancer in which the infiltration of stromal and immune cells into the tumor tissue can affect the degree of its tumor purity and hence its cancer signal. Previous work was done to estimate the degree of cancer purity in a tissue. In this work, we introduce a data and biomarker selection independent, information theoretic, approach to tackle this problem. We model distortion as a source of false negatives and introduce a mechanism to detect and remove its impact on the accuracy of disease risk prediction.