cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extending the MERCURY system to support teams of Ada programmers

The MERCURY system generates multi-user language-based environments from attribute grammars. The AG specifies the interface checking among modular units, to be applied by the environment to inform programmers of errors introduced by interface changes. Since AGs assume a monolithic program, we extended the formalism to support separate compilation units. Our previous work was based on an ideal language where programs consist of an unordered set of monolithic compilation units. We now augment our extensions to support Ada, to allow multiple kinds of compilation units and nested compilation units. We describe how these extensions are used to detect naming errors, determine compilation unit context, and check compilation order as mandated by Ada.
Noise temperature contribution of a dichroic plate in a beam-waveguide antenna system

A 34-m-diameter antenna, built for NASA/JPL, utilizes a beam-waveguide (BWG) design. The BWG antenna performances at three different focal points were previously reported by Bathker et al. (1992). The ellipsoid in the subterranean room has since been made rotatable so that numerous feed systems can be installed in a circular perimeter around the ellipsoid and operated from their own individual f3 positions. One of the recently installed front-end systems at a new f3 position is the S/X system, which permits simultaneous operation of S-and X-band downlink. Measurements of the X-band system showed that the dichroic plate noise temperature contribution was 18 K compared to a predicted value of 1.5 K. It was later discovered that if a dichroic plate is installed in a BWG antenna environment, high noise temperatures can result if the receive system passband is greater than the passband for which the plate was designed. A method is presented for accurately calculating dichroic plate noise temperature for these conditions. >
Reduced-state sequence detection of multilevel partial-response signals

This work is concerned with the problem of designing reduced-complexity Viterbi decoders for the transmission of digital data over intersymbol interference channels. First, optimal state-grouping for constructing reduced-state trellises is presented and illustrative examples are given for multilevel transmission over partial-response channels of the type 1+or-D/sup n/, (1+D)/sup 2/, (1+D)/sup 2/(1-D), and (1+D)/sup 3/(1-D). Then, the quaternary 1-D type partial-response channel is considered in more detail and a difference-matric algorithm employing state-reduction is derived and shown to result in a simple decoding scheme. >
Are Antimicrobial-Impregnated Catheters Effective? Don't Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater

The antimicrobial-impregnated central venous catheter (CVC) has been the most intensively studied technology for the prevention of CVC-related bloodstream infections (BSIs) over the past 30 years. Although more than a dozen randomized trials have shown significant benefit, authors of an analysis published in a recent issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases have raised questions about the efficacy of antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs because of perceived defects in the experimental design of the studies and statistical analyses of the data. They have further argued that even if this technology might be effective in preventing CVC-related BSI, its cost-effectiveness is questionable. Although most of the studies scrutinized by the authors of this analysis indeed had shortcomings, we believe that their analysis unjustifiably downplays a large body of research that has demonstrated a consistent reduction in CVC-related BSI and a clear-cut cost-effectiveness associated with the use of antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs.
Analysis of the effects of firing rate and synchronization on spike-triggered averaging of multidirectional motor unit torque

Spike-triggered averaging (STA) of muscle force transients has often been used to estimate motor unit contractile properties, using the discharge of a motor unit within the muscle as the triggering events. For motor units that exert torque about multiple degrees-of-freedom, STA has also been used to estimate motor unit pulling direction. It is well known that motor unit firing rate and weak synchronization of motor unit discharges with other motor units in the muscle can distort STA estimates of contractile properties, but the distortion of STA estimates of motor unit pulling direction has not been thoroughly evaluated. Here, we derive exact equations that predict that STA decouples firing rate and synchronization distortion when used to estimate motor unit pulling direction. We derive a framework for analyzing synchronization, consider whether the distortion due to synchronization can be removed from STA estimates of pulling direction, and show that there are distributions of motor unit pulling directions for which STA is insensitive to synchronization. We conclude that STA may give insight into how motoneuronal synchronization is organized with respect to motor unit pulling direction.
Crystal structure of BstYI at 1.85A resolution: a thermophilic restriction endonuclease with overlapping specificities to BamHI and BglII.

Abstract We report here the structure of BstYI, an “intermediate” type II restriction endonuclease with overlapping sequence specificities to BamHI and BglII. BstYI, a thermophilic endonuclease, recognizes and cleaves the degenerate hexanucleotide sequence 5′-RGATCY-3′ (where R=A or G and Y=C or T), cleaving DNA after the 5′-R on each strand to produce four-base (5′) staggered ends. The crystal structure of free BstYI was solved at 1.85 A resolution by multiwavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) phasing. Comparison with BamHI and BglII reveals a strong structural consensus between all three enzymes mapping to the α/β core domain and residues involved in catalysis. Unexpectedly, BstYI also contains an additional “arm” substructure outside of the core protein, which enables the enzyme to adopt a more compact, intertwined dimer structure compared with BamHI and BglII. This arm substructure may underlie the thermostability of BstYI. We identify putative DNA recognition residues and speculate as to how this enzyme achieves a “relaxed” DNA specificity.
A new design methodology for optimal interpolative neural networks with application to the localization and classification of acoustic transients

An evolutionary design methodology for neural networks based on the theory of optimal interpolation, (OI) is presented. A limited application of the OI net to the problems of localization and classification of acoustic transients is discussed. The modified recursive least squares (RLS) learning algorithm presented provides an avenue for the acquisition of an appropriate neural network configuration to solve a given pattern classification problem. The authors show that both OI and the back-propagation (BP) of comparable configurations perform satisfactorily in the simulations. The RLS OI method is preferred, however, because BP would occasionally run into some local minima and convergence could be very slow for the more complex decision boundaries between classes. The authors demonstrate that the OI net is particularly suited for application to the localization and classification of acoustic transients. >
Morphine induced calcium depletion in discrete regions of rat brain.

— The in vivo administration of a single dose of morphine produces a decrease of tissue calcium in the rat brain. This decrease is observed to be linear, dose-dependent, time-dependent and to occur to an equal degree in 8 discrete brain regions. This effect of morphine is blocked by naloxone and exhibits a high degree of sterospecificity. The reserpine induced decrease of brain calcium was not antagonized by naloxone. Differentiation of this response using reserpine and naloxone indicates the possibility of calcium pools in the central nervous system. The results are discussed in terms of a specific effect of opiate drugs and the role of calcium in opiatereceptor interactions.
Dynamic Fracture and Strain Rate Behavior of Aggregates Used in Transportation

The static and dynamic uniaxial compressive strengths of coarse aggregate materials used in portland cement concrete (PCC) were determined under dry and saturated conditions for three blast furnace slags, three limestones, four dolomites, and two mafic igneous rocks. The slag aggregates exhibited the lowest compressive strength, followed by the carbonates (limestones and dolomites), and the mafic igneous rocks. Both the dry and saturated aggregates revealed a higher compressive strength under dynamic loads compared to the static loads. Based on the experimental data, a rate sensitivity parameter was defined to describe the increase in compressive strength as a function of strain rate. This parameter is deemed to have considerable relevance in evaluating the ability of a specific aggregate to resist dynamic loads such as in aggregate interlock in PCC cracks and joints, friction in asphalt, and also in the development of microfracture during rock blasting. Comparison of the compressive strength data to dens...
“It Was the Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back”: Exploring the Distancing Processes Communicatively Constructed in Parent-Child Estrangement Backstories

Despite its severity and prevalence, hardly any research addresses parent-child estrangement. Thus, in the present study we focus on the backstories of 52 adult children in the United States who engaged in communicative practices to distance themselves from their parent(s). Six themes coalesced into two backstory types: (1) continuous estrangement and (2) chaotic (dis)association. Regardless of backstory type, narrative beginnings consisted of accounts detailing parental maltreatment, abuse, and indifference. Continuous estrangement occurred when adult children were able to communicatively accomplish and maintain distance with their parent(s) in spite of the network/cultural pressures to reconcile. In other instances, adult children succumbed to pressures to reconcile and engaged in communicative behaviors to decrease the distance with their parents. These participants then entered into an on-again/off-again relationship, which ultimately ended with them attempting to create distance with their parent(s) ...
O Brave Old World! A Review of Michael O'Brien's 'Conjectures of Order: Intellectual Life and the American South, 1810-1860'

Michael O'Brien's two-volume Conjectures of Order: Intellectual Life in the American South, 1810-1860 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2004) is as voluminous is it is revolutionary. O'Brien places antebellum southern thought, so often treated as the production of a cultural backwater, firmly in a transatlantic tradition. He identifies the region's historical, political, philosophical, scientific, and theological writings as sophisticated products of a post-colonial order, and as examples of the gradations of European thought from the Enlightenment to the Romantic Age. O'Brien's analysis of the impact of slavery on intellectual life is synthetic, not original. He shows that southerners had come to terms with the Peculiar Institution - but likewise that many of them understood its precarious place in the western tradition, and were filled with anxiety over its likely impermanence. O Brave Old World discusses O'Brien's scholarly technique, interestingly similar to that of eighteenth and nineteeenth-century historians, and describes how he builds an interwoven story and establishes a canon of works. The essay praises O'Brien as a major contributor to the rebirth of narrative history but criticizes him for concentrating too much on the intellectuals of the eastern seaboard. Likewise it criticizes him for not paying enough attention to the legal profession as an intellectual enterprise - in particular for slighting the lawyers who, as creative writers, created the genre known as Southwestern Humor. This essay, a revised version of a untitled piece published in Volume XIII of Southern Studies, contains an addemdum briefly discussing Elizabeth Fox-Genovese and Eugene Genovese's The Mind of the Master Class (2005).
Experimental arthritis in albino rats and mice produced by alpha type streptococci.

This organism, designated JST, is Gram positive with spherical or ellipsoidal cells approximately .6 fx in diameter, usually in short chains. On blood agar after 24 hours of incubation at 37 C, the colonies are one mm in diameter. They are round, white, convex, opaque, with smooth margin and glistening surface. The colonies are surrounded by an alpha type zone when grown on the surface or in the depth of the plate. After the same incubation period on nutrient agar, the colonies are one-half mm in diameter. In nutrient
Electron Interaction with Alkali Chromium Fluorides in the High-Resolution Electron Microscope

Different structure types related to the hexagonal tungsten bronze structure have been observed in the AxCrF3 sytem (A= K, Rb) by electron diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy. These structures decomposed into alkali metal and CrF3 in the electron beam. The former evaporates, leaving the original structure highly unstable. CrF3 crystallizes via a highly disordered phase to a distorted ReO3–type structure.
Laboratory Studies on the Adult Behavior of Conophthorus coniperda(Coleoptera: Scolytidae). III. Flight

Adults of the white-pine cone beetle, Conophthorus coniperda (Schwarz), undertook spontaneous flight most frequently at temperatures between 27.5° and 35° C, Flight frequency was increased by exposure to dry air, although prolonged exposure resulted in water loss and cessation of flight. Preliminary exposure to light also increased flight frequency. On flight mills, beetles flew continuously for periods up to 5 hours, but the great majority of tethered flights were of only a few minutes' duration. In free flight the insects oriented to a point source of light; with diffuse light they were still photopositive, and tended to fly a horizontal course and to orient to dark silhouettes. These mechanisms would result in the movement of the beetles from their overwintering sites to the cone-bearing terminals of the trees. The mean duration of flight in the field is probably rather short, because the beetles would fly just above the mean crown surface and would orient to the dark silhouettes of the dominant leaders.
High Temperature Test Program and Results for the Silicone Coated Kevlar 29 Used on Low Density Supersonic Decelerators (SIAD)

ILC Dover has developed and manufactured a Rapid Heating Test Fixture that can quickly simulate the expected heating environment that the Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator, Robotic-class program (SIAD-R) will see in operational flight conditions. The test fixture was developed to characterize the Silicone Coated Kevlar29 fabric and seamed configurations selected for use on SIAD-R in a representative heating environment, as there was no testing previously published that would demonstrate the capability of the textile materials above 212C. The rapid heating test fixture was designed to reach an elevated isothermal condition within seconds of exposure that was representative of the planned flight-like heating environment. As the program progressed, thermal models were refined and the final operational high temperature prediction was reduced from 330C to 290C. This report details the testing program developed for the SIAD-R and provides new information on the mechanical performance of the Silicone Coated Kevlar29 at high temperatures. Results of the various evaluations performed are provided and include modulus analysis, multiple uni-axial tensile evaluations, handling flex and creasing, permeation, and ply adhesion.
Electrical Properties of Thermally Grown SiO2-SiC Interfaces

Fabrication processes of metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors on n-type, Si-face, 6H-SiC were studied. The effects of thermal oxidation conditions at temperatures between 1100 and 1250°C on the electrical properties of MOS capacitors were determined. The wafers were annealed under argon to improve the C-V characteristics. C-V characteristics of AI-SiO2-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor were measured at high frequency in the dark and under illumination. In the dark inversion does not occur, probably owing to the absence of minority carriers due to the large band gap of 6H-SiC. The accumulation, depletion, and inversion regions were clearly observed when the C-V measurements were made under illumination for both wet and dry thermally grown oxides. The interface trap densities and emission time constants of fast states were determined by ac conductance measurements. From the analysis of data we obtained a total of Fixed charges and the slow interface traps, Nf + NssSlow of 1.5 to 3.3 × 1012 cm-2, fast interface trap densities, NssFast of 0.5 to 1.7 × 1011 cm-2 eV-1 and emission times constant of 0.3 to 1.4 μsec for wet oxidation. For dry oxidation, Nf + N, ssSlow of 3.5 to 11.2 × 10cm-2, NssFast of 0.7 to 1.25 × 1010 cm-2 eV-1 and emission time constants of 0.6 to 2 μsec were obtained.
The Sharia Challenge: Revisiting the Travails of the Secular State

In November 1990, the Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics published an article by Adigun Agbaje entitled “Travails of the Secular State: Religion, Politics and the Outlook on Nigeria’s Third Republic.” The article analyzed the explosive debates on Islamic Sharia law that preceded the promulgation of the 1989 Constitution for the proposed (and eventually aborted) Third Nigerian Republic. Some of Agbaje’s main arguments in the article can be outlined as follows: The concept of the secular state, which is ambiguous and contentious almost everywhere, is especially problematic and explosive in the Nigerian setting. This is because of the interventionist role of the state in Nigeria and other developing societies as a “differentiator and distributor”; a long-standing history (from precolonial through colonial to the postindependence eras) of state entanglement in religion; the demographic bipolarization of the country into politically competitive, ideologically antagonistic, and often eth- noregionally concentrated, Christian and Muslim communities; and the sharply divergent positions of the two religious communities on the relationship between the state and religion in general, and the constitutional status of Sharia, in particular.
Shell structure from nuclear observables

The appearance and disappearance of shells and subshells are determined using a previously introduced method of structural analysis. This work extends the approach and applies it to protons, in addition to neutrons, in an attempt to provide a more complete understanding of shell structure in nuclei. Experimental observables including the mean-square charge radius, as well as other spectroscopic and mass related quantities are analyzed for extrema. This analysis also uses differential observables among adjacent even-even nuclei to serve as the derivatives for these quantities of interest. Local extrema in these quantities indicate shell structure and the lack of local extrema indicate missing shell closures. The shell structure of low-mass nuclei is inconsistent likely as a consequence of the single-particle structure. Additionally, multiple shell features occurring in midshell regions are determined by combining information from two or more observables. Our results near stability complement previous observations further out.
A Review of “Piety and Profession: American Protestant Theological Education, 1870–1970”

Daniel Aleshire, executive director of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS), titled his recent (2008) book Earthen Vessels: Hopeful Reflections on the Work a...
Historical Perspective: What Constitutes Discovery (of a New Virus)?

Abstract A historic review of the discovery of new viruses leads to reminders of traditions that have evolved over 118 years. One such tradition gives credit for the discovery of a virus to the investigator(s) who not only carried out the seminal experiments but also correctly interpreted the findings (within the technological context of the day). Early on, ultrafiltration played a unique role in “proving” that an infectious agent was a virus, as did a failure to find any microscopically visible agent, failure to show replication of the agent in the absence of viable cells, thermolability of the agent, and demonstration of a specific immune response to the agent so as to rule out duplicates and close variants. More difficult was “proving” that the new virus was the etiologic agent of the disease (“proof of causation”)—for good reasons this matter has been revisited several times over the years as technologies and perspectives have changed. One tradition is that the discoverers get to name their discovery, their new virus (unless some grievous convention has been broken)—the stability of these virus names has been a way to honor the discoverer(s) over the long term. Several vignettes have been chosen to illustrate several difficulties in holding to the traditions (vignettes chosen include vaccinia and variola viruses, yellow fever virus, and influenza viruses. Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, human immunodeficiency virus 1, Sin Nombre virus, and Ebola virus). Each suggests lessons for the future. One way to assure that discoveries are forever linked with discoverers would be a permanent archive in one of the universal virus databases that have been constructed for other purposes. However, no current database seems ideal—perhaps members of the global community of virologists will have an ideal solution.
Use of Topical Besifloxacin in the Treatment of Mycobacterium chelonae Ocular Surface Infections.

Purpose To present the clinical outcome of 3 cases of ocular surface infections by Mycobacterium chelonae treated with besifloxacin (0.6%, Besivance; Bausch & Lomb, Tampa, FL). Methods In this retrospective review of a small case series, we reviewed the medical records of 3 clinical patients with M. chelonae infection involving the ocular surface. Besifloxacin was used as an adjunct in 2 cases of keratitis and as the principal therapeutic agent in a case of nodular conjunctivitis. Results Two patients who presented with culture-proven M. chelonae keratitis initially had been treated with topical amikacin and oral clarithromycin for 6 months in the first case and for 2 months in the second without complete resolution. Topical besifloxacin was added as an adjunct therapy to amikacin with progressive weaning of clarithromycin. Both cases of keratitis eventually resolved without recurrence after discontinuation of topical amikacin and besifloxacin. A third patient presented with nodular conjunctival inflammation, which initially had been treated with topical ciprofloxacin and corticosteroids without improvement. One nodular lesion was excised and submitted for microbial culture, which revealed the growth of M. chelonae. Marked improvement of the conjunctivitis was noted after 3 weeks of treatment with topical besifloxacin. Complete resolution of the conjunctival nodules was achieved after 10 weeks of treatment with besifloxacin. Conclusions Topical besifloxacin seems to be a useful adjunct agent in the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial keratitis by M. chelonae and may be viable for use as a first-line agent in cases of nodular conjunctivitis by M. chelonae.
Transportation modeling and data needs for fast charging electric vehicles

Electric Vehicle (EV) technology is advancing rapidly. Battery storage technology is a prime contributor to vehicle range increases, charging time reductions, and cost reductions. These technology improvements are predicted to rapidly change the popularity and usage of EVs. These advances will cause the need for comprehensive models of EV usage and charging, and the resulting requirements on the electric power system. This paper discusses transportation models for this new generation of EVs, and predicts the characteristics of commercial rapid (Level 3) charging stations at a point where these stations would become commercially viable. The paper also discusses uncertainties in the modeling and data needs for the development of improved models.
Dronely: A Visual Block Programming Language for the Control of Drones

Dronely is a visual block programming language that allows users to build programs for the control of small drones. Dronely uses drones as a way of raising interest in computer science among K-12 students by presenting a user-friendly and intuitive drag-and-drop interface for building programs that have a physically observable effect. Although the language was designed so that simple tasks are straightforward to accomplish, more complex programs can still be implemented in Dronely. In this paper, we introduce the language features provided in Dronely and outline the implementation details of using Blockly on an Android device.
The Kansas Governor's Commission on the Status of Women, 1968-1970

The feminist movement in the United States began with a refusal by women to allow their traditional secondary status to remain acceptable. Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, once admonished that "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 1 In most cultures around the world, including the United States, women have consented to inferiority throughout much of their history. But no longer. The women's rights movement has led to "enormous and mundane, subtle and not-so-subtle, delightful, painful, immediate, far-reaching, paradoxical, inexorable and probably irreversible changes in women's lives, and men's." 2
Mediators of a physical activity intervention among women with a family history of breast cancer.

ABSTRACTThe current study examined mediators of an efficacious physical activity intervention. Women with a mean age of 42.6 (range 23–61) years and a family history of breast cancer were randomized to either an Internet-based physical activity intervention (n = 28) or an active control condition (n = 27) for three months. Data were collected between November 2010 and August 2011. Hypothesized mediators were examined using a product of coefficients model with bootstrapped standard errors. Significant mediation was observed for both self-efficacy and behavioral processes. Specifically, the regression coefficients of the indirect effects (“ab path”: unstandardized effect of the intervention on physical activity that occurred through the mediator) were ab = 38.58 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.66–92.76) for self-efficacy, and ab = 42.02 (95% CI: 6.76–104.84) for behavioral processes. Other factors examined in this study, including cognitive processes, decisional balance, and perceived risk of breast cancer...
Flux-Line Theory: A Novel Analytical Model for Cycloturbines

In this paper, a novel low-order blade element momentum model, called flux-line theory, is developed for predicting the performance of cycloturbines (variable-pitch vertical-axis wind turbines). It...
Returning to the Origins: The Use of Christianity in Spanish Caribbean Theater

This chapter looks at another origin of theater found in Christianity in order to appropriate and challenge religious myths that have laid the foundations for theater in the Hispanic Caribbean. La noche (1994) by Cuban Abilio Estevez, iHagase la mujer! (1987) by Juan Carlos Campos from the Dominican Republic, and De tanto caminar: Auto alegorico en tres cuadros (1961) by Puerto Rican Piri Fernandez uses Christian myths and imagery to interrogate the creation of a spectacle and the integration of doubt into personal and national identity in the twentieth-century Caribbean.
A Dynamical Explanation of the Topographically Bound Easterly Low‐Level Jet Surrounding Antarctica

This study investigates the topographically bound easterly low-level jet surrounding Antarctica. This jet is modeled as a balanced flow that satisfies the potential vorticity invertibility principle, based on local linear balance in spherical coordinates and expressed in isentropic coordinates. In this way, this easterly low-level jet is shown to be the balanced flow associated with the topography of the Antarctic plateau, moderated by a shallow potential vorticity anomaly atop the plateau produced by radiative cooling. The dynamical connection of the jet with katabatic winds can be understood through the meridional circulation equation. Model results based on the simple theoretical arguments developed here are found to be consistent with high resolution reanalysis data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the 2008–2010 period.
Phylogenomics resolves the evolutionary chronicle of our squirting closest relatives

A recent paper in BMC Biology has resolved the family relationships of sea squirts, one of our closest invertebrate relatives, by using a large phylogenomic data set derived from available genomes and newly generated transcriptomes. The work confirms previous ideas that ascidians (the sea squirts) are not monophyletic, as they include some pelagic jelly-like relatives, and proposes a chronogram for a group that has been difficult to resolve due to their accelerated genome evolution. See research article: https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-018-0499-2
Why Openness May Not Be Therapeutic

As outlined in the previous chapter, psychotherapy researchers have demonstrated not only that clients withhold personal information and reactions from their therapists but also that such discretion is associated with positive therapy process ratings and outcomes. The question I address in this chapter is, how can these puzzling findings be explained?
Effective API recommendation without historical software repositories

It is time-consuming and labor-intensive to learn and locate the correct API for programming tasks. Thus, it is beneficial to perform API recommendation automatically. The graph-based statistical model has been shown to recommend top-10 API candidates effectively. It falls short, however, in accurately recommending an actual top-1 API. To address this weakness, we propose RecRank, an approach and tool that applies a novel ranking-based discriminative approach leveraging API usage path features to improve top-1 API recommendation. Empirical evaluation on a large corpus of (1385+8) open source projects shows that RecRank significantly improves top-1 API recommendation accuracy and mean reciprocal rank when compared to state-of-the-art API recommendation approaches.
Diabetes is Associated with Worse In-Hospital and 30-Day Post-Discharge Morbidity in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: Findings from the Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure Registry

Background Clinical trial data suggest that diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with worse outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but data from clinical practice are limited. We hypothesized that patients with HFpEF and DM have distinct clinical characteristics and worse in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes compared to those without DM Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 232,656 patients with HFpEF hospitalized for worsening HF in the Get With The Guidelines-HF registry, of which 62,402 were linked with Medicare claims for analysis of post-discharge outcomes. We compared baseline characteristics, in-hospital, and post-discharge outcomes in those with and without DM. Interactions between DM and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and troponin with respect to in-hospital outcomes were evaluated Results Patients with HFpEF and DM were more likely to be younger, male, non-white, and to have multiple comorbidities compared with those without DM. Patients with DM had longer length of stay (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.23-1.31) and decreased likelihood of discharge to home (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.81-0.86), but there was no association with in-hospital mortality (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.99-1.11) ( Table 1 ). Similarly, DM was associated with increased 30-day all-cause readmissions (HR 1.10; 95% CI 1.05-1.15) and HF readmissions (HR 1.21; 95% CI 1.12-1.31), but had no effect on 30-day mortality (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.95-1.11) ( Table 2 ). DM did not affect the association between elevated troponin and worse in-hospital outcomes, but the association between higher BNP levels and those outcomes was attenuated in those with DM. Conclusions DM was associated with prolonged hospital stays, decreased likelihood of discharge home and increased likelihood of 30-day readmission without impacting mortality in a large cohort of patients with HFpEF. These findings highlight a critical need for treatment and management strategies for HFpEF and DM, in order to improve quality of life, reduce resource utilization, and slow progression.
Radiographic Anatomy of the Foot and Ankle. Part 1: The Distal Leg.

The normal radiographic anatomy of the foot and ankle, aside from my previous work, has been addressed only superficially or sparingly in the medical literature. This project correlates the detailed radiographic anatomy of the entire adult foot and ankle (two-dimensional) to osteology (three-dimensional). Each bone's position was determined after meticulous examination and correlation to an articulated skeleton relative to the image receptor and direction of the x-ray beam, with correlation to the radiograph for confirmation. Images of each foot and distal leg bone ("front" and "back" perspectives) are presented alongside a corresponding radiographic image for comparison. The normal gross and radiographic anatomy is correlated and described for each radiographic positioning technique. Foundational knowledge is provided that future researchers can use as a baseline ("normal") and that students and practitioners can use for comparison when interpreting radiographs and distinguishing abnormal findings. The findings from the original project, owing to its broad scope, have been divided into five parts: the lower leg (the focus of this paper), the greater tarsus, the lesser tarsus, the metatarsals, and the phalanges.
A streamlined approach for evaluating post-earthquake performance of an electric network

Resilience and functionality of a community after an extreme event rely on performance of several interdependent systems. Data from historic events show that power network seems to be the most crit...
Efficiently Searching In-Memory Sorted Arrays: Revenge of the Interpolation Search?

In this paper, we focus on the problem of searching sorted, in-memory datasets. This is a key data operation, and Binary Search is the de facto algorithm that is used in practice. We consider an alternative, namely Interpolation Search, which can take advantage of hardware trends by using complex calculations to save memory accesses. Historically, Interpolation Search was found to underperform compared to other search algorithms in this setting, despite its superior asymptotic complexity. Also, Interpolation Search is known to perform poorly on non-uniform data. To address these issues, we introduce SIP (Slope reuse Interpolation), an optimized implementation of Interpolation Search, and TIP (Three point Interpolation), a new search algorithm that uses linear fractions to interpolate on non-uniform distributions. We evaluate these two algorithms against a similarly optimized Binary Search method using a variety of real and synthetic datasets. We show that SIP is up to 4 times faster on uniformly distributed data and TIP is 2-3 times faster on non-uniformly distributed data in some cases. We also design a meta-algorithm to switch between these different methods to automate picking the higher performing search algorithm, which depends on factors like data distribution.
Of pNGB quiScript Ntessence

We review the pNGB quintessence models, and point out that the reason why the large decay constants are really needed is to tame a tachyonic instability present for a wide range of initial vevs. Starting very close to potential maxima does not help because quantum fluctuations during early inflation at a scale HI perturb the quintessence vev, displacing it from the maxima. This issue is quite interesting for pNGB dark energy in light of the recently discussed difficulties with embedding models with fa>MPl in fundamental theory. A possible way around is provided by models with several ultralight pNGBs, which can drive a short burst of very late inflation together even if all of their decay constants obey fa MPl. We point out that there may be potentially observable large scale disturbances in the sea of dark energy in such models.
Bilateral Simultaneous vs Staged Total Knee Arthroplasty: Minimal Difference in Perioperative Risks.

Abstract Background With the rising utilization of total joint arthroplasty, the role of simultaneous bilateral surgery will have an expanding impact. The purpose of this study is to examine the risks of perioperative complications with this approach in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), to inform shared decision making. Methods We reviewed national hospital discharge data from 2005-2014 to compare outcomes between simultaneous-bilateral TKAs and staged-bilateral TKAs. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for confounders. Outcomes analyzed included mortality, various medical complications, knee infection and mechanical complications. Results This study analyzed 27,301 simultaneous-bilateral TKAs and 45,419 staged-bilateral TKAs. Patients who underwent simultaneous surgery had a statistically significant higher adjusted odds of mortality, cardiac events, thromboembolic events, and complications involving the urinary and digestive systems, and a lower adjusted odds of deep knee infection and hematoma. Thirteen of the fourteen complications had overall incidences less than 2% and one outcome had an incidence of 3%. The absolute between-group risk difference for any complication was 1% or less. Conclusions Simultaneous bilateral TKAs have a statistically significant increased odds of multiple complications compared to staged surgery. However, the absolute risk differences between these options are minimal and the occurrence of any complication is low. Level of Evidence Therapeutic Level III;
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

Patients with established cardiovascular disease or risk factors (e.g., ischemic cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, high risk of atherothrombotic disease) should receive dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin plus clopidogrel, which confers additional benefit over aspirin alone.
Neurophysiological Characteristics of Cranial Nerves V- and VII-Triggered EMG in Endoscopic Endonasal Approach Skull Base Surgery

Objective This study proposes to present reference parameters for trigeminal (V) and facial (VII) cranial nerves (CNs)-triggered electromyography (tEMG) during endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) skull base surgeries to allow more precise and accurate mapping of these CNs. Study Design We retrospectively reviewed EEA procedures performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between 2009 and 2015. tEMG recorded in response to stimulation of CN V and VII was analyzed. Analysis of tEMG waveforms included latencies and amplitudes. Medical records were reviewed to determine the presence of perioperative neurologic deficits. Results A total of 28 patients were included. tEMG from 34 CNs (22 V and 12 VII) were analyzed. For CN V, the average onset latency was 2.9 ± 1.1 ms and peak-to-peak amplitude was 525 ± 436.94 μV (n = 22). For CN VII, the average onset latency and peak-to-peak amplitude were 5.1 ± 1.43 ms and 315 ± 352.58 μV for the orbicularis oculi distribution (n = 09), 5.9 ± 0.67 ms and 517 ± 489.07 μV on orbicularis oris (n = 08), and 5.3 ± 0.98 ms 303.1 ± 215.3 μV on mentalis (n = 07), respectively. Conclusion Our data support the notion that onset latency may be a feasible parameter in the differentiation between the CN V and VII during the crosstalk phenomenon in EEA surgeries but the particularities of this type of procedure should be taken into consideration. A prospective analysis with a larger data set is necessary.
Treatment of Hyperglycemia in a Hospitalized Patient Without Hyperglycemic Emergency

Treatment of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients reduces adverse clinical outcomes. When a patient with diabetes is admitted, HbA1c should be obtained. Antidiabetic medications usually have to be modified. In general, this means using some form of insulin treatment in order to achieve moderate glycemic control while avoiding hypoglycemia. Frequent blood glucose testing and adjusting insulin treatment during the course of hospitalization are required. Diabetes treatment at the time of discharge must be transitioned to a regimen that can be followed as an outpatient and reevaluated shortly afterward.
“Just-in-Place” labor: Driver organizing in the Uber workplace:

This paper examines the socio-spatial dynamics of worker agency in the platform economy in the Washington, D.C. region. Drawing on the field of labor geography, we document the collective and inher...
Is self-reported social distancing susceptible to social desirability bias? Using the crosswise model to elicit sensitive behaviors

Sensitive behaviors such as self-reported performance or (un)ethical behaviors often carry strong social connotations of appropriate or inappropriate conduct. In return, social norms can artificially inflate or deflate individuals’ responses and bias scientific results on their prevalence and effects. As a core part of governments’ mitigation strategy against the outbreak of COVID-19, social distancing might represent one of these behaviors. Can researchers expect honest responses when surveying citizens about their social distancing behaviors? This question is examined using the sensitive survey technique, “the crosswise model”, to elicit aggregate-level prevalence estimates of (1) self-reported social distancing, and (2) honest reporting in a prediction dice game. Since the number of wins in the dice game follows a known probability distribution, it offers an excellent setting for illustrating the utility of the crosswise model before applying it to self-reported social distancing. In a survey of 1,059 adults living in the US, the crosswise model outperforms direct questioning in revealing respondents’ dishonest behavior in the dice game. While the crosswise model also indicates some social desirability bias when asking respondents directly about their social distancing behaviors, the extent of this bias seems small and does not appear to overtly inflate individuals’ self-reported measures of social distancing.
National trends and 30-day readmission rates for next-day-discharge transcatheter aortic valve replacement: An analysis from the Nationwide Readmissions Database, 2012-2016

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has evolved toward a minimalist approach, resulting in shorter hospital stays. Real-world trends of next-day discharge (NDD) TAVR are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate underlying trends and readmissions of NDD TAVR. Methods This study was derived from the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2012 to 2016. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions, codes were used to identify patients. Any discharge within 1 day of admission was identified as NDD. NDD TAVR trends over the years were analyzed, and any admissions within 30 days were considered readmissions. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of readmission. Results Of 49,742 TAVR procedures, 3,104 were NDD. The percentage of NDD TAVR increased from 1.5% (46/3,051) in 2012 to 12.2% (2,393/19,613) in 2016. However, the 30-day readmission rate remained the same over the years (8.6%). The patients' mean age was 80.3 ± 8.4 years. Major readmission causes were heart-failure exacerbation (16%), infections (9%), and procedural complications (8%). In 2016, there were significantly higher late conduction disorder and gastrointestinal bleeding readmission rates than in 2012-2015. Significant predictors of readmission were anemia, baseline conduction disease, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neoplastic disorders, and discharge to facility. Conclusions The percentage of NDD TAVR increased over the years; however, readmission rates remained the same, with a higher rate of conduction abnormality–related hospitalizations in 2016. Careful discharge planning that includes identification of baseline factors that predict readmission and knowledge of etiologies may further prevent 30-day readmissions.
Selected Matrix Algebra Topics and Results

Before we can begin to tackle the inference problems described near the end of the previous chapter, we must first develop an adequate working knowledge of matrix algebra useful for linear models. That is the objective of this chapter. Admittedly, the topics and results selected for inclusion here are severely abridged, being limited almost exclusively to what will actually be needed in later chapters. Furthermore, for some of the results (particularly those that are used only once or twice in the sequel), little context is provided. For much more thorough treatments of matrix algebra useful for linear models and other areas of statistics, we refer the reader to the books by Harville (J Am Stat Assoc 72:320–338, 1977) and Schott (Matrix analysis for statistics, 3rd ed. Wiley, Hoboken, 2016). In fact, for proofs not given in this chapter, we provide a reference to a proof given in one or both of those books.
Computational Challenges and Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicine.

Continuously decreasing cost, speed and efficiency of DNA and RNA sequencing, coupled with advances in real-world sensing, storage of electronic health records, publicly available databases, and new data processing techniques enable precision medicine at unprecedented scale. Machine learning and artificial intelligence emerge naturally as tools for analyzing and summarizing data, supporting clinical decisions with data-driven insights and further unlocking genetically driven mechanisms underlying individualized risk. While these computational tools allow modeling of complex relations in large datasets, they pose new challenges especially because a patient's health is at stake. Due to an often black-box nature and high reliance on the training data, these new tools are prone to biases and most commonly provide correlational rather than causal insights. Results of these analyses have been difficult to validate, interpret, and explain to practitioners, and most genetic studies have struggled to encompass the full spectrum of human diversity. In this work, we summarize recent research trends in addressing these issues with examples from submissions to the "Computational Challenges and Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicine" session at Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 2021. We observe growing research interest in identifying biases, deriving causal and interpretable relations, tuning parameters of models for production, and using artificial intelligence for quality control. We expect further upsurge in work on interpretability and low-risk applications of advanced computational tools.