cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insertion of Probabilistic Knowledge into BDI Agents Construction Modeled in Bayesian Networks

Achieving faithful representation of knowledge is a historic and still unreached goal in the area of Artificial Intelligence. Computational systems that store knowledge in many different ways have been built in order to emulate the capacity of human knowledge representation, taking into consideration the several inherent difficulties to it. Within this context, this paper proposes an experiment that utilizes two distinct ways of representing knowledge: symbolic, BDI in this case, and probabilistic, Bayesian Networks in this case. In order to develop a proof of concept of this proposal for knowledge representation, examples that will be built through agent oriented programming technology will be used. For that, implementation of a MultiAgent system was developed, extending the \textit{Jason} framework through the implementation of a plug in called \textit{COPA}. For the representation of probabilistic knowledge, a Bayesian Network building tool, also adapted to this system, was used. The case studies showed improvement in the management of uncertain knowledge in relation to the building approaches of classic BDI agents, i.e., that do not use probabilistic knowledge.
The Helicobacter pylori genome is modified at CATG by the product of hpyIM.

To understand mechanisms of DNA methylation in Helicobacter pylori, a human pathogen associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric adenocarcinoma, we cloned a putative DNA methyltransferase gene, hpyIM. This gene contains a 990-bp open reading frame encoding a 329-amino-acid protein, M.HpyI. Sequence analysis revealed that M.HpyI was closely related to CATG-recognizing adenine DNA methyltransferases, including M.NlaIII in N. lactamica. hpyIM was present in all H. pylori strains tested. DNA from wild-type H. pylori strains was resistant to digestion by SphI and NlaIII, which recognize DNA at sites containing CATG, whereas their isogenic hpyIM mutants were susceptible, indicating lack of modification. Overexpression of hpyIM in Escherichia coli rendered DNA from these cells resistant to NlaIII digestion, confirming the role of hpyIM in modifying CATG sites. We conclude that hpyIM encodes a DNA methyltransferase, M.HpyI, that is well conserved among diverse H. pylori strains and that modifies H. pylori genomes at CATG sites.
The evolution of an LGBT center at a public institution

There are many ways in which a campus LGBT office or center can be established. This chapter tells the story of one institution's journey to creating such a center and the tools used to make that creation happen.
Software Reliability&#8212;Status and Perspectives

It is essential to assess the reliability of digital computer systems used for critical real-time control applications (e.g., nuclear power plant safety control systems). This involves the assessment of the design correctness of the combined hardware/software system as well as the reliability of the hardware. In this paper we survey methods of determining the design correctness of systems as applied to computer programs.
Impact of socioeconomic status on ionizing radiation exposure from medical imaging in children.

Purpose To characterize cumulative radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging (CEDI) in pediatric patients and to investigate its relationship to patients' socioeconomic status and comorbid medical conditions. Methods A retrospective cohort study of >19,000 pediatric patients seen within the outpatient clinic system of an academic tertiary care urban medical center during the month of January 2006 was conducted to estimate CEDI from all procedures performed within 3 years of the index visit (until January 2009). Socioeconomic status was estimated from census tract geocoding. Comorbid medical conditions were identified from the electronic medical record. Results A total of 19,063 patients underwent imaging tests within the index month. The mean age was 8.9 ± 6.3 years. Most had private insurance (56%), with 36% receiving Medicaid and 8% private payers. Our population lived in census tracts in which 27 ± 16% of the population were below the federal poverty level with 62% living in areas in which 20% of residents were living below the poverty level. There were differences in CEDI ( P P = .6508). The association between poverty and CEDI was generally explained by the 26 Elixhauser diagnoses, with the exception of rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion Patients living in areas of greater poverty were exposed over time to more radiation from diagnostic testing than those living in areas with lower percentages of residents living in poverty. This association was explained almost entirely by the presence of disease burden. No direct association was found between socioeconomic status and CEDI.
What an Average Semantics Needs

The mystery of (1a-b) is that it seems that they can be true, even though there is no person in the world that is the reference of the noun phrases the average American and the average Freddie Voter, and no person in the world that has 2.3 children. (1c) makes a similar point, though in a somewhat different fashion: while the property of seeing one’s doctor 7.5 times per year is not incoherent in the same way as the property of having 2.3 children, the truth of (1c) does not commit us to the existence of any individuals who actually have this property. Both linguists and philosophers have used average sentences to draw dramatic conclusions of various sorts. For example, Norbert Hornstein and Noam Chomsky have used this class of sentences to argue that semantic theory does not exploit a reference relation, a relation between words and things (Hornstein 1984, Chomsky 2000). Similarly, some philosophers have used these sentences to argue that singular reference is not ontologically committing. Such conclusions are far too hasty. Those who based dramatic conclusions about the nature of semantics or ontological commitment on average sentences are unfairly exploiting the lack of a compositional semantics for sentences of this sort. In this paper, we provide the first such semantics. Moreover, we show that within the referential approach to semantics one can provide a detailed compositional semantics of these constructions that reveals much of specific linguistic interest. Specifically, average sentences provide new evidence that the compositional system of natural language must allow for the possibility that the nuclear scope of of a scope-taking term may serve as the argument of a third expression, rather than the scope-taking term itself, a relation that Barker (2007) refers to as PARASITIC SCOPE.
Acute herpes simplex laryngotracheitis: Report of two pediatric cases and review of the literature

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a rare cause of laryngotracheitis (LT) with only 22 previously reported and confirmed pediatric cases in the literature. It is often associated with immune deficiency states and presents with a severe acute upper airway obstruction commonly requiring intensive care management and artificial ventilation. We present two cases of atypical laryngotracheitis in which HSV was found to be the causative pathogen subsequent to laryngoscopy and microbiologic investigations. While the first case was a previously well 8-month-old girl, the second was a 22-month-old immunosuppressed boy. One-third of the total confirmed cases in the English literature required intensive care management eliciting the setting as a pointer to the diagnosis. Laryngoscopy is a readily available tool for rapid diagnosis and controlled securing of the airway. This step may avoid controversial and potential counter-productive use of systemic steroids in these cases.
Small changes in cationic substituents of diphenylfuran derivatives have major effects on the binding affinity and the binding mode with RNA helical duplexes

Abstract The interactions of dicationic, 2–4 , and tetracationic, 5–7 , diphenylfuran analogs of 1 (furamidine) with RNA have been analyzed by thermal melting, spectroscopic, viscometric, kinetic and molecular-modeling techniques. The results of these studies indicate that most of the furan derivatives bind to RNA duplexes by intercalation in contrast to their minor-groove binding mode in AT sequences of DNA, but similar to their binding mode in GC rich regions of DNA. The highest affinity for RNA is found for an imidazoline dication, 2 . With some substituents which inhibit formation of a strong intercalation complex, the results suggest a non-intercalative type of binding occurs. The non-intercalative binding probably occurs through a complex with the furan derivative bound in the narrow, deep major groove of A-form RNA helices.
Second thoughts on the nature of autism

This article presents our response to the comments of Baron-Cohen, Harris, Hobson, and Leslie and Happe. We suggest that a singular cognitive hypothesis does not provide a parsimonious explanation of autism. We argue that certain aspects of autism, including observations of joint-attention deficits and observations of deficits in the prosodic elements of speech, may best be explained in terms of both cognitive and affective factors. We also acknowledge the validity of the criticism of our contingency processing deficit hypothesis (Mundy & Sigman, 1989a). In response to this criticism, we offer a modification of our model of joint-attention skill deficits in autistic children.
17beta-estradiol suppresses TLR3-induced cytokine and chemokine production in endometrial epithelial cells

Background The human endometrium is an important site for contact between the host and pathogens ascending the reproductive tract, and thus plays an important role in female reproductive tract immunity. Previous work in our laboratory has suggested that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in endometrial epithelial recognition of pathogens and that ligation of endometrial TLRs results in the production of cytokines and chemokines important for both immune and reproductive functions of the endometrium. We have also demonstrated cyclic regulation of TLR3 mRNA and protein expression in human endometrium, suggesting that steroid hormones might play a role in the expression and function of TLR3. In this study, the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) on TLR3 expression and function in endometrial cell lines were investigated.
Confronted by Insurmountable Opportunities: Geography in Society at the AAG's Centennial*

Geographers at the AAG's centennial are challenged with exceptional opportunities to create a more central place for geography in society and in the university. Realizing these opportunities requires identifying and leveraging key emerging trends in the formation and uses of geographic knowledge. Better integration of geography's profound technological innovations with its core traditions also is necessary to strengthen the discipline's research capacity, and to more effectively engage with and contribute to the needs of society. Trends toward multidisciplinary research and integrative science, and the heightened need for geographic understanding in today's world, hold further promise for advancing the discipline while sustaining its historic strengths and diversity.
Effect of substrate stiffness on early human embryonic stem cell differentiation

Background: The pluripotency and self renewing properties of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) make them a valuable tool in the fields of developmental biology, pharmacology and regenerative medicine. Therefore, there exists immense interest in devising strategies for hESC propagation and differentiation. Methods involving simulation of the native stem cell microenvironment, both chemical and physical, have received a lot of attention in recent years. Equally important is evidence that cells can also sense the mechanical properties of their microenvironment. In this study, we test the hypothesis that hESCs accept mechanical cues for differentiation from the substrate by culturing them on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of varying stiffness. Results: PDMS substrates were prepared using available commercial formulations and characterized for stiffness, surface properties and efficiency of cell attachment and proliferation. Across different substrate stiffness, cell numbers, cell attachment and cell surface area were found to be similar. Expression of pluripotency markers decreased with increased time in culture across all PDMS substrates of varying stiffness. Analysis of gene expression of differentiation markers indicates that the differentiation process becomes less stochastic with longer culture times. Conclusions: We evaluated the utility of PDMS substrates for stem cell propagation and substrate mediated differentiation. The stiffness affected gene expression of pluripotent and differentiation markers with results indicating that these substrate systems could potentially be used to direct hESC fate towards early mesodermal lineages. This study suggests that coupled with soluble factors, PDMS substrates could potentially be useful in generating defined populations of differentiated cells.
Race and Social Status Differences in the Explanation of Educational Ambition

Educational ambition has been shown to be very important in models of status attainment. But other research results suggest that ambition develops in different ways among black (and possibly other lower-status) individuals than among their white counterparts. This paper analyzes the antecedents of educational ambitions of twelfth grade boys, comparing blacks with highand low-status whites. The black-white comparison reveals major differences in the total explanatory power of the antecedents as well as their relative importance. Level of education of head of household has far less importance and one's view of the opportunity structure (fatalism) has more importance for blacks than for whites. Highand low-status whites resemble each other much more than either is like the blacks, although education of head of household is a stronger source of explanation of ambition for high-status whites. If mother's education is substituted for education of head of household, it sharply reduces the effect of SES of origin among high SES whites, sharply increases it for blacks, and has little effect for low SES whites. These findings indicate that models of educational ambition need to be quite different for blacks than whites, and they suggest non-linear relationships among whites. In the past ten years intensive analysis of the status attainment process has resulted in a coherent explanatory model with an impressive amount of predictive power. Beginning with the basic model of Blau and Duncan which showed the impact of family background and son's education on adult occupation and income, researchers have gradually incorporated additional variables such as ability, religion, marital status, ethnicity, and various social-psychological measures. The work of Sewell and his colleagues (reviewed in Sewell and Hauser) has concentrated on educational attainment and the part played by social-psychological variables, particularly ambition, in determining one's level of education. In their review of this literature, Haller and Portes note that ambition (or aspiration) "constitutes the strategic center of the model. Aspirations mediate most of the influence of antecedent factors on status attainment" (68). The crucial position of ambition in the model makes a careful examination of its antecedents essential. Much of the more recent work on status attainment has concentrated on black-white differences. A number of studies (O. D. Duncan; Winsborough and Dickinson) have shown that the pay-off in income for a year of additional education is lower for blacks than for whites. Other work has concentrated on differences in *We are indebted to Robert Hauser for his advice. An anonymous reviewer also contributed some helpful suggestions. The data were originally collected under a grant from the U.S. Office of Education (OEG-3-8-08-0053-0057 [085]) whose support is gratefully acknowledged. This is a revised version of a paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, 1975.
Outcomes of Hook of Hamate Fracture Excision in High-Level Amateur Athletes

Purpose To determine the overall long-term postoperative clinical and functional results of high-level amateur athletes after hook of hamate excision, based on complications; return to sport; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score; and a self-reported questionnaire. Methods We evaluated 11 patients representing 12 cases of hook of hamate excision. All patients were high-level amateur athletes (rising collegiate or collegiate level). We performed a retrospective chart review to elicit information pertaining to the patient's injury. We assessed long-term postoperative outcomes with a self-reported questionnaire, the DASH form, and the DASH Sport/Performing Arts Module form. Results All patients successfully returned to full participation in their respective sports an average of 6 weeks after surgery. The average postoperative DASH score was less than 1, and all patients scored a 0 on the DASH Sports form. There was a significant improvement in preoperative pain after surgical intervention. There was no significant difference between preinjury and postoperative performance scores. Finally, every patient was very satisfied with the surgical outcome. There was only 1 postoperative complication in which a patient developed transient ulnar nerve paresthesias, which completely resolved by 6 weeks after surgery. Conclusions Surgical excision of hook of hamate fractures in high-level amateur athletes allows for successful return to sports participation at preinjury performance levels, achievement of normal function as measured by validated objective outcome measures, significant reduction in pain, and high overall patient satisfaction. We consider surgical excision to be a safe and effective technique to restore normal function and hasten return to play for high-level amateur athletes. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Precipitin Inhibition of Candida stellatoidea Antiserum with Oligosaccharides Obtained from the Parent Mannan.

Inhibition of immune precipitation with oligosaccharides obtained from Candida stellatoidea mannan has been used to provide more information about the haptenic groups of this serologically active polysaccharide. The oligosaccharides di-, tri-, tetra-, and a mixture of penta- and hexasaccharides were studied. The inhibitory activity of these materials was tested with two immune sera. With one serum, 0.8 μmole of the mixture of penta- and hexasaccharides inhibited the reaction by 87%, and, with the other serum, 0.4 μmole of the mixture inhibited the reaction by 99%. Monosaccharides were also tested with each antiserum and found to be noninhibitory. It is apparent that the mixture of oligosaccharides containing 5 to 6 mannose units was the most effective inhibitor. Since it is known that these oligosaccharides contain a predominance of α 1-2 linkages and lesser numbers of α 1-3 linkages, it is likely that these are important in the structural configuration of the antigenic determinants.
Diversity Leadership: The Rush University Medical Center Experience

Meeting the challenges of diversity is crucial, and within healthcare organizations a particularly strong case exists for a diversity strategy. Rush University Medical Center in 2006 was at an important juncture. Since its founding, the organization had made notable progress toward advancing diversity and inclusiveness. On the other hand, many diversity-related problems continued. Rush convened a committee to review the work of the institution in this area. The committee's report called for changes, and a Diversity Leadership Group (DLG) model was established. This article documents the progress made since 2006 through implementation of the DLG model. The changes prescribed for Rush are presented as recommendations and challenges that other healthcare organizations may find applicable to their own institutions.
Parallel-concurrent fault simulation

A new parallel-concurrent fault simulation algorithm based on the partitioning of faults into groups, with the group size equal to the number of bits in the host computer word, is presented. The fault effects of a particular group are evaluated using parallel fault simulation techniques and propagated using concurrent fault simulation techniques. The speed of the algorithm depends on the circuit and on the fault-grouping criterion. An automatic grouping criterion is devised to group faults that are "close" or nearly equivalent. Comparisons to the concurrent, to the deductive, and to the PROOFS fault simulation techniques are performed on a SPARC SLC with 16 MB of memory running UNIX. ISCAS89 benchmark circuits are used for this comparison. >
Flow Signals: How Patterns over Time Affect the Acceptance of Start-Up Firms

Abstract This study introduces the concept of flow signals—patterns of a firm's attributes over time—and contrasts them with point signals discussed in the literature to date. Three properties of flow signals are delineated: displacement, propensity, and reversals. The authors illustrate these properties using a start-up's research-and-development (R&D) spending and voluntary disclosure flows. The authors argue that the flow signal properties affect prospective customers' perceptions of a start-up's current and future product quality, thus influencing their purchase likelihood and, ultimately, the start-up's growth in sales. The findings, obtained from panel data comprised of U.S. venture-backed firms that went public in 2001–2005, suggest that sales growth is positively affected by displacement and propensity of both R&D spending and voluntary disclosures and negatively affected by R&D spending reversals. Furthermore, these effects are stronger for the relatively younger start-ups.
Scheduling and power adaptation for networks in the ultra wide band regime

The max-min fair scheduling problem in wireless ad hoc networks, in general, is a non-convex optimization problem. However in the limit of infinite bandwidth (W /spl rarr/ /spl infin/), the solution reduces to a simple simultaneous transmission (spread spectrum) of all links. Thus, having a very large bandwidth significantly simplifies the problem of scheduling. In This work, the scheduling problem is considered in the UWB regime (W /spl Gt/1 but finite), a model for certain practical radios. A quadratic (in 1/W) lower bound to the single link capacity function is developed. This approximation is applied to the general non-convex scheduling problem to obtain a dual problem, which involves a quadratic optimization sub-problem. A search algorithm is devised to find the optimal solution of the quadratic sub-problem. This solution is utilized to iteratively construct the schedule (sub-band sizes) and power allocation, thus optimally solving the UWB max-min fair scheduling problem, to within any desired precision. Simulations on medium sized networks demonstrate the excellent performance of this scheme. Thus, exploiting the UWB nature of the physical layer simplifies the wireless ad-hoc network scheduling problem.
New Classical Potential For Accurate Simulation of Atomic Processes in Si

In a critical evaluation, we show that existing classical potentials are not suitable for calculating the energy of realistic atomic processes in Si. We present a new potential which is especially suited to simulate processes in the diamond lattice rather than in high-energy bulk structures of Si. Our potential is based on a very large quantum-mechanical data base. It consists of two- and three-body terms with short-range separable forms, and reproduces accurately the energy surface for atomic exchange in Si. Thus, it is ideally suited for molecular dynamics simulations of atomic processes in Si.
Waveguides and Resonators

Much of the discussion in the previous three chapters centered around lossless transmission lines. For these lines, the various relations were independent of conductivity of the materials involved. In fact, even for a distortionless transmission line, although an attenuation constant was present, all other basic properties of the line were independent of conductivity. The speed of propagation depended only on material properties of the line (e and μ), and the phase constant and wavelength were also independent of conductivity of the line. If this is the case, are the conductors necessary? If so, what are their roles in the propagation of energy in the lossless or distortionless transmission line?
Lack of Carcinoǵenic Potency of Sulfanilamide and Prontosil Soluble in Mice

SummaryRepeated subcutaneous injections of sulfanilamide and Prontosil Soluble in mice over a period of one year failed to produce tumors in these animals.
Effect of Interlayer Alloy on Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of TP304H Stainless Steel

TP304H stainless steels were joined by transient liquid phase bonding using nickel-base,iron-nickel base and iron-base interlayer.The microstructures and element distribution of the joint zones were analyzed by employing electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) and energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS).Nickel base interlayer produces Ni solid solution with continuous growth of grain across the joint.Although the bond fails in the joint,the tensile strength as well as the bending strength is equal to that of base metal.The microstructure of the joint with iron-nickel base interlayer is different from that of base metal,and the diffusion between interlayer and base metal is poor.The bond fails in the joint,and the tensile strength as well as the bending strength is lower than that of base metal.Iron-base interlayer produces a homogenous joint with microstructure and composition similar to base metal.The bond fails not in the joint but in the base metal in tensile test,and it is running for two years in power plant,indicating that it has good corrosion resistance.
Benign retroperitoneal neurilemoma without von Recklinghausen's disease: a rare occurrence.

AbstractWe describe a rare case of a primary retroperitoneal neurilemoma that was confused initially on ultrasonography and computerized tomography for a renal carcinoma. These tumors vary in vascularity on arteriography, are more often solid than cystic and usually are benign in the absence of von Recklinghausen’s disease. The preferred treatment is wide surgical excision.
Critical Care and Tuberculosis

The scientific literature documents the resurgence of airborne nosocomial transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to patients and health care providers that has occurred in the last decade. Tuberculosis may not be recognized or diagnosed at the time of admission to the intensive care unit, adding to the risk of disease transmission to nurses, other health care providers, and patients. In the critical care setting, compliance with infection control requires the integration of specific policies and procedures into crises-based practices.
The Implications of Aging and Diversification of Population on Overweight and Obesity and the Cost Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Texas, 2000–2040

Overweight and obesity are major health concerns in contemporary America. The percentage of the population that is considered overweight and obese has increased substantially over the past years for both adults and children. Approximately 133.6 million American adults, or 66.0 % of all adults, are either overweight or obese (NIH 2004). Obesity rates have more than doubled since 1990, increasing from 11.6 % in 1990 to 26.3 % in 2007 (CDC 1991, 2007). This increase is of substantial concern because of the health risks associated with overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity are related to increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and a number of other diseases (Wolk et al. 2001; Calle et al. 2003). Approximately 300,000–400,000 deaths each year in the United States are attributable to overweight and obesity status (Allison et al. 1999; Obesity in America 2004).
POISONOUS PLANT MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND CONTROL MEASURES ON U.S. RANGELANDS

I. ABSTRACT Poisonous plants create significant management problems on U.S. rangelands. Their presence, even in small amounts can require changes in grazing management, livestock handling and range improvement practices. Grazing management aimed at preventing poisoning has as its objectives reduction of toxic species populations and improvement of desirable vegetation. Guidelines for reducing livestock losses to poisonous plants include: know the plants and their toxic principles; through good range management maintain range in condition least conducive to high poisonous plant populations; practice proper mineral and nutrient supplementation; avoid grazing areas where poisonous plants are abundant; use livestock not poisoned by plants present; avoid turning hungry animals onto ranges containing poisonous plants; and control poisonous plant populations when feasible. Chemical, mechanical, and other control methods are available for most poisonous species.
Further Work on the Boron-Hardenability Mechanism

It was found that a critical boron content exists which yields the maximum boron-hardenability effect in hypoeutectoid steels, as was predicted from the mechanism proposed in a previous paper. The hardenability of boron steels with boron contents between 0.00005 and 0.0017 pet was dependent on the boron content, austenitizing temperature, quenching temperature, and austenite grain size. The effects of these variables on hardenability can be explained by the mechanism previously proposed for the boron effect.
Chinamitales: defensores y justicias k’ichee’ en las comunidades indígenas del altiplano de Guatemala colonial

The present article examines the functions of indigenous advocates whose position as ward leaders (chinamitales) in K’ichee’ societies existed in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and continued into the colonial nineteenth century in Guatemala. This was a hereditary legal and administrative position that elites in K’ichee’an society enjoyed as a result and reward of military conquest in the Pre-Columbian era. Chinamitales advocated for the inhabitants of their wards who were both elites and non-elites in land disputes and in criminal matters. They persisted in indigenous communities from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century as officially unrecognized legal advocates who participated in tribunals in indigenous communities at the local level and advocated for their constituents before their indigenous town councils. They also acted in a similar capacity as the indigenous municipal council, making last testaments, nominating candidates for local town council elections and positions in the church laity, collecting tribute, and choosing laborers for the repartimiento. Their advocacy spilled over into colonial judicial proceedings at the regional and high court levels when disagreements arose within indigenous communities over land disenfranchisement and whenever they sensed that the indigenous municipal council was not protecting their interests.
Endovascular treatment of carotid blowout syndrome

Abstract Background Carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) is a life-threatening complication of head and neck cancer and radiation therapy. Endovascular techniques have emerged as preferable alternatives to surgical ligation for treatment of CBS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study periprocedural complications and outcomes of CBS patients treated with coil embolization and covered stents. Methods A comprehensive literature search identified studies that reported outcomes of endovascular treatment of CBS published from 2000 to April 2016. Outcomes included technical success, postoperative rebleeding, survival time, and perioperative complications. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. Results Twenty-five noncomparative studies with 559 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Technical success rate was 100% in both coiling and covered stenting groups. Median survival time was 3 months (range, 0-96 months) for all CBS patients. Overall perioperative mortality was 11% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5%-17%). Postoperative rebleeding rate was 27% (95% CI, 19%-367%). Perioperative stroke and infection rates were 3% (95% CI, 1%-6%) and 1% (95% CI, 0%-5%), respectively. At last follow-up, 39% of patients were alive (95% CI, 29%-48%). Conclusions Coil embolization and stent grafts may both be safe treatment options for CBS with few perioperative complications and high rates of technical success, but prognosis after treatment remains poor. In general, noncomparative studies do not demonstrate differences between the two techniques with respect to periprocedural complications and patient outcomes.
Day-to-Day Variability in Self-Reported Cigarettes Per Day.

Background and aims Nicotine addiction theory predicts small day-to-day variability in cigarettes/day (CPD) whereas social learning theory predicts large variability. A description of the variability in CPD over multiple days is not available. Methods We conducted secondary analyses of two natural history studies with daily smokers-one of smokers not intending to quit, and one of smokers intending to quit sometime in the next 3 months. In the former, smokers recorded their smoking during the day by Ecological Momentary Assessment, using a palm-top computer. In the latter, participants reported CPD nightly via a phone Interactive Voice Response system. Analyses were based on smokers who reported averaging ≥10 CPD, and on days in which there was no attempt to stop or reduce smoking. Results Across the two studies, on average, smokers had small changes in day-to-day CPD (mean changes were 2.2 and 2.9 CPD). However a minority averaged changing by ≥5 CPD from one day to the next (7% and 11%), and many changed by ≥5 CPD on at least 10 of the 90 days (8% and 31%). Neither smoking restrictions, dependence, stereotypy ratings, nor interest in quitting predicted variability. Conclusion Although on average, smokers have little change day-to-day CPD, a substantial minority of smokers often change by 5 CPD from day-to-day. We did not find potential causes of this variability. Implications Across day variability in CPD is larger than implied in prior studies. Determining causes of day-to-day variability should increase our understanding of the determinants of smoking.
Predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

e11506 Background: Genomic assays are routinely used for risk assessment and for prediction of response to adjuvant chemotherapy for ER-positive breast cancer. While the Mammostrat assay (Clarient, Aliso Viejo, CA ) provides prognostic information, its performance in predicting response to chemotherapy is unknown. We sought to evaluate predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ER-positive breast cancer. Methods: We identified a cohort of patients with ER-positive operable breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the Cleveland Clinic who had both core biopsy and surgical pathology specimens available. Mammostrat testing was performed on core biopsy specimens for a subset of these patients. Patient and tumor characteristics as well as treatment information was collected. Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) was evaluated in post-treatment surgical specimens. Pathologic complete response (pCR) rates and RCB values were compared amongst categories of age, race, menopausal status, HER2 statu...
The Impact of Glottal Configuration on Speech Breathing.

Summary Objective The purpose of this study was to examine whether changes in respiratory patterns occurred in response to volitional changes in glottal configuration. Methods Twelve vocally healthy participants read a passage while wearing the Inductotrace respiratory inductive plethysmograph, which measures the excursions of the rib cage and abdomen. Participants read the passage 5 times in a typical speaking voice ( baseline phase), 10 times in an experimental voice, which was similar to a breathy vocal quality ( experimental phase), and 5 times again in a typical speaking voice ( return phase). Kinematic estimates of lung volume (LV) initiation, LV termination, and LV excursion were collected for each speech breath. Results Participants spoke with larger LV excursions during the experimental phase, characterized by increased LV initiation and decreased LV termination compared with the baseline phase. Conclusion In response to volitional changes in glottal configuration, healthy individuals spoke with increased LV excursion. They both responded to changes (decreasing LV termination) and planned for more efficient future utterances (increasing LV initiation) during the experimental phase. This study demonstrated that respiratory patterns change in response to changes in glottal configuration; future work will examine these patterns in individuals with voice disorders.
Life Cycle Assessment of III-V Precursors for Photovoltaic and Semiconductor Applications

This study provides detailed information on the manufacture of III-V metal organic vapor phase epitaxy precursors through extensive literature and patent research. This data informed a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of these chemicals. Reported impacts include cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The results were interpreted to identify sources of environmental burden within the life cycle and were compared to energy demand reported in previous studies.
Grating Acuity in Two Sisters with Tapetoretinal Degeneration

Grating detection was studied in two sisters with tapetoretinal degeneration. Both had normal Snellen acuity scores, but the older complained of blurred vision, while the younger had no visual complaints. In the older, a high spatial frequency deficit was found by both psychophysical and evoked potential methods, and a generalized foveal sensitivity loss was demonstrated by static perimetry. In contrast, the younger sister had normal grating detection and static perimetry results.
Temporal reliability of serum soluble and endogenous secretory receptors for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE and esRAGE) in healthy women.

The soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) and endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE) have been considered as biomarkers of several chronic diseases. However, the temporal reliability of their concentrations in the circulation is yet to be demonstrated. We evaluated whether a single measurement of serum sRAGE and esRAGE could serve as an estimate for usual serum levels in epidemiologic studies. Serum sRAGE and esRAGE were measured using ELISAs in three yearly samples from 36 participants in the New York University Women’s Health Study. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate temporal reliability. The intra- and inter-batch coefficients of variation were 3.0% and 14.8% for sRAGE and 6.5% and 34.7% for esRAGE, and decreased to 0.4% and 2.1% for sRAGE and 1.0% and 6.3% for esRAGE after log2-transformation of the data. On the original scale, the ICCs of a single measurement of serum sRAGE and esRAGE were 0.89 (95% CI 0.82–0.94) and 0.87 (95% CI 0.79–0.93), respectively, and were similar using log2-transformed data. Our results indicate that a single measurement of serum sRAGE and esRAGE is a sufficiently reliable measure of their usual levels that can be used in epidemiologic studies.
NATIONAL TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE

Drug abuse (DA) has increased to epidemic levels in the United States and is associated with a high risk for infective endocarditis (IE). We sought to analyze the trends in hospitalizations for IE associated with DA, and compare patients affected to those with IE but without DA. Based on the
The analysis of structure of agricultural system of chosen countries of EU and Czech republic

We tried to find in the base of structural analysis of agricultural system of chosen countries of EC (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Holland) and Czech Republic the relationship between productive efficiency of these systems and their inside structure with using system methods by KUDRNA (1986). The agriculture of Belgium achieved the highest efficiency of the yields of dry matter of plants from ha agricultural area (100 %). then followed Germany (79,95 %) and France (73,35 %). Czech Republic was on the last place. The data were missing for expression of efficiency of agricultural systems of Denmark and Holland. The analysis confirmed the critical state of agricultural system of Czech Republic. The efficiency of Czech Republic is very low in the frame of comparison with evaluated countries. The low volume of active carbon and its deficit for current production of cereals is not very advantageous in the view of the next development of agricultural system. This state demands the responsible restructuring of Czech agriculture namely in the relation with its ability of competition in the period before and after entry to EC.
Leveraging FHIR to Integrate Activity Data with Electronic Health Record

Health technology wearables can quantify and visualize an individual’s physical activity and any other associated data (e.g., vitals, calories, steps, distance, etc.) across time. Currently, this data is communicated to the wearable’s organization data repositories and is accessible to the individual via a mobile application. However, the data cannot be integrated with the individual’s EHR due to structural and semantic interoperability issues and experts relying on EHRs don’t have a complete view of the individual’s health, activity data along with other health records, to provide better healthcare outcomes. This issue is due to the inability of the existing healthcare standards to capture and share the activity and its associated data with any healthcare information systems, such as an EHR. The goal of this research is to addresses this issue by leveraging the HL7 FHIR standard to design an interoperable entity that will allow us to integrate activity and its associated data with an EHR. The research design is implemented using the HL7 FHIR Java-based implementation, REST web service, OpenEMR, and tested using widely used wearables.
Generative model benchmarks for superconducting qubits

In this work we demonstrate experimentally how generative model training can be used as a benchmark for small (fewer than five qubits) quantum devices. Performance is quantified using three data analytic metrics: the Kullback-Leibler divergence and two adaptations of the ${F}_{1}$ score. Using the $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ bars and stripes data set, we train several different circuit constructions for generative modeling with superconducting qubits. By taking hardware connectivity constraints into consideration, we show that sparsely connected shallow circuits outperform denser counterparts on noisy hardware.
Physical activity and attitudes and perceptions towards physical activity in patients with spondyloarthritis: A systematic review

Abstract Objective To review systematically and synthesize qualitatively the literature about physical activity and perceptions and attitudes towards physical activity/exercise among patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus and reference lists were searched for quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on beliefs towards exercise in patients with SpA. Searches were limited to studies published from January 2000 through December 2018. The PRISMA guidelines were followed. Systematic searches identified 128 publications which underwent a title, abstract, or full-text review. Studies were excluded if articles were not in English or did not include original data. We summarized the methodologic quality using modified criteria for quantitative and qualitative studies. Results Eight quantitative and three qualitative studies met eligibility criteria, with variable study quality. Based on self-reported data, 50% to 68% of patients with SpA met physical activity recommendations with walking, swimming/pool exercise, and cycling the most common forms reported. Intrinsic factors such as motivation and improvement in symptoms and health were commonly reported as facilitators associated with physical activity/exercise. Barriers included lack of time, fatigue, and symptoms such as pain. Conclusion One third to one half of patients with SpA do not meet physical activity recommendations. Given the potential for regular physical activity to reduce symptom burden in this patient population and the recommendation for regular physical activity as part of the management of these patients, more rigorous studies of physical activity behaviors and attitudes will be useful to inform interventions and promote exercise among individuals with SpA.
Electromagnetic Induction Sensor with a Spinning Magnet Excitation

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors are widely used to detect magnetic and/or conductive objects that are concealed in some manner. The sensors generate a time-varying magnetic field that is used to excite a dipole moment on the object which generates a secondary magnetic field that is used to detect the object. A coil driven by a time-varying current is used almost exclusively to generate this magnetic excitation. For practical coils, the power dissipated due to resistive losses can be problematic especially for small coils. The use of a spinning magnet to make the magnetic excitation is investigated as a method for reducing the power dissipation. Large potential power savings are demonstrated using commercial neodymium magnets for a relatively low-frequency EMI system.
Becoming a Nursing Program Graduate: Transitions and Adaptations by Eastern European Immigrant Students of a Midwest Community College

Abstract Community college nursing programs have experienced an increase in Eastern European immigrant students, yet minimal research has been conducted on this demographic. The purpose of this research was to examine the lived experiences of Eastern European nursing graduates English as a second language. In this interpretive qualitative study, participants described their socialization to the United States, their development and academic experience as nursing students, and their perspectives as practicing nurses.
A Rapid Method for the Detection of Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins and Azaspiracid Shellfish Toxins in Washington State Shellfish by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

BACKGROUND Diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) in domestic shellfish and azaspiracids (AZAs) in imported products are emerging seafood safety issues in the United States. In addition to causing gastrointestinal illnesses, some of these toxins are also carcinogenic and genotoxic. Efficient analytical strategies are needed for their monitoring in U.S. domestic and imported shellfish. OBJECTIVE In the US, DSTs and AZAs are the only lipophilic shellfish toxins addressed in regulations. Streamlining of existing methods for several classes of lipophilic toxins, based on liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, was pursued. METHOD The resulting simplified LC-MS/MS method is focused on the separation and detection of just the AZAs and total DSTs using a C18 Hypersil gold column. Filter vials are used to expedite and simplify sample handling. RESULTS The method has a run time of 7.25 min. LOQs for the AZAs and DSTs in shellfish were 0.3-0.4 µg/kg. Recoveries (AZAs and total DSTs) for three spiking levels in three matrixes ranged from 68 to 129%. Trueness was established using certified reference materials. Method equivalence was established using shellfish provided blind by the Washington State Department of Health Public Health Laboratory (WA DOH PHL). Data obtained from these samples agreed well with data from another LC-MS/MS method used in harvest control by WA DOH PHL (R = 0.999; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The LC-MS/MS method described offers more rapid sample handling and has excellent sensitivity, linearity, and repeatability.