cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knowledge of Alcohol Impairment in Boaters in Southern Illinois

BACKGROUND: Alcohol is the leading contributor to boating deaths. Earlier literature estimates that 30-40% of people drink alcohol while boating. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to directly approach boaters at the dock to assess the prevalence of alcohol consumption while boating, as well as their knowledge of alcohol impairment. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of boaters aged 21 years and older at Illinois lakes and rivers during July 2011. Participants completed a survey of alcohol use and impaired boating knowledge consisting of six multiple-choice questions. A χ(2) analysis was used to assess knowledge differences by demographic variables. RESULTS: Two hundred and ten people participated. Less than one fourth of participants correctly answered 4 of the 5 knowledge questions. Eighty-four percent correctly reported the watercraft blood alcohol legal limit. Eighty-one percent erroneously believed that it was more dangerous for the driver to be intoxicated than the passenger. There were no differences in knowledge by sex, education, boat ownership, or driver status. Seventy-six percent admitted to drinking alcohol while boating. Younger participants (aged 21 to 40 years) were significantly more likely to report drinking while boating compared with older participants (p Language: en
Confidence limits for the onset and duration of treatment effect

Summary Studies of biological variables such as those based on blood chemistry often have measurements taken over time at closely spaced intervals for groups of individuals. Natural scientific questions may then relate to the first time that the underlying population curve crosses a threshold (onset) and to how long it stays above the threshold (duration). In this paper we give general confidence regions for these population quantities. The regions are based on the intersection-union principle and may be applied to totally nonparametric, semiparametric, or fully parametric models where level-a tests exist pointwise at each time point. A key advantage of the approach is that no modeling of the correlation over time is required.
David Lewis’s Humean Theory of Objective Chance

The most important theories in fundamental physics, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics, posit objective probabilities or chances. As important as chance is there is little agreement about what it is. The usual “interpretations of probability” give very different accounts of chance and there is disagreement concerning which, if any, is capable of accounting for its role in physics. David Lewis has contributed enormously to improving this situation. In his classic paper “A Subjectivist’s Guide to Objective Chance” he described a framework for representing single case objective chances, showed how they are connected to subjective credences, and sketched a novel account what they are within his Humean account of scientific laws. Here I will describe these contributions and add a little to them.
Advanced Modeling for Efficient Computation of Life-Cycle Performance Prediction and Service-Life Estimation of Bridges

The rapid progress in computational hardware and software has brought about advanced capabilities enabling more accurate modeling of structures and better understanding of their lifetime behavior. Unfortunately, research in life-cycle performance prediction and service-life estimation of bridges has not fully caught up with the impressive advances in today’s technology, and has not taken enough advantage of the power offered by these advances. In this paper, a computational methodology for the life-cycle prediction and service-life estimation of bridges using advanced modeling tools and techniques is presented. The methodology employs incremental nonlinear finite element analyses, quadratic response surface modeling using design of experiments concepts, and Latin hypercube sampling, among other techniques. The methodology is illustrated on an existing bridge in the state of Wisconsin.
Eszopiclone ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers, 2005—2006:

Eszopiclone is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic for the treatment of insomnia and classified as schedule IV controlled substance. Limited information exists on eszopiclone ingestions reported to poison control centers. The distribution of eszopiclone ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers during 2005—2006 was determined for various factors. In addition, triage guidelines for the management of such ingestions were drafted. Of 525 total eszopiclone ingestions, 259 involved coingestants. Of coingestant cases, 78.8% involved suspected attempted suicide and 90.7% were managed at a healthcare facility. Of 266 ingestions of eszopiclone alone, 40.2% were suspected attempted suicide and 62.0% were managed at a healthcare facility. A final medical outcome and dose ingested were known for 60 ingestions of eszopiclone alone. The mean dose was 28.3 mg (range 0.3—210 mg). Ingestions of eszopiclone alone of ≤6 and >6 mg differed with respect to the proportion involving suspected attempted suicide (0.0% versus 6...
Spatial Light Modulators For Optical Information Processing

A review of spatial light modulator technologies is presented, including the decription and performance parameters of the main devices, general issues, and their main applications for optical information processing and displays; emerging new technologies as well as future prospects for spatial light modulators are discussed.
Technology Challenges for Planetary Probes to Dense Atmospheres

Both the 2003 Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey, by the National Research Council, and NASA's 2006 Solar System Exploration Roadmap identified Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus, as high priority scientific targets and recommended missions to explore them. Specifically, potential probe missions to these two gas giants and a proposed Venus In-Situ Explorer (VISE) mission were listed under the New Frontiers mission class. Deep probe missions to these destinations have much in common. In particular, key technologies must address: environmental protection to provide isolation from the extreme environments; environmental tolerance for exposed components or systems; and operations in these harsh environments. While these proposed missions could be designed with current technologies, advanced technologies could significantly enhance their performance and consequently the science return. Therefore, in this paper we will discuss state-of-practice technologies to mitigate conditions faced by the probes, followed by an assessment of possible mission impacts and benefits resulting from targeted technology developments. It is expected that the findings of this assessment should help NASA plan its technology investments.
White Rings: Arcus Lipoides

A 38-year-old black man with a history of tobacco depen-dence was admitted to the Medicine Service with a historyof 1 month of progressive dyspnea on exertion. Vital signson presentation were within normal limits; his comprehen-sive physical examination was unremarkable except for thepresence of bilateral white corneal opacities (
Evaluation of input impedance and radar cross section of probe-fed microstrip patch elements using an accurate feed model

Input impedance and radar cross section results for probe-fed single rectangular and circular microstrip patch elements obtained using an accurate and efficient numerical model are presented. The model uses a full-wave Green's function/Galerkin solution in which the connection of a vertical probe feed to the patch is rigorously included in the analysis by use of a special basis function called the attachment mode, which is derived from the corresponding cavity model solution. Comparisons with measured input impedance and monostatic radar cross section data demonstrate the efficacy of the theory. This model accurately predicts the performance of probe-fed patches printed on thick and/or high dielectric constant substrates and patch elements with more than one probe feed, cases where other less rigorous models fail. >
A novel nutrient sensing mechanism underlies substrate-induced regulation of monocarboxylate transporter-1.

Monocarboxylate transporter isoform-1 (MCT1) plays an important role in the absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon. Butyrate, a major SCFA, serves as the primary energy source f...
Prevalence of neurobehavioral, social, and emotional dysfunction in patients treated for childhood craniopharyngioma: a systematic literature review.

Background Craniopharyngiomas (CP) are locally invasive and frequently recurring neoplasms often resulting in neurological and endocrinological dysfunction in children. In addition, social-behavioral impairment is commonly reported following treatment for childhood CP, yet remains to be fully understood. The authors aimed to further characterize the prevalence of neurobehavioral, social, and emotional dysfunction in survivors of childhood craniopharyngiomas. Materials and Methods A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed to identify studies formally assessing neurobehavioral, social, and emotional outcomes in patients treated for CP prior to 18 years of age. Studies published between the years 1990-2012 that reported the primary outcome (prevalence of neurobehavioral, social, emotional/affective dysfunction, and/or impaired quality of life (QoL)) in ≥10 patients were included. Results Of the 471 studies screened, 11 met inclusion criteria. Overall neurobehavioral dysfunction was reported in 51 of 90 patients (57%) with available data. Social impairment (i.e. withdrawal, internalizing behavior) was reported in 91 of 222 cases (41%). School dysfunction was reported in 48 of 136 patients (35%). Emotional/affective dysfunction was reported in 58 of 146 patients (40%), primarily consisting of depressive symptoms. Health related quality of life was affected in 49 of 95 patients (52%). Common descriptors of behavior in affected children included irritability, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and emotional outbursts. Conclusions Neurobehavioral, social, and emotional impairment is highly prevalent in survivors of childhood craniopharyngioma, and often affects quality of life. Thorough neurobehavioral/emotional screening and appropriate counseling is recommended in this population. Additional research is warranted to identify risk factors and treatment strategies for these disorders.
Sampling and reconstruction of three-dimensional incoherent radiator, using approximately sampled projections and cone-beam tomography

When assembling images of incoherent radiators sampled from different angles, three dimensional imaging has relied on recognizing the features in different images. If the goal is to produce a 3D model of the object, tomographic methods such as cone-beam reconstruction can produce high-quality models. Tomographic methods do not exactly apply to modeling of surface objects due to the opaque nature of typical objects and the inaccuracy of the pencil-line assumption of the point spread function (PSF).
Autoregressive modeling of physiological tremor under microsurgical conditions

Tremor was recorded under simulated vitreoretinal microsurgical conditions as subjects attempted to hold an instrument motionless. Several autoregressive models (AR, ARMA, multivariate, and nonlinear) are generated to predict the next value of tremor. It is shown that a sixth order ARMA model predictor can predict a tremor having an amplitude of 96.6 ± 84.5 microns RMS with an error of 8.2 ± 5.9 microns RMS, a mean improvement of 47.5% over simple last-value prediction.
The successful clone: the vector of dissemination of resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae

A small number of pneumococcal clones dominate the population of antibiotic-resistant pneumococci. The emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in these clones predicts the dissemination of fluoroquinolone resistance in countries where the clones are present and community use of fluoroquinolones for respiratory infections is common. The molecular basis of resistance to a number of classes of antimicrobials can be used to predict the likelihood of dissemination of the resistance genes.
In vivo measurement of O2 and CO2 gas exchange across the human tympanic membrane

Conclusion. The hypothesis that the human tympanic membrane (TM) is permeable to CO2 and O2 at physiologic pressure gradients is supported but additional experiments need to be done to validate thi...
Perceived and Capitalization Support Are Substantially Similar: Implications for Social Support Theory:

Social support is typically thought to protect people from bad events, whereas capitalization support augments people's reactions to good events. Because social support and capitalization support apply to different classes of events, most theory predicts that measures of perceived support and capitalization support should be empirically distinct. We tested a new theory that hypothesizes that the main effects between perceived support and mental health do not reflect stress and coping primarily, but instead reflect ordinary, yet affectively consequential conversations and shared activities, some of which include positive events. According to this view, perceived support and capitalization support should be substantially correlated, should have similar links to other constructs, and their links to favorable affect should overlap, yet not be completely redundant. In three samples, results were consistent with the new theory, when correlations reflected social influences. When correlations reflected trait influences, perceived and capitalization support showed greater overlap.
Variadic templates for C

Generic functions and classes accepting a variable number of type arguments have proven to be a very useful, but missing, feature of C++. Numerous foundational libraries rely on clever template and preprocessor tricks to emulate such variadic templates. By several measures these emulations are inadequate. This paper describes how C++ can be extended with variadic templates, significantly improving existing implementations of widely used C++ libraries in terms of code size, quality of error diagnostics, compilation speed, and generality. Furthermore, variadic templates enable new applications, such as type-safe implementations of functions like printf, and improved support for generic mixin classes. We have implemented variadic templates as an extension of a production quality C++ compiler.
Regulation of major histocompatibility complex class I molecule expression on cancer cells by amyloid precursor-like protein 2

The three members of the amyloid precursor protein family in mammals [amyloid precursor protein, amyloid precursor-like protein 1, and amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2)] have been implicated in a large array of intracellular processes, which include development, transcription, apoptosis, metabolism, and the cell cycle. A series of studies by our laboratories has demonstrated that APLP2 is highly expressed by many cancer cell lines (with the highest expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines) and that it facilitates major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule endocytosis. This review focuses on this recently revealed function of APLP2 relevant to tumor immunology: that it acts as a novel regulator of MHC class I molecule surface expression.
Knowledge Base Decomposition to Facilitate Verification

We examine the verification of large knowledge-based systems. When knowledge bases are large, the verification process poses several problems that are usually not significant for small systems. We focus on decompositions that allow verification of such systems to be performed in a modular fashion. We identify a graphical framework, that we call an ordered polytree, for decomposing systems in a manner that enables modular verification. We also determine the nature of information that needs to be available for performing local checks to ensure accurate detection of anomalies. We illustrate the modular verification process using examples, and provide a formal proof of its accuracy. Next, we discuss a meta-verification procedure that enables us to check if decompositions under consideration do indeed satisfy the requirements for an ordered polytree structure. Finally, we show how the modular verification algorithm leads to considerable improvements in the computational effort required for verification as compared to the traditional approach.
The state of RFID for effective baggage tracking in the airline industry

This article examines the state of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a solution to the problem of tracking baggage within the commercial aviation industry. The benefits and drawbacks of RFID are examined. The cost of RFID tags is still a major barrier to implementation for leaders within the industry. The technology will definitely benefit those with successful implementations as it will lead to improved customer service and satisfaction. The challenge is in building the business case, which involves cooperation between airports and airlines in providing RFID infrastructure. Benefits must be analysed over cross-functional processes owned by different departments and organisations.
New Species of Ferns from the Río Cenepa Area, Amazonas, Peru

For the forthcoming florula of the Rio Cenepa area in the Department of Amazonas, Peru, the following seven new species of ferns (Pteridophyta) are described: Asplenium eutecnum (Aspleniaceae); Cyathea thelypteroides and C. windischiana (Cyatheaceae); Megalastrum mollis (Dryopteridaceae); Tectaria atropurpurea and T. microsora (Dryopteridaceae); and Thelypteris berlinii (Thelypteridaceae). A new combination is made for Cyathea reginae (Cyatheaceae), which also occurs in this same area; this was previously recognized as a variety of Cyathea macrosora and lacks a name at species rank.
Normal Function of the Middle Ear and Its Measurement

Some principles underlying acoustic impedance measurements in the ear canal and their evaluation are reviewed. The following topics are included: some methods of measurement, useful frequency range, the middle-ear system, impedance characteristics of normal and some pathological ears, and the relation between the impedance and tympanometric results. Advantages and disadvantages of measurements with an acoustic bridge and parallel probe tubes are contrasted and the same is done for tympanometry versus static impedance measurements. The relation between tympanograms and static impedance data referred to the tympanic membrane is illustrated by means of a semihypothetical example. The example suggests that a probe frequency around 700 Hz is more informative in tympanometry than a probe frequency of 220 Hz.
Multi-Stage Application of Seed Selection Process for Viral Marketing

The seed selection (a.k.a. the influence maximization) problem has attracted a lot of attention because it enables the optimization of viral marketing in online social networks. Existing approaches select the seeds in batch during a single stage that precedes the initiation of the viral spread. However, they do not take into account the fact that influential users tend to cluster and, thus, select seeds sub-optimally. In this paper, a multi-stage seed selection approach is proposed, that performs seed selection in several stages. In each stage, seeds are selected among the central nodes that have not yet been activated. Thus, the proposed approach exploits the information that is acquired during the previous stages in order to improve its performance in the forthcoming stages. Experimental results using data from a real-world social network show that the proposed approach brings significant improvement in performance (up to 30% compared to the single-stage approach).
DNA Supercoiling and its Effects on the Structure of DNA

SUMMARY In prokaryotic organisms, there is strong evidence that the DNA is underwound or negatively supercoiled. The degree of supercoiling of intracellular DNA is less certain, and various estimates that can be made from existing data place the specific linking difference (superhelical density) of intracellular DNA in prokaryotes around −0·04. The effects of negative supercoiling on DNA structure are illustrated by the flipping of alternating C-G or T-G sequences from right-handed B -helical form to the left-handed Z -helical form. For a plasmid containing a 42 base-pair alternating C-G insert, the B -to- Z transition occurs at a specific linking difference of −0·031 in a dilute aqueous buffer; the same transition occurs at a specific linking difference of −0·041 for a plasmid containing a 42 base-pair alternating T-G insert. The probing of the structure of a particular sequence of intracellular DNA is discussed.
Electronic Support Groups: An Open Line of Communication in Contested Illness

Background Patients with functional somatic syndromes are often difficult to treat. The relationship between doctors and patients can be strained, which limits communication. Instead, patients often communicate with each other over the Internet in electronic support groups. Objective This perspective summarizes studies of patient-to-patient communication over the Internet and uses the concept of contested illness to provide insights into the experiences of patients with functional somatic disorders. Discussion Conflict between a patient and their physician is a key feature of functional somatic syndromes. Physicians and patients do not have a shared understanding or appreciation of the patientʼs experiences. Patients with functional somatic syndromes often value their own embodied experience over medical knowledge. At the same time, they remain deeply invested in finding a "good doctor" who believes that the patient is suffering, agrees with their conception of the cause, and assents to the treatment as directed by the patient. Electronic support groups reinforce these beliefs. Conclusion Patients may benefit from a compromising, collaborative approach that is realistic about the limitations of medical knowledge. However, physicians should not engage in unsafe treatment practices. Electronic support groups exist for a wide range of illnesses and the issues that rise to the surface in functional somatic syndromes likely occur to some extent with almost every patient.
Hemochromatosis, Iron, and Blood Donation: A Short Review

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), an autosomal recessive disease of iron overload, is one of the most common inherited diseases. The candidate gene (HFE) for HH has been identified recently and a DNA-based test for the mutation is available. Treatment for HH patients with elevated iron stores include repeated phlebotomy. Left untreated, iron overload can lead to cirrhosis, organ failure, and a shortened life expectancy. In the past and present, blood collected for therapeutic purposes from patients with HH has been discarded. The aim of this article is to address whether blood collected from HH patients should be used for allogeneic transfusion in the future.
Molecular dynamics-based refinement and validation for sub-5 Å cryo-electron microscopy maps

To understand the roles that proteins and other large molecules play inside cells, it is important to determine their structures. One of the techniques that researchers can use to do this is called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which rapidly freezes molecules to fix them in position before imaging them in fine detail. The cryo-EM images are like maps that show the approximate position of atoms. These images must then be processed in order to build a three-dimensional model of the protein that shows how its atoms are arranged relative to each other. One computational approach called Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting (MDFF) works by flexibly fitting possible atomic structures into cryo-EM maps. Although this approach works well with relatively undetailed (or ‘low resolution’) cryo-EM images, it struggles to handle the high-resolution cryo-EM maps now being generated. Singharoy, Teo, McGreevy et al. have now developed two MDFF methods – called cascade MDFF and resolution exchange MDFF – that help to resolve atomic models of biological molecules from cryo-EM images. Each method can refine poorly guessed models into ones that are consistent with the high-resolution experimental images. The refinement is achieved by interpreting a range of images that starts with a ‘fuzzy’ image. The contrast of the image is then progressively improved until an image is produced that has a resolution that is good enough to almost distinguish individual atoms. The method works because each cryo-EM image shows not just one, but a collection of atomic structures that the molecule can take on, with the fuzzier parts of the image representing the more flexible parts of the molecule. By taking into account this flexibility, the large-scale features of the protein structure can be determined first from the fuzzier images, and increasing the contrast of the images allows smaller-scale refinements to be made to the structure. The MDFF tools have been designed to be easy to use and are available to researchers at low cost through cloud computing platforms. They can now be used to unravel the structure of many different proteins and protein complexes including those involved in photosynthesis, respiration and protein synthesis.
Epitope Spreading in Autoimmune Diseases

The diversification of the immune response induced by an antigen to new T cell and/or antibody specificities during the course of an autoimmune disease is known as “epitope spreading”. This broadening of the immune response can target epitopes either within the same antigen (intramolecular spreading) or another antigen (intermolecular spreading). Multiple factors are involved in the induction of epitope spreading, including the enhanced display of previously cryptic determinants under the local inflammatory/cytokine milieu, the release of self antigens following tissue damage, the difference in the size and avidity of the epitope-specific T cell subsets and the role of B cells as antigen-presenting cells. Epitope spreading has generally been invoked in the progression and chronicity of the initial (acute) phase of disease. In certain situations, however, epitope spreading has been found to be “protective” or “disease-regulating”. Studies of experimental models have revealed a “window” of therapeutic opportunity in the face of disease-propagating epitope spreading. Understanding the phenomenon of epitope spreading is important for fully defining the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and for developing better immunotherapeutic approaches for these disorders.
qPMS10: A randomized algorithm for efficiently solving quorum Planted Motif Search problem

Discovering patterns in biological sequences is very important to extract useful information from them. Motifs are crucial patterns that have numerous applications including the identification of transcription factors and their binding sites, composite regulatory patterns, similiarity between families of proteins, etc. Several models of motifs have been proposed in the literature. The (l, d)-motif model is one of these that has been studied widely. The (l, d)-motif search problem is also known as Planted Motif Search (PMS). The general problem of PMS has been proven to be NP-hard. In this paper, we present an elegant as well as efficient randomized algorithm, named qPMS10, to solve PMS. Currently, the best known algorithm for solving PMS is qPMS9 and it can solve challenging (l, d)-motif instances up to (28, 12) and (30, 13). qPMS9 is a deterministic algorithm. We provide a performance comparison of qPMS10 with qPMS9 on standard benchmark datasets. Both theoretical and empirical analysis demonstrate that our randomized algorithm outperforms the exsiting algorithms for solving PMS. Besides, the random sampling techniques we employ in our algorithm can also be extended to solve other motif search problems including Simple Motif Search (SMS) and Edit-distance based Motif Search (EMS). Furthermore, our algorithm can be parallelized efficiently and has the potential of yielding great speedups on multi-core machines.
Management of invasive Phragmites australis in the Adirondacks: a cautionary tale about prospects of eradication

Invasive plant management (largely mechanical and chemical) consumes an ever-increasing portion of budgets for land management organizations, but metrics of success, other than extent of areas treated or resources expended is rarely available. Here we assess success of managing 346 populations of invasive Phragmites australis (range 0.36–4134 m2; cover 37–75%) in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, USA. We began by treating 18 patches in 2010 using herbicide; gradually adding patches treated annually or intermittently for a total of 334 by the end of the project period. We monitored each population annually and if P. australis was present mapped its spatial extent and estimated cover. We considered P. australis eradicated when live stems were absent from a site for at least three consecutive years. Our treatments reduced size and cover of P. australis populations and eradication was achieved at 104 of 294 sites. However, probability of eradicating P. australis over a 7-year project timeframe was 0.83 for the smallest patches (0.36 m2), whereas at medium (45 m2) and large patches (>3000 m2) probability of eradication decreased to 0.26 and 0.02, respectively. Our results question efficacy of managing large P. australis populations with the goal of eradication. We urge conservation organizations to clearly articulate management objectives beyond short-term suppression of target plants and to promote accountability by providing quantitative measurements of outcomes.
Fear of Incompetence: A New Motive for Being a Good Citizen?

Competence at task performance is a basic expectation in the workplace. It is unreasonable, however, to expect that employees will be fully competent in all elements of their job given the signific...
Phytoplankton of Utah Lake

The plankton flora of Utah Lake includes a total of 295 species to date. This high number of taxa indicates greater diversity than previously suspected. Together with water chemical data it leads us to conclude that Utah Lake is a slightly saline eutrophic system. This conclusion is further substantiated by quantitative data which show very high levels of productivity during late summer and early fall.
Remembrance of Inferences Past

Bayesian models of cognition assume that people compute probability distributions over hypotheses. However, the required computations are frequently intractable or prohibitively expensive. Since people often encounter many closely related distributions, selective reuse of computations (amortized inference) is a computationally efficient use of the brain's limited resources. We present three experiments that provide evidence for amortization in human probabilistic reasoning. When sequentially answering two related queries about natural scenes, participants' responses to the second query systematically depend on the structure of the first query. This influence is sensitive to the content of the queries, only appearing when the queries are related. Using a cognitive load manipulation, we find evidence that people amortize summary statistics of previous inferences, rather than storing the entire distribution. These findings support the view that the brain trades off accuracy and computational cost, to make efficient use of its limited cognitive resources to approximate probabilistic inference.
Identifying and describing segments of office workers by activity patterns: associations with demographic characteristics and objectively measured physical activity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and characterize patterns of physical activity among office workers employed in largely sedentary occupations at a major health insurer located in the Southeastern USA. Design/methodology/approach The authors used latent class analysis to identify segments of office workers (n=239) based on their self-reported activities of daily living and exercise behaviors. The authors examined the association of demographic characteristics with segment membership, and differences in accelerometer-measured weekly minutes of light and moderate-vigorous physical activity across segments. Findings The authors identified two segments and labeled them “exerciser” and “non-exerciser.” Being female was associated with lower odds of membership in the “exerciser” segment (OR=0.18; 95% CI=0.06, 0.52), while those with at least a bachelor’s degree were more likely to be in the “exerciser” segment (OR=2.12; 95% CI=1.02, 4.40). Mean minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week were greater for the “exerciser” segment than the “non-exerciser” segment. Practical implications Based on this sample, the authors found that office workers in sedentary occupations were roughly equally divided and distinguished by their engagement in exercise-type behaviors. The findings underscore the need for innovative workplace programming that enhances activity opportunities particularly for those that are not likely to exercise. Originality/value A scarcity of research on activity patterns among office workers inhibits development of targeted worksite activity programming. The present research reveals two segments of workers with regard to their activity patterns and suggests ways for worksites to meet their unique needs.
Repair of Postoperative Sternal Wound Dehiscence with Mediastinitis

This has been the only proven method that has shown 100% cure of this complication if the steps are strictly followed as described.
Modeling Cycle-to-Cycle Coupling in HCCI Engines Utilizing Variable Valve Actuation

Abstract In order to capture the effect of cycle-to-cycle coupling that is inherent in residual-effected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines, a simple, control-oriented, single-zone model of HCCI combustion is presented. The inclusion of an exhaust manifold model ties the exhausted gas from one cycle to that re-inducted on the next cycle. Multi-cycle simulations are completed and shown to have the same general steady state and transient characteristics as an experimental system. Predicted combustion phasing and in-cylinder pressure values agree very well with experiment.
Learning from Residuals

Residuals often are considered as a troublesome noise in spatial—or, for that matter—non-spatial econometric models. Current practice in spatial econometrics is to set up a spatial error model, more often than not with an exogenous W spatial weight matrix, in order to improve the efficiency of the estimators.
Available output of two-dimensional surface-emitting laser arrays

The efficient performance of two-dimensional surface-emitting laser arrays is analysed with the aid of a comprehensive fully self-consistent three-dimensional thermal–electrical model. Maximal available output of the closely packed arrays is considered as a function of their spacing and the emitter size. The superior thermal behaviour of arrays composed of small-size emitters is found to be questionable.
Timing the ISI in Rabbit Eyeblink Conditioning — A Cerebellar Neural Model of a Neuromotor Timing Mechanism

At CNS*92 and AMNS meetings in 1990, 1991, we presented compartmental models of cerebellar-brain stem networks implicated in rabbit eyeblink conditioning. These models consisted of a few essential neurons in an anatomically correct network. In computer experiments using the CAJ AL biological neural network simulator we were able to produce spike trains in good agreement with extra-cellular unit recordings in both naive and trained rabbits. These recordings correlate closely with observed behavior (eyeblink). However, not all aspects of rabbit electrophysiological data recorded in training sessions were reproducible in these “stripped-down” models. In the new models reported here, a more complete network is used in conjunction with an improved faster version of the CAJAL simulator. This allows us to do simulations and determine synaptic conductance and timing parameters that account for important conditioning phenomena not explained by our previous models.
Changing Patient Mindsets about Non–Life-Threatening Symptoms During Oral Immunotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Oral immunotherapy (OIT) can lead to desensitization to food allergens, but patients can experience treatment-related symptoms of allergic reactions that cause anxiety and treatment dropout. Interventions to improve OIT for patients are needed. Objective To determine whether fostering the mindset that non–life-threatening symptoms during OIT can signal desensitization improves treatment experience and outcomes. Methods In a randomized, blinded, controlled phase II study, 50 children/adolescents (28% girls, aged 7-17 years, M = 10.82, standard deviation = 3.01) completed 6-month OIT for peanut allergies. Patients and their parent(s) had monthly clinic visits at the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research between January 5, 2017, and August 3, 2017. All families received identical symptom management training. In a 1:1 approach, 24 patients and their families were informed that non–life-threatening symptoms during OIT were unfortunate side effects of treatment, and 26 patients and their families were informed that non–life-threatening symptoms could signal desensitization. Families participated in activities to reinforce these symptom mindsets. Results Compared with families informed that symptoms are side effects, families informed that symptoms can signal desensitization were less anxious (B = −0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.76 to −0.16; P = .003), less likely to contact staff about symptoms (5/24 [9.4%] vs 27/154 [17.5%] instances; P = .036), experienced fewer non–life-threatening symptoms as doses increased (BInteraction = −0.54, 95% CI: −0.83 to −0.27; P Conclusions Fostering the mindset that symptoms can signal desensitization improves OIT experience and outcomes. Changing how providers inform patients about non–life-threatening symptoms is a promising avenue for improving treatment.
A finiteness criterion for inverse semigroups

An inverse semigroup is finite if and only if it is finitely-generated, its singletons are recognizable, and the family of its recognizable subsets is closed under complex product. In particular, inverse Kleene semigroups are finite.
Identifying the impact of labor market opportunities on criminal behavior

Abstract In this paper, we study the relationship between labor market conditions and criminal behavior. We begin by qualitatively replicating key results in Raphael and Winter-Ebmer (2001) , an influential paper that provided some of the first causal evidence connecting the state of the labor market (as measured by the unemployment rate) to criminal behavior (as measured by reported offense rates). Raphael and Winter-Ebmer find statistically significant positive effects of unemployment on property crime rates and a weaker and less consistent relationship between unemployment and violent crime rates. We build on this seminal work by exploring whether these estimated relationships continue to hold in more recent data. In carrying out our analysis, we find reason to consider alternative identification strategies (especially in the later period of the extended sample). We also investigate the impact of adding wages to the model, and we conduct a number of additional robustness checks. We conclude that the broad themes of Raphael and Winter-Ebmer's work remain valid, and yet additional research has the potential to reveal a more intricate and nuanced relationship between labor markets and crime.
Pulmonary function in infants with swallowing dysfunction.

Background Swallowing dysfunction can lead to recurring aspiration and is frequently associated with chronic symptoms such as cough and wheezing in infants. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of infants with swallowing dysfunction, determine if pulmonary function abnormalities are detectable, and if they improve after therapy.
Intraoperative Provocative Testing in Patients with Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Undergoing Septal Myectomy.

Background Resolution of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction predicts symptom relief postmyectomy. Intraoperative measurement of LVOT gradients thus is essential for surgical guidance. We hypothesized that (1) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients have lower LVOT gradients when measured intraoperatively with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) compared with preoperative measurements with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and that (2) intraoperative provocative testing can help evaluate the adequacy of surgical resection. Methods We compared resting LVOT gradients on preoperative TTE to intraoperative TEE. We also compared intraoperative resting and provoked gradients pre- and postresection. Either isoproterenol 10 μg/kg/min or dobutamine 20 μg/kg/min was used. Patients with provoked LVOT gradients >30 mm Hg were considered for further resection based on LVOT/mitral valve morphology and clinical comorbidities. Results Of 315 patients identified, 293 patients were included in the analysis. There was a statistically significant difference between preoperative TTE and intraoperative TEE resting LVOT gradients (60.9 ± 39.4 mm Hg vs 42.0 ± 30.5 mm Hg, P 30 mm Hg at rest, while 63 patients (21.5%) had residual gradients >30 mm Hg only with provocation. Elevated gradients, persistent systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve with near contact, and/or significant mitral regurgitation with provocative testing resulted in return to cardiopulmonary bypass in 41 patients (14%). Conclusions Resting intraoperative TEE LVOT gradients are significantly lower than preoperative TTE gradients, with systolic anterior motion of the MV and outflow obstruction often not visualized after inducing general anesthesia. Intraoperative pharmacologic provocation can identify patients who may benefit from further surgical intervention, facilitating procedural success.
Cannabis, nicotine and the negative symptoms of schizophrenia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Despite the high prevalence in patients with schizophrenia, the association of cannabis and nicotine use with negative symptoms remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies addressing the association of cannabis and nicotine use with negative symptoms. Twenty cannabis studies (n = 2611) and 45 nicotine studies (n = 8942) were analyzed. There was no significant effect for current cannabis use alone or in combination with other substances. However, recently abstinent users of cannabis showed less severe negative symptoms than nonusers. Nicotine users were not different from nonusers with respect to negative symptoms. With respect to positive symptoms, very small increases were found for cannabis users and patients using nicotine along with other drugs. In conclusion, while patients with schizophrenia who use cannabis did not differ from nonusers, recently abstinent patients showed less severe negative symptoms than nonusers. This finding suggests that cannabis-using patients might be less susceptible to the development of negative symptoms. The amotivational effects of cannabis may obscure these differences in current users.
Breaking down barriers: A strategic initiative to collect sexual orientation and gender identity information in the oncology patient population.

128Background: The LGBT community is a diverse population that crosses race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, and other factors. It is estimated that 8.8 million Americans are part of the comm...
Neural effects of continuous theta-burst stimulation in macaque parietal neurons

Theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) has become a standard non-invasive technique to induce offline changes in cortical excitability in human volunteers. Yet, TBS suffers from a high variability across subjects. A better knowledge about how TBS affects neural activity in vivo could uncover its mechanisms of action and ultimately allow its mainstream use in basic science and clinical applications. To address this issue, we applied continuous TBS (cTBS, 300 pulses) in awake behaving rhesus monkeys and quantified its after-effects on neuronal recordings and behavior. Guided by anatomical MRI, we recorded single-cell activity in parietal area PFG during passive fixation of real-world objects. Overall, we observed a pronounced, long-lasting and highly reproducible reduction in neuronal excitability after cTBS in individual parietal neurons, with some neurons exhibiting periods of hyperexcitability during the recovery phase. We applied the same stimulation protocol during visually-guided grasping of objects, and observed a significant grasping impairment. These results provide the first experimental evidence on the effects of cTBS on single neurons in awake behaving monkeys.
High Efficiency Compact Microwave Sources Using Electrostatic Potential Depression

In this article, we report theoretical and design studies on the application of an electrostatic potential depression (EPD) on two types of traditional microwave sources, the klystron and the inductive output tube (IOT), both operating in the UHF band. The EPD is implemented by a section of the metallic beam pipe on which a direct current (dc) negative high voltage is applied. Inside the EPD section, the modulated electron beam develops into bunches over a very short longitudinal distance, indicating a possible design approach for a compact device. With the application of an EPD, the peak value of the first harmonic current in a microwave tube can be further increased compared to that in a conventional design, suggesting higher circuit efficiency. As the electron beam leaves the EPD section, the reacceleration of the beam provides a longitudinal cooling effect. With the addition of an EPD, circuit power extraction efficiency above 80% is achieved in both the modified design of the IOT and the novel conceptual circuit design of the klystron.
Legal Ambiguity as a Competitive Advantage: Airbnb's Use of Technological Novelty to Avoid Liability

The peer-to-peer economy has unraveled thousands of years of codal and jurisprudential safeguards that were put in place to protect travelers and other patrons of public accommodations. Several large companies have generated billions of dollars in revenue from property rental without owning any real estate other than their corporate office and the warehouses for their server farms. When called to account for damages suffered by their guests, the companies employ a variety of legal strategies to shield themselves from liability. This paper exposes Airbnb's strategic use of its own technological novelty to pick and choose the legal theory that best serves its interest in any given case. In doing so, the company circumvents established law applicable to traditional lodging suppliers; avoids legal liability for the harm done to its guests; and gains a significant competitive advantage over traditional businesses in the hospitality industry.