cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overwintering Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pup growth and behavior prior to weaning

We measured individual growth, looked for evidence of weaning and examined the interaction of these changes with diving behavior in young-of-year Steller sea lion pups (Eumetopias jubatus (Schreber, 1776)) in Alaska during their first winter. Steller sea lions employ an income breeding strategy, in which females provision their young over an individually variable period of months to years. Thus we set out to identify whether these young sea lions showed evidence of weaning during the challenging winter months, describe the nature of their growth during this time, and examine their behaviors in light of these changes. Between 2005 and 2008 we captured 71 pups during early winter and recaptured 33 of these pups in early spring. Mark-resight and stable nitrogen isotope ratios in vibrissae indicated most pups remained nutritionally dependent on adult females throughout the winter. All pups increased both mass and lipid mass, with half of growth contributed by lipid mass. Changes in behavior were not correlate...
Simulation Study Low Voltage Power Line Carrier Communication in Noisy Environments

Studies have shown that there are a lot of low-voltage power line is one of the main obstacles to strong noise limit for data transmission quality. Power line noise can be divided into steady background noise, narrowband interference noise, sudden impulse noise and periodic noise. Background noise is distributed throughout the communication band, low-voltage power line up white Gaussian noise 22dB [133 or more. Sudden noise is generated by the random access or disconnect electrical equipment produced. Studies have shown that pulse interference effects on the quality of the low voltage power line carrier communication maximum. Literature statistics, intensity pulsed interference up 40dBuv.
A convex hull algorithm based fast large-scale two-dimensional phase unwrapping method

Two-dimensional phase unwrapping (PU) is a critical processing procedure of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (InSAR). With the rapid advance of InSAR, the scale of the interferogram is becoming larger and larger. Under the condition of “big-data” PU, there are two new hurdles encountered: i) the dilemma between execution speed and accuracy, ii) the limitation of computing memory. To effectively solve these two problems, a new fast large-scale PU methodology, which is based on the convex hull algorithm and residue clustering characteristics, is discussed in this paper. The theoretical analysis and experiments indicate that this proposed large-scale PU methodology has some desirable potentials for large-scale PU problem: 1) peak memory consumption is very low which can avoid tiling processing; 2) time complexity is approximatively linear; 3) PU solution is as precise as some representative high accuracy PU methods.
Framing the Women’s March on Washington: Media coverage and organizational messaging alignment

Abstract Half a million citizens participated in the Women’s March on Washington the day after President Trump’s inauguration, starting a political movement. The march communicated key messages to the public directly and via the media. This study explores how media coverage framed those key messages through content analysis. Media frames mentioned all key messages, emphasizing solidarity and activation at the grassroots, and in a way that both supported and challenged organizational messages. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Joint image reconstruction of initial pressure distribution and acoustic parameters in elastic media with application to transcranial photoacoustic tomography (Conference Presentation)

The development and investigation of PACT as an effective neuroimaging modality is highly warranted. Amajor challenge in transcranial PACT brain imaging is to compensate for aberrations in the measured datadue to the propagation of the photoacoustic wavefields through the skull. To properly account for these effects,image reconstruction methods in transcranial PACT require knowledge of the spatial distribution of the acousticparameters of the skull. However, estimating the spatial distribution of the acoustic parameters of the skullremains challenging. Inspired by our observation that information about the distribution of skull acousticparameters is encoded in PACT measurements, we propose to jointly reconstruct the initial pressure distributionand the spatial distributions of the acoustic parameters of the skull from PACT data alone. In this study, weimplement a joint image reconstruction algorithm to estimate both the initial pressure distribution as well asthe spatial distribution of the acoustic parameters of the skull for 3D transcranial PACT. The joint estimationof the initial pressure and spatial distributions of the acoustic parameters of the skull from PACT data alone isunstable. To overcome this instability, we propose to incorporate prior information about the acoustic propertiesof the skull from adjunct image data. The developed joint reconstruction algorithm is validated and investigatedthrough computer-simulation studies.
Some problems in the regrouping of Powell Units

This brief survey directs attention to certain problems involved in assigning together linguistic units (grouping) and in showing by such assignment degrees of genetic relationship (subgrouping). It deals with these topics only with regard to relatively large-scale classificatory units in North American Indian languages. It notes research and cites literature, largely from the past decade, in which reference to and citation of earlier work may be found. And it has omitted mention or discussion of certain recent classificatory proposals for which evidence is not adduced or for which existence of a reproducible method is not clear.
The Protection of Individual Rights: Law in Action

The fair hearing system is most successful in protecting individual rights when clients have the requisite information and resources, especially skilled counsel. There are many situations in which the fair hearing system is an effective remedy for clients if the client possesses sufficient information and resources. The fair hearing system allows the agency to respond to those complaining clients, who are most able to help themselves, at the cost of shifting resources from those who may be in greater need of help. Perhaps the most debilitating influence on the use of fair hearings as a remedy is the sheer number of hearings held. As the New York City study shows, backlogs, long waiting times, and delays in processing cases serve to set up barriers to the use of hearings. Fair hearings would also seem to be a doubtful remedy when used to challenge decisions that involve professional discretion or expertise. The study of procedural rights in special education in California pointed out another serious impediment to reliance upon hearings: The use of threats to chill the exercise of rights and the informal settlement of disputes.
The Institutional Roots of Engineering Science

This chapter analyzes how new institutions that emerged in response to the Industrial Revolution helped to set that stage for the emergence of engineering science. The chapter describes how in Britain a number of more informal institutions helped to spread and popularize Newtonian and Baconian ideas to the working classes. The chapter also discusses how in France the needs of the State led to the creation of a number of engineering schools which emphasized science and mathematics but also through descriptive geometry provided a “grammar of the arts.” While Napoleon’s conquest of the Continent led the German States to imitate much of the French model of engineering education, the chapter argues that some of the Technische Hochschulen saw technical knowledge as not simply applied science but an independent and autonomous form of knowledge. The chapter then describes how in the debate between a “shop culture” and a “school culture” influenced engineering education in the United States and led to new institutions such as the Franklin Institute that were able to combine elements of both cultures. The chapter concludes by arguing that all of these institutions did more than simply apply science to technology but helped to create a new engineering science.
Semi-active control of torsional vibrations using an MR fluid brake

Control of torsional vibrations in an automotive crankshaft is a classical vibration control problem. The most common solution is to mount a crankshaft damper at one end of the crankshaft. Typical crankshaft dampers are composed of parallel stiffness and damping elements connecting a rotational inertia to the crankshaft. Appropriate design of the damper elements may result in substantial crankshaft vibration. Conventional couplings include elastomeric spring-damper elements and purely viscous fluid couplings. While those approaches result in satisfactory reduction of crankshaft vibration, it may be that a semi-active approach can achieve improved performance. To that end, an investigation of a semi-active crankshaft damper using magneto-rheological (MR) fluid has been initiated. A torsional MR fluid brake was obtained and applied to a scale model of a crankshaft for a common eight-cylinder engine. Experiments were performed with the MR brake as a fixed-friction device. In addition, a simple stick-slip control algorithm was developed such that the MR brake became an on-line variable friction device. While a good deal of work remains to be performed in future efforts, the preliminary experimental results have demonstrated that a torsional damper composed of an MR fluid brake has potential application in the field of torsional vibration control.
MIXTURES OF SIMPLES: TOWARDS A TECHNOLOGY FOR DESIGNING

That world does not exist, one has to create it like the phoenix. That world exists in this one, but the way water exists in oxygen and hydrogen, or how pages 78, 457, 3, 271, 688, 75, and 456 of the dictionary of the Spanish Academy have all that is needed for the writing of a hendecasyllable by Garcilaso. Let us say that the world is a figure, it has to be read. By read let us understand generated. Who cares about a dictionary as a dictionary? If from delicate alchemies, osmoses, and mixtures of simples there finally does arise a Beatrice on the riverbank, why not have a marvelous hint of what could be born of her in turn?
The Correlation Between Heart Rate Variability and Diet

Heart function can be affected by lifestyle choices. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological phenomenon that accounts for the variation in the time interval between heartbeats and can be used as a means to assess cardiac health 14 . A high HRV is indicative of good cardiac health and increased parasympathetic activity, while a low HRV has been associated with poor cardiac outcomes in adults 7 . This study investigated the correlation between overall diet and HRV. Thirty-two participants aged 18-22 years old were recruited based on diet. Diets included vegetarian and gluten-free, as well as participants with no dietary restrictions. A 5-minute electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed on each participant. Software supplied by ADInstruments was used to generate a spectral analysis of HRV by applying a Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT). Frequencies were subdivided as Very Low Frequency (VLF) and Low Frequency (LF), which correlates to a combination of sympathetic and parasympathetic effects, and High Frequency (HF), which correlates to parasympathetic effects. Time domain and frequency domain measures of HRV were analyzed through SPSS. No significant differences between the diet groups were found; however, there were differences in the standard deviation of all normal RR intervals (SDRR) of each group (vegetarian = 104.66 ms, glutenfree = 81.5 ms, healthy = 66.34 ms, unhealthy = 59.13 ms, and control = 87.07 ms). A moderate negative correlation was found between consumption of fast food and frequency HRV measures (HF power: r = -.397, p = .024), indicating that with increasing fast food consumption, there is an increasing risk for adverse cardiac outcomes. In general, diet does seem to result in small differences in HRV, especially between the unhealthy diet group and the vegetarian diet group, specifically for the LF domain (p = 0.17). Additionally, after sorting the data through time domains, it was found that the vegetarian group had an SDRR value greater than 100 ms, correlating with a low risk of cardiac problems as determined by previous parameters 17 .
Autonomous Network Diagnosis with AI

We propose novel autonomous network diagnosis platform. We will discuss some requirements from network operators toward such direction and how to meet such requirements with novel mechanisms. We also present PoC demonstration.
Development of a Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Growth Model in a Coupled Wave-Current-Sediment-Transport Modeling System (COAWST v3.4)

Abstract. The coupled biophysical interactions between submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), hydrodynamics (currents and waves), sediment dynamics, and nutrient cycling have long been of interest in estuarine environments. Recent observational studies have addressed feedbacks between SAV meadows, current velocity, sedimentation, and nutrient cycling and suggest SAV are ecosystem engineers whose growth can be self-reinforcing. To represent these dynamic processes in a numerical model, the presence of SAV and its effect on hydrodynamics (currents and waves) and sediment dynamics was incorporated into the open source model COAWST. In this study, we extend the COAWST modelling framework to account for dynamic changes of SAV and associated epiphyte biomass. Modelled SAV biomass is represented as a function of temperature, light, and nutrient availability and exchanges nutrients, detritus, dissolved inorganic carbon, and dissolved oxygen with the water-column biogeochemistry model. The dynamic simulation of SAV biomass allows the plants to both respond to and cause changes in water column and sediment bed properties, hydrodynamics, and sediment transport (i.e., a two-way feedback). We demonstrate the behavior of these modelled processes through application to an idealized domain, then apply the model to a eutrophic harbour where SAV dieback is a result of anthropogenic nitrate loading and eutrophication. These cases demonstrate an advance in the deterministic modelling of coupled bio-physical processes and will further our understanding of future ecosystem change.
Zirconium-89 tetraazamacrocycle complexes: the influence of macrocycle structure on stability

252 Introduction: The development of bifunctional chelators (BFCs) that can stably chelate zirconium-89 (89Zr) while being conjugated to targeting molecules is an area of active research (1). A recent publication described the extraordinary stability of the radiolabeled tetraazamacrocycle, 89Zr-DOTA in vivo (2). This work extends this research and examines the influence of macrocycle structure on the stability of these radiometal complexes. Methods: The non-radioactive Zr-tetraazamacrocycle complexes, Zr-NOTA, Zr-PCTA and Zr-TRITA were prepared using standard procedures, and the molecular structure of each complex was elucidated using single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis. The radioactive analogs were prepared using 89ZrCl4. In vitro, the radiometal complexes were challenged with exogenous chelating ligands, biologically relevant metal ions and human serum. Biodistribution and small animal PET studies were conducted in normal mice to examine the in vivo behavior of each radiometal complex. Results: Single crystal analysis revealed each Zr-complex to be octa-coordinate. Radiochemical studies revealed 89Zr-PCTA and 89Zr-NOTA to be extraordinarily inert to exogenous ligand, metal and serum challenge in vitro. Furthermore, biodistribution studies revealed rapid systemic clearance and low tissue retention of radioactivity. For example, mice injected with 89Zr-PCTA or 89Zr-NOTA retained less radioactivity in their kidney tissue than did mice receiving 89Zr-DFO (89Zr-PCTA vs. 89Zr-NOTAvs. 89Zr-DFO; mean %ID/g ± SD; [one-way ANOVA value, p value]: kidney (72 h): 0.15 ± 0.01 vs. 0.30 ± 0.023 vs. 0.69 ± 0.098; [F(3, 136), p
Teen Pregnancy, Depression, and Substance Abuse: The Conditioning Effect of Deviant Peers

General Strain Theory (GST) suggests that individuals who experience strain are pressured into criminal and deviant behavior. Consistent with GST, the current study assesses the relationship betwee...
Efficient Synthesis of α-Allylbutenolides from Allyl Ynoates via Tandem Ligand-Enabled Au(I) Catalysis and the Claisen Rearrangement

A facile construction of α-allylbutenolides from readily available allyl ynoates has been developed via tandem gold-catalyzed alkyne isomerization to allene and cycloisomerization, the Claisen rearrangement and a double bond migration. The gold catalysis is enabled by a bifunctional phosphine ligand featuring a critical remote tertiary amino group, and the reaction tolerates a range of substituents and exhibits yields up to 96%.
Lateral approach totally extraperitoneal (TEP) robotic retromuscular ventral hernia repair.

The enhanced (or extended) view total extraperitoneal (TEP) access that was initially described for laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been applied to first laparoscopic and now robotic retromuscular ventral hernia repair (RRVHR). However, a ‘dynamic’ port setup that is based on the area of interest is preferred by most surgeons. In this study, we present our center’s early operative outcomes after utilizing a lateral approach TEP-access RRVHR with and without transversus abdominis release (TAR). An evaluation of a prospectively maintained database of hernia patients was conducted identifying patients who underwent a lateral approach TEP-access RRVHR between February 2013 and April 2019. The lateral approach TEP-access RRVHR was described. Patient demographics, intraoperative and postoperative variables were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative results were presented according to recommended classification systems by European Hernia Society. Fifty-two patients who underwent a lateral approach TEP-access RRVHR were included in this study. A lateral dock setup was utilized for all patient who had a midline defect, as well as a lateral defect. The mean console time was 121.6 min., skin-to-skin time was 138.5 min. There was no intraoperative complication or conversion. The mean hospital length of stay was 0.71 day. During the mean 6.5 months follow-up period, no hernia recurrence arose. The lateral approach TEP-access RRVHR with and without TAR is a reproducible technique. Feasibility of this approach needs to be demonstrated by other surgeons familiar with retromuscular hernia repair in addition to long-term follow up.
Risk prediction scores for acute on chronic liver failure development and mortality

Background & aims Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) causes high short-term mortality in patients with previously stable chronic liver disease. To date there are no models to predict which patients are likely to develop ACLF, and existing models to predict ACLF mortality are based on limited cohorts. We sought to create novel risk prediction scores using a large cohort of patients with cirrhosis. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 74 790 patients with incident cirrhosis in the Veterans Health Administration database using randomized 70% derivation/30% validation sets. ACLF events were identified per the European ACLF criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to derive prediction models for developing ACLF at 3, 6 and 12 months, and ACLF mortality at 28 and 90 days. Mortality models were compared to model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), MELD-sodium and the Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF-C) ACLF score. Results Models for the developing ACLF had very good discrimination (concordance [C] statistics 0.83-0.87) at all timepoints. Models for ACLF mortality also had good discrimination at 28 and 90 days (C-statistics 0.79-0.82), and were superior to MELD, MELD-sodium and the CLIF-C ACLF score. The calibration of the novel models was excellent at all timepoints. Conclusion We have obtained highly-predictive models for developing ACLF, as well as for ACLF short-term mortality in a diverse United States cohort. These may be used to identify outpatients at significant risk of ACLF, which may prompt closer follow-up or early transplant referral, and facilitate decision making for patients with diagnosed ACLF, including escalation of care, expedited transplant evaluation or palliation.
Measurement of subcategories of repetitive behaviors in autistic adolescents and adults

Background: Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are core features of autism. Factor-analytic studies composed primarily of children have provided evidence for two domains of RRBs: Repetitive...
Examining the Distinct Features of Bangladesh’s Development: Interactions between Growth, Poverty, and Social Development

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in reducing the incidence of poverty and in improving social development outcomes, albeit with rising income inequality. In this chapter, it is argued that Bangladesh’s distinct development trajectory lies in its consistency. In nearly half a century since Bangladesh’s independence, there have been no significant reversals of fortune. Bangladesh is also a case in point of a country that, at the aggregate level, has made significant progress in selected areas of social development despite having a low level of per capita income. A similar disconnect between income and social development is found at the disaggregated district level. Other distinct features of Bangladesh’s development thus far are discussed. Attention is also given to the sources of this progress through a political economy lens.
Controlled Catheter Movement Affects Dye Dispersal Volume in Agarose Gel Brain Phantoms

The standard of care for treatment of glioblastoma results in a mean survival of only 12 to 15 months. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is an investigational therapy to treat glioblastoma that utilizes locoregional drug delivery via a small-caliber catheter placed into the brain parenchyma. Clinical trials have failed to reach their endpoints due to an inability of standard catheters to fully saturate the entire brain tumor and its margins. In this study, we examine the effects of controlled catheter movement on dye dispersal volume in agarose gel brain tissue phantoms. Four different catheter movement control protocols (stationary, continuous retraction, continuous insertion, and intermittent insertion) were applied for a single-port stepped catheter capable of intrainfusion movement. Infusions of indigo carmine dye into agarose gel brain tissue phantoms were conducted during the controlled catheter movement. The dispersal volume (Vd), forward dispersal volume (Vdf), infusion radius, backflow distance, and forward flow distance were quantified for each catheter movement protocol using optical images recorded throughout the experiment. Vd and Vdf for the retraction and intermittent insertion groups were significantly higher than the stationary group. The stationary group had a small but significantly larger infusion radius than either the retracting or the intermittent insertion groups. The stationary group had a greater backflow distance and lower forward flow distance than either the retraction or the intermittent insertion groups. Continuous retraction of catheters during CED treatments can result in larger Vd than traditional stationary catheters, which may be useful for improving the outcomes of CED treatment of glioblastoma. However, catheter design will be crucial in preventing backflow of infusate up the needle tract, which could significantly alter both the Vd and shape of the infusion.
A machine-learning-assisted study of the permeability of small drug-like molecules across lipid membranes

Study of the permeability of small organic molecules across lipid membranes plays a significant role in designing potential drugs in the field of drug discovery. Approaches to design promising drug molecules have gone through many stages, from experiment-based trail-and-error approaches, to the well-established avenue of the quantitative structure-activity relationship, and currently to the stage guided by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence techniques. In this work, we present a study of the permeability of small drug-like molecules across lipid membranes by two types of ML models, namely the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and deep neural network (DNN) models. Molecular descriptors and fingerprints are used for featurization of organic molecules. Using molecular descriptors, the LASSO model uncovers that the electro-topological, electrostatic, polarizability, and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity properties are the most important physical properties to determine the membrane permeability of small drug-like molecules. Additionally, with molecular fingerprints, the LASSO model suggests that certain chemical substructures can significantly affect the permeability of organic molecules, which closely connects to the identified main physical properties. Moreover, the DNN model using molecular fingerprints can help develop a more accurate mapping between molecular structures and their membrane permeability than LASSO models. Our results provide deep understanding of drug-membrane interactions and useful guidance for the inverse molecular design of drug-like molecules. Last but not least, while the current focus is on the permeability of drug-like molecules, the methodology of this work is general and can be applied for other complex physical chemistry problems to gain molecular insights.
Middle of Line (MOL) Process Investigation in Ring Oscillator failure

Ring Oscillators (ROs) are used for yield learning during the research phase of a CMO technology. We performed cross-sections and showed that the open and short defects are in the middle of line (MOL) gate structures. The defects which are related to MOL or prior processes, as well as the design and density, will be discussed in the paper.
Vulnerabilities of Massive MIMO Systems to Pilot Contamination Attacks

We consider a single-cell massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system in which a base station (BS) with a large number of antennas transmits simultaneously to several single-antenna users. The BS acquires the channel state information (CSI) for various receivers using uplink pilot transmissions. We demonstrate the vulnerability of the CSI estimation process to pilot-contamination (PC) attacks. In our attack model, the attacker aims at minimizing the sum rate of downlink transmissions by contaminating the uplink pilots. We first study these attacks for two downlink power allocation strategies under the assumption that the attacker knows the locations of the BS and its users. Later on, we relax this assumption and consider the case when such knowledge is probabilistic. The formulated problems are solved using stochastic optimization, Lagrangian minimization, and game-theoretic methods. A closed-form solution for a special case of the problem is obtained. Furthermore, we analyze the achievable individual secrecy rates under PC attacks and provide an upper bound on these rates. We also study this scenario without a priori knowledge of user locations at the attacker by introducing chance constraints. Our results indicate that such attacks can degrade the throughput of a massive MIMO system by more than 50%.
Sports-Related Injuries of the Pediatric Musculoskeleton

Worldwide, more than 50 million children and adolescents participate in organized athletic programs annually. Despite the numerous health and well-being benefits, this widespread involvement also leads to acute and overuse injuries that account for millions of medical visits each year. Musculoskeletal injury in childhood may lead to growth disturbance and lifelong disability. Imaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis and management of these injuries. While radiography is sufficient for most long bone fractures, MRI is often necessary for optimal evaluation of injuries involving the radiolucent growth mechanism and articular structures. The following review will discuss the imaging features associated with many sports-related injuries unique to the pediatric musculoskeleton, specifically the lower extremity.
TU-AB-BRA-06: Texture Feature Reproducibility Between PET/CT and PET/MR Imaging Modalities

Purpose: Radiomics involves the extraction of texture features from different imaging modalities with the purpose of developing models to predict patient treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate texture feature reproducibility across [18F]FDG PET/CT and [18F]FDG PET/MR imaging in patients with primary malignancies. Methods: Twenty five prospective patients with solid tumors underwent clinical [18F]FDG PET/CT scan followed by [18F]FDG PET/MR scans. In all patients the lesions were identified using nuclear medicine reports. The images were co-registered and segmented using an in-house auto-segmentation method. Fifty features, based on the intensity histogram, second and high order matrices, were extracted from the segmented regions from both image data sets. One-way random-effects ANOVA model of the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to establish texture feature correlations between both data sets. Results: Fifty features were classified based on their ICC values, which were found in the range from 0.1 to 0.86, in three categories: high, intermediate, and low. Ten features extracted from second and high-order matrices showed large ICC ≥ 0.70. Seventeen features presented intermediate 0.5 ≤ ICC ≤ 0.65 and the remaining twenty three presented low ICC ≤ 0.45. Conclusion: Features with large ICC values could be reliable candidates for quantification as they lead to similar results from both imaging modalities. Features with small ICC indicates a lack of correlation. Therefore, the use of these features as a quantitative measure will lead to different assessments of the same lesion depending on the imaging modality from where they are extracted. This study shows the importance of the need for further investigation and standardization of features across multiple imaging modalities.
Deriving Prior Distributions for Bayesian Models Used to Achieve Adaptive E-Learning

This paper presents an approach of achieving adaptive e-learning by probabilistically evaluating a learner based not only on the profile and performance data of the learner but also on the data of previous learners. In this approach, an adaptation rule specification language and a user interface tool are provided to a content author or instructor to define adaptation rules. The defined rules are activated at different stages of processing the learning activities of an activity tree which models a composite learning object. System facilities are also provided for modeling the correlations among data conditions specified in adaptation rules using Bayesian Networks. Bayesian inference requires a prior distribution of a Bayesian model. This prior distribution is automatically derived by using the formulas presented in this paper together with prior probabilities and weights assigned by the content author or instructor. Each new learner’s profile and performance data are used to update the prior distribution, which is then used to evaluate the next new learner. The system thus continues to improve the accuracy of learner evaluation as well as its adaptive capability. This approach enables an e-learning system to make proper adaptation decisions even though a learner’s profile and performance data may be incomplete, inaccurate and/or contradictory. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2011.03.019
Demographic Trends in Canada, 1941–56, and Some of Their Implications

WHILE more than half of the world's population is still confronted by the "Malthusian menace" of poverty, hunger, and disease, Canadians have been able to enjoy a steadily rising level of well-being. The phenomenal expansion of the Canadian economy has not only facilitated improvements in the general standard of living, but has also given impetus to significant demographic changes in this country. Contrary to the "predictions" made by some demographers, the pre-war downward trend in fertility was reversed in the early years of the Second World War, and a "baby boom" set in, in Canada as elsewhere. Even after the boom had subsided in most other countries and their birth rates had shown
Inferring the geographic focus of online documents from social media sharing patterns

Determining the geographic focus of digital media is an essential first step for modern geographic information retrieval. However, publicly-visible location annotations are remarkably sparse in online data. In this work, we demonstrate a method which infers the geographic focus of an online document by examining the locations of Twitter users who share links to the document. We apply our geotagging technique to multiple datasets built from different content: manually-annotated news articles, GDELT, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, and Tumblr.
Digital implementation of a unity-power-factor constant-frequency DCM boost converter

A DSP implementation of digital control for constant-frequency, unity-power-factor, and discontinuous-conduction-mode boost rectifier is described. By employing variable-duty-cycle control, the power factor of over 0.99 is achieved in the entire universal line-voltage range (90-264 V). In addition, the transient response of the rectifier is optimized by utilizing a nonlinear PI-controller with anti windup that is independently optimized for U.S. line-voltage range (90-132 V) and for European line-voltage range (180-264 V) and by temporarily increasing the bandwidth of the control loop during transients. The performance of the proposed DSP control was verified on a 100-kHz, 400-W unity-power-factor rectifier prototype
Does Race Affect Outcomes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Background: There is discordance among studies assessing the impact of race on outcome of patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). We assessed survival outcomes for African American (AA) versus Caucasian (CA) women with TNBC treated at an urban cancer center in Memphis, TN with a predominant AA patient population. Methods: Patients with Stage I-III TNBC were identified from our breast database. Event free survival (EFS) and Breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) were the primary outcome measures. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted for EFS and BCSS. Results: Of the 124 patients, 71% were AA. No significant association between race and stage (P = 0.21) or menopausal status (P = 0.15) was observed. Median age at diagnosis was significantly lower for AA versus CA women (49.5 vs. 55 years, P = 0.024). 92% of the patients received standard neo/adjuvant chemotherapy, with no significant difference in duration and type of chemotherapy between the races. With a median follow up of 23 months, 28% of AA vs. 19% of CA women had an event (P = 0.37). 3 year EFS and BCSS trended favorably towards CA race (77% vs. 64%, log rank P = 0.20 and 92% vs. 76%, P = 0.13 respectively) with a similar trend noted on multiple variable modeling (EFS: HR 0.62, P = 0.29; BCSS: HR 0.36, P = 0.18). AA women ≥50 years at diagnosis had a significantly worse BCSS than the CA women in that age group (P = 0.012). Conclusion: Older AA women with TNBC have a significantly worse breast cancer specific survival than their CA counterparts. Overall, there is a trend towards lower survival for AA women compared to Caucasians despite uniformity of tumor phenotype and treatment. The high early event rate, irrespective of race, underscores the need for effective therapies for women with TNBC.
(Z)‐4‐Chloro‐4‐Hexenyl Trifluoroacetate

(Z)-4-chloro-4-hexenyl trifluoroacetate reactant: 35.3 g. (50.0 ml., 0.882 mole) of precondensed propyne reactant: 153.5 g. (0.975 mole) of 1-bromo-3-chloropropane intermediate: 6-chloro-2-hexyne product: 4-chloro-4-hexenyl trifluoroacetate Keywords: esterification, of substituted monobasic acids; halogenation, chlorination; rearrangements; replacement reactions, miscellaneous; sodium amide, preparation of; trifluoroacetic acid; benzene; condenser, Friedrichs; condenser, low temperature; distillation, columns, Widmer
Interrelated Effects of Cold Shock and Osmotic Pressure on the Permeability of the Escherichia coli Membrane to Permease Accumulated Substrates

Abstract Permease studies are generally carried out by incubating cells in growth medium with labeled substrate, collecting the cells on microporous membrane filters, and washing them free from extracellular radioactivity with ice-cold medium. Studies of thiomethylgalactoside, valine, and galactose accumulation indicate that in several strains of Escherichia coli the bacterial membrane is exquisitely sensitive to isosmotic cold shock. Substrate pools formed at 25 C may suffer almost total loss if the cells are rapidly chilled to approximately 0 C during sampling. In glycerol-grown cells, this rapid efflux of substrate is prevented or minimized if the cells are subjected at the moment of cold shock to a simultaneous hyperosmotic transition. Because of this protective effect, the apparent size of a permease accumulated substrate pool is extremely sensitive to the osmotic composition of the incubation medium and may appear to be increased as much as 10-fold when the osmolarity is reduced from approximately 0.3 to 0.1 osmolar. These differences vanish when sampling and washing are carried out with medium at room temperature. It is suggested that isosmotic cold shock causes crystallization of the liquid-like lipids within the membrane. The hydrophilic channels created in this process would facilitate the rapid efflux of permease accumulated substrates. The imposition of a simultaneous hyperosmotic transition by dehydrating the cell periphery would cause increased lipid interaction, thus preserving the integrity of the cells membrane.
Recent Advances in the Management of Difficult Constipation

Constipation is a highly prevalent disorder. Some patients suffer from acute, intermittent episodes of constipation. Others, however, suffer from chronic constipation, a term that refers to those patients with symptoms of constipation for more than 6 months. In clinical practice, chronic constipation is often used interchangeably with the term functional constipation, which is currently defined using the Rome III criteria. Symptoms can be burdensome, leading to a reduction in patients’ quality of life. In addition, chronic constipation is important because it imposes a significant economic impact to the health care system. Some patients with chronic constipation have persistent symptoms despite implementing lifestyle changes and using either over-the-counter agents or prescription medications. These patients may be categorized as having difficult constipation. This report will focus on recent advances in the management of difficult constipation, and include a discussion of new and upcoming medications as well as new diagnostic tests and procedures.
The Impact of Roles and Frames on Attributions of Responsibility: The Case of Cold War Human Radiation Experiments1

The phrase Cold War human radiation experiments has been used by the media to categorize a broad range of research programs involving radiation experiments conducted during the Cold War era. The present study uses vignettes based on 3 widely disseminated “horror stories” used by the media to frame the radiation experiments as deviant. Both the role of the actor (autonomous or obedient) and the media frame (sensational, counter claim, or control) were manipulated in the vignettes for the purpose of testing their independent effects on attributions of responsibility. Data were collected from 337 undergraduate students enrolled in introductory sociology courses to examine whether role, frame, or both shaped respondents’ attributions of responsibility to the individual or organization involved in the experiments. Results indicate that role has a significant effect on how individuals attribute responsibility, but media frames do not.
Responsiveness of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma to tamoxifen. A gynecologic oncology group study of second‐line therapy in 105 patients

One hundred five patients with Stage III or IV epithelial ovarian cancer whose disease had persisted or recurred after primary surgery and first-line chemotherapy were given tamoxifen (20 mg orally twice daily) and evaluated for response. Eighteen percent of the patients responded: 10% demonstrated a complete response (CR) and 8% showed a partial response (PR). Thirty-eight percent of the patients had short-term disease stabilization. CR had a median duration of 7.5 months, with the longest lasting 17 months. For patients with PR or stable disease, the median duration of response was 3 months (maximum duration, 9 months). When estrogen receptors of tumor tissue from patients demonstrating CR were evaluated, eight of nine (89%) had elevated estrogen receptor levels. This contrasts with patients who had stable or progressive disease as only 59% of them had measurable estrogen receptors (P = 0.16).
Nonenhanced extracranial carotid MR angiography using arterial spin labeling: improved performance with pseudocontinuous tagging.

Purpose: To compare pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) and pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) for nonenhanced extracranial carotid MR angiography (MRA). Materials and Methods: Parametric signal equations for PASL and PCASL MRA were formulated and compared. Volunteer imaging (n = 7) at 1.5 Tesla was performed to compare the methods over a broad range of repetition and labeling times. Empirical results were compared with theoretical predictions. The feasibility of the optimal method was investigated in patients (n = 2) with sonographically documented carotid artery disease. Results: In volunteers, PCASL provided significantly improved signal than PASL (range: 32–255% improvement; P < 0.01), and better supported the use of long labeling times and short repetition times. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment was found (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.966; P < 0.001). PCASL provided excellent depiction of the carotid arteries in initial patient studies. Conclusion: Compared with pulsed tagging, pseudocontinuous tagging provides improved performance for nonenhanced extracranial carotid MRA and warrants further clinical investigation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
mtDNA haplogroup and single nucleotide polymorphisms structure human microbiome communities

Although our microbial community and genomes (the human microbiome) outnumber our genome by several orders of magnitude, to what extent the human host genetic complement informs the microbiota composition is not clear. The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) Consortium established a unique population-scale framework with which to characterize the relationship of microbial community structure with their human hosts. A wide variety of taxa and metabolic pathways have been shown to be differentially distributed by virtue of race/ethnicity in the HMP. Given that mtDNA haplogroups are the maternally derived ancestral genomic markers and mitochondria’s role as the generator for cellular ATP, characterizing the relationship between human mtDNA genomic variants and microbiome profiles becomes of potential marked biologic and clinical interest. We leveraged sequencing data from the HMP to investigate the association between microbiome community structures with its own host mtDNA variants. 15 haplogroups and 631 mtDNA nucleotide polymorphisms (mean sequencing depth of 280X on the mitochondria genome) from 89 individuals participating in the HMP were accurately identified. 16S rRNA (V3-V5 region) sequencing generated microbiome taxonomy profiles and whole genome shotgun sequencing generated metabolic profiles from various body sites were treated as traits to conduct association analysis between haplogroups and host clinical metadata through linear regression. The mtSNPs of individuals with European haplogroups were associated with microbiome profiles using PLINK quantitative trait associations with permutation and adjusted for multiple comparisons. We observe that among 139 stool and 59 vaginal posterior fornix samples, several haplogroups show significant association with specific microbiota (q-value < 0.05) as well as their aggregate community structure (Chi-square with Monte Carlo, p < 0.005), which confirmed and expanded previous research on the association of race and ethnicity with microbiome profile. Our results further indicate that mtDNA variations may render different microbiome profiles, possibly through an inflammatory response to different levels of reactive oxygen species activity. These data provide initial evidence for the association between host ancestral genome with the structure of its microbiome.
A risk-based approach to cleanup: Problems and pitfalls

The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) manages a project through its Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) designed to study radiation dose and health effects from the testing of nuclear weapons. This program, called Radtest, was initiated under agreement between the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the project has proceeded with the additional participation of Russia, the United Kingdom and France.*
Dominica's lime industry: Agriculture and identity in the early twentieth century

This article examines the lime industry on the island of Dominica and the role it, as the dominant economic activity in the early twentieth century, played in the negotiation of identity. Economic narratives are used to explore this negotiation as the industry, and the island's prosperity, rose and fell. Examining the cycle of narratives provides insight into the creation of unity among agricultural producers that encouraged development of the lime industry. The industry arose from the suffering brought to the island by the collapse of sugar, and allowed the island a period of glory until the cycle returned to suffering.
The preparation of 248CmF3 deposits on self-supported carbon foils☆

Abstract Another target preparative technique was recently added to the Isotope Research Materials Laboratory's (IRML) capabilities for custom target fabrication. In support of super-heavy-ion physics experiments, methods and equipment were developed for the preparation of 248 CmF 3 deposits on carbon foils. The starting material was obtained as either a chloride or nitrate solution, converted to the flouride, and evaporated on carbon foil substrates. Deposits ranging from 40 to 570 μg/cm 2 were prepared as a 12-mm-diam spot on 45- to 60-μg/cm 2 self-supported carbon foils. The deposits were then overcoated with approximately 10 μg/cm 2 of carbon to minimize contamination problems during target handling. The high cost of 248 Cm ($100/μg) and its limited availability were the key constraints in the development of preparative technology beyond the inherent radioactivity of 248 Cm.