cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Stroop facilitation effects in schizophrenia are not due to increased automatic spreading activation

Studies using the single trial Stroop task consistently reveal increased reaction time (RT) facilitation effects among schizophrenia patients. One possible mechanism underlying this effect is increased automatic spreading activation in semantic networks. The current study was designed to test this hypothesis. We administered the Stroop task and two semantic priming tasks to the same subjects. Patients showed greater Stroop RT facilitation than controls, no evidence of increased semantic priming at short stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs), and reduced semantic priming at long SOAs. In addition, abnormal Stroop performance was related to the severity of Disorganization symptoms. These results are inconsistent with the spreading activation hypothesis. Alternative hypotheses regarding the source of Stroop task performance deficits in schizophrenia are discussed.
Frequency specific effects of stroboscopic rearing in the visual cortex of the rabbit

Rearing animals in stroboscopic illumination deprives those animals of the experience of visual motion. In the rabbit, stroboscopic rearing produces a significant alteration in the response properties of cells in the visual cortex, demonstrating that the rabbit visual system is susceptible to environmental manipulation during early postnatal life. Response properties were determined for single units recorded in the primary visual cortex of 3 groups of rabbits. One group had been reared from birth to 2 months of age at a stroboscopic flash frequency of 8 Hz, a second group was raised at a flash frequency of 4 Hz and a third was reared normally. Compared to normal rabbits, rabbits reared at 8 Hz showed a reduction in the proportion of orientation selective cells which were also direction-selective, and there was an increase in the proportion of cells responsive to stroboscopic flashes. There was no reduction, however, in the overall proportion of orientation-selective cells. This contrasts with the finding for the rabbits raised at a flash frequency of 4 Hz. In addition, cortical cells in the rabbits raised at 8 Hz responded to frequencies of stroboscopic flashes which were significantly higher than the frequencies found for cells in the rabbits raised at 4 Hz. The effects of stroboscopic rearing on the rabbit visual cortex are dependent, therefore, on the flash frequency experienced by the rabbits during development.
Safety and feasibility of adjunctive regadenoson injection at peak exercise during exercise myocardial perfusion imaging: The Both Exercise and Regadenoson Stress Test (BERST) trial

Background The data existing in the literature regarding the safety of using regadenoson with symptom-limited exercise are limited, which motivated the authors to undertake this randomized study.
Microstructures Of Irradiated And Mechanically Deformed Metals And Alloys: Fundamental Aspects

Recent molecular dynamics and transmission electron microscopy results on irradiated metallic materials are reviewed, with an emphasis on defect production in the displacement cascade and the fluence- and temperature-dependent accumulation of defect clusters. Materials analyzed include Fe, V, Cu, austenitic stainless steel, V4%Cr4%Ti, and ferritic/martensitic steel. Intrinsic differences between the defect accumulation behavior of body centered cubic (BCC) and face centered cubic (FCC) metals are highlighted. Results on the temperature-dependent vacancy cluster density of Cu are discussed in terms of thermal stability of stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs). Finally, recent results on deformation behavior of irradiated, quenched, and deformed metals are discussed, with particular emphasis on flow localization mechanisms (e.g., dislocation channeling), and experimental and molecular dynamics studies of the detailed dislocation-defect cluster interactions.
The relationship between contraceptive use and maternal and infant health outcomes in Tajikistan.

Abstract Objective There has been no evaluation of the association between contraceptive use and maternal and child health (MCH) in Tajikistan, though the government has made concerted efforts to improve accessibility to family planning methods. The aim of this study is to understand the relationship between current contraceptive utilization and specific MCH outcomes in Tajikistan. Study Design Using data from the 2012 Tajikistan Demographic and Health Survey, a total weighted sample of 6716 women aged 15 to 49 years who had at least one child at the time of interview was analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between current contraceptive utilization and birth spacing, birth limiting and infant mortality. Results Modern contraceptive use was low among women studied (27.1%). Modern contraceptive users were more likely to present with a longer birth interval [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.0–2.8] than traditional or nonusers. Women who used modern contraceptives were half as likely to limit births to three or fewer children compared to traditional or nonusers (aOR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4–0.6). Among women whose most recent live birth resulted in death, modern contraceptive use was not associated with lower levels of infant mortality. Conclusion Efforts made by the Tajik government to increase utilization of family planning have had mixed effects on overall uptake and the MCH outcomes analyzed in this study. These findings can help to inform the government's policy on family planning. Implications Contraceptive utilization has not yet translated into beneficial MCH outcomes. Policy makers in Tajikistan might consider placing more emphasis on family planning education, while maximizing accessibility of contraceptive methods.
Development and evaluation of a physically-based lake level model for water resource management: A case study for Lake Buchanan, Texas

Abstract Study region Lake Buchanan, a major reservoir for the City of Austin area, the Texas Hydrologic Region 12, USA. Numerical climate models are increasingly being used by climate scientists to inform water management. However, successful transitions from climate models (O(10–100 km)) to water resources studies (O(100 m–1 km)) still need improved data structures and modeling strategies to resolve spatial scale mismatch. In this study, we introduce a mechanistic lake-level modeling framework that consists of a state-of-the-art land surface model – Noah-MP, a vector-based river routing scheme – RAPID, and a lake mass-balance model. By conducting a case study for Lake Buchanan, we demonstrate the capability of the framework in predicting lake levels at seasonal lead times. The experiments take into account different runoff resolutions, model initialization months, and multiple lead times. Uncertainty analyses and sensitivity tests are also conducted to guide future research. New hydrological insights Different from traditional grid-based solutions, the framework is directly coupled on the vector-based NHDPlus dataset, which defines accurate hydrologic features such as rivers, dams, lakes and reservoirs. The resulting hybrid framework therefore allows for more flexibility in resolving “scaling-issues” between large-scale climate models and fine-scale applications. The presented hindcast results also provide insight into the influences of baseline LSM resolutions, initialization months, and lead times, which would ultimately help improve lake-level forecast skills.
Evaluating temporal plans in incomplete domains

Recent work on planning in incomplete domains focuses on constructing plans that succeed despite incomplete knowledge of action preconditions and effects. As planning models become more expressive, such as in temporal planning, the types of incompleteness may not only change, but plans become more challenging to evaluate. The primary difficulty to temporal plan evaluation is accounting for temporal constraints that may not be satisfied under all interpretations of the incomplete domain. In this work, we formulate incomplete temporal plan evaluation as a generalization of the temporal consistency problem, called partial temporal consistency. We present a knowledge compilation approach that is combined with symbolic constraint propagation and model counting algorithms for counting the number of incomplete domain model interpretations under which a plan is consistent. We present an evaluation that identifies the aspects of incomplete temporal plans most impact performance.
Treatment of Family Problems in Autism

There is little dispute among professionals that autism is a biologically based disorder, probably of multiple etiologies (e.g., Schopler & Mesibov, 1987). Although biological in origin, it also appears to be the case that how a family responds to a child’s autism can, in some cases, influence the child’s educational gains and manifestation of behavior problems. A chaotic, disorganized family, or a clinically depressed parent, will have difficulty creating the kind of consistency to which these youngsters best respond. Thus, family problems may influence the development of the child with autism. Conversely, the child’s disability can have a major impact on family functioning. These two factors may intertwine, with family dysfunction heightening the child’s needs, and the child’s behavior problems intensifying family difficulties.
AGE AT ONSET OF GENETIC DISEASES: AN APPLICATION FOR SARTWELL'S MODEL OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCUBATION PERIODS

For diseases of well-defined genetic etiology and with onset after birth, the age at onset corresponds to the incubation period of the disease. The lognormal model, as used by Sartwell to study the distribution of incubation periods in infectious diseases (Am J Hyg 1950;51:310-8), was applied in this study to the distribution of the ages at onset of genetic diseases. The literature was reviewed for reports of genetic diseases having frequency distributions of ages at onset. Fourteen diseases with well-specified genetic etiology as well as nine other diseases where the contribution of the genetic component to the etiology is not well defined were studied. A graphic method as well as a goodness of fit test were applied to the different age at onset distributions to assess their conformity to the lognormal model. For most of the genetic diseases that have an underlying biochemical abnormality, the age at onset distributions approximated a logarithmic normal model. In seven series of cases of diseases with an established pattern of inheritance but with no defined biochemical abnormalities, only two showed a good fit to the lognormal model. For diseases with ill-defined genetic etiology or strong environmental influences, these distributions of the age at onset did not fit the lognormal model. In a multifactorial model for disease etiology, the present method may be used as a crude way for differentiating the relative importance of etiologic factors acting before and after birth.
4×4 MIMO equalization to mitigate crosstalk degradation in a four-channel free-space orbital-angular-momentum-multiplexed system using heterodyne detection

We demonstrate crosstalk degradation mitigation using 4×4 MIMO equalization on an orbital-angular-momentum-multiplexed free-space data link with heterodyne detection. 20-Gbit/s QPSK signal with up to -4.8 dB crosstalk is recovered and the BER is reduced by two orders of magnitude.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia: an approach for the internist.

SUMMARY In benign prostatic hyperplasia, urodynamic testing and the many available drugs and surgical procedures have complicated the issue of what to do for whom. Although the severity of a patient’s symptoms and his informed preferences should be the driving forces, specialized tests can help tailor treatment to the individual patient.
The Pure Rotational Spectrum of a Claisen Rearrangement Precursor Allyl Phenyl Ether using CP-FTMW Spectroscopy

Abstract The pure rotational spectrum of a Claisen rearrangement precursor, Allyl Phenyl Ether (APE), has been measured on a chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectrometer in the 8–14 GHz region. Rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for multiple conformations have been determined and are reported for the first time. This is the first study of a phenyl-containing ether where multiple conformers were experimentally observed all within their ground vibrational states. Quantum chemical calculations have been performed to isolate low energy geometries of APE and are implemented to aid in spectral assignment. Other structural parameters such as planar moments and inertial defects for the Allyl Phenyl Ether conformers are presented and compared to similar molecules.
Fluorescence techniques for metal-humic interactions

Two fluorescence techniques to study metal-humic interactions are presented. In the first technique, Lanthanide Ion Probe Spectroscopy (LIPS), the humic samples are titrated by Eu3+ ions. The ratio of the intensities of two emission lines of Eu3+, R=I592/I616, is used to estimate the amount of bound and free species of the probe ions. The titration plot is presented as R versus the logarithm of total added Eu3+. In the second technique, fluorescence quenching of the humic material by Cu2+ is used to produce titration curves of intensity versus the logarithm of total added Cu2+. The two techniques are used in conjunction with a model that treats the various ligands in humic substances as continuous distributions of binding sites in which individual ligand concentrations are normally distributed with respect to the individual stability constants for metal binding. The model includes the effects of pH, ionic strength, and competing metal ions. The parameters of the model are estimated by fitting the spectral titration data to the calculated titration plot. Some simulation and experimental data are presented and discussed.
Gauss Pseudospectral Method for Solving Infinite-Horizon Optimal Control Problems

The previously developed Gauss pseudospectral method is extended to the case of nonlinear infinite-horizon optimal control problems. First, the semi-infinite domain t ∈ [0,+∞) is transformed to the domain τ = [−1,+1). The first-order optimality conditions of NLP obtained from the pseudospectral discretization are then presented. These optimality conditions are related to the KKT multipliers of the nonlinear programming problem, leading to an approximation for the costate of the continuous optimal control problem. A key result is that the state and costate are obtained on the entire horizon (including the solution at t = +∞). Numerical results show that the method of this paper lead to the ability to determine accurate primal and dual solutions for infinite-horizon optimal control problems.
Modeling the nonthyroidal illness syndrome.

Purpose of reviewTo provide an update on the pathogenesis and significance of the nonthyroidal illness syndrome.Recent findingsThe severity of the nonthyroidal illness syndrome predicts mortality, and animal data suggest that, at least in some circumstances, therapy may be beneficial. Multiple abnor
Organized Surfaces of Highly Faceted Single-Crystal Palladium Structures Seeded by Sacrificial Templates

The templated synthesis of periodic arrays of highly faceted single-crystal structures of palladium is described. The devised route confines an array of sacrificial gold templates between a palladi...
Effect of Fixatives and Other Chemicals in Extending the Activity of the Insect Attractant Trimedlure

The perfume fixative Exaltolide® (pentadecanolide or 15-hydroxypentadecanoic acid e-lactone) extends significantly the attraction of trimedlure for adult Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), probably through its action as a volatility depressant. Exaltotide is comparatively nonvolatile, so it persists as the trimedlure evaporates; and as expected from Raoult’s Law, the volatility of the trimedlure diminishes as its mole fraction decreases. Exaltolide exhibited no selectivity in pressing the volatility of the individual isomers in trimedlure. Because Exaltolide is too costly for practical use, inexpensive compounds representing a variety of different types and several musks were tested for their efficiency in extending the action of trimedlure. The best of these were butyl phthalate, butyl oleate, l-octadecanol, diethyl ethylphenylmalonate, and several synthetic musks. Their effect on the attraction of trimedlure has not yet been investigated. No specific structure was found preferable for depressing the volatility of trimedlure.
Pharmacological targeting of VEGFR signaling with axitinib inhibits Tsc2-null lesion growth in the mouse model of lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare progressive lung disease associated with mutations of the tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (Tsc2) tumor suppressor gene, manifests by neoplastic growth of LAM cells, induction of cystic lung destruction, and respiratory failure. LAM severity correlates with upregulation in serum of the prolymphangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) that distinguishes LAM from other cystic diseases. The goals of our study was to determine whether Tsc2 deficiency upregulates VEGF-D, and whether axitinib, the Food and Drug Administration-approved small-molecule inhibitor of VEGF receptor (VEGFR) signaling, will reduce Tsc2-null lung lesion growth in a mouse model of LAM. Our data demonstrate upregulation of VEGF-D in the serum and lung lining in mice with Tsc2-null lesions. Progressive growth of Tsc2-null lesions induces recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells and increased nitric oxide production. Recruited cells isolated from the lung lining of mice with Tsc2-null lesions demonstrate upregulated expression of provasculogenic Vegfa, prolymphangiogenic Figf, and proinflammatory Nos2, Il6, and Ccl2 genes. Importantly, axitinib is an effective inhibitor of Tsc2-null lesion growth and inflammatory cell recruitment, which correlates with reduced VEGF-D levels in serum and lung lining. Our data demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of VEGFR signaling with axitinib inhibits Tsc2-null lesion growth, attenuates recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, and reduces VEGF-D levels systemically and in the lung lining. Our study suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of inhibition of VEGFR signaling for treatment of LAM.
Effect of Ischemic Postconditioning on the Reperfusion Injury Salvage Kinase and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore at Different Time Phases of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusionon in Rats

Objective To explore the effects of ischemic postconditioning on the reperfusion injury salvage kinase and the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore( m PTP) at different time phases of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Isogenic adult Lewis rat models of cervical heterotopic and working-heart transplantation were established. The 120 recipients were divided into ischemiareperfusion group,ischemic postconditioning group and sham operation group,8 rats in the sham operation group,56 in the other two groups respectively,8 for each time phase point. Myocardial infarction size,expression of p-AKT and p-ERK1 /2 protein and the opening of m PTP were measured respectively at 3,6,12,24-hour and 2,4,7-day after reperfusion. Results The expression of p-AKT and p-ERK1 /2 protein and the opening of m PTP were statistically significant different between the ischemia-reperfusion group and ischemic postconditioning group at 7 time points after reperfusion( P 0. 05),while both of which were higher than the sham operation group. The myocardial infarction range of the postconditioning group was less than the ischemia-reperfusion group( P 0. 05). Conclusion Ischemic postconditioning can increase the expression of p-AKT and p- ERK1 /2 protein,decrease the opening of m PTP and myocardial infarction range between 3hours and 7 days after the reperfusion after myocardial ischemia in rats.
Study on Background Light Compensation of Photo-Electric Position Sensitive Detector

The position sensitive detector (PSD) is photo electronic sensor which can detect the position of a light spot travelling over its surface, and convert the position of light spot to simple electric current signal. The most important problem to use the PSD is how to overcome the influence of background light action on the PSD. Based on the PSD analyses, it is found that the signal of PSD is nonlinear when there exist background light. A method for background light compensation of photo electric position detector based on the artificial neural network is presented in this paper. In order to compensate background light over a full range, the neural network is trained to properly represent the nonlinear mapping between sensor reading and their represent output accurately at different background light. It is revealed from the computer simulation that the influence of background light fluctuation can be eliminated effectively, and a desired linear relationship between the sensor input and the neural network output can be obtained.
Effect of dopamine on the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism.

Experiments were performed in anesthetized rats to examine whether infusion of dopamine is associated with a reduction in the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) response of stop-flow pressure (PSF) and early proximal flow rate (VEP) to increases of loop of Henle flow. The purpose of these studies was to test further the validity of the proposal that renal vasodilation is a nonspecific cause for diminished TGF responsiveness. When femoral arterial pressure was kept constant with a suprarenal aortic clamp, intravenous infusion of dopamine at rates of 4, 15, 35, and 75 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 induced a 10.9, 23.4, 31.3, and 30.1% decrease in renal vascular resistance. Maximum PSF and VEP responses were significantly reduced at all dose levels of dopamine, whereas V1/2, the flow rate required to produce the half-maximum response, was not altered. TGF blunting occurred within less than 10 min after starting the dopamine infusion. Peritubular infusion of dopamine reduced maximum PSF responses from 8.8 +/- 0.7 to 4.6 +/- 0.53 mmHg at 10(-4) M (P less than 0.01) and from 6.0 +/- 1.19 to 3.6 +/- 0.55 mmHg at 10(-3) M (P less than 0.05). The results are consistent with the notion that renal vasodilatation may modify TGF responses by preventing the full vasoconstrictor response to changes in luminal NaCl concentration.
Effects of a dietary antimicrobial (carbadox) on liver cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and bile acid patterns in the young pig.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the antimicrobial carbadox (CX) on bile acid metabolism in the young pig. The pigs were fed a fortified, 19.5% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet without or with 55 ppm CX. In Exp. I pigs were fed the diets for 28 d, then the level of activity of hepatic cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CH-7 alpha), the rate-limiting enzyme of bile acid metabolism, was measured. The CX-fed pigs gained faster (P less than .05) and more efficiently (P less than .05) and had lower (P less than .02) CH-7 alpha activity than the control pigs. In Exp. II, pigs ranging in weight from 12 to 15 kg were fitted with indwelling catheters in the hepatic portal (HP) and anterior vena cava (VC) veins. Radiolabeled chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC) was infused into the HP and blood samples from both veins were taken at meal time and hourly for 6 h following six meals over 3 d. Bile was collected 14 d after infusion. Concentrations of lithocholic acid (LC) in the bile and hyodeoxycholic acid (HDC) in the plasma were reduced by dietary CX. Dietary CX did not significantly affect metabolism of plasma CDC or hyocholic acid (HC) as measured by radioactivity. Meal time (0800 vs 1600) affected (P less than .05) plasma CDC radioactivity at all times and the level of HDC radioactivity 2 h post-prandial. There was a meal time X dietary treatment interaction (P less than .02) on plasma HC radioactivity 2 h post-prandial. These data suggest that dietary CX inhibited intestinal microbial degradation of CDC and HC.
The Central Bank

The world’s central banks currently operate under a philosophy of control rather than accommodation. According to the implicit assumption underlying this philosophy, a central bank somehow possesses superior information, knowledge, or ability to determine the appropriate level of whatever economic variable(s) it seeks to control. Consequently it is justified in attempting to prevent or offset business conditions it considers adverse and to promote conditions it deems desirable. In the U.S., for example, the Federal Reserve is allowed to select from an array of potentially conflicting goals the rate of inflation, level of unemployment, rate of economic growth, or the exchange rate it considers best for the economy. It neither consults a constituency in making its selection nor offers any specific information to the private sector either as to its long-run objectives or as to precisely how it expects to attain those objectives. It does announce broad ranges for twelve-month target rates of growth for several monetary arrgregates. But it is not uncommon to find one or more of these aggregates lying outside is targeted range. Becasue the Fed does not reveal the extent to which it is committed to keeping these measures within their targeted bounds, the financial markets must continually guess what the Fed will or will not do next.
Theories of Politeness

In this chapter, I review the extant literature relevant to the research question, including the impact of the native language on second language acquisition; theoretical perspectives on politeness, including Brown and Levinson’s (1987) universal theory on politeness; socio-cultural aspects of politeness; politeness patterns; strategic politeness, including indirectness in speech acts for politeness expression; discernment politeness concerning the social relationship between the speaker and the hearer; the pre-patterned speech view of politeness; and the politeness system and socio-cultural values in Korea.
Shellfish-Associated Enteric Virus Illness: Virus Localization, Disease Outbreaks and Prevention

Numerous outbreaks of shellfish-borne enteric virus illness have been reported worldwide. Most notable among the outbreaks are those caused by NoV and HAV. Lessons learned from outbreak investigations indicate that most outbreaks are preventable. Anthropogenic sources of contamination will continue to invade shellfish growing waters. Shellfish, by their very nature, will continue to bioconcentrate these contaminants, including enteric viruses. There is no quick fix for enteric virus contamination of shellfish; however, vigilance on behalf of the industry, regulatory agencies, and the consumer could substantially reduce the incidence of illness. Enhanced monitoring in all areas of shellfish production, harvesting, distribution, and processing would help to reduce viral illnesses. Pollution abatement and improved hygienic practices on behalf of the industry and consumers are needed. Improved analytical techniques for the detection of enteric viruses in shellfish will lead to enhanced shellfish safety and better protection for the consumer and the industry. Better reporting and epidemiological follow-up of outbreaks are keys to reducing the transmission of foodborne viral infections. It is anticipated that recent advances in analytical techniques, particularly for NoV, will lead to better monitoring capabilities for food and water and a reduction in the incidence of enteric virus illness among shellfish consumers.
Cocaine Use Reverses Striatal Plasticity Produced During Cocaine Seeking.

Abstract Background Relapse is a two-component process consisting of a highly motivated drug-seeking phase that, if successful, is followed by a drug-using phase resulting in temporary satiation. In rodents, cue-induced drug seeking requires transient synaptic potentiation (t-SP) of cortical glutamatergic synapses on nucleus accumbens core medium spiny neurons, but it is unknown how achieving drug use affects this plasticity. We modeled the two phases of relapse after extinction from cocaine self-administration to assess how cocaine use affects t-SP associated with cue-induced drug seeking. Methods Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine ( n = 96) or were used as yoked-saline control animals ( n = 21). After extinction, reinstatement was initiated by 10 minutes of cue-induced drug seeking, followed by 45 minutes with contingent cocaine access, after which cocaine was discontinued and unreinforced lever pressing ensued. Three measures of t-SP were assayed during reinstatement: dendritic spine morphology, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) to N -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) ratios, and matrix metalloproteinase activity. Results We found that cocaine use for 10 minutes collapsed all three measures of cue-potentiated t-SP back to baseline. Moreover, when cocaine use was discontinued 45 minutes later, dendritic spine morphology and AMPA to NMDA ratios were restored as animals became motivated to engage unrewarded lever pressing. Nonreinforced drug seeking was positively correlated with changes in spine morphology, and cocaine access reversed this relationship. Conclusions Using a novel modification of the reinstatement paradigm, we show that achieving cocaine use reversed the synaptic plasticity underpinning the motivation to seek the drug.
Combining structured and unstructured knowledge sources for question answering in watson

One of the classical challenges of Artificial Intelligence research has been to build automatic, open-domain question answering (QA) systems. The goal is not merely to retrieve documents containing answers to questions, or to query databases known to contain the answers. Rather, open-domain question answering systems must accept any question on any topic, find relevant information from possibly disparate sources, synthesize an answer, explain the evidence supporting the answer and provide an indication of the systems confidence that the answer is correct.
Medications, Drugs of Abuse, and Alcohol

Sleep is a very tightly regulated process that can be easily disturbed by medications, illicit drug use, or chronic alcohol abuse. Sleep complaints are very common among substance abusers and chronic alcoholics and consist mainly of insomnia with difficulty in falling and/or maintaining sleep. Sleep disruption might be long lasting and promote relapse to addiction or alcoholism. Early recognition and treatment of these sleep disorders might improve outcomes in this population as it is increasingly recognized that sleep is essential to maintain optimal health.
Decision-making policies for heterogeneous autonomous multi-agent systems with safety constraints

This paper studies a decision-making problem for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with safety density constraints. An individual agent's decision-making problem is modeled by the standard Markov Decision Process (MDP) formulation. However, an important special case occurs when the MDP states may have limited capacities, hence upper bounds on the expected number of agents in each state are imposed. We refer to these upper bound constraints as "safety" constraints. If agents follow unconstrained policies (policies that do not impose the safety constraints), the safety constraints might be violated. In this paper, we devise algorithms that provide safe decision-making policies. The set of safe decision policies can be shown to be convex, and hence the policy synthesis is tractable via reliable and fast Interior Point Method (IPM) algorithms. We evaluate the effectiveness of proposed algorithms first using a simple MDP, and then using a dynamic traffic assignment problem. The numerical results demonstrate that safe decision-making algorithms in this paper significantly outperform other baselines.
Predictive Markers for Cold-Induced Sweetening Resistance in Cold Stored Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.)

An approach has been developed to screen a large number of potato clones for cold induced sweetening (CIS) resistance in breeding programs. Two key enzymes responsible for reducing sugar accumulation during cold storage were identified. Clones with the A-II isozymes of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase coupled with low activity of vacuolar acid invertase enzyme had increased resistance to CIS by forming less suc, which is subsequently hydrolyzed to the undesirable reducing sugars, glc and fru. Six named cultivars and 192 genetically diverse clones from various breeding programs in USA were analyzed over two years for the two key enzymes and sugar concentration in cold stored tubers. The predictability for CIS resistance during cold storage was 94% both years. Clones classified as class A accumulated low concentration of reducing sugar glc during cold storage. It is suggested that these two predictor enzymes can be used for screening parents and selections in potato breeding program.
Development of a Risk Register Spreadsheet Tool for Enterprise- and Program-Level Risk Management

Enterprise risk management is an area of growing interest for state departments of transportation in the United States. This research developed a risk register spreadsheet tool—applicable at the enterprise and program levels—that supports the user in identifying risk events, defining risk categories, and assessing the likelihood (probability) and consequence (effect) of an event occurring. A state-of-the-practice survey was conducted with regard to the use of risk register tools to support enterprise- and program-level risk management at U.S. state departments of transportation, international transportation agencies, and nontransportation organizations. On the basis of the survey results and to further inform development of the risk register tool, several organizations were selected for in-depth interviews to gather additional information on their risk management practices and use of risk register tools. The resultant risk register reflects information from the interviews and examples provided by the part...
Cross-Cultural Student Teaching: Examining the Meaning-Making of One White, Female, Middle-Class Preservice Teacher

While teacher educators implement diverse student teaching placements for preservice teachers as a means of bridging the cultural mismatch in classrooms around the United States, researchers have only recently begun to tap into the role that preservice teachers’ “whiteness” plays in their ideologies. As such, the purpose of this study was to better understand how one white, female preservice teacher made meaning of her experiences during a cross-cultural experiential learning (CCEL) student teaching placement abroad. Analyzing if and how previous intercultural interactions were drawn upon while abroad, as well as how experiences abroad were employed once returning to the US, findings suggest that cultural competency does not directly equate to recognizing whiteness and the privileges associated.
What Explains Participation and Effort in Voluntary Climate Action by Businesses?: Evidence from the Carbon Disclosure Project

This paper analyzes the extensive and intensive margins of participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project by the Global 500. Empirical results based on the Double Hurdle model suggest that the existence of a senior manager with direct responsibility for climate change is associated with higher participation. Firms that have integrated climate change risks into their business operations are associated with higher levels of carbon disclosure. I exploit President Obama’s announcements of executive actions on climate change, which increased the likelihood of climate change regulation in the U.S., using a triple-differences model. Results from difference-in-difference-in-differences models suggest that U.S. firms were more likely to participate and engaged in higher levels of carbon disclosure relative to other firms. Adoption of a climate strategy and emissions targets increased the probability of voluntary carbon disclosure by U.S. companies albeit these firms were overall less likely to disclose their carbon emissions compared to non-U.S. firms.
Three-dimensional and ultralight sponges with tunable conductivity assembled from electrospun nanofibers for a highly sensitive tactile pressure sensor

This work outlines a general method to prepare a three-dimensional (3D), highly porous, and conductive sponge with tunable conductivity for a tactile pressure sensor. The 3D conductive sponge is prepared by the assembly of shortened/fragmented electrospun nanofibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyimide (PI), and PAN-based carbon. The nanofibers of PAN, PI, and carbon are dispersed in water/ethanol with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and then freeze dried to form the 3D conductive sponge. Subsequently, the sponge is thermally treated at 230 °C; and the dehydrated PVA acts as a binder to uniformly bond electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on the mechanically resilient 3D scaffold of PAN/PI. Upon varying the amounts of CNFs, the resistance of the 3D nanofibrous sponge is readily tailored from ∼260 kΩ to ∼200 Ω. The resistance change of the 3D conductive sponge under cyclic compressive strain is investigated, and the results are correlated with the unique interconnected and hierarchically structured pores in the sponge. A tactile pressure sensor array composed of 25 devices of conductive sponges is demonstrated.
Leveraging Facebook to Brand Radiology

In the current health care climate, radiologists should consider developing their brand. Facebook is the market leader for social media networking in the United States. The authors describe how radiologists can leverage Facebook to develop and market organizational, group, and individual brands. The authors then address concerns related to the use of social media by radiologists.
Training recurrent neural networks via dynamical trajectory-based optimization

Abstract This paper introduces a new method to train recurrent neural networks using dynamical trajectory-based optimization. The optimization method utilizes a projected gradient system (PGS) and a quotient gradient system (QGS) to determine the feasible regions of an optimization problem and search the feasible regions for local minima. By exploring the feasible regions, local minima are identified and the local minimum with the lowest cost is chosen as the global minimum of the optimization problem. Lyapunov theory is used to prove the stability of the local minima and their stability in the presence of measurement errors. Numerical examples show that the new approach provides better results than genetic algorithm and backpropagation through time (BPTT) trained networks.
SCALABLE PRECONDITIONING TECHNIQUES FOR FULLY-COUPLED HYDROMECHANICAL MODELS

In this study, we consider efficient solution methods for mixed finite element models of variably-saturated fluid flow through deformable porous media. Our main focus is preconditioning techniques to accelerate the convergence of implicit Newton–Krylov solvers. We highlight an approach in which preconditioners are built from block-factorizations of the coupled system. The resulting methodology allows one to extend single-physics preconditioners in a natural way to multi-physics applications, allowing for significant code reuse while still capturing the tightly-coupled nature of the underlying physics. The proposed methodology has been extensively tested on large, three-dimensional problems with several million unknowns. Results demonstrate that an algebraic multigrid variant of the block-preconditioner leads to mesh-independent solver convergence and good parallel efficiency
Operation ARIES!: A Serious Game for Teaching Scientific Inquiry

Operation ARIES! is a serious game that teaches critical thinking about scientific inquiry. The player must help to identify aliens on Earth who are intentionally publishing bad research. The game combines aspects of video games and intelligent tutors in which the player holds conversations with animated agents using natural language. The player first takes a training course with a virtual trainee, followed by a module in which the player identifies flaws in research cases. In the third and final module, the player interviews suspected alien scientists on their research. Operation ARIES! is designed for high school seniors and adults.
Effects of addictive-like eating behaviors on weight loss with behavioral obesity treatment

To examine the relationship between food cravings and food addiction as defined by the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and to assess the effects of these variables on weight loss during a 14-week group lifestyle modification program. Data were from 178 participants who were prescribed a 1000–1200 kcal/day portion-controlled diet and provided with weekly group lifestyle modification sessions. Participants completed the Food Craving Inventory and YFAS pre- and post-treatment. Weight was measured weekly. Participants with YFAS-defined food addiction (6.7%) reported more frequent overall food cravings relative to those without food addiction. More frequent food cravings at baseline were associated with less weight loss over the 14 weeks. Analyzed categorically, participants in the highest tertile of baseline food cravings lost 7.6 ± 0.5% of initial weight, which was significantly less compared to those in the lowest tertile who lost 9.1 ± 0.5%. Percent weight loss did not differ significantly between participants with YFAS-defined food addiction (6.5 ± 1.2%) and those who did not meet criteria (8.6 ± 0.3%). Addictive-like eating behaviors significantly declined from pre- to post-treatment. Participants with frequent food cravings lost less weight than their peers. Targeted interventions for food cravings could improve weight loss in these individuals. Few participants met YFAS-defined criteria for food addiction. Addictive-like eating behaviors tended to decline during behavioral weight loss, but neither baseline nor change in YFAS scores predicted weight loss.
Online Center of Mass Estimation for a Humanoid Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Robot.

We present a novel application of robust control and online learning for the balancing of a n Degree of Freedom (DoF), Wheeled Inverted Pendulum (WIP) humanoid robot. Our technique condenses the inaccuracies of a mass model into a Center of Mass (CoM) error, balances despite this error, and uses online learning to update the mass model for a better CoM estimate. Using a simulated model of our robot, we meta-learn a set of excitory joint poses that makes our gradient descent algorithm quickly converge to an accurate (CoM) estimate. This simulated pipeline executes in a fully online fashion, using active disturbance rejection to address the mass errors that result from a steadily evolving mass model. Experiments were performed on a 19 DoF WIP, in which we manually acquired the data for the learned set of poses and show that the mass model produced by a gradient descent produces a CoM estimate that improves overall control and efficiency. This work contributes to a greater corpus of whole body control on the Golem Krang humanoid robot.
Effect of Postoperative Mechanical Axis Alignment on Survival and Functional Outcomes of Modern Total Knee Arthroplasties with Cement: A Concise Follow-up at 20 Years.

Abstract:We previously compared the 15-year survivorship of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implants that were mechanically aligned (0° ± 3° relative to the mechanical axis) compared with those that were outside that range and considered outliers. The original publication included 398 TKAs (292 in the
Aging T cells portend poor outcome in follicular lymphoma

Immune cell profiling identifies intratumoral T cell subsets associated with patient survival in follicular lymphoma.
Novel algorithms to predict the occurrence of in-hospital venous thromboembolism in cancer patients: Machine learning classifiers developed from the 2012 national inpatient sample.

1582 Background: Cancer poses a significant risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), but predicting VTE in patients is challenging. Oncology admissions accrue significant amounts of clinical data, bu...
13 ideas that are transforming the community college world

Community colleges have never shied away from re-creating and re-inventing themselves. Indeed, that has been the hallmark of their continuing creativity and viability as part of the American higher...
A SIX-WEEK SUPERVISED EXERCISE AND EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A CASE SERIES.

Background and purpose Most rehabilitation interventions after total hip arthroplasty (THA) are not designed to return patients to high-levels of physical activity and, thus, low levels of physical activity and residual weakness are common. The purpose of this case series was to describe the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an exercise and education intervention for patients after THA who have already completed formal outpatient physical therapy. Study design Case series. Case description Two participants underwent unilateral THA seven (case A) or eight (case B) months prior to the intervention. Individuals participated in 18 treatment sessions that included progressive aerobic and strengthening exercises and meetings with a health coach. Change in function, strength, and self-reported physical activity were measured. Outcomes 12 months after surgery were compared to a historical cohort of patients after THA. Outcome There were no adverse events during the intervention. At the end of the intervention, hip and knee strength on the surgical side increased approximately 30% compared to baseline in both cases. Activity level, and recreational performance, including walking up stairs and hiking uphill (case A), and running and golfing (case B), improved by the end of the intervention. Most changes were maintained at follow-up, although hip strength for case B decreased 27% after discharge from the intervention. Outcomes for both cases exceeded historical averages for patients 12 months after THA, with the exception of strength in case B. Discussion The exercise intervention was well tolerated and without negative effects in two participants. Both participants increased their ability to complete demanding recreational and sports-related activities, physical activity, and demonstrated improved hip abductor and knee extensor strength. Further research is needed to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of similar interventions after THA. Level of evidence Level 4.
Error Exponents of Parallel Two-way Discrete Memoryless Channels using Variable Length Coding

Achievable error exponents for two-way parallel discrete memoryless channels (DMC) using variable block length coding (VLC) are presented. First, Forney’s erasure decoding error exponent is shown to be achievable for both directions simultaneously. Next, for some rate-pairs, it is shown that the error exponent of the direction with a smaller capacity may be further increased by allocating feedback resources to it in the other direction, at the price of a decreased error exponent for the other terminal. The presented two-way communication scheme builds upon Draper-Sahai’s one-way DMC achievability scheme with noisy feedback under VLC. Both achievable error exponent regions demonstrate that the use of VLC and interaction between the terminals may benefit both directions’ error exponents over fixed block length and feedback free transmission.1