cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluid flow in cracks as related to low permeability gas sands

A problem in formation evaluation of tight gas sands is that their permeabilities are sometimes surprisingly sensitive to variations in overburden pressure. Photomicrographs of pore casts show an interconnected system of sheet pores, which are somewhat like the surfaces of a randomized honeycomb. A mathematical relation for predicting the pressure dependence of flow rate in sheet pores has been derived from the dimensions of the pores and the elastic constants of the matrix. The equation has been validated by measurements on artificial media containing cracks of known dimensions in glass and concrete. The observed pressure sensitivity of the gas sands used in this study requires the aspect ratio of the pores (in this case, the ratio of average large dimensions to sheet thickness) to be greater than 100. Aspect ratios have been determined by taking the large dimension from photomicrographs of pore casts or grain size and the thickness from mercury injection pressure or the slope of a plot of apparent permeability vs. the reciprocal of mean gas pressure. The latter gives the diffusive contribution to gas flow from which the pore size can be calculated. The two methods for measuring pore size give satisfactory agreement. The aspect ratios formore » the sheet pores in tight gas sands are large enough to explain the dependence of permeability on overburden pressure.« less
Radiation damping with inhomogeneous broadening: limitations of the single bloch vector model

There are several examples in the literature where effects of inhomoge- neous broadening on radiation damping of free precession signals have been described using a phenomenological 1 / T term in the Bloch equations. The inappropriate use of this 2 model is illustrated for specific cases. Correct signal shapes are predicted only when isochromat solutions of Bloch's equations are integrated over the spectrum of the inhomo-
Sensorimotor deficits produced by phenytoin and chlorpromazine in unanesthetized cats

Abstract Unanesthetized adult cats were evaluated for suprasegmental reflex activity and motor skills before and after administration of chlorpromazine (0.0625–0.5 mg/kg) alone and in combination with phenytoin (20 mg/kg). The greatest deficits were seen in the tests of balance and coordination in which half the animals failed to match their control responses after administration of chlorpromazine and phenytoin. The impairment was most noticeable with the most stringent test (walking a 4 cm wide beam), and the effects of the two drugs were additive. Although there was no effect of either drug on muscle strength, the two drugs in combination depressed the animals' motivational state, making them less willing to work against imposed loads. Neither drug, alone or in combination, altered responses to the flexor reflex, blind placing, the hopping response or visually aided placing. It is concluded that the effects of chlorpromazine and phenytoin on motor control are selective for the CNS loci which control balance and coordination. Although the two drugs produce additive responses, the deficits occur only at doses which are well above those needed for clinical efficacy and thus may not pose a problem in their long term clinical use.
The joint analysis of personal interview and family history diagnoses: evidence for validity of diagnosis and increased heritability estimates

Background. Psychiatric diagnoses obtained at personal interview are only moderately reliable and depend critically on accurate self-observation. Reports by family members provide additional information but may be biased. It is unclear how best to combine these two sources of diagnostic data. Methods. Using complete data on lifetime prevalence for six disorders in C 1200 male‐male twin pairs from a population based registry, we first applied a standard bivariate twin model ‐ which treats self-diagnoses and informant-diagnoses as separate phenotypes ‐ and then examined a ‘multiple-rater’ model ‐ which assumes that self-report and co-twin-report are fallible indices of one underlying disease liability. Best-fit models were chosen using Akaike’s information criterion. Results. Standard bivariate analyses indicated that the same genetic factors accounted for variation in self-reported and co-twin-reported diagnoses. The multiple-rater model produced a substantial decrease in variance attributed to individual-specific environment and a proportional increase in heritability of liability for major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence and adult antisocial behaviour, but not for drug abuse}dependence or regular tobacco use. The best-fit model consistently included either a ‘bias’ or a ‘correlated error’ path. No evidence for family environmental risk factors was found for any disorder. Conclusion. The genetic factors that influence self-report psychiatric illness also influence psychiatric illness as described by relatives. For many psychiatric disorders, incorporation of self-report and family history data in a single model may reduce measurement error and increase estimates of heritability. However, account must be taken of the fact that family history reports are systematically biased. While promising, these results are preliminary and require replication.
Biomechanical Aspects of Tissue Growth and Engineering

The historical development of the concept of stress modulated tissue remodeling is reviewed. Concrete new results are presented to show the following: 1) Morphological and structural remodeling of blood vessels due to change of blood pressure. 2) Remodeling of the zero-stress state of blood vessels as revealed by the change of the opening angles of the aorta due to hypertension. 3) Remodeling of mechanical properties as quantified by the change of material constants in the nonlinear constitutive equation. A unified interpretation of these remodeling processes is that a certain stress-growth law exists. I offer a simple mathematical stress-growth law for discussion.
New Fatigue Data for Wind Turbine Blade Materials

This paper reports on recent fatigue data of interest to the wind turbine industry in several areas: (a) very high cycle S-N data; (b) refined Goodman Diagram; (c) effects of fiber waviness; and (d) large tow carbon fi bers. Tensile fatigue results from a specialized high frequency small strand testing facility have been carried out to 10 10 cycles in some cases, beyond the expected cycle range for turbines. While the data cannot be used directly in design due to the specialized test specimen, the data trends help to clarify t he pr oper models for extrapolating f rom standard coupons to higher cycles. The results for various fiber and matrix systems also provide insight into basic failure mechanisms. For spectrum loading predictions, a more detailed Goodman Diagram has been developed with additional R-values (R is the ratio of m inimum to maximum stress in a cycle). The data of greatest interest were obtained for tensile fatigue with low cyclic amplitudes, close to R=1.0, to clarify the shape of the diagram as the cyclic amplitude approaches zero. These data may significantly shorten lifetime predictions compared with traditional Goodman Diagram constructions based on more limited data. The effects of material/process i nduced flaws on properties continues to be a m ajor concern, particularly with large tow carbon fabrics. The results of a study o f fiber waviness effects on compressive st rength s how significant strength reductions for severe waviness which can be introduced in resin infusion processes. The final section presents new fatigue results for large tow carbon/fiberglass hybrid composites. Epoxy resin laminates show marginally higher compressive strength and fatigue resistance with car bon fibers. Improve d compressive static and fatigue performance is found with stitched fabrics as compared with woven fabrics.
HISTORY AND INCOMPLETENESS

Vera Schwarcz's Place and Memory in the Singing Crane Garden examines the moral, philosophical, and historical meanings of a garden built by a Manchu Chinese prince, subsequently destroyed by British imperialists, commandeered by Red Guard radicals, and finally transformed into the grounds of an art museum. Reading Singing Crane Garden in the context of Schwarcz's previous writings on Chinese intellectuals and Jewish traditions, as well as insights provided by critical philosophers and geographers, this essay explores the moral and ethical dimensions of locating history in specific “emplacements”. The argument begins by examining the phenomenology of place articulated by Edward Casey, weaves through discussions of Chinese spatiality, embodiment, and garden aesthetics, and comments on Schwarcz's study of broken monuments and stele through comparisons with Classical Chinese writers and the contemporary American poet Louise Gluck. Comparisons are made between the destruction of the garden by the British forces of James Elgin, the murder of the journalist Thomas Bowlby, and the purging, imprisonment, torture, and brutality against scholars and intellectuals by the Red Guards under Mao. The essay closes with commentaries on Schwarcz's reflections concerning continuing global atrocities, and new insights into the ways that understanding landscape architecture as a form of history can bring meaning to questions of memory, loss, and the desire to evoke unrecoverable experiences.
Feasibility studies of virtual laryngoscopy by CT and MRI-from data acquisition, image segmentation, to interactive visualization

Virtual endoscopy concept has been applied to study the larynx, as well as other hollow organs in recent years, assuming a clean lumen. In this work, we investigated the feasibility of virtual laryngoscopy by (1) studying currently available imaging protocols, (2) developing a suitable image segmentation method, and (3) constructing art efficient visualization system. By utilizing helical computed tomography (CT), the images for laryngeal volume can be obtained during a breath hold with 0.3 mm resolution. A fast pulse sequence using 1.5 T magnetic resonance (MR) imager can achieve 1 mm resolution within few minutes. The gain in tissue contrast on MR images is at the cost of resolution, and motion artifacts must be considered during image segmentation. A first-order Lagrange interpolation was applied to mitigate the reduced resolution, as well as partial volume effect and noise on the MR images. An automatic segmentation algorithm was adapted to extract the wall volume of the larynx. The algorithm considers local voxel property and classifies voxels based on the local property in the KL (Karhunen-Loeve) space. A visualization system was constructed for examining the mucosa and wall geometry with anatomical references in three dimensions. It navigates inside the lumen, as well as outside the larynx interactively with capability of inspecting and zooming into the regions of interest. It can also cut the larynx in any orientation to open the whole volume for viewing the entire inner surface. The procedure was tested on 2 volunteers and 2 patients. The segmentation performed consistently for all the studies and showed to be relatively insensitive to mild respiratory motion artifacts in the MR images. Image processing was accomplished within a few minutes on PC and low-end SGI platforms. These studies demonstrated the feasibility of virtual laryngoscopy for diagnosis of laryngeal abnormalities.
Isolated gait apraxia from an acute unilateral parasagittal lesion

Gait apraxia (GA) is defined by the inability to activate and mainain ambulation from deficits that are not attributable to motor, ensory, cerebellar, or psychiatric disease [1]. In GA, particular difculty is seen with initiating locomotion and turning [1]. Lesional A has mainly been reported in bilateral medial frontal lesions 1,2]. Unilateral lesions causing isolated GA, also predominantly in rontal cortex, have rarely been demonstrated in the magnetic resnance imaging (MRI) era, and usually present in a chronic and rogressive fashion [1,2]. We report a patient experiencing sudden nset isolated GA, providing unique insights into its clinical and euroanatomical correlates.
Getting Teachers in on the Act: Evaluation of a Theater- and Classroom-Based Youth Violence Prevention Program

This study replicated and extended our previous evaluation of Urban Improv (UI), a theater-based youth violence prevention (YVP) program developed for urban youth. It assessed the replicability of positive program impacts when implemented by nonprogram originators, as well as the utility of a comprehensive version of the UI program that included a classroom-based teacher curriculum (TC). Outcomes compared 260 elementary school students in classrooms that received basic UI, the TC, or the comprehensive program (UI + TC), or to serve as matched control classrooms. Findings revealed that UI can be generalized to new troupes, the comprehensive program demonstrates an additive effect over UI alone, and the TC shows some promise as an easily disseminated, stand-alone YVP program.
The evolution of time measurement, Part 4: the atomic second [Recalibration]

Before the invention of atomic clocks, the second was defined by dividing the period of an astronomical event into a shorter time interval. For example, the second was once defined by dividing the average period of one revolution of the Earth on its axis. The mean solar second was equal to 1/86,400 of the mean solar day. To create a more stable unit of time interval, the second was redefined in 1956 as 1/31,556,925.9747 of the tropical year 1900. The ephemeris second was indeed more stable than the mean solar second but was nearly impossible to use as a time reference and of little use to metrologists or engineers. In retrospect, it seems almost ridiculous that another astronomical definition of the second was accepted during a period when atomic clocks were already being built [1], [2]. A clean transition from the mean solar second to the atomic second would have made more sense. Doomed from the start, the ephemeris second would be easy to forget about except for one thing - it became the comparison reference for the atomic second.
Initial voicing contrast acquisition in normal and phonologically disordered children

Speech sound production changes that occurred during acquisition of the initial voicing contrast induced through treatment in phonologically disordered children were compared to those that occurred during normal acquisition of the contrast. Target stop productions from three normally developing children and six phonologically disordered children were analyzed acoustically along the temporal measure of VOT. The phonologically disordered subjects displayed different patterns of voicing contrast acquisition, none of which replicated the normally developing children's pattern. The phonologically disordered children's patterns of acquisition were characterized by larger and more variable VOT values in comparison to those of the normally developing children. Different patterns of voicing contrast acquisition observed in VOTs are discussed with regard to the nature of linguistic change and the source of breakdown in children's speech sound errors.
Use of the MMPI—A to Assess Personality of Juvenile Male Delinquents Who are Sex Offenders and Nonsex Offenders

Surnmay.-The present smdy invebr~~sted the relationship between offender type and personality in 21 juvenile males adjudlcared for crimes of a sexual nature and 30 juvenile males adjudicated for nonsexual offenses including Possession of Narcotics, Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Assault, and other crimes involving property. Subjects who were aged 13 to 17 years (mean age 15) and committed to the State of Connecticut, Long Lane School, were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A). Scores on Psychopathic Deviate and Schizophrenia scales contributed most to che juveniles being classiFied as sex offenders, whereas scores on Hysteria and Psychasthenia contributed primarily to subjects being classified as nonsex offenders. A single discriminant function attained statistical significance, thereby correctly classdymg 77% oE the nonsex offenders and 71% of che sex offenders. Results indicate that sex offenders may be distinguished from nonsex offenders according to clinical scales of the MMPI-A.
Cross-calibration of ground and space radar

Presents results from comparing space radar and ground radar to cross-calibrate the Kwajalein polarimetric radar (KPOL) with the spaceborne TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR). Use of self-consistency of polarimetric measurements is implemented to check the absolute calibration of KPOL and is checked against the cross-calibration results of PR and KPOL. Differential reflectivity (Z/sub dr/) calibration is also done and compared with vertical looking scans through rain.
Chronic contamination decreases disease spread: a Daphnia–fungus–copper case study

Chemical contamination and disease outbreaks have increased in many ecosystems. However, connecting pollution to disease spread remains difficult, in part, because contaminants can simultaneously exert direct and multi-generational effects on several host and parasite traits. To address these challenges, we parametrized a model using a zooplankton–fungus–copper system. In individual-level assays, we considered three sublethal contamination scenarios: no contamination, single-generation contamination (hosts and parasites exposed only during the assays) and multi-generational contamination (hosts and parasites exposed for several generations prior to and during the assays). Contamination boosted transmission by increasing contact of hosts with parasites. However, it diminished parasite reproduction by reducing the size and lifespan of infected hosts. Multi-generational contamination further reduced parasite reproduction. The parametrized model predicted that a single generation of contamination would enhance disease spread (via enhanced transmission), whereas multi-generational contamination would inhibit epidemics relative to unpolluted conditions (through greatly depressed parasite reproduction). In a population-level experiment, multi-generational contamination reduced the size of experimental epidemics but did not affect Daphnia populations without disease. This result highlights the importance of multi-generational effects for disease dynamics. Such integration of models with experiments can provide predictive power for disease problems in contaminated environments.
Relationship Between Teachers Belief Systems and Actions Toward Teaching Physical Activity and Fitness

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers’ belief systems toward physical activity and fitness and what is taught in their classes. Forty-two physical education teachers were selected based on high physical activity and fitness or low physical activity and fitness belief system scores on a previously validated instrument. Each teacher was observed twice to measure instructional behaviors related to physical activity and fitness. The relationship between their belief systems and actions was determined. There were no significant differences between the high physical activity and fitness belief system and low physical activity and fitness belief system groups in the percent of class time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity, fitness activities, or teacher behaviors related to fitness.
Weakly pulse-coupled oscillators: Heterogeneous delays lead to homogeneous phase

This paper studies the effect of heterogeneous delays in networks of weakly pulse-coupled identical oscillators. We develop a new framework to study them by constructing a non-delayed phase model that is equivalent to the original one in the continuum limit. Using existing results for non-delayed phase-coupled oscillators we analyze the delayed system and show how its stability properties depend on the delay distribution. In particular, we show that in some scenarios, heterogeneity, i.e. wider delay distribution, can help reach in-phase synchronization.
The Parks of Vienna

In this cross-cultural and historical contrast to the American park style, we see an eighteenth-century Viennese park, the Prater. This park has long been a showcase for the panoply of Viennese popular culture (“To be Viennese has long meant to visit the Prater”), serving as a generous stage for the mixing of classes and cultures. Here was a crossroad where immigrants, travelers, ethnics and the lower echelons could observe and mingle with the middle and upper reaches of society; a living laboratory of acculturation to the life of a cosmopolitan city. Together with the Schoenbrunn Zoo and other mainstays of the recreational outing, the park also provides an early example of environmental awareness in a rapidly expanding area calling for a balance between urban growth and green space. These effects indicate that popular culture, even within the limited realm of entertainment such as the amusement park, carries more serious implications for social and environmental issues.
Ouroboros: a tool for building generic, hybrid, divide & conquer algorithms

Summary form only given. A hybrid divide and conquer algorithm is one that switches from a divide and conquer to an iterative strategy at a specified problem size. Such algorithms can provide significant performance improvements relative to alternatives that use a single strategy. However, the identification of the optimal problem size at which to switch for a particular algorithm and platform can be challenging. We describe an automated approach to this problem that first conducts experiments to explore the performance space on a particular platform and then uses the resulting performance data to construct an optimal hybrid algorithm on that platform. We implement this technique in a tool, Ouroboros, that automatically constructs a high-performance hybrid algorithm from a set of registered algorithms. We present results obtained with this tool for several classical divide and conquer algorithms, including matrix multiply and sorting, and report speedups of up to six times achieved over nonhybrid algorithms.
Translation of Risk Information for the Public: Message Development

The development of messages that will inform the public about risks to their health and encourage them to take appropriate action is a vital step in the communications process. Because the abstract concept of risk is difficult to explain and comprehend, message development may be one of the most frustrating stages in the process. This frustration is shared by agency officials who are responsible for risk communication and face a public untrained to understand scientific methodology and technical terminology, as well as citizens who want concrete answers and action regarding health risks instead of uncertain responses. Barriers to effective communications include the nature of health risk science, limitations of the media and other communication channels, and public perceptions of risk. Therefore, the message development process must encompass how the public perceives health risk messages, characteristics of the target audiences and selected communications channels, principles for message design, and message testing.
A Beautiful Story: A Dream Realized through the Power of Natural Supports and Faith in Oneself

At a very young age, Shirley Doneza was diagnosed with developmental delay and a learning disability. Her parents, Ed and Martha, recall the obstetrician telling them in the vaguest of terms: “Something is wrong with her.” However, Ed and Martha knew the person that Shirley was becoming and never doubted her potential to work hard and realize whatever dreams she might hold dear. With their faith and support, Shirley passed through the grade levels in school apace with her peers and ultimately graduated from college with a degree as an Educational Assistant. Today, she has achieved a high quality of life with a competitive, and exceptionally gratifying, employment and a high quality of life. Her story is a model of the power of natural supports—defined as the people surrounding a person, not as professionals but as personal associations, i.e., family and friends who believe in the person (Stodden & Leake, 1994) —to impart self-confidence and self-efficacy, and the success that that belief can bring.
Unemployment and household food hardship in the economic recession.

School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USASubmitted 15 July 2014: Final revision received 27 January 2015: Accepted 16 March 2015AbstractObjective: The present study examined the association between unemploymentand household food insecurity during the 2007–2009 economic recession inthe USA.Design: Longitudinal survey of the Survey of Income and Program Participation(SIPP; 2008–2011). Food insecurity was measured by ﬁve questions excerptedfrom an eighteen-item Food Security Scale. Unemployment was measured by adichotomous indicator, the number of job losses and the total duration of allepisodes in the observation period.Setting: As nationally representative data, the SIPP interviewed respondents inmultiple waves with a time interval of four months.Subjects: The study created two analytic samples including working-age house-hold heads employed at the beginning of the observation period. The size of thetwo samples was 14417 and 13080.Results: Unemployment was positively associated with food insecurity (OR=1·55;95% CI 1·32, 1·83; P<0·001). Similar results were obtained when the analysiscontrolled for food insecurity status measured before unemployment (OR=1·54;95% CI 1·27, 1·88; P<0·001). For households with the same duration ofunemployment, one more episode of unemployment increased the odds of foodinsecurity by 8% (OR=1·08; 95% CI 1·00, 1·18; P<0·001).Conclusions: More in-depth understanding of the relationship between unemploy-ment and food insecurity is useful to better identify and serve the at-risk population.Connecting unemployment assistance closely to nutrition assistance could lower theprevalence of food insecurity among unemployed households. Public policy shouldbetter account for both episodes and duration of unemployment to reduce foodinsecurity.KeywordsEconomic recessionFood insecurityJob lossUnemploymentSIPPThe unemployment rate in the USA during the latesteconomic recession increased from 5·0% in December2007 to 10·0% in October 2009, and remained above 9·0%throughout the whole year of 2010
The Mandate and the (In)Effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council and International Peace and Security: The Contexts of Syria and Mali

ABSTRACTThe article examines the (in)effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as an enforcer of peace and security in the post–Cold War global order and teases out the tensions between the mandate and its enforcement. Through an examination of the cases of Syria and Mali and the related UNSC resolutions, the article demonstrates that the council’s role is primarily guided by the geopolitical visions and interests of its veto-wielding permanent members (P5). The action or inaction of the council depends on whether a particular situation is tangential or core to the concern of a permanent member or a group of members. Geopolitical visions guiding the interests of the permanent members dominate the UNSC-mandated concerns of international peace and security. While the conflict situations in Syria and Mali posed similar problems, the council emerged largely effective in the later and ineffective in the former owing to the clash of geopolitical visions. In the case of Syria the clash of visio...
Documentary film as equivalence: Giuseppe Bertolucci's Pasolini prossimo nostro (2006)

ABSTRACTPier Paolo Pasolini recently became the subject of several films, stressing the symptomatic relevance of his life, persona and art. This article analyses Giuseppe Bertolucci's Pasolini prossimo nostro/Pasolini Our Neighbour (2006) a documentary focused on Pasolini's last and most controversial film Salo o le 120 giornate di Sodoma/Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975). The director was murdered only a few days before the premiere of Salo,which quickly became legendary and stimulated a flourishing of heated reactions ranging from anathema to apotheosis. More interested in cinema than in hagiography, Bertolucci prefers a philological approach to Pasolini's work, and thanks to extensive research—mainly in the archives of Gideon Bachman and Deborah Beer—the spectator can enjoy rare material from the set of Salo, including still photographs, sequences cut from the released film and a revealing conversation between Bachman and Pasolini. Bertolucci's documentary is both a challenging meta-cinematic experi...
Effects of Environmental Scarcity and Munificence on the Relationship of Context to Organizational Structure

This study compared the relationships between context and organizational structures under conditions of environmental scarcity and conditions of environmental munificence. The study analyzed data o...
Simplified Procedure for the Performance-Based Prediction of Lateral Spread Displacements

AbstractPast researchers have introduced performance-based methods to simultaneously account for the various sources of uncertainty in the prediction of lateral spread displacements through the incorporation of a probabilistic analytical framework. Although these methods can effectively handle the various sources of uncertainty associated with empirical lateral spread displacement prediction, they are difficult for engineers to perform without the use of specialized numerical tools. This paper introduces a simplified procedure that approximates the results of the performance-based method through the use of lateral spread reference parameter maps. Equations are provided to correct mapped reference parameter displacements for site-specific geotechnical and topographical information to produce hazard-targeted estimates of lateral spread displacement. The simplified performance-based procedure is validated through a comparative study using several soil profiles across several cities in the United States. Resu...
Pulmonary and respiratory diseases in the aged.

Most lung disorders in the aged begin during adult life; however, certain conditions are particularly common in older patients. Among these are bacterial bronchopneu monia, pulmonary tuberculosis, carcinoma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.Chest x-rays in the presence of respiratory complaints and after pulmonary infections, complete evaluation and periodic re-examination of any apparently inactive tuberculous lesion, antituberculous chemotherapy in certain cases of tuberculosis (even without proof of active disease, and vigorous and regular treatment in chronic obstructive lung diseases are essential.
Validation of the Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory in Two Diverse Samples of LGBTQ Youth

Critical race theory asserts that microaggressions, or low-level, covert acts of aggression, are commonplace in the lives of people of color. These theorists also assert a taxonomy of microaggressions, which includes "microassaults," "microinsults," and "microinvalidations". The theory of microaggressions has been adopted by researchers of LGBTQ communities. This study investigated the three-factor taxonomy as it relates to a diverse sample of LGBTQ youth using the newly developed Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory (SOMI). Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the number of factors that exist in SOMI in a sample of 206 LGBTQ-identifying youth. Follow up confirmatory factor analyses were conducted in order to compare single-factor, unrestricted four-factor, second-order, and bi-factor models in a separate sample of 363 young men who have sex with men. The best fitting model was used to predict victimization, depressive symptoms, and depression diagnosis in order to test validity. The best fitting model was a bi-factor model utilizing 19 of the original 26 items with a general factor and four specific factors representing anti-gay attitudes ("microinsults"), denial of homosexuality, heterosexism ("microinvalidations"), and societal disapproval ("microassaults"). Reliability analyses found that the majority of reliable variance was accounted for by the general factor. The general factor was a significant predictor of victimization and depressive symptoms, as well as unrelated to social desirability, suggesting convergent, criterion-related, and discriminant validity. SOMI emerged as a scale with evidence of validity for assessing exposure to microaggressions in a diverse sample of LGBTQ youth.
Why Does Feminism Matter to Aesthetics

Peter Lamarque recently reported on current trends in aesthetics in the Postgraduate Journal of Aesthetics . Noticeably absent from his list, however, is the emergence and acceptance of feminist approaches in aesthetics, especially among analytic philosophers. Yet feminism is an important movement, one that should have been included among those he discusses. Indeed, my goal is to convince you that feminism should have made it onto Lamarque’s list. Rather than criticize him, however, I want to use his oversight to ask why feminist philosophers working in analytic aesthetics have trouble getting the recognition they deserve. My suggestion will be that the specificity of feminist critiques in aesthetics is often what makes it difficult for philosophers to appreciate their significance. I will also argue that it is precisely because of this specificity that feminism is a uniquely important movement in contemporary aesthetics.
Staged Soft Tissue Reconstruction Following Sarcoma Excision with Anticipated Large Cutaneous Defects: An Oncologically Safe Alternative.

BACKGROUND We hypothesized that select patients undergoing planned soft tissue sarcoma (STS) excision with anticipated skin and soft tissue deficits could be treated with a two stage surgical procedure which would allow some flexibility in coverage options while not significantly increasing local recurrence rate or wound complication rate. METHODS A retrospective review was undertaken in a series of consecutive patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up treated by a single orthopedic oncologist and a single reconstructive plastic surgeon who were managed with a staged approach STS excision and reconstruction. RESULTS There were 73 patients identified over a ten-year period that underwent staged STS excision and soft tissue reconstruction. There were 12 (16%) initial positive margins resected to negative final margins, and a variety of coverage procedures performed. Wound complication rate was 21%. Local recurrence rate was 11%. CONCLUSION Staged STS excision and reconstruction is an acceptable tool in the armamentarium of the orthopedic oncologist for managing major soft tissue deficits without an increase in local recurrence rates.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: from comfort care to long-term survival

The management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has changed substantially over the past four decades. In the 1970s, children with HLHS could only be provided with supportive care. As a result, most of these unfortunate children died within the neonatal period. The advent of the Norwood procedure in the early 1980s has changed the prognosis for these children, and the majority now undergoing a series of three surgical stages that can support survival beyond the neonatal period and into early adulthood. This review will focus on the Norwood procedure and the other important innovations of the last half century that have improved our outlook toward children born with HLHS.
When Autistic Behavior Suggests a Disease Other than Classic Autism

Most neurodevelopmental disorders are defined by their clinical symptoms and many disorders share common features. Recently there has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, although concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the reported prevalence rates. This article reviews the essential features of autism spectrum disorder and describes other conditions that may include similar symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder (primary communication disorders, anxiety disorders, attachment disorders, intellectual disability, vision and hearing impairment, and normal variations). An approach to differential diagnosis is discussed with particular attention to evaluation of young children.
Prospective evaluation of a 409-gene next generation sequencing platform to facilitate genotype-matched clinical trial enrollment.

3608 Background: We initiated a prospective, institution-wide study to determine whether genomic testing with a 409-gene panel in solid tumors can identify new actionable genomic information (beyon...
Disrupted development and integrity of frontal white matter in patients treated for pediatric medulloblastoma.

Background Treatment of pediatric medulloblastoma is associated with known neurocognitive deficits that we hypothesize are caused by microstructural damage to frontal white matter (WM). Methods Longitudinal MRI examinations were collected from baseline (after surgery but before therapy) to 36 months in 146 patients and at 3 time points in 72 controls. Regional analyses of frontal WM volume and diffusion tensor imaging metrics were performed and verified with tract-based spatial statistics. Age-adjusted, linear mixed-effects models were used to compare patient and control images and to associate imaging changes with Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Results At baseline, WM volumes in patients were similar to those in controls; fractional anisotropy (FA) was lower bilaterally (P < 0.001) and was associated with decreased Processing Speed (P = 0.014) and Broad Attention (P = 0.025) performance at 36 months. During follow-up, WM volumes increased in controls but decreased in patients (P < 0.001) bilaterally. Smaller WM volumes in patients at 36 months were associated with concurrent decreased Working Memory (P = 0.026) performance. Conclusions Lower FA in patients with pediatric medulloblastoma compared with age-similar controls indicated that patients suffer substantial acute microstructural damage to supratentorial frontal WM following surgery but before radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Additionally, this damage to the frontal WM was associated with decreased cognitive performance in executive function 36 months later. This early damage also likely contributed to posttherapeutic failure of age-appropriate WM development and to the known association between decreased WM volumes and decreased cognitive performance.
Impact of atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Insights of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample.

Abstract Background Limited data exists exploring the relationship between varying degrees of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Methods Records were selected from the 2011 to 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample for TAVR patients with pre-existing AF and CKD. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and TAVR-related in-hospital adverse events were identified and compared between patients with and without AF and moderate CKD (CKD stage 3–4), and between patients with and without AF and severe CKD (CKD stage 5 or end stage renal disease [ESRD]). Evaluated outcomes included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Results We identified a total of 293 patients with moderate CKD (stage 3 and higher) that underwent TAVR at selected U.S. hospitals between 2011 and 2012. Among these patients, 112 had a diagnosis of AF and 181 did not have AF. MACCE rates were similar among CKD 3–4 patients with and without AF (10.3% and 9.0% respectively, p = 0.74). MACCE rates were similar among CKD 5/ESRD patients with and without AF (20.0% and 16.2% respectively, p = 0.74). However, MACCE rates were higher in patients with CKD 5/ESRD compared with CKD 3–4 patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis did not show that AF was an independent predictor of in-hospital MACCE. Conclusions In a large retrospective analysis of CKD stage 3–4 or CKD 5/ESRD patients undergoing TAVR at selected U.S. hospitals, the presence of AF did not seem to be associated with increased adverse in-hospital events or length of stay.
Novel Body Shape Descriptors for Abdominal Adiposity Prediction Using Magnetic Resonance Images and Stereovision Body Images.

Objective The purpose of this study was to design novel shape descriptors based on three-dimensional (3D) body images and to use these parameters to establish prediction models for abdominal adiposity. Methods Sixty-six men and fifty-five women were recruited for abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 3D whole-body imaging. Volumes of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were measured from MRI sequences by using a fully automated algorithm. The shape descriptors were measured on the 3D body images by using the software developed in this study. Multiple regression analysis was employed on the training data set (70% of the total participants) to develop predictive models for VAT and SAT, with potential predictors selected from age, BMI, and the body shape descriptors. The validation data set (30%) was used for the validation of the predictive models. Results Thirteen body shape descriptors exhibited high correlations (P < 0.01) with abdominal adiposity. The optimal predictive equations for VAT and SAT were determined separately for men and women. Conclusions Novel body shape descriptors defined on 3D body images can effectively predict abdominal adiposity quantified by MRI.
Remarks for Stanford Research Institute Conference April 17, 1973

The Noise Control Act of 1972 establishes the first Federal regulatory program to control noise pollution in the U.S. It mandates a three-pronged approach dealing with new products (including motor vehicles), aircraft, and interstate rail and motor carriers. The key challenge now is proper implementation of the legislation by the Environmental Protection Agency. Although the EPA working agenda contains promising implementation plans, and the initial signs were encouraging, recent developments give: cause for concern. Among these are indications of inadequacies in the new product noise criteria being developed, reliance on DOT and FAA personnel to evaluate the performance of their own agencies, and the Administration's hiring ‘freeze’, which hinders the expansion of the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement to a size equal to the task ahead. These and other developments are interpreted in light of the provisions and intent of the Noise Control Act to form the basis of a ‘score card’ for the EPA.
OSNR Estimation Algorithm for Higher-order Modulation Formats in Coherent Optical Systems

We propose a blind OSNR estimation algorithm. Simulations show that its mean square error is smaller than that of the conventional moment-based algorithm. The estimation error is experimentally demonstrated to be less than 0.6 dB.
Recovery of sign vectors in quadratic compressed sensing

In certain applications, recovering the signs of values may be more critical than the values themselves. Inspired by advances of sparse recovery of signals with fewer measurements, we would like to study the sign recovery problem and generalize it from a linear case to a non-linear setup. We focus on the sign values in quadratic measurement systems and provide theorems for the consistency condition, which ensures the signs are recovered correctly with probability close to 1. In deriving the consistency condition, we adopt a new penalty term using the trace operation and transform the optimization problem to the widely known Lasso problem. We also present simulation results to verify the correctness of our theorems.
Current concepts in the diagnosis of pancreatitis in dags and cats

Η παγκρeατίτιδα αποτeλeί το πιο συχνό νόσημα της eξωκρινους μοίρας του παγκρέατος τόσο στο σκύλο όσο και στη γάτα, στην πλeιονότητα όμως των πeριπτώσeων παραμένeι αδιάγνωστη λόγω των δυσκολιών που παρουσιάζeι η διάγνωση της στην κλινική πράξη. Αιματολογική και βιοχημική eξέταση, καθώς και ανάλυση ούρου, θα πρέπeι να γίνονται σe όλα τα ζώα μe υποψία παγκρeατίτιδας, παρά το γeγονός ότι τα eυρήματα τους eίναι μη eιδικά. Από τις απeικονιστικές μeθόδους, η υπeρηχοτομογραφική eξέταση eίναι ιδιαίτeρα χρήσιμη για τη διάγνωση της παγκρeατίτιδας, η χρησιμότητα της όμως eξαρτάται σe μeγάλο βαθμό από την πeίρα του κτηνιάτρου. Η απλή ακτινογραφία κοιλίας χρησιμeύeι κυρίως στον αποκλeισμό παθολογικών καταστάσeων μe κλινική eικόνα παρόμοια μe αυτήν της παγκρeατίτιδας, eνώ η αξονική τομογραφία δeν συστήνeται για τη διάγνωση της παγκρeατίτιδας στο σκύλο και τη γάτα. Eπί του παρόντος, η ιστοπαθολογική eξέταση βιοψιών του παγκρέατος αποτeλeί τη μόνη μέθοδο μe την οποία μπορeί να eπιβeβαιωθeί η ύπαρξη παγκρeατίτιδας, ο αποκλeισμός της νόσου όμως μπορeί να eίναι δύσκολος. Στη γάτα, οι δραστηριότητeς της αμυλάσης και της λιπάσης του ορού του αίματος δeν παρουσιάζουν καμία διαγνωστική αξία, eνώ αποτeλούν μια λογική και συνήθη αρχική προσέγγιση σκύλων μe υποψία παγκρeατίτιδας. Η δοκιμή TLI παρουσιάζeι πeριορισμένη χρησιμότητα για τη διάγνωση της παγκρeατίτιδας, κυρίως λόγω της χαμηλής της eυαισθησίας. Τέλος, η δοκιμή PLI αποτeλeί τη διαγνωστική μέθοδο eκλογής για τη διάγνωση της παγκρeατίτιδας τόσο στο σκύλο όσο και στη γάτα.
Reduction of Sympathetic Innervation Following Transition to Sacubitril/Valsartan in the Remodel (Reverse Remodeling Effects of Entresto) Study

Background Increased sympathetic nervous system activity is commonly observed in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and is one cause of pathological structural remodeling of the left ventricle. Sacubitril/valsartan reduces mortality and heart failure hospitalizations, but its effect on sympathetic nervous system activity is unknown. Methods Patients enrolled in the prospective, longitudinal REMODEL study underwent 123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy prior to and three months following conversion from angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker therapy to sacubitril/valsartan. The early heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio, late H/M ratio and washout rate were calculated. Baseline and on-therapy values were compared using a paired t-test analysis. Results 40 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 55 ± 12 years, 25 (63%) were male, and 30 (75%) had a non-ischemic heart failure etiology. Following transition to sacubitril/valsartan therapy, the late H/M ratio increased from 1.39 ± 0.19 to 1.52 ± 0.19 (p Conclusions Addition of sacubitril/valsartan to baseline heart failure therapy resulted in a decrease in cardiac sympathetic activity, as shown by a decrease in both the early and late H/M ratio and an increase in the washout rate on MIBG imaging. The decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity may underlie the improvement in survival seen with sacubitril/valsartan and can serve as a good measure of medication response.