cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Responses to Squats Completed with Free Weights and an Exoskeleton

To assess the comparative similarity of squat data collected as they wore a robotic exoskeleton, female athletes (n =14) did two exercise bouts spaced 14 days apart. Data from their exoskeleton workout was compared to a session they did with free weights. Each squat workout entailed a four-set four-repetition paradigm with 60-second rest periods. Sets for each workout involved progressively heavier (22.5, 34, 45.5, 57 kg) loads. The same physiological, perceptual and exercise performance dependent variables were measured and collected at both workouts. Per dependent variable, Pearson correlation coefficients, t-tests and Cohen’s d effect size statistic compared the degree of data similarity between values obtained from the exoskeleton and free weight workouts. Results show peak O2, heart rate and peak force data produced the least variability. In contrast far higher inter-workout variability was noted for peak velocity, peak power and EMG values. Overall, an insufficient amount of comparative similarity exists for data collected from both workouts. Due to the limited similarity, data obtained from the exoskeleton does not exhibit an acceptable degree of validity. Likely the cause for the limited similarity was due to the brief amount of familiarization subjects had to the exoskeleton prior to actual data collection. A familiarization session that accustomed subjects to squats done with the exoskeleton prior to actual data collection may have considerably improved the validity of data obtained from that device.
Proof of concept of the preventive efficacy of high-dose recombinant mono-allergen immunotherapy in atopic dogs sensitized to the Dermatophagoides farinae allergen Der f 2.

Background Allergen immunotherapy is currently the only intervention proposed to specifically prevent clinical flares after allergen challenges. The low molecular weight Der f 2 (Df2) is a major allergen in Japanese dogs sensitized to Dermatophagoides farinae house dust mites. Objectives Pilot, blinded, placebo-controlled experiment testing the efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) with high doses of recombinant Df2 conjugated to the maltotriose pullulan (rDf2-P). Methods Eight Maltese beagle atopic dogs were sensitized to rDf2 then randomized to SCIT with rDf2-P (six dogs) or placebo (two). The immunotherapy consisted of six weekly injections of increasing doses (0.1–10.0 μg) of rDf2-P followed by four monthly injections of 10 μg of this allergen. Epicutaneous rDf2 challenges, rDf2-specific IgE serology and intradermal reactivity, as well as serum cytokine level measurements, were performed throughout the study. Results Subcutaneous injections of placebo did not alter the cutaneous reactivity after rDf2 challenge, while that of the dogs treated with rDf2-P SCIT disappeared in five of six dogs (83%) and was reduced in one of six (17%). During SCIT maintenance, skin lesion scores were significantly lower in dogs receiving SCIT compared to those treated with placebo. This clinical improvement was accompanied by a concurrent, yet not significant, decrease in rDf2-specific IgE serology and immediate intradermal reactivity. Cytokine serum levels were inconclusive. There were no adverse events seen with rDf2-P SCIT. Conclusions and clinical importance The new mono-allergen SCIT appears safe and effective for reducing skin lesions after allergen challenges; it deserves further testing in dogs with spontaneous atopic dermatitis.
Downsampling scattering parameters for rendering anisotropic media

Volumetric micro-appearance models have provided remarkably high-quality renderings, but are highly data intensive and usually require tens of gigabytes in storage. When an object is viewed from a distance, the highest level of detail offered by these models is usually unnecessary, but traditional linear downsampling weakens the object's intrinsic shadowing structures and can yield poor accuracy. We introduce a joint optimization of single-scattering albedos and phase functions to accurately downsample heterogeneous and anisotropic media. Our method is built upon scaled phase functions, a new representation combining abledos and (standard) phase functions. We also show that modularity can be exploited to greatly reduce the amortized optimization overhead by allowing multiple synthesized models to share one set of down-sampled parameters. Our optimized parameters generalize well to novel lighting and viewing configurations, and the resulting data sets offer several orders of magnitude storage savings.
Sympathetic Blocks for Chronic Abdominal Pain

The abdominal and pelvic organs contain at least five sympathetic structures that have been well described and are amenable to local anesthetic blockade as part of a multimodal analgesic strategy for malignant and non-malignant pain conditions. Patients suffering from abdominal pain that is entirely, or in part, mediated by transmission through the sympathetic nervous system may decrease both pain scores and reliance on analgesic medications, while improving function and quality of life following disruption of these fibers. We herein describe the anatomy pertinent to the pain physician, as well as indications, methodology, and complications associated with performing the splanchnic, celiac, superior hypogastric, inferior hypogastric, and ganglion impar blocks. A discussion of the advantages and pitfalls encountered with various technical approaches is presented alongside anatomic drawings and fluoroscopic images.
Internet Gaming Disorder and Internet Addiction Disorder: Future Careers in Research, Education, and Treatment

Technology and the Internet facilitate robust advances in science, medicine, and business. We estimate that mental health careers involving technology will grow, and the need for mental health professionals who can recognize, assess, and treat disordered behaviors associated with technology use will also increase. There will be opportunities as treatment providers and as educators. Given the vast expansion and accessibility of technology, it is important that mental health professionals study, understand, and when appropriate, apply evidenced-based approaches to increase benefits and reduce risks to their patients. Chapters in this book provide numerous examples of benefits of technology in behavioral health careers and to the healthcare delivered to patients. It is our hope that mental health professionals incorporate technology and leverage technology in their careers. This chapter will equip scientists and healthcare providers for new career opportunities related to excessive use and abuse of video games, the Internet, and other technological devices that facilitate access to online activities.
FSM-Based Security-Aware Design

As mentioned in Chap. 1, cyber-physical systems usually have many challenges of applying security mechanisms.
Macro, Meso, and Micro Creativity: The Role of Cultural Carriers

This chapter makes the distinction between creative processes at three levels: macro, involving large-scale societal transformations; meso, involving organizational and small group-level processes; and mirco, involving intra-personal processes. We argue that processes at all three levels are involved in creativity, even when the unit generating creativity is primarily macro, meso, or micro. Traditional creativity research has focused on micro-level creativity, such as ‘Edison as inventor of genius.’ However, clearly Edison’s inventions were influenced by the macro processes of his cultural context as well as meso processes in the work groups and organizations he was part of. Attention has also been given to meso-level creativity; work groups and organizations, such as Apple and Microsoft, are ‘creative units.’ Far less attention has been given to macro-level creativity. A better understanding of macro creativity within the three-tier model can help explain historical, philosophical, and psychological evidence that creativity, while always connected to intra-personal processes, is also largely communal. Ultimately, a more holistic and culturally-based understanding of creativity will be more rewarding and accurate than a focus on one tier alone.
A statistical learning model for figural after-effects

A statistical learning model for figural after-effects is developed, and applied to an analysis of the major experimental findings. The model associates background regions with populations of stimulus elements, from which samples are drawn and conditioned on successive theoretical trials. The distance paradox, considered crucial by previous theorists, is explicitly derived from statistical learning principles. A behavioral interpretation of the model in terms of conditioned eye movements is suggested.
Why Do the Children (Pretend) Play

Pretend play appears to be an evolved behavior because it is universal and appears on a set schedule. However, no specific functions have been determined for pretend play and empirical tests for its functions in humans are elusive. Yet animal play fighting can serve as an analog, as both activities involve as-if, metacommunicative signaling and symbolism. In the rat and some other animals, adaptive functions of play fighting include assisting social behavior and emotion regulation. Research is presented suggesting that pretend play might serve similar functions for humans.
Can videos play a role in promoting good landscape management behaviors

This study tested the effect of four short videos appealing to environmental values on home irrigation users' intent to use good irrigation and fertilization practices. The videos were largely inef...
Experimental investigation and data-driven regression models for performance characterization of single and multiple passive chilled beam systems

Abstract The performance of passive chilled beams is characterized in this study to understand their physical behavior when applied in real indoor environments. Two full-scale experimental studies were conducted to map the performance of passive chilled beams in two different experimental settings: (i) single passive chilled beam testing in a controlled laboratory environment and (ii) multiple passive chilled beams testing in a real open plan office setting. The experimental results were then used to develop regression models for predicting the total cooling capacity and chilled surface temperature of single and multiple passive chilled beams, as a function of water flow rate, water supply temperature, air temperature above the chilled beam and area-weighted uncooled surface temperature in the space. The developed models showed good agreement with experimental results and can be used in building energy modeling tools for system simulation using passive chilled beams. Finally, it was found that the conventional method of predicting the total cooling capacity of a passive chilled beam from individual beam laboratory tests or manufacturers’ catalogs may significantly underestimate the system performance in multi-unit configurations. These differences could influence optimal system sizing and commissioning and should be considered in future studies.
Thiol-substituted copolylactide: synthesis, characterization and post-polymerization modification using thiol–ene chemistry

The synthesis of a copolylactide that is substituted with pendent thiol side chains is described. The copolymer is prepared by the ring-opening copolymerization of a new monomer, 3,6-bis(4-methoxybenzylthiomethyl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione, with L-lactide to afford poly(lactide-co-(4-methoxybenzylthio)methylglycolide) (MBT-PL). Debenzylation of MBT-PL affords poly(lactide-co-mercaptomethylglycolide), thiol-PL. We demonstrate the modification of thiol-PL by addition to a variety of electron-deficient alkenes: N-phenylmaleimide, N-phenyl acrylate and acrylonitrile.
Rate-controlled drug delivery and the reduction of risk

There are several drugs which would not be on the market today were it not for their associated delivery systems. An old, but very good, example is the inhalation anaesthetic halothane. To use it safely requires a special vaporizer which enables the anaesthetist to ‘dial’ a fixed concentration of the agent in the patient’s inspired air. This delivery system not only makes halothane simpler to use than other agents, but also gives it a safety margin which it would not have if given by the open-drop inhalation method (which worked quite well for ether). Also, the halothane vaporizer has been used very artfully in promotion to persuade anaesthetists to use the new product. Today, 25 years after its introduction, halothane dominates the inhalation anaesthetic market in all technologically advanced countries, and the vaporizer has become an integral part of contemporary anaesthetic practice.
Transit Vehicle Performance Analysis for Service Continuity/Termination: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach:

Public transit agencies aim to improve services while reducing operating costs. Transit performance analysis, as the main approach used to assess operating cost and revenue, has received much atten...
Clinical Diagnostic Accuracy of Onychomycosis: A Multispecialty Comparison Study.

Although onychomycosis can be diagnosed clinically, many guidelines still recommend pathologic confirmation of the diagnosis prior to initiation of systemic treatment. We retrospectively reviewed results from 541 toenail clippings (160 by dermatologists, 198 by podiatrists, and 183 by other provider types) sent to the Brigham and Women’s Department of Dermatopathology between January 2000 and December 2013 for confirmatory periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) testing of clinically diagnosed onychomycosis. Of these, 93 (58.1%), 125 (63.1%), and 71 (38.8%) were sent for confirmation of onychomycosis (as opposed to diagnosis of onychodystrophy) by dermatologists, podiatrists, and other provider types, respectively. Confirmatory PAS stains were positive in 70 (75.3%), 101 (80.8%), and 47 (66.2%) of samples ordered by dermatologists, podiatrists, and other providers, respectively. Our study demonstrates that clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis in the appropriate clinical setting is accurate across specialties. Further prospective investigation on the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis may be beneficial.
Utility of transesophageal echocardiography in the ICU: a preliminary US perspective

While TEE is providing a direct assessment of the cardiac function and volume status as a diagnostic tool, until recently it has been impractical to be continuously available for monitoring. A new disposable, monoplanar TEE probe (ImaCor) can remain in the patient for up to 72 hours, allowing repeated measures of ventricular function and volume status, parameters needed to monitor response to therapy.
Tumor in the Hand

Sarcomas arising in one of the digits are rare. They are usually treated with amputation of the involved digit.
Randomization of Amino Acid Sequence: An Important Control In Synthetic Peptide Analogue Studies of Nucleic Acid Binding Domains

Publisher Summary Over the past several years, improvements in automated peptide synthesis have helped to account for the increasing use of synthetic peptides for mapping epitopes, active site regions, and binding domains in proteins. This chapter discusses the randomization of amino acid sequence. By characterizing the nucleic acid binding properties of control peptides with the same composition as the actual peptide analog, but with randomized sequences, it is found that in at least one system the amino acid composition is more important than the amino acid sequence in determining the nucleic acid binding properties of the synthetic peptide. Data suggest that a randomized peptide that has the same composition but a different sequence than the correct peptide might serve as a better control than a completely unrelated peptide does for these studies. In this way, effects because of amino acid composition can begin to be differentiated from those resulting from amino acid sequence.
Role of Oxidized LDL and Antioxidants in Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is responsible for more morbidity and mortality than any other single degenerative disease, including cancer. Its clinical expression in the form of myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral vascular disease accounts for about 50% of all deaths in developed countries. It is a disease of aging, in the sense that the occurrence of clinically significant lesions increases sharply past the 5th decade, but it is equally clear that clinical expression is strongly linked to a number of environmental factors (e.g., hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, cigarette smoking, etc.). Correction of these “risk factors”, especially hypercholesterolemia, has clearly been shown to reduce the number of clinical events. An important point that is often overlooked is that spontaneous atherosclerosis in animals, including non-human primates, is very rare. This stands in contrast to the very significant incidence of cancers in animals and their rising incidence with age. Animals rarely exhibit LDL cholesterol levels over 80 mg/dl; some have levels as low as 5–25 mg/dl. Furthermore, the apparent immunity of animals to atherosclerosis is almost certainly not due to an intrinsic resistance of their vessel wall to the atherogenic process — lesions have been induced in virtually every mammalian species by simply raising the total plasma cholesterol level to a sufficiently high value. Thus there is good reason to indict hypercholesterolemia as a centrally important factor in human atherosclerosis.
Histopathological correlation of diffusion basis spectrum imaging metrics of a biopsy-proven inflammatory demyelinating brain lesion: A brief report

Diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) models diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals as a combination of discrete anisotropic diffusion tensors and a spectrum of isotropic diffusion tensors. Here, we report the histopathological correlates of DBSI in the biopsied brain tissue of a patient with an inflammatory demyelinating lesion typical of multiple sclerosis (MS). Increased radial diffusivity (marker of demyelination), decreased fiber fraction (apparent axonal density), elevated nonrestricted isotropic fraction (marker of vasogenic edema), but unchanged axial diffusivity (marker of integrity of residual axons) seen in the lesion appeared consistent with histopathological findings of inflammatory demyelination with relative axonal sparing. Our report supports the application of DBSI as a biomarker in human studies of MS.
Inert gas measurement of heterogeneous myocardial perfusion

Inert gas measurements of flow per unit weight (F/W) incorporating even saturation of heterogeneously perfused areas and two-decade resolution of coronary venous desaturation curves have been compared to radioactive microsphere measurements of F/W in closed-chest dogs with modest heterogeneity of F/W. Coefficients of variation for microsphere measurements in 96 left ventricular segments revealed global heterogeneity of F/W, of similar degree, in animals with and without an abdominal aortic-caval fistula (18±7 vs. 15±4 per cent, p>0.3). Endocardialepicardial flow ratios were lower in the fistula animals (1.05±0.08 vs. 0.77±0.11, p<0.01), reflecting transmural as well as spatial heterogeneity of F/W. Inert gas measurements of average F/W, derived from theKety-Schmidt equation using dissolved hydrogen (H2) as tracer, agreed within ±20% of average microsphere F/W in 18 of 20 comparisons in fistula and non-fistula animals. Semilogarithmically plotted H2 desaturation data were curvilinear in both settings but arbitrarily derived “slow compartment” H2 F/W's agreed with microsphere endocardial F/W's only in the fistula animals. We conclude: (1) Methodologically adequate inert gas measurements give accurate values for average F/W in the presence of moderate spatial and/or transmural heterogeneity of perfusion; (2) Although the presence of heterogeneous perfusion can be appreciated from the shape of inert gas desaturation curves, compartmental analysis of curves involves major oversimplification of flow distribution and cannot be interpreted in a specific transmural or spatial sense without independent evidence that such flow patterns are present.
Explanatory Chapter: Troubleshooting PCR

The purpose of this chapter is to assist with any problems you are having with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol from General PCR.
Evolution of Intelligent Nervous Systems on Other Worlds in the Universe

As indicated in the last chapter, while many scientists (including the author) know a considerable amount about how nervous systems work on our own planet, none of us has any knowledge of whether or not intelligent life might be able to evolve on other worlds in the universe. Therefore, I will need to “stay the course” once again in the present chapter and begin by providing the reader with a simplified overview of the only example of how biological evolution works anywhere, and that is how our scientists believe it works on Earth (Baross 2007; Charlesworth and Charlesworth 2003; Krukonis and Barr 2008; Futuyma 2005; Scientific American Reader 2006; Schopf 2002). Then, in the second part of the chapter, I will return to the incredibly fun goal of the present book of trying to apply my knowledge of how nervous systems evolved on Earth to speculating about how comparable systems might develop elsewhere in the universe (Benner and Davies 2012; Dreamer 2011).
Adaptive Simulation, the Adjoint State Method, and Optimization

Adaptive grids in inverse and control problems can lead to computed objective functions that are nonsmooth, even though the underlying problem is well-behaved. This leads to the question of how to compute the linearization of the scheme—how should a nonsmooth function be differentiated? The C++ class afdtd uses automatic differentiation techniques to implement an abstract marching scheme in an object-oriented fashion, making it possible to use the resulting simulator to solve inverse or control problems. The class takes a complete specification of a single step of the scheme, and assembles from it a complete simulator, along with the linearized and adjoint simulations. The result is a (nonlinear) operator in the sense of the Hilbert Class Library, a C++ package for optimization. Moreover, afdtd supports locally “frozen” grids, allowing the implementation of an operator that is piecewise smooth in spite of the use of adaptivity.
Sensing of Resistive RAM

Resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) is a promising non-volatile memory with the configurability of resistance programmed by pulse voltage or current. ReRAM can be used for memory and computation. In this chapter, we will start with these applications and design components for ReRAM. As the sensing schemes dominate the performance, the ReRAM sensing designs in storage and processing-in-memory (PIM) applications will be explained in detail.
Survey of Ventilation Practices in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of the United States and Canada: Use of Volume-Targeted Ventilation and Barriers to Its Use.

Objective To provide current data on ventilation practices and use of volume-targeted ventilation (VTV) in neonatal intensive care units of the United States and Canada, to identify the perceived barriers to the implementation of VTV, and to assess the knowledge base of appropriate initial tidal volume (VT ) settings for different hypothetical clinical scenarios. Study Design This was a cross-sectional online survey of individual neonatologists practicing in the United States and Canada. Results We received 387 responses (estimated response rate: ∼20%). Use of VTV was much higher in Canada (81%) compared with 39% in the United States. In the United States, VTV use is highest in the Northwest at 77% and lowest in the Northeast at 32.5%. The chief barrier to use of VTV was lack of knowledge about VTV and lack of appropriate equipment. The five clinical scenarios revealed that the majority of responders failed to select appropriate evidence-based VT for the specific scenario. Conclusion Pressure-controlled ventilation remains the predominant approach to neonatal ventilation in the United States, while VTV is the preferred mode in Canada. Despite available data and important pathophysiological differences between patients, there is insufficient understanding of how to choose an appropriate VT in a variety of common clinical scenarios among users of VTV.
Neonicotinoid Insecticides Alter the Transcriptome of Soybean and Decrease Plant Resistance.

Neonicotinoids are widely used systemic insecticides that have been associated with spider mite outbreaks on diverse plants. These insecticides have complex effects on plant physiology, which have been speculated to drive enhanced performance of spider mites. We used RNA-Seq to explore how neonicotinoids modify gene expression in soybean thereby lowering plant resistance. We exposed soybean (Glycine max L.) to two neonicotinoid insecticides, thiamethoxam applied to seeds and imidacloprid applied as a soil drench, and we exposed a subset of these plants to spider mites (Tetranychus cinnabarinus). Applications of both insecticides downregulated genes involved in plant—pathogen interactions, phytohormone pathways, phenylpropanoid pathway, and cell wall biosynthesis. These effects were especially pronounced in plants exposed to thiamethoxam. Introduction of spider mites restored induction of genes in these pathways in plants treated with imidacloprid, while expression of genes involved in phenylpropanoid synthesis, in particular, remained downregulated in thiamethoxam-treated plants. Our outcomes indicate that both insecticides suppress genes in pathways relevant to plant–arthropod interactions, and suppression of genes involved in cell wall synthesis may explain lower plant resistance to spider mites, cell-content feeders. These effects appear to be particularly significant when plants are exposed to neonicotinoids applied to soybean seeds.
Numerical Optimization of Bolometric Infrared Detectors including Optical Loading, Amplifier Noise and Electrical Nonlinearities

We present numerical methods for the optimization of bolometric infrared detectors which use current-biased semiconducting thermistors. We extend the analysis of Griffin and Holland to explicitly include both the electric field dependence of the thermistor resistance and amplifier noise. These methods allow the user to design and evaluate an optimized bolometer once such parameters as the optical loading, the heat sink temperature, and the materials for the thermal link and the thermistor have been chosen. Measured parameters which describe the electrical nonlinearities in neutron transmutation doped germanium are presented. The consequences for bolometer optimization of including these effects are illustrated. This program will be made available at the web site http://physics7.berkeley.edu/bolometer.html.
Effect of pond‐ or strip‐spawning on growth and carcass yield of channel catfish progeny, Ictalurus punctatus

Accurate, unbiased phenotypic performance of progeny is critical for the development of fish‐breeding programs, and identification of possible environmental factors affecting phenotypes is an important aspect of genetic analysis. Catfish progeny can be produced by either natural pond‐spawning or hormone‐induced strip‐spawning. We determined the effects of pond‐spawning versus strip‐spawning on fingerling weight, harvest weight, and carcass yield of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, progeny. Progeny from 65 pond‐spawned full‐sib families and 29 strip‐spawned full‐sib families were reared in separate family tanks, then tagged as fingerlings, and then stocked communally in earthen ponds and harvested at ~17 months posthatch. A sample of fish from each full‐sib family was measured for carcass yield. Fingerling weight was not affected by sex or spawning type. Harvest weight was higher for males than for females and higher for pond‐spawned fish than for strip‐spawned fish. Carcass yield was higher for females than for males and higher for pond‐spawned fish than for strip‐spawned fish. Results indicate that strip‐spawning had substantial negative effects on progeny harvest weight and carcass yield. Accounting for the effect of strip‐spawning in breeding programs and the potential effects of strip‐spawning on commercial catfish production should be determined.
Integrating Christian Ethics with Ignatian Spirituality

If Christian ethics is to have an authentic connection to Jesus Christ, it is crucial to establish pedagogical objectives and best practices that are transformative. In this article, I examine how ...
Flexural Analysis of Coplannar Frames

A unified treatment of the displacement (stiffness, equilibrium) methods of elastic frame analysis, based on the usual flexural assumptions, is presented. A general equation is derived from kinematic and stiffness considerations, by use of the virtual work principle, expressing the equilibrium requirements of the frame. Based on this equation, the numerical work is performed in a mechanical, tabular form. Relaxation solutions, physical interpretations, and the relationship of the proposed method to the numerous special methods presently used are examined in connection with examples. Matrix formulation is presented in an Appendix.
Contributions of Voice Expectations to Talker Selection in Younger and Older Adults With Normal Hearing.

Focused attention on expected voice features, such as fundamental frequency (F0) and spectral envelope, may facilitate segregation and selection of a target talker in competing talker backgrounds. ...
Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), caused by a homozygous mutation to SMN1 on chromosome 5q13 is a pediatric neuromuscular disease marked by the development of progressive weakness, hypotonia, and areflexia resulting from the loss of spinal cord motor neurons. It is the second most common pediatric neuromuscular disease with an incidence between 6400 and 10 000 live births. SMA presents across a clinical spectrum, ranging from extremely weak infants with a historically dismal prognosis (Werdnig–Hoffmann, SMA type I) to mildly affected, ambulatory children and adults (Kugelberg–Welander, SMA type III). Although there remains no effective treatment, advances in clinical management over the past decade have led to dramatic increases in life expectancy for affected children.
Quantification of water and lipid density with dual-energy mammography: validation in postmortem breasts

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death. It is well known that breast density is an important risk factor for breast cancer and also can be used to personalize screening and for assessment of treatment response. Breast density has previously been correlated to volumetric water density. The purpose of this study is to validate the accuracy and precision of dual-energy mammography in measuring water density in postmortem breasts. Twenty pairs of postmortem breasts were imaged using dual-energy mammography with energy-sensitive photon-counting detectors. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of dual-energy mammography in measuring volumetric water and lipid density. Images from different views and contralateral breasts were used to assess estimate of precision for water and lipid volumetric density measurements. The measured volumetric water and lipid density from dual-energy mammography and chemical analysis were in good agreement, where the standard errors of estimates (SEE) of both were calculated to be 2.1%. Volumetric water and lipid density measurements from different views were also in good agreement, with a SEE of 1.3% and 1.1%, respectively. The results indicate that dual-energy mammography can be used to accurately measure volumetric water and lipid density in breast tissue. Accurate quantification of volumetric water density is expected to enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer and for assessment of response to therapy. • Dual-energy mammography can be used to accurately measure water and lipid volumetric density in breast tissue. • Improved quantification of volumetric water density is expected to enhance its utility for assessment of response to therapy and as a risk factor for breast cancer.
School absenteeism as a potential proxy of functionality in pediatric patients with somatic symptom and related disorders.

Little is known about the school functioning of youth who are medically admitted with somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD). The current study examines school absenteeism and associated fact...
SEL and TID Characterization of a Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions SONOS Nonvolatile Memory

A Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions SONOS based Nor Flash non-volatile memory has been designed, manufactured, and characterized for radiation effects. The radiation effects results will be presented.
The lived experience of workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.: A descriptive phenomenological study.

Abstract Introduction Emergency nurses work under sometimes uncertain conditions to provide care to patients with all kinds of illnesses and afflictions from all segments of the population. Despite implications that they must work together to provide efficient and effective patient care, few studies explore reciprocal workplace relationships of emergency nurses. Aim This research sought to illuminate the lived experience of workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses. Methods Using a phenomenological approach with snowball sampling technique, unstructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with emergency nurses in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The original study was conducted in 2013 (n = 9) and a replication study in 2018 (n = 7). Data were collected and analyzed using Giorgi’s Phenomenological Method. Results from each study were evaluated for thematic congruence. Results Six themes of workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses were identified for both studies: emergency department (ED) culture, balancing, technology, caring, bridging, and connection. An additional theme, bonding, was identified with the replication study. Conclusions Exploring workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses provided insight the influences on workplace relationships. Establishing and nurturing workplace reciprocity may create a culture of safety, connection, enhance work engagement, and influence nurse recruitment and retention.
On Learning Benefits of Homophily in Firms

Practitioners and scholars have often warned against the negative social consequences of homophily. We consider the implications of homophily for the efficacy of organizational learning. In doing s...
Contrastive Self-Supervised Representation Learning for Sensing Signals from the Time-Frequency Perspective

This paper presents a contrastive self-supervised representation learning framework that is new in being designed specifically for deep learning from frequency domain data. Contrastive self-supervised representation learning trains neural networks using mostly unlabeled data. It is motivated by the need to reduce the labeling burden of deep learning. In this paper, we are specifically interested in applying this approach to physical sensing scenarios, such as those arising in Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. Deep neural networks have been widely utilized in IoT applications, but the performance of such models largely depends on the availability of large labeled datasets, which in turn entails significant training costs. Motivated by the success of contrastive self-supervised representation learning at substantially reducing the need for labeled data (mostly in areas of computer vision and natural language processing), there is growing interest in customizing the contrastive learning framework to IoT applications. Most existing work in that space approaches the problem from a time-domain perspective. However, IoT applications often measure physical phenomena, where the underlying processes (such as acceleration, vibration, or wireless signal propagation) are fundamentally a function of signal frequencies and thus have sparser and more compact representations in the frequency domain. Recently, this observation motivated the development of Short-Time Fourier Neural Networks (STFNets) that learn directly in the frequency domain, and were shown to offer large performance gains compared to Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) when designing supervised learning models for IoT tasks. Hence, in this paper, we introduce an STFNet-based Contrastive Self-supervised representation Learning framework (STF-CSL). STF-CSL takes both time-domain and frequency-domain features into consideration. We build the encoder using STFNet as the fundamental building block. We also apply both time-domain data augmentation and frequency-domain data augmentation during the self-supervised training process. We evaluate the resulting performance of STF-CSL on various human activity recognition tasks. The evaluation results demonstrate that STF-CSL significantly outperforms the time-domain based self-supervised approaches thereby substantially enhancing our ability to train deep neural networks from unlabeled data in IoT contexts.
Design and control of the oxygen partial pressure of UO2 in TGA using the humidification system

Abstract The oxygen to uranium (O/U) ratio of UO2±x is determined by the oxygen content of the sample and is affected by oxygen partial pressure (pO2) of the surrounding gas. Oxygen partial pressure is controllable by several methods. A common method to produce different oxygen partial pressures is the use of equilibria of different reaction gases. There are two common methods: H2O/H2 reaction and CO2/CO reaction. In this work, H2O/H2 reaction using a humidifier was employed and investigated to ensure that this humidification system for oxygen partial pressure is stable and accurate for use in Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) experiments with UO2. This approach has the further advantage of flexibility to make a wide range of oxygen partial pressure with fixed hydrogen gas flow rate only by varying temperature of water in the humidifier. The whole system for experiments was constructed and includes the humidification system, TGA, oxygen analyzer, and gas flow controller. Uranium dioxide (UO2) samples were used for experiments and oxygen partial pressure was measured at the equilibrium state of stoichiometric UO2.0. Oxygen partial pressures produced by humidification (wet gas) system were compared to the approach using mixed dry gases (without humidification system) to demonstrate that the humidification system provides for more stable and accurate oxygen partial pressure control. This work provides the design, method, and analysis of a humidification system for oxygen partial pressure control in experiments with oxide nuclear fuels.
Experiential Ecologies: A Transdisciplinary Framework for Embodiment and Simulacra

Within this chapter, we explore a conceptual framework of the simulacra for the ecological art project, echo::system. We will describe an arts-driven process which bridges practice and research to consider how diverse fragments of ecological information can be synthesized into emergent structures for exhibition, participation, and performance. We draw on our experiences of developing mediated simulacra of urban-desert landscapes through interdisciplinary collaboration and expertise, to qualify the challenges and opportunities of such a process. Further, we consider the impact of movement-based participation on the perception of the public. Finally, we attempt to disambiguate the roles of narrative, performer, audience, media, and computation in order to articulate how this framework supports the dynamic expression of real and imagined ecologies.
A procedure for developing a common metric in item response theory when parameter posterior distributions are known.

Growing interest in fully Bayesian item response models begs the question: To what extent can model parameter posterior draws enhance existing practices? One practice that has traditionally relied on model parameter point estimates but may be improved by using posterior draws is the development of a common metric for two independently calibrated test forms. Before parameter estimates from independently calibrated forms can be compared, at least one form's estimates must be adjusted such that both forms share a common metric. Because this adjustment is estimated, there is a propagation of error effect when it is applied. This effect is typically ignored, which leads to overconfidence in the adjusted estimates; yet, when model parameter posterior draws are available, it may be accounted for with a simple sampling strategy. In this paper, it is shown using simulated data that the proposed sampling strategy results in adjusted posteriors with superior coverage properties than those obtained using traditional point-estimate-based methods.
Influence of patient's physiologic factors and immobilization choice with stereotactic body radiotherapy for upper lung tumors

The purpose of the present study was to compare the impact of pulmonary function, body habitus, and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) immobilization on setup and reproducibility for upper lung tumor. From 2008 through 2011, our institution’s prospective SBRT database was searched for patients with upper lung tumors. Two SBRT immobilization strategies were used: full-length BodyFIX and thermoplastic S-frame. At simulation, free-breathing, four-dimensional computed tomography was performed. For each treatment, patients were set up to isocenter with in-room lasers and skin tattoos. Shifts from initial and subsequent couch positions with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were analyzed. Accounting for setup uncertainties, institutional tolerance of CBCT-based shifts for treatment was 2, 2, and 4 mm in left–right, anterior–posterior, and cranial–caudal directions, respectively; shifts exceeding these limits required reimaging. Each patient’s pretreatment pulmonary function test was recorded. A multistep, multivariate linear regression model was performed to elucidate intervariable dependency for three-dimensional calculated couch shift parameters. BodyFIX was applied to 76 tumors and S-frame to 17 tumors. Of these tumors, 41 were non–small cell lung cancer and 15 were metastatic from other sites. Lesions measured 3 (11%) cm. Errors from first shifts of first fractions were significantly less with S-frame than BodyFIX (p < 0.001). No difference in local control (LC) was found between S-frame and BodyFIX (p = 0.35); two-year LC rate was 94%. Multivariate modeling confirmed that the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration to forced vital capacity, body habitus, and the immobilization device significantly impacted couch shift errors. For upper lung tumors, initial setup was more consistent with S-frame than BodyFIX, resulting in fewer CBCT scans. Patients with obese habitus and poor lung function had more SBRT setup uncertainty; however, outcome and probability for LC remained excellent.
Factor Analysis of Selected Basketball Skill Tests.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the sports skill domain of basketball and to identify test items to measure in this skill domain. A theoretical model of the hypothesized dimensions of basketball playing ability was developed based on a review of literature concerning basketball skill testing from 1906 to the present day. These dimensions were: (a) shooting, (b) passing, (c) jumping, (d) movement without the ball and (e) movement with the ball. Twenty-one items, including the nine items in the AAHPER basketball skill test for boys, were selected to sample these hypothesized dimensions. The tests were administered to 70 male junior high and high school students enrolled in the University of Minnesota, Duluth basketball camp during the summer of 1975. The hypothesized dimensions were analyzed by use of the following: (a) alpha factor analysis; (b) canonical factor analysis; (c) image analysis; and (d) principal components analysis. Both oblique and orthogonal rot...
Aggressive spinal haemangiomas: imaging correlates to clinical presentation with analysis of treatment algorithm and clinical outcomes

Objective:Aggressive spinal haemangiomas (those with significant osseous expansion/extraosseous extension) represent approximately 1% of spinal haemangiomas and are usually symptomatic. In this study, we correlate imaging findings with presenting symptomatology, review treatment strategies and their outcomes and propose a treatment algorithm.Methods:16 patients with aggressive haemangiomas were retrospectively identified from 1995 to 2013. Imaging was assessed for size, location, CT/MR characteristics, osseous expansion and extraosseous extension. Presenting symptoms, management and outcomes were reviewed.Results:Median patient age was 52 years. Median size was 4.5 cm. Lumbar spine was the commonest location (n = 8), followed by thoracic spine (n = 7) and sacrum (n = 2); one case involved the lumbosacral junction. 12 haemangiomas had osseous expansion; 13 had extraosseous extension [epidural (n = 11), pre-vertebral/paravertebral (n = 10) and foraminal (n = 6)]. On CT, 11 had accentuated trabeculae and 5 s...
Pyrophosphorylases in Solanum tuberosum: I. Changes in ADP-Glucose and UDP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Activities Associated with Starch Biosynthesis during Tuberization, Maturation, and Storage of Potatoes.

Changes in ADP-glucose and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activities were followed during tuber development of Solanum tuberosum and prolonged storage at 4 and 11 C. Potato tuberization was accompanied by a sharp increase in starch synthesis simultaneous with a marked rise in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity. When tubers reached an average diameter of 1 centimeter (0.5 gram average tuber weight) and had already established 58% starch on a dry weight basis, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase increased 16- to 24-fold over its activity seen in low starch containing stolon tissue. During this same period UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase increased approximately 2- to 3-fold. Although participation of UDP-glucose in starch formation can not be neglected, it is suggested that the onset of rapid non-photosynthetic potato tuber starch biosynthesis may be closely related to the simultaneous increase in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity.Evidence that UDP-glucose and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylases are separate protein entities was indicated by their (a) activity ratio variations during tuber development and storage, (b) extraction stabilities, (c) morphological localization, (d) separation with ammonium sulfate, (e) pH optima, and (f) differential activation with 3-P-glycerate.
Static and dynamic precursors of displacive transformations near crystalline defects

Abstract An exact nucleation energy formula has been derived for the fluctuation energy necessary to initiate a coherent martensitic transformation in the strain field of a defect of arbitrary potency within the framework of a standard Ginzburg-Landau strain free energy model of the form: f(η) = g(η) + K 1 (▿η) 2 . The formula is limited to planar defects and planar interface propagation geometries, and precursor metastable strain profiles are calculated exactly. The defect induced strain field expands as the driving force is increased until the athermal instability limit is reached. This limit can be simply expressed in terms of the defect potency, or alternatively in terms of the strain spinodal, but the latter condition proves to be the weaker of the two in most cases tested. Once the nucleation condition is achieved, the equations of growth become identical to those previously derived by Chan. Some considerations are also given to the extended free energy form: f(η) = g(η) + K 1 (▿η) 2 + K 2 (▿ 2 η) 2 where it is found that for some values of K 2 and K 1 , a defect will be decorated by an oscillatory strain field, in others a monotonically decaying field, and in a third range, no metastable defect strain field appears to be possible at all.