cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal transitional cell carcinoma: Sonographic and pathologic correlation

Sonography was utilized to assess six patients with renal transitional cell carcinoma and was correlated with gross pathology in five cases. The neoplasms were seen as discrete, solid masses causing separation of the central renal sinus echoes. The echogenicity of the tumors and the renal parenchyma was similar, but the neoplasms were separated from the renal parenchyma by a linear echogenic zone of renal sinus fat. Pelvicaliceal blood clots, when markedly echogenic, could be differentiated from transitional cell carcinomas. Sonography contributed most in evaluating unilateral nonvisualized kidney or in the presence of nonfilling of the affected pelvicalices on excretory urography.
Reconstruction of functional activations in diffuse optical imaging

We propose a new algorithm for the estimation of functional activations in diffuse optical imaging. Our approach considers the activations to be support limited. We simultaneously estimate the function values as well as the support from the available measurements. Since this scheme exploit the structure inherent to functional imaging, it provide reconstructions with better spatial resolution and is more robust to noise.
Acute treatment with TNF-α attenuates insulin-stimulated protein synthesis in cultures of C2C12 myotubes through a MEK1-sensitive mechanism

Insulin and TNF-α exert opposing effects on skeletal muscle protein synthesis that are mediated in part by the rapamycin-sensitive mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and the PD-98059-sens...
Statistical mechanics of the lattice sphere packing problem.

We present an efficient Monte Carlo method for the lattice sphere packing problem in $d$ dimensions. We use this method to numerically discover de novo the densest lattice sphere packing in dimensions 9 through 20. Our method goes beyond previous methods, not only in exploring higher dimensions but also in shedding light on the statistical mechanics underlying the problem in question. We observe evidence of a phase transition in the thermodynamic limit $d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$. In the dimensions explored in the present work, the results are consistent with a first-order crystallization transition but leave open the possibility that a glass transition is manifested in higher dimensions.
The application of fuzzy logic to the design of on-line monitoring systems

In a transformer monitoring system, such operating parameters as top oil temperature, hot spot temperature, relative corona, hydrogen concentration in transformer oil, and change of hydrogen in oil are monitored and fed to the computer for extensive analysis. The higher the value of a particular parameter, the greater the severity of the threat to the security of the system. The different values of parameters to be monitored are divided into linguistic labels with a membership function associated with each label. Based on system operator's expert knowledge, rules are written. These rules are expressed using linguistic variables for knowledge representation, because most of the knowledge acquired from the experts is in terms of linguistic labels. There is a weight associated with each rule, which provides relative precedence of one rule over another. Such a system can provide a prompt indication of the system severity. The effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy logic transformer monitoring system is demonstrated by the various practical scenarios. >
Gender patterns in consequences of collegiate alcohol abuse: a 10-year study of trends in an undergraduate population.

Although college men have typically reported significantly more alcohol problems than women, debate about a possible convergence of gender differences has emerged in recent years. Time trend data on gender differences based on consistent measures of alcohol-related problems are scant, however. Another limitation of previous research has been the predominant focus on alcohol problems most common among men. This article provides data on gender differences and trends in several types of negative consequences of student drinking in a collegiate population from four surveys conducted between 1979 and 1989. The data do not support an overall "convergence hypothesis" as men remained much more problematic in several types of consequences-specifically abuse problems that are public, involve legal repercussions, or that endanger others. Consequences that are more personal or less prone to provoke public response reveal little or no gender differences, however, in the most recent collegiate cohorts. Thus, more gende...
Minimum Contact Time and Concentration of Sodium Hypochlorite Required to Eliminate Enterococcus faecalis

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this investigation was to determine the concentration of sodium hypochlorite and the irrigation time required to disinfect dentin cylinders infected with Enterococcus faecalis. Methods Four hundred fifty dentin cylinders (5 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height) with a lumen (2–3 mm in width) were prepared from freshly extracted bovine incisors. The cementum and predentin were then removed. The tubules were opened by using a 4-minute application with 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and 5.25% NaOCl and then exposed to E. faecalis (ATCC 4082) for 3 weeks in brain-heart infusion broth. The cylinders were then divided into 3 groups, and a 1.3%, 2.5%, or 5.25% concentration of NaOCl was applied in 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, 35-, and 40-minute intervals for a total of 30 subgroups including positive and negative controls. Each test sample was placed into a tube of 2 mL brain-heart infusion broth and incubated for 72 hours. Absence of turbidity demonstrated no bacterial growth, whereas turbidity indicated presence of remaining viable bacteria. Results The most effective irrigation regimen was 5.25% at 40 minutes, whereas irrigation with 1.3% and 2.5% NaOCl for this same time interval was ineffective in removing E. faecalis from infected dentin cylinders. Conclusions High concentration and long exposure to NaOCl are needed for elimination of E. faecalis contaminated dentin.
LDI z-domain images of lossless LC ladders

Discrete-time images of lossless LC one-port ladder networks are presented. Such images are obtained by expanding discrete-time reactance functions into continued fractions to obtain the discrete-time counterparts of Cauer-1, Cauer-2, and mixed-Cauer expansions. The existence of these expansions is proven and a methodology for synthesis of these expansions is given similar to the one known for synthesis of the continuous-time reactance function. The type of reactance functions used is related to the continuous-time counterpart by the lossless discrete integrator (LDI) s-to-z transform. Simple first and second order discrete-time reactance networks are proposed and used in a step-by-step procedure to realize higher-order networks. The resulting discrete networks are considered images of LC one-port ladders in the z-domain. >
Fiscal scarcity and the inevitability of bedside budget balancing.

\s=b\Until recently, generous third-party reimbursements enabled physicians to pursue each patient's interests with little regard to costs. Conscious rationing was required only episodically as some particular commodity, eg, transplant organs, was too scarce to meet demand, or as some patients lacked basic access to the health care system. Cost containment and the economic reorganization of medicine introduce a new sort of scarcity, requiring a different sort of rationing. "Fiscal scarcity," the general contraction of health care dollars, means that because every medical decision has its cost, every decision is now subject to scrutiny for its economic as well as its medical wisdom. Therefore, every detail of medicine is an allocation problem. Many observers argue that physicians can nevertheless avoid directly trading patients' interests against economic considerations: through "efficiency protocols" that eliminate marginal benefits, through turning economic rationing decisions over to outside parties, through avoiding cost constraints until society has established a just health care allocation system. This article shows that none of these proposals permits the physician to escape cost-cutting at the bedside. (Arch Intern Med. 1989;149:1012-1015)
A comprehensive evaluation of air pollution prediction improvement by a machine learning method

Urban air pollution prediction is one of the most important tasks in the treatment of urban air pollution. Due to the disadvantage that source list updated not in time for WRF-Chem which is a numeric model, the prediction result may be not good enough. In this paper, we take full advantages of forecast on pollution, weather, chemical component from WRF-Chem model as input features, design a comprehensive evaluation framework to improve the prediction performance. Experiments are implemented with different features groups and classification algorithms in machine learning method for 74 cities in China, to find the best model for each city. From experiments, for different city, the best result can be obtained by different group of feature selection and model selection. Experimental results indicate that the more feature we used, the more possibility to enhance the accuracy. For method aspect, the result from combined model is better than the unique model.
NO3 Yield in the O(3P) + BrONO2 Reaction

The NO3 product yield in the reaction O(3P) + BrONO2 was measured to be >0.85 at 298 K. Yield measurements were made using the technique of laser-pulsed photolysis with long-path transient absorption detection of NO3. O(3P) atoms were produced in the presence of BrONO2 by the 248-nm photolysis of O3 in a N2 bath gas. The photolysis laser fluence was calibrated using N2O5 as an actinometer.
Abstract 5495: DoesKRAStesting in metastatic colorectal cancer impact overall survival: A comparative effectiveness study in a population-based sample

The anti-epidermal growth factor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab are approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but have been shown to be ineffective if the tumor has a mutation in KRAS codon 12 or 13. Comparative effectiveness research is intended to create evidence for decision making, and to find out “what works” in health care. This is especially important in scenarios like KRAS testing among patients with mCRC, since there is uncertainty around the significance of rarer mutations, and no proven alternative treatment for those who are found to harbor KRAS mutations in codons 12 or 13. We sought to determine whether recommendations for KRAS testing implemented in mid-2008 impacted survival in mCRC among 1203 mCRC patients from seven integrated health plans that are part of the Cancer Research Network. We included Stage IV cases diagnosed from 2006- 2009 and stage III cases initially diagnosed from 2004- 2008 who progressed to distant metastatic CRC (determined using chart review). We abstracted complete treatment data, pathology reports, survival data and KRAS testing results from electronic medical records. For cases that had not been previously tested for KRAS mutation status, we tested archived pathology specimens from the primary tumor. We used Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazards models to examine whether overall survival differed among stage III and IV cases diagnosed before (n=751) and after (n=452) the implementation of KRAS testing. We included 918 stage IV cases and 285 stage III cases with progression. KRAS mutations (codon 12, 13, or 61) were found in 40% of tumors. Mutations were more common among tumors arising in the proximal compared to distal colon (46% mutated in ascending colon versus 33% in sigmoid colon). Median survival among stage III cases with progression was 589 days, compared to 437 days for stage IV cases (p=0.004). EGFR inhibitors were given to 26% of patients in the pre-recommendation period, and 13% of patients in the post-recommendation period. We found no survival differences by mutation status. We also found no statistically significant difference in survival time between the pre- and post- KRAS testing recommendations. Our data suggest that KRAS testing can be used to target anti-EGFR therapies without compromising overall survival time among mCRC patients in a usual care setting. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5495. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5495
Alkali-Activated Fly Ash-Slag Cement Based Nuclear Waste Forms

This paper is based on the results of an in-progress research project on Alkali-Activated Cement System at MRL. The objective of this research is to establish the potential for large volume use of fly ash and slag as main components of the cement system. Alkali-activated Fly ash-slag Cement (AFC) was studied as a matrix for immobilization of nuclear waste. AFC is characterized by high early strength, high ultimate strength, low porosity, lower solubilities of the hydrates, and high resistance to chemical corrosion as well as to freezing and thawing. All these advanced properties are particularly favorable to the immobilization the nuclear wastes.
The benefits of paired-agent imaging in molecular-guided surgery: an update on methods and applications(Conference Presentation)

One of the major complications with conventional imaging-agent-based molecular imaging, particularly for cancer imaging, is variability in agent delivery and nonspecific retention in biological tissue. Such factors can account to “swamp” the signal arising from specifically bound imaging agent, which is presumably indicative of the concentration of targeted biomolecule. In the 1950s, Pressman et al. proposed a method of accounting for these delivery and retention effects by normalizing targeted antibody retention to the retention of a co-administered “untargeted”/control imaging agent [1]. Our group resurrected the approach within the last 5 years, finding ways to utilize this so-called “paired-agent” imaging approach to directly quantify biomolecule concentration in tissue (in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo) [2]. These novel paired-agent imaging approaches capable of quantifying biomolecule concentration provide enormous potential for being adapted to and optimizing molecular-guided surgery, which has a principle goal of identifying distinct biological tissues (tumor, nerves, etc…) based on their distinct molecular environment. This presentation will cover the principles and nuances of paired-agent imaging, as well as the current status of the field and future applications. [1] D. Pressman, E. D. Day, and M. Blau, “The use of paired labeling in the determination of tumor-localizing antibodies,” Cancer Res, 17(9), 845-50 (1957). [2] K. M. Tichauer, Y. Wang, B. W. Pogue et al., “Quantitative in vivo cell-surface receptor imaging in oncology: kinetic modeling and paired-agent principles from nuclear medicine and optical imaging,” Phys Med Biol, 60(14), R239-69 (2015).
Fiduciary Financial Advice to Retirement Savers: Don't Overlook the Prudent Investor Rule

Americans now hold trillions of dollars in individual retirement savings accounts, raising concerns about conflicts of interest among financial advisers who provide advice to retirement savers. Prompted by these concerns, in April 2016 the Department of Labor promulgated a rule that imposes on financial advisers to retirement savers “fiduciary” status under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The Department reasoned that the fiduciary duty of loyalty would protect retirement savers from conflicted investment advice. But in addition to a duty of loyalty, fiduciary status also imposes a duty of care. With respect to investment management, the fiduciary standard of care is governed by the “prudent investor rule,” which is grounded in modern portfolio theory and requires an overall investment strategy having risk and return objectives reasonably suited to the purpose of the investment account. This essay calls attention to the regulatory imposition of the prudent investor rule on financial advisers to retirement savers. The essay also canvasses the basic tenets of the prudent investor rule, highlighting its nature as principles-based rather than prescriptive, and the customary role of an investment policy statement in compliance by professional fiduciaries.
Norovirus Vaccine Development

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a leading cause of sporadic and epidemic gastroenteritis across all age groups worldwide. The increasing recognition of the burden of disease caused by these viruses and their public health impact underscore the need for well tolerated and effective vaccines. In the absence of a completely permissive cell culture system, there is limited possibility of developing live-attenuated or killed NoV vaccines. Despite these challenges, many advances have been made in vaccine development in recent years. A number of vaccine candidates have been evaluated including the production of virus-like particles (VLPs) that are morphologically and antigenically identical to particles of the infectious virus. NoV VLPs appear to be attractive vaccine candidates, and the advances in the area of these vaccines are highly promising. This chapter summarizes data on immune correlates of protection against NoVs, preclinical and clinical studies with NoV candidate vaccines, and discusses the challenges remaining in the field of NoV vaccine development.
Preclinical Safety of Baxter's Recombinant ADAMTS13

Abstract 3381 Baxter is currently developing a recombinant ADAMTS13 (rADAMTS13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) product for treatment, and routine prophylaxis of acute episodes of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency. TTP is a rare, life-threatening microvascular disease characterized by single or recurrent episodes of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia and widespread microvascular thrombosis, which leads to the ischemic damage of multiple organs. To characterize the safety and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Baxter9s rADAMTS13, a 1-month repeat dose toxicity study in rats, an escalating dose and pilot 4-week repeat dose toxicity study in cynomolgus monkeys, and a 1-month repeat dose toxicity study including cardiovascular/pulmonary safety pharmacology in cynomolgus monkeys was conducted. Species suitability was shown by demonstrating that human rADAMTS13 can cleave monkey and rat VWF in vitro and in vivo under native conditions to present a worst case scenario for repeat dose toxicity studies. A local tolerance study was conducted in rabbits. Baxter9s rADAMTS13 was well tolerated in rats at doses of 80, 400 and 800 FRETS-U/kg administered every third day for one month. Thus, the NOAEL in rats was the highest dose of 800 FRETS-U/kg. In cynomolgus monkeys, no adverse effects were detected at 800 FRETS-U/kg after intravenous treatment with rADAMTS13 once a week for 5 weeks (pilot repeat dose study). The NOAEL for the escalating dose phase of the study was 1790 FRETS-U/kg. Treatment of cynomolgus monkeys with bolus injection of Baxter9s rADAMTS13 at doses of 80, 200, and 400 FRETS-U/kg once a week for 29 days did not reveal adverse findings. Thus, the NOAEL for this study was the highest dose of 400 FRETS-U/kg. As expected for a heterologous human protein drug, repeat doses of rADAMTS13 resulted in the formation of anti-drug antibodies specific for human ADAMTS13 and in neutralising human ADAMTS13 activity in animal models. No injection site reactions were observed in animals of either species. rADAMTS13 was well tolerated after intravenous (intended clinical administration route), intraarterial and paravenous administration in rabbits. In conclusion, Baxter9s rADAMTS13 was well tolerated in rats, monkeys and rabbits, with no toxicity observed even at the highest dose levels. Disclosures: Piskernik: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Dietrich: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Kubik: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Ruthsatz: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Scheiflinger: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Schwarz: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Muchitsch: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment.
Optimizing Systems for Effective Block-Processing: Optimizing Systems for Effective Block-Processing:

|Block-processing is a powerful and popular technique for increasing computation speed by simultaneously processing several samples of data. The effectiveness of block-processing is often reduced, however, due to suboptimal placement of delays in the data flow graph of a computation. In this paper we investigate an application of the retiming transformation for improving the effectiveness of block-processing in computation structures. Specifically, we consider the k-delay problem in which given an integer k the resulting computation can process k data samples simultaneously in a fully regular manner. Our main contribution is an O(V^3 E + V^4 log V)-time algorithm for the k-delay problem, where V is the number of computation blocks and E is the number of interconnections in the computation.
The comparability of HR-pQCT bone measurements is improved by scanning anatomically standardized regions

We investigated the sensitivity of distal bone density, structure, and strength measurements by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) to variability in limb length. Our results demonstrate that HR-pQCT should be performed at a standard %-of-total-limb-length to avoid substantial measurement bias in population study comparisons and the evaluation of individual skeletal status in a clinical context. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) measures of bone do not account for anatomic variability in bone length: a 1-cm volume is acquired at a fixed offset from an anatomic landmark. Our goal was to evaluate HR-pQCT measurement variability introduced by imaging fixed vs. proportional volumes and to propose a standard protocol for relative anatomic positioning. Double-length (2-cm) scans were acquired in 30 adults. We compared measurements from 1-cm sub-volumes located at the default fixed offset, and the average %-of-length offset. The average position corresponded to 4.0% ± 1.1 mm for radius, and 7.2% ± 2.2 mm for tibia. We calculated the RMS difference in bone parameters and T-scores to determine the measurement variability related to differences in limb length. We used anthropometric ratios to estimate the mean limb length for published HR-pQCT reference data, and then calculated mean %-of-length offsets. Variability between fixed vs. relative scan positions was highest in the radius, and for cortical bone in general (RMS difference Ct.Th = 19.5%), while individuals had T-score differentials as high as +3.0 SD (radius Ct.BMD). We estimated that average scan position for published HR-pQCT reference data corresponded to 4.0% at the radius, and 7.3% at tibia. Variability in limb length introduces significant bias to HR-pQCT measures, confounding cross-sectional analyses and limiting the clinical application for individual assessment of skeletal status. We propose to standardize scan positioning using 4.0 and 7.3% of total bone length for the distal radius and tibia, respectively.
The challenge of transformative experiences for advance directives: predicting a future with Alzheimer’s disease

Some of the experiences that are possible in life are not relatable to others, nor can one learn about them in other ways, at least not in the sense of what it is like to have lived the experience. L.A. Paul calls these kinds of experiences transformative experiences. This article will incorporate Paul’s concept into an argument that undermines the moral authority of advance directives in situations where the instructions stated in the directive are in direct conflict with the contemporary interests of a patient who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Though the conclusion of this paper will be similar to many others in the literature, namely that advance directives should not in all cases be the final authority on how to respect a patient’s autonomy, this article will argue for this kind of a thesis in a unique way because it will emphasize the importance of that which no one can know. The argument contends that the lived experience of Alzheimer’s disease is a transformative experience, such that one cannot weigh the subjective value of what it is like to be a person with Alzheimer’s disease in the relevant way to properly assess the possible future interests and preferences when creating an advance directive. This article is published as part of a collection on self-knowledge in and outside of illness.
How to Meaningfully Incorporate Co-teaching Into Programs for Middle School Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders:

With the number of students with emotional or behavioral disorders who are being served in the general education classroom increasing, co-teaching has become a more common practice than ever before...
A Recursive Approach for Coefficient Assignment of Discrete Time MIMO Linear Time Varying Systems

Abstract We consider a linear time varying autoregressive moving average (ARMA) system and pose and analyze a time varying version of the coefficient assignment problem well known in time invariant system theory as the pole placement problem. We consider a discrete time, linear time varying plants with m inputs and p outputs together with a p input m output linear time varying compensator. The design objective is to construct a compensator which "coefficient assigns," and hence "bounded input bounded output stabilizes" under suitable additional technical assumptions, the plant in the closed loop. Such a problem is useful in design of linear time-varying control systems in the closed loop. Among the results, a new recursive algorithm to analyze this problem has been introduced. The proposed algorithm has no counterpart in the time-invariant system design and thus represents a new design procedure.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Current Dental Hygiene Educational System

The state of the dental hygiene educational system in the United States is evolving. The numbers of programs, extent of curricula, and diversity of students, faculty, and practice settings vary significantly across the country. New trends in workforce utilization and delivery models are challenging current educational foundations and mandating an interprofessional approach to both the education and practice of dental hygienists. This article presents an overview of the current state of dental hygiene education to create a baseline for discussion of desired educational models for 2040. The strengths and weaknesses are defined to motivate change. Limitations of the current two-year associate degree are emphasized, along with the need to add expanded content and development of new skills. The developing non-traditional practice settings bring both a challenge to dental hygiene education and a promise of increasing potential in primary care interprofessional settings for the 21st century. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century."
Procedures for quick estimation of hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils

This paper describes a heuristic approach that combines a limited number of experimental measurements with the random finite-element method (RFEM) to accelerate significantly the process of measuri...
Patient Preference for Transradial Access over Transfemoral Access for Cerebrovascular Procedures

PURPOSE: Shared decision-making, when physicians and patients collaborate and agree on health care decisions, is a key tenant of patient-centered care. Choice of access site for percutaneous procedures is rarely a shared decision point between physicians and patients. We present our initial evaluation of patient preference for radial over femoral access for cerebrovascular procedures. Materials & Methods: Our study was an IRB-approved single-center, prospective survey of all patients undergoing transradial access for cerebrovascular imaging and intervention. The primary inclusion criteria was any patient with prior transfemoral angiography that chose to have a second procedure via a transradial approach. The radial procedures included: 16 Diagnostic Angiograms and 9 interventional procedures including balloon-assisted coiling, Pipeline stent placement, AVM embolizations, stent-assisted coiling and primary coil embolization. We used a 4 French Merit Prelude radial sheath (Merit Medical, Malvern, PA) for diagnostic procedures and a 5 French Merit Prelude or 6 French Terumo Slim sheath (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) for interventional procedures. The patients underwent focused physical exams, evaluation prior to discharge and 1-2 week assessments in the outpatient Neurointerventional Surgery clinic. Results: A total of 25 patients undergoing radial access procedures (16 Diagnostic Angiograms and 9 interventional procedures) were included. On immediate post-procedure examination 16% had mild bruising and 24% had mild pain at the radial access site. On outpatient follow-up (average 8 days), there were no major complications including hematomas, infection or delayed radial artery occlusion. 24/25 patients included in the study strongly preferred their radial access procedure over their femoral access procedure and if they needed another procedure, would chose radial access. Conclusion: There was nearly unanimous patient preference for radial versus femoral access for cerebrovascular procedures in this single center prospective analysis and no major complications or delayed radial occlusion. In the current age of value-based and patient-centered medicine, the radial approach should be considered for nearly all neurovascular procedures.
Early Recognition of Human Activities from First-Person Videos Using Onset Representations.

In this paper, we propose a methodology for early recognition of human activities from videos taken with a first-person viewpoint. Early recognition, which is also known as activity prediction, is an ability to infer an ongoing activity at its early stage. We present an algorithm to perform recognition of activities targeted at the camera from streaming videos, making the system to predict intended activities of the interacting person and avoid harmful events before they actually happen. We introduce the novel concept of 'onset' that efficiently summarizes pre-activity observations, and design an approach to consider event history in addition to ongoing video observation for early first-person recognition of activities. We propose to represent onset using cascade histograms of time series gradients, and we describe a novel algorithmic setup to take advantage of onset for early recognition of activities. The experimental results clearly illustrate that the proposed concept of onset enables better/earlier recognition of human activities from first-person videos.
Dietary Fiber: Role in Nutritional Management of Disease

Total dietary fiber is the sum of dietary fiber and functional fiber. Dietary fiber consists of nondigestible carbohydrates and lignins from plants. Functional fiber, which may either occur naturally in food or be produced during food processing, consists of nondigestible carbohydrates that by definition have a beneficial effect on human health. The clearest beneficial effect of fiber is that it lowers total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; soluble and functional fibers are most effective in this regard. Fiber also reduces the glycemic index of a diet and may help to prevent hyperglycemia in people with diabetes. It is also important for preventing constipation, and diverticular disease may be less common in people following a higher fiber diet. The evidence for high fiber diets preventing any form of cancer is still controversial.
Hardware Simulation of Harmonic Radar Using a Transverse Electromagnetic Cell

A hardware simulation of harmonic radar detection is constructed using standard laboratory-grade radio-frequency instruments to act as the front-end of the radar and a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell to act as the radar environment. The apparatus, which fits on a typical lab bench, may be used to catalog nonlinear responses of different handheld electronic targets under illumination by a wide band of radio frequencies.
Distinct structural correlates of the dominant and nondominant languages in bilinguals with Alzheimer's disease (AD)

Abstract Structural adaptations in brain regions involved in domain-general cognitive control are associated with life-long bilingualism and may contribute to the executive function advantage of bilinguals over monolinguals. To the degree that these adaptations support bilingualism, their disruption by Alzheimer's disease (AD) may compromise the ability to maintain proficiency in two languages, particularly in the less proficient, or nondominant, language that has greater control demands. The present study assessed this possibility in Spanish-English bilinguals with AD (n = 21) and cognitively normal controls (n = 30) by examining the brain correlates of dominant versus nondominant language performance on the Multilingual Naming Test (MINT), adjusting for age and education. There were no significant structural correlates of naming performance for either language in controls. In patients with AD, dominant language MINT performance was associated with cortical thickness of the entorhinal cortex and middle temporal gyrus, consistent with previous findings of temporal atrophy and related decline of naming abilities in AD. Nondominant language MINT performance, in contrast, was correlated with thickness of the left caudal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a central cognitive control region involved in error monitoring and task switching. The relationship between naming in the nondominant language and ACC in patients with AD but not in controls may reflect increased reliance on the ACC for nondominant language use in the face of atrophy of other control network components. The results are consistent with the possibility that the increased burden nondominant language use places on cognitive control systems compromised in AD may account for faster nondominant than dominant language decline in AD.
Body mass index and outcomes of cardiac resynchronization with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy in older patients with heart failure.

AIMS To assess the association of body mass index (BMI) with heart failure (HF) outcomes after cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS Medicare beneficiaries with HF aged ≥ 65 years (n = 18 922) undergoing first-time CRT-D from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Registry between 2010 and 2013, were followed for 3 years post-implantation. Survival curves and covariate adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) or odds ratio were used to assess the risks for death, readmission, and device-related complications by BMI status. Of 18 922 HF patients receiving CRT-D, 5265 (27.8%) were normal weight, 6896 (37%) were overweight, 6318 (33.4%) were obese, and 353 (1.8%) were underweight. Compared to those of normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 ), underweight patients had a higher 3-year post-device implantation risk of death [aHR: 1.34 (95% confidence interval 1.09-1.65); P < 0.001] and of readmission [sub-aHR: 1.25 (1.09-1.42); P < 0.001]. The corresponding 3-year aHRs for death were 0.83 (0.77-0.89) for overweight, 0.74 (0.67-0.82) for obesity class I (BMI 30-34.9 kg/m2 ), 0.78 (0.68-0.90) for obesity class II (BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2 ), and 0.75 (0.60-0.93) for obesity class III (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 , P for all categories < 0.001). Individuals with class III obesity had a higher risk of readmission [sub-aHR: 1.17 (1.06-1.30)]. There were no differences in rates of device-related complications within 90 days across BMI categories. CONCLUSION Most elderly patients with HF receiving CRT-D were overweight or obese. While being underweight was associated with greater risks of death and hospitalization, overweight and obese patients were at lower risk of death after CRT-D.
From ferromagnets to electoral instability

An electoral model predicts that polarized and alienated voters lead to unstable elections, like phase transitions in an Ising model. Such physics-inspired models may help political scientists devise electoral reforms to quench instability.
Evolution of Spectral Distributions in Deep-Water Constant Vorticity Flows

A central question in sea-state modeling is the role that various physical effects have on the evolution of the statistical properties of random sea states. This becomes a critical issue when one is concerned with the likelihood of rare events such as rogue, or freak, waves which can have significant destructive potential on deep sea ships and other offshore structures. In this paper then, using a recently derived higher-order model of deep water nonlinear waves, we examine the impact of constant vorticity currents on the statistical properties of nonlinearly evolving random sea states. As we show, these currents can both decrease and increase the kurtosis of the affiliated distributions of the sea states, thereby diminishing or enhancing the likelihood of rare events. We likewise numerically study the relationship between the kurtosis and a non-dimensional parameter, the Benjamin–Feir Index, which has proven to be a useful measure of when rare events are likely in oceanographic application.
Chapter 7 – Shale Oils

Shale oil is the product of the thermal reaction and decomposition of kerogen present in oil shales. Any technology to produce shale oil includes mining, heat treatment—also known as retorting—to extract the oil, and oil upgrading. Mining oil shale can be either surface mining or in situ retorting. In surface mining the oil shale is transported to aboveground facilities. There the oil shale is crushed and loaded into a reactor known as a retort, where the temperature is increased to about 400–500°C to decompose the kerogen and release the shale oil. In in situ-retorting heat is applied directly to the rocks underground and the shale oil obtained is extracted in a manner similar to petroleum extraction. Kerogen is a complex organic material that includes large hydrocarbon molecules containing nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. As a result, shale oil contains thousands of high molecular weight and heteroatom-containing compounds that make it unstable and prone to polymerization and formation of odor, colors, and toxic pollutants. Regardless of its intended application, shale oil must be upgraded to reduce or eliminate those undesirable compounds. Upgrading of shale oils may include several steps that are largely dictated by the initial composition of the oil and the particular product(s) that are desired. The most typical upgrading strategy is the application of different hydroprocessing methods, such as hydrotreating, catalytic cracking, and hydrocracking. Although the quality of raw shale oil is low, the enormous amount of oil shale available in the world positions shale oil as a significant resource for future production of fuels and chemicals. This chapter deals with the production and upgrading of shale oils produced from retorting technologies.
Gait Speed Is Associated with Cognitive Function among Older Adults with HIV

Objectives: To determine links between objectively and subjectively measured physical function and cognitive function among HIV-positive older adults, a growing yet understudied group with elevated risk for multimorbidity. Methods: At a biomedical research visit, 162 participants completed objective tests of gait speed (4-m walk), grip strength (dynamometer), and cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) and reported their well-being (Medical Outcomes Study-HIV survey). Results: Those with faster gait speed had better overall cognitive function than those with slower gait speed (b = 3.98, SE = 1.30, p = .003) in an adjusted regression model controlling for age, sex, race, height, preferred language, and assistive device use. Grip strength was not significantly associated with overall cognitive function. Self-rated cognitive function was weakly related to MoCA scores (r = .26) and gait speed (r = .14) but was strongly associated with emotional well-being (r = .53). Discussion: These observed, expected connections between physical and cognitive function could inform intervention strategies to mitigate age-related declines for older adults with HIV.
Effects of planned grazing and burning to restore tallgrass species in old-field sites under drought conditions in Texas Blackland Prairie

Abstract We examined if reintroduction of grazing with or without burning would enhance succession towards native prairie vegetation on previously over-seeded old-field tallgrass prairie subjected to mowing or burning. We hypothesized that returning grazing and fire to these seeded and old-field sites would change establishment and competitive relationships among plant species to benefit fire-tolerant prairie species. Grazing and burning had neutral effects on native prairie species on the previously seeded and unseeded sites over a study period that experienced 70 % of normal precipitation. Herbaceous group categories included old-field grasses, seeded tallgrasses, other grasses (
Predicting Graceful Extensibility of Human-Machine Systems: A New Analysis Method for Evaluating Extensibility Plots to Anticipate Distributed System Performance

With all of the research and investment dedicated to artificial intelligence and other automation technologies, there is a paucity of evaluation methods for how these technologies integrate into ef...
Exploring Race Differences in Satisfaction with Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: a Qualitative Study.

Background The purpose of this qualitative focus group study was to explore race differences in the rehabilitation experience and satisfaction with rehabilitation following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods We conducted a series of qualitative focus group discussions with groups of Non-Hispanic White and Non-Hispanic Black older adults who recently underwent TKA. We used grounded theory approach, which asks the researcher to develop theory from the data that are collected. Participants discussed barriers and facilitators to accessing rehabilitation after surgery, opinions regarding their physical therapists, the amount of post-operative physical therapy received, and overall satisfaction with the post-operative rehabilitation process. Results Thirty-six individuals participated in focus groups. Three major themes emerged: (1) Participants reported overall positive views of their post-TKA rehabilitation experience. They particularly enjoyed one-on-one care, the ability to participate in "prehabilitation", and often mentioned specific interventions they felt were most helpful in their recovery. (2) Despite this, substantial barriers to accessing physical therapy exist. These include suboptimal pain management, copayments and other out-of-pocket costs, and transportation to visits. (3) There were minor differences in the rehabilitation experiences between Black and White participants. Black participants reported longer paths toward surgery and occasional difficulty interacting with rehabilitation providers. Conclusions Individuals undergoing TKA can largely expect positive rehabilitation experiences post-operatively. However, some barriers to post-operative physical therapy exist and may differ between Black and White patients. Physical therapists should increase their awareness of these barriers and work to minimize them whenever possible.
On the Experimental Determination of the Resistance Components of a Submerged Spheroid

Towing-tank measurements of the viscous resistance of a spheroid model by means of wake surveys together with total resistance measurements show that the proximity of the free surface greatly influences the viscous resistance, which becomes much larger than the deep-submergence resistance as the spheroid approaches the free surface. Wind tunnel measurements reveal a similar effect of a rigid wall on the viscous drage of a body. The values of the wave resistance obtained as the difference between the measured values of total resistance and viscous resistance are found to be in agreement, for the range of Froude numbers investigated, with the analytical results obtained neglecting viscous effects and linearizing the free-surface boundary condition, but satisfying exactly the boundary condition on the surface of the body.
Responsible Environmental Behavior, Energy Conservation, and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But Can You Make It Drink?

Despite professing to care about the environment and supporting environmental causes, individuals behave in environmentally irresponsible ways like driving when they can take public transportation, littering, or disposing of toxic materials in unsound ways. This is my fourth exploration of how to encourage individuals to stop behaving irresponsibly about the environment they allege to care deeply about. The prior three articles all explored how the norm of environmental protection could be enlisted in this effort; this Article applies those theoretical conclusions to the very practical task of getting people to switch the type of light bulb they use and thus adhere to the concrete norm of energy conservation. To help situate this piece better in my prior work, the first article proposed expanding the abstract environmental protection norm to include individual environmental responsibility as the approach most likely to overcome barriers to behavioral change. That article recommended enlisting environmental groups as the most effective “norm entrepreneurs” to achieve widespread change in personal environmental conduct. The piece concluded that the best way to change norms and thus change behavior is through education, but that
Ethanol Production by Thermophilic Bacteria: Physiological Comparison of Solvent Effects on Parent and Alcohol-Tolerant Strains of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum

The effects of temperature, solvents, and cultural conditions on the fermentative physiology of an ethanol-tolerant (56 g/liter at 60 degrees C) and parent strain of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum were compared. An ethanol-tolerant mutant was selected by successive transfer of the parent strain into media with progressively higher ethanol concentrations. Physiological differences noted in the mutant included enhanced growth, tolerance to various solvents, and alterations in the substrate range and the fermentation end product ratio. Ethanol tolerance was temperature dependent in the mutant but not in the parent strain. The mutant grew with ethanol concentrations up to 8.0% (wt/vol) at 45 degrees C, but only up to 3.3% (wt/vol) at 68 degrees C. Low ethanol concentration (0.2 to 1.6% [wt/vol]) progressively inhibited the parent strain to where glucose was not fermented at 2.0% (wt/vol) ethanol. Both strains grew and produced alcohols on glucose complex medium at 60 degrees C in the presence of either 5% methanol or acetone, and these solvents when added at low concentration stimulated fermentative metabolism. The mutant produced ethanol at high concentrations and displayed an ethanol/glucose ratio (mole/mole) of 1.0 in media where initial ethanol concentrations were </=4.0% (wt/vol), whereas when ethanol concentration was changed from 0.1% to 1.6% (wt/vol), the ethanol/glucose ratio for the parent strain changed from 1.6 to 0.6. These data indicate that C. thermohydrosulfuricum strains are tolerant of solvents and that low ethanol tolerance is not a result of disruption of membrane fluidity or glycolytic enzyme activity.