cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advances in pharmacotherapy: Treatment of hypertensive crisis

A hypertensive crisis can be caused by many factors. Frequently, the mechanism involved is complex and highly variable among patients. Without drug therapy, this condition is associated with very high mortality and morbidity. There are a number of oral and intravenous hypotensive agents available, which can effectively control blood pressure in a hypertensive crisis. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option is discussed.
Tensile strength of polyurethane exposed to nitrogen dioxide

Polyurethane prepared from tetramethylene glycol and diisocyanate was exposed in the form of films to small pressures of NO2 and to NO2 plus air. Tensile strength was measured as a function of exposure time and temperature with an apparatus especially constructed for the purpose of measuring mechanical properties in different environmental “atmospheres.”
Ehrlichiosis and related infections.

Ehrlichiosis is a term that has been used to describe infection with any of a number of related intracellular, vector-borne pathogens. A recent reclassification has resulted in the transfer of several species previously known as Ehrlichia to the genus Anaplasma or Neorickettsia. Ehrlichia and Anaplasma are transmitted largely through the bite of infected ticks, while vectors for Neorickettsia include trematodes and the intermediate hosts (i.e., fish, snails, and insects) involved in the trematode life cycle. Dogs (and cats) are susceptible to infection with several of these pathogens, and veterinarians should be aware of the similarities and differences between E canis and related infections. Pets with suggestive clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities may be started on doxycycline pending specific diagnostic testing. The veterinarian practicing in endemic areas must understand the implications and limitations of serologic and molecular testing to confirm a diagnosis. For animals in endemic areas, prevention of exposure to vectors can lessen the risk of disease for pets and might lessen the potential for animals to become carriers of disease for their human companions.
Learning to use episodic memory

This paper brings together work in modeling episodic memory and reinforcement learning (RL). We demonstrate that is possible to learn to use episodic memory retrievals while simultaneously learning to act in an external environment. In a series of three experiments, we investigate using RL to learn what to retrieve from episodic memory and when to retrieve it, how to use temporal episodic memory retrievals, and how to build cues that are the conjunctions of multiple features. In these experiments, our empirical results demonstrate that it is computationally feasible to learn to use episodic memory; furthermore, learning to use internal episodic memory accomplishes tasks that reinforcement learning alone cannot. These experiments also expose some important interactions that arise between reinforcement learning and episodic memory. In a fourth experiment, we demonstrate that an agent endowed with a simple bit memory cannot learn to use it effectively. This indicates that mechanistic characteristics of episodic memory may be essential to learning to use it, and that these characteristics are not shared by simpler memory mechanisms.
The link between tissue oxygen and hydration in nursing home residents with pressure ulcers: Preliminary data

Pressure ulcers are prevalent in nursing home residents. They heal slowly and result in pain and impaired quality of life. Strategies to enhance healing of pressure ulcers are critical to the treatment regime in nursing homes. This article explores the possibility that nursing home residents with pressure ulcers may experience low tissue oxygen and impaired hydration. Pilot data are presented suggesting that some proportion of nursing home residents with pressure ulcers experience low subcutaneous oxygen and that fluid administration increases the low tissue oxygen. Further research in this area is warranted.
GUIDANCE AND CONTROL OF AFFORDABLE GUIDED AIRDROP SYSTEM

Abstract This paper addresses the development of an autonomous guidance, navigation and control system for a flat solid circular parachute. This effort is a part of the Affordable Guided Airdrop System (AGAS) that integrates a low-cost guidance and control system into fielded cargo air delivery systems. The paper describes the AGAS concept, its architecture and components. It further proceeds with the description of the control strategy based on Pontrjagin's principle of optimality. The paper ends with the results of the final AGAS demonstration performed at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in September, 2001.
Variation in vector competence for dengue viruses does not depend on mosquito midgut binding affinity.

Background Dengue virus genotypes of Southeast Asian origin have been associated with higher virulence and transmission compared to other genotypes of serotype 2 (DEN-2). We tested the hypothesis that genetic differences in dengue viruses may result in differential binding to the midgut of the primary vector, Aedes aegypti, resulting in increased transmission or vectorial capacity.
The critical properties of dilute n-alkane mixtures

Abstract The critical properties of several dilute mixtures of n-hexane (solvent) with n-decane, n- tetradecane, n-octadecane, and n-docosane were measured using two experimental methods developed in our laboratory. The two methods are a sealed ampoule method for the measure- ment of the critical temperature and the critical density; and a flow method, which is used for the measurement of the critical temperature and pressure. Both methods have been used successfully by us to measure the critical properties of many thermally stable and unstable fluids and fluid mixtures. In the present work, the limiting slopes of the critical lines at infinite dilution were determined and compared with predictions from an equation of state. The appli- cation of these slopes for the prediction of phase equilibria in the dilute critical region was also explored, making use of recent theoretical developments in this field.
Solid State Multinuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation of Electrolyte Decomposition Products on Lithium Ion Electrodes

Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in lithium ion cells prepared with advanced electrolytes is investigated by solid state multinuclear (7Li, 19F, 31P) magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of electrode materials harvested from cycled cells subjected to an accelerated aging protocol. The electrolyte composition is varied to include the addition of fluorinated carbonates and triphenyl phosphate (TPP, a flame retardant). In addition to species associated with LiPF6 decomposition, cathode NMR spectra are characterized by the presence of compounds originating from the TPP additive. Substantial amounts of LiF are observed in the anodes as well as compounds originating from the fluorinated carbonates.
Contig Graph Tool: a graphical interface for contig physical map assembly

A contig physical map of a chromosome is a collection of DNA clones organized into ordered, overlapping sets called contigs which cover contiguous regions of the chromosome. By exploring contig properties using a graph representation, the Contig Graph Tool (CGT) user can interactively detect and correct inconsistencies in a contig's clone content and overlap constraints. Production physical mapping of chromosomes requires electronic databases to manage large volumes of experimental and derived data. The challenge for CGT is to support database interaction and editable visualization to users without compromising database integrity or limiting user investigation. This required several novel interface techniques. The author describes the representation of contigs as graphs and motivates the use of graph properties to detect problems in sets of overlaps. He considers operational requirements for contig editing, i.e. trial-and-error investigation in an experimental environment that requires database management reliability. How these requirements were met is discussed, and the CGT is described. CGT is compared to previous work, its major limitations are considered, and enhancements are proposed. >
ECH comes of age for magnetic fusion research

Advances in gyrotron technology are resulting in new capabilities and scientific results on magnetic confinement devices for fusion research worldwide. Unit output power of 1 MW and higher, at frequencies greater than 100 GHz and quasi-cw operation have become possible. This has led to successful experiments on electron cyclotron heating, electron cyclotron current drive, non-inductive tokamak operation, tokamak energy transport, suppression of instabilities and advanced profile control leading to enhanced performance. The synthetic diamond gyrotron output window is being developed as the answer to the requirement for a low loss blocking window with excellent thermal and mechanical properties and the potential for cw operation at high power. Ancillary equipment for efficient microwave transmission over distances of hundreds of meters, polarization control, diagnostics and flexible launch geometry have all been developed and proven in regular service. There now is excellent convergence between the experimental measurements and theoretical understanding of the heating and current drive mechanisms. The reliability of high power gyrotron installations is at the level previously achieved by neutral beam systems.
Prevalence of renal artery stenosis requiring revascularization in patients initially referred for coronary angiography.

To evaluate the prevalence of clinically significant renal artery stenosis (RAS) in patients referred for coronary angiography, we analyzed data on 2,439 consecutive patients. Patients underwent selective renal angiography in conjunction with coronary angiography if refractory hypertension (blood pressure > 140/90 on two drugs) or flash pulmonary edema was present. A total of 1,089 renal arteries of 534 patients were evaluated. Twelve percent (137/1,089) of the renal arteries in 19% (101/534) of patients had > 70% diameter stenosis in at least one vessel. Bilateral renal artery stenosis was present in 26% (26/101) of patients. One hundred and thirty-two of the 137 vessels underwent stent revascularization due to clinical renovascular hypertension. Acute clinical success (< 20% diameter stenosis without death or urgent surgery) was 98% (99/101). Due to high prevalence and effective available treatment, we recommend routine screening for RAS in all patients with refractory hypertension referred for coronary angiography.
Complications of surgical management of upper tract calculi in spina bifida patients: analysis of nationwide data.

Purpose: The management of upper urinary tract stones in patients with spina bifida is challenging but poorly described in the literature. We compared urolithiasis interventions and related complications in patients with spina bifida to those in other stone formers using a national database.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the NIS to identify hospital admissions for renal and ureteral stones from 1998 to 2011. We used ICD-9-CM codes to identify urological interventions, including shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy and ureteral stent placement. NSQIP data were used to identify postoperative complications.Results: We identified 4,287,529 weighted stone hospital admissions, including 12,315 (0.3%) of patients with spina bifida. Compared to those without spina bifida the patients with spina bifida who had urolithiasis were significantly younger (mean age 34 vs 53 years), more likely to have public insurance (72% vs 44%) and renal vs ureteral calculi (81% vs 58...
Novel Fiber Optic Accelerometer System Using Geometric Moiré Fringe

This paper presents an innovative fiber optic accelerometer system for monitoring vibration of large-size structures. The system is composed of one (or multiple) sensor head and a control unit for driving the sensor and processing sensor data. The sensing mechanism is based on a novel integration of the moire fringe phenomenon with fiber optics, resulting in accurate and reliable measurement. A prototype fiber optic accelerometer system has been successfully developed, including a sensor head, a low-cost control unit and a software package with a unique algorithm for processing the moire fringe signals into accelerations with a high resolution. Finally, free vibration and shaking table tests were performed to identify the dynamic characteristics and demonstrate the high performance of the sensor system developed in this study.
Guest Editorial: Nanophotonics for Communications

This PDF file contains the editorial “Guest Editorial: Nanophotonics for Communications” for JNP Vol. 2 Issue 01
Blue versus Gray: A Metaphor Constraining Sensemaking Around a Restructuring:

Through a case study analysis, this article explores the processes that guide organizational members' sensemaking around a departmental restructuring. Symbolic processes prove to play a critical role in reestablishing understanding even when organizational leaders are not explicitly directing these symbolic processes. This article demonstrates that because of their influence on sensemaking, undirected symbolic processes can hinder effective organizational change. To successfully manage organizational change, leaders need to more actively manage these intangible aspects of the change process.
Illuminating the Profitability of Pairs Trading: A Test of Relative Pricing Efficiency of Markets for Water Utility Stocks

This paper examines the profitability of a pairs trading strategy derived solely from historic price dynamics and contrarian principles. We find that the profitability of the self-financing strategy hinges on a cointegrated relationship, which Engle and Granger (1987) show also implies an error-correcting relationship. With an error-correcting relationship at play, our model allows the movement of a temporary pricing flaw back to its expected value to be predicted with a surprisingly high level of accuracy. We find that although we are not be able to foresee the movement of the cointegrating leader, that move generates a predictable response from the cointegrating follower, which the pairs trading strategy is able to profit from. Our results are robust to a variety of scenarios, most interestingly is when the same security is the leader in one combination but the follower in another. In this case, the security in question is predictable only when it is the follower.
Transanal endoscopic microsurgery

Abstract Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM) is a specialized form of transanal endoscopic surgery that utilizes an operating proctoscope, gas insufflation, specialized instrumentation, and magnified stereoscopic vision to operate on lesions that were previously deemed unresectable or unreachable by traditional transanal techniques. Herein we present a brief overview of TEM, including the operative indications for both malignant and benign lesions, necessary equipment, operative technique, and a discussion of operative and oncologic outcomes.
Responding to patient anger: Development and evaluation of an oncology communication skills training module

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop a communication skills training (CST) module for oncology healthcare professionals on how to more effectively respond to patient anger. We also sought to evaluate the module in terms of participant self-efficacy and satisfaction. METHOD The development of this module was based on a systematic review of the literature and followed the Comskil model previously used for other doctor-patient CST. Using an anonymous 5-point Likert scale, participants rated their pre-post self-efficacy in responding to patient anger as well as their satisfaction with the course. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t test. RESULTS During the academic years 2006-2009, 275 oncology healthcare professionals participated in a CST that focused on responding to patient anger. Participants' confidence in responding to patient anger increased significantly (p < 0.001) after attending the workshop. They also agreed or strongly agreed to five out of six items assessing course satisfaction 92-97% of the time. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS We have developed a CST module on how to respond to patient anger, which is both effective and useful. Training healthcare professionals to respond more effectively to patient anger may have a positive impact on the patient-physician relationship.
The Rest of the Solar System

Should one call it serendipity to have stumbled into a career in space plasma physics within the first decade of the era of satellite exploration? The author had the good fortune to have done so. In early years, she repeatedly was told that she did not look like a physicist, but it was physics that provided her a rewarding opportunity to elucidate the characteristics of the space plasmas of terrestrial and planetary magnetospheres and to discover unexpected properties of the Galilean moons of Jupiter. Here, she describes some of her scientific contributions and introduces family members, colleagues, students, and friends who helped her along her trajectory and participated in her scientific investigations.
What is unique about self-conscious emotions?

In their target article, Tracy and Robins (this issue) offer a far-reaching and generative theory of self-con scious emotion. The central assertion is that the self-conscious emotions differ from other well-studied emotions, such as fear or anger, and their understand ing requires concepts from the self literature. The focus of this commentary is to sharpen the discussion regard ing the unique facets of the self-conscious emotions, in terms of how they differ from other emotions and from one another. The commentary concludes by positing self-regulatory function as the most unique character istic of self-conscious emotion.
Ground Rents against Populist Historiography: Mid-Atlantic Land Tenure, 1750–1820

Ground Rents against Populist Historiography: Mid-Atlantic Land Tenure, I750-I820 As part of his reinterpretation of America's early national economic development, Wood attacked large landlords as a moneyed "gentry" who opposed economic growth because their "static proprietary wealth" was "vulnerable to inflation." In other words, those gentlemen "represented much more the old aristocratic order than they did the capitalist future." In a similar vein, Sloan questioned the economic efficiency of Alexander Hamilton's financial system, implying that "rentiers" used the bulk of the interest that serviced the United States' debt merely to "take on an additional footman and a scullery maid or two." Similar populist sentiments pervade historiography. Indeed, even many economic historians emphasize the so-called "real sectors"-agriculture, industry, and trade-and tend to describe finance and financiers as, at best, necessary evils that played little role in economic development. However, financial historians have countered with strong arguments and evidence that finance played a crucial role in America's economic development.1
A detailed analysis of six-pulse converter harmonic currents

Classical methods for the determination of six-pulse power converter harmonic currents often do not adequately describe the harmonic current magnitudes actually found in practice. To accurately determine the magnitude of characteristic converter harmonics, a calculation procedure which takes into account the ripple of the DC current reflected back into the AC line current must be performed. Various methods from the literature for the determination of six-pulse power converter harmonic currents are compared and a method which takes the fast Fourier transform of the time domain equations is described. Evaluation of these ripple effects tends to increase the magnitude of the 5th harmonic while decreasing the magnitudes of higher order harmonics. Noncharacteristic harmonic orders or frequencies will sometimes also be encountered. These orders typically will be less than the 5th and can be of concern because of possible coincidence with 5th harmonic filter anti-resonance points. >
Mathematical Considerations and the Computer Program

Most of the chapters up to this point have been devoted to discussions of biological and ecological processes. In each case, a number of equations and coefficients have been derived for use in the simulation model. The form of the equations, however, is also important to the model and deserves some mention. Unfortunately, many of the biologists and ecologists whose work makes it possible to conduct mechanistic numerical simulations often turn away from examining or using such models because they are uncomfortable with the mathematical formalism and computer programming that are involved. In the hope of making the transition from laboratory and field data to coupled differential equations clearer, the following section reviews and summarizes many of the mathematical considerations that were involved in arriving at the form for the equations of the Narragansett Bay model.
Beliefs about the nature of numbers

Nearly all psychologists think that cardinality is the basis of number knowledge. When they test infants’ sensitivity to number, they look for evidence that the infants grasp the cardinality of groups of physical objects. And when they test older children’s understanding of the meaning of number words, they look for evidence that the children can, for example, “Give [the experimenter] three pencils” or can “Point to the picture of four balloons.” But when people think about the positive integers, do they single them out by means of the numbers’ cardinality, by means of the ordinal relations that hold among them, or in some other way? This chapter reviews recent research in cognitive psychology that compares people’s judgments about the integers’ cardinal and ordinal properties. It also presents new experimental evidence suggesting that, at least for adults, the integers’ cardinality is less central than their number-theoretic and arithmetic properties.
On the Stability of Microstructure for General Martensitic Transformations

We describe a general theory for the stability of the laminated microstructure for martensitic crystals. Our theory has been applied to the orthorhombic to monoclinic transformation, the cubic to tetragonal transformation, the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation, and the cubic to orthorhombic transformation.
Zika virus What the neurologist wants to know

Just as Neurology® Without Borders launched in late January, news coverage about the Zika virus epidemic in Latin America with Brazil at ground zero began to reach the popular press.1–4 Photographs of devastated parents and microcephalic, dysmorphic infants have captured the public's attention. Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine 5 and Lancet 6–8 among others have outlined some of what is known about the epidemiology of this arbovirus and how we believe it made its way from Africa (identified in 1947) to Southeast Asia (mid-20th century) to Micronesia (2007) to French Polynesia (2014) and most recently to Latin America in 2015.9
Mass Spectral Analysis of Phosphorylated Peptides Formed under Dry Heating Conditions

Two peptide models such as peptide A and peptide B containing serine(S),threonine(T) and tyrosine(Y) were built.The phosphorylation of both peptides was carried out under dry heating conditions.The phosphorylation sites were determined using FT-ICR MS and LTQ-ETD MS/MS.FT-ICR analysis revealed one phosphorlyated site in either peptide under dry heating conditions.In addition,LTQ-ETD MS/MS analysis revealed obvious characteristic peaks of phosphorylated S and Y in peptide A.It was difficult to determine the phosporlyation of T due to the overlapped characteristic peaks of phosphorylated Y and T.However,the LTQ-ETD MS/MS spectrum of peptide B only revealed the phosphorylation of S without the phosphorylation of T.In summary,S and Y were easier to be phosphorylated than T in the same peptide under dry heating conditions.
Survey of the Demand and Utilization of Health Services in Island Residents

OBJECTIVE Research the situation for crowd health, chronic conditions, the demand and utilization of health services in island residents. METHOD Using stratified random sampling method. RESULT The first five types of disease that endanger island residents health are chronic enteritis, diskitis,gout, chronic bronchitis and throat tonsil disease. Illness to the crowd more fishermen.The quantity decline while patients with medical illness is the general trend in the high level institutions. Rural health clinics treat patients preferred. Attendances points from the more recent are higher attendance rate. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer are disease to endanger potential the health of island residents. CONCLUSION It is an to rapid establishment of a comprehensive rural community of health services, promotion for new medical insurance system in rural areas,restructuring island health resources ,which is important strategy to planning island residents health services.
Cardiac Pathology in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease Maintained on Hemodialysis:

We report the spectrum of cardiovascular pathology found on autopsy examination in 106 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease. Cardiovascular pathology was present in nearly all patients...
Codon Positions that Strongly Influence Cotranslational Folding are Far from Equilibrium: A Framework for Controlling Nascent-Protein Folding

An emerging paradigm in the field of in vivo protein biophysics is that nascent protein behavior is type of non-equilibrium phenomenon, where the kinetics of translation elongation and cotranslational processes can be more important in determining protein behavior than the thermodynamic properties of the protein. Indeed, synonymous codon substitutions, which change the translation rate at select codon positions along a transcript, have been shown to alter the likelihood of cotranslational protein folding and proper functioning, suggesting that evolution likely shaped codon usage in the genomes of organisms in part to influence nascent protein behavior. Here, we develop a Monte-Carlo-master-equation method that allows for the control of nascent chain folding during translation through the rational design of mRNA sequences using synonymous codons. The method allows us to encode particular translation-rate profiles into an mRNA molecule to guide the cotranslational folding process. We test this framework using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and find it provides optimal mRNA sequences to control the simulated, cotranslational folding of a protein in a user-prescribed manner. With this approach we discover the physical rules governing why synonymous mutations at some codon positions can have a much greater impact on nascent protein folding than others. We find that the impact of a synonymous mutation at a particular codon position is proportional to how far the populations of different nascent-chain conformational states are from equilibrium. As a consequence, different cotranslational profiles of a protein can have different critical codon positions. These findings explain a fundamental connection between the non-equilibrium nature of cotranslational processes, nascent protein behavior and codon usage.
A quick overview of OpenMP for multi-core programming

Computers used to have one CPU and could run one thread of execution at a time. In the last few years, computers have been built with multiple cores (multiple CPUs) with some computers using hyper-threading (where a core can run more than one thread at a time). Currently, a high-end consumer computer can be found with 12 hyper-threaded cores, having the capability of executing 24 threads simultaneously. Intel is expected to release a massively parallel chip with more than 50 cores by the end of the year. OpenMP is a technology for writing programs that make use of multiple cores.
Fibre Channel Standard

This chapter emphasizes fiber channel in detail. It describes the current main application area for fiber channel. Further, the chapter provides an insight of how fiber channels, in contrast with other network architectures, leverages the advantages of high-speed, high-reliability optical technology to provide high overall data communications performance. A fiber channel network is made up of one or more bidirectional point-to-point serial data channels, structured for high-performance capability. The basic data rate over the links is just over 1 Gbps, thus providing > 100 MBps data transmission bandwidth, with half, quarter, eighth, double, and quadruple-speed links defined along with 10 Gbps links under development. It is noted that the fiber channel protocol is configured to match the transmission and technological characteristics of single and multimode optical fibers, but the physical medium used for transmission can also be copper twisted pair or coaxial cable. Fiber channel is structured as a set of hierarchical functions. Interfaces among the levels are defined, but vendors are not just limited to specific interfaces among levels if multiple levels are implemented together.
CT angiography and 3D imaging in aortoiliac occlusive disease: collateral pathways in Leriche syndrome

Collateral pathways in aortoiliac occlusive disease are essential for arterial blood flow to the abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities. These pathways can be broadly divided into systemic–systemic, visceral–visceral, and systemic–visceral collateral networks. MDCT angiography is the most commonly used modality for the diagnostic evaluation of patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease, allowing excellent evaluation of stenotic arterial segments, as well as beautifully illustrating resulting collateral pathways (particularly when utilizing 3D reconstruction techniques). This article seeks to familiarize radiologists with the most common patterns of aortoiliac occlusion and associated arterial collateral pathways utilizing CT angiography.
Improved Annotations of 23 Differentially Expressed Hypothetical Proteins in Methicillin Resistant S.aureus.

Antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major public health concern effecting millions of people annually. Medical science has documented completely untreatable S. aureus infections. These strains are appearing in the community with increasing frequency. New diagnostic and therapeutic options are needed to combat this deadly infection. Interestingly, around 50% of the proteins in S. aureus are annotated as hypothetical. Methods to select hypothetical proteins related to antibiotic resistance have been inadequate. This study uses differential gene expression to identify hypothetical proteins related to antibiotic resistant phenotype strain variations. We apply computational tools to predict physiochemical properties, cellular location, sequence-based homologs, domains, 3D modeling, active site features, and binding partners. Nine of 23 hypothetical proteins were 50% confidence over >20% residues. These findings indicate the method of hypothetical protein identification is sufficient; however, current scientific knowledge is inadequate to properly annotate these proteins. This process should be repeated regularly until entire genomes are clearly and accurately annotated.
Playful learning with technology: the effect of computer-assisted instruction on literacy and numeracy skills of preschoolers

This study examined the effects of computer-assisted instruction – framed as playful activity and presented via e-tablet – on the literacy and numeracy skills of preschoolers’ enrolled in a private...
Function-on-function regression with thousands of predictive curves

Abstract With the advance of technology, thousands of curves can be simultaneously recorded by electronic devices, such as simultaneous EEG and fMRI data. To study the relationship between these curves, we consider a functional linear regression model with functional response and functional predictors, where the number of predictive curves is much larger than the sample size. The high dimensionality of this problem poses theoretical and practical difficulties for the existing methods, including estimation inconsistency and prediction inaccuracy. Motivated by the simultaneous EEG and fMRI data, we focus on models with sparsity structures where most of the coefficient functions of the predictive curves have small norms. To take advantage of this sparsity structure and the smoothness of coefficient functions, we propose a simultaneous sparse-smooth penalty which is incorporated into a generalized functional eigenvalue problem to obtain estimates of the model. We establish the asymptotic upper bounds for the prediction and estimation errors as both the sample size and the number of predictive curves go to infinity. We implement the proposed method in the R package FRegSigComp . Simulation studies show that the proposed method has good predictive performance for models with sparsity structures. The proposed method is applied to a simultaneous EEG and fMRI dataset.
Tuning the Multifunctionality of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Self-Assembled Mixed Lipid Layers.

We present an approach to tuning the multifunctionality of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) using mixed self-assembled monolayers of cationic lipid and anionic polyethylene glycol (PEG) lipid. By forming stable, monodispersed lipid-coated IONs (L-IONs) through a solvent-exchange technique, we were able to demonstrate the relationship between surface charge, the magnetic transverse relaxivity (r2 from T2-weighted images), and the binding capacity of small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) as a function of the cationic-to-anionic (PEG) lipid ratio. These properties were controlled by the cationic charge and the PEG conformation; relaxivity and siRNA binding could be varied in the mushroom and brush regimes but not at high brush densities. In vitro results combining cell viability, uptake, and transfection efficiency using HeLa cells suggest that the functional physicochemical and biological properties of L-IONs may be best achieved using catanionic lipid coatings near equimolar ratios of cationic to ani...
Software Project Risks and Development Focus

Risks to software projects pose a major dilemma to information systems (IS) project managers. The identification of techniques that may mitigate certain risks can help determine approaches that may...
Soil conservation in Central America and Panama: current problems.

Soil conservation measures in Central America go back to the Maya civilization, in which terracing was employed. After the Spanish conquest, plowing, livestock raising, and the succession of social and political changes all contributed to accelerate erosion Through the past few decades, awareness of the need for soil conservation has again increased; El Salvador and Costa Rica began efforts in that direction in 1943. For sometime, the use of machinery and chemical fertilizers has masked the loss of topsoil, but under recent increases in population pressures, soil conservation measures are gaining in importance. Important agents of erosion in the tropics are heavy seasonal rains at high elevations, alternating with long dry seasons; wind erosion; and landslides after saturation of the soil during prolonged rains. Modern machinery often hastens soil removal, as do also overgrazing, deforestation and vertical crop rows. Under the present energy crisis, human labor is becoming again a significant element in crop production, and soil conservation becomes thereby more feasible and more important.
On Divisibility and Credibility: The Effects of the Distribution of Litigation Costs Over Time on the Credibility of Threats to Sue

When the litigation costs of a potential plaintiff exceed the expected judgment in the case, the plaintiff's threat to sue can nevertheless succeed in extracting a settlement offer if that threat is credible. This paper analyzes how the credibility of such threats is shaped by the way in which the parties' litigation costs are expected to be distributed over time. The analysis starts by demonstrating that greater divisibility of litigation costs may help -- and can never hurt -- the plaintiff's strategic position. The analysis then identifies the strategic implications of the order in which the parties must incur the bulk of their litigation costs; it is shown that, contrary to what might be initially thought, the plaintiff will be better off if the defendant's costs must largely be incurred after the plaintiff's cost. Finally, for the various possible distributions of parties' costs over time, the analysis identifies necessary and sufficient conditions for the plaintiff's threat to be credible (and, therefore, to succeed in extracting a settlement).
Surgical Correction of Urethral Prolapse

AbstractSince prolapse of the female urethra is the result of inadequate pelvic attachment we believe treatment should be reduction of the herniated urethra and fixation of the bladder and urethra to the posterior surface of the symphysis and rectus abdominis muscles.
Paleotopographic influences of the cretaceous/tertiary angular unconformity on uranium mineralization in the shirley basin, wyoming

The Shirley Basin is a small asymmetric synclinal structure located in northern Carbon County, Wyoming approximately 65 km (40 miles) south of Casper, Wyoming, USA. The basin formed during the Lara...
Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Mood: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Background: Sleep disturbances play an important role in everyday affect and vice versa. However, the causal day-to-day interaction between sleep and mood has not been thoroughly explored, partly because of the lack of daily assessment data. Mobile phones enable us to collect ecological momentary assessment data on a daily basis in a noninvasive manner. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-reported daily mood and sleep quality. Methods: A total of 208 adult participants were recruited to report mood and sleep patterns daily via their mobile phones for 6 consecutive weeks. Participants were recruited in 4 roughly equal groups: depressed and anxious, depressed only, anxious only, and controls. The effect of daily mood on sleep quality and vice versa were assessed using mixed effects models and propensity score matching. Results: All methods showed a significant effect of sleep quality on mood and vice versa. However, within individuals, the effect of sleep quality on next-day mood was much larger than the effect of previous-day mood on sleep quality. We did not find these effects to be confounded by the participants’ past mood and sleep quality or other variables such as stress, physical activity, and weather conditions. Conclusions: We found that daily sleep quality and mood are related, with the effect of sleep quality on mood being significantly larger than the reverse. Correcting for participant fixed effects dramatically affected results. Causal analysis suggests that environmental factors included in the study and sleep and mood history do not mediate the relationship.
Challenges and opportunities for adsorption-based CO2 capture from natural gas combined cycle emissions

In recent years, the power sector has shown a growing reliance on natural gas, a cleaner-burning fuel than coal that emits approximately half as much CO2 per kWh of energy produced. This rapid growth in the consumption of natural gas has led to increased CO2 emissions from gas-fired power plants. To limit the contribution of fossil fuel combustion to atmospheric CO2 levels, carbon capture and sequestration has been proposed as a potential emission mitigation strategy. However, despite extensive exploration of solid adsorbents for CO2 capture, few studies have examined the performance of adsorbents in post-combustion capture processes specific to natural gas flue emissions. In this perspective, we emphasize the importance of considering gas-fired power plants alongside coal-fired plants in future analyses of carbon capture materials. We address specific challenges and opportunities related to adsorptive carbon capture from the emissions of gas-fired plants and discuss several promising candidate materials. Finally, we suggest experiments to determine the viability of new CO2 capture materials for this separation. This broadening in the scope of current carbon capture research is urgently needed to accelerate the deployment of transformational carbon capture technologies.
Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem with Industry 4.0 Technologies

Industry 4.0 intends to address a fast-changing and challenging manufacturing environment with diverse demands, short order lead-time and product life cycle, limited capacities, and highly complex process technologies. A smart manufacturing ecosystem integrated with Industry 4.0 technologies, such as advanced automation, AI, machine learning, big data analytics, and Internet of Things, is capable of performing real-time monitoring and optimization of manufacturing processes in various aspects from high level strategic resource and production planning down to real-time equipment-level smart dispatching and predictive maintenance. By fully using real-time data and AI, the ecosystem is able to help manufacturers shorten production and R&D processes, increase production capacity, reduce production cost, guarantee product quality, and improve product yield. It is suitable to help not only high-tech industries such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, but also conventional labor-intensive sectors. This talk illustrates the transformation and improvement of manufacturing activities by using Industry 4.0 technologies through real-life application examples from the semiconductor manufacturing sector.
Low incidence of microplastic contaminants in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) from the Salish Sea, USA.

Plastic pollution is a threat to marine life with long term impacts to ecosystems and organisms in the sea. In this study, we quantified the presence of microparticles in wild populations of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from the Salish Sea, Washington State. Examination under a dissecting microscope revealed 63% of oysters contained microparticles (~1.75 microparticles per oyster) and microfibers were the dominant type of particles. Using Raman microspectroscopy (RMS) and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (μ-FTIR) we found that only ~2% of these microparticles were synthetic and included polymers such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(bisphenol A carbonate), rayon, and polyacrylate. It is important to note that of the 447 microparticles analyzed with RMS, 41% showed fluorescence interference, impeding the determination of their identification. The remaining microparticles were cellulose derivatives, shell fragments, biological or proteinaceous material, salts, minerals, and gypsum. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy equipped with a diamond attenuated total reflectance accessory (ATR-FTIR) showed the presence of sorbitan derivatives in all samples examined (n = 213). These findings provide the first baseline for microplastic and other particles in oysters from the west coast of the United States integrating results from ATR-FTIR, μ-FTIR, and RMS, in addition to visual sorting. These results suggest there is low retention of plastic particles in Pacific oysters from the Salish Sea, but further research is needed to determine the composition of microparticles with fluorescence interference.
Good Financial Practice and Clinical Research Coordinator Responsibilities

Abstract Objectives To describe clinical research billing pitfalls and good financial practices the research nurse coordinator can implement to decrease billing errors in clinical practice. Data Sources Government websites, published articles, and the author's expertise in national/international research studies. Conclusion Clinical research billing is a risky business. It involves many steps in the process and requires good communication among all key stakeholders. The clinical research coordinator is the key team player to facilitate good financial practices for research billing. Creating and applying standards, cross-functional transparent communication, and effective processes across the organization can help to increase billing compliance and decreases billing risk to the organization. Implications for Nursing Practice The research billing process is a critical component of clinical research. However, billing in the process of generating evidence to inform clinical practice is not included in the core competencies in nursing curriculum. As such, in the real world many nurses grapple with taking on the new role of being a clinical research coordinator. Developing knowledge and understanding about the potential billing pitfalls and good financial practices can support clinical research nurses to decrease billing errors and exposure to risk.
High Velocity Kernel File Systems with Bento

High development velocity is critical for modern cloud systems. However, rapid development and release cycles have mostly skipped operating systems. Modifications to behavior in Linux, the most widely used server operating system in the cloud, must be done slowly to minimize risk of introducing bugs, be limited in scope, or be implemented in userspace with a potential performance penalty. We propose Bento, a framework for high velocity development of Linux kernel file systems. Bento is inspired by the recent availability of type-safe, non-garbage collected languages like Rust. It interposes a thin layer between kernel calls to the file system and file system calls back to the kernel, exposing alternative interfaces to enable kernel file systems written in safe Rust. Future work will provide support for online upgrades, userspace debugging, and composable filesystems. We evaluate Bento by using it to implement the xv6 file system and comparing against baselines written using the kernel VFS layer and FUSE. We find that the Bento filesystem achieves comparable performance to the VFS version and much better performance than the FUSE version. We also evaluate against ext4 on the macrobenchmarks and find that ext4 performs between 33% and 3.2x better than the Bento xv6 file system.
Implementing Fast Heuristic Search Code

Published papers rarely disclose implementation details. In this paper we show how such details can account for speedups of up to a factor of 28 for different implementations of the same algorithm. We perform an in-depth analysis of the most popular benchmark in heuristic search: the 15-puzzle. We study implementation choices in C++ for both IDA* and A* using the Manhattan distance heuristic. Results suggest that several optimizations deemed critical in folklore provide only small improvements while seemingly innocuous choices can play a large role. These results are important for ensuring that the correct conclusions are drawn from empirical comparisons
(2m + 1)th-Degree Polynomial Discrete Systems

In this Chapter, the global stability and bifurcations of period-1 fixed-points in the (2m)th-degree polynomial discrete system are presented. The parallel-appearing, spraying-appearing, sprinkler-spraying-appearing bifurcations for simple and higher-order period-1 fixed-points are presented, and the antenna-switching, straw-bundle-switching bifurcations and flower-bundle-switching bifurcations for simple and higher-order period-1 fixed-points are presented. From the period-doubling bifurcation, the period-2 fixed-point solutions and the corresponding period-doubling renormalization of such a forwarded (2m)th-degree polynomial discrete system are discussed. For multiple iterations, the appearing bifurcations of period-n fixed-points and the corresponding period-doublization of the forward (2m)th-degree polynomial discrete system are presented as well.