cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Exploratory Quantitative Analysis of Academic Library Services: Approaches to Compare Performance Based Metrics

This exploratory study addresses performance measurement in academic libraries by using selected measures provided by academic libraries to national surveys. For comparative purposes, the authors suggest the use of a total service index and various cost measurements as determined by enrollment and by library use. The statistical analyses of academic library data presented in this study may be helpful in initiating a discussion regarding the costs of using an academic library and how this information could be used for various purposes such as benchmarking or requesting additional funds to support library services.
Wireless Power Transfer in Millimeter Wave Tactical Networks

Wireless power transfer may enable remotely powered operation of low-energy devices in challenging environments such as tactical networks. Millimeter wave (mmWave) is a possible candidate for wireless power transfer, thanks to the use of directional antenna arrays. This letter presents a feasibility study of using mmWave for wireless power transfer in a large-scale network consisting of power beacons and energy harvesters. Using stochastic geometry, system performance is characterized while treating the network nodes as potential blockages to mmWave signals. A link-level metric (energy coverage probability) and a network-level metric (overall success probability) are considered. The former captures whether a typical energy transfer link provides the requisite energy, while the latter also takes the network load into account. Numerical simulations suggest that network densification helps improve the performance, despite an increase in the blockage density. For a given density, deploying an optimal fraction of nodes as power beacons maximizes the number of successful energy harvesters. Finally, mmWave outperforms lower frequency solutions despite blockages.
Using dynamic dependence analysis to improve the quality of high-level synthesis designs

High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tools that compile algorithms written in high-level languages into register-transfer level implementations can significantly improve design productivity and lower engineering cost. However, HLS-generated designs still lag handwritten implementations in a number of areas, particularly in the efficient allocation of hardware resources. In this work, we propose the use of dynamic dependence analysis to generate higher quality designs using existing HLS tools. We focus on resource sharing for compute-intensive workloads, a major limitation of relying only on static analysis. We demonstrate that with dynamic dependence analysis, the synthesized designs can achieve an order of magnitude resource reduction without performance loss over the state-of-the-art HLS solutions.
Ethical Challenges of Personal Disclosure in Gaining Entry with Religious Congregations.

This is a story about learning how to navigate my social identities as a non-religious gay man attempting to conduct data-based consultation with a religious congregation. Beyond my own growth in knowing myself better, this story speaks to the larger ethical challenge of how we build trust in community relationships, and in particular how much of our personal selves we need to disclose in the process of an individual or group deciding to work with us. Individuals and groups make decisions to work with us based on who they perceive us to be; thus, what is our ethical obligation to disclose aspects of who we are to promote full informed consent? To illustrate this ethical challenge of personal disclosure, I tell the story of discussions I had with three different religious leaders and a congregational committee about potentially working together. Throughout these stories, I reflect on my own messy process of growth as a window into the more general question of how we navigate our identities and values as community psychologists in the work we do with communities.
Innovative child health projects.

CINI's work in rehabilitating the severely malnourished children living in the southern outskirts of Calcutta is well known amongst professionals in the field of child health. It also has a long-standing reputation for disaster relief activities. CINI's experience and expertise have led to new dimensions in its work. It has emerged as a major regional center for the training of health workers, governmental and non-governmental, and is involved in major field research studies in collaboration with national medical institutions. CINI's work has gained international recognition, but its expansions have never impinged upon its primary concern: the welfare of the poor and sick. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A08BC105 00004
Williston as Conservative-Pragmatist

This short piece is a contribution to a forthcoming symposium on the work of legal historian N.E.H. Hull. Professor Hull argues that the academics behind the First Restatement project - men like William Draper Lewis, Arthur Corbin, and Wesley Hohfeld - were "progressive pragmatists." These men wanted reform, but they understood the need to accommodate anti-reform traditionalists like Samuel Williston, the Reporter on the Restatement of Contracts. In my contribution to the symposium, I demonstrate that, conventional wisdom notwithstanding, Williston did not oppose reform in the Contracts Restatement. In fact, he was largely responsible for the Restatement's most thoroughgoing innovation, the doctrine of promissory estoppel. If, as Professor Hull maintains, the academics behind the Restatement project were "progressive-pragmatists," Williston is best understood as their conservative counterpart: a "conservative-pragmatist."
Soul, Soul-Parts, and Persons in Plato

In Book IV of the Republic,, Socrates argues that the soul has an appetitive element, a spirited element, and a rational element. This essay discusses each of these arguing that the rational element alone is a, soul or a, person, capable of having fully autonomous propositional attitudes, while the other elements are sub-personal accretions to it, resulting from its embodiment. By distinguishing between sublunary and superlunary embodiment, it shows that this view is present not just in the Republic, but in the Phaedo,, Phaedrus,, and Timaeus, as well.
Abstract 3324: Diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with ctDNA methylation markers

Abstract An effective blood-based method for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been developed. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) carrying cancer-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations may enable a noninvasive “liquid biopsy” for diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. Here, we identified an HCC-specific methylation markers by comparing HCC tissue and normal blood leukocytes and showed that methylation profiles of HCC tumor DNA and matched plasma ctDNA are highly correlated. Using cfDNA samples from a large cohort of 1098 HCC patients and 835 normal controls, we constructed a diagnostic prediction model that showed high diagnostic specificity and sensitivity (P Citation Format: Kang Zhang. Diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with ctDNA methylation markers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3324.
Levofloxacin Prophylaxis for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: A Second Look

Introduction Autologous stem cell transplant patients (ASCT) are at risk for bacterial. Antibacterial prophylactic strategy is variable among centers. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in ASCT patients has not been found to add a survival benefit. We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing ASCT with and without bacterial prophylaxis to compare endpoints of interest. Methods At our institution, patients undergoing ASCT for multiple myeloma (MM) receive levofloxacin 500 mg daily as prophylaxis, while lymphoma patients do not. We retrospectively examined MM or lymphoma patients undergoing ASCT between July of 2015 and 2018 for bacteremia episodes. MM patients received melphalan and lymphoma patients received BEAM. All patients received growth factor support. Clinical and microbial data was recorded and analyzed using SPSS. Results In total, 172 patients underwent ASCT for lymphoma and 343 for MM. Seventeen percent (30/172) of lymphoma patients and 5.5% (19/324) of MM patients had febrile neutropenic episodes associated with bacteremia. Relative risk was 3.1 [1.83 – 5.43, p Discussion Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis resulted in less blood stream infection episodes but more breakthrough infections with resistant isolates. There was no statistically significant difference between the rates of CDI infections despite a trend to lower incidence in the prophylaxis group. Bacteremia was more difficult to treat for the resistant isolates. There were two infection-related mortalities in the prophylaxis group. In the era of antimicrobial resistance, further reevaluation of the utility of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis should be carefully weighed against the risks.
Impact of testosterone replacement therapy after radical prostatectomy on prostate cancer outcomes.

100Background: Currently there is little data to guide the use of post-radical prostatectomy (RP) testosterone replacement therapy in prostate cancer. We sought to evaluate the impact of post-RP te...
P-254 Online upskilling in motor neurone disease for care homes… and hospices?

Background MND Association regional staff were often asked to deliver MND talks in care homes. Frequently on arriving to present, the number of care workers was much fewer than expected or, no-one was available at all due to work pressures. Aims To develop a resource: • accessible at point of need • to meet the learning requirements of care workers or those in similar roles • flexible around work commitments. To review its effectiveness. Methods Project development group with representatives from MDT professions and hospice sector Collaborative face to face and remote content development Content to be practical advice, based on professional opinion Flexible structure to address issues of time poverty and staff turnover Free Each section to cover a symptom management/knowledge area Opportunity to complete over a number of days/weeks Certificate of completion Reviewed via an online survey and course monitoring data. Results Development of a free online course hosted by University of Northampton. Participants: 97% agreed/strongly agreed that the module had been organised in a way that helped them to learn 68% felt that they had significantly increased their knowledge of MND and a further 30% believed they had increased their knowledge Following the course 94% felt more confident about caring for someone living with MND. Reasons for completing the course varied: 47% indicated they were caring for someone with MND, and 32% were undertaking it purely for professional development. A significant proportion of completions were outside core hours: 31% 7 pm – midnight and 11% midnight – 7 am; a requirement not easily accommodated by training. The course has been used to provide wholesale staff training. Conclusion This module has approximately 700 completions to date. It provides a comprehensive, practical introduction to MND and has been well received by participants. It could usefully be employed within hospices to support the delivery of outstanding care.
Instructional Design Theory

Educators tend to rely on various theories to guide their design. While learning theories focus on the learners and how they learn, instructional design theories assist educators by providing explanations for interpreting data on learning and help make predictions related to learner performance. Instructional design models derived from instructional design theories convey guiding principles for analysing, producing and revising intentional learning contexts. This chapter begins with definitions of instructional design and three common assumptions, and clarifies the distinction between learning theories and instructional theories. It then discusses instructional design theories and models based on the basic idea that an instructional design theory works best when it is matched to a highly and positively correlated situation. The chapter concludes with key themes to shape recent online learning environments and offers directions for future research in open and distance education.
Selenium Status Influences Selenoprotein H Interactions with Other Selenoproteins in the Response to Oxidative Stress (P24-026-19)

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element exerting its biological functions mainly through selenoproteins. Evidence suggests that selenoprotein H (SELONOH), a nuclear protein against oxidative stress and cellular senescence, is the most prominent selenoprotein that responds in parallel to dietary Se deficiency and age in telomere-humanized mice displaying type-2 diabetes-like symptoms. On the other hand, SELENOH is one of the few low-hierarchy selenoproteins whose expression is very sensitive to fluctuations in Se status. The objective of this study was to explore impacts of SELENOH on the expression of other selenoproteins and redox regulation upon changes in Se status. A plasmids expressing wild-type SELENOH was constructed and transfected into human HEK293T cells, followed by analyses of Se status and cellular functions. Adding Se (Na₂SeO₃, 0–200 nM) to cell culture medium dose-dependently increased protein levels of overexpressed SELENOH and other selenoproteins including glutathione peroxide 1 and thioredoxin reductase 1; however, their mRNA transcripts were not affected by Se status. Overexpressed SELENOH suppressed protein expression of these two selenoproteins. Supplementing Se (100 nM) enabled overexpressed SELENOH to protect against paraquat-induced senescence and slow proliferation. Analyses of SELENOH-associated proteins through LC-MS-MS co-identified nucleolar and glycosylation proteins. Altogether, these results suggest that SELENOH could compete with other selenoproteins for available Se but protects against oxidative stress together with them. NIH.
Comparative residual toxicities of pesticides to the predator Agistemus industani (Acari: Stigmaeidae) on citrus in Florida.

Residual toxicities of registered and selected experimental pesticides used on citrus against Agistemus industani Gonzalez (Acari: Stigmaeidae) were compared. Pesticides considered highly toxic to A. industani were: abamectin 0.15 EC at 731 ml/ha + FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, pyridaben 75 WP at 469 g/ha, ethion 4 EC at 7.01 l/ha + FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, propargite 6.55 EC at 3.51 l/ha, chlorfenapyr 2 SC at 1.46 l/ha applied alone or in combination with FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, sulphur 80 DF at 16.81 kg/ha, dicofol 4 EC at 7.01 l/ha, fenbutatin oxide 50 WP at 2.24 kg/ha, benomyl 50 WP at 2.24 kg/ha, benomyl 50 WP at 1.68 kg/ha + ferbam 76 GF at 5.60 kg/ha, ferbam 76 GF at 11.21 kg/ha, neem oil 90 EC at 46.8 l/ha, and copper hydroxide DF (40% metallic copper) at 4.48 kg metallic copper/ha + FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha. Pesticides that were moderately to slightly toxic included: copper sulphate 98% at 4.48 kg metallic copper/ha + FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, fenbuconazole 2 F at 280 ml/ha + FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, FC 435-66 petroleum oil applied alone at 46.8 l/ha or 23.4 l/ha, and diflubenzuron 25 WP at 1.40 kg/ha. Pesticides that were non-toxic included: fenbuconazole 2 F at 585 ml/ha, malathion 57 EC at 5.85 l/ha, FC 435-66 petroleum oil at 46.8 l/ha, carbaryl 80 S at 3.36 kg/ha, chlorpyrifos 4 EC at 4.68 l/ha, and formetanate 92 SP at 1.12 kg/ha. Understanding the toxic effects of field weathered pesticides against key predacious mite species is important for effective IPM. The results of this study provide a comparison of direct and indirect toxic effects of various pesticides to A. industani under field conditions.
Signaling to TRP53 and TAp63 from CHK1/CHK2 is responsible for elimination of most oocytes defective for either chromosome synapsis or recombination [preprint]

Eukaryotic organisms have evolved mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of cells bearing genetic aberrations. This is especially crucial for the germline, because fecundity, and fitness of progeny would be adversely affected by an excessively high mutational incidence. The process of meiosis poses unique problems for mutation avoidance, due to the requirement for SPO11-induced programmed double strand breaks (DSBs) in recombination-driven pairing and segregation of homologous chromosomes. Mouse meiocytes bearing unrepaired meiotic DSBs or unsynapsed chromosomes are eliminated before completing meiotic prophase I. In previous work, we showed that checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2; CHEK2), a canonical DNA damage response protein, is crucial for eliminating not only oocytes defective in meiotic DSB repair (e.g. Trip13Gt mutants), but also asynaptic Spo11-/- oocytes that accumulate a threshold level of spontaneous DSBs. However, rescue of such oocytes by Chk2 deficiency was incomplete, raising the possibility that a parallel checkpoint pathway(s) exists. Here, we show that mouse oocytes lacking both TAp63 and TRP53 protects nearly all Spo11-/- and Trip13Gt/Gt oocytes from elimination. We present evidence that checkpoint kinase I (CHK1; CHEK1), which is known to signal to TRP53, also becomes activated by persistent DSBs in oocytes, and to an increased degree when CHK2 is absent. The combined data indicate that nearly all oocytes reaching a threshold level of unrepaired DSBs are eliminated by a semi-redundant pathway of CHK1/CHK2 signaling to TRP53/TAp63.
The effects of tail damage on tadpole development and leaping ability after metamorphosis in Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis)

Tadpoles have many predators in the wild and are able to escape from them because the structure of their tail allows it to tear off if attacked. We examined the effects of tail damage in the early tadpole stages on the leaping and swimming abilities of Cuban tree frogs after metamorphosis. We obtained 120 Cuban tree frogs, and to simulate predation, we initially removed a piece of the top of the tadpole tails in one experimental group, cut off a piece of the bottom of the tadpole tails in the second experimental group, and did not make any cuts to tails of the control group. Following tail regeneration by all tadpoles in both experimental groups, we treated all experimental tadpoles as one group, and simulated a second predation event by removing 10% of the distal tip of the tail. After tadpoles completed metamorphosis, they were subjected to a swimming endurance test and subsequent measurement of their leaping abilities. We found no significant effect of tail damage on the leaping abilities of frogs after metamorphosis, and no significant difference in body size at metamorphosis among the groups. The experiment was then replicated and tested tadpole corticosterone (CORT) levels to determine if tadpoles exhibited stress from the tail damage. We found significantly elevated CORT levels in tadpoles with tail damage compared to the tadpoles without tail damage. We conclude that the regeneration abilities of the Cuban tree frog tadpoles afford them the opportunity to survive minor predation events and recover with no apparent long-lasting ill effects even though they were physiologically stressed from the damage. These abilities likely contribute to the Cuban tree frogs' success as an invasive species throughout the Florida peninsula.
Stock Price Prediction Using News Sentiment Analysis

Predicting stock market prices has been a topic of interest among both analysts and researchers for a long time. Stock prices are hard to predict because of their high volatile nature which depends on diverse political and economic factors, change of leadership, investor sentiment, and many other factors. Predicting stock prices based on either historical data or textual information alone has proven to be insufficient. Existing studies in sentiment analysis have found that there is a strong correlation between the movement of stock prices and the publication of news articles. Several sentiment analysis studies have been attempted at various levels using algorithms such as support vector machines, naive Bayes regression, and deep learning. The accuracy of deep learning algorithms depends upon the amount of training data provided. However, the amount of textual data collected and analyzed during the past studies has been insufficient and thus has resulted in predictions with low accuracy. In our paper, we improve the accuracy of stock price predictions by gathering a large amount of time series data and analyzing it in relation to related news articles, using deep learning models. The dataset we have gathered includes daily stock prices for S&P500 companies for five years, along with more than 265,000 financial news articles related to these companies. Given the large size of the dataset, we use cloud computing as an invaluable resource for training prediction models and performing inference for a given stock in real time.
Perception and confidence of medical students in informed consent: A core EPA.

Abstract Background Informed consent discussions have been identified as a core entrustable professional activity for medical students by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Medical students, however, rarely receive formal instruction on how to appropriately conduct informed consent discussions before residency, resulting in inconsistent levels of experience and deficiencies in performance. This study explores medical students’ understanding of the elements of informed consent discussions and their readiness to perform a comprehensive informed consent discussion. Methods Using expert consensus, cognitive interviews, and piloting, we iteratively developed a 15-item survey aligned with entrustable professional activity guidelines concerning informed consent discussions consisting of multiple choice, free text, and 5-point Likert-type questions. The instrument covered domains of experience, confidence, medical-legal knowledge, and recall of informed consent discussion elements. The full survey was distributed anonymously to undergraduate medical students at our institution. An abbreviated survey was administered to postgraduate students who were new interns at our institution. Responses were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics. The free text data were coded for inclusion in this analysis. Results A total of 75 undergraduate medical students across all years responded (response rate [RR] = 86%), and 34 (RR = 77%) of the postgraduate students who were new interns participated. A total of 45 (75%) undergraduate medical students reported no training on informed consent discussions, and 9 (15%) undergraduate medical students had never witnessed an informed consent discussion. The undergraduate medical students agreed that informed consent discussions could be legally performed by residents and advance practice providers but were unsure whether the same applied to medical students. On a 5-point scale (anchored to “Not at all,” “Somewhat,” and “Extremely”), they were “somewhat confident” in their ability to perform an informed consent discussion. When asked to list the 7 elements of an informed consent discussion, 2 undergraduate medical students (3%) were able to identify all the elements. Although 3 undergraduate medical students (9%) had experience leading an informed consent discussion and 11 (32%) reported formal instruction in informed consent, the ability (3.7 ± 0.9 standard deviation [SD]) of the postgraduate students who were new interns to recall the 7 elements was similar to that of the undergraduate medical students (3.4 ± 1.2 SD); P = .31. Conclusion These findings suggest that undergraduate medical students and postgraduate students who are new interns are not confident or competent in their ability to perform an appropriate informed consent discussion. Our study findings support the creation of a needs-based, entrustable professional activity–aligned informed consent discussion teaching program and the need for an ongoing evaluation of the success of such a program.
Diagnosis and Clinical Presentation of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome typically presents with paresthesias in the thumb, index, middle, and radial half of ring finger. These symptoms are typically worse at night and may be exacerbated by activities that include wrist flexion. The diagnosis can be confirmed using clinical examination and/or a number of diagnostic tests including electrodiagnostic testing, CTS-6, ultrasound, and other validated diagnostic tools. The sensitivity and specificity of these diagnostic tests vary widely in the literature and are highly susceptible to the population being chosen and the cut-offs used for diagnosis. Electrodiagnostic testing has been traditionally considered the reference standard for diagnosis. However, recent data has found relatively high rates of false positives in asymptomatic individuals. Most studies show little benefit to additional testing in patients with “classic” carpal tunnel syndrome. However, additional testing may be indicated to rule out a more proximal site of nerve compression, systemic disease such as polyneuropathy, or in patients with atypical symptoms. Clinical diagnostic tools may offer cost-savings as screening tools when used in place of electrodiagnostic testing.
Surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer. The United States experience.

Abstract About 28,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed yearly in the United States. The diagnosis is now made up to two months more quickly than just a few years ago, but this has had no impact on survival. In most institutions, 20-25% of patients have resectable lesions. The standard operation is still the Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy, but many surgeons now use the pylorus preserving modification of that procedure. The operative mortality rate has fallen to less than 5%. The five-year survival rate after a resection for attempted cure is about 9%. Palliation requires cholecysto(docho)jejunostomy and gastrojejunostomy, which is often done prophylactically. The operative mortality rate in patients undergoing palliation is less than 10% (recent UCLA experience), and the average survival is seven months.
Chapter 3 – Sleep Hygiene

Publisher Summary Sleep hygiene is indicated for patients who engage in habits, consume substances, and/or set up sleep environments that are not conducive to initiating or maintaining sleep. There is no evidence to suggest that this form of therapy is differentially effective for one or another type of insomnia or for any of the phenotypes/subtypes of insomnia. The role, and perhaps the relevance, of sleep hygiene have varied with time. Decades ago, prior to the widespread dissemination of sleep hygiene instructions, it is entirely plausible that some insomnias were precipitated and perpetuated by poor sleep hygiene. That is, it is entirely plausible that patients seeking clinical help might have reported that they were, for example, drinking three cups of coffee, eating heavy meals, and/or engaging in strenuous exercise before bed. In such cases, altering these behaviors might have resolved the sleep complaint. In the present era, this seems less likely. More often than not patients, long before they seek professional help, are already aware of sleep hygiene and have addressed their most egregious infractions. In fact, it is far more likely that patients have always practiced moderately good sleep hygiene and, following the development of chronic insomnia, simply fail to see the relevance of minor sleep hygiene infractions as disease/disorder moderators (as opposed to causal factors).
Social Determinants of Health Improve Predictive Accuracy of Clinical Risk Models for Cardiovascular Hospitalization, Annual Cost, and Death.

Background: Risk models in the private insurance setting may systematically underpredict in the socially disadvantaged. In this study, we sought to determine whether US minority Medicare beneficiar...
Basics of Low-Pass Delta Modulation

Multi-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADC) have dominated digital signal processing (DSP) for the last 50 years or so. There are many ADC conventional architectures such as successive approximation register (SAR) ADC, flash ADCs, integrating, ramp-compare, Wilkinson, and others. All operate at a Nyquist sampling rate fN. Since the Nyquist rate ADC converters operate at sampling frequency fN, which is approximately two times the maximum frequency of input signal (fN > = 2fmax = 2fB), a high-order low-pass filter (LPF) is required to limit higher frequency components than fmax = fB of an input signal entering ADC. This filter is usually referred to as an anti-aliasing filter (AAF). This is a higher-order analog filter, and it is more expensive than an entire ADC. To overcome problems of an anti-aliasing filter and complexity of an n-bit ADC, linear delta modulation (LΔM) was proposed [1]. It trades off amplitude quantization of n-bit ADC for 1-bit quantization using oversampling technique. Primary use of highly oversampled LΔM is in a LΔM-to-PCM conversion. To improve signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range, higher-order LΔM was proposed [2]. Unfortunately, LΔM systems have problems related to stability, slope overload, and accumulation of errors during transmission. To overcome these problems, Inose and Yasuda proposed an improved method of a one-bit analog-to-digital conversion of low-frequency analog signals. The paper of Inose and Yasuda can be found in the edited book of Candy and Temes [3]. Their proposed method is known as delta-sigma modulation (Δ-ΣM). This inexpensive, low-power consuming, high-resolution ADC revolutionized VLSI System-on-Chips (SoCs) design. In 1989, Schrier and Snelgrove [4] extended oversampling and noise principles of low-pass Δ-ΣM to applications at intermediate and radio frequencies (IF and RF). This method of ADC conversion is known as band-pass delta-sigma modulation (BP Δ-ΣM) [10, 11, 12, 13]. Because LP Δ-ΣM plays a very important role in many applications, such as sensor networks, hand-held mobile devices (cellular phone, GPS, etc.), wireless networks, software-defined radio, etc., we will briefly describe the principles of its operations. Both techniques are based on principles of oversampling and noise shaping. Both techniques trade off amplitude quantization of n-bit ADCs for oversampling of one-bit ADCs. This trade-off is possible under the condition of meeting a certain signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a specific dynamic range. In the following section, we will briefly describe operation of low-pass (LP) delta modulation.
Performance of a commercial multi-sensor wearable (Fitbit Charge HR) in measuring physical activity and sleep in healthy children.

Author(s): Godino, Job G; Wing, David; de Zambotti, Massimiliano; Baker, Fiona C; Bagot, Kara; Inkelis, Sarah; Pautz, Carina; Higgins, Michael; Nichols, Jeanne; Brumback, Ty; Chevance, Guillaume; Colrain, Ian M; Patrick, Kevin; Tapert, Susan F | Abstract: PurposeThis study sought to assess the performance of the Fitbit Charge HR, a consumer-level multi-sensor activity tracker, to measure physical activity and sleep in children.Methods59 healthy boys and girls aged 9-11 years old wore a Fitbit Charge HR, and accuracy of physical activity measures were evaluated relative to research-grade measures taken during a combination of 14 standardized laboratory- and field-based assessments of sitting, stationary cycling, treadmill walking or jogging, stair walking, outdoor walking, and agility drills. Accuracy of sleep measures were evaluated relative to polysomnography (PSG) in 26 boys and girls during an at-home unattended PSG overnight recording. The primary analyses included assessment of the agreement (biases) between measures using the Bland-Altman method, and epoch-by-epoch (EBE) analyses on a minute-by-minute basis.ResultsFitbit Charge HR underestimated steps (~11.8 steps per minute), heart rate (~3.58 bpm), and metabolic equivalents (~0.55 METs per minute) and overestimated energy expenditure (~0.34 kcal per minute) relative to research-grade measures (pl 0.05). The device showed an overall accuracy of 84.8% for classifying moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary and light physical activity (SLPA) (sensitivity MVPA: 85.4%; specificity SLPA: 83.1%). Mean estimates of bias for measuring total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, and heart rate during sleep were 14 min, 9 min, and 1.06 bpm, respectively, with 95.8% sensitivity in classifying sleep and 56.3% specificity in classifying wake epochs.ConclusionsFitbit Charge HR had adequate sensitivity in classifying moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity and sleep, but had limitations in detecting wake, and was more accurate in detecting heart rate during sleep than during exercise, in healthy children. Further research is needed to understand potential challenges and limitations of these consumer devices.
A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase PrEP Uptake for HIV Prevention: 55-Week Results From PrEPChicago.

Objectives We tested preliminary efficacy of a peer change agent type I network intervention to increase pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) linkage to care among network members connected to young Black men who have sex with men. Design Parent study is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with 110 weeks of total follow-up. Interim midpoint analyses are performed here using participant data before crossover assignment at 55 weeks. Methods We randomly assigned 423 participants in Chicago to receive the network intervention, an opinion leader workshop with telephonic booster sessions, versus a time-matched control from 2016 to 2018. The consolidated surrogate outcome was PrEP referral and linkage to clinical care among network members connected to study participants and was collected from independent administrative data. Results Each study participant in the trial (n = 423) had on average 1822 network contacts who could be eligible for PrEP referral and linkage. During the 55-week observation period, PrEP referral was most likely to occur within 3 days of an intervention session compared to control [odds ratio (OR) 0.07 (0.02-0.013); P = 0.007] resulting in 1-2 referrals of network members per session. Network members with referral or linkage were more likely to be connected to study participants in the intervention arm than the control condition [aOR 1.50 (1.09-2.06); P = 0.012]. Conclusions A peer change agent type I network intervention is preliminarily effective at diffusing PrEP through a network of individuals highly susceptible to HIV over 55 weeks. This low-intensity intervention demonstrated network-level impact among populations that have experienced limited PrEP care engagement in the United States.
Proteomic signatures predict preeclampsia in individual cohorts but not across cohorts - implications for clinical biomarker studies.

Early identification of pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia (PE) is important, as it will enable targeted interventions ahead of clinical manifestations. The quantitative analyses of plasma pro...
Upping Your Family’s Entrepreneurial Game

Business families who achieve great wealth and hold onto it for generations know the secret is not to rest on your laurels, but to continually promote the entrepreneurial spirit that led to their initial success. For business families who hope to continue for generations to come, inculcating that entrepreneurial drive not only helps the younger generation grow and develop as individuals, it can also help ensure that the collective family business continues to flourish.
A Case of Pericardial Decompression Syndrome Following Surgical Pericardial Fluid Drainage.

Pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS) is a rare and serious complication that follows often-initially-uncomplicated pericardial drainage in patients with pericardial effusion and tamponade physiology. The pathophysiology of PDS is not yet completely understood, although several mechanisms have been postulated. In this report, we present a case of PDS in a 70-year-old male with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after he underwent a surgical pericardial window for drainage of a moderate pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology. This case provides further evidence that rapid pericardial decompression, notably with pericardiotomy, can lead to acute life-threatening low cardiac output heart failure, particularly in patients with underlying cardiac risk factors. Early recognition, diagnosis, and supportive treatment in the ICU are crucial for improving survival rates in these patients.
Erratum: A brief biography of Wolfgang Wolf and typification of the plant names he published.

Erratum: A brief biography of Wolfgang Wolf and typification of the plant names he published.
Non-invasive physical demand assessment using wearable respiration sensor and random forest classifier

Abstract Physically demanding tasks are one of the leading causes of fatigue among workers in labor-intensive industries such as construction. Despite the recent development in physical demand assessment, there is a lack of a practical solution to reduce injuries and illnesses resulted from high-intensity tasks. Consequently, this study proposes a framework to assess the workers' physical demand level using an off-the-shelf respiration sensor. In the proposed framework, the extracted features from respiratory signals in the time and frequency domain are used to train the random forest classifier. Then, the trained model is used to classify the physical demand of the worker in new observations. To evaluate the performance of the proposed framework, an experiment including a masonry wall construction task was designed where the respiratory signals of the 15 participants were recorded. Then, the collected signals were labeled using the NASA-TLX questionnaire. The results showed that the proposed framework increases the accuracy of physical demand classification up to 93.4% while being less sensitive to body and sensor movement artifacts . Moreover, physical demand assessment was performed using a single bio-signal while eliminating the need for monitoring multiple bio-signals simultaneously. The findings of this study should make an important contribution to workers' safety, well-being through the detection of high physical load on workers.
Optimal Flexible Pavement Design

This paper proposes a model and solution procedure for the optimal design of flexible pavements that finds the best cost achievable for each possible combination of materials without actually computing the layer thicknesses. The primal-dual relationships and complementary slackness conditions of linear programming are used to reduce the required number of computations necessary to obtain the optimal design. The methodology can also be used for pavement structures with more than three layers and can be extended to cases in which there are also design specifications on the overall total thickness of the structure.
Playful Learning: Early Education that Makes Sense to Children

In this chapter we address the question of what early education consists of when it makes sense to children. A socially just curriculum for young children provides multiple pathways for children to participate in school in ways that respect their need for time to learn and space to play. We illustrate how contexts that are playful—full of play—not only make sense but are essential to early education. Unfortunately, in many classrooms the daily schedule is full of academic lessons, focusing mainly on narrowly defined aspects of reading and writing. These settings have become “play-less,” despite the long-lived assertion that play is the source of children’s learning. We begin with a brief description of lessons that may not make sense to children because of their predetermined structure and narrow objectives. We then focus on contrasting child-structured examples that foreground language and literacy in classrooms where children from prekindergarten (preK) and kindergarten engage in diverse kinds of play. We conclude that curricular moves toward social justice require new mandates: first, to stop requiring children and their teachers to engage in repetitiously constraining activities and, second, to start expanding curricular spaces to incorporate the many forms of play that children embrace without instruction.
Molecular dynamics simulation of La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glass

Based on chemical, physical, and economical reasons oxide glasses are and will be the materials of choice for advanced optical and electronic applications. Engineered rare earth materials are envisioned to have unique optical and electronic properties. Depending on the application, higher or lower rare earth solubility in glass may be required. Many issues arise including how the presence of lanthanide oxides in silicates leads to heterogenous phenomena such as nanoclustering, precipitation, crystal nucleation or phase separation. True solubility of rare earth elements in binary glass systems without cluster formation is very limited, whereas, higher solubility can be achieved in multi- component glass systems. In this work, the local environment of La in silicate glasses has been investigated using molecule dynamics computer simulation. Structural features that have been determined include simulated neutron diffraction and EXAFS patterns. Analysis to better understand the underlying driving forces of clustering is also presented.
1/f Noise in a Coulomb Glass

At low temperatures electron hopping in a three dimensional Coulomb glass produces fluctuations in the single particle density of states and hence in the resistivity. This results in a low frequency resisitivity noise spectrum which goes as (1/f)^(alpha) where alpha is very close to 1. This holds down to extremely low frequencies.
Towards the distribution of the smallest matching in the Random Assignment Problem

We consider the problem of minimizing cost among one-to-one assignments of $n$ jobs onto $n$ machines. The random assignment problem refers to the case when the cost associated with performing jobs on machines are random variables. Aldous established the expected value of the smallest cost, $A_n$, in the limiting $n$ regime. However the distribution of the minimum cost has not been established yet. In this paper we conjecture some distributional properties of matchings in matrices. If this conjecture is proved, this will establish that $\sqrt{n}(A_n - E(A_n)) \overset{w}{\Rightarrow} N(0,2)$. We also establish the limiting distribution for a special case of the Random Assignment Problem.
Children as Passengers in Automobiles: The Neglected Minority on the Nation's Highways

The federal government is urging states to enact legislation requiring that safety belts be worn. Small children are excluded from this requirement. Following the neonatal period, the motor vehicle poses the greatest single threat to a child9s life. Contrary to popular belief, more small children are killed and injured inside the vehicle than outside. The majority of children now ride in cars unprotected or inadequately protected. Standard safety belts are unsuitable for small children. Special devices capable of distributing collision forces over a large body area should be used. Original children9s car "safety" seats were not intended to protect their occupants in a crash. These seats became subject to a government safety standard in April 1971. Shortly after this standard came into effect it was shown to be grossly inadequate in ensuring crash protection. A proposal for revising current safety criteria was issued in March 1974— to be implemented in September 1975. A number of progressive companies have developed crashworthy devices. As public awareness is being awakened, manufacturers are beginning to find that "safety" sells. Child crash protection has not escaped the attention of safety experts whose writings are reviewed, but it is shown that lack of parent awareness and concern can be directly related to sparse and often inaccurate and incomplete information available. Many popular child care books ignore the subject entirely. Because correct use of devices is of such critical importance, instructions detailing what parents must do should be prominently displayed on a permanent label attached to the device. observation of car seats in use confirms that correct installation of the device itself and/or proper securement of the child within the device is the exception rather than the rule. The development of child restraints is of recent date. It is essential to keep abreast of advances made in the field. Earlier recommendations may be superseded by more recent research findings. It has been found that parents are most receplive to new ideas prior to and immediately following the birth of a new baby. In-hospital instruction of expectant and new parents is showing promising results. There is an urgent need for pediatricians to become involved in this vital area of "preventive medicine."
Smoking, alcohol and coronary artery occlusion

Abstract The effects of smoking and alcohol intake on the extent of coronary artery occlusion were studied in 2989 men undergoing a diagnostic coronary arteriography. Smoking showed an exposure-related enhancing effect on the extent of coronary artery occlusion. Conversely, alcohol consumption demonstrated an attenuating dose-related effect, offsetting the increased coronary occlusion associated with smoking. Alcohol intake should be considered in studies evaluating the risk factors-coronary artery disease interaction.
Induction of heat-shock proteins does not prevent renal tubular injury following ischemia

Induction of heat-shock proteins does not prevent renal tubular injury following ischemia. The possible protective effect of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) on ischemic injury to renal cells was assessed in two different experimental models: ischemia-reflow in intact rats and medullary hypoxic injury as seen in the isolated perfused rat kidney. Heat shock was induced by raising the core temperature of rats to 42°C for 15 minutes. Following this, Northern blots showed enhanced gene expression of HSP70, HSP60 and ubiquitin at one hour and reaching a maximum by six hours after heat shock in all regions of the kidney, but most prominently in medulla and papilla. The HSP70 protein in the kidney, estimated by immunohistochemical means, was detectable 24 hours following heat shock and further increased at 48 hours following heat shock. In the first set of experiments, the animals underwent uninephrectomy followed by cross clamping of the remaining renal artery for 40 minutes prior to reflow. Serum creatinine and urea nitrogen rose to 3.15 ± 0.98 and 126.4 ± 62.5 mg/dl at 24 hours. No significant differences were observed at 24, 48 and 72 hours after reflow between these values in control rats and rats pretreated with heat shock 48 hours earlier. Severe morphological damage to proximal tubules of the renal cortex was observed to the same extent in both groups. In a second set of experiments, the right kidney was removed either 24 or 48 hours after heat shock and perfused in isolation for 90 minutes. Functional and morphological parameters were compared with those of isolated perfused kidneys obtained from animals that had not been subjected to heat shock. No difference was observed in the degree or extent of hypoxic injury to the medullary thick ascending limb, characteristically observed in the isolated perfused rat kidney, nor did prior induction of HSPs modify the progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate or fractional reabsorption of glucose seen in perfused kidneys. Fractional reabsorption of sodium was slightly higher in kidneys from rats earlier exposed to heat shock. These results do not support the hypothesis that heat shock proteins prevent ischemic renal injury.