cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Valganciclovir: A New Oral Alternative for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Seropositive Individuals

Oral valganciclovir recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. We performed MEDLINE (June 1998-May 2002) and AIDSLINE (June 1998-December 2000) searches of available information on valganciclovir, and the drug's prescribing information was used to identify relevant articles. Additional studies, case reports, reviews, and abstracts were identified from references in the reviewed literature. Most of the information was obtained from abstracts or product labeling, since few trials have been published in the medical literature. Valganciclovir is a prodrug of ganciclovir and has been shown to have significantly higher oral absorption than ganciclovir capsules. One short-term study found valganciclovir to be as effective as intravenous ganciclovir in treating CMV retinitis. Recommended dosages for patients with normal renal function are valganciclovir 900 mg twice/day for induction and 900 mg once/day for maintenance. Side effects are similar to those of intravenous ganciclovir and require periodic monitoring of complete blood count and renal function. Given the need for lifelong therapy for CMV retinitis in some human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients, valganciclovir is a welcome alternative to long-term administration of intravenous antivirals.
Video assisted thoracoscopic resection of a posterior mediastinal Castleman's tumor

Castleman's disease (CD) or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia is a rare spectrum of lymphoproliferative disorders. CD tumors are commonly localized in the mediastinum and are usually asymptomatic. The mainstay of treatment is surgical resection and has typically been performed using open thoracotomy. Few reports in the literature describe video assisted thoracoscopic resection of these tumors. The differential diagnosis for mediastinal masses is extensive, and CD tumors, although uncommon, should be considered. We describe a case report of a posterior mediastinal Castleman's tumor adherent to the esophagus, which was resected thoracoscopically and review the literature.
Specificity of Zebrafish Retinol Saturase: Formation of All-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol and All-trans-7,8- dihydroretinol

Metabolism of vitamin A, all-trans-retinol, leads to the formation of 11-cis-retinaldehyde, the visual chromophore, and all-trans-retinoic acid, which is involved in the regulation of gene expression through the retinoic acid receptor. Enzymes and binding proteins involved in retinoid metabolism are highly conserved across species. We previously described a novel mammalian enzyme that saturates the 13-14 double bond of all-trans-retinol to produce all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol, which then follows the same metabolic fate as that of all-trans-retinol. Specifically, all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol is transiently oxidized to all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoic acid before being oxidized further by Cyp26 enzymes. Here, we report the identification of two putative RetSat homologues in zebrafish, one of which, zebrafish RetSat A (zRetSat A), also had retinol saturase activity, whereas zebrafish RetSat B (zRetSat B) was inactive under similar conditions. Unlike mouse RetSat (mRetSat), zRetSat A had an altered bond specificity saturating either the 13-14 or 7-8 double bonds of all-trans-retinol to produce either all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol or all-trans-7,8-dihydroretinol, respectively. zRetSat A also saturated the 13-14 or 7-8 double bonds of all-trans-3,4-didehydroretinol (vitamin A2), a second endogenous form of vitamin A in zebrafish. The dual enzymatic activity of zRetSat A displays a newly acquired specificity for the 13-14 double bond retained in higher vertebrates and also the evolutionarily preserved activity of bacterial phytoene desaturases and plant carotenoid isomerases. Expression of zRetSat A was restricted to the liver and intestine of hatchlings and adult zebrafish, whereas zRetSat B was expressed in the same tissues but at earlier developmental stages. Exogenous all-trans-retinol, all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol, or all-trans-7,8-dihydroretinol led to the strong induction of the expression of the retinoic acid-metabolizing enzyme, Cyp26A1, arguing for an active signaling function of dihydroretinoid metabolites in zebrafish. These findings point to a conserved function but altered specificity of RetSat in vertebrates, leading to the generation of various dihydroretinoid compounds, some of which could have signaling functions.
Abnormal Estrous Cyclicity and Behavioral Hyporesponsiveness to Ovarian Hormones in Genetically Obese Zucker Female Rats

Obese Zucker female rats are infertile. The present study was designed to assess estrous cyclicity in adult, ovary-intact, lean and obese Zucker rats and to compare reproductive behaviors induced by exogenous steroid hormones in ovariectomized (ovx) lean and obese Zucker rats. The majority (90%) of obese rats had incomplete cycles in comparison with the normal, 4-day cycles displayed by lean Zucker rats. After ovariectomy, all rats were treated with estradiol benzoate (EB, 15–100μ g/kg) or EB plus progesterone (P, 2–20 mg/kg), and tested for sexual receptivity and proceptivity (PRO). At the highest EB dose, obese Zucker females displayed lordosis less frequently than lean rats (lordosis quotient, LQ, 8 ± 6% vs. 32 ± 13%, respectively). At the lowest doses of EB plus P, lean females were extremely receptive and proceptive (LQ = 93 ± 4%, PRO = 6.2 ± 2 bouts/min). Zucker obese females, in contrast, were only slightly receptive (LQ = 26 ± 11%) and showed less PRO than lean rats (PRO = 2.4 ± 0.6 bouts/min). In...
BEING THERE: WRITING THE HIGHLY CITED ARTICLE

After a quick recapulation of previous reviews of the employment interview, recent research from about 1975 is reviewed and summarized. Research dealing with the reliability and validity of the interview, methodological issues, decision making, interviewee characteristics, and interviewee training is summarized. Trends and directions are noted, suggestions for further research extended, and a discussion of why persistence in the use of interview exists is presented.
Microclimatic Changes Induced by Ecological Restoration of Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northern Arizona

Restoration of ponderosa pine ecosystems results in altered stand structure, potentially affecting microcli- matic conditions and habitat quality for forest organ- isms. This research focuses on microclimatic changes resulting from forest and landscape structural alter- ations caused by restoration treatments in southwestern ponderosa pine forests. Three microclimate variables— light intensity, air temperature, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD)—were monitored over two field sea- sons. Differences in microclimate between the treated forest and the surrounding untreated forest were mea- sured, and microclimatic gradients across the structural edge between these two forest types were quantified. Restoration treatments increased sunlight penetration to the forest floor but did not significantly impact am- bient air temperature or VPD. Mean values for air temperature and VPD did not differ significantly be- tween treatments, although temperature and vapor pressure deficit did exhibit a trend in the morning; both variables were higher at the structural edge and in the treated forest during morning hours. Signifi- cant edge gradients were detected for air temperature and VPD in the morning and evening, increasing from the structural edge into the untreated forest. Our re- sults show that microclimatic effects of these restora- tion treatments are generally modest, but the changes are more prominent at specific locations and during certain times of day. Because even modest changes in microclimate have the potential to impact a range of key ecological processes, microclimatic effects should be considered when forest restoration treatments at the landscape scale are being planned and implemented.
Understanding associations among family support, friend support, and psychological distress

Emotional support from family and friends is associated with lower psychological distress. This study examined whether genetic and environmental influences explain associations among family support, friend support, and psychological distress. Data were drawn from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study and included 947 pairs of monozygotic (MZ), same-sex dizygotic (DZ), and opposite-sex DZ twins. Results showed that a genetic factor explains the relation between friend support and psychological distress, independent of family support. Alternatively, a nonshared environmental factor accounts for an association between family support, friend support, and psychological distress. Thus, heritable factors shape a distinct relation between friend support and psychological distress, but unique experiences contribute to a link between family support, friend support, and psychological distress.
Robust source-adaptive real-time video transport over wireless multihop networks

Packet video transport, including streaming, over wireless networks is expected to experience substantial performance variations. But, in wireless networks, channel state information is hard to be obtained reliably/timely. However, the source information is always available and can be obtained accurately. In this paper, we propose, instead, the use of source information alone to implement an Unequal Error Protection (UEP) approach based on adaptation to inter-frame motion. To implement our Forward Error Correction (FEC)/UEP approach, a novel cross-layer packetisation scheme is proposed. Based on Exponential Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) estimation for the motion-level information associated with video frames, a source-adaptive intra-updating rate selection is described to provide error-resilience. To combat severe bursty losses, a novel intraframe packet interleaving scheme is implemented at the applicationlayer. Our objective and subjective results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in dealing with the bursty packet losses occurring on wireless networks.
Relationships Between Ground-Water Silica, Total Dissolved Solids, and Specific Electrical Conductivity

Specific electrical conductivity (SEC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and silica (SiO2) are ground-water quality parameters routinely measured in a laboratory. Electrical conductivity measurements are made quickly and are less costly than TDS measurements. Once the relationship between the parameters is determined by regression analysis, TDS can be estimated quickly from the SEC and SiO2 measurements. Water quality data from 25 city wells in Fresno, California, and historical ground-water quality data from the adjacent San Joaquin River/Kings River alluvial interfan (central San Joaquin Valley, California), the Kaweah River alluvial fan, and the Kern River alluvial fan (southern San Joaquin Valley) were used in this investigation. For the specific hydrologic areas studied, the model's TDS predictive ability is improved when SiO2 is included with SEC as the independent variables.
Angle error simulation for phased array radar system

The principal contributors to angle error in a phased array are evaluated and formulas are developed for statistical modeling of these error sources. A comprehensive computer program is developed for determining the angle error of a phased array. Based on the present phased-array design, the angle error model includes systematic and random errors in the phased array situated on a turret inside a radome. Using fractal theory, which is a technique developed for data reduction in image processing, the dynamic system angle errors of a phased array over mechanical scan of the turret and electronic scan of the array are obtained. These values represent excellent equipment performance in terms of fractional parts of beamwidths and will contribute to improved estimates of overall system performance in track, phased derived range (PDR), and interceptor support modes. >
Bibliographic Control of South Asian P.L. 480 Materials, an Automated Approach

The P.L. 480 Program for South Asia is now in its tenth year of operation. It has brought to the libraries in this country a wealth of materials in a great variety of languages. Its impact has been evaluated both by librarians' and by interested scholars.2 The problems and techniques of handling thousands upon thousands of items in over twenty languages have been and are being discussed by specialists responsible for the fast growing collections, e.g., at Cornell and Chicago.3 The question of the bibliographic control of these P.L. 480 materials as well as all other materials for South Asian Studies has been considered in a series of interesting articles by Maureen L. P. Patterson, the South Asia Bibliographic Specialist at Chicago University.4 General information on developments of interest to all participants can be found in the Library of Congress P.L. 480 Newsletter of which 2I numbers have appeared so far.
Perceived visual direction near an occluder

When an opaque object occludes a more distant object, the two eyes often see different parts of the distant object. Hering's laws of visual direction make an interesting prediction for this situation: the part seen by both eyes should be seen in a different direction than the part seen by one eye. We examined whether this prediction holds by asking observers to align a vertical monocular line segment with a nearby vertical binocular segment. We found it necessary to correct the alignment data for vergence errors, which were measured in a control experiment, and for monocular spatial distortions, which were also measured in a control experiment. Settings were reasonably consistent with Hering's laws when the monocular and binocular targets were separated by 30 arcmin or more. Observers aligned the targets as if they were viewing them from one eye only when they were separated by 2 arcmin; this behavior is consistent with an observation reported by Erkelens and colleagues. The same behavior was observed when the segments were horizontal and when no visible occluder was present. Perceived visual direction when the two eyes see different parts of a distant target is assigned in a fashion that minimizes, but does not eliminate, distortions of the shape of the occluded object.
Pharmacokinetics of a Fluoronaphthyridone, Trovafloxacin (CP 99,219), in Infants and Children following Administration of a Single Intravenous Dose of Alatrofloxacin

The pharmacokinetics of trovafloxacin following administration of a single intravenous dose of alatrofloxacin, equivalent to 4 mg of trovafloxacin per kg of body weight, were determined in 6 infants (ages 3 to 12 months) and 14 children (ages, 2 to 12 years). There was rapid conversion of alatrofloxacin to trovafloxacin, with an average ± standard deviation (SD) peak trovafloxacin concentration determined at the end of the infusion of 4.3 ± 1.4 μg/ml. The primary pharmacokinetic parameters (average ± SD) analyzed were volume of distribution at steady state (1.6 ± 0.6 liters/kg), clearance (151 ± 82 ml/h/kg), and half-life (9.8 ± 2.9 h). The drug was well tolerated by all children. There were no age-related differences in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters studied. Less than 5% of the administered dose was excreted in the urine over 24 h. On the basis of the mean area under the concentration-time curve of 30.5 ± 10.1 μg · h/ml and the susceptibility (≤0.5 μg/ml) of common pediatric bacterial pathogens to trovafloxacin, dosing of 4 mg/kg/day once or twice daily should be appropriate.
COMPUTER-AIDED PHOTOGRAPH MATCHING IN STUDIES USING INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION: AN EXAMPLE FROM SERENGETI CHEETAHS

Photographic identification of naturally marked animals is a powerful and nonintrusive technique for obtaining information on behavior, population size, and life-history parameters in wild populations. Yet handling large quantities of photographs is time consuming and prone to error. Computer-aided matching can limit the number of photographs that must be examined visually to confirm that 2 sightings are the same individual. To identify individuals, I used a 3-dimensional (3-D) computer-matching system to aid in matching nearly 10,000 photographs of Serengeti cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, taken over 25 years. Accuracy in matching 2 photographs increased to 100% as the computer-generated similarity coefficient increased to 0.600 on a scale from 0 to 1. Probability of missing a match decreased to 6.4% when I used a threshold of similarity of 0.450. Poor quality of photographs decreased accuracy and resulted in up to 33% of matches being missed. Comparisons of photographs at skewed camera angles generally reduced similarity coefficients. Similarity coefficients were no higher for related or unrelated animals, suggesting that the technique is not appropriate for distinguishing subtle similarities. Because 3-D computer-aided matching does not require familiarity with distinctive features of the particular study animal, it is robust to matcher inexperience. This technique can be modified for other species that have complex and variable pelage patterns.
Microsatellite Instability and Intestinal Tumorigenesis

Microsatellites are simple, repetitive sequences of DNA present throughout the genome prone to DNA replication errors. The mismatch repair machinery is crucial to maintaining genetic integrity. When mismatch repair is defective, microsatellite instability occurs, resulting in deregulated tissue growth and tumorigenesis. Although defunct mismatch repair proteins can occur sporadically, these defects are the hallmark of Lynch syndrome, a hereditary colon cancer syndrome due to germline mutations in the mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 or PMS2. Loss of mismatch repair protein function results in an intestinal and extra-intestinal tumor phenotype. This chapter reviews the mechanisms involved in the mismatch repair process, mouse models of defective mismatch repair, genetic versus sporadic microsatellite instability, methods of testing for microsatellite instability, and the clinical implications of microsatellite instability in the large bowel, small bowel and stomach.
Adaptive Visual Servo Control of Robots

Visual servo robot control systems provide feedback on the relative end-effector position of a robot. They offer an interactive positioning mechanism which depends upon extraction and interpretation of visual information from the environment. In this paper, we characterise visual servo systems by the feedback representation mode, position-based or image-based, and the joint control mode, closed-loop or open-loop. The design problems posed by nonlinear and coupling transformations introduced by visual tracking systems are discussed, and a design strategy which utilises adaptive control, direction detection, and a logical control hierarchy is proposed.
Ureteral and bladder injuries in children.

Trauma places great emphasis on initial physical examination in the assignment of investigative steps. In the discussion of specific injuries to the ureter or bladder, vital signs and blood volume are major considerations as is renal function preservation with prophylactic measures against acute tubular necrosis.
Translation of Therapeutic Antibodies for Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging

Preclinical data in fluorescence-guided surgery have provided strong evidence that real-time navigation for cancer localization is highly feasible. However, many of these cancer-specific probes are likely to be expensive and time-consuming to translate to the clinic. To facilitate the translation of cancer-specific localization of fluorescence for surgical navigation, therapeutic antibodies are being coupled with fluorescent molecules to provide robust contrast between disease and normal tissue. In this chapter, specific components of the antibody-based approach are detailed to provide an overview of the requirements for successful translation into human use.
Materials for third-order nonlinear optics

This article provides a brief introduction to third-order nonlinear optical materials, including both the real and imaginary components, and is intended to be a personal perspective of the field. It describes applications that can be enabled by molecules with large two-photon absorption (2PA) cross sections and how symmetrical donor–(π-bridge)–donor molecules exhibit large cross sections associated with significant changes in quadrupole moment between the ground- and first-excited electronic states. The application of such materials for 2PA three-dimensional microfabrication is described. The article then turns its focus to materials for all-optical switching applications and explains how cyanine-like molecules can be developed to have both very large real third-order nonlinear coefficients and small 2PA cross sections, both of which are necessary for efficient all-optical switching materials.
An explicit approach to capture diffusive effects in finite water-content method for solving vadose zone flow

Summary Vadose zone flow problems are usually solved from the Richards equation. Solution to the Richards equation is generally challenging because the hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity in the equation are strongly non-linear functions of water content. The finite water-content method was proposed as an alternative general solution method of the vadose zone flow problem for infiltration, falling slugs, and vadose zone response to water table dynamics based on discretizing the water content domain into numerous bins instead of the traditional spatial discretization. In this study, we develop an improved approach to the original finite water-content method (referred to as TO method hereinafter) that better simulates diffusive effects but retains the robustness of the TO method. The approach treats advection and diffusion separately and considers diffusion on a bin by bin basis. After discretizing into water content bins, we treat the conductivity and diffusivity in individual bins as water content dependent constant evaluated at given water content corresponding to each bin. For each bin, we can solve the flow equations analytically since the hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity can be treated as a constant. We then develop solutions for each bin to determine the diffusive water amounts at each time step. The water amount ahead of the convective front for each bin is redistributed among water content bins to account for diffusive effects. The application of developed solution is straightforward only involving algebraic manipulations at each time step. The method can mainly improve water content profiles, but has no significant difference for the total infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration compared to the TO method. Although the method separately deals with advection and diffusion, it can account for the coupling effects of advection and diffusion reasonably well.
Maximal stomatal conductance to water and plasticity in stomatal traits differ between native and invasive introduced lineages of Phragmites australis in North America

The fitness costs of reproduction by clonal growth can include a limited ability to adapt to environmental and temporal heterogeneity. Paradoxically, some facultatively clonal species are not only able to survive, but colonize, thrive and expand in heterogeneous environments. This is likely due to the capacity for acclimation (sensu stricto) that compensates for the fitness costs and complements the ecological advantages of clonality. Introduced Phragmites australis demonstrates great phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature, nutrient availability, geographic gradient, water depths, habitat fertility, atmospheric CO2, interspecific competition and intraspecific competition for light. However, no in situ comparative subspecies studies have explored the difference in plasticity between the non-invasive native lineage and the highly invasive introduced lineage. Clonality of the native and introduced lineages makes it possible to control for genetic variation, making P. australis a unique system for the comparative study of plasticity. Using previously identified clonal genotypes, we investigated differences in their phenotypic plasticity through measurements of the lengths and densities of stomata on both the abaxial (lower) and adaxial (upper) surfaces of leaves, and synthesized these measurements to estimate impacts on maximum stomatal conductance to water (gwmax). Results demonstrated that at three marsh sites, invasive lineages have consistently greater gwmax than their native congeners, as a result of greater stomatal densities and smaller stomata. Our analysis also suggests that phenotypic plasticity, determined as within-genotype variation in gwmax, of the invasive lineage is similar to, or exceeds, that shown by the native lineage.
Experimental investigations of mixing in turbulent jets with buoyancy

This paper presents measurements of molecular mixing in turbulent buoyant jets of helium issuing into air, using planar laser imaging of the jet uid mole fraction elds. The o ws considered are nominally momentum-driven, so buoyancy eects are presumed to be conned to the small scales of the o w. The measurements focus on the developing region of the jet, which is of particular interest to o ws with combustion. The results suggest that buoyancy aects the details of the evolution of the mixing eld even while the mean eld maintains scaling properties consistent with non-buoyant jets. Specically , the mean jet uid mole fraction proles, and the proles of mole fraction uctuations, show a sharper jet/ambient uid interface relative to non-buoyant jets, possibly indicative of reduced entrainment. The mole fraction uctuations along the jet centerline are also weaker than those reported in non-buoyant jets. Statistics of jet uid mole fractions, conditional on spatial location within the jet, provide one view of the spatial evolution of the jet, while the eld nature of the measurements allows us to investigate the eect of spatial ltering, such as that inherent in large-eddy simulations (LES), on the elds of the turbulent uctuations. The results are intended to inform ongoing eorts to model the mixing process in o ws with density dierences, such as combustion systems.
Marketing Functions and Marketing Systems: A Synthesis:

The functional and systems approaches to the study of marketing offer two alternative means of understanding the discipline. Do these approaches contradict or complement each other, or do they have...
The economic benefits of justice: Post-conflict justice and foreign direct investment

Post-conflict states represent an important research agenda for scholars studying foreign direct investment (FDI). While leaders of post-conflict states have strong incentives for trying to attract...
Learning and studying strategies used by general chemistry students with different affective characteristics

Students in general chemistry were partitioned into three groups by cluster analysis of six affective characteristics (emotional satisfaction, intellectual accessibility, chemistry self-concept, math self-concept, self-efficacy, and test anxiety). The at-home study strategies for exam preparation and in-class learning strategies differed among the three groups. Students in the high group (strongly positive affective characteristics) were more autonomous learners, reporting they understood the notes they took in lecture more frequently than the group with low (more negative) affective characteristics. The high group also relied less on tutors and teaching assistants for help when preparing for exams. Participating in explanatory behavior (with self or other students) was correlated positively with stronger exam performance, whereas rapt attention or assiduous note-taking in lecture was negatively correlated. The high and low affective groups were indistinct in their reports of amount of quality time spent studying, but did differ in their approach to using a practice exam as a resource.
Prescription drug monitoring and dispensing of prescription opioids.

a ABSTRACT Objective. In the United States, per-capita opioid dispensing has increased concurrently with analgesic-related mortality and morbidity since the 1990s. To deter diversion and abuse of controlled substances, most states have imple- mented electronic prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). We evalu- ated the impact of state PDMPs on opioid dispensing. Methods. We acquired data on opioids dispensed in a given quarter of the year for each state and the District of Columbia from 1999 to 2008 from the Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System and converted them to morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). We used multivariable linear regres- sion modeling with generalized estimating equations to assess the effect of state PDMPs on per-capita dispensing of MMEs. Results. The annual MMEs dispensed per capita increased progressively until 2007 before stabilizing. Adjusting for temporal trends and demographic characteristics, implementation of state PDMPs was associated with a 3% decrease in MMEs dispensed per capita (p50.68). The impact of PDMPs on MMEs dispensed per capita varied markedly by state, from a 66% decrease in Colorado to a 61% increase in Connecticut. Conclusions. Implementation of state PDMPs up to 2008 did not show a significant impact on per-capita opioids dispensed. To control the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs, state PDMPs may need to improve their usability, implement requirements for committee oversight of the PDMP, and increase data sharing with neighboring states.
Effect of Seedling Planting Density on Canopy and Yield of Super-rice,Nanjing 49

Nanjing 49 was used in the experimentation to determine the effect of seedling planting density on the canopy and yield of the super-rice.The results showed that Nanjing 49's adaptability to the varying planting density was rather broad.It could reach a high yield at the range of 2-4plans·hill-1.However,when the planting density was more than 5plants·hill-1,the productivity significantly reduced.It appeared that Nanjing 49 adapted to the varied planting density by different means.For example,at the rate of 2plants·hill-1,it increased the total dry matters to reach a high yield by increasing its tillers per plant,total grains per spike,and photosynthetic capacity per leaf.At 3plants·hill-1,a high yield was achieved through increasing the total leaf area and effective panicles per hill.Then,when the planting was increased to 4plants·hill-1,it improved the yield by increasing LAI and reducing the leaf's base angle of the second leaves to effectively increase the sunlight reception.Therefore,with its high adaptability to the planting density,Nanjing 49 could provide a yield as high as(12.63±0.253)t·hm-2 on a reduced number of seedlings·hill-1(e.g.,2plants·hill-1)to save on the planting cost.
A time delay neural network architecture for efficient modeling of long temporal contexts.

Recurrent neural network architectures have been shown to efficiently model long term temporal dependencies between acoustic events. However the training time of recurrent networks is higher than feedforward networks due to the sequential nature of the learning algorithm. In this paper we propose a time delay neural network architecture which models long term temporal dependencies with training times comparable to standard feed-forward DNNs. The network uses sub-sampling to reduce computation during training. On the Switchboard task we show a relative improvement of 6% over the baseline DNN model. We present results on several LVCSR tasks with training data ranging from 3 to 1800 hours to show the effectiveness of the TDNN architecture in learning wider temporal dependencies in both small and large data scenarios.
Generation and analysis of 3D anisotropic meso-structured materials

A methodology for a systematic generation (synthesis) of highly anisotropic micro-lattice structures is investigated. Numerical modelling techniques were used to validate the models that were developed. The analysis was targeted at developing potential thermal interfaces and passive heat storage devices with the objective of specifically tuning particular thermal and mechanical characteristics. Set of all possible permutations of structures for an 8-node cubic unit cell were considered and the degree of anisotropy of meta-properties in heat transport and mechanical elasticity were evaluated. Feasibility checks were performed to ensure that the generated unit cell network was repeatable and a continuous lattice structure. The maximum allowable connections or struts was limited to four due to computational limitations. A self-consistent mechanical elasticity model was developed which connected the meso-scale properties to stiffness of individual struts. A three dimensional thermal resistance network analogy was used to evaluate the effective thermal conductivity of the structures. The struts were modelled as a network of one dimensional thermal resistive elements and effective conductivity evaluated. An objective function was defined for generated structure in order to evaluate and maximize anisotropy while simultaneously have a combination of the low effective stiffness and high effective thermal conductivity o. A trade-off between the stiffness and thermal conductivity was observed. The maximum anisotropic indices for effective thermal conductivity and elastic modulus were found to be 8.1 and of 4.2, respectively, for a maximum of 4-strut network. A “Proof-of-concept” sample scaled 2.5x was successfully fabricated with the currently available 3D printing technology.
The Use of Alternative Fuels in the Private Trucking Industry: Is There A Viable Target Market?

Regulatory, environmental and economic pressures have contributed to evaluations of the use of alternative fuels. This research evaluates the legitimacy of the alternative fuel movement by determin...
Effects of leading-edge vibration on a spanwise-tensioned membrane at low Reynolds number

Abstract This paper compares the wake characteristics and aerodynamic forces for spanwise-tensioned membranes with free and fixed leading edges (LE). LE vibration was generated by placing the membrane within an air flow with a sufficient onset velocity. The flow velocity in the wake of the free or fixed LE membrane was measured using a hot-wire anemometer sensor placed downstream of the trailing edge (TE), and the aerodynamic forces were measured using a pair of load cells. The silicone rubber membrane wings were tested at varying angles-of-attack (−8 to 40°), applied strain (2 to 8%), and a nominal Reynolds number of 55,000. The force results show that the LE vibration increased the lift coefficient but also induced a higher drag penalty, particularly in the pre-stall region, resulting in a lower aerodynamic efficiency than the fixed-LE membranes. As indicated by the hot-wire results, this was due to a considerable broadening of the wake caused by the free LE and a breakdown of the organized fluid-structure interaction and energy spectrum compared to a fixed LE.
New Resins for Dental Composites

Restorative composites have evolved significantly since they were first introduced in the early 1960s, with most of the development concentrating on the filler technology. This has led to improved mechanical properties, notably wear resistance, and has expanded the use of composites to larger posterior restorations. On the organic matrix side, concerns over the polymerization stress and the potential damage to the bonded interface have dominated research in the past 20 y, with many "low-shrinkage" composites being launched commercially. The lack of clinical correlation between the use of these materials and improved restoration outcomes has shifted the focus more recently to improving materials' resistance to degradation in the oral environment, caused by aqueous solvents and salivary enzymes, as well as biofilm development. Antimicrobial and ester-free monomers have been developed in the recent past, and evidence is mounting for their potential benefit. This article reviews literature on the newest materials currently on the market and provides an outlook for the future developments needed to improve restoration longevity past the average 10 y.
Management of Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease

Hypertension is a common problem in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and presents a major therapeutic challenge in such patients in that its causes and pathogenesis are multiple and complex. In addition, hypertension accelerates the progression of renal disease as well as structural damage in other target organs leading to worsening renal failure and increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). This chapter begins with an overview of the causes and pathophysiology of hypertension in CKD. Early identification and removal of the causative factors and correction of the underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) are key steps to the successful management of hypertension in CKD patients. Next, antihypertensive therapy in CKD patients is discussed in greater detail with special considerations in the goal BP and level of proteinuria. Both non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies are covered separately and the choices of different classes of antihypertensive drugs are reviewed. Great emphasis is placed on evidence from a large number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) showing the benefits of antihypertensive drug therapy in reducing BP and proteinuria and slowing renal disease progression in CKD patients. At the end of this chapter, additional information on the potentially serious adverse effects of antihypertensive therapies in patients with CKD is also provided.
Jet Spectra in pp, pA, and AA Collisions

Abstract It is commonly believed that a new state of matter known as Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) is created in high-energy collisions of heavy elements. As high momentum particles traverse the hot and dense medium, they lose energy via a variety of processes, including radiative and collisional energy loss. Fully reconstructed jets are used as a proxy to measure the parton energy, though the connection between the jet and the incident parton is not as straightforward as originally believed. To combat this, recent jet measurements compare to a wide variety of other “baseline” processes, including back-to-back jets, photons, and Z bosons, among others. These proceedings summarize recent jet spectra results in both large and small systems and describe the latest advances in experimental jet techniques.
Atypicality of the N170 Event-Related Potential in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with impaired face processing. The N170 event-related potential (ERP) has been considered a promising neural marker of this impairment. However, no quantitative review to date has integrated the literature to assess whether the N170 response to faces in individuals with ASD differs from that of typically developing (TD) individuals. Methods This meta-analysis examined the corpus of literature investigating difference in N170 response to faces in individuals with ASD and without ASD. Data from 23 studies ( N ASD = 374, N TD = 359) were reviewed. Meta-analysis was used to examine the effect size of the difference in N170 latency and amplitude among individuals with ASD and without ASD. Analyses were also conducted examining hemispheric differences, potential moderators, and publication bias. Results On average, N170 latencies to faces were delayed in individuals with ASD, but amplitudes did not differ for individuals with ASD and TD individuals. Moderator analyses revealed that N170 amplitudes were smaller in magnitude in the ASD participants relative to the TD participants in adult samples and in those with higher cognitive ability. However, effects differed as a function of hemisphere of recording. No evidence of publication bias was found. Conclusions Atypicality of N170—particularly latency—to faces appears to be a specific biomarker of social-communicative dysfunction in ASD and may relate to differential developmental experiences and use of compensatory cognitive mechanisms. Future research should examine phenotypic differences that contribute to N170 heterogeneity, as well as specificity of N170 differences in ASD versus non-ASD clinical populations, and N170 malleability with treatment.
Quality of Life After Multidisciplinary Management of Rectal Cancer

The goals of rectal cancer treatment include optimal local control, maximal overall survival, as well as the best preservation of pre-therapy function and well-being of the patient. As illustrated in the remainder of this textbook, significant efforts have been devoted to developing surgical and multimodality regimens to achieve these goals. Stage-specific treatments include surgery alone (local excision or radical resection) for early-stage rectal cancer (American Joint Commission on Cancer [AJCC] stage I) and multimodality therapy with radical surgery, chemotherapy, and/or pelvic radiation for locally advanced (AJCC stages II and III) and metastatic (AJCC stage IV) rectal cancer. With this current multimodality strategy, the overall 5-year survival for locally advanced rectal cancer is 65–75%, with local recurrence rates in the range of 5–10% [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Stromal acidosis affects corneal hydration control.

An estimate of overall corneal hydration control can be obtained by measuring the rate of thickness recovery following induced corneal swelling; it is expressed as the percent recovery per hour (PRPH). This recovery is nearly, but not exactly, exponential, because there appears to be an initial slower recovery phase lasting about 30-40 minutes. This 30-40 minute period of slower recovery corresponds to the time when corneal pH is reduced secondary to the contact lens-induced swelling, suggesting the possibility that stromal acidosis may retard the corneal deswelling process. In this study, we explored the effects of corneal acidosis on hydration control by monitoring corneal recovery under normal and reduced pH conditions. Corneal pH was controlled by having subjects were goggles and exposing their eyes to air (normal pH) or a gas mixture providing 21% O2 and 7% CO2 (low pH). Relative corneal pH levels were monitored by measuring fluorescence intensity (FI) ratios, which showed that the average (+/- standard deviation) FI ratio was significantly lower under 7% CO2 (0.838 +/- .024) vs air (0.985 +/- .025; P = 0.0001), corresponding to approximate pH values of 7.25 vs 7.50. Under these reduced pH conditions, open-eye steady-state (OESS) corneal thickness was not substantially affected. For 10 subjects, mean (+/- SD) corneal thickness decreased 0.93 +/- 3.7 microns vs 1.10 +/- 4.50 microns after exposures to 60 minutes of 7% CO2 and 40 minutes of air (P greater than or equal to 0.45), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Evaluation of a School Systems Plan to Utilize Teachers' Perceptions of Principal Leadership to Improve Student Achievement.

This study examines fourth grade student achievement in relation to teacher perceptions of principal leadership and other selected variables in a large urban school district in Georgia. Student achievement was measured by performance on the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years. The leadership instrument measures six competencies: (I) Instructional Leadership, (II) Interpersonal Skills, (III) Decision-making Skills, (IV) Facilities Planning Skills and Student Behavior Expectations, (V) Evaluation, and (VI) School Climate. The sample consisted of 3,900 teachers from 81 schools in the district. Demographic variables for each school included enrollment, free/reduced lunch eligibility, discipline incidents, retained students, absenteeism, teacher experience, administrator experience, principal gender, and principal tenure.Pearson correlation analyses indicated the following significant relationships:(a) student achievement with discipline incidents, free/reduced lunch participants, and school climate; (b) school climate with principals’ instructional leadership, interpersonal skills, decision-making, facilities planning and student behavior expectations, evaluation, discipline incidents, retained students, enrollment, and free/reduced lunch participants. Regression analyses indicated that: (a) student achievement was inversely explained by discipline incidents, but none of the other variables and (b) discipline incidents were explained by enrollment, absenteeism, retained students, principal tenure, teacher experience, and free/reduced lunch status.
Lifespan Perspectives on Job Performance, Performance Appraisal/Management and Creative Performance

Abstract The aging workforce continues to be of interest to researchers and organizational decision makers alike. In the present chapter, we discuss the extent to which age is associated with the complex domain of work performance and how lifespan approaches can enrich our understanding of the motivation and performance of employees as they move through their careers. Two theories—Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Theory (SOC) and Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST)—provide the framework within which we consider how lifespan processes of adaptability including selection, optimization, compensation, and occupational future time perspective (OFTP) inform research on age and individual job performance and creative performance. In the chapter, we review the multiple facets of job performance (e.g., task, contextual, creative, and counterproductive) and the two major individual predictors of work performance, employee motivation and ability. Each of these job facets and predictors are discussed in relation to research on older workers. Through the lens of SOC and SST, we discuss the importance of research that links such lifespan processes as goal selection, work feedback, and motivation to performance appraisal and performance management. Finally, we close with a discussion of how emerging themes from both the work performance and lifespan theory informs performance research both theoretically and as it is practiced in organizations.
Engineering Design & Society: A First-Year Course Teaching Human-Centered Design

How do you get first-year engineering students to stay in engineering? Get them to care! A first-year multidisciplinary engineering design course was developed and that emphasizes the human-centered design process. Students learn hands-on maker tools and software to fully design and build a prototype based on a societal need. An open-ended design challenge is presented to students to help humanity in a way that tells the story of engineering as a field to help the world through thoughtful human-centered design.This work presents the story of the formation of a human-centered design course, outlining the structure of the course, goals, maker-tools covered, and flipped-classroom format for active-learning delivery of the first-year engineering design experience. Examples of human-centered topics considered for first-year design prototypes include food stability (self-watering planters), sustainable energy (non-traditional power generation), tools for disabilities (toys for children with prosthetics), etc.The Engineering Design & Society human-centered course aims to inspire engineering students to become makers to help humanity. Students are empowered through the impact their inventions can make to serve society and improve the lives of others through engineering.