cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A dynamical model for describing behavioural interventions for weight loss and body composition change

We present a dynamical model incorporating both physiological and psychological factors that predicts changes in body mass and composition during the course of a behavioral intervention for weight loss. The model consists of a three-compartment energy balance integrated with a mechanistic psychological model inspired by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The latter describes how important variables in a behavioural intervention can influence healthy eating habits and increased physical activity over time. The novelty of the approach lies in representing the behavioural intervention as a dynamical system, and the integration of the psychological and energy balance models. Two simulation scenarios are presented that illustrate how the model can improve the understanding of how changes in intervention components and participant differences affect outcomes. Consequently, the model can be used to inform behavioural scientists in the design of optimised interventions for weight loss and body composition change.
Investigation of water transport through membrane in a PEM fuel cell by water balance experiments

Abstract Water balance in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was investigated by measurements of the net drag coefficient under various conditions. The effects of water balance in the PEMFC on the cell performance were also investigated at different operating conditions. Experimental results reveal that the net drag coefficient of water through the membrane depended on current density and humidification of feed gases. It was found that the net drag coefficient (net number of water molecules transported per proton) ranged from −0.02 to 0.93, and was dependent on the operating conditions, the current load and the level of humidification. It was also found that the humidity of both anode and cathode inlet gases had a significant effect on the fuel cell performance. The resistance of the working fuel cell showed that the membrane resistance increased as the feed gas relative humidity (RH) decreased. The diffusion of water across Nafion membranes was also investigated by experimental water flux measurements. The electro-osmotic drag coefficient was evaluated from the experimental results of water balance and diffusion water flux measurements. The value of electro-osmotic drag coefficient, ranging from 1.5 to 2.6 under various operating conditions, was in agreement with literature values. The electro-osmotic drag coefficient, the net flux of water through the membrane and the effective drag as a function of operating conditions will also provide validation data for the fuel cell modeling and simulation efforts.
Hogwild: A Lock-Free Approach to Parallelizing Stochastic Gradient Descent

Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) is a popular algorithm that can achieve state-of-the-art performance on a variety of machine learning tasks. Several researchers have recently proposed schemes to parallelize SGD, but all require performance-destroying memory locking and synchronization. This work aims to show using novel theoretical analysis, algorithms, and implementation that SGD can be implemented without any locking. We present an update scheme called HOGWILD! which allows processors access to shared memory with the possibility of overwriting each other's work. We show that when the associated optimization problem is sparse, meaning most gradient updates only modify small parts of the decision variable, then HOGWILD! achieves a nearly optimal rate of convergence. We demonstrate experimentally that HOGWILD! outperforms alternative schemes that use locking by an order of magnitude.
The effect of oxidative stress polymorphisms on the association between long-term black carbon exposure and lung function among elderly men

Background Black carbon (BC) is a pro-oxidant, traffic-related pollutant linked with lung function decline. We evaluated the influence of genetic variation in the oxidative stress pathway on the association between long-term BC exposure and lung function decline. Methods Lung function parameters (FVC and FEV 1 ) were measured during one or more study visits between 1995 and 2011 (n=651 participants) among an elderly cohort: the Normative Aging Study. Residential BC exposure levels were estimated using a spatiotemporal land use regression model. We evaluated whether oxidative stress variants, combined into a genetic score, modify the association between 1-year and 5-year moving averages of BC exposure and lung function levels and rates of decline, using linear mixed models. Results We report stronger associations between long-term BC exposure and increased rate of lung function decline, but not baseline lung function level, among participants with higher oxidative stress allelic risk profiles compared with participants with lower risk profiles. Associations were strongest when evaluating 5-year moving averages of BC exposure. A 0.5 µg/m 3 increase in 5-year BC exposure was associated with a 0.1% yearly increase in FVC (95% CI −0.5 to 0.7) among participants with low genetic risk scores and a 1.3% yearly decrease (95% CI −1.8 to −0.8) among those with high scores (p-interaction=0.0003). Discussion Our results suggest that elderly men with high oxidative stress genetic scores may be more susceptible to the effects of BC on lung function decline. The results, if confirmed, should inform air-quality recommendations in light of a potentially susceptible subgroup.
Statistical Learning Within and Between Modalities Pitting Abstract Against Stimulus-Specific Representations

When learners encode sequential patterns and generalize their knowledge to novel instances, are they relying on abstract or stimulus-specific representations? Research on artificial grammar learning (AGL) has shown transfer of learning from one stimulus set to another, and such findings have encouraged the view that statistical learning is mediated by abstract representations that are independent of the sense modality or perceptual features of the stimuli. Using a novel modification of the standard AGL paradigm, we obtained data to the contrary. These experiments pitted abstract processing against stimulus-specific learning. The findings show that statistical learning results in knowledge that is stimulus-specific rather than abstract. They show furthermore that learning can proceed in parallel for multiple input streams along separate perceptual dimensions or sense modalities. We conclude that learning sequential structure and generalizing to novel stimuli inherently involve learning mechanisms that are ...
Readiness to change in pediatric chronic pain: Initial validation of adolescent and parent versions of the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire

Despite the clinical importance of readiness to change in predicting treatment outcomes among adults, no studies have examined this construct among pediatric pain patients. Because parents play a key role in adolescent pain management, both adolescent and parent readiness to adopt a self-management approach to pain merit further study. The primary goal of the current study was to validate adolescent and parent-report adaptations of the adult Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire (PSOCQ). Participants included 259 adolescent patients with chronic pain syndromes and their parents presenting to 2 pediatric pain management clinics. Using confirmatory factor analytic techniques, a 4-factor solution was supported for the parent version (PSOCQ-P) that included Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance factors, whereas the adolescent version (PSOCQ-A) version supported a three-factor model that combines the Action and Maintenance scales. Within both versions, each of the factors was found to be internally consistent. The PSOCQ-A and PSOCQ-P showed evidence of criterion validity through significant correlations with coping strategies and pain catastrophizing. Stability findings at 4 and 8 weeks after a multidisciplinary pain clinic evaluation are reported. Associations between pediatric PSOCQ scores and demographic, pain, and functional domains were explored to inform future research. Further validation of the PSOCQ-A and PSOCQ-P measures with new, separate samples of pediatric pain patients and parents are needed before use in clinical contexts.
Clinical consequences of low selenium intake and its relationship to vitamin E

Great differences in dietary selenium intake have resulted in naturally occurring human selenium deficiencies and toxicities in certain parts of the world. Most North American diets, however, provide levels of selenium that fall within the estimated safe and adequate range of intake (50 to 200 microgram/day for adults) as established by the U.S. National Research Council. Low selenium status may develop in individuals fed certain therapeutic diets or given total parenteral nutrition. Attempts have been made to link low selenium intake with cancer and heart disease, but additional research is needed in this area. Selenium, as a constituent of glutathione peroxidase, plays a role in the antioxidant defense systems of the body, but other metabolic roles for selenium may yet be discovered.
Molecular Genetics of Nitrogen Fixation

Nitrogen fixation is the reduction of molecular nitrogen to ammonia carried out by bacteria of diverse genera in various habitats including symbiotic associations with eucaryotic organisms. During the past decade the genetics and molecular biology of nitrogen fixation (nif) have been revealed in great detail, particularly of Klebsiella pneumoniae nif, building upon earlier advances in understanding the biochemistry of nitrogen fixation.
An Empirical Study of Static Loading on Piezoelectric Stick-Slip Actuators of Micromanipulators

Piezoelectric stick-slip actuators have become the foundation of modern micromanipulation. Due to difficulty in closed-loop control with manipulators that use piezoelectric stick-slip actuators, methods for open-loop control with a human in the loop have been developed. The utility of such methods depends directly on the accuracy of the open-loop models of the manipulator. Prior research has shown that modeling of piezoelectric actuators is not a trivial task as they are known to suffer from nonlinearities that degrade their performance. In this paper, we study the effect of static (non-inertial) loads on a prismatic and a rotary piezoelectric stick-slip actuator, and obtain a model relating the step size of the actuator to the load. The actuator-specific parameters of the model are calibrated by taking measurements in specific configurations of the manipulator. Results comparing the obtained model to experimental data are presented.
What To Believe Now: Applying Epistemology to Contemporary Issues by Coady, David

Like much work in epistemology, What To Believe Now looks at how we ought to go about forming beliefs and acquiring knowledge. However, unlike most epistemologists, David Coady does not address the...
Repair and Strengthening of Submerged Steel Piles Using GFRP Composites

AbstractSteel and concrete bridge structures that serve as the backbone of U.S. transportation and navigational infrastructure systems have been exhibiting moderate to severe deterioration within a few years of service. The focus of this paper is on the rehabilitation of water-submerged bridge steel piles using precured glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) shells wrapped with water-curable GFRP prepreg fabrics. The GFRP shells were placed around the corroded steel piles of the East Lynn Lake Campground Bridge in Wayne County, West Virginia, and wrapped with GFRP fabrics. The space between GFRP shells and steel piles was filled with self-consolidating concrete to strengthen and protect the piles from further deterioration. Prior to field implementation, experiments were conducted on concrete cylinders embedded with steel I-sections that were encased by a polymeric shell and FRP wrap system to evaluate the load transfer mechanisms and increase in concrete strength as a result of confinement. To increase th...
“Ancient” (Sclerosing) ThymomasA Clinicopathologic Study of 10 Cases

We present 10 cases of “ancient” (sclerosing) thymomas in 4 women and 6 men (age range, 34–73 years; mean, 53.5 years). Clinically, 4 patients had a history of shortness of breath and chest pain of several weeks’ duration, 1 had a history of myasthenia gravis, and 5 were asymptomatic (anterior mediastinal masses discovered on routine chest radiographs). All underwent complete surgical resection of the anterior mediastinal mass. The tumors were light tan and solid, without areas of hemorrhage or necrosis, and 5 to 10 cm in greatest diameter. Extensive areas of hyalinized fibroconnective tissue constituting about 85% to 90% of the tumor mass was the main tumor feature. Focal areas of conventional thymoma also were present in all tumors. Follow-up information was obtained for 8 patients. Of these 8 patients, 6 died, all of unrelated causes (congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, and pulmonary edema), and 2 were alive 1 and 6 years after surgical resection. The present cases highlight an important histopathologic feature of thymomas, which can pose problems in diagnosis, namely when dealing with small mediastinoscopic biopsy specimens.
Interspecific Differences in Frequency and Other Physical Parameters of Pair-forming Sounds of Bush Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae)

Comparison of frequency spectra of pair-forming signals of Amblycorypha floridana, Microcentrum rhombifolium, Scudderia cuneata, S. furcata , and S. texensis showed (1) the dominant frequencies in the signals differ from species to species with little intraspecific variation and (2) the sounds of males and females of each species have similar frequency spectra. Upward frequency modulation occurs in the male tick song of M. rhombifolium . Intensity changes occur at the end of male songs of A. floridana and S. texenis . Female sounds of the 5 species differ in time delay, duration and waveform. At least some of these differences may be adaptive.
Correction of Pelvic Obliquity After Spinopelvic Fixation in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Comparison Study With Minimum Two-Year Follow-up.

Abstract Study Design Single institution cohort data were collected prospectively and reviewed retrospectively. Objectives This study aims to compare outcomes among three different instrumentation types: unit rod, iliac screws, and sacral alar iliac (SAI) screws in terms of pelvic obliquity correction in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Summary of Background Data The optimal choice for spinopelvic fixation in CP scoliosis with pelvic obliquity is controversial. Methods Patients with minimum 2 years' follow-up were divided into three groups according to instrumentation type and matched based on preoperative pelvic obliquity and coronal major curve magnitude. Radiographic measurements included horizontal pelvic obliquity angle (PO), spinopelvic angle (SPA), coronal and sagittal Cobb angles, and T1 pelvic angle. Procedures were performed in one pediatric institution between 2004 and 2012. All measurements were performed by a single independent reviewer who was not involved in the procedures. Results Seventy-seven patients (42 unit rod, 14 iliac screw, and 21 SAI screw) were included. Gender and age distribution was similar across all groups (56% males, 44% females, mean age 13.5 years). Mean follow-up was 3.6 years. Comparing pre- and postoperative measurements, there was a significant decrease (p Conclusions This study suggests that for correction of pelvic obliquity in cerebral palsy scoliosis, iliac and SAI screws were similar to the unit rod in comparative effectiveness and implant safety profile. Level of evidence Therapeutic study, Level III.
Calibration and interaction in optical see-through augmented reality using leap motion

The growing prevalence of hand and gesture tracking technology has led to an increased availability of consumer level devices, such as the Leap Motion controller, and also facilitated the inclusion of similar hardware into forth coming head mounted display offerings, including the Microsoft HoloLens and Moverio Pro BT-2000. In this video, we demonstrate the utility of the Leap Motion for calibrating optical see-through augmented reality systems by employing a variation on Tuceryan and Navab's Single Point Active Alignment Method [3]. We also showcase a straightforward method for calibrating the coordinate frame of the Leap Motion to a secondary tracking system by employing absolute orientation algorithms [2, 1, 4], allowing us to properly transform and visualize hand and finger tracking data from the user's viewpoint. Our combined display and coordinate frame calibration techniques produce a viable mechanism for not only intuitive interaction with virtual objects but also the creation of natural occlusion between computer generated content and the user themselves. We believe that these techniques will be pivotal in the development of novel consumer applications for next generation head mounted display hardware.
John Hamilton Reynolds (1794–1852)

John Hamilton Reynolds’s career began with a series of precocious publications that drew the respectful attention of Lord Byron (who characterized him as ‘a youngster, and a clever one’), and created a stir leading to Leigh Hunt’s bracketing his name with those of Shelley and Keats. Several of his contributions to The Inquirer, or Literary Miscellany, The Champion (a Sunday newspaper), The Yellow Dwarf, the influential London Magazine, and his authorship of a large number of literary notices for the Edinburgh Review, the Retrospective Review, and the Westminster Review, saw print before he reached the age of 20. His personality charmed many who knew him and worked with him (Hazlitt, Hood, De Quincey, and Lamb, among many other journalists and critics). Above all, the services he rendered to the younger Keats – the greater part of Keats’s finest literary criticism may be found in letters Keats wrote to Reynolds, who had recognized his genius immediately – have earned him an important place in the hierarchy of Romantic writers. On his gravestone the telling phrase, ‘The Friend of Keats’, was added (in 1917, as part of a cemetery clean-up).
Engagement: rhetoric’s tale from the field

ABSTRACT‘Engagement’ has since the mid-1990s led to a series of initiatives and campus centers wherein many universities attempt strategies that are primarily administrative and programmatic. By contrast, our tale from the field points to an inherent and original connection between rhetoric and engagement; we propose that the fundamental principles of rhetoric and communication equip scholars to work effectively toward the goal of engaged research and teaching. Our stories from the University of Texas Intellectual Entrepreneurship Consortium and from the University of Pittsburgh’s Honors College indicate that there is significant value and power in taking to heart the lessons of the discipline for our own actions and lives as educators. Acting on what we know directs us toward such concepts as invention, discovery, argument, deliberation, advocacy, and intervention – the rhetorical instruments needed to change the academic culture and create environments for engaged learning.
Non-Gaussian methods in biomedical imaging

Most statistical models for applications rely on the Gaussian assumption. Yet, in many realistic situations, the underlying variation or uncertainty is essentially non-Gaussian. In detection problems, for instance, the Gaussian assumption leads to false alarms in cases where the tail is a fatter one, such as in the case of the Laplace density function. In classification problems, the Gaussian model for variability may be too restrictive, and other models, such as the Generalized Gaussian density function, are more appropriate. We will present examples of such models as applied to applications with multiple images, and show performance in two applications: functional magnetic resonance imaging, and stem cell classification.
Engineering Ultrathin Polyaniline in Micro/Mesoporous Carbon Supercapacitor Electrodes Using Oxidative Chemical Vapor Deposition

In this work, oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) is demonstrated to enable the integration of nanometer-thin polyaniline (PANI) that significantly improves charge storage capacity of supercapacitors utilizing carbide-derived carbon (CDC) with a bimodal (micro/mesoporous) pore size distribution. To our knowledge, this work is the first reported synthesis of PANI via oCVD. The oCVD process allows for the integration of PANI into pores as small as 1.7 nm, and resulting CDC/PANI electrodes have a gravimetric capacitance more than twice that of bare CDC (136 F g−1 for 11 wt% of PANI in the CDC electrode versus 60 F g−1 for bare Mo2C-CDC at 10 mV s−1). This yields a PANI-only gravimetric capacitance of ≈690 F g−1, which is close to the theoretical value of 750 F g−1. The coating preserves the native electrode surface area and pore size distribution, while improving capacitance due to the faradaic redox reactions of PANI. Even at high scan rates of over 100 mV s−1, the added pseudocapacitance from PANI remains evident. The composite electrode exhibits good cyclability, decreasing to 90% of the initial value (≈100 F g−1) after 10 000 cycles.
On the significance of two-way coupling in simulation of turbulent particle agglomeration

A study is reported that examines computations of turbulent particle agglomeration with one-way and two-way phase coupling for cases with small overall particle concentration. The fluid flow was computed using a direct numerical computation using the point-force approximation for particle-induced body force, and a soft-sphere, adhesive discrete-element method was used to simulate the particulate transport and agglomerate formation. Computations were performed with different values of the Stokes number and the adhesion parameter. A variety of measures were used to examine both the effect of particle agglomeration on the fluid turbulence and the structure and flow field within the particle agglomerates. It was found that agglomeration has little influence on the attenuation of turbulence by the particles, at least in the range of Stokes numbers examined in the paper. Computations with two-way coupling generated agglomerates that were larger and contained more particles than those for one-way coupling. The agglomerate structure for both one-way and two-way coupling cases had a fractal structure with a similar value of the fractal dimension. As the agglomerate size increased, the fluid motion inside the agglomerates was found to become increasingly correlated to the agglomerate velocity, acting to decrease the relative velocity and shear stress of the inner particles within the agglomerate.
Differential Effects of Family Stress Exposure and Harsh Parental Discipline on Child Social Competence

Low family socioeconomic status (SES) is a robust risk factor for adverse child outcomes, yet the specific processes that account for this risk are not fully understood. This study examines whether and how variation in two adverse factors, stressful life events and harsh parental discipline, affect children’s social competence within a high-risk environment, and whether some children are more vulnerable to these effects than others. Data were collected from 207 families of kindergarten children at risk for behavioral maladjustment. Children’s physiological regulation (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) measured during rest was examined as a moderator of risk exposure. Results indicate that both greater exposure to life stress and harsh discipline were correlated with lower social competence. Although children’s resting RSA was not a direct predictor of their social competence, it moderated the association between life stress and social competence. Greater exposure to life stress was more strongly associated with lower social competence among children with lower resting RSA. Higher RSA may help to buffer the effects of stress and facilitate appropriate social development. RSA did not moderate the effects of harsh discipline. This differential pattern of findings suggests that children’s physiological regulation can facilitate an effective response to situational stressors, but may be less efficacious in buffering against stress in the context of the parent-child relationship.
Using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo to estimate the log-linear cognitive diagnosis model via Stan

The Bayesian literature has shown that the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) algorithm is powerful and efficient for statistical model estimation, especially for complicated models. Stan, a software program built upon HMC, has been introduced as a means of psychometric modeling estimation. However, there are no systemic guidelines for implementing Stan with the log-linear cognitive diagnosis model (LCDM), which is the saturated version of many cognitive diagnostic model (CDM) variants. This article bridges the gap between Stan application and Bayesian LCDM estimation: Both the modeling procedures and Stan code are demonstrated in detail, such that this strategy can be extended to other CDMs straightforwardly.
A small embedding for partial 4-cycle systems when the leave is small

In this paper we give an embedding for odd n which improves the best known bound when the "leave" is small. In particular, we prove that a partial 4-cycle system of odd order n with leave consisting of x edges can be embedded in a 4-cycle system of order n + 2x.
A comparison of novel and state-of-the-art polynomial Bayesian network learning algorithms

Learning the most probable a posteriori Bayesian network from data has been shown to be an NP-Hard problem and typical state-of-the-art algorithms are exponential in the worst case. However, an important open problem in the field is to identify the least restrictive set of assumptions and corresponding algorithms under which learning the optimal network becomes polynomial. In this paper, we present a technique for learning the skeleton of a Bayesian network, called Polynomial Max-Min Skeleton (PMMS), and compare it with Three Phase Dependency Analysis, another state-ofthe-art polynomial algorithm. This analysis considers both the theoretical and empirical differences between the two algorithms, and demonstrates PMMS’s advantages in both respects. When extended with a greedy hill-climbing Bayesianscoring search to orient the edges, the novel algorithm proved more time efficient, scalable, and accurate in quality of reconstruction than most state-of-the-art Bayesian network learning algorithms. The results show promise of the existence of polynomial algorithms that are provably correct under minimal distributional assumptions.
Systemic Chemotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

The management of head and neck cancer will become an increasingly important problem for medical oncologists. Currently, chemotherapy is generally employed for tumors that are beyond the reach of surgery and radiotherapy. However, although a number of active compounds are available for use, the rapidly declining performance status of the patients and the lack of clearly evaluable lesions at this advanced stage of disease often hamper the rational administration of cytotoxic agents. For these reasons, chemotherapy is likely to become a common procedure during the initial phases of treatment over the next few years. As will be pointed out later, trials are already underway to define the role of chemotherapy under these favorable circumstances, termed the “initial curative approach”.
Diagnostic stewardship and the 2017 update of the IDSA-SHEA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile Infection.

Diagnostic stewardship is an increasingly recognized means to reduce unnecessary tests and diagnostic errors. As a leading cause of healthcare-associated infection for which accurate laboratory diagnosis remains a challenge, Clostridium difficile offers an ideal opportunity to apply the principles of diagnostic stewardship. The recently updated 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for C. difficile infection now recommend separate diagnostic strategies depending on whether an institution has adopted diagnostic stewardship in test decision making. IDSA-SHEA endorsement of diagnostic stewardship for C. difficile highlights the increasing role of diagnostic stewardship in hospitals. In this opinion piece, we introduce the concept of diagnostic stewardship by discussing the new IDSA-SHEA diagnostic recommendations for laboratory diagnosis of C. difficile. We outline recent examples of diagnostic stewardship, challenges to implementation, potential downsides and propose future areas of study.
Case 3: Diagnostic Dilemma - White Patch

This 62-year-old woman who recently moved to your state is a new patient to your practice. Her last dental visit was over 2 years ago. She has no particular complaints but would like to see the hygienist and have a comprehensive dental evaluation.
Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Storage Capacities of a Western Amazonian Primary and Secondary Growth Forest

Amazonian tropical forests are critical to global carbon cycling and sequestration, and in direct danger from deforestation. In order to contribute to limited existing literature on the carbon sequestration potential of secondary forest ecosystems and their aboveground biomass (AGB), we established permanent 0.2-ha plots in a primary and a secondary forest near Iquitos, Loreto, Peru. We measured diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and wood density for trees ≥10 cm DBH and took the diameter of lianas at 30 cm shoot extension, then used published allometric equations to estimate AGB and compare it between forests. Trees within the primary forest plot had a significantly greater mean DBH and higher mean wood density, as well as a greater overall AGB than trees within the secondary forest. AGB was calculated to be 322.05 Mg/ha for the primary forest and 51.17 Mg/ha for the secondary forest. Sequestered carbon quantities were 151.36 Mg/ha and 24.05 Mg/ha, respectively. Higher estimates of stored carbon within the primary forest are attributed to old- growth trees with large DBH values and increased wood density, and discrepancies between our carbon estimates for the secondary forest and past estimates for the same site suggest the need to focus more research and attention on allometric equation use. The results of this study provide a potential incentive for carbon sequestration funding to be awarded to the primary forest property studied and establish a foundation for future estimations of the carbon storage capacities of tropical secondary forests.
Economic and Environmental Analysis of U.S.-Based Data Centers Containing Photovoltaic Power Generation

Energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are two major concerns for data centers. Adopting renewable energy, such as solar energy, is a potential solution to both relieve the draw by the power grid and reduce CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions. This study quantifies the economic and environmental aspects of data center operation, and then assesses the influence of photovoltaic (PV)-based solar energy upon these aspects. The study estimates data center upfront and operating costs, and the carbon emission factor (CEF), defined here as the carbon footprint associated with each kWh of electricity consumption, for locations in all 50 U.S. states. The study includes location-specific metrics such as electricity cost, latitude and solar irradiance. The CEF is approximated based on the electric power production portfolio associated with each state. The solar availability assigned to a state is calculated using a beam and diffuse solar irradiance model based on the hourly solar irradiance data from the NREL TMY3 database. Recommendations are provided regarding the locations and data center densities with the largest economic and environmental benefit from adding PV-based power generation.
A puzzle about rates of change

Most of our best scientific descriptions of the world employ rates of change of some continuous quantity with respect to some other continuous quantity. For instance, in classical physics we arrive at a particle’s velocity by taking the time-derivative of its position, and we arrive at a particle’s acceleration by taking the time-derivative of its velocity. Because rates of change are defined in terms of other continuous quantities, most think that facts about some rate of change obtain in virtue of facts about those other continuous quantities. For example, on this view facts about a particle’s velocity at a time obtain in virtue of facts about how that particle’s position is changing at that time. In this paper we raise a puzzle for this orthodox reductionist account of rate of change quantities and evaluate some possible replies. We don’t decisively come down in favour of one reply over the others, though we say some things to support taking our puzzle to cast doubt on the standard view that spacetime is continuous.
Criminal Recidivism in Inmates with Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

The relative contributions of mental illness and substance use disorders to criminal recidivism have important clinical and policy implications. This study reviewed 36 months of postrelease data for nearly 10,000 New Jersey state inmates released in 2013 to ascertain the rearrest rate of those diagnosed with mental illness, substance use disorders, both, or neither. We also examined whether certain characteristics suggestive of higher risk of psychiatric decompensation were associated with higher rates of rearrest. Released inmates who were diagnosed with a substance use disorder (without a mental illness) while incarcerated had the highest rate of rearrest upon release, followed by inmates diagnosed with both mental illness and substance use disorder together, inmates with neither a substance use disorder nor a mental illness, and lastly by inmates diagnosed with mental illness alone. These differences were statistically significant only between inmates with substance use disorders and those without a substance use disorder. Among those with a diagnosed mental disorder, there were no statistically significant differences in recidivism based on diagnosis or based on prescription of antipsychotic medication, injectable antipsychotic medication, or involuntary antipsychotic medication. These results support correctional institutions assertively addressing substance use disorders, especially for individuals returning to the community.
From orchards to chips: Silicon Valley’s evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem

The initial development of Silicon Valley and its indigenous start-ups relied on various endowments, including abundant resources and a set of institutions and know-how inherited from previous indu...
Gene expression profiling of progenitor cells isolated from rat rotator cuff musculotendinous junction

Rotator cuff tendon tears are typically degenerative and usually affect the region of tendon insertion on bone. The remnant torn tendon is degenerative and may not be an ideal source for progenitor cells for cell-based therapies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if musculotendinous junction (MTJ), which is adjacent to tendon would be a viable alternate source of progenitor stem cells. We also sought to study the gene expression profile MTJ progenitors and compare it with progenitors isolated from RC tendon, RC muscle and other existing tissue sources (bone marrow, adipose tissue, and Achilles tendon). Rotator cuff tendon (RCT), muscle (RCM), and RCMTJ as well as Achilles tendon (AT) tissues were harvested from healthy male Lewis rats and progenitor cultures were established from these tissues and also from bone marrow and adipose tissue. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed on RNA extracts from intact tissues and progenitor cells using a custom array for the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation marker genes. The gene expression profile of MSC differentiation markers within four tissues types, six progenitor cells, and between tissue and their corresponding progenitors were compared. Progenitors cells can be isolated from rat rotator cuff musculotendinous tissue and their pattern of MSC gene expression was similar to the rotator cuff tendon progenitors for majority of the genes tested. However, there were significant differences between the MSC gene expression patterns of RCMTJ and RCM progenitors. Furthermore, there were differences in gene expression between the RCMTJ tissue and its progenitor cells with respect to MSC differentiation markers. The gene expression pattern of RCMTJ tissue was similar to RCM tissue with respect to markers of chondrogenesis, myogenesis, tenogenesis, and MSC specific markers. We demonstrate that the musculotendinous junction contains distinct set of progenitor cells and their MSC gene expression pattern is similar to rotator cuff tendon progenitors. RCMTJ progenitors will be an attractive option for cell-based regenerative treatment of chronic rotator cuff tears.
Methodology for Measuring Higher-Order Acoustic Modes in Uniform Heated Flows

In this paper, the complete methodology for measuring the acoustic properties of a test article under uniform heated flow and higher-order mode propagation conditions is developed from the theory o...
Wild alternatives: Accounting for and rethinking the relationship between wild game and food security in Appalachian food systems

Abstract The relationship between wild food and food security among human populations is under researched, particularly in the Global North. Much of the food security research does not account for food provisioning from hunting and foraging despite the prevalence of such practices in human communities. Here we explore the significance of wild big game harvesting in one of the most economically and food insecure states in the United States, West Virginia. We analyzed harvest data of large mammal species hunted in West Virginia from 2012 to 2017 and compare these data to domesticated meat raised and commercially processed within the state. We also compare the game harvest of West Virginia to the harvests of its five neighboring states; Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Maryland. Lastly, we analyzed the potential of these harvests to feed food insecure populations in each state. In West Virginia, we estimate that approximately 10 million pounds of game is harvested each year, a figure that significantly exceeds the domesticated red meat raised and processed within the state by 25% annually. The per capita big game harvest in West Virginia was significantly higher than that of all neighboring states and was enough to provide nearly 40% of the state's food insecure population with red meat for an entire year. To our knowledge, this is one of few studies in the North America that attempts to account for the amount of wild food harvested from the landscape within the context food security. We argue that food systems research may benefit from a similar accounting of wild food when addressing issues of food security and availability.
Financial Reporting Quality and Wage Differentials: Evidence from Worker-Level Data

We examine whether financial reporting quality affects worker wages using employer-employee matched data in the U.S. We find that low financial reporting quality is associated with a compensating wage differential—i.e., a risk premium—even after controlling for worker characteristics. The data show a sizable wage differential using both firm-level reporting quality and workers switching to low financial reporting quality firms. We explore two potential channels of this association: the performance pay and turnover risk channels, where workers bear risks from noise in performance measurement and unemployment, respectively. We find that the association is stronger when industries use more performance pay for rank-and-file employees and that firms with low reporting quality exhibit high employee turnover. To mitigate endogeneity concerns over omitted firm characteristics, we show that—after the accounting scandals in 2002 and after the announcements of an internal control weakness (ICW)—former Andersen clients and ICW firms pay wage premiums to employees, with magnitudes between 0.9% to 2.8% of annual wages. Overall, we demonstrate economically significant compensating wage differentials for low financial reporting quality firms.
Isoflurane anesthesia disrupts the cortical metabolome.

The loss of wakefulness caused by a single concentration of isoflurane significantly altered levels of interrelated metabolites in the prefrontal cortex. The results support the interpretation that...
Nomenclatural changes in the suborders Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera) and Paleorrhyncha (Palaeohemiptera)

Nomenclatural changes are proposed for numerous taxon names in the Insect orders Hemiptera and Palaeohemiptera. New replacement names are proposed for six genera, three subgenera, 55 species and six subspecies, additionally a homonymous name for a genus and eight homonymous names for species are substituted with the names of junior synonyms; 13 new synonyms are recognized; type species are fixed for four genera; 26 new combinations for species names are established.
The economic burden of vertigo and dizziness in the United States

BACKGROUND Vertigo and dizziness are extremely common conditions in the adult population and therefore place a significant social and economic burden on both patients and the healthcare system. However, limited information is available for the economic burden of vertigo and dizziness across various health care settings. OBJECTIVE Estimate the economic burden of vertigo and dizziness, controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical comorbidities. METHODS A retrospective analysis of data from the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (2007-2015) was performed to analyze individuals with vertigo or dizziness from a nationally representative sample of the United States. Participants were included via self-reported data and International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision Clinical Modification codes. A cross-validated 2-component generalized linear model was utilized to assess vertigo and dizziness expenditures across demographic, socioeconomic and clinical characteristics while controlling for covariates. Costs and utilization across various health care service sectors, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, home health, and prescription medications were evaluated. RESULTS Of 221,273 patients over 18 years, 5,275 (66% female, 34% male) reported either vertigo or dizziness during 2007-2015. More patients with vertigo or dizziness were female, older, non-Hispanic Caucasian, publicly insured, and had significant clinical comorbidities compared to patients without either condition. Furthermore, each of these demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics lead to significantly elevated costs due to having these conditions for patients. Significantly higher medical expenditures and utilization across various healthcare sectors were associated with vertigo or dizziness (p < 0.001). The mean incremental annual healthcare expenditure directly associated with vertigo or dizziness was $2,658.73 (95% CI: 1868.79, 3385.66) after controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Total annual medical expenditures for patients with dizziness or vertigo was $48.1 billion. CONCLUSION Vertigo and dizziness lead to substantial expenses for patients across various healthcare settings. Determining how to limit costs and improve the delivery of care for these patients is of the utmost importance given the severe morbidity, disruption to daily living, and major socioeconomic burden associated with these conditions.
A deep learning segmentation strategy that minimizes the amount of manually annotated images

Deep learning has revolutionized the automatic processing of images. While deep convolutional neural networks have demonstrated astonishing segmentation results for many biological objects acquired with microscopy, this technology's good performance relies on large training datasets. In this paper, we present a strategy to minimize the amount of time spent in manually annotating images for segmentation. It involves using an efficient and open source annotation tool, the artificial increase of the training data set with data augmentation, the creation of an artificial data set with a conditional generative adversarial network and the combination of semantic and instance segmentations. We evaluate the impact of each of these approaches for the segmentation of nuclei in 2D widefield images of human precancerous polyp biopsies in order to define an optimal strategy.
Book Review: The Feminization of Abortion

A joint project with Barbara Flagg, this critique of Robert Goldstein’s book, Mother Love and Abortion: A Legal Interpretation (1988), examines the author’s use of ideas from the object-relations school of psychoanalysis to supplement mainstream theories of abortion freedom. While noting the book’s valuable contributions, including its effort to place the pregnant woman at the center of the analysis, the review raises questions that the author’s attachment-theory-based arguments fail to answer and cites the costs that his “mother-love” approach might well impose on women.
Quantitative Sensory Testing of Spinal Cord and Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation in Chronic Pain Patients.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The physiological mechanisms underlying the pain-modulatory effects of clinical neurostimulation therapies, such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS), are only partially understood. In this pilot prospective study, we used patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and quantitative sensory testing (QST) to investigate the physiological effects and possible mechanisms of action of SCS and DRGS therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS We tested 16 chronic pain patients selected for SCS and DRGS therapy, before and after treatment. PROs included pain intensity, pain-related symptoms (e.g., pain interference, pain coping, sleep interference) and disability, and general health status. QST included assessments of vibration detection theshold (VDT), pressure pain threshold (PPT) and tolerance (PPToL), temporal summation (TS), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM), at the most painful site. RESULTS Following treatment, all participants reported significant improvements in PROs (e.g., reduced pain intensity [p < 0.001], pain-related functional impairment [or pain interference] and disability [p = 0.001 for both]; better pain coping [p = 0.03], sleep [p = 0.002]), and overall health [p = 0.005]). QST showed a significant treatment-induced increase in PPT (p = 0.002) and PPToL (p = 0.011), and a significant reduction in TS (p = 0.033) at the most painful site, but showed no effects on VDT and CPM. We detected possible associations between a few QST measures and a few PROs. Notably, higher TS was associated with increased pain interference scores at pre-treatment (r = 0.772, p = 0.009), and a reduction in TS was associated with the reduction in pain interference (r = 0.669, p = 0.034) and pain disability (r = 0.690, p = 0.027) scores with treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary findings suggest significant clinical and therapeutic benefits associated with SCS and DRGS therapies, and the possible ability of these therapies to modulate pain processing within the central nervous system. Replication of our pilot findings in future, larger studies is necessary to characterize the physiological mechanisms of SCS and DRGS therapies.