cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dow 30's Compliance with the Provisions of SFAS 159 and 157 for Investments in Equity Securities

Although, SFAS 159 has raised the bar for disclosure requirements and improved investors, analysts, and financial statement users understanding of managements’ rationale for implementing the Fair Value Option (FVO) for equity securities, it has been criticized to prospect entities to structure transactions that are intended to lever a specific accounting effect. Companies by appointing the fair value option for underwater investments in certain securities can move those securities from the available-for-sale and held-to-maturity categories into the trading category and record the unrealized losses as an essential portion of the cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings without reproducing any losses on the securities in the income statement even if the securities subsequently are sold. This study examines how the thirty companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow 30) complied with the provisions of SFAS No. 157 and 159 to record their investments in equity securities. The results indicate that the sample of companies complied with the qualitative guidelines outlined in the pronouncement. A surprising finding was that a large number of the sample companies reported that they don’t currently believe adoption would have a material impact on their consolidated results of operations and financial condition.
The Relative Influence of Social Work Journals: Impact Factors vs. Core Influence.

This article compares the results of two methods of ranking the influence of journals based on citation counts. For 22 core social work journals, ranking by Social Sciences Citation Index’s “impact factors” is compared with ranking by “core influence” scores, which count citations only within the same core journals. The substantial differences between the rankings suggest that impact factors do not accurately indicate the most influential journals within the discipline of social work. The implications of these findings for faculty and libraries are discussed.
Several properties of invariant pairs of nonlinear algebraic eigenvalue problems

We analyze several important properties of invariant pairs of nonlinear algebraic eigenvalue problems of the form T (λ)v = 0. Invariant pairs are generalizations of invariant subspaces in association with block Rayleigh quotients of square matrices to a nonlinear matrix-valued function T (·). They play an important role in the analysis of nonlinear eigenvalue problems and algorithms. In this paper, we first show that the algebraic, partial, and geometric multiplicities together with the Jordan chains corresponding to an eigenvalue of T (λ)v = 0 are completely represented by the Jordan canonical form of a simple invariant pair that captures this eigenvalue. We then investigate approximation errors and perturbations of a simple invariant pair. We also show that second order accuracy in eigenvalue approximation can be achieved by the two-sided block Rayleigh functional for non-defective eigenvalues. Finally, we study the matrix representation of the Frechet derivative of the eigenproblem, and we discuss the norm estimate of the inverse derivative, which measures the conditioning and sensitivity of simple invariant pairs.
A method for the quantitative determination of small amounts of quinin and quinidin with bromin water

We undertook to learn whether quinin could be determined quantitatively in extracts of animal tissues by means of the so-called thalleioquin color reaction, but it soon became apparent that the intensity of the color varies with too many factors to permit of its use for this purpose. It was observed, however, that the color of the bromin water disappeared sharply on the addition of a slight excess of quinin, and the present method depends upon the fact that when quinin is added to bromin they combine in definite proportions with the loss of the color of the bromin in reflected light.Hart1 attempted unsuccessfully to estimate quinin quantitatively by means of the thalleioquin reaction. He found, however, that four atoms of bromin are absorbed by the quinin, two of them loosely. He says, “It follows, then, that quinine may be determined from its bromine absorption for five minutes in the manner stated: 1 cc. N/10 Br. = 0.0081 g. quinine.” This method has not been employed hitherto so far as we know.Nine sol...
NMOS contact engineering for CMOS scaling

The 10−7 nm CMOS nodes require that ρc be reduced to < 2E-9 Ω.cm2. Fermi level for most metals is pinned at mid-gap, resulting in a challenge to decrease SBH. There are several implant solutions, such as thermal implants, that can be leveraged to benefit the FinFET doping of SDE, SD and contact module for scaled CMOS.
White Authorship and the Counterfeit Politics of Verisimilitude on the Wire

This chapter argues that the messages communicated to The Wire viewers are the direct product of its heterosexual, white male writers/producers and those messages unambiguously reproduce very specific, pathologized images of race at its intersection with queer sexuality through The Wire’s queer characters of color.
Handling heterogeneous hybrid poplar particle sizes for sugar production

Abstract Five chip sizes of freshly harvested hybrid poplar, ranging from 0.2 × 0.2 cm to 2.0 × 1.5 cm, plus an equal mixture of all the particles, were used to determine the influence of initial particle size on sugar recovery after steam explosion pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. It was found that there is essentially no effect of particle size or particle size heterogeneity on sugar recovery. Enzymatic digestibility of solids from all the particles showed similar yields ranging from 78 to 82% glucan conversion after 72 h. The overall sugar recovery from all the samples ranged from 87 to 90% and 61–64% for glucose and xylose respectively and was not influenced by particle size. An unsteady heat transfer model was used to assess the intra-particle temperature profile of the wood during pretreatment. It was found that all the wood chips, regardless of size, are essentially isothermal. This supports the experimental result of no significant difference in sugar yields among different particle sizes. Steam pretreatment appears to be a robust method that can accommodate a wide range of particle sizes.
Mediator-dependent secondary injury after unilateral blunt thoracic trauma.

The pathophysiologic sequence leading to respiratory failure after chest trauma can be an inevitable consequence of the primary injury or a secondary, mediator-driven inflammatory process. To distinguish between these alternatives, a simple cross-transfusion experiment was performed. A captive bolt gun injured the chest of anesthetized pigs that were mechanically ventilated with Fio 2 =.21,.50, or.50 plus indomethacin (5 mg/kg intravenous; 15 min before injury). Tube thoracostomy immediately followed. After 30 min, blood from these injured donors was transfused into three matched groups of naive recipients (n = 8, 6, and 4, respectively) for a 33% exchange transfusion. Two control groups received blood from uninjured donors with tube thoracostomies only (Fio 2 =.21, n = 7; Fio 2 =.50, n = 10). Within 15-30 min after transfusion, in recipients from injured donors versus controls, lung compliance was decreased 20%, stroke volume and cardiac output were decreased 50%, and pulmonary vascular resistance was increased >300% (all p 500% in plasma within 15 min and remained elevated for >120 min. All responses were similar at 21% or 50% O 2 , which suggests that hypoxia per se is not a cause of mediator production. All responses were eliminated by indomethacin. By 24 h, histologic changes included atelectasis in 3/3 recipients from injured donors versus 0/3 recipients from uninjured donors. We conclude that 1) blunt chest trauma releases blood borne mediators, including prostanoids; 2) these mediators can cause secondary cardiopulmonary changes in naive recipients similar to those produced by chest trauma; 3) the progression to trauma-induced respiratory failure is multifactorial; 4) early pharmacologic intervention, rather than supportive care alone, may benefit some victims of severe chest trauma.
Agricultural productivity and non-farm employment : evidence from Bangladesh

This paper provides evidence on the impacts of agricultural productivity on employment growth and structural transformation of non-farm activities. To guide the empirical work, this paper develops a general equilibrium model that emphasizes distinctions among non-farm activities in terms of tradable-non-tradable and the formal-informal characteristics. The model shows that when a significant portion of village income is spent on town/urban goods, restricting empirical analysis to the village sample leads to underestimation of agriculture's role in employment growth and transformation of non-farm activities. Using rainfall as an instrument for agricultural productivity, empirical analysis finds a significant positive effect of agricultural productivity growth on growth of informal (small-scale) manufacturing and skilled services employment, mainly in education and health services. For formal employment, the effect of agricultural productivity growth on employment is found to be largest in the samples that include urban areas and rural towns compared with rural areas alone. Agricultural productivity growth is found to induce structural transformation within the services sector with employment in formal/skilled services growing at a faster pace than that of low skilled services.
Agitation and other noncognitive abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease.

There are few systematic studies of behavioral or environmental interventions for behavioral symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Current treatment emphasizes education of families, the formation of Alzheimer's disease units in the nursing home, and adjunctive psychotropic agents to treat well-defined target symptoms.
Improved Identification and Calculation of Horizontal Curves with Geographic Information System Road Layers

Horizontal curve data are collected or calculated by transportation agencies for different purposes because there is always a demand to generate new curve data either to improve the data quality or to extend the data coverage. There are different approaches and technologies for curve data collection. The selection of methods takes into consideration accuracy, cost, and available sources. There is, consequently, a wide interest in extracting curve information from available road network data of the geographic information system (GIS). When the cost of GIS data extraction is much lower than the cost of other approaches, it is significant to improve the accuracy of GIS curve identification and calculation. This paper analyzes errors related to existing GIS curve calculation methods and introduces a new method to identify and to calculate horizontal curves with improved accuracy. The new method uses regression analysis of road vertex direction–location profiles to calculate curve radii. A freeway segment on I...
Participatory Global Citizenship: Civic Education Beyond Territoriality

There has been an emerging interest regarding the role of higher education as a promoter of civic education and public engagement. Amid this growing debate, the discussions have tended to remain within the scope of the nation-state. Drawing on the literature of civic engagement and citizenship, this article extends that discussion by positing universities as centers of cosmopolitanism and participatory global citizenship beyond state borders. This article argues that civic education must move past the traditional state-centric framework, and search for ways that might lead to meaningful integration of the idea of the global citizen. This article concludes by offering suggestions on how global civic education scholarship and institutional practices should proceed in ways that transcend the ossified Westphalian state ideal that has dominated the international system for centuries, and toward a new ideal grounded in global cosmopolitanism.
Ellen Biddle Shipman’s design intent for the Sarah P. Duke Gardens: tracing this through virtual and physical augmentation

Ellen Biddle Shipman (1869–1950) designed approximately 600 gardens during the early and mid twentieth century, only a few of which remain. One of these gardens is Duke University’s Terrace Garden ...
Redox-Redux and NADPH Oxidase (NOX): Even More Complicated than We Thought it Might Be

The NOX (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase) family includes seven unique members that are involved in a multitude of physiological functions, including extensive interaction with UVR and the skin. NOX1 is uniquely present and activated by UVB radiation with biphasic expression of the enzyme immediately and then after a several-hour delay. Specific inhibition of both early and late NOX1 activation leads to evidence of decreased photocarcinogenesis in in vitro keratinocytes and in well-characterized mouse models in which antitumor efficacy has been shown; inhibiting only late NOX activation does not exhibit such effects. These results suggest a crucial function of early NOX activation in transducing a signal for cellular protection after UVB carcinogenesis provocation. We term this an intrinsic cellular ROS priming function for quenching DNA damage and promoting survival. Evolutionally, this type of priming function may be essential for addressing various types of stimuli from adverse environments.
A comparison of percutaneous and endoscopic-guided celiac plexus block/neurolysis in pancreatic cancer patients.

e15767Background: Celiac plexus block (CPB) and celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) are options for pain control in pancreatic cancer. Conventionally they are performed percutaneously (PC) with fluoroscopic or CT guidance. However endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guidance is being increasingly used. The aim of this retrospective study is to compare PC-guided and EUS-guided CPB/CPN for pain control. Methods: Our retrospective cohort study included pancreatic cancer patients who underwent CPN/CPB for pain control from 2008 to 2015 at Johns Hopkins. Patients were assessed immediately post-procedure and at 1 month. Patients were selected using CPT and ICD diagnosis code guided searches of the EHR. Pain intensity was assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). A response was defined as a decrease in NRS scores by = > 3 points. The validated FACT-Hep score was used to assess quality of life (QOL). Opiate usage was converted into morphine dosage equivalents. Wilcox rank-sum and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare th...
The labyrinth of human variation

Morphological analyses of the human temporal labyrinth (cochlea and especially the semicircular canals) have progressed (along with advances in tomography) from using the labyrinth to orient crania (1), to document the earlier hominin ancestral pattern (2), to document an apparently derived “Neandertal” configuration (3), to establish Neandertal persistence into the Upper Paleolithic (4), and to infer Late Pleistocene populational interconnections across Eurasia (5, 6). Through these mostly paleontological analyses, it has been assumed that recent (and early modern) humans had a consistent labyrinthine pattern, albeit with individual variation. Global assessments have been absent, and the recent human sample has been dominated by western Eurasian specimens. The analysis of Ponce de Leon et al. (7) of global recent human variation in labyrinthine proportions is therefore a welcome addition to our understanding of human variation. It is especially welcome because labyrinthine proportions are established prenatally and are subject to little or no developmental plasticity (8). The analysis therefore has the potential to provide both core data on variation of this morphological feature and the basis for human populational inferences in space and by extension in time. However, recent human labyrinthine variation has implications beyond its global patterns. The analysis of Ponce de Leon et al. (7) is important in documenting that the variation of labyrinthine proportions is principally within their regional samples and that only a small proportion of the variation is between their regions. Moreover, the variation closely fits an isolation-by-distance model of human variation, whether it is a remnant of the Late Pleistocene modern human dispersal from Africa or a product of isolation-by-distance once modern humans were established both … [↵][1]1Email: trinkaus{at}wustl.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Electromagnetic dissociation of Co and Au targets by a 10.2 GeV/nucleon Au beam

Collisions of relativistic heavy ions (RHI) can be broadly categorized as two types: central (nuclear force dominated) and peripheral (coulomb force dominated). The experiment described addresses the latter. Unlike the neutron removal cross section via the nuclear force neutron removal cross section via the coulomb force is an increasing function of energy due to the Lorentz contraction of the electromagnetic fields. As more energetic and heavier (higher Z) RHI beams have become available, there appears to be an overestimation of the one neutron removal cross section by the virtual photon theoretical treatment of Weizsacker, Williams and Fermi (WWF). An experiment was performed at the AGS at BNL using a 10.2 GeV/nucleon Au beam in order to determine the behavior of the phenomena referred to as Electromagnetic Dissociation (ED). Au and Co targets were irradiated, after which the yield of one and two neutron removal from Au and Co along with other isotopes was determined using gamma ray spectroscopy. In addition, a testing program to evaluate the performance of a group of custom made circuit boards for use in the Late Energy Trigger (LET) in a strange matter seajch experiment (E864) will be described in Chapter 7.
Purpose of Psychoeducational Assessment and Report Writing

This chapter defines psychoeducational assessment and report writing and differentiates it from psychological assessment and report writing. It also discusses who conducts psychoeducational assessments and introduces the reader to the feedback conference.
Der Lösungsversuch des Empirismus: Sein Erfolg und Sein Versagen

Die Diskussion der philosophischen Systeme in den vorangehenden Kapiteln ist nicht als erschopfende Darstellung der Geschichte der Philosophie gemeint. Die Philosophen, die wir bisher besprochen haben, sind nach einem ganz bestimmten Gesichtspunkt ausgewahlt; sie vertreten einen gewissen Typus, geben aber kein vollstandiges Bild der Philosophie. Ihre Systeme sind dadurch gekennzeichnet, das sie glauben, es gibt ein besonderes Gebiet des Wissens, namlich philosophisches Wissen, das der menschliche Geist mit Hilfe einer besonderen Fahigkeit erlangt, welche Vernunft oder Intuition oder Ideenvision genannt wird. Die Systeme selbst sind das angebliche Produkt dieser Fahigkeit; und es wird behauptet, das sie ein Wissen vermitteln, welches dem Wissenschaftler verschlossen bleibt, ein uber die Wissenschaft hinausgehendes Wissen, an das man mit den Methoden der empirischen Beobachtung und Verallgemeinerung nicht heran kann. Diese Art Philosophie haben wir Rationalismus genannt. Abgesehen von ein paar Ausnahmen, wie Hegel, ist die Mathematik fur den Rationalisten die ideale Erkenntnisform, und sie wird als Vorbild fur philosophisches Wissen hingestellt.
John Adams’ Vision of the Dutch Republic

Robert Burns gave, no doubt unintentionally, a motto for my task this evening. “Oh would some power the gift would give us, to see ourselves as others see us,” he wrote in To a Mouse. It is, of course, not precisely ourselves whom others are looking at, but we, Americans, in the person of our second president, who gaze upon a little European land from which a fair number of Americans at the end of the eighteenth century had come, but which few knew well or understood.
Ant-Gathering with Tools by Captive Tufted Capuchins ( Cebus apella )

We examined ant-gathering with tools by captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) via two experiments. In Experiment 1, we provided groups of subjects with sticks and small branches and an apparatus that accommodated the use of tools to gather ants. In Experiment 2, we sealed the apparatus with acetate and provided the same subjects with sticks and stones. Seven of 14 subjects used sticks and leaves as probes to extract ants from the apparatus. Six of them modified probes by detaching sticks from larger branches, breaking sticks into two or more pieces, and subtracting leaves and bark. Three subjects later used a stone and stick tool-set to penetrate acetate barriers and to extract ants. These results demonstrate the use of tools by Cebus to capture moving prey and are consistent with the idea that sensorimotor skills associated with the production and use of tools in primates evolved convergently in capuchins and great apes.
Sickle cell anemia and related hemoglobinopathies

The pathophysiology, laboratory investigation, clinical manifestation, and treatment for the most common serious genetic disease in the United States have been discussed. It is unfortunate how uninformed the medical community is about this illness. Treatment for a chronic disease such as sickle cell disease requires that the physician be knowledgeable and compassionate. Although there is no cure, a great deal can be done to help patients cope with their illness. Recent advances in prevention of pneumococcal infection, proper use of transfusion therapy, and prenatal diagnosis are such examples.
Pediatric Brain Injury

The purpose of this chapter is not to provide a comprehensive review of the literature in the area of pediatric brain injury in neuropsychology. This has been accomplished multiple times, most recently by Ryan, LaMarche, Barth, and Boll (1995). Reviews of specific neurobehavioral recovery issues cited individually in this chapter are also available in reasonably recent form (Levin, Grafman & Eisenberg, 1987). The purpose of this chapter is to engage in a series of discussions about the issues that influence the outcome of pediatric brain injury, including those issues or mechanisms that predate the injury itself. Such mechanisms include the premorbid psychological characteristics of the patient (not just the injury the brain sustains, but the brain that sustains the injury) as well as the epidemiologic mechanisms that contribute to the nature of the injury and the specific characteristics of the individuals who sustain that injury. Amelioration of the injury, which has in many reviews been focused largely on rehabilitative techniques of a formal nature, are discussed in the broader context of psychological interventions, educational interventions, and family-based activities. One of the purposes of this chapter will be to enhance understanding of the importance of the individual who has the accident, and the context in which that individual lives, and will continue to live. The chapter begins with a discussion of the physiological, epidemiological, and psychological mechanisms that characterize a brain injury, and/or characterize the patient who suffers the brain injury. Discussion then proceeds to multifactorial influences on outcome, including those that make outcome in certain instances so perplexing when to initial glance, “dose and response” seems hopelessly out of proportion. The emphasis of the final portion on school and family once again suggests the unique role in children’s lives of those institutions, and the individuals who come into contact with children who have had a head injury, as well as the children who come into contact with the children who have had a head injury. Because considerable data have already been amassed on specific tests, treatment technologies, complicating factors such as bleeding and seizures, and developmental influences, this chapter can enjoy the luxury of going somewhat further afield in discussing those day-to-day and somewhat more mundane issues that cross the clinician’s desk, and confront the treating doctor, be it psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, or other health professional.
Culture of Human Lung Carcinoma Cells in Serum-Free Media

In this article, we describe methods for serum-free culture of human lung carcinoma cells. The original tumors were obtained from surgery and the tumors have been successively transplanted into nude mice. We have studied the growth requirements of these tumor cells in primary cultures and of established cell lines. Each tumor type can be grown as transplantable tumors, either in nude mice or in culture, allowing in vivo and in vitro experiments. We have developed serum-free media for these cell lines, which allow us to examine the biological effects of many substances.
S-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation in older Americans

To examine whether a drug-metabolizing enzyme changes with normal aging, the S:R index of S-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation was determined in 150, unmedicated elderly Americans (mean age 75.4).
Economic evaluation of residential length of stay and long-term outcomes

ABSTRACTThe high cost of residential services for troubled youth is an ongoing concern, and has formed the basis for arguments made for reducing or eliminating residential services for these youth ...
SQL on Structurally-Encrypted Databases

We show how to encrypt a relational database in such a way that it can efficiently support a large class of SQL queries. Our construction is based solely on structured encryption (STE) and does not make use of any property-preserving encryption (PPE) schemes such as deterministic and order-preserving encryption. As such, our approach leaks considerably less than PPE-based solutions which have recently been shown to reveal a lot of information in certain settings (Naveed et al., CCS ’15). Our construction is efficient and—under some conditions on the database and queries—can have asymptotically-optimal query complexity. We also show how to extend our solution to be dynamic while maintaining the scheme’s optimal query complexity.
Predicting Terrorism with Machine Learning: Lessons from “Predicting Terrorism: A Machine Learning Approach”

This paper highlights how machine learning can help explain terrorism. We note that even though machine learning has a reputation for black box prediction, in fact, it can provide deeply nuanced explanations of terrorism. Moreover, machine learning is not sensitive to the sometimes heroic statistical assumptions necessary when parametric econometrics is applied to the study of terrorism. This increases the reliability of explanations while adding contextual nuance that captures the flavor of individualized case analysis. Nevertheless, this approach also gives us a sense of the replicability of results. We, therefore, suggest that it further expands the role of science in terrorism research.
Racial disparities in intrapartum group B Streptococcus colonization: a higher incidence of conversion in African American women.

To compare the incidence of group B Streptococcus (GBS) conversion from a negative antepartum to a positive intrapartum culture among women who self-identify as non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, or non-Hispanic white. This was a prospective cohort study of women with a negative rectovaginal GBS culture obtained within 35 days of enrollment. An intrapartum rectovaginal swab was collected and cultured for GBS. Data were compared with chi-square, Fisher’s exact, or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Modified Poisson regression was used. We enrolled 737 women; 75.4% were non-Hispanic white, 17.6% were non-Hispanic black, and 6.9% were Hispanic. Non-Hispanic black women were more likely to convert to GBS positive than non-Hispanic white women, 9.2% as compared to 5.3% (RR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.02–3.8). The increased incidence of positive intrapartum GBS cultures among non-Hispanic black women suggests that non-Hispanic black race is a risk factor for GBS conversion in the late third trimester.
The current practice of open neck mass biopsy in the diagnosis of head and neck cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective To characterize current use of open neck mass biopsy for diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in patients presenting with a neck mass. Methods Using the University of Michigan Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Head and Neck Cancer patient database (2008-2014), we reviewed patients' referral documentation to identify those who received open neck mass biopsies as part of their squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis. We compared subsequent treatment between patients who did and did not receive an open neck mass biopsy. Results Of 940 patients, 50 patients had received open neck mass biopsy leading to squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis. Only 19 of 50 patients (38%) had undergone fine-needle aspiration prior to open neck mass biopsy. There were no statistically significant differences in treatment or outcomes between patients who did and those who did not receive open neck mass biopsy. Conclusion Optimal care for patients who present with a neck mass is fine-needle aspiration. Unfortunately, these data show that many patients undergo open neck mass biopsy for diagnosis, often without prior fine-needle aspirate. Compared to fine-needle aspiration, open biopsy incurs additional risks of general anesthesia and greater surgical risks. While our data did not find statistically significant differences between treatment offered and outcomes, this small study was not expected to demonstrate a difference in outcomes. Further work is needed to promote the utility of fine-needle aspiration for diagnosis of neck mass and to discourage use of open neck mass biopsy as a primary diagnostic intervention. Level of Evidence 2c (Outcomes Research).
Human Gaze Following for Human-Robot Interaction

Gaze provides subtle informative cues to aid fluent interactions among people. Incorporating human gaze predictions can signify how engaged a person is while interacting with a robot and allow the robot to predict a human's intentions or goals. We propose a novel approach to predict human gaze fixations relevant for human-robot interaction tasks-both referential and mutual gaze-in real time on a robot. We use a deep learning approach which tracks a human's gaze from a robot's perspective in real time. The approach builds on prior work which uses a deep network to predict the referential gaze of a person from a single 2D image. Our work uses an interpretable part of the network, a gaze heat map, and incorporates contextual task knowledge such as location of relevant objects, to predict referential gaze. We find that the gaze heat map statistics also capture differences between mutual and referential gaze conditions, which we use to predict whether a person is facing the robot's camera or not. We highlight the challenges of following a person's gaze on a robot in real time and show improved performance for referential gaze and mutual gaze prediction.
A Strawberry Detection System Using Convolutional Neural Networks

In recent years, robotic technologies, e.g. drones or autonomous cars have been applied to the agricultural sectors to improve the efficiency of typical agricultural operations. Some agricultural tasks that are ideal for robotic automation are yield estimation and robotic harvesting. For these applications, an accurate and reliable image-based detection system is critically important. In this work, we present a low-cost strawberry detection system based on convolutional neural networks. Ablation studies are presented to validate the choice of hyper-parameters, framework, and network structure. Additional modifications to both the training data and network structure that improve precision and execution speed, e.g., input compression, image tiling, color masking, and network compression, are discussed. Finally, we present a final network implementation on a Raspberry Pi 3B that demonstrates a detection speed of 1.63 frames per second and an average precision of 0.842.
Diagnostic A-Scan of Choroidal Melanoma: Automated Quantification of Parameters.

Aim To develop an automated algorithm to quantify ultrasonographic A-scan parameters of choroidal melanoma. Methods The study included 100 consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of choroidal melanoma. Ultrasonographic A-scans (8 MHz, 1,550 m/s, tissue sensitivity = 67 dB) were performed by standard techniques. We created and then utilized a MATLAB® script to generate four quantifiable A-scan parameters: (1) tumor height (mm), (2) the number of internal reflectivity peaks (numerical value), (3) median internal reflectivity (%), and (4) angle κ (°). Results There were small (≤2.5 mm, n = 32), medium (2.6-10.0 mm, n = 53), and large (> 10.0 mm, n = 14) tumors. The mean number of internal reflectivity peaks counted between the two tumor boundary spikes (surface and base) was 10.0 (σ = 8.7, range 1-37). The median value of the internal reflectivity peaks for all cases varied from 19.8 to 99.5 (mean = 68.3, σ = 20.5). A statistically significant correlation was observed between the tumor height categories and each of the three A-scan parameters: the number of internal reflectivity peaks (ρ = 0.90, p < 0.01), median internal reflectivity (ρ = -0.63, p < 0.01), and a positive angle κ (ρ = -0.32, p = 0.03). Conclusions An automated algorithm can provide quantifiable A-scan parameters for choroidal melanoma.
Gaze behavior and cognitive states during fingerprint target group localization

The comparison of fingerprints by expert latent print examiners generally involves repeating a process in which the examiner selects a small area of distinctive features in one print (a target group), and searches for it in the other print. In order to isolate this key element of fingerprint comparison, we use eye-tracking data to describe the behavior of latent fingerprint examiners on a narrowly defined “find the target” task. Participants were shown a fingerprint image with a target group indicated and asked to find the corresponding area of ridge detail in a second impression of the same finger and state when they found the target location. Target groups were presented on latent and plain exemplar fingerprint images, and as small areas cropped from the plain exemplars, to assess how image quality and the lack of surrounding visual context affected task performance and eye behavior. One hundred and seventeen participants completed a total of 675 trials. The presence or absence of context notably affected the areas viewed and time spent in comparison; differences between latent and plain exemplar tasks were much less significant. In virtually all trials, examiners repeatedly looked back and forth between the images, suggesting constraints on the capacity of visual working memory. On most trials where context was provided, examiners looked immediately at the corresponding location: with context, median time to find the corresponding location was less than 0.3 s (second fixation); however, without context, median time was 1.9 s (five fixations). A few trials resulted in errors in which the examiner did not find the correct target location. Basic gaze measures of overt behaviors, such as speed, areas visited, and back-and-forth behavior, were used in conjunction with the known target area to infer the underlying cognitive state of the examiner. Visual context has a significant effect on the eye behavior of latent print examiners. Localization errors suggest how errors may occur in real comparisons: examiners sometimes compare an incorrect but similar target group and do not continue to search for a better candidate target group. The analytic methods and predictive models developed here can be used to describe the more complex behavior involved in actual fingerprint comparisons.
Learning Time Series Segmentation Models from Temporally Imprecise Labels

This paper considers the problem of learning time series segmentation models when the labeled data is subject to temporal uncertainty or noise. Our approach augments the semi-Markov conditional random field (semi-CRF) model with a probabilistic model of the label observation process. This augmentation allows us to estimate the parameters of the semi-CRF from timestamps corresponding roughly to the occurrence of segment transitions. We show how exact marginal inference can be performed in polynomial time enabling learning based on marginal likelihood maximization. Our experiments on two activity detection problems show that the proposed approach can learn models from temporally imprecise labels, and can successfully refine imprecise segmentations through posterior inference. Finally, we show how inference complexity can be reduced by a factor of 40 using static and model-based pruning of the inference dynamic program.
Abnormal Gas Patterns

Abnormal gas patterns can play an important role in directing radiologists to a specific pathology and hastening diagnosis. Examples of abnormal gas patterns include extraperitoneal air, pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumobilia, and portal venous gas. Extraperitoneal air is usually seen with duodenum and sigmoid perforations, both retroperitoneal structures. Pneumatosis intestinalis also known as intramural bowel gas may be seen with intestinal ischemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and immunosuppression. Pneumobilia which is gas in the biliary tree can be caused by instrumentation (ERCP-intraoperative cholangiogram), incompetent sphincter of Oddi, and enteric fistulas. Portal venous gas is most commonly associated with ischemic bowel but can also be seen with ulcerated colorectal carcinoma, inflammatory bowel disease, and perforated peptic ulcer.
Recurrent evolution of two competing haplotypes in an insect DNA virus

Hosts and viruses are constantly evolving in response to each other: as hosts attempt to suppress the virus, the virus attempts to evade and suppress the hosts immune system. This arms race results in the evolution of novel pathways in both the host and virus to gain the upper hand. Here we describe the coevolution between Drosophila species and a common and virulent DNA virus. We identify two distinct viral types that differ 100-fold in viral titer in infected individuals, with similar effects across multiple species. Our analysis suggests that one of the viral types appears to have recurrently evolved at least 4 times in the past ~30,000 years, including in another geographically distinct species, due to the high effective mutation rate which increases with titer. The higher titer viral type is associated with suppression of the host immune system and an increased transmission rate compared to the low viral titer type. Both types are maintained in all populations, likely due to an increased virulence in the high titer type creating a trade-off between effective transmission and virulence and resulting in nearly equal reproduction rates (R0) in both types. Together these results suggest that the reciprocal selective pressures caused by the co-evolution between host and virus has resulted in this recurrently evolving relationship.
Human Identification for Activities of Daily Living: A Deep Transfer Learning Approach

Sensor-based home Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) monitoring systems have emerged to monitor elderly people’s self-care ability remotely. However, the unobtrusive, privacy-friendly object motion ...
Persistent, single-polarity energy harvesting from ambient thermal fluctuations using a thermal resonance device with thermal diodes

Abstract There is a pressing need for durable energy harvesting techniques that are not limited by intermittency, and capable of persistent and continuous operation in a variety of environments. Our laboratory has previously identified ambient thermal fluctuations as potentially abundant, ubiquitous sources of such energy. In this work, we present a mathematical theory for the operation and design of a thermal resonator interfaced with optimized thermal diodes on its external boundaries with the environment. We show that such a configuration is potentially able to produce single polarity temperature difference drastically exceeding that of previously reported thermal resonators by a factor of 5. We further introduce an experimental testbed of mechanical thermal switches capable of mimicking thermal diodes with a possibility to tune thermal rectification in a broad range. The testbed allows us to identify additional design rules for our system dictated by material properties. Lastly, our theory establishes a generic performance metrics over thermal diodes available in the literature. The established framework will help to design novel thermal elements, build efficient thermal harvesting systems, and compose nonlinear thermal circuits.
Angular Momentum Evolution in Dark Matter Halos

We have analyzed high resolution N-body simulations of dark matter halos, focusing specifically on the evolution of angular momentum. We find that not only is individual particle angular momentum not conserved, but the angular momentum of radial shells also varies over the age of the Universe by up to factors of a few. We find that torques from external structure are the most likely cause for this distribution shift. Since the model of adiabatic contraction that is often applied to model the effects of galaxy evolution on the dark-matter density profile in a halo assumes angular momentum conservation, this variation implies that there is a fundamental limit on the possible accuracy of the adiabatic contraction model in modeling the response of DM halos to the growth of galaxies.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract Over the past decade there has been a paradigm shift in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with the introduction of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatments. Anti-VEGF agents have the advantages of being easier to administer, requiring less anesthesia, having the potential for improved peripheral vision, and producing less refractive error than laser treatment. On the other hand, it is known that intravitreal administration of anti-VEGF agents lowers VEGF levels in the blood and raises the theoretical concern of intraocular anti-VEGF causing deleterious effects in other organ systems, including the brain. As a result, there has been increased attention recently on neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants treated with anti-VEGF agents. These studies should be put into context with what is known about systemic comorbidities, socioeconomic influences, and the effects of extreme prematurity itself on neurodevelopmental outcomes. We summarize what is known about neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm infants with ROP, discuss the implications for determining the neurodevelopmental status using neurodevelopmental testing as well as other indicators, and review the existing literature relating to neurodevelopmental outcomes in babies treated for ROP.
Interplay between spirituality and religiosity on the physical and mental well-being of cancer survivors

This study explored the relationship of spirituality and religiosity as it affects the physical and mental quality of life (pQOL, mQOL) of cancer survivors. This is a prospective observational study that included adults ≥ 19 years who received treatment for various types of cancer. Patients’ QOL was obtained at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Cohorts were categorized according to spirituality/religiosity levels: low spirituality–low religiosity (LSLR), low spirituality–high religiosity (LSHR), high spirituality–low religiosity (HSLR), and high spirituality–high religiosity (HSHR). Of the 551 eligible, 248 (45%) had HSHR, 196 (36%) had LSHR, 75 (14%) had LSLR, and 32 (6%) had HSLR. The pQOL of LSLR were significantly lower than those with HSHR (p = 0.02). The differences in pQOL between LS and HS were observed among those who have HR (p < 0.0001). Among patients with LR, pQOL did not differ. The mQOL of patients with LSLR was significantly lower than those with HSHR (p < 0.0001). The mQOL of those with HS was significantly higher than those with LS in both cohorts having LR (p < 0.0001) or HR (p < 0.0001). pQOL decreased while mQOL increased over time regardless of spirituality or religiosity levels. Spirituality is important in the improvement of both pQOL and mQOL of cancer survivors, while religiosity may have some impact on pQOL. Clinicians’ incorporation of spirituality into cancer treatment facilitates well-rounded care, which offers measurable improvements for patients with an illness, of which the treatment is often arduous, and uncertain.
Law and Inequity Syllabus

In this course we will explore inequality from a range of disciplinary perspectives and the difference that difference can make in a variety of legal, social and economic contexts. More specifically, we will examine and elaborate methodologies for mapping some of the ways diverse legal regimes contribute to the production, recognition, reinforcement and maintenance of hierarchies of privilege and disadvantage between individuals, groups, localities, regions and nations. As we identify key legal drivers in the production of adverse inequities, we will also explore ways that changes in these legal drivers might shift bargaining power, redistribute resources or otherwise ameliorate the inequities or their adverse consequences. Students will each research a circumstance of inequality and develop a legal inequality map to analyze and engage it.
Preliminary Evaluation of the Moving Rubber Foot Illusion in a Sample of Female University Students.

The Rubber Foot Illusion (RFI) is an illusion in which one is made to feel that a model foot is their own through synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation. Previous research suggests that the conditio...
The China Dream is an Urban Dream: Assessing the CPC’s National New-Type Urbanization Plan

The future of China is inexorably an urban one. Within the next 15 years, a billion Chinese—70 % of the population—will be living in urbanized areas. In anticipation of this, in March of 2014 the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council issued the National New-Type Urbanization Plan (国家新型城镇化规划), China’s first official plan on urbanization. The plan emphasizes a “human-centered and environmentally friendly path” to urbanization over the next decade. In concrete terms, this will mean urban hukou expansion, infrastructure development and investment, and rural land-use reform. For many urban migrants and rural residents likely to be moved, “The China Dream” (中国梦) via urbanization fulfills Deng Xiaoping’s call for a “moderately prosperous society” (小康社会) by encouraging the aspirations of those left behind after 35 years of Reform and Opening-up. This paper will assess the role that the China Dream plays in China’s efforts to expand urbanization and enhance China’s efforts at boosting domestic consumption and maintaining social stability.
CRIMES AND OFFENSES Crimes Against the Person: Provide for the Criminal Offense of Offering to Assist in the Commission of Suicide and Committing an Act in Furtherance Thereof

The Act provides criminal penalties for those who offer or hold themselves out to assist another person in the commission of suicide and commit an act in furtherance thereof. The Act also provides criminal penalties for anyone who overcomes the will of another person and thereby causes that person to commit or attempt to commit suicide. The Act exempts withholding or withdrawing medical care pursuant to a living will, a durable power of attorney, or a written do-not-resuscitate order.