cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accurate 3D shape measurement of multiple separate objects with stereo vision

D shape measurement has emerged as a very useful tool in numerous fields because of its wide and ever-increasing applications. In this paper, we present a passive, fast and accurate 3D shape measurement technique using stereo vision approach. The technique first employs a scale-invariant feature transform algorithm to detect point matches at a number of discrete locations despite the discontinuities in the images. Then an automated image registration algorithm is applied to find full-field point matches with subpixel accuracy. After that, the 3D shapes of the objects can be reconstructed according to the obtained point matching and the camera information. The proposed technique is capable of performing a full-field 3D shape measurement with high accuracy even in the presence of discontinuities and multiple separate regions. The validity is verified by experiments.
Design of metamaterial surfaces with broadband absorbance

A simple design paradigm for making broadband ultrathin plasmonic absorbers is introduced. The absorber's unit cell is composed of subunits of various sizes, resulting in nearly 100% absorbance at multiple adjacent frequencies and high absorbance over a broad frequency range. A simple theoretical model for designing broadband absorbers is presented. It uses a single-resonance model to describe the optical response of each subunit and employs the series circuit model to predict the overall response. Validity of the circuit model relies on short propagation lengths of the surface plasmons.
Dynamic transport-level connection management in a distributed system

A cached state approach to connection management is described. The approach, based on the request-response model of communication, uses implicit connection setup, and dynamic caching of communication state records beyond the time needed by the transport layer. The caching of connection records can reduce callbacks on isolated requests if secure or authenticated communication is required. The cached state approach can provide low latency for request-response interaction by eliminating unnecessary round-trip times from the cost of communication, and does so with little added cost. The effectiveness of the approach depends on locality in communication. Measurements in the V distributed system show the cached-state approach fits well with the observed communication behavior. >
Impact of FDA advisory on reported vacuum-assisted delivery and morbidity

Objective: In May 1998 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health advisory reporting neonatal injuries/deaths following vacuum delivery and encouraged voluntary reports of future adverse events. We compared FDA reports of vacuum delivery adverse events prior to and following the advisory.Methods: The FDA database (MAUDE) was searched for vacuum deliveries using brand name, manufacturer name, and procedure “string searches.” Cases were sorted by report date, source, and manufacturer. Neonatal morbidity was quantified as deaths and life-threatening or nonlife-threatening events.Results: A total of 80 reported adverse cases were identified after duplicate cases were consolidated. Twenty-five were reported to the FDA prior to the 1998 advisory and 55 in the immediate 6-month period following the advisory. There was a 22-fold increase in reported events from five events/year prior to the advisory to an estimated 110 events/year following the advisory. The distribution of reporting sources change...
Outcomes of rapid identification for gram-positive bacteremia in combination with antibiotic stewardship at a community-based hospital system.

Background Rapid diagnostics for bloodstream infections have been shown to improve outcomes. Most studies have focused on rapid diagnostics for a single pathogen and have been conducted in academic medical centers. The Verigene Gram-Positive Blood Culture Test (BC-GP) identifies 12 gram-positive organisms and 3 genetic markers of antibiotic resistance from positive blood culture media in 2.5 hours. This study evaluates implementation of the Verigene BC-GP panel in combination with real-time support from the Antibiotic Stewardship Team (AST) in a community hospital system. Methods This multicenter, pre-post, quasi-experimental study was conducted at the five hospitals that compose Scripps Healthcare. Rapid diagnostic testing was performed at a central laboratory from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Pharmacists notified physicians of results and assisted with antibiotic modifications. The primary outcomes were average time to targeted antibiotic therapy and difference in antibiotic duration for contaminants. Secondary end points included hospital length of stay, mortality, pharmacy costs, and overall hospitalization costs. Adult patients with a gram-positive bacteremia admitted in 2011 (pre-rapid testing) were compared with those admitted in 2014 (post-rapid testing). Results There were 103 patients in the preintervention group and 64 patients in the intervention group. The optimized identification process, combined with AST intervention, improved mean time to targeted antibiotic therapy (61.1 vs 35.4 hrs, p<0.001) and decreased mean duration of antibiotic therapy for blood culture contaminants (42.3 vs 24.5 hrs, p=0.03). Median length of stay (9.1 vs 7.2 days, p=0.04) and overall median hospitalization costs ($17,530 vs $10,290, p=0.04) were lower in the intervention group. Mortality was similar between groups (9.1% vs 9.2%, p=0.98). Conclusion Rapid identification of gram-positive blood cultures with AST intervention decreased time to targeted antibiotic therapy, length of unnecessary antibiotic therapy for blood culture contaminants, length of stay, and overall hospital costs.
Discursive Fault Lines: Reproducing White Habitus in a Racially Diverse Community:

This is a qualitative study detailing the links between racial discourse and social action. Specifically, this article provides evidence for the ways in which a white habitus is reproduced in a racially diverse community, despite the best intentions of its community members. This is chiefly due to the influence of national color-blind ideologies and the diversity discourse that follows. Because this ideology and discourse are individual in nature and centered on a white norm, it chiefly produces consumption-driven actions for individuals and collective action that protects those with racial privilege. While prior studies have detailed the influence of this ideology on racial attitudes and examined the contours of diversity discourse generally, this study utilizes the racial formations approach to make concrete links to social outcomes in a diverse community. These findings are particularly significant given the hope vested in racially diverse communities as the nation itself becomes more diverse.
A New Mission for the Information Systems Discipline

The information systems (IS) discipline is concerned with the information that computer systems provide and with the corresponding business processes that enable information technology to bring economic value to the enterprise. IS professionals consider both organizational and technical factors as they plan, coordinate, and facilitate the firm's computer-related activities. Ultimately, these professionals serve as a bridge between the organization's technical and management communities. Today, the IS discipline stands at a crossroads. Despite a strong global demand for IS graduates and a growing demand for unbiased research relevant to the application of information technology within the firm, the IS discipline faces declining university enrollments, engages in scholarly debates about the relevance and identity of IS research, and seeks remedies to address the needs of the global IT worksforce.
Hierarchical development of three direct-design methods for two-dimensional axial-turbomachinery cascades

The direct and inverse blade-design iterations for the selection of isolated airfoils and gas turbine blade cascades are enormously reduced if the initial blade shape has performance characteristics near the desirable ones. This paper presents the hierarchical development of three direct blade-design methods of increasing utility for generating two-dimensional blade shapes. The methods can be used to generate inputs to the direct- or inverse-blade-design sequences for subsonic or supersonic airfoils for compressors and turbines, or isolated airfoil. The examples included for illustration are typical modern turbine cascades, and they have been designed by the direct method exclusively. The first method specifies the airfoil shapes with analytical polynomials
Relative Effects of Ultraviolet and Visible Light on the Activities of Corn Earworm and Beet Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Nucleopolyhedroviruses

Five different combinations of fluorescent tubes (UV-B/UV-B, UV-B/UV-A, UV-A/UV-A, UV-B/White, White/White) were used to determine relative effects of UV and visible light on the nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPV) of Helicoverpa zea and Spodoptera exigua. For both viruses, the greatest inactivation occurred with exposure to UV-B radiation. Both virus concentration and radiation exposure time influenced the rate and degree of inactivation. In the case of the UV-A/UV-A and White/White combinations inactivation occurred only with the longest exposure (24 h) and the lowest virus concentration (0.747 PIB/mm2). The NPV from H. zea was found to be more sensitive to UV radiation than the NPV from S. exigua.
Illuminating the binding interactions of galactonoamidines during the inhibition of β-galactosidase (E. coli)

Several galactonoamidines were previously identified as very potent competitive inhibitors that exhibit stabilizing hydrophobic interactions of the aglycon in the active site of β-galactosidase (Aspergillus oryzae). To elucidate the contributions of the glycon to the overall inhibition ability of the compounds, three glyconoamidine derivatives with alteration in the glycon at C-2 and C-4 were synthesized and evaluated herein. All amidines are competitive inhibitors of β-galactosidase (Escherichia coli) and show significantly reduced inhibition ability when compared to the parent. The results highlight strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between the hydroxyl group at C-2 of the amidine glycon and the active site of the enzyme. Slightly weaker H-bonds are promoted through the hydroxyl group at C-4. The inhibition constants were determined to be picomolar for the parent galactonoamidine, and nanomolar for the designed derivatives rendering all glyconoamidines very potent inhibitors of glycosidases albeit the derivatized amidines show up to 700-fold lower inhibition activity than the parent.
Doctrinal Mutilation: The Board of Immigration Appeals' Flawed Analysis of the 'Continuing Persecution' Doctrine in Claims Based on Past Female Genital Mutilation

On September 22, 2008, United States Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey vacated and remanded a decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) denying relief from removal to a Malian woman who had been subjected, in the past, to female genital mutilation. In a September 27, 2007 decision denying relief and an April 14, 2008 decision denying reconsideration, the BIA reasoned that because the genital mutilation had already occurred and would likely not be repeated, the applicant need not fear future persecution and therefore did not qualify for protection. The BIA decision immediately came under attack by members of Congress, advocacy organizations, academics, the media, and, most recently, the courts. On June 11, 2008, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals refused to adopt the decision in its circuit, reasoning that the BIA erred by failing to require the government to prove that women who had experienced genital mutilation in the past would not be subject to further mutilation or other forms of persecution in the future. Attorney General Mukasey subsequently vacated and remanded the decision on those same grounds.In this article, I argue that there is another, independent reason why such women should qualify for relief, even assuming the government can show that they will not be subject to further mutilation or persecution in the future. I argue that, like forced sterilization, female genital mutilation is a form of continuing persecution, such that the government cannot rebut the presumption of well-founded fear of future persecution that arises once an applicant has shown past persecution.
Energy Optimization of Algebraic Multigrid Bases

We propose a fast iterative method to optimize coarse basis functions in algebraic multigrid by minimizing the sum of their energies, subject to the condition that linear combinations of the basis functions equal to given zero energy modes, and subject to restrictions on the supports of the coarse basis functions. The convergence rate of the minimization algorithm is bounded independently of the meshsize under usual assumptions on finite elements. The first iteration gives exactly the same basis functions as our earlier method using smoothed aggregation. The construction is presented for scalar problems as well as for linear elasticity. Computational results on difficult industrial problems demonstrate that the use of energy minimal basis functions improves algebraic multigrid performance and yields a more robust multigrid algorithm than smoothed aggregation.
The Framing of Fat: Narratives of Health and Disability in Fat Discrimination Litigation

Fat discrimination is rampant in education, health care, and employment. Anti-obesity activists claim that it is not only acceptable, but actually desirable to stigmatize fat bodies because this stigmatization shames fat people into better health. In response, the fat acceptance movement turned to science to show that fat bodies can be healthy. As part of this movement, legislative advocacy and litigation strategies have utilized the argument that fat discrimination should not be permitted because fat people can be healthy. I argue that this move undermines the true justice that the fat acceptance community seeks. In the quest towards the fat acceptance movement’s ultimate goal of acceptance for all fat bodies, the movement must demand dignity and respect for all bodies, including fat bodies that are unhealthy. In this Note, I will discuss the theoretical problems inherent in the two most frequent arguments employed by fat able-bodied plaintiffs: that they are healthy in comparison with unhealthy or disabled people, and, alternatively, that they are disabled. In addition to being theoretically problematic, as a practical matter, fat discrimination challenges using claims based on the good health and able body of the fat person have been mostly unsuccessful. On the other hand, some contemporaneous fat plaintiffs have won cases in which they claimed that fatness is a disability. I argue that fat plaintiffs who use disability claims must work in solidarity with the disability rights movement, which demands respect, self-determination, and access for disabled people. If they do not, fat plaintiffs risk creating precedent that will make it harder for disabled people to prove their own discrimination claims and perpetuating stereotypes about disabled people. In all cases, as an anti-oppression movement within a broader social justice framework, the fat acceptance movement must work in solidarity with the disability justice movement rather than undermining the legal protections disabled people have won.
Easing the Burden: Describing the Role of Social, Emotional and Spiritual Support in Research Families with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome

This study presents findings of a mixed-method descriptive exploration of the role of friends and spirituality/religiosity in easing the burden of families with the rare inherited disorder, Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). LFS is caused by germline mutations in the TP53 gene and is associated with very high lifetime risk of developing one or more malignancies. During the first clinical visit we assessed several types of social support among a subset of study participants (N = 66) using an established interactive research tool called the Colored Eco-Genetic Relationship Map (CEGRM). We performed both quantitative and qualitative analyses of social relationships with LFS family members and close non-kin. Distress scores (N = 59) were mostly low normal, with some outliers. We found that reported friendships varied widely, that the friendships were often deep and enduring, and were important sources of informational, tangible, emotional and spiritual support. Confidantes tended to be best friends and/or spouses. Organized religion was important in selected families, typically from mainstream traditions. However, a number of people identified themselves as “spiritual” and reported spiritual and humanist explorations. Our results shed preliminary light on how some people in families with LFS cope in the face of tremendous medical, social and emotional challenges.
Effect of Catecholamines on Plasma Free Fatty Acids and Blood Sugar in Birds

SummaryIntravenous injection of epinephrine (10.0 μg/kg) caused elevation of plasma FFA in unanesthetized, but not in anesthetized geese. Norepinephrine injection (20.0 μg/kg) caused elevation of plasma FFA in geese but not in turkeys (both unanesthetized). In anesthetized geese infusion of epinephrine (2.5 μg/kg/min) caused progressive decrease of plasma FFA. Norepinephrine infused at the same rate caused a sustained elevation of plasma FFA. The FFA response to norepinephrine infusion in geese was smaller than that reported in dogs under comparable conditions. In anesthetized ducks both epinephrine and norepinephrine infused at the rate of 0.5 μg/kg/min caused progressive decrease of plasma FFA. The elevations of plasma FFA and blood sugar produced by catecholamines in geese are considerably smaller than those produced by glucagon.
Reply to "Comment on 'Peierls instability in the two-dimensional half-filled Hubbard model' "

We have made a few supplemental calculations to our original article [Phys. Rev. B 37, 9546 (1988)]. The energy crossover between ($\ensuremath{\pi}, 0$) and ($\ensuremath{\pi}, \ensuremath{\pi}$) phonons in the two-dimensional half-filled Hubbard model is shown to occur also on a 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2 lattice for small lattice distortion. We also discuss further the effect of the on-site repulsion on the dimerization in the small-$U$ limit.
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE WITHOUT A SHUNT. 2. AORTIC STENOSIS AND PULMONARY STENOSIS.

The diagnosis of aortic stenosis can be made at the bedside and the degree of obstruction estimated with a fair amount of accuracy. Aortic valvotomy by open heart surgery is indicated in severe aortic stenosis. Operative mortality among patients without cardiac decompensation is about 5 per cent.A confident diagnosis of pulmonary stenosis can be made at the bedside, with an accurate assessment of severity. The treatment of moderate or severe pulmonary stenosis is surgical.
Erratum to: Comparative metabolomics of root nodules infected with Frankia sp. strains and uninfected roots from Alnus glutinosa and Casuarina cunninghamiana reflects physiological integration

Nitrogen-fixing root nodules on actinorhizal plants have varying internal architectures, implying diversity in how Frankia sp. integrates into plant physiologies. To understand this integration we compared the metabolomes of Alnus glutinosa and Casuarina cunninghamiana root nodules with roots from uninfected plants. High throughput gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was done on extracts of nodules and roots from uninfected seedlings. Over 118 metabolites in C. cunninghamiana roots and nodules and over 163 in A. glutinosa roots and nodules were identified; between one-third to one-half of the metabolites significantly increased or decreased between roots and nodules. Amino acid patterns varied between the plants with only glutamate and alanine, which may be conducive to the induction of nitrogenase, and citrulline, elevated in nodules of both. Sugar levels were similar between species excepting a striking increase of maltose and cellobiose in C. cunninghamiana nodules indicating starch mobilization and cell wall modification. Stress related compounds increased in both systems. Phenylacetic acid was elevated in A. glutinosa nodules. High ethanolamine content was found in C. cunninghamiana nodules suggesting lipid degradation. We conclude that C. cunninghamiana responds more robustly to the presence of the endophyte than A. glutinosa with metabolite patterns consistent with different strategies used for compartmentalizing the symbiont from uninfected tissues.
Phylogenetic Revision of the Genus Bartsia (Orobanchaceae): Disjunct Distributions Correlate to Independent Lineages

Abstract We propose a new classification for the South American species of the genus Bartsia L. and relatives recently included in an expanded treatment of the genus Bellardia (L.) All. This new classification reflects their evolutionary history, and is based on morphological and molecular evidence, biogeographic hypotheses, and rates of diversification for these species. Additionally, we rearranged the current taxonomic classification of close relatives so that the current circumscriptions encompass only monophyletic groups. Some of these changes include the creation of a new genus, Neobartsia Uribe-Convers and Tank (47 spp.), as well as the reclassification of Bellardia latifolia (L.) Cuatrec. back to Parentucellia latifolia (L.) Caruel. These taxonomic changes are important for proper communication within the large Rhinantheae clade of Orobanchaceae, and for the interpretation of biogeographic patterns and diversification processes of these species.
Electronic and Optical Properties of VSc2N@C68 Fullerene

We report a detailed investigation of structural, electronic, and spectroscopic properties of VSc2N@C68 endohedral fullerene. First, the candidate structures of the ground state are obtained using a systematic approach in which 900 isomers of endohedral fullerenes were screened for their energetic stability. The stability of some of the most promising isomers was studied using density functional theory at the all-electron level using large polarized Gaussian basis sets. Although the dopant vanadium atom is also in the same charge state as Sc, the doping changes the structure and the spin state from that of Sc3N@C68. The d-orbitals of the V atom lead to a spin state with spin moment of 2 μB for the endohedral fullerene. The spin–orbit coupling strength is, however, weak, leading to vanishingly small zero-field splitting of the spin levels. The ionization energy, electron affinity, and the quasi-particle gap of the most stable isomer are comparable to those of C60. The vibrational frequency analysis shows t...
Ultra low power supply monitor system for embedded applications

Power-on reset (POR), power supply monitor (PSM) and control of DC-DC converters are required circuits in embedded systems. Mobile systems often need special power down modes where these three functions POR, PSM and DC-DC control must be executed taking less than 1μΑ of current in total. Traditional design techniques meet a fatal area problem as they try to reduce current by increasing the area of the design. This paper presents a power management (PMG) system designed in a 1.2V/90nm CMOS process. The system is part of a Cortex m3-based microcontroller. The PMG offers the POR, PSM and DC-DC converter control functions for a 1.2V regulated supply and POR, PSM for the battery. This paper presents the best published combination of high precision (<1.2% variation of trip voltages), power consumption (250nW), area (0.044mm2), and number of trip points observed (18).
Association between geographic range and initial survival of Mesozoic marine animal genera: circumventing the confounding effects of temporal and taxonomic heterogeneity

We investigate the association between geographic range and survival in Mesozoic marine animal genera. Previous work using data from the Paleobiology Database (paleobiodb.org) demonstrated greater survivorship overall among Phanerozoic genera that were widespread during their stage of first appearance, but this relationship did not hold during the Mesozoic. To explore this unexpected result, we consider geographic range in conjunction with temporal variation in survival and variation in survival among higher taxa. Because average range and average survival are negatively correlated among stages, for reasons that are still unclear, and because the data are heavily influenced by cephalopods, which include many wide-ranging and short-lived genera, the effect of geographic range on survival is obscured in the aggregate data. Thus, range is not a significant predictor of survival when data are analyzed in aggregate, but it does have a significant effect when variation in average range and average survival among stages and classes is taken into account. The best-fitting models combine range with both temporal and taxonomic heterogeneity as predictive factors. Moreover, when we take stage-to-stage variation into account, geographic range is an important predictor of survival within most classes. Cephalopod genera must be more widespread than genera in other classes for geographic range to significantly increase odds of survival, and factoring in survival heterogeneity of superfamilies further increases model fit, demonstrating a nested nature in the sensitivity of range and taxonomic aggregation.
LOW BACK PAIN PAIN RISK FACTORS IN OLYMPIC CLASS SAILORS OCCUR PRE-REGATTA AND WITHIN THE REGATTA

Background Hiking activity during sailing involves the hips, trunk, head, and upper extremities held in sustained, unsupported positions over the side of a boat to stabilize it at an optimal angle to the water, preventing velocity loss and overturn. Hiking requires high forces generated by lower extremities and trunk, potentially producing high lumbar spine compression and shear loads linked to acute Low Back Pain. Objective This study examined if competitive sailors performing hiking were at increased risk of developing low back pain (LBP) compared to non-hikers over the course of an Olympic class regatta. Design Prospective Cohort . Setting World Cup Regatta. Patients (or Participants) 172 Olympic class sailors completed a questionnaire concerning sailing activities, previous history of, and new LBP following a 6-day regatta. 152 subjects without LBP at the beginning of the regatta were classified as exposed (hikers) and unexposed (non-hikers) and new LBP cases were recorded for both groups. Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) Relative risk ratios (RR) and CI 95% were calculated compared risk of new LBP in hikers and non-hikers. A priori hypothesis tested: hiking sailors are at increased risk for incident LBP versus non-hikers. Main Outcome Measurements Self-report LBP limiting sailing. Results Twenty-two subjects reported new LBP, 18 from hiking exposure group. Exposed (n=84) and unexposed (n=68) were no different in demographic/anthropometric variables across exposure and disease groups. Boat/equipment unloading time differences persisted across groups (P=0.0016, P=0.0022 respectively). Hikers9 raw RR was 3.64 (CI 95% 1.29,10.26) times greater than non-hikers9 for developing new LBP. Hikers9 risk controlled for unloading time levels yielded an adjusted RR of 2.73 (CI 95% 1.05, 7.08). Hikers exposed to high unloading levels (>2 hours) RR was 8.3 (CI 95% 1.05, 65.76) versus non-hikers. Conclusions Hiking and unloading forces may be risk factors for LBP prior to and during Olympic class regattas. Further study recommended.
The Biomechanics of Whiplash

Up until the advent of active safety systems, rearend collisions are a common occurrence, especially on busy urban roads where drivers are distracted, going too fast, and in a hurry. The most common scenario is the impact of a car stopped at a red light or on the roadway by the car behind it. The impacted vehicle is accelerated forward and the seatbacks push the torso of the occupants forward as well. Without a headrest in contact with the head, the head is left behind until shear forces are developed at each cervical vertebral level to bring the head forward along with the torso. This delay results in hyperextension of the head and neck or in whiplash. Many whiplash victims complain of neck pain, some for a few days or weeks, while others develop chronic pain syndromes that are difficult to treat. The problem is aggravated by our legal system which allows plaintiffs to sue for damages without having to pay their attorney in advance. Safety engineers are thus faced with a challenge to prevent this injury. Prior to the availability of an active pre-collision braking and warning system, the only recourse was to install headrests to prevent hyperextension. The federal government required these headrests to be installed in passenger cars in 1969, but complaints of neck pain did not abate. This called for research into the causes of neck pain due to whiplash because it became obvious that it is difficult to prevent an injury if the cause is not well understood. Additionally, without knowing the cause, it is also difficult to treat whiplash-related neck pain. Usually, there is little that can be seen from CT or MRI scans to indicate the source of the pain.
Efficacy and immunogenicity of a novel polyanhydride nanovaccine for use against RSV infection in the neonate

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children worldwide. Bovine RSV (BRSV) is closely related to human RSV and a significant cause of morbidity in young cattle. BRSV infection in calves displays many similarities to RSV infection in humans, including similar age dependency, gross and microscopic pathology, and innate and adaptive immune responses. The poor immunogenicity of RSV has been a complicating factor in the development of a safe and effective vaccine in both humans and calves. Polyanhydride nanovaccines (i.e. nanoparticle-based vaccines) have shown promise as adjuvants and vaccine delivery vehicles in rodent models due to their ability to promote enhanced immunogenicity through both the route of administration and the ability to provide sustained antigen exposure. In these studies, we determined the efficacy of a novel polyanhydride nanovaccine containing the stable, post-fusion F and G glycoproteins from BRSV, against RSV infection using a neonatal calf model. In vitro , the BRSV nanovaccine induced activation and cytokine secretion by monocyte-derived dendritic cells and alveolar macrophages. In vivo , calves receiving the BRSV F/G nanovaccine, followed by aerosol challenge with BRSV, demonstrated increased virus-specific IgA in the nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, an increase in RSV-specific cellular responses in the peripheral blood and airways, and a reduction in BRSV shedding compared to unvaccinated control calves. Our results suggest that the RSV-F/G nanovaccine is highly immunogenic and with optimization, has the potential to significantly reduce the disease burden associated with RSV infection in both humans and animals.
Genetic analyses reveal cryptic diversity in the native North American fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Solenopsis)

The native North American fire ants (Solenopsis Westwood) comprise a difficult group taxonomically that has undergone multiple revisions in the past century yet remains in a state of taxonomic uncertainty. In the present study, we utilised a set of 59 microsatellite markers analysed in 238 specimens to conduct the first robust genetic analysis of the four nominal species. Our approach used a variety of methods to test operational criteria commonly employed in species delimitation, including genotypic clustering, reproductive isolation/cohesion and monophyly. We conclude from our results that the recognised North American fire ant species represent evolutionarily independent entities and, moreover, we confirm the presumed sister status of the desert fire ants, S. aurea Wheeler and S. amblychila Wheeler. However, the presence of at least two genetically divergent populations within the nominal species boundaries, including a western form of S. xyloni and a distinct population of S. aurea endemic to the Salton Trough, suggests that the current taxonomy does not fully capture the species-level diversity in this group. Our study provides the molecular foundation for future integrated studies of the taxonomy and evolution of this scientifically and economically important group of insects.
Experiments in Majoritarian Bargaining

We investigate the predictive success of the Baron-Ferejohn model of legislative bargaining in laboratory environments. In particular, we use a finite period version of the bargaining game under weighted majority rule where a fixed payoff is divided between three players. We find that our subjects’ behavior is not predicted well by the Baron-Ferejohn model. The model predicts hardly better than a coin flip which coalition partner is selected by the chosen proposer, and proposers allocate more money to other players than predicted. A sizable number of proposals are rejected in the first proposal periods, and subjects who vote to reject a proposal on average receive a higher payoff from the new proposal. We find that a simple equal sharing rule yields point predictions that can account for 2/1 to 4/3 of all accepted proposals.
Usefulness of a Risk Assessment Tool to Risk Stratify Dietary Supplements

ABSTRACT Background: The use of dietary supplements (DSs) is widespread in the military. Service members use DS for any number of reasons, to include supporting general health, increasing energy levels, enhancing performance, and promoting gains in strength. However, some readily available DS products are potentially unsafe. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the ability of military medical students to use the Operation Supplement Safety DS risk assessment tool. The Operation Supplement Safety risk assessment tool was developed to assist Service members in making decisions about safe DS use. Methods: Fourth-year medical students used an online assessment tool to risk stratify and evaluate the safety of 12 predesignated DS. The assessment tool consists of seven polar questions (yes/no), with an answer of “yes” given a score of 1 and an answer of “no” given a score of 0. Students recorded responses to each of the seven questions for each of the 12 DSs. The tool then generated a total score fo...
Closing In: Restrictive Spaces for Ageing Mothers in Jane Austen’s Novels

Jane Austen’s novels abound with examples of ageing mothers, poor parenting styles and dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships. At the root of these issues, the mothers’ age and ageing processes offer a sharp contrast to the youth, freedoms and courtships of their daughters. At least in part, ageing mothers conflicted with their daughters because their own ageing processes brought about physical, social and psychological changes which altered and increasingly restricted the spaces they were permitted to occupy. This paper explores the various physical, social and psychological spaces that women were permitted to occupy within society and within the home and proposes a correlation between the closing in of those spaces and the conflict in the mother-daughter dynamic.
911 Optimising system-level paediatric discharge efficiency

Background Optimising system-level hospital flow improves patient care, patient/caregiver experience and provider satisfaction by allowing patients to receive timely and appropriate care. In prior work, our team implemented a novel discharge process in hospital medicine patients focusing on diagnosis-specific medical discharge goals and successfully increased the percentage of patients discharged within 2 hours of meeting those goals from 42% to 80%. Objectives Increase the percentage of acute care patients, hospital-wide, whose discharge process centres around medical goals from 25% to 90%. Methods Key drivers included staff engagement in discharge preparedness, implementation package availability, and data transparency. Our primary measure was the percentage of acute care patients whose discharge medical goals were documented, condition-specific, and continuously updated. We also tracked the progress of individual medical and surgical teams throughout the implementation timeline (Figure 1). Our secondary outcome measure was the percentage of patients discharged within 2 hours of meeting their medical discharge goals. Results The percentage of patients whose discharge process included medical goals increased from 25% to 76% in 3 years. The progress of individual teams is displayed in Figure 2. For patients who followed the process, the percentage of patients discharged within 2 hours of meeting medical discharge goals increased from 42% to 85% (Figure 3); however, this overestimates success, as patients are only included in this measure if all parts of the process are followed. Conclusions We successfully spread discharge efficiency based upon medical goals to a majority of hospitalised acute care patients; however, we continue to identify improvement opportunities with process adherence.
Advanced modulation formats for large capacity data center networks

As data centers are becoming the nerve system of the modern information society, transmission of massive data to meet future demands requires continuous advancement in fiber-optic data link technology for data center networks. Advanced modulation formats with high spectral efficiency, such as DPQPSK, m-QAM, PAM etc. have been broadly used recently to improve the performance of high speed, large capacity fiber-optic links for telecom and datacom. These modulation formats will be reviewed for the needs of data center networks which require large throughputs with low cost, both in dollars and in watts. Alternative multi-dimensional polarization-based modulation formats, such as PolSK (Polarization Shift Keying) and SVM (Stokes Vector Modulation) will be explored for data center applications. Polarization-based modulation formats can provide 2-D, 3-D, or even 4-D symbol spaces using direct detection, which provide a possible way to improve data rate with low cost devices and components. Fundamental issues of polarization-based multi-dimensional modulation techniques will be evaluated and performance of Stokes vector receiver designs will be analyzed.
Promoting Social and Emotional Learning in Physical Education.

A positive social and emotional climate in the classroom allows for students to communicate and interact in beneficial ways. Positive peer interactions are necessary for academic and career success, as well as for success in physical education. This article provides physical educators with principles and guidelines for developing, implementing and assessing effective strategies for promoting social and emotional learning within their programs. The five core competencies of social and emotional learning as described by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning's (CASEL) will be discussed.
Dihydropyridines, G Proteins, and Calcium Channels

Organic calcium-channel blockers, in particular the dihydropyridine (DHP) class, have been extremely useful as therapeutic agents and as probes for structure-function studies. One example that was important to our present work on calcium channels was the observation that guanine nucleotides changed DHP binding in cell-free membrane preparations [1, 2]. This pointed to a possible direct G-protein effect on calcium channels, and we have recently proved this to be the case [3–5]. Over the past several years, we have used DHPs in numerous other studies, and this review summarizes our results.
A Data Driven Approach to the Discovery of Better Cognitive Models.

Cognitive models composed of knowledge components are an integral part of intelligent tutors and drive many of the instructional decisions that these systems make. Most of these models are designed by educators and subject experts. Today vast amounts of data, collected from many intelligent tutors, allow us to analyze and improve the current cognitive models through educational data mining. In this research, we show how we identified, in the tutor data, potential improvements to existing cognitive models and then evaluated those improvements using statistical analysis and cross validation.
Desaturated venous-to-arterial shunting reduces right-sided heart failure after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: Right-sided circulatory failure is a major cause of morbidity in heart transplant and ventricular assist device recipients. Methods: Several systems for managing right-sided circulatory failure with use of a right-to-left shunt without need for an oxygenator or systemic heparinization were designed and used clinically. Results: A right-to-left shunt was successfully used to treat severe right-sided circulatory failure in both a transplant and a left ventricular assist device recipient. Conclusions: If constructed between the femoral vein and artery, such a shunt could (1) be easily inserted and removed, (2) selectively infuse the lower extremities with desaturated blood while maintaining cerebral and cardiac perfusion with saturated blood, (3) selectively reduce the risk of paradoxical emboli to the head and heart, and (4) provide a known and adjustable degree of shunting depending on the condition of the patient, a major advantage of this system compared with creation of an atrial septal defect
Principles for Complication Avoidance and Management in Thrombectomy for Ischemic Stroke

Endovascular thrombectomy has achieved a dramatical shift in our management strategies for ischemic stroke. With the benefits of increased reperfusion rates and improved outcomes, endovascular thrombectomy represents a significant improvement to the available management approaches. The cornerstone of this technique resides in its ability to achieve rapid recanalization of occluded vessels by direct removal of the occluding thrombus. Because of its endovascular nature, several complications can accompany the procedure. The most common associated complications include intracranial hemorrhage, vasospasm, and distal embolization. Other procedure-related complications accompany the endovascular approach and thus been recognized more recently, including arterial dissection and inadvertent thrombectomy device detachment. The severity can range widely, and the clinician must be familiar with these complications and the available management options when performing the endovascular thrombectomy procedure. This chapter will review the common complications, familiarize the reader with avoidance techniques, and discuss the current management options.
Approaches to the Screening and Identification of Communication Disorders

This chapter will first identify some popular “broadband” measures that are used to screen for problems across different areas of speech and language development. These screens are commonly used by pediatricians and other primary care providers including family practice physicians and family nurse practitioners at well-child visits as well as NICU settings for surveillance of potential problems in language, motor, (pre-)academics, self-help, behavior, and social and emotional health. In light of the positive consequences of early identification, our aim must be to prevent, detect, and intervene with children with communication disorders as early as possible.
A cup of magic.

Abstract This reflective piece tells the story of an impactful patient interaction that shaped the practice of a medical student. The essay focuses on the power of shared time and the development of meaningful relationships as a form of adjunctive therapy for patients, regardless of diagnosis or prognosis. Fostering an appreciation for the present moment and savoring glimpses of human interaction are other themes that are touched upon in this piece.
Eliciting vulnerable patients' preferences regarding colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review.

Background Patient preferences are important to consider in the decision-making process for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Vulnerable populations, such as racial/ethnic minorities and low-income, veteran, and rural populations, exhibit lower screening uptake. This systematic review summarizes the existing literature on vulnerable patient populations' preferences regarding CRC screening. Methods We searched the CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for articles published between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2017. We screened studies for eligibility and systematically abstracted and compared study designs and outcomes. Results A total of 43 articles met the inclusion criteria, out of 2,106 articles found in our search. These 43 articles were organized by the primary sub-population(s) whose preferences were reported: 27 report on preferences among racial/ethnic minorities, eight among low-income groups, six among veterans, and two among rural populations. The majority of studies (n=34) focused on preferences related to test modality. No single test modality was overwhelmingly supported by all sub-populations, although veterans seemed to prefer colonoscopy. Test attributes such as accuracy, sensitivity, cost, and convenience were also noted as important features. Furthermore, a preference for shared decision-making between vulnerable patients and providers was found. Conclusion The heterogeneity in study design, populations, and outcomes of the selected studies revealed a wide spectrum of CRC screening preferences within vulnerable populations. More decision aids and discrete choice experiments that focus on vulnerable populations are needed to gain a more nuanced understanding of how vulnerable populations weigh particular features of screening methods. Improved CRC screening rates may be achieved through the alignment of vulnerable populations' preferences with screening program design and provider practices. Collaborative decision-making between providers and vulnerable patients in preventive care decisions may also be important.
Mathematical model for glitch power consumption to study its implication on power analysis attacks

Side channel information is a major threat against cryptographic circuits. Since cryptographic algorithms are implemented on microprocessors or custom hardware, the attackers easily can exploit the side channel information from the chip to detect the secret key. The power consumption in digital circuits consists of two major components: switching power consumption and leakage power consumption. Both power components in digital circuits have data dependency, while, the switching power consumption has more data dependency than leakage power. Most of the switching power consumption belongs to dynamic power consumption. Unfortunately, the lack of mathematic model to formulate the glitch power consumption has led to uncertain strategy about the impact of glitch power consumption on cryptographic circuits. This paper proposes a glitch power model in combination with discrete time power consumption to make concrete mathematic framework. This framework can be exploited to investigate the impact of glitch power consumption on security of cryptographic circuits.
Trigonometry in complex inner product spaces

Abstract We adopt an appropriate definition of an angle in a Hilbert space over the complex field. It serves as a main tool for the enhancement of geometry and trigonometry of complex inner product spaces. A “sine theorem” is shown to hold based on which similarity theorems are proven. Trigonometric identities are shown to hold that lead to a main result that the sum of angles in a “triangle” in a complex Hilbert space is π. Examples are given.