cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Event-Based Climatology and Typology of Fog in the New York City Region

Abstract The character of fog in a region centered on New York City, New York, is investigated using 20 yr of historical data. Hourly surface observations are used to identify fog events at 17 locations under the influence of various physiographic features, such as land–water contrasts, land surface character (urban, suburban, and rural), and terrain. Fog events at each location are classified by fog types using an objective algorithm derived after extensive examination of fog formation processes. Events are characterized according to frequency, duration, and intensity. A quantitative assessment of the likelihood with which mechanisms leading to fog formation are occurring in various parts of the region is obtained. The spatial, seasonal, and diurnal variability of fog occurrences are examined and results are related to regional and local influences. The results show that the likelihood of fog occurrence is influenced negatively by the presence of the urban heat island of New York City, whereas it is enha...
Tip Leakage Losses in a Linear Turbine Cascade

An investigation of lip leakage flow and its effects on loss production was performed on a large scale linear turbine cascade having a tip gap measuring 2.1% of the blade height. The flow exiting the tip gap was measured to determine the tosses incurred within the tip gap and the secondary kinetic energy due to tip leakage. Additional measurements, 40% of an axial chord downstream of the blade trailing edges, showed the development of the leakage flow and the overall cascade losses. At the downstream location, the additional loss due to lip leakage was found to be the sum of the measured loss at the tip gap exit plane and the amount of tip gap secondary kinetic energy which had been dissipated by that downstream location.Copyright © 1989 by ASME
Diffusion of H through Pd–Y alloy membranes

Abstract Fick's diffusion constants, D H , for H in Pd–Y alloys decrease with the increase of atom fraction Y, X Y , for the alloys investigated here ( X Y ≤ 0.095 ) , however, the H permeabilities increase because the H 2 solubility increase is greater than the decrease of the diffusion constant. D H values have been measured for some of the Pd–Y alloys over a large range of H contents and, for several alloys, minima appear in plots of RT ln D H against r up arising from non-ideality, i.e., thermodynamic factor ≠ 1 , where r up = H-to-metal mol ratio at the upstream surface of the membrane and r down = 0 . Concentration independent diffusion constants have been derived from the concentration-dependent ones and the thermodynamic factor. The effect of CO on the permeation of H through Pd–Y membranes has been determined and compared to the effect of CO on the permeability of a Pd0.77Ag0.23 alloy. The poisoning effect of CO is either greater or similar for the un-oxidized Pd0.77Ag0.23 alloy membranes and the internally oxidized Pd–Y alloy membranes, although any differences are small.
Much ado about nothing? The financial impact of physician-owned specialty hospitals

The U.S. hospital industry has recently witnessed a number of policy changes aimed at aligning hospital payments to costs and these can be traced to significant concerns regarding selection of profitable patients and procedures by physician-owned specialty hospitals. The policy responses to specialty hospitals have alternated between payment system reforms and outright moratoriums on hospital operations including one in the recently enacted Affordable Care Act. A key issue is whether physician-owned specialty hospitals pose financial strain on the larger group of general hospitals through cream-skimming of profitable patients, yet there is no study that conducts a systematic analysis relating such selection behavior by physician-owners to financial impacts within hospital markets. The current paper takes into account heterogeneity in specialty hospital behavior and finds some evidence of their adverse impact on profit margins of competitor hospitals, especially for-profit hospitals. There is also some evidence of hospital consolidation in response to competitive pressures by specialty hospitals. Overall, these findings underline the importance of the payment reforms aimed at correcting distortions in the reimbursement system that generate incentives for risk-selection among providers groups. The identification techniques will also inform empirical analysis on future data testing the efficacy of these payment reforms.
Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in treating depression and suicidal ideation in Veterans

OBJECTIVE: This paper examines the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression (ACT-D), and the specific effects of experiential acceptance and mindfulness, in reducing suicidal ideation (SI) and depression among Veterans. METHOD: Patients included 981 Veterans, 76% male, mean age 50.5 years. Depression severity and SI were assessed using the BDI-II. Experiential acceptance and mindfulness were measured with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 981 patients, 647 (66.0%) completed 10 or more sessions or finished early due to symptom relief. For Veterans with SI at baseline, mean BDI-II score decreased from 33.5 to 22.9. For Veterans with no SI at baseline, mean BDI-II score decreased from 26.3 to 15.9. Mixed models with repeated measurement indicated a significant reduction in depression severity from baseline to final assessment (b = -10.52, p CONCLUSIONS: Veterans receiving ACT-D demonstrated decreased depression severity and decreased odds of SI during treatment. Increases in experiential acceptance and mindfulness scores were associated with reduction in depression severity across time and increases in experiential acceptance scores were associated with reductions in SI across time. Language: en
Slow oxidation kinetics in an epitaxial copper(1 0 0) film

Abstract Knowledge of the kinetics of oxide formation on an ultrathin copper (Cu) film is important both for fundamental understanding and for application, such as the use of copper as interconnects in semiconductor integrated circuits. We used angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the growth mechanism of Cu oxides at ambient conditions over times ranging from 1 h to 120 days after the preparation of a 50 nm-thick epitaxial Cu(1 0 0) film. We analyzed high resolution spectra near O 1s, Cu 2p and Cu LMM peaks to understand the kinetics of oxidation and to estimate overall oxide thickness as a function of time. We demonstrate that the oxide thickness of the epitaxial Cu film follows approximately an inverse logarithmic growth rate law, and that the rate of oxidation is substantially slower in epitaxial films than in polycrystalline films reported in the literature.
Diagnostic histopathology of major systemic and pulmonary vasculitic syndromes.

SUMMARY The vasculitides are a heterogeneous group of diseases with protean and frequently overlapping clinical and pathologic manifestations. They are difficult to classify because the etiology and pathogenesis of most vasculitides are unknown. A definitive diagnosis of vasculitis almost invariably requires histologic documentation of the disease. Although each major vasculitic syndrome may have its own unique and characteristic histologic features, the correct interpretation of biopsies still depends on such factors as the pathologist’s interest and experience, tissue selection, sample size, chronologic age of the disease process, and any prior treatment at the time of the biopsy.
INSCRIBING A LESBIAN READER, PROJECTING A LESBIAN SUBJECT : A JANE RULE DIPTYCH

This diptych represents two takes on the short fiction of Jane Rule, the Canadian lesbian novelist whose 1964 novel, Desert of the Heart, was markedly different from other lesbian fiction available at that time. Traveling through time, theory, and texts, I approach Rule's fiction from two directions. First, using feminist maps for (re)reading, I show how "Dulce" inscribes a lesbian reader. Second, tracing the steps of lesbian and queer theorists, I show how "Home Movie" projects a lesbian subject. Taken together, these readings seek to shed light on lesbian creative practice in the homophobic climate of postwar North America.
Individual Variability in Recognition of Frequency-Lowered Speech

Frequency lowering in hearing aids is not a new concept, but modern advances in technology have allowed it to be performed more efficiently and on select portions of the spectrum. Nonlinear frequency compression reduces the frequency spacing in a band of high-frequency energy so that more information is carried in the audible bandwidth. Frequency transposition and translation techniques lower only the part of the high-frequency spectrum that likely contains important speech information. These advances may help overcome the limited bandwidth in conventional hearing aids, which restrict access to high-frequency information even for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. This is especially important for young children learning speech and language. A framework is advanced in which factors that influence individual differences in speech recognition can be divided into extrinsic factors that affect the representation of the frequency-lowered speech at the auditory periphery, including the specific technique and the settings chosen for it, and intrinsic factors that contribute to an individual's ability to learn and benefit from this signal. Finally, the importance of electroacoustically verifying the output to avoid too little or too much lowering and the importance of validating effectiveness of outcomes in individual users of the technology are emphasized.
Observation and Characterization of Electric Fields at Grain Boundaries

Variations in local electric fields near individual grain boundaries have been observed in TiO2 with an ac, non-contact, atomic force microscopy detection scheme. A lateral, in-plane bias was applied to the sample inducing an electric field gradient. A modified AFM then allowed accurate force and force gradient images of both topography and the electric fields to be measured. The sample-tip separation and bias dependence of the AFM probe response to electrostatic fields are used to derive the relationships that allow quantification of lateral fields. With this technique, observation and quantification of potential barriers and enhancement and depletion widths may be observed, especially as a function of boundary chemistry and orientation. Results are discussed in terms of interface potential barrier models.
Comparison of Carcass and Cooking Yields Across Five Weight Classes for Seven Commercially Available Ready-to-Cook Duckling Brands

Abstract Raw and cooked yields of ready-to-cook ducklings representing seven commercially available brands across five weight classes were determined. Derived model equations for predicting breast weight from eviscerated weight were also tested. Significant brand differences within weight classes were found for the majority of tissues evaluated. Skin and fat yields between brands and across weight classes ranged from 28.5 to 40.6% of eviscerated weight. Significant brand differences across weights were also detected for breast, legs, wings, and carcass frame weights and yields. Overall, considerable brand variation was detected in the ratio of edible to inedible yields, ranging from .952 to .711. Although no significant brand differences for whole carcass cooked yields were detected, breast fillet cooked yields were significantly influenced by brand. Breast weights were accurately predicted from eviscerated weights using derived linear regression equations. The predicted mean absolute deviation ranged from 18.8 to 32.1 g away from actual breast weight. These findings illustrate that similar derived equations could be used by the processor to determine if carcasses are better suited for whole carcass, cut-up, or further-processing market.
Book Review: Unbelievable: Why We Believe and Why We Don't

Unbelievable: Why We Believe and Why We Don't. By Graham Ward. London: I. B. Tauris Publishers, 2014. x + 246 pp. $32.00 (cloth).In 1787 the German philosopher Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi wrote one of the very first responses to Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. Jacobi argued that Kant, in his attempt to save the concept of reason, had only further condemned it. Through reason, the Enlightenment had sought a purer, objective way to understand reality, free from history or prejudice. The problem with such a program was that all knowledge, including reason, was fundamentally contextual. For Jacobi, the only way to be at peace with our knowledge was to realize that everything we know is essentially a matter of belief. According to Jacobi, no philosophy, not even Kant's, could escape this contextual nature, and it was, accordingly, time that we "gave up wanting to invent spectacles that enable us to see without eyes."In his new book, Unbelievable: Why We Believe and Why We Don't, Graham Ward takes up a topic that is as germane to our own age as it was to Jacobi's. We, too, are presently questioning the way we structure concepts such as belief and reason, and wondering whether in our narrow search for certainty we have left too much out. How has our lack of faith in belief undermined our ability to believe in anything?One of Unbelievable's most important projects is to take up the dualism between fact and belief. Ward points out how we require a more complex approach to this problem. Facts do not simply manifest themselves; rather, they arise out of a process of abstraction guided by human interest. These processes by which we come to know the world are first "emotional and relational before they are 'rational'" (p. 55). The failure to recognize this has meant that belief has come to be associated with opinion and desire, establishing a narrow definition of knowing that ignores belief s fundamental role in human knowledge.Ward maintains that we all engage in belief. Belief is not, as many progress narratives would lead us to understand, something that can be outgrown. It is not a hangover from a simpler, more ignorant time. Rather, as Ward puts it, "believing is an anthropological condition" (p. 14). In order to demonstrate how we are believers to the core, Ward marshals a range of materials to offer an archeology of belief. From the emergence of the species, we have accommodated ourselves to the material world through belief. Through images, symbols, and rituals, humans have constructed the world which they inhabit through various imagined continuities and connections. …
Concepts, Definitions and Data Collection Approaches

This chapter addresses some of the key issues and weaknesses in the field of migration, arising out of inconsistent methodology, issues that need addressing if the field is ever to advance as the field of fertility has so much over the past 50 years. Part of this advance depends on collecting much more, better, and more comparable data on both internal and international migration. This requires our arriving at a common, generally accepted definition of migration based only on a change in usual residence involving crossing a recognized administrative boundary. This will distinguish it from other forms of mobility. In addition, data collection techniques for collecting data on migrants from specialized migration surveys should recognize that migrants (especially recent ones, which are generally of greatest interest for both research and policy) are usually rare elements, so specialized sampling methods first developed by Kish and others should be used, using stratified disproportionate sampling. The overall design of the survey questionnaire is discussed, focused onthe last move approach or the event history approach. Finally, the chapter also mentions some other key methodological matters, including the need to use appropriate comparison groups to study the determinants/consequences of migration; to compare migration intentions with actual decisions; to consider contextual effects and the possiblevalue of Big Data. A number of recent experiences in collecting migration data are reviewed and assessed in the course of the chapter as relevant, and the issue of a world migration survey is raised.
A Case for Competencies: Assessing the Value of Trait-Based Performance Appraisal for Non-Faculty University Employees.

A case study analyzed how supervisors at one university selected competencies, or trait-based skills, for non-faculty employees. This case study provides a valuable contribution by focusing on employees at one institution type–a large, public research university. While it has been documented that non-faculty employees provide important contributions to higher education, there is more to be discovered about this population of university employee, noted as more than 2 million U.S. employees in 2011. The research question guiding this study was: Within a university setting, how are employee competencies valued by job title within colleges and divisions? Multiple correspondence analysis evaluated supervisor competency selection for 1,836 non-supervisory and 565 supervisory employees using data from this university’s 2012 performance appraisal. For non-supervisory employees, the first dimension accounted for 65.11% of adjusted inertia, or explained variance. The second dimension accounted for 23.89% of adjusted inertia. For supervisory employees, the first dimension accounted for 86.57% of adjusted inertia. The second dimension accounted for 8.26% of adjusted inertia. The key study finding was that, despite the availability of other higher-education specific competency alternatives and best practices for competency use in the appraisal, this institution’s implementation of competencies was found to be mechanical. This study proposed best practices for this and similarly situated institutions as to how competencies can be used to develop employees and improve their performance.
Toward in vivo two-photon analysis of mouse aqueous outflow structure and function.

The promise of revolutionary insights into intraocular pressure (IOP) and aqueous humor outflow homeostasis, IOP pathogenesis, and novel therapy offered by engineered mouse models has been hindered by a lack of appropriate tools for studying the aqueous drainage tissues in their original 3-dimensional (3D) environment. Advances in 2-photon excitation fluorescence imaging (TPEF) combined with availability of modalities such as transgenic reporter mice and intravital dyes have placed us on the cusp of unlocking the potential of the mouse model for unearthing insights into aqueous drainage structure and function. Multimodality 2-photon imaging permits high-resolution visualization not only of tissue structural organization but also cells and cellular function. It is possible to dig deeper into understanding the cellular basis of aqueous outflow regulation as the technique integrates analysis of tissue structure, cell biology and physiology in a way that could also lead to fresh insights into human glaucoma. We outline recent novel applications of two-photon imaging to analyze the mouse conventional drainage system in vivo or in whole tissues: (1) collagen second harmonic generation (SHG) identifies the locations of episcleral vessels, intrascleral plexuses, collector channels, and Schlemm’s canal in the distal aqueous drainage tract; (2) the prospero homeobox protein 1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter helps locate the inner wall of Schlemm’s canal; (3) Calcein AM, siGLO™, the fluorescent reporters m-Tomato and GFP, and coherent anti-Stokes scattering (CARS), are adjuncts to TPEF to identify live cells by their membrane or cytosolic locations; (4) autofluorescence and sulforhodamine-B to identify elastic fibers in the living eye. These tools greatly expand our options for analyzing physiological and pathological processes in the aqueous drainage tissues of live mice as a model of the analogous human system.
Consequences of incongruency in diurnally varying resources for seedlings of Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae)

The incongruency of diurnally varying resources essential to plants may detrimentally affect plants early in their development as indicated by reduced water use efficiency and carbon gain. Typical diurnal patterns of light and CO(2) availability in a midsized temperate herbaceous or forest gap were simulated in specially designed growth chambers. A sinusoidally varying CO(2) treatment (400 ppm minimum, 800 ppm maximum) approximated the diurnal cycle of CO(2) at the soil surface, while a steady-state CO(2) treatment (600 ppm) with the same average CO(2 )concentration provided a control. Crossed with these two CO(2) treatments were two light regimes, one with 3 h of high light (850 μmol·m·s) in the morning (west side of a gap), and the other with 3 h of high light in the afternoon (east side). All treatments received baseline low light (55 μmol·m·s) for 14 h during the day. Rumex crispus was selected as a model species because of its rosette leaves, which grow close to the ground where diurnal CO(2 )variation is greatest. The relative timing of diurnal variations in light and CO(2) significantly affected seedling water use efficiency, carbon gain, and morphology. Total biomass, photosynthetic rates, daily integrated carbon, water use efficiency, and leaf area were enhanced by morning exposure to high light. Seedlings that were exposed to peak values of light and CO(2) incongruently, i.e., those plants receiving intense afternoon light with diurnally varying CO(2), were detrimentally affected relative to control plants receiving intense afternoon light with steady-state CO(2). The results of this experiment indicate that the incongruent availability of required resources-such as light and CO(2)-can detrimentally affect performance relative to when resources are congruent. These contrasting resource regimes can occur on the east and west side of gaps.
Unusual presentation of aseptic meningitis

The CSF cell count in aseptic meningitis is characteristically in the range of 10 to 500/cu mm, and in most cases, below 1,500/cu mm. This 25-year-old woman had a CSF cell count of up to 7,780/cu mm. However, the diagnosis of aseptic meningitis seemed to be well established by the complete disappearance of signs and symptoms after only symptomatic treatment.
Ebola in Prime Time: A Content Analysis of Sensationalism and Efficacy Information in U.S. Nightly News Coverage of the Ebola Outbreaks.

Using a media systems dependency framework, this study looked at media location as a proxy for salience of the Ebola outbreaks in 2014. In unaffected markets where salience was lower, it was hypothesized that news stories would be more sensational and offer less efficacy information as compensation. A total of 1,275 nightly news stories originating from three affected and three unaffected U.S. markets were analyzed. Affected markets were defined as cities where a confirmed case emerged, was treated, or that housed an airport designated as one of the five ports of entry. Unaffected markets did not meet any of these criteria and were not in the same state as any city that did. A statistically significant difference in the average level of sensationalism between the two market types was found (t (1273) = 5.774, p < 0.001), with unaffected markets (M = 0.94, SD = 0.87) having a higher average level of sensationalism than affected markets (M = 0.67, SD = 0.76). There was no statistically significant difference seen in the inclusion of efficacy information between affected and unaffected markets. These findings highlight how specific story elements in news coverage of public health crises may be influenced by media location.
The Internal Monologue

People commonly report an internal stream of words constituting their own private thoughts. Reflections come and go in the form of linguistic expressions, whether we are thinking about dinner plans, mulling over a philosophical debate, or rehearsing a discussion with another person. This phenomenon is known as inner speech. Inner speech is the experience of articulated natural language phenomena through internal auditory images and sub-vocal assertion, typically with phenomenal properties similar to one’s own voice, as if one is silently speaking to oneself.1 In this chapter, I will discuss and analyze the nature of this inner speech and the roles it plays in introspection. I will argue that a significant portion of our thoughts (namely, our conscious propositional thoughts) occur through inner speech and, consequently, that this vehicle for conscious thought provides the basis for substantial aspects of our awareness and understanding of our own minds. I will then discuss the epistemic status of inner speech, explaining how inner speech utterances exhibit a variety of different epistemic qualities, from utterances that self-constitutively determine their own truth values to the tendency of some linguistic phenomena to misguide and even deceive ourselves about the contents of our own minds.
Theory based gender differences in psychopathy subtypes

Abstract Psychopathy is conceptualized as a heterogeneous construct in both men and women. To investigate possible gender differences in Karpman's (1941) and Lykken (1995) typologies, a model-based cluster analysis was conducted on male and female undergraduates scoring high on the PPI. Two clusters emerged in men and women consistent with primary and secondary variants on PPI factors, behavioral inhibition, anxiety, aggression, and borderline features. The male and female clusters were not markedly different. However, secondary women did demonstrate more pathology and internalizing problems than secondary men. The significant differences found and their implications are discussed.
Out-Sphere Decoder for Non-Coherent ML SIMO Detection and its Expected Complexity

In multi-antenna communication systems, channel information is often not known at the receiver. To fully exploit the bandwidth resources of the system and ensure the practical feasibility of the receiver, the channel parameters are often estimated and then employed in the design of signal detection algorithms. However, sometimes communication can occur in an environment where learning the channel coefficients becomes infeasible. In this paper we consider the problem of maximum-likelihood (ML)-detection in single- input multiple-output (SIMO) systems when the channel information is completely unavailable at the receiver and when the employed signalling at the transmitter is q-PSK. It is well known that finding the solution to this optimization requires solving an integer maximization of a quadratic form and is, in general, an NP hard problem. To solve it, we propose an exact algorithm based on the combination of branch and bound tree search and semi-definite program (SDP) relaxation. The algorithm resembles the standard sphere decoder except that, since we are maximizing we need to construct an upper bound at each level of the tree search. We derive an analytical upper bound on the expected complexity of the proposed algorithm.
Food security as resilience: reconciling definition and measurement.

In this article, we draw out a set of axioms for food security measurement that follow directly from the internationally agreed 1996 FAO definition. Building on recent work on the theory and measurement of development resilience, we then propose an empirical strategy to measure food security that addresses these measurement axioms better than do prevailing measures. We empirically illustrate this approach using a panel data set from northern Kenya.
On-line gasoline blending optimization with in-flow blend quality analysis

This paper introduces a calculation method for the minimum admissible octane number subject to the measurement errors, which is the objective in the gasoline blending optimization problems. The tasks and functionality of the on-line blending optimization system are formulated. A periodic calibration validation algorithm is suggested for the in-flow blend quality analyzers as the key elements of the optimization system. Finally, some pilot projects on the implementation of the optimization systems with in-flow blend quality analysis are presented.
Between Choice and Obligation: An Exploratory Assessment of Forced Marriage Problems and Policies among Migrants in the United States

Recently, in the United States (US) there has been increasing interest in and advocacy for developing research and policies that identify and address what has, in the European context, been called child and forced marriage, in which migrant parents, typically from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) impose marital choices on their Western-raised children, through coercion, psychological pressure, or the threat of violence. Despite widespread international concern, there remains little research-based empirical knowledge about the problem in the United States. Drawing on interviews with 100 City University of New York students from MENASA families, this study documents significant intergenerational conflict over honour, sexuality, and marital choice and suggests a high likelihood that coercive marital situations are present in the US. However, the different socio-political environment encountered by migrant families in the US may not effectively accommodate European style anti-forced marriage policy constructions and criminal justice responses.
Effect of Age on Response to Therapy and Mortality in Patients With Thyroid Cancer at High Risk of Recurrence.

Context Age at diagnosis has been identified as a major determinant of thyroid cancer-specific survival, with older patients being at higher risk for mortality, but the association of age with risk of recurrence has not been studied to date. Objective To examine the effect of a patient's age on response to therapy and disease-specific mortality in a cohort of thyroid cancer patients at high risk of recurrence, as defined by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification system. Design Retrospective cohort study of 320 patients, median age 49.3 years, with follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma classified at ATA high risk and followed for a median of 7 years. Main Outcome Measures Association of age with response to therapy, overall mortality, disease-specific mortality, and timing of metastases. Results Age was a major determinant of response to therapy. There was a significantly larger percentage of excellent responders among young patients (age <55) than among old patients (age ≥55), 40.3% vs 27.5%, P = 0.002, respectively, whereas the proportion of structural incomplete responders was higher in the old group compared with the young group, 53% vs 33%, P = 0.002, respectively. ATA high-risk young patients with a structural incomplete response to therapy had a significantly better disease-specific survival than old patients (74% vs 12%, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Age was a key predictor of response to therapy and disease-specific survival in ATA high-risk thyroid cancer patients. Its incorporation as a variable in the ATA risk stratification system would improve its power to predict response to therapy as well as mortality.
Scenariot: Spatially Mapping Smart Things Within Augmented Reality Scenes

The emerging simultaneous localizing and mapping (SLAM) based tracking technique allows the mobile AR device spatial awareness of the physical world. Still, smart things are not fully supported with the spatial awareness in AR. Therefore, we present Scenariot, a method that enables instant discovery and localization of the surrounding smart things while also spatially registering them with a SLAM based mobile AR system. By exploiting the spatial relationships between mobile AR systems and smart things, Scenariot fosters in-situ interactions with connected devices. We embed Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) RF units into the AR device and the controllers of the smart things, which allows for measuring the distances between them. With a one-time initial calibration, users localize multiple IoT devices and map them within the AR scenes. Through a series of experiments and evaluations, we validate the localization accuracy as well as the performance of the enabled spatial aware interactions. Further, we demonstrate various use cases through Scenariot.
The Ideal Proxy Statement

Institutional investors are highly dissatisfied with the quality of information that they receive about corporate governance policies and practices in the annual proxy. Across the board, they want proxies to be shorter, more concise, more candid, and less legal. The largest complaint involves executive compensation and the inability of investors to determine whether senior management is paid appropriately.Based on recent survey data from major institutional investors, we describe the information that shareholders would like to see in the “ideal” proxy statement. We ask:• What changes can companies make to proxies contain the information that investors want in a format that is easy to read and navigate?• Would shareholder understanding of corporate governance practices improve if companies provided clearer and more succinct data?• How might the debate about executive compensation change?The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance and executive leadership. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the books Corporate Governance Matters and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.
The enhancement of retinal adhesiveness by ouabain appears to involve cellular edema.

Our previous work showed that ouabain increases retinal adhesion to the retinal pigment epithelium, but the mechanism of this effect has been unclear. In this study, we have found that the ouabain-induced increase in retinal adhesiveness was blocked reversibly by removing sodium from the medium or by exposure to hyperosmotic solution. Hyposmotic solution slowed down the postmortem failure of adhesion. Tissue edema could not be documented histologically, but retinal tissue water content increased by 2.9% after exposure to ouabain. These data suggest that the ouabain effect involves cellular edema, which may enhance adhesion by tightening the interdigitation between photoreceptor outer segments and retinal pigment epithelial microvilli. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:1511-1514,1989 We have shown previously that acetazolamide, ouabain and low temperature all increase retinal adhesion as measured in vitro. 1 " 3 The first blocks the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which may be involved in transport processes in the subretinal space. The second inhibits the Na-K-dependent ATPase that drives the electrogenic Na pump. The third blocks metabolic processes in a nonspecific fashion and may also affect physical characteristics such as viscosity of the interphotoreceptor matrix. The mechanism by which these conditions increase adhesiveness has been unclear. We postulated in an earlier report 1 that inhibition of the Na pump with ouabain might, in the short term, dehydrate the subretinal space by reducing choroid-to-retina ionic movement, or cause tissue swelling that would tighten interdigitation between photoreceptor outer segments and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) microvilli. We now present experimental evidence that favors the latter hypothesis.
The Times Are a Changing: Implications for Kinesiology

A young man was walking down the beach after a major storm had just come through the area. He was dismayed by the huge number of starfish that the storm had washed up on the beach. He knew the starfish were doomed, but thought that there was nothing he could do because of the immense numbers. As he continued down the beach he saw an old man throw something into the water. As he got closer, he saw the old man walk a little farther down the beach, bend over, pick up a starfish and throw it back into the water. As the younger man approached, the old man stopped again, bent over, picked up another starfish and was about to throw it into the water. The young man stopped and asked, “Why are you doing that? There are thousands of starfish on the beach. You can't possibly make a difference.” The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. —Anonymous
Natural history of Fabry disease in males: preliminary observations

A large cohort of patients with Fabry disease is being studied to determine the natural history of the disease and how this relates to the specific mutation involved and the amount of residual α-galactosidase A activity. To date, we have investigated the progression of cerebral lesions and stroke, as identified by magnetic resonance imaging, and renal disease. Results have shown that cerebral lesions do not appear until 23 years of age, but are present in all patients by55 years of age. The peak onset of proteinuria occurred in the fourth decade, and the peak onset of chronic renal insufficiency and end-stage renal disease occurred in the fifth decade of life. Renal outcome was related to the type of mutation and residual enzyme activity. Data from these studies in untreated patients will be important when assessing the long-term efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy.
Delayed Metastatic Melanoma to the Pharyngeal Tonsil in an African American Female

Background: Metastatic melanoma to the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract is extremely rare, accounting for Case Report: A 57-year-old African American female presented for evaluation of a rapidly enlarging unilateral tonsil mass. Three years prior to presentation, she had undergone primary resection of and systemic therapy for cutaneous melanoma on the sole of her right foot. Tonsillectomy confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. Because of the poor prognosis of the disease, the patient was referred for palliative chemotherapy but died shortly after beginning treatment. Conclusion: Metastatic melanoma is a rare disease in African Americans, and the presence of metastatic lesions is a significant prognostic indicator for long-term patient survival. Meticulous head and neck examinations should be performed during the follow-up period, and any pigmented lesion should have a high suspicion for metastasis in any patient with a history of cutaneous melanoma.
Extreme climatic variability during migration invokes physiological and dietary plasticity among spring migrating ducks

Environmental stochasticity encountered during migration can have negative consequences for individuals and population demographics through direct reductions in survival or cross-seasonal impacts. ...
Active shooter and terrorist event-related posttraumatic stress and depression: television viewing and perceived safety

Objective This study examined the relationship of sniper-related television viewing (TV) and perceived safety to posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depressive symptoms during the Washington, DC sniper attacks. Methods Participants were 1238 Washington, DC area residents assessed using an internet survey including the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, hours of TV, and perceived safety. Results Almost 40% (n = 459) of participants watched at least 2 hours of sniper-related TV daily. TV viewing was associated with lower total perceived safety. After adjusting for demographics, more TV viewing and decreased perceived safety were related to increased PTS and depressive symptoms. TV viewing modified the effect of safety on PTS and depressive symptoms. Among participants with low and high perceived safety, hours of TV were positively associated with PTS; however, the effect was stronger among those with low perceived safety. The relationship of TV to increased depressive symptoms was identified only in participants who reported low perceived safety. Conclusions The influence of media exposure and perceived safety have implications for intervention by community leaders and mental health care providers. Recommendations include limiting media exposure during a terrorist event, particularly among those who perceive that their safety is at risk, and targeting safety in communication strategies. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:570-576).
Putting Numbers on Geologic AgesOpen image in new window

The uranium, thorium and lead dating methods completely changed scientists’ idea of the age of the Earth from about 90 million years to more than 2 billion years.
The Vascular Quality Initiative 30-day stroke/death risk score calculator after transfemoral carotid artery stenting.

Abstract Objective Carotid artery stenting (CAS) was introduced as an alternative carotid revascularization procedure in patients deemed to be at high risk for carotid endarterectomy. Although techniques and selection criteria for patients have dramatically improved, CAS continues to have higher risk of stroke and death in comparison to carotid endarterectomy. Several risk factors are known to be associated with worse outcomes. Whereas knowledge of these independent factors is helpful, clinical decision-making is further refined when these are considered in aggregate. This study aimed to develop a score to predict the risk of stroke/death after transfemoral CAS (TFCAS). Methods We analyzed the Vascular Quality Initiative CAS data set from 2010 to 2018. Lesions due to trauma, dissection, or transcarotid artery stenting and cases performed without an embolic protection device were excluded. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods with bootstrapping (1000 repetitions) were used to identify predictors associated with 30-day stroke/death. Stepwise backward selection for variables was used to achieve model parsimony. A risk score was made by converting regression coefficients for each predictor to integers from which probability was calculated. Scores were grouped into simplified categories. Results We identified 10,753 patients undergoing TFCAS during the study period with a combined 30-day stroke/death rate of 4.1%. On multivariable adjustment, independent predictors of 30-day stroke/death included age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.06; P Conclusions In an analysis of 10,753 patients undergoing TFCAS between 2010 and 2018, significant predictors of perioperative stroke or death included old age, nonwhite race, symptomatic status, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and contralateral occlusion in addition to perioperative dual antiplatelet therapy and statin use. These variables were used to develop a risk score calculator that estimates the probability of 30-day stroke/death after TFCAS. External validation of this tool in different populations of patients and data sets is warranted to evaluate its predictive performance.
Quantitative PCR Assays Developed for Diaporthe helianthi and Diaporthe gulyae for Phomopsis Stem Canker Diagnosis and Germplasm Screening in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

Phomopsis stem canker of sunflower is caused by two fungal pathogens, Diaporthe helianthi and Diaporthe gulyae, in the United States. In this study, two quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were develope...
Validation of a Newly Developed Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Dietary Intakes of Magnesium.

Magnesium (Mg) intake is an important indication of an individual’s Mg status, but no validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess intake currently exists. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the validity of a semi-quantitative Mg food frequency questionnaire (MgFFQ) against a 14-day food diary to assess average daily Mg intakes. In this cross-sectional study, 135 adults aged 18 to 75 completed the 33-item MgFFQ and a 14-day food diary to assess their Mg intakes. Coefficients of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and/or Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient tests were used to determine the relationship between the MgFFQ and the average Mg intake from the 14-day food diary among all participants, men, women, age groups, and body mass index (BMI) groups. The correlation between the MgFFQ and the 14-day food diary was significant (p < 0.05) for all participants (r = 0.798), men (r = 0.855), women (r = 0.759), normal weight (r = 0.762), overweight (r = 0.858), and obese (r = 0.675) weight statuses, and in all age groups. The calcium to magnesium intake (Ca:Mg) ratio in all participants was higher than optimal, 3.39 (2.11). Our results suggest that the MgFFQ is a valid method to capture Mg intake over an extended period of time, therefore acting as a valuable tool to quickly determine Mg intake.
Rapid Waveform Design Through Machine Learning

In this paper, we discuss the feasibility of the novel application of recurrent neural networks (RNN) in designing low-latency, near-optimal radar waveforms in dynamical environments. Traditional approaches to adaptive radar waveform design typically require cumbersome optimization routines and highly specialized solvers that can be slow to converge. In an effort to decrease the time of convergence, while still being robust to dynamic environments and practical implementation concerns, we provide results with use of RNN tools. In these initial trials, we achieve waveform design results with comparable characteristics of the Error Reduction Algorithm.
Native valve Neisseria meningitidis endocarditis with embolic infarcts

Infective endocarditis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (NM) is a very rare manifestation of invasive meningococcal disease with only a few cases described in the literature. We report a case of a native mitral valve endocarditis caused by NM in a 61-year-old female without meningitis. Our case highlights the importance of considering NM as one of the causative organisms of infective endocarditis, even in the absence of meningitis. Even though the cases of NM endocarditis have drastically decreased with the advent of antibacterials, NM should always be considered in the differential diagnosis in certain high-risk groups, like diabetics, polysubstance abusers, and elderly individuals. The prognosis is good with early appropriate antibiotic treatment with or without surgery.
Assessing Child Postural Variability: Development, Feasibility, and Reliability of a Video Coding System.

Postural variability is central to children’s locomotion, motor control, and environmental exploration, and lacks standardized methods for systematic assessment. The purpose of this study was to de...
A Review of Exploration, Development, and Production Cost Offshore Newfoundland

Operators have spent $84 billion Canadian dollars in exploration, development, and production offshore Newfoundland, Canada, between 1966 and 2019, and have produced about 2 billion barrels of an estimated 3.3 billion barrels recoverable oil. Four major projects have been developed—Hibernia, Terra Nova, White Rose/North Amethyst, and Hebron—using two development concepts, gravity-base structures and floating production storage and offloading vessels. The region is characterized by severe storm and sea conditions, including the presence of icebergs, which challenge all aspects of exploration and development. From 1998 to 2019, exploration and delineation drilling cost averaged $90.9 million per well and $26,494 per meter drilled. Development wells drilled from mobile offshore drilling units over the same period averaged $91.1 million per producer well and $68.8 million per injector well. Regional development cost was $32.5/bbl since the start of production and is expected to fall to $22/bbl when recoverable volumes circa 2020 have been extracted. Average regional production cost from 2006 to 2019 is estimated at $23.4/bbl and ranges from $16.8/bbl at Hibernia to about $35/bbl at Terra Nova and White Rose. This is the first detailed evaluation of exploration, development, and production cost offshore Newfoundland.