cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Computing for Low-Thrust Navigation

*† ‡ The development of new mission concepts requires efficient methodologies to analyze, design, and simulate the concepts before implementation. New mission concepts are increasingly considering the use of ion thrusters for fuel-efficient navigation in deep space. This paper presents parallel, evolutionary computing methods to design trajectories of spacecraft propelled by ion thrusters and assesses the trade-off between delivered payload mass and required flight time. The developed methods utilize a distributed computing environment in order to speed up computation, and use evolutionary algorithms to find globally Paretooptimal solutions. The methods are coupled with two main traditional trajectory design approaches, which are called direct and indirect. In the direct approach, thrust control is discretized in either arc time or arc length, and the resulting discrete thrust vectors are optimized. In the indirect approach, the thrust control problem is transformed into a co-state control problem and the initial values of the co-state vector are optimized. The developed methods are applied to two problems: 1) an orbit transfer around the Earth and 2) a transfer between two distance retrograde orbits around Europa, the icy Galilean moon closest to Jupiter. The optimal solutions found with the present methods are comparable to other state-of-the-art trajectory optimizers, while the required computation time is often several orders of magnitude less thanks to an intelligent design of control vector discretization, advanced algorithmic parameterization, and parallel computing.
Modulation of VEGF signalling output by the Notch pathway.

The formation of blood vessels within the vascular system entails a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation, migration and differentiation. In many cases, these diverse processes need to be finely coordinated among neighbouring endothelial cells in order to establish a functional vascular network. For instance, during angiogenic sprouting specialized endothelial tip cells follow guidance cues and migrate extensively into avascular tissues while trailing stalk cells must stay connected to the patent blood vessel. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Notch signalling pathways have emerged as the major players in governing these different cellular behaviours. In particular, recent work indicates an important role for Notch signalling in determining how an endothelial cell responds to VEGF. In this review, we provide an overview of these biochemically distinct pathways and discuss how they may interact during endothelial cell differentiation and angiogenesis. BioEssays 30:303–313, 2008. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Becoming airborne without legs: the kinematics of take-off in a flying snake, Chrysopelea paradisi.

SUMMARY Among terrestrial vertebrate gliders, take-off presents a unique problem to flying snakes ( Chrysopelea ). Without legs, snakes must use fundamentally different kinematics to begin their aerial trajectories. To determine the effectiveness of different modes of take-off in a gliding snake ( C. paradisi ), I videotaped multiple views of take-off from a horizontal branch and quantified the two- and three-dimensional coordinates of three points on the snake9s body. Performance values derived from these coordinates were used to describe take-off in C. paradisi , compare modes of take-off, and make predictions about the ecological use of take-off in the wild. Four types of take-off were identified. In most observed take-offs, snakes used a vertically looped take-off (termed `anchored J-loop9 and `sliding J-loop9), which represent the only true jumping in snakes. In an anchored J-loop take-off, the snake formed an anterior hanging loop and then jumped by holding the posterior body static on the branch and accelerating up and away from the branch. This was the most commonly used take-off mode. A sliding J-loop take-off was similar but occurred with the entire body in motion. Snakes using such take-offs lowered less of their body below the branch than in an anchored J-loop take-off, resulting in shorter preparation and vertical acceleration durations and producing a lower maximum vertical velocity. However, these differences did not produce significant differences after the snakes were fully airborne and had started their aerial trajectories. The non-looped take-offs (termed `dive9 and `fall9) were the least kinematically complex. Compared to the non-looped take-offs, looped take-offs allowed snakes to reach higher, range farther, and attain greater speeds. Futhermore, snakes that launched with looped take-offs traveled farther over the course of a full glide trajectory when starting from a 10 m high perch. Take-off in C. paradisi is qualitatively similar to that in other species of Chrysopelea and may represent a suite of behaviors that preceded the evolution of gliding flight in snakes.
Impacts of urbanization on Florida Key deer behavior and population dynamics

Rapid human population growth and urbanization have had a negative impact on species biodiversity. As competition for resources between man and wildlife continues, it is important to understand the effects of urbanization on species. Endangered Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) are endemic to the Florida Keys which have undergone rapid human population growth and development over the past 30 years. Our study objectives were to evaluate the impacts of urban development on Key deer habitat use, population dynamics, behavior, and body mass. We used data from two comprehensive studies on Key deer spanning 30 years to evaluate these changes. Our results suggest that Key deer have become more urbanized, using urban areas more today than they did 30 years ago. Contrary to our predictions, survival was higher for more urban deer than for less urban deer. Problems still exist with mortality factors heavily impacting some portions of the deer population including lower survival associated with less urban male deer. Analysis of Key deer body mass also was converse to our predictions as deer weights appear to have increased over time. Collectively, our results suggest that over the past 30 years Key deer have become more urbanized and that deer plasticity has allowed them to adapt and persist in an urbanizing environment. However, the future ability of Key deer to persist in an environment with continued urban development is unknown. At some threshold, urban development would become unsustainable and unlike other forms of habitat change or environmental disturbances, urban development is in most cases irreversible requiring careful planning in habitat conservation strategies.
Reduction of synapsin in the hippocampus of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

Several studies suggest that decreased expression of presynaptic proteins may be characteristic of schizophrenia. We examined one such protein, synapsin, in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Samples of hippocampal tissue from controls (n = 13), patients with schizophrenia (n = 16), or bipolar disorder (n = 6), and suicide victims (n = 7) were used. The membrane and cytosolic fractions were analyzed by Western immunoblotting for synapsin using an antibody that detects synapsin Ia, IIa, and IIIa proteins. Synaptophysin was also measured for comparison. Total synapsin was decreased significantly in patients with schizophrenia (P = 0.034) and in bipolar disorder (P = 0.00008) as compared to controls. The synapsin/synaptophysin ratios were decreased in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and additionally in suicide victims (P = 0.014). Age, postmortem interval, percentage of protein extracted, and pH of brain were not different between groups. No changes in total synapsin or synaptophysin in the hippocampus were produced by injecting rats with either lithium or haloperidol for 30 days. Reductions in synapsin in both patients with schizophrenia (synapsin IIa and IIIa) and bipolar disorder (synapsin Ia, IIa and IIIa) imply that altered or reduced synaptic function in the hippocampus may be involved in these disorders.
Use of Macrophytes for Egg Deposition by the Endangered Fountain Darter

Abstract Use of habitats for egg deposition by the endangered fountain darter Etheostoma fonticola was evaluated through examination of seven probable microhabitat types in the wild (San Marcos River, Texas) and through laboratory trials with six artificial form-equivalent habitats. Eggs were deposited on native vegetation in the wild; significantly more eggs were found on filamentous algae Rhizoclonium sp. than on Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis, waterthyme Hydrilla verticillata (an exotic macrophyte), or nonvegetated gravel. Eggs were also found on creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens, delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla, and endangered Texas wildrice Zizania texana. Within vegetated habitats, more eggs were deposited on plants growing in sand than silt substrate. This probably corresponds to the habitat requirements for the species; the fountain darter is abundant in slower-moving reaches within the river headwaters, and the presence of silt is an indicator of poor or less-preferred ha...
Matching to share risk

We consider a matching model in which individuals belonging to two populations (‘males’and ‘females’) can match to share their exogenous income risk. Within each population, individuals can be ranked by risk aversion in the Arrow-Pratt sense. The model permits non transferable utility, a context in which few general results have previously been derived. We show that in this framework (i) a stable matching always exists, (ii) it is essentially unique, and (iii) it is negatively assortative: for any two couples, the more risk averse male is matched with the less risk averse female. We discuss the implications of these results for the empirical analysis of risk-sharing.
Transition-metal Doped Edge Sites in Vertically Aligned MoS2 Catalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution

Highly active and low-cost catalysts for electrochemical reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are crucial for the development of efficient energy conversion and storage technologies. Theoretical simulations have been instrumental in revealing the correlations between the electronic structure of materials and their catalytic activity, and guide the prediction and development of improved catalysts. However, difficulties in accurately engineering the desired atomic sites lead to challenges in making direct comparisons between experimental and theoretical results. In MoS2, the Mo-edge has been demonstrated to be active for HER whereas the S-edge is inert. Using a computational descriptor-based approach, we predict that by incorporating transition metal atoms (Fe, Co, Ni, or Cu) the S-edge site should also become HER active. Vertically standing, edge-terminated MoS2 nanofilms provide a well-defined model system for verifying these predictions. The transition metal doped MoS2 nanofilms show an increase in exchange current densities by at least two-fold, in agreement with the theoretical calculations. This work opens up further opportunities for improving electrochemical catalysts by incorporating promoters into particular atomic sites, and for using well-defined systems in order to understand the origin of the promotion effects.
Rewards and Organizational Goal Achievement: A Case Study of Toyota Motor Manufacturing In Kentucky

This research elaborates a theory which explains how Japanese-managed organizations use rewards to encourage individuals to co-operate in organizational goal achievement. I contend that in Japanese organizations the small work group and the community of fate ideology are important intermediary social constructs between individuals and rewards. I illustrate this model by showing that at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Kentucky, rewards are not tied directly to individual performance, but instead are used to nurture the bonds within the work team and to reinforce belief in the community of fate ideology. the work team and belief in the community of fate ideology in turn, positively impact individual co-operation in organizational goal achievement thereby enhancing the influence of the rewards on individuals.
Teaching leadership in the Russian Federation: Looking through the post-Soviet lens

This paper addresses the Fulbright experience of an American faculty member in Eastern Siberia, Russian Federation. Both course content and teaching method are contrasted with what is traditional and customary in that region. The author regularly kept a journal, enabling thoughtful post-experience reflection. Continued emphasis on the “collective”, as well as a Russian colleague’s identification of “the gap between what and how” in post-Soviet culture, helped the author to focus both academic and practical challenges facing students and faculty.
Synchronous obstructive ureterolithiasis and acute appendicitis

The differential diagnosis of right lower quadrant abdominal pain includes both ureterolithiasis and acute appendicitis. Surgical treatment can be undergone without confirmatory imaging studies after a clinical diagnosis is made. For this reason, an occult, second abdominal process may be present. A 47-year-old male presented with a three-day history of acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain. A contrast CT revealed both a 6 mm calculus obstructing the right ureter and acute appendicitis. The patient underwent appendectomy and ureteroscopy with stent placement at the same time. Simultaneous appendicitis and ureterolithiasis may present with similar clinical findings. Due to the potential risks associated with missing either diagnosis, imaging studies may be an appropriate as a step in the management of the patient with right lower quadrant pain.
Contamination, Disinfection, and Cross-Colonization: Are Hospital Surfaces Reservoirs for Nosocomial Infection?

Despite documentation that the inanimate hospital environment (e.g., surfaces and medical equipment) becomes contaminated with nosocomial pathogens, the data that suggest that contaminated fomites lead to nosocomial infections do so indirectly. Pathogens for which there is more-compelling evidence of survival in environmental reservoirs include Clostridium difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and pathogens for which there is evidence of probable survival in environmental reservoirs include norovirus, influenza virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus, and Candida species. Strategies to reduce the rates of nosocomial infection with these pathogens should conform to established guidelines, with an emphasis on thorough environmental cleaning and use of Environmental Protection Agency-approved detergent-disinfectants.
V-NET: a framework for a versatile network architecture to support real-time communication performance guarantees

The paper proposes a new network architecture, called the versatile network architecture (V-NET), which provides a framework for flexible support of communication requirements in real-time networks. Applications communicate over the V-NET by using simplex end-to-end network connections which support specific real-time and reliability characteristics tailored to meet the application's specified requirements. V-NET differs from other proposed architectures in that it does not assume one specific packet scheduling algorithm or a specific traffic policing mechanism. Instead, the V-NET has been designed to support a variety of packet scheduling algorithms and traffic policing mechanisms. This flexibility is an important design consideration as a real-time network architecture must accommodate existing and future multimedia applications.
Assessing safety of negative-pressure wound therapy over pedicled muscle flaps: A retrospective review of gastrocnemius muscle flap.

Summary The use of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for management of open wounds and immobilization of split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) over wounds has been well described. However, there is a concern for potential compromise of flap viability when NPWT is used for skin grafts over pedicled muscle flaps. We have used NPWT to immobilize STSGs in eight patients who underwent a pedicled gastrocnemius muscle flap operation in our department. We applied a negative pressure of −75 mmHg on the muscle flaps for 5 days postoperatively. All wounds healed successfully, with a 97.5 ± 5.5% mean STSG uptake. No flap necrosis was observed. In our series, the use of NPWT for fixation of STSGs over pedicled gastrocnemius muscle flap was effective and had no negative impact on flap viability.
Deep crustal xenoliths from central Montana, USA: Implications for the timing and mechanisms of high-velocity lower crust formation

Integration of petrologic, chronologic and petrophysical xenolith data with geophysical observations can offer fundamental insights into understanding the evolution of continental crust. We present the results of a deep crustal xenolith study from the northern Rocky Mountain region of the western U.S., where seismic experiments reveal an anomalously thick (10–30 km), high seismic velocity (compressional body wave, Vp > 7.0 km/s) lower crustal layer, herein referred to as the 7.x layer. Xenoliths exhumed by Eocene minettes from the Bearpaw Mountains of central Montana, within the Great Falls tectonic zone, include mafic and intermediate garnet granulites, mafic hornblende eclogite, and felsic granulites. Calculated pressures of 0.6–1.5 GPa are consistent with derivation from 23–54 km depths. Samples record diverse and commonly polymetamorphic pressure-temperature histories including prograde burial and episodes of decompression. Samples with barometrically determined depths consistent with residence within the seismically defined 7.x layer have calculated bulk P-wave velocities of 6.9–7.8 km/s, indicating heterogeneity in the layer. Shallower samples have markedly slower velocities consistent with seismic models. New monazite total U-Th-Pb data and a variety of additional published geochronology indicate a prolonged and episodic metamorphic history, beginning with protolith ages as old as Archean and followed by metamorphic and deep crustal fluid-flow events ca. 2.1 Ga, 1.8–1.7 Ga, and 1.5–1.3 Ga. We suggest that the 7.x layer in this region owes its character to a variety of processes, including magmatic underplating and intraplating, associated with multiple tectonic events from the Neoarchean to the Mesoproterozoic.
Progress Report on the use of Petroleum oil as an Insecticidal Spray

A summary of established field practices in the use of petroleum oil sprays for both citrus and deciduous trees is given to date, together with data covering the species of insects concerned and the dosages used for same. Dormant spraying of deciduous trees during the past year has been almost free from complaints of injury due to the better physical condition of the trees and the type of oil commonly used. Spraying of citrus trees is still accompanied with reports of functional disturbances which in part, at least, are considered due to oils of too low volatility. This may be overcome by use of two types of oil of different volatilities. In addition to the sulfonation test, the oxidation rate of oils gives promise of being another specification of value in determining the safety to the plant. The incorporation of nicotine or other active insecticides directly into the oil before emulsifying offers the possibility of increasing the toxicity of the oil itself without increasing the danger to the plant.
The Discrete Operator Approach to the Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations

The design of robust computational physics codes has always been a challenge to application programmers. One of the key di culties in writing multiphysics codes stems from the ine cient handling of spatial discretization and field operations. For example, in the context of the finite volume (FV) method, one often deals with structured and unstructured meshes that are either staggered or collocated. To handle this array of options, a complex data structure is required to represent arbitrary meshes. For structured grids, this approach imposes an unnecessary computational overhead that increases significantly with problem size. Instead, the programmer must write specific components to handle structured meshes thus defeating the purpose of code portability. Furthermore, dedicated discretization schemes are required for di erent types of meshes, thus increasing software complexity. Although modern computational codes rely extensively on a variety of libraries for linear algebra operations, they lack a framework that provides proper application-independent discretization tools. In this manuscript, we present a novel computational paradigm that separates the spatial discretization and field operations from the physics. This paradigm is based on the abstraction of the mathematical operators describing physical processes. An operator corresponds to a precise mathematical object that performs a certain calculation on a field. A field corresponds to any scalar or vector variable required in the solution process. In our model, an operator is represented discretely by a sparse matrix while a field is represented by a vector. At the outset, the discretization process corresponds to a sparse-matrix-vector multiplication. This approach completely decouples the physics from the spatial and field operations thus providing an avenue for improved code design and usability.
Separate Primary Melanomas of the Bulbar Conjunctiva and Eyelid Skin: Clinical Implications of Multiple Primary Melanomas.

Purpose: We report a patient with previous in situ melanoma of the forehead skin who was referred for treatment of a bulbar conjunctival melanoma and a separate superficially invasive melanoma of the eyelid skin, and we offer a review of the biological and clinical implications of patients who have multiple primary melanomas. Methods: This article offers a clinicopathological correlation with a review of the relevant literature. Results: An 80-year-old white man was referred for evaluation of a suspicious conjunctival tumor and a lower-eyelid lesion. Excisional biopsies revealed that both were primary melanomas arising within in situ disease. Over the span of 25 years, the patient had three separate foci of in situ melanoma, two of which spawned invasive melanoma. Conclusion: Separate melanomas arising from the bulbar conjunctiva and eyelid skin have rarely been reported. Multiple primary melanomas of the skin, however, are not uncommon. Based on studies of persons with multiple cutaneous melanomas, the prognosis is best predicted by the tumor with the greatest depth of invasion. Patients with multiple melanomas should be examined for dysplastic nevi, additional cutaneous melanomas, and screened periodically for future lesions. Ongoing studies enrolling patients with multiple primary melanomas are attempting to generate insights into low-penetrance susceptibility genes.
Surfactant : Evolving issues

Understanding surfactant composition, function, and therapeutic usefulness has increased exponentially over the last 40 years. This article reviews the history and current understanding of surfactants, composition and comparisons of surfactants, method and timing of surfactant administration, dosage and retreatments, and the use of surfactants in conditions other than respiratory distress syndrome.
A Study of Social Media and its Influence on Teen Information Seeking Behaviors

ABSTRACTThis article synthesizes seven peer-reviewed articles that investigate the varying roles of social networking sites, cyber peers, and social capital in the information seeking behavior of adolescents. The theoretical approaches of Brenda Dervin, Elfreda Chatman, and Carol Kuhlthau are instrumental in establishing the basis for the research in terms of information seeking behavior. There are three main foci of the research synthesized: information seeking behavior and information needs; maturation or development and behavioral norms; and the ideas of sociability or social capital and bridging capital.
Evaluation of atmospheric nitrogen deposition model performance in the context of U.S. critical load assessments

Abstract Air quality models are widely used to estimate pollutant deposition rates and thereby calculate critical loads and critical load exceedances (model deposition > critical load). However, model operational performance is not always quantified specifically to inform these applications. We developed a performance assessment approach designed to inform critical load and exceedance calculations, and applied it to the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. We quantified wet inorganic N deposition performance of several widely-used air quality models, including five different Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) simulations, the Tdep model, and ‘PRISM x NTN’ model. Modeled wet inorganic N deposition estimates were compared to wet inorganic N deposition measurements at 16 National Trends Network (NTN) monitoring sites, and to annual bulk inorganic N deposition measurements at Mount Rainier National Park. Model bias (model – observed) and error (|model – observed|) were expressed as a percentage of regional critical load values for diatoms and lichens. This novel approach demonstrated that wet inorganic N deposition bias in the Pacific Northwest approached or exceeded 100% of regional diatom and lichen critical load values at several individual monitoring sites, and approached or exceeded 50% of critical loads when averaged regionally. Even models that adjusted deposition estimates based on deposition measurements to reduce bias or that spatially-interpolated measurement data, had bias that approached or exceeded critical loads at some locations. While wet inorganic N deposition model bias is only one source of uncertainty that can affect critical load and exceedance calculations, results demonstrate expressing bias as a percentage of critical loads at a spatial scale consistent with calculations may be a useful exercise for those performing calculations. It may help decide if model performance is adequate for a particular calculation, help assess confidence in calculation results, and highlight cases where a non-deterministic approach may be needed.
An integrated microcombustor and photonic crystal emitter for thermophotovoltaics

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion is appealing for portable millimeter- scale generators because of its simplicity, but it relies on a high temperatures. The performance and reliability of the high-temperature components, a microcombustor and a photonic crystal emitter, has proven challenging because they are subjected to 1000-1200°C and stresses arising from thermal expansion mismatches. In this paper, we adopt the industrial process of diffusion brazing to fabricate an integrated microcombustor and photonic crystal by bonding stacked metal layers. Diffusion brazing is simpler and faster than previous approaches of silicon MEMS and welded metal, and the end result is more robust.
Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is most often identified during early childhood, it is becoming increasingly apparent that recognition can be delayed and that initial diagnosis of ASD can occur during adulthood. As Lai and Baron-Cohen proposed, adult identification may be due to an increasing public awareness of ASD as well as a broadening of the diagnostic criteria to include higher functioning individuals who would likely not be seen as having sufficiently severe symptoms during childhood to warrant a diagnosis. Regardless of the underlying causes for the increased, and still increasing, number of adults with ASD and heightened recognition of the disorder in adulthood, it is abundantly clear that more research is needed to inform effective treatment of co-occurring mental health conditions in adults with ASD, including anxiety disorders. In this chapter, we describe the presentation and prevalence of anxiety disorders in adults with ASD and evidence-informed approaches to assess and treat anxiety in this population.
Brace Success Is Related to Curve Type in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Background: Curve magnitude and skeletal maturity are important factors in determining the efficacy of bracing for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, but curve morphology may also affect brace success. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of curve morphology on the response to bracing with a thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO). Methods: A retrospective review of patients managed with an orthosis for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were prospectively enrolled at the initiation of brace wear and followed through completion of bracing or surgery was performed. Inclusion criteria were main curves of 25° to 45° and a Risser stage of 0, 1, or 2 at the time of brace prescription. Compliance with bracing was measured with Maxim Integrated Thermochrons. Radiographs made at brace initiation, brace cessation, and final follow-up were used to retrospectively categorize curves with use of the modified Lenke (mLenke) classification system and more broadly to categorize them as main thoracic or main lumbar. The effect of morphology on outcome was evaluated using chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results: One hundred and sixty-eight patients were included. There was no difference in curve magnitude at the time of brace initiation (p = 0.798) or in average hours of daily brace wear (p = 0.146) between groups. The rate of surgery or progression of the curve to ≥50° was 34.5% (29 of 84) in mLenke-I curves, 54.5% (6 of 11) in mLenke-II curves, 29.4% (10 of 34) in mLenke-III curves, 17.6% (3 of 17) in mLenke-V curves, and 13.6% (3 of 22) in mLenke-VI curves. There were no mLenke-IV curves at the time of brace initiation. The rate of surgery or progression to ≥50° was 34.1% (44 of 129) in the combined thoracic group and 15.4% (6 of 39) in the combined lumbar group (p = 0.0277). In brace-compliant patients (>12.9 hours/day), the rate of surgery or progression to ≥50° was 30.3% (20 of 66) in main thoracic curves and 5.3% (1 of 19) in main lumbar curves (p = 0.0239). One-tenth of curves changed morphology during bracing. The rate of surgery or progression to ≥50° was 35.8% (43 of 120) in persistent main thoracic curves, 20.0% (6 of 30) in persistent main lumbar curves, 12.5% (1 of 8) in main thoracic curves that became main lumbar curves, and 0% (0 of 9) in main lumbar curves that became main thoracic curves (p = 0.0383). Conclusions: Thoracic curves are at greater risk for brace failure than lumbar curves are despite similar initial curve magnitudes and average amount of daily brace wear. A change in curve pattern may imply flexibility and is associated with brace success. Patients with thoracic curves should be counseled accordingly. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
The Robust Sparse Fourier Transform (RSFT) and Its Application in Radar Signal Processing

The Sparse Fourier Transform (SFT), designed for signals that contain a small number of frequencies, enjoys low complexity, and thus is ideally suited for big data applications. In this paper, we propose Robust Sparse Fourier Transform, (RSFT), which is a modification of SFT that extends the SFT advantages to real world, noisy settings. RSFT can accommodate off-grid frequencies in the data. Furthermore, by incorporating Neyman–Pearson detection in the SFT stages, frequency detection does not require knowledge of the exact sparsity of the signal, and is robust to noise. We analyze the asymptotic performance of RSFT, and study the computational complexity versus detection performance tradeoff. We show that, by appropriately choosing the detection thresholds, the optimal tradeoff can be achieved. We discuss the application of RSFT on short-range ubiquitous radar signal processing and demonstrate its feasibility via simulations.
Die Leistung und ihre Periodik

„Leistung” ist, in weitestem Sinne genommen, keine personalistische, noch weniger eine rein psychologische Kategorie. Unpersonliche Dinge, wie etwa Maschinen, vollziehen Leistungen starkster Art. Der Nestbau des Vogels ist zweifellos eine Leistung, unabhangig davon, ob und welche seelischen Vorgange daran beteiligt sind.
Laser-Assisted Multi-tissue Management During Aesthetic or Restorative Procedures

Whether treating new carious lesions or planning extensive prosthodontics, the dental clinician must consider how the restoration will harmonize with the periodontium so that the result will be both healthy and maintainable. Likewise, recontouring the gingiva and the underlying supporting bone for improved aesthetics must entail the same deliberation. Dental lasers can be used for modification of soft or hard supporting tissue. The appropriate wavelength and operating parameters must be chosen for the specific tissue, but the result can be very predictable and biologically compatible with the restoration.
Comparing clinician descriptions of frailty and geriatric syndromes using electronic health records: a retrospective cohort study.

Geriatric syndromes, including frailty, are common in older adults and associated with adverse outcomes. We compared patients described in clinical notes as “frail” to other older adults with respect to geriatric syndrome burden and healthcare utilization. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 18,341 Medicare Advantage enrollees aged 65+ (members of a large nonprofit medical group in Massachusetts), analyzing up to three years of administrative claims and structured and unstructured electronic health record (EHR) data. We determined the presence of ten geriatric syndromes (falls, malnutrition, dementia, severe urinary control issues, absence of fecal control, visual impairment, walking difficulty, pressure ulcers, lack of social support, and weight loss) from claims and EHR data, and the presence of frailty descriptions in clinical notes with a pattern-matching natural language processing (NLP) algorithm. Of the 18,341 patients, we found that 2202 (12%) were described as “frail” in clinical notes. “Frail” patients were older (82.3 ± 6.8 vs 75.9 ± 5.9, p < .001) and had higher rates of healthcare utilization, including number of inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits, than the rest of the population (p < .001). “Frail” patients had on average 4.85 ± 1.72 of the ten geriatric syndromes studied, while non-frail patients had 2.35 ± 1.71 (p = .013). Falls, walking difficulty, malnutrition, weight loss, lack of social support and dementia were more highly correlated with frailty descriptions. The most common geriatric syndrome pattern among “frail” patients was a combination of walking difficulty, lack of social support, falls, and weight loss. Patients identified as “frail” by providers in clinical notes have higher rates of healthcare utilization and more geriatric syndromes than other patients. Certain geriatric syndromes were more highly correlated with descriptions of frailty than others.
Men’s Interest in Allying with a Previous Combatant for Future Group Combat

Intra- and intergroup conflict are likely to have been recurrent features of human evolutionary history; however, little research has investigated the factors that affect men’s combat alliance decisions. The current study investigated whether features of previous one-on-one combat with an opponent affect men’s interest in allying with that opponent for future group combat. Fifty-eight undergraduate men recruited from a psychology department subject pool participated in a one-on-one laboratory fight simulation. We manipulated fight outcome (between-subjects), perceived fighter health asymmetry (within-subjects), and the presence of a witness (within-subjects) over six sets of five rounds of fighting. Following each set, we asked men how interested they would be in allying with their opponent for future group combat. We found that men were more interested in allying with their opponent for future group combat if their opponent won the fight or if a witness was present, but perceived fighter-health asymmetry did not affect men’s decision to ally with their opponent. Exploratory analyses revealed a two-way interaction between fight outcome and the presence of a witness, such that winners without a witness present expressed less interest in allying with their opponent for future group combat. Our findings suggest that men attend to the benefits of allying with a man who has demonstrated relatively superior fighting ability. Alliance with a previous opponent for group combat may vary with the relationship value of the opponent and the utility of demonstrating cooperativeness to third-party observers. These findings inform our understanding of coalition formation.
Biases in electronic health record data due to processes within the healthcare system: retrospective observational study.

Abstract Objective To evaluate on a large scale, across 272 common types of laboratory tests, the impact of healthcare processes on the predictive value of electronic health record (EHR) data. Design Retrospective observational study. Setting Two large hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts, with inpatient, emergency, and ambulatory care. Participants All 669 452 patients treated at the two hospitals over one year between 2005 and 2006. Main outcome measures The relative predictive accuracy of each laboratory test for three year survival, using the time of the day, day of the week, and ordering frequency of the test, compared to the value of the test result. Results The presence of a laboratory test order, regardless of any other information about the test result, has a significant association (P Conclusions Healthcare processes must be addressed and accounted for in analysis of observational health data. Without careful consideration to context, EHR data are unsuitable for many research questions. However, if explicitly modeled, the same processes that make EHR data complex can be leveraged to gain insight into patients’ state of health.
Reification by Parametricity

We present a new strategy for performing reification in Coq. That is, we show how to generate first-class abstract syntax trees from “native” terms of Coq’s logic, suitable as inputs to verified compilers or procedures in the proof-by-reflection style. Our new strategy, based on simple generalization of subterms as variables, is straightforward, short, and fast. In its pure form, it is only complete for constants and function applications, but “let” binders, eliminators, lambdas, and quantifiers can be accommodated through lightweight coding conventions or preprocessing.
Psychopathy and therapeutic pessimism: Clinical lore or clinical reality?

It is a widely held belief that psychopathic individuals are extremely difficult to treat, if not immune to treatment. This therapeutic pessimism is pervasive and undermines motivation to search for effective modes of intervention for psychopathic individuals. A review of 42 treatment studies on psychopathy revealed that there is little scientific basis for the belief that psychopathy is an untreatable disorder. Three significant problems with regard to the research on the psychopathy-treatment relation cast doubt on strident conclusions that deem the disorder untreatable. First, there is considerable disagreement as to the defining characteristics of psychopathy. Second, the etiology of psychopathy is not well understood. Third, there are relatively few empirical investigations of the psychopathy-treatment relationship and even fewer efforts that follow up psychopathic individuals after treatment. Psychologists are encouraged to investigate the psychopathy-treatment relation from multiple perspectives as well as to conduct long-term follow-up studies to establish a modern view of the psychopathy-treatment relation.
Morphological Indicators of Gape Size for Red-Tailed Pipe Snakes (Cylindrophis ruffus)

Abstract Studies of the structures that limit gape size in snakes contribute to the understanding of the function and evolution of the ophidian feeding apparatus. Although recent papers have invest...
Locking plate fixation of proximal humerus fractures in patients older than 60 years continues to be associated with a high complication rate.

Background Locking plate technology has increased the frequency of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of proximal humerus fractures (PHF). A number of technical pearls have been recommended to lower the complication rate of ORIF. These pearls are particularly relevant for patients aged >60 years, when nonoperative treatment and arthroplasty are alternatives commonly considered. There have been few large, single-center studies on the modern application of this technology. Methods Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 173 PHFs in patients aged >60 years were treated at our institution with ORIF using locking plates. Failure was defined as reoperation or radiographic evidence of failure. Average follow-up was 6.1 years. Results There was an overall complication rate of 44%. The overall failure rate was 34% and correlated with fracture type: 26% failure rate in 2-part fractures (16 failures), 39% in 3-part fractures (23 failures), and 45% in 4-part fractures (11 failures). There was no difference between the failure rate with and without fibular allograft (33% vs. 34%). Most patients with radiographic or clinical failure did not undergo reoperation. The overall reoperation rate was 11% (14 patients). Seven percent of 2-part fractures (4 shoulders), 14% of 3-part fractures (8 shoulders), and 18% of 4-part fractures (2 shoulders) required reoperation. Conclusions ORIF of PHFs with locking plates in patients aged >60 years resulted in a 44% complication and 34% failure rate. There was a trend toward higher complication and failure rates in older patients and more complex fractures. Refinement in fixation techniques and indications are necessary to optimize the surgical management of PHFs.
Data from timing fear cues in the temporal bisection task

Research on emotion often involves the use of emotion-evoking stimuli that are used to manipulate emotional state across groups or conditions. One standardized set of stimuli that has been used for this purpose is the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) [1]. The data described in this article were obtained over the course of two experiments in which the primary task was for participants to judge the presentation duration of six IAPS pictures in the temporal bisection task [2-4]. Each of these experiments contained three types of phases (rating, training, and testing). In rating phases, participants rated the IAPS pictures for evoked valence, arousal, and fear. In training phases, participants were trained to classify the presentation duration of green squares (Experiment 1) or IAPS pictures (Experiment 2) as either "short" or "long." In testing phases, participants were instructed to use what they had learned in the preceding training phases to classify the IAPS pictures as either "short" or "long." The findings related to these data were published in Grommet, Hemmes, and Brown [5], and the data are available in Mendeley Data, DOI: 10.17632/xx6zh6mmjw.1 [6].
Are gravitating magnetic monopoles stable

The gravitating Julia-Zee dyon is a particle-like solution with both electric and magnetic charge. It is found in the Einstein-Yang-Mills-Higgs system of $SU(2)$ with a scalar field in the adjoint representation coupled to gravity. Within the magnetic ansatz this system is reduced from describing dyons to describing the gravitating 't Hooft--Polyakov magnetic monopole. The stability of the well-known static gravitating magnetic monopole solutions with respect to perturbations within the magnetic ansatz---so-called magnetic perturbations---is well studied, but their stability with respect to perturbations outside the magnetic ansatz---so-called sphaleronic perturbations---is not. I undertake a purely numerical study by adding sphaleronic perturbations to gravitating magnetic monopole solutions and then dynamically evolving the system. For large perturbations I find that the system heads toward a dyon configuration, as expected. For sufficiently small perturbations, however, the system oscillates about the magnetic ansatz in a manner consistent with oscillations about a stable equilibrium.
Distributed Model Predictive Control for Intelligent Traffic System

This paper proposes a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) approach for an urban traffic network (UTN) system. The control objective is to minimize the traffic congestion and the total travel time spent (TTS) in each link. The proposed DMPC algorithm considers traffic demand and disturbance predictions. The CasADi optimization tool is used to solve the constrained optimization problem. The proposed distributed control approach achieved 60% less computation time, 14.3% less TTS, and 15.1% less queue length compared to the centralized approach. Moreover, while the centralized algorithm neglected the input and state constraints, the distributed approach resulted in the satisfaction of all the constraints over the whole horizon.
Comparison of Leakage Magnetic Field from Matched and Mismatched Double-D Coil based Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles

In this paper, a magnetic shield design is proposed for a matched and mismatched coil based high-power wireless charging system (WCS). The high-power WCS are highly prone to exceed the safety limits of both the electric and magnetic field leakage. The leakage magnetic field from the mismatched pads are higher than the matched pads. In a mismatched system, the receiver is usually made much smaller than the transmitter, which requires higher amp-turns in the coils to transfer the same amount of power. In addition, coupling factor is lower in mismatched systems. Therefore, the electromagnetic field (EMF) emission is higher for a mismatched system, compared to matched system where both the transmitter and receiver are similar and large. This phenomenon applies for both the nonpolarized-circular and DD pads. In this paper, the leakage magnetic field is compared for the matched-DD and mismatched-DD coil-based WCS. The leakage field is evaluated through finite element analysis (FEA) and verified experimentally through an 11 kW mismatched DD system. The results show that, the leakage magnetic field is much higher for a mismatched WCS, compared to a matched WCS.