cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ELEVATED AIRBORNE CONCENTRATIONS OF FUNGI IN RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS

Airborne concentrations of fungi were measured in six residential and office environments in response to health complaints. In each case, volumetric samples were collected at several locations using Andersen sieve samplers. Reference samples were collected outside all buildings. Swab samples of surfaces and bulk samples of materials such as carpeting and ceiling tiles were also collected and analyzed to determine possible sources of microbial contamination. Predominant fungi were identified based upon gross colony morphology and microscopic examination. Airborne concentrations of fungi detected inside each of the buildings significantly exceeded outdoor concentrations in at least one location, indicating indoor sources of contamination. The predominant types of indoor specific microorganisms detected implicated indoor sources. Swab and bulk samples verified sources. Contamination was caused by either water damage or buildup of dust. Fungi were aerosolized from contaminated materials by movement of air thr...
Exercise training increases basal tone in arterioles distal to chronic coronary occlusion.

Endurance exercise training increases basal active tone in coronary arteries and enhances myogenic tone in coronary arterioles of control animals. Paradoxically, exercise training has also been sho...
Effects of subgrain boundaries on carrier transport in zone-melting-recrystallized Si films on SiO 2 -coated Si substrates

The transport properties of zone-melting-recrystallized Si films on SiO 2 -coated Si substrates have been studied by the fabrication and characterization of thin-film resistors and n-channel MOSFET's. Subgrain boundaries, which are the predominant crystal defects in the films, have a relatively low trapping state density (7-8 × 1011cm-2) and low resistance. N-channel MOSFET's fabricated in the films exhibit high surface electron mobilities (∼ 640 cm2/V-s) for electron transport either parallel or perpendicular to the subgrain boundaries.
A comparison of the Marcus Gunn and alternating light tests for afferent pupillary defects

Abstract Objective The authors compared two methods, the Marcus Gunn test and the alternating light test, for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect. Design A randomized, prospective clinical trial. Participants Fourteen patients with unilateral optic neuropathy. Intervention The Marcus Gunn and alternating light tests were performed on each patient. Main outcome measures The results of the Marcus Gunn and alternating light tests for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect on the affected side. Results The Marcus Gunn test was able to identify the affected eye in only 8 of 14 patients, whereas the alternating light test correctly identified the affected eye in 13 of 14 patients. Results of the Marcus Gunn test were indeterminate in 4 of 14 patients and were incorrect in 2 of 14 patients. Results of the alternating light test were indeterminate in one patient and never incorrectly identified the affected eye. Conclusion The alternating light test is superior to the Marcus Gunn test for detecting relative afferent pupillary defects.
Image matching using the windowed Fourier phase

A theoretical framework is presented in which windowed Fourier phase (WFP) is introduced as the primary matching primitive. Zero-crossings and peaks correspond to special values of the phase. The WFP is quasi-linear and dense; and its spatial period and slope are controlled by the scale. This framework has the following important characteristics: 1) matching primitives are available almost everywhere to convey dense disparity information in every channel, either coarse or fine; 2) the false-target problem is significantly mitigated; 3) the matching is easier, uniform, and can be performed by a network suitable for parallel computer architecture; 4) the matching is fast since very few iterations are needed. In fact, the WFP is so informative that the original signal can be uniquely determined up to a multiplicative constant by the WFP in any channel. The use of phase as matching primitive is also supported by some existing psychophysical and neurophysiological studies. An implementation of the proposed theory has shown good results from synthesized and natural images.
Wireless video coding system demonstration

Summary form only given. We have developed and present here a prototype point-to-point wireless video system that has been implemented using a combination of commercial components and custom hardware. The coding algorithm being used consists of subband decomposition using low-complexity, integer-coefficient filters, scalar quantization, and run-length and entropy coding. The prototype system consists of the following major components: spread spectrum radio with interface card and driver, compression board, and an NEC laptop and docking station which provide the PC bus slots and control. The compression algorithms are implemented on a board with a single 10000-gate FPGA. Prior to implementing the algorithms in hardware, a study was performed to resolve issues of word length and scaling, and to select quantization and run length parameters. It was determined that 16-bit precision in the wavelet transform stage is sufficient to prevent under-low and overflow provided that rescaling of data is correctly performed. After processing by the FPGA, the compressed video is transferred to the PC for transmission over the radio. A commercial serial card (PI Card) provides a synchronous serial interface to the radio. The serial controller chip used by this card supports several serial protocols and thus the effect of the these protocols on the data in a wireless environment can be tested.
The many faces of facebook: experiencing social media as performance, exhibition, and personal archive

The growing use of social media means that an increasing amount of people's lives are visible online. We draw from Goffman's theatrical metaphor and Hogan's exhibition approach to explore how people manage their personal collection of social media data over time. We conducted a qualitative study of 13 participants to reveal their day-to-day decision-making about producing and curating digital traces on Facebook. Their goals and strategies showed that people experience the Facebook platform as consisting of three different functional regions: a performance region for managing recent data and impression management, an exhibition region for longer term presentation of self-image, and a personal region for archiving meaningful facets of life. Further, users' need for presenting and archiving data in these three regions is mediated by temporality. These findings trigger a discussion of how to design social media that support these dynamic and sometimes conflicting needs.
The Complexity of Decoders

The twenty-fifth anniversary of birth of Information Theory, as marked by the publication of Shannon’s seminal 1948 paper [Shannon (1948)], has just recently been celebrated. These have been a most productive and a most stimulating twenty-five years and to a large extent, the goal set out by information theorists has been achieved. That goal is to find and describe the means to obtain reliable communication on noisy channels at tolerably low reduction in data rates. Algebraic and non-algebraic, block and convolutional codes have been discovered along with algebraic and non-algebraic decoding procedures which do permit reliable communication on many types of noisy channels, radio, wire and space.
AIIDE 2010 StarCraft Competition

In 2010, AIIDE will host the StarCraft AI competition. This event enables researchers to evaluate their systems in a commercial real-time strategy game. Participants are given the task of building the best performing bot for StarCraft: Brood War, which was released by Blizzard Entertainment in 1998. The goals of the competition are to provide a testbed for AI and to promote game AI research by exhibiting techniques in an immensely popular game. It includes participants from several universities, industry professionals, and StarCraft enthusiasts.
An 8 Bit 0.8 GS/s 8.352 mW Modified Successive Approximation Register Based Analog to Digital Converter in 65 nm CMOS

We propose a new approach in reducing the power consumption of the successive approximation register Analog to Digital Converter (SAR-ADC) by changing the convergence algorithm of the Digital to Analog converter (DAC) input of the SAR-ADC. Different search algorithms such as binary search tree, moving binary search tree (BST), least significant bit shifter (LSB), adaptive algorithm and split-register moving BST algorithm are designed and analyzed for faster convergence of the DAC input. In this paper, we design a 0.8 GS/s, 8 bit (Effective number of bits (ENOB)—7.42), 8.352 mW SAR ADC with a proposed moving BST algorithm in 65 nm CMOS which ranks amongst the current state of the art ADCs with a FOM 65.25 fJ/step.
Getting Started Overseas: Eximank Working Capital Financing for Small Business Exporters

This article focuses on pre-export financing options offered to small business exporters by the U.S. Export-Im port Bank. Financing is provided in theform of guarantees on commercial bank working capital loans to small business exporters. The pa per discusses the program itself as well as relevant federal statutory law governing the program's establishment and operation.
Optimal investment strategies for light duty vehicle and electricity generation sectors in a carbon constrained world

Greenhouse gas emission targets are becoming more stringent for both automakers and electricity generators. Meeting those targets will require technology and capacity planning strategies that are both cost efficient and environmentally conscious. With the introduction of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, the light duty vehicle and electricity generation sectors become linked. To estimate the prospective advantage of cooperation in meeting those goals and enhance government policies to encourage their cooperation, we present a mathematical model that enables trade-off analysis between the sectors if they work independently with separate emission constraints or together with a joint constraint. Under the assumption that the automakers and electricity generators can build the selected vehicle or generator capacity as needed, high level insights of cost efficient capacity planning strategies for automakers and electricity generators are provided. A key finding is that although potential savings are a small fraction (3 %) of the discounted total societal cost incurred in both sectors, cooperation can significantly reduce the incremental cost of CO $$_2$$ reduction (50 %). Additionally, if the low natural gas (NG) price observed recently continues, it will be favorable to build NG generators rather than renewable generation capacity in the early years and abandon them later to switch to renewable energy in the time horizon from 2011 to 2050.
Individual variation in reentrainment after phase shifts of light-dark cycle in a diurnal rodent Octodon degus

The rate and pattern of activity and temperature reentrainment was determined after 3-, 6-, and 9-h phase advances and phase delays in two groups of Octodon degus for whom phase response curves (PRCs) to light and dark pulses and free-running periods (tau) in constant darkness and constant light had previously been determined [T.M. Lee and S. E. Labyak. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 42): R278-R286, 1997.]. We predicted that individuals with light-pulse PRCs containing both significant phase delay and phase advance regions would phase delay more rapidly than individuals lacking significant phase delays after light pulses. We also expected that animals without a phase delay region in the light-pulse PRC would demonstrate more temporary circadian abnormalities during the period of reentrainment (periods of masking, bimodal patterns of activity, and abnormal phase relationships between activity and temperature). Degus with light-pulse PRCs containing both a significant phase-delay and -advance region reentrained significantly faster and with fewer disrupted patterns of entrainment after 6- and 9-h phase delays than degus without phase-delay regions in the PRC. The rate of reentrainment after phase advances did not differ between animals with the two types of PRC except for temperature after a 6-h phase shift. Because animals with and without phase-delay regions in the light-pulse PRC had equivalent tau s, the interindividual variation in reentrainment is best explained by the fundamental differences in the light-pulse PRCs. The variation of rate and pattern of reentrainment for both groups of animals were reasonably predicted or explained by knowledge of the light-pulse and dark-pulse PRCs.
Alkaline phosphatase concentration in cervical mucus.

This study measured the alkaline phosphatase activity of the cervica l mucus and defined its response to hormonal stimulus. From a group of normal women not using any contraception serial cervical mucus specimens were obtained beginning on Day 10 of the cycle and continuing until after ovulatory period. Patients in another group were receiving gonadotropin therapy for anovulation and infertility. Patients in a third group were given a variety of estrogen and progesterone drugs. From some patients 24-hour urine specimens were also obtained and the es triol content measured. The cervical mucus was aspirated from all and the alkaline phosphatase activity determined. Results are expressed in King-Armstrong units. Preovulatory levels showed a wide variation. In normal women there was a marked upward trend after ovulation which continued as long as mucus was available. Patients receiving gonadotropin therapy showed a definite rise in mucus phosphatase activity within 24 hours of time of presumptive ovulation. Estradiol excretion obtained at the same time showed no correlation. Patients tre ated with estrogen-progestagen combination oral contraceptives showed consistent levels of alkaline phosphatase during the first 15 days. However 48 hours after administration of chlormadinone there was a marked increase in phosphatase activity. This pattern of alkaline phosphatase rise with a progestogen could be duplicated by administering mestranol for 15 days followed by mestranol in combination with norethindrone. Estriol excretion patterns in patients taking sequential oral contraceptives were extremely low. The physiologic significance of these findings is unanswered.
Reflection from the free surface of an inhomogeneous media

A study of the reflection of compressional waves for an elastic, isotropic, inhomogeneous medium in which compressional and shear-wave equations are separable, reveals that, if the properties of the medium are varying slowly, then for real incidence the reflection coefficient for the free surface is complex and the phase change upon vertical reflection is not 180° as is the case for a homogeneous media.
Revisiting Individual Discipline Feasible using matrix-free Inexact-Newton-Krylov

The individual-discipline-feasible (IDF) formulation was proposed to simplify the implementation of MDO problems. The IDF formulation introduces coupling variables into the optimization problem that eliminate the need for a full multidisciplinary analysis at each optimization iteration; this simplifies the solution of MDO problems by maintaining modularity of the discipline software. Historically, the MDO community has used conventional optimization algorithms to solve IDF-formulated problems. Conventional optimizers are not well suited to IDF, because they use limited-memory quasi-Newton methods (linear convergence) and require the constraint Jacobian explicitly. The cost of computing the coupling-variable constraint Jacobian is prohibitively expensive for high-fidelity IDF problems. Matrix-free Reduced-Space inexact-Newton-Krylov (RSNK) algorithms overcome these issues, because they scale superlinearly and do not require the constraint Jacobian explicitly. Therefore, this class of algorithm has great potential to solve IDF-formulated MDO problems in a scalable and efficient manner. In this paper, we describe the application of RSNK to the IDF formulation and compare its performance to the multidisciplinary feasible architecture.
An improved group searching optimization method

Standard group searching optimization(GSO) is a swarm intelligence algorithm for high-dimensional function optimization.It is simple and efficient,and easy to implement.In order to enhance its convergence speed as well as precision,an improvement on this method is presented.Inheriting the framework of"producer-scroungerranger" of GSO,the improved GSO(iGSO) introduces the strategy of maximum descendent direction to the behavior of the so-called producer.In each iteration,the producer searches not only according to the direction of itself,but also according to the maximum descendent direction.Tests are carried out through 23 standard test functions on GSO and iGSO independently,the results shows iGSO method is prior to GSO.
Increased Lateral Tibial Plateau Slope Predisposes Male College Football Players to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Background: There are conflicting reports regarding the role of osseous morphologic characteristics such as an increased tibial slope as associated with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Few studies have analyzed the role of a combination of osseous morphologic characteristics in matched case control studies. The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between osseous morphologic characteristics and ACL injury in male college American-football players. Methods: Ninety male U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-I college football players who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a knee injury between 2005 and 2014 were included. Subjects with an ACL injury (ACL-injured group) were matched for age, height, weight, and body mass index to subjects without an ACL injury (control group). Several osseous morphologic characteristics including medial and lateral condylar width, medial and lateral plateau width, notch width, bicondylar width, notch width index, and medial and lateral tibial slopes were measured and were compared between groups. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: According to univariable analysis, a narrower lateral femoral condyle (odds ratio, 0.82 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.68 to 0.97]), increased medial tibial plateau slope (odds ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.09 to 1.85]), and increased lateral tibial plateau slope (odds ratio, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.15 to 1.78]) were significantly associated with ACL injury. Multivariable analysis revealed that increased lateral tibial slope (odds ratio, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.70]) was the sole independent predictor of ACL injury. Conclusions: Based on this study, osseous morphology, specifically increased lateral tibial slope, is associated with ACL injury in male college football players. These data might help to improve prevention strategies to lower ACL injury. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Precis: The Most Good You Can Do†

Effective altruism is based on a very simple idea: we should do the most good we can. Obeying the usual rules about not stealing, cheating, hurting, and killing is not enough, or at least not enoug...
Superficial acral fibromyxoma: A case report

There are a wide variety of benign and malignant soft tissue tumors. Digital superficial acral fibromyxoma is a rare, benign, expansive soft tissue growth which often involves the distal aspect of the digit and the nail plate. While it is often asymptomatic in nature, it may cause a great deal of distress due to involvement of the nail and the resultant cosmetic deformity. Unlike wide excision or amputation needed for more aggressive tumor types, local excision is often curative. We review the literature and describe the presentation of this unique pathology to our clinic in an otherwise healthy 33-year-old female.
Electronic displays of aggression in teen dating relationships: Does the social ecology matter?

Abstract Electronic and online forms of communication play a central role in the social lives of adolescents. The increased connectivity provided by electronic communication has allowed for the distal engagement in a set of negative behaviors such as bullying, harassment and stalking known collectively as electronic aggression. Recent research has explored the use of electronic aggression within teen dating relationships. This study sought to expand on that research by examining the influence of the social ecology on electronic aggression in these relationships. Survey data from 727 middle and high school students who reported a dating history in the past year found significant associations between elements of the social ecology and the perpetration of electronic dating aggression (EDA). Parental involvement and perceived safety in the community were linked to decreased rates of EDA perpetration, while Adverse Childhood Experiences were connected with a greater likelihood of perpetrating EDA. The findings suggest a number of sites within the social ecology for environmental modification to protect against EDA within teen relationships.
Indications and Use of Hydrogen Peroxide during Microvascular Flap Reconstruction Surgery: A Literature and Procedural Use Review

Microvascular flap reconstruction surgery is a limb preservation procedure performed in an effort to maintain the integrity of the lower limb and avoid amputations. Individuals facing the prospect of amputation often have long-term diabetes with multiple comorbidities, including severe peripheral vascular disease; peripheral arterial disease; chronic ulcerations; and Charcot arthropathy. Long-term clinical research has shown that these patients are at much higher risk for secondary amputations after a first amputation is performed. According to Sohn et al, Charcot and ulcer groups had 4.1 and 4.7 amputations per 100 person-years, respectively. In patients younger than 65 years old at the end of follow-up, amputation risk, relative to patients with Charcot alone, was 7 times higher for patients with ulcer alone and 12 times higher for patients with Charcot and ulcer. Patients with infected hardware, suffering from acute ulcerative conditions, may also be candidates for this type of surgery due to extensive tissue loss secondary to infection. Microvascular flap reconstruction surgery is a highly technical surgery involving the use of orthoplastic techniques, which is performed under ×3.5 loupe magnification. Due to the inability to perform this procedure with the use of a tourniquet, visibility within the field is obfuscated from continuous blood flow along the dissected muscle belly. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is an excellent alternative to tourniquet use. The use of H 2 O 2 allows additional benefits, such as visual field clearance and antisepsis.
Superior Petrosal Vein Sacrifice During Microvascular Decompression: Perioperative Complication Rates and Comparison with Venous Preservation

Objective To investigate potential effect of sacrifice of the superior petrosal vein (SPV) on postoperative complications after microvascular decompression (MVD). Methods Retrospective review of 98 consecutive patients undergoing MVD of cranial nerve V was performed. Frequency of division of the SPV during surgery was recorded, and postoperative complications and imaging were recorded and analyzed. In patients with complications, the specific anatomic variation of the superior petrosal venous complex was noted. Results Of 98 patients undergoing MVD, 83 (84.7%) had sacrifice of the SPV at the time of surgery, 12 (12.2%) had the SPV preserved, and 3 (3.1%) were revision operations. Four patients (4.8%) had complications deemed to be attributable to venous insufficiency or congestion. These included sigmoid sinus thrombosis with coincident cerebellar hemorrhage, midbrain and pontine infarction, hemiparesis with midbrain and pontine edema, and facial paresis with ischemia in the middle cerebellar peduncle. None of the patients with preserved SPV were symptomatic or had imaging changes consistent with venous congestion. Conclusions Sacrifice of the SPV is often performed during MVD. This is associated with a complication rate that is significant in frequency and severity compared with preserving the vein. SPV sacrifice should be limited to cases where it is deemed absolutely necessary for successful cranial nerve decompression.
Introduction to the Special Section on the Goldwater Rule.

The publication of this special section offers a chance to reflect on a topic of perennial interest in psychiatry: the ethics of commenting on public figures. Since at least the election of 1964, when publisher Ralph Ginzburg became concerned about Barry Goldwater's psychological fitness,
Clinical Reasoning: A 61-year-old man with conjugate gaze deviation, hemiparesis, and asymmetric reflexes.

A 61-year-old man with a history of alcoholic cirrhosis was transferred from an outside hospital for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, septic shock, and respiratory failure after intubation. The patient was initially on sedation; however, more than 48 hours after the sedative was discontinued, his mental status remained depressed and he also developed new onset of conjugate rightward gaze deviation. On neurologic examination, the patient was unresponsive to verbal stimuli and sternal rub. He could not follow any command, including closing or opening eyes and squeezing hands. He had remarkable conjugate, forced eye deviation that could not be corrected to cross the midline using the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Corneal and gag reflexes were preserved. He blinked to visual threat less on the left side, had no clear facial asymmetry, and withdrew on his right arm and knees but had a flaccid left arm. His reflexes were brisker on the left biceps and brachioradialis, and the other deep tendon reflexes were absent. His plantar reflex was upgoing on the left side and downgoing on the right side. CT of the head had no significant findings.
Does the Holistic Study of Behavior have a Future

D’arcy Thompson did not consider “what the Greeks called άρµονία” to be a proper subject for scientific investigation: “it is on another plane of thought from the physicist’s that we contemplate their intrinsic harmony and perfection, and ‘see that they are good’ ” (Thompson, 1961, p. 7). But recently the question has been reopened by the theoretical physicist David Bohm (1968a,b). His “remarks on the notion of order,” at one of those posh conferences on theoretical biology, created a major disturbance, and may signify an incipient revolution in biological thinking. I cannot summarize what he had to say; his eloquence should be allowed to speak for itself. But I must state that I count myself as a Bohmist, whether or not he chooses to acknowledge his disciples.
Inelastic Response of Simply Supported I-Girders Subjected to Weak Axis Bending

Publisher Summary Mechanical loads are widely used for straightening or curving steel girders used in buildings. In this operation, concentrated forces are applied to a girder on simple supports to induce permanent deformations about its weak axis. Closed form solutions are developed to define the load versus residual deflection response for the particular case in which simply supported symmetrical girders are bent by a single concentrated load or two equal concentrated loads. This chapter discusses the effect of cantilevered ends, a more common situation for fabricators, where bending is induced over shorter lengths using a movable bending fixture. A numerical example is included to explain the application of the equations derived. These equations permit optimization of the cold bending/straightening operation.
Thermomechanical Modeling of Welding and Galvanizing a Steel Beam Connection Detail to Examine Susceptibility to Cracking

Hot-dip galvanizing is the process of submerging steel elements into molten zinc to form a metallurgically bonded zinc coating that serves as corrosion protection for the steel substrate. Used with great success on an industrial scale for many decades, hot-dip galvanizing is a ubiquitous process. On occasion, cracks in steel members develop during galvanizing. While such cracking remains a poorly understood phenomenon, previous research has attributed the formation of cracks to the combined effects of residual strains introduced by welding and temperature-induced deformations caused by the hot-dip galvanizing process. This article presents thermomechanical analyses of a structural steel beam with a welded double-angle connection detail where cracking occurred during hot-dip galvanizing. Three-dimensional finite element models of the beam and connection detail were analyzed using the finite element analysis software Abaqus (Dassault Systemes, Velizy-Villacoublay, France). The welding process was simulated using the Abaqus Welding Interface, maintaining the welding sequence of the connection. After welding, the entire beam was subjected to a temperature field that was specified through a user subroutine in Abaqus, simulating the hot-dip galvanizing process. The temperature field had a bath temperature of 450°C and a thermal cycle that included dipping, dwell time, and removal from the bath. Material properties used in the simulation were nonlinear and temperature dependent. The parameters of the study were the welding sequences, heat input during welding, and the depth of the double-angle connection. It was observed that strain demands due to welding and hot-dip galvanizing were high magnitude at the cracked location in the beam. The relative significance of strain demands due to welding and of hot-dip galvanizing on the propensity for the beam to develop cracks are discussed.
Aging characterization and modeling of nickel-manganese-cobalt lithium-ion batteries for 48V mild hybrid electric vehicle applications

Abstract This paper investigates the cycle aging behavior of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium ion battery cells under high current rates and narrow window of State-of-Charge (SOC) variation for 48 V mild hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications. The charge sustaining aging profiles were synthesized from real-world duty cycles in some of the authors’ previous work [44,45] and used in the laboratory for life cycle aging testing spaced out by periodic cell capacity tests performed to assess cell aging conditions. Furthermore, at each 1C discharged aging characterization stage, the parameters of a physics-based electrochemical cell model were identified using the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. Among the parameters that can be identified with sufficient accuracy from the experimental data, the concentration of lithium-ions at the negative electrode after full charge is found to be strongly correlated with the system-level loss of capacity. These results provide new insights on the aging performance of NMC lithium ion cells in battery management system for 48 V hybrid vehicles.
Iterative ADMIRE for High Dynamic Range B-Mode

Some adaptive beamformers struggle with high dynamic range scenarios, as notably demonstrated by the dark region artifact (DRA), which can appear when these beamformers are applied in the proximity of strong acoustic sources. The DRA is detrimental because it may mask important features that are weaker acoustically. In a previous study, we used our aperture domain model image reconstruction algorithm (ADMIRE) that was able to partially mitigate the DRA and had improved dynamic range compared to other common beamformers. Here, we introduce an iterative variant of ADMIRE (iADMIRE) that is more fully able to remove the DRA and preserve speckle texture, while also having increased dynamic range. We compared iAD-MIRE to traditional DAS, DMAS, GCF, and normal ADMIRE. iADMIRE demonstrated the highest dynamic range of 69.6 dB, an increase of 19.2 dB compared to DAS and 20.3 dB compared to ADMIRE, and fully restored speckle texture in regions near briaht targets up to 100 dB.
Response to Bruce A. Thyer

Where we disagree is that Professor Thyer would replace the two-year requirement, which has no empiric^ljustiflcation, with licensure, which has no empirical justifi cation. I would leave it to the programs to justify faculty qualifications within the goals and objectives of the programs. I argue in my article that requiring licensure will reduce educational quality overall, but it appears that this debate has carried us past the question of educa tional quality and into the realm of politics. Even so, the politics are not favorable to Professor Thyer's proposal. Professor Thyer's proposal is likely to run afoul of the Council on Higher Edu cation Accreditation (CHEA), the people who accredit CSWE's accreditation pro cess. CHEA admonishes accreditation
Independent Component-Based Spatiotemporal Clutter Filtering for Slow Flow Ultrasound

Effective tissue clutter filtering is critical for non-contrast ultrasound imaging of slow blood flow in small vessels. Independent component analysis (ICA) has been considered by other groups for ultrasound clutter filtering in the past and was shown to be superior to principal component analysis (PCA)-based methods. However, it has not been considered specifically for slow flow applications or revisited since the onset of other slow flow-focused advancements in beamforming and tissue filtering, namely angled plane wave beamforming and full spatiotemporal singular value decomposition (SVD) (i.e., PCA-based) tissue filtering. In this work, we aim to develop a full spatiotemporal ICA-based tissue filtering technique facilitated by plane wave applications and compare it to SVD filtering. We compare ICA and SVD filtering in terms of optimal image quality in simulations and phantoms as well as in terms of optimal correlation to ground truth blood signal in simulations. Additionally, we propose an adaptive blood independent component sorting and selection method. We show that optimal and adaptive ICA can consistently separate blood from tissue better than principal component analysis (PCA)-based methods using simulations and phantoms. Additionally we demonstrate initial in vivo feasibility in ultrasound data of a liver tumor.
The Financial Dilemma of Students Pursuing an Atmospheric Science Graduate Degree in the United States

CapsuleThe poor correlation between advertised stipends and expenses highlights the importance for stakeholders to carefully assess the net effective income of graduate students.
Multiparametric MRI for early identification of therapeutic response in recurrent glioblastoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Author(s): Song, Joseph; Kadaba, Priyanka; Kravitz, Amanda; Hormigo, Adilia; Friedman, Joshua; Belani, Puneet; Hadjipanayis, Constantinos; Ellingson, Benjamin M; Nael, Kambiz | Abstract: BackgroundPhysiologic changes quantified by diffusion and perfusion MRI have shown utility in predicting treatment response in glioblastoma (GBM) patients treated with cytotoxic therapies. We aimed to investigate whether quantitative changes in diffusion and perfusion after treatment by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) would determine 6-month progression-free survival (PFS6) in patients with recurrent GBM.MethodsInclusion criteria for this retrospective study were: (i) diagnosis of recurrent GBM treated with ICIs and (ii) availability of diffusion and perfusion in pre and post ICI MRI (iii) at ≥6 months follow-up from treatment. After co-registration, mean values of the relative apparent diffusion coefficient (rADC), Ktrans (volume transfer constant), Ve (extravascular extracellular space volume) and Vp (plasma volume), and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) were calculated from a volume-of-interest of the enhancing tumor. Final assignment of stable/improved versus progressive disease was determined on 6-month follow-up using modified Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria.ResultsOut of 19 patients who met inclusion criteria and follow-up (mean ± SD: 7.8 ± 1.4 mo), 12 were determined to have tumor progression, while 7 had treatment response after 6 months of ICI treatment. Only interval change of rADC was suggestive of treatment response. Patients with treatment response (6/7: 86%) had interval increased rADC, while 11/12 (92%) with tumor progression had decreased rADC (P = 0.001). Interval change in rCBV, Ktrans, Vp, and Ve were not indicative of treatment response within 6 months.ConclusionsIn patients with recurrent GBM, interval change in rADC is promising in assessing treatment response versus progression within the first 6 months following ICI treatment.Key points• In recurrent GBM treated with ICIs, interval change in rADC suggests early treatment response.• Interval change in rADC can be used as an imaging biomarker to determine PFS6.• Interval change in MR perfusion and permeability measures do not suggest ICI treatment response.
Virome of New York Presbyterian Hospital pediatric emergency

Abstract Background Viral infection of the respiratory tract is one of the major causes of hospital visits for young children. In this study, we report the occurrence and co-occurrence of different virus types and subtypes among the patients arriving at the pediatric emergency room of New York Presbyterian Hospital, a major urban hospital. Methods We collected nasal swabs from the patients and their accompanying persons. We also recorded the levels (None, Mild, High, and Severe) of their symptoms (Fever, Chill, Muscle Pain, Watery Eye, Runny Nose, Sneezing, Sore throat and Cough). The collected swabs were tested for the presence of common viruses infecting the respiratory tract. Results Human Rhinovirus was the most common virus among the patients, followed Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Human Rhinovirus was most common in summer, autumn and spring. In contrast, influenza was more common in winter. Further, Influenza A virus was more likely to co-occur with Corona Virus 229E. In comparison, Influenza was less likely to co-occur with Human Rhinovirus. Moreover, Influenza, Parainfluenza and Corona virus were associated with more severe symptoms, while Human Rhinovirus was associated with less severe symptoms. In addition, we observed that Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus were more likely to infect a patient when these viruses also infected the accompanying person. We also found that it was difficult to distinguish among viruses based on the symptoms. The inability to distinguish among different virus types and subtypes is explained by the fact that multiple viruses lead to similar symptoms. Conclusions The findings of this study provide a better understanding of respiratory viral infections in small children presenting at a pediatric emergency room in New York.
The Design of Charismatic Behaviors for Virtual Humans

Charisma is a powerful device of communication and persuasion. Researchers have pinpointed specific behaviors that contribute to the perception of charisma. How can we realize such behaviors in a virtual character? In this paper, we discuss our work in the design of charismatic behavior for a virtual human. We developed a series of verbal and nonverbal (with the focus on voice) charismatic strategies based on the analysis of behaviors of charismatic leaders. We developed scripted speech dialogues with the verbal strategies and recorded the speeches with actors using the nonverbal strategies. The dialogue is further implemented in a virtual human, embedded in a virtual classroom, to give a lecture on the human circulatory system. We conducted a study with the virtual human to assess the impact of charismatic verbal and nonverbal behaviors on perceived charisma. The results show the positive impact of the use of verbal strategies and how the use of voice can influence such impact. The results shed light on the next steps needed to automatically generate charismatic speech, voices, and gestures for virtual characters.
Differential Spatial Representations in Hippocampal CA1 and Subiculum Emerge in Evolved Spiking Neural Networks

In rodent navigational studies, spatial responses have been identified in both the hippocampal subregion CA1 and the subiculum (SUB), but these two brain regions appear to encode spatial features differently. Place fields of SUB place cells are larger and less specific than CA1. Additionally, SUB neurons exhibit stronger directional modulation for heading and axes of travel. Based on neural and behavioral data recorded as rats perform a navigational task on a “triple-T” maze, we present a spiking neural network modeling framework to replicate response properties observed in the CA1 and SUB. The parameters of Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity and homeostatic scaling (STDP-H) were evolved such that the response of the two different SNNs resembled recordings from CA1 and SUB when rats traversed the triple-T maze. Our results suggest that positional input may be more influential in forming CA1 place cells, while the SUB appears to integrate both allocentric positional information and self-motion cues to encode “kinds of places”. Furthermore, our results predict that the different spatial responses in these regions may be due in part to different STDP-H learning parameters. The framework presented here could be used as an automated parameter tuning system for replicating responses in other brain regions.
The Role of the Self in Shame

Ohame, as one of the self-conscious emotions, differs from what have been called the primary emotions because it comes about through self-reflection. While primary emotions require a self to experience the state (Lewis and Michalson, 1983), self-conscious emotions require a self both to produce the state and then to experience it. For example, a loud noise may put me in a state of fright. But to experience this state, I need to be aware of my state of fright. To be in a state of shame I must compare my action against some standard, either my own or someone else's. My failure, relative to the standard, results in a state of shame. Once in the state, I may or may not experience it. To experience it depends on whether I focus my attention on my state. Again, this requires consciousness. Others have suggested that the state of shame can be produced in a more automatic fashion, one that does not require objective self-awareness. Consider the case of a 30-month-old child who has a bowel
MO-AB-210-01: Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy-Hands On Workshop

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrations with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: 1. Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations 2. Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment 3. Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging 4. Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: 1. Philips Healthcare 2. Alpinion Medical Systems 3. Verasonics, Inc 4. Zonare Medical Systems, Inc 5. Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. 6. GAMMEX, Inc., 7. Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant 5R25NS080949 and Philips Healthcare research grant C32
The role of core self-evaluation, ethnocentrism, and cultural intelligence in study abroad success

The increases in globalization and growth of multi-national corporations have spawned attention to the role of international experiences in management education. We develop and test a framework to understand individual and motivational factors that may contribute to subjective indicators of study abroad program success. Specifically, we propose motivational cultural intelligence mediates the relationship of both core self-evaluation and ethnocentrism to successful study-abroad experiences. Data were collected from 183 college-level business students who had recently completed study abroad experiences. Mediation analysis results showed motivational cultural intelligence partially mediated the relationship between core-self-evaluation, and ethnocentrism, and subjective success of study abroad experiences (enjoyment, personal growth, general success). Implications for improving study abroad experiences are discussed.
Agricultural Biotechnology, Law, and Social Impacts of Agricultural Biotechnology

Introduction Legal Framework U.S. Domestic Legislation: Protecting Property Evolution: Litigation and Regulation in the United States Agricultural Biotechnology in Other Countries International Cooperation Social Promise of Agricultural Biotechnology But There Are Those Looming Critics The Philosophy-and-Ethics-of-Risk Problem Agricultural-Sustainability Problem The Farm Problem The Jeremy Rifkin Problem The Coalition Problem Social Impact on Agricultural Biotechnology Keywords: agricultural biotechnology
A spatially explicit model of runoff, evaporation, and lake extent: Application to modern and late Pleistocene lakes in the Great Basin region, western United States

[1] A spatially explicit hydrological model was applied to the Great Basin in the western United States to predict runoff magnitude and lake distributions under modern and late Pleistocene conditions. The model iteratively routes runoff through depression to find a steady state solution and was calibrated with mean annual precipitation, pan evaporation, temperature, and stream runoff data. The predicted lake distribution provides a close match to present-day lakes. For the late Pleistocene, the sizes of lakes Bonneville and Lahontan are well predicted by linear combinations of 0.2°–5.8°C decreases in temperature and corresponding increases in precipitation from 2.0 to 1.0 times modern values. This corresponds to runoff depths ranging from 1.7 to 4.1 times the present values and yearly evaporation from 0.4 to 1 times modern values. To reproduce Lake Manly, however, combinations of temperature decreases up to 9°C or precipitation up to 2.8 times the present values were required.
Decreasing antibiotic overuse in neonatal intensive care units: quality improvement research

Overutilization of antibiotics and emergence of resistant bacteria are important problems, particularly in intensive care units. To date, reproducible interventions to improve antibiotic utilizatio...