cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal design of adaptive optics based systems using high fidelity MEMS deformable mirror models

Over the last several years, MEMS deformable mirror technology has evolved from a specialized wavefront control device used by only a few select research organizations to a low cost and high performance product that can now be considered for inclusion in certain commercial machines and instrumentation. In a typical MEMS deformable mirror, a membrane is suspended over a pattern of electrostatic actuators, with the possibility of additional microstructures to affect the membrane movement. Because the electrostatic actuators in the MEMS deformable mirrors can only pull on the membrane surface and because the shape of the membrane itself is determined by the associated membrane mechanics, there are limitations and tradeoffs in the achievable shape corrections. Our research seeks to clarify and define: (1) the actual wavefront correcting capabilities of the different MEMS deformable mirror designs and (2) how to effectively design optical systems to best utilize this new technology. After describing a finite element model of a three layer MEMS deformable mirror technology, a method for integrating high fidelity models of deformable mirrors with commercial optical design and simulation software is described. We then suggest a design methodology for both evaluating the performance of the deformable mirror and optimizing the optical system itself to best utilize the MEMS deformable mirror such that the static optical elements are tailored to the specific shape correcting capabilities of the deformable mirror. Simulated results are presented of a defocus case study with more than 7 waves of correction, with the final results analyzed.
Cyclin-dependent kinases: Molecular switches controlling anergy and potential therapeutic targets for tolerance

A large body of research has established the importance of costimulatory signals and proliferation for the generation of productive T cell immune responses. While costimulation and cell cycle progression are each individually necessary for CD4+ effector T cell differentiation, it has become clear that neither of these processes alone is sufficient to avoid anergy. This review outlines the links between T cell differentiation, tolerance, and the cell cycle, and highlights recent work that has implicated cyclin-dependent kinases as important regulators and potential targets for modulation of T cell immunity and tolerance.
Weighted density functional theory of the solvophobic effect.

We are interested in the spatial density of a molecular fluid in the presence of a solute of arbitrary size and shape. The density functional is written as the sum of a F{sub 0}[{rho}(r)] that effectively describes small deviations around the uniform density, plus an energy density part that is responsible for formation of liquid-vapor interface. Using the weighted density approach, we require the density functional to match with several observed properties of the fluid such as equation of state and surface tension. We also show that weighting functions for calculating the weighted density can be obtained from experimental data. Using these elements, we construct a spatial density functional theory of water and apply it to obtain densities and solvation energies of a hard-sphere solute with encouraging results.
Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Psychological Stress during Pregnancy Induce Attention and Neuromotor Impairments in Primate Infants

This study examined the effect of moderate alcohol and/or psychological stress during prenancy on off-spring growth and behavior in 33 rhesus monkey infants (Macaca mulatta). Infants were derived from 1 of 3 groups of female: (1) alcohol-consuming,0.6g/Kg, Daily throughou gestation (equivalet, to 1-2 drinks), beginning 5 day prior to breeding;(2) alcohol-consuming (as above) and exposed to mild psychological stress(removal from home cage and exposed to 3 random noise bursts); (3) sucrose-consuming, equivolemic, and equicaloric to the alcohol solution.Beginning on day 4 postpartum, intantrs underwent brief weekly separations from their mother for assessment of growth, behavior, and facial dimensions. Results indicated that moderate alcohol consumption throughout pregnancy was sufficient to affect attention and neuromotor functioning, even though the infants were normol in birthweight, gestational length, and facial dimensions, Moreover, alcohol-induced neuromotor impairments were exacerbated by maternal exposure to psychological stress, and males from the alcohol/stress condition had reduced birthweights. Finally, although all females consuming alcohol produced viable offspring, alcohol accompanie by stress during gestation resulted in 23% fetal losses (abortion and stillbirths).
In vivo acylation of proteolipid protein and DM-20 in myelin and myelin subfractions of developing rat brain: immunoblot identification of acylated PLP and DM-20.

The acylation of proteolipid protein (PLP) was examined in myelin and myelin subfractions from rat brain during the active period of myelination. Proteolipid protein and DM-20 in myelin and myelin subfractions were readily acylated in developing rat brain 22 hours after intracerebral injection of [3H]palmitic acid. No differences in the relative specific activity of PLP in myelin from 9-, 15-, and 30-day-old rat brains was observed; however, the relative specific activity of PLP in the heavy myelin subfraction tended to be higher than that in the light myelin subfraction. The acylation of PLP was confirmed by fluorography of immunostained cellulose nitrate sheets, clearly establishing that the acylated protein is in fact the oligodendroglial cell- and myelin-specific protein, PLP. Since PLP is acylated in the 9-day-old animal, when little compact myelin is present, it is possible that the acylation of PLP is a prerequisite for the incorporation of this protein into the myelin membrane.
Migration By Analytic Continuation Through a Variable Background Medium

Conventional migration of wavefields is based on depth extrapolation of the upgoing field in reverse time. This extrapolation provides us with a means to determine the positions of reflectors and diffraction points and, therefore, to produce an image of a geological cross-section. However, conventional depth extrapolation allows us to restore only some transformation of the field in the subsurface rather than the true field. For example, this approach rules out the proper imaging of multiple reflections. Meanwhile, there is reason to expect that a different reconstruction of the seismic wavefield reconstruction by analytic continuation can yield a more comprehensive image of a medium. An exact depth extrapolation based on analytic continuation could contribute to the restoration of the true process of seismic wave propagation in a medium. In this case, multiples do not “pass” the layers where they were formed and, hence, do not generate any fictitious reflecting boundaries. Here, we describe a method for doing migration of seismic wavefields in the frequency domain by analytic continuation through a medium with vertically variable velocity.
Differentiation of benign from malignant pancreatic masses by endoscopic ultrasound.

Background: It is often difficult to determine whether a mass in the pancreas is benign or malignant. The goal was to evaluate whether endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) can reliably establish whether a mass is benign or malignant. Methods: One hundred five patients with possible pancreatic tumors were referred for EUS. Those who were found to have a lesion suspicious for carcinoma and did not have a known malignancy also underwent EUS-guided FNA. Results: A mass suspicious for cancer was identified in 73 patients, whereas inflammatory changes or a normal pancreas was noted in 32 patients. Four of the latter 32 patients were subsequently found to have cancer. EUS-guided FNA was performed on 47 of the 73 patients with a suspicious mass and was read as cancer in 27 patients, atypia in 10 patients, and benign in 10 patients. All 10 patients with atypia were subsequently confirmed to have cancer, and 6 of the 10 patients with a benign FNA were proved to have a tumor at surgery. EUS could differentiate the lesion as malignant with a sensitivity of 95%, specificity 88%, positive predictive value 95%, and negative predictive value 88%. Conclusions: Radial array EUS is helpful in supporting or refuting a diagnosis of cancer in a patient with a pancreatic mass. Although EUS-guided FNA can confirm the diagnosis, a negative FNA should not preclude exploration when clinically indicated.
Clinical factors predictive of malignant and premalignant cystic neoplasms of the pancreas: a single institution experience.

Abstract Background As cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are discovered with advanced imaging techniques, pancreatic surgeons often struggle with identifying who is at risk of having or developing pancreatic cancer. We sought to review our experience with the surgical management of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas to determine pre-operative clinical indicators of malignancy or premalignant (i.e. mucinous) lesions. Methods Between 1996 and 2007, 114 consecutive patients with cystic neoplasms of the pancreas underwent a pancreatectomy. Invasive adenocarcinoma was identified in 35 whereas 79 had benign lesions. Mucinous lesions were considered premalignant and consisted of 29 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) and 17 mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN). The remaining 33 benign lesions were serous microcystic adenomas. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multivariate logistic regression was performed. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for continuous variables and the area under the curves compared. Likelihood ratios were calculated from the combinations of predictors. Results Patients with pancreatic cancer arising from a cystic neoplasm were older than those with benign cysts. Mucinous lesions with or without associated cancer were more likely to be symptomatic and present with elevated serum carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9 levels. Cancers more commonly presented in the head of the pancreas and were associated with longer hospitalizations after resection. Using multivariate logistic regression, size and elevated CA19-9 were predictors of malignancy whereas male gender and size were predictors of mucinous lesions with or without malignancy. Size, however, was not an accurate test to determine premalignant or malignant lesions using area under the ROC curve analysis whereas CA19-9 performed the best regardless of gender or lesion location. Conclusions Based upon our single institution experience with resection of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, we advocate an aggressive surgical approach to any patient with a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas and associated elevated CA19-9.
Orthologs and paralogs of regA, a master cell-type regulatory gene in Volvox carteri

The multicellular green alga Volvox carteri forma nagariensis has only two cell types: terminally differentiated somatic cells and reproductive cells. The regA gene maintains the terminally differentiated state of the somatic cells, apparently by repressing transcription of genes required for chloroplast biogenesis and thereby preventing cell growth. Because the RegA protein sequence bore no obvious motifs, we are attempting to identify regions of functional importance by searching for strongly conserved domains in RegA orthologs. Here we report the cloning and characterization of regA from the most closely related known taxon, V. carteri f. kawasakiensis. Given the closeness of the relationship between these two formas, their regA genes are surprisingly different: they differ in the number of introns and by several lengthy indels, and they encode proteins that are only 80% identical. We also serendipitously discovered a paralogous gene immediately upstream of each regA locus. The two regA genes, both upstream paralogs and several genes in Chlamydomonas (the closest unicellular relative of Volvox) encode a conserved region (the VARL domain) that contains what appears to be a DNA-binding SAND domain. This discovery has opened up a new avenue for exploring how regA and the terminally differentiated state that it controls evolved.
Entrepreneurial Risk and Strategic Decision Making It’s a Matter of Perspective

Risk taking has long been a central theme of the entrepreneurship literature. However, research on the risk propensity of entrepreneurs has met with virtually no empirical support even though entre...
Enhancing Cognitive Radio Algorithms Through Efficient, Automatic Adaptation Management

In recent years, cognitive radios that follow dynamic spectrum access policies have been proposed to overcome spectrum scarcity and to make better use of spectrum opportunities while avoiding interference to other users. The central component of such a cognitive radio is the control algorithm driving its sensing, learning and adaptation process. These three tasks however are both computationally expensive and resource intensive and it is therefore in the cognitive radio's best interest to minimize the time spent to sense, learn and adapt to its surroundings while still meeting its operational targets. In this paper, we present the rapid adaptation architecture, a statistical system that can be used in conjunction with existing cognitive radio control algorithms to speed up the learning and adaptation process without loosing significant accuracy. Through this system, control algorithms can be made more efficient by a factor of 2 or more, thus providing the cognitive radio with faster, more resource saving adaptations without major changes to the algorithm's inner workings or the overall cognitive radio.
The Epidemiology and Control of Open Angle Glaucoma: A Population-Based Perspective

Chronic open angle glaucoma is an etiologically heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve, resulting in peripheral visual loss that can progress to involve the fovea and central vision. Open angle glaucoma can be divided into primary conditions and conditions which are secondary to another ocular or systemic disease. Causes of secondary glaucoma include uveitis, cataract, trauma, and disorders affecting the development structure of the angle. This review focuses on primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), since it accounts for the vast majority of the disease burden in the US population and its etiology remains unknown.
Lesion (in)tolerance reveals insights into DNA replication fidelity

The initial encounter of an unrepaired DNA lesion is likely to be with a replicative DNA polymerase, and the outcome of this event determines whether an error-prone or error-free damage avoidance pathway is taken. To understand the atomic details of this critical encounter, we have determined the crystal structures of the pol α family RB69 DNA polymerase with DNA containing the two most prevalent, spontaneously generated premutagenic lesions, an abasic site and 2′-deoxy-7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanosine (8-oxodG). Identification of the interactions between these damaged nucleotides and the active site provides insight into the capacity of the polymerase to incorporate a base opposite the lesion. A novel open, catalytically inactive conformation of the DNA polymerase has been identified in the complex with a primed abasic site template. This structure provides the first molecular characterization of the DNA synthesis barrier caused by an abasic site and suggests a general mechanism for polymerase fidelity. In contrast, the structure of the ternary 8-oxodG:dCTP complex is almost identical to the replicating complex containing unmodified DNA, explaining the relative ease and fidelity by which this lesion is bypassed.
Modeling of communication latency in smart grid

The goal of this paper is to model the communication latency among distributed intelligent agents because latency 1) is not zero, 2) is not constant, and 3) can have a significant impact on the higher-level capabilities of a smart grid installation, in particular any protection or coordination functions. Communication latency is considered an inherent parameter which affects the performance of the communication network — the backbone of the multi-agent system. Due to many stochastic factors in a communication environment, communication latency will be best modeled as a random parameter with a probability density function. The latency of sending/receiving messages among distributed intelligent agents is randomly generated based on user input data. In the numerical studies, two abnormal events occurring in the modified IEEE 34 node test feeder will be simulated to validate the proposed methodology. The simulation will measure how fast the smart grid responds to the disturbances when considering fixed latency, as well as random latency.
Word Sorts for General Music Classes

Word sorts are standard practice for aiding children in acquiring skills in English language arts. When included in the general music classroom, word sorts may aid students in acquiring a working knowledge of music vocabulary. The author shares a word sort activity drawn from vocabulary in John Lithgow’s children’s book Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo!
Comparison of electromyography and force as interfaces for prosthetic control

The ease with which persons with upper-limb amputations can control their powered prostheses is largely determined by the efficacy of the user command interface. One needs to understand the abilities of the human operator regarding the different available options. Electromyography (EMG) is widely used to control powered upper-limb prostheses. It is an indirect estimator of muscle force and may be expected to limit the control capabilities of the prosthesis user. This study compared EMG control with force control, an interface that is used in everyday interactions with the environment. We used both methods to perform a position-tracking task. Direct-position control of the wrist provided an upper bound for human-operator capabilities. The results demonstrated that an EMG control interface is as effective as force control for the position-tracking task. We also examined the effects of gain and tracking frequency on EMG control to explore the limits of this control interface. We found that information transmission rates for myoelectric control were best at higher tracking frequencies than at the frequencies previously reported for position control. The results may be useful for the design of prostheses and prosthetic controllers.
VARIATION IN FORAGING BEHAVIOR, DIET, AND TIME OF BREEDING OF FLORIDA SCRUB-JAYS IN SUBURBAN AND WILDLAND HABITATS

Abstract Supplemental food enables some birds to lay eggs earlier, perhaps by allowing birds to increase their energy intake or allocate energy from other activities to reproduction. We examined the relationships between prelaying behavior, food handling and consumption rates, and the timing of breeding of female Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) in suburban and wildland habitats. Scrub-jays in suburban habitats had access to ad libitum human-provided foods; wildland jays did not. During both years of this study, suburban scrub-jays bred earlier than their wildland counterparts. Wildland scrub-jays bred earlier in 1997 than in 1996, but the timing of breeding by suburban scrub-jays did not vary between years. Suburban scrub-jays spent less time foraging and more time perching than wildland jays. They handled more food per hour and per foraging hour, suggesting their foraging was more efficient. Despite this, food consumption rates did not differ between the two habitats. Neither time spent fora...
Current concepts in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare but lethal cancer associated with asbestos exposure. Worldwide, the incidence of MPM is expected to increase over the next 20 years. The molecular and genetic profiling of MPM tumors and patients, and improved understanding of the pathogenesis of MPM may lead to novel diagnostic, preventative and therapeutic strategies. Treatment options for MPM remain limited and no consensus exists at this time. Multimodality therapy that combines surgery, chemotherapy and radiation offers the best chance for long-term survival in select patients.
Medical research: Treat ageing

By 2050, the number of people over the age of 80 will triple globally. These demographics could come at great cost to individuals and economies. Two groups describe how research in animals and humans should be refocused to find ways to delay the onset of frailty.
Dioxygen Reactivity with a Ferrocene–Lewis Acid Pairing: Reduction to a Boron Peroxide in the Presence of Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane

Ferrocenes, which are typically air-stable outer-sphere single-electron transfer reagents, were found to react with dioxygen in the presence of B(C_6F_5)_3, a Lewis acid unreactive to O_2, to generate bis(borane) peroxide. Although several Group 13 peroxides have been reported, boron-supported peroxides are rare, with no structurally characterized examples of the BO_2B moiety. The synthesis of a bis(borane)-supported peroxide anion and its structural and electrochemical characterization are described.
Server based PMK generation with identity protection for wireless networks

Pairwise key generation between two parties is a fundamental problem in cryptography and computer security. In wireless networks, since it is dangerous to store any long-lived secret in wireless devices, pairwise master key (PMK) generation between two parties is based either on passwords (with low entropy) or on some other information. Due to the limited power and computational ability of wireless devices, it is preferable to design protocols with low communication cost and lightweight computation in the client side. In this paper, we propose two PMK generation protocols for wireless networks. The first is based on a shared password between the wireless client and a server (or base station) with more storage and computational power. It only needs lightweight computation for the wireless client, and achieves forward secrecy. The second protocol is used for PMK generation between two wireless devices with the help of the server. Both protocols provide the identity protection for the wireless devices and the mechanism for the server to thwart denial of service (DoS) attacks. These two features are ignored by most previous work, but they are very important for the practical implementation of wireless security protocols. To the best of our knowledge, our protocols are the first to achieve lightweight client computation, identity protection and DoS resistancy simutaneously.
The role of talk in children's peer collaborations.

The role of talk in children's peer collaborations using a computer-based scientific reasoning task was investigated in this study. Seventy 4th-grade students were assigned to work alone or with a samesex partner for 120-min session. Half of the children in each condition (alone and dyads) were asked to talk as they worked, and half were not. Significant performance differences between groups were present, although there were no significant differences in experimental activity. Talk dyads generated better hypotheses than no-talk alones and no-talk dyads, and talk alones did not generate better hypotheses than no-talk alones. Analyses of children's talk showed that talk dyads produced more talk overall and more interpretive types oftalk than talk alones. The importance of peer collaborations as a social context that supports interpretive cognitive processes was discussed
Residential broadband Internet services and applications requirements

Consumer interest in accessing the Internet for browsing the World Wide Web has exploded in the past two years. The current narrowband residential Internet access infrastructure using dial-up through the PSTN not only is too slow, but also leads to high service blocking probability. Hence, providing an "always-on" high-speed Internet access service has been viewed as the new killer application for residential broadband networks. Residential broadband Internet service design requires understanding of the networking requirements of broadband Internet applications. This article provides a framework for characterizing applications requirements in general, with special emphasis on Internet applications such as Web browsing. The author presents a classification of applications based on their networking requirements, and discusses the traffic and quality of service requirements for each application class.
Channel hot-carrier stressing of reoxidized nitrided silicon dioxide

The mechanisms of channel hot-carrier-induced degradation in short n-channel MOSFETs with reoxidized nitrided oxide as the gate dielectric are discussed. Charge pumping measurements, supported by observations on the gate voltage dependence of degradation and the power law dependence of Delta g/sub m/ on stress time, demonstrate that virtually no interface trap generation occurs in reoxidized nitrided oxides and that electron trapping is the dominant degradation mechanism. Although electron trapping can be enhanced in these dielectrics, this mechanism is not as important for device degradation as interface trap generation, and the net effect is substantially improved resistance to hot-carrier stress. A three-orders-of-magnitude improvement in device lifetime (versus conventional oxide) is demonstrated. >
Distributionally robust discrete LQR optimal cost

This paper presents some results on the robustness of a classical discrete Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) Cost Function with uncertainty in the inputs and state variables. For the typical LQR Cost Function J=/spl Sigma//sub i=0//sup j-1/x/sub i+1/TQx/sub i+1/+u/sub i//sup T/Ru/sub i/ with Q and R positive definite and symmetric, we consider the expectation and variance of J given unknown independent uncertainties supported by a class of probability distribution functions f/spl isin//spl Fscr/. We find that the assumption on the uncertainty structure allows straightforward optimization of the cost function in a distributionally robust sense. We show the methodology to derive the expectation and variance of the cost and find inputs which yield robust optimizations of the cost.
Unresolved Computation and Optimal Predictions

We present methods for predicting the solution of time-dependent partial differential equations when that solution is so complex that it cannot be properly resolved numerically, but when prior statistical information can be found. The sparse numerical data are viewed as constraints on the solution, and the gist of our proposal is a set of methods for advancing the constraints in time so that regression methods can be used to reconstruct the mean future. For linear equations we offer general recipes for advancing the constraints; the methods are generalized to certain classes of nonlinear problems, and the conditions under which strongly nonlinear problems and partial statistical information can be handled are briefly discussed. Our methods are related to certain data acquisition schemes in oceanography and meteorology. c 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Research Note—Parenting New Acquisitions: Acquirers’ Digital Resource Redeployment and Targets’ Performance Improvement in the U.S. Hospital Industry

This paper examines how information technology (IT) can contribute to value creation in horizontal acquisitions. We propose that acquisition value can be created when an acquirer redeploys its digital resources to its newly acquired businesses and consequently improves their operations. However, not all acquirers are equally capable of redeploying their digital resources. In this study, we propose two enabling factors pertaining to an acquirer’s IT resource base: IT extensiveness and IT standardization. We argue that the magnitude of digital resource redeployment increases when the acquirer has had extensive use of IT systems within its existing business units and has standardized IT systems across its business units. Moreover, the relative strength of the IT resources of the acquirer, as compared to those of the acquired business, also affects the reuse of the acquirer’s IT resources in its digital resource redeployment activities. We empirically test these hypotheses by tracking the IT and performance c...
Tire Transient Lateral Force Generation: Characterization and Contribution to Vehicle Handling Performance

ABSTRACT: Tire force generation is often described in terms of a steady-state force response, which is considered independent of time and a function of the kinematic roll conditions such as slip an...
Multireference configuration interaction calculations of the first six ionization potentials of the uranium atom

The first 6 ionization potentials (IPs) of the uranium atom have been calculated using multireference configuration interaction (MRCI+Q) with extrapolations to the complete basis set limit using new all-electron correlation consistent basis sets. The latter was carried out with the third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian. Correlation down through the 5s5p5d electrons has been taken into account, as well as contributions to the IPs due to the Lamb shift. Spin-orbit coupling contributions calculated at the 4-component Kramers restricted configuration interaction level, as well as the Gaunt term computed at the Dirac-Hartree-Fock level, were added to the best scalar relativistic results. The final ionization potentials are expected to be accurate to at least 5 kcal/mol (0.2 eV) and thus more reliable than the current experimental values of IP3 through IP6.
Reliability-Based Design Optimization for Nonlinear Energy Harvesters

This paper presents reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) and experimental validation of the purely mechanical nonlinear vibration energy harvester we recently proposed. A bi-stable characteristic was embodied with a pre-stressed curved cantilever substrate on which piezoelectric patches were laminated. The curved cantilever can be simply manufactured by clamping multiple beams with different lengths or by connecting two ends of the cantilever using a coil spring. When vibrating, the inertia of the tip mass activates the curved cantilever to cause snap-through buckling and makes the nature of vibration switch between two equilibrium positions. The reliability-based design optimization study for maximization of power density and broadband energy harvesting performance is performed. The benefit of the proposed design in terms of excellent reliability, design compactness, and ease of implementation is discussed. The prototype is fabricated based on the optimal design result and energy harvesting performance between the linear and nonlinear energy harvesters is compared. The excellent broadband characteristic of the purely mechanical harvester will be validated.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Automatic differentiation in ACL2

In this paper, we describe recent improvements to the theory of differentiation that is formalized in ACL2(r). First, we show how the normal rules for the differentiation of composite functions can be introduced in ACL2(r). More important, we show how the application of these rules can be largely automated, so that ACL2(r) can automatically define the derivative of a function that is built from functions whose derivatives are already known. Second, we show a formalization in ACL2(r) of the derivatives of familiar functions from calculus, such as the exponential, logarithmic, power, and trigonometric functions. These results serve as the starting point for the automatic differentiation tool described above. Third, we describe how users can add new functions and their derivatives, to improve the capabilities of the automatic differentiator. In particular, we show how to introduce the derivative of the hyperbolic trigonometric functions. Finally, we give some brief highlights concerning the implementation details of the automatic differentiator.
Ageism can be Hazardous to Women's Health: Ageism, Sexism, and Stereotypes of Older Women in the Healthcare System

Women tend to live longer than men, and thus typically have more interactions with the healthcare system in old age than men do. Ageism and stereotypes of older people in general can have an important impact on elders’ physical and mental health and well-being. For example, internalized negative stereotypes can produce self-fulfilling prophecies through stereotype embodiment and contribute to weakness and dependency. Ageist beliefs and stereotypes can interfere with health care seeking as well as with diagnosis and treatment recommendations; they can, for example, contribute to gender disparities in the health care of older adults if older women are perceived as too frail to undergo aggressive treatments. Ageism also results in disrespectful treatment of older patients, which is communicated through baby talk and other forms of infantilization or the shrugging off of patients’ complaints and concerns as “just old age.” Intersectional identities can result in a cumulative burden for older women patients who may have a history of disrespectful treatment for other reasons (e.g., sexism, racism, bias against lesbians). Reduction of ageism and sexism and promotion of more realistic and diverse views of older women could improve doctor–patient relationships, facilitate adherence to treatment regimens, and reduce disparities in health and health care.
Deep learning in the small sample size setting: cascaded feed forward neural networks for medical image segmentation

Deep Learning, refers to large set of neural network based algorithms, have emerged as promising machine- learning tools in the general imaging and computer vision domains. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a specific class of deep learning algorithms, have been extremely effective in object recognition and localization in natural images. A characteristic feature of CNNs, is the use of a locally connected multi layer topology that is inspired by the animal visual cortex (the most powerful vision system in existence). While CNNs, perform admirably in object identification and localization tasks, typically require training on extremely large datasets. Unfortunately, in medical image analysis, large datasets are either unavailable or are extremely expensive to obtain. Further, the primary tasks in medical imaging are organ identification and segmentation from 3D scans, which are different from the standard computer vision tasks of object recognition. Thus, in order to translate the advantages of deep learning to medical image analysis, there is a need to develop deep network topologies and training methodologies, that are geared towards medical imaging related tasks and can work in a setting where dataset sizes are relatively small. In this paper, we present a technique for stacked supervised training of deep feed forward neural networks for segmenting organs from medical scans. Each `neural network layer' in the stack is trained to identify a sub region of the original image, that contains the organ of interest. By layering several such stacks together a very deep neural network is constructed. Such a network can be used to identify extremely small regions of interest in extremely large images, inspite of a lack of clear contrast in the signal or easily identifiable shape characteristics. What is even more intriguing is that the network stack achieves accurate segmentation even when it is trained on a single image with manually labelled ground truth. We validate this approach,using a publicly available head and neck CT dataset. We also show that a deep neural network of similar depth, if trained directly using backpropagation, cannot acheive the tasks achieved using our layer wise training paradigm.
Time and Energy Budgets for Dayroosting in a Maternity Colony of Myotis lucifugus

Dayroosting behavior of the little brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ) was observed in a maternity colony located in central Massachusetts. The percentages of time spent in various activities were: resting 79%, grooming 14%, active 5%, and moving 1%. Significant differences were found in the amount of time allocated to these activities by bats occupying different positions within clusters and for different times of day and year. Conspecific interactions were restricted to the period of cluster formation at dawn when late returning bats attempted to obtain central positions within groups. Using two measures of roost temperature, the energetic cost of dayroosting was estimated to be 3.13–7.35 kJ, or 12–24% of the daily energy budget. Nonresting behavior, primarily grooming, accounted for more than half of the energy expended during the dayroosting period.
The Road to Undermatch: Understanding the Differences between White and Latino Student Predictors of Undermatch

Recent headline-grabbing statistics that Latino high school graduates enroll in college at higher rates than their White peers might lead many to conclude that disparities in college access may be a thing of the past. However, disparities in enrollment persist across institution types as Latino students are overrepresented in the two-year sector, and many who are qualified to attend four-year selective institutions undermatch to less selective institutions at higher rates than their similarly qualified White peers. While past research has shown that Latino students have disparate college choice processes than White students, this study advances the literature on college choice and undermatch by examining differences in the characteristics that predict undermatch for White and Latino students using nationally representative data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). Results from separate multi-level analyses revealed that family income, net college costs, gender, and high school resourc...
Effect of heparin on serum lipids following intravenous administration of fat emulsion in dogs.

SummaryIntravenous infusion of olive oil emulsion produced elevation of serum total fatty acids and possibly total cholesterol, but without consistent changes in lipid phosphorus. Heparin injection simultaneously with fat infusion increased the rate of removal of the intravenously infused fat and lowered serum cholesterol, but produced no significant changes in lipid phosphorus.
MR Imaging of Syringomyelia and Hydromyelia

The relative effectiveness of plain computed tomography (CT), metrizamide CT, conventional myelography, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was compared for the examination of cystic spinal cord lesions. Intramedullary cavities in 18 patients were demonstrated by MR imaging: cavities were uncomplicated in 13 patients, associated with spinal tumors in two, and studied after occipital craniectomy for treatment of Chiari malformation and syringomyelia in two. Cavities were shown by MR imaging in all enlarged spinal cords, but a cavity was shown in only one of four small cords. The rostral limits of the cavities were demonstrated better than were the caudal extensions. Ventricular communication was not demonstrated. Chiari malformation was shown only in cavities that did not involve the medulla. Syringes associated with tumor were indistinguishable from uncomplicated cavities, but the tumor had abnormal signal on long spin-echo sequences in two cases. Cystic cord tumor (one case) had an inhomogeneous appearance. Caudal displacement of the cerebellar hemisphere through the surgical defect associated with compression of the fourth ventricle was shown in two cases after posterior fossa craniectomy. Thirteen patients were studied with metrizamide CT also. MR imaging proved to be as accurate as metrizamide CT in the diagnosis of intramedullary cavities that result in spinal cord enlargement, but it was less sensitive in detecting cavities within normal-sized or diminished spinal cords. It had the advantage that tumor tissue could be distinguished from associated syrinx cavities by differences in signal characteristics; and cerebellar ectopia was evaluated easily on sagittal MR views.
Public Libraries and Immigrants: Influences on the Degree of Welcomeness

This paper examines the local construction of law on the street regarding immigrants. Local agencies play a key role in immigration enforcement and in providing services to immigrants. As such, they are increasingly the ‘face of the state’ to immigrants, a face which varies across localities and regions and ranges from friendly to hostile. Some agencies have a full array of policies and procedures for providing services to immigrants, including policies requiring equal service without regard to immigration status, informational materials in foreign languages and training in providing neutral professional service, while others have few or none of these things.Much of the research has focused on law enforcement actions towards immigrants, but many other public agencies frequently interact with these groups and shape official policies and immigrant perceptions of the state. This paper focuses on public libraries a service organization that receives scant public or academic attention. The purpose of this paper is two-fold; first, it develops a framework for measuring the degree of ‘welcomeness’ of public agencies. Second, it examines how widely local agencies are welcoming (or unwelcoming) to immigrants and what are the conditions that shape the degree of welcomeness. To address these questions, this paper uses results from nationwide surveys of local public library systems in counties with a minimum population of 30,000 and a foreign-born population of least 5%. The research is framed by three competing theoretical approaches: minority group threat, neo-institutionalism and economic regimes. Libraries face conflicting political pressures that are often hostile to immigrants and professional norms favoring equal service to all in the community. The degree of welcomeness depends on the balance between these opposing forces. This study improves understanding of how administrative policies and practices evolve in the context of political and institutional pressures. Preliminary results find a remarkable degree of deliberate welcomeness toward immigrants even in some politically conservative states.
Consistent Embedding Frameworks for Predictive Multi-theory Multiscale Simulations

In this chapter, we present the predictive multi-theory multiscale framework called consistent embedding. The characteristics of a consistently embedded set of theories is defined and illustrated by four examples. These examples show the coupling between quantum mechanical and atomistic scales, short and long time microstructural evolution, and chemical reactivity and flow dynamics. A final example carries a cautionary message in that all embedding are not necessarily consistent. Overlapping tests are essential to the establishment of a predictive multi-theory multiscale simulation.
Identifying the trauma recovery needs of maltreated children: an examination of child welfare workers' effectiveness in screening for traumatic stress

Abstract Children in the child welfare system comprise a group characterized by exposure to trauma via experiences of maltreatment, under circumstances presenting multiple risk factors for traumatic stress. High rates of posttraumatic stress have been observed in this population. However, there is currently no standard for the universal screening of children in child welfare for trauma exposure and traumatic stress. This study examined the trauma experiences of a sample of maltreated children and whether their child welfare workers were effective screeners of traumatic stress symptoms. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted regarding a sample of children (N = 131) with trauma screenings completed by their child welfare workers and clinical measures of traumatic stress symptoms. Four hierarchical regression models were also examined to determine whether workers' screening information regarding child age, trauma exposure history and symptoms of traumatic stress were predictive of outcomes on clinical measures. The analyses revealed complex trauma exposure histories and high rates of traumatic stress symptoms among this generally younger sample of maltreated children. Additionally, the models supported workers' efficacy in screening for symptoms of total posttraumatic stress and specific trauma symptoms of intrusion and avoidance. Workers were less effective in screening for the symptoms of arousal. These findings support the importance of identifying the trauma recovery needs of maltreated children and the utility of child protection workers in assisting with the trauma screening process. Implications are provided for related practice, policy and training efforts in child welfare.
Relentless:The Stories Behind the Photographs: By Neil Leifer with Diane K. Shah Austin: University of Texas Press, 2016, 400 pp.

Visualize an abundance of iconic twentieth-century images—the kind that became the sports and celebrity photographs, such as Muhammad Ali standing over an unconscious Sonny Liston. They were the on...
Associations between family history of cancer and genes coding for metabolizing enzymes (United States)

Objective:Family history of cancer has been a useful tool to identify highly penetrant genes. However, the association between family history and low-penetrance genes that are prevalent in the population is less well understood. While epidemiologists have studied low-penetrance genes in association studies at the population level, geneticists have often favored family studies to identify low-penetrance genes in the same manner that these families have been used to identify high-penetrance genes. In this study, we evaluated the association between family history of cancer and molecular variants of three genes: N-acetyltransferases (NAT2), glutathione-S-transferases (GSTM-1), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). These genes were examined because of their plausible functional significance and their association with cancer risk in some studies.
Clear Air Turbulence Research Activities at the National Aeronautical Establishment

At the National Aeronautical Establishment, Ottawa, Canada, a T-33 jet aircraft has been instrumented for turbulence research (Fig. 1). The system is capable of measuring the three components of atmospheric turbulence, longitudinal, lateral, and vertical (with respect to aircraft axes) in terms of true gust velocities. A doppler-radar installation on the T-33 provides groundspeed and drift measurements, and, along with altitude, airspeed, heading and temperature information, permits simultaneous fine scale measurements of the temperature and wind fields in the turbulence.
Alleviating the client/designer problem in large-scale system design

Abstract A systematic approach is proposed for alleviating information exchange problems between the client group and the system design team in a large-scale project . This approach is described in terms of a specific system design methodulogy (Wymore's Systems Engineering Methodology for Interdisciplinary Teams) and a specific client-oriented modeling technique (Warfield's Interpretive Structural Modeling). A realistic illustrative example is presented.
Learning models of human-robot interaction from small data

This paper offers a new approach to learning discrete models for human-robot interaction (HRI) from small data. In the motivating application, HRI is an integral part of a pediatric rehabilitation paradigm that involves a play-based, social environment aiming at improving mobility for infants with mobility impairments. Designing interfaces in this setting is challenging, because in order to harness, and eventually automate, the social interaction between children and robots, a behavioral model capturing the causality between robot actions and child reactions is needed. The paper adopts a Markov decision process (MDP) as such a model, and selects the transition probabilities through an empirical approximation procedure called smoothing. Smoothing has been successfully applied in natural language processing (NLP) and identification where, similarly to the current paradigm, learning from small data sets is crucial. The goal of this paper is two-fold: (i) to describe our application of HRI, and (ii) to provide evidence that supports the application of smoothing for small data sets.