cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple camera fruit localization using a particle filter

Apart from socioeconomic factors, success of robotics in agriculture lies in developing economically attractive solutions with efficiency comparable to that of the humans. Fruit localization is one of the building blocks in many robotic agricultural operations (e.g., yield mapping and robotic harvesting) that determines 3D Euclidean positions of the fruits using one or several sensors. It is crucial to guarantee the performance of the localization methods in the presence of fruit detection errors and unknown fruit motion (e.g., due to wind gust), so that the desired efficiency of the subsequent systems can be achieved. For instance, inaccurate localization may severely affect fruit picking efficiency in robotic harvesting. The presented estimation-based localization approach provides estimates of the fruit positions in the presence of fruit detection errors and unknown fruit motion, and it is based on a new sensing procedure that uses multiple (⩾2) inexpensive monocular cameras. A nonlinear estimator called particle filter is developed to estimate the unknown position of the fruits using image measurements obtained from multiple cameras. The particle filter is partitioned into clusters to independently localize individual fruits, while the behavior of the clusters is manipulated at global level to maintain a single filter structure. Since the accuracy of localization is affected by errors in fruit detection, the presented sensor model includes non-Gaussian fruit detection errors along with image noise. Fruit motion can significantly reduce harvesting efficiency due to errors in locating moving fruits. In contrast to existing methods, the dynamics of fruit motion are derived and included in the localization framework to obtain time-varying position estimates of the moving fruits. A detailed theoretical foundation is provided for the new estimation-based fruit localization approach, and it is validated through extensive Monte Carlo simulations. The performance of the estimator is evaluated by varying the design parameters, measurement noise, number of fruits, amount of overlap in clustered fruit scenarios, and fruit velocity. Correlation of these parameters with the performance of the estimator is derived, and guidelines are presented for selecting the design parameters and predicting performance bounds under given operating conditions.
Information Technologies for Rural Development in Africa: New Paradigms from Radio to Broadband

Broadcast media have been considered the most cost-effective means of reaching target populations in the developing world. Two trends are changing this paradigm. The first is the proliferation of interactive information and communication technologies (ICTs) from basic mobile phones to Internet access through smartphones, Internet cafes, and community telecenters as well as connections to work places, schools, and residences. The second is the emergence of social entrepreneurship—using business skills and strategies in nonprofit settings to accomplish development goals. Social entrepreneurs are learning to use ICTs as key components of strategies to achieve their goals.
The catalytic role of emotions in sensemaking: Evidence from the blogosphere:

We examine the role of emotions in the sensemaking and related processes engaged during a period of change in a worldwide network of organizations—the Anglican Communion (global religion of nearly ...
Hydrogen peroxide vapor cross sections: A flow cell study using laser absorption in the near infrared

Abstract The absorption spectra of vapors of concentrated hydrogen peroxide/water mixtures (without a carrier gas) were characterized at wavelengths from 1390 to 1470 nm utilizing a near-infrared diode laser. Low pressures were employed to examine these spectral features near the Doppler-broadened limit. An advantageous portion of the spectra near 1420 nm containing several distinct H2O2 peaks and one well-known H2O peak (for calibration) was identified and the cross-sections of these peaks determined. These cross section values can be employed to measure vapor-phase concentrations of H2O2 in propulsion, atmospheric chemistry, and sterilization applications.
A steady-state equivalent model of solid state transformers for voltage regulation studies

Solid State Transformers (SSTs) are power electronic-based transformers that will be a vital component of the future smart grid with high amount of renewable energy integration and the need for improved controllability. Among its various unique features, the reactive power compensating capabilities of SSTs can be exploited in future smart distribution systems for voltage regulation under high renewable energy penetrations. SSTs are power electronic devices that show fast and non-linear dynamics which means the simulation models are often complicated and need small time steps for accurate solutions. This prevents real-time and long-term simulation of large distribution systems as the simulations become computationally prohibitive. This paper designs a simplified equivalent model of an SST using simple current and voltage sources along with simple modeling equations. These simplified models can be used to perform long-term voltage regulation studies of distribution systems where traditional transformers are replaced with SSTs.
Housing Trends Among Baby Boomers

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau projections, most of the growth in the number of persons aged 55 and older in the near future will occur because of the aging of the Baby Boomers, who have helped to fuel the growth in the national homeownership rate to historical highs. Broadly speaking, the aging of America and growth in homeownership will have potentially important implications for the housing and mortgage industries for a number of reasons. First, listings by older homeowners are an important source of supply of existing homes for sale, and those older sellers looking to buy another home represent an important source of demand, especially for smaller, trade-down homes or homes with desirable features - e.g., homes with a first-floor bedroom, one-story homes, and condominiums - and in current and future areas of growth in retirees, especially in the West, South, and Southwest. Second, there has been a sustained increase in the demand for second and vacation homes, as well as lots for the building of future retirement homes. Third, there has been recent media attention on empty-nesters selling suburban homes in areas with good schools and purchasing real estate in urban areas to take advantage of urban amenities. Finally, the housing equity of older Americans, which was estimated to be $2.5 trillion in 2000 and has grown even larger in the last few years, is the most important non-pension asset in household portfolios, and a large reserve of untapped wealth. Indeed, there has been substantial interest in the development of new mortgage and financial-market products which allow older homeowners to tap into this wealth. Overall, issues involving housing and aging will be of growing national importance and will have direct bearing on the housing and mortgage industries.
Life Experience of Patients With Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Importance Clinicians and patients benefit when they have a clear understanding of how medical conditions influence patients’ life experiences. Patients’ perspectives on life with unilateral vocal fold paralysis have not been well described. Objective To promote patient-centered care by characterizing the patient experiences of living with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Design, Setting, and Participants This study used mixed methods: surveys using the voice and dysphagia handicap indexes (VHI and DHI) and semistructured interviews with adults with unilateral vocal cord paralysis recruited from a tertiary voice center. Recorded interviews were transcribed, coded using a hierarchical coding system, and analyzed using an iterative inductive-deductive approach. Main Outcomes and Measures Symptom domains of the patient experience. Results In 36 patients (26 [72%] were female, and the median age and interquartile range [IQR] were 63 years [48-68 years]; median interview duration, 42 minutes), median VHI and DHI scores were 96 (IQR, 77-108) and 55.5 (IQR, 35-89) at the time of interviews, respectively.Frustration,isolation,fear, and altered self-identitywere primary themes permeating patients’ experiences. Frustrations related to limitations in communication, employment, and the medical system. Sources of fear included a loss of control, fear of further dysfunction or permanent disability, concern for health consequences (eg, aspiration pneumonia), and/or an inability to call for help in emergency situations. These experiences were modified by the following factors: resilience, self-efficacy, perceived sense of control, and social support systems. Conclusions and Relevance Effects of unilateral vocal fold paralysis extend beyond impaired voice and other somatic symptoms. Awareness of the extent to which these patients experience frustration, isolation, fear, and altered self-identity is important. A patient-centered approach to optimizing unilateral vocal fold paralysis treatment is enhanced by an understanding of both the physical dimension of this condition and how patients cope with the considerable emotional and social consequences. Recognizing the psychosocial dimensions of disease allows clinicians to communicate more effectively, be more empathetic, and to better personalize treatment plans, which may lead to improved patient care and patient satisfaction.
Experimental Demonstration of a Tunable Acoustoelastic System

Acoustoelastic coupling occurs when a hollow structure’s in-vacuo mode aligns with an acoustic mode of the internal cavity. The impact of this coupling on the total dynamic response of the structure can be quite severe depending on the similarity of the modal frequencies and shapes. Typically, acoustoelastic coupling is not a design feature, but rather an unfortunate result that must be remedied as modal tests are often used to correlate or validate finite element models of the uncoupled structure. Here, however, a test structure is intentionally designed such that multiple structural and acoustic modes are well-aligned, resulting in a coupled system that allows for an experimental investigation. Coupling in the system is first identified using a measure termed the magnification factor and the structural-acoustic interaction for a target mode is then measured. Modifications to the system demonstrate the dependency of the coupling with respect to changes in the mode shape and frequency proximity. This includes an investigation of several practical techniques used to decouple the system by altering the internal acoustic cavity, as well as the structure itself. Furthermore, acoustic absorption material effectively decoupled the structure while structural modifications, in their current form, proved unsuccessful. The most effective acoustic absorption method consisted of randomly distributing typical household paper towels in the acoustic cavity; a method that introduces negligible mass to the structural system with the additional advantages of being inexpensive and readily available.
Measurements of gap anisotropy in A15 Nb/sub 3/Sn

A recent suggestion by Farrel and Chandrasekhar that a major part of the critical-temperature (T/sub c/) reduction in A15 superconductors, caused by radiation-induced defects, is a manifestation of a large gap anisotropy is examined for Nb/sub 3/Sn. Electron-irradiation data show that the T/sub c/ changes with damage are inconsistent with a large gap anisotropy. However, if one assumes that the initial changes in T/sub c/ with fluence are indeed due to gap anisotropy, then it is shown that the anisotropy parameter for Nb/sub 3/Sn is 9 or approx. = 0.03.
Significance of bowel wall thickening on computed tomography scan: higher risk of pathology among African Americans compared to Hispanics.

Purpose The aims of our study were to examine the role of colonoscopy as further workup for bowel wall thickening reported on computed tomography (CT) scans and to investigate whether there were significant differences in pathology found among the racial groups in our study population. Methods This is a retrospective study from March 2005 and January 2007 of all patients who have undergone colonos-copy for bowel wall thickening found on CT scans of the abdomen. Results Of 94 patients with bowel wall thickening on CT scans, 7 (8%) had adenocarcinoma, 5 (5%) had large adenomas, 3 (3%) had infectious colitis, 2 (2%) ischemic colitis, 1 (1%) had inflammatory bowel disease, and 1 (1%) had a benign stricture. Bowel wall thickening on CT scan predicted clinical pathology in 34% of African Americans, as compared to 14% of Hispanics. Patients with significant pathology were more likely to have anemia and lower albumin levels. Conclusion Patients with bowel wall thickening found on CT scans should be referred for colonoscopy, given that significant pathology is found in 20% of the cases. African Americans were 2.5 times more likely to have clinically significant pathology as compared to Hispanics.
Finite dimensional models for random functions

Abstract Truncated Karhunen–Loeve (KL) representations are used to construct finite dimensional (FD) models for non-Gaussian functions with finite variances. The second moment specification of the random coefficients of these representations are enhanced to full probabilistic characterization by using translation, polynomial chaos, and translated polynomial chaos models, referred to as T, PC, and PCT models. Following theoretical considerations on KL representations and T, PC, and PCT models, three numerical examples are presented to illustrate the implementation and performance of these models. The PCT models inherit the desirable features of both T and PC models. It approximates accurately all quantities of interest considered in these examples.
Identifying Hospital Cost Savings Opportunities by Optimizing Surgical Approach for Distal Pancreatectomy

The economic implications of relevant clinicopathologic factors on the surgical approach to distal pancreatectomy (DP) should be clearly defined and understood to potentially allow the implementation of cost reduction strategies. Administrative and clinical datasets of patients undergoing a DP between 2012 and 2016 were merged and queried. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify clinicopathologic predictors of cost differentials for minimally invasive DP (MIDP) relative to open DP (ODP). Time trends in cost were also assessed to identify opportunities for cost containment. Among two hundred and twenty five patients, 128 underwent an ODP (57%) and 97 a MIDP (43%). The DP groups were comparable with regard to relevant perioperative and disease characteristics. Total hospitalization and total OR costs for MIDP were significantly lower (− 12%, P = 0.0048) and higher (+ 16%, P 60 (− 12%, P = 0.0262), BMI > 25 (− 10%, P = 0.0222), ASA class ≥ 3 (− 11%, P = 0.0045), OpTime > 230 min (− 16%, P = 0.0004), and T stage ≥ 3 (− 8%, P = 0.0452) were associated with decreased total costs after MIDP compared to ODP. Linear regression analysis revealed that BMI > 25 (Estimate − 0.31, SE 0.15, P = 0.0482), ASA class ≥ 3 (Estimate − 0.36, SE 0.17, P = 0.0344), and T stage ≥ 3 (Estimate − 0.57, SE 0.26, P = 0.0320) were associated with decreased hospitalization costs after MIDP compared to ODP. Overtime, total hospitalization cost for MIDP increased from − 21 to 1% (P = 0.0197), while OR costs for MIDP decreased from + 41% to − 2% (P = 0.0049), nearly equalizing the cost differences between ODP and MIDP. Relevant clinicopathologic factors predicted decreased hospitalization costs after MIDP relative to ODP. In equivalent stages of disease, optimizing the surgical approach to DP based on specific clinicopathologic characteristics may afford significant cost-saving opportunities.
Deep-Learning-Based Optimization of the Under-Sampling Pattern in MRI

In compressed sensing MRI (CS-MRI), k-space measurements are under-sampled to achieve accelerated scan times. CS-MRI presents two fundamental problems: (1) where to sample and (2) how to reconstruct an under-sampled scan. In this article, we tackle both problems simultaneously for the specific case of 2D Cartesian sampling, using a novel end-to-end learning framework that we call LOUPE (Learning-based Optimization of the Under-sampling PattErn). Our method trains a neural network model on a set of full-resolution MRI scans, which are retrospectively under-sampled on a 2D Cartesian grid and forwarded to an anti-aliasing (a.k.a. reconstruction) model that computes a reconstruction, which is in turn compared with the input. This formulation enables a data-driven optimized under-sampling pattern at a given sparsity level. In our experiments, we demonstrate that LOUPE-optimized under-sampling masks are data-dependent, varying significantly with the imaged anatomy, and perform well with different reconstruction methods. We present empirical results obtained with a large-scale, publicly available knee MRI dataset, where LOUPE offered superior reconstruction quality across different conditions. Even with an aggressive 8-fold acceleration rate, LOUPE's reconstructions contained much of the anatomical detail that was missed by alternative masks and reconstruction methods. Our experiments also show how LOUPE yielded optimal under-sampling patterns that were significantly different for brain vs knee MRI scans. Our code is made freely available at https://github.com/cagladbahadir/LOUPE/ .
Discrimination Between Explosive Materials and Isomers Using a Human Color Vision-Inspired Sensing Method.

This paper describes the application of a human color vision approach to infrared (IR) chemical sensing for the discrimination between multiple explosive materials deposited on aluminum substrates....
The American Diabetes Association in the Era of Health Care Transformation

This address was delivered by Felicia Hill-Briggs, PhD, ABPP, President, Health Care & Education of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) at the ADA’s 78th Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla., on 23 June 2018. Diabetes has become a high-priority condition in the current era of health care transformation due to diabetes and prediabetes prevalence rates, suboptimal diabetes outcomes at the health care system and population levels, and high health care and public health costs attributed to diabetes. Population health is the path forward for the ADA to facilitate diabetes health care and public health improvement nationally. Population health management initiatives underway at the ADA include Diabetes INSIDE for health care systems and a Mental Health Provider Training Program and referral directory. Population health improvement initiatives include the prediabetes Risk Test Campaign, National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) dissemination in underserved states and populations, a DPP Express information technology platform, and a social determinants of health scientific review and recommendations. Dr. Hill-Briggs is a professor of medicine; physical medicine and rehabilitation; health, behavior, and society; and acute and chronic care at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. She is a core faculty member of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology & Clinical Research and co-lead of behavioral, social, and systems science for the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Dr. Hill-Briggs has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine of The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and is the 2018 recipient of the Rachmiel Levine Medal for Leadership from the ADA.
Timely linkage of individuals to substance use disorder treatment: development, implementation, and evaluation of FindHelpNowKY.org.

Substance use disorders (SUD) have steadily increased over the last two decades. Seeking SUD treatment involves searching SUD treatment facility types (inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient, residential and family residential, and detoxification facilities) that offer specialized SUD treatment depending on individual needs and preferences. Referrals to SUD treatment require innovative strategies that rapidly link individuals to SUD treatment when they are at the critical stage of readiness. The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a user-friendly SUD treatment facility opening availability website called FindHelpNowKY.org. The objectives of the study were to 1) recruit SUD treatment facility and partner participation; 2) develop platform, content, and analytics for the FindHelpNowKY.org website intervention with an information repository; 3) assess barriers and facilitators to implementation; and 4) evaluate the development and implementation of FindHelpNowKY.org. Website development stakeholders were identified and the website concept was developed. The logic model for FindHelpNowKY.org outlined resources, activities, and outputs as well as the associated short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives, along with a website evaluation plan. Website usability and focus group testing was conducted. Information repository resource documents were compiled and categorized. An inventory of Kentucky-based SUD treatment facilities was compiled using various state and federal resources. Development/implementation barriers were addressed, facilitators were identified, and the website was implemented; 83% of SUD treatment facilities were indexed on the website, and average website user time was 7 min. From February to October 2018, there were 29,000 visitors, and 30,000 unique searches. The most common website query was a friend or family member seeking long-term residential or outpatient treatment facilities accepting Medicaid or Medicare. FindHelpNowKY.org has the potential to fill a critical need for timely access to available SUD treatment in the state. The website may be a valuable resource for health professionals that can enhance clinical workflow and reduce staff time conducting phone and website searches for available SUD treatment. The website is a promising tool for assessing current SUD treatment capacity vs. SUD treatment need. The FindHelpNow model can be used by other states to increase timely access to SUD treatment.
A Robotic Control System for Fault Tolerance and Safety using Human Robot Interaction

In Robotics, fault tolerant control is an essential aspect for the robot to be fully autonomous without running into errors. One error could lead to another thereby quickly cascading out of control causing the system to behave anomaly. Fault tolerant and self-healing robotic control systems help detect the errors and based on the type of the error the robot automatically can self-heal or self-correct itself. The current paper is a work in progress and provides an outline of such a robotic systems mentioned in literature. A Robotic Control System using human in the loop is proposed to facilitate self-adjusting capability within the robot. Such as system will also help with the safety of the robot and the environment where it is deployed.
A dissociative pathway for equilibration of a hydrido CoL(H)2+ complex with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Ligand binding constants in the macrocyclic [14]-dienecobalt(I) system

Results of pulse radiolysis experiments yielding equilibrium and kinetic data for the binding of H{sup +}, CO{sub 2}, and CO to the low-spin d{sup 8} macrocyclic cobalt(I) complex CoL{sup +} in aqueous solutions are reported. The CoL{sup +} system has found application in both the photoreduction of water to H{sub 2} and the electroreduction of CO{sub 2} to CO. It was found that in aqueous tetra-butyl alcohol containing an added proton donor HA, the CoL{sup +} undergoes protonation by a general acid pathway to yield CoL(H){sup 2+}. An equilibrium mechanism is suggested. 21 refs., 1 fig.
Sound Level Measurements in Berthing Areas of an Aircraft Carrier.

BACKGROUND Personnel assigned to aircraft carriers work and live in environments where hazardous noise areas and hearing recovery spaces such as sleeping areas are in close proximity to one another. Hazardous noise exposure occurring during on-duty time periods and elevated noise levels during off-duty periods in sleeping areas may be prohibiting adequate hearing recovery, thus potentially leading to hearing loss and may lead to adverse effects on sleep, leading to crew-member fatigue. This investigation characterizes Equivalent sound level (Leq) and standardized octave band center frequency noise levels according to berthing (sleeping) area location during flight operation and nonflight operation time periods on a US Navy aircraft carrier. In addition, the investigation compares noise measurements in sleeping areas to noise levels associated with auditory rest and poor sleep quality and quantity. METHODS Noise levels were measured in berthing areas aboard a US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier during a routine at-sea period. Sixty noise measurements were taken in eight sleeping locations. Leq in decibels 'A' weighted (dBA) and noise levels from 16 to 16 000 Hz in (dB) were measured during flight operations [Leq (flt ops)] and nonflight operations [Leq (nonflt ops)]. Leq was also measured according to sleep area shipboard locations of forward (FWD) Leq (FWD), middle (MID) Leq (MID), and rear (AFT) Leq (AFT). These data were compared to the 70 dBA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for effective quiet areas. In addition, these data were compared to noise levels associated with hearing loss and sleep parameters. Statistical analysis was conducted with R version 3.5.2 using an alpha level of 0.05. RESULTS Leq (flt ops) in sleeping areas was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) 6.4 dBA higher than the Leq (nonflt ops). Leq (FWD) and Leq (MID) in sleeping areas was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) 15.2 and 15.0 dBA higher, respectively, than the Leq (AFT) noise levels. Mean noise levels at standardized center (1/1) octave bands were highest between 500 and 4000 Hz, ranging from 65.2 to 69.8 dB. A total of 72% of all area Leq measurements exceeded the 70 dBA ACGIH TLV classified as effective quiet to allow for temporary threshold shift recovery. All noise measurements exceeded the World Health Organization's noise threshold where adverse effects on sleep begin. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that sleeping area location in close proximity to relatively high noise sources and activities occurring on an aircraft carrier (i.e. flight operations) increase noise levels in sleeping areas. These findings raise serious concerns since high noise exposures both on duty and during off-duty/sleeping periods may inhibit auditory recovery from hazardous noise exposures. In addition, results suggest noise levels in sleeping areas are high enough to evoke negative sleep effects.
The Next Generation of State Reforms to Improve their Lowest Performing Schools: An Evaluation of North Carolina’s School Transformation Intervention

In contrast to prior federally mandated school reforms, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allows states more discretion in reforming their lowest performing schools, removes requirements to dis...
Unnormalized optimal transport

Abstract We propose an extension of the computational fluid mechanics approach to the Monge-Kantorovich mass transfer problem, which was developed by Benamou-Brenier in [4] . Our extension allows optimal transfer of unnormalized and unequal masses. We obtain a one-parameter family of simple modifications of the formulation in [4] . This leads us to a new Monge-Ampere type equation and a new Kantorovich duality formula. These can be solved efficiently by, for example, the Chambolle-Pock primal-dual algorithm [6] . This solution to the extended mass transfer problem gives us a simple metric for computing the distance between two unnormalized densities. The L 1 version of this metric was shown in [25] (which is a precursor of our work here) to have desirable properties.
Population Density Modulates the Duration of Reproduction of C. elegans

Summary Population density can modulate the developmental trajectory of Caenorhabditis elegans larvae by promoting entry into dauer diapause, which is characterized by metabolic and anatomical remodeling and stress resistance [ 1 , 2 ]. Genetic analysis of dauer formation has identified the involvement of evolutionarily conserved endocrine signaling pathways, including the DAF-2/insulin-like receptor signaling pathway [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Chemical and metabolomic analysis of dauer-inducing pheromone has identified a family of small molecules, ascarosides, which act potently to communicate increased population density and promote dauer formation [ 1 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Here, we show that adult animals respond to ascarosides produced under conditions of increased population density by increasing the duration of reproduction. We observe that the ascarosides that promote dauer entry of larvae also act on adult animals to attenuate expression of the insulin peptide INS-6 from the ASI chemosensory neurons, resulting in diminished neuroendocrine insulin signaling that extends the duration of reproduction. Genetic analysis of ins-6 and corresponding insulin-signaling pathway mutants showed that the effect of increased population density on reproductive span was mimicked by ins-6 loss of function that exerted effects on duration of reproduction through the canonical DAF-2-DAF-16 pathway. We further observed that the effect of population density on reproductive span acted through DAF-16-dependent and DAF-16-independent pathways upstream of DAF-12, paralleling in adults what has been observed for the dauer developmental decision of larvae. Our data suggest that, under conditions of increased population density, C. elegans animals prolong the duration of reproductive egg laying, which may enable the subsequent development of progeny under more favorable conditions.
The contribution of glial cells to Huntington's disease pathogenesis.

Abstract Glial cells play critical roles in the normal development and function of neural circuits, but in many neurodegenerative diseases, they become dysregulated and may contribute to the development of brain pathology. In Huntington's disease (HD), glial cells both lose normal functions and gain neuropathic phenotypes. In addition, cell-autonomous dysfunction elicited by mutant huntingtin (mHTT) expression in specific glial cell types is sufficient to induce both pathology and Huntington's disease–related impairments in motor and cognitive performance, suggesting that these cells may drive the development of certain aspects of Huntington's disease pathogenesis. In support of this imaging studies in pre-symptomatic HD patients and work on mouse models have suggested that glial cell dysfunction occurs at a very early stage of the disease, prior to the onset of motor and cognitive deficits. Furthermore, selectively ablating mHTT from specific glial cells or correcting for HD-induced changes in their transcriptional profile rescues some HD-related phenotypes, demonstrating the potential of targeting these cells for therapeutic intervention. Here we review emerging research focused on understanding the involvement of different glial cell types in specific aspects of HD pathogenesis. This work is providing new insight into how HD impacts biological functions of glial cells in the healthy brain as well as how HD induced dysfunction in these cells might change the way they integrate into biological circuits.
Classical Electromagnetism and the Aharonov–Bohm Phase Shift

Although there is good experimental evidence for the Aharonov–Bohm phase shift occurring when a solenoid is placed between the beams forming a double-slit electron interference pattern, there has been very little analysis of the relevant classical electromagnetic forces. These forces between a point charge and a solenoid involve subtle relativistic effects of order v 2 /c 2 analogous to those discussed by Coleman and Van Vleck in their treatment of the Shockley–James paradox. In this article we show that a treatment exactly analogous to that given by Coleman and Van Vleck predicts classical electromagnetic forces which provide the basis for the Aharonov–Bohm phase shift. The magnetic force on the solenoid due to the passing charge leads to a displacement of the solenoid center of energy which must be balanced by the displacement of the passing charge. This classical displacement of the passing charge is exactly what is required to account for the Aharonov–Bohm phase shift. Also, we discuss a magnetic moment model which appears frequently in the literature and note that although the model provides conservation of linear momentum, it does not satisfy the general requirements for relativistic theories. We give an example suggesting that the new equation of motion for a magnetic moment proposed by Aharonov, Pearle, and Vaidman based upon the hidden momentum of the magnetic moment is completely inappropriate. Finally, we emphasize that the Aharonov–Casher phase shift is also explained by classical electromagnetic forces exactly parallel to those explaining the Aharonov–Bohm phase shift.
First-year university students’ knowledge of academic misconduct and the association between goals for attending university and receptiveness to intervention

Academic misconduct (AM) runs rampant across higher education institutions in the US and internationally. Ample empirical research has identified myriad student variables that predict AM. However, two variables have been unexamined: the quality of conceptual knowledge university students have on AM and the relation between goals for going to university and reception to intervention on AM. Quantitative content analysis on written responses by 356 first-year university students reported surface-level knowledge of AM, frequent citation of extrinsic goals, and a lack of association between goals and receptiveness to intervention. Results corroborate prior research on university students’ limited understanding of AM. Results suggest that efforts to address AM do not need to tailor intervention components to match students’ goals for attending university.
Benchmarking Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms on a Building Energy Demand Coordination Task

Periods of high demand for electricity can raise electricity prices for building users. Flattening the electricity demand curve reduces can reduce costs and increase resiliency. We formulate this task as a multi-agent reinforcement learning (MA-RL) problem, to be achieved through demand response and coordination of electricity consuming agents, i.e., buildings. Bechmarks for such MA-RL problems do not exist. Here, we contribute an empirical comparison of three classes of MA-RL algorithms: independent learners, centralized critics with decentralized execution, and value factorization learners. We evaluate these algorithms on an energy coordination task in CityLearn, an Open AI Gym environment. We found independent learners with shaped rewards to be competitive with more complex algorithms. Agents with centralized critics aim to learn a rich joint critic, which may complicate the training process and cause scalability issues. Our findings indicate value factorization learners possess the coordination benefits of centralized critics and match independent learners without individualized reward shaping.
Improving Quantitative Precipitation Estimation by X-Band Dual-Polarization Radars in Complex Terrain Over the Bay Area in California, USA

Recently, an X-Band radar with dual-polarization capabilities was deployed in Santa Rosa, California to aid in monitoring precipitation and to provide high resolution QPE by better understanding the rainfall processes in this region. The dominant type of rainfall occurring in this region is stratiform and it can be further classified into cold bright-band rain and warm orographic rain with absence of bright-band. S-Band profiler and disdrometer measurements from two NOAA Physical Sciences Division sites are used to study the microphysics of these two rainfall types. A methodology has been developed to discriminate these rainfall types using dual-polarization radar variables and apply appropriate rainfall estimators according to the rainfall type. When applied to operational radar data, the method shows great potential for improving the QPE estimation compared to traditional operational QPE products which more often tends to greatly underestimate rainfall in the California coastal region.
A Patient-Level, Pooled Analysis of Mortality Rates With the Passeo-18 Lux Paclitaxel Drug-Coated Balloon in Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Abstract Background Recent meta-analyses have raised concerns about mortality with paclitaxel drug-coated balloons (DCB). This pooled, patient-level analysis of the BIOLUX P-I, P-II, and P-III studies was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Passeo-18 Lux DCB. Materials and Methods Individual patient-level demographic, clinical, diagnostic, and procedural data from the BIOLUX P-I, BIOLUX P-II, and BIOLUX P-III studies were pooled in a common database. Clinical safety (all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality) and efficacy (any amputation, target lesion/vessel revascularization) were extracted. Cox proportional modeling was used to assess the effect of critical limb ischemia at the time of enrollment and the occurrence of new amputation as a time-dependent variable on mortality. Results A total of 1009 patients were included in the analysis. Sixty-six patients were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and 943 underwent DCB angioplasty . The cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality did not differ between the groups (PTA 6.7%, DCB 6.7%, p = 0.65). The composite efficacy endpoint of freedom from any amputation and target lesion/vessel revascularization was superior in the DCB arm compared to PTA [PTA 28.8%, DCB 16.7%, p = 0.02]. Both in unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional models (adjusted for critical limb ischemia and amputation), the use of DCB was not associated with any mortality at 1 year. Conclusions Our patient-level analysis shows that overall the use of the Passeo-18 Lux paclitaxel DCB in infrainguinal arteries was not associated with increased mortality at 1 year and reinforces the efficacy of DCB angioplasty in preventing amputation or the need for reintervention.
The Expressive Fourth Amendment

After the eight minute and forty-six second video of George Floyd’s murder went viral, cities across the country erupted in mass protests with people outraged by the death of another Black person at the hands of police. The streets were flooded for months with activists and community members of all races marching, screaming, and demonstrating against police brutality and for racial justice. Police – like warriors against enemy forces – confronted overwhelmingly peaceful protesters with militarized violence and force. Ultimately, racial justice protesters and members of the media brought lawsuits under Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act in the district courts of Minneapolis, Dallas, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Indianapolis, claiming extreme violence and unlawful and abusive use of less lethal weapons by police during protests. The first part of the article provides a recent history of this police brutality against racial justice activists in the George Floyd protests. The second part of this article discusses how courts currently evaluate, in § 1983 actions, the Fourth Amendment reasonableness of police force pursuant to Graham v. Connor by reviewing circuit court opinions in protest cases from the last three decades and district court injunctions from the George Floyd protest litigation. This part demonstrates that in their Fourth Amendment reasonableness calculus, courts discount plaintiffs’ involvement in valuable politically expressive conduct. The third part of this article argues that the Fourth Amendment mandates that courts evaluate the reasonableness of protest policing in light of freedom of expression which means they must positively weigh plaintiffs’ expressive protest activity. This reframing of reasonableness is supported by historical evidence of the framer’s intent and the Supreme Court jurisprudence on searches of books, papers, and other expressive materials when such items arguably deserve First Amendment protection. The fourth part discusses the difference an expression-specific Fourth Amendment – the expressive Fourth Amendment – reasonableness test would have made in a protest case.
What Determines Financial Knowledge Among College Students

The rapidly growing literature on financial literacy finds an alarmingly low level of financial knowledge among young adults. During their college years, students are likely to face expenditure, savings, credit card, and student loan decisions for the first time on their own. At the same time, they are investing in their human capital, which will allow them to become better decisionmakers. As students enter the workforce, their lack of financial literacy could prevent them from making adequate financial decisions, such as buying a house or preparing for retirement. Hence, our objective is to assess financial knowledge at this early stage of their adulthood. More specifically, we empirically identify key determinants that increase financial knowledge among undergraduate college students while controlling for confounding variables that could affect it. Using data from a survey we administer at a private college in the Northeast, we identify a number of key determinants that influence financial knowledge including but not limited to being a first-generation student and having a student loan or owning a credit card. Based on our analysis, we recommend the implementation of school-wide personal finance classes for non-business students. We suggest offering personal finance workshops especially targeting minorities, women, first-generation students, and students who have a student loan.
Bacteria but not fungi communities differ among perennial grassland ecotypic rhizosphere under abiotic environmental stress

Environmental change, especially frequent droughts, is predicted to detrimentally impact the North American perennial grasslands. Consistent dry spells will affect plant communities as well as their associated rhizobiomes, possibly altering the plant host performance under environmental stress. Therefore, there is a need to understand the impact of drought on the rhizobiome, and how the rhizobiome may modulate plant host performance and ameliorate response to drought stress. In this study, we investigated the differences in bacterial and fungal community composition between three ecotypes (dry, mesic, and wet) of a dominant prairie grass, Andropogon gerardii. The ecotypes were established in 2010 in a common garden setup and grown under long-term dry conditions at the arid margin of the species range in Colby KS. The main question to be answered was to what extent do the wet and dry ecotypes maintain or recruit distinct rhizobiomes after ten years of growing in an arid climate and do these rhizobiomes ameliorate drought stress? In order to answer this question, we screened the ecotype rhizobiome profiles under the arid growing conditions of western KS as a surrogate for future climate environmental stress using 16S rRNA and ITS-1 amplicon sequencing. Under these conditions, bacterial community structure differed among the A. gerardii ecotypes, whereas the fungal communities did not differ compositionally. The ecotypes were instrumental in driving the differences among rhizobiome bacterial structures, further maintaining ecotype distinct bacterial rhizobiomes even after inhabiting a dry environment for ten years. This study will aid us to optimize plant productivity through the use of different ecotypes under future abiotic environmental stress, especially drought.
Answer Set Programming and the Design of Deliberative Agents

Answer set programming (ASP) (see, for instance, [22]) is a new declarative programming paradigm suitable for solving a large range of problems related to knowledge representation and search. The paradigm is rooted in recent developments in several areas of artificial intelligence. ASP starts by encoding relevant domain knowledge as a (possibly disjunctive) logic program, Π. The connectives of this program are normally understood in accordance with the answer set (stable model) semantics [12,13]. The corresponding language is frequently referred to as A-Prolog (or ANS-Prolog). The language’s ability to express defaults, i.e. statements of the form “normally, objects of class C have property P”, coupled with its natural treatment of recursion, and other useful features, often leads to a comparatively concise and clear representation of knowledge. Insights on the nature of causality and its relationship with the answer sets of logic programs [14,21,25] allows for the description of the effects of actions which solves the frame, ramification, and qualification problems, which for a long time have caused difficulties in modeling knowledge about dynamic domains.
Development of scenarios for long-term release of radionuclides from the proposed waste isolation pilot plant in southeastern New Mexico

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a project of the U.S. Department of Energy. At the plant, radioactive waste produced in defense programs will be buried in bedded-salt formations lying deep below the Delaware basin in southeâstern New Mexico. The principal contaminants in this waste will be transuranic elements; little of the waste will contain fission products. Because the time required for isolating these long-lived elements is still under discussion, the safety analyses of the WIPP repository must deal with conditions in the far distant future, at times as long as hundreds of thousands of years. The analyses must, in fact, estimate the consequences of unexpected releases of waste from the repository at such distant times. Computer codes for predicting these consequences are available, but they must be supplied with descriptions of the mechanisms that can be assumed to release the waste. Users of these codes, in other words, must develop scenarios--hypothetical sequences of events that could conceivably release waste from a repository.
Comparative study of human milk and a soya bean formula in promoting growth and nitrogen retention by infants.

Four infants, 4 to 6½ months of age, were studied for periods of 38 to 73 days while receiving ad libitum feeding of a formula in which the protein was derived from soya bean. No other source of calories was provided. The content of protein in the formula was 1.14 gm/100 ml (6.8% of the calories supplied by protein) and the mean intake of protein by the infants was 1.7 gm/kg/ day. The amounts of methionine (mean intake, 38 mg/kg/day) and tryptophan (mean intake, 14 mg/kg/day) supplied by the formula were slightly less than currently accepted minimal requirements for infants. The rate of gain in weight of the infants was normal and retentions of nitrogen (15 metabolic balance studies) were at least as great as those of normal full-term infants of similar ages fed human milk. This finding may be of value in consideration of protein allowances for children in technically underdeveloped areas of the world in which soya beans, but not animal protein, are available.
Superconductivity: The persistence of pairs

Fingerprints of electron pairing in a range of temperature and magnetic field above the bulk superconducting phase transition have been found, which may be evidence for the long-sought 'preformed pairs' expected in strongly coupled or very dilute superconductors.