cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Checking for the Adequacy of Nonlinear Time Series Models

We propose a new diagnostic test for linear and nonlinear time series models, using a generalized spectral approach. Under a wide class of time series models that includes autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH) and autoregressive conditional duration (ACD) models, the proposed test enjoys the appealing “nuisance-parameter-free” property in the sense that model parameter estimation uncertainty has no impact on the limit distribution of the test statistic. It is consistent against any type of pairwise serial dependence in the model standardized residuals and allows the choice of a proper lag order via data-driven methods. Moreover, the new test is asymptotically more efficient than the correlation integral–based test of Brock, Hsieh, and LeBaron (1991, Nonlinear Dynamics, Chaos, and Instability: Statistical Theory and Economic Evidence) and Brock, Dechert, Scheinkman, and LeBaron (1996, Econometric Reviews 15, 197–235), the well-known BDS test, against a class of plausible local alternatives (not including ARCH). A simulation study compares the finite-sample performance of the proposed test and the tests of BDS, Box and Pierce (1970, Journal of the American Statistical Association 65, 1509–1527), Ljung and Box (1978, Biometrika 65, 297–303), McLeod and Li (1983, Journal of Time Series Analysis 4, 269–273), and Li and Mak (1994, Journal of Time Series Analysis 15, 627–636). The new test has good power against a wide variety of stochastic and chaotic alternatives to the null models for conditional mean and conditional variance. It can play a valuable role in evaluating adequacy of linear and nonlinear time series models. An empirical application to the daily S&P 500 price index highlights the merits of our approach.We thank the co-editor (Don Andrews) and two referees for careful and constructive comments that have lead to significant improvement over an earlier version. We also thank C.W.J. Granger, D. Tjostheim, and Z. Xiao for helpful comments. Hong's participation is supported by the National Science Foundation via NSF grant SES–0111769. Lee thanks the UCR Academic Senate for research support.
The Stellar Population of the Galactic Bulge

The central kiloparsec of the Milky Way contains a distinct stellar population that resembles distant ellipticals and bulges. An abundance range from 1/10 to nearly 10 times the solar metal abundance produces evolved stars ranging from RR Lyraes to late M giants, OH/IR stars, and Miras. I describe the kinematics, structure, chemical evolution and possible age range of the galactic bulge. Infrared imaging of the M31 bulge reveals a population of luminous AGB stars that may have progenitors younger than 15 Gyr. It is important to measure the age of bulge populations relative to the old globular clusters, and to consider a range of formation scenarios.
Present patterns and future prospects for biodiversity in the Western Hemisphere

Creating networks of nature reserves to protect areas rich in biodiversity from the adverse impacts of anthropogenic change is a critical and urgent task. We illustrate the skewed geographical and size distributions of protected areas in the Western Hemisphere. For instance, 811 of 1413 reserves in the Western Hemisphere are smaller than 10 km 2 , and 35% of the total area of these reserves is in Alaska. We compile ranges for all bats in the continental Western Hemisphere and find that 82% of threatened and small-range species are not protected adequately. Many of the most vulnerable species occur in the areas of highest human density. We provide maps delineating areas where conservation investments may have the greatest impact in preventing biodiversity losses.
Plant-microbe treatment systems for toxic waste

Abstract There is increasing experimental evidence that microbial degradation of hazardous organic compounds can be achieved faster in the presence of plant roots than in soil or water in the absence of roots. These studies hold promise that new techniques in biotechnology can eventually be applied to plant-microbe systems for hazardous waste treatment.
Rapid timescale processes and the role of electronic surface coupling in the photolysis of diatomic ligands from heme proteins

We have observed coherent oscillations of the heme protein myoglobin (Mb) following femtosecond laser excitation and photodissociation of the CO, O2, and NO bound ligands. Use of a novel methodology, involving “wavelength selective modulation” of the pump and/or probe laser pulse train, allows us to discriminate between coherences created by pump fields of differing wavelength within the laser pulse versus signals that arise from the decay of either vibrational or electronic populations. The population driven signals appear when pump field interactions having the same optical frequency are allowed to contribute to the signal detection channel. One surprising result, which will be stressed in the discussion, is the observation of a distinct product state vibrational coherence (the iron–histidine stretching vibration of deoxy Mb at 220 cm−1) that depends upon the presence of pump field interactions having a wavelength mismatch that is equal to the 220 cm−1 vibrational frequency. This observation is surprising because the iron–histidine mode is not observed in the resonance Raman measurements on the six-coordinate reactant species. Thus, the pump-pulse laser excitation between the ground and excited state, which leads to the ligand dissociation, is evidently able to create a “field driven” vibrational coherence of a resonance Raman inactive mode that extends into non-vertical regions of the reactive excited state potential energy surface. Non-radiative electronic surface crossing, followed by the rapid development of new electronic forces on the nuclei, appears to be ruled out as a source of the coherent signals (the random phase of the optically uncoupled modes is one possible explanation for this observation). The extremely rapid timescale (≪150 fs) for the development of the (S=2) high-spin product state of the iron atom from the initial unphotolyzed state (S=0) is worthy of further theoretical discussion because of the spin forbidden nature of such a transition. Excited state admixtures of the iron spin states are presumably involved, and the mixing of these states, along with the unpaired electron on NO, may help to explain the ultrafast time scales and large amplitudes that characterize the NO geminate recombination in comparison to CO.
Interaction factors of a multi-layered magnetic thin film system

Magnetostatic interaction factors of coupled magnetic thin films are proposed to assist the analysis of the electric and magnetic properties of such systems. The factors, f/sub y/ and f/sub z/, which are diagonal elements of an interaction tensor, are proportional to the interaction energies due to the magnetization in y and z directions. Three-dimensional mathematical expressions of these factors are developed. The interaction energy of the system in each film can be determined numerically using these factors. As a result, the magnetoresistive character of the system can be obtained numerically. The interaction factor decreases rapidly as the distance is increased, with the rate of decrease being faster for thinner films. The numerical solution of the output character of a coupled thin-film read head agrees with previous experimental findings. >
Identifying persuasive qualities of decentralized peer-to-peer online social networks in public health

Online social networks as behavior change support systems have been rapidly gaining in popularity. These networks have been studied by public health specialists from the point of view of traditional behavior change theories. However, scant research exists on the persuasive content of the messages exchanged between participants in such networks. In this paper, we use Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model to develop a framework for identifying persuasive attributes in online social networks. This framework was applied to QuitNet, an online social network for smoking cessation. Results indicated that the communication in QuitNet had persuasive qualities such as reduction, simulation, social learning, reminders, suggestions, and rewards. Further, these features were predominantly found in messages related to "QuitNet-specific customs", "Quit progress", and "Family and friends". Use of this framework enables the development of quantitative relationships between persuasive attributes and behavior change outcomes experienced by network members.
Publishing in Journals Outside the Box: Attaining Mainstream Prominence Requires Demonstrations of Mainstream Relevance

Primary pediatric medical care is as mainstream as any major cultural practice in the USA. Thus, publishing behavior analytic papers that pertain to problems that present in pediatric settings in pediatric medical journals is one route to mainstream relevance. With sufficient numbers of such papers, it could even lead to prominence. This article describes examples of publishing in pediatric journals and some lessons I learned from the experience. For example, (1) all child behavior problems that present in pediatric settings are of social importance but most are high-frequency, low-intensity problems that are not necessarily exotic or representative of serious pathology, and they usually respond to straightforward behavioral applications; (2) it is usually best to use a “colloquialized version of learning theory” when writing for and speaking to pediatric providers (and the families for whom they provide care); (3) pediatricians often have limited knowledge about behavior analytic research designs; and (4) when submissions are rejected by pediatric journals, the rejection can be exploited as an opportunity to educate pediatric editors and reviewers.
Enhanced skeletal muscle arteriolar reactivity to ANG II after recovery from ischemic acute renal failure

In addition to the long-term renal complications, previous studies suggested that after acute renal failure (ARF), rats manifest an increased pressor response to an overnight infusion of ANG II. Th...
Rapid evaluation of left ventricular volume and mass without breath-holding using real-time interactive cardiac magnetic resonance imaging system.

Abstract OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to validate cardiac measurements derived from real-time cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as compared with well-validated conventional cine MRI. BACKGROUND Although cardiac MRI provides accurate assessment of left ventricular (LV) volume and mass, most techniques have been relatively slow and required electrocardiogram (ECG) gating over many heart beats. A newly developed real-time MRI system allows continuous real-time dynamic acquisition and display without cardiac gating or breath-holding. METHODS Fourteen healthy volunteers and nine patients with heart failure underwent real-time and cine MRI in the standard short-axis orientation with a 1.5T MRI scanner. Nonbreath-holding cine MRI was performed with ECG gating and respiratory compensation. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular endsystolic volume (LVESV), ejection fraction (EF) and LV mass calculated from the images obtained by real-time MRI were compared to those obtained by cine MRI. RESULTS The total study time including localization for real-time MRI was significantly shorter than cine MRI (8.6 ± 2.3 vs. 24.7 ± 3.5 min, p CONCLUSIONS Real-time MRI provides accurate measurements of LV volume and mass in a time-efficient manner with respect to image acquisition.
3D imaging and visualization of biological microorganisms

In summary, the auto-focused 3D image from the SEOL digital hologram of a 3D microorganism by use of Fresnel transformation algorithms is reconstructed. The 3D images obtained with SEOL digital holographic microscopy have been segmented, feature-extracted and analyzed by digital image processing techniques. Then, the graph matching technique and the statistical sampling and inference algorithms have been applied to 3D morphology-based and shape-independent 3D recognition of biological microorganisms, respectively. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the robustness of the 3D recognition system
Thoracic re-irradiation using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) techniques as first or second course of treatment.

Background and purpose Management for in-field failures after thoracic radiation is poorly defined. We evaluated SBRT as an initial or second course of treatment re-irradiating in a prior high dose region.
Understanding Perceptions of Supervision and Organizational Operations Among Prison Teachers: A Multilevel Analysis

Prison educators and vocational trainers are instrumental in prisons given their roles in teaching and preparing prisoners for a successful reintegration into the community. Although prior research has explored the impact of vocational and educational programs on offender recidivism, scant attention has been paid to the work experiences of prison educators and instructors. The current study thus examines perceptions of supervision and organizational operations among a sample of 263 educational and vocational staff employed in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. A key contribution of this study is the inclusion of new organizational-level variables (e.g., a prison’s average institutional tenure and average institutional commitment) as predictors of perceptions of the prison work environment. Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM) identified that efficacy with inmates was the strongest predictor of perceptions of both supervision and organizational operations. Age, supervisory status, Hispanic ethnicity, and the avera...
A general framework for development and data analysis of competitive high-throughput screens for small-molecule inhibitors of protein-protein interactions by fluorescence polarization.

Equilibrium binding experiments are widely used for the accurate characterization of binding and competitive binding behavior in biological systems. Modern high-throughput discovery efforts in chemical biology rely heavily upon this principle. Here, we derive exact analytical expressions for general competitive binding models which can also explain a commonly encountered phenomenon in these types of experiments, anticooperative incomplete displacement. We explore the effects of nonspecific binding behavior and parameter misestimation. All expressions are derived in terms of total concentrations determined a priori. We discuss a general framework for high-throughput screening assays based on fluorescence polarization and strategies for assay development, sensitivity regimes, data quality control, analysis, and ranking. Theoretical findings are visualized by simulations using realistic parameter sets. Our results are the basis for the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors of the protein−protein interaction...
The affective shift hypothesis: The functions of emotional changes following sexual intercourse

This article develops the Affective Ship Hypothesis, which suggests that women experience positive affective shifts following first-time intercourse as a means to facilitate a longer-term, more committed relationship. The hypothesis predicts a negative affective shift in men who pursue a short-term mating strategy; this shift is hypothesized to function to curtail commitment by motivating the man to terminate the relationship. Study 1 (N= 177) documented sex differences predicted by the affective shift hypothesis. Study 2 (N= 203), using a somewhat different methodology involving reports of presex and postsex feelings, found that men with high numbers of sex partners, but not men with low numbers of partners, experienced a decrease in their partner's physical and sexual attractiveness following first-time sexual intercourse. In contrast, women, more than men, experienced increases in feelings of love and commitment following first-time sex.
Separating Solo and Orchestra from Monaural Audio Using Mixture Models

We describe a new approach to the "desoloing" problem, in which one tries to isolate the accompanying instruments from a monaural recording of a soloist with accompaniment. Our approach is based on explicit knowledge of the audio in the form of a score match - a correspondence between a symbolic score and the music audio, giving the times of all musical events. We employ the familiar idea of masking the short time Fourier transform to eliminate the solo part. The ideal mask is estimated by fitting a model to the data, whose note-based components are derived from the score match. The parameters for our probabilistic model are estimated using the EM algorithm.
Fiber-based combined optical coherence and multiphoton microscopy

This manuscript demonstrates a multimodal imaging system which combined multiphoton microscopy (MPM) imaging modality with Fourier domain (FD) optical coherence microscopy (OCM) imaging modality. The system used a single fiber-based femtosecond laser as the light source for both MPM and OCM modality. The femtosecond fiber laser has a central wavlength of 1.03 μm, a pulse width of 120 fs and a bandwidth of 29 nm. The systems used fiber-based devices for both MPM and OCM imaging. The MPM and OCM shared the same excitation light path. The excitation light was delivered with the core of a dual-clad fiber. The MPM and OCM signal was collected by different parts of the dual-clad fiber. The MPM signal was collected by the clad of the dual-clad fiber and the OCM signal was collected by the core of the dual-clad fiber. The FD OCM used a home-built InGaAs detector array spectrometer with a maximum Aline speed of 7.7 KHz. The multiphoton signal collection efficiency was analyzed and several imaging modality including second harmonic generation imaging, two-photon excited fluorescence and optical coherent microscopy imaging were demonstrated.
The Limits of Public Service Motivation: Confidence in Government Institutions Among Public Servants:

Do government employees have more confidence in government than their counterparts in other sectors? The public service motivation (PSM) literature suggests that they should, but this assertion has never been tested. In this paper, we examine how public servants feel about the federal government and compare these feelings with those of employees in other sectors. Although we find that public servants hold some parts of government in higher regard than their counterparts, this finding does not apply to every branch of government. The patterns of confidence in institutions we find among America’s public servants suggest that there is a limit to PSM.
Data Acquisition Phase Error Estimation and Correction in Tomographic Acoustic Microscopy

This paper considers the problem of phase estimation and correction in tomographic acoustic microscopy. Recently, a quadrature receiver has been implemented for the Scanning Laser Acoustic Microscope (SLAM) for the purpose of holographic and tomographic imaging. Because the real and imaginary components are detected sequentially, a relative phase error is introduced. In a recent paper, Lin and Wade suggested that the relative phase error is constant throughout the image, and they proposed a single-sideband approach for the removal of the phase error. In this paper, we show that the phase error is a spatial variation. In addition, we point out that the single-side band technique removes only the effect of the phase error in the image intensity profile, and the phase error remains in the wavefield data samples. Here we present a new correction technique for the complete removal of the phase error. This technique has been applied to experimental data from the SLAM, and the results are included in this paper.
Creolization in Southwest Florida: Cuban Fishermen and “Spanish Indians,” ca. 1766–1841

Not long after Spanish Florida became United States territory in 1821, the attention of Anglo-American settlers was drawn to the handful of remaining Spanish fishing ranchos along the lower gulf coastline, inhabited by Cuban fishermen and their “Spanish Indian” families and neighbors. The history and identity of these groups, many of whom were forcibly relocated west along with the Seminoles by 1841, has long remained enigmatic due to a paucity of documentation. This paper uses extensive new documentary data from Cuba and Spain to explore the emergence of these new creole communities during Florida’s British and second Spanish periods.
STAID An Operational Framework to Guide Cluster-Based Engagements by Higher Education Institutions

There has been increasing recognition of the role played by higher education institutions (HEIs) in fostering regional economic development. Concurrently, regional economic development strategies h...
Chordoma: A Clinicopathologic Study of Metastasis

Thirty cases of chordoma were reviewed with respect to the incidence of distant metastases. Follow-up information was obtained in 27 (90%), and the incidence of metastases was approximately 30%. The sites of the metastasizing primary tumors were predominantly sacral and vertebral. The sites of the metastases were predominantly skin and bone, although metastases were found in the lungs and lymph nodes. In two of the three patients with dermal metastases, the metastases were present prior to the diagnosis of the primary lesions. All three dermal metastases were initially diagnosed as mixed tumors of the skin, and all three patients had at least four such lesions of the skin. Accurate prediction of which chordomas will eventually metastasize is difficult. Clinically, local aggressiveness and radiotherapy were positively correlated with this ability; histologically, more anaplastic chordomas were more likely to metastasize.
Effects of Phytosterol Ester and Puerarin on Weight Loss in Nutritionally Obese Mice

Purpose:To study the weight loss effect of phytosterol ester and puerarin in obese mice.Methods:An obese mouse model was established by feeding high fat diet,and then the obese mice were divided into five groups,including model group,phytosterol ester group,puerarin group,phytosterol ester plus puerarin group,orlistat tablet group(10 mice per group).The treatments by gavage lasted for six weeks.Then,body weight,food intake,obese index,fat index,serum total cholestetol(TC),serum triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),the number and diameter of fat cells and liver lesions were measured.Results:Compared with the model group,body weight in the mice from phytosterol ester group,puerarin group and combined treatment group were respectively decreased by 5.41%,6.98% and 12.50%.Obese indexes were respectively decreased by 3.41%,3.26% and 6.25%.Fat indexes were respectively decreased by 19.88%,27.41% and 30.42%.The serum levels of TC,TG and LDL-C of the groups treated with phytosterol ester and/or puerarin decreased compared to the model group,and the combined treatment group showed the largest decline in the three serum lipid parameters by 21.40%,37.50% and 30.43%,respectively.The number of fat cells in the combined treatment group was increased,and liver fatty lesion was also alleviated.Conclusion:Phytosterol ester and puerarin have weight-reducing effects on obese mice,especially when used in combination.
Ethanol induced delayed cellular protection in mouse cardiac myocytes: role of inducible nitric oxide synthase.

This study has examined the hypotheses that, firstly, the ethanol induces delayed cellular protection in mouse cardiac myocytes against subsequent sustained simulated ischemia (SI). Secondly, the delayed cyto-protective effect induced by the ethanol depends more on time than the dose in mouse cardiac myocytes. Finally, ethanol-induced delayed cellular protection in mouse cardiac myocytes is mediated through inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Accordingly, we planned the following groups of BALB/c mouse cultured cardiac myocytes in our study: (a) SI, (b) 5 mM ethanol (ETOH)/15 min + SI, (c) 5 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, (d) 10 mM ETOH/15 min + SI, (e) 10 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, (f) 25 mM ETOH/15 min + SI, (g) 25 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, (h) 25 mM ETOH/60 min + SI, (i) 50 mM ETOH/15 min + SI, (j) 50 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, (k) 50 mM ETOH/60 min + SI, (1) 250 mM ETCH/15 min + SI and (m) 250 mM ETOH/30 min + SI. Another set of experiments we designed with iNOS-/- and its wild-type (iNOS+/+) mice cardiac myocytes as follows: SI, 5 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, 10 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, 25 mM ETOH/30 min + SI, 50 mM ETOH/30 min + SI and 250 mM ETOH/30 min + SI. Cellular injury was measured by the release of creatinine kinase (CK, U/l) into the medium. BALB/c mouse cardiac myocytes subjected to SI demonstrated significant increase in CK release as compared to the ethanol-treated cells. Ethanol-induced delayed cellular protection resulted in a significant (p 0.05) compared to non-treated wild-type (iNOS+/+) mouse cardiac myocytes subjected to SI alone. Our data suggest that ethanol induces delayed cellular protection in mouse cardiac myocytes against sustained simulated ischemia. Further, ethanol-induced delayed cellular protection depends more on time than the dose. Furthermore, ethanol-induced delayed cellular protection is dependent on iNOS.
Fourier Transform Methods

This chapter describes the use of Fourier transform spectrometers (FTS) for accurate spectrophotometry over a wide spectral range. After a brief exposition of the basic concepts of FTS operation, we discuss instrument designs and their advantages and disadvantages relative to dispersive spectrometers. We then examine how common sources of error in spectrophotometry manifest themselves when using an FTS and ways to reduce the magnitude of these errors. Examples are given of applications to both basic and derived spectrophotometric quantities. Finally, we give recommendations for choosing the right instrument for a specific application, and how to ensure the accuracy of the measurement results..
Demand, Pricing and Investment

Economists dissatisfied with the conventional theory of the firm have recently begun to examine the connections between a corporation’s pricing and investment decisions. Prices are seen as linked to potential output, rather than to current output, as in conventional theory. Perfectly competitive firms take prices as given and choose the optimal output, while in imperfect markets firms take the demand curve as given and choose the optimal combination of price and current output. In both cases productive capacity and the cost structure are taken as given. This may be reasonable for a small family firm, which at the outset makes a once-for-all choice of its optimal size, thereafter adjusting its current activity to changing conditions. But modern industrial corporations do not choose an optimal size; they invest regularly and grow. The conventional picture is not so much wrong as out of place — it is as though someone had painted a scene from the Middle West and tried to pass it off as a portrait of the Rockies. There are similarities, to be sure. The sky is blue and the grass is green, in both cases, and the sky lies above the land. Granted, but prairies are not mountains; it is not even ‘as if’ they were mountains. Corporate firms grow, and their pricing policies must be understood in relation to their growth if we are to accurately picture how the modern economy works.1
Hospitals and "used goods".

There is great interest in ensuring patient safety through single-use items and protecting the environment from unnecessary, sometimes toxic, waste. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injury often results in devastating neurologic disability. As such, patients require significant intensive care medical expertise to optimize outcome. The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury involves both primary and secondary mechanisms of injury, the latter of which can be reduced by appropriate intensive care monitoring. Several key management principals, including optimization of cardiopulmonary status, immobilization of the craniospinal axis, and surgical intervention, when indicated, can significantly influence patient prognosis. In this chapter, the authors discuss the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of spinal cord injury, as well as highlight preclinical and clinical research in this area.
The Privatization of Democracy

What is the overall picture of democracy suggested by this study of privatization in Britain since 1979? The concept of privatized democracy, developed in this chapter, provides an answer. This depicts how neoliberal changes in policy-making recast the nature of democracy by changing its operative forms of power relations. Examining the different ways the elements of power combine brings out the contrast between collectivist pluralism and privatized democracy. More specifically, privatized democracy involves government officials redesigning the state; while retaining formal power of authorization, supervision, and coercion, core state officials introduce indirect control through market-led policy-making processes. Privatized democracy, moreover, changes the structure of power. It diminishes individual and group freedom on which democracy depends. The market decision-making processes enable the state to disengage from and sidestep direct involvement and, at the same time, to institute a method of control that is more efficient and autonomous than administrative edict or political bargaining. Paradoxically, the freedom of choice offered by markets diminishes the self-controls associated with democratic ideals.
Plug-In Electric Vehicle to Home (V2H) Operation Under a Grid Outage

This paper investigates vehicle-to-home (V2H) operation that provides backup power under outage of the external electric grid. First, we introduce a novel optimization model that aims at maximizing backup duration. Motivated by the optimization problem, a new algorithm for V2H system is proposed. Subsequently, we extend the model to vehicles-to-homes (Vs2Hs) composed of multiple homes, electric vehicles, and photovoltaic generation. An algorithm for Vs2Hs considering scheduling of its energy resources is suggested. Numerical simulations show that the proposed algorithms provide sufficient backup duration while maintaining relative simplicity. The effectiveness of Vs2Hs is also investigated using simulations.
Dynamics of the aurora—V: Poleward motions

Poleward motion of auroral bands in midnight sector during early phase of auroral substorm and cause of planetary scale auroral displays
Integrating informal providers into a people-centered health systems approach: qualitative evidence from local health systems in rural Nigeria

The presence of a large informal healthcare sector in many low- and middle-income countries poses both challenges and opportunities for achieving a people-centered health system. However, few studies have considered how informal providers may fit into a people-centered health systems approach. We examine the self-described roles and motivations of informal medicine vendors and public healthcare workers in rural Nigeria, as well as interactions between them, with the aim of identifying how local health systems may be reoriented for improved service delivery through a people-centered approach. We analyzed data from in-depth interviews with 70 medicine vendors and 21 staff of public health facilities in 30 villages across Kogi, Kwara and Enugu states in Nigeria. Interview guides covered the respondent’s or her facility’s role in providing health services to the local community, motivation to work in her respective profession, and relationships and interactions with other frontline healthcare providers. Data were analyzed in Atlas.ti using an open coding approach. Both medicine vendors and staff of public health facilities viewed themselves as fulfilling an essential primary healthcare function in their villages, and described their main motivation as the desire to help their communities. Medicine vendors were acknowledged by both groups to play an important role in providing care close to underserved rural communities, but within a limited scope of practice. Vendors described referring cases beyond their self-defined capacity to the local public facility. Health facility staff also sent clients to vendors to purchase drugs that were out of stock. However, referrals were informal and unspecific in nature, and the degree to which relationships between vendors and health facility staff were collaborative was highly context-dependent despite their recognized interdependencies in health services provision. Policies aimed at fostering people-centered health systems should consider the role of informal providers in the delivery of integrated care. In the context of our rural study sites in Nigeria, supporting stronger and more consistent linkages between medicine vendors and public health facilities is a key step towards improving health service delivery.
Correlation of liver and pancreas tumor motion with normal anatomical structures determined with deformable image registration

Purpose. The inherent difficulty of identifying liver and pancreas tumors without intravenous contrast creates the need for implanted metal fiducials to visualize tumor position and motion in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Unfortunately, the invasive procedure of implanting fiducials carries a risk of toxicity, introduces a treatment delay, and creates streak artifacts on treatment planning images, which can hinder tumor identification. A fiducial-less motion management strategy would improve the safety, tolerability, and availability of abdominal SBRT. We hypothesized that upper abdominal tumor motion would correlate with the motion of nearby organs and could thereby serve as a fiducial-less proxy for tumor motion. Methods. We retrospectively identified fifteen patients with pancreatic cancer or liver cancer treated with SBRT. The liver, superior mesenteric artery, and celiac artery were delineated on 4DCT images and used to predict tumor position. The correlation with tumor motion was quantified with Pearson correlation coefficients (r), and accuracy of the tumor position prediction was expressed as the mean absolute error. Results. The majority of motion with respiration occurred in the superior–inferior (SI) direction with an average of 6.4 mm (range 2.4–11.3 mm) for pancreatic and 13.0 mm (range 6.4–21.2 mm) for liver tumors. In the SI direction we found a tight correlation between liver and tumor motion in pancreas cancer patients (r = 0.92 ± 0.10), and liver tumor patients (r = 0.97 ± 0.02). Using the liver as surrogate, predicted tumor location was on average 0.5 mm from the actual position and not greater than 3.0 mm. Conclusions. This study demonstrates a potential correlation of normal organ and tumor motion which could serve as a fiducial-less surrogate for SBRT in the upper abdomen as on-site 4D volumetric imaging becomes available during treatment. Moving this motion management strategy into the clinic requires additional research to optimize 4D image quality and understand inter-fraction reproducibility.
Controlled-potential differential DC polarography

A brief theoretical and experimental study is presented of the polarographic technique in which a constant voltage difference (ΔE) is maintained between two electrodes immersed in the same or identical solutions throughout the potential scan in order to obtain a derivative-like curve of differential current (Δi) vs. electrode potential (E). A comparison of the curves obtained by this technique with the “true” first derivative of the polarographic wave, as observed by operational-amplifier computation, is also given.
Nanophase bone substitute for craniofacial load bearing application: Pilot study in the rodent.

An exploratory pilot study shows that a rodent mandibular defect model is useful in determining the biological response to a nanophase collagen/apatite composite designed as a biomimetic load-bearing bone substitute. Using a critical size defect, eight groups of rats (n = 3) were implanted with four renditions of the nanophase bone substitute (NBS) biomaterial. Each rendition was tested with and without recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2). NBS biomaterial renditions were: baseline, hyper-densified, d-ribose crosslinked, and d-ribose crosslinked and hyper-densified. Biological outcomes were assessed surgically, radiologically, and histologically. With the limited power available due to the small N's involved, some interesting hypotheses were generated that will be more fully investigated in future studies. BMP2 loaded NBS, when uncrosslinked, resulted in robust bone formation in the entire defect volume (regardless of porosity). Unloaded NBS were well tolerated but did not cause significant new bone formation in the defect volume. Densification alone had little effect on in vivo performance. Crosslinking thwarted implant uptake of BMP2 and resulted in fibrous encapsulation. It is concluded that the nanophase bone substitute is well tolerated in this bone defect model. When loaded with BMP2, implantation resulted in complete bony healing and defect closure with implant density (porosity) having little effect on bone healing or remodeling. Without BMP2 the biomaterial did not result in defect closure. Crosslinking, necessary to increase mechanical properties in an aqueous environment, disrupts osteointegration and BMP2 uptake. Alternate implant fabrication strategies will be necessary to achieve an improved balance between material strength and osteointegration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 520-532, 2018.
Impact of comorbidity and PSA doubling time on the risk of death in men experiencing PSA failure following radiation therapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy for unfavorable-risk prostate cancer.

68Background: The optimal management of men with PSA failure following initial prostate cancer therapy based on comorbidity is unknown. We investigated the impact that PSA doubling time (DT) and comorbidity had on the risk of all cause (AC), prostate cancer-specific (PCS) and other cause mortality (OCM) following PSA failure. Methods: Between 1995 and 2001, 206 men with unfavorable-risk PC were randomized to receive radiation therapy alone or in combination with 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). After a median follow up of 16.2 years, 108 men experienced PSA failure (85, no or minimal; 23, moderate to severe comorbidity) and formed the study cohort. Cox and Fine-Gray regression analysis was used to determine whether PSA DT was associated with the risk of ACM and PCSM/OCM respectively, stratified by ACE-27 comorbidity score. Results: After a median follow up of 13.71 years following PSA failure, 81 of the 108 men (75%) died. Longer PSA DT was associated with a decreased risk of PCSM in men wi...
Multi-basin dynamics of a protein in aqueous solution

A molecular dynamics simulation of crambin in aqueous solution shows that motions are characteristic of non-linear systems. We describe typical non-linear excitations, such as intermittency, for various representations of the protein dynamics and structure. The protein backbone dihedral angles show fast correlated transitions from one minimum well to another. Each transition is followed by small overdamped oscillations. Equal-time cross correlations of all (φ, ψ) angles show that correlations are extended along the backbone chain. An analysis based on a generalized least squares fitting of the protein fluctuations along vectors show that a small set of molecule optimal dynamic coordinates (MODC) describe most of the protein fluctuations. In addition, the MODC describe a trajectory where the protein conformation jumps from one minimum well to another. An extension of the MODC describing 2- and 3- dimensional cuts of the protein configurational space clearly shows a trajectory around multiple basins of attraction.
Perspectives of pregnancy and motherhood among general surgery residents: A qualitative analysis

Abstract Introduction Prior work shows pregnancy during surgical residency may negatively impact career satisfaction and increase risk of attrition. We sought to gain deeper insight into the experience of childbearing trainees. Methods An electronic survey with three open-ended questions was sent to surgeons who had ≥1 pregnancy during a US general surgery training program. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis and the constant comparative approach. Results Six themes characterized the pregnancy experience of 219 surgeons in residency. Respondents: 1)desired work modifications during the late stages of pregnancy due to health concerns; 2)regarded maternity leave as too short; 3)perceived stigma related to pregnancy; 4)expressed need for greater lactation and childcare support; 5)desired mentorship on work-family integration; 6)placed value on supportive colleagues and faculty. Conclusion Pregnancy is challenging during surgical residency. These findings may inform policy changes to improve retention and recruitment of women trainees who wish to begin families during residency.
Medical Management of Acute Liver Failure

Pediatric acute liver failure is a rapidly progressive, life-threatening, and devastating illness in children without preexisting liver disease. Due to the rarity and heterogeneity of this syndrome, there is a significant lack of data to guide evaluation and management of this disease. Most of our practice is extrapolated from adult literature and guidelines. This leads to significant controversies in medical management of acute liver failure in children. With advances in critical care, there has been a tremendous improvement in outcomes with decreased morbidity and mortality; however, there is a dire need for more research in this field. This chapter discusses challenges as well as controversies in diagnostic evaluation and management of this rare but potentially fatal disease. Latest developments in supportive care of liver failure, including advances in the area of liver support systems, are also discussed.
Neonatal myocardial infarction in Williams–Beuren syndrome

Abstract Williams–Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a contiguous gene deletion syndrome in chromosome 7q11.23, resulting in elastin arteriopathy. Patients with WBS are at higher risk for major cardiovascular events, including sudden death due to structural congenital heart diseases and arrhythmia. Neonatal myocardial infarction is an exceedingly rare presentation of WBS. Here, we report the case of a 2-week-old infant with neonatal myocardial infarction due to severe coronary artery insufficiency. We systematically reviewed published reports of sudden death in WBS and identified an additional 19 cases. Of 10 individuals who had autopsy or direct examination of the heart during cardiotomy, 5 had evidence of myocardial ischemia or infarctions. An additional 2 patients with WBS had evidence of severe coronary insufficiency and myocardial ischemia, as determined by cardiac imaging. In agreement with prior studies, we did not find that degree of supravalvar aortic stenosis or left ventricular outflow tract obstruction were predictors of coronary artery stenosis. Additional aortic valve abnormalities, such as bicuspid aortic valve, may be better predictors of coronary stenosis.
Drug-Nutrition Interactions and the Brain: It’s Not All in Your Head

The interactions between nutrition and medication can be numerous with potential impact on health outcomes. Several subtypes of drug-nutrition interactions exist. Each of these interaction subtypes may influence patients receiving medication for neurologic disorders. After defining drug-nutrition interactions, this review will describe the various types using a handful of widely used central nervous system agents as examples. Medication may be the object of interactions perpetrated by a specific meal, a food component, a nutrient, or nutrition status thereby altering drug disposition and clinical effect. On the other hand, drugs can influence nutrition status generally or the status of specific nutrients by any number of mechanisms. Individuals using medication for neurologic disorders are at risk for drug-nutrition interactions of all types.
Semi-Coherent Transmission Security for Low Power IoT Devices

The rapid growth of Internet connected devices integrating into our everyday lives has no end in sight. As more devices and sensor networks are manufactured, security tends to be a low priority. However, security of these devices must be a critical priority, and many current research topics are looking at the composition of low power techniques to increase overall security in these low power commercial devices. Transmission Security (TRANSEC) methods provide physical layer security and are a critical area of research with the increasing reliance on the Internet of Things (IoT); most of which use standard low power TDMA or FDMA protocols susceptible to reverse engineering. This paper introduces the intentional injection of noise into the phase mapping process of a spread spectrum signal to decrease an eavesdropper's ability to directly observe the true phase and reverse engineer the associated PRNG output or key, even at high SNR. This technique trades a conscious reduction in signal correlation processing for obfuscation. This paper presents a candidate method and quantifies the performance impact in arbitrary-phase PSK-based spread spectrum signals.
Improving midterm results justify the continued use of bare-metal stents for endovascular therapy for chronic mesenteric ischemia.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the contemporary results of interventions in the celiac axis (CA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) and factors associated with patency and symptom-free survival. Methods A retrospective review of patients with CMI treated with angioplasty and stenting with bare-metal stents from 2003 to 2014 was conducted. Demographic, history, risk factor, preoperative testing, and technical variables were collected and subject to univariate analysis, with end points of patency loss. The patients were divided into early (2003-2008) and late (2009-2014) groups to compare early and contemporary results. Correlates of patency were then subject to further univariate and multivariable analysis. Results From 2003 to 2014, there were 150 patients (39 men, 111 women; age, 70.7 ± 11.1 years) with CMI who underwent interventions on the CA (56 vessels) and the SMA (133 vessels); 38 patients had both CA and SMA intervention. Primary patency for the CA was 86% (95% confidence interval [CI], 73-99) at 1 year and 66% (95% CI, 46-87) 3 years; for the SMA, primary patency was 81% (95% CI, 72-89) at 1 year and 69.0% (95% CI, 58-81) at 3 years. Increased age was associated with improved results in the SMA (hazard ratio [HR], 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92-1.00; P = .028). Chronic total occlusion in the SMA conferred worse patency compared with stenosis (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.03-5.47; P = .042), and younger patients ( Conclusions Intervention for CMI has acceptable midterm results, and with experience and adoption of newer techniques, the results appear to be improving. Patients older than 70 years have better results than younger patients, and this may reflect a more malignant presentation in the younger patients. Ostial flaring proved to be the single factor on multivariate analysis associated with improved patency and was adopted in the late group. These data support the continued use of bare-metal stents in the treatment of CMI.
Structural Sparsification for Far-Field Speaker Recognition with Intel® Gna

Recently, deep neural networks (DNN) have been widely used in speaker recognition area. In order to achieve fast response time and high accuracy, the requirements for hardware resources increase rapidly. However, as the speaker recognition application is often implemented on mobile devices, it is necessary to maintain a low computational cost while keeping high accuracy in far-field condition. In this paper, we apply structural sparsification on time-delay neural networks (TDNN) to remove redundant structures and accelerate the execution. On our targeted hardware, our model can remove 60% of parameters and only slightly increasing equal error rate (EER) by 0.18% while our structural sparse model can achieve more than 1.5× speedup.