cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of more extreme precipitation regimes on maximum seasonal snow water equivalent

[1] Many climate change forecasts project more extreme precipitation regimes (MEPR) in the future, characterized by more intense but less frequent storms. Plausible impacts of MEPR have drawn considerable attention from hydrologists and ecologists, but the hydrological impacts of MEPR in snowfall-dominated regions are less clear. Here we quantify the impacts of MEPR on the maximum seasonal snow water equivalent (SWEmax) based on simulated snowpack dynamics. We show that between any two scenarios with the same amount of precipitation, the one with more intense snowfalls generally has larger SWEmax. Under a warmer climate, SWEmax increases enough with MEPR to partially offset higher melt rates and rain/snow ratios, especially in warm and dry winters. This study demonstrates how MEPR might affect seasonal snow water resources and potentially alleviate the decreasing trend in SWEmax caused by climate warming under specific conditions.
Spiral column configuration for protein separation by high-speed countercurrent chromatography

Retention of the stationary phase of aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems is improved by a spiral column configuration which utilizes the radially acting centrifugal force along the spiral pitch to retain the heavier phase in the outer portion and the lighter phase in the inner portion of the spiral channel. For the separation of proteins which has low mass transfer rates, the system needs further modification of the separation channel to interrupt the laminar flow and enhance mixing of the two phases. Two spiral column assemblies were developed, one using a disk with spiral grooves and the other, the spiral tube support which accommodates the multiple spiral layers made from a single piece of fluorinated plastic tubing. In the spiral disk assembly, the best protein separation is achieved by the mixer-settler system which vigorously mixes two phases by vibrating glass beads placed in every other section of barricaded spiral channel, while in the spiral tube assembly the partition efficiency of proteins is enhanced by compressing the tubing to interrupt the laminar flow of the mobile phase. In both systems protein samples were well resolved by choosing the suitable elution modes.
Culture-Independent Analysis of Midgut Microbiota in the Arbovirus Vector Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract Differences in midgut microbial communities inhabiting Culicoides spp., insect vectors of virus pathogens, may affect the variation observed in the ability of these biting midges to propagate arthropod-borne viruses. As a first step toward addressing this hypothesis, midgut bacterial communities were compared between Culicoides species expected to be efficient and inefficient vectors of virus pathogens. We used 16S rDNA sequence and restriction fragment information to provisionally identify 36 bacterial genera from guts of wild adult female biting midges, Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones and Culicoides variipennis (Coquillet), from two geographical locations. Bacterial identification was made by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA fragments and by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S rDNA fragments from adult guts. Of 36 bacterial genera identified, 12 had been previously identified in other insects: Comomonas, Enterobacter, Klebsiel...
Development Of Reality System Theory

The emergence of the scientific method evoked many successes in the natural sciences, which inspired a migration of the method to the social sciences. As widely applied, the scientific method is analytical (rather than synthetic), positivist, and reductionist. The management literature is replete with the successes of reductionist research. However, it is incomplete because it does not recognize the holistic nature of human systems. It is timely and largely inescapable in a globalized economy to consider the synergistic and emergent potential of organizations guided by a new management theory that touches all three influences of the human reality (intellectual, emotional, and spiritual).
Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE): an evidence-informed program for children with a history of trauma and other behavioral challenges

Child maltreatment impacts approximately two million children each year, with physical abuse and neglect the most common form of maltreatment. These children are at risk for mental and physical health concerns and the ability to form positive social relationships is also adversely affected. Child Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) is a set of skills designed to improve interactions of any adult and child or adolescent. Based on parent training programs, including the strong evidence-based treatment, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), CARE was initially developed to fill an important gap in mental health services for children of any age who are considered at-risk for maltreatment or other problems. CARE subsequently has been extended for use by adults who interact with children and youth outside of existing mental health therapeutic services as well as to compliment other services the child or adolescent may be receiving. Developed through discussions with Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapists and requests for a training similar to PCIT for the non-mental health professional, CARE is not therapy, but is comprised of a set of skills that can support other services provided to families. Since 2006, over 2000 caregivers, mental health, child welfare, educators, and other professionals have received CARE training with a focus on children who are exposed to trauma and maltreatment. This article presents implementation successes and challenges of a trauma-informed training designed to help adults connect and enhance their relationships with children considered at-risk.
Modeling annotator rationales with application to pneumonia classification

We present a technique to leverage annotator rationale annotations for ventilator assisted pneumonia (VAP) classification. Given an annotated training corpus of 1344 narrative chest X-ray reports, we report results for two supervised classification tasks: Critical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) and the likelihood of Pneumonia (PNA). For both tasks, our training data contain annotator rationale snippets (i.e., spans of text that are relevant to annotator decisions). Because we assume that the snippet is not marked in the test data, we first built a sequential labeler to detect the location of snippets. The detected snippets are then used by the CPIS and PNA classifiers. Our experiments demonstrate that having access to detected annotator rationale leads to an incremental improvement in classification accuracy from 0.858 to 0.871 for CPIS, and from 0.785 to 0.821 for PNA.
Barotrauma and Decompression Sickness

Divers are candidates for three types of thoracic trauma: drowning/near drowning, pulmonary barotrauma, and decompression sickness. The clinical and radiographic manifestations of drowning/near-drowning have already been discussed. In this chapter, the pulmonary abnormalities associated with barotrauma and decompression sickness will be presented.
Dictator Giving in the Field

One criticism of the dictator experiment is that the decision task is contrived with no equivalent counterpart in the field. This note discusses two types of giving that receive media attention but are not discussed in the economics literature. The Secret Santas walk around shopping centers and hand out $100 bills to complete strangers. Individuals in the "pay it forward" movement purchase meals or coffee for the next car at drive-through restaurants. Giving money or in-kind gifts to strangers is more common than the critiques of the dictator experiment design suggest.
Great Moments in Financial Economics: IV - The Fundamental Theorem (Part II)

This is Part II of the fourth in a series of articles in this Journal examining the historical origins of key ideas in the history of financial economics. It describes an extension of the "fundamental theorem" from buy-and-hold strategies developed in Part I to dynamic portfolio strategies. Part II presumes the reader is familiar with Part I. The extension can be traced back to work by Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat in the 17th century, with a subsequent path in the 20th century that leads to modern option pricing theory.
Control of Miridae spp. In Birdsfoot Trefoil Seed Fields

A degree-day system (40°F base) was used to time spray applications for control of Miridae spp. on birdsfoot trefoil grown for seed. Timing was found not to be critical. A correlation was shown between the numbers of Miridae spp. present and seed yield. The spring burning of seed fields to control species overwintering as eggs temporarily retarded umbel and pod development, hut burned plots subsequently out yielded unburned plots.
The Effect of Touch on Nutritional Intake of Chronic Organic Brain Syndrome Patients

Inadequate nutrition, a major cause of illness and complications among elderly adults, is of particular import for those who cannot provide for themselves. We evaluated the effect of gentle touch during eating on nutritional intake (NI) of 42 institutionalized chronic organic brain syndrome (COBS) patients. Patients were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. NI was evaluated for 3 consecutive weeks. During Weeks 1 and 3 all patients were encouraged verbally to eat. In the treatment week experimental group members were touched gently during this verbal encouragement. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to evaluate the effect of touch on NI. In the first week NI for the groups did not differ. NI was significantly greater in the experimental than in the control group (p less than .01) during the other 2 weeks. Tactile stimulation, a simple intervention, may be an important adjunct to verbal encouragement to improve NI in COBS patients.
Meta-analysis on the relationship of measles IgG antibody levels between mothers and infants

Objective To determine the relationship of measles IgG antibody levels between mothers and infants.Methods Eight published papers were found for the study.The levels of measles antibody were determined by positive rate and geometry mean titer(GMT).A meta-analysis was carried out to investigate the correlation of measles antibody between mothers and infants by RevMan4.2.2 software.Results The data sets of 8 papers had homo-genized results and were all included in the analysis.The positive rates of measles antibody were 86.3% and 83.5% for mothers and infants(odds ratio:1.29,95% CI:1.02～1.64),respectively.The GMTs of measles antibody were 1∶612.9 and 1∶549.3 respectively for mothers and infants.The standardized mean difference(SMD) of GMT was 0.02(95% CI:-0.33～0.38).Meta-analysis showed the correlation of measles antibody levels between mothers and infants(r=0.870,P0.05).Conclusions Maternal measles IgG antibody had association with the antibody of infants younger than 8 months.It is important to immune reproductive age women with measles vaccine for the protection of their infants in future.
Prostate cancer screening. Why the controversy

The development of new technologies has stimulated a crusade of screening for earlier detection of prostate cancer. This effort has resulted in controversy regarding its clinical use in this format. Until randomized clinical screening trials define the value of prostate cancer screening, clinicians who use screening approaches must gain a strong understanding of the natural history of the disease, the strengths and weaknesses of available screening methodologies, and epidemiologic considerations of prostate cancer risk.
Muḥammad, Menaḥem, and the Paraclete: new light on Ibn Isḥāq's (d. 150/767) Arabic version of John 15: 23–16: 1

Biblical proof-texts for the prophethood of Muḥammad play a prominent role in early Muslim interest in the Bible. This study re-examines the earliest known attempt by Muslims to find such a biblical proof-text in the New Testament – the Arabic version of Jesus's sermon on the “advocate/comforter” (Gk. paraklētos) in John 15: 23–16 found in Ibn Isḥāq's Kitāb al-Maghāzī. Key to understanding Ibn Isḥāq's adaptation of the Johannine text, this study argues, is the Christian Palestinian Aramaic Gospel behind it as well as the climate of Late Antique apocalypticism and messianism out of which Ibn Isḥāq's distinctively Islamic version emerged. This study concludes with an interpretation of Quran 61: 6, which appears to claim that Jesus prophesied a future prophet named Aḥmad.
Stochastic Modeling of Solidification

Deterministic models for microstructure evolution have made tremendous progress rewarded by recognition and acceptance by industry. However, their main shortcoming is their inability to provide a graphic description of the microstructure. Another problem is in the very mathematics that is used. Recent advances in electron microscopy make possible the examination of materials with near-atomic resolution. Such nano-scale structures cannot be described adequately through continuum approximations. As stated by Kirkaldy (1995), “Materials scientists who persist in ignoring the microscopic and mesoscopic physics in favor of mathematics of the continuum will ultimately be seen to have rejected an assured path towards a complete theoretical quantification of their discipline.”
Mutual Interference of QPSK and Spread Spectrum Signals

A comparison of 8-ary FSK with differentially encoded binary phase shift keying [DEBPSK] spread spectrum systems was made for application to a proposed satellite communications system. The spread spectrum signals are to operate on the same satellite transponder as a bank of QPSK signals. The two candidate modulation techniques are found to be equally deteriorating to QPSK when they operate at the same total carrier power, provided that the FSK power is distributed over a sufficient number of tones. On the other hand, the QPSK signals constitute a somewhat greater interference for 8-ary FSK than for DEBPSK. The result is a slight advantage for DEBPSK in this application.
DIY Prosthetics: Digital Fabrication and Participatory Culture.

Cody stood in the front of the class, arm outstretched with a smart phone attached to his wrist, instructing all of us over his shoulder to huddle in for the group selfie. As he reached out to touc...
Finite horizon Markov control with one-step variance penalties

Variance-penalized Markov decision processes (MDPs) for an infinite time horizon have been studied in the literature for asymptotic and one-step variance; in these models, the objective function is generally the expected long-run reward minus a constant times the variance, where variance is used as a measure of risk. For the finite time horizon, asymptotic variance has been considered in Collins [1], but this model accounts for only a terminal reward, i.e., reward is earned at the end of the time horizon. In this paper, we seek to develop a framework for one-step variance in the finite time horizon in which rewards can be non-zero in every state. We develop a solution algorithm based on the stochastic shortest path algorithm of Bertsekas and Tsitsiklis [2]. We also present a Q-Learning algorithm for a simulation-based scenario which applies in the absence of the transition probability model, along with some preliminary convergence results.
In Defense of Relativism: A Response to My Critics

I trust it must be a common experience, in reading others on one's own work, to come to think one could have written something much better, with these thoughts and suggestions in mind. Unfortunatel...
Towards a whole body brain-machine interface system for decoding expressive movement intent Challenges and Opportunities

The restoration and rehabilitation of human bipedal locomotion represent major goals for brain machine interfaces (BMIs), i.e., devices that translate neural activity into motor commands to control wearable robots to enable locomotive and non-locomotive tasks by individuals with gait disabilities. Prior BMI efforts based on scalp electroencephalography (EEG) have revealed that fluctuations in the amplitude of slow cortical potentials in the delta band contain information that can be used to infer motor intent, and more specifically, the kinematics of walking and non-locomotive tasks such as sitting and standing. However, little is known about the extent to which EEG can be used to discern the expressive qualities that influence such functional movements. Here, we discuss how novel experimental approaches integrated with machine learning techniques can deployed to decode expressive qualities of movement. Applications to artistic brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), movement aesthetics, and gait neuroprostheses endowed with expressive qualities are discussed.
Sensitive Cowboys: Privileged Young Men and the Mobilization of Hybrid Masculinities in a Therapeutic Boarding School

In the past few decades, a multi-billion-dollar “therapeutic boarding school” industry has emerged for America’s troubled upper-class youth. This article examines the therapeutic models prominent i...
Replies to Commentators

I reply to two commentaries—one by Johanna Thoma and Jonathan Weisberg and one by James M. Joyce—concerning how risk-weighted expected utility theory handles the Allais preferences and Dutch books.
Introduction to Data-Driven Methodologies for Prognostics and Health Management

This book chapter gives an overview of prognostics and health management (PHM) methodologies followed by a case study in the development of PHM solutions for wind turbines. Research topics in PHM are identified and commonly used methods are briefly introduced. The case study in wind turbine prognostics has shown in detail how to develop a PHM system for an industrial asset. With the advancement of sensing technologies and computational capability, more and more industrial applications are emerging. Current gaps and future directions in PHM are discussed at the end.
Flavor Violation at the LHC

Abstract In this talk, we discuss a way of establishing lepton flavor violation (LFV) at the Large Hadron Collider(LHC). The existence of massive right-handed neutrinos can explain neutrino oscillations via the seesaw mechanism and can induce a sizeable LFV in low energy supersymmetry. We use χ ˜ 2 0 − χ ˜ 1 0 − τ ˜ 1 system to study the invariant masses of two hadronically decaying taus ( τ h τ h ) and one hadronically decaying tau plus a muon ( τ h μ ) from χ ˜ 2 0 in scenarios with LFV. The τ h μ invariant mass (where μ emerges from the τ decay) can arise even withoul LFV. We use a transfer function utilizing the ditau mass distribution to extract the LFV τ h μ signal. The proposed technique can also be applied for a LFV τ h e search and any model.
Exploring generational cohort work satisfaction in hospital nurses

Purpose Although extensive research exists regarding job satisfaction, many previous studies used a more restrictive, quantitative methodology. The purpose of this qualitative study is to capture the perceptions of hospital nurses within generational cohorts regarding their work satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A preliminary qualitative, phenomenological study design explored hospital nurses' work satisfaction within generational cohorts - Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and Millennials (1981-2000). A South Florida hospital provided the venue for the research. In all, 15 full-time staff nurses, segmented into generational cohorts, participated in personal interviews to determine themes related to seven established factors of work satisfaction: pay, autonomy, task requirements, administration, doctor-nurse relationship, interaction and professional status. Findings An analysis of the transcribed interviews confirmed the importance of the seven factors of job satisfaction. Similarities and differences between the generational cohorts related to a combination of stages of life and generational attributes. Practical implications The results of any qualitative research relate only to the specific venue studied and are not generalizable. However, the information gleaned from this study is transferable and other organizations are encouraged to conduct their own research and compare the results. Originality/value This study is unique, as the seven factors from an extensively used and highly respected quantitative research instrument were applied as the basis for this qualitative inquiry into generational cohort job satisfaction in a hospital setting.
THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME

Objective Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is one of the most controversial clinical entities in medicine. We provide a review of this difficult-to-treat disorder, including a brief overview, clinical presentations, surgical anatomy, treatment options, and outcomes. Methods TOS represents a spectrum of disorders encompassing three related syndromes: compression of the brachial plexus (neurogenic TOS), compression of the subclavian artery or vein (vascular TOS), and the nonspecific or disputed type of TOS. Neurovascular compression may be observed most commonly in the interscalene triangle, but it also has been described in the costoclavicular space and in the subcoracoid space. Patients present with symptoms and signs of arterial insufficiency, venous obstruction, painless wasting of intrinsic hand muscles, paresthesia, and pain. A careful and detailed medical history and physical examination are the most important diagnostic tools for proper identification of TOS. Electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and imaging of the cervical spine and the chest also can provide helpful information regarding diagnosis. Clinical management usually starts with conservative treatment including exercise programs and physical therapy; when these therapies fail, patients are considered for surgery. Two of the most commonly used surgical approaches are the supraclavicular exposure and the transaxillary approach with first rib resection. On occasion, these approaches may be combined or, alternatively, posterior subscapular exposure may be used in selected patients. Conclusion TOS is perhaps the most difficult entrapment neuropathy encountered by neurosurgeons. Surgical intervention is indicated for vascular and true neurogenic TOS and for some patients with the common or nonspecific type of TOS in whom nonoperative therapies fail. With careful patient selection, operative intervention usually yields satisfactory results.
Ostreococcus tauri is a high-lipid content green algae that extrudes clustered lipid droplets

Lipid droplet biogenesis, accumulation and secretion is an important field of research spanning biofuel feedstock production in algae and yeast to plant-microbe symbiosis or human metabolic disorders and other diseases. Here we evaluate the critical elements that influence lipid accumulation in the highly simplified and smallest known eukaryote Ostreococcus tauri and identify several conditions that satisfy its classification as an oleaginous green alga. In addition, these experiments revealed the release of excess lipids in pea-pod like structures where many dense lipid droplets are clustered in a linear fashion surrounded by an enveloping membrane which contrasts with known mechanisms from other eukaryotes. These results highlight the potential for Ostreococcus tauri to probe the evolution of lipid droplet dynamics as an emerging model organism with a compacted eukaryotic genome and also to impact lipid feedstock bioproduction applications either directly or using synthetic biology.
Inflammasomes/IL-1 pathways in myeloid cells modulate PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint molecules

The inflammatory microenvironment is not only critical for tumor growth and progression, but also associated with immunosuppression. Expression of immune checkpoint molecules, such as PD-L1, in tumor cells and innate immune cells has been linked to diminished anti-tumor response. However, the connection between inflammation and expression of checkpoint molecules in myeloid cells and tumor cells is poorly characterized. Our recent studies have demonstrated that the inflammasome and IL-1β pathway plays a critical role in promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Our data show that inflammasome activation promoted the infiltration of myeloid cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells and tumor-associated macrophages, into tumor microenvironments. Interestingly, we found that inflammasome/IL-1 pathways induced expression of immune checkpoint molecule PD-L1 on infiltrated myeloid cells and tumor cells. Furthermore, blocking IL-1R with IL-1R antagonist (IL-Ra) or anti-IL-1R antibody inhibits tumor growth and metastasis accompanied by decreased accumulation of myeloid cells and expression of the PD-L1 molecule. Together, our results demonstrate that inflammasomes/IL-1 pathways promote infiltration of myeloid cells and expression of PD-L1, contributing to tumor immune evasion and tumor progression.
A Single-Stage Capacitive AC-Link AC–AC Power Converter

A single-stage three-phase ac–ac converter benefiting from a high-frequency alternating link voltage is proposed in this paper. In this converter, a very small film capacitor can transfer the energy from the input to the output, owing to the high-frequency alternating voltage of the link. This eliminates the need for large electrolytic capacitors that are typically used in dc-link ac–ac converters. Moreover, a compact high-frequency transformer at the link can replace the bulky low-frequency transformers, in case isolation is required. These features increase the power density as well as reliability of the proposed converter in comparison with the conventional dc-link converters. The number of required switches in the proposed converter is 12, which is less than the number of switches needed in matrix converters, leading to lower switching and conduction losses. Despite being single-stage, the proposed ac–ac converter is capable of both stepping up and stepping down the voltage and also frequency transformation. This eliminates the need for using cascaded power converters. In this paper, the operation principles of the proposed ac–ac converter are investigated, and variable switching frequency and fixed switching frequency control methods for operating this converter are introduced. The performance of the converter is verified through simulation and experiment.
Planning and Evaluation of Studies on Atherosclerosis in Controlled Clinical Trials

The Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study, Phase I (CLAS-I), is a prospective, controlled, angiographic clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of aggressive cholesterol lowering therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis. We report here the methodological aspects in planning and evaluating angiographic clinical trials. Consideration is given to choice of the study population, allocation ratios, design of the experiment, and to the evaluation of measurement error and sample sizes. CLAS-I is used to illustrate the points discussed in this paper.
Enhancing Positive Outcomes for Children of Substance-Abusing Parents

Living with a parent who abuses alcohol or drugs increases life stressors dramatically for children and affects about 30% of children under the age of 17. School-aged and adult children of alcoholics and other substance abusers have received much attention from both public advocacy groups and scientific researchers due to their higher-than-average rates of unfavorable developmental and adjustment problems. Additionally, substance abuse and diagnosed substance abuse disorders can be identified as a family problem due to the frequent occurrence of substance abuse within the family, as well as the impact of parental substance abuse on their children, ranging from family conflict and violence to child abuse or neglect. In this chapter, we examine the genetic, biological, and environmental impacts of parental substance abuse on children’s developmental outcomes, as well as the impact on the impaired parental role, child maltreatment, and family violence in the hope that better understanding will lead to improved prevention efforts. The chapter concludes that evidence-based family strengthening prevention interventions designed specifically for parents with substance abuse disorders are the most effective interventions for enhancing resilience and positive developmental outcomes in the children of parents with substance abuse disorders.
Effect of Unstable Loads on Stabilizing Muscles and Bar Motion During the Bench Press

ABSTRACT Lawrence, MA, Ostrowski, SJ, Leib, DJ, and Carlson, LA. Effect of unstable loads on stabilizing muscles and bar motion during the bench press. J Strength Cond Res 35(2S): S120-S126, 2021-Unstable loads are anecdotally used to increase muscle stabilizer strength and utilization; however, there is little evidence to support these claims. Twelve male powerlifters (age 28.6 ± 5.2 years, body mass 105.6 ± 14.5 kg, lifting experience 9.8 ± 6.0 years, and bench press 5 repetition maximum [5RM] 133.6 ± 30.9 kg) pressed their 5RM in one stable condition with a standard barbell, and 3 unstable conditions using a flexible barbell with weights suspended from elastic bands. Mean integrated muscle activity for each repetition of the stabilizers and prime movers were measured. A Lyapunov exponent and sample entropy indicated unstable loads were less predictable and more variable in the superior/inferior direction, thus more challenging to control, despite decreased loads. The main finding was increased bicep activity in all unstable conditions (light bands and plates, +57%; mini bands and plates, +67%; and mini bands and kettlebells, +88%). Although less weight was used in the unstable 5RMs, most stabilizer muscle activity was not different between conditions, suggesting that the amount of weight used during unstable load training (up to 32.3% less load) may be limited by the ability of stabilizer muscles to control the load.
NICU Communication: The Many Disguises of Opportunity

In the NICU, communication with parents, family, and other members of the care team is extremely important. Multiple issues can impede effective communication around goals of care, particularly in the context of end-of-life discussions. This review looks at a select few of those difficult topics and identifies them as opportunities for deeper and more productive discussions with parents of critically ill neonates as well as medical staff.
Cabin Depressurization as a Hijacking Mitigation Tactic: A Consumer Perceptions Study

The security of a commercial airline flight is the primary concern of all parties involved in the aviation industry. The policies and strategies of dealing with terrorist threats have evolved since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The current policy requires that the cockpit door be locked so that the hijackers have no access to the flight controls. A new method has been discussed whereby the pilots depressurize the cabin so as to eliminate the hijacking threat since all the cabin crew and passengers will be rendered unconscious. While there is a risk of possible negative impact on brain cells due to reduced oxygen, medical experts state that the short duration of cabin depressurization in order to mitigate a threat would cause almost no medical harm. 449 participants from the United States completed the study, wherein they were presented with one of two scenarios: a) the traditional scenario of preventing hijackers from accessing the flight controls, and b) an alternative scenario whereby the pilot depressurizes the cabin. The data analysis suggested that participants felt more negatively, and were less willing to fly aboard the cabin depressurization scenario, as compared to the current policy scenario. In addition, it was found the female participants were less willing to fly and felt more negatively about the cabin depressurization scenario as compared to their male counterparts. Lastly, the mediation analyses showed that affect completely mediated the relationship between the pilots’ actions and willingness to fly, suggesting that participants were basing their decisions on emotions.
Invisible-Scan: A Design-for-Testability Approach for Functional Test Sequences

Functional test sequences can detect defects that are not detected by scan-based tests, but overall, achieve a lower gate-level fault coverage than scan-based tests. Design-for-testability (DFT) approaches for functional test sequences cause the sequences to deviate from functional operation conditions in arbitrary ways over the entire design. This paper introduces the concept of invisible-DFT as a DFT approach for functional test sequences, where the effects of activating the DFT logic are confined to selected logic blocks. This paper develops an invisible-scan approach. Considering a single logic block, the procedure described in this paper inserts scan shift cycles into a functional test sequence while maintaining the same primary input and output sequences for the logic block. This makes the activation of the DFT logic invisible to other logic blocks. The procedure allows a limited number of primary output vectors to be corrected for this purpose. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the increase in fault coverage that can be achieved by invisible-scan.
The structure of the DNA of bacteriophage φX174: I. The action of exopolynucleotidases

A φX-DNA preparation cannot be inactivated, and can be hydrolysed only to a small extent, by E. coli phosphodiesterase. This result is a consequence of the unavailability of a free 3′-OH terminus. Studies of the action of spleen phosphodiesterase upon φX DNA similarly indicate the absence of a free 5′-0H terminus. Inactivation of φX. DNA by spleen or venom phosphodiesterase is exclusively a consequence of endonuclease activities present in these enzyme preparations. Pre-treatment of φX DNA with bacterial Phosphomonoesterase does not increase its susceptibility to the action of E. coli or spleen phosphodiesterase other than by the production of fragments as a consequence of contaminating endonuclease action.
Bardet-Biedl syndrome

Abstract Rod-cone dystrophy with early macular involvement, seen in 90% of Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) patients, is a retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis relatively unique to BBS. With 21 causative genes discovered to date, BBS is an autosomal recessive, genetically heterogeneous, pleiotropic ciliopathy. Retinal degeneration is one cardinal feature of BBS. Others include cognitive impairment, renal anomalies, obesity, polydactyly, and hypogonadism. This chapter discusses the mode of inheritance and genes, proteins, and protein complexes that are involved in BBS, along with the BBS model organisms, molecular mechanisms, and transcriptional studies used to look at retinal degeneration. It also describes the relationships between BBS genes and other ciliopathy disorders such as Leber congenital amaurosis, Joubert syndrome, Senior-Loken syndrome, and nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa. Last, this chapter takes a look at advances in biotechnology and how these advances allow for a better understanding of the role of the BBS genes in retinal formation and function.
Wavelength-Dependent Energy and Charge Transfer in MOF: A Step toward Artificial Porous Light-Harvesting System.

Chromophore assemblies within well-defined porous coordination polymers, such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), can emulate the functionality of the antenna rings of chlorophylls in light-harvesting complexes (LHCs). The chemical, electronic, and structural diversities define MOFs as a promising platform where photogenerated excitons can be displaced to redox catalysts similar to the reaction center of the LHC. The precise positioning of the pigments and complementary redox units enables us to understand the charge/energy-transfer process within these crystalline solid compositions. In this study, we postsynthetically anchored tetraphenylporphyrinato zinc(II) (TPPZn)-derived complementary pigment within the 1D pores of 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(p-benzoicacid)pyrene (H4TBAPy)-derived NU-1000 MOF to form a high-density donor–acceptor system. The ground- and excited-state redox potentials of the donor and acceptor were chosen to facilitate an energy transfer (EnT) from the excited MOF (i.e., NU-1000*) to TPPZn and ...
High-risk obstetrical call center vs. healthcare providers: is there consistency in advice given?

Objective: To determine the level of agreement between the advice given to an obstetric patient calling an obstetric call center and the advice given by health care providers with varying degrees o...
Emulating and Verifying Sensing, Computation, and Communication in Distributed Remote Sensing Systems

This paper presents updates to the Virtual Constellation Engine (VCE), a simulator and emulator which enables modeling of sensing, computation, and communication of multi-platform remote sensing systems. Users can launch heterogeneous constellations, describe different on-board processing configurations, and simulate and verify autonomous operations. Updates in the past year include emulation of on-board computing utilizing cloud based processors, inclusion of the Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) protocol in the communication modeling, and visualization and diagnostic tools which facilitate analysis of the distributed system. To illustrate the benefits, VCE was utilized in the development of on-board processing implementation of a new, high data rate sensor, Multispectral, Imaging, Detection, and Active Reflectance (MiDAR), for both an embedded Nvidia Tegra GPU and a Xilinx MPSoC FPGA achieving a 7.6x speedup over a desktop workstation and enabling this application for integration into a distributed sensing system.
A Bayesian Precision Medicine Framework for Calibrating Individualized Therapeutic Indices in Cancer

The development and clinical implementation of evidence-based precision medicine strategies has become a realistic possibility, primarily due to the rapid accumulation of large-scale genomics and pharmacological data from diverse model systems: patients, cell-lines and drug perturbation studies. We introduce a novel Bayesian modeling framework called the individualized theRapeutic index (iRx) model to integrate high-throughput pharmacogenomic data across model systems. Our iRx model achieves three main goals: first, it exploits the conserved biology between patients and cell-lines to calibrate therapeutic response of drugs in patients; second, it finds optimal cell line avatars as proxies for patient(s); and finally, it identifies key genomic drivers explaining cell line-patient similarities. This is achieved through a semi-supervised learning approach, that conflates (unsupervised) sparse latent factor models with (supervised) penalized regression techniques. We propose a unified and tractable Bayesian model for estimation, and inference is conducted via efficient posterior sampling schemes. We illustrate and validate our approach using two existing clinical trial datasets in multiple myeloma and breast cancer studies. We show that our iRx model improves prediction accuracy compared to naive alternative approaches, and it consistently outperforms existing methods in literature in both in multiple simulation scenarios as well as real clinical examples.
Payments in Support of Effective Primary Care for Chronic Conditions

Risk adjustment models can be calibrated and used to establish appropriate payments and incentives for delivering superior primary care, particularly to people with chronic conditions requiring careful management, through health-based capitation and performance assessment in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Implementation of risk-adjusted primary care payment for a PCMH will be easier in Scandinavian countries where payments are made by a single payer; however, the decentralized administrators responsible for paying for primary care may face many of the same challenges that appear in the US. We address practical considerations and administrative structures that could support risk-adjusted payment reform for the PCMH. Feasibility is supported by the experience of one health plan in the US that conducted a “virtual all-payer” PCMH pilot.
Abnormal Myocardial Strain Indices in Children Receiving Anthracycline Chemotherapy.

Anthracycline chemotherapy (AC) is associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic function. LV ejection fraction (EF %) obtained by two-dimensional echocardiography is the current gold standard for detection and monitoring of LV systolic function. However, dependence on LVEF has been shown to be unreliable due to its inherent limitations. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) measures myocardial strain and is a sensitive method to detect LV systolic dysfunction with demonstrated utility in such detection in adult and pediatric cohort studies. Compare myocardial strain indices derived by STE with LVEF to detect ACT-induced LV systolic dysfunction. Prospective, cross-sectional measurements of LV myocardial strain indices derived from STE with LVEF. Pediatric cohort of 25 patients (pts): 17 females, eight males with a mean age 9.8 ± 5.8 years, who received anthracyclines (AC); median cumulative dose ≥150 ± 124.4 mg/m2, range 60–450 mg/m2 showing normal LV end-diastolic diameter (mm) and normal LVEF (≥55 %) underwent STE to obtain LV myocardial strain indices: strain and strain rate. The inter- and intraobserver variability for the strain indices was 5 %. Fifteen of 25 pts (60 %) showed abnormal global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPSS) and 19/25 pts (76 %) showed abnormal peak circumferential strain (PCS) compared to age-matched controls (p = 0.005). In contrast, no significant differences was observed in either indices with the dose of AC. Likewise, no significant changes in the systolic or diastolic strain rate were noted with the dose of AC (r 2 = 0.0076 for peak E, r 2 = 0.072 for peak A, p = NS). GLPSS and PCS were diminished and, however, correlated poorly with the cumulative dose of AC. These observations indicate an early onset of LV systolic dysfunction by the strain indices in pts who continue to show a normal LVEF implying presence of occult LV systolic dysfunction. These novel strain indices may assist in early detection of LV systolic dysfunction with implications for monitoring and prevention of AC-induced LV systolic dysfunction.
The effects of moderate exercise training on nutrient intake in mildly obese women

The relationship between moderate exercise training (five 45-minute sessions per week, brisk walking at 62 +/- 2% VO2 max for 15 weeks) and changes in nutrient intake was investigated in a group of 36 sedentary, mildly obese women. The study was conducted using a 2 x 3 factorial design (two groups of subjects: exercise and nonexercise groups; three periods: baseline, 6-week, and 15-week testing sessions). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. The pattern of change in caloric intake over time tended to be different between groups (F[2, 68] = 2.50, p = .089); the exercise group experienced a significant decrease in caloric intake by 15 weeks. Significant group x time interactions were found for intakes of carbohydrate, dietary fiber, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, and folate. Intake tended to decrease in the exercise group and to increase in the nonexercise group. Change in intake of each of these nutrients was significantly correlated with change in bread and cereal consumption. The pattern of change in bread and cereal intake over time was significantly different between groups (Pillais Trace = 0.266, F[2, 33] = 5.99, p = .006); the exercise group had significant decreases in intake at 6 and 15 weeks vs baseline values. These data suggest that mildly obese women reduce energy intake subsequent to initiating an exercise program; concomitantly there is a decrease in the quality of nutrient intake from their diets compared with those of sedentary controls.
Clair E. Turner: pioneer in health education 1890-1974.

(1987). Clair E. Turner: Pioneer in Health Education 1890-1974. Health Education: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 37-39.
A Delta Sigma based Finite Impulse Response Filter for EEG Signal Processing

This paper presents the design of a Finite Impulse Response Filter based on Delta Sigma Signal Processing. Both input and output of the proposed circuit are encoded as second-order Delta Sigma bit-streams. The design is realized using a Delta Sigma adder based on an input counter. The Delta Sigma adder can also be used as a coefficient multiplier. Using the proposed Delta Sigma adder and coefficient multiplier, an Finite Impulse Response filter is designed for Electroencephalogram signal processing. Simulation and synthesis results are shown based on IBM 180nm CMOS technology. The proposed design achieves a Θ(N) complexity with N inputs and can work with higher-order Delta Sigma bit-streams.
Public Attitudes toward Biotechnology Issues

This chapter examines the current levels of public awareness and the structure of attitudes toward biotechnology. In the context of biomedical communications, the emergence of biotechnology as a new and important subject on the national and international agenda provides a valuable opportunity to examine how adults deal with new and largely unfamiliar scientific subjects. The likelihood of the awareness of biotechnology is strongly associated with educational attainment, college science courses, biomedical literacy, and attentiveness to science and technology policy. The major problem involved in measuring the attitudes toward specific applications of biotechnology is that relatively few of these applications are currently available to consumers. Thus there is little concrete recognition or experience with these products or uses. Prior attentiveness to biomedical research is strongly related to the development of attentiveness to biotechnology, but that prior attentiveness to science and technology policy is not related to the attentiveness to biotechnology. The development of attentiveness to biotechnology policy appears to involve a combination of prior attentiveness to biomedical research issues, biomedical literacy and formal education, and a general interest in political issues. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the implications of public awareness of biotechnology, understanding of biotechnology, and attitudes toward biotechnology on biomedical communications.
Characterization of Interfacial Rheology of Protein-Stabilized Air–Liquid Interfaces

In this review, the definition of interfacial dilatational and shear rheology is outlined and the basis of different experimental methods for their characterization is provided. The connection between interfacial rheology and structure of proteins and other macromolecules is highlighted through the application of polymer theories. Key experimental results on interfacial rheology of air–liquid interfaces stabilized by proteins and protein surfactant mixtures are then presented. This is followed by the analysis of the effect of interfacial rheology on stability of air–liquid interface.