cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification and Representation of Homotopy Classes of Trajectories for Search-based Path Planning in 3D

There are many applications in motion planning where it is important to consider and distinguish between different homotopy classes of trajectories. Two trajectories are homotopic if one trajectory can be continuously deformed into another without passing through an obstacle, and a homotopy class is a collection of homotopic trajectories. In this paper we consider the problem of robot exploration and planning in three-dimensional configuration spaces to (a) identify and classify different homotopy classes; and (b) plan trajectories constrained to certain homotopy classes or avoiding specified homotopy classes. In previous work [1] we have solved this problem for two-dimensional, static environments using the Cauchy Integral Theorem in concert with graph search techniques. The robot workspace is mapped to the complex plane and obstacles are poles in this plane. The Residue Theorem allows the use of integration along the path to distinguish between trajectories in different homotopy classes. However, this idea is fundamentally limited to two dimensions. In this work we develop new techniques to solve the same problem, but in three dimensions, using theorems from electromagnetism. The Biot-Savart law lets us design an appropriate vector field, the line integral of which, using the integral form of Ampere’s Law, encodes information about homotopy classes in three dimensions. Skeletons of obstacles in the robot world are extracted and are modeled by currentcarrying conductors. We describe the development of a practical graph-search based planning tool with theoretical guarantees by combining integration theory with search techniques, and illustrate it with examples in three-dimensional spaces such as two-dimensional, dynamic environments and three-dimensional static environments. 1
Coronary artery disease: screen or treat?

Effective drug therapy is available without prescription and may even be cheaper than the screening test itself
A computer-assisted motivational social network intervention to reduce alcohol, drug and HIV risk behaviors among Housing First residents

Individuals transitioning from homelessness to housing face challenges to reducing alcohol, drug and HIV risk behaviors. To aid in this transition, this study developed and will test a computer-assisted intervention that delivers personalized social network feedback by an intervention facilitator trained in motivational interviewing (MI). The intervention goal is to enhance motivation to reduce high risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and reduce HIV risk behaviors. In this Stage 1b pilot trial, 60 individuals that are transitioning from homelessness to housing will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. The intervention condition consists of four biweekly social network sessions conducted using MI. AOD use and HIV risk behaviors will be monitored prior to and immediately following the intervention and compared to control participants’ behaviors to explore whether the intervention was associated with any systematic changes in AOD use or HIV risk behaviors. Social network health interventions are an innovative approach for reducing future AOD use and HIV risk problems, but little is known about their feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy. The current study develops and pilot-tests a computer-assisted intervention that incorporates social network visualizations and MI techniques to reduce high risk AOD use and HIV behaviors among the formerly homeless. NCT02140359.
The Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans

In December 2015 Congress enacted a two-year delay in the controversial excise tax on high-cost health plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), postponing its effective date from 2018 to 2020 and making a number of other modest changes to the tax. Nevertheless, the tax remains wildly unpopular with private-sector sponsors of employee health programs, and its potential effects are widely debated -- even though the general public (and most workers in general) have little awareness that the tax has been enacted by Congress and that its potential implementation could cause major changes to how they get health coverage and how much they pay. To further public debate over the issue, the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) held a policy forum on Dec. 10, 2015, attended by about a hundred health experts and other benefits professionals, to discuss “The Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans” -- both to clarify what the tax would do and how employers and health-plan sponsors are reacting to it. This paper summarizes the presentations and discussions at that forum, including a review of the purposes, goals, and key provisions of the excise tax on health plans as it was included in the Affordable Care Act; efforts to repeal the tax; the perspective and reactions to the tax by a large employer; and the broader perspective in employer options and strategies in dealing with the excise tax. As private-sector health experts pointed out at the EBRI forum, despite the delay in the effective date of the so-called “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health plans, the tax has already been causing changes, as many employers have begun reducing benefits or shifting costs now to avoid the tax if and when it later goes into effect.
Modeling and estimating continuous Improvised Explosive Device supply chain behavior

Over a given period of time, coalition forces can collect data on the number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that are found or detonated. However, the number of IEDs emplaced and in construction, as well as the rates in which IEDs are moving throughout the supply chain, remains unknown. We show that using the data on IEDs detonated and found, we can mathematically estimate the behavior of the entire supply chain, thus providing estimates on previously unknown aspects of the IED supply chain. This provides useful information on the unobservable parts of the supply chain and offers better metrics for gauging the effectiveness of counter-IED efforts.
Highland emigration and the transformation of nostalgia in romantic poetry

This essay examines Scottish Highlanders as both objects of and participants in British Romanticism by bringing into conversation Gaelic song and English-language poetry about Highland emigration. Together, Gaelic song and English-language poetry reveal Highland emigration's role in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century transformation of nostalgia from pathology to sentiment. By tracing representations of emigration through Gaelic songs by John MacCodrum, Calum Ban MacMhannain and John MacDonald, and English-language poetry by Anne Grant and Felicia Hemans, the essay shows how nostalgia emerged from the specific context of the Highland Clearances to become a more generalized Romantic condition. The essay then turns to some of Wordsworth's poems inspired by his 1803 and 1831 visits to Scotland to argue that although the Clearances seem to have made little impact on “high” Romanticism, the nostalgia that they represented not only permeated English-language poetic representations of Highlands and...
Alternate Techniques/New Approaches for Identification of Full Field Dynamic Stress Strain from Limited Sets of Measured Data for Wind Turbine Applications

Current design analysis for wind turbine blade applications is based on an estimation of the forces that drive the system during operation. Much effort has been expended in the estimation of these forces from fluid structure interaction models as well as from measured operating responses. However, the existing approaches can only provide an approximate estimate of the forces for the structural modeling of the blades, primarily because of a lack of distributed sensing capability and because the assumed boundary conditions are not always accurate. Two relatively new techniques are currently under investigation that enable a much better overall prediction of the response of the system. Full-field optical measuring techniques and real time data expansion approaches have the potential to greatly improve these required predictions. Three-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) and dynamic point tracking (3DPT) have recently been explored as possible approaches to collect data on various types of structures using noncontacting measurement while the system is operating (rotating). A basic discussion on these imaging techniques is provided to show their usefulness in making structural dynamic measurements. The sets of limited surface data that are collected can be used in conjunction with an expansion algorithm to obtain fullfield information. The finite element model mass and stiffness matrices are used to obtain the normal constitutive relations as well as the modal characteristics. This information is used to develop the expansion algorithm and for the stress recovery during the back substitution process typically employed in the finite element approach. A basic discussion of the process used is presented along with several different test cases to demonstrate the optical measurement process and the ability to achieve full-field results. Some thoughts on the exploitation of these new tools and the vision forward are also presented.
Thermodynamic Model for Prediction of Wax Precipitation in Gas Condensate Mixtures

Based on the experimental results,this paper puts forward a thermodynamic model for prediction of was precipitation in gas condensate mixtures.The model regards the process of wax precipitation as that of multi-solid phase precipitations.The precipitated wax composed of a number of solid phases,and each phase is made up of a pseudo-component,without any mixture among the solid phases.Accordingly,this paper proposes a vapor-liquid-multi-solid material balance equation.Integrated with the empirical equation for calculation of solution heat in condensate system and the multi-solid flash numerical algorithm,this model can be applied to quantitative simulation and estimation of the wax precipitation amount,obtaining vapor-liquid parameters by using equation of state.The estimation results show that the wax precipitation amount and related temperature given by the model are in good agreement with the experimental data for the condensate hydrocarbon mixtures.
Study of correlation between HBV PreS_1 antigen and HBV DNA

Objective To study the correlation between HBV PreS1 antigen and HBV DNA and its clinical application.Methods HBV serological markers and HBV DNA and HBV PreS1 antigen in 132 patients with hepatitis B were detected and analysed.Results The detectable rate of PreS1 antigen in positive HBeAg group(84.21%)was higher than that in negative HBeAg group(32.98%)(P0.01).The detectable rate of PreS1 antigen in positive HBV DNA group(92.45%)was higher than that in negative HBV DNA group(17.72%)(P0.01).The detectable rate of PreS1 antigen in both positive HBeAg and HBV DNA was the highest(90.63%)in all serological markers.Conclusion HBV PreS1 antigen is correlated to the virus replication index(HBeAg and HBV DNA),the detection of HBV PreS1 antigen can reflect the replication of HBV.
Large nuclear power plant modeling and grid-connection influence

In order to investigate the interaction between nuclear power plant and power grid under serious disturbance,the mathematical model of nuclear power plant is deduced based on energy theorem and its working principle,which takes the primary loop secondary loop system as the steam turbine governor for transient and mid-term dynamic analysis under serious disturbance of power grid.The influence of a pressurized water reactor plant incorporating into grid is analyzed from power flow and short circuit current.The characteristics of pressurized water reactor plant are simulated in three fault modes.Simulative results show that,it is not necessary to take special measures for normal faults which are removed rapidly and correctly;special measures have to be taken if the fault stays because of the incorrect protection operations,which may cause unit synchronization loss.
The physiology of epithelial chloride channels.

These highly regulated channels have a rate-limiting function in secretory activity. Recent research has suggested that the regulation of chloride transport is the likely locus of the defect in cystic fibrosis and has contributed to a fuller understanding of the control of ion channels and their role in fluid and electrolyte balance.
Inhibition of drug metabolism. II. Metabolism of 2-diethylaminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate HC1 (SKF 525-A).

The metabolism of SKF 525-A by washed hepatic microsomes from the rat was studied. The secondary amine derivative, 2-ethylaminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate HCl (SKF 8742-A) was identified as a metabolite. A second metabolite, designated metabolite I, was also observed. The acidic hydrolysis product of SKF 525-A, 2,2-diphenylvalerate (SKF 2314), was identified and the rate of hydrolysis of SKF 525-A by washed microsomes was measured. Metabolite I was not found in microsomal preparations that had been incubated with SKF 8742-A. No SKF 525-A or SKF 8742-A was recovered from the urine, bile, or feces of rats that had received these compounds, nor were metabolites found in these materials. The primary amine analog of SKF 525-A, 2-aminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate hydrobromide (AEDV) was synthesized. AEDV was shown to be a competitive inhibitor of the N-demethylation of ethylmorphine with an inhibition constant quite similar to those of SKF 525-A and SKF 8742-A.
Commentary on: Defensive Medicine Among Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeons in Israel

In the accompanying study, the authors reported on the results of a survey completed by 78 plastic and aesthetic surgeons in Israel.1 The authors set out to determine the extent of defensive medicine practiced by surgeons in this specialty. One conclusion was that defensive medicine is common among members of the Israeli Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeons (ISPAS). It is difficult to determine whether this is an accurate conclusion because of differences among physicians about what constitutes defensive medicine vs good medical practice. It is also difficult to separate the motivation to avoid liability from the desire to enhance patient safety. Most physicians share a desire to provide the best possible results for their patients while at the same time …
Approach to the Patient with Dyspnea

Dyspnea is a common presenting symptom of cardiovascular disease in both the outpatient and inpatient setting. Despite its prevalence, the lack of specificity and variation in language used to describe sensation of shortness of breath, it poses unique diagnostic and management challenges. Often times, understanding of the underlying mechanisms of dyspnea in parallel with a focused history and exam can lead to an initial workup and differential. It is difficult to have one all-encompassing framework for evaluation of dyspnea; however, it is useful to have a general framework from which to proceed. This chapter will cover the general mechanisms of dyspnea as well as the basic workup for possible pulmonary disease causes. The focus will be specifically on dyspnea as it directly relates to diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Women in Local Communist Politics in Romania and Poland

Studies of women’s political roles in many societies have concluded that women are less politically active than men.1 Although higher educational levels close the gap between the sexes regarding their concern for and interest in politics, it remains generally true that women are less likely than men to enter ‘fully into the political realm’.2 Such an assessment is valid as well in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Notwithstanding encouragement of female participation in principle by ruling Communist parties, data at the national level indicate that women are not politically emancipated in Eastern Europe; they constitute, at most, 30% of Communist party membership, while one in four or five Central Committee members or governmental ministers may be a woman. Even after the purposeful recruitment of women into the Romanian Central Committee during the 1970s, for example, a six-fold increase brought their presence in the Central Committee to just 24.5%.3
Costa - Introduction to 2015 Annual Report

In parallel with Sandia National Laboratories having two major locations (NM and CA), along with a number of smaller facilities across the nation, so too is the distribution of scientific, engineering and computing resources. As a part of Sandia’s Institutional Computing Program, CA site-based Sandia computer scientists and engineers have been providing mission and research staff with local CA resident expertise on computing options while also focusing on two growing high performance computing research problems. The first is how to increase system resilience to failure, as machines grow larger, more complex and heterogeneous. The second is how to ensure that computer hardware and configurations are optimized for specialized data analytical mission needs within the overall Sandia computing environment, including the HPC subenvironment. All of these activities support the larger Sandia effort in accelerating development and integration of high performance computing into national security missions. Sandia continues to both promote national R&D objectives, including the recent Presidential Executive Order establishing the National Strategic Computing Initiative and work to ensure that the full range of computing services and capabilities are available for all mission responsibilities, from national security to energy to homeland defense.
Comparative transcriptome analyses of flower development in four species of Achimenes (Gesneriaceae).

Flowers have an amazingly diverse display of colors and shapes, and these characteristics often vary significantly among closely related species. The evolution of diverse floral form can be thought of as an adaptive response to pollination and reproduction, but it can also be seen through the lens of morphological and developmental constraints. To explore these interactions, we use RNA-seq across species and development to investigate gene expression and sequence evolution as they relate to the evolution of the diverse flowers in a group of Neotropical plants native to Mexico—magic flowers (Achimenes, Gesneriaceae). The assembled transcriptomes contain between 29,000 and 42,000 genes expressed during development. We combine sequence orthology and coexpression clustering with analyses of protein evolution to identify candidate genes for roles in floral form evolution. Over 25% of transcripts captured were distinctive to Achimenes and overrepresented by genes involved in transcription factor activity. Using a model-based clustering approach we find dynamic, temporal patterns of gene expression among species. Selection tests provide evidence of positive selection in several genes with roles in pigment production, flowering time, and morphology. Combining these approaches to explore genes related to flower color and flower shape, we find distinct patterns that correspond to transitions of floral form among Achimenes species. The floral transcriptomes developed from four species of Achimenes provide insight into the mechanisms involved in the evolution of diverse floral form among closely related species with different pollinators. We identified several candidate genes that will serve as an important and useful resource for future research. High conservation of sequence structure, patterns of gene coexpression, and detection of positive selection acting on few genes suggests that large phenotypic differences in floral form may be caused by genetic differences in a small set of genes. Our characterized floral transcriptomes provided here should facilitate further analyses into the genomics of flower development and the mechanisms underlying the evolution of diverse flowers in Achimenes and other Neotropical Gesneriaceae.
Strong Tea or Coca-Cola

An 80-year-old woman complained of lethargy. She had been passing dark urine, the color of a “strong tea,” for the last 3 days. She gave a history of a recent urinary infection, treated with trimethoprim and cephadroxil. She had been vaccinated against influenza 3 weeks earlier.
The High-Yield Debt Market

High-yield debt is an important provider of financing for a broad range of corporate purposes. This note discusses the basic features of high-yield debt, some of its advantages and disadvantages, and the market in which it is primarily issued in the United States: the Rule 144A market. Because the market serves more speculative and volatile companies, the characteristics of the debt differ in pricing, availability, and risk compared with investment-grade debt. The note discusses and provides data to illuminate each of these differences. Excerpt UVA-F-1702 Rev. Nov. 14, 2013 THE HIGH-YIELD DEBT MARKET High-yield debt is defined as debt with a credit rating below Baa3 (as rated by Moody's) or BBB− (as rated by Standard & Poor's). The high-yield market is said to have existed “ever since the first bond ratings were published by John Moody in 1909.” The truth is, however, that while corporate bonds have been around for centuries, the high-yield bond market did not exist much before 1970. At that point, it mainly comprised the debt of firms that had been downgraded from investment grade, or “fallen angels,” that continued to issue debt. The first real boom in the market occurred in the 1980s with the growth and development of leveraged buyouts (LBOs). That era is most remembered for the bidding war for RJR Nabisco in 1988. In that year, the total volume of high-yield debt issued amounted to $ 27.5 billion, the bulk of which was used by KKR to finance that single transaction. High-yield debt is still used to finance mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and LBOs, but over time it has found broad acceptance among investors and companies seeking to raise debt financing. This note discusses the basic features of high-yield debt, some of its advantages and disadvantages, and the market in which it is primarily issued in the United States: the Rule 144A market. Size of the Market To get a sense of the scale of the high-yield market, Table 1 shows the volume of issuance from 1987 to 2012. Of note is the extraordinary growth in the issue volume from less than $ 30 billion before 1992 to over $ 400 billion in 2012, the highest issue volume in history. Issue volume represents new issues and refinancing of existing debt. The high issue volume in recent years has been attributed to firms' seeking to lock in historically low interest rates before their anticipated rise. All told, as of 2012, the high-yield market has over $ 1.6 trillion of outstanding securities. . . .
Are zero emission credits the right rationale for saving economically challenged U.S. nuclear plants

Abstract The economic viability of many U.S. nuclear plants has been deteriorating rapidly since 2010. To save in-state, zero-emission baseload generation, several states have passed zero-emission credits to subsidize their economically challenged plants. Our power market dispatch modeling, however, suggests that keeping nuclear plants online does not necessarily mean a reduction in carbon emissions within the region or state, as the amount of regional emissions also depends on grid characteristics and the evolution of the generation fuel mix.
TRPV1-dependent ERK1/2 activation in porcine lens epithelium.

Recently we determined that the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 ion channel (TRPV4) has a crucial signaling role in a pathway that regulates various aspects of lens epithelium function. Here, we report on a different TRPV channel, TRPV1, in porcine lens. The presence of TRPV1 in the lens was evident from RT-PCR studies and Western blot analysis of MAPK signaling pathway activation caused by the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin. TRPV1 mRNA was detected in the epithelium of porcine as well as human lens. Transient ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation was detected within 1 min in the epithelium isolated from intact porcine lenses exposed to capsaicin (100 nM), a selective TRPV1 agonist, and the response was significantly inhibited by A889245 (1.0 μM), a TRPV1 antagonist. A similar ERK 1/2 and p38 response in the epithelium, also inhibitable by A889245, was evident in lenses treated with hyperosmotic solution (350 vs 300 mOsm). Lenses pre-treated with either the cytosolic Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM or the PKC inhibitor sotrastaurin (1.0 μM) had a diminished ERK1/2 activation response to capsaicin and hyperosmotic solution. Taken together the findings support the notion that TRPV1 functions as a plasma membrane ion channel that, when activated, permits the entry of extracellular calcium into the lens epithelium, leading to activation of PKC, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK. It is significant that the findings confirm earlier proposals that hyperosmotic stress is linked to TRPV1 channel activation in the mouse lens. Further studies are ongoing to determine what functional changes are triggered by the TRPV1-linked signaling pathways and how they might relate to lens volume homeostasis.
The Simplest Linear Waves in Elastic Materials

The first part of this chapter presents essential information on linear elastic waves. It involves basic equations of wave propagation in the theory of elasticity, volume and shear waves, the classic wave equation and basic facts associated with it, features, and terminology. The classic examples of breaking the correctness in mathematical statements (Helmholtz and Taylor instabilities and as well as Hadamard example and John sentence) are proposed, which describe the generation of waves. Special attention is given to plane waves and their classical analysis. In the second part, a model of linear elastic mixture (a structural model of the second order) that is distinct from the model of averaged elastic moduli used in the first part is considered. Here the basic equations of wave propagation in elastic mixtures, volume and shear waves, and plane waves and a brief analysis of them are presented.
Labor Relations in the Postal Corporation

The mechanization and automation of mail processing has taken place in a unionized organization where labor—management relations are governed by a collective bargaining agreement. The Postal Reorganization Act authorized the Postal Service to enter into collective bargaining agreements with nationally recognized labor unions for the purpose of establishing compensation and working conditions. This replaced the political process of addressing labor issues in Congress with a corporatist system of peak negotiations between postal managers and representatives of nationally recognized postal unions. Negotiations between postal unions and the Postal Service establish contract provisions, and local administration of the contract is overseen by regional and national officers. A four-step grievance—arbitration process leads to the appointment of independent arbitrators who resolve difficult workplace issues. Conflict between labor and management over wages, hours, discipline, the impact of technology, and overall control of the labor process is mediated by the collective bargaining process. The best scientifically planned strategies and programs of postal management meet indeterminate outcomes when confronted by the power of organized labor in collective bargaining and the grievance—arbitration process.
Identification of candidate genes underlying nodulation-specific phenotypes in Medicago truncatula through integration of genome-wide association studies and co-expression networks

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have proven to be a valuable approach for identifying genetic intervals associated with phenotypic variation in Medicago truncatula. These intervals can vary in size, depending on the historical local recombination near each significant interval. Typically, significant intervals span numerous gene models, limiting the ability to resolve high-confidence candidate genes underlying the trait of interest. Additional genomic data, including gene co-expression networks, can be combined with the genetic mapping information to successfully identify candidate genes. Co-expression network analysis provides information about the functional relationships of each gene through its similarity of expression patterns to other well-defined clusters of genes. In this study, we integrated data from GWAS and co-expression networks to pinpoint candidate genes that may be associated with nodule-related phenotypes in Medicago truncatula. We further investigated a subset of these genes and confirmed that several had existing evidence linking them nodulation, including MEDTR2G101090 (PEN3-like), a previously validated gene associated with nodule number.
Structural deformation and transformation of θ′-Al2Cu precipitate in Al matrix via interfacial diffusion

Abstract Metastable θ′-Al2Cu precipitates enhance mechanical properties of Al alloy, but gradually transform to θ phase due to diffusion related coarsening at higher temperatures (>200 °C). To improve understanding of the phase instability and transformation of θ′-Al2Cu, we investigated the interfacial atomic mobility of θ′-Al2Cu precipitate in Al matrix via molecular dynamics (MD). To characterize the interfacial atomic mobility, diffusion properties (activation energy, diffusivity, and jump attempt frequency) with respect to atomic species, interfacial structure, and temperature are calculated using atomic trajectories from MD. For the enhanced accuracy of this analysis, especially at low temperatures, temporal scale of molecular dynamics is significantly extended by employing the parallel replica dynamics. This study, as the first MD investigation on atomic diffusion of θ′-Al2Cu in Al matrix, suggests and discusses (i) structural deformation activated at the semi-coherent θ′-Al2Cu/Al interfaces, (ii) transformation initiated at the edge of the coherent θ′-Al2Cu/Al interface, and (iii) directional dependence of diffusion properties. These findings are expected to be employed in a larger scale phase-field modeling of precipitate growth, and to contribute to the understanding of phase transformation process and the development of alloys with θ′-phase retained to higher temperatures.
Highly-efficient second-harmonic generation in semi-nonlinear nanophotonic waveguides

We report second-harmonic generation in semi-nonlinear nanophotonic waveguides composed of titanium oxide and lithium niobate, with a theoretical normalized conversion efficiency of 2900% W−1cm−2, and an experimental efficiency of 650% W−1cm−2.
Abstract 101: The Development and Initial Validation of PROMIS-Plus-HF Profile Measure

Background: Bringing together generic and heart failure (HF)-specific items in a publicly-available, patient-reported outcome measure may facilitate better health status comparisons across groups a...
INDICE DE REVISORES 2017

Reconocimiento a los revisores y dictaminados de la revista Lux Medica del ano 2017. El objetivo de presentar documentos relevantes y de validez academica, es apoyado por un grupo de especialistas de diferentes disciplinas, que amablemente aportan su tiempo y su trabajo en forma desinteresada. La taresa de la revision, que el dictaminador realiza sin saber a quien evalua, se continua con la buena disposicion de los autores para corregir sus trabajos, atendiendo las observaciones, tambien anonimas, de los dictamenes. Es asi, como Lux Medica quiere mantenes la calidad de su contenido. Reciban nuestro agradecimiento, todos los autores que participaron durante el ano 2017.
Who is in this study, anyway? Guidelines for a useful Table 1

Abstract Objective Epidemiologic and clinical research papers often describe the study sample in the first table. If well-executed, this “Table 1” can illuminate potential threats to internal and external validity. However, little guidance exists on best practices for designing a Table 1, especially for complex study designs and analyses. We aimed to summarize and extend the literature related to reporting descriptive statistics. Study Design and Setting In consultation with existing guidelines, we synthesized and developed reporting recommendations driven by study design and focused on transparency related to potential threats to internal and external validity. Results We describe a basic structure for Table 1 and discuss simple modifications in terms of columns, rows, and cells to enhance a reader's ability to judge both internal and external validity. We further highlight several analytic complexities common in epidemiologic research (missing data, sample weights, clustered data, and interaction) and describe possible variations to Table 1 to maintain and add clarity about study validity in light of these issues. We discuss considerations and tradeoffs in Table 1 related to breadth and comprehensiveness vs. parsimony and reader-friendliness. Conclusion We anticipate that our work will guide authors considering layouts for Table 1, with attention to the reader's perspective.
The Highs and Lows of Love: Romantic Relationship Quality Moderates Whether Spending Time With One’s Partner Predicts Gains or Losses in Well-Being:

Previous research suggests both relationship status and relationship quality correlate with well-being. The present study extended these findings in three ways. First, we benchmarked individuals with various-quality relationships against uncoupled people to determine whether even low-quality relationships are associated with greater well-being than being unpartnered. Second, research suggests global well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) and experiential well-being (e.g., momentary affect) oftentimes have different predictors. Thus, we tested whether individuals report greater experiential well-being while with their partners. Finally, we examined whether daily time invested into one's relationship predicted well-being. Results indicated that being in a romantic relationship, interacting with one's partner, and investing greater time into the relationship all predicted greater well-being. However, these effects were moderated by relationship quality, such that being in even relatively neutral relationships and interacting therein were associated with lower well-being than being unpartnered.
CMOS based whole cell impedance sensing: Challenges and future outlook.

Abstract With the increasing need for multi-analyte point-of-care diagnosis devices, cell impedance measurement is a promising technique for integration with other sensing modalities. In this comprehensive review, the theory underlying cell impedance sensing, including the history, complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) based implementations, and applications are critically assessed. Whole cell impedance sensing, also known as electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) or electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), is an approach for studying and diagnosing living cells in in-vitro and in-vivo environments. The technique is popular since it is label-free, non-invasive, and low cost when compared to standard biochemical assays. CMOS cell impedance measurement systems have been focused on expanding their applications to numerous aspects of biological, environmental, and food safety applications. This paper presents and evaluates circuit topologies for whole cell impedance measurement. The presented review compares several existing CMOS designs, including the classification, measurement speed, and sensitivity of varying topologies.
Intensity Resolution in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease: Sensory and Auditory Memory Limitations.

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to examine sensory and auditory memory limitations on intensity resolution in individuals with Parkinson's disease as compared to healthy older and youn...
Sequence-crafter: side-channel entropy minimization to thwart timing-based side-channel attacks: work-in-progress

The hardware security domain in recent years has experienced a plethora of side-channel attacks (SCAs) with cache-based SCAs being one of the dominant threats. These SCAs function by exploiting the side-channels which invariably leak important data during an application's execution. Shutting down the side channels is not a feasible approach due to various restrictions it would pose to system performance. To overcome such concerns and protect the data integrity, we introduce Sequence-Crafter (SC) in this work. The proposed Sequence-Crafter (SC) aims to minimize the entropy in the side channel leaked information rather than attempting to close the side-channels. To achieve this, we introduce carefully crafted perturbations into the victim application which will be randomly activated to introduce perturbations, thus resulting in misleading information which looks legit that will be observed by the attacker. This methodology has been successfully tested for Flush+Reload attack and the key information observed by the attacker is seen to be completely futile, indicating the success of proposed method.
Interference Mitigation between Seaborne Radar and Cellular System using 3D Channel Modeling

Spectrum sharing between cellular and radar systems is an emerging area of research. Deploying commercial wireless communication services in radar bands give wireless operators much needed additional spectrum to meet growing bandwidth demands. However, to enable spectrum sharing between these two fundamentally different systems interference concerns must be addressed. In order to assess interference concerns we design a three-dimensional (3D) channel model between radar and cellular base stations (BSs) in which the radar uses a two-dimensional (2D) antenna array and the BS uses a one-dimensional (1D) antenna array. We formulate a line-of-sight (LoS) channel and then propose an algorithm that mitigates radar interference to BSs. We extend the previously proposed null space projection algorithm for 2D channels to 3D channels and show that effective nulls can be placed by utilizing both the azimuth and elevation angle information of BSs. This results in effective interference mitigation. In addition we show that the 3D channel model allows us to accurately classify the size of radar’s search space when null space projection algorithm is used for interference mitigation.
Reasons Why Young Women in the United States Choose Their Contraceptive Method.

Background: Understanding reasons for birth control method choice may inform interventions that help young women choose the best method for them. The purpose of this study was to examine why young women in the general population select their method of contraception. Methods: An online survey was advertised through social media in 2017. After consenting, participants were gated through questions that ensured they were female, within the age range (16-25 years old), lived in the 50 U.S. states, and using intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal birth control, or barrier methods specified in the survey. Surveys with incompatible responses were excluded. Satisfaction, plans to discontinue, and primary reason for using current contraceptive method were examined and compared by contraception types using chi-square analyses. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to examine satisfaction between contraceptive methods and races/ethnicities. Results: A total of 2632 responses were included. A high frequency of women using less effective methods (48.6% of nonhormonal birth control) chose them primarily to prevent pregnancy (20.6% of Copper T IUD, 23.0% of hormonal IUD, and 30.9% of Mirena IUD users), while other more effective birth control methods were often chosen primarily for other reasons. Recommendations from family or friends (14.6%) were used by some to make their contraception decision. Black respondents were less likely and Hispanic respondents were more likely to be satisfied with their birth control compared to white women. Conclusion: Providers should consider that their young patients may want to better understand benefits and side effects of their birth control outside of pregnancy prevention. Furthermore, young women may utilize their friends and family to make their contraceptive choice, which should be taken into consideration when counseling patients.
Assessment of pneumoconiosis in surface coal miners after implementation of a national radiographic surveillance program, United States, 2014-2019.

Background Pneumoconiosis can occur in surface coal miners. The Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) has only included surface coal miners as part of its regular disease surveillance since 2014. This analysis identifies the prevalence of pneumoconiosis among working surface coal miners participating in the CWHSP since their initial inclusion, through 2019. Methods Working surface coal miners who had chest radiographs through the CWHSP from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2019 were included in this analysis. Demographic information, mining tenure and occupation, and radiographic classifications according to the International Labour Office system were included from each miner's most recent encounter with the CWHSP. Prevalence ratios were calculated comparing the prevalence of the disease by region and occupation by log-binomial regression. Results Pneumoconiosis was present in 109 (1.6%) surface coal miners, including 12 miners with progressive massive fibrosis, the most severe form of the disease. After taking surface mining tenure into account, surface miners in Central Appalachia (prevalence ratio [PR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-4.7) and surface miners who worked as a driller or blaster (PR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5) were at increased risk of pneumoconiosis. Conclusion The occurrence of pneumoconiosis in surface coal miners supports including them within a systematic respiratory health surveillance program. The current surveillance findings are consistent with past findings of pneumoconiosis, particularly silicosis, in surface mining occupations such as drilling and blasting.
The light composite Higgs boson in strong extended technicolor

This paper extends an earlier one describing the Higgs boson H as a light composite scalar in a strong extended technicolor model of electroweak symmetry breaking. The Higgs mass M H is made much smaller than ΛETC by tuning the ETC coupling very close to the critical value for electroweak symmetry breaking. The technicolor interaction, neglected in the earlier paper, is considered here. Its weakness relative to extended technicolor is essential to understanding the lightness of H compared to the low-lying spin-one technihadrons. Technicolor cannot be completely ignored, but implementing technigluon exchange together with strong extended technicolor appears difficult. We propose a solution that turns out to leave the results of the earlier paper essentially unchanged. An argument is then presented that masses of the spin-one technifermion bound states, ρ H and a H , are much larger than M H and, plausibly, controlled by technicolor. Assuming M ρH and M aH are in the TeV-energy region, we identify ρ H and a H with the diboson excesses observed near 2 TeV by ATLAS and CMS in LHC Run 1 data, and we discuss their phenomenology for Runs 2 and 3.
Networks and Business Cycles

The speed at which the US economy has recovered from recessions ranges from months to years. We propose a model incorporating the innovation network, the production network, and cross-sectional shocks and show that their interactions jointly explain large variations in the recovery speed across recessions in the US. In the model, besides the production linkages, firms learn insights on production from each other through the innovation network. We show when the innovation network takes a low-rank structure, there exists one key direction: the impact a shock becomes persistent only if the shock is parallel to this key direction; in contrast, the impact declines quickly if the shock follows other directions. Empirically, we estimate the model in a state-space form and document a set of new stylized facts of the US economy. First, the innovation network among sectors takes a low-rank structure. Second, the innovation network has non-negligible overlap with the production network. Third, recessions with slow recovery are those witnessing sizable negative shock to sectors in the center of the innovation network. Such network structures and the time-varying sectoral distribution of the shocks can well explain the large variation in the recovery speed across recessions in the US. Finally, to emphasize the prevalence of the channel, we explore the application of the theory in asset pricing.
External Validation of a Tool to Predict Neurosurgery in Patients with Isolated Subdural Hematoma

Background Subdural hematoma (SDH) is the most common form of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Orlando and colleagues derived a prediction tool for neurosurgical intervention, the “Orlando Tool,” consisting of (a) maximum thickness of hematoma, and (b) presence of acute-on-chronic (AOC) hematoma. This study externally validated the Orlando Tool. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients aged ≥16 years with a Glasgow Coma Scale score ≥13, and a computed tomography–documented isolated, traumatic SDH, who presented to a university-affiliated, urban, 100,000-annual-visit emergency department from 2009–2015. The primary outcome was neurosurgical intervention. Thickness of hematoma and presence of AOC hematoma were abstracted from cranial computed tomography scan reports by 2 trained physician abstractors. Results A total of 607 patients with isolated SDH were included in the validation dataset. Median hematoma thickness was 6 mm. AOC hematoma was noted in 13% of patients. Mortality was 2.5%, and 15.7% of patients underwent neurosurgery. The Orlando Tool had an area under the curve of 0.93 in the validation, comparable to 0.94 reported in their derivation set. At the prespecified cutoff of 9.96% risk, the tool had a 88% (95% CI, 80–94) sensitivity in the validation cohort compared with 94% in the derivation cohort. The specificity of 82% (95% CI, 78–85) was comparable with 84% in the derivation group. Negative likelihood ratio was 0.14 (95% CI, 0.08–0.25), compared with 0.09 in derivation. Conclusions The Orlando Tool accurately predicts neurosurgical intervention in patients with isolated, traumatic SDH and preserved consciousness.
Institutional Anomie Theory and Cybercrime—Cybercrime and the American Dream, Now Available Online:

As the world becomes increasingly connected and interdependent upon technology, crimes are moving online. Research on cybercrime is beginning to test the applicability of traditional criminological...
Solution of large, sparse systems of linear equations in massively parallel applications

A general-purpose parallel iterative solver for large, sparse systems of linear equations is presented. This solver is used in two applications, a piezoelectric crystal vibration problem and a superconductor model, which could be solved only on the largest available massively parallel machine. Results obtained on the Intel DELTA show computational rates of up to 3.25 Gflops for these applications.