cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scatterometer Observations at High Wind Speeds

Abstract Satellite scatterometer winds are commonly validated by comparing them to buoy observations and/or numerical model surface wind analyses. However, the empirical scatterometer algorithm (geophysical model function) has been calibrated against a subset of the buoy and, most likely, numerical model winds. Thus, this approach is only useful for evaluating the robustness of the empirical fit of the scatterometer algorithm to the buoy and/or numerical model winds. It cannot detect the errors in the scatterometer winds due to inherent inaccuracy of the buoy and numerical model winds. Using an alternate approach based on surface pressure measurements, the authors demonstrate the existence of a low bias at high wind speeds (greater than 20 m s−1) in the buoy and numerical model winds that is consistent with previous theoretical results. To assess to what extent this bias is carried over to the European Remote Sensing (ERS) satellite scatterometer winds, a validation method based on the University of Washi...
Securing the nuclear nation

In 1946, in the Southern Urals, construction of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics first plutonium plant fell to the GULAG-Narodnyi Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del (NKVD). The chief officers in charge of the program – Lavrentii Beria, Sergei Kruglov, and Ivan Tkachenko – had been pivotal figures in the deportation and political and ethnic cleansing of territories retaken from Axis forces during WWII. These men were charged with building a nuclear weapons complex to defend the Soviet Union from the American nuclear monopoly. In part thanks to the criminalization and deportation of ethnic minorities, Gulag territories grew crowded with foreign nationals and ethnic minorities in the postwar years. The NKVD generals were appalled to find that masses of forced laborers employed at the plutonium construction site were members of enemy nations. Beria issued orders to cleanse the ranks of foreign enemies, but construction managers could not spare a single healthy body as they raced to complete their deadlines. T...
Marxism and Social Movements

Marxists have sought to critically analyze and contribute to (left revolutionary) popular movements. Yet they have not explicitly theorized the term “movement” nor its relationships to other key Marxist concepts, such as class struggle and hegemony. This book seeks to fill that gap in a historical moment when there are worldwide “anti-systemic” movements against austerity, against inequality, against the “democracy deficit,” and to protect hard-won rights for subaltern classes, all within the context of the world’s most important economic crisis since the 1930s. Analysis helpfully moves back and forth between theory and empirical cases, with a view to informing more effective revolutionary political praxis. The empirical scope is deliberately and usefully broad. Cases are drawn from a range of national contexts in the global North and South and concern movements from the 19 th century up to the present. The book’s major shortcoming, however, is its failure to draw upon the whole range of historical materialist theorizing, including work by Black socialists, feminist socialists and Indigenous communists, among others. Nonetheless Marxism and social movements makes a useful, if radically incomplete contribution to both social movement theory and historical materialism.
Mucolytic Enzyme Systems. IV. Relationship of Hyaluronidase Inhibition by Blood Serum to Incidence of Mammary Cancer in Mice.

Summary1. Within the A, Z, and AZF1 strains of mice, no significant differences in the hyaluronidase-inhibitor levels in serum were found between individuals with and without the milk agent which determines the incidence of mammary cancer. Neither was a significant difference observed between virgins and breeders of the same strain or between individuals with and without tumors. 2. There appeared to be a tendency for the inhibitor titer to vary inversely with the strain incidence of mammary cancer in the A, Z, and AZF1 mice. 3. A tendency toward an inverse relationship between the inhibitor level and the presence of the “inherited hormonal factor” follows.
Research on transformer winding deformation test technology Based on FRAS method

On the basis of theory of winding equivalent circuit of transformer,analyzes the deformation diagnosis of transformer winding used frequency response method,the method of short-circuit impedance and low voltage pulse method. Combining the advantages of frequency response method and impedance method,puts forward a diagnosis of transformer winding deformation sweep frequency impedance method,makes a test to obtain the spectral features at the same time,the short circuit impedance characteristic information. The sweep frequency impedance method is studied by simulation and model of transformer test,results show that this diagnosis method is much better than the original method of advanced,effective response.
Pharmacy-based controlled substances distribution for a university campus

A university-wide pharmacy-based controlled substances distribution system is described. The purchasing and control of controlled substances for the entire university campus is centralized in the hospital pharmacy department. The distribution system uses the concept of restricted versus nonrestricted drugs, where restricted drugs are all Schedule II controlled substances and other drugs needing restrictive control. The restricted or nonrestricted status of a drug is based upon suspected or observed abuse potential. After receipt by the pharmacy, all controlled substances and restricted drugs are stored in a vault. A 24-hour audit-disposition record system is used to control the inpatient distribution of restricted drugs, which are stored in locked cabinets on each nursing unit. In the outpatient pharmacy, a small supply of restricted drugs is stored in a locked cabinet; the inventory is reconciled weekly. Nonrestricted controlled substances, such as phenobarbital and chloral hydrate, are distributed to the inpatient satellite pharmacies and the outpatient pharmacy in the same manner as other prescription drugs. Campus practitioners and researchers order all controlled substances from the pharmacy using the appropriate order forms; each individual is responsible for maintaining a record and control system. A quality assurance program was established to review and improve the quality of service. The centralized pharmacy-based system improved the control, monitoring, and efficiency of controlled substances distribution for the entire university campus.
Relating Lexicographic Smoothness and Directed Subdifferentiability

Lexicographic derivatives developed by Nesterov and directed subdifferentials developed by Baier, Farkhi, and Roshchina are both essentially nonconvex generalized derivatives for nonsmooth nonconvex functions and satisfy strict calculus rules and mean-value theorems. This article aims to clarify the relationship between the two generalized derivatives. In particular, for scalar-valued functions that are locally Lipschitz continuous, lexicographic smoothness and directed subdifferentiability are shown to be equivalent, along with the necessary optimality conditions corresponding to each. For such functions, the visualization of the directed subdifferential—the Rubinov subdifferential—is shown to include the lexicographic subdifferential, and is also shown to be included in its closed convex hull. Various implications of these results are discussed.
NONRADIATIVE TRANSITION DYNAMICS IN EMERALD.

Emerald [Cr3+:Be3Al2(SiO3)6], a trivalent chromium-activated beryl is one of the earlier vibronic frequency-tunable laser crystals,1,2 which stimulated the recent surge in tunable solid-state laser research. Emerald, like alexandrite, operates in a four-level mode at room temperature over the 695-835 nm wavelength range. The broad absorption bands at 615 nm and 416 nm due to transitions from the 4A2 ground state to the 4T2 and 4T1 states of the Cr3+ ion serve as pump bands for optical excitation.
Two-photon absorption and anisotropic transient energy transfer in BaTiO3

We have used ultrashort optical pulses to investigate two-photon absorption (TPA), anisotropic transient energy transfer, and induced defect state absorption in BaTiO3. Data are taken as a function of pump–probe delay, pump fluence, and crystal orientation. Fitting the data with a rate equation model allowed us to extract a TPA coefficient, free carrier absorption (FCA) cross sections, and secondary trap densities.
Season, but not experimental warming, affects the activity and temperature sensitivity of extracellular enzymes

Climate change may affect the microbial production and temperature sensitivity of extracellular enzymes that release carbon (C) and nutrients from soil organic matter. We measured the response of six hydrolytic enzymes involved in C, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) degradation to experimental warming in a mixed-deciduous forest persisting on highly-weathered Ultisols (Whitehall Forest, Georgia, US). We found that warming produced no consistent enzyme response. However, we observed significant seasonal variation in enzyme activities, temperature sensitivities and elemental enzyme ratios (C:N and C:P). Seasonal differences in enzyme activity and temperature sensitivity were best explained by soil moisture and temperature. Our results suggest that seasonal dynamics in soil microclimate, organic matter supply, and microbial demand exert more control on enzyme dynamics than does a uniform increase in soil temperature.
Comparison of Database Management Systems

This stuy surveyed database developers and administrators to evaluate existing DBMS products and identify the features that are most important to them. Oracle and IBM DB2 were rated higher than other competing products from a feature standpoint. Paradox was rated above other PC database tools. The most important features desired by users across all levels were the quality of the database engine and overall query performance - particularly on complex queries. Database products that did not exhibit a strong distributed database capability tended to be downgraded. Respondents also appear to want more sophisticated report and form tools.
The Science Behind Surgical Innovations of the Forefoot.

One of the areas of foot and ankle surgery that has had particular attention over the last 5 years has been forefoot surgery. Common procedures include correction of the lessor metatarsophalangeal joints and hammertoe deformities, specifically metatarsal shortening osteotomies and proximal interphalangeal joint fusions. The goals of these surgeries are to improve patient function and allow patients to fit into shoes more comfortably in metatarsal shortening and hammertoe.
Utilizing Talking Circles as a Means of Gathering American Indian Stories for Developing a Nutrition and Physical Activity Curriculum

This qualitative study used a focus group approach (talking circles) to elicit tribal elder insight on important concepts for the purpose of creating a curriculum to teach tribal youth in South Dak...
The Implementation of Senior Design Capstone Projects Combining Engineering and Business Students

In order to address complex and multi-disciplinary world problems, it is necessary to create a diverse engineering work force composed of competent and creative individuals prepared to meet current and future global challenges. The entrepreneurial skillset has become increasingly important in this area; the vocational skills that a student learns can be augmented by an understanding of how business operates as well as an appreciation that enterprise skills can be applied within an organization. Traditional university programs lack the teaching methods to turn today’s students into innovative and creative leaders who can integrate both the engineering and business skills necessary to succeed in this technology driven global economy. The developed curriculum integrates engineering skills with entrepreneurial creativity by placing engineering and business students on the same projects in the same physical space to facilitate cross-pollination of knowledge in a collaborative learning environment to create technology savvy entrepreneurs. This paper outlines the curriculum framework, a discussion of the resources required, overviews of typical industry projects, a discussion of evaluation criteria, and a discussion of the benefits.
Multistatic passive detection in the presence of direct-path interference

This paper examines the target detection problem in multistatic passive radar with one non-cooperative illuminator of opportunity (IO) and multiple distributed receivers. Unlike most existing passive detectors which ignore the residual direct-path interference (DPI), we consider explicitly its effect and develop two new detectors under the conditions of known noise level and, respectively, when it is unknown. Another distinction from existing solutions is that the proposed detectors exploit the correlation of the IO waveform for passive detection. The proposed detectors are developed within the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) framework, which involves non-linear estimation that is solved using the expectation-maximization algorithm. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed methods and several well-known passive detectors.
The Power of Comparison in Mathematics Instruction: Experimental Evidence From Classrooms

Abstract Comparison is a fundamental cognitive process that supports learning in a variety of domains. To leverage comparison in mathematics instruction, evidence-based guidelines are needed for how to use comparison effectively. In this chapter, we review our classroom-based research on using comparison to help students learn mathematics. In five short-term experimental, classroom-based studies, we evaluated two types of comparison for supporting the acquisition of mathematics knowledge and tested whether prior knowledge moderated their effectiveness. Comparing different solution methods for solving the same problem was particularly effective for supporting procedural flexibility across students and for supporting conceptual and procedural knowledge among students with some prior knowledge of one of the methods. We next developed a supplemental Algebra 1 curriculum to foster comparison and evaluated its effectiveness in a randomized-control trial. Teachers used our supplemental materials much less often than expected, and student learning was not greater in classrooms that had been assigned to use our materials. Students’ procedural knowledge was positively related to greater implementation of the intervention, suggesting the approach has promise when used sufficiently often. This study suggests that teachers may need additional support in deciding what to compare and when to use comparison.
Keynote speech: The ever changing paradigm of qualification of electronic products — Physics of Failure vs. Standards Based Qualification

This topic is based on Physics of Failure. Physics of failure based qualification is also known as Knowledge based qualification (KBQ), which is a different paradigm as compared to standards based qualification (SBQ) of electronic products. Prognostics is often used with physics of failure methods to provide a robust product qualification. This topic will cover that as well.
Order and Meaning in the Yogyakarta Kraton

In his classic article Order in the Atoni House, Clark Cunningham described the ways in which the Atoni of Timor construct dwelling space as a representation of social and cosmological order.
Mesh Quality Effects on the Accuracy of Euler and Navier–Stokes Solutions on Unstructured Meshes

We examine discretization error for standard node- and cell-centered schemes using the Method of Manufactured Solutions. We find that for isotropic grids, node-centered approaches produce less error than cell-centered approaches for comparable cell size. In contrast, cell-centered schemes produce less discretization error on stretched meshes. In 3D, careful treatment of non-planar faces is necessary to avoid first-order errors. We introduce a new corrected scheme which enhances the accuracy of the node-centered scheme to third-order.
Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Adrenal Gland Imaging

The thyroid is a bilobed structure evolving from the fourth and fifth branchial pouches. It is initially attached to the ventral floor of the pharynx by the thyroglossal duct. Thyroid tissue may be found anywhere between the base of the tongue and the retrosternal anterior mediastinum (Figure 13.1). The fetal thyroid gland begins to concentrate iodine and synthesize thyroid hormones by approximately 10.5 weeks, which is pertinent when the administration of 131I to fertile women is contemplated. The two ellipsoid lobes of the adult thyroid are joined by a thin isthmus. Each lobe is approximately 2 cm in thickness and width and averages 4–4.5 cm in length. The thyroid gland, averaging approximately 20 grams in weight, resides in theneck at the level of the cricoid cartilage. A pyramidal lobe is present in approximately 30–50%, arising from either the isthmus or the superomedial aspect of either lobe; it undergoes progressive atrophy in adulthood but may be prominent in patients with Graves’ disease. Although the right lobe tends to be somewhat larger than the left lobe, there is a great deal of variability in both size and shape of the normal gland. 13.1.2 Physiology
Computer Vision for Ambient Assisted Living: Monitoring Systems for Personalized Healthcare and Wellness That Are Robust in the Real World and Accepted by Users, Carers, and Society

Abstract The Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) paradigm proposes advanced technologies and services to improve the quality of life, health, and wellbeing of citizens by making their daily-life activities easier and more secure, by monitoring patients under specific treatment, and by addressing at-risk subjects with proper counseling. The challenges brought by AAL range from robust, accurate, and nonintrusive data acquisition in daily-life settings to the development of services that are easy to use and appealing to the users and that support long-term engagement. This chapter offers a brief survey of existing vision-based monitoring solutions for personalized healthcare and wellness, and introduces the Wize Mirror, a multisensory platform featuring advanced algorithms for cardiometabolic risk prevention and quality-of-life improvement.
209. The microvascular endothelial glycocalyx: impaired barrier function in preeclampsia with small gestational age neonates

Introduction The glycocalyx, the endothelial lining of membrane-bound proteoglycans and glycoproteins, serves as a functional barrier between flowing red blood cells (RBC) and the endothelial cell membrane. Recent studies suggest that damage to the glycocalyx, which can be reflected by deeper radial penetration of RBC into the glycocalyx, contributes to microvascular dysfunction. Hypothesis We hypothesized that women with preeclampsia, especially those who deliver a small-for-gestational age neonate (PE + SGA, birthweight Methods We compared 30 women with a normotensive pregnancy (NP) to 30 women with preeclampsia (PE), matched for gestational age at time of analysis and presence/absence of labor. Using sidestream dark field imaging of the sublingual microcirculation, we measured 1) the accessibility of the RBC into the glycocalyx layer (perfused boundary region, PBR), defined as the difference between median and maximal RBC column widths, and 2) the microvascular density (total length of perfused microvessels/mm2 area). In healthy vessels, PBR is relatively small due to limited penetration of RBC into the glycocalyx. Results We observed no significant group differences in microvascular density (229 ± 75 mm/mm2 PE, 247 ± 88 mm/mm2 NP, P = 0.48) or PBR (2.20 ± 0.22 μm PE, 2.14 ± 0.30 μm NP, P = 0.14). However, the subset of women with PE + SGA (n = 12) evidenced a significant reduction in vascular density (205 ± 67 vs 306 ± 71 mm/mm2, P Discussion The increase in RBC encroachment (PBR) into the microvascular glycocalyx in PE + SGA compared to NP indicates a change in glycocalyx structure which may be associated with a reduced vascular protective function of the glycocalyx, possibly contributing to endothelial and microvascular dysfunction. Funded by NIH-NICHD (P01 HD030367, R21 HD083659), and AHA16SFRN27870000.
Neuroimmune and Systemic Manifestations of Neuroinflammation in the Temporomandibular Joint and Related Disorders

The human temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a bilateral articulation between the mandible and the temporal bone of the skull. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of pathologies affecting the TMJ, the muscles of mastication, and the related ligaments causing the joint dysfunction. TMD is most often manifested as internal derangements and is considered to be among the most complex and yet common conditions involving orofacial pain. Pain is a common symptom, due to the sensory innervations of the joint and related muscles/ligaments, followed by inflammation as a result of damage and stress upon the surrounding neurons and tissues.Neuroinflammation, mediated in part by chemokine activity and release of inflammatory cytokines, contributes to increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the potential for continued pathogen and immune cell invasion into the brain. Inflammatory response of the CNS is involved in recruitment of peripheral cells to the brain, which may promote glial cell hyper-activation and neuronal damage.
Distinct genes and pathways associated with transcriptome differences in early cardiac development between fast- and slow-growing broilers

Modern fast-growing broilers are susceptible to cardiac dysfunctions because their relatively small hearts cannot adequately meet the increased need of pumping blood through a large body mass. To improve cardiac health in broilers through breeding, we need to identify the genes and pathways that contribute to imbalanced cardiac development and occurrence of heart dysfunction. Two broiler lines-Ross 708 and Illinois-were included in this study as models of modern fast-growing and heritage slow-growing broilers, respectively. The left ventricular transcriptome were compared between the two broiler lines at day 6 and 21 post hatch through RNA-seq analysis to identify genes and pathways regulating compromised cardiac development in modern broilers. Number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, p<0.05) between the two broiler lines increased from 321 at day 6 to 819 at day 21. As the birds grew, Ross broilers showed more DEGs (n = 1879) than Illinois broilers (n = 1117). Both broilers showed significant change of muscle related genes and immune genes, but Ross broilers showed remarkable change of expression of several lipid transporter genes including APOA4, APOB, APOH, FABP4 and RBP7. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) suggested that increased cell apoptosis and inhibited cell cycle due to increased lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress may be related to the increased cardiac dysfunctions in fast-growing broilers. Cell cycle regulatory pathways like "Mitotic Roles of Polo-like Kinases" are ranked as the top changed pathways related to the cell apoptosis. These findings provide further insight into the cardiac dysfunction in modern broilers and also potential targets for improvement of their cardiac health through breeding.
Asthma specialist care preferences among parents of children receiving emergency department care for asthma

AbstractObjective: To learn factors associated with desire for asthma specialist care among parents of children seeking emergency department (ED) care for asthma, and if referral was indicated base...
Baldwin Book Collecting

Curiouser and curiouser about Ruth Marie Baldwin? A journey through her life as a collector.
Effects of Alcohol Administered With Flibanserin in Healthy Premenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Single-Dose Crossover Study

Abstract Introduction Flibanserin is approved in the United States and Canada for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. Aim The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the safety of concomitant administration of flibanserin with alcohol. Methods In this single-center, randomized, double-blind, single-dose, crossover study, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 12 sequences to receive each of 7 treatments: flibanserin 100 mg or placebo with ethanol 0.2 g/kg, 0.4 g/kg, or 0.6 g/kg, or flibanserin 100 mg only. Treatments were administered using a worst-case approach that included morning dosing and consumption of alcohol within 10 minutes. Main Outcome Measure The primary end point was the proportion of participants who experienced dizziness, syncope, or hypotension. Safety end points included orthostatic vital signs. Results The study included 96 premenopausal women (mean age 31 ± 8 years). The incidence of dizziness for ethanol + flibanserin was 39.8% for ethanol 0.6 g/kg, 34.1% for 0.4 g/kg, and 27.4% for 0.2 g/kg compared with 31.1% for flibanserin without ethanol. Based on the available vital signs data, there was no effect of ethanol concentration on orthostatic blood pressure, vertigo, or hypotension; no instances of syncope were observed. The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) was similar when flibanserin was administered alone (96.7%) or with ethanol (90.5–97.6%). Clinical Implications Consumption of the tested amounts of alcohol (0.2–0.6 g/kg) does not have an additive effect on the AE profile of flibanserin 100 mg in healthy premenopausal women. Strengths & Limitations Strengths include the study population (premenopausal women, as indicated for flibanserin) and range of ethanol doses. Limitations include the morning dosing of study medication, which is inconsistent with the bedtime dosing recommended for flibanserin, and the method of handling missing vital sign measurements. Conclusion Co-administration of flibanserin 100 mg with varying doses of ethanol resulted in few AEs of special interest, with no notable alcohol dose response. However, a significantly greater percentage of participants administered flibanserin with 0.6 g/kg and 0.4 g/kg of alcohol were characterized as “Participants in Whom Standing Blood Pressure Was Not Obtained” compared with participants administered flibanserin alone. Simon JA, Clayton AH, Parish SJ, et al. Effects of Alcohol Administered With Flibanserin in Healthy Premenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Single-Dose Crossover Study. J Sex Med 2020;17:83–93.
The Biodesign Model: Training Physician Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Stanford Biodesign was founded in 2000 by Dr. Paul Yock, an interventional cardiologist and inventor. His goal was to create an ecosystem of training and support for Stanford University students, fellows, and faculty with the talent and ambition to become leaders in health technology innovation. In collaboration with entrepreneur Josh Makower, Yock launched the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship in 2001—a first-of-its-kind, one-year, full-time training program for aspiring innovators with backgrounds in medicine, engineering, and business. In 2005, Dr. Tom Krummel, a pediatric surgeon, joined the team to introduce Biodesign to surgeons during their research years. Over time, the Biodesign approach expanded beyond Stanford University and is now widely taught within universities, institutions, and corporations across the United States and around the world.
Three-dimensional bubble reconstruction in high burnup UO2

Abstract In light water reactor (LWR) UO2 fuels, the evolution of volatile fission products is one of the critical areas of fuel behavior that is yet to be fully understood. In UO2 irradiated to high burnups, it is well known that most released fission gases come from the central region of the fuel as opposed to the highly porous high burnup structure (HBS) on the periphery of the pellets. However, fuels with and without interconnected bubble networks at the fuel center showed high to moderate release fractions, which conceals the mechanisms responsible for the gas release in the latter scenario. In this work, focused ion beam tomography was used to investigate the three-dimensional bubble structure in an irradiated LWR UO2 fuel pellet with high degree of fission gas retention so that the degree of bubble interconnection could be assessed. Six radial locations with different burnups and temperatures were serially sectioned and imaged to reconstruct the three-dimensional bubble structure. As expected, the highest porosity was observed at the periphery of the fuel (HBS). The porosity then decreased towards the pellet center, except for the centermost location. This location had a slightly higher porosity than its adjacent mid-radial location, which was attributed to the temperature difference between the two locations. This study provides a first-time volumetric evaluation of the porosity at different radial locations on a UO2 fuel pellet. During this investigation, no significant bubble interconnection was noted at any of the six radial locations.
Deep learning for pneumothorax detection and localization using networks fine-tuned with multiple institutional datasets

Pneumothorax, presenting as a fine line at the edge of the lung and a change in texture outside the lung, is a particularly difficult condition to detect on chest radiographs due to its wide range of sizes and subtle visual signs. Deep learning methods can be applied to chest radiographs to assist in the detection and localization of pneumothorax. The visual signs of pneumothorax are usually unable to be seen at typical neural network input sizes (256 x 256 or 224 x 224); therefore, increasing the resolution of the input images is expected to be beneficial for deep learning detection of pneumothorax. In this work, chest radiographs were separated into two apex images (top third of lung) and then 256 x 256 patches were extracted from the apex images. VGG19 neural networks were fine-tuned for the task of distinguishing between images with and without pneumothorax. One network was fine-tuned with the apex images (downsized to 256 x 256) and another fine-tuned with 256 x 256 patches within the apex images. These fine-tuned networks were tested on an independent test set and ROC analysis performed. The apex-based network yielded an AUC of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 0.81) and the patch-based network yielded an AUC of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.74) in the task of distinguishing between images with and without pneumothorax. When the outputs from the two networks were merged via soft voting, a statistically significant increase in performance was observed as compared to either network alone (AUC=0.83, p<0.001).
FinPathlight: Framework for an multiagent recommender system designed to increase consumer financial capability

Abstract In consideration of the general lack of trust in human professional financial advisors due to conflicts of interest, and given inadequacies in terms of the utility of FinTech alternatives for financial goal recommendations, this study establishes a framework for an ontology-based, multiagent recommender system designed to improve financial capability through the recommendation of financial goals, called FinPathlight. The FinPathlight framework provides an architecture for a personal financial recommender system designed to identify and recommend specific, achievable financial goals appropriate to a wide range of financially situated users. This framework contributes principles of implementation for a novel financial technology (FinTech) application aimed at addressing a pervasive lack of trust surrounding traditional financial advisory services, as well as utility inadequacies within the current landscape for FinTech applications, providing a comprehensive set of practical and explicit financial goal recommendations. Considering the importance of users' adoption of an innovation, this study empirically tests its utility in terms of trust and perceived usefulness. The experimental evaluation results show that an application built using this framework would likely be perceived as trustworthy and useful to users for identification and selection of financial capability enhancing objectives.
The joint association of cardiometabolic health and weight on mortality in the multiethnic cohort

Objective: While cardiometabolic abnormalities are associated with elevated risk of morbidity, they may not occur in all individuals with obesity. Less is known about associations with mortality, e...
Comparison of the effects of osmotic pump implantation with subcutaneous injection for administration of drugs after total body irradiation in mice

The increasing potential for radiation exposure from nuclear accidents or terrorist activities has intensified the need to develop pharmacologic countermeasures against injury from total body irradiation (TBI). Many initial experiments to develop and test these countermeasures utilize murine irradiation models. Yet, the route of drug administration can alter the response to irradiation injury. Studies have demonstrated that cutaneous injuries can exacerbate damage from radiation, and thus surgical implantation of osmotic pumps for drug delivery could adversely affect the survival of mice following TBI. However, daily handling and injections to administer drugs could also have negative consequences. This study compared the effects of subcutaneous needlesticks with surgical implantation of osmotic pumps on morbidity and mortality in a murine model of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). C57BL/6 mice were sham irradiated or exposed to a single dose of 7.7 Gy 60Co TBI. Mice were implanted with osmotic pumps containing sterile saline seven days prior to irradiation or received needlesticks for 14 days following irradiation or received no treatment. All irradiated groups exhibited weight loss. Fewer mice with osmotic pumps survived to 30 days post irradiation (37.5%) than mice receiving needlesticks or no treatment (70% and 80%, respectively), although this difference was not statistically significant. However, mice implanted with the pump lost significantly more weight than mice that received needlesticks or no treatment. These data suggest that surgical implantation of a drug-delivery device can adversely affect the outcome in a murine model of H-ARS.
Social media recruitment for mental health research: A systematic review.

Abstract Background Social media holds exciting promise for advancing mental health research recruitment, however, the extent and efficacy to which these platforms are currently in use are underexplored. Objective A systematic review was conducted to characterize the current use and efficacy of social media in recruiting participants for mental health research. Method A literature review was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychINFO. Only non-duplicative manuscripts written in the English language and published between 1/1/2004–3/31/2019 were selected for further screening. Data extracted included study type and design, participant inclusion criteria, social media platform, advertising strategy, final recruited sample size, recruitment location, year, monetary incentives, comparison to other recruitment methods if performed, and final cost per participant. Results A total of 176 unique studies that used social media for mental health research recruitment were reviewed. The majority of studies were cross-sectional (62.5%) in design and recruited adults. Facebook was overwhelmingly the recruitment platform of choice (92.6%), with the use of paid advertisements being the predominant strategy (60.8%). Of the reviewed studies, substance abuse (43.8%) and mood disorders (15.3%) were the primary subjects of investigation. In 68.3% of studies, social media recruitment performed as well as or better than traditional recruitment methods in the number and cost of final enrolled participants. The majority of studies used Facebook for recruitment at a median cost per final recruited study participant of $19.47. In 55.6% of the studies, social media recruitment was the more cost-effective recruitment method when compared to traditional methods (e.g., referrals, mailing). Conclusion Social media appears to be an effective and economical recruitment tool for mental health research. The platform raises methodological and privacy concerns not covered in current research regulations that warrant additional consideration.
Patient-centered care's relationship with substance use disorder treatment utilization

Abstract Background Calls for more patient-centered care are growing in the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment field. However, evidence is sparse regarding whether patient-centered care improves access to, or utilization of, effective treatment services. Methods Using nationally representative survey data from SUD treatment clinics in the United States, we examine the association between patient-centered clinical care and the utilization of six services: methadone, buprenorphine, behavioral treatment, routine medical care, HIV testing, and suicide prevention counseling. We measured clinics' practice of and emphasis on patient-centered care with two variables: (1) whether the clinic regularly invites patients into clinical decision-making processes, and (2) whether supervisors believe in patient-centered healthcare and shared decision-making practices within their clinics. Results In 2017, only 23% of SUD treatment clinics regularly invited patients into care decision-making meetings when their cases were discussed. A composite variable captured clinical supervisors' own experience with and expectations for patient-clinician interaction within their clinics (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79). Results from regression models that controlled for several organizational and environmental factors show that patient-centered care was independently associated with greater utilization of four of six evidence-based services. Conclusions A minority of SUD clinics practice patient-centered healthcare in the United States. Given the connection to evidence-based services, increasing participatory mechanisms in SUD treatment service provision can facilitate patients' access to appropriate and evidence-based services.
Designed U7 snRNAs inhibit DUX4 expression and improve FSHD-associated outcomes in DUX4 overexpressing cells and FSHD patient myotubes

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) arises from epigenetic changes that de-repress the DUX4 gene in muscle. The full-length DUX4 protein causes cell death and muscle toxicity, and therefore we hypothesize that FSHD therapies should center on inhibiting full-length DUX4 expression. In this study, we developed a strategy to accomplish DUX4 inhibition using U7-small nuclear RNA (snRNA) antisense expression cassettes (called U7-asDUX4). These non-coding RNAs were designed to inhibit production or maturation of the full-length DUX4 pre-mRNA by masking the DUX4 start codon, splice sites, or polyadenylation signal. In so doing, U7-asDUX4 snRNAs operate similarly to antisense oligonucleotides. However, in contrast to oligonucleotides, which are limited by poor uptake in muscle and a requirement for lifelong repeated dosing, U7-asDUX4 snRNAs can be packaged within myotropic gene therapy vectors and may require only a single administration when delivered to post-mitotic cells in vivo. We tested several U7-asDUX4s that reduced DUX4 expression in vitro and improved DUX4-associated outcomes. Inhibition of DUX4 expression via U7-snRNAs could be a new prospective gene therapy approach for FSHD or be used in combination with other strategies, like RNAi therapy, to maximize DUX4 silencing in individuals with FSHD.
The Thirteenth Amendment as Basis for Racial Truth and Reconciliation

This article reviews possible constitutional bases for efforts toward advancing the elusive goals of a racially-just society in America. The article explains that, while much racial justice work has been accomplished in the name of equal protection, arguments based on the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause face a number of steep challenges in the U.S. Supreme Court (largely due to the Court’s adoption of an organizing approach based on the “anti-discrimination” principle), to the point where now many of the earlier gains have stagnated and even regressed. The article also discusses the comparative merits of Thirteenth Amendment arguments, adding to a growing chorus of scholars explaining that the Amendment’s Section 1 charge that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist” in America, coupled with Congress’s Section 2 enforcement power, provides strong constitutional grounds for implementing meaningful measures toward achieving robust progress in the racial justice realm. Further, the article explains how these arguments are premised on an organizing approach based on the “group-disadvantaging” principle. Finally, the article makes the case that on-going aspects of the systemic race-based discrimination that continues to exist in America constitutes “badges and incidents of slavery” that demand attention under the Thirteenth Amendment. Specifically, it explains that Section 1 demands judicial enforcement of private and public violations alike (including public inaction); and that Congress’s Section 2 enforcement power, coupled with the inherent police power possessed by the States, authorizes (or even mandates) the broad use of all manner of governmental remedies, including unapologetically race-conscious affirmative action measures. The article concludes that such approaches are necessary to begin to atone for and to reconcile, in moral and legal terms, the truth and reality of the long history of systemic, deeply-embedded racial injustice in America, and to begin to fulfill the nation’s promise of liberty and justice for all.
The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Is Highest Among Americans for Whom Diet Is Most Critical to Health

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent and costly health conditions in the U.S. (1), and diet plays a fundamental role in managing the condition effectively. Yet prior research raises concerns about the “food security” of people with diabetes (i.e., whether they have access to healthy, affordable food) (2,3). It is unknown, however, how widespread food insecurity is among people with diabetes across different insurance types and, moreover, whether food assistance is adequately addressing the problem (4). This study helps to fill this gap by providing national estimates of the prevalence of food insecurity among Americans with diabetes by insurance status and receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. We used a new source of data on food security from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative survey sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In 2016 and 2017, the MEPS included an interview module designed to assess food security based on a validated instrument developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (5). These data, together with data from the MEPS questionnaire on diabetes care, provide a unique resource for investigating the …
Many-Body Effects on X-Ray Spectra of Metals*

Publisher Summary Schotte and Schotte have made a sizable contribution to the understanding of physics when they pointed out that the threshold phenomena could be explained in terms of the independent boson model. The low energy excitations of the conduction electrons behave as a system of bosons. The X-ray absorption process may be viewed as a one-electron transition that is accompanied by the excitation of many of these bosons. This provides a very easy derivation of the Anderson orthogonality catastrophe. It also explains why the orthogonality causes a zero transition probability only at threshold. At other energies, the excitation of many bosons makes the wave functions no longer orthogonal. Even the excitonic effects may be obtained from this model, although the argument gets a bit subtle in places. The independent boson model is the easiest theoretical explanation to understand, and this is discussed in this chapter. The immediate benefit of the theory is that it explains the data. In some cases, such as lithium, this resolves puzzles that were longstanding. In other cases, such as the absorption edges, the theory stimulate new experiments which are subsequently verified the theory in detail. Another benefit of the theory is that an exact solution was obtained for a complicated many-body problem. The theory of the threshold singularity is being applied to related physical systems.
Gravitational spreading, bookshelf faulting, and tectonic evolution of the South Polar Terrain of Saturn’s moon Enceladus

Abstract Despite a decade of intense research the mechanical origin of the tiger-stripe fractures (TSF) and their geologic relationship to the hosting South Polar Terrain (SPT) of Enceladus remain poorly understood. Here we show via systematic photo-geological mapping that the semi-squared SPT is bounded by right-slip, left-slip, extensional, and contractional zones on its four edges. Discrete deformation along the edges in turn accommodates translation of the SPT as a single sheet with its transport direction parallel to the regional topographic gradient. This parallel relationship implies that the gradient of gravitational potential energy drove the SPT motion. In map view, internal deformation of the SPT is expressed by distributed right-slip shear parallel to the SPT transport direction. The broad right-slip shear across the whole SPT was facilitated by left-slip bookshelf faulting along the parallel TSF. We suggest that the flow-like tectonics, to the first approximation across the SPT on Enceladus, is best explained by the occurrence of a transient thermal event, which allowed the release of gravitational potential energy via lateral viscous flow within the thermally weakened ice shell.
Classroom experience with Jeroo

Jeroo is a tool that has been developed to help students in beginning programming courses learn the semantics of fundamental control structures, learn the basic notions of using objects to solve problems, and learn to write methods that define the behavior of objects. Jeroo is similar to Karel the Robot and its descendants, but has a narrower scope and has a syntax that provides a smoother transition to either Java or C++. Jeroo has been class tested at Northwest Missouri State University, and has proven to be an effective tool for working with students in a beginning programming class.
Optimize defect detection techniques through empirical software engineering method

This paper introduces twelve defect detection techniques and describes a non-controlled experiment related to defect detection techniques to address the uncertainty of how to test an embedded software and find defects effectively. In this non-controlled experiment, three common testing techniques were applied to a large scale embedded system. This study is intended to evaluate different defect detection techniques that are actually used by software engineers using empirical software engineering method. The objective of empirical software engineering is to improve the software development processes and quality. This could be done by evaluating, comparing and controlling defect detection methods. This study is also intended to find a best method to reduce defects and increase the defect detection rate in a large scale embedded system, since defect detection is considered as one of the most costly development process in software development cycle
Regulation and the Structure of Biotechnology Industries

The agricultural biotechnology industry has experienced consolidation. As a form of sunk costs, increased regulatory costs could contribute to exit by smaller firms and increasing industry concentration. Cost and revenue factors other than regulation, however, are more likely to explain consolidation to date. Regulation may be endogenous, as innovators make greater attempts to influence the regulatory process when marginal benefits of innovation are higher, when environmental/consumer lobbies are less active, and when marginal costs of influence are lower. For large agricultural biotechnology firms, there is a rough positive relationship between firms’ R&D or net sales and the amounts they devote to lobbying and campaign contributions.