cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Commentary on Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Where We Have Been, Where We Are, and Where We Need to Go From Here

Abstract In this commentary, I use my own career and contributions to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as a point of departure and reflect upon where the field was when I obtained my graduate training in the late 60s, how it has changed over the past 50 years, and where it needs to go to remain alive and vibrant in the years ahead. Early on CBT was firmly and almost exclusively grounded in learning theory. Although learning theory remains our foundational core to this day, our primary allegiance these days is to broader evidence-based principles of change and the scientific pursuit of evidence-based interventions. Still, although we have accomplished much, we must do more in the years ahead of us. First we need to become more expansive in our attempts to understand the many and diverse problems we treat and, second, we must become more rigorous in the ways in which we assess and treat these problems. I conclude by indicating that although we are 50 years of age this year, and we have much reason to celebrate, we are really only in the adolescent period of our development. Growth is ahead of us.
Role of physician perception of patient smile on pretest probability assessment for acute pulmonary embolism

Background Many clinicians use a global visual interpretation of patient appearance to decide if a patient looks sick or not. For patients with suspected acute pulmonary embolism (PE), we tested the relationship between visual appearance of a happy patient facial affect and probability of PE+ on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Methods Eligible patients were selected by usual care to undergo CTPA, the criterion standard for PE+ or PE−. Prior to CTPA result, trained study personnel obtained physician pretest probability using the gestalt method (visual analogue scale, 0%–100%), the Wells score (0–12) and physicians’ impression of whether the patient smiled during the initial examination (smile+). Patients9 faces were also video recorded and analysed with an automated neural network-based algorithm (Noldus FaceReader) for happy affect. Results Of the 208 patients enrolled, 27 were PE+ and smile+ was more frequent in patients with PE+ than PE−, a finding confirmed by the Noldus. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of smile was low, and physicians overestimated presence of an alternative diagnosis more likely to PE with smile+ than smile− patients in patients with true PE. As a result, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was lower for the Wells score in smile+ patients. However, the physicians’ mean gestalt estimate of PE did not differ with smile status, nor did smile status affect the AUROC for gestalt. Conclusions In patients with suspected PE, physician recollection of patients’ smile+ was more common in PE+ patients, and was associated with a less accurate Wells score, primarily because physicians overestimated probability of alternative diagnosis. However, the overall diagnostic accuracy of physicians’ gestalt did not differ with perceived smile status. These data suggest that the patients’ smile had less effect on the numeric gestalt pretest probability assessment than on the binary decision about an alternative diagnosis.
Abortion, Rates, in the United States

Abortion rates in the United States have fluctuated since Roe v. Wade (1973), reaching a record low in 2011. It is argued that improved contraception has played a role in lowering the rate of surgical abortion. The rate of medicinally induced abortion may be on the rise. Contrary to conventional wisdom, women in their twenties – not teenagers – have the highest rate of abortion. In addition, white women and women with lower incomes experience higher rates. Access to abortion remains an ongoing concern as the vast majority of counties in the United States have no provider. Further, lower income women face additional barriers such as lack of healthcare options and unreliable transportation. Women may underreport the incidence of abortion because of problems with recall as well as the social stigma attached to abortion. Keywords: abortion; birth; healthcare; reproduction
A Fluorescent Probe for Detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Identifying Genes Critical for Cell Entry

ABSTRACT The conventional method for quantitating Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in vitro and in vivo relies on bacterial colony forming unit (CFU) enumeration on agar plates. Due to the slow growth rate of Mtb, it takes 3-6 weeks to observe visible colonies on agar plates. Imaging technologies that are capable of quickly quantitating both active and dormant tubercle bacilli in vitro and in vivo would accelerate research towards the development of anti-TB chemotherapies and vaccines. We have developed a fluorescent probe that can directly label the Mtb cell wall components. The fluorescent probe, designated as DLF-1, has a strong affinity to the D-Ala-D-Ala unit of the late peptidoglycan intermediates in the bacterial cell wall. We demonstrate that DLF-1 is capable of detecting Mtb in both the active replicating and dormant states in vitro at 100 nM without inhibiting bacterial growth. The DLF-1 fluorescence signal correlated well with CFU of the labeled bacteria (R2=1 and 0.99 for active replicating and dormant Mtb, respectively). DLF-1 can also quantitate labeled Mtb inside of cells. The utility of DLF-1 probe to quantitate Mtb was also successfully applied to identify genes critical for cell invasion. In conclusion, this novel near infrared imaging probe provides a powerful new tool for enumerating Mtb with potential future use in bacterial virulence study.
An electrophysiological investigation of emotional abnormalities in groups at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorders

Both extreme levels of social anhedonia (SocAnh) and perceptual aberration/magical ideation (PerMag) are associated with risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and with emotional abnormalities. Yet, the nature of any psychophysiological-measured affective abnormality, including the role of automatic/controlled processes, is unclear. We examined the late positive potential (LPP) during passive viewing (to assess automatic processing) and during cognitive reappraisal (to assess controlled processing) in three groups: SocAnh, PerMag, and controls. The SocAnh group exhibited an increased LPP when viewing negative images. Further, SocAnh exhibited greater reductions in the LPP for negative images when told to use strategies to alter negative emotion. Similar to SocAnh, PerMag exhibited an increased LPP when viewing negative images. However, PerMag also exhibited an increased LPP when viewing positive images as well as an atypical decreased LPP when increasing positive emotion. Overall, these results suggest that at-risk groups are associated with shared and unique automatic and controlled abnormalities.
Geohydrologic Factors Governing Atoll Island Groundwater Resources

AbstractThe groundwater systems of small coral islands are highly dynamic, fluctuating in response to variable rainfall patterns, sea-level rise, and human management of water resources. Using a th...
Magnetic Reader Instability as a Source of Low-Frequency Noise

Detecting and characterizing magnetic stability is one of the main goals in hard drive reader testing. A simple model of a bi-stable system leads to random telegraph noise, and reveals spectral characteristics of unstable readers, which may be used for instability detection in standard reader testing. In particular, it proves that unstable devices may show noise reduction with temperature increase, which has been confirmed experimentally. Furthermore, characterization of the telegraph noise in magnetic readers is achieved by high bandwidth time-domain measurements, followed by waveform analysis based on a hidden Markov model. An example of actual reader analysis leads to the estimation of activation energy.
Patterns in the natural transmission of the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi in American blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus from a highly endemic area

The dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi is a highly pathogenic endoparasite that infects blue crabs Callinectes sapidus and other decapods. Annual outbreaks of the parasite along the eastern seaboard of the USA indicate that transmission occurs at high rates; however, the timing and incidence of new infections are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns and factors associated with the natural transmission of Hematodinium in juvenile crabs from a highly endemic site. A novel field experiment, using naive crabs as sentinels, was implemented to measure transmission. Over 965 juvenile crabs (instars C3–C10) collected from a non-endemic site were deployed for set periods of 3, 7, 10, and 14 days at a highly endemic site. Prevalence was 5.1% after a 3-day deployment and 88% after a 10-day deployment. This corresponded to a daily incidence of new infections of 1.7 and 8.8%, in the population, respectively. New infections progressed very quickly; 50% of infected crabs developed heavy infections after only 14 days. The influence of host molting on the transmission of the parasite was investigated by tagging 467 crabs using cyanoacrylate glue and small plastic tags. After 7-, 10-, and 14-day deployments, sentinel crabs were assessed and infections were found not to be associated with host molting. Lastly, two storm events, with high rainfall, strong winds, and lower temperatures, disrupted the natural transmission of H. perezi to sentinel crabs, essentially halting transmission in the coastal system. These sentinel studies indicate that transmission can occur rapidly and at very high levels in endemic sites and that it can be quickly modulated by changes in environmental conditions following storm events. Infections by Hematodinium may increase host mortality and thus may be a threat to blue crab populations in endemic areas.
CM Approaches: Numerical Thermo-Mechanical Formulations

The previous analytical expressions provide good way to estimate and optimize material combination for effective properties, while controlling local field fluctuations. However, in order to probe the response of a given material combination more deeply, in particular the time-dependent behavior when it is thermoformed, one must resort to numerical methods.
MPFL in First-Time Dislocators.

Historically, the standard of care for patients with an acute patella dislocation has been non-operative with the exception being those with a loose body or osteochondral fracture requiring fixation or removal. Recent literature has brought into question this standard of care approach and defined a higher risk subset of first-time dislocators who may benefit from early operative treatment. In addition, these studies suggest that operative treatment not only reduces the risk of recurrence but may improve outcomes overall and specifically in the pediatric population. Though the “high risk” population of first-time dislocators has been more clearly defined, how we treat them remains controversial. We continue to need more evidence-based guidelines to help us manage who we should be fixing and how we should be fixing them. We currently have several multi-center studies in progress, including one specifically looking at the question of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction in first-time pediatric and adolescent dislocators.
Gay-Affirmative Psychotherapy in Real Time (A First Interview)

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the gay-affirmative psychotherapy real time. Gay-affirmative psychotherapy developed over a period of many years following the declassification of homosexuality by the American Psychiatric Association in 1973. The declassification was made possible by the accumulation of critical research that undermined prevailing paradigms of homosexuality as pathological, and confirmed it as a normal expression of human sexuality. Gay-affirmative therapy is a set of principles that guide a psychotherapist's assessment and treatment of gay clients. In many ways, gay-affirmative therapy is a corrective lens through which a psychotherapist may view and assess the problems a gay client presents for treatment. A gay-affirmative psychotherapist will apply expert knowledge about the effects of antigay stigma and accurate knowledge about gay subcultures to support gay lives. In contrast to a psychotherapist who may not be sensitive to the differences in psychosocial development of gay persons, an affirmative therapist might explore the coming out process and its impact on the person's family and career.
The Feedback Mechanism

Single-relation systems have seen practical applications in a wide range of scientific areas. In this chapter, we focus on general linear systems, the concept of feedback, and characterizations of feedback systems.
Maxmin Strategy for a Dual Radar and Communication OFDM Waveforms System Facing Uncertainty About the Background Noise

The paper considers the problem of designing the maxmin strategy for a dual-purpose communication and radar system that employs multicarrier OFDM style waveforms, but faces an uncertain level of background noise. As the payoff for the system, we consider the weighted sum of the communication throughput and the radar’s SINR. The problem is formulated as a zero-sum game between the system and a rival, which may be thought of as the environment or nature. Since the payoff for such a system combines different type of metrics (SINR and throughput), this makes underlying problem associated with jamming such a systems different from the typical jamming problem arising in communication scenarios, where the payoff usually involves only one of these metrics. In this paper, the existence and uniqueness of the equilibrium strategies are proven as well as water-filling equations to design the equilibrium are derived. Finally, using Nash product the optimal value of weights are found to optimize tradeoff of radar and communication objectives.
A Broadcast Approach to Multiple Access with Partial CSIT

A new broadcast strategy is designed for multiple access communication with partial channel state information at the transmitters. Specifically, a two-user multiple access channel is considered, in which the state of each channel is known only to its corresponding transmitter. In broadcast approaches, in principle, the transmitter sends multiple independent superimposed information layers, where the rate of each layer is adapted to a specific channel realization. The novel aspect of the proposed strategy is that it adapts the designed codebooks to the state of the whole network, which in contrast to the existing ones in which each transmitter adapts its transmission strategy only to the state of its direct channel to the receiver. Noting that the contribution of each user to a network-wide measure (e.g., capacity region) depends not only on the user's direct channel to the receiver, but also on the qualities of other channels, in the proposed strategy the transmitters adapt their transmissions to the combined states resulting from all users' channels. This leads to a larger achievable rate region, which is characterized and compared to two outer bounds. Furthermore, the proposed strategy is proved to achieve the sum-rate capacity asymptotically.
GLOBE: Connecting to Community of Observers Directly to NASA Satellites [Education]

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program is an international science and education initiative that gives students and the public worldwide an opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process and to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of Earth and the global environment. GLOBE launched in 1995, with the vision of bringing a worldwide community of students, teachers, scientists, and citizens together to better understand, sustain, and improve Earth's environment at local, regional, and global scales (https://www.globe.gov/about/overview).
Aggie Play: A Gender-Relevant Physical Activity Program for Girls

A majority of U.S. children age 6-17 years do not meet the recommended 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Girls are less likely to meet these daily physical activity guidelines than boys. Following a call for greater gender-relevant physical activity programming, Aggie Play, an after-school physical activity program, engaged female student athletes to serve as active role models who lead girls through high-energy activities twice a week over a school year. The purpose of this study was to explore how Aggie Play affected girls' self-efficacy and expected enjoyment for physical activity, time spent in various physical activity intensities during free play, and fitness, relative to a control group. Results revealed that the girls participating in Aggie Play increased ratings of physical activity self-efficacy and enjoyment compared with girls at a control site. Aggie Play girls also demonstrated greater improvements on the muscle-endurance test than girls at a control site. Results are consistent with prior gender-relevant physical activity and physical education research. This study extends prior results by documenting the benefits of gender-relevant physical activity programming when led by active female role models.
Longitudinal Outcomes After Surgical Repair of Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Defect in the Medicare Population.

Background Patients undergoing post infarction ventricular septal defect repair are at high risk for early morbidity and mortality, but little is known about subsequent clinical events. This study uses short-term clinical data from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database linked with Medicare data to examine longer term outcomes in these patients. Methods This was a retrospective review of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database to link with Medicare data all adults (≥65 years) who underwent ventricular septal defect repair after a myocardial infarction between 2008 and 2012. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Risk factors for 1-year survival were modeled using a multivariable Cox regression. Results Five hundred thirty-seven patients were identified using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and Medicare linkage. Median age was 74 years, and 277 patients (52%) were men. One hundred ninety-two patients (36%) were supported preoperatively with an intraaortic balloon pump. Surgical status was emergent or salvage in 138 (26%), and 158 patients (29%) died within 30 days and 207 (39%) within 1 year. Among patients who survived to hospital discharge, 44% were discharged to a facility and 172 (32%) experienced at least 1 all-cause readmission within 1 year. Unadjusted 1-year mortality rates were 13% for elective patients and 69% for emergency status (P Conclusions These data suggest the greatest mortality risk in this patient population occurs in the first 30 days. Emergency or salvage status strongly predicts 1-year mortality. Optimizing physiologic derangements before operative repair may be considered when possible in this subgroup of patients.
The Feasibility and Safety of Same-Day Discharge for All Comers after Elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Abstract Background The safety of same day discharge (SDD) after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) has been demonstrated in several studies. However, SDD was only allowed in patients meeting strict criteria. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of SDD following elective-PCI in all comers. Methods In 2012, we implemented a strategy of SDD for all elective PCI (no exclusion) but admissions were allowed at the discretion of the treating physician. We assessed the feasibility and safety of this approach in consecutive patients who underwent elective PCI at WVU. Results Out of 3355 patients who underwent PCI between 2012 and 2016, 691 (21%) presented electively. Radial access was utilized in 480 (69.5%). Same day discharge was achieved in 539/691 (78%), and there was no difference between patients who had SDD and those who were admitted with regards to the 30-day major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (3.2% vs. 3.5% respectively, P = 0.195). Predictors of SDD failure were procedural complications (OR 12.08, 95%CI 2.20–57.8. P = 0.002), use of Glycoprotein IIB-IIIA inhibitors (OR 3.45, 95%CI 1.067–11.41, P = 0.039), femoral access (OR 2.067, 95%CI 1.25–3.419, p = 0.005), anemia (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.06–3.04, P = 0.029), home distance ≥60 miles (OR 1.68, 95%CI 1.03–2.72, P = 0.037). Conclusion SDD is feasible in the majority of all-comers after elective PCI, and is not associated with increase in adverse events at 30-days. Certain procedural and patient's characteristics predict SDD failure. If validated in prospective studies, these factors can possibly be integrated in a predictive tool to aid in triaging patients, post-elective PCI.
Blind Multi-user Detection Based on Receive Beamforming for Autonomous Grant-Free High-Overloading Multiple Access

Massive number of IoT devices are expected to simultaneously connect to the massive machine type communication and beyond future generations of wireless network, posing severe challenge to aspects such as random access procedure, user equipment detection and channel estimation. Although spatial degree of freedom can provide significant overloading in conventional grant-based transmission, its leverage is hard under autonomous grant-free transmission mechanism tailored for IoT use cases. To address this, blind spatial combining and its incorporation in the data-only multi user detection are elaborated in this paper answering to both the academic and industry's concern in the overloading potential of autonomous grant-free transmission. Blind spatial combining could be interpreted as blind receive beamforming heuristically. Simulation results show that the blind spatial combining enhanced data-only multi-user detection performance for AGF transmission is rather impressive.
Chinese Diasporas: A Social History of Global Migration

Chinese Diasporas provides a concise and compelling new history of internal and external Chinese migration from the sixteenth century to the present day. Steven B. Miles places Chinese migrants and their families at the center of his narrative through a series of engaging case studies taking readers from the heart of Ming China to the global property markets of the twenty-first century. The focus on individual migrants and their descendants reveals the ways in which the 'Chinese diaspora' has consisted of distinct paths of migration from specific emigrant communities to targeted destinations both within China and abroad. This is essential reading for those interested in the history of the Chinese diaspora and the overseas Chinese, and for those interested in the role of migration in the making of the modern world.
The Effects of Dog Walking on Gait and Mobility in People with Parkinson Disease: A Pilot Study.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dog walking on gait and mobility in people with Parkinson disease (PD). This single-group, single-session, observational pilot study included nineteen participants with PD in Hoehn and Yahr stages II (n = 9) and III (n = 10). Primary measures were a gait analysis and the Timed Up and Go (TUG). Three trials of two conditions (walking with and without a dog) were completed. Walking with a dog resulted in slower gait velocity (mean difference = 0.11 m/s, p = 0.003, d = 0.77), shorter step length (left: mean difference = 7.11 cm, p = 0.000; right: mean difference = 3.05, p = 0.01), and stride length (left: mean difference = 7.52, p = 0.003; right: mean difference = 8.74, p = 0.001). The base of support was more narrowed (Z = −2.13, p = 0.03), with increased double limb stance time (left: Z = −2.89, p = 0.004; right: Z = −2.59, p = 0.01). Walking with a dog caused slower TUG times (mean difference = −1.67, p = 0.000) and increased number of steps (Z = −3.73, p = 0.000). No significant change shown in step time (left: mean difference = −0.001, p = 0.81; right: mean difference = 0.002, p = 0.77) or cadence (Z = −1.67, p = 0.10). In conclusion, there was an overall decline of gait parameters in people with PD when walking with a dog.
Robots and Manipulator Systems. Part 2

This book represents a conference on robots and manipulator systems. Topics discussed include: mathematical modeling systems integrators, the use of TV monitors for remote operation of machinery on earth and in space, an evaluation of various control modes, remotely piloted aircraft, undersea operations, and prosthetic devices for the physically handicapped.
Evaluating patients who present with pain complaints to a community hospital emergency department: Opioid prescription tracking software versus provider gestalt.

Objective: This study aimed to compare provider gestalt to assigned Narx score, a common prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) component that gauges the patient's risk of misuse or abuse. Design: This is a prospective, anonymous survey from advanced practice providers (APPs), emergency medicine residents, and emergency medicine attendings. Setting: Data from two emergency departments (EDs) within the OhioHealth network were included. One hospital is a 213-bed academic, community hospital. The other hospital is a 434-bed academic level I trauma center. Patients, Participants: The survey was open to all providers. Exclusion criteria for patients included prior knowledge of the patient and/or their Narx score, or cancer-related pain. Interventions: Surveys were collected over a 3-month period. Variables included provider type and level of experience, participant demographics, provider gestalt, and the patient's actual Narx score. Main Outcome Measure(s): Primary outcome was the ability of providers to accurately estimate a patient's Narx score. Groups were defined as Match = No (gestalt and actual score did not match) and Match = Yes (gestalt and actual score matched). Various characteristics were compared between these two groups. Results: Providers were able to accurately estimate actual Narx score (72.7 percent). The Match = Yes group was younger (p = 0.01). Dental pain was more common in the Match = No group, 11.5 percent versus 0 percent (p = 0.02). Match = No group also had a higher incidence of triggers. Specifically, any trigger (p = 0.006), explicitly asking for pain medication (p = 0.03), and asking for opioids by name (p = 0.03). Every 10-year decrease in age showed a 1.5 times increased likelihood of accurately estimating Narx score (p = 0.02). Having no triggers showed a three times increased likelihood of accurately estimating Narx score (p = 0.02). Prescribing was largely unchanged after viewing the actual Narx score. Conclusions: Providers are able to accurately estimate Narx score, though there are limiting factors. Older patients, those with dental pain, and those who give specific triggers are more difficult to estimate. Providers did not change their prescribing patterns after viewing the actual Narx score. Overestimation versus underestimation of Narx score was not directly studied.
A Review of the Economic Data Emanating from the Development of Central Park and Its Influence on the Construction of Early Urban Parks in the United States

Financing Central Park by general taxation was controversial and precedent setting. It was justified by rationalizing that increases in property values around the Park would generate sufficient ann...
When Guidance Changes: Government Inconsistency and Public Beliefs

Governments often provide inconsistent guidance to the public. Does inconsistency affect how much people believe the latest recommendations? Using an incentivized online experiment with 1,900 US respondents in early April 2020, we present all participants with the latest official projection about coronavirus death counts. We randomize exposure to information that highlights the government’s inconsistency about the coronavirus threat. When inconsistency is salient, participants have reduced propensity to revise prior beliefs about death counts and lower self-reported trust in the government. These results align with a simple model of signal extraction from government communication, and have implications for the design of changing guidelines in other settings.
Using Data to Approach the Unknown: Patients' and Healthcare Providers? Data Practices in Fertility Challenges

Medical practices have always been data oriented: healthcare providers decisions are based on data, both clinically generated and patient reported. With the increased use of patient-generated health data (PGHD), other types of data are entering providers? practices and influencing patient-provider collaboration. We studied the use of PGHD and its related data practices in the context of fertility, a health concern that is uncertain, complex, and data intensive. We interviewed 14 patients who are facing or have faced challenges to conceive and 5 healthcare providers specialized in infertility. Our findings show that patients and providers use PGHD in different ways but with the common goal of exploring 'the unknown' generated by the uncertainties of fertility. Providers use patients? data in a rational protocol, aiming to identify possible causes of infertility and define a treatment course. Patients use data in a much more emotional way, learning about their bodies while struggling with data interpretation challenges. By analyzing these data practices, we discuss the principles behind their differences and describe how they have individual benefits for each specific group. We then suggest that fertility technologies need to consider such principles, highlight the existing boundary between patients' and providers' data practices, and focus on bridging instead of merging them in order to facilitate collaboration and maintain their independent benefits.
Commentary on Reynolds v. McNichols

The 1973 case Reynolds v McNichols concerns a woman who was repeatedly arrested on suspicion of and for “prostitution.” During these arrests, Roxanne Reynolds, the defendant, was subject to forced examination and treatment. The arrests and examinations were authorized by Section 735 of the Revised Municipal Code of the City and County of Denver, which directed the Department of Health and Hospitals “to use every available means to ascertain the existence of and investigate all suspected cases of communicable venereal disease, and to determine the sources of such infections.” Reynolds argued that the ordinance was unconstitutional because it was irrational, arbitrary, and subjected Reynolds to involuntary treatment and that the ordinance violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because it was being applied against female sex workers and not their male clients. Despite her compelling claims, the original decision found for the state, holding that the acts of the state the involuntary detention and treatment were within the police power “designed to protect public health.” The court tossed out her equal protection claim, addressing it only to say that because there was no evidence that Reynolds had actually had sex with her clients there was no reason that the men should be arrested. In her rewritten opinion, Wendy Parmet takes a feminist lens to find for Reynolds. First, by excavating the long history of public health law with an eye towards how this history impacts the experiences of women, Parmet finds that arresting, detaining and treating women, and not their male clients, is an equal protection violation. Second, through a detailed review of the probable cause requirement of the Fourth Amendment—Parmet’s rewritten decision highlights that the City of Denver does not have probable cause to detain and arrest a person simply because she is a sex worker. And, finally, Parmet brings in a new line of constitutional doctrine on the right to privacy. Reynolds, decided in the same year as Roe v. Wade, provides an opportunity to reinforce how women have the right to do what they wish with their bodies, and, in turn, emphasizes that a person has the right to refuse treatment. In supplementing the rewritten decision, this commentary first offers a historical perspective on the involuntary testing and treatment of sex workers for contagious diseases including sexually transmitted infections. It then turns to the sex worker movement, which picked up steam in 1973, the same year as Reynolds. The sex worker movement pushed to counter ordinances like the one used to arrest, detain, and treat Reynolds by advocating for a harm-reduction approach, that would address the harms of sex work without criminalizing the people selling and buying sex. After providing this background, this commentary provides an overview of the original decision and the feminist rewrite.
Verification and validation of simulation models

In this paper we discuss verification and validation of simulation models. Four different approaches to deciding model validity are described; two different paradigms that relate verification and validation to the model development process are presented; various validation techniques are defined; conceptual model validity, model verification, operational validity, and data validity are discussed; a way to document results is given; a recommended procedure for model validation is presented; and accreditation is briefly discussed.
Individual Performance in Compliance Discrimination is Constrained by Skin Mechanics but Improved under Active Control

Tactile acuity differs between individuals, likely a function of several interrelated factors. The extent of the impact of skin mechanics on individual differences is unclear. Herein, we investigate if differences in skin elasticity between individuals impact their ability to distinguish compliant spheres near limits of discriminability. After characterizing hyperelastic material properties of their skin in compression, the participants were asked to discriminate spheres varying in elasticity and curvature, which generate non-distinct cutaneous cues. Simultaneous biomechanical measurements were used to dissociate the relative contributions from skin mechanics and volitional movements in modulating individuals’ tactile sensitivity. The results indicate that, in passive touch, individuals with softer skin exhibit larger gross contact areas and higher perceptual acuity. In contrast, in active touch, where exploratory movements are behaviorally controlled, individuals with harder skin evoke relatively larger gross contact areas, which improve and compensate for deficits in their acuity as observed in passive touch. Indeed, these participants exhibit active control of their fingertip movements that improves their acuity, amidst the inherent constraints of their less elastic finger pad skin.
Assessing Preference for Activities and Instructional Contexts

Many teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are familiar with traditional preference assessment methodologies to identify high-preferred items. Traditional preference assessments ...
Seam Tracking in an Unstructured Environment: A Case Study with Vee-Groove Joints

This chapter discusses the algorithms developed for a seam tracking system comprising of a six-axis, articulated joint robot and a scanning beam range sensor. Operation of an adaptive robotic welding system within the unstructured environment of a general 3D seam involves, (1) controlling the torch-seam interaction for achieving the desired weld qualities, and (2) controlling the position and orientation of the torch as well as the rotation of the lookahead range sensor for tracking the seam. These functions are governed by the high-level controller and the low-level controller, respectively. The inputs to these controllers are derived from the analysis of the range images. Specifically, the range image processing stage extracts the joint features and outputs their coordinates in world space, which is then used in the generation of the seam environment model and the seam geometry model.
The diversity and conservation of plant reproductive and dispersal functional traits in human-dominated tropical landscapes

Human-altered landscapes dominate the planet, yet little is known about their capacity to sustain plant functional diversity. Most conservation-orientated studies of such landscapes focus on species diversity, whereas less attention is given to functional traits and their conservation. We examine the functional diversity of herbaceous and shrubby plant communities in three forest habitats (understorey, tree-fall gaps and riverbanks) and three deforested habitats (pasture, roadside vegetation and pasture riverbanks), each replicated in three human-dominated landscapes in southern Costa Rica. We focus on six categorical traits related to forest regeneration, reproduction and dispersal: pollination mechanism, dispersal mechanism, growth form, fruit type, fruit size and seed size. We compared trait state richness and composition of each trait in forested and deforested habitats and how three pollination states (bat, bird and bee pollination) and three dispersal states (fur, bird and monkey dispersal) of conservation interest were distributed across these landscapes. Only one trait state was missing from forest, and none was missing from deforested habitats. Understorey and pasture were consistently trait state poor. Forested and deforested plots differed in trait state composition for all traits. Pasture riverbanks and road verges were compositionally similar to forest riverbanks and tree-fall gaps, for multiple traits. There were more compositional similarities between forested and deforested habitat types when abundance of individuals with a trait state was used as the basis for similarity measures than when the number of species with each trait state was used. Bat-, bird- and bee-pollinated plants and plants with bird- and monkey-dispersed fruits were most common in forest and pasture riverbanks whereas species with fur-dispersed seeds were more common in all deforested habitats. Functional diversity patterns were inconsistent across habitat types and locations but overall functional similarity was high between forested and deforested communities. Patterns of functional diversity were far more variable between habitats and landscapes than the consistent patterns found previously for species diversity.
Evolutionary allometry of the thoracolumbar centra in felids and bovids

Mammals have evolved a remarkable range of body sizes, yet their overall body plan remains unaltered. One challenge of evolutionary biology is to understand the mechanisms by which this size diversity is achieved, and how the mechanical challenges associated with changing body size are overcome. Despite the importance of the axial skeleton in body support and locomotion, and much interest in the allometry of the appendicular skeleton, little is known about vertebral allometry outside primates. This study compares evolutionary allometry of the thoracolumbar centra in two families of quadrupedal running mammals: Felidae and Bovidae. I test the hypothesis that, as size increases, the thoracolumbar region will resist increasing loads by becoming a) craniocaudally shorter, and b) larger in cross-sectional area, particularly in the sagittal plane. Length, width, and height of the thoracolumbar centra of 23 felid and 34 bovid species were taken. Thoracic, prediaphragmatic, lumbar, and postdiaphragmatic lengths were calculated, and diameters were compared at three equivalent positions: the midthoracic, the diaphragmatic and the midlumbar vertebra. Allometric slopes were calculated using a reduced major axis regression, on both raw and independent contrasts data. Slopes and elevations were compared using an ANCOVA. As size increases the thoracolumbar centra become more robust, showing preferential reinforcement in the sagittal plane. There was less allometric shortening of the thoracic than the lumbar region, perhaps reflecting constraints due to its connection with the respiratory apparatus. The thoracic region was more robust in bovids than felids, whereas the lumbar region was longer and more robust in felids than bovids. Elongation of lumbar centra increases the outlever of sagittal bending at intervertebral joints, increasing the total pelvic displacement during dorsomobile running. Both locomotor specializations and functional regionalization of the axial skeleton appear to have influenced its response to increasing size. J. Morphol. 276:818–831, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the Addition and Multiplication Theorems

We discuss the classes C,M, and S of analytic functions that can be realized as the Livsic characteristic functions of a symmetric densely defined operator \( \dot{A} \) with deficiency indices (1, 1), the Weyl–Titchmarsh functions associated with the pair (A,\( \dot{A} \)) where A is a self-adjoint extension of \( \dot{A} \), and the characteristic function of a maximal dissipative extension Â of \( \dot{A} \), respectively. We show that the class M is a convex set, both of the classes S and C are closed under multiplication and, moreover, C ⊂ S is a double-sided ideal in the sense that S•C = C•S ⊂ S. The goal of this paper is to obtain these analytic results by providing explicit constructions for the corresponding operator realizations. In particular, we introduce the concept of an operator coupling of two unbounded maximal dissipative operators and establish an analog of the Livsic–Potapov multiplication theorem [14] for the operators associated with the function classes C and S. We also establish that the modulus of the von Neumann parameter characterizing the domain of Â is a multiplicative functional with respect to the operator coupling.
The Measurement of Absolute Delayed-Neutron Yields from 3.1- and 14.9-MeV Fission

A new method, utilizing a modulated neutron source operated in antisynchronism with a long counter, has been used to measure the absolute and relative delayed-neutron yields of five fissionable iso...
State Policy Restrictions on Abortion

Abstract Although abortion remains legal and available to women, access to services is limited by restrictive factors such as parental consent and notification laws, mandatory delay requirements, insurance regulations/bans, and postviability testing requirements. This study employed a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with all states over a six-year period 1988-2000. It found the variable parental consent statistically significant. Consistent with its focus on social justice, social workers should be aware of and informed about social policies that appear to discriminate against oppressed populations such as young women, low-income women, and women of color.
Comparison of adaptive filtering techniques for land surface data assimilation

[1] The accurate specification of modeling and observational error information required by data assimilation algorithms is a major obstacle to the successful application of a land surface data assimilation system. The source and statistical structure of these errors are often unknown, and poor assumptions concerning the relative magnitude of modeling and observation uncertainty degrade the quality of land data assimilation products. In theory, adaptive filtering approaches are capable of estimating model and observation error covariance information during the online cycling of a data assimilation system. To date, however, these approaches have not been widely applied to land surface models. Here, we implement and compare four separate adaptive filtering schemes in a data assimilation system designed to ingest remotely sensed surface soil moisture retrievals. Upon testing of each scheme via a synthetic twin data assimilation experiment, three of the four adaptive approaches are found to provide substantially improved soil moisture estimates. However, the specific model and observation characteristics of satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals contribute to the relatively slow convergence of all schemes. Overall, results highlight the need to consider unique aspects of the land data assimilation problem when designing and/or evaluating the relative performance of adaptive filtering algorithms.
New Age of Fishes initiated by the Cretaceous−Paleogene mass extinction

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) comprise nearly half of all modern vertebrate diversity, and are an ecologically and numerically dominant megafauna in most aquatic environments. Crown teleost fishes diversified relatively recently, during the Late Cretaceous and early Paleogene, although the exact timing and cause of their radiation and rise to ecological dominance is poorly constrained. Here we use microfossil teeth and shark dermal scales (ichthyoliths) preserved in deep-sea sediments to study the changes in the pelagic fish community in the latest Cretaceous and early Paleogene. We find that the Cretaceous−Paleogene (K/Pg) extinction event marked a profound change in the structure of ichthyolith communities around the globe: Whereas shark denticles outnumber ray-finned fish teeth in Cretaceous deep-sea sediments around the world, there is a dramatic increase in the proportion of ray-finned fish teeth to shark denticles in the Paleocene. There is also an increase in size and numerical abundance of ray-finned fish teeth at the boundary. These changes are sustained through at least the first 24 million years of the Cenozoic. This new fish community structure began at the K/Pg mass extinction, suggesting the extinction event played an important role in initiating the modern “age of fishes.”
SAR imaging using WiMAX OFDM PHY

Modern communication systems provide myriad opportunities for passive radar applications. Understanding the structure and potential of these signals becomes critical in the design and concept development process of passive radar systems. Although research exists for passive coherent target location, there is much to be explored in the passive radar imaging realm using signals of opportunity. This paper presents an evaluation of the IEEE 802.16-2009 WiMAX OFDM physical layer as a potential signal for a passive imaging radar system. The use of OFDM signals in radar imaging is explored and basic WiMAX imaging properties are discussed.
Good Blood, Bad Blood: Multivocality, Metonymy, and Mediation in Zechariah 9

[AbstractA number of scholars have pointed to the ways in which Zechariah 9 convincingly functions as a literary and conceptual whole. Approaching Zechariah 9 as a unity, however, raises important questions concerning a recurring motif in the chapter that has especially deep cultural connotations: blood.Blood is forbidden as food and unclean-rendering in Zech 9:7, blood is intimately involved in the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel in 9:11 and it is part of the Israelites’ post-victory feast in several important Septuagintal traditions in 9:15. A study of the blood motif in Zechariah 9 through the lenses of a variety of anthropological and literary approaches reveals the ways in which blood operates as a symbolically rich, multivalent motif not only in this chapter but in the larger Israelite tradition., Abstract A number of scholars have pointed to the ways in which Zechariah 9 convincingly functions as a literary and conceptual whole. Approaching Zechariah 9 as a unity, however, raises important questions concerning a recurring motif in the chapter that has especially deep cultural connotations: blood.Blood is forbidden as food and unclean-rendering in Zech 9:7, blood is intimately involved in the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel in 9:11 and it is part of the Israelites’ post-victory feast in several important Septuagintal traditions in 9:15. A study of the blood motif in Zechariah 9 through the lenses of a variety of anthropological and literary approaches reveals the ways in which blood operates as a symbolically rich, multivalent motif not only in this chapter but in the larger Israelite tradition.]