cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life in Dis-place: Re-searching Processes of Imagining with Enewetak-Ujelang People

The current article attempts to outline the way in which ongoing research with the Enewetak-Ujelang community and with other Marshall Islanders over a period of nearly three decades has required the author to reformulate taken-for granted ideas about "culture," "the field," and "field research" as well as presuppositions about self/other and about ethnographic writing. Not only has the shape of "the field" shifted substantially during this time period, becoming much more multifacted and multilocational, so too, the identity of the author has been recontoured many times over by members of Enewetak-Ujelang communities. Therefore, neither "field" nor "fieldworker" are ever the same since members of the community and the field researcher are continuously reformulating their ideas about each other. I argue that shared experiences"in this case, ongoing and extended periods of living life with members of the Enewetak-Ujelang community, engaging in their daily activities and pursuing their varied agendas"allow an anthropologist of the long term to speak and write with some legitimacy about the lives of others because their lives and the ethnographer's life are of a piece. If the aim of anthropology is "to grasp the native's point of view" (Malinowski 1922), this enigmatic quest can only be realized to the degree that the ethnographer has shared in the processes of mutual self-fashioning that make the practices of others "experience-near" fragments of one's self.
Grain Yield and Nitrogen Accumulation in Maize Hybrids Released during 1934 to 2013 in the US Midwest

Nitrogen (N) application in maize (Zea mays L.) reached a maximum of 145 kg N ha(-1) in the US Midwest in 1975. Grain yield has continued to increase at a rate of 111 kg ha(-1) yr(-1), implying an improvement in N efficiency. Our objective was to measure the rate of genetic gain and the traits that contributed to the observed N efficiency for a set of DuPont Pioneer hybrids released between the era decades (ERA) of 1934 to 2013. These hybrids represent the most widely sold hybrids (by volume) in each ERA. A randomized complete block experiment in a split-plot arrangement was conducted at Sciota, IL, and Marion, IA, during 2013 and 2014, with plant densities of 39,500 and 79,000 plants ha(-1) as the whole plot, respectively, and 47 ERA hybrids as the split plot. This experiment was grown in a low-N (56 kg N ha(-1)) block and in a high-N (> 200 kg N ha(-1)) block at each location. Grain yield increased at an average rate of 109 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) from 1934 to 2013. Partial factor productivity increased from 13.8 in 1934 to 55 kg grain kg applied N-1 in 2013 under high-N conditions and 79,000 plants ha(-1). Traits associated with yield improvement without increasing N application were (i) greater synchrony in floral development, (ii) reduced concentration of grain N, (iii) increased specific leaf nitrogen, (iv) increased kernel number per ear (KPE), and (v) increased kernel mass. Breeding efforts that select for increased KPE under increased plant density should increase yield, and this yield increase could partially be supported through greater postanthesis N remobilization from vegetative tissue without requiring greater N application.
Efficient GPGPU Computing with Cross-Core Resource Sharing and Core Reconfiguration

GPUs are capable of running a variety of applications, however their generic parallel-architecture can lead to inefficient use of resources and reduced power efficiency, due to algorithmic or architectural constraints. In this work, taking inspiration from CGRAs (coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures), we demonstrate resource sharing and re-distribution as a solution that can be leveraged by reconfiguring the GPU on a kernel-by-kernel basis. We explore four different schemes that trade the number of active SMs (streaming multiprocessor) for increased occupancy and local memory resources per SM and demonstrate improved power and energy with limited impact to performance. Our most aggressive scheme, BigSM, is capable of saving energy by up to 54%, and 26% on an average.
A Servo System for Controlled Stress Path Tests

This paper describes a servo system capable of imposing a prescribed stress path for the study of soil behavior in the laboratory. Various conditions were examined: (I) stress paths resembling those in the field, (2) bothaxisymmetric and plane strain shearing, and (3) large strain or post failure (or yield) state. The servo system is composed of two main parts: A minicomputer and an electric-pneumatic (E/P) transducer. The minicomputer collects and processes data while the experiment is in progress. The appropriate electrical signals are transmitted to the E/P transducer, which regulates the pressure connected to the back-pressure line of the triaxial or plane strain apparatus. With the axial load applied at a constant strain rate. it is possible to measure the complete stress-strain behavior, including that at large strains, along a prescribed stress path. A series of tests was carried out to illustrate the capability of the servo system. For the particular case of slope stability analysis, another series of tests was conducted from which peak and post-peak strength envelopes were obtained.
Inhalational volatile anesthetic in super refractory status epilepticus - A case series from a tertiary care center

Background : Super-Refractory status epilepticus is a neurological emergency associated with mortality and morbidity. Super Refractory Status Epilepticus is defined as seizures continuing 24 hrs or more on the onset of anesthesia and seizures recurs upon treatment reduction. Methods : Retrospective review of case records over the last two and half years of all children where isoflurane was used in the management of Super Refractory Status Epilepticus in a tertiary care PICU. Demographic data, clinical profile, duration of isoflurane and their outcome was collected in a standard excel sheet. Results : Six children (3 male and 3 female) with super Refractory Status Epilepticus received Continuous Inhalation Anesthetic over the last two and half years. All these children received an average of eight to ten Antiepileptics (Mean: 9) prior to the initiation of Inhalational Anesthetic. The inhalational Anesthetic were started between 2- 17 days (Mean: 13 days) after the onset of Refractory Status Epilepticus for an average duration of 4 days. Regardless of the seizure semiology all children achieved burst suppression within minutes of initiating inhalational anesthetic therapy. Mean Minimum Alveolar Concentration where burst suppression was achieved was 1.1 MAC. All children required inotropes due to continuous inhalational Anesthetic and the mean vasotrope inotropic score was 23. Two children died and four children survived with average of Glasgow Outcome Score of 2. Complications during Inhalational Volatile Anesthetic were hypotension (7/7) and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (5/7). None of the children had renal or liver failure secondary to isoflurane. Conclusion : Isoflurane was found to be safe and effective in suppressing Super Refractory Status Epilepticus and the mortality and long term morbidity is due to the underlying disease process.
Acetylation of C-terminal lysines modulates protein turnover and stability of Connexin-32.

The gap junction protein, Connexin32 (Cx32), is expressed in various tissues including liver, exocrine pancreas, gastrointestinal epithelium, and the glia of the central and peripheral nervous system. Gap junction-mediated cell-cell communication and channel-independent processes of Cx32 contribute to the regulation of physiological and cellular activities such as glial differentiation, survival, and proliferation; maintenance of the hepatic epithelium; and axonal myelination. Mutations in Cx32 cause X-linked Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT1X), an inherited peripheral neuropathy. Several CMT1X causing mutations are found in the cytoplasmic domains of Cx32, a region implicated in the regulation of gap junction assembly, turnover and function. Here we investigate the roles of acetylation and ubiquitination in the C-terminus on Cx32 protein function. Cx32 protein turnover, ubiquitination, and response to deacetylase inhibitors were determined for wild-type and C-terminus lysine mutants using transiently transfected Neuro2A (N2a) cells. We report here that Cx32 is acetylated in transfected N2a cells and that inhibition of the histone deacetylase, HDAC6, results in an accumulation of Cx32. We identified five lysine acetylation targets in the C-terminus. Mutational analysis demonstrates that these lysines are involved in the regulation of Cx32 ubiquitination and turnover. While these lysines are not required for functional Cx32 mediated cell-cell communication, BrdU incorporation studies demonstrate that their relative acetylation state plays a channel-independent role in Cx32-mediated control of cell proliferation. Taken together these results highlight the role of post translational modifications and lysines in the C-terminal tail of Cx32 in the fine-tuning of Cx32 protein stability and channel-independent functions.
A multiresolution approach for viewsheds on 2D terrains

The viewshed of a point v on a grid terrain T, viewshedT (v), is the set of grid points in T that are visible from v. We describe a novel algorithm for computing viewshedT (v) using a multiresolution approach: Given a parameter k > 1 that represents the block size, we create a grid T′ which is a lower-resolution version of T, such that each point in T corresponds to a block of [EQUATION] points in T; T′ has size Θ(n/k), where n is the size of the original grid. The key of our approach is using T′ to speed up the computation of viewshedT(v) while not introducing approximation. We compute viewshedT(v) in two steps: First we compute the viewshed of v on T'′, while maintaining the invariant that any block in T′ that is labeled as invisible may not contain any visible points. Thus, the first step's role is to use T′ to filter out blocks in T′ that are guaranteed to be invisible. The second step considers the blocks that were labeled as visible in T′ and computes the visibility of their points with full accuracy using the data in T. Overall the algorithm runs in O[EQUATION], where l is the total size of visible blocks in T′. When k > 1 and l = o(n), the running time of our algorithm improves on the previous best bound of O(n lg n) [9, 15]. We describe a suite of experimental results showing the performance of our algorithm in practice and a speedup of more than an order of magnitude compared to previous algorithms.
Evaluation of an Enlarged Cervical Lymph Node

Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common clinical finding and can be attributable to a wide variety of underlying pathology such as reactive lymphadenopathy, granulomatous disease, lymphoma, or malignancies of the head and neck. In addition to a complete history and physical, laboratory workup and imaging may complement clinical findings and facilitate staging of malignancy with implications in both prognosis and management. A systematic approach should be implemented with early referral to a head and neck surgeon should overtly concerning findings manifest.
Local health department adoption of electronic health records and health information exchanges and its impact on population health.

Abstract Objective To determine the impact in the adoption of electronic health records and health information exchanges by local health departments on population health. Methods The study analyzed 433 local health departments population-based data across 433 counties in the United States. Controlling for high school graduation rate, percentage of adults with some post- secondary education, race, median household income, percentage rural, population size served, governance structure of local health departments and revenue, the study used multiple linear regression to analyze the impact in the adoption of health information technology by local health departments on the population health of a county. Results Electronic health records adoption was statistically significant at improving population health at the county level. Health information exchange adoption was not statistically significant. Conclusion When local health departments adopt electronic health records, it improves health- related quality of life and reduces years of potential life lost. Policy implications The value derived from the adoption of electronic health records by local health departments deserves attention because of its abilities to enhance the services provided at local health departments. It is important for local health departments to use health information technology to electronically capture patient information to improve upon the services received at community health centers.
Proteins From Fish Processing By-Products

Abstract Increasingly, fish processing industries globally are constrained, as they are overwhelmed with large quantities of fish processing by-products. These often discarded integral components of fish, nevertheless, present opportunities for recovering both long and short peptides, amino acids, collectively called hydrolysates. Numerous research findings have associated health benefits with fish protein hydrolysates (FPHs), together with their nutritional benefits. Hydrolysates have demonstrated palpable effects against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetics, and aging. The underlining health effects of fish hydrolysates are causally linked to bioactive compounds which are released through the breakdown of native proteins. These bioactive compounds are inherent components of foods, including proteins, and are made available through hydrolysis during digestion. Alternatively, FPHs can be produced through exogenous means, using either acids, base, enzymes, or microorganisms. In addition to their bioactivity, structural and functional properties such as solubility, foaming, emulsification, water and fat-holding capacities of fish are also enhanced during fish protein hydrolysis. Externally produced hydrolysates are good sources of proteins for individuals with protein digestive problems, and they also allow for many useful applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries, based on their bioactivities and functionalities. In this chapter, different methods of fish protein recovery, including hydrolysis and isoelectric solubilization and precipitation, and their impact on the protein functional properties are reviewed.
Does biomarker information impact patients’ preferences for therapy?

6527 Background: Biomarker information can risk stratify patients based on potential for benefits/toxicity from therapy. Ideally, a biomarker will identify those who benefit with limited toxicity. ...
Research Preregistration as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Undergraduate Psychology Courses

The preregistration of research plans and hypotheses may prevent publication bias and questionable research practices. We incorporated a modified version of the preregistration process into an unde...
Protein docking model evaluation by 3D deep convolutional neural networks.

Motivation Many important cellular processes involve physical interactions of proteins. Therefore, determining protein quaternary structures provide critical insights for understanding molecular mechanisms of functions of the complexes. To complement experimental methods, many computational methods have been developed to predict structures of protein complexes. One of the challenges in computational protein complex structure prediction is to identify near-native models from a large pool of generated models. Results We developed a convolutional deep neural network-based approach named DOcking decoy selection with Voxel-based deep neural nEtwork (DOVE) for evaluating protein docking models. To evaluate a protein docking model, DOVE scans the protein-protein interface of the model with a 3D voxel and considers atomic interaction types and their energetic contributions as input features applied to the neural network. The deep learning models were trained and validated on docking models available in the ZDock and DockGround databases. Among the different combinations of features tested, almost all outperformed existing scoring functions. Availability and implementation Codes available at http://github.com/kiharalab/DOVE, http://kiharalab.org/dove/. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Next-Generation Direct-Acting Influenza Therapeutics

Influenza viruses are a major threat to human health globally. In addition to further improving vaccine prophylaxis, disease management through antiviral therapeutics constitutes an important component of the current intervention strategy to prevent advance to complicated disease and reduce case-fatality rates. Standard-of-care is treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors that prevent viral dissemination. In 2018, the first mechanistically new influenza drug class for the treatment of uncomplicated seasonal influenza in 2 decades was approved for human use. Targeting the PA endonuclease subunit of the viral polymerase complex, this class suppresses viral replication. However, the genetic barrier against viral resistance to both drug classes is low, pre-existing resistance is observed in circulating strains, and resistant viruses are pathogenic and transmit efficiently. Addressing the resistance problem has emerged as an important objective for the development of next-generation influenza virus therapeutics. This review will discuss the status of influenza therapeutics including the endonuclease inhibitor baloxavir marboxil after its first year of clinical use and evaluate a subset of direct-acting antiviral candidates in different stages of preclinical and clinical development.
Vouchers for treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) collected in Benton, Josephine, and Yamhill Counties, Oregon

Treehopper insect populations (Hemiptera: Membracidae) were surveyed in 2018 in Benton, Josephine, and Yamhill Counties, Oregon to determine their potential roles in the epidemiology of Grapevine red blotch virus. Stictocephala basalis and Tortistilus albidosparsus were identified through a taxonomic assessment of samples collected by hand near vineyards and in a natural area. Historical presence of Spissistilus festinus in the Willamette Valley is discussed. Voucher specimens were deposited in the Oregon State Arthropod Collection and at the United States National Museum of Natural History.
Flexible Low Power CNN Accelerator for Edge Computing with Weight Tuning

To support various edge applications, a neural network accelerator needs to achieve high flexibility and classification accuracy within a limited power budget. This paper proposes a weight tuning algorithm to improve the energy efficiency by lowering the switching activity. A flexible and runtime-reconfigurable CNN accelerator is co-designed with the algorithm and demonstrated with a feature extraction processor on an FPGA. The system is fully self-contained for small CNNs and speech keyword spotting is shown as an example. A fully integrated custom ASIC is also being fabricated for this system. Based on post place-and-route simulation of the ASIC, the weight tuning algorithm reduces the energy consumption of weight delivery and computation by 1.70x and 1.20x respectively with little loss in accuracy.
Modifiability of Depression's Impact on Early Revision, Narcotic Usage, and Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty: The Impact of Psychotherapy.

Abstract Background Depression is known to negatively influence functional recovery, patient satisfaction, narcotic requirements, implant survivorship, and perioperative resource utilization after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The degree to which this effect is modifiable is largely unknown, with mixed results on preoperative pharmacological intervention, and concomitant concerns over side effects. We aim to investigate the influence of psychotherapy before THA on surgical outcomes, medical complications, and resource utilization. Methods A retrospective chart review of Truven MarketScan Databases was performed to generate 3 cohorts: patients without depression, patients with depression who did not receive preoperative psychotherapy, and patients with depression who received psychotherapy before surgery. Outcomes of interest were resource utilization, surgical and medical complications, narcotic requirements, and 1-year and 3-year revision rates. Results On multivariate analysis, depressed patients who did not receive psychotherapy were more likely to be discharged to inpatient rehabilitation facility (odds ratio [OR] 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.48, P Conclusion The negative influence of depression on narcotic requirements, resource utilization, and implant survivorship after THA appears to be modifiable with preoperative psychotherapy.
Stomas: Peristomal Skin Complication

Peristomal complications affecting the skin around the intestinal stoma are very common. This can add to the decreased quality of life of not only having a stoma but also the annoyance of yet another issue to address. There are various causes of peristomal irritations. This can be caused by chemical, mechanical, disease and infectious of origin. The first step in the treatment is to identify the cause of the skin irritant and then appropriate treatments of these conditions will make a big difference in the improvement of the quality of life in these patients.
Late Time Decay of the False Vacuum, Measurement, and Quantum Cosmology

The recent suggestion that late time quantum dynamics may be important for resolving cosmological issues associated with our observed universe requires a consideration of several subtle issues associated with quantum cosmology, as we describe here. The resolution of these issues will be important if we are to be able to properly ascribe probability measures associated with eternal inflation, and a string landscape.
Saddle-Point Convergence of Constrained Primal-Dual Dynamics

In this letter, we consider saddle-point convergence of primal-dual dynamics for inequality constrained convex optimization problems. By considering the primal-dual dynamics as the interconnection of (i) a gradient system and (ii) a nonlinear controller with incremental sector-bounded static nonlinearity, we establish asymptotic stability by invoking the classical notions of Lyapunov stability, the invariance principle, along with some regularity assumptions. For the special case of strongly convex problem with affine constraints, we prove global exponential convergence. As compared to existing techniques in the literature, the proposed approach offers simple and transparent tuning guideline for robust exponential stability of the saddle-point dynamics and allows for establishing an upper bound on the exponential decay rate.
Challenges in healthcare financing for surgery in sub-Saharan Africa

One-third of the global burden of disease is attributed to surgical conditions yet, 5 billion people globally, lack access to surgery. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, Obstetrics, and Anesthesia (LCOGS) published guidelines for improving access by reducing catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs) by 2030. This is especially important in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where 90% of the extreme poor reside. In this paper, we provide a narrative review of four studies on CHEs for surgical care in SSA published since 2015. We discuss healthcare financing in the countries and summarize the authors' key findings of out-of-pocket payments (OOP) and CHEs. Briefly, the studies enrolled 130 to 300 patients and collected direct OOPs via chart review of health costs or patient interviews. Indirect costs were calculated from lost wages and transportation costs. CHEs were defined as health costs exceeding 10% of the GDP per capita or the household income. Despite healthcare being reported as free in all studies, 60%-90% of surgical patients had CHEs with all costs considered. OOPs persists for medicines and anesthesia that should be covered under any health insurance scheme. In some cases, indirect costs associated with transportation and wages were major drivers of CHEs for surgery. Without addressing these gaps in coverage, more people will risk impoverishment in seeking surgical care in SSA.
A Comparison of Methylprednisolone and Dexamethasone in Intensive Care Patients With COVID-19.

Objectives:This study retrospectively compares the effectiveness of methylprednisolone to dexamethasone in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) req...
96319 Al-Anon Intensive Referral (AIR): A qualitative formative evaluation for implementation

ABSTRACT IMPACT: This formative evaluation can inform selection and development of implementation strategies for implementing this and other similar interventions in future implementation studies or practice. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Al-Anon mutual-help groups help concerned others (COs; e.g., families, friends) of persons with an alcohol use disorder better cope with their own problems. Despite widespread availability of Al-Anon meetings, participation is limited. We developed and evaluated an intervention to facilitate CO engagement in Al-Anon. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Al-Anon Intensive Referral (AIR) was developed to facilitate COs’ engagement in Al-Anon through four coaching sessions and is being tested in a NIAAA-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT). Consistent with a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation design, we also conducted a formative evaluation to learn about facilitators, barriers and recommendations for AIR implementation in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs. We interviewed key informants (director and two staff) at eight sites in the AIR RCT and two ‘naive’ sites unfamiliar with AIR. Sites included community and Veterans Administration (VA) treatment programs in Arkansas, California, and Nebraska. Semi-structured interviews were based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, and were thematically analyzed. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Facilitators included AIR’s face validity, adaptability, and alignment with staff values and skills, requiring only minimal training. Several community sites thought AIR would fit with their current practices (e.g. family groups), and some sites reported having sufficient staff available for delivering AIR. Barriers included limited staff time (some sites), and VA sites having limited resources for providing services to COs. Furthermore, many clients have no COs, or COs who are unwilling or unable to engage. Recommendations included fitting AIR within existing workflows and focusing on COs with highest readiness. Participants also thought AIR could be adapted as an online or smartphone app, which may expand its reach to younger and more tech-savvy populations while decreasing staff burden. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: AIR has strong potential for implementation, but sites vary on implementation capacity and readiness. Most sites could implement it partially (e.g., case-by-case basis), and sites with sufficient capacity (e.g., family groups, staff time) could implement it more fully. An app-based AIR could help mitigate some barriers.
Quotients ofC[0, 1] with separable dual

A necessary and sufficient condition for an operator fromC(K),K compact metric, into a Banach spaceX to be an isomorphism on a subspace ofC(K) isometric toC 0(ω ω ) is given.
Simulation-Based Orientation for Emergency Medicine Residents Participating in EMS Ride-Alongs

Introduction Emergency medicine resident physicians are required to complete observational ride-alongs with emergency medical services (EMS) units as part of their curriculum as per the ACGME. We c...
Abstract PO033: Exposure to E-cigarette aerosol reduces the expression of Toll-like receptor 3 in lung epithelial cells

Background and Aim: The use of conventional cigarettes is a major and preventable health problem and the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Electronic cigarettes have been shown to yield plasma nicotine levels similar to that seen in traditional cigarette users. E-cigarettes have been touted as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes and as a smoking cessation tool with mixed results. The increasing use of e-cigarettes by youth is concerning with 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of middle school students reporting using e-cigarettes in 2019. Use among young adults (18-24) is increasing with 7.6% reporting use in 2018. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key sensors in the activation of innate immunity. In addition to activating antiviral and pro-inflammatory responses, TLR3 in particular has been shown to behave as a death receptor, causing apoptosis in cancer cells. TLR3 expression is reduced in the airway epithelial cells of smokers, leading to a reduction in the downstream expression of type I interferons following viral infection. Methods: E-cigarette aerosol extracts were prepared from two brands of e-cigarettes, as previously described. Mainstream tobacco smoke extract was used as a positive control. Normal lung epithelial cells were exposed for 2 weeks to e-cigarette aerosol extracts at nicotine doses comparable to those observed in e-cigarette users. Whole-cell RNA was isolated. Gene expression was assessed by RNA-sequencing and validated by western blot. Results: Exposure of lung epithelial cells to e-cigarette aerosol extracts significantly decreased the mRNA expression levels of TLR3 (p Conclusions: Our study suggests that exposure to e-cigarette aerosol can decrease the expression of key genes involved in innate immune response. TLR3 expression has been associated with good prognosis in early stage lung cancer. A decrease in TLR3 expression could allow tumors to evade immune surveillance and apoptosis Citation Format: Daniel Brobst, Jimmy Manyanga, Constantin Georgescu, Jonathan Wren, Lurdes Queimado. Exposure to E-cigarette aerosol reduces the expression of Toll-like receptor 3 in lung epithelial cells [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Virtual Special Conference: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2020 Oct 19-20. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2021;9(2 Suppl):Abstract nr PO033.
Motion Tracking of Carotid Artery in Ultrasound Images Using Lucas Kanade Method with Advanced Siamese Neural Networks

Siamese neural networks have been used previously for speckle tracking in ultrasound images. Apart from the lack of adaptivity to the specific video sequence, the main problem which Siamese Tracker (ST) suffers from, is the absence to account for any object motion. The object is assumed stationary for the search operation in the next frame. We propose to improve the tracking algorithm by adopting Lucas Kanade method for finding optic flow to account for the background motion. We further use a more advanced Siamese network, Correlation Filter Network (CFNet) which uses a Correlation Filter Layer (CFL) for learning a robust representation of the tracked object. We show that by using our methodology, we are able to localize the carotid artery better as compared to the baseline Siamese networks.
Measuring transition readiness in adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease using the transition readiness assessment questionnaire.

Background/objectives Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD) face challenges related to the disease and its treatment. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is a self-report tool for assessing transition readiness for youth with special health care needs (YSHCN), including SCD. This study uses the TRAQ to understand transition readiness in patients with SCD treated at the Boston Medical Center and evaluates associations between TRAQ scores and transition outcomes (e.g., emergency department reliance [EDr] and emergency department utilization [EDu]). Methods We reviewed electronic medical records of AYA with SCD who completed the TRAQ in the pediatric hematology clinic between January 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020, and categorized healthcare encounters to calculate EDu and EDr. We used t tests and ANOVA models to analyze mean TRAQ scores, sex, age, genotype, EDu, and EDr. Results The sample was 45 AYA patients with SCD between 13 and 22 years old. The mean TRAQ score for the overall patient sample was 3.67. Mean TRAQ scores did not significantly vary by sex or genotype but did significantly increase with age. TRAQ scores did not correlate to EDu or EDr. Conclusions AYA patients with SCD have low transition readiness. The age of 18 may not be the most reliable attribute of readiness, though older patients do have higher readiness. The relationship between TRAQ scores, EDr, and EDu is not clear and requires further evaluation.
Carbon–Hydrogen to Carbon–Phosphorus Transformations

Literature published between 2008 and 2013 concerning the functionalization of carbon–hydrogen into carbon–phosphorus bonds is surveyed. The chapter is organized by reaction mechanism. The majority of methods still proceed via deprotonation of C–H into C–M (M=Li, Na, etc.) followed by reaction with a phosphorus electrophile P–X, where X is usually chlorine. A few examples of electrophilic aromatic substitution and related processes have also been reported, although this approach has not yet been developed significantly. Over the past 5 years a rapidly growing family of reactions includes transition metal “C–H activation” and formally related radical-based processes has been developed. The latter processes offer exciting prospects for the synthesis of organophosphorus compounds.
A GAME THEORETICAL APPROACH TO INCOME POLICIES

Abstract This study analyzes the use of a temporary incomes policy to combat an inflation driven by inflationary expectations. These policies typically specify wage controls which fail to provide full compensation for the expected inflation and this, in turn, gives rise to various forms of non-compliance by senior workers. These workers attempt to either preserve their purchasing power in face of controls or to force the suspension of the controls themselves. The study indicates the circumstances under which the government is forced to abandon wage controls in favor of a tight money policy designed to combat the posited inflation. The problem is treated as a dynamic Nash equilibrium game.
New strategy for designing composite rotor blades with active flaps

This article presents the development of a mixed-variable optimization framework for the design of composite rotor blades with active flaps in order to maximize the control authority for vibration reduction. For the studies presented in this article, the amplitude of dynamic twist at the blade tip at 4/rev flap actuation frequency is used as the objective function, and it is shown that there is a direct correlation between the amplitude of dynamic twist and the vibration reduction authority of active flaps. The optimization framework developed includes Intelligent Cross-section Generator as the cross section and mesh generator, University of Michigan/Variational Asymptotic Beam Sectional Analysis for the cross-sectional analysis, and Rotorcraft Comprehensive Analysis System for the aeroelastic analysis of active rotor blades. The optimization problem is solved using a surrogate-based approach in combination with the efficient global optimization algorithm. The optimum results with both mixed and continuou...
Profiting from Not for Profit: Toward Adequate Humanities Instruction in American K-12 Schools

Martha Nussbaum describes Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities -- her paean to a humanities-rich education -- as a "manifesto, not an empirical study." Drawing on contemporary psychological research and classic pedagogical theories, Nussbaum convincingly argues that scholastic instruction in the humanities is a critical tool in shaping democratic citizens. Nussbaum shows how the study of subjects like literature, history, philosophy, and art helps students build essential democratic capacities like empathy and critical thought. Indeed, Nussbaum argues, it is impossible for a democratic society to train citizens without instruction in the humanities. Through examples and anecdotes, Not for Profit sketches an appealing vision of what an ideal education should be in a democracy. If Nussbaum's goal were merely to lay out a set of academic first principles, Not for Profit would largely be a success. Yet because Nussbaum believes that policymakers' singular focus on math, science, and technology education places the humanities in grave danger, she also wants her manifesto to serve as a "call to action." Unfortunately, although Nussbaum sketches a curricular ideal, she does not explain the precise actions that should be taken in pursuit of that ideal. But if Nussbaum is correct in asserting that the humanities are at the heart of adequate citizenship education, an American legal framework already exists that supports--and perhaps compels--adequate instruction in the humanities for all students. American courts have long suggested that one of public schools' primary functions is citizenship preparation, and the connection between education and citizenship is also made explicit in a number of state constitutions. Moreover, in the aftermath of No Child Left Behind, policymakers appear to be moving gingerly toward a recognition that an adequate education consists of more than math and reading instruction. If Not for Profit is thus contextualized, its arguments can serve as a rallying cry for the inclusion of adequate humanities education within the current American educational framework.
Non-Malleable Zero Knowledge: Black-Box Constructions and Definitional Relationships

This paper deals with efficient non-malleable zero-knowledge proofs for \(\mathcal{NP}\), based on general assumptions. We give the first construction of a simulation-sound zero-knowledge (\(\mathcal{ZK}\)) protocol for \(\mathcal{NP}\) based only on the black-box use of one-way functions. Constructing such a proof system has been an open question ever since the original work of Dolev, Dwork, and Naor [18]. In addition to the feasibility result, our protocol has a constant number of rounds, which is asymptotically optimal.
Numerical Solution of the Robin Problem of Laplace Equations with a Feynman---Kac Formula and Reflecting Brownian Motions

In this paper, we present numerical methods to implement the probabilistic representation of third kind (Robin) boundary problem for the Laplace equations. The solution is based on a Feynman---Kac formula for the Robin problem which employs the standard reflecting Brownian motion (SRBM) and its boundary local time arising from the Skorokhod problem. By simulating SRBM paths through Brownian motion using Walk on Spheres method, approximation of the boundary local time is obtained and the Feynman---Kac formula is then calculated by evaluating the average of all path integrals over the boundary under a measure defined through the local time. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method for finding a local solution of the Laplace equations with Robin boundary conditions.
A new class of scheduling policies for providing time of service guarantees in Video-on-Demand servers

Recent advances in storage and communication technologies have spurred a strong interest in Video-on-Demand (VOD) services. Providing the customers of VOD servers with time of service guarantees offers two major advantages. First, it makes VOD services more attractive by improving customer-perceived quality of service (QoS). Second, it improves throughput through the enhanced resource sharing attained by motivating the customers to wait. In this paper, we propose a new class of scheduling policies, called Next Schedule Time First (NSTF), which provides customers with schedule times and performsscheduling based on these schedule times. NSTF guarantees that customers will be serviced no later than scheduled and ensures that the schedule times are very accurate estimates of the actual times of service. We present alternative implementations of NSTF and show through simulation that NSTF works as expected and delivers outstanding performance benefits.
Solow in Transition : Macro and Micro Determinants of Savings in Armenia

This paper analyzes and reconciles macro and micro evidence on savings and factors that affect savings, as well as possible policy implications. At the aggregate level, the main question is how savings are affected by growth and macroeconomic policies and variables (fiscal policy, exchange rate, for example) and the breadth of financial markets. Some of these macro determinants can be reconciled with microeconomic evidence of the savings behavior of households. Using macroeconomic quarterly data and household survey data, the analysis explores the determinants of the savings rate at the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels, using the typical econometric models used in the literature (long-term co-integration relation and short-term error correction model for the macro determinants; linear multivariate models for the micro determinants). The long-term relationship indicates that a 10-percent increase in gross domestic product per capita would add 3.7 percentage points to the savings rate in the long run. The short-term relationship depicts a strong catch-up process to the long-run equilibrium, with quarterly changes in gross domestic product per capita and openness strongly correlated with quarterly changes in the savings rate. The characteristics of households that represent the volatility of expected income, such as education and access to borrowing or remittances, significantly impact saving rates. The macroeconomic and microeconomic analyses of the determinants of saving rates in Armenia point to three policy areas: the macroeconomic environment, the financial sector, and the role of remittances.
Integration of Stochastic Power Generation, Geographical Averaging and Load Response

The objective of this paper is to analyze how the variability of wind affects optimal dispatches and reserves in a daily optimization cycle. The Cornell SuperOPF is used to illustrate how the system costs can be determined for a reliable network (the amount of conventional generating capacity needed to maintain System Adequacy is determined endogenously). Eight cases are studied to illustrate the effects of geographical distribution, ramping costs and load response to customers payment in the wholesale market, and the amount of potential wind generation that is dispatched. The results in this paper use a typical daily pattern of load and capture the cost of ramping by including additions to the operating costs of the generating units associated with the hour-to-hour changes in their optimal dispatch. The proposed regulatory changes for electricity markets are 1) to establish a new market for ramping services, 2) to aggregate the loads of customers on a distribution network so that they can be represented as a single wholesale customer on the bulk-power transmission network and 3) to make use of controllable load and geographical distribution of wind to mitigate the variability of wind generation as an alternative to upgrading the capacity of the transmission network.
On-line Algorithms in Machine Learning

Abstract : The areas of On-Line Algorithms and Machine Learning are both concerned with problems of making decisions about the present based only on knowledge of the past. Although these areas differ in terms of their emphasis and the problems typically studied, there are a collection of results in Computational Learning Theory that fit nicely into the 'on-line algorithms' framework. This survey article discusses some of the results, models, and open problems from Computational Learning Theory that seem particularly interesting from the point of view of on-line algorithms research. The emphasis in this article is on describing some of the simpler, more intuitive results, whose proofs can be given in their entirety. Pointers to the literature are given for more sophisticated versions of these algorithms.
Variational Chernoff bounds for graphical models

Recent research has made significant progress on the problem of bounding log partition functions for exponential family graphical models. Such bounds have associated dual parameters that are often used as heuristic estimates of the marginal probabilities required in inference and learning. However these variational estimates do not give rigorous bounds on marginal probabilities, nor do they give estimates for probabilities of more general events than simple marginals. In this paper we build on this recent work by deriving rigorous upper and lower bounds on event probabilities for graphical models. Our approach is based on the use of generalized Chernoff bounds to express bounds on event probabilities in terms of convex optimization problems; these optimization problems, in turn, require estimates of generalized log partition functions. Simulations indicate that this technique can result in useful, rigorous bounds to complement the heuristic variational estimates, with comparable computational cost.
Optimal unemployment insurance: a guide to the literature

Unemployment insurance has been the subject of numerous theoretical and empirical studies. These studies elucidate the benefits and the cost of unemployment insurance, namely, the improved allocation of risk bearing and the reduced incentives for work. In the past two decades a branch of the literature has emerged that deals with the optimal design of unemployment insurance. This literature has been influenced by ideas and methods from the field of information economics and theories from the field of labor economics. The result is a collection of models designed to highlight a variety of issues pertaining to the provision of optimal unemployment insurance. This report reviews these issues, summarizes the relevant literature, assesses its accomplishments, and points out problems that require further study.
Sequential Monte Carlo methods for filtering and smoothing in hidden Markov models

Summary form only given. In the statistical analysis of time series and stochastic dynamic systems, data often arrive sequentially over time, and sequential importance sampling (SIS) provides a natural framework for performing Monte Carlo computation sequentially to update estimates and posterior distributions. In real applications, there are typically also unknown parameters in the dynamic systems. We explain how SIS with resampling can be used to address these problems, and in particular apply SIS to an important class of hidden Markov models, namely, change-point autoregression models.
Modeling Chandra X-ray Observations of Galaxy Clusters using Cosmological Simulations

X-ray observations of galaxy clusters potentially provide powerful cosmological probes if systematics due to our incomplete knowledge of the intracluster medium (ICM) physics are understood and controlled. In this paper, we study the effects of galaxy formation on the properties of the ICM and X-ray observable-mass relations using high-resolution self-consistent cosmological simulations of galaxy clusters and comparing their results with recent Chandra X-ray observations. We show that despite complexities of their formation and uncertainties in their modeling, clusters of galaxies both in observations and numerical simulations are remarkably regular outside of their cores, which holds great promise for their use as cosmological probes.
An Econometric Model of the Yield Curve With Macroeconomic Jump Effects

We present a simulation-based method for solving realistic portfolio choice problems that potentially involve non-standard preferences and a large number of assets with arbitrary return distribution. Specifically, the return distribution can be time-varying as a function of many observable or unobservable state variables and can even be path-dependent. Furthermore, the method is flexible enough to accommodate intermediate consumption, parameter and model uncertainty, and portfolio constraints. We first establish the properties of the method for the choice between a stock index and cash when the stock returns are either iid or predictable by the dividend yield. We then explore the optimal asset allocation across ten industry portfolios that exhibit momentum through its empirical pattern of own- and cross-serial correlations of returns.