cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On turbulent entrainment at a stable density interface

Turbulent entrainment at the density interface of a stable two-layer stratified fluid is studied in the laboratory, a constant surface stress being applied at the free surface. Conservation of mass requires that the overall Richardson number Ri = Dgδρ/ρu*2 is constant in each experiment, where D is the depth of the mixed layer, gδρ/ρ the buoyancy difference and u* the friction velocity. If the entrainment rate E = ue/u* is a function only of Ri, it is therefore constant in each experiment and can be measured with a greater accuracy than has previously been attained. The functional dependence of ue/u* on Ri is established over the range 30 < Ri < 1000; it is found not to follow any simple power law. The entrainment rates are considerably higher than those measured by Kato & Phillips (1969), for which the fluid below the mixed layer was linearly stratified. Such a condition allows internal gravity waves to be radiated downwards and the reduction in entrainment rate is consistent with that found by Linden (1975).
Impeding ecological sustainability through selective moral disengagement

The present paper documents the influential role played by selective moral disengagement for social practices that cause widespread human harm and degrade the environment. Disengagement of moral self-sanctions enables people to pursue detrimental practices freed from the restraint of self-censure. This is achieved by investing ecologically harmful practices with worthy purposes through social, national, and economic justifications; enlisting exonerative comparisons that render the practices righteous; use of sanitising and convoluting language that disguises what is being done; reducing accountability by displacement and diffusion of responsibility; ignoring, minimising, and disputing harmful effects; and dehumanising and blaming the victims and derogating the messengers of ecologically bad news. These psychosocial mechanisms operate at both the individual and social systems levels.
A novel LBP-BPI fusion protein with in vivo efficacy and longer half life

Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a neutrophil azurophilic granule protein which binds to and neutralizes the biological activity of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin both in vitro and in vivo. The therapeutic utility of BPI is hampered by its remarkably short circulating half life. BPI shares 44% sequence identity with lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), an acute phase protein which facilitates endotoxin-mediated cellular responses and has a long circulating half-life. BPI and LBP are members of a family of proteins which regulate LPS activity in vivo. Genetically engineered variants of BPI and LBP were designed to maintain the endotoxin neutralizing properties of BPI but to have an extended circulating half life. One of these, LBP-BPI, is comprised of the N-terminal half of LBP, linked to the C-terminal half of BPI. Like BPI, LBP-BPI had endotoxin neutralizing activity in vitro and in vivo and gave a significant protective effect against lethal endotoxin challenge in mice (90% ...
Spinel–Silicate Equilibria in the System MgO–FeO–Fe2O3–Al2O3–Cr2O3–SiO2

We have investigated the distribution of Mg, Fe, Al, and Cr among olivine, orthopyroxene, spinel, and liquid in the system MgO–FeO–Fe2O3–Al2O3–Cr2O3–SiO2 for temperatures from 1309° to 1471°C under an atmosphere of constant CO2/H2= 10/1 at a total pressure of 1 atm. Crystal–liquid and crystal–crystal distribution coefficients defined (with Fe and Mg as examples) in the form Kc-liqD= (Fe2+/Mg)crystal/(Fe2+/Mg)liquid, and Kc-cD= (Fe2+/Mg)crystal 1/ (Fe2+/Mg)crystal 2, were calculated from the experimental data. The crystal-liquid coefficients for the silicate minerals are relatively constant [Kol-liqD (Fe2+/Mg) =0.33; Kopx-liqD (Fe2+/Mg) = 0.29]. However, the crystal-liquid coefficient for spinel is more variable [Ksp-liqD (Fe2+/Mg) =1.2 to 1.7]. Chromium is strongly partitioned into spinel relative to coexisting liquid, olivine, and orthopyroxene (Dsp-liqCr= 80 to 170, Dsp-olCr= 100 to 230, and Dsp-opxCr= 60 to 120), and Al is enriched in the liquid and the spinel relative to olivine and orthopyroxene. Values of (Al/Cr)opx/(Al/Cr)sp range from 4 to 8. The experimental results also show that the Al/Cr ratio in spinel increases with decreasing activity of SiO2 in the melts.
An efficient implementation of the Hough transform for detecting vehicle license plates using DSP'S

The paper addresses the general problem of the detection of vehicle license plates from road scenes, for the purpose of vehicle tracking. It describes an algorithm for detecting a license plate from a road scene acquired by a CCD camera, using image processing techniques, where the authors have used the Hough transform (HT) for line detection (the shape of the license plates is defined by lines) because it fits well into this application as it facilitates the selection of lines from specific areas and specific orientations within the image. This is followed by a brief description of the image processing system on which this algorithm has been implemented. Lastly, the results and conclusions of the application of the license plate detection algorithm to a real vehicle are discussed.
Watching the Watchers: The Growing Privatization of Criminal Law and the Need for Limits on Neighborhood Watch Associations

On the night of February 26, 2012, George Zimmerman, a member of a neighborhood watch program, was patrolling his community in Sanford, Florida when he spotted Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American high school student, walking through the neighborhood. Zimmerman called 911 and indicated that he was following "a real suspicious guy." Zimmerman then disregarded the police dispatcher's request that he discontinue following Martin and approached the teenager. In the resulting confrontation, Zimmerman used his legally-owned semi-automatic handgun to shoot and kill Martin. Martin had been returning from a local convenience store to his father's fiancee's house, where he was spending the night. He was unarmed. George Zimmerman is currently being charged with second-degree murder. It is unclear whether Zimmerman will be proven guilty of the offense, but what is certain is that despite the fact that Zimmerman was engaged in law enforcement activities, Zimmerman's conduct in approaching and confronting Martin is not governed by the same constitutional restrictions that limit the actions of police. The Fourth and Fifth Amendments that restrict police in detaining, searching, and interrogating suspects do not apply to neighborhood watch organizations. At the same time, in many states neighborhood watch members can carry firearms and are protected under Stand Your Ground laws from having to retreat when confronted by a suspect. Thus, neighborhood watch members wield significant authority, but with neither the training that police officers receive nor the restrictions that govern their conduct. While neighborhood watch groups, just like police, perform a valuable service to the community, they are also in need of statutory oversight and restrictions, just like the police. This Article proposes statutory provisions that could effectively address the problems posed by the growing privatization of criminal law enforcement as it relates to neighborhood watch associations. By enacting statutes that limit the abilities of neighborhood watch members to confront suspects, mandate training for those engaged in law enforcement activities, and expand the exclusionary rule to bar evidence seized illegally by private citizens engaged in law enforcement functions, legislatures would better ensure that due process guarantees are not abandoned when private actors participate in law enforcement activities.
The geometric minimum action method: A least action principle on the space of curves

Freidlin-Wentzell theory of large deviations for the description of the effect of small random perturbations on dynamical systems is exploited as a numerical tool. Specifically, a numerical algorithm is proposed to compute the quasi-potential in the theory, which is the key object to quantify the dynamics on long time scales when the effect of the noise becomes ubiquitous: the equilibrium distribution of the system, the pathways of transition between metastable states and their rate, etc., can all be expressed in terms of the quasi-potential. We propose an algorithm to compute these quantities called the geometric minimum action method (gMAM), which is a blend of the original minimum action method (MAM) and the string method. It is based on a reformulation of the large deviations action functional on the space of curves that allows one to easily perform the double minimization of the original action required to compute the quasi-potential. The theoretical background of the gMAM in the context of large deviations theory is discussed in detail, as well as the algorithmic aspects of the method. The gMAM is then illustrated on several examples: a finite-dimensional system displaying bistability and modeled by a nongradient stochastic ordinary differential equation, an infinite-dimensional analogue of this system modeled by a stochastic partial differential equation, and an example of a bistable genetic switch modeled by a Markov jump process.
Nerve Sparing Radical Prostatectomy: A Different View

AbstractErectile dysfunction was evaluated in 459 men with prostate cancer before and after radical prostatectomy. Potency was defined as the ability to achieve unassisted intercourse with vaginal penetration. Of the patients 51 were potent postoperatively, including 2 of 187 (1.1 percent) undergoing surgery without nerve sparing, and 27 of 203 (13.3 percent) undergoing unilateral and 22 of 69 (31.9 percent) undergoing bilateral nerve sparing prostatectomy. Less than half of the patients who were sexually active postoperatively were satisfied with the erections or achieved intercourse at least once a month. Postoperative potency was statistically related to the number of neurovascular bundles spared, frequency of intercourse preoperatively, absence of seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement with cancer, absence of postoperative incontinence or strictures, patient age and cancer volume.
Sediment-yield history of a small basin in southern Utah, 1937 1976: Implications for land management and geomorphology

Alluvium deposited in a reservoir from 1937 to 1976 records the sediment-yield history of a small (2.8 km 2 ), high-relief basin in semiarid southern Utah. Stratification in the alluvium shows that sediment was deposited in the reservoir only 21 times in 38 yr, a runoff recurrence interval of 1.8 yr. Thus, on average, the particular combination of rainfall intensity, duration, and antecedent moisture conditions producing runoff did not recur often. On the basis of the volume of beds in the reservoir fill, sediment yield of individual runoff events averaged 2500 m 3 /km 2 (5.3 a-ft/mi 2 ) with slightly less than one order of magnitude variation. This low variation is not expected of small basins and probably resulted from limited hillslope sediment supply, suggesting that transport processes were more rapid than weathering processes. Sediment yield, therefore, was evidently controlled by the availability of freshly weathered material.
Patterns of Childlessness among Catholic and Non-Catholic Women in the U.S.: A Log-Linear Analysis*

The principal objective of this paper is to conduct a log-linear analysis of patterns of childlessness among Catholic and non-Catholic women in the United States. We address this issue by examining white women between the ages of thirty-five and forty-four, ascertaining whether they are voluntarily, involuntarily, or temporarily childless or childed. Given the long-standing emphasis of the Catholic Church regarding the importance of children in marriage and the family, an emphasis which was not reversed during the Second Vatican Council, we suggest that even after controlling for religious activity and educational attainment, Catholic women should be less disposed than non-Catholic women to choose voluntarily to have no children. We review various aspects of Church doctrine leading to such an hypothesis. Our results do not suggest an “end” to Catholic-non-Catholic differentials in childlessness. Catholic women between the ages of thirty-five and forty-four in 1976 were very far apart from non-Catholic women with respect to the voluntary decision to have no children. And they are also very different from non-Catholic women regarding patterns of involuntary childlessness. These differential patterns of voluntary and involuntary childlessness are discussed and analyzed.
Traction stresses and motility of fibroblasts are different on RGD- and fibronectin-modified elastic substrata

We report here our findings of traction stresses and motility of fibroblasts cultured on polyacrylamide substrata modified covalently with RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) and fibronectin. Although projected cell areas are similar, we observe that the traction stresses are significantly different-nearly ten-fold higher on fibronectin-modified substrata compared to RGD-modified substrata. Immunofluorescence reveals differences in organization of actin stress fibers that correlate with observed differences in traction. A biphasic relationship between cell speed and fibronectin concentration is observed, but on RGD-modified substrata, cell speed increases with RGD concentration until it reaches a plateau. Our findings have implications on the use of RGD-modified biomaterials on cellular response.
Slurs, Snubs, and Queer Jokes: Incidence and Impact of Heterosexist Harassment in Academia

Previous research has suggested that overt hostility against sexual minorities is associated with decrements in their well-being. However, subtler forms of heterosexism and their potential effects have been overlooked, heterosexuals have not been asked how they fare in a heterosexist environment, and no research has examined whether women and men might respond differently to heterosexism. Data from 3,128 northwestern US university students (representing all sexual orientations) address these gaps. Approximately 40% reported experiences of heterosexist harassment (HH) in the past year, and those who encountered both ambient and personal HH reported worse psychological and academic well-being than those who encountered no HH. Similar patterns of findings held for sexual minorities and heterosexuals, and for women and men.
Continual planning for search and rescue robots

The deployment of robots for emergency response tasks such as search and rescue is a promising application of robotics with growing importance. Given the perilous nature of these tasks, autonomous robot operation is highly desirable in order to reduce the risk imposed on the human rescue team. While much work has been done on creating robotic systems that can be deployed for search and rescue, limited work has been devoted to devise efficient real-time automated planning algorithms for these tasks. In this work, we present REDHI, an efficient algorithm for solving probabilistic models of complex problems such as search and rescue. We evaluate our algorithm on the search and rescue problem using both an abstract domain representation and a semi-realistic simulator of an existing robot system. The results show that REDHI can obtain near optimal performance with negligible planning time.
Seed dispersal and predation of Castanopsis sclerophylla by small rodents in habitats with different disturbance intensity

In this study,the Castanopsis sclerophylla seeds in three habitats under slight,moderate,and serious disturbances in Qiandaohu area of Zhejiang Province were tagged and tracked to investigate the impacts of disturbance intensity on the predation and dispersal of C.sclerophylla seeds by rodents.The rodents trapped were identified as the members of Niviventer fulvescens.In the three habitats,all the seeds were eaten in situ or dispersed by the rodents within 2 days.In the habitat under moderate disturbance,the seeds eaten in situ had the highest percentage(37.8% of identified seeds).The seed dispersal distance in the three habitats was mostly 5 m,with the largest being 24.76 m,and the seed dispersal all presented negative exponential distribution,with no significant difference among the habitats.The fate(eaten in situ or dispersed) of sound and infested seeds in the three habitats had no significant difference,but the maximum dispersal distance of sound seeds was significantly larger than that of infested seeds.Except in the habitat under moderate disturbance,where the mean dispersal distances of sound and infested seeds had no significant difference,the mean dispersal distances of sound seeds in the other two habitats were significantly larger than those of infested seeds,indicating that rodents had definite capability in distinguishing sound and infested C.sclerophylla seeds.
Obsessive-Compulsive Phenomenon in Adolescents

Objective: To explore obsessive-compulsive phenomenon in a do lescents Method: 3185 adolescents aged 15±2 year-old (52% mal e) were measured with Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Child Version (LOI-CV) Result: Total yes/no score of LOI-CV: male 8 65±3 56, female 8 6 1±3 40 Interfering score: male 9 42±7 42, female 8 50±6 97 The yes/n o score of cleanliness and tidiness was higher in female than in male, while tha t of checking and repetition was higher in male than in female The total inter fering score was also higher in male The main effect of grade on the total and four factor scores were significant (F=3 02-18 59, P0 05) The screening out ratio of obsessive-compulsive symptoms was 13 6%, with highe r ratio in male than in female (χ 2=5 40, P0 05) Grades h ad significant effect on screening out ratio in male, but not in female Conclusion: Obsessive-Compulsive experiences are common in adolescent s Obsessive compulsive phenomenon manifests as “W” curve with grades The t otal screening out ratio of obsessive-compulsive symptom was 13 6%, with higher ratio in male, and higher ratio in students just admitted or before graduation
Thaumascan: Clinical Cardiac Imaging

Standard time-motion echocardiography techniques do not provide adequate details of cardiac spatial geometry. As a result of this basic limitation, several real-time two-dimensional ultrasound imaging systems have been developed.
Pediatric heart-lung transplantation: intermediate-term results.

Background : Adult heart-lung transplantation was initiated at Stanford in 1981 and the first pediatric heart-lung transplantation was done in 1986. Intermediate-term results of pediatric heart-lung transplantation at Stanford University are presented. Methods : A retrospective review of the records of all pediatric heart-lung transplantations done since 1986 was conducted. Results : Nineteen heart-lung transplantations were done in 17 patients. Ages ranged from 2 months to 18 years with a median age of 10 years. At the time of transplantation 5 patients were infants, 7 children, and 7 adolescents. The mean follow-up was 29 ± 6.2 months (range 1 to 77, median 16) and follow-up was 100% complete. Diagnoses were congenital heart disease in 13, primary pulmonary hypertension in 2, and cystic fibrosis, cystic lymphangiectasia, viral pneumonia, and obliterative bronchiolitis in 1 each. Median wait on the heart-lung transplantation list was 91 days (range 2 to 707). All patients had New York Heart Association class III to IV symptoms, two were receiving ventilator support, and six were receiving oxygen. Fifteen of 19 transplant recipients were discharged from the hospital. The 30-day operative mortality rate was 5.2% (1 of 19). The actuarial survival at 1, 3, and 5 years for all patients was 67%, 51%, and 41%, respectively, and for hospital survivors was 82%, 62%, and 51%. The cause of death was obliterative bronchiolitis in 4, multisystem organ failure in 3, and graft coronary artery disease and chronic airway disease in 1 each. Three patients required retransplantation, 2 because of obliterative bronchiolitis and 1 because of viral pneumonia. Two patients underwent repeat heart-lung transplantation and 1 patient underwent single lung transplantation. Rejection was diagnosed in 73% of recipients, and obliterative bronchiolitis has developed in 32% of recipients. Conclusions : Survival in pediatric heart-lung transplantation approximates that in the adult procedure at 1, 3, and 5 years. Long-term survival has been achieved but the primary factors limiting further improved survival remain infection and obliterative bronchiolitis.
The Dominance of Norms

The effort to take account of social norms represents the most sophisticated and productive response of microeconomic theorists to the attack on rational choice theory. Ultimately, however, it is an effort to repair the fairly obvious empirical defects of the theory rather than recognizing its real limitations. The basic limitation is that people respond to a wide and varied range of motivation beyond the desire to maximize their material self-interest. What makes rational choice theory seem plausible is that, in our society, material self-interest maximizing is one of people’s most powerful motivations. Thus, the theory has great explanatory value for us, but that is not because it is a human universal. It is because it is a central element of our culture, and occupies the same place for us that the desire for honor, for salvation or for some other value has occupied for previous societies. This can be illustrated by three examples from other societies: the urban elite’s withdrawal into rural villas in the Ancient Rome Empire, one of the main causes of the Empire’s decline, the reconstruction of Chartres Cathedral in the thirteenth century after a disastrous fire destroyed its Romanesque predecessor, and the nasty and brutish life of the Ik tribe in modern Uganda, as recounted by Colin Turnbull. In each case, people’s behaviors can be described in terms of rational theory, but the more plausible account is that they were motivated by essentially different considerations. The Roman elites were willing to leave the cities of the western Empire because the artificial character of these cities (in contrast to the Greek cities in the east) made them unable to secure the loyalty of their inhabitants. The citizens of Chartres were willing to devote effort and resources to rebuilding the Cathedral because of their intense religiosity and desire for salvation. The Ik suffer from a deep cultural malaise because their traditional lifestyle has been disrupted by modern political and economic developments. While material self-interest played some role in all these people’s behaviors, it was not their primary motivation. It is often the primary motivation of people in our society, not because it is central to human nature but because it is the result of a long process of cultural development, specific to the Western world and not fully developed until the eighteenth century, that included urbanization, commercialization, secularization, and the Protestant Reformation.
Human MLH1 suppresses the insertion of telomeric sequences at intra-chromosomal sites in telomerase-expressing cells

Aberrant formation of interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) promotes genome instabilities. However, it is unclear how aberrant ITS formation is suppressed in human cells. Here, we report that MLH1, a key protein involved in mismatch repair (MMR), suppresses telomeric sequence insertion (TSI) at intra-chromosomal regions. The frequency of TSI can be elevated by double-strand break (DSB) inducer and abolished by ATM/ATR inhibition. Suppression of TSI requires MLH1 recruitment to DSBs, indicating that MLH1's role in DSB response/repair is important for suppressing TSI. Moreover, TSI requires telomerase activity but is independent of the functional status of p53 and Rb. Lastly, we show that TSI is associated with chromosome instabilities including chromosome loss, micronuclei formation and chromosome breakage that are further elevated by replication stress. Our studies uncover a novel link between MLH1, telomerase, telomere and genome stability.
What drives cold-related excess mortality in a south Asian tropical monsoon climate–season vs. temperatures and diurnal temperature changes

Despite the tropical climate which is characterized by generally high temperatures and persistent mild temperatures during the winter season, Bangladesh, along with many other tropical countries, experiences strong winter and cold-related excess mortality. The objective of this paper was to analyse the nature of these cold effects and understand the role of season vs. temperature and diurnal changes in temperature. For approaching these questions, we applied different Poisson regression models. Temperature as well as diurnal temperature range (DTR) were considered as predictor variables. Different approaches to seasonality adjustment were evaluated and special consideration was given to seasonal differences in atmospheric effects. Our findings show that while seasonality adjustment affected the magnitude of cold effects, cold-related mortality persisted regardless the adjustment approach. Strongest effects of low temperatures were observed at the same day (lag 1) with an increase of 1.7% (95% CI = 0.86–2.54%) per 1 °C decrease in temperature during the winter season. Diurnal temperature affected mortality with increasing levels at higher ranges. Mortality increased with 0.97% (95% CI = 0.17–1.75%) when looking at the entire season, but effects of DTR were not significant during winter when running a seasonal model. Different from effects observed in the mid-latitudes, cold effects in Bangladesh occurred on a very short time scale highlighting the role of temperature versus season. Insufficient adaptation with regard to housing and clothing might lead to such cold-related increases in mortality despite rather moderate temperature values. Although the study did not demonstrate an effect of DTR during the cold season, the strong correlation with (minimum) temperature might cause a multicollinearity problem and effects are difficult to attribute to one driver.
Utilizing Electron Spin Echo Envelope Modulation To Distinguish between the Local Secondary Structures of an α-Helix and an Amphipathic 310-Helical Peptide.

Electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy was used to distinguish between the local secondary structures of an α-helix and a 310-helix. Previously, we have shown that ESEEM spectroscopy in combination with site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) and 2H-labeled amino acids (i) can probe the local secondary structure of α-helices, resulting in an obvious deuterium modulation pattern, where i+4 positions generally show larger 2H ESEEM peak intensities than i+3 positions. Here, we have hypothesized that due to the unique turn periodicities of an α-helix (3.6 residues per turn with a pitch of 5.4 A) and a 310-helix (3.1 residues per turn with a pitch of 5.8–6.0 A), the opposite deuterium modulation pattern would be observed for a 310-helix. In this study, 2H-labeled d10-leucine (Leu) was substituted at a specific Leu residue (i) and a nitroxide spin label was positioned 2, 3, and 4 residues away (denoted i+2 to i+4) on an amphipathic model peptide, LRL8. When LRL8 is solubilized in trifluoroethano...
A method for online ageing detection in SiC MOSFETs

This paper presents a comprehensive study on degradation monitoring of SiC MOSFETs and propose a method to detect incipient faults for early warning in power converters and smart gate drivers. During the accelerated ageing tests (power cycling) several electrical parameters are measured to analyze critical signatures and precursors for early fault detection. Among those, gate leakage current is identified as one of the most practical precursor which exhibit consistent changes throughout the aging and relatively easy to monitor. The proposed method is experimentally justified which can be integrated to a gate driver to monitor the condition of the MOSFETs. This method naturally fits to the applications which cannot tolerate interrupts caused by unpredicted failures. Due to its simple scheme and low cost, it can potentially be embedded into commercial gate drivers featuring improved reliability options.
Predicting Long-Term Global Outcome after Traumatic Brain Injury: Development of a Practical Prognostic Tool Using the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database

For patients surviving serious traumatic brain injury (TBI), families and other stakeholders often desire information on long-term functional prognosis, but accurate and easy-to-use clinical tools are lacking. We aimed to build utilitarian decision trees from commonly collected clinical variables to predict Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) functional levels at 1, 2, and 5 years after moderate-to-severe closed TBI. Flexible classification tree statistical modeling was used on prospectively collected data from the TBI-Model Systems (TBIMS) inception cohort study. Enrollments occurred at 17 designated, or previously designated, TBIMS inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Analysis included all participants with nonpenetrating TBI injured between January 1997 and January 2017. Sample sizes were 10,125 (year-1), 8,821 (year-2), and 6,165 (year-5) after cross-sectional exclusions (death, vegetative state, insufficient post-injury time, and unavailable outcome). In our final models, post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) duration consistently dominated branching hierarchy and was the lone injury characteristic significantly contributing to GOS predictability. Lower-order variables that added predictability were age, pre-morbid education, productivity, and occupational category. Generally, patient outcomes improved with shorter PTA, younger age, greater pre-morbid productivity, and higher pre-morbid vocational or educational achievement. Across all prognostic groups, the best and worst good recovery rates were 65.7% and 10.9%, respectively, and the best and worst severe disability rates were 3.9% and 64.1%. Predictability in test data sets ranged from C-statistic of 0.691 (year-1; confidence interval [CI], 0.675, 0.711) to 0.731 (year-2; CI, 0.724, 0.738). In conclusion, we developed a clinically useful tool to provide prognostic information on long-term functional outcomes for adult survivors of moderate and severe closed TBI. Predictive accuracy for GOS level was demonstrated in an independent test sample. Length of PTA, a clinical marker of injury severity, was by far the most critical outcome determinant.
WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING: AN EMENDATION IN TACITUS, HISTORIAE 1.38.3

In January of the year a.d. 69, Marcus Salvius Otho, disappointed in his attempt to be named Galba's heir and successor, fomented revolt among the praetorian guard. Trading on the praetorians’ own discontent at not receiving the donative, he began to win over the soldiers’ favour. Tacitus relates that, when the attitude of the soldiers seemed ripe (haud dubiae iam in castris omnium mentes, Hist. 1.36.1), Otho himself came forth and began to implore them directly (nec deerat Otho protendens manus adorare uolgum, iacere oscula, et omnia seruiliter pro dominatione, Hist. 1.36.3); and after he accepted the oath of loyalty from the entire classicorum legio (Hist. 1.36.3), he felt ready to hold a speech encouraging the men to complete the deed by ousting Galba.
The Role of Genomic and Applied Molecular Biology

The world of genetics and molecular biology has exploded in the past 10 years. With the completion of the first phase of the human genome project, the genetic code has been deciphered. In addition, the rapid expansion of techniques, such as automated sequencing and analysis of gene arrays on microchips, has revolutionized research and will soon create a revolution in clinical medicine as well. The combination of understanding our own genetic sequence and the use of automated high-throughput technology will transform our world. In the near future, the understanding of organisms at a functional level, via proteomics, will expand our knowledge base by another order of magnitude. We start with a description of the fundamentals of genetics and move forward.
Rapid, Non-Invasive Determination of Cardiac Output at Rest by CO2 Rebreathing Using a Computerized System: Application in Normal Adults and Patients with Cardiac Disease

In 1909 Pleschl described an indirect method for measuring mixed venous carbon dioxide tension (\(P\bar{v}\) CO2). Application of this technique led to the development of non-invasive determination of cardiac output (CO) by carbon dioxide rebreathing (CO2RB). Clinical utilization of this method, however, has been limited because of technical considerations: expired gas must be collected and analyzed; and various calculations, including correction formulas, are necessary2,3.
Diagnostic Assessment of Assumptions for External Validity: An Example Using Data in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND Methods developed to estimate intervention effects in external target populations assume that all important effect measure modifiers have been identified and appropriately modeled. Propensity score-based diagnostics can be used to assess the plausibility of these assumptions for weighting methods. METHODS We demonstrate the use of these diagnostics when assessing the transportability of treatment effects from the standard of care for metastatic colorectal cancer control arm in a phase III trial (HORIZON III) to a target population of 1,942 Medicare beneficiaries age 65+ years. RESULTS In an unadjusted comparison, control arm participants had lower mortality compared with target population patients treated with the standard of care therapy (trial vs. target hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58, 0.89). Applying inverse odds of sampling weights attenuated the trial versus target HR (weighted HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.73, 1.26). However, whether unadjusted or weighted, hazards did not appear proportional. At 6 months of follow-up, mortality was lower in the weighted trial population than the target population (weighted trial vs. target risk difference [RD] = -0.07, 95% CI = -0.13, -0.01), but not at 12 months (weighted RD = 0.00, 95% CI = -0.09, 0.09). CONCLUSION These diagnostics suggest that direct transport of treatment effects from HORIZON III to the Medicare population is not valid. However, the proposed sampling model might allow valid transport of the treatment effects on longer-term mortality from HORIZON III to the Medicare population treated in clinical practice. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B435.
A Hierarchical Model for Analyzing User Experiences in Affect Aware Systems

Affect aware systems hold immense potential towards the creation of smart and assistive living spaces to establish paradigms of human-computer interactions through enhancing user experiences. The relevance of affect-aware systems not only lies in analyzing the affective components of user interactions, but it also involves analysis of the components affecting these user interactions in terms of context parameters and components of user behavior. Therefore, this work proposes a hierarchical structure for analyzing user behavior and performance while performing complex activities in the context of a smart home. This analysis would help to increase the assistive and adaptive nature of future intelligent systems for creation of smart and ambient living spaces in the context of a smart home; specifically, to improve the quality of life experienced by the increasing population of elderly people. To analyze the efficacy of this proposed model, several complex activities from the UK DALE dataset [1] were analyzed and a considerable efficiency of 75% was observed for the specific case study presented in this paper.
(106) Pain Intensity as a Lagging Indicator of Patient Improvement: Longitudinal Relationships with Sleep, Mood, and Function in Multidisciplinary Care

Patients and many providers assume that chronic pain intensity must be reduced before improvements in other patient reported outcomes such as mood and function are possible. However, there has been relatively little empirical inquiry into the temporal ordering of improvements in chronic pain treatment. It is unclear whether improvements in other domains are likely to emerge earlier in multidisciplinary care or their consequent implications for pain relief. The current study sought to examine these questions in patients presenting for chronic pain specialty care using data from PainTracker, a patient-reported outcome-tracking tool at the University of Washington Center for Pain Relief. We examined patient outcomes in 6 domains: average pain intensity, difficulties with initiating and maintaining sleep, depressive and anxious symptoms, and self-rated physical disability in a sample of 665 patients with chronic pain who demonstrated improvement in pain intensity (≥ 1 point reduction on 0-10 numeric rating scale) during their pain care. Data were drawn from a 1-year period beginning at initial presentation to the clinic to estimate cross-lagged longitudinal path models examining the relative size of relationships between pain intensity and other outcomes. Results indicated that improvements in pain and other outcomes followed similar trajectories across time. However, cross-lagged model analyses concerning relationships among outcomes indicated that all non-pain outcomes significantly predicted later pain intensity scores, whereas pain intensity predicted only sleep outcomes at a follow-up clinic visit. Our results provide preliminary evidence that reductions in pain intensity may not need to be the first step in patient improvement. In our analyses, pain improvement did not predict improvement in other outcomes. Indeed, improvements in mood, sleep, and function were stronger predictors of pain relief than vice-versa. Future studies may benefit from structured data collection and uniform interventional approaches to replicate and extend the current findings.
Carbon nanofoam paper enables high-rate and high-capacity Na-ion storage

Abstract Carbon nanofoams (CNF) fabricated within carbon-fiber paper are investigated as negative electrodes for electrochemical Na-ion storage. In electrolyte-limited half-cell testing vs. sodium metal, these freestanding, ultraporous electrode architectures deliver specific capacity >200 mA h gCNF−1 at a 1C rate and >150 mA h gCNF−1 at 10C. The outstanding charge-storage capacity is a consequence of the high defect concentration inherent to the amorphous carbon nanofoam, which maximizes a capacitively controlled sodiation mechanism, while the through-connected pore structure of the CNF facilitates high-rate capability. We also compare the electrochemical performance of two pore–solid architectural variants of CNF paper electrodes.
Citrus rootstock evaluation utilizing UAV-based remote sensing and artificial intelligence

Abstract The implementation of breeding methods requires the creation of a large and genetically diverse training population. Large-scale experiments are needed for the rapid acquisition of phenotypic data to explore the correlation between genomic and phenotypic information. Traditional sensing technologies for field surveys and field phenotyping rely on manual sampling and are time consuming and labor intensive. Since availability of personnel trained for phenotyping is a major problem, small UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) equipped with various sensors can simplify the surveying procedure, decrease data collection time, and reduce cost. In this study, we evaluated the phenotypic characteristics of sweet orange trees grafted on 25 rootstock cultivars with different influences on plant growth and productivity utilizing a UAV-based high throughput phenotyping system. Data collected by UAV were compared with data collected manually according to standard horticultural procedures. The UAV-based technique was able to detect and count citrus trees with high precision (99.9%) in an orchard of 4931 trees and estimate tree canopy size with a high correlation (R = 0.84) with the manual collected data. No correlation of UAV-based data and manually collected data was observed for yield. The reason for the observed deviation is the influence of different rootstock cultivars on yield efficiency. Despite the low vigor-inducing effect of some rootstocks, they are highly productive, whilst others are high in vigor but produce less fruit. Our study demonstrates the high accuracy of the UAV technique to assess tree size. When using these techniques, it is essential to recognize the limitations imposed by the biological system.
Race & Reproduction: An Enduring Conversation.

“History is always on our heel”Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States, 2017-2019Radio Hour 5 July 19 (Remnick 2019)The articles in this special issue of Medical Anthropology make a powe...
Patient-Surgeon Agreement in Assessment of Frailty, Physical Function, & Social Activity.

Abstract Background The shared decision-making process between surgical providers and patients relies on a joint understanding about the risks of different treatment options based on a patient's individual health state. However, it is unclear whether a patient's perception of their own condition is congruent with the health state assigned by their surgical providers. This study was designed to compare provider assessment of frailty versus patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of their own frailty status, physical function, and social activity level. Methods We prospectively assessed patients presenting to a vascular surgery clinic at an academic institution between May 2018 and June of 2019. Before clinic examination, patients completed PROs of their frailty status (Frail Non-Disabled survey), physical function (patient-reported outcome measurement information system [PROMIS] v1.2), and social activity level (PROMIS v2.0). Next, each patient's frailty status and overall health were scored by a surgical provider using the 9-point Clinical Frailty Scale, a validated frailty assessment tool that incorporates their functional status and level of activity. The correlation between the provider and PROs for frailty, physical function, and social activity was determined using the Spearman rank test, sensitivity/specificity tests, and receiver operating curves. Logistic regression models were used to predict 1-y mortality after assessment. Results A total of 118 patients were evaluated in clinic (50% male with mean age of 60 y), including 35 (30%) who were categorized as being frail by the surgical provider. In comparison, the same patients were much more likely to self-report as having low physical function (73%), being frail or disabled (79%), and/or unable to engage in social activities (78%). Although there was high sensitivity (89%) between a provider's and PROs for frailty, the specificity was low (26%) resulting in a receiver operating curve area of 0.57. Overall, there was low correlation between PROs for frailty (r = 0.16), physical function (r = 0.21), and social activities (r = 0.21) when compared with a provider's assessment of patient frailty. Models using PROs for frailty had better discrimination for predicting 1-y mortality (c-statistic: 0.72) than those using the Clinical Frailty Scale (c-statistic: 0.62). Conclusions Patients are more likely to self-report being frail, having low physical function, and limited social activity than what is detected by their surgical providers. These findings suggest that low levels of patient activity and its associated risk may often be underappreciated by surgical providers. Efforts are needed to improve how PROs are incorporated into surgical decision-making and outcome assessment.
How to Translate a Verbal Theory Into a Formal Model

Abstract. Turning verbal theories into formal models is an essential business of a mature science. Here I elaborate on taxonomies of models, provide ten lessons for translating a verbal theory into...
Accelerating Deep Decarbonization in the U.S. Transportation Sector

The transportation sector includes light-duty vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles (trucks), off-road vehicles, buses, rail, shipping, and aviation. Reducing emissions in this sector is critical in order to achieve the pathways to zero carbon. Transportation emissions accounted for 37 percent of total CO₂ emissions from energy and industry in 2019. The principal strategy for decarbonizing transportation is electrification (including battery, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cells) of all light-duty vehicles, urban-based trucks and buses, rail, much of long-haul trucking, and some short-haul shipping and aviation. For long-haul aviation and long-haul ocean shipping, advanced low-carbon biofuels and synthetic liquids or gases produced with renewable energy are the leading energy contenders. The second strategy builds on initiatives to reduce vehicle use and miles traveled while enhancing accessibility to health, education, jobs, and other services for the mobility disadvantaged. This transition will require a variety of actions by federal, state, and local governments as spelled out in detail in the report that follows.
A mechanistic stochastic framework for regulating bacterial cell division

How exponentially growing cells maintain size homeostasis is an important fundamental problem. Recent single-cell studies in prokaryotes have uncovered the adder principle, where cells add a fixed size (volume) from birth to division, irrespective of their size at birth. To mechanistically explain the adder principle, we consider a timekeeper protein that begins to get stochastically expressed after cell birth at a rate proportional to the volume. Cell-division time is formulated as the first-passage time for protein copy numbers to hit a fixed threshold. Consistent with data, the model predicts that the noise in division timing increases with size at birth. Intriguingly, our results show that the distribution of the volume added between successive cell-division events is independent of the newborn cell size. This was dramatically seen in experimental studies, where histograms of the added volume corresponding to different newborn sizes collapsed on top of each other. The model provides further insights consistent with experimental observations: the distribution of the added volume when scaled by its mean becomes invariant of the growth rate. In summary, our simple yet elegant model explains key experimental findings and suggests a mechanism for regulating both the mean and fluctuations in cell-division timing for controlling size.
Chondroitin Sulfate Promotes Interstitial Cell Activation and Calcification in an In Vitro Model of the Aortic Valve.

Purpose Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD), has been characterized as a cascade of cellular changes leading to leaflet thickening and valvular calcification. In diseased aortic valves, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) normally found in the valve spongiosa migrate to the collagen I-rich fibrosa layer near calcified nodules. Current treatments for CAVD are limited to valve replacement or drugs tailored to other cardiovascular diseases. Methods Porcine aortic valve interstitial cells and porcine aortic valve endothelial cells were seeded into collagen I hydrogels of varying initial stiffness or initial stiffness-matched collagen I hydrogels containing the glycosaminoglycans chondroitin sulfate (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), or dermatan sulfate (DS). Assays were performed after 2 weeks in culture to determine cell gene expression, protein expression, protein secretion, and calcification. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the importance of initial hydrogel stiffness, GAGs, and the presence of endothelial cells on calcification, both with and without osteogenic medium. Results High initial stiffness hydrogels and osteogenic medium promoted calcification, while for DS or HA the presence of endothelial cells prevented calcification. CS was found to increase the expression of pro-calcific genes, increase activated myofibroblast protein expression, induce the secretion of collagen I by activated interstitial cells, and increase calcified nodule formation. Conclusion This study demonstrates a more complete model of aortic valve disease, including endothelial cells, interstitial cells, and a stiff and disease-like ECM. In vitro models of both healthy and diseased valves can be useful for understanding the mechanisms of CAVD pathogenesis and provide a model for testing novel therapeutics.