cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Patients with Acute Lung Injury from Free-Text Chest X-Ray Reports

Identification of complex clinical phenotypes among critically ill patients is a major challenge in clinical research. The overall research goal of our work is to develop automated approaches that accurately identify critical illness phenotypes to prevent the resource intensive manual abstraction approach. In this paper, we describe a text processing method that uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and supervised text classification methods to identify patients who are positive for Acute Lung Injury (ALI) based on the information available in free-text chest x-ray reports. To increase the classification performance we enhanced the baseline unigram representation with bigram and trigram features, enriched the n-gram features with assertion analysis, and applied statistical feature selection. We used 10-fold cross validation for evaluation and our best performing classifier achieved 81.70% precision (positive predictive value), 75.59% recall (sensitivity), 78.53% f-score, 74.61% negative predictive value, 76.80% specificity in identifying patients with ALI.
Clinical Genetic Testing in Epilepsy

New technologies for mutation detection in the human genome have greatly increased our understanding of epilepsy genetics. Application of genomic technologies in the clinical setting allows for more efficient genetic diagnosis in some patients; therefore, it is important to understand the types of tests available and the types of mutations that can be detected. Making a genetic diagnosis improves overall patient care by enhancing prognosis and recurrence risk counseling and informing treatment decisions.
Synthesis and Solid-State Rotational Dynamics of Molecular Gyroscopes with a Robust and Low Density Structure Built with a Phenylene Rotator and a Tri(meta-terphenyl)methyl Stator

Recent studies suggest that the rotational dynamics in crystals of molecular gyroscopes become more favorable (i.e., faster) when the packing coefficient of the corresponding lattice is decreased by increasing the steric bulk of the stator, as expected for structures with high protuberances or deep cavities. In an effort to explore the effects of increased stator size on the solid-state dynamics of these crystalline models for molecular machines, molecular gyroscope 4 with an “exploded” bis(tri(meta-terphenyl)methyl) stator was synthesized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a packing structure with two crystallographically distinct gyroscope molecules and four ethyl acetate molecules per unit cell. Although a relatively low packing coefficient of 0.68 was determined for the corresponding packing motif, we noticed that rotators at the two sites have significantly different environments. The solid state rotational dynamics of the two central phenylenes in an ethyl acetate clathrate of 4 wer...
Investigation and analysis of nosocomial infection of hospitalization puerpera during ten years

Objective:To investigate and analyze the status of nosocomial infection of hospitalization puerpera, and provide the scientific theory basis on nosocomial infection prevention and control. Methods:Investigate and analyze nosocomial infection of hospitalization puerpera from 1999 to 2008 by retrospect study. Results:The nosocomial infection rate was 0.94%;the most infection site was respiratory tract (47.92%), of which the main was the upper respiratory tract. The second site was digestive tract (15.97%). There was no significant difference in the variation of nosocomial infection with season.Conclusion:The nosocomial infection rate could be decreased with nursing interventions such as strengthening health education, ventilating wards at interval time, reducing the visitors and accompany, enhancing washing hands,and shortening the time of indwelling catheter.
Deletion of the N- or C-Terminal Helix of Apolipophorin III To Create a Four-Helix Bundle Protein.

Apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) is an exchangeable apolipoprotein found in insects and plays an important function in lipid transport. The protein has an unusual five-helix bundle architecture, deviating from the common four-helix bundle motif. To understand the role of the additional helix in apoLp-III, the N-terminal or C-terminal helix was deleted to create a putative four-helix bundle protein. While the protein lacking helix-1 could be expressed in bacteria albeit at reduced yields, apoLp-III lacking helix-5 could not be produced. Mutational analysis by truncating helix-5 showed that a minimum segment of approximately one-third of the C-terminal helix is required for protein expression. The variant lacking helix-5 was produced by inserting a methionine residue between helix-4 and -5; subsequent cyanogenbromide cleavage generated the four-helix variant. Both N- and C-terminal helix deletion variants displayed significantly reduced helical content, protein stability, and tertiary structure. Despite the si...
Todo, Akiyaso (b. 1915)

Tōdō Akiyasu (1915–1985), an authority on Chinese language and linguistics, grew up in China and later became professor of Chinese and head of the Chinese Literature Faculty at Tokyo University. He worked in the field of Chinese historical linguistics, combining epigraphic, lexicological, and phonological research. His historical analysis of Chinese characters used a binary interpretation of ancient phonetic elements as semantic as well as phonetic signifiers. He used this new approach to compile a series of kanji dictionaries, several of which remain in standard use today. In later life he also worked to spread the study of Chinese language and culture in Japan, heading his own private Chinese studies academy, and teaching Chinese courses on national public television. He also developed a number of educational exchanges between China and Japan, for which he is remembered in both countries.
Human milk insulin is related to maternal plasma insulin and BMI: but other components of human milk do not differ by BMI

The impact of maternal BMI and insulin sensitivity on bioactive components of human milk (HM) is not well understood. As the prevalence of obesity and diabetes rises, it is increasingly critical that we understand how maternal BMI and hormones associated with metabolic disease relate to concentrations of bioactive components in HM. This longitudinal cohort design followed 48 breastfeeding mothers through the first four months of lactation, collecting fasting morning HM samples at 2-weeks and 1, 2, 3 and 4-months, and fasting maternal blood at 2-weeks and 4-months. Insulin, glucose, adipokines leptin and adiponectin, appetite regulating hormone ghrelin, marker of oxidative stress 8OHdG and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a) were measured in HM and maternal plasma. A total of 26 normal weight (NW) (BMI=21.4±2.0 kg/m2) and 22 overweight/obese (OW/Ob) (BMI=30.4±4.2 kg/m2) were followed. Of all HM analytes measured, only insulin and leptin were different between groups – consistently higher in the OW/Ob group (leptin: P<0.001; insulin: P<0.03). HM insulin was 98% higher than maternal plasma insulin at 2-weeks and 32% higher at 4-months (P<0.001). Maternal fasting plasma insulin and HOMA-IR were positively related to HM insulin at 2-weeks (P<0.001, R2⩾0.38, n=31), and 4-months (P⩽0.005, R2⩾0.20, n=38). The concentrations of insulin in HM are higher than in maternal plasma and are related to maternal BMI and insulin sensitivity. With the exception of leptin, there were minimal other differences observed in HM composition across a wide range in maternal BMI.
Real options valuation of a federally funded small Business portfolio

The Small Business Innovation Research program forms a key element of federal support of innovation and entrepreneurship. Historically this program has been valued on a cost basis and evaluated in terms of broader economic impact. Traditional discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques are inappropriate for projects with strongly skewed distributions of the probability of success; furthermore, the associated discount rate varies strongly in time, invalidating the assumptions of DCR analysis. While real options analysis accounts for flexibility in management opportunities and variations in risk levels, this methodology has only found limited use in the entrepreneurship literature to date. In this work, we analyze the SBIR portfolio of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the years 2009–2011. We discuss the quantitative results as well as the implications of using a real options approach for valuations of federally funded technology commercialization programs, as well as commercial portfolios.
The Savant Syndrome and Its Possible Relationship to Epilepsy

The goal of this chapter is to review the Savant syndrome (SS), characterized by outstanding islands of mental ability in otherwise handicapped individuals. Two forms exist: The congenital and acquired form. Among the many examples of the congenital form are the calendar calculators, who can quickly provide the day of the week for any date in the past. Other examples are the musical savants with perfect pitch and the hyperlexics, who (in one case) can read a page in 8 seconds and recall the text later at a 99% level. Other types of talents and artistic skills can be found, involving 3-D drawing, map memory, poetry, painting, sculpturing, including one savant who could recite without error the value of Pi to 22,514 places. The acquired form refers to the development of outstanding skills after some brain injury or disease, usually involving the left fronto-temporal area. This type of injury seems to inhibit the ‘tyranny of the left hemisphere’, allowing the right hemisphere to develop the savant skills. One other way to inhibit the left fronto-temporal area is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation in normal subjects and nearly one-half of these subjects can then perform new skills during the stimulation that they could not perform before. This type of finding indicates the potentiality in all of us for the development of savant skills under special circumstances. Explanations of the congenital SS include enhanced local connectivity as a compensation for underconnectivity of long-range fibers, but also weak central coherence, replaced by great attention to details, enhanced perceptual functioning and obsessive pre-occupation with specific interests. Neurodegenerative Diseases, edited by Shamim I. Ahmad.
Effect of strain and thickness on the transition temperature of epitaxial FeRh thin-films

The separate effects of strain and film thickness on the antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic phase transition temperature of FeRh thin films by both experiment and density functional calculations were determined. Strain was introduced by epitaxial growth onto MgO, SrTiO3, and KTaO3 substrates. Film thicknesses below 15 nm substantially suppress the transition temperature, T*, to below room temperature in unstrained films. For strained films, tensile/compressive strain decreases/increases T*, respectively. KTaO3 (001) substrates produce sufficient compressive strain to increase the transition temperature of 10 nm FeRh films above room temperature, which is useful for many proposed applications previously limited by the stabilization of the ferromagnetic state at small thicknesses. These results demonstrate that a judicious use of film thickness and substrate can be used to manipulate FeRh's transition temperature over a ∼200 K range.
Using the Index of Concentration at the Extremes at multiple geographical levels to monitor health inequities in an era of growing spatial social polarization: Massachusetts, USA (2010-14).

BACKGROUND Metrics that quantify economic and social spatial polarization at multiple geographical levels are not routinely used by health agencies, despite rising inequalities. METHODS We employed the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE), which quantifies how persons in a specified area are concentrated into the top vs bottom of a specified societal distribution, to examine associations with Massachusetts mortality data (2010-14). Our a priori hypotheses were that these associations would: be greater at the local [census tract (CT)] compared with city/town level; vary by race/ethnicity but not gender; and be greatest for our new ICE for racialized economic segregation. Mortality outcomes comprised: child (< 5 years); premature (< 65 years); and cause-specific (cancer; cardiovascular; diabetes; suicide; HIV/AIDS; accidental poisoning; smoking-attributable). RESULTS As illustrated by child mortality, in multilevel models jointly including CT and city/town metrics, the rate ratio comparing the worst to best-off ICE quintile for the total population ranged from 2.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6, 3.0] for the CT-level ICE for racialized economic segregation down to 1.1 (95% CI 0.8, 1.7) for the city/town-level ICE for racial segregation; similar patterns occurred by gender and for the non-Hispanic White population. Larger associations for the ICE for racialized economic segregation were at the CT-level for the Black non-Hispanic population (6.9; 95% CI 1.3, 36.9) and at the city/town level for the Hispanic population (6.4; 95% CI 1.2, 35.4). CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that health agencies should employ measures of spatial social polarization at multiple levels to monitor health inequities.
The Therapy of Acute Leukemia in the Adult A Progress Report

Complete remissions in adult patients with acute leukemia were unusual, if not rare, fifteen years ago. The discovery of highly effective antileukemic drugs such as cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin and the development of more effective combinations of active chemotherapeutic agents largely through empiric clinical trial and error have dramatically changed that situation so that today 70 % or more of previously untreated patients achieve complete remission status. This improvement has been facilitated by major developments in supportive care. The use of allopurinol for the prevention of urate nephropathy has eliminated that serious complication of antileukemic therapy. Newer antibiotics active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa have allowed for the successful treatment of many life threatening infections which occur in the granulocytopenic leukemia patient. Laminar air flow rooms which provide essentially sterile air, and oral nonabsorbable antibiotics which sterilize the gastrointestinal tract, protect the leukemia patient in large measure from microbial hazards in his external and internal environments. Blood cell component therapy allows for replacement of platelets and granulocytes in cytopenic patients. It is the purpose of this paper to detail some of these achievements.
Gregory E. Kaebnick and Thomas H. Murray, eds., Synthetic Biology and Morality: Artificial Life and the Bounds of Nature

One way of acknowledging the putative progress of science is to trace its successes with respect to description, manipulation, and genuine innovation. In this regard, the history of genetics can be viewed as an exemplary case study. Indeed, the ground breaking work of Watson and Crick, the remarkable results associated with both describing and manipulating regulatory genes (e.g., early and recent work on Drosophila), and the cutting edge efforts related to nuclear transfer (i.e., cloning) are stunning progress-worthy accomplishments. Yet, there are moral, religious, and social implications of scientific triumphs that may give us pause with respect to ascriptions of progress. For instance, genetic modification, stem cell procurement, reproductive enhancement, and cloning have received a great deal of negative attention from moral, religious, and political factions. These groups have cried foul for a mix of metaphysical, moral, and public policy reasons. There appears, then, to be a somewhat mixed reception with respect to some scientific endeavors and feats—especially those coups commandeered by biotechnology mavens. It is within this mixed reception that the burgeoning field of synthetic biology [SB hereafter] finds itself. Broadly, this discipline’s innovative uniqueness is captured not so much by its goals of (1) modifying organism behavior by modifying existing sets of DNA and (2) producing new sets of DNA to assist in the production of novel tasks, but more so by its focus on creating new organisms from (i) genetic raw material and (ii) from extant parts of living organisms. For example, Ro et al. (2006, Nature) have engineered an E. coli bacterial organism that can produce 10,000 times more artemisinic acid (needed for a certain anti-malarial drug) than the natural bacteria that produces this same chemical. They accomplished this by transplanting into the bacteria particular genes from the wormwood plant and yeast fungus. In a
Differential requirements for conserved peptidoglycan remodeling enzymes during Clostridioides difficile spore formation

Spore formation is essential for the bacterial pathogen and obligate anaerobe, Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile, to transmit disease. Completion of this process depends on the mother cell engulfing the developing forespore, but little is known about how engulfment occurs in C. difficile. In Bacillus subtilis, engulfment is mediated by a peptidoglycan degradation complex consisting of SpoIID, SpoIIP and SpoIIM, which are all individually required for spore formation. Using genetic analyses, we determined the functions of these engulfment-related proteins along with the putative endopeptidase, SpoIIQ, during C. difficile sporulation. While SpoIID, SpoIIP and SpoIIQ were critical for engulfment, loss of SpoIIM minimally impacted C. difficile spore formation. Interestingly, a small percentage of ∆spoIID and ∆spoIIQ cells generated heat-resistant spores through the actions of SpoIIQ and SpoIID, respectively. Loss of SpoIID and SpoIIQ also led to unique morphological phenotypes: asymmetric engulfment and forespore distortions, respectively. Catalytic mutant complementation analyses revealed that these phenotypes depend on the enzymatic activities of SpoIIP and SpoIID, respectively. Lastly, engulfment mutants mislocalized polymerized coat even though the basement layer coat proteins, SpoIVA and SipL, remained associated with the forespore. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of several stages during infectious C. difficile spore assembly.
Chronic pancreatitis changes in high-risk individuals for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background and Aims Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia is associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP) changes on EUS. The objective of this study was to determine whether CP changes were more common in high-risk individuals (HRIs) than in control subjects and whether these changes differed among higher-risk subsets of HRIs. Methods HRIs and control subjects were identified from an endoscopy database. HRIs were defined as having predisposing mutations or a family history (FH) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. HRIs were classified as vHRIs who met Cancer of the Pancreas Screening (CAPS) criteria for high risk and mHRIs who did not. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for confounders and CP risk factors. Results Sixty-five HRIs (44 vHRIs, 21 mHRIs) and 118 control subjects were included. HRIs were included for FH (25), Lynch syndrome (5), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (2), and mutations in BRCA1/2 (26), PALB2 (3), ATM (3), and CDKN2A (1). After adjustment for relevant variables, HRIs were 16 times more likely to exhibit 3 or more CP changes than control subjects (95% confidence interval, 2.6-97.0; P = .003). HRIs were also more likely to have hypoechoic foci (odds ratio, 8.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-32.9; P = .004). vHRIs and mHRIs did not differ in frequency of 3 or more CP changes on EUS. Conclusions HRIs were more likely to exhibit CP changes and hypoechoic foci on EUS compared with control subjects. HRIs with these findings may require closer surveillance. HRIs who did or did not meet CAPS criteria did not differ with regard to CP findings, supporting a more inclusive approach to screening.
Criminalizing the brain: Neurocriminology and the production of strategic ignorance

With the increasing use of imaging technologies like fMRI in prison sentencing and penal policy, sociologists must comprehend the consequences of these trends and the scientific assumptions upon which they stand. This article uses insights from the sociology of knowledge to interrogate the epistemological and ontological assumptions of neurocriminology, an interdisciplinary field that studies the neural basis of crime. Through a discourse analysis of research articles that embrace what we term the “neurocriminological vision,” we demonstrate how features of the research design eschew the consideration of social factors underlying crime and antisocial behavior. Focusing on the selection of control variables, the ‘thinness’ of experimental tasks, and the management of inconvenient facts, we demonstrate how neurocriminological research transforms complex, socially situated behaviors into problems of neurocircuitry. We link these practices to the field-specific dynamics in which neurocriminology is situated, specifically as an interdisciplinary field which derives authority from neuroscience but is met with skepticism within criminology. In response to these dynamics, neurocriminologists produce not only knowledge, but also ignorance that is strategically useful given their professional goals. Beyond the particular case at hand, we emphasize the relationship between internal dynamics within scientific fields and their effects on the co-production of knowledge and ignorance.
Relative Value Units: Using the New “Currency” for Measuring Clinical Productivity in a Productivity/Incentive Plan

This paper presents an overview of a productivity/incentive plan for faculty in an academic medicine center's department of behavioral medicine and psychiatry. The model utilizes the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) for its measurement of clinical productivity. The paper provides an introduction to RBRVS terminology and how the RBRVS system was developed. The productivity/incentive plan developed for the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, is described. The advantages and limitations of utilizing Relative Value Units (RVUs) in a productivity model are discussed. The paper may provide helpful insights to those charged with developing productivity/incentive plans at other academic health science centers.
A statistical and combinatorial approach to text file layout inference

For a computer program to process an input text file successfully, the program must recognize the file's characteristics. A file's characteristics may include file encoding (for example, ASCII vs. EBCDIC), file type (for example, fixed vs. delimited), and each field's contents and its location (for example, the second field in a delimited file is a name field, or from position 10 to position 30 in a fixed file is a name field). These file characteristics are referred to as the file layout. In this paper, a statistical and combinatorial approach is proposed to automatically identify a file's layout. The proposed algorithms have been implemented and deliver encouraging preliminary experimental results.
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study of Minocycline for Reducing the Symptom Burden Experienced by Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract Context Although it is well known that patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) experience significant symptom burden, few strategies for effective symptom intervention are available for them. Objectives To investigate the efficacy of minocycline, an anti-inflammatory agent, for symptom reduction in patients with advanced PC. Methods We conducted Phase II, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial to obtain preliminary estimates of the effects on symptom reduction with 100 mg of minocycline or placebo given twice a day. Eligible patients had diagnosed advanced PC and were scheduled for standard chemotherapy. Patient-reported symptoms were measured weekly during the eight-week trial using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) module in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The primary outcome measure was the area under the curve values of the five most severe symptoms in the two arms. Results Of the 44 patients recruited, 31 (71%) were evaluable for the primary efficacy analysis, with 18 received minocycline and 13 placebo. Fatigue, pain, disturbed sleep, lack of appetite, and drowsiness were the most severe symptoms reported by both groups. No significant differences in area under the curve values over time between the study arms were found for the composite MDASI score or single-item scores of the five most severe MDASI items. No treatment-related deaths were reported, and no Grade 3–4 toxicities were observed. Conclusion Minocycline is safe for use in patients receiving treatment for PC. There is no observed symptom reduction with minocycline on the major symptom burden associated with advanced PC compared with placebo. Attrition because of rapid disease progression impacted the study significantly.
Growth-induced temperature changes during transition metal nitride epitaxy on transparent SiC substrates

Noncontact band edge thermometry based on diffuse reflectance was used to monitor and control the substrate temperature rise during the MBE growth of niobium nitride transition metal nitrides on transparent, wide-bandgap silicon carbide substrates. Temperature transients as large as 135 °C are induced by changing the main substrate shutter state. The growth of niobium nitride films as thin as ∼5 nm leads to temperature increases as large as 240 °C. In addition, a temperature decrease during the growth of ultrawide-bandgap AlN films on niobium nitride was observed and characterized. The causes of the observed temperature excursions are explained by considering the Stefan–Boltzmann law, and ways to better control the substrate temperature are discussed.
Summary of Workshop 3a: Hemodynamic Injury

The workshop began with five-minute presentations from each of the participants who were asked to give a brief panoramic view of the present state of knowledge regarding intravascular fluid mechanics as a factor in thromboatherogenesis. This served as a review for those in related fields and as a point of departure for subsequent discussion. Dr. Nerem began with a review of basic fluid mechanics. Hemodynamic stress was defined and shown to be resolved into two components: a pressure and a shear stress. Types of flow fields that can occur in a variety of conduit geometries were also reviewed (1). The extraordinary complexities that can occur in these fields were emphasized. Although flow tends to be streamlined in the vascular system, a branching conduit such as the arterial tree can manifest significant variation of shear stress from point to point and is particularly vulnerable to localized areas of disturbed flow patterns and flow separation. It was noted that the maintenance of a stable flow pattern in any conduit configuration depends on subtle geometric considerations and that, given a stable flow conduit system, subtle distortions of this geometry will destroy its streamlined properties. For example, the overdistended and distorted arterial tree associated with hypertension might be particularly predisposed to unstable flow patterns. The endothelial surface was found to be sensitive to adjacent hemodynamic events. Endothelial permeability was shown to increase monotonically with acute exposure to increasing levels of shear stress.
A transmission-type triple grating spectrograph for improved laser scattering diagnostics of low-density plasmas used in chemical analysis

A wide variety of plasma geometries and modalities have been utilized for chemical analysis to date, however, there is much left to be understood in terms of the underlying mechanisms. Plasma diagnostics have been used for many years to elucidate these mechanisms, with one of the most powerful techniques being laser scattering approaches. Laser scattering provides information about the energetic species distributions, in terms of kinetic energy and densities, which can provide invaluable insights into the fundamental processes of chemical analysis plasmas with minimal perturbation. Thomson scattering (TS) from free electrons is the most difficult to implement due to the extremely stringent instrumental requirements for discerning the signal from competing scatterers in low-density plasmas, such as those seen in analytical chemistry applications. Nonetheless, relatively few instruments have been developed to satisfy these stringent requirements. In this paper, the design and characterization of a transmission-type triple grating spectrograph (TGS), with high numerical aperture (0.25)/contrast (≤10−6 at 532 ± 0.5 nm)/stray light rejection (∼1.8 × 10−8 at 532 ± 22–32 nm) required for TS, will be presented. In addition, proof-of-principle measurements on glow discharges operated under typical optical emission spectroscopy (OES) conditions demonstrate the high light throughput and low limits-of-detection (∼109 cm−3 at ∼1 eV Te) afforded by the new instrument.
Special dermatological presentation of paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome related to COVID-19: erythema multiforme.

A previously healthy 13-year-old boy was hospitalised in April 2020 following 7 days of fever along with abdominal and thoracic pain, odynodysphagia and a new skin eruption first seen on the day of admission. Besides paracetamol, there were no other current treatments. Our patient’s mother
Trainee Research Related to the Opioid-Related Activities Database Abstracts Presented at the 121st Virtual Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 13-31, 2020: Implementing an Activity to Identify and Communicate about At-Risk Opioid Behaviors in a Community Pharmacy

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of an opioid objective structured learning experience (OSLE) focused on identifying and communicating about at-risk opioid behaviors in a community practice setting. Methods. A literature search included a review of the AACP Opioid-Related Activities Database that identified and evaluated educational activities, such as the RESPOND program (Oregon State University), that focused on communication surrounding opioids. A lack of activities emphasizing how to convey concerns about at-risk behaviors and refuse to fill opioid prescriptions in the AACP database was noted. With permission, aspects of the RESPOND program were utilized to develop a new opioid activity that included a didactic lecture and OSLE. The OSLE included two cases where students refused to fill an opioid prescription and counseled a patient demonstrating at-risk opioid behaviors on an opioid prescription. Student communication was evaluated by rubrics that were created and adapted from other activities included in the AACP database. A voluntary and anonymous survey that utilized a Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree) evaluated student confidence in their skills and satisfaction with the activity before and after the OSLE. Results. One hundred forty-four and one hundred nine students completed the pre- and post- surveys, respectively. After the OSLE, student confidence in their ability to assess at-risk opioid behaviors, counsel a patient demonstrating at-risk behaviors, refuse to fill an opioid prescription, and respond to a patient's nonverbal responses improved by 67%, 37%, 49%, 46%, respectively. A majority of students (81%) felt that practicing these skills in an OSLE was beneficial. Conclusion. Incorporating an opioid OSLE allowed students to practice engaging in difficult conversations with patients demonstrating at-risk opioid behaviors and improved student's self-reported confidence. A majority of students agreed the OSLE was beneficial.
Detecting IoT Devices in the Internet

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks launched from compromised Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices have shown how vulnerable the Internet is to large-scale DDoS attacks. To understand the risks of these attacks requires learning about these IoT devices: where are they? how many are there? how are they changing? This paper describes three new methods to find IoT devices on the Internet: server IP addresses in traffic, server names in DNS queries, and manufacturer information in TLS certificates. Our primary methods (IP addresses and DNS names) use knowledge of servers run by the manufacturers of these devices. Our third method uses TLS certificates obtained by active scanning. We have applied our algorithms to a number of observations. With our IP-based algorithm, we report detections from a university campus over 4 months and from traffic transiting an IXP over 10 days. We apply our DNS-based algorithm to traffic from 8 root DNS servers from 2013 to 2018 to study AS-level IoT deployment. We find substantial growth (about $3.5\times $ ) in AS penetration for 23 types of IoT devices and modest increase in device type density for ASes detected with these device types (at most 2 device types in 80% of these ASes in 2018). DNS also shows substantial growth in IoT deployment in residential households from 2013 to 2017. Our certificate-based algorithm finds 254k IP cameras and network video recorders from 199 countries around the world.
Reading in Medieval St. Gall

Introduction 1. Medieval reading 2. Education at St Gall 3. Language use and choice 4. The St Gall Tractate 5. Discretion in the classroom 6. Accentus 7. Spelling for reading Bibliographies.
MUC4 is expressed in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.

AIMS Mucin 4 (MUC4) is a transmembrane glycoprotein normally expressed by several human epithelial surfaces, including those of the colon, vagina, and respiratory tract. Although MUC4 overexpression is seen in various carcinomas, its expression among mesenchymal neoplasms is fairly specific to low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma and sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma. Having observed unanticipated anti-MUC4 immunoreactivity in rhabdomyosarcoma, we aimed to further characterise its expression. METHODS AND RESULTS Expression of MUC4 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a total of 97 rhabdomyosarcomas using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. MUC4 was expressed by 21 of 26 PAX3/7-FOXO1 fusion-positive cases, wherein immunoreactivity, varying from weak to strong, was present in 20-100% of neoplastic cells. With the exception of one sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma showing immunoreactivity in 20% of cells, MUC4 was not expressed by embryonal (n = 28), sclerosing (n = 20), or pleomorphic (n = 23) rhabdomyosarcomas. Analysing published gene expression microarray data from a separate cohort of 33 fusion-positive and 25 fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcomas, we found on average a 11.4-fold increased expression in fusion-positive tumours (P = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS MUC4 is expressed to a variable extent in the majority of PAX3/7-FOXO1 fusion-positive (alveolar) rhabdomyosarcomas, while expression in other rhabdomyosarcoma subtypes is rare.
Learning-Based Nonlinear $H^\infty$ Control via Game-Theoretic Differential Dynamic Programming

In this work, we present a learning-based nonlinear $H^\infty$ control algorithm that guarantee system performance under learned dynamics and disturbance estimate. The Gaussian Process (GP) regression is utilized to update the nominal dynamics of the system and provide disturbance estimate based on data gathered through interaction with the system. A soft-constrained differential game associated with the disturbance attenuation problem in nonlinear $H^\infty$ control is then formulated to obtain the nonlinear $H^\infty$ controller. The differential game is solved through the min-max Game-Theoretic Differential Dynamic Programming (GT-DDP) algorithm in continuous time. Simulation results on a quadcopter system demonstrate the efficiency of the learning-based control algorithm in handling external disturbances.
Portfolio Decisions of Older American Workers: The Role of Private Pensions

With a large proportion of the USA population getting closer to retirement age, it is necessary to ensure the security of the retirement wealth for this old generation. In order to do so, it is important to understand not only how much wealth older workers hold, but also how they hold it. This research is one of the first studies to investigate the effect of pension type on older workers' asset allocation decisions. After the pension type transition, from Defined Benefit (DB) to Defined Contribution (DC) plans, stock market risk has been transferred from firms to individuals, in the sense that older workers with DC pensions are more exposed to the risk in the financial market return rate. Since the beginning of 2000, the US stock market has sharply declined, which has directly influenced the value of retirement assets, namely the value of DC pension plans, given many DC pension accounts were invested in the financial market. As a result, this stock market failure might then cause unexpected insufficiency in the retirement wealth for those with DC pensions. My hypothesis is that people with different types of pensions will allocate their non-pension wealth differently according to their pension type. Specifically, older workers with DC pensions might have already adjusted their asset allocation in such a way that they will have enough to maintain their standard of living, even when the market return is low and their pension values are reduced. In this study, I first present a theoretical model in a dynamic setting, in which the asset allocation decisions are endogenously determined. Then, I use the data from all available waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a panel survey of retirement age respondents and their spouses, from 1992 to the present, to perform the empirical analysis. The empirical work studies the effect of pension type on asset allocation by comparing the non-pension wealth portfolio choices of older workers with DB pensions and of those with DC pensions. Preliminary results show that pension type does have an effect on people's asset allocation decisions, which might be informative to policy makers in the debate on Social Security privatization.
Synthesis and magnetic properties of CuCr2S4 chalcospinel nanocrystals using single-source precursors

Abstract Magnetic thiospinel CuCr2S4 nanocrystals (NCs) have been synthesized via hot-injection (HI) method using metal-complexes of diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC) and 1-dodecanethiol (1-DDT) as the precursors. The single-source precursor's effect on the composition, crystallinity, and structure of the products is studied. Moreover, the influence of various process parameters, such as reaction time and temperature, capping ligand, and precursor on the crystalline phase, shape, and size of the NCs is systematically investigated. The morphological changes and magnetic properties of the NCs are also examined. The synthesized materials have been analyzed and characterized using X-ray diffraction, TEM, HRTEM, HAADF-STEM, and EDS-STEM. The results reveal the formation of uniform NCs of CuCr2S4 along with appearance of a trace amount of sulfur. The presence of sulfur in the structure of the organic ligand DDTC likely facilitates formation of the sulfur impurity. Our results indicate that controlling the formation of pure-phase nanoparticles using metal-DDTC precursors is more challenging than using simple metal salts reported earlier. Nevertheless, this work is the first successful effort in preparing NCs of CuCr2S4 employing single-source precursors.
Research conceptualization in doctoral and master’s research writing

Research conceptualization is challenging for doctoral and master’s writers, particularly multilingual students engaging in thesis writing or writing for publication. In doctoral and master’s student writing, research conceptualization appears in three genres: problem statements, research proposals and introduction sections or chapters. Swale’s (1990; Feak and Swales, 2011) CARS model is most often used to analyze conceptualization in these genres. While very useful as an analytical tool, the CARS model does not translate well to pedagogy. I argue that Merriam’s (2009) problem/purpose statement and questions (PPS&Q) format provides a flexible and accessible technique to make the process of research conceptualization visible and to help students focus their research throughout the writing process. Navigating problem formulation and gap spotting requires highly complex literacies and Merriam’s method allows students to begin simply and build complexity. While genre visibility provides a way for doctoral and master’s students to access high-level literacies demands, it can also be formulaic and constraining and needs to be taught with critical awareness.
Wideband VLF/LF Transmission from an Electrically-Small Antenna by Means of Time-Varying Non-Reciprocity via High-Speed Switches

We present a novel approach to transmitting wideband signals from electrically-small antennas (ESAs), with a focus on low frequencies where ESA limitations are most severe. Very low frequency (VLF) and low frequency (LF) signals have exceptionally long wavelengths, which make them well-suited to several critical applications but also difficult to generate. Conventional VLF/LF transmitters employ a resonant matching network that can achieve high efficiency, but only within a fundamentally narrow bandwidth. Here, we instead offer a time-varying matching technique that removes the need for resonance entirely. By actively manipulating reflections from the end of the antenna via highspeed switches, the antenna becomes non-reciprocal and is therefore matched to its generator. Moreover, because the matching occurs in the time-domain, this solution works over a very broad (orders of magnitude) frequency band, and therefore does not limit the system bandwidth. Numerical modeling of the transmitter confirms the theory of operation and suggests an improved performance over conventional antennas. In addition, experimental results demonstrate the ability to achieve non-reciprocity with high-speed switches, and indicate higher radiated power from a time-varying electrically-small VLF/LF transmitter prototype.
Some properties of TTF-classes

Since the TTF-theory was initiated by Jams [~], various authors have made interesting studies of the theory, particularly, over semi-perfect rings. The present paper is to establish several basic properties of TTF-classes, which provide a generalization and refinement of their results. It will be shown, among others, that if (~, ~) is a torsion theory over a ring R on the left with TTF-class ~ determined by an idem~otent ideal I, then d7 is a TTF-class or hereditary if and only if I is a direct s,~d of R or ~I is flat as a right R-module respectively. Let R be a ring with unit element. A class of (unital) left R-modules is called a torsion class if it is closed under homomorphic images, direct sums, and group extensions, while it is called a torsion-free class if it is closed under submodules, direct products, and group extensions. Let C be any class of left R-modules. Define C t to be the class of those left R-modules X for which HOmR(X,M ) = 0 for all M in ~. Then ~ is a torsion class. Similarly, if we define ~r to be the class of those left R-modules Y for which HomR(M,Y ) = 0 for all M in ~, then O r is a torsion-free class. Conversely, it was shown by Dickson [3] that every torsion class and every torslon-free class is given in this way; more precisely, ~ is a torsion class if and only if (~r) 9 = ~, while ~ is a torsion-free class if and only if (d~) r = ~. A torsion class is called hereditary if it is closed under submodules. A necessary and sufficient condition for this is that the associated torsion-free class ~r is closed under inJective envelopes, as was proved also by Dickson. Now, ~ is called
1 An Essay on Texture: The Extraction of Stimulus Structure from the Visual Image

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of texture in visual image segmentation, with focus on the extraction of texture information from the visual image and its utilization in the segmentation task. A fundamental processing step of visual perceptual organization is the formation of regions by grouping together smaller local areas that display similar characteristics. The segmentation of the raw visual image into these regions of relatively homogeneous characteristics is an important step toward organizing and understanding of the visual input for both the human visual system and for computer vision systems. Research in the areas of visual search and preattentive texture segmentation suggests that the human visual system can process the visual field in parallel, very rapidly, and without scrutiny of focused attention to provide grouping of the image into regions of similar properties. Meanwhile, research in computer vision has implemented a very wide variety of image segmentation methods. The task to be handled by processing the image is the same in either type of vision system. The chapter describes various methods implemented in computer vision systems and various models or viewpoints of the task performed in human vision. The chapter also discusses the utilization of feature maps, extraction of texture-defined boundaries and regions, and the methods of linear-filter models.
A Review of Video Sources in ATM Networks

In this brief paper, we discuss the transport of digital video data in the Broadband ISDN environment. We review the characteristics of video traffic streams that are generated by coder/decoder equipment and talk about some attempts to characterize statistically the source stream of video cells.
The role of dust storms in total atmospheric particle concentrations at two sites in the western U.S.

Received 27 June 2013; revised 26 August 2013; accepted 18 September 2013; published 10 October 2013. [1] Mineral aerosols are produced during the erosion of soils by wind and are a common source of particles (dust) in arid and semiarid regions. The size of these particles varies widely from less than 2 μm to larger particles that can exceed 50 μm in diameter. In this study, we present two continuous records of total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations at sites in Mesa Verde and Canyonlands National Parks in Colorado and Utah, USA, respectively, and compare those values to measurements of fine and coarse particle concentrations made from nearby samplers. Average annual concentrations of TSP at Mesa Verde were 90 μ gm � 3 in 2011 and at Canyonlands were 171 μ gm � 3 in 2009, 113 μ gm � 3 in 2010, and 134 μ gm � 3 in 2011. In comparison, annual concentrations of fine (diameter of 2.5 μm and below) and coarse (2.5–10 μm diameter) particles at these sites were below 10 μ gm � 3 in all years. The high concentrations of TSP appear to be the result of regional dust storms with elevated concentrations of particles greater than 10 μm in diameter. These conditions regularly occur from spring through fall with 2 week mean TSP periodically in excess of 200 μ gm � 3 . Measurement of particles on filters indicates that the median particle size varies between approximately 10 μm in winter and 40 μm during the spring. These persistently elevated concentrations of large particles indicate that regional dust emission as dust storms and events are important determinants of air quality in this region.