cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grade‐Level Differences in the Social Value of Effort: Implications for Self‐Presentation Tactics of Early Adolescents

Differences in fourth, sixth, and eighth grade (10-, 12-, and 14-year-old) students' willingness to portray themselves as diligent to their popular peers and teachers and their perceptions of the social value of effort and ability ascriptions were examined. The results revealed that the fourth- and sixth-grade students desired to portray themselves as effortful to teachers and peers, whereas the eighth graders were more reluctant to convey to their popular peers than teachers that they study hard. Consistent with these findings, the fourth graders perceived high effort to increase teacher approval as well as popularity among peers, whereas the eighth graders viewed diligence as facilitating teacher approval but low effort expenditure as improving peer popularity. Reasons for youngsters' changing notions of the social value of achievement ascriptions and their self-presentation tactics in school are discussed.
A Bearing-Type High-Frequency Electro-Dynamic Ammeter

A jewel-bearing oscillating-ring electrodynamic ammeter is described and the method for calibrating it is explained. Data and calculations are presented to show that it is a standard of current at high frequencies. The frequency characteristics of three miniature thermocouple ammeters are measured with it.
Geometric accuracy of a real-time target tracking system with dynamic multileaf collimator tracking system

Purpose: Dynamically compensating for target motion during radiotherapy will increase treatment accuracy. A laboratory system for real-time target tracking with a dynamic MLC has been developed. In this study, the geometric accuracy limits of this DMLC target tracking system were evaluated. Methods and Materials: A motion simulator was programmed to follow patient-derived tumor motion paths, parallel to the leaf motion direction. A target attached to the simulator was optically tracked, and the leaf positions adjusted to continually align the DMLC beam aperture to the target. Analysis of the tracking accuracy was based on video images of the target and beam alignment. The system response time was determined and the tracking error measured. Response time–corrected tracking accuracy was also calculated to investigate the accuracy limits of an improved system. Results: The response time of the system is 160 ± 2 ms. The geometric precision for tracking patient motion is 0.6 to 1.1 mm (1σ) for the 3 patient datasets tested, with tracking errors relative to the original patient motion of 35, 40, and 100%. Conclusions: A DMLC target tracking system has been developed that can account for detected motion parallel to the leaf motion direction. The tracking error has a negligible systematic component. Reducing the response time will further increase the overall system accuracy.
East is East, and West is West? Currency iconography as nation-branding in the wider Europe

Abstract This article considers European banknote iconography as an indicator of national branding choices from the early twentieth century up to the present. Systematic quantitative content analysis demonstrates that the values and ontologies expressed on Central/East European banknotes have historically tracked closely with the trends visible on their West European counterparts. This pattern is evident not just since the end of the Cold War, but indeed right from the founding of the modern Central/East European states about a century ago. Even during the Cold War, it did not take long for the trends on Western banknotes to appear on Central/East European banknotes as well. Thus, contrary to the conventional assumption of a deep-rooted normative gulf separating the national identity discourses of so-called “New” and “Old” Europe, the article underscores the fact of intense, longstanding normative cross-pollination between them.
Low-cost coordinated nonblocking checkpointing in mobile computing systems

A mobile computing system consists of mobile and stationary nodes. Checkpointing in mobile systems faces many new challenges, such as low wireless bandwidth, frequent disconnections and lack of stable storage at mobile nodes. Previously proposed checkpoint algorithms for mobile environments do not take into consideration the coordinating message overhead of the mobile participants. In this paper, we propose a new checkpoint algorithm for mobile distributed systems. Our algorithm is nonblocking and minimizes the number of checkpoint participants. We propose a new idea called proxy coordinator. By using proxy coordinator, mobile participants' coordinating message overhead is minimized to O(1), which can otherwise be as high as O(n) in other proposed algorithms.
A Narrative Perspective on the Development of the Tense/Aspect System in Second Language Acquisition.

A number of studies on the acquisition of tense and aspect by learners of a second language point to the hypothesis that narrative structure influences the distribution of tense/aspect forms in interlanguage. However, the studies have reported conflicting profiles of tense/aspect use. This study suggests that much of the variation that has been previously reported stems from the level of proficiency of the learners. This crosssectional study examines 37 written and oral narrative pairs produced in a film retell task by adult learners of English as a second language. The analysis approaches the texts from two perspectives, from the perspective of acquisition, taking narrative structure (specifically grounding) as an environment for acquisition of tense/aspect, and from the perspective of the narrative itself, characterizing the foreground and background by the tense/aspect forms used. The study finds a developmental pattern in the distribution of tense/aspect morphology with respect to narrative structure. These results permit the assimilation of earlier findings into a developmental sequence in the acquisition of the tense/aspect system.
Different Cell Susceptibility to Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in a Patient with X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an ubiquitous B lymphotropic virus which causes infectious mononucleosis (IM) and is associated with human malignancies such as Burkitt’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (1). Recently, EBV-induced lymphoproliferation and lymphoma have been reported in patients with primary or secondary immunodeficiency (1). Depending on the type and degree of immunodeficiency, and timing of the EBV infection, individuals appear to develop a variety of life-threatening lymphoproliferative diseases.
A cross-sectional survey to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding measles vaccination among ethnic minorities.

Objective : Vaccines have prevented the spread of many diseases. However, lower vaccination rates have been found among the minority nationalities of China. We carried out this research to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in Xunhua Salar Automous County, of childhood immunization, particularly in regard to vaccination to prevent measles. Methods: A close-ended questionnaire was designed to evaluate KAP among 240 primary caregivers sampled by using the probability proportional to size method. The chi-square test and the logistic regression were used for statistical analysis to explore the potential risk factors associated with childhood underimmunization. Results: We found the majority of primary caregivers (80%) did not know their children could be immunized for free under the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) when they left the permanent resident areas. More than 95% of caregivers believed vaccines were effective. However, 34.6% of the children missed opportunities for vaccination or delayed vaccination. Our results showed that the potential risk factors associated with the increasing likelihood of a child missing or delaying immunization were: inadequate supplies of vaccine service; lacking information on immunization program; and lower educational level of caregivers. More than 70% of caregivers expected to acquire immunization information from village doctors or local religious leaders. Conclusions: To increase immunization rates among minority children, more immunization services are strongly suggested. Local religious leaders were encouraged to play a vital role in improving caregivers’ awareness of the immunization program, especially for those without formal schooling. ( Ethn Dis . 2015;25[1]:98– 103)
Two separate genes encode the catalytic 70 kDa V-ATPase subunit in Psilotum and Equisetum.

Vacuolar type ATPases have been found on various endomem branes of eukaryotic cells, e.g. lysosomes, chromaffin granules, vesicles derived from the Golgi apparatus, endosomes and vacuoles. Although this ATPase type is targeted to different compartments in one cell, only one gene for each subunit had been found per genome.Using PCR across intron-exon boundaries we show that two different genes encode the cat­alytic subunit of the V-ATPase in Psilotum nudum and Equisetum arvense. The substitution rates for the three codon positions and the intervening sequences show that in Psilotum both genes are transcribed and are under selection pressure, however, this seems not to be the case for Equisetum. The relatively high similarity between the two genes found in each species as compared to the interspecies similarities suggest that for some time after the gene duplication had occurred the two copies were subject to gene conversion mechanisms. An unexpected degree of conservation of the intervening sequences themselves is noted and statistically verified, however, no structural constraints that could explain these findings were detected.
Performance, Control, and Simulation of the Affordable Guided Airdrop System

This paper addresses the development of an autonomous guidance, navigation and control system for a flat solid circular parachute. This effort is a part of the Affordable Guided Airdrop System (AGAS) that integrates a low-cost guidance and control system into fielded cargo air delivery systems. The paper describes the AGAS concept, its architecture and components. It then reviews the literature on circular parachute modeling and introduces a simplified model of a parachute. This model is used to develop and evaluate the performance of a modified bang-bang control system to steer the AGAS along a pre-specified trajectory towards a desired landing point. The synthesis of the optimal control strategy based on Pontryagin's principle of optimality is also presented. The paper is intended to be a summary of the current state of AGAS development. The paper ends with the summary of the future plans in this area.
Assessment of nontoxic, secondary effects of sorbent amendment to sediments on the deposit-feeding organism Neanthes arenaceodentata.

Activated carbon (AC) amendments to sediments were tested for nontoxic, secondary effects on survival, weight change, and energetic biomarkers of the deposit feeder Neanthes arenaceodentata. The tests employed silica sand, reference sediments, and contaminated sediments. Survival was not affected by the sediment type, the AC dose (20% versus 5%), or the AC particle size. Without additional food supply, exposure to untreated and AC-amended sediments resulted in similar reduction of weight and lipid content, with no difference between ingestible and noningestible AC. Overall, whether with or without AC, the organisms showed signs of starvation, as the organisms would most likely rely on organic surface deposits for their diet in the environments from which the sediments were collected. When additional food was supplied, the organisms grew significantly and maintained higher lipid and glycogen contents. However, when feeding on fish food, organisms grew less in AC amendments with slightly lower lipid and gly...
Heats of Formation for CFn (n = 1−4), CFn+ (n = 1−4), and CFn- (n =1−3)

Accurate heats of formation are computed for CFn (n =1−4), CFn+ (n =1−4), and CFn- (n =1−3). The geometries and vibrational frequencies are determined at the B3LYP level of theory. The energetics are determined at the CCSD(T) level of theory. Basis set limit values are obtained by extrapolation. In those cases where the CCSD(T) calculations become prohibitively large, the basis set extrapolation is performed at the MP2 level. The temperature dependence of the heat of formation, heat capacity, and entropy are computed for the temperature range 300−4000 K and fit to a polynomial.
POPULATION STUDIES IN PREDOMINANTLY SELF‐POLLINATED SPECIES. IV. SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN ESTIMATED VALUES OF GENETIC PARAMETERS IN LIMA BEAN POPULATIONS

Gene and genotypic frequencies, in the aggregate, determine the genetic composition of populations, and changes in these frequencies are the basis of evolutionary processes. Precise analyses of evolutionary processes therefore depend on the availability of estimates of parameters specifying factors which have an influence in changing gene and genotypic frequencies. This study is concerned with generationby-generation estimates of two kinds of population parameters whose values have important implications concerning population structure and the evolutionary potential of predominantly self-pollinated species. These are, first, a parameter which specifies the proportion of selfing versus outcrossing; and second, the parameters specifying the relative viabilities (selective or adaptive values) of the two homozygotes and the heterozygote at a diallelic locus. The basic data from which these estimates were made were obtained by taking an annual census of frequencies of the SS, Ss, and ss genotypes in three experimental lima bean populations, identified by the numbers 53, 59, and 65. This locus is advantageous for studies of this type because the three genotypes are distinguishable on the basis of differing seed-coat patterns of mature seeds (Allard, 1953). The methods by which these three populations were developed and maintained have been described in detail elsewhere (Parsons and Allard, 1960), but will be reviewed
Potential Role of DARC-Chemokine Interaction in the Recruitment of Osteoclast Precursors in Response to Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide Challenge

Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) binds to a number of pro-inflammatory chemokines, and since chemokines are known to regulate trafficking of osteoclast (OC) precursors, we predicted that DARC would regulate OC recruitment to sites of inflammation by modulating chemokine activity. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the mRNA expression of Darc and the chemokines known to bind to DARC, in endothelial cells treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The mRNA expression of Mcp-1, Rantes, Darc and Ccr5 was significantly increased in endothelial cells in response to LPS treatment. Blocking the function of DARC with neutralizing antibody partially abrogated the effect of LPS on the mRNA expression of Mcp-1 and Rantes. In vivo, mice with targeted disruption of Darc gene (Darc-KO) and control wild-type (WT) mice were used to assess the role of DARC in response to single LPS application on the top of parietal bones. Five hours post-LPS injection, local expression of Cd14 mRNA (a marker of inflammatory monocytes) was significantly increased in both lines of mice. However, the magnitude of increase was greater in WT mice compared with Darc-KO mice suggesting a role for DARC in mediating the recruitment of monocytes in response to LPS. Histological staining for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in calvaria sections taken from the injection sites revealed a significant reduction in TRAP-labeled surface per bone surface in response to LPS in Darc-KO mice compared with WT mice. Based on these findings, we concluded that DARC regulates recruitment of OC precursors at the inflammation site, probably through regulation of chemokines transcytosis across endothelial cell barrier.
Exploring transportation equity: Development and application of a transportation justice framework

Abstract Recent efforts to emphasize social equity in transportation are emerging as local, regional and national governments have set initiatives to identify, existing and potential, disproportionate impacts to low-income and minority populations, also referred to as transportation justice (TJ). Currently, there are suggested methods for identifying transportation justice areas; however, there is no streamlined method instituted across transportation agencies. Each jurisdiction identifies transportation justice (or environmental justice) areas based on their own methodology, typically based on either average regional thresholds, graduated thresholds, or a more unique in-house index methodology. This research explores and evaluates existing methods and develops a rigorous and comprehensive method called the Transportation Justice Threshold Index Framework (TJTIF) using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), as well as factors based on demographics, socio-economics, and transportation/land use. The framework is applied to a case study region in Pennsylvania reflective of the Marcellus Shale impact area, highlighting Sullivan County, PA. The methodology and the case study application serve as an example for how transportation agencies throughout the country can promote social sustainability and enhance transportation equity.
Senior centres in the lives of older Americans: implications for Chinese older adults

As a critical community resource, the senior centre has provided older Americans with a wide array of recreational, nutritional, health, and social service programmes. Funding resources include the...
Simulation of the Frequency Comb Induced by a Periodically Excited Tunnel Junction in Silicon

In this article we use the ensemble Monte-Carlo method to study the frequency comb induced by a periodically excited tunnel junction on a semiconductor. The electron transport is modeled by solving the Boltzmann transport in p-type silicon doped with a concentration of 10^17 cm^-3. For a laser-pulse frequency of 100 MHz, we observe that, if the distance between the STM probe and the second electrode is under 1 μm and we apply a negative bias on the STM tip, the harmonics of the frequency spectrum are not reduced significantly by the electron diffusion and resistance spreading effects in the semiconductor. In this case we obtain a wide frequency comb spectrum, relatively similar to the ones measured experimentally in metals and other materials with high electron conductivity.
Vascular Remodeling in Diabetes Mellitus

Vascular complications of diabetes are a major source of morbidity and mortality. Diabetes induces vascular remodeling through various mediators and multiple pathways resulting in profound changes in the structure and function of all layers of the arterial wall. Vascular remodeling causes endothelial dysfunction, increased extracellular matrix formation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and vascular calcification. This results in reduced vascular compliance and reduced perfusion while promoting atherosclerosis, a closely related complication. Despite the ubiquity of diabetes, precise knowledge of how diabetes causes these changes remains unknown. This remains a major obstacle to the development of targeted therapies to prevent vascular remodeling and its associated clinical complications.
Reflections on the contributions of self-advocates to an interdisciplinary leadership development program for graduate students in health affairs.

Abstract Background To advance equity and to enhance leadership skills, self-advocates with intellectual/developmental disabilities are now part of the cohort of trainees in the University of North Carolina LEND, which means that they fully participate in the Interdisciplinary Leadership Development Program, a collaboration among programs in public health, social work, and LEND, which meets monthly. Objective Given this important new participation by self-advocates, this study analyzes the reflections of graduate students on the contributions of self-advocates to their leadership training. Methods At the conclusion of the program each year, graduate students respond to a questionnaire about how self-advocates influenced the content and interactions/discussions of the monthly workshops and are asked to provide specific examples to explain their perceptions. The 12 MCH leadership competencies were used to guide the coding of the comments for this qualitative, directed content analysis. Results Forty-six of 58 students (79.3%) from two consecutive cohorts responded for this cross-sectional study. Interactions with self-advocates prompted comments on 8 of the 12 leadership competencies, including interdisciplinary team building (29% of the comments); developing others through teaching and mentoring (22%); and self-reflection (18%). Conclusions The inclusion of self-advocates throughout an interdisciplinary leadership development program for graduate students in health affairs can strengthen MCH leadership competencies for all participants as they enter an increasingly interdisciplinary workforce.
Use of PRP in Rotator Cuff Repair

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to aid in healing of rotator cuff repair during the perioperative period is still controversial. While the results of meta-analysis and systematic reviews do not support the common use of PRP in the treatment of rotator cuff, their conclusions are hampered by heterogeneity in preparation protocols, timing of delivery, method and number of administration, surgical procedures and postoperative intervention, and rehabilitation protocols. However, there is some evidence that supports a positive effect of healing at the tendon-bone interface in small- to medium-size rotator cuff tears. This case highlights the different steps in diagnosis and treatment of a rotator cuff repair with PRP. We routinely include PRP injection with our rotator cuff repair as we think it gives the best possible environment for rotator cuff healing and is relatively quick and safe. A thorough evaluation of the current literature is included to help the treating physician understand the mechanism of PRP and guide its use in rotator cuff repair.
Switching on BTK-One Domain at a Time.

BTK kinase activity is controlled by multiple inhibitory domains, whose coordinated mechanism of action is poorly understood. In this issue of Structure, Joseph et al. (2017) use solution-based approaches to characterize conformational changes associated with the binding of each inhibitory tether, revealing a multi-step activation process and a previously unknown C-terminal autoinhibitory latch.
SECIS binding proteins

The 3′-untranslated regions (UTRs) of selenoprotein mRNAs contain a stable stem-loop termed the selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element. Among the trans-acting factors that are thought to be required for selenocysteine (Sec) insertion are RNA binding proteins that interact with the SECIS element. In addition to several proteins which bind non-specifically, this element is specifically bound by SECIS binding protein 2 (SBP2), and this interaction is required for Sec insertion. SBP2 is a novel 94 kDa protein that contains an RNA binding domain found in ribosomal proteins and eukaryotic translation termination release factor 1 (eRF-1). SBP2 specifically interacts with the conserved AUGA element in the SECIS element core, but binding is not affected by mutations to the conserved AAA motif. Mutation analysis of SBP2 mutants indicates that it has distinct functional and RNA binding domains. While the mechanism of SBP2 action remains to be determined, we have recently observed that it is stably associated with ribosomes in vivo and in vitro, and that this association requires both the RNA binding and functional domains. These recent data suggest that SBP2 may be involved in defining a subset of ribosomes capable of translating selenoprotein mRNAs.
Identifying and Mitigating Risk of Violence in the Scientific Workplace.

Forensic psychiatrists can have an important role in helping to improve safety in the scientific workplace by evaluating the potential for violence and developing strategies to mitigate the risk. Forensic psychiatrists engage in violence risk assessment in both criminal and civil settings.[1][1] In
Consensus Variable Approach to Decentralized Adaptive Scheduling

We present a new approach to solving adaptive scheduling problems in decentralized systems, based on the concept of nearest-neighbor negotiations and the idea of a consensus variable. Exploiting some recent extensions to existing results for single consensus variables, the adaptive scheduling problem is solved by choosing task timings as the consensus variables in the system. This application is illustrated via the example of a synchronized strike mission. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future research directions on this topic.
RESONANCE SCATTERING DETECTION USING THE CSU-CHILL DUAL-WAVELENGTH DUAL-POLARIZATION RADAR

AbstractThe CSU–CHILL radar is a dual-wavelength, dual-polarization weather radar system operating at S and X band with coaxial beams. This radar system offers a unique environment to develop and/o...
An OpenCL-Based Acceleration for Canny Algorithm Using a Heterogeneous CPU-FPGA Platform

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) provide both performance and power benefits to heterogeneous systems. In this work, we used a closely-coupled CPU-FPGA heterogeneous system to accelerate Canny edge detector algorithm and compared the performance of the hybrid implementation with that of the optimized separate CPU and FPGA implementations. Our results show up to 4.8X speedup for the hybrid implementation over the CPU only implementation and up to 2.1X over the FPGA only implementation.
Pharmacist dispensed naloxone: Knowledge, availability, participation and cost in selected California counties

Abstract Background In 2014, California signed into law AB1535 permitting pharmacists to dispense naloxone upon request and without physician or midlevel provider prescription. Objective We sought to determine pharmacist knowledge of AB1535, participation, availability of naloxone, future plans for participation, and out-of-pocket charges to consumers amongst outpatient pharmacies in selected California counties. Methods All pharmacies in Plumas, Lake, Lassen, Humboldt, Shasta, Fresno, and San Diego Counties were identified. Between January 30 and March 30, 2017, pharmacies meeting inclusion criteria were contacted and the pharmacist-on-duty were queried regarding knowledge, participation, availability, and cost of naloxone. Results A total of 2296 pharmacies were identified in the 7 counties. Twenty-six were unwilling or unable to participate and an additional 1648 were excluded because of licensing or special pharmacy status. Six-hundred-twenty-two pharmacies completed the survey. There was variation in knowledge of AB1535, participation in, immediate availability of naloxone, charge, and expressed future interest in participation identified. Charge to consumers was similarly variable amongst surveyed pharmacies within counties. Conclusions Despite considerable public health and political support, the passage of CA AB1535 has not resulted in broad current, future planned participation, or availability of naloxone in selected counties. Out-of-pocket costs to the consumer remain highly variable.
A Novel Application of Mixed Effects Models for Reconciling Base-Pair Resolution 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Data in Neuroepigenetics

Epigenetic marks operate at multiple chromosomal levels to regulate gene expression, from direct covalent modification of DNA to three-dimensional chromosomal structure. Research has shown that 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and its oxidized form, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), are stable epigenetic marks with distinct genomic distributions and separate regulatory functions. In addition, recent data indicate that 5-hmC plays a critical regulatory role in the mammalian brain, emphasizing the importance of considering this alternative DNA modification in the context of neuroepigenetics. Traditional bisulfite (BS) treatment-based methods to measure the methylome are not able to distinguish between 5-mC and 5-hmC, meaning much of the existing literature does not differentiate these two DNA modifications. Recently developed methods, including Tet-assisted bisulfite treatment and oxidative bisulfite treatment, allow for differentiation of 5-hmC and/or 5-mC levels at base-pair resolution when combined with next-generation sequencing or methylation arrays. Despite these technological advances, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the appropriate statistical methods for integration of 5-mC and 5-hmC data. As a result, it can be difficult to determine the effects of an experimental treatment on 5-mC and 5-hmC dynamics. Here, we propose a statistical approach involving mixed effects to simultaneously model paired 5-mC and 5-hmC data as repeated measures. We tested this approach using publicly available BS/oxidative bisulfite-450K array data and showed that our new approach detected far more CpG probes with paired changes in 5-mC and 5-hmC by Alzheimer's disease status (n = 14,183 probes) compared with the overlapping differential probes generated from separate models for each epigenetic mark (n = 68). Of note, all 68 of the overlapping probe IDs from the separate models were also significant in our new modeling approach, supporting the sensitivity of our new analysis method. Using the proposed approach, it will be possible to determine the effects of an experimental treatment on both 5-mC and 5-hmC at the base-pair level.
Predictors of long-term outcomes greater than 10 years after cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation.

BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is indicated in patients with medically refractory heart failure and wide QRS duration. While much is known about predictors of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after CRT implantation and short-term mortality, limited data exist on long-term outcomes after CRT placement. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing CRT implantation at our center between 2003 and 2008 and examined mortality using institutional electronic records, social security death index, and online obituary search. We included only patients with preimplant echoes with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) 35% or below. Variable selection was performed using stepwise regression and models were compared using goodness-of-fit criteria. A final model was validated with the bootstrap regression method. RESULTS Out of the 877 CRT patients undergoing implantation during this time, 287 (32.7%) survived longer than 10 years. Significant (P < .05) predictors of survival in our multivariate model were age, left ventricular diastolic diameter, sex, presence of nonischemic vs ischemic cardiomyopathy, QRS duration, atrial fibrillation, BNP levels, and creatinine levels at the time of CRT implantation. A model using the odds ratios from these variables had a receiver operating curve with an area under the curve score of 0.816 (standard error, 0.019) at predicting survival or freedom from LVAD or heart transplant for longer than 10 years after CRT implantation. The specificity for factors 3 or above and 5 or above was 68% and 77%, respectively. CONCLUSION A large proportion of patients are still alive 10 years after CRT implantation. Variables at the time of CRT implant can help provide prognostic information to patients and electrophysiologists to determine the long-term benefit and survival of patients after CRT implantation.
The relationship between currency crises and capital flow reversals: An empirical examination

Abstract Large capital flow reversals and currency crises are an important feature of the global economy. They are often treated as being closely related and as typically occurring together. We investigate the relationship between them for a large set of emerging market economies using both event analysis and logit estimation. We find that more often than not the two types of events do not occur together. We find that this conclusion holds irrespective of the way in which currency crises and capital flow reversals are measured. We examine the circumstances under which we might expect them to occur together or separately and compare the behavior of a number of economic and financial variables prior to each type of event. While some conditions, such as rapid credit growth and economic overheating precede both currency crises and capital reversals, we also find important differences. Exchange rate behavior tends to be more important for currency crises than for capital flow reversals, while capital flow surges and financial conditions in the global economy are more important for capital flow reversals.
Driverless Trucks at Ford: Cruising into a Compromised Brand Identity?

Ford's F-Series of trucks were first introduced in 1948, and ever since they have represented American identity for their consumers. Both earned media, in movies like Urban Cowboy, and Ford's paid media positioned Ford as part of the pioneering culture. Ford also constantly introduced innovations to the F-Series to make the trucks more suitable to the changing needs of its consumers.In 2018, Ford's management decided to retreat from the low-margin cars segment and focus on trucks and SUVs. Ford was also working toward robot taxis and driverless delivery by 2021. These two parallel trajectories converge to pose a pivotal challenge for Ford: Should the company invest in developing driverless capabilities for its best-selling and highest-margin product, the F-150? The case provides students with a context in which to discuss the changing technologies in the auto industry and their implications for industry structure, along with the specific aspects of software-driven business models, consumer preferences, and brand identity. It also offers an opportunity to explore the challenges faced by traditional businesses as they develop digital capabilities and reimagine their business models to fully leverage artificial intelligence (AI). The competition among Ford, Google Inc. (Google), Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), and Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) in the automonous vehicle industry highlights the different routes these companies have taken to obtain develop autonomous vehicle capability that leverages their respective strategic capabilities. Excerpt UVA-M-0967 Rev. Jul. 10, 2020 Driverless Trucks at Ford: Cruising into a Compromised Brand Identity? In the summer of 2018, iconic American automaker Ford Motor Company (Ford) created a new limited liability company, Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC (Ford AV). Ford charged the organization “with accelerating [Ford's] AV business to capitalize on market opportunities.” As members of the newly appointed management team at Ford AV considered the best way to guide Ford, the second-largest automaker in the United States, toward its well-publicized robot-taxi and driverless delivery services slated to debut in 2021, they had several important decisions to make regarding the company's strategy and driverless car product offerings of the future. Alongside its goals in the self-driving space, Ford had made a seminal product decision several months earlier, when the company announced it was retreating from the American car business and dropping several sedans, such as the Fusion, Fiesta, and Taurus (while preserving the Mustang and Focus Active crossover launching in 2019), in order to improve its profit margin. The company's decision to turn away from its slow-selling car models and instead focus on its more lucrative line of trucks and SUVs was in line with Ford's long-standing reliance on the success of its trucks division, especially the F-Series (which included the classic F-150 pickup truck and “super duty” F-250 and -350 trucks) that the company had first released in 1948. . . .
Phytic Acid Protects from Oxidative Stress Induced by Iron-Overload and High-Fat Diets in ß2-Microglobulin Knockout Mice.

The objective of this study was to examine the protective effect of phytic acid (PA) in reducing oxidative stress in an animal model for human hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) fed high-fat diets. Sixty-four s2 microglobulin knockout (β2m KO) mice were randomly assigned to three treatments by feeding: control (basal), atherogenic (AT), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) diets. One-half of the mice in each treatment group were fed 2% (wt/wt) PA. The s2m+/+ mice (wild type (WT)) were fed a basal diet. All seven groups were fed for 10 weeks with a 50-ppm iron-containing diet (AIN-93G). Free iron and lipids were measured in serum samples. Nonheme iron, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase concentrations were measured in the liver tissue. Nonheme iron concentration in s2m KO mice (on the basal diet) was 20× higher (p < 0.0001) than in the WT mice. Compared to the WT mice, s2m KO mice had a significantly higher concentration of free iron in the serum (p < 0.0001), six-fold higher hepatic TBARs (p < 0.0001), and 18% lower hepatic SOD level. When PA was added to the β2m KO basal diet, a reduction (26 to 50%) of iron concentration was seen in the liver and heart. The addition of PA also significantly reduced TBARs in all three dietary groups of the iron-overloaded group, but most effectively in the control group. An increase in SOD concentration was seen only in the PUFA group, but serum triacylglycerol (TG) concentration was reduced in both dietary fat groups. In conclusion, our results suggest that PA protects against oxidative stress-induced by genetic iron overload alone or when fed high fat.
PPN as Explosions: Bullets vs Jets and Nebular Shaping

Many proto-planetary nebulae (PPN) appear as narrow collimated structures sometimes showing multiple, roughly aligned lobes. In addition, many PPN flows have been shown to have short acceleration times. In this paper we explore whether jet or ``bullet'' (a massive clump) models fit the observations of individual collimated lobes adequately by comparing simulations of both radiatively cooled (stable) jets and bullets. We find that the clump model is somewhat favored over jets because (1) it leads to greater collimation of outflows (2) it accounts better and more naturally for ring-like structures observed in the PPN CRL 618, and (3) it is more successful in reproducing the Hubble-flow character of observed kinematics in some PPN. In addition, bullets naturally account for observed multipolar flows, since the likely MHD launch mechanisms required to drive outflows make multiple non-aligned jets unlikely. Thus we argue that PPN outflows may be driven by explosive MHD launch mechanisms such as those discussed in the context of supernovae (SNe) and gamma-ray bursts(GRB).
Electrokinetic treatments of soils: potential for geoenergy applications

The application of a direct current electric field to porous materials such as soils in the form of an electrokinetic treatment induces a variety of multiphysical phenomena. Critical phenomena involved during an electrokinetic treatment of soils are electrical migration (i.e., movement of ions), electroosmosis (i.e., movement of water), electrolysis (i.e., breakdown of chemical compounds), and electrochemical reactions (i.e., oxidation/reduction and precipitation/mineralization reactions). Such phenomena lead to changes in the structure of soils. As changes in the structure of soils induce variations in their properties and behaviors (e.g., thermo-hydro-mechanical), electrokinetic treatments represent resourceful means to address broad geoengineering challenges. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of electrokinetic treatments as versatile techniques capable of providing solutions for diverse geoengineering applications via a controllable change of the properties and behaviors of soils. From this perspective, this work specifically encompasses electrokinetically induced phenomena in soils and expands on opportunities in the context of geoenergy applications, among others, which can be mediated by electrokinetic treatments.
Social Navigation for Mobile Robots in the Emergency Department

The emergency department (ED) is a safety-critical environment in which healthcare workers (HCWs) are overburdened, overworked, and have limited resources, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to address this problem is to explore the use of robots that can support clinical teams, e.g., to deliver materials or restock supplies. However, due to EDs being overcrowded, and the cognitive overload HCWs experience, robots need to understand various levels of patient acuity so they avoid disrupting care delivery. In this paper, we introduce the Safety-Critical Deep Q-Network (SafeDQN) system, a new acuity-aware navigation system for mobile robots. SafeDQN is based on two insights about care in EDs: high-acuity patients tend to have more HCWs in attendance and those HCWs tend to move more quickly. We compared SafeDQN to three classic navigation methods, and show that it generates the safest, quickest path for mobile robots when navigating in a simulated ED environment. We hope this work encourages future exploration of social robots that work in safety-critical, human-centered environments, and ultimately help to improve patient outcomes and save lives.
Review of Principles of Forensic Toxicology

The publishers promote this textbook as the new standard. It is not the new standard; it is the premier textbook in forensic toxicology. After thirty years of teaching graduate courses in forensic toxicology, I well recognize that a textbook for a course on the topic was not available. We have always needed a forensic toxicology textbook the equivalent of Goodman ilman's Pharmacology text. This textbook has the potential for becoining the Goodman & Gilman of forensic toxicology.
Cross-layer adaptive video coding to reduce energy on general-purpose processors

Traditionally, video encoders have been designed assuming that the more redundancy is removed, the better the encoder. However, on current laptops, reducing the compression efficiency of the video encoder by reducing the number of instructions used to perform compression can actually reduce the total energy used to encode and transmit a sequence. The correct balance between computation and compression efficiency may change dynamically, motivating adaptive encoders. At the same time, recent general-purpose processors also employ energy-driven adaptations. For best gains, the adaptations in the hardware and application layers must be coordinated. From a system design viewpoint, this coordination must happen through minimal, well-defined interfaces. This paper develops (1) an adaptive video encoder for general-purpose processors that trades computational complexity for compression efficiency to minimize total system energy, and (2) a method for determining the best configuration for such an encoder when running on a processor that is also adaptive. Our adaptive processor employs recent energy saving techniques of dynamic voltage and frequency scaling and architectural adaptation. Using a detailed simulator, we show that our cross-layer adaptive application algorithm reduces energy significantly, when employed on a fixed or adaptive processor.
Travel Cost Analysis of Recreation Value in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area

Travel cost analysis for Australian tourists to the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area was undertaken in order to derive a consumer surplus value for use in examining benefits of sustainable tourism to the area. Randall’s contention that travel cost analysis produces relative rather than absolute values of welfare was tested by using several different versions of travel cost specification, and found to be supported. Nevertheless, the analysis produced values of a magnitude that indicate high positive benefits from visitor use to the World Heritage Area, provided the area is managed to be ecologically sustainable.
Mechanisms of late decelerations of the fetal heart rate during hypoxia

Transient maternal aortic occlusion decreases uterine blood flow and results in the delayed deceleration of the fetal heart rate. The response to this maneuver was examined in the hypoxic fetus. Pregnant ewes and their fetuses at 0.8 gestation were catheterized for chronic study. A blood flow transducer was placed around the common umbilical artery, and a Fogarty balloon-tipped catheter was placed in the maternal abdominal aorta distal to the renal arteries. The ewes were made hypoxic by breathing a hypoxic gas mixture through a mask placed over their faces. Transient maternal aortic occlusion resulted in a delayed and transient deceleration of the fetal heart rate in hypoxic fetuses, associated with a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure and umbilical blood flow. Infusion of atropine into the fetus before maternal aortic occlusion modified but did not abolish the fetal heart rate response. The deceleration was associated with the significant decrease in the "double-product" index of myocardial oxygen consumption. The conclusion is that late decelerations result from two mechanisms: chemoreceptor vagal reflex mechanisms and hypoxic myocardial depression.
Postpartisan Federal Judicial Selection

The problem of numerous, persistent vacancies in the federal judiciary continues to undermine expeditious, inexpensive, and fair case resolution. As the Obama administration is still in its early stages, the process for nominating and securing the confirmation of federal judges merits consideration. This Essay chronicles the origins and development of the appointments conundrum. Although enhanced federal jurisdiction and growing caseloads are partially to blame, partisan politics has also prevented swift nomination and confirmation for over twenty years. The Essay then describes the processes employed by the Obama administration during its nascency. Finally, the Essay offers suggestions to facilitate the judicial selection process, targeted at both the Obama administration
Parameterized SoC design for portable systems

Portable devices have ushered in the use of parameterizable SoC architectures that provide flexibility and applicability while remaining cost-effective. Platune provides a mechanism for designing such architectures by exploring a large configuration space to arrive at pareto-optimal configurations with respect to power. In this paper, we argue that the pareto-optimal configurations for portable devices have to be derived for battery performance and not for power or energy consumption. We illustrate through examples that the optimal configuration obtained by optimizing battery performance is quite different from those obtained by optimizing power or energy.
The series loaded transmission line phase shifter-a rigorous solution

The design of die embedding networks for PIN diodes in a series loaded transmission line is carried out using the invariant property of the quality factor Q under lossless transformations. The procedure is also applicable to the shunt loaded transmission line phase shifter, and avoids simplifications that produce approximate designs. The present method is rigorous, incorporates the losses of the diodes and does not require matched diodes.
Development of Early Tissue Cysts and Associated Pathology of Besnoitia besnoiti in a Naturally Infected Bull (Bos taurus) from South Africa

Abstract: Besnoitia besnoiti is an apicomplexan that causes serious economic loss in cattle in many countries and the disease is now spreading in Europe. At least 2 phases of bovine besnoitiosis are recognized clinically. An acute febrile phase characterized by anasarca and necrosis of skin is associated with multiplication of tachyzoites in vascular endothelium; this phase is short-lived and rarely diagnosed. Chronic besnoitiosis characterized by dermal lesions is associated with the presence of macroscopic tissue cysts and is easily diagnosed. Here we report the development of early B. besnoiti tissue cysts in a naturally infected Hugenoot bull from South Africa. Tissue cysts were 10–70 μm in diameter, contained 1–12 bradyzoites, and were most numerous in the dermis, testicles, and pampiniform venous plexus. Amylopectin granules in bradyzoites stained red with periodic acid Schiff (PAS) reaction. Bradyzoites varied in size and in the intensity of PAS reaction (some were PAS-negative), some were plump, a...