cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technology status and opportunities of VCSELs

Central to the photonic revolution is the development of miniature light sources such as the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Today, VCSEL manufacturing has been established to serve data and telecommunication applications. Moreover, recent progress in new materials, fabrication technologies, and microcavity physics has enabled a new generation of high performance VCSELs. We will overview the present and near-term commercial VCSELs as well as discuss recent research, including new device structures such as 2-dimensional VCSEL arrays, composite resonators, and photonic crystal devices.
Structure and doping effects in carbon heterojunction FETs towards barrier-free inter-band tunneling

We have shown that it may be possible to use a CNT-GNR heterostructure to obtain a novel transistor action such that (i) at low voltage the device acts like a tunneling transistor, reducing the voltage requirement below the classical limit and (ii) at high voltages the tunnel barrier is effectively diminished, thus allowing a large drive current. Therefore, such a heterostructure may combine the best practices of both a tunneling FET and a conventional MOSFET in the same device structure and thus guide a way in designing ultra low-power carbon-based electronics.
Glutamate transporter: an unexpected target for some antibiotics.

Glutamate transporter (GT) plays a major role in the mechanisms of glutamate homeostasis. Can this transporter system be a therapeutic target for glutamate-mediated neurological disorders? In January's edition of Nature, Rothstein et al (2005) reports that the most commonly used class of antibiotics (β-lactam antibiotics) such as ceftriaxone promoted the expression of GLT1 and demonstrated a functional role in both in vitro and in vivo models of glutamate neurotocixity. These findings indicate that positive promoters of GT expression may have a unique role in neuroprotection through regulating GT expression. This is also encouraging in search for new pharmacological tools for pain management.
Akt/GSK3β Survival Signaling Is Involved in Acute Brain Injury After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats

Background and Purpose— Apoptotic cell death is associated with acute brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) pathway plays an important role in the cell death/survival pathway after a variety of cell death stimuli. However, its role in acute brain injury after SAH remains unknown. Methods— We used an endovascular perforation model of SAH in rats. Phospho-Akt and phospho-GSK3β expression was examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated uridine 5′-triphosphate-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and a cell death assay were used for detection of apoptosis. We administered LY294002 to examine the role of the Akt/GSK3β pathway in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway after SAH. Results— Phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β was accelerated after SAH. In the cerebral cortex, where acute brain injury was the most severe, phosphorylation of these proteins was observed in the early phase after SAH. Cortical...
Cyclic strain stimulates proliferative capacity, α2 and α5 integrin, gene marker expression by human articular chondrocytes propagated on flexible silicone membranes

Chondrocytes comprise less than 10% of cartilage tissue but are responsible for sensing and responding to mechanical stimuli imposed on the joint. However, the effect of mechanical signals at the cellular level is not yet fully defined. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mechanical stimulation in the form of cyclic strain modulates proliferative capacity and integrin expression of chondrocytes from osteoarthritic knee joints. Chondrocytes isolated from articular cartilage during total knee arthroplasty were propagated on flexible silicone membranes. The cells were subjected to cyclic strain for 24 h using a computer-controlled vacuum device, with replicate samples maintained under static conditions. Our results demonstrated increase in proliferative capacity of the cells subjected to cyclic strain compared with cells maintained under static conditions. The flexed cells also exhibited upregulation of the chondrocytic gene markers type II collagen and aggrecan. In addition, cyclic strain resulted in increased expression of the α2 and α5 integrin subunits, as well as an increased expression of vimentin. There was also intracellular reconfiguration of the enzyme protein kinase C. Our findings suggest that these molecules may play a role in the signal transduction pathway, eliciting cellular response to mechanical stimulation.
Leveraging ontologies to improve model generalization automatically with online data sources

This paper describes an end-to-end learning framework that allows a novice to create a model from data easily by helping structure the model building process and capturing extended aspects of domain knowledge. By treating the whole modeling process interactively and exploiting high-level knowledge in the form of an ontology, the framework is able to aid the user in a number of ways, including in helping to avoid pitfalls such as data dredging. Prudence must be exercised to avoid these hazards: certain conclusions may be supported by extra knowledge if, for example, there are reasons to trust a particular narrower set of hypotheses. This paper adopts the solution of using higher-level knowledge in order to allow this sort of domain knowledge to be inferred automatically, thereby selecting only relevant input attributes and thence constraining the hypothesis space. We describe how the framework automatically exploits structured knowledge in an ontology to identify relevant concepts, and how a data extraction component can make use of online data sources to find measurements of those concepts so that their relevance can be evaluated. To validate our approach, models of four different problem domains were built using our implementation of the framework. Prediction error on unseen examples of these models show that our framework, making use of the ontology, helps to improve model generalization.
Evaluating youth development programs: Progress and promise

Advances in theories of adolescent development and positive youth development have greatly increased our understanding of how programs and practices with adolescents can impede or enhance their development. In this paper the authors reflect on the progress in research on youth development programs in the last two decades, since possibly the first review of empirical evaluations by Roth, Brooks-Gunn, Murray, and Foster (1998). The authors use the terms Version 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 to refer to changes in youth development research and programs over time. They argue that advances in theory and descriptive accounts of youth development programs (Version 2.0) need to be coupled with progress in definitions of youth development programs, measurement of inputs and outputs that incorporate an understanding of programs as contexts for development, and stronger design and evaluation of programs (Version 3.0). The authors also advocate for an integration of prevention and promotion research, and for use of the term youth development rather than positive youth development.
Model composability

Composition of models is considered essential in developing heterogeneous complex systems and in particular simulation models capable of expressing a system's structure and behavior. This paper describes model composability concepts and approaches in terms of modeling formalisms. These composability approaches along with some of the key capabilities and challenges they pose are presented in the context of semiconductor supply chain manufacturing systems.
Infectious Complications of Noncombat Trauma Patients Provided Care at a Military Trauma Center

ABSTRACTInfectious complications are reported frequently in combat trauma patients treated at military hospitals. Infections in 4566 noncombat related trauma patients treated at a military trauma center were retrospectively reviewed from 1/2003 to 5/2007 using registry data. Burns, penetrating, and blunt trauma accounted for 17%, 19%, and 64%, respectively; the median age was 38 and 22% were female. Pulmonary infections were present in 4.2% of patients, 2.4% had cellulitis and wound infections, 2.2% urinary infections, and 0.7% sepsis. On univariate analysis, infected patients were more likely to be admitted to the ICU, have longer ICU and hospital lengths of stay (LOS), and to die (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed associations between infection and hospital LOS, preexisting medical conditions, and lower Glasgow Coma Scale in nonburned patients. In burned patients, infection was associated with total body surface area burned and preexisting conditions (p < 0.01). Enhanced infection control in tar...
Mediated clustering and importation with implicit verbal chains

Implicitly associated A-C pairs were separated, randomized, and presented for one trial learning. The significant A-C clustering which occurred in recall and the selective importation of the middle link of the chain (B) offer evidence for the existence of implicit associative chains.
Effect of epidermal damage upon serum polysaccharides.

Summary and conclusionsEpidermal thermal injury in dogs resulted in an elevation of total polysaccharide in both lymph and serum and of the polysaccharide of both the albumin and α-globulin (pseudoglobulin) fractions isolated by salt precipitation methods. The elevation of the polysaccharide of the albumin fraction was shown to be due to an elevation of the mucoprotein polysaccharide. The mucoprotein content of the lymph and serum from the same animal were nearly the same indicating that this component may pass easily between tissue fluids and blood plasma. Preliminary studies of the effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone on animals with epidermal thermal injuries indicate that this substance has no effect on the elevation of mucoprotein, but may repress the elevation of α-globulin polysaccharide.
Modeling of Effect of Stress on C Diffusion/Clustering in Si

Extensive ab-initio calculations were performed to find formation energies of stable C complex configurations in silicon as function of stress. The results indicate that substitutional C is the lowest energy state, while the split interstitial is the dominant mobile species. Investigation of small carbon/interstitial clustering suggests that these clusters are only significant under a substantial interstitial supersaturation. We studied the diffusion path for neutral C including the impact of stress. Through KLMC analysis of stress effect on diffusivity, we found that tensile biaxial strain enhances the effective C diffusivity, with a stronger stress dependence for C diffusivity in the out-of-plane direction.
Duodenoscope-Associated Bacterial Infections: A Review and Update.

Physicians depend on the use of flexible endoscopes for delivery of vital care that is morbidity sparing compared to surgical alternatives. Iatrogenic infection is a well-documented complication of therapeutic endoscopy. Recent emergence of unique antimicrobial resistance patterns and molecular “fingerprinting” of bacteria harken a new era in duodenoscope-related infections which occur in spite of compliance with device manufacturer-recommended protocols for high-level disinfection (HLD). Further studies suggest that these protocols are likely inadequate. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remains critical in the provision of minimally invasive diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative care for patients with pancreaticobiliary disease. This manuscript reviews the history of duodenoscope-related infections, current challenges to scope reprocessing, and recommendations from regulatory agencies.
Physicochemical examination and analysis of drinking water for Fuzhou in 2008

Objective:To study on state of the quality of drinking water in Fuzhou city in 2009,92 physicochemical indexes was examined.Methods:80 drinking water samples of 10 water plants in 2009 were collected,preserved and carried to the lab for analysis.Results: The drinking water from Changle,Fuqing City and Pingtan County as well as Pingtan County′s source water exceeded standard of water quality in some organic toxicological indexes.Conclusion: The source water of Fuzhou exceeded standard of water quality in some regular indexes.The drinking water from some water plant in Fuzhou was polluted by Chlorination by-products.We should strengthen the improvement and inspection of drinking water quality.
Genitourinary Abnormalities Associated with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome

AbstractThe Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is characterized by mental retardation, hypotonia, facial dysmorphism and abnormalities of the limbs, genitalia and kidneys. Since the latter 2 features have not been emphasized in the urological literature, the experience from the institution at which the syndrome was first described is reviewed and an illustrative case is reported. Upper urinary tract abnormalities were noted in 57 per cent and genital abnormalities in 71 per cent of the children evaluated.
Medical Isotope Production Analyses In KIPT Neutron Source Facility

Medical isotope production analyses in Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) neutron source facility were performed to include the details of the irradiation cassette and the self-shielding effect. An updated detailed model of the facility was used for the analyses. The facility consists of an accelerator-driven system (ADS), which has a subcritical assembly using low-enriched uranium fuel elements with a beryllium-graphite reflector. The beryllium assemblies of the reflector have the same outer geometry as the fuel elements, which permits loading the subcritical assembly with different number of fuel elements without impacting the reflector performance. The subcritical assembly is driven by an external neutron source generated from the interaction of 100-kW electron beam with a tungsten target. The facility construction was completed at the end of 2015, and it is planned to start the operation during the year of 2016. It is the first ADS in the world, which has a coolant system for removing the generated fission power. Argonne National Laboratory has developed the design concept and performed extensive design analyses for the facility including its utilization for the production of different radioactive medical isotopes. 99Mo is the parent isotope of 99mTc, which is the most commonly used medicalmore » radioactive isotope. Detailed analyses were performed to define the optimal sample irradiation location and the generated activity, for several radioactive medical isotopes, as a function of the irradiation time.« less
Added Value of Vessel Wall Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Differentiation of Moyamoya Vasculopathies in a Non-Asian Cohort

Background and Purpose— Although studies have evaluated the differential imaging of moyamoya disease and atherosclerosis, none have investigated the added value of vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study evaluates the added diagnostic value of vessel wall MRI in differentiating moyamoya disease, atherosclerotic-moyamoya syndrome (A-MMS), and vasculitic-MMS (V-MMS) with a multicontrast protocol. Methods— We retrospectively reviewed the carotid artery territories of patients with clinically defined vasculopathies (moyamoya disease, atherosclerosis, and vasculitis) and steno-occlusive intracranial carotid disease. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to clinical data reviewed the luminal imaging of each carotid, evaluating collateral extent and making a presumed diagnosis with diagnostic confidence. After 3 weeks, the 2 readers reviewed the luminal imaging+vessel wall MRI for the presence, pattern and intensity of postcontrast enhancement, T2 signal characteristics, pattern of involvement, and presumed diagnosis and confidence. Results— Ten A-MMS, 3 V-MMS, and 8 moyamoya disease cases with 38 affected carotid segments were included. There was significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy with luminal imaging+vessel wall MRI when compared with luminal imaging (87% versus 32%, P <0.001). The most common vessel wall MRI findings for moyamoya disease were nonenhancing, nonremodeling lesions without T2 heterogeneity; for A-MMS eccentric, remodeling, and T2 heterogeneous lesions with mild/moderate and homogeneous/heterogeneous enhancement; and for V-MMS concentric lesions with homogeneous, moderate enhancement. Inter-reader agreement was moderate to substantial for all vessel wall MRI characteristics (κ=0.46–0.86) and fair for collateral grading (κ=0.35). There was 11% inter-reader agreement for diagnosis on luminal imaging when compared with 82% for luminal imaging+vessel wall MRI ( P <0.001). Conclusions— Vessel wall MRI can significantly improve the differentiation of moyamoya vasculopathies when combined with traditional imaging techniques.
Transition from Centralized to Distributed VCS: A Microsoft Case Study on Reasons, Barriers, and Outcomes

In recent years, software development has started to transition from centralized version control systems (CVCSs) to decentralized (DVCSs) version control systems. Although CVCSs and DVCSs have been studied extensively, there has been very little research on the transition across these systems. This paper investigates the transition process, from the developer’s point of view, in a large company. The paper captures the transition reasons, barriers, and results through ten developer interviews, and investigates these findings through a survey, participated by 70 developers. We found that the majority of the developers need incremental, small commits, and lightweight branches to work efficiently. DVCSs fulfill these developer needs; however the transition comes with a cost depending on the previous development workflow. The paper discusses the transition reasons, transition barriers and outcomes, and provides recommendations for teams planning such a transition. Our analysis showed that lightweight branches and local, incremental commits were the main reasons for developers wanting to move to a DVCS. Further, the main problems with the transition process were identified as: steep DVCS learning curve; tool immaturity; and DVCS scaling issues.
Post-traumatic Uveitis and Post-operative Inflammation

Trauma to the globe and its contents can occur due to many environmental insults including chemical, radiation, electrical, blunt force, and penetrating/perforating injury. Surgical trauma can also induce intraocular inflammation. The common causes of traumatic iritis include sports injuries, household accidents, and various recreational activities. The mechanism of inducing intraocular inflammation from trauma is thought to be mediated by disruption of the blood–ocular barrier within the uveal tissue with associated cellular and humoral inflammatory response.
Current Treatment Recommendations

The use of the intraocular pharmaceutical agents that were discussed in Chaps. 4 and 5 has transformed the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Before the introduction of potent pharmacotherapy for DR, early diagnosis of DR followed by prompt laser photocoagulation to eyes at risk of vision loss was the most effective way to stabilize vision [23]. Significant improvements in visual acuity (VA) were rarely achieved in patients with established diabetic macular edema (DME), so the primary goal of laser photocoagulation was to prevent further loss. Pars plana vitrectomy for persistent vitreous hemorrhage in eyes with healthy maculae sometimes produced dramatic improvements in VA, but, unfortunately, these were a small minority of patients with diabetes-related vision loss [52].
Nanotechnology Applications and Risks: Valences and Ambiguities

Regardless of the amount of information public groups possess or demonstrate, most seem willing to communicate preferences and apprehensions about new and emerging technologies. One of the goals of this study was to discover such preferences and apprehensions about nanotechnologies in various public groups. This chapter details those findings as well as what the expressed preferences teach us about how public groups form opinions about emerging technologies. Few studies have mined into the details of how different applications of nanotechnology evoke different responses from various public groups. In this study, we found such data emerged naturally in the course of the public engagement events. Our results indicate that some areas of nanotechnology have broad public support, while some almost universally produce public demands for regulation.
Redox Regulation of Homeostasis and Proteostasis in Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are highly dynamic intracellular organelles involved in a variety of metabolic functions essential for the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids, d-amino acids, and many polyamines. A by...
Maternal Chlamydia infection during pregnancy among younger mothers and risk of gastroschisis in singleton offspring

BACKGROUND Prevalence of gastroschisis has been increasing in the United States (US) since 1980s. Genital infection with Chlamydia has also been increasing in prevalence, particularly among younger women. The etiology of gastroschisis is unknown. Ongoing research suggests multiple causal factors may be involved, including Chlamydia infection in mothers during pregnancy. METHODS Using birth certificate data from 2014 US vital records, we conducted a population-based case-control study to examine the association between prenatal Chlamydia exposure in young women (16-25 years of age) and gastroschisis in singleton offspring. Cases consisted of live births with gastroschisis, and controls had no major birth defects reported in their birth certificate. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (cOR and aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS There were 809 cases (95.6% were isolated cases) and 1,260,293 controls. Chlamydia during pregnancy was reported in 4.5% of case and 3.6% control mothers (p = .21). Case mothers were significantly more likely to be younger (16-20 years of age) at the time of delivery compared to control mothers (p < .0001). We found no significant association between Chlamydia infection during pregnancy and gastroschisis (cOR = 1.24; 95% CI = 0.89-1.73 and aOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.66-1.70). CONCLUSION With the caveat of possible misclassification of exposure and outcome variables in birth certificate data, we found no significant association between prenatal exposure to Chlamydia and gastroschisis in the offspring born to younger mothers. Future studies should refine measures by focusing on relevant risk period and biomarkers.
In vivo inhibition of tryptophan catabolism reorganizes the tuberculoma and augments immune-mediated control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to cause devastating levels of mortality due to tuberculosis (TB). The failure to control TB stems from an incomplete understanding of the highly specialized strategies that M. tuberculosis utilizes to modulate host immunity and thereby persist in host lungs. Here, we show that M. tuberculosis induced the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme involved in tryptophan catabolism, in macrophages and in the lungs of animals (mice and macaque) with active disease. In a macaque model of inhalation TB, suppression of IDO activity reduced bacterial burden, pathology, and clinical signs of TB disease, leading to increased host survival. This increased protection was accompanied by increased lung T cell proliferation, induction of inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue and correlates of bacterial killing, reduced checkpoint signaling, and the relocation of effector T cells to the center of the granulomata. The enhanced killing of M. tuberculosis in macrophages in vivo by CD4+ T cells was also replicated in vitro, in cocultures of macaque macrophages and CD4+ T cells. Collectively, these results suggest that there exists a potential for using IDO inhibition as an effective and clinically relevant host-directed therapy for TB.
Perioperative and long-term outcomes after radical cystectomy in hemodialysis patients

Abstract Purpose Patients on hemodialysis have an increased risk of developing advanced stage bladder cancer. They also have a significant risk of noncancer–related mortality. Radical cystectomy (RC) is the standard of care for nonmetastatic muscle–invasive bladder cancer, however little is known regarding outcomes in this population. Materials and methods The United States Renal Disease System database was used to identify all patients on hemodialysis who underwent RC for bladder cancer in the United States between 1984 and 2013. A total of 985 patients were identified for analysis. Perioperative outcomes were evaluated. Competing risks analysis was used to estimate overall and cancer-specific mortality along with factors associated with death. Results Median hospital length of stay was 10 days and 43.1% of patients experienced a complication. Mortality within 30 days was 9.3%. Overall mortality at 1, 3, and 5 years was 51.7%, 77.3%, and 87.9%, respectively. Cancer-specific mortality at 1, 3, and 5 years was 12.3%, 18.4%, and 19.7%, respectively. Age, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease were independently associated with overall mortality, while performance of urinary diversion was associated with a protective effect. Active smoking was the sole risk factor for cancer-specific mortality. Conclusions RC in dialysis patients is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, with less than 15% overall survival at 5 years. Older patients, and those with a history of diabetes or cerebrovascular disease, are at an increased risk of mortality.
Influence of blue/red vs. white LED light treatments on biomass, shoot morphology, and quality parameters of hydroponically grown kale.

Abstract Solid-state light emitting diodes (LEDs) are emerging as an energy efficient alternative lighting source in controlled environments. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of sole-source LED lighting quality/duration on biomass, morphology, and nutritional quality of kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) in a controlled environment. ‘Premier’ kale seedlings were grown hydroponically using a 30 d production cycle. Experimental LED treatments included: 1) white LED for 37 d; 2) 5% B/95% R for 37 d; 3) 20%B/80%R for 30 d; 4) 20%B/80%R for 25 d; 5) 20%B/80%R for 20 d; and 6) 20%B/80%R for 15 d prior to harvest. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design, and three complete experimental runs were conducted. Plant height (cm), leaf length and width (cm), shoot and root fresh mass (g) and dry mass (g) were collected at harvest. Kale shoot tissues were measured for nutritionally important pigments, glucosinolates, mineral elements, and soluble carbohydrates. All plants treated with 20%B/80%R lighting were shorter compared to the white (37 d) and 5%B/95%R (37 d) treatments, respectively. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were influenced by LED treatment, while maximum quantum yield (QYmax) was not. LED light treatment impacted kale zeaxanthin (P = 0.01), antheraxanthin (P = 0.01), fructose (P = 0.03), and potassium (P = 0.02). Data suggest that increasing blue light during production has limited impact on 37-d old hydroponic kale developmental and nutritional parameters over continuous white LED lighting.
Confidence intervals, precision and confounding

Abstract Although it is well-known that confidence intervals fail to provide the probability that the population parameter of interest is within the computed interval, there nevertheless continues to be widespread support for them. Such support is based on the argument that confidence intervals measure precision; wide intervals indicate less precision whereas narrow intervals indicate more precision. But there are three types of precision; sampling precision, precision of homogeneity, and measurement precision; and confidence intervals confound them. In addition, based on the classical measurement theory and very simple mathematics, I demonstrate that it is easy to estimate all three types of precision separately. Thus, for those who are not interested in precision, there is no reason to compute confidence intervals. And for those who are interested in precision, it is better to estimate all three types of precision separately; consequently, there again is no reason to compute confidence intervals.
A hybrid instrumented/computational modelling framework with lab-on-sensor design and calibration for structural behaviour monitoring

In this paper, societal needs on the use of SHM in bridge preservation will first be reviewed and used to promote the re-alignment of SHM outcomes to daily practices in bridge inspection and maintenance. A hybrid instrumented/computational modelling framework to extend the emerging concept of lab-on-sensor design and calibration into bridge preservation application will then be envisioned with the acquisition of mission-critical data for structural behaviours. Next, current sensor technologies and future opportunities along this line of research will be discussed with several examples. Finally, the acquired data will be used to quantify the nonlinear behaviour of critical structural elements and thus their material parameters and uncertainties. For other structural elements, material parameters and uncertainties will be statistically correlated to those of the critical structural elements in a multi-scale computational model of representative bridges in a transportation network.
Capacity analysis of 10 toll plazas on the OOCEA network

This study uses the hourly throughput queuing model, SHAKER, to quantitatively evaluate the performances of real plaza lane configuration patterns. Plaza lane configurations and data concerning the characteristics of the approaching traffic were collected during a typical day for ten toll facilities maintained by the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority, OOCEA. The twenty unidirectional lane configuration patterns of the 10 plazas on November 5, 2002, are evaluated for performance using a new measure of effectiveness, the No-Queue-Maximum-Throughput, NQMT. Plaza capacity was found to depend heavily on the approaching traffic characteristics, specifically, how well it matched up with the plaza's lane configuration. Frequently, for instance, the computed NQMT values were low whenever the percentage was high for the approaching traffic that belonged to the category consisting of trucks using the manual collection service. If there are not enough lanes dedicated to this category of traffic, queues could begin to grow. In addition, the computed NQMT values were often high whenever the percentage was high for the approaching traffic that were electronic toll collection users.
Sufficient Conditions for the Existence of Resolution Complete Planning Algorithms

This paper addresses theoretical foundations of motion planning with differential constraints in the presence of obstacles. We establish general conditions for the existence of resolution complete planning algorithms by introducing a functional analysis framework and reducing algorithm existence to a simple topological property. First, we establish metric spaces over the control function space and the trajectory space. Second, using these metrics and assuming that the control system is Lipschitz continuous, we show that the mapping between open-loop controls and corresponding trajectories is continuous. Next, we prove that the set of all paths connecting the initial state to the goal set is open. Therefore, the set of open-loop controls, corresponding to solution trajectories, must be open. This leads to a simple algorithm that searches for a solution by sampling a control space directly, without building a reachability graph. A dense sample set is given by a discrete-time model. Convergence of the algorithm is proven in the metric of a trajectory space. The results provide some insights into the design of more effective planning algorithms and motion primitives.
Re-Thinking Technology Adoption in Physical Education.

The emerging focus on instructional technology in society and education has not been effective in providing the basis for widespread adoption in physical education (PE). Interest in technology’s ro...
Fish Tracking and Segmentation From Stereo Videos on the Wild Sea Surface for Electronic Monitoring of Rail Fishing

Electronic monitoring of fishery activities has drawn increasing attention. Deformable objects, noise from the wild sea surface, and dynamic background, however, make conventional tracking and segmentation methods unreliable. In this paper, we present an online 3D tracking and segmentation system for stereo video-based monitoring of rail fish catching on the wild sea surface. Based on the result of a pre-trained image object (fish) detector, a Kalman filtering-based tracking system overcomes the issues of low detection scores of deformed objects and of unreliable bounding boxes by rescoring multiple object proposals using spatial information in 3D. A clustering-and-scoring strategy is then applied on the depth map so that a plane classification method can effectively segment the objects from the dynamic background without any prior modeling. The object segmentation is further refined using fully connected conditional random fields based on color and geometric features. Using the segmentation results, we can measure the 3D lengths of objects and update the positions of bounding boxes to help tracking. Experimental results show that a reliable tracking and measurement performance under noisy and dynamic sea surface environment can be achieved.
IMPACT OF MEAN PLATELET VOLUME ON ST RESOLUTION FOLLOWING THROMBOLYSIS IN ACUTE ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Changing in size, density, and reactivity of platelets play an important role in occurrence and progression of myocardial infarction. Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) increases the incidence of fibrinolytic failure in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Electrocardiographic
Abstract 3701: Fn14 overexpression in RCAS/tv-a rat gliomas promotes tumor progression, increases invasion and decreases survival

Fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) is the cell surface receptor for the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family member TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK). The Fn14 gene is not normally expressed in healthy tissues, but expression is significantly increased in many primary solid tumor types, including glioblastoma (GBM). High Fn14 expression in tumors is often associated with the stimulation of cancer cell invasion leading to diffuse, aggressive tumors and metastasis. To investigate the effects of increased Fn14 expression in brain tumors, two different tumor types were developed using the RCAS/tv-a transgenic rat model: a low-Fn14, “proneural-like” (PDGFA/shP53 derived) tumor and a high-Fn14 (PDGFA/shP53/Fn14-derived) tumor. Interestingly, rats with high-Fn14 brain tumors had a significantly shorter median survival compared to those with low-Fn14 with 42 days and 70 days median survival, respectively. Using MR proton spectroscopy, both tumor types exhibited the markers of a malignant glioma such as increases in choline to creatinine ratio (Cho/Cr) and decreases in neuronal activity (NAA); however, high-Fn14 tumors also displayed an increase in lactate during tumor progression which is often a sign of high grade, necrotic tumors and poor prognosis. Morphologically, the two tumor subtypes appear quite different. HE 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3701.
Nonconsumptive effects of hunting on a nontarget game bird.

Human hunting activity and disturbance can significantly impact prey species through both consumptive and nonconsumptive effects. The nonconsumptive effects of rabbit hunting on Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter, bobwhite) are currently unknown. Increased perceived risk of predation by bobwhite during rabbit hunting events may elicit antipredator responses among bobwhite that impact fitness via changes in behavior that ultimately impact population growth.We estimated the nonconsumptive effects of rabbit hunting on bobwhite behavior using telemetry across varying rabbit hunting intensities. Movements were analyzed using Bayesian hierarchical modeling with a before-after-control-impact (BACI) design to determine the effect of rabbit hunting on bobwhite.We observed an overall reduction in bobwhite movement in the presence of rabbit hunting, with a 38% (Posterior Overlap = 0.01) increase in bobwhite step length in the absence of rabbit hunting. We also observed bobwhite maintaining closer proximity to hardwood and escape cover under high rabbit hunting intensity, with a 59% (Posterior Overlap = 0.03) increase in distance from hardwood and a 28% (Posterior Overlap = 0.14) increase in distance from escape cover when rabbit hunting was removed. Synthesis and applications. Heightened antipredator behavior through decreased movement may assist with bobwhite predator avoidance. However, decreased movement and increased use of poor habitats may also have negative effects as a result of reduced foraging time or increased susceptibility to other predators. Future research should attempt to quantify the effect of decreased movement on bobwhite fitness through the evaluation of foraging time and survival in order to continue to improve management efforts for the species.
Rupture and Invention: The Changing Nature of Work and the Implications for Social Policy

For the first time in decades, politicians and commentators are taking seriously the decline of the middle class. Public debate is focusing on the issues of income inequality, stagnating wages, long-term unemployment, and the decline of steady work. In addition, some see the rise of Uber, Lyft, and Task Rabbit as portending a new form of work relationship altogether, the consequences of which are by no means clear. Policy-makers have offered a number of proposals to address these problems, including raising the minimum wage, investing in more training, initiating a new stimulus program, encouraging employee ownership, and so on. While the problems are urgent and the proposals are important, the issue is more fundamental than the proposals acknowledge. Rather, over the past three decades, the entire context of the work experience has changed profoundly, so that the legal system and social welfare mechanisms constructed in the past do not work anymore. The rise of the on-demand economy is the logical extension of trends that have been developing for years. Over the past three decades, it has become commonplace for workers to have revolving jobs, short and variable hours, and temporary gigs rather than steady employment with reliable income and benefits. But despite the transformation in the nature of work, many of our social welfare institutions – our social insurance system, education system, and even our housing policies, were devised during the era in which people had long term jobs with a single entity for the entirety of their working lives. The ideal of stable long-term employment served as a template on which not only the labor laws, but also our laws regarding old age assistance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, home ownership, and education were based. These institutions formed the post-World War 2 social contract. Thus, our social laws and institutions are no longer adequate. This piece describes the fundamental changes in the nature of work, the dramatic shift of risk that they have wrought, and the failure of existing social institutions to provide an adequate safety net. It then offers proposals to rethink how to provide security and stability in an era where the employment relationship no longer serves that function. The challenge for public policy today is to devise new regulatory and institutional arrangements that address the reality and vulnerabilities of today’s workers.
The Transition from Evaluation to Selection Involves Neural Subspace Reorganization in Core Reward Regions

Economic choice proceeds from evaluation, in which we contemplate options, to selection, in which we weigh options and choose one. These stages must be differentiated so that decision makers do not proceed to selection before evaluation is complete. We examined responses of neurons in two core reward regions, orbitofrontal (OFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), during two-option choice with asynchronous offer presentation. Our data suggest that neurons selective during the first (presumed evaluation) and second (presumed comparison and selection) offer epochs come from a single pool. Stage transition is accompanied by a shift toward orthogonality in the low-dimensional population response manifold. Nonetheless, the relative position of each option in driving responses in the population subspace is preserved. The orthogonalization we observe supports the hypothesis that the transition from evaluation to selection leads to reorganization of response subspace and suggests a mechanism by which value-related signals are prevented from prematurely driving choice.
Modeling Architectural Support for Tightly-Coupled Accelerators

As proposed accelerators target finer-grained chunks of computation and data movement, it becomes increasingly important to couple them tightly with the processor, avoiding long invocation delays. However, the large implementation design space of these Tightly-Coupled Accelerators (TCAs) makes it difficult to balance trade-offs between hardware complexity and accelerator performance. Previous performance models for accelerators focused on the penalties associated with loosely-coupled accelerators, which abstracted away many of the fine-grained interactions with complex out-of-order structures and program behaviors that have large impacts on TCA performance. In this paper, we introduce an analytical model that studies TCA behavior when interacting with the core, in the context of both high and low memory bandwidth applications supporting various levels of speculative and out of order (OoO) execution. Our analytical model reduces the turnaround time in early design stages when estimating performance gains over detailed simulation with tolerable error. We also discuss potential design choices that can impede the benefits that come with TCAs, and illuminate differences with traditional accelerators.
Tensions in State–Local Intergovernmental Response to Emergencies: The Case of COVID-19

The U.S. emergency and disaster response system is designed to operate bottom-up, meaning responses are intended to begin at the local level with state and federal governments stepping in to assist as needed. The response to the current COVID-19 outbreak, however, has been something else entirely, as each level of government competes with the others over resources and authority. Some states preferred a local response with state support, while other states took a more uniform, state-mandated response enabled by state preemption of local actions. The latter has revealed an often-dormant means of state preemption of local ordinances: the executive order preemption. Local government managers will have to be creative in balancing responsiveness to their constituents in this time of crisis while also being constrained by their states. The administrative choices are likely to have both immediate and long-term consequences for future emergencies.
Homesick or Sick-of-Home? Examining the Effects of Self-Disclosure on Students’ Reverse Culture Shock after Studying Abroad: A Mixed-Method Study

This mixed-method study investigates the effects of self-disclosure and reverse culture shock among students returning from studying abroad. While previous literature examined the socio-cultural fa...
The Exascale Framework for High Fidelity coupled Simulations (EFFIS): Enabling whole device modeling in fusion science

We present the Exascale Framework for High Fidelity coupled Simulations (EFFIS), a workflow and code coupling framework developed as part of the Whole Device Modeling Application (WDMApp) in the Ex...
Approximating the Transition Probability Function Corresponding to the Solution of Stochastic Optimal Velocity Dynamical Model

In this paper a stochastic optimal velocity dynamical model in considered. The probabilistic behavior of the solution of such dynamics can be explained by its transition density function. We investigate an explicit approximation of this transition function through an iterative method.
A Comprehensive Building Load Optimization Method from Utility Rate Structure Perspective with Renewables and Energy Storage

To accommodate the changes in the nature and pattern of electricity consumption with the available resources, utility companies have introduced a variety of rate structures over the years. This paper develops a comprehensive optimization method that addresses the diversity of utility rate structures of buildings principally commercial buildings. It includes a general set of constraints that can be used for any system with a building load, a renewable source, and a battery energy storage system (BESS). A cost function is formulated for each type of rate structure that can be exercised by a utility on a commercial building. A novel algorithm is developed to apply the optimization model and generate the desired optimal outputs by using the appropriate cost function. The results for several building loads and rate structure types were obtained and compared. The results exhibit that adding BESS is more effective for buildings with lower load factor and Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) rate structures in comparison to the buildings with flat energy rates. These results can help a customer with deciding on the different rate structure options and resource planning of their renewable generation and energy storage.
Stochastic Canonical Equation K42 for Normalized Spectral Functions of Random Symmetric Matrices with Block Structure

At last, we have arrived to the main problem of this book, which explains its title: “Theory of Stochastic Canonical Equations”. We find here the main stochastic canonical equations for symmetric random matrices with independent blocks, which are the prototype for the next chapters.
Effects of eating a liquid meal at specific times upon subsequent performances in the one-mile run

Abstract Using three time intervals (1/2 hr., 1 hr., and 2 hr.) between the eating of the liquid meal and running and for a control run (no eating 31/2 to 4 hr. before running), 10 subjects each ran 10 trials for the 1-mile run. The criterion score was the mean of 10 trials for each of the three time intervals and for the control run. The analysis of data indicated that, according to the requirements of the F ratio, the consumption of the liquid meal (290 calories) 1/2 hr., 1 hr., or 2 hr. prior to running had no adverse effect on the running times for the 1-mile run.
IMPACTS OF ROBOTICS AND FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES ON MANUFACTURING COSTS AND EMPLOYMENT

The issues analyzed in this paper are the extent to which unit costs and production labor requirements might be reduced in manufacturing industries if there is more widespread use of industrial robots and flexible systems. The analysis is reported in detail in Miller (1983). These issues are analyzed from two different perspectives. The technological focus of the first perspective is narrowly confined to the use of robotic manipulators. It is assumed that robotic manipulators will be “retrofitted” into existing production facilities without making major changes in the organization of production within the factory, other than modifying individual work stations so that robots can replace one (or perhaps several) operators. The critical variable in this perspective is an estimate of the percent of the production worker jobs that will be replaced by robots. Reductions in unit cost are calculated by assuming that a given percentage of labor costs is reduced. Cases are also considered where robot use results in a moderate increase in output as well as a decrease in production labor requirements. The question of whether decreases in production labor requirements could be offset by an increase in demand stimulated by a reduction in price is also analyzed.