cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facts and Issues about Goodwill Impairment Losses in SFAS No. 142 Adoption Year

For most companies, fiscal year 2002 was the adoption year for Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) No. 141: Business Combinations and No. 142: Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. This article analyzes financial statements reported under the new rules and reaches the following conclusions: 1). In the adoption year, the impacts on reported earnings can be deep, but uneven across firms; some companies show dramatic negative impacts while most companies show mild positive impacts. 2). Measurement and disclosure of goodwill's fair value, and the basis for impairment losses, when necessary, becomes more technical and more demanding on statement users. 3). Goodwill fair value impairment losses take place across industries and do not seem to be related to industry economic performance. Overall, under the new rules, goodwill as an asset on the accounting book is more challenging and less predictable.
Concurrent Luminance and Temporal Measurements in Liquid Crystal Displays

This paper studies concurrent measurements on luminance and temporal performance of liquid crystal display by closely integrating different instruments. A photodetector with a photopic filter is applied to measure temporal response of LCD. A Photo Reserch is utilized to get luminance and color of LCD. A photodetector with a photopic filter has a large size area such as 10 mm in diameter. This paper designs an optical system which is using optical fibers and collimation lens to connect optical sensor. It has the advantages of smaller probe sizes, adjustable spot sizes and easy to alignment. The measurement spot sizes are adjusted by designing and applying different collimation lens with optical fibers. For measuring lower luminance of LCD, larger beam collimators are selected. For getting higher spatial resolution or measuring small target, collimation lens with smaller spot sizes are chosen. The collimators on either sides of the optical fiber for each instrument probe should be designed and arranged according to specifications. In this paper, the effects of different measuring angle toward the LCD panel are analyzed. The corresponding calibration method is developed for the proposed concurrent measurement system. The developed system can be expanded to conduct parallel measurements of multi-points of LCD for high throughput and spatial resolution.
Sentence Comprehension in Elderly Listeners: The Factor of Rate

The study was designed to test the clinical observation that sentence comprehension in elderly listeners is enhanced when rate is slowed (time-expanded) and that comprehension is affected adversely when rate is speeded (time-compressed). Twenty normally-active elderly persons who ranged in age from 65 through 88 years listened to four matched sets of 10 sentences each that were modified electronically to produce the following four rate-alteration percentages: 100% (normal rate), 60% compression, 140% expansion, and 180% expansion. Sentences were presented binaurally to listeners who responded by selecting pictures that matched the sentences heard. Results indicated that sentence comprehension scores were significantly higher (p less than .01) at both the 60% and 140% alteration rates than at the normal speaking rate. Possible effects of the stimulus upon comprehension performance are discussed.
Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report

Two central issues addressed in this article are the extent to which young children’s time should be spent predominantly in the care of the same parent or divided more evenly between both parents, and whether children under the age of 4 should sleep in the same home every night or spend overnights in both parents’ homes. A broad consensus of accomplished researchers and practitioners agree that, in normal circumstances, the evidence supports shared residential arrangements for children under 4 years of age whose parents live apart from each other. Because of the well-documented vulnerability of father‐child relationships among never-married and divorced parents, the studies that identify overnights as a protective factor associated with increased father commitment to child rearing and reduced incidence of father drop-out, and the absence of studies that demonstrate any net risk of overnights, policymakers and decision makers should recognize that depriving young children of overnights with their fathers could compromise the quality of developing father-child relationships. Sufficient evidence does not exist to support postponing the introduction of regular and frequent involvement, including overnights, of both parents with their babies and toddlers. The theoretical and practical considerations favoring overnights for most young children are more compelling than concerns that overnights might jeopardize children’s development.
Combined effects of fluid selection and flow condensation on ejector operation in an ejector-based chiller

Abstract This work investigates the optimization of the coefficient of performance of an ejector-based chiller through changes in the two-phase flow characteristics inside the ejector using wet R134a and dry R245fa fluids. Reducing the superheat at the motive nozzle inlet results in a 12–13% increase in COP with a 14–16 K drop in driving waste heat temperature. The roles of momentum transfer, heat transfer, and two-phase flow on performance are delineated. The change in COP appears to be a combination of the choice of fluid and the effect of phase change on momentum transfer effectiveness. Larger degrees of condensation reduce momentum transfer effectiveness; however, energy savings from reduced motive superheating compensates for the effect of condensation, and causes a net increase in COP. It is recommended that ejector-based chillers be operated such that the motive nozzle inlet is near saturation, and dry fluids like R245fa are used to improve performance.
Defining patho-anatomy of the knee in congenital longitudinal lower limb deficiencies

Context: The osseous and soft tissue anatomy of the knee in congenital longitudinal lower limb deficiencies is important to consider, both in limb lengthening procedures and in soft tissue reconstruction. Aims: Our study aims to further define the patho-anatomy of the knee in this group of patients. Methods and Material: 24 children were reviewed clinically and radiologically. Osseous and soft tissue anatomy is described including MR imaging of 27 affected knees. Results: Our results echoed those of previous authors, with dysplasia of the menisci and cruciate ligaments a frequent finding. However, the study demonstrated that a clear correlation between the osseous anatomy and soft tissue findings was not always seen. Conclusions: MRI allows assessment of the cartilaginous epiphysis in younger children with longitudinal dysplasia and we would recommend systematic assessment of the knee prior to any surgical intervention.
Solving Equations in Strings: On Makanin's Algorithm

We present a further simplification of Makanin's algorithm, still the only known general procedure for solving string equations. We also give pseudo-code, a thorough analysis of its complexity, and complete proofs of correctness and termination.
The home buying experience: the impacts of time pressure and emotion on high stakes deciders information behavior

The purpose of this study was to determine how time pressure and emotion influenced people's information behavior when engaging in high stakes decision-making within the home buying domain. Employing an exploratory approach, 33 semi-structured interviews involving a timeline strategy, as well as 8 observations, were conducted with participants from the Seattle, Washington metropolitan area. Findings revealed that "information use" induced emotion, created a sense of time pressure and generated an interaction of the two factors, whereas "non-information use" behaviors such as information needs and information seeking were propelled by emotion and time pressure. The study also identified the emergent "information use by proxy" phenomenon wherein emotion prompted people to enlist trusted surrogates to use information for making decisions on their behalf. Further, findings show that emotion and time pressure have the ability to alter one's routine information behavior to that of a more impulsive or arbitrary approach. Copyright: Copyright is held by the author
Abstract 3825: Whole genome bisulfite sequencing from plasma of patients with metastatic breast cancer identifies putative biomarkers

Although several improvements in the management of breast cancer(BC) have been made, an estimated 90% of BC related deaths are due to the development of distant metastasis to organs such as lung, bone, liver, and brain. Numerous studies suggest that cell-free (cf)DNA methylation could serve as a useful biomarker for improving clinical management. The objective of our study was to identify novel blood-based biomarkers that can be used to predict BC patients at high risk of distant metastasis. For the first time we performed paired-end whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) using 15 ng of cf plasma DNA from three pools of samples which included metastatic BC to various organs (M, n = 40), breast cancer free survivors (BCF n = 40) and healthy individuals (H, n = 40). Sequences were aligned using the bismark tool and data analysis was conducted using the R package methylKit to identify base-pair resolution DNA methylation differences between groups. A minimum of 5 reads in each group, delta beta values ≥0.2 and p values Citation Format: Christophe Legendre, Gerald C. Gooden, Kyle N. Johnson, Rae Anne Martinez, Bodour Salhia. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing from plasma of patients with metastatic breast cancer identifies putative biomarkers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3825. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3825
Robust and Optimal PID Controller Design

Abstract This paper considers the problem of designing robust and optimal PID controllers for a given linear time-invariant plant. In (Ho et al. 1997b), a linear programming characterization of all stabilizing PID controllers for a given plant is provided. This characterization, besides being computationally efficient, reveals important structural properties of PID controllers. For example, it is shown that for a fixed proportional gain, the set of stabilizing integral and derivative gains lie in convex sets. Utilizing this characterization, we first examine the robustness of PID controllers obtained by classical PID tuning methods. It shows that the PID settings obtained by using those rules of thumb may have less parametric robustness. The characterization is also shown to be useful for carrying out robust and optimal PID controller designs.
Should DBS for Psychiatric Disorders be Considered a Form of Psychosurgery? Ethical and Legal Considerations

Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure involving the implantation of electrodes in the brain, has rekindled the medical community's interest in psychosurgery. Whereas many researchers argue DBS is substantially different from psychosurgery, we argue psychiatric DBS-though a much more precise and refined treatment than its predecessors-is nevertheless a form of psychosurgery, which raises both old and new ethical and legal concerns that have not been given proper attention. Learning from the ethical and regulatory failures of older forms of psychosurgery can help shed light on how to address the regulatory gaps that exist currently in DBS research. To show why it is important to address the current regulatory gaps within psychiatric DBS, we draw on the motivations underlying the regulation of earlier forms of psychosurgery in the US. We begin by providing a brief history of psychosurgery and electrical brain stimulation in the US. Against this backdrop, we introduce psychiatric DBS, exploring current research and ongoing clinical trials. We then draw out the ethical and regulatory similarities between earlier forms of psychosurgery and psychiatric DBS. As we will show, the factors that motivated strict regulation of earlier psychosurgical procedures mirror concerns with psychiatric DBS today. We offer three recommendations for psychiatric DBS regulation, which echo earlier motivations for regulating psychosurgery, along with new considerations that reflect the novel technologies used in DBS.
Measuring to Improve Versus Measuring to Prove: Understanding the Adoption of Social Performance Measurement Practices in Nascent Social Enterprises

Social enterprises are described as organizations with dual objectives—social and commercial. While the measurement of commercial performance is relatively straightforward and well understood, our understanding of the factors related to measuring social performance is more ambiguous. Is the adoption of social performance measurement (SPM) practices more related to external pressures, such as the need to demonstrate legitimacy to funders and peers, or is it more closely related to the growing rationalization within the social sector? We examine the relationship between external and internal factors and the adoption of SPM using a novel dataset of 1864 nascent social enterprises from around the world. Our findings suggest support for the argument that the adoption of SPM in social enterprise is related to the growing rationalization of the social sector, which challenges some of the past research on this topic, and provides a more nuanced perspective of SPM in social enterprise.
On the construction sites of history: Where did Donald Trump come from?

Donald Trump’s election has forced a collective re-evaluation of who the “ordinary citizen” or “forgotten man or woman” is. Level of education distinguished Trump voters from Clinton voters. In spring 2016, Trump exuberantly shouted, “I love the poorly educated!” The ordinary citizens who voted for Trump did not care about his well-documented outrageous statements. This chapter asks what made Donald Trump so attractive to the constituency of the “poorly educated”? Using a method of bricolage—the assemblage of diverse facts, slogans, and visual images that dominated the electoral campaign—I develop an interpretation of Trump’s victory that is cultural and also speaks to profound structural changes that began in the United States in the 1970s. The evidence for this chapter comes from over 50 hours of watching Donald Trump on television—during the debates, the primary season, and the election; the Republican convention and a series of speeches during the campaign season; as well as popular culture from the 1970s through the present.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) outcomes in a public hospital setting: Characteristics and outcomes from the Interim LSU Public Hospital (ILH) in New Orleans.

e17533 Background: HCC is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide and its incidence rate is increasing in the United States. HCC survival rates have doubled between 1992 and 2004, as more patients are diagnosed with localized and regional HCC amenable to procedural based therapies. The under- or uninsured patients served by public hospital systems are often unable to get recommended screening and timely standard therapy which may lead to higher morbidity and mortality. Methods: 107 patients with HCC were identified treated at ILH from 1/1/2007-2/1/2013. A retrospective chart review was performed and data collected included sex, ethnicity, hepatitis C (HC) and hepatitis B (HB) infection history, HCC surveillance, treatment modalities as well as percentage of survival after a year of diagnosis. Results: The majority of patients were men: 85% (91) versus 5% (16) females. 63% were black, 25% white, the remaining 12% were either Asian or Hispanic. 75% were HC positive and 9% were HB positive, of ...
Hardworking as a Heuristic for Moral Character: Why We Attribute Moral Values to Those Who Work Hard and Its Implications

The Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is a powerful force in Western culture with far reaching effects on our values and judgments. While research on PWE as a cultural value is abundant in diverse disciplines, little research has explored how this cultural value facilitates the use of heuristics when evaluating the morality of others. Using both PWE and illusory correlation as foundations, this paper explores whether people attribute positive moral characteristics to others merely based upon a description as hardworking. Three experiments suggest merely being described as hardworking leads to perceptions of greater honesty, a more careful and detailed approach to one’s work, accompanied by a lesser likelihood of engaging in cheating behavior and a greater likelihood of accountability. These results have implications regarding the detection of deviant/fraudulent behavior.
Shell middens and human technologies as a historical baseline for the Chesapeake Bay, USA:

The Chesapeake Bay has an archaeological record that dates from the Paleoindian period to the early 20th century. In this paper, the research and analysis of artifact technologies recovered from si...
A P-D FINAL STATE COULOMB INTERACTION FROM 2H(α,dt) 1H WITH Eα = 70 MeV

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that in a coplanar, kinematically complete experiment, the evidence for a strong p–d final state Coulomb interaction (FSCl) was observed with the 2 H(α, dt) 1 H reaction. Identified particle and coincidence energy information for d and t with various angle pairs was obtained. Such an experiment has the distinct advantages of determining the kinematics of the final state and of distinguishing the final state interaction of interest from other interactions and sequential or quasi-free scattering processes. These advantages have made the application of the Watson–Migdal formalism and other appropriate formulations quite successful in predicting the shape of the spectral structure. In this particular experiment, comparison of theoretical predictions to the data is constrained by the low counting rates encountered and the presence of spectral structure. Though the chapter does not explain the three-body final state cross section for multiparticle breakup experiments with sequential and FSI processes, it explains the factors that contribute to the cross section. The presence of sequence and the insensitivity of the fitting to the effective range parameters limit the interpretation of the p–d FSI. The fits generated suggest that no 3 He excited state exists near its p–d breakup threshold.
Opportunities for Learning in Multi-Agent Meeting Scheduling.

In this paper we explore opportunities for learning in Multi-Agent Meeting Scheduling. We view this multiagent task as fully distributed with several challenging characteristics: (i) agents have ownership of their own calendars; (ii) agents exchange information among each other with the goal of finding an open meeting time; (iii) agents can negotiate multiple meetings concurrently. We have implemented a negotiation strategy in which the agents communicate all their available time slots. This “open negotiator” is designed to reflect the open calendar approach of Microsoft Outlook in a distributed setup. We show where this negotiation strategy fails to lead to efficient scheduling and discuss how agents could use learned information to improve social welfare and scheduling performance.
Colicky baby? Here's a surprising remedy.

The PURLs Surveillance System is supported in part by Grant Number UL1RR024999 from the National Center for Research Resources, a Clinical Translational Science Award to the University of Chicago. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.
Recent Advancements and Motivations of Simulated Pluto Experiments

This review of Pluto laboratory research presents some of the recent advancements and motivations in our understanding enabled by experimental simulations, the need for experiments to facilitate models, and predictions for future laboratory work. The spacecraft New Horizons at Pluto has given a large amount of scientific data already rising to preliminary results, spanning from the geology to the atmosphere. Different ice mixtures have now been detected, with the main components being nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. Varying geology and atmospheric hazes, however, gives us several questions that need to be addressed to further our understanding. Our review summarizes the complexity of Pluto, the motivations and importance of laboratory simulations critical to understanding the low temperature and pressure environments of icy bodies such as Pluto, and the variability of instrumentation, challenges for research, and how simulations and modeling are complimentary.
Rest ETCO2 and VE/VCO2 are Superior to Exercise Gas Exchange Parameters with Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing to Predict Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Patients with Dyspnea of Unclear Etiology

Purpose We sought to predict exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) and behavior of resting PH with exercise with gas exchange parameters. Methods We reviewed clinical, echocardiographic and invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing data for 75 consecutive patients with unexplained dyspnea . Results Among the overall cohort, mean age (± SD) was 58.9±14.5 years. Based on the final diagnosis and physiological phenotype, we divided the overall cohort into three groups: pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) - combination of WHO group I/III/IV (n=23, 30%), pulmonary venous hypertension - WHO group II (n=38, 52%) and the control group with no PH (n=14, 19%). Echocardiographic parameters among PVD vs PVH vs Control group: right ventricle (RV): left ventricle ratio 0.9±0.2 vs 0.9±.02 vs 0.8±0.2, tricuspid annular pan-systolic excursion 17±5 vs 20±5 vs 21±3 mm, RV outflow tract acceleration time 98±17 vs 107±23 vs 124±23 m.sec, while other rest -> exercise parameters are in Figure 1. Among different gas exchange parameters, rest ETCO 2 and VE/VCO2 had the highest predictive ability on ROC analysis to identify both rest and exercise PVR > 3 WU, and PVD (vs non-PVD diagnosis) with AUC: 0.81-0.82 range. Based on these findings, we created a simple easy-to-use gas exchange scoring system with rest ETCO2 and VE/VCO2 that can help identify patients with pulmonary vascular disease (Figure 2). Conclusion In dyspnea of unclear etiology, rest gas exchange parameters (ETCO2 and VE/VCO2) can identify pulmonary vascular disease as the cause.
‘Where Prayers May Be Whispered’: Promises of Presence in Protestant Place-Making

This article examines themes of religion tourism, presence, devotional labour, and place-making from the vantage point of a ‘forgotten’ Christian attraction in the United States. I integrate archiv...
Industry Payments for Otolaryngology Research: A Four-Year Analysis of the Open Payments Database.

Objective To characterize industry research payments to otolaryngologists. Study design Cross-sectional retrospective analysis. Methods We examined research payments made to otolaryngologists 2014 through 2017 included in the Open Payments Database. Trends in payment values over time were characterized and compared to other surgical specialties. Geographical and temporal trends in payments to specific principal investigators, along with the ties to specific companies, were analyzed. Results Among surgical specialties, otolaryngology was the second lowest paid in terms of total compensation from industry for research per active U.S. physician. The median (mean) payment to otolaryngologists was $819 ($5,514), $548 ($3,083), $771 ($3,484), and $1,000 ($5,768) in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. There was typically a higher mean and median payment per otolaryngologists in the Northeast, although significant differences between each region varied by year. The 40 most highly funded recipients had total compensation that was on average spread over 3.35 years of the database, 2.975 different companies, and 7.35 distinct scientific studies-all significantly higher compared to otolaryngologists with less funding. Conclusion Research payments to otolaryngologists are concentrated in a small number of otolaryngologists; however, many of the most highly funded principal investigators worked on numerous studies with a variety of different companies over many years. Our characterization of the Open Payments Database over 4 years illustrates the depth of relationship between otolaryngology research and industry as well as raises awareness regarding the ease of connecting otolaryngologists to research payments. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 130:314-320, 2020.
Dietary Egg Sphingomyelin Prevents Aortic Root Plaque Accumulation in Apolipoprotein-E Knockout Mice.

Western-style diets have been linked with dyslipidemia and inflammation, two well-known risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dietary sphingomyelin (SM) has been reported to modulate gut microbiota, and lower serum lipids and inflammation in mice on Western-style diets. However, few studies have examined if nutritionally-relevant intake of dietary SM can impact atherosclerosis progression. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine if incorporating 0.1% (w/w) egg SM (ESM) (equivalent to ~750 mg/day in humans) into a high-fat (45% kcal), cholesterol-enriched diet (HFD) could prevent atheroprogression in apoE−/− mice (n = 15/group). We found that mice fed with the ESM-rich diet had significantly lower epididymal fat mass (−46%) and tended to have higher spleen weights (+15%). There were no significant differences in serum lipids between groups. However, ESM-fed mice had significantly lower alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. Additionally, ESM-fed mice displayed significantly less aortic root lipid accumulation (−31%) compared to controls. This improvement in atherosclerosis was paired with over a two-fold reduction in circulating serum amyloid A (SAA) in ESM-fed mice. Finally, there was also a modulation of the gut microbiota with ESM supplementation. ESM may have the potential to prevent atherosclerosis, however further research in the clinical setting is warranted.
The cytoplasmic domain of MxiG interacts with MxiK and directs assembly of the sorting platform in the Shigella type III secretion system

Many Gram-negative bacteria use type III secretion systems (T3SSs) to inject virulence effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. The T3SS apparatus (T3SA) is structurally conserved among diverse bacterial pathogens and consists of a cytoplasmic sorting platform, an envelope-spanning basal body, and an extracellular needle with tip complex. The sorting platform is essential for effector recognition and powering secretion. Studies using bacterial "minicells" have revealed an unprecedented level of structural detail of the sorting platform; however, many of the structure-function relationships within this complex remain enigmatic. Here, we report on improved cryo-electron tomographic approaches to enhance the resolution of the Shigella T3SA sorting platform (at ≤2 nm resolution) done in concert with biochemical and genetic methods to define the sorting platform interactome and interactions with the T3SA inner membrane ring (IR). We observed that the sorting platform consists of "pods" with 6-fold symmetry that interact with the Spa47 ATPase via radial extensions comprising MxiN. Most importantly, MxiK maintained an interaction with the IR via specific interactions with the cytoplasmic domain of the IR protein MxiG (MxiGC), which is a noncanonical forkhead-associated domain, and MxiK has an elongated structure that interacts with the IR via MxiGC. T4 lysozyme-mediated insertional mutagenesis of MxiK revealed its orientation within the sorting platform and enabled disruption of interactions with its binding partners, which abolished sorting platform assembly. Finally, a comparison with the homologous interactions in the Salmonella T3SS sorting platform revealed clear differences in their IR-sorting platform interfaces that have possible mechanistic implications.
Mitigation of PV Variability Using Adaptive Moving Average Control

Variability of the power generated by photovoltaics due to passing clouds can cause instability in the utility grid. This variability can be mitigated by control strategies which include the integration of energy storage systems. This article proposes a combination of two novel methods, termed here as adaptive moving average control and adaptive state of charge control, to mitigate variability using energy storage. The adaptive moving average control uses an adjustable window size based on a variability metric quantified by a moving standard deviation of the input power, leading to improved mitigation. The adaptive state of charge control maintains flexibility of the storage system by keeping its state of charge close to a reference. This proposed combination reduces storage utilization during times of low variability, and improves the trade-off between the degree of smoothness achieved and the capacity requirement of the storage system. The advantage of the proposed strategy with respect to traditional algorithms is first presented in simulation. The result is further verified experimentally in a field test by using a battery energy storage system controlled by agents written for the Eclipse VOLTTRON platform.
Noninvasive liquid level sensing technique using laser generated ultrasound (Conference Presentation)

Shape morphing is one of the most appealing applications of adaptive structures. Among the various means of achieving shape morphing, origami-inspired folding is particularly advantageous, because folding is a powerful approach to induce three-dimensional and sophisticated shape changes. However, attaining large-amplitude folding is still a challenge in origami engineering. While promising, the use of active materials as a folding activation strategy is limited due to the constant voltage supply that is required to maintain the desired configuration of the structure. One possible solution is to embed bi-stability into the structure. Bi-stability can play two significant roles here: first, it can significantly reduce the actuation requirement to induce shape morphing, and second, it can maintain the shape change without demanding sustained energy supply. In a previous study by the authors, a unique shape morphing (or self-folding) method using harmonic excitation has been proposed for a bi-stable water-bomb base. However, this approach has some drawbacks because the nonlinear dynamic behaviors of origami are quite sensitive to different design parameters, such as initial conditions, excitation parameters, and inaccuracies in manufacturing. In this study, via numerical simulations, we show that by harnessing the intra-well resonance of the water-bomb structure and incorporating a relatively simple feedback control strategy, one can achieve a rapid and robust morphing using relatively low actuation magnitude. The results of this study can lay the foundation of a new category of morphing origami mechanisms with efficient and reliable embedded actuation.
Near-Zero Power Mechanical Shock-Resistant Inertial Wakeup System with Scaled Inputs

This paper reports on a near-zero power inertial wakeup sensor system supporting digital weighting of inputs and with protection against false positives due to mechanical shocks. This improves upon existing work by combining the selectivity and sensitivity (Q-amplification) of resonant MEMS sensors with the flexibility of digital signal processing while consuming below 10 nW. The target application is unattended sensors for perimeter sensing and machinery health monitoring where extended battery life afforded by the low power consumption eliminates the need for power cables. For machinery health monitoring, the signals of interest are stationary but may contain spurious mechanical shocks.
Neuronal and Ganglionic Blockers

Some of the earliest antihypertensive treatments involved the use of neuronal and ganglionic blockers, but they proved to have numerous unpleasant side effects. As a result, these blockers are now used as third- or fourth-line agents in the management of severe hypertension when the combination of bettertolerated agents has failed to achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) control. Trimethaphan is used for the reduction of BP during surgery and the treatment of hypertensive emergencies.
Pyomyositis resulting in abscess in an infant and in osteomyelitis in a healthy teenager without fever case reports and literature review

Abstract Pyomyositis is a bacterial infection of the skeletal muscle, when diagnosis is delayed it can result in major complications. Magnetic resonance imaging should be considered in case of unexplained extremity pain with abnormal inflammatory markers. A 5-month-old infant with right thigh swelling-pain for one day and a teenage with left thigh pain and swelling for 3 days without trauma presented to emergency department. Fever was denied in both cases. Both cases radiography were noncontributory but both had elevated C-reactive protein. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium did confirm the diagnosis promptly. Both did recover without any sequela. In case of unexplained extremity pain-swelling, even without fever, if patient has elevated acute phase reactants Pyomyositis should be considered in order to diagnose and treat it timely to avoid major complications.
Biological and Computer Vision

Imagine a world where machines can see and understand the world the way humans do. Rapid progress in artificial intelligence has led to smartphones that recognize faces, cars that detect pedestrians, and algorithms that suggest diagnoses from clinical images, among many other applications. The success of computer vision is founded on a deep understanding of the neural circuits in the brain responsible for visual processing. This book introduces the neuroscientific study of neuronal computations in visual cortex alongside of the psychological understanding of visual cognition and the burgeoning field of biologically-inspired artificial intelligence. Topics include the neurophysiological investigation of visual cortex, visual illusions, visual disorders, deep convolutional neural networks, machine learning, and generative adversarial networks among others. It is an ideal resource for students and researchers looking to build bridges across different approaches to studying and developing visual systems.
Understanding a Paradox in Special Relativity.

Einstein’s special theory of relativity includes many non-intuitive and apparently paradoxical conclusions about space and time. One of these is time dilation, the fact that a clock moving relative to an observer runs slower than an identical clock at rest in the observer’s reference frame. This is clearly exhibited in the extended mean lifetime of elementary particles moving at high speed, compared to their mean lifetime when at rest, and must be taken into account when processing signals from atomic clocks carried by satellites in the global positioning system (GPS). My intent in this note is not to derive this or other relativistic effects; such derivations may be found in many textbooks. Rather, I would like to share two figures I prepared while teaching elementary physics quite a few years ago, to help understand the apparent paradox that two observers, in relative motion, both measure the other’s clock to run slower than their own. It is my hope that instructors can reproduce these two figures and find them useful in discussions to illustrate these basic concepts. The sketches are only approximately drawn to scale.
Association of Vena Cava Filters and Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Deep Vein Thrombosis With Hospital Readmissions

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to evaluate all-cause 30 days readmission rate and its association with inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) placement and catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in patients with proximal and caval DVT. BACKGROUND: The rehospitalization rates and its predictors in acute proximal DVT have not been well characterized, including the impact of IVCF placement and CDT.METHODS: Patients with index hospitalization for acute proximal lower extremity DVT were evaluated for unplanned readmission rates at 30 days using Nationwide Readmission Database from 2016 to 2017. We used Cox proportional hazard model to determine the predictors of 30-days readmissions and its association with IVCF and CDT use. RESULTS: 58,306 adult patients were identified with an index hospitalization for acute proximal DVT. 533 patients died during the index admission or within 30 day from initial discharge. The unplanned 30-day rehospitalization rate among survivors of initial hospitalization was 14.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.5-15.0%). In multivariable analysis, only CDT was associated with a lower hazard for rehospitalization (HR 0.77, 0.71-0.84), whereas IVCF placement (HR 1.26, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.19-1.34), malignancy (HR 1.45, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.34-1.57), and length of stay more than 5 days (HR 1.39, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.33-1.46) were associated with higher readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: The 30-day unplanned rehospitalization rate continues to be high in patients with acute proximal DVT. CDT was associated with lower rehospitalization rates, while IVCF placement was associated with increased rehospitalization rates. FUNDING STATEMENT: This research was funded by the Division of Cardiovascular Disease, Temple University Hospital. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: Dr Bashir has equity interest in Thrombolex Inc. Dr. Bikdeli reports that he is a consulting expert, on behalf of the plaintiff, for litigation related to specific brand models of IVC filters. Dr. Anthony J. Comerota is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Thrombolex, Inc. No other disclosures are reported. ETHICS APPROVAL STATEMENT: NRD is publicly available and contains deidentified patient information, hence, the study was exempted from institutional review board assessment.
Infusing Adventure Based Counseling Techniques Into Counselor Education

Counselor educators routinely utilize creative interventions and experiences to enhance student development within the classroom. Adventure-based counseling (ABC) is one such intervention that has ...
A Proposed Framework for Increasing Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Communication Sciences and Disorders Academic Programs: The REAP Model

Purpose Despite the growing clinical and research advances in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), health disparities persist by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status among patients. A div...
Cross-fostering selectively bred High Runner mice affects adult body mass but not voluntary exercise

While nursing, mammals progress through critical developmental periods for the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and central nervous systems. The suckling period in mammals is therefore especially vulnerable to environmental factors that may affect the "developmental programming" of many complex traits. As a result, various aspects of maternal behavior and physiology can influence offspring in ways that have lasting effects into adulthood. Several recent studies of animal models have shown that maternal effects can partially program adult activity behaviors, which has important implications for health and locomotor performance. Here, we used cross-fostering to test for possible maternal effects on adult wheel-running behavior (voluntary exercise), maximal aerobic capacity during forced exercise (VO2max), body mass and composition, and organ masses. Subjects were from a line of mice that has been selectively bred for ∼90 generations for high voluntary wheel-running behavior (High Runner; HR) and a non-selected Control (C) line. Adult HR mice run ∼3-fold the daily distances of C mice and have evolved other differences associated with exercise capacity, including elevated VO2max, reduced body mass and fat mass, and larger hearts. At birth, we fostered offspring to create 4 experimental groups: C pups to other C dams (in-foster), HR pups to other HR dams (in-foster), C pups to HR dams (cross-foster), HR pups to C dams (cross-foster). Thus, all pups were fostered to a different mother. Mice were weaned 3 weeks later, and adult testing began at ∼6 weeks of age. At weaning, pups raised by HR dams were smaller than those raised by C dams for both sexes and as expected, HR pups raised by HR dams weighed less than C pups raised by C dams. As adults, mice raised by HR dams continued to have reduced body masses. As expected, adult HR mice ran approximately 3-fold more than their C counterparts and females ran more than males. However, cross-fostering did not statistically affect any aspect of wheel-running behavior (distance, duration, speed). Similarly, with body mass as a covariate, HR mice had higher VO2max than C mice, and males had higher VO2max than females, but cross-fostering had no effect. With body mass as a covariate, cross-fostering had variable effects on adult organ masses in a sex-specific manner. Overall, our results indicate that development of the adult High Runner phenotype does not require rearing by an HR dam, suggesting that high adult activity in humans may be independent of high maternal activity.
Stereotactic biopsy and brachytherapy of brain tumours.

This paper discusses 98 patients who had their cerebral lesions stereotactically biopsied. Modified Riechert-Mundinger instrumentation was employed. Of the 98 patients, eight received only biopsy and 90 were then interstitially radiated with iridium-192 (192Ir) custom stacked in afterloading catheters. The vast majority of brachytherapeutically treated lesions were anaplastic or malignant astrocytomas. There were some metastatic lesions, and in two instances the tumour occupied the infratentorial compartment. Two-thirds of the patients had received prior teletherapy; in the remainder, stereotaxis provided the initial diagnosis and brachytherapy the principal treatment. The survival data suggest reasons for optimism. Eighty percent of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma were alive 2 yr later, compared with 55% for those harbouring malignant astrocytomas. Since this is the largest database on this topic in the U.S.A., we are in the process of a more critical review. Complication rate is low. Diagnostic tissue was obtained in all instances. Delayed radionecrosis at the site of implant may aggravate neurological deficits when lesions involve functionally sensitive cortex or their pertinent underlying structures. Such reactions may appear 4-18 mnth after brachytherapy and are more likely to occur in patients who were previously radiated.
Pose based activity recognition using Multiple Kernel learning

We describe a method for activity recognition based on distribution of human poses in a video. Pose estimation has shown to be sensitive to the priors given to the inference method; we use a collection of distinctive kinematic tree priors to model the variety of pose variations present in a video. Feature histograms are computed from vector quantized descriptors derived from the pose estimates. A learned Multiple Kernel SVM classifier is used to combine the various histograms to give activity classifications. We report results on a publicly available human gesture dataset.∗
Calcium binding to the H+,K(+)-ATPase. Evidence for a divalent cation site that is occupied during the catalytic cycle.

The binding and conformational properties of the divalent cation site required for H+,K(+)-ATPase catalysis have been explored by using Ca2+ as a substitute for Mg2+. 45Ca2+ binding was measured with either a filtration assay or by passage over Dowex cation exchange columns on ice. In the absence of ATP, Ca2+ was bound in a saturating fashion with a stoichiometry of 0.9 mol of Ca2+ per active site and an apparent Kd for free Ca2+ of 332 +/- 39 microM. At ATP concentrations sufficient for maximal phosphorylation (10 microM), 1.2 mol of Ca2+ was bound per active site with an apparent Kd for free Ca2+ of 110 +/- 22 microM. At ATP concentrations greater than or equal to 100 microM, 2.2 mol of Ca2+ were bound per active site, suggesting that an additional mole of Ca2+ bound in association with low affinity nucleotide binding. At concentrations sufficient for maximal phosphorylation by ATP (less than or equal to 10 microM), APD, ADP + Pi, beta,gamma-methylene-ATP, CTP, and GTP were unable to substitute for ATP. Active site ligands such as acetyl phosphate, phosphate, and p-nitrophenyl phosphate were also ineffective at increasing the Ca2+ affinity. However, vanadate, a transition state analog of the phosphoenzyme, gave a binding capacity of 1.0 mol/active site and the apparent Kd for free Ca2+ was less than or equal to 18 microM. Mg2+ displaced bound Ca2+ in the absence and presence of ATP but Ca2+ was bound about 10-20 times more tightly than Mg2+. The free Mg2+ affinity, like Ca2+, increased in the presence of ATP. Monovalent cations had no effect on Ca2+ binding in the absence of ATP but dit reduce Ca2+ binding in the presence of ATP (K+ = Rb+ = NH4 + greater than Na+ greater than Li+ greater than Cs+ greater than TMA+, where TMA is tetramethylammonium chloride) by reducing phosphorylation. These results indicate that the Ca2+ and Mg2+ bound more tightly to the phosphoenzyme conformation. Eosin fluorescence changes showed that both Ca2+ and Mg2+ stabilized E1 conformations (i.e. cytosolic conformations of the monovalent cation site(s)) (Ca.E1 and Mg.E1). Addition of the substrate acetyl phosphate to either Ca.E1 or Mg.E1 produced identical eosin fluorescence showing that Ca2+ and Mg2+ gave similar E2 (extracytosolic) conformations at the eosin (nucleotide) site. In the presence of acetyl phosphate and K+, the conformations with Ca2+ or Mg2+ were also similar. Comparison of the kinetics of the phosphoenzyme and Ca2+ binding showed that Ca2+ bound prior to phosphorylation and dissociated after dephosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The stimulatory effect of luteinizing hormone on adenyl cyclase in the bovine corpus luteum.

Abstract Adenyl cyclase and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase were shown in homogenates of bovine corpora lutea. In order to determine the site of action of luteinizing hormone, the adenyl cyclase activity was assessed in the absence of phosphodiesterase activity. This was accomplished by using a high concentration of theophylline and short incubation periods. Under these conditions, luteinizing hormone significantly increased the adenyl cyclase activity. NaF produced an even more marked stimulation of this enzyme. Epinephrine at a concentration of 0.2 mm produced a small but statistically significant stimulation of adenyl cyclase, but preparations of luteinizing hormone inactivated by hydrogen peroxide, bovine serum albumin, prolactin, adrenocorticotropin, and glucagon were inert in homogenates that responded to luteinizing hormone and NaF. The minimum effective dose of luteinizing hormone was 0.1 µg per ml. Luteinizing hormone had no effect on the phosphodiesterase activity when assayed under a variety of conditions, but NaF produced a slight but significant inhibition of this enzyme activity when the substrate cyclic AMP was added at a saturating level. These data indicate that the increase in endogenous cyclic AMP brought about by luteinizing hormone is due to a stimulation of the adenyl cyclase rather than to an inhibition of the phosphodiesterase.
Fuchsia colombiana, new species

Recently a package of plants was studied for Dr. A. C. Smith of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, which had been collected in Colombia by Dr. J. Cuatrecasas, Among them was a strikingly new species of Fuchsia, for which I propose the name.