cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Probable Datum Method (PDM): a technique for estimating the age of origination or extinction of nannoplankton

Accurate interpretation of origination and extinction of fossil species is crucial to answering a variety of questions in paleontology. Fossil datums, the observed age of first or last occurrences, are subject to sampling error as a result of preservation and low abundances near range endpoints. This sampling error can cause local range offset, an age difference between the observed first or last occurrence of a species and its true origination or extinction. Here, we develop and test a new technique, the Probable Datum Method (PDM), that can be used to assess the extent of local range offset for nannofossil species. The PDM estimates the original abundance of a taxon and its probable true age of first or last occurrence. The PDM uses a model in which original abundance is related to count abundance through preservation and the counting process. This model is empirically parameterized, including an experimental determination of false positive and error rates of a nannofossil count. The model is simulated then inverted to estimate likely original abundance and true datum age from count abundance data. We first test the PDM in a positive control experiment with known parameter values. This experiment shows that the PDM is robust and returns known values accurately. Next we apply the method to the origination of nannoplankton after the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary to test whether first occurrences were synchronous between widely spaced locations. The PDM results suggest that observed diachrony of K/Pg originations cannot be explained by the effects of local range offset; rather, in some cases they indicate truly diachronous first occurrences between localities. Although the technique was developed to analyze nannoplankton ranges, the statistical nature of the PDM, its experimentally derived parameters, and its parsimonious nature should make it applicable to many micropaleontological studies that interpret patterns of origination and extinction.
Subcritical Crack-Growth Behavior of Borosilicate Glass under Cyclic Loads: Evidence of a Mechanical Fatigue Effect

Amorphous glasses are generally considered immune to mechanical fatigue effects associated with cyclic loading. In this study surprising new evidence is presented for a mechanical fatigue effect in borosilicate glass, in both moist air and dry nitrogen environments. The fatigue effect occurs at near threshold subcritical crack-growth rates (da/dt < 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}8} m/s) as the crack extension per cycle approaches the dimensions of the borosilicate glass network. While subcritical crack growth under cyclic loads at higher load levels is entirely consistent with environmentally assisted crack growth, lower growth rates actually exceed those measured under monotonic loads. This suggests a mechanical fatigue effect which accelerates subcritical crack-growth rates. Likely mechanisms for the mechanical fatigue effect are presented.
Characterizing subpixel variability of low resolution radiometer derived soil moisture using high resolution radar data

[1] Soil moisture estimates obtained using passive remote sensing from satellite platforms often suffer from the drawback of coarse spatial resolution. In this current work, low resolution soil moisture estimates from passive remote sensing are fused with high resolution radar backscatter data to produce soil moisture change estimates at the spatial resolution of radar. More specifically, soil moisture estimated from AMSR-E and TMI (separate cases) for a single 50 km × 50 km pixel has been fused with TRMM-PR backscatter data at 5 km resolution to produce soil moisture change estimates at 5 km resolution. A brief sensitivity analysis has been presented as a baseline study for soil moisture sensitivity of TRMM-PR backscatter. Soil moisture change estimates have been computed using a simple methodology and validated using in situ measurements from the Little Washita Micronet. It is seen that fusing radar data with radiometer soil moisture estimates leads to a better representation of the soil moisture variability within the radiometer pixel as compared to the baseline (radiometer estimate only) case where uniform subpixel distribution of soil moisture is assumed. The TMI/PR case performs better than the AMSR-E/PR case indicating the need for temporally coincident radar radiometer observations for producing high resolution soil moisture change estimates.
Time-optimal control of fractional dynamic systems

This paper presents a formulation for fractional time-optimal control problems in terms of Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives. For solution seeking purpose, the fractional operator is approximated using a rational approximation of the Hankel data matrix of the impulse response and the problem is reformulated. The problem is thoroughly studied for a fractional double integrator, and the solution is obtained by both numerical optimization and time-domain analysis.
Preschool Children’s Use of Thematic Vocabulary During Dialogic Reading and Activity-Based Intervention

An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the expressive use of thematic vocabulary by three preschool children with developmental delays during Dialogic Reading, a shared book reading intervention, and Activity-Based Intervention, a naturalistic play-based teaching method. The design was replicated across two early childhood themes. For each theme, five vocabulary words were randomly assigned to Dialogic Reading, Activity-Based Intervention, or a control condition. Intervention was delivered 2 times per day for 5 days across 2 weeks. Results suggest both methods increased children’s use of target vocabulary and were similarly effective for increasing expressive use of thematic vocabulary by preschoolers with disabilities.
New Means of Data Collection and Accessibility

This chapter discusses data needs within the public health enterprise and provides an overview of current and future methods and systems supporting data collection. The foundations of public health’s need to deploy information systems for data collection, based in the essential services of public health, are examined. Openings for the development of partnerships between the primary care and public health sectors are explored in the context of the expansion of the use of Health IT across the healthcare delivery system. New tools and technologies are coming to the fore that may fundamentally transform the management of data and information in public health. While barriers to the effective use of current and future technologies, in support of data collection and access to data, exist, rather than dread the rapid expansion of the use of Health IT, readers are encouraged to look for opportunities. Several options that may move the public health system forward are proposed.
Surgical Castration and Sexual Recidivism Risk

A review of the literature related to castrated sex offenders is provided as a backdrop to the relevance of bilateral orchiectomy in risk assessment among sexually violent predatory offenders. Data from difficult-to-obtain reports and older studies are summarized as well as their methodological limitations. More recent studies related to bilateral orchiectomy and sexual function drawn from testicular/prostate cancer research demonstrate that while sexual desire is reduced, the capacity to develop an erection to sexually stimulating material is not eliminated. Moreover, the effects of castration on sexual desire and erectile functioning can be reversed by exogenous testosterone. Consequently, while orchiectomy may have a role in risk assessments, other variables should be considered.
Constant factor approximation for subset feedback set problems via a new LP relaxation

We consider subset feedback edge and vertex set problems in undirected graphs. The input to these problems is an undirected graph G = (V, E) and a set S = {s1, S2, . . ., sk} ⊂ V of k terminals. A cycle in G is interesting if it contains a terminal. In the Subset Feedback Edge Set problem (Subset-FES) the input graph is edge-weighted and the goal is to remove a minimum weight set of edges such that no interesting cycle remains. In the Subset Feedback Vertex Set problem (Subset-FVS) the input graph is node-weighted and the goal is to remove a minimum weight set of nodes such that no interesting cycle remains.A 2-approximation is known for Subset-FES [12] and a 8-approximation is known for Subset-FVS [13]. The algorithm and analysis for Subset-FVS is complicated. One reason for the difficulty in addressing feedback set problems in undirected graphs has been the lack of LP relaxations with constant factor integrality gaps; the natural LP has an integrality gap of Θ(log n).In this paper, we introduce new LP relaxations for Subset-FES and Subset-FVS and show that their integrality gap is at most 13. Our LP formulation and rounding are simple although the analysis is non-obvious.
Variability of bromine monoxide at Barrow, Alaska, over four halogen activation (March–May) seasons and at two on‐ice locations

Reactive halogens profoundly influence springtime Arctic atmospheric chemistry, but their relationship to sea ice and environmental conditions is not well understood. Multiple axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy measured bromine monoxide (BrO) at Barrow, Alaska, and at two Arctic Ocean buoys. For each season of Barrow measurements, we examined the air mass histories using back trajectory modeling and ice coverage maps. We find a weak positive linear correlation (R = 0.38) between half-hourly BrO lower tropospheric vertical column densities (LT-VCD) and time in first year sea ice (FYI) areas. These data show evidence of a nonlinear increase of LT-VCD BrO with low-average column in the absence of ice contact, with the column increasing and saturating at ice contact longer than ≈1.5 days. We find that trajectories arriving at Barrow are dominated by FYI area influence with little multiyear ice (MYI) area contact; therefore, this study cannot make any conclusions regarding MYI area influences on reactive halogen production. Contact with calculated potential frost flower influence is not correlated with BrO column (R = 0.04). At Barrow, annual averages of BrO column over the halogen activation season and time in FYI areas are highly correlated (R = 0.93, significant at 90% confidence), which is interpreted as an effect of interannual transport variability. At on-ice locations, we observe a wide range of BrO LT-VCDs, suggesting that while an air mass spending time in sea ice areas is required to observe significant BrO, sea ice contact alone does not imply high BrO, and other environmental controls are important.
Back to basics: A naturalistic assessment of the experience and regulation of emotion.

Emotion regulation research links regulatory responding to important outcomes in psychological well-being, physical health, and interpersonal relations, but several fundamental questions remain. As much of the previous research has addressed generalized regulatory habits, far less is known about the ways in which individuals respond to emotions in daily life. The literature is particularly sparse in explorations of positive emotion regulation. In the current study, we provide an assessment of naturalistic experiences and regulation of emotion, both positive and negative in valence. Using an electronic experience sampling methodology, participants reported on their use of 40 regulatory strategies in response to 14 emotions for 10 consecutive days. On average, participants used 15 different regulatory strategies in response to negative emotions over this time, most frequently relying on acceptance, behavioral activation, and rumination. Participants used a similarly large repertoire of strategies, approximately 16 total, in response to positive emotions, particularly savoring, future focus, and behavioral activation. Participants' mood ratings following strategy use, however, indicated that the most frequently used strategies were often not the most effective strategies. The results of this study provide estimates of the frequency and effectiveness of a large number of emotion regulation strategies in response to both negative and positive emotions. Such findings characterize naturalistic emotion regulation, and estimates of normative emotion regulation processes are imperative to determining the ways in which deviations (e.g., small emotion regulation repertoires, insufficient attention to regulation of positive emotions) impact emotional functioning.
Hysteroscopic surgery for conservative management in endometrial cancer: a review of the literature

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecologic malignancy, usually diagnosed in postmenopausal women. However, an incidence rate of 2–14% of cases consisting of women under the age of 45 years old has been reported. Multiple reports have described the conservative treatment of this tumour in selected patients with the objective of preserving fertility. In this article, we review the literature to evaluate the results of conservative treatment of endometrial cancer with hysteroscopic resection.
Grinding Characteristics and Mechanochemical Behaviors of Sericite Powder With Vibration Ball-Milling

The grinding charateristics and the structural lattice irregularity of sericite powder ground by a vibration ball-mill were studied. From measurement of the particle size distribution and the observation of scanning electron micrographs, it was found in dry grinding that the granulation of fine particle occurred after over three hours of grinding. Although the mean particle size of the ground product was increased gradually with increase in grinding time, the specific surface area was clearly increased. In wet grinding, granulation did not occur, and sericite powder was delaminated.From X-ray powder diffraction analysis, thermoanalysis and infrared absorption spectroscopy of the product ground 45 and 100 hours in air, it was suggested that the structural lattice irregularty of the sericite powder was induced by the grinding operation. In particular, the characteristics of the structual water and/or the surface adsorbed water of the ground product were affected by the mechanochemical activation with fine grinding.
Connective tissue diseases and the liver.

Connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and scleroderma are systemic disorders that may have an autoimmune basis. The system manifestations vary, and there is frequent overlap among the syndromes. Liver involvement in patients with connective tissue diseases has been well documented but is generally considered rare. Although advanced liver disease with cirrhosis and liver failure is rare in patients with connective tissue diseases, clinical and biochemical evidence of associated liver abnormalities is common. Previous treatment with potentially hepatotoxic drugs or coincident viral hepatitis has usually been implicated as the main causes of liver disease in patients with connective tissue diseases. However, even after careful exclusion of these etiologies, the question remains whether to classify the patient as having a primary liver disease with associated autoimmune, clinical, and laboratory features or as having liver disease as a manifestation of generalized connective tissue disease. The main example of this pathogenetic dilemma is autoimmune hepatitis and SLE-associated hepatitis, which have been regarded as two different entities, although they have features in common of autoimmune syndromes. Several clinical and histopathologic features have been used to discriminate autoimmune hepatitis from SLE, a relevant diagnostic exercise because complications and therapy are quite different. Although hepatic steatosis and abnormal results on biochemical liver function tests are the most common hepatic abnormalities associated with connective tissue diseases, other less frequent abnormalities have been noted, such as nodular regenerative hyperplasia, portal vein obliteration and portal hypertension, features of primary biliary cirrhosis, and rarely portal fibrosis with abnormal lobular architecture. Vascular disorders of the liver also have been described, such as Budd-Chiari syndrome. Histologic assessment may reveal a variety of subclinical liver diseases. The aim of this contribution is to review the current published data regarding liver involvement in connective tissue diseases.
Stability of symbiosis model of port industry cluster in the perspective of ecology

Based on theory of population ecology,the Lotka-Volterra model which reflect the interspecies relationship is improved,some items are added to effect the blocking effects of the port group and a container terminal company on their own,the more realistic nonlinear delay model which reflect the supporting mutualism relation between the pot group and a container terminal company is established.By means of the nonlinear dynamic theory,the local asymptotically stability of positive equilibrium is investigated,and economics explanation is given of the conclusion,It gives the theoretical basis for the realization of harmonious development of port industrial clusters and policy making of regional economy to the government and related business department.
The Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) ubiquitin ligase affects chemosensory behavior in C. elegans

The regulation of fundamental aspects of neurobiological function has been linked to the ubiquitin signaling system (USS), which regulates the degradation and activity of proteins and is catalyzed by E1, E2, and E3 enzymes. The Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) is a multi-subunit E3 ubiquitin ligase that controls diverse developmental and signaling processes in post-mitotic neurons; however, potential roles for the APC in sensory function have yet to be explored. In this study, we examined the effect of the APC ubiquitin ligase on chemosensation in Caenorhabditis elegans by testing chemotaxis to the volatile odorants, diacetyl, pyrazine, and isoamyl alcohol, to which wild-type worms are attracted. Animals with loss of function mutations in either of two alleles (g48 and ye143) of the gene encoding the APC subunit EMB-27 APC6 showed increased chemotaxis towards diacetyl and pyrazine, odorants sensed by AWA neurons, but exhibited normal chemotaxis to isoamyl alcohol, which is sensed by AWC neurons. The statistically significant increase in chemotaxis in the emb-27 APC6 mutants suggests that the APC inhibits AWA-mediated chemosensation in C. elegans. Increased chemotaxis to pyrazine was also seen with mutants lacking another essential APC subunit, MAT-2 APC1; however, mat-2 APC1 mutants exhibited wild type responses to diacetyl. The difference in responsiveness of these two APC subunit mutants may be due to differential strength of these hypomorphic alleles or may indicate the presence of functional sub-complexes of the APC at work in this process. These findings are the first evidence for APC-mediated regulation of chemosensation and lay the groundwork for further studies aimed at identifying the expression levels, function, and targets of the APC in specific sensory neurons. Because of the similarity between human and C. elegans nervous systems, the role of the APC in sensory neurons may also advance our understanding of human sensory function and disease.
Amniotic Fluid and Placenta Stem Cells

Human amniotic fluid has been used in prenatal diagnosis for more than 70 years. It has proven to be a safe, reliable, and simple screening tool for a wide variety of developmental and genetic diseases. However, there is now evidence that amniotic fluid may be more than just a diagnostic tool – it may be the source of a powerful therapy for a multitude of congenital and adult disorders. A subset of cells found in the amniotic fluid and placenta appears to be capable of maintaining prolonged undifferentiated proliferation. In addition, these cells can also differentiate into multiple tissue types that encompass the three embryonic germ layers of the embryo, suggesting that they could be used for a myriad of tissue engineering and cell therapeutic applications. It is possible that in the near future, we will see the development of therapies that use progenitor cells isolated from amniotic fluid and placenta for the treatment of newborns with congenital malformations as well as the development of therapies for adults that make use of cryopreserved amniotic fluid and placental stem cells. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of pluripotent progenitor cells from amniotic fluid and placenta and the various cell lines derived from these cells. Finally, we discuss the potential future directions for this research.
A Case-Control Study to Determine the Prognostic Features of Salivary Epithelial Cells in Periodontitis

Periodontitis-a biofilm-induced immunoinflammatory pathology-often progresses gradually, exhibiting periodic bursts and resolution. Exfoliating oral epithelial cells act as reservoirs for key periodontal pathogens, facilitating reinfection or infection of new sites. Since saliva is a rich source of oral epithelial cells, we hypothesized that the microbial and functional profile of salivary epithelial cells (SECs) will reflect the in situ host response and disease severity. We used a case-control study design. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from 20 chronic periodontitis patients and 20 healthy controls in accordance with the institutional review board. The isolated SECs were assessed for viability by trypan blue exclusion. Gram-stained SECs were analyzed by ImageJ, and Gram stain index (GSI) per SEC was calculated. Equal numbers of SECs from each sample were exposed to 2 periodontal pathogens- Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum-in biofilm or planktonic formulations at varying proportions. Cytokines in culture supernatants were assessed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Additionally, soluble Toll-like receptor 2 (sTLR-2)-a pattern recognition receptor capable of binding microbial ligands associated with periodontitis-was measured in clarified saliva by ELISA. An increased number of SECs, a higher GSI/SEC, and a lower sTLR-2 were observed in periodontitis saliva as compared with healthy saliva. SECs from periodontitis saliva secreted higher amounts of interleukin 8 in response to P. gingivalis, and the presence of F. nucleatum dampened the response. Nonsurgical periodontal treatment improved clinical parameters, reduced the number of SECs, decreased GSI/SEC, and increased sTLR-2 in clarified saliva. In conclusion, our data suggest that SECs can provide a phenotypically distinct individualized resource for assessing epithelial response to pathogens in the course of periodontal disease. Furthermore, correlation between the sTLR-2 and GSI/SEC suggests that the expression profile of epithelial and soluble Toll-like receptor could provide an indirect measure of periodontal disease-associated dysbiosis. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study can be used for prognostic evaluation of chronic periodontitis in response to therapy and provide an opportunity for early identification of poor responders. A chip-based simple test incorporating the identified salivary epithelial cell characteristics can be developed and validated for future clinical applications, especially for monitoring patients with increased susceptibility for refractory and/or recurrent periodontitis.
DOES A MARROW DEPENDENT CELL REGULATE SUPPRESSOR CELL ACTIVITY

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on some evidence to support the interpretation that suppressor cell activity may be regulated by a marrow-dependent cell and is elevated when this regulatory cell is absent. 89 Sr treatment destroys cells of the bone marrow and hemopoiesis is largely shifted to the spleen. To investigate more directly the relationship between NK (YAC-1) activity and suppressor cells, a model was established, which involved the transfer of spleen cells from 89 Sr treated mice to normal lethally irradiated syngeneic recipients. To further explore the hypothesis that marrow dependent cells may regulate suppressor cell activity, irradiated recipient mice were reconstituted with mixtures of spleen cells from 89 Sr-treated mice and normal bone marrow or spleen cells. The observations that bone marrow cells generate NK (YAC-1) activity and other marrow-dependent cell function in recipient mice more rapidly than do normal spleen cells and are also more efficient than spleen cells in preventing the generation of suppressor cells would be consistent with this interpretation. While the evidence for a regulatory marrow-dependent cell is inferential rather than direct, its existence is an attractive hypothesis.
Compensating physicians for telephone calls.

PHYSICIANS should be compensated for the time they spend talking with patients by telephone. Probable Benefits The telephone is very useful for patients. They can speak to the office nurse or the physician and do so frequently. From 1976 through 1978, a large percentage of patient-physician encounters were by telephone: 19% of general practitioner encounters, 18% of family practitioner encounters, 28% of pediatrician encounters, 23% of general internist encounters, 20% of obstetrician/gynecologist encounters, and 12% of general surgeon encounters. 1 Moreover, information and advice obtained by telephone are usually free. Use of the telephone also benefits third-party payers. Contact with the nurse or physician can prevent visits to the emergency department or the physician's office. For example, the majority of after-hours callers to one family practice clinic reported that they would have gone straight to the emergency department if they had not been able to call. 2 The results are
O LADO HUMANO DO COMPORTAMENTO ANIMAL

An important element of behavioral research with nonhuman animals is that insights are drawn from it about human behavior, what is called here the human side of animal behavior. This article examines the origins of comparing human behavior to that of other animals, the way in which such comparisons are described, and considerations that arise in evaluating the validity of those comparisons. The rationale for such an approach originated in the reductionism of experimental physiology and the understanding of the commonalities of all life forms promulgated by Darwinian evolutionary biology. Added more recently were such observations as the relative simplicity of animal behavior, tempered by the constraints placed on resulting comparisons by the absence of verbal behavior in animals. The construction of comparisons of human behavior to that of animals may be framed on the basis of Skinner´s (1957) distinction between the metaphorical and generic forms of the extended tact. Both ordinary and systematic comparisons of animal and human behavior are congruent with Skinner´s extended tact framework. The most general considerations in evaluating comparisons of animal and human behavior is that a functional basis for the claimed similarity be established. Systematic analysis and convergent evidence also may contribute to acceptability of these comparisons. In the final analysis, conclusions about the human side of animal behavior are nondeductively derived and often are assessed based on their heuristic and pragmatic value. Such conclusions represent a valuable contribution to understanding the human animal and in developing practical solutions to problems of human behavior to which much of psychology is dedicated. Key words: animal behavior, human behavior, extension, metaphor, model, analogue, simulation, extrapolation, generalization, evaluation
Clinical dilemmas in the management of transgender men

Purpose of review To explore the medical and surgical clinical dilemmas in the management of trans (transgender) men, a growing population receiving more attention than in the past. Recent findings Testosterone therapy is commonly prescribed to trans men for masculinization. Nonetheless, the optimal formulations and doses of testosterone therapy for trans men have not been well established. Testosterone therapy has been associated with increased levels of hemoglobin and triglycerides, as well as diabetes. Periodic monitoring of hemoglobin, cholesterol, and fasting glucose is therefore recommended. As compared to non-transgender women, trans men have lower age-specific rates of breast cancer and cervical cancer which can be attributed, in part, to surgeries such as bilateral mastectomies and hysterectomies. The frequency in which to recommend mammograms and Pap smears (in patients with intact cervices) is uncertain in this population because of a lack of evidence-based data. Many trans men desire and undergo bilateral mastectomies with much fewer undergoing metoidioplasty or phalloplasty. Summary For trans men, most clinicians target serum testosterone concentrations in the normal male reference range. The frequency of screening for breast and cervical cancer should be individualized based upon anatomy, patient age, age of initiation of testosterone therapy, and other factors.
A Rapidly Convergent Scheme to Compute Moisture Profiles in Composite Materials under Fluctuating Ambient Conditions

This paper presents a highly efficient numerical scheme to compute the moisture distribution in composite materials and adhesive joints under time varying ambient relative humidities and temperatures. The moisture diffusion is assumed to follow Fick's laws. It is shown that by appropriate switching among the various forms of the analytic solutions, all involving infinite series, it is possible to attain extremely high accuracy by means of a small number of terms.An example is provided to illustrate the method.
Abstract 12284: Hospital Patient Satisfaction Scores and 30-day Readmission and Mortality Rates of Heart Failure Patients

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is associated with significant mortality and hospital readmissions. High quality health care is associated with improved outcomes in HF patients. A widely used metr...
Radiology Callbacks to a Pediatric Emergency Department and Their Clinical Impact

BackgroundClinical impact of radiology callbacks (missed initial radiologic diagnosis) remains largely unknown in the pediatric emergency department (PED).ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the incidence, nature of radiology callbacks, and the impact on clinical care during the return vi
A Mixed Reality Based Social Interactions Testbed: A Game Theory Approach

This paper describes a Mixed Reality (MR) based testbed and a framework for studying social interactions using a game theory approach. MR technology enables moving and interacting naturally with the real and virtual world in three dimensions, thereby using affordances for a better sense of presence. That, in turn, provides a unique opportunity to create a realistic but controlled interaction scenario to stimulate the natural response of a subject, making it an efficient platform for studying situated interactions. The users are engaged with digital characters in repetitive social interactions where the behavior of the characters is modeled using game theory. Game theory interaction models stimulate behavioral gestures in subjects that can be studied to explore psycho-pathological traits or other behavioral aspects of subjects. A proof of concept MR application is presented that provides exposure therapy for treatment of individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder. A case study for exposure therapy treatment using the proposed testbed is also presented. The small pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of the developed approach for studying social situations as well as the influence of the facial expressions displayed by 3D avatars on the user’s perception of realism in an MR environment.
Image Enhancement and Analysis

This chapter deals with the basic image processing filters: box, Prewitt, and Sobel, and employs them for simple image enhancement. It also includes basic image analysis including edge detection and linking, image segmentation, object detection, and template matching. Image enhancement is taken to mean improving the image, such as less noise, sharp edges, and good contrast. Image analysis means the extraction of structure and other useful information from an image. This chapter then shows detection of lines and edges and discusses the edge-linking problem that occurs when the located edge pixels on an object boundary have gaps. It then looks at the problems of image segmentation. Various methods are developed to segment the images directly using similarity of gray-level (and color) values and local textures, such as simple manual thresholding and K-means algorithm. Segmented regions may be disconnected, so a segmentation technique called region growing is described that uses pixel location giving connected regions. Furthermore, this chapter considers the problem of detecting objects in an image.
Teaching SBIRT through simulation: Educational case studies from nursing, psychology, social work, and medical residency programs

Abstract The prevalence of substance use disorders remains high in the United States and healthcare professionals are largely ill-equipped to intervene with patients experiencing substance misuse or use disorders. To address this issue, substance abuse intervention curricula such as Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) are being integrated into university healthcare programs through the use of simulation to provide healthcare students with the necessary skills to address patient substance use. Teaching SBIRT with simulation provides students with an authentic clinical environment in which to learn and refine clinical skills. Simulation also supports reflective practice by providing an opportunity for instructors and peers to directly observe and provide feedback on students' patient care. Additionally, students can review (through video recording) and reflect on their own performance within the simulation to build self-awareness and improve their skills and approach to clinical work. This paper describes how SBIRT simulation was integrated into nursing, psychology, and social work curricula at a medium-sized northwest university and a family medicine residency program in the same community. Satisfaction with SBIRT simulation as well as students’ perceived change in confidence in addressing substance use was recorded. Overall, instructors, students, and medical residents were highly satisfied with simulation experiences. Students and medical residents also reported increases in understanding of and confidence in executing SBIRT. Simulation implementation strategies and resources are provided and discussed.
Impact of induced defects on device performance in silicon heterojunction solar cells

Recent results show the potential of silicon heterojunction solar cells working as a bottom cell in tandem with wide band gap materials. The surface quality of the bottom cell is critical to reduce the recombination current and promote a good interface between the top and bottom cell. In this paper, we investigate the impact on performance of surface defects that are present after the i-p/i-n junction formation in silicon heterojunction cells. We induce controlled distribution of defects after the junction formation using a laser, which amounts to 1% of the total area of the cell. We measured an 8% relative power loss between samples with and without the induced damages. The most affected parameter is the voltage at the maximum power point that shows a drop of 13 mV after the induced damages.
Jack and Jill Be Nimble: A Historical Analysis of an “Adless” Children’s Magazine

The children’s magazine Jack and Jill is commonly perceived to have been “adless” from its first issue in 1938 until 1963. Through historical analysis, this research examines the editorial and publ...
Field Validation of Limiting-Antigen Avidity Enzyme Immunoassay to Estimate HIV-1 Incidence in Cross-Sectional Survey in Swaziland.

Abstract Reliable and accurate laboratory assays to detect recent HIV-1 infection have potential as simple and practical methods of estimating HIV-1 incidence in cross-sectional surveys. This study...
Brad H. Koldehoff and Timothy R. Pauketat, editors, Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2018.

Brad H. Koldehoff and Timothy R. Pauketat, editors, Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2018. Hardcover, 368 pages, 53 b/w figures and 9 tables. ISBN: 9780817319960. US$64.95. E-Book. ISBN: 9780817392000. US$64.95.
Heritage making through community archaeology and the spatial humanities

The archaeology of postindustrial landscapes is still relatively undeveloped. The impact of economic, social, and urban development efforts on both tangible and intangible heritage complicate our a...
Minimally Invasive Evacuation of Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage Using the BrainPath Endoport-Assisted Microsurgical System.

Objective We present the application of the BrainPath endoport-assisted microsurgical device (EAMD) as a treatment modality for patients with severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) secondary to spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). Methods Patients with severe secondary IVH (defined as Graeb score [GS] >6) who presented to Saint Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from 2017 to 2019 were treated with the minimally invasive approach for IVH evacuation using the atraumatic BrainPath aspiration system. Results Three patients (2 men and 1 woman) with a mean age of 54 years were included in this study. The mean preoperative GS was 10.0 with a modified GS of 23.3. The mean postoperative GS was 4.0 (P = 0.001) with a modified GS of 10.67 (P = 0.001). There were no complications related to the surgery itself in any of the reported cases. Conclusions BrainPath EAMD evacuation of severe IVH secondary to sICH appears to be a safe and effective treatment modality that significantly increases the extent of IVH clearance, which could also lead to improved long-term patient outcomes.
methylCC: technology-independent estimation of cell type composition using differentially methylated regions

A major challenge in the analysis of DNA methylation (DNAm) data is variability introduced from intra-sample cellular heterogeneity, such as whole blood which is a convolution of DNAm profiles across a unique cell type. When this source of variability is confounded with an outcome of interest, if unaccounted for, false positives ensue. Current methods to estimate the cell type proportions in whole blood DNAm samples are only appropriate for one technology and lead to technology-specific biases if applied to data generated from other technologies. Here, we propose the technology-independent alternative: methylCC, which is available at https://github.com/stephaniehicks/methylCC.
Hydroclimate variability from western Iberia (Portugal) during the Holocene: Insights from a composite stalagmite isotope record:

Iberia is predicted under future warming scenarios to be increasingly impacted by drought. While it is known that this region has experienced multiple intervals of enhanced aridity over the Holocen...
Idiopathic elevated episcleral venous pressure in a teenager.

Abstract Purpose To report a case of unilateral idiopathic elevated episcleral venous pressure (IEEVP) in a 15-year-old patient. We reviewed and summarized published case reports of IEEVP to determine how to manage this challenging and rare condition. Observations A 15-year-old Caucasian male presented with elevated intraocular pressures (IOP), blood in Schlemm canal in the left eye, and asymmetric cupping with corresponding glaucomatous findings on testing. We diagnosed the patient with IEEVP and describe successful surgical intervention with deep sclerectomy and viscocanalostomy. Conclusions and Importance IEEVP is a diagnosis of exclusion and based on clinical findings of dilated episcleral veins, blood in Schlemm canal and glaucomatous changes. If glaucomatous progression occurs with medication, filtration surgery is usually required, and most patients have good results in the literature. Care should be taken to prevent post-operative hypotony and serous choroidal detachment.
Design and analysis of biomarker-integrated clinical trials with adaptive threshold detection and flexible patient enrichment

We propose a new adaptive threshold detection and enrichment design in which the biomarker threshold is adaptively estimated and updated by optimizing a trade-off between the size of the biomarker positive population and the magnitude of the treatment effect in that population. Enrichment is based on an enrollment criterion that accounts for the uncertainty in estimation of the threshold. Early termination for futility is allowed based on predictive success probability. Valid testing and estimation techniques for the treatment effect overall and inpatient subgroups are studied. Simulations and an example demonstrate advantages of the proposed design over existing designs.
Towards a Closed-Loop Neurostimulation Platform for Augmenting Operator Vigilance

Vigilance is a primary job-performance requirement for human operators in domains that demand sustained attention, including air traffic control (ATC), surveillance, emergency response and many others. In this pilot study we introduce the prerequisites and conditions that facilitate a novel closed-loop, adaptive neurostimulation system to alleviate vigilance decrements during prolonged time-on-task efforts. Here, we investigate the use of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) with preset stimulation parameters - intensity (I), duration (t), and, probe location to augment the operators' vigilance state during an under-arousing task. To this end, we employ an app-based psychomotor-vigilance test (PVT), where performance metrics are analyzed along with physiological and cognitive bio-markers to explore opportunities toward a predictive framework. Initial observations (N = 19) suggest that - (1) a prolonged version of the PVT (40 min.) can function both as a diagnostic and an inductive mechanism for vigilance loss, (2) tDCS can serve to restore/ improve operator vigilance states relative to baseline performance levels, and (3) short-term heart rate variability (HR/V) features (3 min.) and the fNIRS signal are sensitive to state changes during the PVT, and to the effects of stimulation.
No Vehicles on Mars

When assessing Justice Scalia through the lens of rhetoric, which, unlike logic or dialectic, seeks effectiveness rather than truth or completeness, his impact is manifest. One definition of rhetoric is that it is involves “the creation of discourse which changes reality through the mediation of thought and action” (Tildale 2004: 19). Undoubtedly, Justice Scalia altered reality, and it was his rhetorical skill in expounding a particular conception of the rule of law and corresponding methodology of interpretation that helped him do so. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential Supreme Court justices of the last several decades due in large part to his effective advocacy of textualism in statutory interpretation and originalism in constitutional interpretation. It may be true, as some critics claim, that Justice Scalia’s direct influence on the Supreme Court’s rulings was relatively modest, as he was unable to influence the voting of his colleagues in various important cases (Greene 2016). The influence of Justice Scalia’s theory of legal interpretation, though, is an entirely different matter. Justice Scalia’s influence on the rhetoric and methodology of legal interpretation can be measured in various ways, such as the increase in the Supreme Court’s citation of dictionaries (a practice strongly advocated by Justice Scalia) after Justice Scalia’s appointment to the Court in 1986. Justice Scalia’s advocacy of his theory of interpretation, textualism (which he may not have created but was its most famous advocate), was thus undoubtedly effective in various ways. Notwithstanding his enduring legacy, Justice Scalia’s need to define the rule of law and interpretation in dichotomous terms ultimately undermined his project and, ironically for someone who fetishized language, revealed a poor understanding of language itself. This chapter briefly describes Justice Scalia’s view of the rule of law and his argument that only textualism is consistent with rule of law requirements. The chapter also critiques Justice Scalia’s attempts to create “communion” with his critics by emphasizing the contextual nature of language and the necessity of judicial “judgment” when engaging in interpretation. The chapter argues that Justice Scalia’s attempts to show that his “fair reading” approach would narrow the range of acceptable judicial decision-making and acceptable argumentation fail, as does his demonstration of a textualist approach to H.L.A. Hart’s famous no-vehicles-in-the-park hypothetical. The chapter concludes that Justice Scalia’s arguments rest on fictional notions of language that, unlike other fictions and constructs, are unnecessary and undermine the goal of ingenuous legal interpretation.
Examining the Relationship Between COVID-19 Prevalence and Depression Care at Community Health Centers: Assessing 2020 Data.

Objective: The author examined associations between COVID-19 prevalence at community health centers (CHCs) and the percentage of eligible CHC patients who had ongoing depression care documented in ...
Stochastic Stability of RE and SES

In this chapter we consider stochastic stability of Markov and semi-Markov processes, random evolutions and stochastic evolutionary systems, using analogue of Dynkin’s formula for them and martingale theory.
Cerebral palsy patients discovered dead during sleep: experience from a comprehensive tertiary pediatric center.

Objectives It is not uncommon for children with cerebral palsy (CP) to be discovered dead during sleep (DDDS); however, the factors associated with this pattern of mortality remain unknown. The current study aims to describe the mortality associated with children with CP from a single, tertiary care center who were DDDS. Methods A retrospective (case-only) design to examine proportionate mortality and patient characteristics and co-morbidities that may be related to children DDDS between 1993 and 2011. Results There were 177 patients with CP whose deaths were reported to our institution during the study period, of which 19 were DDDS at home. The period proportionate mortality (PPM) was 114.5 per 1000. The average age at time of death was 17 years and 6 months (minimum, 6 years; maximum, 25 years). All but one of the DDDS patients had gastrointestinal feeding tubes, seizure disorders, respiratory disorders, and were non-ambulatory. Very importantly, our DDDS patients manifested clusters of respiratory disorders, namely recurrent aspiration pneumonia (10/19), asthma pneumonitis (4/19), food/vomitius inhalation (6/19), reactive airway disease (16/19), respiratory failure (14/19), chronic bronchitis (7/19), chronic obstructive lung disease (9/19), and nocturnal respiratory insufficiency (16/19). Conclusions Respiratory disorders, severe motor disability, seizures, and intellectual status are possible co-morbidities that may be associated with DDDS. There is a need for further study in order to understand what type of monitoring and care (if any) may help prevent DDDS related to these co-morbidities and sleep disorders/abnormalities.
Cold War Germany, the Third World, and the Global Humanitarian Regime

Introduction Part I. Race, Security, and Cold War Humanitarianism: 1. Bipolar (dis)order Part II. The Global Humanitarian Regime at Arms: 2. Through a glass darkly 3. Mission impossible 4. Back to the future in Indochina 5. 'Solidarity is might!' Part III. Global Health, Development, and Labor Migration: 6. Know your body and build socialism 7. The time machine 'development' 8. Far away, so close 9. Things fall apart Conclusion.