cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient maximization in solving POMDPs

We present a simple, yet effective improvement to the dy- namic programming algorithm for solving partially observ- able Markov decision processes. The technique targets the vector pruning operation during the maximization step, a key source of complexity in POMDP algorithms. We identify two types of structures in the belief space and exploit them to re- duce significantly the number of constraints in the linear pro- grams used for pruning. The benefits of the new technique are evaluated both analytically and experimentally, showing that it can lead to significant performance improvement. The re- sults open up new research opportunities to enhance the per- formance and scalability of several POMDP algorithms. cross-sum stage. The incremental pruning (IP) algorithm (Zhang & Liu 1996; Cassandra, Littman, & Zhang 1997) was designed to address this problem by interleaving the cross-sum and the pruning which leads to significantly re- duced number of linear programs to be solved. Recently, we developed a region-based variant of IP that can exploit the local structure of the belief space to reduce the size of the linear programs, leading to exponential improvement of the cross-sum stage (Feng & Zilberstein 2004). However, these algorithms do not address the performance of the maximiza- tion stage that prunes the combination of the results from the cross-sum stage, which can be exponentially large as well. Therefore the improvement to the overall DP update process by these methods is limited. In this paper, we identify certain properties of the pro- jection and maximization stages and show how they can be exploited to greatly accelerate the DP process. We build on the region-based cross-sum pruning approach we previously developed, and specifically address here the maximization step. We show that in the maximization stage, only vectors whose witness regions are close to each other in the belief space are needed for testing dominance. We show how this closeness information can be obtained during the cross-sum stage at little cost. Although this method leaves some dom- inated vectors undetected, we show that typical reachability and observability structure in a problem allows such domi- nated vectors to be pruned efficiently in a subsequent pro- jection pruning stage. Combining these two ideas, our algo- rithm can deliver a significant performance improvement to the whole dynamic programming algorithm.
Being “Good” or Being “Popular”: Gender and Ethnic Identity Negotiations of Chinese Immigrant Adolescents

In the last two decades, a corpus of research has been conducted to understand immigrant adolescent ethnic identity formation. However, few studies have examined the intersection of gender and ethnic identity. In this paper, drawing on mainly qualitative data collected on 72 Chinese immigrant adolescents, I present findings on the gendered expectations at home and school for Chinese immigrant adolescents and how they negotiated these expectations in constructing their identity. Findings suggest that while both Chinese immigrant girls and boys faced conflicting expectations at home and school, how they negotiated these differences differed. By examining issues related to gender, ethnicity, and identity, this paper also sheds light on the gendered pattern of educational outcomes of the new second generation.
NT-SEEV: A model of attention capture and noticing on the Flight Deck

N-SEEV is a model that predicts the noticeability of events that occur in the context of routine task-driven scanning across large scale visual environments. The model is an extension of the SEEV (...
Prospective identification of myogenic endothelial cells in human skeletal muscle

We document anatomic, molecular and developmental relationships between endothelial and myogenic cells within human skeletal muscle. Cells coexpressing myogenic and endothelial cell markers (CD56, CD34, CD144) were identified by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. These myoendothelial cells regenerate myofibers in the injured skeletal muscle of severe combined immunodeficiency mice more effectively than CD56+ myogenic progenitors. They proliferate long term, retain a normal karyotype, are not tumorigenic and survive better under oxidative stress than CD56+ myogenic cells. Clonally derived myoendothelial cells differentiate into myogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic cells in culture. Myoendothelial cells are amenable to biotechnological handling, including purification by flow cytometry and long-term expansion in vitro, and may have potential for the treatment of human muscle disease.
Estimating rotation speed from projections in SAR

An algorithm is presented which estimates the rotation speed of an orbiting point in spotlight-mode synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Current reconstruction algorithms for spotlight-mode SAR assume that the relative motion between radar and the object is known at all time instants. Although this is true, for example, for airborne terrain mapping radar, the assumption may not apply to all cases. For ground-based radar which is imaging an unidentified space object such as a satellite, the rotation speed of the object is usually unknown. Furthermore, for computer vision applications it is also very important to estimate the rotation speed for the purpose of motion estimation. The new algorithm can accurately estimate the rotation speed in most cases. Simulation results show that the average estimation error is less than 0.78%. For 99.33% of the cases, the estimation error is less than 3%. In the worst case, the error is still less than 6.68%. >
Sociality and individual fitness in yellow-bellied marmots: insights from a long-term study (1962-2001).

Theoretical and empirical studies suggest that the age of first reproduction (the age at which reproduction begins) can have a substantial influence on population dynamics and individual fitness. Using complete survival and reproductive histories of 428 female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) from a 40-year study (1962–2001), we investigated causes and fitness consequences of delayed maturity. Most females (86%) died without reproducing. The age of first reproduction of females that survived to reproduce at least once (n=60) ranged from 2 to 6 years. Females maturing later did not have a larger lifetime number of successful reproductive events or offspring production, nor did they experience improved survival. Females reproducing earlier had a higher fitness than those that delayed maturity. These results suggest that the net cost of early maturity was less than fitness benefits associated with early onset of reproduction, and that age of first reproduction in our study population is under substantial directional selection favoring early maturity. We conclude that female yellow-bellied marmots delay onset of reproduction not because of fitness benefits of foregoing reproduction at an earlier age, but due to the social suppression of reproduction by older, reproductive females, which enhances their own fitness to the detriment of the fitness of young females. Our results indicate that female yellow-bellied marmots that survive to reproduce may act to increase their own direct fitness, and that social suppression of reproduction of young females is a part of that strategy.
Refuge habitats modify impact of insecticide disturbance on carabid beetle communities

Summary 1. Carabid beetles are polyphagous predators that can act as biological control agents of insect pests and weeds. While current agricultural practices often create a harsh environment, habitat management such as the establishment of within-field refuges has been proposed to enhance carabid beetle abundance and impact. We examined the joint effects of refuge habitats and insecticide application on carabid activity density (parameter of population density and relative activity) and species composition in a cornfield. 2. Our 2-year study comprised four treatments: (i) ‐refuge/‐insecticide; (ii) + refuge/ ‐insecticide; (iii) ‐refuge/+insecticide; (iv) + refuge/ + insecticide. Refuge strips consisted of grasses, legumes and perennial flowering plants. ‘‐Refuge’ strips were planted with corn and not treated with insecticide. 3. Before planting and insecticide application, carabid activity density in the crop areas was similar across all treatments. Insecticide application immediately reduced carabid activity density and altered community composition in the crop area. 4. Refuge strips had significantly higher activity density of beetles than ‐refuge strips before planting and during the summer. 5. During summer, as new carabids emerged and insecticide toxicity declined, the presence of refuge strips influenced carabids in the adjacent crop area. Carabid activity density within crop areas previously treated with insecticide was significantly higher when adjacent to refuge strips. Also, carabid communities within insecticide-treated crop areas were affected by the presence or absence of a refuge strip. 6. The presence of refuge strips did not consistently augment carabid numbers in crop areas where insecticide was not applied. One explanation may be that insecticides decreased the quality of crop habitat to carabids by depletion of prey and direct mortality. However, subsequent rebounds in prey density and the absence of competing predators may make these areas relatively more attractive than unperturbed crop habitats to carabid colonization from refuges. 7. This study demonstrates that refuges may buffer the negative consequences of insecticide application on carabids in adjacent fields. Diversifying agro-ecosystems with refuge habitats may be a viable strategy for maintaining carabid populations in disturbed agricultural landscapes to keep pests below outbreak levels.
A large-sample QTL study in mice: I. Growth

By use of long-term selection lines for high and low growth, a large-sample (n = 1,000 F2) experiment was conducted in mice to further understand the genetic architecture of complex polygenic traits. In combination with previous work, we conclude that QTL analysis has reinforced classic polygenic paradigms put in place prior to molecular analysis. Composite interval mapping revealed large numbers of QTL for growth traits with an exponential distribution of magnitudes of effects and validated theoretical expectations regarding gene action. Of particular significance, large effects were detected on Chromosome (Chr) 2. Regions on Chrs 1, 3, 6, 10, 11, and 17 also harbor loci with significant contributions to phenotypic variation for growth. Despite the large sample size, average confidence intervals of 20 cM exhibit the poor resolution for initial estimates of QTL location. Analysis with genome-wide and chromosomal polygenic models revealed that, under certain assumptions, large fractions of the genome may contribute little to phenotypic variation for growth. Only a few epistatic interactions among detected QTL, little statistical support for gender-specific QTL, and significant age effects on genetic architecture were other primary observations from this study.
Treatment of comorbid anxiety and autism spectrum disorders

Clinically significant anxiety occurs frequently among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and is linked to increased psychosocial, familial, behavioral and academic impairment beyond the core autism symptoms when present. Although efforts are underway to establish empirically supported treatments for anxiety among individuals with ASDs, this remains an emerging research area. This literature review summarizes available information on the efficacy of pharmacological and psychosocial approaches for treating anxiety and repetitive behaviors in children, adolescents and adults with ASDs. Specifically, we evaluate evidence for the use of cognitive–behavioral therapy and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. Evidence is growing in support of using cognitive–behavioral therapy to treat anxiety in youths with ASDs; however, mixed evidence exists for its application in treating repetitive behaviors, as well as the use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for anxiety in youths with ASDs. We conclude the article with a discussion of the strength of current information and next steps in research.
A study on the effect of surface roughness on the strength of single lap joints

Summary form only given. Many surface treatments to improve adhesion roughen the surface. Treatments such as abrasion and etching remove the weak boundary layer and improve wetting behavior. Liquid adhesives that are spread during application do not ensure removal of air from cavities on the surface. Adhesive penetration into substrate pores is influenced by capillary forces and retarded by viscosity. Surface roughness can affect adhesive spreading and contact angle. In order to investigate aspects of surface roughness, surface profile, resin viscosity, and surface morphology, experiments were conducted using two steels (1018 cold rolled and hot rolled weld steel). Four surface modifications were performed on these samples by grit blasting at 552 kPa and 276 kPa from a distance of 25.4 mm and chemical etching using chromic acid for 2 mins and 10 mins. Crossed patterns were also obtained by an etch technique which involved changing the metal sample dip angle into the etch solution. Two resins were used to assess viscosity effects in interaction with different surface topographies. Contact angles were measured on all surfaces using these resins. Metal specimens were bonded under pressure and oven cured at 121/spl deg/C for 2 hours. To gain insight into the effect of surface topography, SEM was used to observe the modified surfaces. Average roughness was measured using a profilometer and surface profiles were obtained for all samples. The strength and displacement values were measured at crosshead speeds of 1 and 100 mm/min, to assess the interrelation between failure mechanisms and joint displacements, surface topography and resin viscosity.
Hypokalemia and suspected renal tubular acidosis associated with topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor therapy in a cat.

Objective To describe the occurrence of hypokalemia, metabolic acidosis, and suspected renal tubular acidosis associated with the administration of topical ophthalmic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) in a cat. Case Summary A 2-year-old, 5.3 kg, male, castrated, domestic short-haired cat developed hyporexia 6 weeks after starting topical ophthalmic dorzolamide 2% therapy for treatment of ocular hypertension. Two weeks later, the cat was evaluated for severe weakness, cervical ventroflexion, and anorexia. Plasma electrolyte and acid–base measurement revealed hypokalemia (K+ = 2.9 mmol/L; reference interval 3.8–5.4 mmol/L) and metabolic acidosis (plasma HCO3− = 9.8 mmol/L; reference interval 15–23 mmol/L) in the presence of a urine pH of 7.5 (reference interval 6.5–7.5). The pH abnormalities were consistent with a renal tubular acidosis. Clinical and biochemical abnormalities resolved with short-term supportive care, potassium supplementation, and discontinuation of dorzolamide therapy. New or Unique Information Provided This is the first report of hypokalemia and metabolic acidosis associated with topical CAI therapy in a cat.
Learning to "think like a pharmacist"

PROLOGUE The purpose of this article is to describe an approach to incorporate a modified problem-based learning (PBL) format into a first professional year curriculum. For each case, groups of eight students meet with a faculty member and a community practitioner in two sessions to work through well-defined pharmacy problems using a method adapted from classical PBL. Cases are written from the perspective of a pharmacist practicing pharmaceutical care in a community pharmacy setting. A case writer designs scenarios to integrate content from across the curriculum and builds in dilemmas to encourage students to consider new roles in pharmacy. Early feedback from practitioners working with students who have participated in the first year is positive. In this article, the authors describe the instructional method, effective case writing for first year students and their experience in assessing and improving the activities.
On the Sociology of Innovation: Public versus Private Investment in Alternative Energy Development for the Twenty-First Century

For more than a century, social scientists have predicted an end to known supplies of petroleum, coal and other nonrenewable energy commodities. Experts and policymakers have sought to hedge off this allegedly approaching calamity by promoting alternatives such as solar, hydroelectric, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy. More recently, Washington policymakers have been advocating a move to hydrogen energy, and have proposed multi-million-dollar research and development (R & D) programs to produce the technology capable of applying hydrogen energy to motor transportation. This article analyzes some of these energy proposals in light of data amassed by the late economic history scholar Julian Simon. Simon’s path-breaking research suggests that there really is no “energy crisis” at all, because energy scarcity is reflected in price, and real energy prices have been declining for more than a century (1996, 163). Humans are born problem-solvers, concluded Simon, and they can best solve their energy problems through private-sector competition in free markets. Private entrepreneurs, notes Simon, have managed to improve extraction methods so much that known stocks of coal and petroleum are much more plentiful now than ever before. Moreover, there is great danger that government planning and funding of energy R & D will stifle rather than foster energy innovation because government funding breeds rent-seeking and other non-inventive behaviors among scientists that outweigh the benefits of funding (Kealey 1996).
Abstract TP259: Ischemic Postconditioning Protects Against Focal Ischemia in Mouse

Ischemic Postconditioning Protects Against Focal Ischemia in Mouse Background: Ischemic postconditioning(IPost) has been shown to attenuate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in a few rat models....
Trade-Offs at Ella Baker Public Charter School

This case was written for educational leadership courses, especially ones focused on organizational change. The case explores a principal’s first year at school where the student achievement and school climate were not meeting the school’s lofty mission. Readers of the case should consider the steps and perspectives taken by the principal during her first year.
Sex differences in drug metabolism by rat liver microsomes.

Sex differences in drug oxidase activity of liver microsomes from rats have been shown to be related to a difference in substrate affinity for the mixed function oxidase reaction, and not to a difference in the content of cytochrome P-450. These results, as well as spectral studies of substrate interaction with microsomal cytochrome, showed that microsomes isolated from livers of male rats had over twice the magnitude of substrate (hexobarbital and aminopyrine) binding than did microsomes isolated from the livers of female rats. Similar studies with aniline indicated only a small difference in Vmax or substrate induced spectral change between microsomes isolated from livers of male or female rats.
COMPARISON OF THE SINGLE ROLLER AND DOUBLE ROLLER PROCESSES FOR CASTING LOW CARBON STEEL

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a comparison of the single-roller and double-roller processes for casting low-carbon steel. The direct casting of thin metal strip and sheet eliminates many process steps currently needed in conventional processes to produce sheet/strip. The elimination of these process steps reduces energy requirements of the process and enables manufacturers of sheet/strip to significantly lower their processing costs. There are three carbon steel sheet/strip processes, namely, ingot, continuous casting, and direct strip casting (DSC). The calculation for the direct strip casting process includes estimates for ladle holding and heating, tundish preheating, casting, and postcasting treatments such as pickling, rolling, and annealing. The chapter presents a study in which two direct strip-casting processes, namely, the double-roller (DR) process and the single-roller (SR) process, were compared. Using the results of these analyses, a generalized model was developed. Based on this model, a sensitivity analysis was made to determine the way in which each parameter affects the metal and heat-flow patterns. The sensitivity analysis shows that the process parameters can be approximately split into two categories that include those which significantly affect the strip thickness and those which only weakly affect thickness.
Impact Study of Vehicle Platooning and Gap Management on Traffic Operation Through Automated Vehicles

Since the advent of automated vehicle technologies, the current trend of practice in this fast-evolving field has started to move from basic research and development in a lab environment to field trials and pilot testing. While a number of studies on V2V communications and vehicle control systems have been reported for the purpose of enhancing traffic safety, this research focuses on the efficiency benefit of the technologies in traffic operations when implemented even in a small number of vehicles in the traffic stream. Specifically, this presentation discusses the effects of automated vehicles in a traffic flow mixed with regular (human operated) vehicles on platoon formation and gap acceptance to increase roadway capacity and reduce delay. The theoretical basis for such improvements is reviewed first, followed by case studies involving intersection dilemma reduction, side street gap selection, and bottleneck management at a work zone. The resultant benefits are quantified under different rates of market penetration of the automated vehicles, which are distributed randomly in the traffic stream. Preliminary findings are summarized, including the pros and cons of the implementation.
Policy Implications of People Analytics and the Automated Workplace

A critical mass of disruptive technologies is revolutionizing the workplace, challenging the role of human beings in enterprise organizations. This chapter explores three emerging forces that are transforming the nature of work: (1) people analytics, (2) artificial intelligence and related software algorithms, and (3) robotics. As humans become less employable in the emerging automated political economy, what role (if any) might government fill redressing ensuing human economic dislocations? The key to producing the right kind of policies in relation to the latest advances in data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics is simple in theory: (1) minimize regulation so that new innovations and industries may flourish and at the same time (2) provide effective oversight to prevent and mitigate negative externalities. More difficult in application.
Design of lithium cobalt oxide electrodes with high thermal conductivity and electrochemical performance using carbon nanotubes and diamond particles

Abstract Thermal management remains one of the major challenges in the design of safe and reliable Li-ion batteries. We show that composite electrodes assembled from commercially available 100 μm long carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and LiCoO2 (LCO) particles demonstrate the in-plane thermal conductivity of 205.8 W/m*K. This value exceeds the thermal conductivity of dry conventional laminated electrodes by about three orders of magnitude. The cross-plane thermal conductivity of CNT-based electrodes is in the same range as thermal conductivities of conventional laminated electrodes. The CNT-based electrodes demonstrate a similar capacity to conventional laminated design electrodes, but revealed a better rate performance and stability. The introduction of diamond particles into CNT-based electrodes further improves the rate performance. Our lightweight, flexible electrode design can potentially be a general platform for fabricating polymer binder- and aluminum and copper current collector-free electrodes from a broad range of electrochemically active materials with efficient thermal management.
Outlook and Next Steps: From Human Dynamics to Smart and Connected Communities

This concluding chapter summarizes the common themes (data-driven, improved spatial-temporal granularity, theoretically informed, cyber-physical connection, and methodological diversity) that cut across all the previous twelve chapters and outlines key topics as we scale up the human dynamics research and link it to the on-going work related to smart and connected communities. We have identified the following five broad areas to propel the human dynamics study to a new level: (1) integrating organic with designed data; (2) close coupling of normative and positive approaches; (3) seeking methodological convergence through mixed methods; (4) making our research more socially relevant by focusing on pressing problems; and (5) promoting more robust and reliable research by embracing the open science paradigm.
PIITracker: Automatic Tracking of Personally Identifiable Information in Windows

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is information that can be used on its own or with other information to distinguish or trace an individual's identity. To investigate an application for PII tracking, a reverse engineer has to put considerable effort to reverse engineer an application and discover what an application does with PII. To automate this process and save reverse engineers substantial time and effort, we propose PIITracker which is a new and novel tool that can track PII automatically and capture if any processes are sending PII over the network. This is made possible by 1) whole-system dynamic information flow tracking 2) monitoring specific function and system calls. We analyzed 15 popular chat applications and browsers using PIITracker, and determined that 12 of these applications collect some form of PII.
Developing Mathematics on a Pool Table.

Fig. 1 tions, axioms, and theorems. The hypotheti cal pool tables under consideration are the expected rectangular shape but are special in that they have pockets only at the four corners. We choose to name the pockets and the sides as indicated in figure 1. Pool tables are described by their meas urements. For example, the table in figure 1 is a 6 X 3 table. In each case the vertical side is described first and the horizontal side second. In our hypothetical situation, the pool ball is always shot from the lower left pocket at an angle of 45? from the horizon tal (fig. 2). In this instance, the approach
Gradually Varied Functions for Advanced Computational Methods

Gradually varied functions or smooth gradually varied functions were developed for the data reconstruction of randomly arranged data points, usually referred to as scattered points or cloud points in modern information technology. Gradually varied functions have shown advantages when dealing with real world problems. However, the method is still new and not as sophisticated as more classic methods such as the B-spline and finite elements method. The digital-discrete method has another advantage that is to collaborate with these existing methods to make an even better combined approach in applications. We investigate how the gradually varied function can be applied to more advanced computational methods. We first discuss harmonic analysis, B-spline, and finite element methods. Then we give a new consideration for the smooth function definitions in real world problems. This chapter makes more connections to the mathematical aspects of digital functions.
TREATING GROIN AND HIP FLEXOR PAIN USING PRIMAL REFLEX RELEASE TECHNIQUE™: A CASE SERIES.

Background and purpose The nervous system plays a significant role in groin/hip flexor pain which is a common complaint in the active population. Patient examinations that lack consideration of the nervous system's involvement may result in chronic pain and dysfunctional breathing patterns due to continuously excited (also known as "up-related") primal reflexes. Primal Reflex Release Technique™ (PRRT™) is a novel treatment paradigm that was designed to calm primal reflexes from their excitatory state. The purpose of this case series was to describe the effects of down-regulating primal reflexes using PRRT™ on pain, function, and breathing pattern dysfunction in subjects who presented with groin and hip flexor pain and exhibited hyperesthesia to TriggerRegions™ in areas of respiration. Case descriptions Six subjects with acute groin and/or hip flexor pain were examined using a battery of tests including muscle integrity strength and range-of-motion (ROM) measurements, special orthopedic tests, breathing functionality and PRRT™ rib palpation assessments. If subjects were determined to be potential PRRT™ responders through PRRT™ rib palpation assessments, the technique was performed according to PRRT™ guidelines. Outcome measures including the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), the Global Rating of Change (GRoC) Scale, and the Disability in the Physically Active (DPA) Scale were collected to determine the effects of the treatment. Outcomes All subjects demonstrated full resolution of pain as reported on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the change was statistically (p = 0.001) and clinically significant. All subjects returned to optimal function as reported on the Patient Specific Functional Scale, and the change was both clinically (minimal detectable change) and statistically significant (p = 0.001). All subjects returned to normal breathing function as observed through the seated assessment of lateral expansion test. The number of treatments (mean = 1.83 ± 1.16) and time to the resolution of symptoms was minimal (mean = 2.833 ± 2.56 days). Discussion By assessing and treating abnormal breathing patterns, postulated to be a result of a sustained excitatory nervous system, subjects returned to full activity, without pain, in less than three days. After a two-week follow-up, subjects remained functionally pain free. Considering the state of the nervous system in the presentation of musculoskeletal pain and not focusing all treatment on local muscle structures may be beneficial. A multifaceted assessment approach is needed to determine other pain factors. Level of evidence Level 4.
Compassion Satisfaction to Combat Work-Related Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and Secondary Traumatic Stress:

Helping professionals play an essential role in the recovery of victims of trauma. However, research has demonstrated that, as a result of their work, helping professionals' indirect exposure to clients' trauma increases the likelihood of experiencing negative psychological responses, including vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout. The present study examined the concurrent validity between the STS subscale on the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) scale and the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS). Furthermore, the relationships between compassion satisfaction (CS) and burnout were investigated. Participants were recruited using a comprehensive web search of agencies across the United States that employed victim advocates, a subtype of helping professionals that are understudied. A list of possible agencies (N = 75) was generated, and each agency was sent an email about the study. In total, 132 victim advocates provided data for these analyses. Findings revealed positive correlations between the STS subscale on the ProQoL and the STSS. In addition, a negative correlation was found between burnout and CS. Two-level hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that burnout accounted for 47.3% of the variance in STS, and CS contributed an additional 3.9%. Furthermore, burnout accounted 45.8% of the variance in VT, whereas CS contributed an additional 0.6%, indicating that burnout is a strong predictor of VT and STS, but CS may serve as a protective factor against experiencing both. Prevention and intervention efforts should target reducing burnout to combat these psychological sequelae and increasing CS.
Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Sutureless Vitrectomy for Combined Epiretinal and Internal Limiting Membrane Removal:

Purpose:The purpose of this case series is to evaluate the long-term visual outcomes of patients undergoing epiretinal membrane (ERM) removal combined with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling ...
Designing professional program instruction to align with students' cognitive processing.

Abstract Background and purpose In health professional programs, training for educators in instructional design is sparse and may be absent altogether. Implementing evidence-based, systematic instructional design can improve pharmacy curricula. This paper describes Gagne’s instructional design model which is particularly effective because the instructional steps align with learners’ cognitive processes. The model is applied to the teaching of liver pharmacotherapeutics in a pharmacy curriculum. Educational activity and setting Second-year pharmacy students completed 25 hours of liver pharmacotherapeutics instruction that was developed using Gagne’s nine instructional events: gain attention, inform about objectives, stimulate recall of prior information, present information, provide guidance, elicit performance, provide feedback, assess performance, and enhance retention. Findings Students completed individual and team-based assessments including SOAP notes, recorded case presentations, web-based quizzes, a pre- and post-knowledge assessment, and midterm and final exam multiple-choice test. Students demonstrated significant improvement in liver pharmacotherapeutics knowledge from the pre- to post-knowledge assessment. Student course instructor evaluations also reflected effectiveness of the format. Summary Evidence-based instructional design strategies, such as Gagne’s model, can enhance learning of challenging pharmacotherapeutics concepts using a systematic framework that aligns with cognitive processing.
Security and Software Engineering

Software systems are permeating every facet of our society, making security breaches costlier than ever before. At the same time, as software systems grow in complexity, so does the difficulty of ensuring their security. As a result, the problem of securing software, in particular software that controls critical infrastructure, is growing in prominence. Software engineering community has developed numerous approaches for promoting and ensuring security of software. In fact, many security vulnerabilities are effectively avoidable through proper application of well-established software engineering principles and techniques. In this chapter, we first provide an introduction to the principles and concepts in software security from the standpoint of software engineering. We then provide an overview of four categories of approaches for achieving security in software systems, namely, static and dynamic analyses, formal methods, and adaptive mechanisms. We introduce the seminal work from each area and intuitively demonstrate their applications on several examples. We also enumerate on the strengths and shortcomings of each approach to help software engineers with making informed decisions when applying these approaches in their projects. Finally, the chapter provides an overview of the major research challenges from each approach, which we hope to shape the future research efforts in this area.
Mysteries of cinema: reflections on film theory, history and culture 1982-2016

At first glance, Mysteries of Cinema: Reflections on Film Theory, History and Culture 1982–2016 appears to be a compilation of Adrian Martin’s most widely cited writings – his ‘greatest hits’ as a ...
Outcomes in patients with small node-negative invasive breast cancer.

PURPOSE There is controversy whether systemic therapy is warranted in patients with small node-negative tumors, especially among those with HER2+ and triple negative breast cancers (TNBC). In this study we sought to compare survival and recurrence rates (RR) in patients with T1mi,a,bN0M0 breast cancer by tumor type. METHODS Review of a prospectively maintained data base between January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2013 identified 71 patients with HER2+ tumors, 545 with hormone receptor (HR)+ /HER2- tumors, and 45 with TNBC. The three groups were compared with respect to RR, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Patients with HER2+ disease and TNBC who received chemotherapy were compared to those who did not. RESULTS At mean follow-up of 4.9 years, the 5-year OS was 95% and 5-year DFS was 98%. RR for HER2+ , HR+ /HER2- , and TNBC was 7.0%, 3.7%, and 4.4% respectively (P = 0.2). There was no significant difference in OS (P = 0.9) and DFS (P = 0.4) amongst the three groups. On multivariable analysis, use of adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with improvement in DFS or OS. When patients with HER2+ breast cancer and TNBC who received chemotherapy were compared to those who did not, there was no difference in death rates (P = 0.3). CONCLUSIONS Patients with T1mi,a,bN0M0 invasive breast cancer have an excellent prognosis. The three molecular subtypes differed significantly in age, tumor size, and tumor grade, but had similar RR, DFS, and OS. Chemotherapy was not associated with improved survival. Tumor subtype may not influence recurrence and survival in such small early stage tumors.
A Low Mach Number Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Model For Ionic Liquids

We present a new mesoscale model for ionic liquids based on a low Mach number fluctuating hydrodynamics formulation for multicomponent charged species. The low Mach number approach eliminates sound waves from the fully compressible equations leading to a computationally efficient incompressible formulation. The model uses a Gibbs free energy functional that includes enthalpy of mixing, interfacial energy, and electrostatic contributions. These lead to a new fourth-order term in the mass equations and a reversible stress in the momentum equations. We calibrate our model using parameters for [DMPI+][F6P-], an extensively-studied room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), and numerically demonstrate the formation of mesoscopic structuring at equilibrium in two and three dimensions. In simulations with electrode boundaries the measured double layer capacitance decreases with voltage, in agreement with theoretical predictions and experimental measurements for RTILs. Finally, we present a shear electroosmosis example to demonstrate that the methodology can be used to model electrokinetic flows.
Protein-based flexible thermal conductive materials with continuous network structure: Fabrication, properties, and theoretical modeling

Abstract Protein is an ideal alternative to many synthetic components in green and bio-electronic products due to its natural abundance, high flexibility and excellent biocompatibility. Here, we report the development of new renewable thermal management materials based on a stable composite system of biocompatible silk fibroin (SF) protein with a small amount (≤25 vol%) of AlN inclusions. The self-assembly of AlN particles and SF was promoted by water annealing to enhance the hydrogen bonding between the phases to reduce the phonon scattering at the interface. The synthesized protein composites have excellent thermal stability, high mechanical durability and low linear expansion, related in part to the secondary structure of silk protein which can be modulated by changing the AlN content. The physical properties were analyzed and modeled within effective medium theory, and the agreements were reasonable, except for the thermal conductivity which was surprisingly much larger than predicted by the model (e.g. 5 times greater at 15 vol%), which is attributed to the strong interaction between protein and AlN, the high thermal conductivity of AlN, and the continuous network of AlN particles that formed at higher concentrations. This makes proteins excellent candidates for thermally conductive composite materials, which have many emerging applications in implantable biomedical devices, flexible and sustainable sensors, and green heat transfer products.
Transient Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Observations of Gamma-Ray Lines from Novae. II. Constraining the Galactic Nova Rate from a Survey of the Southern Sky during 1995-1997

The good energy resolution (3-4 keV FWHM) of the Transient Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (TGRS) on board the Wind spacecraft makes it sensitive to Doppler-shifted outbursts of 511 keV electron-positron annihilation radiation, the reason being that the Doppler shift causes the cosmic line to be slightly offset from a strong instrumental background 511 keV line at rest, which is ubiquitous in space environments. Such a cosmic line (blueshifted) is predicted to arise in classical novae because of the annihilation of positrons from β-decay on a timescale of a few hours in an expanding envelope. A further advantage of TGRS—its broad field of view, containing the entire southern ecliptic hemisphere—has enabled us to make a virtually complete and unbiased three-year search for classical novae at distances up to 1 kpc. We present negative results of this search and estimate its implications for the highly uncertain Galactic classical nova rate and for future space missions.
A case-control study of occupational risk factors for pancreatic cancer in poultry plant workers: a random forest approach.

Background Poultry plant workers are exposed to chemical carcinogens and oncogenic viruses in their work environment. Our objective was to identify jobs and workplaces related to poultries that could increase the pancreatic cancer risk. Methods We conducted a case-control study within a defined cohort of poultry workers. We used a random forest algorithm to identify features that could increase pancreatic cancer in the poultry plant workers. Results The mean age of participants was 59.49 years. The majority of the study participants were females (51.30%) and Whites (71.0%). The following workplaces and job tasks had an association with increased pancreatic cancer mortality: working in chicken and turkey plants, working in plants where food products were processed and canned, working in a place where poultry and animals where present, working as a hunter for game animals, working as a veterinarian in places had animals and different poultry birds, working in pet houses and working in places where birds were handled and killed. The accuracy and the area under the curve of the model were 72.3 and 71.50%. Conclusion Chicken and turkey plant workers could be at risk for pancreatic cancer mortality. We need to confirm the results in future studies.
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare, life-threatening disorder that affects older children, adolescents, and adults. A variety of theories have been proposed to explain its clinical and pathologic manifestations, but the pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Failure to define the pathophysiology of TTP has hampered the ability of physicians to design rational and consistently successful therapy. This manuscript presents a classic case study, discusses the clinical manifestations and diagnostic criteria, and reviews the present knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease. The high mortality rate associated with this disease necessitates rapid diagnosis and the institution of appropriate therapy.
Structural Insights into the Respiratory Syncytial Virus RNA Synthesis Complexes

RNA synthesis in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a negative-sense (−) nonsegmented RNA virus, consists of viral gene transcription and genome replication. Gene transcription includes the positive-sense (+) viral mRNA synthesis, 5′-RNA capping and methylation, and 3′ end polyadenylation. Genome replication includes (+) RNA antigenome and (−) RNA genome synthesis. RSV executes the viral RNA synthesis using an RNA synthesis ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, comprising four proteins, the nucleoprotein (N), the large protein (L), the phosphoprotein (P), and the M2-1 protein. We provide an overview of the RSV RNA synthesis and the structural insights into the RSV gene transcription and genome replication process. We propose a model of how the essential four proteins coordinate their activities in different RNA synthesis processes.
Dissipative superfluid hydrodynamics for the unitary Fermi gas

In this work we establish constraints on the temperature dependence of the shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}$ in the superfluid phase of a dilute Fermi gas in the unitary limit. Our results are based on analyzing experiments that measure the aspect ratio of a deformed cloud after release from an optical trap. We discuss how to apply the two-fluid formalism to the unitary gas and provide a suitable parametrization of the equation of state. We show that in expansion experiments the difference between the normal and superfluid velocities remains small and can be treated as a perturbation. We find that expansion experiments favor a shear viscosity that decreases significantly in the superfluid regime. Using an exponential parametrization, we find $\ensuremath{\eta}({T}_{c}/2{T}_{F})\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.37[\ensuremath{\eta}({T}_{c}/{T}_{F})]$, where ${T}_{c}$ is the critical temperature and ${T}_{F}$ is the local Fermi temperature of the gas.
A hole-assisted fiber for wideband transmission from 1.0 µm to 1.6 µm

A novel hole-assisted fiber with single-mode propagation down to 1.0 µm and relatively low macro-bending loss up to L band is fabricated. The fiber also has low loss and large effective area properties.
In vivo analysis of the murine beta-myosin heavy chain gene promoter.

The 5' upstream region of the murine beta-myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene has been isolated and tested for its ability to drive gene expression in transgenic mice. Three classes of transgenic mice were generated. The constructs contained approximately 5000, 2500, and 600 base pairs of beta-MHC upstream sequence fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene and were termed beta 5, beta 2.5, and beta .6, respectively. Muscle-specific expression was observed with all three constructs. However, only the beta 5 lines directed high levels of muscle-specific transgene expression in both pre- and postbirth mice. Expression driven by the two shorter constructs was two to three orders of magnitude lower when the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase specific activities were compared. These data suggest that a distal-positive element directs high levels of gene expression in the ventricle and in slow skeletal muscles. Analyses of transgene expression during heart maturation revealed that some of the beta 5 lines were not able to respond in an appropriate manner to developmental transcriptional cues. Unlike the endogenous beta-MHC gene, which is down regulated in the ventricles around the time of birth, reporter gene expression in the majority of the lines generated was not shut off in the ventricles of the adult animals. These data indicate that high levels of muscle-specific beta-MHC gene expression are dependent upon the combinatorial interactions of a number of sequence elements that are distributed over a large region of the gene's upstream sequence.