cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance Interference-Aware Vertical Elasticity for Cloud-Hosted Latency-Sensitive Applications

Elastic auto-scaling in cloud platforms has primarily used horizontal scaling by assigning application instances to distributed resources. Owing to rapid advances in hardware, cloud providers are now seeking vertical elasticity before attempting horizontal scaling to provide elastic auto-scaling for applications. Vertical elasticity solutions must, however, be cognizant of performance interference that stems from multi-tenant collocated applications since interference significantly impacts application quality-of-service (QoS) properties, such as latency. The problem becomes more pronounced for latency-sensitive applications that demand strict QoS properties. Further exacerbating the problem are variations in workloads, which make it hard to determine the right kinds of timely resource adaptations for latency-sensitive applications. To address these challenges and overcome limitations in existing offline approaches, we present an online, data-driven approach which utilizes Gaussian Processes-based machine learning techniques to build runtime predictive models of the performance of the system under different levels of interference. The predictive online models are then used in dynamically adapting to the workload variability by vertically auto-scaling co-located applications such that performance interference is minimized and QoS properties of latency-sensitive applications are met.
Approximations, Proxies, and Conditional Pricing Models

It is common in empirical tests of conditional asset pricing models to approximate conditioning information using linear functions in observable variables. This practice introduces two potential sources of misspecification into model tests: (i) the observable variables are proxies for the true state variables, and (ii) the linear structure of conditioning may ignore economically significant nonlinearities in the underlying model. We examine the extent of misspecification error created by this approach in a simple economy in which the level of the short rate and the Sharpe ratio on a well-diversified portfolio serve as the two (latent) state variables. In this setting, some of the conditional moments and risk premiums are nonlinear -- but this nonlinearity is not extreme. After calibrating the model to the excess returns to size- and book-to-market sorted portfolios, we examine returns simulated from the model. We find that the proxy problem appears to be more severe than the bias induced by the linear approximation to conditioning information.
Neurotransmitters and Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Abstract According to the SEIP/predictive coding framework, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators have a role as signaling molecules in circuits that enable social interaction. Depending on the balance of stress demands on the system and its biological vulnerabilities, variability can be seen in the balance of facilitation versus restraining of aggression. Neurobiological research has pointed to disturbed serotonin signaling in impulsive aggression. Impulsive aggression is indeed caused by serotonin dysregulation but in distinct, receptor-specific pathways. Recent research has not provided evidence to the contrary, but has rather expanded the network of connections to serotonin to distributed brain circuits and even out into the body in immune and intracellular signaling cascades. In total, the resulting neurobiological portrait of IED is of a person with a lifelong history of angry outbursts, with evidence of disturbed, stress-related 5-HT signaling. This 5-HT dysfunction worsens the very system that can regulate stress reactivity, centered on hubs in the prefrontal cortex. Contributing to this positive feedback loop may be an overtaxed immune system, tasked with cleaning up the metabolically costly synaptic downsides of stress. Despite progress in understanding the basic biological mechanism of IED, many unanswered questions remain regarding the role of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. The task is daunting, because the brain is an enormously complicated system; its functions are not captured simply. System-based approaches have increasingly been called on in the treatment of other complex medical disorders and will likely be required to understand and treat IED. Neurotransmitter and neuromodulator signaling systems have a key role in how brain circuits learn about social interaction over time. This work can be considered as part of the larger effort to understand IED as a brain-based disorder of interpersonal reactivity.
International perspectives on data

Abstract Nurses remain at the forefront of data integration at the international level. Efforts may include abstraction or recording of data to evaluate quality of care, generating evidence to guide best practice recommendations, or applying findings from research or quality data to improve care processes and patient outcomes across settings and populations. As key stakeholders in care delivery around the world, nurses must possess a basic understanding of the evolution of international metrics for quality healthcare, challenges associated with international metrics, and resources available to advance healthcare quality on a global scale.
Service Management Concepts: Implications for Hospitality Management

In Service Management Concepts: Implications for Hospitality Management – a study by K. Michael Haywood, Associate Professor, School of Hotel and Food Administration, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Associate Professor Haywood initially proffers: “The study and application of hospitality management has progressed on its own for many years; however, managers are not immune to the knowledge gained from study of other service industries. The author synthesizes what is happening in the area of service management, looks at its relevance to hospitality management, and identifies a few important implications of service management for hospitality managers.” The author draws a distinction between non-denominated service management, and service management as it applies to the hospitality industry. This is done to make an apparent comparison, as many people would assume the two are one in the same. They are not, and the contrast works well here. “While much of what we already know about effective management applies to service industries, some of the traditional concepts of management are inadequate in solving the problems faced by service businesses,” Haywood points out. “If a body of knowledge to be known as service management already exists, or is being developed, where does it fit relative to hospitality management,” Haywood asks. According to John Bateson, Testing a Conceptual Framework for Consumer Service Marketing, there are four criteria used to judge service management. Haywood details these for you, the reader, by way of citation. Haywood points to the difficulty in pin-pointing the intangibles that underpin the service industry. Since service is a concept rather than a touchable good, such as inventory, problems arise for both the organization and the client. Haywood points to a classic study of four service industries in France to illustrate the problems, although no realistic suggestions address the issues. “Over the past few years a variety of system models have been developed to explain the service process, that is, how the service is designed, produced, delivered, and consumed,” Haywood offers. These models are depicted in Appendices A-E. In offering perspectives on how the hospitality industry can gain from the experiences of service management, Haywood observes: “Service management places particular emphasis on a strategic outlook. Hospitality firms would be wise to carefully examine how they are perceived in the marketplace vis-a-vis their service concept, position, competitive situation, and management’s leadership abilities.” “Learning from the experiences of other service firms can help keep a company on track, that is, providing needed and valued services,” he closes the thought.
A comparison of supervised machine learning algorithms for mosquito identification from backscattered optical signals

Abstract The surveillance of mosquito populations is paramount in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases that affect millions of people every year. Evaluating the efficiency of mitigation methods requires extensive and long-term surveys which can be costly and time consuming. The recent development of optical sensors give access to alternative methods for entomological monitoring but require efficient classification algorithms to be successful. In this contribution, supervised machine learning algorithms such as Linear Discriminant Analysis, Decision Trees, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors and Naive Bayes are compared for the identification of mosquitoes through optical signals. Based on predictor variables derived from the wing beat frequency and optical cross section of mosquitoes, these algorithms were trained to perform different classification tasks: the identification of species, sex and/or gravidity of mosquitoes present in New Jersey, USA. Results shows that the most polyvalent machine learning algorithm for mosquito identification is Support Vector Machine that performs on average over all tasks between 0.65 and 7.3% better than other algorithms. Moreover, Support Vector Machine is the algorithm that best performed for the most complex tasks, more than 2% above the second best, it is therefore the most suited for real-world study where several species of mosquito can be expected at a single location. A close second is Linear Discriminant Analysis that is only outperformed by Support Vector Machine by 0.65% over all tasks and is the most performant when studying mosquito gravidity. Finally, Decision Trees algorithm has reached almost perfection in identifying the sex of a single mosquito species with 99.9% accuracy which is 1.3% more than the second best performing algorithm on this task. These results demonstrate that optical sensors, coupled with machine learning, can be a viable alternative or complementary methodology for the monitoring of mosquito populations. Furthermore, this methodology can perform non-intrusive, automatic, time-resolved measurements of insect population dynamics over extended periods of time without the need for laboratory analysis of captured specimens as in most traditional survey methods.
Questioning dogma: does a GCS of 8 require intubation?

There is no evidence supporting intubation for a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 8. We investigated the effect of intubation in trauma patients with a GCS 6–8, with the hypothesis that intubation would increase mortality and length of stay. We studied adult patients with GCS 6–8 from the 2016 National Trauma Data Bank. Intubated and non-intubated patients were compared using inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) to control for injury severity and patient characteristics. Outcomes were mortality, intensive care unit length of stay (ICU LOS), and total LOS. Stratified analysis was performed to investigate the effect in patients with and without head injuries. Among 6676 patients with a GCS between 6 and 84,078 were intubated within 1 h of arrival to the emergency department. The overall mortality rate was 15.1%. IPWRA revealed an increase in mortality associated with intubation (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03, 1.06). The results were similar in patients with head injuries (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02, 1.06) and without (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03, 1.10). Among the 5,742 patients admitted to the ICU, intubation was associated with a 14% increase in ICU LOS (95% CI 8–20%; 5.5 vs. 4.8 days; p < 0.001). The overall length of stay was 27% longer (95% CI 19.8–34.3%) among intubated patients (mean 7.7 vs 6.0 days; p < 0.001). Among patients with GCS of 6 to 8, intubation on arrival was associated with an increase in mortality and with longer ICU and overall length of stay. The use of a strict threshold GCS to mandate intubation should be revisited.
Modular ON/OFF and Phase-Shifting for High-Speed Radio Frequency Power Modulation

Radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers are an integral part of many academic, medical, and industrial applications. For many of these applications, the RF power needs to quickly transition from one level to another. For switched-mode amplifiers, one way to achieve this is with an out-phasing modulation technique. This power control technique, however, presents its own disadvantages, including poor light-load efficiency and an increase in overall system size. In this paper, we present an alternative power modulation method to create a high-efficiency high-speed RF amplifier system. This control technique utilizes two mechanisms, modular on/off and phase-shifting. In modular on/off, a different number of sub-circuits are turned “on” or “off” to crudely adjust the output power. In phase-shifting, the smallest sub-circuit of the whole system is phase-shifted away from the rest of the circuit to fine-tune the output power. This system's performance is first compared with existing out-phasing systems via circuit simulation. Then, an actual circuit implementation with a 13.56-MHz, 1500-W RF amplifier is demonstrated. A 93% dc-to-RF efficiency is achieved at full load, and above 80% efficiency is maintained all the way down to 7% load.
A call for radical over reductionist approaches to ‘inclusive’ reform in neoliberal times: an analysis of position statements in the United States

The term ‘inclusive education’ has evolved to connote various meanings and recently, neoliberalism has impacted how ‘inclusion’ is understood and enacted. In this paper, we use a disability studies...
Multilevel Governance and Institutional Capacity for Climate Change Responses in Latin American Cities

Urban populations, economic activities and infrastructure are responsible for between 71 and 75% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions (Seto et al., 2014). However, often only a small fraction of emissions produced within a city is under the direct control of local governments, and while cities are vulnerable to a suite of negative impacts that climate change is projected to aggravate, many adaptation options are also out of local reach. In these cases, other jurisdictions and actors, such as national governments or the private sector, may have control over regulations, investments and programs that drive and manage emissions and risk. Hence, in order to mitigate GHG emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change a range of actors, across sectors and levels of government, will need to create multilevel and multisectoral coalitions for effective urban climate governance. And indeed cities are “repositioning themselves in relation to the global climate regime” (Johnson et al., Chapter 1 this volume) through climate relevant actions such as energy efficiency plans and infrastructure investments seeking to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle tenotomy using Tenex system for refractory lateral epicondylitis; short and long-term effectiveness and contributing factors.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle tenotomy (USPNT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment to surgical intervention for lateral epicondylitis (LE). The Tenex system (Tenex Health Inc., Lake Forest, CA, USA) for USPNT is an ultrasonic device involving a needle which oscillates at high frequency to debride and aspirate diseased tendon under ultrasound image guidance. This investigation evaluates the efficacy of USPNT using the Tenex system for LE refractory to conservative management. We also seek to evaluate patient-specific factors which may correlate with treatment response. PRTEE (Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation) and DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) questionnaires were completed before performing the Tenex USPNT for all consecutive patients over a course of 38 months (Feb 2015–Mar 2018). Patients were contacted for follow-up evaluations. Paired t test was used to evaluate significant changes in treatment response (p < 0.05). The univariate Tobit regression model was applied followed by multivariate Tobit model with forward selection algorithm. All models were adjusted by preoperative score and follow-up duration. A total of 37 patients (average age 51± 9 years, M/F:15/22) with refractory LE were included (mean follow-up, 531 days; range, 65–1148 days). Tenex USPNT significantly improved PRTEE and DASH scores (p < 0.001). In some patients, this decrease persisted for up to 3 years after intervention. A significant association between treatment response and post-procedure physical therapy (PT) was present. Post-procedure PT contributes to 60, 68, 59, and 50% of reduction in PRTEE pain, function, total scores, and DASH score, respectively (p < 0.001). No tendon ruptures, post-procedural infections, or other complications were noted. USPNT with Tenex significantly improves symptoms and function in individuals with LE even with long-term follow-up for 3 years. Post-procedure PT is associated with improved treatment response and should be considered after USPNT.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation as an Organizational Leadership Competency within Transitional Justice Instruments

Emerging research within organizational leadership and transitional justice disciplines are recognizing the role of forgiveness and reconciliation as a critical competence both for transitional justice instruments practitioners and organizational leaders. The author argues that incorporating forgiveness and reconciliation is neglected and requires a theoretical paradigm shift within the discipline of organizational leadership and transitional justice fields. The aim of this article is to introduce forgiveness and reconciliation as an individual leadership competency within organizations that execute transitional justice and peacebuilding systems. This paper presents a definition and conceptual understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation within transitional justice and leadership disciplines. Second addresses forgiveness and reconciliation as an organizational leadership competence for practitioners within a transitional justice context. Next, identifies critical themes that world religions play in facilitating forgiveness and reconciliation within peacebuilding activities. Finally, conceptually develops a theoretical foundation upon which servant leaders create an organizational climate for individual, organizational, and social change through forgiveness and reconciliation within peacebuilding organizations.
Pro-Business or Anti-Gay? Disguising LGBT Animus as Economic Legislation

This article provides the first comprehensive analysis of a new anti-LGBT trend sweeping state legislatures. Whereas the Supreme Court’s holding in Romer v. Evans represented a significant legal victory for the LGBT community, the majority’s reasoning had the unintended consequence of informing lawmakers how they may go about drafting anti-LGBT legislation to withstand an equal protection challenge. First, legislation designed to discriminate against LGBT Americans must be facially neutral as laws explicitly targeting the LGBT community for harm will raise a presumption of animus. Second, any given piece of legislation cannot be too ambitious in terms of the harm that it seeks to inflict as laws imposing a substantial disability on LGBT Americans will work a per se violation of equal protection.State lawmakers have seized on these principles to draft anti-LGBT measures disguised as ordinary economic legislation. Six weeks after Nashville enacted an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance, the Tennessee legislature passed the “Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act.” The Act prohibits local governments from adopting nondiscrimination ordinances that are more inclusive than state law in terms of their protected classes. As neither sexual orientation nor gender identity is a protected class under Tennessee law, the Act effectively repealed Nashville’s new ordinance. Other states are now seeking to follow Tennessee’s lead with similar legislation being considered in Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Michigan.This article proposes that the Supreme Court apply heightened scrutiny to classifications based on sexual orientation or gender identity so as to expose the discriminatory motivations underlying these bills and repeal the license to discriminate conferred by Romer. Heightened scrutiny would allow courts to consider the specific sequence of events leading up to these bills introduction, the historical background against which they are being debated, and any substantive or procedural irregularities in the manner of their enactment. Application of these factors would reveal that the Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act and its progeny were written, introduced, and advanced because of — not merely in spite of — their adverse effects upon the LGBT community.
Modeling Fracture in Rate-Dependent Polymer Networks: A Quasicontinuum Approach

Soft materials, such as rubber and gels, exhibit rate-dependent response where the stiffness, strength and fracture patterns depend largely on loading rates. Thus, accurate modeling of the mechanical behavior requires accounting for different sources of rate-dependence such as the intrinsic viscoelastic behavior of the polymer chains and the dynamic bond breakage and formation mechanism. In this chapter, we extend the QC approach presented in Ghareeb and Elbanna [Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 137, 103819 (2020)] to include ratedependent behavior of polymer networks. We propose a homogenization rule for the viscous forces in the polymer chains and update the adaptive mesh refinement algorithm to account for dynamic bond breakage. Then, we use nonlinear finite element framework with predictorcorrector scheme to solve for the nodal displacements and velocities. We demonstrate the accuracy of the method by verifying it against fully discrete simulations for different examples of network structures and loading conditions. We further use the method to investigate the effects of the loading rates on the fracture characteristics of networks with different ratedependent parameters. Finally, We discuss the implications of the extended method for multiscale analysis of fracture in rate-dependent polymer networks.
Modeling the life cycle of the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) with management implications.

Abstract The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest that emerged in the US less than a decade ago. With few natural enemies and an ability to feed on a wide variety of readily available plants the population has grown rapidly. It is causing damage to a wide range of natural and economically important farmed plants and at present there is no known way to stop the growth and spread of the population. However, a number of control measures have been proposed to limit the growth and the effectiveness of some of these have been assessed via empirical studies. Studies to estimate the natural mortality rate of the lanternfly’s different life stages and other properties of its life cycle are also available. However, no attempt to integrate this empirical information to estimate population level characteristics such as the population growth rate and the potential effects of proposed control measures can be found in the literature. Here, we introduce a simple population dynamics model parameterized using available information in the literature to obtain estimates of this type. Our model suggests that the annual growth rate of the SLF population in the US is 5.47, that only three out of six proposed control measures considered here have the potential to decrease the population even if we can find and treat each SLF in every stage, and that even with a combined strategy involving the most effective proposed control measures about 35% of all SLF in the relevant stages must be found and treated to turn the current population growth into decline. Suggesting that eradication of the spotted lanternfly over larger geographical areas in the US will be challenging, and we believe that the modeling framework presented here may be useful in providing estimates to inform feasibility assessment of proposed management efforts.
An abundant myeloid progenitor shapes neonatal hematopoiesis of naked mole-rats

The naked mole-rat became a significant animal model for its exceptional longevity and resistance mechanisms to cancers, however the developmental properties of their native stem and progenitor compartments are poorly understood. Here we report a high frequency bone marrow progenitor exclusively present in neonatal animals. The heterotypic developmental stage was marked by an immunophenotype resembling adult naked mole-rat CMP-like progenitors with mature neutrophilic Thy1.1-antigen levels and showed a clear differentiation bias and transcriptome signature towards myelopoiesis. Importantly, myeloid progenitors overexpressed both CXCL12 and its alternative receptor CXCR7, thereby abrogating their homing capacity and produced multiple secreted matrix components related to neonatal bone marrow niche formation. These results indicate a transient ontogenic cell stage during postnatal hematopoiesis unique to naked mole-rats and further advances our understanding of the developmental steps involved in creating the regenerative cell pool and its environment in a long-lived species.
Hypertension and renal outcomes in normotensive kidney donors with multiple renal arteries

Having multiple renal arteries (MRA) has been linked to hypertension development. Whether kidney donors who are left with MRA in the nondonated kidney incur a higher risk of hypertension has not been studied. We compared the development of hypertension, reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), cardiovascular disease, and mortality in 2624 normotensive kidney donors with MRA in the nondonated kidney and to 2624 propensity score matched normotensive donor controls with a single renal artery. In total, 35% of donors had MRA. Donors with MRA were less likely to have undergone a left nephrectomy (51% vs. 83%). Postdonation hypertension was associated with age, male gender, non-White ethnicity, obesity, and family history of hypertension. Having MRA was not associated with risk of hypertension; aHR 0.92 (95% CI 0.82-1.03), P = 0.16. After 17 ± 11 years from donation, a similar proportion of donors with and without MRA developed cardiovascular disease, proteinuria and eGFR <30, <45 and <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and the multivariable risks of developing these outcomes were similar in the two groups. Our study did not show increased risk for hypertension, reduced eGFR, proteinuria or cardiovascular disease in donors with MRA in the remaining kidney and without hypertension at donation.
Evaluation of Electronic Formats of the NASA Task Load Index

Paper questionnaires are being replaced by electronic questionnaires. The primary objective of this research was to determine whether electronic formats of paper questionnaires change subjects ratings and, if so, how the ratings changed. Results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in self-assessment of workload when using the electronic replica or the paper format of the NASA-TLX scale. Variations of the electronic formats were tested to enforce structure to the TLX scale. Respondents had more consistent ratings with these alternative formats of the NASA-TLX. Non-pilots, in general, had lower workload ratings than pilots. The time to input the rating was the fastest for the electronic facsimile and random title formats. Also subjects preferred the electronic formats and thought these formats were easier to use. Therefore, moving questionnaires from paper to electronic media could change respondents' answers.
Heart Rate Profiles of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder in Response to Physical Play: A Preliminary Investigation

In this study, the heart rate response of children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exposed to outdoor free play sessions during preschool was examined. Participants (n = 7; four children with ASD and three children who show typical development) wore Actiheart heart rate monitors during 6 school days. Using a single-subject design, the researchers found that children with and without ASD demonstrated a similar heart rate response to an outdoor free play period and similar participation as measured using PAHR-25 and PAHR-50 indexes. These children did not engage in adequate amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity during free play. Thus, interventions should be developed to determine best practices for children with and without ASD to participate in adequate amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity during free play.
Leisure activity, life satisfaction, and perceived health status in older adults.

This study sought to identify the leisure acticities of older adults and to determine if a relationship existed between life satisfaction and leisure activity and between perceived health status and leisure activity. Thirty-two men and women, who were at least 65 years of age and retired, were recruited from a geriatric assessment clinic located in a large, East Coast city and surveyed using three instruments, and Leisure Activities Inventory, the Life Satisfaction Index A, and the Perceived Health Status Scale. Subjects were engaged in a wide range of leisure activities. Those who were more satisfied with their life reported the greatest number of activities conducted at least weekly and more varied reason for leisure activity participation. There was no relationship between leisure activity participation adn perceived health status. Implications for counseling and teaching older adults about use of leisure time and benefits of leisure activity are discussed.
Constitutive expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) gene family ligand and receptors on human upper and lower airway epithelial cells.

Background We previously reported that vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is abundantly expressed by primary human nasal epithelial cells (PNECs) and functions to promote cell hyperplasia in polyposis. Therefore, we aimed to examine the full expression profile of other members of the VEGF gene family of ligands and receptors, which may play a role in cell growth and the development of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Methods Messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of VEGF genes, receptors, and co-receptors was examined from cultured PNECs (n = 4) and compared to that from primary human bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs; n = 4) and the BEAS2B cell line (n = 4) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cytometry. Results We report abundant expression of VEGFA, VEGFB, and VEGFC, detected by mRNA and flow cytometric analysis on PNECs. We herein report the novel finding that there is significant expression of VEGFR1, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, and both neuropilin co-receptors, NP1 and NP2, at baseline conditions on PNECs. Lower airway PBECs and BEAS2B cells displayed similar patterns of expression. Conclusion PNECs express high constitutive levels of the VEGF gene family homolog of ligands and receptors. Expression of multiple VEGF ligand-receptor combinations may function as redundant pathways to promote upper and lower airway epithelial cell growth during inflammation.
WHAT MINDFULNESS BRINGS TO PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

receivedherundergraduatedegreefromStanfordUniversity,herM.A.andPh.D.inclinicalpsychologyfromtheUniversityofCaliforniaLosAngeles,andherM.P.H.inBiometryfrom San Diego State University. She also completed a pre- and postdoctoral fellowship inclinical psychology at the University of California San Francisco. She is currently a Professorin Residence in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, and Chiefof the Psychotherapy Unit of the VA San Diego Center of Excellence for Stress and MentalHealth. Dr. Lang’s research primarily involves assessment of and psychotherapy for anxiety andtrauma-related disorders. She is particularly interested in novel interventions and increasingengagement in psychotherapy.
New technologies in predicting, preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases

Surveillance of emerging infectious diseases is vital for the early identification of public health threats. Emergence of novel infections is linked to human factors such as population density, travel and trade and ecological factors like climate change and agricultural practices. A wealth of new technologies is becoming increasingly available for the rapid molecular identification of pathogens but also for the more accurate monitoring of infectious disease activity. Web-based surveillance tools and epidemic intelligence methods, used by all major public health institutions, are intended to facilitate risk assessment and timely outbreak detection. In this review, we present new methods for regional and global infectious disease surveillance and advances in epidemic modeling aimed to predict and prevent future infectious diseases threats.
Two-dimensional thermal video analysis of offshore bird and bat flight

Abstract Thermal infrared video can provide essential information about bird and bat activity for risk assessment studies, but the analysis of recorded video can be time-consuming and may not extract all of the available information. Automated processing makes continuous monitoring over extended periods of time feasible, and maximizes the information provided by video. This is especially important for collecting data in remote locations that are difficult for human observers to access, such as proposed offshore wind turbine sites. We developed new processing algorithms for single camera thermal video that automate the extraction of two-dimensional bird and bat flight tracks, and that characterize the extracted tracks to support animal identification and behavior inference. The algorithms consist of video peak store followed by background masking and perceptual grouping to extract flight tracks. The extracted tracks are automatically quantified in terms that could then be used to infer animal taxonomy and possibly behavior, as described in the companion article from Cullinan, et al. [“Classification of birds and bats using flight tracks.” Ecological Informatics, 27:55–63]. The developed automated processing was evaluated using six video clips containing a total of 184 flight tracks. The detection rate was 81% and the false positive rate was 17%. In addition to describing the details of the algorithms, we suggest models for interpreting thermal imaging information.
A tolerance interval approach for assessment of agreement in method comparison studies with repeated measurements

Abstract This paper generalizes the tolerance interval approach for assessing agreement between two methods of continuous measurement for repeated measurement data—a common scenario in applications. The repeated measurements may be longitudinal or they may be replicates of the same underlying measurement. Our approach is to first model the data using a mixed model and then construct a relevant asymptotic tolerance interval (or band) for the distribution of appropriately defined differences. We present the methodology in the general context of a mixed model that can incorporate covariates, heteroscedasticity and serial correlation in the errors. Simulation for the no-covariate case shows good small-sample performance of the proposed methodology. For the longitudinal data, we also describe an extension for the case when the observed time profiles are modelled nonparametrically through penalized splines. Two real data applications are presented.
EVALUATING THE DYNAMICS OF COEVOLUTION AMONG GEOGRAPHICALLY STRUCTURED POPULATIONS

The geographic mosaic theory of coevolution suggests that reciprocal evolution involves three processes that operate among populations: selection mosaics, coevolutionary hotspots, and trait remixing. These processes, in turn, produce three patterns: population differences in traits favored by an interaction, a combination of trait matches and mismatches among populations, and few species-level coevolved traits (i.e., coevolved traits that have spread to all populations). Here I show how studies of the interactions between the pollinating floral parasite Greya politella and its host plants provide evidence for most of the components of this view of the coevolutionary process, including indications of the ecological conditions that can prevent coevolutionary change. These studies are suggesting that the dynamics of coevolution in these interactions are interpretable only when analyzed over broad geographic scales.
On the cell wall composition of Saccharomycopsis guttulata.

Cells ofSaccharomycopsis guttulata were ruptured by sonic oscillation and the resulting cell walls were purified by washing and centrifugation. The walls contained 43.7% carbohydrate (expressed as glucose), 39.6% protein and a trace of chitin. Paper chromatography of hydrolyzed cell walls showed that glucose and an unknown reducing compound make up the bulk of the carbohydrate fraction. Mannose and glucosamine were present in small amounts. The cell wall composition ofS. guttulata appears to differ considerably from that ofS. cerevisiae.
Insect responses to plant water deficits. I. Effect of water deficits in soybean plants on the feeding preference of Mexican bean beetle larvae.

. 1. We examined the preference of larvae of the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), for foliage of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) grown under several levels of water deficit. Third instar larvae were exposed simultaneously to excised foliage from plants that were either well-watered (control) or had experienced water deficits (treatment). 2. Water-deficient plants were re-watered 12 h prior to initiating feeding trials to eliminate physical differences between control and treatment foliage such as leaf water potential, diffusive resistance, relative water content, and foliage toughness. 3. Examination of the free amino acid contents of re-watered and excised foliage indicated that amino acid concentrations increased markedly in foliage grown under water deficits, and that this increase persisted during the preference tests. 4. Larvae preferred control foliage, but shifted preference to treatment foliage under mild water deficits. When the leaf water potential of water-deficient treatment foliage was lower than – 1.13 MPa or when it was more than 0.5 MPa lower than that of control foliage, larvae preferred to feed on foliage from well-watered control plants. 5. The expression of preference for well-watered control foliage was coincident with increases in the concentrations of total free amino acids and individual free amino acids in the water-deficient treatment foliage. 6. These results are inconsistent with White's (1974) hypothesis because Mexican bean beetle larvae avoid plants grown under water deficits that have increased concentrations of free amino acids.
The feeding cervical oesophagostomy in the management of head and neck cancer.

The use of a feeding cervical Osophagostomy in 51 patients with cancer of the head and neck has been without complication. The procedure is easy to perform and preferable to transabdominal gastrostomy and nasogastric intubation for long-term gavage feeding.
Dynamics of a low Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer

The generation of Reynolds stress, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation in the turbulent boundary layer simulation of Spalart (1988) is studied using the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor. This technique enables the study of the whole range of scales in the flow using a single unified approach. In addition, it also provides a rational basis for relating the flow structure in physical space to an appropriate statistical measure in the space of invariants. The general characteristics of the turbulent motion are analysed using a combination of computer-based visualization of flow variables together with joint probability distributions of the invariants. The quantities studied are of direct interest in the development of turbulence models. The cubic discriminant of the velocity gradient tensor provides a useful marker for distinguishing regions of active and passive turbulence. It is found that the strongest Reynolds-stress and turbulent-kinetic-energy generating events occur where the discriminant has a rapid change of sign. Finally, the time evolution of the invariants is studied by computing along particle paths in a Lagrangian frame of reference. It is found that the invariants tend to evolve toward two distinct asymptotes in the plane of invariants. Several simplified models for the evolution of the velocity gradient tensor are described. These models compare well with several of the important features observed in the Lagrangian computation. The picture of the turbulent boundary layer which emerges is consistent with the ideas of Townsend (1956) and with the physical picture of turbulent structure set forth by Theodorsen (1955).
Comparative study of face recognition techniques that use joint transform correlation and principal component analysis

Face recognition based on principal component analysis (PCA) that uses eigenfaces is popular in face recognition markets. We present a comparison between various optoelectronic face recognition techniques and a PCA-based technique for face recognition. Computer simulations are used to study the effectiveness of the PCA-based technique, especially for facial images with a high level of distortion. Results are then compared with various distortion-invariant optoelectronic face recognition algorithms such as synthetic discriminant functions (SDF), projection-slice SDF, optical-correlator-based neural networks, and pose-estimation-based correlation.
Optimal Multi-Channel Delivery of Expertise: An Economic Analysis

Consumers use the Internet to minimize uncertainty when making important health-related decisions. Physicians are interested in delivering their expertise on-line even if they are unable to physically examine patients. A game-theoretic model was used to study the optimal channel strategies of capacity-constrained experts who provide consultation services via a face-to-face and an on-line channel. A consumer seeking consultation service can be in either a good or a bad state, each of which entails symptoms the expert can observe. As shown by the model, an expert can charge a higher price on-line than face-to-face and still find consumers willing to use the new service. If both channels are utilized, consumers who are more certain about their state are served on-line. The optimal price of an on-line consultation increases with the time required for the service. Experts need to consider several issues in pricing their services, but as the model shows, offering on-line consultations makes economic sense. Medical experts can use insights derived from the model to simultaneously manage face-to-face and on-line channels in selling their expertise.
Searching online book documents and analyzing book citations

Academic search engines and digital libraries provide convenient online search and access facilities for scientific publications. However, most existing systems do not include books in their collections although several books are freely available online. Academic books are different from papers in terms of their length, contents and structure. We argue that accounting for academic books is important in understanding and assessing scientific impact. We introduce an open-book search engine that extracts and indexes metadata, contents, and bibliography from online PDF book documents. To the best of our knowledge, no previous work gives a systematical study on building a search engine for books. We propose a hybrid approach for extracting title and authors from a book that combines results from CiteSeer, a rule based extractor, and a SVM based extractor, leveraging web knowledge. For "table of contents" recognition, we propose rules based on multiple regularities based on numbering and ordering. In addition, we study bibliography extraction and citation parsing for a large dataset of books. Finally, we use the multiple fields available in books to rank books in response to search queries. Our system can effectively extract metadata and contents from large collections of online books and provides efficient book search and retrieval facilities.
Transmandibular surgical approach for malignant parapharyngeal space tumors

The parapharyngeal space (PPS) is an inverted cone-shaped fascial space that extends from the skull base down to the level of the hyoid bone. Most tumors of the PPS are benign. Primary malignant tumors of the PPS are rare and include minor salivary gland cancer, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, and malignant paragangliomas. Benign tumors of the PPS can be most often treated surgically by a transcervical or transparotid transcervical approach. A malignant PPS tumor often needs consideration for transmandibular access for adequate exposure and total surgical resection. Preoperative recognition of malignancy using appropriate imaging and, if indicated, tissue diagnosis is therefore pivotal in successful operative planning and oncologic, functional, and cosmetic outcome. Although the transmandibular approach provides excellent access to the PPS, accurate preoperative planning and meticulous surgical technique are crucial for successful outcome after mandibulotomy.
Cognitive-affective stress propensity: A confirmatory factor analysis of stress propensity measures

Abstract A cognitive-affective stress propensity (CASP) construct is used to integrate previous findings regarding individual differences in experienced stress and resultant strain. A confirmatory factor analysis determined the structure of the CASP construct using a one factor model. This model and alternative models of factor structure contain two additional new constructs, psychological magnification and cognitive-affective connectivity. These two variables, and five trait variables previously identified as moderators in stress propensity research, were used in the analysis. Results show the one factor model to fit the data better than alternative models, thus supporting the notion of a latent construct (CASP).
A lightweight universe

How much matter is there in the universe? Does the universe have the critical density needed to stop its expansion, or is the universe underweight and destined to expand forever? We show that several independent measures, especially those utilizing the largest bound systems known—clusters of galaxies—all indicate that the mass-density of the universe is insufficient to halt the expansion. A promising new method, the evolution of the number density of clusters with time, provides the most powerful indication so far that the universe has a subcritical density. We show that different techniques reveal a consistent picture of a lightweight universe with only ∼20–30% of the critical density. Thus, the universe may expand forever.
A shared digital future

Will the possibilities for mass creativity on the Internet be realized or squandered, asks Tony Hey.
Opioid-Induced Itching: Morphine Sulfate and Hydromorphone Hydrochloride

We describe a case of severe morphine-induced itch unrelieved by antihistamines, which responded to a change to hydromorphone. The possible mechanisms of opioid-induced itch are briefly discussed. It is unclear if it is due to histamine release, an opioid-receptor mediated effect, or idiosyncratic drug reaction.
Intradural spinal metastases: a surgical series of 15 patients

Background Intradural spinal metastases are rare, and little is known regarding surgical indications and outcomes.