cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bottom-up and top-down influences on spatial unmasking

The ability to detect and understand a source of interest (a target) in the presence of a competing source (a masker) is better when the sources are spatially separated than when they are at the same location, an effect known as spatial unmasking. Many models account for spatial unmasking by predicting reduction of within-frequency-band masking; however, recent studies report significant spatial unmasking even when within-band energetic masking is minimal. The current study examines whether spatial unmasking depends on the veracity and kinds of spatial cues present when the target and masker are similar and processed to have little spectral overlap. For the tested stimuli, traditional within-band models predict (at most) a modest amount of spatial unmasking that varies with condition. Instead, we observe large spatial unmasking effects. Moreover, after accounting for the broadband target and masker intensities at the acoustically better ear, the amount of spatial unmasking is essentially independent of the kind of spatial cues that cause the target and masker the be perceived at different locations. Only at the lowest target-to-masker ratios (when within-band masking becomes significant) does the amount of spatial unmasking depend on the interaural phase differences in target and masker. These results emphasize that the relative overall intensities of the masker and target are critical for predicting how much perceptual interference the masker causes, even when energetic masking is minimal. We believe that in everyday settings, both traditional bottom-up factors and a higher- level mechanism depending on spatial perception contribute to spatial unmasking. We argue that the latter mechanism is a form of spatial attention, critical for meditating competition between similar, simultaneous sources in everyday settings.
Quantum-optical description of losses in ring resonators based on field-operator transformations

In this work we examine loss in ring resonator networks from an operator valued phasor addition approach which considers the multiple transmission and cross coupling paths of a quantum field traversing a ring resonator coupled to one or two external waveguide buses. We demonstrate the consistency of our approach by the preservation of the operator commutation relation of the out-coupled bus mode. We compare our results to those obtained from the conventional quantum Langevin approach which introduces noise operators in addition to the quantum Heisenberg equations in order to preserve commutation relations in the presence of loss. It is shown that the two expressions agree in the neighborhood of a cavity resonance where the Langevin approach is applicable, whereas the operator valued phasor addition expression we derive is more general, remaining valid far from resonances. In addition, we examine the effects of internal and coupling losses on the Hong-Ou-Mandel manifold discussed in Hach et al. [Phys. Rev. A 89, 043805 (2014)] that generalizes the destructive interference of two incident photons interfering on a 50:50 beam splitter (HOM effect) to the case of an add-drop double bus ring resonator.
Rescuing and Sharing Historical Vegetation Data for Ecological Analysis: The California Vegetation Type Mapping Project

Research efforts that synthesize historical and contemporary ecological data with modeling approaches improve our understanding of the complex response of species, communities, and landscapes to changing biophysical conditions through time and in space. Historical ecological data are particularly important in this respect. There are remaining barriers that limit such data synthesis, and technological improvements that make multiple diverse datasets more readily available for integration and synthesis are needed. This paper presents one case study of the Wieslander Vegetation Type Mapping project in California and highlights the importance of rescuing, digitizing and sharing historical datasets. We review the varied ecological uses of the historical collection: the vegetation maps have been used to understand legacies of land use change and plan for the future; the plot data have been used to examine changes to chaparral and forest communities around the state and to predict community structure and shifts under a changing climate; the photographs have been used to understand changing vegetation structure; and the voucher specimens in combination with other specimen collections have been used for large scale distribution modeling efforts. The digitization and sharing of the data via the web has broadened the scope and scale of the types of analysis performed. Yet, additional research avenues can be pursued using multiple types of VTM data, and by linking VTM data with contemporary data. The digital VTM collection is an example of a data infrastructure that expands the potential of large scale research through the integration and synthesis of data drawn from numerous data sources; its journey from analog to digital is a cautionary tale of the importance of finding historical data, digitizing it with best practices, linking it with other datasets, and sharing it with the research community.
Genetic Counseling, Professional Values, and Habitus: An Analysis of Disability Narratives in Textbooks

This article analyzes narrative illustrations in genetic counseling textbooks as a way of understanding professional habitus--the dispositions that motivate professional behavior. In particular, this analysis shows that there are significant differences in how the textbooks' expository and narrative portions represent Down syndrome, genetic counseling practice, and patient behaviors. While the narrative portions of the text position the genetic counseling profession as working in service to the values of genetic medicine, the expository portions represent genetic counselors as neutral parties. Ultimately, this article argues that this ambiguity is harmful to the production of a professional habitus that is consistent with espoused professional values concerning respect for persons with disabilities and the promotion of psychosocial counseling.
A strategy to measure electrophysiological changes with photoacoustic imaging (Conference Presentation)

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging technology capable of both functional and structural biological imaging. Absorption and scattering in tissue limit the penetration depth of conventional microscopy techniques to <1mm. Photoacoustic imaging however, can offer high-resolution and contrast at depths of several centimeters. Though functional imaging of endogenous contrast agents, such as hemoglobin, is widely implemented, currently photoacoustic imaging is unable to functionally report electrophysiological changes within cells. We aim to develop photoacoustic contrast agents to fulfill this need. Cells throughout the brain and body create electrical signals using ion channel proteins. These proteins undergo structural changes to regulate the flux of salt ions into the cell. We have recently developed ion channel activity tracers that dissociate from ion channels after the protein changes structure. By conjugating the tracer to dyes that are sensitive to changes in their chemical environment, we can detect tracer dissociation and therefore ion channel activity. We are exploring whether a similar mechanism can create photoacoustic signal intensity changes. To test if the environmental sensitivity of the dye is photoacoustically distinguishable, we imaged the dye in different solvent backgrounds. We report that manipulation of the chemical environment of the contrast dye results in robust changes in photoacoustic properties. We are working to capture photoacoustic signal changes that occur when ion channel proteins activate using live cell imaging. This technology could permit photoacoustic imaging of electrophysiological dynamics in deep tissue, such as the brain. Further optimization of this technology could lead to concurrent imaging of neural activity and hemodynamic responses, a crucial step towards understanding neurovascular coupling in the brain.
Transmission Grating Spectroscopy And The Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)

We review the use of transmission gratings with grazing-incidence telescopes in celestial X-ray astronomy. Gratings were used on the Einstein Observatory and on EXOSAT, and they are planned for AXAF and SPECTROSAT. We outline the basic properties of transmission grating spectrometers and the use of "phased" gratings to enhance the diffraction efficiency. Gratings are fabricated in a multistep process involving generation of a mask followed by replication into a final grating of the appropriate thickness and material. Special attention is given to the AXAF High Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) being fabricated at MIT. The HETG operates over the range 0.4-8 keV, gives resolving powers of 100-1000, effective areas of 10-300 cm2, and a minimum detectable line flux of 1-10 x 10-6 photons cm -2 s'1. The instrument consists of a single array with two types of grating facets: medium-energy gratings (0.6 pm-period, 0.5 pm-thick silver) mounted behind the outer three AXAF mirrors, and high-energy gratings (0.2 pm-period, 1.0 pm-thick gold) mounted behind the inner three mirrors. The materials and thicknesses are selected to maximize efficiency throughout the energy band. The facets are fabricated at MIT using a process involving X-ray lithography. AXAF will also carry a Low Energy Transmission Grating (LETG) supplied by the Laboratory for Space Research at Utrecht. It uses self-supported grating facets of 1.0 gm period and is optimized for operation down to 80 eV. Both the HETG and LETG disperse the spectrum of a source across either of the AXAF focal-plane/imaging detectors. They are most effective for the study of point sources, but they also give moderate resolution spectra of slightly extended sources and can be used to map the spatial distribution of the line emitting regions.
A Dynamical Systems Approach to Modeling and Analysis of Transactive Energy Coordination

Under transactive (market-based) coordination, a population of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) and storage devices, bid into an energy market. Consequently, a certain level of demand will be cleared based on the operating conditions of the grid. This paper analyzes the influence of various factors, such as price signals, feeder limits, and user-defined bid functions and preferences, on the aggregate energy usage of DERs. We identify cases that can lead to load synchronization, undesirable power oscillations and highly volatile prices. To address these issues, the paper develops an aggregate model of DERs under transactive coordination. A set of Markov transition equations have been developed over discrete ranges (referred to as “bins”) of price levels and their associated DER operating states. A detailed investigation of the performance of this aggregate model is presented. With reformulation of the transition equations, the bin model has been incorporated into a model predictive control setting using both mixed integer programming and quadratic programming. A case study shows that a population of TCLs can be managed economically while avoiding congestion in a distribution grid. Simulations also demonstrate that power oscillations arising from synchronization of TCLs can be effectively avoided.
Application of infrared imaging for monitoring retinal vascular network: an electric circuit analogy approach

It is well established that diabetes is linked with changes in ocular hemodynamics and retinal microaneurysms. However, it is difficult to diagnose a microaneurysm in a retinal vascular network using a traditional eye exam. The hypothesis of this study is that an overflow in the retinal vascular network will result in a temperature increase, and a microaneurysm could create a local hot spot. Therefore, this work investigates the possibility of applying infrared thermography to detect abnormal blood flow. As a precursor to human or animal testing, an electrical resistance network was used to simulate blood flow (using an electrical circuit analogy). An electrical signal with varied frequencies and peak voltages was used as the heating source. An infrared camera was used to acquire thermography images from the electrical resistance network. Thermal characteristics of the network were able to be derived from the images, suggesting that a timedependent and spatially resolved temperature mapping can be obtained and quantitatively analyzed. Moreover, combined with numerical simulation, the effect of blood flow change on surface temperature variation was investigated. This approach provides a way to apply thermal infrared imaging in diagnosis of retinal vascular diseases.
Acm sigcomm: Acknowledgement techniques of random access based media access protocols for a WDM photonic environment

This paper evaluates acknowledgement schemes for random access based media access protocols for star-coupled WDM networks. Each node requires a fast wavelength tunable transmitter and a slow/fixed receiver. The multiple, multi-access channels are pre-allocated to the nodes for data reception. Each data packet has to be acknowledged by the destination node to indicate successful transmission since the channel cannot be sensed. One solution to providing acknowledgements is to extend the transmission slot: each transmission consists of a data transmission phase and an acknowledgement phase. At the end of the slot, the source node would know if transmission was successful if collisionless acknowledgement transmission is ensured. However, this approach degrades with increased propagation delay and processing latency. An alternative technique eliminates the acknowledgement phase by requiring explicit acknowledgements from the destination node. The relative advantages and drawbacks of the two schemes are studied, and the impact of the acknowledgement scheme on protocol performance is examined. Protocol performance, measured in terms of average packet delay and network throughput, is studied with respect to system scalability, sensitivity to propagation delay, packet processing latency and transmitter tuning latency.
A parallel island model for biogeography-based classification rule mining in julia

In this paper, we present a distributed island model implementation of biogeography-based optimization for classification rule mining (island BBO-RM). Island BBO-RM is an evolutionary algorithm for rule mining that uses Pittsburgh style classification rule encoding, which represents an entire ruleset (classifier) as a single chromosome. Our algorithm relies on biogeography-based optimization (BBO), an optimization technique that is inspired by species migration pattern between habitats. Biogeography-based optimization has been reported to perform well in various applications ranging from function optimization to image classification. A major limitation of evolutionary rule mining algorithms is their high computational cost and running time. To address this challenge, we have applied a distributed island model to parallelize the rule extraction phase via BBO. We have explored several different migration topologies and data windowing techniques. Our algorithm is implemented in Julia, a dynamic programming language designed for high-performance and parallel computation. Our results show that our distributed implementation is able to achieve considerable speedups when compared to a serial implementation. Without data windowing, we obtain speedups up to a factor of nine without a loss of classification accuracy. With data windowing, we obtain speedups up to a factor of 30 with a small loss of accuracy in some cases.
Dimension of Fluid Compartments in Severely Ill Patients

Substantial deviations from the normal dimension of body fluid compartments or spaces occur in severely ill patients. These abnormalities include changes in the absolute size of a given compartment, in its relative size with respect to other spaces or to total body water, or the development of non-functional compartments [1]. Since the consequences of fluid space abnormalities can be life-threatening, it is most important to recognize their presence, interpret properly their pathogenesis, and implement measures aimed at correcting these disorders. We describe below the most relevant disorders of fluid compartment dimensions in critically ill patients.
Application of Inertial Measurement Units for Advanced Safety Surveillance System Using Individualized Sensor Technology (ASSIST): A Data Fusion and Machine Learning Approach

Fatigue in the workplace, as a prevalent health and economic issue, can be controlled by monitoring and timely detection through the utilization of wearable sensors. An accurate detection with the optimal number of sensors through the estimation of whole body kinematics as well as single sensor analysis for the detection of lower extremity muscle fatigue as a root cause of slip-induced falls is important. Kalman filter was used to estimate the hip acceleration and trunk posture in gait by a posteriori data from ankle and a priori data using Fourier series approximation to relate the body kinematics considering the periodic nature of gait. The segmented gait step kinematic data from the single sensor at the ankle using a novel stepwise search-based segmentation algorithm was used for fatigue classification through a template matching pattern recognition technique (1$ Recognizer) and support vector machine (SVM). Considering 20 subject data, the best results showed the error rates of 6.5% and 3.12% for hip acceleration and trunk posture estimations, respectively. In addition, fatigue classification utilizing gait step features resulted in 90% accuracy. This study provides a framework with the use of a minimal set of sensors and data for kinematics estimation and fatigue monitoring.
Multitiered Support for Classroom Management Professional Development

Quality professional development (PD) can be a great benefit to teachers who need help with classroom management implementation. PD programs have better outcomes when there is follow-up after skill...
The Federal Trade Commission's Contact Lens Study: Implications for Public Policy:

A Federal Trade Commission study evaluating the quality of fit of cosmetic contact lenses by three fitter groups identified few differences. However, the prices charged by commercial optometrists w...
An Investigation of Concurrent Validity of Fidelity of Implementation Measures at Initial Years of Implementation.

Fidelity of implementation of school practices is crucial to student outcomes. Several types of tools, including self-assessments, are available for measuring fidelity, but little is known regardin...
Thermal Stability and Anisotropic Thermal Expansion of SmBa 1- x Sr x Co 2 O 5+ δ (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.5)

Bulk samples of SmBa1−xSrxCo2O5+δ were synthesized using solid-state chemical reaction of the starting metal oxides in the appropriate weight ratios and heating in air at temperatures approaching 1223 K. Their thermal expansion coefficients were determined using in situ x-ray diffraction studies between 298 K and 1273 K. No phase transition was observed during the heating or the cooling cycle. The volumetric thermal expansion coefficients for samples with orthorhombic Pmmm phase are 6 × 10−5 K−1(x = 0.0), 6.8 × 10−5 K−1 (x = 0.3) and 6.4 × 10−5 K−1 (x = 0.5), and for sample with an orthorhombic phase Pnma 7.1 × 10−5 K−1 (x = 1). The linear thermal expansion showed anisotropy of αa or αc > αb for samples with Pmmm phase and no anisotropy for the x = 1 sample.
Human tracking from single RGB-D camera using online learning

Abstract Human detection and tracking is an essential component in several robotics applications, especially in indoor built environments where humans and robots are expected to coexist or collaborate. Due to their low cost and capability to capture both color and depth data, RGB-D cameras have shown significant promise in human detection and tracking for robotic applications. In this paper, a new human tracking method is proposed to detect and track a specific individual from a single RGB-D sensor using online learning classifiers with no ground plane assumption. Given a previous target human position, a candidate sampling method is designed to find potential positive samples while negative samples are obtained by a random sampling process. The kernelized Support Vector Machine (SVM) is employed as the online classifier to recognize the target human and updated using both the positive and negative examples. The experimental results on six RGB-D videos of a public dataset demonstrate that the proposed method achieves higher success rates compared to a 2D tracker and a 3D human detection method at a frame rate of 3.8 fps, and is capable of efficiently retrieving the target human following intermittent occlusion.
Patients' preferences and willingness-to-pay for disease-modifying therapies

Abstract Background While disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments are costly, patient valuation of DMTs has not been examined. The objective of this study was to examine patients' preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for DMTs. Methods Six attributes (i.e., number of relapses, percentage of disability progression, percentage of severe adverse events, route of administration, frequency of administration, and out-of-pocket cost) and their levels were used to develop a discrete choice experiment questionnaire. Each questionnaire comprised seven choice sets and each choice set contained two hypothetical DMTs and an opt-out alternative. A total of 1,200 U.S. patients with MS were asked to choose a DMT option or opt-out in each choice set. Multinomial logit model was used to determine relative preferences of each attribute. WTPs for all attributes and DMTs were calculated. Results A total of 508 patients were analyzed. Patients preferred DMTs with lower relapse rate, lower disability progression, lower severe adverse event, lower frequency of administration, and lower cost. In addition, they preferred oral DMTs. They were willing to pay $2,768, $289, $292, and $76 a month in exchange for every 1-time decrease in the number of relapses in two years, every 1% decrease in disability progression in two years, every 1% decrease in severe adverse events, and every 1-time decrease in the frequency of administration per month, respectively. The patients were willing to pay, in relation to market prices, between $7,020 and $134,934 per year for all DMTs, but interferon beta-1a SC. Conclusions Patients with MS considered relapse rate, disability progression, severe adverse events, route of administration, frequency of administration, and out-of-pocket cost, when they chose DMTs. Their WTPs for DMTs varied widely.
A silicon optical bench with vertically-oriented micromirrors for active beam steering

Abstract This paper reports a Silicon Optical Bench (SiOB) integrated with two vertically-oriented tip-tilt micromirrors that can perform active beam steering. The curling of W/SiO2 bimorphs is utilized to bend microstructures out of plane. The vertical orientation is realized by using a combination of curling W/SiO2 bimorphs and stoppers. W is employed as one of the bimorph materials to increase the bimorph stiffness, attributed to its much higher Young’s modulus than other materials. At the same time, the stress of the W layer is tuned to maximize the bending angle range of the W/SiO2 bimorphs. The fabrication process of making this new SiOB platform has been developed. Particularly, two electrothermal bimorph-based MEMS mirrors are successfully fabricated and stand upright on an SiOB. The two upright micromirrors are parallel to each other and can perform 2-axis forward-view optical scanning. The mirror plate is made of a 20 μm-thick silicon layer coated with aluminum and its diameter is 0.72 mm. The mirror can rotate ±8° at 4.5 V. This MEMS scanner has potential applications in miniature LiDAR for Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs).
Does edge erosion alter coastal wetland soil properties? A multi-method biogeochemical study

Abstract Coastal wetlands in Louisiana experience high rates of edge erosion due to combined eustatic sea level rise and coastal subsidence. This study sought to (1) evaluate site-specific spatial and temporal patterns in marsh edge erosion rates within Barataria Bay, LA, (2) develop an understanding of the physical and chemical properties of eroding soils through biogeochemical and spectroscopic characterization, and (3) evaluate interactions between erosion, saltwater incursion, and soil properties through a comparison of sites with different erosion rates and varying distances from the eroding edge. Replicate soil cores were collected at three distances inland (1 m, 3 m, 5 m) at three different sites (west, south, and north) to a depth of 1 m. Erosion rates were measured at each site, and soils were sectioned into 10 cm intervals for a total of 270 soil and porewater samples. Each soil sample was subjected to soil physicochemical analysis (bulk density, moisture content, organic matter content, and total carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)) as well as assessments of biogeochemical cycling (production of CO2, mineralization of N and P, and extractable nutrient concentrations). Porewater samples were analyzed to elucidate spectroscopic and fluorometric indicators of carbon quality (aromaticity, humification, lignin proportion, and C source). Erosion rates at the west, north, and south sites were 3.36 ± 0.4, 1.34 ± 0.2, and 0.58 ± 0.03 m yr−1, respectively. Neither erosional magnitude nor saltwater incursion was found to be significant predictors of any measured spectroscopic or biogeochemical parameters, though depth was a significant control on 18 of the measured 20 parameters. The top 30 cm were more biologically active (as indicated by greater mineralization of C, N and P) and were characterized by lower molecular weight porewater DOM with less aromaticity. Degree of humification and aromaticity of porewater DOM increased with both depth and distance inland. Concentrations of bioavailable N and P at 1 m depth were at least 5 times greater than surface concentrations, representing a pool of nutrients that could be exported into the coastal ocean with ongoing erosion. This study is the first to couple spectroscopic and biogeochemical measurements for the purpose of assessing soil and porewater physicochemistry within wetland soils and illustrates an as-yet unaccounted for potential for the export of labile C, N, and P into the coastal ocean.
The Fecal Microbiome in Infants With Biliary Atresia Associates With Bile Flow After Kasai Portoenterostomy.

BACKGROUND Biliary atresia's (BA) response to surgical Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) is uneven and dependent upon bile flow; 50% of infants require a liver transplant by 24 months. We hypothesized that the microbiome may identify and associate with outcomes in BA. METHODS Stool samples were collected from infants with cholestasis (n = 15), 8 of which with BA were followed longitudinally.16S sequencing was performed on all samples (n = 45). Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was performed on BA pre-KP samples (n = 8). Infants with BA, other forms of cholestasis, BA infants with very good bile flow (VGBF) and not (nVGBF) (VGBF dichotomized by TSBA <40 μmol/L by 6 months) were compared. RESULTS Of the 8 infants with BA, 4 infants had VGBF. Microbial richness was inversely proportional to degree of cholestasis (P = 0.046). Increased Bifidobacterium abundance associated with VGBF (P = 0.03) and decreased cholestasis (P < 0.01) at 1 month post-KP. Pre-KP, community structure differed in infants with BA versus other cholestasis. Interestingly, infants who subsequently achieved VGBF had increased diversity (P = 0.03) and different community structure at the pre-KP time point. WGS corroborated Bifidobacterium's pre-KP importance. CONCLUSIONS The microbiome differs between infants with BA and other cholestasis. It additionally differs between infants with BA who have good and poor bile flow, and thus outcomes, post-KP. These differences are seen even before KP. These data suggest that bile influences the development of the infant microbiome and that there may be possible influences of the pre- and post-KP microbiome on bile flow after KP. Further larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Impact of Center Heart Transplant Volume on One-Year Survival or Retransplantation: A 2006 to 2016 UNOS Based Analysis

Purpose Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between increasing center volume and improved post heart transplant (HTx) survival. We performed a contemporary analysis to evaluate this relationship. Methods The UNOS database was analyzed to include adult (≥18 years) HTx recipients from years 2006 to 2016. Each center had to perform >65 transplants to be included. Centers were categorized based on annual transplant volume: 6-15, 16-25, 26- 39 and ≥40. Primary endpoint was one-year mortality or retransplantation. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method. Adjusted analysis were performed using Cox-regression modeling. Results Among 17,853 HTx recipients, distribution of patients was 32.1%, 30.8%, 14.5% and 22.6% in the order of increasing center Htx volume, respectively. Median recipient age was 56 years (IQR 47-63) and 75.5% were male. Primary endpoint of one-year mortality or retransplantation was similar across the centers irrespective of transplant volume (6-15/yr: 10.4%, 16-25/yr: 9.5%, 26-39/yr: 11.1%, ≥40/yr: 9.7%; χ2 p=0.10 and Log-rank p=0.11) as noted in figure 1. When adjusted for recipient and donor risk factors, the Cox-regression analysis showed that centers with ≥40 Htx/yr had a lower rate of one-year mortality/retransplantation (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.75-0.98; p=0.029) compared to patients at centers with volume 6-15/yr. The two remaining categories 16-25/yr (HR 0.94; p=0.31) and 26-39/yr (HR 1.06; p=0.43) showed no difference in primary endpoint when compared to the lowest volume category (6-15 /yr). Conclusion There was no difference in baseline rate of mortality or retransplantation at 1-year among Htx centers irrespective of volume. Among all categories, only centers with ≥40 Htx/yr had an improved risk adjusted primary endpoint compared to the centers with lowest volume. The correlation between increasing center volume and improved survival appears to have weakened in this updated analysis among US transplant centers.
Differences in cortical thinning across development among individuals with and without anxiety disorders.

Background Anxiety is associated with aberrant patterns of cortical thickness in regions implicated in emotion regulation. However, few studies have examined cortical thickness differences between individuals with anxiety and healthy controls (HCs) across development, particularly during childhood when cortical thinning begins and anxiety risk increases. A better understanding of age-related changes in cortical thickness patterns among anxious individuals is essential to develop plausible targets for early identification. Methods The current study examined how age impacted differences in cortical thickness patterns between HCs and anxious individuals. Participants included 233 individuals (ages 7-35) with a current anxiety disorder (n = 149) or no lifetime history of psychopathology (n = 84). Cortical thickness of regions that are implicated in emotion regulation (ventromedial prefrontal cortex [vmPFC], rostral anterior cingulate [rACC], and insula) were assessed. Results All regions showed significant thinning with age, except left rACC and right insula. However, rates of thinning differed among anxious and HC participants, with anxious participants demonstrating slower rates of right vmPFC thinning. Regions of significance analyses indicated that anxious, relative to HC, participants exhibited thinner right vmPFC before age 11, but thicker right vmPFC after age 24. Conclusions Current findings suggest that anxious individuals do not demonstrate normative right vmPFC cortical thinning, which may lead them to exhibit both thinner vmPFC in middle childhood and thicker vmPFC in adulthood compared with HCs. These findings may provide plausible targets for identification of anxiety risk that differ based on developmental stage.
Badge of Courage or Sign of Criminality? Experimental Evidence for How Voters Respond to Candidates Who Were Arrested at a Protest

Objective To test whether political activists who are arrested at a protest will subsequently be more or less able to successfully run for office. Methods We use a conjoint survey experiment conducted on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. Participants are asked to choose between hypothetical candidates, with a protest arrest randomly added to the description of one candidate. We also vary the group that organized the protest, the demographics of the candidate, how much time has passed since the protest, and the seriousness of the arrest charge. Results We find left‐leaning voters can see a protest arrest as an asset, if it occurred at a left‐wing protest. Right‐leaning voters are less tolerant of protest arrests though, especially if the candidate is black or if the protest was recent. Conclusion We conclude that activists with electoral ambitions should weigh the risks of arrest carefully, especially if they are black or will need to appeal to right‐leaning electorates.
Sediment Deposition and Availability in Riparian Wetlands

Eulie, D.O.; Leonard, L., and Polk, M., 2021. Sediment deposition and availability in riparian wetlands. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(2), 302–315. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Coastal flooding and sea-level rise have the potential to negatively influence the ability of coastal wetlands to accumulate sediment, threatening the persistence of coastal wetlands. This study examines sediment availability, deposition rates, and elevation change in two types of tidally-dependent riparian wetlands to understand their ability to persist in the wake of rising sea level. Tidal marshes and riparian swamp habitats in blackwater and brownwater river systems were studied over a 32-month period between 2004 to 2007. Wetlands along the brownwater river system exhibited significantly greater and more variable deposition rates than those located along the blackwater river system (p < 0.05). The brownwater marsh lost –1.7 cm of elevation and the blackwater marsh lost –1.1 cm of elevation, while the brownwater swamp site had an increase of 7.0 cm and the blackwater swamp site exhibited an increase in elevation of 0.7 cm. Within the Cape Fear River Estuary, a combination of sediment availability, organic content, and wetland type (tidal brackish marshes, riparian freshwater swamp forests) are what most strongly influenced patterns of deposition but are strongly temporally and spatially influenced. Marshes in the Cape Fear River are losing elevation, while riparian swamps are, at the time of this study, maintaining their current elevation. Coastal tidal wetlands are under increasing pressure from climate change, sea-level rise, and urban development resulting in vertical drowning. Tidal marshes in the Cape Fear River are not able to maintain elevation, and riparian swamp forests may also be unable to as the magnitude of these pressures increase.
Reliable Islanded Microgrid Operation Using Dynamic Optimal Power Management

The tradeoff between the operating cost and the reliability of microgrids imposes challenges of having cost-effective power dispatch and reliable operations. The work presented in this article optimally solves this issue in a microgrid that contains photovoltaic (PV), dispatchable generator, and storage battery. Flexible control algorithms are developed to enable high penetration of PV power in islanded microgrids such that the challenge of having a cost-effective and reliable operation can be mitigated. This is achieved by creating a power flow optimization framework that considers all variables associated with the system operation. Particle swarm optimization is utilized to effectively optimize the power flow among the integrated sources and to dynamically schedule the battery state of charge. The proposed controller of each source works to fulfill the requirements of the optimization. The energy index of reliability is employed as a direct measure to quantify the reliability level of the microgrid. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by simulations and validated by experimental studies.
Neurologic Features and Brain Imaging Findings of Immunosuppressed Individuals With West Nile Virus Meningoencephalitis: A Case Series of 4 Patients (5318)

Objective: NA Background: The number of immunocompromised individuals continues to rise in the United States, in part given the increasing number of solid organ and stem cell recipients. Despite the increased risk of West Nile virus encephalitis (WNVE) in these individuals, data on radiographic and other clinical features and outcomes is limited. Design/Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical, laboratory, neuroimaging findings and outcomes of four immunocompromised patients with WNVE, that were treated at Mayo Clinic Arizona between June and September 2019. Results: The mean(SD) age of our patients was 69.5(4.8) years and 75% (3/4) were females. Two of the patients were kidney transplant recipients and the other two had an underlying hematological malignancy. The most common presenting features were malaise (100%; 4/4), fever (50%; 2/4) and tremors (50%; 2/4). Cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF) showed a mean(SD) cell count of 204(112) cells/mcl with neutrophilic predominance in 50% and lymphocytic predominance in the remaining patients. CSF testing was positive for WNV PCR for all patients with an average time to detection of 4 days from presentation. Brain MRI findings included small foci of diffusion restriction or T2 hyperintensity in bilateral thalami, pons, and/or cerebellum with progressive worsening on repeat evaluations. All patients exhibited profound worsening in respiratory status and encephalopathy within days of admission requiring mechanical ventilation in 75% (3/4). All patients received treatment (initiated 5–9 days post symptom onset) with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG; 2/4) or IVIG combined with interferon (2/4). No significant clinical improvement was seen in any of the cases and all 4 patients ultimately died after it was decided to withdraw care. Conclusions: WNVE is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients. Improved understanding of the spectrum of brain imaging findings and their respective roles in the early identification of affected patients is warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Abdallah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gritsch has nothing to disclose. Dr. Parsons has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grill has nothing to disclose.
The limitations of the open mind, by jeremy fantl, oxford university press, 2018, pp. 229, $60.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-19-880795-7

Jeremy Fantl’s The Limitations of the Open Mind considers the complexities of defining and ethically engaging with the term “open-mindedness.” How do we know when we are being open- or closed-minde...
Positive Association of Fibroadenomatoid Change with HER2-Negative Invasive Breast Cancer: A Co-Occurrence Study.

Background Risk assessment of a benign breast disease/lesion (BBD) for invasive breast cancer (IBC) is typically done through a longitudinal study. For an infrequently-reported BBD, the shortage of occurrence data alone is a limiting factor to conducting such a study. Here we present an approach based on co-occurrence analysis, to help address this issue. We focus on fibroadenomatoid change (FAC), an under-studied BBD, as our preliminary analysis has suggested its previously unknown significant co-occurrence with IBC. Methods A cohort of 1667 female patients enrolled in the Clinical Breast Care Project was identified. A single experienced breast pathologist reviewed all pathology slides for each case and recorded all observed lesions, including FAC. Fibroadenoma (FA) was studied for comparison since FAC had been speculated to be an immature FA. FA and Fibrocystic Changes (FCC) were used for method validation since they have been comprehensively studied. Six common IBC and BBD risk/protective factors were also studied. Co-occurrence analyses were performed using logistic regression models. Results Common risk/protective factors were associated with FA, FCC, and IBC in ways consistent with the literature in general, and they were associated with FAC, FA, and FCC in distinct patterns. Age was associated with FAC in a bell-shape curve so that middle-aged women were more likely to have FAC. We report for the first time that FAC is positively associated with IBC with odds ratio (OR) depending on BMI (OR = 6.78, 95%CI = 3.43-13.42 at BMI 25 kg/m2). This association is only significant with HER2-negative IBC subtypes. Conclusions We conclude that FAC is a candidate risk factor for HER2-negative IBCs, and it is a distinct disease from FA. Co-occurrence analysis can be used for initial assessment of the risk for IBC from a BBD, which is vital to the study of infrequently-reported BBDs.
Cooperative Breeding and the Paradox of Facultative Fathering

All primates share a deep evolutionary legacy of positive and negative male involvement with infants. Under some conditions, prolonged exposure of males to cues from helpless infants produced opportunities for Natural Selection to favor even more costly and exclusive care directed at infants likely to share genes with them by common descent. In a handful of cases, predispositions to paternal care evolved to the extremes. As in other apes, highly vulnerable, someone virtually always holds immobile human infants born to nomadic foragers. But there is one important difference: that someone is not necessarily the mother. Among the !Kung San, when these Kalahari people were still living as nomadic hunter gatherers a newborn might be handed over by a new mother to her mother right after birth, and the grandmother might thereupon massage the newborn and gently shape his skull with her hands. Across cultures there is more variation in paternal care in humans. Routinely, rates of male care are higher in hunter gatherers than in herding, horticultural/farming, or modern postindustrial societies. But even within foraging societies, male involvement ranges from relatively low levels of care taking among the South African !Kung, to the highest ever reported among Central African Aka pygmies. In contrast, male involvment with an average of 50 min per day is found among fathers in the United States, up from 20 min a few decades ago. Crossculturally there are also major differences in types of interactions. Whereas, American and European fathers compress a great deal of hyperstimulating play into brief periods they spend with infants.
Experienced Secondary Teachers' Perceptions of Engagement and Effectiveness: A Guide for Professional Development.

The purpose of this research is to describe a qualitative research study of experienced high school educators who have remained motivated and highly engaged in their teaching. Ten high school teachers who have been called "the best" by their administrators and fellow teachers were interviewed to ascertain common traits that can serve as a framework for providing professional development to assist teachers in the work force, as well as bring their voice to the National Reform Movement. The following themes emerged: teachers are ambivalent to administrative leadership as an important influence in their work; colleagues are their support network; and their commitment to the students transcends academic achievements. Key Words: Educational Reform, Secondary Education, Experienced Teachers, and Professional Development
Multi-camera vision for smart environments

On September 21, 2010, the author successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis entitled Multi-Camera Vision for Smart Environments at Stanford University.
Myosin phosphatase isoforms in the microvasculature during endotoxemia (678.2)

Sepsis is characterized by widespread inflammation and severe hypotension caused by the induction of iNOS as well as other vasodilators. We hypothesized that altered contractility of resistance art...
Advertising to Children, Ethics of

While false and grossly misleading advertising is condemned, some forms including “puffery” – partial truths and/or exaggerated suggestions and tone are accepted. This leads to cynicism toward the practice and worth of advertising, especially when children are affected. Children are particularly vulnerable especially given their poorly developed sense of critical judgment and underdeveloped sense of self. This has brought increased consumer pressure and government regulation. Keywords: puffery; false advertising; exaggeration; children's vulnerability
Mathematical modeling for diffractive optics

Mathematical models for diffractive optics have been developed, and implemented as numerical codes, both for the “direct” problem and for the “inverse” problem. In problems of the “direct” class, the diffractive optic is specified, and the full set of Maxwell’s equations is cast in a variational form and solved numerically by a finite element approach. This approach is well-posed in the sense that existence and uniqueness of the solution can be proved and specific convergence conditions can be derived. As an example, we consider a low order metallic grating, where other approaches are known to have convergence problems, and show the variational method yields exceptionally good convergence. In problems of the “inverse” class, some information about the diffracted field (e.g., the far-field intensity) is given, and the problem is to find the periodic structure in some optimal sense. A new approach is described that applies relaxed optimal design methods to give entirely new grating structures; wave propagation is based on the Helmholtz equation. An example of an angle-optimized antireflective structure and of an ideal array generator are presented.
Muslim American Terrorism Since 9/11: Why So Rare?

In the years after 9/11, Americans wondered how many more terrorist attacks would be unleashed against the United States. Government officials offered divergent information about the scope of the threat. Frances Fragos Townsend, assistant to President George W. Bush for homeland security and counterterrorism, told reporters that al-Qaida was so small in scale that it had been unable to recruit enough militants to conduct 9/11 attacks on both the East Coast and the West Coast of the United States at the same time, as was the original plan. By contrast, Robert S. Mueller III, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told Congress that government investigations had uncovered a much larger number of Islamist militants in the United States, and that “we strongly suspect that several hundred of these extremists are linked to al-Qaeda.” The Obama Administration has continued to offer divergent information about the scope of this threat. Janet Napolitano, secretary of homeland security, commented in her 2011 “State of America’s Homeland Security Address” that “our homeland is more secure that it was ten years ago, and, indeed, more secure than it was two years ago.” Two weeks later, Napolitano told Congress that “the terrorist threat facing our country has evolved significantly in the last ten years — and continues to evolve — so that, in some ways, the threat facing us is at its most heightened state since those attacks.”