cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Racial and ethnic health disparities: evidence of discrimination's effects across the SEP spectrum

Objectives. Perceived discrimination is a psychosocial stressor that plays a role in explaining racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported physical and mental health. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to investigate the association between perceived discrimination in receiving healthcare and racial/ethnic disparities in self-rated health status, physical, and emotional functional limitations among a diverse sample of California adults; (2) to assess whether discrimination effects vary by racial/ethnic group and gender; and (3) to evaluate how the effects of discrimination on health are manifest across the socioeconomic position (SEP) spectrum. Design. Data were drawn from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey adult file (n=55,428). The analytic approach employed multivariate linear and logistic regressions. Discrimination is qualitatively identified into two types: (1) discrimination due to race/ethnicity, language, or accent, and (2) other discrimination. Results. Findings show that both types of d...
Max-Stable Processes: Representations, Ergodic Properties and Statistical Applications

Max-stable processes arise as limits in distribution of component-wise maxima of independent processes, under suitable centering and normalization. Therefore, the class of max-stable processes plays a central role in the study and modeling of extreme value phenomena. This chapter starts with a review of clas- sical and some recent results on the representations of max-stable processes. Re- cent results on necessary and sufficient conditions for the ergodicity and mixing of stationary max-stable processes are then presented. These results readily yield the consistency of many statistics for max-stable processes. As an example, a new es- timator of the extremal index for a stationary max-stable process is introduced and shown to be consistent.
Dietary Fat and Coronary Heart Disease: A Comparison of Approaches for Adjusting for Total Energy Intake and Modeling Repeated Dietary Measurements

Previous cohort studies of fat intake and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) have been inconsistent, probably due in part to methodological differences and various limitations, including inadequate dietary assessment and incomplete adjustment for total energy intake. The authors analyzed repeated assessment of diet from the Nurses' Health Study to examine the associations between intakes of four major types of fat (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats) and risk of CHD during 14 years of follow-up (1980-1994) by using alternative methods for energy adjustment. In particular, the authors compared four risk models for energy adjustment: the standard multivariate model, the energy-partition model, the nutrient residual model, and the multivariate nutrient density model. Within each model, the authors compared four different approaches for analyzing repeated dietary measurements: baseline diet only, the most recent diet, and two different algorithms for calculating cumulative average diets. The substantive results were consistent across all models; that is, higher intakes of saturated and trans fats were associated with increased risk of CHD, while higher intakes of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats were associated with reduced risk. When nutrients were considered as continuous variables, the four energy-adjustment methods yielded similar associationS. However, the interpretation of the relative risks differed across models. In addition, within each model, the methods using the cumulative averages in general yielded stronger associations than did those using either only baseline diet or the most recent diet. When the nutrients were categorized according to quintiles, the residual and the nutrient density models, which gave similar results, yielded statistically more significant tests for linear trend than did the standard and the partition models.
Abstract 15366: Increased Endothelial Expression of NADPH Oxidase-p47phox in Human Hypertension

Introduction: Hypertensive patients have impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilation. Endothelial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase p47 subunit (p47phox) may contribute to hypertension (HTN) via generation of reactive oxygen species. NADPH oxidase derived superoxide has been shown to inactivate nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells (EC), causing endothelial dysfunction. EC expression of p47phox and eNOS in human HTN has not been previously assessed. Methods: We assessed endothelial function in 20 Stage 1 hypertensive subjects (mean age 50 years, 55% female) and 18 normotensive (NT) controls (mean age 47 years, 68% female) by brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) and extracted venous EC by J-wires via forearm catheters. Expression of p47phox, eNOS, and phosphorylated eNOS at serine 1177 residue (peNOS) was captured by immunofluorescence microscopy using human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) controls. Results: FMD was lower in hypertensive compared to NT subjects (6.3±0.6 versus 8.5±1.0 %, p Conclusions: We found impaired endothelial function and enhanced EC expression of NADPH oxidase p47 subunit, the major oxidant enzyme responsible for vascular superoxide formation, in human hypertension.
Another Place Beyond Here: The Death Penalty Moratorium Movement in the United States

In Another Place Beyond Here: The Death Penalty Moratorium Movement in the United States, Professor Kirchmeier examines the recent decline in support for the death penalty in the United States and the resulting emergence of a movement to impose a moratorium on executions. After discussing the history of the death penalty abolition movement in the United States, he identifies five major and seven minor events that have contributed to the growth of the Death Penalty Moratorium Movement. Then, he compares the current Moratorium Movement to other similar reform periods: the 1960s Death Penalty Abolitionist Movement; legislative abolition of the death penalty in several states during the mid-1800s and early 1900s; death penalty abolition in other countries; and the Anti-Lynching Movement of the early 1900s. Based on the history of these other movements, Professor Kirchmeier discovers various lessons for today's Moratorium Movement, including lessons about strategy and the roles of public opinion and leadership. Finally, using these lessons from history and looking at recent events, he considers the future of the Moratorium Movement. Professor Kirchmeier concludes that for the Movement to continue to be successful: (1) there must be no major national distracting forces; (2) the Movement must continue to broaden its arguments and not be overly dependent upon one issue, one person, or one strategy; (3) the Movement must continue seek support from unexpected voices; and (4) the Movement must stay focused on the goals of achieving popular support and creating new leaders. Finally, Professor Kirchmeier predicts that the Moratorium Movement is strong enough to continue to have lasting effects.
Fever and headache: meningitis and encephalitis.

INTRODUCTION Although there is a broad differential in a patient presenting with fever and headache, a few infectious diagnoses must be ruled in or out immediately. Acute bacterial meningitis is a critical diagnosis because delay of appropriate antimicrobial therapy increases morbidity and mortality. Distinguishing among bacterial, viral, and more chronic meningitides requires the integration of multiple clinical and laboratory findings. EPIDEMIOLOGY The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from 1988 to 1999, more than 800,000 people were hospitalized for meningitis. The majority of these hospitalizations were for viral (50%) and bacterial meningitis (23%). Fungal meningitis accounted for 9% of the hospitalizations and unspecified for 18%. The highest incidence of nonfungal meningitis was in infants younger than 1 year old, whereas fungal meningitis was more common in young adults. Because these numbers describe only hospitalized patients, they underrepresent the actual incidence, especially of viral meningitis. CLINICAL FEATURES Meningitis is classically characterized as a triad of fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status, though it may be more appropriate to consider the triad of fever, headache, and meningismus (Table 39.1). Fewer than half of the patients with bacterial meningitis will present with the complete “classic” triad, though most present with headache. In retrospective studies, fever is the most common symptom, though many of these did not evaluate headache as a clinical feature of meningitis.
Phased Array Beamforming and Imaging in Composite Laminates Using Guided Waves

This paper presents the phased array beamforming and imaging using guided waves in anisotropic composite laminates. A generic phased array beamforming formula is presented, based on the classic delay-and-sum principle. The generic formula considers direction-dependent guided wave properties induced by the anisotropic material properties of composites. Moreover, the array beamforming and imaging are performed in frequency domain where the guided wave dispersion effect has been considered. The presented phased array method is implemented with a non-contact scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) to detect multiple defects at different locations in an anisotropic composite plate. The array is constructed of scan points in a small area rapidly scanned by the SLDV. Using the phased array method, multiple defects at different locations are successfully detected. Our study shows that the guided wave phased array method is a potential effective method for rapid inspection of large composite structures.
Reactive Inhibition and Postrest Performance in Continuous Inverted-Reversed Printing

Subjects were given continuous practice printing upside down and backward the letters of the alphabet for 4 min, followed by a variable rest interval (0, .5, 1, 2, 4, or 8 min), and then a final 2 min of practice. The amount of reminiscence was found to be a monotonically increasing function of the length of rest, and the initial negative slope of the postrest performance curve was nonmonotonically related to the length of rest. The results were interpreted in terms of a reactive inhibition model.
Micro- and Nano-assembly and Manipulation Techniques for MEMS

This paper presents a review of the most commonly used techniques for the assembly of micro-systems. Following a brief overview of the dominant forces working at this scale, the operation and design of mechanical, electrostatic, and magnetic micro-grippers is presented. The use of electrostatic forces is further described in the context of nano-assembly, where sub-micron-sized charged spots are used as the anchoring sites for nano-particles.
Dynamic Analysis of AIDS Knowledge and Risk Behaviors among Female Sex Workers

[Objective]To understand the AIDS knowledge and condom use among female sex workers (FSWs) in entertainment places of Shunyi District of Beijing City during 2006—2008,and provide scientific evidence for carrying out AIDS control in this population.[Methods]Face to face questionnaires were applied to collect information about HIV knowledge and condom use among the interviewed FSWs.[Results]Totally 280 FSWs were investigated from 2006 to 2008,there was no significant difference about demographic features between different years,the differences on 2 items of "preventive measures for transmission of HIV by sex" were significant between different years(χ2=7.527,P0.05;χ2=15.283,P0.05),but there were no significant differences of condom use with the clients in the last 1 month and in the last sex trade.[Conclusion]Although the awareness rate of HIV knowledge about sexual transmission increases annually among FSWs,due to their younger age,lower education and frequent mobility,the condom use rate per sex trade is low.Therefore,it is necessary to carry out more practical and effective HIV education and condom use promotion.
TH-CD-202-10: Tumor Metabolic Control Probability & Dose Response Mapping for Adaptive Dose Painting by Number

Purpose: Adaptive dose-painting-by-number (DPbN) requires a dose-response-mapping (DRM) obtained early in the treatment course. To obtain DRM, voxel-by-voxel tumor dose response needs to be quantified. Our recent study has demonstrated that voxel-by-voxel radio-sensitivity of patient tumor can be determined using tumor-metabolic-ratio measured early during the treatment using FDG-PET images. In this study, the measurements were utilized to construct tumor metabolic control probability (TMCP) and DRM for DPbN. Methods: FDG-PET/CT images of 18 HN cancer patients obtained pre- and weekly during the treatment were used. Spatial parametric images of tumor-metabolic-ratio (dSUV) were constructed following voxel-by-voxel deformable image registration. Each voxel value in dSUV was a function of baseline SUV and delivered dose. Utilizing all values of dSUV in the controlled tumor group at the last treatment week, a cut-off function between the baseline SUV and dSUV was formed, and applied in early treatment days on dSUV of all tumors to model the TMCP. At the treatment week k, TMCP was constructed with respect to the tumor voxel dSUV appeared at the week using the maximum likelihood estimation for all dose levels, and used for DRM construction. Results: TMCPs estimated in the week 2 & 3 have D50=11.1∼47.6Gy; γ50=0.55∼0.92 respectively with respect to dSUV=0.3∼1.2. The corresponding DRM between tumor voxel dSUV and the expected treatment dose has sigmoid shape. The expected treatment dose are 26∼40Gy (for 95% TMCP) for high sensitive tumor voxels with dSUV=0.3∼0.5; and 65∼110Gy for low sensitive tumor voxels with the dSUV>1.0 depending on the time of the estimation. Conclusion: TMCP can be constructed voxel-by-voxel in human tumor using multiple FDG-PET imaging obtained in early treatment days. TMCP provides a potential quantitative objective of tumor DRM for DPbN to plan the best dose, escalate or de-escalate, in tumor adaptively based on its own radio-sensitivity.
Chlorophyll- and Heme-Binding Proteins in Porphyridium Cruentum Thylakoids

Ch1-protein complexes (CP) can be isolated from thylakoids as detergent soluble complexes. In our studies on the relationships of PS I and PS II with the phycobilisomes, we have been isolating and characterizing the Ch1-protein complexes of P. cruentum. Previously (Redlinger, Gantt 1981a) we reported that this red alga contained three Ch1 a-protein complexes, but lacked CP II, the light harvesting Ch1 a/b protein complex. In the present study, we further characterize the Ch1-protein complexes and report that the major complex isolated is equivalent to CP I, and that two lesser complexes (CP III and IV) appear to be part of PS II. In addition we found four heme-binding proteins, which correspond to cytochromes typical of thylakoids.
Temperature regulation in experimental mammals and humans exposed to organophosphate and carbamate agents

Publisher Summary The chapter reviews the effects of anti-ChE agents on the thermoregulatory system of mammals and humans, including studies on the central nervous system. The regulation of body temperature is an ideal benchmark to study the toxicity of the anti-ChE insecticides in experimental mammals and humans. The inhibition in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and subsequent stimulation of cholinergic pathways in the central and peripheral nervous systems is a key mechanism responsible for driving changes in body temperature and activation of thermoregulatory effectors. Body size and ambient temperature are perhaps the most critical factors governing the thermoregulatory effects of these toxicants. Small mammals undergo a marked increase in heat loss and become hypothermic when exposed to anti-ChEs. Small mammals exposed to these agents lower their body temperature by selective activation of heat loss thermoeffectors. This hypothermic response is often protective and increases the likelihood of surviving the toxic insult. Large mammals such as humans are unable to take advantage of this hypothermic response, and it is not clear whether a fever from these toxicants will affect the health effects of these agents. It appears that exercise and/or heat stress will exacerbate the toxic effects of anti-ChE insecticides and nerve gas agents. The redistribution of blood to the skin combined with sweating will increase the cutaneous absorption of OP agents that are applied to the skin. The increase in pulmonary ventilation during exercise combined with higher tissue temperature is bound to increase the intake and toxicity of airborne anti-ChE agents.
Patterns of the Fair: Demorest's monthly magazine, the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 and analysis of fashion advertising art

Fashion magazines contain hidden delights ripe for investigating. One can explore overt content and covert messages in fashion magazine advertising art by probing the periodical and its promotional images for historical or social clues and for the advertiser's manipulative methods. Art librarians can apply and encourage the use of analytical techniques in connection with fashion advertising art from any era or region of the world. The focus here is on a single firm, the Demorest Fashion and Sewing-Machine Company, best known for its paper sewing patterns, and how in a single volume of its monthly magazine it promoted the purchase of fashion goods in connection with a world's fair: the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Comparing a 19th-century fashion engraving with a related photograph; and viewing a magazine advertisement as a set of repeating patterns according to a 21st-century process, fractal-concept analysis, together yield a trove of information and prompt further ideas for alternate and peripheral lines of inquiry.
Rising cost of antidotes in the U.S.: cost comparison from 2010 to 2015

AbstractContext: Our poison control center observed a large increase in the cost of many antidotes over the past several years. The high cost of antidotes has previously been cited as a factor leading to inadequate antidote supply at some hospitals. Continued increases in the cost of antidotes may lead to further reductions in antidote supply and represent serious concerns. This research aims to quantify recent trends in the costs of antidotes in the U.S.Methods: Antidotes and minimum stocking recommendations were retrieved from published guidelines. RED BOOK Online® was used to identify the U.S. average wholesale price (AWP) of each antidote in 2010 and 2015. The AWP in 2010 was adjusted using the U.S. Consumer Price Index to adjust for inflation. The cost of minimum stocking levels for each antidote was calculated and compared between the year 2010 and 2015.Results: The cost of stocking many antidotes demonstrated a large increase in AWP from 2010 to 2015. Of the antidotes evaluated, 15 out of 33 had gr...
Resource Allocation with Positive Externalities

We study a budget allocation problem between two players where budget allocations entail positive externalities. We characterize an optimal mechanism when the designer is unable to commit ex ante to the allocation rule. Without commitment, every incentive compatible mechanism the designer can implement is a hierarchical mechanism --- the allocation rule partitions the type space into intervals and allocates the budget to the player in the highest interval, dividing it evenly if both are in the same interval. The optimal mechanism uses a partition with infinitely many intervals. With full commitment power, this hierarchical mechanism remains optimal for a family of distributions that includes the uniform.
Identifying Difference: Forensic Methods and the Uneven Playing Field of Repatriation

Methods of forensic identification are complex, diverse, and fluid. While theoretically there is a broad-ranging toolkit of identification methods, the realities of this work include limited resources and limited opportunities for applying the full range of techniques to any one case. Using these realities as a departure point, this chapter traces the strategy and pragmatism involved with case load and assignment and considers in this methodological context why some bodies may have a greater chance of being identified than others. Further, this chapter discusses the complexities associated with the identification of deceased undocumented border crossers (UBCs) from south Texas and presents case studies to highlight novel applications of stable isotope analysis as an investigative tool for identifying the dead.
Darth Vader: Masks, Power, and Meaning

The psychiatric treatment of a schizophrenic male with the delusion that he was Darth Vader stimulated an investigation into this character from the Star Wars movies. The name itself is infused with inherent contradictions and multiple meanings. “Vader” is related to Indo-Aryan terms for father—“pater” in Latin, “Vater” in German, “vader” in Middle English. “Darth” is a perfect word for ambiguity, meaning both “glory” and “scarcity” in Middle English, with suggestions of “dark,” “death,” and “dare.” The black mask emphasizes rigidity and mystery. Since there are no facial movements visible, the characters and viewers cannot accurately judge the feelings or intentions, enhancing the sense of threat. The mask also indicates a secret to be hidden, and an urge to unmask others. The enormous power of Darth Vader adds to his fascination. The revelation that he is Luke’s father caused shock and astonishment in many viewers; the exact words used became an intrusive mental preoccupation for this schizophrenic patient. The temptation and threats from Darth Vader coincide with themes and fantasies of childhood and adolescence. His final actions of sacrifice and redemption allow these themes to come to a successful and inspiring conclusion.
Smiling from adolescence to old age: A large observational study

A relatively large body of work exists examining sex differences in expressiveness; however, there remains little research on differences associated with aging. Observational studies of facial expressiveness across ages are limited in part due to the poor scalability of traditional research methods. We collected 17,340 videos of naturalistic facial responses using the Internet and performed a large observational study of smiling within a population of ages 18 to 70 years. Using automated facial coding we quantified the presence of smiles as people watched mundane online content. We find that there was a small effect of age on whether a subject smiled or not, but a large effect on the duration of these smiles. Older people were more likely to smile and smiled for a greater duration of the video. Women smiled more than men and gender differences increased significantly with age. We question whether results may be influenced by the effect of age on the accuracy of the automated smile detection. However, a systematic validation on a large set of human coded videos of people in different age groups shows that the observed effects were not due to differences in classifier performance.
Scaling Turbulent Fluctuations in Wall Layers

The correlation of Reynolds number effects on profiles of turbulent fluctuations in wall layers is considered. It is proposed that, for some quantities, asymptotic expansions with two terms are needed to represent profiles. The two terms inherently have different scalings. Fluctuation profiles of all three vorticities and all three velocities are discussed.
Synthesis and antiviral activity of 5-oxyindole derivatives

We had assumed that the 3-acetyl-5-acetoxyindoles (I, II) would be brominated by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in CCI~ at position 6 of the benzene ring in the same way that derivatives of 3-ethoxycarbonyl-5-acetoxy(methoxy)indole are brominated [4]. However, judging by the PMR spectra, substitution took place in the CH~ group at C(=) which confirms the presence of CH2Br group proton signals (5 4.99 ppm) at C(2 ) . The PMR spectrum also has proton signals at positions 4, 6, and 7 with their characteristic multiplet property.
Making the most of on-line recruiting.

Ninety percent of large U.S. companies are already recruiting via the Internet. By simply logging on to the Web, company recruiters can locate vast numbers of qualified candidates for jobs at every level, screen them in minutes, and contact the most promising ones immediately. The payoffs can be enormous: it costs substantially less to hire someone on-line, and the time saved is equally great. In this article, Peter Cappelli examines some of the emerging service providers and technologies--matchmakers, job boards, hiring management systems software, and applicant-screening mechanisms that test skills and record interests. He also looks at some of the strategies companies are adopting as they enter on-line labor markets. Recruiting needs to be refashioned to resemble marketing, he stresses. Accordingly, smart companies are designing Web pages, and even product ads, with potential recruits in mind. They're giving line managers authority to hire so that candidates in cyberspace aren't lost. They're building internal on-line job networks to retain talent. Integrating recruiting efforts with overall marketing campaigns, especially through coordination and identification with the company's brand, is the most important thing companies can do to ensure success in on-line hiring. Along the way, Cappelli sounds two cautionary notes. First, a human touch, not electronic contact, is vital in the last steps of a successful hiring process. Second, companies must make sure that on-line testing and hiring criteria do not discriminate against women, disabled people, workers over 40, or members of minority groups. When competition for talent is fierce, companies that master the art and science of on-line recruiting will be the ones that attract and keep the best people.
Ultrasonic Monitoring of Textures in Cold-Rolled Copper Sheets

The formation of deformation texture is an important material characteristic which influences the behavior of a material. A textured material usually exhibits certain levels of anisotropy which may or may not be desirable from a practical point of view. During a forming process, strip is progressively bent into complex shapes by passing it through a series of driven rolls or dies. Normally, punches and dies are designed so that successive stages in the forming of the part are carried out in the same die on each stroke of the press in a progressive forming method. However, total automation and the improvement of productivity and quality of the products is frustrated by the variability of the physical and mechanical properties of material feed stock. The directionalities of properties produced by rolling and other primary working processes can have important consequences on the fabricability of the material. For example, sometimes bending is more difficult when the bend line is parallel to the rolling direction than when the bend is made perpendicular to the rolling direction.
Subcellular particles in echinoderm tube feet. I. Class asteroidea.

Echinoderm tube feet from four species of Asteroids, Asterias forbesi, Acanthaster planci, Pisaster giganteus capitus , and Patiria miniata , have been studied with the light and electron microscope. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positive “secretory packets” were observed in all the tube feet examined, and further localization of the acid mucopolysaccharide areas was achieved by staining with Thorotrast material embedded in glycol methacrylate. Pisaster giganteus and Patiria miniata thus revealed an intensely positive rim around the secretory packet. Generic differences were found and described for each of the various tube feet investigated. The proximity of the Golgi apparatus to the developing secretory packets supports the view that this organelle is involved in the elaboration of the packets. Small extracellular particles were observed from the area of the secretory packet synthesizing cells to the free walking surface in three species. The secretory packets seem to provide generic identification on an ultrastructural level and serve as a component for increasing the adhesive ability of the tube feet.
Transcendental meditation for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a mental technique using a mantra to facilitate meditation. TM has a potential for treating symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but its clinical efficacy remains to be clarified. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability, preliminary effectiveness, and neurophysiology of TM for veterans with PTSD. Method Twenty-nine veterans (20.7% female) were recruited from a major medical center and enrolled in the study. TM instruction was provided by certified TM teachers from the Maharishi Foundation and consisted of 8 weeks of individual and group-based meditation instruction and practice. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, during treatment, posttreatment, and at 2-month follow-up, and included clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires, and electroencephalography (EEG) recorded during resting and meditation states. Results From baseline to posttreatment, participants reported reductions in PTSD symptoms, experiential avoidance, and depressive and somatic symptoms, as well as increases on measures of mindfulness and quality of life. Gains were either maintained or continued to improve through the 2-month follow-up. Compared to baseline, EEG spectral power increased in low-frequency bands (1-7 Hz) at posttreatment and follow-up and only during meditation states suggesting TM-specific changes in brain state associated with the intervention. Conclusions TM appears to be an acceptable and effective treatment for veterans with PTSD that warrants further study regarding specific outcomes and beneficial changes in brain function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Game-Theoretic Cooperative Lane Changing Using Data-Driven Models

Self-driving vehicles are being increasingly deployed in the wild. One of the most important next hurdles for autonomous driving is how such vehicles will optimally interact with one another and with their surroundings. In this paper, we consider the lane changing problem that is fundamental to road-bound multi-vehicle systems, and approach it through a combination of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and game theory. We introduce a proactive-passive lane changing framework and formulate the lane changing problem as a Markov game between the proactive and passive vehicles. Based on different approaches to carry out DRL to solve the Markov game, we propose an asynchronous lane changing scheme as in a single-agent RL setting and a synchronous cooperative lane changing scheme that takes into consideration the adaptive behavior of the other vehicle in a vehicle's decision. Experimental results show that the synchronous scheme can effectively create and find proper merging moment after sufficient training. The framework and solution developed here demonstrate the potential of using reinforcement learning to solve multi-agent autonomous vehicle tasks such as the lane changing as they are formulated as Markov games.
Target-Related Reliability in Surface Water System Operation

We present fundamentals of planning seasonal water supply volume (target) under conditions of risk. A simple static decision model is formulated. The target is set based on the criterion of maximization of the expected utility of outcomes. Modeling and estimation of the utility function are discussed. Relationships between the optimal target rules and reliability of the actual supply are studied. The decision-theoretic approach based on a utility function is contrasted with a direct approach based on tradeoff judgments in the reliability-target space. The developments are illustrated by an analytic solution of the model with a two-piece linear utility function and a normal distribution of the seasonal runoff volume.
Adult Neurogenesis in the Development of Epilepsy.

Compelling evidence indicates that hippocampal dentate granule cells are generated throughout human life and into old age. While animal studies demonstrate that these new neurons are important for ...
Dementia Care in Radiology

OBJECTIVE. Much of the radiology literature on dementia naturally focuses on the use of imaging for diagnosis. However, dementia presents other important challenges for radiology. One of the most important stems from the projected large increase in the number of patients with dementia who will be presenting for care in radiology departments. CONCLUSION. It is important, and increasingly so, that patient-facing radiology personnel understand dementia and the special needs of patients with dementia and their caregivers.
Generational differences in trust in digital assistants

Human trust in automation has been studied extensively within safety critical domains (military, aviation, process control, etc.) because harmful consequences are associated with the improper calib...
Pathology of Affect: Nuerobiological Aspects

In Chapter 9 the dopamine theory of schizophrenia was reviewed, along with experimental data showing that genetically and environmentally determined variations in enzyme biosynthesis can influence amine levels and, hence, behavior. We shall now turn our attention to the possible neurochemical bases for disorders of affect and mood, with specific attention being given to the “catecholamine hypothesis” of depression. In addition, we shall consider the CNS mechanisms involved in regulating certain other behaviors which are also disrupted in association with clinical levels of depression.
CAUTI Eradication Through System Culture Change

Background Across the healthcare system, catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates were escalating and the organization was not meeting goals. Facility assessments revealed; indwelling catheter placement without medical necessity, lack of alternative device use, broken sterile technique during insertion, improper maintenance, and unnecessary catheter longevity. Improvements in standardization of products, insertion techniques, and the development of nurse driven standing orders for removal were needed to eradicate system wide CAUTI. Methods A steering committee was formed and lead by a Chief Nursing Officer and Clinical Practice Specialists. A multidisciplinary team was developed consisting of fourteen facility leads, Clinical Nurse Educators, bedside nurses, Infection Prevention, Quality Improvement, data analysists, and sourcing representatives. Following in-depth review of CAUTI cases and analysis of the data, several evidence based practice CAUTI reduction strategies were implemented including, product standardization, focused education/validation, indwelling urinary catheter care teams (UCCT), buddy system, standardization of process including utilization of necessity forms, placement checklists, audit tools, and data collection. Results The nurse driven system CAUTI eradication plan has been successful. The incidence of CAUTI has decreased 27.8% from 2015-2019 with the initiation of an evidence based plan. Routine placement of indwelling urinary catheters has declined. Alternative device use has increased. Sterile technique during insertion has improved with the use of validated catheter teams and the implementation of the buddy system. Product Life Cycle Assessments conducted in 2017 and 2019 have demonstrated improvements related to indwelling catheter use and care. While the goal of eradication has not yet been achieved, the system has decreased CAUTIs drastically and continues to assess for areas for improvement. Conclusions Eradication of CAUTI aligns with the mission, vision and values of the organization. A system wide culture change based on evidence based practice, led by nursing leadership and all levels of nursing, has decreased CAUTIs in a large healthcare system.
Impact of the 2018 Donor Heart Allocation System on Post Transplant Morbidity and Mortality

Introduction The 2018 revised United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) heart transplant (HTx) donor allocation system, initiated on October 18, 2018, aimed to minimize waitlist mortality by prioritizing the transplant of more unstable candidates. However, this prioritization could potentially trade lower waitlist mortality for higher post-transplant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the revised HTx allocation system on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HTx recipients from a high-volume transplant center. Methods We identified 169 adult patients undergoing first-time single-organ HTx between October 2017 and October 2019. The cohort was divided into Era 1 (79 patients; 10/18/17-10/17/18) and Era 2 (90 patients; 10/18/18-10/17/19). Demographic and clinical characteristics, waitlist characteristics, and post-transplant morbidity and mortality were compared between eras. Results Patients in Era 2 were younger (55 v. 61 years, p=0.004), were twice as likely to be transplanted on temporary mechanical circulatory support (44% v. 20%, p Conclusion In a high-volume center, the revised HTx allocation system has shortened HTx waitlist time with transplantation of more unstable patients on temporary mechanical support with no impact on post-transplant outcomes. This suggests that, with careful patient selection, the revised allocation system may optimize both waitlist and post-transplant outcomes.
Accelerated clearing and molecular labeling of biological tissues using magnetohydrodynamic force

Techniques used to clear biological tissue for fluorescence microscopy are essential to connect anatomical principles at levels ranging from subcellular to the whole animal. Here we report a simple and straightforward approach to efficiently render opaque tissue samples transparent and show that this approach can be modified to rapidly label intact tissue samples with antibodies for large volume fluorescence microscopy. This strategy applies a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) force to accelerate the removal of lipids from tissue samples at least as large as an intact adult mouse brain. We also show that MHD force can be used to accelerate antibody penetration into tissue samples. This strategy complements a growing array of tools that enable high-resolution 3-dimensional anatomical analyses in intact tissues using fluorescence microscopy. MHD-accelerated clearing is simple, fast, reliable, inexpensive, provides good thermal regulation, and is compatible with existing strategies for high-quality fluorescence microscopy of intact tissues.
Ion temperature and rotation fluctuation measurements with ultra-fast charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) in the DIII-D tokamak.

An upgraded detector and several optimizations have significantly improved the Ultra-Fast Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) diagnostic sensitivity to ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations at turbulence relevant spatio-temporal scales. Normalized broadband ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations down to xx∼1% (x = Ti, v∥) and up to ∼450 kHz have been measured in a variety of plasmas. The multi-field nature of the CHERS technique also allows measurements of the cross-phase angles of the fluctuating fields. UF-CHERS is optimized to observe emissions from the electron exchange reaction between intrinsic C6+ and hydrogenic neutral beam injected particles near 529 nm. UF-CHERS consists of two chords separated by ∼1 cm radially, less than the turbulence correlation length in DIII-D plasmas, which enables correlated measurements to suppress incoherent electronic and photon noise. The optical components of the spectrometer include a volume-phase-holographic grating with >90% transmission between 528 and 530 nm and f/2 200-mm lenses, selected to maximize the optical efficiency and photon flux. Diffracted light from each chord is collected in eight spectral bins, each with a bandwidth of ∼0.25 nm, and detected and amplified by chilled avalanche photodiodes and custom high-gain, wide bandwidth low-noise preamplifiers to achieve the optimal signal-to-noise ratio. The resulting signals are digitized at 1 MHz, 103–104× faster than the conventional CHERS diagnostics. Spatial coverage is achieved by repositioning a motorized fiber tray between plasmas. UF-CHERS measurements will advance the understanding of turbulent ion transport and contribute to the validation of transport models and simulations.
Application of C-Ring Specimen for Controlling the Distortion of Parts During Quenching

The process of quenching of a Navy C-ring specimen from steel AISI 4140 is simulated with the help of the DANTE software for determining the effect of stirring of the quenching medium and of the quenching temperature on the distortion of the specimen. The heat transfer coefficients (KT) of the quenching medium at different intensities of its stirring are determined experimentally with the use of a CHTE probe for controlling the heat treatment parameters of metallic materials. The experimental data agree well with the simulation results.
Anomalous Inferred Viscosity and Normal Density Near the $$^3$$ 3 He $$T_{\mathrm{c}}$$ T c in a Torsion Pendulum

Precise measurements of the dissipation and resonant frequency of a torsion pendulum reveal an anomaly in the inferred viscosity and normal density of liquid $$^3$$ He near the superfluid transition. We present an argument that the anomaly originates in the large viscosity and large viscosity change of the normal component in the torsion tube in the vicinity of the superfluid transition.
Monitoring induction of ovulation with human menopausal gonadotropin by a rapid estrogen radioimmunoassay.

Abstract A group of 14 infertile anovulatory women were treated with human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) when induction of ovulation was not achieved with high doses of clomiphene citrate. The amount of HMG given during each of 43 treatment cycles was determined by measuring estrogen levels by either (a) fluorimetric determination of total urinary estrogens, (b) serum estradiol by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and (c) a rapid 4 hour RIA of immunoreactive serum estrogen. An excellent correlation among each of these methods of assessing estrogen production was found. Employing these methods to determine follicular maturation and adjusting HMG dosage accordingly, ovulation was induced in 38 of the 43 treatment cycles. Pregnancy occurred in 7 of the 14 patients (11 of the 38 ovulatory cycles). Ovarian hyperstimulation occurred in 5 treatment cycles. The results of this study indicate that the RIA of serum immunoreactive estrogen is as accurate to determine follicular growth as the other two methods. Since it is more readily performed the rapid serum immunoreactive estrogen assay appears to be the preferable method of monitoring HMG therapy.
Hydrologic interpretations based on infrared imagery of Long Island, New York

Six remote-sensing flights over Long Island's north and south shores were made during the period July 13, 1967, to February 25, 1970. Infrared imagery in the 8- to 14-micrometer range was obtained; results varied from poor to excellent in quality. The ability of the RS 7 and Reconofax 4 imagers to discern thermal contrasts of as little as 1 to 2 C (Celsius) permitted identification of areas of heavy ground-water discharge. These areas were concentrated primarily along the eroded headlands of the north shore and in the lower reaches of watercourses draining into Great South Bay. Only a few highly localized examples of direct ground-water discharge into the embayments along Long Island's south shore were detected in the imagery. Thermal loading emanating from a powerplant near Oceanside is shown to be quickly dissipated in Middle Bay. Optimal time for the collection of infrared imagery for hydrologic studies on Long Island is in summer and in winter, when surface-water thermal differences are relatively large.
Evaluation of Control Point Selection in Automatic, Mutual Information Driven, 3D Warping

We have implemented automatic 3D thin-plate spline warping as a geometric interpolant to map one dataset volume onto another. Homologous control points in one space are iteratively moved by an optimizer to maximize the global mutual information between the two data volumes. Given two different poses between highly deformed objects we desire to compute the relative geometric deformation using a minimal set of control points as determined by number and placement. The general solution to this problem is not known. In this paper we assess retrospective control point selection for the case of significant patient motion during MRI breast imaging.
Structure of the Jovian Magnetodisk Current Sheet: Initial Galileo Observations

The ten-degree tilt of the Jovian magnetic dipole causes the magnetic equator to move back and forth across Jupiter's rotational equator and tile Galileo orbit that lies therein. Beyond about 24 Jovian radii, the equatorial current sheet thins and tile magnetic structure changes from quasi-dipolar into magnetodisk-like with two regions of nearly radial but antiparallel magnetic field separated by a strong current layer. The magnetic field at the center of the current sheet is very weak in this region. Herein we examine tile current sheet at radial distances from 24 55 Jovian radii. We find that the magnetic structure very much resembles tile structure seen at planetary magnetopause and tail current sheet crossings. Tile magnetic field variation is mainly linear with little rotation of the field direction, At times there is almost no small-scale structure present and the normal component of the magnetic field is almost constant through the current sheet. At other times there are strong small-scale structures present in both the southward and northward directions. This small-scale structure appears to grow with radial distance and may provide the seeds for tile explosive reconnection observed at even greater radial distances oil tile nightside. Beyond about 40 Jovian radii, the thin current sheet also appears to be almost constantly in oscillatory motion with periods of about 10 min. The amplitude of these oscillations also appears to grow with radial distance. The source of these fluctuations may be dynamical events in tile more distant magnetodisk.
Data-Efficient Quickest Change Detection in Sensor Networks

A sensor network is considered where at each sensor a sequence of random variables is observed. At each time step, a processed version of the observations is transmitted from the sensors to a common node called the fusion center. At some unknown point in time the distribution of observations at an unknown subset of the sensor nodes changes. The objective is to detect the change in distribution as quickly as possible, subject to constraints on the false alarm rate, the cost of observations taken at each sensor, and the cost of communication between the sensors and the fusion center. Minimax formulations are proposed for the above problem and distributed algorithms are proposed in which on-off observation control and censoring is used at each sensor to meet the constraints on data. It is shown that the proposed algorithms are asymptotically optimal for the proposed formulations, as the false alarm rate goes to zero. The asymptotic optimality of the proposed algorithms implies that an arbitrary but fixed fraction of data can be skipped without any loss in asymptotic performance as compared to the scheme where all the observations are used for decision making. It is also shown, via numerical studies, that the proposed algorithms perform significantly better than those based on fractional sampling, in which the classical algorithms from the literature are used and the constraint on the cost of observations is met by skipping a fixed fraction of observations either deterministically or randomly, independent of the observation process.