cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving robot plans during their execution

We describe how our planner, XFRM, carries out the process of anticipating and forestalling execution failures. XFRM is a planning system that is embedded in a simulated robot performing a varying set of complex tasks in a changing and partially unknown environment. XFRM revises plans controlling the robot while they are executed. Thus whenever the robot detects a contingency, XFRM projects the effects of the contingency on its plan and—if necessary—revises its plan in order to make it more robust. Using XFRM, the robot can perform its tasks almost as efficiently as it could using efficient default plans, but much more robustly. Revising default plans requires XFRM to reason about full-fledged robot plans and diagnose various kinds of plan failures that might be caused by imperfect sensing and effecting, incomplete and faulty world models, and exogenous events. To this end, XFRM reasons about the structure, function, and behavior of plans, and diagnoses projected plan failures by classifying them in a taxonomy of predefined failure models. Declarative commands for goals, perceptions, and beliefs make the structure of robot plans and the functions of subplans explicit and thereby provide XFRM with a (partial) model of its plan that is used to perform hierarchical model-based diagnosis.
Dual effects of an amino acid analog on nitrate assimilation by corn roots

The amino acid analog p‐fluorophenyl al anine (FPA) was used to test the hypothesis that nitrate uptake is mediated by a transport protein in the plasmalemmae of root cells. Experiments were conducted with dark‐grown corn seedlings that had been detopped to allow collection of xylem exudate. Energy was supplied to the roots via intact endosperms. To maximize induction of the nitrate transport system, the roots were exposed to 1.0 mM nitrate for 10 hours. They were then pretreated in 1.0 mM nitrate ± 0.1 mM FPA for 0, 4, 8 or 12 hours, following which nitrate assimilation was measured during a 4‐hour exposure to 1.0 mM 15N‐nitrate in the presence and absence (control) of 0.1 mM FPA. In a companion experiment, shorter pretreatments (0, 1, 2 and 3 hours) were applied, and nitrate assimilation was measured during a subsequent 1‐hour exposure to 15N‐nitrate ±FPA. During the initial 1‐hour exposure period, 15N‐nitrate uptake and 15N‐protein synthesis (i.e. incorporation of 15N into the insoluble N frac...
Estimation of Robustness of Interdependent Networks against Failure of Nodes

Abstract-We consider a partially interdependent network and develop mathematical equations relating the fractional size of the connected component of the network, surviving the cascading failure, to the intra-layer degree distribution of the nodes. We show that these system equations can be mathematically analyzed and closed form expressions for the metrics of robustness can be obtained for the Erdos-Renyi (ER) model of random graph generation. We have described the application of our analysis technique to networks with general degree distributions. In our analysis, we consider the two extremes of the attack model: randomized attack, where nodes are attacked at random without any knowledge of intra-layer degrees and perfect targeted attack, where nodes are attacked based on the strict descending order of their intra-layer degrees. Our results can enable researchers to gain a better understanding of the robustness of interdependent networks.
Using FRET to quantify changes in integrin structures in human leukocytes induced by chemoattractants with multi-frequency flow cytometry

Flow cytometry for single cell counting uses optical measurements to report multiple cell features such as cell morphology, cell phenotype, and microenvironmental changes. Time-resolved flow cytometry is a unique method that involves the detection of the average fluorescence lifetime as a cytometric parameter. Measuring the average fluorescence lifetime is helpful when discriminating between more than one emission signal from a single cell because of spectrally overlapping emission. In this contribution, we present preliminary measurements toward a study that advances simple time-resolved flow cytometry and introduces a technique to measure fluorescence lifetime values from single cells labeled with a Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) pair. Specifically, donor fluorophore fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) fluorescence lifetime is measured to identify its proximity to the acceptor fluorophore. We hypothesize that our time-resolved flow cytometry approach can resolve changes in FRET in order to study integrin structures on the surface of leukocyte cells. Our results show that FITC has an average lifetime of 4.2 +/-0.1 nsec, and an average fluorescence lifetime of 2.4 nsec +/-0.2 nsec when engaged in FRET. After the release of FRET (e.g. dequenched) the average fluorescence lifetime of FITC was measured to be 3.1 +/- 0.5 nsec. Phasor graphs reveal large distributions of fluorescence lifetimes on a per cell basis, suggesting the existence of multiple fluorescence lifetimes. These data suggest more than one integrin conformation occurs throughout the cell population. The impact of this work is the addition of quantitative information for FRET efficiency values and determination of FRET calculations using high-throughput data.
Negotiating Realities to Know Oneself

In this chapter, we turn to issues pertaining to the fundamental questions of how we come to understand and, perhaps even more important, sustain knowledge about ourselves. To preview the thrust of this chapter, our contention is that the construction and maintenance of knowledge about oneself involves intrapsychic cognitive transactions that are inherently social and interactive, as well as biased and yet functional. By necessity, the development of this thesis begins with a topic that we have touched on repeatedly in this book: the definition of self.
Rat model of Prenatal Zika virus infection

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, has been associated with microcephaly and other neurological disorders in infants born to infected mothers. Despite being declared an international emergency by the World Health Organization, comparatively very little is known about the pathogenesis, mechanisms, or behavioral consequences of maternal ZIKV infection in the offspring. Our lab is interested in developing a working animal model to answer some of these questions. Here, we use a rat model of prenatal ZIKV infection to measure the level of infectivity, as well as the rate of viral clearance in both the mother and her pups. We use quantitative PCR to measure the effect of ZIKV on inflammatory gene expression, and examine various aspects of brain development in pups, including cortical thickness, microglia morphology, and apoptosis. Given that pregnancy is also associated with significant immunomodulation, we are also interested in the role that pregnancy has on the impact of ZIKV infection, therefore we compare viral infectivity between both pregnant and non-pregnant female rats. This model will allow us to 1) better understand the mechanisms underlying ZIKV infection and transmission to the fetus, 2) determine the impact of ZIKV infection on the developing fetal brain, and 3) in the future, measure potential behavioral deficits associated with fetal ZIKV infection later in life.
MAYO CLINIC: GUIDE TO LIVING WITH A SPINAL CORD INJURY [MOVING AHEAD WITH YOUR LIFE].

Mayo Clinic: Guide to Living With a Spinal Cord Injury conveys knowledge in an organized, easy to read guidebook so individuals, families and significant others can be prepared for “moving ahead with your life.” From an unforeseen injury to a personal accomplishment in living the life you have, the Mayo Clinic offers an excellent resource for travelling this journey to one's full potential.
Highlighting Diabetes Mellitus: The Epidemic Continues.

The defining feature of diabetes mellitus is the presence of hyperglycemia.1 The most common forms of diabetes mellitus are type 1 diabetes mellitus, in which an absolute deficiency of insulin ensues consequent to pancreatic beta cell destruction, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which insulin resistance may lead to hyperglycemia.1 Obesity is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and it is on the rise.2 Beyond obesity as a risk factor, it is known that a form of lean diabetes mellitus reflects a phenomenon in which fundamental defects in insulin secretion, on account of pancreatic beta cell dysfunction, primarily trigger the development of diabetes mellitus.3 As of 2014, 9.3% of Americans were said to have diabetes mellitus (29.1 million people); the lifetime risk for the development of diabetes mellitus in the United States stands at 40%.2 In addition to those with diagnosed diabetes mellitus, it is estimated that 86.1 million adults in the United States have prediabetes.2 The complications of diabetes mellitus affect nearly every tissue of the body, and diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, blindness, renal failure, and amputations. Further, the early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents and young adults (≤age 40 years) has been linked to a more aggressive form of the disease, with premature development of serious complications.4 Together, these sobering statistics underscore the vital importance of uncovering the root causes of diabetes mellitus and its complications to best design strategies for therapeutic intervention in this disorder. In this “Highlights” on Diabetes Mellitus, a summary of recent articles published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology ( ATVB ) will be presented. Spanning studies at the cellular/molecular and animal model level, to translational and intervention studies in human subjects, these reports offer …
La transformación del Valle en la literatura del narcotráfico de Rolando Hinojosa

Esta investigacion analiza como Rolando Hinojosa, un escritor chicano, explora la transformacion socioeconomica en el espacio textual y extratextual de la frontera entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos, especificamente el Valle del Rio Grande en Texas. El proposito es estudiar como el autor utiliza las convenciones literarias de la novela policiaca para sus fines historiograficos, al explorar en Partners in Crime y Ask a Policeman la transicion de una economia local a otra global y basada en el narcotrafico, asi como sus implicaciones sociales en un lugar ancestralmente signado por la violencia.
Distributed Real-Time Databases

Real-time databases are used in a wide range of applications such as aircraft tracking and the monitoring and control of modern manufacturing facilities. In a real-time database context, concurrency control protocols must not only maintain the consistency constraints of the database but also satisfy the timing requirements of the transactions accessing the database. In standard database applications, such as banking, one can lock data objects and prevent other transactions from accessing them in order to maintain consistency. In a real-time application such as tracking, the consistency is still important, but it is also critical that the values of the data objects are timely. If an object being tracked is moving fast, very stringent timing requirements will be placed on transactions that update the object location. Failure to meet these timing requirements will render the tracking exercise a failure, because the data will be out of date.
Formation of Elements in the Stars: To build all the elements requires that eight nuclear processes occur as the conditions become ripe.

Recent developments in nuclear physics and in both theoretical and observational astrophysics pertaining to an understanding of the formation of elements in the stars are reviewed. (C.H.)
Buried Artifacts in Sandy Soils

Since the 1960s, it has become increasingly clear that once an artifact is deposited on a surface it is subject to many different types of displacement and burial processes that come under the general heading of pedoturbation (Hole, 1961; Johnson, 1990; Wood and Johnson, 1978). Pedoturbation refers to many different soil mixing processes that can result in the displacement, movement, and burial of artifacts (Table 10.1). Bioturbation, which includes faunalturbation and floralturbation, is the common mixing agent at most sites. Equifinality of artifact burial by pedoturbation or by various forms of sedimentation is a common problem that confronts archeological survey and site investigations, particularly in loose sandy soils and sediments. The goal of this chapter is to identify and discuss techniques suited to evaluate the relative importance of pedoturbation versus sedimentation processes at sandy sites with buried components.
Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Correlation With Clinical Outcomes

OBJECTIVE. The current understanding of the utility of blood-brain barrier permeability (BBBP) evaluation with extended-pass perfusion CT in the clinical setting is limited. We assessed whether BBB...
The Evolution of the Impact of Religion and Life Satisfaction on Environmental Concern: An Abstract

Many research studies have been aimed at understanding the relationship between religious faith and sustainability (Leary et al. 2016; Weaver and Agle 2002; Hope and Jones 2014; Mathras et al. 2016). However, these studies have not shown how attitudes toward these constructs have changed over time. The current research uses publicly available data gathered over a 20-year span to show how the relationships between these constructs have evolved.
High-Frequency Three-Phase Interleaved LLC Resonant Converter With GaN Devices and Integrated Planar Magnetics

The LLC converter is deemed the most widely used topology as dc/dc converter in server and telecom applications. To increase the output power and reduce the input and output current ripples, three-phase interleaved LLC converter is becoming more and more popular. It has been demonstrated that three interleaved LLC converter can achieve further efficiency improvement at the 3-kW power level. However, the magnetic components for multiphase LLC converter are complex, bulky, and difficult to manufacture in a cost-effective manner. In this paper, a high-frequency gallium nitride (GaN)-based three-phase LLC converter is employed to address these aforementioned challenges. With GaN operating at 1 MHz, all magnetic components, namely, three inductors and three transformers, can be integrated into one common structure while all magnetic windings implemented in a compact four-layer PCB with 3-oz copper. The proposed structure can be easily manufactured cost-effectively in high quality. Furthermore, shielding techniques for full-bridge secondary have been investigated, and additional two-layer shielding has been integrated to reduce common-mode noise. A 1-MHz 3-kW 400 V/48 V three-phase LLC converter is demonstrated, and the peak efficiency of 97.7% and power density of 600 W/in3 (37 kW/L) are achieved.
Comparison of arterial and venous blood-gas values in anesthetized Dorset cross-bred lambs (Ovis aries) using a point-of-care analyzer

Abstract Objective To determine the degree of agreement between arterial and venous blood gases in anesthetized lambs using a point-of-care analyzer. Study design Prospective experimental study. Animals A group of 12 female Dorset cross-bred lambs, weighing 37.3 ± 7.4 kg (mean ± standard deviation). Methods Lambs were anesthetized with isoflurane for catheterization of the jugular vein and femoral artery, and blood samples were collected simultaneously for analysis of pH, PCO2, PO2, base excess (BE), bicarbonate ( HCO 3 − ), total carbon dioxide (tCO2), oxygen saturation (SO2), ionized calcium (iCa) and potassium (K+) using the Vet Scan i-STAT handheld analyzer. The Bland–Altman method was used to calculate agreement between arterial and venous measurements. Results Strong agreement was identified between arterial and venous pH (bias = 0.04; 95% limits of agreement = 0.02–0.06), K+ (bias = –0.1 and 95% limits of agreement = –0.8 to 0.5) and iCa (bias = 0.04; 95% limits of agreement = –0.08 to 0.0003). There was poor agreement for PO2 (bias = 168.0; 95% limits of agreement = 77.4–258.7) and SO2 (bias = 9.1; 95% limits of agreement = 2.8–15.3), as these values were higher in arterial blood than in venous blood. Moderate agreement was present for BE (bias = 1.7; 95% limits of agreement = –2.7 to 6.1), PCO2 (bias = –2.1; 95% limits of agreement = –7.5 to 3.4), HCO 3 − (bias = 1.1; 95% limits of agreement = –3.1 to 5.3) and tCO2 (bias = 1.0; 95% limits of agreement = –3.3 to 5.3). Conclusions and clinical relevance Venous blood can be used for the measurement of pH, K+ and iCa in anesthetized Dorset cross-bred lambs. Arterial blood is required for accurate measurement of PO2, SO2, PCO2, HCO 3 − , tCO2 and BE to assess systemic blood oxygenation and pulmonary function in anesthetized Dorset cross-bred lambs.
Acoustic conditions in two libraries at the University of Nebraska

University libraries serve many roles for students, from group gathering places to quiet study spaces; this makes analyzing and optimizing their acoustics very worthwhile. This paper reviews the acoustics of both main areas and small-group study rooms at the University of Nebraska—Omaha’s Criss Library and the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s Love Library. Sound level meters were used to log sound levels in the two libraries over multiple days. Those data were then analyzed to understand the libraries’ soundscapes through metrics like average sound levels, statistical sound levels, and occurrence rates of specific sound levels. Impulse responses and transmission loss of partitions were also measured. From those analyses, conclusions are drawn about the acoustic behavior of the libraries and its appropriateness for their purpose.University libraries serve many roles for students, from group gathering places to quiet study spaces; this makes analyzing and optimizing their acoustics very worthwhile. This paper reviews the acoustics of both main areas and small-group study rooms at the University of Nebraska—Omaha’s Criss Library and the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s Love Library. Sound level meters were used to log sound levels in the two libraries over multiple days. Those data were then analyzed to understand the libraries’ soundscapes through metrics like average sound levels, statistical sound levels, and occurrence rates of specific sound levels. Impulse responses and transmission loss of partitions were also measured. From those analyses, conclusions are drawn about the acoustic behavior of the libraries and its appropriateness for their purpose.
Preparation for Long-Distance Aeromedical Evacuation

Urgent aeromedical evacuation (AE) can be a high-risk procedure for combat casualties and critically ill patients. Careful consideration and meticulous attention to detail are required in order to limit further injury. The AE environment increases the risk of patient movement and can potentiate worse outcomes. The challenges unique to AE include hypoxemia, hypobarism, gravitational and acceleration forces, noise, vibration, and decreased humidity, all of which create an unfavorable environment for patient care. An appropriate understanding of these stressors by those preparing patients for the AE and the AE crews that care for them in flight is essential to limit the adverse effects of these additional physiologic and environmental insults. When preparing patients for AE, the first steps are adequate preflight stabilization and assessment. These must include airway and spine protection, careful selection of accepting facility, and verification of adequate medications (e.g., oxygen, sedatives, analgesics, blood products, crystalloid fluids) and appropriate monitoring (e.g., oxygen saturation probes, end-tidalcapnography, and invasive blood pressure monitoring, intracranial pressure monitors). Thorough training of AE crews and specialized medical transport teams is critical for mitigating the risk of AE to combat casualties and critically ill patients.
Varying the regiochemistry from a solid-state [2+2] cycloaddition reaction within a series of mixed co-crystals based upon isosteric resorcinols

Abstract A series of regioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions have been achieved in different mixed co-crystals based upon (E)-methyl-3-(pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-enoate (3-PAMe) as the reactant molecule. The solid-state photoreaction occurred by utilizing a combination of three isosteric resorcinols, namely 4,6-dichlororesorcinol (4,6-diCl res), 4,6-dibromoresorcinol (4,6-diBr res), and 4,6-diiodoresorcinol (4,6-diI res) as hydrogen-bonding templates to align a pair of carbon-carbon double bonds in the correct orientation to photoreact. In each mixed co-crystal, the components form a discrete three-component hydrogen-bonded assembly when upon exposure to UV light produce either the head-to-head (rctt)-dimethyl-3,4-bis(pyridin-3-yl)cyclobutane-1,2-dicarboxylate or the head-to-tail (rctt)-dimethyl-2,4-bis(pyridin-3-yl)cyclobutane-1,3-dicarboxylate photoproducts. In particular, the mixed co-crystal (4,6-diCl/Br res)∙2(3-PAMe) yielded exclusively the head-to-head isomer while both (4,6-diBr/I res)∙2(3-PAMe) and (4,6-diCl/I res)∙2(3-PAMe) produced the head-to-tail isomer.
Episodic memory improvements due to noninvasive stimulation targeting the cortical-hippocampal network: A replication and extension experiment.

Introduction The distributed cortical network of the human hippocampus is important for episodic memory. In a previous experiment, noninvasive stimulation of the hippocampal-cortical network applied for five consecutive days improved paired-associate learning measured after the stimulation regimen via cued recall (Wang et al., Science, 2014, 345, 1054). This finding has not yet been directly replicated. Furthermore, evidence for long-lasting effects of stimulation on paired-associate learning was obtained by analyzing relatively small subsamples (Wang & Voss, Hippocampus, 2015, 25, 877) and requires further evaluation. Methods Sixteen healthy young adults participated in this replication study using the same experimental design as the original study. Participants received 1 week of active stimulation and 1 week of sham stimulation, with memory assessments occurring at the beginning (pre) and end (post) of each week. Assessments included the paired-associate task used in the original study, as well as a long-term episodic memory retention task in order to test the hypothesis that increased paired-associate learning could come at the cost of accelerated long-term forgetting. Change in memory scores was evaluated within (pre vs. post) and across (active vs. sham) weeks. Results Similar to Wang et al., paired-associate learning was significantly improved after 1 week of active stimulation but not after 1 week of sham stimulation. We found no evidence that stimulation increased long-term forgetting for either week. Conclusion These findings confirm the beneficial effects of stimulation on episodic memory that were reported previously and indicate that stimulation-related gains in new learning ability do not come at the price of accelerated long-term forgetting.
Crop Yield Prediction Integrating Genotype and Weather Variables Using Deep Learning

Accurate prediction of crop yield supported by scientific and domain-relevant insights, is useful to improve agricultural breeding, provide monitoring across diverse climatic conditions and thereby protect against climatic challenges to crop production. We used performance records from Uniform Soybean Tests (UST) in North America to build a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM)-Recurrent Neural Network based model that leveraged pedigree relatedness measures along with weekly weather parameters to dissect and predict genotype response in multiple-environments. Our proposed models outperformed other competing machine learning models such as Support Vector Regression with Radial Basis Function kernel (SVR-RBF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and the data-driven USDA model for yield prediction. Additionally, for providing interpretability of the important time-windows in the growing season, we developed a temporal attention mechanism for LSTM models. The outputs of such interpretable models could provide valuable insights to plant breeders.
Size-dependent biochar breaking under compaction: Implications on clogging and pathogen removal in biofilters.

Abstract Breaking of biochar during compaction of amended soil in roadside biofilters or landfill cover can affect infiltration and pollutant removal capacity. It is unknown how the initial biochar size affects the biochar breaking, clogging potential, and contaminant removal capacity of the biochar-amended soil. We compacted a mixture of coarse sand and biochar with sizes smaller than, similar to, or larger than the sand in columns and applied stormwater contaminated with E. coli. Packing columns with biochar pre-coated with a dye and analyzing the dye concentration in the broken biochar particles eluted from the columns, we proved that biochar predominantly breaks under compaction by disintegration or splitting, not by abrasion. Increases in biochar size decrease the likelihood of biochar breaking. We attribute this result to the effective dissipation of compaction energy through a greater number of contact points between a large biochar particle and the adjacent particles. Most of the broken biochar particles are deposited in the pore spaces of the background geomedia, resulting in an exponential decrease in hydraulic conductivity of amended sand with an increase in suspended sediment loading. The clogging rate was higher in the columns with small biochar. The columns with small biochar also exhibited high E. coli removal capacity, partly because of an increase in bacterial straining at reduced pore size after compaction. These results are useful in selecting appropriate biochar size for its application in soils and roadside biofilters for stormwater treatment.
Exploring non-trivial topology in synthetic dimensions

The concept of synthetic dimension allows one to explore higher-dimensional physics in lower-dimensional physical systems that are easier to implement experimentally. We discuss some of our recent efforts, where we use the dynamic modulation of refractive indices to explore various topological photonic concepts in synthetic dimensions.
Use of Standardized Patients in Mental Health Simulation

Standardized patients (SP) have been utilized in nursing education lab simulations to offer students a realistic and standardized environment for practicing skills. The use of the SP for mental health education has not been widely used. Due to a lack of mental health clinical sites and safety concerns, using a SP in mental health nursing education is an exciting and viable option. Preparing and using the SP could be a way to make sure nursing students get the experience without the anxiety.
Comparisons of flux-based stemflow enrichment ratios for two Quercus spp. within the megalopolis of the eastern USA

Throughfall and stemflow serve as two important transport mechanisms for water and solutes in urban forests, though these fluxes are seldom quantified within cities. This study is the first to utilize two flux-based enrichment ratios for stemflow to characterize spatial patterns in water and solute distribution in urban forest fragments. Using event-based, in situ sampling, this study quantified stemflow enrichment for Quercus rubra (northern red oak) and Quercus alba (white oak) trees relative to open precipitation (EP,B) and throughfall (ET,B) per unit trunk basal area for dissolved Ca, K, Mg, Mn, NO3-N, and S. The study investigated variability in nutrient enrichment at the fragment, municipal, and regional scales. Among all solutes, observations for EP,B and ET,B for Q. rubra and Q. alba were generally lowest for Mg and highest for Mn and K. Significant intra-urban variability in stemflow enrichment was limited to EP,B of K and ET,B of Ca (p < 0.05), while trans-regional variability in stemflow enrichment consistently indicated higher EP,B and ET,B in more highly developed portions of the study region. At the fragment scale, EP,B and ET,B for Q. rubra was consistently higher than for Q. alba, with variability in these observations significant for all solutes. For example, interspecific variability in EP,B was greatest for K, where median values ranged from 2.8 ± 29.7 in Q. alba to 87.1 ± 97.1 in Q. rubra. While observations for ET,B were generally lower than those for EP,B, observations for Q. rubra also consistently exceeded those for Q. alba, with median values for K ranging from 1.5 ± 0.5 to 21.9 ± 3.1 for Q. alba and Q. rubra, respectively. Findings were likely driven by variability in biophysical characteristics between the two species (e.g., bark morphology). Further, findings indicate that species heterogeneity within the urban forest contributes to significant variability in nutrient (and possibly pollutant) transport and fate via throughfall and stemflow below the canopy, with subsequent impacts on urban forest biogeochemistry.
A quantile estimation approach to identify income and age variation in the value of a statistical life

Abstract In theory, heterogeneity in individual characteristics translates into variation in the marginal willingness to pay for a mortality risk reduction. Two dimensions of heterogeneity, with respect to income and age, have recently received attention due to their policy relevance. We propose a quantile regression approach to simultaneously explore these two sources of heterogeneity and their interactions within the context of the hedonic wage model, the most common revealed preference approach for obtaining value of statistical life estimates. We illustrate the approach using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We find that the impact of age on the wage–risk tradeoff varies across the wage distribution. This result indicates important interactions between age and income heterogeneity. Thus, the conventional mean hedonic wage regression, even when the mean effect is allowed to vary with age, masks important heterogeneity.
Improving Crop Yields Through Better Planting Schedules

Improvement of agricultural productivity is often regarded as a solution to the impending food shortage problem in the world. In this paper we develop a novel model for seed growth using plant physiology literature and embed that in an optimal seed planting problem for a farmer facing rainfall uncertainty and planting capacity constraints. We establish the optimal planting schedule given the soil water content, planting capacity, and future rainfall uncertainty. In our computational study, we use field weather data from Southern Africa in a real size large-scale problem and demonstrate significant relative crop production advantage of the optimal planting schedule over commonly used heuristics in practice.
Methodological challenges to confirmatory latent variable models of social vulnerability

Socially vulnerable communities experience disproportionately negative outcomes following natural disasters and underscoring a need for well-validated measures to identify those at risk. However, questions have surfaced regarding the factor structure, internal consistency, and generalizability of social vulnerability measures. A reliance on data-driven techniques, which are susceptible to sample-specific characteristics, has likely exacerbated the difficulty generalizing social vulnerability measures across contexts. This study sought to validate previously published structures of SoVI using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We fit CFA models of 28 sociodemographic variables frequently used to calculate a commonly used measure, the social vulnerability index (SoVI), drawn from the American Community Survey across 4162 census tracts in Florida. Confirmatory models generally did not support theory-driven pillars of SoVI that were previously used to study vulnerability in the New York metropolitan area. Modified models and alternative SoVI factor structures also failed to fit the data. Many of the input variables displayed little to no variability, limiting their utility and explanatory power. Taken together, our results highlight the poor generalizability of SoVI across contexts, but raise several important considerations for reliability and validity, as well as issues related to source data and scale. We discuss the implications of these findings for improved theory-driven measurement of social vulnerability.
Optical-to-terahertz conversion through plasmon-coupled surface states

We demonstrate passive optical-to-terahertz conversion through plasmon-coupled surface states. When excited with an optical pump beam, photogenerated carriers in a photo-absorbing substrate are swept to an array of terahertz radiating nanoantennas by a surface-state-induced built-in electric field formed between the nanoantennas and substrate. The nanoantennas are used to couple optically-excited surface waves to the interface region where the built-in electric field is maximized to provide high optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiencies. We have used this scheme to develop a fiber-coupled bias-free terahertz source that provides more than a 110 dB dynamic range over a 5 THz bandwidth.
Efficient Analytical Derivatives of Rigid-Body Dynamics using Spatial Vector Algebra.

Optimization algorithms are increasingly important for the control of rigid-body systems. An essential requirement for these algorithms is the availability of accurate partial derivatives of the equations of motion with respect to the state and control variables. State of the art methods for calculating the derivatives use analytical differentiation methods based on the chain rule, and although these methods are an improvement over finite-difference in terms of accuracy, they are not always the most efficient. In this paper, we present an analytical method for calculating the first-order partial derivatives of rigid-body dynamics. The method uses Featherstone's spatial vector algebra and is presented in a recursive form similar to the Recursive-Newton Euler Algorithm (RNEA). Several dynamics identities and computational options are exploited for efficiency. The algorithms are bench-marked against competing approaches in Fortran and C++. Timing results are presented for kinematic trees with up to 500 links. As an example, the 100 link case leads to a 7x speedup over our Fortran implementation of the existing state-of-the-art method. Preliminary comparison of compute timings for the partial derivatives of inverse dynamics in C++ are also shown versus the existing Pinocchio framework. A speedup of 1.6x is reported for the 36-dof ATLAS humanoid using the new algorithm proposed in this paper.
Fever Associated With Dexmedetomidine in Adult Acute Care Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Dexmedetomidine-associated fever has been reported in the literature and can lead to lengthy workups and unnecessary antibiotic exposure. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate and describe the evidence of fever or hyperthermia caused by dexmedetomidine in adult patients. Data sources included PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Sciences. English-language studies of any design published from inception through April 2020 including conference abstracts were included. The target population was hospitalized adult patients. Quality of evidence was determined based on GRADE recommendations and risk of bias assessed using the Evidence Project Risk of Bias tool. Naranjo scores were assessed to determine the likeliness of adverse event being caused by dexmedetomidine. All data were extracted independently and with the guidance of a medical librarian. Four hundred and eighty-eight total citations were found on formal search, with 329 left after removal of duplicates. Independent record screening was performed, leaving 17 citations including 4 retrospective cohort studies, 1 case series, and 12 case reports. Quality of evidence ranged from very low to low for identified analyses. Evidence with patient-level data (case reports and series) were combined to establish a cohort for descriptive results. The median Naranjo score was 4 (range, 3 to 8), and dexmedetomidine doses ranged from 0.1 to 2 μg·h/kg. Obesity and cardiac surgery appear to be significant risk factors. Dexmedetomidine-associated fever appears uncommon, but the true incidence is unknown. Clinicians should keep dexmedetomidine-associated fever in their differential, and stewardship programs should consider assessing for this adverse effect in their patient monitoring.
Phosphodiesterases, 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide (PDEs) in GtoPdb v.2021.3

3',5'-Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs, 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase), E.C. 3.1.4.17, catalyse the hydrolysis of a 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide (usually cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP). isobutylmethylxanthine is a nonselective inhibitor with an IC50 value in the millimolar range for all isoforms except PDE 8A, 8B and 9A. A 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (E.C. 3.1.4.37 CNPase) activity is associated with myelin formation in the development of the CNS.
Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on surfaces in New York City.

Background: This study sought to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces that trainees and faculty of an academic eye clinic came into contact with during daily life at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis involved collection of at least two samples by teams on four different days (November 9, 2020 - December 18, 2020) using sterile swabs (Puritan HydraFlock, Garden Grove, CA). Collection sites were grouped into four zones depending on proximity and amount of time personnel spent there. Samples were transported to the laboratory in transport medium and RNA was extracted using the QIAamp DSP Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germantown, MD). Presence of viral RNA was investigated using the Luna Universal Probe One-step RT-qPCR kit (New England Biolabs, Ipwsich, MA). Results: 834 samples were submitted. Two were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The first was a sample from a patient bathroom sink handle in the main emergency department. The second was a nasal swab sample from a staff member who had been assigned to collect samples. Prior to this positive result, this asymptomatic staff member had tested positive for COVID-19, had quarantined for two weeks, and had received a negative test. Conclusion: Though COVID-19 is currently widespread in the United States, this study shows that health care personnel working in New York City at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center have a low chance of encountering viral RNA on surfaces they are in close contact with during daily life.
Utilization of Brain Tissue Oxygenation Monitoring and Association with Mortality Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

The aim of this study was to describe the utilization patterns of brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2) monitoring following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and determine associations with mortality, health care use, and pulmonary toxicity. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients from United States trauma centers participating in the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Databank between 2008 and 2016. We examined patients with severe TBI (defined by admission Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤ 8) over the age of 18 years who survived more than 24 h from admission and required intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The primary exposure was PbtO2 monitor placement. The primary outcome was hospital mortality, defined as death during the hospitalization or discharge to hospice. Secondary outcomes were examined to determine the association of PbtO2 monitoring with health care use and pulmonary toxicity and included the following: (1) intensive care unit length of stay, (2) hospital length of stay, and (3) development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Regression analysis was used to assess differences in outcomes between patients exposed to PbtO2 monitor placement and those without exposure by using propensity weighting to address selection bias due to the nonrandom allocation of treatment groups and patient dropout. A total of 35,501 patients underwent placement of an ICP monitor. There were 1,346 (3.8%) patients who also underwent PbtO2 monitor placement, with significant variation regarding calendar year and hospital. Patients who underwent placement of a PbtO2 monitor had a crude in-hospital mortality of 31.1%, compared with 33.5% in patients who only underwent placement of an ICP monitor (adjusted risk ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.76–0.93). The development of the ARDS was comparable between patients who underwent placement of a PbtO2 monitor and patients who only underwent placement of an ICP monitor (9.2% vs. 9.8%, adjusted risk ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.09). PbtO2 monitor utilization varied widely throughout the study period by calendar year and hospital. PbtO2 monitoring in addition to ICP monitoring, compared with ICP monitoring alone, was associated with a decreased in-hospital mortality, a longer length of stay, and a similar risk of ARDS. These findings provide further guidance for clinicians caring for patients with severe TBI while awaiting completion of further randomized controlled trials.
Structural Studies of a Functional Cytochrome c—Photosynthetic Reaction Center Membrane

Structural information on cytochrome c binding to photosynthetic reaction center/phospholipid membranes has been derived by using neutron diffraction. A reconstituted membrane system was formed from either deuterated or protonated reaction center (RC) protein (isolated from the photosynthetic bacterium Rps. sphaeroides R26 mutant) and pure egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) membrane bilayers. Partially dehydrated, oriented membrane multilayers were formed from a dispersion of EPC/RC membrane vesicles and horse heart cytochrome c (with a molar ratio of EPC/RC = 100 and cytochrome c/RC = 0.8 in the multilayers). Neutron scattering membrane profiles were determined from the lamellar neutron diffraction of oriented membrane multilayers containing either 1) cytochrome c/EPC/deuterated RC or 2) cytochrome c/EPC/protonated RC. The difference between these two scaled profile structures directly determined the reaction center profile within the cytochrome c/EPC/RC membrane. This protein profile was compared to the reaction center profile within a membrane without cytochrome c (previously derived); differences between the two RC profiles were significant. A cytochrome c/EPC profile was also derived, showing that the distribution of lipid on opposite sides of the membrane was shifted with the addition of cytochrome c. Finally, model profiles calculated by using the neutron diffraction information were compared with x-ray diffraction profiles of the cytochrome c/EPC/RC membranes to determine the position of cytochrome c in the membrane profile to 10-A resolution. (Supported by NIH grant GM 27309.)
Rendering optimizations guided by head-pose estimates and their uncertainty

In virtual environments, head pose and/or eye-gaze estimation can be employed to improve the visual experience of the user by enabling adaptive level of detail during rendering. In this study, we present a real-time system for rendering complex scenes in an immersive virtual environment based on head pose estimation and perceptual level of detail. In our system, the position and orientation of the head are estimated using stereo vision approach and markers placed on a pair of glasses used to view images projected on a stereo display device. The main innovation of our work is the incorporation of uncertainty estimates to improve the visual experience perceived by the user. The estimated pose and its uncertainty are used to determine the desired level of detail for different parts of the scene based on criteria originating from physiological and psychological aspects of human vision. Subject tests have been performed to evaluate our approach.
Coding Creativity: Copyright and the Artificially Intelligent Author

For more than a quarter century, interest among copyright scholars in the question of AI authorship has waxed and waned as the popular conversation about AI has oscillated between
Utilization of Solar Heat to Process Organic Wastes for Biological Hydrogen Production

ABSTRACT This article describes the development and operation of a solar thermal energy system as part of research on developing a modular distributed energy system based on the anaerobic fermentation of organic waste to produce hydrogen, initially in remote locations. It is anticipated that the modular energy system will be housed in a conventional shipping container for ease of manufacture, transportation, and installation. One key to the modular energy system is the utilization of solar thermal energy for the pre- and post-processing of organic waste materials. Since it is important to maximize energy efficiency for a modular energy system, solar thermal energy is being used as the heat source for waste material processing. A key aspect is obtaining sufficient temperatures for processing. This article describes the design and operation of a vacuum tube-based solar thermal energy system for pre- and post-processing of organic waste, as well as for providing potable water and building heat. The solar the...
Differential diagnosis of orofacial pain.

The successful diagnosis of orofacial pain depends on the following: 1. An accurate and detailed history of the pain 2. A detailed clinical examination of the face and associated organs 3. A thorough knowledge of those conditions that may produce facial pain In regard to the last requirement, Sir William Osler's maxim should always be remembered "What you don't know--you won't diagnose."
Active Color Image Analysis for Recognizing Shadows

Many existing computer vision modules assume that shadows in an image have been accounted for prior to their application. In spite of this, relatively little work has been done on recognizing shadows or on recognizing a single surface material when directly lit and in shadow. This is in part because shadows cannot be infallible recognized until a scene's lighting and geometry are known. However, color is a strong cue to the presence of shadows. We present a general color image segmentation algorithm whose output is amenable to the recovery of shadows as determined by an analysis of the physics of shadow radiance. Then, we show how an observer that can cast its own shadows can infer enough information about a scene's illumination to refine the segmentation results to determine where the shadows in the scene are with reasonable confidence. Having an observer that can actively cast shadows frees us from restrictive assumptions about the scene illumination or the reliance on high level scene knowledge. We present results of our methods on images of complex indoor and outdoor scenes. Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-92-82. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/cis_reports/307 Active Color Image Analysis for Recognizing Shadows MS-CIS-92-82 GRASP LAB 336 Gareth Funka-Lea Ruzena Bajcsy University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science Computer and Information Science Department Philadelphia, PA 191 04-6389