cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Baseline Marijuana Use on Treatment of Cocaine Dependence: Application of an Informative-Priors Bayesian Approach

Background: Marijuana use is prevalent among patients with cocaine dependence and often non-exclusionary in clinical trials of potential cocaine medications. The dual-focus of this study was to (1) examine the moderating effect of baseline marijuana use on response to treatment with levodopa/carbidopa for cocaine dependence; and (2) apply an informative-priors, Bayesian approach for estimating the probability of a subgroup-by-treatment interaction effect. Method: A secondary data analysis of two previously published, double-blind, randomized controlled trials provided samples for the historical dataset (Study 1: N = 64 complete observations) and current dataset (Study 2: N = 113 complete observations). Negative binomial regression evaluated Treatment Effectiveness Scores (TES) as a function of medication condition (levodopa/carbidopa, placebo), baseline marijuana use (days in past 30), and their interaction. Results: Bayesian analysis indicated that there was a 96% chance that baseline marijuana use predicts differential response to treatment with levodopa/carbidopa. Simple effects indicated that among participants receiving levodopa/carbidopa the probability that baseline marijuana confers harm in terms of reducing TES was 0.981; whereas the probability that marijuana confers harm within the placebo condition was 0.163. For every additional day of marijuana use reported at baseline, participants in the levodopa/carbidopa condition demonstrated a 5.4% decrease in TES; while participants in the placebo condition demonstrated a 4.9% increase in TES. Conclusion: The potential moderating effect of marijuana on cocaine treatment response should be considered in future trial designs. Applying Bayesian subgroup analysis proved informative in characterizing this patient-treatment interaction effect.
Early history of Physics with accelerators

The early history of physics at accelerators is reviewed, with emphasis on three experiments which have had a profound influence on our veiw of the structure of matter: The Franck and Hertz experiment opening practical ways of studying nuclear disintegration, and the discovery of the del/sup + +/ isobar of the proton by Fermi and collaborators, revealing structure in the nucleon. Fermi's work is illustrated by pages from his notebooks.
Spatio-Temporal Mapping and Multi-Sector Damage Assessment of 2014 Flood in Pakistan using Remote Sensing and GIS

Remote Sensing has made substantial contribution in flood monitoring and damage assessment. This study implies 1. The remotely sensed multi-temporal MODIS data for mapping and delineation of flood extents. 2. Conduct field survey in Punjab province for multi sector damage assessment and 3. Develop flood damage index map using Multi- Criterion Decision Analysis (MCDA). Supervised image classification and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) techniques were utilized to delineate the flood inundated area. Flood damage was assessed by analysing 68 different social and physical parameters recorded from the field. By incorporating these parameters along with flood extents the damage index map was produced and segregated on the basis of level of severity. The results revealed that the maximum inundation of 2007.4 km2 was occurred at Jhang district because of the breach of Trimmu Barrage. As per flood damage index, total 9 out of 36 districts were severely affected by flood of Chenab and Jhelum rivers and experienced the major loss of human life, agriculture, live stocks and infrastructure. This study concludes that remote sensing and GIS is very effective and valuable approach for mapping the flood dynamics and hazard assessment.
A Human-in-the-Loop Investigation of Multi-Sector Planning Operations for the NextGen Mid-Term

A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted to evaluate a concept for introducing multi-sector trajectory planning operations into en route air traffic facilities in the NextGen Mid-Term timeframe. Multi-sector planning tools and procedures for local area traffic flow management were developed, and then tested using two different service provider team configurations. In one condition, local area flow planning was performed by the traffic management coordinator and area supervisor. A second condition added a new, dedicated multi-sector planner position to the planning team. A set of eight convective weather and traffic load scenarios was used to evaluate the operational feasibility, potential benefits, and tool performance requirements of each condition. Significant improvements in weather avoidance and controller workload were observed in the multi-sector planner condition but no significant improvement was observed in user efficiency. Results indicate that multisector planning operations are effective and feasible in either team configuration.
Notes on Boletes. VIII

Pileo convexo, sicco, cum squamulis erectis, fibrillosis, rubro-brunneis tecto supra superficiem subtomentosam, flavam, in margine minute squamuloso et flaviore, 4-5 cm. lato; carne alba flavotincta; hymenophoro adnato, circum stipitem subdepresso, galbano, cyanescente; poris concoloribus, 1 mm. minusve latis; stipite flavo, minutis, rubrobrunneis flocculis praedito, 2.5-5 cm. X 5-6 mm.; sporis ellipsoideo-subfusoideis, hyalinis vel pallidis, 9-14.5 X 3.8-5 ll.
Low-Dose Compared with Standard-Dose m-BACOD Chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Background Reduced doses of cytotoxic chemotherapy or standard-dose therapy plus a myeloid colony-stimulating factor decreases hematologic toxicity and its complications in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the effect of reducing the doses of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents on clinical outcome is not known. Methods We randomly assigned 198 HIV-seropositive patients with previously untreated, aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to receive standard-dose therapy with methotrexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone (m-BACOD) along with granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; n = 94) or reduced-dose m-BACOD with GM-CSF administered only as indicated (n = 98). Results A complete response was achieved in 39 of the 94 assessable patients assigned to low-dose therapy (41 percent) and in 42 of the 81 assessable patients assigned to standard-dose therapy (52 percent, P = 0.56). ...
Developing and assessing requirements for clinical decision support.

(September 15, 2003, CPOE Forum). On page 1875, the author identification section should have had the following statement: ``The author would like to acknowledge the assistance and support of James G. Stevenson, Pharm.D., in developing this article.''
Extension of the Congruent Electromagnetic Scale to γ-rays

Let me begin by trying to give a somewhat broad perspective on this area of work. It seems also appropriate to then look back at how things were done in the past. Perhaps this bit of history and motivation can set the stage for an appreciation of what the past few years have done for the gamma-ray and X-ray regions. Amid all these talks about elegant exercises in frequency synthesis and macroscopic manifestations of quantum systems, the work here described appears somewhat primitive since it involves only the most rudimentary measurement of displacements and angles. These simple measurements are, however, matters of exquisite difficulty owing to the scale at which they are encountered.
The effect of companion on consumption of ethanol solution in cats.

Social influences on drinking ethanol solution were studied in two cats (“drinkers”) who voluntarily drank small amounts of 10% ethanol solution in milk and three other cats (“nondrinkers”) who served as companions to the drinkers. A 15-minute sesion was conducted daily in a compartment divided into two even parts with a transparent Plexiglass partition. The cats were introduced to the compartment either singly or in pairs. Each pair consisted either of two drinkers or one drinker and one nondrinker. Each cat of the pair was placed in one part of the compartment; the cats could see each other, but they could not make physical contact. Each drinker was offered 10% ethanol solution in milk, while each nondrinker was given plain milk, and the amount of consumption was measured. A series of five to ten sessions with a drinker was followed by a series of sessions with a nondrinker or with no companion. There were a total of 13 series of sessions for each drinker. A statistical analysis of the data showed that, in most series, the mean amount of consumption of ethanol solution was significantly higher in the presence of a companion (either drinker or nondrinker) than in its absence.
The Early Rise and Gradual Decline of Lutheranism in England (1520-1600)

Bishop Gardiner, whom the polemical John Bale had described as ‘the great Caiaphas of Winchester’, sharply drew the attention of the lord protector, Seymour, to ‘two seditious books’ not long after the death of Henry VIII in 1547, showing his anxiety to oppose the advance of protestantism which he saw as leading to civil as well as religious rebellion; both books were by Bale, at this time in exile abroad.
The SWI/SNF and RSC Nucleosome Remodeling Complexes

Publisher Summary SWI/SNF and RSC in yeast are paralogous complexes that perform similar yet distinct functions. RSC is the larger more abundant complex of the two, containing 17 subunits as opposed to only 12 in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SWI/SNF and is 10 times more abundant than SWI/SNF. The structure of the RSC complex has four modules surrounding a large central cavity. The size of the cavity is large enough to accommodate a nucleosome. RSC plays an important role in maintaining genome integrity by interacting with cohesin and loading it on to chromosome arms. “REPAIR” of damaged chromatin begins with the recruitment of multiple protein factors that perform HR or NHEJ. Studies have revealed the specific role of SWI/SNF complex in DNA damage repair. SWI/SNF is recruited to the HMLα locus about 1 hour after DSB induction suggesting it may help remodel nucleosomes around that region for ease in homology search. On the other hand, RSC affects H2AX phosphorylation and the Rad53 checkpoint activation pathway, two very early events that occur in response to DNA damage. Furthermore, the discovery of suppressor mutations on histones that could bypass the SWI/SNF requirement for transcription has enabled the understanding that these complexes are involved in transcription activation. Studies have also revealed the role of RSC in transcription repression. Finally, the SWI/SNF complex plays a significant role in transcription memory and transcription elongation.
Pathophysiology of Diabetes and Charcot Neuroarthropathy

Diabetes and Charcot neuroarthropathy are complex diseases that have substantial healthcare implications and cost. The pathophysiology of these diseases, as it applies to the orthopedic surgeon, is not completely understood but is continuing to evolve. This chapter serves to illustrate the current knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of the musculoskeletal complications of diabetes. The focus is on the effect of diabetes and hyperglycemia on the nervous, vascular, and immune system. The historical perspectives on the pathogenesis of Charcot arthropathy (the neurotraumatic and neurovascular theories) are also discussed along with a description of the modern evolution of these theories. Inflammation has become the focus of much of the research in both diabetes and Charcot arthropathy and has been linked to both diseases through several cellular pathways. As we continue to clarify the pathogenesis of these diseases, the potential for therapeutic targets will emerge.
Chapter Eight – Neutralization in Analytical Chemistry

Publisher Summary Analytical procedures that are based on neutralization between an acid and a base have been used extensively in volumetric analysis. By this procedure, many inorganic and organic acids and bases can be determined with a high degree of precision and accuracy. The procedure involves the dissolution of the acidic or basic sample and subsequent titration of the solution with a standard basic or acidic titrant. This chapter focuses on the applications to analysis and the principles of neutralization. It discusses strong and weak acids and bases, conjugate acid-base systems, buffer systems, expression and calculation of the hydronium ion concentration (pH) for a system, and applications in quantitative analysis. Because a stoichiometric neutralization reaction involves passing from an acidic to basic solution, assuming an acid is being titrated with a base, the progress of the reaction is followed by determining the pH of the solution as a function of an added titrant.
Pneumomediastinum: A Complication of Synthetic Cannabinoid K2 Use

The use of synthetic cannabinoid K2 (SCK2) continues to rise. Products are sold in different flavors and mixed with various herbal products resulting in innumerable presenting symptoms. Common presentations are psychomotor activity, dystonia, hypertension, tachydysrhythmia, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure. We present a 21-year-old woman who was admitted for severe nausea associated with several bouts of vomiting and upper abdominal pain. She had used SCK2 for recreation prior to the onset of her symptoms and she has been using SCK2 regularly for about a year. Chest and abdomen roentgenogram revealed pneumomediastinum. Esophagogram ruled out esophageal injury. She was managed conservatively with resolution of pneumomediastinum. We hypothesize that hyperemesis secondary to SCK2 use can increase the alveolar pressure leading to barotrauma. Although pneumomediastinum is a benign and self-limiting condition, esophagogram should be performed to exclude esophageal perforation which is a potentially life-threatening condition. Awareness of this presentation is important in order to evaluate for complications of barotrauma. J Med Cases. 2016;7(10):455-458 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2653w
Phonological Learning with Output-Driven Maps

ABSTRACTThe concept of an output-driven map formally characterizes an intuitive notion about phonology: that disparities between the input and the output are introduced only to the extent necessary to satisfy restrictions on outputs. When all of the grammars definable in a phonological system are output-driven, the implied structure provides significant computational benefits to language learners. An output-driven map imposes significant structure on the space of possible inputs for words, which can allow a learner to efficiently learn a lexicon of phonological underlying forms despite the vast number of possible lexica, as well as contend with the challenges of map/lexicon interactions inherent in phonological learning. This article presents a learning algorithm that exploits the structure of output-driven maps, illustrated with a system of grammars based in Optimality Theory. The algorithm highlights the roles played by contrast and paradigmatic information in phonological learning.
Bases and Dimension

Let V be a vector space. Let Y1, ..., Y l , be a set of vectors in V. The span of this set of vectors is defined as the collection of all vectors Y in V of the form $$ Y\;{\text{ = }}\;{s_1}{Y_1}\;{\text{ + }}\;{s_2}{Y_2}\;{\text{ + }}\; \cdots \;{\text{ + }}\;{s_l}{Y_l},\;\;\;\;\;{s_1}{\text{,}}\;...{\text{,}}\;{s_l}\; \in \;\mathbb{R}{\text{.}} $$ The span of Y1, ... , Y l , is denoted $$ [{Y_1},\;...{\rm{,}}\;{Y_l}]. $$
Delayed prosthetic breast reconstruction without the use of acellular dermal matrix

Since the widespread adoption of acellular dermal matrices (ADM) in immediate breast reconstruction, many surgeons have applied the same techniques to delayed reconstruction. To counteract this trend, we present a method of performing delayed prosthetic breast reconstruction without the use of ADM. This approach produces excellent aesthetic outcomes while eliminating the cost of relatively expensive ADM. A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent delayed implant-based breast reconstruction without ADM at a single institution between 2001 and 2013. A total of 31 patients met inclusion criteria. In our cohort, radiation therapy was performed on 14 patients (45%). Expanders were filled intraoperatively to a median volume of 150 cm3, and median permanent implant size was 500 cm3. Operative time averaged 62 minutes for unilateral expander insertion and 92 minutes for bilateral insertion. After expander placement, complications requiring reoperation occurred in five patients (16%), of which four (75%) had prior radiation therapy. Permanent implants were placed in 29 patients (94%), and six of these patients (21%) underwent additional procedures. Thirteen patients without prior radiation (76%) and eight patients with prior radiation (57%) did not undergo any unplanned surgical interventions during the reconstructive process. Our study shows delayed breast reconstruction can be successfully performed without ADM. Since delayed reconstruction is generally performed less frequently than immediate reconstruction, plastic surgeons are advised to critically review their techniques, as the operation should be approached differently. While ADM may have specific benefits in immediate reconstruction, those benefits do not directly translate in delayed reconstruction. Level of Evidence: Level IV, risk/ prognostic study.
Towards a soft robotic skin for autonomous tissue palpation

Manual palpation is commonly used to localize tumors and other features buried deep inside organs during open surgery. This approach is not feasible in minimally invasive or robotic surgery, as the contact with the tissue is mediated by instruments. To address this problem, we propose a soft robotic skin (SRS) that can be deployed from a small incision and create a stiffness map in a single step. Such a skin is composed of a matrix of soft robotic tactile elements (SRTEs), each one able to expand and record the tissue response during expansion. In this paper, we firstly prove the feasibility of palpation using a single SRTE. Then, we present and test a soft-suction based anchoring mechanism able to keep the SRS in the desired position in contact with the tissue, allowing surgeons to palpate different sides of the organ. Finally, we detail a calibration method for the SRTE, and assess the feasibility of identifying lumps buried inside a soft tissue phantom, and then inside a chicken liver during an ex-vivo trial. Experimental results show that the SRTE was able to differentiate simulated lumps (up to 3.25 mm deep) from healthy tissue in both the phantom and the ex-vivo trials. These results, added to the ability of the suction gripper to compensate for the expansion forces of each SRTE, are paving the way for soft robotic autonomous tools that can be used for intraoperative mapping of tissue cancers.
Loss of Medicaid insurance after successful bariatric surgery: an unintended outcome.

Bariatric surgery leads to dramatic weight loss and improved overall health, which may affect insurance status for certain patients. Traditional Medicaid provides coverage for children, pregnant women, and disabled adults, while expanded Medicaid provides insurance coverage to all adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. We hypothesized that successful bariatric surgery would lead to improved health status but an unintended loss of Medicaid coverage. All patients who underwent bariatric surgery at a single institution in a non-expansion state from 1985 through 2015 were identified using a prospectively collected database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify differences in patients who lost Medicaid coverage after bariatric surgery. Over the 30-year study period, 3487 patients underwent bariatric surgery, with 373 (10.7%) having Medicaid coverage at the time of surgery. This cohort of patients had a median age of 37 years and a preoperative Body Mass Index (BMI) of 54 kg/m2. At one-year follow-up, 155 (41.6%) patients lost Medicaid coverage, of which 76 (49.0%) had no coverage. The preoperative prevalence of diabetes (32.3 vs. 44.0%, p = 0.02), age (36 vs. 38 years, p = 0.01), and BMI (53 vs. 55 kg/m2, p = 0.04) were significantly lower in patients who no longer qualified for Medicaid after bariatric surgery. Multivariate regression demonstrated that for every 10 point increase in BMI (OR 0.755, p = 0.01), a patient was 25% less likely to lose their coverage at one year. Successful surgery in a state not expanding Medicaid resulted in over 40% of patients losing Medicaid coverage postoperatively, with half of those patients returning for follow-up with no insurance coverage at all. This barrier to care has major implications in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, which requires life-long follow-up and nutrition screening.
Chip-Firing Games

A chip-firing game on a vertex-weighted graph \(\Gamma \) is a one-player game where a move amounts to selecting a vertex and firing it, i.e., redistributing the weight (or chips) of that vertex among its neighbors. There are a number of variations in this game and we shall discuss some of them below.
Long-Term Consequences of Foodborne Toxoplasmosis: Effects on the Unborn, the Immunocompromised, the Elderly, and the Immunocompetent †

In immunointact individuals, infection by the ubiquitous protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is common, but clinical disease is rare; however, fetal and immunocompromised populations are at risk for clinical toxoplasmosis. T. gondii organisms persist as quiescent tissue cysts in various tissues of the body with the possibility of tissue cysts reactivating to actively multiplying parasites if there is a decline in the infected individual's immune system. In more recent years, there has been an increase in toxoplasmosis due to a steadily increasing immunocompromised population. T. gondii infections are controlled principally by the cellular immune system. Thus, individuals with defective cell-mediated immunity cannot control a T. gondii infection and if they have been infected previously, reactivation of a previous infection may occur. Congenital toxoplasmosis can cause severe complications in the fetuses of women who are infected with T. gondii during pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis can be serious in individuals with malignancies or AIDS. Since transplant recipients are immunosuppressed by drug treatment, they too are at risk for toxoplasmosis if they receive an organ from an infected donor. Vaccines against T. gondii suitable for human use have not been developed. No drug is available that can eliminate the encysted stage of the parasite; thus, infected individuals are always at risk for reactivation of the parasite if there is a failure of their immune system. More emphasis should be placed on the elimination of T. gondii by development of drugs which can eliminate the cyst stage in tissues and on development of vaccines suitable for protecting humans against infection or reactivation.
REVERSIBLE EFFECTS OF ETHANOL ON E. coli

The primary site of action of ethanol and other general anesthetics on the nervous system is the cell membrane (Hill and Bangham, 1975; Lee, 1977). These drugs have been shown to intercalate into biological membranes and this intercalation has been correlated with the anesthetic effect (Seeman, 1972; Hubbell and McConnel, 1968; Roth and Seeman, 1972). The potency of general anesthetics is directly related to their lipid solubility, indicating a hydrophobic site of action (Lee, 1976; Seeman, 1972). Within the membrane, there are three major types of hydrophobic sites for the intercalation of ethanol: between adjacent lipid molecules, at the lipid/protein boundary and in hydrophobic regions of proteins. Studies with ethanol (Roth and Seeman, 1972; Hill, 1974; Paterson, et al., 1972; Hui and Barton, 1973) and other general depressants have demonstrated that these drugs alter the physical properties of membranes by interacting at one or more of these sites. It is these changes which have been proposed as the basis of anesthesia (Lee, 1977; Lee, 1976).
The influence of the ’good’ patient ideal on engagement in HIV care

Research on patient engagement in health care shows that better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs are observed among highly engaged patients. Similar to other illnesses, high levels of patient engagement in HIV care are considered essential to maintaining optimal health, and patients who are on treatment and retained in HIV care are known to have better health outcomes. In this article, we draw on focus group discussion data with patients living with HIV in order to explain tacit expectations associated with engagement in care. The main objective of our research was to elicit an explanatory model of engagement in HIV care from the patients’ perspective. We conducted focus group discussions with a sample of two distinct types of patients: those who regularly attended medical appointments and those who did not. In total, we conducted six focus group discussions (n = 43) across in three cities in the US; these included two focus group discussions with a well-engaged and less-well-engaged group in each location. Both types of patients assigned a moral dimension to engagement in care, in that well-engaged patients were considered to be ‘good’ patients. Aspiring to become a ‘good’ patient provided a meaningful goal for some and deepened vulnerabilities among patients that struggled to achieve this status. More vulnerable patients may feel less secure in health care interactions and these feelings may be amplified if patients have an unreasonable impression of what constitutes a ‘good’ patient; thereby leading to disengagement in care. Our findings can inform the development of patient-centered, tailored messages to better serve patients struggling to stay engaged in HIV care.
Reliability of Symptoms and Dipstick for Postoperative Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections.

Objective The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic reliability of patient symptoms and urine dipstick results, including blood, leukocyte esterase, and nitrite, in diagnosing postoperative catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) after gynecologic surgery. Methods A prospective cohort study of patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries who required short-term (>24 hours) postoperative catheterization was conducted. Patients completed a questionnaire regarding symptoms. Urine dipstick analysis was completed on catheterized urine samples and urine was sent for culture for all patients. Positive likelihood ratios (LRs) were used to examine diagnostic reliability of patient symptoms and urine dipstick results in diagnosing postoperative CAUTIs. Results Fifty-seven patients with postoperative short-term indwelling catheterization were recruited, 25 (44%) of whom had CAUTIs diagnosed by urine culture at recruitment and 32 (56%) of whom did not have CAUTIs. Urine dipstick parameters were found to successfully diagnose CAUTIs, with positive LRs of 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.99), 6.77 (95% CI, 2.23-20.52), and 9.47 (95% CI, 1.23-72.69) for blood, leukocyte esterase, and nitrite, respectively. The combination of leukocyte esterase and nitrite yielded a positive LR of 9.48 (95% CI, 2.62-34.25). Individual symptoms, alone or in combination, did not successfully diagnose positive urine culture (positive LRs Conclusions Urine dipstick parameters are reliable diagnostic tests for diagnosing postoperative CAUTIs after gynecologic surgery, particularly when in combination. Patient symptoms have little diagnostic value for positive urine cultures in catheterized patients after gynecologic surgery.
Ed Visits and Hospital Readmissions of Late Preterm Infants Decrease After Implementation of Practice Guidelines

Principal Investigator: Ramzan Shahid M.D. Co-Investigators: Kaitlyn Schneck, M.D. and Clare Zimmerman M.D. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Late preterm infants are at increased risk for mortality and morbidity during birth hospitalization. During the first month after birth, late preterm infants are more likely than term infants to be re-hospitalized. Most research has focused on comparing clinical outcomes of late preterm infants versus term infants. Limited studies have looked at ways to reduce the re-hospitalization and ED visit rates of …
Some Recent Studies in Statistical Process Control

Statistical process control (SPC) charts are widely used in manufacturing industries for quality control and management. They are used in more and more other applications, such as internet traffic monitoring, disease surveillance, and environmental protection. Traditional SPC charts designed for monitoring production lines in manufacturing industries are based on the assumptions that observed data are independent and identically distributed with a parametric in-control distribution. These assumptions, however, are rarely valid in practice. Therefore, recent SPC research focuses mainly on development of new control charts that are appropriate to use without these assumptions. In this article, we briefly introduce some recent studies on nonparametric SPC, control charts for monitoring dynamic processes, and spatio-temporal process monitoring. Control charts developed in these directions have found broad applications in practice.
The Reprise of Malinowski

Ways of Baloma is a deliberate attempt to move Anthropology as a discipline by means of a new account of a classic locale for the practice. How does it manage this purpose? This essay evaluates Mos...
James Bryce, William T. Stead, and the Trans-Atlantic Meaning of the American City

ABSTRACTBy the late 1800s, elaborate concepts – the vocabulary of “bosses” and “machines” – had emerged in the United States for arguing over the systematised corruption that industrial urbanisatio...
AUTOMATIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE WITH MULTIPLE TARGETS, INCLUDING MANEUVERING ONES

Context. There is considered the task of automatic collision avoidance with multiple targets, including maneuvering ones. The object of the research is the process of automatic collision avoidance with multiple targets, including maneuvering ones. The subject of research is the method and algorithms that implement the process of automatic collision avoidance from multiple targets, including maneuvering ones. Objective. The purpose of the article is development a method and algorithms for automatic collision avoidance from multiple targets, including maneuvering ones, for the module of the onboard controller of the ship control system. Method. This goal is achieved by periodically measuring the true speed of the vessel and relative speeds of the vessel and targets, averaging the measured information to remove noise, estimating the true speeds of the targets, building, for the obtained estimates of the true speeds of the targets, areas of allowable collision avoidance controls with each targets by numerical iteration of the collision avoidance parameters (speed and course) at the nodes of a given grid in the area of their possible changes, determining the relative speeds at the nodes of the grid ship and target movement and checking that the relative speeds don’t belong to sectors of dangerous courses, building a general area of acceptable collision avoidance controls with all targets by combining areas of allowable collision avoidance controls with each target, choosing collision avoidance parameters from the general area of acceptable collision avoidance controls according to specified criteria. This allows to diverge from multiple targets, including maneuvering ones, in a fully automatic mode. Changing the criteria for selecting discrepancy parameters leads to a change in the ship’s behavior in case of discrepancy without changing the program code. Results. The developed method and algorithms are implemented in software and investigated by solving the problem of collision avoidance from multiple targets, including maneuvering ones, in a fully automatic mode in a closed circuit with the simulator Navi Trainer 5000 for various types of ships, targets, navigation areas and weather conditions. Conclusions. The experiments confirmed the performance of the proposed method and algorithms and allow to recommend them for practical use in the development of modules for automatic collision avoidance with multiple targets, including maneuvering ones, of the onboard controller of the ship control system.
How We Do It: Creation of a Workforce Development-Focused Track at a Surgical Hackathon.

Objective Healthcare hackathons are fast-paced, mentored events that bring together individuals with diverse skillsets to identify clinical needs and propose solutions. Traditionally geared toward device development and workflow optimization, platforms that address women and minorities in surgery are rare. We aimed to expand the traditional healthcare hackathon model to include a novel workforce development (WD) track to address concerns faced by surgeons and trainees. Design The WD track was created as part of the first surgical hackathon at our academic institution. In a single-day event, participants identified concerns (pain points) of diversity and sustainability in surgery, formed interdisciplinary teams, and pitched solutions. Pain points, project themes, and postevent survey results were analyzed and compared between WD and other tracks. Setting Participants were surveyed at Yale School of Medicine, an academic medical tertiary center, in September 2018. Participants Thirty-one total participants. Twenty-five (80.6%) responded to the survey. Results Of 57 problem pitches, 23 (40.4%) were related to WD. Issues highlighted 5 themes: training and career exploration, leadership and communication of skills, mental health and burnout prevention, surgeon discrimination and harassment, and work-life balance. Participants formed 6 groups, with 1 focused on WD. There was no difference between participants in the WD track and non-WD track counterparts with regard to excitement for continuing their project beyond the hackathon (4.00, standard deviation [SD] 0.89, vs. 3.63, SD 1.12, p = 0.43), and in their perception of the mentorship they received (4.00, SD 1.00, vs. 4.11, SD 0.78, p = 0.84). The project presented within the WD track, on culturally sensitive scrub wear, was 1 of 3 prize-winners. Conclusions The first WD track at a healthcare hackathon identified 5 themes of unmet workforce needs. The pilot demonstrated that WD tracks can be implemented in hackathons with similar results to traditional tracks and create innovative and sustainable solutions to surgical workforce concerns.
Multiphoton Molecular Excitation to Illuminate Non-linear Laser Microscopy

Molecular excitation by two or more infra red photons simultaneously absorbed from strongly focused 100 femtosecond mode locked laser pulses provides intrinsic 3-d resolution for fluorescence microscopy and photochemical micro pharmacology in living biological cells.1 Confinement of non-linear excitation to the focal volume illuminated by ~10 photons/nm s eliminates out of focus photobleaching and photodamage and provides intrinsic 3-d resolution. To facilitate this technology new methods have developed for accurate measurements of multi-photon excitation cross sections and spectra in the absence of adequate data to guide non-linear laser microscopy applications.2,3 Absolute cross section measurements have been facilitated by development of a method that takes advantage of the interference of excitation pulse trains that are time shifted by a conventional Michaelson interferometer to allow variable relative delay of two spatially superimposed beams. Two photon excitation with single mode CW lasers provides an independent absolute calibration of cross sections. Measurements of more than twenty useful two-photon excitation spectra (690–1050nm) have revealed some with large blue shifts of the excitation peak. Two photon excitation spectra of some asymmetric molecules superimpose on the one photon absorption spectra (with wavelength doubled) presumably due to relaxation of parity selection rules in these cases. Most of the tested fluorescent molecules show blue shifted excitation peaks with strongly enhanced cross sections exceeding those observed at twice the one photon absorption. No red shifts of the excitation spectra have been detected.
It Is Complicated: Interacting with Children in Social Virtual Reality

Social VR refers to 3D virtual spaces where multiple users can interact with one another through VR head-mounted displays. These novel digital spaces are dramatically transforming how people meet, interact, and socialize online and have attracted users of different age groups and maturity levels. This variety sometimes leads to less desirable interactions, tensions, and frustrations between different user bases (e.g., adults and children). Based on 30 interviews, we focus on how people perceive and experience interacting with young users across various social VR applications. We aim at better understanding the complex social interaction dynamics afforded by social VR. We also discuss potential design implications toward a more child centered design for future social VR platforms.
Derivation of sheep embryonic stem cells under optimized conditions.

Until recently, it has been difficult to derive and maintain stable embryonic stem cells lines from livestock species. Sheep ESCs with characteristics similar to those described for rodents and primates have not been produced. We report the derivation of sheep ESCs under a chemically defined culture system containing fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and a tankyrase/Wnt inhibitor (IWR1). We also show that several culture conditions used for stabilizing naive and intermediate pluripotency states in humans and mice were unsuitable to maintain ovine pluripotency in vitro. Sheep ESCs display a smooth dome-shaped colony morphology, and maintain an euploid karyotype and stable expression of pluripotency markers after more than 40 passages. We further demonstrate that IWR1 and FGF2 are essential for the maintenance of an undifferentiated state in de novo derived sheep ESCs. The derivation of stable pluripotent cell lines from sheep blastocysts represents a step forward toward understanding pluripotency regulation in livestock species and developing novel biomedical and agricultural applications.
Treatment of spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: use of laparoscopic microwave ablation and washout.

Abstract Background Ruptured, or bleeding, hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) is a relatively rare disease presentation associated with high acute mortality rates. This study sought to evaluate outcomes following laparoscopic microwave ablation (MWA) and washout in rHCC. Methods A retrospective single-center review was performed to identify patients with rHCC (2008–2018). The treatment algorithm consisted of transarterial embolization (TAE) or trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) followed by laparoscopic MWA and washout. Results Fifteen patients with rHCC were identified (n = 5 single lesion, n = 5 multifocal disease, n = 5 extrahepatic metastatic disease). Median tumor size was 83 mm (range 5–228 mm), and 10 of 15 underwent TAE or TACE followed by laparoscopic MWA/washout. One patient required additional treatment for bleeding after MWA with repeat TAE. Thirty-day mortality was 6/15. For those patients discharged (n = 9), additional treatments included chemotherapy (n = 5), TACE (n = 3), and/or partial lobectomy (n = 2). Median follow-up was 18.2 months and median survival was 431 days (range 103–832) (one-year survival n = 7; two-year survival n = 4; three-year survival n = 3). Six patients had post-operative imaging from which one patient demonstrated recurrence. Conclusion Using laparoscopic MWA with washout may offer advantage in the treatment of ruptured HCC. It not only achieves hemostasis but also could have oncologic benefit by targeting local tumor and decreasing peritoneal carcinomatosis risk.
Turn Signal Prediction: A Federated Learning Case Study.

Driving etiquette takes a different flavor for each locality as drivers not only comply with rules/laws but also abide by local unspoken convention. When to have the turn signal (indicator) on/off is one such etiquette which does not have a definitive right or wrong answer. Learning this behavior from the abundance of data generated from various sensor modalities integrated in the vehicle is a suitable candidate for deep learning. But what makes it a prime candidate for Federated Learning are privacy concerns and bandwidth limitations for any data aggregation. This paper presents a long short-term memory (LSTM) based Turn Signal Prediction (on or off) model using vehicle control area network (CAN) signal data. The model is trained using two approaches, one by centrally aggregating the data and the other in a federated manner. Centrally trained models and federated models are compared under similar hyperparameter settings. This research demonstrates the efficacy of federated learning, paving the way for in-vehicle learning of driving etiquette.
A Correlation-Based Framework for Evaluating Postural Control Stochastic Dynamics

The inability to maintain balance during varying postural control conditions can lead to falls, a significant cause of mortality and serious injury among older adults. However, our understanding of the underlying dynamical and stochastic processes in human postural control have not been fully explored. To further our understanding of the underlying dynamical processes, we examine a novel conceptual framework for studying human postural control using the center of pressure (COP) velocity autocorrelation function (COP-VAF) and compare its results to Stabilogram Diffusion Analysis (SDA). Eleven healthy young participants were studied under quiet unipedal or bipedal standing conditions with eyes either opened or closed. COP trajectories were analyzed using both the traditional posturographic measure SDA and the proposed COP-VAF. It is shown that the COP-VAF leads to repeatable, physiologically meaningful measures that distinguish postural control differences in unipedal versus bipedal stance trials with and without vision in healthy individuals. More specifically, both a unipedal stance and lack of visual feedback increased initial values of the COP-VAF, magnitude of the first minimum, and diffusion coefficient, particularly in contrast to bipedal stance trials with open eyes. Use of a stochastic postural control model, based on an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process that accounts for natural weight-shifts, suggests an increase in spring constant and decreased damping coefficient when fitted to experimental data. This work suggests that we can further extend our understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind postural control in quiet stance under varying stance conditions using the COP-VAF and provides a tool for quantifying future neurorehabilitative interventions.
Law-Governed Linda as a Coordination Model

Linda is a very high level communication model which allows processes to communicate without knowing each other's identities and without having to arrange for a definite rendezvous. This high level of abstraction would make Linda particularly suitable for use as a coordination model for open systems, if it were not for the fact that the Linda communication is very unsafe. We propose to remove this deficiency of Linda by means of the concept of law-governed architecture previously applied to centralized and message passing systems. We define a model for Law-Governed Linda (LGL) communication, and we demonstrate its efficacy by means of several illustrative examples.
New approach to the solution of nonlinear problems

In this talk we introduce a new technique, called the delta expansion, which can be used to solve nonlinear problems in both classical and quantum physics. The idea of the delta expansion is to expand in the power of a nonlinear term. For example, to treat a y4 term, we introduce a small parameter delta and consider a (y2(1+δ)) term. When we expand in powers of delta, the resulting perturbation series appears to have a finite radius of convergence and numerical results are superb. We illustrate the delta expansion by applying it to various difficult nonlinear equations taken from classical physics, the Lane-Emden, Thomas-Fermi, Blasius, Duffing, Burgers, and Kordeweg-de Vries equations. In the study of quantum field theory, the delta expansion is a powerful calculational tool that provides nonperturbative information. The basic idea is to expand in the power of the interaction term. For example, to solve a λφ4 theory in d-dimensional space-time, we introduce a small parameter δ and consider a λ(φ2)1+δ field theory. We show how to expand such a theory as a series in powers of δ using graphical methods. The resulting perturbation series appears to have a finite radius of convergence and numerical results for low-dimensional models are good. We compute the Green's functions for a scalar quantum field theory to first order in delta, renormalize the theory, and see that when the space-time dimension is four or more, the theory is free. This conclusion remains valid to second order in delta, and we believe that it remains valid to all orders in delta. The delta expansion is consistent with global supersymmetry invariance. We examine a supersymmetric quantum field theory for which we do not know of any other means for doing analytical calculations and compute the ground-state energy density and the fermion-boson mass ratio to second order in delta. Last, we show how to use the delta expansion to solve theories having a local gauge invariance. We compute the anomaly in two-dimensional electrodynamics and discuss the calculation of g-2 in four-dimensional electrodynamics.
El "derecho a tener derechos económicos" y la trans-formación democrática de la voluntad

espanolEl presente trabajo pretende mostrar que una concepcion coherente de la solidaridad civica debe incorporar una ineludible dimension transnacional especialmente relevante en los ambitos que afectan al desarrollo humano. Para ello, partimos de la necesidad de trascender las limitaciones de la concepcion arendtiana de "lo social" y de las insuficiencias de muchos estados a garantizar la proteccion basica de sus ciudadanos si no se constitucionalizan las instituciones globales. La incorporacion del derecho al desarrollo para la legitimacion de una constitucion global implica incorporar una perspectiva transnacional en la formacion de la voluntad democratica de los ciudadanos. Los principales autores estudiados son Arendt, Rorty, Benhabib, Habermas y Pogge. EnglishThis article aims to show that a coherent conception of civic solidarity must incorporate a transnational dimension, which is especially relevant in the realms affecting human development. In order to show this connection the article analyses the limits of the Arendtian conception of "the social". It also explores the insufficiency of the ideal of citizenship entailed in the "right to have rights" when many states lack means to ensure the basic protections to their citizens. In our world, the protection of the basic conditions for human life points to the constitutionalization of the global institutions related with development. The incorporation of a right to development in order to legitimate a global constitution implies the integration of a transnational perspective in the democratic will formation of the citizens. The relevant authors considered are Arendt, Rorty, Benhabib, Habermas and Pogge.
Periodic spherical loop antenna

In this paper a volumetric approach to miniaturizing a 300 MHz loop antenna is presented. Leveraging the benefits of additive manufacturing allows for the antenna to be meandered in a spherical pattern resulting in higher levels of miniaturization while maintaining efficiency. A parametric study provides a design guideline comparing electrical size of the radian sphere (ka) with input impedance. Fabrication is achieved using a combination of additive manufacturing and traditional methods. Measured results demonstrate a ka of 0.43 with a quality factor 1.76 times the Chu limit.