cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Programmable Two-dimensional fs Pulse Shaping Using an Optically Addressed Liquid Crystal Matrix

Our interest in two-dimensional (2D) pulse shaping stems from efforts to control propagating excitations in crystals [1]. The difficulty in using conventional temporal-only (one-dimensional) pulse shaping for controlling propagating responses is that the material response quickly leaves the excitation region [2]. A 2D pulse shaper, which can produce independent temporally-shaped pulses along a transverse spatial coordinate, is able to irradiate a sample with different pulse shapes at different locations, thereby enabling the manipulation of propagating excitations. More generally, 2D pulse shaping enables multiplexed generation of complex optical signals and high-order time-resolved spectroscopy without beamsplitters or delay lines.
Fusion of Gaussian Process Kernel Regressors for Fault Prediction in Intelligent Energy Systems

Integration of energy systems with machine intelligence technologies advances the new generation of intelligent energy systems. One feature of intelligent energy systems is their ability to predict a future fault state (prognosis), and thus support control actions. This paper introduces a prognostic framework based on concepts originating from the machine learning universe and proceeds to assess the performance of the prognostics algorithms with statistical methods aiming to formulate a linear predictor whose coefficients are the solution of a multi-objective optimization problem. Prediction is achieved through independent Gaussian process kernel regressors put together as terms of a linear forecaster. In this novel framework the available data is used to train the regression models whose degradation predictions cover a predetermined time period and have the form of a predictive distribution whose mean and variance values are computed for future moments. Thus, given the observed data points one may search for the most probable values of other quantities of interest, or the values at different points from those measured. The feasibility of the cascading prognostics methodology is demonstrated via a turbine blade degradation example. This implementation is characterized by advantages that include the utilization of an optimization process that simultaneously determines the lowest possible values in a set of different statistical measures and the employment of a set of kernels for modeling various data features and capturing the system dynamics.
Design and analysis of capacity-achieving codes and optimal receivers with low complexity

High performance channel coding schemes for digital communication systems with low computational complexity are considered under two scenarios. Firstly, when the channel is a memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channel, we design and analyze channel codes defined on factor graphs that can operate reliably and arbitrarily close to the channel capacity. We show that punctured low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes can achieve capacity on any MBIOS channel under maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding. Moreover, we prove that puncturing preserves the multiplicative gap to capacity of the original LDPC codes with a small enough rate, a fact that suggests high potential of using punctured LDPC codes in rate-compatible coding. The open problem of whether codes with state nodes can achieve capacity on general MBIOS channels with bounded graphical complexity is investigated next. Nonsystematic irregular repeat-accumulate (NIRA) codes are viewed as potential candidates and their ML decoding performance is analyzed. Unable to assert the capacity-achieving capability of NIRA codes, we propose a new family of codes, namely the low-density parity-check and generator matrix codes, and prove that they can achieve capacity on any MBIOS channel using ML decoding and on any binary erasure channel (BEC) using belief propagation decoding with bounded graphical complexity. Motivated by the need to analytically characterize the iterative decoding performance of codes on general MBIOS channels, we give tight performance lower and upper bounds for LDPC codes with iterative decoding. Furthermore, we use these bounds to show that multi-edge type LDPC codes, including nearly all known codes defined on graphs, have the best iterative decoding performance on the BEC among all MBIOS channels with the same uncoded bit error probability, and similarly, have the worst iterative decoding performance on the BEC among all MBIOS channels with the same Bhattacharyya parameter. In the second scenario, more complicated channels with memory are considered. We focus on the channel with additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and frequence/phase-jitter, and the flat-fading channel under the block independent assumption to characterize the channel dynamics. We propose polynomial complexity algorithms for optimal detection/decoding without channel state information at the receiver. This result challenges the traditionally believed exponential complexity demand for both uncoded and two-state trellis-coded transmissions.
SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF MIDTROPOSPHERIC CIRCULATION PATTERNS AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES DURING ENSO WINTERS

Numerous studies have documented that the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern is the dominant extratropical response to ENSO forcing affecting the circulation over North America. However, the PNA is not the sole pattern that occurs during ENSO events. This study identifies the dominant synoptic circulation patterns and associated temperature and precipitation departures that occur during ENSO winters. Using standardized departures of 500 mbar heights over North America and the North Pacific Ocean, a subjective classification of the anomaly maps for winter months identified as warm ENSO events identifies three basic categories of 500 mbar standardized anomaly patterns: Variations of the PNA pattern, the reverse PNA pattern, and patterns with no PNA signature. Composite standardized anomaly maps of the synoptic categories of 500 mbar heights as well as composites of standardized temperature and precipitation departures for the contiguous United States were constructed. Three variations of the PNA, accounti...
Condensation in Minichannels and Microchannels

This chapter provides an overview of the available literature on the modeling of condensation in microchannels. Microchannel definitions and governing influences, flow regimes and transition criteria, void fraction correlations, pressure drop, and heat transfer are also discussed in the chapter. The building blocks for the modeling of condensation in microchannels are slowly becoming available. The progress on addressing microchannel flows in the area of flow regime determination is documented in adiabatic and condensing flows in mini channels. The Wilson plot techniques used for large channels are limited in their utility for small channels. Controlled experiments measure heat transfer rates of the order of a few watts for local condensation in microchannels. Models for heat transfer coefficients reflect the cumulative effects of reliable or unreliable establishment of flow regimes, modeling of void fractions, the computation of the shear stress through a pressure drop, and uncertainties in the measurement of heat transfer coefficients. Microchannels are increasingly being used in industry to yield compact geometries for heat transfer in a wide variety of applications.
ALA Precedent in Defense of Personal Privacy and Privacy Activism of 21st-Century Information Professionals

ABSTRACTThe case for digital information privacy has taken on new urgency for a 21st-century population reliant on personal digital devices. As smartphones and social media use become more ubiquitous, users must consider the security risks related to these devices and outlets. This article considers the legal “right” to digital information privacy, and the historical reaction of the American Library Association in cases of privacy protection and violation. This topic is considered through the example of the debate between Apple, Inc. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding iPhone privacy rights in relation to the suspected terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California in December 2015.
Inflight observation of Bottlinger's rings.

On the morning of 5 November 2013, a bright subsun was consistently visible during a flight from Bozeman, Montana, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Just after passing over the Wasatch Mountains and beginning to descend into the Salt Lake Valley, the subsun expanded to a rare display of Bottlinger’s rings—an elliptical halo surrounding the subsun. The rings remained visible for 1 to 2 min. This paper shows photographs of the sequence, along with meteorological data from a nearby radiosonde. The display occurred in virga below clouds at an air temperature in the approximate range from −8°C to −12°C, in air saturated with respect to ice, at an altitude of approximately 2600–3600 m above mean sea level.
The development of a novel shade selection program for fixed shade translucent dental materials

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to develop a shade selection program that predicts the shade choice with the smallest CIEDE2000 color difference for dental composite resin restorations when given a backing and target shade. By utilizing previously generated regression models, a database of spectral reflectance information, and principles of Kubelka-Munk layering, a highly accurate shade selection program was designed. Methods Using SAS 9.3 Statistical Analysis Software, a shade selection program was developed that incorporated Kubelka-Munk layering data of Herculite Ultra and Estelite Omega composite resins from a characterized database of absorption and scattering information. Test scenarios represented an inquiry based off of a backing selection shade (Shade B) and a target selection shade (Shade T). For the simulation, the thickness of the layer on the backing was 1.9 mm and the CIE illuminant was D65. The selection program was designed to select the shade that would give the lowest CIEDE2000 color difference when selected for the specific target and backing. When using the 3-D Vita shade guide, analysis between direct reflectance data and RGB data regressed to reflectance data was included in order to verify accuracy of the regression. Results Test scenarios indicated a systematic and accurate shade selection system by suggesting a shade that resulted in a CIEDE2000 color difference of zero when using the same target and backing shades. Most scenarios of backing and target combinations gave at least one option that was beneath the acceptability threshold indicating a clinically acceptable shade match. Many test scenarios indicated options that were beneath the perceptibility threshold indicating a highly accurate process of shade selection. There was generally little variability in the CIEDE2000 color differences when using the reflectance data versus the RGB regression data as input into the shade selection program further verifying the accuracy of a previously generated regression model. Conclusions The shade selection program that was developed is a viable system that could reduce variability in observer selections while increasing patient satisfaction for potential use in clinical situations that require color matching a restoration to a tooth.
THE GRAND DIVERSION: PLAY, WORK AND VIRTUAL WORLDS

Enterprises, including corporations, use virtual worlds for such purposes as marketing, training, and recruitment and, increasingly, meetings. As researchers whose primary focus has been on the nature of “work” and the sites and institutions that mediate contemporary experiences of work, the authors reflect on the implications of play as a constitutive feature of virtual worlds through consideration of institutional uses of virtual worlds. Evidence for the claim that play has emerged as the paradigmatic metaphor for interpreting and designing virtual worlds is presented. A case from the authors’ company’s application of virtual worlds to work and learning environments is unpacked to explore how notions of play and game drove particular ways of proceeding and not others and the implications of this thinking for the resulting solution. Questions are raised concerning what such a rethinking may entail and the opportunities it may hold for opening up new opportunities and understandings of virtual worlds.
Abstract 869: Mesenchymal identity of breast cancer promotes brain metastases and therapeutic resistance through MLK4/NFkB signaling Pathway

Patients with breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) suffer from a devastating outcome despite recent progress in a variety of therapeutic modality. Among the four major molecular subtypes, breast cancers that are either human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2- positive or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients have a higher risk of BCBM compared with the luminal cancer patients. The mechanisms by which the disseminated cancer cells overcome the multistep defense mechanism in the brain, adapt the microenvironment, and subsequently initiate metastasis remain elusive. Recently, we identified a set of genes that contribute to initiate Glioblastoma (GBM) and at least some of them are functionally essential for GBM establishment and the therapy resistance. Mixed lineage kinase 4 (MLK4) is a relatively poorly characterized serine/threonine kinase, which is largely expressed in various cancers including GBM. We recently found a critical role of MLK4 in controlling the mesenchymal identity in GBM stem cells and plays a role in GBM initiation through direct activation of NF-kB signaling. Our preliminary data indicates MLK4 is also highly expressed in patient-derived hormone receptor (HR)-negative breast cancer cells in comparison with the other HR-positive counterparts. For therapeutic development purpose, we performed the structure-based drug design, which has led to identify two small molecule MLK4 inhibitor candidates to test efficacy on a set of patient-derived breast cancer cells in vitro and their xenografted tumors in vivo. Results will be presented in the conference. Citation Format: Heba Allah M. Alsheikh, Mutsuko Minata, Shinobu Yamaguchi, Ichiro Nakano. Mesenchymal identity of breast cancer promotes brain metastases and therapeutic resistance through MLK4/NFkB signaling Pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 869. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-869
Optimal capital structure and bankruptcy choice: Dynamic bargaining versus liquidation

Abstract We model a firm’s optimal capital structure decision in a framework in which it may later choose to enter either Chapter 11 reorganization or Chapter 7 liquidation. Creditors anticipate equityholders’ ex-post reorganization incentives and price them into the ex-ante credit spreads. Using a realistic dynamic bargaining model of reorganization, we show that the off-equilibrium threat of costly renegotiation can lead to lower leverage, even with liquidation in equilibrium. If reorganization is less efficient than liquidation, the added option of reorganization can actually make equityholders worse off ex-ante, even when they liquidate on the equilibrium path.
Ethical perspectives on data and software sharing in the sciences: A research agenda

Abstract Data and software are critical components of scientific work. Increased data and software sharing promises many benefits for science. Many stakeholders are building infrastructure and implementing policies to promote sharing. However, sharing remains rare in practice. Attention must be paid to researchers' ethical perspectives on sharing to fully realize the promise of sharing and promote greater circulation of data and software and better uptake of infrastructure for data and software curation. This research presents an agenda for researching these perspectives, including characterizing and accounting for researchers' perspectives; examining how these perspectives shape decisions related to data and software sharing; and understanding how and why differences in perspectives arise and are contested, negotiated, and resolved in multidisciplinary scientific collaboration. This agenda will enable stakeholders to identify and resolve differences in ethical perspectives, and develop policies, infrastructures, and education that support existing ethical perspectives, and cultivate better ethical practices.
MRSA nares swab is a more accurate predictor of MRSA wound infection compared with clinical risk factors in emergency department patients with skin and soft tissue infections

Objectives Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are prevalent in the emergency department (ED). We determined whether MRSA nasal carriage better identifies patients with MRSA wound infection than clinical risk factors or emergency medicine (EM) provider’s choice of discharge prescriptions. Methods Adult patients presenting to a large academic medical centre ED in the USA with SSTI between May 2010 and November 2011 were screened. Research assistants administered a questionnaire regarding MRSA risk factors, and MRSA nares swab PCR testing, wound culture results and information on antibiotics prescribed at discharge were collected. Measures of classification accuracy for nares swab, individual risk factors and physician’s prescription for MRSA coverage were compared with gold standard wound culture. Results During the study period, 116 patients with SSTI had both wound cultures and nares swabs for MRSA. S. aureus was isolated in 59.5%, most often MRSA (75.4%). Thirty patients (25.9%) had a positive MRSA nares swab and culture for a sensitivity of 57.7% and specificity of 92.2%. Positive predictive value (PPV) for MRSA nares swab was 85.7% and positive likelihood ratio was 7.4, while negative predictive value was 72.8% and negative likelihood ratio 0.5. None of the individual risk factors nor EM provider’s prescription for MRSA coverage had a PPV or positive likelihood ratio higher than nares swabs. Conclusions MRSA nares swab is a more accurate predictor of MRSA wound infection compared with clinical risk factors or EM provider’s choice of antibiotics. MRSA nares swab may be a useful tool in the ED.
Mitigation of NBTI induced performance degradation in on-chip digital LDOs

On-chip digital low-dropout voltage regulators (LDOs) have recently gained impetus and drawn significant attention for integration within both mobile devices and micro-processors. Although the benefits of easy integration and fast response speed surpass analog LDOs and other voltage regulator types, NBTI induced performance degradation is typically overlooked. The conventional bi-directional shift register based controller can even exacerbate the degradation, which has been demonstrated theoretically and through practical applications. In this paper, a novel uni-directional shift register is proposed to evenly distribute the electrical stress and mitigate the NBTI effects under arbitrary load conditions with nearly no extra power and area overhead. The benefits of the proposed design as well as reliability aware design considerations are explored and highlighted through simulation of an IBM POWER8 like processor under several benchmark applications. It is demonstrated that the proposed NBTI-aware design can achieve up to 43.2% performance improvement as compared to a conventional one.
Uncovering Tracks and Envisioning Directions on a Pluralist Research Path

In music education research (as in other types of research), we seem to focus on finished work and, lacking a suitable forum to safely discuss our processes and mistakes, we “cover all the tracks” (Feynman, R. P., Nobel lectures: Physics. World Scientific, River Edge, NJ, 1965, p. 155) that led to the publication. This can result in an assumption that the research tracks of others are more efficient and assured than our own, and we miss a potentially valuable opportunity to learn from the processes – as well as the products – of other researchers. In the spirit of fostering a more pluralist research community, which undoubtedly entails active, honest engagement with one another, I discuss in this narrative my research tracks, processes, and how two elements of my being led me toward pluralist research. I close by looking forward and sharing my goals for becoming more pluralist and impactful in my research activities as well as in my role as a researcher educator.
Towards More Robust Speech Interactions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users

Mobile, wearable, and other ubiquitous computing devices are increasingly creating a context in which conventional keyboard and screen-based inputs are being replaced in favor of more natural speech-based interactions. Digital personal assistants use speech to control a wide range of functionality, from environmental controls to information access. However, many deaf and hard-of-hearing users have speech patterns that vary from those of hearing users due to incomplete acoustic feedback from their own voices. Because automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems are largely trained using speech from hearing individuals, speech-controlled technologies are typically inaccessible to deaf users. Prior work has focused on providing deaf users access to aural output via real-time captioning or signing, but little has been done to improve users' ability to provide input to these systems' speech-based interfaces. Further, the vocalization patterns of deaf speech often make accurate recognition intractable for both automated systems and human listeners, making traditional approaches to mitigate ASR limitations, such as human captionists, less effective. To bridge this accessibility gap, we investigate the limitations of common speech recognition approaches and techniques---both automatic and human-powered---when applied to deaf speech. We then explore the effectiveness of an iterative crowdsourcing workflow, and characterize the potential for groups to collectively exceed the performance of individuals. This paper contributes a better understanding of the challenges of deaf speech recognition and provides insights for future system development in this space.
Family environment moderates the relation of sluggish cognitive tempo to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattention and depression.

Objectives The current study investigated whether a maladaptive family environment would moderate the strength of the relations of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattention (ADHD-IN) and to depressive symptoms in a large sample of college students. Methods Participants (n = 3,172), between the ages of 18-29 (M ± SDage = 19.24 ± 1.52; 69.8% women; 80.4% White) and enrolled in five universities in the United States completed self-report measures of symptomatology, interparental conflict, and family expressiveness of emotions. Results A negative emotional climate strengthened relations of SCT with ADHD-IN and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the lack of a positive emotional climate strengthened the co-occurrence of SCT with depressive symptoms, though not with ADHD-IN. Conclusions The current study is the first to demonstrate that the family environment moderates the association between SCT and co-occurring symptomatology in young adults.
Effect of discrete and continuous parameter variation on difficulty in automatic item generation

Automatic item generation enables a diverse array of questions to be generated through the use of question templates and randomly-selected parameters. Such automatic item generators are most useful if the generated item instances are of either equivalent or predictable difficulty. In this study, we analyzed student performance on over 300 item generators from four university-level STEM classes collected over a period of two years. In most cases, we find that the choice of parameters fails to significantly affect the problem difficulty.
Controller Synthesis and Performance Optimization for Aerobatic Quadrotor Flight

We present a method for synthesizing high-performance controllers for the autonomous execution of aerobatic quadrotor maneuvers that are defined by rapid variations of the flyer’s angular velocity, such as multi-flips or the Pugachev’s cobra . In the proposed approach, we employ Lyapunov theory to find the sets of control parameters that make the unique fixed point of the closed-loop angular-velocity error dynamics exponentially stable during an aerobatic maneuver, provided that the angular-velocity reference satisfies a set of conditions. Then, we show that the resulting closed-loop attitude error dynamics remain bounded. The proposed controller synthesis method allows for the minimization of a parameterized performance figure of merit (PFM), which is employed to measure the angular-velocity control error accumulated during a maneuver. The approach adopted here is to show that a primal optimization problem can be reformulated as a series of quasiconvex sub-problems; then, we introduce a technique to find a solution and prove that this optimum is global. By design, the resulting controllers have a simple linear time-invariant (LTI) structure that depends on a small number of coefficients, which makes the experimental implementation of the control schemes extremely efficient and the associated real-time computational cost very low. The effectiveness of the introduced methods for controller design and performance optimization is compellingly demonstrated through theoretical analysis, simulations, and experiments in which high-speed multi-flip aerobatic maneuvers are executed.
Editorial: Video Games as Demanding Technologies

From the middle-20th century to today, video games have grown from an idiosyncratic interest of computer programmers and engineers to a globally dominant form of media entertainment. Advances in technology and creativity have combined to present players with interactive experience that vary in their cognitive, emotional, physical, and social complexity. That video games constitute co-authored experiences—dialogues between the player and the system—is at least one explanation for their appeal, but this co-authorship brings with it an enhanced set of requirements for the player’s attention. For this thematic issue, researchers were invited to debate and examine the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social demands of video games; their work (as well as the impetus for this work) is summarized below.
Stochastic Oceanographic-Acoustic Prediction and Bayesian Inversion for Wide Area Ocean Floor Mapping

Covering the vast majority of our planet, the ocean is still largely unmapped and unexplored. Various imaging techniques researched and developed over the past decades, ranging from echo-sounders on ships to LIDAR systems in the air, have only systematically mapped a small fraction of the seafloor at medium resolution. This, in turn, has spurred recent ambitious efforts to map the remaining ocean at high resolution. New approaches are needed since existing systems are neither cost nor time effective. One such approach consists of a sparse aperture mapping technique using autonomous surface vehicles to allow for efficient imaging of wide areas of the ocean floor. Central to the operation of this approach is the need for robust, accurate, and efficient inference methods that effectively provide reliable estimates of the seafloor profile from the measured data. In this work, we utilize such a stochastic prediction and Bayesian inversion and demonstrate results on benchmark problems. We first outline efficient schemes for deterministic and stochastic acoustic modeling using the parabolic wave equation and the optimally-reduced Dynamically Orthogonal equations and showcase results on stochastic test cases. We then present our Bayesian inversion schemes and its results for rigorous nonlinear assimilation and joint bathymetry-ocean physics-acoustics inversion.
So You Discovered a Potential Glycan-Based Biomarker; Now What? We Developed a High-Throughput Method for Quantitative Clinical Glycan Biomarker Validation

Glycomic-based approaches to discover potential biomarkers have shown great promise in their ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased individuals; these methods can identify when aberrant glycosylation is significant, but they cannot practically be adapted into widely implemented diagnostic assays because they are too complex, expensive, and low-throughput. We have developed a new strategy that addresses challenges associated with sample preparation, sample throughput, instrumentation needs, and data analysis to transfer the valuable knowledge provided by protein glycosylation into a clinical environment. Notably, the detection limits of the assay are in the single-digit picomole range. Proof of principle is demonstrated by quantifying the changes in the sialic acid content in fetuin. As the sialic acid content in proteins varies in a number of disease states, this example demonstrates the utility of the method for biomarker analysis. Furthermore, the developed method can be adapted to other biologically important saccharides, affording a broad array of quantitative glycomic analyses that are accessible in a high-throughput, plate-reader format. These studies enable glycomic-based biomarker discovery efforts to transition through the difficult landscape of developing a potential biomarker into a clinical assay.
MRI‐targeted prostate biopsy: key considerations for pathologists

We discuss the role of the pathologist for MRI-targeted prostate biopsy with a focus on specimen processing, reporting of pathological findings and quality assurance in establishing a successful MRI-targeted biopsy programme. The authors discuss the current issues relevant to pathologists regarding MRI-targeted prostate biopsy. In addition, a brief review of the recently published literature was performed using an English literature search on PubMed with a focus on original investigations related to MRI-targeted prostate biopsy. Our search terms included the following: 'prostate cancer', 'pathology', 'histology', 'reporting', 'cores', 'imaging', 'MRI' and 'mpMRI'. Prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) and MRI-targeted biopsy has been shown to improve the diagnosis of clinically significant prostatic adenocarcinoma and can affect the management of patients with prostate cancer. The current active surveillance guidelines were based on data from TRUS biopsies and not MRI-targeted biopsies. MRI-targeted biopsy acquires multiple cores of tissue from one or more suspicious lesions found on mp-MRI. The way in which multiple targeted core biopsies obtained from a single image-directed region of interest are analysed and reported can potentially alter the Gleason score and tumour burden as reported on biopsy, which could undoubtedly alter patient management. Pathologists play an important role in the reporting of MRI-targeted prostate biopsies. How we report prostate cancer grade and extent on these biopsies can influence patient management. In addition, the pathologist should be involved in the quality assurance for patients undergoing MRI-targeted prostate biopsy.
Uptake of oophorectomy in women with findings on multigene panel testing: Results from the Prospective Registry of Multiplex Testing (PROMPT).

1508Background: With the expansion of multigene panel testing for cancer susceptibility, increasing numbers of patients are identified with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (P/LP V) in genes w...
Mild Head Injury: Differentiation of Long-Term Differences on Testing

Individuals who experience mild head injury (MHI) sometimes develop postconcussion syndrome (PCS). However, some mildly head injured persons do not report these symptoms and some non-head-injured individuals do. For practical purposes, it would be beneficial to be able to accurately diagnose and differentiate any long term effects of MHI. The Short Category Test–Booklet Format, the Paced Auditory Serial-Addition Task–Revised, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, and the Symbol–Digit Modalities Test were evaluated for their ability to differentiate individuals within either PCS symptom endorsement status or long term MHI status. Results fail to show significant differences between groups in either category with the exception of the SDMT at differentiating PCS status.
Experiential learning in computing accessibility education

Many developers don't understand how to, or recognize the need to develop accessible software. To address this, we have created five educational Accessibility Learning Labs (ALL) using an experiential learning structure. Each of these labs addresses a foundational concept in computing accessibility and both inform participants about foundational concepts in creating accessible software while also demonstrating the necessity of creating accessible software. The hosted labs provide a complete educational experience, containing materials such as lecture slides, activities, and quizzes. We evaluated the labs in ten sections of a CS2 course at our university, with 276 students participating. Our primary findings include: I) The labs are an effective way to inform participants about foundational topics in creating accessible software II) The labs demonstrate the potential benefits of our proposed experiential learning format in motivating participants about the importance of creating accessible software III) The labs demonstrate that empathy material increases learning retention. Created labs and project materials are publicly available on the project website: http://all.rit.edu
A Space-Time Permutation Scan Statistic for Evaluating County-Level Tickborne Disease Clusters in Indiana, 2009-2016

The purpose of this study was to identify age group, gender, rural-urban differences, and spatiotemporal clusters of tickborne disease diagnoses in Indiana. We analyzed retrospective surveillance data for Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus/rickettsial diseases, and tularemia diagnosed in Indiana from 2009 to 2016. We used chi-square cross tabulation to test gender, age group, and county classification (rural, rural-mixed, urban) differences in tickborne disease. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test with a post hoc Conover test to identify differences in summated tickborne disease by county classification. Finally, we used retrospective space-time permutation models in SaTScan to test the hypothesis of complete spatiotemporal randomness of tickborne disease. We found more Lyme disease diagnoses among Indiana residents 44 years of age or younger compared with those over 44 years. Conversely, more ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia were reported in Indiana residents aged over 44 years of age. An analysis of summated tickborne disease by county showed significantly higher diagnosis reported in urban counties, compared with rural and rural-mixed counties. Finally, 2 significant clusters of summated tickborne disease were observed in south-central Indiana in 2014 and in western Indiana from 2010 to 2011. The detection of tickborne disease clusters, coupled with the finding that significant differences exist in the diagnosis of tickborne diseases between urban, rural, and rural-mixed counties in Indiana, suggests a need for continued surveillance of the counties observed within these clusters.
Digital preservation services at digital scholarship centers

Abstract As academic library support services for digital scholarship activities continue to expand and evolve, large volumes of digital outputs have been created by, and in collaboration with, library and information professionals who are affiliated with digital scholarship centers. Drawing on a literature review and a 2018 pilot study of digital preservation services in digital scholarship centers, we propose future directions for investigation of preservation services for digital scholarship and projects.
MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and high-resolution melting PCR for the identification of Mycoplasma bovis isolates.

Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen of cattle worldwide. Many different clinical manifestations of infection can occur, including respiratory disease, arthritis, and mastitis, causing heavy losses to beef and dairy industries. Because Mycoplasma species are slow-growing and fastidious, traditional identification methods are not cost- or time-effective, and improved methods are sought to streamline laboratory processes. High-resolution melting PCR (HRM-PCR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) are 2 relatively recent tools that are rapid and inexpensive to use; we tested 9 isolates of M. bovis using both assays. The HRM-PCR assay used universal mycoplasma primers for the 16S–23S intergenic spacer region (IGSR). The resulting melting profiles of the field isolates were indistinguishable from the reference strain, indicating accurate identification. For the MALDI-TOF MS, each M. bovis isolate was accurately identified. Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma alkalescens isolates did not identify as M. bovis when tested by either assay. Our work shows that either assay could be used to identify unknown M. bovis isolates. For future work, the MALDI-TOF MS library should be expanded to include more mycoplasmas, and the HRM-PCR assay should be tested on additional mycoplasmas to ensure that the melting profiles are sufficiently distinctive.
Mutual Information and Categorical Perception.

Categorical perception refers to the enhancement of perceptual sensitivity near category boundaries, generally along dimensions that are informative about category membership. However, it remains u...
Analysis of the Torsional Response of the SL-7 Hull Structure by Use of the Finite-Beam Technique and Comparison with Other Techniques

A technique for analyzing a nonprismatic beam girder by subdividing it into a number of prismatic finite-beam elements, abbreviated herein as the FB-technique, is used for torsional analysis of the SL-7 containerships hull structure. Comparison with earlier model tests and finite-element (FE) calculations is done and in general a close agreement with the results obtained earlier is found.
Shakespeare Performance Studies

Taking a 'performance studies' perspective on Shakespearean theatre, W. B. Worthen argues that the theatrical event represents less an inquiry into the presumed meanings of the text than an effort to frame performance as a vehicle of cultural critique. Using contemporary performances as test cases, Worthen explores the interfaces between the origins of Shakespeare's writing as literature and as theatre, the modes of engagement with Shakespeare's plays for readers and spectators, and the function of changing performance technologies on our knowledge of Shakespeare. This book not only provides the material for performance analysis, but places important contemporary Shakespeare productions in dialogue with three influential areas of critical discourse: texts and authorship, the function of character in cognitive theatre studies, and the representation of theatre and performing in the digital humanities. This book will be vital reading for scholars and advanced students of Shakespeare and of performance studies.
IONIZATION-DISSOCIATION OF SOME CYCLOALKANES UNDER ELECTRON IMPACT

Summary Ionization-dissociation reactions of cycloalkanes under electron impact have been deduced from mass spectra of variously labelled cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, methylcyclopentane and ethylcyclopentane. Label retentions in fragment ions from cyclohexane-d fit the statistical distribution expected from a highly symmetrical molecule. Those from substituted rings reflect the asymmetry of the molecules. CH3+ ions are not derived solely from original CH3 groups, which, however, do contribute more heavily than do other parts of the molecule. Loss of C2H4 occurs chiefly from the ring in methylcyclohexane and methylcyclopentane, and solely in ethylcyclopentane. Loss of the side-chain plus a hydrogen atom to give a cycloalkene ion almost certainly occurs in the three substituted compounds. CH3 lost from methylcyclohexane is the original side-chain. CH3 and C2H5 lost from methyl- and ethyl-cyclopentanes are derived only in part from the original side-chains; each compound dissociates to C5H9+ and the corresponding free radical by two competing paths that contribute largely as determined by ring strain and the dissociation energy of the bond to the side-chain.
An empirical study of applying ensembles of heterogeneous classifiers on imperfect data

Two factors that slow down the deployment of classification or supervised learning in real-world situations. One is the reality that data are not perfect in practice, while the other is the fact that every technique has its own limits. Although there have been techniques developed to resolve issues about imperfectness of real-world data, there is no single one that outperforms all others and each such technique focuses on some types of imperfectness. Furthermore, quite a few works apply ensembles of heterogeneous classifiers to such situations. In this paper, we report a work on progress that studies the impact of heterogeneity on ensemble, especially focusing on the following aspects: diversity and classification quality for imbalanced data. Our goal is to evaluate how introducing heterogeneity into ensemble influences its behavior and performance.
Unregulated Emissions from Three-Way Catalyst Cars

In response to more stringent emission requirements, catalysts for reducing nitrogen oxide to molecular nitrogen were developed. One of the most promising of these, the three-way catalyst, has been the subject of the EPA study to determine if it produces new tailpipe contaminants. This study and its results are described. /GMRL/
Nanda Home: Preparing for Life after Clocky (TN)

Gauri Nanda, the inventor of Clocky, the alarm clock that rolls off the bed stand and forces its owner to find it, has to make critical decisions regarding the future of her nascent company. As sales of Clocky show signs of declining, she must decide whether to continue her focus on the alarm clock category or to branch out into new categories. If the former, the question is which segments to pursue and what features to develop, and, if the latter, the question is whether the concept of "humanizing technology" is something consumers would value in other domains. In addition, Nanda must decide how to continue marketing Clocky and its successors, given the potential for cannibalization. Clocky's success was largely attributable to the media's intense interest and coverage, and it is not clear such attention would carry over to other new product endeavors. Students are presented with a number of new product concepts and the findings from both qualitative and quantitative market research. This allows for a rich discussion of how managers can think creatively about consumer experiences to inform their innovation strategies.Learning Objective: Consider consumer input and market factors to determine optimal next generation innovation strategies.
Effects of swimming on lung inflammation in ovalbumin-sensitized and challenged mice

Background : Epidemiologic studies have suggested that aerobic exercise decreases asthma prevalence and severity, improving aerobic capacity. However, the effects of high intensity exercise during sensitization on lung inflammation in asthma are still unclear. Objective : To evaluate the effects of high intensity exercise during sensitization process on lung inflammation in an experimental model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. Methods : Male Swiss mice were divided into 4 groups: mice non-sensitized, non-exposed to ovalbumin (OVA) or submitted to exercise (Control, n=12); animals submitted to swimming (30 min/day for 21 days) (Exercise, n=7); animals OVA-sensitized (OVA 10 µg) and exposed to aerosolized OVA 1%, (30 min, each 48 hours during four days) (OVA, n= 9) and animals sensitized, submitted to swimming and exposed to OVA (OVA+Ex, n=11). 48 hours after last exposure to OVA/saline, anesthetized mice were euthanized and we performed measures of total inflammatory cells from bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-1ra and immunoglobulin IgE by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results : Swimming sessions decreased total number of cells from BALF, as well as IgE, IL-4 and IL-5 levels in OVA sensitized and challenged mice (p Conclusion : In this experimental model exercise decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines, but also decreased regulatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines, maybe suggesting that during high intensity exercise, anti-inflammatory effects are not mediated by regulatory cytokines in sensitization process in allergic pulmonary inflammation.
Distinct domain responses of R-state human hemoglobins A, C, and S to anions.

Abstract ABSTRACT Anionic regulation of hemoglobin (Hb) is of increasing interest for the design of Hb-based oxygen carriers. Even “external” amino-acid substitutions can alter the nature and extent of anionic control. This was shown by evaluation of the anion sensitivities of liganded, R-state, forms of HbA, HbC (β6 Glu → Lys) and HbS (β6 Glu → Val). The β6 mutants differ in the anion-sensitivity of their central cavities, α1β2 interfaces, and heme and β93 Cys environments. The mutant Hbs also exhibit increased anion-dependent oxidation and surface denaturation. Moreover, differential chloride effects on oxygen binding by Hbs C, S compared to HbA occur after R-state stabilization by fluoresceination of β93 Cys. It is concluded that the “external” substitutions in the mutant Hbs have structural consequences that are propagated to varying extents to other domains as a result of anion binding, and that these anion-dependent changes may underlie mechanisms leading to the observed increase in oxidation propensity and surface denaturation.
Continuous adult development of multiple innervation in toadfish sonic muscle

The sonic muscle of the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau produces unfused contractions at over 200 Hz for mating call production, requiring extreme muscle fiber synchronization. This multiply innervated muscle is sexually dimorphic and grows for life by fiber proliferation and hypertrophy. Previous descriptions of its multiple innervation did not consider fish size or sex. We examined neuromuscular junction (NMJ) development in adult fish of both sexes between 123 and 343 mm in total length (24.7790 g in mass). The NMJ was a tubelike trough that varied in length from 8 to 178 microm. Troughs were usually straight, although some consisted of consecutive ovals and some were branched. Median length of NMJs increased linearly with fish length (r2=.40; p=.002) from 58 to 75 microm. Modal lengths were mostly between 50 and 60 microm and did not increase ontogenetically, indicating that the median increase was caused by a greater number of large junctions in older fish. Median interval between NMJs (measured from the beginning of one junction to the next) ranged from 92 to 116 microm and did not vary with fish size (r2=.06; p=.285). Considering muscle fiber elongation, the data indicate an increase from 60 to 140 NMJs per fiber during fish growth. There were no sexual differences in NMJ length or spacing. In view of the slow conduction velocity of sonic muscle fibers, the addition of new NMJs and the relatively constant distance between them supports rapid and synchronized contraction necessary for sound production in both sexes.
Polymerization of reactive fluoroaliphatic diamines with sebacoyl chloride to give fluorinated aliphatic polyamides (Nylons)

Abstract Both aminoacylated fluoroaliphatic diamines (‘reactive’ diamines) [H2N(CH2)3- C(O)NHCH2CH2(CF2)nCH2CH2NHC(O)(CH2)3NH2; n=4,8] and their tetrahydrobromide salts have been polymerized interfacially with sebacoyl chloride to give fluoroaliphatic polyamides. The polymers have been characterized by solution viscometry, DSC, TGA, water contact angle measurements, equilibrium water absorption and solubility, and compared to Nylon 6,10. The effects of using free diamine versus diamine salt as the monomer and of amount of fluorine in the monomer on polymer molecular weight are discussed. Also, the synthesis of the tetrahydrobromide salts is included since previous preliminary reports had identified the products as dihydrobromide salts.