cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mean-variance analysis of block-iterative reconstruction algorithms modeling 3D detector response in SPECT

We study the statistical convergence properties of two fast iterative reconstruction algorithms, the rescaled block-iterative (RBI) and ordered subset (OS) EM algorithms, in the context of cardiac SPECT with 3D detector response modeling. The Monte Carlo method was used to generate nearly noise-free projection data modeling the effects of attenuation, detector response, and scatter from the MCAT phantom. One thousand noise realizations were generated with an average count level approximating a typical T1-201 cardiac study. Each noise realization was reconstructed using the RBI and OS algorithms for cases with and without detector response modeling. For each iteration up to twenty, we generated mean and variance images, as well as covariance images for six specific locations. Both OS and RBI converged in the mean to results that were close to the noise-free ML-EM result using the same projection model. When detector response was not modeled in the reconstruction, RBI exhibited considerably lower noise variance than OS for the same resolution. When 3D detector response was modeled, the RBI-EM provided a small improvement in the tradeoff between noise level and resolution recovery, primarily in the axial direction, while OS required about half the number of iterations of RBI to reach the same resolution. We conclude that OS is faster than RBI, but may be sensitive to errors in the projection model. Both OS-EM and RBI-EM are effective alternatives to the EVIL-EM algorithm, but noise level and speed of convergence depend on the projection model used.
Analysis of adaptive bandwidth allocation in wireless networks with multilevel degradable quality of service

A wireless/mobile network supporting multilevel quality of service (QoS) is considered. In such a network, users or applications can tolerate a certain degree of QoS degradation. Bandwidth allocation to users can, therefore, be adjusted dynamically according to the underlying network condition so as to increase bandwidth utilization and service provider's revenue. However, arbitrary QoS degradation may be unsatisfactory or unacceptable to the users, hence resulting in their subsequent defection. Instead of only focusing on bandwidth utilization or blocking/dropping probability, two new user-perceived QoS metrics, degradation ratio and upgrade/degrade frequency, are proposed. A Markov model is then provided to derive these QoS metrics. Using this model, we evaluate the effects of adaptive bandwidth allocation on user-perceived QoS and show the existence of trade offs between system performance and user-perceived QoS. We also show how to exploit adaptive bandwidth allocation to increase system utilization (for the system administrator) with controlled QoS degradation (for the users). By considering various mobility patterns, the simulation results are shown to match our analytical results, demonstrating the applicability of our analytical model to more general cases.
Acute intravascular hemolysis secondaryto out-of-group platelet transfusion.

BACKGROUND: Acute intravascular hemolysis is rarely associated with platelet transfusion. Out-of-group single-donor platelets may cause hemolysis if the donor has high-titer ABO hemagglutinins. CASE REPORT: A 44-year-old woman, blood group A, was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was receiving chemotherapy. After the transfusion of apheresis platelets from a group O donor, back pain, hemoglobinuria, and hemoglobinemia developed, and her Hb dropped by 2.3 g per dL, despite the transfusion of 2 units of RBCs. RESULTS: Investigation revealed acute intravascular hemolysis with a positive DAT due to anti-A1 on her RBCs. The donor's titer of anti-A1 was greater than 16,000. CONCLUSION: Review of published cases raises the possibility that hemolytic reactions to out-of-group platelets may be more frequent since the use of apheresis platelets has increased.
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by severe episodes of optic nerve and spinal cord inflammation. NMO-IgG (anti-aquaporin-4) has been recently described as a sensitive and specific marker for NMO. As there have been prior published reports of an association between NMO and systemic autoimmune diseases, the prognostic value of the antibody test in these cases is uncertain. We describe a 47-year old woman with recurrent transverse myelitis and a long-standing history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS). While she did not have a history of optic neuritis, serological testing for the NMO-IgG was positive when she was admitted for her second episode of transverse myelitis. Testing for the NMO-IgG in cases of isolated or recurrent transverse myelitis attributed to current SLE and APLS may help clarify the diagnosis of a distinct disease process likely to cause recurrent and severe disability, warranting more aggressive immunotherapy.
Experimental Characterization of Constitutive Models for PEEK Thermoplastic Composite at Heating Stage during Forming

The deformation behavior of APC-2 PEEK matrix thermoplastic composite at elevated temperatures was characterized in order to increase the understanding of the mechanics in solid-phase forming of advanced thermoplastic composite structures. Off-axis tension tests were performed to determine the inelastic and rate-dependent material properties. An anisotropic elastic/viscoplastic constitutive model was proposed to describe the inelastic and rate-dependent material responses. The constitutive model was evaluated using off-axis and laminate specimens subjected to uniaxial tension.
A Multi-class Linear Learning Algorithm Related to Winnow

In this paper, we present Committee, a new multi-class learning algorithm related to the Winnow family of algorithms. Committee is an algorithm for combining the predictions of a set of sub-experts in the online mistake-bounded model of learning. A sub-expert is a special type of attribute that predicts with a distribution over a finite number of classes. Committee learns a linear function of sub-experts and uses this function to make class predictions. We provide bounds for Committee that show it performs well when the target can be represented by a few relevant sub-experts. We also show how Committee can be used to solve more traditional problems composed of attributes. This leads to a natural extension that learns on multi-class problems that contain both traditional attributes and sub-experts.
12.4: Recent Development of Transparent Electrowetting Display

Transparent display is currently an emerging topic in the display technologies for mobile device, monitor, shopping window and vehicle application. Electrowetting display (EWD) is one of the potential technologies because of its higher transmittance, colorful choosing, and faster response time. Recent development of transparent electrowetting display in ITRI had been discussed in this paper. Slot die coating and assembly processes were evaluated for mass production. Pigment based colored oil and sealant were developed to improve the reliability of panel. Finally, by process modification and defect inspection, the highly stable 6-inch transparent electrowetting display with 35% transmittance could be realized.
Oral glutamine to prevent chemotherapy induced stomatitis: A pilot study

Mucositis is a common toxicity of cancer chemotherapy. Glutamine appears to be the major energy source for intestinal epithelium, and animal studies have suggested that dietary supplementation with glutamine may protect the gut from both radiation and chemotherapy. Patients experiencing stomatitis after a course of chemotherapy were offered the opportunity to enter the current study if no clinical parameters precluded receiving the same chemotherapy doses during the next course of treatment. Patients received the same chemotherapy regimen as during the previous treatment but in addition received a suspension of L-glutamine, 4 gm swish and swallow twice a day, from day 1 of chemotherapy for 28 days or for 4 days past the resolution of any post-chemotherapy mucositis. Twelve patients receiving doxorubicin, 1 receiving etoposide, and 1 receiving ifosfamide, etoposide, and carboplatinum were entered into the study. The maximum grade (CALGB criteria) of mucositis decreased in 12 of 14 patients with glutamine supplementation (median score 2A vs 0.5, p or = 0.001). Thirteen of the 14 patients felt that the mucositis was less severe with the addition of glutamine. No change in the nadir neutrophil count was noted with glutamine, and no toxicity of glutamine was observed. We conclude that oral supplementation with glutamine can significantly decrease the severity of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis, an important cause of morbidity in the treatment of patients with cancer. Glutamine supplementation in patients receiving therapy for cancer warrants further study.
Specificity of muscle action after anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Neuromuscular control is believed to be a critical factor in dynamic knee stability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate voluntary muscle control in anterior cruciate ligament deficient (ACL-D) and uninjured people. Twenty athletes of similar age participated in this study. Subjects performed a target-matching protocol that required them to produce isometric moments about the knee with fine control in flexion, extension, varus, and valgus (i.e., loads were generated in the plane perpendicular to the long axis of the shank). Electromyographic data were collected from 10 muscles that span the knee. A specificity index was calculated for each muscle to describe how fine-tuned (specific) its muscle activity pattern was with respect to its principal direction of action in the load plane. Diminished specificity of muscle action was observed in 8 of 10 muscles in the ACL-D subjects' involved knees when compared with the activity patterns from their uninvolved knees and those from the uninjured subjects' knees. The vastus lateralis muscle was especially affected. Increased and more global co-contraction was also observed in the ACL-D limbs. The alterations in muscle firing patterns observed in this study are consistent with diminished neuromuscular control.
“The Earth Becomes Flat”—A Study of Apocalyptic Imagery

The thirty–fourth chapter of the Greater Bundahisn, which is the fullest eschatological account within this important Middle Persian text, ends on an extremely peculiar note. Its final verse states:This also is said [in the Avesta]: “The earth becomes flat, without a crown and without a seat. There are no mountain peaks nor hollows, nor are ‘up’ and ‘down’ preserved.”
Risk Management through Client Access to Case Records

agency accountability have grown dra matically as charitable immunity has largely disappeared as a shield against harm caused by agency oversight or actions (Gelman, 1987,1988; Monagle, 1985; Zelman, 1977). Agency records and the entries prepared by individual workers have become the object of le gal, legislative, and public scrutiny. Records provide documentation of du ties, obligations, and acts of omission or commission (Besharov, 1985; Brieland & Lemmon, 1985; Rinas & Clyne-Jack son, 1988; Saltzman & Proch, 1990). Records or the lack thereof can be used
Human Vaccination with Escherichia coli J5 Mutant Induces Cross-Reactive Bactericidal Antibody against Neisseria gonorrhoeae Lipooligosaccharide

The lipopolysaccharides of enteric gram-negative bacteria and the lipooligosaccharides (LOS) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae may share antigenic determinants that are targets of bactericidal antibody. Natural (disseminated) infection with a serum-resistant gonococcal strain and immunization with Escherichia coli J5 stimulated bactericidal IgG anti-LOS antibodies that recognize different serum-resistant gonococcal LOS epitopes. In bactericidal assays, convalescent serum from disseminated infection killed only the homologous strain while post-J5 vaccination serum killed 6 of 9 additional strains. Both convalescent and post-J5 vaccination sera mediated marker (51Cr) release from liposomes sensitized with serum-resistant gonococcal LOS (homologous strain), linking acquired killing activity to cross-reacting anti-LOS antibody. Post-J5 IgG mediated 51Cr release more effectively than did convalescent IgG. Thus, bactericidal antibody elicited by J5 vaccination is more efficacious and broadly cross-reactive against serum-resistant gonococci than is antibody elicited by natural infection. Moreover, multiple LOS epitopes may serve as bactericidal targets on serum-resistant gonococci.
A Hole in the Chest of a Term Newborn

A term male infant has a hole in his chest. ### Prenatal and Birth History ### Physical Examination
Toward a design handbook for integrating software components

In component-based software development the identification and proper management of interconnections among the pieces of a system becomes a central concern. Nevertheless, today's programming languages and tools still place an emphasis on representing components, leaving the description and management of component interdependencies implicit, or distributed among the components. The paper proposes a new perspective for designing software which elevates the representation and management of software component interdependencies to a distinct design problem, orthogonal to that of representing and implementing the core functional pieces of an application. The perspective is based on a taxonomy of common software interconnection dependencies and sets of alternative protocols for managing them. The taxonomy can form the basis of design handbooks for guiding the systematic solution of component integration problems. SYNTHESIS, a prototype software application development tool based on that perspective, has been developed and successfully used to minimize the manual effort required to integrate independently developed components into new applications.
Polyvinylidene Fluoride based polymeric dielectrics for high energy density capacitor application

The high breakdown strength and dipole density in polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF) suggest potential high energy density achieved in this class of materials, which is highly desirable and even required in many modern compact and high performance electronics and electric systems. However, due to the large remnant polarization, PVDF only exhibits an energy density of ~2–4J/cm3. In this paper, the different approaches to improve and enhance the energy density in this class of materials will be present.
Applications of hashing in algebraic manipulation (an annotated bibliography)

There are several ways of applying hashing techniques in symbolic manipulation systems. Hashing can be used to reduce the time and space requirements of programs, as well as provide powerful techniques of pattern matching. Descriptions and references are given for innovative applications of hashing.
Turner syndrome: new insights into an old disorder

There have been marked advances in the understanding and treatment of Turner syndrome since its initial description in 1938. Greater knowledge of the heterogeneity of phenotypes, early treatment interventions with growth hormone and hormonal replacement, the risks of reproduction, spontaneous and assisted, and the long-term health of women with Turner syndrome has been achieved in the interim. But many perplexing ethical and clinical issues persist.
Genetic characterization of Russian honey bee stock selected for improved resistance to Varroa destructor.

Maintenance of genetic diversity among breeding lines is important in selective breeding and stock management. The Russian Honey Bee Breeding Program has strived to maintain high levels of heterozygosity among its breeding lines since its inception in 1997. After numerous rounds of selection for resistance to tracheal and varroa mites and improved honey production, 18 lines were selected as the core of the program. These lines were grouped into three breeding blocks that were crossbred to improve overall heterozygosity levels of the population. Microsatellite DNA data demonstrated that the program has been successful. Heterozygosity and allelic richness values are high and there are no indications of inbreeding among the three blocks. There were significant levels of genetic structure measured among the three blocks. Block C was genetically distinct from both blocks A and B (FST = 0.0238), whereas blocks A and B did not differ from each other (FST = 0.0074). The same pattern was seen for genic (based on numbers of alleles) differentiation. Genetic distance, as measured by chord distance, indicates that all of the 18 lines are equally distant, with minimal clustering. The data indicate that the overall design of the breeding program has been successful in maintaining high levels of diversity and avoiding problems associated with inbreeding.
Electrochemical Behavior of Titanium

It seems likely that the recent proliferation of scientific literature dealing with one aspect or another of the electrochemistry of titanium can be attributed not only to the often cited increasing technological importance of the metal and its alloys, but also to the fact that increasing numbers of electrochemists are discovering that titanium can serve as a “model” metal for the study of a very wide range of electrochemical phenomena.
Dynamic Viral Glycoprotein Machines: Approaches for Probing Transient States That Drive Membrane Fusion

The fusion glycoproteins that decorate the surface of enveloped viruses undergo dramatic conformational changes in the course of engaging with target cells through receptor interactions and during cell entry. These refolding events ultimately drive the fusion of viral and cellular membranes leading to delivery of the genetic cargo. While well-established methods for structure determination such as X-ray crystallography have provided detailed structures of fusion proteins in the pre- and post-fusion fusion states, to understand mechanistically how these fusion glycoproteins perform their structural calisthenics and drive membrane fusion requires new analytical approaches that enable dynamic intermediate states to be probed. Methods including structural mass spectrometry, small-angle X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy have begun to provide new insight into pathways of conformational change and fusion protein function. In combination, the approaches provide a significantly richer portrait of viral fusion glycoprotein structural variation and fusion activation as well as inhibition by neutralizing agents. Here recent studies that highlight the utility of these complementary approaches will be reviewed with a focus on the well-characterized influenza virus hemagglutinin fusion glycoprotein system.
HIGH TENACITY AND HIGH MODULUS FIBERS FROM WHOLLY AROMATIC POLYIMIDES

Poly (amic-acids) were synthesized from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and aromatic diamines, of which the resultant C-N bonds are coaxial and oppositely directed (rigid diamines), using Nmethylpyrrolidone as polymerization solvent. Random copolymers composed of rigid diamine, PMDA and 3, 3′, 4, 4′-diphenylethertetracarboxylic dianhydride (DTDA) were also synthesized. These poly (amic-acids) were partially imidized by adding an appropriate amount of acetic anhydride (15_??_30 mole% based on amic-acid unit) into their solutions and then wet-spun, since it was found that partially imidized polymer solutions gave more transparent and void-free coagulated fibers than poly (amic-acid) solutions as polymerized. These fibers were then chemically converted to polyimides by immersing them in an acetic anhydride-pyridine mixture and heat-drawn.Relatively lower crystalline polyimides such as polypyromellitimides of aromatic diamines bearing chlorine substituent on the nuclei or random copolyimides had better drawability and gave fibers having higher tensile strength than higher crystalline polymers. For example, poly [2, 2′-dichloro-4, 4′-biphenylene/p-phenylene (70/30) pyromellitimide] gave a fiber having tenacity (T) 16.3g/d, elongation (E) 2.0% and initial modulus (Mi) 960g/d. Another random copolymer composed of benzidine/PMDA/DTDA (100/40/60) yielded a fiber with the following tensile properties: T 19.7g/d, E 1.7% and Mi 1310g/d.
Liberal Education in a Scientific Age

(1958). Liberal Education in a Scientific Age. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 14, No. 9, pp. 346-353.
Chlorite-oxidized amylose as an adjuvant for interferon production.

Chlorite-oxidized amylose (COAM), when given intraperitoneally to mice and to cats, increased the titer of serum interferon subsequently induced by polyinosinic·polycytidylic acid (In·Cn). Increases ranged from 6- to 100-fold. Maximal effect was observed when COAM was given 3 h prior to In·Cn. COAM given intravenously prior to Newcastle disease virus also significantly increased serum interferon titers.
Relationship between axial length and age at cataract surgery

Objective To analyze the relationship between the axial length and age at cataract surgery.Methods A retrospective review of 304 consecutive patients older than 50 years was performed.The patient's age at first-eye surgery,axial length were recorded.Linear regression analysis was performed.Results There was no evidence of an association between a decrease in age at surgery and an increase in axial length(P=0.632).The patients who was younger than 60 years old had statistically longer axial lengths than that of older patients.A scatterplot showed no linear dependence with axial length against age at time of surgery.Conclusion An increase in the axial length can take cataract surgery in advance.Some factors unrelat to medicine may play some roles in making decisions for the cataract surgery in China.
The State and Agriculture in West Africa

Rice shortages are a frequent problem in West Africa. During one of my visits to Sierra Leone, newspaper headlines screamed the panic and anger felt by local residents: ‘Rice … Rice … Rice … Everywhere, Yet Not a Single Grain to See to Buy. There Will NEVER be an End to our Rice “WAHALA” in This Country!’1 In Sierra Leone and the rest of rice-dependent West Africa, rice supplies are a highly political issue, and thus rice projects like China’s have both economic and political importance.
Thermal autonomous housing for the developing world: A case study in Bhuj

The World Health Organization cites inadequate housing as a leading cause of poor health [1]. Among the top housing concerns is insufficient protection from extreme heat. Developing nations face particular risk in hotarid climates as many citizens, constrained by limited access to resources, build informal settlements that are ill-equipped to shield them from harsh environments. In May 2015, an estimated 2,500 Indian citizens lost their lives as a result of a deadly heatwave [2]. With global climate change and rapid urbanization, the need to build economically viable housing that provides shelter from extreme heatwaves arises. Prior work provides a wealth of knowledge on passive cooling techniques. However, these techniques have rarely been applied in the context of the developing world due to material constraints and poor design integration. The following report presents the findings from a collaboration between MIT and Hunnarshala, a NGO located in Gujarat, India. The paper investigates the design and implementation of passive cooling techniques in a case study city, Bhuj, India. Through data analysis and the evaluations of appropriate affordable designs, a new multilayered roof design emerged. Field experiments have shown, with proper construction, indoor temperatures can approach ASHRAE thermal comfort standards for most of the operating hours.
Maximization of the Utility Function, Time-Dependent Energy Allocation, and Fuzzy-Logic Resource-Allocation Models

Today’s and tomorrow’s smart-grid systems are made more efficient, cleaner, and reliable with “smart” control mechanisms and decision models that deliver information to consumers so that they can better manage energy resources. The rapidly changing needs and opportunities of today’s electric-grid market require unprecedented levels of inter-operability in order to integrate diverse information systems to share knowledge and to collaborate among the grid’s sub-devices or sub-systems. This chapter focuses on the optimal mathematical models for resource allocation. A series of mathematical models is presented for solving large-scale energy-allocation problems with partially observable states, utility functions and constrained action is introduced. The techniques use a linear-programming (LP) approach to determine resource allocations among a set of fuzzy rules that allocate Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) or power sources/sinks and uses to determine improved resource management.
Can Water Be Allocated by Competitive Prices

AN water be allocated by competitive prices?" If the answer to this question were simply yes, the American people would have established a well-defined market for water long ago. The fact that such a market does not exist suggests that determining the price of water competitively presents economic and/or institutional problems that have not yet been resolved. In this paper an effort is made (1) to establish a conceptual framework for evaluating the economic status of water, (2) to describe an economic environment that would facilitate the competitive pricing of facilities that make water useful, and (3) to suggest the extent to which it may be possible to use competitive prices to allocate the cost of water-producing facilities.
The International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) North Eastern North American (NENA) Fifth Annual Regional Conference report

The Fifth Annual Regional North Eastern North American (NENA) Conference was held on March 31–2 April 2017 at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. The NENA Federation is comprised of Internationa...
CRISPR-based gene drive in agriculture will face technical and governance challenges.

Courtier‐Orgogozo et al [1] recently called for public debate about the use of CRISPR‐based gene drive (GD) in agricultural pest management. We agree that this use of GD deserves specific attention, given that it would pose unique challenges to economic, social, ecological, and regulatory systems. However, many details in the report are oversimplified or imprecise; GD will likely face greater technical and governance challenges than suggested by the authors. The authors conflate CRISPR‐based gene editing with CRISPR‐based gene drive, which is more intricate and tightly constrained by organismal and molecular factors including sequence length, the number of necessary components, and insect ecology. The authors suggest that GD will circumvent the need for domestication and organismal knowledge that apply to other forms of genetic engineering, but the organisms in which GD has been successfully demonstrated—yeast, mosquitoes, and …
Credit Risk Assessment and Monitoring of TIF Bonds

Local governments have multiple options to secure financing for infrastructure projects, including using tax-increment financing (TIF) bonds. Although the TIF concept brings numerous benefits, it is also associated with several key challenges, including characterizing the uncertainty in tax increment revenue as the most prominent challenge. This article presents a framework that aims to help all market stakeholders better understand the credit risk associated with TIF bonds. The framework focuses on reconstituting the asset credit risk profile and detecting early warning signals of changing conditions. The key benefit of the proposed framework is its capacity to use publically available time series data. The case study illustrating the framework is based on the “Uptown Development Authority” bond, structured to support redevelopment projects in Houston, Texas.
Boethius and No End in Sight: The Impact of De consolatione philosophiae on Early Modern German Literature from the Fifteenth through the Seventeenth Century: Andreas Gryphius and Johann Scheffler (Angelus Silesius)

Previous scholarship has not considered the continued interest in the philosophical teachings by Boethius (d. 525) by early modern thinkers and poets. This article traces the continued flood of translations and editions of Boethius’s De consolatione philosophiae in Germany far into the seventeenth century and then unearths links between his philosophy and the sonnets by Andreas Gryphius and the epigrams by Johann Scheffler (Angelus Silesius). At first sight, we might not even recognize Boethian ideas in their poems, but the close analysis of images and concepts formulated in these German Baroque texts demonstrate strong similarities. Considering that Boethius was one of the important school authors even in the seventeenth century, it does not surprise us to discover direct echoes of his ideas in these literary reflections.
K + -Meson Branching-Ratio Measurement

A measurement of the rates ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$, ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}\ensuremath{\nu}$, and ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}+\ensuremath{\nu}$ with respect to ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\mu}+\ensuremath{\nu}$ has been made by using a magnetic spectrometer and spark chambers. Both the range and momentum of the charged decay product are measured and compared with a Monte Carlo calculation. The decay in flight of the ${K}^{+}$ mesons and the scattering of pions into the apparatus are rejected by a decay-time requirement. The results of the branching-ratio measurement are $\ensuremath{\Gamma}({K}_{\ensuremath{\mu}2})=(65.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9)%$, $\ensuremath{\Gamma}({K}_{\ensuremath{\pi}2})=(19.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.1)%$, $\ensuremath{\Gamma}({K}_{\ensuremath{\mu}3})=(3.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6)%$, and $\ensuremath{\Gamma}({K}_{e3})=(4.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4)%$, on the assumptions $\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\tau})=(5.57\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03)%$ and $\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\ensuremath{'}})=(1.71\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.07)%$.
Implications and Prognosis of Resistance to Insecticides

Insect resistance to insecticides has been a scientifically described phenomenon for 65 years, since Melander (1914) first described the failure of lime sulfur sprays to control the San Jose scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus, on apple trees in the Clarkson Valley, Washington. Two generations of entomologists have watched the number of authentic cases of insect pest resistance grow at an exponential rate. Since 1948, the number of cases has doubled about every six years and has now passed 400 (see Georghiou, this volume). This strongly suggests that in another 10 years the number of examples may exceed 1,500 species. Since the number of important insect pests is generally estimated at about 600 in the United States and is perhaps about 1% of all described species of insects, it seems likely that by the turn of the century, man will have succeeded in producing some degree of insecticide resistance in nearly all pest insects. This is a monumental achievement and yet its accomplishment, toward which we are well on our way, is passing with relatively little notice by learned societies or governmental agencies, and with almost no notice by society in general.
A parallel asynchronous distributed production system

To speed up production systems, many researchers have turned to parallel implementations. We describe a system called PARS that executes production rules in parallel. PARS is novel because it (1) executes many rules simultaneously, (2) runs in a highly asynchronous fashion, and (3) runs on a distributed memory machine. Item (1) improves available concurrency over systems that only perform the MATCH step in parallel. Item (2) reduces bottlenecks over synchronous parallel production systems. Item (3) makes the techniques more available given the lower cost of distributed versus shared memory machines. The two main problems regarding correctness, namely serialization and the maintenance of consistent distributed databases, are addressed and solved. Estimates of the effectiveness of this approach are also given.
Organizational Factors in Reliability Models

Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) points to technical malfunctions and human errors that can lead to system failure. Integration of an analysis of a process for the lifetime of the system and of the organization that manufactures or operates it allows identification of the management roots of some of these failures. Information, incentives, procedures, and resource constraints are key elements of decisions made at each stage. In this paper, it is proposed to assess the probability that errors occur during the lifetime of the different components, the probability of error detection given the procedures of quality control, and the effects of uncorrected errors on the reliability of elements and of the system altogether. Three particular circumstances that affect reliability are discussed here: communication and degradation of incomplete information as it travels through an organization, conflicts of objectives (and corner cutting) on the critical path, and difficulties of learning in highvisibility organizations. An example drawn from work done for NASA is used as an illustration.
Posttraumatic headache in pediatrics: an update and review

Purpose of review Headache following concussion and mild traumatic brain injury is very common in pediatrics. There is significant concern about appropriate management of acute and persistent headache following mild head injuries in children among affected youth, their families and care providers. Recent findings The current article will review definitions and diagnoses of posttraumatic headache (PTHA), recent research regarding risk factors for persistence of postconcussion symptoms and headaches, current recommendations for the evaluation of youth with PTHA, recent data regarding efficacy of treatment options for PTHA, and current recommendations for the treatment of acute and persistent PTHA. Summary PTHA is common following concussion in pediatrics. Some of the most consistent risk factors for persistent symptoms following concussion include female sex, adolescent age, prior concussion with prolonged recovery, prior headache history and high number of acute symptoms, particularly migrainous symptoms, following concussion. There are few prospective studies of the treatment of PTHA in pediatrics; however, a recent study found that short-term use of ibuprofen for those with acute PTHA following concussion may be associated with lower risk of symptoms and better function 1 week after injury. Currently complete rest or cocooning following concussion is not recommended as it may actually be associated with longer recovery time; a gradual return to cognitive and physical activity appears to be most effective strategy but more study is needed.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)

Crowe provides an analysis centered on the idea of a Gestalt shift of the twelve Holmes stories anthologized in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Included are some of the very best Holmes stories such as “A Scandal in Bohemia,” “The Red-Headed League,” “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” and “The Man with the Twisted Lip.” Also included is an important statement by Professor Martin Willis.
Blindness and Visual Impairment in the Medicare Population: Disparities and Association with Hip Fracture and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes

Purpose: Vision loss has been associated with negative health outcomes, but population-level data on vision loss are lacking, and there are limited data on low vision-associated outcomes among women, minorities, and older age groups. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of vision loss in a nationally representative sample of older US adults and examine its association with hip fracture, depression, anxiety, and dementia. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of Medicare claims data from 2014. Blindness and low vision, hip fracture, depression, anxiety, and dementia were identified using Chronic Condition Warehouse indicator variables based on ICD-9 and CPT codes. Multivariable logistic regression models were built to examine whether sociodemographic factors were associated with vision loss and to determine the relationships between vision loss and hip fracture and neuropsychiatric outcomes. Results: The prevalence of low vision in the Medicare population was 994/100,000 and increased significantly with age, Black (1,854/100,000) or Hispanic (2,862/100,000) race/ethnicity, female gender (1,181/100,000), and Medicaid eligibility (2,975/100,000). After adjusting for relevant comorbidities, low vision was significantly associated with hip fracture (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.54, 95% CI: 2.52-2.57), depression (AOR 3.99, 95% CI: 3.97-4.01), anxiety (AOR 2.93, 95% CI: 2.91-2.95), and dementia (AOR 3.91, 95% CI: 3.88-3.93). Conclusion: Blindness and low vision are common in older Americans, especially among racial and ethnic minorities and lower income individuals, and associated with hip fracture, depression, anxiety, and dementia. The prevention and treatment of vision loss may reduce health disparities and negative health outcomes in the aging population.
Is the Best Interest of the Child Best for Children? Educational Attainment and Child Custody Assignment

Between the 1970s and 1990s, state custody laws moved from maternal preference to the “best interests of the child” doctrine, which gives fathers and mothers equal treatment in child custody assignment. We exploit exogenous variation across states in the timing of this custody law change to estimate the long‐term implications of exposure to a gender‐neutral custody law regime. We find that childhood exposure to gender neutral custody laws has a negative effect on educational attainment. A child exposed to gender neutral custody law is less likely to graduate from high school by 1.5 to 2.0 percentage points.
Biosensors Show the Pharmacokinetics of S-Ketamine in the Endoplasmic Reticulum.

The target for the "rapid" ( 100-fold selectivity over other ligands tested, including R-ketamine. We targeted each of the sensors to either the plasma membrane (PM) or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Measurements on these biosensors expressed in Neuro2a cells and in human dopaminergic neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show that S-ketamine enters the ER within a few seconds after appearing in the external solution near the PM, then leaves as rapidly after S-ketamine is removed from the extracellular solution. In cells, S-slopes for the ER and PM-targeted sensors differ by <2-fold, indicating that the ER [S-ketamine] is less than 2-fold different from the extracellular [S-ketamine]. Organelles represent potential compartments for the engagement of S-ketamine with its antidepressant target, and potential S-ketamine targets include organellar ion channels, receptors, and transporters.
Connecting Performance and Performing Connection: How the Performing Arts Can Usefully Engage an International and Interdisciplinary Cohort in Pedagogy and Research

This article draws upon my experiences from the last several years (2014–2017) of leading collaborative performing arts projects with students and faculty from US liberal arts colleges and Asian partner institutions. Herein, I describe how the performing arts, like other forms of embodied learning, can usefully function to convene students and faculty who operate in different disciplines and languages. The performing arts could be more central to and useful in education about and engagement with environmental issues by enlisting embodied learning, memory skills, transdisciplinarity, social networks, emotion, and liminal spaces of imaginative vision. The performing arts offer powerful tools for constructing international and interdisciplinary collaborations and exchanges. Applied voice study in the liberal arts context also offers help in lowering language barriers in intercultural exchanges. Included are brief descriptions of performing arts projects which helped cement collaborative relationships in past projects. An epilogue follows, describing how development of a performance can also be a form of cultural research in and of itself, using Augusto Boal’s (1985) model of ‘participatory action research.’
The Role of Technical Progress in Economic Models of Environmental Policy

Pollution taxes, especially broad-based ones such as carbon taxes, are said to impose a cost on the economy by reducing economic activity and growth. There are several mechanisms by which this is supposed to happen. This paper explores one line of argument: the contention that carbon taxes (which would increase energy prices) slow down technical progress and therefore lead to a reduction in GDP growth. This argument partially rests on the results of some econometric analyses which depend on a particular mathematical specification of technical progress. These same results are then used in a model to simulate the effect of environmental taxes on the economy. This paper argues that such a specification is not a good depiction of reality and that it is counterproductive for environmental policy making: First, it leads us to believe that environmental policy may be more costly than it actually would be. Second, this treatment of technical change is passive, implying that we cannot influence its nature and direction. More generally, this example is meant to provide a warning against a too easy reliance on economic models in environmental decision making.
Improvement Project Introducing the Hospital Environment to New Patients in Pediatric Wards

Background & problems The pediatric ward in our hospital has an average occupancy rate of ten patients per day. An investigation found that nurses had a low (51.9%) rate of completing the required introduction to the hospital environment for pediatric ward patients. The main reasons for this low rate were found to be: 1) the large number of items to be introduced, 2) interruptions of staffs during the introduction process, 3) the lack of sufficient introduction tools, and 4) patient family members and new caregivers not being given the introduction. Purpose To increase the rate of completeness of nursing staffs introducing the hospital environment from 51.9% to over 91.0%. Resolution The project team proposed the following solutions. First, make a video introducing the general hospital environment and make it accessible via QR (quick response) code; second, provide multiple introduction video tools; third, make the environment more friendly using ward-mascot-themed decor; fourth, install fixtures in the rooms that complement the ward-mascot theme; fifth, revise the contents of the environment introduction; and sixth, make an environment introduction checklist. Results The completeness rate of environment introduction increased from 51.9% to 97.6%. Conclusions The pediatric ward not only increased the environment introduction completion rate but also created a more friendly environment. Using the video and QR code and providing multiple video players and a checklist has efficiently increased the environment introduction completion rate and, in creating a more friendly environment, has successfully maintained nursing quality.
Respiratory muscle training in late-onset Pompe disease: Results of a sham-controlled clinical trial

Abstract To address progressive respiratory muscle weakness in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), we developed a 12-week respiratory muscle training (RMT) program. In this exploratory, double-blind, randomized control trial, 22 adults with LOPD were randomized to RMT or sham-RMT. The primary outcome was maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP). Secondary and exploratory outcomes included maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), peak cough flow, diaphragm ultrasound, polysomnography, patient-reported outcomes, and measures of gross motor function. MIP increased 7.6 cmH2O (15.9) in the treatment group and 2.7 cmH2O (7.6) in the control group (P = 0.4670). MEP increased 14.0 cmH2O (25.9) in the treatment group and 0.0 cmH2O (12.0) in the control group (P = 0.1854). The only statistically significant differences in secondary/exploratory outcomes were improvements in time to climb 4 steps (P = 0.0346) and daytime sleepiness (P = 0.0160). The magnitude of changes in MIP and MEP in the treatment group were consistent with our pilot findings but did not achieve statistical significance in comparison to controls. Explanations for this include inadequate power and baseline differences in subject characteristics between groups. Additionally, control group subjects appeared to exhibit an active response to sham-RMT and therefore sham-RMT may not be an optimal control condition for RMT in LOPD.
Improving Cognitive Workload in Radiation Therapists: A Pilot EEG Neurofeedback Study.

Radiation therapy therapists (RTTs) face challenging daily tasks that leave them prone to high attrition and burnout and subsequent deficits in performance. Here, we employed an accelerated alpha-theta neurofeedback (NF) protocol that is implementable in a busy medical workplace to test if 12 RTTs could learn the protocol and exhibit behavior and brain performance-related benefits. Following the 3-week protocol, participants showed a decrease in subjective cognitive workload and a decrease in response time during a performance task, as well as a decrease in desynchrony of the alpha electroencephalogram (EEG) band. Additionally, novel microstate analysis for neurofeedback showed a significant decrease in global field power (GFP) following neurofeedback. These results suggest that the RTTs successfully learned the protocol and improved in perceived cognitive workload following 3 weeks of neurofeedback. In sum, this study presents promising behavioral improvements as well as brain performance-related evidence of neurophysiological changes following neurofeedback, supporting the feasibility of implementing neurofeedback in a busy workplace and encouraging the further study of neurofeedback as a tool to mitigate burnout.
Solving the Korteweg-de Vries equation with Hermite-based finite differences

Abstract The Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation is extensively studied in the field of nonlinear waves, with one key tool for this being fast and accurate numerical algorithms. Finite difference (FD) and pseudo-spectral (PS) methods are commonly used. We discuss here the pros and cons in this application area for a new class of Hermite-based finite difference (HFD) methods. Their most notable characteristic is to remain more ‘local’ than FD approximations for increasing orders of accuracy, translating into smaller error constants.
Research in inverse problems and training in computational science: A reflection on the importance of community

As we strive to create a more diverse and inclusive scientific community, it is worth reflecting on the importance of mentors, collaborators, role models, and friends. This is my story. From collaborators who have guided me to new and exciting research directions to mentors who have provided much-needed support and perspective, it is my ‘`village’' (i.e., the close members of my scientific community) that has been critical in shaping my professional journey. This article is a retrospective of the people and experiences that have had significant impacts on my research portfolio, on my teaching and mentoring of students, and on my involvement in the scientific community. It begins in 2006 when, as a second-year PhD student in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Emory University, I was awarded the Department of Energy (DOE) Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF).