cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Accessibility of Community Pharmacy Services

Objective: To use selected literature to describe strengths and opportunities for improvement related to accessibility of health services in the community pharmacy setting. Summary: Pharmacists have been described as one of the most accessible health care professionals, particularly as nearly 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. However, geography alone does not provide access to health services. Individuals must be able to gain entry into the health care system, access a health care location where needed services are provided, and find a health care provider with whom the patient can communicate and trust. Current and potential opportunities for community pharmacists to increase access via each step are described. Conclusion: Community pharmacists are highly accessible health care professionals who are trusted by patients. Opportunities exist to further increase access to dispensing and non-dispensing services in order to better meet the needs of the public. Type: Commentary
Pleasant Valley Elementary School: Celebrating Success One Student at a Time

After being one of the lowest-performing schools in the entire school district, can a school look to its leader to institute change? Paula Frazier, principal of Pleasant Valley Elementary School, shares her experience as a school turnaround specialist through this descriptive case. Fraziers action plan is laid out for students to analyze, suggest alternatives to, and incorporate into their own experiences. The presentation of her leadership style offers an opportunity to discuss leader attributes.
Behavioral Ratings of Executive Functioning Explain Instrumental Activities of Daily Living beyond Test Scores in Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: Executive dysfunction is common in Parkinson’s disease (PD), yet the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) is inconsistent. This inconsistency may be due to the limited relationship between EF test scores and behaviors. Rating scales provide a potential way to supplement test scores in predicting patient’s ability to complete IADLs by capturing a wide range of EF behaviors in their everyday environment. We hypothesized that informant-rated EF would provide incremental validity in predicting IADLs above and beyond EF test scores. Methods: Eighty-five patients were selected from a clinical neuropsychological database of PD patients evaluated for deep brain stimulation surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between September 2006 and January 2015. Hierarchical regression was completed to determine the relationship between an EF behavioral rating scale (i.e., FrSBe), EF test scores, and IADLs. Results: The EF behavioral rating scale added...
Theoretical Issues in Cognitive Workload and Fatigue

This chapter presents the elementary concepts of stress and then focuses to the more specific issues of cognitive workload and fatigue and their role in the nonlinear dynamical systems theory that is the central concern for this book. The roles of working memory and individual differences in cognitive processes are outlined. The chapter culminates in a pair of cusp catastrophe models for cognitive workload and fatigue. The models feature prominent constructs of elasticity versus rigidity in the context of workload and compensatory abilities in the context of fatigue. Previous research on the pair of models is summarized, and the models are adapted with new provisions for basic optimizing and risk taking decisions that are part of many economically relevant decisions.
Design, operation, and investigation of an inductively-driven pulsed plasma thruster

An inductively-driven Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) has been designed, built, and its performance evaluated. Two configurations were built, the first using two spark plugs to actuate plasma flow in PPT1 and for the crowbarring of the inductive store; for the second configuration only one spark plug was used and the crow-barring of the inductive store was actuated by the plasma flow from PPT1. For the second configuration, voltage and current waveforms, mass loss, and impulse-bit data were obtained for energy levels ranging from 20 J to 60 J. Tests were performed for two values of inductive store inductances and for interelectrode gaps of 1.91 cm and 2.54 cm. Experimental current and voltage waveforms show substantial reductions in current and voltage reversals for crowbarred operation. Specific Impulse and thrust efficiency values of 1800 sec and 5%; respectively, are obtained.
Codling Moth: Response to Synthetic Sex Pheromone of Two Laboratory Strains Released in Apples and Pears

Two strains of codling moth, Laspeyresia pomonella (L.), that had been colonized for 23 and 35 generations, respectively, were irradiated and released into similar trapping plots in apple and pear orchards. Sixteen releases were made. Recaptures of the 23-generation strain with synthetic sex pheromone baited Sectar-I® traps were significantly greater than recaptures of the 35-generation strain, but there were significant differences in response due to host.
New Species and Varieties of Clitocybe from Michigan

For the past five years I have been engaged in an intensive study of the Michigan species of Clitocybe. This project was undertaken to provide a basis for a revision of the North American taxa. Since the early accounts by Kauffman (1918, 1927), over a thousand collections of Clitocybe have been made within the state, chiefly by A. H. Smith, and, more recently, by myself. The examination of this material has revealed several species and varieties which are undescribed. The color names within parentheses in the following descriptions are from Ridgway (1912).
Statistical Tools for Populating/Predicting Input Data of Risk Analysis Models

By quantifying economic risk due to damage to building stock, regional loss models for natural hazards are critical in the creation of regional policies, including evacuation strategies and zoning. The increasingly complex interaction between natural hazards and human activities requires more and more accurate data to describe the regional exposure to potential loss from physical damage to buildings and infrastructure. While databases contain information on the distribution and features of the building stock, infrastructure, transportation, etc., it is not unusual that portions of the information are missing from the available databases. Missing or low quality data compromise the validity of regional loss projections. Consequently, this paper uses Bayesian Belief Networks and Classification and Regression Trees to populate the missing information inside a database based on the structure of the available data. A case study is presented to evaluate results.
A Self-Balancing Nanovolt Potentiometric System for Thermometry and Calorimetry.

The principle of a self-balancing potentiometric system is described. The principle is applied to the modification of an existing manually operated thermo-free, low voltage potentiometer consisting of Diesselhorst ring elements. The modification involves the addition of reed relays which enable the potentiometer voltage to be set by digital signals. By incorporating a digital voltmeter, or an analog-to-digital converter, and a nanovolt amplifier with the modified potentiometer, self-balancing of the potentiometer may be achieved through either hardware logic implementation or direct digital control from a minicomputer. The resolution of this self-balancing potentiometric system for a full scale input of 100 mV is about one to 10 parts in 108. With real-time digital processing of the data, resolution of about 1 nV or better has been achieved for slowly changing input signals. The overall accuracy of the system is better than 10 ppm for voltage measurements and about 1 ppm for voltage ratio or resistance measurements.
On some roots of creativity.

Studies of alexithymic, post-traumatic patients exposes the importance of affect development and transitional object history to the development of creativity. Transitional objects start out as concrete mother-substitutes, by which the mother's soothing function can be carried out by the infant. The transitional objects progress to increasing degrees of symbolization and abstraction: the very process of creativity. The harmonious affect differentiation, verbalization, and desomatization makes available the very signals and “switches” by which all human information processing operates.
Multicolor single-molecule imaging by spectral point-spread-function engineering (Conference Presentation)

We extend the information content of the microscope’s point-spread-function (PSF) by adding a new degree of freedom: spectral information. We demonstrate controllable encoding of a microscopic emitter’s spectral information (color) and 3D position in the shape of the microscope’s PSF. The design scheme works by exploiting the chromatic dispersion of an optical element placed in the optical path. By using numerical optimization we design a single physical pattern that yields different desired phase delay patterns for different wavelengths. To demonstrate the method’s applicability experimentally, we apply it to super-resolution imaging and to multiple particle tracking. © (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Delivery of Antitumor Drug to Bladder Cancer by Use of Phase Transition Liposomes and Hyperthermia

Abstract It has been proposed that liposomes (phospholipid bilayer vesicles) could be used to entrap enzymes or drugs and then be administered intravenously to patients as a natural molecule to be metabolized. After liposome degradation, the entrapped molecules would be released at higher concentrations in target tissues. In 1979, it was shown that liposomes containing a chemotherapeutic agent could preferentially release the agent at the transition temperature of the lipids. In an effort to deliver high dose methotrexate (MTX) to animal transitional cell carcinomas (TCC), we used liposomes with phase transition temperature a few degrees above 37C. Experimentally induced bladder TCC tumors (induced with N-(4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2 thiazolyl) formamide) were transplanted into hind legs of C3H/Bi mice. These animals received tritiated MTX encapsulated in phase transition liposomes. Tumors were heated to 42 ± 0.5C (by ultrasound) before receiving the liposomes containing tritiated molecules of MTX. After an appropriate time sequence the tumors were removed and MTX uptake of each tumor was noted and compared to the controls having unheated tumors. Heated TCC tumors accumulated 11.9-fold more MTX than nonheated tumors receiving the same dose. Animals receiving free MTX did not exhibit a temperature dependent difference. This indicates that the phase transition temperature of specifically engineered liposomes may be used to increase delivery of high dose methotrexate to transitional cell carcinomas.
Novel combinatorial identities analogous to those of Vandermonde, part I

The Vandermonde convolution identity states that valid for all complex x and y , and all integers n > 0. In this paper we investigate relations of the form and other related expansions.
Bayesian posterior misclassification error risk distributions for ensemble classifiers

Abstract Computing risk-based misclassification error density distribution for ensembles is an important yet difficult task. Bayesian methods provide one way to estimate these density distributions. In this paper, Bayesian modeling approach is used to compute posterior misclassification error density distributions for both binary and non-binary classifiers. Real-world datasets and holdout samples are used to illustrate computation of posterior misclassification error distributions. These posterior error distributions are very useful to compare ensembles, and provide risk-based misclassification cost estimates.
Reacting to Inflammatory Signals

Specialized cellular niches in the bone marrow (BM) modulate critical functions of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, such as self-renewal, cell-fate decisions and the balance between proliferation and differentiation. Constituents of the BM niche, such as osteoblasts, endothelial cells and macrophages, respond to inflammation with secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and serve as effectors of the inflammatory circuitry; thus their excessive activation can potentially impact on the regulation of hematopoietic cells, and on the initiation and progression of myeloid malignancies. Our current understanding of the mechanisms for Bcr/Ab-negative myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) involves recognition of driver mutations (targeting i.e. Tet2, Jak2, Mpl, or Asxl) and of an inflammatory microenvironment. However, despite accumulating evidences on the role of inflammation and of the microenvironment in the maintenance and progression of myeloid malignancies, it is still unclear how the inflamed BM niche contributes to disease establishment and progression. Similarly, the causes leading to an inflammatory microenvironment in MPN are not fully understood. We use genetically-controlled animal model of BM inflammation to study the contribution of the inflammatory microenvironment to MPN. We found that loss of Notch signaling in the BM microenvironment results in an inflammatory state of the BM niche promoting myeloproliferation and marrow fibrosis. Using this model, we discovered that loss of Notch/RBPJ signaling leads to transcriptional upregulation of the pro-inflammatory microRNA miR-155, especially in BM endothelial and mesenchymal cells, resulting in miR-155-dependent inhibition of the NF-κB inhibitor κB-Ras1. Decreased levels of kB-Ras1 resulted in the heightened and persistent activation of NF-κB and in the increased production of NF-kB dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to uncontrolled myeloproliferation. Deletion of miR-155 in the stroma of RBPJ-/- mice prevented the development of the myeloproliferative disease, and patients affected by MPN exhibit elevated expression of miR155 in their BM. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Notch/miR155/NF-kB axis regulates the level of the inflammatory tonus in the BM niche, and that persistent deregulation of this pathway may contribute to the establishment and progression of MPN. In this presentation, we will discuss our findings and ongoing studies in the context of other recent insights on the crosstalk between tumor cells and the BM niche, and their implications for disease initiation, progression and therapeutic approaches. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A single-chip ISFET based pH sensor

In this paper, a differential p-channel ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) based pH sensor is presented. The sensor has been implemented in a 180nm 1-poly 6-metal standard CMOS process. The sensor uses a larger sensing gate area for improved sensitivity. Simulation results show that the designed single-chip ISFET based pH sensor provides an ISFET sensitivity of 50 mV/pH over a 1–14 pH range with 31.3 μW of power.
8 – Response Coordination and Incident Command Systems

So far in this book, we have been examining different areas of law one by one, as well as various structures and functions of government at the federal and state levels. This chapter will start the process of putting it all together, by looking at how the pieces should synchronize in real time when emergency and disaster responses are underway. Specifically, we will explore the legal rules and operational structures that govern how multiple agencies and levels of government work together in disaster relief and learn how the federal government’s system for organizing assistance has evolved into an all-hazards approach.
Mitochondria, Bioenergetics and Apoptosis in Cancer

Until recently, the dual roles of mitochondria in ATP production (bioenergetics) and apoptosis (cell life/death decision) were thought to be separate. New evidence points to a more intimate link between these two functions, mediated by the remodeling of the mitochondrial ultrastructure during apoptosis. While most of the key molecular players that regulate this process have been identified (primarily membrane proteins), the exact mechanisms by which they function are not yet understood. Because resistance to apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer, and because ultimately all chemotherapies are believed to result directly or indirectly in induction of apoptosis, a better understanding of the biophysical processes involved may lead to new avenues for therapy.
Monitoring Antimicrobial Mechanisms of Surface-Immobilized Peptides in Situ

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in free solution can kill bacteria by disrupting bacterial cell membranes. Their modes of action have been extensively studied, and various models ranging from pore formation to carpet-like mechanisms were proposed. Surface-immobilized AMPs have been used as coatings to kill bacteria and as sensors to capture bacteria, but the interaction mechanisms of surface-immobilized AMPs and bacteria are not fully understood. In this research, an analytical platform, sum frequency generation (SFG) microscope, which is composed of an SFG vibrational spectrometer and a fluorescence microscope, was used to probe molecular interactions between surface-immobilized AMPs and bacteria in situ in real time at the solid/liquid interface. SFG probed the molecular structure of surface-immobilized AMPs while interacting with bacteria, and fluorescence images of dead bacteria were monitored as a function of time during the peptide–bacteria interaction. It was believed that upon bacteria contact, the ...
Multi-level Adaptive Active Learning for Scene Classification

Semantic scene classification is a challenging problem in computer vision. In this paper, we present a novel multi-level active learning approach to reduce the human annotation effort for training robust scene classification models. Different from most existing active learning methods that can only query labels for selected instances at the target categorization level, i.e., the scene class level, our approach establishes a semantic framework that predicts scene labels based on a latent object-based semantic representation of images, and is capable to query labels at two different levels, the target scene class level (abstractive high level) and the latent object class level (semantic middle level). Specifically, we develop an adaptive active learning strategy to perform multi-level label query, which maintains the default label query at the target scene class level, but switches to the latent object class level whenever an “unexpected” target class label is returned by the labeler. We conduct experiments on two standard scene classification datasets to investigate the efficacy of the proposed approach. Our empirical results show the proposed adaptive multi-level active learning approach can outperform both baseline active learning methods and a state-of-the-art multi-level active learning method.
Cultural consensus theory: aggregating signed graphs under a balance constraint

Cultural Consensus Theory (CCT) consists of cognitive models for aggregating the responses of experts to test questions about some domain of their shared cultural knowledge. This paper proposes a new CCT model for a situation where experts judge the ties in a complete signed graph. New to CCT is that the model imposes a side constraint on the aggregation process that requires that the consensus signed graph satisfy the social network property of structural balance. Balanced signed graphs require that the nodes can be partitioned into two sets with positive ties between nodes in the same set and negative ties between nodes in different sets. While the balance constraint is imposed on the consensus aggregation, it is not assumed that each expert's responses satisfy balance because they may be error-prone or biased. The model is presented in terms of signal detection assumptions that allow heterogeneity in expert ability and item difficulty. Bayesian inference of the model is developed using a specially designed Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler. It is shown that the sampler can recover parameters from simulated data, and then the model is applied to interpret experimental data. Of particular interest is that the model aggregation reveals a single consensus balanced signed graph with a high posteriori probability despite the fact that none of the experts' responses satisfy the balance constraint.
Preparation for Surgery and Medical Procedures

There are large numbers of children for whom the hospital experience results in transient or moderately severe behavioral distrubances (Cassell, 1965). The stress of hospitalization includes fears related to separation from the parents, the distress of unfamiliar surroundings, anxiety about painful procedures, and the discomfort of the recovery from surgery or illness. Behavioral disturbances occurring in as many as 92% of hospitalized children include regressive behaviors such as increased dependency, loss of toilet training, excessive fears, and sleep and eating disturbances (Chapman, Loeb, & Gibbons, 1956; Gellert, 1958; Goffman, Buckman, & Schade, 1957). Since there is such a wide range of reported disturbances, there is a need to identify the population at risk for emotional stress related to hospitalization. Some researchers report that only about 10% to 35% of the problems precipitated by the hospital experience lead to serious long-term disturbances (Prugh, Staub, Sands, Kirschbaum, & Lenihan, 1953).
What is Operations Management? A Perspective from the Past a Projection for the Future

In 1966, Elwood Buffa defined the boundaries of operations management in his book of selected papers, Readings in Production Operations Management. (John Wiley, 1966). He reached broadly into the the literature to develop this collection, which stimulated his peers to examine the field with a new perspective. In its subsequent use as a foundation text in operations management doctoral programs it influenced the thinking of many of today’s leading scholars.
Tool temperature distribution in modulation-assisted machining

Abstract Machining is a process that involves extreme physical and chemical interactions between cutting tools and work materials. The extreme interactions lead to high tool wear and intensive energy expenditure; and, to mitigate these undesirable effects, a need for the utilization of polluting lubricants/coolants. The high tool wear and energy expenditure, and the use of polluting fluids translate into “high” operational costs and environmental impacts. Thus, it would be desirable to formulate machining methods that significantly reduce the extreme physical and chemical interactions, without having to employ cutting fluids. Research potentially leading to the development of a highly cost/environmentally friendly machining method is the topic of this study. The method to be employed will apply a controlled modulation to produce a disruption of the chip-tool contact. In this paper, the efficacy of the method is evaluated by the temperature at the chip-tool interface, without application of cutting fluids. The paper shows a first attempt to measure the chip-tool interface temperature in modulation-assisted machining.
Phonetic documentation in the literature: Coverage rates for topics and languages

With the introduction of automatic methods for examining both the acoustic and articulatory aspects of speech, our knowledge of the phonetic details of well-studied languages has grown substantially. Research on the phonetics of under-documented languages has expanded, but the breadth of coverage remains a challenge. What topics within the sound systems of these languages should be documented? With an ultimate aim of a reasonably complete typological assessment, should researchers focus on particular language families or phenomena and exclude others? Here, a survey of several hundred articles was undertaken, examining three major venues in the phonetics literature: Journal of Phonetics, Journal of the International Phonetic Association, and publications from the UCLA Languages of the World project (which appeared in various venues). 20 features were found to be addressed in many studies, and a rough guide to the coverage for a language can be seen in the total number of features reported in a study. Coverage has increased over time, but most studies still address a small percentage of the phonetic substance of the target language. Coverage across language family and region also increased but is still skewed toward Indo-European languages. Future directions and recommendations will be presented.
CHAPTER 14 – Density Dependence in Reef Fish Populations

This chapter suggests two major patterns related to the density dependence in coral reef fish population. Demographic density dependence is generally defined as an effect of the present and/or past population sizes on the per-capita population growth rate. Coral reef fishes support major fisheries and are the object of conservation efforts in their own right. They are ideal subjects for both observational and experimental population studies. The total local recruitment rate varies in a broad variety of patterns as a function of local population size. Although recruitment is not a consistent source of demographic density dependence in every study, conversion from total to per-capita recruitment results in apparent or pseudo-density dependence, which can provide a nonmechanistic kind of local population equilibrium unrelated to the regulation of the entire metapopulation. The data on 20 species from six families shows that postsettlement mortality is often density-dependent, especially shortly after settlement, which is caused largely by predation. Overall, 17 of 20 species experienced density-dependent per-capita mortality at some time and place. In most studies that reported density-independent mortality, the study of older juvenile fishes suggested that regulation via mortality is an early postsettlement phenomenon. The prevalence of density-dependent mortality has two effects. First, local populations may be an important source of regulation for the entire metapopulation, suggesting the importance of conserving the mechanisms causing local density dependence. Second, the more restrictive version of the recruitment limitation hypothesis that predicts that postsettlement mortality may be density-independent has been falsified in most cases.
Computational methods for diesel combustion system development

Simulation methods have become an indispensable tool in the engine development process, thanks to the substantial increases in computational power and the continuous improvements to physical models of recent years. Development costs and turnaround times can be significantly reduced by using a combination of computational and experimental methods.
CT-Visualized Colonic Mural Stratification Independently Predicts the Need for Medical or Surgical Rescue Therapy in Hospitalized Ulcerative Colitis Patients.

Severe ulcerative colitis is associated with significant morbidity. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans are frequently obtained upon hospital admission, but the ability of radiographic findings to predict steroid failure is unknown. To identify MDCT features predictive of inpatient rescue in hospitalized UC. Patients hospitalized with UC who underwent a CT scan within 48 h of hospitalization were retrospectively identified. Radiologists blinded to the outcome prospectively evaluated CT scans for the presence of bowel wall thickening, stranding, and hyperenhancement as well as mural stratification, mesenteric hyperemia, and proximal dilation. Logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was used to test the independent association between radiographic findings and need for rescue therapy. The study cohort included 74 patients. The mean age of the group was 45 years, and two-thirds (66%) were male. Twenty-eight (38%) patients required either inpatient medical rescue or colectomy. The mean number of positive radiographic findings was 4.4 (range 2–6) with a higher median number of findings in those who required rescue therapy (5 vs. 4, p = 0.03). Mural stratification was significantly more common among those who required rescue therapy (92% vs. 49%, p = 0.001). No other radiographic findings were independently associated with inpatient rescue. On multivariable analysis, mural stratification (OR 14.9, 95% CI 2.76–80.2) and number of positive findings (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.06–4.16) remained independently predictive of the need for rescue therapy. Mural stratification was highly predictive of steroid refractoriness and need for medical or surgical rescue therapy in hospitalized UC.
The Capital Goods Sector in LDCs: Economic and Technical Development

Publisher Summary Three arguments may be put forth for fostering the production of capital goods in less developed countries (LDCs): the comparative advantage accruing from low labor costs; the generation of capacity to produce machines having appropriate designs; and the prospect of externalities. This chapter discusses the first two arguments for fostering the production of capital goods in LDCs. The externalities to other sectors are not considered because of the paucity of evidence. By their nature, these externalities require evidence of the benefits the engineering sector confers on those other sectors, including the diffusion of skills by movements of workers among industries and the design of special devices that can improve the local performance of imported equipment. Historical evidence indicates that these benefits have been substantial in the industrial countries, whereas nations with a small, backward engineering sector have suffered.
3D printed optics with a soft and stretchable optical material

Abstract Waveguides are important optical elements for sensing, illumination, artistic displays, integrated optical circuits, as well as teaching aids for demonstrating important optical phenomena. However, despite the high demand, most optical materials are difficult to fabricate into desired shapes using state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. This paper presents a novel method for 3D printing customizable optics with a soft and stretchable (over 100 % elastic strains) thermoplastic polymer. To showcase the versatility of this approach, several applications were demonstrated, including unique artistic illumination, caustic patterns, beam splitter and combiner on both planar and 3D conformal surfaces, and optical encoder. The printed waveguides exhibit an outstanding optical transparency of more than 98 % and an optical loss of less than 0.22 dBcm−1. The simplicity of the fabrication process, low-cost, excellent optical properties, and flexibility provide an attractive pathway for fabricating integrated optical devices and new opportunities for controlling light.
Single Image 3D Vehicle Pose Estimation for Augmented Reality

The intent of this paper is to introduce a novel method for 3D vehicle pose estimation, a critical component of augmented reality. The proposed method is able to recover the location of a specific object from a single image by combining pretrained reliable semantic segmentation and improved single image depth estimation. Our method exploits a novel pose estimation technique by generating new 2D images created from the projections of rotated point clouds. The rotation of the specific object is able to be predicted. Augmented objects can be shifted, rotated and scaled correctly based on the recovered orientation and localization. Through accurate vehicle pose estimation, virtual vehicles are able to be augmented accurately in place of real vehicles. The effectiveness of our method is verified by comparison with other recent pose estimation methods on the challenging KITTI 3D benchmark. Further experiments on the Cityscapes dataset also demonstrates good robustness in the method. Without requiring ground truth 3D vehicle pose labels for training, our model is able to produce competitive and robust performance in 3D vehicle pose estimation.
A Single Timescale Stochastic Approximation Method for Nested Stochastic Optimization

We study constrained nested stochastic optimization problems in which the objective function is a composition of two smooth functions whose exact values and derivatives are not available. We propos...
Tobacco Use Is Associated with Readmission within 90 Days after Craniotomy

Abstract Objective Tobacco use increases morbidity and mortality following craniotomy. Readmission is an important hospital metric of patient outcomes and has been used to inform reimbursement. This study aims to determine if tobacco use is associated with readmission within 90 days of hospital discharge among patients undergoing elective craniotomy. Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD), a population-based, nationally representative database, was queried from 2010-2014. Patients undergoing craniotomy for benign or malignant tumors, vascular pathologies, and epilepsy were identified. Readmissions within 90 days of index hospitalization were characterized by admitting diagnoses. Tobacco use was defined by ICD-9 coding for active or prior use. Descriptive and multivariable regression analyses evaluated patient and hospital factors associated with readmission. Results The study population included 77,903 patients treated with craniotomy. Of these, 17,674 (22.6%) were readmitted within 90 days. The most common reasons for readmission were post-operative infection (5.8%), septicemia (4.2%), pulmonary embolism (3.9%), and pneumonia (2.9%). Tobacco use was associated with a 7% increased likelihood of 90-day readmission (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11, p = 0.0008) after accounting for other patient-, disease-, and hospital-level factors in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Tobacco use was associated with increased 90-day readmission in patients undergoing craniotomy. Recognizing tobacco use as a modifiable risk factor of readmission presents an opportunity to identify susceptible patients.
Genetic Data: Potential Uses and Misuses in Marketing

Advances in molecular genetics have led to the exponential growth of the direct-to-consumer genetic testing industry, resulting in the assembly of massive privately-owned genetic databases. This article explores the potential impact of this new data type on the field of marketing. Drawing on findings from behavioral genetic research, we propose a framework that incorporates genetic influences into existing consumer behavior theory, and use it to survey potential marketing uses of genetic data. Applications include business strategies that rely on genetic variants as bases for segmentation and targeting, creative uses that develop consumers’ sense of community and personalization, use of genetically informed study designs to test causal relations, and refinement of consumer theory by uncovering biological mechanisms underlying behavior. We further evaluate ethical challenges related to autonomy, privacy, misinformation and discrimination that are unique to the use of genetic data and are not sufficiently addressed by current regulations. We conclude by proposing an agenda for future research.
Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) Microaggregate induction of host innate immunity is linked to biofilm formation.

Abstract Bacterial aggregation is a strategy employed by many pathogens to establish infection. Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) undergoes a phenotypic change, microaggregation, when exposed to the respiratory epithelium. We therefore compared how non-aggregated bacteria, or planktonic, and microaggregated MAH can establish lung infections by evaluating mucosal epithelial cell and phagocytic cell responses. It was determined that human mucosal lung epithelial cells recognition of MAH occurs through toll-like receptors 1 and 2. MAPK 1/3 is phosphorylated at 30 min post infection, and active at the transcriptional level 2 h post infection for both phenotypes. Microaggregate infected BEAS-2B cells up-regulated CCL5, IL-1β, and TNF-α cDNA, while planktonic infected cells only up-regulated IL-1β cDNA at 2 h post infection. Microaggregates are associated with increased uptake by macrophages after 1 h compared to planktonic bacteria (8.83% vs. 5.00%, P
Taming transcription factors with TRAFTACs.

Transcription factors play central roles in numerous diseases yet are notoriously challenging targets for drug development. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Samarasinghe et al. (2021) describe a modular approach to targeting transcription factors for degradation with TRAFTACs, without the need for extensive ligand development campaigns.
From 9/11 to 1/6: Lessons for Congress from Twenty Years of War, Legislation, and Spiraling Partisanship

Two decades on from the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks, and in the wake of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 (1/6), it is appropriate to appraise Congress’s performance over the past twenty years in providing “for the common Defence." This invited symposium essay finds the record mixed. Going forward, Congress certainly can and urgently must summon its foresight, civic courage, and institutional resolve to do a better job providing for the common defense while also doing its constitutional duty to “insure domestic Tranquility.” Part I of this essay takes stock overall. Congress helped the nation to mitigate the foreign terrorist threat more effectively than most probably expected immediately after 9/11. That is the good news. But Congress has done worse regarding the domestic terrorist threat than almost anyone twenty years ago would have predicted. Additionally, Congress has provided the Executive Branch a predictable but dangerously expansive degree of latitude in national security. Part II of this essay sets out particular lessons learned and actionable steps toward national and institutional redemption. These recommendations center on stemming the spiraling partisanship that now—worse than any foreign actor—threatens the nation’s ability to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Legislators must lead opinion: they must show integrity and put constitutional conscience ahead of partisan and personal self-interest. Congress will better play its constitutional role by asserting more confidently and carefully its abundant national security constitutional authorities vis-a-vis the Executive Branch. This essay recommends that Congress vigorously examine Executive claims about intelligence and use of force; reclaim its powers over use of force by repealing and replacing existing statutory Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs); reigning in standing statutory grants of emergency authority to the President; legislate with future threats and risks in mind; and enact a framework statute on "secret law" to prevent repeat of the kind of radical secret reinterpretations of the law that were part of the post-9/11 era's most searing scandals regarding surveillance and torture.
Utility of Electrical Neuromodulation for Treating Chronic Pain Syndromes in the Pediatric Setting: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES Chronic pain syndromes in children can carry significant threats to psychological well-being, opioid overuse, functional impairments, and severe disability. While several high-level studies, almost exclusively in adults, have demonstrated the utility of implantable electrical neuromodulation systems for treating various chronic pain syndromes, there exists a paucity of pediatric-specific evidence. Unfortunately, evidence and practice patterns established from adults may not be fully translatable to children given differences in disease manifestations and anatomical variances. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a systematic review using conventional PRISMA methodology to identify studies reporting use of implantable electrical neuromodulation systems in children. The primary outcome parameters collected were analgesic relief and functional benefits. Additionally, previous interventions attempted, neuromodulation parameters, and limitations were collected as reported. RESULTS A total of 11 studies was identified, which described 19 patients who were refractory to multidisciplinary pain management strategies. The cohort was mostly adolescent (18/19), suffered from CRPS (14/19), and received SCS (17/19). Nearly all patients, both those with CRPS (13/14) and non-CRPS conditions (4/4), reported significant pain relief and functional recovery following neuromodulation. There were no severe complications reported; limitations included suboptimal benefit or loss of analgesia (3/19), lead or device revision (3/19), and subcutaneous infection (1/19), all of which were congruent with adult outcomes. CONCLUSION There exist children with chronic pain refractory to standard of care approaches who could be considered for neuromodulation interventions. The existing data, which was limited and from a low tier of evidence, suggest that these interventions are relatively safe and provide meaningful pain reduction and functional improvements. While not previously reported, we recommend careful consideration of the pubertal growth spurt prior to device lead placement-if reasonable and appropriate-given the possibility of inferior lead migration with physiologic growth in patients with SCS devices or foraminal extrusion in patients with dorsal root ganglion stimulation devices.
Figures of Merit to Characterize the Importance of On-Chip Inductance in Single Lines

It has become well accepted that interconnect delay dominates gate delay in current deep submicrometer digital integrated circuits [3]-[5]. With the continuous scaling of technology and increased die area, this situation is expected to become worse. In order to properly design complex circuits, more accurate interconnect models and signal propagation characterization are required. Historically, interconnect has been modeled as a single lumped capacitance in the analysis of the performance of on-chip interconnects. With the scaling of technology and increased chip sizes, the cross-sectional area of wires has been scaled down while interconnect length has increased. The resistance of the interconnect has therefore become significant, requiring the use of more accurate RC delay models. At first, interconnect was modeled as a lumped RC circuit. To further improve accuracy, the interconnect has been modeled as a distributed RC circuit (multiple T or П sections) for those nets requiring more accurate delay models. A well known method used to determine which nets require more accurate delay models is to compare the driver resistance R tr and the load capacitance C L to the total resistance and capacitance of the interconnect line, R t and C t [25], [35]. Typically, those nets that require more accurate RC models are longer, more highly resistive nets.
Barriers and Facilitators of Health Information Exchange (HIE) Adoption in the United States

HIE is growing in the United States because HIE is an important priority under the Meaningful Use stage II requirements. However, only a small percent of U.S. Hospitals engaged in HIE with unaffiliated providers and large variation existed among states. In order to understand potential HIE Adoption Recommendations, we reviewed the literature on barriers and facilitators of HIE adoption in the United States. Our search yielded 669 articles, 48 meeting our inclusion criteria. In general, we found several organizational and end user HIE adoption barriers as well as facilitators. Therefore, policy-makers, healthcare organizations, vendors, and clinic staffs need to work closely and innovatively in order to overcome all of these barriers and utilize facilitators to expedite nationwide HIE adoption, minimize data breach, and eventually, achieve continuity of care.
MotionAuth: Motion-based authentication for wrist worn smart devices

Wrist worn smart devices such as smart watches become increasingly popular. As those devices collect sensitive personal information, appropriate user authentication is necessary to prevent illegitimate accesses to those devices. However, the small form and function-based usage of those wearable devices pose a big challenge to authentication. In this paper, we study the efficacy of motion based authentication for smart wearable devices. We propose MotionAuth, a behavioral biometric authentication method, which uses a wrist worn device to collect a user's behavioral biometrics and verify the identity of the person wearing the device. MotionAuth builds a user's profile based on motion data collected from motion sensors during the training phase and applies the profile in validating the alleged user during the verification phase. We implement MotionAuth using Android platform and test its effectiveness with real world data collected in a user study involving 30 users. We tested four different gestures including simple, natural gestures. Our experimental results show that MotionAuth can achieve high accuracy (as low as 2.6% EER value) and that even simple, natural gestures such as raising/lowering an arm can be used to verify a person with pretty good accuracy.
Trained sensory panel and consumer evaluation of the effects of gamma irradiation on palatability of vacuum-packaged frozen ground beef patties

The objectives for this experiment were to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on 1) the palatability of vacuum-packaged frozen ground beef patties by trained sensory panel and 2) consumer evaluation of the taste of hamburgers made with those patties. Boxes (4.5 kg) of frozen (-28 degrees C) ground beef patties (113.4 g/patty, 19% fat) from a commercial supplier were irradiated at a commercial gamma irradiation facility at one of three levels (0, 3.0, or 4.5 kGy). All boxes were stored at 28 degrees C for 27 to 29 d after irradiation before evaluation by a trained descriptive attribute sensory panel and for 62 to 104 d after irradiation before consumer evaluation. The trained panel evaluated grilled patties for ground beef aroma intensity, off-aroma, and off-flavor on 4-point scales (4 = intense, none, and none; 1 = none, intense, and intense, respectively) and ground beef flavor intensity, tenderness, and juiciness on 8-point scales (8 = extremely intense, tender, or juicy; 1 = extremely bland, tough, or dry). Control patties had more intense (P .05) in any sensory trait between frozen ground beef patties treated with 3.0 or 4.5 kGy of gamma irradiation. There were no differences (P>.05) among treatments for tenderness (6.3, 6.6, and 6.7) or juiciness ratings (5.7, 5.9, and 5.9), respectively, for 0, 3.0, and 4.5 kGy. The consumers evaluated taste of a hamburger that included their choice of condiments on a 10-point scale (10 = excellent; 1 = terrible). Hamburgers made with patties treated with 4.5 kGy were rated lower (P<.05) in taste than hamburgers made with either control patties or those treated with 3.0 kGy (6.5, 6.6, and 6.2, respectively, for 0, 3.0, and 4.5 kGy); however, all doses were rated at some level of "fair." These results imply that hamburgers made from ground beef patties irradiated under the conditions of this experiment would encounter little, if any, consumer acceptance problems at the 3.0 kGy dose and only slightly greater problems at the 4.5 kGy dose.