cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of coincidence plane definitions for improved volume resolution uniformity in PET

A new scheme for defining coincidence planes in positron emission tomography (PET) with the aim of improving the overall uniformity in volumetric spatial resolution has been investigated. The axial resolution in high-resolution PET systems rapidly degrades at off-center positions, in particular in tangential direction. This resolution loss is caused by the addition of coincidence planes with relatively large ring differences to form a single detection plane. Here, a different way of defining coincidence planes is evaluated to improve the overall spatial uniformity. This method only assigns coincidence combinations that fall within a specified slice thickness to contribute to a specific plane. The method produces overlapping axial planes, which allows a particular coincidence plane combination to contribute to several axial planes. Measurements of a point source at the center and at 20 cm off-center position showed a degradation in resolution from 4.6 to 12.4 mm full width at half-maximum (FWHM), tangentially using the conventional plane definition (max ring difference of eight). Using the new plane definition scheme (max ring difference of four), the resolution only degraded from 8.6 to 9.7 mm FWHM. This method should provide an improved resolution uniformity and image quality in particular for whole body PET.
Coordination in Split Award Auctions

We analyze split award procurement auctions in which a buyer divides full production between two suppliers or awards all production to a single supplier, and suppliers have private cost information. An intriguing feature of split awards is that the equilibrium bids are implicitly coordinated. Because a split award price is the sum of offered split prices, each supplier can unilaterally veto a split award by bidding very high for the split. The need to coordinate is reflected in a split price that does not vary with private information. We also explore conditions under which split award auctions may be preferred to winner-take-all auctions.
From Spreadsheets to Simulation-Based Aircraft Conceptual Design

An automated, simulation-based aircraft design process allows for the prediction of unanticipated problems early in the design stage, leading to reduced turn-around time and development cost. Having reliable, and affordable (fast) design tools is crucial to achieving this level of automation in design process. An example of this is illustrated for a jet trainer aircraft using two aircraft design codes: Jet Designer and CEASIOM. A set of aerodynamic methods with different degrees of fidelity and computational expense is considered, with the limitations of each method provided. In particular, this paper examines the challenges that CFD-based aircraft design poses to a designer, including: a) the cost of generation of large data tables, b) the automated handling of geometry, c) treating control surface deflections, d) and calculation of dynamic derivatives using CFD. A Kriging-based sampling approach was used for generating aerodynamic tables with a reasonable computational cost compared with a brute-force approach. For Euler calculations, an automated CAD and mesh generation approach from a geometry description was used. It is demonstrated that application of Euler solutions to low fidelity aircraft geometry shows the expected design trends. Also, results show that the wave drag at transonic speeds can be predicted with Euler equations, but not with vortex lattice or Digital DATCOM. The treatment of control surface deflections was also investigated for the vortex lattice solver and the Euler code. Transpiration boundary condition approach was used in the Euler code to model the flap surface movements, although this approach is limited to small control surface deflections. The calculated aero tables form each aero source were used next to study the vehicle flying qualities. Results presented demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the simulation-based approach for aircraft conceptual design.
IBM 7340 hypertape drive

The trend toward increased speed and greater capabilities in computers has created the need for tape drives with increased data rate and decreased access time. The IBM Hypertape Drive (Fig. 1) was developed to meet these demands with the added objectives of increased reliability and automatic tape handling.
Cortical imaging through the intact mouse skull using two-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy

Two-photon excitation scanning microscopy has several advantages for imaging brain cells and other anatomical features in whole animals (Denk et al., 1994). These advantages stem from three main factors. The first is the quadratic dependence of optical absorption, so that optical sectioning is performed solely by the incident light. The second is the use of infrared light, which scatters less than visible light and hence increases the depth of focal penetration. The third is the use of a point-scanning system to optimize spatial resolution. The application of two-photon microscopy for in vivo imaging has typically utilized a surgically-prepared “cortical window” in which a section of the skull has been replaced by a agarose plug that is sealed with a glass coverslip (Svoboda et al., 1997). While this method adequately controls for motion due to cardiac and respiratory rhythms, the “cortical window” preparation renders the brain susceptible to fluctuations in temperature and pressure. In contrast, intrinsic optical imaging techniques are performed through thinned, intact skull, thus protecting the brain from external influences (Masino et al., 1993). However, the spatial resolution of intrinsic optical imaging is insufficient to visualize fine features like single cells or capillaries. In an effort to image the brain with subcellular spatial resolution and without the “cortical window” procedure, a method was devised to image directly through thinned mouse skull using two-photon excitation microscopy. The use of mice for these studies was motivated on two fronts. First of all, the murine dura mater is of negligible thickness and does not impede cellular imaging deep in the brain. Secondly, since mouse cortex is only 70 ‐75% as thick as rat cortex, more cortical anatomy may be imaged for a given depth of penetration. This is a salient point, as the attainable cortical penetration is reduced by the depth of the thinned skull.
Case for Variable Design Standards for Secondary Roads

Work has been done to develop a rating system for priority planning use with secondary roads. A key constituent of the rating system is the design standard. It provides the basis for several rating criteria used to evaluate a given road for inclusion in road improvement programs. Therefore, choice of relative design standards can have a significant effect on a rating. Design standards commonly used for secondary roads are similar to those adopted for primary roads with concern for traffic volume and travel speeds. However, this does not necessarily reflect the principal use of these roads as collectors and local access. Emphasis should be on accessibility, and travel speed is less important a factor. Use of lowered design speeds is proposed as one way to economize by avoiding higher costs associated with improved alignment, wider roadways, and flatter ditch slopes. Possible effects on tort liability are reviewed and sample standards are described.
Command Shaping for Flexible Systems with Constant Acceleration

Input shaping is an effective means of eliminating vibration in many types of flexible systems. This paper discusses how input shaper performance is affected by systems with a fixed acceleration limit, a common occurrence in many mechanical drive systems. It is shown that some input shapers are not affected by an acceleration limit under certain conditions. A test criteria is developed to determine what type of input shapers are negatively affected and a method is proposed to compensate for the detrimental effects of the constant acceleration limit. Experimental results from an industrial crane support the main theoretical results.
Progress toward a single chip radio in CMOS

• On-chip antenna pair gain at 24GHz is not optimal but sufficient for communication over 5 m near ground. 10-m range is possible if the antennas sit ∼ 50 cm above ground. • It should be possible to communicate to a UAV flying at 50–100m above the ground. • 24-GHz RF circuits with reasonable power consumption should be possible in 130-nm CMOS. It needs to be drastically reduced for unattended sensor applications. • The crystal reference frequency stability requirement has been relaxed such that use of an LC oscillator is possible. • Dual conversion architecture should enable integration of a transmitting antenna, PA and VCO on the same silicon substrate. • Power consumption reduction is the last remaining challenge. Lower frequency operation.
Qualitative Outcomes of a Homestay Immersion With Critical Reflection

The authors explore the impact of a 3-week homestay cultural immersion on 10 counselor trainees by analyzing their 210 structured journals using consensual qualitative research. Findings suggest that establishing meaningful relationships and engaging in critical reflection are central to increasing multicultural awareness. Implications for multicultural counseling training and research are provided.
Body-wave magnitude variation at Yucca Flat, Nevada

Abstract Teleseismic body-wave magnitudes due to nuclear tests at Yucca Flat, Nevada, display a fluctuation of approximately ±0.2 m b units. The magnitude anomaly correlates well with geologic structure at this test site, and it is hypothesized that a seismic response model of the local structure could account for most of the variance in the magnitude observations. A detailed model of the geophysical structure along a profile near the center of Yucca Flat has been constructed from independent geologic and geophysical data. The seismic response of this model has been calculated for a global network of six observing stations. The theoretical m b anomaly compares favorably with the observed anomaly. Corrections to the observed magnitudes based on the model would result in an order of magnitude decrease in the variance of the observations.
An Assessment of Relative Technology Benefits of a Variable Pitch Fan and Variable Area Nozzle

The progression towards ever higher bypass ratios in commercial gas turbine engines has increased the operating disparity between the fan flow conditions at different flight speeds, requiring the use of variable geometry to maintain the surge margin throughout the flight envelope. Mechanisms such as a variable pitch fan and a variable area nozzle help maintain the surge margin while providing greater fuel burn reduction, especially as engine bypass ratio increases. The objective of the current work is to assess the boundary between the aircraft performance gain from implementing a variable pitch fan or variable area nozzle on a commercial aircraft engine as bypass ratio is varied, while accounting for the negative impact from increased weight due to the both mechanisms. To perform this study, a new variable pitch fan model was implemented within the Environmental Design Space (EDS). The new model uses NASA’s Flow Modulating Fan (MODFAN) program to generate fan performance data. The variable pitch fan model effectively varies fan blade pitch angles within EDS to meet peak efficiency conditions throughout the operating regime with a constraint on the minimum allowable surge margin. To complete the EDS variable pitch fan model, a component weight was also associated to the variable pitch mechanism. The variable pitch fan model was then used to perform the tradeoff study to obtain the integrated, relative performance impacts of the technologies on the complete aircraft/engine system. For the variable pitch fan and variable area nozzle, the engine bypass ratio was changed by a fan pressure ratio sweep at three overall pressure ratios. The aircraft chosen for analysis is representative of a 150 passenger, Boeing 737-800. The analysis is performed on advanced notional geared turbofan (GTF) engines. The analysis concluded that the benefits of the variable pitch fan start to outweigh that of the variable area nozzle at a bypass ratio of approximately 20 to 27, dependent on OPR.
In situ stress magnitudes at the toe of the Nankai Trough Accretionary Prism, offshore Shikoku Island, Japan

Quantifying the orientation and magnitude of tectonic stresses is essential toward understanding deformation and faulting in subduction zones. However, constraints on in situ horizontal stress magnitudes (Shmin and SHmax) are rare. We estimate Shmin and SHmax at Ocean Drilling Program Site 808 at the toe of the Nankai accretionary prism offshore Japan, using coupled constraints from (1) the width of wellbore breakouts together with estimates of rock strength and a model describing stress redistribution at the borehole wall and (2) limits on regional differential stress defined by failure on preexisting faults. Our analysis extends from 175 to 915 m below seafloor (mbsf) and spans the active frontal thrust. For an upper bound on rock unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and assuming hydrostatic formation pore pressure, Shmin and SHmax (referenced to the seafloor) increase from 6.5 MPa at 175 mbsf to 17.4 MPa at 915 mbsf, with the stress state gradually transitioning from a thrust or strike-slip faulting regime above 800 mbsf to a normal faulting regime below. For cases with higher formation pore pressure, horizontal stresses are slightly lower but follow a similar pattern. We show that estimated Shmin and SHmax are strongly dependent on UCS, breakout width, and friction coefficient, all of which are characterized by uncertainty. Our results suggest that the prism is near thrust failure in the upper ~300 mbsf, but far from failure below. This may be reconciled with active thrusting if thrust faults are locally weaker than the surrounding rock or if SHmax fluctuates during the seismic cycle.
The new quantitative fractography for analyzing metallic surfaces

As the result of years of work, a new, quantitative treatment of the geometrical attributes of metallic fracture surfaces has emerged. Modern advances utilize the powerful relationships of stereology to give quantitative descriptions of the fracture surface and its characteristics, permitting better correlations of fractographic features with mechanical properties as well as the formulation of more accurate fracture mechanisms.
Approach to and Management of the Neutrophilic Dermatoses

The neutrophilic dermatoses are a related set of disorders that share common features. These disorders are not directly related to infection and are considered forms of “sterile” neutrophilic inflammation. They can occur with an associated systemic disease or as a primary cutaneous process. Subcorneal pustular dermatosis, Sweet’s syndrome, erythema elevatum diutinum, bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, and neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis represent the most common of these disorders. This review highlights the salient features of the neutrophilic dermatoses with an emphasis on clinical features, evaluation, and management.
Epidemic analysis of brucellosis in Qingyang City, Gansu Province

Objective To analyze epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Qingyang, Gansu Province from2012 to 2013 and understand the epidemic trend of the disease and provide scientific proofs for formulating control strategies. Methods According to the requirement of National Surveillance Scheme for Human Brucellosis, the surveillance was developed and descriptive epidemiological methods was taken to present data for the distributions of age, gender, area and time. Results Totally 218 confirmed cases with brucellosis were reported during 2012—2013, including 38 cases clinically diagnosed, 180 cases laboratory confirmed, with average annual incidence of 4.91/100 000. No death case occurred.The cases, confirmed from May to August accounted for 67.43% of the total annual number of cases, with the age group of35-59 year-old occupying 56.88% of the total cases. There were 158 cases in the male and 60 cases in the female, with the ratio of 2.63∶1. Conclusions Human brucellosis in Qingyang City most occurs in spring and summer. The cases of major populations are young, and higher in the male than in the female. Health education and animal disease quarantine efforts should be reinforced, to improve livestock farmers' awareness of prevention for timely elimination of the disease occurrence.
Corpora cavernosa ultrastructure in vascular erectile dysfunction

Open biopsy of the corpus cavernosum was performed in 13 nondiabetic patients with erectile dysfunction. The history and physical examination, sleep rigidity and tumescence monitoring, hormonal assays, duplex ultrasonography with papaverine, and cavernosometry and cavernosography, formed the basis of categorizing each patient into 1 of 5 etiological groups. These groups included neurogenic, moderate arterial, severe arterial, venous and fibrotic causes for organic erectile dysfunction. The cavernous smooth muscle and endothelium in each patient appeared to be normal on light and electron microscopy. We conclude that cavernous biopsy is of limited value to determine therapeutic options in patients with erectile dysfunction.
MBPD: Motif-Based Period Detection

Massive amounts of data are generated daily at a rapid rate. As a result, the world is faced with unprecedented challenges and opportunities on managing the ever-growing data. These challenges are prevalent in time series for obvious reasons. Clearly, there is an urgent need for efficient solutions to mine large-scale time series databases. One of such data mining tasks is periodicity mining. Efficient and effective periodicity mining techniques in big data would be useful in cases such as finding animal migration patterns, analysis of stock market data for periodicity, and outlier detection in electrocardiogram (ECG), analyses of periodic disease outbreak etc. This work utilizes the notion of time series motifs for approximate period detection. Specifically, we present a novel and simple method to detect periods on time series data based on recurrent patterns. Our approach is effective, noise-resilient, and efficient. Experimental results show that our approach is superior compared to a popularly used period detection technique with respect to accuracy while requiring much less time and space.
Hypothalamic hypophysiotropic hormones

In the last few years several hypothalamic peptides that regulate adenohypo- physial functions have been isolated, their primary structure determined and their synthesis achieved. The existence of these peptides had been predicted by a large body of conceptual reasoning and experimental evidence, and their availability in unlimited amounts by total synthesis has permitted extensive experimentation to define the pharmacology, physiology and biochemistry of their action. It has also made possible exploration of their effects and utility in man, because characterisation and synthesis of the oligopeptides isolated from ovine or porcine brains has shown them to be highly active in the human as well as in practically all other species studied so far.
General Influences on Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy

Domestic, regional and extra-regional pressures have combined to shape Bangladesh’s foreign policy and its relations with the two most powerful and influential states in the South Asian region, India and Pakistan.1 Studies of Bangladesh’s foreign relations since 1975 have been minimal, tending to be descriptive, biased accounts. The most common themes of those studies are ones which point either to Bangladesh’s turbulent political life and economic woes or to India’s desire for regional dominance as being the principal influence on regional international relations. This study, by contrast, emphasises and illustrates the way in which both domestic and external pressures have impinged on Bangladesh’s foreign relations. A range of perspectives is applied in order to give depth to the study and to minimise bias as much as possible. These perspectives take into account what is taking place within and outside the region generally; as well as what is happening within Bangladesh. A study of Bangladeshi foreign policy shows that the regional perspective requires greater emphasis than it has been given hitherto. For this reason, the regional viewpoint precedes the domestic in subsequent chapters dealing with Bangladesh’s most critical relationship: that with India.
The Genus Dehalococcoides

Dehalococcoides, now called Dehalococcoides mccartyi, was first discovered in an enrichment culture from sewage sludge that reductively dechlorinated the groundwater pollutants tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) to vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene, in contrast to other organohalide-respiring bacteria that dechlorinated PCE and TCE only as far as dichloroethenes (DCEs). The first isolate, strain 195, was a tiny disk-shaped bacterium in the phylum Chloroflexi that had an S-layer protein subunit cell wall lacking peptidoglycan. It was a strict anaerobe using only H2 as the electron donor and organohalides as respiratory electron acceptors. Other D. mccartyi strains are similar and use a variety of halogenated aliphatic and aromatic compounds as electron acceptors. The genomes of D. mccartyi are highly streamlined, varying from 1.34 to 1.5 MB, yet contain 10–36 different copies of rdhAB operons predicted to encode reductive dehalogenases (RDases), most with adjacent genes predicted to encode transcriptional regulators, indicating that organochloride respiration is a highly evolved and regulated process in D. mccartyi. The presence of D. mccartyi at chloroethene-contaminated groundwater sites appears necessary for dechlorination of PCE and TCE past DCEs, and molecular tests for D. mccartyi and its associated rdhAB genes have become part of contaminated site characterization. Moreover, D. mccartyi-containing cultures have been commercially developed for bioaugmentation of those sites to abet dechlorination to ethene, especially cultures that contain D. mccartyi strains that can efficiently convert VC to nontoxic ethene in a respiratory process, like strains BAV1 and VS. This tiny unusual bacterium is now considered to be an important player in the restoration of chloroethene-contaminated sites.
Do Countries Fight Over Oil

Meierding challenges the popular belief that countries fight over oil resources by demonstrating that most militarized incidents in petroleum-endowed territories are merely ‘oil spats’: mild, brief, and non-lethal confrontations. Countries have only launched major military campaigns, targeting oil fields, on three occasions: Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait (1990), Japan’s invasion of the Dutch East Indies (1941–42), and Germany’s attacks against the Russian Caucasus (1941–42). These conflicts were not intensified oil spats. Instead, countries were fighting for survival; leaders believed that, if they failed to gain control over more oil, their regimes would collapse. By examining the wars for survival and oil spats between Greece and Turkey and Venezuela and Guyana, the chapter concludes that interstate oil competition is not a serious threat to international security.
IMS enhanced filter and action criteria

In current 3GPP specifications initial filter criteria (iFC) and also the Shared iFC (SiFC) optimization (optional in the specs) are defined as part of the user service profile; This is linked to the user in order to allow forwarding of the initial received request to the proper Application Server (AS) running the required service logic. That approach considers that all service logic is performed at the AS and then the only defined action for the iFC (when trigger conditions are met) is to forward the request to the AS. The specifications however allow for additional ldquocall control logicrdquo at the S-CSCF that is outside the scope of the iFC controls. This paper presents a solution consisting of extensions to the iFCs schema. This can be used as a way to enable such call control logic the S-CSCF. If SiFC are used, the only impacted network element (NE) would be the S-CSCF.
A pangenotypic, single tablet regimen of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects nearly 170 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of progressive liver damage, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Curative therapies have historically relied on interferon-based treatments and were limited by significant toxicity and poor response rates, particularly among patients with prior treatment failure and advanced hepatic fibrosis. The recent advent of direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents which target key steps in the HCV viral life cycle has transformed the landscape of HCV treatment by offering highly effective and well tolerated interferon-free treatments. However, current therapies are genotype-specific and have variable efficacy amongst less prevalent HCV variants.Areas covered: This review covers the preclinical and clinical development of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), an interferon-free, once daily, pangenotypic treatment for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. All relevant literature from 2014...
Education in Prison and the Self-Stigma: Empowerment Continuum

A criminal conviction results in consequences that extend beyond incarceration. Self-stigmatization is a negative consequence that many formerly individuals experience. It manifests in low self-esteem and personal barriers to reentry. This study explores higher education programs in prison as a moderator of self-stigma. Using qualitative interviews, this study investigated the perceptions of formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in higher education in prison in regard to the ways in which incarceration and education affected their self-stigma. Results indicate that incarceration influences self-stigma, but education enhances a sense of empowerment and motivation to resist the negative effects of self-stigma. Reducing the stigmatization of formerly incarcerated individuals is important because if they view themselves positively, it can improve their reentry and life trajectory.
Secure Connectivity of Wireless Sensor Networks Under Key Predistribution with on/off Channels

Security is an important issue in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which are often deployed in hostile environments. The q-composite key predistribution scheme has been recognized as a suitable approach to secure WSNs. Although the q-composite scheme has received much attention in the literature, there is still a lack of rigorous analysis for secure WSNs operating under the q-composite scheme in consideration of the unreliability of links. One main difficulty lies in analyzing the network topology whose links are not independent. Wireless links can be unreliable in practice due to the presence of physical barriers between sensors or because of harsh environmental conditions severely impairing communications. In this paper, we resolve the difficult challenge and investigate k-connectivity in secure WSNs operating under the q-composite scheme with unreliable communication links modeled as independent on/off channels, where k-connectivity ensures connectivity despite the failure of any (k - 1) sensors or links, and connectivity means that any two sensors can find a path in between for secure communication. Specifically, we derive the asymptotically exact probability and a zero-one law for k-connectivity. We further use the theoretical results to provide design guidelines for secure WSNs. Experimental results also confirm the validity of our analytical findings.
Effect of prophylactic cefalexin treatment on the development of bacterial infection in acute radiation-induced dermatitis in dogs: a blinded randomized controlled prospective clinical trial.

Background Acute radiation-induced dermatitis (ARID) is a common sequela of radiation therapy and carries the risk of secondary bacterial skin infection. No standard of care exists for managing canine ARID and evidence-based guidelines are lacking; however, prophylactic use of antibiotics is common. Hypothesis/Objectives To evaluate the impact of prophylactic cefalexin on the prevalence and severity of bacterial infection in canine ARID. Animals Seventeen dogs treated with definitive-intent radiotherapy. Methods All dogs were treated with definitive-intent radiation therapy (48–57.5 gray) targeted to the skin surface. Dogs were randomized to receive either prophylactic cefalexin (22 mg/kg twice daily) beginning halfway through the prescribed radiotherapy course (cohort A) or to serve as controls (cohort B). Aerobic skin cultures and surface cytological evaluation were performed at first onset of moist desquamation and one week following completion of radiation therapy. Skin toxicity grading and owner quality of life (QoL) questionnaires were performed weekly. The rate of infection, multidrug resistance status, toxicity severity and QoL between cohorts were compared. Results Staphylococcus schleiferi and S. pseudintermedius were the most frequent bacterial agents isolated in both cohorts. There was no significant difference in prevalence of bacterial infection or overall QoL between cohorts at either time point; however, multidrug-resistant infections were significantly increased in cohort A versus cohort B. Clinician- and client-perceived severity of toxicity was significantly greater and median duration of moist desquamation was significantly longer in cohort A than cohort B. Conclusions and clinical importance Prophylactic use of cefalexin for management of canine ARID is not recommended.
Empirical study on building and tree detection

For urban modeling LiDAR images play very important role. High spatial resolution data and sophisticated methods are required by many data pre-processing techniques for LiDAR images for detecting buildings. In late decades, building and tree identification from LiDAR information and aerial images with high automation and precision level has been the center of numerous scientists which was chosen as the motivation behind this survey. This study reviews latest advances in techniques used for detecting buildings and tress. Support Vector Machine (SVM) used for classification proved as best classifier for good accuracy. The comparative study reveals positive and negative approach towards strategies used for detection.
Fuzzy- direct power control of a grid connected photovoltaic system, associated with an active power filter

This paper presents the study of a three-phase shunt active power filter (SAPF) supplied by photovoltaic system (SPV) in order to eliminate line current harmonics, compensate reactive power and feeding photovoltaic power into the utility. To ensure the functionality of the system, we propose in the first conversion stage a fuzzy logic based maximum power point taking to track permanently the optimum point through an adequate tuning of a boost converter regardless the solar irradiance variations. While the second stage control is performed via a direct power control (DPC). In the DPC technique, the switches states of the inverter are selected from a table of switching based on the immediate errors between the active and reactive powers and their reference values. The overall control system of PV system is tested in Matlab/Simulink environment. Then, the simulations results demonstrate the robustness and feasibility of proposed method.
An Early Illness Recognition Framework Using a Temporal Smith Waterman Algorithm and NLP

In this paper we propose a framework for detecting health patterns based on non-wearable sensor sequence similarity and natural language processing (NLP). In TigerPlace, an aging in place facility from Columbia, MO, we deployed 47 sensor networks together with a nursing electronic health record (EHR) system to provide early illness recognition. The proposed framework utilizes sensor sequence similarity and NLP on EHR nursing comments to automatically notify the physician when health problems are detected. The reported methodology is inspired by genomic sequence annotation using similarity algorithms such as Smith Waterman (SW). Similarly, for each sensor sequence, we associate health concepts extracted from the nursing notes using Metamap, a NLP tool provided by Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). Since sensor sequences, unlike genomics ones, have an associated time dimension we propose a temporal variant of SW (TSW) to account for time. The main challenges presented by our framework are finding the most suitable time sequence similarity and aggregation of the retrieved UMLS concepts. On a pilot dataset from three Tiger Place residents, with a total of 1685 sensor days and 626 nursing records, we obtained an average precision of 0.64 and a recall of 0.37.
Clinical Trials of Herpes Simplex Encephalitis: The Role of the Data Monitoring Committee

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is the most frequent cause of focal necrotizing encephalitis, accounting for approximately 2,500 cases annually in the United States. Studies initiated in the early 1970s have continuously evaluated promising antiviral drugs for the treatment of this disease, utilizing randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial designs. Fundamental to the early studies was the requirement for brain biopsy in order to establish a diagnosis of HSE unequivocally by isolation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) from brain tissue in cell culture. From the outset of these studies in 1973, Data Monitoring Committees (DMCs) were established by the program sponsor, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), to assess clinical trial performance, data quality, and outcome. With several iterations over a period of 30 years, these DMCs have terminated one trial because of excessive drug toxicity and two trials because of significantly reduced mortality in recipients of an active therapeutic. These studies represented the first clinical trials sponsored by NIAID that utilized a DMC. The role of the DMC in the monitoring of these trials is described.
Some X-Ray Diffraction Spectra and Characteristic Properties of Deuterium Oxide Inorganic Compounds

Preparation of deuterium oxide and hydrated compounds were carried out simultaneously and side by side from starting materials which had been heated to produce their anhydrous form.
Tevatron Collider Run II Status

Collider Run II at Fermilab is moving from the commissioning stage to the operational stage. Since the beginning of the run in March 2001, performance has been steadily improving, but the pace has been slower than anticipated. The peak luminosity now exceeds that of Run I and sources of additional improvement to reach design goals have been identified and are being addressed. This paper summarizes the progress to date.
Helping Parents Understand Applied Behavior Analysis: Creating a Parent Guide in 10 Steps.

Interventions based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) have been shown to be effective for children with a wide range of cognitive, adaptive, and functional abilities. Many special education teachers understand the principles of ABA and are adept at implementing ABA interventions for students. However, as the principles of ABA can be complex, communicating with parents about ABA interventions can be challenging. Providing parents with clear and succinct information in the form of a brief customized reference guide can be instrumental for facilitating and extending communication about their child’s behavioral interventions. This article provides school personnel with guidelines and resources for helping parents understand and use interventions that are based on ABA. Specifically, this article presents 10 steps for creating an information guide for parents and provides recommendations for explaining the guide to parents.
Whole-Exome Sequencing of Adult and Pediatric Cohorts of the Rare Vascular Disorder Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome.

Objective Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a rare disorder that presents with episodes of hypovolemic shock. The extent to which genetic abnormalities contribute to SCLS is unknown. We identified pediatric and adult cohorts with characteristic clinical courses. We sought to describe the clinical characteristics of both cohorts, identify a possible genetic contribution to SCLS, and demonstrate that whole-exome sequencing (WES) may be conducted by critical care providers. Design Prospective observational study of WES of nine adult and eight pediatric SCLS patients and available unaffected first-degree relatives. Setting Tertiary children's hospitals and referral research laboratory. Patients Children and adults with SCLS. Interventions None. Measurements Patients and available first-degree relatives underwent WES. Data were analyzed for rare homozygous, biallelic, de novo, and heterozygous variants with allelic enrichment and metabolic pathway analyses. Main results Children with SCLS presented at a younger age with episodes similar to those experienced by adults. All patients and available relatives underwent satisfactory WES. No overlapping gene variants or metabolic pathways were identified across all SCLS patients. Multiple candidate genes with homozygous or biallelic mutations were identified in individual subjects with SCLS. There was no significant enrichment of genes with rare heterozygous variants. Conclusions The clinical characteristics of children and adults with SCLS are similar. We did not identify a uniform germline exomic genetic etiology for SCLS. WES identified several candidate genes in individual patients for future research. WES is a viable way for critical care providers to investigate the etiology of diseases with presumed genetic contributions.
Improved Charge Extraction Beyond Diffusion Length by Layer‐by‐Layer Multistacking Intercalation of Graphene Layers inside Quantum Dots Films

Charge collection is critical in any photodetector or photovoltaic device. Novel materials such as quantum dots (QDs) have extraordinary light absorption properties, but their poor mobility and short diffusion length limit efficient charge collection using conventional top/bottom contacts. In this work, a novel architecture based on multiple intercalated chemical vapor deposition graphene monolayers distributed in an orderly manner inside a QD film is studied. The intercalated graphene layers ensure that at any point in the absorbing material, photocarriers will be efficiently collected and transported. The devices with intercalated graphene layers have superior quantum efficiency over single-bottom graphene/QD devices, overcoming the known restriction that the diffusion length imposes on film thickness. QD film with increased thickness shows efficient charge collection over the entire λ ≈ 500-1000 nm spectrum. This architecture could be applied to boost the performance of other low-cost materials with poor mobility, allowing efficient collection for films thicker than their diffusion length.
Abstract 514: Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibition Prevents Prolonged Nuclear Factor-κB Activation and Reduces Atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- Mice

A key event in atherogenesis is the expression of cell adhesion molecules on endothelial cells (ECs) that recruit leukocytes to the vessel wall, where they accumulate over time and form atheroscler...
Regulation of Store-Operated Calcium Channels by Sphingosine 1 Phosphate

Several studies have implicated sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1)/ sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) axis in mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ and defective vascular tone. We and other independent investigat...
Closing the Financial Privacy Loophole: Defining 'Access' in the Right to Financial Privacy Act

The privacy of financial records is under siege: First, financial records are excluded from Fourth Amendment protection because of the third-party doctrine, created by the Miller opinion and its progeny. Second, a case making its way through the federal judiciary is asserting a cramped interpretation of the RFPA, which, if upheld, would allow banks to circumvent statutory privacy protections by simply releasing customer information into the public record. Third, in deciding Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, the Supreme Court left open the possibility of lower courts deciding that statutory violations are not injuries at all — an outcome that would strip a customer of his ability to sue under the RFPA if a bank releases his information. Thus, despite Congress’s attempt to safeguard financial records from unwarranted government intrusion, the financial privacy of Americans is being threatened in all levels of the judiciary system. Consequently, privacy protection of financial records in the hands of trusted third parties is scant. The solution is this: the Supreme Court’s reversal of Miller. The Supreme Court created a hole in Fourth Amendment protection in Miller, and the remedy offered by Congress is proving ineffective in light of the judiciary’s restricted interpretation of it. Now, it is up to the Supreme Court to reverse Miller and put an end to the third-party doctrine and the erosion of financial privacy.
65. ARE PEDIATRIC FELLOWS FINANCIALLY LITERATE

Background Pediatric subspecialty fellows face unique financial challenges, including significant educational debt, delayed retirement savings, and in many subspecialties, relatively lower future incomes. There are no data regarding the financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of pediatric fellows. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory as a conceptual framework, we hypothesized that pediatric fellows would have low financial literacy and lack physician role models and self-efficacy in terms of managing finances. Objective To measure the financial attitudes, knowledge, and self-reported behaviors of pediatric fellows. Design/Methods In August 2018, an IRB-approved survey was administered to pediatric fellows at Stanford and University of California, San Francisco. This 52-item survey included a 20 question test of financial literacy (adapted from the Vanguard Financial Literacy Test) as well questions regarding respondent demographics, financial attitudes, and self-reported financial behaviors. Results 101 of 176 (57%) eligible pediatric fellows responded. 56% of respondents had student loans with 61% of those carrying debt burdens of more than $100,000. The median score on the financial literacy test was 35% (IQR 25-45%, range 0-75%), below the 40% average score for the general population. 14% of respondents were satisfied with their financial knowledge, with 77% dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied. 79% had begun saving for retirement but only 28% had a savings target. Only 50% felt capable of managing their own finances and 88% reported insufficient physician role models for personal finances. 26% of respondents reported receiving financial education during medical training while 90% agreed that such education should be part of the core curriculum during medical training. Conclusion Pediatric fellows have low financial literacy and many do not feel capable of managing their own finances. Few have received any formal financial education although the vast majority feel that such education should be included during medical training. A curriculum on personal finances should be developed and its efficacy assessed.
The impact of macroalgae and cyanobacteria on larval survival and settlement of the scleractinian corals Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis and Pseudodiploria strigosa

Coral reefs are threatened by multiple stressors that degrade these ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. Critical to the recovery of coral reefs after a disturbance is coral recruitment, but there is still little information about the types of benthic habitats that different species of coral larvae require for settlement. Settlement in the presence of different algae and cyanobacteria was tested for three coral species, Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis and Pseudodiploria strigosa. The experiments were conducted in larval chambers placed on the reef to ensure that coral larvae were exposed to natural light, seawater temperature and some water flow. Rates of settlement and metamorphosis were assessed by providing these coral larvae with a standard preferred settlement substratum (individuals of the crustose coralline algal species Hydrolithon boergesenii) with an attached treatment of a small piece of live algae or benthic cyanobacteria. The brown algae Dictyota pulchella and D. bartayresiana did not affect the survival or settlement of larvae of A. palmata in 2010, but D. pulchella did reduce larval survival in 2009. Of the cyanobacteria tested, Caldora penicillata decreased A. palmata survival and settlement. For A. cervicornis, neither Dictyota pulchella nor D. bartayresiana reduced survival or settlement in either 2009 or 2010. Algae and cyanobacteria had no effect on Pseudodiploria strigosa larval survival, but there was reduced settlement in the presence of the cyanobacterium Hormothamnion enteromorphoides. These larval experiments show that some macrophytes can reduce coral larval survival and settlement even in the presence of highly preferred substrata.
Bereavement and grief

Abstract Grief is a common, instinctive, natural reaction that occurs following the loss of a loved one. This human experience is universal and will affect most people during a lifetime and cause a range of emotional and physical distress that can feel overwhelming and intolerable. In late life especially, people are exposed to an increasing number of losses and often grieve multiple losses at the same time. Death of a spouse is thought to be the most common and difficult loss in older adults, with nearly one-third of those aged 65 and older being widowed. Bereavement has been associated with a deterioration in mental health and physical health and thus clinicians need to be aware of the risk factors as well as the principles for treatment. This chapter explores grief in older adults including the impact grief has on an individual, the factors of “normal” grief and bereavement, complicated grief, mental health consequences of bereavement, and evidence-based practices for treatment.
Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction off Southern Brazil during a Glacial Period (66.5–47 kyr BP): Continental and Oceanic Environments

Souza Pereira de Avila, A.; Leonhardt, A., and Diniz, D., 2020. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction off southern Brazil during a glacial period (66.5–47 kyr BP): Continental and oceanic environments. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(6), 1204–1214. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Based on the palynological record of core REG 972, this work aimed to reconstruct the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental history from 66.5 to 47 kyr BP at the south Brazilian continental margin, as well as to identify the influence of continental discharge in the southern portion of the Rio Grande Cone. Nineteen samples were processed following the standard methodology for palynological studies. Organic matter (OM) content was measured in the sediments. The age model was established according to 18O isotopes analyses in benthic foraminiferal tests. The studied interval corresponds to a glacial interval, divided in palynozones (PZs): PZIa (66.5–64.5 kyr), PZIb (64.5–53.5 kyr), and PZII (53.5–47 kyr). PZIa was characterized by drier conditions, with grassland and salt marsh taxa dominance (Cyperaceae and Amaranthaceae). During PZIb and PZII, the increase of Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Araucaria angustifolia, Arecaceae, and Alchornea triplinervia points to wetter and warmer conditions that may be related to the beginning of marine isotope stage 3 and later to the sea-level rise. In the oceanic environment, the presence of freshwater algae and marine indicators lead to the conclusion that marine conditions prevailed during Rio Grande Cone sedimentary formation, even under low sea-level conditions when terrigenous influence was stronger. The data on OM content, dinoflagellate taxa, and mean sea level changes point to a period of low productivity during PZI. In PZII, a period of higher productivity took place because of Subantarctic Shelf Water influence, bringing cold and nutrient-rich waters to the area.