cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Epidemiology behind the HPV Vaccine Discovery

The discovery of DNA from a new type of human papillomavirus (HPV) more than three decades ago provided our first glimpse at the agent that causes cervical cancer and served as a catalyst for the explosive growth in HPV-related research that followed. Since then, dozens of new HPV types have been discovered, routes of transmission have been delineated, estimates of prevalence and incidence have been described, carcinogenic properties have been demonstrated, and prophylactic HPV vaccines have been developed and deployed. It is now well-established that certain HPV types, prominently HPV-16 and HPV-18, cause cancers of the uterine cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, oral cavity, and oro-pharynx; cancers that are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. More recent findings indicate that widespread adolescent HPV vaccination could substantially reduce the global burden of such HPV-related cancers. Presented below is one epidemiologist's perspective on events that contributed to these scientific achievements.
The intelligent organization: some observations and alternative views

Recent papers by G.P. Huber (1984) and by G.P. Huber and R. McDaniel (1986) have provided an excellent discussion of the forces that will determine the characteristics of the surviving firms in what is becoming known as the postindustrial age. Their picture of the organization of the future defines what has come to be known as the intelligent organization. The authors analyze and expand this concept of the intelligent organization. They utilize the framework developed in the Huber-McDaniel papers in combination with the traditional models of microeconomics to make several observations that they fell clarify some of the interactions between the design characteristics of a firm and its environment. >
B ( E 2) Values in 12 Be and Core Excitation

I have examined the $B$($E$2)'s in ${}^{12}$Be connecting the first 2${}^{+}$ state to the first two 0${}^{+}$ states. I find that they can be understood in the simple model that has been successful for a variety of other observables in this nucleus, but only if the 2${}^{+}$ state has an excited-core component.
Ionic exchange mechanisms in fish gills.

Abstract 1. 1. The evidence for the current model for ionic exchange mechanisms across the outer surface of the fresh water acclimated fish gill is reviewed. 2. 2. It is suggested that recent evidence indicates that the uptake of NaCl of ionic regulation is secondary to the extrusion of HCO−3, H+ and NH+4 and that the exchange systems may be functioning in sea water acclimated fish that already face a NaCl load. 3. 3. It is further suggested that all marine fish may already have the NaCl uptake mechanisms needed for ionic regulation in fresh water but are restricted to the marine environment because of a low efficiency NaCl uptake mechanism and a relatively high ionic permeability. This ionic permeability may be under the control of intrinsic hormones (prolactin) and external calcium concentration.
Multiterminal Source–Channel Communication Over an Orthogonal Multiple-Access Channel

We consider the problem of multiterminal source-channel communication where a number of distributed and possibly correlated sources are transmitted through an orthogonal multiple access channel to a common destination. We provide a characterization of the optimal tradeoff between the transmission cost Gamma and the distortion vector D as measured against individual sources. Our approach consists of two steps: 1) a multiple-letter characterization of the rate-distortion region of the multiterminal source coding and 2) a source-channel separation theorem ensuring that all achievable pairs of (Gamma, D) can be obtained by combining the rate-distortion region and the orthogonal multiple access channel capacity region. As a corollary, we determine the optimal power and distortion tradeoff in a quadratic Gaussian sensor network under orthogonal multiple access, and show that separate source and channel coding strictly outperforms the uncoded (amplify-forward) transmission, and is in fact optimal in this case. This result is in sharp contrast to the case of nonorthogonal multiple access for which separate source and channel coding is not only suboptimal but also strictly inferior to uncoded transmission.
Damage to Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae hyphae by oxidative and nonoxidative microbicidal products of human neutrophils in vitro

Our previous studies established that human neutrophils could damage and probably kill hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae in vitro, primarily by oxygen-dependent mechanisms active at the cell surface. These studies were extended, again quantitating hyphal damage by reduction in uptake of (14)C-labeled uracil or glutamine. Neither A. fumigatus nor R. oryzae hyphae were damaged by neutrophils from patients with chronic granulomatous disease, confirming the importance of oxidative mechanisms in damage to hyphae. In contrast, neutrophils from one patient with hereditary myeloperoxidase deficiency damaged R. oryzae but not A. fumigatus hyphae. Cell-free, in vitro systems were then used to help determine the relative importance of several potentially fungicidal products of neutrophils. Both A. fumigatus and R. oryzae hyphae were damaged by the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-halide system either with reagent hydrogen peroxide or enzymatic systems for generating hydrogen peroxide (glucose oxidase with glucose, or xanthine oxidase with either hypoxanthine or acetaldehyde). Iodide with or without chloride supported the reaction, but damage was less with chloride alone as the halide cofactor. Hydrogen peroxide alone damaged hyphae only in concentrations >/=1 mM, but 0.01 mM hypochlorous acid, a potential product of the myeloperoxidase system, significantly damaged R. oryzae hyphae (a 1 mM concentration was required for significant damage to A. fumigatus hyphae). Damage to hyphae by the myeloperoxidase system was inhibited by azide, cyanide, catalase, histidine, and tryptophan, but not by superoxide dismutase, dimethyl sulfoxide, or mannitol. Photoactivation of the dye rose bengal resulted in hyphal damage which was inhibited by histidine, tryptophan, and 1,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)octane. Lysates of neutrophils or separated neutrophil granules did not affect A. fumigatus hyphae, but did damage R. oryzae hyphae. Similarly, three preparations of cationic proteins purified from human neutrophil granules were more active in damaging R. oryzae than A. fumigatus hyphae. This damage, as with the separated granules and whole cell lysates, was inhibited by the polyanion heparin. Damage to R. oryzae hyphae by neutrophil cationic proteins was enhanced by activity of the complete myeloperoxidase system or by hydrogen peroxide alone in subinhibitory concentrations. These data support the importance of oxidative products in general and the myeloperoxidase system in particular in damage to hyphae by neutrophils. Cationic proteins may also contribute significantly to neutrophil-mediated damage to R. oryzae hyphae.
Notes on the Brown-colored Species of Parmeliaceae (Lichenized Ascomycota) in Southern Africa

Abstract Study of the morphology and chemistry in a large series of specimens from southern Africa has resulted in the recognition of ten new species of Neofuscelia and one new species of Paraparmelia. Additional notes on the chemistry, morphology, or distribution are given for 40 other species, and one new combination is made.
EDGE- AND AREA-SENSITIVITY OF SHRUBLAND BIRDS

Populations of shrubland birds in eastern North America have consistently declined since the 1960s, but conservation is hampered by an inadequate understanding of the area requirements of most species. We examined the sensitivity of shrubland specialists to (a) the area of shrub stands and (b) proximity to mature-forest edges, and we evaluated whether habitat characteristics, food resources, or productivity of bird populations could have caused the relationships we identified. In 2002–2003, we used constant-effort mist-netting on 6 small (4–8 ha) and 6 large (13–16 ha) regenerating clearcuts that were 4–6 years post-harvest in southern Ohio, USA. We placed 3 nets at 20, 50, and 80 m from the mature-forest edge (n = 9 nets per site), and we sampled vegetation, fruit, and arthropods at each net. Seven of 8 shrubland specialists, particularly blue-winged warbler, prairie warbler, yellow-breasted chat, indigo bunting, and field sparrow, avoided mature-forest edges, with twice as many birds caught 80 m from edges compared to 20 m. Abundances of most species, especially yellow-breasted chats, were positively correlated with area, though the combined area effect was not statistically significant. We found no evidence of reduced avian productivity in small stands. Neither area nor edge was associated with habitat characteristics, fruit abundance, or arthropod biomass. Our results suggest shrubland birds avoid habitat edges. Thus, small or narrow cuts may not provide optimal habitat for this suite of declining species, and managers should consider options to minimize edge and provide larger patches of shrubland habitats in landscape-scale planning efforts.
Evidence-based approaches for engineering global preparedness programming: Research to inform practice

Higher education has emphasized global education as a strategic goal over the past few decades, yet little empirical data has been collected to inform the decisions of global education. Engineering schools have integrated global experiences into programs with limited knowledge regarding the effectiveness of their program planning and capacity for supporting internationalization. Research is needed regarding strategies that support effective global programming and how outcomes of these strategies can be evaluated. Through three separate studies, this research addresses how engineering educators may implement, assess, and evaluate effective global engineering education programs. Using concept mapping, the first study will engage international engineering program facilitators to develop a framework that highlights effective global engineering education strategies and their evaluation. Data Envelopment Analysis will then be utilized to measure the relative effectiveness of global engineering education programming strategies using indices and outcomes identified in the framework. Using Latent Profile Analysis, the third study explores engineering global preparedness patterns among undergraduate engineering students as well as evaluates the relationships of engineering global preparedness with different student, institutional, and global programming variables. The anticipated results of this research are evidence-based global engineering programming strategies and systematic evaluation methods for international engineering program facilitators and educators.
Evaluation of the mTOT inhibitor, rapamycin in dogs with spontaneously derived osteosarcoma: A focus on preclinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

C87 There is great interest in the development of mTOR inhibitors as anti-cancer therapies. mTOR functions as the nutrient sensor of the cell controlling protein translation, integral in cancer development and progression. The inhibition of mTOR is possible with Rapamycin, initially developed as an immunosuppressant for transplant patients, and novel analogues, known collectively as rapalogs. Although there are currently many treatment trials evaluating Rapamycin and rapalogs, the correlation of dose, pharmacodynamic modulation, response and benefit for these agents is poorly underestood. Furthermore, an understanding of optimal combinations of mTOR inhibitors with other cancer treatments is lacking. The complexity of questions related to the dose, exposure, dose-target, and benefit of a new cancer agent requires sophisticated and innovative model systems. Pet dogs that have naturally developed cancer may be such a model system. As such a preclinical dose escalation study in pet dogs with osteosarcoma was initiated to address questions of Rapamycin pharmacokinetics and its relationship to tumoral and PBMC correlative pharmacodynamics. This study was conducted through the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium, a multi-institutional translational cancer therapy effort, led by the NCI, that integrates naturally occurring cancers seen in pet dogs into the development path of new cancer drugs. Dogs were administered paraenteral Rapamycin daily for an 8-day exposure starting at 0.01 mg/kg and finishing at 0.08 mg/kg. Biopsies were collected both pre and post treatment to assess mTOR pathway inhibition using modulation of 4EBP1 and S6K phosphorylation. Rapamycin was found to be safe and tolerable in tumor bearing dogs at doses relevant to typical human doses. There were two > grade 3 toxicities recorded but neither was attributable to the study drug. Hematologic and biochemical assessment was performed weekly for the 15-day study period and no significant toxicities reported. The tolerability of parenteral rapamycin in dogs will support the inclusion of dogs in future studies of mTOR inhibition. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assessments are currently being performed. This study was designed as a necessary prequel for currently planned studies that will assess the activity of mTOR inhibition in osteosarcoma and future studies that will define optimal combinations of mTOR inhibition with both conventional and novel cancer treatments for sarcomas and other cancers.
Superconvergence analysis of Yee scheme for metamaterial Maxwell's equations on non-uniform rectangular meshes

Since the development of Yee scheme back in 1966, it has become one of the most popular simulation tools for modeling electromagnetic wave propagation in various situations. However, its rigorous error analysis on nonuniform rectangular type grids was carried out until 1994 by Monk and Suli. They showed that the Yee scheme is still second-order convergent on a nonuniform mesh even though the local truncation error is only of first order. In this paper, we extend their results to Maxwell's equations in metamaterials by a simpler proof, and show the second-order superconvergence in space for the true Yee scheme instead of the only semi-discrete form discussed in Monk and Suli's original work. Numerical results supporting our analysis are presented.
Timing of Initial Antibiotic Treatment for Febrile Neutropenia in the Emergency Department: The Need for Evidence-Based Guidelines

Guidelines for the treatment of febrile neutropenia (FN) universally recommend the prompt initiation (<60 minutes) of antibiotic therapy for patients with this complication presenting to medical settings. Unfortunately, administration delays exist in emergency departments where patients with FN frequently seek care. Future guidelines should be based on investigations that clearly indicate the effectiveness of rapid antibiotic therapy. If definitive investigations identify an optimal time period for the initial administration of antibiotics for patients with FN, administrative efforts will be developed to improve the emergency department care of these critically ill patients with cancer.
Defense in Umbonia crassicornis: Role of the Pronotum and Adult Aggregations (Homoptera: Membracidae)

The pronotum of mature female Umbonia crassicornis causes rejection when the insect is captured by the lizard, Anolis carolinensis , while teneral adults and 5th instars are rejected on the basis of taste. Individual aposematic shape and cataleptic behavior enhance the defensive function of teneral adult aggregations. The dorsal horn of the pronotum is necessary to maintain these aggregations. Removal of the horn in combination with other ablations disrupts normal aggregating behavior.
On Technology Epistemology

Since the engineering tradition and the humanist tradition are still in a state separated from each other,and after the empirical turn,technology epistemology has gradually attention.As the major-backbone of technology philosophy,technology epistemology need to analyze the process and results of the concrete technology activity,the evolution and integration of knowledge of every stage,and makes a description and explanation.In addition,the context of technological cognition should be highlighted,specific technological cognition is the cognition which is in context,and some context elements are the intrinsic part of technological cognition.Technology epistemology research is not only advantageous to the bridge of the two traditions,and contributes to the development of the philosophy of technology,but also enlarge epistemological horizon.
Bow elbow (cubitus varus).

The normal carrying angle of 10 to 20 degrees is present early in intra-uterine life, does not change during childhood, and remains remarkably constant throughout adult life. An unreduced fracture of the lateral humeral condyle will result in a marked exaggeration of this angle, while an unredueed supracondylar fracture is the common cause of cubitus varus. This latter deformity is unsightly but remarkably quiescent. Fifteen such deformities have been corrected surgically with excellent results, no permanent complications, and no recurrences.
Tracheal Resection With Carinal Reconstruction for Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for primary malignancies of the trachea. We present here the rare case of a lifelong nonsmoker with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea, requiring tracheal resection and anterior carinal reconstruction. Patient preparation, surgical technique, and considerations to avoid airway anastomotic complications are discussed.
Layer-by-layer deposition of nitrilotris(methylene)triphosphonic acid and Zr(IV): an XPS, ToF-SIMS, ellipsometry, and AFM study

Layer-by-layer assemblies consisting of alternating layers of nitrilotris(methylene)triphosphonic acid (NTMP), a polyfunctional corrosion inhibitor, and zirconium(IV) were prepared on alumina. In particular, a nine-layer (NTMP/Zr(IV))4NTMP stack could be constructed at room temperature, which showed a steady increase in film thickness throughout its growth by spectroscopic ellipsometry up to a final thickness of 1.79 ± 0.04 nm. At higher temperature (70 °C), even a two-layer NTMP/Zr(IV) assembly could not be prepared because of etching of the alumina substrate by the heated Zr(IV) solution. XPS characterization of the layer-by-layer assembly showed a saw tooth pattern in the nitrogen, phosphorus, and zirconium signals, where the modest increases and decreases in these signals corresponded to the expected deposition and perhaps removal of NTMP and Zr(IV). Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) confirmed the attachment of the NTMP molecule to the surface through PO−, PO2−, PO3−, and CN− signals. Increasing attenuation of the Al signal from the substrate after deposition of each layer was observed by both XPS and ToF-SIMS. Essentially complete etching of the alumina by the heated Zr(IV) solution was confirmed by spectroscopic ellipsometry, XPS, and ToF-SIMS. Atomic force microscopy revealed that all the films were smooth with Rq roughness values less than 0.5 nm. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conclusion: Redemption through Reconstruction and Beyond

On May 31, 1950, the young GDR citizen Brigitte Reimann wrote a letter to a girlfriend in the Federal Republic, expressing both jealousy and pride in the reconstruction of her own part of Germany: “Sometimes I could really envy you guys over there a little— but only sometimes, like whenever the work starts really pouring down on our heads. Good grief, if you knew how much we work over here! But we’ll do it, you can count on that!”1 The sixteen-year-old Brigitte and her skeptical friend Veralore in the West both knew what “we’ll do it” referred to: the construction of a model antifascist, democratic, socialist-humanist German state. By the end of the year, however, the first cracks appeared in Brigitte’s avowals of loyalty to and love for the GDR. One day during school, one of her classmates was arrested, and no one was even certain who had done the arresting.2 Brigitte insisted that the boy could not possibly be guilty of disloyalty to the state. The boy’s mother had no news of his fate, and the class attempted unsuccessfully to locate him. Brigitte claimed that she cried desperately for days at school and even had to be physically pulled away by her friends when she began to scream and curse at the commandant who visited the school. This became the first instance of many expressions of angry disappointment in the socialist state throughout her life. “So you see—and then something in me broke,” she wrote to Vera. “A belief, if you want to call it that. Why would anyone stain a great thing with—perhaps with the blood of someone still half a child?” 3 This combination of pride in the antifascist project with a continual reminder of the brutality of the regime underlies any assessment of the GDR as it slowly emerged out of the postwar years to become a key figure in the Soviet bloc.
What and where is culture

Having gone through structure and agency, now, with culture, we come to the C portion of Margaret Archer's SAC. It is Archer's own Culture and Agency: The Place of Culture in Social Theory that represents the major CR statement on this topic, and for Archer, culture needs to be treated in parallel with structure. That parallel means in the first instance to treat culture as something analytically distinct from agency. The two obviously interrelate causally, just as structure and agency interrelate causally. But, again, for two things to interrelate causally, they must be ontologically distinct. It is that ontological distinctness of culture and agency that first marks Archer's CR view. Of course, for Archer and CR, structure and culture also are distinct. Neither reduces to the other. Whereas structure, as I have said, refers to social organizational relations, for Archer culture refers to intelligibilia . What does Archer mean by intelligibilia? Intelligibilia are anything with meaningful content produced by social intentionality. That formulation itself requires unpacking. As I made clear in the previous chapter, intentionality and reasoned motivation lie somewhere behind all human action. Action in turn can be social in two respects. It can be motivated or informed by social phenomena – such as rules, myths or ideologies. It can also be socially oriented as is anything designed to communicate to or to otherwise influence others. And, of course, what is social can be both informed by and oriented to what is social. Because intelligibilia express intentionality, intelligibilia require hermeneutical interpretation to understand or explain. Why do I invoke this clumsy-sounding locution, hermeneutical interpretation ? Ironically, for the sake of clarity. In one sense, to understand anything requires interpretation. It requires a kind of interpretation, for example, to discern whether or not in the cosmic background radiation, there is evidence that our universe once inflated astronomically. That kind of interpretation, however, is not the kind we mean when we speak of specifically hermeneutical interpretation. What is distinctive of the kind of interpretation we mean when we speak of hermeneutical interpretation? The simplest answer is it refers to the distinction the interpretivists or Verstehen sociologists invoke to mark the difference between the natural and the human. Whereas natural phenomena, they say, need to be explained causally, human phenomena need to be understood hermeneutically. Whereas the former involves laws, the latter involves reasons.
What Can the Imaging Technology of the Central Nervous System Tell Us

Goethe, the great poet and natural scientist, raised a fundamental objection to the way that science was done in his time: “The isolation of phenomenon and processes from their natural environment to permit their analysis and under—standing, does violence to the object studied and changes its real nature.:” His objection remains as valid today as when he made it. Yet science has not paused to answer it. It was and is the only path visible to us. Yet if one views developments in the field of imaging of the central nervous system and its activity in the broadest sense, we are coming closer and closer to the ideal of the poet—that of studying natural phenomena in their natural habitat. In our case, the object of interest is the human nervous system and its development. The techniques we speak of in this chapter are images of one type or another of the form and function of that nervous system.
Assessment of Bullying

Despite a large body of research, the fi eld of bullying still needs standard, reliable, and independently validated measures for determining whether a student has been bullied (or has bullied others). This chapter reviews seven common problems with bullying surveys and makes recommendations for improved measurement and validation eff orts. A systematic program of research is needed to compare bullying surveys with independent criteria and to assess their sensitivity, specifi city, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power.
Looking at Intersections: A Survey of Intersection Monitoring, Behavior and Safety Analysis of Recent Studies

Intersections are known for their integral and complex nature due to a variety of the participants' behaviors and interactions. This paper presents a review of recent studies on the behavior at intersections and the safety analysis for three types of participants at intersections: vehicles, drivers, and pedestrians. This paper emphasizes on techniques which are strong candidates for automation with visual sensing technology. A new behavior and safety classification is presented based on key features used for intersection design, planning, and safety. In addition, performance metrics are introduced to evaluate different studies, and insights are provided regarding the state of the art, inputs, algorithms, challenges, and shortcomings.
Does Alcohol Contribute to College Men's Sexual Assault Perpetration? Between- and Within-Person Effects Over Five Semesters.

Objective:The current longitudinal study was designed to consider the time-varying effects of men’s heavy episodic drinking (HED) and drinking setting attendance on college sexual assault perpetration.Method:Freshman men (N = 992) were recruited in their first semester and completed online measures at the end of their first five semesters. Using multilevel models, we examined whether men with higher frequency HED (or party or bar attendance) were more likely to perpetrate sexual assault (between-person, Level 2 effect) and whether sexual assault perpetration was more likely in semesters in which HED (or party or bar attendance) was higher than each individual’s average (within-person, Level 1 effect).Results:The between-person effect of HED on sexual assault was not significant after accounting for the between-person effects of antisocial behavior, impersonal sex orientation, and low self-control. The within-person effect of HED on sexual assault perpetration was not significant. However, models substitut...
The Various Procoagulant Effects of PolyP Require Different Minimal Polymer Lengths.

Abstract Introduction: Polyphosphates (polyP) are negatively charged, linear phosphate polymers found throughout biology. PolyP in prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes is typically hundreds of phosphate units long, while polyP in dense granules of human platelets is ∼75 phosphates long. PolyP is secreted upon platelet activation, and we recently reported that it is a potent hemostatic regulator, acting at multiple points in the clotting cascade: PolyP triggers the contact pathway, accelerates factor V activation, and abrogates the anticoagulant function of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). Our previous experiments utilized relatively heterodisperse polyP preparations. We have now isolated polyP fractions of defined polymer lengths and here report the size dependence of the various procoagulant effects of polyP. Methods: PolyP preparations were carefully size-fractionated by gel electrophoresis (Clark and Wood, Anal. Biochem. 1987, 161:280–290). Clotting assays were performed using pooled normal plasma with or without added recombinant TFPI or 40–50 μM polyP. Clotting was initiated by tissue factor (TF), factor Xa (FXa), or CaCl2 alone (contact pathway). Results: Of the polyP procoagulant activities tested, triggering the contact pathway required the longest polymers: We observed weak triggering of the contact pathway with ∼75mers and increasing procoagulant activity as polymer lengths increased, with maximal contact pathway activation requiring 450mers or longer. On the other hand, the downstream procoagulant effects of polyP required significantly shorter polyP polymers. (When clotting is triggered by either TF or FXa, further shortening of clotting times by polyP is attributed to accelerated factor V activation.) Minimum polymer lengths required to shorten TF or FXa clot times were ∼37mers, with maximal activity requiring 75mers or longer. Finally, the ability of polyP to abrogate TFPI anticoagulant function required the shortest minimum polymer lengths: Detectable anti-TFPI activity was observed with 11mers, with maximal activity requiring 49mers or longer. Conclusions: PolyP exhibited different minimum length requirements for its various procoagulant effects, consistent with the idea that polyP interacts with different proteins at various points in the clotting cascade. Contact pathway activation required very long polymers that were similar in size to those in infectious microorganisms. Therefore, triggering of the contact pathway by polyP may contribute to procoagulant/inflammatory responses to infection. In contrast, acceleration of factor V activation by polyP was maximal with polymers of the size released from human platelets. Even shorter polyP polymers abrogated TFPI function, suggesting that at least some of polyP's anti-TFPI effect may be mediated by mechanisms other than (or in addition to) its ability to accelerate factor V activation.
Patient-reported outcomes from adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.

9605 Background: AYA survivors may experience unique toxicites compared to older survivors, and these may be difficult to measure. This Internet based study evaluates patient-reported outcomes duri...
Cost of malingering mild traumatic brain injury-related cognitive deficits during compensation and pension evaluations in the veterans benefits administration.

ABSTRACTGiven the high rates of exaggeration in those claiming long-term cognitive deficits as a result of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), the aim of this study was to evaluate the rates of malingering in those seeking disability through the Veterans Benefits Administration and estimate the financial burden of disability payments for those receiving compensation despite exaggerated mTBI-related cognitive deficits. Retrospective review included 74 veterans seen for Compensation and Pension evaluations for mTBI. Rates of malingering were based on failure of the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) and/or the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) trial 1 ≤ 40. Total estimated compensation was based on the level of disability awarded and the number of individuals found to be malingering cognitive deficits. Overall, 33–52% of the sample was found to be malingering mTBI-related cognitive deficits. The malingering groups were receiving approximately $71,000–$121,000/year ($6,390–$7,063 per year, per veteran on a...
A gate drive with active voltage divider based auxiliary power supply for medium voltage SiC device in high voltage applications

The emerging medium voltage (MV ≥ 10 kV) Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices are promising device candidates for high voltage applications, such as high voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) systems and flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS), where multilevel converters are often employed. Two main prerequisites for successful implementation of MV SiC devices in these high voltage applications are 1) a gate drive circuit with high common mode transient immunity (CMTI) and fast protection functions and 2) a high-reliability auxiliary power supply (APS) circuit for the gate drive circuit that can satisfy the insulation requirement. This paper presents the development of a gate drive system, targeting the utilization of 10 kV SiC devices in multilevel converters for high voltage applications. The developed gate drive system includes a gate drive circuit and an APS circuit. The APS circuit is based on the active voltage divider concept and it can harvest energy from a MV (≥ 7 kV) dc bus to provide an isolated low voltage output to gate drive circuits with simple circuit structure and control scheme. The developed gate drive circuit features high CMTI (> 200 kV/μs) and comprehensive protection functions, including overcurrent protection, isolated gate drive failure protection, active miller clamping, under-voltage lockout, soft turn-off, and fault reporting. The working principles and design considerations for the gate drive and APS circuits are presented in this paper. To validate the circuit design, the gate drive system was tested in a 10 kV SiC device based double pulse tester with 7 kV dc voltage.
Measuring Contact Stress with 19 F-NMR Spectroscopy

Increased static contact stress is associated with tissue damage in vivo and in vitro. It could be caused by edema (for example, in normal hydrocephalus) or a growing tumor which displaces surrounding tissue. Measurement of contact stress is inherently invasive, however, it can be less traumatic with a sensor having no wires or leads. One goal of this chapter is to propose that NMR spectroscopy can perform the function of a telemetry system provided that an in-dwelling transducer can convert the desired physical quantity (such as applied stress) to an NMR detectable chemical change. Previously, it was observed that compressing polyelectrolyte gels could cause a redistribution of mobile ions that is measurable with NMR spectroscopy [1]. In the sensor described below, the applied stress is inferred from a non-invasive 19F-NMR spectroscopic measurement of pH.
Acute Exposure to Commonly Ingested Emulsifiers Alters Intestinal Mucus Structure and Transport Properties

The consumption of generally regarded as safe emulsifiers has increased, and has been associated with an increased prevalence of inflammatory bowel and metabolic diseases, as well as an altered microbiome. The mucus barrier, which selectively controls the transport of particulates and microorganisms to the underlying epithelial layer, has been previously shown to be altered by dietary salts and lipids. However, the potential impact of emulsifiers on the protective mucus barrier, its permeability, and associated structural changes are not clear. In this study, we analyzed changes in the mucus barrier to both passively diffusing nanoparticles and actively swimming E. coli upon exposure to two emulsifiers, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polysorbate 80 (Tween). When exposed to CMC, mucus pore size decreased, which resulted in significantly slower E. coli speed and particle diffusion rates through mucus. Tween exposure minimally impacted mucus microstructure and particle diffusion, but increased E. coli speed in mucus. Moreover, both emulsifiers appeared to alter mucus amount and thickness in rat intestinal tissue and mucus-producing cell cultures. These results indicate that acute exposure to emulsifiers impacts barrier and structural properties of intestinal mucus, modulating interactions between intestinal lumen contents, microbes, and underlying tissue, which may contribute to development of intestinal inflammation.
Evaluation of alternative penalty function implementations in a watershed management design problem

Genetic algorithms (GAs) provide a convenient framework to search for good solutions for a wide range of problems that are typically difficult to solve by means of traditional optimization techniques. Their application in solving real-world engineering problems is becoming increasingly popular. A common drawback of this procedure is its poor ability to handle constraints while searching for good solutions. The watershed management problem addressed in this paper includes a significant number of constraints. After evaluating that special constraint handling operators and procedures reported in the GA literature are insufficient to handle these constraints, penalty function-based generalized techniques for handling constraints within GAs are chosen as the most likely approach. A systematic investigation of alternative implementations of penalty functions to handle the constraints that are typical in watershed management problems is carried out. Based on a case study involving a watershed in High Point, North Carolina, comparisons are made among a set of penalty functions with respect to the performance of the genetic algorithm in consistently finding good solutions that meet the specified constraints.
A Predictive Model of Thrombus Growth in Stenosed Vessels with Dynamic Geometries

This paper introduces a dynamic model of platelet-rich thrombus growth in stenosed vessels using computational fluid dynamics methods. Platelet adhesion, aggregation and activation kinetics are modeled by solving mass transport equations for blood components involved in thrombosis. Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation is used to model the growing thrombi with variable geometry. The wall boundaries are discretely moved based on the amount of platelet deposition that occurs on vessel wall. To emulate the dynamic behavior of platelet adhesion kinetics during thrombus growth, a validated model for platelet adhesion, which calculates platelet-surface adhesion rates as a function of stenosis severity and Reynolds number, is applied to the model. Results of the present model for vessel occlusion times and platelet deposition in stenosed region are compared to ex vivo and in vitro experimental data. The model successfully predicts the nonlinear growth of thrombi in the stenosed area. These simulations provide a useful guideline to understand the effect of growing thrombus on thrombus growth rate, platelet activation kinetics and recurrence of embolism in highly stenosed arteries.
Static and Mobile Target $k$ k -Coverage in Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks

Energy remains a major hurdle in running computation-intensive tasks on wireless sensors. Recent efforts have been made to employ a Mobile Charger (MC) to deliver wireless power to sensors, which provides a promising solution to the energy problem. Most of previous works in this area aim at maintaining perpetual network operation at the expense of high operating cost of MC. In the meanwhile, it is observed that due to the low cost of wireless sensors, they are usually deployed at high density so there is abundant redundancy in their coverage in the network. For such networks, it is possible to take advantage of the redundancy to reduce the energy cost. In this paper, we relax the strictness of perpetual operation by allowing some sensors to temporarily run out of energy while still maintaining target $k$k-coverage in the network at lower cost of MC. We first establish a theoretical model to analyze the performance improvements under this new strategy. Then, we organize sensors into load-balanced clusters for target monitoring by a distributed algorithm. Next, we propose a charging algorithm named $\lambda$λ-GTSP Charging Algorithm to determine the optimal number of sensors to be charged in each cluster to maintain $k$k-coverage in the network and derive the route for MC to charge them. We further generalize the algorithm to encompass mobile targets as well. Our extensive simulation results demonstrate significant improvements of network scalability and cost saving that MC can extend charging capability over 2-3 times with a reduction of 40 percent of moving cost without sacrificing the network performance.
Classifying Acoustic Signals for Wildlife Monitoring and Poacher Detection on UAVs

Acoustic detection and classification methods for wildlife monitoring have recently been used as an alternative to video-based methods. With the advent of reliable and cheaper mini-UAVs, using acoustic information for detection and classification of targets of interests can provide a cheaper solution than employing video-based or distributed wireless acoustic sensors for wildlife monitoring. In reality, we would like to identify or classify individual targets from a mixture of interest signals (polyphonic). Also, these signals when recorded by UAVs have a low signal to noise ratio due to noise coming from the UAV propeller, motor, and wind. In this paper, we explore the performance of a SVM classifier when used to classify a mixture of acoustic signals of interests (polyphonic) under noisy environments. The performance of the classifier is compared to the performance in the absence of noise and the performance of individual signals of interest (monophonic). The classifier performance is evaluated for precision, recall, and F1-score on an extensively built database that contains acoustic sources from mammals, birds, vehicles, and firearms.
Back-projecting secondary craters using a cone of uncertainty

Abstract In this paper we present an extension to the Large Crater Clustering (LCC) tool set which places a cone of uncertainty around the trajectories of secondary impact craters to determine potential locations of source craters. The LCC tool set was a first step in the spatial quantification of primary and secondary cratering processes, which allows planetary geologists to accurately estimate the geologic age of a celestial surface. This work builds on the LCC tool set by accounting for the ambiguity of flight path trajectories through a Python script that leverages ArcGIS's ArcPy library. We chronicle the mechanics of the script, which creates geodetically correct cones then counts them within equally sized cells of a vector grid. We describe the process that was used to derive the shape of the cone and provide parameters for the sizes of the cones and the grid. We demonstrate that the cone of uncertainty has the ability to compensate for error in secondary crater trajectories by introducing deviation in the trajectory bearing and comparing the predicted primary crater location. We use two study areas on Mars as well as the entire lunar surface to illustrate the usefulness of the extension as an aid to human interpretation of back-projections.
Identification of specialized pro-resolving mediator clusters from healthy adults after intravenous low-dose endotoxin and omega-3 supplementation: a methodological validation.

Specialized pro-resolving mediator(s) (SPMs) are produced from the endogenous ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and accelerate resolution of acute inflammation. We identified specific clusters of SPM in human plasma and serum using LC-MS/MS based lipid mediator (LM) metabololipidomics in two separate laboratories for inter-laboratory validation. The human plasma cluster consisted of resolvin (Rv)E1, RvD1, lipoxin (LX)B4, 18-HEPE, and 17-HDHA, and the human serum cluster consisted of RvE1, RvD1, AT-LXA4, 18-HEPE, and 17-HDHA. Human plasma and serum SPM clusters were increased after ω-3 supplementation (triglyceride dietary supplements or prescription ethyl esters) and low dose intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. These results were corroborated by parallel determinations with the same coded samples in a second, separate laboratory using essentially identical metabololipidomic operational parameters. In these healthy subjects, two ω-3 supplementation protocols (Study A and Study B) temporally increased the SPM cluster throughout the endotoxin-challenge time course. Study A and Study B were randomized and Study B also had a crossover design with placebo and endotoxin challenge. Endotoxin challenge temporally regulated lipid mediator production in human serum, where pro-inflammatory eicosanoid (prostaglandins and thromboxane) concentrations peaked by 8 hours post-endotoxin and SPMs such as resolvins and lipoxins initially decreased by 2 h and were then elevated at 24 hours. In healthy adults given ω-3 supplementation, the plasma concentration of the SPM cluster (RvE1, RvD1, LXB4, 18-HEPE, and 17-HDHA) peaked at two hours post endotoxin challenge. These results from two separate laboratories with the same samples provide evidence for temporal production of specific pro-resolving mediators with ω-3 supplementation that together support the role of SPM in vivo in inflammation-resolution in humans.
Youth Perspectives of Healthcare in Central Mexico: An Application of Massey's Critical Health Literacy Framework.

Attention to health literacy is essential more now than ever given the recognition, attention, and resources being dedicated to addressing health disparities throughout the world. Unfortunately, health literacy research is scarce in many parts of the world, particularly among youth. Using focus group discussions with junior high school students (N = 98) in a rural town of Central Mexico, we sought to learn about their experiences utilizing healthcare services at a local health clinic. The themes that naturally emerged from focus group discussions aligned with Massey’s framework on critical health literacy among US youth, and included problems navigating the health system, embarrassment speaking to doctors about sensitive issues, and minimal importance being placed on preventative care. This suggests that Massey’s framework may be appropriate to use when seeking to understand and promote health literacy among youth in Mexico. Furthermore, the challenges faced by adolescent participants in this study suggest that additional research is needed to assess how youth in other areas of Mexico are faring in efforts to understand and access their new and evolving universal healthcare system.
Bullwhip Effect of Multiple Products with Interdependent Product Demands

The bullwhip effect has been studied extensively by researchers using analytical and empirical models based on a single product. We extend the current theory to provide insights for a firm that manufactures multiple products in a single product category with interdependent demand streams. We find that interdependency between demand streams plays a critical role in determining the existence and magnitude of the bullwhip effect. More importantly, we show that interdependency impacts whether the firm should manage ordering and inventory decisions at the category level or at the product level, and whether the bullwhip effect measure computed at the category level is informative or not.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Weighing the Accomplishments, Hype, and Promise.

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) research is now 50 years old, having made great progress that has tracked the corresponding evolution of computer science, hardware technology, communications, and biomedicine. Characterized as being in its “adolescence” at an international meeting in 1991, and as “coming of age” at another meeting in 2007, the AIM field is now more visible and influential than ever before, paralleling the enthusiasm and accomplishments of artificial intelligence (AI) more generally. Objectives: This article summarizes some of that AIM history, providing an update on the status of the field as it enters its second half-century. It acknowledges the failure of AI, including AIM, to live up to early predictions of its likely capabilities and impact. Methods: The paper reviews and assesses the early history of the AIM field, referring to the conclusions of papers based on the meetings in 1991 and 2007, and analyzing the subsequent evolution of AIM. Conclusion: We must be cautious in assessing the speed at which further progress will be made, despite today’s wild predictions in the press and large investments by industry, including in health care. The inherent complexity of medicine and of clinical care necessitates that we address issues of usability, workflow, transparency, safety, and formal clinical trials. These requirements contribute to an ongoing research agenda that means academic AIM research will continue to be vibrant while having new opportunities for more interactions with industry.