cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic Detection and Tracking of Human Motion with a View-Based Representation

This paper proposes a solution for the automatic detection and tracking of human motion in image sequences. Due to the complexity of the human body and its motion, automatic detection of 3D human motion remains an open, and important, problem. Existing approaches for automatic detection and tracking focus on 2D cues and typically exploit object appearance (color distribution, shape) or knowledge of a static background. In contrast, we exploit 2D optical flow information which provides rich descriptive cues, while being independent of object and background appearance. To represent the optical flow patterns of people from arbitrary viewpoints, we develop a novel representation of human motion using low-dimensional spatio-temporal models that are learned using motion capture data of human subjects. In addition to human motion (the foreground) we probabilistically model the motion of generic scenes (the background); these statistical models are defined as Gibbsian fields specified from the first-order derivatives of motion observations. Detection and tracking are posed in a principled Bayesian framework which involves the computation of a posterior probability distribution over the model parameters (i.e., the location and the type of the human motion) given a sequence of optical flow observations. Particle filtering is used to represent and predict this non-Gaussian posterior distribution over time. The model parameters of samples from this distribution are related to the pose parameters of a 3D articulated model (e.g. the approximate joint angles and movement direction). Thus the approach proves suitable for initializing more complex probabilistic models of human motion. As shown by experiments on real image sequences, our method is able to detect and track people under different viewpoints with complex backgrounds.
Collision-based mechanics of bipedal hopping

The muscle work required to sustain steady-speed locomotion depends largely upon the mechanical energy needed to redirect the centre of mass and the degree to which this energy can be stored and returned elastically. Previous studies have found that large bipedal hoppers can elastically store and return a large fraction of the energy required to hop, whereas small bipedal hoppers can only elastically store and return a relatively small fraction. Here, we consider the extent to which large and small bipedal hoppers (tammar wallabies, approx. 7 kg, and desert kangaroo rats, approx. 0.1 kg) reduce the mechanical energy needed to redirect the centre of mass by reducing collisions. We hypothesize that kangaroo rats will reduce collisions to a greater extent than wallabies since kangaroo rats cannot elastically store and return as high a fraction of the mechanical energy of hopping as wallabies. We find that kangaroo rats use a significantly smaller collision angle than wallabies by employing ground reaction force vectors that are more vertical and center of mass velocity vectors that are more horizontal and thereby reduce their mechanical cost of transport. A collision-based approach paired with tendon morphometry may reveal this effect more generally among bipedal runners and quadrupedal trotters.
Iniencephaly and anencephaly with spinal retroflexion. A comparative study of eight human specimens

Two major groups of malformed human fetuses exhibit retro-flexion of the cervical spine, one called “iniencephaly” and the other “anencephalfy with spinal retroflexion.” In the former there is a cranial cavity as well as uninterrupted skin covering the retroflexed region and the head. The latter has partial or complete absence of the neurocranium, and the affected region of nervous tissue is not covered with skin. This difference clearly suggests different times of onset of these two classes of malformation, although the frequent occurrence of caudal myeloschisis in iniercephaly suggests that the difference is very small. Despite this important difference these conditions have numerous morphological features in common which justify discussing them together. The present paper reviews these morphological details, based upon six specimens with anencephaly with spinal retroflexion and two with iniencephaly.
DETERMINING THE PRESENT VALUE OF LOSSES RESULTING FROM INJURY

In the United States, litigation often follows an accidental injury or death of an individual. In this paper, the method used in the United States to establish the economic damages resulting from an injury or death is outlined. The paper addresses the loss of wages, fringe benefits and household services. While there is general agreement as to the formula used to compute the economic loss, there is some disagreement as to what variables should be employed in the analysis. This paper presents the method for computing the economic loss and points out where alternative values may be used
Chemiluminescence Detection in Capillary Electrophoresis Using an Ultra-fast Co-catalyzed Peroxyoxalate Chemiluminescent Reaction and Electrokinetic Reagent Delivery

Despite the impressive limits of detection and inherent selectivity afforded by peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (POCL) detection, efficient coupling of POCL to capillary electrophoresis (CE) remains limited by the relatively slow kinetics of the reactions that drive imidazole-catalyzed chemiluminescence. Moreover, oxalate esters, used in POCL, are sparingly soluble in polar solvents and hydrolyze rapidly, presenting an additional challenge with respect to detection following aqueous phase separations. In this paper, a novel method for coupling an ultrafast POCL reaction to CE is presented. Post separation electrokinetic delivery of the POCL reagent bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO) was accomplished using a commercially available micro tee. Electrokinetic addition of TCPO allowed for precise control of the ratio of TCPO to the chemiluminescence (CL) reagents 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine (PMP) and 1,2,4-triazole (triazole), spiked into the running buffer. This novel method for CL reagent delivery avoided the problems and costs associated with using pressure or mechanical pumps to deliver reagents post separation. Use of this dual-component system (PMP and triazole) resulted in intense CL with half-lives of less than 2 seconds. Optimum conditions for CE-POCL detection were investigated using stopped-flow kinetics. The detection limit for 3-aminofluoranthene, following separation by CE, was<0.95 nM.
THE AUTOMATED EXTERNAL CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR: LIFESAVING DEVICE FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

ABSTRACT Background More than 350,000 adult Americans die each year of sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA. The event is unpredictable and can occur in patients with no history of cardiac disease or cardiac symptoms. Drugs and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, save only a small percentage of victims. The necessary response is rapid application of electrical shock, and the chances of success are reduced 10 percent for every minute of delay. Types of Studies Reviewed The author reviewed the literature on resuscitation of people who have undergone SCA, and examined the emerging technology of automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, for correcting cardiac ventricular fibrillation. Included is a review of the controversies surrounding AED waveforms and energy levels. Results Automated cardiac defibrillators are becoming readily available because of improved technology and decreasing prices. AEDs are now commonly found in commercial aircraft, gambling casinos, sports arenas and public buildings, and will soon become as readily available as fire extinguishers. The use of AEDs is being taught in standard CPR courses. Clinical Implications AEDs are being installed in more public locations, including some dental offices. As costs decrease and availability increases, there is significant potential use for AEDs in managing SCAs in dental offices.
A Fuzzy Adaptive Network Model for Waviness Removal in Grinding of Wire-Sawn Silicon Wafers

Silicon is the primary semiconductor material used to fabricate microchips, and the quality of microchips depends directly upon the quality of the starting silicon wafers. One of the manufacturing problems in silicon wafer manufacturing is the presence of waviness on the surface as a result of wire-saw slicing. Various factors influence the waviness reduction capacity during soft-pad grinding; the grinding process is very complicated and difficult to define. In this research, fuzzy adaptive network, which is ideally suited to the modeling of vague phenomena, is used to model the waviness problem. Fuzzy adaptive network has the learning ability of a neural network and the linguistic representation of a complex, not well understood phenomenon. Simulation data are used to illustrate the applicability of fuzzy adaptive network. The results, even though based on some very limited data, indicate the influences of the independent parameters clearly.
The New Philosophy of Science and Its Lessons

Until recently, it has been held that the laws of nature that lie at the heart of theories are universally quantified statements sufficiently capable of sustaining counterfactuals that they might well claim to limn the underlying structure of the world. From this perspective, theories are seen to be confirmed or falsified by treating putative laws as major premisses of hypothetical arguments from which, if the proposed law were true, and certain interfering contingencies are set aside, certain facts would be predicted. Experiments are then devised to test those predictions, and by this means to confirm or disconfirm the generalizations that generated the prediction in the first place. A major goal of science, on this account, is to use fewer and fewer laws to explain more and more facts, progressively ‘reducing’ the laws of restricted sciences to those of more basic ones. Explanations of particular facts and events, meanwhile, are achieved by employing confirmed laws as premisses from which what is to be explained can be deduced, with the help of ‘bridge laws’ that connect high-level generalizations with data about specific processes. On this view, it follows that prediction and explanation are logically identical. From a ‘covering law,’ together with statements about initial and boundary conditions, a statement about the state of the system either at a future time or a past time follows deductively. If predicted or retrodicted statements turn out to conform to experimental results, what was to be explained (explanandum) is treated as having been settled (Nagel, 1961; Hempel, 1965). How deeply this view of the scientific enterprise has penetrated our culture is indicated by the fact that it is commonly called ‘the received view’ by philosophers. This conception of ‘scientific method’ was widely dissiminated in America, right down to the grammar school level, in the aftermath of the Sputnik crisis, when science-minded liberals, emboldened by the ascendancy of logical empiricism and more generally of a modernist sensibility, consolidated their hold over the American educational system. One can forgive both teachers and students for thinking that this idea had a revered and well-established genealogy. But in point of fact this case illustrates a more generally applicable principle of historical interpretation: There is a strong correlation between what is most revered at any given
Approaching brain injury after cardiac arrest: from bench to bedside

The neurological injury after resuscitation from cardiac arrest (CA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The unavailability of primary brain directed measures of injury and effective therapy worsens the problem. We have embarked on better understanding the process of injury and recovery by developing an animal model in our laboratory. Using this model, we have discovered that the use of quantitative EEG (Q-EEG) analysis will allow us to titrate the brain injury, monitor the recovery process, study the electrophysiological and biochemical mechanisms of injury and recovery and detect the neuroprotective effect afforded by a drug that prevents neuronal death after injury. With ideas derived from the laboratory research, we have designed a study to test the applicability of QEEG analysis in human subjects resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Our preliminary analysis shows that our measure is able to track the neurological changes of these patients. With this very promising start of this QEEG based measure, we can utilize this technology to develop more rational and effective therapeutic strategies that will improve the neurological outcome in this patient population.
Mycobacterium fortuitum infection following neck liposuction: A case report.

MYCOBACTERIUM FORTUITUM is considered a ubiquitous, rapidly growing atypical mycobacterium readily isolated from soil, water, domestic and wild animals, milk, and foods. 1 Although originally believed to be a saprophyte, M. fortuitum has become rarely associated with human infections. Most commonly, reported clinical infections are postsurgical, cutaneous, or pulmonary. 2 The rise in clinical significance and awareness of disease caused by this atypical mycobacterium may be partly attributed to improved laboratory identification of mycobacteria, as well as an increasing population of susceptible immunocompromised individuals. This report describes a case of cutaneous infection with M. fortuitum following neck liposuction, which to the authors’ knowledge has not been reported to date.
Unfolded protein response regulates cardiac sodium current in systolic human heart failure.

Background— Human heart failure (HF) increases alternative mRNA splicing of the type V, voltage-gated cardiac Na+ channel α-subunit (SCN5A), generating variants encoding truncated, nonfunctional channels that are trapped in the endoplasmic reticulum. In this work, we tested whether truncated Na+ channels activate the unfolded protein response (UPR), contributing to SCN5A electric remodeling in HF. Methods and Results— UPR and SCN5A were analyzed in human ventricular systolic HF tissue samples and human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Cells were exposed to angiotensin II (AngII) and hypoxia, known activators of abnormal SCN5A mRNA splicing, or were induced to overexpress SCN5A variants. UPR effectors, protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), calreticulin, and CHOP, were increased in human HF tissues. Induction of SCN5A variants with AngII or hypoxia or the expression of exogenous variants induced the UPR with concomitant downregulation of Na+ current. PERK activation destabilized SCN5A and, surprisingly, Kv4.3 channel mRNAs but not transient receptor potential cation channel M7 (TRPM7) channel mRNA. PERK inhibition prevented the loss of full-length SCN5A and Kv4.3 mRNA levels resulting from expressing Na+ channel mRNA splice variants. Conclusions— UPR can be initiated by Na+ channel mRNA splice variants and is involved in the reduction of cardiac Na+ current during human HF. Because the effect is not entirely specific to the SCN5A transcript, the UPR may play an important role in downregulation of multiple cardiac genes in HF.
Fabrication of high-performance on-chip suspended spiral inductors by micromachining and electroless copper plating

Polysilicon spiral inductors encapsulated with copper (Cu) were suspended over 30-/spl mu/m-deep cavities in the silicon substrate beneath. The metallization process simultaneously coated the inner surfaces of the cavities with Cu to form both good radio-frequency (RF) ground and electromagnetic shield. Quality factor (Q) up to 30 and self-resonance frequency (f/sub res/) higher than 10 GHz were achieved for a 10.4 nH inductor. Simulation showed that the Cu-lined cavities reduced the mutual inductance between two adjacent inductors by a factor of 5, compared with that without the cavities. This proves that good shielding was provided by the cavities.
Understanding Climate Sensitivity to Tropical Deforestation in a Mechanistic Model

An analysis is provided to explain the sensitivity of regional climate to tropical deforestation based on an intermediate-level mechanistic model for land‐atmosphere interaction. The analytical framework is made possible by the fact that feedback to local thermodynamics from large-scale dynamics is negligible, so the determining processes take place in situ. The analytical method accurately reproduces the intermediate-level numerical model results for an albedo change scenario and further provides insight into the mechanisms. A three-way balance among large-scale adiabatic cooling, moist convective heating, and radiative heating allows two positive feedback mechanisms, moisture convergence feedback and evaporation feedback, that give rise to the high sensitivity. The analysis also highlights a deficiency in column energy balance commonly used in tropical simple models, which results in a sensitivity that is likely too high. In light of these findings, some immediate needs for further advancing understanding of the problem are discussed.
Crop traits related to weed suppression in water-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L)

Abstract Resistance to herbicides and the lack of viable control options have led to an interest in increasing the role of crop competition as a weed management tool in water-seeded rice production. Weed-suppressive rice cultivars have been suggested as a tool that could improve weed control and reduce the reliance of growers on herbicides. Field studies were conducted at Biggs, CA, in 1999 and 2000 with six to eight semidwarf rice cultivars to identify water-seeded rice traits related to the suppression of watergrass growth. Cultivars S-201 and M-302 were the most suppressive in both years. The dry weight (DW) of watergrass grown with the most suppressive cultivar was only 16% in 1999 and 57% in 2000 of the DW of watergrass grown with the least suppressive cultivar. Rice leaf area and root DW in weed-free plots were linearly related to watergrass DW in both years. Weed-suppressive traits were not inversely correlated with rice yields in monoculture; competitive cultivars also had high yields. This study ...
Reconstructing Teachers of Mathematics

Reform pedagogy in mathematics requires teachers to reconstruct themselves as learners of mathematics at the same time as they reconstruct themselves as teachers of mathematics. Using data from a middle school geometry course for practicing teachers, I identify difficulties encountered as I tried to help teachers learn mathematics in a new way. Teachers have strong emotions—including their fears of failure, of exposure, and of inadequacy—and their frustration with learning can end up disempowering them. They have strong beliefs about what mathematics is and some well-entrenched habits for teaching it. In particular, they often feel that reform methods will require them to give up control, a feeling that, though inaccurate, is widespread and powerful. As a result, any curriculum designed to reacquaint teachers with who they are as learners and teachers of mathematics will inevitably expand beyond the intellectual aims of the objective content to include emotions inherent in the teaching and learning process. Because this is also true for me, I examine dilemmas and tensions I experienced when teachers did not meet my expectations. I conclude by arguing that what transfers most powerfully from my classroom to theirs is the emotional experience of learning.
The Biting Midge, Forcipomyia (microhelea) eriophora (Williston) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), an Ectoparasite Of Larval Phoebis sennae (Pieridae) in South Florida

Cloudless sulphur larvae (Phoebis sennae, Pieridae) were observed in an experimental plantation and also in a natural setting being fed on by the ectoparasitic biting midge, Forcipomyia (Microhelea) eriophora (Williston) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Larvae parasitized by midges died at higher rates in captivity, in contrast to normal levels of mortality in rearings of this species, providing circumstantial evidence for the potential role of these flies in disease transmission.
Intracerebral hemorrhage with intraventricular extension and no hydrocephalus may not increase mortality or severe disability

Abstract This paper aimed to test the hypothesis that intraventricular extension of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the absence of hydrocephalus is not associated with increased mortality or severe disability. We performed a retrospective consecutive cohort study of patients with primary spontaneous ICH who were admitted to a single institution. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of each variable with functional outcome as measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). A total of 164 patients met our inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Only hydrocephalus (p = 0.002) and hematoma volume (p = 0.006) were significantly associated with mortality or poor functional outcome (mRS of 3 to 6). In contrast, the presence of intraventricular hematoma was not independently associated with poor functional outcome. The presence of intraventricular extension of ICH in the absence of hydrocephalus may not increase mortality or disability.
Model Checking for the Fault Tolerance of Collaborative AUVs

This concept paper presents the preliminary work on the application of formal method to verify the correctness of software-hardware co-design. A model checking tool called UPPAAL is used to check the fault-tolerance of the system design. The paper briefly describes the hardware platform, a fleet of collaborative AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) named Eco-Dolphin, and its software architecture based on the middleware MOOS-IvP. Because many autonomy software systems have large sets of state variables and are associated with intractable AI-inspired algorithms, the practice of model checking for autonomy software is severely hindered by the state explosion problem. Our work is to demonstrate how software design patterns and architecture styles can be utilized to decompose a system with intractable large state space into several concurrent subsystems with tractable state spaces.
Signals mediated by FcγRIIA suppress the growth of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

We examined Fc receptor expression and function in normal and leukemic human immature B cells. Fc receptor expression increased with normal B cell maturation: CD32+ cells composed 8.1% ± 1.2% (mean ± s.d.) of the least mature (CD34+CD10+), 19.2% ± 5.7% of intermediate (CD34−CD10+), and 82.4% ± 5.0% of mature (CD34−CD10−) bone marrow CD19+ B cells. Forty-five of 57 primary B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia samples and all six cell lines studied expressed Fc receptors. By RT-PCR and antibody staining, FcγRIIA was the Fc receptor predominantly expressed in these cells. FcγRIIA ligation in RS4;11 and 380 cells induced tyrosine phosphorylation of CD32, CD19, CBL, SYK, P13-K p85 and SHIP, as well as RasGAP association with tyrosine-phosphorylated p62dok. These signalling events resulted in a marked suppression of leukemia cell growth. After a 7-day exposure to anti-CD32, the recovery of ALL cells cocultured with stroma was reduced to 5.5% ± 2.8% of control values in 380 cells (n = 14), 19.4% ± 6.1% (n = 8) in RS4;11, and 4.0% ± 1.3% (n = 6) in KOPN55bi. CD32 ligation also reduced cell recovery in five of seven CD32+ primary leukemia samples. Thus, FcγRIIA mediates signals that suppress the growth of lymphoid leukemia cells.
Direct in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

In situ hybridization has been used for localization of specific nucleic acid sequences at the cellular level despite providing relatively low-detection sensitivity. In situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) enhance sensitivity and thus enable localization of low-abundance mRNA in a cell. However, the available methods are fraught with problems of nonspecific amplifications as a result of mispriming and/or amplification from partially digested residual genomic DNA in tissue. Herein, we demonstrate that nonspecific background amplification can be eliminated by pretreatment of samples with restriction enzymes before DNase I digestion. Primers tagged with a far-red shifted fluorescent dye such as Cy5 in PCR reactions allow identification of target mRNA by fluorescence microscopy. These novel modifications lead to increased specificity and rapid in situ detection of cellular mRNA and thus may be used for pathological diagnosis.
Exploiting Temperature Dependence in Low-Swing Interconnect Links

The network-on-chip (NoC) paradigm is a promising solution to the global communication challenges of gigascale systems [1]; however, as billions of transistors continue to be added to these nanoscale systems, power dissipation continues to be a major design constraint. A great deal of research has examined power issues in NoCs [2–5]. The network infrastructure has a large cost—up to 36% of the power dissipation in each networked tile [6]. To improve NoC power consumption, common power saving techniques such as the use of reduced swing voltages have been applied to the interconnect links [7, 8].
Social Justice Instruction in Mathematics and Science

Through illuminating and linking current societal events and U.S. Department of Education (2014) goals, this chapter stimulates readers in a thought-provoking connection between fundamental background reasons why social justice instruction is crucial in secondary schools today. Educators’ interests will be piqued as they are drawn to deeply empathize with the dire need, justification, and benefits for quickly implementing real-world social justice classroom practices. The focus is on highly effective social justice instructional strategies for novice through seasoned secondary preservice and in-service teachers, administrators, consultants, and education preparation professionals that can be efficaciously applied into mathematics and science lessons. The suggested instructional strategies and practices and multimedia references are easily identifiable and serialized, ensuring the efficiency that practical educators will sincerely appreciate.
SiC power devices: From conception to social impact

This invited paper reviews the evolution of silicon carbide power devices from the initial proposal for wide bandgap semiconductors for power electronic applications in 1979 to current commercially available devices. The potential social impact on this technology on energy savings and the environment is briefly discussed.
Step 1: Getting the Ball Rolling

The four principles discussed in the previous chapter provide the framework around which we can formulate five major steps required for a successful JIT implementation — by successful we mean an implementation that is professional, educated and determined and which yields the greatest possible benefits.
Temporal and spatial patterns of sedimentation within the batture lands of the middle Mississippi River, USA

Abstract Sediment deposition and storage are important functions of batture lands (the land between the channel's low-water elevation and the flood mitigation levee). However, sedimentation processes within these areas are not fully understood. In this paper, we explore the spatiotemporal patterns, rates, and volume of sedimentation within the batture lands along the middle Mississippi River (MMR; between the confluence of the Missouri and Ohio rivers) using three approaches: (1) comparison of historical to modern elevation data in order to estimate long-term (>100 yr) sedimentation rates; (2) estimation of medium- to short-term ( 70%) attributed largely to sediment trapping by dams during the second half of the twentieth century. The increase in MMR batture land sedimentation rates are attributed to at least two potential mechanisms: (1) the above average frequency and duration of low-magnitude floods (>2-yr and ≤5-yr flood) during the short-term assessment periods which allowed for more suspended sediment to be deposited within the batture lands; and (2) the construction of levees that substantially reduced the floodplain area (~75%) available for storage of overbank deposits increasing the vertical accumulation and consequently the detectability of a given volume of sediment. The GCD estimated batture land sediment volumes were ~9.0% of the suspended load at St. Louis. This substantial storage of sediment (~8.5 Mt yr−1) along the MMR suggests batture lands are an important sink for suspended sediments.
Plasmapheresis for Management of Antiphospholipid Syndrome in the Neurosurgical Patient.

Background and importance Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder associated with a hypercoagulable state and increased risk of intraoperative and postoperative thrombosis. Few neurosurgical studies have examined the management of these patients, though the standard of care in most other disciplines involves the use of anticoagulation therapy. However, this is associated with risks such as hemorrhage, thrombosis due to warfarin withdrawal, and is not compatible with operative intervention. Clinical presentation We report the cases of 2 antiphospholipid positive patients who were on anticoagulant therapy and underwent surgical bypasses and received perioperative management with plasmapheresis. The first was a 44-yr-old woman who presented with worsening vision, recurring headaches, and a known left internal carotid artery aneurysm that was unsuccessfully treated twice via extracranial to intracranial (ECIC) bypass at another institution. Preoperative tests at our institution revealed elevated beta 2 glycoprotein 1 IgA autoantibodies. The second case was a 24-yr-old woman with previously diagnosed APS, who presented for surgical evaluation of moyamoya disease after sustaining recurrent left hemispheric strokes. Both cases were managed with perioperative plasmapheresis to avoid the need for anticoagulation during the perioperative period, and both underwent successful ECIC bypass procedures without perioperative ischemic or hemorrhagic complications. Conclusion Management of neurosurgical patients with APS can be a precarious proposition. We describe the successful use of plasmapheresis and antiplatelet therapy to better manage patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures, specifically ECIC bypass, and feel this approach can be considered in future cases.
Post-launch clinical investigator drug prescribing in the US : The behaviour of clinical trial investigators after participating in phase III trials

Background: Clinical investigator physicians who take part in clinical trials influence how other doctors adopt new drugs; however, not much is known about the attributes of these investigators (usually with office-based practices and a smaller number working in hospitals or academic medical centres) who tend to prescribe more of the study drug once it gets to the market.
Measuring the Private Economic Benefits of R&D

The duration and magnitude of the private economic benefits obtained from firm-level R&D outlays are important to managers, investors and policy-makers. We present a modeling and estimation approach that facilitates reliable estimation of these benefits under mild a priori assumptions. Our estimates of R&D useful life and realized returns shed light on three important debates in the literature: Do firms invest optimally in R&D? Do investors entertain rational expectations about firm-level R&D benefits? Has the cost of R&D capital declined over time? We answer each of these questions in the affirmative. Further, our evidence indicates that conventional measures of R&D capital stock are grossly overstated.
Constructing an Embodied Interaction for Concept Mapping

Creating learning experiences that are meaningful and motivational is crucial in learning. Research demonstrates that effectively organizing ideas via concept maps allows students to view prior knowledge with new perspectives. Recently, embodied computation has emerged as an effective means of meeting educational objectives due to its intuitive, gesture-based control and to its promotion of associating knowledge with physical events. Unfortunately, a majority of systems tailored for such interaction are expensive prototypes. However, the release of depth cameras has brought embodied interaction into the commercial realm, allowing users’ bodies to “become” controllers. This research presents a novel, low cost system that provides embodied interaction with a computer and depth camera, through which learners can create concept maps with gestures. Current work involves defining intuitive gestural controls. Future work will involve evaluating the system for use in a classroom with the aim to create opportunities to easily incorporate embodiment into collaborative learning.
ADVANCES TOWARD THE STANDARDIZATION OF RESIDUAL STRESS MEASUREMENTS

Advances toward the standardization of residual stress measurements since 1982 are described. Most of the advances in standard methods have been achieved through the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) – notably in its Subcommittee E28.13 – while research at the US National Bureau of Standards (NBS) has been directed toward physical measurement standards. Current activiti in these organizations and plans for the near future are also discussed. Additional participants for this work are solicited.
Design of a Multidisciplinary Training Program in Complementary and Integrative Health Clinical Research: Building Research Across Interdisciplinary Gaps

Despite wide use by the public, limited evidence is available for many complementary and integrative health (CIH) practices. Thus, clinical researchers knowledgeable about CIH disciplines are necessary to study the efficacy and effectiveness of CIH practices to benefit the public health. To partially address the need for clinical researchers versed in CIH, the authors of this study report the design of an interprofessional clinical research training program focused on CIH, the Building Research across Interdisciplinary Gaps (BRIDG) program, supported by a 5-year T90/R90 grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The T90-supported arm of the program trains doctoral-level CIH providers in clinical research at the research-intensive University of Washington. The R90-supported arm of the program trains researchers with conventional backgrounds in the practices of CIH at the clinic-intensive National University of Natural Medicine. The "Translational Science Spectrum" provides a common conceptual framework for both programs. Specific program elements include: individualized didactic training in clinical research and CIH disciplines; placement with clinical research mentors; placement with clinical mentors in CIH disciplines; shared and independent research project development; and interdisciplinary experiences through seminars and retreats. Program evaluation includes annual completion of the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory (CRAI), which queries confidence in research skills and methods and periodic evaluation of training elements using the Supplemental Kellogg Logic-World Health Organization model, which emphasizes relevance, adequacy, efficiency, effectiveness, process, impact, equity, and sustainability. The BRIDG program exemplifies a new standard in interprofessional clinical research training, made possible through strong collaboration between disparate research- and clinically intensive institutions.
What Are the Chances of Developing a Non-obstetric Abdominal Emergency During Pregnancy? What Risks Do Abdominal Emergencies Pose to the Developing Pregnancy?

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be related to pregnancy itself or may be entirely unrelated. Up to 1 in 500 pregnant women experience an acute abdomen, with 0.2–1% of women requiring surgery during pregnancy for a non-obstetric problem. The physiologic and anatomic changes occurring during pregnancy, as well as a hesitancy to perform radiographic studies, may make it difficult for clinicians to make a timely diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis can lead to increased maternal and fetal complications.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF)

This chapter provides an overview of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), which is a critical pro-inflammatory mediator that has been found to play an important role in diverse conditions characterized both by inflammation and cellular proliferation. MIF has a number of unique structural, genetic, and functional properties that distinguish it from other cytokines. These properties include unique tertiary structure, catalytic activity, a non-conventional secretory pathway, widespread expression and secretion from endocrine as well as immune cells, and its action as an endogenous counter-regulator of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties of steroids. Also, MIF is unique in being a “pro-inflammatory” mediator that is induced in cells by glucocorticoids. Consistent with the wide range of activities of MIF, it has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of many conditions. Important areas of future investigation includes in identifying the nature, and regulation of the MIF receptor, understanding the regulation of MIF at the genetic level, and designing clinically effective means of inhibiting its activity.
Creating a Molecular Atmosphere: Phase 1

The first phase of creating the molecular section in Microbiology started in late 2005 and early 2006, when we decided to bring in an analyzer that could perform real-time PCR assays. At that time, we were specifically interested in performing herpes simplex virus (HSV) typing but we wanted an analyzer that could accommodate a growing test menu. We chose the HSV to start because of its value to our pediatric infectious disease physician and its usefulness to other health care professionals. At the time, we performed virus cultures for HSV in-house and we sent out cerebrospinal fluid for HSV typing by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); the turnaround times were 2 to 4 days and 5 to 7 days, respectively. Offering this assay in-house would positively affect patient care by decreasing the turnaround time to 24 to 36 hours. Before creating a molecular section in our department, I had verified a qualitative assay approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA; running samples, performing statistical analysis, and completing a … [↵][1]* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: stephanie.e.wallace{at}osfhealthcare.org [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Parent versus teacher ratings on the BRIEF-preschool version in children with and without ADHD

Caregiver rating scales represent an important component of comprehensive child neuropsychological assessments for conditions such as Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); however, low inter-rater reliability (parent vs. teacher) often complicates interpretation. It has been challenging to identify the factors contributing to inter-rater variability, particularly when parents and teachers complete slightly different versions of the same rating scale. The present study examined the associations between parent- and teacher-reported executive functions in 84 children, ages 4-5 years, with and without symptoms of ADHD, using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P). Use of the BRIEF-P allows for direct comparison of symptom ratings because parents and teachers complete the exact same measure. Significant associations between raters were observed on 4 of 5 BRIEF-P subscales when rating children with ADHD, but on only 1 subscale when rating typically developing (TD) children. The Shift scale in particular displayed low, non-significant inter-rater association in both groups. Significant group-by-rater interactions were observed for Working Memory and Plan/Organize scales, and driven by larger inter-rater T-score discrepancies in the TD group, such that teachers rated children as having more symptoms than parents. Conversely, examination of raw scores reflected no significant rater differences in the TD group, but significant or nearly significant differences on multiple scales in the ADHD group, such that parents rated more symptoms than teachers. Inter-rater associations for the BRIEF-P appear to vary based on who is being rated (i.e., children with or without ADHD), the specific subscales, and whether standardized or raw scores are analyzed.
Agencies Consider the Liberal Workplace Constitution

“Persons are entitled to fair and equitable treatment.” Executive Order 10479 During the 1950s, the Esso Standard Oil refinery’s gangly smokestacks and labyrinthine pipes brought the Gulf Coast’s oil boom home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The physical difference between the gritty metallic refining plant and Esso’s gleaming cube-shaped office building marked the distance between its white- and blue-collar workers. Esso separated its black and white workers less obviously, but no less completely. The office building, like others on the Gulf Coast, housed whites only. Within the refinery, work was also highly segregated. As in many industrial plants, African Americans were hired into an unskilled labor pool at the refinery, where they remained throughout their tenure. In contrast, white workers were hired into and progressed up lines of increasingly skilled and better-paying jobs. Job segregation like that practiced at Esso left African Americans vulnerable. The American economy boomed after World War II, buoyed by pent-up consumer demand and ambitious government spending on infrastructure and defense. But the war’s end flooded the labor market with demobilized soldiers, many of whom had greater seniority than recently hired black workers. Mechanization continued apace, turning the United States into a majority white-collar workforce and eliminating the low-skilled jobs into which African Americans were shunted. Even the most secure among African American workers, those with skills and unions, were knocked from their elite perch as federally funded highways facilitated deindustrialization of the northern urban centers in which they clustered and corporations sought cheaper labor and weaker unions down South.
Mountain pine beetles and Colorado forests : findings from a re-survey of Colorado community residents

This research was supported by the Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program of the National Science Foundation (Award #1733990).
Reliability and Validity of Performance Evaluations of Pain Medicine Clinical Faculty by Residents and Fellows Using a Supervision Scale.

BACKGROUND Annual and/or semiannual evaluations of pain medicine clinical faculty are mandatory for multiple organizations in the United States. We evaluated the validity and psychometric reliability of a modified version of de Oliveira Filho et al clinical supervision scale for this purpose. METHODS Six years of weekly evaluations of pain medicine clinical faculty by resident physicians and pain medicine fellows were studied. A 1-4 rating (4 = "Always") was assigned to each of 9 items (eg, "The faculty discussed with me the management of patients before starting a procedure or new therapy and accepted my suggestions, when appropriate"). RESULTS Cronbach α of the 9 items equaled .975 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.974-0.976). A G coefficient of 0.90 would be expected with 18 raters; the N = 12 six-month periods had mean 18.8 ± 5.9 (standard deviation [SD]) unique raters in each period (median = 20).Concurrent validity was shown by Kendall τb = 0.45 (P < .0001) pairwise by combination of ratee and rater between the average supervision score and the average score on a 21-item evaluation completed by fellows in pain medicine. Concurrent validity also was shown by τb = 0.36 (P = .0002) pairwise by combination of ratee and rater between the average pain medicine supervision score and the average operating room supervision score completed by anesthesiology residents.Average supervision scores differed markedly among the 113 raters (η = 0.485; CI, 0.447-0.490). Pairings of ratee and rater were nonrandom (Cramer V = 0.349; CI, 0.252-0.446).Mixed effects logistic regression was performed with rater leniency as covariates and the dependent variable being an average score equaling the maximum 4 vs <4. There were 3 of 13 ratees with significantly more averages <4 than the other ratees, based on P < .01 criterion; that is, their supervision was reliably rated as below average. There were 3 of 13 different ratees who provided supervision reliably rated as above average.Raters did not report higher supervision scores when they had the opportunity to perform more interventional pain procedures. CONCLUSIONS Evaluations of pain medicine clinical faculty are required. As found when used for evaluating operating room anesthesiologists, a supervision scale has excellent internal consistency, achievable reliability using 1-year periods of data, concurrent validity with other ratings, and the ability to differentiate among ratees. However, to be reliable, routinely collected supervision scores must be adjusted for rater leniency.
Opaque distributional generalisations in Tundra Nenets

Based on primary data from Tundra Nenets, this paper explores phonological patterns which seem to require restrictions on the input, and thus present a particular challenge to Optimality Theory. In these patterns, a contrastive segment appears only in the environments where it is also derived by active alternations in the language. I illustrate this with the behaviour of Tundra Nenets /k/, and argue that these patterns can be analysed as distributional generalisations that hold only at early derivational levels. A Stratal OT analysis is proposed. Tundra Nenets also presents a pattern which appears to involve unnatural classes, but is reanalysed with only natural class alternations in my account.
Infant Feeding Exposure and Personal Experiences of African American Mothers.

Background: Although exposure and personal experiences can guide breastfeeding decisions, the extant research on African American mothers is limited regarding the influence of infant feeding exposu...
A review of an electric weir and fishway in a Great Lakes tributary from conception to termination

Abstract A successful management plan requires clear goals and a process for evaluation. Without them, managers risk operational shifts in which continuous changes disguised as improvements may have little beneficial effect. The conception, design, and operation of an electric barrier and fishway on the Pere Marquette River of Lake Michigan serve as an illustration. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission operated an electric weir to stop migration of adult sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) and a fishway to provide upstream passage of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during 2000–2009. The weir and fishway were successful in blocking some of the annual spawning run of sea lampreys (trapped an annual average of 439 sea lampreys) and it allowed passage of rainbow trout (an annual average of 6,091). Even with success that yielded an estimated density of 0.03 adult female sea lampreys per 100 m2 of larval habitat upstream of the weir, lampricide treatments continued because the weir still allowed establishment of substantial densities of larval sea lampreys. Our evaluation suggests that an in-stream barrier must approach 100% blockage of sea lampreys to eliminate large recruitment events. The failure of the weir to reduce lampricide treatments was due to an informally defined purpose and measures for success at the onset, the complexity of electric weir systems (and the operational problems created by such intricacy), and lack of recognition of the reduction in larval sea lamprey recruitment needed to succeed. Control of sea lampreys in the Pere Marquette River could have benefited from an adaptive management approach.