cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computerized Diagnosis of Anemias Based Upon Red Blood Cell Indices and Related Cell Counts

In the clinical diagnosis of anemia, red blood cell indices and related cell counts show distinguishing patterns that are characteristic of different types of anemias. A computer program called the Anema-Graph, developed in BASIC, makes it possible to suggest a diagnosis of anemia based on the pattern recognition ability of the program using the patients' blood cell indices and counts. This program saves valuable time when a patient diagnosis is being made and offers new possible diagnoses that may have been overlooked.
Development of a Rotating Detonation Engine Facility at the University of Cincinnati

A new, air-breathing rotating detonation engine (RDE) facility has been constructed at the University of Cincinnati. This facility is built upon the modular designs currently in use at the AFRL, developed by Shank et al. in 2012 and was constructed as part of an ongoing research effort into air-breathing detonation engines. Operation of the facility has been achieved for hydrogen-air mixtures with the potential to expand to a variety of gaseous fuels. High speed and low speed instrumentation provide time-resolved wave speed and combustor pressure to characterize operation. The facility will be used to expand and improve RDE diagnostics, and establish and characterize operation for various injection schemes, fuel blends, and chamber pressures.
Strengthening Evaluation in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations: Results of a Capacity-Building Experiment

ABSTRACTNonprofit human service organizations (NPHSOs) have evaluation capacity deficits that hinder efforts to meet accountability demands and improve programs. Data from a capacity-building experiment were analyzed using an efficacy subset approach to assess evaluation capacity impacts, controlling for NPHSOs’ (n = 261) motivation to receive help and amount of grant assistance. Compared to a control group, NPHSOs that received evaluation-related assistance experienced self-reported gains in four out of five evaluation capacities, though smaller and younger NPHSOs were less likely to experience gains compared to larger and older NPHSOs. Amount of grant assistance received was not associated with gains.
Ray-based Gridded Tomography For Tilted TI Media

Reflection tomography in the migrated domain can help reconstruct heterogeneous, anisotropic velocity fields needed for accurate depth imaging of complex geologic structures, such as those near salt bodies. The presence of anisotropy, however, increases the uncertainty in velocity analysis and typically requires a priori constraints on the model parameters. Here, we develop a 2D P-wave tomographic algorithm for heterogeneous transversely isotropic media with a tilted symmetry axis (TTI) and investigate the conditions necessary for stable estimation of the symmetry-direction velocity VP0 and the anisotropy parameters ǫ and δ. The model is divided into square cells, and the parameters VP0, ǫ, δ, and the tilt ν of the symmetry axis are defined at the grid points. To increase the stability of the inversion, the symmetry axis is set orthogonal to the imaged reflectors, with the tilt interpolated inside each layer. The iterative migration velocity analysis involves efficient linearized parameter updating designed to minimize the residual moveout in image gathers for all available reflection events. The moveout equation in the depth-migrated domain includes a nonhyperbolic term that describes long-offset data sensitive to ǫ. Synthetic tests for a model with a “quasi-factorized” TTI syncline (i.e., ǫ and δ are constant inside the TTI layer) demonstrate that convergence toward the correct velocity model requires either strong smoothness constraints or additional information from walkaway VSP (vertical seismic profiling) traveltimes. If the model is known to be quasi-factorized with a linear spatial variation of VP0, the interval TTI parameters can be obtained just from long-spread reflection data.
Instability and Transition Experiments in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach 6 Quiet Tunnel

This paper presents results for three projects in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach 6 Quiet Tunnel (BAM6QT) at Purdue University. The second-mode instability was measured on a straight 3 half-angle cone under quiet conditions using pressure sensors and temperature sensitive paint. Natural transition was observed near the aft end of the model at a unit Reynolds of 12.1×10/m. Maximum pressure fluctuation magnitudes prior to the onset of transition were measured to be 27% of the mean surface pressure. Secondly, experiments on a 7 half-angle cone at 6 angle of attack were performed to verify the presence of a secondary instability of a stationary crossflow wave. Using TSP imaging techniques and PCB pressure transducers, a possible secondary instability with a peak frequency near 300 kHz was measured at azimuthal angles between 125 and 140 at Reynolds numbers near 10.7×10/m. Lastly, Roughness elements and an air jet were tested as boundary layer trips on a generic hypersonic forebody.
Empirical Evaluation of the Accuracy of Technologies for Measuring Average Speed in Real Time

A federal mandate challenges states to acquire and to disseminate reliable travel time–speed information with limited sensor infrastructure and resources; the mandate also opens the opportunity to look beyond traditional sensor technologies. Some of these new and promising travel data technologies include various deployments and combinations of GPS, probe vehicles, cellular devices, Bluetooth devices, radio frequency identification, automated license plate recognition (LPR), and even social media. To take on this challenge, the objective of this study was to provide several key considerations for evaluation of travel speed data for general cases. The key items included obtaining reliable ground truth data, transforming and comparing data sets, and evaluating data accuracy. Along with the explanation of these considerations, the results of a case study are provided to help illuminate the issues. The case study, which was performed in the vicinity of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, along Interstate 40 and In...
Proof Without Words: Infinitely Many Almost-Isosceles Pythagorean Triples Exist

Wordlessly, we show that there are infinitely many Pythagorean triples with consecutive integers as legs and infinitely many Pythagorean triples with consecutive triangular numbers as legs.
Kidney cancer: Quality-of-life outcomes in patients with small renal masses

Quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes using patient-reported standardized questionnaires are understudied in the field of small renal masses, but are highly relevant for patients who have several treatment options. A recent study has compared QoL outcomes in patients undergoing primary intervention or active surveillance for this malignancy.
Sharon and Mary’s Voices: Sisterhood—The Journey

While others talk about what influenced their individual lives, we are offering the way our lives interlaced so, that there was a professional and personal confluence measured by all that we endeavored throughout the years, beginning in 1992. We feel that our story should begin with the serendipitous event that brought us together and lead you through all that we discovered along the way. In the telling of our journey, we share our insights into perspectives of an odyssey that resulted in a lasting collaboration and friendship.
A Parallel Algorithm of Impact Analysis for Multiprocessor Computer Systems

Supercomputers have been well utilized among many scientists and engineers in order to simmulate very complicated physical phoenomena. Three dimensional impact analysis, includes material as well as geometrical nonlinearities and transient response, of structures is one of the most typical problems which become possible to solve because of supercomputers. This paper discuss the parallel processing algorithm of impact analysis suitable to multiprocessor vector supercomputers.
Dust Storms, Human Health and a Global Early Warning System

Arid regions, the source of most airborne mineral dusts, comprise a third of the Earth’s land surface, where some two billion people are exposed daily to the fine particles raised by wind. Crossing political borders and travelling on air currents around the world, these particles not only affect the health of local communities, but also put many other populations extant at risk for cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses and a host of other health problems. Risks of exposure are affected by climatic conditions and their local and regional weather characteristics. And today, because of advancements in science and technology we are at the threshold of significantly reducing these health problems. Examples of meningitis, asthma and Valley fever are used to illustrate how risks may be lowered through a Dust-Health Early Warning System. A little more than a half-century of dedicated measurements of particulate air quality and of environmental science enhanced by Earth-orbiting satellites reveal the truth of airborne dust extent, and much of its variability in time and space. These truths have been essential in advancing numerical, dynamical models of the atmosphere that mimic and predict weather systems that loft the airborne dusts that medical sciences and epidemiology are proving harmful. This union of scientific disciplines and services makes possible today a means to improve public health around the world through a Global Dust-Health Early Warning System.
Civic Debate: University Theatre

Autant and Lara’s fifth theatrical genre framed moral questions for intellectual debate. Drawing on Jean de la Fontaine’s fables and Montesquieu’s essays, Autant wrote plays that established a scene and counter scene intended to spark Socratic discussion in an academic forum of professors and their students. Autant’s sketch for a theatre building shows a frank, day-lit space that eschews theatric illusion, resembling a classroom more than a theatre, where discussion might develop. Within Autant and Lara’s urban scheme, the University Theatre defined a civic space insulated from the market and from direct politics, where philosophical questions of morality and social values might be debated at the intellectual heart of the city.
Teachers' use of technology in the university classroom

This study aims to explore the use of technology in the classroom for teaching purposes in a university environment. The research provides evidence both on the use of the technological tool and the instructive task performed with it. Based on a survey of 112 professors, the tools were classified into items of mobile and social media (SM), learning management systems (LMS) and graphic and dynamic visualizations (Graphic). Regarding the Faculty, the study collected a number of sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, discipline, academic background and experience in online teaching. Results show the limited use of technology in classroom, highlighting only those technologies related with graphic and dynamic presentations, while they do show correlation between the use of LMS tools and SM tools. However, significant differences in the use of technology in the classroom have been found between teachers from different disciplines, academic backgrounds and prior experience with online teaching, while no differences were detected in other variables. This investigation thus contributes to studies that aim to advance the effective integration of technology in teaching and learning by introducing relevant teacher variables.
412. Development of GD2-Specific Immunoliposomes for Immunotherapy of Neuroblastoma

Tumor growth creates a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that impairs T-cell localization, persistence, or the execution of their effector function. This represents a major and as yet unsolved critical challenge to the development of effective adoptive immunotherapy of solid tumors. To selectively target TME in neuroblastoma and make it permissible for survival and function of tumor-specific T cells, we have developed a novel nanoparticle (NP) delivery platform which consists of 150 nm immunoliposomes rendered specific for neuroblastoma cells using the Fab fragment obtained from the anti-GD2 mAb clone 14g2a. To ensure high density surface coverage and correct orientation of anti-GD2 Fab on the NPs, we synthesized a fusion protein consisting of 14g2a Fab and folate receptor (Fab14g2a-FR) and attached it on the outer layer of the immunoliposomes enriched with folic acid. Rhodamine-labeled GD2-specific but not control NPs could specifically bind GD2-positive CHLA-255 neuroblastoma cells but not GD2-negative LA-N-6 neuroblastoma cells in vitro as determined by FACS. To examine the in vivo biodistribution of NPs, DiR-labeled GD2-specific or non-specific NPs were injected to NOD/SCID mice implanted with CHLA-255 cells. Tumor tissues and normal organs were imaged after 72 hours using ex vivo fluorescence imaging. Up to 58% of GD2-specific NPs accumulated at the tumor sites. The only other organ with significant accumulation of NPs was the liver. Minor traceable portions were detected in the spleen and lung. To utilize the observed targeting capabilities of GD2-specific NPs to achieve antitumor effects, we are now loading NPs with recombinant human (rhIL-7) and will test whether the preferential delivery of rhIL-7 to the tumor site and liver, a major site of NB metastasis, will increase the survival and anti-tumor activity of T and NKT cells engineered to express a GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor with IL-7Rα. The results of this study will inform design of immunotherapy of neuroblastoma and other tumors in combination with TME-modifying NPs.
Myelin-specific multiple sclerosis antibodies cause complement-dependent oligodendrocyte loss and demyelination

Intrathecal immunoglobulin G (IgG) synthesis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal IgG bands and lesional IgG deposition are seminal features of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease pathology. Both the specific targets and pathogenic effects of MS antibodies remain poorly characterized. We produced IgG1 monoclonal recombinant antibodies (rAbs) from clonally-expanded plasmablasts recovered from MS patient CSF. Among these were a subset of myelin-specific MS rAbs. We examined their immunoreactivity to mouse organotypic cerebellar slices by live binding and evaluated tissue injury in the presence and absence of human complement. Demyelination, glial and neuronal viability, and complement pathway activation were assayed by immunofluorescence microscopy and compared to the effects of an aquaporin-4 water channel (AQP4)-specific rAb derived from a neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patient. MS myelin-specific rAbs bound to discrete surface domains on oligodendrocyte processes and myelinating axons. Myelin-specific MS rAbs initiated complement-dependent cytotoxicity to oligodendrocytes and induced rapid demyelination. Demyelination was accompanied by increased microglia activation; however, the morphology and survival of astrocytes, oligodendrocyte progenitors and neurons remained unaffected. In contrast, NMO AQP4-specific rAb initiated complement-dependent astrocyte damage, followed by sequential loss of oligodendrocytes, demyelination, microglia activation and neuronal death. Myelin-specific MS antibodies cause oligodendrocyte loss and demyelination in organotypic cerebellar slices, which are distinct from AQP4-targeted pathology, and display seminal features of active MS lesions. Myelin-specific antibodies may play an active role in MS lesion formation through complement-dependent mechanisms.
Is the Higher Number of Suicide Attempts in Bipolar Disorder vs. Major Depressive Disorder Attributable to Illness Severity

The present study represents an early stage investigation into the phenomenon whereby those with bipolar disorder attempt suicide more frequently than those with unipolar depression, but do not tend to attempt suicide during mania. Data for this study were obtained from baseline measurements collected in a randomized treatment study at a major southwestern United States military medical center. We demonstrated the rarity of suicide attempts during mania, the higher frequency of suicide attempts in those with bipolar disorder compared to those with depression, and the persistence of effects after accounting for severity of illness. These results provide the impetus for the development and testing of theoretical explanations.
Morphologic evaluation of circulating colon cancer tumor cells

4460 Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are described in numerous epithelial malignancies. Usual detection methods rely on immunomagnetic enrichment-based fluorescence techniques, with resultant images that provide scant morphologic detail. In contrast, our technology enables the use of standard cytopathologic stains, revealing cellular features not previously described in circulating colon cancer cells. A cell attachment protocol using indirect immunofluorescence for epithelial-derived cells, used in conjunction with fiber-optic array scanning technology (FAST) and automated microscopy, allows us to identify cytokeratin positive CTCs in a variety of malignancies. The detected CTCs are subsequently stained with Wright-Giemsa which allows for detailed nuclear and cytoplasmic morphologic evaluation. We report on a 53 year old male with widely metastatic colon cancer who was found to have 6 CTCs in a 10 ml blood sample. Subsequent Wright-Giemsa staining of these cells demonstrates large nuclear size and high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratios (80-90%), features that correlate with the well-described immunofluorescent features of CTCs. In addition, with Wright-Giemsa staining, we demonstrate fine irregularities of nuclear contour and uneven chromatin condensation within the malignant nuclei. Finally, in comparison with a previous morphologic study of circulating breast cancer cells, we note a marked eccentricity of the cytokeratin-rich cytoplasm in the circulating colon cancer cells. This morphologic feature is likely related to the tissue origin of the tumor, as colon carcinoma cells are generally more columnar in shape than breast carcinoma cells. Identifying detailed morphologic differences and similarities among CTCs from different tumor types provides a foundation for further investigation of the significance of these rare events.
Stories of Florida’s Orchid Obsession: Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief and Craig Pittman’s The Scent of Scandal

Many of Florida’s native orchids, a onetime abundant and valuable Florida treasure, have been lost in light of overharvesting, habitat loss, and global climate change. Despite its diminishing presence in the Florida wild, the orchid still retains a form of cultural capital in the imaginations of laypeople, orchid enthusiasts, and writers alike, two of whom, Susan Orlean and Craig Pittman, have composed comparable yet nuanced accounts of Florida’s orchid obsession.
Millivolt Modulation of Plasmonic Metasurface Optical Response via Ionic Conductance.

A plasmonic metasurface with an electrically tunable optical response that operates at strikingly low modulation voltages is experimentally demonstrated. The fabricated metasurface shows up to 30% relative change in reflectance in the visible spectral range upon application of 5 mV and 78% absolute change in reflectance upon application of 100 mV of bias. The designed metasurface consists of nanostructured silver and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes which are separated by 5 nm thick alumina. The millivolt-scale optical modulation is attributed to a new modulation mechanism, in which transport of silver ions through alumina dielectric leads to bias-induced nucleation and growth of silver nanoparticles in the ITO counter-electrode, altering the optical extinction response. This transport mechanism, which occurs at applied electric fields of 1 mV nm^(−1), provides a new approach to use of ionic transport for electrical control over light–matter interactions.
Using Radical Environmentalist Texts to Uncover Network Structure and Network Features

Radical social movements are broadly engaged in, and dedicated to, promoting change in their social environment. In their corresponding efforts to call attention to various causes, communicate with...
Maximum magnitude of injection-induced earthquakes: A criterion to assess the influence of pressure migration along faults

Abstract The maximum expected earthquake magnitude is an important parameter in seismic hazard and risk analysis because of its strong influence on ground motion. In the context of injection-induced seismicity, the processes that control how large an earthquake will grow may be influenced by operational factors under engineering control as well as natural tectonic factors. Determining the relative influence of these effects on maximum magnitude will impact the design and implementation of induced seismicity management strategies. In this work, we apply a numerical model that considers the coupled interactions of fluid flow in faulted porous media and quasidynamic elasticity to investigate the earthquake nucleation, rupture, and arrest processes for cases of induced seismicity. We find that under certain conditions, earthquake ruptures are confined to a pressurized region along the fault with a length-scale that is set by injection operations. However, earthquakes are sometimes able to propagate as sustained ruptures outside of the zone that experienced a pressure perturbation. We propose a faulting criterion that depends primarily on the state of stress and the earthquake stress drop to characterize the transition between pressure-constrained and runaway rupture behavior.
Update on digital mammography.

On January 28, 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first full-field digital mammography unit for clinical use. The approval occurred approximately ten years after a National Cancer Institute (NCI) expert panel determined that, of all emergent technologies, digital mammography held the greatest potential for improving breast cancer detection [1,2]. Currently, four types of digital mammographic systems are under clinical evaluation. This article will review the information from the early clinical trials on digital mammography and will attempt to define the potential impact of digital mammography on the clinical practice of breast imaging.
Pike. A nuclear GTPase that enhances PI3kinase activity and is regulated by protein 4.1N

While cytoplasmic PI3Kinase (PI3K) is well characterized, regulation of nuclear PI3K has been obscure. A novel protein, PIKE (PI3Kinase Enhancer), interacts with nuclear PI3K to stimulate its lipid kinase activity. PIKE encodes a 753 amino acid nuclear GTPase. Dominant-negative PIKE prevents the NGF enhancement of PI3K and upregulation of cyclin D1. NGF treatment also leads to PIKE interactions with 4.1N, which has translocated to the nucleus, fitting with the initial identification of PIKE based on its binding 4.1N in a yeast two-hybrid screen. Overexpression of 4.1N abolishes PIKE effects on PI3K. Activation of nuclear PI3K by PIKE is inhibited by the NGF-stimulated 4.1N translocation to the nucleus. Thus, PIKE physiologically modulates the activation by NGF of nuclear PI3K.
Biting mechanics determines craniofacial morphology among extant diprotodont herbivores: dietary predictions for the giant extinct short-faced kangaroo, Simosthenurus occidentalis

Large herbivores can act as keystone species that strongly influence their communities. During the Pliocene and Pleistocene, Australia was dominated by a number of large to gigantic marsupial herbivore taxa. Many of these have been understudied quantitatively with regard to their ecology; and identifying the diet of these species will improve our understanding of not only their ecologies, but also of past environments. Recent research has found that cranial morphology among kangaroos and wallabies corresponds with foraging behaviors and mechanical properties of preferred plant tissues. Here we apply shape analysis and computational biomechanics to test the hypothesis: that feeding ecology is associated with craniofacial morphology across a taxonomically broad sample of diprotodont herbivores. Based on our results we predict the diet of an extinct short-faced kangaroo, Simosthenurus occidentalis. We find that biting behaviors are reflected in craniofacial morphology, but that these are more a reflection of the hardest bites required for their lifestyle, rather than diet composition alone. A combination of a very short face, robust musculoskeletal features, and dental arrangements predict that S. occidentalis was a browser, capable of consuming particularly resistant, bulky plant matter. These features were largely conserved among other short-faced kangaroos and may have offset the unpredictable availability of quality forage during the climatically variable Pleistocene epoch, contributing to their prolific diversification during this time.
ISIS: A History

The rise of ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham), which now calls itself the Islamic State, caught many analysts and policy makers by surprise. It has now surpassed al-Qaeda as the world’s ...
The Just World Gap, Privilege, and Legal Socialization: A Study Among Brazilian Preadolescents

Bridging just world theory and legal socialization research, this study looks at preadolescents’ perceptions of justice across race, income, and education, and how these relate to perceptions of the law and legal cynicism. This article takes a novel approach to belief in a just world (BJW) research by analyzing the difference between personal and general BJW: Just World Gap. Drawing from a Brazilian preadolescent sample (n = 742, age = 12), results revealed significant differences between education and income brackets, with the Just World Gap being significantly higher in more privileged groups. The Just World Gap had stronger effect sizes across demographic variables than either BJW separately. Partial correlations were conducted controlling for education and income between BJWs (personal and general), Just World Gap, and perceptions of the law and legal cynicism. Results indicated that personal and general BJW were more strongly correlated with items concerning how people view the law, but legal cynicism items were more strongly correlated with the Just World Gap. This reveals the Just World Gap to be a relevant construct in studying the legal socialization and legal cynicism. Results highlight important theoretical considerations for legal socialization and BJW research.
Sheet Music Round-up

We are living in a great age for sheet music research. After a long period of scholarly apathy, in the last few decades the world has awoken at last to the great historical value that sheet music holds, from its topical texts, to its extraordinary illustrations. Researchers today can discover online sheet music-based exhibits on a huge variety of subjects, from the blockbuster Music for the Nation exhibits and digital collections on the Library of Congress website, which embed detailed articles and essays into curated collections of sheet music resources, to exhibits created by specialized institutions like the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which brings together songs from the North and South concerning enslaved persons, pacifists and carpetbaggers, complete with historical context and analysis. Many blogs tie sheet music illustrations in with current events: McGill's Marvin Duchow Music Library current exhibit, for instance, Women, Work, and Song, in Nineteenth-Century France (Fig. 1), provides impressive historical context and brief essays in both English and French. Accessed entirely through the lens of sheet music, the McGill exhibit neatly demonstrates the power of the Wayback Machine that sheet music can provide us. All things ‘culture’ can be explored: the economy, religion, gender, LGBTQ issues, consumerism, elements of popular culture such as the figure of the diva, sociological topics, and so on. Sheet music is invaluable for research of all kinds, as it documents trends as they happen in a specific time and place. McGill's music library curators have harnessed just this type of documentary evidence to build an excellent exhibit. But how do researchers find the music for this kind of detailed analysis? This round-up will explore the current landscape of historical sheet music, centred around how we access it online, news about the Sheet Music Consortium (where it has been, and where it is going) and, finally, a brief listing of digitized sheet music collections which are not included in the Consortium.
Numerical solution of separable nonlinear equations with a singular matrix at the solution

We present a numerical method for solving the separable nonlinear equation A(y)z + b(y) = 0, where A(y) is an m × N matrix and b(y) is a vector, with y ∈Rn and z ∈RN. We assume that the equation has an exact solution (y∗, z∗). We permit the matrix A(y) to be singular at the solution y∗ and also possibly in a neighborhood of y∗, while the rank of the matrix A(y) near y∗ may differ from the rank of A(y∗) itself. We previously developed a method for this problem for the case m = n + N, that is, when the number of equations equals the number of variables. That method, based on bordering the matrix A(y) and finding a solution of the corresponding extended system of equations, could produce a solution of the extended system that does not correspond to a solution of the original problem. Here, we develop a new quadratically convergent method that applies to the more general case m ≥ n + N and produces all of the solutions of the original system without introducing any extraneous solutions.
Hedonic preference for technological devices justified by utilitarian application

This study analyses consumer behaviour for bundled mobile phones, and tests the perception that integrated products have higher hedonic, rather than utilitarian, value. The study covers a variety of scenarios based on brand, price, and preference (hedonic or utilitarian) in the selection of mobile telecommunications devices. Two studies are developed on two specific themes: benchmarking of hedonic and utilitarian values according to consumers' current mobile phones, and hypotheses testing of consumer preferences related to hedonism/utilitarianism under the conditions of brand, price, and mobile characteristics (kind of convergence) proposed. This study enhances understanding of consumers' preferences and market tendencies according to their values related to hedonic and utilitarian characteristics converged in mobile devices. Thus, it has academic implications related to the theory of technology convergence according to the characteristics of new products that can lead to a combined hedonic, social, and utilitarian values perception. In terms of practical implications, the findings enhance comprehension for enterprises regarding which features/attributes, according to significance, are most closely related to the various scenarios that consumer are exposed to.
Mobile Money and Mobile Technologies: A Structural Estimation

Mobile money is a service bundled with mobile technology and a social good that promotes financial inclusion for the under-served populations. Although the effect of mobile money has been examined ...
Anti-Deficit Framing of Sociological Physics Education Research

I begin this manuscript by taking the assumption that addressing issues of diversity in physics higher education (PHE) in the United States is a priority for institutional, departmental, and individual policy and practice. These issues encompass a symptom—the inequitable distributions of diverse student populations in physics in comparison with those of higher education in the United States at large—and the underlying malady—the sociocultural and political constitution of physics as a field. The objective in this work is to emphasize to the physics education research (PER) community the vocabulary with which we can appropriately frame our sociological research on minoritized student success in PHE. By systematically invoking such a perspective in our research and in our practice, outcomes will be more equity-oriented and we will instill a shift in the culture surrounding PHE to be more student-centered rather than discipline-centered.
A comparison of natural language processing to ICD-10 codes for identification and characterization of pulmonary embolism.

Abstract Introduction The 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes is frequently used to identify pulmonary embolism (PE) events, although the validity of ICD-10 has been questioned. Natural language processing (NLP) is a novel tool that may be useful for pulmonary embolism identification. Methods We performed a retrospective comparative accuracy study of 1000 randomly selected healthcare encounters with a CT pulmonary angiogram ordered between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020 at a single academic medical center. Two independent observers reviewed each radiology report and abstracted key findings related to PE presence/absence, chronicity, and anatomic location. NLP interpretations of radiology reports and ICD-10 codes were queried electronically and compared to the reference standard, manual chart review. Results A total of 970 encounters were included for analysis. The prevalence of PE was 13% by manual review. For PE identification, sensitivity was similar between NLP (96.0%) and ICD-10 (92.9%; p = 0.405), and specificity was significantly higher with NLP (97.7%) compared to ICD-10 (91.0%; p Conclusions NLP is highly sensitive for PE identification and more specific than ICD-10 coding. NLP outperformed ICD-10 coding for recognition of subsegmental, saddle, and chronic PE. Our results suggest NLP is an efficient and more reliable method than ICD-10 for PE identification and characterization.
Variability of E. coli in streambed sediment and its implication for sediment sampling.

Abstract E. coli is the number one cause for water quality impairments in rivers and streams in South Dakota and the United States. Stream bottom sediments can be a reservoir for bacteria, including pathogenic organisms and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), due to the favorable conditions provided by sediments for survival. Despite this, little is known about the variability of E. coli in sediments which should be considered when developing a sampling regime. This study examines the spatial variability of E. coli in sediment across the stream cross-section, the temporal stability of E. coli in sediment samples, and the implications for sediment sampling and processing. Five locations were sampled for sediment E. coli along two tributaries to the Big Sioux River in eastern South Dakota, four along Skunk Creek (Sk1, Sk2, Sk3, and Sk4), and one in Sixmile Creek (SM). In Skunk Creek, site Sk1 has direct cattle access where the other three sites (Sk2, Sk3, and Sk4) are under Seasonal Riparian Area Management (SRAM), a strategy that limits the cattle access to the stream. E. coli concentrations in the sediment ranged from 4 to 997 CFU g−1 (8.5 × 102 to 2.1 × 105 CFU 100 mL−1). The highest and lowest E. coli concentrations observed were at sites Sk1 and Sk4, respectively. The E. coli concentration decreased from the upstream cattle crossing site (Sk1) through the downstream SRAM sites. Analyzing the stream cross-section analysis revealed no significant difference in E. coli concentration between the edge and the middle of the stream. Sediment samples can be held up to 24 h after sample collection in refrigerated conditions (37 °F) in the majority of cases (80%) without significant changes in E. coli concentrations. The sample size analysis indicated the spatial variability of E. coli across the stream cross-section is high and a single grab sample may not be able to provide adequate representation of E. coli concentrations in sediment without substantial error. The findings provide insight for designing E. coli monitoring projects and promote the awareness of unconventional sources of microbiological water quality impairment which are often overlooked.
Medicare Advantage Networks and Access to High-volume Cancer Surgery Hospitals.

Objective To determine how Medicare Advantage (MA) health plan networks impact access to high-volume hospitals for cancer surgery. Background Cancer surgery at high-volume hospitals is associated with better short- and long-term outcomes. In the United States, health insurance is a major detriment to seeking care at high-volume hospitals. A third of older (>65 years) Americans are enrolled in privatized MA health plans. The impact of MA plan networks on access to high-volume surgery hospitals is unknown. Methods We analyzed in-network hospitals for MA plans offered in Los Angeles county during open enrollment of 2015. For the purposes of this analysis, MA network data from provider directories were linked to hospital volume data from California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Volume thresholds were based on published literature. Results A total of 34 MA plans enrolled 554,754 beneficiaries in Los Angeles county during 2014 open enrollment for coverage starting in 2015 (MA penetration ∼43%). The proportion of MA plans that included high-volume cancer surgery hospital varied by the type of cancer surgery. While most plans (>71%) included at least one high-volume hospital for colon, rectum, lung, and stomach; 59% to 82% of MA plans did not include any high-volume hospitals for liver, esophagus, or pancreatic surgery. A significant proportion of beneficiaries in MA plans did not have access to high-volume hospitals for esophagus (93%), stomach (44%), liver (39%), or pancreas (70%) surgery. In contrast, nearly all MA beneficiaries had access to at least one high-volume hospital for lung (93%), colon (100%), or rectal (100%) surgery. Overall, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plan rating or plan popularity were not correlated with access to high-volume hospital (P > 0.05). Conclusions The study identifies lack of high-volume hospital coverage in MA health plans as a major detriment in regionalization of cancer surgery impacting at least a third of older Americans.
Utilization of technology-assisted total hip arthroplasty in the United States from 2005 to 2018.

Background Successful outcomes in total hip arthroplasty (THA) rely in part on accurate component positioning, which may be optimized through the use of computer navigation and robot-assistance. Therefore, we queried a large national database to characterize national trends in technology-assisted THA utilization, determine whether these technologies were associated with increased hospital charges, and identify demographic factors associated with technology-assisted THA. Methods Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, patients that underwent conventional THA, computer-navigated THA, and robot-assisted THA from 2005 to 2018 were identified. Patient and hospital demographics, charge data, and payer characteristics were collected. Temporal trends in utilization were reported. Univariate analyses were performed to compare differences between groups with multiple logistic regression analysis to account for confounders. Results In total, 3,428,208 patients undergoing THA from 2005 to 2018 were identified, of which 63,136 (1.8%) used computer navigation and 32,660 (1.0%) used robot-assistance. National utilization of computer navigation in THA increased from 0.1% to 1.9% between 2005 and 2018, while utilization of robot-assisted THA increased from <0.1% to 2.1% from 2008 to 2018. On multivariate analysis, technology-assisted THA was most commonly performed in urban hospitals in the Northeastern United States. Median hospital charges were increased for technology-assisted THAs relative to conventional THAs ($66,089 ± $254 vs $55,418 ± $43). Conclusions Computer navigation and robot-assistance in THA demonstrated a consistent increase in utilization during the period examined, representing 4.0% of THAs performed in 2018. Patient and hospital characteristics including risk of mortality, geographic region, and teaching status were associated with increased utilization. Utilization of computer navigation was associated with increased hospital charges.
WE-A-BRD-01: MR Imaging for Treatment Planning: What Every Physicist Should Know

Ever since its introduction as a diagnostic imaging modality over 30 years ago, the radiation therapy community has acknowledged the utility of MR imaging as a tool for not only improved visualization of the target volume but also for demarcation of adjacent organs at risk. However, the adaptation of MR imaging in radiation oncology has, until recently been slow due in large part to the inability to image radiation therapy patients in their treatment position. With the introduction of so-called wide bore high field MR scanners, multi element flexible receive only RF coils, high performance imaging gradients and a range of volumetric imaging sequences it is now possible to obtain both high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio images of in-treatment radiation therapy patients within clinically feasible imaging times. As a Result, there is renewed interest in the use of MR imaging for radiation oncology treatment planning that is being translated into physical siting and integration of these systems into radiation oncology departments. As MR imaging expands into the radiation oncology domain there is a significant and unmet need for radiation therapy physicists to become educated regarding the strengths, limitations and technical challenges associated with MR imaging. The purpose of this presentation is to address this need by providing an educational overview of the techniques and challenges associated with MR imaging of patients for radiation therapy treatment planning. As such this presentation will: 1) describe the fundamental differences between imaging of patients for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes (i.e. radiation therapy planning), 2) describe most commonly used imaging sequences and contrasts for identification of disease for radiation planning, 3) identify the most common sources of image distortion and techniques to reduce their effect on spatial fidelity of the MR data, 4) describe the effects of motion and methods to quantify/correct it, and 5) identify emergent techniques for performing MR only treatment simulation. Upon completion attendees will have a working understanding of the basic methodologies associated with MR imaging in radiation oncology, the unique technical challenges imposed by MR imaging in the treatment position and techniques to address these. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the differences between MR imaging for diagnostic imaging and for radiation therapy planning. 2. Identify the most common sources of distortion and artifacts and simple methods to correct them. 3. Understand the challenges with MR imaging in the therapy treatment position and appropriate techniques to address them.
The Real World of Interdependence of Governments and Corporations: What We Know vs. What We Teach

The conventional wisdom we encounter in public discourse is that governments and the private sector in the United States are separate and hostile. We are told every day that a core political conflict of our time is between governmental and private power, and that these run on incompatible worldviews: politics versus markets. Governments, we are told, are the opposite of markets, and only one of these worldviews offers the best way to organize our lives and solve our problems. Many, perhaps most, Americans share this belief that governments and the private sector have inherently conflicting roles in American society. Textbooks and journalism reinforce this belief by presenting politics and government as sharply separate from private and economic activity. Because of this misunderstanding, much of American public debate is stale and dysfunctional, bickering about symbols and illusions rather than focusing on real choices about the exercise of power. This pattern is likely to continue to 2020 and beyond unless we challenge it and offer more realistic and constructive alternatives. A clearer understanding of the real nature of public and private can lead to revitalized politics and policy agendas at all levels.
Chapter 1 – The History and Concept of Computability

The subject of computability theory was accidentally named “recursive function theory” or simply “recursion theory” in the 1930s but has recently acquired the more descriptive name of “computability theory,” which is also historically more accurate based on the work of Godel and Turing, the inventors of the two concepts. This chapter examines the meaning, origin, and history of the concepts “recursive” and “computable” with an eye toward reexamining how they are used in practice. The ultimate aim is to ask what the subject is really about— whether it is about computability, recursions, definability, or something else. The chapter considers the Church–Turing thesis that the intuitively computable functions coincide with the formally computable ones and considers using the thesis as a definition. It traces the historical development of certain parts of the subject after the 1930s and shows how the present practices are adopted. General English usage is also discussed in the chapter.
Morphology of the Nasal Apparatus in Pygmy (Kogia Breviceps) and Dwarf (K. Sima) Sperm Whales.

Odontocete echolocation clicks are generated by pneumatically driven phonic lips within the nasal passage, and propagated through specialized structures within the forehead. This study investigated the highly derived echolocation structures of the pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (K. sima) sperm whales through careful dissections (N = 18 K. breviceps, 6 K. sima) and histological examinations (N = 5 K. breviceps). This study is the first to show that the entire kogiid sound production and transmission pathway is acted upon by complex facial muscles (likely derivations of the m. maxillonasolabialis). Muscles appear capable of tensing and separating the solitary pair of phonic lips, which would control echolocation click frequencies. The phonic lips are enveloped by the “vocal cap,” a morphologically complex, connective tissue structure unique to kogiids. Extensive facial muscles appear to control the position of this structure and its spatial relationship to the phonic lips. The vocal cap's numerous air crypts suggest that it may reflect sounds. Muscles encircling the connective tissue case that surrounds the spermaceti organ may change its shape and/or internal pressure. These actions may influence the acoustic energy transmitted from the phonic lips, through this lipid body, to the melon. Facial and rostral muscles act upon the length of the melon, suggesting that the sound “beam” can be focused as it travels through the melon and into the environment. This study suggests that the kogiid echolocation system is highly tunable. Future acoustic studies are required to test these hypotheses and gain further insight into the kogiid echolocation system. Anat Rec, 298:1301–1326, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.