cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of 23 million US hospitalizations: uninsured children have higher all-cause in-hospital mortality.

Background The number of uninsured children in the USA is increasing while the impact on children’s health of being uninsured remains largely uncharacterized. We analyzed data from more than 23 million US children to evaluate the effect of insurance status on the outcome of US pediatric hospitalization. Methods In our analysis of two well-known large inpatient databases, we classified patients less than 18 years old as uninsured (self-pay) or insured (including Medicaid or private insurance). We adjusted for gender, race, age, geographic region, hospital type, admission source using regression models. In-hospital death was the primary outcome and secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay and total hospital charges adjusted to 2007 dollars. Results The crude in-hospital mortality was 0.75% for uninsured versus 0.47% for insured children, with adjusted mortality rates of 0.74 and 0.46%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, uninsured compared with insured patients had an increased mortality risk (odds ratio: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.45–1.76). The excess mortality in uninsured children in the US was 37.8%, or 16 787, of the 38 649 deaths over the 18 period of the study. Conclusion Children who were hospitalized without insurance have significantly increased all-cause in-hospital mortality as compared with
Smoking and Pregnancy: The Polities of Fetal Protection

Smoking and Pregnancy: The Polities of Fetal Protection. Laury Oaks. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001. + 276 pp.
The Role of Olanzapine in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Objective:To evaluate the role of olanzapine in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.Data Sources:Literature was obtained through searches of MEDLINE (1966–December 2006), EMBASE (1980–4th Quarter 2006), and PsycINFO (1985–December 2006) and a bibliographic review of published articles. Key terms used in the searches included anorexia nervosa, antipsychotics, eating disorders, olanzapine, and Zyprexa.Study Selection And Data Extraction:All English language articles that were identified from the search were evaluated. All primary literature was included in the review.Data Synthesis:In several case reports and most clinical trials, patients with anorexia nervosa successfully gained weight while being treated with olanzapine. Moreover, many patients treated with olanzapine achieved a healthy body weight. Case reports and trials identified additional benefits of olanzapine, including reduction in delusional thinking; improvement in body image, sleep, depressive symptoms, adherence to treatment, and eating-disord...
Reducing motion artifact in wearable bio-sensors using MEMS accelerometers for active noise cancellation

This paper presents an active noise cancellation method using a MEMS accelerometer that recovers wearable sensor signals corrupted by body motion. The method is developed for a finger ring photoplethysmograph (PPG) sensor, the signal of which is susceptive to the hand motion of the wearer. A MEMS accelerometer (ACC) imbedded in the PPG sensor detects the hand acceleration, and is used for recovering the corrupted PPG signal, based upon two different methods of modeling the process of signal corruption. The correlation between the acceleration and the distorted PPG signal is analyzed, and a low-order FIR model relating the signal distortion to the hand acceleration is obtained. The model parameters are identified in real time with a recursive least square method. Experiments show that the active noise cancellation method can recover ring PPG sensor signals corrupted with 2G of acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the digital artery.
ROBERT W. JACKMAN

Robert W. Jackman, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Davis, died peacefully in San Francisco on October 8, 2009, after a long, courageous struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Bound Rubber and Carbon Black Reinforcement

Abstract The first description of the bound rubber phenomenon was by Twiss in 1925, who made the observation that the resistance of carbon black-natural rubber mixes to solvents was related to improved mechanical properties. Boiry studied many of the factors influencing the insolubilization of NR by fillers including type and amount of fillers, and mixing and testing variables. In 1937 J. H. Fielding of Goodyear developed a so-called “bound rubber” test because of his interest in the possibility of chemical bond formation between fillers and rubber. During the start of the U.S. synthetic rubber program, Baker and Walker reported in 1945 an insolubilization of SBR when mixed with carbon black significantly greater than the amount of normal gel in the unfilled elastomer. They were also the first to report that the amount of gel increased with increasing molecular weight and that a selective adsorption of high molecular weight material occurred. Since that time, many investigations have confirmed these findi...
Cytogenetic analysis of posterior uveal melanoma

Abstract Cytogenetic analysis was performed on short-term cultures of primary tumor samples from seven patients with posterior uveal melanoma. Informative data were obtained from four patients, all of whom had a near-diploid chromosomal number and clonal chromosomal alterations. Analysis of one patient's tumor revealed monosomy 3 as the only cytogenetically distinguishable aberration. Trisomies of chromosome 8 and i(8)(q10) were detected in two other patients in combination with monosomy of chromosome 3. The fourth patient's karyotype displayed two different translocations. One translocation, der(6)t(6;8)(q12;q13.1), resulted in the over-representation of 8q13.1→qter and a partial monosomy of 6q12→qter; the other translocation, der(9)t(6;9)(p12;p23), produced a partial trisomy of 6p12→pter and a partial monosomy of 9p23→pter. These results support the view that the recurring pattern of chromosomal rearrangements in ocular melanoma is unique from that associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma. Furthermore, these results help confirm that chromosomes 3, 6, and 8 are nonrandomly altered in ocular melanoma.
Control of bladder function by electrical activation of spinal neural circuits

Loss of bladder function has significant medical and quality of life impact. We are developing a novel approach to restoration of bladder function by electrical stimulation of afferent nerve fibers in the pudendal nerve. Stimulation of genital afferent fibers inhibits bladder contraction in both cat and human. Stimulation of urethral afferent nerve fibers excites the bladder causing micturition-like responses in cat. These results support the feasibility of restoration of both continence and micturition by activation of spinal reflex circuits via selective electrical stimulation of pudendal afferent nerve fibers.
Coping with Stress: Public Welfare Supervisors Doing Their Best

This study examines the coping mechanisms used by public welfare supervisors to deal with organizational stress. The findings, based on a qualitative study, indicate that the 14 supervisors examined employed two different coping categories which differ with regard to (a) their focus, (b) the source of stress, (c) the target person who is meant to benefit from them, and (d) the specific coping mechanisms. The first category is basically problem-focused, and serves the purpose of buffering subordinates from policy-ambiguity. The second category is essentially emotion-focused, and aims at buffering supervisors from stressful expectations of management and peers.
Investigating the role of desorption on the bioavailability of sediment-associated 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl in benthic invertebrates.

Only a fraction of all sediment-associated hydrophobic organic contaminants are bioavailable, and a simple Tenax® extraction procedure may estimate this fraction. Bioavailability is assumed to coincide with the rapidly and, possibly, slowly desorbing sediment-associated contaminant. River sediment was spiked with radiolabeled (14C) and nonradiolabeled (12C) 3,4,3,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCBP), and desorption kinetics using Tenax extraction were obtained at 10°C and 22°C. Bioaccumulation was measured in Lumbriculus variegatus, Chironomus tentans, and Hyalella azteca. Desorption of TCBP was triphasic at 22°C and slowed at 10°C to show only biphasic kinetics. The rapidly desorbing fractions decreased with increasing TCBP sediment concentration. The biota sediment accumulation factors, biota accumulation factors, and sediment clearance coefficients (ks) also decreased with increasing sediment TCBP concentration. The rapidly plus slowly desorbing fractions and the total TCBP desorbed when 99.9% of the rapidly desorbing fraction had desorbed were used to estimate bioavailable TCBP. These Tenax-based fractions did not explain the decreasing bioavailability with increasing TCBP load. Several factors, such as animal behavior and TCBP water solubility limitations, were evaluated to explain the concentration effect, but the most likely cause was severe diffusion limitations in whole sediment that were not predicted by the fully mixed Tenax extraction. Therefore, desorbing fractions determined by Tenax extraction overestimated the bioavailable fractions in sediments.
Spectral sensitization of zno thin films with organic dyes

Abstract Photoconductive couples in which a ZnO thin film is placed in surface contact with a layer of aggregated organic dye have been investigated under low-intensity illumination and with flash lamp methods. For the dyes studied (crystal violet, methylene blue, eosin-Y, and acridine orange) it was found that the photoresponse at visible wavelengths varies with the square-root of the incident light intensity, linearly with the dark current, and builds-up and decays via exponential processes. Measurements made during the formation of the couples show that ZnO conduction electrons are transferred to the dye in the dark and return when the dye layer is illuminated. A Schottky barrier model is proposed, in which ZnO conduction electrons are trapped in interfacial levels close in energy to the dye ground state. The theory indicates that the fraction of ZnO conduction electrons ( Δn n 0 ) transferred in the dark is approximately related to the ZnO thermoelectric work function (Φ) and the dye photoelectric work function (φ) by: φ≅ Φ + A( Δn n 0 ) 2 , where A is a constant determined by ZnO parameters. The data for the different dyes studied are in reasonable agreement with this result. A detailed analysis of the model leads to predictions of the kinetic processes in agreement with experiment.
Coated alginate microspheres : factors influencing the controlled delivery of macromolecules

A systematic study of the mild alginate/polycation microencapsulation process, as applied to encapsulation of bioactive macromolecules such as proteins, was conducted. When protein drugs were suspended in sodium alginate solution and sprayed into 1.3% buffered calcium chloride to form cross-linked microcapsules, large (up to 90%) losses of encapsulation species were encountered, and moderate to strong protein-alginate interactions caused poor formation of capsules. As a result, a diffusion-filling technique was adopted in which blank alginate beads, coated twice with small amounts of polycation, were formed prior to drug loading. Protein was then loaded into these capsules by stepwise diffusion from solutions of increasing drug concentration. The drug-loaded capsules were coated with a final layer of polycation. In all, three polycation coatings were used, two prior to filling and one after filling. The first coating strongly influenced the size, integrity, and loading capacity of the capsules. Low concentrations of polycation resulted in poorly formed capsules with very low retention of the drug in the final capsule, while very high concentrations prevented the drug from entering the capsule at the filling stage. This first coat also affected the duration of drug release from the capsule and the size of the burst effect. The second coat had less effect on the capsule integrity, but it did influence the drug payload and relase profile. The final, sealing-coat had little effect on drug payload and only limited effect on the release profile up to a critical concentration, above which the release profile was not affected. For all coats, increasing polycation concentration decreased the burst effect, and caused the release profile to be more sustained. Encapsulation of a series of dextrans with increasing molecular weight revealed that the release profile was directly related to the molecular weight of the diffusing species, which was more sustained as molecular weight increased. We have shown that the choice of coating parameters in the diffusion-filled, alginate/polycation system is critical for successful drug delivery from these capsules. By carefully choosing the coating parameters, both the drug payload and the release profile can be fine-tuned to meet the desired profile.
Measured Performance of a Programmed Implementation of the Subscripted D-Algorithm

Hypothesized performance improvements of the subscripted D-Algorithm have now been confirmed by a series of benchmark comparisons with the Roth's DALG. The major concept exploited by the subscripted algorithm is the acquisition of control over a submodule by back-propagation of multiple simultaneously sensitized D /sub j/ paths. The existence of these simultaneously sensitizable control paths has now been verified for many circuits of very large size. The run time required to establsih such control paths is usually about the same as the time that DALG takes to find a single test. Hence, for high fan-in submodules the performance enhancements are impressive. The algorithm readily finds multiple control paths in circuits with high fan-out and reconvergence. The algorithm even backpropagates readily through Exclusive-Or trees. Therefore, apprehension that multiple control paths would suffer mutual interference in practical circuits is not completely justified.
Severe Vision Loss With Optic Disc Neovascularization After Hemiretinal Vascular Obstruction Associated With Optic Disc Melanocytoma

A woman in her early 40s with a history of optic disc melanocytoma experienced acute vision loss to hand-motions level secondary to acute hemiretinal vascular occlusion. On subsequent follow-up visits, the vision deteriorated to no light perception and the patient developed optic disc neovascularization refractory to conventional laser therapy,whichwas complicatedby vitreous hemorrhage,preretinal fibrosis, andtractional retinaldetachment (Figure). Althoughmelanocytomas are consideredbenign lesions, severe vision loss can rarely occur secondary to vascular occlusion, or spontaneous tumornecrosis due to theprogressive subtle growthof the tumor within the optic nerve.1-3 To our knowledge, this is the first report of ischemic retinopathywith extensive optic disc neovascularization refractory to conventional medical treatment secondary to an optic disc melanocytoma.
Carbon isotope ratios and crop analyses of Arphia (Orthoptera: Acrididae) species in southeastern Wyoming Grassland

Food habits of Arphia conspersa Scudder and Arphia pseudonietana (Thomas) were studied along an altitudinal transect in southeastern Wyoming shortgrass mixed prairie. Stable carbon isotope ratios indicated that diets were significantly different between study sites, between species, and between sexes. These differences were found to be primarily related to the availability of different food plants along the transect, although species with the C3 pathway of photosynthesis were consumed in greater proportion than their availability in the habitat. The preference for C3 species is presumably related to their higher nutritional value and digestibility, in spite of the fact that more time and energy must be spent to locate these food plants in some of the habitats studied. This study demonstrates the utility of the carbon isotope method in studying plant-animal interactions in habitats containing both C3 and C4 plants.
Vibration Isolation of a Cantilever Beam Using Fluidic Flexible Matrix Composite Tubes

Fluidic Flexible Matrix Composite (F2MC) tubes are a new class of high-authority and low-weight fluidic devices that can passively provide vibration damping, absorption, and isolation. In this paper, transverse cantilever beam vibration causes strain-induced fluid pumping in F2MC tubes bonded to the beam surface, generating flow through a fluidic circuit. The F2MC tubes and fluidic circuit are designed to significantly reduce moment and shear transmission at the root of the cantilever beam. An analytical model of a cantilever beam with F2MC tubes is used to perform a parametric study via Monte Carlo methods. An isolator is designed that simultaneously attenuates root shear and moment transmission by over 99% at the first bending mode. By modifying the fluidic circuit dimensions and F2MC tube attachment locations, over 99% root shear and moment transmission attenuation is achieved for the second beam bending mode. The tunability and pumping efficiency of the F2MC tube makes it a promising candidate for passive vibration control applications, including aerospace structures such as wings and rotorcraft landing gear.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Predicting the memory bandwidth and optimal core allocations for multi-threaded applications on large-scale NUMA machines

Modern NUMA platforms offer large numbers of cores to boost performance through parallelism and multi-threading. However, because performance scalability is limited by available memory bandwidth, the strategy of allocating all cores can result in degraded performance. Consequently, accurately predicting optimal (best performing) core allocations, and executing applications with these allocations are crucial for achieving the best performance. Previous research focused on the prediction of optimal numbers of cores. However, in this paper, we show that, because of the asymmetric NUMA memory configuration and the asymmetric application memory behavior, optimal core allocations are not merely optimal numbers of cores. Additionally, previous studies do not adequately consider NUMA memory resources, which further limits their ability to accurately predict optimal core allocations. In this paper, we present a model, NuCore, which predicts both memory bandwidth usage and optimal core allocations. NuCore considers various memory resources and NUMA asymmetry, and employs Integer Programming to achieve high accuracy and low overhead. Experimental results from real NUMA machines show that the core allocations predicted by NuCore provide 1.27x average speedup over using all cores with only 75.6% cores allocated. NuCore also provides 1.18x and 1.21x average speedups over two state-of-the-art techniques. Our results also show that NuCore faithfully models NUMA memory systems and predicts memory bandwidth usages with only 10% average error.
Nickel-Alumina Composites: In Situ Synthesis by a Displacement Reaction, and Mechanical Properties

Nickel-alumina composites have the potential to be high performance materials. Alumina, with its excellent oxidation resistance, combined with a ductile phase such as nickel may provide a tough material with a lower density and higher Young`s modulus, overall, a higher specific modulus than typical Superalloys. Dense, interpenetrating Ni-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites were synthesized using a displacement reaction between NiO and aluminum. The resulting composites were characterized in terms of their mechanical properties such as hardness, flexure strength, fracture toughness and elastic constants. The synthesis, characterization, and mechanical properties, as well as the effect of the interpenetrating microstructure on the toughening mechanisms and other properties will be discussed.
Plasma macrophage migration ingibitory factor consentration in type 2 diabetic patients with vascular disease

Objectives To determine whether plasma macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) concentration in type 2 diabetes mellitus is related to diabetic macrovascular remodeling. Methods The plasma MIF concentration and receptor of advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) concentration of 87 macroangiopathy patients were detected. The correlations of the MIF concentration and the carotid inteima-media thickness (IMT) were analyzed. The correlations of the MIF concentration and the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity ( cfPWV) were also measured. Results The concentration of MIF,RAGE in diabetes group was higher than those in diabetes only group and coronary artery disease only group. There was a significant correlation between MIF concentrations and RAGE ( r = 0.393,P = 0.030),MIF concentration and cfPWV were negative correlation (r = -0.293,P = 0.042). Conclusions Increased plasma MIF concentrations are related to diabetic macro vascular remodeling. MIF plays a key role in type 2 diabetes with macrovascular remodeling.
Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency

A combined approach to the evaluation of the patient with velopharyngeal insufficiency is presented. Endviewing flexible fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, multiview videofluoroscopy, and a behavioral assessment of the patient's speech provide the otolaryngologist with all the information needed to select appropriate treatment.
Point source atom interferometry with a cloud of finite size

We demonstrate a two axis gyroscope by the use of light pulse atom interferometry with an expanding cloud of atoms in the regime where the cloud has expanded by 1.1–5 times its initial size during the interrogation. Rotations are measured by analyzing spatial fringe patterns in the atom population obtained by imaging the final cloud. The fringes arise from a correlation between an atom's initial velocity and its final position. This correlation is naturally created by the expansion of the cloud, but it also depends on the initial atomic distribution. We show that the frequency and contrast of these spatial fringes depend on the details of the initial distribution and develop an analytical model to explain this dependence. We also discuss several challenges that must be overcome to realize a high-performance gyroscope with this technique.
Distinct G protein–coupled receptor recycling pathways allow spatial control of downstream G protein signaling

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are recycled via a sequence-dependent pathway that is spatially and biochemically distinct from bulk recycling. Why there are two distinct recycling pathways from the endosome is a fundamental question in cell biology. In this study, we show that the separation of these two pathways is essential for normal spatial encoding of GPCR signaling. The prototypical β-2 adrenergic receptor (B2AR) activates Gα stimulatory protein (Gαs) on the endosome exclusively in sequence-dependent recycling tubules marked by actin/sorting nexin/retromer tubular (ASRT) microdomains. B2AR was detected in an active conformation in bulk recycling tubules, but was unable to activate Gαs. Protein kinase A phosphorylation of B2AR increases the fraction of receptors localized to ASRT domains and biases the downstream transcriptional effects of B2AR to genes controlled by endosomal signals. Our results identify the physiological relevance of separating GPCR recycling from bulk recycling and suggest a mechanism to tune downstream responses of GPCR signaling by manipulating the spatial origin of G protein signaling.
Assessment of vertebral fractures in osteoporosis research.

The evaluation of conventional radiographs of the spine for vertebral fractures is an important component of clinical practice and research in osteoporosis. Aside from the traditional approach of qualitative assessment of spinal radiographs 2 additional approaches have evolved. particularly for applications in clinical research and epidemiological studies. The first is quantitative morphometry (QM), which is based upon measurement of 4-10 points on the lateral projection of the vertebral body and determination of vertebral heights and ratios of heights. QM is a definable, describable, and relatively reproducible method for detecting both prevalent and incident fractures. However. projectional effects substantially influence the reliability of these measures performed in isolation. Therefore, there has been renewed interest in the visual assessment of fractures using a semiquantitative assessment (SQ) grading scale with definable, morphological and morphometric criteria. This second approach, while perhaps not as objective as QM, makes use of all the information regarding vertebral size and shape and is fundamentally more complex. When performed with adequate training, however. it provided good reproducibility and reliability. This overview provides a brief analysis of the methodologies and the advantages and disadvantages of the QM and SQ approaches, and compares their relative performance, alone or combined. in a large prospective population based study.
C-H Xanthylation: A Synthetic Platform for Alkane Functionalization

Intermolecular functionalizations of aliphatic C–H bonds offer unique strategies for the synthesis and late-stage derivatization of complex molecules, but the chemical space accessible remains limited. Herein, we report a transformation significantly expanding the chemotypes accessible via C–H functionalization. The C–H xanthylation proceeds in useful chemical yields with the substrate as the limiting reagent using blue LEDs and an easily prepared N-xanthylamide. The late-stage functionalizations of complex molecules occur with high levels of site selectivity, and a variety of common functionality is tolerated in the reaction. This approach capitalizes on the versatility of the xanthate functional group via both polar and radical manifolds to unlock a wide array of C–H transformations previously inaccessible in synthesis.
Using operator workload data to inform human reliability analyses

We describe an approach for using operator workload data to inform human reliability analyses (HRA). We demonstrate how data captured by the NASA TLX workload assessment method, or predicted with the VACP method employed in human performance modeling, can be used to support risk informed decision making. We show how TLX and VACP data can be linked into the ATHEANA and SPAR-H human reliability analysis methods. For ATHEANA, TLX and VACP data can easily be incorporated as an additional consideration in the analysis process. For a SPAR-H analysis, we provide guidance on how TLX and VACP workload data may influence the ratings for the performance shaping factors and their related error probability estimates.
Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Students in the United States, Japan, and India:

Rape myth acceptance is an important determinant of sexual assault behaviors. This study explored country and gender differences in rape myth acceptance among undergraduate students in the United S...
Control of plasmon fields via irreversible ultrafast dynamics caused by interaction of infrared laser pulses with quantum-dot-metallic-nanoparticle molecules

We study irreversible ultrafast dynamics caused by interaction of a semiconductor quantum-dot--metallic-nanorod system with an infrared laser field. We show that when this system supports exciton-plasmon coupling, by just varying the amplitude of this laser for a short period of time (several nanoseconds), one can decide the instance when the plasmon field of the nanorod becomes significant and its duration. This is done by showing that a sudden rise in the amplitude of the infrared laser (positive pulse) can induce irreversible transition from one of the collective molecular states of this system to another, making the plasmon field significant. When this amplitude reduces for a short period of time (negative pulse), the system returns back to its initial state, suppressing this field. We provide a detailed description of how, depending on the location, the infrared-induced dynamics can lend itself to different time-dependent plasmon fields around the nanorod. Our results show that at a given moment of time at each location we can have dramatically different types of dynamics for the phase and amplitude of the plasmon field. Using these we show that a quantum-dot--metallic-nanoparticle system can act as an all-optical and logic gate.
Exact Bayesian inference by symbolic disintegration

Bayesian inference, of posterior knowledge from prior knowledge and observed evidence, is typically defined by Bayes's rule, which says the posterior multiplied by the probability of an observation equals a joint probability. But the observation of a continuous quantity usually has probability zero, in which case Bayes's rule says only that the unknown times zero is zero. To infer a posterior distribution from a zero-probability observation, the statistical notion of disintegration tells us to specify the observation as an expression rather than a predicate, but does not tell us how to compute the posterior. We present the first method of computing a disintegration from a probabilistic program and an expression of a quantity to be observed, even when the observation has probability zero. Because the method produces an exact posterior term and preserves a semantics in which monadic terms denote measures, it composes with other inference methods in a modular way-without sacrificing accuracy or performance.
Quantitative models of feline lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia neuronal cell density.

Background Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are spinal root components that contain the cell bodies of converging primary sensory neurons. DRG are becoming a therapeutic target for electrical neural interfaces. Our purpose was to establish methods for quantifying the non-random nature and distribution of neuronal cell bodies within DRG.
Retreatment Options Following HCV Direct Acting Antiviral Failure

Despite the excellent efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) for hepatitis C virus (HCV), treatment failures do occur. Until recently, retreatment decisions after DAA failure were influenced by the number of available agents, concerns about HCV drug resistance, and lack of data regarding retreatment. Recommended treatment approaches previously depended on limited clinical trials and expert opinion. In this article, we review the current state of the evidence for HCV retreatment after DAA failure. Based on recent clinical trial data, most patients who fail HCV treatment with DAA agents now have excellent retreatment options. While some patients may benefit from resistance testing after DAA therapy failure to select the optimal treatment and duration, newly approved salvage therapies are not significantly impacted by common mutations and have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for HCV retreatment without regard for the presence of resistance-associated substitutions. While prior retreatment efforts were limited to longer courses of therapy, the addition of ribavirin, or novel combinations of approved therapies based on expert guidance, current DAA options make HCV retreatment in the DAA era more streamlined and evidence-based.
Extracting Fama-French Factors in India, Premature?

Emerging market Fama-French factor research has been limited at best. In this work, we investigate emerging market Fama-French factors by studying current issues with the construction and deployment of these factors birthed from the Indian Stock Market. We establish a completely transparent process for and discussion regarding implementing the factors. We examine constituents of the Nifty 500 Index of the National Stock Exchange because of its high liquidity and representativeness. As of March 31, 2017, Nifty 500 Index represented 95.2% of the total market capitalization of the entire Exchange. We estimate the annual returns generated by the three Fama-French Factors as well as by the Carhart’s 4th Factor to range from 5% to 12%. We document two implementation constraints 1) short selling, given the limitation of short availability, and 2) liquidity risk, arising from the wide bid/ask spread of 20-25 basis points thus adding to higher transaction costs and possible market impact. Due to the prior two reasons, we argue that implementation of long-only portfolios is more prudent at this time. We estimate annual survivorship biases associated with these long-only portfolios range from 5%-6%, however, low B/M, small cap, and winners have extremely strong historical performance. We conclude that Fama-French factors, long-short portfolios, may be premature in India at this time but long-only portfolios could be an interesting addition to long-term investors.
Psychometric Properties of the FACIT-Pal 14 Administered in an Outpatient Palliative Care Clinic.

Background:The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Palliative (FACIT-Pal) 14 instrument measures the quality of life in palliative care patients but its psychometric properties are not...
What to do if you have failed to gain a specialty training post

Failure to gain a specialty training post leaves many trainees confused about what to do next. Edwin Jabbari looks at the options open to those facing this situation
Simplified symmetry for electronics

Enhanced wireless pressure sensors can be created by relaxing parity–time symmetry conditions.
How Philosophy, Science and Technologies Studies, and Feminist Studies of Technology Can Be of Use for Soft Computing

Artificial Intelligence has been one of the fields within Computer Science that has generated more interest and debates among philosophers. Later on, the most recent fields of Science and Technology Studies (STS), and Feminist Studies of Technology (FST) have also shown some interest in AI. In both cases most of the authors have been quite critical about the promises, practices and, particularly, the epistemological basis of Classical AI. The first part of the paper consists on an enumeration of the most important authors and their critiques to AI from Philosophy, STS studies and FST. Since Soft Computing entails important changes with respect to traditional AI approaches, the second part of the paper will be devoted to confront Soft Computing with the previous critiques and challenges to AI and to weight up to what extent Soft Computing could (or could not) answer differently than other AI approaches to these critiques and challenges.
A Hierarchical Behavior Analysis Approach for Automated Trainee Performance Evaluation in Training Ranges

In this paper we present a closed loop mixed reality training system that provides automatic assessment of trainee performance during kinetic military exercises. At the core of our system is a hierarchical behavior analysis approach that integrates a number of data sensor modalities including Audio/Video, RFID and IMUs to automatically capture trainee actions in a comprehensive manner. Our behavior analysis and performance evaluation framework uses a finite state machine (FSM) model in which trainee behaviors are the states of the training scenario and the transitions of states are caused by stimuli that we refer to as trigger events. The goal of behavior analysis is to estimate the states of the trainees with respect to the training scenario and quantify trainee performance. To robustly detect each state, we build classifiers for each behavioral state and trigger event. At a given time, based on the state estimation, a set of related classifiers are activated for detecting trigger events and states that can be transitioned to and from the current states. The overall structure of the FSM and trigger events is determined by a Training Ontology that is specific to the training scenario.
Effect of Temperature on Electrical Conductivity and Transport Mechanisms in Sapphire

The mechanisms of electrical conduction in single crystal alumina were investigated. An oxygen concentration cell was used to separate the direct current electrical conductivity into its ionic and electronic components over the temperature range 1000–1500°C. Transport number and electrical conductivity measurements were made in an oxidizing atmosphere while guarding against both surface and gas phase conduction.
Definitions of Hypertension in Children

While noninvasive blood pressure (BP) measurement has been possible for over 100 years (1) and has become a routine part of clinical care for all children and adolescents, proper utilization of the information obtained by BP measurement remains an evolving process. This chapter will review a brief history of the recognition of hypertension (HTN) in children, currently accepted definitions of HTN for children and adolescents, strengths and limitations associated with these definitions, and considerations for further improving these definitions in the future.
Images of S 1 and S 2

Human experience allows us to comfortably view photographs of familiar objects. A camera can capture an image of a puppy, and because of our experience with puppies we can comfortably — without pause of having to think about what we are seeing — enjoy and understand the picture.
Advanced cancer patients' understanding of prognostic information: Applying insights from psychological research.

Purpose Informed medical decision-making at the end of life often requires engaging in highly emotional, potentially upsetting discussions about prognosis, while ensuring that patients grasp its personal meaning. Behavioral science offers insights into ways to promote prognostic understanding among patients with advanced cancer. Summary In this literature review, we synthesize complementary findings from basic behavioral science and applied clinical research, which suggest that psychological factors can significantly influence both patients' clinical interactions and their prognostic understanding. For example, stress and emotion can affect cognition, which may shape how patients process complex medical information. Additionally, clinicians may be less likely to share prognostic information with distressed patients who, in turn, may be hesitant to ask about their prognosis for fear of the answer. Although traditional approaches for increasing advanced cancer patients' understanding focus on improving information delivery, these efforts may not be sufficient without corresponding interventions that assist patients in managing distress. Conclusions Psychological barriers may limit opportunities for patients to fully understand their prognosis and to receive high quality of end-of-life care that is linked with an accurate understanding of their disease and treatment options. Failure to attend to patients' emotional distress may undermine efforts to improve medical communication. This underscores the importance of increased attention to the psychological factors that impede patients' comprehension of material shared in cancer clinic visits, in order to inform interventions that address patient distress both before and after receiving "bad news." Integrating findings from psychological research into prognostic discussions may not only improve advanced cancer patients' mental health, but may also promote their ability to make informed, value-consistent medical decisions.
Water Management on Ricelands in Louisiana and Texas

A review of progress made by rice farmers in Louisiana and Texas in the use of techniques for water management on ricelands is presented. The techniques examined are the result of applied research and experience. Progress in irrigation and drainage system layout and construction to meet operational needs is examined and illustrated. This includes land forming and location of water control structures based on site conditions including topography, soils, cultural practices, drainage outlet conditions, and irrigation water supply. Details concerning design, layout, and construction with complete bibliographic references are omitted in deference to emphasis on the recent progress of local application of water management techniques.
Association of Occupational Distress and Sleep-Related Impairment in Physicians With Unsolicited Patient Complaints

Abstract Objective To study the relationship between occupational distress and sleep-related impairment in physicians and unsolicited patient complaints. Participants and Methods We used deidentified data from an academic medical center’s physician survey administered in April and May of 2013 to perform a retrospective cohort study. Third-party stewards of the identifiable information regarding unsolicited patient complaints from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2016, matched these data with corresponding physicians’ occupational distress data. Unsolicited patient complaints were used to calculate the Patient Advocacy Reporting System (PARS) score, a validated predictor of malpractice litigation risk and clinical outcomes. Physicians were grouped into 1 of 3 PARS risk categories based on previously defined thresholds: low risk (score of 0), intermediate risk (score of 1-12), or high risk (score ≥13). Results Each 1-point increase in burnout and sleep-related impairment, on a 5-point scale, was associated with a 69% (odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% CI, 1.12-2.54) and 49% (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.08-2.05) increased odds of being in the next higher PARS risk category, respectively, averaged across all 4 years. Professional fulfillment was a protective factor, associated with fewer unsolicited patient complaints. Each 1-point decrease in professional fulfillment was associated with a 68% (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.16-2.44) increased odds of being in the next higher PARS risk category. The effect of depression on PARS risk category was not significant (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.84-2.10). Conclusion Findings from this research suggest that occupational distress and sleep-related impairment in physicians are associated with unsolicited patient complaints.
Advance in the epidemiological study of hand-foot-mouth disease

Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common infectious disease in infants, the infection and spread of the disease have taken place all over the world. In this article, the progress of the epidemiological study of hand-foot-mouth disease are reviewed. Key words: Hand, foot and mouth disease; Epidemiology; Enterovirus 71
Deep learning implementation of super-resolution ultrasound imaging for tissue decluttering and contrast agent localization

Super-resolution ultrasound (SR-US) imaging improves ultrasound (US) resolution by up to ten-fold. However, translation to the clinical setting has been hindered by long computation times. Conventional algorithms used to detect and localize a microbubble (MB) contrast agent during SR-US image construction suffer from high complexity and computational intensity. Deep learning methods have been used to help implement solutions to these two key SR-US image processing steps. Such developments allow frame processing on the time scale of milliseconds. The goal of this study was to combine a single deep network to both detect and localize MBs for use during SR-US imaging. We propose SRUSnet, which is a fully convolutional network architecture based on MobileNetV3 with enhancements for 2 + 1D input data, fast convergence time, and support for high-resolution data output. The architecture features both a classification and a regression head to provide a flexible level of increased resolution for the output SR-US image. Training was performed with synthetic in silico data computed as a sequence of images with MBs flowing at different rates against a background of tissue. In vitro imaging of a flow phantom perfused with MBs was performed using a programmable US scanner (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc.) equipped with an L11-4v linear array transducer. The network operating on in silico data exceeded 99% detection accuracy and averaged less than the resolution of a pixel in localization accuracy (i.e. λ/8). The processing time for a 128 × 128-pixel image averaged 25.9 ms on a Nvidia GeForce 2080Ti GPU. Overall, these preliminary results are a promising advance in moving towards a real-time implementation of SR-US imaging.
Anomalous Model-Driven-Telemetry Network-Stream BGP Detection

There is a growing demand for real-time analysis of network data streams. In recent years, Model Driven Telemetry (MDT) has been developed – in place of conventional methods such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Syslog and CLI commands – to provide a fine-grain holistic view of a network at the control, data and management planes. High-frequency MDT data streams generated from network devices enable new ways of designing Network Operation and Management (OAM) solutions, laying the foundation for future "self-driving" networks.In this paper we study anomaly detection using MDT data streams in a data center environment. In many commercial data centers, BGP is re-purposed for (policy-driven, path-based) intra-routing (as opposed to inter-domain routing that it was originally designed for) to take advantage of rich path diversity. Several vendors have developed MDT data models using YANG that allow routers/switches to express and stream various BGP features for (centralized) network OAM operations. We develop a systematic MDT data processing and feature selection framework that is portable to multiple MDT vendors. Furthermore, we advance NetCorDenstream that builds and improves upon OutlierDenStream proposed in [10] for real-time detection of streamed anomalous MDT data. We show that NetCorDenstream achieves a 59% reduction in alarms raised when compared with OutlierDenStream, thereby reducing the (attention) burden placed on network operators. In particular, it increases alarm detection precision significantly while decreasing false alarms at the expense of a slightly delayed response time.
Boredom, Temporality, and the Historical Dynamics of Abstract Negativity

As an experience of empty, meaningless time, boredom is not itself timeless. Unlike predecessors such as melancholy and acedia, which situate similar troublings of desire and meaning in larger natural and supernatural temporal and metaphysical frameworks, boredom depends, quite literally, on universalized, standardized clock time; its cultural horizon is a secularized understanding of history as rational progress. Both these dimensions of modern temporality come into negative relief through boredom’s nihilistic dynamic, in which the experienced emptiness of lived time comes to signify the futility of human endeavor as such. The ubiquity of (the threat of) boredom in contemporary life thus reflects and reinforces the naturalization of the modern, rationalized mode of being in time and facilitates the ever more systematic instrumentalization of desire in consumer capitalism – a dynamic through which, in the face of the absence or eclipse of compelling collective frameworks of meaning in modernity, subjective experience itself is being rendered vulnerable to commodification.
Interdisciplinary Service Learning as a Critical Knowledge Transaction Space in University-Community Engagement

In this article we present a framework for interdisciplinary service learning as border pedagogy grounded on Dewey’s educational philosophy and critical social theory. The project Stoa Malakopi all...
Hemodynamics for the Heart Failure Clinician: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Abstract Heart failure (HF) fundamentally reflects an inability of the heart to provide adequate blood flow to the body without incurring the cost of increased cardiac filling pressures. This failure occurs first during the stressed state, but progresses until hemodynamic derangements become apparent at rest. As such, the measurement and interpretation of both resting and stressed hemodynamics serve an integral role in the practice of the HF clinician. In this review, we discuss conceptual and technical best practices in the performance and interpretation of both resting and invasive exercise hemodynamic catheterization, relate important pathophysiologic concepts to clinical care, and discuss updated, evidence-based applications of hemodynamics as they pertain to the full spectrum of HF conditions.