cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Dirty Model for Multi-task Learning

We consider multi-task learning in the setting of multiple linear regression, and where some relevant features could be shared across the tasks. Recent research has studied the use of l1/lq norm block-regularizations with q > 1 for such block-sparse structured problems, establishing strong guarantees on recovery even under high-dimensional scaling where the number of features scale with the number of observations. However, these papers also caution that the performance of such block-regularized methods are very dependent on the extent to which the features are shared across tasks. Indeed they show [8] that if the extent of overlap is less than a threshold, or even if parameter values in the shared features are highly uneven, then block l1/lq regularization could actually perform worse than simple separate elementwise l1 regularization. Since these caveats depend on the unknown true parameters, we might not know when and which method to apply. Even otherwise, we are far away from a realistic multi-task setting: not only do the set of relevant features have to be exactly the same across tasks, but their values have to as well. Here, we ask the question: can we leverage parameter overlap when it exists, but not pay a penalty when it does not? Indeed, this falls under a more general question of whether we can model such dirty data which may not fall into a single neat structural bracket (all block-sparse, or all low-rank and so on). With the explosion of such dirty high-dimensional data in modern settings, it is vital to develop tools - dirty models - to perform biased statistical estimation tailored to such data. Here, we take a first step, focusing on developing a dirty model for the multiple regression problem. Our method uses a very simple idea: we estimate a superposition of two sets of parameters and regularize them differently. We show both theoretically and empirically, our method strictly and noticeably outperforms both l1 or l1/lq methods, under high-dimensional scaling and over the entire range of possible overlaps (except at boundary cases, where we match the best method).
Combined microwave and optical remote sensing of clouds: a review

Joint cloud remote sensing research using radar, lidar, and passive optical and microwave techniques began over 25 years ago, not long after the development of field-worthy laser systems. Concurrent field measurements of thunderstorm clouds and anvils were made in 1970 by a polarization ruby (0.69 /spl mu/m) lidar transported from New York University and a scanning 10-cm radar system from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology near Rapid City. At about the same time, a program was initiated at the NOAA Wave Propagation Laboratory in Boulder, CO, primarily from laser eye-safety concerns, to coalign a K-band radar with a scanning mirror assembly used to point the laser beam. Although polarization lidar findings from this early research phase were published (1), serious intercomparisons with the radar data were not attempted. However, since that time the multiple remote sensor approach has steadily gained acceptance in the cloud physics research community with the recognition of the synergistic qualities of diverse, multiwavelength datasets. Examples of the integration of active and passive optical and microwave remote sensing methods, which currently constitute a major meteorological research emphasis, as applied to cloud research programs are reviewed. >
Academic Change Management: Leadership Lessons From Curricular Reform

INTRODUCTION In August, 2011, the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine extensively revised its four year curriculum, focusing on the theme of “Molecules to Military Medicine.” Since most civilian medical schools undergoing a major curricular reform typically allow three to seven years for full implementation, the fact that its revision was designed and implemented in two years, was itself a momentous achievement. As such, this report will describe some of the key innovations associated with the new curriculum, followed by a summary of some of the leadership lessons that may help guide other programs considering similar types of curricular revision.
Research Article: Evaluation of developmental toxicity of interaction between caffeine and pseudoephedrine using frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (Fetax)

Abstract Pseudoephedrine and caffeine are found in many over-the-counter drugs including decongestants and weight loss chemicals. Both are proven central nervous system stimulants, and they may potentially interact on human health. Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus (FETAX) was used to determine the developmental toxicity of pseudoephedrine and caffeine mixtures and to determine if synergism or antagonism occurs between the two on developmental toxicity. FETAX is a 96-hour developmental toxicity assay that screens for direct acting teratogens. Both have both been evaluated for developmental toxicity in FETAX but not as mixtures. The 96-hr LC50, 96-hr EC50, MCIG, and TI were determined for pseudoephedrine and caffeine in various mixtures. We tested five binary mixturesofthe two chemicals. The mixtures were basedonthe toxic unitsofeach chemical; where one toxic unit was equal to the 96-hr LC50. The toxic unit mixtures were pseudoephedrine to caffeine at toxic unit ratios of 0:1, 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 ...
Trajectory Analysis for Driving

This chapter discusses the analysis and use of trajectories from vehicles on roads. It begins with techniques for creating a road map from GPS logs, which is a potentially less expensive way to make up-to-date road maps than traditional methods. Next is a discussion of map matching. This is a collection of techniques to infer which road a vehicle was on given noisy measurements of its location. Map matching is a prerequisite for the next two topics: location prediction and route learning. Location prediction works to anticipate where a vehicle is going, and it can be used to warn drivers of upcoming traffic situations as well as give advertising and alerts about future points of interest. Route learning consists of techniques for automatically creating good route suggestions based on the trajectories of one or more drivers.
Signing the New Social Contract: Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Won’t Cut it Anymore - Exploring the Path Toward Officially Combating Global Climate Change

A discussion of the current state of climate change law in the United States including public nuisance claims in the court system, EPA regulations and the legislation pending in Congress. This Article argues that the citizen- consumer and corporations must match the values that their recent "green" efforts exhibit with a firm and substantial commitment to revolutionize the American economy. This social contract must be joined by the government and reinforced by placing a price on GHG emissions. This revolution will require massive, sustained, cross-generational political will to transform a nation’s consumption ethic.
Characteristics of the middle-age adult inpatient fall

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe characteristics of middle-age inpatients' (ages 45–64) fallers and their fall and fall injury risk factors. Background Middle-age falls were 42–46% of inpatient falls. Studies related to inpatient falls have not targeted this population. Methods A 439 retrospective chart review was performed. Middle-age fall and injury rates were compared with ages 21–44 and 65–90. Results The mean age was 55.75years (SD 5.26). 28.7% (n=126) of falls resulted in injury. Individual fallers (n=386) had a mean of four comorbidities (SD 1.843), including hypertension (46.5%), anxiety/depression (40.2%), and alcohol and drug abuse (32.9%). There was no significant difference ( p =.637) in fall rates per 1,000 patient days between ages 45–64 and 65–90. Conclusion Middle-age inpatients' acute illness makes them as vulnerable for fall and injury as the older population. They should not be overlooked for fall prevention measures.
The consequences of anterior femoral notching in total knee arthroplasty. A biomechanical study.

Background: Notching of the anterior femoral cortex during total knee arthroplasty has been implicated as a cause of subsequent periprosthetic supracondylar femoral fracture. However, other than observational clinical data, no reliable association between these events has been established, to our knowledge. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biomechanical effects of notching of the anterior femoral cortex. Methods: The femoral component of a total knee replacement was implanted in twelve matched pairs of human cadaveric femora; one specimen in each pair had preservation of the anterior femoral cortex, and the other had a full-thickness cortical defect created just proximal to the anterior flange of the femoral component. The pairs were then subjected to either bending or torsional loading to failure. Both the fracture pattern and the quantitative load to failure were analyzed. Two matched pairs were excluded from the analysis because of inadvertent fracture during placement of the component. Results: Following the application of a bending load, femora with notching of the anterior femoral cortex sustained a short oblique fracture that originated at the cortical defect proximal to the femoral component and femora without notching had a midshaft fracture. In contrast, notching of the anterior femoral cortex had no effect on the fracture pattern that was observed after the application of a torsional load. The mean load to failure was significantly reduced by notching in both testing modes. Notching decreased bending strength from 11,813 to 9690 newtons (18 percent; p = 0.0034), and it decreased torsional strength from 134.7 to 81.8 newton-meters (39.2 percent; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Biomechanical testing demonstrated that notching of the anterior femoral cortex significantly lessens the load to failure following total knee arthroplasty and influences the subsequent fracture pattern. These effects are manifested in different ways under the two loading conditions: the fracture pattern is altered under bending load, and there is a greater quantitative decrease in load to failure with torsional loading. Clinical Relevance: Weakening of the femur by notching of the anterior cortex after total knee arthroplasty may warrant alteration in the customary postoperative regimen for these patients. Manipulation of a total knee replacement with a notched anterior femoral cortex should probably be avoided.
RGB-D Action Recognition

For human action recognition task, the traditional methods are based on the RGB data captured by webcam, while the popular RGB action databases\footnote{In this work, RGB action database means the one that is captured by a conventional RGB camera. Only RGB data are available in the RGB action database; depth data are not available. RGB-D action database is the one that is captured by a RGB-D camera. Both RGB data and depth data are available in the RGB-D action database.}
Evolution of magnetism in the Na3−δ(Na1−xMgx)Ir2O6 series of honeycomb iridates

Abstract The structural and magnetic properties of a new series of iridium-based honeycomb lattices with the formula Na 3 − δ ( Na 1 − x Mg x ) Ir 2 O 6 ( 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 ) are reported. As x and δ are increased, the honeycomb lattice contracts and the strength of the antiferromagnetic interactions decreases systematically due to a reduction in Ir–O–Ir bond angles. Samples with imperfect stoichiometry exhibit disordered magnetic freezing at temperatures Tf between 3.4 K and 5 K. This glassy magnetism likely arises due to the presence of non-magnetic Ir3+, which are distributed randomly throughout the lattice, with a possible additional contribution from stacking faults. Together, these results demonstrate that chemical defects and non-stoichiometry have a significant effect on the magnetism of compounds in the A2IrO3 materials family.
Wearing Black, Wearing Bows: Union women and the politics of dress in the US fashion press, 1861–1865

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes how leading US fashion periodicals Peterson's Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book discussed women's fashions on the Northern home front during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Primarily defining fashion magazines and clothing as pleasurable refuges from the horrors of war, Godey's and Peterson's nonetheless indicated that women's fashion choices were important to the broader war effort, arguing that women's sartorial decisions helped to demonstrate the virtue of their nation. Godey's and Peterson's thus operated as complex, contradictory spaces for middle-class female readers. In some respects serving as a welcome respite from direct discussions of war, these periodicals also placed considerable pressure on Northern women to live up to high standards of fashionable femininity as part of their patriotic duty to the nation. The fashion media thus at once served as a potential source of, even as it was a release from, Northern women's wartime anxieties.
Studies on the variables in Rh slide testing.

The increasing interest in quality control in blood banking has caused the temperature standards for Rh slide testing to become more stringent. Due to the construction of most Rh viewboxes, these standards are not being met. This study shows that the currently available typing sera have a wide tolerance of temperature and erythrocyte concentration, which is broader than originally assumed. Acceptable agglutination was obtained at temperatures between 35 and 55 C. with cell concentrations constant at 45%. With a constant temperature of 45 C, cell concentrations ranging from 35 to 60% also give acceptable reactions. The demonstrated latitude of anti- Rh typing sera ensures the laboratory that although the Rh viewbox temperature standards may not be precisely met, the reactions will be accurate.
Computational modeling and experimental characterization of macroscale piezoresistivity in aligned carbon nanotube and fuzzy fiber nanocomposites

In this study, a multiscale computational micromechanics based approach is developed to study the effect of applied strains on the effective macroscale piezoresistivity of carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer and fuzzy fiber-polymer nanocomposites. The computational models developed in this study allow for electron hopping and inherent CNT piezoresistivity at the nanoscale in addition to interfacial damage at the CNT-polymer interface. The CNT-polymer nanocomposite is studied at the nanoscale allowing for interfacial damage at the CNT-polymer interface using electromechanical cohesive zones. For fuzzy fiberpolymer nanocomposites, a 3-scale computational model is developed allowing for concurrent coupling of the microscale and nanoscale. The electromechanical boundary value problem is solved using finite elements at each of the scales and the effective electrostatic properties are obtained by using electrostatic energy equivalence. The effective electrostatic properties are used to evaluate the relative change in effective resistivity and the macroscale effective gauge factors for the nanocomposites. In addition, the piezoresistive response of aligned CNT-polymer and fuzzy fiber-polymer nanocomposites is investigated experimentally. The results obtained from the computational models are compared to the experimentally observed change in resistance with applied strains and associated gauge factors.
Expectations, Status Value, and Group Structure:

We report a replication and extension of theory and experimental tests reported by Stuart J. Hysom. That earlier work added status value of rewards to established theories of status generalization processes. We extend that work to cases in which both the status positions of actors and the status value of their rewards function in status generalization. Overall experimental results show confirmation of the theory, but fine-grained analyses reveal some weaknesses in experimental operations. Besides improving the experimental techniques, future work might explore effects of multiple statuses and rewards, and legitimacy effects that may be raised by inconsistent combinations of status and rewards.
Opinion Change as Related to Sequence of Degrees of Change Suggested

The present study suggests a modification of Hunt's expectancy regarding sequence effects. It might be considered that the ascending sequence had the effect of minimizing the differences in the pre-experimental persuasive influences of the two source groups and that the descending sequence tended to maximize these differences. If such were the case, Hunt's expectancy would hold when low status source groups were used, but the effect would be reversed with high status source groups.
The Nuclear Gas Turbine: Towards Realization After Half a Century of Evolution

This paper has been written exactly 50 years after the first disclosure of a closed-cycle gas turbine concept with a simplistic uranium heater. Clearly, this plant was ahead of its time in terms of technology readiness, and the closed-cycle gas turbine was initially deployed in a cogeneration mode burning dirty fuels (e.g., coal, furnace gases). In the 1950s through the mid 1980s about 20 of these plants operated providing electrical power and district heating for European cities. The basic concept of a nuclear gas turbine plant was demonstrated in the USA on a small scale in 1961 with a mobile closed-cycle nitrogen gas turbine [330 KW(e)] coupled with a nuclear reactor. In the last three decades, closed-cycle gas turbine research and development, particularly in the U.S. has focused on space power systems, but today the utility size gas turbine-modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) is on the verge of being realized. The theme of this paper traces the half century of closed-cycle gas turbine evolution, and discusses the recent enabling technologies (e.g., magnetic bearings, compact recuperator) that now make the GT-MHR close to realization.The author would like to dedicate this paper to the late Professor Curt Keller who in 1935 filed the first closed-cycle gas turbine patent in Switzerland, and who exactly 50 years ago, first described a power plant involving the coupling of a helium gas turbine with a uranium heater.Copyright © 1995 by ASME
Stabilization and Band-Gap Tuning of the 1T-MoS2 Monolayer by Covalent Functionalization

The MoS2 monolayer is the second most studied two-dimensional material after graphene. However, the covalent chemistry through the S layers has not been fully explored for controlling the properties of the MoS2 monolayer. Herein we probe the potential of chemical functionalization of monolayer MoS2 in tuning its electronic properties by first-principles density functional theory. We find that the chemical bonding of the functional groups (H, CH3, CF3, OCH3, NH2) is anomalously strong (4–5 eV) on the 1T phase (in low-coverage regimes) but very weak on the 2H phase. This strong affinity of 1T-MoS2 for functional groups is closely related to its metallicity and partially filled Mo 4d states. More interestingly, 1T-MoS2, which is metastable when unfunctionalized, becomes the stable phase after a crossover coverage of functionalization. Surface functionalization also results in dramatic changes to the electronic properties of 1T-MoS2. We find that the band gap of the 1T-MoS2 monolayer strongly depends on the f...
Some measured thermal properties of new high-energy-density caged hydrocarbon compounds

A new class of pentacyclic hydrocarbon compounds with high-energy/high density have been synthesized to be used as fuels or fuel additives, with the expectation that their inclusion in the fuel mixture will result in a net increase in volumetric efficiency of the current generation of powerplants. These compounds exhibit high density (rho = 1.2-1.3 g/cu cm) and contain a moderate amount of strain energy, which contributes to the energy output during combustion. Through direct measurements, melting and boiling points, specific heats, and latent heats of fusion were determined. Droplet combustion experiments with binary solutions of solid high-energy fuels in kerosene indicated increased effervescence and higher heat output. The liquid high-energy-density-formulations exhibited microexplosive combustion behavior. (Author)
EFFECTS OF POPULATION STRUCTURE AND CONE PRODUCTION ON OUTCROSSING RATES IN ENGELMANN SPRUCE AND SUBALPINE FIR.

Variation in the mating systems of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir was examined in two adjacent subpopulations in the Colorado Front Range. Multilocus outcrossing rates were estimated from analysis of allozyme variation in embryo and megagametophyte tissue. The overall multilocus outcrossing rate of 0.93 for spruce was significantly higher than the outcrossing rate of 0.89 for fir. Outcrossing rates varied from 0.73 to 0.97 for spruce and from 0.65 to 0.94 for fir when trees of each species were grouped according to age, size, spatial distribution, maternal heterozygosity, cone production, and year of sampling. In both spruce and fir, trees with higher levels of male-cone production and/or more clumped spatial distribution had lower outcrossing rates. Temporal variation in outcrossing rates within subpopulations, examined only in spruce, was less than variation between subpopulations. Male-cone production was significantly correlated with tree size, and regression analyses revealed that the highest outcrossing rates are expected on trees that are medium to large in size, rather than the largest trees in the forest. The results show that, while there is some temporal variation, patterns of male cone production and spatial distribution of individuals are the most important factors influencing outcrossing levels in these wind-pollinated forest trees.
A study on transacted electricity quantity settlement scheme of North China Grid

A settlement scheme of transacted electricity quantity was proposed, which divided up the difference between the practical electricity quantity and the scheduled electricity quantity in proportion of the scheduling value of transaction. The settlement scheme has characteristics that the calculation processes are simple and the settlement results are equitable. The transacted electricity quantity set- tlement system of North China Grid based on the settlement scheme has been on practical operation, and it brings a favorable stimulative effect to the foundation of north China regional electricity market.
Genetic element from human surfactant protein SP-C gene confers bronchiolar-alveolar cell specificity in transgenic mice

Transgenic mice bearing chimeric genes consisting of 5'-sequences derived from the human surfactant protein C (SP-C) gene and the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene were generat...
Adhesion re-formation in the rabbit uterine horn model: I. Reduction with carboxymethylcellulose.

Adhesion re-formation frequently complicates the performance of adhesiolysis in reproductive pelvic surgery. To assess the ability of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to reduce adhesion re-formation, a rabbit uterine horn model was employed. Adhesions were created at laparotomy by scraping a 5-cm segment of each uterine horn. This injury reproducibly creates adhesions. Two weeks later, repeat laparotomy was performed, at which time all adhesions were lysed by sharp dissection. Animals were then randomly assigned to the control or CMC (20 mL of 2% solution) group. Necropsy was performed 2 weeks later. At both the second operative procedure and the time of necropsy, adhesions were graded in a blind fashion for severity and tenacity. There was no difference in adhesion score in the control and CMC-treated rabbits at the time of adhesiolysis. Subsequently, at the time of necropsy, the mean adhesion reformation score in the control group was 3.96 (median = 4.0). In contrast, adhesion re-formation in the CMC-treated group was significantly less (mean score = 2.15; median = 2.0; sign test, P less than .01). In summary, CMC significantly reduced adhesion re-formation in the rabbit uterine horn model. The mechanism by which CMC was able to reduce adhesion reformation is uncertain, but may be related to "hydroflotation" or "siliconizing" effects.
Medical education and health system reform

There is increasing pressure on medical schools to produce more primary care physicians and fewer specialists. Health system reform proposals which rely on a "gatekeeper" approach will keep public attention on this issue. Educators at the University of Iowa say physician training must meet all of society's needs.
Isaac Newton and Economics

Laissez-faire is the doctrine popularized by Adam Smith, the Scottish philosopher who wrote the Wealth of Nations in 1776. Literally interpreted, it means ‘to let it be or to let go’. The eighteenth century was characterized by the rise of strong nation states in Western Europe. Within the context of the economic and political environment in which Smith lived, laissez-faire was an argument for keeping government out of the affairs of commerce.
No-tillage culture and nitrogen fertilizer management for burley tobacco production

Few studies have investigated nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in no-tillage (NT) tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) production systems, even though N fertilization is known to influence tobacco cured leaf yield and quality. The present study evaluated how tillage practice and N fertilizer rate affected burley tobacco agronomic performance, plant available nitrogen (PAN) supply, and leaf chemical constituents. In 2012 and 2013, three N fertilizer rates (0, 140 and 280 kg N/ha) were introduced as split-plots within a long-term NT and conventional tillage (CT) (mouldboard plough) comparison study. Results (2007–2013) showed that the effect of tillage on tobacco yield depended on seasonal weather; NT tobacco appeared to have lower yield than CT tobacco in seasons with 500 mm. In 2012 (432 mm rainfall; 84% of the long-term seasonal mean), leaf SPAD reading, leaf nitrate concentration, total nitrogen concentration at the topping day (i.e. removal of flowers/buds at the tops of the plants) and cured leaf nicotine and alkaloid content suggested that N deficiency was more pronounced in NT than CT at the lowest N fertilizer rate. The PAN supply, as measured by a modified in situ resin core method, was similar in 2012 between NT and CT, suggesting that plant factors may have had a role in N uptake efficiency. This scenario did not repeat in 2013 (706 mm rainfall; 137% of the long-term seasonal mean). Even though N fertilization rates were identical for both tillage practices in 2012 and 2013, PAN was lower, on average, in 2012. Because N uptake is largely the result of mass flow, the impact of reduced root density in NT tobacco would be expected to be more pronounced in a season such as 2012, when water was limited. Banding N close to the tobacco root system and/or side-dressing some portion of N may be recommended strategies to improve N use efficiency in NT burley tobacco production.
Recurrent themes in the history of the home use of electrical stimulation: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and the medical battery (1870–1920)

Abstract Background In recent years, neuroscientists and ethicists have warned of the dangers of the unsupervised home use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), in which individuals stimulate their own brains with low levels of electricity for self-improvement purposes. Although the home use of tDCS is often referred to as a novel phenomenon, in reality the late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw a proliferation of electrical stimulation devices for home use. In particular, the use of an object known as the medical battery bears a number of striking similarities to the modern-day use of tDCS. Objective This article reviews a number of features thought to be unique to the present day home use of brain stimulation, with a particular focus on analogies between tDCS and the medical battery. Methods Archival research was conducted at the Bakken Museum and at the American Medical Association's Historical Health Fraud Archives. Results Many of the features characterizing the contemporary home use tDCS—a do-it-yourself (DIY) movement, anti-medical establishment themes, conflicts between lay and professional usage—are a repetition of themes that occurred a century ago with regard to the medical battery. A number of features, however, seem to be unique to the present, such as the dominant discourse about risk and safety, the division between cranial and non-cranial stimulation, and utilization for cognitive enhancement purposes. Conclusion(s) Viewed in the long duree, the contemporary use of electrical stimulation at home is not a novel phenomenon, but rather the latest wave in a series of ongoing attempts by lay individuals to utilize electricity for therapeutic purposes.
Improving Rural Child Care: A Community-University Partnership

The primary aim of this community-university partnership was to improve the quality of child care offered children and families in four sparsely populated rural counties in north Florida. Through the provision of training and technical assistance, the partnership sought to expand the comprehensiveness of early childhood programs to better meet the needs of clientele in their communities. A second aim of this partnership was to establish a mentoring system in these counties so that assistance to child care professionals would remain an on-going process. The partnership involved Florida State University faculty, county Cooperative Extension Service personnel, Florida Pre-Kindergarten staff, and local Head Start staff.
Does deforestation promote or inhibit malaria transmission in the Amazon? A systematic literature review and critical appraisal of current evidence.

Considerable interest in the relationship between biodiversity and disease has recently captured the attention of the research community, with important public policy implications. In particular, malaria in the Amazon region is often cited as an example of how forest conservation can improve public health outcomes. However, despite a growing body of literature and an increased understanding of the relationship between malaria and land use / land cover change (LULC) in Amazonia, contradictions have emerged. While some studies report that deforestation increases malaria risk, others claim the opposite. Assessing malaria risk requires examination of dynamic processes among three main components: (i) the environment (i.e. LULC and landscape transformations), (ii) vector biology (e.g. mosquito species distributions, vector activity and life cycle, plasmodium infection rates), and (iii) human populations (e.g. forest-related activity, host susceptibility, movement patterns). In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review on malaria risk and deforestation in the Amazon focusing on these three components. We explore key features that are likely to generate these contrasting results using the reviewed articles and our own data from Brazil and Peru, and conclude with suggestions for productive avenues in future research. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications9.
Sex Differences in High School Athletes' Knowledge of Sport-Related Concussion Symptoms and Reporting Behaviors

Context: Recent researchers have reported that athletes' knowledge of sport-related concussion (SRC) has increased but that athletes still lack knowledge of all the signs and symptoms of SRC. Understanding the signs and symptoms of SRC and the dangers of playing while symptomatic are critical to reporting behaviors in high school athletes. Objective: To examine sex differences in knowledge of SRC symptoms and reasons for not reporting a suspected SRC to an authoritative figure in high school athletes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 288 athletes across 7 sports (198 males [68.8%] and 90 females [31.2%]). Main Outcome Measure(s): A validated knowledge-of-SRC survey consisted of demographic questions, a list of 21 signs and symptoms of SRC, and reasons why athletes would not report their SRC. The independent variable was sex. Athlete knowledge of SRC symptoms was assessed by having participants identify the signs and symptoms of SRC from a lis...
Effects of Night-Interrupted Lighting on Growth and Flowering Duration of Herbaceous Perennials Grown Under Nursery Conditions in the Southern United States

Staggered starting dates for night-interrupted lighting (NIL) were evaluated for accelerated sequential flowering of herbaceous perennials with different photoperiod requirements outdoors in a southern nursery setting. Plants evaluated were black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’), an obligate long-day (LD) plant; obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana ‘Miss Manners’), a facultative LD plant; and Stokes' aster (Stokesia laevis ‘Peachie's Pick’), a facultative intermediate-day plant. With all species, the dates of first flower and maximum flower number occurred sooner under LDs from incandescent (INC) and fluorescent (FLU) lamps than under natural photoperiod (NP). Mean and maximum flower numbers were greater under NIL than under NP for black-eyed Susan and Stokes' aster but not for obedient plant. Time in flower increased in Stokes' aster, but either decreased or was not affected by NIL for black-eyed Susan and obedient plant. Flowering periods of black-eyed Susan and obedient plant exposed to dif...
Reconstruction-based unsupervised feature selection: an embedded approach

Feature selection has been proven to be effective and efficient in preparing high-dimensional data for data mining and machine learning problems. Since real-world data is usually unlabeled, unsupervised feature selection has received increasing attention in recent years. Without label information, unsupervised feature selection needs alternative criteria to define feature relevance. Recently, data reconstruction error emerged as a new criterion for unsupervised feature selection, which defines feature relevance as the capability of features to approximate original data via a reconstruction function. Most existing algorithms in this family assume predefined, linear reconstruction functions. However, the reconstruction function should be data dependent and may not always be linear especially when the original data is high-dimensional. In this paper, we investigate how to learn the reconstruction function from the data automatically for unsupervised feature selection, and propose a novel reconstruction-based unsupervised feature selection framework REFS, which embeds the reconstruction function learning process into feature selection. Experiments on various types of real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework REFS.
Rethinking phonons: The issue of disorder

Current understanding of phonons treats them as plane waves/quasi-particles of atomic vibration that propagate and scatter. The problem is that conceptually, when any level of disorder is introduced, whether compositional or structural, the character of vibrational modes in solids changes, yet nearly all theoretical treatments continue to assume phonons are still waves. For example, the phonon contributions to alloy thermal conductivity (TC) rely on this assumption and are most often computed from the virtual crystal approximation (VCA). Good agreement is obtained in some cases, but there are many instances where it fails—both quantitatively and qualitatively. Here, we show that the conventional theory and understanding of phonons requires revision, because the critical assumption that all phonons/normal modes resemble plane waves with well-defined velocities is no longer valid when disorder is introduced. Here we show, surprisingly, that the character of phonons changes dramatically within the first few percent of impurity concentration, beyond which phonons more closely resemble the modes found in amorphous materials. We then utilize a different theory that can treat modes with any character and experimentally confirm its new insights. In solids, atoms continuously vibrate in collective motions with quantized amplitudes that can be described in terms of quasiparticles known as phonons—which are responsible for heat transfer and sound. Phonons are usually treated as waves that propagate and scatter, but this approach can sometimes fail when dealing with materials with disorder. A team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, led by Asegun Henry, show that by focussing on phonon correlation rather than scattering, it is possible to more accurately capture the changes in vibrational mode behavior as a function of disorder.
Come Join the Fun: Nontraditional Physical Education

Educators must often think outside the box when advocating for adolescent health. This article describes a summer-school physical education program that is used to bridge the physical activity gap between school and the summer break.
End-User Programming of Manipulator Robots in Situated Tangible Programming Paradigm

While the cost of creating robots is declining, deploying them in industry remains expensive. Widespread use of robots, particularly in smaller industries, is more easily realized if robot programming is accessible to non-programmers. Our research explores techniques to lower the barrier to robot programming. In one such attempt, we propose situated tangible robot programming to program a robot by placing specially designed tangible blocks in its workspace. These blocks are used for annotating objects, locations, or regions, and specifying actions and their ordering. The robot compiles a program by detecting blocks and objects in the environment and grouping them into instructions by solving constraints. We designed a preliminary tangible language and blocks and evaluated the intuitiveness and learnability of the approach. Our user studies provide evidence for the promise of situated tangible programming and identify the challenges to address. In addition to improving the block design and extending the language, we are planning to integrate tangible programming into a holistic ecosystem of a programming environment in future.
Future Chemotherapy Aimed at the Bacterial Murein

The purpose of this last chapter is two-fold, both to suggest strategies to look for antibiotics that should have a long useful life even when heavily used and to focus on the metabolism of bacterial walls as a still rich area to search and find useful antibiotics. Parts of the wall growth process are not now targets of known natural or man-made chemotherapeutic agents but could be susceptible to new chemical agents. Although such agents may be hard to find, once they are found they will be less susceptible to losing their effectiveness through the development of bacterial resistances.
Severe Paroxysmal Hypertension: An Automatic Syndrome and Its Relationship to Repressed Emotions

In most patients with severe and symptomatic paroxysmal hypertension, a pheochromocytoma or other medical cause is rarely identified. This article presents the psychosocial assessment of 10 such patients, in whom the absence of any emotional distress preceding paroxysms had discouraged consideration of any psychological basis. However, a causative role of repressed unreported emotions was strongly suggested by 1) a history of unusually severe emotional trauma in 8 of 10 patients, 2) the absence of feelings related to the trauma, and 3) the prompt and sustained response of 3 patients to psychotherapeutic or psychopharmacologic intervention. These observations suggest that some cases of unexplained paroxysmal hypertension have a psychosomatic etiology and result from repressed rather than perceived and reported emotions. Treatment options are explored.
Modeling of Catalyst-free Growth Process of ZnO Nanowires

Abstract ZnO nanowires have been widely studied due to their unique material properties and many potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Many growth processes have been developed to synthesize ZnO nanowires. It is critically important to develop predictive process models so as to maximize the output of the nanowire synthesis. Here we report a method to characterize, quantify, and model a catalyst-free carbon-assisted ZnO nanowire growth process. Two key factors were identified for the synthesis conditions, which are reaction temperature and flow rate. Based on a factorial design method, we conducted experiments with different combinations of the two factors to study their effects on the process output (i.e. density of the nanowires), which was evaluated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results were analyzed using ANOVA test, and then a semi-empirical model was built to correlate the ZnO nanowire output with synthesis conditions. This model was able to describe the ZnO nanowire density with respect to synthesis conditions, which can provide a guideline for synthesis parameters selection and process optimization.
The Relationships Between Physical Performance, Activity Levels, and Falls in Older Men.

Background Physical performance and activity have both been linked to fall risk, but the way they are jointly associated with falls is unclear. We investigated how these two factors are related to incident falls in older men. Methods In 2,741 men (78.8 ± 5 years), we evaluated the associations between activity and physical performance and how they jointly contributed to incident falls. Activity was assessed by accelerometry. Physical performance was measured by gait speed, dynamic balance (narrow walk), chair stand time, grip strength, and leg power. Falls were ascertained by tri-annual questionnaires. Results Men were grouped into four categories based on activity and performance levels. The greatest number of falls (36%-43%) and the highest fall rate (4.7-5.4/y among those who fell) (depending on the performance test) occurred in men with low activity/low performance, but most falls (57%-64%) and relatively high fall rates (3.0-4.35/y) occurred in the other groups (low activity/high performance, high activity/high performance and high activity/low performance; 70% of men were in these groups). There were interactions between activity, performance (gait speed, narrow walk), and incident falls (p = .001-.02); predicted falls per year were highest in men with low activity/low performance, but there was also a peak of predicted falls in those with high activity. Conclusions In community-dwelling older men, many falls occur in those with the lowest activity/worst physical performance but fall risk is also substantial with better activity and performance. Activity/physical performance assessments may improve identification of older men at risk of falls, and allow individualized approaches to prevention.
Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Structure-Function Antigen Mining For Gonorrhea Vaccines

Expanding efforts to develop preventive gonorrhea vaccines is critical because of the serious health consequences combined with the prevalence and the dire possibility of untreatable gonorrhea. Reverse vaccinology, which includes genome and proteome mining, has proven successful in the discovery of vaccine candidates against many pathogenic bacteria. Here, we describe proteomic applications including comprehensive, quantitative proteomic platforms and immunoproteomics coupled with broad-ranging bioinformatics that have been applied for antigen mining to develop gonorrhea vaccine(s). We further focus on outlining the vaccine candidate decision tree, describe the structure-function of novel proteome-derived antigens as well as ways to gain insights into their roles in the cell envelope, and underscore new lessons learned about the fascinating biology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Spontaneous twin symmetry breaking

We consider a twin Higgs model where the ${Z}_{2}$ twin symmetry is broken spontaneously, not explicitly. We show that introducing an exact copy of the standard model with a renormalizable Higgs portal potential is enough to realize such a scenario. In this scenario, the $SU(4)$ breaking scale $f$ is determined by the scale where the Higgs self-quartic coupling flips its sign, whose standard model prediction is $\mathcal{O}({10}^{10}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV})$. For the misalignment of nonzero vacuum expectation values of the twin Higgs fields, it is explicitly shown that parameter tuning of $\mathcal{O}({m}_{h}^{2}/{f}^{2})$ is required, so we conclude that minimal setup does not solve the hierarchy problem. We point out that the tuning can be significantly reduced ($f\ensuremath{\sim}2.7\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$) if there are twin vectorlike leptons with a large Yukawa coupling.
Error traps and safety steps when performing a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

Abstract Quality and safety have come to the forefront of the current healthcare environment over the past 10 years. Although all surgeons feel they perform safe operations with quality outcomes, these variables are being increasingly measured in today's healthcare world. The purpose of this article is to describe our thoughts about the error traps and safety steps when performing a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Hopefully, adherence to these technical points will help prevent the need for a second operative procedure due to transmigration of the fundoplication wrap or the need for esophageal dilation postoperatively.
Testing the equality of matrix distributions

While matrices are usually used as the basic data structure for experiments with repeated measurements or longitudinal data, testing methods for the equality of two matrix distributions have not been fully discussed in the literature. In this article, we propose three methods to test the equality of two matrix distributions: the likelihood ratio test, the Frobenius norm methods and triangle tests. We present a simulation to compare their performance under the matrix normal distribution. We apply the testing methods to compare the US economy, as measured by closing prices of five market indices, before and after the US stock market crash of 2008.
Targeting Mitochondrial Fission to Trigger Cancer Cell Death

Carefully orchestrated interactions between mitochondrial proteins that facilitate cell death remain a topic of intense research, however, key steps remain to be elucidated, especially those that drive selective killing in cancer cells. How mitochondrial dysfunction and its regulation in cancer can be robustly leveraged for anticancer cell killing in a heterogeneous population of cells within a tumor also remains a promising but unfulfilled premise. Toward this goal, in this issue of Cancer Research, Seo and colleagues have identified the protein complex between mitochondrial fission factor (MFF1 and MFF2) and voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1) as a novel regulator of mitochondrial cell death and a potential target for selective cancer cell killing.See related article by Seo et al., p. 6215.
A Rapid Method to Preoperatively Assess Frailty for Older Patients with Pelvic Floor Conditions.

Purpose:Assessment of frailty can help surgeons predict perioperative risk and guide preoperative counseling. However, current methods are often cumbersome in the clinical setting. We prospectively...
Canada, the America First agenda, and the western security community

Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda seemingly departs drastically from United States foreign policy as practiced for many decades. This paper assesses the implications of the new U.S. approach fo...