cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of location specific observer performance data: validated extensions of the jackknife free-response (JAFROC) method.

Rationale and Objectives The free-response paradigm is being increasingly used in the assessment of medical imaging systems. The currently implemented method of analyzing the data, namely jackknife free-response (JAFROC) analysis, has some validation and applicability limitations. The purpose of this work is to address these limitations. Materials and Methods The general principles of modality evaluation and methodology validation are reviewed. A model for simulating free-response data was used to test the statistical validity of several methods of analyzing the data. The methods differed only in the choice of the figure of merit used to quantify performance. Statistical validity was judged by investigating the behaviors of the methods under null hypothesis conditions of no difference between modalities. Results The validity of the different methods of analyzing the data was found to be dependent on the choice of figure of merit. A figure of merit is identified that accommodates abnormal images with multiple (one or more) lesions, detections of which could have different clinical significances (weights). This figure of merit is shown to be statistically valid. An extension of the analysis to single reader interpretations of images from different modalities is also shown to be statistically valid. Conclusion With the validated enhancements, JAFROC is expected to be of greater utility to users of the free-response method. The extension to single-reader interpretations should be of particular value to developers of image processing algorithms, including developers of computer-aided diagnosis algorithms.
The structure and sensitivity of the eye of different life history stages of the ontogenetic migrator Gnathophausia ingens

The structure and ultrastructure of the photoreceptors of several life history stages of the ontogenetically migrating lophogastrid crustacean Gnathophausia ingens were examined. The younger instars of this species live in a much brighter light field than the older instars, and this difference is reflected in differences in their visual systems. The shallowest free living individuals (instars 3 and 4) possess a superposition eye with almost no clear zone, which minimizes the light shared between ommatidia and reduces the sensitivity of the eye. A progression to superposition optics with a large clear zone, usually associated with night-active or deep-living species, occurs as the animals move deeper in the water column. Regional differences within the eye are also evident, with a largely nonexistent clear zone in the dorsal region and a large clear zone in the ventral region in the eyes of instar 5 animals, the first instar to move to deeper depths. The deepest living instars (10–12) possess superposition optics with a large clear zone throughout the eye, and are significantly more sensitive to light than the younger, shallower instars.
Navigation assistance and lane detection using the topology wavefront strategy

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in exploring various mathematical techniques and algorithms to generate 3-dimensional (3-D) highways, primarily to identify geometric design inconsistencies to enable driver comfort and safety right at the outset. Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) is another emerging area of research that has the potential of reducing traffic congestion and accidents. In this paper, we introduce a Topology Wavefront Strategy (TWS) based novel algorithm that may assist in 3-D highway design and route navigation from driver's perspective. The TWS is a robust tessellation technique which generates an orthogonal coordinate systems associated with the road geometry. It fabricates quadrilateral elements for discretization and interpretation of lane features. It is also an advancing front meshing technique capable of 2-dimensional boundary fitting. A systematic node insertion process propagates through the interior of the lanes, until edge boundary conditions are satisfied. The algorithm automatically computes lane width, curvature, and surface data that may facilitate the generation of 3-D highways while also assisting in route navigation.
POLAC: A Computer Program to Compute Auto-, Cross-Lagged, and Pooled Within-Cell Correlations.

Abstract : Program POLAC computes auto- and cross-lag intercorrelation. The program independently computes lagged correlation matrices for any number of treatment conditions (cells) and then computes a pooled within cell lagged intercorrelation matrix based on all cells. Missing observations, as defined by the user, may be excluded from the computations. The user specifies the lag(s) desired. Punched output may be obtained for use as input to multiple regression programs. (Author)
Interrogation and Validation of Three-Dimensional Vector Fields

A holographic particle image velocimetry (HPIV) system has been developed to measure instantaneously all three components of velocity at order 106 points in a three-dimensional volume. A high speed interrogation system and an automated vector validation procedure is used to make this measurement technique applicable to turbulence research. The procedure by which holographic particle images are analyzed to obtain the three-dimensional velocity measurements from a single hologram, and how these measurements are validated using automated statistical algorithms is described in this paper.
Glutamine protects Chinese hamster ovary cells from radiation killing

Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells were propagated in vitro and exposed to varying doses of ionizing radiation. The surviving fraction of cells was determined, being found to be a function of the radiation dose. The cell survival curves obtained as a function of radiation dose were modified by the inclusion of varying doses of glutamine in the medium with glutamine demonstrating a radioprotective effect. The radioprotectant effect of glutamine for CHO cells was more pronounced at higher radiation doses. Glutamine has been categorized as a non-essential amino acid in that it can be synthesized in some tissues; however, a number of cell lines require glutamine to survive and grow in vitro and supplementation of glutamine has been found to ameliorate the stress of surgery or irradiation to the gastrointestinal tract. It may be appropriate to consider glutamine as a conditionally essential amino acid.
Detection of process-dependent changes in the Hf(in1−x)Si x O 2 /Si (100) barrier heights by second harmonic generation

We measure barrier heights of silicon/high-k dielectric structures, and their changes with processing, by identifying a photon-energy-dependent threshold for internal hole photoemission using spectroscopic time-dependent second-harmonic generation.
A Comparison of Population Survey Techniques for Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) in New Mexico

Abstract We compared survey techniques for estimating relative and absolute abundances of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) in New Mexico. For relative abundance surveys, the most efficient technique is collection of scats followed by verification of species depositing scats with DNA analysis. By collecting scats, the proportions of individual locations where swift foxes were detected were 61.9% and 67.7% during surveys in 2000 and 2001, which were greater than the proportions using scent stations (31.4%, 47.1%) or trapping (11.5%, 8.4%). By collecting scats, we detected swift foxes in 100% of the fox home ranges within the study area. If scent-station surveys are used instead, scent-station transects consisting of stations spaced at 1.6 km (1.0 mile) intervals and operated for three nights are the most practical. Searching for tracks, spotlighting and calling are much less efficient techniques. For absolute abundance surveys, trapping and resighting with cameras at bait stations was more accurate than counting ...
Retaining Talent At LAAL: A Case Study

This case study is done in the approach used by the Harvard Business Review. It is fictitious to be used as a learning activity in a management, HRM or OB course. It has been used successfully in academic and corporate settings. Teaching notes are available from the author.
The Role of Subducted Ocean Crust in the Genesis of Orogenic Andesite

Derivation of orogenic andesites by partial fusion of ocean crust subducted beneath volcanic arcs was first suggested by Coats (1962). Today the idea commonly is asserted in introductory geology texts and assumed by many, including some of those constructing geophysical models of convergent plate boundaries. The rapid acceptance of this oversimplified belief was due in part to the coincidence of four events in the mid-1960’s: (1) the 1968 “Andesite Conference” in Oregon, USA, which emphasized evidence that orogenic andesites originated neither by fractional crystallization nor crustal contamination of basalt; (2) discovery that clinopyroxene and garnet are co-liquidus phases of anhydrous basic and acid andesite at high pressure so that these magmas could be partial melts of basaltic eclogite (Green and Ringwood 1968a); (3) unambiguous demonstration that lithosphere, including ocean crust, is subducted at convergent plate boundaries, thereby providing a constantly replenished supply of basaltic eclogite beneath volcanic arcs (Isacks et al. 1968); and (4) recognition of correlation between magma composition and depth to the dipping seismic zone (Dickinson 1968). Because derivation of orogenic andesites from subducted crust would be their most dramatic link with plate tectonics, this genetic hypothesis is examined first. It is a rather feline hypothesis, having many lives despite repeated death threats from critics.
Survey of Programs for Water-Surface Profiles

Several highly developed computer programs are available for determining water surface profiles for subcritical flow in rivers and channels. The needs for fast, accurate and inexpensive computation of profiles, and for more sophisticated techniques, can be satisfied by computer programs currently being developed. Current capabilities and limitations of computer programs for determining water surface profiles are reviewed. The need to review detailed output because of the complications of manually selecting and describing representative cross-sections is stressed. Several current procedures for determining profiles over and through bridges are presented, and the need for more generalized and more accurate methods is cited. Computer program capabilities of the near future in the area of water surface profiles—as well as some current limitations that probably will be surmounted through the additional capabilities of computers, computer languages and advanced engineering techniques such as aerial photography—are analyzed.
First-order numerical optimization of fission-chamber coatings using natural uranium and thorium

Presently, fission chamber technology utilizes neutron-sensitive coatings often composed of radioisotopes that are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Using only natural uranium and thorium, a maximized stable device lifetime in a constant neutron flux can be obtained by optimizing the regenerative fission chamber coating. A system of coupled differential equations was developed by considering neutron-induced fission, neutron absorption, and radioactive decay of 17 radioisotopes spanning the product family tree from 232Th to 241Pu. By solving the system of coupled differential equations, the interaction rate of the regenerative fission chamber coating can be found as a function of time (or total fluence) in a constant neutron flux. The Kansas State University (KSU) TRIGA Mark II nuclear reactor was used as a basis to study the effectiveness of mixed fission chamber coatings over time. By varying the initial composition of the fission chamber coating, an optimal composition of 232Th and natural uranium is capable of maintaining stable device operation (<5% deviation from initial response) under a constant neutron flux of 2.2 × 1013 n cm−2 s−1 up to a total neutron fluence of 7.65 × 1022 n cm−2, corresponding to over 110 years.
MOCVD of Group III Chalcogenide Compound Semiconductors

A review is presented of recent advances in the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of thin films of group III-chalcogenides. The deposition of thermodynamic phases of composition ME and M2E3 (M = Ga, In; E = S, Se. Te) will be presented. Also included is a discussion of the development of molecular control over the structure of deposited films and the atmospheric pressure MOCVD growth of the high pressure phase of InS and a meta-stable cubic phase of GaS.
AT-47PHASE I TRIAL OF INTRATHECAL TRASTUZUMAB IN HER2 POSITIVE LEPTOMENINGEAL METASTASES

INTRODUCTION: Trastuzimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against Her2 whose limitation is central nervous system penetration that often leads to brain and leptomeningeal metastases (LM) in the setting to controlled systemic HER2 positive breast cancer. We performed a phase I clinical trial of intrathecal (IT) trastuzumab in patients with HER2 positive breast cancer and LM. METHODS: IRB consented patients were treated at defined dose levels; protocol was modified to accelerate dose escalation and increase IT dosage. Dose levels of IT treatment 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg and 80 mg were examined. Treatment was given twice a week x4 weeks, then once a week x4 weeks then every other week until progressive disease. MRI was done at 4 week intervals x2 then every 8 weeks. CSF was assessed every other week x2 then every 4 weeks. RESULTS: 13 women with HER2 positive breast cancer, 1 man with a glioblastoma, and one woman with anaplastic ependymoma were enrolled with a median age of 55 (42-67) and median KPS of 80 (60-90). Three patients were treated at the 10mg dose level, three at 20mg, one at 40mg, one at 60mg and 7 at 80mg. At the 80 mg dose level a patient was added as one patient was removed before complete evaluation and another patient had a grade 4 DLT of arachnoiditis. One patient had the Ommaya reservoir removed for infection unrelated to treatment. Data on CSF levels shows therapeutic levels in the patients treated with 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg; data analysis on CSF at 60 and 80 mg is pending. CONCLUSION: IT Trastuzumab is well tolerated up to 80 mg IT. Complete CSF PK data will be presented. A phase II study is underway at the 80 mg dose.
Indiana Farmers and the Group Basis of the Late Nineteenth-Century Political Parties

Two relatively distinct and seemingly antagonistic lines of argument have been advanced by historians to characterize and account for rural nineteenth-century midwestern electoral behavior. The standard accounts by Solon Buck and John D. Hicks have emphasized the rise of third party movements in the electorate as signs of economic distress and as bearers of political reform.' While not wholly rural in either origin or support, the Greenback and Populist parties were identified with the particular concerns of western, midwestern, and southern farmers. Late nineteenth-century economic conditions, especially agricultural depressions, defined the content of political issues and caused economic groups-such as farmers, various kinds of middlemen, bankers, and railroaders-to respond in a thundering clash of interests. Thus, in the standard view the rise and fall of third parties, like the rise and fall of farm organizations, resulted from economic conditions playing on the vulnerable economic position of the farmers. The new account, stemming from the insights of Samuel P. Hays, is manifest in the work of Paul Kleppner, Richard Jensen, and several other scholars.2 Armed with their skill in quantitative analysis, they have turned
Introduction: The Law, Technology & The Arts Symposium: Copyright in the Digital Age: Reflection on Tasini and Beyond

Introduction tp The Law, Technology & The Arts Symposium: Copyright in the Digital Age: Reflection on Tasini and Beyond, Cleveland, Ohio.
Flexible bottom-gate graphene transistors on Parylene C substrate and the effect of current annealing.

Flexible graphene transistors built on a biocompatible Parylene C substrate would enable active circuitry to be integrated into flexible implantable biomedical devices. An annealing method to improve the performance of a flexible transistor without damaging the flexible substrate is also desirable. Here, we present a fabrication method of a flexible graphene transistor with a bottom-gate coplanar structure on a Parylene C substrate. Also, a current annealing method and its effect on the device performance have been studied. The localized heat generated by the current annealing method improves the drain current, which is attributed to the decreased contact resistance between graphene and S/D electrodes. A maximum current annealing power in the Parylene C-based graphene transistor has been extracted to provide a guideline for an appropriate current annealing. The fabricated flexible graphene transistor shows a field-effect mobility, maximum transconductance, and a Ion/Ioff ratio of 533.5 cm2/V s, 58.1 μS, and 1.76, respectively. The low temperature process and the current annealing method presented here would be useful to fabricate two-dimensional materials-based flexible electronics.
Electromagnetically tracked ultrasound for small animal imaging

The fusion of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) imaging has recently been examined for guiding interventional procedures such as biopsy, local drug delivery and radiofrequency ablation. During combined CT/US procedures, US facilitates real time visualization of blood flow and tissue structure, while CT provides a three-dimensional view of an extended region and is capable of differentiating tissue types based on Hounsfield units (HU). Our laboratory is working to extend this fusion to include therapeutic US co-registered with CT. Here, we demonstrate the ability to differentiate fat, protein-rich regions, and bone with CT by comparing segmented CT images to histology. Then we present methods for semi-automated registration between tracked US and CT with the objective of imaging and guiding acoustic therapy in small animals. A calibration phantom and fiducial markers were used to generate accurate transformation between the real-time US and pre-acquired CT image stack. The mean error in transducer calibration was 0.7±0.5mm with a maximum error of 1.75mm. Target registration error (TRE) of 1.98+/−1.12mm was observed between US and CT images of a dual-modality phantom. The combined CT/US system provides CT-based guidance with enough accuracy to plan and guide US-induced hyperthermia.
Trends in Transcranial Doppler Monitoring in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A 10-Year Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Background Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is endorsed by national guidelines for use in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) for surveillance of cerebral vasospasm (CV). However, nationwide data on utilization of TCD for CV detection and monitoring in aSAH are lacking. Methods Analysis of nationwide trends in TCD prevalence was performed using Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2002 to 2011. Raw counts were converted into weighted counts, which were used to generate national estimates. Teaching hospitals were examined separately for TCD utilization rates. All analyses accounted for the complex sampling design and sample discharge weights of the NIS, following Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project–NIS recommendations. The objective was to estimate the proportion of patients with aSAH receiving TCD monitoring using the NIS. Results Between 2002 and 2011, a total of 256,089 patients were discharged with a diagnosis of aSAH, of which 3850 underwent TCD monitoring. aSAH accounted for an average of 67.1 discharges per 100,000 annually (95% confidence interval [CI] 61.3-72.8). Of these, 1.5% (95% CI 0.4-2.6) underwent TCD examination. In teaching hospitals, aSAH accounted for an average of 108.5 discharges per 100,000 biennially (95% CI, 96.2-120.8), of which 2% (95% CI 1.0-4.0) underwent TCD examination. TCD utilization increased from Conclusions TCD is underused nationally in the care of aSAH. Whereas the prevalence of TCD is low in teaching hospitals, it is nearly nonexistent in nonteaching hospitals.
Reconstruction of Flexor Tendon

This chapter describes in detail the surgical steps involved in the flexor tendon reconstruction. Details of the tendon debridement and epitenon suturing are discussed. Indications, preoperative markings, surgical steps, postoperative care, operative dictation, and suggested readings are included.
GRAPHICS AND THE ACTION BLOCK

This chapter discusses the process of drawing simple pictures by using sequential performativity statements called action blocks in Turbo BASIC. When using action blocks to program a graphic, it is important to remember that single quote mark (') indicates that everything that follows on that line is a comment and is ignored when the program is run. Action block is one kind of fundamental building block of programming. Also it is important to understand that the order in which the LINE statements appear in the program determines the order in which the lines are drawn. Changing the order of the statements can change the shape of the figure drawn. The SCREEN statement in a program automatically sets up a graphics region. In this graphics region, the pair (0, 0) is associated with the upper left corner while (639, 199) identifies the lower right corner. This is not standard in either business or scientific uses. Once a graphics region is established, the user can draw points in it using the PSET statement. The INPUT statement causes the program to pause and request information from the keyboard. The program will continue only after information has been entered from the keyboard. PRINT statements are used to display instructions about what kind of information is expected by the computer program.
The pathways for bovine virus diarrhoea virus biotypes in the pathogenesis of disease.

BVDV infections of cattle ranges from the transient acute infections, which may be inapparent or mild, to mucosal disease which is inevitably fatal. On occasions the acute infections can lead to clinical episodes of diarrhoea and agalactia but as these syndromes cannot be reproduced experimentally, the pathogenesis remains unclear. The immunosuppressive effect of acute BVDV infections can enhance the clinical disease of other pathogens and this may be an important part of the calf respiratory disease complex. Although BVDV antigen has been demonstrated within the lymphoid tissues, for prolonged periods, the evidence for viral latency remains to be proven. Venereal infection is shown to be important in the transfer of virus to the foetus and congenital infections can cause abortions, malformations and the development of persistently viraemic calves.
Nitrogenase activity by biological soil crusts in cold sagebrush steppe ecosystems

In drylands worldwide, biological soil crusts (BSC) form a thin photosynthetic cover across landscapes, and provide vital benefits in terms of stabilizing soil and fixing nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). Numerous studies have examined the effects of climate and disturbance on BSC functions; however, few have characterized these responses in rolling BSCs typical of northern ecosystems in the Intermountain West, US. With temperature increases and shifts in precipitation projected, it is unclear how BSCs in this region will respond to climate change, and how the response could affect their capacity to perform key ecosystem functions, such as providing ‘new’ N through biological N2 fixation. To address this important knowledge gap, we examined nitrogenase activity (NA) associated with rolling BSCs along a climatic gradient in southwestern Idaho, US, and quantified how acetylene reduction rates changed as a function of climate, grazing (using exclosures), and shrub-canopy association. Results show that warmer, drier climates at lower elevations hosted greater cover of late successional BSC communities (e.g., mosses and lichens), and higher NA compared with colder, wetter climates at higher elevations. Highest NA (0.5–29.3 µmol C2H4 m−2 h−1) occurred during the early summer/spring, when water was more available than in late summer/autumn. Activity was strongly associated with soil characteristics including pH and ammonium concentrations suggesting these characteristics as potentially strong controls on NA in BSCs. The relationship between grazing and NA varied with elevation. Specifically, lower elevation sites had lower NA at grazed locations, whereas higher elevation sites had higher NA with grazing. At both low and high ends of the elevation gradient, shrub-canopy associated BSCs maintained two to three times higher NA compared to BSCs in the interspace among shrubs. Taken together, our findings indicate that the controls and rates of NA in BSCs vary seasonally and strongly with climate in the Intermountain West, and that drier springs are likely to influence rates of NA more than warmer summers.
New Uses for America's Biomass Resources:

Over recent years, the world food situation has changed radically. Although Africa is still in deficit Asia is now not only self-sufficient overall but is even a small exporter: China, for example,...
Meso–Cenozoic evolution of the southwestern Chukchi Borderland, Arctic Ocean

Abstract A regional stratigraphic framework is developed for the North Chukchi Basin and southern margin of the Chukchi Borderland based on a grid of 2D multi-channel seismic reflection profiles tied to exploration wells on the U.S. Chukchi Shelf. The northern flank of the North Chukchi Basin displays a 16 km succession of mainly Cretaceous and Cenozoic strata that progressively onlaps an unconformity (Au) on the southern margin of the Borderland. Rocks beneath the unconformity are inferred to represent (A) crystalline basement that may have affinity to the Peary terrane, (B) deformed growth strata that may be related to Carboniferous to Jurassic strata on the Chukchi Shelf, and (C) seaward dipping reflections (SDRs) likely related to oceanic igneous rocks or exhumed mantle beneath the North Chukchi Basin. The SDRs indicate that the southwestern margin of the Borderland is a rifted continental margin and loosely constrained age control suggests that rifting occurred between Middle Jurassic and earliest Cretaceous. Cretaceous through Cenozoic strata that fill the North Chukchi Basin are part of the Brookian megasequence deposited across the foreland of the Chukotka and Brooks Range orogens. These strata form a series of clinothems deposited by northward-migrating depositional systems that progressively filled the North Chukchi Basin and buried the southern flank of the Borderland. Onlap of the Au by bottomset facies indicates that deep water conditions prevailed along the northern basin margin during Aptian–Oligocene. Foreset and topset facies onlap and overtop the highest standing part of the Borderland and indicate that marine slope and shallow marine to deltaic environments reached the Borderland during the Oligocene and persisted thereafter.
Ultrafast Spontaneous Emission from a Slot-Antenna Coupled WSe2 Monolayer

Optical antennas can enhance the spontaneous emission rate from nanoemitters by orders of magnitude, enabling the possibility of an ultrafast, efficient, nanoscale LED. Semiconductors would be the preferred material for such a device to allow for direct high-speed modulation. However, efficient nanoscale devices are challenging to implement because of high surface recombination typical of most III–V materials. Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides are an attractive alternative to a III–V emitter due to their intrinsically nanoscale dimensions, direct bandgap, and near-ideal surfaces resulting in high intrinsic quantum yield. In this work, we couple a nanostrip (30 nm × 250 nm) monolayer of WSe2 to a cavity-backed optical slot antenna through a self-aligned fabrication process. Photoluminescence, scattering, and lifetime measurements are used to estimate a radiative spontaneous emission rate enhancement of 318× from WSe2 monolayers coupled to on-resonance antennas. Such a huge increase in the spontane...
Drug Effects on Platelet Aggregation and Prostaglandin Formation

In this paper, we intend to present our current understanding of the mechanisms of induction and inhibition of platelet aggregation and prostaglandin formation. We will try to show how this new understanding may help us rationally design effective antithrombotic therapies. We will not review the many drugs that inhibit platelet aggregation. For this, the reader is referred elsewhere (1).
Iowa State University Statistics Department

Early developments in Statistics at Iowa State University hinged on the willingness of a young Mathematics professor to collaborate with scientists on issues involving Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and to interact with an agricultural entrepreneur with a developing interest in Statistics and computational methods. Increasing demand for statistical support resulted in the establishment of the Statistical Laboratory and the Statistical Section in the Agricultural Experiment Station which fostered development of statistical and computational methodology for agricultural experimentation and surveys, genetics research, and applications to the engineering sciences. It also encouraged the development of graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Statistics and the eventual establishment of a Department of Statistics. This evolved into a centralized and highly collaborative program in statistics that now involves 36 faculty, about 140 graduate students, and over 100 undergraduate statistics majors.
A New Approach to Measuring Information Systems Quality

Ensuring system, software, and information quality in today’s environment continues to be difficult due to the many dimensions involved. Using the concepts of an earlier study as a starting point, an overall measure of system quality is developed. Discu..
Modeling Competition among Wireless Service Providers

We consider a scenario where a population of customers is spatially distributed in a region which is served by two wireless service providers that offer Internet Access via two noninterfering technologies: one having a uniform coverage over the region (e.g. WAN), and the other, a limited coverage (e.g. WiFi “hotspots”). We assume that customers are equipped with “dual mode” wireless communication devices that have the capability to select which among the available providers to use. We introduce a stochastic geometric model for the locations of customers and providers’ access points and a utility-based mechanism modeling how devices select among providers. In particular, we assume that each device makes greedy decisions at random times, i.e., selects the available provider offering the highest utility at that time. We demonstrate that this process may have multiple equilibria, and prove that the system will almost surely evolve to one of the equilibrium configurations, starting from any initial configuration for users’ choices. We also provide conditions under which the set of equilibria is relatively “tight” — in this case the equilibrium configuration of agents’ choices is “maxmin fair” and thus is desirable if providers wish to cooperate in providing users with worst case performance guarantees. As an application of our framework we analyze the WAN and WiFi competition in an asymptotic scenario where the service zones of WAN provider are much larger than those of WiFi access providers.
Radioisotope Micropower Generation: Microfabricated Reciprocating Electro-Mechanical Power Generators

In this chapter, microfabricated radioisotope power generators that employ 100.3 year half-lifetime 63Ni radioisotope fuel for realizing long operational lifetime are presented. The generators utilize energetic electrons emitted from 63Ni thin films to electrostatically actuate reciprocating piezoelectric unimorph cantilevers, converting the emitted radioisotope energy to electromechanical energy stored in the deformed unimorph cantilever, and piezoelectricity to convert the resulting mechanical strain into electrical charges, converting the stored electromechanical energy to extractable electrical energy. The reciprocating piezoelectric unimorph cantilevers go through charge-discharge-vibrate cycles, and efficiently integrate the low ≈300nW output from low activities (≈2.9millicurie) of safe 63Ni thin films to generate 0.25% duty cycle 12.95 μW power pulses (across an optimal load impedance of 521 kΩ) potentially useful for pulsed sensor microsystems.
Clinical Significance of Intratesticular Arterial Anatomy

AbstractTesticular atrophy has been reported in 2 to 18% of the patients following orchiopexy for cryptorchidism. A possible cause of this atrophy is interference with the testicular blood supply by placement of a testicular traction suture through the tunica albuginea. Arterial casts of 32 adult human testes were created following placement of a 3-zero silk traction suture through the lower pole of the testis to determine the effects of this suture upon intragonadal arterial circulation. Significant arterial blockage, manifested as failure of the parenchymal branches to fill, was observed in 14% of the casts produced via injection through the internal spermatic artery and in 100% of the casts produced via injection through the deferential artery. The results of this study support discontinuing the routine use of parenchymal testicular traction sutures during orchiopexy.
Duties, Desert, and the Justification of Punishment

In this essay, I assess what I call the “Duty View,” subtly articulated and defended by Victor Tadros in Wrongs and Crimes (Oxford University Press, 2016). According to the Duty View, wrongdoers incur enforceable duties, including the duty to be punished in some circumstances, in virtue of their wrongdoing; therefore, punishment can be justified simply on the ground that wrongdoers’ duties are being legitimately enforced. I argue that, while wrongdoers do incur important duties, these are not necessarily fulfilled by providing protection against future offenses, and I offer a comparative evaluation of the Duty View and an alternative approach, which I call the “Desert Plus View.” The Desert Plus View shares some of the key commitments of the Duty View, such as the rejection of the intrinsic goodness of wrongdoers getting what they deserve. More positively, however, according to the Desert Plus View, the fact that people are deserving can, together with certain additional conditions, such as the need for protection of its citizens, provide a reason for the state to give them what they deserve.
Learning Theatre from Children

Many undergraduate theatre students leave college to work as teaching artists or interns at professional theatre companies, community arts centers, and summer camps, without having substantial, theory-and-practice-based opportunities to work directly with children. As a case study of pedagogical strategies, this chapter examines a drama methods course called Children and Drama that includes children (aged six to twelve) in order to better prepare undergraduates not only to teach but to learn the organic foundations of theatre and devised performance through the processes of drama. As students practice drama leadership, children teach them to release their self-imposed inhibitions, expand their dramatic imaginations, take creative risks, follow unpredictable direction, and rectify their prejudicial stereotypes about children’s extra-ordinary intelligence and dramatic competencies.
Dietary amino acids under hypoxic conditions exacerbates muscle myopathies including wooden breast and white stripping.

ABSTRACT The occurrence of wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS) of broiler breast myopathies may be associated with least-cost feed formulations and the inclusion of greater amounts of synthetic amino acids. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental glutamine (Gln-/+, 0 and 1%) and arginine (Arg-/+, 0 and 0.25%) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Experiment 1 consisted of 8 replicates using 32 pens and focused on live performance to 44 d of age, carcass yield, and meat quality evaluations at 45 d of age. Live performance parameters including feed intake, BW gain, mortality, and feed conversion were evaluated. Post-harvest carcass yield, breast muscle quality (including WB and WS), proximate analysis, and mineral analysis of breast muscle and tibia bone were also evaluated. Experiment 2 comprised 4 replicates using 8 pens with weekly measurements of blood physiology and muscle myopathy development from 21 to 45 d of age. Broilers fed supplemental Gln and Arg (Gln+/Arg+) produced broilers with greater BW and improved FCR. The WB and WS severity increased with Gln+ diets, while only WB increased using Arg+ diets. Weekly observations revealed the greatest increase in WB myopathies occurred between 28 to 35 d, while WS significantly increased one week later (35 to 42 d). When comparing broilers of similar BW at 45 d, Gln+ diets resulted in greater WS scores and percentage breast muscle fat. Further analysis of WB and WS scores (independent of treatment affect) revealed that increased myopathy scores were associated with increased blood CO2, H2CO3, and reduced O2with increased meat pH, moisture content, and Ca concentration. These results indicated that increased muscle Ca is associated with increased WB, while increased dietary glutamine and lack of oxygen may have resulted in a reverse flux of the citric acid cycle and reduced electron transport chain activity resulting in increased WS.
Designing Efficient Commuter Vehicle using Finite Element Analysis And Computational Fluid Dynamics

This paper attempts to give an efficient designing approach for an affordable, environment friendly human powered vehicle that serves the purpose of exercising along with being a commuter vehicle using finite element analysis. The proposed design is an aerodynamically enclosed trike which makes it more efficient and less drag prone than a regular bicycle. Along with pedaling power it is assisted by an electric motor, powered by a rechargeable battery. The frame is designed using commercially available software and its structural rigidity is ensured using finite element analysis. The individual components are designed sequentially and combined to create the complete assembly. Later, electric motor calculations are also carried out to estimate power required for driving the vehicle. Coefficient of drag is calculated, using 2-D computational fluid dynamics techniques (CFD), for both faired and un-faired configurations of trike and then values are compared. Furthermore, total drag force is determined for the faired trike in a high wind simulation. Calculations are then carried out to ensure that the recommended motor is sufficiently powered to propel the vehicle even in adverse high wind conditions. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the design
JAMS-SG: A Framework for Jitter-Aware Message Scheduling for Time-Triggered Automotive Networks

Time-triggered automotive networks use time-triggered protocols (FlexRay, TTEthernet, etc.) for periodic message transmissions that often originate from safety and time-critical applications. One of the major challenges with time-triggered transmissions is jitter, which is the unpredictable delay-induced deviation from the actual periodicity of a message. Failure to account for jitter can be catastrophic in time-sensitive systems, such as automotive platforms. In this article, we propose a novel scheduling framework (JAMS-SG) that satisfies timing constraints during message delivery for both jitter-affected time-triggered messages and high-priority event-triggered messages in automotive networks. At design time, JAMS-SG performs jitter-aware frame packing (packing of multiple signals from Electronic Control Units (ECUs) into messages) and schedules synthesis with a hybrid heuristic. At runtime, a Multi-Level Feedback Queue (MLFQ) handles jitter-affected time-triggered messages and high-priority event-triggered messages that are scheduled using a runtime scheduler. Our simulation results, based on messages and network traffic data from a real vehicle, indicate that JAMS-SG is highly scalable and outperforms the best-known prior work in the area in the presence of jitter.
iCOPE, a multi-level, cluster randomized, 36-month, parallel-group study to assess the efficacy of HIV disclosure intervention in HIV parental disclosure among parents living with HIV in China:

Objectives:Parents living with HIV who disclose their HIV status to their children could benefit from the parental HIV disclosure. However, it is also very challenging because of persistent stigma ...
Developing a Threat Index for Documented Large Mammal Species

The information on biodiversity and its distribution is of limited importance if levels of threats to which each biota and each species are exposed remained poorly quantified. However, determining the species conservation status remains difficult for conservation practitioners because of high technicalities of how to generate threat indexes for species. This study endeavored to solve this problem by developing a sensibly simple method using the ordinary vector calculus to set levels of threats to which species in the Lake Tumba Landscape were exposed to. The method yielded results that were similar to the conventional listings though they had also shown that the relationships between abundance indexes were not straightforwardly parallel with the levels of threats, calling therefore for more attention to be devoted to each species rather than generalizing from lay wisdom that lower signs equate to higher treats. The message being conveyed by this finding is that ecological metrics are more important in setting threat indexes than just bulky presence indices.
Factors associated with academic rank among chronic pain medicine faculty in the USA

Background Numerous factors are considered in the academic promotion of pain medicine physicians. In this study, we investigated the importance of research productivity, career duration, leadership, and gender on attaining professorship in chronic pain medicine fellowship programs in the USA. Methods We identified 98 pain fellowship programs in the American Medical Association Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. Faculty demographics and institutional characteristics were obtained from institutional websites, and h-index (number of publications (h) cited at least h times) and m-index (h-index divided by research career duration) were calculated from Scopus. A nested mixed effect hierarchical modeling was used to determine factors that were associated with attaining professorship. Results A total of 696 chronic pain medicine faculty members from 98 academic pain fellowship programs were identified, of whom 74.7% were males. For the 15.5% who were full professors, the median h-index was 16.5 (6.0 to 30.0), the median career duration was 20.5 (16.0 to 27.0) years, and the median m-index was 0.7 (0.3 to 1.3). In an adjusted analysis, the top quartile (compared with bottom) h-index (OR 6.27; 95% CI: 2.11 to 18.59), publication citations (OR 1.13; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.21), division chief position (OR 3.72; 95% CI: 1.62 to 8.50), institutions located in the western region (OR 3.81; 95% CI: 1.52 to 9.57), and graduating from a foreign medical school (OR 1.98; 95% CI: 1.10 to 3.92) were independently associated with attaining professorship (p Conclusions Our study shows that, higher h-index, publication citations, division chief position, affiliation at a lower tier medical school, and location in the Western region were independently associated with full professorship, whereas gender was not. The identified variables for professorship may be considered as factors in faculty promotions.
“You're Looking at the Labor Board in This Plant Right Now”: Activist Unionism in Meatpacking and Auto

Recent studies of unions often begin with the question: what happened to the American labor movement? From a peak of about 35% of the non-agricultural workforce in 1945, to the currently low level of about 14%, the second half of the twentieth century has been a sad story for American organized labor. A wide variety of explanations have been offered for the drop off (including technological change, changing occupational and demographic mixes of the work force, and/or global competition). But, recent levels of unionization are more in line with historical norms in the U.S., with the 1930s and 1940s representing an unequaled period of labor mobilization. Thus, the better question might be: what explains the sharp rise in unionization during the 1930s and 1940s? Halpern's Down on the Killing Floor and Stepan-Norris and Zeitlin's Talking Union both point to shop floor militancy and cross-race solidarity as key components of what proved to be an important outlier in American history—the period of an active labor movement involving a substantial percentage of the workforce. Based largely on oral histories from workers and union activists, Halpern uses the case of the meatpackers in Chicago and Stepan-Norris and Zeitlin use the Ford River Rouge workers to take us inside what they view as important models of activist unions.
Factors associated with multiple hospital readmissions for individuals with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To identify patient-level and clinical factors associated with multiple hospital readmissions in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of the publicly available dataset from the SCI Rehabilitation (SCIRehab) study. Setting: Six rehabilitation centers in the U.S. that participated in the SCIRehab study. Participants: Individuals with traumatic SCI (N=1371) who were consecutively enrolled in the SCIRehab study. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was all-cause hospital readmission within 1 year of discharge from a rehabilitation center. The patient-level and clinical factors include employment status, depression, caregiver support, state-funded insurance, functional status, and rehabilitation services. Results: Of the 1170 participants included in the study, 228 were readmitted once and 120 were readmitted multiple times. In our study, 34.2% and 10.8% were readmitted more than once due to genitourinary and respiratory conditions, respectively. Lower utilization of rehabilitation services, lower functional status, unemployment, and depression were associated with higher odds of being readmitted multiple times within one year of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation facility. Conclusion: Psychosocial and clinical factors were associated with increased risk for multiple readmissions in individuals with SCI. In order to reduce recurrent readmissions in individuals with SCI, further research is necessary to maximize efficacy of risk factor modification and prevention strategies.
Effect of Opioid Limiting Legislation on Postoperative Opioid Utilization in Patients Treated for Ankle Fractures

Background:The state of Ohio implemented legislation in August of 2017 limiting the quantity of opioids a provider could prescribe. The purpose of this study was to identify if implementation of le...
Infection Prevention and Prophylaxis

Infection remains an important cause of non-relapse mortality in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Specific risk for infection is related to prior exposure history (e.g., relapse of latent infection), intensity of the conditioning regimen, immunosuppressive agents utilized, and new exposures in the setting of altered host immune response. Prevention of infection by way of prophylactic and preemptive strategies has been associated with improvement in transplant outcomes over the past few decades.