cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Omni-Directional Kick Engine for Humanoid Robots with Parameter Optimization

Incorporating a dynamic kick engine that is both fast and effective is pivotal to be competitive in one of the world’s biggest AI and robotics initiative: RoboCup. Using the NAO robot as a testbed, we developed a dynamic kick engine that can generate a kick trajectory with an arbitrary direction without prior input or knowledge of the parameters of the kick. The trajectories are generated using cubic splines (two degree three polynomials with a via-point). The trajectories are executed while the robot is dynamically balancing on one foot. When the robot swings the leg for the kick motion, unprecedented forces might be applied on the robot. To compensate for these forces, we developed a Zero Moment Point (ZMP) based preview controller that minimizes the ZMP error. Although a variety of kick engines have been implemented by others, there are only a few papers on how kick engine parameters have been optimized to give an effective kick or even a kick that minimizes energy consumption and time. Parameters such as kick configuration, limit of the robot, or shape of the polynomial can be optimized. We propose an optimization framework based on the Webots simulator to optimize these parameters. Experiments of the physical robot show promising results.
Accuracy of 3-dimensional-printed Endodontic Surgical Guide: A Human Cadaver Study.

Abstract Introduction Cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT)-based 3-dimensional–printed surgical guides, such as those used in implant placement and orofacial surgery, allow for accurate planning and performance of surgical procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of CBCT-designed surgical guides for use during endodontic surgery. Methods A split-mouth design was conducted using 48 roots in a cadaver model. In the experimental group, using information from the preoperative CBCT scans and digital impressions, surgical guides were designed using Blue Sky Bio (Grayslake, IL) planning software and printed using a Form 2 3-dimensional printer (Formlabs, Somerville, MA). The guides were designed to allow for surgical access at 3 mm from the apex of each root with depth control to the lingual or palatal surface of the root. In the control group, surgical access was completed “freehand” by visually approximating measurements from the CBCT scan only. The planned and postoperative CBCT images were superimposed, and the deviation of the surgical access point from the planned target was measured using Invivo software (Anatomage, San Jose, CA). A 2-tailed t test and the Fisher exact test were conducted to compare the deviation in the experimental CBCT-guided group versus the control CBCT-approximated freehand group. Results The mean deviation for the guided group (1.743 mm) was significantly less than that of the approximated freehand group (2.638 mm, P Conclusions Using a CBCT-designed printed surgical guide is a more accurate method for access to the apical portion of the root during surgical endodontics compared with a “freehand” CBCT-approximated method.
Associations between fungal and bacterial microbiota of airways and asthma endotypes

Background The relationship between asthma, atopy, and underlying type 2 (T2) airway inflammation is complex. Although the bacterial airway microbiota is known to differ in asthmatic patients, the fungal and bacterial markers that discriminate T2-high (eosinophilic) and T2-low (neutrophilic/mixed-inflammation) asthma and atopy are still incompletely identified. Objectives The aim of this study was to demonstrate the fungal microbiota structure of airways in asthmatic patients associated with T2 inflammation, atopy, and key clinical parameters. Methods We collected endobronchial brush (EB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from 39 asthmatic patients and 19 healthy subjects followed by 16S gene and internal transcribed spacer–based microbiota sequencing. The microbial sequences were classified into exact sequence variants. The T2 phenotype was defined by using a blood eosinophil count with a threshold of 300 cells/μL. Results Fungal diversity was significantly lower in EB samples from patients with T2-high compared with T2-low inflammation; key fungal genera enriched in patients with T2-high inflammation included Trichoderma species, whereas Penicillium species was enriched in patients with atopy. In BAL fluid samples the dominant genera were Cladosporium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. Using generalized linear models, we identified significant associations between specific fungal exact sequence variants and FEV1, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values, BAL fluid cell counts, and corticosteroid use. Investigation of interkingdom (bacterial-fungal) co-occurrence patterns revealed different topologies between asthmatic patients and healthy control subjects. Random forest models with fungal classifiers predicted asthma status with 75% accuracy for BAL fluid samples and 80% accuracy for EB samples. Conclusions We demonstrate clear differences in bacterial and fungal microbiota in asthma-associated phenotypes. Our study provides additional support for considering microbial signatures in delineating asthma phenotypes.
Daily fruit and vegetable consumption and diabetes status in middle-aged females in the general US population:

Objectives:Fruit and vegetable consumption may impact development of diabetes, but limited research has addressed whether daily consumption of fruits and vegetables differs by those with and withou...
Acoustic context effects in speech perception

The extreme acoustic variability of speech is well established, which makes the proficiency of human speech perception all the more impressive. Speech perception, like perception in any modality, is relative to context, and this provides a means to normalize the acoustic variability in the speech signal. Acoustic context effects in speech perception have been widely documented, but a clear understanding of how these effects relate to each other across stimuli, timescales, and acoustic domains is lacking. Here we review the influences that spectral context, temporal context, and spectrotemporal context have on speech perception. Studies are organized in terms of whether the context precedes the target (forward effects) or follows it (backward effects), and whether the context is adjacent to the target (proximal) or temporally removed from it (distal). Special cases where proximal and distal contexts have competing influences on perception are also considered. Across studies, a common theme emerges: acoustic differences between contexts and targets are perceptually magnified, producing contrast effects that facilitate perception of target sounds and words. This indicates enhanced sensitivity to changes in the acoustic environment, which maximizes the amount of potential information that can be transmitted to the perceiver. This article is categorized under: Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain Psychology > Perception and Psychophysics.
El ascenso criollo y la construcción de la independencia mexicana, una aproximación genealógica

This essay analyzes two letters written by Ambrosio Eugenio Melgarejo de Santaella addressed to the Viceroy of New Spain, the Count of Aranda, and the King of Spain, Carlos III, respectively. In such correspondence, Melgarejo requested royal favors to have their children “lustrosamente establecidos” [prestigiously established]. Foucault's theory of genealogy, will shed some light about the meaning of regal concessions within the colonial context in New Spain, and the importance of lineage in the establishment of a creole identity. In the study of Ambrosio’s manuscripts there is a representation of symbolic elements that are key to Mexico’s independence. In addition, it is possible to study Ambrosio Eugenio’s letters as the starting point of some of the practices that afflict Hispanic societies today, such as the lack of transparency of public institutions, or the social, and economic inequalities among different ethnic groups.
The contribution of specific enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol elements to reduced length of hospital stay after ventral hernia repair

Ventral hernia repair (VHR) is a commonly performed procedure that may be associated with prolonged hospitalization. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are intended to decrease hospital length of stay (LOS) and improve outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of compliance with individual VHR ERAS elements on LOS. With IRB approval, a medical record review (perioperative characteristics, clinical outcomes, compliance with ERAS elements) was conducted of open VHR consecutive cases performed in August 2013–July 2017. The ERAS protocol was implemented in August 2015; elements in place prior to implementation were accounted for in compliance review. Clinical predictors of LOS were determined through forward regression of log-transformed LOS. The effects of specific ERAS elements on LOS were assessed by adding them to the model in the presence of the clinical predictors. Two-hundred and thirty-four patients underwent VHR (109 ERAS, 125 pre-ERAS). Across all patients, the mean LOS was 5.4 days (SD = 3.3). Independent perioperative predictors (P’s < 0.05) of increased LOS were CDC Wound Class III/IV (38% increase above the mean), COPD (35%), prior infected mesh (21%), concomitant procedure (14%), mesh size (3% per 100 cm2), and age (8% increase per 10 years from mean age). Formal ERAS implementation was associated with a 15% or about 0.7 days (95% CI 6%–24%) reduction in mean LOS after adjustment. Compliance with acceleration of intestinal recovery was low (25.6%) as many patients were not eligible for alvimopan use due to preoperative opioids, yet when achieved, provided the greatest reduction in LOS (− 36%). Implementation of an ERAS protocol for VHR results in decreased hospital LOS. Evaluation of the impact of specific ERAS element compliance to LOS is unique to this study. Compliance with acceleration of intestinal recovery, early postoperative mobilization, and multimodal pain management standards provided the greatest LOS reduction.
Internet of Things for Sustainable Mining

The sustainable mining Internet of Things deals with the applications of IoT technology to the coupled needs of sustainable recovery of metals and a healthy environment for a thriving planet. In this chapter, the IoT architecture and technology is presented to support development of a digital mining platform emphasizing the exploration of rock–fluid–environment interactions to develop extraction methods with maximum economic benefit, while maintaining and preserving both water quantity and quality, soil, and, ultimately, human health. New perspectives are provided for IoT applications in developing new mineral resources, improved management of tailings, monitoring and mitigating contamination from mining. Moreover, tools to assess the environmental and social impacts of mining including the demands on dwindling freshwater resources. The cutting-edge technologies that could be leveraged to develop the state-of-the-art sustainable mining IoT paradigm are also discussed.
Introduction to the Case Studies

The best way to learn about statistical consulting is to do it! There is really no substitute for this and making mistakes is an important part of the process. We have already mentioned several of our mistakes in the previous chapter; don’t worry, there are still plenty left for you to make. This brings us to the case studies. These are intended to provide the reader with the opportunity to gain some experience — at least in terms of learning about the statistical analyses required in different types of consulting problems.
Obesity: sex and sympathetics.

Obesity increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in men, but not women. Here, we review current evidence suggesting that sexually dimorphic sympathoexcitatory responses to leptin and insulin may contribute. More specifically, while insulin increases SNA similarly in lean males and females, this response is markedly amplified in obese males, but is abolished in obese females. In lean female rats, leptin increases a subset of sympathetic nerves only during the high estrogen proestrus reproductive phase; thus, in obese females, because reproductive cycling can become impaired, the sporadic nature of leptin-induced sympathoexcitaton could minimize its action, despite elevated leptin levels. In contrast, in males, obesity preserves or enhances the central sympathoexcitatory response to leptin, and current evidence favors leptin’s contribution to the well-established increases in SNA induced by obesity in men. Leptin and insulin increase SNA via receptor binding in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and a neuropathway that includes arcuate neuropeptide Y (NPY) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) projections to the paraventricular nucleus. These metabolic hormones normally suppress sympathoinhibitory NPY neurons and activate sympathoexcitatory POMC neurons. However, obesity appears to alter the ongoing activity and responsiveness of arcuate NPY and POMC neurons in a sexually dimorphic way, such that SNA increases in males but not females. We propose hypotheses to explain these sex differences and suggest areas of future research.
Sensitivity of Continuous Electroencephalography to Detect Ictal Activity After Cardiac Arrest.

Importance Epileptiform electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns are common after resuscitation from cardiac arrest, are associated with patient outcome, and may require treatment. It is unknown whether continuous EEG monitoring is needed to detect these patterns or if brief intermittent monitoring is sufficient. If continuous monitoring is required, the necessary duration of observation is unknown. Objective To quantify the time-dependent sensitivity of continuous EEG for epileptiform event detection, and to compare continuous EEG to several alternative EEG-monitoring strategies for post–cardiac arrest outcome prediction. Design, Setting, and Participants This observational cohort study was conducted in 2 academic medical centers between September 2010 and January 2018. Participants included 759 adults who were comatose after being resuscitated from cardiac arrest and who underwent 24 hours or more of EEG monitoring. Main Outcomes and Measures Epileptiform EEG patterns associated with neurological outcome at hospital discharge, such as seizures likely to cause secondary injury. Results Overall, 759 patients were included in the analysis; 281 (37.0%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 58 (17) years. Epileptiform EEG activity was observed in 414 participants (54.5%), of whom only 26 (3.4%) developed potentially treatable seizures. Brief intermittent EEG had an estimated 66% (95% CI, 62%-69%) to 68% (95% CI, 66%-70%) sensitivity for detection of prognostic epileptiform events. Depending on initial continuity of the EEG background, 0 to 51 hours of monitoring were needed to achieve 95% sensitivity for the detection of prognostic epileptiform events. Brief intermittent EEG had a sensitivity of 7% (95% CI, 4%-12%) to 8% (95% CI, 4%-12%) for the detection of potentially treatable seizures, and 0 to 53 hours of continuous monitoring were needed to achieve 95% sensitivity for the detection of potentially treatable seizures. Brief intermittent EEG results yielded similar information compared with continuous EEG results when added to multivariable models predicting neurological outcome. Conclusions and Relevance Compared with continuous EEG monitoring, brief intermittent monitoring was insensitive for detection of epileptiform events. Monitoring EEG results significantly improved multimodality prediction of neurological outcome, but continuous monitoring appeared to add little additional information compared with brief intermittent monitoring.
24-Bit 5.0 GHz Direct Digital Synthesizer RFIC With Direct Digital Modulations in 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS Technology

This paper presents a 24-bit 5.0 GHz ultrahigh-speed direct digital synthesizer (DDS) with direct digital modulation capabilities used in a pulse compression radar. This design represents the first DDS RFIC in over-GHz output frequency range with direct digital modulation capabilities. It adopts a ROM-less architecture and has the capabilities for direct digital frequency and phase modulation with 24 bit and 12 bit resolution, respectively. The DDS includes a 24-bit ripple carry adder (RCA) accumulator for phase accumulation, a 12-bit RCA for phase modulation and a 10-bit segmented sine-weighted digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for phase-to-amplitude conversion (PAC) as well as digital-to-analog conversion. The DDS core occupies 3.0 x 2.5 mm 2 and consumes 4.7 W of power with a single 3.3 V power supply. This 24-bit DDS has more than 20,000 transistors and achieves a maximum clock frequency of 5.0 GHz. The measured worst case SFDR is 45 dBc under a 5.0 GHz clock frequency and within a 50 MHz bandwidth. At 1.246258914 GHz output frequency, the 50 MHz narrowband SFDR is measured as 82 dBc. The best Nyquist band SFDR is 38 dBc with a 469.360351 MHz output using a 5.0 GHz clock frequency. This DDS was developed in a 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology with f T /f MAX = 200/250 GHz and tested in a CLCC-68 package.
Personalized Online Recommendations and the Effect of Trust and Valence: An Abstract

Online recommendations could be consumer-generated (Park et al. 2007) or personalized recommendations (West et al. 1999). Irrespective of the source, these recommendations help in improving choice satisfaction (Pu et al. 2012). In this study, we explore the moderating role of trust and review valence on the relationship among recommendation source, product price, offer attractiveness, and purchase intention.
Having Skin in the Game: A Case Study of Necrotizing Fasciitis in the Neonate Treated With Cultured Epidermal Autografts.

BACKGROUND Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but often fatal bacterial infection of the skin and the soft tissue. CLINICAL FINDINGS Necrotizing fasciitis occurs mainly in adults and remains relatively uncommon in the neonate. Because the presenting skin and laboratory findings are variable, prompt diagnosis is often difficult. The risk of mortality increases with time to intervention. PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS This case presents a 4-day old full-term female neonate with NF resulting in a significant scalp defect. INTERVENTIONS The neonate was successfully treated using a novel approach with a cultured epidermal autograft. OUTCOMES The treatment period was effective, and the neonate had an excellent clinical outcome. The neonate was discharged home 21 days post graft application. PURPOSE This case study will highlight the influence of the clinical nurse specialist on care coordination, innovative treatment plans, and resource development for a neonate with NF. PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS Because of the rare but fatal nature of NF, innovative therapies must be considered. Offering a nontraditional treatment can help improve patient recovery and long-term outcomes. The use of cultured epidermal autograft now provides a new treatment option for neonatal patients in the future.
Interruptions: Thinking-in-Action in Teacher Education

Background/ContextThis paper is a part of the special issue “Reimagining Research and Practice at the Crossroads of Philosophy, Teaching, and Teacher Education.” We center what follows on a practic...
Un viaje singular: al filo de la pandemia

Traveling through California and the Americas at the start of the Covid-19 disaster, the chronicle portrays the beginning of what was later to be considered a pandemic. How it was dealt with in the US (how did the health system react, how people were treated at airports). It is a humorous account of events that, while entertaining, reveals the different reaction of two countries in the face of this disaster.
Relative group discrimination and vote choice among Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Whites

Scholars of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP) have demonstrated that discrimination shapes the political behavior of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Whites. This scholarship, however, tends to focus...
Well-being in the time of COVID-19: Do metaphors and mindsets matter?

Communications about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) often employ metaphors, which can help people understand complex issues. For example, public health messages may focus on "fighting" the disease, attempting to rouse people to action by instilling a sense of urgency. In contrast, change-focused metaphors may foster growth mindsets and self-efficacy-cornerstones of well-being and action. We randomly assigned participants to read one of two articles-either an article about coronavirus that focused on fighting the war or an article that highlighted the possibility of change. In Study 1 (N = 426), participants who read the war, relative to the change, message reported lower growth mindsets and self-efficacy and these in turn, predicted lower well-being and weaker intentions to engage in health behaviours. In Study 2, (N = 702), we sought to replicate findings and included a no treatment control. We failed to replicate the effects of message condition, although both messages predicted greater self-efficacy compared to the control. Similar to Study 1, growth mindsets predicted intentions to engage in recommended health behaviours and self-efficacy predicted both well-being and action. We discuss theoretical reasons for discrepancies as well as practical applications for developing public health communications.
Genome-wide characterization of Salmonella Typhimurium genes required for the fitness under iron restriction

Abstract Iron is a crucial element for bacterial survival and virulence. During Salmonella infection, the host utilizes a variety of mechanisms to starve the pathogen from iron. However, Salmonella activates distinctive defense mechanisms to acquire iron and survive in iron-restricted host environments. Yet, the comprehensive set of the conditionally essential genes that underpin Salmonella survival under iron-restricted niches have not been fully explored. Here, we employed transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) method for high-resolution elucidation of the genes in Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) 14028s strain required for the growth under the in vitro conditions with 4 different levels of iron restriction achieved by iron chelator 2,2′-Dipyridine (Dip): mild (100 and 250), moderate (250) and severe iron restriction (400 μM). We found that the fitness of the mutants reduced significantly for 28 genes, suggesting the importance of these genes for the growth under iron restriction. These genes include sufABCDSE, iron transport fepD, siderophore tonB, sigma factor E ropE, phosphate transport pstAB, and zinc exporter zntA. The siderophore gene tonB was required in mild and moderate iron-restricted conditions, but they became dispensable in severe iron-restricted conditions. Remarkably, rpoE was required in moderate and severe iron restrictions, leading to complete attenuation of the mutant under these conditions. We also identified 30 genes for which the deletion of the genes resulted in increased fitness under iron-restricted conditions. The findings broaden our knowledge of how S. Typhimurium survives in iron-deficient environments, which could be utilized for the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting the pathways vital for iron metabolism, trafficking, and scavenging.
Two-dimensional electronic-vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy for interactions of electronic and nuclear motions at interfaces.

Interactions of electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom are essential for understanding excited-states relaxation pathways of molecular systems at interfaces and surfaces. Here, we present the development of interface-specific two-dimensional electronic-vibrational sum frequency generation (2D-EVSFG) spectroscopy for electronic-vibrational couplings for excited states at interfaces and surfaces. We demonstrate this 2D-EVSFG technique by investigating photoexcited interface-active (E)-4-((4-(dihexylamino) phenyl)diazinyl)-1-methylpyridin-1- lum (AP3) molecules at the air-water interface as an example. Our 2D-EVSFG experiments show strong vibronic couplings of interfacial AP3 molecules upon photoexcitation and subsequent relaxation of a locally excited (LE) state. Time-dependent 2D-EVSFG experiments indicate that the relaxation of the LE state, S 2, is strongly coupled with two high-frequency modes of 1,529.1 and 1,568.1 cm-1 Quantum chemistry calculations further verify that the strong vibronic couplings of the two vibrations promote the transition from the S 2 state to the lower excited state S 1 We believe that this development of 2D-EVSFG opens up an avenue of understanding excited-state dynamics related to interfaces and surfaces.
Examination of drivers' cell phone use behavior at intersections by using naturalistic driving data

INTRODUCTION: Many driving simulator studies have shown that cell phone use while driving greatly degraded driving performance. In terms of safety analysis, many factors including drivers, vehicles, and driving situations need to be considered. Controlled or simulated studies cannot always account for the full effects of these factors, especially situational factors such as road condition, traffic density, and weather and lighting conditions. Naturalistic driving by its nature provides a natural and realistic way to examine drivers' behaviors and associated factors for cell phone use while driving. METHOD: In this study, driving speed while using a cell phone (conversation or visual/manual tasks) was compared to two baselines (baseline 1: normal driving condition, which only excludes driving while using a cell phone, baseline 2: driving-only condition, which excludes all types of secondary tasks) when traversing an intersection. RESULTS: The outcomes showed that drivers drove slower when using a cell for both conversation and visual/manual (VM) tasks compared to baseline conditions. With regard to cell phone conversations, drivers were more likely to drive faster during the day time compared to night time driving and drive slower under moderate traffic compared to under sparse traffic situations. With regard to VM tasks, there was a significant interaction between traffic and cell phone use conditions. The maximum speed with VM tasks was significantly lower than that with baseline conditions under sparse traffic conditions. In contrast, the maximum speed with VM tasks was slightly higher than that with baseline driving under dense traffic situations. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This suggests that drivers might self-regulate their behavior based on the driving situations and demand for secondary tasks, which could provide insights on driver distraction guidelines. With the rapid development of in-vehicle technology, the findings in this research could lead the improvement of human-machine interface (HMI) design as well. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
Hydrogen Bonding & Dihydrogen Bonding

The review begins with the historical development of the area, notably Pauling's contribution. The current interest is in part related to the rise of supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition, as well as the significance of hydrogen bonding in biology and biochemistry. Strong and weak cases are distinguished. A relationship with hypervalency is proposed, in which the bridging proton of a FHF anion is considered as hypervalent hydrogen. Dihydrogen bonding is considered the latest hydrogen bond type. Structural and spectroscopic aspects are discussed, together with applications. Hydrogen bonding in metal complexes is covered together with the distinction between hydrogen bonding and sigma complexation. Keywords: acid–base chemistry; strong and weak hydrogen bonds; spectroscopy; structure; hypervalency
A New Thread in an Intricate Web

Understanding how biochemical pathways are connected in the cell is one of the big challenges facing cell biologists. In a Perspective, [von Zastrow and Mostov][1] describe new work that identifies a protein called RGS-PX1 as the linchpin that connects signal transduction activated by G protein-coupled receptors with membrane trafficking events. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/294/5548/1845
Hegel and the Prehistory of the Postracial

This article examines Hegel’s theory of race in light of the “post-racial.” I mean “post-racial” in two senses: in both the actual erasure of racialized violence and the logical necessity of having to define race in the act of claiming its erasure. In this double light, Hegel’s claim of the superiority of structural to moral thinking can be seen to underwrite a racialized sublation of race. Reading Hegel with and against Kant, Lacan, and Žižek, this article demonstrates that Hegel's very process of historical supersession then models the post-racialization of race.
The Market for Fine Restaurants

This study characterizes the market for fine restaurants as segments of non-patrons, light users and heavy users. Membership in these segments was found related to the life styles, demographics, and values of consumers. Little was learned of these segments through investigation of their attitudes toward nutrition and dietary issues and the benefits they require for food purchase and preparation.
Genetics of Orofacial Cleft Birth Defects

Orofacial cleft birth defects (OFCs) are the most common facial birth defects and among the most common of all birth defects. OFCs can occur as isolated, nonsyndromic events or as part of Mendelian syndromes. Notably, many genes that contribute to the etiology of these disorders, both syndromic and nonsyndromic, have now been identified after decades of research using multiple genetic approaches. The pace of gene identification has significantly increased recently due to advances in sequencing and genotyping technologies. Multiple genome-wide association studies of nonsyndromic OFCs have identified genomic regions that were followed by successful targeted sequencing and functional studies. In addition, other genomic techniques, primarily whole-exome sequencing, have also identified the major genes for many syndromic forms of OFC. Future progress will hinge on identifying functional variants, investigation of pathway and other interactions, and inclusion of phenotypic and ethnic diversity in studies.
Emotion Sensors Go To School

This paper describes the use of sensors in intelligent tutors to detect students' affective states and to embed emotional support. Using four sensors in two classroom experiments the tutor dynamically collected data streams of physiological activity and students' self-reports of emotions. Evidence indicates that state-based fluctuating student emotions are related to larger, longer-term affective variables such as self-concept in mathematics. Students produced self-reports of emotions and models were created to automatically infer these emotions from physiological data from the sensors. Summaries of student physiological activity, in particular data streams from facial detection software, helped to predict more than 60% of the variance of students emotional states, which is much better than predicting emotions from other contextual variables from the tutor, when these sensors are absent. This research also provides evidence that by modifying the “context” of the tutoring system we may well be able to optimize students' emotion reports and in turn improve math attitudes.
Targetry for a /spl mu//sup +//spl mu//sup -/ collider

The requirement for high luminosity in a /spl mu//sup +//spl mu//sup -/ collider leads one to conclude that a prodigious source of pions is needed followed by an efficient capture/decay channel. Significant targetry issues are raised by these demands. Among these are: i) the best target configuration to tolerate a high-rep rate, high-power proton beam (/spl sim/10/sup 14/ ppp at 15 Hz), ii) the pion spectra of the produced pions and iii) the best configuration for maximizing the quantity of captured pions. In this paper, the current thinking of the /spl mu//sup +//spl mu//sup $/collider collaboration for solutions to these issues is discussed. In addition, we give a description of the R&D program designed to provide a proof-of-principle for a muon capture system capable of meeting the demands of a future high-luminosity machine.
Stakeholders' Views of Alternatives to Prospective Informed Consent for Minimal-Risk Pragmatic Comparative Effectiveness Trials:

As interest in comparative effectiveness research grows, questions have emerged regarding whether it is ever acceptable to alter informed consent requirements for research when patients are randomly assigned to widely-used therapies. This paper reports on interviews with Institutional Review Board members and researchers and on focus groups with patients from Geisinger and Johns Hopkins health systems. The objective was to elicit participants' views of the acceptability of four different disclosure and authorization models for low-risk pragmatic comparative effectiveness trials of widely-used therapies. Results suggest that although participants valued autonomous choice, many also believed that it was acceptable to streamline information disclosure and to use an opt-out process for eligible individuals who would prefer not to participate. This provides some preliminary evidence that relevant stakeholders find alternatives to traditional informed consent acceptable for low-risk pragmatic comparative effectiveness trials of widely-used therapies as long as a sufficient amount of choice is preserved.
Application of the maximum likelihood principle to separate exponential terms in T2 relaxation of nuclear magnetic resonance

The method of maximum likelihood has been implemented for the estimation of multiple exponential components of T2 decay curves in spin echo NMR measurements on biologic tissues. Each Each component contributes an exponential term described by two parameters (initial amplitude and T2) to the T2 decay curve. The maximum likelihood method estimates the parameters and their standard errors for all terms simultaneously, avoiding the subjectivity inherent in methods such as graphical peeling. In the model used, it was assumed that water protons are compartmentalized and that the measured spin echo signals from the protons undergoing relaxation obey the Poisson distribution. A system of non-linear equations was derived and solved iteratively for the values of the exponential parameters which maximize the likelihood of obtaining the observed data under these assumptions. The approach was implemented for bi- and tri-exponential models on a MicroVAX II computer (Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA). Simulations of bi- and tri-exponential data, with and without system noise, were analyzed to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of the method. A subset of the simulations was repeated with non-linear least squares techniques and was compared to the results obtained with maximum likelihood. Rabbit muscle and gerbil brain samples were measured and analyzed with the maximum likelihood method. The simulations showed that within specific limits on relative sizes and relaxation rates of components, these parameters can be estimated with errors less than 5%. The comparison to non-linear least squares analysis showed that the maximum likelihood method is generally superior in estimating the parameters in difficult cases. The results from tissue measurements demonstrate that the method is effective even in cases where graphical peeling would clearly not yield reliable results.
Spectrum splitting using multi-layer dielectric meta-surfaces for efficient solar energy harvesting

We designed a high-efficiency dispersive mirror based on multi-layer dielectric meta-surfaces. By replacing the secondary mirror of a dome solar concentrator with this dispersive mirror, the solar concentrator can be converted into a spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system with higher energy harvesting efficiency and potentially lower cost. The meta-surfaces are consisted of high-index contrast gratings (HCG). The structures and parameters of the dispersive mirror (i.e. stacked HCG) are optimized based on finite-difference time-domain and rigorous coupled-wave analysis method. Our numerical study shows that the dispersive mirror can direct light with different wavelengths into different angles in the entire solar spectrum, maintaining very low energy loss. Our approach will not only improve the energy harvesting efficiency, but also lower the cost by using single junction cells instead of multi-layer tandem solar cells. Moreover, this approach has the minimal disruption to the existing solar concentrator infrastructures.
High strain-rate impact studies of predamaged rocket propellants. I. Characterization of damage using a cumulative damage failure criterion

Abstract The effect of predamage on the high strain-rate behavior, ignition sensitivity, and impact ignition mechanism of a HTPB/AP rocket propellant was assessed using a modified Hopkinson Bar. Damage was induced by constant stress and monotonic tension tests prior to testing on the modified Hopkinson Bar. Predamage was characterized using a failure criterion based on a linear Cumulative Damage model. Creep and recovery experiments were conducted to determine the amount of recovery (due to relaxation or viscoclastic effects) and rehealing of damage (nonrecoverable strain), and the effect of recovery time on the induced mechanical damage. The effect of residual void volume on the impact ignition sensitivity and mechanism for freshly damaged, rehealed, and undamaged propellant samples was also investigated.
Activity Patterns, Intergroup Encounters, and Male Affiliation in Free-Ranging Bearded Sakis (Chiropotes sagulatus)

The assessment of how primates divide their daily activities is one of the foundations of primate behavioral ecology but the activity patterns and social behavior of the Pitheciines, including bearded sakis (genus Chiropotes), are poorly understood. During a 15-mo study, I collected 560 h of data on subgrouping, activity patterns, social behavior, and intergroup encounters of a group of free-ranging Guianan bearded sakis (Chiropotes sagulatus) in Guyana. The study group consisted of at least 65 individuals but showed a high degree of flexibility in grouping patterns (mean group size 39 ± 10). They were highly active, spending ca. 70% of their diurnal activity budget traveling and feeding. Activity patterns were relatively consistent throughout the year, although time spent feeding correlated significantly with fruit availability. The most common social behaviors were social resting and grooming. Agonism was rare (2.56% of social behavior) but did occur in the context of intergroup encounters, with males from the same group cooperating in intergroup agonism. Bearded sakis showed a high level of within group male affiliation, with male–male partners making up 65% of grooming dyads and males having another male as their nearest-neighbor 66% of the time. These results show that bearded sakis are characterized by egalitarian male–male and male–female relationships, highly fluid group sizes, and high levels of male affiliation. Similarities in the social behavior of bearded sakis and muriquis suggest several possible explanations for male–male bonding including cooperative defense of females from other groups, kinship, and maintenance of social cohesion after subgroup coalescence.
Development of a new self-powered electrochromic device for light modulation without external power supply

Despite considerable improvements within the last decades, electrochromic (EC) window coatings are still too expensive to be applied in buildings on a large scale. Beside the manufacturing costs, wiring costs have to be added which may exceed the fabrication expenses of the electrochromic window. Therefore, self-powered electrochromic windows have been considered, where a semi-transparent photovoltaic (PV) cell provides the power to activate an electrochromic system deposited on top of the solar cell. The whole PVEC device consists of up to eight layers which must be deposited on large scales without short circuits or other failures. Recently, we came up with a much simpler idea where power generation and electrochromic properties are combined rather than just added as in the case of the PVEC cell. The whole device now is obtained by the deposition of only three layers and is highly transparent in the bleached state. Exposing it to sunlight and completing an external circuit the device can be colored within a few minutes, reducing the transmission by about 40%. Bleaching occurs either spontaneously by blocking the sunlight or is induced by a small rechargeable battery which can be incorporated in the external circuit and is charged from the device when exposed to sunlight.
Pergolide to Augment the Effectiveness of Antidepressants: Clinical Experience and a Small Double-Blind Study

To attempt to confirm a prior report that pergolide can augment the efficacy of antidepressants in refractory patients, pergolide was administered to 12 patients receiving antidepressants. Eight patients were involved in a placebo-controlled evaluation of pergolide; the others were prescribed pergolide clinically. Results showed no evidence of benefit, so the double-blind study has been discontinued.
Evaluation of Ester-Urethane Oils af Film Formers

A family of ester-urethane oils prepared by reacting glycerol and pentaerythritol with linseed, safflower and tall oil fatty acids and monoisocyanates, the latter being obtained from the same acids as above, were evaluated as film formers. The unsaturation in the fatty acids and isocyanates was the same, the only differences in the structure of the vehicles being the replacement of the ester group by an urethane group. The following vehicles were evaluated: triester, triurethane, monoester diurethane and diester monourethane of glycerol and the tetra- ester and tetraurethane of pentaerythritol. Dried films showed improved hardness and adherance to the substrate as the number of urethane groups per molecule increased. After- yellowing increased in the same order and was greatest in the linseed oil derived products. Die Beurteilung von Ester-Urethanolen als Filmbildner Rei einer Reihe von Ester-Urethanolen, hergestellt durch Umsetzung von Glycerin bzw. Pentaerythrit mit Fettsauren und Monoisocyanaten von Lein-, Safflor- und Tallol, wurde die Eignung als Filmbildner gepruft. Die Fettsauren und die Isocyanate besasen den gleichen Gehalt an Doppelbindungen: der strukturelle Unterschied der Bindemittel lag lediglich darin, da die Estergruppe durch eine Urethangruppe ersetzt war. Die nach stehenden Bindemittel wurden untersucht: Triester, Triurethan, Monoester-Diurethan sowie Diester-Monourethan des Glycerins und Tetraester sowie Tetraurethan des Pentaerythrits. Die Harte und Haftfestigkeit der trockenen Filme stieg mit zunehmender Anzahl von Urethangruppen pro Molekul. In der gleichen Reihen folge nahm die Tendenz zur Vergilbung zu. Sie war bei den Produkten auf Leinol-Basis am starksten ausgepragt.
Cyst growth, polycystins, and primary cilia in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

The primary cilium of renal epithelia acts as a transducer of extracellular stimuli. Polycystin (PC)1 is the protein encoded by the PKD1 gene that is responsible for the most common and severe form of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). PC1 forms a complex with PC2 via their respective carboxy-terminal tails. Both proteins are expressed in the primary cilia. Mutations in either gene affect the normal architecture of renal tubules, giving rise to ADPKD. PC1 has been proposed as a receptor that modulates calcium signals via the PC2 channel protein. The effect of PC1 dosage has been described as the rate-limiting modulator of cystic disease. Reduced levels of PC1 or disruption of the balance in PC1/PC2 level can lead to the clinical features of ADPKD, without complete inactivation. Recent data show that ADPKD resulting from inactivation of polycystins can be markedly slowed if structurally intact cilia are also disrupted at the same time. Despite the fact that no single model or mechanism from these has been able to describe exclusively the pathogenesis of cystic kidney disease, these findings suggest the existence of a novel cilia-dependent, cyst-promoting pathway that is normally repressed by polycystin function. The results enable us to rethink our current understanding of genetics and cilia signaling pathways of ADPKD.
Siblings as caregivers for impaired elders

Most older people regard their siblings as a caregiving resource, but only small percentages actually receive sibling help. The purpose of the present study was to determine what elder characterist...
Disturbance in a cypress-tupelo wetland: An interaction between thermal loading and hydrology

The interaction between thermal loading and hydrology was examined in a forested wetland. As a result of flooding, portions of the wetland are periodically exposed to elevated water temperatures, resulting in progressive deterioration of the canopy. We chose three study sites along a gradient of canopy disturbance: most disturbed, intermediate disturbance and a least disturbed site. The timing of flooding has important effects on this wetland: floods which occur late in the growing season have greater impact on the timing of litterfall and the extent of tree mortality. Following a flood in May, there was no observed increase in litterfall, and woody detrital production (tree mortality) eliminated only o.4% and 1.1% of the aboveground woody biomass at the intermediate and least disturbed sites, respectively. In contrast. premature leaf senescence and literfall were observed at the intermediate site following an August flood, and tree mortality at the intermediate and least disturbed sites eliminated 10% and 8%, respectively, of the aboveground woody biomass. At the most disturbed site, where the majority of trees were already dead, no additional mortality was recorded during the study. Long-term effects of this disturbance regime are the loss of small stems and increased stem production of trees which remain. While stem production at the intermediate site (413 g.m−2.yr−1) exceeded that at the least disturbed site (373 g.m−2.yr−1), total aboveground net primary production was highest at the least disturbed site (788 g·m−2· yr−1), primarily because of the greater stem density. Portions of this wetland continue to deteriorate after more than 30 years of thermal loading.
Occurrence of Foliar Fungal and Bacterial Diseases of Dry Bean in North Dakota

Abstract An extensive field survey was undertaken during the 2003 to 2005 growing seasons to assess the prevalence and incidence of foliar fungal and bacterial diseases affecting dry bean in North ...
NIMBY or NIABY: a logit model of opposition to solid-waste-disposal facility siting

Abstract A logit model of public opposition to solid-waste facility siting is constructed. Data are collected from in-person surveys regarding attitudes toward four different types of facilities—waste-to-energy plants, recycling centers, transfer station and ash landfills. The model quantifies the inverse relationship between distance and opposition to siting, a finding that would be expected under a self-interest model of attitudes. However, the data also indicate a significant percentage of respondents who oppose siting over the range of distances studied, up to 50 miles. Furthermore, our data indicate the effect of such variables as perception of need and distributional equity on siting attitudes. Attitude toward need is found to have as great an effect as distance on siting preferences for waste-to-energy plants. This result suggests siting policy should include an understanding of factors leading to the formation of perception of need rather than focusing strictly on compensation and risk mitigation as policy instruments.