cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Depression among Elderly Korean Immigrants through Their Folk Illnesses

Twenty-four elderly Korean immigrants living in the Washington, DC, area were interviewed to explore their conceptualization of depression and its relationship to the Korean folk illnesses han, hwabyung, and shinggyongshaeyak. Informants perceived depression as a mood, but not as a serious illness except when it was related to the folk illnesses. Informants did not associate physical complaints with depression, which they saw as subject to control by the sufferer's will. Clinicians who recognize similarities between the folk illnesses and depression may be able to help Korean immigrant clients recognize that depressive affect may be a sign of illness that can be treated by medical professionals.
High-power modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode with ≫ 50 dBm third order intercept point

The third-order intermodulation distortions of an InGaAs/InP charge compensated modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode are characterized using a two-tone setup. At 0.3 GHz modulation frequency the third order local intercept point (IP3) reaches a record-high of 52 dBm and remains above 35 dBm up to the photodiode’s 3 dB bandwidth of 23 GHz. A simple equivalent circuit model with a voltage-dependent junction capacitance is used to analyze the frequency characteristics of the intermodulation distortions.
WHEN IS IT SELECTIVELY ADVANTAGEOUS TO HAVE TRUE BELIEFS? SANDWICHING THE BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY ARGUMENT

Several philosophers have argued that natural selection will favor reliable belief formation; others have been more skeptical. These traditional approaches to the evolution of rationality have been either too sketchy or else have assumed that phenotypic plasticity can be equated with having a mind. Here I develop a new model to explore the functional utility of belief and desire formation mechanisms, and defend the claim that natural selection favors reliable inference methods in a broad, but not universal, range of circumstances.
APPLICATION OF SPACE-TIME MAPPING ANALYSIS METHOD TO UNSTEADY NONLINEAR GUST-AIRFOIL INTERACTION PROBLEM

This paper is concerned with the application of a new Space-Time Mapping Analysis (STMA) method to a nonlinear, inviscid computation of unsteady airfoil response to an impinging, highintensity, vortical gust. The method solves the unsteady problem as a steady-state one by treating the time coordinate identically to the space directions. A high-order discretization scheme is provided to achieve time-accurate predictions of both unsteady aerodynamic and aeroacoustic responses. The obtained results show localized zones in the computational plane where nonlinear response effects become important.
Boiler tube failure root cause analysis advisory system

Boiler tube failures are conditions that utilities have been battling since the day boilers were invented. They amount to millions of dollars of lost generation and anything done in this field to aid root cause and solution determination would be of great benefit to the utility industry. A computer software advisory system is being developed through a systematic approach to aid in this problem. The advisory system includes two modules: (1) failure mechanism and (2) root cause and solutions. The failure mechanism module consists of a physical failure appearance database, a series of questionnaires, and suggested verification methods. The root causes and solutions module consist of the following: Knowledge-based cause and effect diagrams for all failure mechanisms; probable root cause selection methods based on the failure history and/or potential root cause ranking; root causes verification and determination; solutions and ranking based on the effectiveness and feasibility. The CLIP software is used in the advisory system.
Composition and Form: How Feedthrough Design Affects Package Hermeticity

Ceramic-insulated feedthroughs have been in use in microelectronic packages for decades. Their track record is generally good, but not unblemished. This is because ceramic insulators tend to crack under stress - the stress of assembly temperatures, thermal shock screening and fine leak pressurization. The cracks often propagate to surface termination, forming leak paths and rendering afflicted packages non-hermetic. Package manufacturers have long battled this phenomenon and developed a number of creative designs that attempt to prevent, minimize and/or contain this inherent vulnerability. Yet it persists. To successfully prevent this undesired effect, the factors causal to its origination must be identified, understood and eliminated. That is to say, the effects of the constituent components or parts – the package wall, insulator, conductor and brazes – in summation and subtraction, in function and failure, on the integrity and reliability of the whole must be understood in order to design a package robu...
Faculty Perceptions and Utilization of a Learning Management System in Higher Education

Past research has indicated that e-learning technology is not utilized to its full potential in education despite greater degree of access within higher education institutions. The issues of pedagogy in current e-learning technologies and the importance of interface design in future e-learning systems have also been raised in past research studies. The purpose of this study was to do close examinations of these issues and then investigate them through faculty’s perceptions and utilization of Blackboard a commonly used Learning Management System, at a large Midwestern university. Two specific research questions guided the investigation. The first research question investigated the relationship between faculty members’ perception of Blackboard and their perception of Blackboard’s design. The second research question was designed to find the relationship between faculty members’ capacity of use and their pedagogical perspective of e-learning, as well as the perceptions of Blackboard’s design. Open-ended questions were also designed to allow faculty to provide more in-depth description of their concerns with Blackboard. Twenty-six common features of Blackboard were selected and subdivided into three groups—instructional features, interactive features, and visual features. Five Likert-type scales and one check-all-that-apply scale were designed by the researcher to collect empirical data. A web survey was administered to 1208 faculty members. A total of 154 responses were received, which met the desired sample size of 117. Multiple regression analysis was used to answer the two research questions. The result of analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between the perception of Blackboard and the perceptions of the designs of the respective aspects of Blackboard features. A significant relationship was also found in the capacity of Blackboard use with pedagogical perspective of e-learning, as well as the perception of the design of visual features of Blackboard. However, no significant relationship was found in the capacity of use with the perceptions of the design of instructional and interactive features of Blackboard. Analysis of open-ended responses revealed a consistency with past research studies such that most faculty members used Blackboard primarily for administration of courses and very few faculty members considered pedagogical issues when using Blackboard in their teaching. Recommendations for future studies are provided.
Beyond the “Digital Divide:” The Computer Girls of Seelampur

In the last decade, India’s position as a global information economy has aided its status as the poster child for Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) initiatives in th...
Characteristics of Participants Enrolled in a Brief Motivational Enhancement for Smokers

Daily smoking is associated with elevated blood pressure, CO toxicity, and impaired pulmonary lung functioning. The benefits of successful smoking cessation are readily apparent, given the health improvements associated with cessation, as well as the reduction of secondhand smoke to which nonsmoking coworkers and family members are exposed. Previous literature indicates that providing personalized information to smokers (versus general base rates) without engaging in confrontational pressure to quit smoking, leads to increased interest in quitting smoking and willingness to enter smoking cessation programs. The goal of this study was to examine the pre-treatment characteristics of the smokers entering a brief motivational enhancement intervention based on personally tailored health feedback. Participants (N = 28) were 88.2% Caucasian, 59% male, and were an average of 23.0 years of age. On average, they smoked 20.08 cigarettes per day (CPD), for a mean of 6.6 years, a mean Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score of 4.7, and obtained a mean breath carbon monoxide (CO) reading of 19.1 ppm. Smoking related adverse health outcomes were predictive of stages of change (SOC) motivation to quit smoking. Implication for cessation programs are discussed.
Rock failure mechanisms of flame-jet thermal spallation drilling—theory and experimental testing

Abstract Certain polycrystalline rocks will fracture into thin, disk-like fragments when exposed to rapid surface heating. Several current hard-rock drilling methods using supersonic flame-jets as heat sources exploit this behaviour for efficient granite quarrying or blasthole formation. The recent application of Weibull's theory of rock failure to quantitatively analyze rock spallation has been extended to allow prediction of chip size distributions and rock surface temperatures at spallation under any intense heat source. Therefore, with measured values of the Weibull distribution parameters, surface spallation temperatures can be estimated theoretically. However, finite-element analysis for intergranular stresses developed during transient heating prior to spall formation indicates that additional microcrack initiation will be favoured thereby altering Weibull parameters measured at room temperature. Nonetheless, experimentally observed spallation characteristics of Barre and Westerly granites are consistent with theory when mechanically determined Weibull parameters are substituted. Spallation temperatures induced by flame-jet heating were estimated to be below 520°C. In all cases, quartz or other mineral solid phase transitions are not expected at these conditions. Laser-induced spallation experiments were less successful, partially because extremely localized heating delivered by the beam greatly complicated the subsequent thermal stress analysis.
Pregnancy diagnosis in ewes by ultrasonic scanning.

Ultrasonic scanning was performed on 280 ewes to determine the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis using this technique. The study consisted of 3 phases: 1) detection of pregnancy by use of scans at various locations on the abdomen in relation to fetal age 2) assessment of accuracy of detection of single and multiple fetuses by use of a single scan and 3) evaluation of a composite scanning technique for detection of fetal numbers. 43 ewes were used in Phase 1 100 in Phase 2 and 137 in Phase 3. Pregnancy diagnosis could be determined with 100% accuracy in ewes in the last half of gestation by making a single scan on the abdomen just anterior to the udder; scans made near the navel were less accurate. In ewes carrying single and multiple fetuses accuracy of detection was 67% when a single scan was made midway between the navel and udder at 28-52 days before lambing. Accuracy of detection of single and multiple fetuses increased to 84% when a composite scanning technique was used involving both the right and left sides as well as the lower abdomen. The time of feeding before scanning did not affect the accuracy of detection of fetal numbers.
Far Detector Data Analysis and ν e Appearance Results

At this point all the predictions are finalized and the systematic errors estimated. The Far Detector data is ready to be analyzed, but before doing that it is useful to test the decomposition and the extrapolation processes in a sample that is devoid of a significant amount of signal events, in order to make one last check for weaknesses or failures in the analysis. Three particular samples are used as Far Detector sidebands.
Meta patterns for developing a minimalist training manual

Patterns to be used for the purpose of guiding a team writing training manuals for on-the-job training may be extracted from the work of John Carroll titled The Nurnberg Funnel. Such Patterns will capture the three core guidelines and eight principles of Minimalism. Minimalism asserts three core guidelines: More to Do, Less to Read, and Help with Errors. These three basic guidelines consist of eight principles: Training on Real Tasks, Getting Started Fast, Reasoning and Improving, Reading in Any Order, Coordinating System and Training, Supporting Error Recognition and Recovery, Exploiting Prior Knowledge, and Using the Situation. A team of writers using this set of Patterns guiding the writing process, preferably an Agile process, will produce a Minimal Manual based on the principles of Guided Exploration and consisting of a set of minimalist Guided Exploration Training Objects in the form of P-Forms. Such a manual will help individuals in self-guided study learn tasks on the job more quickly and more efficiently than typical Systems Manuals. This work borrows from the Pedagogical Patterns Project and Seminars Pattern Language wherever such is relevant.
The Role of Alanine and Glutamine in Steroid-Induced Nitrogen Wasting in Man

1. Administration of dexamethasone, 8 mg/day (0-02 mmol/day), for 5 days to normal subjects produced negative nitrogen balance, due to early and sustained increases in urinary urea nitrogen excretion 2. In eight subjects ingesting 0-9--1-6 g of protein day-1 kg-1 body weight the cumulative increment in urea nitrogen excretion averaged + 12-5 g (SEM 2-8, P less than 0-01) over the 5 days of glucocorticoid administration. 3. Increases in urinary urea nitrogen excretion could be related to both plasma alanine and blood glutamine changes by using a multiple regression equation. 4. These results suggest that corticosteroids induce increased release of alanine and glutamine by peripheral tissues, which may augment urea formation and negative nitrogen balance. 5. The correlation between increments in urea nitrogen excretion and increases in plasma arginine remains unexplained.
TU-FG-202-02: Modern Intracavitary GYN Brachytherapy

The greater use of magnetic resonance imaging (MR) in brachytherapy, for both image based planning and image guided procedures, presents a number of challenges for the physicist involved. MR is widely acknowledged as the imaging modality of choice to appreciate a patient's pelvic anatomy and is thus used more often for brachytherapy of gynecologic and prostate cancers. Incorporating MR in brachytherapy treatments requires changes throughout the clinical workflow from implantation through target definition, applicator digitization and post-implant evaluation. These presentations will review the some of the concerns encountered in image based brachytherapy environment, highlight the challenges to incorporating more information from MR, and discuss some of the technical developments underway to facilitate the further use of MR in brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: 1.To review the rationale for incorporating MR in image based brachytherapy for treatment of gynecologic and prostate cancers. 2.To review the technical challenges encountered when using brachytherapy devices in an MR environment. 3.To discuss some developments to facilitate MR based planning and guidance. J. Cunha, Phillips Healthcare
Intralaryngeal Anatomy of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

Detailed anatomical knowledge of the intralaryngeal course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is critical for performing complex thyroid surgery, partial laryngeal surgery, and selective reinnervation of the larynx specifically for rehabilitation of bilateral vocal fold paralysis and laryngeal transplant. The RLN enters the larynx at the level of the cricopharyngeus where it can divide into an anterior (motor) branch and posterior (sensory) branch; the anterior branch, typically termed the inferior laryngeal nerve, divides into several branches to the laryngeal muscle. First, the nerve innervates the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle, then the interarytenoid muscle, followed by innervation of the lateral cricoarytenoid and thyroarytenoid muscles distally. The posterior cricoarytenoid, interarytenoid, and lateral cricoarytenoid nerves display the most variability from human to human. This variability makes it difficult to reinnervate the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle completely without inadvertently innervating the interarytenoid. The sensory nerves to the larynx are very variable and it is likely that there is significant overlap in the distribution from the recurrent and superior laryngeal nerves. There is also some compelling evidence that there is a motor connection from the superior laryngeal nerve to the laryngeal adductors known as the human communicating nerve, however, the significance of this is unknown.
Synthesis of Cyberphysical Digital-Microfluidic Biochips for Real-Time Quantitative Analysis

Considerable effort has recently been directed toward the implementation of molecular bioassays on digital-microfluidic biochips (DMFBs). However, today’s solutions suffer from the drawback that multiple sample pathways are not supported and on-chip reconfigurable devices are not efficiently exploited. As a result, impractical manual intervention is needed to process protocols for gene-expression analysis. To overcome this problem, we first describe our benchtop experimental studies to understand gene-expression analysis and its relationship to the biochip design specification. We then introduce an integrated framework for quantitative gene-expression analysis using DMFBs. The proposed framework includes: 1) a spatial-reconfiguration technique that incorporates resource-sharing specifications into the synthesis flow; 2) an interactive firmware that collects and analyzes sensor data based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction; and 3) a real-time resource-allocation scheme that responds promptly to decisions about the protocol flow received from the firmware layer. This framework is combined with cyberphysical integration to develop the first design-automation framework for quantitative gene expression. Simulation results show that our adaptive framework efficiently utilizes on-chip resources to reduce time-to-result without sacrificing the chip’s lifetime.
Women in Non‐Traditional Work Fields

Among the ways women try to raise their standard of living is by entering non-traditional occupations, jobs from which they have long been excluded or marginalized for reasons of culture, discrimination, contract, or law. They have been attracted to these jobs in part because male-dominated employment generally pays better than female-dominated jobs. Comparing the concept “non-traditional” internationally and historically raises important paradoxes about the social construction of work. Keywords: activism; discrimination; gender development; patriarchy; social policy
Nanophotonic interactions between organic excitons and plasmonic metasurfaces(Conference Presentation)

Thin-film organic semiconductor materials are emerging as energy-efficient, versatile alternatives to inorganic semiconductors for display and solid-state lighting applications. Additionally, thin-film organic laser and photovoltaic technologies, while not yet competitive with inorganic semiconductor-based analogues, can exhibit small device embodied energies (due to comparatively low temperature and low energy-use fabrication processes) which is of interest for reducing overall device cost. To improve energy conversion efficiency in thin-film organic optoelectronics, light management using nanophotonic structures is necessary. Here, our recent work on improving light trapping and light extraction in organic semiconductor thin films using nanostructured silver plasmonic metasurfaces will be presented [1,2]. Numerous optical phenomena, such as absorption induced scattering, out-of-plane waveguiding and morphology-dependent surface plasmon outcoupling, are identified due to exciton-plasmon coupling between the organic semiconductor and the metasurface. Interactions between localized and propagating surface plasmon polaritons and the excitonic transitions of a variety of organic conjugated polymer materials will be discussed and ways in which these interactions may be optimized for particular optoelectronic applications will be presented. [1] C. E. Petoukhoff, D. M. O'Carroll, Absorption-Induced Scattering and Surface Plasmon Out-Coupling from Absorber-Coated Plasmonic Metasurfaces. Nat. Commun. 6, 7899-1-13 (2015). [2] Z. Shen, D. M. O'Carroll, Nanoporous Silver Thin Films: Multifunctional Platforms for Influencing Chain Morphology and Optical Properties of Conjugated Polymers. Adv. Funct. Mater. 25, 3302-3313 (2015).
Population and Conservation Genetics in an Endangered Lemur, Indri indri , Across Three Forest Reserves in Madagascar

Population decline and fragmentation often lead to reduced genetic diversity and population differentiation. Habitat destruction throughout Madagascar has caused population decline and extinction of many endemic species. Lemur populations, including those of the largest extant lemur, Indri indri, have been fragmented into remaining forest patches. We assessed the level of genetic diversity in indri populations in three protected reserves by genotyping a total of 43 individuals at 17 microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity in terms of heterozygosity was high in all three reserves, with no differences between reserves. Population structure and F ST analyses revealed Analamazaotra Forest Station and the Torotorofotsy Conservation Area, which are separated by ca. 18 km to be genetically differentiated from each other with some admixture. Betampona Strict Nature Reserve, which is separated from the other reserves by ca. 130 km, exhibited clear population genetic differentiation, with no signs of admixture with the other reserves. Our genetic diversity estimates are similar to those for other Indridae in similar habitats and may reflect past rather than current population processes, given that populations have declined recently. Our results suggest that Betampona may be genetically isolated and that it is important to maintain gene flow between remaining populations to prevent loss of genetic diversity for the future conservation of Indri indri.
Nonstationarities and Markov Switching Models

This paper proposes a flexible model that allows for recent changes observed in the US business cycle in the last six decades. It proposes a Markov switching model with three Markov processes to characterize the dynamics of US output fluctuations. We consider the possibility that both the mean and the variance of growth rates of real GDP can have short run fluctuations in addition to the possibility of a long run permanent break. We find that, differently from several alternative specifications in the literature, the proposed flexible framework successfully represents all business cycle phases, including the Great Recession. In addition, we find that the volatility of US output fluctuations has both a long run pattern, characterized by a structural break in 1984, as well as business cycle dynamics, in which periods of high uncertainty are associated with NBER recessions.
Development of an optically-based tension-indicating implanted orthopedic screw with a luminescent spectral ruler

An orthopaedic screw was designed with an optical tension-indicator to non-invasively quantify screw tension and monitor the load sharing between the bone and the implant. The screw both applies load to the bone, and measures this load by reporting the strain on the screw. The screw contains a colorimetric optical encoder that converts axial strain into colorimetric changes visible through the head of the screw, or luminescent spectral changes that are detected through tissue. Screws were tested under cyclic mechanical loading to mimic in-vivo conditions to verify the sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility of the sensor. In the absence to tissue, color was measured using a digital camera as a function of axial load on a stainless steel cannulated (hollow) orthopedic screw, modified by adding a passive colorimetric strain gauge through the central hole. The sensor was able to quantify clinically-relevant bone healing strains. The sensor exhibited good repeatability and reproducibility but also displayed hysteresis due to the internal mechanics of the screw. The strain indicator was also modified for measurement through tissue by replacing the reflective colorimetric sensor with a low-background X-ray excited optical luminescence signal. Luminescent spectra were acquired through 6 mm of chicken breast tissue. Overall, this research shows feasibility for a unique device which quantifies the strain on an orthopedic screw. Future research will involve reducing hysteresis by changing the mechanism of strain transduction in the screw, miniaturizing the luminescent strain gauge, monitoring bending as well as tension, using alternative luminescent spectral rulers based upon near infrared fluorescence or upconversion luminescence, and application to monitoring changes in pretension and load sharing during bone healing.
A Brief History of Limb Lengthening

In the last 35 years, orthopaedic surgeons have witnessed 3 major advances in the technique of limb lengthening: "distraction osteogenesis" facilitated by Gavriil Ilizarov method and infinitely-adaptable circular fixator with fine-wire bone fragment fixation; the introduction of the "6-strut" computer program-assisted circular fixators to effect complex deformity correction simultaneously; and the development of motorized intramedullary lengthening nails. However, the principles and associated complications of these techniques are on the basis of observations by Codivilla, Putti, and Abbott from as much as 110 years ago. This review notes the contribution of these pioneers in limb lengthening, and the contribution of Thor Heyerdahl principles of tolerance and diversity to the dissemination of Ilizarov principles to the Western world.
Barriers to Regionalized Surgical Care: Public Perspective Survey and Geospatial Analysis.

OBJECTIVE To describe public willingness to participate in regionalized surgical care for cancer. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Improved outcomes at high-volume centers following complex surgery have driven a push to regionalize surgical care. Patient attitudes toward regionalization are not well described. METHODS As part of the Cornell National Social Survey, a cross-sectional telephone survey was performed. Participants were asked about their willingness to seek regionalized care in a hypothetical scenario requiring surgery. Their responses were compared with demographic characteristics. A geospatial analysis of hospital proximity was performed, as well as a qualitative analysis of barriers to regionalization. RESULTS Cooperation rate was 48.1% with 1000 total respondents. They were an average of 50 years old (range 18 to 100 years) and 48.9% female. About 49.6% were unwilling to travel 5 hours or more to seek regionalized care for improved survival. Age >70 years [odds ratio (OR) 0.34, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.19-0.60] and perceived distance to a center >30 minutes (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.86) were associated with decreased willingness to seek regionalized care, while high income (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.39-3.16) was associated with increased willingness. Proximity to a major center was not associated with willingness to travel (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.67-1.22). Major perceived barriers to regionalization were transportation, life disruption, social support, socioeconomic resources, poor health, and remoteness. CONCLUSION Americans are divided on whether the potential for improved survival with regionalization is worth the additional travel effort. Older age and lower income are associated with reduced willingness to seek regionalized care. Multiple barriers to regionalization exist, including a lack of knowledge of the location major centers.
An Elderly Woman with a Fever After Traveling

A 74-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, left bundle branch block, apparently cured invasive melanoma, and a remote history of Lyme disease presented to the Emergency Department. She complained of daily fevers up to 104 °F (40 °C), rigors, and sweats for a week. She reported a dry cough without shortness of breath, sinus congestion, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dysuria, or urinary frequency. She resided in Illinois and had vacation homes in the Northwestern United States and coastal New England. She had traveled extensively during the last year, in the USA, Europe, Africa, and South America. She visited South Africa approximately 8 months earlier; she went to Kruger National Park and participated in game drives and walking safaris. She had visited Kenya 1 year before. She had not taken malaria prophylaxis for any of those trips. She denied any recent sick contacts or insect bites.
Graphical Methods for Data Analysis

(1984). Graphical Methods for Data Analysis. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 177-178.
Engaging communities as partners in research: Advancing integrated care through purposeful partnerships

Many researchers have recognized the value of integrating local communities’ customs and cultures into clinical interventions oriented to a variety of health-related foci, but few have done so effectively. Patients’ and families’ lived experience and wisdom continues to represent a largely untapped resource, and Western providers continue to design and test interventions through top-down, service-delivery approaches. As healthcare providers unilaterally impart care, patients and their families are rendered passive—and often powerless—in the healthcare system. In this chapter, the authors describe research approaches that emphasize and advance close collaboration between professional researchers and lay community members. These methods—including community-based participatory research, Citizen Health Care, and a variety of other collaborative learning and intervention methods—serve to flatten conventional hierarchies as all participants in the investigatory process work together to generate knowledge and solve local problems. We describe several examples of this type of innovative work and outline next steps and strategies for its continued expansion into mainstream health research.
The Major Histocompatibility Complex as a Source of Odors Imparting Individuality among Mice

For us, belonging, as we do, to a species in which olfactory recognition of any kind seems little more than a luxury, it requires an effort of imagination to envisage how crucial a part the recognition of identity by scent may play in the evolution and survival of a species like the mouse. The very word ‘envisage’ betrays our reliance on sight. How little the mouse depends on vision is illustrated by the fact that mutations causing gross retinal defects in laboratory strains may pass unnoticed, and that it is sometimes difficult even to determine whether the loss of sight caused by such mutations is partial or complete; so slight, apparently, is the disability of blind mice.
Translational Regulation in Adenovirus-Infected Cells

Adenoviruses comprise a large group of DNA viruses that infect humans, a variety of animals, and birds.1 The large number of different adenovirus serotypes display different tissue tropisms.2 Respiratory tract infections are associated with types 1–7 and 14, conjunctival infections with type 8, and enteric infections with types 12, 18, 21, 40, and 41. In addition, types 1, 2, 5, and 6 are associated with latent respiratory tract infections that may persist for months and occasionally years.3 Adenoviruses were originally studied because of their ability to induce a profound cytopathic effect and to alter basic cellular metabolism during infection. The investigation for the past 40 years of the complex cellular metabolic changes that occur during infection by adenovirus has contributed important fundamental information to the understanding of gene regulation in animal cells.
Probabilistic Unit Commitment under a Deregulated Market

In this paper, we propose a new formulation of the unit commitment problem that is suitable for the deregulated electricity market. Under these conditions, an electric power generation company will have the option to buy or sell from a power pool in addition to producing electricity on its own. We express the unit commitment problem as a stochastic optimization problem in which the objective is to maximize expected profits and the decisions are required to meet the standard operating constraints. Under the assumption of competitive market and price-taking, we show that the unit commitment problem for a collection of M generation units can be solved by considering each unit separately. The volatility of the spot market price of electricity is represented by a stochastic model. We use probabilistic dynamic programming to solve the stochastic optimization problem pertaining to unit commitment. We show that for a market of 150 units the proposed unit commitment can be accurately solved in a reasonable time by using the normal, Edgeworth, or Monte Carlo approximation methods.
The Value of Outpatient Imaging-Based Cancer Screening Episodes

In order to shift US health care towards greater value, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is exploring outpatient episode-based cost measures under the new Quality Payment Program and planning a bundled payment program that will introduce the first ever outpatient episodes of care. One novel approach to capitalize on this paradigm shift and extend bundled payment policies is to engage primary care physicians and specialists by bundling outpatient imaging studies and associated procedures—central tools in disease screening and diagnosis, but also tools that are expensive and susceptible to increasing health care costs and patient harm. For example, both breast and lung cancer screening represent target areas ripe for bundled payment given high associated costs and variation in management strategies and suboptimal care coordination between responsible clinicians. Benefits to imaging-based screening episodes include stronger alignment between providers (primary care physicians, radiologists, and other clinicians), reduction in unwarranted variation, creation of appropriateness standards, and ability to overcome barriers to cancer screening adherence. Implementation considerations include safeguarding against providers inappropriately withholding care as well as ensuring that accountability and financial risk are distributed appropriately among responsible clinicians.
A hybrid search agent in pommerman

In this paper, we explore the possibility of search-based agents in games with resource-intensive forward models. We implemented a player agent in the Pommerman framework and put it against the baseline agent to measure its performance. We implemented a heuristic agent and improved it by enabling depth-limited tree search in specific gameplay moments. We also compared different node selection methods during depth-limited tree search. Our result shows that depth-limited tree search is still viable when presented with inefficient forward models and exploitation-driven selection method is the most efficient in this specific domain.
Neurovascular Carotid and Vertebral Arterial Dissection and Blunt Vessel Injury

Neurovascular dissections are relatively common lesions that physicians involved in the care of cerebrovascular patients can expect to encounter. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of these lesions can mitigate significant neurologic complications. Medical therapy, while effective in most circumstances for nonhemorrhagic lesions, is occasionally inadequate to prevent ischemic symptoms, leading to a role for interventional treatment (open surgical or endovascular) to prevent stroke. Endovascular treatment with deconstructive or reconstructive techniques has become the dominant interventional strategy in the treatment of these lesions.
Dual-targeting by CRISPR/Cas9 leads to efficient point mutagenesis but only rare targeted deletions in the rice genome

The present study investigated the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 in creating genomic deletions as the basis of its application in removing selection marker genes or the intergenic regions. Three loci, representing a transgene and two rice genes, were targeted at two sites each, in separate experiments, and the deletion of the defined fragments was investigated by PCR and sequencing. Genomic deletions were found at a low rate among the transformed callus lines that could be isolated, cultured, and regenerated into plants harboring the deletion. However, randomly regenerated plants showed mixed genomic effects, and generally did not harbor heritable genomic deletions. To determine whether point mutations occurred at each targeted site, a total of 114 plants consisting of primary transgenic lines and their progeny were analyzed. Ninety-three plants showed targeting, 60 of which were targeted at both sites. The presence of point mutations at both sites was correlated with the guide RNA efficiency. In summary, genomic deletions through dual-targeting by the paired-guide RNAs were generally observed in callus, while de novo point mutations at one or both sites occurred at high rates in transgenic plants and their progeny, generating a variety of insertion–deletions or single-nucleotide variations. In this study, point mutations were exceedingly favored over genomic deletions; therefore, for the recovery of plant lines harboring targeted deletions, identifying early transformed clones harboring the deletions, and isolating them for plant regeneration is recommended.
Innovative pheno-network model in estimating crop phenological stages with satellite time series.

Abstract Large-scale remote monitoring of crop phenological development is vital for scheduling farm management activities and estimating crop yields. Tracking crop phenological progress is also crucial to understand agricultural responses to environmental stress and climate change. During the past decade, time series of remotely sensed imagery has been increasingly employed to monitor the seasonal growing dynamics of crops. A variety of curve-fitting based phenological methods have been developed to estimate critical phenological transition dates. However, those phenological methods are typically parametric by making mathematical assumptions of crop phenological processes and usually require year-long satellite observations for parameter training. The assumption and constraint make those methods inadequate for phenological monitoring in heavy cloud-contaminated regions or in complex agricultural systems. The objective of this study is to estimate crop phenological stages with satellite time series using a complex network-based phenological model (i.e., “pheno-network”). The innovative pheno-network model is non-parametric without mathematically defined phenological assumptions and can be constructed with partial-year remote sensing data. Rooted in network theory, the pheno-network model characterizes the complex phenological process with spectrally defined nodes and edges. It provides an innovative network representation to model the temporal dynamics of spectral reflectance of crops throughout the growing season. With corn and soybean in Illinois as a case study, the pheno-network model was devised to estimate their phenological transition dates along the leaf senescence trajectory from 2002 to 2017. Results indicated that the estimated transition dates of corn had strong correlation with its ground-observed mature stage. As for soybean, the estimated transition dates were closely associated with its dropping leaves stage. The pheno-network model shows marked potential to advance phenological monitoring in complex agricultural diversified and intensified systems.
Eliminating overdue fines for undergraduates: A six-year review

AbstractEffective for the 2012–2013 academic year, the Hilda C. Landers Library at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) eliminated daily overdue fines for undergraduates on books and some other ma...
Israel under siege: the politics of insecurity and the rise of the Israeli neo-revisionist right: by Raffaella A. Del Sarto, Washington, DC, Georgetown University Press, 2017, 296 pp., $32.95 (paperback), ISBN-10: 162616407X

Del Sarto has written an important and timely book on Israeli politics. The motivating puzzle of Israel Under Siege is how a fragmented and, in many ways, diverse polity such as Israel has converge...
Association of diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea with kidney transplant outcomes

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common but underdiagnosed among patients with kidney disease. This study examines whether the diagnosis of OSA in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) affected death, death-censored graft failure (DCGF), and acute rejection (AR). We analyzed the records of KTR who underwent transplant between 2000 and 2015. A total of 4014 kidney transplants were performed during the study period. Of these, 415 (10.3%) had a diagnosis of pretransplant OSA. Pretransplant OSA was associated with a higher risk of death in unadjusted analyses. After adjustment for potential confounders, pretransplant OSA was not associated with risk of death (HR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.80-1.36). Similarly, pretransplant OSA was associated with a slightly higher incidence of DCGF or AR but neither associations were significant (HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.85-1.47 for DCGF; HR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.90-1.36 for AR). A total of 117 (3.3%) were diagnosed with de novo OSA after transplant. Similar to the pretransplant OSA, unadjusted HR for death was significantly higher in the de novo OSA group (HR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.19-1.84); however, after adjustment, de novo OSA was not significantly associated with risk of death (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.92-1.45). Similarly, DCGF and AR rates were not significantly associated with de novo OSA (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.84-1.44 for DCGF; HR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.90-1.33 for AR). Our work did not detect significant associations between OSA and risk of death, graft failure, and rejection but the estimates might be underestimated due to underdiagnosis of OSA.
ISAR Imaging in the Presence of Quasi-Random Multiplicative Noise Using Convolutional Deep Learning

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging methods are well established. These methods utilize a variety of tools to estimate the spatial distribution of target energy from measurements in the k-space domain. These methods include inverse Fourier techniques, subspace methods such as MUSIC, and sparse optimization such as Compressive Sensing (CS). All these methods assume a linear signal model with a tolerable amount of additive Gaussian noise. However, in many real-world ISAR measurement scenarios, a significant amount of multiplicative noise or clutter may be present. Current linear imaging methods are not generally well suited for multiplicative noise, as they rely significantly on phase information that can be heavily distorted or randomized under random multiplicative processes. This paper will present a method for imaging a target in the presence of a specific type of time-varying multiplicative noise using a convolutional classification neural network [1] – [4] .
Simulation of cryo-EM ensembles from atomic models of molecules exhibiting continuous conformations

Molecular machines visit a continuum of conformational states as they go through work cycles required for their metabolic functions. Single-molecule cryo-EM of suitable in vitro systems affords the ability to collect a large ensemble of projections depicting the continuum of structures and assign occupancies, or free energies, to the observed states. Through the use of machine learning and dimension reduction algorithms it is possible to determine a low-dimensional free energy landscape from such data, allowing the basis for molecular function to be elucidated. In the absence of ground truth data, testing and validation of such methods is quite difficult, however. In this work, we propose a workflow for generating simulated cryo-EM data from an atomic model subjected to conformational changes. As an example, an ensemble of structures and their multiple projections was created from heat shock protein Hsp90 with two defined conformational degrees of freedom. All scripts for reproducing this workflow are available online.
Predicting Swallowing Outcomes from Objective Videofluoroscopic Timing and Displacement Measures in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy compromises swallowing efficiency and safety in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The resulting dysphagia leads to overall morbidity, with altered diets, reduced nutritional intake, reduced quality of life, and potential interruption of curative cancer treatment. Despite well-documented radiation-related changes in swallowing physiology, scarce research exists on the potential clinical value for measurements of swallowing timing and displacement in this population. This study investigated the discriminatory value of quantitative timing and displacement parameters for the Functional Oral Intake Scale and Penetration Aspiration Scale scores using pre- and post-radiation videofluoroscopy data. Swallowtail Software Version 1 (Belldev Medical, Arlington Heights, IL) was used to obtain objective timing and displacement measurements from the pre- and post-radiation videofluoroscopy data for 31 patients who underwent radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy, for head and neck cancer. The total pharyngeal transit time (BP2) (p < 0.000, r = 0.43) in pudding bolus trials and the maximal upper esophageal sphincter opening (PESMax/cm) (p = 0.001, r = 0.31) in thin bolus trials were discriminatory for Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). Findings suggest that measurement of post-radiation changes using objective and quantitative parameters may offer some discriminatory value regarding future dysphagia risk and prognosis based on total pharyngeal transit time and degree of UES opening. In addition, the results suggest that different bolus types may offer different discriminatory values in HNC population, and that some timing and displacement variables may have discriminatory value for patients’ diet levels independent from any aspiration risk.
Spyware vs. Spyware: Software Conflicts and User Autonomy

In July 2019, Apple silently updated macOS to uninstall a feature in the Zoom web-conferencing software from users' computers. Far from being an abberation, this is an example of a common but under-appreciated pattern. Numerous programs deliberately delete or interfere with each other, raising a bewildering variety of legal issues. Unfortunately, the most common heuristics for resolving disputes about what software can and cannot do fail badly on software-versus-software conflicts. Bad Software Is Bad, which holds that regulators should distinguish helpful software from harmful software, has a surprisingly hard time telling the difference. So does Software Freedom, which holds that users should have the liberty to run any software they want: it cannot by itself explain what software users actually want. And Click to Agree, which holds that users should be held to the terms of the contracts they accept, falls for deceptive tricks, like the the virus with a EULA. Each of these heuristics contains a core of wisdom, but each is incomplete on its own. To make sense of software conflicts, we need a theory of user autonomy, one that connects users' goals to their choices about software. Law should help users delegate important tasks to software. To do so, it must accept the diversity of users' skills and goals, be realistic about which user actions reflect genuine choices, and pay close attention to the communicative content of software.