cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemic of Obesity in African American Communities and the Need for a Culturally Sensitive After School Childhood Obesity Prevention Program

An after-school obesity prevention program for African American children is proposed in this paper. The prevention program is a behavioral education program designed to facilitate healthy behavior changes in obesity self-care and provide culturally sensitive interventions specifically for obese African American children. The self-care concepts addressed involve: knowledge of obesity, exercise, and nutrition. The culturally sensitive interventions address the problems of low self-esteem, communication, and ineffective family coping. The implementation of the after-school obesity program included four phases: needs assessment, planning and goal setting, implementation, and monitoring for progress. This afterschool education program is designed to promote self-care, family support, and improve the quality of life for obese African American children.
Hierarchical Polymer Microlattice Structures

In this paper, we describe a rapid method for fabricating a low density polymer microlattice with structural organization on two length scales. The topology of this hierarchical cellular structure is achieved through the in situ formation of a microlattice with small-scale lattice members (≈100 µm diameter) within a microlattice with approximately 12 times larger feature sizes. Compression experiments suggest that an increase in the specific plateau stress is realized by the introduction of hierarchy.
Determination of surface resistance and magnetic penetration depth of superconducting YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7- delta / thin films by microwave power transmission measurements

A novel waveguide power transmission measurement technique has been developed to extract the complex conductivity ( sigma *= sigma /sub 1/-j sigma /sub 2/) of superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies. The microwave conductivity of two laser-ablated YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7- delta / thin films on LaAlO/sub 3/ with transition temperatures (T/sub c/) of approximately 86.3 and 82 K, respectively, in the temperature range 25 to 300 K was determined. From the conductivity values, the authors calculated the penetration depth ( lambda ) to be approximately 0.54 and 0.43 mu m and the surface resistance (R/sub s/) to be approximately 24 and 36 m Omega at 36 GHz and 76 K for the two films under consideration. The R/sub s/ values were then compared to those obtained from the change in the Q-factor of a 36-GHz TE/sub 011/-mode oxygen-free, high-conductivity (OFHC) copper cavity by replacing one of its end walls with the superconducting sample. It was found that this technique allows noninvasive characterization of high-T/sub c/ superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies.
The new seismic vault at Fordham

The William K. Spain Seismic Station of Fordham University was moved from its former position on the campus to the site it now occupies, adjacent to the Physics Building, Freeman Hall. A diagram was shown to demonstrate the set-up of the piers, six in number, with the center pier, a semicircular one, enabling the adjustments of instruments from either side with greater ease. The new waterproofing cement was described, as well as the dehumidifying unit which has been giving excellent results since its installation.
Learning to Move

Locomotion-moving the body from place to place-is one of infants' greatest achievements. In addition to conquering gravity, infants must cope with variable and novel constraints on balance and propulsion. At the same time that they are learning to move, changes in infants' bodies, skills, and environments change the biomechanical constraints on movement. Recent work highlights both flexibility and specificity in infants' responses to novel and variable situations, demonstrating that infants are learning to learn as they master locomotion. Within sitting, crawling, cruising, and walking postures, experienced infants adapt their locomotor responses to the current biomechanical constraints on movement. However, what infants have learned about coping with variability and novelty in earlier-developing postures does not transfer to later-developing postures.
VAPRES: a virtual architecture for partially reconfigurable embedded systems

Due to the runtime flexibility offered by field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), FPGAs are popular devices for stream processing systems, since many stream processing applications require runtime adaptability (i.e. throughput, data transformations, etc.). FPGAs can offer this adaptability through runtime assembly of stream processing systems that are decomposed into hardware modules. Runtime hardware module assembly consists of dynamic hardware module replacement and hardware module communication reconfiguration. In this paper, we architect a flexible base embedded system amenable to runtime assembly of stream processing systems using custom communication architecture with dynamic streaming channel establishment between hardware modules. We present a hardware module swapping methodology that replaces hardware modules without stream processing interruption. Finally, we formulate two design flows, system and application construction, to provide system and application designer assistance.
States and state-preparing procedures in quantum mechanics

d'Espagnat and others have shown that different preparation procedures that mix systems prepared in inequivalent states and are objectively different are nevertheless assigned the same state. This unpalatable result follows from the usual interpretative rules of quantum mechanics. It is shown here that this result is incompatible with the strengthened interpretative rules (requiring randomness of the measurement outcome sequence) recently proposed. Thus the randomness requirement restores reasonableness.
Articulation Before Extension of Education

Current British education is reviewed, including primary and secondary schools, colleges of technology, and engineering schools. Some of the relative weaknesses, particularly the lack of articulation, in the United States educational system, are noted. Conclusions are that the goals of engineering education should seek to eliminate waste and inefficiency prior to considering extension of the time needed to acquire the basic professional degree in engineering.
Global Perspectives on Workplace Harassment

This panel discussion features Law Professors Vicki Schultz, Tanya Hernandez, and David Yamada, Sociology Professor Abigail Saguy and Yale Law School graduate Gabrielle Friedman discussing sexual harassment law in global, comparative terms. Different conceptions of harassment - including sexual advances, gender harassment, racial intimidation, mobbing, bullying and ostracization - are elaborated in the context of discussing how harassment is understood and deal with in the United States, Latin America, Germany, France, and continentual Europe, and Northern Europe, Canada and the United Kingdom. This work should be of interest to scholars of discrimination and harassment and comparative law.
Putting Errors of Beginning Golfers Using Different Points of Aim

Abstract One hundred college students classified as beginning golfers were divided into two groups to study the effect of visual orientation on putting skill and to determine if errors made by beginners tend to follow characteristic patterns over varying distances and terrains. The experimental group putted while looking at the hole; the control group looked at the ball while putting. Each group was given instruction until a minimal skill level was obtained. Each subject putted 25 times from three different distances over four types of terrain. No significant difference was shown between the two methods of visual orientation. Characteristic errors did appear among beginners which were influenced by distance putted and variations in terrain.
Joint Attention and the Social Phenotype of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Perspective From Developmental Psychopathology

This chapter describes the way translational research on the development of joint attention and social cognition has changed how we view the social challenges of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We begin with a brief historical review of the conceptualization of ASD. Then, a review of the typical development of joint attention and underlying neural systems, within a dynamic systems, parallel and distributed processing model framework, is provided. A section on the relation between social impairment and joint attention in ASD follows. The chapter then concludes with explicit links among social-developmental research, neural connectivity and genetics, ocular motor control, and intervention in ASD. Suggestions for future avenues of theory, research, and translational intervention are provided. Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Joint Attention; Dynamic Systems; Parallel and Distributed Processing Model; Neural Systems
A Perspective on Chinamerican Literature

Asian-Americans were greatly affected by the events and movements of the 1960s and early '70s: Black nationalism, Feminism, and the Vietnam War. Vietnam was particularly a catalyst because here again was a war in which Asian-Americans were fighting both with and against other Asians, as they had done in World War II and the Korean Conflict. The daily television news broadcasts, showing Asians starving, escaping from burning homes, wandering as refugees, and dying in mud, revolutionized this restrained, reticent, formerly silent minority. Chinese-Americans then began to turn away from the philosophy of Lao Tze, which had served them in good stead for generations and which Dr. Lin Yu-tang recognized and expressed in the following passage from his novel, Chinatown Family (1948):
Digital Technology and Student Cognitive Development The Neuroscience of the University Classroom

Digital technology has proven a beguiling, some even venture addictive, presence in the lives of our 21st century (millennial) students. And while screen technology may offer select cognitive benef...
Chronic carbachol pretreatment decreases adenylyl cyclase activity in airway smooth muscle

In airway smooth muscle, the regulation of adenylyl cyclase, the enzyme that synthesizes adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, is under dual regulation by G protein-coupled receptors. It is unknown if chronic activation of muscarinic receptors in airway smooth muscle alters the stimulatory adenylyl cyclase cascade to decrease airway relaxation. Bovine airway smooth muscle pretreated with carbachol for 18 h, but not for 30 min or 2 h, showed decreased adenylyl cyclase activity under basal conditions and in response to isoproterenol, prostaglandin E1, GTP, and forskolin. The quantity of beta-adrenergic receptors or of Gi alpha proteins was unaffected by carbachol pretreatment. The effect of carbachol pretreatment was blocked by the inclusion of atropine or the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor staurosporine. These results suggest that chronic but not acute agonist pretreatment of muscarinic receptors decreases in adenylyl cyclase stimulation at a site distal to receptors and that this effect is mediated by the chronic activation of PKC via the M3 muscarinic receptor.
Dynamics of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Macrophages From Delayed‐Type Hypersensitivity (Schistosoma mansoni egg) and Foreign‐Body‐Type Granulomas

The present study examines the kinetics of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism by murine macrophages isolated from sites of experimentally induced pulmonary granulomatous inflammation. Macrophages of T-cell-mediated hypersensitivity lesions induced by Schistosoma mansoni eggs (SE-GM) and non-T-cell-mediated foreign-body-type lesions (FB-GM) induced by Sephadex beads were examined. Overall, macrophages from both types of lesions produced mainly lipoxygenase pathway metabolites, leukotrienes, and monohydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (mono-HETEs). Early after induction (4 days [4D]), SE-GM showed an augmented zymosan-stimulated AA release and metabolism compared to resident peritoneal macrophages. Macrophages from mature lesions (8-32D) showed constitutive synthesis of metabolites and were refractory to zymosan stimulation. Both SE-GM and FB-GM showed augmented AA uptake incorporating a large proportion into neutral lipids. A direct comparison of SE-GM and FB-GM revealed that the T-cell-mediated lesion produced lesser amounts of prostaglandins and leukotrienes and showed reduced incorporation of AA into phosphatidylcholine. These data suggest that AA metabolism by granuloma macrophages is sequentially modified during recruitment and activation at sites of chronic inflammation.
Teacher Adaptations to a Core Reading Program: Increasing Access to Curriculum for Elementary Students in Urban Classrooms

ABSTRACTThis article examines how three urban elementary school teachers adapted pedagogical strategies from a school district–adopted core reading program to increase their students’ access to the curriculum. Using teacher interviews and classroom observations to construct a descriptive case study of teacher adaptation, analysis reveals that the teachers: (a) provided social scaffolds that engaged students in a reading community, (b) repositioned students as active participants in constructing knowledge, and (c) embedded reading within authentic experiences. Results suggest that increased attention to when, how, and why teachers make adaptations to core curriculum programs is needed to ensure student access.
Alterations in macrophage phenotypes in experimental venous thrombosis

Objective Macrophages are involved in venous thrombus (VT) resolution and vein wall remodeling. This study was undertaken to identify variations in macrophage phenotypes in thrombi and vein wall in multiple models of VT to clarify the natural history of macrophage polarization in clearance of VT. We also sought to demonstrate the feasibility of macrophage phenotyping in human VT. Methods Established murine models of VT were used to mimic the clinical spectrum of human VT (stasis and nonstasis models). Vein wall and thrombi were isolated at acute (2 days) or chronic (6-21 days) time points and analyzed by Bio-Plex assay (Bio-Rad, Carlsbad, Calif) for cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12), by immunohistochemistry for “M1-like” (IL-12) or “M2-like” (arginase 1 [Arg-1]) markers, and by histology for intimal thickness and collagen content (Sirius red staining). Bone marrow was harvested from animals 2 days after undergoing sham, stasis, or nonstasis surgery. Macrophages were skewed toward M1 using lipopolysaccharide, and RNA analysis was done for inflammatory cytokine genes (IL-1β, IL-12). Human blood samples were similarly analyzed with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for macrophage polarization markers (CD206, inducible nitric oxide synthase, CCR2) and thrombi with immunohistochemistry (inducible nitric oxide synthase, Arg-1). Results Stasis (chronic) and nonstasis (acute and chronic) thrombi were characterized by a predominance in anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages (n = 4-5/group; P P P = .03; IL-12, P = .17; n = 4) and diminished inflammatory response of bone marrow-derived macrophages to lipopolysaccharide (IL-1β, P = .03; IL-12, P = .04; n = 4) compared with nonstasis model. Anti-inflammatory (M2 [Arg-1]) macrophage cell counts were elevated in the post-thrombotic vein wall of stasis mice compared with nonstasis mice (acute: n = 4, P P P P = .005; n = 12). M2-like thrombi (Arg-1, P P Conclusions Experimental VT is characterized by an anti-inflammatory predominant macrophage phenotype, possibly impairing thrombus resolution, and is model dependent. Altering the M1/M2 macrophage balance may accelerate thrombus resolution and allow the development of translatable novel therapies to treat VT and to prevent post-thrombotic syndrome.
Anesthesia Maintenance and Vigilance: Examining Task Switching

Limited research has focused on vigilance during the maintenance phase of anesthesia work. The goal of this study was to identify anesthesia maintenance tasks and to identify the transitions betwee...
Effect of Androgen on Normal Biodistribution of [18F]-2’-Fluoro-5-methyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (18F-FMAU) in Athymic Non-tumor-bearing Male Mice

Aim We assessed the association between the presence and absence of androgen on the normal biodistribution of the positron emission tomography (PET) cellular proliferation imaging biomarker, [18F]-2'-Fluoro-5-methyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (18F-FMAU), in mice. Materials and methods Non-castrated (n=4) and castrated (n=4) athymic non-tumor-bearing male mice served as models for presence and absence, respectively, of androgen. MicroPET-CT scans were performed 1 h following tail vein administration of 200 uCi of 18F-FMAU. Imaging was performed at baseline and then at 7-day intervals longitudinally for 35 days only in castrated mice following subcutaneous introduction of a 12.5 mg, 21-day release, dihydrotestosterone pellet. Mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) were obtained for liver, heart, and muscle. Several two-group comparisons of average of SUVmean were performed. Results Pre-pellet baseline average SUVmean (±s.d.) values in castrated mice were significantly lower than baseline non-castrated values, increased on day 15 and reached peak values on day 28, at which time they were significantly higher than corresponding baseline levels in both non-castrated and pre-pellet castrated mice. The peak values decreased significantly following dihydrotestosterone withdrawal. Conclusion There is a significant modulatory effect of androgen on normal 18F-FMAU uptake levels in mice liver, heart and muscle tissues.
Emissions Control Challenges for Compression Ignition Engines

Abstract As emission standards continue to evolve, it is clear that future engine control strategies will involve the integration of combustion optimization, fuel refinement and advanced exhaust after-treatment technologies. The West Virginia University (WVU) Center for Alternative Fuels Engines and Emissions (CAFEE) continues to engage the challenge of future regulation in a multi-pronged approach, investigating advanced combustion regimes, alternative fuels, and next-generation emissions control technology. Results presented herein summarize recent regulatory challenges for compression ignition engines and discuss future pathways.
A phase I trial of mifepristone (M), carboplatin (C), and gemcitabine (G) in advanced breast and ovarian cancer.

1083Background: Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, and GR antagonism with m enhances chemotherapy sensitivity in GR+ breast (B) and ovarian cancer (OC) c...
Analysis of Models Predicting Morphology Transitions in Reactive Twin-Screw Extrusion of Bio-Based Polyester/Polyamide Blends

Abstract Immiscible PLA/PA11 of 80/20 and 50/50 wt% were compatibilized through addition of p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) catalyst in reactive ultra-high speed twin-screw extrusion. Two mixing screw designs were compared for their ability to disperse the PA11 droplets in the PLA matrix as a function of screw speed up to 2000 rpm. The size and polydispersity of droplets of dispersed PA11 decreased when a high shear (HS) screw was used, whereas broad droplet size distribution was produced in the low shear (LS) screw. Two models predicting the droplet size dependence on shear rate, viscosity ratio and interfacial tension were fit to the experimental data. The Serpe model including volume fraction effects produced a better fit compared to the Wu model, which does not include volume fraction effects. Mechanical testing indicated that the compatibility of PLA/PA11 blends was improved through addition of TsOH catalyst for 50/50 wt% blends due to ester – amide exchange reactions at the interfaces in the immiscibl...
The New Public Address System: Why Do World Leaders Adopt Social Media?

The growth of social media—and, in particular, Twitter and Facebook—has led scholars to study its effects on mass behavior and protest. But leaders are also active on social media. They use their accounts to communicate with domestic and international audiences. By the end of 2014, more than 76 percent of world leaders had an active presence on social media. What explains variation in their adoption and use of social media? We look at several different potential hypotheses: higher income per capita and internet penetration (modernization), social pressure, level of democratization, and geographic spread of adoption (diffusion). We find strong support that (1) increased political pressure from social unrest and (2) higher levels of democratization correlate with leader adoption of social media platforms. Although our findings are correlational, they reveal that institutional and political pressures are related to social media adoption and the political communication of world leaders.
Researcher, Heal Thyself?

“You see doctor, when I found out you had Marfan syndrome and I saw that you were pregnant, I felt so jealous I could not stand it. Then I realized, if you did it, maybe I could, too.” My mind raced with ways to respond. I did not answer as quickly as usual. She took my pause as an opportunity to continue… “You know, I love my foster babies. I feel so blessed. It’s just hard to wake up every morning and remember that they can be taken away. I have three now…they are siblings. Their mother is addicted to drugs. But I think she is pregnant again, so I might be able to have four children.” My patient looked into my eyes intently. I continued to listen. “You give me so much hope. I thought I would die if I tried to have a baby, so my husband got a vasectomy. But if it is possible for me to carry a baby, he will try to have it reversed. Please doctor, tell me the truth. Is it safe for me to have a baby?” I usually do not disclose my diagnosis to my patients. I have always felt that my role as a physician is to ease THEIR suffering, not mine. I learned very early in my training that patient visits should …
Intracranial and Extracranial Neurovascular Manifestations of Takayasu Arteritis (P6.255)

Objective: Examine the characteristics and prevalence of neurovascular imaging abnormalities, both intra- and extracranial, among patients with a clinical diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. Background: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a rare, large-vessel vasculitis that presents with symptoms related to end-organ ischemia. While the extracranial neurovascular manifestations of TA are well established, little is known regarding the intracranial manifestations. In this study, we characterize the intracranial and cervical neurovascular radiological findings in patients with TA. Design/Methods: TA patients who presented to our institution between 2001 and 2016 with intracranial and/or cervical vascular imaging were included in this study. Images were evaluated for the presence of vascular abnormalities including intracranial or extracranial stenosis, vessel wall thickening, dissection, subclavian steal, aneurysms, infarcts, and hemorrhages. Descriptive analyses are reported. Results: Seventy-nine TA patients met criteria for inclusion in this study. The most common presenting neurologic symptoms were and headache (32.9%) and dizziness (15.2%). Intracranial and extracranial vascular imaging was performed in 84.8% and 89.9% of patients, respectively. Among patients with intracranial vascular imaging, three (3.9%) had intracranial aneurysms, three (3.9%) had acute large vessel occlusion, five (6.5%) had intracranial vasculitis, and one (1.3%) had reversible cerebrovascular constriction syndrome. Among patients with cervical vascular imaging, 42 (53.1%) had some degree of narrowing of the CCA and 18 (22.8%) had narrowing of the ICAs. Seventeen patients (23.6%) had subclavian steal. Conclusions: Intracranial vascular abnormalities in TA patients presenting with neurological symptoms are not rare, with cerebral vasculitis seen in 7.8% of patients and stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion in 3.9% of patients. Cervical vascular manifestations of TA were present in the majority of patients in our study. Disclosure: Dr. Bond has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nasr has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lehman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lanzino has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cloft has received personal compensation for activities with Medtronic Inc. Dr. Cloft has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for American Journal of Neuroradiology. Dr. Brinjikji has nothing to disclose.
Efficient Protein Expression and Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Plants Using a Crinivirus-Derived Vector.

Plant virus-based vectors are valuable tools for recombinant gene expression and functional genomics for both basic and applied research. In this study, Lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) of the genus Crinivirus was engineered into a virus vector that is applicable for efficient protein expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in plants. We examined gene replacement and “add a gene” strategies to develop LIYV-derived vectors for transient expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The latter yielded higher GFP expression and was further examined by testing the effects of heterologous controller elements (CEs). A series of five vector constructs with progressively extended LIYV CP sgRNA CEs were tested, the longest CE gave the highest GFP expression but lower virus accumulation. The whitefly transmissibility of the optimized vector construct to other host plants, and the capability to accommodate and express a larger gene, a 1.8 kb β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, were confirmed. Furthermore, the LIYV vector was also validated VIGS by silencing the endogenous gene, phytoene desaturase (PDS) in N. benthamiana plants, and the transgene GFP in N. benthamiana line 16c plants. Therefore, LIYV-derived vectors could provide a technical reference for developing vectors of other economically important criniviruses.
Mesoscale Analysis of Blood Flow

Blood flow in the cardiovascular system and its interaction with the vessel walls plays a crucial role in health and disease. Individual blood cells play varied and vital roles in the circulation, including transport of nutrients and dissolved gases (red blood cells), fighting infections and disease (white blood cells), and healing of wounds (platelets). Malfunctioning of blood cells can result in pathologies such as sickle cell disease (red blood cells), ischemia (white blood cells), atherosclerosis (white blood cells and platelets) and thrombosis (platelets and red blood cells). To better understand the behavior of blood cells and their role in health and disease, microscale models that capture the dynamics of individual cells and their interactions with other cells/vessel walls can be very useful. However, since even micro-volumes of blood contain extremely large numbers of cells, connecting blood flow phenomena to cell dynamics and cell–cell/cell–wall interactions limits the usefulness of micro-scale models. Mesoscale models that do not model individual cells in detail, but allow for the treatment of large numbers of cells can provide important insights into the impact of the particulate nature of blood; such mesoscale models can represent transport phenomena, aggregation/disaggregation of cell clusters, collisional interactions of cells with each other and with walls and other phenomena important to healthy and pathological states in the circulation. This chapter describes the important features of such mesoscale models of blood; the treatment of the particulate nature of blood and the modeling and simulation of cell–cell and cell–surface interactions are covered. The examples presented illustrate the state of the art in mesoscale modeling of blood flow.
Theoretical Foundations of MMT

In the summer of 1996, as we were in the process of completing this book, the news came that Professor Thomas Kuhn had died. In the postscript to the second edition of his seminal book on the structure of scientific revolutions, Kuhn had commented that it is permissible to mix normative and descriptive contexts.1 He suggested that: “⋯ one set of reasons for taking the theory seriously is that scientists, whose methods have been developed and selected for their success, do in fact behave as the theory says they should” (p. 208). Kuhn described scientific development as “a succession of tradition-bound periods punctuated by noncumulative breaks” (p. 208). Thus science progresses in unplanned leaps, from one cannonic set of knowledge, methods and beliefs, to another. Kuhn introduced the notion of the paradigm as such a traditional set which is passed over in the progression of science.
When Do Degree Centrality and Tie Strength Centrality have Divergent Validity

Scholars often debate whether degree centrality–the total number of ties that connect to an actor–or tie strength centrality–the total strength of those ties–is the more appropriate measure of how ...
Spinal cord injury providers' perceptions of barriers to implementing selected clinical practice guideline recommendations.

Background/Objective: Twelve focus groups were conducted at 6 Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Centers. The purpose of these focus groups was to identify provider-perce...
Changes in Utilization and Expenditures for Medicare Beneficiaries in Patient-centered Medical Homes: Findings From the Multi-Payer Advanced Primary Care Practice Demonstration.

Background Patient-centered medical homes are expected to reduce expenditures by increasing the use of primary care services, shifting care from inpatient to outpatient settings, and reducing avoidable utilization. Under the Multi-Payer Advanced Primary Care Practice (MAPCP) Demonstration, Medicare joined Medicaid and commercial payers in 8 states to support ongoing patient-centered medical home initiatives. Objective To evaluate the effects of the MAPCP Demonstration on health care utilization and expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries. Research design We used difference-in-differences regression modeling to estimate changes in utilization and expenditures before and after the start of the MAPCP Demonstration, comparing beneficiaries engaged with MAPCP Demonstration practices to beneficiaries engaged with primary care practices that were not medical homes. Qualitative data collected during annual site visits provided contextual information on participating practices to inform interpretations of the demonstration outcomes. Subjects Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries attributed to MAPCP Demonstration practices or to comparison group practices. Measures Medicare claims were used to measure total Medicare expenditures and utilization and expenditures for inpatient, emergency room, primary care, and specialist services. Results Despite the transformation of practices over the demonstration period, there was minimal evidence of a shift to more efficient utilization of health care services, and only 1 state saw a statistically significant reduction in total per-beneficiary expenditures. Conclusions Although the MAPCP Demonstration did not have strong, consistent impacts on utilization and expenditures, this evaluation provides insights that may be useful for the design of future health care transformation models.
Broadband optical sensing/detection technology for missile systems

Researchers from the U.S. Army, along with university scientists, are implementing efforts to develop a hyperspectral/broadband and/or ultraviolet (UV) sensing technology for target discrimination. The Army’s primary goal is to advance the development of fast reliable broadband optics techniques that can quickly identify and ascertain an indication of the geometric shape/compositional structure of various materials encountered on the battlefield. Samples of a variety of cement-based, metal, and composite materials are assembled and investigated to determine each sample’s spectra optical reflectance and absorption properties after being exposed to varying optical wavelengths. The optical wavelengths are generated from deuterium, halogen, and white light sources. The light intensity ratios are used to create data points which allowed for the identification of unique characteristics of each sample material. Broadband visible and near infrared (NIR) sources (deuterium and halogen) are reflected off the samples and the spectrometric reflections were captured. Several light intensity ratios are used and compared to distinguish the samples and error bars are created. While the initial results indicated that the halogen source may be used to distinguish most of the sample materials (and perhaps stand-alone versions of the other wavelength sources may not be sufficient), combinations of wavelengths/laser diodes with broadband light sources were used to determine if the identification/characteristics of each sample could be achieved. Results outlined in this paper include the current progress made toward the development of broadband optics sensing methodologies and instrumentation for identifying and discriminating the geometric configurations/formations of various battlefield materials.
Hardware-Based Probabilistic Threat Detection and Estimation for Embedded Systems

With billions of networked connected embedded systems, the security historically provided by the isolation of embedded systems is no longer sufficient. Both proactive security measures that prevent intrusions and reactive measures that detect intrusions are essential. Anomaly-based detection is a common reactive approach employed to detect malware that has evaded proactive defenses by observing anomalous deviations in the system execution. Timing-based anomaly detection detects malware by monitoring the system's internal timing, which offers unique protection against mimicry malware compared to sequence-based anomaly detection. However, previous timing-based anomaly detection methods focus on each operation independently at the granularity of tasks, function calls, system calls, or basic blocks. These approaches neither consider the entire software execution path nor provide a quantitative estimate of the presence of malware. This paper presents a novel model for specifying the normal timing for execution paths in software applications using cumulative distribution functions of timing data in sliding execution windows. We present a probabilistic formulation for estimating the presence of malware for individual operations and sequences of operations within the paths, and we define thresholds to minimize false positives based on training data. Experimental results with a smart connected pacemaker and three sophisticated mimicry malware demonstrate improved performance and accuracy compared to state-of-the-art timing-based malware detection.
Reactive Collision Avoidance Using Real-Time Local Gaussian Mixture Model Maps

In unknown, cluttered environments, robots require online real-time mapping and collision checking in order to navigate robustly. Discrete map representations are inefficient for collision checking as they are expensive in terms of memory and computation. This paper takes a probabilistic approach to local mapping by representing the environment as a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and leverages its geometric properties to enable efficient collision checking given a time-parameterized trajectory. In contrast to current discretization-based methods, a GMM preserves geometric coverage of the environment without losing representation accuracy with varying map resolutions. We introduce a novel GMM local mapping algorithm that can be used with a single depth camera processed on a single CPU, and provide algorithms for collision avoidance given arbitrary trajectory representations. Finally, we provide experimentation results demonstrating safety, efficiency, and data coverage for real-time collision avoidance with a quadrotor navigating in a cluttered environment.
Past, Present, and Future of Texas Industrial Minerals

Texas is a major producer of industrial mineral resources required by the state’s ever-growing population that now exceeds 28 million. Texas typically ranks in the top three states for the value of non-fuel mineral production with a total value of $5.2 billion in 2017, accounting for 6.9% of the total US mineral value. Almost 90% of current Texas industrial mineral value comes from the production of cement, crushed stone, industrial sand, and construction sand and gravel. Construction material consumption is focused in the 25 metropolitan areas of the state with populations of > 100,000 residents. Industrial mineral consumption is dominated by the four most populous regions of the state—Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio-New Braunfels, and Austin-Round Rock—with an aggregate population of more than 18 million. More than 11,000 employees work in Texas mining and processing operations. Texas produces more crushed stone than any other state from more than 200 quarries; a similar number of operations produce sand and gravel. Specialty industrial sand production for use as proppants in hydraulic fracturing for enhanced petroleum production serves as an excellent example of how developments in one industry sector can markedly affect another industry; the production of industrial sand in Texas has markedly increased over the past decade, reaching $1.3 billion in 2014. With Texas’ population projected to reach 50 million by 2050, continuing in-state development and production of industrial minerals will be required to supply its residential, commercial, and industrial users. Favorable geology and economic factors provide opportunities for identification and development of new industrial mineral production sites.
Ionothermal Synthesis of Four New Nickel Thiophosphate Anions: [Ni(P2S8)2]2-, [Ni(P3S9)(P2S8)]3-, [Ni(P3S9)2]4-, and [(NiP3S8)4(PS4)]7-.

Compounds (IV)—(VII) are ionothermally prepared from the elements and their structures are determined by single crystal XRD.
Hecke operators on rational functions I

We define Hecke operators Um that sift out every m-th Taylor series coefficient of a rational function in one variable, defined over the reals. We prove several structure theorems concerning the eigenfunctions of these Hecke operators, including the pleasing fact that the point spectrum of the operator Um is simply the set {±m | k ∈ N}∪{0}. It turns out that the simultaneous eigenfunctions of all of the Hecke operators involve Dirichlet characters mod L, giving rise to the result that any arithmetic function of m that is completely multiplicative and also satisfies a linear recurrence must be a Dirichlet character times a power of m. We also define the notions of level and weight for rational eigenfunctions, by analogy with modular forms, and we show the existence of some interesting finite-dimensional subspaces of rational eigenfunctions (of fixed weight and level), whose union gives all of the rational functions whose coefficients are quasi-polynomials.
Psychomotor Vigilance Impairment During Total Sleep Deprivation Is Exacerbated in Sleep-Onset Insomnia

Purpose Individuals with primary insomnia frequently report cognitive impairment as a next-day consequence of disrupted sleep. Studies attempting to quantify daytime impairment objectively in individuals with insomnia have yielded mixed results, with evidence suggesting impairments in aspects of executive functioning but not psychomotor vigilance. It has been suggested that persons with insomnia may have latent performance deficits for which they would be able to compensate effectively under normal daytime circumstances - suggesting that any such deficits may be exposed through perturbation. In this context, we used a laboratory-based total sleep deprivation (TSD) paradigm to investigate psychomotor vigilance performance in individuals with chronic sleep-onset insomnia as compared to healthy normal controls. Participants and methods Fourteen participants, seven individuals with chronic sleep-onset insomnia (ages 24-40y) and seven age-matched, healthy normal sleepers completed a highly controlled in-laboratory study involving 38 h of TSD. A 10 min and a 3 min version of the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were administered every 3 h during TSD. Results In both the individuals with sleep-onset insomnia and the age-matched normal sleepers, lapses of attention and false starts on the PVT were relatively infrequent during the first 16 h of the TSD period, but increased significantly when wakefulness was extended beyond 16 h. However, the effects of TSD on PVT performance were considerably exacerbated in the sleep-onset insomnia group, which showed about twice as many lapses of attention, more than twice as many false starts, and approximately twice as big a time-on-task effect on the 10 min PVT as the age-matched normal sleepers group, with similar findings on the 3 min PVT. Conclusion These findings indicate that daytime impairment reported by individuals with sleep-onset insomnia has an objective performance component that is exposed during TSD. Thus, persons with sleep-onset insomnia could be at increased risk of performance impairment in settings that involve extended wakefulness. This underscores the importance of treating insomnia and suggests that laboratory sleep deprivation studies could serve to document the effectiveness of treatment approaches.
A Fatal Case of Septic Shock Secondary to Acinetobacter Bacteremia Acquired from a Platelet Transfusion.

Background. Transfusion of blood products is a frequent and often necessary lifesaving intervention. While changes to blood bank practices over the past several decades have reduced the infectious complications associated with transfusions, risks still exist. Septic transfusion reactions caused by bacterial contamination of blood products, especially platelets, still occur relatively frequently. Unfortunately, clinical recognition of septic transfusion reactions is difficult due to significant symptom, exam, and laboratory abnormality overlap between different types of transfusion reactions, as well as other conditions. Novel methods have been developed to detect blood product contamination but have yet to be widely implemented in the United States. Case Report. A 67-year-old male with chronic thrombocytopenia was transfused with platelets prior to a planned procedure. Shortly afterwards, he developed fever and hypotension. He was transferred to the intensive care unit where he was treated with aggressive fluid resuscitation and broad-spectrum antibiotics. The patient went on to develop progressively worsening shock and profound disseminated intravascular coagulation. Blood cultures from the patient and the transfused platelets grew an Acinetobacter species. Despite aggressive resuscitative efforts and appropriate antibiotics, the patient died approximately 48 hours following the transfusion reaction. Conclusion. We report a fatal case of septic shock associated with Acinetobacter bacteremia caused by platelet transfusion. Our review of the literature revealed only one other documented platelet transfusion associated fatality caused by Acinetobacter species. Novel pathogen reduction and contamination detection methods have been developed but have yet to be widely adopted in the United States.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hand: A Retrospective Study in Immunosuppressed and Immunocompetent Individuals.

Background Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the hand presents a treatment challenge because of the anatomical complexity of this location. Immunosuppressed patients are disproportionately affected by cutaneous SCC. Existing data on SCC of the hand are primarily presented in the orthopedic literature, and may thus be affected by referral bias. Objective Characterization of epidemiology and treatment outcomes for hand versus nonhand cutaneous SCC in immunosuppressed versus immunocompetent patients, across all clinical departments. Materials and methods Single-institution retrospective cohort study of cutaneous SCC evaluated over 3 years and hand SCC over an additional 5 years. Results A cohort of 522 hand SCC cases (1,746 total SCC) was ascertained among 1,064 patients, of whom 175 were immunosuppressed. Occurrence on the hand was more common for SCC arising in immunosuppressed versus immunocompetent patients (38% vs 24% of cases respectively). Hand SCC cases demonstrated balanced laterality and comparable spectra of differentiation regardless of immunosuppression. No cases of hand SCC metastasis were observed over greater than 2 years' mean follow-up, and digital amputation was only required in approximately 1% of hand SCCs. Conclusion In our cohort, assessment of hand SCC across all clinical departments suggests more favorable prognosis than reflected in the previous literature.
Gray Level Image Encoding in Plasmonic Metasurfaces

Plasmonic metasurfaces have been widely used for image and color representation using nanoscale structures. By designing the size or shape of nanostructures, the phase or amplitude of transmitted or reflected electromagnetic spectrum can be manipulated via control of resonant wavelength, which results in multiple colors and can be used for color and/or image generation. Instead of color printing, we introduce a new approach from which images with multiple gray scales can be generated and hidden under light with specific wavelengths. In this work, plasmonic structures of nanorods with identical geometries are fabricated in arrays on a glass substrate, but the nanorods comprise binary alloys of aluminum and titanium; therefore, grayscale image information is encoded with the material composition. Under white light illumination with polarization along the long axis of a nanorod, the response of the nanorods has essentially the same resonant frequency, but with varying magnitudes of transmission. Based on this, using nanorods with four different compositions, four gray level imaging has been achieved. Since nanorods are sensitive to the polarization and spectral composition of the incident light, under unpolarized white light illumination, the image disappears. Therefore, this technique is promising in image encryption. We also show that the manipulation of light at the resonant wavelength by this method occurs in amplitude, not phase.
Transcranial electrical stimulation motor threshold can estimate individualized tDCS dosage from reverse-calculation electric-field modeling.

Abstract Background Unique amongst brain stimulation tools, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) currently lacks an easy or widely implemented method for individualizing dosage. Objective We developed a method of reverse-calculating electric-field (E-field) models based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans that can estimate individualized tDCS dose. We also evaluated an MRI-free method of individualizing tDCS dose by measuring transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) motor threshold (MT) and single pulse, suprathreshold transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) MT and regressing it against E-field modeling. Key assumptions of reverse-calculation E-field modeling, including the size of region of interest (ROI) analysis and the linearity of multiple E-field models were also tested. Methods In 29 healthy adults, we acquired TMS MT, TES MT, and anatomical T1-weighted MPRAGE MRI scans with a fiducial marking the motor hotspot. We then computed a “reverse-calculated tDCS dose” of tDCS applied at the scalp needed to cause a 1.00 V/m E-field at the cortex. Finally, we examined whether the predicted E-field values correlated with each participant’s measured TMS MT or TES MT. Results We were able to determine a reverse-calculated tDCS dose for each participant using a 5 × 5 x 5 voxel grid region of interest (ROI) approach (average = 6.03 mA, SD = 1.44 mA, range = 3.75–9.74 mA). The Transcranial Electrical Stimulation MT, but not the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation MT, significantly correlated with the ROI-based reverse-calculated tDCS dose determined by E-field modeling (R2 = 0.45, p Conclusions Reverse-calculation E-field modeling, alone or regressed against TES MT, shows promise as a method to individualize tDCS dose. The large range of the reverse-calculated tDCS doses between subjects underscores the likely need to individualize tDCS dose. Future research should further examine the use of TES MT to individually dose tDCS as an MRI-free method of dosing tDCS.