cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Workers’ Compensation Claimants with Low Back Pain: the Role of Dissatisfaction in the Transition to Disability

Workers’ compensation systems represent naturalistic settings that often are perceived as unjust by the injured workers for which such systems were developed. This study examined the role of dissatisfaction with medical care and employer treatment on disability outcomes among a cohort of workers who had sustained low back injuries. A race-stratified sample of 358 workers (171 African-Americans, 203 Caucasians) with first incident low back pain was evaluated 21 months and again at 72 months after claim settlement. Evaluation included data related to demographics, socioeconomic factors, injury severity, claim settlement, satisfaction with workers’ compensation (WC) processes, and disability status. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to predict disability status (no disability vs. early disability vs. late disability) at each of the two time points. Analyses revealed contributions of multiple variables to early disability, including unique variance related to dissatisfaction with medical care and treatment by the employer. At 72 months, only demographic factors (age, race) and the receipt of temporary total disability (TTD) after injury predicted late disability. Results are discussed relative to the contribution of injustice perceptions and systemic factors; directions for future research are proposed.
Forcing the Genie Back in the Bottle: Sociological Considerations of Institutional Reform in Thailand Through the Window of Health Policy

In 2007, those behind the 2006 coup drafted a new constitution specifically aimed at turning back the political and policymaking clock to the pre-1997 era. However, in the preceding decade under the 1997 constitution, a significant transformation of Thai politics had taken place, one that has proved more resilient than expected in the face of the 2007 institutional reforms. Specifically, social cleavages have become politicized and particized in ways we have not seen before and policy-focused, populist party programs have become part and parcel of serious party campaign strategies. Focusing on health policy, we thus argue in this paper that institutional reforms have had predictable and observable implications for policymaking in Thailand, but only when considered in the context of changes to the broader social structure and other political conditions. While the 1997 reforms brought about a well-documented shift towards a more centralized, coordinated, and nationally-focused policymaking environment, the 2007 reforms have been less successful at reversing that impact. In short, the coup-makers are finding it harder than they supposed to force the genie back into the bottle.
Enabling workflow repeatability with virtualization support

The value of workflows to the scientific community spans over time and space. Not only results but also performance and resource consumption of a workflow need to be replayed over time and in varying environments. Achieving such repeatability in practice is challenging due to changes in software and infrastructure over time. In this work, we introduce a new abstraction that builds on the concept of virtual appliance to enable workflow repeatability. We have also developed a novel architecture to leverage this abstraction and realized it into a system implementation that supports a popular workflow management system and builds on a federated in-production environment. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by examining various aspects of workflow repeatability. Our results show that workflows can be replayed with 2% fidelity when considering their walltime as performance metric.
Predilution Hemofiltration for the Removal of Protein Bound Antigens

In cancer, tumor antigen (Ag) and the antigen-antibody immune complexes (lC) have been implicated with the inhibition of macrophage or lymphocyte function, interleukin generation and induction of suppressor cells and immunosuppressants. Plasma exchange depletes both Ag and antibodies (Ab) from the circulation. However, the Abs might be cytotoxic to cancer cells. Hence, a better treatment would be to remove the Ag without depleting the Abs. Such a procedure involves dissociation of Ag from Ab either by a change in pH of the plasma or by a hemodilution of the blood followed by removal of both the free and the dissociated Ag by ultrafiltration. The present work presents a theoretical analysis of the predilution hemofiltration system designed to remove the antigens which are weakly bound to proteins. A single pool model for the patient was assumed. The variables which effect the clearance of Ag are the protein binding constant (K), the extent of dilution of blood, the initial ratio between Ag and Ab concentra...
The Dreaded Bluebook

The Bluebook is widely reviled. Many students and lawyers hate and fear it -- as do many librarians who are asked to help students and lawyers with it. This essay explores the strong emotional reactions to the Bluebook and suggests ways that librarians can help patrons use this dreaded code of citation rules.
Loyalty Testing for Attorneys: When is it Necessary and Who Should Decide?

The concept of loyalty has been manipulated to mean different things with respect to the profession of law depending on the political climate brought about by national crisis throughout the history of this country. An attorney's loyalty to his country has referred to more than mere allegiance and support of the laws of the sovereignty in that it has been understood as concerning specified beliefs, doctrines, and associations. It has been tested through the imposition of loyalty oaths from the colonial days through the Civil War and Cold War, to the current post-September 11 era in which the government's emphasis on patriotism has impacted, and in some cases, compromised the professional integrity of attorneys. This Article explores whether purely national security interests may fairly be imposed upon an attorney's ethical obligations, given his unique position in society, by considering how the values of freedom of association and freedom of belief compete with the obligation of attorneys to uphold and defend the Constitution. It proposes a balanced approach of particularized inquiries by courts into suspicious attorney conduct that avoids over-inclusive investigations that may capture instances where security interests are unrelated in any legitimate way to the attorney's representation of a client. The following discusses connections between various historical periods and suggests that history, brought to light through an examination of the papers of Erwin N. Griswold, in which he criticizes the lack of procedural safeguards in loyalty inquiries before Congressional bodies in the 1950s, may guide debate over restraints on the attorney role in current times. The Article sets the controversy in the larger framework of ethical standards governing attorney conduct generally when attorneys may more readily identify themselves as members of legal communities whose responsibilities transcend nation-state borders. In light of the history of unsuccessful attempts by the bar to test the loyalty of attorneys and place restraints upon representation, this Article argues that questions of ethical standards for attorneys may best be left to the courts.
An exploration of success factors from the perspective of global apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners: implications for apparel programmes in higher education

ABSTRACTGiven the high number of small-sized apparel-related businesses operating within the global economy, it is likely that graduates of apparel programmes in higher education will go on to work for a small business or to partner with such firms in the global manufacturing process. This study reports on findings derived from interviews conducted with 30 entrepreneurs and small business owners in four countries: India, South Africa, Russia, and Thailand. Companies were positioned at key points along the supply chain, including design, manufacturing, as well as small retailers. Five factors were identified as critical for successful apparel-related entrepreneurs and small businesses: relationship-building, niche identification, resourcefulness, community engagement, and global awareness. Findings suggest that entrepreneurship and small-business-related education within apparel programmes should focus on developing students’ entrepreneurial competency relative to these factors. Moreover, findings suggest ...
A Dynamically Based Climatology of Subtropical Cyclones that Undergo Tropical Transition in the North Atlantic Basin

AbstractSubtropical cyclones (STCs) derive a considerable portion of their energy from baroclinic and diabatic processes. The opportunity to investigate the roles of baroclinic and diabatic processes during the evolution of STCs from a potential vorticity (PV) perspective motivates this study. The roles of baroclinic and diabatic processes during the evolution of STCs are determined by calculating three PV metrics from the 0.5° NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis dataset. The three PV metrics quantify the relative contributions of lower-tropospheric baroclinic processes, midtropospheric latent heat release, and upper-tropospheric dynamical processes during the evolution of individual cyclones. An evaluation of the three PV metrics, as well as the sign of the upper-tropospheric thermal vorticity, during the evolution of individual cyclones is used to devise an objective STC identification technique and construct a 1979–2010 climatology of North Atlantic (NATL) STCs that undergo tropical transition.An i...
Proximal Roux-en-y Gastrojejunal Anastomosis with Pyloric Ring Resection Improves Gastric Emptying After Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a common complication of pancreaticoduodenectomy. We determined the efficiency of a new reconstruction technique, designed to preserve motilin-secreting cells and maximize the utility of their receptors, in reducing the incidence of DGE after pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Six-minute walk test is reliable and valid in spinal muscular atrophy.

Introduction The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) was adopted as a clinical outcome measure for ambulatory spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, a systematic review of measurement properties reported significant variation among chronic pediatric conditions. Our purpose was to assess the reliability/validity of the 6MWT in SMA. Methods Thirty participants performed assessments, including the 6MWT, strength, and function. Reproducibility was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients. Criterion/convergent validity were determined using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results Test-retest reliability was excellent. The 6MWT was associated positively with peak oxygen uptake, Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded (HFMSE), lower extremity manual muscle testing, knee flexion hand-held dynamometry, and inversely with 10-m walk/run. The 6MWT discriminates between disease severity, unlike the HFMSE. Conclusions This study documents measurement properties of reproducibility, positive criterion validity, and convergent validity with established clinical assessments and reaffirms the value of the 6MWT as a pivotal outcome measure in SMA clinical trials. Muscle Nerve 54: 836-842, 2016.
UK-69,753, a novel member of the efrotomycin family of antibiotics. I. Taxonomy of the producing organism, fermentation and isolation.

UK-69, 753 is a novel antibiotic structurally related to efrotomycin and factumycin, produced by a new strain of Amycolatopsis orientalis (ATCC 53550). The antibiotic potency in the fermentation broth was monitored by HPLC with diode array detection. A six tube counter current distribution was used to purify UK-69, 753.
Anatomizing the Past: Physicians and History in Renaissance Culture [*]

In many different ways Renaissance physicians concerned themselves with the reading and writing of history. This article examines the role of historical interests in learned medical culture and the participation of physicians in the broader historical culture of the period.
Temozolomide in advanced and recurrent uterine leiomyosarcoma and correlation with o6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase expression: a case series.

Introduction: Our objective was to retrospectively review temozolomide in advanced and recurrent uterine leiomyosarcoma and to determine if tumor O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression correlated with clinical response. Methods: All patients with advanced or recurrent uterine leiomyosarcoma who received temozolomide during treatment were retrospectively identified. Relevant clinical and pathologic data were collected and compared. O6-Methylguanine DNA methyltransferase expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and scored by a gynecologic pathologist blinded to clinical outcomes. Results: From 1999 to 2008, 9 cases of leiomyosarcoma were diagnosed; 6 patients received temozolomide. Median follow-up was 54 months (range, 4-114 months). There was 1 patient with complete response, 1 durable partial response (27+ months), 3 stable disease (range, 3-10 months), and 1 progressive disease. Overall, 5 out of 6 patients derived clinical benefit. The patient with a complete response recurred 18 months after her last cycle. Median progression free interval was 15.4 months (95% confidence interval, 9.4-21.4). Two patients died of disease. Temozolomide was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities, and no dose adjustments were required in 64 prescribed cycles. The MGMT expression was inversely correlated with response to temozolomide. Patients with tumors negative for MGMT expression had a median progression free interval of 18.5 months compared with 3 months for those whose tumors were positive, although not statistically significant. Conclusions: Temozolomide is an easily administered, well-tolerated chemotherapeutic option in advanced or recurrent uterine leiomyosarcomas with a reasonable response rate. Assessment of MGMT expression may identify a subset of patients that will respond optimally to this therapy.
States, Counties, and the Questions of Trust and Capacity

This study indicates that there is a high level of confidence among county representatives that state officials will be responsive to local needs, but less confidence in state willingness to provide fiscal support for programs. The preference for continued federal funding of programs is strongly evident. County representatives feel that their policymaking and administrative responsibilities are increasing but that their fiscal (taxing and borrowing) capacities are not being expanded as quickly. The highest levels of trust in state officials were found among those county representatives who perceived the greatest increases in local government capacities to respond to local problems.
LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN SUBFRACTIONS IN A LARGE CENTENARIAN POPULATION: THE VERY LARGE DATABASE OF LIPIDS STUDY 10C (VLDL-10C)

Population studies implicate certain lipid phenotypes as important contributors to extreme longevity. However, the literature is limited in older populations, particularly centenarians. We examined data from US adults in the Very Large Database of Lipids, collected from 2009-2011 with over 1.3
Cosmology episodes: a reconceptualization

AbstractA qualitative meta-analysis of 164 citations to the phrase “cosmology episode” was conducted in order to create an evidence-based reconceptualization of the concept, yielding three findings. The first finding is the literature has moved towards the study of cosmology episodes at multiple levels: i.e. individual, team, organizational, community, and national cosmology episodes. The second finding is the literature has moved towards the study of cosmology episodes as resilience processes: i.e. anticipating, sense-losing, improvising, sense-remaking, and renewing. The third finding is the literature on cosmology episodes has diversified toward five distinct types: i.e. catastrophic, disastrous, contextualized, ancillary and metaphorical cosmology episodes. Taken together, these findings constitute a reconceptualization of the concept of cosmology episode.
An analysis of the relationship between seismic action and pile spacing of anti-slide piles based on soil arch effect

Based on the soil arch effect among anti-slide piles,the mechanics analysis model of soil arch effect for seismic action is established.On the basis of the Mononobe-Okabe theory and assuming that the soil arch effect is equivalent to retaining wall effect,the calculation method of the horizontal seismic force in the soil arch surface is presented under the seismic fortification intensity.According to the static equilibrium condition and strength condition of piles soil in the limit equilibrium state,the landslide thrust and seismic force is considered and the theoretical calculation formula of spacing between piles are otabined.Under the same conditions,engineering examples and series of trial show that spacing between piles reduce from 4% to 23% when the seismic action is considered.The calculation formula of direct reduction factor and reduction coefficient for spacing between piles in different seismic fortification levels are attained.
From Oversight to Autonomy: Gendered Organizational Change in Women’s Soccer

Expectations of women’s lower competence to men inform divisions of labor and authority in sport organizations. While recent research has focused on overt challenge to gendered expectations, few st...
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation 3.0: State of the Science

Neuropsychological rehabilitation represents a multidisciplinary approach to address the range of cognitive, emotional, psychosocial, and behavioral factors that impact care. Traditionally, rehabilitation sciences have employed behavioral observation and ratings of human performance in the real world or via physical mock-ups of functional environments. Activities of daily living within mock-up environments (i.e., kitchens and bathrooms) and workspaces (i.e., offices and factory settings) are typically built, within which persons with motor and/or neurocognitive impairments are observed, while their performance is evaluated. Aside from the economic costs to physically build these environments and to provide human resources to conduct such evaluations, this approach is limited in the systematic control of real-world stimulus challenges and in its capacity to provide detailed performance data capture. Virtual environments are presented as a potential alternative to these physical mock-ups. Furthermore, studies using virtual reality for rehabilitation are reviewed and the potential for advanced technology is discussed. While limitations of current applications are discussed, future developments in virtual environment paradigms could allow clinicians to better meet changing patient care needs and goals based on the course of recovery. Furthermore, integration of patient-specific training prompts and cues may improve patient self-monitoring, guide problem solving, and promote less reliance on rehabilitation staff and caregivers. The core challenges of bringing technology into a multidisciplinary rehabilitation milieu centers are discussed.
A Quantitative Method for Comparing the Brightness of Antibody‐dye Reagents and Estimating Antibodies Bound per Cell

We present a quantitative method for comparing the brightness of antibody-dye reagents and estimating antibodies bound per cell. The method is based on complementary binding of test and fill reagents to antibody capture microspheres. Several aliquots of antibody capture beads are stained with varying amounts of the test conjugate. The remaining binding sites on the beads are then filled with a second conjugate containing a different fluorophore. Finally, the fluorescence of the test conjugate compared to the fill conjugate is used to measure the relative brightness of the test conjugate. The fundamental assumption of the test-fill method is that if it takes X molecules of one test antibody to lower the fill signal by Y units, it will take the same X molecules of any other test antibody to give the same effect. We apply a quadratic fit to evaluate the test-fill signal relationship across different amounts of test reagent. If the fit is close to linear, we consider the test reagent to be suitable for quantitative evaluation of antibody binding. To calibrate the antibodies bound per bead, a PE conjugate with 1 PE molecule per antibody is used as a test reagent and the fluorescence scale is calibrated with Quantibrite PE beads. When the fluorescence per antibody molecule has been determined for a particular conjugate, that conjugate can be used for measurement of antibodies bound per cell. This provides comparisons of the brightness of different conjugates when conducted on an instrument whose statistical photoelectron (Spe) scales are known. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Self-Translation as Self-Exegesis: Vladimir Nabokov's translation of Lolita

Dix ans apres la parution de Lolita en anglais, Vladimir Nabokov a traduit son roman d’anglais en russe. A ce moment-la, un certain nombre de ses autres romans avaient ete traduits en plusieurs langues. Quelqu’un d’autre avait fait la plupart de ces traductions sous la surveillance de Nabokov. Mais Lolita signifiait son propre retour en Russie en tant qu’artiste, de sorte que Nabokov voulait traduire son oeuvre lui-meme. Au cours de la traduction du roman, il apporta de nombreux changements et mises au point au texte original. Cet article considere que ces modifications sont des revisions definitives. Il analyse de prescertaines des plus importantes revisions apportees par Nabokov a la version anglaise originale et examine les raisons possibles de ces changements ainsi que leurs effets.
Control of In Vivo Contraction/Relaxation Kinetics by Myosin Binding Protein C Protein Kinase A Phosphorylation–Dependent and –Independent Regulation

Background— Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) is a thick-filament protein whose presence and phosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA) regulates cross-bridge formation and kinetics in isolated myocardium. We tested the influence of cMyBP-C and its PKA-phosphorylation on contraction/relaxation kinetics in intact hearts and revealed its essential role in several classic properties of cardiac function. Methods and Results— Comprehensive in situ cardiac pressure–volume analysis was performed in mice harboring a truncation mutation of cMyBP-C (cMyBP-C(t/t)) that resulted in nondetectable protein versus hearts re-expressing solely wild-type (cMyBP-CWT:(t/t)) or mutated protein in which known PKA-phosphorylation sites were constitutively suppressed (cMyBP-CAllP-:(t/t)). Hearts lacking cMyBP-C had faster early systolic activation, which then terminated prematurely, limiting ejection. Systole remained short at faster heart rates; thus, cMyBP-C(t/t) hearts displayed minimal rate-dependent decline in diasto...
The Use of a Brief 5-Item Measure of Family Satisfaction as a Critical Quality Indicator in Advanced Cancer Care: A Multisite Comparison

Abstract Background: Although family satisfaction is recognized as a critical indicator of quality for patients with advanced cancer, it is rarely assessed as part of routine clinical care. Measurement burden may be one barrier to widespread use of family satisfaction measures. Objective: The goal of this study was to test the ability of a new, brief 5-item measure of family satisfaction with care to accurately capture differences across hospital settings. Design: Using data from the Palliative Care for Cancer Patients study, a prospective study of 1979 patients and caregivers, we used multivariate regression analysis to detect significant differences across five sites. Settings: Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers Methods: We used both the shortened 5-item version of the FAMCARE scale (previously developed using Item Response Theory) and the original 20-item FAMCARE to measure family satisfaction. Results: On the 5-item FAMCARE, sites ranged from mean scores of 5.5–6.9 out of ...
A Comparison of the Academic Achievement of Home School and Public School Students

This study added to existing data on home school effectiveness by comparing the academic achievement of 66 home school students with 66 of their grade-level peers in traditional public schools. The two groups of students were matched on gender, race, and grade level and were administered the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery III. No significant difference in overall academic achievement was found between the groups. Both home school and public school students had average or above average scores in reading, math, written language, and broad knowledge (science, social studies, and humanities). The results further revealed a downward trend in math, reading and broad knowledge scores with increasing grade level. This trend suggests that home school and public school students experience a “developmental mismatch” between the changes that occur in adolescence and their school/home experiences, resulting in lower motivation, confidence, and academic performance.
Women in Kuwait: The Struggle for Political Equality

After the Gulf War in the 1990s, Kuwait become one of the most advanced democracies in the Middle East. Despite its progressive attitude, women were, until May 2005, unable to vote. Relative equality in other areas of society, such as education and employment, made women highly aware of the disadvantages they faced in not voting. Using the knowledge and resources available to them, they began a grassroots suffrage movement that engaged in tactics such as strikes and demonstrations to gain the vote for women. Before these tactics could be effective however, women had to convince both the government and society that by voting they would not be abandoning their Islamic beliefs. Before gaining the right to vote, women faced the challenge of proving that Islam itself did not discourage women from voting.
Description of India’s Textile and Apparel Sector

A fiber is a particle, whose length is much greater than its thickness. Yarn is a continuous, often plied, strand composed of either fibers or filaments. A fabric is a material which is pliable, in short. All the processes involved in manufacturing fabrics from a bunch of fibers can be collectively termed as “textile industry”. The process of converting a bunch of fibers into yarns is called spinning. For cotton, this starts from obtaining ‘bale’, which is a compressed mass of cotton fibers, prepared by a ginning factory, where cotton fibers are separated from their seeds mechanically. Its weight is about 170 kilograms. Bales are fed to opening and cleaning machines in the ‘blowrooms’ to remove foreign particles, dirt and dust, collectively called ‘trash’. The cleaned mass of fibers is then ‘carded’ to aligned strands of fibers. A saying about spinning goes thus: well-carded is half-spun.
Comparison of Two Viewing Methods for Estimating Largemouth Bass and Walleye Ages from Sectioned Otoliths and Dorsal Spines

AbstractMany biologists use digital images for estimating ages of fish, but the use of images could lead to differences in age estimates and precision because image capture can produce changes in light and clarity compared to directly viewing structures through a microscope. We used sectioned sagittal otoliths from 132 Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and sectioned dorsal spines and otoliths from 157 Walleyes Sander vitreus to determine whether age estimates and among-reader precision were similar when annuli were enumerated directly through a microscope or from digital images. Agreement of ages between viewing methods for three readers were highest for Largemouth Bass otoliths (75–89% among readers), followed by Walleye otoliths (63–70%) and Walleye dorsal spines (47–64%). Most discrepancies (72–96%) were ±1 year, and differences were more prevalent for age-5 and older fish. With few exceptions, mean ages estimated from digital images were similar to ages estimated via directly viewing the structure...
Online-to-Offline Interactions and Online Community Life Cycles: A Longitudinal Study of Shared Leisure Activities

Online communities are changing the way people enjoy leisure activities through computer-mediated interactions, yet little is known about how these groups form, function, and network. The current s...
Testing the Random Number Tests

Given a sequence of random numbers produced by a random number generator, the first question one asks is: is the sequence random? The answer is that it is not since the numbers are the result of calculations on a digital computer. The second question is: does the sequence have the properties that one would expect from a sequence of random numbers? Is the sequence uniformly distributed? Are the numbers uniformly distributed? Are consecutive numbers independent? Etc.
Association of Patient Frailty With Increased Risk of Complications After Adrenalectomy.

This database study uses the 2005-2011 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database to evaluate the association of patient frailty with complications after adrenalectomy.
Raising the Bar: A Social Science Critique of Recent Increases to Passing Scores on the Bar Exam

More than one quarter of all states have toughened bar exam standards in recent years, with other states poised to follow suit. About one-third of exam takers from ABA-accredited schools now fail the bar exam on the first attempt. Many of these students would have passed the bar five years ago, before states started raising their passing scores. These higher passing scores raise important policy issues about competition, diversity, and access in the legal profession. In many states, moreover, the new scores rest on a flawed statistical process. Bar examiners, unaware of these defects, are setting arbitrary passing scores that most likely exclude qualified applicants. This article explores both the policy issues surrounding recent increases to bar passing scores and the methodological defects in the statistical process used to set those scores. The analyses are important, not only for assuring fair access to the legal profession, but as a case study of the ways in which flawed statistical processes can affect policy outcomes.
Analyzing the Energy and Power Consumption of Remote Memory Accesses in the OpenSHMEM Model

PGAS models like OpenSHMEM provide interfaces to explicitly initiate one-sided remote memory accesses among processes. In addition, the model also provides synchronizing barriers to ensure a consistent view of the distributed memory at different phases of an application. The incorrect use of such interfaces affects the scalability achievable while using a parallel programming model. This study aims at understanding the effects of these constructs on the energy and power consumption behavior of OpenSHMEM applications. Our experiments show that cost incurred in terms of the total energy and power consumed depends on multiple factors across the software and hardware stack. We conclude that there is a significant impact on the power consumed by the CPU and DRAM due to multiple factors including the design of the data transfer patterns within an application, the design of the communication protocols within a middleware, the architectural constraints laid by the interconnect solutions, and also the levels of memory hierarchy within a compute node. This work motivates treating energy and power consumption as important factors while designing compute solutions for current and future distributed systems.
FissureNet: A Deep Learning Approach For Pulmonary Fissure Detection in CT Images

Pulmonary fissure detection in computed tomography (CT) is a critical component for automatic lobar segmentation. The majority of fissure detection methods use feature descriptors that are hand-crafted, low-level, and have local spatial extent. The design of such feature detectors is typically targeted toward normal fissure anatomy, yielding low sensitivity to weak, and abnormal fissures that are common in clinical data sets. Furthermore, local features commonly suffer from low specificity, as the complex textures in the lung can be indistinguishable from the fissure when the global context is not considered. We propose a supervised discriminative learning framework for simultaneous feature extraction and classification. The proposed framework, called FissureNet, is a coarse-to-fine cascade of two convolutional neural networks. The coarse-to-fine strategy alleviates the challenges associated with training a network to segment a thin structure that represents a small fraction of the image voxels. FissureNet was evaluated on a cohort of 3706 subjects with inspiration and expiration 3DCT scans from the COPDGene clinical trial and a cohort of 20 subjects with 4DCT scans from a lung cancer clinical trial. On both data sets, FissureNet showed superior performance compared with a deep learning approach using the U-Net architecture and a Hessian-based fissure detection method in terms of area under the precision-recall curve (PR-AUC). The overall PR-AUC for FissureNet, U-Net, and Hessian on the COPDGene (lung cancer) data set was 0.980 (0.966), 0.963 (0.937), and 0.158 (0.182), respectively. On a subset of 30 COPDGene scans, FissureNet was compared with a recently proposed advanced fissure detection method called derivative of sticks (DoS) and showed superior performance with a PR-AUC of 0.991 compared with 0.668 for DoS.
Adverse symptoms users attribute to e-cigarettes: Results from a national survey of US adults.

Abstract Background Little is known about the prevalence of adverse symptoms electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users report experiencing. Methods Between August 2016 and May 2017, we conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey of 4964 US adults age 18 and over. Respondents who reported ever trying e-cigarettes were asked whether they ever experienced six symptoms they thought were caused by e-cigarette use. In weighted analyses, we assessed whether symptoms varied by demographics, e-cigarette use frequency, and cigarette smoking status. Results Approximately one-fourth of respondents (n = 1,624, 26.8%) reported ever trying e-cigarettes. Most were current (40.3%) or former (30.7%) cigarette smokers, with 29.0% never smokers. Just over half (58.2%) reported at least one symptom and on average 1.6 (SE = 0.1) symptoms. Symptoms included cough (40.0%), dry or irritated mouth or throat (31.0%), dizziness or lightheadedness (27.1%), headache or migraine (21.9%), shortness of breath (18.1%), change in or loss of taste (12.9%), or other (6.2%; most commonly nausea, tight chest, congestion). Among past 30-day e-cigarette users, current and never cigarette smokers were more likely than former smokers to report any symptoms (AOR = 5.25, CI = 2.05–13.46 and AOR = 2.58, CI = 0.85–7.81, respectively). Conclusions A majority of e-cigarette users reported at least one symptom, most commonly cough or dry or irritated mouth or throat. Former cigarette smokers who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days were less likely than current or never smokers to report adverse symptoms of e-cigarette use. Future research should examine frequency of symptoms among different user groups to understand how e-cigarettes may influence public health.
Evaluation of Parameters Affecting the Performance of Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) with a Focus on Energy Efficiency

This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of two classes of routing protocols optimized for MANETs: reactive (DSR, AODV), and proactive (DSDV, OLSR). These protocols are particularly designed for the dynamic nature of MANETs where nodes actively move, connections between nodes are regularly broken, and paths need to be reconstructed. MANETs are used in a wide range of applications including rescue operations, military areas, and oceanography. However, the nodes have limited batteries, and typically, it is not applicable or cost effective to replace the batteries of nodes. Other than the dynamic nature of these networks, which leads to more processing and rerouting requirements, the movements also speed up the batteries’ depletions. Thus, the energy efficiency of routing protocols significantly affects the performance of these networks. In this research, we study the two classes of routing protocols in MANETs, investigate the effect of several parameters on the network performance through excessive simulations, and analyze how the variations of these parameters affect the performance. We evaluate the network performance in terms of energy consumption, routing overhead and Quality of Service metrics including throughput and delay.
Human Intention-Driven Learning Control for Trajectory Synchronization in Human-Robot Collaborative Tasks

Abstract For assistive robots to integrate seamlessly into human environments, they are required to understand the intentions of their human partners, and adapt their motion plans accordingly. In this paper, an estimator-controller method is presented to estimate the dynamic motion of the human’s hand and the motion intent, and to learn robot control gains for synchronizing the robot end-effector motion with the human’s hand motion. For human intention estimation, a multiple model estimation framework that switches between multiple nonlinear human motion models is used. An adaptive controller is developed for a robot to track the human’s motion. The controller gains are learned by using data collected by actually performing a collaborative motion task where a human and a robot are collectively moving an object. A controller stability analysis is provided which takes the uncertainty in the human motion estimation in consideration, yielding an UUB bound based on the estimated human motion uncertainty. A case study of the human and robot moving an object is discussed.
The cryptic origins of evolutionary novelty: 1000-fold faster trophic diversification rates without increased ecological opportunity or hybrid swarm.

Ecological opportunity is frequently proposed as the sole ingredient for adaptive radiation into novel niches. An additional trigger may be genome-wide hybridization resulting from ‘hybrid swarm’. However, these hypotheses have been difficult to test due to the rarity of comparable control environments lacking adaptive radiations. Here I exploit such a pattern in microendemic radiations of Caribbean pupfishes. I show that a sympatric three-species radiation on San Salvador Island, Bahamas diversified 1,445 times faster than neighboring islands in jaw length due to evolution of a novel scale-eating adaptive zone from a generalist ancestral niche. I then sampled 22 generalist populations on seven neighboring islands and measured morphological diversity, stomach content diversity, dietary isotopic diversity, genetic diversity, lake/island areas, macroalgae richness, and Caribbean-wide patterns of gene flow. None of these standard metrics of ecological opportunity or gene flow were associated with adaptive radiation, except for slight increases in macroalgae richness. Thus, exceptional trophic diversification is highly localized despite myriad generalist populations in comparable environmental and genetic backgrounds. This study provides a strong counterexample to the ecological/hybrid-swarm theories of adaptive radiation and suggests that diversification of novel specialists on a sparse fitness landscape is constrained by more than ecological opportunity and gene flow. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Factors Associated With Increased Exercise in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease.

Despite the known benefits of regular exercise, the majority of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) fail to meet recommended standards for physical activity. We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with exercise frequency in adults with CHD, which remain largely unknown. From September 2015 to December 2016, 446 adults with CHD completed clinical questionnaires regarding exercise frequency. Questionnaires also measured related demographic and psychosocial variables. Retrospective chart review was utilized to determine cardiac function and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity. Exercise frequency was classified as none (33%), low (
Regulation of Transglottal Airflow in Speakers With Parkinson's Disease

The purpose of this study was to investigate how speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) regulate transglottal airflow during phonation within and across breath groups, compared to healthy older adult (HOA) speakers. Aerodynamic recordings from 22 speakers with PD and 22 HOA speakers were compared. Transglottal airflow was measured from vocalic portions of consonant-vowel syllables and an all-voiced sentence using a pneumotachograph. Mean airflow in vowels and sentences in addition to the regularity (standard deviation) of airflow within and across separate productions (different breath groups) was computed. Results indicated that speakers with PD manifested significantly greater mean airflow in vowels and sentences compared to HOA speakers. The regulation of airflow was significantly more variable in vowels both within and across breath groups in speakers with PD. In addition, the regulation of airflow in sentences was significantly more variable across breath groups in speakers with PD. These findings support the theory that speakers with PD exhibit impairments in the ability to control transglottal airflow in phonation. Results indicated that speakers with PD manifested elevated measures of transglottal airflow, which on average fall outside of reported ranges of normal and are different than older adults without PD. Furthermore, this study found that speakers with PD have difficulty regulating the consistency of transglottal airflow during phonation, both within and across breath groups. Whether these impairments result from glottal insufficiency due to peripheral structural changes, central motor dysregulation, or both is in need of further investigation.
Interactive Spatiotemporal Visualization of Phase Space Particle Trajectories Using Distance Plots

The distance plot (or unthresholded recurrence plot) has been shown to be a useful tool for analyzing spatiotemporal patterns in high-dimensional phase space trajectories. We incorporate this technique into an interactive visualization with multiple linked phase plots, and extend the distance plot to also visualize marker particle weights from particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations together with the phase space trajectories. By linking the distance plot with phase plots, one can more easily investigate the spatiotemporal patterns, and by extending the plot to visualize particle weights in conjunction with the phase space trajectories, the visualization better supports the needs of domain experts studying particle-in-cell simulations. We demonstrate our resulting visualization design using particles from an XGC Tokamak fusion simulation.
Active Denial Technology Computational Human Effects End-To-End Hypermodel (ADT CHEETEH)

We developed the Active Denial Technology Computational Human Effects End-To-End Hypermodel (ADT CHEETEH), a computational model to simulate the response of a human target to Active Denial Technology (ADT), including estimates of ADT’s physical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral effects. The ADT system is a counter-personnel non-lethal weapon for crowd control, convoy protection, and perimeter security. The target is subjected to pulses of focused 95 GHz electromagnetic energy. The energy diffuses approximately 400 μm into the target’s skin, producing no skin damage. However, the target may still perceive a burning sensation strong enough to repel (i.e., compel the target to immediately move away). We use one model component to estimate the physical output of the ADT system, coupled with three additional components to estimate the ADT’s effect on the target’s physiology, cognition, and behavior. All components passed verification tests. Validation data was available for only the physical component, which passed its validation test. Each run of ADT CHEETEH completes in only a few minutes on a standard laptop computer, beginning with a simulation of the ADT beam formation and concluding with the estimated time at which the target is repelled. This end-to-end approach quantifies the ADT system’s main measure of effectiveness (the probability of repel) as well as its intermediate measures of performance (dose on target, temperature and damage in skin, perceived pain level, etc.) Once fully validated, ADT CHEETEH’s comprehensive results may be able to feed into force-on-force simulations to provide educated estimates of ADT effectiveness in military scenarios.
Medical Videography Using a Mobile App: Retrospective Analysis

Background: As mobile devices and apps grow in popularity, they are increasingly being used by health care providers to aid clinical care. At our institution, we developed and implemented a point-of-care clinical photography app that also permitted the capture of video recordings; however, the clinical findings it was used to capture and the outcomes that resulted following video recording were unclear. Objective: The study aimed to assess the use of a mobile clinical video recording app at our institution and its impact on clinical care. Methods: A single reviewer retrospectively reviewed video recordings captured between April 2016 and July 2017, associated metadata, and patient records. Results: We identified 362 video recordings that were eligible for inclusion. Most video recordings (54.1%; 190/351) were captured by attending physicians. Specialties recording a high number of video recordings included orthopedic surgery (33.7%; 122/362), neurology (21.3%; 77/362), and ophthalmology (15.2%; 55/362). Consent was clearly documented in the medical record in less than one-third (31.8%; 115/362) of the records. People other than the patient were incidentally captured in 29.6% (107/362) of video recordings. Although video recordings were infrequently referenced in notes corresponding to the clinical encounter (12.2%; 44/362), 7.7% (22/286) of patients were video recorded in subsequent clinical encounters, with 82% (18/22) of these corresponding to the same finding seen in the index video. Store-and-forward telemedicine was documented in clinical notes in only 2 cases (0.5%; 2/362). Videos appeared to be of acceptable quality for clinical purposes. Conclusions: Video recordings were captured in a variety of clinical settings. Documentation of consent was inconsistent, and other individuals were incidentally included in videos. Although clinical impact was not always clearly evident through retrospective review because of limited documentation, potential uses include documentation for future reference and store-and-forward telemedicine. Repeat video recordings of the same finding provide evidence of use to track the findings over time. Clinical video recordings have the potential to support clinical care; however, documentation of consent requires standardization.