cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charge moment change and lightning-driven electric fields associated with negative sprites and halos

[1] Sprites are structured high altitude optical emissions produced by lightning-driven electric fields. Both strong positive and negative cloud to ground flashes (CGs) are capable of initiating sprites. However, reported sprites are almost exclusively produced by +CGs. The very limited number of negative polarity sprites makes it difficult to reveal their morphologies and mechanisms. Since 2008, we have operated low light cameras at 5 locations in the United States to detect lightning-driven transient luminous events (TLEs). At Duke University, two pairs of magnetic sensors simultaneously record lightning-radiated magnetic fields. During 4 years of observations, the low light cameras collectively captured 1651 sprite events. Among them, 6 were produced by −CG lightning, which was confirmed by both the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) and magnetic field measurements. All of these negative sprites show similar features in their morphology, lightning source current, and lightning-driven ambient electric fields. They all initiate within a few ms from their parent lightning discharges and always are accompanied by sprite halos. Compared to positive sprites, the downward streamers in negative sprites terminate at higher altitudes, about 55–60 km. The extracted source current of their parent lightning discharges is very impulsive and produces at least 450 C km charge moment change in 0.5 ms or less. Unlike most +CG strokes, essentially no continuing current follows these −CGs. Thus the uniformity of negative sprite morphology appears to reflect the uniformity of the characteristics of high charge transfer negative strokes. Numerical simulation shows these impulsive source currents produce very high (>2 Ek, where Ek is the local air breakdown field) but short-lived electric fields at halo altitudes between 70 km and 90 km. At streamer termination altitudes, the inferred background electric field is 0.2–0.3 Ek, which is close to but below the critical field (0.4 Ek) for negative streamer propagation. The simulations also show that the timescale of the lightning source current has a significant impact on the high altitude electric fields and thus the sprite initiation and morphology. With the same amount of charge transfer, a more impulsive current source produces a higher electric field of shorter duration at halo and sprite altitudes. The short timescales may explain why a larger threshold of total charge moment change is required to initiate negative sprites than short-delayed positive sprites, whose parent lightning source current is usually less impulsive.
Achromatic and isochronous electron beam transport for tunable free electron lasers

Abstract We have continued the study of a suitable electron beam transport line, which is both isochronous and achromatic, for the free electron laser being designed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. A refined version of the beam transport optics is discussed that accomodates two different modes of FEL wavelength tuning. For the fine tuning involving a small change of the electron beam energy, sextupoles are added to cancel the leading nonlinear dispersion. For the main tuning involving the change of the undulator gap, a practical solution of maintaining the beam matching condition is presented. Calculation of the higher order aberrations is facilitated by a newly developed code.
Single Molecule Measurements of Catch Bond Formation in Cadherin Cell-Adhesion Proteins

We resolve the molecular interactions by which cadherin cell adhesion proteins tune the mechanical properties of cell-cell junctions. Cells in multicellular organisms undergo constant rearrangements; during tissue formation and wound healing, cells divide, change positions and tug on their neighbors. While the genes that orchestrate these process have been studied extensively, we do not know nearly enough about how cell-cell contacts resist physical force. At the molecular level, cells are held together by adhesion proteins, most commonly by the cadherin family of proteins. Cadherins are essential for tissue formation and for maintaining tissue integrity. Using single molecule force measurements, we demonstrate that cadherin bonds become stronger as cells are pulled apart. This counter-intuitive data is the first demonstration that cadherin’s form catch bonds; the proteins grip strongly in the presence of an external force but detach when force is removed. Our results suggest a molecular mechanism for regulating cell-cell adhesion under conditions of variable mechanical stress.
A robust, low-cost and low-noise artificial skin for human-friendly robots

As robots and humans move towards sharing the same environment, the need for safety in robotic systems is of growing importance. Towards this goal of human-friendly robotics, a robust, low-cost, low-noise capacitive force sensing array is presented with application as a whole body artificial skin covering. This highly scalable design provides excellent noise immunity, low-hysteresis, and has the potential to be made flexible and formable. Noise immunity is accomplished through the use of shielding and local sensor processing. A small and low-cost multivibrator circuit is replicated locally at each taxel, minimizing stray capacitance and noise coupling. Each circuit has a digital pulse train output, which allows robust signal transmission in noisy electrical environments. Wire count is minimized through serial or row-column addressing schemes, and the use of an open-drain output on each taxel allows hundreds of sensors to require only a single output wire. With a small set of interface wires, large arrays can be scanned hundreds of times per second and dynamic response remains flat over a broad frequency range. Sensor performance is evaluated on a bench-top version of a 4×4 taxel array in quasi-static and dynamic cases.
Suboptimal integration of reward magnitude and prior reward likelihood in categorical decisions by monkeys.

Sensory decisions may be influenced by non-sensory information regarding reward magnitude or reward likelihood. Given identical sensory information, it is more optimal to choose an option if it is a priori more likely to be correct and hence rewarded (prior reward likelihood bias), or if it yields a larger reward, given that it is the correct choice (reward magnitude bias). Here, we investigated the ability of macaque monkeys to integrate reward magnitude and prior reward likelihood information into a categorical decision about stimuli with high signal strength but variable decision uncertainty. In the asymmetric reward magnitude condition, monkeys over-adjusted their decision criterion such that they chose the highly rewarded alternative far more often than was optimal; in contrast, monkeys did not adjust their decision criterion in response to asymmetric reward likelihood. This finding shows that in this setting, monkeys did not adjust their decision criterion based on the product of reward likelihood and reward magnitude as has been reported to be the case in value based decisions that do not involve decision uncertainty due to stimulus categorization.
The syntaxin binding protein 1 gene (Stxbp1) is a candidate for an ethanol preference drinking locus on mouse chromosome 2

Background: We previously mapped a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for ethanol preference drinking to mouse chromosome 2 (mapped with high confidence, LOD = 15.5, p= 3 × 10−16). The specific gene(s) in the QTL interval responsible for phenotypic variation in ethanol preference drinking has not been identified. Methods: In the current study, we investigated the association of the syntaxin binding protein 1 gene (Stxbp1) with ethanol preference drinking and other ethanol traits using a panel of B6 × D2 (BXD) recombinant inbred (RI) strains derived from the C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) inbred mouse strains. Confirmation analyses for ethanol consumption and withdrawal were performed using a large B6D2 F2 cross, short-term selected lines derived from the B6 and D2 progenitor strains, and standard inbred strains. Results: BXD RI strain analysis detected provisional associations between Stxbp1 molecular variants and ethanol consumption, as well as severity of acute ethanol withdrawal, ethanol-conditioned taste aversion, and ethanol-induced hypothermia. Confirmation analyses using three independent genetic models supported the involvement of Stxbp1 in ethanol preference drinking but not in ethanol withdrawal. Conclusions: Stxbp1 encodes a Sec1/Munc18–type protein essential for vesicular neurotransmitter release. The present study provides supporting evidence for the involvement of Stxbp1 in ethanol preference drinking.
Incremental foresighted local compaction

Under timing constraints, local compaction may fail because of poor scheduling decisions. Su [SDWX87] uses foresight to avoid some of the poor scheduling decisions. However, the foresight takes a considerable amount of time. In this paper the Incremental Foresight algorithm is introduced. Experiments using four different target architectures show that the Incremental Foresight algorithm works as well as foresight, and saves around 48 percent of the excess time.
Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease: New Advances

Anemia resulting from iron and erythropoietin deficiencies is a common complication of advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). This article covers major advances in our understanding of anemia in patients with CKD, including newly discovered regulatory molecules, such as hepcidin, to innovative intravenous iron therapies. The use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) in the treatment of anemia has undergone seismic shift in the past 3 years as a result of adverse outcomes associated with targeting higher hemoglobin levels with these agents. Potential mechanisms for adverse outcomes, such as higher mortality, are discussed. Despite the disappointing experience with ESAs, there is a tremendous interest in other novel agents to treat anemia in CKD. Lastly, while awaiting updated guidelines, the authors outline their recommendations on how to best manage patients who are anemic and have CKD.
DUP: Dynamic-Tree Based Update Propagation in Peer-to-Peer Networks

In peer-to-peer networks, indices are used to map data id to nodes that host the data. The performance of data access can be improved by actively pushing indices to interested nodes. This paper proposes the Dynamic-tree based Update Propagation (DUP) scheme, which builds the update propagation tree to facilitate the propagation of indices. Because the update propagation tree only involves nodes that are essential for update propagation, the overhead of DUP is very small and the query latency is significantly reduced.
Scenes vs. objects: A comparative study of two approaches to context based recognition

Contextual models play a very important role in the task of object recognition. Over the years, two kinds of contextual models have emerged: models with contextual inference based on the statistical summary of the scene (we will refer to these as scene based context models, or SBC), and models representing the context in terms of relationships among objects in the image (object based context, or OBC). In designing object recognition systems, it is necessary to understand the theoretical and practical properties of such approaches. This work provides an analysis of these models and evaluates two of their representatives using the LabelMe dataset. We demonstrate a considerable margin of improvement using the OBC style approach.
Exhaled carbon monoxide and its associations with smoking, indoor household air pollution and chronic respiratory diseases among 512 000 Chinese adults

Background Exhaled carbon monoxide (COex) level is positively associated with tobacco smoking and exposure to smoke from biomass/coal burning. Relatively little is known about its determinants in China despite the population having a high prevalence of smoking and use of biomass/coal. Methods The China Kadoorie Biobank includes 512 000 participants aged 30-79 years recruited from 10 diverse regions. We used linear regression and logistic regression methods to assess the associations of COex level with smoking, exposures to indoor household air pollution and prevalent chronic respiratory conditions among never smokers, both overall and by seasons, regions and smoking status. Results The overall COex level (ppm) was much higher in current smokers than in never smokers (men: 11.5 vs 3.7; women: 9.3 vs 3.2). Among current smokers, it was higher among those who smoked more and inhaled more deeply. Among never smokers, mean COex was positively associated with levels of exposures to passive smoking and to biomass/coal burning, especially in rural areas and during winter. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of air flow obstruction (FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7) for never smokers with COex at 7–14 and ≥14 ppm, compared with those having COex <7, were 1.38 (1.31–1.45) and 1.65 (1.52–1.80), respectively (Ptrend <0.001). Prevalence of other self-reported chronic respiratory conditions was also higher among people with elevated COex (P <0.05). Conclusion In adult Chinese, COex can be used as a biomarker for assessing current smoking and overall exposure to indoor household air pollution in combination with questionnaires.
Achieving joint diversity in MIMO relay networks with low-complexity equalizers

Wireless MIMO relay networks are receiving significant interests in recent years. However, most of MIMO relay techniques require high complexity equalizers and error free forwarding at the relay to collect diversity. In this paper, we propose high-rate and low-complexity MIMO relay designs that achieve joint cooperative and receive diversity by adopting power scaling strategy at the relay and channel-controlled (CC-) ARQ techniques. Linear equalizers are employed at both the relay and the destination to maintain low-complexity. Through mathematical analysis, we prove the diversity order achieved by proposed design. The theoretical analysis is corroborated with numerical simulations.
A Comparative Study of Loss and Regeneration of Lizard Tails

On the basis of degree of adaptation in tail autotomy, five lizard species studied on the same area in northeastern Kansas were arranged in a sequence of specialization. Eumeces obsoletus was the most specialized (hatchling tail conspicuously colored and behavior adapted to flaunt it); in Eumeces fasciatus also, the hatchling tail was conspicuously colored, but tail flaunting was less developed. In Cnemidophorus sexlineatus the hatchling tail was conspicuously colored but there was no tail flaunting. In Ophisaurus attenuatus, the tail was easily broken, but there was no special coloration or behavior to direct predator attack. In Crotaphytus collaris, the tail was neither conspicuous nor easily broken, and there was no regeneration.
A COMMON BAYESIAN APPROACH TO MULTIUSER DETECTION AND CHANNEL EQUALIZATION

Multiuser detection is the problem of detecting the data sequence from several simultaneous code division multiple access (CDMA) users and cancelling the interference between users. Equalization of intersymbol interference (ISI) is the separate problem of data detection in the presence of interference generated by the channel’s effect on the user’s own data stream. A commonality in these two problems arises from the finite memory associated with each. Both problems can be solved by a maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) approach, for example by the Viterbi algorithm (VA). The VA is driven by likelihoods conditioned on every possible data sequence with length equal to the channel memory. As is well known, the VA incurs a probabilistic decoding delay, and is burdened with the need to maintain track of all survivor sequences through the trellis. An alternative “symbol-by-symbol” approach to this problem offers a fixed decoding delay and no need to maintain survivor sequences. This approach is based on a Bayesian recursion of posterior probabilities due to Abend and Fritchman (AF). In the AF algorithm, maximum a-posteriori (MAP) symbol decisions are made (based on the entire history of past measurements) at each symbol time. In this paper, we provide a common framework that can be applied to both the multiuser detection and ISI equalization problems, and explicitly develop the Bayesian recursions for each. We emphasize the distinction between the MAP symbol detection and MLSE approaches, and discuss the trade-offs in performance and complexity.
A review of the literature on cardiac electrical activity between fibroblasts and myocytes

Myocardial injuries often lead to fibrotic deposition. This review presents evidence supporting the concept that fibroblasts in the heart electrically couple to myocytes.
Evidence for Color-by-Color Disengagement from the Process of Lepton Production Associated with the $\Psi$-Series and $\Upsilon$-Series Mesons

Form factors associated with the $\Psi(1S)$ and $\Up(2S)$ are calculated directly from relevant experimental data in order to verify that they are given by $f_{1} = (1-q_{s}^{2}) = (8/9)$ in the case of the $\Psi$-Series mesons and $f_{2} = (1-q_{c}^{2}) = (5/9)$ in the case of the $\Upsilon$-series mesons, where $q_{s} = -1/3$ represents the charge of the strange $(s)$ quark and $q_{c}= 2/3$ represents the charge of the charm $(c)$ quark. In two recent articles by the author form factors have been shown to represent the fraction of the originally produced quark/anti-quark $(QQ^*)$ state which makes a transition to a $QQ^*$ state of the next lowest mass $\dots ss^*$ in the case of the $\Psi$-Series mesons and $cc^*$ in the case of the $\Upsilon$-series mesons $\dots$ and thus figure prominently into the calculation of the hadronic and leptonic widths of a given meson via the constructs of the Gluon Emission Model (GEM). We undertake to calculate the form factors of the $\Psi(2S)$, the $\Psi(4040)$, the $\Psi(4160)$, and the $\Psi(4415)$ in order to show that $f_{1} = (8/9)$ is representative of all $\Psi$-states listed above, if and only if, it is assumed that one quark color (in the case of the $\Psi(2S)$) or two quark colors (in all other cases) become disengaged from lepton production. A~similar set of calculations is performed as to the $\Upsilon$-series mesons, such illustrating that all three quark colors are functional in lepton production in $\Upsilon(2S)$ decay, fewer than three functional in $\Upsilon(3S)$ and $\Upsilon(4S)$ decay, with likely only one color functioning in $\Upsilon(10860)$ and $\Upsilon(11020)$ decay. For each meson series, then, lepton decay is characterized by the phenomenon of sequential disengagement of quark color from lepton production as a function of increasing mass. In the $\Upsilon(3S)$ and $\Upsilon(4S)$ decay $\dots$ and in the $\Psi(3770)$ decay $\dots$ it is observed that half-integer color contributions are in force $\dots$ possibly leading to a heretofore unobserved quark property: "shade" of color ("light" and "dark").
Efficient iterative image reconstruction algorithm for dedicated breast CT

Dedicated breast computed tomography (bCT) is currently being studied as a potential screening method for breast cancer. The X-ray exposure is set low to achieve an average glandular dose comparable to that of mammography, yielding projection data that contains high levels of noise. Iterative image reconstruction (IIR) algorithms may be well-suited for the system since they potentially reduce the effects of noise in the reconstructed images. However, IIR outcomes can be difficult to control since the algorithm parameters do not directly correspond to the image properties. Also, IIR algorithms are computationally demanding and have optimal parameter settings that depend on the size and shape of the breast and positioning of the patient. In this work, we design an efficient IIR algorithm with meaningful parameter specifications and that can be used on a large, diverse sample of bCT cases. The flexibility and efficiency of this method comes from having the final image produced by a linear combination of two separately reconstructed images - one containing gray level information and the other with enhanced high frequency components. Both of the images result from few iterations of separate IIR algorithms. The proposed algorithm depends on two parameters both of which have a well-defined impact on image quality. The algorithm is applied to numerous bCT cases from a dedicated bCT prototype system developed at University of California, Davis.
Regional Origin and Migration Impact on Black Workers

A number of studies have indicated that residence and regional origin have an impact on individuals' career behavior (Hollingshead, 195 1; Lipsett, 1962; and Middletown and Grigg, 1959). However, most of these studies have focused on adolescents rather than adults. It has been reported that youth from urban areas have higher status occupational attainment orientations than do youth from rural origins (Sewell and Orienstein, 1970; Cosby and Picou, 1973; Curry and Picou, 1971; and Picou, 1973). Regional origin is believed to provide the setting in which individuals adopt community work values and become familiar with various occupational alternatives. The purpose of this article is to examine the literature relating to the influence of regional origin and migration on the occupational status of black workers. The following questions are raised: What impact have regional differences in the quality of education had on minorities' occupational status? Do black people who have been reared and educated in the South tend to earn less than those who have been educated in the North? Do second and third generations of black workers who have migrated from the South to the North have different employment patterns than those who have moved earlier to the North?
Simulation Study on Delay Probe Algorithm for Multihomed Host

Based on the comparison with conventional single path transmission and random CMP(Concurrent Multi-Path) transmission,a novel Delay Probe Transmission(DPT) algorithm in network layer for multihomed host was proposed,and this algorithm can adapt to the changing of link performance dynamically and makes full use of multiple paths to transmit simultaneously.NS2 simulations prove that DPT algorithm obtains reasonable performances of throughput,delay and jitter.
Study on Simulation Training System of A New Type of Antiaircraft Gun

In order to meet the requirements of diverse subject,diverse level,diverse content,and to cut down training-time,increase the training-efficiency,the functional module and the system composition of antiaircraft (AA) gun simulation training system were proposed by use of modularization design idea.The aerial information module is the director in the training system,the operation and training department can use it to make imaginary enemy situation and to carry out the direction of training subject.The battlefield simulation module can be used to simulate the battlefield conditions and weapon system platform,and inspect the rationality of command and decision.The decision-assistant module can help the commander to conduct direction of air defence operations and improve his capabilities of operation command and decision.The simulation training system of AA gun can provide a certain reference for simulation training of other weapon platforms.
Evaluation of effect on TB and HIV co-infection prevention and control of the fifth round of the Global Fund Program in Jieshou City

Objective To analyze and evaluate TB/HIV dual infection prevention and control effects of the fifth round of the global fund in Jieshou city,in order to find a scientific,feasible operating mode for AIDS and TB control in the future.Methods Quarterly and annual reports,special survey,project monitoring and evaluation data were collected and analyzed. Results The supporting environment of TB /HIV dual infection prevention and control was improved. During the program implementation period,1919 TB patients were registered,HIV antibody positive detection rate was 0. 21%; among1183 cases of AIDS patients being followed-up,all of the cases were dectcted for tuberculosis,and the detection rate was2. 28%. A total of 27 TB /HIV patients were registered,all of them were administered anti-TB medication,and the cure rate of smear positive patients was 90. 91%. The completion rate of treatment among smear negative patients was 100%.Conclusion The implementation of the Global Fund Program on TB and HIV co-infection prevention and control promoted the dual infection prevention and control in Jieshou city. Timely bidirectional detection and treatment of patients with TB and AIDS double infection were important in control of tuberculosis and AIDS epidemic,and should been carried out on a long-term basis.
Study significance and monitoring results of phenol and t,t-MA in urine of workers exposed to benzene

[Objective]To carry out research of benzene exposure biomarker in low-benzene environment,and research its practical application.[Methods]The workers in a shoemaking factory were chosen as the research objects,their urine was collected and determined the concentration of uric phenol and t,t-MA.And the benzene concentration was monitored in their working place.[Results]The concentration of uric phenol of workers exposed to benzene was not significantly correlated to benzene exposure concentration.The concentration of uric t,t-MA was positively correlated to benzene exposure concentration(P0.05).The concentration of urinary t,t-MA of workers exposed to benzene after work was significantly higher than that of workers before work(P0.05).Smoking has little effect on urinary phenol concentration,but the concentration of urinary t,t-MA of smoker was significantly higher than that of non-smoker(P0.05).[Conclusion]Urinary t,t-MA can be the sensitive biomarker instead of urinary phenol to reflect the body benzene exposure situation under low-benzene environment.
Paid counter-advertising: proven strategy to combat tobacco use and promotion.

This article discusses the effectiveness of paid counter-advertising in combating tobacco use and promotion, the impact of the Fairness Doctrine, which mandated anticigarette television advertisements in the late 1960s, and reasons why the media today are reluctant to run antismoking advertisements. Although counter-advertisements can work very well, they should be image-based, rather than fact-based. Currently, tobacco companies promote a positive image of cigarette smoking and brand awareness. Most antismoking ads, however, tend to focus on the tobacco itself and its adverse effects on the smoker, rather than combating the images the cigarette ads promote. Urging counter-advertising to focus on the product, rather than to try to produce guilt in smokers, this article provides examples of paid counter-advertising strategies employed by Doctors Ought to Care to illustrate an image-based approach. Overall, the antismoking movement must guard against complacency and measure its success according to tobacco companies’ declining revenues, rather than the number of public service advertisements in the media.
Introduction to special issue on Advances in blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.

Blood-based biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) have significant potential to advance both the diagnostic and therapeutic processes and procedures related to this devastating disease. In light of this potential, a significant amount of work has been conducted in recent years. In fact a PubMed search (6/2016) using the terms “blood based biomarkers AND Alzheimer's disease” yielded 474 hits with an overwhelming 48% of these articles being published from 2013–2016. This special issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring on Advances in blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease is intended to provide a broad-based snapshot regarding several aspects of the space. This special issue contains advancements in the space spanning newer technologies (e.g., exosome biomarkers) as well as progression in markers that have been more extensively studied (e.g., autoantibodies, apoJ). The special issue is broken down by categories that broadly correspond to a specific putative context of use (COU). Blood-based biomarkers offer an excellent complementary information to well-established cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), imaging (MRI, PET, other) biomarkers for the establishment of multistage processes for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, such as what has been of tremendous utility in other areas of medicine (e.g., cancer [1]). The intention of these blood-based biomarkers is to increase access to CSF, imaging, and other biomarker modalities as well as to provide novel information to enhance the scientific understanding of the complete biological dysfunction associated with AD and other neurological diseases. This special issue has been conceptually divided into broadly defined categories beginning with methodological considerations, to a set of possible context of uses (COUs) and ends with a study highlighting ethnic considerations in this space of scientific investigation.
The effect of before school physical activity on child development: A study protocol to evaluate the Build Our Kids Success (BOKS) Program.

Introduction Most childhood physical activity interventions focus on reducing childhood obesity with varying success, indicating that body mass index (BMI) may be a limited marker of health in children. To better understand overall childhood health and wellbeing, this study is investigating BOKS (Build Our Kids Success), an established ongoing before-school physical activity program, to evaluate students' physical health, mental health, cognitive capacity, and academic performance. Design and methods The study is a non-randomized controlled trial with 26 elementary and middle schools in 3 Massachusetts communities, including first through eighth grade (aged 5-14) students, their parents, and teachers. Data collection is occurring during the 2015-2016 school year. Physical fitness is being assessed via 400m run and anthropometrics via height and weight measures (BMI). Psychosocial outcomes are being assessed via student, parent, and teacher survey and include nutrition, daily activities, emotional and relationship scales, bullying and victimization, vitality and energy, student engagement, stress, positive affect, self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Academic performance is reported by grades. Statistical methods include a psychometric evaluation of study measures, Pearson correlations, Student's t-tests, ANOVA/ANCOVA and multivariate linear regression including multilevel modeling analyses to account for the hierarchical organization of the data. Discussion This study is investigating a before school physical activity program on parameters of physical health, mental health, cognitive capacity, and academic performance by employing a novel triad approach, correlating the input of the child, parent, and teacher. Outcomes will evaluate the effectiveness of a before school physical activity program in elementary and middle schools and potentially provide valuable information for schools looking to institute innovative physical activity programs.
Ventricular function before and after mitral valve replacement

To evaluate right ventricular function following mitral valve replacement, we studied 84 patients with isolated mitral valve disease with the use of first-pass radionuclide angiography before, 1 week after, and up to 1 year after operation. The right ventricular ejection fraction for the entire group improved from 29% ± 11% to 43% ± 10% (p
Application of Virtual Environments for Infantry Soldier Skills Training: We are Doing it Wrong

Simulation based training (SBT) technology has been shown to be effective in a number of domains such as for pilot training and ground vehicle operator training. In the dismounted infantry soldier skills domain, the low hanging fruit for effective use of SBT is equipment operations training. However, the complexities of the operational environment are often too difficult to replicate in current virtual environments to present an accurate or effective training for the skills requiring identification of enemy activity or reacting to enemy contact. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the University of Central Florida have been conducting studies using large numbers of soldiers to determine how effective virtual training methods are in comparison to traditional training methods for dismounted infantry soldier skills. This paper will discuss recommendations for changes in the employment of virtual training systems that could have a meaningful impact on the performance of soldiers.
Simultaneous Transformation of Commingled Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, and 1,4-Dioxane by a Microbially Driven Fenton Reaction in Batch Liquid Cultures.

ABSTRACT Improper disposal of 1,4-dioxane and the chlorinated organic solvents trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene [PCE]) has resulted in widespread contamination of soil and groundwater. In the present study, a previously designed microbially driven Fenton reaction system was reconfigured to generate hydroxyl (HO˙) radicals for simultaneous transformation of source zone levels of single, binary, and ternary mixtures of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system was driven by fed batch cultures of the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe Shewanella oneidensis amended with lactate, Fe(III), and contaminants and exposed to alternating anaerobic and aerobic conditions. To avoid contaminant loss due to volatility, the Fe(II)-generating, hydrogen peroxide-generating, and contaminant transformation phases of the microbially driven Fenton reaction system were separated. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system transformed TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane either as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. In the presence of equimolar concentrations of PCE and TCE, the ratio of the experimentally derived rates of PCE and TCE transformation was nearly identical to the ratio of the corresponding HO˙ radical reaction rate constants. The reconfigured Fenton reaction system may be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of commingled TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane and provides valuable information for future development of in situ remediation technologies. IMPORTANCE A microbially driven Fenton reaction system [driven by the Fe(III)-reducing facultative anaerobe S. oneidensis] was reconfigured to transform source zone levels of TCE, PCE, and 1,4-dioxane as single contaminants or as binary and ternary mixtures. The microbially driven Fenton reaction may thus be applied as an ex situ platform for simultaneous degradation of at least three (and potentially more) commingled contaminants. Additional targets for ex situ and in situ degradation by the microbially driven Fenton reaction developed in the present study include multiple combinations of environmental contaminants susceptible to attack by Fenton reaction-generated HO˙ radicals, including commingled plumes of 1,4-dioxane, pentachlorophenol (PCP), PCE, TCE, 1,1,2-trichloroethane (TCA), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS).
Recurrent Memory Array Structures.

The following report introduces ideas augmenting standard Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) architecture with multiple memory cells per hidden unit in order to improve its generalization capabilities. It considers both deterministic and stochastic variants of memory operation. It is shown that the nondeterministic Array-LSTM approach improves state-of-the-art performance on character level text prediction achieving 1.402 BPC on enwik8 dataset. Furthermore, this report estabilishes baseline neural-based results of 1.12 BPC and 1.19 BPC for enwik9 and enwik10 datasets respectively.
Is font size a big deal? A transaction – acquisition utility perspective on comparative price promotions

Purpose In promotional ads that contain both the Regular Price and Sale Price information, this paper aims to investigate whether changing the font sizes of these two prices has an effect on how consumers process the ad message. The authors use acquisition-transaction utility perspective to identify key differences in mechanisms invoked by the larger font size of the Regular Price vs that of the Sale Price. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 uses eye-tracking apparatus to study subjects’ responses to a full-color, realistic-looking ad for a digital camera. Study 2 uses a survey questionnaire to gauge subjects’ responses to a similar print ad. The font sizes of Regular Price and Sale price were manipulated while keeping all the other elements of the ad the same. Subjects were undergraduate students who participated in the study for a small incentive. Findings The authors find that making the relative font size of Regular Price bigger invokes a transaction-utility mechanism where customers’ attention is focused on the savings that can be had using the promotion. A bigger font size of Sale Price invokes an acquisition-utility mechanism that draws on the customers’ value consciousness. Research limitations/implications The use of student subjects and only one product category in the experiments may limit the generalizability of the study’s findings. Practical implications In print ads, managers predominantly use a bigger font size for the Sale Price. This study suggests that the choice of a bigger font size should really be driven by the objective of the promotion: a bigger font size for Sale Price is advised if the objective is to take an acquisition utility approach, whereas a bigger font size for Regular Price is advised for using a transaction utility approach. Originality/value This study is the first attempt at using an acquisition-transaction utility perspective for understanding the use of relative font sizes in the context of price promotions.
Automated neurovascular tracing and analysis of the knife-edge scanning microscope Rat Nissl data set using a computing cluster

We present a novel, parallelizable algorithm capable of automatically reconstructing and calculating anatomical statistics of cerebral vascular networks embedded in large volumes of Rat Nissl-stained data. In this paper, we report the results of our method using Rattus somatosensory cortical data acquired using Knife-Edge Scanning Microscopy. Our algorithm performs the reconstruction task with averaged precision, recall, and F2-score of 0.978, 0.892, and 0.902 respectively. Calculated anatomical statistics show some conformance to values previously reported. The results that can be obtained from our method are expected to help explicate the relationship between the structural organization of the microcirculation and normal (and abnormal) cerebral functioning.
Evaluation of thymoquinone (TQ) as an antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and immunomodulatory agent in a non-small cell lung cancer cell (NSCLC) line

e14644 Background: NSCLC is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. We performed in vitro testing of Thymoquinone (TQ), a derivative of black caraway seed against NSCLC cell line NCI-H460 Methods: Cells were grown in RPMI and were plated at a density of 5,000 cells per well in a 96 well plate and cell growth determined in the presence of 80 and 100μM of TQ dissolved in DMSO with appropriate solvent only as control. Cell proliferation was determined at 24, 48 and 72 hrs intervals using 3-(4,5-dimethyltiazol 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetraolium bromide (MTT) assay. Factorial analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine the effect of TQ and control with the time. Student-Newman-Keuls test was used to determine statistical significance with P value <0.05 considered significant. Apoptosis was detected using Annexin V-FITC Aptosis Detection Kit analyzing the effects of TQ at 24 hrs after treatment by flow cytometry. The immunomodulatory effects of TQ were tested using RayBio Human Cytokine Antibody Arra...
POBOP pincer complexes of nickel(II): Synthesis and B H activation of the carborane ligand upon oxidation with iodine

Abstract The (POBOP)NiCl pincer complex (POBOP = 1,7-OP(i-Pr)2-m-carboranyl) was synthesized by the selective B H activation of the chelating carboranyl ligand and structurally and spectroscopically characterized. The reaction of (POBOP)NiCl and 1 equiv. of I2 at room temperature led to the selective iodination of the vicinal B H bond in the complex. The reaction of (POBOP)NiCl and 7 equiv. of I2 at room temperature led to further iodination of the ligand and dissociation of the metal from the complex.
Skin Hydration Sensor for Customizable Electronic Textiles

This paper introduces the design and simulated operation of a capacitive hydration sensor for integration into textile-based electronics. The multilayer patch is composed of a textile layer and an attached series of serpentine-interdigitated electrodes. The model used for simulations incorporated this design onto a representative model of skin. The serpentine-interdigitated electrodes are electrodes for capacitive measurement of skin hydration. In this study, the capacitance change relative to skin hydration was simulated using finite element analysis. The simulation results suggest the fabric layer had little effect on the capacitance of the sensor. Furthermore, the frequency domain simulations indicated that the capacitance of the sensor decreased with increasing frequency, and the decrease in capacitance was more significant for the dry skin compared to the wet skin. Therefore, the variation in the capacitance value of the serpentine-interdigitated electrodes can be employed for continuous skin hydration detection.
Presenting comparative price promotions vertically or horizontally: Does it matter?

Abstract This research examines whether spatial differences in presentation of comparative price promotions (vertical vs. horizontal) affect consumers' assessment of price discounts. Results show that when comparative price promotions are presented horizontally, consumers take longer to compute the monetary discount and are less accurate than when such prices are presented vertically. This suggests that cognitive constraints exhibit a larger detrimental effect on performing computations when prices are presented horizontally than vertically. In addition, a constraint on visual resources impacts vertical presentations more while a constraint on verbal resources influences price computations that are presented horizontally.
Water Fixture Identification in Smart Housing: A Domain Knowledge Based Case Study

In current practice, smart housing environments often over-install smart sensors on every fixture and log data from them at high sampling rates, resulting in more data being collected than is necessary. Fixture identification offers a possible alternative to reduce the number of sensors installed and the amount of data collected in smart housing. Fixture identification applies classifiers to label utility consumption data aggregated at the apartment level by the specific fixture that actually contributes the data, such as the shower or the kitchen sink. Successful fixture identification can be used to educate tenants, optimize the resource supply strategy, and offer a smart solution for detecting abnormal usage activities. In this paper, we report a case study of water fixture identification by using support vector machines (SVMs) to perform fixture classification. We use the Smart Housing Dataset from Clarkson University, which comprises of one academic year of tenant activities from 12 student apartments. Our results show that the proposed approach achieves an average accuracy between 78% to 87.8% for identifying hot water fixtures including kitchen sink, bathroom sink and shower. As a result, the number of smart meters per apartment is reduced from 7 to 3, one for hot water, one for cold water, and the third for toilet. The novelty of our study lies in the feature selection process, which is guided by our domain knowledge of water fixture characteristics and the correlation between water fixture usage and other user behavior in the apartments. We describe our proposed features, their rationale, and their effect on classification performance.
Descents of $\lambda$-unimodal cyclic permutations

We prove an identity conjectured by Adin and Roichman involving the descent set of $\lambda$-unimodal cyclic permutations. These permutations appear in the character formulas for certain representations of the symmetric group and these formulas are usually proven algebraically. Here, we give a combinatorial proof for one such formula and discuss the consequences for the distribution of the descent set on cyclic permutations.
A web-based registry for patients with sarcoidosis

Background/Objective: The objective is to present the development of a novel web-based patient registry for sarcoidosis. We describe recruitment efforts and assess efficacy of internet-based advertising on recruitment. Methods: “Worldwide Sarcoidosis Research Study (WISE)” started in 2011 under the domain www.sarcoidstudy.org. The registry includes thirteen patient-reported surveys about patient characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment. Effects of two internet-based advertising methods (geographically-broad versus geographically-targeted to high sarcoidosis search areas) on recruitment were analyzed with time series regression. Results: Since 2011, over 1500 participants have registered (82% whites, 9% African Americans, 5% mixed, 4% other), with 23% of participants providing saliva samples for DNA. Median age is 43 years (range 21-80). African Americans were more frequently recruited via support groups, while whites had a higher frequency of finding the registry via internet. Generalized internet-based advertising significantly improved recruitment in all demographic groups (p<0.001). However, a higher response rate to internet-based advertising was seen in whites compared to African Americans (p<0.001), females versus males (p=0.043), higher income categories (p=0.048), and increased education level (p<0.001). Targeting advertising campaigns to geographical areas with high internet-search patterns for sarcoidosis, with different demographics, was not effective in raising registry recruitment above baseline or increasing diversity. Conclusions: A web-based registry is an effective method for establishing a cohort of patients with sarcoidosis invested in clinical research with DNA specimens. Despite limitations, opportunities for research in patient-oriented outcomes and broad internet-based research methodology are possible. Our results demonstrate that web-based approaches to recruit study subjects need to be focused to match different target populations.
Can We Afford That?: One Library’s Transition to a Data-Rich Acquisitions Environment for E-Resource Budgeting and Forecasting

ABSTRACTDespite the myriad of new electronic resources and acquisitions models that have emerged in the 21st century, for many libraries the acquisitions budget remains structurally unchanged. Research reveals that the traditional, hierarchical budget structure may not be adequate for modern acquisitions, and that new concepts in budgeting and data collection are necessary for understanding e-resource costs. Through examining cases in the literature, determining best practices in e-resource budgeting and planning, and applying these, the Hunt Library at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University experienced better accuracy in on-demand acquisitions statistics and created a forecast for future e-resource spending.