cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crowdsourcing undersampled vehicular sensor data for pothole detection

The increased availability of embedded vehicle sensors allows for the detection of road features such as potholes. Despite being a promising approach, current vehicle embedded sensors operate at low frequencies and undersample sensor signals, thus degrading detection accuracy. One emerging solution is to crowdsource such undersampled sensor data from multiple vehicles to increase the detection accuracy. Aggregating sensor data from multiple vehicles, nonetheless, is a challenging task given the heterogeneity among vehicles, asynchronous sensor operation, GPS error, and sensor noise. Additionally, there may be bandwidth restrictions in vehicular networks which limit the amount of data available for aggregation. We investigate these issues by focusing on the problem of pothole detection. To quantify the detection accuracies and effects of real-world limitations, we design and evaluate three crowdsourcing pothole detection schemes involving vehicles and the Cloud. We also address the issue of lack of extensive model training data by demonstrating that a detection model applicable to real-world systems can be derived using simulated data. We validate our pothole detection methods using 38.1 km of real-world data collected from driving on roads in Warren, Michigan.
Risk factors for in-hospital mortality among a cohort of children with Clostridium difficile infection.

OBJECTIVE The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased and has been associated with poor outcomes among hospitalized children, including increased risk of death. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality among children with CDI. METHODS A multicenter cohort of children with CDI, aged 1–18 years, was established among children hospitalized at 41 freestanding children’s hospitals between January 1, 2006 and August 31, 2011. Children with CDI were identified using a validated case-finding tool (ICD-9-CM code for CDI plus C. difficile test charge). Only the first CDI-related hospitalization during the study period was used. Risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality within 30 days of C. difficile test were evaluated using a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS We identified 7,318 children with CDI during the study period. The median age of this cohort was 6 years [interquartile range (IQR): 2–13]; the mortality rate was 1.5% (n=109); and the median number of days between C. difficile testing and death was 12 (IQR, 7–20). Independent risk factors for death included older age [adjusted odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval), 2.29 (1.40–3.77)], underlying malignancy [3.57 (2.36–5.40)], cardiovascular disease [2.06 (1.28–3.30)], hematologic/immunologic condition [1.89 (1.05–3.39)], gastric acid suppression [2.70 (1.43–5.08)], and presence of >1 severity of illness marker [3.88 (2.44–6.19)]. CONCLUSION Patients with select chronic conditions and more severe disease are at increased risk of death. Identifying risk factors for in-hospital mortality can help detect subpopulations of children that may benefit from targeted CDI prevention and treatment strategies. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1183–1189
Minimization of Error in Exponential Model Estimation via Jackknife Algorithm

This reveals the appropriateness of the algorithms for the estimation of nonlinear regression parameters and in the reduction of the error terms in nonlinear regression estimation.
Vapor Phase Epitaxy and Thermodynamic Calculations of GaAs1 − x P x ( 0.3 < x < 0.5 )

Various relationships between gas concentrations and solid composition have been established for the vapor phase epitaxy of . A process was used to grow such materials at a satisfactory temperature of 790°C. The crystal composition was measured as a function of the input flow rates. Based on these reproducible data, thermo‐chemical calculations were performed with thermodynamic constants evaluated from the literature or determined by fitting the measured data to the calculated equations. The results agree nicely with all the experimental data when the input flow rate ratio is higher than , disagreements occur and the gas‐solid relationships are hence established by experimental extrapolations. The crystal composition is strongly affected by and , in addition to . Such phenomena are briefly discussed.
Effects of Age, Mating, and Time of Day on Behavioral Responses of Female Papaya Fruit Fly, Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker (Diptera: Tephritidae), to Synthetic Sex Pheromone

In a laboratory flight tunnel bioassay, optimum attraction of female papaya fruit flies, Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker, to the sex pheromone 2,6-methylvinylpyrazine was obtained at release rates of 550–1,650 ng/h. Females became responsive to sex pheromone on the fifth day after eclosion, with response peaking on seventh and eighth days postemergence, coincident with ovarian maturation. Responses to pheromone did not decrease qualitatively or quantitatively after mating. A diel pattern to pheromone response was observed with a midday (5- to 7-h into a 12-h photophase) response period for mature, unmated papaya fruit fly females and a broad afternoon response period for mated females.
Geophysical Analysis Of The Salmon Peak Formation Near Amistad Reservoir Dam, Val Verde County, Texas, And Coahuila, Mexico, March 2006, To Aid In Piezometer Placement

A reconnaissance-level geophysical study was conducted at Amistad Reservoir Dam to provide technical assistance for the horizontal and vertical placement of piezometers on the eastern embankment of the dam. The study involved an integrated approach using surface and borehole geophysical methods. In the western embankment investigation, geological and geophysical characteristics that indicate relatively large water-yielding properties of the Salmon Peak Formation were identified. The directcurrent (DC) resistivity method was selected as the surface geophysical reconnaissance technique to correlate relatively large water-yielding properties of the Salmon Peak Formation, identified from analysis of borehole geophysical logs, with variations in subsurface resistivity. The dipole-dipole array and the reciprocal Schlumberger array were selected as the most applicable DC resistivity arrays. Two resistivity units were identified in both the dipole-dipole array data and the reciprocal Schlumberger array data along DC resistivity profiles on both embankments. Resistivity unit 1 generally is of relatively low resistivity, ranging from 45 to 150 ohm-meters compared with resistivity unit 2, which ranges from 120 to 345 ohm-meters (depending on the DC array type). The presence of mapped sinkholes in the reservoir north of the western embankment study area and the zone of increased water content (as indicated by zones of low neutron log count rates in nearby piezometers) leads to the conclusion that resistivity unit 1 is a preferential flow path where surface water from Amistad Reservoir is forced into the ground-water system (because of increased head from the reservoir). In the eastern embankment investigation, trends in the spatial distribution of sinkholes and the occurrence of weathered zones were identified from geologic descriptions of cores. The correlation of surface geophysical DC resistivity, historical lithologic data, and general trend of documented sinkholes along the eastern end of the eastern embankment profile were used to justify further exploration (drilling of piezometers) in the eastern expression of resistivity unit 1. The spatial location of the piezometers and the screened intervals were selected to best match the locations of the screened intervals of the western embankment piezometers. Six piezometers were installed on the eastern embankment and logged using borehole geophysical techniques. Resistivity units 1 and 2 in the DC resistivity profiles generally correspond with low and high resistivity zones, respectively, on the normal and lateral resistivity logs collected in the nearby piezometers at the time of installation. Because the project was a reconnaissance-level study, the report is not a comprehensive geologic or geophysical evaluation of the study area.
Differential effects of EDTA, metal ions, and nucleotides on glycoprotein sialyltransferase activity of serum and liver.

SummaryThe effects of EDTA, divalent metal ions, and nucleotides on serum and liver glycoprotein sialyltransferase were studied. EDTA, at concentrations up to 16 mM, increased the transfer of [14C]NANA from CMP-[14C]NANA to desialyzed fe-tuin, by serum enzyme, while Mg2+ and Mn2+ at concentrations of 5-20 mM strongly inhibited the transfer. Nucleotides showed marked inhibitory effects on the transfer reaction. The extent of inhibition increased with the number of phosphate groups in the molecule. The enzyme in liver, on the other hand, required divalent metal ions for optimal activity. Also, UDP and UTP stimulated the enzyme in the liver.This investigation was supported by NIH Grants Nos. HD-01823 and NS-11670. The authors wish to acknowledge the able technical assistance of Lora Nunes.
IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION BY SEX, AGE, AND OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE STATUS IN THE ACTION REGISTRY-GWTG

Sex differences in post-myocardial infarction (MI) mortality vary by age. MI with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA [<50% stenosis]) is more common among younger patients and women. MINOCA has a better prognosis than MI with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD). The interaction
Validation of MUF and FOT parameters for plain, mountainous and sea region

In this paper, the validation of different International High Frequency (HF) prediction models for HF communication in plain, mountainous and sea regions of Pakistan are studied. An analytical study for the behavior of Ionospheric parameters, Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) and Frequency of Optimum Traffic (FOT) has been performed between transmitter station Lahore City and many different receiver stations which are distributed randomly over Pakistani territory. The Ionospheric parameters are calculated using Ionospheric Communications Enhanced Profile Analysis & Circuit (ICEPAC) and REC 533 communication models for all seasons (Summer, Winter, Autumn and Spring) of the year 2013 of the solar cycle 24. Before this study no single model was followed properly for HF communication frequency prediction to meet the requirements of this complex geographical location containing plain, mountainous and sea regions. A comparison of practical and theoretical results shows that ICEPAC model results shows best fitting to plain, mountainous and sea regions of Pakistan as compared to REC 533.
Improving virtual hardware interfaces

Since the origin of virtual machine monitors in the 1960s, virtual hardware has often been designed with "impure" interfaces different from physical hardware interfaces. Paravirtualization, as this is now termed, is often used to simplify VMMs and boost VM performance. This thesis explores tradeoffs in a rarely seen form of paravirtual interface, where the virtual interface operates at a higher level of abstraction than the common hardware interface. We in particular examine the effects of providing a BSD socket-like interface to a VM instead of an Ethernet interface, and the effects of providing a file system interface instead of a block device interface. Our experiments show that higher-level ("extreme") paravirtualization has direct benefits for sharing, security, and modularity. We also show that our approach requires little or no change to existing VMMs and operating systems. Given the availability of processor cores, it has minimal performance cost: 3% or less in every case for our paravirtual network stack, and under 4% for file system macro-benchmarks. In special cases, we even demonstrate speed-ups. We further extend this high-level virtualization approach for virtual storage. Virtual disks have many attractive properties, such as a simple, powerful versioning model and an architecture that makes it easy to create and economically store large numbers of VMs. They also suffer from serious shortcomings: low-level isolation prevents shared access to storage, versioning takes place at the granularity of a whole virtual disk, and lack of structure obstructs searching or retrieving data. A higher-level virtual interface to storage aids sharing, but not their other shortcomings. Therefore, this thesis proposes the concept of a virtualization aware file system (VAFS) that combines the features of a virtual disk with those of a distributed file system. A VAFS extends a conventional distributed file system with versioning, access control, and disconnected operation features resembling those available from virtual disks. This gains the benefits of virtual disks, without compromising usability, security, or ease of management.
Relationship Among Emotional Intelligence, SOAR, and Team-Based Collaboration: Implications for a Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results (SOAR) Based Approach to Coaching Psychology

The aim of this chapter is to provide a theoretical overview of SOAR, a strengths-based framework with a whole-system (stakeholder) approach to strategy that focuses on strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results, and to consider implications for its use within coaching psychology research and practice. We first present the results of an empirical study in which SOAR was found to mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and team-based collaboration among team leaders but not team members. In finding that SOAR differentially mediated the EI-collaboration relationship in team leaders rather than team members, we suggest that SOAR may help a coach create a reservoir of positivity to support new ideas, innovations, and the best in people to emerge and thrive. We discuss how a SOAR-based coaching process may facilitate a coach’s ability to promote performance enhancement through a results-oriented approach focusing on the coachee’s strengths, opportunities, and aspirations.
The Language of Contention: Race and Rights

Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was tired. It was the middle of July, 2009, he had just returned from a trip to China, and the front door of his home wouldn't open. With the help of his driver, Gates forced it open. At the same time, a passing senior citizen told Lucia Whalen, who lived across the street , that two men were forcing open Gates's door. Not recognizing Gates or his driver, Whalen called the Cambridge police, making clear that she doubted whether an actual crime was in progress. Sgt. James Crowley, a Cambridge native who had previously worked for the Harvard police, answered the call. He walked up the steps, saw Gates on the phone inside, and asked him to step outside. Gates replied, “No I will not!” When Crowley explained that he was answering a report of a break-in in progress, according to the police officer, Gates heatedly exclaimed, “Why? Because I’m a black man in America?” After a number of such exchanges Crowley put Gates under arrest. He was transported to a Cambridge police station in a police cruiser and booked for disorderly conduct. Race was never far from the surface of the encounter: when Whalen called the Cambridge police, the dispatcher asked her several times if the men who had forced open Gates’s door were “white, black, or Hispanic.” According to Charles Ogeltree, Gates’s attorney and a Harvard law professor, Crowley was obviously offended by Gates’s belligerence, but his report reflected both “his presumption that a criminal act was taking place” and skepticism about Professor Gates’s actual identity (Ogletree 2010: 31). Gates, for his part, felt he was being unfairly targeted in his own home because of the color of his skin.
Juana Belén Gutiérrez de Mendoza: Writing from the Margins of Word, Class, and Gender

Juana Belen Gutierrez de Mendoza is perhaps the most marginalized of the authors studied here. She is also the fiercest. Through her life and writing she sets out to undo injustice: against the poor, women, and indigenous peoples. In the process, she takes on one of the most debilitating labels applied to females: passivity, the lifeless image of la Chingada. I discuss her biography, her activism, her hypermasculinized language, and her use of the borrowed discursive space to propose that her trailblazing activism—the way she lives her life and how she uses writing—recasts women as political and public subjects in the making and defense of the Mexican nation, rewriting likewise the myths of la Malinche and la Llorona, both chastised single mothers.
Economic Development Aid and International Political Stability

Economic difficulties within states tend to create domestic political instability which, in turn, tends to produce international disturbances that may lead to war. The widespread acceptance of this proposition has led to the view that international economic organisations, by facilitating national economic development, can promote national political stability and thereby enhance the prospects for world peace. The purpose of this paper is to examine the putative nexus between international programmes designed to promote economic development within national states and the stability of the international system. Does international assistance in economic development tend to promote world peace? If so, how may it conduce to that result?
Electrospun Polyurethane and Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds as Biomechanical Mimics for Aortic Valve Tissue Engineering

In this study, a composite scaffold consisting of an electrospun polyurethane and poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel was investigated for aortic valve tissue engineering. This multilayered approach permitted the fabrication of a scaffold that met the desired mechanical requirements while enabling the 3D culture of cells. The scaffold was tuned to mimic the tensile strength, anisotropy, and extensibility of the natural aortic valve through design of the electrospun polyurethane mesh layer. Valve interstitial cells were encapsulated inside the hydrogel portion of the scaffold around the electrospun mesh, creating a composite scaffold approximately 200 μm thick. The stiffness of the electrospun fibers caused the encapsulated cells to exhibit an activated phenotype that resulted in fibrotic remodeling of the scaffold in a heterogeneous manner. Remodeling was further explored by culturing the scaffolds in both a mechanically constrained state and in a bent state. The constrained scaffolds demonstrated strong fibro...
Nutrient Deficiency 10 Years Following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Who's Responsible?

Monitoring and prevention of long-term nutrient deficiency after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) remains ill defined due to limited surgical follow-up after bariatric surgery. This study compared nutrient supplementation as well as surgeon and primary care physician (PCP) follow-up between patients with short-term versus long-term follow-up. All patients undergoing LRYGB at a single institution in 2004 (long-term group, n = 281) and 2012–2013 (short-term group, n = 149) were evaluated. Prospectively collected database, electronic medical record (EMR) review and telephone survey were used to obtained follow-up for both cohorts. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess factors independently predicting multivitamin use. Complete follow-up was achieved in 172 (61 %) long-term and 107 (72 %) short-term patients. We demonstrate a significant difference (p < 0.0001) in time since last surgeon follow-up (13.3 ± 7.8 vs 86.9 ± 39.9 months) for the long-term group with no difference in PCP follow-up, (3.1 ± 4.3 vs 3.7 ± 3.4). Nutrient supplementation was higher in the short-term group, including multivitamin (70.3 vs 58.9 %, p < 0.05), iron (84.2 vs 67.1 %, p = 0.02), and calcium (49.5 vs 32.9 %, p = 0.01). After adjusting for interval since surgery, %EBMI and current comorbidities logistic regression (c = 0.797) demonstrated shorter time since last surgeon visit was independently predictive of multivitamin use (p = 0.001). While it appears patients prefer to follow-up with their PCP, this study reveals a large disparity in malnutrition screening and nutrient supplementation following LRYGB. Therefore, implementation of multidisciplinary, best-practice guidelines to recognize and prevent malnutrition is paramount in the management of this growing population of high-risk patients.
What Makes Preschool Educational Television Educational? A Content Analysis of Literacy, Language-Promoting, and Prosocial Preschool Programming

The majority of media exposure for children under 8 years consists of television. Studies examining associations between media exposure and developmental outcomes suggest that television effects are dependent upon content (e.g., educational content predicts positive outcomes, entertainment content predicts poorer outcomes). Preschool children have the highest rates of this child-directed exposure and view more hours than their school-aged counterparts. This comprehensive content analysis of educational preschool television highlights a number of strengths of current programming as well as areas for growth. Specifically, molecular instructional strategies focusing on cognition, language, literacy, and the quality of character interactions were examined alongside several molar features including the targeted viewer age, program structure, and curriculum emphasis. Cognitive strategies included repetition both within and across scenes and some imaginative play strategies. There was limited use of metacognitive and problem solving strategies. Language strategies focused mainly on building conversations and were especially prevalent in interactive narrative programs. Integration of verbal and visual onscreen-print was consistently high and modeling of code-related skills was particularly strong in literacy-focused programs. Although infrequent, there were instances of object mislabeling and use of challenging vocabulary without definitions. Both independently interfere with comprehension because they make it difficult for children to map an object to its referent. The frequency of quality adult and peer modeling and interactions was also low. This is a missed opportunity for educational media developers to model prosocial behaviors. The literacy-focused and language-promoting curriculum goals were generally met. Expository/hybrid content presented a large amount of information that could be overwhelming, particularly for younger viewers.
Relative Abundance of Potato Psyllid Haplotypes in Southern Idaho Potato Fields During 2012 to 2015, and Incidence of 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' Causing Zebra Chip Disease.

Zebra chip (ZC) disease, a serious threat to the potato industry, is caused by the bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). Five haplotypes (hapA to hapE) of this pathogen have been described so far in different crops, with only hapA and hapB being associated with ZC in potato. Both haplotypes are vectored and transmitted to a variety of solanaceaeous plants by the tomato/potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc). Psyllids are native to North America, and four haplotypes have been identified and named based on their predominant geographic association: Northwestern, Central, Western, and Southwestern. Although all psyllid haplotypes have been found in southern Idaho potato fields, data on relative haplotype abundances and dynamic changes in the fields over time have not previously been reported. Here, psyllid samples collected in Idaho potato fields from 2012 to 2015 were used to clarify spatial and temporal patterns in distribution and abundance of psyllid and Lso haplotypes. A shift fr...
New frontiers in couple-based interventions in cancer care: refining the prescription for spousal communication.

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a life-altering experience that signals profound changes in a person’s life. However, most people do not experience cancer in isolation or cope ...
The Development and Evolution of Public Health Essentials in Action: A Training Course on the 3 Core Functions and 10 Essential Public Health Services:

The Western Region Public Health Training Center (formally the Arizona Public Health Training Center) conducts competency-based needs assessments and provides workforce development assistance to public health agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region IX. Since its launch in 2012, the Center’s Public Health Essentials in Action Training has evolved. It is now offered in-person and online and has been adapted for rural communities. The evolution of the training, beginning with course planning and development, is described, as well as how factors in the public health workforce influenced the course’s evolution and how the course has been adapted for different platforms and populations. Finally, an overview of evaluation efforts offers insight into course effectiveness for this and other trainings offered by the Western Region Public Health Training Center.
Mechanistic insights into transcription coupled DNA repair

Transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) acts on lesions in the transcribed strand of active genes. Helix distorting adducts and other forms of DNA damage often interfere with the progression of the transcription apparatus. Prolonged stalling of RNA polymerase can promote genome instability and also induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These generally unfavorable events are counteracted by RNA polymerase-mediated recruitment of specific proteins to the sites of DNA damage to perform TCR and eventually restore transcription. In this perspective we discuss the decision-making process to employ TCR and we elucidate the intricate biochemical pathways leading to TCR in E. coli and human cells.
Improving fatigue and low temperature performance of 100% RAP mixtures using a soybean-derived rejuvenator

Abstract One of the major obstacles towards higher mixture percentages of reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) is its greater susceptibility to failure under low temperatures and fatigue loading. Rejuvenators offer a very attractive solution by partially or fully restoring the aged properties of the RAP binder. In this research, a soybean-derived rejuvenator is used to modify a PG58-28 binder at 6% and 12% by weight. The soybean-modified PG58-28 and a neat PG58-28 are blended with an extracted RAP binder. Changes in the rheological properties of the different blends are assessed using performance grading (PG), temperature-frequency sweep and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) testing. RAP mixtures made of 100% RAP with the addition of neat PG58-28 or soybean-modified PG58-28 were used to prepare dynamic modulus and disk-shaped compact tension (DCT) specimens. The binder testing results clearly indicate that the soybean-derived rejuvenator has a significant impact on both the low and high temperature properties of the RAP binder. Such improvement was not attainable by using the neat PG58-28 alone. The soybean-derived rejuvenator also shows sustained durability with aging. The LAS results indicate a significant increase in the fatigue life of the soybean rejuvenated RAP binder. Results of dynamic modulus testing do not reveal significant differences between the various mixtures. The fracture energy of the mixtures prepared with the soybean rejuvenator is higher than the control mixtures as revealed by DCT test results.
Pulmonary Hypertension in the Potential Kidney Transplant Recipient

Pulmonary hypertension is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic kidney disease and on renal replacement therapy. Given the heterogeneity of study methods, the true disease burden of pulmonary hypertension and its impact on kidney transplant outcomes is unclear. The pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease and on maintenance dialysis is multifactorial. Patients with significant pulmonary hypertension being evaluated for kidney transplantation will benefit from a multidisciplinary approach in the pre-transplant evaluation and risk stratification to optimize their outcomes.
Strategic Autonomy for Reducing Risk of Sun-Synchronous Lunar Polar Exploration

Sun-synchronous lunar polar exploration can extend solar-powered robotic missions by an order of magnitude by following routes of continuous sunlight. However, enforcing an additional constraint for continuous Earth communication while driving puts such missions at risk. This is due to the uncertainty of singularities: static points that provide weeks of continuous sunlight where communication blackouts can be endured. The uncertainty of their existence and exact location stems from the limited accuracy of lunar models and makes dwelling at singularities a high-risk proposition. This paper proposes a new mission concept called strategic autonomy, which instead permits rovers to follow preplanned, short, slow, autonomous drives without communication to gain distance from shadow and increase confidence in sustained solar power. In this way, strategic autonomy could greatly reduce overall risk for sun-synchronous lunar polar missions.
Higher accuracy of complex medication reconciliation through improved design of electronic tools.

Objective Investigate the accuracy of 2 different medication reconciliation tools integrated into electronic health record systems (EHRs) using a cognitively demanding scenario and complex medication history. Materials and Methods Seventeen physicians reconciled medication lists for a polypharmacy patient using 2 EHRs in a simulation study. The lists contained 3 types of discrepancy and were transmitted between the systems via a Continuity of Care Document. Participants updated each EHR and their interactions were recorded and analyzed for the number and type of errors. Results Participants made 748 drug comparisons that resulted in 53 errors (93% accuracy): 12 using EHR2 (3% rate, 0-3 range) and 41 using EHR1 (11% rate, 0-9 range; P < .0001). Twelve clinicians made completely accurate reconciliations with EHR2 (71%) and 6 with EHR1 (35%). Most errors (28, 53%) occurred in medication entries containing discrepancies: 4 in EHR2 and 24 in EHR1 (P = .008). The order in which participants used the EHRs to complete the task did not affect the results. Discussion Significantly fewer errors were made with EHR2, which presented lists in a side-by-side view, automatically grouped medications by therapeutic class and more effectively identified duplicates. Participants favored this design and indicated that they routinely used several workarounds in EHR1. Conclusion Accurate assessment of the safety and effectiveness of electronic reconciliation tools requires rigorous testing and should prioritize complex rather than simpler tasks that are currently used for EHR certification and product demonstration. Higher accuracy of reconciliation is likely when tools are designed to better support cognitively demanding tasks.
A hardware testbed for learning-based spectrum handoff in cognitive radio networks

Abstract A real-time cognitive radio network (CRN) testbed is implemented by using the universal software radio peripheral (USRP) and GNU Radio to demonstrate the use of reinforcement learning and transfer learning schemes for spectrum handoff decisions. By considering the channel status (idle or occupied) and channel condition (in terms of packet error rate), the sender node performs the learning-based spectrum handoff. In reinforcement learning, the number of network observations required to achieve the optimal decisions is often prohibitively high, due to the complex CRN environment. When a node experiences new channel conditions, the learning process is restarted from scratch even when the similar channel condition has been experienced before. To alleviate this issue, a transfer learning based spectrum handoff scheme is implemented, which enables a node to learn from its neighboring node(s) to improve its performance. In transfer learning, the node searches for an expert node in the network. If an expert node is found, the node requests the Q-table from the expert node for making its spectrum handoff decisions. If an expert node cannot be found, the node learns the spectrum handoff strategy on its own by using the reinforcement learning. Our experimental results demonstrate that the machine learning based spectrum handoff performs better in the long term and effectively utilizes the available spectrum. In addition, the transfer learning requires less number of packet transmissions to achieve an optimal solution, compared to the reinforcement learning. 1
Who Punishes Extremist Nominees? Candidate Ideology and Turning Out the Base in US Elections

Political observers, campaign experts, and academics alike argue bitterly over whether it is more important for a party to capture ideologically moderate swing voters or to encourage turnout among hardcore partisans. The behavioral literature in American politics suggests that voters are not informed enough, and are too partisan, to be swing voters, while the institutional literature suggests that moderate candidates tend to perform better. We speak to this debate by examining the link between the ideology of congressional candidates and the turnout of their parties’ bases in US House races, 2006–2014. Combining a regression discontinuity design in close primary races with survey and administrative data on individual voter turnout, we find that extremist nominees—as measured by the mix of campaign contributions they receive—suffer electorally, largely because they decrease their party’s share of turnout in the general election, skewing the electorate towards their opponent’s party. The results help show how the behavioral and institutional literatures can be connected. For our sample of elections, turnout appears to be the dominant force in determining election outcomes, but it advantages ideologically moderate candidates because extremists appear to activate the opposing party’s base more than their own.
Lighted-weighted model predictive control for hybrid ventilation operation based on clusters of neural network models

Abstract As one of the most significant factors to determine the success of a hybrid ventilation building, the control strategy for the hybrid ventilation operation attracts increasing attentions from both building designers and researchers these years. Recent advancements of the building control strategy have shown the potential to improve the hybrid ventilation operation. In this paper, we demonstrate the development of an advanced data-driven model predictive control (MPC) algorithm, i.e. a light-weighted three phase NN (neural network) model, for controlling the operation of hybrid ventilation buildings. To develop a robust model predictive control algorithm, firstly, different levels of uncertainties that commonly exist in the real world and building simulation are quantified to efficiently train the central model of the MPC and thoroughly test it in the future. In addition, in the model predictive control establishment process, four candidate mathematical models and ten prediction variables were analyzed during the MPC development to investigate its performance on the prediction as well. The results show that the neural network (NN) achieves the best performance considering both prediction performance and computation time. Six variables including the indoor and outdoor air temperature, relative humidity, office and season index and wind speed were finally chosen. At last, we conduct the validation of the algorithm for hybrid ventilation across four cities in different US climates under uncertainties presented in real practice. The comparison between the MPC and the rule-based control clearly presents that the developed MPC could be better at maintaining the thermal comfort of hybrid ventilation buildings while achieving a comparable amount of energy savings.
Using Service-Learning to Enhance Employability Skills in Graduate Business Capstones: A Dissertation Overview

This dissertation overview summarizes a study that examined the alignment between employability skills employers need and employability skills graduate business students gain through service-learning in business capstones. This nonexperimental, mixed-methods, comparative study assessed whether the inclusion of service-learning in capstone courses influences students’ development of employability skills. The top three employability skills enhanced by service-learning were decision-making, presentation skills, and teamwork; only presentation skills showed a significant difference for students whose capstone included service-learning versus those whose did not. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) found a four-factor solution, and one factor, collaborative learning, was significant for service-learning. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews revealed that decision-making, teamwork, and presentation skills were enhanced by service-learning. Findings show alignment between collaborative learning skills needed by employers and those enhanced through service-learning, and that the instructor’s role in structuring projects is key to learning.
Atomicity in Real-Time Computing

Writing safe and correct concurrent programs is a notoriously error-prone and difficult task. In real-time computing, the difficulties are aggravated by stringent responsiveness requirements. This paper reports on three experimental language features that aim to provide atomicity while bounding latency. The context for our experiments is the real-time extension of the Java programming language.
Prediction of tensile stiffness and strength of Ti-6Al-4V using instantiated volume elements and crystal plasticity

Abstract Based on simulations of tensile tests, the macroscopic stiffness and strength of the α phase of Ti-6Al-4V are estimated. Sets of virtual samples are instantiated using characterization data from three-dimensional electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) scans collected with the TriBeam microscope and local properties extracted from in situ loading high-energy x-ray diffraction (HEXD) experiments. The simulations use a crystal-scale finite element framework to compute the mechanical response of the virtual samples under tensile loading. From the simulation data, mechanical properties are extracted from volume elements ranging in size from a fraction of the gage section to its entire length. To detect macroscopic yield, a flood-fill algorithm is used to identify a zone of plastically deformed finite elements extending through a volume element. Trends in the estimated properties as functions of the volume element size are examined. The lower bound of volume element size necessary to replicate experimentally measured macroscale properties is indicated. The technique and results provide a guideline for estimating macroscale property values in components designed with size smaller than the lower bound due to constraint.
Microhardness of N-Implanted Yttria Stabilized ZrO 2

Cubic ZrO2 stabilized with 9.8 m/o yttria was implanted with 50 keV nitrogen ions at dose levels 1015 to 3 × 10-2 cm. Microhardness measurements indicated hardness increases up to 3 × 10 N cm at low indenter loads for unannealed crystals but no hardness change occurred for annealed samples. At f=3 × 1016 N+ cm-2, a critical dose was exceeded resulting in softening of both annealed and unannealed films. Exceeding this critical dose resulted in shearing of the implanted film due to compressive strain, as evidenced by blistering and chipping at indentation edges. The sheared film thickness was 1300 A. Sputter Auger profiles indicated constant N concentration from 150 to 1300 A rather than the expected Gaussian distribution. Stress induced diffusion was thought responsible for the square profile.
Ethical Challenges to Next-Generation Sequencing

Today, we are on the cusp of a revolution in healthcare delivery where clinicians will be able to access patients’ genetic information cheaply, quickly, and entirely. As the much-anticipated $1000 genome comes closer to a clinical reality for patients and their healthcare providers, we must face the numerous ethical questions that arise with forethought. In light of the changes in healthcare posed by next-generation sequencing (NGS), the flowing tide of conversation regarding the ethical use of genetic information needs to be revisited in light of the principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice. While particular recommendations and guidance may become obsolete quickly, this chapter examines the broader ethical issues underlying NGS to provide guiding recommendations for (1) returning results, (2) protecting privacy and confidentiality, and (3) informed consent. These recommendations reflect patterns of thought and acceptable behavior that can be useful to clinicians who find themselves practicing medicine in this new frontier.
A randomized controlled trial of fixed- versus mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty: a follow-up at a mean of ten years.

Aims It has been suggested that mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) might lead to better outcomes by accommodating some femorotibial rotational mismatch, thereby reducing contact stresses ...
Interplay Between Self-Efficacy and Perceived Availability at Home and in the School Neighborhood on Adolescents' Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Energy-Dense, Low-Nutrient Food and Sugary Drink Consumption.

Abstract Objective The current study aimed to examine the interplay between self-efficacy and perceived availabilities of fruits and vegetables (FV b = .29; P Conclusions and Implications Given the central role of home availability, it may be considered a fundamental unit of nutrition intervention for adolescents. Multiple contexts (eg, individual, home, school neighborhood) need to be considered to promote adolescents’ eating behaviors.
Differential expression of PD-L1 and IDO1 in association with the immune microenvironment in resected lung adenocarcinomas.

Like programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is known to exert immunosuppressive effects and be variably expressed in human lung cancer. However, IDO1 expression has not been well studied in lung adenocarcinoma. PD-L1 and IDO1 expression was evaluated in 261 resected lung adenocarcinomas using tissue microarrays and H-scores (cutoff: 5). We compared IDO1 and PD-L1 expression with clinical features, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, HLA class I molecule expression, molecular alterations, and patient outcomes. There was expression of PD-L1 in 89 (34%) and IDO1 in 74 (29%) cases, with co-expression in 49 (19%). Both PD-L1 and IDO1 were significantly associated with smoking, aggressive pathologic features, and abundant CD8+ and T-bet+ (Th1 marker) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. PD-L1 expression was also associated with preserved HLA class I molecule expression (p = 0.002). Compared to PD-L1+/IDO1+ and PD-L1+ only cases, significantly fewer IDO1+ only cases had abundant CD8+ and T-bet+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (p < 0.001, respectively). PD-L1 expression was significantly associated with EGFR wild-type (p < 0.001) and KRAS mutants (p = 0.021), whereas isolated IDO1 expression was significantly associated with EGFR mutations (p = 0.007). As for survival, PD-L1 was a significant predictor of decreased progression-free and overall survival by univariate but not multivariate analysis, while IDO1 was not associated with progression-free or overall survival. Interestingly, there was a significant difference in the 5-year progression-free and overall survival (p = 0.004 and 0.038, respectively), where cases without PD-L1 or IDO1 expression had the longest survival, and those with PD-L1 alone had the shortest survival. While PD-L1+/−IDO1 expression is observed in association with HLA class I expression, cytotoxic T lymphocyte/Th1 microenvironments, EGFR wild-type, and KRAS mutations, isolated IDO1 expression does not demonstrate these associations, suggesting that IDO1 may serve a distinct immunosuppressive role in lung adenocarcinomas. Thus, further investigation of IDO1 may demonstrate its role as a potential biomarker for patients who undergo anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.
Neutrophil extracellular trap fragments stimulate innate immune responses that prevent lung transplant tolerance

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been shown to worsen acute pulmonary injury including after lung transplantation. The breakdown of NETs by DNAse-1 can help restore lung function, but whether there is an impact on allograft tolerance remains less clear. Using intravital 2-photon microscopy, we analyzed the effects of DNAse-1 on NETs in mouse orthotopic lung allografts damaged by ischemia-reperfusion injury. Although DNAse-1 treatment rapidly degrades intragraft NETs, the consequential release of NET fragments induces prolonged interactions between infiltrating CD4+ T cells and donor-derived antigen presenting cells. DNAse-1 generated NET fragments also promote human alveolar macrophage inflammatory cytokine production and prime dendritic cells for alloantigen-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation through activating toll-like receptor (TLR) - Myeloid Differentiation Primary Response 88 (MyD88) signaling pathways. Furthermore, and in contrast to allograft recipients with a deficiency in NET generation due to a neutrophil-specific ablation of Protein Arginine Deiminase 4 (PAD4), DNAse-1 administration to wild-type recipients promotes the recognition of allo- and self-antigens and prevents immunosuppression-mediated lung allograft acceptance through a MyD88-dependent pathway. Taken together, these data show that the rapid catalytic release of NET fragments promotes innate immune responses that prevent lung transplant tolerance.
A Comparative Analysis on Resource Discovery Protocols for The Internet of Things

Resources discovery is a fundamental requirement to the full realization of the vision of Internet of Things. Discovery includes resource properties, capabilities, and metadata. It enables consumers to build IoT applications and services that utilize "smart things" with no prior knowledge about these things. This paper studies three of the most commonly used discovery protocols, CoAP, MQTT, and UPnP. We compare between their performance and behavior in IoT deployments. Each protocol is implemented and deployed on a mobile phone as a client and a Raspberry Pi as a broker&#x002F;server. The implementation includes a WeMo switch and a TI SensorTag as resources. The paper provides insights on the different features, behavioural attributes, and a comparative analysis between these protocols. We also present performance indexes of each protocol in terms of memory and CPU usage, latency, and traffic exchange between a publisher and a subscriber. Our analysis shows that despite the three protocols are fundamentally different and each one has pros and cons, they are all highly useful in IoT environments. However, CoAP is generally more flexible and scalable, but requires a higher memory footprint.
On-road Guided Slow Breathing Interventions for Car Commuters

This is the first on-road study testing the efficacy and safety of guided slow breathing interventions in a car. This paper presents design and experimental implications when evolving from prior simulator to on-road scenarios. We ran a controlled study (N=40) testing a haptic guided breathing system in a closed circuit under stress and not-stressed driving conditions. Preliminary results validate prior findings about the efficacy and safety of the intervention. Initial qualitative analysis shows an overall positive acceptance, and no safety-critical incidents (e.g., hard brakes or severe lane departures) -- all participants graded the intervention as safe for real traffic applications. Going further, additional analysis is needed before exposing commuters to the intervention on public roads.