cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STRIPES DO NOT A ZEBRA MAKE, PART I: A CLADISTIC ANALYSIS OF EQUUS

Bennett, D. K. (Department of Systematics and Ecology, The University of Kansas and Museum of Natural History, Lawrence, Kansas 66045) 1980. Stripes do not a zebra make, part I: A cladistic analysis of Equus. Syst. Zool., 29:282-287.-Living and extinct species in Equus have not been reviewed for nearly a century. More than twenty morphological, mostly cranial characters of Equus and Dinohippus are here explained; synapomorphies uniting Equus and Dinohippus and autapomorphies within Equus are discussed. Significant outgroups compared are Dinohippus Quinn, Astrohippus Stirton, and Neohipparion Gidley. Cladistic analysis indicates that Equus is a monophyletic taxon closely related to Dinohippus, and that Equus can reasonably be divided into two (and only two) subgenera, Equus (Equus) and Equus (Asinus), each of which is characterized by a suite of autapomorphic features. The North American fossil record contains close relatives of every living species of equid except E. quagga. An examination of the zoogeographic implications of the cladistic hypothesis here presented indicates a complex pattern of migration from North America to Eurasia during Blancan through late Pleistocene time, and a strong zoogeographic relationship between Africa and North America demonstrated by the equids. [Cladistics; Equus; zoogeography; fossil horses; phylogeny.] The living and extinct species of the genus Equus have not been reviewed
Asymptotic optimality of shortest path routing algorithms

Many communication networks use adaptive shortest path routing. By this we mean that each network link is periodically assigned a length that depends on its congestion level during the preceding period, and all traffic generated between length updates is routed along a shortest path corresponding to the latest link lengths. We show that in certain situations, typical of networks involving a large number of small users and utilizing virtual circuits, this routing method performs optimally in an asymptotic sense. In other cases, shortest path routing can be far from optimal.
Do Variables Associated With Quality Child Care Programs Predict the Inclusion of Children With Disabilities

Little research has been carried out on the inclusion of children with special needs in child care. The purpose of this study was to determine what variables predict the inclusion of children with disabilities in centers and home care. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of several indicators of quality child care and inclusion. For directors, teachers, and home care providers, the strongest predictor was having taken a course on working with children with disabilities. Larger centers and groups were more likely to include children with special needs. The somewhat surprising results and implications are discussed.
Standing Reach Envelopes Incorporating Anthropometric Variance and Postural Cost

Standing reach envelopes are important tools for the design of industrial and vehicle environments. Previous work in this area has focussed on manikin-based (where a few manikins are used to simulate individuals reaching within the region of interest) and population-based (where data are gathered on many individuals reaching in a constrained environment) approaches. Each of these methods has merits and shortfalls. The current work bridges the manikin- and population-based approaches to assessing reach by creating population models using kinematic simulation techniques driven by anthropometric data. The approach takes into account body dimensions, balance, and postural cost to create continuous models that can be used to assess designs with respect to both maximal and submaximal reaches. Cost is quantified as the degree to which the torso is involved in the reach, since the inclination of the torso is a good measure of lower-back load and may be related to subjective reach difficulty. A simplified planar analysis is presented to illustrate the modeling approach.
The economics of hydrogen as a fuel

Abstract Second Law costs together with an accounting for the cost of environmental or health hazards constitute Real Costs, i.e. costs seen from the viewpoint of the majority. Time at which the costs of various competing fuels have to be compared is the time at which they will have to be used. This is not that at which they will be competitive compared with the exhausting fuels, but some years (perhaps as much as two decades) earlier. The First Law costs of H2 from coal are $4.00/MBTU. No other methods compete at this time. Biomass is likely to do so if developed. Photo-oriented methods might do so. Second Law costs are little known and need research. For automotive transportation, H2 is around 1.5 times more efficient in burning than gasoline. Pollution costs would be 13–30% of the costs of a fuel from coal. H2 gas storage in cars would add around 30% to these costs. Synthetic gasoline could not be made after 2010 for greenhouse effect reasons. But H2 could be made from coal until 2040, if CO2 is rejected seaward. This would have an important effect on amortization considerations. The real costs of H2 from coal will be around 1/3 the costs of synthetic gasoline from coal. Among the newer concepts for H2 is radiation of H2O with direct concentrated solar light.
Environmental Effects of Waveguide Uncertainty on Coherent Aspects of Propagation, Scattering, and Reverberation

The robustness of the coherence of waveguide propagation to environmental uncertainty becomes an important consideration for systems that seek to exploit coherence for gain. Examples include matched field processing for passive localization and time reversal mirrors (TRMs) for active systems. Here, efficient normal mode representations of midfrequency time-domain propagation using the narrowband and adiabatic approximations are used to explore the deterioration of coherent active system predictability and performance in the presence sound-speed perturbations in the water column. Results show that for TRMs the reverberation level at the focal range is increased, and the scattering from an illuminated object is reduced for ensembles over oceanographic uncertainty. Results are obtained analytically as formal averages and are believed to represent a lower limit on the deterioration of TRM performance in the presence of environmental uncertainty for shallow-water waveguides
LONG-TERM RESULTS OF THE ENDOSCOPIC CORRECTION OF VESICOURETERAL REFLUX IN CHILDREN USING AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTES

Purpose: Endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux continues to attract research of many autologous and nonautologous substances. We previously reported on the initial results of a clinical trial using endoscopic injection of autologous chondrocytes to correct vesicoureteral reflux in children and now present our greater than 1-year followup results.Materials and Methods: A total of 29 children (47 ureters) with grades II to IV vesicoureteral reflux were treated at 2 centers. Each child underwent cystoscopy and posterior auricular cartilage harvesting at the initial setting. Chondrocytes were grown in culture during a 6-week period. Patients returned for transurethral injection of autologous chondrocytes into the ureterovesical junction of the refluxing ureters. Ultrasound was performed at 1 month, 1 year, and 2 and 3 years after implantation, and a voiding cystourethrogram or radionuclide cystogram at 3 months and 1 year after injection. If reflux persisted re-treatment with stored chondrocytes was ...
Vetufebrus ovatus n. gen., n. sp (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) vectored by a streblid bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) in Dominican amber

Both sexes of bat flies in the families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) reside in the hair or on the wing membranes of bats and feed on blood. Members of the Nycteribiidae transmit bat malaria globally however extant streblids have never been implemented as vectors of bat malaria. The present study shows that during the Tertiary, streblids also were vectors of bat malaria. A new haemospororidan, Vetufebrus ovatus, n. gen., n. sp., (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) is described from two oocysts attached to the midgut wall and sporozoites in salivary glands and ducts of a fossil bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) in Dominican amber. The new genus is characterized by ovoid oocysts, short, stubby sporozoites with rounded ends and its occurrence in a fossil streblid. This is the first haemosporidian reported from a streblid bat fly and shows that representatives of the Hippoboscoidea were vectoring bat malaria in the New World by the mid-Tertiary. This report is the first evidence of an extant or extinct streblid bat fly transmitting malaria. Discovering a mid-tertiary malarial parasite in a fossil streblid that closely resembles members of a malarial genus found in nycteribiid bat flies today shows how little we know about the vector associations of streblids. While no malaria parasites have been found in extant streblids, they probably occur and it is possible that streblids were the earliest lineage of flies that transmitted bat malaria to Chiroptera.
Is Beta Effective in Market Timing

Under the assumption of perfect foresight, the paper overlooks the one of two elements of market timing: market return sign forecasting. With that, the paper focuses on the second: the ability to constitute a portfolio with the most “relevant” assets. This paper looks exclusively on the impact of betas, and how different variations and methods of estimating betas better or worsen the market timing ability. The results show that beta values, constant or time-varying, play a pivotal role in market timing strategies. The paper also touches on the case of imperfect foresight, using empirically-backed methods of forecasting market direction.
A Practical Process for Cutting Cotton Fiber

A practical process for cutting cotton fiber without losing much of its degree of polymerization (DP) is demonstrated. When fibers were cut in the wet condition, they suffered less degradation that those cut in the dry state. The DP loss was 9.1% when cotton was cut in the presence of ≧35.5% moisture regain compared to the loss of 16.1 % for those cut below this critical moisture regain. Electron spin resonance studies revealed the lower free radical formation in cut fiber when it was cut in the wet con dition, i.e., ≧35.5% moisture regain.
Cytoskeletal Actin Gates a Cl− Channel in Neocortical Astrocytes

Increases in astroglial Cl − conductance accompany changes in cell morphology and disassembly of cytoskeletal actin, but Cl − channels underlying these conductance increases have not been described. We characterize an outwardly rectifying Cl − channel in rodent neocortical cultured astrocytes and describe how cell shape and cytoskeletal actin modulate channel gating. In inside-out patch-clamp recordings from cultured astrocytes, outwardly rectifying Cl − channels either were spontaneously active or inducible in quiescent patches by depolarizing voltage steps. Average single-channel conductance was 36 pS between −60 and −80 mV and was 75 pS between 60 and 80 mV in symmetrical (150 mm NaCl) solutions. The permeability ratio ( P Na / P Cl ) was 0.14 at lower ionic strength but increased at higher salt concentrations. Both ATP and 4,4-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid produced a flicker block, whereas Zn 2+ produced complete inhibition of channel activity. The frequency of observing both spontaneous and inducible Cl − channel activity was markedly higher in stellate than in flat, polygonally shaped astrocytes. In addition, cytoskeletal actin modulated channel open-state probability ( P O ) and conductance at negative membrane potentials, controlling the degree of outward rectification. Direct application of phalloidin, which stabilizes actin, preserved low P O and promoted lower conductance levels at negative potentials. Lower P O also was induced by direct application of polymerized actin. The actions of phalloidin and actin were reversed by coapplication of gelsolin and cytochalasin D, respectively. These results provide the first report of an outwardly rectifying Cl − channel in neocortical astrocytes and demonstrate how changes in cell shape and cytoskeletal actin may control Cl − conductance in these cells.
Rethinking prevention for people with disabilities. Part I: A conceptual model for promoting health.

Health promotion and disease prevention activities tailored to people with disabilities are crucial to fulfilling the goals articulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We propose a conceptual model to facilitate design and evaluation of health promotion strategies across the life course of people with disabilities. Components of the model, described as planes of experience, integrate the individual’s total environment, the disabling process, opportunity, and quality of life. Cost and outcomes research is recommended for the evaluation of prevention effectiveness. This model informs a U.S. disability policy that emphasizes environmental modification, prevention of secondary conditions and functional decline, promotion of independence and autonomy, and improvement in individual quality of life.
25 Gbps transmission from a 1310 nm Si photonics transceiver over OM4 fibers using modal dispersion compensation

We demonstrate transmissions of 25Gb/s signals from 1310nm silicon photonics transceiver over OM4 MMF through modal dispersion compensation. With the compensation fiber, ∼1dB link power penalty was achieved over 70 and 100m OM4 fiber links.
Concomitant epidural and subdural spinal abscess: a case report

Abstract Background Context Spinal subdural abscess (SSA) is a rare occurrence for which the management typically involves open surgical removal and washout. Purpose This case report aims to review the literature and discuss the management of patients with SSA. Study Design We present a case of a 33-year-old female who presented with a spinal epidural abscess and concurrent SSA. She presented in the context of intravenous (IV) drug use, back pain, and generalized lower extremity weakness. Methods The literature was reviewed with a focus on modern treatment options for SSA. Our patient was managed with IV antibiotics, and separate laminectomies and washouts for both lesions. Results The patient recovered well with return of neurologic function and normalization of infection markers. The review of the literature resulted in a management flowchart that will help direct treatment of SSA. Conclusions The literature suggests that in a patient with a definitive diagnosis of SSA, limited surgical management and IV antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment in a patient with a decline in neurologic function. There may be a role for expectant management in the absence of diagnostic imaging or the neurologically stable patient.
Risky business: Taking a stand on social issues

Abstract When company executives take a stand on social issues, the repercussions can be significant. Not only does the company run the risk of alienating employees, but taking a stand on a controversial issue can impact the company's image and ultimately consumer purchasing behaviors. However, research on corporate social responsibility generally supports the notion that when companies get involved in societal issues, it can positively influence bottom-line financial performance. This article evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of taking a corporate stand on sensitive social issues and suggests guidelines that leaders should consider to increase the probability of success. Specifically, we found that oftentimes it is not the stand a leader takes but rather how that leader takes that stand. Moreover, we encourage business leaders to consider the delicate balance between fiduciary responsibility and social activism, to use a strategic approach, and to understand the legal repercussions before taking a stand on a social issue.
Dialogic Practices in Using Podcasting and Blogging as Teaching Tools for Teachers Seeking Esol Certificate

Rapid globalization and the emergence of new instructional technologies have encouraged educators to explore technologies like podcasting and blogging to enhance their teaching. This study examines how six English speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers used podcasting and blogging to help young English learners, themselves 21st century digital citizens. The ESOL teachers used technology to develop innovative teaching methods and enhance their professional identities. Four themes emerged from the examination of ESOL teachers' uses of new technologies to increase peer engagement through deep classroom interaction: ESOL teachers' varying levels of use of instructional innovations, dialogic uses of podcasting and blogging to encourage educational engagement, the impact of innovative technology on teachers' professional identities, teaching digital-native English learners, benefits of technology for assignments, and challenges for ESOL teachers' active learning.
Female Suicide and Labor Markets: A Disaggregated Panel Analysis of the Link between Labor Market Conditions and Female Suicides in the United States (1979- 2004)

Suicide is a well-known public health problem in the United States. Macroeconomic conditions, among many other factors, because of their impacts on psychological well-being of individuals, are thought to be linked to suicide attempts. However, previous research on the relationship between suicide rates and macroeconomic conditions, especially that of labor market conditions, has resulted into ambiguous and often contradictory results. This paper attempts to provide a detailed disaggregated econometric analysis on the link between labor market conditions and female suicide rates in the United States. Using a state-level panel data of 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia between 1979 and 2004, this paper finds that labor market deteriorations (i.e. higher rates of unemployment, larger deviations of unemployment rate from its trend, and greater volatilities in the overall rate of unemployment), are correlated with only the suicide rates of the prime working-age women (i.e. 35-64 years old). Moreover, the results provide some evidence that female suicide rates in the United States are also positively correlated with higher female labor force participation rates.
Migration of American Colonial Militiamen: A Comparative Note

From their recent analysis of the relationship between place of enlistment and place of birth of eighteenth-century American militiamen, Villaflor and Sokoloff (1982: 542-543; 559-560) concluded that "a high level of mobility stands out," a finding that they note is now "a commonplace both in the discipline of American history and in studies of pre-industrial communities." While these empirical studies have surely refuted the romantic belief in the permanence of all of the personnel of preindustrial localities, they have not demonstrated that mobility was uniformly "high" everywhere. Imprecision in comparing the rates of mobility in two places is inevitable without a comparable index of the extent of movement.
Structural Characterization and Dynamic Solution Behavior of the Disodio and Lithio−Sodio Geminal Organodimetallics [{{Ph2P(Me3Si)N}2CNa2}2] and [{{Ph2P(Me3Si)N}2CLiNa}2]

The title disodio complex may be prepared by the double deprotonation of a neutral bis(phosphinimine) ligand using 2 equiv of the strong base n-BuNa, whereas the mixed Li/Na derivative can be prepared by controlled sequential deprotonation, by transmetalation, or by mixing the homometallic analogues. The compounds form dimers with the ligands capping an Na4 square or a Li2Na2 rhomboid, and these are the first examples of R2C2- dianions containing a heavy alkali metal to be structurally characterized.
Vertical Distribution of Biting Activity by Aedes triseriatus

Approximately ½(48.8%) of the Aedes triseriatus collected while biting were taken ground level. Biting activity occurred throughout the period of daily observation from sunrise to sunset but the proportion at ground level was lower in the early morning and the late afternoon. These results are of epidemiological interest in that they indicate that A. triseriatus feeds up to, and probably into, the twilight period in the forest canopy, thereby having ready access to nesting birds and arboreal mammals, among them tree squirrels, known to involved in the horizontal amplification of LaCrosse virus (California encephalitis group). Another finding of possible epidemiologic importance was that 45% of bloodseeking nulliparous females had not yet been inseminated.
Controlling diffusion of lithium in silicon nanostructures.

The ability to control the diffusion of dopants or impurities is a controlling factor in the functionalization of materials used in devices both at the macro- and nanoscales. At the nanoscale, manipulating diffusion of dopants is complicated by a number of factors such as the role of quantum confinement and the large surface to volume ratio. Here we examine Li in Si nanostructures, as atoms with low atomic mass such as Li can be used as a carrier for energy storage with high specific energy capacity. Specifically, Li-ion batteries with specific energy capacity as high as 4200 mA h g−1 using Si nanowires as anodes have been achieved. Using ab initio calculations, we determine how the factors of size and dimensionality can be used to achieve an optimal diffusion of Li atoms in Si nanostructures.
Epidemiological analysis of HFMD in Suizhong County of Liaoning Province from 2008-2011

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD)in Suizhong County,and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of HFMD.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiology was performed to analyze the epidemic data of HFMD in Suizhong County from 2008-2011.[Results] A total of 599 cases of HFMD,including 2 severe cases were reported from 2008-2011,without death case.The average annual incidence was 23.37/100 000,there were statistically significant differences in the annual incidence rate between years(χ2=73.63,P0.01),the peak incidence appeared in 2011.The cases were mainly distributed in the Dongdaihe area surrounding towns,72.79% of cases occurred from June to September,The peak incidence season was July,accounting for 25.21%;the ratio of male to female was 1.60∶1,95.66% of the cases were children under 6 years old;most of cases were scattered children.[Conclusion]The incidence of HFMD in Suizhong showes significantly difference in season,area,age and gender.Children under 6 years old should be regarded as key population.It is necessary to carry out health education,and strengthen the epidemic monitoring and treatment.
Two Years in the Life of a University Hospital Tobacco Cessation Service: Recommendations for Improving the Quality of Referrals.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Hospitalization, when patients may be more receptive to quitting, provides an opportunity to provide tobacco cessation services for patients who otherwise might not seek help. Although specialized tobacco cessation services are shown to be effective if evidence-based treatment, including follow-up, is completed, resources are limited and guidelines are needed, and few smokers complete all treatment steps. Experience drawn from an analysis of two-year implementation data from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Tobacco Cessation Consult Service is presented. Methods Data for 5,827 smokers discharged from OHSU University hospital between January 2011 and December 2012 were analyzed to determine patient characteristics and identify predictors of completing each of four treatment steps: consult ordered, consult completed, follow-up arranged, and follow-up completed. Results Smokers were younger and male ( p p p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions This study adds important information about how hospitalized smokers respond to each step of tobacco treatment in a real-world setting and offers strategies for improving referrals.
When Monsters No Longer Speak

The authors summarize their theory of disaster as a sign continuum through which monsters—mythic agents of divine warning—raise questions of the meaning of political speech in the wake of colonialism. Unlike prior ages, where monsters had the social function of specialized speech, their warnings are ignored in the age of modern colonialism. Thus, instead of focusing on whether subalterns can speak, the authors ask, Can they be heard? This question is examined through explorations of the challenges racism poses for distinctions between moral and political speech.
Landscapes of Care: Feminist Approaches in Global Public Relations

ABSTRACTThis paper explores theoretical and practical implications of feminist theory—specifically standpoint theory, ethics of care, and related concepts from feminist geography—for global public relations, an area of theory and practice often associated with Western imperialism. Global public relations theory dictates that effective transnational campaigns should retain some global consistency but also be tailored to local publics. Textual analysis of global campaigns by a coalition of public and private organizations promoting handwashing in poor and agrarian communities worldwide revealed that effective campaigns had globally constant and locally responsive elements. Furthermore, the campaigns aligned with standpoint theory’s privileging of situated knowledge grounded in lived experiences, especially women’s. Last, effective global handwashing campaigns were motivated by an ethic of care and commitment to social change, showing relevance of feminist approaches for global public relations.
FOQUS: A Smartwatch Application for Individuals with ADHD and Mental Health Challenges

This paper reports on the design of FOQUS, an app running on a smartwatch to aid adults with mental health issues like ADHD and mild forms of attention deficiency through two main routes -- tools to foster extended focus and tools to reduce anxiety/stress. Using a user-centric design approach, three important features are identified, implemented and evaluated which aim to leverage the benefits of wearable devices: a flexible implementation of the Pomodoro time management technique, a tool for guided meditation, and positive message priming. Initial user test results suggest smartwatch-based interventions as a viable, ubiquitous tool for addressing mental health and stress related conditions.
A multi-channel method for detecting periodic forced oscillations in power systems

Forced oscillations in electric power systems are often symptomatic of equipment malfunction or improper operation. Detecting and addressing the cause of the oscillations can improve overall system operation. In this paper, a multichannel method of detecting forced oscillations and estimating their frequencies is proposed. The method operates by comparing the sum of scaled periodograms from various channels to a threshold. A method of setting the threshold to specify the detector's probability of false alarm while accounting for the correlation between channels is also presented. Results from simulated and measured power system data indicate that the method outperforms its single-channel counterpart and is suitable for real-world applications.
Decay of 54-sec Br 86 and 55-sec Br 87

The decay of ${\mathrm{Br}}^{86}$ and ${\mathrm{Br}}^{87}$, produced by fission of ${\mathrm{U}}^{235}$, has been studied with $\ensuremath{\beta}$- and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray scintillation spectrometers in singles and coincidence operation. Rapid chemical techniques taking advantage of the difference in half-lives of the selenium precursors were used to produce samples having different proportions of ${\mathrm{Br}}^{86}$ and ${\mathrm{Br}}^{87}$, and the radiations following the decay of these two isotopes were resolved in this way. A decay scheme is proposed for ${\mathrm{Br}}^{86}$, with ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\beta}}=7.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5$ MeV.
Evolution of the lithium morphology from cycling of thin film solid state batteries

Thin film batteries with a Lipon electrolyte and Li metal anode can be cycled thousands of times. During this time there is a gradual redistribution of the lithium at the top surface; the morphology that develops depends on a number of factors but is largely driven by dewetting. In this work, this redistribution is characterized as functions of the cycle number, duty cycle, cathode composition, and protective coating over the lithium. Observations of wrinkled and pitted surfaces are discussed considering the effects of defects and diffusion in the lithium and influences of film stresses and surface energy. Similar processes may impact solid state lithium batteries with higher energy per active area.
Hop stunt viroid: Effect on Host (Humulus lupulus) Transcriptome and Its Interactions With Hop Powdery Mildew (Podospheara macularis)

Viroids are the smallest known plant pathogens that exploit host systems for their replication and cause diseases in many hosts. In this study, the host response of hop plants to Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) infection was studied through transcriptome analysis. RNA sequence analysis of hop leaves infected with HSVd revealed dynamic changes in hop gene expression. Defense-related genes and genes involved in lipid and terpenoid metabolism are the major categories that showed differential expression due to HSVd infection. Additionally, the effect of HSVd on development of hop powdery mildew (Podospheara macularis) (HPM) was studied. Transcriptome analysis followed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that transcript levels of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes such as PR protein 1, chitinase, and thaumatin-like protein genes are induced in leaves infected with HPM alone. The response in these genes to HPM is significantly down-regulated in leaves with HSVd-HPM mixed infection. These results confirm that HSVd alters host metabolism, physiology, and plant defense responses. Nevertheless, in detached leaf assays, HPM consistently expanded faster on HSVd-negative leaves relative to HSVd-positive leaves. Although HSVd infection suppresses elements associated with the host immunity response, infection by HSVd is antagonistic to HPM infection of hops.
Gaze fixations and dynamics for behavior modeling and prediction of on-road driving maneuvers

From driver assistance in manual mode to takeover requests in highly automated mode, knowing the state of driver (e.g. sleeping, distracted, attentive) is critical for safe, comfortable and stress-free driving. Since driving is a visually demanding task, driver's gaze is especially important in estimating the state of driver; it has the potential to derive what the driver has attended to or is attending to and predict future actions. We developed a machine vision based framework to model driver's behavior by representing the gave dynamics over a time period using gaze fixations and transition frequencies. As a use case, we explore the driver's gaze patterns during maneuvers executed in freeway driving, namely, left lane change maneuver, right lane change maneuver and lane keep. It is shown that mapping gaze dynamics to gaze fixations and transition frequencies leads to recurring patterns based on driver activities. Furthermore, using data from on-road driving, we show that modeling these patterns show predictive powers in on-road driving maneuver detection around a few hundred milliseconds a priori.
Vibrational and energetic analysis of sorbitol crystal forms

Sorbitol, a widely-used sweetener and excipient, is of great interest to the pharmaceutical and food industries. Not only is it known to exist in multiple polymorphic solid-state forms, but sorbitol is also able to cocrystallize with solvent molecules with which it can form hydrogen bonds. Here, two cocrystal forms, sorbitol-water and sorbitol-pyridine, were extensively studied using both experimental and computational techniques, and compared to the anhydrous α-sorbitol polymorph. Each solid was grown and verified using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and then analyzed using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and solid-state density functional theory (DFT).
Positron Emission Tomography-Adjusted Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose To perform a prospective trial examining positron emission tomography (PET)-based, dose-painted intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in the setting of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials Patients with stage IIB-III NSCLC were treated with 25 fractions of dose-painted IMRT. Tumors or lymph nodes with metabolic tumor volume exceeding 25 cm3 were deemed “high risk” and received 65 Gy. Smaller lesions were treated with 57 Gy or 52.5 Gy (after November 2014). Patients received concurrent weekly carboplatin (area under the curve = 2) and paclitaxel (45 mg/m2). The primary study endpoint was the absence of high residual metabolic activity (maximum standardized uptake value > 6) in treated lesions on PET 12 to 16 weeks after completion of IMRT. Results Thirty-five subjects with 116 hypermetabolic lesions were eligible for analysis. The primary endpoint was met for 24 of 30 patients (80%) who underwent posttreatment PET, satisfying our efficacy objective. With a median follow-up duration of 23.8 months for living patients, progression in a lesion targeted with radiation therapy has been observed in 5 patients (14%). Treating progression in other sites and death without progression as competing risks, 2-year cumulative incidence rates of local disease progression in high-risk lesions (n=24) and low-risk lesions (n=92) are 9% and 3%, respectively. The actuarial rate of overall survival at 2 years is 52%. Conclusions Dose-painted IMRT based on pretreatment PET metrics with concurrent chemotherapy yields high rates of metabolic response and local disease control for locally advanced NSCLC. Future trials should test this approach to maximize the therapeutic ratio of thoracic radiation therapy.
A Pilot Investigation of a Novel Intervention to Improve Behavioral Well-Being for Children in Foster Care:

Many studies have established a link between foster care placement instability and child behavioral problems. Evidence-based interventions for behavioral problems, however, are often unavailable to...
Personalizing Web Recommendations Using Web Usage Mining and Web Semantics with Time Attribute

Web personalization is the process of customizing web pages using a user’s navigation patterns and interests. With the increase in the number of websites and web pages available on the internet, directing users to the web pages in their areas of interest has become a difficult problem. Various approaches have been proposed over the years and each of them has taken the solution of creating personalized web recommendations a step farther. Yet, owing to the possibilities of additional improvement, the system proposed in this paper takes generating web recommendations one more step ahead. The proposed system uses information from web usage mining, web semantics and the time spent on web pages to improve user recommendations.
Enhancing viewability for first-person videos based on a human perception model

First-person videos (FPVs) captured by wearable cameras have undesired shakiness because of fast changing views. When existing video stabilization techniques are applied, FPVs are transformed into cinematographic videos, losing the First-person motion information (FPMI) such as the recorder's interests and actions. We propose a system that can enhance viewability of FPVs by stabilizing them while preserving their FPMI. The viewability is charaterized based on a human perception model. Objective tests show that our method has competitive stabilization performance relative to existing video stabilization techniques. And subjective tests show that spectators still experience the FPMI from the resulting videos while shakiness is reduced.
Phase based boolean computation using GeTe 6 oscillators

In this paper, we demonstrate phase based Boolean computation by simulating functional blocks using a circuit model that is based on the measurement data of GeTe 6 oscillators. The oscillators are fabricated and characterized with a resistor and transistor ballast. We demonstrated, for the first time, usage of a transistor ballast in the subthreshold region for low power operation. Functionally complete logic gates for phase-based computation were simulated using SPICE. Finally, a full-adder was simulated as a proof of concept.
Healing the ravaged soul: tending the spiritual wounds of child sexual abuse

The spiritual dimension of healing in therapy and counselling has long been overlooked, even intentionally avoided, because it is an arduous path to take. In Healing the Ravaged Soul, Sue Magrath s...
Effects of in-utero exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine on term and preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that in-utero SSRI exposure affects Apgar scores and immediate post-delivery oxygen requirements. STUDY DESIGN SSRI in-utero exposure was assessed retrospectively in preterm neonates ≥ 28 weeks gestation and term neonates. Primary outcome was Apgar <7 at five minutes and delivery room oxygen requirements. Secondary endpoints included one-minute Apgar, length of stay, birth weight, and NICU admission. RESULTS Fifty-one preterm and 117 term neonates were exposed to a SSRI; mostly to sertraline. Pre-term SSRI-exposed neonates had 4.1 times higher delivery room oxygen requirements. One minute Apgar <7 was 3.5 times higher and NICU admission 5 times higher 95% CI (1.3-19) in SSRI-exposed term neonates. Higher doses of sertraline had associated adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION In-utero SSRI exposure was associated with increased neonatal care at birth, differences in Apgar scores compared with controls, and increased NICU admissions. Higher sertraline doses were associated with poorer outcomes.
RAD51 Enhances Zygotic Interhomolog Repair

Recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, including three-component CRISPR, the use of long single-strand donors, enhanced microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ), and pharmacological approaches have greatly improved knock-in (KI) efficiency. In our search for factors to further improve KI efficiency for broad therapeutic use and efficient generation of primate disease models, we found that the strand exchange protein RAD51 can significantly increase homozygous KI efficiency using CRISPR/Cas9 in mouse embryos through an interhomolog repair (IHR) mechanism. Using a variety of approaches, we demonstrate robust enhancement of zygotic IHR by RAD51 and show that this can be leveraged both for generating homozygous KI animals from wildtype zygotes with exogenous donors and for converting heterozygous alleles into homozygous alleles without exogenous templates. Thus, our study provides both conclusive evidence supporting the existence of zygotic IHR mechanisms and a new method to significantly improve IHR efficiency for potential therapeutic use.
Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

Bill Schutt. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books, 2017. xviii and 352 pp., notes. $16.95 paper (ISBN 978-1-61620-743-4); $26.95 cloth (ISBN 978-1-61620-462-4).For centuries, scientists have written of...
Load-Dependent Changes in Left Ventricular Structure and Function in a Pathophysiologically Relevant Murine Model of Reversible Heart Failure

Background: To better understand reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling, we developed a murine model wherein mice develop LV remodeling after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and a small apical myocardial infarct (MI) and undergo reverse LV remodeling after removal of the aortic band. Methods and Results: Mice studied were subjected to sham (n=6) surgery or TAC+MI (n=12). Two weeks post-TAC+MI, 1 group underwent debanding (referred to as heart failure debanding [HF-DB] mice; n=6), whereas the aortic band remained in a second group (heart failure [HF] group; n=6). LV remodeling was evaluated by 2D echocardiography at 1 day, 2 weeks and 6 weeks post-TAC+MI. The hearts were analyzed by transcriptional profiling at 4 and 6 weeks and histologically at 6 weeks. Debanding normalized LV volumes, LV mass, and cardiac myocyte hypertrophy at 6 weeks in HF-DB mice, with no difference in myofibrillar collagen in the HF and HF-DB mice. LV ejection fraction and radial strain improved after debanding; however, both remained decreased in the HF-DB mice relative to sham and were not different from HF mice at 6 weeks. Hemodynamic unloading in the HF-DB mice was accompanied by a 35% normalization of the HF genes at 2 weeks and 80% of the HF genes at 4 weeks. Conclusions: Hemodynamic unloading of a pathophysiologically relevant mouse model of HF results in normalization of LV structure, incomplete recovery of LV function, and incomplete reversal of the HF transcriptional program. The HF-DB mouse model may provide novel insights into mechanisms of reverse LV remodeling.
Solar Cell Based Physically Unclonable Function for Cybersecurity in IoT Devices

Internet of Things (IoT) devices are mostly small and operate wirelessly on limited battery supply, and therefore have stringent constraints on power consumption and hardware resources. Therefore, energy-efficient (low energy) design is paramount for the successful deployment of resource constrained IoT devices. Further, Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) have evolved as a popular hardware security primitive for low cost, mass produced IoT devices with very constrained resources. Energy harvesting technologies utilizing solar cells are being used in ultra-low power IoT devices to satisfy the energy requirement. In this paper, we utilize the intrinsic variations in solar cells to design a novel solar cell based PUF. As a proof of concept, we have used the Tiva TM4C123GH6PM microcontroller to build our solar cell based PUF. From our experiments, we found that the proposed solar cell based PUF has the uniformity value of 49.21% which is close to the ideal value of 50%. Further, the proposed solar cell based PUF has worst case reliabilities of 92.97% and 90.62% with variations in temperature and light intensity, respectively.
Depressive Symptoms Associate With Race and All-Cause Mortality in Patients With CKD

Introduction Depression is common but underrecognized in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially among racial/ethnic minorities. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality (including deaths before and after end-stage renal disease [ESRD]) and whether antidepressant use impacts this association, overall, and by race/ethnicity. Methods We ascertained whether the presence of depressive symptoms, defined by a Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI) score of >14 at cohort enrollment, was associated with all-cause mortality (before or after ESRD) among study participants of the Chronic Renal Insufficient Cohort (CRIC) overall and by race/ethnicity. Models were adjusted for socioeconomic factors, baseline CKD severity, time-updated comorbid conditions, and time-updated antidepressant use. Confirmatory analyses were performed among African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) participants. Results Among 3739 CRIC participants, 16.3% had a baseline BDI of >14; 18.2% reported antidepressant use. Crude mortality rate was 3.16 per 100 person-years during 6.8 years of median follow-up. Baseline BDI >14 was independently associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–1.52) without attenuation by antidepressant use. Differences among white and black individuals were noted (Pinteraction= 0.02) but not among white versus Hispanic individuals (Pinteraction = 0.43) or black versus Hispanic individuals (Pinteraction = 0.22). Depressive symptoms were associated with higher mortality among white individuals (aHR: 1.66; 1.21–2.28), but not Hispanic individuals (aHR: 1.47; 0.95–2.28) or black individuals (aHR: 1.06; 0.82–1.37). Similar results were noted among 611 AASK participants (aHR: 0.99; 0.69–1.42). Conclusions The presence of depressive symptoms is a risk factor for all-cause mortality among patients with mild-moderate CKD, particularly among white individuals. Further studies are needed to understand the heterogeneity in the response to the presence of depressive symptoms by race.
Evaluation of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with respect to germline alterations in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer patients.

254Background: Circulating tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA) is an accessible method for characterizing tumoral alterations. We report ctDNA screenings of mCRPC patients (pts) who have had germline testing...
Prediction of Medical Concepts in Electronic Health Records: Similar Patient Analysis.

Background: Medicine 2.0—the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies such as social networks in health care—creates the need for apps that can find other patients with similar experiences and health conditions based on a patient’s electronic health record (EHR). Concurrently, there is an increasing number of longitudinal EHR data sets with rich information, which are essential to fulfill this need. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that we can leverage similar EHRs to predict possible future medical concepts (eg, disorders) from a patient’s EHR. Methods: We represented patients’ EHRs using time-based prefixes and suffixes, where each prefix or suffix is a set of medical concepts from a medical ontology. We compared the prefixes of other patients in the collection with the state of the current patient using various interpatient distance measures. The set of similar prefixes yields a set of suffixes, which we used to determine probable future concepts for the current patient’s EHR. Results: We evaluated our methods on the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II data set of patients, where we achieved precision up to 56.1% and recall up to 69.5%. For a limited set of clinically interesting concepts, specifically a set of procedures, we found that 86.9% (353/406) of the true-positives are clinically useful, that is, these procedures were actually performed later on the patient, and only 4.7% (19/406) of true-positives were completely irrelevant. Conclusions: These initial results indicate that predicting patients’ future medical concepts is feasible. Effectively predicting medical concepts can have several applications, such as managing resources in a hospital.
Closed captioning quality in the information society: the case of the American newscasts reshown online

Many Americans access information through the evening newscasts shown on mainstream television. Nevertheless, the technological developments that our society has experienced in the last decade are changing the traditional information-access paradigm. The number of Internet consumers has increased exponentially and, among many other habits, the World Wide Web is transforming the way in which users get entertained and informed. Aware of this reality, many broadcasters use their websites as baits to attract larger and more varied audiences and, in attempts to increase viewership, they host online programs that were first aired live on television. According to the current regulations in the U.S., those reshows need to include closed captions of at least the same quality as those originally delivered on television. This paper presents the main findings of a research project exploring how this applies to the case of the national evening newscasts uploaded to the websites of four major broadcasters. Results show that efforts are being made to provide good IP-delivered subtitles, but that there is still room for improvement in terms of completeness, placement and accuracy.