cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multicovariate-adjusted regression models

We introduce multicovariate-adjusted regression (MCAR), an adjustment method for regression analysis, where both the response (Y) and predictors (X 1, …, X p ) are not directly observed. The available data have been contaminated by unknown functions of a set of observable distorting covariates, Z 1, …, Z s , in a multiplicative fashion. The proposed method substantially extends the current contaminated regression modelling capability, by allowing for multiple distorting covariate effects. MCAR is a flexible generalisation of the recently proposed covariate-adjusted regression method, an effective adjustment method in the presence of a single covariate, Z. For MCAR estimation, we establish a connection between the MCAR models and adaptive varying coefficient models. This connection leads to an adaptation of a hybrid backfitting estimation algorithm. Extensive simulations are used to study the performance and limitations of the proposed iterative estimation algorithm. In particular, the bias and mean square...
Cultivating Political Incivility Cable News, Network News, and Public Perceptions

Various scholars, pundits, and journalists, along with a majority of the American public believe incivility in politics is increasing. Nevertheless, the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s (APPC) baseline measure of political incivility remains relatively flat. How can these incongruous conclusions be reconciled? This article suggests that perceptions of political incivility are a function of viewing distinct genres of television news media: “hostile” cable news versus network news. Using a content and secondary data analysis, this article demonstrates that (1) cable news outlets provide more coverage of elite political incivility than do network news outlets and that (2) cable news viewers perceive politics to be more uncivil than do network news viewers. Combined with previous research, the results suggest cable news viewers may perceive more incivility in national politics than actually exists. Theoretically, this article provides support for genre-specific media cultivation effects. Implications for cult...
Path integration and the functional measure

The functional measure for the Feynman path integral is investigated, and it is argued that nontrivial measure factors should not be automatically discarded as is often done. The fundamental hypothesis of path integration is stated in its Hamiltonian formulation and is used, together with the Faddeev-Popov ansatz, to derive the general form of the canonical functional measure for all gauged or ungauged theories of integer spin fields in any number of space-time dimensions. This general result is then used to calculate the effective functional measures for scalar, vector, and gravitational fields in more than two dimensions at energies low compared to the Planck mass. It is shown that these results indicate the self-consistency and plausibility of the canonical functional measure over other functional measures and suggest an important relationship between bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom. The canonical functional measure factors associated with fields of half-integer spin and with auxiliary fields are also derived.
Modulating adsorption and stability properties in pillared metal-organic frameworks: a model system for understanding ligand effects.

ConspectusMetal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are nanoporous materials with highly tunable properties that make them ideal for a wide array of adsorption applications. Through careful choice of metal and ligand precursors, one can target the specific functionality and pore characteristics desired for the application of interest. However, among the wide array of MOFs reported in the literature, there are varying trends in the effects that ligand identity has on the adsorption, chemical stability, and intrinsic framework dynamics of the material. This is largely due to ligand effects being strongly coupled with structural properties arising from the differing topologies among frameworks. Given the important role such properties play in dictating adsorbent performance, understanding these effects will be critical for the design of next generation functional materials.Pillared MOFs are ideal platforms for understanding how ligand properties can affect the adsorption, stability, and framework dynamics in MOFs. In ...
Measuring Free Cash Flows to Equity for Financial Institutions: An Application to Qatar Islamic and Conventional Banks

This paper explores how accounting disclosures can be combined with regulatory disclosures to refine existing concepts of free cash flows to equity (FCFE) for financial institutions. The resulting measure is designed to promote market discipline by helping investors distinguish among capital demands driven by new growth opportunities, organic capital generation and shifting risk weightings. We apply this measure to the publicly listed conventional and Islamic banks in Qatar. The results support the conclusions that FCFE is relevant for predicting growth and the demand for capital for both Islamic and conventional banks.
Early effects of oestradiol-17β on the chromatin and activity of the deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerases (I and II) of the rat uterus

Oestradiol-17β (1.0μg) was injected intravenously into ovariectomized rats. The earliest detectable hormonal response in isolated uterine nuclei was an increase (10–15min) in RNA polymerase II activity (DNA-like RNA synthesis), which reached a peak at 30min and then decreased to control values (by 1–2h) before displaying a second increase over control activity from 2 to 12h. The next response to oestradiol-17β was an increase (30–60min) in polymerase I activity (rRNA synthesis) and template capacity of the chromatin. The concentrations of acidic chromatin proteins did not begin to increase until 1h after injection of oestradiol-17β and histone concentrations showed no significant changes during the 8h period after administration. The early (15min) increase in RNA synthesis in `high-salt conditions9 can be completely eliminated by α-amanitin, an inhibitor of the RNA polymerase II. The exact nature of this early increase in endogenous polymerase II activity remains to be determined, e.g. whether it is caused by the increased availability of transcribable DNA of the chromatin or via direct hormonal activation of the enzyme per se .
Discussion: Efficiency and Welfare Considerations in Integrated Agriculture

[5] DuBOv, IRVING, "Goals and Conflicts in Agricultural Marketing Research," J. Farm Econ. 44:1523-32, Dec. 1962. [6] , "Market Power Problems of Agricultural Producers," 1. Mktg. 26:48-53, April 1962. [7] ---, "Research Model Attributes and Data Needs Implied by Theory," Southern Farm Management Committee Workshop on Interregional Competition, Oklahoma State University, 1966. [8] ---, "Symptoms vs. Problems: Firms and Industry," Proceedings, Southern Regional Extension Marketing Workshop, Memphis, Tennessee, 1964. [9] LANZILLOTTI, ROBERT F., "The Superior Market Power of Food Processing and Agricultural Supply Firms-Its Relation to the Farm Problem," J. Farm Econ. 42: 1228-47, Dec. 1960. ALLEN B. PAUL
Does the Green Shoe Fit? Examining Consumer Perceptions of Fit and CSR Activities

The purpose of the proposed research is to identify the various ways that the sustainability related actions of an organization may impact consumers' perception of the firm. Fit may be defined as the congruence between the socially responsible initiatives of a firm and synergies in firm activities (Ellen, Webb and Mohr 2006). Consumers likely see the socially responsible initiatives firms engage in, however the way that the socially responsible actions are viewed will vary from firm to firm depending on fit. Organizations need to recognize that there is no universally perfect strategy for all firms, and each firm needs to adapt to what consumers believe is appropriate. While firms may engage in sustainable behaviors, they may not be as beneficial as intended, thus eliminating the potential advantages gained through appropriate CSR initiatives.
Host Plants of the Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Membracidae)

Selected reported host plants for the threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), were tested to determine if they were feeding hosts only or if they also served as breeding hosts. Adult threecornered alfalfa hoppers did not survive on barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; oats, Avena sativa L.; wheat, Triticum aestivum L.; or Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Adult hoppers fed and survived on tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., but did not reproduce. Adult hoppers fed and nymphs were produced on all other host plants tested, including alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.; cocklebur, Xathium spinosum L.; dock, Rumex sp.; lespedeza, Lespedeza striata (Thunb.) H.A peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L.; red clover, Trifolium pratense L.; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.; vetch, Vicia angutifolia Reichard; white clover, Trifolium repens L.; and wild geraniums, Geranium carolinianum L. The greatest number of nymphs were produced on peanuts and soybean. Female adult hoppers lived significantly longer on peanuts than on all other host plants tested.
Approaches to learning and medicated ADHD: The potential impact on learning and assessment

Abstract The current study examined how student approaches to learning (ATL) and ATL's association with school achievement differ in children diagnosed with ADHD who are taking medication and children who are not diagnosed with ADHD. Results indicated that pharmacological interventions may be associated with a decrease in core symptoms of ADHD (e.g., ADHD-related ATL items such as concentration, keeping on task, and maintaining interest) as rated by parents; however, parents of children receiving medication also rated their children as lower on ATL items not typically associated with ADHD symptomatology, including creativity, eagerness, and initiative. Evaluation of a model examining the association between ATL and achievement revealed that as ADHD-related ATL items decreased, both reading and math achievement increased. However, the relationships between non-ADHD-related ATL items (e.g., creativity, eagerness, and initiative) and achievement scores differed for children with ADHD receiving medication. We discuss the implications for learning and assessment.
Generating and Separating Twisted Light by gradient-rotation Split-Ring Antenna Metasurfaces.

Nanoscale compact optical vortex generators promise substantially significant prospects in modern optics and photonics, leading to many advances in sensing, imaging, quantum communication, and optical manipulation. However, conventional vortex generators often suffer from bulky size, low vortex mode purity in the converted beam, or limited operation bandwidth. Here, we design and demonstrate gradient–rotation split-ring antenna metasurfaces as unique spin-to-orbital angular momentum beam converters to simultaneously generate and separate pure optical vortices in a broad wavelength range. Our proposed design has the potential for realizing miniaturized on-chip OAM-multiplexers, as well as enabling new types of metasurface devices for the manipulation of complex structured light beams.
What is Wrong with Compelled Speech

In late August 2013, the New Mexico Supreme Court filed its opinion in Elane Photography, LLC v. Willock, a case which raises fundamental issues in the law of compelled speech, including corporate rights, media boundaries, autonomy and conscience, and the role that the nature of speech, the character of the discourse, the perception of endorsement, and the nature of the participation should play in resolving compelled speech issues. In this essay, I want to reflect on these and other issues presented by the case.
The impact of investment on small-cell resource allocation

We consider a heterogeneous wireless network serving two classes of users: mobile and fixed. Mobile users can only associate with macro-cells while fixed users can be served by either macro- or small-cells. Multiple service providers (SPs) can operate in the network and each has the same macro-cell infrastructure. In contrast, each SP determines a small-cell deployment density by its investment. Each SP is given a fixed total bandwidth, which is split between macro- and small-cell service, and charges a price per unit rate for each type of service. The objective of each SP is then to select the price, bandwidth split, and investment in small-cells to maximize either revenue or social welfare. We first assume a single SP and characterize the optimal strategies for both revenue and social welfare maximization. The deployment density largely depends on the per unit deployment cost of small-cells. We then consider a binary investment game in which each SP has the option of investing in a small-cell network with fixed deployment density, and show that equilibria exist in which one, none, or both SPs invest. In most cases, the pure strategy equilibria are not socially optimal. In addition, there exists asymmetric equilibrium where one SP invests in small-cells while the other doesn't. Numerical results are presented that illustrate the effect of deployment cost on small-cell investment.
A randomized controlled trial of progressively reduced nicotine content cigarettes on smoking behaviors, biomarkers of exposure, and subjective ratings

Background: The U.S. FDA has the authority to reduce cigarette nicotine content if found to benefit public health. Reduced nicotine content (RNC) cigarette use does not appear to increase harm exposure, but studies have not rigorously assessed smoking behavior or used a comprehensive panel of biomarkers. This study examined the effects of progressively decreasing RNC cigarettes on smoking behaviors, biomarkers of exposure, and subjective ratings. Methods: One hundred and fifty-eight daily, non–treatment-seeking smokers participated in a 35-day randomized, unblinded, parallel study. After a 5-day baseline period, participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 80) that smoked progressively decreasing RNC cigarettes during three 10-day periods, or control group ( n = 78) that smoked their own brand throughout the study. Results: Daily cigarette consumption significantly increased for the intermediate RNCs ( P 's < 0.001) but approached baseline rate for the lowest RNC ( P = 0.686); in contrast, puffing behavior significantly decreased at intermediate levels and increased for the lowest RNC ( P 's < 0.001). Cotinine and NNAL significantly decreased by RNC period ( P 's ≤ 0.001–0.02), whereas CO boost initially increased ( P 's = 0.001–0.005). 1-HOP did not change by period ( P = 0.109). Conclusions: Smoking behaviors changed by RNC period via CPD and puffing behavior. Biomarkers of exposure generally decreased with nicotine content. Impact: Findings suggest that RNC use does not ubiquitously reduce smoking behaviors or biomarkers, yet the lowest RNC level tested may reduce harm exposure. This emphasizes the importance of using multiple behavioral and biologic measures to address the impact of RNC cigarette smoking. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(7); 1125–33. ©2016 AACR .
A Fission Matrix Based Methodology for Achieving an Unbiased Solution for Eigenvalue Monte Carlo Simulations

*Recent work in the completely fission matrix based Monte Carlo eigenvalue methodology has posited that the fission matrix elements are independent of the source eigenvector in the limit of small mesh sizes. In this paper, a modified fission matrix based Monte Carlo methodology for achieving unbiased solutions even for high Dominance Ratio (DR) problems is introduced. This new methodology utilizes an initial source, autocorrelation and normality tests, in addition to a Monte Carlo Iterated Confidence Interval (ICI) formulation for estimation of uncertainties in the fundamental eigenvalue and eigenvector. This new methodology is referred to as FMBMC-ICEU (Initial-source Controlled Elements with Uncertainties). The mesh size and particle population were shown to be directly related to the independence of fission matrix coefficients whereby smaller meshing with increasing particle density is necessary to achieve an unbiased solution for the high Dominance Ratio problems. Additionally, it is shown that the ICI algorithm yields a more realistic estimation of uncertainties as compared to the highly conservative plus or minus fission matrix based approach. Lastly the parallel capability of the algorithm was tested and shown to be highly scalable if the number of skipped generations is minimized.
“Nuestras Vidas Corren Casi Paralelas”: Chicanos, Independentistas, and the Prison Rebellions in Leavenworth, 1969–1972

This essay examines the political and personal connections between Chicano prison activists and the Puerto Rican Independentistas at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary from 1969 to 1972, and the effects that these experiences had on the Chicano Movement and the Free the Five Movement. Located within the context of the prison rebellion years and the coalitions of Third World prisoners throughout the country, these prisoners of war, political prisoners, and politicized prisoners initiated a cultural studies class, a newspaper, and a political organization that was at the center of political mobilizations like work strikes, legal cases, and solidarity with social movements outside the walls. These political and educational projects challenged the logic of a prison regime based on racial divisions, while simultaneously establishing political links that would continue to resonate throughout the 1970s and into the present.
The Critique of Civilisation

Ever since the anthropologists’ sense of the word ‘culture’ overtook the conventional use, the adjective ‘cultured’ likewise has fallen into disuse,1 and the usage of the term civilisation has no less undergone a sea-change. The paradigm of Greco-Roman civilisation had the longest run for its money, those interested in art and archaeology looking to Egypt, China or Japan by way of contrast, or, another way in which some scholars examined these civilisations, generalising about them in the course of a largely speculative view of history. Travellers’ tales brought evidence of ‘other’ civilisations whose essential traits still persisted, and imperial expansion discovered in them intransigencies and resistances to be overcome as far as possible and, in any case, looked down on. The extraordinary, and in the ‘long view’ highly unlikely, combination of Greco-Roman institutions and Christian ideology that produced what came to be known as Christendom, perpetuated a distinction between the civilised and the barbarian/heathen that continued into near contemporary times. The construction of ‘otherness’ was boosted by a shift in Christian theologising from ‘All have sinned’, which provided a species of unifying model even though a rather discouraging one, to the distinction between saved and unsaved, which in its earlier religious sense and its later secularised form of advanced and backward provided warrant for forcing others to be free, for embarking on civilising missions whose basis was after all the denial that there could be more than one civilisation. Your genuine scholar of the antique world did not make this mistake, but the tendency to regard what was discovered as an ‘other’ to one’s own, a counterpart to be measured against the yardstick of the civilised, died hard.
Modulation of obesity and host immune response by diet-gut microbiota interactions

T role of diet non-digestible bioactive compounds including phenolics and dietary fiber on the modulation of gut microbiota and the possible relationship with obesity is not fully understood. Our in vitro studies with colon fibroblast cells demonstrated that phenolic compounds decrease inflammation in colonic fibroblast cells in part mediated by induction of antioxidant enzymes that contributes to improve the immune response of colon fibroblast cells. In addition phenolics downregulated the TLR4 pathway, a known target for pathogens that promotes the expression of adhesion molecules that contributes to inflammatory bowel disease. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that fruit non-digestible bioactive compounds including dietary fiber and phenolic compounds induced a significant increase on the relative populations of health beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp.; whereas the Enterobacteriaceae genera which include many of the more familiar pathogens were decreased. The link between phenolic compounds-gut microbiota-obesity was investigated using and in vivo animal model. Data from fecal DNA pyrosequencing analysis showed that Bacteroidetes, Ruminococcacea, and Lactobacilluswere in higher abundance in obese animals fed with fruit phenolics compared to phenolic absent controls. qRT-PCR data showed the phenolic-induced higher proportions of Faecalibacterium which has been reported to be in low levels in patients with Crohn’s Disease. These changes were accompanied by decreased weight gain; improved levels of metabolic syndrome and decreased levels of lipid peroxidation markers in plasma. Overall, these results suggest that protection against obesity and obesity related disorders is mediated by diet-induced altered composition of the distal intestinal microbiota. Giuliana D. Noratto, J Bacteriol Parasitol 2013, 4:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9597.S1.004
Parallel Microfluidic Synthesis of Conductive Biopolymers

Microfluidic devices with increasing complexity have been demonstrated for a broad range of applications from biological studies, combinatorial synthesis, to fully programmable DNA synthesis. We are using microfluidic devices to synthesize arrays of conductive polymers to select those materials with optimal neural cell attachment and growth support. We have developed a microfluidic based parallel synthesis reactor to automate the creation and evaluation of poly(Pyrrole) based biopolymers. A prototype that is capable of synthesizing and screening over 100 compositions on a chip has been tested. The system currently produces features of ~50 micrometers. Recent work has started to scale up the number of compositions using devices based on immiscible liquid plugs.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Total Knee Arthroplasty in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 2001–2013

Objective: To examine black-white and Hispanic-white differences in total knee arthroplasty from 2001 to 2013 in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. Methods: Data were from the VA Musculoskeletal Disorders Cohort, which includes data from electronic health records of over 5.4 million veterans with musculoskeletal disorders diagnoses. We included white (non-Hispanic), black (non-Hispanic), and Hispanic (any race) veterans age 50 years or older with an osteoarthritis diagnosis from 2001-2011 (N=539,841). Veterans were followed from their first osteoarthritis diagnosis until September 30, 2013. As a proxy for increased clinical severity, analyses were also conducted for a sub-sample restricted to those who saw an orthopedic or rheumatology specialist (N=148,844). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to examine racial and ethnic differences in total knee arthroplasty by year of osteoarthritis diagnosis, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, physical and mental diagnoses, and pain intensity scores. Results: We identified 12,087 total knee arthroplasty procedures in a sample of 473,170 white, 50,172 black, and 16,499 Hispanic veterans. In adjusted models examining black-white and Hispanic-white differences by year of OA diagnosis, total knee arthroplasty rates were lower for black than for white veterans diagnosed in all but two years. There were no Hispanic-white differences regardless of when diagnosis occurred. These patterns held in the specialty clinic sub-sample. Conclusions: Black-white differences in total knee arthroplasty appear to be persistent in the VA, even after controlling for potential clinical confounders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Stair blue noise sampling

A common solution to reducing visible aliasing artifacts in image reconstruction is to employ sampling patterns with a blue noise power spectrum. These sampling patterns can prevent discernible artifacts by replacing them with incoherent noise. Here, we propose a new family of blue noise distributions, Stair blue noise, which is mathematically tractable and enables parameter optimization to obtain the optimal sampling distribution. Furthermore, for a given sample budget, the proposed blue noise distribution achieves a significantly larger alias-free low-frequency region compared to existing approaches, without introducing visible artifacts in the mid-frequencies. We also develop a new sample synthesis algorithm that benefits from the use of an unbiased spatial statistics estimator and efficient optimization strategies.
Solid Tumors Target the HSC Niche to Establish Metastatic Footholds in the Marrow

Abstract Metastasis is the most deadly aspect of many solid tissue cancers. The majority of metastases utilize pathways established to regulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing to gain access to the marrow. Whether solid tumors target the niche to establish footholds in the marrow is unknown. Using prostate caner (PCa) as a model, we determined if PCa and HSC compete for the HSC niche. To determine if disseminated PCa competes for the niche and prevents HSC engraftment, sham-operated or tumor-implanted NOD/SCID mice (Ly5.1) were transplanted with marrow cells from Ly5.2 donor animals. To preserve the niche, the transplanted animals received no preconditioning. At 16 weeks, greater HSC engraftment was observed in sham-operated group than in the tumor-bearing group as reflected by mature HSC progeny in the peripheral blood (0.7 ± 0.4% vs. 0.2 ± 0.2%, p = 0.022). Multiphoton microscopy revealed that PCa and SLAM receptor isolated HSCs co-localize at the endosteal bone surfaces in vivo and in vitro, further suggesting that PCa compete for the niche. Since osteoblasts (OBs) are vital components of the niche, it was determined if alterations in OB numbers also regulates metastasis. Here, vertebrae from control or conditional osteoblast knockout (Col2.3Δ-TK) mice were transplanted into SCID animals. Following treatment with ganciclovir which ablated the osteoblasts, metastasis to these tissues was evaluated. Fewer disseminated PCa were recovered from the Col2.3Δ-TK transplants than vehicle treated transplants (41.6 ± 23.7% vs. 100.0 ± 69.9%, p = 0.009). If metastases target the niche, then we should be able to mobilize metastases using HSC mobilizing regimes. Here, PCa tumors were established and removed. Later G-CSF was administered, and PCa numbers were determined in the blood. More PCa cells were seen in the blood after G-CSF treatments vs. the vehicle group (616.9 ± 463.0 cells vs. 143.7 ± 159.1 cells, p = 0.025). Part of the mechanism responsible for the mobilization of PCa was an increase in the production of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the marrow. Finally, we evaluated if soluble factors produced by PCa alter HSCs activities. Animals were treated with either control or PCa conditioned medium for 3 days, and then HSC were harvested. Alterations of many mRNA transcripts involved in HSC self renewal were observed in animals exposed to the PCa conditioned medium. Our findings indicate that PCa and HSCs compete for the osteoblastic HSC niche, and that PCa utilize the same mechanisms as HSCs to gain access and egress from the niche. Taken together, these data provide the first evidence that the HSC niche serves as pre-metastatic niche for solid tumors and plays a central role in bone metastases.
Improving Americaâ€™s Communities Policy Proposals that Increase Civic Engagement and Improve Americaâ€™s Built Environment

Recently, America has begun to experience significant declines in civic engagement. At the same time, nearly half of all Americans are currently living in suburban communities that are fraught with challenges ranging from a lack of community institutions, traffic congestion, isolation, pollution and high levels of land consumption. This paper explores the hypothesis that improved urban planning, new tax structures, and more effective municipal government participation in planning will enable communities to develop in a way that will increase civic engagement among their residents while reducing the damaging effects of poorly planned suburban sprawl.
Managers’ Assessments of Employees’ Organizational Career Growth Opportunities: The Role of Extra-Role Performance, Work Engagement, and Perceived Organizational Commitment

This study examined the role of perceived organizational commitment on managers’ assessments of employees’ career growth opportunities. Based on a paired sample of 161 legal secretaries and their m...
Using a mutual impedance model to improve the time response of PMUT arrays

Short pulse transmission and reception is important for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) arrays to achieve high resolution. However, coupling effects cause PMUT arrays to exhibit long decay times following the transmit pulse and poor axial resolution. Here, we model the mutual acoustic impedance that couples PMUTs in an array to show that the decay behavior can be accurately predicted. This model provides a basis for improving PMUT time response and imaging resolution.
Air Versus Ground Transportation in Isolated Severe Head Trauma: A National Trauma Data Bank Study

Abstract Background The effect of prehospital helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) on mortality has been analyzed previously in polytrauma patients with discordant results. Objective Our aim was to compare outcomes in patients with isolated severe blunt traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) transported by HEMS or ground emergency medical services (GEMS). Methods We conducted a National Trauma Data Bank study (2007–2014). All adult patients (≥16 years old) who sustained an isolated severe blunt TBI and were transported by HEMS or GEMS were included in the study. Results There were 145,559 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 116,391 (80%) patients were transported via GEMS and 29,168 (20%) via HEMS. Median transportation time was longer for HEMS patients (41 vs. 25 min; p Conclusions Helicopter transport, in adult patients with isolated severe TBI, is associated with improved survival.
Identifying and prioritizing concerns associated with prosthetic devices for use in a benefit-risk assessment: a mixed-methods approach.

ABSTRACTObjective: We identified and prioritized concerns reported by stakeholders associated with novel upper-limb prostheses.Methods: An evidence review and key-informant engagement, identified 6...
Vision based speed breaker detection for autonomous vehicle.

In this paper, we are presenting a robust and real-time, vision-based approach to detect speed breaker in urban environments for autonomous vehicle. Our method is designed to detect the speed breaker using visual inputs obtained from a camera mounted on top of a vehicle. The method performs inverse perspective mapping to generate top view of the road and segment out region of interest based on difference of Gaussian and median filter images. Furthermore, the algorithm performs RANSAC line fitting to identify the possible speed breaker candidate region. This initial guessed region via RANSAC, is validated using support vector machine. Our algorithm can detect different categories of speed breakers on cement, asphalt and interlock roads at various conditions and have achieved a recall of ~0.98.
Dynamics and Spin-Valley Locking Effects in Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides have been the primary materials of interest in the field of valleytronics for their potential in information storage, yet the limiting factor has been achieving long valley decoherence times. We explore the dynamics of four monolayer TMDCs (MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, WSe2) using ab initio calculations to describe electron–electron and electron–phonon interactions. By comparing calculations which both omit and include relativistic effects, we isolate the impact of spin-resolved spin–orbit coupling on transport properties. In our work, we find that spin–orbit coupling increases carrier lifetimes at the valence band edge by an order of magnitude due to spin-valley locking, with a proportional increase in the hole mobility at room temperature. At temperatures of 50 K, we find intervalley scattering times on the order of 100 ps, with a maximum value of ∼140 ps in WSe2. Finally, we calculate excited-carrier generation profiles which indicate that direct transitions dominate across optica...
Integrating Planning and Execution for Sensor-Based Robots

We are interested in developing planning techniques that are appropriate to control robots in real-time. To be more specific, we want to enable robots to navigate safely in environments with an arbitrary number of moving obstacles and to perform assigned tasks. We want to enable robots to avoid obstacles even when obstacles move on unknown trajectories and with unknown velocities. Due to the nature of the problem complete planning cannot be done in advance. However, some planning needs to be done to guarantee that the robot will eventually reach its destination and perform its task. Task level planning is needed for the robot to perform meaningful tasks, but planning cannot be done without some knowledge of the environment that needs to be gathered by sensors. In this paper we describe how to integrate planning with sensing and execution.
Prospective Evaluation of Renal Allograft Dysfunction with 99mTechnetium-Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid Renal Scans

A prospective, single-blinded study was done to determine the ability of serial 99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid scans to diagnose renal allograft rejection. Among 28 transplant recipients 111 renal scans were obtained 1 day postoperatively and every 3 to 4 days thereafter for 3 weeks in all patients retaining an allograft. Computer-generated time-activity blood flow curves were analyzed semiquantitatively for the 1) interval between curve peaks of the allograft and iliac artery, 2) renal transit time and 3) renal washout of radionuclide. Excretory function was assessed by degree and interval to appearance of radionuclide in the calices and bladder. Deterioration of renal blood flow and excretion compared to the initial scan was considered rejection. Of 52 scans performed during clinical rejection 47 (90.4 per cent) were interpreted as showing rejection (sensitivity). Of 53 scans interpreted as showing rejection 47 (88.7 per cent) were positive for clinical rejection. The remaining 6 patients (initial false positive results) suffered clinical rejection within 24 to 72 hours. We conclude that 99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid renal scans are useful in the differential diagnosis of renal allograft dysfunction.
The Queer Delinquent: Impacts of Risk and Protective Factors on Sexual Minority Juvenile Offending in the U.S.

The study of gender and crime has followed a trajectory, from finding that women offend differently, to exploring how gendered lives impact the nature and extent of offending. This has shown criminologists that our theories must account for the variance in gendered lives. With this chapter, I propose a similar trajectory for understanding the role of sexual orientation and offending, beginning with youth. Using The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health, n = 14,290), I provide a baseline, national examination of the nature and extent of juvenile delinquency in the United States, when sexual minority status is considered. I begin to show how the differential life experiences of sexual minority youth impact offending by exploring how various risk and protective factors related to social institutions influence juvenile offending, comparing sexual minority youth to their majority peers. I find that sexual minority youth, relative to their sexual majority peers, report more prevalence and frequency of several (mostly non-violent) criminal behaviors. I show that a variety of protective factors (such as school and family attachments) and risk factors (such as alcohol use, victimization, and housing instability) can account for much of that difference. I demonstrate that sexual orientation is indeed another crucial attribute for understanding the relationship between social inequality and delinquency, and discuss possible points of intervention with youth, based on these findings. I also show that current theories are insufficient to fully explain the offending of sexual minority youth.
History and Philosophy as the Culminating Forms of Experience

A reader who is familiar with Collingwood’s later identification of philosophy with history may be surprised by the view of history set forth in Speculum Mentis. In it, history does not receive the pride of place which one might expect. That is reserved for philosophy.
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: Claiming Heritage in the Longji Terraced Fields Scenic Area

This chapter analyzes competing claims to heritage in Ping’an, the most popular tourism village in the Longji Terraced Fields Scenic Area in Guangxi. Claiming heritage in Ping’an is comprised of overlapping processes of identity construction and commercialization by various actors, from the ethnic Zhuang village residents, to migrant entrepreneurs from across China and overseas, to the tourism company working with local government to manage and promote the area. The chapter argues that strategies for creating and asserting heritage rely upon and reconfigure actual spaces in the village and the scenic area, creating “fences” that reinforce larger claims to cultural authority.
An interactive tool to improve learning of data modeling: a survey study

Relational and entity-relationship data models are important concepts covered in database and systems analysis and design courses. Entity-relationship model is widely used in conceptual database design. However, ERD is error-prone for novice database designers. An interactive Java Applet tool is developed to show the connection between relational and entity relationship data models. A survey was used to evaluate the usefulness of the tool. Eighty-nine students participated in this study. Survey results show that students' perception of the tool is more positive than the textbook method for learning data modeling.
Training Reaction and Movement Times of Moderately and Severely Mentally Retarded Persons in Aiming Movements.

The effect of information feedback of movement components on the reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) of mentally retarded adults performing a discrete movement aiming task was investigated. We anticipated that specific training and informational feedback on the RT portion of the RT-MT task would more effectively reduce RT, despite aiming requirements of the movement. Results suggested that specific training and feedback on RT decreased both RT and MT components of the task, whereas specific training on MT reduced only MT. The data were discussed with respect to the differential effects of training on subject populations at varying levels of intellectual capacity.
AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN TRANSLATING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT (A CASE STUDY AT FIRST SEMESTER OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS MEDAN)

The Objective of this study entitled “An Analysis of Students’ Difficulties in Translating Descriptive Text (A Case Study at First Semester of Catholic University of Saint Thomas Medan)” was to identify, classify and describe the student’s difficulties in translating descriptive text. The subject of this study was twenty two students at the first semester of Catholic University of Saint Thomas Medan. The writer used the test as an instrument. In collecting the data the students translated the descriptive text. The result of this study showed that the students found the difficulties in syntactic ambiguity in sentence and sequence of word meaning 51% in the form of adjective (95%), Noun Phrase (86%). Keywords: Difficulties, Syntactic Ambiguity, Translation.
Alexa and Her Shopping Journey

Voice-enabled intelligent assistants, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana or Apple Siri, are on their way to revolutionize the way humans interact with machines. Their ubiquitous presence in our homes, offices, cars, etc. and their ease of use have the potential to fully democratize access to information and services, making them available to all, from young children to senior citizens. To this effect, Alexa is offering an open service available on tens of millions of devices that enables developers to build voice-enabled applications in a multitude of domains from home automation to entertainment. One domain that Alexa is pioneering in particular is the shopping domain. Customers can ask Alexa to order garlic from their kitchen while they are crushing their last clove, and they can as easily ask her about the best surveillance camera. We see then that in the shopping domain, Alexa addresses not only transactional needs but also informational needs, thus covering two of the Web search users' needs defined by Broder in [1]. Yet the usual Web search techniques cannot be applied "as is" in voice-driven product discovery, since as demonstrated by Ingber et al. in [2], users' behavior differs significantly between Web and voice. Consequently, for Alexa to naturally interact with users, and act as the ultimate virtual shopping assistant, new methods need to be invented and a number of open research challenges across various domains need to be addressed. These domains include automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, search and question answering, and most importantly, user experience, which is critical in such a new and still evolving interaction paradigm. In this talk, we will share with the audience our vision of an intelligent shopping assistant escorting customers in their holistic shopping journey. We will also discuss the involved technical challenges that establish voice shopping as a new area of research in the AI and search communities at large.
Employer Information Report (EEO-1): Audio of Presentation

The EEO-1 Report collects race/ethnic and gender data annually on nine major job categories (e.g., managers, operatives). In addition to the workforce data, information about each establishment's North American Industrial Classification System code, the establishment's county, its metropolitan area code, and other data are included.
Dynamical analogy approach to design of vibration absorbers with Maxwell-type viscoelastic connections

A dynamical, electrical analogy is used to evaluate criteria for the maximally flat displacement and acceleration responses of a mechanical system equipped with a vibration absorber having a Maxwell-type viscoelastic connection and subjected to harmonic forces.
Stochastic Trees and the StoTree Modeling Environment: Models and Software for Medical Decision Analysis

In this paper we present a review of stochastic trees, a convenient modeling approach for medical treatment decision analyses. Stochastic trees are a generalization of decision trees that incorporate useful features from continuous-time Markov chains. We also discuss StoTree, a freely available software tool for the formulation and solution of stochastic trees, implemented in the Excel spreadsheet environment.
Non-Solvent Fractionation of Lignin Enhances Carbon Fiber Performance

Even though lignin carbon fiber has been sought after for several decades, the poor mechanical performance remains to be a major barrier for commercial applications. The low mechanical performance is attributed to the heterogeneity of lignin polymer. Recent advances in fractionation technologies showed the great potential to reduce lignin heterogeneity, but current fractionation methods often depend on costly chemicals and materials such as enzymes, organic solvents, membranes, and dialysis tubes. Here, a new non-solvent strategy was developed to fractionate lignin by autohydrolysis. By using only water, lignin was efficiently fractionated into water-soluble and -insoluble fractions. The latter fraction had increased molecular weight and uniformity and resulted in more β-O-4 interunitary linkages as analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography and 2D heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR spectroscopy, respectively. In particular, the water-insoluble fraction significantly enhanced the mechanical performances of the resultant carbon fibers. Mechanistic study by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the miscibility of lignin with guest polyacrylonitrile molecules was improved with the reduced lignin heterogeneity. Crystallite analyses by XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the crystallite size and content of the pre-graphitic turbostratic carbon structure were increased. The fundamental understanding revealed how lignin fractionation could modify lignin chemical features to enhance the mechanical performance of resultant carbon fibers. The autohydrolysis fractionation thus represents a green, economic, and efficient methodology to process lignin waste and boost lignin carbon fiber quality, which could open new horizons for lignin valorization.
Does Oxygen Stable Isotope Composition in Primates Vary as a Function of Vertical Stratification or Folivorous Behaviour

Stable isotopes of oxygen often vary within a community of primates. For example, folivorous monkeys that forage in the upper reaches of the forest canopy tend to evince high δ18O values, whereas those that prefer the understory tend to have lower δ18O values. Given that leaves also have high δ18O values, particularly higher in the canopy, there is uncertainty as to which behavioural variable - vertical stratification or folivory - is the primary determinant of variation in δ18O values. Here, we explore further δ18O values from the Tai Forest monkeys (n = 7 species; n = 33 individuals) by examining the interaction between diet and vertical stratification, thereby allowing us to differentiate the effects of each covariate. We found that δ18O values varied as a function of mean canopy height, but not folivory, resolving uncertainty about the primary cause of δ18O variation. This outcome revolves largely, but not entirely, on the behaviours of Procolobus verus, a highly folivorous but understory forager. Relatively elevated values in Cercopithecus diana, a frugivorous but middle-to-high canopy forager, raises the possibility that plant reproductive tissues (e.g., fruits, flowers) may be increasingly sensitive to evaporative fractionation at higher forest canopy levels. Overall, our results further affirm the value of using δ18O values to estimate the vertical behaviour of primate species in a fossil assemblage.
Introduction: Narcissus and the Wounded Self

This chapter presents narcissism and selfhood within the context of medieval French literature. Exploring Ovid’s myth of Narcissus, the dominant paradigm for selfhood in this literature, it examines the tale of how this boy, after falling in love with an image incapable of answering him, understands himself to be a subject doomed by frustrated longing, wounds himself and then dies. The construct of selfhood present within the medieval literature influenced by Ovid’s myth, relayed through discussions of Bernart de Ventadorn’s poetry and Guillaume de Lorris’s Romance of the Rose, bases itself upon the wound resulting from unrequited love for an image that undercuts the lover’s body. The wounded self therefore becomes the lens through which the literature this book treats is examined.