cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distance-based computational models for facilitating robot interaction with children

Sensing and interpreting the user's activities and social behavior, monitoring the dynamics of the social context, and selecting and producing appropriate robot action are the core challenges involved in using robots as social tools in interaction scenarios. In social human-robot interaction, speech and gesture are the commonly considered interaction modalities. In human-human interactions, interpersonal distance between people can contain significant social and communicative information. Thus, if human-robot interaction reflects this human-human interaction property, then human-robot distances also convey social information. If a robot is to be an effective social agent, its actions, including those relating to interpersonal distance, must be appropriate for the given social situation. This becomes a greater challenge in playful and unstructured interactions, such as those involving children.This paper demonstrates the use of a distance-based model for the recognition and expression of spatial social behavior. The model was designed to classify averse social behavior of a child engaged in playful interaction with a robot and uses distance-based features to autonomously identify interaction/play, avoidance, wall-hugging, and parent-proximity behavior with 94% accuracy. The same methodology was used to model the spatial aspects of a person following a robot and use the model as part of a modified navigation planner to enable the robot to exhibit socially-aware goal-oriented navigation behavior. The model-based planner resulted in robot navigation behavior that was more effective at allowing a partner to follow the robot. This effect was demonstrated using quantitative measures of navigation performance and observer rating of the robot's behavior. These two uses of spatial models were implemented on complete robot systems and validated in evaluation studies with children with autism spectrum disorders and with neurotypical adults.
A Hierarchical Bayesian Approach to Seasonal Hurricane Modeling

A hierarchical Bayesian strategy for modeling annual U.S. hurricane counts from the period 1851-2000 is illustrated. The approach is based on a separation of the reliable twentieth-century records from the less precise nineteenth-century records and makes use of Poisson regression. The work extends a recent climatological analysis of U.S. hurricanes by including predictors (covariates) in the form of indices for the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Model integration is achieved through a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. A Bayesian strategy that uses only hurricane counts from the twentieth century together with noninformative priors compares favorably to a traditional (frequentist) approach and confirms a statistical relationship between climate patterns and coastal hurricane activity. Coinciding La Nina and negative NAO conditions significantly increase the probability of a U.S. hurricane. Hurricane counts from the nineteenth century are bootstrapped to obtain informative priors on the model parameters. The earlier records, though less reliable, allow for a more precise description of U.S. hurricane activity. This translates to a greater certainty in the authors' belief about the effects of ENSO and NAO on coastal hurricane activity. Similar conclusions are drawn when annual U.S. hurricane counts are disaggregated into regional counts. Contingent on the availability of values for the covariates, the models can be used to make predictive inferences about the hurricane season.
Factors affecting shear strength between open-graded friction course and underlying layer

Abstract This study investigates the factors that affect the bonding strength between open-graded friction course (OGFC) and underlying layer through laboratory testing. The direct shear strength test was performed to obtain the shear strength between OGFC and different underlying layers. Three factors were considered in the study: mixture type of underlying layer, tack coat application rate, and temperature. Two types of dense graded surface mixture and one type of stone matrix asphalt (SMA) were selected as underlying layer. The shear strength was evaluated at four tack coat application rates and three test temperatures. To investigate the friction between OGFC and underlying layer on the shear strength, the surface texture depth of underlying layer was also measured. Results from the study showed that underlying layer mixture type, tack coat application rate, and temperature all played a significant role in the shear strength, with temperature as the most significant factor followed by surface texture depth of underlying layer. At low temperatures, high stiffness of asphalt made both tack coat rate and surface texture depth of underlying less significant. At intermediate to high temperatures, surface texture depth of underlying layer had a significant effect on the shear strength, indicating that selection of appropriate underlying layer with adequate friction with OGFC is critical for a good bonding shear strength. Surface texture depth of underlying layer can be used as an indicator of the friction between OGFC and underlying layer.
Designing of motions for humanoid goal keeper robots

A methodology is presented to develop motions for the purposes of a humanoid goal keeper robot during a match of soccer. These motions meet performance objectives as well as minimize damage to the humanoid robot that occurs during the execution of the motion. The methodology presented employs the use of a realistic simulator paired with controlled human influence. The resulting motions better meet performance criteria while resulting in relatively less damage to the humanoid robot.
Larviposition Kairomone of the Tachinid Lixophaga diatraeae

The tachinid Lixophaga diatraeae (Townsend) senses the larviposition host (sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis) frass by tarsi rather than by antennae. Methanol extraction of the host larvae frass, followed by column and thin-layer chromatography, indicated activity in the polar nonvolatile components. Similar extraction of sugarcane stalk produced an equally active larviposition stimulant having the same chromatographic properties as the frass extract. The active fractions of both frass and sugarcane did not contain sterols, reactive unsaturation, or protein. Qualitative tests showed the presence of phenols, alcohols, and carbohydrates. The tachinid was equally active to a dichloromethane extract of paraffin wax and standard hydrocarbons alone and in combination.
“Core” Glycolipid of Enterobacteriaceae: Immunofluorescent Detection of Antigen and Antibody

The Re chemotype mutant of Salmonella minnesota R595 has a cell-wall glycolipid composed principally of 2-keto, 3 deoxyoctonate and Lipid A, which is an antigen widely shared by Enterobacteriaceae. High-titered antiserum against this antigen can be conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate for direct detection of this antigen in heterologous bacteria and staining of bacteria in tissue. Alternatively, the indirect immunofluorescence technique can be used for antigen detection on bacterial surfaces and in tissues, and this method can quantitate glycolipid antibody in mammalian sera. The latter may be particularly useful in serologic studies because, although the glycolipid antigen is a surface antigen and purified extracts can be used to coat latex particles, high-titered antisera will not agglutinate bacteria or coated latex particles.
Polymer Integrated Optic Zero-Gap Directional Coupler

Integrated optic zero-gap directional couplers (ZGDC‘s) offer orders of magnitude shorter device lengths than conventional directional couplers. Researchers are currently striving to simultaneously optimize several properties of nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers that are viewed essential for the fabrication of commercially viable polymer electro-optic devices, including high electro-optic activity, low propagation loss and high temperature poling retention. Fabrication of zero-gap directional couplers using NLO polymers show the potential to realize devices with interaction lengths as short as 100 μm, operating at TFL level switching voltages. Hence, NLO polymer ZGDC‘s will possess the ability to tolerate large propagation losses. This can allow the low propagation loss constraint for NLO materials to be relaxed significantly. Polymers with high electro-optic activity that might be rejected because of high propagation loss, could potentially be utilized for ZGDC switches. In addition, by using these devices as stand alone switches for the present (i.e., not integrating them with electronic circuits) the de-poling temperature constraint can also be significantly relaxed since neither solder baths nor high density interconnect (HDI) processes will be needed. These relaxed constraints should improve the chances for introduction of viable NLO polymer devices that can compete in the market place today, without being forced to wait for a material in which all properties have been optimized.
Kinetic Stabilization of Quinone Dianions via Hydrogen Bonding by Water in Aprotic Solvents

It is well-established that very weak acids such as water and alcohols strongly H-bond to quinone dianions, Q2–, in aprotic solvents. This results in thermodynamic stabilization of Q2– and a shift of the formal potential of the Q–/2– couple to less negative values. This study shows that the strong H-bonding of water also results in a type of kinetic stabilization of Q2–. CVs of the naturally occurring naphthoquinone Vitamin K1 in very dry 0.1 M NBu4PF6/CH2Cl2 show a reversible Q0/– wave but a chemically irreversible Q–/2– wave. Similar behavior is seen with anthraquinone and duroquinone. Evidence suggests that this is due to nucleophilic attack of Q2– on CH2Cl2 to give ether products. Addition of water results not only in the expected positive shift in potential of the second wave but also in an increase in the chemical reversibility. This indicates that the H-bonding of water to Q2– blocks the irreversible reaction with CH2Cl2 by significantly decreasing the rate of that reaction. Further experiments sho...
Analysis of blood glucose monitoring on high risk of diabetes groups

Objective To discuss the high risk of diabetes groups blood glucose monitoring result.Methods Monitored the blood glucose of 120 patients with high risk of diabetes,and compared with healthy persons.Results Observation group patient's fasting blood glucose and 2 h glucose was significantly higher,the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05).The fasting blood glucose and 2 h glucose result of all ages had no significant difference(P 0.05),but with age,fasting glucose and 2 h plasma glucose gradually increased.Conclusion Early diagnosis of diabetes,blood glucose testing with early sensitivity,volatility and instantaneous,reflecting changes in glucose metabolism advantage,However,in clinical diagnosis should be combined with glycosylated serum protein and glycated hemoglobin and other indicators as a reference,will be conducive to earlier and more accurate clinical diagnosis of diabetes,early prevention of diabetes complications.
Design of Network Audit System based on NDIS Driver

Network packet is analyzed and controlled on the NDIS driver,The data packets to bypass the system to directly communicate is prevented with the outside.The functional structure of the application layer and the NDIS driver layer is designed,The internal storage of captured data structure and The audit process is described with a high practical value.
Implementation of self-scheduling in the poison center

Self-scheduling was introduced to our Poison Control Center (PCC) as an alternative method of scheduling. The traditional method of scheduling was becoming an overwhelming task for the managing director, and the specialists' individual needs were not adequately met. Therefore, self-scheduling was implemented to meet the needs of the PCC as well as create the feelings of empowerment and autonomy for the specialists. The staff was educated on the process of self-scheduling. This process involved assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating. Using the democratic process, guidelines were established for shift hours, shift rotation, weekends, vacation and holidays. The plan included assigning a specialist as "schedule mediator". The mediator was responsible for assessing the schedule for any over- or under-staffing and negotiating schedule changes between the specialists. When the schedule's gaps had been negotiated, the completed schedule was posted. Finally, the staff completed a questionnaire to evaluate self-scheduling. All of the specialists strongly agreed that there had been a positive outcome from implementing self-scheduling. Their comments included "enjoyed the flexibility in doing her own schedule" and "enjoyed the participating in the operation of the PCC".
Pupillometer-based neurofeedback cognitive training to improve processing speed and social functioning in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Objective Among individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, processing speed (PS) has been related to social and role functioning regardless of conversion to schizophrenia. This information processing dysfunction is a gateway to broader behavioral deficits such as difficulty executing social behaviors. We examined the feasibility of improving information processing relevant to social situations in CHR, including its sustainability at 2-month follow-up, and its association with concurrent social function. Method This was a double-blind RCT in which 62 CHR participants were randomized to Processing Speed Training (PST) or an active control matched for training format and the same dose and duration of treatment. PST is a tablet-based program that uses pupillometry-based neurofeedback to continually adjust training parameters for an optimal neurocognitive load and to improve visual scanning efficiency by inhibiting selection of nonessential targets and discriminating figure-ground details. Results The PST group showed faster motoric and nonmotoric PS at post training and 2-month follow-up. At 2 month follow-up, the PST group reported better overall social adjustment. Changes in PS from baseline to 2 months were correlated with overall social adjustment and social avoidance in the entire sample. Conclusions and implications for practice This is the first study to test focal neurofeedback-based cognitive training for PS deficits in the putatively prodromal phase of schizophrenia to address associated social morbidity. Targeting PS appears to be a promising pathway to decreasing comorbidity and mitigating a risk factor for psychosis. (PsycINFO Database Record
Methylphenidate in ADDH and Epilepsy

The safety of methylphenidate (MPH), 0.3 mg/kg, in 9 boys and 8 girls, ages 6 to 16 years, with ADHD and epilepsy, studied in Jerusalem, Israel, was reported at the Annual Meeting of the Child Neurology Society, Oct 2-8, 1994, in San Francisco, CA.
Introduction: Understanding Mississippi as a Particular Site of Oppression in Education

In this introductory chapter, we introduce the context of Mississippi adult and higher education. We describe how Mississippi is both similar to and distinct from its Deep South neighbors, and how Mississippi can serve as both a unique case and an object lesson for social justice and equity across contexts. We also review briefly the history of K-12 reform efforts in the state, including their connection to racism, segregation, and oppression. This chapter also includes positionality statements from all three authors, as well as a collective positionality statement describing our combined experiences in Mississippi. Finally, we offer an introduction to the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy which drives our analyses in this text.
Food Quality Evaluation using Model Foods: a Comparison Study between Microwave-Assisted and Conventional Thermal Pasteurization Processes

Thermal process optimization has focused on traditional sterilization, with limited research on pasteurization or microwave-assisted thermal processing. Model foods have been developed as quality evaluation tools for thermal pasteurization processes, but there are no comprehensive studies demonstrating how these model foods could be used to evaluate and compare the resulting food quality after different pasteurization processes. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology using image and quantitative analyses for quality evaluation of pre-packaged food pasteurized using a microwave-assisted pasteurization system (MAPS) and traditional hot water method. Four pasteurization processes (MAPS and hot water method at 90 and 95 °C) were designed to have an equivalent accumulated thermal lethality at the cold spot of at least 90 °C for 10 min to control nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum spores. Color-based time-temperature indicators in mashed potato and green pea model foods were quantified using image analysis. Results showed that median color values were useful in assessing overall color change, and interquartile range was an indicator of burnt areas. MAPS 95 °C was the best process because it had the smallest hot spot cook values and the least color change, while the 90 °C hot water process was the worst. Model foods and image analysis techniques were useful pasteurization process quality evaluation tools and made it possible to visualize the potential food quality change volumetrically, throughout a food package. In the future, these tools could be combined with computer simulations to optimize the quality of pilot-scale and industrial MAPS or conventional pasteurization processes.
Long-lasting effect of obesity on skeletal muscle transcriptome

Reduced physical activity and increased intake of calorically-dense diets are the main risk factors for obesity, glucose intolerance, and type 2 diabetes. Chronic overnutrition and hyperglycemia can alter gene expression, contributing to long-term obesity complications. While caloric restriction can reduce obesity and glucose intolerance, it is currently unknown whether it can effectively reprogram transcriptome to a pre-obesity level. The present study addressed this question by the preliminary examination of the transcriptional dynamics in skeletal muscle after exposure to overnutrition and following caloric restriction. Six male rhesus macaques of 12–13 years of age consumed a high-fat western-style diet for 6 months and then were calorically restricted for 4 months without exercise. Skeletal muscle biopsies were subjected to longitudinal gene expression analysis using next-generation whole-genome RNA sequencing. In spite of significant weight loss and normalized insulin sensitivity, the majority of WSD-induced (n = 457) and WSD-suppressed (n = 47) genes remained significantly dysregulated after caloric restriction (FDR ≤0.05). The MetacoreTM pathway analysis reveals that western-style diet induced the sustained activation of the transforming growth factor-β gene network, associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, and the downregulation of genes involved in muscle structure development and nutritional processes. Western-style diet, in the absence of exercise, induced skeletal muscle transcriptional programing, which persisted even after insulin resistance and glucose intolerance were completely reversed with caloric restriction.
Abstract 328: Med13 regulates cardiac metabolism

Background: The heart is a metabolic organ that primarily utilizes fatty acids as energy substrate. While it is well established that the heart is metabolically flexible, the transcriptional network regulating cardiac metabolism is only partially understood. We have previously demonstrated that cardiac overexpression of Med13, a component of the Mediator Complex that regulates transcription, results in a lean phenotype with enhanced basal metabolic rates. We now investigate the mechanisms contributing to metabolic changes in mice with cardiac over-expression of Med13(Med13cTg). Methods and Results: Cardiac fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-PET imaging analysis revealed that Med13cTg hearts take up more glucose than wild type littermates. To determine pathways responsible for enhanced glucose uptake, ventricles from Med13cTg mice were subjected to RNA-seq and metabolomic analysis. The expression of fatty acid oxidation genes was decreased in Med13cTg hearts, accompanied by an increase in acyl CoA and a decrease in acetyl CoA. These data suggest that beta oxidation is decreased in Med13cTg hearts. Mitochondria function was therefore determined in Med13cTg hearts by performing electron-flow analyses and assessing oxygen consumption rates. Indeed, oxygen consumption rates were decreased in mitochondria isolated from Med13cTg hearts. Expression of Krebs Cycle genes and corresponding intermediary metabolites were also decreased in Med13cTg hearts, suggesting decreased flux through this pathway as well. Conclusions: Overexpression of Med13 in the heart increases glucose uptake and decreases fatty acid oxidation in the heart. We speculate that Med13 transcriptionally regulates key mediators of cardiac metabolism. The mechanisms by which this occurs are currently under investigation.
Rethinking the Belmont Report

This article reflects on the relevance and applicability of the Belmont Report nearly four decades after its original publication. In an exploration of criticisms that have been raised in response to the report and of significant changes that have occurred within the context of biomedical research, five primary themes arise. These themes include the increasingly vague boundary between research and practice, unique harms to communities that are not addressed by the principle of respect for persons, and how growing complexity and commodification in research have shed light on the importance of transparency. The repercussions of Belmont's emphasis on the protection of vulnerable populations is also explored, as is the relationship between the report's ethical principles and their applications. It is concluded that while the Belmont Report was an impressive response to the ethical issues of its day, the field of research ethics involving human subjects may have outgrown it.
Use of polymerase chain amplification reaction for the detection of adenoviruses in ocular swab specimens

Purpose To evaluate the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology as a potential diagnostic tool for the detection of adenovirus DNA in ocular swab samples. Methods Oligonucleotides derived from the adenovirus hexon gene were used to amplify a 306-base pair (bp) product by PCR. Radiolabeled oligonucleotides derived from sequences within the amplified product were used as specific probes. Specificity was determined against DNA of 13 adenovirus serotypes (types 1 to 11, inclusive, and types 19 and 37) and from nonadenoviral DNAs. Limits of detection were determined by PCR amplification of known amounts of purified adenovirus serotype 2 DNA. The assay was tested on 107 ocular swab samples and correlated to results obtained from tissue culture and a commercial immunoassay (Adenoclone). Results The 306-bp PCR product was amplified from all adenovirus serotypes tested, but not from negative control DNAs. As little as 15 fg of adenovirus type 2 DNA could be detected by PCR and ethidium bromide stain. Using a simplified sample preparation procedure, 46 of 58 adenovirus culture-positive but Adenoclone-negative swabs were positive by PCR (79% sensitivity). All (11 of 11) Adenoclone-positive clinical eye swabs tested were positive by PCR (100% sensitivity). Only 1 of 38 nonadenoviral ocular swab samples was positive by PCR (97% specificity). Conclusions PCR appeared to be highly suitable for the diagnosis of adenovirus in ocular swabs, offering important improvements in speed over tissue culture isolation and in sensitivity over immunoassay.
Balancing precision with inclusivity in meta-analyses: A response to Roos and colleagues (2017)

Abstract Roos and colleagues’ commentary on our recent meta-analysis examining acute stress effects on executive functions is an important delineation of the limits of meta-analyses with heterogeneous outcomes. In this response, we wish to both clarify the inferences we feel are appropriate given the analyses and address the methodological concerns they raise. Additionally, we present new analyses that answer questions raised in their commentary. We first discuss the classification of a broad array of tasks that depend upon the same construct (e.g., inhibition) and note that this allows for inferences regarding the process that underpins all of those tasks, but this does not entail that all tasks dependent upon that construct will evidence the same effect of stress. Second, we argue that requiring that a study present a significant effect of stress on cortisol for inclusion in analyses is too stringent for a number of reasons (e.g., some studies using validated stressor paradigms correctly do not assay cortisol for budgetary reasons) and we present analyses showing that even when studies that did not present a cortisol response were removed, the initially observed effects still held. Finally, we address concerns raised regarding analyses of time-dependent effects by presenting new analyses that help to allay those concerns. In sum, we applaud Roos and colleagues’ exortation for greater methodological and conceptual rigor in studies of stress and executive function, and the additional analyses prompted by their questions help to clarify observed effects and further the field of stress and executive function research.
Emergent primary cesarean delivery and maternal operative morbidity

Background: It is unknown how variations in surgical entry time in primary cesarean delivery (CD) may affect operative outcomes and maternal morbidity.Objective: Determine whether performing a prim...
Deriving stable multi-parametric MRI radiomic signatures in the presence of inter-scanner variations: survival prediction of glioblastoma via imaging pattern analysis and machine learning techniques

There is mounting evidence that assessment of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) profiles can noninvasively predict survival in many cancers, including glioblastoma. The clinical adoption of mpMRI as a prognostic biomarker, however, depends on its applicability in a multicenter setting, which is hampered by inter-scanner variations. This concept has not been addressed in existing studies. We developed a comprehensive set of within-patient normalized tumor features such as intensity profile, shape, volume, and tumor location, extracted from multicenter mpMRI of two large (npatients=353) cohorts, comprising the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP, npatients=252, nscanners=3) and The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA, npatients=101, nscanners=8). Inter-scanner harmonization was conducted by normalizing the tumor intensity profile, with that of the contralateral healthy tissue. The extracted features were integrated by support vector machines to derive survival predictors. The predictors’ generalizability was evaluated within each cohort, by two cross-validation configurations: i) pooled/scanner-agnostic, and ii) across scanners (training in multiple scanners and testing in one). The median survival in each configuration was used as a cut-off to divide patients in long- and short-survivors. Accuracy (ACC) for predicting long- versus short-survivors, for these configurations was ACCpooled=79.06% and ACCpooled=84.7%, ACCacross=73.55% and ACCacross=74.76%, in HUP and TCIA datasets, respectively. The hazard ratio at 95% confidence interval was 3.87 (2.87–5.20, P<0.001) and 6.65 (3.57-12.36, P<0.001) for HUP and TCIA datasets, respectively. Our findings suggest that adequate data normalization coupled with machine learning classification allows robust prediction of survival estimates on mpMRI acquired by multiple scanners.
FERTILIZATION-INDEPENDENT SEED-Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Plays a Dual Role in Regulating Type I MADS-Box Genes in Early Endosperm Development

Early endosperm development presents a unique system in which to uncover epigenetic regulatory mechanisms because the contributing maternal and paternal genomes possess differential epigenetic modifications. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the initiation of endosperm coenocytic growth upon fertilization and the transition to endosperm cellularization are regulated by the FERTILIZATION-INDEPENDENT SEED (FIS)-Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), a putative H3K27 methyltransferase. Here, we address the possible role of the FIS-PRC2 complex in regulating the type I MADS-box gene family, which has been shown previously to regulate early endosperm development. We show that a subclass of type I MADS-box genes (C2 genes) was expressed in distinct domains of the coenocytic endosperm in wild-type seeds. Furthermore, the C2 genes were mostly up-regulated biallelically during the extended coenocytic phase of endosperm development in the FIS-PRC2 mutant background. Using allele-specific expression analysis, we also identified a small subset of C2 genes subjected to FIS-PRC2-dependent maternal or FIS-PRC2-independent paternal imprinting. Our data support a dual role for the FIS-PRC2 complex in the regulation of C2 type I MADS-box genes, as evidenced by a generalized role in the repression of gene expression at both alleles associated with endosperm cellularization and a specialized role in silencing the maternal allele of imprinted genes.
Zooplankton in the upwelling fronts off Pt. Conception, California

Abstract Surface maps of selected taxa of zooplankton were made off Pt. Conception, California, during three contrasting upwelling situations: moderate upwelling, strong upwelling, and downwelling. Number of taxa and number of individuals decreased with increasing upwelling intensity, indicating replacement of richer surface waters by relatively impoverished subsurface waters. The exception to this pattern was in copepodid stage V of Calanus pacificus which increased in numbers nearshore as upwelling strength increased. Since copepodid V is the deep-living, diapausing stage of this copepod, its increase in numbers is consistent with the upward movement of deep water and the life cycle of C. pacificus. Frontal zones always had more individuals than non-frontal zones, and these were primarily copepod nauplii. Estimated ingestion by copepod nauplii and Calanus pacificus in frontal zones during upwelling was twice the ingestion by these taxa outside the frontal zones, suggesting that the frontal zones associated with upwelling off Pt. Conception are sites of enhanced secondary production.
Neurologic Diseases Associated with Chronic Alcohol Abuse

Many physical illnesses are in some way related to alcohol abuse and occur more often in alcohol abusers than in the general population. The different interactions between alcohol consumption and disease will be reviewed in this chapter and, I hope, will stimulate the reader to think about the gaps in our knowledge of alcohol-related diseases. These physical illnesses interact in many ways with psychological and social aspects of alcohol abuse, which is why professionals involved with problem drinkers need to be aware of these physical illnesses. Because of space limitations, the description of the various diseases is brief; the reader is referred to appropriate sources for in-depth study. These sources include the current editions of textbooks of internal medicine and its subspecialties as well as current literature reviews cited in the text (Kissin & Begleiter, 1974; Seixas, Williams, & Eggleston, 1975; Tarter & Sugerman, 1976).
Distributed Multi-Sensor Surveillance: Issues and Recent Advances

Distributed multi-sensor surveillance systems are becoming increasingly important in a variety of military as well as non-military applications. This chapter discusses three important issues regarding design of such systems, namely sensors and sensing technologies, system architecture, and information processing and fusion. Some underlying concepts are illustrated by considering the problem of concealed weapon detection.
Demystifying the Integrated Tail Probability Expectation Formula

Calculating the expected values of different types of random variables is a central topic in mathematical statistics. Targeted toward students and instructors in both introductory probability and s...
Semiconductor inspection and metrology challenges

For six decades, the use of semiconductors has grown exponentially due to new applications enabled by steady scaling of circuit density, computational power and energy efficiency (Moore’s Law). For this scaling to continue, highresolution, high-speed, non-optical inspection and metrology will be increasingly important. High-radiance, high-stability, long-life electron sources are critical to sustaining this trend.
Personalized Robot Tutoring Using the Assistive Tutor POMDP (AT-POMDP).

Selecting appropriate tutoring help actions that account for both a student’s content mastery and engagement level is essential for effective human tutors, indicating the critical need for these skills in autonomous tutors. In this work, we formulate the robot-student tutoring help action selection problem as the Assistive Tutor partially observable Markov decision process (AT-POMDP). We designed the AT-POMDP and derived its parameters based on data from a prior robot-student tutoring study. The policy that results from solving the AT-POMDP allows a robot tutor to decide upon the optimal tutoring help action to give a student, while maintaining a belief of the student’s mastery of the material and engagement with the task. This approach is validated through a between-subjects field study, which involved 4th grade students (n=28) interacting with a social robot solving long division problems over five sessions. Students who received help from a robot using the AT-POMDP policy demonstrated significantly greater learning gains than students who received help from a robot with a fixed help action selection policy. Our results demonstrate that this robust computational framework can be used effectively to deliver diverse and personalized tutoring support over time for students.
Thyroid Hormone Resistance Syndromes

Syndromes with impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone (TH) include three types of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) syndromes (RTHβ, RTHα, and nonTR-RTH) and also include patients with defects in TH transport into cells (thyroid hormone cell membrane transport defect, THCMTD) and defects in TH metabolism (thyroid hormone metabolism defect, THMD). The overall goal of this chapter is to discuss the treatment options for patients with various syndromes of impaired sensitivity to TH. These are rare conditions with little or no evidence-based information for the “best” treatment of patients. The first step toward treatment of all of these syndromes is making an accurate diagnosis based on a combination of the clinical presentation and laboratory tests that ultimately requires genetic confirmation. Recognizing the etiology leads to a more logical approach to treatment.
Derrida's Legal Times: Decision, Declaration, Deferral, and Event

To the extent that European critical theory influenced the American legal academy, it has tended to be Michel Foucault and, more recently, Giorgio Agamben, who have affected discussions of the connection between law and politics and the power dynamics at the heart of the juridical. Jacques Derrida’s essay “The Force of Law” spawned some commentary, but Derrida’s work largely entered legal circles due to its emphasis on the indeterminacy of language and its inversion of binaries, which legal scholars took as a source for ideology critique. The aim of this essay is to suggest what Derrida’s later forays into law and politics might contribute to thinking in American legal theory beyond what can be derived from Foucault and his inheritors. The key differences, I contend, pertain to time. In particular, Derrida’s writings lead us to reconsider the timing of the relation between the subject and the law, whether that subject is declaring independence or awaiting death. Four temporally inflected terms — decision, declaration, deferral, and event—bear a particular weight in Derrida’s discussions of the juridico-political and furnish the focal points for this essay.
Surgical site infection risk following cesarean deliveries covered by Medicaid or private insurance.

Objective To compare risk of surgical site infection (SSI) following cesarean delivery between women covered by Medicaid and private health insurance. Study design Retrospective cohort. Study population Cesarean deliveries covered by Medicaid or private insurance and reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and state inpatient discharge databases by hospitals in California (2011-2013). Methods Deliveries reported to NHSN and state inpatient discharge databases were linked to identify SSIs in the 30 days following cesarean delivery, primary payer, and patient and procedure characteristics. Additional hospital-level characteristics were obtained from public databases. Relative risk of SSI by primary payer primary payer was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for patient, procedure, and hospital characteristics, accounting for facility-level clustering. Results Of 291,757 cesarean deliveries included, 48% were covered by Medicaid. SSIs were detected following 1,055 deliveries covered by Medicaid (0.75%) and 955 deliveries covered by private insurance (0.63%) (unadjusted odds ratio, 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3; P l .0001). The adjusted odds of SSI following cesarean deliveries covered by Medicaid was 1.4 (95% CI, 1.2-1.6; P l .0001) times the odds of those covered by private insurance. Conclusions In this, the largest and only multicenter study to investigate SSI risk following cesarean delivery by primary payer, Medicaid-insured women had a higher risk of infection than privately insured women. These findings suggest the need to evaluate and better characterize the quality of maternal healthcare for and needs of women covered by Medicaid to inform targeted infection prevention and policy.
Conceptual Models of Gas Exchange

A critical, comparative evaluation of available conceptual models is presented in an effort to identify strengths, weaknesses, and future research needs.
Voices in Education: Mathematics and Teacher Education

Keeping pace with the new knowledge needed to effectively interface with the science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) domains has never been more important. This special issue...
Uranium reduction and isotopic fractionation in reducing sediments: Insights from reactive transport modeling

Abstract Uranium concentrations and isotopic ratios (238U/235U, denoted as δ238U) have been used to provide quantitative information about the degree of oxygenation and de-oxygenation of past oceans. The potential to constrain changes in global redox conditions, in contrast to many other proxies that reflect local conditions, is a particular strength of the uranium isotope approach. Because uranium reduction primarily occurs in sediments underlying anoxic water columns rather than in the anoxic water column itself, the removal of uranium in organic-rich shales is the largest lever on seawater δ238U. Accordingly, accumulation and isotopic fractionation are modulated by local variations in productivity, basin connectivity, sedimentation rate, and bottom-water redox conditions. To isolate the processes at the sediment-water interface that control δ238U and uranium accumulation in reducing sediments, we constructed a reactive transport model that couples biogeochemical reactions to diffusive transport and the burial of solutes and minerals. Using the model framework, we test the sensitivity of authigenic uranium isotopic fractionation and accumulation to oxygenation, permeability, sedimentation rate, organic carbon delivery, and basin restriction. Our results demonstrate that these external forcings produce diagnostic patterns in isotopic fractionation. Specifically, the model predicts that authigenic δ238U is sensitive to productivity because of the associated organic carbon burial rate. Moreover, our results suggest that the isotopic offset does not vary significantly due to changing bottom-water O2 concentrations, but the amount of accumulation does—a result that differs from previous estimates. Water column uranium reduction adds additional complexity to the ultimate δ238U value. The predictive patterns derived from model results can offer insight into local depositional conditions, such as sedimentation patterns. Collectively, these effects—including bottom-water redox conditions and related reducing sediments—alter the isotopic signature of the overlying water column according to the authigenic δ238U value and the diffusive fluxes arising from porewater concentration gradients. More broadly, this work provides important new constraints on the major controls on the δ238U of sediments while also supporting its use as a proxy for global marine redox conditions.
Construction and Properties of Photon-Added su(1) Algebraic Squeezed States†

We construct a new class of photon-added squeezed states using a single-mode bosonic realization of the su(1) Lie algebra and explore their squeezing properties as a function of the added-photon number. We observe that their squeezing property increases with increase in the number of added photons. In addition, we discuss some basic properties, such as nonorthogonality and resolution of identity. Such states have vast applications, ranging from quantum optics to quantum information processing.
Use of a Procalcitonin-guided Antibiotic Treatment Algorithm in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Background The utility of procalcitonin testing in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is not known. We sought to determine the impact of a procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment algorithm implemented with antibiotic stewardship (AS) guidance vs. usual care on antibiotic use in critically ill children. Methods Single center, pragmatic, randomized prospective clinical trial of critically ill children admitted to an ICU setting and started on intravenous antibiotics from February 15, 2018, to April 11, 2019. Patients were assigned on a monthly basis to either the procalcitonin or usual care arm. The procalcitonin arm had procalcitonin testing on hospital days 0, 1, 2, and 4 and stewardship assistance with algorithm result interpretation. Both arms had routine AS audit and feedback. The primary outcome was median antibiotic days of therapy per patient in the first 14-days after enrollment. Results Among 270 patients, 137 were in the procalcitonin arm and 133 in the usual care arm. Antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) were not significantly different between the procalcitonin arm (6.6, IQR: 3.1-10.9) and the usual care arm (7.6, IQR: 3-11.8; P = 0.37). More AS recommendations were made in the procalcitonin vs. control arm (54 vs. 37; P = 0.03). Adherence with algorithm-based antibiotic recommendations was high in the procalcitonin arm (70%). Conclusions We found no difference in antibiotic DOT between study arms. This trial was underpowered but demonstrates feasibility of using a procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment algorithm with AS audit and feedback in the PICU.
Dividend Taxes and Investor Behavior: Evidence from the 2003 Dividend Tax Cut

The paper explores whether the enactment of the 2003 dividend preference resulted in tax-efficient changes to portfolio composition with respect to the allocation of stock to retirement savings accounts. Empirical results based on CLAD and STLS analysis of the Survey of Consumer Finances for 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007 suggest that, assuming that liquidity is a normal good, taxpayers responded to the enactment of the dividend preference in a tax-efficient manner by increasing allocations to taxable accounts and away from tax-preferred accounts. Moreover the portion of retirement savings accounts allocated to stock decreased following the enactment of the dividend preference. Robustness checks and sensitivity analysis are performed with the use of synthetic panel data, as well as an analysis of the 2007-2009 “short panel” released on March 28, 2012 by the Survey of Consumer Finances, using fixed effects, random effects, and restricted panel data. Of particular interest, the analysis of the 2007-2009 panel reveal changes to portfolio allocation which were significant, and in the opposite direction of findings relating to the tax increase, lending confidence to the suggestion that the results observed between 2001 and 2004 were the result of the enactment of the dividend preference, and not as a consequence of the 2001-2002 market downturn, or changes in the composition of individuals entering or leaving the survey.
Association Between Myocardial Strain and Frailty in CHS

Background: Myocardial strain, measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography, is a novel measure of subclinical cardiovascular disease and may reflect myocardial aging. We evaluated the association...
The FusX TALE Base Editor (FusXTBE) for rapid mitochondrial DNA programming of human cells in vitro and zebrafish disease models in vivo

Abstract Functional analyses of mitochondria have been hampered by few effective approaches to manipulate mtDNA and a lack of existing animal models. Recently a TALE-derived base editor was shown to induce C-to-T (or G-to-A) sequence changes in mtDNA. We report here the FusX TALE Base Editor (FusXTBE) to facilitate broad-based access to TALE mitochondrial base editing technology. TALE Writer is a de novo in silico design tool to map potential mtDNA base editing sites. FusXTBE was demonstrated to function with comparable activity to the initial base editor in human cells in vitro. Zebrafish embryos were used as a pioneering in vivo test system, with FusXTBE inducing 90+% editing efficiency in mtDNA loci, the first example of majority mtDNA heteroplasmy induction in any system. Gene editing specificity as precise as a single nucleotide was observed in vivo for a protein-coding gene. Non-destructive genotyping enables single animal mtDNA analyses for downstream biological functional genomics applications. FusXTBE is a new gene editing toolkit for exploring important questions in mitochondrial biology and genetics.
Using Fitbit data to predict clinical deterioration and unplanned treatment events in cancer outpatients.

e13560Background: A common cause of preventable harm is the failure to detect and appropriately respond to clinical deterioration. Timely intervention is needed, particularly in cancer patients, to...
Nutritional social work: What it is and why it matters:

SummaryThis article introduces the area of nutritional social work, beyond the scope of food security and food injustice, from a critical, anti-oppressive and ecofeminist lens. The goal was not to ...
Impact of Protein-Losing Enteropathy on Inflammatory Biomarkers and Vascular Dysfunction in Fontan Circulation.

Fontan palliation has improved survival for single ventricle patients, but long-term complications persist including cardiovascular dysfunction, neurohormonal abnormalities, and protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). Although chronic inflammation contributes to morbidity, an association between inflammation and vascular dysfunction has not been studied. We assessed inflammation and vascular function in 31 Fontan-palliated patients (52% male, median age 14.3 years), including 10 PLE+. Fontan circulation was associated with altered inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α: mean 2.5 ± 1.4 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 pg/ml, p