cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective degradation of nylon 6,6. I. Description of the degradation technique and preliminary morphological characterization

A technique for the selective degradation of amorphous regions in nylon 6,6 is reported. Samples of unoriented film and single-crystal mats have been subjected to selective degradation by refluxing in hydrazine. Weight loss, viscosity-average molecular weight, density, and small-angle x-ray scattering of these samples were monitored as a function of time of degradation. In addition, selected samples have been investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and transmission electron microscopy. Based on the results of these investigations it is concluded that the reported degradation technique is unique in that the debris is not monodisperse in molecular weight distribution. The Weight loss, density, small-angle x-ray scattering, and microscopy data demonstrate that the unordered or noncrystalline regions of the material are removed upon treatement. However, the relatively high molecular weight and broad molecular weight distribution of the debris indicate that regular folds at lamellar surfaces are intact after degradation treatment.
Automatic Vulnerability Checking of IEEE 802.16 WiMAX Protocols through TLA

Vulnerability analysis is indispensably the first step towards securing a network protocol, but currently remains mostly a best effort manual process with no completeness guarantee. Formal methods are proposed for vulnerability analysis and most existing work focus on security properties such as perfect forwarding secrecy and correctness of authentication. However, it remains unclear how to apply these methods to analyze more subtle vulnerabilities such as denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. To address this challenge, in this paper, we propose use of TLA+ to automatically check DoS vulnerability of network protocols with completeness guarantee. In particular, we develop new schemes to avoid state space explosion in property checking and to model attackers' capabilities for finding realistic attacks. As a case study, we successfully identify threats to IEEE 802.16 air interface protocols.
A requirement for epsin in mitotic membrane and spindle organization

Eukaryotic cells possess a sophisticated membrane system to facilitate diverse functions. Whereas much is known about the nature of membrane systems in interphase, the organization and function of the mitotic membrane system are less well understood. In this study, we show that epsin, an endocytic adapter protein, regulates mitotic membrane morphology and spindle integrity in HeLa cells. Using epsin that harbors point mutations in the epsin NH2-terminal homology domain and spindle assembly assays in Xenopus laevis egg extracts, we show that epsin-induced membrane curvature is required for proper spindle morphogenesis, independent of its function in endocytosis during interphase. Although several other membrane-interacting proteins, including clathrin, AP2, autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia, and GRASP65, are implicated in the regulation of mitosis, whether they participate through regulation of membrane organization is unclear. Our study of epsin provides evidence that mitotic membrane organization influences spindle integrity.
Attributed Identity Resolution for Fraud Detection and Prevention

Many knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) could be applied to crime investigation. Unfortunately, most of them are ineffective and only provide postmortem results for the crime investigation. As we detect the suspicious events, the crime has been committed. Since many crime- and terrorism related activities often involve identity frauds, we have a very strong motive why not to develop some new technique for identity fraud detection and prevention. This paper presents how our research results can be applied to help the prevention of identity fraud. We believe if we can detect identity fraud early, we can prevent if from occurring and hence protect people from identity theft.
Work demands, family demands, and BMI in dual-earners families: A 16-year longitudinal study.

Many scholars assert that work and family demands are negatively related to individuals’ long-term physical health, but few studies have explicitly examined this relationship. Among these exceptions, most have employed a cross-sectional design that is limited in its ability to establish causality. We use body mass index (BMI) that generally increases during one’s lifetime as an indicator of physical health, and seek to explore the amount of control individuals may have on this seemingly inevitable progression. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we propose that an increase in demands— both in the work realm (e.g., the number of work hours) and in the family realm (e.g., the number of spouse work hours)—is likely to speed up the increase of BMI. Using a nationally representative sample of 4,264 individuals who were part of a dual-earner family between 1994 and 2010, we find that a within-person increase in weekly work hours, an increase in spouse weekly work hours, and an increase in the number of children are all related to a small within-person increase of the BMI growth trajectory. Within-person increase in work responsibility demands is related to a small within-person decrease in the BMI growth trajectory. We discuss implications of the relationships between work and family demands and long-term physical health.
Combination of electroporation and DNA/dendrimer complexes enhances gene transfer into murine cardiac transplants.

Electroporation is a new gene delivery method to increase gene transfer and expression in vivo. Starburst polyamidoamine dendrimers have been demonstrated to augment gene expression in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that the combination of electroporation and dendrimer could enhance the gene transfer and gene expression in cardiac transplants. After immersion in DNA/dendrimer complexes or intracoronary transfer of DNA/dendrimer complexes, both nonvascularized and vascularized syngeneic cardiac grafts, respectively, were subjected to serial electrical pulses before transplantation. β-Galactosidase reporter gene expression in the graft was determined by X-Gal staining. Gene expression was enhanced 10- to 45-fold in grafts immersed in DNA/dendrimer complexes, or after intracoronary transfer of DNA/dendrimer complexes, and subjected to 20 square wave 25-ms pulses with a strength of 200 V/cm. The combination of electroporation and DNA/dendrimer complexes may provide a novel approach to enhance gene transfer and gene expression ex vivo.
The Effect on Cooperating Teachers of the Teacher as Web Site Developer Program

This article describes the impact on cooperating teachers of a programmatic stage of teacher preparation to use technology. The Teacher as Web Site Developer is an arrangement for linking a university-based instructional technology lab with preservice teacher placements in a pre-K-12 public school classroom. The preservice teachers consider their cooperating teacher as the client for their work in the technology lab. The purpose of the program is to better prepare tomorrow’s teachers to use technology. However, anecdotal evidence suggested that the program also has an impact on the technology expertise of the cooperating teacher. A pilot study found that the program positively influenced those teachers who actively participated but that there were procedural weaknesses in the program. After making changes to address the identified weaknesses, a follow-up study found significantly higher compliance with the program and continued evidence of its contribution to the technology expertise of the participating cooperating teachers. The research suggests that the program is another way in which to improve use of technology in teacher preparation as well as to improve the technology mentoring of participating cooperating teachers. It also identifies obstacles to these improvements.
Nonlinear contact control for space station dexterous arms

In October 1996, a research and development task was initiated at JPL to develop and demonstrate nonlinear contact control schemes for the dexterous robotic arms planned for the Space Station. This paper reports on the progress made to-date in this task. Specifically, the paper introduces a new class of contact controllers comprised of a nonlinear gain in cascade with a linear fixed-gain PI force controller and PD compliance controller. The nonlinear gains used are simple hyperbolic functions of force error and contact force, respectively. The stability of the closed-loop systems incorporating nonlinear PI and PD controllers are investigated using the Popov stability criterion. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the nonlinear force and compliance control schemes for a dexterous 7-DOF arm. These results highlight the advantages of the proposed nonlinear contact controllers compared to conventional fixed-gain controllers.
Nurse Presence Enhanced Through Equus

Purpose: The purpose of this study was for nurses to experience equine-assisted learning and for them to describe their being in the moment with their horse. The aims of the study were to assist clinicians in recognizing their ability and skill at being present—that is, calm and centered—as they engage with horses and to determine if interaction with horses is a valid representation in recognizing presence in the participants. Design: Descriptive phenomenology was used to explore this lived experience. Findings: Five themes emerged: The Experienced Novice, Present in the Moment, Discovery of Self, Team Building, and Leadership. Conclusions: Equine-assisted learning can be a meaningful venue for nurses to self-discover their ability to be present.
Estrogens in men: clinical implications for sexual function and the treatment of testosterone deficiency.

ABSTRACT Introduction The role of estrogens in male sexual function and the pathogenesis of testosterone deficiency remain controversial and poorly understood. Aims To review the distribution of estrogens in normal and testosterone deficient men, their potential role in sexual function, and the clinical implications of elevated estrogens during testosterone therapy. Methods A comprehensive, broad-based literature review was conducted on the role of estrogens in male sexual function and testosterone deficiency. Results Estrogens elicit a variety of physiological responses in men and may contribute to modulation of sexual function. In the absence of testosterone deficiency, elevations in estrogens do not appear to be harmful and estrogens may help maintain some, but not all, sexual function in castrated men. While the therapeutic use of estrogens at pharmacologic doses has been used to suppress serum testosterone, naturally occurring elevations of estrogens do not appear to be a cause of low testosterone. During testosterone replacement, estrogens may rise and occasionally reach elevated levels. There is a lack of evidence that treatment of elevated estrogen levels during testosterone replacement has benefit in terms of male sexuality. Conclusions Further research on the importance of estrogens in male sexual function is needed. Current evidence does not support a role of naturally occurring estrogen elevations in testosterone deficiency or the treatment of elevated estrogens during testosterone therapy. Kacker R, Traish AM, and Morgentaler A. Estrogens in men: Clinical implications for sexual function and the treatment of testosterone deficiency. J Sex Med 2012;9:1681–1696.
Differential effects of teriparatide on BMD after treatment with raloxifene or alendronate.

We investigated the effects of 18 months of treatment with teriparatide in patients previously treated with long-term antiresorptive therapy using bone turnover markers and bone densitometry. Previous raloxifene treatment allowed for teriparatide-induced early bone marker and BMD increases comparable with previously published results for treatment-naive patients. Conversely, previous alendronate treatment reduced the bone marker and BMD response. Introduction: Teriparatide [rhPTH(1–34)] has been shown to increase BMD and reduce the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Our objective was to investigate the skeletal effects of 18 months of treatment with teriparatide in women whose osteoporosis was previously treated with either alendronate or raloxifene. Materials and Methods: Daily subcutaneous injections of 20 μg teriparatide were administered for 18 months to 59 postmenopausal women, 60–87 years of age, with BMD T-scores ≤ −2.0 who had previously received either alendronate (ALN) or raloxifene (RLX) therapy for 18–36 months. All patients received daily calcium (1000 mg) and vitamin D (400 IU) supplementation. The primary study outcome was change in lumbar spine BMD measured by DXA. Secondary outcomes included changes in bone turnover markers, total hip BMD, and safety. Results: Median baseline bone turnover marker levels in prior ALN patients were about one-half those of prior RLX patients. During teriparatide treatment, bone markers in prior ALN patients increased later and peaked at about one-third lower levels compared with prior RLX patients. During the first 6 months, there were statistically significant (p < 0.05) group differences in BMD change at the hip (prior ALN −1.8% versus prior RLX +0.5%) and at the spine (prior ALN +0.5% versus prior RLX +5.2%). The positive slopes in hip and lumbar spine BMD were similar in both groups between 6 and 18 months. After 18 months, mean lumbar spine BMD increased 10.2% in prior RLX compared with 4.1% in prior ALN (p < 0.05) patients. Furthermore, at 18 months, mean total hip BMD had significantly increased (1.8%, p < 0.05) in prior RLX patients but was not different from baseline in prior ALN patients. Conclusions: Teriparatide treatment stimulates bone turnover in patients pretreated with both RLX and ALN. Prior treatment with RLX allows for the expected teriparatide-induced BMD increases comparable with those previously reported for treatment-naive patients. In contrast, prior treatment with ALN prevents increases in BMD, particularly in the first 6 months.
Estimation of peak power dissipation in VLSI circuits using the limiting distributions of extreme order statistics

In this paper, we present a statistical method for estimating the peak power dissipation in very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. The method is based on the theory of extreme order statistics and its application to the probabilistic distributions of the cycle-by-cycle power consumption, the maximum-likelihood estimation, and the Monte-Carlo simulation. It enables us to predict the maximum power of a VLSI circuit in the set of constrained input vector pairs as well as the complete set of all possible input vector pairs. The simulation-based nature of the proposed method allows us to avoid the limitations of a gate-level delay model and a gate-level circuit structure. Most significantly, the proposed method produces maximum power estimates to satisfy user-specified error and confidence levels. Experimental results show that this method typically produces maximum power estimates within 5% of the actual value and with a 90% confidence level by only simulating less than 2500 input vectors.
Development of anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes for cancer therapy.

Abstract The product of the HER2 protooncogene, p185HER2, represents an attractive target for cancer immunotherapies. We have prepared anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes in which Fab' fragments of a humanized anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibody with antiproliferative properties (rhuMAb-HER2) were conjugated to either conventional or sterically stabilized liposomes. These immunoliposomes bind specifically to p185HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells (SK-BR-3 and BT-474). High-affinity binding of anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes is comparable to that of free rhuMAbHER2-Fab' or the intact antibody. Empty immunoliposomes inhibit the culture growth of p185HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells, and this antiproliferative effect is superior to that of free rhuMAbHER2-Fab', indicating that liposomal anchoring of these anti-p185HER2 Fab' fragments enhances their biological activity. Efficient internalization of anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes, demonstrated by light and electron microscopy, occurs by receptor-mediated endocytosis via the coated pit pathway and also possibly by membrane fusion. Doxorubicin-loaded anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes are markedly and specifically cytotoxic against p185HER2-overexpressing tumor cells in vitro. Anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes administered in vivo in Scid mice bearing human breast tumor (BT-474) xenografts can deliver doxorubicin to tumors. These results indicate that anti-p185HER2 immunoliposomes are a promising therapeutic vehicle for the treatment of p185HER2-overexpressing human cancers.
Multicast group membership management in high speed wide area networks

An application for multicast service for high-speed WANs (wide area networks) which is capable of exploiting multicast hardware is described. Modularity and low cost area achieved by assigning to distinct components the separate problems of (1) naming groups, (2) finding group members in a network, (3) configuring multicast hardware, and (4) delivering multicast messages in sequence. The overall organization of the service is given, along with the methods used to solve the first two subproblems. >
Molecular dynamics simulations of self-diffusion coefficient and thermal conductivity of methane at low and moderate densities

This article demonstrates a highly accurate molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of thermal conductivity of methane using an ab initio intermolecular potential. The quantum effects of the vibrational contribution to thermal conductivity are more efficiently accounted for in the present MD model by an analytical correction term as compared to by the Monte Carlo method. The average deviations between the calculated thermal conductivity and the experimental data are 0.92% for dilute methane and 1.29% for methane at moderate densities, as compared to approximately 20% or more in existing MD calculations. The results demonstrate the importance of considering vibrational contribution to the thermal conductivity which is mainly through the self-diffusion process.
Developing a Research-Focused Learning Community at One Medical School

This report describes the development of a research-focused learning community at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio (USA). At its outset, the collaboration among students, faculty, and administrators was not perceived to be a learning community. It formed around the goal of helping students to find faculty research mentors for student-initiated elective courses and extracurricular projects. It brought together peer-based academic support efforts and student services provided by the medical school administration. Over time it developed into a series of meetings, lectures, workshops, and symposia where students and faculty could discuss research and career issues in professional settings. In the past year, the collaboration was named the Research Learning Community (RLC) as the organizing principle for two new student research elective courses. With its emphasis on research experiences for students, the RLC represents a new application of a learning community model at a medical school, and it suggests promising directions for educational research about student and faculty engagement in the learning environments.
Microstructural Correlation with Electrical Properties for Y2O3 Doped CeO2 Thin Films

High quality textured 0.58% Y2O3 doped CeO2 films with (001), (111)/(001) and (110) were prepared using an e-beam deposition technique on substrates of (001) LaAlO3, r-cut sapphire, and fused silica, respectively. The composition and stoichiometry of the films were verified by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy analysis. Both x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses gave consistent microstructural information. Complex impedance measurements have been performed to study the electrical properties of these films as a function of temperature. The conductivities of the films were dominated by grain boundaries of high conductivities as compared to that of the bulk ceramic of the same dopant concentration. The activation energies for the film conductivities were only slightly higher than that for the bulk lattice conductivities, but much lower than that for the bulk grain boundary conductivity. These results have been discussed in terms of the differences of the grain size and grain boundary microstructures between the films and the bulk ceramics.
Predicting acute hypotensive episodes: The 10th annual PhysioNet/Computers in Cardiology Challenge

This year's PhysioNet/Computers in Cardiology Challenge aimed to stimulate development of methods for identifying intensive care unit (ICU) patients at imminent risk of acute hypotensive episodes (AHEs), motivated by the possibility of improving care and survival of these patients. Participants were asked to forecast the occurrence of an AHE up to an hour in advance, in two groups of ICU patient records from the MIMIC II Database, drawing on data that included at least 10 hours of physiologic waveforms, time series, and accompanying clinical data prior to the one-hour forecast window. In event 1, most participants were able to identify without errors, in a group of 10 high-risk patients receiving pressor medication, which five of the patients experienced AHEs during the forecast window. In event 2, participants were able to classify correctly as many as 37 (93%) of a diverse group of 40 patients, including nearly all of those who experienced AHEs.
Effect of plasma treatment on osteoblastic adhesion over poly (ε-caprolactone) scaffolds

Tissue engineering of bone is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice among surgeons to eliminate graft rejection, donor site morbidity and disease transmission problems. The ability of bone cells to produce an osteoid matrix on the scaffold can be affected by the quality of the cell-scaffold interaction. In this paper we report the use of dielectric barrier discharge plasma to improve adhesion and proliferation of bone cells, in particular osteoblast on poly (epsiv-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds. The surface treatment was carried out on PCL scaffolds with a custom made oxygen-based dielectric barrier discharge system (DBD). The effects of plasma treatment on PCL surface were characterized by assessing surface energy, surface topography, and surface chemistry. The surface energy of modified and unmodified PCL scaffolds was calculated by Owens-Wendt's model using contact angle measurement data on these samples. The surface topography and the surface chemistry were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The cell-substrate interaction study was carried out using mouse osteoblastic cell line 7F2 to examine the effect of oxygen plasma. Our results suggested that the oxygen plasma treatment not only enhances the hydrophilicity and increase solid surface energy of PCL but also improves the initial attachment, proliferation and migration of osteoblast on the PCL substrate.
Arabidopsis mutants reveal that short- and long-term thermotolerance have different requirements for trienoic fatty acids

The photosynthetic thylakoid has the highest level of lipid unsaturation of any membrane. In Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown at 22� C, approximately 70% of the thylakoid fatty acids are trienoic – they have three double bonds. In Arabidopsis, and other species, the levels of trienoic fatty acids decline substantially at higher temperatures. Several genetic studies indicate that reduced unsaturation improves photosynthetic function and plant survival at high temperatures. Here, these studies are extended using the Arabidopsis triple mutant, fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8 that contains no detectable trienoic fatty acids. In the short-term, fluorescence analyses and electron-transport assays indicated that photosynthetic functions in this mutant are more thermotolerant than the wild type. However, long-term photosynthesis, growth, and survival of plants were all compromised in the triple mutant at high temperature. The fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8 mutant is deficient in jasmonate synthesis and this hormone has been shown to mediate some aspects of thermotolerance; however, additional experiments demonstrated that a lack of jasmonate was not a major factor in the death of triple-mutant plants at high temperature. The results indicate that long-term thermotolerance requires a basal level of trienoic fatty acids. Thus, the success of genetic and molecular approaches to increase thermotolerance by reducing membrane unsaturation will be limited by countervailing effects that compromise essential plant functions at elevated temperatures.
The Ecological Relevance of the Test of Infant Motor Performance Elicited Scale Items

Background and Purpose. The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) is a new test of motor and postural control for infants under 4 months of age. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the environmental demands placed on infants in daily life and the demands placed on infants during administration of the TIMP Elicited Scale items. Subjects. Twenty-two preterm and full-term infants and their caregivers participated. The infants were evenly divided into groups at low and high medical risk for developmental disability. Methods. The infants were videotaped while being handled by their caregiver during undressing, bathing, dressing, and 5 minutes of playing in their natural setting (home or hospital). Each videotape recording was analyzed for the environmental demands that were placed on the infant during caregiving. Demands were coded according to predefined definitions, which represented descriptions for administering TIMP items. Interrater agreement for coding of observations ranged from 80% to 96%. Results. Environmental demands that corresponded to 23 of the 25 TIMP items were observed during caregiving activities. The number of environmental demands placed on the infants during caregiving that corresponded to the 25 TIMP Elicited Scale items ranged from 16% to 68% of the items (X=37%). The mean rate of all environmental demands placed on the infants was 3.23 per minute, and the mean rate of demands that corresponded to TIMP items was 1.58 per minute. Conclusion and Discussion. Approximately 50% of all environmental demands placed on the infants during caregiving corresponded to TIMP items, and 98% of TIMP Elicited Scale items corresponded to the observed environmental demands. The demands placed on infants during administration of the TIMP appear representative of typical environmental demands.
Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition as a Novel Synthetic Method for Electroactive Organic Thin Films

We are exploring the use of hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HW-CVD) as an alternative, solvent-free technique to produce compact polyconjugated films from vaporized monomers. This paper will focus on our attempts to deposit polyaniline, a polymer with a wide variety of optoelectronic applications. Infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectra have been obtained to characterize HW-CVD films produced using aniline as a precursor. The aromatic ring structure, essential for the polyconjugated network that leads to semiconducting properties, is largely preserved in our method. The bonding structure is analyzed, and the films are found to have significant metal incorporated from the hot wire. The implications of these results for understanding the polymerization and growth mechanism are discussed.
New ice outdoes related nets in smallest-ring size

In a recent Letter, Lobban, Finney and Kuhs1 reported a remarkable new metastable form of ice (ice XII) in the field of stability of ice V and presented an accurate structure determination. The authors state correctly that the topology of the phase is unlike that of any of the known phases of ice. They also state that it “contains a mixture of five- and seven-membered rings of water molecules” which “is interesting, although not unexpected”. This second statement is not completely true; the truth is more interesting and, I believe, unexpected, as is agreed by the authors of ref. 1 (personal communication). The structure contains only seven- and eight-membered rings and is the first example of a 4-connected net of this type.
Vassal: loadable scheduler support for multi-policy scheduling

This paper presents Vassal, a system that enables applications to dynamically load and unload CPU scheduling policies into the operating system kernel, allowing multiple policies to be in effect simultaneously. With Vassal, applications can utilize scheduling algorithms tailored to their specific needs and general-purpose operating systems can support a wide variety of special-purpose scheduling policies without implementing each of them as a permanent feature of the operating system. We implemented Vassal in the Windows NT 4.0 kernel. Loaded schedulers coexist with the standard Windows NT scheduler, allowing most applications to continue being scheduled as before, even while specialized scheduling is employed for applications that request it. A loaded scheduler can dynamically choose to schedule threads in its class, or can delegate their scheduling to the native scheduler, exercising as much or as little control as needed. Thus, loaded schedulers can provide scheduling facilities and behaviors not otherwise available. Our initial prototype implementation of Vassal supports two concurrent scheduling policies: a single loaded scheduler and the native scheduler. The changes we made to Windows NT were minimal and they have essentially no impact on system behavior when loadable schedulers are not in use. Furthermore, loaded schedulers operate with essentially the same efficiency as the default scheduler. An added benefit of loadable schedulers is that they enable rapid prototyping of new scheduling algorithms by often removing the time-consuming reboot step from the traditional edit/compile/reboot/debug cycle. In addition to the Vassal infrastructure, we also describe a "proof of concept" loadable real-time scheduler and performance results.
TestEra: a novel framework for automated testing of Java programs

We present TestEra, a novel framework for automated testing of Java programs. TestEra automatically generates all non-isomorphic test cases within a given input size and evaluates correctness criteria. As an enabling technology, TestEra uses Alloy, a first-order relational language, and the Alloy Analyzer. Checking a program with TestEra involves modeling the correctness criteria for the program in Alloy and specifying abstraction and concretization translations between instances of Alloy models and Java data structures. TestEra produces concrete Java inputs as counterexamples to violated correctness criteria. The paper discusses TestEra's analyses of several case studies: methods that manipulate singly linked lists and red-black trees, a naming architecture, and a part of the Alloy Analyzer.
POLICING RACE: THE RACIAL STRATIFICATION OF SEARCHES IN POLICE TRAFFIC STOPS*

Research on race effects in police traffic stops is theoretically underdeveloped. In this study, we derive propositions from Donald Black’s theory of law to explain the interaction effects of officer and driver race on searches in traffic stops in St. Louis, Missouri. Our citywide results and those for stops in predominantly White communities are generally consistent with the theory: Searches are more likely in stops of Black drivers than in those of White drivers, especially by White officers, controlling for other characteristics of the officer, driver, and stop. In predominantly Black communities, however, stops of White drivers by White officers are most likely to result in a search. We interpret both sets of results as manifestations of racial profiling in segregated communities and suggest that Black’s theory of law remains a promising theoretical framework for future research on the continuing significance of racebased policing in the United States. Although a burgeoning research literature examines the characteristics and consequences of police traffic stops, most of this research is either
Subfilter-scale Fluxes over a Surface Roughness Transition. Part I: Measured Fluxes and Energy Transfer Rates

A wind-tunnel experiment was designed and carried out to study the effect of a surface roughness transition on subfilter-scale (SFS) physics in a turbulent boundary layer. Specifically, subfilter-scale stresses are evaluated that require parameterizations and are key to improving the accuracy of large-eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer. The surface transition considered in this study consists of a sharp change from a rough, wire-mesh covered surface to a smooth surface. The resulting magnitude jump in aerodynamic roughnesses, M = ln(z01/z02), where z01 and z02 are the upwind and downwind aerodynamic surface roughnesses respectively, is similar to that of past experimental studies in the atmospheric boundary layer. The two-dimensional velocity fields used in this study are measured using particle image velocimetry and are acquired at several positions downwind of the roughness transition as well as over a homogeneous smooth surface. Results show that the SFS stress, resolved strain rate and SFS transfer rate of resolved kinetic energy are dependent on the position within the boundary layer relative to the surface roughness transition. A mismatch is found in the downwind trend of the SFS stress and resolved strain rate with distance from the transition. This difference of behaviour may not be captured by some eddy-viscosity type models that parameterize the SFS stress tensor as proportional to the resolved strain rate tensor. These results can be used as a benchmark to test the ability of existing and new SFS models to capture the spatial variability SFS physics associated with surface roughness heterogeneities.
A “Chicken or Egg” Conundrum: Race, Molecular Subtype, and Tumor Location in Prostate Cancer

It is well known that differences in prostate cancer (PCa) incidence and prognosis exist among men of different ethnicities, and African American (AA) men have the highest PCa incidence and mortality compared to all other ethnic groups in the USA. While it has been shown that a variety of socioeconomic factors contribute to disparities in clinical outcomes, such external factors do not entirely account for these disparities [1]. Underlying differences in tumor biology among men of different ethnicities have been increasingly demonstrated in recent research, with comparative studies of tumors from AA cohorts having been most frequently investigated to date. In the era of new and evolving molecular diagnostic modalities and targeted treatments for PCa, identification of ethnic differences in the molecular classification of this disease is an essential step. In this issue of European Urology, Faisal and colleagues [2] provide further validation of known molecular differences in PCa between AA and Caucasian American (CA) men in a multi-institutional cohort of radical prostatectomy specimens from 121 AA and 179 CA men. Several studies have shown that ERG rearrangements are approximately half as frequent in tumors from AAmen as in tumors CA men, and the current findings further support the growing body of literature in this area [1,3]. In addition to ERG rearrangements, non-ERG ETS rearrangementswere also evaluated, including ETV1, ETV4, ETV5, and FLI1. The authors previously reported a higher frequency of these non-ERG ETS rearrangements in low-risk PCa samples from AA men compared to CA men (14% vs 2%) [4]. It is important to point out that the higher prevalence of
Single image super-resolution via internal gradient similarity

A novel super-resolution (SR) method based on internal gradient similarity.A detailed investigation on constructing images from gradients.Study on internal and external statistics (general and class-specific) for image SR.High-quality results compared with other state-of-the-art SR algorithms. Image super-resolution aims to reconstruct a high-resolution image from one or multiple low-resolution images which is an essential operation in a variety of applications. Due to the inherent ambiguity for super-resolution, it is a challenging task to reconstruct clear, artifacts-free edges while still preserving rich and natural textures. In this paper, we propose a novel, straightforward, and effective single image super-resolution method based on internal across-scale gradient similarity. The low-resolution gradients are first upsampled and then fed into an optimization framework to construct the final high-resolution output. The proposed approach is able to synthesize natural high-frequency texture details and maintain clean edges even under large scaling factors. Experimental results demonstrate that out method outperforms existing single image super-resolution techniques. We further evaluate the super-resolution performance when both internal statistics and external statistics are adopted. It is demonstrated that generally, internal statistics are sufficient for single image super-resolution.
Improving an Online Course That Teaches Ethics in the Cyber World Using Quality Matters through Informal Reviewers

In this paper we discuss the steps followed to approve and online course teaching ethics to the cyber world. In addition, we provide brief explanation of what have been done to satisfy each of the standards required by Quality Matters to approve the course through informal reviewers at our institution.
Calcification Resistant Polyurethanes Modified with Geminal Bisphosphonate Groups

Non-esterified geminal bisphosphonate groups (0.06–0.12 mmol/g) were covalently attached to elastomeric polyurethanes (PU) based on 4,4’-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) and represented by a polyether-urethane (PEU), a polyurethane-urea (PUU), and a polycarbonate-urethane (PCU). Auxiliary 6-bromohexyl or carboxylic groups were attached to PU via base-induced N-alkylation of urethane NH sites either with 1,6-dibromohexane or with lithium salts of ?-bromocarboxylic acids. An alternative method to introduce carboxylic groups into the polymers via reactions of bromoalkylated PU with thiol-containing carboxylic acids was found to be more suitable than the direct carboxyalkylation. The subsequent reactions either of thiol-containing bisphosphonates with the attached 6-bromohexyl groups or of 3-amino-Ihydroxypropylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (pamidronate) with N-hydroxysuccinimide-activated carboxylic groups of PU led to the bisphosphonate-modified PU. The polymers do not undergo a significant degradation in the course of the modification reactions, their mechanical properties and elasticity remain mostly unaffected. Water uptake of the bisphosphonate-modified PU increased up to 26% depending on the extent of modification. Bisphosphonate-modified PUU showed a significantly lower in vivo calcification compared to the non-modified polymer.
Tuning P450 Enzymes as Oxidation Catalysts

The development of catalytic systems for the controlled oxidation of C–H bonds remains a highly sought-after goal in chemistry owing to the great utility of such transformation toward expediting the synthesis and functionalization of organic molecules. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases are the catalysts of choice in the biological world for mediating the oxidation of sp3 and sp2 C–H bonds with a high degree of chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity and in a wide array of compounds of varying complexity. The efficiency of these enzymes, compared with chemical methods, to catalyze the insertion of oxygen into unactivated C–H bonds under mild reaction conditions has sparked interest among researchers toward investigating and exploiting P450s for a variety of synthetic applications. Realizing the synthetic potential of these enzymes, however, depends upon the availability of effective strategies to tune the reactivity of natural P450s to obtain viable oxidation catalysts for the desired transformation. This revie...
Salsalate Intoxication and Ramifications of Utilizing Nonspecific Analytical Methods in Estimating Quantitative Blood Concentrations

In a case involving poisoning with salsalate, a salicylate analogue, the initial blood concentration of the parent drug was underestimated because of the low cross-reactivity of the immunoassay used for the analysis. This resulted in unnecessary additional clinical and laboratory evaluations to find the cause of metabolic acidosis exhibited by the patient. Additional findings led to the conclusion that parent salsalate contributed to patient toxicity. For testing purposes, all salicylate compounds should not necessarily be classified into one salicylic acid category, and there must be detailed communication between the caregiver and the laboratory regarding the specific drug history.
The Effect of Undiagnosed Diabetes on the Association Between Self-Reported Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Mexican Adults

Purpose:To study the effect of undiagnosed diabetes on the relationship between self-reported diabetes and cognitive impairment.Methods:Data were from 1033 participants aged ≥60 from Wave III (2012) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Participants were classified as nondiabetic (n = 589), undiagnosed diabetic (n = 201), and self-reported diabetic (n = 243). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between self-reported diabetes and severity of cognitive impairment (nonimpaired, moderate impaired, severe impaired).Results:Self-reported diabetes was associated with significantly higher odds for severe, but not moderate, cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.39-5.32). The association between self-reported diabetes and severe cognitive impairment decreased by 6.3% when undiagnosed diabetics were included in the nondiabetic category and by 30.4% when undiagnosed diabetics were included in the self-reported diabetes category.Discu...
Yardsticks of Success

Ours is a culture of achievement. Many of us focus on proving our success in concrete terms, so that we can quantify how well we are doing, comparing ourselves with our neighbors or friends and family, our work colleagues and our bosses. And in research, this is no different. In this chapter, I would like to explore some of those yardsticks, but also try to emphasize that for the most part, they can be misleading. Indeed, the ultimate success of your work is not its implications today or tomorrow next year or even in the next decade. It is the very long-term consequences of what you do that actually matter.
The transport of suspended sediment in the wake of a marine hydrokinetic turbine: Simulations via a validated Discrete Random Walk (DRW) model

Abstract The interaction of sediment with Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) Turbines is studied via turbulent flow simulation coupled with a model for particle dynamics. The Discrete Random Walk (DRW) model is commonly used for simulations of particle dispersion in environmental flows. A method to improve the accuracy of the DRW model in conjunction with RANS simulations of the flow around MHK turbines is presented. A key issues for the use of the DRW model in marine applications is identified, finding the right characteristic eddy lifetime scale, and a simple methodology based on G.I. Taylor's classical dispersion theory is develop to calibrate this physical model parameter. The model is validated against experiments in the literature and the physics of suspended sediment transport in the wake of an MHK turbine is studied with this improved method. The qualitative changes observed in the particle trajectories agree well with theoretical and empirical observations and the quantitive trends allow for comparison of multiple particle cases under different flow conditions, confirming that this implementation of CFD can become a powerful tool to select the most challenging cases, among the thousands of potential studies on the environmental effects of MHK energy, for further study with experiments and pilot projects.
Phytosteroids beyond estrogens: Regulators of reproductive and endocrine function in natural products

Foods and botanical supplements can interfere with the endocrine system through the presence of phytosteroids - chemicals that interact with steroids receptors. Phytoestrogens are well studied, but compounds such as kaempferol, apigenin, genistein, ginsenoside Rf, and glycyrrhetinic acid have been shown to interact with non-estrogen nuclear receptors. These compounds can have agonist, antagonist, or mixed agonist/antagonist activity depending on compound, receptor, cell line or tissue, and concentration. Some phytosteroids have also been shown to inhibit steroid metabolizing enzymes, resulting in biological effects through altered endogenous steroid concentrations. An interesting example, compound A (4-[1-chloro-2-(methylamino)ethyl]phenyl acetate hydrochloride (1:1)) is a promising selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator (SGRM) based on a phytosteroid isolated from Salsola tuberculatiformis Botschantzev. Given that $6.9 billion of herbal supplements are sold each year, is clear that further identification and characterization of phytosteroids is needed to ensure the safe and effective use of botanical supplements.
Efficient, “On-the-Fly”, Born–Oppenheimer and Car–Parrinello-type Dynamics with Coupled Cluster Accuracy through Fragment Based Electronic Structure

We recently developed two fragment based ab initio molecular dynamics methods, and in this publication we have demonstrated both approaches by constructing efficient classical trajectories in agreement with trajectories obtained from “on-the-fly” CCSD. The dynamics trajectories are obtained using both Born–Oppenheimer and extended Lagrangian (Car–Parrinello-style) options, and hence, here, for the first time, we present Car–Parrinello-like AIMD trajectories that are accurate to the CCSD level of post-Hartree–Fock theory. The specific extended Lagrangian implementation used here is a generalization to atom-centered density matrix propagation (ADMP) that provides post-Hartree–Fock accuracy, and hence the new method is abbreviated as ADMP-pHF; whereas the Born–Oppenheimer version is called frag-BOMD. The fragmentation methodology is based on a set-theoretic, inclusion-exclusion principle based generalization of the well-known ONIOM method. Thus, the fragmentation scheme contains multiple overlapping “model” ...
Level Three Leadership: Core Values and Leadership Model Assignment

This leadership exercise asks students to develop drafts of their personal core leadership values and of their personal leadership model. It can be used near the beginning of a course on leadership or career management to help students begin to clarify their core assumptions and values about leadership and its various elements. Examples are given of other core values (Stephen Covey, Jack Welch, and Thomas Jefferson) and of what a diagrammed model looks like. Excerpt UVA-OB-0715 Rev. Dec. 9, 2013 LEVEL THREE LEADERSHIP: CORE VALUES AND LEADERSHIP MODEL ASSIGNMENT The purpose of this assignment is for you to document your current thinking with regard to your core values about leadership. We will use this as the baseline, or starting point, for the course and attempt to help you extend and expand your perspective on leadership through the activities designed in the course. The assignment consists of two parts: listing your core values about what it means to be an effective leader and creating a relational model of how those values and other elements might fit together graphically. You should be prepared to hand this assignment in on the first day of class. Part One: Listing Core Values . . .