cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optically encoded phase-matched second-harmonic generation in semiconductor-microcrystallite-doped glasses

We observed that the simultaneous injection of the fundamental and second-harmonic fields (1.06 μm and 532 nm) into semiconductor-doped glasses results in the evolution of a permanent, quasi-phase-matched, second-harmonic signal that is 105 times the initial background value. Using samples as long as 5 cm, we obtained second-harmonic signals that are visible under room lights, corresponding to a conversion efficiency of 10−6 for mode-locked, Q-switched input pulses. Results are presented for a variety of experiments that shed light on the basic physics of the effect. These include polarization dependence, IR and second-harmonic preparation intensity effects, thermal erasure, and the application of external static-electric fields. The results indicate that the most likely mechanism is the encoding of a periodic internal electric field, which results in a phase-matched electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation process.
The Integrin αvβ3-5 Ligand MFG-E8 Is a p63/p73 Target Gene in Triple-Negative Breast Cancers but Exhibits Suppressive Functions in ER+ and erbB2+ Breast Cancers

The progression from preinvasive lesion to invasive carcinoma is a critical step contributing to breast cancer lethality. We identified down-regulation of milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8) as a contributor to breast cancer progression using microarray analysis of laser capture microdissected (LCM) tissues. We first identified MFG-E8 down-regulation in invasive lesions in transgenic mammary tumor models, which were confirmed in LCM-isolated human invasive ductal carcinomas compared with patient-matched normal tissues. In situ analyses of MFG-E8 expression in estrogen receptor (ER) positive cases confirmed its down-regulation during breast cancer progression and small inhibitory MFG-E8 RNAs accelerated ER+ breast cancer cell proliferation. MFG-E8 also decreased in erbB2+ human cancers and erbB2 transgenic mice lacking MFG-E8 showed accelerated tumor formation. In contrast, MFG-E8 expression was present at high levels in triple negative (ER-, PgR-, erbB2-) breast cancers, cell lines and patient sera. Knockdown, ChIP and reporter assays all showed that p63 regulates MFG-E8 expression, and MFG-E8 knockdowns sensitized triple negative breast cancers to cisplatin treatment. Taken together, our results show that MFG-E8 is expressed in triple negative breast cancers as a target gene of the p63 pathway, but may serve a suppressive function in ER+ and erbB2+ breast cancers. Its potential use as a serum biomarker that contributes to the pathogenesis of triple negative breast cancers urges continued evaluation of its differential functions.
Tales from the Science Education Crypt: A Critical Reflection of Positionality, Subjectivity, and Reflexivity in Research

In den letzten drei Jahren haben wir in verschiedenen urbanen Schauplatzen gearbeitet, um nachzuvollziehen, wie Eltern, die armen Minoritaten angehoren, die Bildungsreform verstehen, ihre eigene Rolle in der Reform und die Art und Weise, wie sie diese Rolle mit anderen Eltern, ihren Kindern und deren Lehrer(inne)n aushandeln. Als kritische qualitative Forscherinnen akzeptierten wir, dass aufgrund unserer Arbeit mit Menschen methodologische Themen bedeutsam wurden, die wir zu Beginn nicht als Teil unseres Forschungsdesigns betrachtet hatten. Insbesondere konfrontiert sahen wir uns mit der Frage der Subjektivitat und mit moglichen Schnittstellen zwischen den Leben der Eltern, unseren eigenen Leben, dem Forschungsprozess und den geplanten sowie ungeplanten Ergebnissen unserer Forschung. Eine von uns (Kathleen) arbeitete enger mit den Eltern zusammen, wahrend sie deren Geschichten in Interviews und im Rahmen von Fokusgruppensitzungen zusammentrug. In einer (selbst-) reflexiven Wendung beschaftigen wir in uns diesem Beitrag mit methodologischen Themen, die durch zwei Hauptfragen, die im Forschungsprozess aufgeworfen wurden, besonders deutlich wurden. Zum einen: was ist unsere Verantwortung oder wem sollte unsere Verantwortlichkeit gelten? Zum anderen: wie gehen wir mit (Vor-) Annahmen um, die im Prozess des Arbeitens an den Daten aufgedeckt wurden? Wir vermitteln eine Chronik von Kathleens komplexer Auseinandersetzung mit diesen beiden Fragen, um ihre Positioniertheit, ihre Verantwortlichkeiten und ihre Annahmen als Forschende verstehen zu konnen. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0203196
All-optical data format conversion between RZ and NRZ based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometric wavelength converter

We demonstrate all-optical conversion between two different data formats: return-to-zero (RZ) and nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) using a Mach-Zehnder interferometric wavelength converter. For RZ-to-NRZ conversion, a duplication scheme is demonstrated to reduce the ripples caused by the carrier recovery of the semiconductor optical amplifier. The relationship between the ripple-to-signal ratio and the number of pulse duplications is numerically analyzed. For the NRZ-to-RZ conversion, the wavelength converter also shows high performance. The converted RZ signal has a negative power penalty to the NRZ signal due to the change of the data format.
Preservation Factors in the Appraisal of Architectural Records

The assessment of physical formats, condition, and preservation needs is an essential part of the appraisal of architectural records. The first step in the preservation appraisal process is to identify the physical process represented in an item. It is then necessary to determine whether it has intrinsic or artifactual value, and its informational value. In addition, because diazo prints and Vandyke negative prints are the architectural equivalents of brittle paper, it is also important to survey the condition of the materials in a collection. Finally, the size of the materials, which tend to be large in architectural records, and which will determine the storage spaces and conservation treatment spaces necessary to properly handle them, needs to be assessed. The preservation of architectural records has been complicated by the development of computer-aided design and other digital processes. It remains to be seen, however, whether digitization of architectural processes provides more solutions or problem...
Morphometry of mass-transport deposits as a predictive tool

Mass-transport deposits (MTDs) are gravity-induced units that represent an important component of modern and ancient deep-water stratigraphic successions. MTDs have been widely documented in the literature, but a comprehensive compilation of quantitative morphometric parameters associated with their external architecture is still lacking. This work presents a morphometric database that contains 332 data points that document the length, area, volume, and thickness of MTDs from different geologic ages and a variety of continental margins around the world. The compilation contains data collected from interpretations done by the authors in eastern offshore Trinidad and the Gulf of Mexico as well as from data mining from the peer-reviewed literature. Preliminary results indicate that there is a good correlation between a series of parameters that include the area, length, and volume of MTDs. On the other hand, the correlation between thickness and volume seems to be harder to document mainly due to lateral variations in thickness that are typical within MTDs. Data analysis suggests that previous qualitative classification of attached and detached MTDs can be validated by using a quantitative approach. This validation suggests that morphometric parameters associated with the architecture of MTDs can be used as a hint to link geologic setting, deposit geometry, and potential causal mechanisms. In addition, the defined morphometric relationships that were encountered between the different morphometric parameters (e.g., length and area) are useful to predict MTD dimensions in areas of the subsurface where data are limited and/or data quality is low. Likewise, these morphometric relationships can be used in outcrop studies where exposure of the MTD units is also limited.
Alterations in Autarceologic Susceptibility to Experimental Poliomyelitis.

Dissemination of the virus of poliomyelitis is widespread, but the paralytic disease is limited; exposure tends to be uniform, while the occurrence of the frank disease is variable; infection tends to be general in the population, paralysis is selective.The varying frequency with which paralytic poliomyelitis results from exposure to the virus indicates that autarceologic factors in the host largely determine the occurrence of paralysis. There are epidemiologic indications that autarcesis varies with climate and season, in different individuals in the same locality, and in the same individual. Other observations suggest that autarceologic susceptibility is dependent upon some inherent endocrine fault, which operates through its effect on a barrier to the virus (upper respiratory mucous membrane) or through some change in cellular affinities for the virus. That the former may be the case in the monkey and the latter in man is suggested by the fact that animals failing to develop the frank disease following...
Race, Class, and Gender in the Pedagogical Matrix

Contemporary American educational institutions exist not just as arenas of knowledge distribution and consumption, but they are indeed a microcosm of the larger social structure around us. In particular, the effects of race, class, and gender remain significantly relevant in regard to pedagogical practices within institutions of higher learning. This article aims to sociologically discuss and break down the building blocks that frame the neoliberal context in which the contemporary education system exists; as well as analyze dominant social systems, ideologies, and forms of knowledge which impact the pedagogical environment on the basis of race, class, and gender—and therefore directly affect self-consciousness and selfpossibility in a rather elaborate, matrix-like way. [Article copies available for a fee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: journal@transformativestudies.org Website: http://www.transformativestudies.org ©2015 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved.]
Parameter Estimation and Uncertainty Evaluation in a Low Rician K -Factor Reverberation-Chamber Environment

In this paper, we study statistical methods for estimating the Rician K-factor when this parameter is small. A fiducial approach for making statistical inference on the K-factor is discussed. The approach requires a Monte Carlo method to compute the uncertainty of a K-factor estimate. Simulation and measurement studies are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed procedure and compare it with some of the existing procedures. A procedure for assessing the adequacy of the estimation of the K-factor via quantile plots is presented.
Arbeitnehmermitbestimmung und die Europäische Aktiengesellschaft (SE): Eine empirische Analyse auf Länderebene

Dieser Beitrag untersucht, ob die Existenz nationaler gesetzlicher Regelungen zur Mitbestimmung auf Unternehmensebene ein Motiv zur Grundung Europaischer Aktiengesellschaften (Societas Europaea, SE) darstellt. Das Gesellschaftsrecht dieser supranationalen Rechtsform besitzt in weiten Teilen grenzubergreifende Gultigkeit. Hiervon ist auch der Bereich zur unternehmerischen Arbeitnehmermitbestimmung betroffen. Der Umfang von Mitbestimmungsrechten ist fur die SE nicht, wie in vielen Mitgliedsstaaten des Europaischen Wirtschaftsraums (EWR), explizit durch den Gesetzgeber vorgegeben, sondern wird zwischen Arbeitgebern und Arbeitnehmern frei ausgehandelt. Durch ein gesetzlich vorgeschriebenes Mindestmas an Mitbestimmung konnen die Eigentumer von Unternehmen finanzielle Verluste erleiden. In den betroffenen Landern sollten die SE und frei ausgehandelte Beteiligungsrechte dementsprechend als attraktiver empfunden werden. Basierend auf einem selbst zusammengestellten Datensatz zeigen die Ergebnisse negativ binomial...
Opioid-induced constipation in chronic noncancer pain

Purpose of review Opioid-based management of noncancer pain has become much more prevalent over the last 2 decades and is responsible for a wide range of side-effects, particularly affecting the intestinal tract causing opioid-induced constipation (OIC). This review will consider results of recent clinical trials that have provided evidence of new pharmacological management options for the treatment of OIC. Recent findings Supportive use of conventional agents, such as stool softeners, osmotic laxatives, and stimulating laxatives in OIC has limited efficacy. The peripheral μ-opioid receptor antagonist (PAMORA) methylnaltrexone (MNTX) was first FDA approved for OIC in patients with advanced illness and later also for OIC in noncancer pain patients; clinical trial results indicated MNTX did not reverse opioid analgesia and did not trigger central opioid withdrawal. Another PAMORA, the orally available naloxegol, has also gained recent FDA approval for the treatment of OIC in adults with chronic, noncancer pain. Lubiprostone, a bicyclical fatty acid acting via activation of intestinal chloride channel-2 (ClC-2), was also approved for OIC treatment in patients with noncancer pain. Summary PAMORA MNTX and naloxegol and the intestinal chloride channel-2 (ClC-2) activator lubiprostone represent additional possible therapeutic options for the management of OIC in patients with chronic noncancer pain.
Germination rate of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seeds affected by their orientation.

Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] seeds develop with the adaxial surface continuous with the cone scale. On separation, the scale side of the seed is lighter coloured and flatter than the side not previously in contact with the scale. Seeds oriented scale-side-up on a moist surface germinate more rapidly than seeds placed scale-side-down. When seeds were germinated under laboratory conditions, the response to orientation varied among seeds of different geographic origin. Most of the geographic variation in germination rate occurred when seeds were oriented scale-side-up.
The Roman Revolution of Constantine: CONSTANTINE'S DIALOGUE WITH ORCISTUS

I n september 324 constantine finally defeated licinius and acquired control over the provinces surrounding the eastern Mediterranean. With this victory he had eliminated his last imperial rival and reunited the Roman empire. Constantine had not been in the East for almost twenty years, ever since he had left Nicomedia in mid-305 to join his father in Gaul. Now he was back at Nicomedia to accept Licinius' surrender. He quickly initiated a whirlwind of activity to establish his authority as the emperor in the East and his reputation as a patron of Christianity. Only two months later he consecrated the site of Byzantium in preparation for its transformation into the new capital of Constantinople. During the winter or perhaps in the spring of 325, he traveled across central Asia Minor twice, to and from Antioch. In May and June he participated in the large council of bishops that met at Nicaea. He then remained in or near Constantinople and Nicomedia until the spring of 326, when he traveled to Italy. During Constantine's journeys locals along the road in Asia Minor would have had firsthand opportunities to meet him and members of his entourage, or at least learn about his preferences. The accession of a new emperor offered a propitious opportunity for cities and individuals to present petitions and make requests for new honors, new titles, and new amenities.
Augmented Reality “Smart Glasses” in the Workplace: Industry Perspectives and Challenges for Worker Safety and Health

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSGiven advances in augmented reality head-worn display (AR HWD) technologies, “smart glasses” may become an everyday workplace tool in the foreseeable future, allowing workers to perform tasks hands-free while viewing real-time, task-relevant information within their visual field of view. Interviews with experts in several industries (e.g., chemical, medical, manufacturing, distribution) supported such future opportunities for AR HWD development, and underlined important practical concerns that should be overcome to bring smart glasses into mainstream, effective industrial use. Particularly, almost all interviewees believed that poorly designed interfaces for smart glasses may distract workers, yet saw potential in using well-designed AR HWD technology to improve workplace safety and health. This and earlier studies suggest that smart glasses can have important implications for human/task performance as well as workplace safety and health. Future research directions are discussed t...
L-Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Objectives: To describe the various surgical options, perioperative management strategies, and outcomes for this complex lesion. Data Source: MEDLINE and PubMed. Conclusions: L-transposition of the great arteries is a relatively rare defect, comprising less than 1% of all congenital heart defects. There is considerable heterogeneity in clinical presentation depending on the presence of associated defects. Surgery for this rare and complex defect has evolved from “physiologic” repair in which the right ventricle remains in the systemic position to the “anatomic” repair, which restores the left ventricle as the systemic ventricle. There has been a great interest in performing the anatomic repair or “double switch” operation, a rather complex operation that presents unique challenges in the postoperative period.
Individual differences in proactive interference in verbal and visuospatial working memory

ABSTRACTProactive interference (PI) has been shown to affect working memory (WM) span as well as the predictive utility of WM span measures. However, most of the research on PI has been conducted using verbal memory items, and much less is known about the role of PI in the visuospatial domain. In order to further explore this issue, the present study used a within-subjects manipulation of PI that alternated clusters of trials with verbal and visuospatial to-be-remembered items. Although PI was shown to build and release across trials similarly in the two domains, important differences also were observed. The ability of verbal WM to predict performance on a measure of fluid intelligence was significantly affected by the amount of PI present, consistent with past research, but this proved not to be the case for visuospatial WM. Further, individuals’ susceptibility to PI in one domain was relatively independent of their susceptibility in the other domain, suggesting that, contrary to some theories of executi...
Abstract WP140: Infarct Location Predicts Quality of Life Outcomes After Minor Stroke

Introduction: Neuro-QOL was developed to provide researchers with a continuous, validated, patient-reported measurement of quality of life. Previous studies suggest that minor ischemic stroke (MIS)...
Southern blot analysis of BII cell line - A putative variant of HL-60

Southern blot analysis of various genes was used to compare the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 and the BII cell line, which reportedly arose as a spontaneous differentiation inducer-resistant variant from an HL-60 culture. Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor gene restriction fragment polymorphism, due to a partial deletion of one of the alleles of this gene in HL-60, was not observed in the BII cells. Furthermore, the p53 oncogene, most of which is deleted in the HL-60 cell line, was found to be intact in the BII cell line. Human leukocyte antigen typing revealed that the two cell lines shared the A locus but differed at the B locus. Several unique restriction fragments hybridizing to human leukocyte antigen class I and DR beta gene probes were observed in the DNA digests of each cell line. Altogether these data provide definitive evidence that BII represents a human cell line of different origin than HL-60. Further lineage determination of this cell line could add a useful member to the group of leukemic cell lines.
microRNA-124: a putative therapeutic target and biomarker for major depression

Major depression is one of the most debilitating disorders with a relatively high rate of morbidity and mortality. A significant number of depressed patients show resistance to currently available ...
Exiles, Expatriates, and Malcolm X: Contesting the Racial Politics of Liberation in the Black Star of Africa

Beginning in the 1950s and ending abruptly in 1966 with Nkrumah’s overthrow, a substantial and diverse community of expatriates from across the globe settled in Ghana to assist in the work of nation-making, modernization, and African liberation in the Black Star of Africa. Some, as Kevin Gaines has powerfully demonstrated in his work, were African American activists drawn to Nkrumah’s pan-Africanist dream. But there were others – Irish and Welsh nationalists, South African communists, African freedom fighters, Caribbean Marxists, French anti-nuclear activists – who were also drawn to this “country of the future:” a country, they believed, which “faced neither east nor west,” one that faced only forward. Based upon archival documentation, newspaper and government reports, memoirs, and private correspondence, this paper focuses on a set of “flash points,” including Malcolm X’s 1964 visit to Accra, to explore some of the very different understandings of race, racial identity, and liberation politics that converged, cohered, and often collided in Ghana during the first decade of independence. It is particularly concerned with the politics of racial identity among members of the large expatriate community working in and around higher education at the University of Ghana and the Winneba Ideological Institute.
Jumping the Air Gap: Modeling Cyber-Physical Attack Paths in the Internet-of-Things

The proliferation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices within homes raises many security and privacy concerns. Recent headlines highlight the lack of effective security mechanisms in IoT devices. Security threats in IoT arise not only from vulnerabilities in individual devices but also from the composition of devices in unanticipated ways and the ability of devices to interact through both cyber and physical channels. Existing approaches provide methods for monitoring cyber interactions between devices but fail to consider possible physical interactions. To overcome this challenge, it is essential that security assessments of IoT networks take a holistic view of the network and treat it as a "system of systems", in which security is defined, not solely by the individual systems, but also by the interactions and trust dependencies between systems.In this paper, we propose a way of modeling cyber and physical interactions between IoT devices of a given network. By verifying the cyber and physical interactions against user-defined policies, our model can identify unexpected chains of events that may be harmful. It can also be applied to determine the impact of the addition (or removal) of a device into an existing network with respect to dangerous device interactions.We demonstrate the viability of our approach by instantiating our model using Alloy, a language and tool for relational models. In our evaluation, we considered three realistic IoT use cases and demonstrate that our model is capable of identifying potentially dangerous device interactions. We also measure the performance of our approach with respect to the CPU runtime and memory consumption of the Alloy model finder, and show that it is acceptable for smart-home IoT networks.
Bifunctional immune checkpoint-targeted antibody-ligand traps that simultaneously disable TGFβ enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy

A majority of cancers fail to respond to immunotherapy with antibodies targeting immune checkpoints, such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) or programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1). Cancers frequently express transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), which drives immune dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment by inducing regulatory T cells (Tregs) and inhibiting CD8+ and TH1 cells. To address this therapeutic challenge, we invent bifunctional antibody-ligand traps (Y-traps) comprising an antibody targeting CTLA-4 or PD-L1 fused to a TGFβ receptor II ectodomain sequence that simultaneously disables autocrine/paracrine TGFβ in the target cell microenvironment (a-CTLA4-TGFβRIIecd and a-PDL1-TGFβRIIecd). a-CTLA4-TGFβRIIecd is more effective in reducing tumor-infiltrating Tregs and inhibiting tumor progression compared with CTLA-4 antibody (Ipilimumab). Likewise, a-PDL1-TGFβRIIecd exhibits superior antitumor efficacy compared with PD-L1 antibodies (Atezolizumab or Avelumab). Our data demonstrate that Y-traps counteract TGFβ-mediated differentiation of Tregs and immune tolerance, thereby providing a potentially more effective immunotherapeutic strategy against cancers that are resistant to current immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Clinically significant cognitive impairment in older adults with type 1 diabetes.

Abstract Aims Little is known about cognition in older adults with type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to identify correlates of clinically significant cognitive impairment. Methods Neuropsychological, diabetes-related and glycemic (HbA1c, Continuous Glucose Monitoring; CGM) data were collected from 201 older adults (≥60 years) with longstanding type 1 diabetes. Results Clinically significant cognitive impairment (≥2 cognitive tests ≥1.5 SD below normative data) occurred in 48% of the sample. After controlling for age, gender, education and diabetes duration, we found that hypoglycemia unawareness, recent severe hypoglycemic events, any microvascular complication, higher HbA1c and CGM average nocturnal glucose were all associated with increased odds of clinically significant cognitive impairment (ORs = 1.01–2.61), while CGM nocturnal % time below 60 mg/dL was associated with a decreased odds of cognitive impairment (OR = 0.94). Diabetes duration, diagnosis age, daytime CGM, and lifetime severe hypoglycemic events were not related to cognitive impairment status. Conclusions Clinically significant cognitive impairment was common in older adults with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes-related correlates of cognitive impairment were identified, including hypoglycemia unawareness, recent severe hypoglycemic events, and CGM variables. Longitudinal research is needed to determine if these variables predict cognitive decline and if their modification alters outcomes.
Intervention Selection in School-Based Practice: Using Public Health Models to Enhance Systems Capacity of Schools.

Recent federal initiatives and efforts within education and psychology professional organizations have contributed to an increased focus on scientifically based practices in education. Although int...
Time Pressure in Negotiation and Mediation

This chapter examines the role of time pressure in negotiation and mediation. Negotiation can be defined as discussion between two or more parties and joint decision making with the goal of reaching agreement. Mediation is a variation on negotiation in which one or more outsiders (“third parties”) assist the parties in their efforts to reach agreement.
Basic Anatomy and Cytology of the Female Genital Tract

The female genital tract is composed of the vulva, vagina, uterus (cervix and body or corpus), fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
A New Take on Electrochemical Heat Engines

Developing a heat engine that can efficiently use waste heat from another process has been a grand challenge for over 50 years. However, a new article in Energy & Environmental Science by Poletayev et al. introduces a new electrochemical heat engine concept that can overcome previous limitations.
Weak adaptation to foreign-accented voice-onset-time distribution

Listeners quickly adapt to foreign-accented speech in transcriptions and word/sentence judgments (Bradlow & Bent, 2008; Clarke & Garrett, 2004; Sidaras, Alexander, & Nygaard, 2009). However, continuous spoken-word recognition measures such as eye tracking have revealed limitations on foreign-accent adaptation. For example, Trude, Tremblay, and Brown-Schmidt (2013) found that English listeners’ adaptation to a second-order constraint in a Quebec French talker’s accent (/i/ = [ɪ] before coda consonants except voiced fricatives) was limited. This study investigates whether foreign-accent adaptation is less limited when the mapping between the accented and underlying words does not require higher-level inferencing. English listeners completed an eye-tracking experiment in which they heard a (female) French talker and a (male) English talker. Target and competitor words began with a voiced or voiceless stop and were otherwise temporarily ambiguous (e.g., timberand dimple). All stops were resynthesized: The French talker’s stops were prevoiced (voiced) and short-lag (voiceless) and the English talker’s stops were short-lag (voiced) and long-lag (voiceless). Preliminary results suggest an effect of voicing only for the French talker, with voiceless-stop targets generating more competition than voiced-stop targets. Importantly, this effect decreased only slightly from the first to the second half of the experiment, suggesting weak foreign-accent adaptation. Listeners quickly adapt to foreign-accented speech in transcriptions and word/sentence judgments (Bradlow & Bent, 2008; Clarke & Garrett, 2004; Sidaras, Alexander, & Nygaard, 2009). However, continuous spoken-word recognition measures such as eye tracking have revealed limitations on foreign-accent adaptation. For example, Trude, Tremblay, and Brown-Schmidt (2013) found that English listeners’ adaptation to a second-order constraint in a Quebec French talker’s accent (/i/ = [ɪ] before coda consonants except voiced fricatives) was limited. This study investigates whether foreign-accent adaptation is less limited when the mapping between the accented and underlying words does not require higher-level inferencing. English listeners completed an eye-tracking experiment in which they heard a (female) French talker and a (male) English talker. Target and competitor words began with a voiced or voiceless stop and were otherwise temporarily ambiguous (e.g., timberand dimple). All stops were resynthesized: The Fre...
V2V Vehicle Safety Communication

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) has been interested in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication as the next step in addressing grooving rates of fatalities from vehicle related crashes. Today’s crash avoidance technologies depend on on-board sensors like camera and radar to provide awareness input to the safety applications. These applications warn the driver of imminent danger or sometimes even act on the driver’s behalf. However, even technologies like those cannot “predict” a crash that might happen because of a vehicle which is not very close or not in the line of sight to the host vehicle. A technology that can “see” through another vehicle or obstacles like buildings and predict a danger can fill these gaps and reduce crashes drastically. V2V communications can provide vehicles the ability to talk to each other and therefore see around corners and through the obstacles over a longer distance compared to the current on-board sensors. It is estimated that V2X communications address up to 80% of the unimpaired crashes [1]. By means of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), NHTSA is working towards standardization of V2V communications and potentially mandating the broadcast of vehicle data (e.g. GPS coordinates, speed, acceleration) over DSRC through V2V.
Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of New-Onset Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

Adverse cardiovascular events after liver transplantation (LT) are relatively common and are a significant source of early mortality. Although new-onset systolic dysfunction after LT is a reported phenomenon, there is little data regarding its incidence, risk factors, and outcomes.This single-center retrospective study included all adult patients from January 2002 to March 2015 with deceased-donor LT and available preoperative transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs). In total, 1,760 patients were included in the study, 602 (34.2%) of whom had a postoperative TTE. The primary end point was development of new-onset cardiomyopathy, defined as a new left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <40% within 180days of transplant. Sixty-nine (11.4%) of the patients who received post-LT TTE had a reduction in LVEF to <40% within 6 months. Clinical parameters of donor and recipient did not show significant impact on development of post-LT LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Presence of wall motion abnormalities (P = .004) on preoperative TTE was predictive of development of post-LT LVSD. These patients did not have longer hospitalizations, but they had worse survival.Post-LT LV systolic dysfunction occurs at higher rates than previously suspected and may develop more frequently in patients with underlying cardiac structural abnormalities, which appear to adversely affect post-LT survival.
Using Audio Prompting to Assist Monolingual Speech-Language Pathologists to Teach English-Spanish Vocabulary to English Learners.

This research investigates the effectiveness of using a child’s first language (L1), specifically Spanish, with Audio Prompting (AP) delivered via a tablet computer by monolingual English-speaking ...
Boss phubbing, trust, job satisfaction and employee performance

Abstract This paper introduces boss phubbing (phone snubbing), defined as an employee's perception that his/her immediate supervisor is distracted by his/her smartphone while in their presence, and studies its relationship with employee performance. Despite the importance of supervisor-subordinate interactions and the ubiquitous nature of smartphones, research is yet to investigate how smartphones impact important employee outcomes. Three theories are used to undergird the proposed model of relationships between boss phubbing, supervisory trust, job satisfaction, and performance: Reciprocated Social Exchange theory, Expectancy Violations theory, and Social Presence theory. A sequential mediation model was used to examine the relationships between boss phubbing and employee job performance. Two studies of US adults working in a range of industries (n=156, n=181) reveal that boss phubbing has a negative association with employee's job performance through supervisory trust and job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization of a Microgrid Considering Demand-Side Management

The control and management of power demand and supply become very crucial due to the penetration of renewables in the electricity networks and energy demand increase in residential and commercial sectors. In this paper, a new approach is presented to bridge the gap between Demand-Side Management (DSM) and microgrid (MG) portfolio, sizing, and placement optimization. Although DSM helps customers to take advantage of recent developments in the utilization of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) especially microgrids, a huge need for connecting DSM results to microgrid optimization is being felt. Consequently, we propose a novel model that integrates the DSM techniques and microgrid modules in a two-layer configuration. In the first layer, DSM is employed to minimize the electricity demand (e.g., heating and cooling loads) based on zone temperature set-point. Using the optimal load profile obtained from the first layer, all investment and operation costs of a microgrid are then optimized in the second layer. The presented model is based on the existing optimization platform developed by RU-LESS (Laboratory for Energy Smart Systems at Rutgers University) research group. As a demonstration, the developed model has been used to study the impact of smart HVAC control on microgrid compared to traditional HVAC control. The results show a noticeable reduction in the total annual energy consumption and the annual cost of microgrid
The Effects of Three-Dimensional Context on Shape Perception:

Humans have a unique ability to perceive shape in different ways. Although we naturally estimate objective (physical) shape in our daily interactions with the world, we are also capable of estimating projective (retinal) shape, especially when attempting to accurately draw objects and scenes. In four experiments, we demonstrated robust effects of 3D context on shape perception. Using a binocular stereo paradigm, we presented rectangular surfaces of varying widths alone or embedded in a polyhedron. We investigated how context, judgment type, and angle affected width estimates. We found that the presence of even a small amount of 3D context aids objective judgments but hinders projective judgments, whereas a lack of context had the opposite effect. Context facilitated objective shape assessments by improving estimates of surface orientation. These results demonstrate that the typical presence of 3D context aids shape perception (shape constancy) while simultaneously making the projective judgments necessary for realistic drawing more difficult.
ENSO drives lateral separation of FAD-associated skipjack and bigeye tuna in the Western Tropical Pacific

Incidental capture of juvenile bigeye tuna in fish aggregating device (FAD)-associated purse seine fisheries targeting skipjack tuna have contributed significantly to the degradation of bigeye stocks in the Western Tropical Pacific (WTP) Ocean. One way to reduce this incidental catch is to simply limit purse seine fishing effort; however, skipjack tuna stocks are healthy and economically important to many small island nations in the region. Here we assess whether there is sufficient lateral separation of skipjack and bigeye within FAD-associated purse seine fisheries in the WTP to allow limiting bigeye catch while maintaining a robust skipjack fishery. Based on monthly 5{degrees}-longitude-by-5{degrees}-latitude catch and effort data, FAD-associated bigeye and skipjack catch per unit effort (CPUE) covary tightly throughout the WTP, such that lateral separation between the two species is generally small. There are, however, significant variations in the amount of separation over both space and time. Waters within the Party to the Nauru Agreement exclusive economic zones (EEZs) belonging to Palau, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu regularly exhibit some of the smallest bigeye-to-skipjack catch ratios, especially during El Nino. In contrast, waters within Kiribatis Phoenix Islands EEZ regularly exhibit some of the largest bigeye-to-skipjack catch ratios, which are particularly high during La Nina. In general, El Nino lowers bigeye-to-skipjack catch ratios east of 170{degrees}E, while La Nina lowers bigeye-to-skipjack catch ratios west of 170{degrees}E. These ENSO-driven variations in separability are larger and more widespread than those driven by seasonality, due to larger associated variations in environmental conditions. Sea surface height anomalies may be particularly useful for demarcating the different environments preferred by skipjack and bigeye throughout the WTP. Sea surface temperatures, temperatures at 100 m, and thermocline depths may also help distinguish between the two species preferred habitats in many areas. These analyses can help better inform the complex decisions made by both fishers during operations and fisheries managers during creation of effective, dynamic policies to preserve bigeye stocks in the WTP. They also show that climate variability can have substantial effects on the spatial distributions of top pelagic predators and their interactions with one another.
High-Strength Polylactic Acid (PLA) Biocomposites Reinforced by Epoxy-Modified Pine Fibers

The stiffness and tensile strength of biopolymers (e.g., polylactic acid (PLA)) are less than desirable for load-bearing applications in their neat form. The use of natural fibers as reinforcements...
The value of downstream traceability in food safety management systems: an empirical examination of product recalls

Non-conforming food products that reach consumers create potential for consumer harm and negative financial consequences for recalling firms. Food quality management systems are therefore of critical importance to consumers, policy-makers, and firms. In addition to implementing a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) for regulatory compliance, a firm may invest in a certified FSMS that enables downstream traceability. Downstream traceability is the ability to follow a product through the supply chain from production to point of sale. We use information processing theory (IPT) and supply chain coordination theory (SCCT) to hypothesize that downstream traceability improves integration and coordination, and hence, outcomes, of a product recall. Evaluating the role of downstream traceability systems in enabling firms to manage quality failures and associated outcomes is relevant because managers and policy-makers need to understand incentives for making such investments. We empirically investigate the effect of downstream traceability on the length of time unsafe product is in distribution, number of products recalled, incidence of product harm, and shareholder value using event study and regression methods in a sample of 211 food recalls announced in the United States (U.S.) from 2007–2013. We find downstream traceability enhances food safety by reducing time in distribution and number of products, but is not significant with respect to product harm. Furthermore, this capability mitigates negative shareholder value impacts. These findings suggest that downstream traceability is both fiscally and socially responsible. These results contribute to the extant academic literature and offer new insights to both practitioners and policy-makers.
Red Myth, Black Hero: Frederick Douglass among the Communists (1935-1945)

Frederick Douglass was a prominent figure in the Communist Party USA’s imagination in the 1930s and 1940s. Douglass frequently appears in Communist rhetoric in political speeches, pamphlets, newspapers, and novels. This paper examines how the Communist Party invoked the mythology of Douglass, at times beneficially and at others detrimentally, from the Popular Front to the Second World War. Douglass was a figure that allowed black Communists to conceptualize their identity as black, American, and Communist simultaneously. However, inconsistencies in Communist rhetoric contributed to the disenchantment of many black intellectuals with the Communist Party during the Second World War, such as Ralph Ellison, whose Invisible Man includes a scene in which the Douglass myth plays a pivotal role in the narrator’s departure from the Party.
Integrated Modeling and Development of Component-Based Embedded Software in Scala.

Developing embedded software requires good frameworks, models, and programming languages. The languages typically used for embedded programming (e.g., C and C++) tend to be decoupled from the models and tend to favor efficiency and low-level expressivity over safety, high-level expressivity, and ease of use. In this work, we explore the use of Scala for integrated modeling and development of embedded systems represented as sets of interconnected components. Although Scala today is not suitable for this domain, several current efforts aim to develop Scala-like embedded languages, so it is conceivable that in the future, such a language will exist. We present four internal Scala DSLs, each of which supports an aspect of embedded software development, inspired by an actual C++ framework for programming space missions. The DSLs support programming of software components, hierarchical state machines, temporal logic monitors, and rule-based test generators. The effort required to develop these DSLs has been small compared to the similar C++ effort .
A WEB PERSONALIZATION ARTIFACT FOR UTILITY-SENSITIVE REVIEW ANALYSIS

A WEB PERSONALIZATION ARTIFACT FOR UTILITY-SENSITIVE REVIEW ANALYSIS By Long Flory, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015. Major Director: Dr. Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson, Professor, Information Systems Online customer reviews are web content voluntarily posted by the users of a product (e.g. camera) or service (e.g. hotel) to express their opinions about the product or service. Online reviews are important resources for businesses and consumers. This dissertation focuses on the important consumer concern of review utility, i.e., the helpfulness or usefulness of online reviews to inform consumer purchase decisions. Review utility concerns consumers since not all online reviews are useful or helpful. And, the quantity of the online reviews of a product/service tends to be very large. Manual assessment of review utility is not only time consuming but also information overloading. To address this issue, review helpfulness research (RHR) has become a very active research stream dedicated to study utility-sensitive review analysis (USRA) techniques for automating review utility assessment. Unfortunately, prior RHR solution is inadequate. RHR researchers call for more suitable USRA approaches. Our current research responds to this urgent call by addressing the research problem: What is an adequate USRA approach? We address this problem by offering novel Design Science (DS) artifacts for personalized USRA (PUSRA). Our proposed solution extends not only RHR research but also web personalization research (WPR), which studies web-based solutions for personalized web provision. We have evaluated the proposed solution by applying three evaluation methods: analytical, descriptive, and experimental. The evaluations corroborate the practical efficacy of our proposed solution. This research contributes what we believe (1) the first DS artifacts to the knowledge body of RHR and WPR, and (2) the first PUSRA contribution to USRA practice. Moreover, we consider our evaluations of the proposed solution the first comprehensive assessment of USRA solutions. In addition, this research contributes to the advancement of decision support research and practice. The proposed solution is a web-based decision support artifact with the capability to substantially improve accurate personalized webpage provision. Also, website designers can apply our research solution to transform their works fundamentally. Such transformation can add substantial value to businesses.
The ManyBugs and IntroClass Benchmarks for Automated Repair of C Programs

The field of automated software repair lacks a set of common benchmark problems. Although benchmark sets are used widely throughout computer science, existing benchmarks are not easily adapted to the problem of automatic defect repair, which has several special requirements. Most important of these is the need for benchmark programs with reproducible, important defects and a deterministic method for assessing if those defects have been repaired. This article details the need for a new set of benchmarks, outlines requirements, and then presents two datasets, ManyBugs and IntroClass , consisting between them of 1,183 defects in 15 C programs. Each dataset is designed to support the comparative evaluation of automatic repair algorithms asking a variety of experimental questions. The datasets have empirically defined guarantees of reproducibility and benchmark quality, and each study object is categorized to facilitate qualitative evaluation and comparisons by category of bug or program. The article presents baseline experimental results on both datasets for three existing repair methods, GenProg, AE, and TrpAutoRepair, to reduce the burden on researchers who adopt these datasets for their own comparative evaluations.