cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PriExpress: Privacy-preserving express delivery with fine-grained attribute-based access control

With the fast development of mobile Internet, ecommerce has been widely applied to the living of the masses. Because of the strong dependence of e-commerce, logistics industry has attracted much attention. However, when users get convenient service from the logistics industry, their privacy is compromised. Addresses, phone numbers and other private information on the parcel are accessible to anyone. Moreover, because users' logistics data is stored in plaintext in the companies' servers, it is vulnerable to the peep from staffs in the company and even the Hackers. This paper presents the first logistics system, PriExpress, which protects the users' privacy and ensures the efficient delivery of the parcel at the same time. To address the above problem, we improved attribute based encryption with a hidden access tree. Based on users' attributes, we enforce fine-grained access control on the logistic data. Our security and performance analysis shows that PriExpress is both secure and efficient.
Occurrence, temporal variation, and estrogenic burden of five parabens in sewage sludge collected across the United States

Five parabens used as preservatives in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) were measured in sewage sludges collected at 14 U.S. wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in nine states. Detected concentration ranges (ng/g, dry weight) and frequencies were as follows: methyl paraben (15.9 to 203.0; 100%), propyl paraben (0.5 to 7.7; 100%), ethyl paraben (<0.6 to 2.6; 63%), butyl paraben (<0.4 to 4.3; 42%) and benzyl paraben (<0.4 to 3.3; 26%). The estrogenicity inherent to the sum of parabens detected in sewage sludge (ranging from 10.1 to 500.1pg/kg 17β-estradiol equivalents) was insignificant when compared to the 106-times higher value calculated for natural estrogens reported in the literature to occur in sewage sludge. Temporal monitoring at one WWTP provided insights into temporal and seasonal variations in paraben concentrations. This is the first report on the occurrence of five parabens in sewage sludges from across the U.S., and internationally, the first on temporal variations of paraben levels in sewage sludge. Study results will help to inform the risk assessment of sewage sludge destined for land application (biosolids).
Tumorigenic Epithelial Stem Cells and Their Normal Counterparts

ABC transporters are highly conserved and represent a major protective mechanism for barrier tissues as well as adult tissue stem cells. Emerging data support the existence of a cancer stem cell that shares features of tissue stem cells, including the ability to self-renew and undergo dysregulated differentiation. Here we show that a rare population of cells coexpressing MDR transporters and stem cell markers is a common feature across therapy-naive epithelial cancers as well as normal epithelial tissue. MDR+ and MDR− candidate tumor stem and progenitor populations were all capable of generating highly anaplastic transplantable human tumors in NOD/SCID. The finding that rare cells bearing stem cell markers and having intrinsic MDR expression and activity are already present within the tumorigenic compartment before treatment with cytotoxic agents is of critical importance to cancer therapy. Just as damaged normal epithelial tissues regenerate after chemotherapy by virtue of highly protected resting tissue stem cells, the existence of malignant counterparts in therapy-naive epithelial cancers suggests a common mechanism by which normal and tumor stem cells protect themselves against toxic injury.
Whole length myosin binding protein C stabilizes myosin S2 as measured by gravitational force spectroscopy

Abstract The mechanical stability of the myosin subfragment-2 (S2) was tested with simulated force spectroscopy (SFS) and gravitational force spectroscopy (GFS). Experiments examined unzipping S2, since it required less force than stretching parallel to the coiled coil. Both GFS and SFS demonstrated that the force required to destabilize the light meromyosin (LMM) was greater than the force required to destabilize the coiled coil at each of three different locations along S2. GFS data also conveyed that the mechanical stability of the S2 region is independent from its association with the myosin thick filament using cofilaments of myosin tail and a single intact myosin. The C-terminal end of myosin binding protein C (MyBPC) binds to LMM and the N-terminal end can bind either S2 or actin. The force required to destabilize the myosin coiled coil molecule was 3 times greater in the presence of MyBPC than in its absence. Furthermore, the in vitro motility assay with full length slow skeletal MyBPC slowed down the actin filament sliding over myosin thick filaments. This study demonstrates that skeletal MyBPC both enhanced the mechanical stability of the S2 coiled coil and reduced the sliding velocity of actin filaments over polymerized myosin filaments.
Consumer Associations with the “All Natural” Food Label

“All natural” food labels have become increasingly popular in recent decades. Labels may communicate to consumers a level of food quality above that of unlabeled products. In April 2011, a national...
Voice pitch predicts electability, but does not signal leadership ability

Abstract Voice pitch, the perceived “highness” or “lowness” of a voice, influences how humans perceive and treat each other in various ways. One example is the selection of leaders. A growing number of studies, both experimental and observational, show that individuals with lower-pitched voices are more likely to win elected office. This leads to the yet untested question of whether individuals with lower voices are actually better leaders. That is, is voice pitch a reliable signal of leadership ability? Here we address this question with an observational study of the vocal pitch and leadership ability of elected officials, and an experiment where subjects were asked to respond to persuasive political policy statements made by speakers with different pitched voices. Both studies lead to the same conclusion: voice pitch does not correlate with leadership ability.
A Physical Basis for the Layered Medium Model

In this chapter we sketch a physical framework for the layered medium model in Chapter III. First we introduce some elementary notions from the mechanics of elastic bodies. In particular, Poisson’s primary and secondary waves. We show that the analysis in Chapter III is relevant to the study of vertically moving horizontal primary waves through a layered medium, with isotropic perfectly elastic layers welded along horizontal interfaces. We illustrate the connection between primary waves in such a medium and the theory of Caratheodory interpolation as developed in Chapters I, II, III, VIII, XIII and XIV.
Sources, Fluxes, and Biogeochemical Cycling of Silver in the Oceans

This brief review of silver in the oceans was catalyzed by our observation that there was a relative paucity of published data on the topic. A few authors have reported silver concentrations in the North Pacific (Martin et al. 1983; Zhang et al. 2001, 2004; Ranville and Flegal 2005; Kramer et al. 2011), South Pacific (Murozumi 1981; Zhang et al. 2004), North Atlantic (Flegal et al. 1995; Rivera-Duarte et al. 1999; Ndung’u et al. 2001), South Atlantic (Flegal et al. 1995; Ndung’u et al. 2001), and Southern Oceans (Miller and Bruland 1995; Sanudo-Wilhelmy et al. 2002), as well as in the Bering (Zhang et al. 2004) and Baltic (Ndung’u 2011) Seas. We are not aware, however, of any published data on silver concentrations in the Indian Ocean, and there are only a few reports on silver concentrations in marine sediments.
CONDITIONED BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATIONS IN THE BABOON

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the conditioned blood pressure elevations in the baboon. The conditioning procedure requires the animals to maintain prespecified diastolic blood pressure levels to obtain food and avoid shock. In a study described in the chapter, one to three one-gram banana pellets were delivered to baboons every 10 minutes of accumulated time that the diastolic pressure exceeded criterion, as cued by the white light. Conversely, the animals received a single 6–8 ma electric shock applied to a shaved portion of the animals' tail for every 120 seconds of accumulated time that the diastolic pressure was below criterion. By using a combination of food-reward, shock-avoidance, and visual biofeedback, all contingent upon diastolic blood pressure, baboons were conditioned, in 3–4 months, to raise their blood pressure 30%–50% (25–40 mmHg) above preconditioning baseline levels. Significantly, the heart rate increases generated in the animals under the heart rate contingency were at least two times greater than the heart rate increases in the animals trained under the blood pressure contingency, while the blood pressure increase in the heart rate animals was less than half as large as the pressure increase in the blood pressure baboons.
Distribution of metals in subcellular fractions of rat liver.

The localization of various metabolic processes of cells in particulate and soluble intracellular components has been studied intensively (l-3). The effect of added metals on these processes has also received attention (4-l3), but information on the metal content of the cell fractions is limited (14-16). The association of metals with proteins has been divided into two categories on the basis of their properties. Metalloproteins, wherein the metal is combined firmly with the protein, can be purified as stable, chemical entities (17). Metal-protein complexes, in which the metal is loosely bound, are subject to characterization only with difficulty. Any one metal in tissue may simultaneously be a component of one or more metalloproteins and metal-protein complexes, as well as being present in ionic form. The multiple role of metals has complicated the interpretation of analytical data from whole tissues. The investigation of metal content of subcellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation (18-21) assists in further delineation of the problem. Reproducible and characteristic patterns of metal concentration, if demonstrated in any fraction, provide presumptive evidence for the functional significance of the metals found. In the present study, emission spectrogra,phy has been adapted to the simultaneous determination of several metals in fractions from livers of normal rats. It has been found that each metal is reproducibly distributed among the fractions, and that each fraction shows a characteristic and significantly different pattern of metal concentration.
Can We DAMPen the Cross-Talk between the Lung and Kidney in the ICU?

Author(s): Hepokoski, Mark L; Bellinghausen, Amy L; Bojanowski, Christine M; Malhotra, Atul
ADVANCED FUELS UNDER DEBATE

At present, attempts to harness the energy released by nuclear fusion centre on the so-called first-generation fuel, a deuterium-tritium plasma. This combination has the considerable drawback of intense neutron emission, which damages the plasma-confining structures. Hence the interest in investigating second- and third-generation fuels which emit few or no neutrons. But many hurdles remain to be surmounted if such fuels are to prove viable.
Police Income and Occupational Gender Inequality

Research has found a meaningful income gap between males and females across several occupational settings, and this is also true within law enforcement. As more female workers enter the criminal ju...
Buprenorphine dispensing in an epicenter of the U.S. opioid epidemic: A case study of the rural risk environment in Appalachian Kentucky

Abstract Background Buprenorphine is a cornerstone to curbing opioid epidemics, but emerging data suggest that rural pharmacists in the US sometimes refuse to dispense this medication. We conducted a case study to explore buprenorphine dispensing practices in 12 rural Appalachian Kentucky counties, and analyze whether and how they were shaped by features of the rural risk environment. Methods In this case study, we conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 14 pharmacists operating 15 pharmacies in these counties to explore buprenorphine dispensing practices and perceived influences on these practices. Thematic analyses of the resulting transcripts revealed three features of the rural risk environment that shaped dispensing. To explore these three risk environment features, we analyzed policy documents (e.g., Attorney General lawsuits) and administrative databases (e.g., incarceration data). Textual documents were analyzed using thematic analyses and administrative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; memoes explored relationships among risk environment features and dispensing practices. Results Twelve of the 15 pharmacies limited dispensing, by refusing to serve new patients; limiting dispensing to known patients or prescribers; or refusing to dispense buprenorphine altogether. Concerns about exceeding a “Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) cap” on opioid dispensing stifled dispensing. A legacy of aggressive and fraudulent marketing of opioid analgesics (OAs) by pharmaceutical companies and physician OA overprescribing undermined pharmacist trust in buprenorphine and in its prescribers. The escalating local war on drugs may have undermined dispensing by reinforcing stigma against people who use drugs. Conclusions Initiatives to increase buprenorphine prescribing must be accompanied by policy changes to increase dispensing. Specifically, buprenorphine should be removed from opioid monitoring systems; efforts to de-escalate the war on drugs should be extended to encompass rural areas; initiatives to dismantle aggressive OA marketing should be strengthened; and efforts to re-build pharmacist trust in physicians are needed.
A case for engaged research and practice

Abstract This chapter describes why it is challenging to understand and solve wicked problems through a theoretical lens. The author uses theory from urban planning and applied social sciences to peel back the ways in which we can affect change. Universities cannot rely on ineffective techniques of change stemming from rational and positivistic ways of knowing. Universities can move from theoretical purity toward productive action when they include multiple forms of knowledge, including different disciplines, and community voices. Including multiple forms of knowledge and working together is even more urgent as communities face disasters and a changing climate.
Sociocognitive Relationships for Innovation under Institutional Constraints

This article provides a theoretical framework that explains how organizational actors—persons, teams, and organizations—can attempt to be innovative under institutional constraints and elaborates t...
Intrinsic and extrinsic noise are distinguishable in a synthesis – export – degradation model of mRNA production

Intrinsic and extrinsic noise sources in gene expression, originating respectively from transcriptional stochasticity and from differences between cells, complicate the determination of transcriptional models. In particularly degenerate cases, the two noise sources are altogether impossible to distinguish. However, the incorporation of downstream processing, such as the mRNA splicing and export implicated in gene expression buffering, recovers the ability to identify the relevant source of noise. We report analytical copy-number distributions, discuss the noise sources’ qualitative effects on lower moments, and provide simulation routines for both models.
Training providers in shared decision making for trauma treatment planning.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/Department of Defense (DoD) Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Acute Stress Disorder strives to advance the VA's practice of recovery-oriented, evidence-based, patient-centered care (PCC) for veterans with PTSD. A core foundation of PCC is that care is individually tailored to meet the needs and preferences of each patient. Accordingly, the 2017 update to the CPG specifically recommends the use of shared decision making (SDM), an individualized collaborative approach to treatment planning, in the PTSD treatment planning process. Although SDM has been promoted by the CPG throughout the VA and SDM training is being developed, no systemic training was available at the time the guidelines were updated. Additionally, while early research has studied the impact and experience of SDM for the patient, no work has explored provider experiences with SDM for those who work with trauma populations. This project bridges this gap by examining survey data collected 6 months following a formal SDM training to staff and trainees working with veterans who have experienced trauma within a trauma clinic at a large VA hospital. After the training, clinicians understood SDM and were engaging in SDM with their patients. Patients indicated that they were satisfied with and felt like an active participant in the treatment planning process. Clinician assumptions about the SDM process and barriers to SDM shown in previous research were also demonstrated. Implications for future research and practice, such as using decision aids in PTSD treatment planning and targeting clinician beliefs about SDM, are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Noncoherence of arithmetic hyperbolic lattices

We prove that all arithmetic lattices in O.n;1/, n 4, n⁄ 7, are noncoherent. We also establish noncoherence of uniform arithmetic lattices of the simplest type in SU.n;1/, n 2, and of uniform lattices in SU.2;1/ which have infinite abelianization.
Applicability of biomass autohydrolyzates as corrosion inhibiting deicing agents

A deicing agent from renewable resources is necessary to overcome the disadvantages of traditional deicing agents. In this study, biomass autohydrolyzate was evaluated for its applicability as corrosion inhibiting deicing agents. Autohydrolyzates treated with alkali showed significant freezing point depression and corrosion inhibiting effects on mild steel. Freezing points for autohydrolyzate treated with 2% (w/w) sodium hydroxide were depressed at −64.0 °C (56% solids content), and its maximum corrosion inhibiting efficiency was 61.5%. This material was found to be more effective than a tested commercial deicing agent. This strong performance is considered due to the xylooligosaccharides being degraded to various sugar acid compounds under alkaline treatment conditions, providing the mixture with solutes with corrosion inhibition potency. In conclusion, alkaline treated autohydrolyzate could replace traditional deicing agents based on superior performance and a sustainable production scheme.
A lowly populated, transient β-sheet structure in monomeric Aβ1-42 identified by multinuclear NMR of chemical denaturation

Abstract Chemical denaturation is a well-established approach for probing the equilibrium between folded and unfolded states of proteins. We demonstrate applicability of this method to the detection of a small population of a transiently folded structural element in a system that is often considered to be intrinsically fully disordered. The 1HN, 15N, 13Cα, and 13C′ chemical shifts of Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 peptides and their M35-oxidized variants were monitored as a function of urea concentration and compared to analogous urea titrations of synthetic pentapeptides of homologous sequence. Fitting of the chemical shift titrations yields a 10 ± 1% population for a structured element at the C-terminus of Aβ1-42 that folds with a cooperativity of m = 0.06 kcal/mol·M. The fit also yields the chemical shifts of the folded state and, using a database search, for Aβ1-42 these shifts identified an antiparallel intramolecular β-sheet for residues I32-A42, linked by a type I′ β-turn at G37 and G38. The structure is destabilized by oxidation of M35. Paramagnetic relaxation rates and two previously reported weak, medium-range NOE interactions are consistent with this transient β-sheet. Introduction of the requisite A42C mutation and tagging with MTSL resulted in a small stabilization of this β-sheet. Chemical shift analysis suggests a C-terminal β-sheet may be present in Aβ1-40 too, but the turn type at G37 is not type I′. The approach to derive Transient Structure from chemical Denaturation by NMR (TSD-NMR), demonstrated here for Aβ peptides, provides a sensitive tool for identifying the presence of lowly populated, transiently ordered elements in proteins that are considered to be intrinsically disordered, and permits extraction of structural data for such elements.
Distinct CDK6 complexes determine tumor cell response to CDK4/6 inhibitors and degraders

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6is) are effective in metastatic breast cancer, but they have been only modestly effective in most other tumor types. Here we show that tumors expressing low CDK6 rely on CDK4 function and are exquisitely sensitive to CDK4/6is. In contrast, tumor cells expressing both CDK4 and CDK6 have increased reliance on CDK6 to ensure cell cycle progression. We discovered that CDK4/6is and CDK4/6 degraders potently bind and inhibit CDK6 selectively in tumors in which CDK6 is highly thermo-unstable and strongly associated with the HSP90–CDC37 complex. In contrast, CDK4/6is and CDK4/6 degraders are ineffective in antagonizing tumor cells expressing thermostable CDK6, due to their weaker binding to CDK6 in these cells. Thus, we uncover a general mechanism of intrinsic resistance to CDK4/6is and CDK4/6i-derived degraders and the need for new inhibitors targeting the CDK4/6i-resistant, thermostable form of CDK6 for application as cancer therapeutics. Poulikakos and colleagues demonstrate that thermostable CDK6 complexes promote resistance to therapeutic targeting of CDK4/6 in cancer.
Enterotoxemia of Small Ruminants

Enterotoxemia is a common, frequently fatal disease of small ruminants caused by enteric superinfection with Clostridium perfringens. C. perfringens type C causes hemorrhagic enteritis of lambs. Type D causes colitis in goats and rapidly progressive, multi-organ failure in sheep, characterized by recumbency, convulsions, and opisthotonus. Prevention of enterotoxemia requires careful attention to feeding practices such that sudden ingestion of large quantities of concentrates or protein does not occur. Diligent vaccination is the cornerstone to enterotoxemia prevention; however, sheep and goats differ in their immune responses to conventional vaccines, and different vaccination regimens are necessary for these two species.
Super-Resolution Ultrasound Localization Microscopy on a Rabbit Liver VX2 Tumor Model: An Initial Feasibility Study

Ultrasound localization microscopy can image microvasculature in vivo without sacrificing imaging penetration depth. However, the reliance on super-resolution inference limits the applicability of the technique because subpixel tissue motion can corrupt microvascular reconstruction. Consequently, the majority of previous pre-clinical research on this super-resolution procedure has been restricted to low-motion experimental models with ample motion correction or data rejection, which precludes the imaging of organ sites that exhibit a high degree of respiratory and other motion. In this article, we present a novel anesthesia protocol in rabbits that induces safe, controllable periods of apnea to enable the long image-acquisition times required for ultrasound localization microscopy. We apply this protocol to a VX2 liver tumor model undergoing sorafenib therapy and compare the results to super-resolution images from conventional high-dose isoflurane anesthesia. We find that the apneic protocol was necessary to correctly identify the poorly vascularized tumor cores, as verified by immunohistochemistry, and to reveal the tumoral microvascular architecture.
Dynamic Interaction of Grid-Forming and Grid-Following Inverters with Synchronous Generators in Hybrid Power Plants

As the integration of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar generation continues to grow, the use of hybrid power plants with both synchronous machines and power electronic inverters operating in parallel becomes more common. This paper studies the impact on small-signal stability for these pairs of devices, first as an isolated two-device system and then as part of a 9-bus test system. Each operational scenario was studied with both a grid-following inverter and a grid-forming inverter. In each scenario, the state variables associated with the synchronous generator's excitation system were found to be responsible for the inception of instability. These results underscore the importance of accurate modeling of excitation systems when modeling power systems with hybrid power plants.
The Impact of Undergraduate Research Experiences on Participants' Career Decisions

The benefits of undergraduate research include gains in research and communication skills, increased interest in graduate studies, and improvement in student persistence. Several studies have shown that undergraduate research can help promote career pathways into engineering by increasing enrollment and retention rates. The REU program described and evaluated in this paper aims to achieve similar goals, including providing students with basic research and professional skills to succeed in graduate school and beyond, increasing studentsâ€™ awareness of career opportunities in science and engineering fields and promoting graduate study as a future educational goal. These goals are achieved by engaging undergraduate science and engineering majors in cutting-edge nanotechnology and engineering research projects, allowing them to experience graduate level research. Moreover, the program offers research opportunities to students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in STEM (women and minorities), and students who might not otherwise have similar research opportunities. Program evaluation has been performed by analyzing responses from pre- and post-surveys of the 2016 to 2019 cohorts. The main focus of this analysis is investigating the impact of the program in increasing participantsâ€™ self-confidence and awareness of opportunities in STEM career and graduate studies. The analysis of qualitative and quantitative data shows gains in scientific self-reported skills and a positive impact of the experience in promoting graduate school and STEM careers. This study represents an example of REU programs in the field of nanotechnologies designed for undergraduate students.
FaceSense: Sensing Face Touch with an Ear-worn System

Face touch is an unconscious human habit. Frequent touching of sensitive/mucosal facial zones (eyes, nose, and mouth) increases health risks by passing pathogens into the body and spreading diseases. Furthermore, accurate monitoring of face touch is critical for behavioral intervention. Existing monitoring systems only capture objects approaching the face, rather than detecting actual touches. As such, these systems are prone to false positives upon hand or object movement in proximity to one's face (e.g., picking up a phone). We present FaceSense, an ear-worn system capable of identifying actual touches and differentiating them between sensitive/mucosal areas from other facial areas. Following a multimodal approach, FaceSense integrates low-resolution thermal images and physiological signals. Thermal sensors sense the thermal infrared signal emitted by an approaching hand, while physiological sensors monitor impedance changes caused by skin deformation during a touch. Processed thermal and physiological signals are fed into a deep learning model (TouchNet) to detect touches and identify the facial zone of the touch. We fabricated prototypes using off-the-shelf hardware and conducted experiments with 14 participants while they perform various daily activities (e.g., drinking, talking). Results show a macro-F1-score of 83.4% for touch detection with leave-one-user-out cross-validation and a macro-F1-score of 90.1% for touch zone identification with a personalized model.
The Science of Conceptual Systems: A Progress Report

In this paper I provide a brief history of the emerging science of conceptual systems, explain some methodologies, their sources of data, and the understandings that they have generated. I also provide suggestions for extending the science-based research in a variety of directions. Essentially, I am opening a conversation that asks how this line of research might be extended to gain new insights—and eventually develop more useful and generally accepted methods for creating and evaluating theory. This effort will support our ability to generate theory that is more effective in practical application as well as accelerating the development of theory to support advances in other sciences.
Recorded music in the mental health waiting room: A music medicine investigation

Abstract The impact of music on ameliorating anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing patient satisfaction has been previously established. Given the heightened importance of mental health services in recent years and the perceived stigma associated with seeking psychiatric treatment, music may play an important role in mitigating negative affective states that would otherwise prevent patients from accessing care. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the effects of recorded music on patient satisfaction and anxiety among adult consumers awaiting a mental health evaluation. This study employed a two-group, cluster-randomized design to investigate the effects of recorded music on adults in an outpatient mental health clinic. Participants in the experimental condition were exposed to a recorded music program for up to 30 min while completing clinical background paperwork. Those in the control condition completed their paperwork without the recorded music program. Two instruments, a researcher-designed Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale, served as the dependent measures. There was a significant effect suggesting that participants in the music group were more satisfied than those in the control condition. There was no such finding for anxiety. This study may provide some empirical support for, and encourage wider spread adoption of, the cost efficient use of music in mental health settings.
Advanced parallel combined Gaussian mixture model based feature compensation integrated with iterative channel estimation

Effective feature compensation for speech recognition in noise and channel distortion.Employs Parallel Combined Gaussian Mixture Model (PCGMM).Evaluation uses objective measures including STNR, PESQ, and speech recognition.Show +9.77% and +15.77% relative avg. WER improvement vs. ETSI AFE standard. This study proposes an effective feature compensation scheme to address severely adverse environments for speech recognition where background noise and channel distortion are simultaneously involved. In the proposed scheme, an iterative channel estimation method is integrated into the framework of our previously proposed Parallel Combined Gaussian Mixture Model (PCGMM) based feature compensation algorithm. A new speech corpus is developed which reflects both additive and convolutional noise corruption. The channel distortion effects are obtained from the NTIMIT and CTIMIT corpora. Evaluation based on objective measures including STNR, PESQ, and speech recognition shows that generated speech corpus includes highly challenging acoustic conditions for speech recognition. The proposed feature compensation method is evaluated over the developed speech corpus. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed feature compensation scheme is effective at improving speech recognition performance in the presence of both background noise and channel distortion, employing the iterative channel estimation method. The proposed PCGMM-based feature compensation scheme employing the channel estimation method shows +3.58% and +11.61% relative improvements in averaged WER compared to the ETSI AFE algorithm for the developed speech corpora including NTIMIT and CTIMIT channel effects respectively. For real-life application, a voice activity detection technique is employed to estimate the noise model for PCGMM-based method without a priori knowledge of the non-speech locations of input speech. The proposed method is also evaluated on the CU-Move corpus which represents actual in-vehicle conditions, showing a +12.99% relative improvement compared to the ETSI AFE. This study confirms that the proposed PCGMM-based feature compensation method integrated with channel estimation is effective at increasing speech recognition accuracy in real-life severely adverse conditions.
Handbook of Bereavement Research and Practice: Advances in Theory and Intervention, by Margaret S. Stroebe, Robert O. Hansson, Henk Schut, and Wolfgang Stroebe

The death of a loved one is something that almost all of us experience. The likelihood of this experience increases as we age and friends and partners become ill. Grief is a natural and near-inevit...
Efficiency of Energy Use in the United States: Transportation, space heating, and air conditioning provide opportunities for large energy savings

We described three uses of energy for which greater efficiency is feasible: transportation, space heating, and air conditioning. Shifts to less energy-intensive transportation modes could substantially reduce energy consumption; the magnitude of such savings would, of course, depend on the extent of such shifts and possible load factor changes. The hypothetical transportation scenario described here results in a 22 percent savings in energy for transportation in 1970, a savings of 2800 trillion Btu. To the homeowner, increasing the amount of building insulation and, in some cases, adding storm windows would reduce energy consumption and provide monetary savings. If all homes in 1970 had the "economic optimum" amount of insulation, energy consumption for residential heating would have been 42 percent less than if the homes were insulated to meet the pre-1971 FHA standards, a savings of 3100 trillion Btu. Increased utilization of energy-efficient air conditioners and of building insulation would provide significant energy savings and help to reduce peak power demands during the summer. A 67 percent increase in energy efficiency for room air conditioners would have saved 15.8 billion kilowatt-hours in 1970. In conclusion, it is possible—from an engineering point of view—to effect considerable energy savings in the United States. Increases in the efficiency of energy use would provide desired end results with smaller energy inputs. Such measures will not reduce the level of energy consumption, but they could slow energy growth rates.
Technology, agglomeration, and regional competition for investment: Technology, agglomeration

The active 'courting' of firms by municipalities, regions, and even nations has a long-standing history and the competition for firm location through a wide variety of incentives seems to have escalated to new heights in recent years. We develop a model that explores technology development by firms that face regional competition for their investment and examine the endogenous determination of regions' policies, firm technology, and agglomeration externalities. In particular, we find that regional competition leads firms to inefficiently distort their research and development efforts in hopes of improving their standing in the competition amongst regions for their investment. This loss in efficiency is aggravated by the agglomeration externalities that are inherently present in many industries. We offer several case studies that provide evidence consistent with our theoretical conclusions.
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in neurodegeneration and apoptosis signaling

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a well-studied glycolytic enzyme that plays a key role in energy metabolism. GAPDH catalyzes the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 1,3bisphosphoglycerate in the glycolytic pathway. As part of the conversion, GAPDH converts NAD+ to the high-energy electron carrier NADH. GAPDH has been referred to as a “housekeeping” protein and based on the view that GAPDH gene expression remains constant under changing cellular conditions, the levels of GAPDH mRNA have frequently been used to normalize northern blots. In recent years, that view has changed since GAPDH is now known to contribute to a number of diverse cellular functions unrelated to glycolysis. Normative functions of GAPDH now include nuclear RNA export, DNA replication, DNA repair, exocytotic membrane fusion, cytoskeletal organization and phosphotransferase activity. Pathologically, GAPDH has been implicated in apoptosis, neurodegenerative disease, prostate cancer and viral pathogenesis (see Sirover (1999) for a recent review of GAPDH functions). Most recently, it has been shown that GAPDH is a target for deprenyl related compounds (Carlile et al., 2000; Kragten et al., 1998) and may contribute to the neuroprotection offered by those compounds.
Time Preference: Experiments and Foundations

In order to elicit discount functions, experiments commonly rely on money-time separability and curvature assumptions on the underlying discounted utility representation. This paper presents a procedure for elicitation that dispenses with both sets of assumptions. It is based on a general theorem that characterizes the set of discount functions and utility indices compatible with any regular preference (monotone weak order) over dated rewards. The theorem expresses the observation that the behavioral meaning of discounting lies in behavior obtained by …xing the money dimension and varying only the time dimension.
Dynamic managerial capabilities: Configuration and orchestration of top executives' capabilities and the firm's dominant logic: Research Notes and Commentaries

This paper contributes to the understanding of the executive team dynamic managerial capabilities by developing theory about the interplay between the firm's dominant logic and dynamic managerial capabilities (including managerial human capital, social capital, and cognition). We underscore the criticality of the two key CEO-level functions: configuration and orchestration of senior executive team dynamic capabilities. We develop theory on how these functions create and sculpt the management team's absorptive capacity, which in turn shapes the team's adaptive capacity. We present theory about the distributed nature of efforts for organizational renewal where CEO's dynamic managerial capabilities in concerto with senior executive managerial capabilities will drive top management's ability to revitalize the firm's dominant logic and to achieve evolutionary fit. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An overview of the NTIA/NIST spectrum monitoring pilot program

This paper provides an overview of a Spectrum Monitoring Pilot Program within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It provides background, motivation, goals, accomplishments, and plans for future work. We describe the development of a federated Measured Spectrum Occupancy Database (MSOD) architecture that allows organizations to host MSOD instances and contribute data to the overall program. We also describe progress in RF sensor R&D and deployment.
Detection of Random Responding in MMPI-2 Protocols:

The present report represents a replication and extension of the Berry et al. (1991) study examining the utility of the standard second edition of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) validity indices for detecting random responding. Specifically, relative to Berry et al., this study employs methodological improvements and investigates recently proposed alternative indices for detecting random responding. Another improvement includes the use of Bayesian statistics, including positive predictive power, negative predictive power, and hit rates, to select various cutting scores across three base rates of random responding. Results suggested that all validity indices studied differed significantly between random and valid protocols, although certain indices provided for more optimal hit rates in terms of classification. It is concluded that the alternative index, Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) scale plus the Infrequency (F) scale minus the Infrequency Back (FB) scale (VRIN + |F - F...
Chemotherapeutic inhibitors of the enzymes of the de novo pyrimidine pathway.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemotherapeutic inhibitors of the enzymes of the de novo pyrimidine pathway. The requirement for pyrimidines is ubiquitously distributed throughout the spectrum of living organisms and can be fulfilled by two synthetic pathways: a de novo and a salvage pathway. Although extensive information is available in the literature on techniques for measuring the activities of the enzymes of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway, it is the purpose of the present Appendix to evaluate these techniques critically, to suggest improvements and alternative analytical strategies, and to outline means for assessing the concentrations of the substrates or products of the six reactions under consideration in normal as well as neoplastic tissues.
Microarray Transcription Profiling of a Shewanella oneidensis etrA Mutant

DNA microarrays were used to examine the effect of an insertional mutation in the Shewanella oneidensis etrA (electron transport regulator) locus on gene expression under anaerobic conditions. The mRNA levels of 69 genes with documented functions in energy and carbon metabolism, regulation, transport, and other cellular processes displayed significant alterations in transcript abundance in an etrA-mutant genetic background. This is the first microarray study indicating a possible involvement of EtrA in the regulation of gene expression in S. oneidensis MR-1.
Corneal Replication Is an Interferon Response-Independent Bottleneck for Virulence of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 in the Absence of Virion Host Shutoff

Herpes simplex viruses lacking the virion host shutoff function (Δvhs) are avirulent and hypersensitive to type I and type II interferon (IFN). In this study, we demonstrate that even in the absence of IFN responses in AG129 (IFN-αβγR(-/-)) mice, Δvhs remains highly attenuated via corneal infection but is fully virulent via intracranial infection. The data demonstrate that the interferon-independent inherent replication defect of Δvhs has a significant impact upon peripheral replication and neuroinvasion.
The thermodynamic properties of dibenzothiophene

Measurements leading to the calculation of the ideal-gas thermodynamic properties for dibenzothiophene are reported. Thermochemical and thermophysical properties were determined by adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, differential-scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), comparative ebulliometry, and inclined-piston manometry. A literature value for the energy of combustion was selected and combined with the results to calculate standard entropies, standard enthalpies, and standard Gibbs energies of formation for the ideal-gas at selected temperatures from 298.15 K to 800 K. The critical temperature and critical density were measured with the d.s.c., and a value for the critical pressure was derived. Sublimation pressures from 298.15 K to the triple-point temperature (371.8 K) were derived. All measured and derived properties were compared with literature values.
Electromagnetic interaction of spacecraft with ambient environment

A model of the midcourse space experiment (MSX) spacecraft and its electromagnetic environment has been developed using the potential of large spacecraft in the Auroral region (POLAR) code. The geometric model has a resolution of 0.341 meters and uses six materials to simulate the electrical surface properties of MSX. The vehicle model includes features such as the major instruments, electronic boxes, radiators, a dewar and open bay, a booster attachment ring, and three different orientations of the solar panels. The electron and ion composition and temperature environment are modeled as a function of the solar activity. Additional parameters include the ram-wake orientation, the hot electron spectrum, day-night-twilight variations, latitudinal variations, and solar panel voltage biasing. Nominal low spacecraft charging cases are described. Calculation with a high peak energetic electron flux produces a ground potential of -180 volts and differential charging as high as 66 volts.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Food-Reward vs. Escape-from-Water as Conditions Motivating Learning in the White Rat

*Received for publication by Calvin P. Stone of the Editorial Board, February 24, 1930. 1Indebtedness is expressed to Dr. C. P. Stone of Stanford University for suggestions in the preparation of this report.
Surgical Thrombectomy and Transluminal Balloon Angioplasty for Failed Above-knee Femoropopliteal Polytetrafluoroethylene Bypass Grafts

Endovascular therapy offers an alternative to redo bypass or surgical graft revision for failed above-knee femoropopliteal PTFE bypass grafts. We evaluated the outcome of surgical thrombectomy and balloon angioplasty for the treatment of thrombosed bypass grafts. Thirty selected patients with thrombosed above-knee femoropopliteal PTFE bypass grafts were treated. Under local anesthesia, a surgical thrombectomy followed by bypass graft angiography and balloon angioplasty of perianastomotic stenoses was performed. Stents were used selectively for suboptimal angioplasty results. Patients underwent duplex scanning of the bypass graft postoperatively and at 6-month intervals. Life-table analysis and log-rank (Mantel-Cox) comparisons were performed. Patients were categorized into two groups on the basis of time elapsed from initial bypass graft construction to graft failure. Group 1 included 21 patients with a mean time to graft failure of 10 months (range, 0-20). Surgical thrombectomy was successful in 20 grafts (95%) and 17 patients had a stent placed after angioplasty. Rethrombosis occurred within 30 days in seven grafts (33%) in group 1 and major amputations were performed in six patients (28%). Group 2 included nine patients with a mean time to initial bypass graft failure of 48 months (range, 29-96). All patients in group 2 had a successful surgical thrombectomy and all received a stent. None of the grafts treated in group 2 reoccluded within 30 days of intervention and one patient (11%) went on to require a major amputation. By life-table analysis, the 6- and 12-month patency for group 1 was 15.3% and 5.1%, compared to 58.3% and 38.9% for group 2 (p = 0.027). Surgical thrombectomy along with balloon angioplasty has an unacceptably high rate of failure and limb loss in patients treated for early ( 2 years) bypass graft failure and may be a reasonable alternative for patients who cannot tolerate reoperation or lack autogenous conduit.
An improved numerical process for solution of solid mechanics problems

This paper gives an overview of the development and status of an improved numerical process for the solution of solid mechanics problems. The proposed process uses a mixed formulation with the fundamental unknowns consisting of both stress and displacement parameters. The problem is formulated either by means of first-order partial differential equations or in a variational form by using a Hellinger-Reissner-type mixed variational principle. For presentation purposes, the components of a numerical process are characterized and the criteria for an ideal process are outlined. Commonly used finite-difference and finite-element procedures are examined in the light of these criteria and it is shown that they fall short in a number of ways. The proposed numerical process, on the other hand, satisfies most of the optimality criteria and appears to be particularly suited for use with the forthcoming generation computers.