cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinant approach to the scattering matrix elements in quasi-one-dimensional and two-dimensional disordered systems

We have developed an approach based on the characteristic determinant (the Green function poles) to solve the Dyson equation in quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) and two-dimensional disordered systems without any restriction on the numbers of impurities and modes. We consider two different models for a disordered Q1D wire: a set of two-dimensional $\ensuremath{\delta}$ potentials with signs and strengths determined randomly, and a tight-binding Hamiltonian with several modes and on-site disorder. We calculate analytically the scattering matrix elements for particles coming both from the left and from the right without actually determining the eigenfunctions of the electrons. It is shown that the poles of the Green functions for these models can be deduced from a determinant of rank $N\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}N$ ($N$ is the number of scatterers) instead of the rank $NM\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}NM$ ($M$ is the number of modes). We calculate the inverse localization lengths for the two models. They are exactly on the order of ${w}^{2}$ for the weak disorder regime and are valid for an arbitrary number of channels, $M$.
Solution structure of At3g04780.1‐des15, an Arabidopsis thaliana ortholog of the C‐terminal domain of human thioredoxin‐like protein

The structure of At3g04780.1-des15, an Arabidopsis thaliana ortholog of the C-terminal domain of human thioredoxin-like protein, was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The structure is dominated by a β-barrel sandwich. A two-stranded anti-parallel β-sheet, which seals off one end of the β-barrel, is flanked by two flexible loops rich in acidic amino acids. Although this fold often provides a ligand binding site, the structure did not reveal an appreciable cavity inside the β-barrel. The three-dimensional structure of At3g04780.1-des15 provides an entry point for understanding its functional role and those of its mammalian homologs.
Industrial Managers and n Ach Comparable and Compatible

A group of 83 Czechoslovak industrial managers was tested using the McClelland's need for achievement measure. The mean n Ach score was considerably lower than a mean n Ach score of a comparable sample from the United States. Also, Osgood's semantic differential was administered with managers rating four work-related concepts. Significant differences were found between managers classified as high and low on the n Ach measure. The study does not replicate earlier findings on the n Ach level of Eastern-bloc industrial managers.
Predictors of Outcome after Endovascular Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Angioplasty and intra-arterial papaverine are promising treatments for severe symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but there is little information on the clinical factors that predict treatment outcome. We sought to determine variables for predicting functional outcome in this setting. METHODS: We reviewed 81 consecutive patients with symptomatic cerebral vasospasm from aneurysmal SAH treated with percutaneous balloon angioplasty or selective intra-arterial papaverine infusion between 1990 and 2000 (105 procedures). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of various clinical and angiographic factors on outcome. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 54 years (range, 29–88 years). Twenty-nine patients (36%) presented with poor-grade (World Federation of Neurologic Surgeons [WFNS] grade IV or V) SAH. Clinical deficits were global in 55 patients (70%), and angiographic vasospasm was diffuse in 53 (65%). Endovascular treatment consisted of transluminal angioplasty alone (18 procedures, 17%), intra-arterial papaverine infusion (65 procedures, 62%), or both (22 procedures, 21%). Unequivocal arterial dilatation was achieved in all but two patients, and major complications occurred in 2% of the procedures. Ten patients (12%) died in the hospital, and 36 (44%) recovered poorly. Permanent deficits attributable to cerebral vasospasm were present in 37 patients (52% of survivors). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, advanced age and poor WFNS grade at presentation were predictive of poor clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Advanced age and poor clinical status at the time of SAH onset are predictive of poor clinical outcome despite endovascular treatment with angioplasty or intra-arterial papaverine in patients with symptomatic vasospasm.
Golden Gate Tidal Measurements: 1854-1978

The recent discovery of leveling connections between the bench marks of the tide stations at Fort Point Sausalito, and the Presidio, San Francisco, California, between 1954 and the present, provide a continuous set of tidal measurements in the Golden Gate area. This is the only location in the United States with over 100 yr of continuous tidal measurements. Such a long series of tidal measurements are important in global sea level analysis, variability of water level relative to land over long periods and historical tidal boundary determination.
Cell lineage analysis by intracellular injection of tracer substances.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews a new method devised for determining developmental cell lineages. In this method, an intracellular tracer is injected through a micropipet into identified cells of early embryos. The success of the tracer method requires that three conditions be satisfied: (1) after injection of the tracer, embryonic development must continue normally; (2) the injected tracer must remain intact and not be diluted too much in the developing embryo; (3) the tracer must not pass through junctions linking embryonic cells. Two different types of tracers have been used for cell lineage analysis in the development of the glossiphoniid leech Helobdella triserialis: the enzyme horseradish peroxidase and the fluorescent dye rhodamine coupled to a synthetic dodecapeptide. The chapter presents an account of the results obtained through use of these two tracers, particularly with respect to the developmental origins of the components of the leech central nervous system.
A Relativistic Symmetrical Interpretation of the Dirac Equation in (1+1) Dimensions

This paper presents a new Relativistic Symmetrical Interpretation (RSI) of the Dirac equation in (1+1)D which postulates: quantum mechanics is intrinsically time-symmetric, with no arrow of time; the fundamental objects of quantum mechanics are transitions; a transition is fully described by a complex transition amplitude density with specified initial and final boundary conditions; and transition amplitude densities never collapse. This RSI is compared to the Copenhagen Interpretation (CI) for the analysis of Einstein's bubble experiment with a spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ particle. This RSI can predict the future and retrodict the past, has no zitterbewegung, resolves some inconsistencies of the CI, and eliminates some of the conceptual problems of the CI.
Conflicted Journeys: Colonial and Missionary Crossings in Amanda Smith's An Autobiography

This paper looks closely at the 1893 spiritual narrative An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord’s Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith (1837-1915). Focusing specifically on Smith’s tour of Europe, her travels to India, Egypt, and her eight year stay in Liberia, I argue that Smith’s itinerant spiritual practices as tourist and missionary enable her to shift from spectacle, one who is objectified by the gaze of her white audiences, to spectator, one who sees and who is free to interpret what she sees. Although tourist and missionary travel are firmly entrenched in Western Imperial privilege and power, I assert that Smith, engaging in an itinerant rhetorical practice, appropriates colonial travel and missionary discourse in order to undermine and critique imperial practices, hierarchies, and values in America and abroad.
Asthma in Urban Children: Epidemiology, Environmental Risk Factors, and the Public Health Domain

Asthma is the most commonly reported chronic condition of childhood in developed countries, with 6.5 million children affected in the USA. A disparate burden of childhood asthma is seen among socioeconomically disadvantaged youth, often concentrated in urban areas with high poverty rates. Host factors that predispose a child to asthma include atopy, male gender, parental history of asthma, and also race, ethnicity, and genetic and epigenetic susceptibilities. Environmental factors, such as improved hygiene, ambient air pollution, and early life exposures to microbes and aeroallergens, also influence the development of asthma. With greater than 90% of time spent indoors, home exposures (such as cockroach, rodent, and indoor air pollution) are highly relevant for urban asthma. Morbidity reduction may require focused public health initiatives for environmental intervention in high priority risk groups and the addition of immune modulatory agents in children with poorly controlled disease.
FALSELY POSITIVE PYROGENIC RESPONSES INDUCED IN RABBITS BY LATEX PARTICLES.

SummaryAn endotoxin-like febrile response was elicited in rabbits by intravenous inoculation of washed polystyrene latex particles. Alkaline treatment of the latex particles reduced but did not eliminate the pyrogenic activity, whereas particles treated with acid were incapable of inducing a febrile response. Exposure of the non-pyrogenic, acid-treated particles to a suspension of Escherichia coli endotoxin of the phenol-water type restored pyrogenicity to the particles. Exhaustive washing of these endo-toxin-treated particles with non-pyrogenic saline did not remove the fever producing substances.
Impact of Concurrent Non-IBD Immunological Diseases on the Outcome of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

BACKGROUND The association between primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is well established. There are scant data on the association between non-IBD immunological diseases (NID) and PSC outcomes. Our objective was to investigate the impact of NID on the clinical outcomes in patients with PSC. METHODS We included 287 patients with PSC from 1985 to 2013 from our tertiary care data registry. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the risk factors for liver transplantation. RESULTS Of the 287 patients with PSC, 38 (13.2%) patients had at least 1 concomitant immunological disease other than IBD; 241 patients (84.0%) had concurrent IBD. The most frequent NIDs were autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune hepatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The median follow-up time did not differ significantly between PSC patients with and without NID (10.5 years versus 7.0 years, P = 0.04). We did not find significant difference in the median time from PSC diagnosis to liver transplantation between PSC patients with and without NID (5.2 versus 6.3 years, P = 0.74). In the subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference in the median time from PSC diagnosis to liver transplantation between the PSC-only group, PSC with IBD group, and PSC with NID group (5.4 versus 6.4 versus 5.2 years, P = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS The association of NID in patients with PSC did not seem to affect the need for liver transplantation or transplantation-free survival. The findings suggest that the increased load of autoimmunity, including the presence of IBD or NID, has a minimum impact on the disease outcome of PSC.
Some Observations on the Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Provisions of S. 2123, The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015

This Article analyzes and critiques several provisions of S. 2123, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, relating to modifications of existing mandatory minimum sentence statutes. In particular, the Article addresses the creation of a so-called second safety valve for persons now subject to mandatory minimum sentences for drug trafficking offenses, as well as proposed revisions to the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The Article is drawn from comments provided to Senate staff by the author.
A SiC-Based High Power Density Single-Phase Inverter With In-Series and In-Parallel Power Decoupling Method

This paper presents an in-series and in-parallel combination power decoupling method for the single-phase inverter. With basic power equation derivation, the proposed method is analyzed and compared with other methods in theory. The operating principles and the control strategy are introduced. The circuit parameters based on silicon carbide device are designed in detail, and the power losses are evaluated for the circuit. To verify the theoretical analysis, a PLECS simulation model is built. Based on the simulation results, both the proposed method and the in-series method can achieve a more than 89% reduction of the dc-link capacitance compared with the traditional inverter. Furthermore, the proposed method is superior to the in-series method, with a more than 68% reduction of the extra circuit’s capacitance. Finally, a 2-kW prototype with a size of $7.25 \,\, \times \,\, 3.6 \,\, \times \,\, 1.4$ in3 and a power density of $\sim 55$ W/in3 is developed. Compared with the in-series method, the extra capacitance can be reduced by about 64% for the proposed power decoupling method. The experimental results are almost consistent with the simulation results. The efficiency for the proposed method is higher than 95%.
Optimal design of fuzzy controller based on immune principle and its simulation

By use of immune evolutionary algorithm, a new optimal method of fuzzy controller was presented. Fuzzy control rules and parameters of member functions are encoded respectively in forms of real number cluster, and then integrated optimization is carried out step by step, which leads to decrease in dimension of optimal parameters and increase in optimal speed and precision. Final simulation for pressure adjustable casting control system shows better performance of the method.
Nutritional therapy and liver disease

In terms of a general approach to these patients, the initial and most important step for the clinician is to have recognition and concern for the magnitude of malnutrition in patients with chronic liver disease. It is best to assume an inadequate diet and to have trained personnel review the individual's nutritional needs and design specific dietary regimens that supply sufficient energy and protein, perhaps in the form of frequent interval feedings. The currently available data support the use of specialized formulations only in selected patients with hepatic encephalopathy who are intolerant of an amount of protein sufficient to meet their nutritional requirements.
Advances in targeted proteomics and applications to biomedical research

Targeted proteomics technique has emerged as a powerful protein quantification tool in systems biology, biomedical research, and increasing for clinical applications. The most widely used targeted proteomics approach, selected reaction monitoring (SRM), also known as multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), can be used for quantification of cellular signaling networks and preclinical verification of candidate protein biomarkers. As an extension to our previous review on advances in SRM sensitivity (Shi et al., Proteomics, 12, 1074-1092, 2012) herein we review recent advances in the method and technology for further enhancing SRM sensitivity (from 2012 to present), and highlighting its broad biomedical applications in human bodily fluids, tissue and cell lines. Furthermore, we also review two recently introduced targeted proteomics approaches, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) with targeted data extraction on fast scanning high-resolution accurate-mass (HR/AM) instruments. Such HR/AM targeted quantification with monitoring all target product ions addresses SRM limitations effectively in specificity and multiplexing; whereas when compared to SRM, PRM and DIA are still in the infancy with a limited number of applications. Thus, for HR/AM targeted quantification we focus our discussion on method development, data processing and analysis, and its advantages and limitations in targeted proteomics. Finally, general perspectives on the potential of achieving both high sensitivity and high sample throughput for large-scale quantification of hundreds of target proteins are discussed.
Diffusion and Mixing in Fluid Flow: A Review

This note is a review of a series of results on the interaction between diffusion and fluid flow that have been presented by the author at the International Congress in Mathematical Physics in Rio, 2006. The main object of study is the enhancement of diffusive mixing by a fast incompressible flow. Due to its physical relevance, the subject has been studied in detail from different angles. Here, we describe some of the recent work which combines PDE, functional analysis and dynamical systems theory by trying to establish links between diffusion enhancement and mixing properties inherent to the dynamical system generated by the flow. The proofs are based on a general criterion for the decay of the semigroup generated by an operator of the form Γ+iAL with a negative unbounded self-adjoint operator Γ, a self-adjoint operator L, and parameter A≫1. In particular, they employ the RAGE theorem describing evolution of a quantum state belonging to the continuous spectral subspace of the Hamiltonian (related to a classical theorem of Wiener on Fourier transforms of measures).
Graphic Narratives and Cancer Prevention: A Case Study of an American Cancer Society Comic Book

As the interest in graphic medicine grows, health communicators have started engaging readers with compelling visual and textual accounts of health and illness, including via comic books. One context where comics have shown promise is cancer communication. This brief report presents an early example of graphic medicine developed by the American Cancer Society. "Ladies … Wouldn't It Be Better to Know?" is a comic book produced in the 1960s to provide the public with lay information about the Pap test for cervical cancer prevention and detection. An analysis of a key narrative attribute, plot development, illustrates the central role that perceived barriers played in this midcentury public health message, a component that remains a consideration of cancer communication design today. This case study of an early graphic narrative identifies promising cancer message features that can be used to address and refute barriers to cervical cancer screening and connects contemporary research with historical efforts in public health communication.
Investigating Agent Strategies within a Complex Adaptive System of Purchasing Agents for Estimating Attribute Relevance

The authors constructed a complex adaptive system of purchasing agents, and have used this software to estimate the relevance of attributes in a data set. The simulation supports the creation of arbitarily complex and diverse agent strategies. The effect of altering the proportion of two different agent strategies is investigated and reported, and constrasted with two non-CAS strategies based on information-gain variants.
Intensity profiling of femtosecond air filamentation using laser ablation on gold

Profiling of the intensity in femtosecond air filamentation has been performed experimentally using dependence of ablation threshold of gold on angle of incidence. We found that the peak intensity is strongly dependent on the external focusing.
Using an endoscopic distal cap to collect pancreatic fluid from the ampulla (with video).

Background and Aims Duodenal collections of pancreatic fluid can be used as a source of mutations and other markers of pancreatic ductal neoplasia, but admixing pancreatic juice with duodenal contents lowers the concentrations of mutations. Collecting pancreatic fluid directly from the ampulla could yield a purer sample of pancreatic fluid. Methods We used an endoscopic distal cap attachment to "cap" the ampulla and collect secretin-stimulated pancreatic fluid samples for 5 minutes from 81 patients undergoing pancreatic evaluation as part of the Cancer of the Pancreas Screening studies. We compared mutation concentrations ( K-ras and GNAS) measured by droplet-digital PCR (ddPCR) in "cap-collected juice" samples to those found in juice samples obtained from 77 patients collected by aspiration from the duodenal lumen without capping the ampulla. Results Among all subjects, mutation concentrations were higher in pancreatic juice samples collected using the endoscopic cap method (median, .028%; IQR, 0-.077) compared with the noncap-collected (median, .019%; IQR, 0-.044; P = .055). Among pancreatic juice samples with detectable mutations, mutation concentrations were higher in the cap-collected juice samples than in those collected without the cap (.055%; IQR, .026-.092 vs .032%; IQR, .020-.066; P = .031). Conclusions Collecting pancreatic juice directly from the ampulla using an endoscopic distal cap yields higher concentrations of pancreatic fluid mutations.
Predicting empathy in helping professionals: comparison of social work and nursing students

AbstractThere is a growing trend in social work to produce social work students who demonstrate empathy. Empathy levels in social work students are not well-researched, especially in comparison with students in other helping professions. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between empathy, self-esteem, and work engagement in 472 undergraduate and graduate students in the helping professions. Comparisons between BSW, MSW, and nursing students found overall high levels of affective empathy. Graduate MSW and nursing students scored higher than BSW students on most empathy constructs, self-esteem, work engagement, and had more work and volunteer experiences. A hierarchical multiple regression model was used to assess predictors of comprehensive empathy. Significant predictors of comprehensive empathy, as measured by the Empathy Assessment Index, included volunteer experience, work engagement, and affective empathy. Demographic variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, and years of work were n...
Instructor immediacy and statistics anxiety in social work undergraduate students

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between statistics anxiety and instructor immediacy among 113 social work undergraduate students enrolled in a Social Work Research method course at a large, fully accredited publicly funded university. It is hypothesized that students who report receiving higher immediacy would report lower ratings of statistics anxiety. Data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire. Statistics anxiety was measured with the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale, and instructor immediacy was assessed with the Instructor Immediacy Scale. Respondents ranged in age from 20 to 54 years (Mean age = 25.23, SD = 6.86), of whom 82.3% were female. Canonical correlations analysis yielded two functions with squared canonical correlations of () of .349 and .026 for each successive function. The full model was statistically significant using the Wilks’ λ = .633 criterion, F (12, 210) = 4.483, p = .001, accounting for 36.7% of the shared variance between instructor immediacy va...
Correction: Photodissociation dynamics of fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical at 248 and 193 nm

Correction for ‘Photodissociation dynamics of fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical at 248 and 193 nm’ by Isaac A. Ramphal et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05490d.
Prediction of human error using eye movements patterns for unintentional insider threat detection

Threats from the inside of an organization's perimeters are a significant problem since it is difficult to distinguish them from benign activities. Recent reports indicate that the accidental/unintentional incidents account for the majority ofall insider security incidents. Human error is a major factor in unintentional insider threat. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for unintentional insider threat (UIT) detection and mitigation based on eye movement patterns. We perform experiments to capture unique characteristics of a user's eye movements as they perform several computer-based activities in different scenarios. The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of using eye movement patterns in determining a user's subjective mental workload which is one of the main contributing factors to human error. We extract eye movement and pupil features which allow us to reliably achieve this goal. We evaluate our proposed approach using several classifiers and examine how different subsets of features affect the performance. The results show about 82% accuracy on average for users wearing eye glasses and an average accuracy of 84.5% for users without eye glasses. Our results demonstrate that users' eye movement patterns and pupil behaviors can reveal valuable clues about their subjective mental workload and could be used in developing effective tools for unintentional insider threat detection and mitigation in real-world environments.
Methamphetamine augment HIV-1 Tat mediated memory deficits by altering the expression of synaptic proteins and neurotrophic factors.

Abstract Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is common among individuals infected with HIV-1 and has been shown to affect HIV replication and pathogenesis. These HIV-1 infected individuals also exhibit greater neuronal injury and higher cognitive decline. HIV-1 proteins, specifically gp120 and HIV-1 Tat, have been earlier shown to affect neurocognition. HIV-1 Tat, a viral protein released early during HIV-1 replication, contributes to HIV-associated neurotoxicity through various mechanisms including production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species and dysregulation of neuroplasticity. However, the combined effect of METH and HIV-1 Tat on neurocognition and its potential effect on neuroplasticity mechanisms remains largely unknown. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the combined effect of METH and HIV-1 Tat on behavior and on the expression of neuroplasticity markers by utilizing Doxycycline (DOX)-inducible HIV-1 Tat (1-86) transgenic mice. Expression of Tat in various brain regions of these mice was confirmed by RT-PCR. The mice were administered with an escalating dose of METH (0.1 mg/kg to 6 mg/kg, i.p) over a 7-day period, followed by 6 mg/kg, i.p METH twice a day for four weeks. After three weeks of METH administration, Y maze and Morris water maze assays were performed to determine the effect of Tat and METH on working and spatial memory, respectively. Compared with controls, working memory was significantly decreased in Tat mice that were administered METH. Moreover, significant deficits in spatial memory were also observed in Tat-Tg mice that were administered METH. A significant reduction in the protein expressions of synapsin 1, synaptophysin, Arg3.1, PSD-95, and BDNF in different brain regions were also observed. Expression levels of Calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII), a marker of synaptodendritic integrity, were also significantly decreased in HIV-1 Tat mice that were treated with METH. Together, this data suggests that METH enhances HIV-1 Tat-induced memory deficits by reducing the expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins and neuroplasticity markers, thus providing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms behind neurocognitive impairments in HIV-infected amphetamine users.
Glucose Transporter (Glut1) Expression by Canine Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cells in Culture: An Immunocytochemical Study

Brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMEC) form a selectively permeable barrier known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) (16). The barrier is maintained structurally by the formation of tight junctions between adjacent BMEC plasma membranes (1). As a result, metabolites exchanged between the blood and brain must pass through the BMEC and BMEC, are marked by transport systems that are highly expressed in comparison to endothelial cells of non-barrier origin.
Interpretation of the NEXAFS Spectra of Adsorbates Using Multiple Scattering Calculations

Near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy is proving to be a powerful tool for investigating the geometric and electronic structure of chemisorbed molecules [5.1]. The polarization dependence of NEXAFS resonances gives information on the orientation of the adsorbed molecules with respect to the surface, and the position of certain resonances can be used to measure intramolecular bond lengths [5.2]. However, except for diatomic or pseudodiatomic adsor-bates, the near edge region presents a complex structure that is difficult to interpret in many cases. For a full interpretation it is often necessary to compare the experimental NEXAFS spectrum with a calculated spectrum for some model of the adsorbed species.
Hidden Monomial Cryptosystems

Let K be an extension of degree n of the finite field F q , where q is a power of 2, and let β1, β2,..., β n ∈ K be a basis of K as an F q -vector space. Alice will be using the Imai-Matsumoto system in K. She regards each element of K as an n-tuple over F q . Alice may choose to keep her basis secret, in which case we cannot assume that a cryptanalyst (whom we shall name “Catherine”) knows what basis she is using.
Characterization of the electromagnetic parameter uncertainty in single-ply unidirectional carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer laminas

Abstract This paper characterizes the variation in electromagnetic properties of single-ply unidirectional carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) laminas between samples fabricated using the same material. The variation is referred to as the electromagnetic-parameter uncertainty (EPU). The resulting EPU from both wet-layup and pre-preg fabrication techniques were investigated. A free-space materials characterization system operating from 4 to 18 GHz was used to characterize the electromagnetic properties with respect to the main fiber direction. A surface-impedance representation was calculated from the measured data to expose the EPU. Finally, the effects of the EPU on the reflectivity properties of electromagnetic-absorber designs using unidirectional CFRP were determined.
Revenue Optimization with Approximate Bid Predictions

In the context of advertising auctions, finding good reserve prices is a notoriously challenging learning problem. This is due to the heterogeneity of ad opportunity types, and the non-convexity of the objective function. In this work, we show how to reduce reserve price optimization to the standard setting of prediction under squared loss, a well understood problem in the learning community. We further bound the gap between the expected bid and revenue in terms of the average loss of the predictor. This is the first result that formally relates the revenue gained to the quality of a standard machine learned model.
Work and the Reader in Literary Studies: Scholarly Editing and Book History

By the late 1980s the concept of the work had slipped out of sight, consigned to its last refuge in the library catalogue as concepts of discourse and text took its place. Scholarly editors, who depended on it, found no grounding in literary theory for their practice. But fundamental ideas do not go away, and the work is proving to be one of them. New interest in the activity of the reader in the work has broadened the concept, extending it historically and sweeping away its once-supposed aesthetic objecthood. Concurrently, the advent of digital scholarly editions is recasting the editorial endeavour. The Work and The Reader in Literary Studies tests its argument against a range of book-historically inflected case-studies from Hamlet editions to Romantic poetry archives to the writing practices of Joseph Conrad and D. H. Lawrence. It newly justifies the practice of close reading in the digital age.
Energy transfer studies between mixed Au-Pd cyanide nanosystems and Tb+3 doped in different alkali halides

Abstract Heterometallic d10-d8 nano systems of dicyanoaurate(I) and tetracyanopalladate(II) with Tb+3 doped in different alkali halide hosts (NaCl, NaBr, and KBr) have been studied. This is the first time three such ions have been synthesized and studied in alkali halide hosts. Raman measurements were performed to elucidate the nature of the nanocluster structures. Vibrational measurements reveal that Tb+3 substitution of the alkali halide does not occur without regard to the dispersion and configuration of Au(CN)2−/Pd(CN)4−2 codopants. Low temperature luminescence measurements show broad emission bands associated with a combination of Au(CN)2− and Pd(CN)4−2 MLCT. Terbium f-f emission bands are observed with intensities on the order of KBr > NaBr > NaCl, counter to the higher concentration of Tb+3 in NaCl. Our results indicate that f-f emissions arise from resonance energy transfer from a mixed Au/Pd nanocluster, which preferentially form in larger alkali halide hosts. We support our findings using DFT calculations.
Multiview Synthetic Aperture Ground-Penetrating Radar Detection in Rough Terrain Environment: A Real-Time 3-D Forward Model

A major problem with forward-looking ground-penetrating radar (FLGPR) detection of buried explosive threats is the scattering from the rough ground surface. The authors have previously developed a real-time 3-D algorithm for single-view emulation of synthetic aperture FLGPR scattering from rough terrain at low grazing angles. This article extends the method to the real-time 3-D simulation of a multiview moving platform transmitter/receiver array moving as fast as 15 km/h. The need to perform the new calculation at every frame for the moving antenna array platform is shown to be unnecessary, with the requirement relaxed to once for only a single frame at the center of 10–20 m forward interrogation range, leading to about 50 times faster computation. The computation of the scattered waves comprising surface clutter is reduced for all moving frames to a mere multiplication of three matrices: a pre-computed impulse response matrix of rough terrain, a pre-computed correction matrix of moving frames, and a matrix characterizing the transmitting input signal. The method is evaluated via 3-D Monte Carlo simulation for various rough surface parameters, and its applicability for subsurface scattering reconstruction to characterize the buried threat objects is shown. For a vehicle-mounted FLGPR detection system, this leads to a significant saving of computation resources. Our developed algorithm provides 3-D modeling of rough terrain scattering for lossy and frequency-dispersive soil and compares well with full-wave finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method computation.
Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome or neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report of phenotypic overlap with detection of NF1 gene mutation in non-ossifying fibroma.

Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome is characterized by multiple non-ossifying fibromas, cafe-au-lait macules and giant cell granulomas of the jaw. Even if the association between all these peculiar features and neurofibromatosis type 1 have been described, it has not yet been clarified whether Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome represents a distinct entity or it can be regarded as a neurofibromatosis type 1 subtype. The patient here described is a young boy, who fulfilled the clinical diagnostic criteria for both syndromes. He had a complex clinical history with cafe-au-lait macules, axillary and inguinal freckling, multiple non-ossifying fibromas, giant-cell granuloma of the jaw, neurofibromas, plexiform fibroma, ocular Lisch nodules, optic chiasmatic- hypothalamic glioma, pseudarthrosis, scoliosis, short stature, vascular anomalies, seizures. Molecular analysis of the NF1 gene both on blood cells and non-ossifying fibroma’s biopsy tissue allowed the detection of a novel variant within the coding region, NM_000267.3:c.2789_2791delATC(p.Tyr930_Pro931delinsSer), with loss of heterozygosity (second hit mutation) in the non-ossifying fibroma. This result indicates that every patient with clinical features of Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome should be further evaluated to detect features related to neurofibromatosis type 1 and genetically investigated for mutations in the NF1 gene, since this could lead to a definite diagnosis, but also could clarify and quantify the real genotype-phenotype overlap between neurofibromatosis type 1 and Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome.
Restructuring Sovereign Debt by Incorporating Soft Law as Governing Law or by Reference

This paper, presented at the D-DebtCon 2020 sovereign debt panel, examines an innovative new contractual approach to help solve the holdout problem. That problem arises, for example, when certain hedge funds—known as vulture funds—buy distressed sovereign debt at pennies on the dollar and vote their holdings to block a restructuring plan unless they receive more than their fair share thereunder. Holdouts thereby can obstruct otherwise rational sovereign debt restructuring plans. Although, in principle, statutory and contractual solutions can solve the holdout problem, statutory solutions have not been politically acceptable and contractual solutions have been insufficient. This paper advances the arguments recently made in Soft Law as Governing Law, 104 MINNESOTA LAW REVIEW 2471 (2020), that parties to sophisticated business contracts, such as sovereign debt contracts, should be able to choose non-governmental rules, or soft law—in the case of sovereign debt contracts, the CIGI Model Law for sovereign debt restructuring—as the contract’s governing “law”. Choosing the Model Law as that governing law would help to facilitate aggregate supermajority voting, thereby solving the holdout problem.
Mez: A Messaging System for Latency-Sensitive Multi-Camera Machine Vision at the IoT Edge.

Mez is a publish-subscribe messaging system for latency sensitive multi-camera machine vision at the IoT Edge. Unlike existing messaging systems, Mez allows applications to specify latency, and application accuracy bounds. Mez implements a network latency controller that dynamically adjusts the video frame quality to satisfy latency, and application accuracy requirements. Additionally, the design of Mez utilizes application domain specific features to provide low latency operations. Experimental evaluation on an IoT Edge testbed with a pedestrian detection machine vision application indicates that Mez is able to tolerate latency variations of up to 10x with a worst-case reduction of 4.2\% in the application accuracy F1 score metric.
Pictures from Space and Feet in the Mud: Understanding the Value of the World’s Changing Mangrove Forests

Mangrove forests line the coast of low-lying tropical shores. These habitats provide many types of ecosystem services that help protect and sustain communities around the world. Many of these locations are extremely difficult to get to, but we can use pictures taken from satellites in space to help us see where our coasts are changing, even in the most remote places. Using a combination of satellite imagery and ground information we can make regional and global estimates of the health and the structure of mangrove forests around the world. However, to make sure these estimates are accurate we need to visit these locations and make measurements on the ground. Our visits to these sites, with help from our in-country partners at universities and government agencies, can be difficult, fun, and enlightening all at the same time. We may have different objectives, but we all have the same goal, to sustain our coasts and the natural habitats within.
Clusters of pain trajectories among patients with sickle cell disease hospitalized for vaso‐occlusive crisis: A data‐driven approach

Background Vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) are the hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD), with higher severity among hospitalized patients. Clustering hospitalizations with similar pain trajectories could identify vulnerable patient subgroups. Aims were to (1) identify clusters of hospitalizations based on pain trajectories; (2) identify factors associated with these clusters; and (3) determine the association between these clusters and 30-day readmissions. Methods We retrospectively included 350 VOC hospitalizations from 2013-2016 among 59 patients. Finite mixture modeling identified clusters of hospitalizations from intercepts and slopes of pain trajectories during the hospitalization. Generalized estimating equations for multinomial and logistic models were used to identify factors associated with clusters of hospitalizations based on pain trajectories and 30-day readmissions, respectively, while accounting for multiple hospitalizations per patient. Results Three clusters of hospitalizations based on pain trajectories were identified: slow (n=99), moderate (n=207), and rapid (n=44) decrease in pain scores. In multivariable analysis, SCD complications, female gender, and affective disorders were associated with clusters with slow or moderate decrease in pain scores (compared to rapid decrease). Although univariate analysis found that the cluster with moderate decrease in pain scores was associated with lower odds of 30-day readmissions compared to the cluster with slow decrease, it was non-significant in multivariable analysis. SCD complications were associated with higher odds of 30-day readmissions and older age was associated with lower odds of 30-day readmissions. Conclusions Our results highlight variability in pain trajectories among patients with SCD experiencing VOC and provide a novel approach for identifying subgroups of patients that could benefit from more intensive follow-up.
Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and the (Uncertain) Future of Online Privacy

This public-sourced case uses Facebook, the legendary social media platform, to unfold circumstances that allow an analysis of the firm's privacy risk around its marketing tools and use of collected consumer data.Although Facebook had made progress on providing users more transparency around how it operated, how policies were enforced, and how shared data has been collected since 2018, challenges persisted—most notably over how to deal with misinformation on Facebook's platform and what to do with efforts to regain public trust. Facebook needed access to user data in order to ensure its advertising revenue source remained profitable. The scandal around user data and Cambridge Analytica leaves the case open to exploring privacy policies, data use, and factors driving consumer concerns regarding their data.The case provides an overview of Facebook's platform and policies that can be used to discuss the responsibility future general managers have to consider privacy and transparency when using consumer data. Had Facebook crossed the line with users over data collection? And what, if anything, should be done about regulators' increasing interest in how the firm conducted business? Although this case was written and taught before the global COVID-19 pandemic struck, it provides an interesting contrast to consumers' attitudes toward trust and legitimacy issues before and after COVID-19. Excerpt UVA-M-0979 Jul. 20, 2020 Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and the (Uncertain) Future of Online Privacy We don't exactly have the strongest reputation on privacy right now, to put it lightly. —Mark Zuckerberg, May 3, 2019 When it was widely reported that during the 2016 US presidential election, more Facebook users got their news from social media than anywhere else, alarms around unverified news and disinformation rang. Fake news became more widely read than real news items. The commotion got even louder as elected officials and regulators started to investigate the public's growing apprehension around the internet. Accusations of Facebook spreading disinformation, allowing foreign influences in US elections, and even promoting genocide grew. Facebook's contact-importing practices, called “friend permissions,” became a lightning rod for privacy advocates. Yet throughout the turmoil, advertisers continued to favor Facebook over other social media platforms. . . .
Acceptability of a patient decision aid for women aged 70 and older with stage I, estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer

Abstract Objectives A comprehensive decision aid (DA) for women ≥70 years with Stage I ER+/HER2-negative breast cancer was developed to support locoregional and systemic treatment decision-making. We aimed to test the acceptability of this novel DA in women newly-diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and Methods Women ≥70 diagnosed with Stage I, ER+/HER2- breast cancer were recruited from three Boston-area hospitals. They underwent baseline interviews after initial surgical consultation, reviewed the DA, and were surveyed Results Thirty-three of 56 eligible patients approached completed the baseline and acceptability surveys, and 25 completed the three-month follow-up. Participants' mean age was 74.7 years (±3.8). Nearly all participants (n = 31, 94%) strongly agreed that the DA was helpful and felt that the DA prepared them for treatment decision-making, with a mean decision preparation score of 4.1 (out of 5.0); 6% (n = 2) found it very anxiety provoking. Knowledge improved with a mean of 9.0 out of 14 questions correct at baseline to 10.6 correct on the acceptability survey (p Conclusions A DA tailored to women ≥70 with Stage I, ER+, HER2- breast cancer increased knowledge and was perceived to be helpful by older women. A randomized controlled trial is needed to evaluate its efficacy.
Preoperative risk stratification minimizes 90-day complications in morbidly obese patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty.

Aims It has been shown that the preoperative modification of risk factors associated with obesity may reduce complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the optimal method of doing ...
Does stroke etiology influence outcome in the posterior circulation? An analysis of 107 consecutive acute basilar occlusion thrombectomies.

Objective Acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) harbors a more guarded prognosis after thrombectomy compared with anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion. Whether this is a function of a greater proportion of atherosclerotic/intrinsic lesions is not well studied. The authors aimed to elucidate the prevalence and predictors of intracranial intrinsic atherosclerotic disease in patients with acute BAO and to compare angiographic and clinical outcomes between patients with BAO secondary to embolic versus intrinsic disease. Methods A prospectively maintained stroke database was reviewed for all patients presenting between January 2013 and December 2019 to a tertiary care academic comprehensive stroke center with acute, nontandem BAO. Patient data were extracted, subdivided by stroke mechanism and treatment modality (embolic [thrombectomy only] and intrinsic [thrombectomy + stenting]), and angiographic and clinical results were compared. Results Of 107 patients, 83 (78%) had embolic occlusions (thrombectomy only) and 24 (22%) had intrinsic disease (thrombectomy + stenting). There was no significant difference in patient age, presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, time to presentation, selected medical comorbidities (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation), prior stroke, and posterior circulation Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score. Patients with intrinsic disease were more likely to be active smokers (50% vs 26%, p = 0.04) and more likely to be male (88% vs 48%, p = 0.001). Successful recanalization, defined as a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) grade of 2b or 3, was achieved in 90% of patients and did not differ significantly between the embolic versus intrinsic groups (89% vs 92%, p > 0.99). A 90-day good outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 0-2) was found in 37% of patients overall and did not differ significantly between the two groups (36% vs 41%, p = 0.41). Mortality was 40% overall and did not significantly differ between groups (41% vs 36%, p = 0.45). Conclusions In the current study, demographic and clinical results for acute BAO showed that compared with intrinsic disease, thromboembolic disease is a more common mechanism of acute BAO, with 78% of patients undergoing thrombectomy alone. However, there was no significant difference in revascularization and outcome results between patients with embolic disease and those with intrinsic disease.