cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Idiopathic Isolated Right Ventricular Cardiolithiasis

A rare case of isolated idiopathic right ventricular endocardial calcification with outflow tract obstruction, organized pulmonary emboli, and subsequent right heart failure is presented. Diagnostic features, possible etiologies, investigation and treatment are outlined. This case is believed to be the first of its kind reported in North America.
Primary Anastomosis or Hartmann’s Procedure for Patients With Diverticular Peritonitis? A Systematic Review

This systematic literature review was designed to summarize and compare the reported outcomes of one-stage and two-stage operations for the treatment of perforated diverticulitis with peritonitis. This review identified 98 published studies (1957–2003) dealing with the surgical management of perforated diverticulitis with peritonitis, either with primary resection and anastomosis or with the Hartmann’s procedure. Aggregated results of adverse outcomes were calculated but statistical comparisons were not appropriate because of data and design heterogeneity. Operative mortality data from patients with diverticular peritonitis undergoing Hartmann’s procedure (n = 1,051) were derived from 54 studies. Considering the Hartmann’s procedure and its reversal procedures together, the mortality rate was 19.6 percent (18.8 percent for the Hartmann’s procedure and 0.8 percent for its reversal), the wound infection rate was 29.1 percent (24.2 percent for the Hartmann’s procedure and 4.9 percent for its reversal), and stoma complications and anastomotic leaks (in the reversal operation) occurred in 10.3 and 4.3 percent, respectively. Of 569 reported cases of primary anastomosis from 50 studies, the aggregated mortality rate was 9.9 (range, 0–75) percent with an anastomotic leak rate of 13.9 (range, 0–60) percent and a wound infection rate of 9.6 (range, 0–26) percent. Reported mortality and morbidity in patients with diverticular peritonitis who underwent primary anastomosis were not higher than those in patients undergoing Hartmann’s procedure were. This suggests that primary anastomosis is a safe operative alternative in certain patients with peritonitis. Despite inclusion of only patients with peritonitis in this analysis, selection bias may have been a limitation and a prospective, randomized trial is recommended.
Case Study: Convertible Arbitrage—U.S. Market Trends and Global Position Winners/Losers

After coping with sagging equity volatility in the spring (and numerous concerns about how far it might fall), the emergence of a new round of corporate accounting issues combined with evidence of continued shaky operating results to generate more than enough volatility in the second quarter for convertible arbitrageurs. However, as is typically the case, the large upward volatility spikes were frequently accompanied by credit-spread deterioration and premium erosion among names where any operational question marks existed. The rocky environment has led to a renewed focus on risk management as managers reevaluate exposures across their portfolios. This activity has prompted sales in more speculative names, with a lack of buyers for this supply pressuring premiums in the associated issues. Meanwhile, however, arbitrageurs continue to have ample available buying power. As a result, among more “visible” names, implied volatilities rose slightly during this difficult period, and we believe will remain firm in coming months. In this case study, we provide an overview of convertible arbitrage trends and selected winner and loser arbitrage positions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
1,3-Diphosphabicyclo[1.1.1]pentane dication: theoretical evidence for an inverted phosphorus atom

Abstract Ab initio calculations at the HF/6-31G ∗ level were performed for 1,3-diphosphabicyclo [1.1.1]pentane ( 1 ) and its dication ( 2 ). The P-P distance is 2.485 A in 1 and shortens to 2.181 A in the dication, a distance similar to typical P-P single bond lengths. Topological electron-density analysis of 1 indicates a cage structure. The dication has a bond path connecting the two P atoms, but its bond path network is topologically unstable. The results suggest that 2 may possess an inverted P atom, with a weak central P-P bond.
Homograph norms: an alternative approach to determining meaning dominance.

In the present study, we provide a new technique for the collection of homograph norms that reduces subjectivity in the determination of meaning dominance by allowing participants rather than experimenters to indicate to which meaning or meanings the associates were related. To evaluate the effectiveness of this new technique, a subset of homograph norms were used in three separate experiments, demonstrating that (1) when presented with additional meaning categories, participants classified the associates consistently into the primary and secondary meaning categories; (2) overall, the participants were most familiar with primary meanings, followed by secondary, tertiary, and quaternary meanings; and (3) the meaning categories provided to the participants during norms collection were appropriate, since the two meanings provided for each homograph by the participants were consistent with the original data. Finally, in a fourth experiment, we compared the results of this new technique with a parallel set collected in Australia. The high degree of similarity in the results provides validity for this procedure. The homograph norms discussed in this article may be downloaded from http://brm.psychonomic-journals.org/ content/supplemental.
Radical hysterectomy versus radiation therapy for stage ib squamous cell cancer of the cervix

Three hundred forty-five patients with Stage IB squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were treated at the University of Michigan Medical Center from 1970 to 1985. The overall cumulative 5-year survival rate was 89% and the mean age was 44.6 years. In 213 patients undergoing radical hysterectomy the cumulative 5-year survival rate was 92%; 14 patients were explored for radical hysterectomy that was not performed due to high risk features and their survival rate was 50%. Ninety-seven patients underwent radiation therapy as initial treatment and had a 5-year survival rate of 86%. There was no significant difference when radiation therapy was compared with radical hysterectomy (P = 0.098). The survival rates for lesions 3 cm or smaller were 94% for radical hysterectomy and 88% for radiation therapy. When the lesion was larger than 3 cm, the survival rates were 82% with radical surgery and 73% with radiation therapy. Metastatic disease to lymph nodes was present in 26 of the 213 patients undergoing radical hysterectomy. When 1 to 3 nodes were involved 16 of 19 patients survived and when 4 to 10 nodes were involved 3 of 7 patients survived. The addition of radiation therapy did not influence survival. Complications were similar in both treatment groups. Fistulas occurred in 4 of 213 patients undergoing radical hysterectomy and 1 of 111 undergoing radiation. Second surgery for a complication was required in 6 of 213 patients undergoing radical hysterectomy and 7 of 111 undergoing radiation. Survival and complication rates in early stage squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix are equal with either radical surgery or radiation therapy.
Inference of human postures by classification of 3D human body shape

We describe an approach for inferring the body posture using a 3D visual-hull constructed from a set of silhouettes. We introduce an appearance-based, view-independent, 3D shape description for classifying and identifying human posture using a support vector machine. The proposed global shape description is invariant to rotation, scale and translation and varies continuously with 3D shape variations. This shape representation is used for training a support vector machine allowing the characterization of human body postures from the computed visual hull. The main advantage of the shape description is its ability to capture human shape variation allowing the identification of body postures across multiple people. The proposed method is illustrated on a set of video streams of body postures captured by four synchronous cameras.
Recent Developments in Complex Scaling

My objective in this talk will be to discuss some recent developments in the use of complex basis function techniques to study resonance, as well as certain types of non-resonant, scattering phenomena. Complex scaling techniques and other closely related methods have continued to attract the attention of computational physicists and chemists and have now reached a point of development where meaningful calculations on many-electron (more than two!) atoms and molecules are beginning to appear feasible. The field has evolved very rapidly over the past few years and I will not attempt anything like an exhaustive review of the subject. I can refer the interested reader to the review article by McCurdy1 and to a volume of the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry2 devoted entirely to the subject. These sources give an excellent summary of both mathematical and computational techniques in complex scaling through 1978. The scope of this talk will be limited to several developments since 1978 with which I have been connected.
A hybrid Silicon-On-Glass (SOG) lateral micro-accelerometer with CMOS readout circuitry

A hybrid micro-accelerometer system consisting of a new bulk Silicon-On-Glass (SOG) lateral capacitive micro-accelerometer and a CMOS interface circuit is presented. The accelerometer has a 120 /spl mu/m-thick proof mass, 2.2 mm /spl times/ 3.0 mm in size with a 3.2 /spl mu/m sensing gap defined by DRIE. The circuit has a 95 dB dynamic range, a low offset of 370 /spl mu/V and can resolve better than 75 aF. The hybrid system has a measured sensitivity of 40 mV/g and resolution of 100 /spl mu/g//spl radic/(Hz).
Enhancing learning outcomes through group work in an internationalised undergraduate business education context

Employers of business graduates require them to be effective communicators and team members in twenty-first century work environments. As a means of developing these skills, we believe group work is important to an undergraduate business teaching pedagogy preparing graduates for the challenges of modern workplaces. Student responses to a series of qualitative and quantitative focus group activities highlighted the ‘big issues’ encountered in group activities involving an increasingly internationalised and diverse cohort of students. These issues related mainly to communication within the group and the fear of social-loafers. These insights established the basis on which proactive strategies were introduced in a subsequent teaching period to nurture and advance the quality of the learning experience within a tertiary undergraduate business education setting. Given that reduced Government funding to Australian universities has prompted the management of institutions to look to full-fee paying international students to offset shortfalls in their operating budgets, this paper explores the particular impact of increasing numbers of English as a Second Language (ESL) students on the quality of, and student receptiveness to, group based study activities.
A ‘Fundamental Misunderstanding’?

One of the many illuminating aspects of Bart Schultz's book is the recurrent theme of Sidgwick's Socratic inspiration. Some of Sidgwick's contemporaries at Cambridge were among those who gave new life to the study of Socrates and Plato in England. The Cambridge Apostles were self-consciously devoted both to Socratic ideals of friendship and to the Socratic aim of impartial free inquiry on fundamental questions.
Self-Imposed Temporal Redundancy: An Efficient Technique to Enhance the Reliability of Pipelined Functional Units

Temporal redundancy (TR) improves the reliability of computational functional units (FUs). However, it can guarantee detection of transient errors only, and may have a substantial power and area overhead. In this paper we present self-imposed temporal redundancy (SITR), a form of TR that can be applied to pipelined FUs and does not suffer from the aforementioned problems. A SITR-enhanced FU forces redundant computations to fire in consecutive cycles and requires a single additional cycle for the second computation and the comparison of the two results. We evaluate the power and area overhead of SITR and conclude that is always smaller than that of standard TR and that it does not depend on the FU complexity. We also use SITR to improve the reliability of the execution datapath of a simple out-of-order engine, typical of that used in high reliability embedded systems and future many-core architectures. Our simulations show that SITR outperforms TR, especially in FP applications. When the number of integer ALUs is larger than the machine width, the performance penalty of SITR is consistently less than 10%.
2D parallel optical coherence tomography and multiple-layer information extraction

During the past decade, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been vigorously developed into a powerful tool for biomedical diagnosis applications. Because this technology has the nature of extracting the internal features of an object, its applications can be extended to document security, biometrics identification, and industrial inspection. In addition, its high imaging resolution makes OCT an ideal tool for massive storage/retrieval of 3D data. In this paper, we propose the 2D parallel OCT system and its application for multiple-layer information retrieval. We will study the issues that exist exclusively in this type of application, such as interlayer phase/intensity modulation and the parasitic fringe patterns resulting from the surfaces of the information layer. The basic procedure of the proposed OCT system includes three steps: 1) extraction of cross-section raw images at each layer of an object; 2) removal of the interfering fringes by algorithm derived from multiple phase-shifted images; 3) elimination of interlayer modulations and parasitic patterns. Other issues that may degrade the retrieved images are also discussed. The simulation results and experimental tomography obtained from different testing samples are presented and discussed.
Identification, Prevention and Treatment of Iron Deficiency during the First 1000 Days

Iron deficiency is a global problem across the life course, but infants and their mothers are especially vulnerable to both the development and the consequences of iron deficiency. Maternal iron deficiency during pregnancy can predispose offspring to the development of iron deficiency during infancy, with potentially lifelong sequelae. This review explores iron status throughout these “first 1000 days” from pregnancy through two years of age, covering the role of iron and the epidemiology of iron deficiency, as well as its consequences, identification, interventions and remaining research gaps.
A velocity averaging method for bridging molecular dynamics with finite element analysis

In computational mechanics, molecular dynamics (MD) and finite element (FE) analysis are well developed and most popular on microscale and macroscale analysis, respectively. MD can very well simulate the atomistic behavior, but cannot simulate macroscale length and time due to computational limits. FE can very well simulate continuum mechanics (CM) problems, but has the limitation on the atomistic level degree of freedom. Multiscale modeling is an expedient methodology with a potential to connect different levels of modeling such as quantum mechanics, molecular dynamics, and continuum mechanics. Developing nanotechnologies require a new simulation method which has both advantages of MD and FE. This paper proposes a new multiscale modeling technique to couple MD with FE. The proposed method relies on combining velocities principle. 1D wave propagation example has been used to illustrate the challenges in coupling MD with FE and to verify the proposed velocity combination approach.
The sequential and prosodic co-construction of a ‘quiz game’ activity in classroom talk

Abstract This paper investigates how an activity type called “quiz game”, borrowed from one institution (the television game show) is co-constructed in another institutional setting (the classroom) through practices of talk in interaction embodied in systematic prosodic practices. Following research which advocates the analysis of prosody from the perspectives of both production and perception [ ‘t Hart et al., 1990 ] this paper uses techniques from conversation analysis to uncover participants’ orientation to the sequence of talk, by focusing on how prosody is used systematically as a contextualization cue in the co-construction of the ‘quiz game’ activity type. Acoustical analysis is also undertaken both to insure analytic reliability and for illustrative purposes in the presentation. The sequence of turns at talk is examined in ‘quiz game’ activities from three class periods in a 9th grade physical science classroom. Findings show systematic uses of pitch level and contour in the triadic dialogue (‘IRF’ exchanges; Sinclair and Coulthard), which distinguish the ‘quiz game’ activities from other classroom pedagogical tasks. A second finding indicates that the action projection of the third part in this three-part sequence in ‘quiz game’ activities differs from the third slot in other instructional talk.
Continuity of optimal robustness and robust stabilization in slowly varying systems

The continuity properties of the optimal design of robust stabilization in the gap metric are investigated. In general, the optimal design in the gap metric lacks continuity properties arising in certain H/sup infinity / adaptation schemes for slowly varying systems. The delta -suboptimal central design is shown to be Lipschitz continuous. Applications of the continuity properties lead to a suboptimal design for robust stabilization in slowly time-varying plants which are represented by local normalized coprime factorizations. >
Learning and adaptation in an airborne laser fire controller

A simulated battlefield, containing airborne lasers that shoot ballistic missiles down, provides an excellent test-bed for developing adaptive controllers. An airborne laser fire controller, which can adapt the strategy it uses for target selection, is developed. The approach is to transform a knowledge-based controller into an adaptable connectionist representation, use supervised training to initialize the weights so that the adaptable controller mimics the knowledge-based controller, and then use directed search with simulation-based performance evaluation to continuously adapt the controller behavior to the dynamic environmental conditions. New knowledge can be directly extracted from the automatically discovered controllers. Three directed search methods are characterized for production training, and compared with the better characterized gradient descent methods commonly used for supervised training. Automated discovery of improved controllers is demonstrated, as is automated adaptation of controller behavior to changes in environmental conditions.
A Model for University-Industry Collaboration

This paper describes the New England Center for Analog and Mixed Signal Integrated Circuit Design (NECAMSID). This center, in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), enables collaborative interaction between industry sponsors and WPI faculty. The flexibility of WPI’s project-based educational program allows a variety of undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities, including industry sponsored projects at both on- and off-campus sites.
Design of an industrial controls laboratory

To better prepare our students for new opportunities, Ohio University has developed an industrial controls laboratory for electrical engineers. The laboratory requires the student to apply a theoretical controls background to a mechanical process, controlled with traditional industry components. A Commercially available laboratory set-up containing both a hydraulic and thermal system is used for the experiments. Experiments were designed with the goal of proceeding from a highly structured format, to an open ended format. Students practice their skills at root locus analysis, eigensystem realization, D/A converters, A/D converters and transducers. The design of one of the experiments is presented. This paper also includes an evaluation of the performance of the students which identified concepts that are not well understood from the classroom. >
Simple embedded atom method model for fcc and hcp metals

A procedure based on the embedded atom method (EAM) is presented for developing atomistic models for use in computer simulation calculations, with an emphasis on simple but general schemes for matching experimental data with fitting parameters. Both the electron density function and the two-body potential are taken as exponentially decreasing functions and the model is derived for any choice of cutoff distance. The model has been applied successfully to seven fcc and three hcp metals, but the extension to bcc metals was unsuccessful because of difficulty in matching the shear anisotropy ratio.
A skill refinement learning model for rule-based expert systems

Research in equipping rule-based expert systems with skill refinement behavior by utilizing the recognize-act control mechanism is described. An overview of expert system skill refinement is provided. A skill refinement model for generating plans is then presented. Two closely coupled and mutually supportive mechanisms characterize this model: a rule-selecting mechanism (corresponding to a buyer-selecting procedure) that dynamically incorporates the concept of multiple selection/preference criteria into the conflict resolution process, and an economics-based credit assignment mechanism (corresponding to a capital reallocation procedure) that uses an inference engine's experiences to update the potentiality of each rule participating in the problem-solving process. A mathematical description of the model is given. An example is provided to illustrate the inference engine's skill refinement and the applicability of the model is discussed. >
Pathology of Cardiac Transplantation

Abstract Cardiac transplantation offers an effective therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. The success of cardiac transplantation has been attributed to the refinement in the criteria for recipient and donor selections, better monitoring for rejection through endomyocardial biopsies, and improved immunosuppression regimens. This chapter emphasizes the histopathologic evaluation of the explanted heart, the allograft through its natural history, and the failed allograft. The diagnostic interpretation and reporting of rejection in surveillance endomyocardial biopsies in accordance with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation working formulations for cellular and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) are presented. Since the last edition of this textbook, AMR has gained recognition as an important cause of cardiac allograft dysfunction. Current concepts and controversies in AMR including the proposed grading system for pathologic AMR are discussed. Commonly encountered nonrejection biopsy findings are also illustrated. The major causes of graft failure and death in transplant patients, particularly cardiac allograft vasculopathy, are reviewed.
Coordinated vision-based tracking for multiple UAVs

This paper tackles the problem of coordinated vision-based tracking of a ground target by a fleet of multiple UAVs that exchange information over a supporting time-varying network. The objective of this work is to formulate decentralized control algorithms that enable multiple vehicles to follow a target while coordinating their phase separation. A typical scenario involves multiple aerial surveillance UAVs which are required to monitor a moving ground object (target tracking), while maintaining a desired inter-vehicle separation (coordination). To solve the tracking problem, the yaw rate of each vehicle is used as control input, while the ground speeds are adjusted to achieve coordination. It is assumed that the UAVs are equipped with an internal autopilot, which is able to track yaw rate and ground speed commands. The performance of the coordinated vision-based tracking algorithm is evaluated as a function of target's velocity, tracking performance of the onboard autopilot, and the quality of service of the communication network.
Empathic-Cognitive Development in Students of Counseling

Empathy is both crucial to counseling and a desired outcome in higher education. Since the 1960s, many studies have examined the relationship between stages of adult cognitive development and level of empathy, particularly in counselors. Though positive, findings related to this critical research focus have been grounded in small, local samples, leading several investigators to call for a replication using a large, national sample. In response, this study surveyed 340 graduate student members of a large professional counseling association across the United States. Results indicated that more mature forms of thought (according to the Perry scheme) are associated with higher empathy levels (Hogan scale). Implications are drawn for adult development theory, education of counselors, and higher education reform.
Analysis of a Progressive Derecho Climatology and Associated Formation Environments

AbstractA 1996–2013 May–August U.S. progressive derecho climatology existing entirely within the modern radar era is constructed identifying 256 derecho events over the 18-yr span. A corridor of enhanced derecho activity in agreement with previous derecho studies stretches from southern Minnesota to the border of Ohio and West Virginia with a marked decrease east of the Appalachian Mountains. A secondary maximum in progressive derecho activity exists in Kansas and Oklahoma. Analyses of derecho frequency by month of the warm season indicate a northward shift in frequency through July and an increase in derecho frequency through the first half of the warm season followed by a large decrease in August.The 256 identified derecho events are divided subjectively into seven distinct categories based on the synoptic environments in which they form. While the prevailing “northwest flow” conceptual model is upheld as the dominant progressive derecho synoptic category, the common occurrence of warm-season progressiv...
Provenance semirings

We show that relational algebra calculations for incomplete databases, probabilistic databases, bag semantics and why-provenance are particular cases of the same general algorithms involving semirings. This further suggests a comprehensive provenance representation that uses semirings of polynomials. We extend these considerations to datalog and semirings of formal power series. We give algorithms for datalog provenance calculation as well as datalog evaluation for incomplete and probabilistic databases. Finally, we show that for some semirings containment of conjunctive queries is the same as for standard set semantics.
Validation of the NINDS-CSN 5-Minute Battery for Vascular Cognitive Impairment (P04.200)

Objective: To validate the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) 5-minute cognitive battery using other measures of cognitive function and measures of vascular risk. Background The recent NINDS-CSN Vascular Cognitive Impairment Harmonization Standards recommended a 5-minute neuropsychological battery as a brief screening instrument sensitive to deficits commonly seen in vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Design/Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 7,199 stroke-free US adults enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study from January 2003 to October 2007. We examined effects of demographics on the NINDS-CSN 5-minute battery score at first assessment (in 2009 and later), and correlation of 5-minute battery scores with other cognitive tests and with measures of cerebrovascular risk. Results: Total scores on the NINDS-CSN 5-minute battery were highly related to age (Spearman9s ρ = -0.305, p Conclusions: The NINDS-CSN 5-minute battery is a brief, easily administered screening measure of cognition that is sensitive to increasing levels of cerebrovascular risk. The NINDS-CSN 5-minute battery offers a valid method of screening for cognitive correlates in VCI. Supported by: A cooperative agreement U01 NS041588 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and grant T32 HL072757 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service. Disclosure: Dr. Kennedy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wadley has nothing to disclose. Dr. McClure has nothing to disclose. Dr. Unverzagt has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly & Company as a consultant. Dr. Unverzagt has received research support from Posit Science Inc. Dr. Crowe has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kelley has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly & Company as a consultant. Dr. Nyenhuis has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer Inc and Eisai Inc., as a speaker. Dr. Kana has nothing to disclose. Dr. Marceaux has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tamura has nothing to disclose. Dr. Howard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Howard has received personal compensation for activities with Bayer Healthcare and Abbott Labratories as a consultant. Dr. Howard has received research support from Amgen Inc. and Bayer Healthcare.
Therapy interventions for couples: A commitment uncertainty comparison.

The current study investigated therapeutic interventions in couple therapy with 3 couples, 2 who experienced higher levels of commitment uncertainty. A multiple case study design was used to analyze couples’ reactions to interventions within and between sessions of therapy. Four sessions for each couple were coded, selected from the first, second, third, and fourth quarters of therapy. Examination of individual therapist interventions and couples reactions allows for a nuanced understanding of the role of therapy in relationship communication and couples’ outcomes. Therapeutic interventions and client reactions were coded to determine the effect of each type of intervention on facilitating engagement between partners. Findings revealed that therapists’ use of exploration interventions and action interventions lead to more constructive communication and less avoidant communication. In contrast, insight interventions were found to decrease natural expression of affect within session, especially for commitment-uncertain couples. These findings suggest that the specific interventions used by therapists can affect outcomes of engagement between partners, and in some cases this can differ depending on whether partners are experiencing commitment uncertainty. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Design of New Two-Photon Absorbing Fluorophores

In very recent work we have developed design strategies which allow us to independently control the strength, position, fluorescence quantum yield and intersystem crossing rates for two-photon absorbing dyes. The position and strength of the band of the two-photon absorption peak in conjugated molecules can be controlled by varying the conjugation length (specifically by varying the double bonds or phenylene-vinylenc groups in the molecules) and also by appropriate substitution of the molecule with electron donating and electron withdrawing groups. In particular, we have developed several new two-photon fluorophores, as shown in Table 1 below, that have strong two- photon absorptivities and two-photon absorption wavelengths that are ideally suited for imaging of tissue using a Ti:sapphire laser operating between 700 and 950 nm. Compound 1 below is representative of conventional agent (bis-MSB) whereas compounds 2 - 4 are represenative of the new agents that we have developed.
Accounting Quality and Credit Ratings’ Ability to Measure Default Risk

This study examines whether the quality of borrowers’ accounting information affects the accuracy and timeliness of credit ratings issued by rating agencies. I consider two possible effects. The news effect posits that higher quality accounting provides better information to credit rating agencies, enabling them to develop better ratings. The discipline effect describes how the timely public disclosure of bad news can limit rating agencies’ ability and incentive to issue inflated ratings. I utilize rating data from two major agencies: Standard & Poor’s (SP and Egan-Jones Ratings Company (EJR), an investor-paid agency that relies solely on public information to develop its ratings. The differences between these agencies make EJR an effective control group for the identification of the two accounting quality effects. I find that debt issuers with earnings that exhibit more timely loss recognition have credit ratings that predict default more accurately and are downgraded more promptly. I also find that issuers with upward-managed earnings have less timely rating downgrades. In most settings, these results are comparable for both rating agencies, consistent with the news effect. However, the results are more pronounced for EJR ratings relative to S&P ratings for firms near default and firms issuing restatements, when agency reputation costs are high and conflicts of interest are low. These findings provide evidence in support of the discipline effect of accounting quality.
Attack-Resistant Recommender Systems

The input to recommender systems is typically provided through open platforms. Almost anyone can register and submit a review at sites such as Amazon.com and Epinions.com. Like any other data-mining system, the effectiveness of a recommender system depends almost exclusively on the quality of the data available to it. Unfortunately, there are significant motivations for participants to submit incorrect feedback about items for personal gain or for malicious reasons:
Plasma l-α-acetylmethadol (LAAM) after acute and chronic administration

l-alpha-Acetylmethadol (LAAM) was administered orally to two groups of subjects; one group received methadone, 50 mg/day, for three months previously and the other group were heroin addicts who had no prior exposure to methadone or LAAM. Plasma elimination curves for methadone, LAAM, and its metabolites, noracetylmethadol (N-LAAM) and dinoracetylmethadol (DN-LAAM), were determined after acute and chronic administration. The plasma decay curve for LAAM was biexpoenential (t1/2alpha = 6 hr; t1/2beta greater than 50 hr) following acute or chronic administration. Following chronic administration, N-LAAM and DN-LAAM plasma levels increased 5- to 10-fold. At this time, N-LAAM had a t1/2 of 31 hr and DN-LAAM had a t1/2 of greater than 100 hr. There appear to be at least two factors which determine the long duration of action of LAAM: metabolic conversion to active metabolites and tissue or plasma binding. Both methadone and LAAM may compete for plasma protein or tissue binding sites. The clinical implications of this potential drug-drug interaction are discussed.
Commentary: Diagnostic devices in clinical trials have high stakes for patient care

Following concerns around the use of faulty point-of-care diagnostic devices in clinical trials, Joseph Ross and colleagues call on regulators to take action The widely used anticoagulant rivaroxaban (Xarelto) has become the centre of considerable scientific and regulatory dispute. A key clinical trial supporting US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval was recently found to have used faulty point-of-care devices for monitoring international normalised ratio (INR).1 2 This ongoing episode provides important insights into regulation challenges for diagnostic devices and the far reaching effects these devices have on clinical research and patient care. The FDA defines in vitro devices as devices using human specimens to guide the treatment or prevention of disease, and clears the large majority for use through the 510(k) process for moderate risk devices, which requires only that a device be “substantially equivalent” to another previously cleared device.3 In 2002, the FDA cleared the INRatio model used in the ROCKET trial4 based on substantial equivalence to the CoaguChek S point-of-care monitor. This approval shows several critical challenges that the FDA faces with clearing diagnostic devices: Predicates— Analytical and clinical validity of predicate devices may be inherently limited. The CoaguChek S was found to underestimate INR compared with laboratory reference methods, with >40% of measurements deviating by ≥15%,5 and in 2006 was subject to a class II (moderate risk) FDA recall because defective testing strips produced falsely raised results. Currently, no restrictions prohibit using voluntarily recalled devices as predicates, and devices with malfunctioning predicates cannot be readily identified for further testing after clearance. Clinical testing— Diagnostic devices rarely require prospective clinical studies for clearance, and these studies may not be generalisable when …
Vibrational Circular Dichroism of Nucleic Acids

Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) of transitions in the ultraviolet for biomolecular structural studies has been one of the dominant applications of that technique due to its exquisite sensitivity to molecular conformation which is often manifested in complete sign reversals for various structural changes. For nucleic acids, ECD measurements depend solely on the π-π* transitions of the bases which are spread over a modest range of the near-uv spectrum resulting in severe overlap of these broad electronic excitations [1]. Interactions among these transitions yield information about the nucleotide base stacking convoluted with the local chirality effects of base-sugar interaction. Other structural aspects of nucleic acids have less impact in ECD due to the difficulty of accessing spectral transitions centered on other parts of the molecule. Furthermore since the accessible electronic excitations are relatively delocalized and involve changes in the π-bonding electron configurations, the resulting transitions are susceptible to significant frequency shifts and intensity variations due to environmental or local perturbations.
Metabolic acidosis: An unrecognized cause of morbidity in the patient with chronic kidney disease

Metabolic acidosis: An unrecognized cause of morbidity in the patient with chronic kidney disease. In patients with chronic kidney disease, metabolic acidosis can occur as a result of insufficient ammoniagenesis within the damaged kidney. This, in turn, can bring about a variety of sequella that have their basis in hormonal and cellular abnormalities that effect stunted growth, loss of muscle and bone mass, and negative nitrogen balance. Cellular mechanisms accounting for these findings are reviewed. In bone, metabolic acidosis causes direct dissolution of bone; ostoeclastic activity is increased while osteoblastic activity is suppressed. In muscle, branched-chain amino acid oxidation is increased and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is activated: muscle wasting results. Even a modest degree of metabolic acidosis can be harmful and can initiate a series of maladaptive responses that are not easily reversed, although there is evidence that alkali therapy can be beneficial in reversing these responses.
A method for evaluating coexistence of LTE and radar altimeters in the 4.2–4.4 GHz band

In response to presidential level directives to make additional spectrum available for commercial use, the United States National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) identified several government bands for consideration. One of the bands identified with potential for sharing with commercial users was the 4.2–4.4 GHz band. This paper examines the current use of this spectrum as a function of time and location and presents a methodology for evaluation of concepts for sharing between the primary and secondary users. The current incumbent use is aircraft Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar altimeters; whereas the proposed commercial secondary users are presumed to be small-cell commercial networks employing LTE technology. Since the performance of the radar altimeter is safety-of-life critical, a deep understanding of co-existence between these systems is necessary to evaluate whether sharing is feasible. This paper presents a method for evaluation of the potential for spectrum sharing between the ground-based LTE systems and commercial radar altimeters. The proposed harmful interference assessment strategy uses MATLABTM and its associated LTE Toolbox along with aircraft location data obtained by monitoring the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) signals which are available in real time from the airplanes to perform the assessment.
Resistance contributions to copper interconnects

Experimental decomposition of contributions of electron scattering events in deeply scaled interconnects has been complicated by the fact that grain size and line dimensions are generally not varied independently. In this paper, we describe a combination of experiments to examine scattering mechanism independently. The cross section of was changed by recessing individual copper interconnects from the top using wet chemical etching, which was combined with repeated cryogenic resistance measurements. A fit for the grain boundary reflectivity was then obtained. In addition, it was found that the average grain size increase from the bottom to the top of the interconnect. This was confirmed by TEM based grain size measurements. Further, in order to assess surface scattering, magnetoresistance was employed for the first time for interconnects. It is observed to be sensitive to the geometry of the line. The method also allows for independent assessment of sidewall vs. bottom/top surface scattering. Results indicate that sidewall scattering is more severe than top/bottom surface scattering.
Facilitated tobacco-specific nitrosamine formation from nicotine in the presence of Cu2+ ions

Abstract Regular practice in tobacco farming recognizes that copper is one of the essential micronutrients in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). We report here that copper is present in significant levels in post-harvested, cured tobacco. Transition metals have been shown to catalyze the formation of nitrosamines from amines of which nicotine, the most sought-after component in tobacco, is a tertiary amine. We found, using the nicotine-copper model system, Cu2+ facilitates nitrosamine formation. A mechanistically plausible route for this metal ion-mediated nitrosamine formation from alkaloids is the nicotine-Cu2+ complex formation where Cu2+ preferentially binds to the pyridine nitrogen of nicotine in a pH-dependent fashion. Knowing that tobacco also contains other alkaloids, e.g., anabasine and anatabine, Cu2+ could also enhance the production of nitrosamines from other tobacco-specific alkaloids.
Chronic Illness and Primary Care: Integrating Mental Health and Primary Care

Caring for members who are chronically ill is an expected but stressful component of family life. Family caregivers play a vital but largely invisible role in patient care, both in terms of their individual efforts and as members of the labor force (Jacobs, The emotional survival guide for caregivers—Looking after yourself and your family while helping an aging parent, 2006; Levine, The loneliness of the long-term caregiver, 1999). Levine (Always on call: When illness turns families into caregivers, 2004) reports that over 27 million Americans now provide vital long-term home health care for relatives and loved ones—everything from dispensing medication and operating medical equipment, to assisting with physical therapy and personal hygiene, to making sure the bills are paid. They receive no pay for this work, little training, and little respect or support from the health care system. While illness can result in increased intimacy, family members commonly face health risks, financial burdens, emotional strain, mental health problems, workplace issues, retirement insecurity, and lost opportunities (Feinberg et al., Family caregiver support services: Sustaining unpaid family and friends in a time of public fiscal constraint, 2005). Treating chronic illness is a natural and central component of primary health care, focusing on the full spectrum of life stage issues from infancy through death. Thus, it is the ideal venue for addressing how chronic health conditions affect the entire family.
Heterotrimeric G-proteins in unfolded protein response mediate plant growth-defense tradeoffs upstream of steroid and immune signaling

Abstract Plants prioritize growth over defense to gain a competitive advantage for limited resources, but change priorities to successfully fight infection and herbivory. Despite the importance of growth-defense tradeoffs in optimizing plant productivity in natural and agricultural populations, the molecular mechanisms that link growth and immunity remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that growth-defense tradeoffs between pathways activated by BRI1, a steroid receptor, and FLS2, an innate immune receptor, are uncoupled in an Arabidopsis mutant (agg1 agg2) lacking two redundant heterotrimeric G-protein gamma subunits that form stable heterodimers with the Gβ subunit AGB1 to control one arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR) independently of ER stress. Growth inhibition from induced immunity in wild-type plants is likely caused by AGB1-AGG1/2 dimers interacting with nascent BRI1 and FLS2 proteins on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and repressing an UPR response that is hardwired to promote BRI1 protein biogenesis and FLS2 protein degradation via autophagy. The ability to unlock and fine-tune growth-defense tradeoffs through UPR signaling provides a novel strategy to increase the natural defenses of crops while maintaining optimal plant productivity.
What Do Criminal Justice Students Know About Autism? An Exploratory Study Among Future Professionals

The social and communication impairments and other atypical behaviors among those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make this subset of the population particularly vulnerable. These vulnerabilities also present a separate set of concerns when they have contact with the criminal justice system, typically as victims or witness of abuse, as offenders or suspicious persons, or lost or missing persons. Specific measures must be taken to improve communication and to avoid misinterpreting communication impairments and other atypical behaviors as an indication of a lack of cooperation, being under the influence of substances, or of guilt/lack of remorse. Without the benefit of having basic knowledge and understanding of autism, criminal justice system professionals will struggle with meeting the needs of those with ASD. The current study explored the level of autism knowledge and awareness of among a sample of 400 undergraduate criminal justice students and possible future criminal justice professionals. The results demonstrated that the sample of students had moderate knowledge of ASD, which did not appear to increase with time in program. Those with greater exposure to people with ASD had more knowledge and understanding than those who did not. Recommendations and implications are discussed.
Beyond the Game: Dimensions of Esports Online Spectator Demand:

This study explored and evaluated the dimensions and consequences of esports online spectator demand. In doing so, we identified preliminary dimensions of esports online spectator demand based on s...
Creating sound in silences: the Second Wave podcast and pluralizing Vietnamese diasporic histories

ABSTRACTDebuting in the fall of 2017, the Second Wave podcast follows host Thanh Tan as she explores the experiences and challenges of U.S.-born Vietnamese Americans. Similar to many children of Vi...