cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in postural control during a 48-hr. sleep deprivation period.

Sleep deprivation has detrimental effects on cognitive abilities; however, there has been limited investigation into the effects of sleep deprivation on postural control or influence of time of day on postural control measures. Therefore, we measured postural control on a force plate every 6 hr. in 24 subjects (11 women, 13 men; M age 20 ± 2.1 yr.; M height 1.68 ± 0.29 m; body mass 63.3 ± 28.7 kg) participating in a 48-hr. dance marathon. During the first 24-hr. period, postural control significantly worsened. Rather than a steady decrease in postural control, during the second day of the event a repeating oscillatory trend of fluctuations in postural control was observed for both days of the event. We hypothesize that the repeating oscillation of postural control followed a circadian rhythm pattern, suggesting that sleep deprivation for 48 hr. does not influence measures of postural control in a consistent manner. The apparent influence of time of day on postural control measures warrants consideration o...
Perceptions of fishing access restrictions and the disparity of benefits among stakeholder communities and nations of south‐eastern Africa

Achieving high compliance with resource-use management policies is a critical concern to achieving sustainability, particularly in poor countries. Willingness to comply may depend on the values and perceptions of benefits and legitimacy of the restrictions. Consequently, we interviewed and evaluated the perceptions of fishing restrictions among ~2100 marine fisheries stakeholders (resource users and managers) in 102 fishing villages in Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania. We hypothesized that perceived benefits would decline and social inequity increase along a hypothesized gradient of increasing access restriction – ranging from minimum size of fish to fisheries closures. Managers did not recognize the hypothesized access restriction gradient, seeing most restrictions as beneficial, but with some nation-specific distinctions. Village-level responses of resource users varied by country, and overall perceived benefits of access restrictions increased with the wealth, education and membership in fishing organizations. In Kenya and Tanzania, some communities with views that differed greatly from managers were, in places, found near marine protected areas and they perceived more benefits accruing to the government than resource users for the strongest access restrictions. Madagascar and Mozambique fishing villages had low between-community variability, and their responses did not reflect the hypothesized restriction gradient or strong social disparity, which may reflect limited practical experience with restrictions. These results suggest that countries with stronger central governments contained villages with more between-community variability and perceived social disparity than weaker governments. We argue that transparent negotiations with stakeholders about the scales of costs and benefits should increase compliance with selected fisheries regulations.
How Niqula Nasrallah Became John Jacob Astor: Syrian Emigrants aboard the Titanic and the Materiality of Language

In this article, I explore the physical afterlife of one victim of the 1912 Titanic disaster, the Syrian American businessman Niqula Nasrallah, whose remains would widely be identified as those of the famous multimillionaire John Jacob Astor. Syrian emigrants constituted 10–20 percent of the Titanic's third-class passengers, and their names were overwhelmingly altered as casualty lists were transmitted via an early form of radio. Such transformations only served to reinforce linguistic barriers, in direct contrast to widespread assertions that new technologies would enable instantaneous worldwide communication. A discussion of the substitution of Astor for Nasrallah thus allows insight into the production of confusion that resulted from the development of wireless technology as a linguistic medium. [migration, technology, materiality of language, globalization, Lebanon, Syria]
Apply Model Checking to Security Analysis in Trust Management

Trust management is a form of access control that uses delegation to achieve scalability beyond a single organization or federation. However, delegation can be difficult to control. A resource owner that delegates some authority is naturally concerned not only about who has access today, but also who will have access after others make changes to the global policy state. They need tools to help answer such questions. This problem has been studied in the case of a trust management language called RT. where, for simple questions concerning specific individuals, polynomial time algorithms are known. However, more useful questions, like "Could anyone who is not an employee ever get access?" are in general intractable. This paper concerns our efforts to build practical tools that answer such questions in many cases nevertheless by using a lightweight approach that leverages a mature model checking tool called SMV. Model checking is an automated technique that checks if desired properties hold in the model. Our experience, reported here, suggests that in our problem domain, such a tool may often be able to identify delegations that are unsafe with respect to security questions like the one mentioned above. We explain our translation from a RT policy and containment query to an SMV model and specification as well as demonstrate the feasibility of our approach with a case study.
Group therapy: A behavioral perspective

Behavior therapy can profit from the economy and influence of group treatment while providing much needed measurement, treatment specification, and evaluation. Theory and research on social influence are reviewed for their contribution to a behavioral group therapy. A framework for the conduct of a behavioral group, including its assumptions, operating procedures, and provisions for supervision, is presented.
Keyboard encoding of facial expressions

The paper focuses on the development of a human-computer communication method which utilizes the user's typing skills to control the facial expression of a computer-generated 3D face. The method is based on the realization that the human face is a movable and deformable system with 26 degrees of freedom (the same number as the letters of the English alphabet). Therefore it is possible to create a parameterized graphical facial model confined to a set of 26 parameters each one controlled by a letter key. The method is an extension of the KUI technique (Adamo-Villani and Beni, 2004; Adamo-Villani and Beni, 2003) recently developed to encode hand gestures.
Carbon nanotube GHz nano-resonator

We present the first microwave measurements of the dynamical impedance of an individual, electrically contacted single walled carbon nanotube. Both semiconducting and metallic nanotubes are measured. Using a semiconducting nanotube, we construct an LC nano-resonator at 2 GHz. The Q of the nano-resonator can be tuned by varying the back-gate voltage on the nanotube. In contrast, the Q of a resonator fabricated with a metallic nanotube is insensitive to the back-gate voltage. This represents the first step towards passive microwave signal processing components based on carbon nanotubes.
Sulfamethazine Suppresses Epigenetic Silencing in Arabidopsis by Impairing Folate Synthesis

DNA methylation is a critical, dynamically regulated epigenetic mark. Small chemicals can be valuable tools in probing cellular processes, but the set of chemicals with broad effects on epigenetic regulation is very limited. Using the Arabidopsis thaliana repressor of silencing1 mutant, in which transgenes are transcriptionally silenced, we performed chemical genetic screens and found sulfamethazine (SMZ) as a chemical suppressor of epigenetic silencing. SMZ treatment released the silencing of transgenes as well as endogenous transposons and other repetitive elements. Plants treated with SMZ exhibit substantially reduced levels of DNA methylation and histone H3 Lys-9 dimethylation, but heterochromatic siRNA levels were not affected. SMZ is a structural analog and competitive antagonist to p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), which is a precursor of folates. SMZ decreased the plant folate pool size and caused methyl deficiency, as demonstrated by reductions in S-adenosylmethionine levels and in global DNA methylation. Exogenous application of PABA or compounds downstream in the folate biosynthesis pathway restored transcriptional silencing in SMZ-treated plants. Together, our results revealed a novel type of chemical suppressor of epigenetic silencing, which may serve as a valuable tool for studying the roles and mechanisms of epigenetic regulation and underscores an important linkage between primary metabolism and epigenetic gene regulation.
Self-consistently optimized statistical mechanical energy functions for sequence structure alignment

A quantitative form of the principle of minimal frustration is used to obtain from a database analysis statistical mechanical energy functions and gap parameters for aligning sequences to three-dimensional structures. The analysis that partially takes into account correlations in the energy landscape improves upon the previous approximations of Goldstein et al. (1994, 1995) (Goldstein R, Luthey-Schulten Z, Wolynes P, 1994, Proceedings of the 27th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press. pp 306-315; Goldstein R, Luthey-Schulten Z, Wolynes P, 1995, In: Elber R, ed. New developments in theoretical studies of proteins. Singapore: World Scientific). The energy function allows for ordering of alignments based on the compatibility of a sequence to be in a given structure (i.e., lowest energy) and therefore removes the necessity of using percent identity or similarity as scoring parameters. The alignments produced by the energy function on distant homologues with low percent identity (less than 21%) are generally better than those generated with evolutionary information. The lowest energy alignment generated with the energy function for sequences containing prosite signatures but unknown structures is a structure containing the same prosite signature, providing a check on the robustness of the algorithm. Finally, the energy function can make use of known experimental evidence as constraints within the alignment algorithm to aid in finding the correct structural alignment.
Concurrent control of multiple BIT structures

A generic control graph for activating common built-in test structures is derived and its microprogrammed and hardwired implementations described. Three designs for activating multiple BIT structures concurrently are also presented along with simulation results of area/test time tradeoffs. Two designs for this generic controller are presented. The first design augments the classical microprogrammed controller with some circuitry used for counting. This design is most useful when a microprogrammable controller already exists for normal control operations. The second design is a hardwire unit which efficiently implements the generic controller. A complete circuit-level implementation is described. The controller can be easily made self-testing by modifying an existing register to support signature analysis. In addition, the controller is quite simple and can be incorporated on-chip. >
Low specific nitrate uptake rate: A common feature of high‐nutrient, low‐chlorophyll marine ecosystems

The authors have searched for common features of three high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) regions of interest - the Southern Ocean, the eastern equatorial Pacific, and Station P in the northeast Pacific. In each of these areas, the rates of specific NO{sub 3} uptake, whether normalized to particulate organic nitrogen (PON) or chlorophyll, are low compared to coastal upwelling systems with comparable nutrient concentrations. When maximum values of NO{sub 3} concentration and maximum values of PON-specific {sup 15}NO{sub 3} uptake, V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} track for the coastal systems, and a low V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} track for the three HNLC regions which have V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} values consistent with oligotrophic regions and so are functionally oligotrophic. These values of V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} are too low to allow biomass accumulation and the formation of blooms of diatoms. One possible reason for the lack of high V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} values in the HNLC regions is that seeding of the large, fast-growing, fast-sinking diatoms is inadequate and primarily due to the lack of a bottom or other recirculation system to assure a supply of these diatoms to the surface regions. Grazing control limits biomass development and may function to hold V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} to low valuesmore » resulting in conditions certain to appear as HNLC. Comparison with model results suggests that deep mixed layers in the Southern Ocean and at Station P may limit V{sup 15}NO{sub 3} and that in much of the eastern equatorial Pacific NO{sub 3} concentrations are too low for VNO{sub 3} to develop to coastal upwelling values.« less
Isoelectric focusing of bovine major histocompatibility complex class I molecules.

SUMMARY The products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci regulate an individual's immune response to pathogens. Cattle provide an important model to study the relationship between disease susceptibility and MHC haplotype since large half-sibling families are common. The definitive demonstration, however, of a firm relationship between MHC phenotype and disease susceptibility in cattle will require a precise definition of the bovine MHC allelic products. Available reagents for serological characterization of the bovine MHC gene products have not been adequate for these purposes. We have shown that existing mouse monoclonal antibodies and rabbit anti-human antisera precipitate bovine class I molecules, that these structures separate well by one-dimensional isoelectric focusing (1-DIEF), and that immunoprecipitation followed by 1-DIEF allows the detection of bovine class I MHC allelic products. Through this technique, we have identified previously undetected class I products. This approach will facilitate a detailed characterization of the bovine MHC class I gene products.
Torture and Habeas Corpus as Information-Forcing Devices

The habeas lawyer, I therefore suggest modestly, is the legal mirror-image of the state as torturer and as outlaw information-gatherer. One of my clients was kept in total darkness for weeks be-fore being transferred to Guantanamo; he was subjected to blaring music in what is commonly known as the "Dark Prison" at Bagram, with the darkness and noise interrupted only by an occasional interrogation session which took place in a red-lit room. I also find compelling her definition of torture as the sum of pain and questioning-an equation that, interestingly, allows Scarry to argue that the torturer asks his questions in order to deconstruct the voice and dismantle the humanity of the torture victim. The information-forcing rationale transforms and rationalizes the motive for torture and acts, in Luban's words, as a "last resort" for people profoundly reluctant to torture-thus providing what he calls the "liberal ideology of torture." All of this is crystallized in the "ticking time bomb" scenario, whose purpose is to persuade liberals to concede a single situation where even he would torture, and having obtained this concession, prove that he really does not have a principled stand against torture. The right strategy is not to deny that abusive interrogations are necessary in order to gather intelligence, to dismiss the very notion that coercion is a re-grettable but necessary tool to protect our national security, or to assert that the proffered need for gathering intelligence is always a "false" motive put forth by a torture regime.
Cultural Capital and Transnational Parenting: The Case of Ghanaian Migrants in the United States

What does cultural capital mean in a transnational context? In this article, Cati Coe and Serah Shani illustrate through the case of Ghanaian immigrants to the United States that the concept of cultural capital offers many insights into immigrants' parenting strategies, but that it also needs to be refined in several ways to account for the transnational context in which migrants and their children operate. The authors argue that, for many immigrants, the folk model of success means that they seek for their children skills, knowledge, and ways of being in the world that are widely valued in the multiple contexts in which they operate. For Ghanaian migrants, parenting includes using social and institutional resources from Ghana as well as the United States. The multiplicity and contradictions in cultural capital across different social fields complicate their parenting “projects” and raise questions about the reproduction of social class through the intergenerational transmission of cultural capital.
The UTEP AGENT System

This paper describes a system for embodied conversational agents (ECAs) developed at the University of Texas at El Paso by the Advanced aGent ENgagement Team (AGENT) and one of the applications -- Survival on Jungle Island -- built with this system. In the Jungle application, the ECA and a human interact with speech and gesture for approximately 40 -- 60 minutes in a game composed of 23 scenes (to maintain the demonstration feasible, participants will interact only with select scenes that showcase the capabilities of our system). Each scene comprises a collection of speech input, speech output, gesture input, gesture output, scenery, triggers, and decision points.
Early detection of heart failure with varying prediction windows by structured and unstructured data in electronic health records

Heart failure (HF) prevalence is increasing and is among the most costly diseases to society. Early detection of HF would provide the means to test lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions that may slow disease progression and improve patient outcomes. This study used structured and unstructured data from electronic health records (EHR) to predict onset of HF with a particular focus on how prediction accuracy varied in relation to time before diagnosis. EHR data were extracted from a single health care system and used to identify incident HF among primary care patients who received care between 2001 and 2010. A total of 1,684 incident HF cases were identified and 13,525 controls were selected from the same primary care practices. Models were compared by varying the beginning of the prediction window from 60 to 720 days before HF diagnosis. As the prediction window decreased, the performance [AUC (95% CIs)] of the predictive HF models increased from 65% (63%–66%) to 74% (73%–75%) for the unstructured, from 73% (72%–75%) to 81% (80%–83%) for the structured, and from 76% (74%–77%) to 83% (77%–85%) for the combined data.
Reduced Yolk Color in Layers with Coccidiosis

Abstract White Leghorn hens inoculated with 1,000,000 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria acervulina had lower egg production and lighter yolk color (as measured by N.E.P.A. value) than uninoculated controls. Plasma carotenoid levels were also reduced. Lighter infections with this upper intestinal species produced a decrease in yolk color even when egg production and plasma carotenoid levels were not affected. Conversely, light infections with the cecal species E. tenella which decreased egg production did not affect plasma carotenoid levels or yolk color.
The Political Origins of Elite Support for War: How Democratic Leaders Manage Public Opinion

In the last few decades, a significant body of research in international relations has linked the behavior of democracies in the international arena to electoral mechanisms, notably the prospect that democratic leaders face of being voted out of office. Indeed, in the US context, presidents often worry about public opinion when making foreign policy choices. At the same time, however, scholars of American politics emphasize that voters typically do not know much about foreign policy, and tend to take their cues on foreign policy from elites. To reconcile these perspectives, I argue that we can better understand the nature of democratic foreign policymaking by focusing on elite competition. If presidents are able to earn and retain the support of other important elites - such as Congress, key members of the bureaucracy, and high-ranking members of the military - then public opinion can be effectively managed and presidents can try to inoculate themselves against electoral consequences. For practical purposes in many cases, then, the relevant domestic audience for foreign policy choices may be other elites, rather than the mass public. Important implications follow for our understanding of the foreign policies of democracies more generally, as well as international relations theories that rely on regime type as a key variable. If leaders in a democratic state frequently worry most proximately about the political reactions of other elites, then in many cases the relevant domestic audience is likely to be far smaller than theories of democratic foreign policymaking typically assume. Focusing on the use of force, the paper outlines an elite-centered framework for understanding how democratic leaders manage public opinion, and illustrates the theory with two cases of presidential deliberations over whether to escalate an ongoing military intervention.
Image driven machine learning methods for microstructure recognition

Abstract Computer vision and machine learning methods were applied to the challenge of automatic microstructure recognition. Here, a case study on dendritic morphologies was performed. Two classification tasks were completed, and involved distinguishing between micrographs that depict dendritic morphologies from those that do not contain this particular microstructural feature (Task 1), and from those micrographs identified as depicting dendrites, different cross-sectional views (longitudinal or transverse) were identified (Task 2). Data sets were comprised of images taken over a range of magnifications, from materials with different compositions and varying orientations of microstructural features. Feature extraction and dimensionality reduction were performed prior to training machine learning algorithms to classify microstructural image data. Visual bag of words, texture and shape statistics, and pre-trained convolutional neural networks (deep learning algorithms) were used for feature extraction. Classification was then performed using support vector machine, voting, nearest neighbors, and random forest models. For each model, classification was completed using full (original size) and reduced feature vectors for each feature extraction method tested. Performance comparisons were done to evaluate all possible combinations of feature extraction, selection, and classifiers for the task of micrograph classification. Results demonstrate that pre-trained neural networks represent microstructure image data well, and when used for feature extraction yield the highest classification accuracies for the majority of classifier and feature selection methods tested. Thus, deep learning algorithms can successfully be applied to micrograph recognition tasks. Maximum classification accuracies of 91.85 ± 4.25% and 97.37 ± 3.33% for Tasks 1 and 2 respectively, were achieved. This work is a broad investigation of computer vision and machine learning methods that acts as a step towards applying these established methods to more sophisticated materials recognition or characterization tasks. The approach presented here could offer improvements over established stereological measurements by removing the requirement of expert knowledge (bias) for interpretation of image data prior to characterization.
Active Semi-Supervised Learning for Improving Word Alignment

Word alignment models form an important part of building statistical machine translation systems. Semi-supervised word alignment aims to improve the accuracy of automatic word alignment by incorporating full or partial alignments acquired from humans. Such dedicated elicitation effort is often expensive and depends on availability of bilingual speakers for the language-pair. In this paper we study active learning query strategies to carefully identify highly uncertain or most informative alignment links that are proposed under an unsupervised word alignment model. Manual correction of such informative links can then be applied to create a labeled dataset used by a semi-supervised word alignment model. Our experiments show that using active learning leads to maximal reduction of alignment error rates with reduced human effort.
Combined optical and terahertz imaging for intraoperative delineation of nonmelanoma skin cancers

Nonmelanoma skin cancers are the major cause of morbidity in fair-skinned population worldwide. We investigated the feasibility of combining terahertz and optical imaging for accurate intraoperative delineation of these cancers. Fresh thick skin excisions were used for the experiments. The tissue was imaged within four hours after surgery. Obtained images were compared to the corresponding histopathology, which was considered a gold standard. The results of the study indicate that combination of cross-polarized continuous wave terahertz imaging and polarized light optical imaging has potential as an intraoperative bedside tool for controlling the completeness of surgical excision.
Mentoring in Support of Reform-Based Science Teaching

In this review of research on science teacher mentoring, we discuss mentoring in elementary and secondary schools and its influence on science teachers and their practice. Next, we overview what is known about the professional learning that prepares mentors to support the work of science teachers and ways in which mentoring is able to facilitate science education reform. We conclude the chapter with suggestions for future research on science teacher mentoring that are likely to promote a culture of reform-based science teaching and learning.
MPH CNMT RT(N)(CT)

2690 Objectives Work flow efficiency is highly impacted by the timeliness of all the cases through the day in a department like PET-CT that require longer physiological preparation before a scan can be done. At Johns Hopkins PET center patient scheduling is handled very carefully to avoid camera down time between subsequent patients throughout the day. Any delay between continuous patients will have a compounding effect on the remaining cases and results in delayed completion of the last case scheduled for the day that might necessitate unplanned residents and staff overtime. The Residents overtime violates the residency duty hours standard set by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Moreover the Technologists overtime may lower staff satisfaction and incurs additional avoidable expense to the department. Therefore the objective of this study was to apply lean sigma quality improvement principles in an effort to improve last-case efficiency in our PET-CT department leading to reduction in unplanned over time, compliance with residency duty hours, and increase staff and patient satisfaction. Methods A lean sigma quality improvement principle that constitutes five stages namely define, measure, analyze, improve and control was used. A multi-disciplinary team including Patient Service Coordinators, Technologists, and physicians formed a team to assess the problem and propose solutions to improve last case efficiency in the department. A data collection form was created to record the completion time for the last case of the day. At the end of each month these data will be compared with the computer generated time stamps from the radiology information system. Then the data will be analyzed and shared with the staff and management team responsible to determine and implement the appropriate intervention required to improve the last case efficiency. This process continued for six month starting from September, 2014 until the target goal was achieved in April, 2015. Results The percentage of last case completion on or before 5:00 pm showed a 37% increase from a baseline of 47% (7) in September, 2014 to 91% (20) in April, 2015. Similarly, cases completed between 5:01 and 6:00 pm significantly declined from 46% (7) in September, 2014 to 9% (2) in April, 2015. Whereas the 7% completion rate for the after 6:00 pm was completely eliminated to zero. The average last case completion time from September 2014 through April, 2015 was 4:22 pm with a standard deviation of 9 minutes and 95% confidence interval between (4:04 - 4:40). The latest completion time was 6:53 and earliest completion time was 12:30. Technologists and Residents overtime hours decreased from average of 2 hrs per day from September, 2014 to zero in April, 2015. On the contrary, patient volume increased by 20 % from September, 2014 to April 2015. Conclusions Systematic study of workflow efficiency and application practical interventions using quality improvement principles like lean sigma can significantly enhance efficiency of imaging departments. $$graphic_73F1F2EC-90F4-49D1-B7E8-E5540FAF22A5$$
Late onset Alzheimer’s disease genetics implicates microglial pathways in disease risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a highly heritable complex disease with no current effective prevention or treatment. The majority of drugs developed for AD focus on the amyloid cascade hypothesis, which implicates As plaques as a causal factor in the disease. However, it is possible that other underexplored disease-associated pathways may be more fruitful targets for drug development. Findings from gene network analyses implicate immune networks as being enriched in AD; many of the genes in these networks fall within genomic regions that contain common and rare variants that are associated with increased risk of developing AD. Of these genes, several (including CR1, SPI1, the MS4As, TREM2, ABCA7, CD33, and INPP5D) are expressed by microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain. We summarize the gene network and genetics findings that implicate that these microglial genes are involved in AD, as well as several studies that have looked at the expression and function of these genes in microglia and in the context of AD. We propose that these genes are contributing to AD in a non-As-dependent fashion.
Operating Room Ergonomics: A Practical Approach for Reducing Operating Room Ergonomic Hazards

The role of ergonomics related to computer workstations and computer use is almost universally understood. Ergonomics in a setting such as an operating room where the well-being of the surgeon and other operating room (OR) staff can influence patient outcomes is rarely considered. This study utilized operating room personnel during ENT and Neurosurgery surgeries to identify ergonomic hazards and to organize the OR in ways that reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury using ergonomic principles. We have chosen to develop the checklist using ENT surgeons as this group completes procedures in a wide variety of positions including standing or seated next to the robot, standing or seated at the microscope and endoscopic proceduralists. This makes the checklist tool adaptable to a wider variety of specialties. Ergonomics in the operating room is clearly essential considering the high rates of reported musculoskeletal pain among surgeons attributed to the operating room environment [1, 2].
Sentence Recognition in Steady-State Speech-Shaped Noise versus Four-Talker Babble

Speech recognition in noise (SRN) evaluations reveal information about listening ability that is unavailable from pure-tone thresholds. Unfortunately, SRN evaluations are not commonly used in the clinic. A lack of standardization may be an explanation for the lack of widespread acceptance of SRN testing. Arguments have been made for the utilization of steady-state speech-shaped noise vs. multi-talker babble. Previous investigations into the effect of masker type have used a monaural presentation of the stimuli. However, results of monaural SRN tests cannot be generalized to binaural listening conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of masker type on SRN thresholds under binaural listening conditions. The Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) protocol was selected in order to measure SRN thresholds in steady-state speech-shaped noise (HINT noise) and four-talker babble with and without the spatial separation of the target speech and masker stimuli. Fifty native speakers of English with normal pure-tone thresholds (≤ 25 dB HL, 250–4000 Hz) participated in the study. The mean age was 20.5 years (SD 1.01). All participants were tested using the standard protocol for the HINT in a simulated soundfield environment under TDH-50P headphones. Thresholds were measured for the Noise Front, Noise Left, and Noise Right listening conditions with HINT noise and four-talker babble. The HINT composite score was determined for each noise condition. The spatial advantage was calculated from the HINT thresholds. Pure-tone threshold data were collected using the modified Hughson-Westlake procedure. Statistical analyses include descriptive statistics, effect size, correlations, and repeated measures ANOVA followed by matched-pairs t-tests. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to investigate the effects of masker type and noise location on HINT thresholds. Both main effects and their interaction were statistically significant (p One cannot assume that a patient who performs within normal limits on a speech in four-talker babble test will also perform within normal limits on a speech in steady-state speech-shaped noise test, and vice-versa. Additionally, performances for the Noise Front condition cannot be used to predict performances for the Noise Side conditions. The utilization of both HINT noise and four-talker babble maskers, with and without the spatial separation of the stimuli, may be useful when determining the range of speech recognition in noise abilities found in everyday listening conditions.
Never Post-Racial: The Persistence of the Dual State

Following the riots of the 1960s in major U.S. cities and the 1968 Kerner Commission Report, some public administration scholars initiated a limited focus on race themes in public administration. Today, mass incarceration serves more purposes than the kettling and destruction of young men of color or capital accumulation through the private prison complex and real property appropriation. Through linkages to immigration and terrorism, race is now resurgent as a key signifier of state legitimacy. The Black Lives Matter movement now heightens the urgency for public administration scholars to renew examination of enduring themes of race and public service (Blessett, Gaynor, Witt, & Alkadry, 2016). Although there is substantial scholarship produced by critical race theorists on the role that race has played in forming and sustaining institutions in the United States (cf. Delgado & Stafancic, 2013), with few exceptions (Alkadry & Blessett, 2010; Stivers, 2007) mainstream public administration scholarship has no...
Latent variable models for hippocampal sequence analysis

The activity of ensembles of neurons within the hippocampus is thought to enable memory formation, storage, recall, and potentially decision making. During offline states (associated with sharp wave ripples, quiescence, or sleep), some of these neurons are reactivated in temporally-ordered sequences which are thought to enable associations across time and episodic memories spanning longer periods. However, analyzing these sequences of neural activity remains challenging. Here we build on recent approaches using latent variable models for hippocampal population codes, to detect so-called "replay events", and to build models of hippocampal sequences independent of animal behavior. We demonstrate that our approach can identify the same replay events as traditional Bayesian decoding approaches, and moreover, that it can detect nonlinear remote replay events that are difficult or impossible to detect with existing approaches.
Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm Approach For Solving Integer Based Optimization Problems

Multiobjective Evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) are often well-suited for complex combinatorial Multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs). Integer based MOPs are prevalent in real world applications where there exist a discrete amount of a component or quantity of an item. Presented here is the application of a building block based MOEA, the MOMGA-II, to a NP Complete problem and real-world application. Excellent results are obtained.
Heavy Tail Distributions

Motivated by the instances of extreme events and heavy tail distributions encountered in the first chapter, we present the most important theoretical results underpinning the estimation of the probabilities of these extreme and rare events. The basics of extreme value theory are presented as they pertain to estimation and risk management of extremes observed in financial applications.
Overview of Domestic Screening

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has established evidence based guidelines for domestic screening of newly arrived refugees. This screening includes disease conditions commonly seen in refugee populations. Parts of history taking, physical examination, laboratory testing and preventive screening that have specific relevance for refugees are described in this chapter. In addition to an overview of recommendations for the domestic screening of refugees in the United States, the chapter also reviews existing models of care and regulations governing refugee resettlement. The overseas screening medical examination is also discussed with a brief review of current recommendations for pre-departure prophylactic treatment.
Optimization of CCD operating voltages for the LSST camera

The CCD sensors that will be used in the LSST Camera are controlled using a large number of bias and clock voltages. The objective of this project is to explore the large parameter space of operating voltages and optimize the performance of the CCDs made by ITL, one of two vendors manufacturing the LSST CCDs. The CCD voltages were adjusted from their nominal operating values in small increments and the electro-optical characteristics were measured. These measurements were performed first using a single ITL sensor and later with a 3 by 3 CCD mosaic with integrated controller electronics (Raft) of engineering grade ITL sensors, using a test stand at SLAC.
Some properties of generalized Cartan matrices

In order to develop the theory of root systems of Kac-Moody algebras we need to know some properties of generalized Cartan matrices. It is convenient to work in a slightly more general situation. Unless otherwise stated, we will deal with a real n × n matrix A = (a ij ) which satisfies the following three properties: (m1) A is indecomposable; (m2) a ij ≤ 0 for i ≠ j; (m3) a ij = 0 implies a ji = 0.
The effect of a preoperative education class on the rate of manipulation under anesthesia after total knee arthroplasty in a veterans population

Abstract Background Arthrofibrosis after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common complication, potentially occurring in up to 25% of patients, and may be treated during the early recovery period by manipulation under anesthesia (MUA). The majority of preoperative factors that predispose patients to postoperative stiffness are patient specific and not modifiable. The United States Veteran Affairs is a particularly challenging group given a higher baseline rate of medical comorbidities and opioid dependence than the general population. Patient education about postoperative expectations and complications has been shown to improve outcomes in certain orthopedic procedures. This retrospective study aims to determine if preoperative counseling for veterans undergoing primary TKA reduces the rate of postoperative stiffness, and consequently MUA, in this subset of patients. Methods We evaluated the medical records of 244 veterans at a single veteran affairs hospital who underwent 278 TKAs during a 6-year period under one surgeon. Patients were separated into groups based on attendance in the preoperative counseling session. Effects of various factors, including age, sex, body mass index, preoperative knee range of motion, and history of previous knee surgery, were compared between these 2 cohorts. Results Attendance in the preoperative course did not have a statistically significant impact on the rate of manipulation (odds ratio [OR], 1.07). Female gender and prior manipulation had an increased OR of knee manipulation, whereas age > 65 years had a decreased OR that did not reach significance. Conclusions Our results show that preoperative counseling did not have a benefit in terms of postoperative MUA rates in veterans. Preoperative education may be helpful for setting appropriate expectations of pain, recovery, and function after total joint arthroplasty and may be useful in an online or video format in small practices in which cost may be prohibitive. Further studies are needed to determine whether they provide any benefit in postoperative arthrofibrosis rates.
Cardiac Phantom for Improved Small-Animal SPECT Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification

To assess myocardial blood flow (MBF) in mice, and subsequently coronary microvascular function, we have previously developed a non-invasive, in-vivo, dynamic cardiac imaging protocol using the U-SPECT+ system. This work investigates microSPECT quantitative capabilities of cardiac imaging by utilizing a multi-part cardiac phantom and applying a known kinetic model to static data, allowing for assessment of kinetic modeling accuracy. The phantom was designed with four main components: two left-ventricular myocardium sections and two left-ventricular blood pool sections, sized for end-systole and end-diastole. Each section of the phantom was imaged separately while acquiring list-mode data. A Gaussian-based kinetic model was developed and applied to list-mode data to estimate both the myocardium and blood pool activity concentrations over time. The generated dynamic list-mode data were then combined, such that the myocardium and blood pool segments are contained in a single image, and reconstructed. Regions of interest were drawn in the resulting images, and kinetic modeling parameter estimation was performed. Given an input K 1 of $0.5\,\mathrm{min}^{-1}$, the resulting fit estimated K 1 of 0.514 and $0.517\,\mathrm{min}^{-1}$ for end-diastole and end-systole, respectively. We have designed and imaged a phantom that allows for estimation of the of accuracy of kinetic modeling of small-animal cardiac SPECT and performed an initial evaluation. Future work will employ multiple reconstruction noise ensembles to analyze the robustness of our fitting method and to evaluate the effects of noise. Additionally, these results will be used to optimize reconstruction parameters.
Computer Science Educators Stack Exchange: Perceptions of Equity and Gender Diversity in Computer Science

The representation of women in computer science (CS) is low in the United States and has been declining over the past few decades. Prior research has demonstrated that educators play an important role in increasing gender diversity. Not much, however, is known about their views regarding gender diversity in CS. Educators are often isolated as the only ones teaching CS in their schools, with limited opportunity to converse with each other about the underrepresentation of women in CS and other issues facing the field. Thus, to better understand educators rq questions and concerns about gender diversity, we conducted a qualitative exploratory study within an online discussion forum, Stack Exchange for CS educators. The conversations gave us insights into gender diversity issues that the forum members were interested in, such as enrollment, retention, and roles of teachers. We also analyzed the lenses through which the forum members spoke about gender representation. Results from this study suggest that researchers need to continue to examine educator perceptions so that we can design appropriate online teacher communities, teacher education courses, and professional development workshops to address equity and gender diversity issues in CS.
Exploring How Privacy and Security Factor into IoT Device Purchase Behavior

Despite growing concerns about security and privacy of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, consumers generally do not have access to security and privacy information when purchasing these devices. We interviewed 24 participants about IoT devices they purchased. While most had not considered privacy and security prior to purchase, they reported becoming concerned later due to media reports, opinions shared by friends, or observing unexpected device behavior. Those who sought privacy and security information before purchase, reported that it was difficult or impossible to find. We asked interviewees to rank factors they would consider when purchasing IoT devices; after features and price, privacy and security were ranked among the most important. Finally, we showed interviewees our prototype privacy and security label. Almost all found it to be accessible and useful, encouraging them to incorporate privacy and security in their IoT purchase decisions.
Are the Best and Brightest Joining the Public Service

The changing nature of public service has blurred the lines between economic sectors by intermingling public, private, and nonprofit missions, and made it easier for employees to balance extrinsic ...
Improving Food Security in Medical Students Using a Cooking Program

Food insecurity has not been assessed in medical students. This pilot study assessed food insecurity in medical students and used a cooking program of plant-based recipes that included olive oil to...
Identifying Influences on Interpersonal Violence in LGBTQ Relationships Through an Ecological Framework: A Synthesis of the Literature

Until fairly recently, scholarship addressing IPV within LGBTQ relationships was almost nonexistent. Early work in this area tended to focus on prevalence rates of various forms of intimate partner violence, as well as barriers to help-seeking and reporting, and negative health effects. Only recently have researchers gained access to appropriate samples, data, and theoretical frameworks that allow us to begin to identify causes of IPV in these contexts, typically conceptualized as risk factors for victimization and perpetration. This chapter will help to synthesize empirical findings and theoretical insights from this body of literature, using an ecological framework to identify and discuss factors influencing IPV at individual, relational, and societal levels. Currently, the literature on IPV in LGBTQ relationships focuses on minority stress theory which has helped expand our understanding of violence beyond traditional feminist theory by prioritizing individual and relational level factors and identifying factors unique to sexual minorities. Although this has been a major contribution, attention to and understanding of other levels of the social-ecological model largely remain to be examined. The chapter ends with a summary of the state of the field and recommendations for future research.