cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SITE Unseen: Implications for Programming and Policy

Its technical success illustrates that large-scale rural applications of satellite broadcasting are possible; the evaluation of its effectiveness raises important considerations for future programming.
Won for All: How the Drosophila Genome Was Sequenced. Michael Ashburner. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2006, 107 pp., $19.95, hardcover. ISBN 0-87969-802-0.

In this slim volume, the well-known Drosophila expert Michael Ashburner provides a very personal account of the events surrounding the annotation of the sequence of the genome of the small fly, Drosophila melanogaster . The book, written in the style of a “nonfiction novel”, is amusing, insightful, and, at times, irreverent. The author’s liberal use of footnotes provides not only a bibliography, but also timely explanations of acronyms, clarification of the Latin names of all animals that stray …
An integrated biochemical prediction model of all-cause mortality in patients undergoing lower extremity bypass surgery for advanced peripheral artery disease

Background Patients with advanced peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a high prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and shortened life expectancy. However, CV risk factors poorly predict midterm ( Methods This was a prospective cohort study of patients with clinically advanced PAD undergoing lower extremity bypass surgery. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the main outcome of all-cause mortality. A clinical model was constructed with known CV risk factors, and the incremental value of the addition of clinical chemistry, lipid assessment, and a panel of 11 inflammatory parameters was investigated using the C statistic, the integrated discrimination improvement index, and Akaike information criterion. Results The study monitored 225 patients for a median of 893 days (interquartile range, 539-1315 days). In this study, 50 patients (22.22%) died during the follow-up period. By life-table analysis (expressed as percent surviving ± standard error), survival at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively, was 90.5% ± 1.9%, 83.4% ± 2.5%, 77.5% ± 3.1%, 71.0% ± 3.8%, and 65.3% ± 6.5%. Compared with survivors, decedents were older, diabetic, had extant coronary artery disease, and were more likely to present with critical limb ischemia as their indication for bypass surgery ( P P = .001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (0.98 [0.97-0.99]; P = .023), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; 3.21 [1.21-8.55]; P = .019), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (1.74 [1.04-2.91]; P = .034). Of the inflammatory molecules investigated, hsCRP proved most robust and representative of the integrated inflammatory response. Albumin, eGFR, and hsCRP improved the C statistic and integrated discrimination improvement index beyond that of the clinical model and produced a final C statistic of 0.82. Conclusions A risk prediction model including traditional risk factors and parameters of inflammation, renal function, and nutrition had excellent discriminatory ability in predicting all-cause mortality in patients with clinically advanced PAD undergoing bypass surgery.
Aminoguanidinium Hydrolysis Effected by a Hydroxo-Bridged Dicobalt(II) Complex as a Functional Model for Arginase and Catalyzed by Mononuclear Cobalt(II) Complexes

The dinuclear complex [Co2(μ-OH)(μ-XDK)(bpy)2(EtOH)](NO3), where XDK is the dinucleating dicarboxylate ligand m-xylylenediamine bis(Kemp's triacid imide) and bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine, was prepared as a functional model for arginase. The substrate aminoguanidinium nitrate was hydrolyzed to urea in ethanol by the complex but not by free hydroxide ion under the same conditions. The amino group of the substrate binds to cobalt, as demonstrated by UV−vis spectroscopic studies. The syntheses of related dinuclear cobalt(II) complexes [Co2(μ-XDK)(NO3)2(CH3OH)2(H2O)], [Co2(μ-Cl)(μ-XDK)(bpy)2(EtOH)2](NO3), and [Co2(μ-XDK)(py)3(NO3)2] are described. Mononuclear complexes [Co(XDK)(bpy)(H2O)] and [Zn(XDK)(bpy)(H2O)] were also prepared and characterized. The former catalytically hydrolyzes aminoguanidinium nitrate to urea in basic 1:1 methanol/water solutions, whereas the latter does not promote this reaction. Hydrolysis of aminoguanidinium ion is effected by [Co(CH3COO)2] and [Cu(CH3COO)2] in the presence of bpy, but not...
Analogous features of cold-promoted activation and contact system activation in human plasmas: the role of cryptic soluble surfaces in asthma, oral contraception and pregnancy

Aspects of cold-promoted activation (CPA) and contact system activation (CSA) of human plasma were assayed in 13 normal subjects, 11 asthmatics and 15 patients with history of allergy to x-ray contrast media, to see whether the phenomena were correlated. Cold activation commonly occurs in stored plasma in 60% of women taking oral contraceptives, 93% of women in 3rd trimester of pregnancy, but only 15% of normal subjects. It is assayed by measuring kallikrein. CSA also occurs at low temperatures, but is dependent on soluble negatively-charged surfaces. It is assayed using dextran SO4 or polybrene. In this study, kallikrein amidolytic activity with dextran SO4-CDA and cold-dilution CDA were positively correlated in asthmatics. The allergic patients showing elevated B-CDA values also had shortened Thrombotest times with cold dilution, while those with normal B-CDA values had normal coagulation times. The significance of these results were discussed, including the theoretical possibility that cryptic surface phenomena may be involved in the heightened coagulability of plasma in women taking oral contraceptives.Aspects of cold-promoted activation (CPA) and contact system activation (CSA) of human plasma were assayed in 13 normal subjects, 11 asthmatics and 15 patients with history of allergy to x-ray contrast media, to see whether the phenomena were correlated. Cold activation commonly occurs in stored plasma in 60% of women taking oral contraceptives, 93% of women in 3rd trimester of pregnancy, but only 15% of normal subjects. It is assayed by measuring kallikrein. CSA also occurs at low temperatures, but is dependent on soluble negatively-charged surfaces. It is assayed using dextran SO4 or polybrene. In this study, kallikrein amidolytic activity with dextran SO4-CDA and cold-dilution CDA were positively correlated in asthmatics. The allergic patients showing elevated B-CDA values also had shortened Thrombotest times with cold dilution, while those with normal B-CDA values had normal coagulation times. The significance of these results were discussed, including the theoretical possibility that cryptic surface phenomena may be involved in the heightened coagulability of plasma in women taking oral contraceptives.
A boring test

Do you write boring papers? Of course not. Your papers are interesting. Right? Not right? Well, maybe once in a while a manuscript escapes that's a bit less than interesting, but it's certainly not boring. Right? How could your papers be boring? Your work's not boring, so your writing must not be boring. You read and reread your manuscripts, and each is interesting, concise, valuable, maybe even exciting. (Wow! Let's not get carried away.) In addition, your colleagues always say, “Interesting paper!” So, tell me, if your writing isn't boring, what is the font of boring papers? Other people, you say.
Role of Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uniporter in Radiation-Induced Cell Damage

Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer induces significant acute- and long-term damage in other tissues within the treatment area, such as salivary gland. TRPM2 is activated by irradiation (IR) and Ca2+ entry via this channel contributes to irreversible loss of salivary gland function (Liu et al. 2013, Nat. Commun., http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2526). Here we have examined the possible mechanism(s) involved in long-term disruption of salivary gland cells. IR of HSG cells caused an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) which remained elevated up to 24 hours post-IR. The elevation in mtROS was attenuated by removing extracellular Ca2+ during IR or by blocking the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) with cyclosporin A (CsA) or suppression of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) with siMCU. Consistent with this, the mitochondrial [Ca2+] was significantly increased by IR and this increase was attenuated in cells treated with siMCU or by removing external Ca2+ during IR. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane potential (Ψm) was depolarized in irradiated HSG cells during first 2h and gradually returned to normal. IR-induced decrease in Ψm was blocked by treating cells with CsA, siMCU, or Gd3+. Thus, IR-induced increase in plasma membrane Ca2+ permeability, primarily via TRPM2, leads to elevation in mtCa2+ and mtROS as well as a decrease in Ψm. Furthermore, IR also induced a time-dependent activation of Caspase 3 and a decrease in cell viability. Treatment of cells with siMCU or Caspase 3 inhibitor, zVAD, conferred significant protection of cell viability up to 96 hours post-IR. Together, our data indicate that mitochondria are likely a major target for IR with mitochondrial disruption and caspase activation leading to irreversible changes in cell function.
Quantum Dot Photon Statistics Measured by Three-Dimensional Particle Tracking

We present an instrument for performing correlation spectroscopy on single fluorescent particles while tracking their Brownian motion in three dimensions using real-time feedback. By tracking CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in water (diffusion coefficient ∼ 20 μm2/s), we make the first measurements of photon antibunching (at ∼10 ns) on single fluorophores free in solution and find fluorescence lifetime heterogeneity within a quantum dot sample. In addition, we show that 2-mercaptoethanol suppresses short time-scale intermittency (1 ms to 1 s) in quantum dot fluorescence by reducing time spent in the off-state.
Nonlinear Response of Composite Material Structures

This paper describes an experimental and a theoretical investigation of structural response of composite, fiber-reinforced materials. The objective of this study is to develop a theoretical model which can predict the response of the composite material based on the behavior of the individual material components. The model is used to predict the response of lam inated, cylindrical models, and the calculated results are compared with experimental data. In the experimental study a number of six-ply cylin drical shells were subject to internal pressure all the way up to failure. The loading was performed in a specially constructed test fixture which per mitted pressurization of the cylinders with a minimum amount of end constraints. The pressure was applied by combustion of a small amount of propellant. The deformation of the specimens was measured in the longi tudinal, the circumferential, and the radial directions and these readings were correlated with the pressure-time history. The experimental results sh...
Issue Politics in a Polarized Congress

The standard explanation for increasing party polarization in Congress is based on factors that would affect all policy issues simultaneously. We show that this has not happened. We examine the dimensionality of legislative choice in the House of Representatives, scaling eighteen issues in each Congress from 1965 through 2004. We detect considerable variability in issue dimensionality, an evolution in the structure of choice over time, and changes in the relationship between party unity and issue dimensionality. Our findings suggest that polarization has occurred on an issue-by-issue basis, reinvigorating the debate over the role of policy substance in shaping congressional politics.
Effect of a single session of muscle-biased therapy on pain sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND Muscle-biased therapies (MBT) are commonly used to treat pain, yet several reviews suggest evidence for the clinical effectiveness of these therapies is lacking. Inadequate treatment parameters have been suggested to account for inconsistent effects across studies. Pain sensitivity may serve as an intermediate physiologic endpoint helping to establish optimal MBT treatment parameters. The purpose of this review was to summarize the current literature investigating the short-term effect of a single dose of MBT on pain sensitivity in both healthy and clinical populations, with particular attention to specific MBT parameters of intensity and duration. METHODS A systematic search for articles meeting our prespecified criteria was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and MEDLINE from the inception of each database until July 2012, in accordance with guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis. Relevant characteristics from studies included type, intensity, and duration of MBT and whether short-term changes in pain sensitivity and clinical pain were noted with MBT application. Study results were pooled using a random-effects model to estimate the overall effect size of a single dose of MBT on pain sensitivity as well as the effect of MBT, dependent on comparison group and population type. RESULTS Reports from 24 randomized controlled trials (23 articles) were included, representing 36 MBT treatment arms and 29 comparative groups, where 10 groups received active agents, 11 received sham/inert treatments, and eight received no treatment. MBT demonstrated a favorable and consistent ability to modulate pain sensitivity. Short-term modulation of pain sensitivity was associated with short-term beneficial effects on clinical pain. Intensity of MBT, but not duration, was linked with change in pain sensitivity. A meta-analysis was conducted on 17 studies that assessed the effect of MBT on pressure pain thresholds. The results suggest that MBT had a favorable effect on pressure pain thresholds when compared with no-treatment and sham/inert groups, and effects comparable with those of other active treatments. CONCLUSION The evidence supports the use of pain sensitivity measures by future research to help elucidate optimal therapeutic parameters for MBT as an intermediate physiologic marker.
A transformer-ratio-arm bridge for high-voltage capacitance measurements

A high-voltage capacitance ratio bridge based on the current comparator principle is described. The inherent advantages of this bridge are high sensitivity and high accuracy without the necessity of a secondary balance. By suitable design the bridge is made direct reading in capacitance ratio and dissipation factor. It has a resolution of 1 ppm (part per million) and an accuracy of approximately 10 ppm. The highest capacitance ratio internally available with full resolution is 1,000/1. Design considerations and construction details are given. Possible applications are discussed.
A TNF Receptor Family Member, TROY, Is a Coreceptor with Nogo Receptor in Mediating the Inhibitory Activity of Myelin Inhibitors

A major obstacle for successful axon regeneration in the adult central nervous system (CNS) arises from inhibitory molecules in CNS myelin, which signal through a common receptor complex on neurons consisting of the ligand-binding Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) and two transmembrane coreceptors, p75 and LINGO-1. However, p75 expression is only detectable in subpopulations of mature neurons, raising the question of how these inhibitory signals are transduced in neurons lacking p75. In this study, we demonstrate that TROY (also known as TAJ), a TNF receptor family member selectively expressed in the adult nervous system, can form a functional receptor complex with NgR and LINGO-1 to mediate cellular responses to myelin inhibitors. Also, both overexpressing a dominant-negative TROY or presence of a soluble TROY protein can efficiently block neuronal response to myelin inhibitors. Our results implicate TROY in mediating myelin inhibition, offering new insights into the molecular mechanisms of regeneration failure in the adult nervous system.
Molecular Morphology of Ribosomes

The effect of chain initiation factor 3 (IF-3) and ribosomal protein S1 on ribosome conformation was measured by alterations in the reactivity of individual ribosomal proteins to lactoperoxidasecatalyzed iodination. Escherichia coli ribosomes, under ionic conditions conducive to the binding of IF-3 and S1, were enzymatically iodinated in the presence and absence of IF-3 and/or S1. Our results demonstrate that the binding of ribosomal protein S1 to isolated 30-S subunits induces a conformational change in the small subunit as reflected by the altered reactivity of proteins S3, S7, S12, S19 and S21 to enzymatic iodination. We have also previously shown [FEBS Lett. 71, 347–350 (1976)] that the binding of IF-3 to isolated 30-S subunits alters the reactivity of ribosomal proteins S2, S5, S8, S11 and S17. These data suggest that the factor does not influence 30-S subunit conformation in the same manner as ribosomal protein S1. The binding of IF-3 or S1 to 70-S ribosomes results in the same conformational change to 30-S subunits as that obtained with isolated 30-S subunits. This effect is additive when both proteins are bound to the 70-S particle. Ribosomal protein S1 does not appear to influence 50-S conformation. However, the binding of IF-3 to 50-S and 70-S particles results in the altered reactivity of several 50-S ribosomal proteins, the most prominent of which is L10. Our results suggest that IF-3 interacts with 30-S, 50-S and 70-S particles, and that part of the 70-S binding site of the factor is in the region of L7/L12 on the 50-S subunit.
Separation of Nanoparticles in Aqueous Multiphase Systems through Centrifugation

This paper demonstrates the use of aqueous multiphase systems (MuPSs) as media for rate-zonal centrifugation to separate nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes. The properties of MuPSs do not change with time or during centrifugation; this stability facilitates sample collection after separation. A three-phase system demonstrates the separation of the reaction products (nanorods, nanospheres, and large particles) of a synthesis of gold nanorods, and enriches the nanorods from 48 to 99% in less than ten minutes using a benchtop centrifuge.
Chip Partitioning Aid: A Design Technique for Partitionability and Testability in VLSI

This paper presents a structured partitioning technique which can be integrated into the design of a chip. It breaks the pattern of exponential growth in test pattern generation cost as a function of the number of chips in a package. In one of its forms, it also holds the promise of parallel chip testing, as well as migration of chip-level tests for testing at higher package levels.
Effective wireless communication through application partitioning

The comparatively severe network constraints imposed by mobile wireless computing require more careful management of communication resources than is typically necessary in the wired network. The performance characteristics of the wireless network are affected by a number of factors such as changes in location, environmental noise, cost constraints, and contention with other users. In addition, since even simple applications can quickly consume all the bandwidth on a slow link the contention introduced between applications will be significant. These dynamic changes in limited resources increase the difficulty of effective network management for a mobile device. This paper describes an approach in which the application specifies its interactions with the mobile device through a high-level application programming interface (API). This interface allows application functionality to be partitioned between mobile and stationary machines, increasing the autonomy of the mobile device through local operations. This in turn decreases user-perceived latency and wireless bandwidth requirements, while providing a framework to support disconnected operation. By exposing application-specific information to the system about data priority and access patterns the effectiveness of system-applied network optimizations is increased.
YXXL motifs in SH2-Bβ are phosphorylated by JAK2, JAK1, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor and are required for membrane ruffling

SH2-Bbeta binds to the activated form of JAK2 and various receptor tyrosine kinases. It is a potent stimulator of JAK2, is required for growth hormone (GH)-induced membrane ruffling, and increases mitogenesis stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and insulin-like growth factor I. Its domain structure suggests that SH2-Bbeta may act as an adapter protein to recruit downstream signaling proteins to kinase.SH2-Bbeta complexes. SH2-Bbeta is tyrosyl-phosphorylated in response to GH and interferon-gamma, stimulators of JAK2, as well as in response to PDGF and nerve growth factor. To begin to elucidate the role of tyrosyl phosphorylation in the function of SH2-Bbeta, we used phosphopeptide mapping, mutagenesis, and a phosphotyrosine-specific antibody to identify Tyr-439 and Tyr-494 in SH2-Bbeta as targets of JAK2 both in vitro and in intact cells. SH2-Bbeta lacking Tyr-439 and Tyr-494 inhibits GH-induced membrane ruffling but still activates JAK2. We provide evidence that JAK1, like JAK2, phosphorylates Tyr-439 and Tyr-494 in SH2-Bbeta and that PDGF receptor phosphorylates SH2-Bbeta on Tyr-439. Therefore, phosphorylated Tyr-439 and/or Tyr-494 in SH2-Bbeta may provide a binding site for one or more proteins linking cytokine receptor.JAK2 complexes and/or receptor tyrosine kinases to the actin cytoskeleton.
The Logarithmic-To-Linear Shift: One Learning Sequence, Many Tasks, Many Time Scales

The relation between short-term and long- term change (also known as learning and development) has been of great interest throughout the history of develop- mental psychology. Werner and Vygotsky believed that the two involved basically similar progressions of qualitatively distinct knowledge states; behaviorists such as Kendler and Kendler believed that the two involved similar patterns of continuous growth; Piaget believed that the two were basi- cally dissimilar, with only development involving qualitative reorganization of existing knowledge and acquisition of new cognitive structures. This article examines the viability of these three accounts in accounting for the development of numericalrepresentations.Areviewofthisliteratureindicated that Werner's and Vygotsky's position (and that of modern dynamic systems and information processing theorists) pro- vided the most accurate account of the data. In particular, both changes over periods of years and changes within a sin- gleexperimentalsessionindicatedthatchildrenprogressfrom logarithmictolinearrepresentationsofnumericalmagnitudes, at times showing abrupt changes across a large range of num- bers. The pattern occurs with representations of whole num- bermagnitudesatdifferentagesfordifferentnumericalranges; thus, children progress from logarithmic to linear represen- tations of the 0-100 range between kindergarten and second grade, whereas they make the same transition in the 0-1,000 range between second and fourth grade. Similar changes are
In Vitro Studies of Tobramycin

Abstract The in vitro activity of tobramycin was studied against 457 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli and 151 clinical isolates of gram-positive cocci. The vast majority of the gram-negative bacilli was inhibited by tobramycin at a concentration of 1.56 μg or less per ml. Only a few isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and no isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes or Diplococcus pneumoniae were susceptible to this drug. Tobramycin was generally more active than gentamicin sulfate against gram-negative bacilli, although organisms resistant to gentamicin sulfate were also resistant to tobramycin. The major difference between the two drugs was the greater activity of tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
In search of path diversity in ISP networks

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can exploit path diversity to balance load and improve robustness. Unfortunately, it is difficult to evaluate the potential impact of these approaches without routing and topological data, which are confidential. In this paper, we characterize path diversity in the real Sprint network. We then characterize path diversity in ISP topologies inferred using the Rocketfuel tool. Comparing the real Sprint topology to the one inferred by Rocketfuel, we find that the Rocketfuel topology has significantly higher apparent path diversity.(As a metric, path diversity is particularly sensitive to the presence of false or missing links, both of which are artifacts of active measurement techniques.) We evaluate heuristics that improve the accuracy of the inferred Rocketfuel topologies. Finally, we discuss limitations of active measurements techniques to capture topological properties such as path diversity.
ATTENDANCE AND GRADES IN A HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY COURSE

Teaching a lecture course in introductory human physiology with 40-183 students provided an opportunity to test the hypothesis that regular attendance is correlated with higher examination scores. ...
Patient and tooth specific risk indicators for posterior tooth fracture are identified.

Original Article Bader JD, Shugars DA, Martin JA. Risk indicators for posterior tooth fracture. J Am Dent Assoc 2004;135(7):883-92. Level of Evidence 3b Purpose The purpose of this study was to quantify the odds of complete cusp fracture with specific tooth and patient-level clinical indicators, as well as patient-level behaviors and extraoral characteristics. Source of Funding US Government (NIDCR RO1) Type of Study/Design Case-control study
Relaxation Under Topological Constraints

This contribution provides an informal introduction to the technique of magnetic relaxation, whereby an extremely wide family of solutions of the equations of magnetostatics, and of analogous steady solutions of the Euler equations, may be obtained, and their stability investigated. We approach this problem through the simpler, and physically more transparent, problem of gravitational relaxation of an incompressible medium of non-uniform density. We then describe the magnetic relaxation technique which yields solutions of nontrivial field topology, and we discuss the contrasting stability criteria for these magnetostatic states and for the analogous Euler flows. Applications to the theory of vortons (i.e, blobs of propagating vorticity) and to the problem of determining ‘energy’ invariants of knots and links are then discussed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of alternative relaxation procedures involving artificial modification of the Euler equations in a manner that conserves vorticity topology.
Lost in transdifferentiation

What are the true origins of the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) present in the intimal lesions of transplant arteriosclerosis? A new study in the JCI shows that Sca-1(+) cells purified from the mouse aortic root can migrate through an irradiated vein graft to the neointima of the vessel and transdifferentiate to express the early SMC differentiation marker gene SM22. Do Sca-1(+) cells transdifferentiate into SMC-like cells, or is activation of SMC marker genes a consequence of fusion of these cells with preexisting SMCs, a possibility raised by results of studies of adult stem cells in animal models of liver regeneration ? Or could this be bona fide transdifferentiation that recapitulates the pathologic processes in humans?
3-D CENTERLINE EXTRACTION OF AXONS IN MICROSCOPIC STACKS FOR THE STUDY OF MOTOR NEURON BEHAVIOR IN DEVELOPING MUSCLES

This paper presents a new algorithm for extracting the centerlines of the axons from 3-D data stacks collected from a laser scanning confocal microscope. Recovery of neuronal structure from such datasets is critical for quantitatively addressing a range of basic biological questions such as the manner in which the branching pattern of motor neurons change during synapse elimination. The presence of artifacts in the cross-sectional images such as blurred boundaries and non-uniform intensities, makes the process of centerline extraction rather challenging. Although many methods exist in practice today, they are either error-prone or involve manual interaction to a large extent, when applied to this particular problem. We propose a robust probabilistic region growing algorithm to extract the centers from the datasets with minimal user interaction
MarkIt: privacy markers for protecting visual secrets

The increasing popularity of wearable devices that continuously capture video, and the prevalence of third-party applications that utilize these feeds have resulted in a new threat to privacy. In many situations, sensitive objects/regions are maliciously (or accidentally) captured in a video frame by third-party applications. However, current solutions do not allow users to specify and enforce fine grained access control over video feeds. In this paper, we describe MarkIt, a computer vision based privacy marker framework, that allows users to specify and enforce fine grained access control over video feeds. We present two example privacy marker systems -- PrivateEye and WaveOff. We conclude with a discussion of the computer vision, privacy and systems challenges in building a comprehensive system for fine grained access control over video feeds.
Mechanistic and thermodynamic interpretations of zinc sorption onto ferrihydrite

Abstract Elucidating the reaction mechanisms and estimating the associated transport and thermodynamic parameters are important for an accurate description of the fate of toxic metal pollutants, such as Zn(II), in soils and aquatic ecosystems rich in iron oxides. Consequently, sorption of Zn(II) ions onto ferrihydrite was investigated with macroscopic and spectroscopic studies as a function of pH (4.0–8.0), ionic strength (10−3–10−1 M NaNO3), aqueous Zn(II) concentration (10−8–10−2 M), and temperature (4–25 °C). Present findings suggest that, for a given set of pH and temperature conditions, Zn sorption onto ferrihydrite can best be described by one average reaction mechanism below the saturation limits. Thermodynamic analyses reveal that the Zn(II) ions sorb onto the ferrihydrite surfaces via strong endothermic chemical reactions. Consistently, X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) analyses confirm that, at pH
Emerging from Ethical Scandal: Can Corruption Really Have a Happy Ending?:

Prior research suggests that companies with ethical leadership, a climate characterized by ethical values, and a formal ethics program have employees who engage in less misconduct. In this study, we examine one company's journey to develop these three elements and successfully emerge from scandal to eventually be hailed as a model of organizational ethics. A qualitative analysis of newspaper articles across three periods from scandal exposure to scandal emergence is used to explore the media's role in framing and reframing the perceptions of (un)ethical leadership actions and eventually changing the reputation of one organization. Results sugges that the leaders in this case study helped move beyond the scandal by avoiding even the appearance of impropriety, making ethics visibly stand out from the everyday business environment, and working to symbolically create perceptions of an ethical climate both inside and outside of the organization. Leadership lessons and limitations of the study are discussed.
Upregulation of Surrogate Markers of Inflammation and Thrombogenesis in Patients With ESRD: Pathophysiologic and Therapeutic Implications

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing regular hemodialysis have high annual mortality rate of around 15%. The most predominant cause of death is cardiovascular, which is not entirely explainable with conventional cardiac risk factors present in these patients. It has been postulated that ESRD is a chronic inflammatory and hypercoagulable condition with marked elevation of several markers that may explain this high mortality. In the current study, patients with ESRD on a stable regimen of hemodialysis were studied for the inflammatory and thrombogenesis markers to explain this phenomenon. The parameters studied were of thrombogenesis—thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), prothrombin fragment (F1.2), D-dimer, and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) and inflammation—CD40 ligand, myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and nitric oxide (NO), and compared to control group comprised of 100 healthy volunteers. Our study shows that ESRD patients exhi...
EQUIVALENCE OF TWO FORMS OF THE DOMINOES TEST (D-48 AND D-70) WITH GRADUATE STUDENTS IN EDUCATION

Summary.-Two forms of the Dominoes Test (D-48 and D-70). the Revised Beta Examination, Concept Mastery Test, Minnesota Clerical Test, and the Wesman Personnel Classification Test were administered to 87 graduate students enrolled in an Education curriculum. Results showed that the two forms of the Dominoes Test did not correlate well enough to be considered equivalent forms. Means. standard deviations, and correlations with the other four tests were comparable. Reliabilities were low for both the D-48 and D-70, but particularly low for the D-70. The D-48 or Dominoes Test was developed in England, later adopted in France, and used for personnel selection in the British Armed Forces during World War 11. It has been used for over 30 yr. in Europe and has been used to some extent in some South American and the near-Eastern countries. However, in the United States the D-48 is still considered a research instrument. Some United States researchers who have used the D-48 test with diverse subject populations include Welsh (1967), Karnes ( 1968), McLaurin, ec al. ( 1973), and Chissom and Hoenes (1976). Some more recent research reports in which subjects from countries other than the United States were tested and that have appeared in English language publications are by Kagitcibasi ( 1972) and Handel ( 1973 ) . An inadequacy of the D-48 Test that has been mentioned by its European users has been the absence of a parallel form. In Europe, the test may have become familiar to examinees due to its widespread use, and its security and usefulness have been questioned. In response to these problems with the D-48, a parallel form was constructed by the Centre de Psychologie Appliquee in Paris and was named the D-70 Test by its authors. A Spanish translation of the D-70 manual has been made in Madrid by Tecnicos Especialistas Asociados. The D-70 Test has been normed more extensively with a large number and variety of Spanish subjects, but the original development of the test was performed with French populations. A recent study using both the D-48 and the D-70 Tests (Chissom, ot al., 1978) is one of a very few using subjects from the United States. The objective of the present study was to investigate the equivalency of the D-48 and the D-70 Tests for a group of graduate students in education enrolled in an American university in the Southwest.
Statistical Experimental Design: BOD Tests

The relationship between the actual levels of independent variables to be used and the statistical precision of the estimated parameters of the reaction model is examined. A statistical experimental design procedure for selecting optimal settings of independent variables for parameter estimation is presented. This procedure can be of use to those involved with first-order reaction models and can be readily extended to more complicated models. The sensitivity to using settings of the variables slightly different from the optimal settings is examined. The use of replicate observations is also examined. The problems of lag reactions and nitrification are considered.
For God or Country? Comparing the Sources of Anti-American and Anti-Muslim Attitudes

ABSTRACTNegative attitudes about Americans pervade the Muslim world. And many Americans hold negative views of Muslims. Although prior literatures provide many explanations for the sources of antagonism in each population, scholars have yet to provide a direct comparison between the two. Thus, instead of explaining the attitudes themselves, this research compares them. When the same questions are asked of Americans and Muslims, are the same variables significant predictors of antagonism? We use 2008 and 2011 survey data from the Pew Global Attitudes Project and ordered probit models to answer this question at two distinct points in time. The results illustrate the importance of domestic politics for both populations, providing insight into the potential utility of foreign policies designed to improve attitudes. Additionally, we find that the story of religion's influence on anti-American attitudes is a complex one, which changes depending on how religiosity is operationalized. This research represents a f...
Does technology improve reading outcomes? Comparing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ICT interventions for early grade reading in Kenya

Abstract Education policymakers are investing in information and communications technology (ICT) without a research base on how ICT improves outcomes. There is limited research on the effects of different types of ICT investments on outcomes. The Kenya Primary Math and Reading (PRIMR) study implemented a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects and cost of three interventions – e-readers for students, tablets for teachers, and the base PRIMR program with tablets for instructional supervisors. The results show that the ICT investments do not improve literacy outcomes significantly more than the base non-ICT instructional program. Our findings show that cost considerations should be paramount in selecting ICT investments in the education sector.
The Influence of Nanoparticle Type on the Viscosity of Nanoenhanced Energy Storage Materials

The use of nanoparticles to improve the thermal properties of low thermal conductivity phase change materials is of significant interest. However, the addition of nanoparticles to a base fluid is known to result in an increase in viscosity. An increase in viscosity can suppress convective currents, reducing overall heat transfer thus it necessary to quantify the impact of nanoparticle addition on the viscosity of a PCM.In this work nanoparticle enhanced phase change mateirals are synthesized using paraffin and three different types of nanoparticles: exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGNP), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and herringbone graphite nanofibers (HGNF). The particles are loaded at rates between 0.0024wt% to 0.1wt%. The viscosity is analyzed at temperatures between 60 and 100°C. The influence of temperature, nanoparticle type and nanoparticle loading level on viscosity are presented and discussed.The results show that for xGNP and HGNF within the operating condition studied here that there is no impact of the nanoparticle addition on the viscosity of the base material. However, the addition of MWCNT is found to increase the viscosity of the base fluid with the impact increasing with loading level.© 2015 ASME
Effect of postgraduate training on the careers of University of California Pharm.D. graduates

Graduates of the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) doctor of pharmacy degree program were surveyed to determine the effect of postgraduate pharmacy residency or fellowship training on the professional outcomes of these graduates. In 1982, a 39-item questionnaire was sent to 1061 UCSF School of Pharmacy alumni who had graduated in the years 1970 through 1981. The survey addressed several issues, including the graduates' general attitudes toward the profession of pharmacy, their practice patterns, and their professional activities. The response rate of the survey was 72%. Of the survey respondents, 30% had completed or were currently involved in a residency or fellowship program. Both postgraduates (PGs) and non-postgraduates (NPGs) indicated an overall satisfaction with life and the pharmacy profession as a whole. A greater fraction of PGs than NPGs worked in the hospital setting and held positions with varied job components (i.e., clinical, managerial, teaching, and operational activities). First-position salaries for both groups were the same regardless of postgraduate training status. Gender, rather than postgraduate status, was the major determinant of annual changes in salary, especially among men PGs. For managers, both men PGs and men NPGs had a greater change in mean salary per year of experience than their women counterparts. Of those graduates who did not hold management positions, men had a greater change in mean salary per year of experience than women. PGs had greater involvement in professional, educational, and publication activities than NPGs, and a smaller percentage of PGs than NPGs left the profession.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Identification of plexin A4 as a novel clusterin receptor links two Alzheimer’s disease risk genes

Although abundant genetic and biochemical evidence strongly links Clusterin (CLU) to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis, the receptor for CLU within the adult brain is currently unknown. Using unbiased approaches, we identified Plexin A4 (PLXNA4) as a novel, high-affinity receptor for CLU in the adult brain. PLXNA4 protein expression was high in brain with much lower levels in peripheral organs. CLU protein levels were significantly elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Plxna4-/- mice and, in humans, CSF levels of CLU were also associated with PLXNA4 genotype. Human AD brains had significantly increased the levels of CLU protein but decreased levels of PLXNA4 by ∼50%. To determine whether PLXNA4 levels influenced cognition, we analyzed the behaviour of Plxna4+/+, Plxna4+/-, and Plxna4-/- mice. In comparison to WT controls, both Plxna4+/- and Plxna4-/- mice were hyperactive in the open field assay while Plxna4-/- mice displayed a hyper-exploratory (low-anxiety phenotype) in the elevated plus maze. Importantly, both Plxna4+/- and Plxna4-/- mice displayed prominent deficits in learning and memory in the contextual fear-conditioning paradigm. Thus, even a 50% reduction in the level of PLXNA4 is sufficient to cause memory impairments, raising the possibility that memory problems seen in AD patients could be due to reductions in the level of PLXNA4. Both CLU and PLXNA4 have been genetically associated with AD risk and our data thus provide a direct relationship between two AD risk genes. Our data suggest that increasing the levels of PLXNA4 or targeting CLU-PLXNA4 interactions may have therapeutic value in AD.
From Bern to Rio: Soccer and National Identity Discourses in Germany

This article interprets German national identity discourses through the lens of soccer. Germany’s four World Cup championships came in a roughly 20-year rhythm and happened at critical moments and turning points in its post-World War II history. Looking at the four World Cup wins in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014 allows one to trace changes in German national identity that were reflected in the winning teams themselves as well as in the relationship of the celebrating public to the team and the country. International soccer events offer an opportunity to discern continuities and discontinuities in German national identity discourses. This article contributes to the literature by providing a comparative interpretation across six decades of soccer/national identity discourses. In such a comparative perspective, it becomes easier to see the changes and continuities that have characterized these discourses.
Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among prostate-specific antigen screening eligible populations in the United States

Background In 2012, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, despite evidence that Black men are at a higher risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). We evaluated whether Black men of potentially screening-eligible age (55–69years) are at a disproportionally high risk of poor outcomes. Patients and methods The SEER database was used to study 390259 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States between 2004 and 2011. Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association between Black race and stage of presentation, while Fine-Gray competing risks regression modeled the association between Black race and PCSM, both as a function of screening eligibility (age 55–69years versus not). Results Black men were more likely to present with metastatic disease (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.65; 1.58–1.72; P Conclusions Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among Black men are significantly worse in PSA-screening eligible populations. These results raise the possibility that Black men could be disproportionately impacted by recommendations to end PSA screening in the United States and suggest that Black race should be included in the updated USPSTF PSA screening guidelines.
Hybrid integration of UTC-PDs on silicon photonics

A method of hybrid integration using grating couplers is demonstrated providing a way to utilized high speed InP photodetectors in silicon photonics. Responsivity measurements before and after bonding are reported to quantify coupling efficiency.
Parallel Low-Loss Measurement of Multiple Atomic Qubits.

We demonstrate low-loss measurement of the hyperfine ground state of rubidium atoms by state dependent fluorescence detection in a dipole trap array of five sites. The presence of atoms and their internal states are minimally altered by utilizing circularly polarized probe light and a strictly controlled quantization axis. We achieve mean state detection fidelity of 97% without correcting for imperfect state preparation or background losses, and 98.7% when corrected. After state detection and correction for background losses, the probability of atom loss due to the state measurement is $l2%$ and the initial hyperfine state is preserved with $g98%$ probability.
Ion transport in gel and gel–liquid systems for LiClO4-doped PMMA at the meso- and nanoscales

Solid and gel electrolytes offer significant advantages for cycle stability and longevity in energy storage technologies. These advantages come with trade-offs such as reduced conductivity and ion mobility, which can impact power density in storage devices even at the nanoscale. Here we propose experiments aimed at exploring the ion transport properties of a hybrid electrolyte system of liquid and gel electrolytes with meso and nanoscale components. We focus on single pore systems featuring LiClO4-propylene carbonate and LiClO4-PMMA gel, which are model electrolytes for energy storage devices. We identified conditions at which the systems considered featured rectifying current-voltage curves, indicating a preferential direction of ion transport. The presented ion current rectification suggests different mechanisms arising from the unique hybrid system: (i) PMMA structure imposing selectivity in fully immersed systems and (ii) ionic selectivity linked to ion sourcing from media of different ionic mobility. These mechanisms were observed to interplay with ion transport properties linked to nanopore structure i.e. cylindrical and conical.
Dafachronic acid inhibits C. elegans germ cell proliferation in a DAF-12-dependent manner

Dafachronic acid (DA) is a bile acid-like steroid hormone that regulates dauer formation, heterochrony, and lifespan in C. elegans. Here, we describe that DA is an inhibitor of C. elegans germ stem cell proliferation in adult hermaphrodites. Using a C. elegans germ cell primary culture system, we show that DA inhibits the proliferation of germ cells in vitro. Exogenous DA reduces the frequency of large tumors in adult tumorous germline mutants and decreases the proliferation of wild-type germ stem cells in adult hermaphrodites. In contrast, DA has no appreciable effect on the proliferation of larval-stage germ cells in wild type. The inhibition of adult germ cell proliferation by DA requires its canonical receptor DAF-12. Blocking DA production by inactivating the cytochrome P450 DAF-9 increases germ cell proliferation in wild-type adult hermaphrodites and the frequency of large tumors in germline tumorous mutants, suggesting that DA inhibits the rate of germ cell proliferation under normal growth conditions.