cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstractions and solutions to support smart-objects in the future internet

As the number of devices that gain connectivity and join the category of smart-objects increases every year reaching unprecedented numbers, new challenges are imposed on our networks. While specialized solutions for certain use cases have been proposed, more flexible and scalable new approaches to networking will be required to deal with billions or trillions of smart objects connected to the Internet. With this paper, we take a step back looking at the set of basic problems that are posed by this group of devices. In order to develop an analysis on how these issues could be approached, we define which fundamental abstractions might help solving or at least reducing their impact on the network by offering support for fundamental matters such as mobility, group based delivery and support for distributed computing resources. Based on the concept of named-objects, we propose a set of solutions that network and show how this approach can address both scalability and functional requirements. Finally, we describe a comprehensive clean-slate network architecture (MobiityFirst) which attempts to realize the proposed capabilities.
A comparison of modeling paradigms for dynamic evaporator simulations with variable fluid phases

Abstract This paper provides a comparison of evaporator modeling techniques for dynamic vapor compression system simulations that can handle the appearance and disappearance of fluid phases in the heat exchanger using a fixed-step solver. This paper compares moving boundary models with different switching mechanisms as well as a finite control volume approach. Switching approaches include (1) enthalpy based switching which uses two-phase region length and evaporator outlet enthalpy as an event trigger, (2) void fraction based switching which includes the mean void fraction in the state variable vector, and (3) density based switching which uses two-phase region density to trigger mass conservative switching. Simulations are performed for three different refrigerants under three different operating conditions and results are compared through pressure, superheat, and air temperature outputs. The number of switches triggered during simulation are also presented for comparison. These results are used to provide recommendations for the minimum threshold length commonly used in these switching methods and also to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
Big Data Methods: Leveraging Modern Data Analytic Techniques to Build Organizational Science

Advances in data science, such as data mining, data visualization, and machine learning, are extremely well-suited to address numerous questions in the organizational sciences given the explosion of available data. Despite these opportunities, few scholars in our field have discussed the specific ways in which the lens of our science should be brought to bear on the topic of big data and big data's reciprocal impact on our science. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the big data phenomenon and its potential for impacting organizational science in both positive and negative ways. We identifying the biggest opportunities afforded by big data along with the biggest obstacles, and we discuss specifically how we think our methods will be most impacted by the data analytics movement. We also provide a list of resources to help interested readers incorporate big data methods into their existing research. Our hope is that we stimulate interest in big data, motivate future research using big da...
Microbiological Profile and Storage Temperatures of Egyptian Rice Dishes.

Cooked rice and other dishes containing rice (172 samples) were tested for aerobic colony count (30°C), Salmonella , Shigella , Staphylococcus aureus , and presumptive Bacillus cereus . Salmonella was isolated from a sample of Oriental rice that was prepared in a five-star hotel kitchen. Shigella was isolated from a sample of boiled rice from a four-star hotel kitchen. Nineteen percent of the samples were contaminated by S. aureus , and 73% of these contained more than 103/g. Forty percent of the samples were contaminated by B. cereus , 31% of these contained more than 103/g. Rice was more frequently stored at safe temperatures (>55°C) in four- and five-star hotels than in any other type of establishment or that which was sold by street venders. Aerobic colony counts (30°C) per g were usually quite low when rice was held at temperatures of 55°C or higher. These counts generally became progressively higher as the temperature decreased, often reaching quantities exceeding 106 when temperatures were 44°C or below. This was particularly so when the temperature range was 25-34°C. These counts were lower for fried and Oriental rice than for boiled rice, rice and vegetables, kushari (a mixture of rice, macaroni and lentils), and rice and shirea (thin, wheat macaroni).
Exploratory analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy benefits after preoperative chemoradiotherapy and radical resection for rectal cancer.

3556 Background: Evidence regarding adjuvant chemotherapy (CTx) for patients with rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CXRT) is limited. The aim of study was to explore the relations...
Perspectives on mock modular forms

Abstract Mock modular forms have played many prominent roles in number theory and other areas of mathematics over the course of the last 15 years. While the term “mock modular form” was not formally defined in the literature until 2007, we now know in hindsight that evidence of this young subject appears much earlier, and that mock modular forms are intimately related to ordinary modular and Maass forms, and Ramanujan's mock theta functions. In this expository article, we offer several different perspectives on mock modular forms – some of which are number theoretic and some of which are not – which together exhibit the strength and scope of their developing theory. They are: combinatorics, q-series and mock theta functions, mathematical physics, number theory, and Moonshine. We also describe some essential results of Bruinier and Funke, and Zwegers, both of which have made tremendous impacts on the development of the theory of mock modular forms. We hope that this article is of interest to both number theorists and enthusiasts – to any reader who is interested in or curious about the history, development, and applications of the subject of mock modular forms, as well as some amount of the mathematical details that go along with them.
Assessing the effect of psychiatric disorders on work function

In summary, an effort to increase the specificity and replicability of assessments of disability has been made by a subcommittee on permanent psychiatric disability, consisting of four forensic psychiatrists, three clinical and forensic psychologists, a medical sociologist, a workers' compensation judge and a vocational rehabilitation expert. The subcommittee reviewed legislation, regulations and case law pertaining to workers' compensation, especially that related to compensation for work-related psychiatric injury in California. The subcommittee also reviewed published and unpublished papers that discuss problems related to the evaluation of claims arising from alleged work-related psychiatric injury in the California Workers' Compensation System. A limited review of existing systems for evaluating psychiatric disorder and psychiatric disability was carried out. A number of consultants, psychiatrists and psychologists reviewed the work independently or attended meetings at which the work was presented. Out of this work, a report was generated that has been described in detail in this chapter. An outline for assembling all of the data necessary for arriving at conclusions about impairment of work functions was generated. Eight work functions were chosen, derived from Social Security disability guidelines but somewhat modified to fit the issue of partial disability. Specific component factors for each of these work functions were identified. It is hoped that this method will provide a more quantitative, replicable and equitable system for assessing permanent psychiatric disability. If these are applied in good conscience by the medical-legal community, data will be generated that will make it possible to further modify specifications of these work functions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Do not let the Spanish “s” misguide you

Abstract The orthographic representation of the “s” in the Spanish language may have three phonetic variations and be associated with other phonological phenomena that add to its unpredictability when used to evaluate the closest speaking space. These are of clinical interest since each of these variations may represent a more or less pronounced difference from what is observed in the English language and patient population. The present article explains the previously mentioned variations and reviews the suggested Spanish terms for evaluation of the closest speaking space.
Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method To Determine Formaldehyde Hemoglobin Adducts in Humans as Biomarker for Formaldehyde Exposure

Formaldehyde (FA) is an environmental chemical classified as a human carcinogen. It is highly reactive and can bind covalently with hemoglobin (Hb) to produce Hb adducts. Measurement of these Hb adducts provides valuable information about exposure to this chemical. We developed a robust, ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method for quantifying FA-Hb adducts in red blood cells. The method measures the FA-VHLTPEEK peptide after trypic digestion. The peptide is a FA adduct at the N-terminus of the beta chain of human Hb. Method mean (±SD) accuracy, determined by recovery in quality control and blank material was 103.2% ± 8.11. The mean among-day and within-day coefficients of variation determined at three concentration levels (%CV) were 9.2% (range: 7.2–10.2%) and 4.9% (range 3.1–7.3%), respectively. The limit of detection was 3.4 nmol/g Hb. This method was applied to the analysis of 135 human blood samples, and FA-VHLTPEEK was detected in all study samples. FA-VHLT...
Ecologies of debt in Claire Denis’s L’Intrus/The Intruder (2004)

In reading Claire Denis’s L’Intrus, the author enters into a dialogue with two recent publications that consider her cinema in light of contemporary discussions on ecology and economy: Laura McMaho...
Nur77 Is Upregulated in B-1a Cells by Chronic Self-Antigen Stimulation and Limits Generation of Natural IgM Plasma Cells

B-1a cells are a unique population of innate-like B cells with a highly restricted and self-reactive BCR repertoire. Preimmune "natural" IgM produced by B-1a-derived plasma cells is essential for homeostatic clearance of cellular debris and forms a primary layer of protection against infection. In this study, we take advantage of a fluorescent reporter of BCR signaling to show that expression of the orphan nuclear hormone receptor Nur77 is upregulated under steady-state conditions in self-reactive B-1a cells in response to chronic Ag stimulation. Nur77-deficient mice exhibit elevated natural serum IgM (but not IgG) and marked expansion of IgM plasma cells of B-1a origin. Moreover, we show that Nur77 restrains the turnover of B-1a cells and the accumulation of immature IgM plasma cells. Thus, we identify a new critical negative-regulatory pathway that serves to maintain B-1a cells in a quiescent state in the face of chronic endogenous Ag stimulation.
Design and Analysis of VCO for Parameter Optimization

The following paper provides an introduction to analysis and design of a complementary cross-coupled LC-VCO as used in RF transmitter/receiver circuits. Different design parameters have been discussed along with their associated equations, to allow for basic on-paper calculations. The values of corresponding components are used in verification of the design via CAD simulation. The main goal is to synthesize a low-power low-noise design with a wide bandwidth of operation (tuning range).
DSP Implementation Platform: TMS320C6x Architecture and Software Tools

The choice of a digital signal processing (DSP) processor to be used in a signal processing system is generally application dependent. There are many factors that influence this choice, including cost, performance, power consumption, ease-of-use, time-to-market, and integration capabilities. This chapter focuses on TMS320C6x DSP processor, its components, architecture, and software tools. The TMS320C6x family of processors is manufactured by Texas Instruments and was primarily built to deliver speed. They are designed for million instructions per second (MIPS) intensive applications such as third generation (3G) wireless and digital imaging. Several processor versions are available for TMS320C6x family, which differ in instruction cycle time, speed, power consumption, memory, peripherals, packaging, and cost. The generic C6x architecture includes the C6x central processing unit (CPU) consisting of eight functional units divided into two sides A and B. Each side has a .M unit used for multiplication operation, a .L unit used for logical and arithmetic operations, a .S unit used for branch, bit manipulation and arithmetic operations, and a .D unit used for loading, storing, and arithmetic operations. The peripherals on a typical C6x processor include external memory interface (EMIF), direct memory access (DMA), boot loader, multi-channel buffered serial port (McBSP), host port interface (HPI), timer, and power down unit. The C64x is a recent DSP core, a part of the C6x family, with higher MIPS power and operating at higher clock rates.
Embracing Risk and Promise for Student Engagement: Incorporating Experiential Teaching Methods in a Community Psychology Course

This article is a narrative from the field about the redesign of a community psychology course to integrate a partnership with a community-based activism program. The narrative highlights risks and...
On the Possible Interpretations of Amos 7:14

The ambiguity of the vocabulary and grammar of Amos 7:14 has led to the proposal of numerous conflicting interpretations. I present a comprehensive evaluation of these proposals. I argue that both grammar and context indicate Amos 7:14 is made up of three declarative clauses, two negative and one affirmative, which describe either the past or present vocation of Amos. Whether they describe the past or present relative to the situation in the narrative, these clauses combine with the account of Amos’s prophetic call to indicate that his prophetic activity is not motivated by economic or other concerns but only by his desire to be obedient to YHWH.
Excitation mechanisms in a nonequilibrium helium plasma jet emerging in ambient air at 1 atm

Species excitation mechanisms were studied, using optical emission spectroscopy, in a helium 200 kHz radio frequency (RF) plasma jet, emerging into the open air at 1 atm. The jet impinged on a dielectric substrate of either MgF2 or quartz. Optical emissions between 115 and 950 nm were recorded through the substrate either along the jet axis or at a steep angle to isolate emissions originating from the region near the substrate surface. Time-resolved emission was observed close to the substrate surface only during a brief period near the positive peak of the applied RF voltage. No emission close to the substrate was observed during the negative voltage with the exception of a weak emission from N2 (C3Πu → B3Πg) just prior to the peak negative voltage. N2+, H, O, OH, and NO emissions along the discharge axis, from impurities in the He feed, or air diffusing into the He jet just downstream of the end of the tube (nozzle), were dominated by Penning ionization of N2 and dissociative excitation of water and O2 by He metastables (He*). Unlike the fully modulated electron-impact excited emission from N2 and He, emissions produced by collisions with He* were weakly modulated during the RF period and were shifted in phase with respect to the peak positive or peak negative voltage. This was attributed to vacuum ultraviolet emissions, in the radiation-trapped environment of atmospheric pressure, that produced He* outside the discharge tube even during the period when the plasma was confined inside the tube. N2 emission revealed a weak ionization wave propagating during the positive voltage period, well before the peak positive voltage. At peak positive voltage, ionization and excitation in the gap between the nozzle and the substrate maximized. The plasma positively charged the substrate, resulting in the brief N2 emission observed during the negative voltage period, as electrons drifted toward the substrate to neutralize the positive charge.Species excitation mechanisms were studied, using optical emission spectroscopy, in a helium 200 kHz radio frequency (RF) plasma jet, emerging into the open air at 1 atm. The jet impinged on a dielectric substrate of either MgF2 or quartz. Optical emissions between 115 and 950 nm were recorded through the substrate either along the jet axis or at a steep angle to isolate emissions originating from the region near the substrate surface. Time-resolved emission was observed close to the substrate surface only during a brief period near the positive peak of the applied RF voltage. No emission close to the substrate was observed during the negative voltage with the exception of a weak emission from N2 (C3Πu → B3Πg) just prior to the peak negative voltage. N2+, H, O, OH, and NO emissions along the discharge axis, from impurities in the He feed, or air diffusing into the He jet just downstream of the end of the tube (nozzle), were dominated by Penning ionization of N2 and dissociative excitation of water and O2 ...
Death and Children’S Literature: Charlotte’s Web and the Dying Child

An observation by an anthropologist studying the interactions of children in a hospital leukemia ward suggested the topic of this paper: the treatment of death in children’s literature, with specific reference to children with life-threatening illness. In The Private Worlds of Dying Children, Myra Bluebond-Langner notes:
Corruption, Income Inequality, and Subsequent Economic Growth

This paper attempts to untangle the link between corruption and income inequality with subsequent economic growth. It uses standard OLS multiple regression analysis and data from 134 countries over a ten year time frame to test the hypothesis that after controlling for corruption, income inequality will be less significant in explaining subsequent growth rates. Perhaps it is not income equality that fosters economic growth, but rather a decrease in corruption that causes both economic growth and greater equality. This study yields some expected findings in support of well-established variables and concludes that inequality harms growth even after controlling for corruption.
Analysis of gases in fossil amber

Fossilized tree resin, commonly known as amber, has long served as a robust source of paleobiologic information via the preservation of embalmed invertebrates. Another more radical idea is that gas bubbles enclosed in fossil amber may represent ancient air trapped at the time the original resin was exuded from its host tree. Alternatively, gas trapped in ancient amber may instead represent contamination by modern air. Here, we analyze gaseous inclusions from ambers sampled worldwide spanning the Cretaceous, Eocene, Eocene–Oligocene, Eocene–Miocene, U. Oligocene–Miocene, and modern. After careful consideration of a number of possible explanations, we suggest the gas inclusions may represent, at least in part, ancient air.
The social construction of an alcohol problem

Social problems have careers that ebb and flow independent of the "objective" incidence of the behaviors thought to constitute them. This is nowhere more amply illustrated than in the history of alcohol issues. I offer here a description of the rise and impact of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers the latest in a long line of social movements that have contended over the definition of alcohol problems and an interpretation of why this movement managed to make drinking-driving into a major public problem in the conservative ethos of the 1980s.
Proximal femoral growth disturbance in developmental dysplasia of the hip: what do we know?

Abstract Background Proximal femoral growth disturbance (PFGD) can be the most devastating complication of the treatment of development dysplasia of the hip. The reported incidence ranges from 0% t...
Advance Directives, Medical Conditions, and Preferences for End-of-Life Care Among Physicians: 12-year Follow-Up of the Johns Hopkins Precursors Study

Abstract Context Stability of preferences for life-sustaining treatment may vary depending on personal characteristics. Objective We estimated the stability of preferences for end-of-life treatment over 12 years and whether advance directives and medical conditions were associated with change in preferences for end-of-life treatment. Design Mailed survey of older physicians. Methods Longitudinal cohort study of medical students in the graduating classes from 1948 to 1964 at Johns Hopkins University. Eight hundred ninety eight physicians who completed the life-sustaining treatment questionnaire anytime in 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2011 (mean age 68.2 years at baseline). Preferences for life-sustaining treatment were assessed using a checklist questionnaire in response to a standard “brain injury” scenario and considered as a package using the latent class transition model. Results End-of-life preferences grouped into three classes: most aggressive (wanting most interventions; 14% of physicians), least aggressive (declining most interventions; 61%), and an intermediate class (declining most interventions except intravenous fluids and antibiotics; 25%). Physicians without an advance directive were more likely to desire more treatment and were less likely to transition out the most aggressive class. Transition probabilities from class to class did not vary over time. Persons with cancer expressed preference for the least aggressive treatment, whereas persons with cardiovascular disease and depression had preferences for more aggressive treatment. Conclusion Transitions in end-of-life preferences and the factors influencing change and stability suggest that periodic reassessment for planning end-of-life care is needed.
Influence of Hoop-Net Trap Diameter on Capture Success and Size Distribution of Comparatively Large and Small Freshwater Turtles

We investigated the influence of hoop-net trap size on number and size of captures for comparatively large (Chelydra serpentina [Snapping Turtle]) and small (Chrysemys picta [Painted Turtle]) freshwater turtle species. We trapped turtles at 32 ponds throughout West Virginia in the summers of 2016 and 2017, with each pond sampled for 5 consecutive days using five 0.91-m–diameter and five 0.76-m–diameter baited hoop-net traps. We captured a total of 98 and 283 unique Snapping Turtles and Painted Turtles, respectively. Larger-diameter traps captured more Snapping Turtles and smallerdiameter traps captured more Painted Turtles. Mean carapace length was greater for both species in larger-diameter traps, but this result was possibly influenced by the ability of the smallest Painted Turtles to escape through the mesh of the larger traps. Our results indicate that hoop-net–trap diameter can substantially influence both number and size distribution of captures, and thus, trap size is an important sampling design consideration for freshwater turtle research and monitoring using hoop-net traps.
STAT3 Modulation of Regulatory T Cells in Response to Radiation Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Background Radioresistance represents a major problem in the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. To improve response, understanding tumor microenvironmental factors that contribute to radiation resistance is important. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are enriched in numerous cancers and can dampen the response to radiation by creating an immune-inhibitory microenvironment. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanisms of Treg modulation by radiation in HNC. Methods We utilized an orthotopic mouse model of HNC. Anti-CD25 was used for Treg depletion. Image-guided radiation was delivered to a dose of 10 Gy. Flow cytometry was used to analyze abundance and function of intratumoral immune cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to assess secreted factors. For immune-modulating therapies, anti-PD-L1, anti-CTLA-4, and STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) were used. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Treatment with anti-CD25 and radiation led to tumor eradication (57.1%, n = 4 of 7 mice), enhanced T-cell cytotoxicity compared with RT alone (CD4 effector T cells [Teff]: RT group mean = 5.37 [ 0.58] vs RT + αCD25 group mean =10.71 [0.67], P = .005; CD8 Teff: RT group mean = 9.98 [0.81] vs RT + αCD25 group mean =16.88 [2.49], P = .01) and induced tumor antigen-specific memory response (100.0%, n = 4 mice). In contrast, radiation alone or when combined with anti-CTLA4 did not lead to durable tumor control (0.0%, n = 7 mice). STAT3 inhibition in combination with radiation, but not as a single agent, improved tumor growth delay, decreased Tregs, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and M2 macrophages and enhanced effector T cells and M1 macrophages. Experiments in nude mice inhibited the benefit of STAT3 ASO and radiation. Conclusion We propose that STAT3 inhibition is a viable and potent therapeutic target against Tregs. Our data support the design of clinical trials integrating STAT3 ASO in the standard of care for cancer patients receiving radiation.
Using Integrated Research-Practice Partnerships to Move Evidence-Based Principles Into Practice

The implementation of evidence-based physical activity interventions is improved when integrated research-practice partnerships are used. These partnerships consider both research- and practice-based evidence that moves beyond only assessing program efficacy. Our novel hypothesis is that integrated research-practice partnerships may lead to interventions that are practical and effective, reach more participants, and are more likely to be sustained in practice.
Impact of smoking cessation in locally advanced head and neck cancers undergoing radiation.

6068Background: Multiple studies have highlighted the negative outcomes associated with smoking during radiation (XRT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer. However, there has been little rese...
Analysis of homogeneous layer approximations in the modeling of localized surface plasmon resonance biosensors

We analyze theoretically the effectiveness of homogeneous layer approximations in modeling localized surface plasmon resonance biosensors made of spherical metal nanoparticles coated with biomolecular layers that have radially variable refractive indices. Using an extended Mie theory, we compute the extinction spectrum and peak wavelength of the system and compare them with when effective medium approximations are applied to treat the biomolecular layer as homogeneous. We investigate how the accuracies of the approximations depend on the geometric parameters of the system and the material of the metal nanoparticle. We also derive expressions that can be used to predict if the approximations would accurately predict the spectral position of the peak wavelength.
Xylose utilization stimulates mitochondrial production of isobutanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Branched-chain higher alcohols (BCHAs), including isobutanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol, are promising advanced biofuels, superior to ethanol due to their higher energy density and better compatibility with existing gasoline infrastructure. Compartmentalizing the isobutanol biosynthetic pathway in yeast mitochondria is an effective way to produce BCHAs from glucose. However, to improve the sustainability of biofuel production, there is great interest in developing strains and processes to utilize lignocellulosic biomass, including its hemicellulose component, which is mostly composed of the pentose xylose. In this work, we rewired the xylose isomerase assimilation and mitochondrial isobutanol production pathways in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We then increased the flux through these pathways by making gene deletions of BAT1, ALD6, and PHO13, to develop a strain (YZy197) that produces as much as 4 g/L of BCHAs (3.10 ± 0.18 g isobutanol/L and 0.91 ± 0.02 g 2-methyl-1-butanol/L) from xylose. This represents approximately a 28-fold improvement on the highest isobutanol titers obtained from xylose previously reported in yeast and the first report of 2-methyl-1-butanol produced from xylose. The yield of total BCHAs is 57.2 ± 5.2 mg/g xylose, corresponding to ~ 14% of the maximum theoretical yield. Respirometry experiments show that xylose increases mitochondrial activity by as much as 7.3-fold compared to glucose. The enhanced levels of mitochondrial BCHA production achieved, even without disrupting ethanol byproduct formation, arise mostly from xylose activation of mitochondrial activity and are correlated with slow rates of sugar consumption.
P528 Rates of primary and secondary syphilis among men who have sex with men by HIV status – 24 states, 2011–2015

Background During 2011–2015, approximately half (48% to 53%) of reported primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis cases occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM) with diagnosed HIV. However, comparing rates of reported P&S syphilis by HIV status among MSM requires MSM population denominators stratified by HIV status. Methods We used previously published state-level estimates of the MSM population and publicly available data on diagnosed HIV infection among MSM to determine population denominators of MSM living with or without diagnosed HIV infection. We then examined rates of reported P&S syphilis per 100,000 MSM by HIV status using national case-based surveillance data in 24 states with ≥70% complete reporting of sex of sex partners and HIV status among syphilis cases during 2011–2015. Results During 2011–2015, rates of reported P&S syphilis among MSM in the 24 states included in the analysis increased 45% (188.7 to 272.8 per 100,000). Concurrently, rates among HIV-negative and HIV-unknown MSM, combined, increased 64% (83.0 to 136.5 per 100,000), while rates among MSM with diagnosed HIV increased 17% during 2011–2014 (1,061.5 to 1,237.3 per 100,000) before decreasing 6% to 1,229.5 in 2015. Rate ratios comparing reported P&S syphilis rates among MSM living with diagnosed HIV to HIV-negative and HIV-unknown MSM decreased annually during this period from 12.8 to 9.0. Conclusion During the most recent five-year period for which data are available, rates of reported P&S syphilis increased among MSM diagnosed with HIV, as well as MSM not diagnosed with HIV. Although rates are higher among MSM diagnosed with HIV, larger relative increases in rates among MSM not diagnosed with HIV and subsequent declining rate ratios indicated that differences between MSM with diagnosed HIV and HIV-negative or HIV-unknown MSM diminished over time. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Hand Hygiene Practices, Attitudes, and Microbial Hand Populations of Practicing Doctors of Chiropractic

Abstract Objective Hand hygiene practice is important in health care settings to reduce the spread of infection. To date, no hand hygiene study has been conducted with doctors of chiropractic that included microbiological analysis of hand specimens. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported hand hygiene practices and attitudes of chiropractors with the number and type of pathogenic bacteria and yeast present on their hands. Methods In this cross-sectional study, a microbiological analysis of the chiropractor's dominant hand was performed along with completion of a survey concerning practices and attitudes regarding hand hygiene. The relationship between self-reported measures with laboratory findings was conducted using generalized linear modeling. Results Participants who responded to the survey indicated that hand hygiene was important, and most reported performing hand hygiene before and/or after patient contact. However, 7 (26.9%) participants had multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated from their hands. There was no correlation between the survey responses and hand specimens with the exception of the number of handwashing episodes. From the hand specimens, 16 (45.7%) coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates were oxacillin resistant, and 9 (25.7%) were multidrug resistant. Conclusion This study found that like other health care workers, chiropractors had antimicrobial-resistant bacteria on their hands, some of which were multidrug resistant. Multidrug resistant bacteria have the potential to be transferred to patients and patient contact surfaces. These findings indicate that chiropractic offices could play a role in health care-associated infections. Formal hand hygiene training should be included as part of the chiropractic education curriculum and continuing education for doctors of chiropractic.
Vacuum induced tube pinching enables reconfigurable flexure joints with controllable bend axis and stiffness

Soft continuum robots present novel advantages over their rigid, linkage-based counterparts, by expanding the range of achievable kinematic configurations through their flexibility and lack of discrete joints. However, the lack of discrete joints presents challenges for estimation and control of movement in continuum robots. In this paper we present an intermediate approach towards achieving the same versatility of continuum robots while maintaining the traditional control and estimation methods for rigid robots. Our design focuses around a soft tubular element which can be buckled through an internal negative pressure, with the buckling angle set by a confining sleeve. Once the tube is buckled it approximates a revolute joint with torsional stiffness. In this paper we present the design, fabrication, and performance of tube-pinching reconfigurable revolute joints. Through experiment and modeling we identify the appropriate sleeve shape that enables joint axis control to within an error of 5.4°. Force-displacement experiments demonstrate that internal vacuum pressure controls the torsional stiffness of the joint. Lastly, to demonstrate the applicability of soft joint reconfiguration we perform experiments with a flapping tail in water to observe how joint reconfiguration enables different swimming modes.
The Traffic in Hierarchy: Masculinity and Its Others in Buddhist Burma, by Ward Keeler

The Traffic in Hierarchy: Masculinity and Its Others in Buddhist Burma, by Ward Keeler. Honolulu: University of Hawai’I Press, 2017. 350 pp., $72 (hb), $30 (pb). ISBN: 978-0-82-486594-8 (hb), 978-0-82-488312-6 (pb).
Sense and Sense Ability in a Synthetic Genetic Code.

Sensible but Cool Advances in Protein Chemistry Investigators have exploited redundancy in the genetic code to engineer proteins with unnatural amino acids. They have similarly rendered “synonymize...
The quark liberation temperatureTF and the chiral restoration temperatureTC in continuum quantum chromodynamics

We examine the Schwinger-Dyson equation for the quark propagator determined by the gauge approximation technique extended to finite temperatures using the real-time formalism of Dolan and Jackiw and utilizing the singular gluon propagatora la Ball-Baker-Zachariasen. We conclude: 1)if the phase transitions do in fact occur, thenTC≥TF; 2) chiralsymmetry restoration does not, however, take place at finiteTC, within the approximations employed.
Toward a switching theory of CMOS circuits

Switching theory has existed for many years as a well established discipline which has been useful to both the circuit designer and the general planner. It survived intact from the early days of relay and vacuum tube circuits to later transistor technology. But the development of CMOS circuits in recent years and their increased use in most switching applications have made it clear that classical switching theory is not sufficient. The new technology has been with us long enough so that an extension of switching that deals specifically with CMOS circuits is in order.A few excellent papers have appeared which have dealt in a theoretical way with the design of CMOS circuits, for example see Brzozowski - Yoeli [1], and also Bryant [2] and Ramachandran [3], but many aspects of the subject remain to be investigated.In [1] a switch level model for CMOS circuits was described which supercedes the Boolean switch level model and takes account of the special properties of MOS transistors in the design of a combinational cell.In the present paper we approach some other aspects of CMOS circuit design which require special treatment. Specifically, a combinational cell may often be designed so as to produce an enhanced Boolean function which includes a “memory” state u as well as the usual 0 and 1. This memory state is a result of the ability of a node to store charge if it is not being driven in one direction or the other.We wish to study the way the inclusion of such memory states affects the way designs are carried out and to see what limitations still exist in the types of circuits that can be realized.As with the other authors, we recognize the advantage of dealing with combinational or feedback-free circuits. These advantages include ease of analysis, not having to worry about oscillation, direct calculations of time delay, and ultimately perhaps the development of algebraic methods of design.To fix our model we shall assume that our basic cells are of the “separated” type shown in Figure 1. The inputs to the cell are all applied to the gates of the transistors. A network of p-channel transistors representing a monotone Boolean function ƒ connects the output z to the positive terminal of the voltage supply (called 1) and a network of n-channel transistors representing a monotone Boolean function g connects the output z to the negative terminal (called 0). Further, we shall assume that the Boolean functions ƒ and g bear the relationship fd ⊇ g to each other (or equivalently gd ⊇ ƒ) where fd represents the dual of ƒ and similarly for g.The case in which fd = g corresponds to the case in which the cell is strictly Boolean (i.e. it exhibits no memory) and the output z has the value g. In general, however, there may be some input configurations for which fd = 1 and g = 0. For these inputs we assign z the value u meaning that the output is not being driven and will retain whatever value it had previously. A model for this type of cell can be imagined using ordinary Boolean elements and a special memory element called the
Degradation of apolipoprotein II mRNA occurs via endonucleolytic cleavage at 5'-AAU-3'/5'-UAA-3' elements in single-stranded loop domains of the 3'-noncoding region

Degradation intermediates of the estrogen-regulated apolipoprotein (apo) II mRNA were identified by S1 nuclease mapping and primer extension analysis. S1 mapping of poly(A)-RNA detected a series of mRNAs truncated at specific sites in the 3'-noncoding region. Many of these sites were also detected by primer extension analysis indicating that truncated molecules resulted from endonucleolytic cleavage in the 3'-noncoding region. Identical cleavage sites were seen with RNA from estrogen-treated animals or from animals withdrawn from hormone under conditions where apoII mRNA degraded in the slow (t1/2 = 13 h) or rapid (t1/2 = 1.5 h) decay mode. No differences were seen in poly(A) tail length or heterogeneity among these conditions. These results indicate that the estrogen-induced alteration in apoII mRNA turnover does not involve a new pathway of degradation, but, more likely, involves an increased targeting of the mRNA for degradation by a preexisting pathway. These data are consistent with a mechanism in which the initial step in apoII mRNA degradation is an endonucleolytic cleavage in the 3'-noncoding region without prior removal of the poly(A) tail. The endonucleolytic cleavage sites occurred predominantly at 5'-AAU-3' or 5'-UAA-3' trinucleotides found in single-stranded domains in a secondary structure model of the naked mRNA (Hwang, S-P. L., Eisenberg, M., Binder, R., Shelness, G. S., and Williams, D. L. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 8410-8418). The structure of the 3'-noncoding region in polyribosomal messenger ribonucleoprotein was examined by titrations of liver homogenates with dimethyl sulfate and cobra venom RNase. The results suggest that the typical cleavage site is a 5'-AAU-3' or 5'-UAA-3' trinucleotide in an accessible single-stranded loop domain. Single-stranded domains alone or accessible domains alone are not sufficient for cleavage. Similarly, 5'-AAU-3' or 5'-UAA-3' trinucleotides alone are not sufficient for cleavage. Localization of these trinucleotides to accessible single-stranded domains in the polyribosomal messenger ribonucleoprotein may provide the specificity for cleavage during targeted degradation.
Personality and Metaphor Use: How Extraverted and Introverted Young Adults Experience Becoming Friends

Competing theories have viewed relationship formation as a gradual process or as an instant development, with little attention to differences in individual perceptions of the same relationship. In ...
Comparison of Data Structures for Computing Formal Concepts

Presented is preliminary study of the role of data structures in algorithms for formal concept analysis. Studied is performance of selected algorithms in dependence on chosen data structures and size and density of input object-attribute data. The observations made in the paper can be seen as guidelines on how to select data structures for implementing algorithms for formal concept analysis.
A technology for monolithic integration of high-indium-fraction resonant-tunneling diodes with commercial MESFET VLSI electronics

A novel epitaxy-on-electronics (EoE) technology, developed at MIT, allows the integration of III-V heterostructures and commercial VLSI GaAs circuits. We have designed a monolithic resonant-tunneling diode (RTD) based static random access memory which uses this technique. We review both the EoE process and the design and epitaxial growth techniques for high performance In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As/AlAs RTDs suitable for memories.
Biochemical Markers for Assessment of Niacin Status in Young Men: Levels of Erythrocyte Niacin Coenzymes and Plasma Tryptophan

Seven male subjects housed in a controlled metabolic unit for 80 d were fed diets containing amounts of niacin and tryptophan ranging from 6.1 to 32 niacin equivalents (NE) per day. Erythrocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide nucleotide phosphate (NADP), activity of nicotinic acid mononucleotide phosphoribosyltransferase (NMNPRT), plasma tryptophan levels and the urinary excretion of organic acids were measured during dietary periods of low (6.1 or 10.1), adequate (19) and high (25 or 32) NE intake. With both low NE diets, NAD levels in erythrocytes decreased by approximately 70% and increased during repletion with an adequate NE diet. NADP levels remained relatively unchanged. Plasma tryptophan levels decreased by 40% and 10% in subjects ingesting diets of 6.1 and 10.1 NE/d, respectively. A daily 7.8-g leucine supplement during repletion was not associated with changes in plasma tryptophan levels or erythrocyte NAD and NADP levels at the end of the period. No changes in NMNPRT activity or organic acid excretion were found during the study. The results indicate that the erythrocyte NAD level may serve as a sensitive indicator for the assessment of niacin status. Also, a niacin index, the ratio of erythrocyte NAD to NADP, below 1.0 may identify subjects at risk of developing a niacin deficiency.
Neoplasms With Schwannian Differentiation Express Transcription Factors Known to Regulate Normal Schwann Cell Development

A number of transcription factors have been identified as important in guiding normal Schwann cell development. This study used immunohistochemistry on tissue arrays to assess the expression of some of these transcription factors (Sox5, Sox9, Sox10, AP-2α, Pax7, and FoxD3) on 76 schwannomas, 105 neurofibromas, and 34 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). Sox9 and Sox10 were found to be widely expressed in all tumor types. FoxD3 reactivity was stronger and more frequently found in schwannomas and MPNSTs than neurofibromas. AP-2α was positive in 31% to 49% of all tumors, but strong reactivity was limited to MPNSTs and schwannomas. Pax7 and Sox5 expression was restricted to subsets of MPNSTs. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the 3 tumor types in the expression of these markers. No differences were found in the analyzed tumor subgroups, including schwannomas of different sites, schwannomas with or without NF2 association, neurofibromas of different types, or sporadic versus NF1-associated MPNSTs. These results suggest that the transcription factors that guide normal Schwann cell development also play a role in the biology of neoplastic cells with Schwannian differentiation. FoxD3, AP-2α, Pax7, and Sox5 are upregulated in MPNSTs compared with neurofibromas and may be markers of malignant transformation. Screening the expression of FoxD3, Sox9, and Sox10 on 23 cases of other spindle-cell proliferations that may be considered in the differential diagnosis of MPNST, including synovial sarcoma and spindle cell melanoma, suggests that these 3 are helpful markers of Schwannian differentiation in the context of diagnosing MPNSTs.
Supporting dictation speech recognition error correction: the impact of external information

Although speech recognition technology has made remarkable progress, its wide adoption is still restricted by notable effort made and frustration experienced by users while correcting speech recognition errors. One of the promising ways to improve error correction is by providing user support. Although support mechanisms have been proposed for inline speech recognition error correction, how to develop user support for third-party error correction has been under studied. To address the unique challenges associated with third-party error correction, external information that is obtained outside of an erroneous sentence was employed in this research. Specifically, three types of external information were selected, including word alternative hypotheses, noisy context and accurate context, and their impacts on dictation speech recognition error correction were assessed empirically. As expected, results revealed the importance of context information to improving both the performance and perception of error corr...
Simulating Plasma Microwave Diagnostics

Computational simulation of plasma diagnostics via microwave absorption has been successfully accomplished. This simulation capability is developed from solutions to a combination of the three-dimensional Maxwell equations and the generalized Ohm's law in the time domain. As the simulation procedure developed, numerical results were obtained for a range of plasma transport properties including electrical conductivity, permittivity, and plasma frequency. The present results reveal the wave reflection at the media interface and substantial distortion of the electromagnetic field within a thin plasma sheet from a guided microwave. The present numerical simulation also accurately predicts the microwave blackout phenomenon as the wave propagates through a thick plasma sheet. The diffractions and refractions occurring at antenna apertures and passing through a plasma column are captured numerically. Finally, the numerical simulation has successfully duplicated a plasma diagnostic experiment in a hypersonic magneto-hydrodynamic channel.