cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning Based Integrated Classification and Image Retrieval System for Early Skin Cancer Detection

Skin cancer is one of the most frequent cancers among human beings. Diagnosing an unknown skin lesion is the first step to determine appropriate treatment. This paper proposes an integrated classification and retrieval based Decision Support System (DSS) for skin cancer detection with an `easy to use’ user interface by applying fusion and ensemble techniques in deep feature spaces. The descriptiveness and discriminative power of features extracted from dermoscopic images are critical to achieve good classification and retrieval performances. In this work, several deep features are extracted based on using transfer learning in several pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models are built as ensembles of classifiers on top of these feature vectors. Furthermore, the content-based image retrieval (CBIR) technique uses the same deep features by fusing those in different feature combinations using a canonical correlation analysis. Based on image-based visual queries submitted by dermatologists, this system would respond by displaying relevant images of pigmented skin lesions of past cases as well as classifying the image category as different types of skin cancer. The system has been trained on a dermoscopic image dataset consists of 1300 images of ten different classes. The best classification (85%) and retrieval accuracies are achieved in a test data set when feature fusion and ensemble techniques are used in all available deep feature spaces. This integrated system would reduce the visual observation error of human operators and enhance clinical decision support for early screening of kin cancers.
Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Primer for Emergency Physicians.

Abstract Background Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) impose a significant burden on patients and the emergency health care system. Patients with COPD who present to the emergency department (ED) often have comorbidities that can complicate their management. Objective To discuss strategies for the management of acute exacerbations in the ED, from initial assessment through disposition, to enable effective patient care and minimize the risk of treatment failure and prevent hospital readmissions. Discussion Establishing a correct diagnosis early on is critical; therefore, initial evaluations should be aimed at differentiating COPD exacerbations from other life-threatening conditions. Disposition decisions are based on the intensity of symptoms, presence of comorbidities, severity of the disease, and response to therapy. Patients who are appropriate for discharge from the ED should be prescribed evidence-based treatments and smoking cessation to prevent disease progression. A patient-centric discharge care plan should include medication reconciliation; bedside “teach-back,” wherein patients demonstrate proper inhaler usage; and prompt follow-up. Conclusions An effective assessment, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate discharge plan for patients with AECOPD could improve treatment outcomes, reduce hospitalization, and decrease unplanned repeat visits to the ED.
The impact of in vitro cultivation on the natural life cycle of the tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae

Tick-borne relapsing fever is an infectious disease caused by Borrelia species and are primarily transmitted by Ornithodoros ticks. Prior work indicated that in vitro cultivated spirochetes remain infectious to mice by needle inoculation; however, the impact of laboratory propagation on the pathogens natural life cycle has not been determined. Our current study assessed the effect of serial cultivation on the natural tick-mammalian transmission cycle. First, we evaluated genomic DNA profiles from B. turicatae grown to 30, 60, 120, and 300 generations, and these spirochetes were used to needle inoculate mice. Uninfected nymphal ticks were fed on these mice and acquisition, transstadial maintenance, and subsequent transmission after tick bite was determined. Infection frequencies in mice that were fed upon by ticks colonized with B. turicatae grown to 30, 60, and 120 generations were 100%, 100%, and 30%, respectively. Successful infection of mice by tick feeding was not detected after 120 generations. Quantifying B. turicatae in tick tissues indicated that by 300 generations they no longer colonized the vector. The results indicate that in vitro cultivation significantly affects the establishment of tick colonization and murine infection. This work provides a foundation for the identification of essential genetic elements in the tick-mammalian infectious cycle.
Patients' perspectives on initiating treatment with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX).

Abstract Background The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) multisite comparative-effectiveness study (“X:BOT”) by Lee et al. (2018) found that, once initiated, extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is as similarly safe and effective as sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone (BUP-NX) for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). However, the detoxification hurdle makes XR-NTX much more difficult to initiate than BUP-NX. This hurdle highlights the need to better understand how patients transition from active opioid use to XR-NTX treatment. Objective To explore patient-identified barriers and facilitators to initiating antagonist treatment (XR-NTX) within the context of an inpatient hospital setting and to reflect postdischarge experiences of those who did and did not initiate XR-NTX treatment. Method We used a convenience sampling strategy to identify study candidates, with the intention of recruiting approximately an equal number of medication-initiated and noninitiated patients. Study participants (N = 14) included 13 males and 1 female with OUD randomized to the XR-NTX arm of the X:BOT study at 1 of the 8 study sites. Seven participants in this sample initiated XR-NTX treatment, and seven did not. Each participant completed one semistructured qualitative interview. We analyzed transcripts using deductive and inductive approaches to conventional content analysis. Results Although the majority of participants viewed opioid blockade, once-monthly dosing, and no dependence or withdrawal as favorable attributes of XR-NTX, participant ambivalence and lack of familiarity with antagonist treatment were barriers to treatment initiation. The long duration of action and the perceived “commitment” to the medication (e.g., “At the time, a month sounded like a year”) compounded the patients' concerns and ambivalence. The majority of those who initiated XR-NTX described it as an effective treatment for OUD, with treatment satisfaction and sustained abstinence emerging as central themes among this population. Some participants who did not successfully initiate XR-NTX expressed regret and a willingness to try XR-NTX in the future. Conclusion Achieving full opioid detoxification is one, but not the only, barrier to initiating treatment with XR-NTX. Additional participant-identified barriers to XR-NTX initiation include fears and ambivalence regarding antagonist treatment. Once initiated, participants perceive XR-NTX to be an effective treatment for maintaining abstinence from opioids. XR-NTX appealed to participants due to the autonomy it affords with once-monthly dosing and no physical dependence.
Surgical plans generated from telemedicine visits are rarely changed after in person evaluation in spine patients.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND CONTEXT The role of telemedicine within the realm of spine surgery is evolving, catalyzed by the recent pandemic. Specifically, the capability of this technology to provide high-quality, cost-effective care without an in-person interaction and physical examination remains poorly defined. PURPOSE To characterize the impact of telemedicine on spine surgical planning by assessing whether surgical plans established in virtual visits changed following in-person evaluation. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE We evaluated the records of patients who were indicated for surgery with documented specific surgical plans during a virtual encounter (March–July 2020) and underwent subsequent in-person evaluation prior to surgery. OUTCOME MEASURES We determined whether surgical plans changed between the virtual encounter and the in-person interaction. Secondarily, we reviewed use of the virtual physical examination across surgeons. METHODS We reviewed virtual and in-person clinical encounters from a single academic spine division, evaluating those patients who were seen exclusively via telemedicine encounters and indicated for surgery with documented specific surgical plans. These plans were compared to the surgical plan after these same patients underwent in-person evaluation. Demographic data, patient primary complaint, and the type and extent of physical examination performed by the surgeon were recorded. RESULTS Of the 33 patients included, the surgical plan did not change among 31 individuals (94%) following in-person interaction. For the two patients where surgical plans were modified, multilevel fusions were increased by one level. There was notable inter- and intra-surgeon variability with regard to the use of virtual physical exams. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that telemedicine evaluations are efficient means of preoperative assessment of spine patients and delineation of surgical plans. These results may support innovations that can optimize access to care for patients.
Utilizing a Behavioral Health Bundle to Improve Patient and Clinician Safety for Hospitalized Children.

Due to limited psychiatric hospital availability, increasing numbers of pediatric patients with behavioral health (BH) needs are hospitalized in medical units in the US Patients and staff are at increased risk for safety events like self-harm or aggression. Our study aimed to decrease safety events by 25% over a year among hospitalized children with BH diagnoses by implementing an intervention bundle. Methods A multidisciplinary team developed and implemented a BH intervention bundle that included a BH equipment cart, an electronic medical record tool for BH patient identification/stratification, a de-escalation team, daily operational BH phone call, and staff training with a safety checklist. The primary outcome measure was the number of reported safety events in BH patients. Process measure was "medically avoidable days", wherein a medically cleared patient remained hospitalized awaiting transfer to inpatient psychiatric units; balance measure was staff perception of the workflow. Results Although not statistically significant, we noted a downward trend in safety events per 1,000 patient days from 0.47 preintervention to 0.34 postintervention (28% decrease). Special cause variation was not achieved for BH safety events or medically avoidable days. Although one-third of staff members felt the BH bundle was helpful, many reported it as impeding workflow and expressed ongoing discomfort caring for BH patients. Conclusions The implementation of a BH intervention bundle requires significant institutional support and interdisciplinary coordination. Despite additional training, equipment, and staff support, we did not achieve measurable improvements in patient safety and care coordination. Additional studies to measure impact and improve care for this population are needed.
Impact of oseltamivir treatment on influenza A and B dynamics in human volunteers

Abstract Influenza viruses infect millions of humans every year causing an estimated 400,000 deaths globally. Due to continuous virus evolution current vaccines provide only limited protection against the flu. Several antiviral drugs are available to treat influenza infection, and one of the most most commonly used drugs is oseltamivir (Tamiflu). While the mechanism of action of oseltamivir as a neuraminidase inhibitor is well understood, the impact of oseltamivir on influenza virus dynamics in humans has been controversial. Many clinical trials with oseltamivir have been done by pharmaceutical companies such as Roche but the results of these trials until recently have been reported as summary reports or papers. Typically, such reports included median virus shedding curves for placebo and drug-treated influenza virus infected volunteers often indicating high efficacy of the early treatment. However, median shedding curves may be not accurately representing drug impact in individual volunteers. Importantly, due to public pressure clinical trials data testing oseltamivir efficacy has been recently released in the form of redacted PDF documents. We digitized and re-analyzed experimental data on influenza virus shedding in human volunteers from three previously published trials: on influenza A (1 trial) or B viruses (2 trials). Given that not all volunteers exposed to influenza viruses actually start virus shedding we found that impact of oseltamivir on the virus shedding dynamics was dependent on i) selection of volunteers that were infected with the virus, and ii) the detection limit in the measurement assay; both of these details were not well articulated in the published studies. By assuming that any viral measurement is above the limit of detection we could match previously published data on median influenza A virus (flu A study) shedding but not on influenza B virus shedding (flu B study B) in human volunteers. Additional analyses confirmed that oseltamivir had an impact on the duration of shedding and overall shedding (defined as area under the curve) but this result was varied by the trial. Interestingly, treatment had no impact on the rates at which shedding increased or declined with time in individual volunteers. Additional analyses showed that oseltamivir impacted the kinetics of the start and end of viral shedding and in about 20-40% of volunteers treatment had no impact on viral shedding duration. Our results suggest an unusual impact of oseltamivir on influenza viruses shedding kinetics and caution about the use of published median data or data from a few individuals for inferences. Furthermore, we call for the need to publish raw data from critical clinical trials that can be then independently analyzed.
Palmer, George 1746–1826

George Palmer, also known as “George Giros de Gentilly named Palmer,” was an English dye chemist, color theorist, inventor, and soldier. According to his obituary, Palmer was born ca. 1746 on a ship to English Catholic parents. Due to the eighteenth-century restrictions on activities of English Catholics, Palmer lived a double life between England and France.
Recent increases in tropical cyclone precipitation extremes over the US east coast

The impacts of inland flooding caused by tropical cyclones (TCs), including loss of life, infrastructure disruption, and alteration of natural landscapes, have increased over recent decades. While these impacts are well documented, changes in TC precipitation extremes-the proximate cause of such inland flooding-have been more difficult to detect. Here, we present a latewood tree-ring-based record of seasonal (June 1 through October 15) TC precipitation sums (ΣTCP) from the region in North America that receives the most ΣTCP: coastal North and South Carolina. Our 319-y-long ΣTCP reconstruction reveals that ΣTCP extremes (≥0.95 quantile) have increased by 2 to 4 mm/decade since 1700 CE, with most of the increase occurring in the last 60 y. Consistent with the hypothesis that TCs are moving slower under anthropogenic climate change, we show that seasonal ΣTCP along the US East Coast are positively related to seasonal average TC duration and TC translation speed.
Modeling of Landscape Change and Tele-Coupling in Local Socio-Ecological Systems: A Simulation of Land Use Change and Recreational Activities in Southern Idaho, United States

The modeling of landscape change and socio-ecological systems (SES) tends to ignore the interactions across distance and boundaries. To fill the gap, this research analyzes landscape change by considering the tele-coupling effects at the local scale between Owyhee county and Treasure Valley in Idaho, United States. The spatial distribution of recreational activities in Owyhee county are modeled by Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST). Land use and cover change (LUCC) are simulated using Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLPNN). Results show that the tele-coupling effects have significant impacts on the nature-based recreation in Owyhee county. With the tele-coupling effects, MLPNN has achieved a high overall accuracy and kappa coefficient in LUCC. The findings suggest that the tele-coupling effects should be incorporated into the modeling of landscape change and SES. This study also provides policy implications for land management and stakeholder involvement in accommodating landscape change.
“Longer than I Would’ve Originally Liked and Originally Thought”: Postsecondary Debt and Marriage Plans for Young Adults Coming of Age in the Great Recession

While student loans play a large role in the financing of higher education, there has been relatively little qualitative work on how young adults understand their debt burdens and the debt’s percei...
Molecular analysis of 10 pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas reveals potential prognostic markers and druggable targets.

Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma (PRMS) is a rare and aggressive adult sarcoma with a median overall survival of less than 2 years. Most PRMS do not respond to conventional chemotherapy and/or radiation, and targeted therapies are non-existent as few PRMS have undergone the molecular characterization necessary to identify therapeutic options. To date, complex structural and few recurrent regional copy alterations have been reported in the PRMS cases evaluated by cytogenetic and comparative genomic hybridization. Thus, there remains an urgent need for more comprehensive molecular profiling to both understand disease pathogenesis and to identify potentially actionable targets. Ten PRMS resection cases were retrieved from institutional archives and clinicopathologic demographics were recorded. All tumors were subjected to DNA-based targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 340 cancer-related genes while a subset (6 cases) underwent gene-expression profiling of 770 genes. Alterations identified by NGS included genes involved in cell cycle regulation (90%), the RAS/MAPK and AKT pathways (80%), telomere maintenance (40%), chromatin remodeling (40%), and DNA repair (20%), as well as the cAMP-signaling pathway (10%). Microsatellite instability was absent in all cases, and tumor mutational burden was predominantly low. Gene expression profiling revealed up-regulation of many of the same pathways, including the RTK/MAPK, AKT/PIK3CA/mTOR, Wnt, Hedgehog and JAK/STAT pathways. Survival analysis demonstrated patients with concurrent biallelic inactivation of CDKN2A and TP53 showed significantly shorter overall survival (median: 2 vs 50 months). Our integrated molecular characterization identified not only potentially targetable alterations, but also prognostic markers for stratification of PRMS patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Microprocessor-based parallel architecture for reliable digital signal processing systems

This book presents a distributed multiprocessor architecture that is faster, more versatile, and more reliable than traditional single-processor architectures. It also describes a simulation technique that provides a highly accurate means for building a prototype system in software. The system prototype is studied and analyzed using such DSP applications as digital filtering and fast Fourier transforms. The code is included as well, which allows others to build software prototypes for their own research systems. The design presented in Microprocessor-Based Parallel Architecture for Reliable Digital Signal Processing Systems introduces the concept of a dual-mode architecture that allows users a dynamic choice between either a conventional or fault-tolerant system as application requirements dictate. This volume is a "must have" for all professionals in digital signal processing, parallel and distributed computer architecture, and fault-tolerant computing.
Empirical Investigations of Implicit Prosody

Fodor’s introduction of the implicit prosody hypothesis (IPH; 2002) inspired a series of studies exploring how readers’ “inner voice” influences sentence comprehension. In this chapter, I review the history of the IPH and a variety of studies which have demonstrated that implicit phrasing, accentuation, and rhythm appear to play a role in syntactic parsing. I explore how work moving forward might address the question of the psychological reality of the “inner voice,” and how we can investigate the relative contribution of implicit prosody to sentence processing in consideration of other known information sources.
Chemotherapeutic Effect of Calcidiol Derivative B3CD in a Neuroblastoma Xenograft Model

Bromoacetoxy-calcidiol (B3CD), a pro-apoptotic and cytotoxic agent in neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines, displayed therapeutic potential in vivo as an anticancer drug in a NB xenograft mouse model. Tumors of all animals treated intraperitoneally with B3CD went into regression within 10–30 days of treatment, while tumors in control animals grew aggressively. The response mechanisms of NB cells to B3CD in vitro were studied and included differential targeting of cell cycle key regulators p21 and cyclin D1 on the transcriptional and expression level leading to arrest in G0/G1 phase. In contrast to the effect in ovarian cancer cells, B3CD-induced cell death in SMS-KCNR NB cells was only marginally mediated by the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Signaling induced by exogenous recombinant EGF leads to a partial restoration of the negative effects of B3CD on SMS-KCNR cell proliferation and survival. Upon combinational treatment of SMS-KCNR cells with B3CD and recombinant EGF, the EGF receptor (EGF-R) was highly activated. We suggest future studies to include analysis of the effects of B3CD in combination therapy with pharmacological inhibitors of cell cycle regulators or with EGF-R-targeting inhibitors, -toxins or -antibodies in vitro and their translation into in vivo models of tumor development.
Abstract MP27: Effects of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors on Lifetime Risk of Chronic Disease Mortality and Life Expectancy in Men and Women

The impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors on lifetime risk of chronic disease mortality and life expectancy in U.S. population remains less explored. Purpose: We investigated the combined effects of lifestyle factors on lifetime risk of chronic disease mortality and life expectancy in US men and women at 40 years of age. Methods: Lifetime risks of chronic disease mortality to 80 years of age were estimated for men and women, with death free of chronic diseases as a competing event. We followed 7848 men and women, aged 40 to 80 years, who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. All participants completed baseline lifestyle behavior questionnaires. A healthy lifestyle profile was defined as physically active, never smoking, and a healthy diet defined by the American Heart Association Strategic Committee. They were further categorized as having 0, 1, 2, or 3 combined healthy lifestyle factors. Results: During an average of 13.2 years of follow-up (103,851 person years), th...
Delaying and reducing medication use as a coping mechanism for food insecurity (268.6)

Objective: To determine if food insecure households are more likely to skip, delay or reduce medications to compensate for lack of household resources to purchase food. Methods: We used data from a combined sample of the 2011 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey (n=52,699). We conducted bivariate and logistic regression analyses to examine the association between food security (FS) and medication use; controlling for demographics, lifestyle, BMI, chronic disease, disability, health care coverage and self-rated health. Sample weights were applied to account for the complex sample design. Results: Seventy eight percent of respondents reported high FS, 8% marginal FS, 6.9% low FS and 6.0% very low FS. Seven percent reported skipping medications; 7.6% used fewer medications; 9.4% delayed filling a prescription; and 20% lowered the dose of medication. Net of other factors the odds of skipping medications increased with increasing severity of food insecurity (OR of 1.67 for marginal FS, 2.86 for low FS and...
Do Subjective Measures Improve the Ability to Identify Limited Health Literacy in a Clinical Setting

Background: Existing health literacy assessments developed for research purposes have constraints that limit their utility for clinical practice, including time requirements and administration protocols. The Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) consists of 3 self-administered Single-Item Literacy Screener (SILS) questions and obviates these clinical barriers. We assessed whether the addition of SILS items or the BHLS to patient demographics readily available in ambulatory clinical settings reaching underserved patients improves the ability to identify limited health literacy. Methods: We analyzed data from 2 cross-sectional convenience samples of patients from an urban academic emergency department (n = 425) and a primary care clinic (n = 486) in St. Louis, Missouri. Across samples, health literacy was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Revised (REALM-R), Newest Vital Sign (NVS), and the BHLS. Our analytic sample consisted of 911 adult patients, who were primarily female (62%), black (66%), and had at least a high school education (82%); 456 were randomly assigned to the estimation sample and 455 to the validation sample. Results: The analysis showed that the best REALM-R estimation model contained age, sex, education, race, and 1 SILS item (difficulty understanding written information). In validation analysis this model had a sensitivity of 62%, specificity of 81%, a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 3.26, and a negative likelihood ratio (LR−) of 0.47; there was a 28% misclassification rate. The best NVS estimation model contained the BHLS, age, sex, education and race; this model had a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 72%, LR+ of 2.75, LR− of 0.32, and a misclassification rate of 25%. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the BHLS and SILS items improve the ability to identify patients with limited health literacy compared with demographic predictors alone. However, despite being easier to administer in clinical settings, subjective estimates of health literacy have misclassification rates >20% and do not replace objective measures; universal precautions should be used with all patients.
The Programmed Death-1 Immune-Suppressive Pathway: Barrier to Antitumor Immunity

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1, also known as B7 homolog 1 or CD274) is a major obstacle to antitumor immunity because it tolerizes/anergizes tumor-reactive T cells by binding to its receptor programmed death-1 (CD279), renders tumor cells resistant to CD8(+) T cell- and FasL-mediated lysis, and tolerizes T cells by reverse signaling through T cell-expressed CD80. PD-L1 is abundant in the tumor microenvironment, where it is expressed by many malignant cells, as well as by immune cells and vascular endothelial cells. The critical role of PD-L1 in obstructing antitumor immunity has been demonstrated in multiple animal models and in recent clinical trials. This article reviews the mechanisms by which PD-L1 impairs antitumor immunity and discusses established and experimental strategies for maintaining T cell activation in the presence of PD-L1-expressing cells in the tumor microenvironment.
US intervention and the New World Order: Lessons from Cold War and post‐Cold War cases

(1994). US intervention and the New World Order: Lessons from Cold War and post‐Cold War cases. Third World Quarterly: Vol. 15, The South in the new World (Dis)Order, pp. 77-101.
Large format hybrid visible silicon focal plane arrays for space- and ground-based astronomy

CMOS-based hybrid silicon focal plane array technology is presented as a high-performance CMOS sensor alternative to CCD technology for future space missions and ground-based telescopes. This paper will discuss the unique performance advantages of the hybrid CMOS arrays, including the very high quantum efficiency from UV to near IR, good spatial resolution at moderate voltage bias, readout commonality with IR detector channels in multi-spectral systems, low noise, low power dissipation, high inherent radiation tolerance, and excellent CMOS functionality afforded by the separately optimized readout circuitry. The ability to retain low noise at high video rates and the fact that CMOS sensors do not suffer the charge transfer efficiency (CTE) degradation of CCDs enable an easy scale-up of CMOS-based FPAs to larger formats without compromising sensor performance. The large hybrid CMOS silicon FPAs up to 2048x2048 format in single chip and 4096x4096 format in mosaic configuration that are demonstrated at Rockwell Scientific will be presented.
Fields of Practice: Connections between Law and Organizations

It is, of course, both a privilege and a challenge to have one's work attended to in the thorough and thoughtful manner exemplified by Professors Suchman and Edelman's and Professor Sutton's essays.' The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis2 has been subject of many review symposia-in journals of accounting, business, political science, and sociology. But the traffic has never been two-way: our work is typically imported into new domains, but here we also have the opportunity to see how law and society research might enhance institutional analysis. In reading and reflecting on these valuable commentaries, I am pulled by divergent reactions: "Why didn't we think of that?" and "that's not what we meant" are the most common. But rather than play out these responses in print, I plead nolo contendere and concur with Suchman and Edelman's contention that institutional analysis has treated the law and the legal environment in an overly determinist fashion. In focusing on the letter of the law and its purported impact, institutional analysis neglects the extent to which the law and the legal environment are subject to negotiation, interpretation, and contestation.
SpiderRadio: An Incumbent Sensing Implementation for Cognitive Radio Networking Using IEEE 802.11 Devices

Spectrum sensing is one of the critical features in cognitive radio based dynamic spectrum access networking. In this paper, we discuss a new spectrum sensing technique for primary incumbent detection. The proposed method is based on observing the PHY errors, received signal strength and $n$-moving window averaging of the observed measurement. The sensing parameters are dynamically optimized based on the operating radio environment. This sensing method is implemented in SpiderRadio, a cognitive radio testbed based on off-the-shelf IEEE 802.11 devices. Experimental results show that the proposed technique results in very low sensing delay and failure probability.
Environmental Identity Development Through Social Interactions, Action, and Recognition

This article uses sociocultural identity theory to explore how practice, action, and recognition can facilitate environmental identity development. Recognition, a construct not previously explored in environmental identity literature, is particularly examined. The study is based on a group of diverse teens who traveled to South Asia to participate in a global education program focused on climate change impacts. Kempton and Holland's (2003) environmental identity model is applied to find that different types of social interactions fostered different types of identity development. Interactions with people affected by climate change helped participants move toward salience, while interactions with their peers helped youth in environmental action. An additional finding was the importance of diversity within social interactions in shaping environmental identity.
The Political Power of Martyrdom

Alice LoCicero and Samuel J. Sinclair. Creating Young Martyrs: Conditions That Make Dying in a Terrorist Attack Seem Like a Good Idea. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, 2008. xvii + 110...
COTS-based DSRC testbed for rapid algorithm development, implementation, and test

This paper describes a Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) testbed which demonstrates the use of common, off-the-shelf (COTS) products to enable rapid algorithm development from conception to hardware implementation and test.
Panel urges measures to minimize effects of future abrupt climate changes

Future abrupt climate changes are likely, according to a new report issued by the U.S. National Research Council (NRC),and research into their causes, patterns, and probability is needed to help minimize potentially large impacts on societies, ecosystems, and natural resources such as water. The December 10 report, “Abrupt Climate Changes: Inevitable Surprises,” notes that abrupt regional or global climate changes that may occur within the span of a human generation could be triggered either by natural or anthropogenic causes, including global warming. Such changes could affect temperature, precipitation, evaporation, and extreme weather events.
Baseline measurements of ethene in 2002: Implications for increased ethanol use and biomass burning on air quality and ecosystems

Abstract While it is well known that combustion of ethanol as a biofuel will lead to enhanced emissions of methane, ethene (ethylene), acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and oxides of nitrogen (primarily NO) when compared to gasoline alone, especially during cold starts or if catalytic converters are not operating properly, the impacts of increases in atmospheric ethene levels from combustion of fuels with higher ethanol content has not received much attention. Ethene is a well known and potent plant growth hormone and exposure to agricultural crops and natural vegetation results in yield reductions especially when combined with higher levels of PAN and ozone also expected from the increased use of ethanol/gasoline blends. We report here some baseline measurements of ethene obtained in 2002 in the southwestern and south central United States. These data indicate that current ethene background levels are less than 1 ppb. Anticipated increases in fuel ethanol content of E30 or greater is expected to lead to higher atmospheric levels of ethene on regional scales due to its atmospheric lifetime of 1.5–3 days. These background measurements are discussed in light of the potential enhancement of ethene levels expected from the anticipated increases in ethanol use as a renewable biofuel.
Borohydride reduction of imidazolidino[1,2-d]dithiadiazepines

Abstract Imidazolidino[1,2-d]dithiadiazepines are converted to the ten-membered saturated heterocycles via borohydride reduction in acidic media or using “in situ” generated borane. Reductive alkylation in acetic or propionic acid as a solvent represents a significant side reaction. Relatively stable boron compounds are identified as intermediates which yield the saturated heterocycles upon acidic hydrolysis.
Public finance : policy issues for India

This volume examines aspects of fiscal reform in India, while focusing on issues of policy relevance. Included here are analyses of public expenditure, the containment of the fiscal deficit, the poor performance of direct taxes, and a study of comparative tax reforms. The crucial issue of fiscal federalism is also examined. With contributions by leading experts in the field including Amaresh Bagchi, Parthasarthy Shome and M. Govind Rao.
A Bidirectional Refinement Type System for LF

We present a system of refinement types for LF in the style of recent formulations where only canonical forms are well-typed. Both the usual LF rules and the rules for type refinements are bidirectional, leading to a straightforward proof of decidability of type-checking even in the presence of intersection types. Because we insist on canonical forms, structural rules for subtyping can now be derived rather than being assumed as primitive. We illustrate the expressive power of our system with several examples in the domain of logics and programming languages.
Intimate Partner Violence among Latino Women: Rates and Cultural Correlates

While various forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) within the Latino community have been explored to some extent, the role of immigrant status and acculturation on IPV remains unclear. The current study investigated the lifetime rate of physical, sexual, stalking, and threat IPV, as well as the profile of abuse tactics used against victimized Latino women. Further, the influence of immigrant status, Anglo orientation, Latino orientation, and the interaction of immigrant status and acculturation variables on IPV were examined. Data came from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study that gathered data from a national sample of Latino women (N = 2,000) via telephone interviews. Results showed 15.6 % of Latino women experienced IPV in their lifetime and threat IPV was the most common form of IPV. Physical, sexual, stalking and threat IPV were all used as abusive tactics in various configurations. Logistic regression analyses showed immigrants were less likely than U.S. born Latino women to experience any IPV and physical IPV. Anglo orientation was associated with increased odds of any IPV and stalking IPV while Latino orientation was associated with decreased odds of all forms of IPV. Furthermore, the protective effect of Latino orientation for stalking IPV was pronounced among immigrants. Together the results show that 1 in 6 Latino women experience IPV and that sociocultural factors such as immigrant status and acculturation are important considerations for this group, underscoring the influence of migration and cultural adaptation to family functioning.
The House of Gastrointestinal Medicine: How Academic Medical Centers Can Build a Sustainable Economic Clinical Model

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) have been given unique responsibilities to care for patients, educate future clinicians, and bring innovative research to the bedside. Over the last few decades, this tripartite mission has served the United States well, and payers (Federal, State, and commercial) have been willing to underwrite these missions with overt and covert financial subsidies. As cost containment efforts have escalated, the traditional business model of AMCs has been challenged. In this issue, Dr Anil Rustgi and I offer some insights into how AMCs must alter their business model to be sustainable in our new world of accountable care, cost containment, and clinical integration.
History with a Mission: Abraham Kawadza and Narratives of Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe

He was the first man who was clever enough to realize he could sell some green maize at the mine in Penhalonga... Even to build the good houses, you had to come and copy from Kawadza. To buy ploughshares, they had to come and copy from Kawadza. . . Even those who bought cars, they had to copy from Kawadza. . . Chief Gandanzara used to walk on foot whenever he wanted to meet anyone. But because of seeing Kawadza rid ing a horse, he himself decided to ride on a horse. . . We can say in Mani caland, or we can say in Zimbabwe, most of the good things were started with Kawadza.1
Nasal immunization with recombinant Brucella melitensis bp26 and trigger factor with cholera toxin reduces B. melitensis colonization.

bp26 and trigger factor (Tf) DNA vaccines have previously been shown to protect against Brucella infection. In this study, purified bp26 and Tf proteins were tested in BALB/c mice for immunity and protection. The results showed that intranasal (i.n.) immunization with bp26 and Tf in conjunction with cholera toxin (CT) adjuvant elicit both elevated mucosal and systemic immune responses. While nasal immunization with either bp26 or Tf elicited elevated antibody responses, co-immunization with both enhanced anti-Tf immunity, suggesting bp26 adjuvant activity. Evaluation of serum IgG subclass responses showed elevated IgG1 titers. Further analysis to discern the source of immune B cells revealed effective immunization of respiratory tissues. However, Tf stimulated a significantly higher level of cytokine-forming cells (CFC) than bp26. These results imply that co-immunization of bp26 and Tf proteins elicits synergistic cooperation to stimulate the immune system. When immunized mice were challenged with B. melitensis 16 M, bp26-plus Tf-immunized mice showed no difference in splenic weights but harbored three-fold less bacterial CFU when compared to sPBS-immunized control mice.
Urban Heat Island Assessment: Metadata Are Important

Abstract Urban heat island (UHI) analyses for the conterminous United States were performed using three different forms of metadata: nightlights-derived metadata, map-based metadata, and gridded U.S. Census Bureau population metadata. The results indicated that metadata do matter. Whether a UHI signal was found depended on the metadata used. One of the reasons is that the UHI signal is very weak. For example, population was able to explain at most only a few percent of the variance in temperature between stations. The nightlights metadata tended to classify lower population stations as rural compared to map-based metadata while the map-based metadata urban stations had, on average, higher populations than urban nightlights. Analysis with gridded population metadata indicated that statistically significant urban heat islands could be found even when quite urban stations were classified as rural, indicating that the primary signal was coming from the relatively high population sites. If ∼30% of the highest ...
The amount and compartmentalization of adenosine diphosphate in muscle.

Abstract A fraction of the ADP in muscle was extracted with aqueous ethanol at low temperature, and if the extractanta contained citrate there was no loss of ADP during or after the extraction. The quantity so determined in this work averaged about 0.25 μmole/g; there was some indication, but no explicit proof, that this figure should be corrected downward by about 0.15 μmole. This alcohol-soluble fraction is regarded as the sum of free ADP and some ADP bound reversibly to various enzymes. Its quantity compares reasonably to that which may be expected from the creatine phosphoryl transferase equilibrium, or that which may be a rate-limiting factor in glycolytic or oxidative metabolism. An additional 0.4 μmole/g was extractable in aqueous ethanol containing salyrgan or other mercurials, and so also in perchloric acid. The corresponding quantity was also found in fibrils. This fraction is regarded as the ADP bound to F-actin. There was no changes in any of the ADP fractions during brief contractions. The increase of ADP after prolonged activity took place in the freely extractable fraction only.
Identification of Aquaporin 5 (AQP5) within the Cochlea: cDNA Cloning and in Situ Localization

Dysfunction of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis is considered to cause variety of inner ear disorders. One group of candidate proteins that may play a critical role in the inner ear fluid homeostasis is the aquaporins, a family of proteins whose members have well defined roles in fluid transport in variety of organs. This study reports the identification of AQP5, a member of the aquaporin family, within the rat inner ear and its in situ localization. AQP5 was initially identified within rat cochlear RNA via RT-PCR and sequence analysis of the amplified fragments. Immunoblot of cochlear homogenate yielded a predominant AQP5-immunoreactive band of M(r) 35 kDa. The anti-AQP5 immunoreactivity, indicating expression of the AQP5 polypeptide, was localized within the cochlea in situ to the cell types that form the lateral wall of the cochlear duct-the external sulcus (ES) cells and the cells of the spiral prominence. Expression of AQP5 was observed in the apical turn but not the basal turn of the cochlea; nor was it observed in the vestibular neuroepithelia or its supporting cells. The restricted expression of AQP5 to the apical turns of the cochlea suggests its potential role in low frequency hearing.
High average power, 100 Hz repetition rate, table-top EUV/Soft X-ray lasers

Compact λ = 13.9 nm and λ = 18.9 nm lasers with record >0.1 mW average power were demonstrated using a 100 Hz repetition rate diode-pumped CPA laser. Successful scaling to λ = 10.9 nm is reported.
Diversity‐affirming ethics and critical epistemology: Institutional decision making in community colleges

This chapter raises awareness about potential approaches to institutional decision making in community colleges that embody diversity-affirming ethics and a critical epistemological orientation that promotes social justice.
Using a class to conduct a carbon inventory: A case study with practical results at Macalester College

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the practical realities of using a college seminar to fulfill the carbon audit requirement for signatories to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and presents evidence of this approach's advantages as an educational and practical tool.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the course structure and presents research findings, based on student questionnaires on student learning outcomes.Findings – Structuring a course around a campus carbon audit has unique educational advantages for students and practical advantages for ACUPCC signatory campuses.Originality/value – This paper enumerates the concrete advantages to using a college class to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and provides evidence of valuable learning outcomes for students in such a class.
Colonial Inheritance, Postcolonial Neglect, and the Management of Nigerian Railway by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES)

The Nigerian Railway (NR) network was constructed and managed from 1898 to 1960 by British colonial authorities. The infrastructure inherited at independence was old, dilapidated, inefficient and inadequate. Instead of transforming this infrastructure, Nigerian bourgeoisie neglected it in favour of road transport development. Additionally, there was a general mismanagement of the industry. These developments adversely affected rail transportation, especially in the late 1970s; when the military government was constrained to invite Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) to manage it from 1978-1982. Although RITES were able to carry out some changes such as staff training, construction of staff quarters, repairing locomotives and wagons, relaying of track, motivation and promotion of staff, establishment of financial accountability, increment in freight and passenger traffics, and so on; they did not radically transform the inherited antediluvian transport infrastructure. This was because RITES got a limited brief of simply rehabilitating NR‟s operations and infrastructure. Nonetheless, had the government built on the reforms carried out, the railway industry would not have collapsed in the 1990s. The study disproved the assertion that the techno-managerial agreement between the Nigerian government and RITES to revive NRC was a complete waste of time and money.