cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Influence of Supervisor Support, Fit, and Job Attractiveness on Service Employee Job Resourcefulness: An Abstract

Service managers strive to ensure both service efficiency and effectiveness, and as such, a growing stream of research has been devoted to the “job resourcefulness” (JR) construct (Harris et al. 2013; Licata et al. 2003). Introduced by Licata and colleagues (2003) as “an enduring disposition to garner scarce resources and overcome obstacles in the pursuit of job-related goals,” the construct was developed at a time when calls were made for work on productivity and how services can “do more with less.” Today, doing more with less remains a critical part of service success, as when uncertainties in the economy lead to either increased or decreased hiring.
Oligomerization of supercritical ethylene over nickel-based silica-alumina catalysts

Abstract We used supercritical ethylene as both a solvent and reactant for ethylene oligomerization over silica-alumina catalysts with different pore structures and decorated with Ni nanoparticles namely Ni-Hβ and Ni-Al-SBA-15. The catalysts were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The effect of pressure and temperature on the overall conversion and product selectivity over Ni-Hβ were evaluated in the range from 0.0 to 52.5 bar (partial pressure of ethylene) and 30 to 120 °C. At subcritical conditions over Ni-Hβ (120 °C and 11.2/22.4 bar), the ethylene conversion reached a plateau of around 50% after six hours. By increasing the pressure past the critical point of ethylene, the steady-state conversion significantly increased to 71%. The drastic increase in conversion can be attributed to the high butene and hexene solubilities in supercritical ethylene, promoting the desorption of di- and trimerization products from the catalytic active sites and making those sites available for incoming ethylene molecules. At supercritical conditions, high ethylene conversion (85%) and C4 selectivity (74%) was achieved using Ni-Al-SBA-15 (impregnated mesoporous catalyst), while Ni-Hβ (the microporous catalyst) yielded less C4 (32 wt%) and more C6 (22 wt%) possibly because of confinement effects of the micropore channels. We also examined the influence of the reaction temperature over Ni-Hβ. The catalytic activity increased with temperature from 30 to 120 °C. Even though there was little activity at 30 °C for ethylene oligomerization, the solvation abilities at this condition provide opportunities for in-situ removal of heavy molecular weight species from the catalyst for regeneration purposes, provided that the catalyst does not strongly adsorb ethylene molecules at low temperature. This work shows for the first time that supercritical ethylene conditions have great potential for practical catalytic applications.
Performance Evaluation of Features and Clustering Algorithms for Malware

Malware has become a huge problem and obfuscation techniques used by attackers means that signature management for malware becomes too time and space consuming. If we can cluster different versions of the same malware together, we can attain many benefits. In this paper, we study the malware clustering problem systematically using several algorithms, distance functions and sets of features. A real-world, ground-truth dataset and multiple metrics are used to evaluate the performance of these suite of approaches. Agglomerative Hierarchical clustering, Spectral clustering, and DBSCAN emerged as the winning algorithms.
Racial/ethnic disparities in depression: Investigating how sources of support and types of integration matter

Although social support and social integration are key predictors of depression and exhibit racial/ethnic patterns in the US, previous research has not examined how they shape racial/ethnic disparities in depression. Applying hybrid models to data from the Americans' Changing Lives study from 1986 to 2002, this study analyzes how sources of social support (spouse and friend/relative) and types of social integration (informal/formal) explain black-white and Hispanic-white disparities in depression. We find that strong social support and high social integration are negatively associated with depression and that the patterns of social support and integration vary by race/ethnicity. The results of hybrid models show that social support from one's spouse and friend/relative account for over 25 percent of the black-white disparity, whereas formal social integration including religious groups widens the black-white differential by roughly 10 percent. However, Hispanic-white disparities in depression are mostly a result of the difference in socioeconomic status. The change in spousal support is the most powerful predictor for the change in depression across race/ethnicity groups. Our findings suggest that the racial/ethnic differences in sources of social support and types of social integration play important roles in shaping racial/ethnic disparities in depression.
Multiwaveform cross-correlation search method for intermediate-duration gravitational waves from gamma-ray bursts

Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) are flashes of gamma-rays thought to originate from rare forms of massive star collapse (long GRBs), or from mergers of compact binaries (short GRBs) containing at least one neutron star (NS). The nature of the post-explosion / post-merger remnant (NS versus black hole, BH) remains highly debated. In ~50% of both long and short GRBs, the temporal evolution of the X-ray afterglow that follows the flash of gamma-rays is observed to "plateau" on timescales of 100-10000 s since explosion, possibly signaling the presence of energy injection from a long-lived, highly magnetized NS (magnetar). The Cross-Correlation Algorithm (CoCoA) proposed by [R. Coyne et. al., (2016)] aims to optimize searches for intermediate-duration (100-10000s) gravitational waves (GWs) from GRB remnants. In this work, we test CoCoA on real data collected with ground-based GW detectors. We further develop the detection statistics on which CoCoA is based to allow for multi-waveform searches spanning a physically-motivated parameter space, so as to account for uncertainties in the physical properties of GRB remnants.
The Distribution of Somite-Derived Myogenic Cells During Early Development of the Wing Bud

It is generally believed that the voluntary muscles in vertebrates are derived from the somites. The strongest supporting evidence has been obtained in avian embryos. The availability of a nucleolar marker in quail cells (LeDouarin and Barq, 1969) has been especially useful since quail somites can be implanted into chick embryonic hosts and the contribution of quail cells to myogenesis can be readily assessed. With this approach, it has been found that somitic cells form the limb (Christ et al., 1977; 1983; Chevallier et al., 1977), and the thoracic muscles (Chevallier, 1979; Christ et al., 1983). Similarly, the cervical and cephalic musculature is of somitomeric origin (Noden, 1983).
Dendritic cells transduced by multiply deleted HIV-1 vectors exhibit normal phenotypes and functions and elicit an HIV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response in vitroPresented in part at the 1999 International Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore, MD, August 28- September 2, 1999 (J Hum Virol 2: abstract 301, 1999).

Abstract Dendritic cells (DCs) genetically modified to continually express and present antigens may be potent physiologic adjuvants for induction of prophylactic or therapeutic immunity. We have previously shown that an env and nef deleted HIV-1 vector (HIV-1ΔEN) pseudotyped with VSV-G transduced monocyte-derived macrophages as well as CD34+ precursors of DCs. Here we extended these findings with HIV-1ΔEN to highly differentiated human DCs derived in culture from circulating monocytes (DCs). In addition, a new vector derived from HIV-1ΔEN but further deleted in its remaining accessory genes vif, vpr, and vpu(HIV-1ΔEN V3) was also tested. Both vectors efficiently transduced DCs. Transduction of DCs did not significantly alter their viability or their immunophenotype when compared with untransduced DCs. Furthermore, the phagocytic potential of immature DCs, as well as their ability to differentiate into mature DCs capable of stimulating T-cell proliferation, was not affected. Finally, DCs transduced by the HIV-1ΔEN vector were able to elicit a primary antiviral cytotoxic T-cell response in autologous CD8 T cells. These results suggest that HIV-1–based vectors expressing viral antigens may be useful for in vivo active immunization as well as ex vivo priming of cytotoxic T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy.
The Karapandzic flap

The Karapandzic flap is a reliable reconstructive option for medium and large lip defects that maintains sensation and motor function and optimizes tissue vascularity.
Online Detection and Parameter Estimation With Correlated Observations

We present an online expectation maximization (EM) based algorithm for the problem of model parameter estimation and hypothesis testing based on observations from a network of heterogeneous sensors. The sensors’ measurements are assumed to be correlated and copula theory is used to model this correlation. Moreover, it is assumed that the statistical model for the sensors’ data is not completely known. We first develop the batch-mode EM to estimate the parameters of the underlying distributions of the sensors’ measurements and to detect the hypothesis. Next, we develop an online EM-based method that processes the data on a sample-by-sample basis. Numerical results are presented for both simulation data and two different real-world datasets. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method showing significant improvements for both parameter estimation and hypothesis testing compared to the method that ignores the correlation in sensors’ measurements. Hypothesis testing results from the real-world data are also compared with several unsupervised and supervised learning methods. It is shown that the proposed methods outperform the unsupervised and even some supervised methods.
Photochemical Tissue Passivation of Arteriovenous Grafts Prevents Long-Term Development of Intimal Hyperplasia in a Swine Model

Abstract Background The autologous vein remains the standard conduit for lower extremity and coronary artery bypass grafting despite a 30%-50% 5-y failure rate, primarily attributable to intimal hyperplasia (IH) that develops in the midterm period (3-24 mo) of graft maturation. Our group discovered that externally strengthening vein grafts by cross-linking the adventitial collagen with photochemical tissue passivation (PTP) mitigates IH in an arteriovenous model at 4 wk. We now investigate whether this effect is retained in the midterm period follow-up. Methods Six Hanford miniature pigs received bilateral carotid artery interposition vein grafts. In each animal, the external surface of one graft was treated with PTP before grafting, whereas the opposite side served as the untreated control. The grafts were harvested after 3 mo. Ultrasound evaluation of all vein grafts was performed at the time of grafting and harvest. The grafts were also evaluated histomorphometrically and immunohistologically for markers of IH. Results All vein grafts were patent at 3 mo except one graft in the PTP-treated group because of early technical failure. The control vein grafts had significantly greater IH than PTP-treated grafts at 3 mo, as evidenced by the intimal area (2.6 ± 1.0 mm2 versus 1.4 ± 1.5 mm2, respectively, P = 0.045) and medial area (5.1 ± 1.9 mm2 versus 2.7 ± 2.4 mm2, respectively, P = 0.048). The control grafts had an increased presence and proliferation of mural myofibroblasts with greater smooth muscle actin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining. Conclusions PTP treatment to the external surface of the vein grafts decreases IH at 3 mo after arteriovenous grafting and may prevent future graft failure.
Investigating the Needs of Foreign Language Learners of Tuvan

Where do you start the course design for a minority language? One starting point is identifying and surveying a community of possible learners. This paper explores the needs of learners of Tuvan, a...
Assessment of Trends in the Design, Accrual, and Completion of Trials Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov by Sponsor Type, 2000-2019.

Importance ClinicalTrials.gov is a valuable resource that can be used to trace the state and nature of trials. Since its launch in 2000, more than 345 000 trials have been registered. Little is known about the characteristics and trends in clinical trials over time and how they differ by sponsor type. Objective To assess trends in clinical trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov over time and by sponsor type. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study included clinical trials (interventional studies) registered in ClinicalTrials.gov from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2019. The trials were grouped by lead sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other US government agencies, industry, and other sources (foundations, universities, hospitals, clinics, and others). A static version of the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative Aggregate Analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov database was downloaded on January 1, 2020, for analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures ClinicalTrials.gov registration fields, including overall status, phase, intervention, number of sites, use of masking and randomization, sample size, and time to study completion by start year and lead sponsor (organization that provided funding or support for a clinical study). Results A total of 245 999 clinical trials (interventional studies) were started between 2000 and 2019, of which 135 144 (54.9%) were completed. Among completed trials, 5113 (3.8%) were sponsored by the NIH or a US government agency, 48 668 (36.0%) by industry, and 81 363 (60.2%) by other sources. Most trials were single center (61.3%), randomized (65.6%), and phase 1 to 2 (35.5%) or did not have a US Food and Drug Administration–defined phase (38.4%), with fewer drug trials being conducted over time. Sample sizes were small (median, 60; interquartile range [IQR], 30-160) and diminished over time. Trial median completion times varied by lead sponsor: 3.4 years (IQR, 1.9-5.0 years) for NIH- and US government–sponsored trials, 1.2 years (IQR, 0.5-2.4 years) for industry trials, and 2.1 years (IQR, 1.1-3.7) for trials sponsored by other sources. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that the composition and design of trials changed from 2000 to 2019 and differed substantially by sponsor type. Increased funding toward larger randomized clinical trials may be warranted to inform clinical decision-making and guide future research.
Vascular Malformations of the Brain and Spine

Many vascular malformations will be medically treated and clinically followed by the vascular neurologist in collaboration with a vascular neurosurgeon and interventional radiologist. An understanding of diagnostic imaging modalities critical to confirm the diagnosis is essential. Further appreciation of the pathology and natural history will enable to neurologist to help determine stroke risk and consequential treatments. In this chapter, we will review the most common vascular lesions that lead to intracranial hemorrhage, best modalities for imaging, and treatment options.
A Comparison of Children's Narrative Expressions in Enactment and Writing.

This paper aims to explore how children use body-based enactment as a scaffold to compose written stories. We conducted a study where 17 children use a digital story authoring tool to enact and record stories as videos, then write the stories on paper while viewing their acting videos. We compared narrative structure and coherence in story enactment videos and writings and found that the structure of children’s narratives in the enacted and written forms varies significantly in terms of the idea units count. Coherence is generally higher in the enactment as well, especially for younger children. Our results imply that while story enactment scaffolds children’s imaginative narrative creation, further support in interactive authoring systems might be needed for them to translate their enacted story successfully into writing.
Effective application of machine learning to microbiome-based classification problems

Abstract Machine learning (ML) modeling of the human microbiome has the potential to identify microbial biomarkers and aid in the diagnosis of many diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. Progress has been made towards developing ML models that predict health outcomes using bacterial abundances, but inconsistent adoption of training and evaluation methods call the validity of these models into question. Furthermore, there appears to be a preference by many researchers to favor increased model complexity over interpretability. To overcome these challenges, we trained seven models that used fecal 16S rRNA sequence data to predict the presence of colonic screen relevant neoplasias (SRNs; n=490 patients, 261 controls and 229 cases). We developed a reusable open-source pipeline to train, validate, and interpret ML models. To show the effect of model selection, we assessed the predictive performance, interpretability, and training time of L2-regularized logistic regression, L1 and L2-regularized support vector machines (SVM) with linear and radial basis function kernels, decision trees, random forest, and gradient boosted trees (XGBoost). The random forest model performed best at detecting SRNs with an AUROC of 0.695 [IQR 0.651-0.739] but was slow to train (83.2 h) and not immediately interpretable. Despite its simplicity, L2-regularized logistic regression followed random forest in predictive performance with an AUROC of 0.680 [IQR 0.625-0.735], trained faster (12 min), and was inherently interpretable. Our analysis highlights the importance of choosing an ML approach based on the goal of the study, as the choice will inform expectations of performance and interpretability. Importance Prediction of health outcomes using machine learning (ML) is rapidly being adopted in microbiome studies. However, the estimated performance associated with these ML models is likely over-optimistic. Moreover, there is a trend towards using black box models without a discussion of the difficulty of interpreting such models when trying to identify microbial biomarkers of disease. This work represents a step towards developing more reproducible ML practices in applying ML to microbiome research. We implement a rigorous pipeline and emphasize the importance of selecting ML models that reflect the goal of the study. These concepts are not particular to the study of health outcomes but can also be applied to environmental microbiology studies.
Solid-state laser refrigeration of nanodiamond quantum sensors

This is the presentation of Title Solid-state laser refrigeration of nanodiamond quantum sensors
Niche specificity, polygeny, and pleiotropy in herbivorous insects

Abstract Why do herbivorous insects tend to be host specialists? Population genetic models predict specialization when there is antagonistic pleiotropy at a gene for host-use performance. But empirically, host-use performance is governed by many genetic regions, and antagonistic pleiotropy is rare. Here, we use individual-based quantitative genetic simulations to investigate the role of pleiotropy in the evolution of host-use specialization when host-use performance is polygenic. We find that if host-preference is allowed to evolve without cost, parasite populations tend to evolve host-use specialization even without pleiotropy; thus, it would seem that for a polygenic trait, the benefit of maintaining adaptive combinations of conditionally-neutral alleles suffices to drive specialization. But if there is a fecundity cost for host-preference, or if host patches are demographically volatile, host-use generalists evolve, even with high levels of pleiotropy. In sum, if pleiotropy is much more pervasive than has been observed in nature, our simulations show that it could play a role in driving the evolution of polygenic specialization. But pleiotropy is not necessary, and even when it is extensive, selection can favor generalist genotypes.
Transmembrane transport in inorganic colloidal cell-mimics.

A key aspect of living cells is their ability to harvest energy from the environment and use it to pump specific atomic and molecular species in and out of their system—typically against an unfavourable concentration gradient1. Active transport allows cells to store metabolic energy, extract waste and supply organelles with basic building blocks at the submicrometre scale. Unlike living cells, abiotic systems do not have the delicate biochemical machinery that can be specifically activated to precisely control biological matter2–5. Here we report the creation of microcapsules that can be brought out of equilibrium by simple global variables (illumination and pH), to capture, concentrate, store and deliver generic microscopic payloads. Borrowing no materials from biology, our design uses hollow colloids serving as spherical cell-membrane mimics, with a well-defined single micropore. Precisely tunable monodisperse capsules are the result of a synthetic self-inflation mechanism and can be produced in bulk quantities. Inside the hollow unit, a photoswitchable catalyst6 produces a chemical gradient that propagates to the exterior through the membrane’s micropore and pumps target objects into the cell, acting as a phoretic tractor beam7. An entropic energy barrier8,9 brought about by the micropore’s geometry retains the cargo even when the catalyst is switched off. Delivery is accomplished on demand by reversing the sign of the phoretic interaction. Our findings provide a blueprint for developing the next generation of smart materials, autonomous micromachinery and artificial cell-mimics. Hollow colloidal capsules, each with a single micropore, act as artificial cell-like structures that can capture and release payloads such as solid particles or bacteria from the external environment.
Electoral Systems and Corruption

What is the effect of electoral systems on corruption? Persson, Tabellini and Trebbi (2003) proposed that plurality electoral systems should lead to lower corruption compared to propor- tional representation (PR) systems because the former creates a direct link between voters and politicians whom voters can hold accountable for corruption. The empirical question remains unresolved, however, in part due to the endogeneity of the electoral institutions and difficulties in measuring corruption. Using nonparametric methods to reduce sensitivity to these problems, we find no evidence for this hypothesis. Instead, we find some evidence in the opposite direction, that PR leads to less corruption.
The Family Check‐Up

The link between problem behavior in early childhood and serious problem behavior in later childhood and adolescence has been well documented, as has the link between parent–child interactions associated with the amplification of these problem behaviors. These linkages underscore the need to support parenting practices from early childhood through adolescence with parenting interventions that fit within the service delivery milieu that can engage children and families from a range of risk ecologies. The Family Check-Up (FCU) is one such empirically supported intervention that was specifically designed to address child problem behavior at periods of developmental transition, such as toddlerhood and adolescence, among families experiencing multiple types of family and socioeconomic adversity. The FCU is an assessment-driven, tailored, brief intervention that addresses motivational issues and utilizes a health maintenance model and a strengths-based approach. The FCU allows the clinician to very directly meet the parent's needs and stated goals while considering the broader contextual issues as they relate to the presenting concerns and treatment goals. The FCU is an empirically validated model that supports the efficient provision of parent skills training within an ecological and culturally sensitive framework.
Interrelationship of aldehyde reactions and the einerson staining method in intraepithelial and invasive squamous carcinoma of the uterus

Abstract Histochemical reactions are performed on tissue sections of 17 cases of malignant cervical epithelium with normal controls, to stain cell nuclei with different aldehydestaining methods (Feulgen, Feulgen NAH, and ammoniacal silver). These are accompanied with the Einerson staining procedure as a direct nucleic acid staining method. When the four methods are compared closely, approximating characteristics are found as regards differences in staining intensities of normal and malignant cervical tissue. In all cases the malignant tissue was stronger stained in a similar degree of intensity. No principal staining differences were found in invasive cancer as compared with cancer in situ.
Bandwidth allocation and traffic scheduling for DOCSIS systems with QoS support

A novel scheduling mechanism and a new bandwidth allocation scheme are proposed in this work to support multimedia traffic over DOCSIS (Data Over Cable System Interface Specification)-compliant cable networks. The primary goal of our research is to improve the transmission of real-time variable bit rate (VBR) traffic in terms of throughput and delay under the current DOCSIS specifications. To support integrated services, we also consider the transmission of constant bit rate (CBR) traffic and non-real-time traffic in the simulation. To demonstrate the performance, we compare the result of the proposed scheme with that of a simple multiple priority scheme. It is shown via simulation that the proposed method provides a significant amount of improvement over existing DOCSIS QoS scheduling services.
Technology of nuclear-Brayton space power systems.

The present technology of Brayton power systems is reviewed. The potential for even higher system efficiency at the 10 KWe level is assessed as well as the potential for comparable efficiency with an output of 1 or 2 KWe. Systems accommodation of isotope decay is briefly discussed. The salient features are described for a Brayton power system based on this technology and employing the ZrH reactor. Reactor lives for this and competitive systems are compared. Growth capability with an advanced reactor is assessed. A concept for application of this technology to driving a gas-dynamic laser is described.
The long-term outcome of bilateral Cohen ureteric reimplantation under a common submucosal tunnel.

OBJECTIVE To analyse the results of bilateral Cohen reimplantation under a common submucosal tunnel, over an 18-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively examined 102 children (35 boys and 67 girls, median age 5.5 years, range 0.5–13.5) who underwent bilateral antireflux ureteric reimplantation from 1983 to 2000 with a modified Cohen technique, re-implanting both ureters under a common submucosal tunnel in the mid-trigonal area, to treat primary vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR, 99 patients) or obstructive megaureter (three). The mean (range) follow-up was 10.6 (2–18) years. RESULTS The operation was successful in 198 of 204 (97%) ureters. One patient had vesico-ureteric stenosis in one ureter and was re-operated successfully. In two ureters in two different patients there was transient stasis after surgery caused by oedema within the tunnel, which gradually resolved. Two ureters in two other patients had reflux after surgery, which resolved spontaneously after 12 and 24 months, respectively. A 6-month old baby had anuria after surgery because of acute compression of both ureters within a narrow tunnel; this patient was re-operated, the tunnel widened and the obstruction resolved. None of 82 patients who had reached school age by the time of their last follow-up showed signs of voiding dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS The modified bilateral Cohen reimplantation with both ureters under a common submucosal tunnel offers very good long-term results in curing VUR or obstructive megaureter. Crossing one ureter upon the other within the tunnel does not predispose to long-term obstruction. From these results we recommend it as a reliable technique for surgically treating bilateral VUR or obstructive megaureter.
Benefits associated with a broad selection of dosage strengths for recombinant factor VIII products.

Summary. Factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates for haemophilia A patients are dosed according to body weight. This results in a continuous range of prescribed doses, which challenges pharmacies to find dosage strengths closest to the prescribed dose while utilizing the least number of vials. This study was conducted to determine whether a broader selection of FVIII dosage strengths results in improved dispensing accuracy and an increased number of single-vial users. This research retrospectively analyzed a US pharmacy database of prescriptions filled in 2008. Recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) therapies were classified by the range of dosage strengths offered in 2008: Group 1 had three dosage strengths; Group 2 had four dosage strengths; and Group 3 had six dosage strengths. A total of 76 584 dispensed doses of rFVIII for 1 244 patients were included in this analysis. Dispensing accuracy (calculated as both the absolute and relative difference between dispensed and prescribed dose) was significantly better for Group 3 (23.2 IU, 1.2%) than Groups 1 (33.5 IU, 1.6%) and 2 (50.2 IU, 2.4%) (both P < 0.01). In addition, the average number of unique actual rFVIII potencies dispensed per month was highly correlated (−0.977) with dispensing accuracy for each dosage strength group. Among Groups 1, 2 and 3, 23.0%, 44.9% and 73.4% of patients, respectively, had at least one single vial option dispensed (P < 0.0001). A broader selection of rFVIII dosage strengths and more actual rFVIII potencies were associated with improved dispensing accuracy and more single-vial users. This may translate into less waste, cost savings, increased convenience and improved adherence to physician-prescribed regimens.
Anaerobic Metabolism and Bioremediation of Explosives-Contaminated Soil

Nitroaromatic compounds pollute soil, water, and food via use of pesticides, plastics, pharmaceuticals, landfill dumping of industrial wastes, and the military use of explosives. Biotransformation of trinitrotoluene and other nitroaromatics by aerobic bacteria in the laboratory has been frequently reported, but the anaerobic bacterial metabolism of nitroaromatics has not been studied as extensively perhaps due to the difficulty in working with anaerobic cultures and the slow growth of anaerobes. Sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria can metabolize nitroaromatic compounds under anaerobic conditions if appropriate electron donors and electron acceptors are present in the environment.
Learning attributes for situational awareness in the landing of an autonomous airplane

The paper investigates situational learning, which utilizes mathematics of probability and evidential theory, to determine the perceivable importance of environmental cues as they contribute to situational awareness. The situation-awareness agent's goal is consistent with that of an aircraft pilot; namely, to land a plane under a variety of weather and runway conditions. Landing requires hypothesis selection which can be formulated as a situational-learning (SL) problem in which sensed states are represented as current situational beliefs. The objective of SL is to learn how to select the optimal set of mutually non-exclusive hypothesis in order to maximize the identification of the situation. Three methodologies for the combination of sensor measurements for situational learning are designed and analyzed for a system equipped with a position measuring device and identification sensors. Using a learning algorithm for searching, the a priori identification probabilities of recognition are known. The methods are: (1) recursive Bayesian where the probability of the current state is based on the a priori information multiplied by the likelihood function, (2) Dempster-Shafer(DS) which uses evidential reasoning/accrual to combine information of uncertainty, and (3) modified Dempster-Shafer(MDS) which uses a combination of evidential reasoning and probability analysis. The methods are assessed for cases with and without feedback.
Quadratic stabilizability of uncertain systems: a two level optimization setup

Abstract The problem of stabilizing linear systems subject to possibly fast time varying uncertainties is investigated. Necessary and sufficient conditions of quadratic stabilizability are discussed. The design process is formulated as a two level optimization process, which can be simplified if the uncertainty is bounded by a hyperpolyhedron.
A robust and efficient doubly regularized metric learning approach

A proper distance metric is fundamental in many computer vision and pattern recognition applications such as classification, image retrieval, face recognition and so on. However, it is usually not clear what metric is appropriate for specific applications, therefore it becomes more reliable to learn a task oriented metric. Over the years, many metric learning approaches have been reported in literature. A typical one is to learn a Mahalanobis distance which is parameterized by a positive semidefinite (PSD) matrix M. An efficient method of estimating M is to treat M as a linear combination of rank-one matrices that can be learned using a boosting type approach. However, such approaches have two main drawbacks. First, the weight change across the training samples may be non-smooth. Second, the learned rank-one matrices might be redundant. In this paper, we propose a doubly regularized metric learning algorithm, termed by DRMetric, which imposes two regularizations on the conventional metric learning method. First, a regularization is applied on the weight of the training examples, which prevents unstable change of the weights and also prevents outlier examples from being weighed too much. Besides, a regularization is applied on the rank-one matrices to make them independent. This greatly reduces the redundancy of the rank-one matrices. We present experiments depicting the performance of the proposed method on a variety of datasets for various applications.
A first course in power engineering-an energy conversion approach

Summary form only given. The first course in power engineering has an important role to play in attracting good students to power engineering. The question is what form should this class take? A power systems approach, a power electronics approach and an energy conversion approach are possibilities. This paper makes the point that the foundation of power engineering is energy conversion and that power faculty need to find ways to make this class more interesting, rather than gravitating towards subject material that may be more "trendy" but less fundamental and valuable. Two areas that students universally find interesting are electric vehicles and alternate energy systems based on a renewable energy supply like wind. This paper goes into some of the details of an energy conversion class taught at Clarkson University. This includes the use of external speakers in the power area who bring an industrial perspective, class design problems relating to alternate energy and the space program, and field trips to show the class the equipment involved. Some enrolment data of the power program are also included. Social and environmental issues are addressed through seminars and student in-class presentations.
CMOS digital control circuit for MEMS switch based phased array antenna

A CMOS digital microcircuit, utilizing 0.50 micron technology, was designed for the purpose of providing control circuitry to an array of high-voltage microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch based phase shifter devices. The eventual grid of MEMS switch devices will be utilized to create a phased element array of antennas for many possible military and commercial applications. The phase of each element of the array will be controlled via the CMOS microcircuit. The paper presents the design, physical layout. and the simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) simulated test results for the CMOS digital control circuit that has been submitted to the MOSIS integrated circuit fabrication service for fabrication.
A Population-Based Examination of the Surgical Outcomes for Patients with Esophageal Sarcoma.

Esophageal sarcoma (ES) is a rare malignancy. The literature is limited to small case series and reports. This study used a population data set to study the characteristics, treatments, surgical outcomes, and prognostic factors for survival among ES patients. The study identified 178 ES cases (0.3 %) and 63,548 esophageal carcinoma (EC) cases (99.7 %) including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry (1973–2011). Characteristics and therapeutics were compared between ES and EC. Survival data were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier estimation. Uni- and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models determined predictors of 5-year overall survival (OS). Compared with the EC patients, the ES patients were more likely to be women, to have localized tumors, and to undergo surgery but less likely to receive radiation (p < 0.001). The most common histologies were carcinosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). The 5-year OS for the ES patients was 38 % compared with 17 % for the EC patients (p < 0.001). The median survival period for the ES and EC surgical patients with locoregional disease was respectively 50 and 24 months. The ES patients with nonmetastatic disease who received surgery had better OS than those who did not (37 vs. 14 %; p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, age and advanced stage conferred worse OS, whereas GIST histology and surgery were favorable predictors for OS. The ES patients were more likely to have localized disease, to be treated with surgery, and to have better OS than the EC patients. The survival benefit of surgery suggests that surgery should be the primary treatment for ES patients with resectable disease, particularly those with GIST.
Emerging life sciences ventures: The quest for legitimacy

Abstract As an emerging life sciences venture, gaining legitimacy (credibility) with external stakeholders (e.g., investors) is a critical challenge in today's environment. This quest for legitimacy relates to issues that focus on the individual, the environment, and the process. Integrating insights gained from interviews with three CEOs of life sciences companies along with the academic literature, we provide guidance for entrepreneurs regarding the unique challenges facing life sciences ventures. We propose that these ventures are driven by a “quest for legitimacy” and that life sciences entrepreneurs therefore must be aware of the strategic issues which impact legitimacy in the eyes of external stakeholders (e.g., investors).
Postwar development in the Italian Mezzogiorno. Analyses and policies

Abstract As Manlio Rossi-Doria wrote, in the early postwar years, the Southern Question was primarily an agrarian one. The debate and policies that addressed the Southern Question, however, did not remain confined solely to the agrarian dimension. The transformation of Southern agriculture was inextricably connected to two additional features of the Italian Mezzogiorno: first, the huge demographic expansion, and second, the lack of an industrial sector able to absorb the excessive agrarian population and to lead a process of economic diversification and internationalization. Above all, the solution to the Southern Question was interpreted as a truly national task. The development of the Mezzogiorno was at the basis of the collaboration between Italy and the World Bank throughout the 1950s. That experience became the subject of an intense debate over development policies that went beyond the Italian borders and embraced the question of postwar development worldwide. The Italian experience turned eventually...
Maximum-likelihood based rapid carrier acquisition architectures

Modern codes such as turbo and LDPC codes operate at low signal-to-noise ratios, which makes carrier synchronization a challenging problem. This paper first develops a new Monte-Carlo based method to derive Cramer-Rao lower bounds for non-data aided carrier synchronization. Using these theoretical results, it is shown that carrier frequency can in theory be acquired much more rapidly than existing techniques for the DVB-S2 waveform, a commercial satellite waveform, which has also been adopted for use in military satellite communications. The paper then develops practical realizations of the maximum-likelihood carrier synchronizers for non-data aided carrier synchronization. The proposed simplified architecture is also shown to have significantly lower acquisition times and better tracking performance than commonly used carrier synchronizers for DVB-S2.
'Rethinking Medicare reform' needs rethinking.

Th e o d o r e M a r m o r and Jonathan Oberlander present a pastiche of the diagnoses that have led many health analysts to prescribe structural reform of Medicare (“Rethinking Medicare Reform”). They then criticize a caricature of the voucher cure and offer a structurally flawed and politically unviable alternative reform. To the projected increases in health care costs as baby boomers retire, which Marmor and Oberlander belittle, should be added at least two additional reasons forreforming the structure of Medicare. 1 First, Medicare’s benefits package is inadequate, and the prospects for improving it under the current program structure are poor. More than twothirds of elderly beneficiaries feel the need to supplement Medicare coveragewith Medigap insurance or an employer-sponsored retiree wraparoundpolicy. Rapid increases inpremiumsforthese plans are causing growing numbers ofemployers to drop orscale back retiree coverage, and the high costs of Medigap coverage are straining the limited budgets of growing numbers of seniors. Structural reformisonewayofmakinga more comprehensive benefits package affordable. Second, a chasmisopening upbetweenthe dominant forms of private health insurance andthestructureofunmanagedfee-for-service Medicare. When enacted, Medicare resembled the Blue Cross andBlue Shield‐type policy that employers typically purchased for workersandtheirfamilies. Thiscoverageconsistedoftwoindemnityplans,oneforhospital bills and the other for physician charges and medical services. Private insurance has changed since that time. The boundaries between hospital and physician coverage have broken down. Pure indemnity plans offering totally unmanaged care and an unlimited choice of providers are becoming extinct. Arguably, such insurance is a superior product, but, like the Betamax video system, it hasn’t been able to hack it in the marketplace. Soon public support may begin to erode for a systemofcoverage forthe aged anddisabledthat is substantially different from and, therefore, more costly than the health plans that cover the average taxpayer’s family. In addition, if Medicare’s structure continues to diverge from that of plans covering the nonaged, nondisabled population, the administrative problems facing providers will become ever more complex, and the opportunities to game Medicare ever greater. n The voucher question. Marmor and Oberlander criticize one particular voucher plan. Actually, voucher proposals come in many forms. Their criticisms apply to only the least sophisticated ones. Of course, serious problems would arise if Medicare turned participants loose with vouchers of identical size to seek coverage in a loosely regulated private insurance market. If the value of the voucher increasedless than medicalcostsforsociety as
Heterogeneous or competitive self-assembly of surfactants and nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces

We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate self-assembly at water–trichloroethylene (TCE) interfaces with the emphasis on systems containing sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) surfactants and modified hydrocarbon nanoparticles (1.2 nm in diameter, non-charged and negatively charged, respectively). The surfactants and nanoparticles were first distributed randomly in the water phase. The MD simulations have clearly shown the progress of migration and final equilibrium of the SDS molecules at the water–TCE interfaces, with the non-charged nanoparticles either at or in the vicinity of the interfaces depending on surfactant concentrations. The non-charged nanoparticles co-equilibrate with the surfactants at the interfaces at low concentrations of surfactants; however, the surfactants, at high concentrations, competitively dominate the interfaces and deplete nanoparticles away from the interfaces. The interfacial properties, such as interfacial thickness and interfacial tension, are signifi...
A low-latency lip-synchronized videoconferencing system

Audio is presented ahead of video in some videoconferencing systems since audio requires less time to process. Audio could be delayed to synchronize with video to achieve lip synchronization; however, the overall audio latency might then become unacceptable. We built a videoconferencing system to achieve lip synchronization with minimal perceived audio latency. Instead of adding a fixed audio delay, our system time-stretches the audio at the beginning of each utterance until the audio is synchronized with the video. We conducted user studies and found that (1) audio could lead video by roughly 50 msec and still be perceived as synchronized; (2) audio could lead video by 300 msec and still be perceived as synchronized if the audio was time-stretched to synchronization within a short period; and (3) our algorithm appears to strike a favorable balance between minimizing audio latency and supporting lip synchronization.
Higher hospital volume is associated with lower mortality in acute nonvariceal upper-GI hemorrhage

Background Acute nonvariceal upper-GI hemorrhage (NVUGIH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Objective To examine the relationship between hospital volume and outcomes of NVUGIH. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting Participating hospitals from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2004. Patients All discharged patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of NVUGIH based on the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification, ninth edition codes. Interventions Patients were divided into 3 groups based on discharge from hospitals with annual discharge volumes of 1 to 125 (low), 126 to 250 (medium), and >250 (high). Main Outcome Measurements In-hospital mortality, length of stay, and hospitalization charges. Results The study included a total of 135,366, 132,746, and 123,007 discharges with NVUGIH occurred from low-volume, medium-volume, and high-volume hospitals, respectively. On multivariate analysis, when adjusting for age, comorbidity, and the presence of complications, patients at high-volume hospitals had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.85 [95% CI, 0.74–0.98]) than patients at low-volume hospitals. Patients at high-volume hospitals were also more likely to undergo upper-GI endoscopy (OR 1.52 [95% CI, 1.36–1.69]) or early endoscopy within 1 day of hospitalization compared with low-volume hospitals (60.5% vs 53.8%, adjusted OR 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02–1.61]). Undergoing endoscopy within day 1 was associated with shorter hospital stays (–1.08 days [95% CI, –1.24 to –0.92 days]) and lower hospitalization charges (–$1958 [95% CI, –$3227 to –$688]). Limitations The study was based on an administrative data set. Conclusions Higher hospital volume is associated with lower mortality and with higher rates of endoscopy and endoscopic intervention in patients with NVUGIH.