cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An effective approach for achieving fault tolerance in hypercubes

The hypercube network is an attractive structure for parallel processing because of its regularity. The problem of tolerating faulty processors in hypercubes has been studied by many researchers, either by using spares or by reconfiguration. In this paper, we present algorithms for achieving fault tolerance in hypercubes using spanning trees, without requiring additional spare nodes. We present two algorithms; one uses completely unbalanced spanning trees (CUST) and the other uses balanced spanning trees (BST). Both algorithms use, at most, one used link and one unused link for every reconstructed path in the reconfigured hypercube. The algorithms are optimal, in terms of the reconfiguration time and may increase the congestion of a link by, at most, one with no extra-dilation. Single-fault coverage of 100% and almost 100% fault coverage of double and triple faults are achieved by the proposed algorithms for hypercubes having a dimension of n/spl ges/10.
Strategic Non-cooperation as Soft Balancing: Why Iraq was not Just about Iraq

Many commentators explain recent transatlantic rifts by pointing to diverging norms, interests and geopolitical preferences. This paper proceeds from the premise that not all situations of conflict are necessarily due to underlying deadlocked preferences. Rather, non-cooperation may be a strategic form of soft balancing. That is, more generally, if they believe that they are being shortchanged in terms of influence and payoffs, weaker states may deliberately reject possible cooperation in the short run to improve their influence vis-a-vis stronger states in the long run. This need not be due to traditional relative gains concern. States merely calculate that their reputation as a weak negotiator will erode future bargaining power and subsequently their future share of absolute gains. Strategic non-cooperation is therefore a rational signal of resolve. This paper develops the concept of strategic non-cooperation as a soft balancing tool and applies it to the Iraq case in 2002–2003.
A framework for analytical characterization of monoclonal antibodies based on reactivity profiles in different tissues

Motivation: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are among the most powerful and important tools in biology and medicine. MAb development is of great significance to many research and clinical applications. Therefore, objective mAb classification is essential for categorizing and comparing mAb panels based on their reactivity patterns in different cellular species. However, typical flow cytometric mAb profiles present unique modeling challenges with their non-Gaussian features and intersample variations. It makes accurate mAb classification difficult to do with the currently used kernel-based or hierarchical clustering techniques. Results: To address these challenges, in the present study we developed a formal two-step framework called mAbprofiler for systematic, parametric characterization of mAb profiles. Further, we measured the reactivity of hundreds of new antibodies in diverse tissues using flow cytometry, which we successfully classified using mAbprofiler. First, mAbprofiler fits a mAb's flow cytometric histogram with a finite mixture model of skew t distributions that is robust against non-Gaussian features, and constructs a precise, smooth and mathematically rigorous profile. Then it performs novel curve clustering of the fitted mAb profiles using a skew t mixture of non-linear regression model that can handle intersample variation. Thus, mAbprofiler provides a new framework for identifying robust mAb classes, all well defined by distinct parametric templates, which can be used for classifying new mAb samples. We validated our classification results both computationally and empirically using mAb profiles of known classification. Availability and Implementation: A demonstration code in R is available at the journal website. The R code implementing the full framework is available from the author website – http://amath.nchu.edu.tw/www/teacher/tilin/software Contact: saumyadipta_pyne@dfci.harvard.edu Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
THE SHAPES OF NEUTRAL GENE GENEALOGIES IN TWO SPECIES: PROBABILITIES OF MONOPHYLY, PARAPHYLY, AND POLYPHYLY IN A COALESCENT MODEL

The genealogies of samples of orthologous regions from multiple species can be classified by their shapes. Using a neutral coalescent model of two species, I give exact probabilities of each of four possible genealogical shapes: reciprocal monophyly, two types of paraphyly, and polyphyly. After the divergence that forms two species, each of which has population size N, polyphyly is the most likely genealogical shape for the lineages of the two species. At ∼1.300N generations after divergence, paraphyly becomes most likely, and reciprocal monophyly becomes most likely at ∼1.665N generations. For a given species, the time at which 99% of its loci acquire monophyletic genealogies is ∼5.298N generations, assuming all loci in its sister species are monophyletic. The probability that all lineages of two species are reciprocally monophyletic given that a sample from the two species has a reciprocally monophyletic genealogy increases rapidly with sample size, as does the probability that the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for a sample is also the MRCA for all lineages from the two species. The results have potential applications for the testing of evolutionary hypotheses.
T cells, osteoblasts, and osteocytes: interacting lineages key for the bone anabolic and catabolic activities of parathyroid hormone

Osteoimmunology is a field of research dedicated to the study of the interactions between the immune system and bone. Among the cells of the immune system that regulate bone turnover and the responsiveness of bone cells to calciothropic hormones are bone marrow T lymphocytes. T cells secrete osteoclastogenic cytokines such as RANKL and TNF-α, as well as factors that stimulate bone formation, one of which is Wnt10b. In addition, T cells regulate the differentiation and life span of stromal cells (SCs) and their responsiveness to parathyroid hormone (PTH) via costimulatory molecules expressed on their surface. The conditioning effect of T cells on SCs is inherited by the osteoblastic and osteocytic progeny of SCs. As a result, osteoblastic cells of T cell-deficient mice have functional characteristics different from corresponding cells of T cell-replete mice. These differences include the ratio of RANKL/OPG produced in response to continuous PTH treatment, and the osteoblastogenic response to intermittent PTH treatment. This article reviews the evidence indicating that the effects of PTH are mediated not only by osteoblasts and osteocytes but also by T cells.
Do Treasury and the Service Have to Explain Their Choices

The validity of tax regulations has been challenged by taxpayers almost as long as there have been tax regulations. Now, however, we are in a period of unusually high activity on this front. The Supreme Court recently upheld the validity of a under section 3121 in Mayo Foundation for Medical Ed. and Research v. United States, 131 S. Ct. 704 (2011); many cases are testing the validity of regulations extending the six-year statute of limitations under section 6501(e) to basis overstatements (or, as the Service would put it, clarifying the law in this regard); and many cases are testing the validity of regulations imposing a two-year limitations period on claims for equitable spousal relief under section 6015(f).
Filial cannibalism in spottail darters (Etheostoma squamiceps) includes the targeted removal of infected eggs

The ubiquity of freshwater molds makes them important sources of disease in aquatic organisms and their eggs and has selected for defense mechanisms in fishes and amphibians. Previous studies have shown that, among fishes, the presence of nest-guarding males can reduce egg losses due to infection; however, how much infection males encounter and whether they actively target infected eggs or consume them during cannibalism for other reasons has not been investigated. In a 2-year laboratory study, I artificially raised broods of spottail darter (Etheostoma squamiceps) eggs to determine whether the potential rate of egg loss to Saprolegnia infection was significant enough to select for the targeting of infected eggs. Broods were inspected daily and infected eggs were removed; infections occurred across the broods and throughout the 11–13 days of development. Egg loss due to infection was significant and varied between years, with concomitant reductions in fry production. In a separate laboratory study, I found that 10 male spottail darters consumed both healthy and Saprolegnia-infected eggs, but half of the males consumed infected eggs at rates significantly greater than expected by chance. The results show that Saprolegnia infection is significant and temporally variable, and that guarding males can respond by non-randomly consuming infected eggs. In many species of fishes in which males guard their eggs, they also eat some of those eggs (filial cannibalism). One possible explanation for this behavior in freshwater fishes is that males are consuming eggs that have become infected with water mold, reducing its spread to other eggs. This hypothesis predicts that (1) egg loss due to infection is potentially significant if not controlled and (2) egg-guarding males can detect and target infected eggs for consumption. I confirmed both of these predictions in laboratory experiments using the spottail darter, a freshwater fish found in midwestern North America. This result supports an adaptive explanation for filial cannibalism, a seemingly nonadaptive behavior.
A scalable non-electroformed memdiode for neuromorphic circuitry

An electronic device is introduced that exhibits rectification, hysteresis, and capacitance. These three properties replicate biological functionality useful in neuromorphic circuitry. A similar device operating on different physical mechanisms was previously demonstrated in 2013, but its fabrication required an electro-formation process that introduces difficulties scaling to high density circuitry [1]. The metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures discussed herein exhibit rectification, hysteresis, and capacitance resulting from an intentionally high defect density as deposited with no post-fabrication treatment necessary.
Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK1 and ERK2) Inhibitors

Abstract Extracellular regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2 are closely related serine–threonine protein kinases. They are components of the RAS-ERK pathway, a critical signal transduction pathway that is activated in response to growth factor binding. ERK lies downstream from the small GTPase RAS and the protein kinases RAF and MEK in this pathway. This pathway is activated in many tumors due to activating mutations of the KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF genes. This observation provided strong rationale for targeting the RAS-ERK pathway. BRAF and MEK inhibitors have demonstrated clinical activity in patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, most of the patients develop resistance within a year while on therapy. Many of the identified resistance mechanisms to these inhibitors involve re-activation of ERK. Most inhibitors of the RAS-ERK pathway target BRAF or MEK. However, because of the development of resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors, efforts have been dedicated to identify and develop ERK inhibitors. This chapter briefly describes some of the small molecule inhibitors of the RAS-ERK pathway that are approved or in clinical development. However, the main focus will be on small molecules that are direct inhibitors of ERK1 and ERK2. These few small molecules are in their early stages of discovery and development. Their therapeutic potential in tumors refractory to BRAF and MEK inhibitors or in tumors driven by RAS mutations will be highlighted.
Random dynamical systems: addressing uncertainty, nonlinearity and predictability

Nonlinearity and noise play a significant role in an enormous range of subjects across the entire spectrum of science and engineering. This paper considers several research topics that encompass the area of random dynamical systems (RDS). A general overview of the problems, the multidisciplinary methods required for their analysis, and relevant results achieved in RDS are given with particular emphasis on developments during the past 25 years. The first part of this paper focuses on developing methods to unravel complex interactions between noise and nonlinearities using a mix of multidisciplinary approaches from theory, modeling, and simulation. Practical applications of these research results are beginning to appear across the entire spectrum of mechanics; for example, vibration absorbers, panel flutter, variable speed machining processes, and mixing and transport phenomena in fluid mechanics. The second part of this paper focuses on developing new algorithms and tools for the collection, assimilation and harnessing of data by threading together ideas ranging from random dynamical systems to information theory. A new particle filtering algorithm that combines stochastic homogenization with filtering theory is presented. Importance sampling and control methods are then used as a basic and flexible tool for the construction of the proposal density inherent in particle filtering.
Large-alphabet encoding schemes for floodlight quantum key distribution

Floodlight quantum key distribution (FL-QKD) uses binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) of multiple optical modes to achieve Gbps secret-key rates (SKRs) at metropolitan-area distances. We show that FL-QKD's SKR can be doubled by using 32-ary PSK.
Methods for non-surgical cancer nano-theranostics of ocular tumors in the mouse eye (Conference Presentation)

We will present our results of evaluating the feasibility of using the mouse eye as a window for non-invasive, long-term, optical investigation of xenograft models, using multimodal, cellular-resolution ocular imaging. As an “approachable part of the brain”, the retina allows examination of such issues as drug delivery across the blood retinal barrier (BRB) and blood brain barrier (BBB). Our custom-built wide-field SLO/OCT provided repeatable in vivo imaging over many weeks, allowing quantitative tracking of tumor growth, the delivery of theranostic nanoparticles, and the measurement of tumor microenvironment responses. Additionally, we were able to specifically control the spatial extent of light activated photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) via efficient free radical and heat generation at the tumor site, respectively.
Pump-probe spectroscopy and imaging of heme proteins: temperature effects and data analysis

Ultrafast pump-probe microscopy enables visualization of non-fluorescent materials in biological tissue, such as melanin and hemoglobin. Whereas transient absorption has been primarily a physical chemistry technique, used to gain insight into molecular and electronic structure, pump-probe microscopy represents a paradigm shift in translating transient absorption into an analytical technique, which can clearly resolve pigments with nearly indistinguishable linear absorption spectra. Extending this technique to other important targets, such as mitochondrial respiratory chain hemes, will require new laser sources and new data processing techniques to estimate heme content from the pump-probe response. We will present recent developments on both of these fronts. The laser system we have developed to elicit a pump probe response of respiratory chain hemes is based on an amplified Yb:fiber ultrafast laser that uses modest spectral broadening followed by sum frequency generation to produce a tunable pulse pair in the visible region. Wavelength tuning is accomplished by changing quasi-phase matching conditions. We will present preliminary imaging data in addition to discussing management of sample heating problems that arise from performing transient absorption measurements at the high repetition rates needed for imaging microscopy. In the second part of the talk, we will present the use of regularized and non-negative least squares fitting, along with feature-preserving noise removal to estimate composition of a pixel from its pump-probe response.
Do Greens Drive Hummers Or Hybrids? Environmental Ideology as a Determinant of Consumer Choice and the Aggregate Ecological Footprint

The environmental movement has been an effective interest group lobbying governments to enact policies that enhance public goods (the environment) at the expense of tightly organized for profit interests. Collectively, environmentalists have been able to overcome free-rider problems to achieve their goals. But, in day to day life do environmentalists "free ride"? Do they live a "green" lifestyle? This paper uses several California data sets to test for differences in consumption patterns between greens and browns. I document that a community's share of Green Party registered voters is a viable proxy for community environmentalism. Environmentalists are more likely to commute by public transit, purchase hybrid vehicles, and consume less gasoline than non-environmentalists. These observed differentials have aggregate implications for explaining why some nations lie below the cross-national Environmental Kuznets Curve.
Lateral Load Issues for Buildings

Buildings are complex physical systems. Structural Engineers deal with this complexity by creating idealized structural models that define the key structural components, the overall makeup of the building structure, and the loadings that it needs to withstand. The information provided by the idealized model allows one to apply analysis and design methods directly to the model and then extrapolate the results to the actual building.
IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EFFECTOR-TARGET CELL BINDING AND CELL-MEDIATED CYTOTOXICITY?

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the relationship between effector–target cell binding and cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Binding of cytotoxic effector cells to target cells has been demonstrated by adsorption onto target monolayers and by cluster or conjugate formation in suspension. A study described in the chapter investigates the mechanism of conjugate formation, its specificity, kinetics of appearance after immunization, correlation with 51Cr release specific lysis, and cytotoxicity of isolated conjugates. Because binding is reported to be less temperature sensitive than the killing phase of cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC), it was possible to study these parameters independently. The system employed in the study was in vivo or in vitro sensitized lymphoid cells (peritoneal exudate lymphocytes (PEL) and spleen cells) to tumor allografts. Adherent cells were eliminated by incubation on nylon wool columns. Conjugates, defined as a lymphoid cell bound to a tumor target cell, were prepared by mixing equal numbers of effector and fluorescent (euchrysine) target cells, centrifuged for 5 min at 100 × G, and suspended vigorously with a Pasteur pipette. The results suggest that most conjugating lymphoid cells represent cytotoxic lymphocytes. The role of the nonspecific conjugates is uncertain. Conjugates may be very useful in obtaining purified populations of effector cells to study the mechanism and characteristics of CMC.
“I am not satisfied with my body, so I like augmented reality (AR)”: Consumer responses to AR-based product presentations

Abstract Augmented reality (AR)-based virtual try-on product presentations allow consumers to assess how well the displayed products match their actual bodies, unlike traditional Web-based product presentations. This study examines the important role of the consumer's perceived body image in consumer evaluation and intention to adopt AR-based virtual try-on technology. The study compares consumer responses to AR-based and traditional Web-based product presentations. The results reveal that consumers who perceive their body image as unfavorable record more favorable evaluations about AR than about traditional Web-based product presentations, while consumers who perceive their body image as favorable record no differences in their responses to the two presentations. Moreover, the positive and negative impacts of interactivity and media irritation on adoption intention are moderated by body image for AR but not for Web-based product presentations. This study not only has significant implications for researchers but also practical implications for e-tailors.
Optimization of SVC settings to improve post-fault voltage recovery and angular stability

In this study, controller parameters of static var compensators (SVCs) at planned locations are optimized to mitigate fault-induced delayed voltage recovery issues and improve angular stability of a multi-machine power system. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear optimization problem involving constraints on post-fault trajectories of voltages and frequencies. This paper proposes a mesh adaptive direct search based algorithm interfaced with a power system simulator for optimization of SVC controller parameters. The proposed method is tested on the NPCC 140-bus system to optimize controller parameters for three SVCs. Simulations on critical contingencies verify that post-fault transient voltages and generator speeds can both quickly recover and transient stability of the system is improved.
La vérité sort de la bouche du cheval: by Meryem Alaoui, Paris, Gallimard, 2018, 272 pp., €21 (softcover), ISBN 978-2-07-277792-9

Tu sais, je crois qu’au debut, elle a cru que c’etait facile. Genre tu viens, tu fais ca et tu passes a autre chose. La pauvre! Si c’etait aussi simple, pourquoi il n’y a pas plus de filles dans le...
ASEAN's Gradual Evolution: Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Participatory Procedural Reforms for the Environment in an Evolving Rights-Based Framework

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is entering an interesting and important new phase in its evolution. Having survived the cold war and Asian financial crisis of 1997, the Association remains a uniquely successful, yet enigmatic organization comprised of ten major Southeast Asian countries. ASEAN nations have successfully obtained rapid levels of economic and human development in the face of the region's political difficulties, yet at the risk of causing significant environmental degradation. Now, ASEAN is implementing two new structures that have major implications for the state of civil society among its member nations-the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). This Article examines ASEAN's overarching framework for environmental governance, its normative culture of decision-making, and how the Charter and AICHR could potentially offer significantly divergent paths for the Association in light of its environmental and human rights challenges. It particularly examines how the limitations of ASEAN's elite governing and decision-making norms constrain the possibilities for an expansive civil society under the Charter and AICHR in these areas, and the challenges of integrating environmental and human rights paradigms within this context. Finally, this Article outlines some procedural reforms that ASEAN should adopt that might address its developmental concerns from a participatory standpoint in light of the parameters that constrain the Association's normative realities.
Cryptocurrency value changes in response to national elections: do they behave like money or commodities?

This study examines changes in the value of Bitcoin after the BREXIT and US Presidential elections in 2016 to determine whether it and other cryptocurrencies experienced value changes associated wi...
Depressive Symptoms in Older versus Younger People with Epilepsy: Findings from an Integrated Epilepsy Self-Management Clinical Research Dataset.

Aim There are limited data on psychological outcomes in older people with epilepsy (PWE). This analysis, from a large pooled dataset of clinical studies from the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network, examined clinical variables including depressive symptom severity, quality of life and epilepsy self-management competency among older (age 55+) vs younger (<age 55) PWE. We were particularly interested in differences between older vs younger individuals with clinically significant depression. Methods Analyses used baseline data from 9 MEW Network studies and examined demographic and clinical variables. Older vs younger individuals were compared and then we assessed groups with clinically significant depression vs those without clinically significant depression using the PHQ-9 and QOLIE-10 as a measure of quality of life. Results The sample included 935 individuals. Compared to younger adults (n=774), the older group (n=161) had a better quality of life (p= 0.041) and more individuals without clinically significant depression (p=0.038). There was a trend for slightly lower depression severity scores (PHQ-9 total) (p=0.07) in the older group and a trend for fewer seizures (p=0.055) in older adults relative to younger adults. Conclusion Compared to younger PWE, older PWE have less clinically significant depression and better quality of life. Future research needs to identify possible mechanisms underlying these differences.
The EGRBAC Model for Smart Home IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling smart houses, where multiple users with complex social relationships interact with smart devices. This requires sophisticated access control specification and enforcement models, that are currently lacking. In this paper, we introduce the extended generalized role based access control (EGRBAC) model for smart home IoT. We provide a formal definition for EGRBAC and illustrate its features with a use case. A proof-of-concept demonstration utilizing AWS-IoT Greengrass is discussed in the appendix. EGRBAC is a first step in developing a comprehensive family of access control models for smart home IoT.
LTA*: Local tangent based A* for optimal path planning

Optimal path planning on non-convex maps is challenging: sampling-based algorithms (such as RRT) do not provide optimal solution in finite time; approaches based on visibility graphs are computationally expensive, while reduced visibility graphs (e.g., tangent graph) fail on such maps. We leverage a well-established, and surprisingly less utilized in path planning, geometrical property of convex decompositions i.e. a concave shape can be decomposed into multiple convex shapes. We propose a novel local tangent based approach, inspired by such convex decompositions, to path planning in non-convex maps. Although our local tangent approach is inspired by geometric convex decompositions, it does not require complex decomposition process. Our second contribution is an efficient corner detection method which reasons on binary pixel occupancy maps. Combined with our novel local tangent approach, which intelligently selects nodes from these corners, we modify the standard A* algorithm by feeding these nodes to its open list. With our local tangent approach, only small number of selected corners are fed to A* open list which keeps its size small even for larger maps, resulting in lower convergence time. We formally prove the optimality of our solution. Simulation on our own maps and public dataset (MAPF http://mapf.info/ ) as well as real-world experiments show that our proposed LTA* algorithm gives better convergence time and shorter path length in environments with both convex and concave obstacles.
"Manipulation and abuse on social media" by Emilio Ferrara with Ching-man Au Yeung as coordinator

The computer science research community has became increasingly interested in the study of social media due to their pervasiveness in the everyday life of millions of individuals. Methodological questions and technical challenges abound as more and more data from social platforms become available for analysis. This data deluge not only yields the unprecedented opportunity to unravel questions about online individuals' behavior at scale, but also allows to explore the potential perils that the massive adoption of social media brings to our society. These communication channels provide plenty of incentives (both economical and social) and opportunities for abuse. As social media activity became increasingly intertwined with the events in the offline world, individuals and organizations have found ways to exploit these platforms to spread misinformation, to attack and smear others, or to deceive and manipulate. During crises, social media have been effectively used for emergency response, but fear-mongering actions have also triggered mass hysteria and panic. Criminal gangs and terrorist organizations like ISIS adopt social media for propaganda and recruitment. Synthetic activity and social bots have been used to coordinate orchestrated astroturf campaigns, to manipulate political elections and the stock market. The lack of effective content verification systems on many of these platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, rises concerns when younger users become exposed to cyber-bulling, harassment, or hate speech, inducing risks like depression and suicide. This article illustrates some of the recent advances facing these issues and discusses what it remains to be done, including the challenges to address in the future to make social media a more useful and accessible, safer and healthier environment for all users.
The Gratitude Opportunity Space: The timing of gratitude expressions in object passes

This paper examines the situated use of expressions of gratitude and demonstrates how their precise timing matters for coordinating actions and managing relationships in social interaction. Focusing on activities that involve object passing, we introduce the concept of the gratitude opportunity space, a standard time for expressing gratitude. We explicate three discernable phases within the gratitude opportunity space for simple recruitment sequences involving an object pass (pre-delivery, on-delivery, and post-delivery positions) and explore how the gratitude opportunity space is dynamically recalibrated according to the activity underway in other activities that involve object passes (i.e., remote offers of objects and gift giving). Data are American and British English.
Kernel bandwidth selection for SVDD: The sampling peak criterion method for large data

Support vector data description (SVDD) provides a useful approach, with various practical applications, for constructing a description of multivariate data for single-class classification and outlier detection. The Gaussian kernel that is used in SVDD formulation allows a flexible data description defined by observations that are designated as support vectors. The data boundary of such a description is nonspherical and conforms to the geometric features of the data. By varying the Gaussian kernel bandwidth parameter, the SVDD-generated boundary can be made either smoother (more spherical, which might lead to underfitting), or tighter and more jagged (which might result in overfitting). Kakde et al. [1] proposed a peak criterion for selecting an optimal value of the kernel bandwidth to strike a balance between the data boundary smoothness and a method's ability to capture the general geometric shape of the data. The peak criterion approach involves training the SVDD at various values of the kernel bandwidth parameter. When training data sets are large, the time required to obtain the optimal value of the Gaussian kernel bandwidth parameter according to the peak method can become prohibitively large. This paper proposes an extension of the peak method for the case of large data. The proposed method produces good results when applied to several data sets. Two existing alternative methods of computing the Gaussian kernel bandwidth parameter (coefficient of variation and distance to the farthest neighbor) were modified in order to allow comparison with the proposed method on convergence. Empirical comparison demonstrates the advantage of the proposed method.
Abstract 3093: Nix mediated mitophagy maintains ovarian cancer cell stemness

Ovarian cancer is the most frequent cause of death among gynecologic malignancies. Despite the availability of effective therapeutics against cancer, the overall 5-year survival rate of ovarian cancer is still ~30-40%. Most of the lethality are due to cancer relapse and drug resistance, where cancer stem cells (CSCs) are supposed to be the key regulators. CSCs also known as tumor-initiating cells, are a small subgroup of tumor cells that can develop tumors through their capability of self-renewal and differentiation. CSCs can canonically nurture therapeutic resistance, tumor invasion, metastasis, and recurrence, which tremendously attract the scientific community for the unique CSC-based cancer therapeutics. While changing phenotypical features of CSCs complicates their identification and thereby metabolism-based alternate strategy seems to be worthy anti CSC therapy. Though autophagic degradation of mitochondria (mitophagy) based mitochondrial dynamics endowed cancer cells with stemness, but wide informational gaps and missing mechanistic knowledge further necessitates the study on mitophagy dependent CSC regulation. In this study, we investigated the potential involvement of mitophagy in maintenance of cancer cell stemness. In our experimental conditions, FACS sorted CD117/44+/+, ALDHbr and ovarian cancer stem cell like cells (CSCLCs) from OVACR4 and OVCAR3 cells showed higher mitochondrial translocation of cytosolic LC3 that directly indicates the progression of mitophagy in these subpopulations. Reduced mitocontent in CSCLCs as compare to bulk cells also supports the mitochondrial degradation. To analyze the involvement of mitophagy in stemness, mitophagy has been targeted with mDIVI a well-known mitophagy inhibitor, which downregulate the sphere forming ability and protein levels of stemness marker such as SOX2 in ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, the mechanistic detail of mitophagy involvement in cancer stemness were evaluated. Among different mitophagy proteins, BNIP3L/NIX is highly expressed in ALDHbr and CD117/44+/+ sorted cells as compare to ALDHdim and CD117/44-/- cells, respectively. The functional implication of NIX in ovarian CSCs was verified by gene silencing approach. NIX silencing diminished the sphere forming ability and stem cell marker OCT4 that supported its crucial involvement in ovarian cancer cells stemness. In summary, our findings provide a mechanistic detail of mitophagy underlying maintenance of the CSC population in ovarian cancer and suggest that targeting of NIX based mitophagy could be exploited for the eradication of CSC and thereby tumor recurrence and drug resistance in ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Tejinder Pal Khaket, Qi-En Wang. Nix mediated mitophagy maintains ovarian cancer cell stemness [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3093.
Domestic Violence: Legal Perspectives

The emergence of domestic violence (DV) as a legal issue in the 1960s has had international implications for law and policy. Legal recognition has manifested in various forms: criminal penalties for batterers, restraining orders, availability of tort remedies for survivors, and the attention of international human rights law. Even so, DV remains a pervasive harm worldwide. Courts are limited in their ability to address structural social problems because they are largely focused on individual redress. International treaties focused on human rights may provide individual causes of action and remedies, and express social priorities for peace and equality. Vulnerability theory addresses these structural issues of power and control with the goal of providing substantive equality and eradicating violence.
Application of Pseudo-enhancement Correction to Virtual Monochromatic CT Colonography

In CT colonography, orally administered positive-contrast fecal-tagging agents are used for differentiating residual fluid and feces from true lesions. However, the presence of high-density tagging agent in the colon can introduce erroneous artifacts, such as local pseudo-enhancement and beam-hardening, on the reconstructed CT images, thereby complicating reliable detection of soft-tissue lesions. In dual-energy CT colonography, such image artifacts can be reduced by the calculation of virtual monochromatic CT images, which provide more accurate quantitative attenuation measurements than conventional single-energy CT colonography. In practice, however, virtual monochromatic images may still contain some pseudo-enhancement artifacts, and efforts to minimize radiation dose may enhance such artifacts. In this study, we evaluated the effect of image-based pseudo-enhancement post-correction on virtual monochromatic images in standard-dose and low-dose dual-energy CT colonography. The mean CT values of the virtual monochromatic standard-dose CT images of 51 polyps and those of the virtual monochromatic low-dose CT images of 20 polyps were measured without and with the pseudo-enhancement correction. Statistically significant differences were observed between uncorrected and pseudo-enhancement-corrected images of polyps covered by fecal tagging in standard-dose CT (p < 0.001) and in low-dose CT (p < 0.05). The results indicate that image-based pseudo-enhancement post-correction can be useful for optimizing the performance of image-processing applications in virtual monochromatic CT colonography.
Evaluation of Tie Support at Transition Zones

This paper discusses two instrumentation techniques, linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) and accelerometers, used to monitor and evaluate track structure behavior with the goal of nondestructively and quickly identifying track structural problems that eventually cause track geometry problems. LVDT results at a poorly performing bridge approach and corresponding open track site are used to show a relationship between poor tie support and the observed permanent vertical displacements. The existence of a gap between the bottom of the tie and the top of the ballast is expected to increase permanent ballast vertical displacements because of increased loads and vibration applied to the underlying ballast. Similarly, accelerometers show larger peak tie accelerations at ties with tie–ballast gaps and suggest that poor tie support increases applied loads to underlying ballast. Collected field data show that the tie–ballast gap can increase with time, which results in progressive loss of tie support a...
Prisoners' perspectives of health problems and healthcare in a US women's jail.

ABSTRACT In the last decade, the number of women in US jails has increased at an annual average of 7.0%. These women typically suffer from untreated, serious health problems. This participatory research project explored health problems and healthcare from the perspective of women incarcerated in a county detention facility located in the western US. A convenience sample of 78 inmates and former inmates participated in 10 focus groups. Using the constant comparative method, the data analysis revealed that they suffered from physical, mental, and iatrogenic health problems. Barriers to care included concerns about privacy and dignity as well as waiting time for treatment, co-payments, and concealing problems in order to obtain work opportunities. Women in the project identified solutions for these problems and analyzed why incarceration made them aware of previously ignored health concerns. The findings suggest the importance of further research with this vulnerable, hidden population.
‘...and No Loose People to Trouble the Hall’: Oligarchy and the Division of Space in the English Civic Hall to 1640

Michael McKeon’s chapter on the subdivision of interior, residential spaces shows how concerns for privacy in domestic life played themselves out in the functional division of interior space amongst all ranks of people. This essay suggests that much of the same process might be observed in the civic realm as well as the domestic, and in civic as well as residential spaces. At least to c. 1640, the spatial division and functional specificity of English town halls reflected the requirements of the ruling oligarchies which had come to govern many such communities. Privacy, secrecy, and the emphasis on civic obedience became prime considerations in the design and utilization of such spaces.
Implications of User Anxiety in the Evaluation of Deception in Web Sites

In a pilot study, we investigated the effect of anxiety on users' susceptibility to deceptive information on Web pages. Specifically, we manipulated the perceived control and associated anxiety of participants with and without visual disabilities as they used an assistive technology, a screen reader. Preliminary findings indicated that anxious participants (i.e., without visual disabilities) using the unfamiliar assistive technology were more susceptible to deception and expressed more suspicion regarding the Web pages. We interpret these preliminary findings as consistent with the work of Whitson and Galinsky [1] and discuss implications for further research in Web site credibility determinations and users' susceptibility to deception.
Exploring the knowledge development process of English language learners at a high school: How do English language proficiency and the nature of research task influence student Learning?

This study aims to understand the learning experience of English language learners ELLs within the framework of Kuhlthau's Information Search Process ISP. Forty-eight ELL students from three classes at a high school participated in the study while they conducted a research project in English. Data were collected through demographic questionnaire and process surveys. Students' demographic information, knowledge about their research topic, labeling of knowledge, estimate of interest and knowledge, and learning outcomes were collected and analyzed with content analysis and statistical techniques. The findings indicate that ELL students, as a whole group, showed significant increases in their topical knowledge and estimate of interest and knowledge as they progressed in the research project, which are consistent with what other ISP-based studies found. When three different English proficiency-level groups were compared, only the intermediate group showed significant increases in topical knowledge and estimate of knowledge throughout the process. Also, different research tasks impacted the amount and substance of knowledge students built and their estimated knowledge during the research project. The findings led to suggestions for instructional strategies such as learning goals reflecting various kinds of learning, differentiated instructions in mixed-ability classrooms, structured interventions, personalized research topics, and teacher-school librarian collaborations.
Supersymmetric multi-Higgs doublet model with nonlinear electroweak symmetry breaking

The electroweak symmetry is nonlinearly realized in an extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) through an additional pair of constrained Higgs doublet superfields. The superpotential couplings of this constrained Higgs doublet pair to the MSSM Higgs doublet pair catalyze their vacuum expectation values. The Higgs and Higgsino-gaugino mass spectrum is presented for several choices of supersymmetry breaking and Higgs superpotential mass parameters. The additional vacuum expectation values provided by the constrained fields can produce a phenomenology quite different than that of the MSSM.
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has always been a powerful tool for the identification of organic materials. However, with the development of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it has become a more popular method for the quantitative analysis of complex mixtures, as well as the investigation of surface and interfacial phenomena. This chapter reviews the basic theory behind FTIR spectroscopy and describes the currently used instrumentation and its application to gas, liquid, bulk and powdered solid samples, and thin films using both transmission and reflectance methods, including specular, diffuse, and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) techniques. The optimization of instrumental parameters, sample handling techniques, signal processing, and data analysis are described. The characteristic vibrational absorption bands used for the identification of key chemical structures as well as methods for quantitative measurement of chemical composition are overviewed. Potential problems often encountered in using the different FTIR techniques in material and chemical species characterization and are also discussed in an effort to help the nonexpert in the field to make the best use of these powerful methods. Keywords: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; diffuse reflectance FTIR; attenuated total reflectance
Conservation of Habitats for Shrubsteppe Birds

Extending over a year, all the birds that could be detected were counted on two transects which together sampled an area of 1.39 km2. Only 37 species were recorded during 82 surveys. Total bird density during the spring (March–June) was 43.0 birds/km2, and the density for the entire year was 26.7 birds/km2. The characteristic nesting birds were Western Meadowlark, Sage Sparrow, Burrowing Owl, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, Long-billed Curlew, Lark Sparrow, and Loggerhead Shrike. Western Meadow-larks and Sage Sparrows were the most abundant nesting birds, having an average density of 11.2 and 7.8 birds/km2, respectively. Seasonal distribution of birds varied with species, but most species were present only from March to September.Sixty-three per cent of the habitat surveyed was dominated by Big Sagebrush, 26% was dominated by Cheatgrass, and the remaining 11% was dominated by Spiny Hopsage. Big Sagebrush habitat supported a greater total bird density than the Cheatgrass or Hopsage habitats. Sage Sparrows were closely associated with Sagebrush habitats, while Western Meadowlarks showed no strong habitat affinities.Extensive habitat modifications induced by more than a century of agriculture and livestock grazing have greatly depleted native Shrubsteppe habitat in the Columbia Basin. Over the past 40 years, the Hanford Site has served as a refugium for Shrubsteppe habitat that supports populations of native Shrubsteppe birds. The concept of the Hanford Site as a refugium for native Shrubsteppe habitat and Shrubsteppe nesting birds is favourably discussed.
Enthalpies of formation of lanthanide oxyapatite phases

A family of lanthanide silicates adopts an oxyapatite-like structure with structural formula Ln9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 (Ln 4 La, Sm, Nd, Gd, ∎ = vacancy). The enthalpies of solution, DHS, for these materials and their corresponding binary oxides were determined by high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry using molten 2PbO·B2O3 at 1078 K. These data were used to complete thermodynamic cycles to calculate enthalpies of formation from the oxides, ΔHs f-oxides (kJ/mol): La9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −776.3 ± 17.9, Nd9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −760.4 ± 31.9, Sm9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −590.3 ± 18.6, and Gd9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −446.9 ± 21.9. Reference data were used to calculate the standard enthalpies of formation from the elements, ΔH0 f (kJ/mol): La9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −14611.0 ± 19.4, Nd9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −14661.5 ± 32.2, Sm9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −14561.7 ± 20.8, and Gd9.33∎0.67(SiO4)6O2 = −14402.7 ± 28.2. The formation enthalpies become more endothermic as the ionic radius of the lanthanide ion decreases.