cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data stability in clustering: a closer look

We consider the model introduced by Bilu and Linial [12],, who study problems for which the optimal clustering does not change when distances are perturbed. They show that even when a problem is NP-hard, it is sometimes possible to obtain efficient algorithms for instances resilient to certain multiplicative perturbations, e.g. on the order of $O(\sqrt{n})$ for max-cut clustering. Awasthi et al. [6], consider center-based objectives, and Balcan and Liang [9], analyze the k-median and min-sum objectives, giving efficient algorithms for instances resilient to certain constant multiplicative perturbations. Here, we are motivated by the question of to what extent these assumptions can be relaxed while allowing for efficient algorithms. We show there is little room to improve these results by giving NP-hardness lower bounds for both the k-median and min-sum objectives. On the other hand, we show that multiplicative resilience parameters, even only on the order of Θ(1), can be so strong as to make the clustering problem trivial, and we exploit these assumptions to present a simple one-pass streaming algorithm for the k-median objective. We also consider a model of additive perturbations and give a correspondence between additive and multiplicative notions of stability. Our results provide a close examination of the consequences of assuming, even constant, stability in data.
Pilibacter termitis gen. nov., sp. nov., a lactic acid bacterium from the hindgut of the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus).

A previously undescribed anaerobic, heterofermentative, non-spore-forming, Gram-positive rod was isolated from the hindgut of the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. The DNA G+C content of this bacterium was 37?8 mol%. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that this organism is related to, but distinct from, several genera of lactic acid bacteria, principally several species of the genus Enterococcus. Phenotypic traits that serve to separate this organism from related genera include high levels of the cellular fatty acid C18:1v9c and the production of ethanol along with lactic acid as fermentation products. Based on the collected phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organism represents a novel species in a new genus, Pilibacter termitis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is
Selenoproteins and the Metabolic Features of the Archaeal Ancestor of Eukaryotes

In all three branches of life, some organisms incorporate the rare amino acid selenocysteine. Selenoproteins are relevant to the controversy over the metabolic features of the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes because among archaea, several known selenoproteins are involved in methanogenesis and autotrophic growth. Although the eukaryotic selenocysteine-specific translation apparatus and at least one selenoprotein appear to be of archaeal origin, selenoproteins have not been identified among sulfur-metabolizing crenarchaeotes. In this regard, both the phylogeny and function of archaeal selenoproteins are consistent with the argument that the archaeal ancestor was a methanogen. Selenium, however, is abundant in sulfur-rich environments, and some anaerobic bacteria reduce sulfur and have selenoproteins similar to those in archaea. As additional archaeal sequence data becomes available, it will be important to determine whether selenoproteins are present in nonmethanogenic archaea, especially the sulfur-metabolizing crenarchaeotes.
Structural Covariates of Gang Homicide in Large U.S. Cities

Objectives:This study examined the structural covariates of gang homicide in large U.S. cities and whether the structural conditions associated with gang homicide differed from non-gang homicide.Methods:Several national data sources were used to gather information on the structural conditions of the 88 largest U.S. cities, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, Uniform Crime Report, and National Gang Center. Negative binomial regression was used to model the relationship between the structural conditions of cities and homicide rates.Results:Socioeconomic deprivation, official rates of gang membership, and population density explained between-city variability in gang homicide rates. In addition, quadratic associations were observed for socioeconomic deprivation and population density. Equality of coefficients tests revealed that the structural covariates of gang homicide differed in magnitude from non-gang homicide.Conclusions:Prior to this study, the et...
Use It or Lose It: Medicare's New Paradigm for Durable Medical Equipment Coverage?

The 2008 National Coverage Determination by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) authorizing coverage of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment of obstructive sleep apnea on the basis of diagnosis by portable monitoring was seen by some as a major advance in reimbursement policy for sleep medicine services. However, along with the national coverage decision came additional rules (local coverage determinations) setting forth the conditions that would apply in order for reimbursement to continue beyond 90 days. These rules specified the means by which adherence must be measured, a rigid threshold for the acceptable degree of adherence, and a requirement for face-to-face evaluation by the clinician to document clinical response, all of which must take place within a specific timeframe. Whether CMS or the local carriers anticipated the difficulties that would be experienced by clinicians, durable medical equipment (DME) companies, and patients in complying with these rules is unknown. What has become abundantly clear to many is the burden that these rules impose on clinicians and DME providers and, more importantly, that indiscriminate enforcement may well result in adverse consequences for some patients. The latter include not only the inconvenience and added expense for patients of complying with the rules, but those resulting from failure by CMS to recognize that a dose-response relationship exists with respect to the degree of PAP adherence and clinical outcome. Moreover, there is reason to believe that patients of low socioeconomic class, or who are unmarried, or who have psychiatric disease will have more difficulty achieving the required adherence and therefore will, in effect, be victims of government-mandated discrimination in the provision of a vital healthcare service.
Particle characteristics following cloud-modified transport from Asia to North America

[1] Fast response measurements of particle size distributions, bulk submicron particle composition, and single particle composition were made aboard the NOAA WP-3D research aircraft in the free troposphere over the eastern Pacific Ocean and the western coast of North America. Measurements of gas-phase compounds and meteorological analysis show evidence of long-range transport of layers of aerosol particles from anthropogenic and biomass-burning sources in eastern Asia. Layers of crustal particles with no evident sources were also encountered. Measurements of substantially enhanced particulate sulfate mass and gas-phase H2SO4 encountered during one transport event were interpreted with the aid of a numerical model of particle formation and growth and trajectory analysis. The observed particle size distributions and sulfate mass concentration were consistent with the simulation, indicating that the particles were formed over the mid-Pacific from gas-to-particle conversion following long-range transport of SO2 through a midlatitude cyclonic system. Such cloud systems appear to effectively scavenge most pre-existing particle mass, but can allow transport of gas-phase precursors which substantially alter downstream particle microphysical and chemical properties.
Pore-throat sizes in sandstones, tight sandstones, and shales

Pore-throat sizes in siliciclastic rocks form a continuum from the submillimeter to the nanometer scale. That continuum is documented in this article using previously published data on the pore and pore-throat sizes of conventional reservoir rocks, tight-gas sandstones, and shales. For measures of central tendency(mean,mode,median),pore-throatsizes(diameters) are generally greater than2 mm in conventionalreservoir rocks, range from about 2 to 0.03 mm in tight-gas sandstones, and rangefrom0.1to0.005 mminshales.Hydrocarbonmolecules, asphaltenes, ring structures, paraffins, and methane, form another continuum, ranging from 100 A ˚ (0.01 mm) for asphaltenes to 3.8 A ˚ (0.00038 mm) for methane. The pore-throat size continuum provides a useful perspective for considering (1) the emplacement of petroleum in consolidated siliciclastics and (2) fluid flow through fine-grained source rocks now being exploited as reservoirs.
Usefulness of the american college of rheumatology recommendations for liver biopsy in methotrexate‐treated rheumatoid arthritis patients

Objective. To test the usefulness and cost savings resulting from application of the new American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines for assessing the risk for the development of clinically significant liver disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with methotrexate (MTX). Methods. One-hundred twelve MTX-treated RA patients were prospectively followed up for MTX hepatotoxicity and underwent liver biopsies according to modified guidelines of the Psoriatic Task Force (PTF). All biopsies were graded according to the Roenigk classification. The new ACR recommendations were then retrospectively applied to test their usefulness and cost-effectiveness in this cohort. Results. Based on the PTF guidelines, 66 patients underwent liver biopsies; a total of 110 liver biopsies were performed. Two patients had biopsy-related complications. Five patients were found to have Roenigk grade IIIB or IV histologic abnormalities. The total cost for this group was $111,380. Applying the new ACR criteria, only 15 patients would have undergone liver biopsies; there would have been a total of 18 biopsies, with no complications. Four of the 5 patients with Roenigk grade IIIB or IV liver abnormalities would have been identified. One patient with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) who was found to have cirrhosis (Roenigk grade IV) on liver biopsy as a result of use of the PTF guidelines would have been missed with use of the ACR guidelines. The total cost for the group receiving biopsies based on the ACR guidelines would have been $16,956. Overall, the new ACR guidelines had 80% sensitivity and 82% specificity and resulted in a cost savings of $1,430 per patient. Conclusion. The new ACR guidelines on MTX monitoring and biopsy surveillance appear to be clinically useful and result in considerable cost savings. However, 1 IDDM patient with significant liver histologic abnormalities would have been missed. We suggest that IDDM be added to the ACR guidelines as a risk factor for MTX hepatotoxicity.
Solution structure of a membrane‐anchored ubiquitin‐fold (MUB) protein from Homo sapiens

The protein Bc059385, whose solution structure is reported here, is the human representative of a recently identified family of membrane-anchored ubiquitin-fold (MUB) proteins. Analysis of their similarity to ubiquitin indicates that homologous amino acid residues in MUBs form a hydrophobic surface very similar to the recognition patch surrounding Ile-44 in ubiquitin. This suggests that MUBs may interact with proteins containing an alpha-helical motif similar to those of some ubiquitin binding domains. A disordered loop common to MUBs may also provide a second protein interaction site. From the available data, it is probable that this protein is prenylated and associated with the membrane. With <20% identity to ubiquitin, the MUB family further expands the sequence space that maps to the beta-grasp fold, and adds membrane localization to its list of functional roles.
Quasigeostrophic Forcing of Ascent in the Occluded Sector of Cyclones and the Trowal Airstream

A numerical model-based analysis of the quasigeostrophic forcing for ascent in the occluded quadrant of three cyclones is presented based upon a natural coordinate partitioning of the Q vector into its along- and acrossisentrope components, Qs and Qn, respectively. The Qn component describes the geostrophic contribution to the rate of change of the magnitude of =pu (traditional frontogenesis), whereas the Qs component describes the geostrophic contribution to the rate of change of direction of =pu (rotational frontogenesis). It is shown that convergence of Qs simultaneously creates the isobaric thermal ridge characteristic of the thermal structure of occluded cyclones and provides the predominant dynamical support for ascent within the occluded quadrant. The absence of significant Qn convergence there suggests that quasigeostrophic (Q-G) frontogenesis plays a subordinate role both in forcing vertical motions and in affecting three-dimensional structural changes in the occluded sector of post-mature phase midlatitude cyclones. A cyclonically ascending, cloud- and precipitation-producing airstream that originates in the warm-sector boundary layer and flows through the trowal portion of the occluded structure is supported by the upward vertical motions implied by the identified Q-G forcing. This airstream is referred to as the ‘‘trowal airstream’’ and it is shown to be responsible for the production of the ‘‘wrap around’’ cloud and precipitation commonly associated with occluded systems. The relationship of the trowal airstream to previously identified cloud and precipitation producing airflows in cyclones is discussed.
A new type of Maxwell stress in soft materials due to quantum mechanical-elasticity coupling

Abstract All dielectrics deform when subjected to an electric field. This behavior is attributed to the so-called Maxwell stress and the origins of this phenomenon can be traced to geometric deformation nonlinearities. In particular, the deformation is large when the dielectric is elastically soft (e.g. elastomer) and negligible for most “hard” materials. In this work, we develop a theoretical framework which shows that a striking analog of the electrostatic Maxwell stress also exists in the context of quantum mechanical-elasticity coupling. The newly derived quantum-elastic Maxwell stress is found to be significant for soft nanoscale structures (such as the DNA) and underscores a fresh perspective on the mechanics and physics of polarons. We discuss potential applications of the concept for soft nano-actuators and sensors and the relevance for the interpretation of opto-electronic properties.
Culture and Institutional Logics

This article defines key assumptions of the institutional logics perspective (ILP) particular to the relationship between institutional logics and culture. It discusses central debates in the sociology of culture to highlight affinities between theoretical issues in the ILP and the sociology of culture. Implications are discussed for advances in the sociology of organizations and culture and research in the substantive domains of morality, justification, and symbolic management.
Pratfalls, pitfalls, and passion: The melding of leadership and social justice

Frequent conflicts over money, land, power, and other resources make it difficult for some societies to find or sustain any sense of equilibrium. Additionally, racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, educational, and political injustices, among others, require that leaders increase their understanding and commitment to social justice. Such efforts are critical in light of the vastly disparate opinions and increasingly polarized positions at the heart of contentious relationships that exist among people. This paper explores the origins of social justice, discusses the definition and perceptions of social justice, introduces the relationship between social justice and leadership, addresses current social and environmental conditions, presents c n terms of addressing social justice, and offers implications for socially just leadership.
Scattering and diffraction

These phenomena -scattering and diffraction-are of fundamental importance in micro wave antennas, for they underlie the formation of antenna patterns by reflectors and lenses. In the present chapter the theory of scattering and diffraction is developed with reference to general techniques; the specific problems associated with antenna patterns will be taken up in Chap. 6.
Control of Chironomid Midges in Recreational Lakes

Several commonly available and experimental insecticides were evaluated for control of chironomid midge larvae, Chironomus spp., Proclaideus spp., and Tanytarsus spp. in 2 recreational lakes. In Lake Calabasas, where the bottom has a thin layer of mud on a surface of cement, standard midge larvicides such as Abate® ( O, O -dimethyl phosphorothioate O, O -diester with 4,4′-thiodiphenol) and fenthion proved highly effective. Fenthion at 0.5 Ib per surface acre controlled the larvae for more than 7 weeks. At this rate of application very slight mortality of the mosquito fish Gambusia affinis (Baird & Girard) was observed. Abate at 0.75 pounds per acre controlled the midges for about 4–5 weeks and caused slight mortality of the fish. Dursban® ( O, O -diethyl O -(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothioate) at the rate of 0.2 Ib/acre yielded long-lasting control of midge larvae, the suppression lasting for almost 5 months. In Westlake (about 10 miles from Lake Calabasas), with a natural bottom, where small portions were treated, fenthion at 0.5 lb/acre yielded little or no control of the midge larvae. Abate at 0.5 pounds per acre produced similar results. Carbaryl at 0.5 and 1.0 pounds per acre yielded good control, but its longevity was for only 2-3 weeks. Dursban insecticide applied as granules or sprays at 0.2 pounds per acre yielded excellent control of midge larvae. The granular formulations produced better and longer-lasting larval control than an emulsifiable concentrate formulation. The latter formulation at 0.2 lb/acre or higher rate caused slight kill of blugill, Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque; largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides Lacepede; and black crappie, Pornoxis nigromaculatus (Le Sueur) in the lake. No mortality of fish was observed in plots treated with a granular formulation of Dursban at the same rate.
Applications of a product identity to sums of squares and partitions

(1987). Applications of a Product Identity to Sums of Squares and Partitions. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 94, No. 7, pp. 652-656.
Loving Nature: Past, Present, and Future

At this hinge point in planetary history, the future of Earth is in our hands. How ought Christians to love nature? In the biblical past, Earth was a miracle, a divine gift. Today, the land of prom...
Looking for a Few Good Means

The mean value theorem of integral calculus states that for any continuous realvalued function f on an interval I, and for any two distinct real numbers a, b∈ I, there exists a value V(a, b) in the...
Asset Pricing with Actively Managed Fund

As there is virtually no empirical evidence that fund managers outperform passive benchmarks, public investors face a serious question as to whether they should invest in actively managed funds. This paper develops a model of a dynamic asymmetric information economy with heterogenous risk averse investors and active funds and solves for the noisy rational expectation equilibrium. Low risk tolerance investors are found to be strictly better off with the active funds, but the high risk tolerance ones are not. The size of an actively managed fund is not monotonically increasing in the fund manager's skill level, so fund size is not a reliable indicator of managerial skill. The market reacts to the manager's increasing risk-taking behavior by reducing the market price of risk, volatility and risk premium. Asymmetric information creates an automatic mechanism for public investors to protect themselves from the manager's excessive risk-taking. Indeed, the distribution of risk tolerance coupled with adverse selection set limits on the fund manager's risk-taking levels.
High-Lift Propeller System Configuration Selection for NASA's SCEPTOR Distributed Electric Propulsion Flight Demonstrator

Although the primary function of propellers is typically to produce thrust, aircraft equipped with distributed electric propulsion (DEP) may utilize propellers whose main purpose is to act as a form of high-lift device. These \high-lift propellers" can be placed upstream of wing such that, when the higher-velocity ow in the propellers' slipstreams interacts with the wing, the lift is increased. This technique is a main design feature of a new NASA advanced design project called Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology Operations Research (SCEPTOR). The goal of the SCEPTOR project is design, build, and y a DEP aircraft to demonstrate that such an aircraft can be much more ecient than conventional designs. This paper provides details into the high-lift propeller system con guration selection for the SCEPTOR ight demonstrator. The methods used in the high-lift propeller system conceptual design and the tradeo s considered in selecting the number of propellers are discussed.
Psychopathy and perceptions of procedural justice

Abstract Objectives Recognizing that individuals with psychopathic traits are more likely to interact with legal authorities, interact with legal authorities in unique ways, and evaluate these interactions differently from other individuals, we posit that psychopathic personality traits affect the formation of perceptions of procedural justice. Methods Using a sample of adolescent offenders, we use multilevel models to investigate how psychopathy and its various dimensions (i.e., callous-unemotional, grandiose-manipulative, and impulsive-irresponsible) identified through the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) are related to changes in perceptions of procedural justice. Then, we use within-level interaction terms to analyze how psychopathy and its dimensions condition the effect of involuntary interactions with police and courts on subsequent perceptions of procedural justice. Results Results suggest that psychopathic individuals hold lower perceptions of procedural justice, but they experience greater increases in their perceptions after involuntary contacts with legal authorities. Specifically, individuals who display more psychopathic traits on the impulsive-irresponsible dimension experience a greater increase in perceptions of procedural justice after involuntary encounters with police. Conclusion Future research should continue to acknowledge the importance of personality in formation of perceptions of procedural justice, and legal authorities should use available instruments to identify psychopathic personality traits to inform citizen-justice agent encounters.
Infectious Diseases, Vibrational Spectroscopic Approaches to Rapid Diagnostics

Infectious diseases are a major burden on human health with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting that infectious diseases are responsible for one in ten deaths in the world’s richest nations. The impact of infectious diseases is even greater in poorer regions of the world where six of every ten deaths are caused by a spectrum of infectious diseases that include bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. These infectious agents can further be described as classical pathogens, e.g., tuberculosis and malaria, seasonal epidemics, e.g., influenza and rhinoviruses, emerging infectious disease, e.g., highly pathogenic avian influenza and hemorrhagic fevers, or global pandemics such as the most recent outbreak of novel H1N1 influenza virus. Central to the management of each of these diseases are diagnostics. Early and rapid detection of an infectious agent is not only imperative to prevent the spread of disease, but it is also an essential first step to identify appropriate therapeutics that target the disease, as well as to overcome inappropriate administration of ineffective drugs that may drastically lead to drug-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is just a succinct example which highlights the importance of diagnostic testing; however, the sections that follow discuss the current status of diagnostics and introduce an emerging approach to diagnostics based on vibrational spectroscopy which has tremendous potential to significantly advance the field.
Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Ureter: A Zebra Among Horses.

Abstract Primary neuroendocrine tumors of the upper urinary tract are extremely rare. We report a case of de novo small cell carcinoma of the ureter that presented masquerading as a distal ureteral stone. A 55-year-old lady presented to our clinic with 1 month history of right lower back pain and hematuria. Her history was notable for stage 1B mixed clear cell-endometroid cancer of the uterus status post radical abdominal hysterectomy with adjuvant radiotherapy, 7 years before the current episode. The patient had no evidence of recurrence. Initial noncontrast imaging suggested a 2.5 mm calculus in the distal right ureter and hydronephrosis; however, ureteroscopy revealed a large fleshy mass at the location. Histopathologic evaluation demonstrated the lesion to be primary small cell carcinoma of the ureter, without evidence of it being a derivative of the prior gynecologic malignancy. Metastatic work-up revealed high burden retroperitoneal adenopathy. The patient was started on Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant ...
Effect of cold air on aqueous humor dynamics in humans.

Several parameters of aqueous humor dynamics were measured in 11 human subjects before and after exposure of one eye to a continuous stream of cold air. In the treated eye, I.O.P. was found to decrease significantly from a mean +/- SD pre-treatment value of 14.1 +/- 2.3 mmHg to a post-treatment value of 12.6 +/- 2.6 mmHg. Episcleral venous pressure was found to decrease significantly from a pre-treatment value of 6.2 +/- 1.3 mm Hg. No significant changes were found in aqueous flow or total outflow facility, indicating that cold air exposure decreased I.O.P. by causing a decrease in episcleral venous pressure.
Afterlives of Romantic Intermediality: The Intersections of Visual, Aural, and Verbal Frontiers / Literary Salons across Britain and Ireland in the Long Eighteenth Century

Two recent publications—one a collection of critical essays on “Romantic intermediality,” the other a documentary monograph on eighteenth-century literary salons—offer an opportunity to reflect on ...
Factors Associated with HPV Vaccination in Young Males

Human papilloma virus (HPV) affects both men and women; however, recommendations for HPV vaccination among men were not issued in the United States until 2011. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare characteristics of men who did and did not report receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Data from the ten states that completed the HPV vaccination module in the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were included in the study. Young men ages 18–26 were included (N = 1624). Categorical variables were compared between those who did and did not receive the HPV vaccine using Chi square. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of HPV vaccination by the above factors. Only 16.5% of men reported at least one dose of HPV vaccine. Having health insurance, having a primary doctor, and receiving an HIV test were predictive of HPV vaccination. Men in Texas were more likely to report HPV vaccination than all other states. Overall, HPV vaccination is low in men. Targeted interventions for improving HPV vaccination rates in men are warranted, especially for those without health insurance or a routine source of care.
Learning improved pooling regions for the Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) feature for buried threat detection in ground penetrating radar

In recent years, the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has successfully been applied to the problem of buried threat detection (BTD). A large body of research has focused on using computerized algorithms to automatically discriminate between buried threats and subsurface clutter in GPR data. For this purpose, the GPR data is frequently treated as an image of the subsurface, within which the reflections associated with targets often appear with a characteristic shape. In recent years, shape descriptors from the natural image processing literature have been applied to buried threat detection, and the histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) feature has achieved state-of-the-art performance. HOG consists of computing histograms of the image gradients in disjoint square regions, which we call pooling regions, across the GPR images. In this work we create a large body of potential pooling regions and use the group LASSO (GLASSO) to choose a subset of the pooling regions that are most appropriate for BTD on GPR data. We examined this approach on a large collection of GPR data using lane-based cross-validation, and the results indicate that GLASSO can select a subset of pooling regions that lead to superior performance to the original HOG feature, while simultaneously also reducing the total number of features needed. The selected pooling regions also provide insight about the regions in GPR images that are most important for discriminating threat and nonthreat data.
Mixed Emotions Within the Context of Goal Pursuit.

Development in adulthood occurs through the process of setting and working toward goals. Emotions link experiences to goals and action, and are integral to goal setting and goal pursuit. The simultaneous experience of positive and negative or ‘mixed’ emotions coheres with the complexity of goal pursuit within the context of competing demands in daily life. Mixed emotions—experienced as uncertainty in goal prioritization, ambiguity of an event’s outcome, or poignancy recognizing gains and losses—provide conflicting signals that must be resolved before goal pursuit can continue. The process of resolving mixed emotions may evoke a new awareness of priorities and available options that leads to better goal outcomes. Over time, openness to mixed emotions may support health and self-actualization.
Labor Market Volatility in the RBC Search Model: A Look at Hagedorn and Manovskii’s Calibration

The standard Diamond–Mortensen–Pissarides (DMP) labor search model generates low volatility in labor market variables relative to average labor productivity, the so-called Shimer puzzle. Hagedorn and Manovskii (Am Econ Rev 98(4):1692–1706, 2008) demonstrate that recalibrating the standard DMP model to be consistent with the small vacancy posting cost and wage elasticity observed in the data can resolve the Shimer puzzle. They close by stating that their calibration strategy would also resolve the Shimer puzzle in the real business cycle (RBC) search framework. In this paper, we examine their claim and find that their strategy resolves the Shimer puzzle in the RBC search model for linear preferences (with risk neutrality and infinite Frisch elasticity of labor supply), but falls significantly short for more standard assumptions on the degree of relative risk aversion (of 1–2) and Frisch elasticity (of 2–3), in line with empirical estimates. While our conclusions are based on highly accurate solutions using the Generalized Stochastic Simulation Algorithm, we also assess the accuracy of a frequently used linearization method and its implications for the assessment of labor market volatility.
ANZSEE Biennial Conference Abstracts: Thriving through transformation: Local to global sustainability

2015 ANZSEE Biennial Conference 2015 The conference themes centred on ideas for transforming to a sustainable human existence at all geographical scales, particularly at the local, regional, and remote scales, but also at the national and global scales: A. Place-based perspectives on sustainability & transformation B. Institutions for resilience & transformation C. Economics of equity & distribution in transformation D. Making the marginal mainstream: expanding horizons Special sessions: Indigenous Wellbeing; Wilderness; & Local Government
Cholinergic modulation of the hippocampal region and memory function.

Acetylcholine (ACh) plays an important role in memory function and has been implicated in aging-related dementia, in which the impairment of hippocampus-dependent learning strongly manifests. Cholinergic neurons densely innervate the hippocampus, mediating the formation of episodic as well as semantic memory. Here, we will review recent findings on acetylcholine's modulation of memory function, with a particular focus on hippocampus-dependent learning, and the circuits involved. In addition, we will discuss the complexity of ACh actions in memory function to better understand the physiological role of ACh in memory. This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.
My Fitness Pal calorie tracker usage in the eating disorders

Mobile phone and tablet usage has become a part of modern life. Mobile applications that count calories, such as My Fitness Pal, are frequently employed on a daily basis. Recent research has shown that in undergraduates, calorie tracking is associated with eating disorder pathology. In the current study (N=105 individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder), we assessed usage of My Fitness Pal to track calories. We also assessed perceptions that My Fitness Pal contributed to eating disorder symptoms and if these perceptions were associated with eating disorder symptoms. We found that a substantial percentage (~75%) of participants used My Fitness Pal and that 73% of these users perceived the app as contributing to their eating disorder. Furthermore, we found that these perceptions were correlated with eating disorder symptoms. This research suggests that My Fitness Pal is widely used in an eating disorder population and is perceived as contributing to eating disorder symptoms. Further research is needed to clarify the role calorie tracking applications play within a sample of individuals with eating disorders.
Cell Aging: A Model System Approach

Although there is a large literature describing age-related physiological changes at the cell, tissue, organ, and organism level, fundamental questions about the aging process remain unanswered. In fact, it can be said that the experimental design required to answer them is in many ways obscure. For example, we still need answers to such questions as: (1) is aging intrinsic or extrinsic to the organism; (2) is aging intrinsic to an individual cell or an integrated function; (3) are there mechanisms which control the rate of aging; (4) is there a kind of pacemaker cell that signals the rest of the cells to degenerate and die, or does each cell have its own clock-like machinery by which aging proceeds; and (5) in either case, would such a clock mechanism be contained in the nucleus or in the cytoplasm? Definitive answers to all these questions must precede elucidation of the biology of aging.
Gated Communities: Developed Countries

Gated communities are among the newest residential formations and have proliferated in many countries around the world particularly in the last three decades. Certain forms of enclosure existed in parts of the world in the past, and elements can historically be found in different cities, like private roads, enclosed parks, or fenced off properties. Nevertheless, the contemporary spread of gated enclaves is unprecedented in history and clearly rooted in the present political economy of housing, as well as in the intersection between social and spatial relationships. The article focuses on the characteristics of gated enclaves in the United States and compares them with similar enclaves in Canada and Europe. It is argued that these types of compounds contribute to privatisation, fragmentation, and differentiation of cities, leading to increased urban inequality. This new type of residential neighbourhood ultimately contradicts the very notion of a community.
Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Ternary Bilayer Formed by Saturated Phosphotidylcholine, Sphingomyelin, and Cholesterol.

Using the all-atom CHARMM36 force field, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations of the equimolar ternary dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC)/N-palmitoylsphingomyelin (PSM)/cholesterol b...
Processing transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) data to detect low-level drinking.

Abstract Background Several studies have objectively quantified drinking through the use of Alcohol Monitoring System's (AMS) transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) device known as SCRAM CAM. Criteria that AMS uses to detect drinking are known to be conservative and only reliably detect heavy drinking equivalent to 5 or more standard drinks. Our group has developed Research Rules used to process TAC data in a manner that will detect low-level and moderate drinking even though it is below the AMS criteria for detection. Methods Sixteen male and 14 female paid research volunteers wore TAC monitors for 28 days in their natural environments and responded daily to text message prompts to self-report the previous day's drinking. Current analyses describe the Research Rules that we developed and how use of those rules impacts the detection of self-reported drinking treated as the standard in sensitivity/specificity analysis. Results We observed 606 occurrences of positive TAC events over a total of 867 days and processed the TAC data to retain 345 as possible drinking events, even though AMS criteria confirmed drinking for only 163 of these events. The kinds of TAC events removed or retained by our rules are illustrated as cases of low and moderate drinking days that were detected by our rules but not by the conservative AMS criteria. AMS-confirmed TAC events have a high specificity (99.8%) to detect primarily heavy drinking, but have a poor sensitivity to detect lower-level drinking and a poor specificity as an indicator of alcohol abstinence. In contrast, our Research Rules detected 100% of TAC events detected by AMS but also detected 31% of the lower-level drinking events not detected by AMS, with 91% specificity. Conclusions Reliance upon the AMS criteria for alcohol detection affords a high specificity for detection of heavy drinking but is a poor indicator of abstinence rates. In contrast, use of our Research Rules provides more sensitive means to quantify either any drinking or low–moderate levels of drinking while still maintaining good specificity.
Characterization of actionable genetic alterations to guide targeted therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

407Background: Genetic alterations predicting response to targeted therapy are an area of active interest in developing novel therapies for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). With...
Researching life in e-society with diary studies

To study life in an e-society, it is important to collect data in situ. One research method that provides for data to be collected as people live their e-society lives is a diary study methodology. Diary studies ask participants to record certain events, using various technological means, over a fixed period of time. While diary studies have their strengths, the most important of which is cost effective in situ data collection without the need for an outside observer, they also have their weaknesses, most notably the high level of commitment demanded from the participants. This paper reports on a 2005 diary study of lying in everyday communication, with a focus on lying via computer-mediated communication modes, such as phone, e-mail, and instant messaging. The study, which involved 25 undergraduate students logging their communication activities for seven days on personal digital assistants, serves as the vehicle from which to derive a set of lessons learned about the diary study methodology in practice.
A Specification-Based Intrusion Prevention System for Malicious Payloads.

In this work, a control/command analysis-based intrusion prevention system (IPS) is proposed. This IPS will examine incoming command packets and programs that are destined for a PLC interacting with a physical process. The IPS consists of a module that examines the packets that would alter settings or actuators and incorporates a model of the physical process to aid in predicting the effect of processing the command and specifically whether a safety violation would occur for critical variables in the physical system. Essentially, a simulation of both the model of the physical system and a process running a copy of the ladder logic of the real PLC is performed in the module. Also, uploaded programs will be evaluated to determine whether the programs would cause a safety violation. Previous research has studied making predictions based on the payloads of packets where cumbersome specifications must be developed by a human expert for the model of the physical system and safety conditions. This work seeks to eliminate or minimize the amount of specifications to be developed by a human through system identification and machine learning to allow the IPS to be more generic and deployable. Another contribution of this work is a broader and more generic understanding of the threat model that causes unsafe or inefficient consequences. The accuracy in prediction and latency in analysis are metrics used when evaluating the results in this work.
The NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Mission: an Emerging Era of Global, Hyperspectral Earth System Remote Sensing

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission represents NASA's next investment in satellite ocean color and the study of Earth's ocean-atmosphere system, enabling new insights into oceanographic and atmospheric responses to Earth's changing climate. PACE objectives include extending systematic cloud, aerosol, and ocean biological and biogeochemical data records, making essential ocean color measurements to further understand marine carbon cycles and ecosystem responses to a changing climate, and improving knowledge of how aerosols influence ocean ecosystems and, conversely, how ocean ecosystems and photochemical processes affect the atmosphere. PACE objectives also encompass management of fisheries, large freshwater bodies, and water quality and reducing uncertainties in climate and radiative forcing models of the Earth system. PACE observations will also provide information on radiative properties of land surfaces and characterization of the vegetation and soils that dominate their reflectance. The primary PACE instrument - the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) - is a hyperspectral imaging radiometer that spans the ultraviolet to shortwave infrared, with a ground sample distance of 1-kilometer at nadir. This includes continuous collection of spectra from 340 to 890 nanometers in 5-nanometer steps. The PACE payload is complemented by two multi-angle polarimeters with spectral ranges that span the visible to near-infrared region. Scheduled for launch in late 2022-to-early 2023, the PACE observatory will enable significant advances in the study of Earth's biogeochemistry, carbon cycle, clouds, hydrosols, and aerosols in the ocean-atmosphere system. We present a brief overview of the PACE mission, followed by a detailed discussion of the capabilities and design concept of OCI.
A Dividerless Ring Oscillator PLL With 250fs Integrated Jitter Using Sampled Lowpass Filter

This brief presents a novel ring oscillator based phase lock loop architecture that is capable of wideband, dividerless integer-N synthesis. The noise transfer function of the presented architecture is the same as a sub-sampling phase lock loop (PLL). Like a sub-sampling PLL, the presented architecture removes the phase detector and charge pump’s $N^{2}$ noise that dominates the in-band noise of traditional PLLs. This noise reduction allows the presented ring oscillator PLL to operate with integrated jitter as low as 250fs. Unlike sub-sampling PLLs, the presented architecture moves the sampling block downstream of the loop filter. As the sampled data is lowpass filtered, only low frequency sampling blocks are required, which removes the power and area overheads associated with directly sampling the voltage controlled oscillator. Measurement results show the presented PLL is capable of locking over a wide range of 1.2-2.5GHz. The presented PLL is fabricated in 65nm bulk CMOS, and demonstrates a figure of merit of −242.7dB, which is among best in class for ring oscillator PLLs. Furthermore, an area of 0.0066 mm2 is consumed, which represents the smallest published sub-sampling ring oscillator PLLs.
Otto: An Autonomous School Bus System for Parents and Children

Technological advances in autonomous transportation systems have brought them closer to road use. However, little research is reported on children's behavior in autonomous buses (ABs) under real road conditions and on improving parents' trust in leaving their children alone in ABs. Thus, we aim to answer the research question: "How can we design ABs suitable for unaccompanied children so that the parents can trust them?" We conducted a study using a Wizard-of-Oz method to observe children's behavior and interview both parents and children to examine their needs in ABs. Using an affinity diagram, we grouped children's and parents' needs under the following categories: entertainment, communication, personal behavior, trust and desires. Using an iterative human-centered design process, we created an Otto system, a smartphone app for parents to communicate with their children and a tablet app for children to entertain during the ride.
Anthropometric indices and nutritional status of low-income school-aged children of a county of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a pilot study

The growth and nutritional status of 185 school-aged children (97 boys and 88 girls) of low socio-economic level in Nova Iguacu, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were studied. Nutritional anthropometry identified 3.52 and 6.25% of the children as suffering from wasting and stunting, respectively. These prevalences of malnutrition were comparable to those described in pre-school children living in a "favela" (shanty town) of Rio de Janeiro. In general, the median height fell below the 25th centile of the international standard of growth. The value of 10 year-old boys fell below the 10th centile. The mean values of weight and height of these children were comparable to those of children from the Northeastern region of Brazil ("Nordeste"), higher than those found for children in the State of Paraiba, Brazil, and lower than those for middle-class children of the State of S. Paulo. Skinfold thickness, arm circunference, and arm fat area data were higher in girls than boys. However, arm muscle are values in boys were superior in comparison to those of girls.