cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photo-based authentication using social networks

We present Lineup, a system that uses the social network graph in Facebook and auxiliary information (e.g., "tagged" user photos) to build a photo-based Web site authentication framework. Lineup's underlying mechanism leverages the concept of CAPTCHAs, programs that are designed to distinguish bots from human users. Lineup extends this functionality to help a Web site ascertain a user's identity or membership in a certain group (e.g., an interest group, invitees to a certain event) in order to infer some level of trust. Lineup works by presenting a user with photographs and asking the user to identify subjects in the photo whom a user with the appropriate identity or group membership should know. We present the design and implementation for Lineup, describe a preliminary prototype implementation, and discuss Lineup's security properties, including possible guarantees and threats.
Development of back contacts for CdTe thin film solar cells deposited on flexible foil substrates

The formation of low resistance ohmic contacts on p-type CdTe is a major challenge for the superstrate solar cell the dominant device configuration for this technology. It is even a greater challenge for the substrate configuration, since the back contact material is deposited first and is therefore influenced by subsequent high temperature fabrication processing. In this paper, the structural and electrical properties of ZnTe and Sb 2 Te 3 films deposited by the close-spaced sublimation and evaporation respectively are presented. Thin film CdTe solar cells of the substrate configuration have been fabricated on flexible foil substrates using ZnTe and Sb 2 Te 3 as back contacts, and their performance has been evaluated.
Cutting Edge: Monarch-1 Suppresses Non-Canonical NF-κB Activation and p52-Dependent Chemokine Expression in Monocytes

CATERPILLER (NOD, NBD-LRR) proteins are rapidly emerging as important mediators of innate and adaptive immunity. Among these, Monarch-1 operates as a novel attenuating factor of inflammation by suppressing inflammatory responses in activated monocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Monarch-1 performs this important function are not well understood. In this report, we show that Monarch-1 inhibits CD40-mediated activation of NF-κB via the non-canonical pathway in human monocytes. This inhibition stems from the ability of Monarch-1 to associate with and induce proteasome-mediated degradation of NF-κB inducing kinase. Congruently, silencing Monarch-1 with shRNA enhances the expression of p52-dependent chemokines.
Evolutionary conservation of metabolism explains howDrosophila nutrigenomics can help us understand human nutrigenomics.

While large populations in the third world are enduring famine, much of the developed world is undergoing an obesity epidemic. In addition to reflecting an unbalanced distribution of food, the “epidemic of overabundance” is ironically leading to a decrease in the health and longevity of the obese and improperly nourished in the first world. International consortia, such as the European Nutrigenomics Organization (NuGO), are increasing our knowledge of nutrientgene interactions and the effects of diet and obesity on human health. In this review, we summarize both previous and ongoing nutrigenomics studies in Drosophila and we explain how these studies can be used to provide insights into molecular mechanisms underlying nutrigenomics in humans. We will discuss how quantitative trait locus (QTL) experiments have identified genes that affect triglyceride levels in Drosophila, and how microarray analyses show that hundreds of genes have altered gene expression under different dietary conditions. Finally, we will discuss ongoing combined microarray-QTL studies, termed “genetical genomics,” that promise to identify “master modulatory loci” that regulate global responses of potentially hundreds of genes under different dietary conditions. When “master modulatory loci” are identified in Drosophila, then experiments in mammalian models can be used to determine the relevance of these genes to human nutrition and health.
Photoelectron microscopy of cell surfaces.

SUMMARY Photoelectron micrographs of fixed, unstained, uncoated chicken embryo fibroblasts and the absolute photoelectron quantum yields in the 180–230 nm wavelength band of l-fucose, d-galactose, d-glucose, n-acetyl-d-glucosamine, and the sucrose polymer Ficoll are reported. The quantum yields of the saccharides are low compared to the reference dye, phthalocyanine, and fall in the same range as those previously measured for amino acids and membrane phospholipids. Photoelectron micrographs of the unstained and uncoated cells exhibit considerable surface detail. The photoelectron quantum yield data and the micrographs indicate that surface relief is the dominant source of contrast.
Nationwide Availability of Services for Limited English-Proficient Handicapped Students

The 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed concerning their procedures for delivering educational services to limited English-proficient (LEP) handicapped students. Results indicated that few states have established procedures and guidelines for delivering educational services to their LEP handicapped students. Suggestions for developing and delivering educational services to LEP handicapped students are presented.
Testing Two Explanations of the Liberal Peace: The Opportunity Cost and Signaling Arguments

Considerable evidence suggests that economic interdependence and integration reduce the likelihood of militarized conflict. However, scholars have devoted remarkably scant attention to testing diff...
BASAL CLADES AND MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS OF HETEROMYID RODENTS

The New World rodent family Heteromyidae shows a marvelous array of ecomorphological types, from bipedal, arid-adapted forms to scansorial, tropical-adapted forms. Although recent studies have resolved most of the phylogenetic relationships among heteromyids at the shallower taxonomic levels, fundamental questions at the deeper taxonomic levels remain unresolved. This study relies on DNA sequence information from 3 relatively slowly evolving mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 12S, and 16S, to examine basal patterns of phylogenesis in the Heteromyidae. Because slowly evolving mitochondrial genes evolve and coalesce more rapidly than most nuclear genes, they may be superior to nuclear genes for resolving short, basal branches. Our molecular data (2,381 base pairs for the 3-gene data set) affirm the monophyly of the family and resolve the major basal clades in the family. Alternative phylogenetic hypotheses of subfamilial relationships are examined statistically and the Perognathinae and Heteromyinae are found to represent sister clades relative to the Dipodomyinae. The 3 traditional subfamilial groupings are supported; the controversial placement of Microdipodops as a sister clade to Dipodomys in the Dipodomyinae is affirmed, Perognathus and Chaetodipus are distinct sister clades within the Perognathinae, and species of Liomys and Heteromys form the resolved clade Heteromyinae. However, Liomys is found to be paraphyletic relative to Heteromys and, given that this finding corroborates earlier studies, we present a formal taxonomy of Heteromys wherein we place Liomys in synonymy. Semiparametric and parametric methods are used to estimate divergence times from our molecular data and a chronogram of the Heteromyidae, calibrated by the oldest known fossils of Dipodomys and Perognathus ,i s presented. Our time estimates reveal subfamilial differentiation in the early Miocene (22.3‐21.8 million years ago) and pose testable times of divergence for the basal heteromyid nodes. With the basal heteromyid clades resolved and cladogenic events positioned in a time framework, we review the major geological and paleoecological events of the Oligocene and Miocene associated with the early historical biogeography of the family.
44-Year-Old Man With Abdominal Pain, Fever, and Bloody Diarrhea

44-year-old man with a history of ulcerative colitis since age 20 years presented with acute-on-chronic epigastric abdominal pain associated with new-onset lowgrade fever, chills, and night sweats of 2- to 3-months’ duration. Despite multiple immunosuppressive regimens, including oral prednisone, azathioprine, sulfasalazine, and methotrexate, his ulcerative colitis symptoms had never been fully controlled. Approximately 18 months before the current presentation, infliximab had been prescribed. The patient could not recall if he had beenscreenedfortuberculosisatthattime.Despite
An efficient empirical model for microwave-induced average temperature of liquid cylindrical reactants.

Microwave-assisted chemical reactions have become very popular in preparative chemistry due to many advantages such as accelerated reaction rate, higher chemical yield and lower energy use. In dedicated equipment, however, the microwave units operate as “black boxes” keeping the role of the thermal effects in microwave-assisted chemical processes somewhat obscure. To address this issue, in this paper, we propose a simple mathematical model for computing microwave-induced temperature in a three-media cylindrical structure representing a core element of a typical microwave reactor with the reactant assumed to be stirred by convection flows. The model determines the average temperature of the reactant for the known absorbed microwave power and heating time. To illustrate its functionality, the model is used to compute time-temperature characteristics of water, ethanol, and methanol heated in the batch reactor MiniFlow 200SS. The curve calculated for water appears to be in an excellent agreement with an experiment. This confirms the hypothesis on temperature homogenization in liquid reactants in batch reactors due to convection and suggests that modeling can be helpful in clarifying and quantifying the details of microwave-assisted chemical processes.
Complex pitch perception mechanisms are shared by humans and a New World monkey

The perception of the pitch of harmonic complex sounds is a crucial function of human audition, especially in music and speech processing. Whether the underlying mechanisms of pitch perception are unique to humans, however, is unknown. Based on estimates of frequency resolution at the level of the auditory periphery, psychoacoustic studies in humans have revealed several primary features of central pitch mechanisms. It has been shown that (i) pitch strength of a harmonic tone is dominated by resolved harmonics; (ii) pitch of resolved harmonics is sensitive to the quality of spectral harmonicity; and (iii) pitch of unresolved harmonics is sensitive to the salience of temporal envelope cues. Here we show, for a standard musical tuning fundamental frequency of 440 Hz, that the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World monkey with a hearing range similar to that of humans, exhibits all of the primary features of central pitch mechanisms demonstrated in humans. Thus, marmosets and humans may share similar pitch perception mechanisms, suggesting that these mechanisms may have emerged early in primate evolution.
Career and Program Choice of Students of Color in Student Affairs Programs

Student affairs educators have long advocated increasing the racial diversity of student affairs. To improve the recruitment of Students of Color to student affairs, we engaged critical race methodology to examine career and graduate program choice of 29 students of Color in 26 graduate programs. Participants chose careers in student affairs through involvement, mentor influence, and passion for advocacy work; they selected graduate programs based on reputation, proximity to family, and commitment to inclusion.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Septic Shock

ABSTRACT Septic shock (SS) is the most common type of shock encountered by internists, and its prevalence appears to be increasing. SS complicates all types of infections. The hemodynamic characteristics of SS include a low systemic vascular resistance and an elevated, but relatively inadequate, cardiac output. A cardiomyopathy frequently occurs. The major endogenous mediator of SS is tumor necrosis factor, and interleukins-1 and -2 may also contribute. Important secondary phenomena include release of platelet activating factor, vasodilator prostaglandins, and upregulation of adhesion molecules on polymorphonuclear leukocytes and endothelial cells. Current therapy is often ineffectual, and potentially promising new therapeutic approaches are reviewed.
Genetic coordination of diapause in the pitcherplant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii (Diptera: Culicidae)

Six populations of Wyeomyia smithii from 30—49°N latitude maintain significant heritability for and consistently positive genetic correlations among three components of photoperiodically mediated larval diapause: (1) critical photoperiod, (2) required day number, and (3) depth of diapause. These traits then form genetically coordinated syndrome of traits that reinforce each other in a continuum from diapause-prone to diapause-resistant genotypes. We propose that this syndrome maintains genetic flexibility in a habitat that imposes fluctuating stabilizing selection on diapause.
Contributions of CF and CF2 Species to fluorocarbon film composition and properties for C(x)F(y) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Inductively-coupled CxFy (y/x = 2.0–4.0) plasma systems were investigated to determine relationships between precursor chemistry, CFn radical-surface reactivities, and surface properties of deposited films. The contributions of CFn (n = 1, 2) radicals to film properties were probed via gas-phase diagnostics and the imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) technique. Time-resolved radical emission data elucidate CF(g) and CF2(g) production kinetics from the CxFy source gases and demonstrate that CF4 plasmas inherently lag in efficacy of film formation when compared to C2F6, C3F8, and C3F6 systems. IRIS data show that as the precursor y/x ratio decreases, the propensity for CFn scatter concomitantly declines. Analyses of the composition and characteristics of fluorocarbon films deposited on Si wafers demonstrate that surface energies of the films decrease markedly with increasing film fluorine content. In turn, increased surface energies correspond with significant decreases in the observed scat...
Effect of Reduced Oxygen Tension Upon Formed Elements of Blood of Hypophysectomized Animals.

It has been suggested1, 2 that the hypophysis, in addition to its many other functions, may play a part in erythropoiesis.It has long been known that in man and animal, under the conditions of reduced oxygen tension, there occurs an increase in hemoglobin, erythrocytes and reticulocytes in the blood, and hyperplasia of the bone marrow. It was thought that if the hypophysis furnished a hormone which affected the erythrogenetic tissues, the response to a diminution in oxygen tension in the tissues of hypophysectomized animals might be deficient in one or more respects. To test this hypothesis, 8 male white rats weighing 150 to 220 gm. were hypophysectomized after complete blood counts were done by the usual methods. Erythrocyte counts were done in duplicate; reticulocyte counts of 1,000 cells on a cover slip smear stained with cresyl blue, hemoglobin determinations with the Haden-Hauser hemoglobinometer. Eight days later, 4 of the experimental animals with 4 normal controls of similar weight were placed in ...
Applying Ancestry and Sex Computation as a Quality Control Tool in Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Objectives: To apply techniques for ancestry and sex computation from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data as an approach to confirm sample identity and detect sample processing errors. Methods: We combined a principal component analysis method with k -nearest neighbors classification to compute the ancestry of patients undergoing NGS testing. By combining this calculation with X chromosome copy number data, we determined the sex and ancestry of patients for comparison with self-report. We also modeled the sensitivity of this technique in detecting sample processing errors. Results: We applied this technique to 859 patient samples with reliable self-report data. Our k -nearest neighbors ancestry screen had an accuracy of 98.7% for patients reporting a single ancestry. Visual inspection of principal component plots was consistent with self-report in 99.6% of single-ancestry and mixed-ancestry patients. Our model demonstrates that approximately two-thirds of potential sample swaps could be detected in our patient population using this technique. Conclusions: Patient ancestry can be estimated from NGS data incidentally sequenced in targeted panels, enabling an inexpensive quality control method when coupled with patient self-report.
Equivalence between vaccinia particles counted by electron microscopy and infectious units of the virus.

Summary1. Studies of the relation between the number of infectious or pock-forming units of vaccinia virus and the number of virus particles indicate a ratio of 1.5:1 under conditions described. 2. A modified centri-fugation cell is described with which virus suspensions can be concentrated and the particles then counted by electron microscopy. The virus particles are sedimented directly onto coated electron microscope grids which when removed from the centrifugation cell are ready for shadow-casting and examination. The precision of this method is comparable to that obtained by other technics.
Three Unpublished Manuscripts from 1903: &#8193"Functions" &#8193"Proof That No Function Takes All Values" &#8193"Meaning and Denotation"

I present and discuss three previously unpublished manuscripts written by Bertrand Russell in 1903, not included with similar manuscripts in Volume 4 of his Collected Papers . One is a one-page list of basic principles for his “functional theory” of May 1903, in which Russell partly anticipated the later Lambda Calculus. The next, catalogued under the title “Proof That No Function Takes All Values”, largely explores the status of Cantor’s proof that there is no greatest cardinal number in the variation of the functional theory holding that only some but not all complexes can be analyzed into function and argument. The final manuscript, “Meaning and Denotation”, examines how his pre-1905 dis­tinction between meaning and denotation is to be understood with respect to functions and their arguments. In them, Russell seems to endorse an extensional view of functions not endorsed in other works prior to the 1920s. All three manuscripts illustrate the close connection between his work on the logical paradoxes and his work on the theory of meaning.
Isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in one hundred consecutive octogenarian patients. A multivariate analysis.

One hundred consecutive patients aged 80 or older underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting for New York Heart Association functional class III (24%) or IV (76%) disease in our institution from 1985 to 1989. The operations were elective in 36 patients, urgent in 52, and emergent in 12. Twenty-eight patients had significant disease of the left main coronary artery, with the remainder having and average of 2.8 diseased coronary vessels. Preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was considered good (>50%) in 62 patients, fair (30% to 50%) in 24 patients, and poor (<30%) in 14 patients. An average of 2.8 grafts were performed per patient, and the internal mammary artery was used in 10 patients
Are Excretory Urograms Necessary in Evaluating Women with Urinary Tract Infection

AbstractOf 164 excretory urograms obtained from women with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections 88 per cent were perfectly normal. Eleven (6.7 per cent) had minor, normal, anatomic variations. Nine (5.5 per cent) were considered to have positive findings but in no case was a significant finding present that required surgical intervention or altered the therapeutic approach. The total cost of the studies to the patients involved was $17,930. Thus, an extremely negative cost-benefit ratio emerged The routine use of excretory urograms as part of the evaluation of a woman with a urinary tract infection is expensive, unrewarding and has little justification.
High-Throughput Indirect Quantitation of 13C Enriched Metabolites Using 1H NMR

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is widely used in metabolomics to perform quantitative profiling of low-molecular weight compounds from biological specimens. The measurement of endogenous metabolites using NMR has proven to be a powerful tool to identify new metabolic biomarkers in physiological and pathological conditions, and to study and evaluate treatment efficiency. In this study we present a rapid approach to indirectly quantify 13C enriched molecules using one-dimensional (1D) 1H NMR. We demonstrate this approach using isotopically labeled [1,6-13C]glucose and in four different cell lines. We confirm the applicability of this approach for treatment follow-up, utilizing a renal cancer cell line with rapamycin as a tool compound to study changes in metabolic profiles. Finally, we validate the applicability of this method to study metabolic biomarkers from ex vivo tumor extracts, after infusion, using isotopically enriched glucose. Given the high throughput and increased sensitivity of d...
What Role Does Allergy Play in Chronic Ear Disease and Laryngitis

IgE-mediated allergy plays a well-established role in both nasal and pulmonary diseases due to the common epithelium and shared mediator responses of the upper and lower airways. This "unified airway" concept has also been described in other sites within the head and neck that contain similar respiratory mucosa: the middle ear and the larynx. This review will highlight the data suggesting a role for IgE-mediated allergic disease in chronic laryngopharyngeal and middle ear disease and the role for allergy testing to aid in diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.
Physical Activity Minimum Threshold Predicting Improved Function in Adults With Lower-Extremity Symptoms

Objective To identify an evidence-based minimum physical activity threshold to predict improved or sustained high function for adults with lower-extremity joint symptoms. Methods Prospective multisite data from 1,629 adults, age ≥49 years with symptomatic lower-extremity joint pain/aching/stiffness, participating in the Osteoarthritis Initiative accelerometer monitoring substudy were clinically assessed 2 years apart. Improved/high function in 2-year gait speed and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were based on improving or remaining in the best (i.e., maintaining high) function quintile compared to baseline status. Optimal thresholds predicting improved/high function were investigated using classification trees for the legacy federal guideline metric requiring 150 minutes/week of moderate-vigorous (MV) activity in bouts lasting 10 minutes or more (MV-bout) and other metrics (total MV, sedentary, light intensity activity, nonsedentary minutes/week). Results Optimal thresholds based on total MV minutes/week predicted improved/high function outcomes more strongly than the legacy or other investigated metrics. Meeting the 45 total MV minutes/week threshold had increased relative risk (RR) for improved/high function (gait speed RR 1.8, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.6, 2.1 and PRO physical function RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3, 1.6) compared to less active adults. Thresholds were consistent across sex, body mass index, knee osteoarthritis status, and age. Conclusion These results supported a physical activity minimum threshold of 45 total MV minutes/week to promote improved or sustained high function for adults with lower-extremity joint symptoms. This evidence-based threshold is less rigorous than federal guidelines (≥150 MV-bout minutes/week) and provides an intermediate goal towards the federal guideline for adults with lower-extremity symptoms.
Immunologic responses to a novel DNA vaccine targeting human papillomavirus-11 E6E7

Objectives/Hypothesis Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a benign disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11. Although a prophylactic vaccine against RRP is available, a therapeutic vaccine is needed to treat those already infected. The objective of our study was to design and test a DNA vaccine targeting HPV11 proteins. Study Design Preclinical scientific investigation. Methods A DNA vaccine encoding the HPV11 E6 and E7 genes linked to calreticulin (CRT) was generated. Immunologic response to the HPV11 CRT/E6E7 vaccine was measured by vaccinating C57BL/6 mice via electroporation and measuring CD8 + T cell responses from harvested splenocytes. A tumor cell line containing HPV11-E6E7 was created, and the ability of novel DNA vaccine to control tumor growth was measured in vivo. Results Our vaccine generated a significant and specific CD8 + T-cell response against the HPV11-E6aa41-70 peptide. The CD8 + T-cell responses did not recognize E7 epitopes, indicating E6 immunodominance. CD8 + responses were augmented in the CRT-linked vaccine compared to a control non-CRT vaccine. The HPV11 CRT/E6E7 vaccine was used to treat mice inoculated with a HPV11 E6E7 expressing tumor cell line after temporary CD3 depletion to facilitate tumor growth. Vaccinated mice had a significantly lower tumor growth rate (P = .029) and smaller tumor volumes compared to control mice, indicating an augmented immunologic response in vaccinated mice. Conclusions A DNA vaccine targeting HPV11 E6E7 generates a specific HPV11 CD-8 + T-cell response capable of reducing the growth of HPV11-expressing tumors. DNA vaccines are a promising immunologic strategy for treating RRP. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2017
Advance care planning in community dwelling patients with dementia

Abstract Context Little is known about advance care planning (ACP) among community-dwelling patients with dementia. Objectives To describe aspects of ACP among patients with dementia and examine the association between ACP and health care proxy (HCP) acceptance of patients' illness. Methods Cross-sectional observational survey of 62 HCPs of patients with dementia ( N = 14 mild, N = 48 moderate/severe), from seven outpatient geriatric and memory disorder clinics in Boston. Aspects of ACP included HCP's report of patients' preferences for level of future care, communication with HCP and physician regarding care preferences, and proxy preparedness for shared decision making. The association between ACP and HCP acceptance with patients' illness was examined using the Peace, Equanimity, and Acceptance subscale of the Cancer Experience Scale. Results Eleven percent of proxies believed that the patient would want life-prolonging treatment, 31% a time-limited trial of curative treatment, and 47% comfort-focused care. Thirty-one percent reported that the patient had communicated with their physician regarding preferences for care, and 77% had communicated with the HCP. Forty-four percent of HCPs wanted more discussion with the patient regarding care preferences. The HCP having discussed care preferences with the patient was associated with greater acceptance of the patient's illness ( P = 0.004). Conclusion Our findings support need for greater ACP discussions between patients and proxies. Discussions regarding goals of care are likely to benefit patients through delivery of care congruent with their wishes and HCPs in terms of greater acceptance of patients' illness.
Introduction: Memory, Forgetting, and the Imagination

Amnesia—as a neurological condition—is always represented as a bad thing, a loss of a personal identity that one desperately needs to recover. Much scholarly and scientific work has been done, in recent decades, on issues having to do with memory, Alzheimer’s, trauma, remembrance, memorials and monuments, truth and reconciliation. But hardly anyone ever talks about the desirability or usefulness of forgetting—which is a central concern of this study. Drawing on Nietzsche, Marx, Renan, Freud, Luria, Anderson, Yerushalmi, and others, this introductory chapter considers the importance of forgetting—and then goes on to consider the complex relationships between remembering, forgetting, imagination, desire, and narrative.
Medical Diagnosis: A Real Life Application of Logic.

Of all the mathematical topics taught at the high school and junior college level, logic must certainly be one of the most frustrating for both students and teachers. On the one hand, the student is told that logic is the necessary basis on which all rational reasoning and decision making rests. On the other hand, since few situa tions involving human reason are simple enough to permit the application of mathe matical logic, it is extremely difficult to dis cuss and illustrate the use of logic in a believable and interesting manner. In this article we will describe how logic is used as the basis of medical diagnosis and then il lustrate this usage with a real example.
Management of Local Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Failures in Superficial Bladder Cancer

AbstractWe attempt to define the treated natural history of patients with superficial bladder tumors (stages Ta, TIS and T1) managed with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to determine the best form of treatment for locally recurrent tumors. The management and survival of 41 patients who failed BCG within the bladder or prostatic urethra and who subsequently were treated with a variety of secondary therapies are reviewed. Our aim was to assess the role of several independent clinical variables on the rate of death from bladder cancer. Of the 41 patients 6 (15%) died. Univariate statistical analysis identified early involvement of the prostatic urethra and the presence of superficially invasive (stage T1) tumor at initial treatment with BCG as factors having an adverse effect on survival. A multivariate statistical model revealed that patients with early prostatic urethral involvement and the presence of superficially invasive (stage T1) tumor at diagnosis had the highest risk of death from bladd...
Speech Processing Background

In this chapter, we review some of the building blocks of speech processing systems. We then discuss the specifics of speaker verification, speaker identification, and speech recognition. We will reuse these constructions when designing privacy-preserving algorithms for these tasks in the reminder of the thesis.
Fostering online communities of practice in vocational education

Career and vocational education (CVE) should represent an efficient way to facilitate the growth of the learning community as a whole. The term "community of practice" provides a useful context for pre- and in-service professional development. The need to incorporate the features of a community of practice (CoP) in CVE becomes increasingly apparent as this work philosophy permeates the professional workplace. Particularly as web 2.0 tools facilitate collaboration, online CoPs can thrive. Not only do students engaged more actively in their learning, but they gain from multiple perspectives, and can develop more complex projects with the help of others. For online CoPs to succeed, CV educators need to design instruction that helps students get to know each other, and collaborate. Technological tools can facilitate such interaction, overcoming time and space issues. CoPs not only provide authentic training opportunities, but can also link professionals.
Curriculum Development/ Integration Single Concept Simulation

When questioning why students should major in aviation while attending a college or university rather than simply flying at an FBO, two factors that must be considered in curriculum design come to mind: 1. Depth and coverage of aviation subjects; 2. Integration of flight training in course work. Of these two considerations, the most difficult to attain is curriculum integration. The problem appears to be amplified by a number of factors which include a four year variable time block, weather, illness, financial problems, and either over or under ambitious advancement in the flight curriculum.
A Decision Analysis Model of 1-Year Effectiveness of Intended Postplacental Compared With Intended Delayed Postpartum Intrauterine Device Insertion.

OBJECTIVE To compare, using decision analysis methodology, the 1-year probability of pregnancy after intended postplacental intrauterine device (IUD) insertion with intended delayed insertion at an outpatient postpartum visit (delayed postpartum placement). METHODS We developed an evidence-based decision model with the primary outcome of 1-year probability of pregnancy. We compared 1-year probability of pregnancy after intended postplacental or intended delayed postpartum IUD placement. We obtained estimates from the literature for the proportions of the following: mode of delivery, successful IUD placement, IUD type, postpartum visit attendance, IUD expulsion, IUD discontinuation, and contraceptive use, choice, and efficacy after IUD discontinuation. We performed sensitivity analyses and a Monte Carlo simulation to account for variations in proportion estimates. RESULTS One-year probabilities of pregnancy among a theoretical cohort of 2,500,000 women intending to receive a postplacental IUD after vaginal birth and 1,250,000 women intending to receive a postplacental IUD after cesarean birth were 17.3% and 11.2%, respectively; the 1-year probability of pregnancy among a theoretical cohort of 2,500,000 women intending to receive a delayed postpartum IUD was 24.6%. For delayed postpartum IUD placement to have effectiveness equal to postplacental placement, 91.4% of women delivering vaginally and 99.7% of women delivering by cesarean would need to attend postpartum care. Once placed, the effectiveness of postplacental IUDs was lower than that of delayed postpartum IUDs: 1-year probabilities of pregnancy after IUD placement at a vaginal birth, cesarean birth, and an outpatient postpartum visit were 15.4%, 6.6%, and 3.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION After accounting for factors that affect successful IUD placement and retention, this decision model indicates that intended postplacental IUD insertion results in a lower 1-year probability of pregnancy as compared with intended delayed postpartum IUD insertion.
Diversity and inclusion in a surgical society: A longitudinal investigation

Background Although the presence of women and minorities is increasing in academic surgery, inclusion at the highest levels appears to continue to lag in many aspects of leadership and participation. Participation in medical societies is an opportunity in career development but may also propagate disparities. We investigated the presence of women and minorities within one subspecialty society, the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, to better understand the presence of these groups in the leadership of this society. Methods Publicly available data regarding American Association of Endocrine Surgeons membership and leadership were obtained. North American active members in 2007, 2012, and 2017 were identified. Gender and race/ethnicity were determined via internet query. We analyzed the number and proportion of active members and members in leadership positions who were female, East/South/Middle Eastern Asian American (“Asian”), Hispanic/Latin/South American, or African American in each year throughout this period. Results The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons was established in 1981. From 2007 to 2017, active membership in the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons increased from 178 to 276. The percentages of female (17.4%–35.1%), Asian (9.0%–17.4%), and Hispanic/Latin/South American (3.9%– 4.7%) members increased during this time. The percentage of African American members did not increase (1.7%–1.8%). In 2017, women and Asians composed disproportionately high percentages of council members (50% and 67%, respectively) and committee chairs (46%, 23%) and were inconsistently represented as officers (40%, 20%). Hispanic/Latin/South American and African American members were disproportionately underrepresented at every level of leadership. Conclusion Diversity in the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons has improved for all groups of diversity that were explored except African American members. Women and Asians are not consistently well represented throughout the organizational leadership, and Hispanic/Latin/South American and African American members are underrepresented. Opportunity exists to improve the diversity opportunities in this organization.
Mobile Multidisciplinary HIV Medical Care for Hard-to-Reach Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in San Francisco.

The San Francisco, California–based HIV Homeless-Health Outreach Mobile Engagement (HHOME) program aims to improve health and housing outcomes for multiply diagnosed people experiencing chronic hom...
Diagnosis and management of a remnant of the original fistula (ROOF) in males following surgery for anorectal malformations

Abstract Purpose A complication of the surgical management of anorectal malformations (ARMs) is a retained remnant of the original fistula (ROOF) formerly called a posterior urethral diverticulum (PUD). A ROOF may have multiple presentations or may be incidentally discovered during the work-up of ARM after previous surgery. We sought to define the entity and the surgical indications for excision of a ROOF when found. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of all male patients who presented to our center following previous repair for ARM at another institution, who came for evaluation of problems with urinary and/or fecal continence, from 2014 to 2017. Charts were reviewed for symptoms, original type of malformation, preoperative imaging, treatment, and postoperative follow-up. Results Of 180 referred male patients, 16 had a ROOF. 14 underwent surgical repair to address this and for other redo indications, and 2 did not require intervention. 13 patients had an additional reason for a redo such as anal mislocation or rectal prolapse. Indications for ROOF excision were urinary symptoms (e.g. UTI, dribbling, passage of mucous via urethra, stone formation), to make a smoother posterior urethra for intermittent catheterization, or for prophylactic reasons. Patients were repaired at an average age of 4.2 years, using a PSARP only approach with excision of the ROOF for all except one patient who needed a laparotomy due to abdominal extension of the ROOF. No patient needed a colostomy. The original ARM repairs of the patients were PSARP (9), laparoscopic assisted (4) and abdominoperineal pullthrough (3). Preoperative evaluation included pelvic MRI, VCUG, and cystoscopy. The ROOF was visualized on 14 of 16 MRIs, 10 of 14 VCUGs, and 14 of 15 cystoscopies. Urinary symptoms associated with a ROOF and ease of catheterization were improved in all repaired cases. Conclusion Patients not doing well from a urinary or bowel standpoint post ARM pull-through need a complete evaluation which should include a check for a ROOF. Both modalities MRI and cystoscopy are needed as a ROOF can be missed on either alone. A VCUG was not reliable in identifying a ROOF. Excision is needed in patients to improve urinary symptoms associated with these lesions and to minimize the small but theoretical oncologic risk present in a ROOF. Level of evidence Level III.
164-P: CAN WE PREDICT HLA-DQA1 ALLELE ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON PUBLISHED DRB1/DQB ASSOCIATION DATA?

Aim We wanted to see how accurately we can predict HLA-DQA1 assignments by using NMDP published DRB1/DQB1/DQA1 associations. Methods We selected a total of 116 samples that were previously typed. Seventy two of these samples were proficiency testing samples and the remaining forty four were clinical samples typed in our Laboratory using Life Technologies DQA1-SSP kits. Using the NMDP association chart, we assigned DQA1 alleles for all the samples based on the DRB1/DQB1 association. We then compared our assignments with the actual typing. Results By counting homozygous alleles as one, a total of two hundred seventeen alleles were defined. Nine of these DRB1/DQB1/DQA1 associations were not listed on the NMDP chart possibly due to uncommon DRB1/DQB1 associations. Out of the nine, eight could be assigned correctly based on the published association with DRB1 allele group. The remaining one sample could not be assigned correctly. Of the two hundred eight remaining allele assignments two hundred six agreed at least at the allele group level. Conclusions Our data demonstrates that DQA1 assignment can be inferred on the basis of DRB1/DQB1 association at least at an allele group level with an accuracy rate of 99%. While this may not be a justifiable approach to stem cell transplantation, it certainly has application in solid organ transplantation.
Re-vitalizing the American Feminist-Philosophical Classroom: Transformative Academic Experimentations with Diffractive Pedagogies

This chapter touches upon the damaging impact of neoliberal reason on institutions of higher education, and my efforts as a teacher to help turn things around by re-vitalizing the classroom. After a critique of current neoliberal ‘borderline times’, the chapter takes the reader on a journey of diffractive re-imaginings in which I share some of my experiences of co-learning with undergraduates in an American feminist-philosophical classroom. My central argument is that the neoliberalism-induced crisis in education can be affirmatively counteracted through experimentations with various posthuman and new materialist theories, and the Harawayan-Baradian methodology of diffraction in particular. Furthermore, informed by the impression that theory and pedagogical praxis go hand in hand in many contemporary feminist new materialisms, I zoom in on daily acts of resistance against the neoliberal corporatization of the American university, acts that actualized themselves as feminist new materialist pedagogies. Three examples of diffractive pedagogical strategies are then discussed in detail.
‘Why Economists Disagree’: A Case Study in Consensus Building

The title of this paper – “Why Economists Disagree” – takes its name from Fritz Machlup’s speech before the American Philosophical Society on November 12, 1964, five months after the fourth Bellagio Group conference of thirty-two non-governmental economists, convened by Machlup to rethink the international monetary system, and three months after the publication of the Group’s final report: International Monetary Arrangements: The Problem of Choice. Report on the Deliberations of an International Study Group of 32 Economists. In his speech, Machlup explained his decision to bring together economists from eleven countries, many of them chosen because they were well-known advocates for divergent, often feuding, schools of thought on the problems and solutions to problems facing the international monetary system in the 1960s, for an “inquiry into the sources of disagreement on international monetary prescriptions” (Machlup 1965, p.1).How did Fritz Machlup and the group of economists he assembled come to exert so much influence on exchange rates and adjustment issues? The current paper addresses this question, looking at Machlup’s own writing on the subject, his organization of the Bellagio Group conferences, the close working relationship Machlup built with the deputies of the Group of Ten, and the broad platform of joint conferences, papers and books that Machlup created to promote the work of the Bellagio Group.
MP5 - Yagi-Uda Nanoantenna Structures for Infrared Detection Using Silicon

Detection of light below band gap energies using nanolithographic Yagi-Uda antennas is discussed. Two nonlinear mechanisms contributing to generation of photocurrent are identified and evaluated. Results of a Si near-IR photodetector are presented and application to mid-IR discussed. Additionally, finite element modeling methods are employed.
Effects of climate change on fruit nutrition

Abstract Climate change is impacting the quality and quantity of fruits produced in agricultural systems worldwide, with notable implications for farmer livelihoods and human nutrition. This chapter provides a review of climate change effects on five of the most consumed fruits in the world including apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and watermelons. We highlight multiple environmental variables linked to climate change that significantly impact fruit nutrition. Findings from our literature review suggest that changes in temperature, solar radiation, water availability, atmospheric CO2, and other climate variables are impacting soluble solids, vitamin content, phenolic compound content, and micronutrients of fruits with variation based on the type of crop and geographic area. For some crops such as apples and grapes, evidence suggests that the effects of climate in several regions around the world are improving the sugar, phenolic, and vitamin content up to certain plant thresholds. However, when temperatures, solar radiation, and humidity extend beyond these thresholds, crop quality will likely be reduced. Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on fruits.
A Pilot Study Exploring the Relationship Between Digesta Retention Time in the Equine Gastrointestinal Tract and Compartment Models.

Abstract Digesta retention time within specific segments of the equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT) may be more relevant to scientific inquiries than total tract mean retention time (TTMRT); however, measuring retention time in individual segments requires access to the digestive tract. The objective of this study was to compare prececal, cecal, and colonic mean retention time (MRT) with model-derived compartment MRT. A cecally fistulated gelding was fed indigestible particulate and liquid markers to determine TTMRT and dosed with different pairs of particulate and liquid markers into the cecum (hindgut MRT) and into the right ventral colon through the cecocolic orifice (colon MRT). Fecal marker concentrations were fit to stochastic and mechanistic models using nonlinear least squares methods (MATLAB). Total tract MRT and MRT for each GIT segment were compared with model-derived compartment MRT using paired t-test to determine differences and two one-sided tests to determine equivalence. All models resulted in parameter estimates and an acceptable fit to fecal marker excretion curves, but some parameter estimates did not differ from zero (95% CI included 0). Model-derived TTMRT were equivalent (P
Economic Engagement and Transformation

This chapter analyzes Russia’s engagement with economic globalization through the lens of domestic reforms and developments, while exploring Russia’s capacity to adapt to economic challenges and external pressures. Kochtcheeva specifically looks into the mechanisms of domestic reactions to global forces, because national systems generate particular results depending on specific enabling conditions. Such conditions include historical foundation, availability of natural resources, strength of the economic and political institutions, capacity for innovation, and societal economic choices and concerns. Kochtcheeva produces an empirical account of domestic responses to globalization in a country, which is confronting virtually all distressing consequences of global economic pressures and crisis, yet with an emphasis on the importance of further domestic reform, cooperation with other countries, and increase of its influence in regional and global processes.