cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Agricultural Weather Information: A Michigan Survey

A survey was conducted across Michigan in early 1986 in an attempt to better understand the needs of the agricultural community for weather information. The sample analyzed represented 318 respondents in agricultural professions. A smaller sample (227 respondents) representing four major groups of growers was also studied: field crops, fruit, vegetables, and livestock. The survey indicates the importance of accurate and timely agricultural weather information. A vast majority (88%) use such information on a daily basis, and most (71%) indicate potential annual savings in excess of $1000 through using such information. A variety of weather and weather-related variables were seen as important. Although some of the important variables, such as precipitation and air temperature, are included in public forecasts, many of them, such as degree days, humidity, and evaporation, are not. The existence of agricultural forecasts and advisories thus remains essential. Commercial radio and television are the two top cu...
Compressed sensing parallel Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Both parallel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (pMRI) and Compressed Sensing (CS) can significantly reduce imaging time in MRI, the former by utilizing multiple channel receivers and the latter by utilizing the sparsity of MR images in a transformed domain. In this work, pMRI and CS are integrated to take advantages of the sensitivity information from multiple coils and sparsity characteristics of MR images. Specifically, CS is used as a regularization method for the inverse problem raised by pMRI based on the L1 norm and a Total Variation (TV) term. We test the new method with a set of 8-channel, in-vivo brain MRI data at reduction factors from 2 to 8. Reconstruction results show that the proposed method outperforms several other regularized parallel MRI reconstruction such as the truncated Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Tikhonov regularization methods, in terms of residual artifacts and SNR, especially at reduction factors larger than 4.
Thermo-Chemical Synthesis of Nanostructured Chromium Silicide / Silicon Carbide and Molybdenum Silicide / Silicon Carbide Composite 'Powders

Intermetallic suicides and silicon carbide composites are potential useful materials in high temperature applications requiring superior strength combined with enhanced fracture toughness. This paper presents results obtained on these materials in nanostructured form, since structural reduction to this scale offers a way for achieving unique properties. Chromium suicide / silicon carbide and molybdenum suicide / silicon carbide composite powders were readily synthesized by thermal conversion from spray dried precomposites at 1250°C. Basically, the process involves spray drying the aqueous chemical solution to a precomposite, followed by thermal conversion in a tube furnace reactor. The phases present in the composites are hexagonal Cr5-xSi3-xCx+Y (Cr5Si3Cx) / cubic β-SiC and tetragonal MoSi2, hexagonal Mo5Si3Cx/ cubic β-SiC. The volume fraction of these phases can be controlled through the solution preparation of the precursors. Characterization of composite powders include x-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Particle size distribution of the synthesized chromium suicide and silicon carbide composite was conducted by a computerized image analyzer and the statistical result was obtained.
Overview of radiolocation in CDMA cellular systems

Applications for the location of subscribers of wireless services continue to expand. Consequently, location techniques for wireless technologies are being investigated. With code-division multiple access (CDMA) being deployed by a variety of cellular and PCS providers, developing an approach for location in CDMA networks is imperative. This article discusses the applications of location technology, the methods available for its implementation in CDMA networks, and the problems that are encountered when using CDMA networks for positioning.
Studies on the Pathogenesis of Poor Thyroglobulin Iodination in Non-Toxic Multinodular Goiter

Thyroglobulin (TG) is characteristically poorly iodinated in sporadic, multinodular goiter. We have studied a euthyroid 26-yr-old woman with a 280 g goiter typical of this condition. Iodine (I) intake was normal and mean urinary I excretion was 346 μg/day. Known metabolic defects were excluded by a RAIU of 29%, negative perchlorate discharge test, absence of iodotyrosines in blood, and in vivo deiodination of 131I-MIT. TG was very poorly iodinated (0.044%), but was otherwise found to be normal chemically, at least as determined by nitration on Sephadex G-200, starch gel electrophoresis, salt precipitation, sulfhydryl group content, and iodination in vitro (Edelhoch technique). TG was normal immunologically in that it produced agglutination inhibition of TG coated red cells by Hashimoto serum. NBEI constituted ± 30% of the PBI. Observations after iv injection of 131I-T4 demonstrated that the NBEI was produced by the thyroid gland. Kinetic studies suggested that the turnover of NBEI was faster than thyroid ...
Aging and energetics’ ‘Top 40’ future research opportunities 2010-2013

Background: As part of a coordinated effort to expand our research activity at the interface of Aging and Energetics a team of investigators at The University of Alabama at Birmingham systematically assayed and catalogued the top research priorities identified in leading publications in that domain, believing the result would be useful to the scientific community at large. Objective: To identify research priorities and opportunities in the domain of aging and energetics as advocated in the 40 most cited papers related to aging and energetics in the last 4 years. Design: The investigators conducted a search for papers on aging and energetics in Scopus, ranked the resulting papers by number of times they were cited, and selected the ten most-cited papers in each of the four years that include 2010 to 2013, inclusive. Results: Ten research categories were identified from the 40 papers. These included: (1) Calorie restriction (CR) longevity response, (2) role of mTOR (mechanistic target of Rapamycin) and related factors in lifespan extension, (3) nutrient effects beyond energy (especially resveratrol, omega-3 fatty acids, and selected amino acids), 4) autophagy and increased longevity and health, (5) aging-associated predictors of chronic disease, (6) use and effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), (7) telomeres relative to aging and energetics, (8) accretion and effects of body fat, (9) the aging heart, and (10) mitochondria, reactive oxygen species, and cellular energetics. Conclusion: The field is rich with exciting opportunities to build upon our existing knowledge about the relations among aspects of aging and aspects of energetics and to better understand the mechanisms which connect them.
The Needs of Women Offenders

Abstract Recent corrections research indicates that programs and community services providing assistance and training for women offenders are lacking. Using a sample of 402 female felony offenders, women's needs, including those thought to be criminogenic (i.e., characteristics and circumstances that heighten an individual's recidivism risk), are examined to determine whether certain groups of women possess similar sets of needs. Cluster analysis is used to identify combinations of needs shared within subgroups of female felons. Identification of common and co-occurring needs, particularly those associated with high risk for recidivism, can assist program staff, advocates for women offenders, and correctional administrators in determining what combination of program elements should be available to women, and the degree to which programming must address multiple domains.
Circuit techniques for enhancing the clock data compensation effect under resonant supply noise

Recent publications have shown that clock jitter can improve timing margin through the compensation effect between the clock cycle and the datapath delay under the influence of resonant supply noise. In this paper, novel phase-shifted clock buffer designs are proposed to enhance this “beneficial jitter effect”. Compared with existing designs, our design saves 85% of the clock buffer area while achieving a similar 10% increase in the maximum operating frequency for typical pipeline circuits. Measurement results are presented from a test chip implemented in a 1.2V, 65nm process.
Canine immune-mediated polyarthritis: part 1: pathophysiology.

Immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) is a common disease process in the dog.1 The immune-mediated polyarthropathies are divided into two major categories: erosive (or deforming) and nonerosive (or nondeforming). Understanding the pathophysiology of the immune attack on affected joints is paramount in choosing the most effective therapy for managing canine IMPA. This review article is the first of a two-part series and focuses on the pathophysiology of IMPA. The second article in this series, to be published in the March/April 2012 issue, concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of immune-mediated polyarthritis.
Gap junction regulation in the uterus and ovaries of immature rats by estrogen and progesterone

The effects of estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P) were examined on the expression levels of multiple gap junction (GJ) gene products (alpha 1 = Cx43, beta 1 = Cx32, beta 2 = Cx26) in the uterus and ovaries of immature rats by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and northern blot analysis. E2 induced the expression of alpha 1 connexin in the uterus (specifically in the myometrium and in endometrial stroma proximal to luminal epithelium) and ovaries. The E2-induced alpha 1 expression was completely suppressed by P in the uterus, but only partly in ovaries. Steroid hormones also modulated the quantity, size, and distribution of beta 1 and beta 2 containing junctional plaques along lateral cell borders in polarized luminal and glandular uterine epithelia. Small GJs were detected at basolateral regions in proliferative luminal epithelium following administration of E2. In contrast, large GJs were localized at subapical-lateral cell borders of the secretory epithelium following P-treatment. The co-administration of E2 + P had a synergistic effect on beta 1 and beta 2 expression in the luminal epithelium, but an inhibitory effect on beta 2 expression in glandular epithelium. Myometrial GJs were detected in freeze-fracture replicas as aggregates containing regularly arranged particles with particle free zones. In contrast, GJs in secretory epithelium contained particles which were arranged in a non-crystalline fashion. These GJs contained domains of mixed and segregated beta 1 and beta 2 antigens within a single plaque as revealed by laser scanning confocal microscopy analysis of immuno-double-labeled secretory epithelium. The demonstration of segregated antigens within a single GJ plaque indicates the possibility of multiple channel populations formed by homo-oligomeric connexons. These results suggest that different connexins can be differentially regulated by steroid hormones in different cell types, and that the same steroid hormone can have different effects on the same connexin in different cell types.
Anatomy of Good Prenatal Care: Perspectives of Low Income African-American Women on Barriers and Facilitators to Prenatal Care.

Although early, consistent prenatal care (PNC) can be helpful in improving poor birth outcomes, rates of PNC use tend to be lower among African-American women compared to Whites. This study examines low-income African-American women’s perspectives on barriers and facilitators to receiving PNC in an urban setting. We conducted six focus groups with 29 women and individual structured interviews with two women. Transcripts were coded to identify barriers and facilitators to obtaining PNC; codes were reviewed to identify emergent themes. Barriers to obtaining PNC included structural barriers such as transportation and insurance, negative attitudes towards PNC, perceived poor quality of care, unintended pregnancy, and psychosocial stressors such as overall life stress and chaos. Facilitators of PNC included positive experiences such as trusting relationships with providers, respectful staff and providers, and social support. Findings suggest important components in an ideal PNC model to engage low-income African-American women.
Prediction of stress-strain behavior of ceramic matrix composites using unit cell model

In this study, the elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) were predicted by using the unit cell model that consists of fiber bundles and matrix. The unit cell model was developed based on the observation of cross sections of CMCs. The elastic modulus of CMCs was calculated from the results of finite element analysis using the developed model. The non-linear behavior of stress- strain curve of CMCs was also predicted by taking the degradation of the elastic modulus into consideration, where the degradation was related to the experimentally measured crack density in CMCs. The approach using the unit cell model was applied to two kinds of CMCs, and good agreement was obtained between the experimental and the calculated results.
The Chemically Isolated Lamina Densa of the Renal Glomerulus

SummaryThe lamina densa (LD) of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) isolated by chemical means contains both a sialo–glycoprotein and the “nephrotoxic” antigen.
A subsymbolic and symbolic model for learning sequential decision tasks

For dealing with reactive sequential decision tasks, a learning model Clarion was developed, which is a hybrid connectionist model consisting of both localist (symbolic) and distributed representations, based on the two-level approach proposed in Sun (1995). The model learns and utilizes procedural and declarative knowledge, tapping into the synergy of the two types of processes. It unifies neural, reinforcement, and symbolic methods to perform on-line, bottom-up learning (from subsymbolic to symbolic knowledge). Experiments in various situations shed light on the working of the model. Its theoretical implications in terms of symbol grounding are also discussed.
Taking Medawar's medicine: Science as the "art of the soluble" for Hawaii's terrestrial extinction crisis

On 29 November 2004, a male Po?ouli Melamprosops phaeosoma died of what was effectively old age while in captivity in Hawai?i. The only two other known birds of this species, both at least five years old, have not been seen since 2003 and the species is now presumed extinct (Anon. 2004). With the passing of the Po?ouli, it is appropriate to ask what Hawai?i?s latest loss tells us about the state of terrestrial conservation and conservation science in the archipelago. Is this representative of conservation effectiveness in Hawai?i or merely an unlucky fluke?
Clinical Pharmacology of Drugs Used for Asthma

The applicability of theophylline, cromolyn, the corticosteroids, and the sympathomimetic bronchodilators to the management of asthma is presented. A scheme for drug selection is described both for the relief of acute symptoms and for the administration of continuous therapy when symptoms are chronic.
Toward the Comparative Analysis of Transitions from State Socialism: Structure, Agency and Contingency

The comparative study of the transition from state socialism has much to gain from broadening its canvas from the good work that has already been done comparing the USSR/Russia with China and the comparisons among the former Central and Eastern European state socialisms. It can take as its starting point the well developed “transitology” from authoritarianism to democracy. But there are fundamental differences too, especially in that the transitions from state socialism will probably require much more attention to structural explanans, which were deemphasized in favor of agency and contingency in the work on transitions from authoritarianism. That said, virtu and fortuna will remain crucial as the open-ended transitions from state socialism continue to play themselves out.
Hypoalbuminemia Predicts Perioperative Morbidity and Mortality after Infrainguinal Lower Extremity Bypass for Critical Limb Ischemia

Background Poor nutritional status has been associated with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality in general surgery patients; however, outcomes in vascular surgery patients are unclear. Our goal was to determine the effect of poor nutritional status on perioperative morbidity and mortality after lower extremity bypass (LEB). Methods The 2005-2012 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was analyzed to determine associated complications, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and readmissions for patients with hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin <3.5 g/dL and <2.8 g/dL) undergoing infrainguinal lower extremity bypass for critical limb ischemia. Multivariable analyses were performed to assess associated risk factors while adjusting for possible confounders. Results There were 5,110 LEB identified with an albumin level recorded. There were 2,327 (45.5%) patients with a low preoperative albumin. Patients with a low albumin were more likely to have diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, previous myocardial infarction, renal failure, dialysis dependence, hypertension, history of transient ischemic attack or stroke, steroid use, impaired functional status, dyspnea at rest, anemia, prior operations within 30 days, preoperative wounds or infections, and a tibial target (P < 0.05). Multivariable analyses showed that low albumin was independently associated with increased mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.8, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.3–2.6, P = 0.001), return to the operating room (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2–1.6, P < 0.001), and increased LOS (MR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1–1.2, P < 0.001). When compared with patients with normal albumin, patients with more severe hypoalbuminemia, less than 2.8 g/dL, showed further increased risk of mortality (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6–3.8), return to the operating room (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.3–2.0), and prolonged LOS (MR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.2–1.3). Conclusions Poor preoperative hypoalbuminemia is associated with morbidity and mortality after infrainguinal lower extremity bypass for critical limb ischemia. Evaluation and optimization of nutritional status should be performed preoperatively in this high risk population.
Understanding Human Response to the Presence and Actions of Unmanned Ground Vehicle Systems in Field Environment

The objective of this research was to investigate how humans would respond to unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) operating in their environment. These environments included a shopping mall, two different sports complexes, and a university campus setting. The field study included video observations of 784 pedestrians. Additionally, survey data were collected and matched to 115 pedestrian observations. The field evaluations were conducted over a period of six weeks at the four locations. The results indicate that of the 784 pedestrians observed, 63.5% took time to observe the robot, 30.6% ignored the robot, and 5.9% stopped and interacted with the robot. Based on the individual results from the 115 pedestrians that completed the survey, those who indicated having positive feelings (e.g., strong, comfortable, excited) had an increased likelihood of interacting with the UGV. If the pedestrian had owned a dog they were more likely to interact with the robot. Pedestrians traveling in groups were also more likely to stop and interact with the robot than those traveling alone. The results from this field research will be used in the near future to inform the development of a pedestrian model to include responses to robots that may be in the environment, and could also be used to inform design features for UGVs. As robots continue to become more prevalent in society, it is important to consider how humans will interact with them when encountered.
Audit timeliness of school district audits

We examined 36,367 school district audit results from the Federal Audit Clearinghouse data base for the five-year period from 1998 to 2002. We found that school districts have a high level of internal control and grant compliance findings. School districts are slow in filing their financial reports and delayed financial reports are positively associated with larger district size, government auditors, sole practitioner auditors, and problems with internal controls and qualified reports. We found a negative association between audit delay and a low-risk classification. Continuing material weaknesses in financial reporting and grant compliance could result in funding losses for those districts not meeting proper financial reporting standards. Timelier reporting would identify problem areas sooner and promote remedial action and greater compliance.
Ethical sensitivity in management decisions : Developing and testing a perceptual measure among management and professional student groups

An emerging literature in behavioral ethicsconceptualizes ethical perception or sensitivity as acritical part of the decision making process. Thisstudy appears to be the first to empirically test thisconcept in organization and management decisionmaking. A measure of ethical sensitivity is developedand tested in a decision making exercise. Subjectsfor the study are 156 students from programs inbusiness management, public administration, andengineering. The relationship of ethical sensitivityto decision outcome is assessed.
Factors influencing entrepreneurial behavior of fishery growers in Dimapur district of Nagaland

The present study comprises a sample of 90 fishery growers by following multi stage simple random sampling technique to access the factors influencing the entrepreneurial behavior in Dimapur district of Nagaland. It is well known fact that fishery is an important enterprise in entire north eastern region of India; which comprising of a brother and seven sister states. The study revealed that entrepreneurial behavior has an positive impact due to the majority of fishery growers had medium level of knowledge about improved package of practices of fishery enterprise viz; farm decision making ability, family size, economic motivation, marketing orientation and scientific orientation programme aspects were enhance the knowledge about reorient relevant training programmes giving due cognizance to the influencing factors.
Controlling search in flexible parsing

Most natural language parsers require their input to be grammatical. This significantly constrains the search space that they must explore during parsing. Parsers which attempt to recover from extragrammatical input contend with a search space that is potentially much larger, since they cannot necessarily prune branches when grammatical expectations are violated. In this paper we discuss the control structure of the experimental MULTIPAR parser, which directs its search by exploring potential parses in order of their degree of grammatical deviation.
Screening for Prostatic Carcinoma with Prostate Specific Antigen

AbstractProstate specific antigen (PSA), neutral serine protease secreted exclusively by prostatic epithelial cells, has a number of applications in the management of men with prostatic carcinoma. While it is widely recognized that elevated PSA correlates with the presence of carcinoma, little data exist regarding the use of PSA as the initial test in the early detection of prostatic cancer. We measured serum PSA levels in men older than 50 years and performed digital rectal examination and ultrasound guided prostate biopsy of those who had a PSA level of greater than 4.0 ng./ml.A total of 1,249 men entered the protocol, of whom 187 (15.0%) had PSA levels above 4.0 ng./ml. Digital rectal examination and ultrasound guided biopsy were performed at our facility in 105 patients (56.2%). A total of 32 carcinomas (30.5%) was detected, including 23 in men with PSA between 4.1 and 10.0 ng./ml. and 9 in men with a PSA of greater than 10.0 ng./ml. Of the 32 carcinomas 12 (37.5%) occurred in men with normal prostate...
Performance of Hierarchical Abundance Models on Simulated Bat Capture Data

The ability to accurately estimate abundance is crucial to ecologists, conservationists, and managers to provide insight on species status, population trends, and viability. Acoustic detection and occupancy modeling can provide an understanding of resource use for bats, but these methods do not estimate how many bats are in an area, or how these numbers change over time. In North America, there is a heightened need to estimate bat abundance and trends in response to white-nose syndrome (WNS) and other threats to bat populations. We assessed the performance of the N-mixture model for repeated count data and the general multinomial-Poisson model for removal sampling to estimate bat abundance from simulated mist-net capture data. We evaluated performance under varying numbers of sites and visits, detection probabilities (P), and population sizes. We simulated four scenarios with a total of 85 combinations of parameter values each containing 1,000 replications. We used the UNMARKED package in R to fit the N-mixture and removal models. We calculated relative bias (RB), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percent error (MA%E) from model estimates to evaluate model performance. Relative bias, MAE, and MA%E decreased as p and bat abundance increased for all models. The removal model outperformed the N-mixture model in all scenarios except when P = 0.05. The N-mixture model had low RB, MAE, and MA%E when bat abundance was ≥ 70 and P > 0.5, but in other scenarios, errors were large. The mean of estimates from the removal model were unbiased and RB, MAE, and MA%E were very low for most scenarios. Use of the removal model with data from repeated mist-net surveys may allow resource managers and conservationists to better quantify how resource management and landscape composition affect bat species abundance and overall populations.
Knowing Teaching Poetically

In this article, we present a set of poems that have helped us to come to know teaching in particular ways. We argue that the artistic medium of poetry can provide unique and important insights into what it is like to live through classroom moments. Using connoisseurship as our mode of inquiry, we share these poems, our interpretations of these poems, and our justification for why poetry is a valid way of knowing teaching. We invite our readers to join us in exploring the aesthetic dimension of teaching.
Characterization of fast-steering mirrors at both high and low temperatures

In free space optical communications (FSO) systems, fast steering mirrors (FSMs) are commonly used for closed loop tracking. Newer, lighter-weight and lower-power consumption, MEMS devices are also being considered for beam steering applications. Since FSO systems have to be capable of operating under a variety of conditions, robust components are needed to withstand the various temperatures and other environmental factors. This paper reports on thermal measurements over a temperature range of -40°C to 60°C that were made to show operational capability and to highlight any systematic issues associated with the operation of various commercially available, high-speed beam steering mirrors.
Interviewing and Report Writing for Persons with Dual Diagnosis

A key element in the assessment process is a well-conducted interview. Information collected includes specific history in terms of developmental milestones, family history and specific symptoms, and developments with respect to mental health. The report provides an opportunity to present the results of the interview and scores from tests which have been administered. Diagnostic impression and treatment recommendations are provided to inform a course of action for the client and providers.
In Situ Substrate Curvature Measurement of BaTiO 3 Films Deposited by Aerosol Deposition

Residual stress plays an important role in the properties and performance of coatings, such as coating–substrate adhesion. With in situ residual stress measurements, further insight into the coating formation process can also be obtained. Substrate curvature deflection measurements during the aerosol deposition of BaTiO3 were employed to calculate the coating’s residual stress via the Stoney formula and compared to x-ray diffraction measurements. Analysis of the substrate deflection behavior during coating application is discussed and compared to related spray processes.
Improved estimation of age composition by accounting for spatiotemporal variability in somatic growth

Age composition is defined as the proportion of a fish population belonging to each age class and is an informative input to stock assessment models. Variations in somatic growth rates may lead to ...
Peptoid-directed assembly of CdSe nanoparticles

The high information content of proteins drives their hierarchical assembly and complex function, including the organization of inorganic nanomaterials. Peptoids offer an organic scaffold very similar to proteins, but with a wider solubility range and easily tunable side chains and functional groups to create a variety of self-assembling architectures with atomic precision. If we could harness this paradigm and understand the factors that govern how they direct nucleation and assembly of inorganic materials to design order within such materials, new dimensions of function and fundamental science would emerge. In this work, peptoid tubes and sheets were explored as platforms to assemble colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and clusters. We have successfully synthesized CdSe QDs with difunctionalized capping ligands containing both carboxylic acid and thiol groups and mixed them with maleimide containing peptoids, to create an assembly of the QDs on the peptoid surface via a covalent linkage. This conjugation was seen to be successful with peptoid tubes, sheets and CdSe QDs and clusters. The particles were seen to have a high preference for the peptoid surface but non-specific interactions with carboxylic acid groups on the peptoids limited control over QD density via maleimide conjugation. Replacing the carboxylic acid groups with methoxy ethers, however, allowed for control over QD density as a function of maleimide concentration. 1H NMR analysis demonstrated that binding of QDs to peptoids involved a subset of surface ligands bound through the carboxylate functional group, allowing the distal thiol to engage in a covalent linkage to the maleimide. Overall, we have shown the compatibility and control of CdSe-peptoid interactions via a covalent linkage with varying peptoid structures and CdSe particles to create complex hybrid structures.
A Survey on Privacy Issues of Augmented Reality Applications

Privacy is one of the biggest concerns of the coming decade, ranking third among concerns of consumers. Data breaches and leaks are constantly in the news with companies like Facebook and Amazon being outed for their excessive data collection. With companies and governmental agencies tracking and monitoring individuals to a great degree, there are concerns that contemporary technologies that feed into these systems can be misused or misappropriated further. Frameworks currently in place fail to address many of these consumer’s concerns and even the legal framework could use further elaboration to better control the way data is handled. In this paper, We address the current industrial standards, frameworks, and concerns of one of the biggest technology trends right now, the Augmented Reality. The expected prevalence of augmented reality applications necessitates a deeper study not only of their security but the expected challenges of users using such applications as well.
Efficient Agony Based Transfer Learning Algorithms for Survival Forecasting

Abstract Progression modeling is a mature subfield of cancer bioinformatics, but it has yet to make a proportional clinical impact. The majority of the research in this area has focused on the development of efficient algorithms for accurately reconstructing sequences of (epi)genomic events from noisy data. We see this as the first step in a broad pipeline that will translate progression modeling to clinical utility, with the subsequent steps involving inferring prognoses and optimal therapy programs for different cancers and using similarity in progression to enhance decision making. In this paper we take some initial steps in completing this pipeline. As a theoretical contribution, we introduce a polytime-computable pairwise distance between progression models based on the graph-theoretic notion of “agony”. Focusing on a particular progression model we can then use this agony distance to cluster (dis)similarities via multi-dimensional scaling. We recover known biological similarities and dissimilarities. Finally, we use the agony distance to automate transfer learning experiments and show a large improvement in the ability to forecast time to death.
Optimal fully adaptive wormhole routing for meshes

A deadlock-free fully adaptive routing algorithm for 2D meshes which is optimal in the number of virtual channels required and in the number of restrictions placed on the use of these virtual channels is presented. The routing algorithm imposes less than half as many routing restrictions as any previous fully adaptive routing algorithms. It is also proved that, ignoring symmetry, this routing algorithm is the only fully adaptive routing algorithm that achieves both of these goals. The implementation of the routing algorithm requires relatively simple router control logic. The new algorithm is extended, in a straightforward manner, to arbitrary dimension meshes. It needs only 4n-2 virtual channels, the minimum number of an n-dimensional mesh. All previous algorithms require an exponential number of virtual channels in the dimension of the mesh.
A County-Level Assessment of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Appalachia Using Simultaneous Equations

Entrepreneurship is now recognized as a strategy to achieve economic growth in many regions. The goal of this paper is to increase the understanding of entrepreneurship's contributions to economic growth and its potential as a development strategy for a region, such as Appalachia, characterized by poverty and underdevelopment. Using data on Appalachian counties, a system of simultaneous equations is empirically estimated to measure the effects of entrepreneurship on economic growth and development. An expanded Carlino-Mills growth model is used where changes in population, employment and per capita income represent measures of growth. Proprietorship and firm formation rate data are used to measure entrepreneurial activity. The results show start-up businesses contribute significantly to determining population growth. Employment growth is positively affected by self-employment rates as well as by firm formation rates. In terms of policy implications, the paper recommends the creation of an environment to encourage entrepreneurial activity as a strategy to battle unemployment. It concludes that regional policy makers need to renew their efforts to support the growth of self-employment and sustain the existing firms.
Therapeutic targets, novel drugs, and delivery systems for diabetes associated NAFLD and liver fibrosis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fourth-leading cause of death. Hyperglycemia induces various complications, including nephropathy, cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There are several etiological factors leading to liver disease development, which involve insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Free fatty acid (FFA) accumulation in the liver exerts oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stresses. Hepatocyte injury induces release of inflammatory cytokines from Kupffer cells (KCs), which are responsible for activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In this review, we will discuss various molecular targets for treating chronic liver diseases, including homeostasis of FFA, lipid metabolism, and decrease in hepatocyte apoptosis, role of growth factors, and regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and HSC activation. This review will also critically assess different strategies to enhance drug delivery to different cell types. Targeting nanocarriers to specific liver cell types have the potential to increase efficacy and suppress off-target effects.
Structural Barriers to Inclusion in the Securities Arbitrator Pool

Critics increasingly challenge mandatory arbitration because the pools from which decisionmakers are selected are neither diverse nor inclusive. Evaluating diversity and inclusion in arbitrator pools is difficult due to the black box nature of mandatory arbitration. This Article evaluates inclusion in arbitrator pools through a case study on securities arbitration. The article relies upon the relatively greater transparency of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) forum. It begins by describing the unique role that small claims securities arbitration plays in maintaining investor trust and confidence in the securities markets before describing why ensuring that the FINRA arbitrator pool is both diverse and inclusive is necessary for legitimacy. The Article then evaluates the forum’s arbitrator selection protocol and identifies barriers that may prevent newer entrants, who have diversified the arbitrator roster, from presiding over consumer investors’ claims. Using publicly available information, it then evaluates whether newly recruited arbitrators presided over smaller customer claims that concluded after a hearing from 2015 to 2019. The results indicate that only 0.98% of decisions in smaller claim investor cases were rendered by arbitrators who first appeared in FINRA’s awards database after diversity recruitment efforts began in 2015. Though FINRA has diversified its arbitrator roster, few small investors receive the benefit of new entrants. The results illustrate the limits of transparency and the need for additional information to evaluate whether arbitrator pools are inclusive. The Article then formulates interventions to permit evaluation of diversification efforts and eliminate barriers to inclusion in arbitrator pools. The case study and resultant recommendations provide guidance that may serve as best practices for consumer arbitration forums wishing to ensure transparency and inclusion in their arbitrator pools.
Nonprofit Legal Reform in India: The Legal Treatment of For-Profit Entities and Other Approaches to the Reform Question

This paper highlights the differential regulatory approaches taken by the Indian government toward the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and seeks to help to determine whether regulatory practices adopted for the for-profit sector, appropriately modified, might lighten the regulatory burden faced by the not-for-profit sector, or whether other approaches to nonprofit law reform seem more resonant and possible within India at the current moment. In this process, I have reviewed relevant existing research and analysis and have consulted with specialists in India and the United States. Here I begin the process of identifying approaches to nonprofit legal reform that have been advocated in India, and which approaches seem more resonant. This report covers those comparisons and alternatives and provides some initial conclusions based on discussions with three diverse groups of Indian civil society colleagues during three roundtable meetings held in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai in December 2018.
Simulation of sound field in a reverberation chamber using the diffusion equation model

The acoustic diffusion equation model has been applied within a wide range of enclosure types to simulate diffuse sound fields. Recently, focus has been drawn to its applicability in reverberation chambers to simulate sound fields among a heterogeneous distribution of absorbing materials, particularly those that are highly absorptive. Where quasi-diffuse or non-diffuse sound fields are generated in the presence of highly absorptive material, the acoustic diffusion equation model has convenient capabilities to simulate sound energy flow. Furthermore, it has continued to show promise in characterizing the absorption coefficients of sound absorbing material. Challenges for reproducibility in reverberation room measurements have been well-documented and where traditional chamber-based measurement have shown to be inconsistent, this work will evaluate the acoustic diffusion equation model’s suitability as an alternative and accurate method to characterize absorption coefficients.
A Method for the Estimation of Prehistoric Pueblo Populations

ABSTRACTA method for estimating the population of prehistoric pueblos is presented in the form of an equation (population equals one-third floor area in square meters) arrived at by means of extrapolating specific Pueblo ethnographic data to specific archaeological data. This formula may be utilized with caution by Southwestern archaeologists and will hopefully provide stimulus for the presentation of additional formulas and methods by other archaeologists from all geographic and cultural areas endowed with a good ethnographic basis for extrapolation.
United States Dornier MPL 9000 Experience: Crawford Long Hospital

As of January 1989 all ten sites in the original Dornier MPL 9000 study became operational. The purpose of the study is to evaluate both the effectiveness of biliary lithotripsy and the need for the adjuvant chemolytic agent, ursodeoxycholic (UDC) acid. As of December 1988 at Crawford Long Hospital 186 potential patients were screened, and 140 patients were treated using the Dornier MPL 9000. The experience at Crawford Long was similar to that published by the Munich group in that the ratio of females to males is 2 to 1 with patients ranging in age from 20 to 99 years. The majority of patients were classed as Anesthesia Risk Assignment (ARA) I or II. The majority of patients had solitary gallstones smaller than 20 mm, and the next largest category included patients with two stones. Ten patients had stones which were partially calcified (3 mm nidus or 3 mm rim).
Respirable PLGA microspheres containing rifampicin for the treatment of tuberculosis: screening in an infectious disease model.

Purpose. Targeted delivery of rifampicin loaded microspheres to the alveolar macrophage, the host cell for Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB), may be an effective targeted approach to pulmonary tuberculosis therapy. A guinea pig infection model has been adopted as a post-treatment screening method for antimicrobial effect. Insufflation and nebulization methods of drug delivery were evaluated.
Resurgence of Malaria in Sri Lanka in the 1970s

Environmental conditions and malaria occurrence have a strong relation with each other in Sri Lanka. The wet zone in southwestern Sri Lanka is relatively malaria free since water logging is minimal, partly because of the steep slopes. Using 1972–1976 data on malaria occurrence, this study reveals that malaria did not establish a foothold in the wet zone but Sri Lanka’s dry zone was affected considerably. Like in other countries of South Asia, it seems that in the case of Sri Lanka, malaria elimination seems a high probability with preventive and curative measures. However, the recurring multiple human and environmental factors causing malaria incidence make it likely that malaria eradication will only be possible after discovery of vaccines.
Retail inventories and consumer choice

In this chapter, we examine retail inventory management under consumer choice. Research on this topic is motivated by the simple recognition that consumers are frequently willing to buy a different color, size or brand within a product category if their preferred variant is either not offered or is offered but temporarily out of stock. In other words, faced with limited choices, consumers are often willing to substitute rather than go home empty handed. Intuitively, a retailer’s decisions about the level of variety they offer in an assortment and the quantity of inventory they stock ought to account for such behavior. Understanding precisely how choice behavior can be incorporated in inventory models and what impact it has on assortment decisions and operating performance are the main research challenges in this area.
The Countermajoritarian Paradox

In 1970, judicial recognition of abortion rights seemed farfetched. In January of that year, Linda Greenhouse wrote in the New York Times Magazine about a "right to abortion" describing "[s]uch a notion ... [as] fantastic, illusory. The Constitution is searched in vain for any mention of it. The very phrase rings of the rhetoric of a Women's Liberation meeting."' While Greenhouse's bit of hyperbole was a setup to one of the first full-blown popular press treatments of burgeoning judicial recognition of abortion rights, no one could have foreseen the prospect of a sweeping Supreme Court decision invalidating forty-six state antiabortion laws at least not in 1970.
Constructing Numerical Software Libraries for High-Performance Computing Environments

In this paper we look at a number of approaches being investigated in the ScaLAPACK Project to develop linear algebra software for high-performance computers. The focus is on issues impacting the design of scalable libraries for performing dense and sparse linear algebra computations on multicomputers.
Fertility aspects in yearling beef bulls grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures

During a 2-year study, yearling beef bulls were used to determine the effects of grazing on endophyte-infected tall fescue on endocrine profiles, semen quality and fertilisation potential. Bulls were allotted to graze tall fescue pastures infected with Neotyphodium coenophialum (E+; n = 20 per year) or Jesup/MaxQTM (Pennington Seed, Atlanta, GA, USA; NTE; n = 10 per year). Bulls were grouped by scrotal circumference (SC), bodyweight (BW), breed composites and age to graze tall fescue pastures from mid-November until the end of June (within each year). Blood samples, BW, SC and rectal temperatures (RT) were collected every 14 days. Semen was collected from bulls every 60 days by electroejaculation and evaluated for motility and morphology. The developmental competence of oocytes fertilised in vitro with semen from respective treatments was determined. Bulls grazing E+ pastures had decreased BW gain (P < 0.01), increased overall RT (P < 0.01) and decreased prolactin (P < 0.01) compared with animals grazing NTE pastures. Neither percentage of normal sperm morphology nor motility differed between bulls grazed on the two pasture types. Semen from E+ bulls demonstrated decreased cleavage rates (P = 0.02) compared with semen from NTE bulls. However, development of cleaved embryos to the eight-cell and blastocyst stages did not differ between the two groups. In conclusion, semen from bulls grazing E+ tall fescue resulted in decreased cleavage rates in vitro, which may lower reproductive performance owing to reduced fertilisation ability.
Thinking With Disability Studies

In this essay, I offer tentative ruminations about the possibilities/challenges of theory and praxis in the field of disability studies. I begin the essay by thinking through my own positionality as a non-disabled woman of color scholar/ally in the field. Cautiously situating myself in a location of outsider-within (Hill-Collins,1998), I explore how disability studies is disruptive of any boundaries that claim to police distinctions between disabled/non-disabled subject positions. Noting the dangers of claiming that everyone is disabled at some historical moment, I propose instead a relational analysis to engage the materiality of disability at the intersections of race, class, gender, nation, and sexual identity within specific historical contexts and discuss the complicated impasses that continue to plague disability studies at these intersections. I conclude the essay by recognizing the labor of scholar/activists in the field who call for a committed politics of accountability and access via disability justice. Keywords: disability studies, historical materialism, identity politics and intersectionality, disability justice, politics of accountability/allyship