cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alias burying: unique variables without destructive reads

An unshared object can be accessed without regard to possible conflicts with other parts of a system, whether concurrent or single-threaded. A unique variable (sometimes known as a ‘free’ or ‘linear’ variable) is one that either is null or else refers to an unshared object. Being able to declare and check which variables are unique improves a programmer's ability to avoid program faults. In previously described uniqueness extensions to imperative languages, a unique variable can be accessed only with a destructive read, which nullifies it after the value is obtained. This approach suffers from several disadvantages: the use of destructive reads increases the complexity of the program which must continually restore nullified values; adding destructive reads changes the semantics of the programming language; and many of the nullifications are actually unnecessary. We demonstrate instead that uniqueness can be preserved through the use of existing language features. We give a modular static analysis that checks (nonexecutable) uniqueness annotations superimposed on an imperative programming language without destructive reads. The ‘alias-burying’ intuition is that aliases that are ‘dead’ (will never be used again) can be safely ‘buried’ (made undefined). Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Speaker adaptation of neural network acoustic models using i-vectors

We propose to adapt deep neural network (DNN) acoustic models to a target speaker by supplying speaker identity vectors (i-vectors) as input features to the network in parallel with the regular acoustic features for ASR. For both training and test, the i-vector for a given speaker is concatenated to every frame belonging to that speaker and changes across different speakers. Experimental results on a Switchboard 300 hours corpus show that DNNs trained on speaker independent features and i-vectors achieve a 10% relative improvement in word error rate (WER) over networks trained on speaker independent features only. These networks are comparable in performance to DNNs trained on speaker-adapted features (with VTLN and FMLLR) with the advantage that only one decoding pass is needed. Furthermore, networks trained on speaker-adapted features and i-vectors achieve a 5-6% relative improvement in WER after hessian-free sequence training over networks trained on speaker-adapted features only.
Business Informatics and the Information Systems Perspective: Implementing the IS 2010 Curriculum

This article describes how the Business Informatics program at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) has evolved and, in so doing, has addressed the call from the IS 2010 Curriculum Design Committee listed below. The article initiates this discussion with a discussion of the basic systems perspective that underlies the information systems discipline. The next section presents a review of the creation of a College of Informatics (COI) at NKU that included the strategic decision of structurally moving the Information Systems Department from the College of Business. The authors then document the perceptual shift this decision created as the Information Systems Department changed its name to Business Informatics and took on the goal of expanding the discipline beyond the business domain with partnerships across campus. A short discussion on the progress made in implementing this vision is detailed. The article closes with a discussion of problems and opportunities generated.
Sensitivity and chaos in quantum systems

Abstract Sensitive dependence and chaos can occur in quantum mechanics. This is demonstrated by constructing a quantum mapping with a positive Liapunov exponent.
Accounting for taste: individual differences in preference for harmony.

Although empirical research on aesthetics has had some success in explaining the average preferences of groups of observers, relatively little is known about individual differences in preference, and especially about how such differences might covary across different domains. In this study, we identified a new factor underlying aesthetic response—preference for harmonious stimuli—and examined how it varies over four domains (color, shape, spatial location, and music) across individuals with different levels of training in art and music. We found that individual preferences for harmony are strongly correlated across all four dimensions tested and decrease consistently with training in the relevant aesthetic domains. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that cross-domain preference for harmony is well-represented as a single, unified factor, with effects separate from those of training and of common personality measures.
Recovering shape from shadows in synthetic aperture radar imagery

There has been little interest in the information associated with the shadows in high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. In this paper we give an algorithm for the reconstruction of an object's shape from the shadows cast by the object in a sequence of SAR images. The algorithm is a back-projection type algorithm based on the intersection of solids. The effects of diffraction and synthetic aperture occlusion on SAR shadow resolution are also addressed.
“Unworthy Servants”: The Rhetoric of Resignation at Canterbury, 1070–1170

Medieval attempts to resign episcopal office hold many complexities: legal issues, religious ramifications, and the personal motivations behind such acts. Taken at face value, appeals to resign appear direct and explicit; bishops desire release from an office they feel unworthy to hold, or in which they feel they have accomplished little. On closer scrutiny, however, many of these texts reveal purposes quite apart from resignation. Indeed, the attempts of three archbishops of Canterbury to resign office in the eleventh and twelfth centuries reveal strikingly similar rhetorical devices that indicate less a desire to leave office than to bolster the archbishops’ spiritual authority. The requests of Lanfranc, Anselm, and Thomas Becket employ language designed to reinforce episcopal centrality at times when kings and even popes dis-regarded its importance, at least in the eyes of these archbishops. Despite the differ-ing circumstances that gave rise to each appeal for resignation, the stylized discourse in all of them suggests a need to make specific points that would rouse support for or bolster the perception of the requestor’s episcopal status. All three archbishops, as well as their chroniclers or biographers, saw issues of Canterbury’s leadership in the spiritual life of England at stake, and resignation became the means to pro-mote and advance the episcopal cause. By bringing repeated phrases of unworthiness or lack of accomplishment into their appeals for resignation, each man sought a response that would reassure him of his worthiness and ability to lead Canterbury.
A NON-BALLISTIC LAW OF LARGE NUMBERS FOR RANDOM WALKS IN I.I.D. RANDOM ENVIRONMENT

We prove that random walks in i.i.d. random environments which oscillate in a given direction have velocity zero with respect to that direction. This complements existing results thus giving a general law of large numbers under the only assumption of a certain zero-one law, which is known to hold if the dimension is two.
Methods and applications of digital volume correlation

Digital volume correlation, an experimental method for volumetric strain measurement, has experienced a growth in technique development and application since its introduction in 1999. This has largely been the result of more accessible volumetric imaging methods and greater speed and capacity of computational facilities. This paper reviews recent work using the method and presents examples from the author's laboratory. The emerging message is that, although closely related to the surface-oriented method of digital image correlation, the volume method is distinct due to its predominant reliance on naturally occurring image texture for displacement tracking. This requires careful tuning for successful application with different materials, and therefore the appropriate focus should not be on developing the ‘best’ digital volume correlation method, but on developing a set of tools that can be selected from and adjusted to specific mechanics problems.
Banting Lecture 2011: Hyperinsulinemia: Cause or Consequence?

The Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement Award is the American Diabetes Association's highest scientific award and honors an individual who has made significant, long-term contributions to the understanding of diabetes, its treatment, and/or prevention. The award is named after Nobel Prize winner Sir Frederick Banting, who codiscovered insulin treatment for diabetes. Dr. Barbara E. Corkey received the American Diabetes Association's Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement at the Association's 71st Scientific Sessions, 24-28 June 2011, San Diego, California. She presented the Banting Lecture, "Hyperinsulinemia: Cause or Consequence?" on Sunday, 26 June 2011.
LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY AND BODY MASS INDEX: AN ASSESSMENT OF 151 SEQUENTIAL CASES

ABSTRACT Purpose: Little objective data are available regarding obesity and the performance of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP). We reviewed our LRP series to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) on operative time, blood loss, anastomotic leakage, positive margins, length of stay, complications, urinary continence and erectile function. Materials and Methods: A single institution retrospective review was performed of 151 sequential LRPs performed by a single surgeon. Patients were separated into those who were nonobese (BMI less than 30), and those with classes I (BMI 30 to 34.9), II (BMI 35 to 39.9) and III (BMI 40 or greater) obesity according to WHO criteria. Results: There were 97 patients in the nonobese and 54 in the obese cohort, including 35, 14 and 5 with classes I to III obesity, respectively. A trend toward greater preoperative prostate specific antigen (p = 0.14), Gleason score (p = 0.06) and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (p = 0.07) was noted in the obese (BMI 30 or greater) group. The cohorts had similar prostate size (p = 0.11), pathological grade (p = 0.57), pathological stage (p = 0.50), postoperative hemoglobin decrease (p = 0.77) and hospital stay (p = 0.90). The rates of positive margins (p = 1.0), anastomotic leakage (p = 0.49), prostate specific antigen recurrence (p = 1.0) and complication (p = 0.14) were also similar. Early postoperative urinary continence (p = 1.0) and erectile function (p = 0.19) appeared equivalent. Mean operative time ± SD was greater in obese than in nonobese patients (208 ± 43 vs 192 ± 34 minutes, p = 0.02). Mean operative time was longer in patients with classes II and III obesity (220 ± 47 minutes, p Conclusions: While obesity significantly increased LRP operative time, it did not significantly impact other intraoperative and postoperative surgical parameters. LRP should be offered to obese patients as a feasible and effective treatment option for prostate cancer.
Outpatient endoscopic sinus surgery in cystic fibrosis patients: predictive factors for admission.

Background An increasing number of adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are becoming candidates for elective endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). We sought to identify perioperative factors in this patient population that were predictive of postoperative admission. Methods Retrospective chart review of CF patients who underwent ESS during the years 2005 through 2012. Multiple preoperative, intraoperative, and immediate postoperative variables were analyzed. Results Thirty-three patients who underwent 37 outpatient ESSs were identified. Successful same-day discharge was observed in 54%. In 46% of cases, postoperative admission was necessary, with a mean postoperative stay of 1.4 days. Pulmonary function, CF-related comorbidities, and history of lung transplant were not predictors of postoperative admission. Univariate analysis demonstrated that patients were more likely to be admitted if they had 1 of the following conditions: history of ≥4 prior ESS; procedure duration >2.5 hours; intraoperative blood loss greater than 150 mL; increased immediate postoperative pain scores; or larger narcotic requirements for pain control. On logistic regression analysis, a maximum pain score ≥ 7 out of 10 in the postanesthesia recovery unit was the only significant predisposing factor for postoperative admission. Conclusion Although over 50% of adult CF patients can successfully undergo ESS on a same-day discharge basis, it is prudent to have contingent plans for potential inpatient observation postoperatively. Multivariate analysis suggests that preoperative demographics and pulmonary status cannot predict the need for postoperative admission, whereas higher pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit are predictive of the necessity for inpatient observation.
Pleural Effusion in Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Treated With Dasatinib After Imatinib Failure

Purpose We investigated the risk factors and management of pleural effusion associated with dasatinib therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) after failure of imatinib. Patients and Methods We analyzed 138 patients with CML treated with dasatinib from November 2003 to January 2006 in one phase I (n = 50) and four phase II (n = 88) studies for the development of pleural effusion. Results Pleural effusion occurred in 48 patients (35%; grade 3/4 in 23 [17%]), including 29% of those treated in chronic phase (CP), 50% in accelerated phase (AP), and 33% in blast phase (BP). By multivariate analysis, history of cardiac disease, hypertension, and use of a twice-daily schedule (v once daily) were identified as factors associated with development of pleural effusions. Effusions were exudative in 78% of the assessable cases. In some patients, effusions were associated with reversible increments of right ventricular systolic pressure. Management included transient dasatinib interruption in 83%, diuretics in 71...
A New Approach to Modeling Driver Reach

The reach capability of drivers is currently represented in vehicle design practice in two ways. The SAE Recommended Practice J287 presents maximum reach capability surfaces for selected percentiles of a generic driving population. Driver reach is also simulated using digital human figure models. In typical applications, a family of figure models that span a large range of the target driver population with respect to body dimensions is positioned within a digital mockup of the driver's workstation. The articulated segments of the figure model are exercised to simulate reaching motions and driver capabilities are calculated from the constraints of the kinematic model. Both of these current methods for representing driver reach are substantially limited. The J287 surfaces are not configurable for population characteristics, do not provide the user with the ability to adjust accommodation percentiles, and do not provide any guidance on the difficulty of reaches that are attainable. The figure model method is strongly dependent on the quality of the models used for posturing and range of motion, and, in any case, cannot reliably generate population distributions of either reach capability or difficulty. A new method of modeling driver reach capability is presented. The method is based on a unified model of reach difficulty and capability in which a maximum reach ia a maximally difficult reach. The new approach is made possible by new measurement methods that allow detailed and efficient sampling of an individual's reach-difficulty function. This paper summarizes the experimental approach and presents the structure of the new integrated model of population reach difficulty and capability.
Transverse Fracture of an Aluminosilicate Fiberboard

Mode I transverse fracture of an aluminosilicate fiberboard was studied under ambient conditions. The material showed tension softening behavior when loaded perpendicular to the isotropic plane. The measured softening curve was treated as the cohesive bridging stress function in a fictitious crack model. The observed peak loads, fracture energy, apparent fracture toughness, and load–displacement curves of various double cantilever beam specimens were shown to be consistent with model predictions.
String Theory, Supersymmetry, Unification, and All That

The standard model of particle physics (see the article by Gaillard, Grannis, and Sciulli in this volume) is a beautiful theory that accounts for all known phenomena up to energies of order 100 GeV. Its consistency relies on the intricacies of quantum field theory (see Wilczek’s article), and its agreement with experiment is spectacular. However, there are many open problems with the standard model. In particular, we would like to know what lies beyond the standard model. What is the physics at energies above 100 GeV?
Identification of the Physiological Gene Targets of the Essential Lytic Replicative Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus ORF57 Protein

The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 gene product is essential for lytic KSHV replication and virion production. Recombinant ORF57-null mutants fail to accumulate several lytic cycle mRNAs at wild-type levels, leading to decreased production of lytic proteins necessary for efficient replication. Several mechanisms by which ORF57 may enhance expression of lytic KSHV mRNAs have been proposed, including mRNA stabilization, mRNA nuclear export, increased polyadenylation, and transcriptional activation. ORF57 activity is also gene specific, with some genes being highly dependent on ORF57, whereas others are relatively independent. Most experiments have utilized transfection models for ORF57 and have not systematically examined the gene specificity and potential mechanisms of action of ORF57 in the context of KSHV-infected cells. In this study, the KSHV genes that are most highly upregulated by ORF57 during KSHV lytic replication were identified by a combination of high-throughput deep RNA sequencing, quantitative PCR, Northern blotting, and rapid amplification of cDNA ends methods. Comparison of gene expression from a ΔORF57 KSHV recombinant, a rescued ΔORF57 KSHV recombinant, and wild-type KSHV revealed that two clusters of lytic genes are most highly dependent on ORF57 for efficient expression. Despite contiguous location in the genome and shared polyadenylation of several of the ORF57-dependent genes, ORF57 regulation was promoter and polyadenylation signal independent, suggesting that the mRNAs are stabilized by ORF57. The eight genes identified to critically require ORF57 belong to both early and late lytic temporal classes, and seven are involved in DNA replication, virion assembly, or viral infectivity, explaining the essential role of ORF57 in infectious KSHV production. IMPORTANCE Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a human herpesvirus involved in the causation of several human cancers. The KSHV ORF57 protein is required for KSHV to replicate and produce infectious virus. We have identified several KSHV genes whose expression is highly dependent on ORF57 and shown that ORF57 increases expression of these genes specifically. These genes code for proteins that are required for the virus to replicate its DNA and to infect other cells. Identifying the targets and mechanism of action of ORF57 provides further approaches to discover antiviral therapy.
Fault Detection and Fail-Safe Operation with a Multiple-Redundancy Air-Data System

Air-data systems (ADS) measure wind speed and direction, the loss of which requires aerodynamic forces to be estimated from inertial measurements and aircraft dynamics and performance models. The nature of ADS measurements require air-data probes be subject to the spectrum of environmental conditions. Even with designs meant to withstand harsh conditions, instances of ADS probe failure have been recorded for diverse platform types and situations. Further, since all ADS probes on a common platform are subject to the same conditions, instances of multiple simultaneous failures are not uncommon. Robust air data measurement therefore becomes a multi-sensor data-fusion problem wherein the system may be subject to failures that effect groups of like sensors, such as pitot-static probes, simultaneously. This paper presents an algorithm for fault detection and data fusion of ADS failures in the framework of an unmanned autonomous seaplane with a heritage of air-data probe failures. The fault detection scheme is based on sensor signal characterization and monitoring and on the comparison and fusion of redundant sensor measurements. A GPS/INS-driven backup will also be proposed that can be used both as an ADS diagnostic tool and to allow safe flight to an emergency landing or until air-data sensor functionality can otherwise be restored. Flight test data from two generations of unmanned seaplanes demonstrates the efficacy of the algorithm for a range of real-world failure cases with varied sensors.
Effects of organic phosphates on oxygen equilibria and kinetics of -SH reaction in feline hemoglobins.

Abstract A recent report indicates that the response of frog and tadpole hemoglobin to inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) varies from observations made on hemoglobins of other species ( Araki, T., Kajita, A., and Shukuya, R. (1971) Biochem Biophys. Res. Commun.43, 1179). Since frog hemoglobins are known to be acetylated, investigation of the effects of IHP on the oxygen affinity of the acetylated (HbB) and nonacetylated (HbA) feline hemoglobins was of interest. The effect of IHP was of particular concern since it was previously shown that the oxygen affinity and SH reactivity of HbA is lowered by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and ATP while that of HbB is unaffected ( Taketa, F., Mauk, A. G., and Lessard, J. L. (1971) J. Biol. Chem.246: 4471). In contrast to the relatively weak effect of 2,3-DPG on the oxygen affinity and SH reactivity of cat HbA compared with its effect on human HbA, the effect of IHP on cat HbA is much greater and is comparable to its effect on human HbA. However, both phosphate compounds are ineffective with cat HbB; insensitivity of cat HbB presumably arises from the occurrence of N-acetylated β-chain amino termini as well as substitutions at or near histidine 143-β of this protein. Thus, properties of the two cat hemoglobins are sharply differentiated in the presence of IHP. Consequently the response of cat hemolyzates that contain a 1:1 mixture of HbA and HbB is such that the shape of the oxygen saturation curve changes drastically in the presence of this effector. Good correlation was found with respect to the effects of 2,3-DPG and IHP on the oxygen affinities and SH reactivities in the cat hemoglobins. The results suggest that the organic phosphates induce conformational changes in these proteins that stabilize the deoxy form of the protein.
Polymerization of 2,6‐diarylphenols

The oxidative polymerization of 2,6-diarylphenols that contain substituents (CH3, OCH3, and, -phenyl) in the para positions of the pendant phenyl groups is described. Copolymers of these phenols with 2,6-diphenylphenol and blends of the polymers have also been studied.
BSAFER: A Web-based intervention for drug use and intimate partner violence demonstrates feasibility and acceptability among women in the emergency department.

ABSTRACTBackground: Addressing violence along with drug use change goals is critical for women with coexisting intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use disorders (SUDs). Methods: This was an acceptability and feasibility study of BSAFER, a brief Web-based program and booster phone call addressing violence and drug use. A screening survey identified women with recent drug use and IPV in the emergency department (ED). Participants were randomized to BSAFER or a Web-based control program and booster call providing education about home fire safety. Program completion, usability, satisfaction, and motivational interviewing (MI) adherence were primary outcomes. Drug use and IPV outcomes were measured at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Results: Forty women were enrolled (21 BSAFER, 19 control); 50% were nonwhite and mean age was 30 years. The most commonly used drugs were marijuana (88%) and cocaine (30%); 45% reported physical abuse, and 33% reported severe combined physical and sexual abuse. Thirty-n...
264. Genetic Susceptibility Variants for Rheumatoid Arthritis do not Associate with Radiological Progression in Early Active Disease

Ian C. Scott, Jemma Walker, Jelmar Quist, Sarah Spain, Rachael Tan, Yuki Okada, Soumya Raychaudhuri, Sophia Steer, Andrew P. Cope and Cathryn M. Lewis Department of Rheumatology, King’s College London, London, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, London, UK, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, Department of Rheumatology, King’s College Hospital, London, UK
The Os/+ mouse: a genetic animal model of reduced renal mass

The ROP [Ra/+ (ragged), Os/+ (oligosyndactyly), and Pt/+ (pintail)] mouse possessing the gene for oligosyndactylism (Os) was evaluated as a potential genetic animal model of reduced renal mass. Young male ROP mice that were heterozygotes with respect to the Os gene (Os/+) and their normal homozygote litter mates (+/+) were used in the present study. Approximately 50% fewer nephrons were present in the Os/+ mice than in the +/+ mice. Hypertrophic changes were detected in the epithelial cells in proximal convoluted and proximal straight tubules as well as in cortical collecting ducts in the kidneys of the Os/+ mice. Glomerular hypertrophy was also noted in the kidneys of these mice. After unilateral nephrectomy, further hypertrophic changes occurred in both Os/+ and +/+ mice, but the magnitude of compensatory growth was greater in the +/+ mice. From a functional standpoint, the Os/+ mice appeared to be capable of maintaining normal fluid and electrolyte homeostasis, even after unilateral nephrectomy. The findings from the present study indicate that the ROP Os/+ mouse can be a useful animal model to study the effects of reduced renal mass.
Habermas and the aporia of translating religion in democracy

In his recent attempt to make democracy more politically hospitable to religion, Habermas calls for the potential contributions of religion to democratic politics not to be neglected. He simultaneously calls for translating religious meanings into neutral reasons as a way of including them at the level of formal politics and for maintaining the necessity of an institutional translational proviso to immunize the neutral character of the state. This article presents three arguments. First, what Habermas effectively calls for is not conventional translation in which meaning is transferred from one language (signification system) into another. Rather, his call is for an anasemic translation which is an operation of de-signification of the truth contents of religious contributions and then a re-signification. Second, because Habermas calls for translation, he necessarily runs into the aporia of translation in the sense that certain aspects of religion are untranslatable into his generally acceptable language. ...
Uric Acid in Nitrogen Metabolism of the Boll Weevil: a Preliminary Study

Uric acid is stored in the tissues of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, throughout its life cycle, but guanine seemingly is not stored. Apparently no meaningful relationship exists between the total body content of nitrogen and uric acid. However, uric acid appears to be in a dynamic state and is evidently involved in nitrogen metabolism, since uric acid-2-C14 injected into metamorphosing weevils causes labeling of at least 6 of the free amino acids.
Polymer Optical Fiber Sensors for Structural Sensing Applications

The research area of “Smart Materials and Structures” represents one of the blossoming stars in multi/cross-disciplinary applied and fundamental research. Activities abound both in the fundamental area of investigation into new “smart or intelligent” materials as well as the application of existing materials into structural elements and systems.
Whither Gorbachev? Whither the Soviet Union?

Death came to Leonid Ilich Brezhnev on November 10, 1982. Just three days earlier, looking frailer than usual, the man whom the press had come to refer to in the most grandiose terms as General Secretary of the CPSU, President of the USSR, Chairman of the USSR Defense Council, Marshal of the Armed Forces, and farsighted leader of socialism, had stood atop Lenin’s mausoleum in an icy drizzle. From there, he had reviewed the seemingly endless procession of troops, gymnasts, and workers marching through Red Square in honor of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Rumors had been circulating for ten years about the failing health of the General Secretary. At the Twenty-Fifth Party Congress in 1976, Brezhnev’s speech had been slurred and at times unintelligible. References to “socialist legality” (sotsialisticheskaia zakonnost’) sounded instead like “sausage legality” (sosiskaia zakonnost’). Reports circulated that Brezhnev suffered from cancer of the jaw. Some observers speculated that he might use the occasion of the Party Congress to step down voluntarily, retiring with all the pomp and circumstance befitting a leader who had guided the USSR for more than a decade, raising the country from a position of military inferiority to the status of superpower. But the General Secretary held onto the reins of power and the next year ratified a new Constitution—widely referred to as “the Brezhnev Constitution”—and also assumed the title of President of the USSR.
Simulating Terrestrial Systems

How are the pieces of the terrestrial system (land surface, glaciers, and ice sheets) modeled? Although terrestrial systems are often thought of as just modeling the land and its biology surface, the system also includes two other important components: the cryosphere (ice and snow) that sits on land and the anthroposphere (the role of humans). Plants are critical for modeling the land surface because they help govern the exchange of heat, water and carbon between the soil and the atmosphere. The coupling between plants, soil and atmosphere is discussed, along with the role of glaciers and ice sheets. Some of the major challenges in terrestrial models are discussed. The interaction of human systems and the climate system is also discussed as a framework to think about climate change. A national park in North America is used as an example of modeling effects of climate change on land ecosystems.
Hydro-Hegemony in Afghanistan and Surrounding Countries

Domination over water issues in any group of countries requires four major pillars: geographic position in the watershed, material power (population, literacy, military strength, infrastructure, etc.), bargaining power (knowing rules of water and diplomatic negotiations), and ideational power, or power of ideas. Afghanistan has five major river systems (Kabul, Helmand, Hari Rud-Murghab, Amu Darya) that it shares to greater or lesser extents with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Assessment of levels of hydro-hegemony in this region reveals necessary maneuvers being made to maximize control of the resource by all neighboring nations. Afghanistan positioned at the top of most of the resource watershed is in an enviable position if its water-cognizant capacity can be raised sufficiently to allow eventual negotiations for new treaties with all neighbors.
Malnutrition in Lung Cancer: Incidence, Prognostic Implications, and Pathogenesis

Malnutrition and weight loss are common in patients with lung cancer. Weight loss is an independent prognostic factor for survival in lung cancer treatment studies. Metabolic disturbances probably play a dominant role in weight loss in these patients rather than reduced food intake. The identification of the pertinent etiologic metabolic abnormalities and development of specific therapeutic intervention should be goals for future research.
A relaxation time approach to model the non-quasi-static transient effects in MOSFETs

A relaxation time approach is used to model the non quasi-static effect of MOS circuits in transient analysis. Unlike the existing quasi-static models, the new model takes care of the finite charging time of the channel to reach equilibrium instantaneous channel charge re-distribution, and velocity saturation, giving more realistic and accurate results. The model has been implemented in SPICE and the simulation time penalty is less than 50%. >
Depolarization of nuclear spin polarized 129Xe gas by dark rubidium during spin-exchange optical pumping.

Abstract Continuous-flow spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) continues to serve as the most widespread method of polarizing 129 Xe for magnetic resonance experiments. Unfortunately, continuous-flow SEOP still suffers from as-yet unidentified inefficiencies that prevent the production of large volumes of xenon with a nuclear spin polarization close to theoretically calculated values. In this work we use a combination of ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) measurements to study the effects of dark Rb vapor on hyperpolarized 129 Xe in situ during continuous-flow SEOP. We find that dark Rb vapor in the optical cell outlet has negligible impact on the final 129 Xe polarization at typical experimental conditions, but can become significant at higher oven temperatures and lower flow rates. Additionally, in the AAS spectra we also look for a signature of paramagnetic Rb clusters, previously identified as a source of xenon depolarization and a cause for SEOP inefficiency, for which we are able to set an upper limit of 8.3 × 10 15 Rb dimers per cm 3 .
Radial glia in the ventral telencephalon

The ventral telencephalon is the developmental origin of the basal ganglia and the source of neuronal and glial cells that integrate into developing circuits in other areas of the brain. Radial glia in the embryonic subpallium give rise to an enormous diversity of mature cell types, either directly or through other transit-amplifying progenitors. Here, we review current knowledge about these subpallial neural stem cells and their progeny, focusing on the period of neurogenesis. We describe their cell biological features and the extrinsic and intrinsic molecular codes that guide their fate specification in defined temporal and spatial sequences. We also discuss the role of clonal lineage in the organization and specification of mature neurons.
Examination of psychometric properties of PROMIS®: Pediatric upper limb measures in youth with cerebral palsy:

IntroductionThis study examines the validity and distribution characteristics of the PROMIS® pediatric upper limb measures in a sample of young people with cerebral palsy.MethodData are a cross-sectional subset of a larger prospective study of the responsiveness to change of PROMIS® pediatric measures following surgery to improve functioning in young people with cerebral palsy. Ninety-three participants between the ages of eight and 21 years completed the PROMIS® pediatric mobility and upper limb computer adaptive tests and short forms in conjunction with a set of static “legacy” measures of physical functioning, including a parent-report of upper limb function.ResultsThe PROMIS® Pediatric upper limb short form demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85). PROMIS® pediatric upper limb computer adaptive tests and short form mean values (42.1(11) and 43(10.4), respectively) were nearly 1 SD below normal, which is appropriate when a generic measure is used in a sample of young perso...
Location-aware smart campus security application

One of the biggest challenges that Universities face today is the safety of its people on campus from crimes like mugging, battery and even shooting in or around the campus area. Using SJSU campus as an example, over 50 alert cases of burglaries, thefts, batteries, sexual assaults and other incidents have been reported in and around the SJSU campus over the last year. We have Bluelight emergency telephones placed all over the campus, in all buildings, elevators and on the campus grounds. These phones can be used to report emergency situations, suspicious activities, request escorts etc. However, there is a huge delay between the occurrence of incidents and the arrival of the policeman at the site. There is a critical need for a system that would allow the authorities to locate victims and respond faster to these incidents. To reduce the delay in reporting incidents and their occurrence time, we have developed a mobile application that will let users send alerts along with their real-time location to the UPD directly from their mobile phones. However, finding the position of a victim in a building is the most important challenge we are facing. Many existing systems do not work in indoor environment, and the state-of-the-art localization systems are either inconvenience to use or inaccurate enough to pin-point user's locations inside the building. In this paper, we propose a fine-grained location-aware smart campus security systems that leverages hybrid localization approaches with minimum deployment cost. Specifically, we effectively combines the Wi-Fi fingerprinting localization approach with the Bluetooth beacon based trilateration approach, and improves the location accuracy to the meter-level with low cost.
The Thiol-Activated Clostridial Toxins

Publisher Summary The thiol-activated cytolysins have been found to be present in most members of the pathogenic clostridia. Those that have been purified include perfringolysin O (PFO) or θ-toxin, tetanolysin, and botulinolysin. Of these toxins, only PFO has been studied extensively. Most of PFO toxins are actively secreted by the host cell with the exception of pneumolysin that is released from the cell by lysis. PFO is actively secreted by the cell during exponential growth and is cytolytic to most types of erythrocytes and probably most nucleated mammalian cells. Although most pathogenic clostridia are thought to produce a related toxin, most of the work on clostridia-derived thiol-activated toxins has been carried out on PFO derived from gangrene-causing type A Clostridium perfringens . Similar toxins are found in pathogenic species of Streptococcus , Listeria , Bacillus and other clostridia. It is possible that PFO and related toxins form a porin-like structure in the membrane with each of the monomers contributing to the overall formation of a amphipathic β-barrel that interacts with the lipid bilayer. This distribution of the hydrophobic face of the complex among the monomers explains the relatively high solubility of the monomers compared with the oligomerized complex.
High Prevalence of Hereditary Cancer Syndromes and Outcomes in Adults with Early-Onset Pancreatic Cancer.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the prevalence and landscape of germline mutations among patients with young-onset pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as well as their influence in prognosis. Methods: Patients from two cohorts were studied, the high-risk cohort (HRC), which included 584 PDAC patients who received genetic counseling at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and a general cohort (GC) with 233 metastatic PDAC patients. We defined germline DNA sequencing on 13 known pancreatic cancer susceptibility genes. The prevalence and landscape of mutations were determined, and clinical characteristics including survival were analyzed. Results: A total of 409 patients underwent genetic testing (277 from HRC and 132 from GC). As expected, the HRC had higher prevalence of germline mutations compared with the GC: 17.3% versus 6.81%. The most common mutations in both cohorts were in BRCA1/2 and mismatch-repair (MMR) genes. Patients younger than 60 years old had significantly higher prevalence of germline mutations in both the HRC [odds ratios (OR), 1.93 ± 1.03–3.70, P = 0.039] and GC (4.78 ± 1.10–32.95, P = 0.036). Furthermore, PDAC patients with germline mutations in the GC had better overall survival than patients without mutations (HR, 0.44; 95% CI of HR, 0.25–0.76, P = 0.030). Discussion: Germline mutations are highly prevalent in patients with PDAC of early onset and can be predictive of better outcomes. Considering emerging screening strategies for relatives carrying susceptibility genes as well as impact on therapy choices, genetic counseling and testing should be encouraged in PDAC patients, particularly those of young onset. Cancer Prev Res; 11(11); 679–86. ©2018 AACR.
Evaluation of Vision Referral Program With School-Aged Children and Their Parents/Guardians

Vision plays a key role in a child's development. Early detection and treatment of vision abnormalities decreases future complications. Follow-up vision care is a common problem. Barriers to vision care include financial cost, lack of insurance knowledge to cover costs, and disbelief of vision results. The purpose of this evidence-based pilot project was to improve the rate of follow-up vision care obtained by school-aged children. The target population was school-aged children from kindergarten to fifth grade at an elementary school within Lake County, Ohio. The vision referral program included phone calls to families to identify and overcome barriers to obtaining vision care. Barriers identified with the target population include disbelief of vision results, lack of knowledge about vision health, and financial cost. Results indicated an increase of vision care rates during the 2017-2018 academic year by 60% above baseline rates from the previous academic year.
The Origins of Ethnic Activism: Caste Politics in Colonial India

Existing accounts of ethnic mobilization have focused on the role of group size or state policy. This paper suggests that narrow identity activism was also non-linearly related to education since poorly-educated groups are unlikely to have an educated elite to participate in activism, while in very educated groups this elite existed but participated in the colonial state or anti-colonial nationalism. This theory is tested using a historical panel dataset of Indian caste groups, with petitions to the colonial census authorities being used as an index of caste activism.
Channel Selective Independent Vector Analysis Based Speech Enhancement for Keyword Recognition in Home Robot Cleaner

In this paper, we proposed a speech enhancement based on channel selective independent vector analysis (CS-IVA) for improving the keyword recognition rate in home robot cleaner. At first, the proposed method eliminates the noises generated by home robot cleaner. Then the CS-IVA separates sources and estimated target speech is selected. Finally, residual noise contained in CS-IVA output is reduced. Simulation results show performance of keyword recognition is improved.
Total Synthesis of (−)-Steganone Utilizing a Samarium(II) Iodide Promoted 8-Endo Ketyl−Olefin Cyclization

A six-step synthesis of (±)-steganone from commercially available 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol features a samarium(II) iodide promoted 8-endo ketyl−olefin coupling to install, in a single transformation, the 8,5 ring system common to the lignan lactones. The racemic synthesis provided the basis for the construction of (−)-steganone, which exploited a chromium tricarbonyl moiety both to establish and protect the desired absolute stereochemistry through key transformations, including a SmI2-promoted 8-endo radical cyclization and two palladium-catalyzed couplings.
Updating learning outcomes and engaging library faculty with the ACRL Framework

Abstract The arrival of the ACRL Framework and the removal of the ACRL Standards posed a new challenge to the user education coordinators at William Paterson University: how can the ACRL Framework be implemented and buy-in acquired from other library faculty? Not all librarians who teach are information literacy librarians; many never fully interacted with the Framework or knew about threshold concepts. Simply informing the other library faculty about the ACRL Framework was ineffective. They were not using it and still were unfamiliar with it months after incorporation by the ACRL Board. A strategy was devised to solve this problem by engaging the library faculty with the Framework while revising the preexisting general learning outcomes for information literacy instruction. Incorporating principles of reflective practices and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), user education librarians hosted a teaching circle designed to get librarians reading, talking, and discussing the ACRL Framework. With faculty feedback in hand, the existing outcomes were then revised and updated to include elements of all six frames.
Development of a Cell-Based Assay for the Detection of Neutralizing Antibodies to PF-06730512 Using Homogenous Time-Resolved Fluorescence

The administration of biotherapeutics has the potential to induce potent immune responses. Among these responses, the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA), including a subset of ADA referred to as neutralizing antibodies (NAb), is of heightened concern. Aside from their capacity to alter the pharmacological profile of a given biotherapeutic, NAb can also pose significant safety risks, especially in instances where an endogenous counterpart to the drug exists. As such, the inclusion of an assay to detect NAb in clinical samples is critical to the effectiveness of a tiered approach to immunogenicity assessment. PF-06730512 is a biotherapeutic protein being developed for the treatment of primary Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). To support the immunogenicity assessment of PF-06730512, a cell-based assay was developed for the detection of NAb in FSGS serum samples. Herein, we describe the development of the assay with a focus on the challenges faced, including drug and blood collection tube interferences in NAb detection. The outcome of our efforts was a robust assay capable of detecting 1 μg/mL of a NAb positive control in the presence of clinically relevant drug concentrations up to 30 μg/mL.
Standardized Perioperative Feeding Protocol Improves Outcomes in Patients With d-Transposition of the Great Arteries Undergoing Arterial Switch Operation.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the presence of a standardized feeding protocol improves outcomes in a subset of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Cardiovascular ICU at a freestanding academic children's hospital. PATIENTS Neonates with a diagnosis of d-transposition of the great arteries undergoing arterial switch operation from January 2007 to June 2017. INTERVENTIONS Initiation of perioperative feeding protocols. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patients were evaluated before and after implementation of standardized perioperative feeding protocols in neonates with d-transposition of the great arteries undergoing arterial switch operation. Low-risk patients born after initiation of nurse-driven protocols were compared with a similar historical group. Data obtained included time to achievement of feeding goals, with primary outcome being weight gain at hospital discharge. Other measures analyzed included duration of mechanical ventilation and postoperative hospital length of stay. Overall, 33 patients in the protocol group were compared with 44 patients in the historical group. No significant baseline differences existed between the two cohorts. The protocol group achieved improved feeding outcomes in nearly all measured categories, including introduction to enteral feeds preoperatively (91% vs 59%; p < 0.01) and earlier attainment of postoperative full enteral feeds of 120 mL/kg/d (2 vs 5 d; p < 0.01). Protocol patients had significantly improved weight gain at the time of discharge (60 vs 1 g; p < 0.01), while achieving shorter postoperative length of stay (10.1 vs 12.6 d; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS An aggressive, but safe, perioperative feeding protocol implemented in a homogenous low-risk neonatal cardiac surgical population improves feeding outcomes, including increased weight gain, as well as decreased postoperative length of stay. Consideration for perioperative feeding protocol implementation and further study should be given.