cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new correlator receiver architecture for noncoherent optical CDMA networks with bipolar capacity

A new correlator receiver architecture based on a modified version of unipolar-bipolar correlation is proposed for noncoherent optical fiber code-division multiple-access (CDMA) networks. For this architecture, the receiver average bit-error rate (BER) performance is numerically evaluated as a function of the received optical power for noncoherent transmission and direct detection with the number of simultaneous users as a parameter. The BER performance is also evaluated by a closed-form formula that is developed in this paper. Comparison of the results from the latter with numerical results show that, the formula provides a good approximation to the system performance. Furthermore, the closed form solution suggests that the system can achieve the same capacity as a CDMA system using coherent detection.
SCIENCE AND SERENDIPITY IN POLYOLEFIN ELASTOMER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract Polyolefin elastomers based on ethylene, propylene, and isobutylene plus other monomers are now widely used in many diverse applications. Major research and development efforts have led to thermoplastic polyolefin soft automobile bumpers, modifiers for lubricating oils, and fast extrusion grades of ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymers. These and other successful commercial innovations depend on the tools of the basic science of structure–property relationships, proper needs assessments, sound engineering, and good management. These tools have been largely provided by my colleagues at ExxonMobil Chemical, customers, and universities and I thank them profoundly. Several historical commercial developments are discussed, including thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers based on ethylene–propylene copolymer–isotactic–polypropylene blends, shear stable viscosity modifiers based on ethylene–propylene copolymers, bimodal molecular weight and compositional distribution EPDM to control rheological characteris...
IDENTIFYING FACETS OF DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION The Empirical Referents of Discourse

This article takes on the difficult task of trying to ascertain the practicality of discourse as a means toward establishing a more democratic public administration. Of concern are the methods currently used to evaluate the authenticity of such endeavors, particularly Fox and Miller’s warrants for discourse, which have something of a reliability problem. This particular work suggests the use of more systematic ways to examine discursive behavior, either in lieu of or in conjunction with the warrants. These are called empirical referents, and are inclusion, self-regulation, and policy outputs. Use of these empirical referents is intended to help provide us with a clearer focus for our discourse about the process of policy implementation and the attainment of tenable results.
Protein kinase-independent inhibition of muscarinic K+ channels by staurosporine.

Acetylcholine (ACh) binding to atrial muscarinic receptors activates an inwardly rectifying K+ current (IK[ACh]) via a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein (GK). The muscarinic K+ channel ...
Residential proximity to organophosphate and carbamate pesticide use during pregnancy, poverty during childhood, and cognitive functioning in 10-year-old children.

Abstract Background Low-income communities and communities of color have been shown to experience disproportionate exposure to agricultural pesticides, which have been linked to poorer neurobehavioral outcomes in infants and children. Few studies have assessed health impacts of pesticide mixtures in the context of socioeconomic adversity. Objectives To examine associations between residential proximity to toxicity-weighted organophosphate (OP) and carbamate pesticide use during pregnancy, household- and neighborhood-level poverty during childhood, and IQ scores in 10-year-old children. Methods We evaluated associations between both nearby agricultural pesticide use and poverty measures and cognitive abilities in 10-year-old children (n = 501) using data from a longitudinal birth cohort study linked with data from the California Pesticide Use Reporting system and the American Community Survey. Associations were assessed using multivariable linear regression. Results Children of mothers in the highest quartile compared to the lowest quartile of proximal pesticide use had lower performance on Full Scale IQ [β = −3.0; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = (−5.6, −0.3)], Perceptual Reasoning [β = −4.0; (−7.6, −0.4)], and Working Memory [β = −2.8; (−5.6, −0.1)]. Belonging to a household earning an income at or below the poverty threshold was associated with approximately two point lower scores on Full Scale IQ, Verbal Comprehension, and Working Memory. Living in the highest quartile of neighborhood poverty at age 10 was associated with approximately four point lower performance on Full Scale IQ, Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, and Working memory. Conclusions Residential proximity to OP and carbamate pesticide use during pregnancy and both household- and neighborhood-level poverty during childhood were independently associated with poorer cognitive functioning in children at 10 years of age.
Notes on the Riemannian Geometry of Lie Groups

Lie groups occupy a central position in modern differential geometry and physics, as they are very useful for describing the continuous symmetries of a space. This paper is an expository article meant to introduce the theory of Lie groups, as well as survey some results related to the Riemannian geometry of groups admitting invariant metrics. In particular, a non-standard proof of the classification of invariant metrics is presented. For those unfamiliar with tensor calculus, a section devoted to tensors on manifolds and the Lie derivative is included. Acknowledgements: The author wishes to thank Dr. Po Lam Yung for his great encouragement and continued support. RHIT Undergrad. Math. J., Vol. 15, No. 2 Page 55
Irrational Exuberance: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation as Fetish

The Institute of Medicine and the American Heart Association have issued a "call to action" to expand the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Widespread advertising campaigns have been created to encourage more members of the lay public to undergo training in the technique of closed-chest compression-only CPR, based upon extolling the virtues of rapid initiation of resuscitation, untempered by information about the often distressing outcomes, and hailing the "improved" results when nonprofessional bystanders are involved. We describe this misrepresentation of CPR as a highly effective treatment as the fetishization of this valuable, but often inappropriately used, therapy. We propose that the medical profession has an ethical duty to inform the public through education campaigns about the procedure's limitations in the out-of-hospital setting and the narrow clinical indications for which it has been demonstrated to have a reasonable probability of producing favorable outcomes.
Rule of Law and Socially Constructed Reasons: Marriage Equality and Religious Accommodation

Most constitutional scholars are familiar with Justice Bradley’s notoriously sexist justification for excluding women from practicing law in Bradwell v. Illinois (1873). No judge could write such an opinion today. Unlike the 19th-century U.S., contemporary Western societies acknowledge the equality of men and women, and thus cannot coherently exclude women from the professions because of purportedly “natural” inabilities. What seemed obviously reasonable in 1873 is patently unreasonable today. The shift from gender exclusion in the 19th century to gender equality in the 21st illustrates the socially constructed nature of legal reasons. A reason “constructed” if it does not appeal to necessary and natural normative authorities, but is instead created and shaped by contingent social and historical forces. The idea that the “reasons” of legal reasoning change as society changes is neither new nor especially radical, though legal thinkers often miss its importance and implications. For example, the idea of socially constructed reasons exists uneasily with the Rule of Law. A bedrock Rule-of-Law principle requires that government action be nonarbitrary or reasoned, “reason unaffected by desire,” in the Aristotelian formulation. The Rule-of-Law principle of reasoned or nonarbitrary judgment found its way into Federalist 78 and binds government today through the Due Process Clauses of the 5th and 14th Amendments. And yet, if the reasons invoked to justify judicial decisions are part of variable historical, social, and linguistic contexts in which the judges themselves are embedded, how can judicial decisions uphold the Rule-of-Law requirement of reasoned decision making untainted by preference and desires? This essay gives a philosophical account of the social construction of legal reasons, relying on Kant, Heidegger, and Gadamer as the decisive figures. It applies this account to current U.S. controversies over same-sex marriage and religious accommodation, and suggests how constructed reasons can co-exist with still-powerful Rule-of-Law myths.
Der schmale Pfad tief in die Vergangenheit: auf der Suche nach der Chemie der Anfänge des Lebens

Die Abfolge der Ereignisse, durch die das erste Leben auf unserem Planeten entstand, vollzog sich in der tiefen Vergangenheit der Erde – fur uns scheinbar ganzlich unerreichbar. Vielleicht ist gerade aus diesem Grund das Rekonstruieren unserer Urgeschichte eine verlockende, fast unwiderstehliche Vorstellung. Nachzuvollziehen, welche Vorgange zur Synthese der chemischen Bausteine in der Biologie fuhrten und wie sich diese Molekule zu Zellen anordneten, die, durch eine reichhaltige und komplexe Umgebung gefordert, wachsen, sich teilen und entwickeln konnten, scheint derzeit mit unuberwindlichen Schwierigkeiten konfrontiert zu sein. Dennoch haben – zu meiner eigenen Uberraschung – einfache Versuche stabile Prozesse offenbart, die das Wachstum und die Teilung primitiver Zellmembranen gesteuert haben konnten. Die nichtenzymatische Replikation von RNA ist komplizierter und weniger gut verstanden, aber auch hier haben uberraschende Entwicklungen zu wichtigen Fortschritten gefuhrt. Auch unsere Bemuhungen, replizierende Kompartimente und genetisches Material zum vollstandigen Modell einer Protozelle zu vereinen, sind auf unerwartete Weise vorangekommen. Glucklicherweise bleiben noch viele Herausforderungen, bevor wir uns einem umfassenden Verstandnis der Anfange des Lebens nahern, sodass die Zukunft dieses Forschungsgebiets aussichtsreicher ist als je zuvor!
Surgical site infections in neonates are independently associated with longer hospitalizations

There is limited data characterizing the risk and impact of surgical site infection (SSI) in neonates; this makes it difficult to identify factors that increase neonatal SSI risk and to determine how SSI affects outcomes in this special population. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Improvement Program Pediatric (NSQIP-P) collected data on children undergoing surgery at children’s hospitals from 2012 to 2014. Neonates undergoing general surgical procedures were characterized with regard to demographic characteristics and comorbidities. Perioperative variables such as wound class, type of surgery and length of operation were also evaluated. Seven thousand three hundred and seventy-nine neonates were identified in the NSQIP-P participant user file. The overall SSI rate was 2.6%. Only wound class and length of surgery were significantly associated with SSI. Furthermore, SSI was independently associated with longer length of stay, even after adjusting for covariates. This is the largest study to date analyzing SSI in neonates. We found that perioperative variables have a more significant impact on SSI than patient factors, suggesting that operation-related characteristics are influencing SSI. Furthermore, neonates with SSI are more likely to have prolonged hospitalizations even after adjusting for patient comorbidities.
Survival and habitat use of sympatric lagomorphs in bottomland hardwood forests

Lagomorphs are important consumers and prey in ecosystems worldwide, but have declined due to land use changes and habitat loss, and such losses may be exacerbated for specialist species. We compared survival and habitat use of two closely related lagomorphs, the swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus (Bachman, 1837)), a bottomland hardwood (BLH) forest specialist, and the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus (J. A. Allen, 1890)), a habitat generalist. We tested whether survival and habitat use differed between radio-collared swamp rabbits (n = 129) and eastern cottontails (n = 72) monitored during December 2009 – December 2013 in southern Illinois. We found interactive effects of species and season on survival rates: swamp rabbits had higher annual survival (0.37 ± 0.05 (estimate ± SE)) than did cottontails (0.20 ± 0.05), but this difference occurred primarily during the growing season. Swamp rabbits were located closer to watercourses in areas characterized by higher basal area and more mature BLH fore...
Automated temperature compensation of linearizers with optimization

Linearizers are electronic circuits which work to counteract the nonlinear behavior of amplifiers. In many of these devices, the dynamic relationship between signal gain and temperature is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Temperature compensation can be achieved by the adjustment of potentiometer values such that an RF output signal more accurately maintains its operating characteristics over a certain temperature range. In many cases, these potentiometer values are set by technicians during the manufacturing process. This requires operation of a temperature plate, vector network analyzer, and linearizer controller software running on a desktop computer. When selecting potentiometer values at each temperature interval, the goal is to maintain minimum change of certain output parameters from those measured at ambient temperature. The goal in this process is essentially to solve a multi-variable combinatorial optimization problem. A technician will make these determinations using heuristics; the results of which can be improved with optimization methods. This paper outlines the design and implementation of the entirely software-controlled automation of the temperature compensation and testing process at Linearizer Technology, Inc. The use of optimization involving linear programming for selecting potentiometer values is also discussed.
Mathematical Structures for Computer Science. By Judith L. Gersting

(1984). Mathematical Structures for Computer Science. By Judith L. Gersting. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 91, No. 6, pp. 379-381.
Zur Ätiologie und Pathogenese der Appendicitis

Von 272 operativ entfernten unausgelesenen Wurmfortsatzen weisen 100 (37%) eine Appendicitis auf. Die Entzundung ist 31mal katarrhalisch, 8mal ulceros, 11mal subakut und 50mal ulceros-phlegmonos. Bei der katarrhalischen, ulcerosen und subakuten Appendicitis liegt ein umschriebener Schleimhautschaden von geringer klinischer Relevanz vor. Seine Heilungstendenz ist ausgezeichnet, die Prognose stets gunstig. Dafur sprechen die Wurmfortsatznarben bei uber 80% aller alteren Erwachsenen und die klinisch inapparenten Entzundungsprozesse in Appendices, die anlaslich gynakologischer Operationen prophylaktisch entfernt wurden. Bei der ulceros-phlegmonosen Appendicitis findet man regelmasig Mikrothromben und hamorrhagische Darmwandnekrosen. Sie sind als morphologisches Aquivalent einer Schadigung der Endstrombahn im Sinne eines Shwartzman-Phanomens aufzufassen. Die Erkrankung entwickelt sich oft innerhalb weniger Stunden und ist kaum reversibel. Nur bei ihr ist eine Perforation zu befurchten. Katarrhalische bzw. ulcerose und ulceros-phlegmonose Appendicitis sind somit nicht nur quantitative Abstufungen des gleichen pathogenetischen Prozesses. Durch das Hinzutreten allergischer Vorgange unterscheiden sie sich vielmehr qualitativ voneinander.
Recognition of altered E. coli formylmethionine transfer RNA by bacterial T factor.

Abstract Treatment of E. coli formylmethionine tRNA with sodium bisulfite produces six C → U base changes in the tRNA structure. Four of these modifications have no effect on the ability of tRNAfMet to be aminoacylated or formylated. Prior to bisulfite treatment, Met-tRNAfMet is not able to form a ternary complex with bacterial T factor and GTP, as measured by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration. After bisulfite treatment, a large portion of the modified tRNA is bound as T-GTP-Met-tRNAfMet. Formylation of bisulfite-modified Met-tRNAfMet completely eliminates T factor binding. Unmodified tRNAfMet is unique among the tRNAs sequenced to date in having a non-hydrogen-bonded base at the 5′ terminus. Bisulfite-catalyzed conversion of this unpaired C1 to U1 results in formation of a normal U1-A73 base pair at the end of the acceptor stem. It is likely that this structural alteration is responsible for the recognition of bisulfite-modified Met-tRNAfMet by T factor.
Structural Geometry in the Selection of Retardants and Dispersants for Use in Water Evaporation Suppression

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses structural geometry in the selection of retardants and dispersants for use in water evaporation suppression. The two major problems confronting a successful technique for retardation of evaporation of water from reservoirs by means of thin films of 1-hexadecanol and 1-octadecanol are the effects of wind and the effects of biochemical degradation. From the standpoint of counteracting the effects of the wind, fluid evaporation retardant compositions appear to offer the most promise. This type of formulation is applied from a dispenser above the water surface and, therefore, has the additional advantage, in dealing with the second major problem concerning biochemical degradation, of maintaining the formulation above the reservoir surface, so that bacteria and other microorganisms present in the water surface will not attack the material until it has spread. Straight-chain primary compounds have been shown to be most suitable as dispersants for evaporation retardant films.
iJobs Summer Work Experience: A Pilot Transition Program to Enhance Job-Readiness Skills Using Evidence-Based Practices

Abstract Secondary transition planning and service coordination using evidence-based practices (EBPs) are a focus at the national, state, and local level to facilitate positive postschool outcomes and higher rates of inclusion for individuals with disabilities. However, research indicates schools and service providers are not effectively implementing EBPs. This study investigated a summer job experience program for students with disabilities as a means to incorporate EBPs and increase student job-readiness skills. Results indicated the vast majority of students gained critical skills and experiences across eight EBP categories. Parents felt student employability skills increased, and host business partners expressed willingness to repeat the summer iJobs experience. Future research, implications for practice, and limitations are discussed.
Immune signature in sarcoma with prognostic and predictive implications.

11584Background: While immunotherapy has established its benefit in the management of many solid tumors, its efficacy in sarcoma is still not well understood. In this study, we sought to evaluate t...
Adjunctive Techniques for Prevention of Lower Eyelid Retraction

Lower eyelid retraction with resulting scleral show can occur following a variety of cosmetic procedures, including lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Lower eyelid retraction is most often associated wit...
Greenwashing: A Primer

The increasing popularity of green products and services has led to greenwashing. Greenwashing is the practice of making unwarranted or overblown claims of environmental friendliness in an attempt to sell a product or service. It refers to advertising that cheats consumers about a product’s environmental features. It also occurs when companies deliberately frame their activities as “green” in order to look environmentally friendly. This paper provides a brief introduction to the greenwashing phenomenon.
Direct numerical simulations of spanwise slope-induced turbidity currents in a fine sediment-laden steady turbulent channel: Role of suspended sediment concentration and settling velocity

Wave- and current-supported turbidity currents (WCSTCs) constitute a subclass of turbidity currents that ubiquitously participate in shaping the marine geomorphology. Rather than the turbulence generated by its forward motion, WCSTCs require boundary-layer turbulence generated by the surface waves and/or currents that are parallel or normal to the shore to keep the sediments suspended. This study focuses on the characteristics of WCSTCs due to shore parallel current only. Such flows can be approximated as particle-laden channel flows with a mild spanwise slope. Due to the spanwise slope, the submerged weight of the suspended sediments creates spanwise force and thus a spanwise current. The resultant flow is affected by two competing mechanisms: (i) additional turbulence generation by the spanwise turbidity current and (ii) turbulence suppression due to suspended sediment-induced stable density stratification. In this study, the role of sediment settling velocity and concentration on these competing processes is investigated by direct numerical simulations. The results of the conducted simulations suggest that turbulence production due to spanwise current is a quadratic function of the suspended sediment concentration, whereas buoyancy dissipation due to sediment-induced stably density stratification linearly varies with the suspended sediment concentration. Turbulent energy distribution among the fluctuating velocity components also suggests that spanwise velocity fluctuations rely less on the turbulence production due to streamwise current. Therefore, a high-concentration turbidity with fine sediment content tends to evolve into a self-sustaining turbidity current, whereas the low-concentration turbidity composed of relatively larger sediments require the current-induced turbulence to sustain its motion.
A Novel Hexavalent Capsular Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine (GBS6) for the Prevention of Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Infections by Maternal Immunization.

Background Group B streptococcus (GBS) causes serious diseases in newborn infants, often resulting in lifelong neurologic impairments or death. Prophylactic vaccination of pregnant women prior to delivery could provide comprehensive protection, as early onset and late-onset disease and maternal complications potentially could be addressed. Methods Capsular polysaccharide conjugate vaccine GBS6 was designed using surveillance data yielded by whole-genome sequencing of a global collection of recently recovered GBS isolates responsible for invasive neonatal GBS disease. Capsular polysaccharides were isolated, oxidized using sodium periodate, and conjugated to CRM197 by reductive amination in dimethyl sulfoxide. Immune responses in mice and rhesus macaques were measured in a multiplex Luminex immunoglobulin G (IgG) assay and opsonophagocytic activity assays. Results The optimized conjugates were immunogenic, alone and in combination, in mice and rhesus macaques, inducing IgG antibodies that mediated opsonophagocytic killing. Active immunization of murine dams with GBS6 prior to mating resulted in serotype-specific protection of pups from a lethal challenge with GBS. Protection following passive administration of serotype-specific IgG monoclonal antibodies to dams demonstrated conclusively that anticapsular polysaccharide IgG alone is sufficient for protection. Conclusions The findings support the ongoing clinical evaluation of maternal GBS6 vaccination as a potential alternative method to prevent GBS disease in infants.
Diabetes Prevalence by Leisure-, Transportation-, and Occupation-Based Physical Activity Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse U.S. Adults.

OBJECTIVE Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) has been shown to prevent or delay the development of diabetes. However, little research exists examining how other domains of PA (e.g., occupation based [OPA] and transportation based [TPA]) are associated with diabetes prevalence across diverse racial/ethnic groups. We examined associations between OPA, TPA, and LTPA and diabetes prevalence and whether associations differed by race/ethnicity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Participants in the 2011–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys self-reported domain-specific PA. Diabetes status was determined by self-reported doctor/health professional–diagnosis of diabetes or a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) measurement of ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol). Multivariable log binomial models examined differences in diabetes prevalence by PA level in each domain and total PA among Latinos ( n = 3,931), non-Latino whites ( n = 6,079), and non-Latino blacks ( n = 3,659). RESULTS Whites reported the highest prevalence of achieving PA guidelines (64.9%), followed by Latinos (61.6%) and non-Latino blacks (60.9%; P P P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS PA policies and programs, beyond LTPA, can be leveraged to reduce diabetes prevalence among all population groups. Future studies are needed to confirm potentially differential effects of transportation-based active living on diabetes prevalence across race/ethnicity.
Long-term simulations of site-specific irrigation management for Arizona cotton production

Engineering technologies for site-specific irrigation management (SSIM) have already been developed for applications in precision irrigation. However, further studies are needed to identify scenarios where SSIM leads to better agronomic outcomes than conventional uniform irrigation management (CUIM). The objective was to conduct a long-term simulation study to compare SSIM and CUIM given spatial soil variability at the Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) in Arizona. More than 500 surface soil samples were collected across a 730-ha area of the MAC from 1984 to 1987. A more detailed soil data set was more recently obtained across a 5.9-ha area at a MAC location designated for SSIM studies. Ordinary kriging was used for spatial interpolation of soil hydraulic properties within $$10\,\hbox {m} \times 10\,\hbox {m}$$ zones across the MAC, and 11 field parcels with an area of approximately 60 ha were delineated on the MAC quarter sections. Using an agroecosystem model, simulations of cotton production at the zone level with a 30-year weather record were conducted using a field-tested algorithm to optimize irrigation schedules for SSIM and CUIM. Long-term seed cotton yield, irrigation requirements, water use efficiency, and marginal net return for SSIM and CUIM strategies were often not different ($$p>0.05$$). Differences in seed cotton yield and irrigation requirements among the tested irrigation strategies were less than 11% and 6%, respectively, and within the typical range of model error. Most soils on the MAC have enough available water holding capacity to sustain cotton production at full potential with weekly CUIM, and advantages of SSIM were not consistently demonstrated by the simulations.
Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Elastography Improves the Detection of NASH Regression Following Bariatric Surgery

Disease monitoring in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is limited by absence of noninvasive biomarkers of disease regression or progression. We aimed to examine the role of multiparametric three-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D-MRE) and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) in the detection of NASH regression after interventions. This is a single-center prospective clinical trial of 40 patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Imaging and liver biopsies were obtained at baseline and 1 year after surgery. The imaging protocol consisted of multifrequency 3D-MRE to determine the shear stiffness at 60 Hz and damping ratio at 40 Hz, and MRI-PDFF to measure the fat fraction. A logistic regression model including these three parameters was previously found to correlate with NASH. We assessed the model performance in the detection of NASH resolution after surgery by comparing the image-predicted change in NAFLD activity score (delta NAS) to the histologic changes. A total of 38 patients (median age 43, 87% female, 30 of 38 with NAS ≥ 1, and 13 of 38 with NASH) had complete data at 1 year. The NAS decreased in all subjects with NAS ≥ 1 at index biopsy, and NASH resolved in all 13. There was a strong correlation between the predicted delta NAS by imaging and the delta NAS by histology (r = 0.73, P < 0.001). The strength of correlation between histology and the predicted delta NAS using single conventional parameters, such as the fat fraction by MRI-PDFF or shear stiffness at 60 Hz by MRE, was r = 0.69 (P < 0.001) and r = 0.43 (P = 0.009), respectively. Conclusion: Multiparametric 3D-MRE and MRI-PDFF can detect histologic changes of NASH resolution after bariatric surgery. Studies in a nonbariatric setting are needed to confirm the performance as a composite noninvasive biomarker for longitudinal NASH monitoring.
A new case-based CAD scheme using a hierarchical SSIM feature extraction method to classify between malignant and benign cases

The purpose of this study is to assess feasibility of developing a new case-based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme of mammograms based on a tree-based analysis of SSIM characteristics of the matched bilateral local areas of left and right breasts to predict likelihood of cases being malignant. We assembled a dataset involving screening mammograms acquired from 1000 patients. Among them, 500 cases were positive with cancer detected and verified, while other 500 cases had benign masses. Both CC and MLO view of the mammograms were used for feature extraction in this study. A CAD scheme was applied to preprocess the bilateral mammograms of the left and right breasts, generate image maps in the special domain, compute SSIM-based image features between the matched bilateral mammograms, and apply a support vector machine model to classify between malignant and benign cases. For performance evaluation, CAD scheme was trained and tested using a 10-fold cross-validation method. The area under a receiving operating characteristic curve (AUC) was computed as an index of performance evaluation. Using the poll of 12 extracted SSIM features, the CAD scheme yielded a performance level of AUC = 0.84±0.016, which is significantly higher than using each individual SSIM feature for the classification purpose (p < 0.05), and an odds ratio of 19.0 with 95% confidence interval of [15.3, 29.8]. Thus, this study supports the feasibility of applying an innovative method to develop a new case-based CAD scheme without lesion segmentation and demonstrates higher performance of new CAD scheme to classify between malignant and benign mammographic cases.
Chapter 5 – Rabies in Terrestrial Animals

Aspects of rabies in terrestrial animal species are described. An overview of susceptibility and pathogenesis are given as a background for the clinical signs in different species. Individual species or groups of animals and the specifics of infection with various rabies virus variants are explored, including domestic dogs, raccoons, skunks, mongooses and related animals, foxes, coyotes, jackals, wolves, cats, cattle, horses and donkeys, sheep and goats, opossums and other marsupials, rodents, lagomorphs, and other species. Advances in control and threats to these significant achievements are discussed in relation to global travel, animal translocation, public and professional preventive education needs, animal control and associated regulations in need of update, and other aspects of the fractured and increasingly fragile infrastructure necessary to maintain and enhance ideal human and animal rabies prevention.
Handbook of chronic depression : diagnosis and therapeutic management

Psychosocial Functioning in Chronic DepressionInterface Between Personality and DepressionVulnerability to Chronic Depression: A Review and Preliminary ModelBiological Factors in Chronic DepressionFamily and Genetic Studies of DepressionPsychopharmacology of DysthymiaPsychotherapy for Chronic Depressive DisordersGabor I. Keitner and Esteban V. CardemilPsychopharmacology and Psychotherapy of Subsyndromal DepressionsPsychotherapeutic Approaches for Prevention and Treatment of Relapse and RecurrencePsychopharmacological Approaches to Prevention and Treatment of Relapse and RecurrencePsychopharmacological Management of Residual Symptoms and Treatment Resistance in Major Depressive DisorderPsychotherapy of Residual SymptomsDiagnosis and Treatment of Depression During PregnancyApproaches to the Treatment of Chronic Late-Life DepressionApproaches to Chronic Depression in Children and AdolescentsChronic Depression in Patients with Medical IllnessA Population-Based Approach to Chronic Depression: Implications for Practice and PolicyImproving Long-Term Adherence to Treatment in Major DepressionManagement of Antidepressant-Induced Side EffectsIndex
Multiple particle tracking microrheological characterization: Fundamentals, emerging techniques and applications

Multiple particle tracking microrheology (MPT) is a passive microrheological technique that measures the Brownian motion of probe particles embedded in a sample to characterize material rheological properties. MPT is a powerful tool that quantifies material rheology in the low moduli range while requiring only small sample volumes and relatively simple data acquisition using video microscopy. MPT quantitatively characterizes spatiotemporal rheological properties and is particularly well suited for the investigation of evolving materials with complex microenvironments. MPT has expanded the study of a variety of materials including biofilms, colloidal gels, hydrogels, stimuli-responsive materials, and cell-laden biomaterials. The aim of this Tutorial is to summarize the fundamentals, illustrate the versatility, and highlight recent advances in MPT. In each application, we will highlight how MPT is uniquely positioned to gather rheological properties, which would be difficult, if not impossible, to attain with other rheological characterization techniques and highlight how MPT can be used to supplement other measurement techniques. This Tutorial should provide researchers with the fundamental basis and skills needed to use MPT and develop new MPT techniques to characterize materials for their unique applications.
LIMK2 promotes the metastatic progression of triple-negative breast cancer by activating SRPK1

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly metastatic breast cancer subtype and due to the lack of hormone receptors and HER2 expression, TNBC has limited therapeutic options with chemotherapy being the primary choice for systemic therapy. LIM Domain Kinase 2 (LIMK2) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in the regulation of actin filament dynamics. Here, we show that LIM domain kinase 2 (LIMK2) is overexpressed in TNBC, and short-hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated LIMK2 knockdown or its pharmacological inhibition blocks metastatic attributes of TNBC cells. To determine the mechanism by which LIMK2 promotes TNBC metastatic progression, we performed stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) based unbiased large-scale phosphoproteomics analysis. This analysis identified 258 proteins whose phosphorylation was significantly reduced due to LIMK2 inhibition. Among these proteins, we identified SRSF protein kinase 1 (SRPK1), which encodes for a serine/arginine protein kinase specific for the SR (serine/arginine-rich domain) family of splicing factors. We show that LIMK2 inhibition blocked SRPK1 phosphorylation and consequentially its activity. Furthermore, similar to LIMK2, genetic inhibition of SRPK1 by shRNAs or its pharmacological inhibition blocked the metastatic attributes of TNBC cells. Moreover, the pharmacological inhibition of LIMK2 blocked metastatic progression in mice without affecting primary tumor growth. In sum, these results identified LIMK2 as a facilitator of distal TNBC metastasis and a potential target for preventing TNBC metastatic progression.
Increased nitrogen fixation and remobilization may increase seed protein without a yield penalty in a soybean introgression line

Development of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] varieties with high seed protein concentration are hindered by a negative correlation between seed protein and yield. “Benning HP,” a genotype that b...
Blacksite: human-in-the-loop artificial immune system for intrusion detection in internet of things

The Internet of Things (IoT) has rapidly changed information systems and networks in a significant way. Traditional networks are experiencing exponential increases in data volume, velocity, and variety. With the intermingling of IoT devices and legacy systems, new security threats are becoming more prevalent and severe. Successful attacks can cause significant damage or disruption to critical infrastructures or theft of private data through previously nonexistent attack vectors. In response, existing security solutions must be adapted, or new countermeasures must be created to address the unique threats presented by IoT. Therefore, we propose the Blacksite framework for a novel adaptive real-time intrusion detection in IoT networks using human intelligence integrated into an artificial immune system with deep neural network–based validation model. We recommend a solution that can address unique challenges of IoT networks and present implementation strategies as well as a pilot implementation of the core component (deep neural network model for malicious traffic classification) of Blacksite. The proposed framework is designed to rapidly respond to attacks and adapt to changing network environments. Blacksite serves as a foundation for further development of holistic IoT intrusion detection solutions, wherein each node contributes to the security of the network.
The Reasonable Immigrant and the Fake Cop: Duress in Nwoye

Duress is a longstanding defense that injects empathy and humanity into the criminal law for people in desperate situations. The right to present a duress defense should be equal for everyone but in practice there is a judicial blindness to the situation of vulnerable people and communities in the United States who fear turning to the state for help. In United States v. Nwoye, the trial court’s erroneous preclusion of Queen Nwoye’s attempt to argue duress exemplifies the refusal to recognize that jurors properly instructed about duress may find that a vulnerable person reasonably feared to seek help from law enforcement. The error was compounded when the decision on direct appeal treated Nwoye’s fear about going to police for help as an unreasonable failure that requires some sort of syndrome to explain. Judge and now Justice Bret Kavanaugh’s decision in Nwoye will be justly lauded as one of his notable opinions. Unfortunately, because of the posture of the case, on a post-conviction motion to vacate, he had to characterize the error as one of ineffective assistance of counsel for failure to retain a battered women syndrome expert. The real error is not with defense counsel, who often have to suffer the slings and arrows of ineffective assistance claims by clients seeking postconviction relief after losing on direct appeal. The error is the recurring refusal of courts to recognize that jurors may find that going to U.S. officials for help is not a reasonable option for a person in the defendant’s position. Nwoye got a second chance at a fair trial thanks to Judge Kavanaugh’s decision. But others who are not battered, nor a woman, or otherwise do not fit into the exceedingly confining “battered woman syndrome” box have received no relief despite deprivation of the right to present a defense. The reality is that the reason why people do not seek help from law enforcement when threatened often is not a battered woman syndrome—it is unequal access to protection and the ability to trust the state. A person on trial with liberty and life at stake should have the right to present these realities far different from the experience of persons fortunate enough to become judges, who may have blind spots in empathy and legal interpretation.
Abstract P38: An examination of COVID-19-related preventive behaviors by cancer status

Purpose: To determine patterns of and factors associated with COVID-19-related preventive behaviors practiced by cancer survivors. Methods: Participants (N=897) were recruited through a commercial survey administration and sampling company, Qualtrics, in June 2020. Quota sampling was utilized to ensure the sample would consist of approximately one-third of cancer patients currently in treatment, one-third of cancer survivors not currently in treatment, and one-third of individuals without a history of cancer. Survey items collected information on socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, race, and education attainment) and COVID-19-related preventive behaviors in the past week. Eight items focused on handwashing, avoiding contact with sick people, staying home when feeling sick, respiratory hygiene, avoiding touching face, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, and wearing a mask were reported on a 4-point Likert scale (never to frequently). Differences between groups were assessed using one-way ANOVAs with Tukey post hoc tests. Results: Respondents were 49.6 years (SD=17.3) on average, 51.6% female, and 48.9% had a Bachelor’s degree or higher education attainment. Most respondents were White (66.7%), with 16.8% Black and 16.5% Hispanic participants. Those with no history of cancer were more likely to avoid someone ill (p Citation Format: Carrie A. Miller, Jeanine P.D. Guidry, Bernard F. Fuemmeler. An examination of COVID-19-related preventive behaviors by cancer status [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr P38.
Early Post-Secondary Student Performance of Adversarial Thinking

Motivation. “Adversarial thinking” (at) is viewed as a central idea in cybersecurity. We believe a similar idea carries over into other critical areas as well, such as understanding the perils of social networks and machine learning. Objectives. What kinds of at can we expect of early post-secondary computing students? In particular, can they meaningfully analyze computing systems that are well beyond their technical ken? Is their analysis limited to only a social or only a technical space? Method. In an introductory post-secondary course, we study student responses to questions designed to exercise at, broadly defined. To do this we develop a rubric that provides insight into desirable content. Results. We find that these students are fairly strong at at. They are regularly able to adopt an adversarial or empathetic viewpoint and analyze quite sophisticated systems. Most of all, they can meaningfully do so (a) outside an explicit cybersecurity context, (b) even from an introductory level, and (c) well before they understand well the key technologies under evaluation. On the other hand, we also find several instances where students do not explore systems as much as they could, and fail to reference other material they know, which could be evidence of lack of transfer. In addition, our rubric would benefit from refinement that would enable a more sophisticated analysis of student responses. Discussion. Our work provides a baseline evaluation of what we can expect from students. It suggests that at can be introduced early in the curriculum, and in contexts outside computer security.
Electronic Journal of Extension: From Hard Copy to Electronic Format–An Evaluation of a Pilot Test

ABSTRACT In 1992 the Journal of Extension's Board of Directors authorized a pilot project to test the feasibility of producing and distributing the Journal electronically as a means of reducing the direct and indirect costs of publication. The University of Wisconsin-Extension headed the pilot test and the University of Missouri-Extension was asked to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the electronic Journal of Extension. This article describes the purposes, methods, content, and preliminary findings of the evaluation of this pilot project.
Towards Thermonuclear Rocket Propulsion

Controlled thermonuclear fusion for spacecraft propulsion - use of deuterium-helium 3 as reactor fuel contained by superconducting magnets
Dynamic Matrix Control of a Batch Distillation Column

An integrated farm energy system has been constructed at the University of Missouri at Columbia that includes an Ethanol Fuel Production Unit. Forty to fifty gallons per day is distilled to ninety weight percent purity in a six inch diameter, twenty foot high packed column. Dynamic Matrix Control was applied to this batch distillation column. The dynamics of the process, which were approximated as first order plus dead time, vary widely as a function of pot concentration. DMC parameters were adjusted as a function of the batch cycle. Rapid setpoint response to top composition and smooth concentration control were obtained despite system dead time and disturbances.
Law, Society, and Medical Malpractice Litigation in Japan

This Essay examines conflict over medical malpractice claims in Japan, and uses it as a lens through which to view the relationship between tort law and its social, economic, and political context. Allegations of medical malpractice in Japan have been rising rapidly. What explains the increasing willingness of people who believe that they are victims of medical malpractice to sue? And what (if anything) does the upswing in malpractice litigation suggest about the changing role and importance of the legal system in the lives of the Japanese people? The relationship between law and society in Japan has long been the source of scholarly speculation, and occasionally the topic of serious academic analysis. The two most widely held points of view are dramatically different. One suggests that “Japanese culture” (rarely defined but generally assumed to encompass social values, norms of behavior, and modes of interpersonal interaction) places a high premium on the preservation of social harmony and the avoidance of open conflict. In that view, the language of law is subordinate to the power of social integration, and leads people to forego lawsuits. The other explanation for Japan’s low litigation rates posits a more structural cause, namely that the elite have created barriers to inhibit access to the legal system and limit the extent to which courts can be a potent force of social change. Among the
The explosion seismic source function: Models and scaling laws reviewed

The explosion seismic source function is the potential which satisfies the spherical P-wave equation. It is completely described by four properties. They are the steady-state value, roll-off, overshoot, and corner frequency. In one approach to describing the potential, the spectral roll-off is specified and the other properties are determined by fitting the data at prescribed times. In a variation of this approach, the roll-off is specified by assuming a radial stress of a known form is applied uniformly over a spherical surface, located at a range where the motion is assumed to be linear. In this review, it was found that of the four properties, less uncertainty exists about the steady-state value and the corner frequency than about the other two. A major problem has been scaling the results from one yield to another. New results are presented that show that, when the geophysical properties of the shot point are taken in account, cube-root scaling of the yield is appropriate for the steady-state value and the corner frequency, i.e., yield to the first and one-third powers, respectively. The new results also suggest that previous assumptions about the form of the applied radial stress are probably not appropriate. Finally, chemical andmore » nuclear explosions appear in the new results to be indistinguishable, suggesting that experiments using chemical explosions could aid in reducing the remaining uncertainty in the seismic source function properties. 93 refs., 15 figs.« less