cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
White Man's Land: The Colonial Foundations and Legal Architecture of the Kenyan State and its Discontents

This paper examines the legal, policy foundations and apparatus of the Kenyan state. It examines and highlights everyday experiences of Africans who were as a result of this architecture, sharply ushered into an alien socioeconomic and political order of the colonial capitalist state. That is, the experiential hardships encountered by African populations as they entered and navigated the newly imposed colonial capitalist complex culminating in the struggle for independence epitomized by the Mau Mau war, which was prefigured by other equally important anti-colonial movements that sought to redefine and reconfigure social relations in colonial state through violence to create an equitable political economy. They were also responding to adverse effects of modernization in particular, which created a new space which Africans found difficult to navigate. They resisted the colonial capitalism complex. After all, this fledgling colonial political economy was unapologetically racially segregated and had ruptured the pre-European world socioeconomically with serious moral and physical impingements. The previous relative political and socioeconomic pre-colonial idyll was rend and ecological arenas of forests, hills and plains reordered to pave way for a colonial landscape constructed to conform to western logic. By focusing on the legal, policy and physical apparatus of empire erected at a heavy cost for the pre-European socioeconomic and political order, the paper argues that the stage was set for a violent backlash. That is, anti-colonial movements that culminated and reached the highest crescendo in the Mau Mau moment, which was the foetal crucible from which the postcolonial state emerged.
Physical relationships

There is continuing effort to increase the data transmission rate in evolving wireless systems. These evolving wireless systems include cellular mobile systems and wireless local area networks (WLANs). However, because of the complexity of these systems, it appears that fundamental physical relationships between transmission rate and the range over which transmission is possible are frequently overlooked. This can result in overly optimistic expectations for new wireless data systems or comparisons between systems that are not on an equal basis. This article reviews fundamental relationships between wireless system transmission rate (bit rate) and transmission range and includes the effects of some other system parameters on these relationships.
Influence of Social Sub-Networks on Energy Conservation from Occupancy Interventions in a Typical U.S. Commercial Building

Occupancy focused interventions used to reduce building energy use (e.g., feedback) are exhibiting low and un-sustained energy reductions. Research on residential buildings has shown that the type of building social network determines the effectiveness of these interventions. However, the findings cannot be directly applied to commercial buildings given their more complex social structures formed by independent entities (i.e., companies) with different organizational structures and cultures. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of social sub-networks on the energy conservation from occupancy focused interventions. An agent-based model was developed for this purpose simulating sub-networks in a typical commercial building environment. Occupancy interventions were then tested while varying the number of sub-networks in the building. Statistical analyses were finally performed showing that modeling sub-networks significantly affects the effectiveness of occupancy interventions and need to be accounted for in the design of more efficient interventions for commercial buildings.
The Freedmen's Movement and the Founding of the Nation

WAS under the impression," E. L. Godkin brusquely answered an encyclopedia compiler in 1871, "that you were sufficiently familiar with the history of the Nation to make it unnecessary for me to say anything about it." With this remark, the fiery first editor of the New York weekly launched into an account of some of the journal's early struggles. "It was established in 1865, by a joint stock company," he began. "Owing to internal dissensions . . . the company was dissolved in 1866, and the paper sold to myself and two other persons, Frederick Law Olmsted and J. M. McKim."' The war-spawned Nation found itself engulfed in dissension at the start because editorially it breathed controversy. Few readers in the charged atmosphere of post-Appomattox America were able to lay aside the opinionated weekly without instant views of their own as to its worth. "The Nation, now in course of publication in New York, is without exception the best newspaper we have seen yet from America," declared a foreign commentator; and the British Liberal Goldwin Smith felt that the weekly represented in its way "the first fruits of the regeneration which a great moral struggle was sure to produce." But many American subscribers to the Nation in the summer of 1865, including some of its founders, did not share this view. The hostility of some toward the journal stemmed from what they charged was Godkin's breach of the terms of its founding. Many of the financial backers of the Nation were abolitionists who had invested in it in the belief that it would be an organ of the freedmen's associations. To fulfill one of the goals stated in the prospectus of the Nation-"the removal of all artificial distinctions between [the Negro] and the rest of the population"2
Resurrecting The Godfather

Mario Puzo's The Godfather belongs to that legion of novels whose most salient quality has been misguidedly denounced as a vice: its capacity to make the artificial appear "natural." Almost with its first criticism the novel was regarded as a roman a clef as critics attempted to identify the "real" Johnny Fontane and Don Corleone. To do this, they and more sophisticated critics later disregarded the work's patent fictiveness as revealed in its numerous allusions to epic and mock epic. I would argue that The Godfather is a profoundly mediated work, an inspired bricolage that takes elements of Christian mythology, American and Italian literature, and transforms them into something irreducibly new. This means that the relationship between the work and the reality from which it takes its materials is extremely problematic. Thus, The Godfather is not merely an index, a symptom, or a document of its time, for it does not carry its historical materials fully formed into a new context where they remain pristinely unchanged. On the contrary, the work has revealed itself to be deeply prophetic, because it has become the agent of new perceptions that have subtly altered our understanding of society. The tensions of the age, Puzo's and Don Corleone's, are intermingled with the novelistic tensions that transform the matter of history. Criticism of The Godfather has been, with few and unconvincing exceptions, little more than an onslaught of denunciation. A selection from among that onslaught is almost perversely revealing. The anonymous critic writing in the May 1969 issue of America finds that
Dynamics and Control of a Six Degrees of Freedom Ground Simulator for Autonomous Rendezvous and Proximity Operation of Spacecraft

Ground simulation of spacecraft motion simulating all six degrees of freedom is a challenging problem due to several features of the natural dynamics in space that are dicult to reproduce on ground. Unlike terrestrial (aerial, land or underwater) vehicles, space vehicles have an overwhelmingly large percentage of their total energy in their translational motion. Dynamical coupling between the translational and rotational degrees of freedom can significantly aect the attitude motion of spacecraft. The attitude motion is particularly important for a spacecraft tasked to autonomously rendezvous and capture or dock with a target object in space. Here we present a ground simulator design for 6 DOF simulation of spacecraft engaged in autonomous rendezvous and proximity operation(ARPO) with an unaided target space object. These operations are very risky and dicult to carry out in space, since the target’s motion is not well known in advance. Ground simulation using 6 DOF motion simulation capabilities can help reduce the risk of actual on-orbit ARPO missions. The novel design "Autonomous Rendezvous and Proximity Operation ground Simulator (ARPOS)" presented here mimics all the six DOFs of rigid spacecraft with high fidelity. ARPOS has the advantage of linear and spherical air bearings to reproduce the near frictionless environment of an actual spacecraft in space.
Experimental arthritis in albino rats produced by a strain of Corynebacterium.

The organism is a Gram positive, nonmotile bacillus three-tenths to six-tenths of a micron in diameter and one to three microns in length. The cells are straight or slightly curved and often club-shaped. Alternate bands of stained and unstained material appear when the cells are treated with Gram or methylene blue stains. Metachromatic granules may be demonstrated by Neisser's stain. Angular and palisade arrangement of the cells is frequent. On blood agar plates the organism produces round, convex colonies about one mm in diameter after 48 hours of incubation at 37 C. There is a slight greening of the medium. The colonies are white, opaque, and glistening with an even margin and smooth surface. Growth on unenriched nutrient agar is less abundant. In nutrient broth a granular turbidity and heavy sediment appear. No pellicle is formed. Gelatine is not liquefied. There is no visible growth on potato. On Loeffler slants there is moderate colorless growth, no peptonization. There is no change in litmus milk, and indol is not formed from tryptophane. Nitrite is produced from nitrate. The organism is aerobic. It grows anaerobically in the presence, but not in
Underwater Sounds of Cephalorhynchus heavisidii (Mammalia:Cetacea)

Underwater sounds of Cephalorhynchus heavisidii were recorded from the west coast of South Africa. The sounds from these porpoises were all low level, pulsed sounds, restricted in bandwidth to less than 5 kiloHertz (kHz), often to less than 2 kHz, with major emphases frequently at around 800 Hz and secondary non-harmonic emphases at frequencies between 2 to 5 kHz. Three basic sound repetition rates were noted—clicks at slow rates, short bursts of pulses, and series of pulses at a rapid enough rate to produce a tonal “cry” sound. The cry sound varied in duration from 0.4 to over 2 seconds and was the most common sound heard. Similar sounds were recorded from C. hectori , off New Zealand, and C. eutropia and C. commersonii off southern South America. These sounds resemble many of those produced by Phocoena phocoena , which also has similar appearance, habitat, and behavior.
Toxicity of Avermectin B1 to San Jose Scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) Crawlers, and Effects on Orchard Mites by Crawler Sprays Compared with Full-season Applications

Avermectin B1, when applied to the crawler stage of populations of San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock), in an orchard, showed the greatest activity against the first generation of Q. perniciosus , even when both generations were subjected to sprays during the crawler stage. A laboratory bioassay in which potato tubers were used as a rearing medium showed that dried residues of avermectin B1 are toxic to Q. perniciosus crawlers. Avermectin B1 also was an effective acaricide for Panonychus ulmi (Koch). Populations of the predatory mite Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman) were not significantly affected by the crawler sprays although avermectin B1 initially lowered predator densities when used in a full-season program.
Hubble Sequence as a Temporal Evolution Sequence

The results from Hubble Space Telescope’s Medium Deep Survey and Deep Fields indicate that there exists far more blue spiral galaxies at the intermediate and high redshifts than at the present epoch. A natural question therefore is: what have become of these excess late type galaxies as the Universe aged?
Reniforma Pore & Sorenson

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Reniforma genus and its member species. Asexual reproduction in this genus occurs by budding on a narrow base, and its cells are kidney-shaped with a flat base circumscribed by a brim. The sole member species of this genus is Reniforma strues. The cells of this species, after undergoing growth in glucose-yeast extract-peptone-water for three days at 25° C, appear as kidney-shaped and may occur singly, in pairs, or small clusters. The cells have a flat base and tend to be arranged in stacks or layers. Growth is similar on 5% or 15% malt extract, and after one month at 25° C, a yellowish-white, dull, wrinkled, creeping pellicle with sediment is formed. The growth on yeast extract-malt extract (YM) agar is rapid at 25–30° C and the colonies appear as waxy and spreading. The lamellar cell wall, enteroblastic budding, and positive diazonium blue B and urease tests suggest a basidiomycetous affinity for R. strues. The kidney-shaped cells, which produce miniature kidney-shaped buds, distinguish R. strues from all other known yeasts.
A systematic evaluation of the potential effects of trichloroethylene exposure on cardiac development

The 2011 EPA trichloroethylene (TCE) IRIS assessment, used developmental cardiac defects from a controversial drinking water study in rats (Johnson et al. [51]), along with several other studies/endpoints to derive reference values. An updated literature search of TCE-related developmental cardiac defects was conducted. Study quality, strengths, and limitations were assessed. A putative adverse outcome pathway (AOP) construct was developed to explore key events for the most commonly observed cardiac dysmorphologies, particularly those involved with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of endothelial origin (EndMT); several candidate pathways were identified. A hypothesis-driven weight-of-evidence analysis of epidemiological, toxicological, in vitro, in ovo, and mechanistic/AOP data concluded that TCE has the potential to cause cardiac defects in humans when exposure occurs at sufficient doses during a sensitive window of fetal development. The study by Johnson et al. [51] was reaffirmed as suitable for hazard characterization and reference value derivation, though acknowledging study limitations and uncertainties.
Thrombocytopenia in Hospitalized Non-ICU Patients

Thrombocytopenia is common in patients admitted to the intensive care unit, with a reported prevalence of 8-68% and incidence of 13-44% in published series. Those who develop thrombocytopenia in an ICU have a statistically increased risk of ICU mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and platelet, RBC, and FFP transfusions. Few studies have examined the occurrence and risk factors for thrombocytopenia in non-ICU hospitalized patients. The only systematic investigation of thrombocytopenia in the non-ICU hospitalized medical population dates to 1989, predating modern diagnostic assays for a variety of infectious and drug-induced causes of thrombocytopenia. We, therefore, undertook this study to characterize the incidence and causes of thrombocytopenia in the general medical, non-ICU patient population at a tertiary care hospital. For this study, we performed a single-institutional retrospective analysis of patients admitted to a general medical ward at a tertiary care medical center (Duke University Hospital). Inclusion criteria included all adult patients (>18 years) admitted from the emergency department to the general medicine floors during the calendar year defined as 01/2014-01/2015. Exclusion criteria included pre-existing thrombocytopenia, ICU admission, or patients undergoing chemotherapy. Primary endpoints included patients with incident thrombocytopenia, defined as a platelet count on admission greater than 150 x 10^9/L with subsequent platelet counts decreasing to Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Optimization in R&D intensity and tax on corporate profits for supporting labor productivity of nations

The purpose of this study is to analyze the rates of R&D investments and taxes levied on profits of firms that can optimize the labour productivity of nations. Statistical evidence, based on OECD data, reveals that (very) high rates of R&D intensity and tax on corporate profits do not maximize the labour productivity of nations. In particular, the models here suggest that the R&D intensity equal to about 2.5% and tax on corporate profits equal to 3.1% of the GDP seem to maximize the labour productivity of countries. Beyond these optimal thresholds, the labor productivity begins to decrease. These results can be explained by the curvilinear relationship between labour productivity and R&D intensity, and between labour productivity and tax on corporate profits. Some factors and environmental determinants of these results are discussed. These findings can clarify whenever possible, some sources of labor productivity and suggest a research and industrial policy of optimal rates of R&D intensity and tax on corporate profits (as percentage of GDP) directed to support competitive advantage, technological innovation and wealth creation of nations over time.
Southern African Liberation Struggles 1960–1994: Contemporaneous Documents

The Hashim Mbita Project’s Southern African Liberation Struggles 1960–1994, finally published, is, states the publisher, ‘the most comprehensive historical record of the liberation struggles in sou...
Trace-Level Screening of Chemicals Related to Clandestine Desomorphine Production with Ambient Sampling, Portable Mass Spectrometry

Desomorphine is a semisynthetic opioid that is responsible for the psychoactive effects of a dangerous homemade injectable mixture that goes by street name “Krokodil.” Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and paper spray ionization (PSI) are implemented on a portable mass spectrometer for the direct analysis of desomorphine and precursor reagent codeine from multiple substrates of potential relevance to clandestine drug laboratory synthesis and paraphernalia seizure. Minimal sample preparation required for analysis and portability of the instrument suggest the potential for rapid, on-site analysis of evidence, a highly desired benefit for forensic science and law enforcement practitioners. Both DESI-MS and PSI-MS can generate spectra consistent with preceding data obtained using traditional ionization methods, while demonstrating detection limits in the low- to sub-ng levels.
Evaluation of the Trends, Concomitant Procedures, and Complications With Open and Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repairs in the Medicare Population.

Background:Medicare insures the largest population of patients at risk for rotator cuff tears in the United States.Purpose:To evaluate the trends in incidence, concomitant procedures, and complicat...
Attack-resilient energy management architecture of hybrid emergency power system for more-electric aircrafts

This paper proposes an attack-resilient energy management architecture for a hybrid emergency power system of More-Electric Aircrafts (MEAs). Our proposed architecture develops an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Interference System (ANFIS)-based method to evaluate the integrity of the power output of the fuel-cell in the fuel-cell based hybrid auxiliary power unit (APU), which is vulnerable to the cyber-attacks and critical for the effective energy management and emergency control. Our ANFIS-based method achieves the integrity evaluation by leveraging the real-time measures on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery, power output of the ultra-capacitor and the load profile. In our simulation, we evaluate the performance of our proposed ANFIS-based method to support the integrity of the Energy Management Strategies (EMSs) used in hybrid emergency power system for more-electric aircrafts by using MATLAB/Simulink. Our simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed method in effectively evaluating the integrity of critical data and achieving resilient control.
Isolation of Aggressive Behavior Mutants in Drosophila Using a Screen for Wing Damage

Aggression is a complex social behavior that is widespread in nature. To date, only a limited number of genes that affect aggression have been identified, in large part because the complexity of the phenotype makes screening difficult and time-consuming regardless of the species that is studied. We discovered that aggressive group-housed Drosophila melanogaster males inflict damage on each other's wings, and show that wing damage negatively affects their ability to fly and mate. Using this wing-damage phenotype, we screened males from ∼1400 chemically mutagenized strains and found ∼40 mutant strains with substantial wing damage. Five of these mutants also had increased aggressive behavior. To identify the causal mutation in one of our top aggressive strains, we used whole-genome sequencing and genomic duplication rescue strategies. We identified a novel mutation in the voltage-gated potassium channel Shaker (Sh) and show that a nearby previously identified Sh mutation also results in increased aggression. This simple screen can be used to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying aggression.
While the World Burns: Joseph Conrad and the Delayed Decoding of Catastrophe

This article offers a reading of Joseph Conrad’s ‘Youth’ as an exercise in Earth system poetics, situating the story within both the energy transition from sail to steam and the emergence of the Anthropocene. In the process, it examines the ways in which Conrad’s inside-out account of an exploding coal ship offers a study in climate change denial, dramatizing the cognitive and affective limits to apprehending planetary change.
Physiological Challenges of Migration

Although there is little doubt that a number of avian species periodically fly over long distances, which has been defined as migration, how and why such mass movements evolved is still a matter of speculation. The range of body masses of birds that migrate ranges from very small individuals (hummingbirds) to quite large birds, such as geese. No matter the size of the bird, such sustained activity costs a great deal in the form of metabolic substrates. Data show that the principal fuel metabolized is lipids in the form of fatty acids. In addition, some birds will metabolize the protein of muscle and other organs when lipid stores are depleted. Carbohydrates (glucose) do not appear to be a substrate that is metabolized during sustained flight. Birds flying at extreme elevations show some adaptations of mitochondrial enzymes and muscle capillarity as compensation for low oxygen tension.
Application of Nonstationary Markovian Models to Risk Management in Automobile Leasing

Automobile leasing is a growing and competitive business in which the lessor absorbs the risk of fluctuations in used-car prices, in addition to normal credit risks. To explore the various dimensions of risk in automobile leasing, we construct a set of integrated statistical models using account-level data from a major U.S. financial institution. Nonstationary Markovian models represent the life of a lease. A dozen logistic and regression models represent alternative paths on termination. We describe the comprehensive model and its validation, demonstrate its utility for management of credit risk, and provide new understanding about the character of the credit instrument.
Color, Timbre, and Echoes: How Source-Filter Processes Determine Why We See What We See and Hear What We Hear

Handel believes that color and timbre are properties of things, so the perceptual problem is to figure out the color of an object independent of illumination and the timbre of the source independent of the pitch. But because the energy at different wavelengths or frequencies of the source excitation is altered by the reflection or transmission of the filter in various ways, it is impossible to do so without context and previous experience. The performance at color-matching tasks and the discrimination of instruments at different pitches shows how difficult this is, but increasing the richness of the context improves performance for both color and timbre. Echolocation, based on the comparison of the self-produced whistles or clicks and their reflection, shares the same difficulties.
Cooperating effects of conformal iron oxide (FeOx) ALD coating and post-annealing on Li-Rich layered cathode materials

Abstract Li-rich layered cathode materials have received wide attention due to their superior Li-storage capability. However, their applications are still limited by capacity degradation and voltage decay, which is caused by the phase transition and metal dissolution during repeated cycling. In this work, iron oxide (FeOx) atomic layer deposition (ALD) was performed on Li-rich layered cathode powders in a fluidized bed reactor, followed by an annealing process to further improve their electrochemical performance. After 100 cycles of charge-discharge at 55 °C and 1C (1C = 250 mA g−1), the cathode made from particles with 40 cycles of FeOx ALD and annealing showed a 73% retention of the initial capacity (221 mAh g−1), while the electrode made from the pristine powders showed only 26% retention of the initial capacity (197 mAh g−1) at the same conditions. The enhancement of Li+ transport and cyclic stability stemmed from a stable Fe-doped spinel phase on the surface of cathode particles after ALD coating followed by annealing. A detailed post-test analysis demonstrated that the modification limited impedance growth and suppressed electrolyte degradation and metal dissolution.
Applying an Electronic Health Records Data Quality Framework Across Service Sectors: A Case Study of Juvenile Justice System Data.

Context: Integrating electronic health records (EHR) with other sources of administrative data is key to identifying factors affecting the long-term health of traditionally underserved populations, such as individuals involved in the justice system. Linking existing administrative data from multiple sources overcomes many of the limitations of traditional prospective studies of population health, but the linking process assumes high levels of data quality and consistency within administrative data. Studies of EHR, unlike other types of administrative data, have provided guidance to evaluate the utility of big data for population health research. Case Description: Here, an established EHR data quality framework was applied to identify and describe the potential shortcomings of administrative juvenile justice system data collected by one of four case management systems (CMSs) across 12 counties in a Midwest state. The CMS data were reviewed for logical inconsistencies and compared along the data quality dimensions of plausibility and completeness. Major Themes: After applying the data quality framework, several patterns of logical inconsistencies within the data were identified. To resolve these inconsistencies, recommendations regarding data entry, review, and extraction are offered. Conclusion: The recommendations related to achieving quality justice system data can be applied to future efforts to link administrative databases from multiple sources. Increasing trust in administrative data quality related to vulnerable populations ultimately improves knowledge of pressing public health concerns.
DeeperCoder: Code Generation Using Machine Learning

In this paper, we present a program generation system based on input and output specification. The system is developed based on a programming-by-example technique used in program synthesis. The system can generate computer programs that satisfies user requirements based on inputs and outputs. We created a simple Domain Specific Language (DSL) which will be used in program synthesis. We trained our neural network with a large set of input space and store corresponding sample training programs. To get the final output which satisfies all the user specifications, we used inductive program synthesis and machine learning. We also experimented with different deep learning models to obtain the desired results with reduced number of steps and execution time. Finally, we show three layers of neural networks with LeakyReLU achieves the best performance when compared to other approaches.
Value-Based intervention with hospital and pathology laboratory informatics: A case of analytics and outreach at the veterans affairs

Background: Laboratory tests are among the most ordered tests and account for a large portion of wasted health-care spending. Meta-analyses suggest that the most promising interventions at improving health-care value and reducing cost are low investment strategies involving simple changes to ordering systems. The veterans affairs (VA) has a 2018–2024 strategic objective to reduce wasted spending through data- and performance-focused decision-making. Methods: VA Palo Alto Healthcare System laboratory utilization data were obtained from multiple sources, including the VA Corporate Data Warehouse and utilization reports from reference laboratory. Ordering volume, test results, and follow-up clinical impact data were collected and evaluated in partnership with the treating physicians and hospital informatics in order to optimize ordering sets. Results: Dextromethorphan (Dext) and synthetic cannabinoid testing were identified as the lowest value tests based on a three-tier score of negativity rate, volume, and cost. In partnership with the ordering physicians and hospital informatics, reflexive testing was eliminated, resulting in persistent decreases in the volume of Dext (162–10 tests/month) and synthetic cannabinoid tests (155–19 tests/month) ordered. The proportion of unnecessary repeat tests also dropped from 71.5% to 5.5%, the test positivity rate increased from 0.87% to 3.49%, and the approximate monthly cost of both tests decreased ten-fold from $21,250 to $2087 for a yearly savings of $229,000 at a single VA. Conclusions: Improved laboratory utilization is central to the VA' strategic objective to reduce waste. A relatively simple intervention involving partnership with the treating physicians and hospital informatics in combination with data- and performance-focused decision-making can yield substantial reductions in health-care waste.
Chapter 12 – Online resources

This chapter provides a compendium of online resources relevant to drug sensitivity prediction modeling. Information on online databases for pathways, genetic and functional characterizations; various predictive modeling tools, drug synergy estimation software, and regulatory resources are presented in this chapter.
Variability, visuals, and interaction: online learning recommendations from social work students

Online learning has become increasingly popular in higher education, and an increasing number of social work programs are offering completely online programs. Despite this, little is known about so...
Abstract A013: “You can’t escape tobacco; you have to change your environment”: Perceived barriers to and recommendations for cessation among polytobacco using urban young adults in Baltimore, Maryland

Background/Purpose: Polyuse of tobacco products is increasing among urban young adults. Understanding different use profiles and the obstacles that this population faces in an attempt to quit smoking is important to inform effective cessation programs. We explored perceived barriers to tobacco cessation and recommendations for/interest in cessation programs among urban young adult polytobacco users. Methods/Approach: 17 focus groups were conducted among 97 tobacco users between the ages of 18 and 26 from Baltimore, Maryland. Qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results/Findings: All participants reported a history of tobacco product polyuse, and 85% reported polyuse in the past 30 days. Several barriers to tobacco cessation emerged, including: influence of social network, easy access, source of stress relief (anxiety management), belief in self-control (ability to stop on own if desired), and boredom. Most participants reported little interest in or success with standard pamphlet-based and in-person cessation programs, but did view mobile-based cessation programs favorably. Discussions suggested that the ideal program would be quick, interactive, and would provide tailored prompts along the way, delivering cues to action. Conclusions/Significance: Given the higher prevalence of polyuse in comparison to single use for this population, tobacco cessation interventions targeting urban young adults may need to account for polyuse of tobacco. Results from this study indicate that this population faces multiple barriers to cessation, but that there is interest in utilizing mobile-based interventions and social media for cessation attempts, ultimately allowing them to manage cessation in their own time, and is more fitting of their lifestyle. Citation Format: Daisy Le, Gypsyamber D9Souza, Rebkha Atnafou, Meghan B. Moran. “You can’t escape tobacco; you have to change your environment”: Perceived barriers to and recommendations for cessation among polytobacco using urban young adults in Baltimore, Maryland [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A013.
Mommy Meltdown: Understanding Racial Differences Between Black and White Women in Attitudes About Postpartum Depression and Treatment Modalities

Background: Postpartum depression is a major public health problem, but limited information is available about risk factors and attitudes of minority women about postpartum depression. The objective of this study is to determine attitudes of minority women toward postpartum depression and treatment. Methods: In this prospective study at an academic resident and faculty clinic, 39 women (19 black and 20 white) at the 6-week postpartum visit completed a survey that was developed for this study to assess personal and family attitudes about postpartum depression in addition to the routinely distributed Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. The primary outcome variable was the presence of postpartum depression amongst minority women compared to other races. The secondary outcome looked at descriptors of attitudes about depression and treatment. Data were analyzed with Chi-square test for categorical data and Student’s t -test for continuous data. Results: Black and white participants were comparable in age, distribution of gestational age at birth, delivery type and pregnancy complications. The diagnosis of postpartum depression was not different in either population (two black and three white women; P = 0.667). Black participants were referred less frequently to counseling as treatment (5% vs. 30%; P = 0.052) but both black and white study participants viewed counseling as helpful (84% vs. 80%; P = 0.345). Black participants had a lower frequency of family history of depression (11% vs. 40%; P = 0.052) but both study groups were comfortable discussing the topic with their families, felt that their families were not ashamed of any social stigma about depression, and would be supportive of either counseling or medications as a treatment modality. Conclusions: Postpartum depression was common among our patients regardless of race. Most black and white women were willing to discuss depression with their families and accept treatment. Despite previous evidence to the contrary, black women stated that they were open to counseling as treatment for depression. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2020;9(3):37-42 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo664
Future Earnings Information in Business Text

We show that measures of business text sentiment are highly affected by transitory events. These transitory events lead to a strong positive association between sentiment and contemporaneous earnings. However, the association between sentiment and future earnings is insignificant. We develop a quantification of business text that is less affected by transitory events and is therefore better suited for prediction. Applied to 10-K filings, our proposed measure is strongly associated with both contemporaneous and future earnings. Further, applied to earnings announcements, our measure is strongly associated with future returns. Other tests verify and confirm the value of our measurement approach.
Effect of caffeine on alcohol drinking in mice.

Abstract Mixing alcohol (ethanol) with caffeinated beverages continues to be a common and risky practice. Energy drinks are one type of caffeinated beverage that may be especially problematic when used as mixers, due to their relatively high caffeine content in combination with their highly sweetened flavor profile. The present study used a mouse model of limited-access drinking and lickometer circuitry to examine the effects of an energy drink anid its caffeine content on ethanol consumption. Predictably, the highly sweetened energy drink significantly increased ethanol intake compared to a plain ethanol solution (6.34 ± 0.2 vs. 5.01 ± 0.3 g/kg; Cohen's d = 1.79). Interestingly, adulterating a plain ethanol solution with the same concentration of caffeine (without sweetener) found in the energy drink also increased ethanol intake (5.47 ± 0.3 vs. 4.11 ± 0.3 g/kg; Cohen's d = 1.4). A lower concentration of caffeine was without effect on ethanol drinking. Interestingly, plain caffeine solutions at both tested concentrations provoked high numbers of bottle contacts, indicating that the mice found the solution palatable. These findings suggest that altering the bitterness profile of an ethanol solution with the addition of caffeine can increase intake in a similar manner as sweetening the solution. Further, the findings underscore the importance of taste in motivating ethanol consumption and the potential role that caffeine can have in this process.
An Assessment of Obfuscated Ransomware Detection and Prevention Methods

Ransomware is a special type of malware, which infects a system and limits user’s access to the system and its resources until a ransom is paid. It does that by creating a denial of service of a system to its own user by encrypting files and/or locking the machine. The malware takes advantage of people’s fear of revealing their private information, losing their critical data, or facing serious hardware damage. Some of the most recent well-known ransomware include WannaCry, Petya, Bad Rabbit, and Baltimore City. Ransomware creators use a special technique called obfuscation to evade detection by antivirus software. The degree of antivirus detection depends on the complexity of the obfuscation process. The purpose of this research is to assess the efficiency of current malware analysis methods and technologies in the detection of ransomware as well as prevention methods to keep files safe using cloud computing. The experiments presented here were performed using antivirus engines and dynamic malware analysis against live obfuscated ransomware samples.
Governing urban resilience: Insurance and the problematization of climate change

This paper examines the growing importance of private insurance in urban resilience, drawing on research in three US cities that are bellwethers of climate adaptation: New Orleans, New York and Gre...
Prior aerosol infection with lineage A SARS-CoV-2 variant protects hamsters from disease, but not reinfection with B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant.

The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs). It is currently unclear whether the previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides protection against reinfection with VOCs. Here, we show that low dose aerosol exposure to hCoV-19/human/USA/WA-CDC-WA1/2020 (WA1, lineage A), resulted in a productive mild infection. In contrast, a low dose of SARS-CoV-2 via fomites did not result in productive infection in the majority of exposed hamsters and these animals remained non-seroconverted. After recovery, hamsters were re-exposed to hCoV-19/South African/KRISP-K005325/2020 (VOC B.1.351) via an intranasal challenge. Seroconverted rechallenged animals did not lose weight and shed virus for three days. They had a little infectious virus and no pathology in the lungs. In contrast, shedding, weight loss and extensive pulmonary pathology caused by B.1.351 replication were observed in the non-seroconverted animals. The rechallenged seroconverted animals did not transmit the virus to naive sentinels via direct contact transmission, in contrast to the non-seroconverted animals. Reinfection with B.1.351 triggered an anamnestic response that boosted not only neutralizing titres against lineage A, but also titres against B.1.351. Our results confirm that aerosol exposure is a more efficient infection route than fomite exposure. Furthermore, initial infection with SARS-CoV-2 lineage A does not prevent heterologous reinfection with B.1.351 but prevents disease and onward transmission. These data suggest that previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure induces partial protective immunity. The reinfection generated a broadly neutralizing humoral response capable of effectively neutralizing B.1.351 while maintaining its ability to neutralize the virus to which the initial response was directed against.
What 21st Century Students Want: Factors that Influence Student Selection of Educational Leadership Graduate Programs

Enrollment numbers in graduate Educational Leadership programs are dwindling in many public higher education institutions across the United States. At the same time, for-profit institutions and institutions with private marketing partnerships have experienced increasingly greater enrollments. In this article, the authors present survey results of graduate students in Educational Leadership programs (N=100) to determine the factors that motivate students to select a particular graduate Educational Leadership program. Results suggest that Master's and doctoral-level students primarily select an Educational Leadership program based on the course delivery methods (with hybrid courses most preferred) and the convenience that the program offers in terms of scheduling and location.
Composition of the Water-soluble Portion of Cellulose Cigarette Smoke Condensate

Water-soluble portion of the smoke condensate of cellulose cigarette was studied and 42 compounds—10 lactones, 6 cyclopentanones (or cyclopentenones), 5 pyrans and other compounds—were either positively or tentatively identified. Of these 42 compounds, 12, such as succinaldehyde, 5-hydroxy-2-pentenone, etc., were identified for the first time in cellulose pyrolyzate. Semi-quantitative estimation of some of the major components in water-soluble portion revealed that 1,6-anhydroglucopyranose (levoglucosan) was the most abundant, followed by 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopentenone (cyclotene), acetol, 2-hydroxy-5-pentanolide, etc. Glycolaldehyde which seems to be more abundant than cyclotene on chxomatogram could not be estimated because of peak tailing. Of these water-soluble components, succinaldehyde has very pungent and irritating effect and seems to be a cause of the pungent and irritating odor of cellulose cigarette smoke.
Phospholipid structure and thromboplastic activity. II. The fatty acid composition of the active phosphatidyl ethanolamines.

Abstract 1. 1. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine from several sources has been compared for clot-accelerating ability in a recalcified plasma test system. 2. 2. The thromboplastic activity of phosphatidyl ethanolamine has been found to increase as the degree of unsaturation of symmetrically distributed fatty acids in the molecule increases. 3. 3. The importance of unsaturation of the fatty acids appears to be related to the size and shape of the colloidal particle of phosphatide dispersed in water. 4. 4. The formation of an active complex composed of phosphatide micelle, calcium ion, and a third plasma factor, is postulated and discussed.
Software architectural support for disconnected operation in distributed environments

In distributed and mobile environments, the connections among the hosts on which a software system is running are often unstable. As a result of connectivity losses, the overall availability of the system decreases. The distribution of software components onto hardware nodes (i.e., deployment architecture) may be ill-suited for the given target hardware environment and may need to be altered to improve the software system's availability. The critical difficulty in achieving this task lies in the fact that determining a software system's deployment that will maximize its availability is an exponentially complex problem. In this dissertation, we motivate, present, and evaluate an automated, flexible, software architecture-based solution for disconnected operation that increases the availability of the system during disconnection. We provide a set of models, algorithms, techniques, and tools for improving a distributed, mobile system's availability via redeployment, by enabling the system to (1) monitor its operation; (2) estimate its deployment architecture; and (3) effect that architecture automatically. While the focus of this dissertation research is on improving system availability, our methodology is extensible to support other non-functional properties that may be relevant in a given distributed system. This dissertation is evaluated empirically, by conducting a series of benchmark tests and applying the methodology to example applications. The dissertation concludes with a set of open research questions that will frame our future work.
Solvent Effects upon Electrochemical Kinetics: Influences of Interfacial Solvation and Solvent Relaxation Dynamics

Some likely influences of the solvent medium upon the kinetics of simple electrochemical reactions are described, and illustrated with recent results from the author’s laboratory.
A controlled study of ethanol in threatened premature labor.

Abstract A controlled study, designed to permit sequential analysis, of the use of ethanol to inhibit premature labor was carried out. Only a total of 42 patients was required to prove the efficacy of the ethanol treatment statistically.
Changes in glucose, insulin, lipid, lipoprotein, and apoprotein concentrations and insulin action in doxazosin-treated patients with hypertension. Comparison between nondiabetic individuals and patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Thirty patients with hypertension were enrolled in this study, 13 had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 17 were nondiabetic. Patients were treated with doxazosin for approximately 4 months, and blood pressure fell significantly (P < .001) in both nondiabetics (149/96 to 134/85 mm Hg) and in those with NIDDM (154/96 to 143/84 mm Hg). In the nondiabetic group, doxazosin treatment was associated with significant improvement in insulin-mediated glucose disposal (P < .05) and lower plasma insulin (P < .001), and triglyceride (P < .001) concentrations measured at hourly intervals from 8 AM to 4 PM (breakfast at 8 AM and lunch at noon). In addition, fasting total plasma (P < .001) and VLDL cholesterol (P < .01), and total plasma (P < .05), VLDL (P < .08), LDL (P < .01), HDL (P < .01) triglyceride concentrations were lower following doxazosin treatments in the nondiabetic group, as was the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol (P < .001). Finally, apoprotein B concentrations fell with doxazosin in the nondiabetic group (P < .01). Significant changes seen in the group with NIDDM included a decrease in the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol (P < .001) and a fall in apoprotein B concentration (P < .05). However, values for all other variables did not change significantly with treatment in this group. Thus, doxazosin treatment of nondiabetic subjects with high blood pressure was associated with a series of changes in glucose, insulin, and lipoprotein metabolism that should decrease risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in these individuals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)