cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Theory-of-Mind Hypothesis of Autism

Two decades ago, the theory-of-mind hypothesis of autism was introduced by Baron-Cohen and his colleagues; this theory provided a unified cognitive explanation for the key social and communication symptoms in that disorder. I evaluate the theory-of-mind hypothesis in light of studies that have addressed several key questions: Do children with autism develop theory-of-mind concepts? How can we explain why some children with autism pass theory-of-mind tasks? Do deficits in theory of mind account for the major impairments that characterize autistic disorder? Current research supports the view that autism involves delays and deficits not only in the development of a theory of mind but also in additional aspects of social-affective information processing that extend beyond the traditional boundaries of theory of mind.
High-performance code generation for stencil computations on GPU architectures

Stencil computations arise in many scientific computing domains, and often represent time-critical portions of applications. There is significant interest in offloading these computations to high-performance devices such as GPU accelerators, but these architectures offer challenges for developers and compilers alike. Stencil computations in particular require careful attention to off-chip memory access and the balancing of work among compute units in GPU devices.In this paper, we present a code generation scheme for stencil computations on GPU accelerators, which optimizes the code by trading an increase in the computational workload for a decrease in the required global memory bandwidth. We develop compiler algorithms for automatic generation of efficient, time-tiled stencil code for GPU accelerators from a high-level description of the stencil operation. We show that the code generation scheme can achieve high performance on a range of GPU architectures, including both nVidia and AMD devices.
Subgroups close to normal subgroups

Abstract Let G be a group and H a subgroup. It is shown that the set of indices {[H: H ∩ gHg −1 ]¦g ϵ G} has a finite upper bound n if and only if there is a normal subgroup N ⊵ G which is commensurable with H; i.e., such that [H: N ∩ H] and [N: N ∩ H] are finite; moreover, the latter indices admit bounds depending only on n. If the bounded index hypothesis is assumed only for g running over some subgroup K⩽G, the conclusion holds with “normal” weakened to “normalized by K.” More detailed information is obtained under the assumption that {[H: H ∩ gHg−1]g ϵ G} = {1, p} for p prime. In particular, when p = 2 there exists N ⊵ G such that either H has index 2 in N, or N has index 2 in H.
A new method of sampling blood for measurement of plasma adenosine

The half-life of adenosine in human blood is 1-2 s at 37 degrees C. To measure plasma adenosine concentration accurately, it is necessary to inhibit adenosine metabolism during transit of blood through the sampling catheter. We have tested a double-lumen catheter and a solution of compounds that inhibit adenosine metabolism (stop solution) for this purpose. Stop solution and radiolabeled adenosine were delivered via an inner lumen, mixed with blood at the catheter tip, and withdrawn to a collection syringe in an outer lumen. Extracellular recovery of label was 89 +/- 5% and proportional to the quantity of label added to blood. In contrast, when blood and radiolabel were mixed with stop solution in the collecting syringe only after passage through the catheter, recovery of radiolabel was 7 +/- 3%. The importance of inhibiting pathways of adenosine formation and degradation or uptake during transit of blood through the catheter was demonstrated. The results suggest that a double-lumen catheter and stop solution are both necessary and suitable for collection of human blood to determine the concentration of plasma adenosine.
Hybrid adaptive tracking control of rigid-link electrically driven robots actuated by switched reluctance motors

The controller is hybrid in the sense that an adaptive controller is used to compensate for parametric uncertainties within the nonlinear model of the manipulator while an adaptive robust controller corrects for the typically ignored electrical actuator dynamics. That is, in spite of parametric uncertainty throughout the entire electromechanical system dynamics and additive bounded electrical disturbances, it is still possible to ensure a global uniform asymptotic stability (GUAS) result for the link position tracking error.
Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patient Receiving Steroids and Protease Inhibitor Therapy

We describe a patient who became cushingoid as a result of receiving steroid therapy for thrombocytopenia purpura and who then developed spinal epidural lipomatosis 4 months after he started receiving ritonavir as part of his therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection. We believe that ritonavir may have contributed to the development of epidural lipomatosis and that clinicians should be aware of this possible association.
Measurement of Silicon Nanowires Carrier Mobility and Its Size Dependence

We perform the first direct capacitance measurements of silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) and the determination of field carrier mobilities (for both electrons and holes) and their NW size dependence in undoped-channel Si-NW field-effect transistors (FETs) at room temperature. We use a two-FET method for accurate extraction of the intrinsic channel resistance and capacitance of the Si-NWs. The devices used in this study were fabricated using a top-down method to create Si-NW FETs with up to 1000 wires in parallel for increasing the raw capacitance while maintaining excellent control on device dimensions and series resistance. We then study and compare the NW mobility values with those of the known universal mobility curves for bulk silicon.
Efficient Learning of Generalized Linear and Single Index Models with Isotonic Regression

Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) and Single Index Models (SIMs) provide powerful generalizations of linear regression, where the target variable is assumed to be a (possibly unknown) 1-dimensional function of a linear predictor. In general, these problems entail non-convex estimation procedures, and, in practice, iterative local search heuristics are often used. Kalai and Sastry (2009) provided the first provably efficient method, the Isotron algorithm, for learning SIMs and GLMs, under the assumption that the data is in fact generated under a GLM and under certain monotonicity and Lipschitz (bounded slope) constraints. The Isotron algorithm interleaves steps of perceptron-like updates with isotonic regression (fitting a one-dimensional non-decreasing function). However, to obtain provable performance, the method requires a fresh sample every iteration. In this paper, we provide algorithms for learning GLMs and SIMs, which are both computationally and statistically efficient. We modify the isotonic regression step in Isotron to fit a Lipschitz monotonic function, and also provide an efficient O(n log(n)) algorithm for this step, improving upon the previous O(n2) algorithm. We provide a brief empirical study, demonstrating the feasibility of our algorithms in practice.
Preoperative Evaluation of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

There are more than 29 million people in the United States with diabetes; it is estimated that by 2050, one in 3 individuals will have the disease. At least 50% of patients with diabetes are expected to undergo surgery in their lifetime. Complications from uncontrolled diabetes can impact multiple organ systems and affect perioperative risk. In this review, the authors discuss principles in diabetes management that will assist the perioperative clinician in caring for patients with diabetes.
Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes Formed Using dc PECVD as Switching Elements for Extreme Environment Space Electronics

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) switches are currently being investigated for their application in radiation-hard, high temperature space electronics. Carbon nanotubes are attractive for switching applications since electrostatically-actuated CNT switches have low actuation voltages and power requirements, while allowing GHz switching speeds that stem from the inherently high elastic modulus and low mass of the CNT. Our NEM structure consists of CNTs that are grown using dc plasma-enhanced (PE) chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) for forming vertically aligned, rigid tubes. A gas mixture of acetylene and ammonia were used for tube growth at a total pressure of a few Torr and temperatures up to 700 °C. We have formed arrays of single, vertically aligned tubes directly on Si, which was enabled by this first report of an optical lithography approach used to generate isolated tubes compared to e-beam lithography that is conventionally used. Vertical NEM switch devices were formed where single, vertically aligned tubes were seen within deep trenches, in close proximity to conducting electrodes.
Branch direction in Carnegiea gigantea (Cactaceae): Regional patterns and the effect of nurse plants

Abstract Branch direction in Carnegiea gigantea (saguaro) cacti affects PAR interception and CO2 uptake, and may influence reception of photomorphogenic cues. Branch direction data were collected in 29 saguaro populations over Arizona to determine if the southerly bias observed in previous studies at two locales can be generalized to the American range of the saguaro, and to determine the effect of shading by nurse plants on branch direction. Locally observed S bias from previous studies can be extended and generalized to include the American saguaro range. Branches were statistically uniform across environmental variability regarding temperature and precipitation. The S bias was not found in saguaros shaded by large nurse plants, supporting the assertion that branch direction occurs, in part, to maximize receipt of insolation. Abbreviations: OPCNM = Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument; SNP = Saguaro National Park.
CHAPTER 4: INORGANIC PHOSPHORUS POLYMERS

Abstract The term inorganic polymers comprises polymers whose main chains (linear, branched, or cross-linked) have no carbon atoms. The side groups may contain carbon. Obviously, inorganic polymers with organic side groups are particularly interesting because the physicomechanical properties required of plastics, such as plasticity, elasticity, solubility. fusibility, etc., are primarily obtained by introducing organic groups into inorganic polymer chains. In this text, reference is made to the commonly known differences between polysilicates and polysiloxanes (silicones). The great interest attached to inorganic polymers is due mainly to the search for plastics of high thermal stability. Various recent reviews summarizing the theoretical and experimental findings [G8,H6,Ll,Sl5,Y3] are available on inorganic polymers. Phosphorus-containing inorganic polymers have been included in all these monographs.
Characteristics of a four element gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission line array high power microwave source

In this paper, a solid-state four element array gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission line high power microwave system is presented as well as a detailed description of its subsystems and general output capabilities. This frequency agile S-band source is easily adjusted from 2-4 GHz by way of a DC driven biasing magnetic field and is capable of generating electric fields of 7.8 kV/m at 10 m correlating to 4.2 MW of RF power with pulse repetition frequencies up to 1 kHz. Beam steering of the array at angles of ±16.7° is also demonstrated, and the associated general radiation pattern is detailed.
On Factors Influencing Farmland Transfer Rent and the Role of Land Share Cooperatives——A Study Based on the Survey of 413 Households in Anhui and Zhejiang

Based on a cross section data gathered from 413 rural households in 3 counties of 2 provinces in 2010,this paper examined the major factors affecting farmland transfer rent.Besides,through combining households'asset allocation model with the experience of field investigation,the paper also analyzed the influence of land share cooperatives upon the income growth of rural households.The result shows that,education background of the head family member,usage of the land,transfer term and farmers'degree of organization have a significant impact on the rent.What's more,empirical evidence further indicates that joining the land share cooperatives could help to reduce the transaction cost and uncertainty as well as protect farmers'land rights.
Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Modeling of Reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov Instability Experiments and Simulations

Turbulence generated by hydrodynamic instabilities is important in high-energydensity physics [1]. Examples in astrophysics include turbulent mixing processes during stellar core-collapse, where shock waves accelerate multiple perturbed gas interfaces.
Urine and serum biomonitoring of exposure to environmental estrogens II: Soy isoflavones and zearalenone in pregnant women.

Abstract Urine and serum biomonitoring was used to measure internal exposure to selected dietary estrogens in a cohort of 30 pregnant women. Exposure was measured over a period comprising one-half day in the field (6 h) and one day in a clinic (24 h). Biomonitoring of the dietary phytoestrogens genistein (GEN), daidzein (DDZ) and equol (EQ), as well as the mycoestrogen, zearalenone (ZEN) and its congeners, was conducted using UPLC-MS/MS. Biomonitoring revealed evidence of internal exposure to naturally occurring dietary estrogens during pregnancy. Urinary concentrations of total GEN, DDZ and EQ were similar to levels reported for general adult U.S. population. Measurable concentrations of total (parent and metabolites) GEN, DDZ and EQ were present in 240, 207 and 2 of 270 serum samples, respectively. Six out of 30 subjects had measurable concentrations of unconjugated GEN and/or DDZ in serum between 0.6 and 7.1 nM. Urine to serum total isoflavone ratios for GEN, DDZ and EQ were 13, 47, and 180, respectively. ZEN and its reductive metabolite, α-zearalenol (α-ZEL), were present in pregnant women (11 out of 30 subjects) as conjugates at levels near the limit of quantification. The average total urinary concentration was 0.10 μg/L for ZEN and 0.11 μg/L for α-ZEL.
The role of residual symptoms in nonadherence to treatment.

Nonadherence to antidepressants is the rule rather than the exception. A variety of factors contribute to the problem of nonadherence, including side effects, costs, and stigma. However, residual symptoms may represent the single major risk factor for nonadherence.
Experimental demonstration of performance improvement with a strain boost technique tailored for 3-Dimensional structure on nano-scaled bulk pFinFETs

We demonstrated a strain boost technique tailored for 3-Dimensional (3-D) structure on pFinFETs so the longitudinal stress can be locally maximized in the fin. The resulting effective mobility (μeff) improvement by this technique was effectively transferred to the enhancement of the injection velocity (Uinj). The saturation drain current (Idsat) and the ring oscillator speed under the same electrostatics were hence improved by 5% and 3% at Vdd=0.8V, respectively. Moreover, the electrical characteristics at the varied Vdd and temperatures, the fin number dependence, and the local variability were also systematically discussed in this paper.
Quantitative scanning thermal microscopy of graphene devices on flexible polyimide substrates

A triple-scan scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) method and a zero-heat flux laser-heated SThM technique are investigated for quantitative thermal imaging of flexible graphene devices. A similar local tip-sample thermal resistance is observed on both the graphene and metal areas of the sample, and is attributed to the presence of a polymer residue layer on the sample surface and a liquid meniscus at the tip-sample junction. In addition, it is found that the tip-sample thermal resistance is insensitive to the temperature until it begins to increase as the temperature increases to 80 °C and exhibits an abrupt increase at 110 °C because of evaporation of the liquid meniscus at the tip-sample junction. Moreover, the variation in the tip-sample thermal resistance due to surface roughness is within the experimental tolerance except at areas with roughness height exceeding tens of nanometers. Because of the low thermal conductivity of the flexible polyimide substrate, the SThM measurements have found that the temperature rise in flexible graphene devices is more than one order of magnitude higher than those reported for graphene devices fabricated on a silicon substrate with comparable dimensions and power density. Unlike a graphene device on a silicon substrate where the majority of the electrical heating in the graphene device is conducted vertically through the thin silicon dioxide dielectric layer to the high-thermal conductivity silicon substrate, lateral heat spreading is important in the flexible graphene devices, as shown by the observed decrease in the average temperature rise normalized by the power density with decreasing graphene channel length from about 30 μm to 10 μm. However, it is shown by numerical heat transfer analysis that this trend is mainly caused by the size scaling of the thermal spreading resistance of the polymer substrate instead of lateral heat spreading by the graphene. In addition, thermoelectric effects are found to be negligible compared to Joule heating in the flexible graphene devices measured in this work.
Historical mass, power, schedule, and cost growth for NASA spacecraft

Although spacecraft developers have been moving towards standardized product lines as the aerospace industry has matured, NASA's continual need to push the cutting edge of science to accomplish unique, challenging missions can still lead to spacecraft resource growth over time. This paper assesses historical mass, power, cost, and schedule growth for multiple NASA spacecraft from the last twenty years and compares to industry reserve guidelines to understand where the guidelines may fall short. Growth is assessed from project start to launch, from the time of the preliminary design review (PDR) to launch and from the time of the critical design review (CDR) to launch. Data is also assessed not just at the spacecraft bus level, but also at the subsystem level wherever possible, to help obtain further insight into possible drivers of growth. Potential recommendations to minimize spacecraft mass, power, cost, and schedule growth for future missions are also discussed.
Resolving and Targeting the Mechanobiome of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

In the US, 37,000 people die annually from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has an abysmal 6% five-year survival rate. Existing strategies for treating cancer primarily focus on inhibiting cell growth through specific genetic pathways, which typically either fail to completely abolish the disease or which lead to compensatory regulatory changes, and hence, drug resistance. Targeting cell mechanics remains an under-used approach for drug development.To identify new targetable drug spaces we assessed cytoskeletal proteins in the PDAC mechanobiome, the direct driver of cell shape change including migration and invasion. The structural elements of the mechanobiome are the final determinants of a cell's mechanical attributes and lie downstream of regulatory molecules like KRAS. Inhibition of these targets is therefore less likely to be subject to compensatory regulation by cancer cells. We determined via western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry of patient-derived samples that key players involved in mechanosensation-myosin IIA, IIC, α-actin-4, and filamin B -show increased expression in cancerous ductal epithelial over normal tissue, while non-mechanosensory, or variable mechanosensory, paralogs (myosin IIB, α-actin-1, and filamin A) show decreased expression. This upregulation of highly mechanosensory proteins has initiated an investigation into the necessity and sufficiency of the myosin II paralogs in PDAC metastasis through overexpression and knockdown of expression, coupled with mechanical assays. In addition to resolving the mechanobiome of PDAC, we have previously shown that targeting of myosin IIC by 4-hydroxyacetophenone affects PDAC mechanics. We are testing the in vivo efficacy of 4-HAP by conducting a murine multi-arm study of metastatically human derived pancreatic cancer cells. Preliminary results suggest a protective effect against the metastasis of human pancreatic cancer cells among mice treated with 4-HAP every other day.
Optical Switching Using Transition from Dipolar to Charge Transfer Plasmon Modes in Ge2Sb2Te5 Bridged Metallodielectric Dimers

Capacitive coupling and direct shuttling of charges in nanoscale plasmonic components across a dielectric spacer and through a conductive junction lead to excitation of significantly different dipolar and charge transfer plasmon (CTP) resonances, respectively. Here, we demonstrate the excitation of dipolar and CTP resonant modes in metallic nanodimers bridged by phase-change material (PCM) sections, material and electrical characteristics of which can be controlled by external stimuli. Ultrafast switching (in the range of a few nanoseconds) between amorphous and crystalline phases of the PCM section (here Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST)) allows for designing a tunable plasmonic switch for optical communication applications with significant modulation depth (up to 88%). Judiciously selecting the geometrical parameters and taking advantage of the electrical properties of the amorphous phase of the GST section we adjusted the extinction peak of the dipolar mode at the telecommunication band (λ~1.55 μm), which is considered as the OFF state. Changing the GST phase to crystalline via optical heating allows for direct transfer of charges through the junction between nanodisks and formation of a distinct CTP peak at longer wavelengths (λ~1.85 μm) far from the telecommunication wavelength, which constitutes the ON state.
Chilean New Song: The Political Power of Music, 1960s-1973 by J. Patrice McSherry (review)

McSherry, J. Patrice. Chilean New Song: The Political Power of Music, 1960s–1973 . Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2015. Review by Yoly Zentella.
THE NUCLEOTIDE SPECIFICITY AND FEEDBACK CONTROL OF THYMIDINE DIPHOSPHATE D-GLUCOSE PYROPHOSPHORYLASE.

A large number of nucleotide diphosphate sugar pyrophosphorylases have been described (for review see References 1 and 2), but only a few of these have been purified to any significant extent. In this paper we report the further purification of deoxythymidine diphosphate n-glucose pyrophosphorylase from Pseudomonas ueruginosa (3). With this partially purified enzyme, it is possible to show that this enzyme will utilize not only thymidine nucleotides as substrates but also uridine nucleotides and deoxyuridine nucleotides. The control of the enzymatic reactions involved in the biosynthesis of structural polysaccharides has only recently become a subject of investigation. In particular, Kornfeld et al. (4) have shown that UDP-GlcNAc is a feedback inhibitor of the n-fructose 6-phosphate-L-glutamine amidotransferase, and also that CMPN-acetylneuraminic acid is an inhibitor of the enzyme that cleaves UDP-GlcNAc to N-acetyl-n-mannosamine. In each case the end product inhibits the first enzyme that is unique to its biosynthetic pathway. It is shown in this paper that the dTDP-n-glucose pyrophosphorylase is subject to feedback inhibition by dTDP-Lrhamnose. In an accompanying paper, Bernstein and Robbins (5) describe related observations obtained independently on the dTDP-nglucose pyrophosphorylase and the UDP-n-glucose pyrophosphorylase from Salmonella.
Search space reduction and model configuration - an expert systems approach

The present research focuses on the problems of large search spaces and inadequate representation of the user's world view while using model based paradigms for problem solving. A framework to address these problems by integrating expert systems and simulation systems in a comprehensive decision support environment is suggested. The proposed framework is applied to an example from the domain of file–processing. A prototype to counter search space problems in this domain has been developed. Grounds for future research to enable integration of expert systems and simulation systems to provide for intelligent simulation support systems are identified.
Simulations of single- and two-phase shock tubes and gravity-driven wave problems with the RELAP-7 nuclear reactor system analysis code

Abstract This work presents an assessment of the capabilities of RELAP-7, the next-generation nuclear reactor system code, to solve single- and two-phase flows developing shock tubes and gravity waves. RELAP-7 is based on a seven-equation two-phase flow model with distinct phasic pressures. It is well established that these hyperbolic conservation laws can develop shocks and discontinuities thus requiring a stabilization numerical method. The all-Mach flow Entropy Viscosity Method (EVM) is now employed in RELAP-7 as a viscous stabilization approach. This paper briefly describes implementation of the EVM and uses open-literature test cases that exhibit pressure and gravity waves to show that the entropy viscosity method performs adequately for these single- and two-phase cases.
Health Shocks, Credit Scores, and Strategic Behavior with Credit Cards

The paper solves a puzzle related to unsecured credit and the use of credit scores. With credit scores increasingly present in credit decisions, and with the increased use of credit cards, especially in categories at risk of large negative health shocks, asymmetry of information between banks and individuals opens up wider possibilities for strategic behavior on the part of the latter. In this paper I analyze consumer strategic behavior in the credit market when faced with exogenous health shocks in the presence of banking institutions that rely on credit scores as a form of indicator of creditworthiness. By introducing multiple sources for asymmetry of information in the credit market, something not done in prior models, and introducing a dynamic discount factor, I find that the rational consumer engages in strategic behavior specific to their credit score. The paper solves an empirically parameterized model of life cycle consumption and borrowing focusing on unsecured credit and allowing for default in the presence of health shocks. It also allows for the simultaneous holding of both an interest bearing asset and unsecured debt. The findings support the hypothesis that exogenous credit shocks affect the behavior and the degree of strategy involved. While I do not possess actual consumer data on default, I develop some stylized empirical evidence in line with predictions of the theoretical model.
The Socio-Historical Case for the Existence of a Nexus Requirement in the Application of Universal Jurisdiction to Maritime Piracy

This article provides a historical account of the application of universal jurisdiction to piracy jure gentium and details the nexus requirement. Prior work by Kontorovich and Art noted an increase in the application of universal jurisdiction concurrent with the rise of piracy off the coast of Somalia, yet did not address the historical case for the attribution of nexus to its application. This appears to be a non-sequitur, as the vast majority of scholars suggest that by definition the exercise of universal jurisdiction does not require a nexus. I argue that any presupposition of a lack of connection in the application of universality should be questioned, as not only is there a normative connection between the seizing and the adjudicating state, but that historically this has always been the case until just prior to the advent of third-party jurisdictional piracy courts in Kenya and the Seychelles that address Somali piracy, and only Somali piracy.
Exploring Possible Selves through Sharing Stories Online: Case Studies of Preservice Teachers in Bilingual Classrooms.

We examined how narrative was used in online classroom discussion as preservice bilingual teachers experimented with possible future selves. Considering associations between narrative and identity ...
ERK2 regulation of mitophagy is important for T cell activation

Critical signals necessary for T cell activation are transduced into the cell, in part, by the MAPK pathway, for which extracellular regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) is a key member. Upon activation, changes to mitochondria location and metabolism mediate T cell priming; however the signaling pathways that modulate mitochondria in T cells are largely unknown. A primary mechanism regulating mitochondria is a form of selective autophagy termed mitophagy. Importantly, ERK2 is required for mitophagy in other cell types and has been shown to co-localize at the autophagosome during formation. These data suggest that ERK2 may have a unique role regulating mitophagy in T cells. Notably, dysregulation of mitochondria in T cells can result in impaired immunity and has also been associated with autoimmune disease. Here, we investigated the role of ERK2 for mitophagy in CD4+ T cells using a mouse model with T cell-specific deletion of ERK2. Our results show that Erk2 −/− CD4 + T cells have impaired autophagosome formation and increased cell death upon activation, a phenotype consistent with mitophagy blockade. Further, we are working to identify key mitophagy proteins that are regulated by ERK2 and to characterize mitochondria signaling metabolites during T cell activation. By elucidating the signaling pathways that connect extracellular immune stimuli with mitochondria regulation, we will obtain important information that may lead to new therapeutic targets for T cell mediated diseases and dysfunction.
Predicting students' graduation outcomes through support vector machines

Low graduation rate is a significant and growing problem in U.S. higher education systems. Although previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of building statistical models for predicting students' graduation outcomes, advanced machine learning models promise to improve the effectiveness of these models, and hone in on the “difference that makes a difference” not only on the group level, but also on the level of the individual student. In this paper we propose an ensemble support vector machines based model for predicting students' graduation. Up to about 100 features, including a set of psychological-educational factors, were employed to construct the predicting model. We evaluated the proposed model using data taken from a state university's longitudinal, cohort data sets from the incoming classes of students from 2011–2012 (n=350). The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the model, with considerable accuracy, precision, and recall. This paper presents the results of analysis that were conducted in order to gauge the predictive capability of a machine learning algorithm to predict on-time graduation that took into consideration students' learning and development.
The Story and Authenticity of Naim Efendi and His Memoirs

In Chapter 3, we take up each of the arguments that the telegrams ordering the annihilation of the Armenian population are forgeries and refute them in detail. The forgery arguments are as follows: (1) The encryption techniques used in the Talat Pasha cables are not the same as those used by the Ottoman government. (2) The lined paper used for the documents indicates their inauthenticity. (3) The dates on the documents are incorrect. (4) The signature of the Governor of Aleppo is forged. It is shown in all clarity that all of these arguments are founded on inaccurate information or inane reasoning.
Testing a Social Schematic Model of Police Procedural Justice

Procedural justice theory increasingly guides policing reforms in the United States and abroad. Yet the primary sources of perceived police procedural justice are still unclear. Building on social ...
Expression of IFNgR on tumor cells impact response to anti-CTLA-4 (TUM2P.1034)

Blockade of T cell co-inhibitory receptor CTLA-4 with a monoclonal antibody, Ipilimumab (BMS), has led to augmented anti-tumor immune responses, clinical benefit, and FDA approval of Ipilimumab for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Our published data indicate that anti-CTLA-4 treatment resulted in marked increase of IFN-gamma (IFNg) production by CD4 T cells expressing inducible costimulator (ICOS). Studies in mice have demonstrated the importance of IFNg for effective anti-tumor responses. We hypothesized that tumor cell expression of IFNg-receptor (IFNg-R) would be necessary for tumor regression mediated by anti-CTLA-4. To test our hypothesis, we conducted both in vitro and in vivo experiments with tumor cell lines containing knockdown of IFNg-R. In the presence of IFNg, proliferation of tumor cells was inhibited; however, tumor cells lacking IFNgR were resistant to IFNg and were able to proliferate. In addition, mice inoculated with tumor cells lacking IFNgR were treated with anti-CTLA-4 and found to have impaired tumor rejection and higher mortality as compared to mice bearing tumor cells with intact IFNgR. Our data strongly suggest that intact IFNg-R expression and signaling on tumor cells is important for anti-CTLA-4-mediated anti-tumor responses. Our data point to a potential mechanistic pathway to explain why some patients may respond to therapy while others do not and we’re evaluating tumor samples from patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 to test this concept.
Cultural studies and environment, revisited

1. Overture: The Most Complicated Word - Phaedra C. Pezzullo 2. Speculative Visions and Imaginary Meals: Food and the Environment in (Post-Apocalyptic) Science Fiction Films - Jean. P. Retzinger 3. Tourism, Race and the State of Nature: On the Bio-Poetics of Government - Margaret Werry 4. Forest, Flows and Identities in Finland's Information Society - Eeva Berglund 5. Cat and Mouse: Iconographics of Nature and Desire - Jody Berland 6. Queering Ecocultural Studies - Catriona Mortimer-Sandilands 7. Resisting Ecocultural Studies - Jennifer Daryl Slack 8. From Water Crisis to Water Culture - Dr. Vandana Shiva, Independent Scholar and Activist, An Interview by Andy Opel
Digital Media and Political Engagement Worldwide: Opening Closed Regimes

As Converse once said of public opinion research, “a sample design which extracts unrelated individuals from the whole and assigns the opinion of each an equal weight is a travesty on any 'realistic' understanding of what the concept of public opinion means” (Converse 1987, S14). Today, any realistic understanding of public opinion formation in Muslim media systems must come from a critical awareness of the limits to survey data, but also an appreciation that digital information technologies are providing new opportunity structures for inclusion in the process of public opinion formation and measurement.Ruling elites often try to co-opt civil society groups, and in times of political or military crises they can attempt to control the national information infrastructure. But a defining feature of civil society is independence from the authority of the state, even in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. And in important ways, digital communication networks are also independent of any particular state authority. What has been the impact of digital media on political communication in Muslim media systems? How have tools such as mobile phones and the internet affected the process of forming political identity, particularly for the young? When do such tools change the opportunity for civic action, and when do they simply empower ruling elites to be more effective censors? In this chapter, we analyze the best available micro level data on technology use and changing patterns of political identity and macro level data on networks of civil society actors.Saudi Arabia and Egypt are two strong authoritarian regimes, the first an Islamist monarchy, the latter staunchly secular. Indonesia is an emerging democracy. Pakistan, with a mixed authoritarian and democratic history, is a fragile state. Despite important differences in political culture, technology diffusion is causing new patterns of political communication in all four regimes, with consequences for political participation and collective action. These four cases may be the best instances of governance archetypes in political Islam: Egypt is the biggest secular authoritarian regime, Saudi Arabia is the biggest Islamist constitutional monarchy, Indonesia is the biggest Muslim democracy, and Pakistan is the largest of fragile states. Yet all four are also interesting candidates for comparison: they have among the highest diffusion rates of digital media in the developing world; they are all countries in which digital media has been a means of building a transnational, Muslim political identity; they are all countries in which the protection of religious and cultural norms has been used to justify levels of censorship and surveillance not tolerated in other parts of the world. We identify the ways in which authoritarian regimes do make effective use of information infrastructure as a means of social control. But we also demonstrate the ways in which civil society groups effectively use information infrastructure to strengthen their own organizational capacity and preserve independence from the state.
Cavernous Malformations and Other Vascular Diseases

Intracranial cavernous malformations are angiographically occult developmental malformations of the vascular bed. These abnormal vascular connections may enlarge over time. The lesions can occur on a familial basis. Patients may be asymptomatic, although they often present with headaches, seizures, or parenchymal hemorrhages. Substantial advances in the cellular and molecular biology of the vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and cardiovascular physiology of these anomalies along with findings from detailed clinicopathologic and clinicoradiologic retrospective and prospective longitudinal studies have led to a better understanding of these vascular malformations as a whole.
Review of W. Stuntz: The Collapse of American Criminal Justice

It is often said that facts are revolutionary. With their power to burn off the ideological mists that obscure our political vision, and to remind us of the unanticipated and sometimes negative consequences of our most well-meaning actions, facts can shake our views on matters great and small, dishing out intellectual therapy to the benighted and the bemused. The legal scholar William Stuntz, who died last year of cancer at fifty-two, was a master practitioner of this brand of therapy, filling his writings with counterintuitive observations in order to lay bare the weaknesses of a legal system he viewed as deeply flawed. To his scholarship he brought intellectual integrity, a profound sense of justice, and vision. His final book, The Collapse of American Criminal Justice, crowns an intellectual trajectory that very few have equaled.
A Note on Individual and Moving Range Control Charts

In some process control applications it may be necessary to limit the sample size to one measurement. A possible option would be to use an individual measurement chart for monitoring the process center, and using a moving range chart for monitoring proc..
Naturalistic Aided AAC Instruction

If communication skills are to be functional, they must be used in and across natural contexts. People with ASD, in particular, have difficulties generalizing skills learned across contexts, settings, materials, and communicative partners. Given the central role communication plays in human life and interaction, interventionists must carefully plan to ensure skills are acquired across all contexts. This chapter defines and describes naturalistic instruction, applies this information to interventions involving AAC, and provides a review of the literature on the use of naturalistic instruction involving AAC use for people with developmental disabilities and ASD.
Protein Cooperativity and Wrapping: Two Themes in the Transformative Platform of Molecular Targeted Therapy

In spite of the enticing promises of the post-genomic era, the pharmaceutical world appears to be in a state of disarray. Projects get routinely terminated in mid-stage clinical trials, the scarcity of new targets is ever so apparent, and successful therapeutic agents are often recalled as idiosyncratic side effects are detected in patient subpopulations. The vast and seemingly endemic problems of the pharmaceutical industry are not confined to the scientific realm but the latter has much to do with the current stagnation. Properly harvesting and ultimately exploiting the output of genomic forays to make more efficacious and safer drugs has proven to be much more difficult than originally thought. In spite of the huge output of integrative post-genomic studies, drug discovery and development remain essentially a serendipitous endeavor where high-throughput screening and toxicological studies are favored over rational molecular design. Thus, more than ever, the lead in the pharmaceutical industry depends pivotally on our ability to harness innovative high-risk research. This chapter and ultimately this book may have a place in this scenario, as we introduce fundamental discoveries in basic biomolecular-level research that hold potential to become transformative and broaden the technological base of the pharmaceutical industry.
The pharmacokinetics of ketamine following intramuscular injection to F344 rats.

Ketamine is a glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist that is a rapid-acting dissociative anesthetic. It has been proposed as an adjuvant treatment along with other drugs (atropine, midazolam, pralidoxime) used in the current standard of care (SOC) for organophosphate and nerve agent exposures. Ketamine is a pharmaceutical agent that is readily available to most clinicians in emergency departments and possesses a broad therapeutic index with well-characterized effects in humans. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of ketamine and its active metabolite, norketamine, in F344 rats following single or repeated intramuscular administrations of subanesthetic levels (7.5 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) of ketamine with or without the SOC. Following administration, plasma and brain tissues were collected and analyzed using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to quantitate ketamine and norketamine. Following sample analysis, the pharmacokinetics were determined using non-compartmental analysis. The addition of the current SOC had a minimal impact on the pharmacokinetics of ketamine following intramuscular administration and repeated dosing at 7.5 mg/kg every 90 minutes allows for sustained plasma concentrations above 100 ng/mL. The pharmacokinetics of ketamine with and without the SOC in rats supports further investigation of the efficacy of ketamine co-administration with the SOC following nerve agent exposure in animal models.
Characterization of human PDGFR-β-positive pericytes from IPF and non-IPF lungs

Pericytes are key regulators of the microvasculature through their close interactions with the endothelium. However, pericytes play additional roles in tissue homeostasis and repair, in part by tra...
Designing for the Informatics Lifecourse and Ageing in Place

This chapter integrates and builds on these two recent strands of HCI research focused on designing for and with older adults: (1) Examining how ageing members of particular communities appropriate technology and (2) Examining how technology practices of ageing adults evolve over time based on their diverse life experiences. Ethnographic fieldwork conducted during one year working with older adults learning technology in senior centres and public libraries found that knitting together these two topics required a new concept: the informatics lifecourse. This concept refers to how a person learns technology throughout the stages of his or her life as he or she ages in place. To understand how to design for the informatics lifecourse, this chapter focuses on three dimensions that shape how communities of older adults appropriate and use technology over time: (1) historically shaped subcommunities, (2) the availability of technology support within those communities, and (3) ageism. A conclusion suggests additional research needed to understand how to design technological infrastructures to support ageing in place.
Syndecan-2 Surface Expression Identifies Hematopoietic Stem Cells with Increased Repopulating Capacity

Abstract Syndecans are transmembrane glycoproteins, which can regulate cell proliferation, growth, and adhesion through interactions with neighboring proteins within the plasma membrane or at the cytoplasmic interface. Although syndecans have been described to regulate aberrant signaling in hematological malignances, the role of syndecans in regulating normal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal is largely unknown. We demonstrate that syndecan-1 and syndecan-3 are expressed on the surface of Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Kodaira Classification of Surfaces

Our goal in this and the next chapter will be to present those parts of the complex analytic and smooth classification which can be handled by classical techniques, i.e. without the use of gauge theory. Not surprisingly, these techniques are most effective when homotopy type and diffeomorphism type are essentially identical. In this chapter, we shall concentrate on the analytic aspects of surface theory, e.g. moduli, with special attention to elliptic surfaces. In the next chapter, we shall focus on the smooth topology of elliptic surfaces. Of course, such a neat division of the theory is somewhat artificial, and we shall not always strictly observe it. Thus we shall occasionally appeal here to some of the results in Chapter II. Our major concern will be to describe the “complex analytic” classification of complex surfaces, i.e. the classification up to deformation equivalence (to be precisely defined in Section 1). Two complex surfaces which are deformation equivalent are diffeomorphic, and we shall begin to investigate to what extent the converse is true.
Asking the Right Questions About Secondhand Smoke.

Introduction Despite knowledge about major health effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, systematic incorporation of SHS screening and counseling in clinical settings has not occurred. Methods A three-round modified Delphi Panel of tobacco control experts was convened to build consensus on the screening questions that should be asked and identify opportunities and barriers to SHS exposure screening and counseling. The panel considered four questions: 1) what questions should be asked about SHS exposure; 2) what are the top priorities to advance the goal of ensuring that these questions are asked; 3) what are the barriers to achieving these goals; and 4) how might these barriers be overcome. Each panel member submitted answers to the questions. Responses were summarized and successive rounds were reviewed by panel members for consolidation and prioritization. Results Panelists agreed that both adults and children should be screened during clinical encounters by asking if they are exposed or have ever been exposed to smoke from any tobacco products in their usual environment. The panel found that consistent clinician training, quality measurement or other accountability, and policy and electronic health records interventions were needed to successfully implement consistent screening. Conclusions The panel successfully generated screening questions and identified priorities to improve SHS exposure screening. Policy interventions and stakeholder engagement are needed to overcome barriers to implementing effective secondhand smoke screening. Implications In a modified Delphi panel, tobacco control and clinical prevention experts agreed that all adults and children should be screened during clinical encounters by asking if they are exposed or have ever been exposed to smoke from tobacco products. Consistent training, accountability, and policy and electronic health records interventions are needed to implement consistent screening. Increasing secondhand smoke screening will have a significant impact on public health and costs.