cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Genotype-Dependent Recombination, and Transmission Asymmetry, on Linkage Disequilibrium

A recent sperm-typing study by Jeffreys and Neumann suggested that recombination rates in different individuals at the DNA2 recombination hotspot appeared to be highly dependent on their genotype at a particular A/G SNP, FG11. Specifically, individuals who carried at least one copy of the A allele at this SNP exhibited rates of crossover considerably higher than those of individuals with no copies. Further, recombinant sperm from heterozygous individuals showed a preferential tendency to carry the G allele. We consider the effects of these phenomena on patterns of linkage disequilibrium and find them to be more subtle than might have been expected. In particular, our analysis suggests that, perhaps surprisingly, patterns of LD among chromosomes carrying the “hot” allele (in this case, A) will typically be similar to those among chromosomes carrying the “cold” allele (G).
Ca2+ is essential for multistep activation of the heat shock factor in permeabilized cells.

Abstract We have developed a novel permeabilized-cell system to study transcription mechanisms. In permeabilized cells, heat-induced activation of the heat shock factor and transcription of the hsp70 gene require Ca2+. Activation involves at least two steps: Ca(2+)- and heat-dependent activation of heat shock factor binding and a second step, prior to transcription of hsp70, that requires ATP and is sensitive to genistein, a protein kinase inhibitor.
Purpose in Life, Boredom, and Volunteerism in a Group of Retirees

In a pilot study of 40 retirees, those who volunteered more than 10 hours per week scored significantly higher on the Purpose In Life test than those who volunteered 10 or fewer hours per week A si...
Distribution and developmentally regulated expression of murine polycystin

PKD1, the gene that is mutated in approximately 85% of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) cases in humans, has recently been identified (Eur. PKD Consortium. Cell 77: 881-894, 199...
Ileal Intussusception as an Antireflux Mechanism in Urinary Diversion for Myelomeningocele

Abstract While few myelomeningocele patients will undergo ileal conduit diversion, many who have been diverted in the past have renal deterioration related to stoma, infection and stone. In revising 7 of these patients we have used an ileal intussusception to prevent reflux and reduce renal contamination
In Vivo Germ Line Stem Cell Migration: A Mouse Model

A stem cell niche is a specialized tissue environment that controls the proliferation and differentiation of its resident stem cells. The functions of these structures have been well characterized in adult organisms. In particular, the bone marrow stem cell niche in mammals has been amenable to analysis because of the ability of transplanted hematopoietic cells to home and to recolonize the bone marrow of an irradiated host. Despite clues from adult models, it remains unclear how stem cells become partitioned into appropriate niches during embryonic development. To examine the earliest steps in niche formation, we created an organ culture system to observe the development of primordial germ cells (PGCs), a migratory stem cell population that will eventually give rise to the gametes. Using this assay, we can watch PGCs as they migrate to colonize the developing gonads and can introduce growth factor agonists or antagonists to test the function of proteins that regulate this process. This provides an unprecedented opportunity to identify the cellular and molecular interactions required for the formation of the germ cell niche.
Abstract 4104: Characterization and validation of an implantable chronic lung imaging window

Metastatic disease is the major cause of cancer mortality and is responsible for over 1/2 million deaths each year in the U.S. alone. Of the three most common sites of metastasis observed clinically (bone, lung and liver), the most difficult to study using intravital microscopy is the lung; a delicate organ in perpetual motion. Recent advances in intravital microscopy have enabled visualization of the live intact lung, but are limited in the duration over which they can be utilized (hours) and require major invasive surgeries. Both of these limitations reduce their usefulness in the study of single cell events in the lung and are susceptible to introducing artefacts. We report the development of a novel, minimally invasive surgical protocol for the implantation of a long-lasting lung imaging window. Once implanted, this window allows for the repeated, non-invasive visualization of living, breathing lung tissue over a period of two weeks without the need for ventilation, vacuum plates, or gated imaging equipment. Here we characterize and validate the use of this window in living mice. The window is well tolerated, does not cause infection or inflammation, and offers a 4mm view of the left lung. We utilize it to visualize, with single cell resolution, the progression of experimental metastasis from the arrival of a single cell to the formation of micro-metastases. The development of this novel optical window will allow visualization of, with single cell resolution, tumor microenvironments and metastatic progression within the lung over extended periods of time. This approach to imaging live lung tissue has the potential to reveal the mechanisms underlying many diseases affecting the lung as well as the means to directly evaluate responses to therapeutics in in real time and within a single animal. Citation Format: David Entenberg, Allison Harney, Sonia E. Voiculescu, Yarong Wang, Maja Oktay, John Condeelis. Characterization and validation of an implantable chronic lung imaging window. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4104.
Nonholonomically Constrained Dynamics of Rolling Isolation Systems

Rolling Isolation Systems provide a simple and effective means for protecting components from horizontal floor vibrations. In these systems a platform rolls on four steel balls which, in turn, rest within shallow bowls. The trajectories of the balls is uniquely determined by the horizontal and rotational components of the rolling platform, and thus provides nonholonomic constraints. In general, the bowls are not parabolic, so the potential energy function of this system is not quadratic. This paper presents the application of Gauss’s Principle of Least Constraint to the modeling of rolling isolation platforms. The equations of motion are described in terms of a redundant set of constrained coordinates. Coordinate accelerations are uniquely determined at any point in time via Gauss’s Principle by solving a linearly-constrained quadratic minimization. In the absence of any modeled damping, the equations of motion conserve energy. Simulations and experiments show that responses are highly sensitive to small changes in the initial conditions; peak responses can be predicted only statistically.
Asymmetric network monitoring and punishment in public goods experiments

Abstract We extend the recent experimental literature on incomplete punishment networks in linear public goods games. In these games, we use an exogenous network to restrict both monitoring and the set of feasible punishment flows. In addition to two baseline structures (the Complete network and the Circle network), we examine a novel Asymmetric network in which both punishment responsibility and exposure differ across players. Average contributions are significantly lower in the Asymmetric network, driven entirely by the under-monitored player who faces only one potential punisher. We formulate and examine the hypothesis that asymmetry among a player's potential punishment targets may lead to discriminatory patterns of punishment. In particular, players might wish to punish targets for whom they are solely responsible discriminately more than targets for whom they share responsibility. The experimental data do not support this hypothesis, although they do suggest a compelling explanation as to why. Specifically, we find that the under-monitored player in the network retaliates against previous punishment significantly more often than others in the group, which deters their only potential punisher from issuing stronger sanctions. Thus, an additional complication of asymmetry in the network is that it may lead to more instances of anti-social retaliation, inhibiting the effectiveness of the decentralized punishment institution.
Pore Structure of Solids

Abstract A small grain of iron catalyst, used in the synthesis of ammonia, has an external surface of about 1 cm2/g, but it has an internal surface of 100,000 cm2/g. Since catalysis takes place on the surface, obviously the surface in the pores is of vital importance. But not all pores are of equal importance; in very narrow pores the diffusion is slow; in large pores the surface is small. The sizes of pores have just as important roles in adsorbents, like silica gel and active carbon, and in other solids, like concrete. The determination of the distribution of the total pore surface and the total pore volume in pores of different widths is called pore structure analysis. The first methods for pore structure analysis were proposed in 1945; Ritter and Drake used the mercury porosimeter, and Wheeler used nitrogen adsorption isotherms. Subsequently others improved Wheeler's method. Recently we proposed two new approaches for pore structure analysis, both based on adsorption isotherms: one for the analysis of very narrow pores, the micropores, and one for the analysis of the wider pores. The first is the only method proposed for micropore analysis, the second is an improvement on the previous methods for the analysis of wider pores.
An embedded barcode for “connected” malaria rapid diagnostic tests

Many countries are shifting their efforts from malaria control to disease elimination. New technologies will be necessary to meet the more stringent demands of elimination campaigns, including improved quality control of malaria diagnostic tests, as well as an improved means for communicating test results among field healthcare workers, test manufacturers, and national ministries of health. In this report, we describe and evaluate an embedded barcode within standard rapid diagnostic tests as one potential solution. This information-augmented diagnostic test operates on the familiar principles of traditional lateral flow assays and simply replaces the control line with a control grid patterned in the shape of a QR (quick response) code. After the test is processed, the QR code appears on both positive or negative tests. In this report we demonstrate how this multipurpose code can be used not only to fulfill the control line role of test validation, but also to embed test manufacturing details, serve as a trigger for image capture, enable registration for image analysis, and correct for lighting effects. An accompanying mobile phone application automatically captures an image of the test when the QR code is recognized, decodes the QR code, performs image processing to determine the concentration of the malarial biomarker histidine-rich protein 2 at the test line, and transmits the test results and QR code payload to a secure web portal. This approach blends automated, sub-nanomolar biomarker detection, with near real-time reporting to provide quality assurance data that will help to achieve malaria elimination.
Peptide nanoparticle with pH-sensing cargo solubility enhances cancer drug efficiency

Abstract We report a class of 17-amino-acid peptides that undergo a sharp hydrophobicity transition at pH around 7. Nanoparticles made of such peptides exhibit ultra pH-sensitivity and autonomous drug-eluting properties, which are beneficial for cancer drug delivery. At pH above 7, the peptides bind water-insoluble drug cargo and form a nanoparticle that protects its cargo from serum proteins. Sensing tumor's mildly acidic pH (≤7.0), nanoparticle peptides undergo a hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic transition and release drug molecules in the interstitial fluid as the nanoparticle migrates down the pH gradient in the tumor. When this pH-sensing and drug-eluting nanoparticle formulation was used to deliver two drugs, lonidamine inhibiting tumor bioenergetics and bis-2-(5-phenylacetamido-1,2,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethyl sulfide (BPTES) targeting cancer glutamine metabolism, to triple negative human breast cancer xenografts, the nanoparticle drug demonstrated superior efficiency compared to the respective standard formulation.
Driving and regulating temporal association learning coordinated by entorhinal-hippocampal network

Episodic memories shape future behaviour and by aiding adaptive behaviour, are therefore important for survival in nature. Entorhinal cortex (EC)-hippocampal (HPC) networks have a crucial role in the formation of episodic memory, which consists of associations of space, objects, individuals and time. Neural circuits have been identified in the EC-HPC networks that provide spatial, contextual and object information. However, the specific neural circuits that allow animals to associate two temporally segregated events, called temporal association learning, are still nebulous. In this review, I will review recent experimental evidence concerning the role of the EC in temporal association learning, with an emphasis on the neural circuits functioning to drive and regulate the temporal associations between events, and focusing on the trace fear conditioning paradigm in rodents. Then, I will discuss hippocampal activity during the trace periods that may bridge the temporal gap in memory for discontinuous events. Finally, I examine the role of the prefrontal cortex as a central executive system to track and extract predictive relationships between events by the coordination of the EC-HPC network.
Hydrospire morphology and implications for blastoid phylogeny

Abstract. The external expression of hydrospires in blastoids has provided a basis for major and minor group classification in the clade for over a century. Unfortunately, the complete anatomy of the hydrospires has never been comprehensively studied. This study examined and described the internal hydrospires of six spiraculate species by digitally extracting hydrospire data from a legacy data set of serial acetate peels. Although only six models have been currently generated, hydrospire morphology is variable both within and between previously described spiraculate families. Hydrospires were found to possess novel characters that were incorporated into a phylogenetic analysis of the six digitally modeled species and several related species. The addition of internal morphology into the phylogenetic analysis provides further resolution between groupings of blastoids.
Supporting international efforts for detecting illegal fishing and GAS flaring using viirs

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) collects two styles of low light imaging data at night, enabling the detection of electric lighting and combustion sources. NOAA operates two near-real time processing chains to exploit the low light imaging data collected by VIIRS. One is focused on the detection of heavily lit fishing boats, providing fishery agencies with information related to illegal fishing. This paper provides an overview of the two products and reviews the uses that have been developed for the data.
Adventitious shoot regeneration from in vitro leaves of Aronia mitschurinii and cotyledons of closely related Pyrinae taxa.

Abstract The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro shoot regeneration procedure and to evaluate the frequency of adventitious shoot regeneration from: (1) in vitro leaves of a commercial cultivar of Aronia mitschurinii on various media treatments; (2) cotyledons of closely related Pyrinae taxa; and (3) 21 wild Aronia genotypes. Optimum regeneration of leaf explants occurred when they were wounded with two transverse cuts along the midrib and placed on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal media containing 5 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 10 μM thidiazuron (TDZ). TDZ was more effective than 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) as a cytokinin, and IBA was more effective than the no auxin control, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Regeneration from cotyledons of seven Pyrinae taxa was evaluated using 10 μM BAP in combination with 0.1, 1 and 5 μM NAA. Adventitious shoot formation for A. melanocarpa and P. communis responded best to 1 μM NAA, whereas all other taxa formed a greater number of adventitious shoots on 5 μM NAA. A. mitschurinii cotyledon explants produced a significantly greater number of shoots compared with in vitro leaf explants. The number of shoots forming per cotyledon explant and the percent of explants forming shoots were both significantly different among the 21 Aronia genotypes. Significant differences were observed between the six Aronia taxonomic groups for the number of shoots forming per explant. Diploid and tetraploid Aronia genotypes produced a significantly greater number of shoots per explant than did triploid genotypes. Regenerated shoots were rooted in vitro and plants grew normally in the greenhouse. These results will be useful for future studies using leaf and cotyledon explants for genetic transformation, genome editing and mutation breeding with Aronia and related taxa.
Design Decomposition in Quality Function Deployment

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a cross-functional planning tool which ensures that the voice of the customer is systematically deployed throughout the product planning and design stages. One of the impediments to the adoption of QFD as a product design aid has been the large size of the design matrix, called a house of quality (HOQ) chart. This paper presents a formal approach to reducing the size of a HOQ chart using the concept of design decomposition combined with multiattribute value theory. The proposed approach aims to decompose a HOQ chart into smaller subproblems which can be solved efficiently and independently. The smaller size of the subproblems would make the QFD process simpler, easier, and cheaper. The decomposition algorithm proposed in this paper can also be applied to forming machine cells and part families in flexible manufacturing systems when the design incidence matrix is nonbinary with no diagonal structure and the column entities are correlated.
Positive Solutions of Semilinear Elliptic Equations on General Domains

The existence problem for positive solutions to the equation $$ \Delta U\left( x \right) + {\lambda ^{2}}f\left( {U\left( x \right)} \right) = 0$$ (1) with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions on a smooth, bounded domain, Ω, has recently been of much interest; cf. the survey article by Lions [L]. All the theorems cited therein have required f(0) > 0 or f(0) = 0 and f′(0) > 0. However, it was shown in [SW1] that a necessary condition for symmetry breaking of positive solutions of (1) on a disk is that f(0) 0) or sublinear ((f(U)/U)′ < 0) functions; furthermore, we make no assumptions about the sectional curvature of boundary Ω; (cf. [L]).
Combining Linear Equation Models via Dempster’s Rule

This paper proposes a concept of imaginary extreme numbers, which are like traditional complex number a + bi but with i = \(\sqrt{-1}\) being replaced by e = 1/0, and defines usual operations such as addition, subtraction, and division on the numbers. It applies the concept to representing linear equations in knowledge-based systems. It proves that the combination of linear equations via Dempster’s rule is equivalent to solving a system of simultaneous equations or finding a least-square estimate when they are overdetermined.
Learning Theories and Problem-Based Learning

In this chapter, we describe different theoretical perspectives – information processing, social constructivism, and sociocultural perspectives – that underlie and provide a useful lens for exploring learning in problem-based contexts. First, an examination of information processing focuses on the role and structure of prior knowledge, with a special emphasis on how expert knowledge activates certain productive problem-solving strategies that can be adapted for learning general problem-solving strategies. Second, an exploration of social constructivism focuses on the development of knowledge as people engage in institutional, interpersonal, and discursive processes in which learners construct their own knowledge through social interactions. Finally, we explore the relationship between sociocultural theory and problem-based learning to understand how cultural tools are used and transformed in specific contexts to facilitate co-construction of knowledge for future independent problem solving.
THE EFFECT OF PROPELLER WAKE DEFORMATION ON PROPELLER DESIGN

A great deal of effort has been devoted in recent years to study of the deformation of the wake from propeller blades. Relationships between loading, vortex rollup, contraction, and pitch variation have been studied. This paper discusses analytical and experimental developments, and emphasizes the effects on design and performance of high speed high thrust subcavitating propellers.
Vertical displacement threshold sensitivity along the horizontal meridian as a function of stimulus rate, duration, and length.

Vertical displacement thresholds (DT) were quantified in 24 observers at the fovea and each of 8 retinal positions out to 80 degrees along the horizontal meridian during binocular viewing. Stimulus length was increased with eccentricity angle in accordance with the cortical magnification factor (21); a 1 degree arc long stimulus served as a control at each position. Three movement durations (from 0.25 to 4 s) and three angular rates (from 0.04 to 0.42 degrees arc.s-1) were also quantified at each position to determine whether peripheral DT is mediated predominantly by an image displacement- or rate-sensitive mechanism. It was found that 1) DT is mediated predominantly by a constant rate-sensitive mechanism at each position when stimulus length is increased in proportion to the cortical magnification factor; 2) mean percent correct displacement judgments decrease significantly into the periphery for both stimulus lengths, however, increasing stimulus length yields significantly higher accuracy; and 3) at 10 and 30 degrees eccentricity, increasing rate and duration significantly improve displacement judgment accuracy, but beyond 40 degrees only lengthening the stimulus improves accuracy. The findings are related to the design optimization of dynamic attitude displays and symbology for aircraft.
Cystamine and cysteamine as inhibitors of transglutaminase activity in vivo .

Cystamine is commonly used as a transglutaminase inhibitor. This disulphide undergoes reduction in vivo to the aminothiol compound, cysteamine. Thus, the mechanism by which cystamine inhibits transglutaminase activity in vivo could be due to either cystamine or cysteamine, which depends on the local redox environment. Cystamine inactivates transglutaminases by promoting the oxidation of two vicinal cysteine residues on the enzyme to an allosteric disulphide, whereas cysteamine acts as a competitive inhibitor for transamidation reactions catalyzed by this enzyme. The latter mechanism is likely to result in the formation of a unique biomarker, N-(γ-glutamyl)cysteamine that could serve to indicate how cyst(e)amine acts to inhibit transglutaminases inside cells and the body.
Wide-Area Demand-Side Control for Inter-Area Oscillation Mitigation in Power Systems

Inter-area oscillations have severely limited maximum power transfer among different areas in large-scale interconnected power grid. If not quickly damped as soon as possible, they may cause system breakup and even lead to large cascading blackouts. To increase the damping of inter-area oscillations, both power system stabilizer (PSS) and flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) controller have been widely considered, which affect the real power flow indirectly. However, the effectiveness of these controllers is restricted to the neighborhood of a prescribed set of operating conditions. In this paper, wide-area demand-side control is developed to directly modulate the real power of end-user loads for oscillation mitigation. The proposed control strategy is implemented in a hierarchical manner. At the device layer, individual end-user loads independently turn ON or OFF in response to the broadcasted signals from the coordinator during the real time. At the supervisory layer, autonomous responses of end-user loads are coordinated to ensure the desired power modulation. The effectiveness of the proposed wide-area demand-side control in improving small-signal stability is illustrated by simulations on a large-scale test system.
'The State of Intellectual Freedom in America' (Written Testimony Before the United States House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice)

Disagreement between knowledgeable scientific experts and median political views often do not suggest political bias on the part of scientists, but rather an effort by think tanks, media organizations, interest groups and politicians to inappropriately politicize scientific issues. For example, the causes and consequences of Climate Change are scientific issues. The likely economic harm from such changes, and the costs of preventing or mitigating them, are also scientific issues. So are the adverse health consequences from air and water pollution or the health effects of smoking. So is the question of whether tax cuts can generate enough economic growth to reduce the Debt-to-GDP ratio. While scientific questions can have political and policy implications, scientific inquiry should not be politicized. The best evidence should be analyzed with the best methods, and the implications and degree of uncertainty honestly conveyed to policymakers and the public. But according to scientific experts, many scientific issues have been inappropriately politicized when scientific evidence threatened private sector profits or government budgets. These issues include the causes and effects of climate change, the health risks of pollution, and the dangers of tobacco use. According to a Pew survey, nearly 80 percent of scientists believe that previous administrations suppressed government scientists’ findings for political reasons. Many scientists worry that suppression of scientific findings for political reasons is becoming more common. Note that the Pew sample consists overwhelmingly of natural or “hard” scientists in fields such as medical sciences, chemistry, physics and geosciences. Pew’s sample included those who work in private industry as well as those who work in government and universities. Recently, there have been systematic efforts by some members of Congress to weaken the role of science in informing agency rule-making and increase the role of political actors. Some politicians have also sought to prevent government agencies from collecting basic data about demographics, the environment, health and safety, and the economy, even if de-identified to protect individual privacy. Today, threats to academic freedom can come from powerful donors, political leaders, and outside pressure groups who sometimes seek to subtly (or not so subtly) influence ostensibly neutral and unbiased academic research to further their own business interests or other political preferences. The best way to protect universities from undue influence may be to secure and expand revenue sources that are indifferent to or cannot sway the conclusions of academic research. This is analogous to the approach we take to try to protect the independence of members of the federal judiciary or the Federal Reserve.
An extreme amplitude, massive heartbeat system in the LMC characterized using ASAS-SN and TESS

Using ASAS-SN data, we find that the bright ($V{\sim}13.5$ mag) variable star MACHO 80.7443.1718 (ASASSN-V J052624.38-684705.6) is the most extreme heartbeat star yet discovered. This massive binary, consisting of at least one early B-type star, has an orbital period of $P_{\rm ASAS-SN}=32.83627\pm0.00846\,{\rm d},$ and is located towards the LH58 OB complex in the LMC. Both the ASAS-SN and TESS light curves show extreme brightness variations of ${\sim}40\%$ at periastron and variations of ${\sim}10\%$ due to tidally excited oscillations outside periastron. We fit an analytical model of the variability caused by the tidal distortions at pericenter to find orbital parameters of $\omega=-61.4$ deg, $i=44.8$ deg and $e=0.566$. We also present a frequency analysis to identify the pulsation frequencies corresponding to the tidally excited oscillations.
Multiple supporting cell subtypes are capable of spontaneous hair cell regeneration in the neonatal mouse cochlea

ABSTRACT Supporting cells (SCs) are known to spontaneously regenerate hair cells (HCs) in the neonatal mouse cochlea, yet little is known about the relative contribution of distinct SC subtypes which differ in morphology and function. We have previously shown that HC regeneration is linked to Notch signaling, and some SC subtypes, but not others, lose expression of the Notch effector Hes5. Other work has demonstrated that Lgr5-positive SCs have an increased capacity to regenerate HCs; however, several SC subtypes express Lgr5. To further investigate the source for spontaneous HC regeneration, we used three CreER lines to fate-map distinct groups of SCs during regeneration. Fate-mapping either alone or combined with a mitotic tracer showed that pillar and Deiters9 cells contributed more regenerated HCs overall. However, when normalized to the total fate-mapped population, pillar, Deiters9, inner phalangeal and border cells had equal capacity to regenerate HCs, and all SC subtypes could divide after HC damage. Investigating the mechanisms that allow individual SC subtypes to regenerate HCs and the postnatal changes that occur in each group during maturation could lead to therapies for hearing loss.
Student-Athlete Compensation: An Alternative Compensation Model for All Athletes Competing in NCAA Athletics

The Ed O’Bannon (O’Bannon v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2015) case has brought student athlete compensation to the national spotlight. While the NCAA continues to defend its policy of amateurism, the time for college athlete compensation may soon become a reality. College athlete compensation models have previously included a revenue sharing model similar to that of professional sports leagues. While this model was worthwhile, it only took into account basketball and football. The current paper will argue for a market-economy based compensation model. This model takes into account the revenues generated by each university team, while also accounting for a player and team’s performance. Justifications for this model will be explored, as this model will allows for various options for athlete compensation. This paper will conclude with an example of the model’s utility through using publically accessible data for a major Division-1 college program.
Multi-Task Hierarchical Imitation Learning for Home Automation

Control policies for home automation robots can be learned from human demonstrations, and hierarchical control has the potential to reduce the required number of demonstrations. When learning multiple policies for related tasks, demonstrations can be reused between the tasks to further reduce the number of demonstrations needed to learn each new policy. We present HIL-MT, a framework for Multi-Task Hierarchical Imitation Learning, involving a human teacher, a networked Toyota HSR robot, and a cloud-based server that stores demonstrations and trains models. In our experiments, HIL-MT learns a policy for clearing a table of dishes from 11.2 demonstrations on average. Learning to set the table requires 19 new demonstrations when training separately, but only 11.6 new demonstrations when also reusing demonstrations of clearing the table. HIL-MT learns policies for building 3- and 4-level pyramids of glass cups from 8.2 and 5 demonstrations, respectively, but reusing the 3-level demonstrations for learning a 4-level policy only requires 2.7 new demonstrations. These results suggest that learning hierarchical policies for structured domestic tasks can reuse existing demonstrations of related tasks to reduce the need for new demonstrations.
Business Value of ITSM. Requirement or Mirage

This paper builds on a presentation provided as part of a recent panel session on ITSM (IT Service Management) Business Value at the NYC itSMF (Service Management Forum) Local Interest Group meeting. The panel presentation explored the definition of Business Value and how ITSM itself could be measured to produce business value. While ITSM and ITIL have been in use for years it often remains a challenge to demonstrate the business value of these methods or even to understand business value itself. This paper expands on the panel discussion on what is meant by business value and how it can be found (if at all) in the context of ITSM development and process improvement.
Co-opted Boards: Causes and Consequences

We develop a measure of board co-option - the proportion of directors who joined the board after the CEO assumed office - and analyze whether this measure captures the extent to which the CEO can exert control over the board. We find that the sensitivity of CEO turnover to performance decreases in board co-option. CEO pay and pay hikes increase with co-option but there is no offsetting increase in pay-performance sensitivity. On the other hand, R&D intensity increases in co-option. Observed co-option increases in the importance of firm-specific human capital and measures of CEO power. Finally, Tobin's q increases in co-option for firms that benefit from CEO investment in firm-specific human capital while for other firms there is no relation between q and co-option. All results are robust to controlling for the proportion of independent directors on the board, CEO tenure, and alternative measures of co-option. We conclude that independent directors who join the board after the CEO assumes office are at least partially aligned with the CEO. In contrast, independent directors who joined before the CEO appear effective at monitoring the CEO.
COMPUTER-PROCESSING OF ZOOPLANKTON SAMPLES

Methods of identifying and counting zooplankton in preserved samples have changed little since Johannes Muller first towed a fine-mesh net through the ocean more than 100 years ago. Instrumentation basically consists of a microscope and a ruled counting chamber. Because time of analysis for a single sample ranges from hours to days, delay is inevitable. We are attempting to modernize the procedure, using improved image formation devices and computerized pattern recognition techniques. Total counts and size-frequency distributions can now be made in minutes with a simple, processor-controlled vidicon system, but calibration remains a problem awaiting sharpened contrast by optical edge enhancement and spatial filtering. Major species of North Atlantic zooplankton can be accurately classified to group (e.g. copepods, fish eggs, fish larvae, cladocerans, chaetognaths, euphausiids) by discriminant analysis of simple morphometric relations (length:width:perimeter:area). Identification of commonly occurring copepod species appears theoretically possible for samples taken with a 333 μm aperture net. Syntactic analysis, a complementary approach to pattern expression, may solve difficult problems of classifying developmental stages. Automated image analysis with improved photo-optical systems should meet present day needs.
Bridging Activities: Social Media for Connecting Language Learners' in-School and Out-of-School Literacy Practices

This study applied pedagogically-focused project design by using Instagram as a platform to investigate how the use of social media such as Instagram in a multimodal digital storytelling model could bridge the skills English language learners (ELLs) learn in the classroom to out-of-school literacy practices. The study applied the five learning objectives of the bridging-activities framework to investigate to what extent ELLs achieve these objectives. There were forty-two participants (female: n= 22; male: n= 17), international arts and media students. The study collected their main Instagram posts, questionnaires were given with a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions, and individual follow-up interviews for content analysis. A cross-tabulation was conducted to investigate the relationships between ELLs' Instagram use and how they perceive Instagram as a meaningful way of communication for professional purposes. The findings revealed pedagogical practices of using Instagram as a tool for professional purposes and how ELLs achieved the bridging-activities learning outcomes.
Are Cheaters Common or Creative?: Person-Situation Interactions of Resistance in Learning Contexts

Students display resistance in the classroom in numerous ways, often in the form of academic misconduct. Some argue that resistance can reflect cleverness and creativity, rather than apathy. This investigation aimed to develop a psychometric tool to examine classroom resistance as well as identify individual and situational determinants of the same. Data from 853 participants (Mage = 19.36 years, SD = 1.93) was collected on measures of resistance behaviors in educational contexts and their environmental contributors, creativity, personality, and deception. Further, participants indicated their frequency of resistance across two time periods: kindergarten through middle school, and high school through college. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified a robust three-factor structure for the Classroom Resistance Scale, comprising Test-Oriented Cheating, Blatant Academic Dishonesty, and Unethical Shortcuts. The person-situation analysis indicated that students who engaged in resistance shared some consistent characteristics: they were more likely to be closed to new experiences, unimaginative, more extraverted, and highly influenced by their peers. Moreover, the frequency of classroom resistance increased in higher grades as compared to lower ones. Implications of spillover effects of academic dishonesty into the workplace are discussed, in addition to suggestions for future research.
The Moderating Role of Coping Style on Chronic Stress Exposure and Cardiovascular Reactivity Among African American Emerging Adults

Chronic stress exposure may contribute to dysregulation of cardiovascular functions and increase CVD risk among African Americans. This study investigated the direct and interactive effects of chronic stress exposure and coping styles on cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress. A sample of African American emerging adults (n = 277) completed a battery of self-report assessments and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) across two time points. Prior chronic stress exposure was negatively associated with heart rate (HR) reactivity among females at 1-month follow-up. Task-oriented coping was positively associated with HR reactivity, while avoidance-oriented coping showed a negative association. Higher use of emotion-oriented coping moderated the relationship between chronic stress exposure and HR reactivity, resulting in more robust reactivity. Among females, but not males, lower use of avoidance-oriented coping moderated the relationship between prior chronic stress exposure and HR reactivity, also resulting in more robust reactivity. Prior chronic stress exposure and the use of maladaptive coping strategies may confer negative impacts on cardiovascular reactivity, particularly among African American females. Using adaptive coping styles may mitigate these effects and improve cardiovascular reactivity. These findings provide preliminary support for psychosocial determinants of health within a controlled laboratory experiment and highlight important gender differences to consider in prevention efforts for African American cardiovascular health disparities.
Rhetorical Body Work: Professional Embodiment in Health Provider Education and the Technical Writing Classroom

This article introduces “rhetorical body work” as a framework for understanding professional embodiment in health provider education and technical and professional communication (TPC) pedagogy. Usi...
Exact multi-instanton solutions to self-dual Yang–Mills equation on curved spaces

We find exact multi-instanton solutions to the self-dual Yang–Mills equation on a large class of curved spaces with SO(3) isometry, generalizing the results previously found on ℝ4. The solutions ar...
Unpacking Bribery: Petty Corruption and Favor Exchanges

The incidence of petty corruption in public service delivery varies greatly across citizens and geography. This paper proposes a novel explanation for why only some individuals participate in bribery. It is rooted in a re-examination of the social context in which citizen-public official interactions take place. I argue that social proximity and network centrality provide the two key enforcement mechanisms that sustain favor exchanges among socially connected individuals. Bribery, as a collusive arrangement between a citizen and a public official, relies on the same enforcement mechanisms. Using an original dataset from a household survey conducted in Guatemala, the analysis shows that social proximity and centrality allow citizens to obtain privileges through implicit favor exchanges and illicit payments. These effects go beyond simply increasing the frequency of contact with public officials and are not driven by better access to information about the bribery market.
Ultralow-Power Localization of Insect-Scale Drones: Interplay of Probabilistic Filtering and Compute-in-Memory

We propose a novel compute-in-memory (CIM)-based ultralow-power framework for probabilistic localization of insect-scale drones. Localization is a critical subroutine for path planning and rotor control in drones, where a drone is required to continuously estimate its pose (position and orientation) in flying space. The conventional probabilistic localization approaches rely on the 3-D Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-based representation of a 3-D map. A GMM model with hundreds of mixture functions is typically needed to adequately learn and represent the intricacies of the map. Meanwhile, localization using complex GMM map models is computationally intensive. Since insect-scale drones operate under extremely limited area/power budget, continuous localization using GMM models entails much higher operating energy, thereby limiting flying duration and/or size of the drone due to a larger battery. Addressing the computational challenges of localization in an insect-scale drone using a CIM approach, we propose a novel framework of 3-D map representation using a harmonic mean of the ``Gaussian-like'' mixture (HMGM) model. We show that short-circuit current of a multiinput floating-gate CMOS-based inverter follows the harmonic mean of a Gaussian-like function. Therefore, the likelihood function useful for drone localization can be efficiently implemented by connecting many multiinput inverters in parallel, each programmed with the parameters of the 3-D map model represented as HMGM. When the depth measurements are projected to the input of the implementation, the summed current of the inverters emulates the likelihood of the measurement. We have characterized our approach on an RGB-D scenes dataset. The proposed localization framework is ~25x energy-efficient than the traditional, 8-bit digital GMM-based processor paving the way for tiny autonomous drones.
Immigrant-Serving Nonprofits and Philanthropic Foundations

Immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations registered and mobilized thousands of new voters in 2012. These efforts were abetted by philanthropic foundation which, since the early 2000s, have prioritized immigration policy and immigrant issues. Other foundations, hostile to illegal immigration, have funded another set of nonprofits that worked to change immigration policy and voting laws. The article explains these complex relationships between foundations and nonprofits in the context of immigration. The conclusions highlight the tension faced by immigrant-serving nonprofits to maintain their independence and benefit from external funding.
Tools for Analysis of Requirements for PACS

The Department of Radiology at the University of Florida has set a goal of “filmless” Radiology in an ambulatory care center to be completed in 1993. Networks, archival systems, displays, and workstations are being installed in a sequence that facilitates evaluation of clinical usefulness, acceptability of image presentation, limitations, and optimization of both transfer speed and retrieval. A variety of tools measure the performance of different protocols and media in networks, collect and analyze the volume of images produced for archival, and predict the pattern of retrievals. Observation and questionnaires are used to collect requirements for composition of images on monitors including the number and types of requests for previous images. Various displays and workstations are being evaluated to determine the requirements for different types of images.
Simulation as a cloud service for short-run high throughput industrial print production using a service broker architecture

Abstract Evaluating end-to-end systems is uniquely challenging in industrial/commercial printing due to a large number of equipment combinations and customization needed for each customer and application. Moreover any mismatch in capacities may render multi-million dollar investments to zero returns on investment. Simulation can help foresee changes on the shop floor when demand changes. Providing a library of components that can be assembled together is the usual approach used by many simulation vendors which still leaves a simulation engineer in the loop to make it usable. We detail our experiences on implementing a prototype (private) cloud service using service broker architecture and a dynamic model generator. The service broker handles the heterogeneity associated with demand and equipment configurations whereas the dynamic model generator customizes a generic model based on inputs from the user. This helps avoiding rewiring of simulation models on each engagement. The schema and the necessary front and back-end codes all reside in the cloud and, therefore, users pay on a per use basis without worrying about the upgrade/update of software at their end. The service supports multi-tenancy which results in low costs per user and provides sharing of resource information yet restricting access to proprietary workflows and policies. A typical run costs a very small amount, which is affordable for even small-sized PSPs. We show the utility of our work in the context of educational book publishing to evaluate equipment changes needed when the current lumpy order demand stream changes to a highly fragmented demand stream. We also discuss how our work can be extended to several other domains such healthcare, transportation, 3D printing.