cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-user detection via iterative processing

Multi-user detection of CDMA signals is studied in the light of iterative processing. The factor graph representation of a CDMA system is used to develop a low-complexity joint detection algorithm. This algorithm replaces the large sums that appear at the multiple access nodes by simple averages and ignores the error control code network of the interfering users, assuming a fixed probability distribution on the output symbols of the interfering users. This is optimal in the case where the code network for the interfering users is unknown, and amounts to an error control decoder using a multi-user metric generator. Simplifications of the multi-user metric generation lead to linear iterative metric generators. Simulation and analytical results on the performance of these detectors are shown and illustrate complexity/performance trade-offs.
Don't change NSFs mission

The Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies, chaired by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), produced a report, number 103–137, which concerns itself with the National Science Foundation. This report appears to want the NSF to become “practical,” to move away from “curiosity driven science.” I believe this to be misguided and wrong. I support AGU's position on the role of NSF. “All technical progress is built upon basic scientific research. Development of technology resulting from that basic science and transfer of that technology to industry … are the role of other agencies and the private sector rather than the NSF….” (Eos, September 28, 1993).
Use of weekly 4DCT‐based ventilation maps to quantify changes in lung function for patients undergoing radiation therapy

PURPOSE: A method has been proposed to calculate ventilation maps from 4DCT images. Weekly 4DCT data were acquired for lungcancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The purpose of our work was to use ventilation maps calculated from weekly 4DCT data to study how lung function changed throughout radiation therapy METHODS: Spatial registration and a density‐changed based model were used to compute weekly ventilation maps for 6 patients. We quantitatively analyzed the data by defining regions of interest (ROIs) according to dose and lung lobe and by tracking the weekly ventilation of each ROI throughout treatment. The slope of the linear fit to the weekly ventilation data was used to evaluate change in lung function throughout treatment. The dose ROI ventilation data were used to study how function changed throughout treatment as a function of dose. The lung lobe ROI ventilation data were used to investigate the impact of tumor reduction on ventilation change throughout treatment. RESULTS: We found that 3 patients had an increase in weekly ventilation as a function of dose and 3 patients had no change or a slight decrease in ventilation as a function of dose. When the tumor volume in a lobe was visibly reduced, ventilation increased, and when the tumor volume was not visibly reduced, the ventilation distribution did not change. The average slope of the group of lobes that contained tumors that shrank was 1.18 (indicating an increase in ventilation), while the average slope of the group that contained tumors that did not shrink was −0.31 (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: We did not find a consistent pattern of ventilation change as a function of dose. The weekly lobe ventilation data indicated that when tumor volume shrinks, ventilation increases, and when the thoracic anatomy is not visibly changed, ventilation is likely to remain unchanged.
Re-investigation of gate oxide breakdown on logic circuit reliability

Gate oxide breakdown has been studied in the circuit-like patterns, i.e. e-Fuse arrays and two-stage inverter circuit. It is observed that time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) lifetime of eFuse chip is larger compared to discrete devices. Gate oxide breakdown study using two-stage inverter circuit (1st-stage I/O N/PMOS worked as current limiting transistors and 2nd-stage core N/PMOS is stressed transistors) reveals that, even by applying a significant high voltage stress (≤ 3×Vdd) on stressed device, the stress device will suffer only soft breakdown not a hard breakdown and it is independent with the current drive capability of current limiting transistors. Soft breakdown results in very small voltage drop across the current limiting device (i.e. between source and drain terminals), which will have negligible impact on the circuit functionality. It suggests circuit functionality will be immune from gate oxide breakdown in normal circuit operating condition, i.e. V dd of ∼1V, and designers will get extra reliability margin. Our HSPICE simulation results on ring oscillator (RO) also suggest the logic circuit functionality immunity with gate oxide breakdown.
Using Tropopause Maps to Diagnose Midlatitude Weather Systems

The use of potential vorticity (PV) allows the efficient description of the dynamics of nearly balanced atmospheric flow phenomena, but the distribution of PV must be simply represented for ease in interpretation. Representations of PV on isentropic or isobaric surfaces can be cumbersome, as analyses of several surfaces spanning the troposphere must be constructed to fully apprehend the complete PV distribution. Following a brief review of the relationship between PV and nearly balanced flows, it is demonstrated that the tropospheric PV has a simple distribution, and as a consequence, an analysis of potential temperature along the dynamic tropopause (here defined as a surface of constant PV) allows for a simple representation of the upper-tropospheric and lower-stratospheric PV. The construction and interpretation of these tropopause maps, which may be termed ‘‘isertelic’’ analyses of potential temperature, are described. In addition, techniques to construct dynamical representations of the lower-tropospheric PV and near-surface potential temperature, which complement these isertelic analyses, are also suggested. Case studies are presented to illustrate the utility of these techniques in diagnosing phenomena such as cyclogenesis, tropopause folds, the formation of an upper trough, and the effects of latent heat release on the upper and lower troposphere.
Culture and Commerce in France: An Anthropological/Sociological Approach

: This article describes a course designed primarily, but not exclusively, for students in the undergraduate program in the College of Business, and includes a discussion of the interdisciplinary nature of the course, its objectives and organization, as well as its application in internationalizing the business curriculum by focusing on how business practices and approaches are shaped by culture. The approach used in the course can serve as a model for all languages. Moreover, heavy enrollments and favorable evaluations of the course suggest that it has the potential for promoting interest in foreign language classes.
Clipping the roots before planting: A three-part examination of interpersonal Japan-U.S. business interactions

This paper examines the divide between Japanese and U.S. business communication strategies as it manifests in interpersonal interactions and offers solutions for improved cross-cultural discourse. Often, the divides that arise during exchanges between Japanese and American communicators are due to the misreading of cultural norms specific to each culture. The author calls out three fundamental components of Japanese national culture that represent potential challenge areas for Western communicators when not addressed properly. These challenge areas were selected based on the author's personal experiences accrued while living and working in Japan. It is hoped that a distillation of the cultural components associated with each scenario will help advance the conversation about the challenges involved in cross-cultural communication while simultaneously fostering a more accurate understanding of the manner in which Japanese and American cultures interface communicatively.
Military Families: Extreme Work and Extreme “Work-Family”

While the U.S. military might at first glance appear to be a model of rigidity rather than flexibility, there are strong incentives to address the work-family concerns of service members and their families. From a work-family perspective, military service generates substantial structural, energy, psychological, and behavioral tensions with family life. Although the U.S. military had already implemented extensive programs, policies, and practices to support families prior to the current conflicts, the wars and demographic changes have spurred the development of innovative new models, some far outside previous boundaries of military workforce flexibility. Future challenges include continuing to adapt as military conflicts and missions evolve, defining the ideal balance between military support and family self-sufficiency, sustaining excellent leadership throughout the military around work-family issues, and caring for the millions of individuals whose lives have been changed by their own or a loved one’s mi...
Granular computing on covering from the aspects of knowledge theory

Rough Set theory assumes the underlying structure of knowledge is a partition; each equivalence class represents a piece of basic knowledge. In this paper, we assumes a covering is a basic knowledge. From which the theories of learning, knowledge approximations and knowledge reduction are developed.
Current surgical management of tetralogy of fallot

Abstract The surgical management of tetralogy of Fallot has undergone important changes in recent years. Earlier repair of tetralogy of Fallot is now favored by many institutions. At Stanford University Medical Center, we have performed definitive repair of tetralogy of Fallot at the time of presentation, regardless of the child's age, with few exceptions. In this report, we describe our results with early repair, and we believe these support the contention that infants who undergo early repair (
Accretion disc dynamo activity in local simulations spanning weak-to-strong net vertical magnetic flux regimes

Strongly magnetized accretion discs around black holes have attractive features that may explain enigmatic aspects of X-ray binary behaviour. The structure and evolution of these discs are governed by a dynamo-like mechanism, which channels part of the accretion power liberated by the magnetorotational instability (MRI) into an ordered toroidal magnetic field. To study dynamo activity, we performed three-dimensional, stratified, isothermal, ideal magnetohydrodynamic shearing box simulations. The strength of the self-sustained toroidal magnetic field depends on the net vertical magnetic flux, which we vary across almost the entire range over which the MRI is linearly unstable. We quantify disc structure and dynamo properties as a function of the initial ratio of mid-plane gas pressure to vertical magnetic field pressure, $\beta_0^{\rm mid} = p_{\rm gas} / p_B$. For $10^5 \geq \beta_0^{\rm mid} \geq 10$ the effective $\alpha$-viscosity parameter scales as a power-law. Dynamo activity persists up to and including $\beta_0^{\rm mid} = 10^2$, at which point the entire vertical column of the disc is magnetic pressure-dominated. Still stronger fields result in a highly inhomogeneous disc structure, with large density fluctuations. We show that the turbulent steady state $\beta^{\rm mid}$ in our simulations is well-matched by the analytic model of Begelman et al. (2015) describing the creation and buoyant escape of toroidal field, while the vertical structure of the disc can be broadly reproduced using this model. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for observed properties of X-ray binaries.
Race and Family Therapy

In this chapter I examine the meaning and impact of race in societal systems, family life, and therapeutic relationships through critical race theory (CRT) and critical decolonizing frameworks. CRT is foundational to understanding race in the USA. Decolonizing theory expands the conversation to a global level. I explore white privilege within this framework. I then discuss multiracial families as a special topic followed by a case study and implications for the practice of family therapy.
Managing and Mentoring: Experiences of Assistant Professors in Working with Research Assistants

Support from research assistants (RAs) is often framed as a resource to facilitate faculty research productivity, yet most assistant professors have received minimal training on how to effectively make use of this resource. This study collected data from a national sample of assistant professors to examine tasks RAs are asked to perform, satisfaction with RA work, challenges in working with RAs, and lessons learned to be successful. Authors used a sequential mixed-methods design, first conducting a Web-based survey with 109 assistant professors in social work schools with doctoral programs, then qualitative interviews with a subset of 13 respondents who volunteered to talk more about their experiences. Evidence indicated low levels of satisfaction regarding the preparation of students for RA work, particularly among those assistant professors working with first-year doctoral students. Primary challenges included lack of student skills and commitment and sufficient time to supervise and train students. Recommendations include careful assessment of student skills at the start of the relationship and setting clear expectations. Social work programs can improve faculty-RA relationships by training new assistant professors on how to support and manage RAs and training incoming students on basic research skills for their work as RAs.
A Patient-Centered Approach to Informed Consent: Results from a Survey and Randomized Trial

Purpose. Traditional informed consent documents tend to be too lengthy and technical to facilitate proper patient engagement. Patient-centered, short informed consent content could be equally informative, while minimizing patient burden and producing greater patient engagement. This study aimed to develop and evaluate patient-centered, patient-designed paper and video informed consent formats. Methods. Two studies were conducted. In study 1, 118 self-identifying asthma patients recruited from a national, online pool completed survey tasks from their personal computers. Participants in study 1 were randomly assigned to examine sections of a standard informed consent document for an asthma trial and to select information they deemed critical to their decision making. In study 2, a sample of 83 self-identifying asthma patients completed experimental tasks in a university laboratory. Participants in study 2 were randomly assigned to a full informed consent document; a shortened, patient-designed informed cons...
Adult longevity as affected by size, sex, and maintenance in isolation or groups in the parasite Pediobius foveolatus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Adult longevity was significantly affected by adult size, sex, and interaction regime in the eulophid parasite, Pediobius foveolatus , when all of the variables were analyzed simultaneously with analysis of variance. Adult-interaction regimes consisted in being alone, in same-sex groups, and in both-sex groups. Size (both head width and tibia length) and adult-interaction regime were significant longevity predictors in males. Size alone (both kinds of measurements) was a significant longevity predictor in two of the three adult-interaction regimes in females.
Pre-sacral Tumors

Presacral, or retrorectal, tumors are rare and often go unnoticed. A high index of suspicion and a certain degree of clinical acumen are required to identify these lesions. A general risk of malignant transformation necessitates a recommendation for surgical management. In those patients with solid or heterogeneous tumors, we highly recommended pre-operative percutaneous biopsy to rule out malignancy, guide neoadjuvant treatment, and plan for the extent of resection. Purely cystic lesions can most often proceed directly to resection. These tumors are best evaluated and treated by an experienced multidisciplinary team.
The Value of Mentoring in Nursing: An Honor and a Gift

Mentoring is often thought of as a more experienced person sharing information, advice, knowledge, or training with a novice. A mentor might be engaged to assist a person to achieve a goal, complete a project, or facilitate a transition to a different role or an expanded level of responsibility. Mentoring can be formal or informal, short or long term, episodic or ongoing, planned or spontaneous. A mentor can be a volunteer or someone specifically hired or assigned and matched according to the competency required. A mentor may also be identified by the person seeking to be mentored.
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Docking

This chapter describes the practical challenges of docking autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV s) in the ocean environment and approaches undertaken to create working docking systems. Early docking work was motivated by the desire to operate AUVs for multiple sorties without recovery or human servicing of the AUV. To accomplish this, the docking system provides a method for the AUV to find the dock, to physically attach, to recharge AUV batteries, to establish a communication link, to wait in a low power state for a new mission, and to undock. A variety of homing methods, dock configurations, power transfer approaches, and communications links have been employed to achieve these respective needs, and are described herein. While the original applications driving docking were oceanographic in nature, present interest is broader, driven by commercial and military applications as well. Docking has been demonstrated, but has not been deployed as an operational capability, in part because docking requires an infrastructure for the dock that provides physical mounting, a source of power, and communication connectivity. The advent of cabled and mooring-based observatories, and subsea infrastructure for oil and gas production, create a foundation supporting docking system deployment. Consequently, the prospects for operational docking systems seem promising.
Systems Analysis of the Complement-Induced Priming Phase of Liver Regeneration

Liver regeneration is a well-orchestrated process in the liver that allows mature hepatocytes to reenter the cell cycle to proliferate and replace lost or damaged cells. This process is often impaired in fatty or diseased livers, leading to cirrhosis and other deleterious phenotypes. Prior research has established the role of the complement system and its effector proteins in the progression of liver regeneration; however, a detailed mechanistic understanding of the involvement of complement in regeneration is yet to be established. In this study, we have examined the role of the complement system during the priming phase of liver regeneration through a systems level analysis using a combination of transcriptomic and metabolomic measurements. More specifically, we have performed partial hepatectomy on mice with genetic deficiency in C3, the major component of the complement cascade, and collected their livers at various time points. Based on our analysis, we show that the C3 cascade activates c-fos and promotes the TNF-α signaling pathway, which then activates acute-phase genes such as serum amyloid proteins and orosomucoids. The complement activation also regulates the efflux and the metabolism of cholesterol, an important metabolite for cell cycle and proliferation. Based on our systems level analysis, we provide an integrated model for the complement-induced priming phase of liver regeneration.
The Centrality of Verbal Learning: COMMENTS ON PROFESSOR UNDERWOOD'S PAPER

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the evaluation of Professor Underwood's statement that “work in rote verbal learning is central to all human learning.” Working under the assumption that essentially all of human learning can be conceived of as falling into the four categories of (1) motivational learning, (2) stimulus constituting, (3) response learning, and (4) instrumental learning, the contribution of verbal learning studies to each of these categories is discussed. It is concluded that studies dealing with motivational learning are negligible in the field of verbal learning, and such studies are far more characteristic of the work with lower animals. It is suggested that verbal learning situations are especially useful for investigating interrelationships among stimulus learning, response learning, and the final product of performance—stimulus-response learning. As a species man is unique in the extent of his use of the verbal response system, and most of the achievements in changing the environment can be attributed to the competence and precision in usage of this response system.
Identification of Mechanism-Based Inactivation in P450-Catalyzed Cyclopropanation Facilitates Engineering of Improved Enzymes

Following the recent discovery that heme proteins can catalyze the cyclopropanation of styrenyl olefins with high efficiency and selectivity, interest in developing new enzymes for a variety of non-natural carbene transfer reactions has burgeoned. The fact that diazo compounds and other carbene precursors are known mechanism-based inhibitors of P450s, however, led us to investigate if they also interfere with this new enzyme function. We present evidence for two inactivation pathways that are operative during cytochrome P450-catalyzed cyclopropanation. Using a combination of UV–vis, mass spectrometry, and proteomic analyses, we show that the heme cofactor and several nucleophilic side chains undergo covalent modification by ethyl diazoacetate (EDA). Substitution of two of the affected residues with less-nucleophilic amino acids led to a more than twofold improvement in cyclopropanation performance (total TTN). Elucidating the inactivation pathways of heme protein-based carbene transfer catalysts should ai...
Quantitative mapping of cardiac membrane potential: A feasibility study

522 Objectives Abnormal conduction of electrical impulses is the basis for conditions such as ventricular tachycardia. Detection of arrhythmogenic myocardium relies on invasive electroanatomic mapping with endocardial catheters. Membrane potential provides a direct index of the ability of myocytes to conduct electrical impulses. We describe a new noninvasive method to quantitatively measure and image myocardial membrane potential (ΔΨ) using the kinetics of a lipophilic cationic tracer, 18F-TPP+. Methods Conceptually, the myocardial tissue concentration of 18F-TPP+ in tissue is partitioned into two components: extracellular space (ECS) and myocytes. Concentrations in myocytes are further partitioned into cytosolic and mitochondrial (mito) fractions. The Nernst equation1 relates the equilibrium concentrations of the component concentrations and the voltages across the mitochondrial and cellular membranes to the total volume of distribution (VT) of 18F-TPP+. Three pigs were studied, two controls and one with experimentally-induced myocardial infarction, using dynamic PET imaging. VT was mapped voxel-by-voxel using two different methods, (1) the indicator dilution principal2 and (2) the Logan transformation3. Results We derived a novel equation expressing VT in terms of ΔΨ and the ECS fraction. ΔΨ maps computed from either indicator dilution or Logan analysis were quantitatively similar and demonstrated good statistical quality at the voxel level. ΔΨ was in the range of 140-160 mV (negative inside) for healthy tissue and 40-70 mV in the infarct/scar. Conclusions Experiments in normal and infarcted pigs demonstrate the feasibility of quantitative mapping. The tissue-to-plasma ratio at equilibrium,VT, is sensitive to two independent variables, the tissue fraction of the extracellular space and ΔΨ (mitochondrial plus cellular). Values of ΔΨ were in accord with previously reported bench top measurements4-6. These results demand further validation but also raise the possibility of clinical translation as a noninvasive adjunct to electroanatomic mapping. Research Support Supported by NIH grant R01HL110241 "Quantitative Cardiac PET"
Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism in Animal Studies (ADME, Protein Binding, Mass Balance, Animal Models)

A careful evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of a new drug should play an integral and continuing role in the nonclinical workup for that drug, and should be initiated very early in the drug development program. These studies are of primary importance for the planning and design of animal toxicity studies, and for the selection of the appropriate animal model for purposes of estimating a safe clinical dose. Examples of the usefulness of nonclinical pharmacokinetic data for explaining toxicity which occurred, while allowing clinical trials to continue, are presented.
Artisanal green turtle (Chelonia mydas) fishery of Caribbean Nicaragua: II. Characterization and trends in size, sex, and maturity status of turtles killed, 1994–2011

One of the largest legal green turtle, Chelonia mydas, fisheries in the world occurs in Caribbean Nicaragua, where annually thousands of endangered turtles are captured for consumption. Understanding characteristics of turtles caught and assessing trends can provide insights into population status and resource management needs. From 1994 to 2011, green turtles caught in this artisanal fishery (12.33–14.66°N and 82.50–83.48°W) were characterized by size, maturity status, and sex. Temporal trends in curved plastron length (PL) differed significantly among three size-sex categories: turtles ≥70.0 cm PL for females (F ≥ 70) and males (M ≥ 70), and all turtles <70 cm PL (PL < 70). For maturity status, the ratio and number of immatures declined suggesting a decrease in recruitment to the Nicaragua foraging ground. Of the mature turtles, males comprised 69% of the catch. Sex ratios of F ≥ 70 to M ≥ 70 differed significantly by region, 1.2F:1M in the north and 0.7F:1M in the south, suggesting sexual segregation on the foraging ground. Additionally, the annual proportion of F ≥ 70 decreased significantly in each region. Declines in immatures and proportion of females in the catch are of concern since these changes have potentially important implications for population growth. Recommendations include improving stakeholder participation in fishery management, establishment of effective closed seasons, and year-around protection for mature females. Although additional information is needed, this study provides evidence of resource population changes and demonstrates the importance of long-term monitoring of resource use.
Observation of Intra-Molecular Vibrational Dynamics Using High-Harmonic Generation as a Probe

Intra-molecular vibrational dynamics in SF6 are observed, using electrons rescattered during the process of high-order harmonic generation. All of the Raman-active modes of SF6 are observed, as well as vibrational relaxation.
Keeping, caring and claiming: O’odham Indians at Mission San Xavier del Bac

AbstractAccording to scholars, Native American Catholics live two parallel religious lives: ‘institutional’ Catholicism is juxtaposed to ‘popular religion.’ The Tohono O’odham of Southern Arizona seem to be a prominent example of this: the O’odham practice santo himdaq devotion to santos in small chapels. These devotions and indigenous practices contrast with the institutional church. Seemingly, ‘indigenised’ Catholicism is dearer to these Native groups than the central, official Church. However, this paper examines San Xavier Mission Church’s centrality both to Mission clergy and to O’odham Catholics as a place of mutual reverence. The historical examinations of the Mission Church have fixated on its Spanish origins without examining its importance to the O’odham. The church was left in the care of O’odham Indians for decades in the nineteenth century during the years of secularisation (1841–1912). I examine this care, the significance of the Mission Church to establishing the San Xavier Reservation, and...
Being Intentional About Incorporating the Entrepreneurial Mindset into Engineering Curriculum

The purpose of this section is to provide an easy understanding of how to incorporate the entrepreneurial mindset into the engineering curriculum.
Preferences Related to the Use of Mobile Apps as Dental Patient Educational Aids: A Pilot Study.

Purpose Numerous patient education apps have been developed to explain dental treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess perceptions and preferences regarding the use of apps in dental settings. Materials and methods Four patient education apps describing fixed partial dentures were demonstrated to participants (N = 25). Questions about each app were asked using a semi-structured interview format to assess participants' opinions about each app's content, images, features, and use. Sessions were analyzed via note-based methods for thematic coding. Results Participants believed that apps should be used in conjunction with a dentist's explanation about a procedure. They desired an app that could be tailored for scope of content. Participants favored esthetic images of teeth that did not show structural anatomy, such as tooth roots, and preferred interactive features. Conclusions Patient education apps may be a valuable tool to enhance patient-provider communication in dental settings. Participants exhibited varying preferences for different features among the apps and expressed the desire for an app that could be personalized to each patient. Additional research is needed to assess whether the use of apps improves oral health literacy and informed consent among patients.
Abstract IA17: Synthetic-lethal strategies for MYC-driven cancers

MYC is an essential, pleiotropic transcription factor whose amplification or deregulated expression is one of the most commonly occurring events in cancer. Despite the importance of MYC as a therapeutic target, no available drugs directly inhibit MYC transcriptional activity. Our group has undertaken several orthogonal approaches to identify MYC-pathway directed synthetic-lethal interactions. Using cell-based and transgenic animal models we have identified new potential therapeutic targets. These include metabolic, cell cycle and novel kinase vulnerabilities of MYC-driven cancers that will be discussed. Citation Format: Andrei Goga. Synthetic-lethal strategies for MYC-driven cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Opportunities and Challenges of Exploiting Synthetic Lethality in Cancer; Jan 4-7, 2017; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2017;16(10 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Reliability of individual differences in degraded speech perception.

Listeners' speech perception abilities vary extensively in challenging listening conditions. There is little evidence as to whether this variability is a result of true, stable individual differences or just variability arising from measurement error. This study examines listeners’ word recognition abilities across multiple sessions and a variety of degraded speech tasks (noise-vocoded, time-compressed, and speech in babble noise). Participants transcribed isolated single syllable words presented in all three degradation types and repeated these tasks (with different words) on a separate day. Correlations of transcription accuracy demonstrate that individual differences in performance are reliable across sessions. In addition, performance on all three degradation types was correlated. These results suggest that differences in performance on degraded speech perception tasks for normal hearing listeners are robust and that there are underlying factors that promote the ability to understand degraded speech r...
Looking forward: A semantic mapping system for scouting with micro-aerial vehicles

The last decade has seen a massive growth in applications for Micro-Aerial Vehicles (MAVs), due in large part to their versatility for data gathering with cameras, LiDAR and various other sensors. Their ability to quickly go from assessing large spaces from a high vantage points to flying in close to capture high-resolution data makes them invaluable for applications where we are interested in a specific target with an a priori unknown location, e.g. survivors in disaster response scenarios, vehicles in surveillance, animals in wildlife monitoring, etc., a task we will refer to scouting. Our ultimate goal is to enable MAVs to perform autonomous scouting. In this paper, we describe a semantic mapping system designed to support this goal. The system maintains a 2.5D map describing its belief about the location of semantic classes of interest, using forward-looking cameras and state estimation. The map is continuously updated on the fly, using only onboard processing. The system couples a deep learning 2D semantic segmentation algorithm with a novel mapping method to project and aggregate the 2D semantic measurements into a global 2.5D grid map. We train and evaluate our segmentation method on a novel dataset of cars labelled in oblique aerial imagery. We also study the performance of the mapping system in isolation. Finally, we show the integrated system performing a fully autonomous car scouting mission in the field.
Reflections on a retrofit: Organizational commitment, perceived productivity and controllability in a building lighting project in the United States

Abstract The luminous environment affects how office workers perceive their work setting. However, research on how the lighting commissioning process associates with psychosocial variables relevant to office settings is lacking. This case study explored the extent to which employees working on a recently retrofitted floor of an administrative office building believed they could control the new lighting system. It also measured their levels of perceived productivity and affective organizational commitment to examine correlations between these variables and levels of satisfaction with the lighting commissioning process. Satisfaction with the commissioning process did not significantly correlate with perceived productivity, controllability, affective organizational commitment, or the average number of productive work hours reported after the retrofit. However, perceived productivity significantly and positively associated with perceived controllability and affective organizational commitment. Also, controllability and affective organizational commitment both significantly correlated with the number of productive work hours perceived. Results support interdisciplinary studies emphasizing the importance of lighting controllability in improving employees’ perceived performance and satisfaction at work. Results also offer practical suggestions concerning the commissioning process used in the case study.
Reflections on Grutter

This short "think piece" about Grutter, written for an online symposium convened by The Jurist, criticizes many features of the majority's analysis in Grutter: its dilution of strict scrutiny; its misconception of diversity-value in education; its linkage of educational diversity to its idea of "critical mass"; its opposition to, yet reinforcement of, adverse stereotypes; its constitutional test for distinguishing between valid and invalid ethno-racial preferences, and its misapplication of that test to the law school's plan; its treatment of race-neutral alternatives; and its likely effect on the future of preferences and on the politics surrounding them.
Cronobacter (Enterobacter) sakazakii

Abstract Cronobacter sakazakii has been identified as an infrequently isolated opportunistic pathogen. More than 120 cases of C. sakazakii –related illness have been reported and most reported cases are life-threatening infections. Many of these outbreaks have been linked to the consumption of C. sakazakii– contaminated powdered infant formula. Despite the relatively recent understanding and recognition of the importance of C. sakazakii , a great deal remains unknown about its natural habitat, its genomic information, genetic diversity among strains, and virulence factors responsible for contributing to pathenogenicity and adherence properties.
Tolerance to WIN55,212-2 is delayed in desensitization-resistant S426A/S430A mice.

Abstract Tolerance to cannabinoid agonists can develop through desensitization of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) following prolonged administration. Desensitization results from phosphorylation of CB1 by a G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK), and subsequent association of the receptor with arrestin. Mice expressing a mutant form of CB1, in which the serine residues at two putative phosphorylation sites necessary for desensitization have been replaced by non-phosphorylatable alanines (S426A/S430A), display reduced tolerance to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of WIN55,212-2 was delayed in S426A/S430A mutants using the tail-flick and formalin tests. However, tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of once daily CP55,940 injections was not significantly delayed in S426A/S430A mutant mice using either of these tests. Interestingly, the dose response curve shifts for the hypothermic and antinociceptive effects of CP55,940 that were induced by chronic treatment with this agonist in wild-type mice were blocked in S426A/S430A mutant mice. Assessment of mechanical allodynia in mice exhibiting chronic cisplatin-evoked neuropathic pain found that tolerance to the anti-allodynic effects WIN55,212-2 but not CP55,940 was delayed in S426A/S430A mice compared to wild-type littermates. Despite these deficits in tolerance, S426A/S430A mutant mice eventually developed tolerance to both WIN55,212-2 and CP55,940 for all pain assays that were examined, suggesting that other mechanisms likely contribute to tolerance for these cannabinoid agonists. These findings suggest that GRK- and βarrestin2-mediated desensitization of CB1 may strongly contribute to the rate of tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of WIN55,212-2, and raises the possibility of agonist-specific mechanisms of cannabinoid tolerance.
Effects of Amphetamine on CNV and Behaviour in Man

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the effects of amphetamine on Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) and behavior in man. In an experiment described in the chapter, 20 normal females were tested in a constant-foreperiod reaction-time situation following the oral administration of dextroamphetamine and placebo. In the first hour postdrug, a group of 13 individuals exhibited paradoxical drowsiness accompanied by lowered electrical brain activity, whereas a group of seven individuals showed behavioral alertness and increased CNV amplitude. During this period, four subjects verbalized feelings of sadness. The majority of paradoxical individuals had Type B baseline CNV shapes whereas the non-paradoxical group was made up of subjects with Type A CNV shapes. Both paradoxical and non-paradoxical responder groups showed behavioral excitation in the second and third hours postdrug. In these late hours postdrug, there were reports of cognitive surges.
The Principia’s second law (as Newton understood it) from Galileo to Laplace

Newton certainly regarded his second law of motion in the Principia as a fundamental axiom of mechanics. Yet the works that came after the Principia, the major treatises on the foundations of mechanics in the eighteenth century—by Varignon, Hermann, Euler, Maclaurin, d’Alembert, Euler (again), Lagrange, and Laplace—do not record, cite, discuss, or even mention the Principia’s statement of the second law. Nevertheless, the present study shows that all of these scientists do in fact assume the principle that the Principia’s second law asserts as a fundamental axiom in their mechanics. (For what that second law asserts, we rely on Newton’s own testimony.) Some, like Varignon and Hermann, assume the axiom implicitly, apparently unaware that any assumption is being made, while others, like Maclaurin and Euler, assume the axiom explicitly, apparently unaware that the assertion assumed is the second law as Newton himself understood it. But in every case these scientists employ the principle asserted by the Principia’s second law fundamentally, unaware that they should be citing Neutonus, Prin., Phil. Nat. Math., Lex II.
Ethnic Entrepreneurship Without Ethnicity: Latino Entrepreneurs in Northern Utah

Over the past two decades, Latinos have been making their way to new destinations in the US South, Midwest, and Intermountain West. Although most are flocking to jobs in agriculture and manufacturi...
Effects of irrigation level and timing on profile soil water use by grain sorghum

Abstract Although deficit irrigation (DI) may have the potential to optimize crop yields in water limited environments, the success of such strategies may depend on the ability to manage variability in profile stored soil water during periods of drought. Understanding variability in stored soil water and crop rooting depth is an important component of successfully managing a deficit irrigation strategy. Traditionally, DI is applied at a fraction of the full irrigation (FI) requirement, but managed deficit irrigation (MDI) may optimize yield and irrigation by coordinating irrigation timing with the crop’s reproductive stages through the management of soil water depletion and water stress. The depth of the soil water use by grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] was evaluated in the High Plains of Texas, USA under FI, DI, and MDI strategies: during the 2010–2012 growing seasons. Crop water use during critical growth stages was year specific due to variable precipitation and antecedent soil moisture even though irrigation strategies were maintained as planned in all years. In 2010, soil water contents within the rooting zone (0–1.6 m) were > 50 % of the potential plant available water (PPAW) in the soil at emergence under all treatments, and soil water contents remained > 50 % PPAW at half-bloom for FI and MDI. Soil water contents were 50 % PPAW under FI from 0- to 0.6-m through the growing season. Due to variability in the depth of the stored soil water, irrigation scheduling based on managed allowed depletion below PPAW may need to be modified to account for greater sparse root densities deeper in the profile.
Addressing the health of a marginalized population in the U.S.: impact and policy implications for community health workers

ABSTRACTThe relationship between marginalization and health is clear, those in marginalized communities suffer poorer and worse health outcomes than those who are not. Addressing health determinant...
Abstract PD6-9: Molecular signatures of DCIS to invasive progression for basal-like breast cancers: An integrated mouse model and human tumor study

Invasive ductal cancers (IDC) have a variety of precursor lesions and molecular subtypes. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is considered an important precursor stage immediately preceding IDC and has increased in its incidence in recent times. 20-40% of DCIS form IDC however, currently we lack robust molecular signatures to predict progression prone DCIS. Performing next generation sequencing in breast cancer DCIS precursors is likely to help elucidate their progression potential. Sequencing the progression path of IDC lesions in a mouse model, and in human samples of the same molecular subtype, should help to understand the drivers of transformation. We utilized the C3-TAG genetically engineered mouse model that forms DCIS like precursor lesions, and human breast DCIS-IDC pairs for genomic analyses. Through single cell RNA-sequencing, and bulk mRNA-seq, we identified disease stage specific, and cell population specific, signatures at three stages of breast cancer tumor progression in the C3-TAG mouse model. Through integrated analysis we subset cancer cells in the DCIS and tumor stage in C3-TAG and identify genes and gene signatures relevant in the IDC stage including HIF-1-alpha pathway (Fos proto-oncogene, lactate dehydrogenase A); glycolysis pathway (phosphoglycerate mutase 1, pyruvate kinase M1/2, aldolase, fructose-bisphosphate A, enolase 1); Metastasis associated protein (MTA3) complex (tubulin alpha 1c, tubulin alpha 4a) and endocrine resistance (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A, KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase, heparin binding EGF like growth factor, cyclin D1). We also identified microenvironment signatures and detected gene changes in the immune, endothelial and fibroblast cells as DCIS transitions to IDC, including a sharp decline of CD8 T cell genes (CD274, C-C motif chemokine ligand 5, SLAM family member 7) from DCIS to IDC, highlighting an immune dysregulation as part of the transition from DCIS to IDC. Simultaneously, we retrieved a public microarray dataset of human DCIS/IDC pairs and performed Ribo-zero RNA-sequencing of 5 human basal-like DCIS/IDC and 5 Luminal A DCIS/IDC pairs. Utilizing gene set enrichment analysis, we show that our C3-TAG DCIS stage tumor cell signature was significantly enriched in the human basal-like DCIS, but not in Luminal A DCIS. These results highlight that the C3-TAG DCIS may recapitulate the biology of basal-like DCIS and that progression in basal-like may be different than in Luminal/ER+ cancers. Further interrogation of these DCIS and IDC stage specific signatures may lead to identification of a clinical marker of progression and/or a therapeutic target of early intervention. Citation Format: Aatish Thennavan, Xiaping He, Charles M Perou. Molecular signatures of DCIS to invasive progression for basal-like breast cancers: An integrated mouse model and human tumor study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD6-9.
The first pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor in Li-Fraumeni syndrome: a case report

Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a cancer predisposition syndrome caused by germline TP53 tumor suppressor gene mutations, with no previous association with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). Here we present the first case of PNET associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. This is a 43-year-old female who underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy at age 39 for a well-differentiated grade 2 cystic PNET. When the patient was 41 years old, her seven-year-old daughter was found to have an astrocytoma and a germline TP53 mutation. While undergoing surveillance with 68Gallium-DOTATATE positron emission tomography/computed tomography for her PNET, the patient was found to have a large choroid plexus papilloma in her right temporal lobe. She underwent genetic counseling and testing that identified a germline pathogenic variant in TP53, leading to the diagnosis of Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Her PNET had a hemizygous pathogenic TP53 mutation with loss of the wild-type alternate allele, consistent with loss of heterozygosity and the two-hit hypothesis. She was enrolled in a Li-Fraumeni syndrome protocol and continues surveillance screening with our service. This is the first PNET reported in association with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Pancreatic cancer risk is elevated in this syndrome, and our case highlights the need for vigilance in screening for pancreatic neoplasms in these patients.
Dynamic pulvino-cortical interactions in the primate attention network.

While research in previous decades demonstrated a link between the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus and visual selective attention, the pulvinar’s specific functional role has remained elusive. However, methodological advances in electrophysiological recordings in non-human primates, including simultaneous recordings in multiple brain regions, have recently begun to reveal the pulvinar’s functional contributions to selective attention. These new findings suggest that the pulvinar is critical for the efficient transmission of sensory information within and between cortical regions, both synchronizing cortical activity across brain regions and controlling cortical excitability. These new findings further suggest that the pulvinar’s influence on cortical processing is embedded in a dynamic selection process that balances sensory and motor functions within the large-scale network that directs selective attention.