cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of strain on the stability of tetragonal ZrO 2

The tetragonal form of ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ is used in a wide range of technologies. In this study, we systematically explore the effect of strain on the relative stability of symmetrically equivalent tetragonal variants of ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ using first-principles density functional theory. We focus, in particular, on the role that strain plays in altering metastability and causing dynamical instabilities as these properties affect the mechanisms of ferroelastic switching. We also discover the emergence of a dynamical instability in tetragonal ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ at its high temperature equilibrium volume. This indicates that the high-temperature thermodynamic properties of tetragonal ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ have important anharmonic vibrational contributions that cannot be captured with the quasiharmonic approximation. Finally, we determine that the instability of tetragonal ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ at large volumes leads to a new orthorhombic phase having a $P{2}_{1}{2}_{1}{2}_{1}$ space group.
Very Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Morphologic Classification of Erythrocytes

BACKGROUND: Morphologic profiling of the erythrocyte population is a widely used and clinically valuable diagnostic modality, but one that relies on a slow manual process associated with significant labor cost and limited reproducibility. Automated profiling of erythrocytes from digital images by capable machine learning approaches would augment the throughput and value of morphologic analysis. To this end, we sought to evaluate the performance of leading implementation strategies for convolutional neural networks (CNNs) when applied to classification of erythrocytes based on morphology. METHODS: Erythrocytes were manually classified into 1 of 10 classes using a custom-developed Web application. Using recent literature to guide architectural considerations for neural network design, we implemented a “very deep” CNN, consisting of >150 layers, with dense shortcut connections. RESULTS: The final database comprised 3737 labeled cells. Ensemble model predictions on unseen data demonstrated a harmonic mean of recall and precision metrics of 92.70% and 89.39%, respectively. Of the 748 cells in the test set, 23 misclassification errors were made, with a correct classification frequency of 90.60%, represented as a harmonic mean across the 10 morphologic classes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that erythrocyte morphology profiles could be measured with a high degree of accuracy with “very deep” CNNs. Further, these data support future efforts to expand classes and optimize practical performance in a clinical environment as a prelude to full implementation as a clinical tool.
Social and Molecular Networks Reveal Dynamics Behind the Rising Incidence of Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB)2 is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in people with HIV coinfection. Although TB is typically a treatable disease, cases of multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB) that are resistant to the first-line drugs rifampin and isoniazid have emerged in recent years, presumably due to inadequate treatment or subtherapeutic drug concentrations. Another worrisome trend is the emergence of a subset of MDR-TB known as extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-TB, which is resistant to at least 4 first- and second-line drugs for TB. Cases of XDR-TB require complicated toxic treatment regimens that achieve a cure rate of <40%. The World Health Organization estimates that 500000 cases of MDR-TB occur each year worldwide, with about 10% of these classified as XDR-TB. Over 100 …
Analysis of SEAndroid Policies: Combining MAC and DAC in Android

Android has become a dominant computing platform, and its popularity has coincided with a surge of malware. The incorporation of Security-Enhanced Linux in Android (SEAndroid) is an important security enhancement to the platform. While SEAndroid adds the benefits of mandatory protection that SELinux brought to desktops and servers, the protection is only as good as the policy. Existing Android devices contain a wide variety of SEAndroid policies, depending on both the version of Android as well as the device manufacturer. In this paper, we present an approach to analyze SEAndroid policies in conjunction with the underlying Linux/Unix Discretionary Access Control policies. We apply our approach to four different versions of Android Open Source Project (AOSP) as well as devices from seven different manufacturers, and find several forms of unintentional privilege assignments.
On-Campus Social Support and Hope as Unique Predictors of Perceived Ability to Persist in College:

The psychological construct of hope, characterized by goal-directed thinking rooted in personal agency and the ability to develop pathways to achieve goals, has long been demonstrated to predict ac...
Quantifying spatial accessibility in public health practice and research: an application to on-premise alcohol outlets, United States, 2013.

To assess spatial accessibility measures to on-premise alcohol outlets at census block, census tract, county, and state levels for the United States. Using network analysis in a geographic information system, we computed distance-based measures (Euclidean distance, driving distance, and driving time) to on-premise alcohol outlets for the entire U.S. at the census block level. We then calculated spatial access-based measures, specifically a population-weighted spatial accessibility index and population-weighted distances (Euclidean distance, driving distance, and driving time) to alcohol outlets at the census tract, county, and state levels. A multilevel model-based sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations between different on-premise alcohol outlet accessibility measures and excessive drinking outcomes. The national average population-weighted driving time to the nearest 7 on-premise alcohol outlets was 5.89 min, and the average population-weighted driving distance was 2.63 miles. At the state level, population-weighted driving times ranged from 1.67 min (DC) to 15.29 min (Arizona). Population-weighted driving distances ranged from 0.67 miles (DC) to 7.91 miles (Arkansas). At the county level, population-weighted driving times and distances exhibited significant geographic variations, and averages for both measures increased by the degree of county rurality. The population-weighted spatial accessibility indexes were highly correlated to respective population-weighted distance measures. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that population weighted accessibility measures were more sensitive to excessive drinking outcomes than were population weighted distance measures. These results can be used to assess the relationship between geographic access to on-premise alcohol outlets and health outcomes. This study demonstrates a flexible and robust method that can be applied or modified to quantify spatial accessibility to public resources such as healthy food stores, medical care providers, and parks and greenspaces, as well as, quantify spatial exposure to local adverse environments such as tobacco stores and fast food restaurants.
Observability for Time-Invariant Continuous-Time Systems

We remarked in §13 that the notions of reachability and controllability serve to enhance our understanding of how the inputs to a state space linear system may be used to influence the state of the system. A particular system state is reachable if it is, in a sense, “strongly coupled” to the input through the state transition mapping. A system has a reachable state space if all the states are coupled to the input in this fashion; taking the “natural mode” viewpoint described in §8, we might say that a system has a reachable state space if and only if each of its natural modes may be “excited” by a suitable choice of input.
Biologics in Chronic Rhinosinusitis: An Update and Thoughts for Future Directions:

Background Potential biologic therapies for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a growing field of interest and research. Biologics target specific immune cells or inflammatory pathways within a disease process, increasing drug efficacy while reducing complications. The success of biologics in other inflammatory conditions such as asthma and atopic dermatitis has spurred much of the corresponding research in CRS. A rapid expansion in the volume of research concerning biologic therapies with potential crossover to treating CRS has made it difficult to stay current. Furthermore, much of the literature has been focused on allergy, asthma, and immunology subspecialties. As the role for biologic therapies in CRS continues to expand, it is increasingly important for otolaryngologists to remain up to date on their progression. Objective The objectives of this review are to provide an update on the growing field of biologics for otolaryngologists who treat CRS and discuss potential future areas of research. Methods A literature review of biologic therapies studied in CRS was performed. In addition, a detailed review of all biologic therapies targeting inflammatory markers involved in Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-mediated inflammation was performed to identify potential areas for future research. The role for biologic therapies in CRS, endotypes of CRS, current biologic therapies studies in CRS, and future areas for research were reviewed. Results Sixty-nine unique biologic therapies have been developed for Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-mediated inflammation. Five biologics are currently being investigated for use in patients with CRS with nasal polyposis. Conclusions As the field of biologics continues to expand, remaining up to date on the current literature may help clinicians identify patients who may benefit from biologic therapies. In addition, ongoing research in other inflammatory disorders with shared pathophysiology to CRS may reveal other potential therapies for CRS that have not previously been investigated.
Use of REBOA to stabilize in-hospital iatrogenic intra-abdominal hemorrhage

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has become an increasingly popular alternative to emergency thoracotomy and aortic cross-clamping in patients with exsanguinating hemorrhage.1 This new capability is increasingly being used in non-trauma situations.2 3 This report demonstrates another novel use of REBOA for iatrogenic intra-abdominal hemorrhage. An 83-year-old man with multiple medical comorbidities and a history of chronic mesenteric ischemia was admitted to our institution for an elective mesenteric revascularization. Revascularization was unsuccessful, despite attempts to cross the lesion. Postprocedure, the patient developed a right groin hematoma, and CT on postprocedure day 0 demonstrated a femoral artery pseudoaneurysm and subintimal contrast at the level of the celiac artery, representing an iatrogenic dissection. The following day, he complained of dizziness. Physical examination revealed a blood pressure of 68/35 mm Hg, heart rate of 100 beats per minute, and a distended abdomen. Because the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) was full, he was transferred to the neurotrauma intesive care unit (NTICU) and intubated for hemodynamic instability. A chest X-ray revealed a prior thoracic endovascular aortic repair (figure 1), but no intrathoracic hemorrhage or pathology. Bedside ultrasonography revealed intra-abdominal fluid. Laboratory workup showed hemoglobin of 6.1 g/dL, from 10.9 the previous day. The patient was given two units of packed red blood cells, without response. The intensive care unit (ICU) team initiated norepinephrine, with minimal improvement despite increasing doses. What would you do? Transfuse two units of packed red blood cells and observe. Proceed to the operating room (OR) for exploratory laparotomy. Endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (zone 1).
Demographic and Treatment Variables Influencing Outcome for Localized Paratesticular Rhabdomyosarcoma: Results From a Pooled Analysis of North American and European Cooperative Groups

PurposeTreatment recommendations for localized paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma (PT RMS) differ in North America and Europe. We conducted a pooled analysis to identify demographic features and treatment choices that affect outcome.Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the effect of nine demographic variables and four treatment choices on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) from 12 studies conducted by five cooperative groups.ResultsEight hundred forty-two patients with localized PT RMS who enrolled from 1988 to 2013 were included. Patients age ≥ 10 years were more likely than younger patients to have tumors that were > 5 cm, enlarged nodes (N1), or pathologically involved nodes (P ≤ .05 each). With a median follow-up of 7.5 years, Kaplan-Meier estimates for 5-year EFS and OS were 87.7% and 94.8%, respectively. Of demographic variables, cooperative group, era of enrollment, age category, tumor size, Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study group, and T stage affected EFS (P ≤ .05 each). S...
Attenuation of Unevoked Mechanical and Cold Pain Hypersensitivities Associated With Experimental Neuropathy in Mice by Angiotensin II Type-2 Receptor Antagonism

Recent findings from a phase II clinical trial showed analgesic effects of an angiotensin II type-2 receptor (AT2R) antagonist in postherpetic neuralgia patients. This study aimed to investigate whether AT2R antagonism could provide effective analgesia in voluntary measures of unevoked/ongoing pain-like behaviors in mice with experimental neuropathy. Mice were subjected to spared nerve injury to induce neuropathy and tested in 2 operant behavioral tests to measure ongoing mechanical and cold pain hypersensitivities. Systemic administration of an AT2R antagonist provided effective analgesia in these behavioral measures of mechanical and cold pain in spared nerve injury mice, suggesting its effectiveness in neuropathic pain.
Implementing DevOps practices in highly regulated environments

In this paper, we discuss implementing DevOps practices in highly regulated environments (HREs). DevOps has become a standard option for entities seeking to streamline and increase participation by all stakeholders in their Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). For a large portion of industry, academia, and government, applying DevOps is a straight forward process. There is, however, a subset of entities in these three sectors where applying DevOps can be very challenging. These are entities mandated by policies to conduct all or a portion of their SDLC activities in HREs. Often, the reason for an HRE is general security and protection of intellectual property. Even if an entity is functioning in a highly regulated environment, its SDLC can still benefit from implementing DevOps as long as the implementation conforms to all imposed policies. In this paper, we discuss the process of performing a DevOps assessment and implementation in an HRE which we refer to as HRE-DevOps.
Multimetallic Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling of Aryl Bromides with Aryl Triflates.

A general method for the direct selective synthesis of unsymmetrical biaryls by cross—Ullmann reaction starting from two aryl electrophiles is developed.
Shopping for Privacy Online: Consumer Decision Making Strategies and the Emerging Market for Information Privacy

Studies show that individuals are concerned about database privacy, yet they seldom make privacy a salient attribute when deciding among competing alternatives. Although privacy policies are present on many websites, web users rarely bother to read them. This paper explores why this is so. The author identifies rational reasons why web users do not shop for privacy and discusses the implications for the expanding market for consumer information. He concludes that unless privacy becomes a salient attribute influencing consumer choice, website operators will continue to obtain and use more personal information than web users would choose to provide in a more transparent exchange.
Cancer Biomarker Discovery from Gene Co-expression Networks Using Community Detection Methods

Finding the network biomarkers of cancers and the analysis of cancer driving genes that are involved in these biomarkers are essential for understanding the dynamics of cancer. Clusters of genes in co-expression networks are commonly known as functional units. This work is based on the hypothesis that the dense clusters or communities in the gene co-expression networks of cancer patients may represent functional units regarding cancer initiation and progression. In this study, RNA-seq gene expression data of three cancers - Breast Invasive Carcinoma (BRCA), Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (COAD) and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) are used to construct gene co-expression networks using Pearson Correlation. Six well-known community detection algorithms are applied on these networks to identify communities with five or more genes. A permutation test is performed to further mine the communities that are conserved in other cancers, thus calling them conserved communities. Then survival analysis is performed on clinical data of three cancers using the conserved community genes as prognostic co-variates. The communities that could distinguish the cancer patients between high- and low-risk groups are considered as cancer biomarkers. In the present study, 16 such network biomarkers are discovered.
Business and development: how organization, ownership and networks matter

A recent wave of research – including the five books we review – argues for paying more attention to business and the private sector when explaining development outcomes. We draw on these books to ...
Measuring Interactions Between Tau and Aggregation Inducers with Single-Molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer.

Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Here we describe the application of single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) for the characterization of the interactions between tau and polyphosphate, an intracellular polymer that accelerates tau aggregation. We describe the design of tau constructs, purification and fluorescent labeling of tau, and details of acquisition and analysis of smFRET data. The protocols provided here outline an approach that may be applied to the study of other intrinsically disordered proteins and their binding partners.
An active self-cleaning surface system for photovoltaic modules using anisotropic ratchet conveyors and mechanical vibration.

The purpose of this work is to develop an active self-cleaning system that removes contaminants from a solar module surface by means of an automatic, water-saving, and labor-free process. The output efficiency of a solar module can be degraded over time by dust accumulation on top of the cover glass, which is often referred to as “soiling”. This paper focuses on creating an active self-cleaning surface system using a combination of microsized features and mechanical vibration. The features, which are termed anisotropic ratchet conveyors (ARCs), consist of hydrophilic curved rungs on a hydrophobic background. Two different ARC systems have been designed and fabricated with self-assembled monolayer (SAM) silane and fluoropolymer thin film (Cytop). Fabrication processes were established to fabricate these two systems, including patterning Cytop without degrading the original Cytop hydrophobicity. Water droplet transport characteristics, including anisotropic driving force, droplet resonance mode, cleaning mechanisms, and system power consumption, were studied with the help of a high-speed camera and custom-made test benches. The droplet can be transported on the ARC surface at a speed of 27 mm/s and can clean a variety of dust particles, either water-soluble or insoluble. Optical transmission was measured to show that Cytop can improve transmittance by 2.5~3.5% across the entire visible wavelength range. Real-time demonstrations of droplet transport and surface cleaning were performed, in which the solar modules achieved a 23 percentage-point gain after cleaning. Micro-patterned, self-cleaning solar panels can maintain their efficiency with little resources or human intervention. The efficiency of solar panels, often built on arid landscapes, can be reduced by up to 40% as dust accumulates on the panels. Di Sun and Karl F. Bohringer, from the United States’ University of Washington, created a micro-patterned solar panel glass that incorporates hydrophilic, curved ‘rungs’ on a hydrophobic surface. When mechanical vibration is applied to the panel surface, water droplets are directionally conveyed along tracks of rungs at speeds of up to 27 mm per second, collecting and removing surface contaminants as they go. The system is simply and inexpensively fabricated and uses minimal amounts of water. In one test, a solar module achieved a 23% gain in power output after cleaning with the system.
Bio-sensing of Environmental Distress for Walkable Built Environment

The negative environmental stimuli (e.g., poorly maintained sidewalks, blighted properties, graffiti, trash on the ground, unsafe traffic conditions) in the urban built environment are linked to stress symptomatology in a significant portion of the urban populations. It plays a significant contributor to the increase of urban-associated diseases such as depression, allergies, asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. A few studies presented the potential to identify pedestrians' environmental distress caused by the negative environmental stimuli using bio-signals (e.g., gait patterns, blood volume pulse, and electrodermal activity) beyond the subjectivity concerns of traditional approaches such as neighborhood surveys and field observation. However, there remain several unanswered questions regarding whether the effect of the negative environmental stimuli can be identified from bio-signals captured in naturalistic ambulatory settings, which include various uncontrollable confounding factors (e.g., movement artifacts, physiology reactivity due to non-intended stimuli, and individual variability). In this context, this talk discusses the challenges and opportunities of leveraging bio-signals in capturing environmental distress. We examine empirical associations between bio-signals and environmental stimuli commonly observed in neighborhood-built environment. Then we present a novel method that identifies group-level environmental distress by capturing and aggregating prominent local patterns of bio-signals from multiple pedestrians. In addition, the potential benefits of multimodal data are illustrated through the experimental results that predict environmental distress by using both bio-signals and image-based data (e.g., visual features captured from built environment image, such as land use, sidewalk connectivity, and road speeds).
Multi-fidelity Bayesian neural networks: Algorithms and applications

Abstract We propose a new class of Bayesian neural networks (BNNs) that can be trained using noisy data of variable fidelity, and we apply them to learn function approximations as well as to solve inverse problems based on partial differential equations (PDEs). These multi-fidelity BNNs consist of three neural networks: The first is a fully connected neural network, which is trained following the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) method to fit the low-fidelity data; the second is a Bayesian neural network employed to capture the cross-correlation with uncertainty quantification between the low- and high-fidelity data; and the last one is the physics-informed neural network, which encodes the physical laws described by PDEs. For the training of the last two neural networks, we first employ the mean-field variational inference (VI) to maximize the evidence lower bound (ELBO) to obtain informative prior distributions for the hyperparameters in the BNNs, and subsequently we use the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) method to estimate accurately the posterior distributions for the corresponding hyperparameters. We demonstrate the accuracy of the present method using synthetic data as well as real measurements. Specifically, we first approximate a one- and four-dimensional function, and then infer the reaction rates in one- and two-dimensional diffusion-reaction systems. Moreover, we infer the sea surface temperature (SST) in the Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays using satellite images and in-situ measurements. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the present method can capture both linear and nonlinear correlation between the low- and high-fidelity data adaptively, identify unknown parameters in PDEs, and quantify uncertainties in predictions, given a few scattered noisy high-fidelity data. Finally, we demonstrate that we can effectively and efficiently reduce the uncertainties and hence enhance the prediction accuracy with an active learning approach, using as examples a specific one-dimensional function approximation and an inverse PDE problem.
Synthesis strategies toward improved ordering of [MnO6] octahedra in tunnel structured 2 × 3 and 2 × 4 MnO2

Abstract Improved homogeneity of tunnel size in Na-stabilized 2 × 3 and 2 × 4 MnO2 structures was achieved by identifying and controlling critical synthesis parameters. 2 × 3 and 2 × 4 MnO2 tunnel manganese oxide nanowires were obtained by hydrothermal treatment of Na-birnessite, a layered manganese oxide that undergoes a layer-to-tunnel transition under high pressure and temperature. Herein, the improved ordering of [MnO6] octahedra is revealed via a combined analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning transmission electron microscopy images. We show that crystallinity of the Na-birnessite precursor and the chemical composition of the system during hydrothermal treatment are crucial for achieving the targeted size of the structural tunnels with adequate uniformity.
Flow-induced vibration of high-mass ratio isolated and tandem flexible cylinders with fixed boundary conditions

Abstract Flow-induced vibration of a flexible cylinder placed in the wake of a stationary rigid cylinder is studied, experimentally. The flexible cylinder with an aspect ratio of 47 and a mass ratio of 120 was held fixed at both ends and placed horizontally in the wake of the upstream rigid cylinder in the test-section of a subsonic wind tunnel. The dynamic response of the cylinder is studied in both the streamwise (inline) and transverse (crossflow) directions for center-to-center spacing range from 3 to 9 times the diameter of the cylinder. Amplitudes and frequencies of oscillation, as well as flow forces on the cylinder are studied in the reduced velocity range of U ∗ = 3 . 3 − 50 . 3 and the Reynolds number range of R e = 3 , 057 –46,536. The dynamic response observed in this study are presumably the result of two combined phenomena of vortex-induced vibration and wake-interference galloping. Despite the high-mass ratio of the flexible cylinder, higher modes of vibrations up to the fifth mode are excited in both the crossflow and inline directions, owing to the high-flexibility of the cylinder. Both odd and even modes are excited in the crossflow and inline directions. As the separation distance between the cylinders increases, the amplitudes of oscillation increase over a wider range of reduced velocities. Spanwise trajectories of motion are studied and regions along the length of the cylinder that are excited or damped by the flow, i.e., regions with positive and negative flow force coefficient in phase with velocity, are identified.
Western Kentucky and Indiana

When thirty-one-year-old James Armstrong, a valued slave, crossed the Ohio River in a bid for freedom on October 8, 1853, James Rudd, his master, a wealthy Louisville merchant, responded immediately, sending two members of his family, accompanied by a slave catcher from Hamlet Services, in hot pursuit. Armstrong did not get far into Indiana; he was soon caught and returned at a cost of $135 to Rudd in jail fees and other expenses. Almost two months to the day after his first escape, Armstrong was on the run again, this time in the company of Edward, a slave of Christopher Beeler. They were assisted by Moses Bard, a black barber sometimes known as Moses Hurst, and Shadrach Henderson, a black boatman, both residents of New Albany, Indiana, across the river from Louisville. The four headed first to New Albany and then north to Salem, Washington County. For some inexplicable reason, they doubled back to New Albany and took refuge in the basement of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where they were arrested by Louisville police on December 18, 1853. Armstrong's recovery cost Rudd $342, the bulk of which – $250 – was payment of an advertised reward. Rudd also confiscated $83 found on Armstrong at the time of his recapture. Worried that Armstrong's actions would affect the disposition of his forty-six other slaves, and clearly peeved by Armstrong's determination to be free, Rudd sold the recalcitrant slave in March 1854 for $1,600, a handsome profit, all things considered. Armstrong's escapes bring into sharp relief a number of issues associated with the flight of the enslaved from the area, and all along the border between slavery and freedom. Armstrong, it seemed, had taken the initiative, at least in the first instance, to flee his master, to emancipate himself, and when that did not succeed, to seek assistance from those he knew had a reputation for aiding those seeking freedom. The sheer volume of advertisements in local newspapers offering rewards for escaped slaves speaks to the determination of the enslaved to be free, or at least to put some distance between themselves and their masters, as well as the commitment of slaveholders to recover lost property. J. Blaine Hudson has calculated that of all the fugitive slave advertisements he compiled covering the years 1788 to 1861, 42 percent referred to escapes in the years 1850–59.
Physiological Synchrony: A New Approach Toward Identifying Unknown Presentation Attacks on Biometric Systems

Presentation attacks are falsified biometric traits presented on biometric systems to deceive them. While biometric systems can be tuned and modified to reliably detect known presentation attacks, their performance significantly degrades when encountering unknown presentation attacks. In this article, we propose a new approach toward detecting unknown presentation attacks based on the measurement and characterization of synchrony between multiple physiological signals obtained from contact and contactless sensors. Synchrony between two physiological signals was captured by analyzing the blood flow dynamics and respiration patterns. The instantaneous phase difference between two physiological signals was represented as a phase vector using the Hilbert transform and the degree of phase coherence defined as the absolute mean of phase vectors over the analysis period was used as a measure of synchrony. A weighted k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) classifier was then designed to detect valid and invalid biometric presentations based on the degree of phase coherence. The proposed method was validated on the detection of synchrony between two respiration patterns obtained through the measurement of chest movements using an ultrawideband (UWB) radar and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) using a finger photoplethysmogram sensor on data collected from 50 individuals. It achieved a high accuracy of 95.3%, a sensitivity of 96%, and a specificity of 94% in detecting corrupted and nonsynchronous patterns that did not contain valid respiration signatures. The proposed method shows promise toward improving the reliability of biometric systems in the detection of unknown and sophisticated attacks that may spoof one or more of the presented biometrics.
Financial Scarcity and Normative Influence: Discretionary Purchase Decisions Across Cultures

This research accounts for mixed findings in financial scarcity research by identifying culture-specific norms of deference that determine how consumers spend discretionary income. Three studies showed that when financially constrained, Americans were relatively less likely than Indians to prefer social (versus solitary) purchases. In addition, financially constrained Indian consumers focus on social norms of deference while making purchase decisions, which in turn increase their preference for social (versus solitary) purchases. Managerially, our findings suggest how practitioners can effectively promote different types of purchases under financial scarcity, by highlighting social norms, in their global communication strategy.
Updating Legal Norms for a Precarious Workforce

Jobs that provide a decent wage, adequate benefits, and some semblance of stability have been the bedrock of American-household economic security since the mid-twentieth century. But for millions of U.S. workers in the twenty-first century, jobs do not pay enough, provide few—if any—benefits, and lack opportunities for advancement or career growth. The nature of work has also changed. More and more, the role of many workers in the modern U.S. economy is not that of a true employee, yet also not that of a true independent businessperson who has the freedom to negotiate his or her compensation or terms of service. But the legal tests used to classify whether a worker is an employee, who is afforded various workplace protections, or an independent contractor who is not entitled to workplace protections, have not kept pace with evolving, on-demand work. While the debate about classification continues, legislation to provide non-employee workers with any benefits or protections is almost non-existent and many workers are left unprotected. This article provides an analysis of these issues and reveals there is still no real clarity for classifying workers as employees or independent contractors, a problem becoming more exacerbated by the growth of precarious, on-demand work. The result is that more and more precarious workers have no workplace protections and benefits.
Risk-based sensor resource management for field of view constrained sensors

This paper introduces a statistical risk based metric for field of view constrained sensor management in a target tracking scenario. This metric is based on a Bayesian estimate of both the target position and the target classification. Due to field of view restrictions it is assumed that more targets exist than the given sensor is capable of tracking simultaneously. It is also assumed that initially all target classifications are unknown and that a cost exists for incorrectly classifying a target track. This cost is higher for certain classes of targets than it is for others. To account for uncertainty in both the kinematic and classification state estimates, the proposed metric treats the cost as a random variable and uses a hierarchical statistical model to calculate the expected value of this cost when conditioned on the event of losing a target track. This metric is then applied to a simulated radar sensor manager to maintain an acceptable level of kinematic accuracy on targets of high cost. It is shown through empirical statistical tests that this sensor manager maintains track on high priority targets significantly better than other common methods.
Rumen Bacterial Competition in Continuous Culture: Streptococcus bovis Versus Megasphaera elsdenii.

Streptococcus bovis and Megasphaera elsdenii were grown in continuous culture with maltose as the limiting substrate at dilution rates of 0.36, 0.22, and 0.12 h−1. After each steady-state turnover, the pH was decreased by adding concentrated HCl to the medium reservoir. Relative counts of the two species at each dilution rate indicated that when the pH was high (6.6 to 6.0), higher dilution rates selected for a higher ratio of S. bovis to M. elsdenii. At intermediate pH (6.0 to 5.4), higher dilution rates once again selected for greater numbers of S. bovis in relation to M. elsdenii, but the increase in S. bovis numbers was much less at the 0.36-h−1 dilution rate. Decreasing the pH below 5.4 caused the ratio of S. bovis to M. elsdenii to increase greatly, and no M. elsdenii cells were seen below pH 5.1. The ratio of the two species could be explained by their relative affinities for maltose if pH was greater than 6.0, but the lower relative numbers of S. bovis in the 0.36-h−1, intermediate-pH (6.0 to 5.4) incubations could not. Analysis of lactate production by S. bovis in pure culture showed that l-lactate was produced only if the pH was less than 5.2 at dilution rates of 0.22 and 0.12 h−1 and less than 6.0 at a rate of 0.36 h−1. The lower numbers of S. bovis relative to M. elsdenii in the incubations with a dilution rate of 0.36 h−1 and intermediate pH thus could be explained by utilization of l-lactate by M. elsdenii. The very high numbers of S. bovis at pH less than 5.4 were consistent with the greater tolerance of this organism to low pH.
Multicultural Foundations for Philosophy of Education: A Propaedeutic

Philosophical inquiry is an integral part of a reflective educational enterprise. There has been a widespread belief that philosophy, in terms of methodology and subject matter, is a universal discipline which is not circumscribed by any cultural scheme. Nevertheless, formal philosophical inquiry tends to stress an analytical mode of reasoning and logical argumentation, which are rooted in modern Western culture. To a large extent, this analytic philosophical tradition has shaped the development of philosophy of education as an academic discipline. Recently, “professionals” trained in the field of philosophy of education in North America have become more aware of the Eurocentrism and androcentrism inherent in the canon formation of philosophy of education. While feminist perspectives have emerged somewhat as legitimate voices in the field, non-Western philosophical traditions, especially African philosophy, have remained unexplored or marginalized in the field of philosophy of education.
Will the Global Village Fracture into Tribes: Recommender Systems and Their Effects on Consumers

Personalization is becoming ubiquitous on the World Wide Web. Such systems use statistical techniques to infer a customer’s preferences and recommend content best suited to him (e.g., “Customers who liked this also liked…”). A debate has emerged as to whether personalization has drawbacks. By making the web hyper-specific to our interests, does it fragment internet users, reducing shared experiences and narrowing media consumption? We study whether personalization is in fact fragmenting the online population. Surprisingly, it does not appear to do so in our study. Personalization appears to be a tool that helps users widen their interests, which in turn creates commonality with others. This increase in commonality occurs for two reasons, which we term volume and product mix effects. The volume effect is that consumers simply consume more after personalized recommendations, increasing the chance of having more items in common. The product mix effect is that, conditional on volume, consumers buy a more similar mix of products after recommendations.
The immunologic problem of pregnancy. IV. Histocompatibility antigens of aging mouse trophoblast.

Abstract In order to test the hypothesis that the privileged immunologic behavior of trophoblast may be due to the locally invasive and destructive characteristics of growing trophoblast, the survival of aging, noninvasive trophoblast was compared in isogeneic and highly immune allogeneic recipients. The histologic survival of third-trimester trophoblastic transplants in mice did not depend on the immunologic reactivity of the host. It is likely that the failure of trophoblast to express transplantation antigens is due to a relative intrinsic deficit of such antigens on the cell surface.
Cytokines regulate microglial adhesion to laminin and astrocyte extracellular matrix via protein kinase C-dependent activation of the α6β1 integrin

Microglia are highly plastic cells that participate in inflammatory and injury responses within the CNS and that can migrate extensively after activation. Because astrocytes and their extracellular matrix (ECM) form a large part of the CNS parenchyma, we undertook to study the adhesive interactions between microglia and these substrates in vitro . In contrast to oligodendrocyte precursor cells, microglia formed only weak interactions with astrocytes and their ECM. On specific ECM substrates the microglia adhered strongly to fibronectin, vitronectin, and plastic but only weakly to laminin. Microglial adhesion to laminin was increased significantly by the proinflammatory cytokines TNF, IFN-α, and IFN-γ but was decreased by TGF-β1, with the TGF-β1 effect being dominant over the other cytokines. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis and immunoprecipitation showed that microglia constitutively express the α6β1 integrin, a well characterized laminin receptor, and that α6β1 expression levels did not change after cytokine treatment. Function-blocking studies showed that microglial adhesion to laminin is mediated entirely by the α6β1 integrin, strongly suggesting that the cytokine regulation of adhesion to laminin is mediated by changes in the activation state of α6β1. Analysis of signaling pathways revealed that activation of α6β1 is mediated by a PKC-dependent mechanism. In light of the evidence that laminin expression is upregulated after CNS injury, the findings suggest that cytokine regulation of microglial adhesion to laminin may play a fundamental role in determining the extent of microglial infiltration into and retention at the site of injury.
Engineering Heat Transfer

Fundamental Concepts Mechanisms of Heat Transfer Dimensions and Units Fourier's Law of Heat Conduction Thermal Conductivity Convection Heat Transfer Convection Heat-Transfer Coefficient Radiation Heat Transfer Emissivity and Other Radiative Properties Combined Heat-Transfer Mechanisms Steady-State Conduction in One Dimension One-Dimensional Conduction Equation Plane Geometry Systems Polar Cylindrical Geometry Systems Spherical Geometry Systems Thermal Contact Resistance Heat Transfer from Extended Surfaces Steady-State Conduction in Multiple Dimensions General Conduction Equation Analytical Method of Solution Graphical Method of Solution Conduction Shape Factor Solution by Numerical Methods (Finite Differences) Numerical Method of Solution for Two-Dimensional Problems Methods of Solving Simultaneous Equations Unsteady-State Heat Conduction Systems with Negligible Internal Resistance Systems with Finite Internal and Surface Resistances Solutions to Multidimensional Geometry Systems Approximate Methods of Solution to Transient-Conduction Problems Introduction to Convection Fluid Properties Characteristics of Fluid Flow Equations of Fluid Mechanics Thermal-Energy Equation Applications to Laminar Flows Applications to Turbulent Flows Natural-Convection Problem Dimensional Analysis Convection Heat Transfer in a Closed Conduit Heat Transfer to and from Laminar Flow in Circular Conduit Heat Transfer to and from Turbulent Flow in Circular Conduit Heat-Transfer Correlations for Flow in Noncircular Ducts Convection Heat Transfer in Flows Past Immersed Bodies Boundary-Layer Flow Turbulent Flow over Flat Plate Flow Past Various Two-Dimensional Bodies Flow Past a Bank of Tubes Flow Past a Sphere Natural-Convection Systems Natural Convection on a Vertical Surface: Laminar Flow Natural Convection on a Vertical Surface: Transition and Turbulence Natural Convection on an Inclined Flat Plate Natural Convection on a Horizontal Flat Surface Natural Convection on Cylinders Natural Convection around Spheres and Blocks Natural Convection about an Array of Fins Combined Forced- and Natural-Convection Systems Heat Exchangers Double-Pipe Heat Exchangers Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Effectiveness-Number of Transfer Units Method of Analysis Crossflow Heat Exchangers Efficiency of a Heat Exchanger Condensation and Vaporization Heat Transfer Condensation Heat Transfer Boiling Heat Transfer Introduction to Radiation Heat Transfer Electromagnetic Radiation Spectrum Emission and Absorption at the Surface of an Opaque Solid Radiation Intensity Irradiation and Radiosity Radiation Laws Characteristics of Real Surfaces Radiation Heat Transfer between Surfaces View Factor Methods for Evaluating View Factors Radiation Heat Transfer within Enclosure of Black Surfaces Radiation Heat Transfer within an Enclosure of Diff use-Gray Surfaces Bibliography and Selected References Appendices Index
Corrigendum to “Implementing landscape indices to predict stream water quality in an agricultural setting: An assessment of the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) protocol in the Mississinewa River watershed, East-Central Indiana” by Shiels [Ecol. Indicat. 10(6) (2010) 1102–1110]

For the above paper, the citation needs an additional author and should be corrected to: Shiels, D.R., Guebert, M.D., 2010. Implementing landscape indices to predict stream water quality in an agricultural setting: An assessent of the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) protocol in the Mississinewa River watershed, East-Central Indiana. Ecol. Indicat. 10(6), 102–1110. The first page should be corrected to: Derek R. Shiels*, Michael D. Guebert Taylor University, 236 W. Reade Ave., Upland, IN, United States
Gauge independence of the bubble nucleation rate in theories with radiative symmetry breaking.

In field theories where a metastable false vacuum state arises as a result of radiative corrections, the calculation of the rate of false vacuum decay by bubble nucleation depends on the effective potential and the other functions that appear in the derivative expansion of the effective action. Beginning with the Nielsen identity, we derive a series of identities that govern the gauge dependence of these functions. Using these, we show, to leading nontrivial order, that, even though these functions are individually gauge dependent, one obtains a gauge-independent result for the bubble nucleation rate. Our formal arguments are complemented by explicit calculations for scalar electrodynamics in a class of ${\mathit{R}}_{\ensuremath{\xi}}$ gauges. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Growth of an Academic Palliative Medicine Program: Patient Encounters and Clinical Burden

Abstract Context Information regarding the challenges of clinical growth and staffing of palliative care programs is limited. Objectives Our aim was to describe the growth and staffing structure of a palliative care program at a comprehensive cancer center. Methods During fiscal years ending in 2000 through 2010, we recorded all billed palliative care consultations and follow-ups. To determine the yearly clinical burden per physician, advanced practice nurse (APN), and physician assistant (PA), we calculated the mean number of patient encounters per clinical full-time equivalents. Increase in absolute number of patient encounters and relative (%) growth from year to year were calculated. Results Over the 10-year history of the program, the number of outpatient consultations tripled, whereas the inpatient consultations increased from 73 to 1880. In all cases, with the exception of the first year of operation, the vast majority of clinical activity was in the inpatient hospital setting. Growth in the ratio of inpatient consultations per operational hospital beds was noted during the first five years of the program followed by a more modest increase in the succeeding five years. In fiscal year 2010, palliative care physicians had 6.2 patient encounters per working day, and APNs/PAs independently evaluated and treated 4.0 additional patients. Conclusion Over the 10-year history, there has been an increase in the number of patient consultations seen by our palliative care program. The clinical burden was manageable during the first three years but quickly became too burdensome. Active recruitment of new faculty was required to sustain the increased clinical activity.