cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Privacy-Preserving Channel Access for Internet of Things

This paper presents a new way of providing privacy for Internet of Things (IoT) in a multi-trust-domain environment. The key idea is to develop a privacy-aware slotted channel access mechanism using which IoT nodes from multiple operators or trust domains can share wireless channel without mutually exposing their identities, thus alleviating threats from cross-trust-domain traffic analysis geared toward node-profiling, link layer topology estimation, node-tracking, and flow-tracking. The proposed scheme uses a novel zero-exposure slot allocation scheme in which packet transmission timing is the only information that is used for scheduling, collision detection, and collision resolution purposes. In addition to the proposed access scheme, this paper reports the design of a custom hardware unit for implementing the proposed protocol in a test-bed of sensors, emulating IoT networks. Presented results include functional validation and performance of the proposed channel access while preventing complete cross-trust-domain identity exposure.
Classical limit of the interacting boson Hamiltonian

We present a simple method for the derivation of the classical limit of the most general interacting boson model Hamiltonian as well as the Hamiltonians in the three limits of the interacting boson model. Also the problem of higher order terms is considered.[NUCLEAR STRUCTURE Classical limit of the interacting boson model.]
Structural Behavior in the System (Ba, Ca, Sr) TiO3 and Its Relation to Certain Dielectric Characteristics

The effect of strontium additions on the immiscibility region between barium titanate and calcium titanate was studied and it was found that the two-phase gap is closed by about 18% strontium titanate when the specimens are fired at 1430°C.; at lower firing temperatures the gap is greater and there is evidence of incomplete reaction. The effect of different firing temperatures on the dielectric properties of bodies in this region is discussed and the theoretical conclusions are supported by experimental data. The strontium titanate-calcium titanate binary was studied and the phase boundaries (cubic-tetragonal, tetragonal-orthorhombic) were located with regard to changing composition and temperature.
Circular Couette flow with pressure-driven axial flow and a porous inner cylinder

In a rotating filter separator a suspension is introduced at one end of the annulus between a rotating porous inner cylinder and a fixed impermeable outer cylinder. The filtrate is removed through the inner cylinder and the concentrate is removed from the opposite end of the annulus from which the suspension entered. The flow in a rotating filter separator is circular Couette flow with a pressure-driven axial flow and a suction boundary condition at the inner cylinder. Flow visualization was used to determine the effect of the Taylor number, axial Reynolds number, and radial Reynolds number on the types of flows present in the annulus. A rich variety of secondary vortical flows appear, depending upon the flow parameters. The radial inflow at the inner cylinder delays the appearance of supercritical circular Couette flow and prevents the appearance of certain flow regimes that have a helical vortex structure. Nevertheless, the average azimuthal velocity measured using laser Doppler velocimetry indicates that the velocity profile is nearly the same for all supercritical flow regimes.
Relation of deep arterial resection and coronary artery aneurysms after directional coronary atherectomy

Objectives. The aims of this study were to document the frequency of coronary artery sneurysm formation in patients undergoing directional coronary atherectomy and to determine the relation of such aneurysms to the depth of arterial resection. Background. Deep arterial injury is relatively frequent with the use of directional coronary atherectomy, but the potential for subsequent coronary artery aneurysm formation is unknown. Methods. Results in a consecutive series of 64 successfully treated patients (a total of 69 lesions; mean angiographic follow-up at 5 months) treated with directional coronary atherectomy were retrospectively analyzed with use of quantitative angiographic and histologie data. Results. Coronary aneurysms (ratio of dilated vessel segment to the adjacent reference segment > 1.2:1) occurred in seven patients (10%). The only significant clinical correlate of aneurysm Formation was a relatively shorter duration of angina. There were no significant preprocedural angiographic predictors of aneurysms, although 6 (86%) of the 7 aneurysmallesions arose from restenosis lesions compared with 30 (48%) of 62 lesions with no subsequent aneurysm development (p = 0.06). Histopathologic examination of 414 specimens from 68 treated lesions showed no significant difference in the occurrence of subintimal resection (media ± adventitia between those with and without subsequent aneurysm (29% vs. 22%). Media alone was found in 14% of specimens from lesions that later became aneurysmal versus 15% of those that did not; adventitial resection was found in 14% and 7% of specimens, respectively (p = 0.08), with relatively more adventitia per specimen from those with aneurysm (55% vs. 30% without aneurysm, p = 0.08). Conclusions. Aneurysms occur relatively frequently after directional coronary atherectomy. Although there was no statistically significant correlation with the depth of arterial resection, the evidence from this study suggests that the role of adventitial resection in the occurrence of late aneurysm development should be explored further.
Thermal Decomposition of Energetic Materials 26. Simultaneous Temperature Measurements of the Condensed Phase and Rapid-Scan FT-IR Spectroscopy of the Gas Phase at High Heating Rates:

Rapid-scan infrared spectroscopy (RSFT-IR) with better than 100-ms temporal resolution has been used to quantify the gas decomposition products of energetic materials in real time at various heating rates up to 800°C/s and under buffer gas pressures of 1 to 1000 psi. A new method is described that permits simultaneous real-time recording of the temperature of the condensed phase and of the IR spectra of the gaseous products under the above conditions. Endothermic and exothermic events in the condensed phase can now be correlated with the evolved gases under conditions approaching those of combustion. The design and procedure for using the cell are given and are applied to the thermolysis of 1,7-diazido-2,4,6-trinitro-2,4,6-triazaheptane (DATH) and pentaery-thrityltetrammonium nitrate (PTTN).
Impact of Shear Strain and Quantum Confinement on Channel nMOSFET with High-Stress CESL

Numerical study in conjunction with comprehensive bending experiments has demonstrated that (100)-Si has the optimum channel direction along in terms of the device performance of strained 65nm-node nMOSFETs with Contact Etch Stop Layer (CESL), and that both the shear strain component and the quantum confinement effect play an important role in this superiority.
Approximating an optimal feedback control law by a generalized Sugeno controller

This paper proposes an approach to implement optimal control laws of nonlinear systems in real time. Our methodology does not require solving two-point boundary-value problems on-line and may not require it off-line either. The optimal control law is learned using a generalized Sugeno controller (GSC) from a family of optimal trajectories. We compare the trajectories generated by the GSC and the trajectories yielded by the optimal feedback control law when applied to Zermelo's ship steering problem.
Simulating Terrorism: Credible Commitment, Costly Signaling, and Strategic Behavior

We present two simulations designed to convey the strategic nature of terrorism and counterterrorism. The first is a simulated hostage crisis, designed primarily to illustrate the concepts of credible commitment and costly signaling. The second explores high-level decision making of both a terrorist group and the state, and is designed to highlight scarce-resource allocation and organizational dynamics. The simulations should be useful both in a traditional classroom setting as well as to the larger public. We provide a primer on the subject matter, and all the material necessary to run the simulations.
Contribution of the NH2 terminus of Kv2.1 to channel activation

Opening and closing of voltage-operated channels requires the interaction of diverse structural elements. One approach to the identification of channel domains that participate in gating is to locate the sites of action of modifiers. Covalent reaction of Kv2.1 channels with the neutral, sulfhydryl-specific methylmethanethiosulfonate (MMTS) caused a slowing of channel gating with a predominant effect on the kinetics of activation. These effects were also obtained after intracellular, but not extracellular, application of a charged MMTS analog. Single channel analysis revealed that MMTS acted primarily by prolonging the latency to first opening without substantially affecting gating transitions after the channel first opens and until it inactivates. To localize the channel cysteine(s) with which MMTS reacts, we generated NH2- and COOH-terminal deletion mutants and a construct in which all three cysteines in transmembrane regions were substituted. Only the NH2-terminal deletion construct gave rise to currents that activated slowly and displayed MMTS-insensitive kinetics. These results show that the NH2-terminal tail of Kv2.1 participates in transitions leading to activation through interactions involving reduced cysteine(s) that can be modulated from the cytoplasmic phase.
Fire and amphibians in North America

Information on amphibian responses to fire and fuel reduction practices is critically needed due to potential declines of species and the prevalence of new, more intensive fire management practices in North American forests. The goals of this review are to summarize the known and potential effects of fire and fuels management on amphibians and their aquatic habitats, and to identify information gaps to help direct future scientific research. Amphibians as a group are taxonomically and ecologically diverse; in turn, responses to fire and associated habitat alteration are expected to vary widely among species and among geographic regions. Available data suggest that amphibian responses to fire are spatially and temporally variable and incompletely understood. Much of the limited research has addressed short-term (1‐3 years) effects of prescribed fire on terrestrial life stages of amphibians in the southeastern United States. Information on the long-term negative effects of fire on amphibians and the importance of fire for maintaining amphibian communities is sparse for the majority of taxa in North America. Given the size and severity of recent wildland fires and the national effort to reduce fuels on federal lands, future studies are needed to examine the effects of these landscape disturbances on amphibians. We encourage studies to address population-level responses of amphibians to fire by examining how different life stages are affected by changes in aquatic, riparian, and upland habitats. Research designs need to be credible and provide information that is relevant for fire managers and those responsible for assessing the potential effects of various fuel reduction alternatives on rare, sensitive, and endangered amphibian species. # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
In Vivo Treatment with GDF-9 Stimulates Primordial and Primary Follicle Progression and Theca Cell Marker CYP17 in Ovaries of Immature Rats*

Growth differentiation factor (GDF)-9 is a cystine knot-containing hormone of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily produced by the oocyte. In GDF-9 null mice, follicle development is arrested at the primary stage and GDF-9 treatment in vitro enhances preantral follicle growth. Immature female rats were treated with recombinant GDF-9 for 7 or 10 days. At 10 days, treatment with GDF-9 augmented ovarian weights, concomitant with an increase in the number of primary and small preantral follicles by 30 and 60%, respectively. Furthermore, the number of primordial follicles was decreased by 29%, but the number of large preantral follicles was not affected. In contrast, treatment with FSH increased the number of small and large preantral follicles by 36 and 177% but did not influence the number of primary and primordial follicles. Immunoblot analysis showed an increase of CYP17, a theca cell marker, in the ovarian homogenate after treatment with GDF-9 but not FSH. The present results indicate that in vivo treatment with GDF-9 enhances the progression of primordial and primary follicles into small preantral follicles. Thus, GDF-9 treatment could provide an alternative approach to stimulate early follicle development in addition to the widely used FSH that acts mainly on the development of more advanced follicles.
The Relative Roles in Vivo of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pol η, Pol ζ, Rev1 Protein and Pol32 in the Bypass and Mutation Induction of an Abasic Site, T-T (6-4) Photoadduct and T-T cis-syn Cyclobutane Dimer

We have investigated the relative roles in vivo of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase η, DNA polymerase ζ, Rev1 protein, and the DNA polymerase δ subunit, Pol32, in the bypass of an abasic site, T-T (6-4) photoadduct and T-T cis-syn cyclobutane dimer, by transforming strains deleted for RAD30, REV3, REV1, or POL32 with duplex plasmids carrying one of these DNA lesions located within a 28-nucleotide single-stranded region. DNA polymerase η was found to be involved only rarely in the bypass of the T-T (6-4) photoadduct or the abasic sites in the sequence context used, although, as expected, it was solely responsible for the bypass of the T-T dimer. We argue that DNA polymerase ζ, rather than DNA polymerase δ as previously suggested, is responsible for insertion in bypass events other than those in which polymerase η performs this function. However, DNA polymerase δ is involved indirectly in mutagenesis, since the strain lacking its Pol32 subunit, known to be deficient in mutagenesis, shows as little bypass of the T-T (6-4) photoadduct or the abasic sites as those deficient in Pol ζ or Rev1. In contrast, bypass of the T-T dimer in the pol32Δ strain occurs at the wild-type frequency.
Role of patient-controlled epidural analgesia in obstetrics.

Many of the early studies of intravenous (IV) patientcontrolled analgesia (PCA) involved parturients [1-7] and women following cesarean birth [8-10]. In addition, PCA has been used in antenatal patients (e.g., for renal colic) and in parturients who have a contraindication to lumbar epidural analgesia [11-13]. Since epidural analgesia is regarded as the most effective means of providing pain relief during labor, there has been recent interest by a number of investigators in applying the PCA concept to the epidural route, so-called patientcontrolled epidural analgesia (PCEA) [14-29]. PCEA (also referred to as epidural PCA) has also been widely investigated for the management of post-cesarean delivery pain [30-35]. This review article will discuss published reports regarding the use of PCEA in the labor room and the post-partum unit for the management of acute pain.
Thioesterases: a new perspective based on their primary and tertiary structures.

Thioesterases (TEs) are classified into EC 3.1.2.1 through EC 3.1.2.27 based on their activities on different substrates, with many remaining unclassified (EC 3.1.2.–). Analysis of primary and tertiary structures of known TEs casts a new light on this enzyme group. We used strong primary sequence conservation based on experimentally proved proteins as the main criterion, followed by verification with tertiary structure superpositions, mechanisms, and catalytic residue positions, to accurately define TE families. At present, TEs fall into 23 families almost completely unrelated to each other by primary structure. It is assumed that all members of the same family have essentially the same tertiary structure; however, TEs in different families can have markedly different folds and mechanisms. Conversely, the latter sometimes have very similar tertiary structures and catalytic mechanisms despite being only slightly or not at all related by primary structure, indicating that they have common distant ancestors and can be grouped into clans. At present, four clans encompass 12 TE families. The new constantly updated ThYme (Thioester-active enzYmes) database contains TE primary and tertiary structures, classified into families and clans that are different from those currently found in the literature or in other databases. We review all types of TEs, including those cleaving CoA, ACP, glutathione, and other protein molecules, and we discuss their structures, functions, and mechanisms.
Psychoneuroendocrine Immunology: Perception of Stress Can Alter Body Temperature and Natural Killer Cell Activity

Psychoimmunology has been credited with using the mind as a way to alter immunity. The problem with this concept is that many of the current psychoimmunology techniques in use are aimed at alleviating stress effects on the immune system rather than at direct augmentation of immunity by the brain. Studies in animals provide a model that permits us to approach the difficulties associated with gaining an understanding of the CNS-immune system connection. A particular advantage of using animals over humans is that psychological and social contributions play a less prominent role for animals than for human subjects, since the animals are all inbred and reared under identical controlled conditions. If the insightful information provided by animal studies is correct, then psychotherapy for the treatment of diseases might be made more effective if some aspect of this knowledge is included in the design of the treatment. We emphasize conditioning as a regimen and an acceptable way to train the brain to remember an output pathway to raise immunity. We propose that a specific drug or perception (mild stress, represented by rotation, total body heating or handling) could substitute and kindle the same output pathway without the need for conditioning. If this view is correct, then instead of using conditioning, it may be possible to use an antigen to activate desired immune cells, and substitute a drug or an external environmental sensory stimulus (perception) to energize the output pathway to these cells. Alternatively, monitoring alterations of body temperature in response to a drug or perception might allow us to follow how effectively the brain is performing in altering immunity. Studies with animals suggest that there are alternative ways to use the mind to raise natural or acquired immunity in man.
Differences in Salivary Habituation to a Taste Stimulus in Bariatric Surgery Candidates and Normal-Weight Controls

Previous studies show that slower habituation to taste stimuli is associated with reduced rates of satiation and greater energy intake. This study compared rates of salivary habituation to gustatory presentations of lemon juice in 34 severely obese bariatric surgery candidates [48.8 ± 7.9 years, 85% female, body mass index (BMI) = 47.4 ± 7.5 kg/m2] and 18 normal-weight controls (48.4 ± 9.5 years, 88.9% female, BMI = 22.7 ± 1.2 kg/m2). Parotid saliva was collected from cotton rolls positioned in the oral cavity during two baseline water trials and ten lemon juice trials. Data were condensed into trial blocks, representing mean values for the two baseline water trials and each of five pairs of lemon juice trials (i.e., blocks 1–5). Salivary change across lemon juice trials was calculated by subtracting values for blocks 1 through 5 from baseline. A significant interaction of group (bariatric surgery candidates/normal-weight controls) by blocked trials [F (4, 200) = 3.0; p < 0.05] indicated that the groups differed in their pattern of salivary responding, with bariatric surgery candidates’ salivation (grams) failing to decrease significantly over the five blocked trials (−0.47 ± 0.18, p = 0.12), unlike that of the normal-weight controls (−1.30 ± 0.25, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that severely obese participants’ rate of salivary habituation to a taste stimulus is delayed compared to normal-weight controls. This provides support that satiation in bariatric surgery candidates is impaired, possibly leading to increased energy intake and positive energy balance.
Reverse engineering a multivariable controller: a case study

In this paper, we consider a case study for which multivariable control achieves better performance than decentralized control due to plant interactions and bandwidth limitations. We analyze the structure of the multivariable controller by introducing an "equivalent controller" that achieves the same performance, but is more amenable to simplification. We then show analytically that the multivariable controller must necessarily have the structure of the one that was designed.
Observations on Trichostrongylus tenuis infestation in domestic and game birds in the United States.

Clinical trichostrongylosis, caused by T. tenuis in the caeca, previously known in epizootic form among gallinaceous birds in Great Britain, is here reported for the first time in this country, in native domestic geese in the District of Columbia and in imported pheasants in Michigan. In cultures made from caecal contents of infected pheasants, eggs hatched in 36–38 hours; the infective larval stage might be reached as early as the sixth day (fourth day after hatching). Moisture being present, migrating larvae, retracted within the cuticular sheath, resisted an average temperature of about −3° C. (range +3° to −20° C.) for 4 months, proving infective for a bird host at the end of that period. The chicken, turkey and guinea-fowl were successfully infected with cultures derived from pheasants; attempts to infect the duck and pigeon with cultures from pheasants, and to infect the duck with cultures from geese, were unsuccessful. Development to adults in bird hosts took place in a minimum of 7 days after infection; the size of adults varied in different birds, being greater in the chicken than in the pheasant, and still greater in the turkey. In early stages of infection diarrhoea from the caeca, with passage of mucus and blood, occurred; later all discharge from the caeca ceased. The pathological picture was that of acute typhlitis, with the trichostrongyles lying in close contact with or penetrating the mucosa. Reinfection being prevented, symptoms were of fairly short duration, and the infestation tended to die out in about 2 months.
FACTORS INFLUENCING BURROWING OWL REPRODUCTIVE ;PERFORMANCE IN CONTIGUOUS SHORTGRASS PRAIRIE

ABSTRACT We analyzed Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) reproductive performance (i.e., clutch size, brood size, and number of young fledged) in relation to nest and colony factors in Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota. We monitored 129 pairs of Burrowing Owls in 43 prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies in 1999 and 143 pairs in 45 colonies in 2000. Mean clutch size was 7.2 and ranged from 3–10 eggs. Pairs averaged 2.6 fledglings per nesting attempt and 76% of the nesting pairs were successful in fledging at least one young. Abandonment appeared to be the primary cause of nest failures. Variables measured at the colony level explained more (34–70%) of the variability in reproductive performance than did variables measured at the nest level (7–33%). In general, Burrowing Owls that arrived early, initiated clutches sooner, and either nested at greater distances from nearest neighbors or had fewer owl nests within 250 m of the nest burrow, had larger clutches, larger broods, and more fledgling...
Observations on the Need to Redesign Organizations and to Refocus Corporation Law to Promote Ethical Behavior and Discourage Illegal Conduct

The social psychology researches of Milgram, Zimbardo, and others, show that good people can do bad things when placed in organizational structures and pressured by a strong corporate culture to be a good team member. Much of corporate law and applied ethics, to the contrary, focuses on the intentions and character of individual decision-makers as if they operated in a vacuum. While assigning responsibility to individuals is essential in law and ethics, this article argues for a broader, multi-disciplinary approach to understanding why legal and ethical meltdowns occur in businesses. To avoid such meltdowns, businesses must appreciate the changing nature of societal mandates and demonstrate more respect for the institution of law. Next, building on the work of James Waters, organizational blocks which operate to prevent healthy ethical behavior even when both managers and employees of a business want to do the right thing, are examined. Finally, building on the work of Robert Jackall, this article reviews some of the rules for successful careers that work to exclude consideration of law and ethics in managers' decision making, and make some tentative suggestions for legal and organizational reforms.
Greener Copper with Dynamic Spectrum Management

Power-saving benefits of Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) result from its increased robustness to channel and noise changes, as in this paper. A proposed intermittent noise model enables evaluation of the performance of DSM algorithms. Polite Level-1 DSM algorithm consumes much less power than non-polite DSL management algorithms in the presence of intermittent noise. Secondly, a proposed robust level- 2 DSM algorithm compares favorably with methods that change the PSDMASK only upon modem initialization or retraining. The proposed robust level-2 DSM algorithm significantly reduces power consumption. This DSM reduction of DSL transmit power can be even more significant when considering the additional loss of robustness and stability of non-DSM methods.
Sports Eligibility After Risk Assessment and Treatment in Children with Asymptomatic Ventricular Pre-excitation

Many studies concern the management of young patients with symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, but little information exists on the significance and prognosis of ventricular pre-excitation (VPE) in asymptomatic children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of sudden death in young athletes with asymptomatic VPE by transesophageal electrophysiological study (TEEPS) and their sports eligibility after the risk assessment and/or ablative treatment. Ninety-one asymptomatic children and adolescents underwent TEEPS both at rest and during adrenergic stress (exercise testing or isoproterenol infusion). After electrophysiological testing, patients were assessed in the 36 months of follow-up. Thirty-three patients (36.3 %) had a benign form of VPE and were allowed to participate in competitions. Ten patients (11 %) were at borderline risk; thus, sport eligibility was evaluated individually. Forty-eight patients (52.7 %) showed inducible sustained atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia and/or atrial fibrillation (AF), 11 of whom (12.1 % of total population) had a potential risk of sudden cardiac death due to AF inducibility during physical stress. Forty-five young athletes underwent transcatheter ablation (TCA). TCA was interrupted in 12 patients (26.7 %) because of the high procedural risk linked to septal accessory pathway (AP) location. There were no TCA-related complications, and all patients remained asymptomatic during follow-up. Most of the young athletes with asymptomatic VPE may be allowed to participate in competitive sports after an adequate risk assessment and/or ablative treatment. However, in our opinion, special care should be taken to avoid procedural complications, which are unacceptable in asymptomatic patients.
Trap Colors: Preference of Alate Aphids

Studies of the biology of aphids (Aphididae) have shown that in the migrating (alate) form, many species react to color. Cartier (1965, 1966) found that the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), and the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), preferred emitted yellow and orange light to blue, green, and red light. Also, these same species showed consistently better growth when they were reared with 24 hr of light of these particular wavelengths. Other workers reported the attraction of several species of alate aphids to yellow or orange surfaces (Broadbent 1948, Moericke 1951, Kennedy and Stroyan 1959, Kring 1967), and Moericke (1955, 1969) found that some may be attracted by yellow-white surfaces with strong UV radiation. Nevertheless, actual field tests in which the color responses of aphids have been used for control have been limited. Smith et al. (1964) and Kring (1964, 1970) found that aphids may be repelled from plants surrounded by aluminum foil (strongly light-reflective).
Accuracy of exchange-correlation functionals and effect of solvation on the surface energy of copper

Surface energies are important for predicting the shapes of nanocrystals and describing the faceting and roughening of surfaces. Copper surfaces are of particular interest in recent years since they are the preferred surfaces for growing graphene using chemical vapor deposition. In this study we calculate the surface energies of copper for the three low-index facets (111), (100), and (110) and one high-index facet, (210), using density-functional theory with both the local-density approximation and various parametrizations of the generalized-gradient approximation to the exchange-correlation functional. To assess the accuracy of the different functionals, we obtain the average surface energies of an isotropic crystal using a broken-bond model. We use this method, which can be generalized to other crystal structures, to compare calculated surface energies to experimental surface energies for fcc crystals. We find that the recent exchange-correlation functionals AM05 and PBEsol are the most accurate functionals for calculating the surface energies of copper. To determine how solvents affect the surface energies of copper, we perform calculations using a continuum solvation model. We find that aqueous solvation changes the overall magnitude of the surface energies only slightly but leads to more isotropic surface energies.
Rat’s aversion to flavors following induced illness

This study confirms previous reports that rats can learn from a single induced illness to avoid a novel food encountered just prior to becoming ill and points to the relative specificity of the adequate stimulus. Rats appear to avoid the taste of the illness-associated food but not its smell or its location.
Neighborhood Racial Composition and Mortgage Redlining: A Nationwide Analysis

Executive Summary. Concerns about fairness in the mortgage markets have motivated a large and growing literature and continues to be a regulatory issue impacting a wide range of financial instituti...
Intercellular mitochondrial transfer: bioenergetic crosstalk between cells

Mitochondrial transfer from donor cells to cells of injured tissues is a promising cell-based therapy for effectively bringing about recovery of tissue bioenergetics. Here, we review recent studies on intercellular mitochondrial transfer in organs and cells. We also review studies that shed light on our current understanding of the known mechanisms and conditions that lead to intercellular mitochondrial transfer.
BET Bromodomain Inhibition Promotes Anti-tumor Immunity by Suppressing PD-L1 Expression.

Restoration of anti-tumor immunity by blocking PD-L1 signaling through the use of antibodies has proven to be beneficial in cancer therapy. Here, we show that BET bromodomain inhibition suppresses PD-L1 expression and limits tumor progression in ovarian cancer. CD274 (encoding PD-L1) is a direct target of BRD4-mediated gene transcription. In mouse models, treatment with the BET inhibitor JQ1 significantly reduced PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and tumor-associated dendritic cells and macrophages, which correlated with an increase in the activity of anti-tumor cytotoxic T cells. The BET inhibitor limited tumor progression in a cytotoxic T-cell-dependent manner. Together, these data demonstrate a small-molecule approach to block PD-L1 signaling. Given the fact that BET inhibitors have been proven to be safe with manageable reversible toxicity in clinical trials, our findings indicate that pharmacological BET inhibitors represent a treatment strategy for targeting PD-L1 expression.
Web Design for Libraries by Charles P. Rubenstein: Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, 2014, 311 pp., ISBN: 978-1-61069-343-1, $45.00

Web Design for Libraries was written specifically for librarians with responsibility for creating web pages for their libraries. Written by an experienced library web page designer and professor of...
Social-Cultural Approaches in Early Childhood Mathematics Education: A Discussion

The caption that I have chosen for my discussion of the papers by Peter Renshaw and Paul Cobb is particularly relevant because it encapsulates much of what I want to say. Both authors emphasize that socio-cultural theory, whatever its form, has come to the fore in early childhood mathematics education. Renshaw provides an excellent overview of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and how it has influenced mathematics education at the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences in Moscow, and Cobb provides an equally insightful comparison and contrast of Soviet Activity Theory and social constructivism. Rather than attempt to carry on with comparing and contrasting the two theories, my goal is to bring Piaget’s genetic epistemology squarely into sociocultural theory and to explore the consequences of doing so. Piaget based his genetic epistemology on interaction as a hard core principle, so in my view it is unnecessary to keep genetic epistemology and sociocultural theory separate as we create our visions of what early childhood mathematics might be like. In fact, I believe that including Piaget’s genetic epistemology in sociocultural theory is especially important in the context of early childhood mathematics education.
Decadal‐scale changes in forest soil carbon and nitrogen storage are influenced by organic matter removal during timber harvest

This study investigates whether different intensities of organic matter removal associated with timber harvest influence decadal-scale storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in the top 1 m of mineral soil 18 years postharvest in a Pinus taeda L. forest in the Gulf Coastal Plain. We quantified forest harvest-related changes in SOC, TN, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and nitrogen (MBN) pools (0–100 cm) in unharvested control stands and in two organic matter removal treatment stands subjected to either (i) merchantable bole/stem-only harvest or (ii) whole-tree harvest + forest floor removal. In addition, δ13C of SOC and δ15N of TN were measured in mineral soil to provide insights regarding mechanisms that might explain changes in SOC and TN pool sizes. Soils were sampled seasonally for 1 year. Increasing organic matter removal intensity reduced SOC, TN, MBC, and MBN relative to the unharvested control. Furthermore, soils from whole-tree harvest + forest floor removal stands had lower δ13C and higher δ15N values, suggesting that increasing organic matter removal may decrease heterotrophic activity as well as increase rates of N loss. Seasonal variabilities in SOC and TN were correlated to changes in forest biological properties such as root biomass and forest floor mass. These results indicate that more intensive harvest methods may lead to decade-scale decreases in SOC and TN storage in surface and subsurface soils which could influence rates of biogeochemical processes, the availability of soil nutrients, and potential forest productivity.
Anatomy of an Enduring Gender Gap: The Evolution of Women’s Participation in Computer Science

Given growing interest in computing fields, as well as a longstanding gender gap in computer science, this study used nationwide survey data on college students during 4 decades to: (a) document tr...
Upper Endoscopy: Diagnostic and Therapeutic

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is commonly performed for diagnosis and/or therapeutic measure for a wide variety of upper GI tract complaints/pathology. This chapter details the indications, contraindications, essential steps, common technical variations, and complications of these procedures. A detailed template operative dictation note for diagnostic upper endoscopy is included.
Economic Significance of Viroids in Vegetable and Field Crops

Abstract Crop losses due to viroid infection occur in vegetable and field crops worldwide. Several viroids in the family Pospiviroidae infect these crops and economic losses range from minimal to severe depending upon the viroid/host combination, the host cultivar, the viroid strain and the environmental conditions. In this chapter, the impact of viroids in potato, tomato, cucumber, hop, and sweet pepper crops is summarized for each vegetable or field crop host and is followed by potential means of control to reduce losses caused by viroids.
A Soft Parallel Kinematic Mechanism

Abstract In this article, we describe a novel holonomic soft robotic structure based on a parallel kinematic mechanism. The design is based on the Stewart platform, which uses six sensors and actuators to achieve full six-degree-of-freedom motion. Our design is much less complex than a traditional platform, since it replaces the 12 spherical and universal joints found in a traditional Stewart platform with a single highly deformable elastomer body and flexible actuators. This reduces the total number of parts in the system and simplifies the assembly process. Actuation is achieved through coiled-shape memory alloy actuators. State observation and feedback is accomplished through the use of capacitive elastomer strain gauges. The main structural element is an elastomer joint that provides antagonistic force. We report the response of the actuators and sensors individually, then report the response of the complete assembly. We show that the completed robotic system is able to achieve full position control, ...
Racial Differences in Sepsis Mortality at U.S. Academic Medical Center-Affiliated Hospitals.

OBJECTIVES To determine the racial disparities in severe sepsis hospitalizations and outcomes in U.S. academic medical center-affiliated hospitals. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of sepsis hospitalizations. SETTINGS U.S. academic medical center-affiliated hospitals participating in Vizient Consortium from 2012 to 2014. PATIENTS Sepsis hospitalizations using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision, discharge diagnoses codes defined by the Angus method. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We compared rates of sepsis hospitalization, ICU admission, organ dysfunction, and hospital mortality between blacks and whites. We repeated the analyses stratified by community-acquired, healthcare-associated, and hospital-acquired sepsis subtypes. Of 10,244,780 hospitalizations in our cohort, 1,114,386 (10.9%) had sepsis. Sepsis subtypes included community-acquired sepsis (61.8%), healthcare-associated sepsis (23.8%), and hospital-acquired sepsis (14.4%). Although the proportion of discharges with sepsis was lower for blacks than whites (106.72 vs 109.43 per 1,000 hospitalizations; p < 0.001), the proportion of black sepsis hospitalizations was higher for individuals greater than 30 years old. Blacks exhibited lower adjusted sepsis hospital mortality than whites (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.84-0.86). The adjusted odds of hospital mortality following community-acquired, healthcare-associated, and hospital-acquired sepsis were lower for blacks than whites. CONCLUSIONS In this current series of hospital discharges at U.S. academic medical center-affiliated hospitals, blacks exhibited lower adjusted rates of sepsis hospitalizations and mortality than whites.
Examining the Relationship Between Individual Characteristics, Community-Level Traits, Multidimensional Empowerment, and Maternal Health Care Utilization in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Introduction The Islamic Republic of Pakistan's maternal mortality ratio is particularly high, and the nation ranks 126 out of 149 countries on the Human Development Report-Gender Inequality Index. This is because Pakistani women have low levels of empowerment, make limited economic contributions, and underutilization of maternal health care. The aim of this study is to create a multidimensional index of women's empowerment and assess the association between this index and maternal health care utilization in Pakistan, controlling for individual characteristics and community-level traits. Methods Data from the 2012-2013 Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys were employed to investigate the relationship between this index and the latent construct of maternal health care utilization. Results Using exploratory factor analysis, four indicators of maternal health care utilization were loaded onto a single latent factor. Multivariate analyses found support for the association between empowerment and health care utilization, despite adjustments for individual and area level factors. Positive associations between education, wealth, and maternal health care utilization were found. Conclusions Although we find support for the association of educational attainment with maternal health care utilization, the multidimensional women's empowerment index was independently a consistent associate of maternal health care utilization. This illustrates a complex mechanism with both-education and empowerment, being necessary for improved maternal health care utilization. Policy makers seeking to improve outcomes should expand their focus beyond simply improving rates of education to examining effects of cultural norms which constrain the independence of women in making decisions about their own health care.
Advances in the treatment of cervical cancer

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women, with approximately 437,000 new cases each year, and is the second leading cause of cancer death [1]. Approximately three fourths of the cases occur in developing countries, where it is the leading cause of cancer mortality. In the United States there will be an estimated 15,700 new cases of cervical cancer in 1996, leading to 4900 deaths [2]. Among African-American women, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer, with 2300 new cases and 1100 deaths each year [3]. In virtually every geographic region of the world where cytologic screening programs have been established, the incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer have been drastically reduced; however, mortality from invasive cancers of the cervix has not been eliminated. The majority of women who die from this disease are poor, elderly, or indigent, and either do not have access to or participate in established screening programs. Until the access to medical care problem is resolved, invasive cervical cancer will remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among the female population.
13 – Using Administrative Data for Clinical Research

Administrative data are being used increasingly to address important research questions in surgery. This interest can be explained in part by the obvious practical advantages of administrative databases—large amounts of longitudinal data that have already been obtained. From a scientific perspective, population-based administrative data permit investigations that would not be possible with clinical data alone. Studies of regional variation in the use of surgical procedures are just one example. Although administrative databases are also valuable for studying patient outcomes after surgery, researchers must be aware of many methodological challenges in this area, particularly those related to the accuracy of diagnostic coding and risk adjustment. Many of the most careful evaluations of administrative databases (reviewed in the chapter) were performed in the 1980s; there is evidence that coding practices have improved since then. However, it is unlikely that the information contained in administrative databases will ever replicate the clinical detail and specificity contained in medical charts. For these reasons, researchers using administrative data must be careful in how they select research questions.
CALCITONIN-LIKE PEPTIDE IN PRO-OPIOCORTIN: FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS

A calcitonin-like sequence exists within the structure of pro-opiocortin. We have measured calcitonin-like immunoreactivity by RIA in the pituitary and hypothalamus of rats. Others have found receptors in the brain of the rat that bind calcitonin. We discuss possible functional roles for the calcitonin-like immunoreactivity as the endogenous ligand for the calcitionin receptors in brain.
From Engineers' Tweets: Text Mining Social Media for Perspectives on Engineering Communication

This study combines text mining and content analysis to examine social media content from the top 20 engineers on Twitter, as well as frequent engineering communication topics on Quora and Reddit, to explore the following: (1) What are important communication skills on social media? (2) What rhetorical strategies do they use communicate information on social media, given the media’s limitations? (3) What topics do engineers most commonly use to engage the public? (4) What topics are associated with “reach” (or distribution and reception of messages) on social media? Findings suggest that appeals and topics that engineers use on social media index personal, technical and professional themes, from technology info and link citations to art, culture, politics, and other modes. Social media blur public, private, and professional spheres of exchange. Public engagement creates heterogeneous networks of topics of interest and practice with diverse vectors of engagement. Interactions between soft skills such as reading, writing, listening and speaking characterize engineering’s multidisciplinary workplaces. Additional important domains (e.g., communication environments, visuals literacy, and interpersonal ethos) emerged. Recommendations for practice and teaching include extending coverage of topics in engineering communication education, providing workplace training on social media, and revising communication policies on the job.
CAN BREASTFEEDING PREVENT DIABETES MELLITUS IN WOMEN: A DOSE RESPONSE META-ANALYSIS

Lactation has been shown to prevent diabetes in some studies. However, the strength of association has varied between studies and appears to be related to lactation duration. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether lactation was associated with long-term reduction in diabetes risk. We
Synergy of spectral and spatial segregation cues in simulated cocktail party listening

An approach is borrowed from Measurement Theory [Krantz et al. (1971). Foundations of Measurement, Vol.1] to evaluate the interaction of spectral and spatial cues in the segregation of talkers in simulated cocktail-party listening. The goal is to determine whether mathematical transformations exist whereby the combined effect of cues can be additively related to their individual effects. On each trial, the listener judged whether an interleaved sequence of 4 vowel triplets (heard over headphones) were spoken by the same BBB BBB... or different ABA ABA... talkers. The talkers had nominally different fundamental frequencies and spoke from nominally different locations (simulated using Kemar HRTFs). Natural variation in these cues was simulated by adding a small, random perturbation to nominal values independently for each vowel on each trial. Psychometric functions (PFs) relating d’ performance to the difference in nominal values were obtained for the cues presented individually and in combination. The results revealed a synergistic interaction of cues wherein the PFs for cues presented in combination exceeded the simple vector sum of the PFs for the cues presented individually. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for possible emergent properties of cues affecting performance in simulated cocktail-party listening.