cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Survey of Computation Offloading for Mobile Systems

Mobile systems have limited resources, such as battery life, network bandwidth, storage capacity, and processor performance. These restrictions may be alleviated by computation offloading: sending heavy computation to resourceful servers and receiving the results from these servers. Many issues related to offloading have been investigated in the past decade. This survey paper provides an overview of the background, techniques, systems, and research areas for offloading computation. We also describe directions for future research.
The perceived validity of eyewitness identification testimony: a test of the five Biggers criteria.

The U.S. Supreme Court has outlined five criteria on which evaluations of eyewitness identifications should be based (certainty, view, attention, description, and time; Neil v. Biggers 1972). We postulated that certainty plays a qualitatively different role from the four other Biggers criteria in evaluations of eyewitness identification testimony. Specifically, we hypothesized that participants would ignore reports on other criteria when certainty was high (the certainty-trumps hypothesis), but not when certainty was low. Participants (N = 386) read a fictitious trial transcript in which three of the five Biggers criteria were manipulated (certainty, view, and attention, or certainty, description, and time) and completed a questionnaire. The certainty-trumps hypothesis was not supported. Instead, the Biggers criteria combined only as main effects, not interactions, supporting a summative hypothesis. Surprisingly, collateral effects indicated that manipulations of one criterion (e.g., certainty) affected perceptions of other criteria (e.g., attention and view) and vice versa. Implications of the results are discussed.
In vivo visualization of epidermal growth factor receptor and survivin expression in porcine pancreas using endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle imaging with confocal laser-induced endomicroscopy

The aims of this pilot study were to establish a principle of molecular imaging of the pancreas and determine in vivo expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and survivin using a novel endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle imaging (EUS-FNI) technique, which incorporates needle based confocal laser-induced endomicroscopy (nCLE) after intrapancreatic injection of FTIC-labeled antibodies. Studies were performed in anesthetized pigs. FITC-labeled specific antibodies against EGF-R and survivin were injected into the tail and neck of the pancreas using a 19 gauge needle introduced under EUS guidance. Thirty minutes later, nCLE was performed using a prototype needle-based confocal laser-induced endomicroscopy probe (Cellvizio AQ-Flex-19, Mauna Kea Technologies, Paris, France) to determine cellular and tissue localization of EGF-R and survivin in the pancreas. Then pigs were euthanized and specimens of pancreas from areas injected with antibodies were obtained for histologic examination under epifluorescence microscope. Results: EUS-guided nCLE enabled visualization of EGF-R and survivin in pancreatic tissue. Expression of EGF-R and survivin in pancreas was confirmed by histology. EGF-R immunoreactivity was localized to majority of duct-lining cells and to the surface and cytoplasm of many acinar cells. Survivin was localized mainly to the acinar cells. This study demonstrated the feasibility of in vivo, real time visualization of EGF-R and survivin in the pancreas by local injection of FITC-labeled antibodies via EUS-guided fine needle injection, followed by EUS-guided needle based confocal laser-induced endomicroscopy.
Non-invasive identification of the total peripheral resistance baroreflex impulse response from spontaneous hemodynamic variability

We propose a novel technique for identifying the impulse response characterizing the total peripheral resistance (TPR) baroreflex by mathematical analysis of spontaneous, beat-to-beat fluctuations in arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, and stroke volume. The technique may therefore provide a complete linear dynamic characterization of the TPR baroreflex during normal, closed-loop conditions from only non-invasive measurements. We then describe a theoretical evaluation of the technique against realistic beat-to-beat variability generated by a cardiovascular simulator whose actual dynamic properties were exactly known. We report that the technique accurately estimated the TPR baroreflex impulse response as well as other key cardiovascular parameters for a range of simulator parameter values
Oestrogen, ocular function and low-level vision: a review

Over the past 10 years, a literature has emerged concerning the sex steroid hormone oestrogen and its role in human vision. Herein, we review evidence that oestrogen (oestradiol) levels may significantly affect ocular function and low-level vision, particularly in older females. In doing so, we have examined a number of vision-related disorders including dry eye, cataract, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. In each case, we have found oestrogen, or lack thereof, to have a role. We have also included discussion of how oestrogen-related pharmacological treatments for menopause and breast cancer can impact the pathology of the eye and a number of psychophysical aspects of vision. Finally, we have reviewed oestrogen's pharmacology and suggest potential mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects, with particular emphasis on anti-apoptotic and vascular effects.
Hazard Mitigation, Materiel and Equipment Restoration (HaMMER) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD)

Battelle is the systems integrator on the Hazard Mitigation, Materiel and Equipment Restoration (HaMMER) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) which is demonstrating integrated systems of decontaminants, applicators, and processes for recovery after a chemical or biological (CB) attack. Solutions have been developed using live agent testing and feedback from the user community. The HaMMER ATD is funded by the DTRA Joint Science and Technology Office and sponsored by the U.S. Pacific Command. The Joint Project Manager for Protection is the Transition Manager, and the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center serves as the Technical Manager. The HaMMER ATD focuses on three areas: • Agent disclosure — to provide a visual indication of the extent of contamination • Strippable coatings — pre-applied to mitigate contact and vapor hazards • Custom decontamination solutions that provide a dial-a-decon capability To date, the work has identified technologies that, when collectively applied, reduce or eliminate CB hazards following an attack. Technologies are grouped into suites targeted for mobile, stationary, and preparatory employment. HaMMER products will be considered for transition into the Decontamination Family of Systems (DFoS), using HaMMER test results for risk reduction. Beyond testing new technologies and systems, the program also provides a test bed to introduce new test protocols and operational methods. The HaMMER FoS consists of mobile, stationary, and support suites. The mobile suites focus on technologies that can be carried and employed on-the-move, while the stationary suite focuses on technologies that can be deployed to support field operations. The support suite provides the capability to apply preparatory measures prior to mission deployment. For the military, program benefits include: • New components and technologies that may replace or supplement existing decontamination equipment under current doctrine (near-term) • New FoS employed under new Concept of Operations (CONOPS) (mid-term) • Flexible configurations to address specific problems and operational needs • Incorporation of user feedback to ensure the suitability of the products These benefits and lessons learned from the program are easily translated into similar benefits for emergency responders and other homeland security professionals.
Jinn: synthesizing dynamic bug detectors for foreign language interfaces

Programming language specifications mandate static and dynamic analyses to preclude syntactic and semantic errors. Although individual languages are usually well-specified, composing languages is not, and this poor specification is a source of many errors in multilingual programs. For example, virtually all Java programs compose Java and C using the Java Native Interface (JNI). Since JNI is informally specified, developers have difficulty using it correctly, and current Java compilers and virtual machines (VMs) inconsistently check only a subset of JNI constraints.This paper's most significant contribution is to show how to synthesize dynamic analyses from state machines to detect foreign function interface (FFI) violations. We identify three classes of FFI constraints encoded by eleven state machines that capture thousands of JNI and Python/C FFI rules. We use a mapping function to specify which state machines, transitions, and program entities (threads, objects, references) to check at each FFI call and return. From this function, we synthesize a context-specific dynamic analysis to find FFI bugs. We build bug detection tools for JNI and Python/C using this approach. For JNI, we dynamically and transparently interpose the analysis on Java and C language transitions through the JVM tools interface. The resulting tool, called Jinn, is compiler and virtual machine independent. It detects and diagnoses a wide variety of FFI bugs that other tools miss. This approach greatly reduces the annotation burden by exploiting common FFI constraints: whereas the generated Jinn code is 22,000+ lines, we wrote only 1,400 lines of state machine and mapping code. Overall, this paper lays the foundation for a more principled approach to developing correct multilingual software and a more concise and automated approach to FFI specification.
Implementation of Pb-free bumping in power packaging

MOSFETS are three terminal devices used in energy conversion switching applications. Rds-on is a key metric in assessing the efficiency of the switching solution. Chip and wire interconnect in MOSFET packages generally leads to a solution where the package parasitics significantly affect the overall product Rds-on. The industry has made rapid advances in the last few years to adopt flip chip interconnect. Due to the temperature hierarchy in processing (e.g. use of soft solder die attach for heat dissipation and provide a good electrical contact) the metallurgy of the flip chip required it to be compatible with high temperature processing. The Pb-free solution is required to be very cost effective and amenable to high volume manufacturing due to the nature of the use. Moreover, some recent form factors such the FLMP (Flip Chip in a Leaded Molded Package) and the MOSFET BGA allowed the die to be directly attached to the printed circuit board. The road to defining and implementing a Pb-free solution for bump interconnect for these applications is all the more difficult as the solution to be backward compatible with Pb-based paste as well as with Pb-free paste and yet retain its high temperature stability. Our paper gives details of this novel solution which by its very nature is very cost effective compared to other methods of achieving the same end results. Preliminary reliability results will be presented along with our work in simulating some environments through finite element analysis.
Counter flow induced draft cooling tower option for supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle

Abstract A simplified qualitative analysis was performed to investigate the possibility of using counter flow induced draft cooling tower option to reject heat from the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle for advanced fast reactor (AFR)-100 and advanced burner reactor (ABR)-1000 plants. A code was developed to estimate the tower dimensions, power and water consumption, and to perform economic analysis. The code developed was verified against a vendor provided quotation and is used to understand the effect of ambient air and water conditions on the design of cooling tower. The calculations indicated that there exists optimum water conditions for given ambient air conditions which will result in minimum power consumption, thereby increasing the cycle efficiency. A cost-based optimization technique is used to estimate the optimum water conditions which will improve the overall plant economics. A comparison of different cooling options for the S-CO2 cycle indicated that the cooling tower option is a much more practical and economical option compared to the dry air cooling or direct water cooling options.
The Distribution of Buxbaumia minakatae in Pennsylvania and the Lectotypification of B. subcylindrica

Abstract Buxbaumia minakatae S. Okamura was first reported for Pennsylvania from Allegheny County as B. indusiata Brid. A reexamination of this collection confirmed its identity. New distribution records of Buxbaumia minakatae are also added for Fayette and Westmoreland counties. The differences separating B. minakatae and B. aphylla are seta size, capsule orientation, and urn shape. A lectotype of B. subcylindrica Grout is chosen from the Grout herbarium induke.
Exploring the Structure of Adolescent Problem Behaviors and the Associated Adult Outcomes

ABSTRACTThis study expands on previous research on adolescent problem behaviors by examining whether different constellations of problem behavior in adolescence differentially impact outcomes during emerging adulthood. Data from the in-home interviews of waves 2 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) were used to examine these relationships. Latent class analysis, using nineteen problem behaviors measured at wave 2, identified three classes of adolescents representing “low risk, abstainers,” “sexually-active, experimenters,” and a “high risk, diverse behavior” group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were then used to identify class differences (measured at wave 3) in social stability, general health and service utilization, and criminal justice system involvement during emerging adulthood. Important class differences in the likelihood of negative outcomes during early adulthood were identified. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future resea...
The Empirical Volatility-Growth Relationship: Is Economic Freedom the Missing Link?

This paper examines the role of economic freedom in the empirical relationship between business cycle volatility and long-run growth across countries. In a diverse sample of ninety-nine countries, accounting for economic freedom’s influence on volatility mitigates or even eliminates the negative impact of volatility on growth. Evidence also suggests that the impact of volatility on growth is not homogeneous across countries at different levels of freedom. In particular, volatility has a negative impact on growth only in countries at very low levels of economic freedom. Mixed results in previous studies suggested a more complicated relationship between volatility and growth, but there was no clear evidence that economic freedom was the missing link.
Mixed Bundling, Profit Sacrifice, and Consumer Welfare

Mixed bundling - the conditioning of discounts in one market on the purchase of products or services in another market - is a pervasive business practice that is attracting attention because of its potentially exclusionary effects on competitors. The practice has been analogized to anticompetitive tying and, as with tying a generation ago, the reasons for its existence have been misunderstood. In most cases, mixed bundling benefits consumers. Firms adopt mixed bundling pricing strategies for many procompetitive or competitively neutral or indeterminate reasons, including achieving efficiencies, responding to demand by powerful customers, price-discriminating, and playing behavioral games with customer psychology. Courts and the antitrust agencies are struggling to formulate legal tests capable of addressing mixed bundling as a potential monopolization offense. The prominent sacrifice test - under which an act is considered unlawfully exclusionary if it makes no rational sense absent the exclusion of competitors - cannot be meaningfully applied to most mixed bundling schemes in a litigation context because there are too many variables that determine the "rationality" calculus. But nor do theories of exclusionary bundling without profit sacrifice provide a compelling reason to be worried about the competitive effects of mixed bundling in most cases. Given the generally procompetitive effects of mixed bundling and the propensity of plaintiffs strategically to misuse monopolization law to stymie vigorous price competition, courts should be reluctant to create new prohibitory rules and should, at most, use existing predatory pricing principles to assess the practice.
Francis Greenwood Peabody: Harvard's Theologian of the Social Gospel

Francis Greenwood Peabody, lecturer in ethics and professor of theology at Harvard University from 1880 to 1912, introduced the teaching of social ethics at Harvard and ranks as one of the foremost interpreters of German theological thought in America. As academic teacher he brought about the abolition of compulsory worship at Harvard College, helped transform the Harvard Divinity School from a denominational seminary into a non-denominational professional school of theology, and introduced studies in contemporary social problems at the Divinity School and at Harvard College. His pioneering work on social problems secured for him a leading role in the Social Gospel movement of his time.
An academic home for play: games as unifying influences in higher education

Purpose – This paper aims to address opportunities and tensions when creating game-based learning practices in higher education. By detailing examples from a university in the Southeastern USA and the communities it serves, we suggest game-based research and learning be approached as a unifying influence adaptable across contexts. Design/methodology/approach – We use a working example methodology where someone with expertise “works through” a well-known issue while making the thinking overt. In this manner, we reveal processes, successes and challenges infusing game-based learning in higher education to deepen understanding between fields and encourage research and practice with games across disciplines. Findings – The working example demonstrates that games served as a unifying influence in three primary ways, which included redesigning courses and implementing programmatic changes; using existing programs to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research; and increasing outreach and partnerships. In ea...
Heat studies on a thermophilic bacteriophage.

SummaryA thermophilic bacteriophage has been isolated which is inactivated by heat at a rate which is not constant but decreases with time. The phage remains viable after two hours exposure at 95°C, but is destroyed at 100°C, indicating that it is much more heat resistant than phages previously reported.
Abstract 1733: p62/sequestosome 1 regulates caspase-8 activation by the Bcl-2 antagonist ABT-263 to enable crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis.

Background: Autophagy and apoptosis regulate cancer cell viability in response to cytotoxic stress; however, the functional relationship between these processes is unclear. During autophagy, the multifunctional p62/sequestosome 1 protein shuttles ubiquitinated proteins to the lysosome. Previously, we found that ectopic p62 can promote chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Since Bcl-2 can regulate both autophagy and apoptosis, we determined whether ABT-263-induced apoptosis is regulated by p62. Methods: Human colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT116, DLD1) were incubated with ABT-263 (0-2 μM) and caspase cleavage (immunoblotting), caspase-8 activation (luminescence), apoptosis (annexin V labeling), and autophagy (localization of GFP-LC3 by confocal microscopy) were analyzed. Caspase-8 was suppressed by siRNA or using caspase-8-deficient Jurkat cells. P62 mutants were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Caspase-8 self aggregation and colocalization with p62 were studied in cells with lentiviral mCherry-p62, transfected with a non-cleavable caspase-8 fused with fluorescent Venus proteins (BiFC). Results: We demonstrate that ABT-263 induces autophagy and a caspase-8-mediated apoptosis, shown using caspase-8 siRNA or caspase-8-deficient cells. Regulation of this process by p62 was demonstrated by the ability of ectopic p62 expression to enhance apoptosis and caspase-8 activation that were disrupted by mutations at p62 functional domains. In contrast, p62 shRNA was shown to attenuate ABT-263-induced apoptosis. ABT-263 treatment enhanced binding between caspase-8 and p62, and triggered caspase-8 self aggregation that colocalized with p62, shown by Biomolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) assay using confocal microscopy. Consistent with ectopic p62, accumulation of p62 by the lysosomal autophagy inhibitors, chloroquine or bafilomycin A1, enhanced ABT-263-mediated caspase cleavage. Conclusion: p62 can regulate caspase-8 self aggregation/activation by ABT-263 to enable crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis. Citation Format: Shengbing Huang, Jae Myung Park, Chunrong Yu, Frank A. Sinicrope. p62/sequestosome 1 regulates caspase-8 activation by the Bcl-2 antagonist ABT-263 to enable crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1733. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1733
‘If drugs does that to you, then I don't want it.’ Resiliency among non-marijuana using adolescents

ABSTRACTThe current study utilizes an asset-based approach to examine inner-city African-American and Latino adolescent non-marijuana use. Interview findings suggest that the common theme in adolescent narratives is why they avoid marijuana use. Specifically, adolescents formulate several reasons situated in their perceptions of self, peers, and parents to avoid marijuana use. Drawing on resiliency theory and to broaden our scope of inquiry, we utilize these findings to further delve into the relationship between perceptions of self, peer communication, parental monitoring, and marijuana use avoidance utilizing survey data analysis. Findings can be used to leverage prevention programs with this population.
Managing emerging contaminants in watersheds: Need for comprehensive, systems-based strategies

While much has been done to reduce conventional pollutants in watershed systems, emerging contaminants (ECs) are posing a major threat to health and environment. These contaminants pose a threat to humans and to ecosystems. There is a critical need for comprehensive strategies that aim at watershed system-wide abatement (source-transfer-fate levels) using both structural and nonstructural approaches. In this study, we review sources, occurrence and harmful impacts of ECs with an eye toward watershed-scale mitigation strategies at source, transfer, fate, and organismal response levels. The use and efficiency of activated carbon, ozonation, photocatalysis, photo fenton, reverse osmosis and constructed wetlands are useful in mitigation. Management priority is needed for pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and industrial contaminants that are increasing in frequency and concentrations. Structural approaches at source level can include best management practices like buffer strips, riparian management, natural and constructed wetlands. These natural strategies are cost-effective for small communities due to low operational cost and energy consumption. Non-structural approaches can include dissemination of information, education, outreach, incentives for mitigation, and policy mechanism for compliance. A comprehensive, watershed-based, systems approach with multi-level strategies at source, transfer and sink level for efficient abatement of ECs and sustainability of watershed systems.
Measuring Judgments of Professionals: Using Vignettes in a Social Survey About Patient Confusion

The use of a factorial survey to measure the clinical judgments of professionals is described. This design allows the researcher to partial out the effects of variables on clinical decision making while using probability sampling. Methods frequently used to study judgments are reviewed and a study of nurses' judgments about patients' confusional episodes are used to illustrate the application of the factorial survey. Acute confusion in patients is a common clinical problem for nurses working in medical-surgical units in acute care hospitals. Using the factorial survey to study a real-life problem such as confusion demonstrates how this design can be used to test judgments in complex clinical situations, to aid in concept development, and to identify consensus among professionals.
Electrostatic structure of a magnetized laser-produced plasma

Measurements of the structure of the electrostatic fields produced by the expansion of a laser-produced plasma into a background magnetized plasma are presented. The three-dimensional measurements of the electrostatic field are made using an emissive probe that measures the time-varying plasma potential on two orthogonal planes, one across and one containing the background magnetic field. The inductive electric field is also calculated from probe measurements of the time-varying magnetic fields. Deviations from local charge neutrality at the level of 10(-4) generate a radial electrostatic field with peak strength an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding inductive field. The electrostatic energy density near full expansion is over an order of magnitude larger than that of the induced azimuthal electric field. These measurements show that electrostatic fields must be included in theoretical and computational models of collisionless coupling in magnetized point explosions of laser-produced plasmas and their relation to similar phenomena such as magnetospheric chemical releases.
Film rhythm after sound: technology, music, and performance

In her highly innovative account of the early years of sound cinema, Lea Jacobs proposes ‘rhythm’ as a key to understanding the initial negative response of many critics and directors to the new te...
Cushing’s Syndrome Due to Adrenal Disorders

Hypercortisolism due to primary adrenal diseases is responsible for approximately one-quarter of all cases of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome. Disorders of the adrenal glands that secrete cortisol in an autonomous fashion and lead to the development of Cushing’s syndrome are listed in Table 1. Benign and malignant adrenocortical neoplasms account for a majority of the cases. Although rare, the various adrenal hyperplasias represent an interesting spectrum of disorders encountered by physicians evaluating patients with Cushing’s syndrome. This chapter will focus on the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, evaluation and management of these disorders.
Initial subjective reward to alcohol in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Initial subjective response to the rewarding properties of alcohol predicts voluntary consumption and the risk for alcohol use disorders. We assessed the initial subjective reward to alcohol in rats using a single exposure conditioned place preference (SE-CPP) paradigm. Sprague-Dawley rats demonstrate preference for a context paired with a single systemic injection of ethanol (1.0 g/kg, delivered intraperitoneally). However, expression of SE-CPP in males depended on pairing ethanol with the first exposure of two (ethanol; saline) to the conditioning apparatus and procedures, while conditioning day did not appreciably affect SE-CPP in females, consistent with the view that females experience heightened addiction vulnerability. This model offers researchers a high throughput assay for investigating factors that influence alcohol reward and may point the way toward more effective prevention and treatment efforts.
A Woman in Her 60s With Chronic Meningitis

A renal transplant recipient in her 60s presented with a history of chronic headaches and progressive encephalopathy. Serial cerebrospinal fluid examinations were consistent with chronic lymphocytic meningitis, but no definitive cause was identified. Imaging studies showed the development of an enhancing suprasellar mass lesion and hydrocephalus. Symptoms progressed despite empiric antimicrobial therapy, and the patient died after an acute large-volume subarachnoid hemorrhage. A complete autopsy was performed. The differential diagnosis, pathologic findings, and diagnosis are discussed.
The least known European native crayfish Astacus pachypus (Rathke, 1837) revealed its phylogenetic position

Abstract The thick-clawed crayfish Astacus pachypus (Rathke, 1837) is the least known species within the Astacidae, mostly due to limited access to samples and declining populations in recent decades. In the present study, for the first time, we report the phylogenetic position of this vulnerable native European freshwater crayfish within the genus Astacus , based on mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) and nuclear (ITS2) molecular markers. Genetic results suggest its closest relationship is to A. leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823), as previously suggested by morphology and common area of occurrence.
Psoriatic Arthritis: Clinical Review and Update

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) a debilitating, seronegative spondyloarthropathy associated with psoriasis. The prevalence of PsA among psoriatic patients is estimated to be between 7 and 42 %. Skin lesions of psoriasis most often precede arthritic symptoms, however up to 20 % of patients with PsA manifest joint disease prior to skin involvement. Potential benefits of treatment include better quality of life and radiologic improvement of joint damage. Currently no universally accepted gold standard exists for diagnosing PsA, although the ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) criteria may gain widespread acceptance. While there is no universal agreement on the most accurate methods to evaluate PsA treatment, the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) and the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) recommend using tools to assess of joint, skin, function, pain, patient’s global assessment and quality of life. Treatment guidelines vary between GRAPPA and AAD, but generally recommend that mild PsA should be managed with NSAIDs and intralesional corticosteroid injections, and moderate to severe PsA should be managed with methotrexate or biologics. Biologic therapies, including TNF-α inhibitors, are recommended in the treatment of moderate to severe PsA, especially those patients with poor prognostic factors. With the potential benefits of early treatment, dermatologists and rheumatologists are strongly encouraged to assess patients for the signs and symptoms of PsA at each visit.
Cluster analysis profiling of behaviors in zebrafish larvae treated with antidepressants and pesticides

Antidepressants are used by a substantial number of women in their childbearing years. Treatment may continue during pregnancy, since untreated depression poses a risk to the mother and child. However, many antidepressants readily pass through the placental barrier to reach the fetus or may be ingested by the newborn via breastmilk. Little is known about the effects of antidepressants on brain development and subsequent behavior in young children. In the current study, we used zebrafish as a model system to examine the neurodevelopmental effects of three commonly prescribed antidepressants, sertraline, duloxetine and bupropion. Zebrafish were exposed to these antidepressants during development and were examined for changes in larval avoidance behavior, activity, social behaviors, and anxiety-related behaviors. The results show that antidepressants commonly affect larval swim speeds and resting, and differentially affect other behaviors depending upon the exposure period. Using cluster analysis profiling, we compared the obtained results to previous reports on behavioral defects induced by organophosphate pesticides. We found that the behavioral profiles induced by antidepressants and pesticides overlap, indicating a common mechanism of action. We conclude that developmental antidepressant exposures lead to specific behavioral changes in zebrafish larvae. At present, it is not known if antidepressants have similar effects in human development.
Integration of artificial intelligence methodologies and algorithms into the civil engineering curriculum using knowledge-based expert systems: A case study

The aim of this study was to strengthen the engineering curriculum by integrating innovative electrical and computer engineering (ECE)-specialized artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies and algorithms into traditional civil engineering (CE) problem-solving methods. An interactive and comprehensive knowledge-based expert system (KBES) was developed to document, compare, and analyze cutting-edge AI applications in the field of CE. With a large amount of successful/unsuccessful AI applications being tried and tested in the CE field, this unique intelligent database can be used as the platform and educational media for the development and implementation of curricula for the problem-based learning approach to bridge the gap in the current curricula between conventional mathematics, physics, engineering methods and state-of-the-art AI techniques. This study is the first of its kind to (1) develop an intelligent KBES platform to increase the intellectual rigor, breadth, and depth of undergraduate engineering...
Utilization of neoadjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy and proton beam therapy for esophageal cancer in the United States

Background: Randomized esophageal cancer (EC) trials have utilized two- or three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Advanced radiotherapy (RT) techniques [(ARTs): intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy (PBT)] may have benefits, but are relatively unproven. This is the first study to date evaluating utilization of ARTs versus 3DCRT in the trimodality setting in the United States. Methods: The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried (2004–2013) for newly-diagnosed cT1b- T4bN0/N+M0 EC receiving neoadjuvant CRT followed by esophagectomy. The primary objective was to assess temporal trends, with multivariable logistic regression analysis assessing factors predictive of receiving ARTs. Secondarily, Kaplan-Meier analysis evaluated overall survival (OS), Cox proportional hazards modeling determined variables associated with OS, and postoperative complications were compared between cohorts. Results: Altogether, 3,138 patients met criteria; 1,398 (45%) received 3DCRT, and 1,740 (55%) received ARTs (99% IMRT, 1% PBT). Temporally, utilization of ARTs is steadily rising in the United States, from 20% in 2004 to 69% in 2013, corresponding with a progressive decrease in utilization of 3DCRT. ARTs were more often delivered with advancing age, squamous cell histology, N2+ disease, and at academic centers (P 0.05 for all). Treatment at an academic center independently correlated with improved OS (P Conclusions: Utilization of ARTs (IMRT in the vast majority) is steadily rising in the United States; 3DCRT is now used in a minority of patients. This has implications for payers and insurance coverage. ART use is impacted by not only age and disease factors, but also regional and facility differences. Treatment at an academic facility independently correlated with higher survival, which has implications for patient counseling.
The β Iron Controversy Revisited

Early twentieth century Fe–C phase diagrams designated the paramagnetic BCC iron phase (ferrite) as β iron. By the third decade of the last century this designation all but disappeared from the literature. Why was this? Should the β phase of iron be brought back to phase diagrams? What effects on the phase diagram would arise if we differentiate the ferromagnetic magnetic phase (α) from the paramagnetic phase (β)? In this paper I will discuss some of the history of this β iron controversy and discuss the effects on the Fe–C binary phase diagram. I will urge that β iron should be returned to iron phase diagrams so as to better represent a proper view of magnetic phase equilibria, magnetic symmetry and magnetic phase transformations.
Kitty Hawk: Programmer-Defined Functions

The Outer Banks is a sand bar extending for hundreds of miles along the east coast of the United States, mostly along the coast of North Carolina. The sand bar is broken by narrow inlets that connect the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the shallow salt water sounds on the west. The result is a chain of long, thin islands, in many places only a few hundred yards wide and a few feet above sea level.
Introduction and Method

In this chapter we introduce the topic of internal memory versus external memory. Internal memory is information stored in one’s brain, and external memory is information stored outside of one’s brain (either socially or technologically). Humans have a long history of using external memory, and we interact extensively with it in our everyday lives. However, research on this topic has been limited and fragmentary. Here we describe the method of our comprehensive survey study on the interplay of internal and external memory in everyday life, and how that is changing in the early twenty-first century (N = 476 Mechanical Turk participants). The survey included quantitative and qualitative questions about attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and experiences.
Blurred Lines: Elusive Messages of Religiosity and Blackness in the Music of Prince

AbstractIn this article, the goal is to use the theoretical framework of intersectionality as the lens through which to better understand the musical genius Prince, his Royal Badness. The collectio...
The disambiguating effects of phonological exceptions in grammar

This paper explores the analytical and typological consequences of lexically-indexed constraints in Optimality Theory; namely, that the introduction of an indexed constraint by an exception can force the determination of otherwise unspecified rankings in the grammar. This "disambiguating" effect makes two important predictions. First, the typology of exceptional blocking is more complex than has been traditionally assumed: in addition to typical non-undergoing (=faithfulness-obeying) exceptions, exceptions that block a regular repair but undergo an alternative instead (referred to here as "walljumping" exceptions) are also predicted to exist. Second, the forced determination effect means that the existence of an exception determines the possibility or impossibility of other exceptional and regular patterns in the grammar. Using two exceptions to the hiatus resolution conspiracy in Mushunguli (Somali Chizigula, ISO [xma]) as a test case, I show that these predictions hold true, and demonstrate that indexed constraints allow for a unified analysis of hiatus resolution in the language. This result builds upon and strengthens prior observations made by Ito & Mester (1995) regarding the behavior of stratal faithfulness constraints, and supports a view of exceptions as clarifying and reifying agents within the grammar.
Evaluation of ultraviolet (UV‐C) light treatment for microbial inactivation in agricultural waters with different levels of turbidity

Produce growers using surface or well water to irrigate their crops may require an appropriate water treatment system in place to meet the water quality standard imposed by FSMA Produce Safety Rule. This study evaluated the potential of using ultraviolet (UV-C) treatment in reducing the microbial population in agricultural water. Waters with turbidity levels ranging from 10.93 to 23.32 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) were prepared by mixing pond water and well water. The waters were inoculated with a cocktail of generic Escherichia coli (ATCC 23716, 25922, and 11775) and then treated with UV-C light (20-60 mJ/cm2). All tested doses of the UV-C treatment reduced the E. coli levels significantly (p < .05) in the water samples with the turbidity levels up to 23.32 NTU. The decrease in the turbidity from 23.32 to 10.93 NTU increased the level of reduction by more than 2.15 log most probable number (MPN)/100 ml). UV-C treatment effectively reduces microbial load in agriculture water; however, turbidity of water may significantly affect the disinfection efficacy. The study also demonstrated that sprinkler system resulted in a higher level of contamination of cantaloupes compared with drip irrigation. The results indicated that UV-C treatment could be a promising strategy in reducing the produce safety risks associated with irrigation water.
Utility of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Resection During Anterior Cervical Decompression for Radiculopathy.

Background Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the main surgical treatment of cervical radiculopathy. Controversy exists about the need to resect the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) to directly decompress the nerve roots, or if it is sufficient to indirectly decompress with diskectomy and graft placement. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of PLL resection after ACDF. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients that underwent first-time ACDF for cervical radiculopathy at a single tertiary care institution between 1999 and 2013. Comparative analyses and multivariable logistic regression were performed. Results Two hundred patients were included with a mean follow-up of 39 months. Average age was 54 years, 62% were women, and diabetes and current smoking status were noted in 11% and 15%, respectively. PLL resection was performed in 127 patients (64%), and no significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between the 2 cohorts. One durotomy occurred in the resected PLL cohort, and none were seen in the unresected PLL group. No differences were seen in perioperative complications. At the time of last follow-up, improvement in radiculopathy was observed in 94% of the resected PLL group compared with 81% of the unresected PLL group (P = 0.008). After controlling for confounders, PLL resection had 3.8 times greater odds of leading to postoperative improvement in radiculopathy. Conclusions ACDF leads to a high rate of success in improvement of preoperative radiculopathy. Excision of PLL during surgery leads to 3.8 times greater odds of improvement in this symptom, with no significant difference in the complication rate.
Structure and Functions of Sidekicks.

Many of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) molecules play pivotal roles in cell communication. The Sidekick (Sdk) gene, first described in Drosophila, encodes the single-pass transmembrane protein, Sdk, which is one of the largest among IgSF membrane proteins. Sdk first appeared in multicellular animals during the Precambrian age, and later evolved to Sdk1 and Sdk2 in vertebrates by gene duplication. In flies, a single Sdk is involved in positioning photoreceptor neurons and their axons in the visual system, and is responsible for dynamically rearranging cell shapes by strictly populating tricellular adherens junctions in epithelia. In vertebrates, Sdk1 and Sdk2 are expressed by unique sets of cell types, and distinctively participate in the formation and/or maintenance of neural circuits in the retina, indicating that they are determinants of synaptic specificity. These functions are mediated by specific homophilic binding of their ectodomains and by intracellular association with PDZ scaffold proteins. Recent human genetical studies as well as animal experiments implicate that Sdk genes may influence various neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, addiction, and depression. The gigantic Sdk1 gene is susceptible to erratic gene rearrangements or mutations in both somatic and germ-line cells, potentially contributing to neurological disorders and some types of cancers. This review summarizes what is known about the structure and roles of Sdks.
Law vs. Accounting Firms: Competing Over Three Decades of Change

This article takes advantage of a novel data set covering three decades to investigate the competition in the U.S. market for tax services between large law firm tax departments and their competitor, large accounting firms. The article first details the relevant provisions of three regulatory changes and how they were expected to affect these firms’ tax practices: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), Financial Interpretation No. 48, and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The article then provides detailed descriptive data and analyses. In summary, the law firms have modestly increased their tax practices over the three decades but not as much as the accounting firms. The accounting firms had a lull shortly after SOX but then began to see their tax work steadily and annually increase over the last fifteen years. Higgins Green & Veliotis, Tax Notes Federal Vol. 173 (Oct. 4, 2021): 13-33.
Lighting and the Learning Disabled Reader.

(1992). Lighting and the Learning Disabled Reader. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 33-34.
Mechanical manipulation of animal cells: cell indentation

Determining the mechanical properties and behavior of cells has been studied through a variety of methods including micropipette aspiration, atomic force microscopy (AFM), magnetometry, rheology, and cell indentation. Using the cell poker technique, the force required to indent the cell surface by a glass stylus or the relaxation time of the cell membrane can be determined. This method provides information about both the mechanical properties of adherent cells and the internal cytoskeleton. For example, using the cell poking technique showed that F9 mouse embryonic carcinoma cells were ∼20% more resistant to indentation by the cell poker compared to F9 vinculin-deficient (5.51) cells, which were derived by chemical mutagenization of F9 cells. This was confirmed in viscoelastic measurements using AFM, magnetometry, and rheology.
Polynomial-Time Object Recognition in the Presence of Clutter, Occlusion, and Uncertainty

We consider the problem of object recognition via local geometric feature matching in the presence of sensor uncertainty, occlusion, and clutter. We present a general formulation of the problem and a polynomial-time algorithm which guarantees finding all geometrically feasible interpretations of the data, modulo uncertainty, in terms of the model. This formulation applies naturally to problems involving both 2D and 3D objects.
On the Classification of Extremal Even Formally Self-DualCodes

Bachoc bachoc has recently introduced harmonic polynomials for binary codes. Computing these for extremal even formally self-dual codes of length 12, she found intersection numbers for such codes and showed that there are exactly three inequivalent [12,6,4] even formally self-dual codes, exactly one of which is self-dual. We prove a new theorem which gives a generator matrix for formally self-dual codes. Using the Bachoc polynomials we can obtain the intersection numbers for extremal even formally self-dual codes of length 14. These same numbers can also be obtained from the generator matrix. We show that there are precisely ten inequivalent [14,7,4] even formally self-dual codes, only one of which is self-dual.