cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Ricin Biomarker, Ricinine, in 989 Individual Human Urine Samples

Ricinine (3-cyano-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone) is a urinary biomarker that can be measured to confirm human exposure to castor bean products such as ricin. Because many consumer products contain castor oil, another castor bean product, ricinine may be detectable in the general population. The following study characterized urinary ricinine concentrations from 989 individuals who were presumed to be unexposed to ricin. An automated diagnostic method was utilized to simplify the analysis of this large sample set. Sample preparation included a 96-well polystyrene divinylbenzene high throughput extraction and preconcentration step. Purified samples were analyzed by an efficient dual column, reversed-phase liquid chromatography separation and 13 C-isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. In this convenience sample set, only 1.2% of the urine specimens had detectable amounts of ricinine, randomly distributed between 0.186 and 4.15 ng/mL.
Digital interpolation beamforming for low-pass and bandpass signals

Digital time-domain beamforming requires that samples of the sensor signals be available at a sufficient rate to realize accurate time delays for beam steering. For many applications, this input rate, which may be significantly higher than the Nyquist rate required for waveform reconstruction, places stringent requirements on A/D converter hardware and transmission cable bandwidth. Recently, a technique referred to as digital interpolation beamfonning was introduced which greatly relaxes the sampling requirement and provides substantial hardware savings through more flexible design options. In this approach, the sensor channels need only be sampled at a rate which satisfies aliasing requirements. The vernier beam-delay increments are then synthesized using digital interpolation which can be implemented at the beamformer input or output to minimize digital processing complexity. Previously, this concept was presented for the case of "low-pass" signals. This paper extends this work by examining the relationship between interpolation and beamforming for the important class of "bandpass" signals. Specifically, sampling methods are discussed whereby the original waveform can be reconstructed from samples taken at a rate consistent with the bandwidth of the bandpass signal. Beamformer implementations are presented which utilize these bandwidth-sampling techniques in conjunction with interpolation and which compute beam output points at the generally low rate dictated by the signal bandwidth. The interpolation beamformer achieves time-delay quantization (beam-steering accuracy) independent of both the input and output sampling rates. This approach generally requires less hardware than conventional procedures. Interpolation falter characteristics dictated by the bandwidth-sampling procedure are described and efficient methods of implementation employing nonrecursive digital bandpass and low-pass filters are presented.
Nation, Duty, Character and Confidence: History at Oxford, 1850–1914

Modern history, introduced to Oxford in the 1850s, was a subject that was hardly ‘modern’. The governing bodies of the university, as well as its teachers, intended history to strengthen and perpetuate the traditional values of liberal education. Beginning with the fall of Rome and concluding in the eighteenth century, history was not an innovative or experimental study of recent, let alone contemporary, issues and events. Instead, the study of history began and continued as an epic illustration of the qualities required of England's governing elite. Within a rapidly changing society that found the future more compelling than the past, modern history organized history, politics, economics and law as testaments to the enduring qualities of individual character and national institutions. All the liberal disciplines at Oxford, as well as those at Cambridge and subsequently at the new civic universities, reflected a national consensus about moral progress and social order which was reinforced by the content of those disciplines. The general frame of mind and expectations could not be attributed uniquely to Oxford. But there can be little doubt about the powerful influence Oxford exercized upon those graduates who left the university to assume careers of considerable national importance. It may be argued that among the various disciplines, none made so earnest and sustained an attempt to produce the right kind of men, fit for any undertaking, as did the Honours School in Modern History.
Perceptual and attentional processes following callosal section in humans

Studies are reviewed that examine how perceptual and attentional systems operate in the cortically disconnected human. The data indicate that even though both simple and complex perceptual information associated with the cognitive activities of each disconnected half brain show virtually no interactions, the attentional system remains largely integrated in the split-brain patient. It also appears that the human brain is subject to a set of finite resources it can allocate to cognitive activities. These resources are not changed following cortical disconnection. Taken together, studies to date support the view that the attentional system is an independently functioning and integrated entity, following brain bisection, that participates in both perceptual and cognitive activities of each hemisphere.
The role of accepting modes in the theory of nonradiative transitions

Abstract We treat explicitly the role of geometry and frequency changes in the nonradiative decay of individual vibrational levels in isolated large molecules, and present new results appropriate to the case of small effective energy gaps.
Subproblem and Overall Convergence for a Method-of-Centers Algorithm

This paper considers convergence of a method-of-centers algorithm for solving nonlinear programming problems. An upper bound is derived for the number of steps needed to solve each subproblem, defined by the algorithm, when the method of steepest ascent is employed. Also, an upper bound is found for the total number of subproblem steps needed to solve all of the subproblems required to find a feasible point having an objective value with a prescribed maximum deviation from the optimal value.
Chemical Diversification of Sialic Acid Glycosides by Stereospecific, Chemoselective Deamination

Late bloomer: Nitrosation of peracetylated sialic acid glycosides followed by treatment with sodium trifluoroethoxide and then a suitable nucleophile enables the late-stage modification of these glycosides with stereospecific replacement of the acetamido group. This method should enable access to many glycoside derivatives with a minimum of synthetic effort.
Designing screen-based interfaces for advanced multimedia functionality

This paper examines the intersection of relevant design principles and activities, and the process for understanding and developing interfaces for the context of screen-based multimedia. The process is based on a synthesis of cognitive psychology, human computer interaction, and industrial design principles germane to designing screen-based interfaces. This interdisciplinary approach has proven useful in building a framework for understanding and leaching screen-based interface design. The intended outcome of this research is to present new directions to teaching and designing screen-based interfaces, in order to define a context for growth in professional education, and improve the user experience. As screen-based interfaces require the interaction of a user, a foundation of guiding principles from human computer interaction and the cognitive sciences must be integrated into the visual communication designer range of expertise. By applying this interdisciplinary convergence into the design process of screen-based interfaces, we believe our students are equipped with a better understanding of the interaction process between users and screen-based interfaces. Our results of teaching are illustrated through a variety of screen-based interface solutions. Each solution was structured by applying this interdisciplinary design process that synthesizes functional importance, cognitive understanding, and visual interest.
Risk Factors for Community-Acquired Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Escherichia Coli Urinary Tract Infection

BACKGROUND:Fluoroquinolones are recommended for the empiric treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI) in communities in which uropathogen resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is ≥10% to 20%. However, recent studies also have demonstrated an increase in the isolation of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli. Identification of outpatients at increased risk for fluoroquinolone resistance would improve the selection of empiric treatment.OBJECTIVE:To identify risk factors for community-acquired UTIs due to ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli (CREC).METHODS:All medical records from the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center from January to December 2001 were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with community-acquired UTI due to CREC. Patients with community-acquired UTI due to ciprofloxacin-susceptible E. coli presenting during the same time period were randomly selected as the study group in a 1:2 ratio of case to controls.RESULTS:Independent risk factors for CREC...
Time-Dependent, Two-Layer Flow over a Sill

A one-dimensional, two-layer model is used to illustrate the time-dependent nature of two-layer flow over a sill forced by barotropic tides. The quasi-steady approximation is valid in the vicinity of the sill for the portion of the tidal cycle when the flow is transcritical, but the time-dependent term in the momentum equation becomes significant during the subcritical portion of the tidal cycle. The results suggest that to understand the influence of tidal forcing on sill flows requires the application of fully time-dependent models.
Formal automatic verification of cache coherence in multiprocessors with relaxed memory models

State-based, formal methods have been successfully applied to the automatic verification of cache coherence in sequentially consistent systems. However, coherence in shared memory multiprocessors under a relaxed memory model is much more complex to verify automatically. With relaxed memory models, incoming invalidations and outgoing updates can be delayed in each cache while processors are allowed to race ahead. This buffering of memory accesses considerably increases the amount of state in each cache and the complexity of protocol interactions. Moreover, because caches can hold inconsistent copies of the same data for long periods of time, coherence cannot be verified by simply checking that cached copies are identical at all times. This paper makes two major contributions. First, we demonstrate how to model and verify cache coherence under a relaxed memory model in the context of state-based verification methods. Frameworks for modeling the hardware and for generating correct memory access sequences driving the hardware model are developed. We also show correctness properties which must be verified on the hardware model. Second, we demonstrate a successful application of a state-based verification tool called SSM for the verification of the delayed protocol, an aggressive protocol for relaxed memory models. SSM is based on an abstraction technique preserving the properties to verify. We show that with classical, explicit approaches the verification of cache coherence is realistically unfeasible because of the state space explosion problem, whereas SSM is able to verify protocols both at both behavioral and message-passing levels.
How to Publish in Scholarly Journals

This article is based on an invited talk entitled “Getting Published While in Grad School,” which was presented for the Graduate Student Council of the American Educational Research Association at the association’s 2005 annual meeting. The authors discuss issues to consider when one is planning and writing a scholarly manuscript, and they offer several suggestions about substance, organization, and style. They also describe the journal submission and peer review process, including what to do if a journal editor’s decision is “revise and resubmit,” “accept pending revisions,” or “reject.”
The effect of transverse normal strain in contact of an orthotropic beam pressed against a circular surface

Abstract The contact problem of a straight orthotropic beam pressed onto a rigid circular surface is considered using beam theories that account for transverse shear and transverse normal deformations. The circular nature of the rigid surface emphasizes the difference between Euler Bernoulli theory behavior, where point loads develop at the edge of contact, and the higher order theories that predict non-singular pressure distributions. While Timoshenko beam theory is the simplest theory that addresses this behavior, the prediction of a maximum value of pressure at the edge of contact contradicts the elasticity theory result that contact pressure must drop to zero. Transverse normal strain is therefore introduced, both to study this fundamental discrepancy and to include an important effect in many contact problems. To investigate this effect, higher order beam theories that account for both constant and linear transverse normal strain through the beam thickness are derived using the principle of virtual work. The resulting orthotropic beam theories depend on the bending stiffness (EI), shear stiffness (GA), axial stiffness (EA 1 ) and transverse normal stiffness (EA 2 ), which are independent stiffness parameters that can differ by orders of magnitude. The above mentioned contact problem is then solved analytically for these theories, along with the Timoshenko beam model which assumes zero transverse normal strain. The results for different orthotropic materials show that inclusion of transverse normal deformation has a significant effect on the contact pressure solution. Furthermore, the solution using higher order beam theories encompasses the two extremes of a Hertz-like contact pressure when the half contact length is smaller than the thickness of the beam, and the Timoshenko beam theory case when the half contact length is much larger than the thickness. Concerning the behavior of the pressure at the edge of contact, adherence to the boundary conditions required by the principle of virtual work, shows that while the pressure does tend to zero, it does not become zero unless artificially enforced. In this regard the solution for the case of linear strain is better than that for constant strain. All beam solutions are validated with plane elasticity solutions obtained using the commercial finite element software ABAQUS.
Research on the Effects of Alcohol and Sexual Arousal on Sexual Risk in Men who have Sex with Men: Implications for HIV Prevention Interventions

The purpose of this paper was to describe and appraise the research evidence on the effects of acute alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on sexual risk behaviors in men who have sex with men (MSM) and to examine its implications for design of HIV prevention interventions that target MSM. Toward that end, the paper begins with a discussion of research on sexual arousal in men and alcohol and their acute effects on sexual behaviors. This is followed by a review of empirical evidence on the combined acute effects of alcohol and sexual arousal in heterosexual men (the large majority of studies) and then in MSM. The empirical evidence and related theoretical developments then are integrated to derive implications for developing effective HIV prevention interventions that target MSM.
Platelet disorders in pregnancy.

This article focuses on the platelet component of hemostasis during pregnancy, and on abnormalities in coagulation attributable to a decrease in platelet number, qualitative platelet function, or both. The restrictions that pregnancy imposes on the evaluation and treatment of these hemostatic abnormalities are emphasized. Special attention is given to the unique demands of pregnancy on the hemostatic defense mechanism.
C-Reactive Protein Binds to FcγRII and Impairs the Differentiation and Function of Dendritic Cells.

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein, and elevated levels of CRP are present in patients with infections, inflammatory diseases, necrosis such as myocardial infarction, or malignancies including multiple myeloma (MM), lymphoma, and carcinoma. CRP has many biological functions and is involved in host defense, regulation of inflammation, and modulation of autoimmune diseases. Although our current understanding of CRP interaction with complement and Fcγ receptors (FcγR) has elucidated a regulatory role of CRP in these disease situations, it is not clear whether CRP affects the function of immune cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we investigated the effect of CRP on DC differentiation, maturation, and function. CD14 + monocytes isolated from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with GM-CSF and IL-4 for 5 days to generate immature DCs (imDCs), and were further treated with IL-1β and TNF-α for 2 additional days to produce mature DCs (mDCs). CRP (5–100 μg/mL) was added to the cultures during DC differentiation (on days 0 and 3) or maturation (on day 5). The presence of CRP in cultures reduced imDC cell yields in a dose-dependent manner. Significantly lower cell yields were detected in cultures with 5 to 10 μg/mL CRP. Compared with untreated controls, CRP treatment (10 μg/mL) led to inhibited surface expression of DC-related molecules HLA-ABC, CD1a, CD40, and CD54; increased secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10; reduced production of TGF-β by imDCs; and decreased secretion of IL-12 by mDCs. Furthermore, the function of CRP-treated DCs was also impaired, evident by the markedly decreased ability of imDCs to phagocytose apoptotic cells and to uptake and present soluble antigen to antigen-specific T cells. Compared with untreated controls, CRP-treated mDCs had reduced capacity at activating allospecific T cells, which consequently secreted significantly lower amounts of IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α compared with T cells activated by normal mDCs. Western blot analysis showed that CRP treatment led to inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and p38 MAPKs, and inhibited NFκB activity in the differentiating cells. Monocytes and DCs all express FcγRI (CD64), FcγRII (CD32), and FcγRIII (CD16), and the expression of FcγRII, but not FcγRI and FcγRIII, were upregulated on CRP-treated DCs. The detrimental effects of CRP on DCs were abrogated by blocking antibody against CRP and by antibody against FcγRII, but not against FcγRI or FcγRIII. These results indicate that CRP affected DC differentiation via binding to cell surface FcγRII. Taken together, this study demonstrates for the first time that CRP at high concentrations has detrimental effects on in vitro differentiation and function of DCs. Further studies will be needed to examine the clinical and biological relevance of this observation.
Childhood Acute Bacterial Meningitis: Clinical Spectrum, Bacteriological Profile and Outcome.

OBJECTIVE To determine the disease pattern, etiological agents and outcome of childhood acute bacterial meningitis. STUDY DESIGN Adescriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Paediatric Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Lahore, from January to December 2012. METHODOLOGY Atotal of 199 children between the ages of 1 month and 5 years, admitted with the diagnosis of meningitis on the basis of clinical findings and positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), were included. In all patients, complete blood count (CBC), CSF culture sensitivity, and blood culture sensitivity were performed. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS Out of 199 children, 127 (63.8%) were males with M:F ratio of 1.7:1. Mean age was 11.33 ±12 months. Maximum numbers of children were < 1 year of age, 136 (68.3%). Only 90 (45.2%) children were fully vaccinated according to Expanded Program of Immunisation (EPI) schedule. Presentations with refusal to take feed (p=0.008) and with impaired conscious state were independent predictors of death (p=0.002). Complications were noted in 34 (17%) and were significantly associated with severe malnutrition (p=0.006) and altered conscious level at presentation (p < 0.001). The common pathogens identified on CSF culture were coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) in 11 (5.5%) and streptococcus pneumoniaein 5 (2.5%). Overall mortality was 10.1%. The commonest pathogen isolated from children who died was streptococcus pneumoniae(p=0.039). CONCLUSION Acute bacterial meningitis mostly affected children under the age of 1 year. CSF culture revealed both Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria. The most common pathogen in children who died was streptococcus pneumoniae.
Paleosols of the upper Paleozoic Sangre de Cristo Formation, north-central New Mexico: Record of early Permian palaeoclimate in tropical Pangaea

Abstract The lower Permian (Wolfcampian) Sangre de Cristo Formation of northern New Mexico consists of silty mudstones and laterally discontinuous sandstones deposited on an aggrading alluvial plain. Locally, mudstones display a variety of pedogenic features. Common mudstone fabrics vary from platy to prismatic; some beds display prominent pedogenic slickensides. Drab-colored root traces are common throughout the section, as are calcareous nodules, which vary from small bodies with diffuse boundaries to vertically stacked, discrete, cm-scale nodules (rhizocretions), and less commonly form coalescing horizons. Vertisols occur only in the lower portion of the ca. 90-m measured section. Most of the mudstone beds contain calcretes that are immature (calcic Protosols to calcic Argillisols), but the lower to middle portion of the section also contains mature calcrete horizons (argillic Calcisols and Calcisols). Intercalated micritic limestone beds with sharp contacts containing root traces, are of laterally variable thickness and grade to nodular calcretes. These are interpreted as floodplain pond carbonates that have undergone pedogenic alteration (palustrine limestones), indicating long periods of exposure under strongly seasonal climatic conditions. The isotopic composition of the pedogenic carbonate displays a substantial range of values, but most of the range of variation in isotopic composition is accounted for by isotopically heavier carbonate (both carbon and oxygen) precipitated in shallow ponds subject to intense pedogenic reworking (palustrine carbonate). During the early Permian, northern New Mexico was situated in a near equatorial position ( ca. 4° N). The overall character of the paleosols suggests a persistent warm, semi-humid, seasonal climate throughout most of the interval of deposition during the Wolfcampian, but with episodically increased aridity during formation of the more mature calcretes. No long-term trend of climate change is evident in the stratigraphic section examined for this study.
The Role of Projectile Coherence in the Few-Body Dynamics of Simple Atomic Systems

Abstract The reaction dynamics in simple atomic systems have been studied extensively in order to address the fundamentally important, but yet unsolved few-body problem. For the description of electron impact-induced reactions theory has made remarkable progress over the last decade. However, describing the reaction dynamics for the same processes induced by ion impact proved to be much more challenging. Surprising discrepancies between experiment and theory were found even for cases which were considered to be “easy” for theory. Only a few years ago an important step toward a resolution of this puzzle was made when strong experimental indications were reported that measured cross sections can sensitively depend on the projectile coherence properties, while theory usually assumes that the projectile beam is always coherent. Owing to the much larger de Broglie wavelength electron projectiles tend to be much more coherent relative to the target dimension, which results in much better agreement between experiment and theory. In this chapter, recent studies on the effect of the projectile coherence properties on the reaction dynamics are reviewed.
25(OH)D levels in trained versus sedentary university students at 64° north

ABSTRACTPurpose: 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency is associated with compromised bone mineralisation, fatigue, suppressed immune function and unsatisfactory skeletal muscle recovery. We investigated the risk of 25(OH)D insufficiency or deficiency in endurance athletes compared to sedentary non-athletes living at 64° north.Methods: University student-athletes (TS) and sedentary students (SS) volunteered to participate in this study. TS engaged in regular exercise while SS exercised no more than 20 minutes/week. Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) scores for participants were determined. Vitamin D intake was assessed using the National Cancer Institute’s 24-hour food recall (ASA24). Fasting plasma 25(OH)D levels were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: TS reported higher activity levels than SS as assessed with MET-minutes/week and ranking of physical activity levels (p < 0.05). The reported mean daily intake of vitamin D was higher in TS compared to SS (p < 0.05) while 25(OH)D ...
Impact of incisional hernia development following abdominal operations on total healthcare cost

Introduction of the category III CPT code (0437T) for prophylactic mesh augmentation (PMA) highlights efforts to reduce incisional hernia (IH). PMA’s value in the context of value-based care requires understanding both the cost of IH development and the savings from prevention. We hypothesized large healthcare costs with IH development. Appreciating which subsets of patients are at highest risk for IH, and the subsets who have the costliest care is essential in targeting interventions for hernia prevention. Retrospective cohort study utilizing data from Truven Health Analytic MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database from calendar years 2011–2014. Adults undergoing open abdominal operations with continued enrollment 3-year post-surgery were included. Inpatient and outpatient claims were tracked over 3 years to identify IH. Quantile regression estimated the association between conditional distribution of total cost and IH. A generalized linear model with gamma distribution estimated the association of conditional mean of total cost and IH. Models were adjusted for confounding cost covariates (e.g., age, gender, obesity, smoking, cancer). 14,290 patients were identified, 1294 (9.1%) developed IH, 48% within 1-year, 33% at 1–2 years, and 19% at 2–3 years post-surgery. 515 underwent stoma creation, 4579 colon resection, 2263 liver/kidney, 3890 peritoneal, 3043 other (foregut, appendectomy, cholecystectomy). Rate of IH formation was 25, 13, 5.9, 6.3, and 6.3%, respectively. The difference in median expenditures for IH development versus no IH was ostomies: $26,098, colorectal: $21,211, liver/kidney: $23,811, peritoneal: $25,554, others: $28,870 (p < 0.0.01). IH within 1 year was more expensive than within 3 years in the following categories: colorectal ($16,034, p = 0.0385), liver/kidney ($27,145, p = 0.0004), and ostomy ($18,992, p = 0.0035). IH is a common occurrence imposing significant healthcare burden. Higher costs occur when IH occurs within 1 year versus 3 years from the index-procedure. This highlights the importance of hernia prevention techniques and the question of whether temporizing closure adjuncts are appropriate in high-risk patients.
Vascular Malformations and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance Patients with vascular malformations (VAMs) and vascular overgrowth syndromes have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) attributable to social stigmatization, poor mental health, severity, and pain. However, the factors that contribute to this decreased HRQoL are not clear. Objective To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that used validated HRQoL instruments to compare the HRQoL of persons with VAMs with the US general population. Data Sources A comprehensive search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus from 1946 to March 31, 2017, with the consultation of an experienced librarian. Study Selection All VAM studies with validated HRQoL instruments published in the English language were included. Case reports, review articles, non–English-language publications, and studies about the development of new HRQoL instruments were not included. Data Extraction and Synthesis Two reviewers assessed studies’ eligibility and the risk of bias and performed data extraction. The meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. Comparisons of means were performed using the unpaired, 2-sample t test. Main Outcomes and Measures The outcome was HRQoL. Results Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria for a total of 692 patients with VAMs. Six studies (320 patients) were included in the meta-analysis, whereas 5 studies were included in the qualitative analysis (372 patients). Those with VAMs had lower 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey scores in bodily pain (mean difference, −11.87; 95% CI, −21.45 to −2.29; I 2 = 92%; P = .02) and mental health (mean difference, −6.04; 95% CI, −11.55 to −0.52; I 2 = 83%; P = .03) compared with the US general population. Conclusions and Relevance Patients with VAMs had increased pain and psychosocial distress compared with the US general population. Pain and psychological morbidity are associated with poorer HRQoL and may serve as indicators for quality of life.
Ecology and Moral Ontology

The “superorganism” was the first paradigm in ecology, set out by Drude in Europe and Clements in North America. It was succeeded by the “ecosystem” paradigm, set out by Tansley, developed by Lindeman and consolidated by Odum, who, at the mid­point of the twentieth century, returned it to its superorganismic roots. The analogy of ecosystems to organisms could not withstand subsequent scientific scrutiny: ecosystems are too ill­bounded, porous, dynamic and artificial to be sufficiently like organisms to qualify as superorganisms. The reverse analogy – organisms to ecosystems – is more perfect. Humans and other organisms may be fruitfully conceived as superecosystems. One’s very cells host mutualistic mitochondrial organelles; one’s gut hosts a huge biodiversity of bacteria, as do the surface areas of one’s body. In addition to the resident biota, abiotic materials (air, water, various nutrients) flow through oneself. This superecosystemic conception of oneself implies a relational – as opposed to a monadic – moral ontology. One’s relationships – to other humans, to various kinds of animals, to one’s various social and biotic communities, to the biosphere – generate a set of nuanced duties and obligations. One discharges such duties and obligations in a spirit of affection and pride, not in a spirit of begrudging self-sacrifice.
The Role of Conflict Resolution in Designing and Implementing Information Security Policies: An Institutional Perspective

This paper examines the suitability of institutional theory in explaining the design and implementation of information security policies in organizations. We conduct a case study in a large governmental organization in the United States. We capture multiple perspectives among the different groups in the organization and examine how this affects the design and implementation of security policies. We find a high interdependence between the information security group and other groups in the organization resulting in task and process conflicts. These conflicts had both positive and negative outcomes. A combination of dominating and compromising conflict management styles are shown to produce positive results in resolving the conflicts. Our study highlights the importance for managers to balance security and usability and to ensure that the stringency of security policies do not override the business objectives of the organization.
Combining Carbon Taxation and Offset Payments: A New Approach to Climate Policy in Low-Income Countries

I consider a “low-ambition” (LA) country with no current climate policy, with two sectors. Sector 1 can in principle sell an unlimited amount of carbon offsets to a bloc of “high-ambition” (HA) countries. A condition for access to the right for sector 1 to sell unlimited offsets is that sector 2 of the LA country implements a comprehensive carbon tax. When the two sectors have equal size, and public and private revenues are valued equally by the LA government, a carbon tax in sector 2, equal to the offset price for sector 1, can be incentivized. The HA country bloc then buys offsets from the LA country at a price equaling its carbon externality cost. When sector 1 is larger (smaller) than sector 2, the offset price in sector 1 will be lower (higher) than the carbon tax in sector 2. When public funds are more valuable than private funds to the LA government, the implementable carbon tax is higher, and the optimal offset price lower. The model provides a novel mechanism by which a bloc of HA countries can incentivize LA countries to implement enhanced greenhouse gas mitigation.
Fabrication of organic field effect transistors using directed assembled and transfer printed carbon nanotube source/drain electrodes

Printing processes are increasingly used in the fabrication of organic field effect transistors (OFETs) owing to their merits of low cost, low processing temperature, vacuum-free nature, and compatibility with various substrates. Among various printing processes, transfer printing is preferable because of its high resolution and pattern fidelity. Here, we fabricate OFETs using directed assembled and transfer printed carbon nanotube (CNT) source/drain electrodes. The CNT electrodes are selectively assembled on a Damascene template using an electrophoretic directed assembly based inking process and then transferred onto a polyurethane film on a silicon substrate with a high pattern fidelity. Selective inking and direct transfer without sacrificial layers or intermediate transfer steps enable a high material efficiency and a low cost of our fabrication process. The fabricated OFETs with a spin-coated 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene semiconducting film show typical p-type behavior with an on/off ratio of approximately 105, implying great potential to use our method for practical OFET fabrication.
Combining anti-IL-7Rα antibodies with autoantigen-specific immunotherapy enhances non-specific cytokine production but fails to prevent Type 1 Diabetes

Autoantigen-specific methods to prevent and treat Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) carry high hopes to permanently cure this disease, but have largely failed in clinical trials. One suggested approach to increase the efficacy of islet antigen-specific vaccination is to combine it with a modulator of the T cell response, with the goal of reducing effector differentiation and promoting regulatory T cells (Tregs). Here we asked if addition of antibodies that block the IL-7/IL-7Rα pathway altered the T cell response to islet antigen vaccination and prevented T1D in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Anti-IL-7Rα monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reduced the numbers of islet antigen-specific T cells generated after vaccination with islet peptides and alum. However, addition of anti-IL-7Rα antibodies to peptide/alum vaccination unexpectedly increased non-specific IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-10 cytokine production and did not result in improved prevention of T1D onset. In a second approach, we used a conjugate vaccine to deliver islet autoantigens, using Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) as a carrier. Islet antigen-KLH vaccination led to a significant expansion of antigen-specific Tregs and delayed diabetes onset in NOD mice. These outcomes were not further improved by addition of anti-IL-7Rα antibodies. To the contrary, blocking IL-7Rα during vaccination led to non-specific cytokine production and reduced the efficacy of a KLH-conjugated vaccine to prevent T1D. Our study thus revealed that adding anti-IL-7Rα antibodies during autoantigen immunization did not improve the efficacy of such vaccinations to prevent T1D, despite altering some aspects of the T cell response in a potentially advantageous way. Further refinement of this approach will be required to separate the beneficial from the adverse effects of anti-IL-7Rα antibodies to treat autoimmune disease.
Protonation and Dehydration Reactions of the Mn4O4L6 Cubane and Synthesis and Crystal Structure of the Oxidized Cubane [Mn4O4L6]+: A Model for the Photosynthetic Water Oxidizing Complex

The synthesis and atomic structure of [Mn4O4L6]+(CF3SO3-), 1+OTf- (L = diphenylphosphinate), is reported. This new model for the photosynthetic water oxidizing complex extends the known [Mn4O4]n+ cubane core type to the Mn4(III,3IV) oxidation state. Synthesis of this cluster is achieved by one-electron oxidation of Mn4O4L6 (1) by molecular oxygen in a series of steps initiated by the protonation or silylation of one oxide bridge in 1.
Doubly robust kernel density estimation when group membership is missing at random

Abstract When there are subjects with subpopulation memberships missing, the kernel density estimates of the subpopulations based on the subjects with verified memberships may not be valid unless the missingness of the memberships satisfies the stringent missing completely at random assumption. Under more plausible missing at random (MAR) assumptions, the inverse probability weighting (IPW) kernel smoothing method can be employed if the missing mechanism is well understood. On the other hand, if the memberships can be well predicted by a prediction model, one may replace the memberships (either all or only the missing ones), with the probabilities for the memberships to deal with the missing values. By integrating the information of the missing mechanism and the prediction model, we develop a doubly robust kernel density estimate which is valid as long as either of the models is correctly specified. Asymptotic properties of the new estimates are derived and the asymptotic orders of the mean integrated square errors (MISE) are compared with existing methods. We prove that the doubly robust estimate can be more efficient than the IPW estimate when the model for the missing mechanism is correctly specified. We also prove that the prediction-model based approaches may have smaller MISEs than the complete data when the prediction model is correctly specified, suggesting that those methods can be applied even when there are no missing values in the memberships. Simulation studies are carried out to assess the performances of methods and a real study example is used for illustrative purposes.
Space-flight LiDARs, navigation, and science instrument implementations: lasers, optoelectronics, integrated photonics, fiber optic subsystems, and components

For the past 25 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center’s Photonics Group in the Engineering Directorate has been substantially contributing to the flight design, development, production, testing and integration of many science and navigational instruments. The Moon to Mars initiative will rely heavily upon utilizing commercial technologies for instrumentation with aggressive schedule deadlines. The group has an extensive background in screening, qualifying, development and integration of commercial components for spaceflight applications. By remaining adaptable and employing a rigorous approach to component and instrument development, they have forged and fostered relationships with industry partners. They have been willing to communicate lessons learned in packaging, part construction, materials selection, testing, and other facets of the design and production process critical to implementation for high-reliability systems. As a result, this successful collaboration with industry vendors and component suppliers has enabled a history of mission success from the Moon to Mars (and beyond) while balancing cost, schedule, and risk postures. In cases where no commercial components exist, the group works closely with other teams at Goddard Space Flight Center and other NASA field centers to fabricate and produce flight hardware for science, remote sensing, and navigation applications. Summarized here is the last ten years of instrumentation development lessons learned and data collected from the subsystems down to the optoelectronic component level.
Is the public sweet on sugary beverages? Social desirability bias and sweetened beverage taxes

Social desirability bias has been documented in self-reported diet as well as in voting behavior, but not in regards to sweetened beverage consumption or sweetened beverage taxes. We find evidence that respondents in a mixed-mode opinion survey exhibit social desirability bias in both reported sweetened beverage consumption and beliefs about the health and economic benefits of sweetened beverage taxes. We do so in a study of 1704 adults residing in Seattle, Minneapolis, and the D.C. metro area. Phone respondents in our survey under-report sweetened beverage consumption by 0.63 beverages per week relative to web respondents (average web respondent consumption is 3.55 beverages per week). They also over-report their beliefs about the positive health and economic impacts of sweetened beverage taxes by 0.54 points in an 18-point index (average web respondent index score is 2.79). These differences are measured after we control for selection into survey mode by using matching methods, and we interpret them as occurring due to social desirability bias. In contrast to these findings, there is no modal difference in respondents' stated approval of sweetened beverage taxes, and so we conclude that this question is not subject to social desirability bias.
The declining significance of occupation in research on intergenerational mobility

Abstract The study of intergenerational mobility was once viewed as a quintessentially sociological topic that was widely investigated using occupational mobility tables. However, the popularity of that approach has been dwindling. This decline is associated with the increasing use of the economics model which is not encumbered by the shortcomings of occupational mobility tables. The first limitation of the latter is the contextual nature of occupation which provides an imprecise indicator of an individual’s earnings. The second limitation is the focus on cross-sectional data in an era of increased labor market volatility. The third limitation is the dubious practice of distinguishing between structural mobility and circulation mobility. The fourth limitation is the failure of occupational studies to discern important empirical trends about rising inequality. The fifth limitation is that occupation is an inaccurate indicator of non-pecuniary rewards for individual jobs. The recognition of these limitations helps to explain why sociologists are abandoning occupational mobility tables—despite their once great popularity—in favor of the economics approach.
Making the “C-ACE” for a Culturally-Informed Adverse Childhood Experiences Framework to Understand the Pervasive Mental Health Impact of Racism on Black Youth

The high prevalence and psychological impact of childhood exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTE) is a major public health concern in the United States. Considerable evidence has demonstrated the significant racial disparities that exist with respect to PTE exposure, indicating that Black youth are particularly burdened by these harmful experiences. Racism may serve a unique role in explaining why Black youth are disproportionately exposed to PTEs, and why mental health disparities are more likely to occur following such experiences. Despite clear evidence acknowledging racism as a major life stressor for Black youth, theoretical models of early childhood adversity have largely neglected the multifaceted influence of racism on mental health outcomes. Inspired by bourgeoning literature highlighting the potentially traumatic nature of racism-related experiences for Black youth, we present a culturally-informed Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) model, or “C-ACE”, to understand the pervasive and deleterious mental health impact of racism on Black youth. This model extends the ACE framework by noting the significance of racism as an ACE exposure risk factor, a distinct ACE category, and a determinant of post-ACE mental health outcomes among Black youth. The model acknowledges and supports the advancement of ACEs research that takes a culturally informed approach to understanding the intergenerational and multilevel impact of racism on the mental health of Black youth. Future research utilizing the proposed C-ACE model is essential for informing clinical and public health initiatives centered on reducing the mental health impact of racism-related experiences and health disparities in the United States.
Role of Cultural Milieu in Cultural Change: Mediating Factor in Points of Contact

The elaborated account of metacontingency provides a process account relevant to the psychological and sociological levels of analysis as well as their interrelations with macrobehaviors associated with consumer practices. This chapter provides an overview of the elaborated account of metacontingency with the primary focus on ways this perspective offers points of entry to alter contextual factors influencing cultural practices. The concepts of metacontingency and macrocontingency are emphasized as foundational concepts in the behavior scientific analysis of the interaction between organizational practices producing products and behaviors of their consumers. Moreover, the role of cultural milieu as a mediating factor in this interaction is highlighted. The discussion of cultural phenomena also acknowledges the behaviors of verbally sophisticated consumers interacting with the many aggregate products of cultural entities as well as the verbal contexts within which members of organized groups operate.
Resilience as a Mainstream Clinical Consideration for Speech-Language Pathologists Providing Post–Acquired Brain Injury Neurorehabilitation

Purpose While resilience is seen as fundamental to recovery and rehabilitation processes within the psychology discipline, (Bonanno, 2004), it has received little acknowledgement throughout speech ...