cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire (ACIQ): Scale Development

In line with dynamic systems and dialectical theories of development, it was theorized that a psychopathology such as an addiction could have several causes (equifinality) and that more specific diagnoses and treatments of the most salient clinical issues for individuals coming from different developmental paths could increase the success rates of most therapies. Further, the issues from a developmental dynamic systems perspective should include not only individual clinical issues, but also relational, familial, peer, and organizational functioning. The Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire (ACIQ) was developed as a research and clinical instrument relevant to these concerns. The 29 scales were based on naturalistic observations of patients in treatment and 12-step groups, attachment theory, and the clinical literature dealing with the addictions. The attachment scales were taken from classic attachment theory but, in line with more recent formulations, included relations to mother, father, and partner. Study 1 found the ACIQ to have good coefficient alphas (.79), and factor analyses revealed that the eight factors loaded on different attachment figures and sets of clinical issues rather than attachment styles per se. Study 2 found test-retest reliability to be, on average, .79. The results were in line with the developmental hypothesis that partner and father attachments are different than attachments to mother, and that family and peer relations as well as clinical issues need to be considered separately.
Computed Tomography in Pediatric Neurologic Disorders

The diagnostic approach to neurologic problems in pediatrics has undergone significant change with the introduction of cerebral computed tomography (CT). This roentgenologic procedure based upon the detection of differences in tissue radiodensity,1-4 has become the dominant diagnostic tool in the evaluation of intracranial pathology. The technique is safe, rapid, easy to repeat, and involves low radiation exposure (about equal to a skull radiogram). It demonstrates the outline and size of the ventricles and subarachnoid spaces, the cerebral parenchyma, and pathology which produces alterations in x-ray penetration (Fig 1). The ability of the CT scan to delineate abnormalities accurately has markedly reduced the indications for more invasive studies such as cerebral angiography and pneumoencephalography. ACUTE NEUROLOGIC PROBLEMS The CT scan can be extremely valuable in establishing the underlying intracranial pathology in pediatric patients who are experiencing the acute onset of neurologic symptomatology. Generally included in the differential diagnosis are conditions such as trauma, tumors, infections, and stroke-like syndromes. Head Trauma The majority of children with minor head trauma show progressive improvement in their level of consciousness during the first 24 hours following injury and no neurodiagnostic procedures are indicated. However, radiologic evaluation is required in more severely injured children, especially those showing neurologic deterioration or prolonged loss of consciousness and for whom there exists the possibility of an epidural or subdural hemorrhage, intracerebral hematoma, or cerebral edema.
The coadsorption and interaction of molecular icosahedra with mercury

We have investigated the changes in the electronic structure of molecularly adsorbed orthocarborane films, as a function of Hg co-adsorption, using photoemission. The interaction between Hg and molecular orthocarborane is weak and results in the formation of some small aggregates of Hg. This behavior is very different from alkali metals interaction with molecular carborane films and the interaction of Hg with semiconducting boron carbide films. Hg doping of semiconducting boron carbide may decrease the activation barrier for intrinsic carrier mobility, but does not significantly increase the number of carriers.
CT evaluation of pulmonary embolism: technique and interpretation.

H elical and electron beam CT technology have made it possible to image the thorax in a short period of time, often during a single breath-hold. With these rapid scanning techniques, one can image a volume of tissue during peak contrast enhancement using only a moderate amount of IV contrast material. With good opacification of the pulmonary arteries, emboli within the vessels can be visualized in a relatively noninvasive manner. A few early reports described the incidental finding of pulmonary emboli on conventional CT examinations, but to our knowledge it was not until 1992 that Remy-Jardin et al. [1] published the first prospective study comparing angiography with a helical CT examination tailored to visualize the pulmonary vessels. This and subsequent studies have confirmed that helical and electron beam CT are approximately 90% sensitive and 90% specific for the evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism to the level of the segmental or larger vessels [2-Si. Many hospitals are using CT as a routine clinical tool for pulmonary emboli evaluation, and we believe that CT has the potential to replace the ventilation-perfusion scan for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in many clinical situations. However, like most imaging techniques, CT shows many subtleties and ambiguities, an appreciation of which can be acquired by experience with a large number of cases. In this paper we hope to convey insights learned during our use of CT pulmonary angiography as a clinical tool during the past few years.
Patterns of intraspecific and interspecific allometry in Old World primates.

A series of 22 variables representing many skeletal elements were measured on a sample of 255 individuals from ten species of Old World primates to discover for which variables intraspecific or intragroup allometric curves differed from interspecific curves. Skeletal weight was used to represent size. These results were then used to evaluate several hypotheses that have been advanced as possible explanations of such differences. Two explanations seem likely to apply frequently, but in different cases. First, the correlation between a variable and size is often low intraspecifically so that the reliability of the curve describing the relationship is poor. This applies equally to results from least- squares regression or reduced major axis. The low correlation may result from a situation in which a feature need not vary in close response to body size intra- specifically. The interspecific curve would be produced as a result of different optima in a series of species. Second, the results for many variables suggest that the nature of an organism's adaptive response to change in size differs between groups. The intragroup (or intraspecific) curves describe that response, while the interspecific curve is a summary of the consequences of size across all the included groups, which may be heavily infuenced by the differing adaptations of those groups.
African American Women’s Beliefs, Coping Behaviors, and Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Services

Little is known about African American women's beliefs about mental illness. In this qualitative study we employed the Common Sense Model (CSM) to examine African American women's beliefs about mental illness, coping behaviors, barriers to treatment seeking, and variations in beliefs, coping, and barriers associated with aging. Fifteen community-dwelling African American women participated in individual interviews. Dimensional analysis, guided by the CSM, showed that participants believed general, culturally specific, and age-related factors can cause mental illness. They believed mental illness is chronic, with negative health outcomes. Participants endorsed the use of prayer and counseling as coping strategies, but were ambivalent about the use of medications. Treatment-seeking barriers included poor access to care, stigma, and lack of awareness of mental illness. Few age differences were found in beliefs, coping behaviors, and barriers. Practice and research implications are discussed.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide enhances thyroidal iodide uptake during dietary iodine deficiency.

The presence of vasoactive intestinal peptide and neuropeptide Y in thyroid nerves and their effects on thyroid blood flow are well known. However, the effects of these two neuropeptides on the various processes involved in thyroid hormone biosynthesis and release have not been fully explored. We have now tested these two peptides for effects on an early step in thyroid hormone biosynthesis, namely iodide uptake, a process which is comprised of trapping and organification. In these experiments, we have used anesthetized adult male rats pretreated with thyroxine or fed a low iodine diet to increase thyroidal sensitivity. Vasoactive intestinal peptide significantly increased iodide uptake in rats fed an iodine deficient diet but not in those fed a normal iodine diet. This effect disappeared if animals were pretreated with propylthiouracil. Neuropeptide Y did not alter iodide uptake in rats on either the low or the high iodine diet, regardless of the presence or absence of propylthiouracil. The effect of vas...
Activation of Synoviocytes by the Secreted Phospholipase A2 Motif in the VP1-Unique Region of Parvovirus B19 Minor Capsid Protein

Parvovirus B19 infection in adults is often associated with acute symmetrical polyarthropathy, but the mechanism is unknown. Recently, a secreted phospholipase A 2 (sPLA 2 ) motif was identified in the VPl-unique region (VPlu) of the B19 minor capsid protein. To investigate the role of this motif, we expressed VPlu with and without point mutations in the critical amino acids of sPLA 2 . Although high concentrations of B19 did not infect human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLSs), there was a >3-fold increase in synoviocyte migration that could be blocked by phospholipase inhibitors. Recombinant proteins with intact VPlu demonstrated sPLA 2 activity and induced cell migration, whereas proteins with mutated VPlu were nonfunctional in both assays. The incubation of HFLSs with proteins that had intact VPlu, but not with proteins with mutated VPlu, increased the production of prostaglandin E 2 >100-fold. Expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 mRNA transcripts, as determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and COX-2 protein expression were both significantly increased after incubation with protein that had intact VPlu. Proteins with VPlu in noninfectious B19 may participate in the inflammatory response in the synovial compartment.
Differential regulation of bile acid homeostasis by the farnesoid X receptor in liver and intestine

Bile acid concentrations are controlled by a feedback regulatory pathway whereby activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) represses transcription of both the CYP7A1 gene, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in the classic bile acid synthesis pathway, and the CYP8B1 gene, required for synthesis of cholic acid. The tissue-specific roles of FXR were examined using liver- and intestine-specific FXR-null models. FXR deficiency in either liver (Fxr DeltaL) or intestine (Fxr DeltaIE) increased bile acid pool size. Treatment with the FXR-selective agonist GW4064 significantly repressed CYP7A1 in Fxr DeltaL mice but not Fxr DeltaIE mice, demonstrating that activation of FXR in intestine but not liver is required for short-term repression of CYP7A1 in liver. This intestinal-specific effect of FXR is likely mediated through induction of the hormone FGF15, which suppresses CYP7A1. In comparison to CYP7A1, FXR-mediated repression of CYP8B1 was more dependent on the presence of FXR in liver and less dependent on its presence in intestine. Consistent with these findings, recombinant FGF15 repressed CYP7A1 mRNA levels without affecting CYP8B1 expression. These data provide evidence that FXR-mediated repression of bile acid synthesis requires the complementary actions of FXR in both liver and intestine and reveal mechanistic differences in feedback repression of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1.
Mirror Image Artifact Produced by Cardiac Pacemaker

A clinical example of a mirror image artifact produced by a cardiac pacemaker is presented. The formation of this mirror image artifact is discussed with illustrative figures.
A compact simulator for CNI RF environments

The authors describe the architecture, waveform simulation capabilities, and applications of an RF environment simulator capable of simulating up to 1000 simultaneous communication signals operating at frequencies from low HF to microwave. The simulator uses a modulator architecture and an innovative programmable emitter module to simulate a broad range of waveforms, signal structures, and platform dynamics effects in a compact physical size. The purpose of the simulator is to provide a test environment that adequately stresses the increasingly complex electronic warfare and communications, navigation, and identification (CNI) systems found on modern military platforms. >
Description of a new species of deepwater catshark, Bythaelurus giddingsi sp. nov., from the Galápagos Islands (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)

We describe Bythaelurus giddingsi sp. nov. based on 7 specimens collected using the submersible Johnson Sea-Link from deepwater (428–562 m depth) areas of the Galapagos Islands. It is presumed to be endemic to the archipelago. The new species differs from its congeners in its coloration, the length of its anal-fin base, and in other morphological characters. The disjunct distribution of species of the widely-distributed Indo-Pacific genus Bythaelurus is discussed.
Stabilization and Study of SrFe1-xMnxO2 Oxides with Infinite-Layer Structure.

Layered oxides SrFe1-xMnxO2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) are prepared by reduction of three-dimensional perovskites SrFe1-xMnxO3-δ with CaH2 at 583 K for 2 d.
Crisis of the Wasteful Nation: Empire and Conservation in Theodore Roosevelt’s America . By Ian Tyrrell.

Crisis of the Wasteful Nation: Empire and Conservation in Theodore Roosevelt’s America . By Ian Tyrrell. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. xiii + 351 pp. Illustrations, notes, index. $40.00, £28.00.) Ian Tyrrell has long been interested in ways that Americans connect with other parts of the world through nature, whether by importing alien species of trees and plants or ideas about conservation. In this fascinating study, Tyrrell brings his perspective to bear on one of the oldest chestnuts of American environmental history: the early conservation movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Historians have typically portrayed that movement as originating from diminishing forests and wildlife, threats to scenic wonders, and schemes to irrigate the arid West. Tyrrell concurs while also pointing out that the … Mark.Harvey{at}ndsu.edu
Computationally Modeling Narratives of Social Group Membership with the Chimeria System.

Narratives are often used to form, convey, and reinforce memberships in social groups. Our system, called Chimeria, implements a model of social group membership. Here, we report upon the Chimeria Social Narrative Interface (Chimeria-SN), a component of the Chimeria system, that conveys this model to users through narrative. This component is grounded in a sociolinguistics model of conversational narrative, with some adaptations and extensions in order for it to be applied to an interactive social networking domain. One eventual goal of this work is to be able to extrapolate social group membership by analyzing narratives in social networks; this paper deals with the inverse of that problem, namely, synthesizing narratives from a model of social group membership dynamics.
Achievement Mediators of Family Engagement in Children’s Education: A Family–School–Community Systems Model

In this chapter, we propose a systems model of the primary means by which family–school–community engagement in children’s learning can promote achievement. In doing so, we integrate and extend existing theories of how family engagement in learning affects children’s achievement, highlighting the mediating roles of social capital, achievement-related attributions and motivation, and learning skills and strategies. Our aim in the chapter is twofold: (1) to help focus family–school–community engagement interventions on mediating mechanisms for which the field has, to date, generated robust empirical evidence and (2) to help focus further empirical work on testable hypotheses that clarify how, when, and why partnerships between families, schools, and communities have positive consequences for children’s achievement. In addressing these two aims, we pay special attention to the increasing diversity of families and learners in the United States, and the ways in which culture, language, and sociohistorical background are relevant for understanding how engagement in education affects children.
Tailored one- and two-dimensional self-assembly of a perylene diimide derivative in organic solvents.

We report on studies of the tailored self-assembly of the perylene diimide derivative, N,N′-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide, into structures with fibrous gel-type, one-dimensional, and two-dimensional morphologies. This approach for producing highly ordered nanostructures of well-defined morphologies utilizes a property of π-conjugated molecules to assemble in poor organic solvents due to π–π interaction between the aromatic cores and takes advantage of the temperature dependence of solubility. The morphology control is based on a fine-tuning of anisotropic, intermolecular solute–solute interactions that are attenuated by the solute–solvent interaction in organic solvents of different chemical structure. We discuss the role of light illumination in the self-assembly process as well as application of ultrasonic treatment as a way of mechanical tailoring of morphology. This approach paves the way toward the molecular-scale tailoring of structural properties of organic semiconducting mate...
In Situ Monitoring in the Pulsed Laser Deposition of Ferroelectric Thin Films

Optical multichannel emission spectroscopic studies and ICCD (intensified charge coupled device) imaging have been applied to real-time, in situ gas phase species identification and plume structure analysis during the pulsed excimer laser deposition (PLD) of various ferroelectric thin films. Additional information on the non-excited plume species has been obtained using molecular beam-sampling mass spectrometry. The materials studied included targets of PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 (PZT) and BaTiO3. For the BaTiO3 films, the partial pressure of oxygen in the buffer gas and the atomic oxygen emission within the plume both correlated with the observed lattice parameter, as determined by X-ray analysis. Reduced plume oxygen content resulted in an increased lattice parameter that, in turn, could be related to a reduced oxygen content in the film. ICCD imaging of plumes from PZT targets identified the presence of ejected particulates in the plume after multiple laser shots had worked the target surface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the PZT target surface and film morphology, revealed cone-like formations on the target and ejecta on the films which correlated well with the ICCD observation of plume particulates.
Abstract 5388: Methionine S-adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) inhibitors for cancer treatment

Methionine S-adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) is the catalytic subunit for synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the principal methyl donor in many biological processes. MAT2A is up-regulated in many cancers, including liver cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC) and is a potentially important drug target. In normal liver, methionine S-adenosyltransferase 1 (MAT1), but not MAT2A is expressed. MAT2A is induced in liver cancer. We developed a family of fluorinated N,N-dialkylaminostilbene agents, called FIDAS agents, that inhibit the proliferation of CRC cells and liver cells in vitro and in vivo. Using a biotinylated FIDAS analog, we identified the catalytic subunit of MAT2A as the direct and exclusive binding target of these FIDAS agents. FIDAS agents do not bind MAT1A. MAT2B, an associated regulatory subunit of MAT2A, binds indirectly to FIDAS agents through its association with MAT2A. FIDAS agents inhibited MAT2A activity in SAM synthesis, and depletion of MAT2A by shRNAs inhibited CRC and liver cancer cell growth. FIDAS agents also inhibited specific histone methylation and repressed transcription of c-myc and other oncogenes. FIDAS agents delivered orally repressed CRC xenografts in athymic nude mice. Based on SAR and docking studies, new generations of FIDAS agents were synthesized and tested. An active in vivo metabolite of FIDAS was identified. PK/PD studies were performed. Our findings suggest that FIDAS analogs targeting MAT2A represent a family of novel and potentially useful agents for cancer treatment. Citation Format: Wen Zhang, Vitaliy Sviripa, David Watt, Chunming Liu. Methionine S-adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) inhibitors for cancer treatment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5388. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5388
POLO-parallel optical links for gigabyte/s data communications

We have obtained successful operation of the 10-channel POLO (Parallel Optical Link Organization) module at 622 Mb/s per channel with up to 400 m of ribbon fiber. An overview of the present status of the POLO program will be given, including component performance, packaging approach, and system results. Our progress towards the development of the 2nd generation POLO module will also be discussed.
Diffracted Microwave Fields Near Dielectric Shells: Computation, Measurement, and Decomposition

This paper describes the fields produced near finite dielectric slabs and cones by incident, plane electromagnetic waves. It presents calculated and measured fields and their decomposition into constituent waves. The purpose was to understand approximations in some methods for analyzing performance of pointed, dielectric radomes. These methods compute patterns of an enclosed aperture antenna by evaluating diffraction integrals that have T(P), the complex-valued transmittance for externally incident plane waves as a factor in the integrand, where P is a point in the radome-bounded region. T(P) depends on polarization because of curvature and large incidence angles. Overall, radome analysis accuracy also depends on antenna and radome dimensions and on their proximity. For radomes with diameters exceeding 10 wavelengths (?), accuracy was good if T(P) had the value for an infinite flat sheet tangent to the surface at the intersection of an incident ray directly to P.1 This direct ray method failed for radomes with diameters approximately 5? . 2 Accuracy was high when T(P) was evaluated by integrating over a portion of the incident wave surface. Neither method accurately predicted fields very near thin radomes.
Linear and Nonlinear Group Actions, and the Newton Institute Program

One of the simplest and most useful notions in mathematics is that of a group action: if G is a group and X is a nonempty set, then an action of G on X (or a G-set structure on X) consists of a multiplication operation G × X → X, with the image of a pair (g, x) written as, say, gx, with the following axioms satisfied: (1) lx = x for all x ∈ X (here 1 ∈ G is the identity element of G); (2) (gh)x = g(hx) for all g,h ∈ G and all x ∈ X.
Implementation of an interprofessional clinical pharmacology selective learning experience for pharmacy residents and medical students.

Purpose The implementation of an interprofessional clinical pharmacology selective (CPS) learning experience for pharmacy residents and medical students is described. Summary The opportunity for pharmacy residents to provide didactic lectures at a college of pharmacy and to develop teaching and preceptor skills with experiential pharmacy students may be limited by institution-specific affiliations and geographic location. In order to overcome these barriers, the Mayo Clinic Hospital postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program implemented an interprofessional learning experience in which pharmacy residents serve the role of preceptors for first- and second-year medical students on a CPS. Medical students at the Mayo Medical School (MMS) work alongside the PGY1 resident to develop patient-specific, medication problem lists and gain an appreciation for pharmacy-focused interventions. Medical students teach pharmacy residents diagnostic, pathophysiologic, and patient-assessment considerations related to the medical school’s curriculum. The clinical rounds component of the CPS allows for resident achievement of ASHP competency area R4, which focuses on the design of an effective educational activity; selection of a preceptor role; employment of instruction, modeling, coaching, and facilitation; use of effective presentation skills; generation of objective-based learner assessment questions; and identification of areas for continuous improvement. Conclusion The Mayo Clinic Hospital PGY1 pharmacy residency program and MMS successfully implemented an innovative learning experience to promote interprofessional education between pharmacy residents and medical students. The program establishes collaborative relationships early in students’ professional careers and allows for attainment of the ASHP-required competency area R4 through delivery of a CPS to medical students.
HYPEREMIC SUBENDOCARDIAL-TO-SUBEPICARDIAL PERFUSION RATIO AS A SURROGATE MARKER FOR CORONARY ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION: INITIAL RESULTS IN WOMEN WITH MICROVASCULAR DYSFUNCTION

Background: Nearly 50% of women with symptoms of ischemia suffer from coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in the absence of obstructive coronary disease. In this cohort, a common mechanistic pathway involves dysfunction of coronary endothelium. It is not known whether variables derived from
Case Study: Supplementation of cow-calf pairs grazing smooth bromegrass pastures with ethanol by-products and low-quality forages

ABSTRACT Multiparous, lactating, crossbred (Simmental × Angus) beef cows with spring-born calves at side (n = 16 per year; 4 per pasture) were used each of 3 yr to evaluate supplementing modified distillers grains plus solubles mixed with low-quality forage on cow and calf performance while grazing. Cow-calf pairs were assigned randomly to treatment with 2 replications (pasture) per year for 3 yr. Treatments were (1) recommended stocking rate of 9.46 animal-unit month/ha with no supplementation (CON) or (2) double the recommended stocking rate (18.9 animal-unit month/ha) and supplemented with a 30:70 modified distillers grains plus solubles:cornstalks (DM) mixture (SUPP). To replace 50% of grazed forage DMI, SUPP pairs were fed an average of 1.13% of BW (DM) over the grazing season. Pairs grazed adjacent smooth bromegrass pastures for 130 d during the summer. Gain was not different (P = 0.19) between SUPP and CON cows (0.28 vs. 0.19 kg/d, respectively). Ending cow BW was not affected (P = 0.46) by treatment. Similarly, calf gain was not affected (P = 0.31) by supplementation. In studies where confined cow-calf pairs were fed average-quality (IVDMD = 52.9%) forage, DMI was 2.58% of pair BW. Based on these data, CON and SUPP pairs consumed 18.6 and 19.1 kg of DM, respectively, of total feed per pair daily. The SUPP pairs consumed 7.1 kg of DM/pair daily of the supplement, replacing approximately 35% of grazed forage intake. These data suggest mixtures of ethanol co-products and low-quality forages can be supplemented to replace grazed forage intake of cattle, allowing for increased stocking rate without affecting animal performance.
From Egosystem to Ecosystem: Motivations of the Self in a Social World

Abstract In this chapter, we describe a theory of two types of social motivation: egosystem and ecosystem motivations. Egosystem motivation promotes inclusion and status in social relationships, groups, and organizations by energizing behaviors intended to maintain, enhance, and defend desired images of the self. Ecosystem motivation promotes the development of close, mutually supportive relationships by energizing behaviors intended to be constructive and supportive and not harmful to others. We describe activators and deactivators of each system, their indicators, and their consequences over time for relationships and psychological well-being. We then describe a program of research on these two motivational systems. Our early research explored these processes in college roommate relationships. Subsequent research has extended this work to other types of relationships, situations in which people face interpersonal problems and difficulties, and relationships of emotionally vulnerable people. Recent studies have examined implications of these motivations for self-regulation. Remaining issues, including whether these are actually separate systems, their implications for health, how people can shift from one motivation to the other are considered. We conclude with a discussion of whether this perspective blames victims for their difficult circumstances.
Poster Abstract: Preserving IoT Privacy in Sharing Economy Via Smart Contract

The phenomenal growth of Internet-services has created a vibrant new domain for sharing economy. Millions of users around the world share personal services and possessions with others – often complete strangers. Such sharing schemes also increase the risk of violation of one's informational and physical privacy. Strangers often have to trust each other with their privacy (e.g. a surveillance camera in an Airbnb room). However, very little research has been devoted to investigate privacy in sharing economy. In this paper, we explore the privacy concerns associated with contractual renting or leasing of IoT devices-enabled home. We propose a methodology to eliminate privacy threats from IoT-enabled telematics devices in a smart home via blockchain-based smart contract. For the purpose of illustration, we focus on how we can circumvent the privacy threat from indoor surveillance IP cameras in a smart home-sharing economy.
Assessing Professional Competencies: The “Painstaking” Implementation Phase

AbstractThis paper describes the opportunities and challenges encountered in formulating and implementing strategies for assessing universally required competencies and mission-specific competencies in a large public affairs school with five MPA programs and one Master of International Affairs (MIA) program. The paper analyzes the building blocks in assessing competencies, from defining, identifying, and developing and revising evaluative tools, to the efforts in and approaches for engaging different stakeholders. This analysis identifies the significance of investing time in the developmental stage and highlights the difficulties encountered in reaching consensus, especially on when and how learning should be evaluated and from whose perspective. The paper proposes, however, that the field should continue to move toward agreement about methods for assessing program effectiveness within and beyond individual schools, in order to move away from this impasse and help promote results that are usable at diver...
The Strength of Rock Materials

This chapter discusses the strength of rock materials. The transition from brittle to plastic behavior in a rock material is mainly of interest in relation to geotectonics and geophysics. It also helps to provide the mechanism whereby lateral translations of segments of the Earth's crust and mantle may be affected relative to one another. In geophysics, it has pronounced significance in relation to seismic phenomena and earthquakes. In relation to engineering problems, the brittle-plastic transition of rocks is probably of lesser significance, as the ambient strata pressures are generally of a much lower order. There are some important implications in relation to strata control and support in mining and civil engineering excavations, particularly in saline evaporite rocks. The possibility of brittle-plastic transitions and reversions must also be borne in mind when studying such phenomena as rockbursts, rock and gas outbursts, pillar failure in mine support, and the stress distribution around tunnels and shafts.
Balanced Bladder Function in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

AbstractA urodynamic assessment was done on 55 patients with spinal cord injuries treated with intermittent catheterization and therapy for autonomic dysreflexia and external sphincter spasm. While 95 per cent of the patients with upper motor neuron lesions achieved balanced bladder function they were not necessarily free of a catheter. The results obtained in male patients compare favorably to those reported from specialized spinal cord injury centers. Female spinal cord injured patients generally were unable to achieve a catheter-free status.
Selection of Appropriate Autoinducer Analogues for the Modulation of Quorum Sensing at the Host-Bacterium Interface.

Bacteria regulate a variety of phenotypes in response to their population density using quorum sensing (QS). This phenomenon is regulated by small molecule or peptide signals, the best characterized of which are the N-acyl l-homoserine lactones (AHLs) utilized by Gram-negative bacteria. As many QS-controlled phenotypes, notably pathogenicity and symbiosis, can profoundly impact host eukaryotes, there is significant interest in developing methods for modulating QS signaling and either ameliorating or augmenting these phenotypes. One strategy has been the use of non-native AHL analogues to agonize or antagonize specific AHL receptors. This approach is complicated, however, by the potential for prospective hosts to respond to both native AHLs and synthetic analogues. Accordingly, identifying AHL analogues with little or no activity toward eukaryotes is important in developing QS modulation as a strategy for the regulation of prokaryotic behaviors. Herein, we utilize the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to ch...
Towards Optimal Running Times for Optimal Transport

In this work, we provide faster algorithms for approximating the optimal transport distance, e.g. earth mover's distance, between two discrete probability distributions $\mu, \nu \in \Delta^n$. Given a cost function $C : [n] \times [n] \to \mathbb{R}_{\geq 0}$ where $C(i,j) \leq 1$ quantifies the penalty of transporting a unit of mass from $i$ to $j$, we show how to compute a coupling $X$ between $r$ and $c$ in time $\widetilde{O}\left(n^2 /\epsilon \right)$ whose expected transportation cost is within an additive $\epsilon$ of optimal. This improves upon the previously best known running time for this problem of $\widetilde{O}\left(\text{min}\left\{ n^{9/4}/\epsilon, n^2/\epsilon^2 \right\}\right)$. We achieve our results by providing reductions from optimal transport to canonical optimization problems for which recent algorithmic efforts have provided nearly-linear time algorithms. Leveraging nearly linear time algorithms for solving packing linear programs and for solving the matrix balancing problem, we obtain two separate proofs of our stated running time. Further, one of our algorithms is easily parallelized and can be implemented with depth $\widetilde{O}(1/\epsilon)$. Moreover, we show that further algorithmic improvements to our result would be surprising in the sense that any improvement would yield an $o(n^{2.5})$ algorithm for \textit{maximum cardinality bipartite matching}, for which currently the only known algorithms for achieving such a result are based on fast-matrix multiplication.
Bismuth Enhances the Stability of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) Perovskite under High Humidity

Methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3, MAPI) is a high-performance solar cell material but lacks stability in the presence of humidity. Addition of a few percent bismuth (Bi) as a trivalent cation substitute for Pb (i.e., MAP(Bi)I) leads to enhanced stability under high (90%) relative humidity (RH). At moderate humidity (60% RH), however, MAP(Bi)I degrades more rapidly than MAPI. Bi incorporation into MAPI either stabilizes or destabilizes the two hydration products, MAPI·H2O and PbI2, depending on the amount of humidity in the environment.
Effect of atorvastatin on humoral immune response to 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination in healthy volunteers: The StatVax randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Background The immunomodulatory effects of statins on vaccine response remain uncertain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if atorvastatin enhances pneumococcal-specific antibody titer following 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination. Methods Double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center randomized clinical trial entitled StatVax. Subjects were enrolled between June and July 2014 and followed up through September 2014. 33 healthy volunteers signed informed consent after volunteer sampling. 11 participants were excluded; 22 healthy volunteers without prior pneumococcal vaccination were enrolled and completed the study. Participants were randomized to receive a 28-day course of 40 mg atorvastatin (n = 12) or matching lactose placebo (n = 10). On day 7 of treatment, Pneumovax 23 was administered intramuscularly. The primary outcome was fold change in total pneumococcal-specific antibody titer determined by a ratio of post-vaccination titer over baseline titer. Secondary outcomes included serotype-specific pneumococcal antibody titer, seroconversion, complete blood counts (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and serum cytokine analysis. Results Of the 22 randomized patients (mean age, 23.86; SD, 4.121; 11 women [50%]), 22 completed the trial. Total anti-pneumococcal antibody titer in the atorvastatin group went from a baseline mean of 32.58 (SD, 15.96) to 147.7 (SD, 71.52) μg/mL at 21 days post-vaccination while titer in the placebo group went from a mean of 30.81 (SD, 13.04) to 104.4 (SD, 45) μg/mL. When comparing fold change between treatment groups, there was a significant increase in fold change of total anti-pneumococcal antibody titer in the atorvastatin group compared to the placebo group (2-way ANOVA, p = .0177). Conclusions Atorvastatin enhances antigen-specific primary humoral immune response to a T cell-independent pneumonia vaccination. Pending confirmation by larger cohort studies of target populations, peri-vaccination conventional doses of statins can become a novel adjuvant for poorly-immunogenic polysaccharide-based vaccines. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02097589
Assortment Optimization Under the Multinomial Logit Model with Sequential Offerings

We consider assortment optimization problems, where the choice process of a customer takes place in multiple stages. There is a finite number of stages. In each stage, we offer an assortment of pro...
Postoperative Outcomes of Branchial Cleft Cyst Excision in Children and Adults: An NSQIP Analysis:

ObjectiveIdentify risk factors and perioperative morbidity for patients undergoing branchial cleft cyst (BCC) excision.Study DesignCross-sectional analysis.SettingAmerican College of Surgeons Natio...
Performance Evaluation of TCP and UDP over IPv4 and IPv6 for the ESP8266 Module

Due to the increasing popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT), several modules, development boards, and single-board computers have been proposed by the community and manufacturers. In this paper, we selected the ESP8266, an inexpensive module, to make a performance evaluation of its networking subsystem. Since the popular benchmarking tools of the area have not been ported for the ESP8266, we wrote several benchmarks to evaluate its TCP and UDP performance over IPv4 and IPv6, as an end-point device or as an access point. In our tests, we report parameters such as one-way delay and throughput. To cover a wider range of developers, we give performance measurements for two development tools: Arduino IDE and Espressif SDK.
Adropin and insulin resistance: Integration of endocrine, circadian, and stress signals regulating glucose metabolism.

Dysregulation of hepatic glucose production (HGP) and glucose disposal leads to hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemia results from the declining ability of insulin to reduce HGP and increase glucose disposal, as well as inadequate s-cell compensation for insulin resistance. Hyperglucagonemia resulting from reduced suppression of glucagon secretion by insulin contributes to hyperglycemia by stimulating HGP. The actions of pancreatic hormones are normally complemented by peptides secreted by cells distributed throughout the body. This regulatory network has provided new therapeutics for obesity and type 2 diabetes (e.g., glucagon-like peptide 1). Other peptide hormones under investigation show promise in preclinical studies. Recent experiments using mice and nonhuman primates indicate the small secreted peptide hormone adropin regulates glucose metabolism. Here, recent expression profiling data indicating hepatic adropin expression increases with oxidative stress and declines with fasting or in the presence of hepatic insulin resistance and how adropin interacts with the pancreatic hormones, insulin, and glucagon to modulate glycemic control are discussed.
Novel abdomino-pelvic anomalies in Kagami-Ogata syndrome

Abstract Kagami-Ogata syndrome (KOS) is a rare genomic imprinting disorder of chromosome 14 with characteristic facial features, a small, bell-shaped thorax, muscular hypotonia, and abdominal wall defects. We present a case of a kidney incarcerated in a posterolateral Bochdalek type congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), intestinal malrotation and stage 2 rectocele in KOS. Successful repair of CDH and malrotation was achieved with Ladd's procedure, CDH repair, Nissen fundoplication and gastrostomy tube placement. She had no post-operative complications and is currently tolerating 100% enteral feeds. CDH, intestinal malrotation and rectocele have not been previously reported in KOS. Despite overall poor prognosis, KOS patients with CDH and malrotation can be repaired successfully with improvement in quality of life.
Dealing with Disagreements: Looking Beyond the Majority Vote in Subjective Annotations.

Majority voting and averaging are common approaches employed to resolve annotator disagreements and derive single ground truth labels from multiple annotations. However, annotators may systematically disagree with one another, often reflecting their individual biases and values, especially in the case of subjective tasks such as detecting affect, aggression, and hate speech. Annotator disagreements may capture important nuances in such tasks that are often ignored while aggregating annotations to a single ground truth. In order to address this, we investigate the efficacy of multi-annotator models. In particular, our multi-task based approach treats predicting each annotators' judgements as separate subtasks, while sharing a common learned representation of the task. We show that this approach yields same or better performance than aggregating labels in the data prior to training across seven different binary classification tasks. Our approach also provides a way to estimate uncertainty in predictions, which we demonstrate better correlate with annotation disagreements than traditional methods. Being able to model uncertainty is especially useful in deployment scenarios where knowing when not to make a prediction is important.
A full-year university course sequence in detector array theory, camera building, and system testing

In many imaging systems the ultimate performance is determined by the focal plane array that converts photons into an electrical signal that can then be recorded. Such focal plane arrays are available that operate at wavelengths ranging from the X-ray to the radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum. An explanation of the underlying physics of focal plane arrays, the practicalities of operating such devices, and the calibration of these arrays is, in general, not presented as part of a conventional undergraduate curriculum by any discipline. The Center for Imaging Science in the College of Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology has developed a sequence of classes to cover this subject matter for upper division undergraduates and graduate students. The material is covered over a full academic year that consists of three quarters at RIT. These classes has had very positive feedback from graduates who find that they acquire a very useful skill set that they use in their post-graduation positions at various companies and government laboratories.
Combinatorial constructions of modules for infinite-dimensional Lie algebras, II. Parafermionic space

The standard modules for an affine Lie algebra $\ga$ have natural subquotients called parafermionic spaces -- the underlying spaces for the so-called parafermionic conformal field theories associated with $\ga.$ We study the case $\ga = \widehat{sl}(n+1,\C)$ for any positive integral level $k \geq 2.$ Generalizing the $\cal Z$-algebra approach of Lepowsky, Wilson and Primc, we construct a combinatorial basis for the parafermionic spaces in terms of colored partitions. The parts of these partitions represent ''Fourier coefficients'' of generalized vertex operators (parafermionic currents) and can be interpreted as statistically interacting quasi-particles of color $i,\;1\leq i \leq n,$ and charge $s,\; 1\leq s \leq k-1.$ From a combinatorial point of view, these bases are essentially identical with the bases for level $k-1$ principal subspaces constructed by the author in [GeI]. In the particular case of the vacuum module, the character (string function) associated with our basis is the formula of Kuniba, Nakanishi and Suzuki [KNS] conjectured in a Bethe Ansatz layout. New combinatorial characters are established for the whole standard vacuum $\ga$-modules.
Benjamin Franklin, Prayer, and the Constitutional Convention: History as Narrative

Anecdotes from the Convention continue to inform contemporary discussions on the Constitution’s meaning. This article discusses an anecdote from the Convention that shows how history and false history shape our laws and cultural traditions.The article focuses on Benjamin Franklin’s proposal to hire a chaplain and begin each day with a prayer. The Convention deputies showed little interest in the proposal, and it died aborning. However, decades later, a fictional version emerged in which Franklin’s proposal succeeded and saved the Convention from collapse.The factual and mythical Franklin prayer narratives offer us the opportunity to examine their history and rhetorical use in arguing for integrating religion into America’s public life. This examination also offers the opportunity to reflect on how advocates can use history to fashion a persuasive argument. The history of the narrative demonstrates how writers, government officials, lawyers, and judges have employed it to further their own purposes. As for the continuing popularity of the story, Franklin and the archetype he personifies play a critical role in making the narrative persuasive. And as the narrative shows, histories, both factual and mythical, can support persuasive narrative arguments.