cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How to Stabilize Phospholipid Liposomes (Using Nanoparticles)

The simple strategy of mixing phospholipid liposomes with charged nanoparticles and using sonication to mix them at low volume fraction produces particle-stabilized liposomes that repel one another and do not fuse. Subsequently, the volume fraction can be raised as high as ≈50%, reversibly, still without fusion. In studies of liposome longevity, we verified the stability of particle-stabilized liposome suspensions with volume fraction up to 16% for up to 50 days, the longest period investigated. Fluorescent dyes were encapsulated within the particle-stabilized liposomes, without leakage. Although these particle-stabilized liposomes were stable against fusion, ≈75% of the outer liposome surface remained unoccupied. This opens the door to using particle-stabilized liposomes in various applications.
Design methodologies for partially reconfigured systems

Run time reconfiguration (RTR) as an implementation approach that divides an application into a series of sequentially executed stages with each stage implemented as a separate circuit module. Partial RTR extends this approach by partitioning these stages and designing their circuit modules such that they exhibit a high degree of functional and physical commonality. Transitioning between configurations can then be accomplished by updating only the differences between configurations. This reduces the amount of time that an RTR application spends configuring and significantly enhances overall performance. The paper presents the design methodology for partial RTR in the context of RRANN2, a partial RTR artificial neural network.
Racism, Mental Health, and Mental Health Practice

In this article, the authors present an interdisciplinary discussion of the multiple dimensions of racism and formulate conceptions of its impact on the formation of healthy personalities. They describe how racism has both ideological and structural components and perpetuates itself recursively at the macro-(e.g., group, institution) and microlevels (e.g., interpersonal). As one consequence of its embedded, cyclical nature, efforts to treat client problems that involve issues of race and racism will necessarily entail piercing distortions in reality, encouraging self-moral development, and eliciting risk-taking behaviors. To take part in transforming current structures of racism, counseling psychologists are urged to extend these strategies beyond the therapeutic milieu. Implications for practice, training, and research are presented.
The strain-rate sensitivity of the hardness in indentation creep

Finite element analysis is used to simulate indentation creep experiments with a cone-shaped indenter. The purpose of the work is to help identify the relationship between the strain-rate sensitivity of the hardness, νH, and that of the flow stress, νσ in materials for which elastic deformations are significant. In general, νH differs from νσ, but the ratio νH/νσ is found to be a unique function of H/E* where H is the hardness and E* is the modulus relevant to Hertzian contact. νH/νσ approaches 1 for small H/E*, 0 for large H/E*, and is insensitive to work hardening. The trend in νH/νσ as a function of H/E* can be explained based on a generalized analysis of Tabor’s relation in which hardness is proportional to the flow stress H = k × σeff and in which the proportionality factor k is a function of σeff/E*.
Contact tape recording with a flat head contour

A plain flat 'row-bar' of commercial thin-film disk heads was evaluated and found to be suitable for high speed and high track- and linear-density tape recording. After more than 2000 hours of running in contact at 8 m/s no output degradation was observed. An upper limit of 4 nm was placed on head wear. Output, hence head-tape spacing was seen to be independent of the tape speed from 0.5 to 8 m/s. A mechanical model of the system shows that a self-acting negative air bearing (suction) is responsible for the stability of the interface.
Chromatin Degradation in Differentiating Fiber Cells of the Eye Lens

During development, the lens of the eye becomes transparent, in part because of the elimination of nuclei and other organelles from the central lens fiber cells by an apoptotic-like mechanism. Using confocal microscopy we showed that, at the border of the organelle-free zone (OFZ), fiber cell nuclei became suddenly irregular in shape, with marginalized chromatin. Subsequently, holes appeared in the nuclear envelope and underlying laminae, and the nuclei collapsed into condensed, spherical structures. Nuclear remnants, containing DNA, histones, lamin B2, and fragments of nuclear membrane, were detected deep in the OFZ. We used in situ electrophoresis to demonstrate that fragmented DNA was present only in cells bordering the OFZ. Confocal microscopy of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)–labeled lens slices confirmed that DNA fragmentation was a relatively late event in fiber differentiation, occurring after the loss of the nuclear membrane. DNA fragments with 3′-OH or 3′-PO4 ends were not observed elsewhere in the lens under normal conditions, although they could be produced by pretreatment with DNase I or micrococcal nuclease, respectively. Dual labeling with TdT and an antibody against protein disulfide isomerase, an ER-resident protein, revealed a distinct spatial and temporal gap between the disappearance of ER and nuclear membranes and the onset of DNA degradation. Thus, fiber cell chromatin disassembly differs significantly from classical apoptosis, in both the sequence of events and the time course of the process. The fact that DNA degradation occurs only after the disappearance of mitochondrial, ER, and nuclear membranes suggests that damage to intracellular membranes may be an initiating event in nuclear breakdown.
Dupuit-Forchheimer theories for the shape of groundwater recharge mounds

The nonlinear Dupuit-Forchheimer theory and two linearized versions are considered as to their applicability for giving accurate results on recharge mound shapes beneath strip and square basins. Results on mound rises from the approximate theories are compared with those from the nonlinear theory to determine criteria for the use of the approximate theories.
On the effect of finite fluctuations around nonequilibrium steady states

Abstract The role of finite fluctuations in determining which of several nonequilibrium steady states is preferred by a model biochemical system is examined using a stochastic approach to chemical kinetics. The results differ qualitatively from predictions of a purely macroscopic theory.
Ammonia blockade of intestinal epithelial K+ conductance

Ammonia profoundly inhibits cAMP-dependent Cl− secretion in model T84 human intestinal crypt epithelia. Because colonic lumen concentrations of ammonia are high (10–70 mM), ammonia may be a novel r...
Dynamic simulation of a peristaltic micropump considering coupled fluid flow and structural motion

This paper presents lumped-parameter simulation of dynamic characteristics of peristaltic micropumps. The pump consists of three pumping cells connected in series, each of which is equipped with a compliant diaphragm that is electrostatically actuated in a peristaltic sequence to mobilize the fluid. Diaphragm motion in each pumping cell is first represented by an effective spring subjected to hydrodynamic and electrostatic forces. These cell representations are then used to construct a system-level model for the entire pump, which accounts for both cell- and pump-level interactions of fluid flow and diaphragm vibration. As the model is based on first principles, it can be evaluated directly from the device's geometry, material properties and operating parameters without using any experimentally identified parameters. Applied to an existing pump, the model correctly predicts trends observed in experiments. The model is then used to perform a systematic analysis of the impact of geometry, materials and pump loading on device performance, demonstrating its utility as an efficient tool for peristaltic micropump design.
Librarian as Professor: A Dynamic New Role Model

The 20th century information explosion provided widespread technological innovation and ease of access to information, and due to the 21st century emphasis on digital collections and electronic resources, libraries around the world are facing an uncertain future. This naturally causes librarians to re-evaluate their professional role, but perhaps academic librarians are best prepared for the future due to their co-existing role as professors. Essentially they have always been teaching, but now they must conquer the disparaging image and status treatment to which they have been subjected and evolve their profession by joining their teaching faculty colleagues in classrooms on college and university campuses worldwide.
Using problem-solving methods to impose structure on knowledge

The author outlines a taxonomy of methods that identifies some of the discriminating characteristics of the kinds of methods expert systems use and that suggests how methods can be mapped onto tasks. It is suggested that half-weak methods are an important class of methods because they can have a quite broad scope of applicability, but provide substantially more help than the weak methods do in specifying what task-implementation knowledge needs to be collected to perform a particular task and how that knowledge is appropriately represented. It is claimed that it should be possible to devise a set of inference engines (half-weak methods), each of which defines the roles that the task-implementation knowledge it requires must play and the form in which that knowledge is to be encoded. Two half-weak methods, MOLE and SALT, are considered in support of these points. >
A rare cause of Cauda equina syndrome: Epidural high grade primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) may be caused by herniated disc, tumor, trauma, and spinal infections. However, CES due to epidural high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is very rare. Up to our knowledge, few cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of epidural high-grade NHL presenting as CES. A 55-year-old man presented with CES caused by extradural compression by primary NHL. The patient underwent an L4-L5 laminectomy. The operative findings were suggestive of well-demarcated epidural tumor. The final histopathological diagnosis revealed epidural high-grade NHL. NHL causing CES is rare. This report highlights the importance of keeping afresh the various causes of CES for prompt diagnosis and management.
Rhythms in Dinoflagellates

Microorganisms, like other plants and animals, have evolved in a periodic environment, where night inexorably alternates with day. As a consequence, and with the same periodicity, the light intensity, temperature, humidity, and other physical factors also vary, and processes in the cell which are dependent on these factors are similarly affected.
Prose Learning: Effects of Pretesting and Reduction of Passage Length

The study was designed to investigate the learning and retention of prose materials. Immediate and 1-wk retention was examined in Ss who had either read a 2,300-word passage (LP) on science fiction or a 300-word short passage (SP). The short passage was derived from the information retained over a 1-wk period by Ss who read and learned the long passage. Retention was assessed by a 30-item multiple-choice test based upon information in the long passage. One-way analysis of variance of posttest scores from 200 adults indicated that for 1-wk retention the short passage was retained significantly (p < .01) better than the long one. There was no significant difference on immediate retention. The results were discussed in terms of current cognitive learning theory, prose-learning paradigms, and classroom procedures related to the presentation of new material.
Dermatologic surgery training in residency.

background. Dermatologic surgery is an integral part of dermatology residency training. objective. To characterize the current level of surgical training in dermatology residency programs. methods. A survey was mailed to the 112 dermatology residency programs in North America and Puerto Rico. results. A total of 71 residency programs (63%) responded. All programs offer training in surgical excisions, 97% of programs train residents in at least one cosmetic procedure, 92% of programs offer Mohs micrographic surgery, and 90% of programs train their residents in laser surgery. conclusion. Surgical training in dermatology residency varies widely, with a trend toward more cosmetic procedures when compared with prior studies.
The Sky Has Not Yet Fallen on Punitive Damages in Admiralty

Contrary to much of what has been said about the decision of the United States Supreme Court last term in Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, it hardly put an end to the discretion of American judges to make awards of punitive damages in cases within admiralty jurisdiction. Rather, it confirmed judicial authority to make such awards in the absence of legislative direction, rejected the view that the Clean Air Act signals any intent of Congress to foreclose them in cases in which that statute is implicated, and sets for them a cap, but only for an uncommon category of cases.
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of energetic materials

A number of energetic materials and explosives have been studied by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). They include black powder, neat explosives such as TNT, PETN, HMX, and RDX (in various forms), propellants such as M43 and JA2, and military explosives such as C4 and LX-14. Each of these materials gives a unique spectrum, and generally the spectra are reproducible shot to shot. We observed that the laser-produced microplasma did not initiate any of the energetic materials studied. Extensive studies of black powder and its ingredients by use of a reference spectral library have demonstrated excellent accuracy for unknown identification. Finally, we observed that these nitrogen- and oxygen-rich materials yield LIBS spectra in air that have correspondingly different O:N peak ratios compared with air. This difference can help in the detection and identification of such energetic materials.
Design of Near-Optimal Coding Schemes for Adaptive Modulation with Practical Constraints

We consider a system with parallel flat-fading subchannels for transmission of data, similar to a multicarrier system, where the sub-channel states are known perfectly to both the transmitter and the receiver. The results presented so far in literature for this system have only considered maximizing the sum-rate with Gaussian constellations which is not realizable in practice. In this paper, we consider practical QAM constellations for transmission, the size of which can be varied across subchannels. Under this constraint, we derive the maximum sum-information-rate of the overall system and the power/rate allocation algorithm to achieve it, which has not been attempted before. A practical MIMO system can be resolved into parallel subchannels and we then extend the allocation algorithm to a MIMO case. We further constrain the system to use a single overall codebook which is more practical and optimize the proposed power/rate allocation algorithm under this constraint. The simulations with an LDPC code show that the proposed power/rate allocation method is very robust and the code performance is within 2dB of even the unconstrained Gaussian sum-rate limit for both cases.
The relation between living alone and depressive symptoms in older Korean Americans: do feelings of loneliness mediate?

Objectives: As the opposite end of the continuum from social integration, social isolation may put individuals at a greater risk of poor mental health. Conceptualizing living alone as an objective and structural indicator of social isolation and loneliness as subjective perceptions of social isolation, the present study hypothesized that the relation between living alone and depressive symptoms would be mediated by the feelings of loneliness. Using older Korean Americans as the target population, the mediation model was examined in consideration of the contextual factors such as demographics (age, gender, education, perceived income, and length of stay in the USA), health (chronic conditions and functional disability), and general social integration (size of social network and community social cohesion).Method: Date were drawn from surveys with 209 older Korean Americans in Central Texas (Mage = 69.6, SD = 7.5). Multivariate regression models of depressive symptoms were entered in the following order: (1)...
Spectroscopic detection of endovesiculation by large unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles: effects of chlorpromazine, dibucaine, and safingol.

Endovesiculation by large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) induced by cationic amphiphiles is described in this work. A recent procedure to monitor phagocytosis of vesicles by macrophages by determining the amount of the simultaneously internalized water-soluble fluorescent dye HPTS with external quencher was adapted to LUVs (Daleke, D. L.; Hong, K.; Papahadjopoulos, D. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1990, 1024, 352). Compared to dibucaine and safingol, the local anesthetic chlorpromazine (CPZ) was found to be the most efficient inducer of HPTS-internalization by LUVs. Control experiments using LUVs with entrapped HPTS indicated that the observed dye-internalization does not originate from transient lysis. A strong increase in activity above the critical micelle concentration of CPZ implies the importance of CPZ-micelles for endovesiculation. The significantly less efficient CPZ-induced HPTS-internalization by LUVs with 68 nm compared to 176 nm diameter further diminishes the likelihood of a micelle/bilayer fusion mechanism and supports the presence of ‘zipper-type' endovesiculation by LUVs with diameters as small as 68 nm.
Examining a Sample of Black Deaf Individuals on the Deaf Acculturation Scale

The current study sought to identify and analyze how Black deaf and hard-of-hearing people conceptualize their deaf and hard-of-hearing identities. That is, what cultural and linguistic factors are involved and how do they interact? An existing measure of Deaf cultural identity, the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), was used to evaluate these questions. Review of the measure’s normative sample (n = 3,070) indicated that fewer than 300 self-identified as racial/ethnic minorities (Hispanic/ Latino, Black, or Asian). Results of a preliminary study revealed that Non-White deaf individuals responded to DAS items in ways that significantly differed from responses provided by White deaf individuals. Moreover, the existing 5-factor correlated model of the DAS did not fit well with the Non-White group. The current study administered the DAS to a new sample of 106 Black deaf individuals. Principal components analysis determined an appropriate factor structure for this population. In addition to the existing 5 factors, a sixth factor emerged that appears to reflect identity concerns specific to Black deaf people. Ideas for future research, including how to examine the intersections of Deaf identity and racial identity, are discussed.
Regulation of online gambling

This chapter addresses the regulatory challenges presented by Internet gambling. As will be explored below, current U.S. laws leverage federal power to limit financing and other logistical support for Internet gambling enterprises based abroad, thereby injecting some friction into Internet-based business models but hardly stopping their operations. However, federal enforcement policy changes announced in 2011 have created new opportunities for firms seeking to tap the U.S. gambling market. Three U.S. states now permit some forms of domestic Internet gambling operations, although limited to residents of those states. Meanwhile, new forms of gaming, such as fantasy sports leagues, are pushing regulatory boundaries.Part II provides a brief overview of the legal foundations for regulation in the U.S. federal system, in which authority is divided between states and the federal government, with the federal government primarily addressing interstate matters. Part III provides an overview of significant federal legislation affecting interstate operations. Part IV discusses state efforts to regulate Internet gambling in Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey, as well as some efforts in other states to thwart Internet operations. Finally, Part V addresses regulatory concerns that are rooted in free trade considerations, as exemplified in the enforcement efforts of EU member states and in World Trade Organization proceedings against the United States.
The Politics of Caribbean Music

(1975). The Politics of Caribbean Music. The Black Scholar: Vol. 7, Black Diaspora, pp. 23-29.
The Joint Effects of Climates for Empowerment and Rewards on Organizational Performance

This study investigates the influence of two forms of organizational climate - climates for empowerment and rewards - on labor productivity and innovation. Using a multinational, time-lagged sample...
Views on Smart Grid Evolution

This paper is concluded that,with the breakthrough and wide implementation of energy storage,different form energy converting and mutually alternative technologies,the power grid will more serve as a game platform for different energy resources than a traditional power transmission,transformation,and distribution grid.According to the main functions and key technologies,the evolution procedure is divided as three stages:strong inter-connective,open and interactive,flexible and controllable.As the production of this procedure,the smart grids initiated in China,America and Europe are analyzed.It is hard to foresee the long term form of future grid,but its characteristics such as interconnected grid,energy carrier will be further exploited fully.
Methods of Crowd Sourcing Geographic Data Processing and Analysis

Crowd sourcing geographic data(CSGD)is a new kind of open geospatial data collected and provided to citizens or organizations by non-professional volunteers.Its acquisition differs from conventional methods of surveying and mapping.It has the characteristics of being up-to-date,informative,low cost,and large size.Unique issues of such data are its heterogeneous data quality,redundancy and incompleteness,uneven data coverage,absence of data standards,privacy and safety,etc. It can be employed in a wide range of application fields including emergency cartography,early warning,map and database updating,crime analysis,and epidemiologic studies.Thus,it is important to systematically investigate the key aspects regarding its processing and analysis.The paper reviews the progress and challenges of CSGD processing and analysis.Firstly,the paper summarizes the concept and characteristics of CSGD.Secondly,the paper introduces the acquisition methods and potential data sources of CSGD.Thirdly,the paper discusses some key methods and techniques on the processing and analysis of CSGD,which includes data quality metrics,information extraction and updating,spatial data analysis and mining.Specifically,the paper suggests that firstly data evaluation is a critical prerequisite for CSGD research and application,secondly information extraction and updating via CSGD can complement the conventional methods of geographic database updating,and finally spatial data analysis and mining on CSGD can provide valuable information and knowledge for potential applications using methods like network topological analysis,spatial statistical analysis,and spatial data mining.Lastly,the paper draws some conclusions on the state-of-the-art of CSGD processing and analysis and points out the future research directions.
Agreeing to Disagree: Leveraging Consensus and Divergence in Bayesian Belief Aggregation.

We present a new approach for combining the beliefs of many individuals using graphical models. Existing Bayesian belief aggregation methods break several theoretical assumptions for Bayesian reasoning. More practically, existing opinion pool functions that compute a single value to represent the belief of all contributors do not represent reality well, especially in cases where there are many diverse opinions. Divergence is a natural result of combining opinions from individuals with different beliefs, backgrounds and experiences. Instead of forming a single consensus value that will average out this diversity, we find clusters of agreement for each probability distribution and propagate the cluster means throughout the network during inference. We utilize a social network that tracks the agreement between individuals and the normalized graph cut algorithm to find emerging groups of consensus in the agreement network. We leverage the agreement that occurs across multiple belief estimates to help reduce the complexity that may arise as the means are propagated throughout a belief network. By monitoring agreement over time we may also expose the variety of backgrounds that will help explain divergence in belief. This paper discusses the approach, background and our motives for ongoing research.
Cardiovascular risk factor prevalence in African-American adult screenees for a church-based cholesterol education program: the Northeast Oklahoma City Cholesterol Education Program.

The status of selected cardiovascular risk factors was ascertained in a consecutive sample of 661 (222 men and 439 women) African-American adults who were screened for the Northeast Oklahoma City Cholesterol Education Program, a church-based cholesterol intervention program. Hypertension was present in 48.4% and 44.7% of men and women, respectively. Average systolic blood pressure levels were similar in men and women (132.0 vs 131.5 mm Hg, P = 0.40) although average diastolic blood pressure levels were higher in men (84.0 vs 81.1 mm Hg; P or = 240 mg/dL) were unaware of their condition and were infrequently treated with cholesterol-lowering drugs. Overweight was highly prevalent, was more common with advancing age, and was related to the presence of hypertension in both men and women. In addition, a strong linear relation between overweight and blood pressure was present in both sexes. Overweight was more common in young men (< 35 years old) compared to age-matched women; however, women were increasingly more overweight than men after 35-44 years of age. In fact, by age 65, 90% of the women were overweight. These data indicate an excessive prevalence and high mean levels of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in these church-attending African-American adults. Because churches are a central institution in most African-American communities, and their congregations appear to have an excessive cardiovascular disease risk factor burden, churches may be appropriate sites for the implementation of community-based risk factor control programs.
Age-Related Differences in Gait Kinematics, Kinetics, and Muscle Function: A Principal Component Analysis

Age-related increased hip extensor recruitment during gait is a proposed compensation strategy for reduced ankle power generation and may indicate a distal-to-proximal shift in muscle function with age. Extending beyond joint level analyses, identifying age-related changes at the muscle level could capture more closely the underlying mechanisms responsible for movement. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare muscle forces and induced accelerations during gait in healthy older adults with those of young adults. Simulations of one gait cycle for ten older (73.9 ± 5.3 years) and six young (21.0 ± 2.1 years) adults walking at their self-selected speed were analyzed. Muscle force and induced acceleration waveforms, along with kinematic, kinetic, and muscle activation waveforms, were compared between age-groups using principal component analysis. Simulations of healthy older adults had greater gluteus maximus force and vertical support contribution, but smaller iliacus force, psoas force, and psoas vertical support contribution. There were no age-group differences in distal muscle force, contribution, or ankle torque magnitudes. Later peak dorsiflexion and peak ankle angular velocity in older adults may have contributed to their greater ankle power absorption during stance. These findings reveal the complex interplay between age-related changes in neuromuscular control, kinematics, and muscle function during gait.
Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Flow Is Associated With Venous Intimal Hyperplasia.

Background and Purpose—The pathogenesis of venous intimal hyperplasia and venous outflow stenosis associated with cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) draining veins is poorly understood. We s...
Executive and nonexecutive demands of constructional measures within a children’s psychiatric inpatient setting

This study examined the role of executive functioning in constructional task performance (measured with the Rey Complex Figure Test-Copy Condition [RCFT] and Beery-Buktenica Developmental T...
Vamos para Rua! Taking to the Streets Protest in Brazil

The unprecedented protests that unfolded in June 2013 in Brazil, surprised even the most observant Brazilian scholars. A local conflict over the increase of public transportation fare took an unexpected turn and ignited a massive nationwide mobilization. These protests have perplexed many because Brazil was not experiencing the context of economic or political instabilities that are common to other countries around the world, where massive protests have emerged. Using data from the World Values Survey, we developed a general analysis highlighting individual factors that were significant in explaining protest participation among Brazilians to shed light on possible indicators that could have predicted the recent mobilizations. In particular, this work seeks to understand the extent to which a change from materialist to post-materialist values, as theorized by Inglehart (1971), could contribute towards explaining the recent protests in Brazil. Our findings demonstrate that post-materialist values are a significant explanatory force in determining political participation in Brazil.
Modeling psychiatric disorders using patient stem cell-derived neurons: a way forward

Our understanding of the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders remains limited, and biomarker-based clinical management is yet to be developed. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has revolutionized our capacity to generate patient-derived neurons to model psychiatric disorders. Here, we highlight advantages and caveats of iPSC disease modeling and outline strategies for addressing current challenges.
Role Expectations and Attitudes in Dual-Earner Families:

Married women employed full time often experience role overload and role strain—a growing concern for social workers who work with women and families. Differences between husbands and wives in atti...
Advanced VL Codes

We start this chapter with codes for the integers. This is followed by many types of variable-length codes that are based on diverse principles, have been developed by different approaches, and have various useful properties and features.
After-Words: Refashioning Science/Education Through Critical Voices and Politics

This afterword draws on Donna Haraway and Sylvia Wynter’s work to identify lacunae and thus future work for the field of critical science educations. In particular, the chapter looks at the role of reflection as a praxis of political work. It also explores the complexity of work that both remains local and particular but also responding to larger forces of racial, sexual, and political economics. Finally the paper points to reframings of and and contestations over science that science educators need to build on/participate with to reclaim more just futures.
GLEAM -- An Illumination Estimation Framework for Real-time Photorealistic Augmented Reality on Mobile Devices (demo)

Mixed reality mobile platforms attempt to co-locate virtual scenes with physical environments, towards creating immersive user experiences. However, to create visual harmony between virtual and physical spaces, the virtual scene must be accurately illuminated with realistic lighting that matches the physical environment. To this end, we design GLEAM, a framework that provides robust illumination estimation in real-time by integrating physical light-probe estimation with current mobile AR systems. GLEAM visually observes reflective objects to compose a realistic estimation of physical lighting. Optionally, GLEAM can network multiple devices to sense illumination from different viewpoints and compose a richer estimation to enhance realism and fidelity. Using GLEAM, AR developers gain the freedom to use a wide range of materials, which is currently limited by the unrealistic appearance of materials that need accurate illumination, such as liquids, glass, and smooth metals. Our controlled environment user studies across 30 participants reveal the effectiveness of GLEAM in providing robust and adaptive illumination estimation over commercial status quo solutions, such as pre-baked directional lighting and ARKit 2.0 illumination estimation. Our benchmarks reveal the need for situation driven tradeoffs to optimize for quality factors in situations requiring freshness over quality and vice-versa. Optimizing for different quality factors in different situations, GLEAM can update scene illumination as fast as 30ms by sacrificing richness and fidelity in highly dynamic scenes, or prioritize quality by allowing an update interval as high as 400ms in scenes that require high-fidelity estimation.
Protein-Level Evidence of Novel β-Type Hemocyanin and Heterogeneous Subunit Usage in the Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

The functional diversity of crustacean hemocyanins is broad, encompassing O2 delivery, innate immune response, metabolite storage, and osmolyte balance, all in a heterogeneous protein structure. As such, the sequence diversity of this class of proteins and its subunit composition are the focus of many studies on crustacean adaptation to environmental challenges. Recent transcriptomic and genomic assemblies on the Pacific whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei have identified unique isoforms of hemocyanin including an ancestral β-type subunit thought to be lost in penaeid shrimp. However, it is unknown the degree to which these isoforms are translated as proteins, and their abundances within the hemolymph. The present study uses proteomic approaches to characterize the protein-level abundance and organization of these hemocyanin isoforms within their native oligomeric structures. Fractions of each hemocyanin oligomeric form were purified by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography for identification of subunit isoforms using tandem mass spectrometry at <1% protein false discovery rate. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD014575. Relative abundances of hemocyanin oligomers and monomeric subunits from hemolymph and fractions were also quantified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with and without denaturation for comparison of subunit heterogeneity. Hemocyanin subunits were organized primarily as hexamers (95-99% relative abundance) as opposed to dodecamers. Ten unique hemocyanins predicted by transcriptome and genome assemblies were identified by tandem mass spectrometry in both oligomer fractions including the first protein-level evidence of a β-type subunit in penaeid shrimp. Identified hemocyanins mapped to four genomic scaffolds and had two or three exons. A single small (75 kDa) subunit constituted half or more of all isoforms identified in each oligomer. The dodecameric fraction exhibited greater subunit heterogeneity utilizing a significantly lower ratio (1.04:1) of small subunit to large subunit compared to hexamers (2.05:1). One isoform, XP_027232115.1, appeared to be more dominant within dodecamers than hexamers. The ability to distinguish and quantify hemocyanin isoforms within oligomeric structures will aid future studies linking hemocyanin genes to transcripts to function and physiology as well as offer insight into the evolutionary history of crustaceans.
Use of CAR-Transduced Natural Killer Cells in CD19-Positive Lymphoid Tumors

Abstract Background Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown remarkable clinical efficacy in B-cell cancers. However, CAR T cells can induce substantial toxic effects, and...
Closing the Loop on Exoskeleton Motor Controllers: Benefits of Regression-Based Open-Loop Control.

Lower-limb exoskeletons are widely researched to improve walking performance and mobility. Low-level sensor-less exoskeleton motor control is attractive for consumer applications due to reduced device complexity and cost, but complex and variable transmission system configurations make the development of effective open-loop motor controllers that are responsive to user input challenging. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an open-loop motor control framework resulting in similar or greater performance vs. closed-loop torque control. We used generalized linear regression to develop two open-loop controllers by modeling motor current during exoskeleton-assisted walking; a “complex” model used desired torque and estimated ankle angular velocity as inputs, while a “simple” model used desired torque alone. Five participants walked at 1.0-1.3 m/s on a treadmill with closed-loop and both open-loop controllers providing ankle exoskeleton assistance. Both open-loop current controllers had similar root-mean-squared torque tracking error (p = 0.23) compared to the closed-loop torque-feedback controller. Both open-loop controllers had improved relative average torque production (p <; 0.001 complex, p = 0.022 simple), lower power consumption (p <; 0.001 for both), and reduced operating noise (p = 0.002 complex, p <; 0.001 simple) over the closed-loop controller. New control models developed for a different ankle exoskeleton configuration showed similar improvements (lower torque error, greater average and peak torque production, lower power consumption) over closed-loop control during over-ground walking. These results demonstrate that our framework can produce open-loop motor controllers that match closed-loop control performance during exoskeleton operation.
Residually Stressed Bimaterial Beam Specimen for Measuring Environmentally Assisted Crack Growth

Subcritical crack growth can occur in a brittle material when the stress intensity factor is smaller than the fracture toughness if an oxidizing agent (such as water) is present at the crack tip. We present a novel bi-material beam specimen which can measure environmentally assisted crack growth rates. The specimen is “self-loaded” by residual stress and requires no external loading. Two materials with different coefficient of thermal expansion are diffusion bonded at high temperature. After cooling to room temperature a subcritical crack is driven by thermal residual stresses. A finite element model is used to design the specimen geometry in terms of material properties in order to achieve the desired crack tip driving force. The specimen is designed so that the crack driving force decreases as the crack extends, thus enabling the measurement of the crack velocity versus driving force relationship with a single test. The method is demonstrated by measuring slow crack growth data in soda lime silicate glass and validated by comparison to previously published data. The self-loaded nature of the specimen makes it ideal for measuring the very low crack velocities needed to predict brittle failure at long lifetimes.
Gender Dysphoria in the Jailhouse: A Constitutional Right to Hormone Therapy?

This Article explores whether incarcerated inmates with Gender Dysphoria, such as Private Manning, have a constitutional right to receive medical treatment for gender re-assignment, and if so, whether they are likely to succeed in suing to obtain treatment if it is not provided by prison officials. Evaluating a prisoner’s Eighth Amendment claim involves two inquiries: an objective component as to whether the inmate displays a “serious medical need”, and a subjective component as to whether the prison officials were “deliberately indifferent” to that need. The issue is a sensitive one because the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria as a medical illness has a negative connotation to members of the transgendered community, but if the condition is not recognized as an illness, then medical treatment will not be deemed necessary. This Article advocates providing medical treatment to incarcerated transgender inmates who request it and who are properly diagnosed by medical professionals. Although some individuals (as well as some courts and some wardens) may contend that such medical treatment is not necessary, the predominant view is that some care is needed in order to comply with the Eighth Amendment and the evolving moral standards in this country.
#MeToo, Sexual Harassment and Accountability: Considering the Role of Restorative Approaches

Questions about the meaning of accountability for civil rights violations, and about what role the law can play in advancing accountability, are critically important to law reform. With respect to gender violence, the #MeToo movement has prompted widespread recognition of what feminists have long known, that sexual harassment is pervasive both in and out of the workplace. Yet its persistence, notwithstanding sexual harassment laws and policies that now have been on the books for decades, should spur reflection about what law and policy reforms actually would deter and prevent harassment, and what approaches would meaningfully advance equality at work. Sexual harassment at work lies at the intersection of parallel critiques of anti-discrimination law and of criminal legal interventions in response to gender violence. Both critiques should be taken into account in developing workplace responses to sexual harassment. In both contexts, commentary as well as pilot programs have begun to explore the possibility of incorporating restorative programs to promote healing and redress harms. This Article builds on those foundations and argues that workplaces should integrate restorative approaches into the options available to workers who raise sexual harassment complaints. It summarizes, and draws parallels between critiques of criminal legal regimes addressing gender violence, on the one hand, and workplace discrimination, on another. It describes principles common to restorative justice approaches and reviews the emerging research on the use of restorative justice with gender violence cases. It offers a beginning assessment of how restorative justice approaches might be incorporated into workplace sexual harassment responses, and identifies challenges that will have to be addressed for effective implementation.
Behind the veil of the zenana: Cornelia Sorabji and the colonial heritage of the trapped housewife

This essay argues that second wave feminist accounts of the trapped housewife type, who must remain inside the house, consumed with domestic drudgery, derive from a colonial precedent. Many second ...
A Fully Wireless Wearable Motion Tracking System with 3D Human Model for Gait Analysis

This paper presents a wearable motion tracking system with recording and playback features. This system has been designed for gait analysis and interlimb coordination studies. It can be implemented to help reduce fall risk and to retrain gait in a rehabilitation setting. Our system consists of ten custom wearable straps, a receiver, and a central computer. Comparing with similar existing solutions, the proposed system is affordable and convenient, which can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings. In the experiment, the system calculates five gait parameters and has the potential to identify deviant gait patterns. The system can track upper body parameters such as arm swing, which has potential in the study of pathological gaits and the coordination of the limbs.
Examining Approach and Avoidance Valences of the 3 X 2 Achievement Goal Types on an Engineering Student Sample: A Validity Approach.

Development of the 3 X 2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) advanced approach and avoidance goals in three goal types within the achievement goal framework: task-, self-, and other-based. The purpose of the present study was to examine empirical support for the construct validity, reliability, and measurement invariance of factors on the questionnaire and compare model fit of the 3 X 2 configuration to other alternatives. In addition to validating some of the findings reported in earlier studies, especially the inclusion of task-based goal orientations, the study highlights a limitation and potential boundary of the 3 X 2 achievement goal questionnaire. While the 3 X 2 model was found to be structurally valid, we found multiple validity supports for a definition-based model of the AGQ scale, which does not differentiate between goal approach or avoidance. The study provides some indications that approach and avoidance goals can be indistinguishable to some respondents. Nonetheless, the scale was invariant across multiple groups making group comparison possible.
Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Notched Samples Manufactured by Additive Manufacturing Method Under Different Impact Velocities

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), which is one of the additive manufacturing methods, has recently found industrial usage areas and has become frequently used. Industries using this production method can be listed as: automotive, machine manufacturing, aerospace, etc. While heat and environmental resistance are important factors for parts such as fixtures and apparatus manufactured with this method, mechanical properties are often at forefront. In many studies, the properties of the materials used in FFF under static load have been investigated by tests such as tensile, compression and bending. However, studies on mechanical properties under impact loading remained at a relatively low level. It is clear that material behavior under impact loading is important, especially for polymer materials. In this study, the impact resistance of notched Polylactic acid (PLA) samples produced by FFF method under different impact velocity was investigated. For this aim, a Charpy impact testing machine with low capacity (10J) was designed and manufactured, and the hammer was dropped from different heights and different velocity values were obtained. The instantaneous angle of the arm to which the hammer is attached was recorded by a gyro sensor and Arduino. Impact resistance values calculated depending on the impact speed were evaluated comparatively.
Historic DNA reveals genetic consequences of fragmentation in an endangered, endemic mustard

Understanding how anthropogenic disturbance affects genetic diversity is essential to appropriately incorporating genetic considerations into conservation plans. Unfortunately, we rarely have information about a population’s genetic diversity before it becomes imperiled. Here we reconstruct the historic range of the naturally rare annual mustard Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. niger (Sgn) and use herbarium specimens to quantify pre-disturbance genetic diversity. We compare this to the genetic diversity in the contemporary plant populations and to plants in the seed bank. We conclude that Sgn was recently a single, panmictic population composed of orders of magnitude more plants than exist today but experienced recent and abrupt declines following housing development. Today Sgn persists as two disjunct populations, the larger of which has retained historic levels of diversity although there is a downward trend in all measures. The smaller population has lost 21–28% of the diversity that was present only 50 years ago with an Ne ~ 5–16. The contemporary populations have differentiated from each other due to drift. The seed bank contained no novel alleles and had high levels of homozygosity, indicating that it is incapable of providing genetic rescue. This novel combination of hDNA, the aboveground plant population and the seed bank can be used to design high impact conservation plans that appropriately incorporate genetic diversity for this and other imperiled species.