cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Augustine and the “Chair of Lies”: Rhetoric in The Confessions

Published as Tell, Dave. “Augustine and the ‘Chair of Lies’: Rhetoric in The Confessions.” Rhetorica 28.4 (Autumn 2010): 384-407. © 2010 by [the Regents of the University of California/Sponsoring Society or Association]. Copying and permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by The International Society for the History of Rhetoric for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on http://caliber.ucpress.net or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com."
METABOLISM OF RIBOSOMAL PRECURSOR RIBONUCLEIC ACID IN KIDNEY

The labile precursors of ribosomal RNA in mouse kidney are preserved when nuclei rapidly isolated after sieving through multiple screens are swollen and cleansed in the presence of an RNase inhibitor before digestion with DNase and phenol extraction. The kinetics of nucleolar labeling analyzed on polyacrylamide gels show that 36S RNA is the major intermediate product in the catabolism of the original 45S RNA precursor to 32S RNA, from which 28S RNA is derived. Each kidney nucleus contains about 200–600 molecules of 45S RNA; the turnover time of the 45S pool is about 3 ± 2 min. Compared with HeLa cells, kidney nuclei have a different major intermediate product and a much smaller and more rapidly turning-over pool of ribosomal precursor RNA.
Thermodynamic Study of an Indirect Fired Air Turbine Cogeneration System With Regeneration

A previous study of an indirect fired air turbine cogeneration system has been extended to include the concept of regeneration. The effect of regenerator effectiveness and full regeneration as well as partial regeneration on system performance parameters (such as fuel utilization efficiency, power-to-heat ratio and second-law efficiency) are examined. An important conclusion of this study is that a regenerative gas turbine cogeneration system is capable of producing large power-to-heat ratios for various process conditions requiring the use of only moderate compressor compression ratio and moderately effective regenerators. It appears that this is an attractive system which could compete in a market that is currently dominated by internal combustion engines when a viable fludized bed air heater is available.Copyright © 1987 by ASME
Seasonal Activity of Adult, Ground-occurring Beetles (Coleoptera) in Forests of Northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Abstract Seasonal activity of 24 species of ground-occurring, forest Coleoptera in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was assessed using pitfall traps during the spring and summer of 1996 and 1997. Overall, species richness, abundance and diversity remained relatively constant throughout the season, although species composition varied considerably. Trap catch of seven species was greatest from early May to late June: Calosoma frigidum Kirby, Carabus nemoralis Muller, Platynus decentis (Say), Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, P. mutus (Say), P. pensylvanicus LeConte and Sphaeroderus lecontei Dejean. Two species, Carabus sylvosus Say and Nicrophorus sayi Laporte, showed both early and late peaks in trap catch. Trap catch of eight species was greatest from early July to late August: Calathus ingratus Dejean, Synuchus impunctatus (Say), Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger), Pterostichus tristis (Dejean), Geotrupes bayli Jekel, Nicrophorus defodiens Mannerheim, N. tomentosus Weber and Oiceo...
Scott Barret, Karl-Göran Mäler, and Eric S. Maskin, eds.: Environment and Development Economics: Essays in Honour of Sir Partha Dasgupta

It goes without saying that we are in a state of climate emergency, and forestalling climate catastrophes is going to be one of the defining challenges of our age. “Turn Down the Heat,” a report by...
Contending with Catcalling: The Role of System-justifying Beliefs and Ambivalent Sexism in Predicting Women’s Coping Experiences with (and Men’s Attributions for) Stranger Harassment

The alarming frequency with which women face stranger harassment (i.e., catcalling) calls for further understanding of how they cope with it, and the present research sought to examine coping strategies within the context of system justification theory (Jost and Banaji 1994). We explored whether women’s strategies (Study 1) and men’s prescriptive strategies (Study 2) for coping with stranger harassment were associated with system-justifying motives. Study 1 (N = 143) revealed that system justifying ideologies positively predicted the degree to which women made benign attributions for stranger harassment experiences. Additionally, we found that self-esteem negatively predicted both: (a) women’s benign attributions for stranger harassment and (b) women’s propensity to engage in self-blame following stranger harassment encounters. Study 2 (N = 117) found that ambivalent attitudes toward women (i.e., benevolent and hostile sexism) differentially predicted the degree to which men believed that women should engage in active coping; hostile sexism negatively predicted active coping, while benevolent sexism positively predicted it. Hostile sexism also positively predicted the degree to which men believed that women should make benign attributions, blame themselves, and employ passive coping strategies when harassed by strangers. These results suggest that the ways in which women cope with stranger harassment (and the way that men felt that a stranger harassment victim should cope with her encounter) tended to result from their status quo-legitimizing ideologies about gender relations.
GlobaLinks: Community Institutions and Practices across Nations

As Asian American Studies enters its fourth decade in 2011, Amerasia Journal publishes vital scholarship that links "communities across nations." "GlobaLinks: Community Institutions and Practices across Nations" recognizes that Asian and Pacific American communities are no longer limited by their institutional identities within local boundaries or defined by their political, cultural, or economic activities within national borders alone.
The Primary Attachment Style Questionnaire: A Brief Measure for Assessing Six Primary Attachment Styles before and after Age Twelve

Objective:This article describes development and initial validation studies of the Primary Attachment Style Questionnaire (PASQ), a brief self-report for delineating six styles of attachment to a primary caregiver. Theoretically cued to Ainsworth's original infant classifications, the questionnaire is designed to map attachment patterns during two developmental periods (before and after age 12) and is intended for use in both clinical and non-clinical populations.Method:Pilot studies of the PASQ were conducted with a total of 441 college undergraduates. Over this period, test-retest analyses and factor analyses reduced the number of questionnaire items to the current 42-item version. Participants also responded to a variety of additional measures intended to assess the PASQ's validity.Results:In the first of three validity studies, investigators found moderate correlations between 120 college undergraduates' predominant attachment styles on the PASQ Before 12 and romantic attachment styles on Brennan, Cla...
The dimensionality of trust-relevant constructs in four institutional domains: results from confirmatory factor analyses

ABSTRACTUsing confirmatory factor analyses and multiple indicators per construct, we examined a number of theoretically derived factor structures pertaining to numerous trust-relevant constructs (from 9 to 12) across four institutional contexts (police, local governance, natural resources, state governance) and multiple participant-types (college students via an online survey, community residents as part of a city's budget engagement activity, a random sample of rural landowners, and a national sample of adult Americans via an Amazon Mechanical Turk study). Across studies, a number of common findings emerged. First, the best fitting models in each study maintained separate factors for each trust-relevant construct. Furthermore, post hoc analyses involving addition of higher-order factors tended to fit better than collapsing of factors. Second, dispositional trust was easily distinguishable from the other trust-related constructs, and positive and negative constructs were often distinguishable. However, th...
ID: 35: ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: A RETROSPECTIVE CHART ANALYSIS

Introduction Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is known to target the gastrointestinal system and is associated with extra gastrointestinal manifestations, but there is limited literature on cardiac associations. The most supported pathogenesis uses chronic inflammation as a risk factor causing atherosclerosis resulting in cardiovascular disease. Our aim is to evaluate whether there is an association between HP infection and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Method We performed a retrospective single center study at our medical center from 2005 to 2014 consisting of 1,671 patients who underwent Coronary Angiography (CA). We divided these patients into two groups based on CA reports. Patients with CAD defined as left main stenosis of ≥50% or any stenosis of ≥70% versus normal coronaries. We reviewed each patient chart to determine the prevalence of positive serum HP IgG antibody. Smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity were also considered in each group. Results Of 1,671 patients, 1,237 had evidence of CAD vs 434 with normal coronary arteries. Twelve percent of CAD patients were found to have seropositive HP (SPHP) versus 1% in the control group (OR: 7.3, 95% CI: 3.5–15, p Conclusion According to this study, the results showed a correlation with SPHP patients and CAD. Patients with HP seropositivity also tend to have multiple coronary artery vessel disease. In addition, our results also confirmed that there is an association between with HP infection and AMI. We hypothesize that the associated maybe secondary to inflammatory reaction associated with HP. Additional studies with larger sample groups are needed to investigate the possible role of this pathogen as a risk factor for heart disease.
Carbocationic polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide

Polymerization of isobutylene (IB) in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC·CO2) at 32.5°C and 140 bar by the use of 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethyl-pentane (TMPCl) initiator in conjunction with a mixture of TiCl4/BCl3 leads to well-defined polyisobutylenes (PIB) capped by a t-Bu head group and a t-Cl tail group (tBu-PIB-Clt) of Mn∼1800 g/mole and Mw/Mn=1.3. The TiCl4/BCl3 mixture may be viewed a new Friedel-Crafts Acid that effects rapid initiation, essentially chaintransferless propagation and reversible termination. The mechanism of IB polymerization of TiCl4/BCl3 mixtures is discussed.
Diet and Stress, Psychiatric

Uncontrolled eating in response to psychological stressors (stress eating) is a significant problem for many patients battling overweight and obesity. This article reviews the biological and behavioral theories associated with this phenomenon and provides some practical treatment strategies.
Narcissism’S Mediation on Propensity to Shop Green

Over the last decade, there has been a remarkable increase in the consumption of environmentally friendly products. The popularity of these products has led many consumers to form social networks that are focused on “Green Consumption”. These social networks function with the goal of influencing the public to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and provide consumers with an outlet to show their support for the environment. While eco-friendly firms stress the utilitarian value associated with their products and attempt to support the goals of these groups, the authors argue that many products are purchased simply because of the social signal that is displayed. This paper attempts to uncover some of the motivations associated with green purchases by specifically analyzing the intervening effect of narcissism on a consumer’s propensity to purchase environmentally friendly products. This paper posits that in attempting to validate a positive self-view, the narcissist will consume products that are, not only more visible, but also more environmentally friendly.
Altered proteolytic processing of the polymerase polyprotein in RNA(-) temperature sensitive mutants of murine coronavirus.

We examined the synthesis and processing of the polymerase polyprotein in RNA(-) temperature sensitive mutant of murine coronavirus strain A59. These temperature sensitive mutants of MHV-A59 synthesize viral RNA at the permissive temperature (33.0°C), but are unable to synthesize viral RNA at the nonpermissive temperature (39.5°C). The is mutants have been mapped to five different complementation groups in the polymerase gene. The 5’-most complementation groups, Groups A and B map to a region encoding an autoproteinase responsible for the cleavage of p28, the amino-terminal product of the polymerase polyprotein. We screened six temperature sensitive mutants to determine if there was an alteration in the proteolytic processing of the polymerase polyprotein, particularly in the cleavage of the p28 protein. Two mutants, tsNC9 and tsLA16, had altered proteolytic products at both the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. One Group B temperature sensitive mutant, designated tsNC11, was defective in the production of p28 protein at the nonpermissive temperature. To further localize the site of the mutation in tsNCl1, RNA representing the 5’-most 5.3 kb region of the polymerase gene was transfected into tsNCllinfected cells and virus production monitored. The transfected RNA was able to complement the defect in tsNC11, resulting in viral RNA synthesis and production of viral particles at the nonpermissive temperature. These results indicate that a gene product from the 5.3 kb region of gene 1 is required for coronavirus RNA synthesis.
Responsibility to Redress: Global Harm, Obligation and the Afghan and Iraqi Refugee Crises

The U.S. led invasions and occupations of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 created displacement crises that continue to this day. Yet despite the on-going consequences of these actions, and immediate needs of millions of people, U.S. and allied responses have been slow, narrow, and inadequate with regard to basic humanitarian aid and protection. In 2006, for example, the U.S. Government created programs to issue Special Immigrant Visas to a limited number of Afghans and Iraqis who worked for the U.S. military in various capacities. These programs were created to help the “friends” of the U.S. that assisted in its war effort. In this way the U.S. Government recognized a limited duty to redress harm while millions of others who were negatively affected by the invasions and occupations are given no such consideration. This paper first considers “cosmopolitan” and “anti-cosmopolitan” justifications for redressing harm done to outsiders. Then, following what Shelley Wilcox calls the global harm principle I argue that the states involved in military action in Afghanistan and Iraq have an obligation to assist everyone negatively affected, not just “friends.” In order to fulfill this obligation, the U.S. and its allies should expand their refugee resettlement programs to admit any non-combatants from Afghanistan or Iraq who wishes to resettle. For those who do not wish to resettle in the United States or Europe, greater funds should be made available in the form of direct cash transfers to individuals and greater funding for international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). I draw upon precedents of reparations in international law and practice, such as those made following cessation of wars, to support this recommendation. Finally, I consider several of the key trade-offs implied by the GHP when implemented in a “non-ideal” world.
Iterative model and trajectory refinement for orbital trajectory optimization

Summary An iterative model and trajectory refinement (IMTR) strategy is proposed for trajectory optimization of nonlinear systems. A high- and a low-fidelity models are used. The high-fidelity model accurately represents the system but is not easily amenable to trajectory optimization, because of degree of nonlinearity, computational cost, or to being of “black-box” type. The low-fidelity model is suitable for numerical optimization but approximates the system dynamics with an error. The IMTR method is proposed to systematically iterate between the 2 models and efficiently converge on a control solution. Examples are drawn from orbital mechanics. The IMTR approach is compared to optimal nonlinear quadratic control using Pontryagin maximum principle. A convergence criterion for the IMTR iterations is established.
Functional multiple indicators, multiple causes measurement error models

Objective measures of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production by mammals are used to predict their energy expenditure. Since energy expenditure is not directly observable, it can be viewed as a latent construct with multiple physical indirect measures such as respiratory quotient, volumetric oxygen consumption, and volumetric carbon dioxide production. Metabolic rate is defined as the rate at which metabolism occurs in the body. Metabolic rate is also not directly observable. However, heat is produced as a result of metabolic processes within the body. Therefore, metabolic rate can be approximated by heat production plus some errors. While energy expenditure and metabolic rates are correlated, they are not equivalent. Energy expenditure results from physical function, while metabolism can occur within the body without the occurrence of physical activities. In this manuscript, we present a novel approach for studying the relationship between metabolic rate and indicators of energy expenditure. We do so by extending our previous work on MIMIC ME models to allow responses that are sparsely observed functional data, defining the sparse functional multiple indicators, multiple cause measurement error (FMIMIC ME) models. The mean curves in our proposed methodology are modeled using basis splines. A novel approach for estimating the variance of the classical measurement error based on functional principal components is presented. The model parameters are estimated using the EM algorithm and a discussion of the model's identifiability is provided. We show that the defined model is not a trivial extension of longitudinal or functional data methods, due to the presence of the latent construct. Results from its application to data collected on Zucker diabetic fatty rats are provided. Simulation results investigating the properties of our approach are also presented.
Interaction of Perceived Frequency and Intensity in Fingertip Electrotactile Stimulation: Dissimilarity Ratings and Multidimensional Scaling

Sensations elicited by electrical stimulation of touch are multidimensional, varying in perceived intensity and quality in response to changes in stimulus current or waveform timing. This paper manipulated both current and frequency, while volunteer participants estimated the dissimilarity of all non-identical pairs of 16 stimulus conditions. Multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that a model having two perceptual dimensions was adequate in representing the electrotactile (electrocutaneous) sensations. The two dimensions were identified as perceptual frequency and intensity, and were strongly correlated with the two stimulus variables, frequency and current, although not in a 1:1 correspondence. Perception of frequency differences increased monotonically with stimulus intensity, which is consistent with other human sensory systems, such as hearing and vision. Our results are consistent with previously-reported research using a different methodology and cutaneous locus. Congruence across different methods and laboratories suggests similar underlying perceptual mechanisms.
Safety Culture: Establishing Processes to Support Trust and Accountability for Risk Reduction

Oncology nurses are tasked with developing skills that enable vigilant risk surveillance through situational awareness. However, care distractions, task interruptions, increased workloads, and time constraints are common challenges that compete with the ability to provide optimal safe care. A commitment to safety is a professional and organizational expectation, and being empowered to overcome safety-related challenges necessitates multilevel and interprofessional accountability. .
PELUANG DAN TANTANGAN INDONESIA MENGHADAPI PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI CHINA INDIA (CHINDIA)

The economic growths of China and India which are rising surprisingly on the last decade have showed as the new economic power in the world. At the same time, at the different regions, those have stagnant of their growth, China and India demonstrate high growth. This gives an opportunity to many other countries which have economic partnership to them, especially Indonesia. There are so many goods come from China and India that have filled out to Indonesia and some other countries in Asia. From Indonesia’s perspective, the China and India growth have brought some opportunities with their supply of raw materials and supporting goods for domestic industries. On the other hand, Indonesia is facing a big threat regarding the goods and products from China and India. The possible way to overcome this matter is to maintain and improve the quality of our products so they could compete with them. Keywords: Chindia, opportunity , Indonesia’s growth
Factors Related to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption at Lunch Among Elementary Students: A Scoping Review.

Introduction Few children consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, and schools are a valuable setting for interventions, including programs such as the National School Lunch Program, to increase consumption. Previous research explored factors in this program that influence fruit and vegetable consumption. The objective of this scoping review was to identify, describe, and categorize studies that quantitatively measured the consumption of fruits and vegetables during the school lunch meal among US elementary school students. Methods We conducted a scoping review to identify, describe, and categorize studies examining factors influencing fruit and vegetable consumption during lunch among children in the United States. Eligibility criteria included studies that reported fruit and vegetable consumption at the lunch meal among children in kindergarten through grade 5. We included all types of study designs and categorized factors according to a socioecological framework. Results We identified 49 studies that examined the influence of one or more factors on elementary students' consumption of fruits and vegetables. Factors (n = 21) were categorized according to a socioecological framework: individual (3 factors), social environment (3 factors), physical environment (9 factors), policy (2 factors), and a combined approach (4 factors). Several factors had consistent positive associations with fruit and vegetable consumption at lunch across 2 or more studies: increasing age, serving sliced fruits, serving vegetables first, allowing more time for eating, using incentives, using social marketing and/or nutrition education curricula, and using the updated nutrition standards. Only 10 studies used a randomized design. Conclusion Although we found consistent evidence for some factors, we found conflicting or limited evidence for most, which points to the need for replication in future studies. The lack of randomized designs is a challenge, because it precludes the ability to draw conclusions about cause and effect. Our review may aid in framing practical aspects of the design of future research and in identifying an approach for a systematic review.
Returning to the Fire: Surviving the Holocaust and “Going Back”

This paper examines the multiply determined factors in Holocaust survivors who return to their native countries and sites of persecution. Citing material from archived interviews and consultations with a gravely ill survivor, as well as published accounts from others, the author explores historical, cultural, and psychodynamic dimensions. Intrapsychic, developmental, and traumatic aspects are considered, such as the fantasy of reunion with the lost maternal object, unresolved grief, the repetition compulsion, attempts at mastery, and the use of counterphobic or hypomanic defenses. This constellation of factors is seen in the context of the “Jewish” premium on remembering and the political realities of post war Europe. The role of the “Second Generation” in assisting the survivor parents in the working through process is also emphasized.
Influence of nisin on the resistance of Bacillus anthracis sterne spores to heat and hydrostatic pressure.

The influence of nisin on the heat and pressure resistance of Bacillus anthracis Sterne spores was examined. The decimal reduction times (D-value) of spores in milk (2% fat) at 80, 85, and 90°C were determined. In the absence of nisin, the D-values were 30.09, 9.30, and 3.86 min, respectively. The D-values of spores heated in the presence of nisin (1 mg/ml) were not significantly different (P = 0.05). However, spores heated in the presence of nisin had a 1- to 2-log reduction in viability, after which the death kinetics became similar to those of spores in the absence of nisin. The z-values all were 11.2°C regardless of the presence or absence of nisin. The pressure sensitivity of B. anthracis Sterne spores in the presence and absence of nisin also was determined. Spores treated with nisin were 10 times more pressure sensitive than were spores subjected to pressure in the absence of nisin under the conditions used in this study.
SOME EFFECTS OF DIET ON THE BIOLOGY OF THE ROTIFERS ASPLANCHNA AND BRACHIONUS

ABSTRACT In certain rotifers the size, biomass, shape, population dynamics, and certain life cycle events, such as the occurrence of sexual or parthenogenetic reproduction and the breaking of dormancy, may be controlled by the type of food eaten. In the A. brightwelli-A. intermedia-A. sieboldi series, there is an increasingly pronounced developmental polymorphism in female size and shape controlled by two dietary factors – tocopherol (vitamin E) and food type. In the absence of tocopherol, females are relatively small, saccate, and amictic (female-producing). When tocopherol is present, they are 50–200% larger in length, may possess characteristic body-wall outgrowths, and are often mictic (male-producing). In A. intermedia and A. sieboldi , there are two tocopherol-dependent morphotypes –cruciform and campanulate. The latter is induced when the diet consists of congeneric or crustacean prey. Within each morphotype of these species, food type may exert considerable control over body size and shape, biomass, and life-table parameters. In A. sieboldi , saccate females fed on Brachionus are larger, have a greater dry weight biomass, produce more than twice as many offspring, live longer, and can reproduce more rapidly than those fed on Paramecium. In all morphotypes, but especially the tocopherol -dependent ones, large prey induce larger body sizes and disproportionately larger coronae than small prey. Tocopherol-induced body enlargement involves an increase in cell number in certain cellular structures, an increase in nuclear number, size, and DNA endoreduplication in some syncytial structures, and additional cytoplasmic growth. The mechanism by which food type can modify or exaggerate these growth responses is not understood. In B. calyciflorus , food type can influence body size, relative length of posterolateral spines, and the hatching pattern, as well as the hatchability, of resting eggs.
High-precision half-life measurement of the β + decay of Na 21

The ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$ decay of $^{21}\mathrm{Na}$ to $^{21}\mathrm{Ne}$ is one of the four cases currently being used to determine the value of ${V}_{\mathrm{ud}}$ from nuclear mirror ($T=1/2$) transitions. To date, published values for the half-life of $^{21}\mathrm{Na}$ have not been consistent with one another. We report here a new measurement of the half-life: $22.4615\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{0.0039}_{(\mathrm{stat})}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{{}_{0.0015}^{0.0001}}_{(\mathrm{syst})}s$. This result increases the world average of the $^{21}\mathrm{Na}$ half-life by 0.0048 s and reduces the uncertainty by a factor of 1.5.
Disparities in Tdap Vaccination and Vaccine Information Needs Among Pregnant Women in the United States

Objectives The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that pregnant women receive the Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy. The objectives of this paper are to evaluate disparities in Tdap vaccination among pregnant women in the U.S., and to assess whether race/ethnicity and other characteristics are associated with factors that inform pregnant women’s decisions about Tdap vaccination. Methods We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional web-based survey of pregnant women in the U.S. during June–July 2014. The primary outcome was self-reported vaccination status with Tdap during pregnancy, categorized as vaccinated, unvaccinated with intent to be vaccinated during the current pregnancy, and unvaccinated with no intent to be vaccinated during the current pregnancy. Secondary outcomes included factors that influenced women’s decisions about vaccination and information needs. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios for associations between race/ethnicity and the outcomes. Results Among pregnant women who completed the survey, 41% (95% CI 36–45%) reported that they had received Tdap during the current pregnancy. Among those women in the third trimester at the time of survey, 52% (95% CI 43–60%) had received Tdap during the current pregnancy. Hispanic women had higher Tdap vaccination than white women and black women (53%, p < 0.05, compared with 38 and 36%, respectively). In logistic regression models adjusting for maternal age, geographic region, education, and income, Hispanic women were more likely to have been vaccinated with Tdap compared with white women (aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.20–4.37). Higher income and residing in the western U.S. were also independently associated with Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. Twenty-six percent of surveyed women had not been vaccinated with Tdap yet but intended to receive the vaccine during the current pregnancy; this proportion did not differ significantly by race/ethnicity. The most common factor that influenced women to get vaccinated was a health care provider (HCP) recommendation. The most common reason for not getting vaccinated was a concern about safety of the vaccine. Conclusions This study found that some disparities exist in Tdap vaccination among pregnant women in the U.S., and HCPs have an important role in providing information and recommendations about the maternal Tdap recommendation to pregnant women so they can make informed vaccination decisions.
The Influence of Type of Defense Counsel on Prosecutorial and Judicial Decision Making in Domestic Violence Cases

This study examines the influence of the type of defense counsel on prosecutorial and judicial decisions in domestic violence cases. We found that the type of defense counsel mattered more in sentencing compared with previous decision points. Cases handled by private attorneys were less likely to experience charge reductions at screening and be dismissed. However, decision patterns are reversed postarraignment, where charges start to decrease at a higher rate for cases represented by private counsel. Defendants represented by private lawyers were less likely to plead guilty, but they were also markedly less likely to face incarceration.
CMOS-compatible zero-index metamaterial (Conference Presentation)

Zero-index metamaterials (ZIMs) offer exotic optical properties such as uniform spatial phase and infinite wavelength, as well as photonic applications including super-coupling and omnidirectional phase matching in nonlinear optics. Here we present an on-chip ZIM consisting of a square array of air-holes in a 220-nm-thick silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. This design enables mass production of ZIM-based photonic devices at low cost and high fidelity using standard CMOS fabrication technology. To transition from the high-aspect ratio inverse case of silicon pillars under transverse magnetic (TM) polarization, our design is instead intended for a transverse electric (TE) polarization because of TE modes are, in general, better confined than TM modes for a given thin film. Furthermore, the larger volume fraction of silicon provided by the air-holes structure improves the confinement as compared with the silicon-pillars structure. We optimized the design to obtain a zero index corresponding to a finite impedance of 0.8 at 1550 nm. The bandstructure of the metamaterial shows a Dirac-cone dispersion at the center of the Brillouin zone at 1550 nm. These results indicate that this metamaterial possesses an impedance-matched, isotropic zero index at 1550 nm. To experimentally verify that the metamaterial has a zero index, we fabricated a right-triangular prism measuring twenty unit cells across. The measured effective index of this prism crosses zero linearly at 1630 nm and shows positive and negative indices at short and longer wavelengths, respectively, indicating a Dirac-cone induced zero index. This measurement is in excellent agreement with the result of full-wave simulation.
DVID: Distributed Versioned Image-Oriented Dataservice.

Open-source software development has skyrocketed in part due to community tools like github.com, which allows publication of code as well as the ability to create branches and push accepted modifications back to the original repository. As the number and size of EM-based datasets increases, the connectomics community faces similar issues when we publish snapshot data corresponding to a publication. Ideally, there would be a mechanism where remote collaborators could modify branches of the data and then flexibly reintegrate results via moderated acceptance of changes. The DVID system provides a web-based connectomics API and the first steps toward such a distributed versioning approach to EM-based connectomics datasets. Through its use as the central data resource for Janelia’s FlyEM team, we have integrated the concepts of distributed versioning into reconstruction workflows, allowing support for proofreader training and segmentation experiments through branched, versioned data. DVID also supports persistence to a variety of storage systems from high-speed local SSDs to cloud-based object stores, which allows its deployment on laptops as well as large servers. The tailoring of the backend storage to each type of connectomics data leads to efficient storage and fast queries. DVID is freely available as open-source software with an increasing number of supported storage options.
Modeling optical coupling of plasmons and inhomogeneously broadened emitters

Optically coupling quantum emitters to nanoparticles provides the foundation for many plasmonic applications. Including quantum mechanical effects within the calculations can be crucial for designing new devices, but classical approximations are sometimes sufficient. Comprehending how the classical and quantum mechanical descriptions of quantum emitters alter their calculated optical response will lead to a better understanding of how to design devices. Here, we describe how the semiclassical Maxwell-Liouville method can be used to calculate the optical response from inhomogeneously broadened states. After describing the Maxwell-Liouville algorithm, we use the method to study the photon echoes from quantum dots and compare the results against analytical models. We then modify the quantum dot’s state distribution to match a PbS 850 nm quantum dot’s absorption spectra to see how the complete quasi-band structure affects their coupling to gold nanoislands. Finally, we compare the results with previously published work to demonstrate where the complete quantum dot description is necessary.Optically coupling quantum emitters to nanoparticles provides the foundation for many plasmonic applications. Including quantum mechanical effects within the calculations can be crucial for designing new devices, but classical approximations are sometimes sufficient. Comprehending how the classical and quantum mechanical descriptions of quantum emitters alter their calculated optical response will lead to a better understanding of how to design devices. Here, we describe how the semiclassical Maxwell-Liouville method can be used to calculate the optical response from inhomogeneously broadened states. After describing the Maxwell-Liouville algorithm, we use the method to study the photon echoes from quantum dots and compare the results against analytical models. We then modify the quantum dot’s state distribution to match a PbS 850 nm quantum dot’s absorption spectra to see how the complete quasi-band structure affects their coupling to gold nanoislands. Finally, we compare the results with previously publ...
Massively parallel layout generation in real time

Conceiving an artwork requires designers to create assets and organize (or layout) them in a harmonious, self-orating story. While creativity is fundamental to both aspects, the latter can be bolstered with automated techniques. We present a first true SIMD formulation for the layout generation and leverage CUDA-enabled GPU to scan through millions of possible permutations and rank them on aesthetic appeal using weighted parameters such as symmetry, alignment, density, size balance, etc. The entire process happens in real-time using a GPU-accelerated implementation of replica exchange Monte Carlo Markov Chain method. The exploration of design space is rapidly narrowed by performing distant jumps from poorly ranked layouts, and fine tuning the highly ranked ones. Several iterations are carried out until desired rank or system convergence is achieved. In contrast to existing approaches, our technique generates aesthetically better layouts and runs more than two orders of magnitude faster.
Roman technological progress in comparative context: The Roman Empire, Medieval Europe and Imperial China

Abstract The Roman Empire experienced both extensive and intensive economic growth. This article first surveys the role of technology in that process, engaging with recent literature on intensive growth under Malthusian constraints. It goes on to investigate the difference in technological progress between the Roman Empire and medieval Europe. It argues that political fragmentation explains why medieval Europe was more innovative than the Roman world, invoking a comparison with imperial China to complement the analysis. The technological success of China under the Tang and Song shows that political fragmentation is not a precondition for progress. However, Roman emperors never invested in the practical application of useful knowledge, the way Chinese rulers did.
HydrogeoSieveXL: an Excel-based tool to estimate hydraulic conductivity from grain-size analysis

For over a century, hydrogeologists have estimated hydraulic conductivity (K) from grain-size distribution curves. The benefits of the practice are simplicity, cost, and a means of identifying spatial variations in K. Many techniques have been developed over the years, but all suffer from similar shortcomings: no accounting of heterogeneity within samples (i.e., aquifer structure is lost), loss of grain packing characteristics, and failure to account for the effects of overburden pressure on K. In addition, K estimates can vary by an order of magnitude between the various methods, and it is not generally possible to identify the best method for a given sample. The drawbacks are serious, but the advantages have seen the use of grain-size distribution curves for K estimation continue, often using a single selected method to estimate K in a given project. In most cases, this restriction results from convenience. It is proposed here that extending the analysis to include several methods would be beneficial since it would provide a better indication of the range of K that might apply. To overcome the convenience limitation, an Excel-based spreadsheet program, HydrogeoSieveXL, is introduced here. HydrogeoSieveXL is a freely available program that calculates K from grain-size distribution curves using 15 different methods. HydrogeoSieveXL was found to calculate K values essentially identical to those reported in the literature, using the published grain-size distribution curves.
IDMIL: an alignment-free Interpretable Deep Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) for predicting disease from whole-metagenomic data

Motivation The human body hosts more microbial organisms than human cells. Analysis of this microbial diversity provides key insight into the role played by these microorganisms on human health. Metagenomics is the collective DNA sequencing of coexisting microbial organisms in an environmental sample or a host. This has several applications in precision medicine, agriculture, environmental science and forensics. State-of-the-art predictive models for phenotype predictions from metagenomic data rely on alignments, assembly, extensive pruning, taxonomic profiling and reference sequence databases. These processes are time consuming and they do not consider novel microbial sequences when aligned with the reference genome, limiting the potential of whole metagenomics. We formulate the problem of predicting human disease from whole-metagenomic data using Multiple Instance Learning (MIL), a popular supervised learning paradigm. Our proposed alignment-free approach provides higher accuracy in prediction by harnessing the capability of deep convolutional neural network (CNN) within a MIL framework and provides interpretability via neural attention mechanism. Results The MIL formulation combined with the hierarchical feature extraction capability of deep-CNN provides significantly better predictive performance compared to popular existing approaches. The attention mechanism allows for the identification of groups of sequences that are likely to be correlated to diseases providing the much-needed interpretation. Our proposed approach does not rely on alignment, assembly and reference sequence databases; making it fast and scalable for large-scale metagenomic data. We evaluate our method on well-known large-scale metagenomic studies and show that our proposed approach outperforms comparative state-of-the-art methods for disease prediction. Availability and implementation https://github.com/mrahma23/IDMIL.
20-year mortality after discharge in a cohort of 1,099 former trauma inpatients with and without substance use disorders

Abstract Introduction Psychoactive substance use disorders (SUDs) are common in trauma patients and substance use has become a leading cause of death in the United States. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a lifetime SUD and SUD characteristics (substance used, current SUD versus in remission from dependence, etc.) on the long-term survival of trauma patients. Methods Cohort study of consecutive adult trauma inpatients who were discharged alive from a level-one trauma center (1994–1996). The presence of lifetime SUD was determined at the time of admission by the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III-R. Mortality follow-up through the end of 2017 was obtained by linking patients to a national database of death certificates. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to determine the association of lifetime SUD and death after adjusting for age and tobacco use. Results 1,220 patients were approached, 1,118 consented to participate, and 1,099 had personal identifiers for matching. 789 (71.8%) of subjects were men, 596 (54.2%) had lifetime SUDs, and 325 (29.6%) died. Injury was the most common cause of death (24.6%, 80/325), with poisonings (40.0%, 32/80) being the most common injury-related cause of death. Compared to those without a lifetime SUD, lifetime SUD was associated with increased all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj]=1.83; 95% CI, 1.4 to 2.4), injury death (HRadj=2.47; 95% CI: 1.4 to 4.2), and fatal opioid overdose (HRadj=12.96; 95% CI, 1.7 to 100.4)(p ≤ 0.01 for all HRadj). Conclusions The presence of a lifetime SUD was associated with early death, particularly from reinjury, in trauma patients. It is important to address a patient's SUD during admission to decrease their chances of dying after discharge, especially due to injury-related causes.
The Sickness Behavior Inventory-Revised: Sickness behavior and its associations with depression and inflammation in patients with metastatic lung cancer

Background Inflammation may contribute to the high prevalence of depressive symptoms seen in lung cancer. “Sickness behavior” is a cluster of symptoms induced by inflammation that are similar but distinct from depressive symptoms. The Sickness Behavior Inventory-Revised (SBI-R) was developed to measure sickness behavior. We hypothesized that the SBI-R would demonstrate adequate psychometric properties in association with inflammation. Method Participants with stage IV lung cancer (n = 92) were evaluated for sickness behavior using the SBI-R. Concomitant assessments were made of depression (Patient Hospital Questionniare-9, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP)]. Classical test theory (CTT) was applied and multivariate models were created to explain SBI-R associations with depression and inflammation. Factor Analysis was also used to identify the underlying factor structure of the hypothesized construct of sickness behavior. A longitudinal analysis was conducted for a subset of participants. Results The sample mean for the 12-item SBI-R was 8.3 (6.7) with a range from 0 to 33. The SBI-R demonstrated adequate internal consistency with a Cronbach's coefficient of 0.85, which did not increase by more than 0.01 with any single-item removal. This analysis examined factor loadings onto a single factor extracted using the principle components method. Eleven items had factor loadings that exceeded 0.40. SBI-R total scores were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.78, p < 0.001) and CRP (r = 0.47, p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that inflammation and depressive symptoms explained 67% of SBI-R variance. Significance of results The SBI-R demonstrated adequate reliability and construct validity in this patient population with metastatic lung cancer. The observed findings suggest that the SBI-R can meaningfully capture the presence of sickness behavior and may facilitate a greater understanding of inflammatory depression.