cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asymptotic converse bound for secret key capacity in hidden Markov model

Secret key establishment from common randomness has been traditionally investigated under cartain limiting assumptions, of which the most ubiquitous appears to be that the information available to all parties comes in the form of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) samples of some correlated random variables. Unfortunately, models employing the i.i.d assumption are often not accurate representations of real scenarios. A more capable model would represent the available information as correlated hidden Markov models (HMMs), based on the same underlying Markov chain. Such a model accurately reflects the scenario where all parties have access to imperfect observations of the same source random process, exhibiting a certain time dependency. In this paper, we derive a computationally-efficient asymptotic converse bound for the secret key capacity of the correlated-HMM scenario. The main obstacle, not only for our model, but also for other non-i.i.d cases, is the computational complexity. We address this by converting the initial bound to a product of Markov random matrices, and using recent results regarding its convergence to a Lyapunov exponent. The methods developed in the paper are easily extensible to derive a secret-key capacity lower bound.
Frobenius’ theta formula

In this section we want to combine Riemann’s theta formula (II.6) with the Vanishing Property (6.7) of the last section. An amazing cancellation takes place and we can prove that for hyperelliptic Ω, ϑ(\( \vec z \), Ω) satisfies a much simpler identity discovered in essence by Frobenius. We shall make many applications of Frobenius’ formula. The first of these is to make more explicit the link between the analytic and algebraic theory of the Jacobian by evaluating the constants ck of Theorem 5.3. The second will be to give explicitly via thetas the solutions of Neumann’s dynamical system discussed in §4. Other applications will be given in later sections. Because one of these is to the Theorem characterizing hyperelliptic Ω by the Vanishing Property (6.7), we want to derive Frobenius’ theta formula using only this Vanishing and no further aspects of the hyperelliptic situation. Therefore, we assume we are working in the following situation: 1. B = fixed set with 2g+2 elements 2. U ⊂ B, a fixed subset with g+1 elements 3. ∞; ∈ B-U a fixed element 4. T → ŋT an isomorphism: $$ \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {even subsets of B} \\ {modulo S \sim CS} \\ \end{array} } \right)\xrightarrow{ \approx }\frac{1} {2}{{\mathbb{Z}^{2g} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\mathbb{Z}^{2g} } {\mathbb{Z}^{2g} }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\mathbb{Z}^{2g} }} $$ such that $$ a)\eta _{S_1 \circ S_2 } = \eta _{S_1 } + \eta _{S_2 } $$ $$ b)e_2 \left( {\eta _{S_1 } ,\eta _{S_2 } } \right) = \left( { - 1} \right)^{\# S_1 \cap S_2 } $$ $$ c)e_ \star \left( {\eta _{\rm T} } \right) = \left( { - 1} \right)^{\frac{{\# \left( {{\rm T} \circ U} \right) - g - 1}} {2}} $$ 5. Open image in new window satisfies ϑ-[ηT] (O,Ω) = 0 if #ToU ≠ g+1. 6. We fix ŋi∈ 1/2 ℤ2g for all i ∈ B-∞ such that ŋi mod ℤ2g equals η{i, ∞} and also let η∞ = 0. (This choice affects nothing essentially.) We shall use the notation $$ \begin{gathered} \varepsilon _S \left( k \right) = + 1if k \in S \hfill \\ - 1 if k \notin S \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ for all k ∈ B, subsets S ⊂ B.
Transgenic Reproductive Cell Ablation

Numerous cell ablation technologies are available and have been used in reproductive tissues, particularly for male tissues and cells. The importance of ablation of reproductive tissues is toward a fundamental understanding reproductive tissue development and fertilization, as well as, in developing sterility lines important to breeding strategies. Here, we describe techniques for developing ablation lines for both male and female reproductive cells. Also discussed are techniques for analysis, quality control, maintenance, and the lessening of pleiotropism in such lines.
Erratum zu: Lehrerprofessionalität im Bereich der politischen Bildung

Im ursprunglichen Werk wurde auf Seite 34 verlagsseitig falschlicherweise eine fehlerhafte Abbildung verwendet. Dieser Fehler wurde nun behoben.
Publicizing Pussy Riot: Translating (Inter) (Trans)National Memories on the Global Memoryscape

Pussy Riot’s 2011 protest performance emerged as a (inter) (trans)national polysemic memory event. Remembered differently by news and digitally networked medias, the memory event illustrates the ro...
Lower serum IgA is associated with COPD exacerbation risk in SPIROMICS

Background Decreased but measurable serum IgA levels (≤70 mg/dL) have been associated with risk for infections in some populations, but are unstudied in COPD. This study tested the hypothesis that subnormal serum IgA levels would be associated with exacerbation risk in COPD. Methods Data were analyzed from 1,049 COPD participants from the observational cohort study SPIROMICS (535 (51%) women; mean age 66.1 (SD 7.8), 338 (32%) current smokers) who had baseline serum IgA measured using the Myriad RBM biomarker discovery platform. Exacerbation data was collected prospectively (mean 944.3 (SD 281.3) days), and adjusted linear, logistic and zero-inflated negative binomial regressions were performed. Results Mean IgA was 269.1 mg/dL (SD 150.9). One individual had deficient levels of serum IgA (<7 mg/dL) and 25 (2.4%) had IgA level ≤70 mg/dL. Participants with IgA ≤70 mg/dL were younger (62 vs. 66 years, p = 0.01) but otherwise similar to those with higher IgA. In adjusted models, IgA ≤70 mg/dL was associated with higher exacerbation incidence rates (IRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.01–2.87, p = 0.044) and greater risk for any severe exacerbation (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.30–6.94, p = 0.010). In adjusted models among those in the lowest decile (<120 mg/dL), each 10 mg/dL decrement in IgA (analyzed continuously) was associated with more exacerbations during follow-up (β 0.24, 95% CI 0.017–0.46, p = 0.035). Conclusions Subnormal serum IgA levels were associated with increased risk for acute exacerbations, supporting mildly impaired IgA levels as a contributing factor in COPD morbidity. Additionally, a dose-response relationship between lower serum IgA and number of exacerbations was found among individuals with serum IgA in the lowest decile, further supporting the link between serum IgA and exacerbation risk. Future COPD studies should more comprehensively characterize immune status to define the clinical relevance of these findings and their potential for therapeutic correction.
Blocking Generators for Small 2k-p Designs

Small 2k-p designs are increasingly being used in industry for process and product experimentation. Blocking of these designs can often significantly increase their efficiency. To facilitate the practical use of blocking, a comprehensive table providing..
Behavior Therapy with Obsessive-Compulsives

Clinical accounts of obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) have appeared in the literature for well over 100 years. Esquirol first described this syndrome in 1838, but it was not until the beginning of this century that attempts were made to formally document and define it (Janet, 1903; Lewis, 1935; Schneider, 1925). Traditional conceptualizations of OCD have generally included both cognitive and behavioral components. For example, Pollitt (1956) suggested that this disorder is characterized by a recurrent or persistent idea, thought, image, feeling, impulse or movement which is accompanied by a sense of subjective compulsion and desire to resist it, the event being recognized by the individual as foreign to his personality and into the abnormality of which he has insight. (p. 842)
The marketing of love: how attachment styles affect romantic consumption journeys

The experience of romantic love is closely interlocked with consumption journeys—yet how and why consumers engage in romantic consumption is not fully understood. This research emphasizes romantic consumption as a novel scholarly domain of theoretical and substantive richness due to its fundamental importance to nearly every consumer’s life and its considerable economic relevance. Specifically, we investigate how attachment styles influence romantic consumption across various contexts, from movies, books, and greeting cards to romantic gaming and online dating. Across six studies, we show that consumers with an avoidant attachment style are less likely to engage in romantic consumption, whereas consumers with anxious and fearful attachment styles are more favorable toward it and emulate the romantic consumption of consumers with a secure attachment style. We propose that this pattern is driven by the interaction between attachment avoidance and anxiety such that the negative effect of attachment avoidance is attenuated when attachment anxiety is high. These attachment style differences are mediated by a motive for emotional intimacy, suggesting that personal romantic consumption (e.g., reading a book) can serve as a surrogate to fulfill unmet relational needs. Notably, positioning products via types of romantic love serves as an important moderator: products positioned via companionate love are more appealing to securely attached consumers, products positioned via passionate love are more appealing to avoidant consumers, and anxious and fearful consumers find both equally appealing. Consistent with the notion of consumer-based strategy, we discuss how managers can leverage these insights in their segmentation, targeting, and positioning.
Abstract 798: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition directs stem cell polarity via regulation of mitofusin

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that have been linked to stem cell homeostasis. However, the mechanism involved in mitochondrial regulation of stem cell fate determination remain elusive. Here we discover that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key process in cancer progression, induces mitochondrial fusion through regulation of miR200c-PGC1a-MFN1 pathway. EMT-activated MFN1 forms a complex with PKCz and is required for PKCz-mediated NUMB phosphorylation and dissociation from the cortical membrane to direct asymmetric division of mammary stem cells, where fused mitochondria are tethered by MFN1-PKCz to the cortical membrane and asymmetrically segregated to the stem cell-like progeny with enhanced glutathione synthesis and reactive oxygen species scavenging capacities, allowing sustaining of a self-renewing stem cell pool. Suppression of MFN1 expression leads to equal distribution of the fragmented mitochondria in both progenies that undergo symmetric luminal cell differentiation. Together, this study elucidates a novel role of mitofusin in stem cell fate determination to mediate EMT-associated stemness and provides therapeutic implications for targeting EMT-induced tumor stem cell populations. Citation Format: Meng-Ju Wu, Mi Ran Kim, Silpa Gampala, Yingsheng Zhang, Yueyang Wang, Jer-Yen Yang, Chun-Ju Chang. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition directs stem cell polarity via regulation of mitofusin [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 798.
Pixel by pixel: real-time observation and quantification of passive flotation speeds of three common equine endoparasite egg types.

Abstract The efficacy of anthelmintic treatments against populations of endoparasites infecting livestock throughout the world is decreasing. To mitigate this, the use of fecal egg counts is recommended to determine both the necessity, and to ensure the appropriate choice, of anthelmintic treatment. Traditionally, and in order to facilitate easier identification and/or enumeration, samples are analysed after separating eggs from other fecal particulates by exposing them to a solution with a density higher than that of the eggs, but lower than the remaining fecal contents. While many parasite egg flotation protocols exist, little is known about the characteristics of these eggs with respect to their movement through a flotation solution. In this study, we have demonstrated a novel method for the observation and quantification of microscopic (65–100 µm) objects as they experience unassisted flotation. This also represents, to our knowledge for the first time, that the flotation of parasite eggs has been observed and their movement characteristics quantified as they float through solution. Particle tracking and video analysis software were utilised to automatically detect and track the movement of individual eggs as they floated. Three 30 s videos and one 2 min video of each egg type were analysed. If the first 30 s of video were discounted, the differences in mean flotation speed among all videos was statistically significant between egg types (P = 0.0004). Strongyle type eggs (n = 201) moved the fastest with a mean 51.08 µm/s (95% confidence interval: 47.54–54.62). This was followed by Parascaris spp. (n = 131) and Anoplocephala perfoliata eggs (n = 322), with mean speeds of 44.43 µm/s (95% confidence interval: 39.47–49.4) and 31.11 µm/s (95% confidence interval: 29.6–32.61), respectively. This method for evaluating the mean speed of passive flotation may represent a first step towards further optimizing fecal egg flotation and be of interest to parasitologists and veterinary practitioners.
Toward the development of an image quality tool for active millimeter wave imaging systems

Preliminary design considerations for an image quality tool to complement millimeter wave imaging systems are presented. The tool is planned for use in confirming operating parameters; confirmation of continuity for imaging component design changes, and analysis of new components and detection algorithms. Potential embodiments of an image quality tool may contain materials that mimic human skin in order to provide a realistic signal return for testing, which may also help reduce or eliminate the need for mock passengers for developmental testing. Two candidate materials, a dielectric liquid and an iron-loaded epoxy, have been identified and reflection measurements have been performed using laboratory systems in the range 18 - 40 GHz. Results show good agreement with both laboratory and literature data on human skin, particularly in the range of operation of two commercially available millimeter wave imaging systems. Issues related to the practical use of liquids and magnetic materials for image quality tools are discussed.
Upward Social Comparisons and Posting Under the Influence: Investigating Social Media Behaviors of U.S. Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Introduction: The use of social media has been steadily increasing among U.S. adults, and while time spent on social media has been linked to certain mental health difficulties, it remains unclear precisely which social media behaviors may be damaging to mental well-being. The current study aimed to identify specific social media behaviors related to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Methods: U.S adults (n = 1,314) aged 18 to 82 (M = 35.74) who actively use social media were recruited to participate in an online survey assessing specific social media behaviors. The Patient Health Questionnaire was included to assess the presence of GAD. Univariate analyses were conducted to identify specific social media behaviors associated with GAD. A stepwise binary multivariate logistic regression was developed to determine the key social media behaviors most strongly associated with GAD. Results: Analyses at the univariate level showed a trend, such that individuals with GAD endorsed behaviors associated with social media addiction and censorship. Other behaviors associated with GAD included a greater likelihood of participants comparing themselves to others who are better off than they are, being bothered if unfriended/unfollowed, and being more likely to post under the influence. The multivariate logistic regression model identified two key social media factors most strongly associated with GAD: participants comparing themselves to others better off (p < .001) and posting while drinking alcohol (p = .044).Conclusion: Upward social comparisons and alcohol use while on social media are significantly associated with GAD in an adult population. Keywords: Anxiety Disorder; Social Media; Upward Comparisons; Alcohol Use
MTD 2019: The 6th ACM Workshop on Moving Target Defense

The static nature of current computing systems has made them easy to attack and hard to defend. The idea of moving-target defense (MTD) is to impose the same asymmetric disadvantage on attackers by making systems dynamic and therefore harder to explore and predict. The workshop aims to address the MTD research challenges and methodologies to improve security. We have put together an exciting program, including eight papers and one invited keynote. Some texts in the summary are excerpted from the summaries of previous MTD editions. Related workshop proceedings are available in the ACM DL at: https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3338468
Thinking racial capitalism and black radicalism from Africa: An intellectual geography of Cedric Robinson’s world-system

Abstract Recent writing on race and capitalism in geography and related fields has taken much inspiration from the work of Cedric Robinson. Yet the specificity of his most important concepts—racial capitalism and black radicalism—remains somewhat underdeveloped in the conversations surrounding the resurgence of his work. This article conducts an intellectual geography of Robinson's interventions by identifying some of the key theoretical and geographical contexts in which his work intervenes. It places Africa at the center of his political and intellectual evolution, and explores the centrality of the continent to his early work from the 1960s through the 1990s. It argues that Robinson was shaped by a close engagement with world-systems scholars, who were in turn also markedly informed by the study of Africa and their time spent on the continent. The article conducts an exegetical study of Robinson's key texts, draws on interviews with his surviving partner, Elizabeth Robinson, and from ongoing archival work to explore the African roots of world-systems analysis and the relationship between Robinson's own ideas and debates concerning South Africa, Tanzania and Liberia. It concludes by offering a synthesis of four constituent elements in the Robinsonian black radical tradition.
11.4 A 48-to-80V Input 2MHz Adaptive ZVT-Assisted GaN-Based Bus Converter Achieving 14% Light-Load Efficiency Improvement

In modern hybrid electric vehicles, wide-input-range intermediate bus converters (IBCs) are essential in 48V power systems [1]. To increase the power efficiency, e-mode GaN FETs have been adopted in the IBCs [2, 3], as they offer much smaller on-resistance and thus conduction loss than silicon power FETs. However, even with GaN FETs, hard-switching (HS) power converters would still suffer from considerable turn-on V-I overlap loss and dV/dt kickback at high input voltages, degrading the light-load power efficiency, limiting the switching frequency (f SW ) to 100s of kHz, and compromising the converter reliability. To address these issues, different soft switching schemes have been adopted to enable zero-voltage switching (ZVS) in HV power converters [4, 6]. Conventional ZVS scheme [4, 5] can guarantee fixed switching frequency over a wide input range as compared to its resonant-based counterpart [6]. In [4], although a proper gate driver is reported to minimize the reverse conduction loss of the GaN-based ZVS converter, the converter light-load power efficiency is still considerably degraded by the power loss of the ZVS branch. This is because the fixed large continuous inductor current ripple of the ZVS branch for the maximum load case has to be utilized for ensuring full ZVS of GaN FETs for all different load conditions. This large current ripple becomes excessive and results in substantial power loss in high f SW when the load decreases, diminishing the benefit of switching loss removal via the ZVS operation.
PEBP1 acts as a rheostat between prosurvival autophagy and ferroptotic death in asthmatic epithelial cells

Temporally harmonized elimination of damaged or unnecessary organelles and cells is a prerequisite of health. Under Type 2 inflammatory conditions, human airway epithelial cells (HAECs) generate proferroptotic hydroperoxy-arachidonoyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (HpETE-PEs) as proximate death signals. Production of 15-HpETE-PE depends on activation of 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15LO1) in complex with PE-binding protein-1 (PEBP1). We hypothesized that cellular membrane damage induced by these proferroptotic phospholipids triggers compensatory prosurvival pathways, and in particular autophagic pathways, to prevent cell elimination through programmed death. We discovered that PEBP1 is pivotal to driving dynamic interactions with both proferroptotic 15LO1 and the autophagic protein microtubule-associated light chain-3 (LC3). Further, the 15LO1–PEBP1-generated ferroptotic phospholipid, 15-HpETE-PE, promoted LC3-I lipidation to stimulate autophagy. This concurrent activation of autophagy protects cells from ferroptotic death and release of mitochondrial DNA. Similar findings are observed in Type 2 Hi asthma, where high levels of both 15LO1–PEBP1 and LC3-II are seen in HAECs, in association with low bronchoalveolar lavage fluid mitochondrial DNA and more severe disease. The concomitant activation of ferroptosis and autophagy by 15LO1–PEBP1 complexes and their hydroperoxy-phospholipids reveals a pathobiologic pathway relevant to asthma and amenable to therapeutic targeting.
Exploring Video Engagement in an Intelligent Tutoring System

This paper presents the results of student engagement with eBRAVO, an Intelligent Tutoring System designed to support students’ development of reading comprehension strategies. The eBRAVO curriculum is a personalized experience based on the students’ previous engagement with the tool as well as their demonstration of deep comprehension of the current materials. This personalization may include support in the form of video lessons that target the comprehension strategy with which the reader has recently struggled embedded within the chapter context the reader was currently working. This paper outlines the results from a deployment during a summer program supporting students reading ecology content, and shows that students are clearly distinguishable into categories that denote their patterns of engagement with these videos. It also discusses how these results connect to comprehension assessment results within the system and at a unit level and the implications these results have for the design of future classroom intervention systems.
Kahook Dual Blade goniotomy in post penetrating keratoplasty steroid-induced ocular hypertension.

Abstract Purpose Steroid-induced ocular hypertension (OHTN) after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) may cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve and graft failure. The purpose of this study is to report the first case of a post PKP patient with poorly controlled IOP, successfully treated with Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) goniotomy in both eyes. Observations The patient was a 62-year old male with prior PKP in both eyes for lattice corneal degeneration. After an uncomplicated phacoemulsification in the left eye, his IOP increased to 32 mmHg on maximum tolerated IOP lowering therapy, including oral acetazolamide. This patient was dependent on scleral contact lenses for his irregular astigmatism post PKP to achieve his best-corrected visual acuity. Thus, we needed to consider a conjunctival sparing procedure and decided to proceed with performing a KDB goniotomy in the left eye. At 29 months follow up the visual acuity (VA) remained at 20/20 and IOP 13 mmHg on dorzolamide/timolol combination drop. A year following, his right eye also required KDB goniotomy combined with cataract surgery to treat his cataract and elevated IOP of 28 mm Hg. At 18 months post KDB goniotomy, the right eye VA was 20/50 and IOP 13 mmHg on dorzolamide/timolol combination drop. Conclusions This case demonstrates KDB goniotomy may be a good surgical alternative for post PKP steroid-induced OHTN or glaucoma, especially in patients requiring scleral contact lens for their visual rehabilitation.
A Typology of Existing Machine Learning–Based Predictive Analytic Tools Focused on Reducing Costs and Improving Quality in Health Care: Systematic Search and Content Analysis

Background: Considerable effort has been devoted to the development of artificial intelligence, including machine learning–based predictive analytics (MLPA) for use in health care settings. The growth of MLPA could be fueled by payment reforms that hold health care organizations responsible for providing high-quality, cost-effective care. Policy analysts, ethicists, and computer scientists have identified unique ethical and regulatory challenges from the use of MLPA in health care. However, little is known about the types of MLPA health care products available on the market today or their stated goals. Objective: This study aims to better characterize available MLPA health care products, identifying and characterizing claims about products recently or currently in use in US health care settings that are marketed as tools to improve health care efficiency by improving quality of care while reducing costs. Methods: We conducted systematic database searches of relevant business news and academic research to identify MLPA products for health care efficiency meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria. We used content analysis to generate MLPA product categories and characterize the organizations marketing the products. Results: We identified 106 products and characterized them based on publicly available information in terms of the types of predictions made and the size, type, and clinical training of the leadership of the companies marketing them. We identified 5 categories of predictions made by MLPA products based on publicly available product marketing materials: disease onset and progression, treatment, cost and utilization, admissions and readmissions, and decompensation and adverse events. Conclusions: Our findings provide a foundational reference to inform the analysis of specific ethical and regulatory challenges arising from the use of MLPA to improve health care efficiency.
Drastic Modulation of Molecular Packing and Intrinsic Dissolution Rates by Meniscus-Guided Coating of Extremely Confined Pharmaceutical Thin Films.

Nanosizing has emerged as one of the most effective formulation strategies for enhancement of dissolution properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). In addition to enhancing the specif...
Studies on the structure of flowers and inflorescences of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.).

This study reports on the arrangement of flower buds and structure of floral organs of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) cultivars local to Turkey. The local cultivars were investigated under stereo microscope, light microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicate that each node has two oppositely positioned buds on 1-year-old shoot. Inflorescences resembled the umbel structure that enclosed four (two sets of oppositely oriented) bud scales. The mean flower number varied between 16.3 and 19.9 per cluster among the cultivars. The flowers resembled the hermaphrodite type and one flower was found to have four rudimentary sepals, four petals, four stamens, and one pistil. The stamens were noted to be arranged around the base of the ovary. Each normal anther was observed to have two pollen-producing theca, and each theca was found to have two locules. The number of pollen grains per anther varied between 1380 and 4240 among the genotypes. The pistil was noted to have a deeply hollowed papillate stigmatic surface, and the central part of the style had conducting tissue. The ovarium part of the pistil was found to be surrounded by the nectary tissue, inferior type, and had two atropous ovules. The fruit resembled single-seeded, stone fruit type. This study is the first detailed study on the flower morphology and inflorescences of the cornelian cherry cultivars in Turkey.
How people use softcopy manuals: a case study

In an examination of how people use softcopy documentation, two usability assessments were conducted in which subjects carried out tasks using manuals presented through the IBM BookManager READ/DOS program. The assessments revealed broad individual differences, but some generalizations can nevertheless be made: the search function is often effective, but is not sufficient by itself; the take of contents is very important; the index is rarely used, possibly because it is not easily accessible; and paging is done frequently. The knowledge gained from these assessments translates into the following practical advice for writers of softcopy documentation: write modular information, do not underestimate the table of contents and the index, and provide users with information on the strategic use of the various access methods. >
Separate Nitrite, Nitric Oxide, and Nitrous Oxide Reducing Fractions from Pseudomonas perfectomarinus

Pseudomonas perfectomarinus was found to grow anaerobically at the expense of nitrate, nitrite, or nitrous oxide but not chlorate or nitric oxide. In several repetitive experiments, anaerobic incubation in culture media containing nitrate revealed that an average of 82% of the cells in aerobically grown populations were converted to the capacity for respiration of nitrate. Although they did not form colonies under these conditions, the bacteria synthesized the denitrifying enzymes within 3 hr in the absence of oxygen or another acceptable inorganic oxidant. This was demonstrated by the ability, after anaerobic incubation, of cells and of extracts to reduce nitrite, nitric oxide, and nitrous oxide to nitrogen. From crude extracts of cells grown on nitrate, nitrite, or nitrous oxide, separate complex fractions were obtained that utilized reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as the source of electrons for the reduction of (i) nitrite to nitric oxide, (ii) nitric oxide to nitrous oxide, and (iii) nitrous oxide to nitrogen. Gas chromatographic analyses revealed that each of these fractions reduced only one of the nitrogenous oxides.
Intellectual Property Contracts: Theory and Evidence from Screenplay Sales

This paper presents a model of intellectual property contracts. We explain why many intellectual property contracts are contingent on eventual production or success, even without moral hazard on the part of risk-averse sellers. The explanation is based on differences of opinion between buyers and sellers, and reputation building through multiple transactions. Our model predicts that more reputable sellers will be offered a very different mix of cash and contingency payments than inexperienced sellers. We also discuss the probability of sales as a function of seller and product characteristics. The theoretical model is tested on a data base of screenplay contracts.
LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES ACROSS TIME

Over the past 20 years, a small but productive number of scholars have examined the mechanics and implications of the relationship between foreign-born, female domestic workers, and their employers, both in the USA and around the world. Although they have drawn compellingly on ethnographic methods and sociological theory to understand this relationship within the context of a global economy, few scholars have considered its sociolinguistic dimensions and the ways in which the differential of power between employer and employee is maintained through particular linguistic strategies. In this paper, I seek to redress this lacuna by studying household Spanish handbooks, artifacts designed to teach a register of the language composed of formal commands and commonplace lexical items. I perform discourse analysis on three such handbooks published in the USA between 1959 and 2012, highlighting the different ways in which they attempt to facilitate communication between English-speaking employers and their Spanish...
Does the year-end decline in injury risk reflect reporting error?

BACKGROUND: Relatively little is known about seasonal patterns in occupational injury risk. Injury risk may vary seasonally due to weather-related factors or changing work exposure. Employer confusion about recordkeeping rules and injury occurrence near year end may also lead to an undercount of year-end injuries. METHODS: Case records from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used to determine seasonality for a variety of injury types. RESULTS: Reported injury rates were higher in summer and lower at year end. Difficult-to-identify injuries showed greater year-end incidence declines. CONCLUSIONS: End-of-year injury declines may have reflected reporting errors for some injury types. The summertime increase in injury risk was broad-based and presumably reflected real seasonal factors. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Rookie on the Bench: The Role of the Junior Justice

When Samuel Alito took his seat on January 31, 2006, Stephen G. Breyer finally moved up a rung in seniority, ending the longest reign as a junior Justice in modern Supreme Court history. Breyer served as the rookie Justice for eleven years and 181 days, just twenty-nine days short of breaking the record achieved by Joseph Story in 1823. It was not until the appointment of Smith Thompson to replace Brockholst Livingston that the Marshall Court accommodated a new Justice, altering the cosy boarding-house living arrangement that had existed for nearly twelve years (see Table 1). Table 1. Longest-Serving Junior Justices Name Dates as Junior Justice* Time Served Days *Defined as the period between when one Associate Justice took the judicial oath and when the next Associate Justice took the judicial oath. The exact date of Story's judicial oath is not known. Source: Office of the Curator, Supreme Court of the United States. Joseph Story February 3, 1812 to September 1, 1823 11 years, 6 months, 29 days 4,228 Stephen G. Breyer August 3, 1994 to January 31, 2006 11 years, 5 months, 28 days 4,199 Stephen J. Field May 20, 1863 to March 14, 1870 6 years, 9 months, 25 days Samuel Blatchford April 3, 1882 to January 18, 1888 5 years, 9 months, 15 days John Paul Stevens December 19, 1975 to September 25, 1981 5 years, 9 months, 6 days
Expanding the net: The re-evaluation of the multidimensional nomogram calculating the upper limit of normal PTH (maxPTH) in the setting of secondary hyperparathyroidism and the development of the MultIdimensional Predictive hyperparaTHyroid model (Mi-PTH)

Background The multidimensional nomogram calculating the upper limit of normal PTH (maxPTH) model identifies a personalized upper limit of normal parathyroid hormone (PTH) and successfully predicts classical primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP). We aimed to assess whether maxPTH can distinguish normocalcemic PHP (NCPHP) from secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP), including subjects who underwent bariatric surgery (BrS). Methods A total of 172 subjects with 359 complete datasets of serum calcium (Ca), 25-OH vitamin D, and intact PTH from Oregon were analyzed: 123 subjects (212 datasets) with PHP and 47 (143) with SHP, including 28 (100) with previous BrS. An improved prediction model, MultIdimensional evaluation for Primary hyperparaTHyroidism (Mi-PTH), was created with the same variables as maxPTH by the use of a combined cohort (995 subjects) including participants from previous studies. Results In the Oregon cohort, maxPTH's sensitivity was 100% for classical PHP and 89% for NCPHP, but only 50% for normohormonal PHP (NHPHP) and 40% specific for SHP. In comparison, although sensitivity for NCPHP was similar (89%), Mi-PTH vastly improved SHP specificity (85%). In the combined cohort, Mi-PTH had better sensitivity of 98.5% (vs 95%) and specificity 97% (vs 85%). Conclusion MaxPTH was sensitive in detecting PHP; however, there was low specificity for SHP, especially in patients who underwent BrS. The creation of Mi-PTH provided improved performance measures but requires further prospective evaluation.
Service-Learning in Biomedical Engineering: Engineering World Health (EWH)

Two engineering professors founded Engineering World Health (EWH) in 2001 with the initial goal of sending refurbished medical equipment to hospitals in the developing world. That mission quickly changed to a more sustainable, student-driven model where students spend nine weeks in a Tanzania, Nicaragua or Rwanda. Despite the linguistic, technical and cultural challenges, students are very successful. For example, in 2013 alone, they worked on 602 pieces of non-functioning hospital medical equipment and were able to place 73% of it back into service. The creation of university-based chapters as an integral part of the summer program has allowed EWH to expand the impact of the program on both the hospitals and the students themselves. An essential element in the continued success and growth of the summer institute has been a rigorous admissions process.
Free Speech and Multiculturalism In and Out of the Academy

The debate over hate speech in the United States and the accompanying changes in the political culture of the university provides an opportune case to explore the impact of changing norms of free speech on political tolerance toward unpopular groups. I offer a theory of opinion change that identifies the population groups that should be most susceptible to the new norms against hate speech that originated on college campuses around the country in the 1980s. The predictions from this theory are tested using a battery of tolerance items asked repeatedly in General Social Surveys gathered between 1976 and 2000. The analysis shows that the intellectual campaign against hate speech has significantly reduced support for the free speech rights of racists. This retreat in levels of tolerance is most evident among college students who were educated since the mid-1980s, when debates over multiculturalism and political correctness reached their peak. At the same time, levels of tolerance for nonconformist ideas and lifestyles have remained generally high among today's college students and are almost always significantly higher than the national average. The general stability in aggregate levels of tolerance both in the general population and in various demographic groups only serves to highlight the few dramatic changes that have taken place.
Guanosine-5′-phosphate synthetase and guanosine-5′-phosphate kinase in rat hepatomas and kidney tumors

The behavior of the activities of GMP synthetase (xanthosine-5'-phosphate: L-glutamine amino-ligase(AMP-forming),EC 6.3.5.2) and GMP kinase (ATP: (d)GMP phosphotransferase,EC 2.7.4.8) was elucidated in cytosol preparations of rat tissues, including fetal, neonatal and regenerating liver, in a transplantable kidney tumor, and in a spectrum of 11 hepatomas of different growth rates. GMP kinase activity was 60-fold or more higher than GMP synthetase activity in all of the examined tissues. GMP synthetase activity was increased in all hepatomas and in the kidney tumor, compared to control tissues, reaching 5.5-fold the normal liver values in the most rapidly growing hepatoma. This increase correlated with the tumor growth rates. GMP kinase activity showed no consistent pattern of alteration in the tumors. In both fetal and neonatal rat liver the activity of GMP synthetase was 2.5-times higher than in livers of adult rats, but GMP kinase activity did not change markedly during liver development. After partial hepatectomy GMP synthetase activity was elevated, reaching a peak of 155% of the sham-operated control values by 36 h after the operation. GMP kinase activity was not affected by partial hepatectomy. After 3 days starvation hepatic GMP kinase activity decreased slightly faster than total cytosol protein, while GMP synthetase activity was preferentially maintained. These results indicate that GMP synthetase activity was linked with cellular proliferation in differentiating, regenerating and neoplastic tissues.
Characterization of Silicon Nanoparticles Formed from a Fluidized Bed Reactor and Their Incorporation onto Metal-Coated Carbon Fibers

Enhancing the light trapping using nonwoven arrays of fibers has the potential to improve the photocurrent of silicon solar cells. In this work, amorphous and crystalline Si nanopowders (30–300 nm) were embedded in carbon fibers and fixed in place with electrodeposited nickel. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques have been used to study the morphology of the Si particles and their interactions with the coatings. Two types of nanoparticles are identified, homogeneous nucleated particles (amorphous particles with some crystalline regions) and attrition particles (mostly crystalline products formed from fracture of particles as they grow in a fluidized bed reactor). Using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) technique, the surface area and the pore diameter of these agglomerated Si nanoparticles were calculated to be 6.4 m2/g and 9.8 nm, respectively. After embedding the Si particles into the carbon matrix with the metal coatings, the electrical resistivity decreases, suggesting it is possible to enhance the light extraction of silicon solar cells using Si nanoparticles.
Dental infections and atherosclerosis

In most countries, coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and death. This report reviews the current evidence indicating that oral conditions (specifically periodontitis) may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations and provides new preliminary data. This review is done in the context of the research indicating that inflammation plays a central role in atherogenesis and that there is a substantial systemic microbial and inflammatory burden associated with periodontal disease. Our review concentrates on 5 longitudinal studies that show oral conditions being associated with the onset of coronary heart disease while controlling for a variety of established coronary heart disease risk factors. In addition to published evidence, preliminary findings from our Dental Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study also indicate that periodontal disease is associated with carotid intimal-medial wall thickness, a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, adjusting for factors known to be associated with both conditions.
Meta-analysis of environmental effects on soybean seed composition

The value of commodity soybean depends on the concentration of protein and oil in the seeds. While seed composition is primarily genetically determined, environmental conditions during seed development also affect seed component accumulation, and can result in protein and/or oil deficits for processing. To understand the general environmental effects on soybean composition, we conducted a meta-analysis of published data quantifying the effect of water stress, temperature, and/or nitrogen supply on seed protein and oil accumulation and their final concentrations. The meta-analysis showed that water stress reduced the content (mg per seed) of protein, oil and residual seed fractions. Protein accumulation, however, was less affected than were oil and residual accumulation, resulting in an increase in final protein concentration (% dry weight). Growth at high temperature also increased protein concentration in a manner similar to that observed for water stress. But in neither case was the increase in protein concentration due to an increase in protein synthesis per se. Increasing nitrogen supply to seeds cultured in vitro and to plants grown hydroponically increased both final seed protein concentration and content. But the magnitude of seed component response to experimental manipulation under field conditions was far less than that observed in the Uniform Soybean Regional Field Tests. Greater knowledge of the physiological processes that regulate these responses is essential to predict when and where future protein deficits might occur. Limitations of the meta-analysis approach and implications for future research on soybean seed composition are discussed.
Effects of octreotide on esophageal visceral perception and cerebral evoked potentials induced by balloon distension

Effects of octreotide on esophageal visceral perception and cerebral evoked potentials induced by balloon distension
Characterization of guanosine kinase from Brevibacterium acetylicum ATCC 953.

Abstract Guanosine kinase (GKase) activity was identified in a cell-free extract of Brevibacterium acetylicum ATCC 953. We have purified the enzyme 4 000-fold from the cell-free extract to apparent homogeneity. Molecular weight of 71 300 and 36 300 determined by gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, respectively, revealed that the enzyme is a dimer molecule. Maximum activity of the GKase was attained when the magnesium/ATP concentration ratio was close to 1. The GKase activity was dependent on the presence of a divalent cation. The Km values for guanosine, inosine, and 2′-deoxyguanosine as phosphate acceptors were determined to be 0.022, 0.87, and 2.83 mM, respectively. In addition to ATP and dATP, GTP and dGTP were shown to be effective phosphate donors for the GKase. The optimal pH seemed to be around pH 8.3, although relatively high activity was observed in the alkaline pH range of 7.5–9.8. The addition of 0.1 mM pyrimidine nucleotides, especially CMP and CTP, activated the GKase activity. On the other hand, the addition of 1 mM AMP, ADP, and GMP inhibited the GKase activity. It is thus likely that the GKase activity might be regulated in vivo by nucleotide concentrations and may control the nucleoside monophosphate level by efficiently recycling guanosine.
Profiling Wireless Resource Usage for Mobile Apps via Crowdsourcing-Based Network Analytics

The rapid growth of mobile app traffic brings huge pressure to today’s cellular networks. While this fact is commonly concerned by all the mobile carriers, little work has been done to analyze app’s network resource usage. In this paper, we, for the first time, profile network resource usages for mobile apps by establishing a quantitative mapping between them. We design AppWiR, a crowdsourcing-based mining system that collects app behavior information from phones and mines hundreds of indicators in different network layers. It builds a two-layer causal relationship among app behaviors, network traffics, and network resources. With such relationship knowledge, we model, quantify, and predict the network resource usage for each mobile app. We fully implement the AppWiR crowdsourcing app in Android smartphones to collect data from users. To evaluate its real-world performance, we deploy the AppWiR system and conduct a trial in a leading LTE carrier’s network in different geographic areas and network coverages. The trial shows that the AppWiR can accurately estimate and predict the resource usages for mobile apps.
Evolutionary trends in the Central American species of Piper (Piperaceae)

The gross morphology of the Central American species ofPiper is surveyed in respect to habit and habitat, protection of the shoot-tip, form and condensation of the inflorescence and floral parts, and anther-dehiscence. The cap-like structure covering the shoot-tip in many species is interpreted as a modified prophyll. A ligulate development and the inclusion of the inflorescence within the sheathing leaf-base in a few species are discussed. Diminution and compaction of the floral parts are interpreted as an evolutionary response to the activities of small pollen-collecting bees. Compaction of the floral parts is correlated with a truncation of the pistil apex and, in a few species, with a change in the mode of anther dehiscence. Apical and upward dehiscence of the anthers are interpreted as similar adaptations caused by a restriction of the pollinator’s activity to the surface of the spike. A relationship between ants and certain hollow-stemmed species is mentioned. The multiple origins and independent lines of evolutionary development discussed here suggest a complex phyletic history of the genus.