cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic generalized cutter selection for finishing of free-form surfaces in 3-axis CNC milling by “surface tolerance and tool performance metrics”

Tool selection in milling operation is an important step that dramatically influence the milling time. This paper discusses a new method to select the best cutter for different zones of a free-form surface from the list of available generalized cutters. A digital, voxel-based model is used to represent the workpiece and the available tools. First, the finishing performance is calculated for every tool and for every cutter location point. Second, the tool with maximum performance is selected for every point of the workpiece surface, and the whole milling surface is divided into zones with assigned optimal tool for every zone. Due to the high demand of computation power, a graphic processing unit is employed for the most consuming operations.
Decreasing the surface roughness of aluminum alloy welds fabricated by a dual beam laser

Abstract Decreasing the surface roughness of visible laser welds on aluminum automotive closure panels is of critical importance in the automotive industry. During welding, surface roughness is strongly influenced by the interaction of filler wire, laser, and gas. Observation by CCD camera revealed that placement of the filler wire tip at the front wire-feeding position could effectively mitigate humping phenomenon on the weld surface. Visualization of the gas flow and detection of the plasma intensity demonstrated that optimizing the shielding gas parameters could further reduce the rippling phenomenon by affecting the molten pool surface tension and the pressure differential acting upon the molten pool. The surface quality could be improved via optimization of nozzle outlet geometry, gas flow rate, inclination angle of gas tube, and distance between the nozzle and laser beam. After shrinking the processing parameter window through the single factor investigation, a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was designed to optimize the shielding gas parameters. The weld surface roughness, Ra, could be effectively reduced to below 1 μm when a circular gas nozzle was positioned 5 mm behind the laser beam, delivering pure argon gas at 30 SCFH with an inclination angle of 45° to the horizontal plane.
Thermal Modeling for High Temperature Electrolysis of Lithium Carbonate with Carbon Dioxide Sequestration

This paper introduces a thermal modeling and simulation study for high-temperature electrolysis of molten lithium carbonate, an electrolyte used for decreasing the emission of CO2 during fuel combustion. The electrolytic cell is comprised of a crucible with hollow cylindrical partitions filled with molten lithium carbonate. Voltage is applied through the electrodes that are comprised of a cylindrical cathode surrounded by two cylindrical anodes. Hot CO2 is bubbled into the electrolyte and serves as an extra heat source in addition to replenishing the carbon deposited during electrolysis. If the electrolysis is carried out at thermoneutral potential, and thus the exothermic dissolution of CO2 is the only reaction that generates additional heat in the system. On the other hand, applyingoverpotentialwill generate additional heat and thus help mitigate radiation losses. We study the interplay of these various parameters by using COMSOL Multi-physics software to simulate the experimental setup. The captured CO2 rate of the electrolyte and the input temperature, as well as applying overpotential, will influence the results. Detailed results presented here can thus guide the experiment in choosing the suitable settings.
Local Nonlinear Control of a Process Actuator

Abstract Through the use of nonlinear control techniques, a locally intelligent actuator strategy is developed such that a control valve is optimized independent of the central digital control system. A state-space model of a pneumatic process valve is developed using force balances on valve components and effective friction effects. Nonlinear compensation is implemented through the use of input-output linearization to cancel friction nonlinearities, closed-loop observers to estimate non-measurable parameters, and methods for compensation of adaptive friction parameters.
Abstract WP158: Case Fatality and Risk Factor Trend Contributions to Stroke Mortality in Non-Hispanic Blacks and Non-Hispanic Whites, 1999-2012

Introduction: Stroke death rates have declined nationally, but less in men and non-Hispanic Blacks. We quantified case-fatality and risk factor trend contributions to non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White 1999-2012 stroke mortality trends. Methods: The CVD Policy Model is a computer simulation of heart disease and stroke incidence, prevalence, and mortality in US adults ≥ 35 years old. We modeled mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and body mass index (BMI), prevalence of diabetes and smoking, and case fatality for 1999-2002, 2003-06, and 2007-12 by sex and race (NHANES; NHDS) to predict stroke mortality trends and these predictions were compared with observed data (CDC Wonder; ICD-10 I60-69). We then simulated the effects of isolated risk factors on stroke mortality in younger (age 35-64 years) and older (age 65-84 years) men and women. Results: Model predictions mirrored observed trends for stroke mortality in Whites (men: predicted -27.0% v. observed -29.2%; women: -34.8% v. -33.3%) and Blacks (men: -23.8% v. -22.2%; women: -31.0% v. -30.0%). Case fatality was the main contributor to the observed decrease in stroke mortality (approximately -25%) but did not explain differences between race groups. Combined risk factor trends contributed to decreased mortality in women (-12.8% in Whites; -8.7% in Blacks), but not men. Decreased mean SBP contributed in all women (-10.7% to -12.6%, depending on age/race) and older men (-4.0%), but not young men. Increased diabetes prevalence offset improvements in stroke mortality in older White men (+2.5%), younger Blacks (men: +4.0, women: +1.5%) and, to a larger degree, older Blacks (men: +9.9%, women: +5.6% ). Conclusions: Reduced case fatality was the strongest driver of decreased stroke mortality from 1999-2012 overall, while risk factor trends explained gender and race differences. Targeting high blood pressure in young adult men and preventing diabetes at all ages could further decrease stroke mortality and reduce racial differences. Blacks would benefit most from more aggressive stroke risk factor control.
Sexual victimization of college students in public transport environments: a whole journey approach

Sexual victimization of female students during the commute to college is a common and sometimes serious problem. This small-scale study that gathers victim survey data from a sample of 140 female college students in New York City provides insight into their experiences of sexual victimization during the commute to college. It is informed by a “whole journey” approach that includes walking to and from the bus/subway stops as well as waiting for and riding on the bus or subway. The study findings highlight extensive patterns of victimization during all stages of female students’ subway commute to and from college. It is important for colleges and universities in the cities to learn about and deal with off-campus sexual victimization and work with other stakeholders to enhance the safety of commuting students by developing effective and appropriate measures to reduce the opportunities for sexual victimization.
Relationships Between Temperature, pH, and Crusting on Mg/Ca Ratios in Laboratory-Grown Neogloboquadrina Foraminifera

Mg/Ca ratio paleothermometry in foraminifera is an important tool for the reconstruction and interpretation of past environments. However, existing Mg/Ca:temperature relationships for planktic species inhabiting middle- and high-latitude environments are limited by a lack of information about the development and impact of low-Mg/Ca ratio “crusts” and the influence of the carbonate system on Mg/Ca ratios in these groups. To address this, we cultured individual specimens of Neogloboquadrina incompta and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma in seawater across a range of temperature (6°–12°C) and pH (7.4–8.2). We found by laser ablation inductively couple mass spectrometry analyses of shells that culture-grown crust calcite in N. incompta had a lower Mg/Ca ratio than ontogenetic calcite formed at the same temperature, suggesting that temperature is not responsible for the low-Mg/Ca ratio of neogloboquadrinid crusts. The Mg/Ca:temperature relationship for ontogenetic calcite in N. incompta was consistent with the previously published culture-based relationship, and no significant relationship was found between Mg/Ca ratios and pH in this species. However, the Mg/Ca ratio in laboratory-cultured N. pachyderma was much higher than that reported in previous core top and sediment trap samples, due to lack of crust formation in culture. Application of our ontogenetic calcite-specific Mg/Ca:temperature relationships to fossil N. pachyderma and N. incompta from five intervals in cores from the Santa Barbara Basin and the Bering Sea shows that excluding crust calcite in fossil specimens may improve Mg/Ca-based temperature estimates.
The Need for Antibiotic Prophylaxis of Patients With Penile Implants During Invasive Dental Procedures: A National Survey of Urologists

AbstractA national survey of urologists was conducted regarding the need for prophylactic antibiotic coverage for patients with penile implants when undergoing invasive dental treatment. A total of 1,756 questionnaires was sent to urologists in the United States and 297 responses were received, for a participation rate of 17%. The low response rate might be partly related to a low level of concern by urologists due to the lack of reported cases of penile implant infections following invasive dental procedures and the lack of the literature calling attention to this possible association. This is supported by the fact that none of the responding urologists had noted any case of infection of the prosthesis following dental treatment. The majority of urologists who responded did not recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for penile implant patients undergoing invasive dental treatment. The majority of urologists who recommended prophylaxis selected a cephalosporin. None of the responding urologists indicated that t...
Ethical and Political Ramifications of the Reporting/Non-Reporting of Native American Ritualized Violence

Recent discoveries of mutilated skeletons in southern Indiana dating to 5,000 years B.P. have initiated significant scientific study of ritualized violence among aboriginal populations from the Ohio River Valley. Victims were usually young males, but females and children were also killed. The mutilation involved removing heads and/or forearms soon after death. The patterns of removal were consistent along the entire southern border of the state and lasted for over 1,000 years. The mutilations are significant scientifically because the process of “trophy taking” as well as the styles of burial for both the mutilation victims and those who were buried with harvested body parts demonstrate a level of cultural complexity that is not generally associated with foraging societies. However, there is risk in popularizing these findings because they may be used by the media to further stereotypes of “savage” Indians; the antithesis of what the findings indicate to the archaeological community. This forces researchers to strategically mete out publications in particular scientific outlets that are less likely to popularize the research. Unfortunately, the public at large ends up being circumvented. Attempts are currently underway to discuss the findings with Native groups so that they are aware of the intentions of the archaeologists and are not caught off guard if mutilation reports appear in popular media. Lastly, the benefits of establishing a meaningful and respectful dialog with descendant populations is put forth.
“A Very Dangerous Talent”: Wit for Women in Hannah Webster Foster's The Boarding School

Hannah Webster Foster's eighteenth-century novel The Boarding School shows how conduct literature and the republican culture of politeness create gender expectations for women's humor in the early ...
Is human-robot interaction more competitive between groups than between individuals?

As robots, both individually and in groups, become more prevalent in everyday contexts (e.g., schools, workplaces, educational and caregiving institutions), it is possible that they will be perceived as outgroups, or come into competition for resources with humans. Research indicates that some of the psychological effects of intergroup interaction common in humans translate to human-robot interaction (HRI). In this paper, we examine how intergroup competition, like that among humans, translates to HRI. Specifically, we examined how Number of Humans (1, 3) and Number of Robots (1, 3) affect behavioral competition on dilemma tasks and survey ratings of perceived threat, emotion, and motivation (fear, greed, and outperformance). We also examined the effect of perceived group entitativity (i.e., cohesiveness) on competition motivation. Like in social psychological literature, these results indicate that groups of humans (especially entitative groups) showed more greed-based motivation and competition toward robots than individual humans did. However, we did not find evidence that number of robots had an effect on fear-based motivation or competition against them unless the robot groups were perceived as highly entitative. Our data also show the intriguing finding that participants displayed more fear of and competed slightly more against robots that matched their number. Future research should more deeply examine this novel pattern of results compared to one-on-one HRI and typical group dynamics in social psychology.
Beef Carcass Quality as Influenced by Cattle Diet In Honduran Production Systems

ObjectivesAs a result of the rapidly growing global population, there is an increasing demand for greater food production, and food security represents a challenge for society. There is a need to promote livestock production, especially in developing countries like Honduras to improve human nutritional conditions. Central and South American beef production is mainly based on grazing systems. Previous studies have demonstrated that cattle diets can affect red meat yield and meat quality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate beef quality traits in Honduran beef cattle in response to various finishing regimes. Materials and MethodsFive different diets were developed for Honduran beef producers by Texas Tech University to improve efficiency of the beef animal and beef quality. Treatments included grass defined as the control (GF; n = 25), dried distillers grain (DDG; n = 38), palm kernel meal (PKM; n = 38), sugarcane (SC; n = 34), soybean meal with corn (SBMCORN; n = 62), and sorghum (SORG; n = 33). Diets were fed to Bos indicus crossbred cattle, and carcass data (n = 230) were collected. Cattle were harvested in Siguatepeque, Honduras in a commercial facility. After 24 h of chilling, carcass data were collected including pH, instrumental color, CIELAB values, maturity, marbling, lean color, dark cutter, rib fat, rib eye area, and, fat color. Data were evaluated in SAS by the GLIMMIX procedure (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC) using a significance level of P 0.05) by treatment, despite differences in carcass weight. Treatment affected (P < 0.05) skeletal, overall, and lean maturity; however, the darker (P < 0.05) lean color of GF was driven primarily by the higher (P < 0.05) incidence of dark cutting than any other treatment. SBMCORN were most advanced in skeletal maturity, followed by PKM. GF had lower (P < 0.05) marbling than any other treatment, followed by SORG. Treatment influenced (P < 0.05) lean texture and firmness, along with fat color, as GF carcasses had the most yellow fat, while SC had the least yellow fat. Objectively, diet treatment impacted pH and instrumental color (P < 0.01). GF carcasses had the highest pH, which translated to the lowest L*, a*, and b* values, indicating the ribeyes were darker, less red, and less yellow than ribeyes from any other treatment. ConclusionData from this study indicate that including feedstuffs other than grass in traditional Honduran cattle feeding diets can have a positive effect on carcass quality, as measured by subjective and objective indicators of lean color and marbling, but had little effect on carcass yield traits.
Testing the Universality of the Gender Equality–Peace Thesis: The Influence of Increased Gender Equality on Terrorism in Turkey

Gender inequality has been empirically linked to the incidence of terrorism, as a motivator for women’s involvement in terrorism, and political and social violence more generally. Although these st...
Health behavior among working adults: Workload and exhaustion are associated with nutrition and physical activity behaviors that lead to weight gain.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between workload, exhaustion, and key health behaviors for weight loss—nutrition and physical activity. Structural equation modeling was u...
Exponential time differencing for mimetic multilayer ocean models

Abstract A framework for exponential time discretization of the multilayer rotating shallow water equations is developed in combination with a mimetic discretization in space. The method is based on a combination of existing exponential time differencing (ETD) methods and a careful choice of approximate Jacobians. The discrete Hamiltonian structure and conservation properties of the model are taken into account, in order to ensure stability of the method for large time steps and simulation horizons. In the case of many layers, further efficiency can be gained by a layer reduction which is based on the vertical structure of fast and slow modes. Numerical experiments on the example of a mid-latitude regional ocean model confirm long term stability for time steps increased by an order of magnitude over the explicit CFL, while maintaining accuracy for key statistical quantities.
Minimum Time Recovery of Parallel Converters under Step Change Conditions

In electric ships, multiple power converter blocks can feed a common bus. In this paper, an advanced control algorithm is presented with the aim to minimize the transition time for heterogeneous buck converters for a change in the bus voltage or bus load. Practical implementation of the algorithm on real-time controller and performance improvement strategies are addressed. Real-time HIL experimental results are presented to validate and illustrate the control algorithm.
Capacity evaluations for adult protective services: videoconference or in-person interviews.

The Geriatrician clinicians of the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute – Forensic Assessment Center Network (TEAM-FACN) in Houston, have many years of experience providing capacity assessm...
Progress of mesenchymal stem cells in gene therapy for tumor

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell is another kind of stem cells in addition to hematopoietic stem cells and multifunetional progenitor cells,which have strong self-renewal capacity and potential for differentiation to several types of cells.The cells have obvious tumor tropism and characteristic of inserting in tumor. Although mesenchymal stem cells have the risk of conversion into tumor cells,as a cloning vector mesenchymal stem cells can transduct targeted genes in the treatment of carcinoma with long-term stability in vivo and have bright prospects in tumor targeted therapy. Key words: Mesenchymal stem cell; Gene therapy:Genetic vectors
Hydraulic fracturing operation for oil and gas production and associated earthquake activities across the USA

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations, associated with horizontal drilling for oil/gas production, are known to induce earthquakes from fluid injection in disposal wells. In recent years, numerous studies have shown a close relationship between induced seismic activities and the high-pressure injection of wastewater, especially in Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Detailed analysis of 17 major fracking locations across the USA has been carried out to study the impact of horizontal wells and the corresponding injected wastewater on earthquake activities. Earthquake data for the period 1998–2018 obtained from the USGS earthquake catalog shows an increase in frequency of earthquakes within a radius of 150 km at fracking locations, prominently in south-central USA. The stimulation of earthquakes depends on the amount of injected water in both horizontal and disposal injected wells, and the geology, hydrological, and geophysical settings nearby the drilling site. The observed seismicity increases with the number of horizontal wells in Texas (correlation R2 = 0.726) and Oklahoma (correlation R2 = 0.636) at the fracking locations.
Recurrent Colon Cancer

Locoregional recurrence after curative resection of colon cancer is an uncommon and difficult clinical challenge. Once the diagnosis is established, it is important to obtain complete staging to assess for distant metastatic disease and resectability. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to determine optimal preoperative, surgical, and adjuvant treatment modalities. Long-term survival depends on complete resections with R0 (negative) margins. In well selected patients, undergoing complete resection, five year survival of almost 50% can be achieved. Unresectable local or disseminated disease should shift the treatment focus to chemotherapy and symptom palliation to avoid high risk surgery associated with limited benefit.
From intention to action: A systematic literature review of provider behaviour change-focused interventions in physical health and behavioural health settings.

Rationale, aims and objectives It is clear there are significant delays in the uptake of best practices as part of routine care in the healthcare system, yet there is conflicting evidence on how to specifically align provider behaviour with best practices. Method We conducted a review of interventions utilized to change any aspect of provider behaviour. To extend prior research, studies were included in the present review if they had an active intervention targeting behaviour change of providers in health or behavioural-health settings and were published between 2001 and 2020. Results Of 1547 studies, 44 met inclusion criteria. Of 44 studies identified, 28 studies utilized contextually relevant interventions (eg, tailored to a specific provider population). Twenty six interventions with a contextually relevant approach resulted in provider behaviour change. Conclusions Findings are promising for encouraging provider behaviour change when interventions are tailored to be contextually relevant, as both single-component and multifaceted interventions were successful when they were contextually relevant. It is critical to conduct additional research to ensure that providers sustain behaviour changes over a long-term beyond an intervention's implementation and evaluation period.
“Baskets” of Concomitant Adverse Events Post LVAD Implantation

Purpose Post-LVAD Adverse Events (AEs) do not always occur in isolation, but concomitant with other AEs. This study employed a pattern mining technique known as Market Basket Analysis to discover (1) what types of AE frequently occurred together following LVAD and (2) specifically AEs coupled with final outcomes such as death and explant. Methods Data records of 15,819 patients in INTERMACS who received a continuous-flow LVAD between 2006 and 2016 were mined to identify 8,603 episodes of concomitant events, including 18,883 events corresponding to 5,757 (36%) patients (mean age of 57.9; 23% female and 77% male). This analysis encompassed 15 types of AEs and 5 final outcomes. Collections of concomitant events per episode were assigned to Baskets. (See Fig.1). Then, an apriori algorithm was applied to extract the most frequent baskets of events by computing the fraction of total episodes. Results Most baskets of events (85%) included only two concomitant events. The maximum number of concomitant events for one episode was nine. The most frequent types of AEs that were found in baskets of concomitant events were: Other SAE (Serious AE), Infection, and Bleeding. Thus, the most common combinations of these AEs are shown in Fig 2, including: {Bleeding, Other SAE}, {Infection, Other SAE}, and {Bleeding, Infection} with support values of 10%, 9%, and 5%, respectively. The most common types of AEs concomitant with a final outcome were {Death, Other SAE}, {Device Malfunction and/or Pump Thrombosis, Explant: Exchange}, and {Death, Neurological Dysfunction} with support values of 3.6%, 2.9%, and 2.6%, respectively. (See stars in Fig.2). Conclusion This analysis revealed a great diversity of combinations of post-LVAD AEs. The most common basket of concomitant events {Bleeding, Other SAE} was only 10% of the 8,603 total baskets (855 count). Unfortunately, Other SAE is very common in the INTERMACS database and not very informative to clinicians. The most common basket that did not include Other SAE, was {Bleeding, Infection} which comprised 5% of the total baskets.
Abstract 015: Geographic Variation In Pre-pregnancy Cardiometabolic Health In The United States, 2016-2018

Introduction: Poor cardiometabolic health is a major contributor to growing rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. Given known state-level variation in maternal outcomes, we sought to describe ...
Data Poisoning Attacks Against Outcome Interpretations of Predictive Models

The past decades have witnessed significant progress towards improving the accuracy of predictions powered by complex machine learning models. Despite much success, the lack of model interpretability prevents the usage of these techniques in life-critical systems such as medical diagnosis and self-driving systems. Recently, the interpretability issue has received much attention, and one critical task is to explain why a predictive model makes a specific decision. We refer to this task as outcome interpretation. Many outcome interpretation methods have been developed to produce human-understandable interpretations by utilizing intermediate results of the machine learning models, such as gradients and model parameters. Although the effectiveness of outcome interpretation approaches has been shown in a benign environment, their robustness against data poisoning attacks (i.e., attacks at the training phase) has not been studied. As the first work towards this direction, we aim to answer an important question: Can training-phase adversarial samples manipulate the outcome interpretation of target samples? To answer this question, we propose a data poisoning attack framework named IMF (Interpretation Manipulation Framework), which can manipulate the interpretations of target samples produced by representative outcome interpretation methods. Extensive evaluations verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed attack strategies on two real-world datasets.
Path Integral Methods

The path integral approach was introduced by Feynman1 in a seminal paper published in 1948. It provides an alternative formulation of time-dependent quantum mechanics, equivalent to that of Schrodinger. Since its inception, the path integral has found innumerable applications in many areas of physics and chemistry. Its main attractions can be summarized as follows: the path integral formulation offers an ideal way of obtaining the classical limit of quantum mechanics; it provides a unified description of quantum dynamics and equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics; it avoids the use of wavefunctions and thus is often the only viable approach to many-body problems; and it leads to powerful influence functional methods for studying the dynamics of a low-dimensional system coupled to a harmonic bath. The path integral formulation builds on the principle of superposition, which leads to the celebrated quantum interference observed in the microscopic world. Thus, the amplitude for making a transition between two states is given by the sum of amplitudes along all possible paths connecting these states in the specified time, a concept familiar from wave optics. Classical behavior is recovered through phase cancellation among paths whose phase is not stationary. The present article presents an introduction to the path integral formulation of quantum dynamics and quantum statistical mechanics along with numerical procedures useful in these areas and in electronic structure theory. Section 2 describes the path integral formulation of the quantum mechanical propagator and its relation to the more conventional Schrodinger description. That section also derives the classical limit and discusses the connection with equilibrium properties in the canonical ensemble. Numerical techniques are described in section 3. Selective chemical applications of the path integral approach are presented in section 4 and section 5 concludes.
The Seamless Field Experience Model for Secondary Science Teacher Preparation

(1997). The Seamless Field Experience Model for Secondary Science Teacher Preparation. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 127-140.
Role of PhoP∼P in Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Involved in Cell Wall Anionic Polymer Biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis

tagA, tagD, and tuaA operons are responsible for the synthesis of cell wall anionic polymer, teichoic acid, and teichuronic acid, respectively, in Bacillus subtilis. Under phosphate starvation conditions, teichuronic acid is synthesized while teichoic acid synthesis is inhibited. Expression of these genes is controlled by PhoP-PhoR, a two-component system. It has been proposed that Pho-P plays a key role in the activation of tuaA and the repression of tagA and tagD. In this study, we demonstrated the role of Pho-P in the switch process from teichoic acid synthesis to teichuronic acid synthesis, by using an in vitro transcription system. The results indicate that PhoP approximately P is sufficient to repress the transcription of the tagA and tagD promoters and also to activate the transcription of the tuaA promoter.
Pituitary Peptides AN OCTAPEPTIDE THAT STIMULATES CONDITIONED AVOIDANCE ACQUISITION IN HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED RATS

Abstract An examination of fractions from extracts of porcine pituitary has revealed the presence of a number of peptide components active in restoring the ability of hypophysectomized rats to acquire a conditioned avoidance response. None of the products appears to exhibit hormonal activity as measured by effects on adrenal, testis, thymus, or total body weight. The active component of lowest molecular weight was isolated and characterized as deglycinamide9-lysine vasopressin.
The Astrophysics of Ultra-Heavy Galactic Cosmic Rays (and How we Can Detect Them)

Ultra-heavy galactic cosmic rays (UH GCRs) are those nuclei in the cosmic rays with atomic number greater than 30. Knowledge of the relative abundances of elements in these cosmic rays allows us to probe several outstanding astrophysical questions.
Griswold at 50: Contraception as a Sex Equality Right

Challenges to federal law requiring insurance coverage of contraception are occurring on the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Griswold v. Connecticut. It is a good time to reflect on the values served by protecting women’s access to contraception.In 1965, the Court ruled in Griswold that a law criminalizing the use of contraception violated the privacy of the marriage relationship. Griswold offered women the most significant constitutional protection since the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote, constitutional protection as important as the cases prohibiting sex discrimination that the Court would decide in the next decade - perhaps even more so. Griswold is conventionally understood to have secured liberty for women. But the right to contraception also secures equality for women, as Ruth Bader Ginsburg saw clearly in the 1970s and as the Court eventually would explain in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.Those who appreciate contraception’s singular importance to women call recent attacks on contraception a “war on women.” Yet, it is not immediately clear that the right to contraception is a sex-equality right. Both men and women use contraception, even if the forms of contraception that they use are sex-differentiated. The Connecticut statute banning contraception applied to both sexes.Analyzing the right to contraception in historical context helps to clarify the ways in which the right to contraception secures equality, as well as liberty, for women. As Griswold turns fifty, we return to the historical record to demonstrate that the ban on contraception struck down in that case was enforced in ways that reflected and reinforced traditional gender roles. Even though the law was written to apply to both sexes, the state applied the law to men and women differently, in at least two important respects. In recovering this history, we show how the regulation of contraception is tied to “double standards” in sex and parenting. Recognizing these deep and enduring differences in gender roles demonstrates why denying women control over the timing of childbearing denies them equal citizenship. With these concerns in view, it becomes clear why judicial decisions and laws securing access to effective and affordable contraception vindicate both equality and liberty values - both and.
Faculty Development for E-Learning: A Multi-Campus Community of Practice (COP) Approach

Faculty development is a critical process, enabling instructors to remain abreast of new discipline specific content and innovations in the scholarship of teaching and learning. The explosion of online higher education and unbounded advances in technology provide examples and rationale for why faculty development for e-learning is needed. Literature on faculty development and e-learning is reviewed and a multi-campus faculty development program using distance technology and a community of practice model for nursing educators will be described. Successful strategies, barriers and an evaluation of the multi-campus faculty development model experience will be presented in a format that allows for replication across disciplines.
Knee Arthrodesis Is Most Likely to Control Infection and Preserve Function Following Failed 2 Stage Procedure for Treatment of Infected TKA: A Decision Tree Analysis

Introduction Infection following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a catastrophic complication. In the United States, for chronic, first time infected TKA, the gold standard remains a 2-stage reimplantation (2SR) procedure, with reported success rates approaching 90%. However, there is a lack of consensus on the treatment of subsequent reinfections. Question The purpose of this study was to use published data on infected TKA to develop a decision tree analysis to determine the treatment method likely to yield the highest quality of life for a patient following a failed 2SR. Methods We performed a systematic review of the English literature to determine the expected success rates and functional outcomes of a 2SR procedure, chronic suppression, arthrodesis, and amputation for treatment of infected TKA. Utility and disutility tolls were derived for each treatment option and a decision tree analysis (Figure) was conducted using TreeAgePro 2012 (Williamstown, Massachussetts). The efficacy of each of the treatment nodes was calculated based on prior published methods for each study. These values were subsequently varied to perform a sensitivity analysis. Results Initial search yielded 204 papers; 18 studies met inclusion criteria. The composite success rate for 2SR was 79.1% (range 33.3%–100%). The utility and disutility toll (cost for treatment) for 2SR were 0.473 and 0.20, respectively; the toll for undergoing chronic suppression was set at 0.05; the utility for arthrodesis was 0.740 and for amputation 0.423. In all iterations of the decision tree analysis with varying sensitivities, knee arthrodesis emerged as the treatment most likely to yield the highest expected quality of life following a failed 2SR for infection. Discussion Our study found that 2SR is successful at a lower rate than that traditionally cited. We also describe, for the first time, the typical rate at which salvage procedures are utilized after a failed 2SR. Finally, our study suggests that a successful fusion optimizes the patient9s expected quality of life after a first failed 2SR. This outcome held up through sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Based on best available evidence, knee arthrodesis should be strongly considered as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA following a failed 2-stage reimplantation procedure.
Comparison of measured 3.8-microm scattering from naturally occurring aerosols with that predicted by measured particle size statistics.

Recent field measurements of scattered 3.8-μm laser radiation from naturally occurring aerosols were made during a 4-week period in coastal Southern California. Simultaneously, aerosol distribution measurements were made, which, in conjunction with Mie scattering theory, gave estimates of the volume scattering coefficient at the various angles. A comparison shows that (a) calculated volume scattering coefficients generally decrease more rapidly in angle than measurements indicate; (b) on the average, the calculation gives volume backscattering coefficients that are a factor of 2 larger than measured but underpredicts forward scattering by 33%. A second unrelated observation of interest is that volume scattering coefficients in the visible showed 65% correlation with 3.8-μm backscatter (177°) coefficients.
Polymorphism in the interleukin-1 gene complex and spontaneous preterm delivery.

Abstract Objective: We examined the association between preterm delivery and polymorphisms at position +3953 of the interleukin-1β gene (IL1B+3953) and in intron 2 of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN). Study Design: This was a case-control study that involved 52 pregnancies that resulted in spontaneous preterm delivery before 34 weeks of gestation and 197 pregnancies that resulted in birth at term. Polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results: Homozygous carriage of IL1B+3953 allele 1 by fetuses of African descent was associated with a risk of preterm delivery ( P =.033). Fetuses of Hispanic descent that carried IL1RN allele 2 were found to be at an increased risk for preterm premature rupture of membranes and subsequent preterm delivery( P =.021; odds ratio, 6.5; 95% CI, 1.25-37.7). Conclusion: There are associations of spontaneous preterm delivery with the fetal carriage of IL1B+3953*1 and IL1RN*2 alleles in African and Hispanic populations, respectively. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:157-63.)
Rural health leaders pipeline, 1990-2005: case study of a second-generation rural medical education program.

ABSTRACT A pipeline model has been suggested to increase the rural physician supply. This study is an institutional case report used to describe the context, development, and in-house evaluation of the University of Alabama Rural Health Leaders Pipeline, 1990–2005. This program was developed at a University of Alabama School of Medicine branch campus to target rural students at multiple levels, elementary schools through residency, and includes a minority focus. Requirements to enter the medical program include living 8 years in rural Alabama, meeting admission requirements, and affinity for rural lifestyles. Twenty-six percent of 316 high school participants, all 40 students in the minority-focused college program, and 3% of 90 medical program students were African American. The program includes (1) puppet shows in elementary schools depicting different health professions, (2) Rural Health Scholars Program for 11th-grade students, (3) Minority Rural Health Pipeline Program for college students, (4) Rural...
Behavioral systems analysis: Methodological strategies and tactics

A general-systems model stressing the inherent organizational aspects of continuous behavioral-environmental interaction is presented as a natural extension of 20th century developments in scientific worldviews. The cultural context of scientific inquiry has often been depicted as a dynamic process which has evolved through at least three phases of philosophical orientation, or paradigmatics. Each paradigm has carried its own special implications for research strategies and tactics. Beginning with a substance-property view emphasizing self-action, scientific philosophy gradually shifted to a cause-effect orientation with emphasis on the lineal-mechanical aspects of that presumed process. Developments within this century have brought science to the integrated-field/systems view of natural phenomena, with an associated emphasis on organizational properties and dynamics. However, psychology has lagged considerably in accommodating to this latter stage of scientific philosophy, both theoretically and methodologically. The model presented identifies with modern integrated-field/systems theory and offers empirical illustrations of its implications. Emphasis is placed on practical distinctions between structural, functional, and operational analysis, with special attention to such model-specific phenomena as behavioral velocity, kinematic syntax and variability, systemic coherence, and dynamic stability versus perturbed oscillations in systemic operations. Compatibilities between the behavioral systems model and various other contemporary efforts to expand psychological paradigmatics are reviewed in conclusion.
A coupled 3-D PNP/ECP model for ion transport in biological ion channels

Ion channels are proteins embedded in the membrane of all biological cells, folded in a manner that creates nanoscopic pores that control the flow of ions in and out of the cell. All ion channels carry a highly localized distribution of permanent charge and possess specific properties (e.g., selectivity and switching) that are interesting to the device engineering community. The Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP), or drift-diffusion theory, can be used to compute macroscopic current in ion channels quickly. However, PNP theory can be problematic when applied to regions of constricted volume, such as the interior of ion channels, because, firstly, PNP theory replaces discrete charges with a continuous distribution function, grossly underestimating the dielectric boundary force. Additionally, traditional PNP theory ignores the finite volume occupied by the ions and water molecules, as well as the nonsingular distribution of charge on the ion. As a result, Coulombic screening can be overestimated, particularly in highly charged regions, leading to unphysically high ion densities. PNP theory also fails to explain the specific selectivity observed in certain ion channels. The entropic effects of finite-sized ions and water molecules, and the nonsingular charge distribution on the ion can be introduced into the PNP formulism by including an additional component to the electrochemical potential. The so-called excess chemical potential (ECP) represents the difference between the electrochemical potential of a "real" ionic solution and that of an idealized solution. Our goal was to incorporate in a 3D PNP solver (realized with the computational platform PROPHET) an available model for ECP correction (Gillespie, Nonner and Eisenberg, 2002). The ECP has a hard-sphere component, arising from the fact that ions are not point particles so there is an upper limit to the ion density in any given confined volume, and an electrostatic component, due to the fact that ions are not point charges. Both components of the ECP are functions of local charge carrier and water density, and are obtained using density functional theory (DFT). The ECP terms are added to the electrostatic potential in the flux equations, yielding a modified set of PNP equations. To solve the 3D system of PNP/ECP equations self-consistently we use a decoupled feedback method similar to Gummel's iteration: the discretized PNP model is solved with Newton's method. The resulting charge carrier densities are used to update the ECP equations. The new values for the ECP are fed back into the PNP equations and the entire process is iterated until convergence.
When Stress Predicts a Shrinking Gene Pool, Trading Early Reproduction for Longevity Can Increase Fitness, Even with Lower Fecundity

Stresses like dietary restriction or various toxins increase lifespan in taxa as diverse as yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and rats, by triggering physiological responses that also tend to delay reproduction. Food odors can reverse the effects of dietary restriction, showing that key mechanisms respond to information, not just resources. Such environmental cues can predict population trends, not just individual prospects for survival and reproduction. When population size is increasing, each offspring produced earlier makes a larger proportional contribution to the gene pool, but the reverse is true when population size is declining.We show mathematically that natural selection can favor facultative delay in reproduction when environmental cues predict a decrease in total population size, even if lifetime fecundity decreases with delay. We also show that increased reproduction from waiting for better conditions does not increase fitness (proportional representation) when the whole population benefits similarly.We conclude that the beneficial effects of stress on longevity (hormesis) in diverse taxa are a side-effect of delaying reproduction in response to environmental cues that population size is likely to decrease. The reversal by food odors of the effects of dietary restriction can be explained as a response to information that population size is less likely to decrease, reducing the chance that delaying reproduction will increase fitness.
I-smooth for improved minimum classification error training

Increasing the generalization capability of Discriminative Training (DT) of Hidden Markov Models (HMM) has recently gained an increased interest within the speech recognition field. In particular, achieving such increases with only minor modifications to the existing DT method is of significant practical importance. In this paper, we propose a solution for increasing the generalization capability of a widely-used training method - the Minimum Classification Error (MCE) training of HMM - with limited changes to its original framework. For this, we define boundary data - obtained by applying a large steep parameter, and confusion data - obtained by applying a small steep parameter on the training samples, and then do a soft interpolation between these according to the number points of occupancies of boundary data and the number points ratio between the boundary and the confusion occupancies. The final HMM parameters are then tuned in the same manner as in MCE by using the interpolated boundary data. We show that the proposed method achieves lower error rates than a standard HMM training framework on a phoneme classification task for the TIMIT speech corpus.