cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enterprise application integration in the electronic commerce world

Electronic commerce is radically changing the competitive landscape. Increasingly, firms need to have stronger ties with customers and suppliers. In this business scenario, it is important for firms to have information systems (IS) that encourage the unhindered flow of information. The paradigm that addresses this need of firms is popularly known as Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). In this paper, we examine EAI in some detail and develop a case for EAI in today's business environment. We discuss various ways in which EAI can be realized and illustrate how firms can improve gains by implementing the appropriate EAI solution. It concludes with a discussion about the future directions that EAI might take.
LAW, RACE, AND EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

▪ Abstract After describing many of the features that structure educational opportunity, and how race interacts with these structures, we briefly relate a set of important orienting perspectives on the law-race relation. We divide issues of education into three categories: (a) inherently racialized aspects of law and education; (b) aspects of education that intersect race and the law; and (c) emerging issues in race, education, and the law. Treating desegregation, affirmative action, special education, gifted and talented education, tracking, high-stakes accountability, school finance, bilingual education, and legacy admissions, we identify key cases and controversies while critically evaluating relevant social science research. We close with a discussion of the law-race relation as revealed through its operation in the field of education.
Does our research tool kit equip us to make generalisable claims about dental education

In this essay on the state of scholarship in dental education, I argue that we are best served by looking at the validity, generalisability and usefulness of claims rather than at the rigour of various research methods. All papers published in 2009 in the European Journal of Dental Education (a quarterly) and the Journal of Dental Education (published monthly), a quarterly journal of the Academy of Management, Learning & Education and the monthly American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics were classified by the type of claim made, method by which evidence was collected and techniques of analysis. The dental education literature, compared with the two other journals, was largely focussed on surveys of opinion or particular practices and lacked scope in generalisability. The dental education literature was thin in use of randomisation, covariable analysis and theory-building.
Walking the path: a new journey to explore and discover through visual analytics

Under the leadership of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) established a research center focusing on the discipline of visual analytics in 2004. A year later, the center led a multidisciplinary panel representing academia, industry, and government to formally define directions and priorities for future research and development (R&D) for visual analytics tools. The R&D agenda, Illuminating the Path, defines the term visual analytics as 'the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces'. This article describes our progress to date in walking that path. We briefly describe the background of the subject, present major professional activities and accomplishments of its community, and highlight some of the ongoing R&D efforts being carried out by researchers at PNNL to fulfill the requirements and missions of a new discipline that promises to change the way we deal with today's information.
Difficulties of items related to energy and matter: Implications for learning progression in high school chemistry

Abstract Understanding the development of high school students’ ideas and ways of reasoning about matter and energy is of central importance to foster meaningful learning in chemistry courses. Similarly it is critical to investigate student understanding of models and modeling. In this work, we used computer model-based assessment questions to investigate student understanding of: a) matter and energy, and b) models and modeling, in the context of nine different chemistry topics. The comparison of item difficulty across topics allowed us to elicit a possible learning progression for high school chemistry. The results of our study can inform the development of secondary school chemistry curricula.
QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF THE COST OF PARASITIC CASTRATION IN A HELISOMA ANCEPS POPULATION USING A MATRIX POPULATION MODEL

Larval trematodes frequently castrate their snail intermediate hosts. When castrated, the snails do not contribute offspring to the population, yet they persist and compete with the uninfected individuals for the available food resources. Parasitic castration should reduce the population growth rate λ, but the magnitude of this decrease is unknown. The present study attempted to quantify the cost of parasitic castration at the level of the population by mathematically modeling the population of the planorbid snail Helisoma anceps in Charlie's Pond, North Carolina. Analysis of the model identified the life-history trait that most affects λ, and the degree to which parasitic castration can lower λ. A period matrix product model was constructed with estimates of fecundity, survival, growth rates, and infection probabilities calculated in a previous study. Elasticity analysis was performed by increasing the values of the life-history traits by 10% and recording the percentage change in λ. Parasitic castration...
Harmonic analysis of hysteresis controlled grid-connected inverters

This paper proposes an analytical harmonic model for the hysteresis-controlled inverter. The model expresses the triangular-like error current signal in the time and frequency domains. First, time domain analysis derives the instantaneous expression of the error signal and then it applies analogue frequency modulation theory (FM) to the first term of the error Fourier series to obtain the analytical harmonic representation of the error. The harmonic spectrum of the error is closely approximated by the Bessel functions of the first kind. The instantaneous switching frequency resulting from the hysterisis controller is expressed in terms of the coupling reactance, the relay band, and the amplitude modulation index of the inverter. MATLAB\Simulink© studies are used to validate the proposed model.
Regulation of transcription of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) by heat shock factors HSF2 and HSF4.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a principal regulator of angiogenesis and other cellular responses to hypoxic stress in both normal and tumor cells. To identify novel mechanisms that regulate expression of HIF-1α, we designed a genome-wide screen for expressed sequence tags (ESTs) that when transcribed in the antisense direction increase production of the HIF-1α target, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in human breast cancer cells. We discovered that heat shock factor (HSF) proteins 2 and 4—which previously have been implicated in the control of multiple genes that modulate cell growth and differentiation and protect against effects of environmental and cellular stresses—function together to maintain a steady state level of HIF-1α transcription and VEGF production in these cells. We show both HSFs bind to discontinuous heat shock element (HSE) sequences we identified in the HIF-1α promoter region and that downregulation of either HSF activates transcription of HIF-1α. We further demonstrate that HSF2 and HSF4 displace each other from HSF/HSE complexes in the HIF-1α promoter so that HIF-1α transcription is also activated by overexpression of either HSFs. These results argue that HSF2 and HSF4 regulate transcription of HIF-1α and that a critical balance between these HSF is required to maintain HIF-α expression in a repressed state. Our findings reveal a previously unsuspected role for HSFs in control of VEGF and other genes activated by canonical HIF-1α-mediated signaling.
Studies on acute Marek's disease. 2. The role of coccidia in transmission and induction.

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE role of parasites in the transmission or induction of fowl leukosis has been the object of much speculation as far back as 1926 (Pappenheimer et al.). Nine responses from 49 states or territorial agencies questioned at the time expressed the opinion that coccidiosis might be involved in the etiology of leukosis. An often-quoted reference of this period was that of Beach and Davis (1925) who pictured “a chronic type of coccidiosis” as inducing leg weakness and paralysis in chickens typical of neural leukosis. Since no reference was made to neural examination it may be assumed that their conclusions were probably based on incorrect diagnosis. Well-designed controlled experiments on interrelationships between coccidiosis and leukosis are totally lacking. Primarily from the analysis of diagnostic records of hen flocks Wilson (1944), Hess (1963) and Vindel (1964) concluded that an increase in coccidiosis resulted in an increase in leukosis. In reports based . . .
Contriving establishing operations: responses of individuals with developmental disabilities during a learning task.

Abstract The field of applied behavior analysis has utilized the ability to capture and contrive establishing operations in treating aberrant behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. However, research on the use of establishing operations in the teaching of appropriate behavior is not as systematic. This study examined the effects of establishing operations on the responses of three males with mild to moderate intellectual disability during an incremental repeated acquisition procedure. Individuals responded more frequently and accurately during periods of longer deprivation (1 day and 2–3 days) than during shorter periods (15 min and 2 h). These results have implications for conducting preference assessments, scheduling daily activities, maximizing responding and teaching new skills.
Improved detection of biological substances using a hybrid neural network and infrared absorption spectroscopy

Considers basic problems that are associated with the detection of any biological substance in complex aqueous solutions using infrared absorption spectroscopy: (1) the intrinsic high background absorption of water, (2) the large number of overlapping IR absorption peaks of other molecules, and (3) the degradation of the signal of interest due to noise (usually caused by the sensing instrument itself and interference from other molecules). As a means to overcome these problems, a robust artificial neural network (ANN) detection method has been developed, which processes infrared absorption spectral data and provides a concentration decision for the dissolved substance of interest. The ANN is a hybrid structure consisting of a feedforward perceptron and a counterpropagation architecture. >
Design and fabrication of a reconfigurable photonic bandgap waveguide device with MEMS features

We report on our efforts to develop a semiconductor based photonic bandgap device with MEMS features that is designed to reconfigure the photonic crystal structure into different types of waveguide devices such as switches, modulators, etc.
Hippocampal neurogenesis: opposing effects of stress and antidepressant treatment.

The hippocampus is one of several limbic brain structures implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of mood disorders. Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that stress and depression lead to reductions of the total volume of this structure and atrophy and loss of neurons in the adult hippocampus. One of the cellular mechanisms that could account for alterations of hippocampal structure as well as function is the regulation of adult neurogenesis. Stress exerts a profound effect on neurogenesis, leading to a rapid and prolonged decrease in the rate of cell proliferation in the adult hippocampus. In contrast, chronic antidepressant treatment up-regulates hippocampal neurogenesis, and could thereby block or reverse the atrophy and damage caused by stress. Recent studies also demonstrate that neurogenesis is required for the actions of antidepressants in behavioral models of depression. This review discusses the literature that has lead to a neurogenic hypothesis of depression and antidepressant action, as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the regulation of adult neurogenesis by stress and antidepressant treatment. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Graph coloring via synchronization of coupled oscillators

In this work, we study the possibility of coloring graphs by means of synchronized coupled oscillators. We consider an array of coupled oscillators as a graph by associating the oscillators to vertices and the coupling to edges. When the coupled array is synchronized, the phase of the oscillators can be considered as the color associated with the corresponding vertices. We prove that for connected 2-colorable graphs, we can construct a coupled array which generates the 2-coloring for that graph. For the general case, numerical simulation results with connected 3-colorable graphs suggest that the coupled array of oscillators can color graphs with a small number of colors in most cases. Some complexity issues of the system and comparisons to antivoter models of graph coloring are discussed. We also conjecture that the system can be used to approximate the star chromatic number of the graph.
CASE STUDIES OF BIBLIOTHERAPY WITH HOMELESS CHILDREN

Children who experience homelessness constitute a growing population at-risk for developing mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the use of bibliotherapy with homeless children. A case study method of inquiry was used with drawings, audiotapes and clinical records from a convenience sample of three children living in a transitional homeless shelter. Four themes of homeless-ness emerged from the case studies. These were lapelled “Longing for Affluence,” “Escaping Violence,” “Shame and Stigma,” and “Making Transitions.” Therapeutic stories were selected in response to the emergence of each child's own issues and the theme issues. Implications for psychiatric mental health nurses are discussed.
Visible light networking and sensing

We propose for the first time an integrated Visible Light Communication (iVLC) system, which combines scalable VLC networking and accurate VLC sensing of mobile users. To meet this goal, we envision using modulated LED lights for communications between networked devices, while at the same time using the very same lights to accurately identify and track users, and importantly, sense and infer their gestures (e.g., pointing to an object in the room) as a means of collecting user analytics and enabling interactions with objects in smart spaces. Enabling the iVLC vision requires reliable VLC networking and robust VLC sensing. We discuss the key research components and open challenges in realizing this vision. By combining VLC networking and sensing, iVLC opens the way for a new class of context-aware applications and a new HCI paradigm not possible before.
Training methods for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most challenging endoscopic procedures performed by gastroenterologists and carries substantial risks. Therefore, gastroenterologists should be properly trained to be competent with ERCP and minimize risks to the patient. ERCP training can be divided into two broad categories: cognitive and technical/hands-on aspects. Although traditional clinical ERCP training is in the format of the teacher–apprentice system with supervised hands-on practice on patients, simulator training can supplement the trainee experience. Examples of different types of ERCP simulators include live anesthetized animals, ex vivo porcine, computer, and mechanical models. Most of these models have been the subject of published studies testing the face and construct validities, but there has only been 1 randomized controlled trial on the clinical effect of such simulator training. Several studies have compared different simulator models with respect to qualities such as realism compared with clinical ERCPs and utility for training. Evaluation of trainee competency is another important aspect of ERCP training.
Fixation driven contour completion with angular ordering

The paper presents a technique for grouping edges around a given visual fixation point. By giving the fixation point and a starting position, the edge grouping problem becomes a sequential search, and can be efficiently implemented with dynamic programming. By providing multiple fixation points, the method can explore the scene in a more flexible and context driven manner. The paper proposes a method for automatically selecting starting positions of the search and a method to extract salient contours successively at different scales.
Lunchtime Practices and Problem Behaviors Among Multiethnic Urban Youth

Research has begun to show associations between adolescents' mealtime practices and their engagement in problem behaviors. Few studies have addressed this longitudinally and/or examined lunchtime practices during the school day. This study tests for associations between urban multiethnic middle school students' (N = 1498) lunchtime practices in the sixth grade and their engagement in problem behaviors by eighth grade. Positive associations were found between not eating lunch at school in the sixth grade and increased drug use and delinquency by eighth grade. Eating lunch outside of school was found to be significantly associated with smoking and marijuana use only. Gender differences in associations between lunchtime practices and problem behaviors were suggested. Implications for school policy and prevention efforts are discussed.
Tweaking Antitrust's Business Model (Review Essay)

This Essay reviews Herbert Hovenkamp's book, "The Antitrust Enterprise: Principle and Execution" (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2005). Hovenkamp documents a remarkable transformation in antitrust doctrine in the three decades since Robert Bork and Richard Posner authored scathing critiques (in 1978 and 1976, respectively) of then-prevailing antitrust rules. Rejoicing that contemporary antitrust has redefined competition in a manner that focuses not on the number of firms in a market but on the degree to which the market generates low prices, high output, and innovation, Hovenkamp offers a number of suggestions for improving antitrust implementation. This Essay evaluates Hovenkamp's suggestions, concluding that most are sound, that a few might be slightly revised to enhance their effectiveness or administrability, and that a couple are downright unwise. In particular, the Essay criticizes Hovenkamp's call for abandonment of the indirect purchaser rule and his proposed test for identifying exclusionary conduct under Section 2 of the Sherman Act.
Frequency, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Bacteremia in children.

Abstract Background Staphylococcus lugdunensis ( S. lugdunensis ) is known as a common cause of clinically significant infections in adults although the clinical importance of S. lugdunensis isolates from pediatric samples is less known. The aim of this study is to assess the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of S. lugdunensis bacteremia (SLB) in children. Methods From January 2009 to March 2014, all blood culture isolates were retrospectively screened for S. lugdunensis . We analyzed the isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility and patients who had developed SLB by reviewing the electronic medical records. Additionally, we identified mecA and blaZ for available isolates by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results Of the 647 positive blood cultures during the period, 277 (42.8%) yielded coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS), and 10 of 277 CoNS were S. lugdunensis (3.6% of all CoNS isolates). Of eight SLB episodes identified, seven (87.5%) were considered to have clinically significant bacteremia. All patients had underlying diseases, and all SLB were either healthcare-associated or hospital acquired. There was no infectious endocarditis (IE) development. All patients were treated with antibiotics and recovered without sequelae. We found that the isolates in our study showed higher antibiotic resistance to penicillin (8/8: 100%) and oxacillin (6/8: 75.0%) than previously reported. Among isolates available, we detected mecA in all four isolates resistant to oxacillin and blaZ in 5 of 6 isolates resistant to penicillin. Conclusions S. lugdunensis is a rare but an important cause of bacteremia in children.
On the Epitaxy of Metal Films on GaN

A variety of metal films deposited at room temperature have been found to grow epitaxially under conventional vacuum conditions on GaN grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire substrates. The metal films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction using a thin-film Read camera and by MeV ion channeling measurements. Lattice mismatch between the epitaxial metals and the GaN basal planes ranges from ∼ 0.2% to ∼ 22%, and does not appear to be the determining factor in the epitaxy reported here. Surface structure of the epitaxial metal films has been studied by atomic force microscopy and found to differ considerably from that of nonepitaxial metal films grown on similar GaN substrates.
Intermediate Management Platform of Distributed Database

With the application of large-scale database as background,a framework of accessing distributed database multi-agent system was proposed,and the focus was on the intermediate management platform based on matchmaker.The matchmaker mechanism improved the traditional middle ware with concentrative service,and effectively solved the problems such as transaction efficiency and balanced load in distributed database system.Due to the autonomy,reactivity and sociality of multi-agents,the managing platform has many advantages,such as good open-ability,dynamic property and self-adaptability.
Methods of clinical ethics

Medical ethics decisions always entail a certain amount of difficulty. Clinical alternatives make the adoption of well-founded decisions quite difficult. Each case is different and does not lend itself to a predetermined decision. If a satisfactory method is used to make moral evaluations, serious mistakes can almost always be avoided and defensible decisions made. Medical ethics is many things, but in essence it is necessarily a strategy or method. True professional medical ethics requires a method that leads to moral discernment as well as uniformly appropriate decisions. One of the most important functions of a method is to keep standards of evaluation linked to facts. Good methods prevent medical ethics from falling into the trap of false generalization and keep it rooted in real-life situations.
The Emersonian Prehistory of American Pragmatism

The long shadow cast by Ralph Waldo Emerson over American pragmatism has been often overlooked and rarely examined. Yet Emerson not only prefigures the dominant themes of American pragmatism but, more important, enacts an intellectual style of cultural criticism that permits and encourages American pragmatists to swerve from mainstream European philosophy.1 Like Friedrich Nietzsche — and deeply adored by him — Emerson is a singular and unique figure on the North Atlantic intellectual landscape who defies disciplinary classification.
Adenovirus-Mediated Wild-Type p53 Gene Transfer into Head and Neck Cancers.

Mutation of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene is recognized as one of the most common genetic alterations in human malignancy to date (1). Approximately 60% of human tumors are thought to possess mutation at the p53 locus. Transient overexpression of the wild-type p53 gene in various malignancies has been considered a potential molecular intervention strategy (2 -7). This strategy is based on the role that wild-type p53 plays as a tumor-suppressor gene and inducer of cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis (1 ,8-11).
A New Mogollon Structure

ABSTRACTIn 1958 and 1959, excavations were carried out at the Turkey Creek Ruin, a Pueblo III period site some three miles from the field school at Point of Pines. Also excavated was an earlier Mogollon village found under the pueblo. One of the structures in this village, a type not previously recorded for the Mogollon area, and its associated artifacts are described. Comparisons with other areas indicate a possible relationship with similar structures in the southeastern United States.
Comment on "Controlling the Spectral Shape of Nonlinear Thomson Scattering With Proper Laser Chirping"

Rykovanov, Geddes, Schroeder, Esarey and Leemans [Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 19, 030701 (2016); hereafter RGSEL] have recently reported on the analytic derivation for the laser pulse frequency modulation (chirping) which controls spectrum broadening for high laser pulse intensities. We demonstrate here that their results are the same as the exact solutions reported in Terzi\ifmmode \acute{c}\else \'{c}\fi{}, Deitrick, Hofler and Krafft [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 074801 (2014); hereafter TDHK]. While the two papers deal with circularly and linearly polarized laser pulses, respectively, the difference in expressions for the two is just the usual factor of $1/2$ present from going from circular to linear polarization. In addition, we note the authors used an approximation to the number of subsidiary peaks in the unchirped spectrum when a better solution is given in TDHK.
Measurable Outcomes After Transfer From Pediatric to Adult Providers in Youth With Chronic Illness

Children with chronic medical conditions are requiring transition services to prepare for transfer of care. There has been little data on what qualifies as a successful transition or how to measure this goal. The purpose of this review was to identify measurable patient-level outcomes for transitioning youth with chronic illness from pediatric to adult health care. An integrative literature search was conducted using CINAHL and OVID Medline. Key words included transition to adult care and health transition. Research articles published between 2002 and 2015 and reported on measurable patient-level outcomes in youth with chronic illnesses were included. The initial search yielded 556 articles and 19 articles were selected. Most of the research reporting on outcomes after transfer is nonexperimental using secondary data. Additionally, there is inconsistency in the use of term transition. In the specific outcomes identified, there is little uniformity in measurement both in terms of timing and standardization of measurement. Further research is needed on outcomes after transfer that includes standardized measures and time intervals in order to evaluate successful transition services. This research is essential for health care providers who are instrumental in supporting young people during this high risk period.
Water in Dry Organisms

In the evolution of life systems, water has been a component of transcendent importance. In addition to its involvement in syntheses and metabolism, it has provided the cradle supporting the structures of macromolecules, and it has been the main source of the forces which generate and maintain membrane structures. The ability to survive the removal of water in anhydrous systems is especially remarkable as a departure from these structural dependencies. Because desiccation tolerance is widespread through the plant and animal kingdoms, we may hope that it might involve relatively simple biochemical modifications (Green and Angell 1989). In this chapter we will suggest that the basis for the survival of desiccation involves the accumulation of solutes which can lead to a vitrification of the cytoplasm as desiccation proceeds.
Retained surgical items: Building on cumulative experience

Retained surgical items (RSIs) are much dreaded, preventable complications associated with surgical and other invasive procedures. Despite much effort going into eliminating these “never events” and the associated heavy burden for patients, providers, and institutions, RSIs continue to occur. This manuscript reviews fundamental concepts related to RSI, including risk factors, prevention strategies, technology-assisted detection, team strategies, and pertinent safety education. In addition, we performed a secondary review of a database of all published case reports and series of RSI between 1909 and 2015, focusing on clinical presentation, symptomatology, morbidity, diagnostic workup, pathology findings, and temporal characteristics. Despite a vast body of knowledge regarding RSIs, more needs to be done to help further reduce and prevent these occurrences. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Patient care, Medical knowledge, Practice based learning and improvement, Systems based practice, Professionalism, and Interpersonal skills and communication
First-Episode Psychosis

In the past two decades, modern preventive psychiatry has reached schizophrenia care. Managing early course schizophrenia (prodromal period, first-episode psychosis, and post-psychotic period) well offers the best hope for improved long-term patient outcomes, including a reduction in mortality. In this chapter, I review the optimal psychopharmacological management of a first episode of acute psychosis (goal of symptomatic remission) and the post-psychotic period (goal of relapse prevention to avoid a second psychotic episode and rehabilitation to restore function). The difficulties of identifying patients prospectively already in the prepsychotic period in order to intervene and prevent schizophrenia are discussed as well.
Tailoring nonlinear frequency generation in graded-index multimode fibers

We demonstrate that frequency generation in multimode graded-index fibers can be tailored through appropriate fiber design. This is achieved by exploiting a geometric parametric instability which can be utilized for developing novel fiber light sources.
Climate Change Beyond Environmentalism Part I: Intersectional Threats and the Case for Collective Action

This paper is part I of a two-part series of papers exploring the intersectional threats of climate change, its discriminatory impacts on the economically disadvantaged, people of color, women, children, and animals; and the unique role animals play as both a cause of climate change emissions and some of its front-line victims. The paper discusses the failure of regulatory institutions to provide meaningful solutions to the climate change problem, and why the 900,000,000 people living in extreme poverty, the native communities literally disappearing into the sea in Alaska and elsewhere, the 600,000,000 people living less than ten meters above sea level, and the more than 140,000,000,000 wild animals caught in climate change’s cruel grasp cannot afford to wait for incremental emissions reduction plans, carbon emission trading schemes, or other efforts to “stabilize” or normalize global warming emissions. The paper argues for the immediate engagement of the animal protection community due to the impending loss of billions of wild animals, and makes the case for reactivation of the historic alliance between animal protection and environmental advocates as a first step towards a more holistic and inclusive climate coalition effort.
Use of geochemical tracers for estimating groundwater influxes to the Big Sioux River, eastern South Dakota, USA

Understanding the spatial distribution and variability of geochemical tracers is crucial for estimating groundwater influxes into a river and can contribute to better future water management strategies. Because of the much higher radon (222Rn) activities in groundwater compared to river water, 222Rn was used as the main tracer to estimate groundwater influxes to river discharge over a 323-km distance of the Big Sioux River, eastern South Dakota, USA; these influx estimates were compared to the estimates using Cl− concentrations. In the reaches overall, groundwater influxes using the 222Rn activity approach ranged between 0.3 and 6.4 m3/m/day (mean 1.8 m3/m/day) and the cumulative groundwater influx estimated during the study period was 3,982–146,594 m3/day (mean 40,568 m3/day), accounting for 0.2–41.9% (mean 12.5%) of the total river flow rate. The mean groundwater influx derived using the 222Rn activity approach was lower than that calculated based on Cl− concentration (35.6 m3/m/day) for most of the reaches. Based on the Cl− approach, groundwater accounted for 37.3% of the total river flow rate. The difference between the method estimates may be associated with minimal differences between groundwater and river Cl− concentrations. These assessments will provide a better understanding of estimates used for the allocation of water resources to sustain agricultural productivity in the basin. However, a more detailed sampling program is necessary for accurate influx estimation, and also to understand the influence of seasonal variation on groundwater influxes into the basin.
The Circulatory System and the Heart

I recently read a wonderful story in the newspaper. There was the American Museum of Natural History with proverbial egg on its face—dinosaur egg! Brontosaurus, it was forced to admit, apparently with some reluctance, was wearing the wrong head. The mistake was soon corrected by attaching the right head which, it turns out, had for decades been lying in a carton in the basement.
Austrian ‘Instincts,’ Serfdom, and Spanish and Portuguese ‘Fascism’

In Europe, ‘Fascism,’ as defined and praised by Mises, overthrew democracy in Italy (1922), Spain (1923), Portugal (1926), Germany (1933), Austrian (1934), and Spain (1936–1939); and in Latin America, similar outcomes occurred in the Operation Condor countries: Paraguay (1954), Brazil (1964), Bolivia (1971), Uruguay (1973), Chile (1973) and Argentina (1976). In 1940, Mises had not wished to leave neutral Switzerland when escaping the ‘Fascists,’ who, he had asserted, had ‘saved European civilization’: he apparently preferred ‘Fascist’ Portugal to the USA.
Evaluation of EMG pattern recognition for upper limb prosthesis control: a case study in comparison with direct myoelectric control

Although electromyogram (EMG) pattern recognition (PR) for multifunctional upper limb prosthesis control has been reported for decades, the clinical benefits have rarely been examined. The study purposes were to: 1) compare self-report and performance outcomes of a transradial amputee immediately after training and one week after training of direct myoelectric control and EMG pattern recognition (PR) for a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) prosthesis, and 2) examine the change in outcomes one week after pattern recognition training and the rate of skill acquisition in two subjects with transradial amputations. In this cross-over study, participants were randomized to receive either PR control or direct control (DC) training of a 2 DOF myoelectric prosthesis first. Participants were 2 persons with traumatic transradial (TR) amputations who were 1 DOF myoelectric users. Outcomes, including measures of dexterity with and without cognitive load, activity performance, self-reported function, and prosthetic satisfaction were administered immediately and 1 week after training. Speed of skill acquisition was assessed hourly. One subject completed training under both PR control and DC conditions. Both subjects completed PR training and testing. Outcomes of test metrics were analyzed descriptively. Comparison of the two control strategies in one subject who completed training in both conditions showed better scores in 2 (18%) dexterity measures, 1 (50%) dexterity measure with cognitive load, and 1 (50%) self-report functional measure using DC, as compared to PR. Scores of all other metrics were comparable. Both subjects showed decline in dexterity after training. Findings related to rate of skill acquisition varied considerably by subject. Outcomes of PR and DC for operating a 2-DOF prosthesis in a single subject cross-over study were similar for 74% of metrics, and favored DC in 26% of metrics. The two subjects who completed PR training showed decline in dexterity one week after training ended. Findings related to rate of skill acquisition varied considerably by subject. This study, despite its small sample size, highlights a need for additional research quantifying the functional and clinical benefits of PR control for upper limb prostheses.
Architecture of the basic physiologic recorder

Signals are acquired from medical instrumentation of many different types. They can be as small as a digital thermometer or as big as a magnetic resonance scanner. In spite of the differences in size, cost, and the type of data these devices obtain, most biomedical devices that acquire physiologic data have the same basic structure. The structure of what we will call the basic digital physiologic recording system will be described in this section with the details of each of the processes in the following sections. A block diagram of the basic digital physiologic recording system is shown in Fig. 1.1.
Implications of Regional Transmission Organization Design for Renewable Energy Technologies

This report summarizes the development of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and assesses the potential implications of market rules for renewable energy technologies. The report focuses on scheduling provisions, as these have proved problematic in some cases for intermittent renewable energy technologies. Market rules of four RTOs-the Pennsylvania-Maryland-New Jersey ISO, the ERCOT ISO, the Midwest ISO and the New York ISO (NYISO)-were examined to determine the impact on intermittent renewable energy projects such as wind energy generators. Also, a more general look was taken at how biomass power may fare in RTOs, specifically whether these technologies can participate in ancillary service markets. Lastly, an assessment was made regarding the implications for renewable energy technologies of a Northeast-wide RTO that would combine the three existing Northeast ISOs (the aforementioned PJM and NYISOs, as well as ISO New England).
Towards the Ultimate Construction Site Sensor

The NIST Construction Metrology and Automation Group (CMAG), in cooperation with the NIST Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), is developing performance metrics and researching issues related to the design and development of a "Next Generation LADAR" sensor that will enable general automation in structured and unstructured environments. This paper quickly reviews the basic physics and implementation of various LADAR technologies, describes the problems associated with available "off-the-shelf" LADAR systems, summarizes State-of-the-Art work underway around the world, and elaborates on general directions that advanced research in this area of sensor design will take in the coming years and its likely impact on construction automation.
Present Understanding of the Explosion Properties of Flat Vapour Clouds

An outline is given of the present knowledge of the explosion properties of flat vapour clouds. The models which are available for detonation and for deflagration of flat vapour clouds in ideal situations are briefly discussed. For deflagration, which represents the common mode of explosion, it is shown that deviations from the ideal situation may significantly enhance or attenuate the pressure buildup. The effects of typical features of real situations on the explosion pressure are discussed. It is concluded that severely enhanced overpressures may have to be taken into account locally within the flat cloud, particularly in regions of partial confinement or repeated obstacles.
Toward Total Automation of On-Site Construction - An Integrated Approach Based on Contour Crafting

Research at the University of Southern California addresses a new construction automation approach using a layered fabrication process called Contour Crafting (CC). The process aims at automated construction of whole structures as well as sub-components. Using this process, a single house or a colony of houses, each with possibly a different design, may be automatically constructed in a single run. The basic Contour Crafting approach to construction, hereafter termed CCC (Construction by Contour Crafting), was presented in an earlier ISARC paper. This paper reports the new advancements in the CCC approach for integration of automated modules for tiling, for imbedding basic plumbing, electrical, and communication utility networks, and for automated painting.
The Linkage Between Transportation Infrastructure Investment and Productivity: A U.S. Federal Research Perspective

Recent studies suggest that diminished investment in the quality and quantity of public infrastructure induced the decline in U.S. output growth rates and output per hour (productivity) growth rates. Over the years, during various downturns in the economy, many explanations have been offered for such slowdowns. However, even the best known economists conclude that the sources remain a mystery. While research on this linkage began some years ago, recent national level studies directed attention to the productive effects of public capital and highway infrastructure. In 1989, in light of the post-Interstate era and an increasingly constrained financial environment, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began to reexamine this hypothesis and its implications for national investment through a research agenda on the interrelationship between transportation infrastructure investment and productivity. In this research the FHWA hopes to act as an intelligent consumer of the research findings, while at the same time acting as a program manager, serving to stimulate rigorous research on the issue.
Association between Colorectal Adenoma and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Korean Adults.

Background: Colorectal neoplasm, including colorectal adenoma, is associated with old age, cigarette smoking, and the presence of metabolic syndromes. These are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Carotid ultrasonography is a noninvasive test that can predict the risk of cardiovascular disease and may be another test that may provide indications of these risk factors. This study aimed to investigate the association between colorectal adenomatous polyps and carotid atherosclerosis. Methods: This study included 548 adults who underwent colonoscopy and carotid ultrasonography for a health examination between March 2013 and December 2017 at a university hospital in South Korea. Abnormal carotid sonography findings included either increased carotid intima-media thickness or presence of carotid plaques. Results: The proportion of subjects with overall colorectal adenomatous polyps was 31.0% (170/548). Colorectal adenoma was more prevalent in the presence of abnormal carotid ultrasonography findings (38.6% vs. 27.6%, p = 0.013). Colorectal adenomatous polyp was significantly associated with abnormal carotid ultrasonography findings (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.12–2.42, p = 0.011) in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for age, sex, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and presence of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Colorectal adenoma is significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis.
Observation-Driven Scheduling for Remote Estimation of Two Gaussian Random Variables

Joint estimation and scheduling for sensor networks is considered in a system formed by two sensors, a scheduler, and a remote estimator. Each sensor observes distinct Gaussian random variables, which may be correlated. This system can be analyzed as a team decision problem with two agents: the scheduler and the remote estimator. The scheduler observes the output of both sensors and chooses which of the two is revealed to the remote estimator. The goal is to jointly design scheduling and estimation policies that minimize a mean-squared estimation error criterion. The person-by-person optimality of a policy pair called “max-scheduling/mean-estimation” is established, where the measurement with the largest absolute value is revealed to the estimator, which uses a corresponding conditional mean operator. This result is obtained for independent Gaussian random variables, and correlated Gaussian random variables with symmetric variances. Finally, the joint design of scheduling and linear estimation policies for any two Gaussian random variables with an arbitrary correlation structure is considered. In this case, the optimization problem is recast as a difference-of-convex program, and locally optimal solutions can be found using a simple numerical procedure.
Apneic nasal oxygenation and safe apnea time during pediatric intubations by learners.

BACKGROUND Apneic nasal oxygenation (ApOx) prolongs the time to desaturation during intubation of adult patients, but there is limited prospective evidence for apneic oxygenation in pediatric patients. AIMS We hypothesized that ApOx during operating room intubation of pediatric patients by inexperienced learners would prolong the interval before desaturation. METHODS This prospective observational study compared intubation data for 196 pediatric surgical patients intubated by learners under baseline practice (no nasal cannula), to 160 patients enrolled after adoption of routine apneic nasal cannula oxygenation at 5 L/min. The primary outcome was elapsed time between anesthetic induction and pulse oximetry (SpO2 ) falling to 95, if ever. RESULTS Nasal cannula oxygenation during intubation by learners delayed desaturation to SpO2 95 (risk ratio for this event before intubation 0.05, 95% CI 0.03-0.09; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Apneic oxygenation via nasal cannula during intubation of pediatric surgical patients prolongs time before desaturation, thus extending the safe interval for airway management by learners.
War, revolution, and nation-making in Lithuania, 1914–1923

Based on his research in Russian and Lithuanian archives, Tomas Balkelis offers readers a thoughtful and convincing study about the situation in Lithuania during World War I and its immediate after...
Right ventricular metastasis from unclassified Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background Cardiac metastasis of unclassified renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtype is very rare, and even more so is an isolated right ventricular (RV) metastasis without vena cava extension or right atrial involvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a cardiac metastasis of an unclassified RCC (an aggressive RCC) without vena cava extension. Case Presentation A 61-year-old African American male with past medical history of hypertension and schizophrenia presented to the emergency room following 2 episodes of syncope and 3-month history of progressive neck mass. CT scan of neck, abdomen and pelvis showed bulky left cervical, supraclavicular and axillary lymph node, mass in anterior aspect of heart, and multiple solid left renal masses and probable right renal mass. Echocardiogram revealed a large RV mass with deformation of the RV free wall suggesting malignant growth. Core biopsy of the right superficial gluteal mass revealed a metastatic poorly differentiated carcinoma of likely renal origin, with a possibility of an unclassified RCC. Due to the extent and burden of metastasis, patient and family members agreed to conservative management and evaluation for hospice care. Conclusion Cardiac metastasis of unclassified RCC is rare, and even more so is an isolated RV metastasis without vena cava extension or right atrial involvement, and the present case, to the best of knowledge is the first of such rare presentation.
Achieving near-infrared deep tissue imaging via metal organic complex nanoparticles

The making of new nanomaterials for deep tissue imaging is important for clinic applications. In this work, Erbium based metal organic complex nanoparticles is synthesized. They show near-infrared fluorescence (800-1100 nm) when excited by 785 nm light. Deep tissues imaging is demonstrated using a nanoparticle-loaded 2 mL centrifuge tube covered with pig bacon meat tissue. The maximum imaging depth larger than 1.4 cm is achieved. Our work provides a validated procedure to make nanoparticles for near infrared deep tissue imaging.