cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of islet autoantibody markers in the prediction of autoimmune type 1 diabetes

Summary The detection of iselt autoantibodies provides a powerful tool for the prediction of type 1 diabetes. Combining initial genetic screening with later autoantibody testing may be the most efficacious approach to identifying beta-cell autoimmunity. Once safe and effective interventional methods are available, widespread public health service projects should be undertaken to prevent type 1 diabetes. Table 10 summarizes the use of autoantibody markers in the prediction of type 1 diabetes.
Approximation of meromorphic functions by rational functions

Abstract Some inequalities proved by Meinardus and Varga, and by Erdos and Reddy, on Chebyshev constants for the function 1 f , f entire and satisfying some conditions, have been improved or extended to functions satisfying a different set of conditions.
PROPERTY TAXATION IN RELATION TO INVESTMENT IN URBAN AREAS

THE INCOME TAX STATUS of the investor has become so dominant a factor in appraising investment opportunities that other tax considerations have come to seem insignificant. The marginal rate of tax for even a small investor approximates 20 per cent, for the wealthy, over 50 per cent. Since the gains from tax avoidance are such as to whet the interest of most investors, the "opportunities" for income tax avoidance are more significant determinants of investment than property taxes. Consider, for example, home ownership as an investment. Exemption of the return on the investment in owner-occupied residential property virtually eliminates competition from any other type of investment with comparable security. Moreover, if treating such investment by home owners as tax-exempt is not a sufficient incentive, the home owner can also consider the privilege of deducting from other income the property taxes that he pays on a tax-free investment as well as any interest charges. For those who are satisfied to own their living quarters, the attractiveness of this type of investment is assured by its treatment under the federal income tax. The income tax aspects of home ownership are not alone among the factors having special pertinence to investment in real estate. The fact that investment in real estate does not require a corporate entity and lends itself to the use of the capital-gain loophole raises all sorts of interesting possibilities to individual investors. Both corporate and individual investors find other opportunities for savings in property utilized as an adjunct to a commercial or industrial enterprise. Tax counsel will provide an infinite variety of suggestions for using real estate investment to minimize personal and corporate income taxes and to maximize the after-tax return. Many of these suggestions are not feasible for use in other avenues of investment. The foregoing considerations imply that the influence of property taxation on investment is definitely secondary to the impact of the incometax. It might be put in these terms: if the composite investor, a weighted fellow, not a simple mean, were confronted with the choice of a less favorable income tax treatment or higher property taxes, he would unhesitatingly choose the latter.
Training Rural Educators in Kentucky through Distance Learning: A Model with Follow-up Data.

The Training Rural Educators in Kentucky through Distance Learning (TREK-DL) project trains special education personnel in moderate/severe disabilities and early childhood special education. The components of the dynamic model include (a) satellite, compressed video, and on-site delivery systems; (b) support services from the university, state, and federal government ; and (c) various methods of team teaching. In addition to describing the model and the program content, this article discusses the results of a survey of the TREK-DL project students that was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the project and to refine the delivery of the project as it continues. Finally, implications are discussed that may pertain to other institutions of higher learning that are delivering coursework via distance learning technology.
Optimization-based posture prediction for analysis of box lifting tasks

New methods for optimization-based posture prediction with external forces are presented and tested. The proposed approach incorporates prediction of 113 degrees of freedom including global position and orientation of the body as well as foot position, while considering balance. Postures and joint torques are successfully predicted and compared to motion-capture data and literature-based data respectively. This approach is applied to a box-lifting task and provides a robust tool for studying human performance and for preventing injuries.
Perceived Maturity as a Function of Appearance Cues in Early Adolescence: Ratings by Unacquainted Adults, Parents, and Teachers

Two related studies addressed the extent to which appearance cues affect perceptions of early adolescents' physical maturity, age, and social maturity and the degree to which perceptions of unacquainted adults and perceptions of parents and teachers correspond. Photographic slides of 6th through 9th graders were rated by unacquainted adults on 7-point rating scales of physical maturity, age, and attractiveness. Physical appearance cues were potent elicitors of age perceptions. Subsamples of these adolescents were rated by their parents and teachers on physical and social maturity. Parents', and to a lesser extent teachers', physical-maturity ratings contributed significant portions of the variance in their social-maturity ratings of the target adolescents. Unacquainted adults' ratings of attractiveness significantly correlated with their ratings of boys' physical maturity but not with the physical-maturity ratings of boys or girls by parents or teachers. Fathers' social-maturity ratings and independent at...
Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung

Abstract Background . Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung is a rare entity. Although the prognosis is favorable, clinical features, prognostic factors, and patient management have not been clearly defined. Methods . We reviewed retrospectively the records of 48 patients operated on for primary pulmonary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The study group consisted of 21 male (44%) and 27 female (56%) patients with a mean age of 61.8 years. Thirty-seven and a half percent of patients were asymptomatic, and 62.5% were seen with pulmonary symptoms, systemic symptoms, or both. A definitive diagnosis was obtained by thoracotomy in 90% of patients, thoracoscopy in 8%, and anterior mediastinotomy in 2%. Results . Complete surgical resection was possible in 19 patients (40%). A mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT) was found in 35 patients and lymphoma that was not of this type, in 13. The 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates were 91%, 68%, and 53%, respectively in the group with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and 85%, 65%, and 64% in the group with lymphoma that was not of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type. None of the prognostic factors studied (mode of presentation, smoking history, bilateral disease, postoperative stage, complete resection, adjuvant chemotherapy, histology) significantly influenced patient survival. Conclusions . Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung occurs with nonspecific clinical features. Although patient survival is good, prognostic factors could not be identified.
Using TouchPad pressure to detect negative affect

Humans naturally use behavioral cues in their interactions with other humans. The Media Equation proposes that these same cues are directed towards media, including computers. It is probable that detection of these cues by a computer during run-time could improve usability design and analysis. A preliminary experiment testing one of these cues, Synaptics TouchPad pressure, shows that behavioral cues can be used as a critical incident indicator by detecting negative affect.
DISTRIBUTION OF RATIONAL POINTS AND KODAIRA DIMENSION OF FIBER PRODUCTS

This will be a report of results that Joe Harris, Barry Mazur and I obtained very recently; for a more detailed description, the reader is referred to [CHM1] and [CHM2].
User Attitudes Regarding a User-Adaptive eCommerce Web Site

Despite an abundance of recommendations by researchers and more recently by commercial enterprises for adaptive interaction techniques and technologies, there exists little experimental validation of the value of such approaches to users. We have conducted user studies focussed on the perceived value of a variety of personalization features for an eCommerce Web site for computing machinery sales and support. Our study results have implications for the design of user-adaptive applications. Interesting findings include unenthusiastic user attitudes toward system attempts to infer user needs, goals, or interests and to thereby provide user-specific adaptive content. Users also expressed equivocal opinions of collaborative filtering for the specific eCommerce scenarios we studied; thus personalization features popular in one eCommerce environment may not be effective or useful for other eCommerce domains. Users expressed their strong desire to have full and explicit control of data and interaction. Lastly, users want readily to be able to make sense of site behavior, that is, to understand a site's rationale for displaying particular content.
Consumption-Based Interest Rate and the Present-Value Model of the Current AccountEvidence from Nigeria

This paper presents a model of current account determination, based upon the permanent-income hypothesis. A present-value relationship among the current account, changes in net output, the exchange rate and the terms of trade is derived and the implications of such a relationship are tested using data for Nigeria during 1960-97.
Excimer Laser Induced Micron-Size Pattern Etching By Image Projection

Patterned fine-line features as small as 0.8 microns have been etched in polyimide, silicon, and copper by use of ablative and chemical techniques. KrF excimer laser pattern etching was accomplished by use of a Kohler-type projection system employing a Uv refracting microscope objective. Ablative etching of polyimide was accomplished in air, while silicon and copper were chemically etched using the vapor of chlorine or carbon tetrachloride.
Nitrogen utilisation by lambs fed a high roughage ration and supplemented with compacted starch-urea or sulphur-coated urea.

In two metabolism studies, lambs were fed pelleted brome hay supplemented with compacted starch-urea or sulphur-coated urea to examine their potential as slow ammonia release products and therefore their effect on nitrogen utilisation. In the first study, lambs supplemented with the compacted starch-urea product had a non-significant decrease in level of rumen ammonia as compared to lambs supplemented with feed grade urea; however, there was no increase in nitrogen retention. In the second study, sulphur-coated urea effected a decrease in rumen ammonia concentration when compared to feed grade urea, But, sulphur coating resulted in decreased nitrogen digestibility and consequently increased faecal nitrogen. Nitrogen retention of lambs fed these products was therefore not improved as compared to lambs fed feed grade urea.
Open perilunate injury with lunate revascularization after complete ligamentous avulsion

Perilunate dislocations are a devastating injury to the carpus that carry a guarded long-term prognosis. Mayfield type 4 perilunate dislocations are rare, high-energy injuries that carry a risk for avascular necrosis (AVN) of the lunate. When AVN ensues and the carpus collapses, primary treatment with a proximal row carpectomy or arthrodesis has been advocated. This case reports a successful clinical result and revascularization of an extruded lunate with open reduction and internal fixation. This type 4, Gustilo grade 1 open perilunate dislocation exhibited complete avulsion of all lunate ligamentous attachments. Management included open reduction and internal fixation as well as carpal tunnel release through a combined dorsal and volar approach. Despite concerns for lunate AVN due to complete disruption of lunate vascularity, a 10-month postoperative clinical and radiographic examination demonstrated no pain with activities of daily living as well as a revascularized lunate.
Socioeconomic Status in Relation to Selected Birth Defects in a Large Multicentered US Case-Control Study

This study examined individual and household socioeconomic status (SES) in relation to phenotypes of neural tube defects, orafacial clefts, and conotruncal heart defects using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study with 2,551 nonmalformed liveborn controls and 1,841 cases delivered in 1997-2000. The individual SES was measured by maternal and paternal education, occupation, and household income. All individual SES measures were combined to create a household SES index. Elevated risks were found for maternal low education in association with anencephaly and dextrotransposition of the great arteries (dTGA) (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) > or = 1.4); paternal low education in association with anencephaly, cleft palate, tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and dTGA (AORs > or = 1.4); low household income in association with TOF (AOR = 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 2.5); maternal operator/laborer occupation in association with cleft palate, TOF, and dTGA (AORs > or = 1.4); paternal operator/laborer occupation in association with spina bifida (AOR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.0); and either parent's unemployment in association with dTGA (AOR > or = 1.4). Subjects with the lowest household SES index had the greatest risks of all selected birth defects except TOF. This study reveals consistently increased risks of selected birth defects in association with household SES index but not individual SES measures.
Historical geography I: Vital traditions

In the first of three reports outlining the current state of historical geography, I review recently published work from three research themes: the geographic imagination (maps and cartography), geographies of knowledge, and society-nature geographies. I argue that these themes build upon important and dynamic, or vital, traditions within the subfield.
Selecting age-related functional characteristics in the human gut microbiome

Human gut microbial functions are often associated with various diseases and host physiologies. Aging, a less explored factor, is also suspected to affect or be affected by microbiome alterations. By combining functional feature selection with supervised classification, we aim to facilitate identification of age-related functional characteristics in metagenomes from several human gut microbiome studies (MetaHIT, MicroAge, MicroObes, Kurokawa et al.’s and Gill et al.’s dataset). We apply two feature selection methods, term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-iDF) and minimum-redundancy maximum-relevancy (mRMR), to identify functional signatures that differentiate metagenomes by age. After features are reduced, we use a support vector machine (SVM) to predict host age of new metagenomes. Functional features are from protein families (Pfams), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, KEGG ontologies and the Gene Ontology (GO) database. Initial investigations demonstrate that ordination of the functional principal components shows great overlap between different age groups. However, when feature selection is applied, mRMR tightens the ordination cluster for each age group, and TF-iDF offers better linear separation. Both TF-iDF and mRMR were used in conjunction with a SVM classifier and achieved areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) 10 to 15% above chance to classify individuals above/below mid-ages (about 38 to 43 years old) using Pfams. Better performance around mid-ages is also observed when using other functional categories and age-balanced dataset. We also identified some age-related Pfams that improved age discrimination at age 65 with another feature selection method called LEfSe, on an age-balanced dataset. The selected functional characteristics identify a broad range of age-relevant metabolisms, such as reduced vitamin B12 synthesis, reduced activity of reductases, increased DNA damage, occurrences of stress responses and immune system compromise, and upregulated glycosyltransferases in the aging population. Feature selection can yield biologically meaningful results when used in conjunction with classification, and makes age classification of new human gut metagenomes feasible. While we demonstrate the promise of this approach, the data-dependent prediction performance could be further improved. We hypothesize that while the Qin et al. dataset is the most comprehensive to date, even deeper sampling is needed to better characterize and predict the microbiomes’ functional content.
Prevalence of severe obstructive sleep apnea in pediatric adenotonsillectomy patients.

Objectives/Hypothesis To determine the prevalence of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a pediatric population who underwent indicated surgery for sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Study Design Retrospective chart review. Methods We reviewed the charts of patients aged 2 to 18 years who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy over a 4-year period. Indications for preoperative polysomnography (PSG), PSG results, and perioperative complications were recorded. Results Two hundred and thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis. Of these, 160 patients had preoperative PSG performed. The overall prevalence of severe OSA was 38%. The prevalence in patients for whom preoperative PSG was indicated or for which it should have been advocated according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) clinical practice guideline was 45% and 40%, respectively, whereas the prevalence in patients with no indication for preoperative PSG was 34%. There was no significant difference between groups (P = 0.39). The overall complication rate was 11%, with the rate being significantly lower (P = 0.0022) in patients who did not have preoperative PSG performed (0%) when compared to those who did (16%). Conclusions The prevalence of severe OSA in this pediatric population was high. Specifically, a significant percentage of children who would not have received preoperative PSG under the AAO-HNS recommendations had severe OSA and were consequently admitted for overnight observation. Our results suggest that preoperative PSG should be obtained for all pediatric patients with sleep disordered breathing. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 124:1975–1978, 2014
Co-7% Ir Soft Magnetic Intermediate Layer for Perpendicular Media

The current perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) media uses a non-magnetic dual Ru intermediate layer. Replacing the bottom Ru layer with a Co-7at% Ir soft magnetic crystalline interlayer is expected to enhance both the magnetic field strength and gradient. Fabrication processing parameters were varied to develop the CoIr layer with desired properties (soft magnetic properties, texture, and dome morphology) to be utilized in practical PMR media design. First, the oxide was added to create a magnetically grain-to-grain isolated structure and the well segregated microstructure was obtained. Secondly, CoIr without the oxide was deposited on amorphous Ta and confirmed to have the hcp (00.2) texture and 5 nm Ru on top develops the hcp (00.2) texture epitaxially. The recording layer properties were not deteriorated with the replacement of Ru bottom layer with CoIr. The feasibility of CoIr application in the current PMR media will be discussed based on the experimental results.
"Drivers of Capability Reconfiguration: Performance feedback, capability gaps, and network mechanisms"

This symposium aims to identify and explore key drivers of reconfiguration of firm capabilities. Following emergent consensus in the dynamic capabilities literature, we define capability reconfigur...
Ethics for the pediatrician: physician interaction with the pharmaceutical industry.

1. Mark X. Cicero, MD* 2. Michael B. Curi, MD† 3. Mark Mercurio, MD§ 1. *Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. 2. †Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT. 3. §Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. In the United States, more than 40 billion dollars are spent annually in drug research and development. (1) Wholesale pharmaceutical sales totalled $275 billion in 2008. Pharmaceuticals are both an indispensable tool and a staggering expense in health care. When caring for children, pediatricians consider a medication's efficacy, potential adverse effects, and often whether the child's health-care insurance covers the prescription. A complex relationship has evolved between pharmaceutical companies and pediatricians, with drug manufacturers historically providing gifts, sponsoring continuing medical education (CME), and delivering samples to medical offices. We explore this relationship in light of recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and the ethical conflicts relevant to this relationship. For more than a decade, awareness of the influence that industry gifts have on physician prescribing habits has been increasing. (2) In an oft-cited work, Steinman and associates (3) found most residents (61%) felt they were immune to the influence of pharmaceutical representatives and their gifts, but only 16% believed their peers were similarly above the influence of the drug industry. In truth, industry gifts may influence behavior. Such gifts may cause a conflict of interest with a pediatrician's fiduciary relationship to the patient. By definition, a fiduciary relationship is one based on trust, in which the physician works for the benefit of the patient, holding his or her needs as the highest priority. Professional organizations and the industry have made attempts to address the potential conflicts of interest. In 2002, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America …
The Decline of the Finnish American Left 1925–1945

Finnish immigrants have frequently been cited as the most politically radical ethnic group in America during the first three decades of the twentieth century, as indicated by the support they provided to the major left-wing organizations of the time. However, by 1945 this tendency was dissipating. Although political repression and nativist asperity were significant factors in undermining the left, they do not fully account for the downfall of leftist support. This article examines four other major factors: 1) the Bolshevization of the American left; 2) mass emigration to the Soviet Union; 3) the erosion of the ethnic community; and 4) the emergence of the "New American Society".
Assessment of the minimally sufficient spatial sampling in pressure mapping the wheelchair seating interface

BACKGROUND: Arrays of force sensitive resistors are useful tools for measuring contact pressures, and are widely used in application to the wheelchair seating interface. Naturally, arrays with more sensors provide greater information content; however, operational costs increase steadily with the number of sensors. OBJECTIVE:Here we provide afirst answer to the question: “How many sensors are necessary for accurate pressure mapping?” METHODS: We simulate an ultra-high-density sampling of interfacial pressures (equivalent to a 121 × 121 array), and incrementally down-sample the data (down to a 5 × 5 array). At each simulated sampling density, we calculate three common features (average pressure, maximum pressure, and pressure gradient). Using data collected from a broadly inclusive population of wheelchair users (N = 22), we set a threshold of 90% accuracy of feature extraction for 50% of the population (τμ )a nd for 80% of the population (τσ); data were collected using a commercially available mat with typical sensor spacing. RESULTS: We find that τμ ranged from 9–11 sensors on edge (i.e. 9 × 9t o 11× 11 grid required to faithfully reproduce the three extracted features), and τσ ranged from 13–20. CONCLUSIONS: The common 16 × 16 sensor arrays with approximately 3 cm spacing between sensors, are particularly reliable with high fidelity to grids of higher sampling density, with the possible exception of pressure gradient, which is only moderately accurate, and may require a larger sampling density (20 × 20).
Selective activity of deguelin identifies therapeutic targets for androgen receptor-positive breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are aggressive malignancies with no effective targeted therapies. Recent gene expression profiling of these heterogeneous cancers and the classification of cell line models now allows for the identification of compounds with selective activities against molecular subtypes of TNBC. The natural product deguelin was found to have selective activity against MDA-MB-453 and SUM-185PE cell lines, which both model the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype of TNBC. Deguelin potently inhibited proliferation of these cells with GI50 values of 30 and 61 nM, in MDA-MB-453 and SUM-185PE cells, respectively. Deguelin had exceptionally high selectivity, 197 to 566-fold, for these cell lines compared to cell lines representing other TNBC subtypes. Deguelin's mechanisms of action were investigated to determine how it produced these potent and selective effects. Our results show that deguelin has dual activities, inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and decreasing androgen receptor levels and nuclear localization. Based on these data, we hypothesized that the combination of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and the antiandrogen enzalutamide would have efficacy in LAR models. Rapamycin and enzalutamide showed additive effects in MDA-MB-453 cells, and both drugs had potent antitumor efficacy in a LAR xenograft model. These results suggest that the combination of antiandrogens and mTOR inhibitors might be an effective strategy for the treatment of androgen receptor-expressing TNBC.
Issues in representation of molecular structure: The development of molecular connectivity

Abstract Significant issues in the representation of molecular structure and the development of the molecular connectivity paradigm are presented. In the molecular connectivity paradigm, molecular structure is represented directly. Kier and Hall developed the method by creating ways to encode electronic information based on the paradigm developed from the Randic branching index. The simple and valence δ values were created to encode atomic and valence-state electronic information through counts of sigma, pi, and lone pair electrons. A family of indices was created to provide a wide range of structure information. The key aspects of the development are presented and discussed in such a way as to reveal, at least in part, the imaginative thinking involved in the process. Possible future roles for molecular connectivity chi indices are discussed.
Quantifying the effects of deforestation and fragmentation on a range-wide conservation plan for jaguars

Abstract The impact of extensive changes in land use and climate on species has led to an increasing focus on large-scale conservation planning. However, these plans are often static conservation prescriptions set against a backdrop of rapidly changing environments, which suggests that large-scale information on threats can improve the functionality of planning efforts. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are the focus of a range-wide conservation strategy extending from Mexico to Argentina that consists of jaguar conservation units (JCUs) and modeled corridors. Recent deforestation is a major threat to jaguar populations, but forest loss has not been systematically assessed across the entire jaguar network. In this study, we quantified the amount and rate of deforestation in JCUs and corridors between 2000 and 2012. JCUs lost 37,780 km2 forest (0.93%) at an increasing rate of 149.2 km2 yr−2, corridors lost 45,979 km2 (4.43%) at a decreasing rate of 40.1 km2 yr−2, and levels of forest fragmentation increased in corridors. Protected sections of JCUs and corridors lost less forest than unprotected sections, suggesting efforts to increase protected status of jaguar conservation areas are warranted. Higher deforestation in corridors indicates difficulties in maintaining connectivity of jaguar populations, and suggests the need for increased engagement with communities within corridor landscapes. Assessment of spatial variability of anthropogenic threats within the jaguar network may improve jaguar conservation by informing network prioritization and function.
Calculating welded structures by the finite-element method

AbstractThe results of investigation of the stress–strain state of welded structures of crushing drums are presented. Results of calculations using the materials resistance method and finite-elemen...
Physico-chemical analysis of herbally prepared silver nanoparticles and its potential as a drug bioenhancer

Abstract In order to exhibit its potential benefits, a drug must cross the epithelial barrier of the intestinal mucosa for transportation into systemic circulation. Several approaches have been proposed to overcome these barriers, including enhancing drug potency through the use of bioenhancers. The concurrent application of bio-enhancers with pharmaceuticals is not a new development, but has been used for thousands of years. The traditional medical system used in India (Ayurveda) has utilized formulations including metal powders (bhasma) to treat a large number of health issues. However, without the support of modern science, these methodologies are largely ignored throughout the western world. Recent studies have begun to examine not only structure and compositional studies but also studies targeted at understanding the mode of action of these materials. Preliminary studies carried out below indicate the potential of these powders to act as non-reactive bio-enhancer for drug delivery.
The Origins of the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program and the End of Public Housing

AbstractThe Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program is designed to address a $26 billion public housing capital needs backlog. New investment is leveraged by converting public housing to project-based assistance, with ownership transferred to nonprofit and private entities. In other words, RAD is expediting the end of the country’s 80-year-old public housing program. While this may seem like a dramatic policy shift, there is actually little about RAD that is new. This investigation of RAD’s origins reveals it to be the coalescence of existing programs, established policies, and longstanding trends multiple decades in the making. This in turn helps explain why RAD has expanded so quickly and why its expansion is likely to continue. There exists a great need for more research on and monitoring of RAD’s implementation, and for a reassessment of the policy priorities that produced both the program itself and the problem it attempts to solve.
Identification of structural stiffness and excitation forces in time domain using noncontact vision-based displacement measurement

Abstract The emerging noncontact vision-based displacement sensor system offers a promising alternative to the conventional sensors for quantitative structural integrity assessment. Significant advantages of the noncontact vision-based sensor include its low cost, ease of operation, and flexibility to extract structural displacement responses at multiple points. This study aims to link the measured displacement data to the quantification of the structural health condition, by validating the feasibility of simultaneous identification of structural stiffness and unknown excitation forces in time domain using output-only vision-based displacement measurement. Numerical analysis are first carried out to investigate the accuracy, convergence and robustness of identified results to different noise levels, sensor numbers, and initial estimates of structural parameters. Then, experiment on a laboratory scaled beam structure is conducted. Results show that the global stiffness of the beam specimen as well as external hammer excitation forces can be successfully and accurately identified from displacement measurement at two points using one camera. The proposed output-only time-domain identification procedure utilizing vision-based displacement measurement represents a low-cost method for either periodic or long-term bridge performance assessment.
Flame structure and laminar burning speed of gas to liquid fuel air mixtures at moderate pressures and high temperatures

Abstract Gas to liquid (GTL) fuel, synthesized from natural gas through Fisher–Tropsch (F–T) process, has gained significant attention due to its cleaner combustion characteristics when compared to conventional fuels. Combustion properties such as flame structure and laminar burning speed of GTL/air mixture premixed flames have been investigated. The GTL fuel used in this research was provided by Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), designated by Syntroleum S-8, which was derived from natural gas via F–T process. A mixture of 32% iso-octane, 25% n-decane, and 43% n-dodecane by volume is considered as the surrogates of GTL fuel for filling process. Experiments were conducted using a cylindrical chamber to study the flame structure and a spherical chamber for laminar burning speeds measurement. The cylindrical chamber was set up in a Z-shape schlieren system coupled with a high-speed CMOS camera that was used to capture evolutionary behavior of flames at up to 40,000 frames per second. Pressure rise as a function of time during the flame propagation in the spherical vessel was the primary input of the multi-shell thermodynamic model used to calculate the laminar burning speed for the smooth flames. Power law correlations over a wide range of pressures (from 0.5 atm up to 4.3 atm), temperatures (from 490 K up to 620 K), and equivalence ratios (from 0.7 to 1.2) have been developed for laminar burning speeds of GTL/air flames. Experimental burning speed results have been compared with simulation values obtained by the solution of one dimensional steady premixed flame code from CANTERA using Ranzi’s chemical kinetics mechanisms. Comparisons show very good agreement with the available experimental data in this study.
Auto-calibration of multi-projector systems on arbitrary shapes

In this paper we present a new distributed technique to geometrically calibrate multiple casually aligned projectors on a fiducial free arbitrary surface using multiple casually aligned cameras where every point of the surface is seen by at least one camera. Using a multi-step method that uses binary blob patterns, we estimate robustly the display's 3D surface geometry, the cameras' extrinsic parameters, and the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the multiple projectors. Thus, our work can enable easy deployment of large scale augmented reality environments playing a fundamental role in increasing their popularity in several applications like geospatial analysis, architectural lighting, cultural heritage restoration, theatrical lighting, training, simulation and visualization.
Cation‐Directed Isomerization of the U28 Uranyl‐Peroxide Cluster

The conformational dynamics of nanometer-sized actinide ions are exceptionally sensitive to the choice of counter-cations. A new means of following these dynamics in solution is presented that follows ¹H NMR signals. The direct bond between hydrogen and phosphorus in the bridging phosphonic groups of the [(UO₂)₂₈(O₂)₂₀(PHO₃)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂]³²- (U₂₈) cluster allows unparalleled recording of the orientations of these bridges in situ. The µ₃-PHO₃ bridges are organized into two supersets of conformers (facing inward vs outward from the cluster), but each of these supersets additionally have four subsets that can be identified based upon orientations of the lone pairs of electrons in the associated oxygen atoms. The ensemble of these subsets changes over days or weeks depending upon bulk solution chemistry, temperature, and pressure. They also reflect cations trapped within the molecule. The ¹H NMR spectra at room temperature indicate that the molecular orientation of this enormous ion tunes itself in response to solution composition, which suggests a strategy for selecting host-guest combinations.
Affective Fictions: George Saunders and the Wonderful-Sounding Words of Neoliberalism

ABSTRACTSince the publication of CivilWarLand in Bad Decline in 1996, George Saunders has risen to prominence as a uniquely sensitive chronicler of American life. I use “sensitive” because his work...
Suicide and Depression in the United States

ABSTRACT Depression and suicide in the United States over the past decade are reviewed in terms of (1) classification, (2) epidemiology, (3) theories, (4) tests, (5) biochemical aspects, and (6) treatment. Advances in each area have focused on (1) classification by clinical descriptive features, (2) recognition of the great overlap in the two conditions, (3) psychoanalytic and cognitive theories, (4) refinement of tests of depression, (5) exploration of the role of biogenic amines, and (6) chemical, psychological, or combination treatment approaches.
Treatment-seeking college students with disabilities: Presenting concerns, protective factors, and academic distress.

Students with disabilities are a growing population on college campuses and have unique challenges that put them at risk for early departure, creating complexity in efforts to address their personal and academic needs. Purpose The purpose was to explore academic and other sources of distress among college students with disabilities to identify possible areas where enhanced supports might benefit this population. Research Method and Design: Researchers analyzed cross-sectional data from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health to compare subsamples of students with (n = 1,774) and without disabilities (n = 1,774) on presenting concerns, and to determine significant predictors of academic distress among students with disabilities. Results Results indicated that students with disabilities have many similar treatment concerns with their peers, but showed greater concerns in depression and self-harm; academic performance; anxiety and obsessions/compulsions; and fewer concerns in relationship problems. Significant predictors of academic distress for students with disabilities included attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and self-harm, trauma or victimization, stress and academic performance, and social support from family and peers. Conclusions/implications These results suggest the importance of several factors in understanding the presenting concerns of treatment-seeking students with disabilities and mitigating academic distress for this population. Additional areas for research are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record
Audiovisual speech detection benefits: A comparison across psychophysical approaches

Visual speech reduces uncertainty as to when auditory speech will occur, thereby enhancing detection of speech in noise. These detection benefits reflect a low-level perceptual mechanism of AV speech enhancement that is independent of the linguistic nature of speech. Audiovisual speech detection benefits have primarily been assessed using two-interval forced-choice paradigms. Results from AV speech detection experiments using three different psychophysical approaches will be presented. These include a single-interval yes/no task, a go/no-go task, and a two-interval forced choice task. In all experiments, adults with normal hearing complete an auditory-only condition with a still image of the talker and an audiovisual condition with a synchronous and congruent visual speech signal. The audiovisual condition includes foil trials/intervals that force participants to use the auditory information to make the decision. Adults demonstrate significant audiovisual benefit to speech detection across all three task,...
The Kabbalah and Leibniz’s Theodicy

The great change in Leibniz’s thinking about the possibility of progress becomes abundantly clear if one compares passages from the manuscripts published by Fichant. In the one written in 1693, Concerning the Horizon of Human Knowledge, Leibniz argues that if human beings were to exist for long enough, there would inevitably come a time when everything that could be enunciated and written down would already have been enunciated and written down, and people would simply begin to repeat themselves: If the human race continues for long enough in its present condition, and if every 100 years, or million years, or some even greater interval, each individual produced at least one new statement or proposition, it would necessarily follow that eventually all the propositions which could be enunciated would have been exhausted and therefore a perfect repetition would occur, word for word, of what had already been said or enunciated before. One would not be able to write a sermon, poem, novel, or book which had not already been written by another. The common saying, “Nothing is said which has not been said before” would be true to the letter.316 I find that the hypothesis that a certain interval of time produces at least something new is not certain or even reasonable. It seems rather that the difficulty of producing anything new continually increases. But perhaps the number of enunciable truths, although finite, will never be exhausted, just as the interval between a straight line and the curve of a hyperbola or conchoid is never exhausted, although it is finite. And even if we suppose that the human race as we know it has existed for all eternity, it does not necessarily follow that everything that could be said has already been said. However, it is true that if the human race continues for a long enough time, almost everything that one could say would only be a repetition; and if new things are often said, eventually one will be unable to produce any more... But leaving such propositions aside, which are not entirely proven, let us content ourselves with having discovered a kind of horizon, which limits human knowledge, and with having elevated our understanding to such reflections, which make us recognize the limits which to some extent nature has placed upon it. 317
DISTANCE, INTEGRITY, HIERARCHY – THE ISSUE OF REGIONALIZATION OF CENTRAL EUROPE BASED ON AIR TRANSPORT FLOWS

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the general understanding of air transport organization and creation of air interactions in view of three issues – distance, integrity and hierarchy. Although these issues are generally known from literature, they were not properly studied in the case of air transport. Therefore, the article brings a new perspective on the issue of air transport evaluation, the delimitation of functional regions based on air transport interactions, and the evaluation of their hierarchical organization. We analyze the database of flights between civil airports in Central Europe. We specify hinterlands of individual airports by using the modified version of Reilly’s gravity law. The main results of this study confirmed the dominance of main airports (mainly Frankfurt and Vienna), while confirming a relatively large autonomy of airports localized in the former socialist countries (Warsaw, Prague).
Conclusion: Future Intersections of Rap and Politics

Oware returns to Donald Trump’s presidency, positing that his election likely increases the odds of more politicization in rap for years to come. At the current moment, rappers rebuke and challenge the commander-in-chief. However, in the 1990s male and female rappers praised Donald Trump. Since becoming president of the United States, many emcees criticize what they consider as racist and xenophobic sentiments. Trump’s tepid rebuke of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia provoked a renewed “wokeness” for some in rap. Oware returns to women in rap, featuring Cardi B, rap phenom of 2017, and what her achievements signal for female rappers in the future. In all, women and LGBTQ advancements in the industry happen alongside continued heterosexual male dominance and heteronormativity.
Themes of Tension Surrounding Research Methodologies Education in an Accelerated, Cohort-Based Doctoral Program

This single-site investigative action research study used an insider research strategy using selfdirected focus groups comprised of the four participants/researchers. These “four voices” include the Program Director of the doctoral program in instruction and leadership, a recent program graduate, and two faculty members who teach the quantitative and qualitative components of the program. Survey data from students represent the “fifth voice”. The focus of our research was to discuss the most effective ways to prepare doctoral students to use research methodologies in an accelerated, cohort-based doctoral program. Qualitative data from the focus groups were coded independently by two of the researchers to promote credibility and the secondary data set (“fifth voice”) was used to evaluate student views. The analyses produced five themes that describe the experiences and understandings of the participants in regard to research methods preparation as well as seven recommendations for rebalancing methods curriculum and methods instruction in order to improve practice. In order to triangulate findings, student data served as a corroborating voice. From the analyses and interpretation of these data, the following program changes were made to the research methodology courses: (1) a team-taught integrative methods course for qualitative and quantitative design was initiated; (2) a related course sequence change that places statistics in the more logical position of following rather than preceding research design; and (3) the formation of an ad-hoc committee that is currently examining the qualifier exam (largely methods) with the intention of restructuring it based on student feedback that suggests perhaps a more project-based assignment reflecting changes made to qualitative and quantitative methods courses and incorporating a subject or content-specific focus.
Mechanisms of Directed Assembly of Colloidal Particles in Two Dimensions by Application of Electric Fields

When electric fields interact with particles immersed in liquids and levitated near electrodes, the particles assemble into structures such as ordered arrays or chains. For example, direct electric current flowing through an aqueous solution held between two parallel-plate electrodes produces two dimensional arrays of colloidal particles near one of the electrodes. A high frequency electric field imposed in-plane, by contrast, forms chains of particles. These phenomena have interested scientists and engineers for a century; the multiphysics of the phenomena make it a rich problem for both theoreticians and experimentalists. Experimental investigations into the translation of particles laterally along surfaces when electric fields are applied normally to those surfaces, and into chain formation when the field is applied tangentially, have led to proposed mechanisms and theory by which colloidal particles and even cells move relative to the nearby surface and relative to each other. These mechanisms-, electrophoresis, electroosmosis, electrohydrodynamics, induced dipole repulsion, and dielectrophoresis- and supporting experimental evidence are the main topics of this account.