cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cage versus prism: electronic energies of the water hexamer.

Recent experiments show that the cage isomer of the water hexamer is lower in energy than the prism isomer near 0 K, and yet state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations predict the prism to be lower in energy than the cage at 0 K. Here, we study the relative energies of the water hexamers from the parametric two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) method in which the 2-RDM rather than the wave function is the basic variable of the calculations. In agreement with experiment and in contrast with traditional wave function methods, the 2-RDM calculations predict the cage to be more stable than the prism after vibrational zero-point correction. Multiple configurations from the hydrogen bonding are captured by the method. More generally, the results are consistent with our previous 2-RDM applications in that they reveal how multireference correlation in molecular systems is important for resolving small energy differences from hydrogen bonding as well as other types of intermolecular forces, even in ...
Electrocatalytic Evaluation of Shape-Dependent Platinum Nanocatalysts towards Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Electrocatalytic activity and stability of platinum nanocubes and nanospheres were comparatively investigated towards methanol oxidation reaction. The results indicate that the {100}-bounded Pt nanocubes exhibit not only higher catalytic activity but also higher stability compared with the mixed crystallographic facet-terminated Pt nanospheres.
Prospective trial of ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin (ITP) in patients with advanced non-transitional cell (non-TCC) carcinomas of the urothelial tract

4542 Background: Non-TCC’s account for 5–10% of urothelial tract tumors and are each characterized by unique demographics, risk factors, and patterns of spread. A unifying feature of these malignan...
Interface-Driven Phenomena in Solids: Thermodynamics, Kinetics and Chemistry

The study of materials interfaces dates back over a century. In solid systems and from an engineering perspective, free surfaces and internal (grain and/or phase) boundaries influence a wide range of properties, such as thermal, electrical and optical transport, and mechanical ones. The properties and the role of interfaces has been discussed extensively in various reviews such as by Sutton and Balluffi. As the characteristic feature size of a materials system (i.e., grain size) is decreased to the nanometer scale, interface-driven physics is expected to dominate due to the increased density of such planar defects. Moreover, interfacial attributes, thermodynamics, and mobility play a key role in phase transformations, such as solidification dynamics and structural transitions in solids, and in homogenization and microstructural evolution processes, such as grain growth, coarsening, and recrystallization. In summary, the set of articles published in this special topic titled: “Interface-Driven Phenomena in Solids: Thermodynamics, Kinetics and Chemistry” covers topics related to microstructure evolution, segregation/adsorption phenomena and interface interactions with other materials defects.
A Construction Procurement Method to Achieve Sustainability in Modular Construction

Abstract Modular or prefabricated construction has gradually replacing the traditional on-site construction due to the benefits provided, notably faster time, reduced costs, better work quality, and less environmental impacts. Prefabricated construction guaranties more control over the quality of components and safety of the construction process. However, some other concerns such as design considerations and coordination of factory and on-site activities, may be easily undermined if an appropriate procurement method is not selected. In a precast concrete construction, for instance, precast members require highly skilled workers, more complex techniques, and a more complex design. Because the design professionals need to concentrate on perfecting the modular design, the intensive administrative work may be neglected. To include these managerial task in a modular construction's equation, this study presents a fundamental understanding of modular and/or pre-fabricated systems and suggests a construction procurement method based on project type to satisfy this short coming and to achieve sustainable modular construction.
What do cells actually want

Genome-scale models require an objective function representing what an organism strives for. A method has been developed to infer this fundamental biological function from data.Please see related Research article: www.dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-016-0968-2.
Changing concepts in the diagnosis and management of patients with valvular heart disease: a clinician's view.

UNLABELLED In 200 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction combined medical-mechanical recanalization was attempted. Coronary angiography revealed an occluded vessel in 150 patients. This vessel could be opened in 127 patients. There were 112 men and 15 women, aged 32 to 72 years (mean age 61.2 years); 60 patients had an anterior and 67 patients presented with an inferior myocardial infarction. 103 from 127 patients presented with arrhythmias during the ischemic phase and 112 from 127 patients during the reperfusion phase. The following arrhythmias had a significantly higher incidence in the reperfusion phase compared to the ischemic phase: sinus bradycardia (29 pts. - 22.8% - vs. 15 pts. - 11.8%; p less than 0.05), ventricular bigeminy (28 pts. - 29.9% - vs. 5 pts. - 3.9%; p less than 0.01), ventricular couplets (34 pts. - 26.8% - vs. 20 pts. - 15.7%; p less than 0.05) and accelerated idioventricular rhythm (32 pts. - 25.2% - vs. 5 pts. - 3.9%; p less than 0.01). Ventricular fibrillation occurred during the ischemic phase in 9 patients and during the reperfusion phase in 7 patients (n.s.). None of the patients presented with sustained ventricular tachycardia, neither in the ischemic, nor in the reperfusion phase. CONCLUSIONS The following rhythm disturbances can be called reperfusion arrhythmias: sinus bradycardia, ventricular bigeminy, ventricular couplets and accelerated idioventricular rhythm. The observed reperfusion arrhythmias were short-living and did not need special therapeutic measures.
LEDPUF: Stability-guaranteed physical unclonable functions through locally enhanced defectivity

Stability has always been one of the major limitations that constraints Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) from being put in widespread practical use. In this paper, we propose a weak PUF and a strong PUF that are both completely stable with 0% intra-distance. These PUFs are called Locally Enhanced Defectivity Physical Unclonable Function (LEDPUF). A LEDPUF is a pure functional PUF which eliminates the instability of conventional parametric PUFs, therefore no helper data, fuzzy comparator, or any kinds of correction schemes are required. The source of randomness is extracted from Directed Self Assembly (DSA) process, and connections that are permanently closed or opened are formed randomly. The weak LEDPUF is constructed by forming arrays of DSA random connections, and the strong LEDPUF is implemented by using the weak LEDPUF as the key of a keyed-hash message authentication code (HMAC). Our simulation and statistical results show that the entropy of the weak LEDPUF bits is close to ideal, and the inter-distances of both weak and strong LEDPUFs are about 50%, which means that these LEDPUFs are not only stable but also unique.
Fluorometric Screening Method for Citrinin in Corn, Barley, and Peanuts

A fluorometric method is described for rapid screening of citrinin in corn, barley, and peanuts. The initial extraction uses an aqueous acidified acetonitrile solution, and the resulting extract is partially purified by several acid-base partition steps. Citrinin is determined by using a fluorometer. Mean recoveries of added citrinin from corn, barley, and peanuts were 56.4, 66.6, and 40.0%, respectively, at levels of 100-8000 ng/g.
Advances in transfusion therapy.

OBJECTIVE To review several recent advances in blood transfusion therapy. DATA SOURCES Professional journals and current American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) recommendations. STUDY SELECTION Not applicable. DATA EXTRACTION Not applicable. DATA SYNTHESIS Improvements in leukocyte reduction of blood components have been effective in preventing alloimmunization to white cell antigens and the transmission of cytomegalovirus. Leukocyte reduction has not proved effective, however, in preventing febrile reactions after platelet transfusions in alloimmunized patients. To reduce the risk of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, new recommendations for the irradiation of blood components have been made. They include the irradiation of donor units from all blood relatives of the recipient and an increase in the recommended dose of irradiation to 2,500 cGy. Current investigations of both hemoglobin-based and fluorocarbon-based blood substitutes may improve the safety and efficacy of transfusion therapy in the future. CONCLUSION Advances in transfusion therapy include the prevention of alloimmunization to leukocyte antigens, the prevention of CMV transmission by using leukocyte-reduced blood products, the reduction of the risk of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, and the investigation of potential blood substitutes.
The Coreoidea Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Magallanes Region: Checklist and identification key to the species

Abstract Members of the Coreoidea of Magallanes Region are listed. First records in the Magallanes Region are provided for Harmostes (Neoharmostes) procerus Berg, 1878 and Althos nigropunctatus (Signoret, 1864). It is concluded that three species classified in three genera and two families are present in the region. A key to the species is provided. Resumen Se listan los Coreoidea de la Region de Magallanes. Se entregan los primeros registros para la region de Harmostes (Neoharmostes) procerus Berg, 1878 y Althos nigropunctatus (Signoret, 1864). Se concluye que en Magallanes habitan tres especies de esta superfamilia clasificadas en tres generos y dos familias. Se entrega una clave para la identificacion de estas especies.
Surgical and Metabolic Management of Urolithiasis Following Bladder Reconstruction

Urolithiasis occurs in up to 52 % of patients who undergo urinary diversion for any cause. The anatomic and metabolic alterations that occur at the time of bladder reconstruction with intestinal segments results in significant risk factors for stone formation unique to this patient population. Furthermore, the risk of urinary tract colonization with urease-producing bacteria further enhances their risk of urolithiasis. While primary prevention is paramount, surgical management is often necessary to remove stones that develop in patients with urinary diversion. In this review, we discuss the particular risk factors associated with urolithiasis in patients with urinary diversion, as well as medical and behavioral interventions to minimize risk of stones and to prevent recurrent stone formation. We also discuss the particular intricacies of surgical management of stones in both the upper and lower urinary tracts in patients with all types of diversions and provide an evidence-based approach to treatment of urolithiasis in this complex patient population.
European Military Capabilities: Enablers and Constraints on EU Power?

How should we understand the role of the EU in the world – and its relational power vis-a-vis other international actors? And to what degree is the Russia–Ukraine crisis a critical juncture in EU power dynamics over time? This contribution to this Special Issue evaluates EU power through the lens of material power and capabilities, and analyzes patterns and changes in material capabilities as indicators of threat and strategic assessments. The findings demonstrate the Russia–Ukraine crisis as one critical juncture in the weight and means of EU military power/capabilities, representing a partial but significant shift away from the overall national tendencies of reducing military spending across Europe, and the decade-long trends of strategic goals towards mobilizing EU military power outside of Europe. It also marks a deepening of strategic divergences across the EU regarding national clusters of capability development.
Composition‐Based Prediction of Temperature‐Dependent Thermophysical Food Properties: Reevaluating Component Groups and Prediction Models

Prediction of temperature-dependent thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, density, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity) is an important component of process design for food manufacturing. Current models for prediction of thermophysical properties of foods are based on the composition, specifically, fat, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, water, and ash contents, all of which change with temperature. The objectives of this investigation were to reevaluate and improve the prediction expressions for thermophysical properties. Previously published data were analyzed over the temperature range from 10 to 150 °C. These data were analyzed to create a series of relationships between the thermophysical properties and temperature for each food component, as well as to identify the dependence of the thermophysical properties on more specific structural properties of the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Results from this investigation revealed that the relationships between the thermophysical properties of the major constituents of foods and temperature can be statistically described by linear expressions, in contrast to the current polynomial models. Links between variability in thermophysical properties and structural properties were observed. Relationships for several thermophysical properties based on more specific constituents have been identified. Distinctions between simple sugars (fructose, glucose, and lactose) and complex carbohydrates (starch, pectin, and cellulose) have been proposed. The relationships between the thermophysical properties and proteins revealed a potential correlation with the molecular weight of the protein. The significance of relating variability in constituent thermophysical properties with structural properties--such as molecular mass--could significantly improve composition-based prediction models and, consequently, the effectiveness of process design.
Applying Fuzzy Clustering to a Multimodel Ensemble for U.S. East Coast Winter Storms: Scenario Identification and Forecast Verification

AbstractThis article introduces a method for objectively separating and validating forecast scenarios within a large multimodel ensemble for the medium-range (3–7 day) forecasts of extratropical cyclones impacting the U.S. East Coast. The method applies fuzzy clustering to the principal components (PCs) of empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on mean sea level pressure (MSLP) from a 90-member combination of the global ensembles from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the Canadian Meteorological Center, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Two representative cases are presented to illustrate the applications of this method. Application to the 26–28 January 2015 event demonstrates that the forecast scenarios determined by the fuzzy clustering method are well separated and consistent in different state variables (i.e., MSLP, 500-hPa geopotential height, and total precipitation). The fuzzy clustering method and an existing ensemble sensitivity method are applied ...
The code and beyond: transcription regulation by the RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain

The carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) extends from the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) as a long, repetitive and largely unstructured polypeptide chain. Throughout the transcription process, the CTD is dynamically modified by post-translational modifications, many of which facilitate or hinder the recruitment of key regulatory factors of Pol II that collectively constitute the 'CTD code'. Recent studies have revealed how the physicochemical properties of the CTD promote phase separation in the presence of other low-complexity domains. Here, we discuss the intricacies of the CTD code and how the newly characterized physicochemical properties of the CTD expand the function of the CTD beyond the code.
Journalistic interventions: The structural factors affecting the global emergence of fact-checking:

Since the emergence of FactCheck.org in the United States in 2003, fact-checking interventions have expanded both domestically and globally. The Duke Reporter’s Lab identified nearly 100 active initiatives around the world in 2016. Building off of previous exploratory work by Amazeen, this research utilizes the framework of critical juncture theory to examine why fact-checking interventions are spreading globally at this point in time. Seen as a professional reform movement in the journalistic community, historical research on reform movements suggests several possible factors influencing the emergence of fact-checking such as a decline in journalism, easy access to technology for the masses, and socio-political strife. This study offers empirical support that fact-checking may be understood as a democracy-building tool that emerges where democratic institutions are perceived to be weak or are under threat and examines similarities between the growth of fact-checking interventions and previous consumer re...
Introducting Photovoltaics in a Developing Country: The Case of Cambodia

Publisher Summary It is noted that electricity generation in Cambodia is in small isolated systems. About 70% of the rural population of Cambodia do not have access to electricity and predominantly rely on kerosene lanterns that are regarded as smelly, dangerous, and generally provide poor light. Some use car batteries to provide evening light and power a TV and a radio. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are installed in Cambodia since 1997 and the applications include domestic lighting, telecommunication power supplies, and water pumping. A regional research and dissemination program supported the demonstration of solar home systems in a remote village and in a pagoda. The chapter describes the details of the systems and activities related to training and dissemination.
Effect of specimen thickness on the fracture resistance of hot mix asphalt in the disk-shaped compact tension (DCT) configuration

Abstract In this study, the effect of specimen thickness on the fracture resistance of a dense-graded hot mix asphalt (HMA) is investigated. The fracture toughness, K c and fracture energy, G f in triplicate DCT specimens with width-to-thickness ratios ranging from 1.46 to 4.4 is measured at 27 °C. The coefficient of variation (COV) of K c and G f is calculated to determine reliability as a function of thickness. Photos of cracked specimens and 3D surface scans are employed to study how the crack path and fracture surface changed with thickness. The ASTM specifications and linear-elastic fracture mechanics theory are applied to show that K c does not reach a plane-strain condition, K c ≠ K Ic , for the given ratios. The average K c increases with thickness while the COV is inconsistent with thickness. The average G f is independent of thickness but the COV decreases with thickness; thus, G f is thickness-dependent. The crack path and fracture surface cannot be used to identify the plane-stress or plane-strain condition due to large aggregates dominating the fracture process. A method for estimating the specimen thickness required for the plane-strain condition and a method to estimate the thickness at which fracture toughness is maximized is demonstrated.
Identifying the Decomposition of Diethyl Carbonate in Binary Electrolyte Solutions in Contact with Silicon Anodes - A Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy Study

The key factor in the use of lithium ion batteries is the formation of an electrically insulating solid layer that allows lithium ion transport but stops further electrolyte redox reactions on the electrode surface, therefore termed the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). We have studied the preceding stages to the SEI formation, specifically the reduction of diethyl carbonate (DEC) mixed with ethylene carbonate (EC) with dissolved 1.0 M LiPF6, a common binary electrolyte. We used a p-doped crystalline silicon (100)-hydrogen terminated wafer as the anode in a lithium (Li) half-cell system. We employed in situ sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy with interface sensitivity to probe the molecular composition of the SEI surface species under various applied potentials where only diethyl carbonate reduction to form a Si-ethoxy (Si-OCH2CH3) surface is expected. We found that even at open circuit potential (OCP) DEC decomposes on the silicon (100)-hydrogen surface to form Si-ethoxy bonds. The...
An atomic mean-field spin-orbit approach within exact two-component theory for a non-perturbative treatment of spin-orbit coupling

An atomic mean-field (AMF) spin-orbit (SO) approach within exact two-component theory (X2C) is reported, thereby exploiting the exact decoupling scheme of X2C, the one-electron approximation for the scalar-relativistic contributions, the mean-field approximation for the treatment of the two-electron SO contribution, and the local nature of the SO interactions. The Hamiltonian of the proposed SOX2CAMF scheme comprises the one-electron X2C Hamiltonian, the instantaneous two-electron Coulomb interaction, and an AMF SO term derived from spherically averaged Dirac-Coulomb Hartree-Fock calculations of atoms; no molecular relativistic two-electron integrals are required. Benchmark calculations for bond lengths, harmonic frequencies, dipole moments, and electric-field gradients for a set of diatomic molecules containing elements across the periodic table show that the SOX2CAMF scheme offers a balanced treatment for SO and scalar-relativistic effects and appears to be a promising candidate for applications to heavy-element containing systems. SOX2CAMF coupled-cluster calculations of molecular properties for bismuth compounds (BiN, BiP, BiF, BiCl, and BiI) are also presented and compared with experimental results to further demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the SOX2CAMF scheme.
NECorr, a Tool to Rank Gene Importance in Biological Processes using Molecular Networks and Transcriptome Data

The challenge of increasing crop yield while decreasing plants9 susceptibility to various stresses can be lessened by understanding plant regulatory processes in a tissue-specific manner. Molecular network analysis techniques were developed to aid in understanding gene inter-regulation. However, few tools for molecular network mining are designed to extract the most relevant genes to act upon. In order to find and to rank these putative regulator genes, we generated NECorr, a computational pipeline based on multiple-criteria decision-making algorithms. With the objective of ranking genes and their interactions in a selected condition or tissue, NECorr uses the molecular network topology as well as global gene expression analysis to find hub genes and their condition-specific regulators. NECorr was applied to Arabidopsis thaliana flower tissue and identifies known regulators in the developmental processes of this tissue as well as new putative regulators. NECorr will accelerate translational research by ranking candidate genes within a molecular network of interest.
Learning in Small Business Enterprises

Each small business is a different enterprise even though its goal is to operate profitably. What is distinctive for these enterprises is their scale of operation and distinctive culture in which they operate. To understand how people in small businesses learn one has to consider how learning in one’s work is a part of lifelong education; how people learn in their work; and how small businesses can be considered as learning organisations. To do this, a sociocultural approach to learning in small businesses is promoted in which the relationships between the small business workers and their work are considered.
Analyzing a Discrete Model of Aplysia Central Pattern Generator

We present a discrete formal model of the central pattern generator (CPG) located in the buccal ganglia of Aplysiathat is responsible for mediating the rhythmic movements of its foregut during feeding. Our starting point is the continuous dynamical model for pattern generation underlying fictive feeding in Aplysiaproposed by Baxter et. al. [1]. The discrete model is obtained as a composition of discrete models of ten individual neurons in the CPG. The individual neurons are interconnected through excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections and electric connections. We used Symbolic Analysis Laboratory (SAL) to formally build the model and analyzed it using the SAL model checkers. Using abstract discrete models of the individual neurons helps in understanding the buccal motor programs generated by the network in terms of the network connection topology. It also eliminates the need for detailed knowledge of the unknown parameters in the continuous model of Baxter et. al. [1].
Triangular Numbering in Partially Ordered Sets (TRIANG)

This chapter presents algorithm TRIANG for triangular numbering in partially ordered sets. It describes an algorithm that accomplishes the desired renumbering and in which the user descends a chain in the partial-order relation until a minimal element is reached. Next the user searches for a new unlabeled element and repeats the process. However, a good deal of useful information is lost because the element that preceded the minimal element just labeled is a better place to start the search for the next element to label. This is so because the user would thereby start lower down in the partially ordered set and would be nearer to next minimal element. The formal algorithm is also given which describes the process in detail. This algorithm is designed so that the partial-order relation can be described on input by its full zeta matrix or else by just the matrix of its covering relation. Sample output is shown for a partially ordered set of divisors of 48 ordered by divisibility. The zeta matrix corresponding to this input ordering is shown as a 10 × 10 array.
The Sensitivity and Specificity of Preoperative History, Physical Examination, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Predict Articular Cartilage Injuries in Symptomatic Discoid Lateral Meniscus.

Background Discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) is a morphologic variant in which concomitant articular cartilage defects lead to poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prognostic ability of history, physical examination, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify arthroscopically confirmed articular cartilage injury in pediatric and adolescent DLM patients. Methods An analysis of 34 consecutive patients (mean, 12.5 y) who underwent surgical treatment for DLM. Patients were grouped based on arthroscopic findings for the presence or absence of articular cartilage injury. All patients underwent standard preoperative history and physical examination, and MRI of their symptomatic knee. Separate discriminant functional analyses were performed using history (age, sex, symptoms lasting >6 mo, traumatic history), physical examination (presence of clunk, extension block, mechanical symptoms), and MRI findings (chondral injury, meniscal degeneration, meniscal morphology) to determine their sensitivity and specificity in prediction of articular cartilage lesions. Results The sensitivity and specificity of history alone was 71.4% and 75.0%, respectively; physical examination alone was 64.3% and 60%, respectively; and of MRI findings alone was 60% and 66.7%, respectively. A stepwise discriminant functional analysis found that duration of symptoms and extension block were the optimal contributors with a 78.5% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Conclusions Preoperative history had the highest sensitivity and specificity compared with physical examination and MRI findings for predicting articular cartilage injury at the time of DLM surgery. These findings may assist in setting expectations for patients with regard to surgical planning and recovery and also to counsel patients with asymptomatic, incidental DLM which factors may risk chondral injury and warrant early return for evaluation. Level of evidence Level II-retrospective prognostic comparative study.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among patients with a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan; prevalence, survival and patient characteristics.

Objective: To estimate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) prevalence, 5-year survival, and explore factors associated with survival in a Medicare population. Methods: A validated administrative cl...
Coding for Visible Light Communication Using Color-Shift Keying Constellations

Color-shift keying (CSK) is a modulation scheme used in visible light communication (VLC) to transmit data by varying the intensity of red, green, and blue LEDs. We study the channel coding for VLC using CSK under constraints of no color shift and no illumination flicker during transmission and design codes over newly introduced symmetric symbol constellations over a triangle intensity plane. One class of codes contains the transmitted sequence based on finite-state machines, and the other is based on the concept of trellis-coded modulation for mitigating color shifts during transmission. The codes have a trellis structure which allows optimal soft-decision decoding using the Viterbi algorithm providing asymptotic coding gain improvements of 1.5 to 3.5 dB with respect to the uncoded transmission while complying with the color shift and flicker constraints.
Teaching High School Students with Learning and Emotional Disabilities in Inclusion Science Classrooms: A Case Study of Four Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

In an effort to provide a fair and appropriate education for all, educational reformers and policy makers expect the majority of the 5.8 million school age children identified with disabilities to learn science in general education classrooms whenever possible (Caseau & Norman, 1997; IDEA, 1997). For this paper, students with disabilities [SWD] consist of high school students identified with non-severe learning or emotional needs who receive special education services in the schools. These students have the cognitive, emotional, and social capacities to construct scientific knowledge, participate in scientific investigations, and apply scientific reasoning for problem solving and decision making inherent to the secondary science curriculum. Students with learning and emotional disabilities comprise the majority of all students eligible for special education services in public schools according to the U.S. Department of Education (1996). Science education reform documents such as Project 2061: Science for all Americans (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990), the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996), and Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (National Science Teachers Association, 1996) clearly identify science teachers as key in developing scientific literacy for all students. The success of these educational reforms will be determined in large measure by the practices and beliefs of general education science teachers who often teach in inclusion classrooms enrolling both SWD and students without disabilities. Approximately 11% of all K-12 students have an identified disability and most of these students are included within general education science classes (Norman, Caseau, & Stefanick, 1998). Yet, relatively few of the general education science teachers in inclusion classrooms have been prepared to teach SWD (Cawley, 1994; Pyle & Butera, 1997). Although there have been reported successes in teaching science to SWD (Jakupcak, Rushton, Jakupcak, & Lundt, 1996; Wielert & Sheldon, 1984), there remains a clear need for research to determine best teaching practices for these learners (Bursuck, Polloway, Plante, & Epstein, 1996; Kearney & Durand, 1992; Norman, Caseau, & Stefanick, 1998; Patton, Polloway, & Cronin, 1986). In particular, there is a need to examine adaptations that take place for SWD in general education, or inclusion, science classes (McIntosh, Vaughn, Schumm, Hagger, & Lee, 1993). This paper begins to address this need by examining the practices and beliefs of four experienced high school science teachers who teach SWD in inclusion classrooms. Teaching High School Students with Learning and Emotional Disabilities in Inclusion Science Classrooms: A Case Study of Four Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices
The Goals of a Judicial Opinion

This article, a reprint of a chapter from the author's Advanced Judicial Opinion Writing: A Handbook for New York State Trial and Appellate Courts (7.4 ed. 2004), discusses why and when trial should write, the purposes of a reasoned opinion, the goals of a reasoned opinion, whether intermediate appellate judges should always write, for whom judges write, and why judges should write well.
Novel Consensus Architecture To Improve Performance of Large-Scale Multitask Deep Learning QSAR Models

Advances in the development of high-throughput screening and automated chemistry have rapidly accelerated the production of chemical and biological data, much of them freely accessible through lite...
Slot Revenue Growth in Nevada: An Empirical Analysis

This paper examines the economic effects of changes in technology on gaming revenue in Nevada between 1984 and 2015. Slots outperformed table games in terms or revenue growth during that time-period. The paper provides evidence that those performance gains are attributable both to increased capacity and increased efficiency. Gains attributable to increased capacity, measured by units-in-service, are indicative of successful industry efforts to tap new market segments. Gains attributable to increased efficiency, measured by revenue-per-unit, are indicative of successful industry efforts to expedite gaming productivity. Additional analysis shows that most of the growth in slot revenue occurred prior to 2002, and was primarily attributable to increased capacity. Between 2002 and 2007, revenue growth was more modest, with most of the gains attributed to improved efficiency. Finally, beginning in 2008, slots began to reflect the effects of the Great Recession, surrendering a significant portion of their revenue gains, with decreases in both capacity and efficiency. These results should be of interest to policy makers and others interested in the determinants of gaming revenue.
Merging actors with events: introducing the social conflict analysis dataset – organizational properties (SCAD-OPs)

Events data have been instrumental in the study of contentious politics. Yet such data often focus on the attributes of the events themselves – such as the number of participants, fatalities, and l...
1968: a pivotal moment in American sports: by James C. Nicholson, Knoxville, University of Tennessee Press, 2019, xiv + 149 pp., US$34.95 (cloth), ISBN 9781621904991

On October 16, 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos staged one of the most memorable acts of protest in sport history. On the medal stand of the 200-meter dash at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico C...
Linguistic and Cultural Rights in STEAM Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics

The premise for this chapter is that the integration of African languages into the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is an imperative and will make education more accessible and creative at all levels. This chapter provides tools and strategies for organizing and managing interdisciplinary learning and teaching based on successful collaborations between applied linguists, human rights advocates, STEM researchers, practitioners, and artists in the fields of Arts and STEM subjects, which creates the acronym STEAM. Through a literature review and collaborative works, this chapter will address how the learning of STEM can be improved through acknowledgment of local languages and cultural context by inserting an “A” for Arts in STEM. This will be demonstrated with cases from Africa with a focus on Tanzania, Nigeria, and Malawi. Based on contributions from educators, scientists, scholars, linguists, and artists from these countries and around the world, this chapter will highlight how we can demonstrate teamwork and collaboration for innovation and creativity in the field of STEAM subjects in classrooms and beyond. Drawing language and cultural perspectives into educational models can make Science and Mathematics learning more accessible. For example, recognizing the cultural and historical evidence on the relevance of ethno-mathematical principles is important in establishing an egalitarian connection to STEAM subjects. This can best be accomplished through a model, which accommodates language and Arts as means to demystify Science and Mathematics and to bridge the separation of Mathematics from the contexts of everyday experience. Education should be viewed as the Art of dealing with cultural encounters. This chapter reflects on the core of human rights education using local languages and local knowledge through the Arts as a tool for teaching human rights in school, bringing to light questions on diversity, environmental issues, as well as power relations between non-dominant (minority) and dominant (majority) segments of the society based on a renewed pedagogy. This chapter will be based on cutting-edge research and elaborates on how to approach novel methodologies in the production of curriculum for Linguistic and Cultural Rights through STEAM education. I conclude that for better learning in the twenty-first-century literacies, implementing local languages and local knowledge in education, integrating approaches from the Arts, will improve the learning and teaching of STEM subjects. STEAM should be given the status of a right in education for multilingual, multicultural, and sustainable development in Africa.
The Reconfigurable Aerial Robotic Chain: Modeling and Control

This paper overviews the system design, modeling and control of the Aerial Robotic Chain. This new design corresponds to a reconfigurable robotic system of systems consisting of multilinked micro aerial vehicles that presents the ability to cross narrow sections, morph its shape, ferry significant payloads, offer the potential of distributed sensing and processing, and enable system extendability. We present the system dynamics for any number of connected aerial vehicles, followed by the controller design involving a model predictive position control loop combined with multiple parallel angular controllers on SO(3). Evaluation studies both in simulation and through experiments based on our ARC-Alpha prototype are depicted and involve coordinated maneuvering and shape configuration to cross narrow windows.
Teaching and Mentoring Early in Surgical Practice.

BackgroundTransitioning from trainee to independent surgeon is challenging, with teaching and mentoring learners adding complexity. This study aimed to identify benefits and challenges of teaching ...
Time-Dependent Disk Models for the Microquasar GRS1915+105

We investigate different accretion disk models and viscosity prescriptions in order to provide a basic explanation for the exotic temporal behavior in GRS 1915+105. Based on the fact that the overall cycle times are very much longer than the rise/fall time scales in GRS 1915, we rule out the geometry of ADAF or a hot quasi-spherical region plus a cold outer disk for this source. We thus concentrate on geometrically thin Shakura-Sunyaev type disks (Shakura & Sunyaev 1973; hereafter SS73). We have devised a modified viscosity law that has a quasi-stable upper branch. Via numerical simulations, we show that the model does account for several gross observational features of GRS 1915+105. On the other hand, the rise/fall time scales are not short enough, and no rapid oscillations on time scales $\simlt$ 10 s emerge naturally from the model. We then consider and numerically test a more elaborate model that includes the cold disk, a corona, and plasma ejections from the inner disk region and show that this model allows us to reproduce several additional observed features of GRS 1915+105. We conclude that the most likely structure of the accretion flow in this source is that of a cold disk with a modified viscosity prescription, plus a corona that accounts for much of the X-ray emission, and unsteady plasma ejections that occur when the luminosity of the source is high.
Cr-Doped Ge-Core/Si-Shell Nanowire: An Antiferromagnetic Semiconductor.

An antiferromagnet offers many important functionalities such as opportunities for electrical control of magnetic domains, immunity from magnetic perturbations, and fast spin dynamics. Introducing some of these intriguing features of an antiferromagnet into a low dimensional semiconductor core-shell nanowire offers an exciting pathway for its usage in antiferromagnetic semiconductor spintronics. Here, using a quantum mechanical approach, we predict that the Cr-doped Ge-core/Si-shell nanowire behaves as an antiferromagnetic semiconductor. The origin of antiferromagnetic spin alignments between Cr is attributed to the superexchange interaction mediated by the pz orbitals of the Ge atoms that are bonded to Cr. A weak spin-orbit interaction was found in this material, suggesting a longer spin coherence length. The spin-dependent quantum transport calculations in the Cr-doped nanowire junction reveals a switching feature with a high ON/OFF current ratio (∼41 times higher for the ON state at a relatively small bias of 0.83 V).
Heart transplantation in a case of scimitar syndrome.

We present a rare clinical scenario of a patient with tetralogy of Fallot, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and concomitant scimitar syndrome. We created a scimitar vein cuff from a recipient heart, performed its translocation, and subsequently performed heart transplantation. This ingenuity reduces the likelihood of scimitar vein obstruction.
Assessing language learning in virtual exchange: suggestions from the field of language assessment

This goal of this paper is to enhance VE practitioners’ language assessment literacy. To do so, it begins with an overview of assessment practices commonly used in VE for evaluating the complex and multifaceted nature of language competence. These include the following: (1) approaches that evaluate change in learners’ language use over time, (2) approaches that employ pre- and posttest to evaluate learning outcomes, and (3) approaches that rely on student self-report or self-documentation of learning. Based on this overview, we then look to the field of language assessment for guidelines on the selection and use of classroom-based and standardized assessment tools and practices. Using an existing VE practice scenario, the authors provide an example of language assessment selection and development.
Cyber Strategy of Government of Nepal

Nepal is blessed with sufficient resources and is expected to become a major exporter to India and China but currently suffers energy shortages. The purpose of my research is to explore water resources, electricity generation as a major critical cybersecurity infrastructure and has not been researched in Nepal. The reason is to prove the essence of water, power production which can leverage its crippling economy. I have used surveys, reports apart from observations, personal data and information. Nepal has the capacity of producing 83000 MW of hydroelectricity, out of which only 43000 MW is techno-economically feasible (Hydropower Status Report, 2016). I have found several interesting and challenging information based on internal power usage, major dependency on two neighbors, threats, global issues. The conclusion is that Nepal can be powerhouse and non-dependent on its neighbors if we utilize and protect our critical infrastructure! My research and findings can be useful for researchers, government organizations, students, academicians, NGOs / INGOs interested in hydro-power generation and planning to invest in Nepal’s hydro-power.
A systematic review of environmental determinants of renewable energy performance in Ethiopia: A PESTECH analysis

Abstract This article identifies and analyses environmental and institutional factors affecting renewable energy initiatives in a developing country, namely Ethiopia. It employs qualitative data and an innovative environmental scanning model (ESM) to gauge the effect of political, economic, social, technological, ecological, cultural, and historical (PESTECH) factors on renewable energy production and consumption in the country. Some factors are shown to serve as facilitators while others act as barriers renewable energy initiatives in the country. The following factors, an anti-private business climate in the energy market, lack of technical know-how, and scarcity of financial and skilled human resources emerge as leading barriers. The country's largely untapped renewable energy resource base, indigenous knowledge of renewable energy sources, and the government's avowed commitment to promote renewable energy demand and supply are found to be the prominent facilitators. It is recommended that the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) seeks to encourage investment in the renewable energy sector from domestic and international entrepreneurs. Additionally, the option of enlisting foreign capital input to meet the high upfront cost of developing renewable energy infrastructure should be accorded serious consideration. The main findings and these recommendations are potentially valuable not only for researchers and policy makers in Ethiopia but also other developing countries.
Outcomes of Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background Real-world data on the use of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) as an alternative novel pacing strategy to biventricular pacing (BVP) for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains scarce. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of LBBAP as an alternative to BVP as a method of CRT. Methods Electronic databases were searched for studies examining the use of LBBAP as CRT and studies comparing LBBAP to BVP. The main outcomes examined were changes in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and paced QRS duration post-CRT device implantation. Results Our meta-analysis included eight non-randomized studies with a total of 527 patients who underwent LBBAP as CRT. In studies with a BVP comparison group, patients with LBBAP had a greater reduction in paced QRS [mean difference (MD: 27.91 msec; 95% CI: 22.33-33.50], and a greater improvement in NYHA class (MD: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.28-0.90) and LVEF (MD: 6.77%, 95% CI: 3.84-9.71). Patients with underlying LBBB appeared to benefit the most from LBBAP as compared to patients with underlying non-LBBB. Conclusions LBBAP may be a reasonable option for patients who meet indications for CRT, particularly in those who have limited anatomy or do not benefit from CRT. Randomized trials are needed to compare LBBAP to BVP for CRT and to identify which populations may benefit the most from LBBAP. Brief Summary Real-world data on the use of LBBAP as an alternative CRT to BVP remain scarce. We aim to review existing literature to determine the impact of LBBAP as CRT. Our study is hypothesis-generating, suggesting that LBBAP is a promising novel pacing strategy as resynchronization therapy with comparable clinical outcomes when compared with BVP during short-term follow-up in small, non-randomized studies. Large prospective randomized trials are needed to further evaluate the use of LBBAP on long-term basis.