cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Kindleberger and Hegemony: From Berlin to M.I.T. and Back

The most notable idea of Charles P. Kindleberger’s later career is the value of a single country acting as stabilizer of an international economy prone to instability. It runs through his widely read books, "The World in Depression, 1929-1939" (1973), "Manias, Crises, and Panics" (1978), "A Financial History of Western Europe" (1984), and kindred works. "Hegemonic stability," the idea is called in the literature it inspired. This essay traces Kindleberger's attachment to the idea back to his tenure as chief of the State Department’s Division of German and Austrian Economic Affairs from 1945 to 1947 and adviser to the European Recovery Program from 1947 to 1948. In both capacities Kindleberger observed and participated indirectly in the 1948 monetary reform in Western Germany. In the 1990s, during his octogenary decade, he revisited the German monetary reform with a fellow participant, economist, and longtime friend, F. Taylor Ostrander. Their collaborative essay marked Kindleberger’s effort to reclaim hegemonic stability theory from the scholars who developed it following his works of the 1970s and 1980s.
Observations of increased activity and tool use in captive rhesus monkeys exposed to troughs of water.

This study investigated the effects of water troughs on nonhuman primates housed in a captive environment. Two groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were exposed to water-filled troughs under three conditions: (1) standing water, (2) running water, and (3) a replication of standing and running water with novel objects. The effects of water exposure were assessed using a pretest phase (baseline), test phase (trough present), and posttest phase (baseline) design for each of the three conditions. Standing water produced different effects from running water. Monkeys were more active in the presence of standing water (higher levels of exploration and lower levels of social contact and grooming) than during baseline observations. In contrast, they were significantly more passive during the running water condition (higher levels of social contact) than baseline. Neither physical condition nor responses to dominance testing varied systematically over phases or between conditions. Tool use was observed during the standing water phases of Conditions 1 and 3. Three females from one group used a variety of cup-like containers as drinking utensils. A larger number of animals used the trough to soak chow prior to ingestion, and virtually all of the animals used the trough as a drinking source. These results suggest that exposure to water sources may elicit a broad spectrum of species-typical activity and may be a simple and inexpensive way to enrich the environment of captive rhesus monkeys. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING AND A NEW FORMALISM IN THE THEORY OF INTEGRAL EQUATIONS.

Abstract : It is shown that the functional equation technique of the theory of dynamic programming may be used to derive functional differential equations for the characteristic values of a certain integral equation similar to those obtained for the eigenvalues of differential equations.
Fire ignition patterns affect production of charcoal in southern forests

Although charcoal represents a relatively minor portion of available biomass burned in wildfires and prescribed burns, its recalcitrant properties confer residence times ranging from centuries to millennia, with significance for carbon sequestration in frequently burned forests. Here, we determined whether charcoal formation differed between the two most common prescribed fire spread patterns in southern forests: head (with the wind) and backing (against the wind). Pine wood samples were distributed randomly within a mesic flatwoods burn unit in north-central Florida, and subjected either to a head fire (n = 34) or a backing fire (n = 34). Backing fires formed more than twice as much charcoal as head fires (1.53 v. 0.38% of available biomass), presumably because of differences in residence times, oxygen availability and fire intensity between the two fire spread patterns. These results suggest that the contribution of charcoal to ecosystem carbon sequestration is greater when flatwoods forests are burned against the prevailing wind direction, and that further investigation of these trends is warranted.
Recent advances in public health systems research in the United States.

Recognizing the public's health is the outcome of dynamic, adaptive, and complex systems of agencies; infrastructure, relationships, and interactions that dictate how to improve health outcomes; and reducing health risks in a population is based on systems thinking and evidence. New methods such as network analysis and public health practice–based research networks demonstrate the potential for new insight to our understanding of how systems and infrastructure influence population health. We examine advances in public health systems research since 1988 and discuss the relevance of this type of research to public health practice. We assess the current infrastructure for conducting public health systems research, suggest how the research infrastructure can be improved, and conclude with a discussion of how health reform in the United States will require research focused on understanding the adaptive complexity inherent in public health and health care systems and strengthening the systems research infrastru...
Thermodynamic Study of the Cu-Sr-O System

The Gibbs energies of formation of the inter-oxide compounds in the Cu-Sr-O system have been obtained from solid-state electrochemical measurements in the temperature range 900 to 1300 K. Cells employing yttria-stabilized zirconia or single-crystal calcium fluoride as electrolyte were used in studies of SrCu2O2, Sr2CuO3, SrCuO2, and “Sr3Cu5O8+z.” The oxygen potential vs stoichiometry dependence was studied, particularly for this last compound, by thermogravimetry at a few selected temperatures in the oxygen partial pressure interval 1 × 101 to 1 × 105 Pa. Based on the results of emf measurement, thermogravimetric study, and X-ray powder diffraction, phase relations in this system were calculated.
How protein chemists learned about the hydrophobic factor.

It is generally accepted today that the hydrophobic force is the dominant energetic factor that leads to the folding of polypeptide chains into compact globular entities. This principle was first explicitly introduced to protein chemists in 1938 by Irving Langmuir, past master in the application of hydrophobicity to other problems, and was enthusiastically endorsed by J.D. Bernal. But both proposal and endorsement came in the course of a debate about a quite different structural principle, the so-called "cyclol hypothesis" proposed by D. Wrinch, which soon proved to be theoretically and experimentally unsupportable. Being a more tangible idea, directly expressed in structural terms, the cyclol hypothesis received more attention than the hydrophobic principle and the latter never actually entered the mainstream of protein science until 1959, when it was thrust into the limelight in a lucid review by W. Kauzmann. A theoretical paper by H.S. Frank and M. Evans, not itself related to protein folding, probably played a major role in the acceptance of the hydrophobicity concept by protein chemists because it provided a crude but tangible picture of the origin of hydrophobicity per se in terms of water structure.
Modeling additive structure and detecting interactions with groves of trees

Discovery of additive structure is an important step towards understanding a complex multi-dimensional function, because it allows for expressing this function as the sum of lower-dimensional or otherwise simpler components. Modeling additive structure also opens up opportunities for learning better regression models. The term statistical interaction is used to describe the presence of non-additive effects among two or more variables in a function. When variables interact, their effects must be modeled and interpreted simultaneously. Thus, detecting statistical interactions can be critical for an understanding of processes by domain researchers. This dissertation analyzes benefits of modelling additive structure for prediction and interaction detection problems. It describes a new learning algorithm called Groves, which is an ensemble of additive regression trees. Groves is based on such existing techniques as bagging and additive models; their combination allows us to use large trees in the ensemble and at the same time model additive structure of the response function. Regression version of the algorithm, Additive Groves, and its classification counterpart, Gradient Groves, yield consistently high performance across a variety of problems, outperforming on average a large number of other algorithms. Additive nature of Groves makes it particularly useful for interaction detection. This dissertation introduces a new approach to interaction detection: it is based on comparing the performance of restricted and unrestricted predictive models. Groves of trees allow variable interactions to be carefully controlled and therefore are especially useful for this framework. The details of proposed practical approach to interaction detection analysis are demonstrated on real data describing the abundance of different species of birds in the prairies east of the southern Rocky Mountains.
Does the Web Reduce Customer Service Cost? Empirical Evidence from a Call Center

Firms are investing millions to deploy web based self-services at their call centers primarily to reduce operating costs. The rationale is that the firm’s cost of interacting with customers through web based channel is an order of magnitude cheaper than the assisted channels like telephony. However, the interaction among competing channels of customer service at call center is not empirically validated so far. We conduct a field study at the call center of a prominent US health insurance firm to examine the cost saving rationale of web based self service. On one hand, the low cost-low quality web channel may substitute high cost-high quality telephony channel in some cases. Interestingly on the other hand, web also exposes customers to more information that at times aggravates their concerns and thus leads to more telephone calls. We designed a quasi-natural experiment in our field setting and used diff-in-diff specifications to show that web based self service usage leads to 14% increase in telephone calls. We conduct several checks to show that our specifications are robust to any potential selection of customers in web self-service usage. However, we further show that the impact of web portal is moderated by the web portal characteristics and individual customer characteristics. We find that if information is unambiguous and easily retrievable on web, calls in respect to such information go down by 29%. Likewise, we also find that the absolute increase in calls due to web usage for younger customers (age60 years) are much higher than the middle aged customers (age 40-60 years). In all, our research gives concrete prescriptions to managers in multichannel customer service management, web portal design and customer segmentation.
Role‐Identity Correspondence in the College Student Role*

Role-identity correspondence refers to the similarity between an identity, self-meanings in a particular social situation, and role, shared meanings associated with the occupancy of a social position. While a role may serve as a reference point for an identity, self-behaviors and responses may lead individuals to create identities which are more similar to the meanings of other roles. This research uses self, significant other, and social background variables to explore factors which may influence the development of an identity in the college student role. Findings include (1) that perceived support and agreement from significant others, self-esteem, salience, and psychological commitment encourage individuals to select identities similar to future stages in the educational-occupational career; and (2) that father's occupation and social commitment encourage identities similar to the college student role. The findings suggest that role-identity correspondence is not automatic and should not be taken for granted.
BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON IRRADIATED PROTOZOA. III. CATALASE ACTIVITY IN TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS W

SYNOPSIS. The amount, distribution and some properties of catalase activity in Tetrahymena pyriformis W have been determined. The enzyme specific activity is about 10% that of rat liver and is found principally in a particulate fraction that may be sedimented at 1500 X g. The enzyme is insensitive to pH changes but is destroyed by heating above 50°. The effect of catalase inhibitors on the growth, respiration and enzyme activity of the protozoa was investigated. Allylisopropylacetamide, an inhibitor that is effective in preventing catalase synthesis in rats, renders the protozoa more sensitive to irradiation with 500,000 r of γ-rays.
Thermal and mechanical characterization of solvent-cast poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)

The copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB-co-HHx)], is produced by engineered Ralstonia eutropha strains using lipids and fatty acids as carbon feedstocks. The presence of the 3-hydroxyhexanoate (HHx) monomer disrupts the packing of polymer chains, resulting in less numerous polymer crystals and producing a polymer with favorable thermal and mechanical properties. In this study, copolymers varying in HHx content were recovered from different R. eutropha strains. Tensile constitutive response of solvent-cast samples of PHB and P(HB-co-17 mol%HHx), P(HB-co-23 mol%HHx), and P(HB-co-30 mol%HHx) was investigated using a custom-built micro-tensile tester. Our results show that presence and quantity of HHx monomer has a noticeable impact on P(HB-co-HHx) mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation at break, toughness and thermal properties. It was found that with higher content of HHx in the material, the more flexible and tougher the polymer is, and the greater the reduction of Tm and crystallinity.
Dual function of Ras in Raf activation.

The small guanine nucleotide binding protein p21(Ras) plays an important role in the activation of the Raf kinase. However, the precise mechanism by which Raf is activated remains unclear. It has been proposed that the sole function of p21(Ras)in Raf activation is to recruit Raf to the plasma membrane. We have used Drosophila embryos to examine the mechanism of Raf (Draf) activation in the complete absence of p21(Ras) (Ras1). We demonstrate that the role of Ras1 in Draf activation is not limited to the translocation of Draf to the membrane through a Ras1-Draf association. In addition, Ras1 is essential for the activation of an additional factor which in turn activates Draf.
Dereferee: exploring pointer mismanagement in student code

Dynamic memory management and the use of pointers are critical topics in teaching the C++ language. They are also some of the most difficult for students to grasp properly. The responsibility of ensuring that students understand these concepts does not end with the instructor's lectures---a library enhanced with diagnostics beyond those provided by the language's run-time system itself is a useful tool for giving students more detailed information when their code fails.We have designed such a toolkit, Dereferee, which students can incorporate into their code with minimal intrusion into the learning process. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we examine C++ code from students in a course that relied solely on the built-in memory management behavior of the language, without any significant additional diagnostic or debugging facilities. We instrument this code with Dereferee in order to explore the causes of errors that result in program crashes and to expose hidden faults that previously lay undetected. Dereferee provided enhanced diagnostics for bugs in 63% of student submissions, and pinpointed the source of 83% of abnormal program terminations. 95% of the students would have received extra diagnostic help from using Dereferee.
The influence of weather extremes on the spatial correlation of corn yields

Annual production shocks at the farm-level are driven by year-to-year weather variability. While identifying drivers of these shocks is important and well-researched, little attention has been paid to the extent to which these shocks aggregate up to the regional or national level. Here, we provide a method for simultaneously modeling the mean, variance, and spatial correlation of crop yields in the presence of evolving technology. Our approach allows one to condition spatial correlations on variables of interest—such as weather—in a straightforward manner. An application to state-level Iowa and Illinois corn yields provides evidence that spatial correlations roughly double in both good and bad weather years relative to normal years. Furthermore, we consider several functional forms for conditioning spatial correlations on weather and find that less flexible relationships generate misleading results as they vastly underestimate the degree of correlation in bad weather years. These findings have important implications for the climate change, food price volatility, crop insurance, and yield modeling literatures.
Dedicated Training Program for Shoulder Sonography The Results of a Quality Program Reverberate With Everyone

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to define and report on the effect of a comprehensive musculoskeletal sonography training program to improve accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) for the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears in relatively inexperienced operators. METHODS Before the training program was implemented, radiologists (n = 12) had a mean of 2 years (range, <1-12 years) of experience performing and interpreting musculoskeletal sonography. Pre- and post-training shoulder sonographic results were compared to surgical reports or, in their absence, to shoulder magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic arthrographic results if within 2 months of the sonographic examination. A total of 82 patients were included in the pre-training group (January 2010-December 2011), and 50 patients were included in the post-training group (January 2012-June 2013). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined for the presence or absence of supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendon tears. RESULTS After implementation of the training program, the sensitivity of sonography for detecting full-thickness rotator cuff tears increased by 14%, and the sensitivity for detecting partial-thickness rotator cuff tears increased by 3%. CONCLUSIONS Quality improvement programs and acquisition standardization along with ongoing, focused case conferences for the entire care team increased the sensitivity of shoulder sonography for diagnosing both full- and partial-thickness rotator cuff tears, independent of the years of operator experience.
Social Security for Farm People

HE quest for security is old but the campaign for social security has only begun in America. Some early battles have been won brilliantly but the goal is still afar off. When victory is complete all industrious and able-bodied citizens will have the assurance that loss of their jobs, their own old age, incapacity or untimely death will not leave their families destitute. The means are new forms of social action which are being devised as the campaign progresses. Farm people in America have inherited the privileges of property, i.e., job, ownership, and a family type of economy which have enabled the more fortunate and industrious to work out a tolerable
Thermodynamic limits of pressure gain and work production in combustion and evaporation processes

Combustion and evaporation processes occurring in a closed chamber may result in pressure changes and work transfer to the surroundings. The large volumetric changes that accompany such processes allow substantial work potential to be achieved in cyclic non-steady devices. The ideal pressure gain or work production is a function of the prescribed inflow and outflow conditions, volumetric confinement, fluid properties, and other parameters. The thermodynamic limits of pressure gain and work production in such devices are explored. Analytic methods are illustrated by cyclic combustion and evaporation processes for enhancing combustion engine performance. c specific heat m -mass n -number of moles h specific enthalpy p pressure Q sensible heat release of combustion Q' latent heat of evaporation R mass-specific gas constant T temperature u specific internal energy v specific volume W work x number of C atoms in fuel molecule y -number of H atoms in fuel molecule a moles of injected water fuel-air equivalence ratio y specific heat ratio, Cp/cv 77 adiabatic efficiency H mass fraction ^ Assistant Professor, AIAA Member. Copyright ©1998 by M. Razi Nalim. Published by AIAA with permission. Subscripts 2 device inlet state or mass 3 device outlet state or mass A state after pre-compression A' state after evaporation B state after combustion L liquid, injection state p constant pressure r residual buffer gas v constant volume
Herpes-type virus recovery from "virus-free" frog kidney tumors.

SummaryVirus production was induced by low temperature treatment of the “virus-free” form of the frog renal adenocarcinoma (Lucke tumor). Virus recovered after this low temperature treatment fulfilled the morphological requirements of herpesvirus. Herpesvirus development was also induced in eye chamber transplants from these “virus-free” primary tumors. Results indicate that the two naturally-occurring seasonal forms of this tumor are temperature-related states of the same tumor and suggest that the “virus-free” tumor contains a relatively complete viral genome in masked or latent form.
Assessment of heavy metals pollution in abandoned lead-zinc mine tailings in Huize of Yunnan Province

Based on the analysis of the Pb,Zn,and Cd contents in the soil and plant samples from abandoned Pb-Zn mine tailings in Huize of Yunnan Province,Southwest China,the heavy metals pollution of the reclaimed and abandoned soils in this area was assessed by the methods of single factor pollution index and Nemerow integrated index,respectively.Compared with the Environmental Quality Standard for Soil of China(GB 15618-1995)(EQSSC),the heavy metals contents in the reclaimed and abandoned soils were higher than the Level 3 pollution defined by EQSSC.The total contents of Cd,Zn,and Pb in reclaimed soil were as 35.0,28.0,and 11.3 times as Level 3 of EQSSC,whereas those in abandoned soil were as 40.7,37.6,and 16.7 times as Level 3 of EQSSC,respectively.The assessment with single factor pollution index indicated that the severity level of heavy metals pollution was CdZnPb,all in the heavy-pollution category,and the assessment with Nemerow integrated index also showed that the study area had been heavily polluted.The main causes of the pollution were the mine tailings and the local heavy metals-extracting techniques.As a result,the reclaimed soil might not be suitable for farming any more.In the polluted soils,there were certain kinds of wild plants still growing well,and some of them had strong capability to absorb and transmit heavy metals,being able to be used for the bioremediation of the polluted soils.
Differences in Egocentricity Between Spoken and Written Expression Under Stress and Non-Stress Conditions:

The Zipf rank-frequency curve, which measures the balance between word repetition and diversification, shows graphical differences between egocentric and socio-centric expression. The problem in th...
Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch: Another Reason for TAVR?

In this issue of iJACC , Dayan et al. [(1)][1] published a meta-analysis of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement from 58 studies involving 40,381 patients, mostly after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Their major findings were as follows: 1) moderate or greater
Predictors of reoperation after myocardial revascularization

The first 1,000 patients undergoing primary isolated myocardial revascularization each year from 1971 to 1978 were analyzed to define the incidence of reoperation and to elucidate the determinants of reoperation and reoperation-free survival. Six hundred sixty-six patients (9.7%) underwent reoperation in a mean of 6.9 ± 3.2 years. Cumulative percent reoperation was 2.7% at 5 years, 11.4% at 10 years, and 17.3% at 12 years. The annual incidence of reoperation was 1.1% at 5 years and increased to 3.9% at 12 years. Twenty-five patient descriptors were analyzed for predictors of reoperation. Young age was found to be the most important predictor of potential for reoperation. Other risk factors in descending order of significance were absence of an internal mammary artery graft, incomplete revascularization, New York Heart Association Functional Class III/IV, and single or double vessel disease. Absence of an internal mammary artery graft was an important predictor for all age groups. In the multivariate analyses for risk factors for reoperation-free survival, absence of an internal mammary artery graft was the most important predictor. Other factors of major significance were smoking, incomplete revascularization, and moderate/severe left ventricular impairment Internal mammary artery grafting neutralizes hypertension, serum cholesterol level higher than 300 mg/dl, and smoking as risk factors for reoperation-free survival.
Climate change and ecosystem composition across large landscapes

Climate change alters the vegetation composition and functioning of ecosystems. Measuring the magnitude, direction, and rate of changes in vegetation composition induced by climate remains a serious and unmet challenge. Such information is required for a predictive capability of how individual ecosystem will respond to future climates. Our objectives were to identify the relationships between 20 climate variables and 39 ecosystems across the southwestern USA. We sought to understand the magnitude of relationships between variation in vegetation composition and bioclimatic variables as well as the amount of ecosystem area expected to be affected by future climate changes. Bioclimatic variables best explaining the plant species composition of each ecosystem were identified. The strength of relationships between beta turnover and bioclimate gradients was calculated, the spatial concordance of ecosystem and bioclimate configurations was shown, and the area of suitable climate remaining within the boundaries of contemporary ecosystems under future climate projections was measured. Across the southwestern USA, four climate variables account for most of the climate related variation in vegetation composition. Twelve ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate change. By 2070, two ecosystems lose about 4000 (15 %) and 7000 (31 %) km2 of suitable climate area within their current boundaries (the Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe and Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub ecosystems, respectively). The climatic areas of riparian ecosystems are expected to be reduced by half. Results provide specific climate and vegetation parameters for anticipating how, where and when ecosystem vegetation transforms with climate change. Projecting the loss of suitable climate for the vegetation composition of ecosystems is important for assessing ecosystem threats from climate change and for setting priorities for ecosystem conservation and restoration across the southwestern USA.
Texting while driving: A study of 1211 U.S. adults with the Distracted Driving Survey.

Texting and other cell-phone related distracted driving is estimated to account for thousands of motor vehicle collisions each year but studies examining the specific cell phone reading and writing activities of drivers are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of cell-phone related distracted driving behaviors. A national, representative, anonymous panel of 1211 United States drivers was recruited in 2015 to complete the Distracted Driving Survey (DDS), an 11-item validated questionnaire examining cell phone reading and writing activities and at what speeds they occur. Higher DDS scores reflect more distraction. DDS scores were analyzed by demographic data and self-reported crash rate. Nearly 60% of respondents reported a cell phone reading or writing activity within the prior 30 days, with reading texts (48%), writing texts (33%) and viewing maps (43%) most frequently reported. Only 4.9% of respondents had enrolled in a program aimed at reducing cell phone related distracted driving. DDS scores were significantly correlated to crash rate (p < 0.0001), with every one point increase associated with an additional 7% risk of a crash (p < 0.0001). DDS scores were inversely correlated to age (p < 0.0001). The DDS demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94). High rates of cell phone-related distraction are reported here in a national sample. Distraction is associated with crash rates and occurs across all age groups, but is highest in younger drivers. The DDS can be used to evaluate the impact of public health programs aimed at reducing cell-phone related distracted driving.
Trends in utilization of neoadjuvant therapy and short-term outcomes in resected pancreatic cancer

Abstract Background Surgical resection and chemotherapy offer the only chance of long-term survival for pancreatic cancer. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is increasingly used to optimize outcomes. Trends in NAT utilization and short-term outcomes in resected pancreatic cancer were evaluated. Methods The National Cancer Database (2003 to 2011) was analyzed for pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgery ± NAT, evaluating utilization, 30- and 90-day mortality, hospital readmissions, and length of stay (LOS). Results About 16,007 underwent initial surgery and 1,736 received NAT. Over the past decade, initial surgery and multimodality NAT have steadily decreased, whereas the use of neoadjuvant radiation has remained low and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (neoCT) has steadily increased. Thirty- and 90-day mortality rates and hospital readmissions were significantly higher for NAT vs initial surgery on univariate analysis. There was no significant difference in LOS or readmission rate. On multivariate analysis, neoCT had no significant impact on odds of mortality at 30 and 90 days (hazard ratio = .68, P = .285, hazard ratio = 1.32, P = .161, respectively). Advanced age, greater comorbidities, greater clinical stage disease, and resection with pancreaticoduodenectomy or total pancreatectomy negatively impacted 30- and 90-day mortality. Conclusion The use of neoCT has increased over the past decade and does not appear to adversely affect short-term outcomes, including 30- and 90-day mortality, LOS, and readmission rates.
Regional and Temporal Variation in Size at Maturity of Female Blue Crabs in Texas Coastal Waters

AbstractFrom 2006 to 2014, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) personnel collected size and maturity data from female blue crabs Callinectes sapidus in all bays along the Texas coast as part of a routine fishery-independent monitoring program. Logistic regression revealed that coastwide size at maturity was negatively impacted by salinity but that temperature had no effect. More specifically, the model estimated that coastwide size at 50% maturity was 130.5 mm at 0‰, 124.4 mm (122.7–126.0) at 10‰, 118.2 mm (117.1–119.3) at 20‰, and 112.1 mm (110.6–113.5) at 30‰. Size at maturity was found to vary substantially among bay systems in addition to the impact of environmental variables on this relationship. Finally, the logistic curve for size at maturity was found to significantly differ from a similar study (conducted by TPWD personnel; 1984 to 1987) due to higher proportions of mature crabs at smaller size-classes in the 2006 to 2014 data set. This had a small effect on the size at 50% maturity metric...
Behavioral synthesis of testable systems with VHDL

A methodology for automatically synthesizing a testable RTL (register-transfer-level) hardware specification from a behavioral VHDL (VHSIC hardware description language) specification is presented. Behavioral synthesis is described. It consists of the automatic creation of a hardware specification, given an input specification that describes how the hardware operates in response to its current state and the states of its input signals. The synthesis methodology includes techniques for ensuring that the resulting hardware is testable. The techniques used for mapping the input behavioral model to hardware assume that the resulting hardware is fully synchronous and serial scan compatible. The synthesis process recognizes expressions and operations in the behavioral model and maps them to corresponding hardware components that are included in a separate VHDL library. >
Maintenance of Warmth by Variable Insulation

Caribou (Rangifer), foxes (Alopex) and arctic sled dogs seem undisturbed by winters’ cold as they proceed about the usual affairs of animals. Ravens (Corvus corax), conspicuous against the snow, pursue their deliberate individual flights in any degree of arctic cold, or congregate to feed on carrion or sometimes to perform aerial manoeuvers that we call social play. The unconcern with which animals encounter arctic cold impresses the arctic man laboring in thick clothing and always mindful that at the day’s end he must find shelter from cold and stormy winds. Before this century most of the arctic explorers in winter were confined to their ships or cabins and only rarely and with elaborate preparations did they attempt travel. Eskimos, on the other hand, hunted in winter, and groups with women and children travelled over land and ice to move their bases of operations nearer to seasonal concentrations of the moving animals upon which they lived. Indigenous people of the Arctic possessed excellent clothing, which they prepared according to their traditional patterns with extraordinary skill.
Conceptualizing and understanding the Gülen movement

The Gulen movement (GM) is a controversial international Islamic movement originating in Turkey. Interestingly, the movement seems to be “in between” the standard conceptual categories used by social movement scholars: The GMs' focus on individual transformation and religious practices suggests that it is a religious movement; its extensive outreach into various institutions (i.e., education, health care, and media) suggests a social movement seeking legitimacy and broad social change; its purported infiltration of key government and military offices suggests a political movement. In this article, I demonstrate the utility of conceptualizing the GM as an everyday-life-based movement and of using a multi-institutional politics model to examine this type of movement. By doing so, it becomes clear that sometimes, movements focusing on individual change may also be seeking to transform social, economic, and political institutions.
Properties of Rigid-Chain Polymers in Dilute and Concentrated Solutions

The salient features of investigations on several polymers characterized by long, rigid sections in the chain skeleton are discussed. Procedures to estimate the persistence length ρ, the optical anisotropy δ and certain other molecular parameters are considered and the results for several examples are given. The effect of intermolecular aggregation on estimates for these parameters is important in some cases. Some rheological properties of concentrated solutions of certain of the polymers are discussed. The behavior of both optically isotropic and anisotropic solutions of rodlike polymers is included, along with the properties of a chain that can be described as a rigid coil molecule. Emphasis is on the dependence of the steady state viscosity ηK on shear rate K, the recovery function RK for recoverable strain γ K R after cessation of steady state flow (RK = γ K R /KηK) and the creep behavior.
Score of Toxic Epidermal Necrosis Predicts the Outcomes of Pediatric Epidermal Necrolysis.

Background/Objectives Epidermal necrolysis (Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis) includes immune-mediated, life-threatening inflammatory blistering disorders that can affect children. The Score of Toxic Epidermal Necrosis (SCORTEN) tool has accurately predicted the outcome of these disorders in adults but has not been tested in children. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review to compare the accuracy of the adult SCORTEN tool with that of two modifications tailored to children in predicting disease outcome. Results The longer the patient's median length of hospital stay was, the higher the adult and two proposed pediatric SCORTENs were. In addition, all patients who died had SCORTENs greater than 4. Conclusion The pediatric-modified tools were not superior to the adult SCORTEN, which accurately predicted outcome.
Jews in Hiding in Nazi Berlin, 1941–1945: A Demographic Survey

This demographic survey of the 1,700 Jews who survived the Holocaust by hiding in Berlin provides an empirical framework for understanding the phenomenon in the capital of Nazi Germany and throughout Europe. The study addresses four primary issues: how many Jews attempted to hide, when Jews decided to hide, how many hidden Jews were arrested, and whether gender and age affected survival.
Characterizing Metal Insulator Transition (MIT) Materials for Use as Micro-Switch Elements

Metal insulator transition (MIT) materials, or phase change materials (PCM) are material compounds that have the ability to be either conductors or insulators. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) and germanium telluride (GeTe) exhibit such a transition property. These materials have ferroelectric properties as well as a variable resistivity. The ability to vary the resistance of a single material is useful when designing integrated circuits on the micro scale. By varying the temperature or the electric field across these materials, we are able to change the resistivity within a portion of a line. This can in turn be used to create a switch within a wire. In order to measure these changing properties, we developed novel surface micromachined test structures capable of using a variety of MIT materials. By varying the electric field or the thermal gradient across an area of the wire segment, we were able to adjust the resistivity of the material. Therefore, by tailoring the properties of specific portions of a conductor, we were able to control current flow in a circuit without needing a micro-mechanical or a microelectronic device.
Multiuser MIMO Indoor Visible Light Communication System Using Spatial Multiplexing

Visible light communications is an energy efficient and cost-effective solution for indoor wireless access. In this paper, we propose a multiple input multiple output system using centralized or decentralized transmitted power allocation algorithms with multiple LEDs and photodetectors. The proposed system uses an optical code division multiple-access technique to support multiple users. Time-space minimum mean squared error filters at the receivers are designed to diminish the effect of multiple-access interference. In the centralized power allocation algorithm, all the LED lamps in the room are coordinated and controlled by a central controller; each LED lamp supports all the users within the indoor area. The decentralized power allocation algorithms we propose have similar bit error rate performance yet less computational burden compared to the centralized algorithm. In our decentralized algorithms, users are supported by a subset of the LEDs, and so the optimization problem size can be reduced by as much as $93\%$ . For each receiver, multiple photodetectors with different orientations are employed to improve the signal to interference plus noise ratio. In addition, some practical considerations such as shadowing effects, illumination requirements, dimming control, and transmitted power quantization are taken into account.
Economics of gynecologic morcellation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW As the Food and Drug Administration raised concern over the power morcellator in 2014, the field has seen significant change, with patients and physicians questioning which procedure is safest and most cost-effective. The economic impact of these decisions is poorly understood. RECENT FINDINGS Multiple new technologies have been developed to allow surgeons to continue to afford patients the many benefits of minimally invasive surgery while minimizing the risks of power morcellation. At the same time, researchers have focused on the true benefits of the power morcellator from a safety and cost perspective, and consistently found that with careful patient selection, by preventing laparotomies, it can be a cost-effective tool. SUMMARY Changes since 2014 have resulted in new techniques and technologies to allow these minimally invasive procedures to continue to be offered in a safe manner. With this rapid change, physicians are altering their practice and patients are attempting to educate themselves to decide what is best for them. This evolution has allowed us to refocus on the cost implications of new developments, allowing stakeholders the opportunity to maximize patient safety and surgical outcomes while minimizing cost.
Multifunctional RNA-binding proteins mediate ecdysone-dependent germline stem cell self-renewal in Drosophila

Steroid hormones promote stem cell self-renewal in many tissues; however, the molecular mechanisms by which hormone signaling is integrated with niche-derived signals are largely uncharacterized. In the Drosophila ovary, the steroid hormone ecdysone promotes germline stem cell (GSC) self-renewal. Despite strong evidence that ecdysone modulates the reception of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signals in GSCs, transcriptional targets of ecdysone signaling that facilitate BMP reception are unknown. Here, we report that ecdysone signaling promotes the expression of distinct, multifunctional RNA-binding proteins in GSCs to support their self-renewal. We demonstrate that a group of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), which regulate splicing, maturation, and localization of nascent mRNAs, are highly expressed in GSCs. In the absence of ecdysone signaling, expression of at least four hnRNPs (squid, hephaestus, Hrb27C, and Hrb87F) is decreased. HnRNPs are intrinsically required for proper GSC self-renewal, and functionally interact with both ecdysone signaling and BMP signaling to maintain GSC number. Our findings support the model that stem cells coordinate local and long-range signals at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels to maintain self-renewal in response to physiological demand.
Continuity and change in pipestone sources at Great Bend aspect and Wichita sites

Previous research has focused on identifying the various sources for pipestone that were used prehistorically, including Kansas pipestone, Minnesota pipestone, and Wisconsin pipestone. During the current study, in which pipestone artifacts from Great Bend aspect and Wichita sites were sourced, it was revealed that James Gundersen had located the source of Kansas pipestone in Jasper, Minnesota. He alluded to it in previous studies [Gundersen, James N., and Joseph A. Tiffany (1986) Nature and Provenance of Red Pipestone from the Wittrock Site (130B4), Northwest Iowa. North American Archaeologist 7(1):45–67], but never published the significant finding. The results of this mineralogical sourcing study found that prior to and during the Great Bend aspect occupation in Kansas, Kansas pipestone was the primary material used in pipe manufacture. This differs from the two eighteenth-century Wichita sites in Oklahoma where the majority of the pipestone was Minnesota pipestone. Multiple factors are proposed to expl...
The Telecoupling GeoApp: A Web-GIS application to systematically analyze telecouplings and sustainable development

Abstract Global challenges, such as chronic hunger in developing and developed regions, loss of wildlife habitat, and the continuing rise of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, can be addressed only through an integrated approach. The telecoupling concept is one such approach: it explores socioeconomic and environmental interactions among coupled human-natural systems over distances. The telecoupling framework is therefore well-positioned to provide new insights to persistent global sustainability challenges. To operationalize the framework, we have developed the Telecoupling GeoApp, a new web-based component of the Telecoupling Toolbox that provides researchers and practitioners with a useful platform to address globally important issues such as international trade, species invasion, biodiversity conservation, and land-use change. The GeoApp features mapping and geospatial analysis tools to visualize and quantify the five major interrelated components of the telecoupling framework (systems, flows, agents, causes, and effects). In this paper, we demonstrate the GeoApp's functionality by applying it to a case study in which distant systems interact across space and time: the Brazil-China soybean telecoupling. We conclude by highlighting the advantages of the Telecoupling GeoApp in addressing global sustainability challenges. It is our hope that this web application will be valuable to a range of users exploring telecouplings and outcomes across distant coupled human-natural systems for achieving sustainable development goals.
Case studies on local industry

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses how the relationship between the students, the teacher and the community must be redefined to accommodate the philosophy of science as a process and as a human endeavor, with reference to case studies on local industry. New teaching strategies are necessary, and techniques which minimize conflict are essential. The students work with the teachers and the community to plan the study. They learn what questions to ask, how to ask questions, and how to use the answers to draw conclusions and to formulate courses of action. In the case study “The Dave Johnson Power Plant “conducted in 1974-75, a temperature inversion created student interest in the impact of the generation of electricity on air quality. With the co-operation of personnel from the local power plant, the students studied the conversion of energy from coal to electricity. Economic and sociological impacts of siting a large industrial facility in a sparsely populated region were examined. In the case study “impact on Water Quality” conducted in 1979-80, a study was made of the impact of development on the water resources of the area. A major local issue involved a sewage treatment facility which was malfunctioning and dumping raw sewage into the river above the city's water supply intake.
The role of information systems in innovative food and beverage organizations

Abstract: Concepts of information systems are introduced for use in innovative practices. Specifically, the role of technology in facilitating innovation and specific technologies that serve this end are explored. Supporting these roles are multiple technical tools for innovation, including information and communication technologies, computer-supported collaborative work environments, Web 2.0 contributions, technology supporting creativity, and the rising practice of crowdsourcing, all of which are explored. Some open source tools are introduced to support open innovation.
Super Variational Principles

The principle of maximum entropy is combined with the usual form of variational principle found in quantum mechanics to obtain super variational principles, which may be used when the form of the potential energy operator is partially, or wholly unknown. Details are worked out for a few simple bound-state problems. Possible generalizations are discussed.
If You’d Like to Stop a Type III CRISPR Ribonuclease, Then You Should Put a Ring (Nuclease) on It

Athukoralage et al. (2018) identify a new class of nuclease that degrades cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA), a second messenger that activates non-specific RNA degradation by the type III CRISPR-Cas accessory RNase Csm6/Csx1. This discovery provides a mechanism for regulating the degradation of foreign transcripts during the type III CRISPR immune response.