cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secondary Emission Monitors at the Bevatron-Bevalac

Secondary Emission Monitors (SEM) are used for high intensity, high energy beam fluence monitoring of heavy ions. The improved electronics and autozeroing of background noise has extended the useful range of the SEM down to the region where the limiting factor is capacitive changes between the chamber foils, from acoustic and mechanical vibration. Usable levels are in the 104 particles per pulse range for C6 ions. The secondary electron yield is proportional to 1/s2. This gives an increase in yield of about a factor of 25 for injection energies over peak energies at the Bevatron. This enhanced yield has been exploited in designing relative intensity and position monitors that give usable signal levels while intercepting only a small percentage of the injected beam. The detector in this case is a wire grid. The output can be: 1. Sum proportional to the beam intensity or as a time profile; 2. Split grids for a right-left monitor; 3. Single wire scan for a spatial profile. These monitors give usable signals down to a level of 0.01-0.1 ?A of injected beam.
Proposed regulations for research with biospecimens: responses from stakeholders at CTSA consortium institutions.

Secondary research with biospecimens acquired through clinical care and through research is often conducted without the informed consent of individuals from whom the specimens were acquired. While such uses are consistent with the current federal regulations, surveys of the general public suggest that many individuals would prefer more information and choice regarding research use of biospecimens. The federal government issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in 2011 that proposed a number of potential changes in the regulations governing human subjects. These proposed regulations are particularly pertinent to institutions committed to research involving human subjects – including institutions in the NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) consortium. In this study, we reviewed public responses by CTSA-funded institutions and CTS-affiliated organizations and groups regarding the proposed changes in the ANPRM with respect to research with biospecimens. Our results indicate that the majority of responses to the ANPRM from CTSA institutions were not supportive of the proposed changes. While many responses acknowledge a need to change current research practices regarding biospecimens, the proposed changes in the ANPRM received only limited support from this subgroup of academic research institutions.
The Value of Patient Self-report for Disease Surveillance

Objective: To determine the accuracy of self-reported information from patients and families for use in a disease surveillance system. Design: Patients and their parents presenting to the emergency department (ED) waiting room of an urban, tertiary care children's hospital were asked to use a Self-Report Tool, which consisted of a questionnaire asking questions related to the subjects' current illness. Measurements: The sensitivity and specificity of three data sources for assigning patients to disease categories was measured: the ED chief complaint, physician diagnostic coding, and the completed Self-Report Tool. The gold standard metric for comparison was a medical record abstraction. Results: A total of 936 subjects were enrolled. Compared to ED chief complaints, the Self-Report Tool was more than twice as sensitive in identifying respiratory illnesses (Rate ratio (RR): 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.81- 2.44), and dermatological problems (RR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.56 -3.17), as well as significantly more sensitive in detecting fever (RR: 1.90, 95% CI 1.67-2.17), gastrointestinal problems (RR: 1.10, 95% CI 1.00 -1.20), and injuries (RR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.08 -1.24). Sensitivities were also significantly higher when the Self-Report Tool performance was compared to diagnostic codes, with a sensitivity rate ratio of 4.42 (95% CI 3.45-5.68) for fever, 1.70 (95% CI 1.49 - 1.93) for respiratory problems, 1.15 (95% CI 1.04 -1.27) for gastrointestinal problems, 2.02 (95% CI 1.42-2.87) for dermatologic problems, and 1.06 (95% CI 1.01-1.11) for injuries. Conclusions: Disease category assignment based on patient-reported information was significantly more sensitive in correctly identifying a disease category than data currently used by national and regional disease surveillance systems.
A Brief Note On Time Evolution of Quantum Wave Function and of Quantum Probabilities During Perception and Cognition of Human Subjects

We apply our theory of quantum time dynamics of cognitive entities to experimental data in order to calculate the time evolution of quantum wave function and of quantum probabilities during cognitive processes of the human subject. The results are used in order to elucidate the mind mechanism of human decision under the perspective of quantum mechanics.
Listeriolysin O secreted by Listeria monocytogenes into the host cell cytosol is degraded by the N-end rule pathway.

The intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes escapes from a phagosomal compartment into the cytosol by secreting the pore-forming cytolysin listeriolysin O (LLO). During the proliferation of L. monocytogenes bacteria in the mammalian cell cytosol, the secreted LLO is targeted for degradation by the ubiquitin system. We report here that LLO is a substrate of the ubiquitin-dependent N-end rule pathway, which recognizes LLO through its N-terminal Lys residue. Specifically, we demonstrated by reverse-genetic and pharmacological methods that LLO was targeted for degradation by the N-end rule pathway in reticulocyte extracts and mouse NIH 3T3 cells and after its secretion by intracellular bacteria into the mouse cell cytosol. Replacing the N-terminal Lys of LLO with a stabilizing residue such as Val increased the in vivo half-life of LLO but did not strongly affect the intracellular growth or virulence of L. monocytogenes. Nevertheless, this replacement decreased the virulence of L. monocytogenes by nearly twofold, suggesting that a destabilizing N-terminal residue of LLO may stem from positive selection during the evolution of this and related bacteria. A double mutant strain of L. monocytogenes in which upregulated secretion of LLO was combined with a stabilizing N-terminal residue was severely toxic to infected mammalian cells, resulting in reduced intracellular growth of bacteria and an ∼100-fold-lower level of virulence. In summary, we showed that LLO is degraded by the N-end rule pathway and that the degradation of LLO can reduce the toxicity of L. monocytogenes during infection, a property of LLO that may have been selected for its positive effects on fitness during the evolution of L. monocytogenes.
New species of blindsnake from Rossel Island, Papua New Guinea

I describe a new species of blindsnake of the genus Typhlops from Rossel Island, off the southeastern tip of New Guinea. The new species is a member of the Typhlops ater species group and is characterized by having 18 scale rows, 343 middorsal scales, T-V supralabial-imbrication pattern, a distinct pupil, single subocular scale, and by lacking a presubocular scale. Its closest living relative is probably Typhlops inornatus, known from forested habitats on the nearby mainland of New Guinea. The new species is known from only two specimens from northeastern Rossel Island, and it remains uncertain whether it occurs on adjacent islands of the Louisiade Archipelago.
Local Critical Stress Correlates Better Than Global Maximum Stress with Plaque Morphological Features Linked to Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability: An In Vivo Multi-Patient Study

Background It is believed that mechanical stresses play an important role in atherosclerotic plaque rupture process and may be used for better plaque vulnerability assessment and rupture risk predictions. Image-based plaque models have been introduced in recent years to perform mechanical stress analysis and identify critical stress indicators which may be linked to rupture risk. However, large-scale studies based on in vivo patient data combining mechanical stress analysis, plaque morphology and composition for carotid plaque vulnerability assessment are lacking in the current literature.
A new parallel optimization algorithm for parameter identification in ordinary differential equations

Standard approaches to the solution of the parameter identification problem in systems of ordinary differential equations are reviewed. An algorithm that is based on the M.R. Celis, J.E. Dennis, and R.A. Tapia (1985) trust region algorithm for equality-constrained optimization problems is described. This algorithm should be both more efficient and more stable than standard solution techniques, and it also provides a flexible framework for introducing parallelism into the parameter identification problem. >
Using social networking websites as a selection tool: The role of selection process fairness and job pursuit intentions

Abstract A growing trend in the hospitality industry is openly encouraging applicants to join their social networking sites as part of their recruitment process ( Dolasinki et al., 2010 , Madera and Chang, 2011 ). However, there is a dearth of studies examining how applicants perceive and react to the use of social networking websites in the recruitment and selection process. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine how applicants react to the use of social networking websites as a selection tool. Using experimental methods, participants attending a career fair for hospitality jobs completed a questionnaire after reading about a hospitality company that does or does not use social networking sites in the selection process. The results showed that perceived fairness and job pursuit intentions of applicants were lower for an organization that used social networking websites as a selection tool than an organization that did not use social networking websites as a selection tool.
Acidocalcisomes and Polyphosphate Granules

Polyphosphate (poly P) granules were one of the first subcellular structures de- scribed in bacteria and are characterized by their high content of phosphorus in the form of poly P. Recent work has shown that poly P granules have a limiting membrane and possess an enzymatic mechanism for their acidification. Their electron density and en- richment in pyrophosphate (PPi), poly P, and cations such as calcium and magnesium are characteristics in common with those of the organelles described as acidocalcisomes in a number of eukaryotic cells, including human platelets, indicating that they have been conserved during evolution from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Acidocalcisomes have multi- ple functions that are related to the functions of their main constituents, PPi ,p oly P, and cations.
Claims-Making and typifications of voodoo as a deviant religion: Hex, lies, and videotape

A small number of researchers and social commentators have called attention to negative perceptions about voodoo in U.S. cultural discourse. Yet, remarkably little scholarship has examined the nature, scope, and source of these perceptions in a systematic fashion. In this paper, I use key insights from social constructionism to examine three different typifications of voodoo as broadcast by the U.S. news media. I begin by outlining the constructionist perspective, focusing most pointedly on the nature of claims-making and its relationship to typifications (i.e., distinctive constructions) of a social problem. Then, I examine in detail three specific typifications of voodoo as promulgated by various sets of primary and secondary claims-makers in recent years. These respective typifications portray voodoo as (1) a religion based on black magic and witchcraft; (2) a melange of superstitious beliefs used for deceptive purposes; and, (3) a cult religion which sanctions human torture and sacrifice. I conclude by discussing the implications of my findings for claims-making and media representations about unconventional religious groups.
IMPROVING THE TRANSFER OF MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENTS FROM THE CARDIAC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT TO THE CARDIOLOGY INPATIENT WARD

Background Readmission to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) increases LOS and cost, negatively impacts patient experience, throughput and resource allocation. A review of unplanned readmissions to the CICU identified that transfer of care and monitoring practices were not differentiated based on patient specific risk. Objectives To increase days since last readmission to the CICU within 48 hours of transfer by defining patients at increased risk and standardizing key transfer processes. Methods A standardized care process was developed and tested for patients at increased risk of readmission to CICU within 48 hours of transfer. Bundle components included: Patients identified 24 hours prior to transfer; Face to face nurse handoff in the CICU; Standardized team huddle on arrival to ward and prior to overnight hand-off; VS every 2 hours, I/O every 4 hours for 24 hours and RN staffing ratio of 2:1. Statistical process control charts were used to monitor progress. Results Transfer bundle compliance reached a median of 100%. Days between 48 hour readmissions to CICU increased from an average of 12 days to 45 days. Process control charts demonstrate 3 data points considered special cause after bundle compliance reached 100%. Conclusions Transfer of care processes and outcomes for patients at increased risk of CICU readmission have improved. These interventions can be spread to other hospital units with the hopes of achieving similar results.
Type IIB Tampa: a variant of von Willebrand disease with chronic thrombocytopenia, circulating platelet aggregates, and spontaneous platelet aggregation

Type IIB von Willebrand disease is characterized by enhanced ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation and absence of large von Willebrand factor multimers from plasma. An alteration of the von Willebrand factor molecule resulting in increased reactivity with platelets appears to be the basis for these abnormalities. We have now identified a new variant of type IIB von Willebrand disease in a family in which the four affected members also have chronic thrombocytopenia, in vivo platelet aggregate formation, and spontaneous platelet aggregation in vitro. In spite of repeatedly prolonged bleeding times and persistent thrombocytopenia, their bleeding diathesis is only moderate.
Strong Inhibition of O-Atom Transfer Reactivity for MnIV(O)(π-Radical-Cation)(Lewis Acid) versus MnV(O) Porphyrinoid Complexes

The oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactivity of two valence tautomers of a MnV(O) porphyrinoid complex was compared. The OAT kinetics of MnV(O)(TBP8Cz) (TBP8Cz = octakis(p-tert-butylphenyl)corrolazinato3–) reacting with a series of triarylphosphine (PAr3) substrates were monitored by stopped-flow UV–vis spectroscopy, and revealed second-order rate constants ranging from 16(1) to 1.43(6) × 104 M–1 s–1. Characterization of the OAT transition state analogues MnIII(OPPh3)(TBP8Cz) and MnIII(OP(o-tolyl)3)(TBP8Cz) was carried out by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). A valence tautomer of the closed-shell MnV(O)(TBP8Cz) can be stabilized by the addition of Lewis and Bronsted acids, resulting in the open-shell MnIV(O)(TBP8Cz•+):LA (LA = ZnII, B(C6F5)3, H+) complexes. These MnIV(O)(π-radical-cation) derivatives exhibit dramatically inhibited rates of OAT with the PAr3 substrates (k = 8.5(2) × 10–3 – 8.7 M–1 s–1), contrasting the previously observed rate increase of H-atom transfer (HAT) for MnIV(O)(TBP8Cz•+):LA ...
Reconstructing Professional Learning Community as Collective Creation.

The article presents a cross-domain inquiry into schoolwide professional learning community. It examines tensions in how professional learning community is conceptualized and how it is enacted in t...
ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE CAVE COMMUNITIES I. CAVES AS ISLANDS

Cave animals have fascinated evolutionary biologists since Darwin primarily because of their eye and pigment degeneration, and the extensive speciation they exhibit (Eigenmann, 1909; Valentine, 1945; Barr, 1968). On the other hand, ecological studies in caves have been few, and these have been for the most part descriptive in nature. In recent years several excellent reviews of cave ecology have appeared (Barr, 1967; Poulson and White, 1969). I will not attempt to summarize recent progress except to note that many investigators have concluded that cave populations are foodlimited. The stable cave environment has existed for relatively long periods of time. One of the important problems in stable environments is what are the major factors that influence diversity and structure of such communities (Sanders, 1968; Brooks, 1950; Lloyd et al., 1968; Poulson and White, 1969). Caves are a good place to study this question because caves contain simple communities, thus allowing investigation of all species except those that are very rare and difficult to find. In a series of three papers, I hope to shed light on certain aspects of the problem of control of species diversity in caves, both in terms of the number of species and their abundances.
DEPRESSION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN : Dr. Luby replies

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - Vol. 42 - N° 3 - p. 264-265
Influence of Ice Accumulation on Mechanical Performance of Overhead Transmission Line

Under the conditions of ice accumulation,the mechanical performance of overhead transmission line is an important reference for the design of transmission line.Based on the "catenary curve" and the "parabolic" theory,the influence of meteorological conditions on the mechanical performance of overhead transmission conductor and insulator string was analyzed.The results show that compared with temperature changing,the ice accretion has the greatest influence on the tensile force and shape of conductor.For the dead-end section with uneven ice accumulation or non-contemporaneous ice shedding,the linear tower with unequal ice amount at two sides bears the greatest imbalanced tension,which should be considered in the design of the transmission line.
Expression and Optimization of Detection of Reporter Renilla Luciferase in E.coli

Objective To study the expression and optimization of detection of reporter Renilla luciferase(Rluc) in E.coli.Methods The reporter gene Rluc was transformed into E.coli JM109 and the plasmid of clones was extracted.The plasmid was digested by restriction enzymes EcoRⅠ and SalⅠ.The fragments of Rluc purified from digested product were ligated with vector pET-30a(+) and transformed to E.coli BL21.Fluorescence expression of reporter Rluc of the recombinant clones were detected with the ViviRen live cell substrate in different conditions,including different dilution,concentration and time.The fluorescence expression curves of Rluc were drawn.Results Recombinant clones with reporter gene Rluc in BL21 were constructed successfully.The detection level of ViviRen substrate diluted with PBS was two times as more sensitive as that diluted with LB.Expression curves showed that the fluorescence levels increased quickly and reached a peak value at the 10th minute after substrate added,and then decreased slowly.The range of detection of Rluc in recombinant clones was extensive and the background in negative control was lower.Conditions of fluorescence detection with ViviRen substrate were optimized: dilute with PBS,detect after 10 minute,etc.Conclusion Reporter gene Rluc can be successfully expressed in E.coli and its detection level is higher in sensitivity and specificity.
Cardiopulmonary effects of a xylazine and ketamine combination in pigs.

The carotid and pulmonary arteries were catheterised in six pigs anaesthetised with thiopentone sodium and halothane. A minimum of five days was allowed to elapse before the investigation. The carotid artery pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, arterial pH,pco2, Pco2, plasma glucose and lactate were measured before and after intravenous injection of xylazine (1 mg kg−1) and ketamine 10 mg kg−1). Complete analgesia was produced for 10 minutes in all pigs but by 25 minutes all animals responded to a painful stimulus. The cardiac output and arterial Po2 were significantly decreased for 30 minutes and 10 minutes, respectively. The total vascular resistance was significantly increased. No statistically significant changes occurred in the other variables measured.
Exercise-induced haemoptysis as a rare presentation of a rare lung disease

Amyloid primarily affecting the lungs is a seldom seen clinical entity. This case discusses the work-up of a patient presenting with exercise-induced haemoptysis and diffuse cystic lung disease on radiographic imaging. The common clinical and radiographic findings of diffuse cystic lung diseases as well as a brief overview of pulmonary amyloid are presented.
Three-dimensional traction force microscopy of engineered epithelial tissues

Several biological processes, including cell migration, tissue morphogenesis, and cancer metastasis, are fundamentally physical in nature; each implicitly involves deformations driven by mechanical forces. Traction force microscopy (TFM) was initially developed to quantify the forces exerted by individual isolated cells in two-dimensional (2D) culture. Here, we extend this technique to estimate the traction forces generated by engineered three-dimensional (3D) epithelial tissues embedded within a surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). This technique provides insight into the physical mechanisms that underlie tissue morphogenesis in 3D.
Genetic determinants of uterine fibroid size in the multiethnic NIEHS uterine fibroid study

We conducted a follow-up association study across extended candidate chromosomal regions for uterine leiomyoma (UL), or fibroids, to search for loci influencing the size of UL in 916 premenopausal North American women participants to the NIEHS uterine fibroid study. Proportional odds models with adjustments for confounders were fitted to evaluate the association of a final set of 2,484 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the size of uterine fibroids measured by transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasounds. SNP association with UL size was tested in a case-only design comparing three categories of tumor size (small, medium and large tumors) and in a design that included UL-free controls as the lowest category of a four-level ordinal outcome to account for misclassifications due to small, undetected tumors. In the case-only design, rs2285789 in SORCS2 (sortilin-related VPS10 domain containing receptor 2) was the sole variant that remained significant after correction for multiple testing (Bonferroni-adjusted P=0.037). Several other SNPs, namely those located in MYT1L, TMCC1 and BRCA1, reached promising associations. In the design that included the controls, several genes of potential relevance to UL pathogenesis were associated (Bonferroni-unadjusted P < 0.01) with tumor size, particularly LIFR-AS1 (leukemia inhibitory factor receptor alpha-antisense RNA 1), which showed the strongest association (Bonferroni-unadjusted P=0.0006) among the genes with regulated expression in UL. In conclusion, SORCS2, a known GWAS candidate for circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3, may act through IGF-I signaling to affect the size of fibroids. Through down-regulation of LIFR, LIFR-AS1 may mediate the inhibitory action of LIF (leukemia inhibitory factor), a cytokine involved in embryonic uterine development. Replication analyses are needed to substantiate our reported associations of SORCS2 and LIFR-AS1 with the size of fibroids.
Aggregation and stabilization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in aqueous suspensions: influences of carboxymethyl cellulose, starch and humic acid

Aggregation and stability of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in aqueous solutions were investigated in the presence of two polysaccharide stabilizers (carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and a water soluble starch) and a natural organic matter (leonardite humic acid (LHA)). While all stabilizers inhibited aggregation of MWNTs, the stabilization effectiveness ranked as CMC > starch > LHA. In the presence of 0.06 wt% of CMC or 0.08 wt% of starch, 10 mg L−1 of MWNTs were fully stabilized (no gravity settling). At 10 mg L−1 of MWNTs, the addition of 5 mg L−1 as total organic carbon of CMC increased the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) of MWNTs from ∼25 to ∼210 mM in NaCl solution and from ∼0.9 to ∼2.6 mM in CaCl2 solution. The three stabilizers showed very different effects on the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of MWNTs: the coating of negatively charged CMC enhanced EPM from −3.24 × 10−8 m2 V−1 s−1 for bare MWNTs to −5.22 × 10−8 m2 V−1 s−1, while the coating of neutral starch slightly curbed EPM to −2.24 × 10−8 m2 V−1 s−1, and LHA hardly affected EPM. Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory can interpret the stabilization mechanisms, which reveals that CMC stabilizes MWNTs through enhanced electrostatic repulsion, primary energy barrier and steric hindrance, whereas starch and LHA work primarily through steric hindrance. CMC and starch exert greater steric hindrance than LHA, partially due to the long chains of the polysaccharides and the associated steric hindrance. The information can facilitate environmental applications of carbon nanotubes and improve our understanding of the environmental fate and transport of engineered stabilized nanomaterials.
Motor Skills and Free-Living Physical Activity Showed No Association Among Preschoolers in 2012 U.S. National Youth Fitness Survey:

Albeit limited, some emerging work, using convenience-based samples, has demonstrated that greater motor skill development is associated with higher physical activity among preschool-aged children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this topic using data from the 2012 National Youth Fitness Survey that included 329 preschool-aged children (3-5 years). Parents proxy-reported their child's physical activity, with motor skill level assessed from the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition (TGMD2). Motor skill levels (Gross Motor Quotient, locomotor or object control) were not associated with preschool free-living physical activity in any analytic model. Thus, in this large sample of preschoolers, contrary to research with older children, motor skill level was not associated with physical activity. Findings are discussed in terms of study limitations of (a) a reliance on parent report of children's physical activity levels and (b) the possibility that physical activity data within the national survey were too limited in range to show possible associations to motor skill development with higher levels of free-living physical activity in preschoolers.
Mobile collaborative mixed reality for supporting scientific inquiry and visualization of earth science data

This work seeks to apply the emerging virtual and mixed reality techniques to visual exploration and visualization of earth science data. A novel system is developed to facilitate a collaborative mixed reality visualization, enabling both in-situ and off-site users to simultaneously interact with and visualize science data within mixed reality realm. We implement the prototype system in the context of visualizing earth terrain data. We report our current prototype effort and preliminary results.
Training the trainers: a survey of simulation fellowship graduates.

Background : Coupled with the expansion of simulation has been the development and growth of medical simulation fellowships. These non-accredited fellowships do not have a standardized curriculum and there are currently no studies investigating the simulation fellowship experience. The purpose of this study was to explore the simulation fellowship experience of graduates throughout North America and how it prepared them for their post-fellowship career. Methods : A web-based survey was developed by Emergency Medicine attending physicians both of whom completed one-year fellowships in medical simulation. Prior to distribution, the survey was reviewed and tested by three simulation fellowship graduates and a PhD researcher. Feedback was integrated into the survey prior to distribution. The survey consisted of a maximum of 29 multiple choice questions including two step-logic questions and two open response questions. The survey was distributed to simulation fellowship directors in multiple disciplines and the directors were asked to forward the survey to graduates. Additionally, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Simulation Academy list-serve was utilized for distribution of the survey. Results : The survey had 35 responses. The majority of respondents completed fellowship within the last two years (66%, 23/35). Fellowship graduates strongly agreed or agreed that their fellowship adequately prepared them for their post-fellowship simulation career (88%). Graduates report that research design/reporting (53%) and administration (18%) were areas of their fellowship curriculum that needed the most improvement. Conclusion: The majority of simulation fellowship graduates agreed that their fellowship experience adequately prepared them for their post-fellowship simulation career. Graduates also felt that training in research and administration are areas that could be improved.
Financing CCS Demonstration Projects: Lessons Learned from Two Decades of Experience

Abstract This paper reports the key findings and conclusions of a study that analyzes the financing of large-scale CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) demonstration projects worldwide. By looking across dozens of CCS demonstration projects that have been under development, both completed and cancelled, one can identify the ingredients necessary for success, as well as pitfalls to avoid. This paper summarizes how “successful” CCS demonstration projects were financed, reviews the largest government programs designed to help finance these projects, and reports on the lessons learned.
Impedance-based stability analysis and design considerations for DC current distribution with long transmission cable

Stability is a major concern for dc distribution systems because the integrated system may become unstable even though the subsystems are stable individually. Significant analysis and design has been applied to dc voltage distribution systems, while stability and related control design are not well studied for dc current distribution systems, especially for the scenarios with long transmission cables. In this paper, impedance expressions for long transmission cables are derived and applied to analyze stability of power converters in dc current distribution systems. The relation between converter closed-loop and open-loop input impedance is discussed by taking a series resonant converter (SRC) with constant current input and regulated output current as an example. Impedance-based stability analysis and design considerations are proposed by employing the Nyquist plot of the system minor loop gain. The stability analysis and design presented are validated through experimental results based on a system with a 1 A current source, a 100 km cable emulator and a 500 W SRC.
Evolutionary routes to biochemical innovation revealed by integrative analysis of a plant-defense related specialized metabolic pathway

The diversity of life on Earth is a result of continual innovations in molecular networks influencing morphology and physiology. Plant specialized metabolism produces hundreds of thousands of compounds, offering striking examples of these innovations. To understand how this novelty is generated, we investigated the evolution of the Solanaceae family-specific, trichome-localized acylsugar biosynthetic pathway using a combination of mass spectrometry, RNA-seq, enzyme assays, RNAi and phylogenomics in different non-model species. Our results reveal hundreds of acylsugars produced across the Solanaceae family and even within a single plant, built on simple sugar cores. The relatively short biosynthetic pathway experienced repeated cycles of innovation over the last 100 million years that include gene duplication and divergence, gene loss, evolution of substrate preference and promiscuity. This study provides mechanistic insights into the emergence of plant chemical novelty, and offers a template for investigating the ~300,000 non-model plant species that remain underexplored.
Marco Berger: Homoaffectivity through Cinematic Queered Continuums

The Argentinian film director Marco Berger’s (b. 1977) films are arguably more erotic than current mainstream queer cinema. The director composes intense mise-en-scene homoaffective potentialities that build in intensity but are never consummated. This technique perpetually engages both protagonists and viewers in homoerotic potential, visually akin to “edging” or “Venus Butterflying” sexual practices that control orgasm. Berger signals homoerotic potentiality through visual and auditory signs, inverting their referents, and transforming scenes into perceived safe zones in which spectators experience homoerotic fantasy without a normalizing heterosexual gaze. Within this queered continuum, in which any spectator can employ a homoaffective gaze, jouissance is postponed and intensified through coitus reservatus, creating ongoing potential homoerotic fantasy by what is not yet present in the scene. Building upon works by Tim Dean and Todd McGowan that link queer theory with Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytical theory of l’objet petit a, this chapter reveals how Berger edges the viewer into a queered gaze through what is yet to come.
Indirect Relations Between Transgressive Acts and General Combat Exposure and Moral Injury

ABSTRACT Introduction: Moral injury describes the deleterious effects of acts of commission (e.g., killing noncombatants), omission (e.g., failing to prevent a massacre), or betrayal (i.e., by a trusted authority figure) during military service that transgress accepted behavioral boundaries and norms. Transgressive acts are proposed to lead to a guilt- and shame-based syndrome consisting of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, demoralization, self-handicapping, and self-injury. In this study, we tested a frequently cited model of moral injury and assessed the associations between potentially transgressive acts, moral injury outcomes, and guilt and fear. Additionally, we sought to clarify the relative contribution of transgressive and nontransgressive/general combat exposure to moral injury. On the basis of previous research and theory, we anticipated that the transgressive acts would be related to outcomes through guilt and that nontransgressive combat exposure would be related to outcomes thro...
Rodents (Mammalia) from Diamond O Ranch Local Fauna, Southwestern Montana

ABSTRACT Eleven species of rodents are described from the Diamond O Ranch local fauna from the Beaverhead Basin, southwestern Montana. Of the species recognized, seven have been previously reported from the Chadronian of Montana or adjacent Wyoming and Saskatchewan or Texas: Ardynomys occidentalis Burke, 1936; Pseudocylindrodon sp., cf. Pseudocylindrodon neglectus Burke, 1935; Eutypomys parvus Lamb, 1908; Adjidaumo minimus (Matthew, 1903); Paradjidaumo disjunctus Korth, 2013; Paradjidaumo nanus Emry and Korth, 2013; and Aulolithomys vexilliames Korth and Emry, 1997. Isolated molars of two different indeterminate species of Ischyromys Leidy, 1856, are also recognized. Two new species are described: the ischyromyine Spurimus hoffmani and the eomyid Metanoiamys norejkoi. Both these species represent the latest occurrence of these genera, which are elsewhere limited to the earlier Eocene. The rodents from Diamond O Ranch suggest an early Chadronian age for the fauna; however, other components of the fauna mak...
Integrating Pregnancy Prevention Into an HIV Counseling and Testing Program in Pediatric Primary Care

Abstract Purpose Certified health educator (CHE)-based HIV counseling and testing typically focus on HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention only. A quality improvement initiative examined integrating assessment of reproductive life plans, counseling about pregnancy prevention, and contraception referral into a CHE-based HIV testing program. Methods Between February 2014 and January 2017, in one urban pediatric primary care clinic serving patients aged 0–25, CHEs assessed sexual history, HIV risk, short-term (i.e., the next 6–12 months) pregnancy desire, and current contraception method and satisfaction among patients aged 13–25 who had ever had vaginal sex, using a standardized questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a de-identified administrative dataset that also tracked referrals to initiate contraception and actual method initiation. Results Of 1,211 patients, most (96%) reported no short-term pregnancy or partner pregnancy desire. Use of less effective or no contraception, as well as method dissatisfaction, was common. A high proportion of female patients referred to new methods opted for more effective methods (62%) and initiated these methods (76%); a high proportion of male patients opted for receipt of condoms (67%). Patients reporting short-term pregnancy desire reported higher rates of previous pregnancy and STIs. Conclusions Program findings highlight the potential benefit of integrating assessment for and counseling about pregnancy prevention in a CHE-based HIV testing program. This can more effectively address the needs of patients with concomitant risks of STI/HIV and unintended pregnancy, and link patients who do not desire pregnancy to more effective methods.
HVAC Precooling Optimization for Green Buildings: An RC-Network Approach

To lower buildings' significant energy consumption and high impacts on environmental sustainability, recent years have witnessed rapidly growing interests in efficient HVAC precooling control and optimization. However, due to the complex analytical modeling of building thermal transfer, rigorous mathematical optimization for HVAC precooling is highly challenging. As a result, progress on HVAC precooling optimization remains rather limited in the literature. Our main contribution in this paper is that we overcome the aforementioned challenge and propose an accurate and tractable mathematical HVAC precooling optimization framework. The main results of this paper are three-fold: i) We develop an RC-network-based analytical model for multi-zone HVAC precooling to minimize both total energy costs and peak load demand; ii) We show that the HVAC procooling optimization problem based on the proposed RC network model admits a convex approximation, which enables efficient optimization algorithm design; and iii) Based on the convex approximation insight and by exploiting special problem structures, we develop an efficient distributed algorithm to solve the HVAC precooling optimization problem. Further, we conduct extensive simulation studies to verify the performance of our proposed mathematical model and algorithms. Our numerical results indicate that the proposed optimization algorithm consistently achieves energy cost reduction ranging from 30% to 60%.
Anesthesia Equipment and Monitors

Learn the indications for applying the most common intraoperative monitors. Understand the principles behind each of the key physiologic monitors. Know the limitations associated with various types of monitoring
Dynamic-threshold level set method for volumetry of porcine kidney in CT images in vivo and ex vivo assessment of the accuracy of volume measurement.

Rationale and Objective We sought to assess the accuracy of a novel computerized volumetry method, called dynamic-thresholding (DT) level set, in determining the renal volume of pigs in CT images on the basis of in vivo and ex vivo reference standards. Methods and Materials Eight Yorkshire breed anesthetized pigs (weight range 45–50 kg) were scanned on a 64-slice multidetector CT scanner (Sensation 64; Siemens) after injection of an iodinated (300 mg I/ml) contrast agent through an IV cannula. The kidneys of the pigs were then surgically resected and scanned by CT in the same manner. Both in vivo and ex vivo CT images were subjected to our computerized volumetry using DT level set method. The resulting volumes of the kidneys were compared with in vivo and ex vivo reference standards: the former was established by manual contouring of the kidneys on the CT images by an experienced radiologist, and the latter was established as the water displacement volume of the resected kidney. Results The comparisons of the in vivo and ex vivo measurements by our volumetric scheme with the associated reference standards yielded a mean difference of 1.73 ± 1.24% and 3.38 ± 2.51%, respectively. The correlation coefficients were 0.981 and 0.973 for in vivo and ex vivo comparisons, respectively. The mean difference between in vivo and ex vivo reference standards was 5.79 ± 4.26%, and the correlation coefficient between the two standards was 0.760. Conclusion Our computerized volumetry using the DT level set method can provide accurate in vivo and ex vivo measurements of kidney volume, despite a large difference between the two reference standards. This technique can be employed in human subjects for the determination of renal volume for preoperative surgical planning and assessment of oncology treatment.
Evolutionarily Stable Strategies for Larval Dragonflies

Many animals spend a considerable amount of time and effort watching, stalking, and attacking their neighbors even when it would seem to be mutually advantageous for them simply to ignore each other. A possible example of this paradoxical behavior, interference among dragonfly larvae, is analyzed from a game-theoretic viewpoint to see if such “strategies” appear to be evolutionarily stable. The results suggest that the ever-present possibility of ambush, in which the attacker has a significant chance of seriously injuring the victim, can culminate in “wars of attrition” or pre-emptive aggression by one or both neighbors. Testable hypotheses are presented, and the means of obtaining quantitative predictions from the theory are indicated.
Voices in the Hallway: Three Rural Iowa Schools.

Students, faculty, administration, and community members of three Iowa rural school districts were interviewed to identify educational issues in their communities The results of the Iowa investigation are compared with the results of the Claremont Graduate School investigation published in Voices from the inside: A report on schooling from inside the classroom (1992). The Claremont study investigated large urban schools. The Iowa study provides insight into small, rural school districts. Although similar issues emerged from the two studies, other issues demonstrated the different realities of education in rural Iowa and education in a large culturally diverse urban setting. In 1992, The Institute for Education in Transformation at The Claremont Graduate School published Voices From the Inside: A report on schooling from inside the classroom. The research undertaken by the Claremont Graduate School attempted to determine if the conclusions reached by previous studies on schools were consistent with the experiences, observations, and perceptions of the real experts in schooling: the students, teachers, administration, and staff who work everyday in those schools. The conclusion reached in Voices from the inside was that current policies and proposed solutions "could be counterproductive to the improvement of schools" (p. 6). Many of those proposed solutions addressed surface problems of school, whereas these surface problems are consequences of deeper problems not addressed in the current policy. Although the research methods and conclusions reached in Voices from the inside were appropriate for the schools involved in the study, it seriously raises the question whether similar conclusions would be reached in schools not urban or suburban in nature. The Claremont research is an example of the extensive attention focused on large populations in urban and suburban schools. However, the National Education Association (NEA) estimated that forty percent of American school children can be classified as rural. Further, NEA estimates that nearly half of American schools are located in rural areas and small towns. These estimates, which are surprising to many, beg the question, “Are the issues, experiences, and realities of schooling the same for small rural schools as for urban schools?” If the Claremont study documents the voices of urban and suburban students, teachers, and community members, should we not document the voice for one-third to one-half of the nation’s school population, the rural student? Do the voices from rural Iowa schools match their urban counterparts as described by the Claremont Graduate School researchers?
Dynamic Bayesian Games for Adversarial and Defensive Cyber Deception

Security challenges accompany the efficiency. The pervasive integration of information and communications technologies (ICTs) makes cyber-physical systems vulnerable to targeted attacks that are deceptive, persistent, adaptive, and strategic. Attack instances such as Stuxnet, Dyn, and WannaCry ransomware have shown the insufficiency of off-the-shelf defensive methods including the firewall and intrusion detection systems. Hence, it is essential to design up-to-date security mechanisms that can mitigate the risks despite the successful infiltration and the strategic response of sophisticated attackers.
Understanding Risks and Opportunities of Autonomous Vehicle Technology Adoption Through Systems Dynamic Scenario Modeling—The American Insurance Industry

Under a new wave of artificial intelligence, the transportation industry is facing a revolution similar to machines replacing animals one century ago. In this time, humans could, for the first time, be fully out of the control loop of personal transportation. However, revolution comes with disruption and uncertainty. This paper focuses on mapping various causal relationships during this significant transition phase and understanding the impacts of different influencing loops. A systems dynamic model is constructed including two different transportation methods (personal owned vehicle and car services) and three autonomy levels (non, semi, and fully). The US auto insurance industry was chosen as a major industry that will be impacted by autonomous vehicles’ impacts and consequences. Consumer choices, product familiarity, and acceptance are modeled to represent purchasing behavior. Vehicle crash rate and loss ratio are considered to calculate the insurance industry's premium collections. Different scenarios are quantified and discussed. Several important causal loops are identified that will help achieve the faster growth of the technology. Several potentially new insurance products are evaluated.
Stochastic Methods and Simulation

This chapter develops stochastic computational methods that assume random elements within their computational task. The methods prior to this chapter have largely been deterministic, as they have not depended on random elements in their computation—previous exceptions being our studies of linear regression, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms. These exceptions point to a dichotomy into how randomness leaks itself into the computational arena. One way is to use a random element to help decide a deterministic quantity. For example, solving a deterministic TSP problem with either simulated annealing or a genetic algorithm incorporates a stochastic search in the attempt to calculate the deterministic value that is the shortest tour. In this case the problem is deterministic, but the calculation method is stochastic.