cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of random multiple access scheme under long-range-dependent traffic

ALOHA-based random-access schemes have been extensively used in mobile, satellite, and other communications multiple-access networks. They are frequently employed by demand-assigned multiple access protocols for regulating access into control (order-wire type) channels for the transmission of reservation packets. We study the performance of a random-access scheme when loaded by traffic processes that exhibit long range dependence (LRD). The LRD traffic flows are modeled as multiplicative multifractal processes. The random access scheme is represented as the prototypical ALOHA channel with blocking. Five key parameters are introduced to characterize the scheme. We show that the key feature dictating the performance of an ALOHA channel is not the LRD nature of the loading traffic processes, but rather the burstiness level of these processes. When the LRD traffic process is not very bursty, we show that the performance of the random-access channel can be much better than that produced under Poisson traffic loading; otherwise, a distinct performance degradation takes place. The parameters of the system are carefully tuned so that the algorithm operates effectively under the loading multifractal traffic process, over a wide range of burstiness level conditions.
Instrumental analysis of microbiologically influenced corrosion

Appropriate application of techniques for detection andmonitoring of microbiologically influenced corrosion isessential for understanding the mechanistic nature of theinteractions and for obtaining control methods. This paperreviews techniques and methods applied tomicrobiologically influenced corrosion in recent years.The techniques presented in this paper includeelectrochemical noise measurement, concentric electrodes,scanning vibrating electrode mapping, electrochemicalimpedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy,confocal laser microscopy, Fourier transform infraredspectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Augerelectron spectroscopy, extended x-ray absorption finestructure and utilization of piezoelectric materials. Thesetechniques are reviewed regarding the heterogeneouscharacteristics of microbial consortia and their possibleinfluences on metal substrata. We hope this review willmotivate application and combination of new techniquesfor practical detection and on-line monitoring of theimpact of biofilms on engineering alloys.
On the presence of the zero point energy noise term in thermal noise

Abstract It is shown that the presence of the zero point energy noise term in thermal noise can be detected at 100 GHz, when noise measurements at that frequency can be made with an accuracy of 0.3%.
DRINKING AND DRIVING HABITS OF CALIFORNIANS

This paper presents a survey of blood alcohol levels found among 934 California weekend drivers in order to provide a profile of drinking and driving habits; analysis is by sex, age, day of week, and hour. A comparison is also made with similar surveys conducted in other geographical locations. It was found that during the evening hours of a typical weekend about 30% of all drivers registered a positive BAL and may very well be impaired. These California data were very comparable to those gathered in other parts of the United States, which suggests that the drinking and driving habits of the general population are relatively independent of geographic location.
Marrow hypoplasia in anorexia nervosa.

Hypoplasia of the bone marrow was observed in three patients with severe anorexia nervosa. Histologically, a marked paucity of hematopoietic elements and a relative increase of acid mucopolysaccaride ground substance were observed. Although peripheral blood counts were normal, ferrokinetic studies indicated erythroid hypoactivity in one patient. In another patient, persistent leukopenia was observed during pneumococcal pneumonia. If studies in other patients confirm these observations, a limited ability to respond to hematopoietic stress may be part of the clinical picture of severe anorexia nervosa and should be considered in their clinical management.
Comparison of seed dispersal by guenons in Kenya and capuchins in Panama

We should like to draw attention to differences we have observed between the ways some New and Old World forest monkeys handle fruits and the seeds they contain. We believe that these differences imply different roles for monkeys in their forest ecosystems, and may represent different sets of selection pressures on fruit-bearing plants in African and South American forests. Monkeys disperse seeds in both Africa and Latin America. Jackson & Gartlan (1965) showed that vervet monkeys carried seeds to termite mounds in grassland adjacent to the forest in Uganda, and so caused the spread of forest into grassland. Lieberman et al. (1979) found that baboons disperse seeds in dry forest in Ghana. Gautier-Hion et al. (1985) describe about 40 species of plants as dispersed by Cercopithecine monkeys in a Gabonese rain forest. Monkeys known to disperse seeds in New World rain forests include howlers (Chapman 1989, Estrada & Coates-Estrada 1986, Hladik & Hladik 1969, Howe 1980), tamarins (Hladik & Hladik 1969, Garber 1986), spider monkeys (Chapman 1989, Hladik & Hladik 1969, Howe 1980), and capuclhins (Chapman 1989, Hladik & Hladik 1969, Janson et al. 1986). Monkeys eat a wide range of fruits of different shapes and sizes, and it is unlikely that they could be effective agents of dispersal for all of the species that they consume. The quality of dispersal offered to a particular fruit species by a particular animal depends onthe animal's behaviour, physiology, and morphology: food handling, processing, and gut passage time affect the viability of a seed after the animal is finislhed with it and the size of the clump in which it is deposited; ranging and movement patterns affect where a seed is likely to be deposited with respect to microhabitat conditions and the prevalence of natural enemies, and therefore the fate of the seeds and seedlings (Howe 1989, Janzen 1983, Levey 1987, Lieberman & Lieberman 1986). In this note we consider mainly the first phase of seed dispersal: the removal of seeds from the parent tree and subsequent deposition. Variation in patterns of remzoval and
Going Ape as an Approach to Cancer Therapeutics

Abstract The DNA base excision repair (BER) pathway repairs alkylation and oxidative DNA damage caused by endogenous and exogenous agents, including chemotherapeutic agents. Upon removal of the damaged base AP endonuclease 1 (Ape1), a critical component of the pathway cleaves the abasic site to facilitate repair. Ape1 is a multifunctional protein which plays a role not only in DNA repair but it also functions as a reduction–oxidation factor, known as Ref-1 in the literature, to increase the DNA binding ability of several transcription factors involved in different growth signaling pathways. Elevated levels of Ape1 have been linked to resistance to chemotherapy, poor prognosis, and poor survival. Reducing the amount of Ape1 protein in cancer cells and tumors using RNA interference and anti-sense oligonucleotide technology sensitizes mammalian tumor cells to a variety of laboratory and chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, selective inhibition of Ape1's DNA repair activity is a promising avenue to develop nov...
Antitumor properties of dimethyl-celecoxib, a derivative of celecoxib that does not inhibit cyclooxygenase-2: implications for glioma therapy.

Celecoxib (Celebrex) appears to be unique among the class of selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs), because this particular compound exerts a second function that is independent of its celebrated ability to inhibit COX-2. This second function is the potential to inhibit cell proliferation and stimulate apoptotic cell death at much lower concentrations than any other coxibs. Intriguingly, these two functions are mediated by different moieties of the celecoxib molecule and can be separated. The author, as well as others, have generated and investigated analogs of celecoxib that retain only one of these two functions. One derivative, 2,5-dimethyl-celecoxib (DMC), which retains the antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing function, but completely lacks the COX-2 inhibitory activity, is able to mimic faithfully all of the numerous antitumor effects of celecoxib that have been investigated so far, including reduction of neovascularization and inhibition of experimental tumor growth in various in vivo tumor models. In view of the controversy that has recently arisen regarding the life-threatening side effects of this class of coxibs, it may be worthwhile to pursue further the potential benefits of drugs such as DMC for anticancer therapy. Because DMC is not a coxib yet potently maintains celecoxib’s antitumor potential, one may be inclined to speculate that this novel compound could potentially be advantageous in the management of COX-2‐independent cancers. In this summary, the implications of recent findings with DMC will be presented and discussed.
Success and Failure in Technology Acquisitions: Lessons for Buyers and Sellers

Executive Overview Technology acquisitions can benefit firms by providing valuable resources, increasing market power, and initiating strategic renewal. Yet despite these opportunities, technology acquisitions often present a significant challenge for both buyers and sellers. In this article, we review the research on technology acquisitions and outline what is known and what remains to be studied. First, we examine firms' motivations for engaging in technology acquisitions. Second, we explore the features and challenges that make technology acquisitions unique. Third, we summarize the research on how both buyers and sellers can improve the performance of technology acquisitions. Fourth, we propose a research agenda to address unanswered questions and emerging issues related to technology acquisitions, placing particular emphasis on cross-border deals and the effects of acquisition activity on an industry's competitive dynamics.
Industrial Transformation and Labour Relations in Puerto Rico: From ‘Operation Bootstrap’ to the 1970s

During the 1950s and 1960s Puerto Rico's industrial transformation was accompanied by social stability and relatively peaceful labour relations, which were essential for a development programme dependent upon foreign investments. The state took a central role in this process, as it guided economic activity and mobilised vital human and material resources. However, by the late 1960s profound changes in the island's political economy threatened this state-guided development programme. This essay traces the history of Puerto Rican economic change and the relationship between industrial transformation and the state's capacity to manage the operation of the economy, particularly industrial relations up to the late 1970s. Four features of this process will be examined: (1) labour relations during the early phase of industrialisation; (2) the changes in the economy resulting from the expansion of capital-intensive industrial sectors; (3) the impact of these changes on the state's capacity to manage the political economy, particularly its fiscal policy; and (4) how these changes altered the nature of state-labour relations.
C'MON GET HAPPY: REDUCED MAGNITUDE AND DURATION OF RESPONSE DURING A POSITIVE-AFFECT INDUCTION IN DEPRESSION

Background: Depression involves decreased positive affect. Whether this is due to a failure to achieve or maintain positive emotion in response to discrete stimuli is unclear. Understanding the nature of decreased positive affect could help to address how to intervene in the phenomenon, for example, how to structure interventions using positive and rewarding stimuli in depression. Thus, we examined the time course of affect following exposure to positive stimuli in depressed and healthy individuals. Methods: Seventy-one adults with major depressive disorder and thirty-four never-depressed controls read a self-generated highly positive script and continuously rated their affect for 7 min. Results: Both groups quickly achievedincreasedpositiveaffect,however,comparedtocontrols,depressedparticipants did not achieve the same level of positive affect, did not maintain their positive affect, spent less time rating their affect as happy, and demonstrated larger dropsinmood.Conclusions:Thesedataindicatethatdepressedandnondepressed individuals can generate positive reactions to happy scripts, but depressed individuals cannot achieve or sustain equivalent levels of positive affect. Interventions for depression might fruitfully focus on increasing depressed individuals’ ability to maintaininitialengagementwithpositivestimulioverasustainedperiodoftime. Depression and Anxiety 00:1–9, 2014. C � 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Erratum to: Fracture Surface Analysis of 3D-Printed Tensile Specimens of Novel ABS-Based Materials

The correct address for Materials Science, University of Texas at El Paso is 500 W. University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA. As specified in the original article, the data for UTS, elongation to break and Young’s modulus for the ABS loaded with TiO2, jute fiber and TP elastomer were based on three specimens instead of five specimens. Tables 3 and 4 are updated with the correct data. The data for ABS remains the same. Table 3 Values of UTS and UFS for XYZ specimens
Achieving the Rate-Distortion Bound with Linear Codes

We show that linear codes can achieve the rate- distortion bound of a discrete memoryless source with arbitrary distortion measure if the size of finite field is sufficiently large. An alternative approach based on multilevel quantization is proposed. The optimality of this approach and the sufficiency of binary linear codes are established. Linear codes are also shown to be able to achieve a simplified version of the El Gamal-Cover (EGC) region for multiple description coding.
Fermions and gauge vector mesons at finite temperature and density. III. The ground-state energy of a relativistic quark gas

We calculate the ground-state energy of a quark gas up to and including effecs of fourth order in the quark-gluon coupling. Renormalization-group techniques are used to rewrite the results of the fourth-order calculation in terms of a chemical-potential-dependent coupling. The chemical-potential-dependent coupling approaches zero at high densities. We argue that at hadronic matter densities a phase transition between quark matter and hadronic matter occurs. We show the existence of this phase transition for a three-color, one-flavor quark gas. We find a close correspondence between the results of quantum chromodynamics at large coupling with no bag constant and quantum chromodynamics at small coupling with a bag constant.
Sub-to-supercritical mixing in single and dual component systems

This study compares subcritical and supercritical jet mixing when injected into an atmosphere comprising the same or different species using planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF). In the first case, the atmosphere consists of the same species as of the jet and hence the entire system is a single component diffusion process. In the second case, the atmosphere comprises an inert gas of a different composition, and hence a binary system. Density distribution is measured and density gradient profiles are inferred from the experimental data. The core lengths have been calculated for both single and dual component cases and a comparison is provided.
What Are the Best Approaches for Encouraging the Diffusion of a New Instructional Technology among Faculty Members in Higher Education? a Look at Eportfolio Use at Stony Brook University.

This article will summarize and explain the Diffusion of Innovations Theory put forth by Everett M. Rogers (2003). It will then share some of the other research that has been conducted relevant to diffusion, especially those researchers who have looked at the diffusion of instructional technology in higher education. It will consider criticisms of diffusion theory and alternate ideas that have been proposed. Rogers' (2003) Diffusion of Innovations Theory will then be considered in light of a specific example of instructional technology—the diffusion of ePortfolio use among faculty members at Stony Brook University. Consideration will be given to what has been done so far at Stony Brook University relevant to ePortfolio use, and how these steps compare to Diffusion of Innovations Theory. Recommendations will be made for moving forward with this technology and how to best encourage faculty members to try ePortfolios with their students. Finally, questions and gaps that might benefit from further research wi...
More than Meets the Eye: Metastatic Uveal Melanoma.

A 61-year-old man with subacute, abdominal distension presented to the Emergency Department. He also had progressive left eye pain and vision loss for 3 years. Physical examination revealed hepatomegaly and a left afferent pupillary defect. Left intraocular pressurewas elevated at 34mmHg. Ultrasound demonstrated a large mass filling 80 % of the left globe with low-internal reflectivity consistent with uveal melanoma. The left eye had florid iris neovascularization (arrow, Fig. 1) resulting from tumor secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor and prominent sentinel vessels (dotted arrow, Fig. 2) nourishing a tumor infiltrating the uvea (solid arrow, Fig. 2). Most of these findings could be appreciated with penlight examination. Abdominal computed tomography revealed hepatomegaly with hepatic masses, biopsy of which revealed metastatic melanoma. Uveal melanoma is the most common primary ocular malignancy in adults. Since liver is the most common site of metastasis, metastatic uveal melanoma can present with vision loss and liver masses. In the U.S., the incidence of uveal melanoma is 4.3 cases per million people; the average age at diagnosis is 60 years. Once metastasis occurs, survival is under one year, and no cure exists. Our patient died the following week on home hospice.
Research advances in solid adsorbents for the adsorptive desulfurization of vehicle fuel oil

Adsorptive desulfurization is interested for its low investment cost,moderate operating conditions.The key for its technical development is to look for solid adsorbents with large capacity,high selectivity and good regeneration properties.Advances in solid adsorbents for desulfurization of vehicle fuel oil,including conventional zeolites,activated carbon,and metal oxide adsorbent were reviewed together with a new type of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs) materials adsorbent based on the mechanism of adsorption,preparation methods,and desulfurization effect.The solid adsorbent development can be conducted at a molecular scale,based on the adsorption mechanism design and assembly.
Commitment to the Team: Perceived Conflict and Political Polarization

Abstract. Scholars have increasingly employed social identity theory to explain how and why political polarization occurs. This study aims to build off of this work by proposing that perception of intergroup conflict serves as a mechanism that mediates the effect of news media coverage on political polarization. Specifically, I argue that the news media’s emphasis on political animosity can cultivate partisans’ perception that the parties are in conflict, which provides a context that makes partisan identity salient and, ultimately, leads to higher levels of affective and ideological polarization. This hypothesis is tested with an experiment using an American national sample of Democrats and Republicans (N = 300). Participants read a news story in which the public believes the parties are in a state of either high or low conflict (or they did not receive a news story). Using mediation analysis, the results of the study provide evidence that news media coverage of political conflict leads to increased perc...
Steady Flow Approximations in Three-Dimensional Ship Motion Calculation

When a ship advances at constant speed in waves, the steady flow interacts with the unsteady wave field generated by the ship's motion. The interaction between the steady flow and the unsteady wave field appears in so-called m j terms. The three different steady flow models, that is, free stream, double body flow, and steady wave flow, are considered for the realization of the m j terms. For completeness in a linear sense, the steady flow contributions are retained in a consistent manner in the expressions for the hydrodynamic and restoring forces, which can be derived from the integration of the linearized pressure over the mean wetted part of the hull surface. The steady trim and sinkage are also considered important in determining the mean wetted position. The numerical results are obtained using a three-dimensional panel method based on a translating and pulsating Green function approach. An efficient numerical method is applied for the accurate evaluation of the m j terms without deriving the second derivatives of the Green function. Numerical calculations have been made for a submerged sphere and a Wigley hull. It is found that the steady flow has strong influence on added masses and damping forces in heave and pitch at relatively low encounter frequencies, while its effect is not observed as significant in wave exciting forces. The importance of the steady flow effect is also pronounced in the peak values of heave and pitch motion responses. In comparison with semianalytical and experimental results, the double body and steady wave flows are found to be the proper choices for the steady flow approximation.
Making the White Man’s West: Whiteness and the Creation of the American West . By Jason E. Pierce

Making the White Man’s West: Whiteness and the Creation of the American West . By Jason E. Pierce. (Boulder: University of Colorado Press, 2016. xxvi + 296 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $45.00, £32.00; ebook.) From Manifest Destiny to Frederick Jackson Turner’s frontier thesis, the notion that the U.S. West was predestined to become a refuge for white men has long shaped the culture, politics, and demography of the region. Yet, until now, no author has produced a single coherent narrative that examines the relationship between whiteness and westward expansion across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Jason E. Pierce fills this hole in the literature with a concise, readable, and trenchant cultural history of how the U.S. West came to be imagined as a “white man’s” country. Pierce … stacey.smith{at}oregonstate.edu
Surgery for Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a noninvasive, eosinophilic-mediated form of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis. There are distinct clinical, radiographic, histopathological, and prognostic findings that differentiate it from other types of chronic rhinosinusitis. AFRS is an allergic reaction to fungal hyphae present in the paranasal sinuses causing hypertrophy of the mucosa, inflammation, formation of polyps, and formation of allergic mucin typically noted in a previously atopic individual. It has proven itself to be a difficult disease process to treat secondary to the increased risk of multiple recurrences, which has led to many studies into the efficacy of treatment modalities. A combined approach of medical and surgical therapy coupled with immunotherapy has proved to be the most successful thus far, but further studies are needed to tailor the medical management approach.
Regarding sex differences in cardiovascular ageing: let us not forget iron

The Authors’ reply We thank Dr Goldstein1 for bringing to our attention the iron hypothesis as a potential non-hormonal factor contributing to sex differences in cardiovascular ageing. We also find intriguing the possibility that iron depletion in menstruating women may be cardioprotective. We had previously been aware of the potential role of iron as a by-product of haeme …
RATES OF PROLIFERATION AND INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF CELLS IN THE MESENTERIC LYMPH NODE OF THE RAT.

Single and multiple injections of tritiated thymidine were combined with radioautography to study the rates of proliferation and interrelationships of the various cell lines in the mesenteric lymph node of the rat. The appearance and labeling patterns of the different cells are described from studies of both smears and tissue sections. Reticular cells exhibit wide variations in labeling intensity, phagocytize labeled lymphocytes, and become labeled in high percentages only when TTH is administered over a period of many days. Other slowly proliferating cell types include small lymphocytes, fat cells, endothelial cells and mast cells. Rapidly proliferating cell lines include plasmablasts, hemohistioblasts, proplasmacytes and large lymphocytes. The generation time of plasmablasts and hemohistioblasts was determined to be approximately 9 and 12 hours respectively. Mature plasma cells constitute a non-dividing population which is renewed in lymph node in not more than 5 days. Evidence is presented that the most primitive cells in the lymphocyte and plasma cell lines are the hemohistioblasts and plasmablasts respectively. Reticular cells most probably are not stem cells. No evidence is found to support previous reports that plasma cells derive from lymphocytes.
Minne und Mystik im Werke Mechthilds von Magdeburg

(1944). Minne und Mystik im Werke Mechthilds von Magdeburg. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 3-15.
Problem Solving Breast MRI for Mammographic, Sonographic, or Clinical Findings

Because of the high sensitivity of breast MRI in detection of invasive breast cancer, there has been interest in using breast MRI as a problem solving tool for evaluation of mammographic or sonographic findings, or for clinical breast symptoms in which conventional mammographic or ultrasound evaluation is negative. In this chapter, we review and discuss the current literature on problem solving MRI for imaging or clinical findings. Breast MRI does not have sufficient negative predictive value to avoid biopsy of a suspicious mammographic or sonographic finding. It may rarely be indicaed for equivocal or inconclusive findings at diagnostic mammographic and sonographic evaluation and when biopsy cannot be performed. It has not been found to be helpful for most clinical symptoms such as a palpable finding or breast pain when conventional imaging is negative, but may have utility in patients with nipple discharge, or symptoms suggestive of inflammatory breast cancer or Paget’s disease.
Independent and compensatory contributions of executive functions and challenge preference for students' adaptive classroom behaviors

Abstract This study examined the unique contributions and interplay of children's executive function (EF) skills and challenge preference for adaptive classroom behaviors. The sample included socioeconomically and ethnically diverse third, fourth, and fifth grade students ( N = 334, M = 9.30 years). EFs were directly assessed using tablet tasks in the classroom setting, challenge preference was measured with self-report questionnaires, and teachers reported on students' classroom behaviors. Both EFs and challenge preference independently predicted students' task orientation, assertiveness, peer social skills, and frustration tolerance, whereas only EFs were linked to students' conduct problems. Further, challenge preference emerged as a significant moderator of the association between EFs and students' assertiveness. Specifically, EFs were more strongly associated with students' assertiveness among students with low challenge preference. Implications include structuring classrooms to promote challenge preference by focusing on effort and learning.
Optical switches based carry-ripple adder for future highspeed and low-power consumption optical computing

We report an optical switch based architecture for realizing optical computing. Numerical simulation has been performed to validate the architecture by adopting CMOS compatible PN depletion micro-ring resonator as the approach for optical switching.
Erratum to: Prediction of vulnerability to bipolar disorder using multivariate neurocognitive patterns: a pilot study.

In the original version of this article (Wu et al. 2017), published on 1 September 2017, the name of author ‘Bo Cao’ was wrongly displayed. In this Erratum the incorrect name and correct name are shown. The original publication of this article has been corrected.
A multimodal execution monitor with anomaly classification for robot-assisted feeding

Activities of daily living (ADLs) are important for quality of life. Robotic assistance offers the opportunity for people with disabilities to perform ADLs on their own. However, when a complex semi-autonomous system provides real-world assistance, occasional anomalies are likely to occur. Robots that can detect, classify and respond appropriately to common anomalies have the potential to provide more effective and safer assistance. We introduce a multimodal execution monitor to detect and classify anomalous executions when robots operate near humans. Our system builds on our past work on multimodal anomaly detection. Our new monitor classifies the type and cause of common anomalies using an artificial neural network. We implemented and evaluated our execution monitor in the context of robot-assisted feeding with a general-purpose mobile manipulator. In our evaluations, our monitor outperformed baseline methods from the literature. It succeeded in detecting 12 common anomalies from 8 able-bodied participants with 83% accuracy and classifying the types and causes of the detected anomalies with 90% and 81% accuracies, respectively. We then performed an in-home evaluation with Henry Evans, a person with severe quadriplegia. With our system, Henry successfully fed himself while the monitor detected, classified the types, and classified the causes of anomalies with 86%, 90%, and 54% accuracy, respectively.
Interaction of Technology and Organization: Case Study of US Military COMINT in World War II

This chapter is motivated by the question of whether an intelligence agency must adapt itself - its organization, its hierarchy, its operation - at a fundamental level in order to best make use of a new technology. This question is investigated by looking at two past examples as a case study comparing how the intelligence apparatuses of two different countries adapted to a technology. Specifically, the chapter compares how the UK’s Government Code and Cypher School and the collective civilian and military intelligence apparatuses of the US both adapted to the rise of radio-based intelligence gathering (more generally known as Signals Intelligence or Communications Intelligence) during World War II. This comparison is worthwhile because whereas the UK’s radio-intelligence gathering capability is quite well regarded, the US’s was fraught with challenges (though with its share of successes). The chapter traces the evolution, throughout the war, of the organizational hierarchies of the various US intelligence groups and notes how information was shared, which group had authority over which other, and how these changed over time. A comparison to the UK’s organization reveals that the new technology did not fundamentally alter how intelligence ought to be gathered - it only served to exacerbate extant organizational challenges. The continued inefficiency stemming from these challenges was what led to the eventual restructuring and newfound efficiency - not the technology itself. This conclusion will hopefully serve as a reminder that whenever a new technology comes along, the intelligence community must remember the basics first.
Points for Place: Can State Governments Shape Siting Patterns of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Developments?

AbstractThere is considerable controversy about the allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Some charge that credits are disproportionately allocated to developments in poor, minority neighborhoods without additional investments and thereby reinforcing patterns of poverty concentration and racial segregation. We examine whether Qualified Allocation Plans, which outline the selection criteria states use when awarding credits, can serve as an effective tool for directing credits to higher opportunity neighborhoods (or neighborhoods that offer a rich set of resources, such as high-performing schools and access to jobs) for states wishing to do so. To answer this question, we study changes in the location criteria outlined in allocation plans for 20 different states across the country between 2002 and 2010, and observe the degree to which those modifications are associated with changes in the poverty rates and racial composition of the neighborhoods where developments awarded tax credits are loc...
Measurement of the axial and radial temperature profiles of a chromatographic column: Influence of thermal insulation on column efficiency

The temperatures of the metal wall along a chromatographic column (longitudinal temperature gradients) and of the liquid phase across the outlet section of the column (radial temperature gradients) were measured at different flow rates with the same chromatographic column (250 mm x 4.6 mm). The column was packed with 5 microm C18-bonded silica particles. The measurements were carried out with surface and immersion thermocouples (all junction Type T, +/-0.1 K) that measure the local temperature. The column was either left in a still-air bath (ambient temperature, T(ext) = 295-296 K) or insulated in a packing foam to avoid air convection around its surface. The temperature profiles were measured at several values of the inlet pressure (approximately = 100, 200, 300 and 350 bar) and with two mobile phases, pure methanol and a 2.5:97.5 (v/v, %) methanol:water solution. The experimental results show that the longitudinal temperature gradients never exceeded 8 K for a pressure drop of 350 bars. In the presence of the insulating foam, the longitudinal temperature gradients become quasi-linear and the column temperature increases by +1 and +3 K with a water-rich (heat conductivity approximately = 0.6 W/m/K) and pure methanol (heat conductivity approximately = 0.2 W/m/K), respectively. The radial temperature gradients are maximum with methanol (+1.5 K at 290 bar inlet pressure) and minimum with water (+0.8 K at 290 bar), as predicted by the solution of the heat transfer balance in a chromatographic column. The profile remains parabolic all along the column. Combining the results of these measurements (determination of the boundary conditions on the wall, at column inlet and at column outlet) with calculations using a realistic model of heat dispersion in a porous medium, the temperature inside the column could be assessed for any radial and axial position.
Security and network analysis using simulation

ITGuru is a powerful simulation environment developed by OpNET Corporation. ITGuru is unique because of its ability to model the entire networking domain, including its routers, switches, protocols, servers, and the individual applications they support. ITGuru improves network researchers' and instructors' ability to identify and solve problems throughout the network. The OpNET Corporation provides a FREE academic copy of their simulation environment to universities for both teaching and research.
Flow Similarity in Strong Swept-Shock/Turbulent-Boundary-Layer Interactions

The separation length employed to scale unsteady phenomena in strong (separated) nominally two-dimensional (2-D) shock/turbulent-boundary-layer interactions cannot be directly extended to three-dim...
Temperature-Dependent Transient Absorption Spectroscopy Elucidates Trapped-Hole Dynamics in CdS and CdSe Nanorods.

Charge-carrier traps play a central role in the excited-state dynamics of semiconductor nanocrystals, but their influence is often difficult to measure directly. In CdS and CdSe nanorods of nonunif...
Emojis in Sentence Processing: An Electrophysiological Approach

This paper discusses two multi-experiment studies using the ERP methodology to investigate neural correlates of processing linguistic emojis. The first study examined the use of wink emojis used to mark irony and found the same ERP response complex that has been found in response to word-generated irony. Contingent upon individual differences in interpretation, these emojis are processed the same way as ironic words. The second study investigated the prediction of non-face emojis substituted for nouns. When predictability was high, unexpected emojis elicited the same ERP response patterns as words. Overall, the results of these two studies suggest that emojis used linguistically are processed in the same way as words and that individuals can integrate input from multiple modalities into a holistic representation of a single utterance.
Effects of employee training on job satisfaction outcomes among sport ticket sellers

As the primary revenue generators for sports organisations, salespeople play a critical role in the sport industry. Research regarding salesperson effectiveness and well-being, however, is scant within the sport management literature, and little has been empirically investigated related to the salesperson's role in sport organisations. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between sales training on both job satisfaction and turnover intent measures among professional sellers within sport organisations. No significant differences were found between the amount of initial sales training received and measures of job satisfaction and intent to leave the organisation. Significant differences were found, however, on two measures of on-going sales training (amount and quality) with both job satisfaction and turnover intent. The findings suggest a relationship between training and occupational satisfaction, which has important managerial implications as sport sales positions traditionally have a high rate of job turnover.
Microstructural evolution and high-temperature strength of a γ(f.c.c.)/γ’(L12) Co–Al–W–Ti–B superalloy

Abstract We characterized the microstructural features and mechanical performance of a model Co-5.6Al-5.8W-6.6Ti-0.12B (at.%) alloy consisting of γ(L12)-precipitates in a γ(f.c.c.)-matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to follow the isothermal aging of the microstructure at 900 and 1000 °C for 256 h, and 950 °C for 1000 h. The compositions of the γ'(L12)-precipitates and γ(f.c.c.)-matrix were evaluated by atom-probe tomography (APT) for solution-treated and air-cooled conditions, as well as in specimens aged at 950 °C for 16 and 100 h. Boron was shown to partition preferentially to the γ'(L12)-precipitates, and profiles taken across the γ(f.c.c.)-matrix channels in both aged specimens revealed confined segregation of Al at one of the two γ(f.c.c.)/γ′(L12) heterophase interfaces. After aging at 950 °C for 16 h, Co-5.6Al-5.8W-6.6Ti-0.12B (at.%) exhibited anomalous flow-strength behavior in the range 625–900 °C with a peak yield stress of 822 MPa between 800 and 825 °C. Compressive creep tests performed at 850 °C demonstrated a creep strength comparable to archival literature results for Co–9Al–9W-0.12B (at.%), despite a smaller γ′(L12)-volume fraction and lack of strengthening borides along the grain boundaries (GBs). The activation energy for creep in the temperature range 800–900 °C was 606 kJ mol−1. The post-creep microstructure consists of rafted γ′(L12)-precipitates perpendicular to the compression axis, consistent with the positive γ(f.c.c.)/γ'(L12) lattice parameter misfit character of this class of alloys. Creep failure could occur due to GB embrittlement caused by deleterious Ti-rich (L21 or B2) and D019 phases formed at the GBs during creep.
Genetic markers enable the verification and manipulation of the dauer entry decision.

Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to survive in changing environments through the alteration of phenotypes or development. One of the best-studied examples of phenotypic plasticity is dauer larval development in the free-living roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. When faced with hostile environments, C. elegans larvae can exit reproductive development and enter the stress-resistant and spore-like dauer larval stage. However, knowledge about how the dauer entry decision is made, and how the different tissues of the animal coordinate to execute transformation into dauer, is limited. This is because identifying animals that make the entry decision, or that fail to coordinately remodel their tissues during dauer development, is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Utilizing our previously reported RNA-seq of animals going through dauer or reproductive development (Lee et al., 2017), we have identified genetic markers for conveniently tracking and manipulating the dauer entry decision. These include col-183 (which tracks dauer fate in the hypodermis), ets-10 (neurons and intestine), nhr-246 (intestine and hypodermis), and F53F1.4 (reproductive fate in the hypodermis). Using condition shift experiments, we demonstrate that the dauer-specific fluorescent expression of the markers correspond to the commitment event of the dauer entry decision, and therefore label when the decision is made. We show that these markers can be used to manipulate the entry decision by driving the reproduction-promoting gene daf-9 under the control of the dauer-specific marker col-183, through which we could shift animals into non-dauer development. We further demonstrate that the markers can be used to track tissue coordination during the decision. daf-9, daf-15, and daf-18 partial dauers exhibit incomplete expression of the ets-10 marker, with our results indicating that the same gene (e.g. daf-9 or daf-18) can affect dauer development differently in different tissues. Our findings provide molecular tools for studying phenotypic plasticity during a whole animal decision.
Reliability evaluation of Carbon-Nanotube-Reinforced-Polymer composites based on multiscale finite element model

Abstract Experimental investigations to study the material behavior of nanocomposites have limitations. Hence, computational modeling and simulation encompassing multiscale material behavior provide an alternate approach to study the mechanical properties of such materials. The objective of the present work is to develop a computational framework for performing a probabilistic analysis of a Carbon-Nanotube-Reinforced-Polymer (CNRP) material by using the stress-strength model to determine the reliability and hazard associated with its mechanical properties, in terms of its longitudinal elastic modulus and ultimate longitudinal strength. A 3D multiscale finite element model of the Representative Volume Element of the nanocomposite consisting of a polymer matrix, an imperfect Single-Walled-Carbon-Nanotube (SWCN) and an imperfect interface region has been constructed for this purpose. The polymer matrix is modeled with the Mooney-Rivlin strain energy, the imperfect SWCN is modeled as a space frame structure using the Morse potential, and the interface region is modeled via van der Waals (vdW) links. In practical applications, the SWCN is not perfect, and it possesses structural defects, and moreover, the vdW links are not perfect. Such imperfections are characterized using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The reliability and Hazard functions of the CNRP material are calculated using the Maximum Entropy Method.
Socioeconomic disparities in the utilization of spine augmentation for patients with osteoporotic fractures: an analysis of National Inpatient Sample from 2011 to 2015.

Abstract BACKGROUND CONTENT Vertebral augmentation procedures are used for treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures. Prior studies have reported disparities in the treatment of patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures, particularly with regards to the use of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to report updates in racial and health insurance inequalities of spine augmentation procedures in patients with osteoporotic fractures. METHODS With the use of the National Inpatient Sample, we identified hospitalized patients with osteoporotic fractures between the period of 2011 and 2015. Patients with spine augmentation, defined by the utilization of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, were also identified. Our primary outcome was defined as the utilization of spine augmentation procedures across ethnic (white, hispanic, black, and asian/pacific islander) and insurance (self-pay, private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid) groups. Variables were identified from the NIS database using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth diagnosis codes. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used for statistical analysis with p value RESULTS We identified a total of 110,028 patients with a primary diagnosis of vertebral fracture between 2011 and 2015 (mean age: 74.4±13.6 years, 68% women). About 16,237 patients (14.8%) underwent any type of spine augmentation with over 75% of the patients receiving kyphoplasty. Multivariate analysis showed that black patients (odds ratio [OR]=0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58–0.70, p CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that racial and socioeconomic disparities continue to exist with the utilization of spine augmentation procedures in hospitalized patients with osteoporotic fractures.
Network Structure and Dynamics of Biological Systems

Many biological systems in nature can be represented as a dynamic model on a network. Examples include gene regulatory systems, neuronal networks, food webs, epidemics spreading within populations, social networks, and many others. A fundamental question when studying biological processes represented as dynamic models on networks is to what extent the network structure is contributing to the observed dynamics. In other words, how does network connectivity affect a dynamic model on a network? In this chapter, we will explore a variety of network topologies and study biologically inspired dynamic models on these networks.
Assessment of nursing home reporting of major injury falls for quality measurement on nursing home compare

Objective To assess the accuracy of nursing home self-report of major injury falls on the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Data sources MDS assessments and Medicare claims, 2011-2015. Study design/methods We linked inpatient claims for major injury falls with MDS assessments. The proportion of claims-identified falls reported for each fall-related MDS item was calculated. Using multilevel modeling, we assessed patient and nursing home characteristics that may be predictive of poor reporting. We created a claims-based major injury fall rate for each nursing home and estimated its correlation with Nursing Home Compare (NHC) measures. Principal findings We identified 150,828 major injury falls in claims that occurred during nursing home residency. For the MDS item used by NHC, only 57.5 percent were reported. Reporting was higher for long-stay (62.9 percent) than short-stay (47.2 percent), and for white (59.0 percent) than nonwhite residents (46.4 percent). Adjusting for facility-level race differences, reporting was lower for nonwhite people than white people; holding constant patient race, having larger proportions of nonwhite people in a nursing home was associated with lower reporting. The correlation between fall rates based on claims vs the MDS was 0.22. Conclusions The nursing home-reported data used for the NHC falls measure may be highly inaccurate.