cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Vice Presidential Candidate Ratings in Presidential Voting Behavior

With the increased attention paid to vice presidential candidates in recent years, research is still scanty on the question of whether candidates for this office affect the presidential vote at all. In this article the author employs feeling thermometer data from 1968 to 1992 to isolate a small segment of the voters (typically about 10%) for whom vice presidential preferences do not coincide with presidential preferences. When voters prefer a presidential candidate of one party and a vice presidential candidate of the other party, the former preference dominates the decision-making process. Yet the frequency with which second slot preferences are consequential is sufficient to warrant serious attention. Multivariate analysis confirms that vice presidential candidates are a significant factor in voting behavior even after controlling for party, ideology, and likes and dislikes of the presidential candidates.
Nonlinear Response of a Buckled Beam to a Three-to-One Internal Resonance

We investigate the nonlinear response of a clamped-clamped buckled beam to a three-to-one internal resonance between the first and third modes when one of them is externally excited. To examine whether the first and third modes are nonlinearly coupled, we use the method of multiple scales to directly attack the partial-differential equation and associated boundary conditions and obtain the equations governing the modulation of their amplitudes and phases. We find that the two modes are nonlinearly coupled. To investigate the large-amplitude dynamics, we use a multi-mode Galerkin discretization to obtain a reduced-order model of the problem. We use a shooting method to compute periodic orbits of the discretized equations and Floquet theory to investigate the stability and bifurcations of these periodic orbits. We note an energy transfer from the first mode, which is externally excited by a primary resonance, to the third mode. We obtain preliminary experimental results of the energy exchange between the first and third modes as a result of a three-to-one internal resonance. More experimental results are being generated.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Gendered Black Exclusion: The Persistence of Racial Stereotypes Among Daters

Employing questionnaires of 381 college students, this study examines the reasons why Latinos, Asians, and whites choose to include or exclude blacks as potential dates. First, we find that past structural explanations for low rates of interracial intimacy explain current disparities less among young people today. Only 10 % of respondents cited a structural explanation, lack of familiarity, or contact, as the reason they excluded blacks as possible dates. Second, the reasons for black exclusion vary across racial–ethnic–gender groups. Among non-blacks, whites were the most open to dating blacks, followed by Latinos and Asians. Asians and Latinos were more likely to exclude blacks because of social disapproval, and whites were more likely to exclude blacks because of physical attraction. Black women were more highly excluded than black men and more excluded because of their perceived aggressive personalities or behavior and physical attraction. Black men were more excluded because of social disapproval. Thus, persistent racial ideology continues to drive the social distance between blacks and non-blacks, particularly toward black females.
Multi-Element Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector

A multi-element superconducting nanowire single photon detector (MESNSPD) is presented that consists of multiple independently-biased superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) elements that form a continuous active area. A two-element SNSPD has been fabricated and tested, showing no measurable crosstalk between the elements, sub-50-ps relative timing jitter, and four times the maximum counting rate of a single SNSPD with the same active area. The MESNSPD can have a larger active area and higher speed than a single-element SNSPD and the input optics can be designed so that the detector provides spatial, spectral or photon number resolution.
Error Propagation in Heat Release Analysis of Pilot Ignited Natural Gas Combustion

Uncertainty within measured variables and how such errors propagate throughout a given equation or set of equations can greatly affect the accuracy and understanding of the result for a given experiment. The major motivation (or impetus) for performing a detailed uncertainty analysis before beginning an experiment is to identify variables or parameters that would have the greatest/least impact on the total uncertainty of the result. The scope of this study is to perform a detailed uncertainty analysis on estimates of net heat release in a compression ignition engine. The analysis will examine each term of the net heat release rate equation, which is routinely estimated using a single zone thermodynamic model, and evaluate the respective Uncertainty Magnification Factors (UMF) and Uncertainty Percentage Distribution (UPC). Since the net work output from the engine is directly related to in-cylinder pressure data, it is important to evaluate the uncertainties associated with cylinder pressure measurement. The primary objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of biased and precision uncertainties associated with the measured cylinder pressure data on the rate of heat release (ROHR) of a pilot ignited natural gas engine. Sensitivity analysis of other parameters such as the correct estimation of compression ratio and using appropriate thermodynamic properties of combustion gases are also discussed. The estimates from this analysis are expected to aid the development of a detailed experimental matrix to analyze the nature of energy release and performance of combustion engines.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Superconductivity in PrBa2Cu3O7

Abstract Inhomogeneous granular superconductivity has been observed in PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 films probed by microwaves, and in powders studied by electron spin resonance - althought both the films and the powders have insulating dc resistivities. The transition temperatures are ≈ 90 K with 90%-10% transition widths of ≈ 20 K or less. We interpret this as meaning (i) that small regions of PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 superconduct, (ii) that perfect PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 superconducts in the vicinity of the CuO chains, (iii) that cuprate-plane models of superconductivity are invalid, and (iv) that Ba-site Pr ions break pairs and destroy superconductivity.
Bacterioplankton distribution and production in the bathypelagic ocean: Directly coupled to particulate organic carbon export?,

A recently published evaluation of bacterioplankton abundance and productivity in the bathypelagic North Pacific suggests that these properties are generally coupled with particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes. In that analysis, bacterial biomass and productivity were several-fold greater in subarctic than subtropical waters, consistent with the basin-scale distribution of POC flux and suggestive of a sinking POC -e DOC -X bacteria transformation of the carbon. To test this hypothesis, we sought to determine whether the very strong spatial and temporal gradients in POC flux in the Arabian Sea would force similar deep-ocean gradients in bacterial variables. On both a withinand between-cruise basis, there was variability in bacterial abundance and thymidine incorporation in the deep Arabian Sea, but correspondence was equivocal between these variables and several correlates to export: flux of biogenic carbon from the euphotic zone, state of the monsoon, and proximity to productive coastal upwelling zones. However, when annual mean bacterial abundance at 2,000 m was compared with annual POC flux at that depth, a strong correspondence emerged: high annual flux supported high bacterial abundance (such a correspondence was not found for bacterial productivity). This finding suggests that bathypelagic bacterial abundance responds to the long-term mean input of organic matter and less to episodic inputs. A comparative evaluation of the North Pacific revealed that although the bathypelagic bacteria there showed correspondence to deep POC flux, that variable alone would not account for the wide meridional variations in bacterial abundance that have been reported.
Exudative retinal detachment due to small noncalcified retinal astrocytic hamartoma

Abstract Purpose To report a case of exudative retinal detachment due to small noncalcified retinal astrocytic hamartoma and review pertinent literature. Design Case report and review of literature. Methods Clinical examination, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, and laser treatment were performed. Results Exudative macular detachment caused by a small noncalcified retinal astrocytic hamartoma confirmed by optical coherence tomography regressed completely after laser therapy. Visual acuity improved only slightly because lamellar macular thinning developed after subretinal fluid and macular exudates resolved. Conclusions Small noncalcified, parafoveal retinal astrocytic hamartomas may cause macular retinal detachment. Optical coherence tomography may aid in the diagnosis of the tumor. Argon laser photocoagulation may induce tumor regression and resolution of exudative detachment. Final visual acuity may be limited in some cases.
Nanoparticle stability from the nano to the meso interval

Nanoparticles are the cornerstone of nanotechnology. Their crystal structure and relation to shape are still open problems despite a lot of advances in the field. The classical theory of nanoparticle stability predicts that for sizes <1.5–2 nm the icosahedral structure should be the most stable, then between around 2–5 nm, the decahedral shape should be the most stable. Beyond that, face-centered-cubic (FCC) structures will be the predominant phase. However, in the experimental side, icosahedral (Ih) and decahedral (Dh) particles can be observed much beyond the 5 nm limit. In fact, it is possible to find Ih and Dh particles even in the mesoscopic range. Conversely, it is possible to find FCC particles with a size <1.5 nm. In this paper we review a number of the mechanisms proposed in the literature that allow the stabilization of nanoparticles. Some of the mechanisms are very interrelated and it becomes difficult to distinguish between them.
The Compelling Case for Anti-CD3 in Type 1 Diabetes

Immunotherapy trials in recent-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) have had mixed results, with some therapies—anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies targeting T cells (1–7), anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies targeting B cells (8), and costimulation blockade (9)—showing promise, with at least transient improvement in β-cell function compared with randomized control groups. In the current issue, Herold et al. (10) from the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) report the results of the Autoimmunity-Blocking Antibody for Tolerance in Recently Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes (AbATE) trial. This is the fifth trial with anti-CD3, the fourth with the monoclonal antibody teplizumab, demonstrating preservation of β-cell function. The article describes a group of “responders” to treatment, identified by the label “responders” for those who maintained C-peptide better than the randomized but untreated comparison group at 24 months. Responders, defined in this way, constituted 45% of the subjects treated with anti-CD3. When examining β-cell function over time in the trial, it was evident that the responders had maintained β-cell function for 2 years, whereas the nonresponders had lost β-cell function at a rate similar to the control group. This is a crucial observation, because in an analysis that includes both responders and nonresponders, the profound retention of C-peptide in nearly half of subjects can be missed. The fundamental question is why some subjects failed to respond. It could be that the immunotherapy was …
Francisella Tularensis Blue–Gray Phase Variation Involves Structural Modifications of Lipopolysaccharide O-Antigen, Core and Lipid A and Affects Intramacrophage Survival and Vaccine Efficacy

Francisella tularensis is a CDC Category A biological agent and a potential bioterrorist threat. There is no licensed vaccine against tularemia in the United States. A long-standing issue with potential Francisella vaccines is strain phase variation to a grey form that lacks protective capability in animal models. Comparisons of the parental strain (LVS) and a grey variant (LVSG) have identified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alterations as a primary change. The LPS of the F. tularensis variant strain gains reactivity to F. novicida anti-LPS antibodies, suggesting structural alterations to the O-antigen. However, biochemical and structural analysis of the F. tularensis LVSG and LVS LPS demonstrated that LVSG has less O-antigen but no major O-antigen structural alterations. Additionally, LVSG possesses structural differences in both the core and lipid A regions, the latter being decreased galactosamine modification. Recent work has identified two genes important in adding galactosamine (flmF2 and flmK) to the lipid A. Quantitative real-time PCR showed reduced transcripts of both of these genes in the grey variant when compared to LVS. Loss of flmF2 or flmK caused less frequent phase conversion but did not alter intramacrophage survival or colony morphology. The LVSG strain demonstrated an intramacrophage survival defect in human and rat but not mouse macrophages. Consistent with this result, the LVSG variant demonstrated little change in LD50 in the mouse model of infection. Furthermore, the LVSG strain lacks the protective capacity of F. tularensis LVS against virulent Type A challenge. These data suggest that the LPS of the F. tularensis LVSG phase variant is dramatically altered. Understanding the mechanism of blue to grey phase variation may lead to a way to inhibit this variation, thus making future F. tularensis vaccines more stable and efficacious.
Robust stability, Morse theory and singularity

This paper develops a new approach to robust stability problems. Following the basic theme of the Morse theory, this approach emphasizes the close relationships between such robustness properties as extremal points of the Nyquist map and the topology of the uncertainty space, assumed to be a compact differentiable manifold. Plots of Morse critical points on the uncertainty manifold reveal a complicated topology even for low dimensional problems. Structural stability of Nyquist map relative to "certain" parameters is also investigated. Finally, from the critical points/values plots, a decomposition of the Nyquist map is obtained. This decomposition has the property that the Nyquist map has its extremal points on the boundary of the cells. >
Studies on Calcium Requirements of Broilers

Abstract THE calcium requirement of broiler chickens receiving a practical type ration has been reported recently by Simco and Stephenson (1961) to be 0.5% of the ration, a requirement much lower than previous data would indicate. Since data were recently obtained in our laboratory (Edwards et al., 1960) indicating a requirement for calcium of much greater magnitude (0.9–1.5% of the ration) additional trials were conducted using practical type rations to ascertain the requirement under our experimental conditions. EXPERIMENTAL The composition of the basal starting rations that were fed to the chicks from 0 to 4 weeks is given in Table 1. The basal rations used in trial 1 and trial 2 contained by analysis 0.99% and 0.69% calcium respectively. 3 Calcium carbonate, C.P. grade, was substituted for corn in the ration to give the various calcium levels. During the finishing period (4 to 8 weeks) the quantity of fat in the…
First report of cowpea aphid-borne mosaic potyvirus from cowpeas grown commercially in the U.S.

Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic potyvirus (CABMV) is one of several seed-borne viruses known to limit cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. unguiculata) production in Africa, Europe, and Asia, but CABMV has not been reported on commercially grown cowpeas in the United States (1). However, a sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)-infecting isolate of CABMV was recently characterized from plants growing near cowpea introduction plots in Georgia (2). In February 1997, we received samples of three seed lots of cowpea cv. Chinese Red that had been harvested in southern Texas during 1996. Approximately 28% of the plants grown from these seed lots expressed strong mosaic symptoms on primary and trifoliate leaves. Viruslike symptoms were reproduced following mechanical transmission to plants of Chinese Red cowpea, Nicotiana benthamiana, and soybean (Glycine max L.) cv. Lee. When Coronet and Pinkeye Purple Hull-BVR cowpeas were inoculated with sap extracts from symptomatic Chinese Red plants, chlorotic lesions developed on inoculated leaves, but only Coronet plants supported symptomless systemic infections. Similarly inoculated plants of Chenopodium quinoa (L.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cvs. Pinto and Black Valentine developed localized chlorotic lesions. In Ouchterlony gel diffusion assays, extracts from symptomatic cowpea plants did not react with antisera to blackeye cowpea mosaic potyvirus (BlCMV), cucumber mosaic cucu-movirus (CMV), southern bean mosaic sobemovirus, cowpea mosaic comovirus, cowpea severe mosaic comovirus, or cowpea chlorotic mottle bromovirus. In the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, sap extracts from symptomatic plants reacted with antiserum to CABMV, giving OD values at A405 of 0.10 to 0.25, and reacted weakly with antiserum to BlCMV, with OD values at A405 less than 0.035. Extracts from healthy control plants gave OD values at A405 less than 0.010. No positive reactions were obtained with antisera to bean yellow mosaic potyvirus, peanut mottle potyvirus, soybean mosaic potyvirus, or CMV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CABMV in commercially grown cowpea from the U.S. References: (1) A. G. Gillaspie et al. Plant Dis. 79:388, 1995. (2) H. R. Pappu et al. Arch. Virol. 142:1, 1997.
Opportunistic multichannel Aloha for clustered OFDM wireless networks

We consider multi-access control for the uplink in OFDMA networks. Assuming that subcarriers are grouped into clusters, we investigate multichannel random access based on local channel state information, and propose an opportunistic multichannel Aloha scheme to maximize the system throughput. A key step is to build a mapping from a user's channel state information to its transmission probability and channel allocation. For the sake of comparison, we also characterize the throughput corresponding to the optimal centralized scheduling by using the extreme-value theory of order statistics. We show that the opportunistic multichannel Aloha scheme is asymptotically order-optimal, in the sense that the only performance loss compared to the optimal centralized scheduling is due to the contention inherent in random access. In addition, we generalize the study to heterogeneous cases. Our findings show that when each user behaves as if it were in homogeneous systems, the proposed scheme can provide proportional fairness among the users
The X-ray Outburst of H1743-322: High-Frequency QPOs with a 3:2 Frequency Ratio

We observed the 2003 X-ray outburst of H1743-322 in a series of 130 pointed observation with RXTE. We searched individual observations for high-frequency QPOs (HFQPOs) and found only weak or marginal detections near 240 and 160 Hz. We next grouped the observations in several different ways and computed the average power-density spectra (PDS) in a search for further evidence of HFQPOs. This effort yielded two significant results for those observations defined by the presence of low-frequency QPOs (0.1-20 Hz) and an absence of ``band-limited'' power continua: (1) The 9 time intervals with the highest 7-35 keV count rates yielded an average PDS with a QPO at $166 \pm 5$ Hz. ($4.1 \sigma$; 3--35 keV); and (2) a second group with lower 7-35 keV count rates (26 intervals) produced an average PDS with a QPO at $242 \pm 3$ Hz ($6.0 \sigma$; 7--35 keV). The ratio of these two frequencies is $1.46 \pm 0.05$. This finding is consistent with results obtained for three other black hole systems that exhibit commensurate HFQPOs in a 3:2 ratio. Furthermore, the occurrence of H1743-322's slower HFQPO at times of higher X-ray luminosity closely resembles the behavior of XTE J1550-564 and GRO J1655-40. We discuss our results in terms of a resonance model that invokes frequencies set by general relativity for orbital motions near a black-hole event horizon.
Wilhelm II: The Kaiser's Personal Monarchy, 1888-1900

This second volume of John C. G. Rohl's definitive biography of Kaiser Wilhelm II is a hybrid between narrative history and a documentary collection. The narration is buttressed by and interspersed with lengthy quotations from documents, especially unpublished ones from the Royal Archives in Windsor and General Count Alfred von Waldersee's diaries, hitherto available in print only in the falsified edition by Heinrich O. Meisner. This richly detailed account rarely alludes to secondary sources; the reader without previous knowledge of German domestic and foreign policy might well be overwhelmed by the level of detail; however, Rohl's argument is clear. He aims to restore Wilhelm in historiography as “the powerful and pernicious ruler that he actually was, a kind of missing link … between Bismarck and Hitler” (p. xiii). This volume succeeds in showing how Wilhelm built up and used his immense power from his accession in 1888 to the high point of personal regime from 1896 to 1900.
HIGHER‐ORDER AWARENESS IN ALEXANDER OF APHRODISIAS

Alexander of Aphrodisias discusses higher-order awareness in perception twice: in Quaestiones 3.7, where he offers a detailed exegesis of Aristotle's arguments at the beginning of De anima 3.2 on how we perceive that we see, as an explanation of what Alexander calls ‘sunaisthesis’; and in Alexander's own systematic treatise, the De anima. In the Quaestiones, Alexander develops an interpretation of Aristotle that has since become dominant, the moderate capacity reading, according to which the same faculty that enables us to see also enables us to perceive that we are seeing. But he also makes the provocative claim that higher-order awareness is itself a necessary consequence of perceiving and is entailed by some of Aristotle's central doctrines. It is difficult to make good on this claim, though, and Alexander avoids making it in his own De anima, which offers a more nuanced and defensible position on the question.
Are Live Ultrasound Models Replaceable? Traditional versus Simulated Education Module for FAST Exam.

Introduction: The focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) is a commonly used and life-saving tool in the initial assessment of trauma patients. The recommended emergency medicine (EM) curriculum includes ultrasound and studies show the additional utility of ultrasound training for medical students. EM clerkships vary and often do not contain formal ultrasound instruction. Time constraints for facilitating lectures and hands-on learning of ultrasound are challenging. Limitations on didactics call for development and inclusion of novel educational strategies, such as simulation. The objective of this study was to compare the test, survey, and performance of ultrasound between medical students trained on an ultrasound simulator versus those trained via traditional, hands-on patient format. Methods: This was a prospective, blinded, controlled educational study focused on EM clerkship medical students. After all received a standardized lecture with pictorial demonstration of image acquisition, students were randomized into two groups: control group receiving traditional training method via practice on a human model and intervention group training via practice on an ultrasound simulator. Participants were tested and surveyed on indications and interpretation of FAST and training and confidence with image interpretation and acquisition before and after this educational activity. Evaluation of FAST skills was performed on a human model to emulate patient care and practical skills were scored via objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with critical action checklist. Results: There was no significant difference between control group (N=54) and intervention group (N=39) on pretest scores, prior ultrasound training/education, or ultrasound comfort level in general or on FAST. All students (N=93) showed significant improvement from pre- to post-test scores and significant improvement in comfort level using ultrasound in general and on FAST (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups on OSCE scores of FAST on a live model. Overall, no differences were demonstrated between groups trained on human models versus simulator.Discussion: There was no difference between groups in knowledge based ultrasound test scores, survey of comfort levels with ultrasound, and students’ abilities to perform and interpret FAST on human models. Conclusion: These findings suggest that an ultrasound simulator is a suitable alternative method for ultrasound education. Additional uses of ultrasound simulation should be explored in the future.
Multistep approximation algorithms: Improved convergence rates through postconditioning with smoothing kernels

We show how certain widely used multistep approximation algorithms can be interpreted as instances of an approximate Newton method. It was shown in an earlier paper by the second author that the convergence rates of approximate Newton methods (in the context of the numerical solution of PDEs) suffer from a “loss of derivatives”, and that the subsequent linear rate of convergence can be improved to be superlinear using an adaptation of Nash–Moser iteration for numerical analysis purposes; the essence of the adaptation being a splitting of the inversion and the smoothing into two separate steps. We show how these ideas apply to scattered data approximation as well as the numerical solution of partial differential equations. We investigate the use of several radial kernels for the smoothing operation. In our numerical examples we use radial basis functions also in the inversion step.
The Two Trends that Matter for Party Politics

In this essay, Professors Fishkin and Gerken argue that the Supreme Court’s deregulation of the campaign-finance system is fueling a shift toward "shadow parties" -- groups that are separate from the formal party apparatus but run by party insiders and central to the workings of the party writ large. They argue that the roots of this trend are to be found, paradoxically, not in the two parties’ weakness but in their strength. Contrary to the emerging conventional wisdom in the field, the authors suggest that the Court’s 2014 decision in McCutcheon v. FEC will do little to arrest this trend. The essay closes with a brief exploration of the trend’s normative implications. This essay is a version of a talk presented at the 2014 Brennan Center Convening, Money in Politics 2030: Toward a New Jurisprudence.
The Courts of England and Wales, Commercial Education and the Changing Business of the City of London

IT HAS long been recognised that in the relationship between the courts of England and Wales and the City of London that, if the courts do not provide what the City markets look for in the legal system, then those markets will try to create detailed standard form terms which attempt to codify their commercial practice and avoid the courts determining it for them; or abandon the English courts in favour of arbitration by commercial arbitrators. There are a number of factors that influence the views of the City markets. First, no doubt is the ability of the courts of England and Wales to satisfy the need for ‘accuracy of decision, despatch and cheapness’.1 Despatch and cheapness have been among the main objectives of the radical procedural reforms introduced into the civil courts on 26 April 1999 under Lord Woolf's influence. But another vital factor has been the ability of the English courts to understand the City's markets and the ways in which they change and develop. The challenge of maintaining the position of the City as a leading international financial centre is a real one; what role the legal system plays is difficult for lawyers to assess, but it is not insignificant. New markets and new financial instruments with which the courts of England and Wales may not be familiar continue to give rise to disputes where there is a broader need to ensure that the result, though just and fair in the particular case, enables the relevant market to function efficiently. Such disputes may arise simply because a sudden change in market conditions brings about disputes in a market which had hitherto had few – a recent illustration of this is the international reinsurance market where until the late 1970s there had been few disputes since the …
Ultrathin Polymer Films: Rubbery Stiffening, Fragility, and Tg Reduction

The mechanical and viscoelastic responses of poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) ultrathin films over thicknesses ranging from 21 to 112 nm have been studied using a nanobubble inflation method. The stress–strain response of the PEMA thin films shows a rubbery stiffening as the film thickness decreases, and the present results are combined with prior measurements of the rubbery stiffening index S for multiple polymers. We find that S is linearly correlated with the dynamic fragility index m. The results are also consistent with expectation from Ngai et al.’s [J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51 (3)] recent proposition based on his coupling model but do not seem to correlate with the molecular composite concept proposed by Page et al. [Nano Lett. 2014, 14 (5)] as a means to explain the dependence of the rubbery stiffening on chemical structure of the polymer. In addition, we observe a reduction in glass transition temperature of as much as 15.7 K for PEMA films of 21 nm thickness.
Determination of the Riemann Function

(1973). Determination of the Riemann Function. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 80, No. 8, pp. 906-909.
Quantum state resolved scattering from room-temperature ionic liquids: the role of cation versus anion structure at the interface.

We present results on state-resolved scattering studies for seeded CO2 supersonically cooled molecular beams (Einc = 61.9(40) kJ/mol) from a series of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). These ...
Environmental Protection Agency's Future Pesticide Program

Since 1899 this society has held its annual meetings to discuss new findings in the field of entomology. Through the years you have studied the world of the insect, examined how one group relates to another, how they affect our food and fiber crops, how they interact with other life forms—and particularly, how they affect man.
A Review of the Carcinogenicity of Chemicals Most Frequently Found at National Priorities List Sites

Several studies have shown that numerous National Priorities List (NPL) sites have been contaminated with arsenic (747), cadmium (791), chloroform (596), or nickel (664). The National Toxicology Program (NTP, 1991) has classified these substances as known human carcinogens (arsenic and certain arsenic compounds) or as substances that may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens (cadmium and certain cadmium compounds, chloroform, and nickel and certain nickel compounds). The general population is probably exposed to low levels of these hazardous substances through drinking water, eating food, or inhaling contaminated air. People working or living near industries and facilities that manufacture and use chloroform, nickel, arsenic, or cadmium may be exposed to higher than background levels of these hazardous substances. Multiple pathways of exposure may exist for populations near hazardous waste sites. For example, high levels of chloroform (1,890 ppb) were found in well water near a waste site; high leve...
INSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS METHODS AT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

Instruction of aerodynamics at USAFA focuses on introducing the basics first (developing aerodynamic theory), applying the theory through limited application to specific cases, and then offering the students an "openended" design problem where they decide what tools, which they learned from previous courses, to use in developing their design. Instruction is further enhanced by elective courses in aerodynamics. Each course at USAFA which contributes to the instruction of aerodynamics is discussed in detail. Specific examples of instruction and application of aerodynamic theories are presented. Graduates of USAFA become pilots, navigators, engineers, and managers in the United States Air Force. A strong basis in aerodynamics as well as understanding the importance and relevance of the theory and results to Air Force programs and systems furthers our mission of developing and inspiring Air and Space leaders with vision for tomorrow.
Cyclooxygenase-1-selective inhibitors based on the (E)-2'-des-methyl-sulindac sulfide scaffold.

Prostaglandins (PGs) are powerful lipid mediators in many physiological and pathophysiological responses. They are produced by oxidation of arachidonic acid (AA) by cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) followed by metabolism of endoperoxide intermediates by terminal PG synthases. PG biosynthesis is inhibited by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Specific inhibition of COX-2 has been extensively investigated, but relatively few COX-1-selective inhibitors have been described. Recent reports of a possible contribution of COX-1 in analgesia, neuroinflammation, or carcinogenesis suggest that COX-1 is a potential therapeutic target. We designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of (E)-2′-des-methyl-sulindac sulfide (E-DMSS) analogues for inhibition of COX-1. Several potent and selective inhibitors were discovered, and the most promising compounds were active against COX-1 in intact ovarian carcinoma cells (OVCAR-3). The compounds inhibited tumor cell proliferation but only at concentrations >100-fol...
The Digital Predistortion of the SC-FDMA Signals in LTE Uplink System

ABSTRACTThe single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) is used in the uplink of the long-term evolution (LTE) and LTE-advanced systems because of the lower peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) compared with the widely used orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme. However, the non-linearity caused by the characteristic of the radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) is still a critical problem, and there are few researches about the linearisation for the SC-FDMA signals. The digital predistorter is widely applied by employing digital baseband distortion ahead of the amplifier to compensate for the non-linearity effects and provide efficiency enhancements for high PAs in the different communication systems. This letter presents an efficient and flexible inverse autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) model-based digital predistorter to linearise the PA distortion with memory in the LTE uplink system. The proposed digital predistortion (DPD) algorithm is for the first time app...
Learning Bio-Micro-Nanotechnology

Learning Bio-Micro-Nanotechnology is a primer on micro/nanotechnology that teaches the vocabulary, fundamental concepts, and applications of micro/nanotechnology in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, electronics, computers, biomedicine, microscopy, ethics, and risks to humankind. It provides an introduction into the small world with a low fo
Aboveground biomass equations for evergreen broadleaf forests in South Central Coastal ecoregion of Viet Nam: Selection of eco-regional or pantropical models

Abstract As part of Viet Nam’s effort to participate in REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation), selected biomass equations were evaluated for their predictive abilities using data collected from destructively sampled 110 trees from 41 species of the evergreen broadleaf forests of the South Central Coastal region of Viet Nam. Different power models that used diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (H), wood density (WD), and crown area (CA) as covariates to predict aboveground biomass (AGB) were evaluated. Best models were selected based on the coefficient of determination (R 2 ), the Akaike information criterion (AIC), and root mean square percent error (RMSE). AGB was strongly related to four covariates - DBH, H, WD, and CA. While seldom mentioned in the existing literature, CA improved the accuracy of the AGB estimation. Accuracy of the selected models was validated using the random validation dataset and the model with four explanatory variables ( AGB = a × ( DBH 2 HWD ) b × CA c ) had the lowest mean absolute percent error of 16.9%. Using local data, a simple power model based on DBH only ( AGB = a × DBH b ) produced higher accuracy than the generic pantropical models that used up to three variables.
Fatigue of ship structural details : Technical development and problems

During the past five years, a joint industry-government sponsored research project titled the Ship Structural Maintenance Project (SMP) has been conducted at the Department of Naval Architecture & Offshore Engineering, University of California at Berkeley. As a part of this project, the fatigue damage of ship structural details has been extensively studied. This paper summarizes the technical development in fatigue assessment of ship structural details developed during this project. In the fatigue resistance model, the fatigue damage-evaluation of structural details was based on a stress range/number-of-cycles-to-failure (SN) approach in which the nominal stress procedure and the hot spot stress procedure were employed. The fatigue assessment of cracked structural details was based on a cracked SN approach developed by a hybrid SN-FM (fracture mechanics) methodology. This cracked SN approach was further developed to incorporate load-shedding effects. In the fatigue loading model, a new formula for the damage correction factor associated with a wide-banded load process was developed. The random loading sequence for ship service was addressed. Fatigue reliability models were then reviewed and the different fatigue reliability updating procedures were evaluated. These techniques were employed in the fatigue analysis of structural details in three tankers. Analysis results from these three ships were presented to illustrate the technical developments and problems associated with fatigue assessment of ship structural details.
Matter and motion in space and time

Bernhard Riemann speculates on the empirical nature of geometry Our story begins with curiosity about the precise shape of the Earth, which is interesting for the direct evidence it could give that Earth rotates in space. Newton pointed out that the pull of gravity ( toward a center ) against the centrifugal force of a spinning Earth ( away from the axis of rotation) will swell the Earth at its equator, distorting it from a perfect sphere. The effect is small, and at the time no one could look at Earth from space to check its shape.
Sensing Moisture and Density of Solid Biofuels

Biofuels are an alternative source of energy with the advantage of renewability, compared to fossil fuels. Moisture content is an important factor in pricing, optimizing combustion, and storing of solid biofuels. Because of the correlation between dielectric properties and moisture content, these properties of solid biofuels can be used for sensing or measuring moisture content. In general, dielectric properties of lossy materials are dependent on frequency, temperature, and composition of the material. At microwave frequencies, dielectric properties of moist materials are strongly affected by the amount of water in these materials because of the polar nature of the water molecules. As with grain and seed, microwave measurement techniques can provide both moisture content and bulk density values through measurement of the dielectric properties of these materials. This application is described and illustrated for pine pellets, made from sawdust, and peanut-hull pellets made from that byproduct of the peanut industry.
Reconfigurable intelligent sensors for health monitoring: a case study of pulse oximeter sensor

Design of low-cost, miniature, lightweight, ultra low-power, intelligent sensors capable of customization and seamless integration into a body area network for health monitoring applications presents one of the most challenging tasks for system designers. To answer this challenge we propose a reconfigurable intelligent sensor platform featuring a low-power microcontroller, a low-power programmable logic device, a communication interface, and a signal conditioning circuit. The proposed solution promises a cost-effective, flexible platform that allows easy customization, run-time reconfiguration, and energy-efficient computation and communication. The development of a common platform for multiple physical sensors and a repository of both software procedures and soft intellectual property cores for hardware acceleration will increase reuse and alleviate costs of transition to a new generation of sensors. As a case study, we present an implementation of a reconfigurable pulse oximeter sensor.
Buprenorphine prescribing practice trends and attitudes among New York providers

Buprenorphine office-based opioid maintenance is an increasingly common form of treatment for opioid use disorders. However, total prescribing has not kept pace with the current opioid and overdose epidemic and access remains scarce among the underserved. This study sought to assess current provider attitudes and clinical practices among a targeted sample of primarily New York City public sector buprenorphine prescribers. A cross-sectional online survey purposefully sampled buprenorphine prescribers in NYC with a focus on those serving Medicaid and uninsured patient populations. Expert review of local provider networks, snowball referrals, and in-person networking generated an email list, which received a survey link. A brief 25-question instrument queried provider and practice demographics, prescribing practices including induction approaches and attitudes regarding common hot topics (e.g., buprenorphine diversion, prescriber patient limits, insurance issues, ancillary treatments). Of 132 email invitations, N=72 respondents completed (n=64) or partially completed (n=8) the survey between January and April 2016. Most (79%) were Medicaid providers in non-psychiatric specialties (72%), working in a hospital-based or community general practice (51%), and board-certified in addiction medicine or psychiatry (58%). Practice sizes were generally 100 patients or fewer (71%); many providers (64%) individually prescribed buprenorphine <25% of total practice time to a median 23 patients (mean 31, range 0-102). Unobserved (home) induction for new patients was a common practice: 49% predominantly prescribed unobserved induction; 16% mixed unobserved and observed inductions. Adjunctive psychosocial counseling was routinely recommended (46%) or considered on a case-by-case basis (17%) versus mandated (37%). Medication prior authorization requirements were the highest rated barriers to practice, followed by inadequate clinic space, limited clinic time and/or support staff, and inadequate psychiatric services for dual diagnoses. Buprenorphine diversion was not rated as an important practice barrier. In conclusion, this targeted survey of buprenorphine prescribers in NYC treating primarily underserved populations showed a consistent pattern of part-time prescribing to modest volumes of patients, routine use of unobserved buprenorphine induction, and primarily elective referrals to psychosocial counseling. Barriers to prescribing included prior authorization requirements, lack of clinical resources (space, staff) and psychiatric services. Federal and local efforts to reduce such barriers may improve buprenorphine access among the underserved.
Teaching embodied: cultural practice in Japanese preschools

In this globalised era, the media has paid much attention to how other countries educate their children. News articles on education tend to focus on the results of international benchmark assessmen...
The Unraveling Truth About IRE1 and MicroRNAs in Diabetes.

Wound healing is a well-regulated complex process that occurs as a cellular response to injury and consists of four phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling (1). Many factors, such as diabetes and obesity, interfere with these stages and lead to wound healing defect. Diabetes affects approximately 170 million people worldwide, including 20.8 million in the U.S., and by 2030 these numbers are projected to double (2). Impaired wound healing is a major clinical problem in patients with diabetes and is the leading cause of lower-extremity amputation and comorbidity associated with diabetes. Diabetic skin ulcers are estimated to occur in 15% of all patients with diabetes and 84% of all diabetes-related lower-leg amputations (3,4). Despite current treatments, one in four patients with diabetic ulcers will have a foot amputation. Therefore, new treatment strategies for healing diabetic skin ulcers are highly needed. Impaired or delayed wound healing in diabetes is characterized by impaired angiogenesis and vasculogenesis (5). Adult bone marrow progenitor cells, bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cells (BMPCs), can home to injured tissue and participate in the tissue repair regeneration process. However, in diabetes, BMPCs are dysfunctional (defective recruitment and reduced survival and proliferation) (6). The mechanism of bone marrow cell dysfunction in diabetes is not yet fully understood. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a multifunctional organelle involved in …
Queer (in)frequencies: SiriusXM’s OutQ and the limits of queer listening publics

On February 23, 2016, OutQ, the nation’s only LGBT-focused satellite radio station, ceased broadcasting. This essay theorizes a queer listening public as intentionally imagined as such and concomit...
Risk and Protective Factors for Depressive Symptoms Among African American Men: An Application of the Stress Process Model

Objectives This study employs the stress process model (SPM) to identify risk/protective factors for mental health among adult African American men. Method Using a community-based sample of Miami, FL residents linked to neighborhood Census data, this study identifies risk/protective factors for depressive symptomatology using a sample of 248 adult African American men. Results The stress process variables independently associated with depressive symptoms were family support, mastery, self-esteem, chronic stressors, and daily discrimination. While mastery and self-esteem mediated the relationship between neighborhood income and depressive symptoms, perceived family support served as a buffer for stress exposure. Collectively, the SPM explains nearly half of the variability in depressive symptoms among African American men. Discussion The SPM is a useful conceptual framework for identifying psychosocial risk/protective factors and directing health initiatives and policies aimed at improving the psychological health of African American men.
Elastocapillary Driven Assembly of Particles at Free-Standing Smectic-A Films

Colloidal particles at complex fluid interfaces and within films assemble to form ordered structures with high degrees of symmetry via interactions that include capillarity, elasticity, and other fields like electrostatic charge. Here we study microparticle interactions within free-standing smectic-A films, in which the elasticity arising from the director field distortion and capillary interactions arising from interface deformation compete to direct the assembly of motile particles. New colloidal assemblies and patterns, ranging from 1D chains to 2D aggregates, sensitive to the initial wetting conditions of particles at the smectic film, are reported. This work paves the way to exploiting LC interfaces as a means to direct spontaneously formed, reconfigurable, and optically active materials.