cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fixed Delay Optimal Joint Source-Channel Coding for Finite-Memory Systems

We consider zero-delay or fixed finite-delay joint source channel coding of Markov sources using finite memory encoder and decoder. The objective is to choose designs that minimize expected total distortion over a finite horizon, expected discounted distortion over an infinite horizon and average distortion per unit time over an infinite horizon. The above problem is a dynamic team with non-classical information structure. We develop a sequential decomposition for this problem. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a systematic methodology for determination of optimal joint source-channel encoding-decoding strategies for zero-delay or fixed finite-delay point-to-point communication with limited memory.
A combined display for computer venerated data and scanned photographic images

Project Intrex (INformation TRansfer EXperiments) is a program of research and experiments intended to provide a foundation for the design of future information-transfer systems. The library of the future is conceived as a computer-based communications network, but at this time we do not know enough details about such a network to design it. Lacking are the necessary experimental facts, especially in the area of user's interaction with such a system. To discover these facts, we want to conduct experiments not only in the laboratory, but above all, in the real-life environment of a useful operating library.
Robustness Evaluation of Decentralized Self-Information Dissemination Control Algorithms for VANET Tracking Applications

The success of VANET safety mechanisms, e.g. pre-crash warning and collaborative collision avoidance, relies on good proximity-awareness of each subject vehicle. Prior analysis (17), (18) shows that a self-information dissemination control on each car, which adapts communication rate based on estimation error and channel congestion, can achieve higher tracking accuracy than others in a multi-access channel. In this paper, we extensively evaluate the robustness of three communication policies under different highway traffics. The worst case scenario, in terms of tracking accuracy, is identified to be a bidirectional highway with one direction congested and another direction being free flowing. Our proposed algorithms are shown to be robust and achieve much better tracking performance than 100-ms beaconing suggested by (24). I. INTRODUCTION
The Interplay between Daptomycin and the Immune System

Antibiotics may have bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects but may also cause immunomodulation. Lipopeptides are known immunomodulators that interact with pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors in antigen presenting cells. Daptomycin is a novel lipopeptide antibiotic with a lipid moiety and unique structure that in the presence of divalent ions may directly interact with lipid membrane phospholipids, the major component of lipid membranes in immune cells. Daptomycin may also penetrate immune cells including neutrophils and macrophages. However, the possible immunomodulatory effects of daptomycin remain unknown. Understanding these effects is important to determine whether this agent can provide protection against infectious challenge through multiple mechanisms. Preliminary studies suggest that daptomycin may have minimal effects on cytokine production and may have synergistic immunomodulatory effects in combination with other immunomodulators. This review focuses on the hypothesis that daptomycin may also have immunomodulatory effects but further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis.
General job stress and job-specific stress in juvenile correctional officers

Abstract Measures of general job stress (Job Stress Index—JSI; Sandman, 1992) and appraisal of specific job-related stressors (SSOSQ; Anson et al., 1997) were administered to 413 juvenile correctional officers (JCOs) and to eighty-four of their supervisors. JCOs evaluated their work environment as more stressful on the JSI than workers in the normative sample on every job stress dimension except ‘time pressure’. The highest stress intensity score was in the area of ‘competence of others’, however, the highest score relative to workers in other vocations was for ‘physical demands and danger’. JCOs who had been employed longer and had higher educational attainment had higher JSI scores; no JSI differences were found as a function of JCO race or gender. Supervisor rankings of sources of stress for themselves were virtually identical to those of JCOs, although overall stress intensity ratings were significantly lower for supervisors. On the more job-specific SSOSQ, lack of support by agency, long hours, and inadequate tools for the job eclipsed physical danger as stressors. On this measure, non-Caucasians and those with longer tenure on the job had higher stress scores, particularly in the area of physical danger; females versus males reported higher stress stemming from lack of support by agency and everyday job duties. Supervisors rated JCOs' work environment as more stressful than JCOs did themselves, but rankings of stressors by JCOs, supervisors, and by adult officers in Anson et al.'s sample were not significantly different, indicating generalizability to a wide range of correctional settings. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for development of stress management interventions oriented around increasing officers' autonomy and sense of control.
Predicting With Estimated Parameters

Chapters 3 and 4 examined the behavior of pseudo-BLPs. Although the results given there provide an understanding of how linear predictors depend on the spectral density of a stationary random field, they do not directly address the more practically pertinent problem of prediction when parameters of a model must be estimated from the same data that are available for prediction. The reason I have avoided prediction with estimated parameters until now is that it is very hard to obtain rigorous results for this problem. The basic difficulty is that once we have to estimate any parameters of the covariance structure, “linear” predictors based on these estimates are no longer actually linear since the coefficients of the predictors depend on the data.
Model photo-responsive elastomers based on the self-assembly of side group liquid crystal triblock copolymers (Presentation Recording)

We report the synthesis of azobenzene-containing coil-liquid crystal-coil triblock copolymers that form uniform and highly reproducible elastomers by self-assembly. To serve as actuators to (non-invasively) steer a fiber optic, for example in deep brain stimulation, the polymers are designed to become monodomain “single liquid crystal” elastomers during the fiber-draw process and to have a large stress/strain response to stimulation with either light or heat. A fundamental scientific question that we seek to answer is how the interplay between the concentration of photoresponsive mesogens and the proximity to the nematic-isotropic transition governs the sensitivity of the material to stimuli. Specifically, a matched pair of polymers, one with ~5% azobenzene-containing side groups (~95% cyanobiphenyl side groups) and the other with 100% cyanobiphenyl side groups were synthesized from identical triblock pre-polymers (with polystyerene end blocks and 1,2-polybutadiene midblocks). These can be blended in various ratios to prepare a series of elastomers that are precisely matched in terms of the backbone length between physical crosslinks (because each polymer is derived from the same pre-polymer), while differing in % azobenzene side groups, allowing the effect of concentration of photoresponsive groups to be unambiguously determined.
Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

The aim of this chapter will be to summarize the evidence for the implementation of PONV protocols within an enhanced recovery after surgery program (ERP). Literature used for these recommendations come from randomized control trials, meta-analyses, and consensus guidelines. We will address the following: identifying high-risk patients, minimizing risks, administering appropriate prophylactic antiemetic and rescue treatment, and recommending a treatment algorithm for use in an ERP protocol.
Oxygen Transport in the Sr2Fe3−x, CoxOy System

The mixed-conducting Sr-Fe-Co oxide has potential use as a gas separation membrane. Its superior oxygen transport reveals the feasibility of using oxide membranes in large-scale oxygen separation. Sr2Fe3-xCoxOy (with x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0) samples were made by solid state reaction. To understand the oxygen transport mechanism in this system, conductivity and thermogravimetry experiments were conducted at high temperature in various oxygen partial pressure environments. The oxygen diffusion coefficient was determined from the time relaxation transient behavior of the specimen after switching the surrounding atmosphere. Mobility of the charge carrier was derived from relative conductivity and weight changes. X-ray diffraction experiments were carried out on these samples to determine their crystal structures.
A Review of “Anaesthetics, Resuscitation and Intensive Care: A Textbook for Students and Residents”

Somewhat less than 300 pages long, this small, paper-covered book is intended for medical students and “housemen”. First written in 1965, this popular British anesthesia text is now in its fourth edition. Although well written and cleanly illustrated, the book attempts to deal with altogether too much material in too few pages to be anything but an introduction. The charts, pictures, and line drawings are frequently used to great advantage and are clearly the book's finest feature.
Dynamic pricing in discrete time stochastic day-to-day route choice models

Abstract The traffic assignment problem is primarily concerned with the study of user equilibrium and system optimum and it is often assumed that travelers are perfectly rational and have a complete knowledge of network conditions. However, from an empirical standpoint, when a large number of selfish users travel in a network, the chances of reaching an equilibrium are slim. User behavior in such settings can be modeled using probabilistic route choice models which define when and how travelers switch paths. This approach results in stochastic processes with steady state distributions containing multiple states in their support. In this paper, we propose an average cost Markov decision process model to reduce the expected total system travel time of the logit route choice model using dynamic pricing. Existing dynamic pricing methods in day-to-day network models are formulated in continuous time. However, the solutions from these methods cannot be used to set tolls on different days in the network. We hence study dynamic tolling in a discrete time setting in which the system manager collects tolls based on the state of the system on previous day(s). In order to make this framework practical, approximation schemes for handling a large number of users are developed. A simple example to illustrate the application of the exact and approximate methods is also presented.
Probabilistic Models of Consumer Buying Behavior

Does it make sense to classify consumers as users and nonusers? As heavy and light users? As users of brand X rather than brand Y?Do American consumers fit into such neat categories? Or is it likel...
Sexy, Dangerous—and Ignored An In-depth Review of the Representation of Women in Select Video game Magazines

Although evidence has shown that video games portray women as hypersexualized objects, video game magazines have received little study. Using the theory of Hegemonic Masculinity, an in-depth review of six video game magazines (three print and three online) revealed that the magazines consistently treat digital women as vacant pinups to be ogled or irrelevant sidekicks to be tolerated, and real women as annoying interlopers to be bullied.
NK cells are intrinsically functional in pigs with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) caused by spontaneous mutations in the Artemis gene

We have identified Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) in a line of Yorkshire pigs at Iowa State University. These SCID pigs lack B-cells and T-cells, but possess Natural Killer (NK) cells. This SCID phenotype is caused by recessive mutations in the Artemis gene. Interestingly, two human tumor cell lines, PANC-1 and A375-SM, survived after injection into these SCID pigs, but, as we demonstrate here, these cells, as well as K562 tumor cells, can be lysed in vitro by NK cells from SCID and non-SCID pigs. NK cells from both SCID and non-SCID pigs required activation in vitro with either recombinant human IL-2 or the combination of recombinant porcine IL-12 and IL-18 to kill tumor targets. We also showed that SCID NK cells could be activated to produce perforin, and perforin production was greatly enhanced in NK cells from both SCID and non-SCID pigs after IL-2 cytokine treatment. While CD16+, CD172- NK cells constituted an average of only 4% in non-SCID pigs, NK cells averaged 27% of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell population in SCID pigs. We found no significant differences in killing activity per NK cell between SCID and non-SCID pigs. We conclude that survival of human cancer cells in these SCID pigs is not due to an intrinsic defect in NK cell killing ability.
Research on Students' Sports Anxiety State of Middle School Basketball Match in Chongqing

Through using the method of literature review,questionnaire,mathematical statistics and observation,this paper makes survey on anxiety state of middle school basketball student-players,points out the reason and puts forward the methods of improvement.
The Resolved Stellar Populations of Leo A & GR 8

The complex effects that determine the shape of an observed Colour Magnitude Diagram (CMD) are best disentangled through numerical simulation. We make synthetic CMDs by randomly extracting stars from theoretical stellar evolution tracks using a series of adopted initial conditions, including an Initial Mass Function. Utilizing reliable error estimates on our photometry provided by the program DoPHOT we apply a Maximum Likelihood technique to quantitatively determine which of the numerous different possible models is the most probable match to the data. From these comparisons we obtain a better understanding of how star formation proceeds in the relatively simple environments provided by Dwarf galaxies.
Changes in LDL density across the menopausal transition.

BACKGROUND The risk of coronary artery disease increases in women after menopause. This increased risk may be associated with alterations in the lipid profile characterized by changes in LDL particle size and buoyancy. Characterization of lipoprotein levels and LDL buoyancy across the stages of the menopausal transition has yet to be reported. METHODS Plasma lipoprotein concentrations, LDL buoyancy, and body mass index (BMI) were studied cross-sectionally in five groups of women: premenopausal women (n = 42), women in early menopausal transition (n = 35), middle menopausal transition (n = 19), late menopausal transition (n = 20), and postmenopausal women (n = 14). No women were taking estrogen. RESULTS The postmenopausal women had significantly higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol than premenopausal women (P < 0.05). LDL-C and Apo B was significantly higher in women in the late menopausal transition compared to premenopausal women (P < 0.05). All women in the menopausal transition and postmenopause had significantly more dense LDL than premenopausal women (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the change in LDL buoyancy associated with the menopausal transition period could be explained by changes in triglyceride and HDL-C, related to changes in body mass index. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the menopausal transition is associated with more dense LDL and higher LDL-C levels in comparison to premenopausal women. It appears that whereas LDL-C may change late in the menopausal transition, the production of denser LDL particles appears early in the menopausal transition, both acting to worsen the lipoprotein profile. Increased triglyceride and decreased HDL appeared to account for the shift toward small, dense LDL, presumably related to increased BMI. The change in LDL density may contribute to the higher incidence of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
Thermal expansion properties of three isostructural co-crystals composed of isosteric components: interplay between halogen and hydrogen bonds

Co-crystallization of a symmetrical azo bipyridine with isosteric resorcinols affords isostructural co-crystals that exhibit linear thermal expansion along each axis. The thermal expansions involve interplay between intra-layer halogen and hydrogen bonds.
Determination of Peukert’s Constant Using Impedance Spectroscopy: Application to Supercapacitors

Peukert’s equation is widely used to model the rate dependence of battery capacity, and has recently attracted attention for application to supercapacitors. Here we present a newly developed method to readily determine Peukert’s constant using impedance spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy is ideal for this purpose as it has the capability of probing electrical performance of a device over a wide range of time-scales within a single measurement. We demonstrate that the new method yields consistent results with conventional galvanostatic measurements through applying it to commercially available supercapacitors. Additionally, the novel method is much simpler and more precise, making it an attractive alternative for the determination of Peukert’s constant.
The Centerville Virtual Community: a fully integrated decision model of interacting physical and social infrastructure systems

AbstractEnhancing community resilience in the future will require new interdisciplinary systems-based approaches that depend on many disciplines, including engineering, social and economic, and information sciences. The National Institute of Standards and Technology awarded the Center for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning to Colorado State University and nine other universities in 2015, with the overarching goal of establishing the measurement science for community resilience assessment. The Centerville Virtual Community Testbed is aimed at enabling fundamental resilience assessment algorithms to be initiated, developed, and coded in a preliminary form, and tested before the refined measurement methods and supporting data classifications and databases necessary for a more complete assessment have fully matured. This paper introduces the Centerville Testbed, defining the physical infrastructure within the community, natural hazards to which it is exposed, and the population demographics necessary to...
Expression of a putative flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase in sorghum mesocotyls synthesizing 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins

Abstract In sorghum, ingress of Cochliobolus heterostrophus stimulates the synthesis of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins that act as phytoalexins. Apigeninidin and luteolinidin are two major phytoalexins induced in the first 24 h after infection. In an attempt to understand genetic regulation of the biosynthesis of sorghum phytoalexins, we isolated a differentially expressed partial cDNA. Characterization and comparison showed that this cDNA sequence corresponds to a putative flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase . Full length sequence characterization allowed us to establish that the sorghum putative f3′h cDNA encodes a peptide of 517 amino acids that has domains conserved among cytochrome P450 proteins functioning in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Heterologous expression of the putative f3′h cDNA in Escherichia coli yielded a membrane preparation that catalyzed the hydroxylation of naringenin. We show here that transcription of the flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase was coordinately regulated with that of chalcone synthase and dihydroflavonol reductase, and expression of these genes was induced within the first 24 h of fungal challenge. Synthesis of apigeninidin and luteolinidin followed the induced expression of the f3′h gene, implicating its role in fungal induced expression of sorghum phytolaexins.
Systematic and organizational issues implicated in post-hospitalization suicides of medically hospitalized patients: A study of root-cause analysis reports.

Abstract Objective Medical hospitalization is a high risk period for suicide. It is important to understand system-level factors that may be associated with suicide after a medical hospitalization. Method Retrospective study of root-cause analysis (RCA) reports of suicide occurring within three months of Veterans Administration (VA) medical hospitalization, 2002–2015. We collected patient and system-level factors to characterize events. Results There were 96 RCA reports pertaining to suicide within three months of medical hospitalization. A total of 168 root causes for suicide were identified and fell into three major themes including: management of known suicide risk (N=73, 43%), decision making to monitor suicide risk (N=48, 29%), and patient engagement in treatment (N=47, 28%). RCA reports raised concerns that medical teams did not provide mental health treatment when indicated and lacked a standardized process for assessing psychological well-being in patients with a serious medical illness. In 25 cases, patients declined recommended treatment and in 15 cases, patients left against medical advice (AMA). Conclusions Challenges with patient engagement in treatment and lack of standardized processes for assessing and managing suicide risk may play an important role in suicide risk after medical hospitalization. Additional high quality studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Uniform vs Full Height Maps Using a Time of Flight Device for Dewarping Book Spread Images in the Design of an Automated Book Reader

This study focuses on effects of uniform and full height map correction methods for dewarping book spread images in an automated book reader design for individuals with visual impairment and blindness. The design concept could also be applied to address the challenging process of book digitization. The method is dependent on the geometry of the book reader setup for acquiring the 3-D maps that yield a high reading accuracy. The experiments were performed on a testing dataset consisting of 142 pages with their corresponding depth maps that were extracted. The accuracy of the book spread images was quantified and measured by introducing the corrected images to an Optical Character Recognition engine. Initially, the book spreads were tested by placing them with a standard alignment which yielded an average accuracy of 95.55% and 96.11% with the uniform maps and the full height maps, respectively. Rotations of the book spreads are introduced in a separate test to see if the two proposed methods are tolerant to unsuspected misaligned placements of the book. These tests yield an average accuracy of 90.63% for the corrections with a uniform map and 94.75% with the full height maps.
Results of isolated acetabular revisions: The fate of the unrevised femoral component

Controversy exists over whether to remove a well-fixed femoral component at the time of revision of a failed acetabular component, and it has been suggested that the femoral component be removed and recemented. The hypothesis presented in this article is that only the acetabular component should be revised in these situations. Thirty-eight isolated, uncemented acetabular revisions were performed by 1 surgeon and prospectively followed for a mean of 4 years (range, 2-10 years). The femoral component was well fixed at the time of revision and left in situ. There were 30 cemented and 8 uncemented femoral components, which had been in place for a mean of 10.7 years. The hips were evaluated clinically using the Harris hip score rating system. Radiographic evaluation of both components was performed using well-established criteria. Morselized cancellous allograft was used to fill acetabular defects in 30 hips, and a bulk allograft was used in 1 hip. There was a good or excellent clinical result in 32 hips (84%). Two cemented femoral components required revision for aseptic loosening at 2.5 and 4 years. No acetabular component migrated or was revised, and no revisions of either component are pending. Thirty-six (95%) of the unrevised femoral components remain well fixed at the most recent follow-up examination. Compared with a similar population of hips in which both the acetabular and femoral components were revised, the mean blood loss for these revisions was 52% less and the mean surgical time was 35% shorter. Revision of only the acetabular component is recommended for isolated acetabular aseptic loosening. Because the femoral component is not removed, surgical time and blood loss are decreased and serious potential complications related to removing a well-fixed femoral component can be avoided.
The Relationship between Cultural Identification, Family Socialization and Adolescent Alcohol Use among Native American Families

The enculturation or teaching of Native American traditions to Native American adolescents has been incorporated into substance-use prevention interventions in recent decades; yet, little is known about how enculturation may impact substance use through family socialization. The current study aimed to test the relationship between family identification with Native American culture and alcohol use among Native American families residing on or near a reservation, and determine if this relationship was mediated by family socialization practices. To achieve this aim, data (n = 2368) collected as part of the NIDA-funded Drug Use among Young American Indians was used. No direct relationship was found between identification with Native American culture and alcohol use. Native American culture had an indirect effect on substance use through family communication and parental monitoring, such that a higher identification with Native American culture was associated with more communication and less monitoring, which were associated with drinking behavior. Findings reveal that identification with Native American culture may be related to family socialization, a relationship that could be important to address when designing alcohol-use prevention interventions for this population.
Data Structures for Parallel Computation on Shared-Memory Machines

One of the major bottlenecks in developing parallel algorithms is the lack of “parallel data structures,” particularly for nonnumerical and seminumerical problems. Many of the traditional data structures that have served so well in sequential computing do not easily lend themselves to parallel processing, hi this paper we develop three practical paradigms for designing parallel data structures in a shared-memory environment and illustrate them through parallelization of a queue, a stack, and a heap. Other related structures are also discussed.
8 – Metal Oxide–Carbon Hybrid Materials for Application in Supercapacitors

Carbon materials with high surface area, high electrical conductivity, and various shapes, sizes, and pore size distributions are being constantly developed and used as electrode active materials for supercapacitors based on double-layer capacitance. Transition metal oxides, such as RuO x , FeO x , and MnO x , are also promising candidates for application as supercapacitors because they possess pseudocapacitance in addition to double-layer capacitance. However, low electrical conductivity, severe agglomeration, and poor cycle life restrict their performance. One of the promising approaches to address these issues is to combine metal oxides with a carbon host to form hybrid nanostructured electrodes, in which the carbon material not only contributes to double-layer capacitance but also serves as the conductive network for metal oxides. This chapter provides an overview of the fabrication, characterization, and electrochemical studies of various types of metal oxide composites with carbon materials, including mesoporous carbon, macroporous carbon, carbon aerogel, activated carbon, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, and graphene. The key performance advantages and limitations of metal oxide composited with various nanostructured carbon materials will be discussed.
Adapted Tango for Adults With Parkinson’s Disease: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of 16 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) partaking in an adapted tango class and the perceived impact on participation and quality of life (QOL). The Ecology of Human Performance and the International Classification of Function were the theoretical frameworks for the study. Data collection involved focus groups conducted during the intervention and at a follow-up six months later. Data analysis followed inductive thematic analysis techniques. The themes addressed living with PD, the class structure and experiences, the participants’ expectations for the class, and the multiple effects experienced by participants at both time periods. The results suggest that adapted tango, when offered in a structured environment with skilled instruction, may improve skills for participation in daily activities and contribute to increased QOL for persons with PD.
Is an Admission for Decompensated Heart Failure Inevitable

Given the high prevalence of heart failure (HF) and the profound impact on morbid, mortality, and health care costs, strategies to improve outcomes and reduce cost have become progressively more attractive. Reducing HF hospitalizations as a study outcome has gained traction in recent years. The basic hypothesis of these investigations is that HF hospitalizations are preventable and harmful. This article examines advancements in pharmacotherapy, medical devices, and health care delivery techniques targeting reductions in HF hospitalizations and evaluates the role and implications of hospitalization in the natural history of HF.
Viral videos and virtue: Moral elevation inductions shift affect and interpersonal goals in daily life

Laboratory studies suggest that witnessing virtuous acts triggers moral elevation, an emotion characterized by feeling uplifted and increased prosocial motives. However, it remains unknown whether regular inductions can increase elevation and prosocial motives in daily life without being vulnerable to habituation or adaptation effects. Participants (total N = 181) were randomly assigned to elevating vs. neutral or amusing inductions (video or recall tasks) for seven days (Study 1), ten days (Study 2), or 12 days over one month (Study 3). Multilevel growth models showed that relative to comparison conditions, elevation inductions increased daily elevation, positive affect, and prosocial outcomes (compassionate goals and affiliation), and decreased self-protective motives (self-image goals). Adaptation effects occurred for immediate responses when exercises occurred daily, but not when spaced out over time, and not for outcomes measured later each day. Results suggest benefits of brief, regular elev...
Learning Chinese through a twenty-first century writing workshop with the integration of mobile technology in a language immersion elementary school

Digital mobile devices such as iPads have been around for many years and have been more and more popular in K-12 classrooms. Research has pointed out the advantages of using iPads in classrooms to ...
An assessment of collective action drivers of carbon storage in Nepalese forest commons

Abstract Decentralized forestry has evolved as a strategy for the management of forests in many developing countries and key institutional factors driving forest collective action have also been identified. We analyzed 130 Nepalese forest commons to determine how key forest collective action variables are associated with carbon storage. As expected, we find household participation in forest management and public audit have favorable implications for carbon storage. However, we also find conservation duration, communities' ability to modify rules and existence of penalty system have constraining, and mutual trust have no or neutral implications for carbon storage. These findings indicate that better collective action does not necessarily store additional carbon. If forest commons in developing countries are to contribute to global climate change initiatives, such as the United Nation's program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD +), our findings suggest the need for dedicated policies and programs to create additional incentives.
Thee Commons: Psychedelic Cumbia Punk from East Los Angeles

Thee Commons sat patiently in their backstage trailer, sipping beer and watching eight screens with eight different live video feeds of performances occurring elsewhere on the festival grounds. The...
A Weighty Problem: Identification, Characteristics and Risk Factors for Errors in EMR Data

EMR data are used for decision support, research and quality control; it is important to assure their accuracy. Researchers have reported poor accuracy of categorical EMR records but little information is available on the accuracy of quantitative EMR data.We designed an algorithm for identification of errors in EMR weight data. The algorithm achieved precision of 98.9% with upper boundary for sensitivity of 57.6%.We employed the algorithm to analyze 420,469 weight records of 25,000 patients. The algorithm identified errors in 0.58% of entries in up to 7% of all patients. Users who previously made an error were nearly twice as likely to make another (p < 0.001) and physicians were less likely to make an error than non-physicians (p = 0.034). User practice location had a significant effect on their error rate (p =0.015).Rapid and accurate error identification could be used to improve quality of EMR weight data.
Analyses of RNA–Ligand Interactions by Fluorescence Anisotropy

Fluorescence anisotropy provides a powerful method to quantitatively characterize kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for many RNA–ligand interactions. By manipulating assay design, it is possible to extract equilibrium binding constants down to the low or even sub-nanomolar range, as well as measure reaction on- and off-rates, changes in enthalpy and entropy, and RNA-binding site size. These tools are invaluable for comparing and contrasting potential mechanisms of RNA recognition by proteins or other binding partners. In this chapter, we review the theory behind the technique and describe some recent applications. We explain how to generate binding isotherms using fluorescence anisotropy, including discussion of the instrumentation and fluorescent substrates required. To analyze isotherms, we derive relationships between anisotropy and free protein concentration for a variety of reaction mechanisms and discuss statistical validation methods. Finally, we have included sections on the use of plate readers for measuring fluorescence anisotropy across large numbers of samples and their application to high-throughput drug screening. Fluorescence anisotropy has been used to elucidate mechanisms involved in many critical processes in RNA biology, including assembly of the translation initiation complex and recognition of mRNAs targeted for degradation.
Composition and diversity of cyanobacteria-associated and free-living bacterial communities during cyanobacterial blooms

Lakes undergoing cyanobacterial blooms often exhibit differences between free-living (FL) and cyanobacteria-associated (CA) bacterial assemblages, but previous studies have not compared distinct FL and CA communities across multiple lakes. This project investigated whether FL and CA communities differ from each other in consistent ways across lakes. FL and CA communities were collected from three Ohio (USA) lakes on two sampling dates during cyanobacterial blooms. High-throughput sequencing was used to characterize the communities, and comparisons were made of the composition and diversity of FL and CA communities within and across lakes. Diversity estimates did not vary significantly among lakes nor between CA and FL assemblages. The taxonomic composition of CA communities differed significantly from that of FL communities in Buckeye and Harsha Lakes and in Maumee Bay on one of two sampling dates. CA communities from Buckeye and Harsha Lakes were more similar to each other than to their respective FL communities. Community composition in Maumee Bay on August 18 did not differ between FL and CA habitats. As the bloom progressed, the FL community remained similar in composition to samples collected on August 18, while the CA community became significantly dissimilar. This study is the first cross-lake comparisons of CA and FL communities, uncovering the impacts of habitat type, lake, and sampling date in determining community composition.
Caribbean Monsters: Gothic Migrants in the “Hot-Lands”

Eljaiek-Rodriguez analyzes how the figures of the vampire and the zombie (the undead) are used in horror cinema of the Caribbean. Considering that the cannibal and the zombie are figures created by Europeans in Caribbean contexts, the author analyzes how contemporary Cuban and Puerto Rican horror films reappropriate them. This reappropriation is read as a way directors suggest the complexities of historical and political events relevant to Cuba and Puerto Rico. Through this analysis, the author problematizes the colonial principle in which the hot-lands of the Caribbean are synonymous with Otherness and barbarism.
Microwave microplasma parameters at extremely high driving frequencies

The microplasma supported by high microwave frequencies is analyzed using a one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell Monte Carlo collision model. The results indicate that there are two regimes of the discharge operation, which are correlated with different regimes of the electron kinetics of the high-energy tail of the electron energy distribution. We obtain that the regimes of electron kinetics are separated by the frequency νcr, which is the frequency of collisions between the electrons having the energy equal to the excitation threshold of argon and neutrals. Below νcr, the tail of the electron energy distribution function is non-stationary and is defined by the instantaneous electric field. This results in very efficient heating of this group of electrons. As a consequence, the increase in the microwave frequency up to νcr results in the increase in the plasma density. For driving frequencies larger than νcr, the tail is stationary, implying less efficient plasma heating. Consequently, a decrease in plasma d...
Helically-driven granular mobility and gravity-variant scaling relations

This study discusses the role and function of helical design as it relates to slippage during translation of a vehicle in glass bead media. We show discrete element method (DEM) and multi-body dynamics (MBD) simulations and experiments of a double-helix Archimedes screw propelled vehicle traveling in a bed of soda-lime glass beads. Utilizing granular parameters from the literature and a reduced Young's modulus, we validate the set of granular parameters against experiments. The results suggest that MBD-DEM provides reliable dynamic velocity estimates. We provide the glass, ABS, and glass–ABS simulation parameters used to obtain these results. We also examine recently developed granular scaling laws for wheels applied to these shear-driven vehicles under three different simulated gravities. The results indicate that the system obeys gravity granular scaling laws for constant slip conditions but is limited in each gravity regime when slip begins to increase.
Is SOFR better than LIBOR

It is expected that in the near future USD LIBOR will be replaced by a rate based on SOFR. Loans indexed to LIBOR offer lenders insurance against funding shocks; SOFR does not have this property. In this paper, I develop a stylized model to study this mechanism and to take a first look at quantitative magnitudes. In my model, under normal conditions, an economy using SOFR behaves similarly to an economy using LIBOR. Under more extreme financial conditions, differences can be nontrivial.
Paternalistic Aims and (Mis)Attributions of Agency: What the Over-Punishment of Black Girls in US Classrooms Teaches Us about Just School Discipline.

In this article, we explore the interrelated phenomena of teachers’ paternalistic aims and their misattributions of the agency of their students within particular schooling contexts of systemic rac...
The role of interaction between low molecular weight neutral organic compounds and a polyamide RO membrane in the rejection mechanism

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a membrane technology that separates dissolved species from water. RO has been applied for the removal of chemical contaminants from water and is employed in wastewater reclamation to provide an additional barrier to improve the removal of trace organic contaminants. The presence of a wide variety of influent chemical contaminants and the insufficient rejection of low molecular weight neutral chemicals by RO calls for the need to develop a comprehensive model that predicts the rejection of various chemicals in RO. Yet the role of the interaction between neutral organic compounds and a RO membrane, and how the functional groups of organic compounds affect the interaction have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we first constructed a molecular model for a reference polyamide (PA) membrane. We then investigated the impact of explicit water molecules and PA membrane functionality on the membrane structure using quantum mechanical calculations. We examined solvent–membrane interactions and then solvent–membrane–solute interactions using two neutral test solutes, arsenic and boron, by comparing the theoretically calculated aqueous-phase free energies of interaction with their experimental values. Finally, the validated PA membrane model was used to calculate the free energies of interaction for a wide variety of organic compounds such as haloalkanes, haloalkenes, alkylbenzenes and halobenzenes, which correlated with the experimentally obtained mass transfer coefficients. The correlation indicates that the interaction between organic compounds and PA membranes plays a critical role in the rejection mechanism.
Brief Report: Public Awareness of Asperger Syndrome Following Greta Thunberg Appearances.

Thunberg’s increased media attention coupled with her diagnosis—Asperger Syndrome (AS)—may foster help-seeking behaviors among those with similar psychiatric disorders. Using Google Trends data, we compared values of AS from the week of the UN Climate Summit through the end of the year compared to an ARIMA model predicting search interest had Thunberg not been in the media. The search trend for AS at peak was 254.07% higher than predicted and was on average 10.61 points above the projected model during this time. As the primary goal of AS intervention focuses on improving quality of life and preventing common comorbidities such as depression and anxiety, capitalizing on increased public interest in AS and help-seeking behaviors is imperative.
Using systems thinking to understand the evolving role of technology in the design process

Many teaching in higher education whose fields rely heavily on processes using technology can be overwhelmed by the pace of developments, and, in turn, have difficulties identifying those competencies necessary for their students to have mastered. These educators may feel as though they are aiming at a moving target, and given the number of new platforms and communication tactics, this target could seem increasingly distant. One such field greatly impacted by rapidly developing technology is interior design, wherein practitioners are increasingly leveraging tactics that promise newfound fidelity, interoperability, and greater production speed. However, it is unclear how these advancements may influence the expectations for entry-level designers—and by extension—the curricula of design educators. The purpose of this research was to apply a Systems Thinking approach to determine technology’s influence on both the design process and the production of deliverables. Data was gathered from design practitioners surrounding the variety of software and technological applications used during four phases of the design process (e.g., schematic, design development, construction documents, and construction administration). To determine adoption trends, these responses were compared to previous data from Dyar and Huber (in: Sarawgi (ed) Interior design educators annual national council, Fort Worth, TX, Interior Design Educators Council, Chicago, 2015). Responses were analyzed with descriptive crosstabs and inferential statistics, including T-tests, Analysis of Variance, and posthoc Tukey’s Range Tests. The findings suggest that expectations for students, and consequently, their instructors, are evolving rapidly. While this study is rooted in interior design, its methodology and its implications may prove valuable to allied design fields.
Robotic Mitral Repair: “Running Suture” Annuloplasty

In this chapter we detail a robotic method that more rapidly attaches mitral valve annuloplasty bands and rings than using conventional interrupted sutures. We have found that this technique reduces total operative, cardiac arrest, and cardiopulmonary perfusion times. This method has become part of our routine in performing robotic mitral valve repairs.
Intelligent data-driven monitoring of high dimensional multistage manufacturing processes

Recent advances in cyber-physical systems and the Internet of things (IoT) have enabled the possible development of smart production systems. However, the complexity of such a system has posed significant challenges for traditional quality engineering methods, especially in monitoring and diagnosis of system performance. The traditional practices for monitoring or controlling multistage systems either treat each stage as an individual entity or model all stages as a whole. The formal approach mainly focuses on the most critical stages while ignores information from the other stages. In contrast, the latter approach attempts to build one model to account for all stages. In a complex production system, this latter approach is impractical, if not impossible. This research provides a control strategy by proposing an intelligent process monitoring system for high dimensional multistage processes using predictive models built from historical data. A repository dataset is used to demonstrate the implementation of the proposed framework.
Europe and the Spread of Nationalist-Populism

This chapter focuses on the spread to and the consequences of nationalist-populism to continental Europe. It describes Trump’s role, especially disparaging NATO and the EU as he does other multilateral institutions, in spreading the ideology to countries like the Netherlands and France where populists like Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen and Germany’s AfD remain out of power and to several countries where populists have been or remain in government, notably Hungary, Poland, Italy, and Turkey. It describes the evolution of populism in each of these following the 2008 financial meltdown and fostered by Russia, and their leaders cite Trump as their inspiration. The discussion is regional. It begins with Western Europe where, despite populist politicians, liberal governments remain in office but where populism is spreading and mainstream parties and politicians like French President Emmanuel Macron are adopting populist policies and rhetoric, notably in regard to Islam and immigration. It then turns to more recent Eastern Europe members where populists remain or have served as part of governing coalitions. As well as the East–West division in Europe, the chapter also addresses a North–South division between wealthy norther EU members and poorer EU southern members.