cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutrino factories: Realization and physics potential

Abstract Neutrino Factories offer an exciting option for the long-term neutrino physics program. This new type of neutrino facility will provide beams with unique properties. Low systematic uncertainties at a Neutrino Factory, together with a unique and precisely known neutrino flavor content, will enable neutrino oscillation measurements to be made with unprecedented sensitivity and precision. Over recent years, the resulting neutrino factory physics potential has been discussed extensively in the literature. In addition, over the last six years the R&D necessary to realize a Neutrino Factory has been progressing, and has developed into a significant international activity. It is expected that, within about five more years, the initial phase of this R&D program will be complete and, if the community chooses to build this new type of neutrino source within the following decade, neutrino factory technology will be ready for the final R&D phase prior to construction. In this paper (i) an overview is given of the technical ingredients needed for a Neutrino Factory, (ii) beam properties are described, (iii) the resulting neutrino oscillation physics potential is summarized, (iv) a more detailed description is given for one representative Neutrino Factory design, and (v) the ongoing R&D program is summarized, and future plans briefly described.
A Critical Analysis of the Research on Student Homelessness

Since the onset of the economic recession, rates of student homelessness have increased rapidly in urban, suburban, and rural school districts throughout the United States. Despite the widespread urgency of the issue, there is a lack of general coherence in the research about how diverse conditions of homelessness affect students and how schools and communities can best serve them. This literature review attempts to deepen scholars’ understandings of such matters by examining (a) homeless students’ school experience in comparison to that of other students, (b) federal policy’s shaping of homeless students’ rights and opportunities, and (c) homeless students’ key support mechanisms. The author suggests that these three focus areas provide foundational insights into the nature and extent of students’ opportunities to succeed in school. Although homeless students’ experiences are noted to be similar to those of residentially stable low-income students, they appeared to be distinguishable based on their high ...
Human immunodeficiency virus-1 Tat protein upregulates IL-6 and IL-8 expression in human breast cancer cells

1752 It has been proposed that the inflammatory tumor microenvironment via overexpression of inflammatory mediators is associated with progression of breast cancer metastasis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women. The cellular and molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying this process, however, are not fully understood. In the present study, we hypothesize that HIV-1 Tat protein may increase the metastatic potential of human breast cancer cells through upregulation of cytokines and chemokines that induce the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay analyses showed that exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells to HIV-1 Tat protein resulted in a significant and dose-dependent upregulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA and protein expression. HIV-1 Tat protein also markedly increased NF-κB DNA-binding activity and transactivation in MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, pretreatment with NF-κB inhibitors significantly attenuated the ability of HIV-1 Tat protein to upregulate IL-6 and IL-8 expression. These results suggest that HIV-1 Tat protein upregulates expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in human breast cancer cells by NF-κB-dependent pathway. These data may contribute to exploration of the new molecular mechanisms leading to novel approaches for the therapeutic drug developments specifically targeted against the inflammatory pathways of breast cancer metastasis in AIDS patients (This work was supported by NIH COBRE P20 RR 15592, NS39254, MH63022, and AA013843).
Optical properties of a nanostructured glass-based film using spectroscopic ellipsometry

Abstract Nanostructured glass films, which are fabricated using spinodally phase-separated low-alkali glasses, have several interesting and useful characteristics, including being robust, non-wetting and antireflective. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements have been performed on one such film and its optical properties were analyzed using a 5-layer structural model of the near-surface region. Since the glass and the film are transparent over the spectral region of the measurement, the Sellmeier model is used to parameterize the dispersion in the refractive index. To simulate the variation of the optical properties of the film over the spot size of the ellipsometer (~ 3 × 5 mm), the Sellmeier amplitude is convoluted using a Gaussian distribution. The transition layers between the ambient and the film and between the film and the substrate are modeled as graded layers, where the refractive index varies as a function of depth. These layers are modeled using a two-component Bruggeman effective medium approximation where the two components are the layer above and the layer below. The fraction is continuous through the transition layer and is modelled using the incomplete beta function.
Resonant Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter in the Local and High-z Universe

Sterile neutrinos comprise an entire class of dark matter models that, depending on their production mechanism, can be hot, warm, or cold dark matter (CDM). We simulate the Local Group and representative volumes of the Universe in a variety of sterile neutrino models, all of which are consistent with the possible existence of a radiative decay line at ∼3.5 keV. We compare models of production via resonances in the presence of a lepton asymmetry (suggested by Shi & Fuller 1999) to ‘thermal’ models. We find that properties in the highly non-linear regime – e.g. counts of satellites and internal properties of haloes and subhaloes – are insensitive to the precise fall-off in power with wavenumber, indicating that non-linear evolution essentially washes away differences in the initial (linear) matter power spectrum. In the quasi-linear regime at higher redshifts, however, quantitative differences in the 3D matter power spectra remain, raising the possibility that such models can be tested with future observations of the Lyman-α forest. While many of the sterile neutrino models largely eliminate multiple small-scale issues within the CDM paradigm, we show that these models may be ruled out in the near future via discoveries of additional dwarf satellites in the Local Group.
Update on B9(1/2+)

Abstract We update information concerning the 1 / 2 + excited state of 9B, point out a minor mistake in our earlier work, and a major mistake in another paper, and suggest a reaction to populate this state.
Executive Functioning and School Performance among Pediatric Survivors of Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Objective To investigate the presence and severity of real-world impairments in executive functioning—responsible for children's regulatory skills (metacognition, behavioral regulation)—and its potential impact on school performance among pediatric survivors of complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Study design Survivors of complex CHD aged 8-16 years (n = 143) and their parents/guardians from a regional CHD survivor registry participated (81% participation rate). Parents completed proxy measures of executive functioning, school competency, and school-related quality of life (QOL). Patients also completed a measure of school QOL and underwent IQ testing. Patients were categorized into 2 groups based on heart lesion complexity: 2-ventricle or single-ventricle. Results Survivors of complex CHD performed significantly worse than norms for executive functioning, IQ, school competency, and school QOL. Metacognition was more severely affected than behavioral regulation, and metacognitive deficits were more often present in older children. Even after taking into account demographic factors, disease severity, and IQ, metacognition uniquely and strongly predicted poorer school performance. In exploratory analyses, patients with single-ventricle lesions were rated as having lower school competency and school QOL, and patients with 2-ventricle lesions were rated as having poorer behavioral regulation. Conclusions Survivors of complex CHD experience greater executive functioning difficulties than healthy peers, with metacognition particularly impacted and particularly relevant for day-to-day school performance. Especially in older children, clinicians should watch for metacognitive deficits, such as problems with organization, planning, self-monitoring, and follow-through on tasks.
Performance of a residential ground source heat pump system in sedimentary rock formation

Abstract The use of ground-source heat pump system has been widely adopted over the past decades due to its potentials to provide renewable and low carbon footprint energy source for building’s heating and air-conditioning needs. This paper reports the design and post construction monitoring of a vertical ground-coupled heat pump system installed adjacent to a three-floor residential house located in Cleveland, OH, USA. The system operates under the special geological condition with shallow depth outcrop of sedimentary shale rock formation typical of Northeastern Ohio, USA. A comprehensive monitoring program was installed to collect data on the operation and performance of the ground-coupled heat pump system. The data recording was initialized in Oct. 2012 and has been in place ever since. Overall, the monitoring data shows that the ground heat pump achieved very good performance. The coefficient of performance (COP) of ground coupled heat pump system ranges from 3 to 4. The heat pump satisfies most of the house heating requirements, including severe cold winter, during the monitoring period. This case study demonstrates the feasibility of ground-coupled heat pump system in providing Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) source for residential building for either heating dominant or cooling dominant conditions under sedimentary rock geological conditions. The possible solutions to decrease the initial investment are proposed in the study.
Polarity signals in epithelial cells

SUMMARY In simple epithelia, specialized vectorial functions such as transport and secretion are made possible by the segregation of proteins and lipids into opposite surface domains. This polarized distribution results from selective delivery to and retention at the appropriate domain. In the case of direct delivery, the sorting site for apical and basolateral proteins is the trans -Golgi network (TGN) where they are incorporated into distinct apical and basolateral vesicles that are targeted to the respective surfaces. The machinery that controls this simple process is in fact rather complicated. It involves many different steps from the recognition event (between ‘sorting signal(s)’ and ‘sorting receptor(s)’) to the formation of the vesicles, their budding, and the docking to the specialized plasma membrane domain. Here we summarize the latest developments in the sorting of apical and basolateral proteins, focusing in particular on the signals that are involved in this process and the current hypotheses about the mechanisms responsible for it, in both epithelia and in non-polarized cells.
Pliocene Radiolaria from Bianco, Calabria, Italy

A diverse radiolarian assemblage is described from the Pliocene of Bianco in southern Italy. Previously, radiolarians have not been described from the Pliocene of continental southern Italy, and the section contains a fairly continuous record of both calcareous and siliceous microfossils, the latter of which occur very sporadically in other time-equivalent Italian sections. Comparison with assemblages from tropical and subtropical oceans reveals that the fauna belongs to the late Spongaster pentas or the early Pterocaniumprismatium Zone. Strong paleoenvironmental signals are reflected in the fluctuations ofabundances of several of the 30 taxa studied, but no definite trend or consistent co-variation of any group of species was found through the section.
The Septal Pore and Other Ultrastructural Features of The Pyrenomycete Sordaria Fimicola

Two types of septa are present in the pyrenomycete Sordaria fimicola. The simple, ascomycetous septum (characterized by an opening usually associated with Woronin bodies, or with vesicles and a few profiles of endoplasmic reticulum) is found in non-ascogenous structures. In contrast, the ascogenous elements show a structurally more complex septal pore. The pore rim is covered by a deposit that extends out along both sides of the septum for a very short distance. This deposit reduces the effective pore size. Clumped or stacked membrane profiles are associated with the pore deposit and radiate outwards in the cytoplasm of both ascogenous cells related by the common septum. The complex septum was found to be related to the special nuclear pairing stage preceding karyogamy and meiosis and has its organization maintained from crozier proliferation throughout ascus development.
Assessing the Reliability of the Big Five Inventory: A Community College Perspective

ABSTRACTStudent turnover is a primary concern for community college administrators. One reason that students drop out of school is poor personality/fit with their major. This study assesses the reliability of the Big Five Inventory. One hundred sixty-eight business management and accounting students completed the survey in the community college setting. This survey is reliable and should be used in future studies to determine which traits align with corresponding majors.
Imaging Based System for Performing a White Blood Cell Count and Partial Differential at the Point of Care

White blood cell counts have diagnostic utility in multiple diseases. A portable fluorescence microscope was developed with a disposable imaging cartridge to perform an accurate WBC count and three-part differential at the point of care.
Channel Impulse Response Fluctuations at 6 kHz in Shallow Water

A shallow water (∼100 m) experiment was carried out to measure the stability of forward transmissions at 6 kHz over a 6 km propagation path. The fixed source, fixed receiving array geometry enabled observing environmentally-induced fluctuations in the channel impulse response. The 64-element receiving array had an aperture of 12 m and thus a corresponding vertical angle of arrival resolution of ∼1°. Source transmissions were of duration 20 min and consisted of multiple subcomponents. Of particular interest here are the 2 kHz bandwidth, 1 s duration FM chirps which were transmitted continuously for 5 min and have been matched filtered to yield channel impulse response structure. In addition to CTDs taken in the region between the source and receiving array, a thermistor string at the receiving array site provided continuous measurements of water column temperature fluctuations. Discussed in this paper is the time-evolving structure of the channel impulse response observed from both indigvidual array elements as well as array beams which clearly show significant, environmentally-induced fluctuations over the 5 min duration of these transmissions. Also discussed is the relationship these fluctuations have to the characteristic ray path structure of the channel.
How do states die: lessons for Israel

AbstractIsrael is one of the only countries whose continued existence is called into question. The history of state death and particularly the record of state death since the end of the Cold War provide insights into the kinds of threats that are most likely to bring about the demise of countries in the twenty-first century, including Israel. This record suggests that armed conquest is no longer a principal danger to countries. Instead, state death is more likely to arise by a peaceful decision to end the state. The reasons for this decision vary case by case, but changes in the policy of a great power, ethnic strife, and a growing belief in the illegitimacy of the country’s right to exist have all played key roles in recent state deaths. Israel struggles with each of these issues, making the lessons of state death especially relevant for its future. By learning from the experience of state deaths, Israel can best assess its own vulnerabilities and determine what it needs to do to maximize its prospects f...
Notes from the Field: An Island off an Island - Understanding Bronze Age Society in Mochlos, Crete

I pushed a wheelbarrow up over the berm of my trench and rolled it down the narrow walkway that Vassilis had finished earlier that day. We had been working since seven o’clock in the morning, and by this point it was hour six of a seven hour workday. We had been at it now for eight weeks. The first two weeks we spent cleaning the site and hauling all our gear to the island by our boat, Potnia. We would get very familiar with Potnia as we rode in her to and from the island every day. The following six weeks, we worked from six in the morning until two in the afternoon five days a week and every other Saturday. We were nearing the end now. Everyone could feel it, both tired from the long season and downcast that the seemingly eternal summer was indeed coming to a close. We had become close to each other due to the fact that we were all in a similar situation: young, educated, and adventurous. However, we had also become close to the community that hosted us--our landlords, shopkeepers, restaurant owners, waiters, and barmen--as well as the workers that we labored with in the sun, sharing water and meals to get through the day. As I shoveled the wheelbarrow into the sieve, I looked up across the Mochlos landscape: the clear, blue water I couldn’t wait to swim home in and the rolling hills that quickly led up to the steep, rugged Ornos Mountains that created this micro-ecosystem. I soaked up the awe that this place generates as it took me back four thousand years to the culture that made the tiny obsidian blade Vassilis picks up and jokingly pretends to use to shave my face. The site of Mochlos lies in the Bay of Mirabello in East Crete. It was first discovered by Richard Seager, who excavated
Increasing predoctoral dental students' motivations to specialize in prosthodontics

This study provides data about factors that influence dental students' decision of which specialty to pursue and describes program changes in prosthodontics designed to expand student interest in a prosthodontics training program. Of 176 current and recently graduated students at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 167 responded to the e-mail survey for a 94.9 percent response rate. Using the Pearson chi-square analysis, we analyzed nine factors to determine their contribution to these students' choice of specialty. Two factors, lecture and faculty/mentoring, were highly significant (p<0.006) regarding impact on the students' introductory experience with prosthodontics. When choosing a specialty, 44 percent of all students ranked "enjoyment of providing the specialty service" as the most important factor. Students wishing to specialize in prosthodontics, however, ranked four significant factors: enjoyment of providing the specialty service (p<0.037, p<0.057); faculty influence (p<0.0002, p<0.0001); length of program (p<0.039, p<0.006); and cost of program (p<0.023, p<0.004). Respondents also ranked the nine American Dental Association-recognized specialties regarding their perceptions of future salary and impact on the dental profession. They ranked prosthodontics fourth for future salary and fifth for impact on the profession. At the same time that this study was being conducted, key changes were being made in the graduate prosthodontics program; those appear to have had a positive impact on students' interest in pursuing prosthodontics as a specialty.
Roles for the Histone Modifying and Exchange Complex NuA4 in Cell Cycle Progression in Drosophila melanogaster

Robust and synchronous repression of E2F-dependent gene expression is critical to the proper timing of cell cycle exit when cells transition to a postmitotic state. Previously NuA4 was suggested to act as a barrier to proliferation in Drosophila by repressing E2F-dependent gene expression. Here we show that NuA4 activity is required for proper cell cycle exit and the repression of cell cycle genes during the transition to a postmitotic state in vivo However, the delay of cell cycle exit caused by compromising NuA4 is not due to additional proliferation or effects on E2F activity. Instead NuA4 inhibition results in slowed cell cycle progression through late S and G2 phases due to aberrant activation of an intrinsic p53-independent DNA damage response. A reduction in NuA4 function ultimately produces a paradoxical cell cycle gene expression program, where certain cell cycle genes become derepressed in cells that are delayed during the G2 phase of the final cell cycle. Bypassing the G2 delay when NuA4 is inhibited leads to abnormal mitoses and results in severe tissue defects. NuA4 physically and genetically interacts with components of the E2F complex termed D: rosophila, R: bf, E: 2F A: nd M: yb/ M: ulti-vulva class B: (DREAM/MMB), and modulates a DREAM/MMB-dependent ectopic neuron phenotype in the posterior wing margin. However, this effect is also likely due to the cell cycle delay, as simply reducing Cdk1 is sufficient to generate a similar phenotype. Our work reveals that the major requirement for NuA4 in the cell cycle in vivo is to suppress an endogenous DNA damage response, which is required to coordinate proper S and G2 cell cycle progression with differentiation and cell cycle gene expression.
Interactions of ligands with morphine and enkephalin receptors are differentially affected by guanine nucleotide.

The effects of cations and GTP on morphine (µ) and enkephalin (δ) receptors were examined by using binding assays of [3H]naloxone to rat brain membrane preparations and [3H]diprenorphine or [3H]naloxone to neuroblastoma cell membranes. The potencies and Hill coefficients (n) of many opiate agonists and opioid peptides in competing with the binding of the labeled antagonist are reduced by Na+ (100 mM) and GTP (0.1 mM). These effects are qualitatively similar for both subtypes of opiate receptors. However, quantitatively, the effects of GTP are much more profound for morphine receptors than for enkephalin receptors and the effects of Na+ are dependent upon the type of labeled antagonist used rather than upon receptor type. Na+ does not alter the affinity of opiate antagonists. GTP reduces the affinity of naloxone to morphine-binding sites by a factor of 2.5. Mg2+ (5 mM) increases the potency of opiate agonists and enkephalins for both receptor sites. The combination of Na+, GTP, and Mg2+ further reduces the affinity of enkephalins and opiate agonists for enkephalin-binding sites and the affinity of Met- and Leu-enkephalin for morphine-binding sites. However, the combination of Na+, GTP, and Mg2+ partially restores the affinity of [D-Ala2, Leu5]- and [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin and morphine for the morphine-binding sites. These differential effects of cations and nucleotide further emphasize the differences that exist between morphine and enkephalin receptors and indicate the complex interactions of cations and nucleotides with opiate-binding sites.
Leveraging communal experiences in the curriculum: Increasing interest in pursuing engineering by changing stereotypic expectations

The goal congruity perspective suggests that students may not enter engineering, in part, because they believe engineering is unlikely to fulfill communal, other-oriented goals. Increasing beliefs that engineering fulfills communal goals can increase engineering interest. We examine how actual and expected communal experiences in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) shape engineering interest. Study 1 demonstrates that past communal STEM experiences predict greater beliefs that engineering fulfills communal goals and positive engineering attitudes. Using experimental methods, studies 2 and 3 demonstrate that including a service-learning project in an engineering course description increases beliefs that the course fulfills communal goals and course interest. These findings suggest that communal STEM experiences, and service learning in particular, can increase interest and participation in engineering.
Comparing the Performances of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Size vs Pharmacokinetic Parameters to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Survival in Patients With Breast Cancer.

Purpose To compare the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging-pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters vs tumor volume in predicting breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy response (NACR) and patient survival. Subjects and Methods Sixty-six patients with locally advanced breast cancer who underwent breast MRI monitoring of NACR were retrospectively analyzed. We compared baseline transfer constant (Ktrans), reflux rate contrast (kep), and extracellular extravascular volume fraction (ve) with the same parameters obtained at early postchemotherapy MRI, and examined model-independent changes in time-intensity curves (maximum slope, contrast enhancement ratio, and IAUC90). Tumor size changes (tumor volume, single dimension, and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST]) were also analyzed. The Spearman correlation test was used to assess the association between size and PK parameters, and regression analysis to assess the association with 5-year disease-free survival. Results Higher ve values at baseline were associated with greater decreases in tumor size (P = 0.008). Changes in Ktrans and IAUC90 were the strongest predictors of NACR. Changes in IAUC90 (P = 0.04) and RECIST (P = 0.003) were independently associated with pathologic response. The only parameter significantly associated with 5-year survival was change in RECIST (P = 0.001). However, there was a trend toward statistical significance for changes in ve and Ktrans, with greater changes associated with longer survival. Conclusion Changes in PK and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging kinetic parameters may have a role in predicting NACR in breast tumors. Although changes in Ktrans and IAUC90 are helpful in predicting NACR, they do not show significant association with survival. Early RECIST size change measured by MRI remains the strongest predictor of overall patient survival.
Some Reflections on Solid State Convection in the Mantles of the Earth, Moon and Terrestrial Planets

Convection in the Earth’s mantle was long a controversial question in geoscience because the importance of solid state creep in the mantles of the Earth and terrestrial planets was not appreciated. Solid state convection produces low degree, non-hydrostatic gravitational anomalies: in the Moon, Mars and Mercury without causing plate motions, while in the Earth and probably Venus surface movements due to their relatively thin lithospheres result The reconciliation of the different pictures of the convection pattern in the Earth’s mantle seen from the geoid, seismic tomography and the observed plate motions remains a fundamental problem in geoscience.
Mobile Health Technology Knowledge and Practices Among Patients of Safety-Net Health Systems in Washington State and Washington, DC

Purpose Mobile health technology (mHealth) can reduce health disparities, but research on the health behaviors of low-income patients is needed. This study evaluates mHealth knowledge and practices of low-resource safety-net patients. Methods We administered a 47-item questionnaire to 164 low-income patients accessing services at community health centers in the state of Washington and Washington, DC. Predictor variables included demographic factors: age, race, ethnicity, income. Outcome variables were smartphone knowledge (smartphones as a wellness tool), medical app knowledge (availability of medical-based apps), smartphone practices (ever used smartphones for wellness), health apps practices (ever used health-based apps), and medical apps practices (ever used medical-based apps). Multivariate logistic regression assessed relationships between predictor and outcome variables. Results Mean age was 35.2 years (median: 34), and study cohort (N=159) consisted of mostly women (68%), white race (36%), and income of <$20,000/year (63%). Outcomes: 71% and 58% reported knowledge of using smartphones for wellness and knowledge of medical apps, respectively; 76% used smartphones for wellness, with adults 50+ years of age significantly less likely than younger adults (odds ratio [OR]: 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.99); 48% used health apps, with adults 50+ years of age less likely than younger adults (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) and respondents earning <$20,000/year less likely than higher earners (OR: 3.13, 95% CI: 1.02-9.57); and 58% used medical apps, with Hispanics/Latinos significantly more likely than non-Hispanics/Latinos (OR: 6.38, 95% CI: 1.04-39.02). Conclusions Safety-net patients use mobile devices for health promotion. Age and income are important predictive factors, suggesting a more tailored design of the technology is required for broad engagement and health equity.
The arts and international relations: the evolving identity of the Edinburgh International Festival in the Cold War era.

AbstractThis article attempts to discuss the delicate relationship between the arts and international politics and the instrumental role the arts may play in international relations. The paper sets the Cold War as the stage and uses the Edinburgh International Festival as the subject of research to trace the interplay between the arts and international relations. Specifically, the article answers the questions of how the festival was impacted by the changing international relations over the Cold War period and how the festival as an arts organization exerted influence on international politics.
THE HEART SCORE IN BLACKS WITH EMERGENCY PRESENTATION OF CHEST PAIN: A PERFORMANCE TEST AND RISK ANALYSIS

The HEART score was designed to aid in disposition of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain (CP). Using prospectively collected data from the local and regional electronic health record systems, CP presentations to the ED of an academic institution were investigated.
Democracy, Exclusion, and White Supremacy: How Should We Think About Exclusionary Zoning?:

David Imbroscio’s argument about exclusionary zoning contains several salient arguments that deserve the attention of those working on issues of housing justice, racial justice, and urban equity. A...
Bound together for God and country: the binding moral foundations link unreflectiveness with religiosity and political conservatism

Abstract Existing work suggests links between analytic cognitive style, endorsement of the binding moral foundations prioritizing sanctity, loyalty, and respect for authority, and individual differences in religiosity and conservatism. Yet, it remains unclear how these variables interrelate. In three new studies and a reanalysis of an open dataset, we find evidence that people who engage in less analytical thinking tend to endorse the binding (but not individualizing) moral foundations, which in may turn lead them to endorse various elements of religiosity and conservativism—including a) belief in God, b) intrinsic religious motivation, c) auxiliary religious beliefs (i.e., religious beliefs other than theism), d) reportedly engaging in religious practices, e) identification as politically conservative, and f) endorsement of both socially and fiscally conservative positions on political issues. These findings align with theories suggesting lower analytic cognitive style may be useful in socially dense environments where group cohesion is paramount. However, results do not rule out alternative frameworks, such as those treating moral values as a downstream product of political and religious attitudes.
Trust Considerations for Explainable Robots: A Human Factors Perspective.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have drawn attention to the need for AI systems and robots to be understandable to human users. The explainable AI (XAI) and explainable robots literature aims to enhance human understanding and human-robot team performance by providing users with necessary information about AI and robot behavior. Simultaneously, the human factors literature has long addressed important considerations that contribute to human performance, including human trust in autonomous systems. In this paper, drawing from the human factors literature, we discuss three important trust-related considerations for the design of explainable robot systems: the bases of trust, trust calibration, and trust specificity. We further detail existing and potential metrics for assessing trust in robotic systems based on explanations provided by explainable robots.
Viscoelasticity and the dynamics of concentrated particle suspension in channel flow

The interplay of particles and viscoelasticity in turbulent channel flow is studied using direct numerical simulations. The particle concentration is moderate at 20 % solid volume fraction, and the range of fluid elasticity spans from zero for Newtonian fluid to high Weissenberg numbers, . Qualitative changes in the flow dynamics are observed compared with dilute suspensions which were studied previously and are known to promote the cycles of hibernating and active turbulence. In contrast, at moderate concentration of particles, these cycles are entirely absent at the same level of fluid elasticity. In addition, instead of the commonly anticipated polymer drag reduction, a drag increase is observed when elasticity exceeds a threshold Weissenberg number. The higher drag is examined at various scales, starting from a global stress balance and down to the level of the particle microstructure. A key factor is the increase in polymer stresses, while the Reynolds shear stress is nearly eradicated. An explanation is provided by analysing the polymer conformation tensor using appropriate measures of its departure from the equilibrium state, with particular focus on the fluid in the vicinity of the particles. It is also demonstrated that viscoelasticity markedly affects both the diffusion and migration dynamics of the particles: diffusion is inhibited due to suppression of turbulent activity and, as a result, reduced mixing of particles and faster decorrelation of their motion; migration is preferential towards the channel centre, which leads to appreciable clustering in that region, which has a direct impact on the local polymer stresses.
Opening the black box: Developing metrics to assess the cognitive processes of prototyping

While past work has demonstrated the ability of prototypes to boost design project performance, influence stakeholder buy-in, and improve design team communication, prototyping remains a ‘black-box’ process. The specific mechanisms through which prototypes affect designer cognition remains unknown. To date, there has been little work to operationalize theory and enable the fine-grain measurement of cognitive processes during prototyping tasks. In short, there is a lack of appropriate metrics to establish the intangible value of prototyping tasks via the measurement of the knowledge generated. The purpose of this work is to propose metrics that more holistically assess the value of prototypes. The proposed metrics are implemented in a design project to validate their utility in studying prototyping tendencies.
Negative External Pressure Coefficients for Design of Components and Cladding of Low-Rise Buildings with Steep-Slope Gable Roofs

AbstractNegative external pressure coefficients for design of components and cladding of steep-slope gable roofs (27° to 45° roof slope) on low-rise buildings subjected to wind loads were determine...
Multiscale Modeling and Applications of Bioinspired Materials with Gyroid Structures

Bone, nacre, and other biological materials exhibit unique hierarchical structures at different length scales, and thereby achieve versatile material functions. The excellent performance of bioinspired designs in materials science has attracted the interest of engineers and scientists to expand this bioinspiration to many other materials, including graphene. Among the different designs that draw significant attention, butterfly wings are particularly noteworthy, whose iridescent colors arise from the interaction of light with highly precise multiscale structures that in some cases correspond to a 3D shape of gyroid geometries. Especially, the combination of gyroid designs with graphene can produce mechanical and thermal functions for carbon porous materials that exhibit superior properties such as strength 10 times higher than mild steel, with only around 4.6% the density of this material, featuring also density-insensitive thermal stability, as well as an outstanding impact energy absorption capability as high as 269 MJ/m3. Based on molecular modeling, the physics and mechanics of graphene-based gyroid structures, as well as their performance in the context of thermal conduction and impact energy absorption are included in our current short review.
Analysis and Mechanism of Turn-on Current Spike of SiC MOSFETs

Silicon Carbide MOSFET(SiC MOSFET) has the ability of bi-directional conduction and intrinsic body diode. In a voltage-source converter which has bridge legs, an external anti-parallel diode can be omitted compared with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor(IGBT) devices. However, the converter efficiency will be reduced when taken into account body diode reverse recovery and excessive conduction voltage drop. At present, SiC MOSFETs is still paralleled by SiC Schottky Barrier Diode(SBD) for freewheeling in many applications. Although the SiC SBD has no reverse recovery current, its junction capacitance will aggravate turn-on current spike. Three methods including SiC SBD, body diode and their paralleling connection are analyzed in the paper. Modeling, analysis and experimental validation are performed to research components of the turn-on current spike and the causes of each component when changing DC link voltages and switching speeds. The results show that the switching speed has the strongest effect on the current spike. The body diode in parallel with SBD deteriorate the turn-on current spike.
Dual system youth and their pathways in Los Angeles County: a replication of the OJJDP Dual System Youth Study

Abstract Background The estimated number of youth who come into contact with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, or “dual system” youth, varies widely because studies use different methodologies. Recent work using linked administrative data shows promise for identifying a stable range of dual system rates, generalizable to other jurisdictions and useful for understanding the nature and timing of system involvement. Objective This study replicates the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Dual System Youth Design Study methodology to explore dual system overlap and six distinct dual system pathways defined by the type (i.e., nonconcurrent or concurrent) and timing (i.e., first contact with child welfare or juvenile justice) of dual system contact in Los Angeles County. Participants and setting Using data from the Los Angeles Probation Department, a cohort of youth born in/after 1998 with a first juvenile justice petition between 2014 and 2016 was identified (N = 6877) and matched to statewide child welfare records between 1998 and 2017. Method Descriptive statistics were produced for dual system youth and pathways, and differences across groups were tested using chi-square and t-tests. Results Two-thirds of youth with a first juvenile justice petition interacted with the child welfare system. The majority of dual system youth did not have contact with both systems at the same time and nearly all dual system youth were involved with the child welfare system before the juvenile justice system. Female and Black youth were more likely to be dual system youth and to have more extensive involvement with the child welfare system. Probation experiences and outcomes were associated with the nature and chronicity of child welfare involvement. Conclusion Implementing a delinquency prevention continuum that starts with community-based supports and continues throughout all levels of child welfare and juvenile justice involvement is essential to disrupting dual system involvement.
Application of new approach methodologies: ICE tools to support chemical evaluations

Abstract New approach methodologies (NAMs) for toxicological applications such as in vitro assays and in silico models generate data that can be useful for assessing potential health impacts of chemicals. The National Toxicology Program’s (NTP’s) Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE; https://ice.ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ ) provides user-friendly access to NAM data and tools to explore and contextualize chemical bioactivity and molecular properties. ICE contains curated in vivo and in vitro toxicity testing data and experimental physicochemical property data gathered from different literature sources. ICE also contains computationally generated toxicity data and physicochemical parameter predictions. ICE provides interactive computational tools that characterize, analyze, and predict bioactivity for user-defined chemicals. ICE Search allows users to select and merge data sets for lists of chemicals and mixtures, yielding summary-level information, curated reference data, and bioactivity details mapped to mechanistic targets and modes of action. With the Curve Surfer tool, the user can explore concentration–response relationships of curated high-throughput screening assays. The Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetics (PBPK) tool predicts tissue-level concentrations resulting from in vivo doses, while the In Vitro–In Vivo Extrapolation (IVIVE) tool translates in vitro activity concentrations to equivalent in vivo dose estimates. The Chemical Characterization tool displays distributions of physicochemical properties, bioactivity- and structure-based projections, and consumer product use information. Chemical Quest, the newest ICE tool, allows users to search for structurally similar chemicals to a target chemical or substructure from within the extensive ICE database. Retrieved information on target chemicals and those with similar structures can then be used to query other ICE tools and datasets, greatly expanding data available to address the user’s question. ICE links to other NTP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data sources, expanding ICE’s capacity to examine chemicals based on physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and product use categories.
PV Solar Technology for Energy Cost and Emissions Reduction in Rural Area

The world in recent times has leaned towards increased use of renewable energy which is because of spiking cost of fossil fuels, environmental impact etc. Solar energy from the sun has seen a lot of application recently mainly due to its availability and scalability. Sunlight is composed of photons--packets of solar energy. When photons strike a photovoltaic (PV) cell, they may be reflected or absorbed, or they may pass right through. The absorbed photons generate electricity. The energy of a photon is transferred to an electron in an atom of the semiconductor device. An array of solar cells converts solar energy into a usable amount of Direct Current (DC) electricity. This paper presents a PV solar farm system using electricity usage data obtained from a utility provider in a rural area (Prairie View) in Texas, while examining factors that may affect solar energy integration in the area. The results of the power and voltages generated at different temperatures are analyzed and compared.
The effect of inbreeding constraints and offspring distribution on time to the most recent common ancestor

Abstract The expected time to the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of two alleles in a diploid individual is 4 N + 2 under random mating with a Poisson progeny distribution, but 8 N − 2 under maximum avoidance of inbreeding, which entails two progeny per mating pair. ( N is the number of mating pairs, hence 2 N is the number of individuals, hence 4 N is the number of alleles.) The interrelationship of inbreeding constraints and offspring distribution is investigated by varying the level of sib mating: prohibiting sib mating increases the time to MRCA by four generations and decreases the variance of the offspring distribution by 2 / N . With two progeny per mating pair, the expected time to the MRCA is 8 N − 2 under both random mating and sib mating prohibited, as well as under maximum avoidance of inbreeding, but this result does not hold for all mating structures with two progeny per mating pair.
Comparing Salient Object Detection Results without Ground Truth

A wide variety of methods have been developed to approach the problem of salient object detection. The performance of these methods is often image-dependent. This paper aims to develop a method that is able to select for an input image the best salient object detection result from many results produced by different methods. This is a challenging task as different salient object detection results need to be compared without any ground truth. This paper addresses this challenge by designing a range of features to measure the quality of salient object detection results. These features are then used in various machine learning algorithms to rank different salient object detection results. Our experiments show that our method is promising for ranking salient object detection results and our method is also able to pick the best salient object detection result such that the overall salient object detection performance is better than each individual method.
SoftWrAP: A lightweight framework for transactional support of storage class memory

In-memory computing is gaining popularity as a means of sidestepping the performance bottlenecks of block storage operations. However, the volatile nature of DRAM makes these systems vulnerable to system crashes, while the need to continuously refresh massive amounts of passive memoryresident data increases power consumption. Emerging storage-class memory (SCM) technologies combine fast DRAM-like cache-line access granularity with the persistence of storage devices like disks or SSDs, resulting in potential 10x-100x performance gains, and low passive power consumption. This unification of storage and memory into a single directly-accessible persistent tier raises significant reliability and pro-grammability challenges. In this paper, we present SoftWrAP, an open-source framework for Software based Write-Aside Persistence. SoftWrAP provides lightweight atomicity and durability for SCM storage transactions, while ensuring fast paths to data in processor caches, DRAM, and persistent memory tiers. We use our framework to evaluate both handcrafted SCM-based microbenchmarks as well as existing applications, specifically the STX B+Tree library and SQLite database, backed by emulated SCM. Our results show significant benefits of SoftWrAP over existing methods such as undo logging and shadow copying, and can match non-atomic durable writes to SCM, thereby gaining atomic consistency almost for free.
MINIMAX ESTIMATION OF THE MEAN OF A NORMAL DISTRIBUTION SUBJECT TO DOING WELL AT A POINT

SUMMARY We study the problem: Minimize maxθEθ (δ(X)-θ)2 subject to E0δ2 (X) ≤ 1-t, t > 0, when X ˜ N(0,l). This problem arises in robustness questions in parametric models (Bickel (1982)). We (1) Partially characterize optimum procedures. (2) Show the relation of the problem to Huber's (1964) minimax robust estimation of location and its equivalence to a problem of Mallows on robust smoothing. (3) Give the behaviour of the optimum risk for t → 0, 1 (4) Study some reasonable suboptimal solutions.