cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assigning Students to Groups Using General and Context-Specific Criteria

Group projects are an important component in many courses. Instructors can allow students to form their own groups or assign them to increase the effectiveness of the group. Most computational tools supporting the assignment of students to class project groups use some general criterion, for instance, maximizing the diversity of the group members. However, frequently, the instructor needs to consider additional context-specific criteria and preferences which force the instructor to figure out the assignment of the students by hand instead of using a software tool. Difficult and time-consuming, this task can easily result in suboptimal assignments. In this paper, a method is introduced that allows the instructor to combine a general criterion and a flexible set of context-specific preferences to describe the type of groups preferred. The heuristic Tabu Search algorithm finds solutions satisfying most preferences.
Optimizing dispersal and corridor models using landscape genetics

Summary 1. Better tools are needed to predict population connectivity in complex landscapes. ‘Least-cost modelling’ is one commonly employed approach in which dispersal costs are assigned to distinct habitat types and the least-costly dispersal paths among habitat patches are calculated using a geographical information system (GIS). Because adequate data on dispersal are usually lacking, dispersal costs are often assigned solely from expert opinion. Spatially explicit, high-resolution genetic data may be used to infer variation in animal movements. We employ such an approach to estimate habitatspecific migration rates and to develop least-cost connectivity models for desert bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni . 2. Bighorn sheep dispersal is thought to be affected by distance and topography. We incorporated both factors into least-cost GIS models with different parameter values and estimated effective geographical distances among 26 populations. We assessed which model was correlated most strongly with gene flow estimates among those populations, while controlling for the effect of anthropogenic barriers. We used the bestfitting model to (i) determine whether migration rates are higher over sloped terrain than flat terrain; (ii) predict probable movement corridors; (iii) predict which populations are connected by migration; and (iv) investigate how anthropogenic barriers and translocated populations have affected landscape connectivity. 3. Migration models were correlated most strongly with migration when areas of at least 10% slope had 1/10th the cost of areas of lower slope; thus, gene flow occurred over longer distances when ‘escape terrain’ was available. Optimal parameter values were consistent across two measures of gene flow and three methods for defining population polygons. 4. Anthropogenic barriers disrupted numerous corridors predicted to be high-use dispersal routes, indicating priority areas for mitigation. However, population translocations have restored high-use dispersal routes in several other areas. Known intermountain movements of bighorn sheep were largely consistent with predicted corridors. 5. Synthesis and applications. Population genetic data provided sufficient resolution to infer how landscape features influenced the behaviour of dispersing desert bighorn sheep. Anthropogenic barriers that block high-use dispersal corridors should be mitigated, but population translocations may help maintain connectivity. We conclude that developing least-cost models from similar empirical data could significantly improve the utility of these tools.
Circular Bragg phenomenon and pulse bleeding in cholesteric liquid crystals

Abstract Examining the reflection and transmission of pulses by a half-space occupied by an axially excited cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC), we uncover the spatio–temporal anatomy of the circular Bragg phenomenon exhibited by CLCs. In particular, we show the phenomenon of pulse bleeding occurs in the Bragg regime, when the handedness of the incident light coincides with the structural handedness of the illuminated CLC.
Inhibition of the Cardiomyocyte-Specific Troponin I–Interacting Kinase Limits Oxidative Stress, Injury, and Adverse Remodeling due to Ischemic Heart Disease

Inhibition of the Cardiomyocyte-Specific Kinase TNNI3K Limits Oxidative Stress, Injury, and Adverse Remodeling in the Ischemic Heart Vagnozzi et al Sci Transl Med . 2013;5:207ra141; DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3006479 Ischemia–reperfusion injury is strongly associated with increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death. These processes are diminished in an animal model of ischemia–reperfusion by the genetic loss or pharmacological inhibition of troponin I–interacting kinase. During the past 3 decades, we have seen significant advances in our ability to reestablish perfusion after myocardial infarction, which has resulted in improvements in cardiac function and mortality. However, reperfusion itself can induce cell death in the area at risk called ischemia–reperfusion injury.1 This type of injury is thought to develop when cardiomyocytes, injured by ischemia, are killed by rapid normalization of pH, calcium overload, cellular swelling, or oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, in particular reactive oxygenation species production, is thought to induce calcium handling abnormalities, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and cell death.2 The mitigation of cellular death from oxidative stress from ischemia–reperfusion injury is the focus of a recent article by Vagnozzi et al.3 Their work investigates the novel role of the cardiac-specific protein, troponin I–interacting kinase (TNNI3K), in the development of this injury and provides an approach for treating ischemia–perfusion injury in a clinical setting. In mice, genetic overexpression of TNNI3K increased infarct size and cellular death after ischemic injury in comparison with wild-type animals or animals overexpressing kinase inactive versions of TNNI3K. The observed increase in infarct size was associated with increased reactive oxygen species production in the TNNI3K-overexpressing mice. Using an in vitro model of ischemic injury, the authors show that the overexpression of TNNI3K resulted in increased reactive oxygen species generation, altered mitochondrial membrane potentials, and diminished mitochondrial calcium flux. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 phosphorylation was enhanced in TNNI3K-overexpressing …
Transient radiation myelopathy (Lhermitte's sign) in patients with Hodgkin's disease treated by mantle irradiation

Abstract Transient radiation myelopathy diagnosed by Lhermitte's sign was noted in four of 44 patients with Hodgkin's disease who were treated with 4000 rad/four wks. mantle irradiation from 1969 to 1977. Symptoms appeared four, six, six and twenty weeks after treatment and lasted for four, eight and twenty-four weeks respectively; one patient developed late minor neurological disability two years later. There was no correlation within this group of patients between incidence and time dose fractionation (TDF) or equivalent single dose (ED ret) but a dose response-incidence relationship was noted when this study was compared to others in the literature.
Double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with quadriceps and semitendinosus tendon grafts.

This study presents a novel arthroscopic technique for double-bundle reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament. A quadriceps tendon-patellar bone autograft is used to reconstruct the major anterolateral bundle. An additional double-stranded semitendinosus tendon is used to reconstruct the posteromedial bundle. In 70° of flexion and full extension with anterior drawer force, the quadriceps tendon graft and semitendinosus tendon graft are fixed inside the anterior aspect of the single tibial tunnel, respectively. An anatomic reconstruction can be achieved by using these 2 autografts.
Experiments in identification and control of flexible-link manipulators

A report is presented on an ongoing effort for end-point position control of flexible-link manipulators under realistic conditions in laboratory setups consisting of one- and two-link manipulators. The authors treat modeling, identification, and control of flexible-link manipulators that are required to carry payloads, possibly unknown and varying, while undergoing disturbance effects from the environments and the workspace. The various identification and control techniques being investigated are summarized, with emphasis on the ability of the controller to adjust to changes in dynamics, payload, and working environment. It is found that time-domain methods offer identified model structures that are readily available for control design, whereas frequency-domain methods, particularly the time-varying transfer function estimation approach developed for this application, are more desirable when rapid controller tuning is required. >
Hierarchical Classification via Orthogonal Transfer

We consider multiclass classification problems where the set of labels are organized hierarchically as a category tree. We associate each node in the tree with a classifier and classify the examples recursively from the root to the leaves. We propose a hierarchical Support Vector Machine (SVM) that encourages the classifier at each node to be different from the classifiers at its ancestors. More specifically, we introduce regularizations that force the normal vector of the classifying hyperplane at each node to be orthogonal to those at its ancestors as much as possible. We establish conditions under which training such a hierarchical SVM is a convex optimization problem, and develop an efficient dual-averaging method for solving it.
The Parliament of the Experts

In the administrative state, how should expert opinions be aggregated and used? If a panel of experts is unanimous on a question of fact, causation, or prediction, can an administrative agency rationally disagree, and on what grounds? If experts are split into a majority view and a minority view, must the agency follow the majority? Should reviewing courts limit agency discretion to select among the conflicting views of experts, or to depart from expert consensus?I argue that voting by expert panels is likely, on average, to be an epistemically superior mechanism for determining facts and causation, and for making predictions, than is the substantive judgment of agency heads in rulemaking or adjudication. Nose-counting of expert panels should generally be an acceptable basis for decision under the arbitrary and capricious or substantial evidence tests. Moreover, agencies should be obliged to follow the (super)majority view of an expert panel, even if the agency's own judgment is to the contrary, unless the agency can give an epistemically valid reason for rejecting the panel majority's view.
The use of ImagentR BP in Diagnostic Imaging Research and 19F Magnetic Resonance for PO2 Measurements

Imagent BP (90% w/v perflubron emulsion) is radiopaque and serves as an X-ray contrast medium. Quantitative X-ray Computed Tomography, provides the means to non-invasively estimate tissue perflubron concentration providing three unique capabilities: 1) The use of the same animal for biodistribution and elimination analysis; 2) The precise geographic distribution of the agent to more accurately quantitate localized accumulations; and 3) The ability to gather physiologic data by monitoring the time dependent distribution of perflubron.It is known that the T1−1 of 19F of perfluorochemicals is linearly related to the dissolved oxygen which allows the quantitation of PO2 in-vivo. We showed using perflubron in phanta that not only was T1−1 linearly related to PO2 but also T2−1 and both were insensitive to perflubron concentration. Since flow interferes with signal, the first in-vivo experiments have focused on stationary perflubron located within phagocytes. T1−1 measured from this environment suggested a PO2 o...
The Legitimacy Puzzle in Latin America: Legitimacy and Democratic Values

We now ask whether legitimacy's effects include other values that might reinforce democracy, a counterpoint to the effects on negative political capital just discussed in Chapter 6. We ask this question because so far we have focused heavily on the impact of legitimacy on political participation as a result of our belief that citizen activism is the quintessential basis of all democratic rule. But, in this final substantive chapter, we wonder how deep is the commitment of citizens to democracy per se, and whether their legitimacy norms might undermine or strengthen a broad commitment to democracy. We saw in Chapter 5 that, for several forms of legitimacy, low levels contribute to higher participation rates. Do disgruntled activists pose a threat to democracy? Is their support for democracy as a system of government contingent upon how well they believe their rulers and institutions are performing? That is to say, we wonder, as did Huntington (1968), whether discontent with various aspects of the system could lead activist critics of a regime to participate in ways that could adversely affect democratic consolidation. This book has explored the axiomatic assumption that legitimacy is a necessary (but clearly not sufficient) condition for the sustainability of democratic rule. We have accepted the literature's arguments that legitimacy is built, bit-by-bit, through effective regime performance, and that such support can erode over time.
Comparing gnomes

The theory behind biocomputing is to look to biological structures and processes for new ways of solving difficult computational problems. But this, need not, be a one-way street: advances in computing can feed back into the study of biology, leading to better biotechnological tools.
Black Representations of Settlement on Film: Thomasine and Bushrod

This article develops a method for analyzing Indigenous erasure in popular film that focuses not on the representations (or lack thereof) of Indigenous peoples but on representations of settlement....
Abstract 2912: F-box protein 10: A novel NF-κB–dependent antiapoptotic protein regulates TRAIL-induced apoptosis

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Introduction and Objective Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis—inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces selective apoptotic death of human cancer cells while sparing normal human cells. Although TRAIL holds great promise as a potential anti—cancer agent, some tumors develop resistance to TRAIL. Previously, we have shown that the AP—1 family member, c—Fos, is an important modulator of apoptosis. Although FBXL10 has been implicated to regulate an AP—1 family protein, c—Jun, its role in mediating apoptotic pathways has not been previously investigated. Here, we report that FBXL10 is a novel NF—kB dependent anti—apoptotic molecule, which directly binds and represses c—Fos, another AP—1 family member, rather than c—Jun. Repression of c—Fos leads to resistance of cancer cells to TRAIL—induced apoptosis. Methods RT—PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were applied to evaluate protein expression level. RNAi, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), EMSA, hydrodynamic—based transfection, oligonucleotide decoy technologies, plasmid reconstruction and site—directed mutation were performed to analyze the interaction between FBXL10, c—Fos and NF—kB. Orthotopic prostate xenografts were carried out for in—vivo analyses. Results FBXL10 was suppressed and c—Fos was upregulated in TRAIL sensitive cancer cells and xenografts after treatment with TRAIL. However, in TRAIL resistant cancer cells and xenografts, FBXL10 and c—Fos were not affected. Expression of FBXL11, a FBXL10 homologous protein and c—Jun, was not affected by TRAIL. Silencing of FBXL10 sensitized resistant cells to TRAIL. Conversely, over—expression of FBXL10 repressed TRAIL—induced apoptosis. To behave as an anti—apoptotic molecule, we found that FBXL10 directly binds and represses c—Fos promoter in vitro and in vivo. In addition, FBXL10 regulates c—FLIP, another anti—apoptotic molecule, by a c—Fos dependent pathway. We also found that expression of FBXL10 is NF—kB—dependent, and TRAIL or proteasome inhibitors down—regulate FBXL10 via inhibiting NF—kB signaling. Using ChIP and EMSA assays, we found that NF—kB—p65 directly binds the FBXL10 promoter in vivo and in vitro, and promotes expression of FBXL10. Conclusions Differentiating molecular mechanisms between TRAIL sensitive and TRAIL resistant cancer cells will improve the efficacy of apoptotic therapies for cancer patients. In this study, we demonstrates for the first time, that FBXL10 plays an anti—apoptotic role and indicates a novel NF—kB/FBXL10/c—Fos/c—FLIP signaling pathway in TRAIL—mediated apoptosis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2912.
Geographic Variation in Scatella stagnalis (Diptera: Ephydridae)

A multiple discriminant functions analysis of Scatella stagnalis (Diptera: Ephydridae) from 40 localities in North America showed that only a small portion of the interlocality variation can be accounted for by the geographic positions of the localities. It was hypothesized that the observed variation was due to some combination of local selective pressures and non-selective factors. The data suggest that gene flow is of little importance in this species. Analysis of variance indicated significant interpopulational differences in all 12 characters measured for both males and females, except for the length of the 3rd antennal segment in males. Further analysis showed the females to be larger than the males with respect to all characters. The variational patterns found in males were only partially paralleled in females. This may be a reflection of the varying patterns of sexual dimorphism or it might indicate that males and females are being subjected to somewhat different selective pressures. The analysis indicated that the recognition of geographic races (subspecies) would be inappropriate.
Uncertainty Analysis of the Mercury Oxidation over a Standard SCR Catalyst through a Lab-Scale Kinetic Study

A kinetic study of the mercury oxidation across a standard composition SCR catalyst under simplified flue gas conditions (12 % CO2, 5 % O2, 5 % H2O, 5 ppb Hg, 10 ppm of HCl in air) is carried out i...
Scaling Methods and Results for Applicatiions Running on NASA's 61 TFLOP Columbia System

The paper below provides a very brief overview of NASA’s new Columbia supercomputing system. This is followed by a discussion on the strategies and approaches used on Columbia to get the most efficient performance on a number of user codes. Performance results for several NASA production applications in the earth and aero sciences are provided, along with comparative performances for a number of synthetic benchmarks used in past HPC system evaluations at NAS.
Value and Strengthen the Study of Laboratory Animals in China

At present,laboratory animal science is getting obviously important to biology.Although the institution and organization,rules and regulations is gradually improved,the gap is still exits compared with the international level.So,we should pay attention to and strengthen the study of laboratory animals in China,such as,the Standardization of laboratory animals,Laboratory Animalization of wild animals,animal welfare,3Rs techniques and the industrialization of laboratory animals,so as to promote the overall development of life sciences of China.
Mixed Ligand Complexes of Am3+, Cm3+ and Eu3+ with HEDTA and HEDTA + NTA—Complexation Thermodynamics and Structural Aspects

The stability constants and the associated thermodynamic parameters of formation for the 1:1 binary complexes of Am3+, Cm3+ and Eu3+ with N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylenediaminetriacetate (HEDTA) and their 1:1:1 ternary complexes with HEDTA + NTA (nitrilotriacate) were determined by distribution ratio measurements using solvent extraction in aqueous solutions of I=0.10 mol⋅L−1 (NaClO4) at temperatures of 0–45 °C. Formation of these complexes is favored by both the enthalpy (exothermic) and the entropy (endothermic) terms. Luminescence lifetime measurements with Cm and Eu were used to study the coordination environment of these complexes over a range of concentrations and pH values. In the binary complexes M(HEDTA), HEDTA is a hexadentate ligand with three waters of hydration, while in the ternary complexes M(HEDTA)(NTA)3− we propose that the HEDTA retaines hexadentate coordination with NTA binding via three sites, depending on the pH of the solution, with the observation that the complex may contain a single water of hydration.
Using the Health Belief Model to Examine the Link between HPV Knowledge and Self-Efficacy for Preventive Behaviors of Male Students at a Two-Year College in New York City

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common and easily transmitted sexually transmitted infections in the United States; infected individuals are frequently unaware that they are carriers, and transmission occurs unknowingly. Infection can lead to genital warts or cervical, penile, anal, or oral cancer. The object of this study was to examine the link between HPV knowledge and self-efficacy for preventive behaviors among college students as well as HPV vaccine acceptability. A cross-sectional survey of students at a two-year college in New York City was conducted electronically. The current study focuses on male students (N = 120). We found that HPV knowledge was low among this sample, but that self-efficacy and vaccine acceptability were high. Self-efficacy and perceived susceptibility to HPV predicted vaccine acceptability, but not condom use. The challenge for health care practitioners and health educators is to provide focused, comprehensive education about HPV without causing undue fear.
The strength of weak social ties: Social activism and Facebook

THE STRENGTH OF WEAK SOCIALTIES: SOCIAL ACTIVISM AND FACEBOOK Nichole Akai Giraldi Old Dominion University, 2016 Director: Dr. Garland White The use of Social Networking Sites, Facebook in particular, has become a major avenue of communication; Facebook has become a platform where people can discuss any topic of their choice to include social issues within society. While some argue Facebook is only a disseminator of information, others argue that in addition to being a disseminator of information it is also a motivator of social activism. Facebook profiles consist of one’s social ties, both strong and weak, which have the potential to expose users to different information daily. Using Mark Granovetter’s strength of weak social ties theory as a framework, the purpose of this study is to determine if Facebook users are influenced by their weak social ties to participate in social activism. The data utilized in this study is secondary data collected by the Pew Research Center. The findings include a relationship between social ties and social activism and a relationship between particular acts of social activism and social ties. This research concluded that Granovetter’s theory is not applicable to Facebook users in that it is not one’s weak social ties that influence them to participate in social activism, but rather their strong social ties.
Resveratrol for Alzheimer's disease?

Resveratrol modulates β-amyloid levels and inflammatory markers in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Controlling Your “App”etite: How Diet and Nutrition-Related Mobile Apps Lead to Behavior Change

Background: In recent years, obesity has become a serious public health crisis in the United States. Although the problem of obesity is being addressed through a variety of strategies, the use of mobile apps is a relatively new development that could prove useful in helping people to develop healthy dietary habits. Though such apps might lead to health behavior change, especially when relevant behavior change theory constructs are integrated into them, the mechanisms by which these apps facilitate behavior change are largely unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify which behavior change mechanisms are associated with the use of diet- and nutrition-related health apps and whether the use of diet- and nutrition-related apps is associated with health behavior change. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to a total of 217 participants. Participants responded to questions on demographics, use of diet and nutrition apps in the past 6 months, engagement and likability of apps, and changes in the participant’s dietary behaviors. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with reported changes in theory and separately for reported changes in actual behavior, after controlling for potential confounding variables. Results: The majority of study participants agreed or strongly agreed with statements regarding app use increasing their motivation to eat a healthy diet, improving their self-efficacy, and increasing their desire to set and achieve health diet goals. Additionally, majority of participants strongly agreed that using diet/nutrition apps led to changes in their behavior, namely increases in actual goal setting to eat a healthy diet (58.5%, 127/217), increases in their frequency of eating healthy foods (57.6%, 125/217), and increases in their consistency of eating healthy foods (54.4%, 118/217). Participants also responded favorably to questions related to engagement and likability of diet/nutrition apps. A number of predictors were also positively associated with diet-related behavior change. Theory (P<.001), app engagement (P<.001), app use (P<.003), and education (P<.010) were all positively associated with behavior change. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that the use of diet/nutrition apps is associated with diet-related behavior change. Hence, diet- and nutrition-related apps that focus on improving motivation, desire, self-efficacy, attitudes, knowledge, and goal setting may be particularly useful. As the number of diet- and nutrition-related apps continues to grow, developers should consider integrating appropriate theoretical constructs for health behavior change into the newly developed mobile apps. [JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017;5(7):e95]
The Rise and Fall of Labor

Labor unions exist everywhere, but their strength varies widely by time and by place. It is widely known that levels of unionization have fallen from their peak in the advanced world, and our best evidence suggests that unions never attained these peak levels of influence in late developers. This paper reconsiders explanations of union strength with a view to accounting for these longitudinal and cross-sectional differences. I identify four broad accounts, but note empirical, conceptual, and methodological weaknesses in existing research. I marshal as-yet unused data from the first half of the 20th century, propose an improved measure of ordinary individuals’ disruptive capacity, and employ counterfactual exercises in an effort to improve upon past work. In panel regressions spanning the modern history of the labor movement, I find strong evidence for institutionalist and especially structuralist explanations of union success. The counterfactual exercises illustrate the primacy of the structuralist account. The loss of disruptive capacity explains a larger share of union decline in the advanced world than does the loss of enabling institutions, and the structural handicaps of late industrialization explain the majority of the gap in unionization between early and late developers.
Is Hartmann's procedure safe in Crohn's disease? Report of three cases.

INTRODUCTION: Crohn's disease-associated colorectal cancer may occur in an area of defunctioning bowel. Some patients with Crohn's colitis undergo subtotal colectomy, ileostomy, and low Hartmann's procedure in an effort to preserve the rectum. This procedure has also been advocated for patients with severe anorectal Crohn's disease, in whom nonhealing of the perineal wound after proctectomy occurs with alarming frequency. The authors present a review of the literature and three cases of cancer developing in the defunctioning rectal stump despite surveillance proctoscopy. METHODS: Twenty-five patients underwent low Hartmann's procedure for severe anorectal Crohn's disease. Surveillance proctoscopy was performed as follow-up. Development of cancer in the rectal remnant or anus or recurrence of symptoms was managed by resection and adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: One patient developed squamous-cell carcinoma of the anal canal, underwent resection and adjuvant therapy, and was disease free at the time of this study. Two patients developed adenocarcinoma of the rectum. Both underwent resection and adjuvant therapy. One patient died and the other developed a recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The authors recommend interval perineal proctectomy in all patients undergoing low Hartmann's procedure for severe anorectal Crohn's disease in whom rectal preservation is not possible. Regularly scheduled interim surveillance proctoscopy performed every two years, with biopsies of macroscopically normal-appearing and abnormal-appearing rectal mucosa and curetting of fistulous tracts, is also recommended to decrease the possibility of missing occult malignancies.
Optimum Design with Excel Solver

An introduction to the numerical methods for solution of optimum design problems is presented. Search methods are classified into different categories, such as derivative-based methods, direct search methods, derivative-free methods and nature-inspired methods. “What to do if the solution process fails” is discussed. Simple scaling of variables, which can help in the solution process, is described. The Excel Solver is introduced and illustrated for solution of nonlinear equations and for unconstrained and constrained linear and nonlinear programming problems. Then several practical problems are formulated as optimum design problems and solved using the Solver. These include design of coil springs, design of plate girders, design of tension members, design of compression members, design of beams and design of telecommunication poles.
Safety Bubble Control for Coordination of Multiple Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Abstract A unified collision avoidance control and coordination model for multiple unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating in close proximity is proposed. The collision avoidance behavior is based on the elastic collision of gas particles. A safety bubble around each agent is created by means of a sensor fusion architecture, enabling the Sense-and-Avoid (SAA) behavior of the collision avoidance control. The dimension of the safety bubble changes dynamically based on a quantified collision risk which is calculated based on the capabilities of the UAS and the number of neighboring agents. The weather conditions of the environment or airway, as well as the mitigation of third party casualties are also considered. The ultimate goal is to ensure the safety of operations performed by coordinated and uncoordinated UAS, as these systems become more popular in the National Airspace System (NAS).
High-Fidelity Design-Allocation Optimization of a Commercial Aircraft Maximizing Airline Profit

Traditionally, computational design optimization of commercial aircraft is performed by considering a small number of representative operating conditions. These conditions are based on the design M...
Intravitreal Silicone Oil Migration Into the Lateral Cerebral Ventricles.

Purpose:Silicone oil (SO) is often used as an intraocular tamponade in repairs of retinal detachments. It may be associated with complications such as cataract, glaucoma, keratopathy, subretinal mi...
1977 Life history theory challanged

Abstract Despite the development of some substantial theory in evolutionary ecology, the major ideas dominating in the early 1970's were largely verbal or semi-quantitative. Stearns (1977) wrote an insightful review of this field which was instrumental in moving research in life-history evolution to a more quantitative and precise matching of theory with observations.
The impact of laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery on quality of life: do patients with atypical symptoms benefit?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may manifest atypically as cough, hoarseness or difficulty breathing. However, it is difficult to diagnostically establish a cause-and-effect between atypical symptoms and GERD. In addition, the benefit of laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS) in patients with laryngopharyngeal manifestations of GERD are not well characterized. We report the largest series reported to date assessing operative and quality of life (QOL) outcomes after LARS in patients experiencing extraesophageal manifestations of GERD and discuss recommendations for this patient population. A retrospective review of patients with extraesophageal symptoms and pathologic reflux that underwent LARS between February 2012 and July 2019 was conducted. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with atypical manifestations of GERD as defined by preoperative survey in addition to physiological diagnosis of pathological reflux. Patient QOL outcomes was analyzed using four validated instruments: the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Laryngopharyngeal Reflux QOL, Swallowing QOL (SWAL), and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQOL) surveys. 420 patients (24% male, 76% female) with a mean age of 61.7 ± 13.0 years and BMI of 28.6 ± 5.0 kg/m2 were included in this study. Thirty-day wound (0.2%) and non-wound (6.74%) related complication rates were recorded in addition to thirty-day readmission rate (2.6%). Patients reported significant improvements in laryngopharyngeal symptoms at mean follow-up of 18.9 ± 16.6 months post LARS reflected by results of four QOL instruments (RSI − 64%, LPR − 75%, GERD-HRQOL − 80%, SWAL + 18%). The majority of patients demonstrated complete resolution of symptoms upon subsequent encounters with 68% of patients reporting no atypical extraesophageal manifestations during follow-up survey (difficulty breathing − 86%, chronic cough − 81%, hoarseness − 66%, globus sensation − 68%) and 68% of patients no longer taking anti-reflux medication. Seventy-two percent of patients reported being satisfied with their symptom control at latest follow-up. In appropriately selected candidates with atypical GERD symptomatology and objective diagnosis of GERD LARS may afford significant QOL improvements with minimal operative or long-term morbidity.
Automatic preprocessing of laser-induced breakdown spectra using partial least squares regression and feed-forward artificial neural network: Applications to Earth and Mars data

Abstract Due to its relatively simple and versatile nature, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy experiments can yield enormous amount of data that normally needs to be preprocessed to remove background signal, electron continuum, and noise, and for some applications, correct for the instrument response function and normalize the signal prior to conducting spectroscopic analysis. In experiments where the focus is on the analysis of samples of similar composition, preprocessing can be repetitive and tedious. We show that preprocessing of such LIBS data can be performed in an automated or semi-automated manner using machine learning tools. To demonstrate this approach, we apply partial least squares regression and artificial neural networks on two laser-induced breakdown spectra datasets. The first dataset is used to develop predictive models for abundances of various elements in geological samples analyzed by a laboratory model of ChemCam. The second dataset consists of spectra obtained from ChemCam as it interrogates Martian targets. We show that using the two machine learning techniques, we can predict the preprocessed spectra of samples with a relatively high accuracy for both datasets.
The Borealin dimerization domain interacts with Sgo1 to drive Aurora B–mediated spindle assembly

This study provides the molecular mechanism for the interaction of Sgo1 with the chromosomal passenger complex and explores the specific role of Sgo1 in regulating Aurora B functions that ensure th...
Strong light-matter coupling in hetero-structures of atomically thin semiconductors

In this talk, we will focus on the subject of strong light-matter coupling in excitonic 2D semiconductors. We will present our recent work on the fundamental physics of light trapping in multi-layer TMDCs when coupled to plasmonic substrates. We systematically demonstrate via calculations and matching experiments that the presence of strong excitonic resonances in multilayers (< 20 nm thickness) combined with surface plasmon excitations of the nearby metals can achieve strongly coupled modes with apparent voided crossings in reflectance spectra. Further, we explore additional light confinement by patterning 1D arrays of rectangular resonators of varying widths and periods (100 nm to 500 nm) showing three mode couplings. We will further present extensions of our studies to resonators with dielectric spaces and optical superlattices in 1D.
A Novel Switching State-Space Model for Post-ICU Mortality Prediction and Survival Analysis

Predicting mortality risk in patients accurately during and after intensive care unit (ICU) stay is an essential component for supporting critical care decision-making. To date, various scoring systems have been designed for survival analysis and mortality prediction by providing risk scores based on patient's vital signs and lab results. However, it is challenging using these universal scores to represent the overall severity level of illness and to look into patient's deterioration leading to high mortality risk during ICU stay. Thus, a close monitoring of the severity level over time during ICU stay is more preferable. In this study, we design a new switching state-space model by correlating patient's condition dynamics in last hours of ICU stay to the risk probabilities in a short time period (1–6 days) after ICU discharge. More specifically, we propose to integrate a cumulative hazard function estimating survival probability into the autoregressive hidden Markov model using time-interval sequential SAPS II scores as features. We demonstrate the significant improvement of mortality prediction comparing to SAPS I, SAPS II, and SOFA scoring systems for the PhysioNet MIMIC II Challenge data.
ОПЫТ МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ АССОЦИАТИВНЫХ ПОЛЕЙ (ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ ПРОЕКТА "МУЛЬТИЛИНГВАЛЬНЫЙ АССОЦИАТИВНЫЙ ТЕЗАУРУС ВЕЖЛИВОСТИ")

The article is devoted to modeling associative fields vezhlivaya (f) and vezhlivyy (m) (polite) based on the materials of the project “Multilingual associative thesaurus of politeness”. The relevance of the study is due to the need to identify the structure and content of the associative-verbal network of a native speaker, which is possible when referring to the data of a free associative experiment. The author considers the combination of stimulus-response as a speech action. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the analysis of associative data is carried out based on the operational model of speech production of distributive activation, which makes it possible to explain the presence of various reactions in the structure of the associative field. When analyzing each speech action and operation, the principle of approaching the word as a unity of the acoustic image and concept is considered. This indissoluble unity is manifested in the simultaneous mechanism of speech actions of conceptualization and internal articulation. A comparative analysis of the associations of the respondents in the masculine and female groups based on the operational model of speech production of distributive activation made it possible to identify universal and gender-specific features in the structure and content of the analyzed associative fields. It is concluded that it is possible to use the speech production model developed by the author in modeling associative fields.
Combined Effect of Deceased Donor Macrovesicular and Microvesicular Steatosis on Liver Transplantation Outcomes: Analysis of SRTR Data Between 2010 and 2018.

ABSTRACT Background Because of the rising prevalence of obesity, the use of steatotic grafts in orthotopic liver transplantation is becoming increasingly obligatory. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative distribution of microvesicular steatosis (MiS) burden across categories of macrovesicular steatosis (MaS) and the effect of biopsy-sourced MaS and MiS on graft failure, recipient death, and retransplantation. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 13,889 adults with deceased donor liver transplantations from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients between 2010 and 2018. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were run to examine the independent and combined effects of MaS and MiS on major transplantation outcomes. Results Recipients had a mean age of 56.5 years and a body mass index (BMI) of 29.2 kg/m2; 70% were men, and 74% were non-Hispanic white. Considering the independent effect of MaS, recipients of livers with 30% to 60% MaS had 97% and 129%, 71% and 81%, 39% and 43%, and 40% and 19% increased risks of graft failure and death at 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years post-transplantation, respectively. Considering the combined effects of MaS and MiS, 16% to 60% MaS increased the risk of graft failure and recipient death regardless of MiS burden within the first 3 months post-transplantation. These risks were also increased among recipients of livers with 5% to 15% MaS and the additional burden of 16% to 60% MiS. Conclusions Our findings suggest that risk threshold of adverse transplantation outcomes owing to steatosis appears to be lower than previously recognized and currently practiced. These risks must be weighed and mitigated against the duress of organ shortage and saving lives.
Introduction Historical and General Comments

Hundreds of years ago, the Greek physician Parmenides said that given the means to induce fevers he would be able to cure all illnesses. Presumably he meant to include cancer, since malignancies were described in early Greek literature. The effects of elevated temperatures on human physiological functions and, in particular, on the healing process have fascinated clinicians and researchers for many years. Hippocrates described in detail many febrile diseases and commented extensively on the beneficial role of fever. A Roman, Celsus, catalogued the clinical symptoms of inflammation and noticed their association with fevers.
A near-optimum parallel algorithm for one-dimensional gate assignment problems

A near-optimum parallel algorithm for one-dimensional gate assignment problems is presented in this paper where the problem is NP-hard. The proposed system is composed of an nn two-dimensional maximum neural network for (n+2)-gate assignment problems. Our algorithm has discovered the improved solution in the benchmark problem over the existing algorithms.
Dispersion from Recharge Well

The dispersion of waste water from a recharge well is studied. The well is situated in a confined aquifer through which there is a natural uniform flow. The convective-dispersion equation is solved by application of the Fourier transform and the Wiener-Hopf technique. By replacing the local seepage velocity V with the uniform flow velocity U/θ the convective-dispersion equation was solved by the Weiner-Hoff techniques. A closed form solution was obtained for the special case ´\d1 = 0. An analysis of the case 1 ≠ established that for problems likely to be encountered in practice the special case ´\d1 = 0 adequately describes the distribution of concentration.
Management-Herausforderungen in einer vernetzten Welt

Die Anforderungen an das Management im Unternehmen sind mit dem Anbruch des Informationszeitalters enorm gestiegen. Im Zeitalter eines global beschleunigten Wettbewerbs, in dem Informationen in Echtzeit durch den Ather fliesen, mussen Fuhrungskrafte taglich bis zu 200 Entscheidungen treffen. Dass viele Manager ihren Fuhrungsaufgaben nicht effektiv nachkommen und das Produktivitatspotenzial ihrer Mitarbeiter brach liegen lassen, verdeutlichen die Zahlen einer Gallup Umfrage. Demzufolge verspuren 84% der Arbeitnehmer in Deutschland keine echte Verpflichtung ihrer Arbeit gegenuber. Eine Tatsache, die sich auf einen immensen gesamtwirtschaftlichen Schaden von jahrlich rund 224 Milliarden € belaufen soll und die nach Meinung der Befragten auf schlechtes Management zuruckzufuhren ist.
Refinement and theorem proving

In this chapter, we describe the ACL2 theorem proving system and show how it can be used to model and verify hardware using refinement. This is a timely problem, as the ever-increasing complexity of microprocessor designs and the potentially devastating economic consequences of shipping defective products has made functional verification a bottleneck in the microprocessor design cycle, requiring a large amount of time, human effort, and resources [1, 58]. For example, the 1994 Pentium FDIV bug cost Intel $475 million and it is estimated that a similar bug in the current generation Intel Pentium processor would cost Intel $12 billion [2].
Transonic Separated Flow Prediction Based on a Mathematically Simple, Nonequilibrium Turbulence Closure Model

A mathematically simple, turbulence closure model designed to treat transonic airfoil flows even with massive separation is described. Numerical solutions of the Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations obtained with this closure model are shown to agree well with experiments over a broad range of test conditions.
Improving Portion-Size Estimation Using Equivalence-Based Instruction

Obesity has become a major health concern in the United States. While a number of factors can contribute to obesity, including genetics, socioeconomic status, and sedentary lifestyle, its underlying cause tends to be overconsumption. Thus interventions are needed that will teach individuals the accurate estimation of portion sizes. The current study evaluated the use of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) to teach graduate students to accurately estimate different portion sizes. Participants were directed to estimate ¼-, ½-, and 1-cup portions of various foods. EBI was implemented to teach participants the portion sizes in a measuring cup and on a plate, as well as which aid represented each portion. The results demonstrated that EBI is an effective and efficient training procedure. These findings extend the current literature on teaching individuals to accurately estimate portion sizes.
Lisa Nalbone. The Novels of Carmen Conde. Toward an Expression of Feminine Subjectivity.

Lisa Nalbone's approach to Carmen Conde's published novels offers both the specialist and the non-specialist an excellent work in textual and cultural analysis, coupled with an outstanding bibliogr...
Urologic applications of laser technology

For centuries, surgeons have been able to perform procedures quite successfully without the use of the laser. Most surgical procedures are still accomplished with standard techniques but the addition of a powerful, coherent, light source has now expanded surgical diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. The fiberoptic direction of laser energy has made treatment possible for structures previously accessible only by open surgical exposure. Though initially used for nonspecific thermal destruction of tissue, greater understanding of laser-tissue interaction and advances in laser technology have allowed application of light for different effects in a wide variety of disorders. Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of urology. >