cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges to Interdisciplinary Research in Ecosystem-Based Management

Despite its necessity, integration of natural and social sciences to inform conservation efforts has been difficult. We examined the views of 63 scientists and practitioners involved in marine management in Mexico's Gulf of California, the central California coast, and the western Pacific on the challenges associated with integrating social science into research efforts that support ecosystem-based management (EBM) in marine systems. We used a semistructured interview format. Questions focused on how EBM was developed for these sites and how contextual factors affected its development and outcomes. Many of the traditional challenges linked with interdisciplinary research were present in the EBM projects we studied. However, a number of contextual elements affected how mandates to include social science were interpreted and implemented as well as how easily challenges could be addressed. For example, a common challenge is that conservation organizations are often dominated by natural scientists, but for some projects it was easier to address this imbalance than for others. We also found that the management and institutional histories that came before EBM in specific cases were important features of local context. Because challenges differed among cases, we believe resolving challenges to interdisciplinary research should be context specific.
Probing battery chemistry with liquid cell electron energy loss spectroscopy

We demonstrate the ability to apply electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to follow the chemistry and oxidation states of LiMn2O4 and Li4Ti5O12 battery electrodes within a battery solvent. This is significant as the use and importance of in situ electrochemical cells coupled with a scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) has expanded and been applied to follow changes in battery chemistry during electrochemical cycling. We discuss experimental parameters that influence measurement sensitivity and provide a framework to apply this important analytical method to future in situ electrochemical studies.
Waalbot: An Agile Small-Scale Wall-Climbing Robot Utilizing Dry Elastomer Adhesives

This paper proposes a small-scale agile wall-climbing robot, which is able to climb on smooth vertical surfaces using flat adhesive elastomer materials for attachment. Using two actuated legs with rotary motion and two passive revolute joints at each foot, this robot can climb and steer in any orientation. Due to its compact design, a high degree of miniaturization is possible. It has onboard power, computing, and wireless communication, which allow for semiautonomous operation. Various aspects of a functioning prototype design and performance are discussed in detail, including leg and foot design and gait dynamics. A model for the adhesion requirements and performance is developed and verified through experiments. Using an adhesive elastomer (Vytaflex 10), the current prototype can climb 90deg slopes at a speed of up to 6 cm/s and steer to any angle reliably on a smooth acrylic surface as well as transition from floor walking to wall climbing. This robot is intended for inspection and surveillance applications, and ultimately, for space missions.
Appropriate thermal manipulations eliminate tremors in rats recovering from halothane anesthesia

Grahn, D. A., M. C. Heller, J. E. Larkin, and H. C. Heller.Appropriate thermal manipulations eliminate tremors in rats recovering from halothane anesthesia. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(6): 2547–2554, 1996...
Venous ischemia secondary to drainage constriction in a carotid-cavernous arteriovenous fistula.

Indirect carotid cavernous arteriovenous fistulas (CCF) are the esult of abnormal communications between meningeal branches f the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. CCFs that drain anteiorly commonly present with ocular findings such as chemosis r proptosis, whereas those that drain posteriorly often present ith less obvious symptomatology [1]. A change in arteriovenous ynamics in patients with dural AV fistula (dAVF) can lead to retrorade drainage through leptomeningeal veins, which may cause ntracranial hemorrhage or venous ischemia or infarction, with nnual mortality rates up to 10% [2]. This report describes the case f a patient with a posteriorly draining CCF that had documented onstrictionofvenousdrainage resulting invenous ischemia,which ompletely reversed after endovascular treatment.
Virtual fashion and avatar design: a survey of consumers and designers

As virtual worlds evolve, so does the visual language of avatars inside them. In Second Life, an emergent virtual fashion industry supports amateur fashion/avatar design. This fashion industry includes both emergent (i.e., user-created) social institutions as well as a network of technologies, including Second Life's virtual environment itself, which support a sophisticated fusion of technical and cultural practices. This paper presents the results of a survey, offering an empirical overview of virtual fashionistas' shopping and content creation behaviors in Second Life. The results suggest relationships between technology and culture, giving rise to concrete forms of sociality, style, embodiment and gender in the virtual world. The paper concludes with a discussion of the role of usability (both in fashion creation and consumption) in driving the desirability of fashion products, bodies, and even gender performances in virtual environments.
Experimental results with a real-time adaptive ultrasonic imaging system for viewing through distorting media

An online adaptive phased-array ultrasonic imaging system capable of markedly improving the detectability of targets viewed through inhomogeneous media is described. An online adaptive phase correction technique implemented on a research phased-array scanner is described. The theoretical basis for this technique is presented by describing the relationship between the magnitude of phase aberrations and the regional brightness of speckle and pointlike targets. The system currently generates a corrected image in approximately 0.1 s and utilizes no prior knowledge of the aberrating media or the target. The adaptive imaging algorithm uses regional target brightness as a quality factor. The results of in vitro tests with this system using electronic and physical aberrators for both diffuse and pointlike targets are presented. >
Contaminants in ventilated filling boxes

While energy efficiency is important, the adoption of energy-efficient ventilation systems still requires the provision of acceptable indoor air quality. Many low-energy systems, such as displacement or natural ventilation, rely on temperature stratification within the interior environment, always extracting the warmest air from the top of the room. Understanding buoyancy-driven convection in a confined ventilated space is key to understanding the flow that develops with many of these modern low-energy ventilation schemes. In this work we study the transport of an initially uniformly distributed passive contaminant in a displacement-ventilated space. Representing a heat source as an ideal sourced of buoyancy, analytical and numerical models are developed that allow us to compare the average efficiency of contaminant removal between traditional mixing and modern low-energy systems. A set of small-scale analogue laboratory experiments was also conducted to further validate our analytical and numerical solutions.We find that on average traditional and low-energy ventilation methods are similar with regard to pollutant flushing efficiency. This is because the concentration being extracted from the system at any given time is approximately the same for both systems. However, very different vertical concentration gradients exist. For the low-energy system, a peak in contaminant concentration occurs at the temperature interface that is established within the space. This interface is typically designed to sit at some intermediate height in the space. Since this peak does not coincide with the extraction point, displacement ventilation does not offer the same benefits for pollutant flushing as it does for buoyancy removal.
Guanylyl cyclase C messenger RNA is a biomarker for recurrent stage II colorectal cancer.

Expression of guanylyl cyclase C messenger RNA in lymph nodes is associated with recurrence of colorectal cancer in patients with stage II disease. Analysis of this expression by reverse transcript...
On the Relative Yields of Taxable and Municipal Bonds: A Theory of the Tax Structure of Interest Rates

The phrase “tax structure of interest rates” (also known as the “muni bond puzzle”) refers to the observed downwardsloping relation between tax rates implied by relative municipal and taxable yields and time to maturity. This article examines the impact of taxes on relative taxable and municipal bond yields and reveals that a tax structure of interest rates can appear to exist even when investor marginal tax rates are constant across maturities. As a consequence, the tax rate implied by relative bond yields can substantially and systematically understate the true rate, and the bias increases with maturity and interest rate volatility. The main conclusion is that, at least potentially, much (or even all) of the apparent tax structure of interest rates may simply be an illusion, and the muni bond puzzle may not be much of a puzzle.
Modern Theory of Fluid Surface Tension

This paper presents a discussion of the spherical interface in fluid systems. The paper by de Bruyn* presented an exposition of the theory of surface tension due to J. W. Gibbs. I should like to emphasize that it is only in the context of that theory that the surface tension of equilibrium systems is properly described. Peculiarly enough, that theory has practically disappeared from the published literature and only a pale imitation of it is to be found now in the texts and treatises.
Which Complications Matter Most? Prioritizing Quality Improvement in Emergency General Surgery

Background Because preoperative risk factor modification is generally not possible in the emergency setting, complication prevention represents an important focus for quality improvement in emergency general surgery (EGS). The objective of our study was to determine the overall impact that specific postoperative complications have in this patient population. Study Design Our study sample consisted of patients from the 2012–2013 ACS-NSQIP database who underwent an EGS procedure. We used population attributable fractions (PAFs) to estimate the overall impact that each of 8 specific complications had on 30-day physiologic and resource use outcomes in our study population. The PAF represents the percentage reduction in a given outcome that would be anticipated if a complication were able to be completely prevented in our study population. Both unadjusted and risk-adjusted PAFs were calculated. Results There were 79,183 patients included for analysis. The most common complications in these patients were bleeding (6.2%), incisional surgical site infection (SSI) (3.4%), pneumonia (2.7%), and organ/space SSI (2.6%). Bleeding was the complication with the greatest overall impact on mortality and end-organ dysfunction, demonstrating an adjusted PAF of 10.7% (95% CI 8.2%,13.1%, p Conclusions Our study provides a framework for the development of high-value quality initiatives in EGS.
The Unpublished Free Exercise Opinion in Jensen v. Quaring

Since they were opened to the public in March 2004, the Harry A. Blackmun Papers at the Library of Congress have provided a wealth of information about the United States Supreme Court and its landmark decisions. This Essay leaves the beaten path, focusing on an unpublished Opinion of the Court in the relatively unknown case Jensen v. Quaring. In the official United States Reports, Jensen is a summary disposition - the Court split four to four and so affirmed the lower court without opinion. The Blackmun Papers, however, show that the vote after oral argument was five to three to reverse the court of appeals. After Chief Justice Burger circulated a draft Opinion of the Court that would have radically altered the Court’s approach to the Free Exercise Clause, Justice Blackmun switched his vote, making the tally four to four. So, while Jensen could have been a turning point in the Court’s Free Exercise Clause jurisprudence, it instead resides in constitutional law obscurity.
Deflation-accelerated preconditioning of the Poisson-Neumann Schur problem on long domains with a high-order discontinuous element-based collocation method

A combination of block-Jacobi and deflation preconditioning is used to solve a high-order discontinuous element-based collocation discretization of the Schur complement of the Poisson-Neumann system as arises in the operator splitting of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The preconditioners and deflation vectors are chosen to mitigate the effects of ill-conditioning due to highly-elongated domains typical of simulations of strongly non-hydrostatic environmental flows, and to achieve Generalized Minimum RESidual method (GMRES) convergence independent of the size of the number of elements in the long direction. The ill-posedness of the Poisson-Neumann system manifests as an inconsistency of the Schur complement problem, but it is shown that this can be accounted for with appropriate projections out of the null space of the Schur complement matrix without affecting the accuracy of the solution. The block-Jacobi preconditioner is shown to yield GMRES convergence independent of the polynomial order and only weakly dependent on the number of elements within a subdomain in the decomposition. The combined deflation and block-Jacobi preconditioning is compared with two-level non-overlapping block-Jacobi preconditioning of the Schur problem, and while both methods achieve convergence independent of the grid size, deflation is shown to require half as many GMRES iterations and 25 % less wall-clock time for a variety of grid sizes and domain aspect ratios. The deflation methods shown to be effective for the two-dimensional Poisson-Neumann problem are extensible to the three-dimensional problem assuming a Fourier discretization in the third dimension. A Fourier discretization results in a two-dimensional Helmholtz problem for each Fourier component that is solved using deflated block-Jacobi preconditioning on its Schur complement. Here again deflation is shown to be superior to two-level non-overlapping block-Jacobi preconditioning, requiring about half as many GMRES iterations and 15 % less time.
Phase II multicenter tial of belinostat (PXD101) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (BelCaP) for patients (pts) with relapsed ovarian cancer

C223 Background: Belinostat (PXD101) is a low molecular weight pan HDAC inhibitor of the hydroxymate class which has shown single agent activity. In preclinical models, the anti-tumor activity of belinostat (B) was enhanced in combination with carboplatin (C) and paclitaxel (P). The Phase I portion of this trial showed B with standard doses of C + P (BelCaP) to be well-tolerated and clinically active (2 PR, 11 SD) in heavily pre-treated pts with advanced solid tumors. Since C + P is a common regimen used in ovarian cancer (OC), we conducted a single arm, Simon two-stage Phase II expansion study to evaluate the safety and activity of BelCaP in women with recurrent, pretreated OC. Methods: Pts (ECOG PS 0-2, ≥18 years, ≤ 3 prior chemotherapy regimens) with recurrent epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, fallopian tube or mixed mullerian tumors of ovarian origin were eligible. BelCaP consisted of B as a 30-min i.v. infusion daily (1000 mg/m2) for 5 days with C (AUC5) and P (175 mg/m2) administered 2-3 hrs following B on day 3 of each 3-week cycle. Response was evaluated by RECIST. Results: 18 pts (median age 60 years, [range 39-72)]) enrolled in the first stage of the study have been treated with a total of 53 cycles (mean = 3; range = 1 to 6) of BelCaP. Three confirmed PRs have been observed, each occurring after 2 cycles of treatment. All three responding pts had prior therapy with C + P as well as liposomal doxorubicin. Ten patients continue to receive treatment with best response not yet determined. The most frequent adverse events have been nausea (100%), fatigue (94%), alopecia (67%), neuropathy (56%), constipation (50%), diarrhea (50%), and vomiting (39%). Most events were grade 1 or grade 2. Conclusions: The BelCaP regimen, which combines the novel pan-HDAC inhibitor belinostat with C and P, is well-tolerated and shows promising activity in heavily pre-treated patients with ovarian cancer. The study has met the response criteria to advance to stage II of enrollment.
Boron-Nitrogen Compounds. LXVI1. Aminopyridine-Boranes

Abstract 1:1 Molar adducts of 2-aminopyridine, 4-aminopyridine and 2-amino-4-methylpyridine with BH3 have been prepared by the reaction of the Lewis bases L with trimethylamine-borane. In all of the resulting products LBH3 the pyridyl nitrogen serves as donor site and no species of the type L(BH3)2 were observed. In contrast, 2-aminomethylpyridine reacts with BH3 only in a 1:2 molar ratio. The expected amine-bisborane was not isolated; rather, under the conditions employed, the species (2-dihydro-borylaminomethylpyridine)-borane, (2-H2B-NH-CH2-C5H4N)BH3, is obtained.
Heritability of floral traits for the perennial wild flower Penstemon centranthifolius (Scrophulariaceae): clones and crosses

Floral and reproductive traits frequently influence pollinator behaviour and plant reproductive success and are therefore thought to be under selection. However, for wild plant populations there is little information on the amount of genetic variation for such traits. We estimated broad- and narrow-sense heritability of floral and reproductive traits for two populations of the perennial wildflower Penstemon centranthifolius, using a paternal half-sib crossing design in one case, and clonal propagation of ramets from different genets in the other. In both designs, most traits were significantly heritable, including nectar production, corolla length and width, inflorescence length and total flower production. Flowering date was significantly heritable for the crosses, but not for the clones, while nectar sugar concentration was not significantly heritable in either design. Genetic correlations were in some cases strong, and in some cases differed greatly from the corresponding phenotypic correlations. These results indicate that P. centranthifolius harbours a large reservoir of genetic variance which could support an evolutionary response to phenotypic selection.
Glucose-induced insulin release in islets of young rats: time-dependent potentiation and effects of 2-bromostearate

The development of glucose-stimulated insulin release and time-dependent potentiation (TDP) has been studied in isolated islets from 7-, 14-, and 21-day-old and 3-mo-old rats. Responses were small at 7 days and changed little at 14 days. At 21 days the amount of insulin released in response to glucose was two times that at 14 days but was still less than one-half that released by 3-mo islets. Glucose-induced TDP was absent at 7 days but was present at 21 days. The second phase response to glucose decreased with perifusion time in 7-, 14-, and 21-day islets. In 7- and 21-day islets, high glucose in the presence of 2-bromostearate, an inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation, prevented the time-dependent decrease in responses; in addition, it induced TDP and enhanced TDP in the 7-day and 21-day islets, respectively. The data suggest that, in the young islet, glucose metabolism fails to inhibit fatty acid oxidation as it does in the mature islet and that this leads to a diminished signal for stimulus-secretion coupling.
1035-LBP: Development of antibodies to HLA in patients on left ventricular assisting device (LVAD) leads to increased proinflammatory cytokines and immune responses to cardiac self-antigens, Myosin and Vimentin

Aim Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are at increased risk of development of antibody mediated rejection (AMR) and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) post heart transplantation (HTx). However, the role of pre-existing antibodies (Abs) to HLA in inducing immune responses to cardiac self-antigens (CSAgs) is yet to be defined. In this study, we determined the kinetics of development of Abs to HLA and immune responses to CSAgs during the pre-transplant period in patients on LVAD. Methods Sera from 70 HTx (40 LVAD, 30 Non-LVAD) were enrolled and serially analyzed for Abs to HLA using Luminex and for CSAgs by ELISA. Serum cytokines (IFN γ , IL-17, IL-1 β and IL-10) were analyzed by LUMINEX. Sera from 32 age and gender matched normal subjects were the controls. Results Among LVAD patients, 22/40 (55% vs. 3.1%, p p p p p > 0.08) had anti-HLA prior to HTx. In this group, 5/30 (16.7% vs. normal 6.3%, p p γ (2.4 fold), IL-17 (1.9 fold), and IL-1 β (2.7 fold) along with decrease in IL-10 (3.1 fold). Conclusions LVAD patients have increased risk for development of anti-HLA prior to transplantation and anti-HLA positive patients further develop immune responses to CSAgs. LVAD patients with anti-HLA and anti-CSAgs have increased circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines prior to transplant which we hypothesize to play a significant role in the development of AMR and CAV following HTx.
Chemical deposition to a high elevation red spruce forest

A preliminary analysis of O3, SO2, SO inf4 sup2− , and total NO inf3 sup− deposition to the red spruce forest on the summit of Whitetop Mountain, Virginia, illustrates uncertainties in analysis methodologies, establishes the relative importance of three deposition pathways, and suggests areas for further research. Results are presented here for an analysis of the dry, wet (precipitation), and cloud water deposition pathways for the four chemical species during a 26-day period in April and May 1986. Dry and cloud water depositions are estimated using available models along with air and cloud water chemistry measurements made at the summit. For water soluble species, depositions by precipitation and cloud interception are found to be comparable in magnitude, while dry deposition appears to be about an order of magnitude less. High levels of atmospheric O3 lead to a large estimate of 03 deposition (on a mass flux basis) when compared to the estimated deposition of gaseous SO2. This is in spite of the fact that computed SO2 dry deposition velocities exceed those for O3. Model uncertainties are large for both dry deposition velocity and cloud water flux computations, and some bias in computations probably exists because of the application of the models to a complex terrain situation. Field evaluation of the cloud water deposition model is of greatest priority because of the apparent relative importance of that deposition pathway.
Gaussian Interference Channel Capacity to Within One Bit: the Symmetric Case

The capacity of the two-user Gaussian interference channel has been open for thirty years. The understanding on this problem has been limited. The best known achievable region is due to Han-Kobayashi but its characterization is very complicated. It is also not known how tight the existing outer bounds are. In this work, we show that the existing outer bounds can in fact be arbitrarily loose in some parameter ranges, and by deriving new outer bounds, we show that a simplified Han-Kobayashi type scheme can achieve to within a single bit the capacity for all values of the channel parameters. We also show that the scheme is asymptotically optimal at certain high SNR regimes. Using our results, we provide a natural generalization of the point-to-point classical notion of degrees of freedom to interference-limited scenarios.
A self-sustainable winery, an advanced passive building and remote monitoring of environments in wineries

The self-sustainable winery was conceived in 2006 and the intention was to create a building and its related utility systems that would operate independently from the energy and water grids and to eliminate hydrocarbon fuels from its operation, capture and sequester the carbon dioxide from its fermentations and create a zero carbon footprint facility. The winery was the highest scoring LEED building at any university when it was completed and the first LEED Platinum Winery in the USA. The adjacent Jess Jackson sustainable winery building is a highly passive research and utility space that will house the advanced energy and water systems that make this off-grid performance possible. Together these buildings will operate every daily in energy and water positive modes and at capacities, which exceed the demands even during the harvest season. The data system incorporated into these buildings for one hundred and fifty research fermentors, fourteen teaching fermentors will also monitor all energy, water and building activities in a secure, cloud-based software system that supports both web and handheld access, with the potential for bidirectional date and control functions. This data network has been extended to include real time monitoring of temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds in five production areas within two commercial winery sites and two creamery facilities, located more than 100 km from Davis. This now provides an example of a distributed dynamic network for the monitoring of the built environment in remote commercial food and wine facilities.
A Two-Plate Capacitive Wireless Power Transfer System for Electric Vehicle Charging Applications

This letter proposes a two-plate capacitive wireless power transfer (CPT) system for electric vehicle charging applications. The vehicle chassis and the earth ground are used to transfer power, which can replace two plates in a conventional four-plate CPT system. Therefore, only two external plates are required in the proposed CPT system. The coupling capacitance between the plates allows the current to flow forward to the vehicle side, and the stray capacitance between the chassis and the earth ground provides the current-returning path. After analyzing the working principle of a CPT system, it shows that the voltage on the vehicle chassis can be reduced through switching frequency, the coupler structure design, and the compensation circuit design. Then, a downsized prototype is implemented to validate the proposed system, in which two inductors are used to compensate the capacitive coupler. Experimental results show that the prototype achieves 350-W power transfer with 74.1% dc–dc efficiency over an air-gap distance of 110 mm, and the RMS voltage on vehicle chassis is limited to 132 V.
Hierarchical Co-Assembly Enhanced Direct Ink Writing

Integrating intelligent molecular systems into 3D printing materials and transforming their molecular functions to the macroscale with controlled superstructures will unleash great potential for the development of smart materials. Compared to macromolecular 3D printing materials, self-assembled small-molecule-based 3D printing materials are very rare owing to the difficulties of facilitating 3D printability as well as preserving their molecular functions macroscopically. Herein, we report a general approach for the integration of functional small molecules into 3D printing materials for direct ink writing through the introduction of a supramolecular template. A variety of inorganic and organic small-molecule-based inks were 3D-printed, and their superstructures were refined by post-printing hierarchical co-assembly. Through spatial and temporal control of individual molecular events from the nano- to the macroscale, fine-tuned macroscale features were successfully installed in the monoliths.
Process-Aware Covert Channels Using Physical Instrumentation in Cyber-Physical Systems

We propose using the analog emissions of physical instrumentation (e.g., actuators, sensors, and mechanical structures) in a cyber-physical system (CPS) to send or leak information without impacting the CPS process characteristics. We show that one can use the analog emissions as covert channels to send information to a remote receiver without altering the functioning of the CPS by considering the dynamics of the controller and its closed-loop characteristics. We demonstrate the control-theoretic approach using the Tennessee Eastman (TE) controller benchmark implemented in a hardware-in-the-loop simulator. Two feedback loops (out of 18) in the TE process are implemented on a programmable logic controller (PLC) driving a geared motor. Assuming that a malware has compromised this PLC, we show that the malware can use the acoustic emissions of a motor controlling a valve in a feedback control loop as a covert channel. This secret transmission over the covert acoustic channel can be done without affecting the stability, performance, and signal characteristics of the closed-loop process. An attacker can exfiltrate sensitive information, such as the proprietary gains or the thresholds used in the controller and the system passwords using covert channels.
Authorization and Representation in Hobbes’s Leviathan

In Leviathan, Hobbes holds that prospective subjects authorize a sovereign to represent them. Alienation of some rights to the sovereign typically follows upon authorization of him. While this view sounds straightforward, the exact nature of authorization and representation, and their relations to each other has been greatly debated. I will argue first that Hobbes’s best account of the origin of sovereignty (by institution) is the one given in chapter 21 of Leviathan, according to which authorization of the sovereign does not itself involve any alienation of rights.
Optical spectrum variability of Seyfert galaxy nuclei.

In this contribution I will present some results of a program aimed at determining the optical variability characteristics of Seyfert galaxy nuclei. It has been known for more than a decade that the continuous, non-stellar light of Seyfert nuclei can vary significantly on a time scale of months to years (see, e.g., Lyutyi, 1973, 1977; Penston et al., 1974; Penfold, 1979). In recent years there also have been various reports of variations in the intensity of the broad optical emission lines (Boksenberg and Netzer, 1977; Tohline and Osterbrock, 1976) following the pioneering work by Souffrin et al. (1973) and Cherepashchuk and Lyutyi (1973). However, very little is known on the details of the continuum variations and how they relate to the line variability. Such information could provide valuable constraints on the fashionable photo-ionization models for the broad line region (BLR) and the structure of the latter.
Vocational Possibilities for High­ Functioning Adults with Autism

A continuum of vocational options is needed to meet the wide variety of vocational needs of adults with autism. Just as various educational settings are needed, from the highly structured and specialized to complete mainstreaming, vocational settings follow the same continuum. Sheltered workshops that serve as training and work sites for many developmentally disabled adults represent the most specialized option. Competitive employment in regular jobs in the community is at the other end of the continuum. Given the nature of autism, the most successful options are likely to be ones developed with the autistic individual in mind and where there is some degree of continuous support. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the factors critical to successful employment and two vocational options being developed in North Carolina—supported employment, and the integrated vocational and residential program of the Carolina Living and Learning Center. The vocational models described include the job coach, enclave, mobile crew, and small-business models of supported employment, as well as a model where the vocational program is physically and programmatically integrated with the residential program. Each of these programs will be discussed in terms of the critical elements, and relative strengths and weaknesses, of the model.
Prognostic impact of pre-treatment cytogenetics in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

7038Background: Reports on the prognostic impact of cytogenetics in adult ALL have been inconsistent. While some studies report that low hypodiploidy (Ho) and complex karyotype (Cx) are adverse pro...
Robust Spectral Ensemble Clustering via Rank Minimization

Ensemble Clustering (EC) is an important topic for data cluster analysis. It targets to integrate multiple Basic Partitions (BPs) of a particular dataset into a consensus partition. Among previous works, one promising and effective way is to transform EC as a graph partitioning problem on the co-association matrix, which is a pair-wise similarity matrix summarized by all the BPs in essence. However, most existing EC methods directly utilize the co-association matrix, yet without considering various noises (e.g., the disagreement between different BPs and the outliers) that may exist in it. These noises can impair the cluster structure of a co-association matrix, and thus mislead the final graph partitioning process. To address this challenge, we propose a novel Robust Spectral Ensemble Clustering (RSEC) algorithm in this article. Specifically, we learn low-rank representation (LRR) for the co-association matrix to uncover its cluster structure and handle the noises, and meanwhile, we perform spectral clustering with the learned representation to seek for a consensus partition. These two steps are jointly proceeded within a unified optimization framework. In particular, during the optimizing process, we leverage consensus partition to iteratively enhance the block-diagonal structure of LRR, in order to assist the graph partitioning. To solve RSEC, we first formulate it by using nuclear norm as a convex proxy to the rank function. Then, motivated by the recent advances in non-convex rank minimization, we further develop a non-convex model for RSEC and provide it a solution by the majorization--minimization Augmented Lagrange Multiplier algorithm. Experiments on 18 real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm compared with state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, several impact factors on the clustering performance of our approach are also explored extensively.
Technical Report: Optimal Control of Piecwise-smooth Control Systems via Singular Perturbations

This paper investigates optimal control problems formulated over a class of piecewise-smooth vector fields. Instead of optimizing over the discontinuous system directly, we instead formulate optimal control problems over a family of regularizations which are obtained by "smoothing out" the discontinuity in the original system. It is shown that the smooth problems can be used to obtain accurate derivative information about the non-smooth problem, under standard regularity conditions. We then indicate how the regularizations can be used to consistently approximate the non-smooth optimal control problem in the sense of Polak. The utility of these smoothing techniques is demonstrated in an in-depth example, where we utilize recently developed reduced-order modeling techniques from the dynamic walking community to generate motion plans across contact sequences for a 18-DOF model of a lower-body exoskeleton.
Accumulation of PFOA and PFOS at the Air–WaterInterface

Knowledge of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) accumulation at the air–water interface is critical to understanding the fate and transport of these substances in...
Engagement with Diversity Experiences: A Self-Regulated Learning Perspective

In this chapter, we use a self-regulated learning perspective to examine how students respond to the cognitive and emotional challenges of diversity experiences. Self-regulated learning (SRL) is the cognitive, motivational, affective, and behavioral strategies students use to help themselves learn (Zimmerman and Labuhn in APA educational psychology handbook, Vol 1: Theories, constructs, and critical issues. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, pp. 399–425, 2012). We present a new process model of learning and resistance that describes how a student’s previous beliefs and experiences interact with the classroom environment and how, when students perceive a threat to their goals, values, or well-being, they choose one of three pathways to bring the environment back in alignment: learning strategies, learning-focused coping, or learning-resistant coping. We describe the process model in depth and give examples of how a student’s strategies and coping affect the learning environment. We conclude with implications for instructors.
Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures

Current trends in technology scaling, coupled with the increasing compute demands with a limited power budget, has spurred research into specialized accelerator architectures. Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) have been shown to achieve higher performance and energy efficiency compared to conventional instruction-based architectures by avoiding instruction overheads with reconfigurable data and control paths. CGRAs also avoid the hardware and programming overheads of fine-grained alternatives such as Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) by raising the hardware abstraction. Designing efficient CGRAs requires a careful calibration of the granularity of its elements and building automated compilation flow to map high-level programs to the reconfigurable elements. This chapter reviews the challenges and opportunities in the field of CGRAs.
The Total Artificial Heart: Where Are We?

The total artificial heart (TAH) is a device that replaces the failing ventricles. There have been numerous TAHs designed over the last few decades, but the one with the largest patient experience is the SynCardia TAH-t. The 50-mL and 70-mL sizes have been approved in the United States, Europe, and Canada as a bridge to transplantation. It is indicated in patients with severe biventricular failure or structural heart issues that preclude the use of a left ventricular assist device. The majority of the patients implanted are Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) Profile 1 or 2. The one-year survival in experienced centers that have implanted over 10 TAHs is 73%. The risk factors for death include older age, need for pre-implantation dialysis, and malnutrition. The most common causes of death are multiple organ failure, usually the result of physiologic deterioration before implantation, and neurologic dysfunction. The device allows the patient to be discharged home and managed as an outpatient. Proper patient selection, the timing of intervention, patient care, and device management are essential for a suitable outcome. In addition, the CARMAT TAH is another device that will soon be studied in a clinical trial in the United States. The BiVACOR TAH is a revolutionary design utilizing electromagnetic levitation that is expected to enter a clinical trial in the next few years.
The Ring-Pull Assay for Mechanical Properties of Fibrous Soft Tissues – an Analysis of the Uniaxial Approximation and a Correction for Nonlinear Thick-Walled Tissues

Background: The ring-pull test, where a ring of tissue is hooked via two pins and stretched, is a popular biomechanical test, especially for small arteries. Although convenient and reliable, the ring test produces inhomogeneous strain, making determination of material parameters non-trivial. Objective: To determine correction factors between ring-pull-estimated and true tissue properties. Methods: A finite-element model of ring pulling was constructed for a sample with nonlinear, anisotropic mechanical behavior typical of arteries. The pin force and sample cross-section were used to compute an apparent modulus at small and large strain, which were compared to the specified properties. The resulting corrections were validated with experiments on porcine and ovine arteries. The correction was further applied to experiments on mouse aortic rings to determine material and failure properties. Results: Calculating strain based on centerline stretch rather than inner-wall or outer-wall stretch afforded better estimation of tissue properties. Additional correction factors were developed based on ring wall thickness H, centerline ring radius Rc, and pin radius a. The corrected estimates for tissue properties were in good agreement with uniaxial stretch experiments. Conclusions: The computed corrections improved estimation of tissue material properties for both the small-strain (toe) modulus and the large-strain (lockout) modulus. When measuring tensile strength, one should minimize H/a to ensure that peak stress occurs at the sample midplane rather than near the pin. In this scenario, tensile strength can be estimated accurately by using inner-wall stretch at the midplane and the corrected properties.
Resilience Protective Factors Checklist (RPFC): Buffering Childhood Adversity and Promoting Positive Outcomes:

While research tends to focus on understanding risk factors associated with adverse childhood and adolescent experiences, there is growing empirical support within the field of human services to al...
A High-Throughput Assay for Circulating Antibodies Directed Against the S Protein of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.

More than 24 million infections with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were confirmed globally by September 2020. While polymerase chain reaction-based assays are used for diagnosis, there is a need for high-throughput, rapid serologic methods. A Luminex binding assay was developed and used to assess simultaneously the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-specific antibodies in human serum and plasma. Clear differentiation was achieved between specimens from infected and uninfected subjects, and a wide range of serum/plasma antibody levels was delineated in infected subjects. All 25 specimens from 18 patients with COVID-19 were positive in the assays with both the trimeric spike and the receptor-binding domain proteins. None of the 13 specimens from uninfected subjects displayed antibodies to either antigen. There was a highly statistically significant difference between the antibody levels of COVID-19-infected and -uninfected specimens (Pâ <â .0001). This high-throughput antibody assay is accurate, requires only 2.5 hours, and uses 5 ng of antigen per test.
Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms Are Associated With Heightened Avoidance of Low-Probability, High-Aversion Threats: A Preliminary Test of the Improbable-Catastrophe Hypothesis:

Although symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may vary markedly, they often involve a fear of consequences that are both catastrophic and highly improbable (e.g., contracting HIV from a ...
Weak Lensing Measurements: A Revisited Method and Application to HST Images

The weak distortions produced by gravitational lensing in the images of background galaxies provide a method to measure directly the distribution of mass in the universe. However this technique requires high precision measurements of the lensing shear and cautious corrections for systematic effects. Kaiser, Squires, & Broadhurst (1995) proposed a method to calibrate the ellipticity-shear relation in the presence of Point Spread Function (PSF) anisotropies and camera distortions. We revisit the KSB method and show that both the PSF and the camera distortions can be corrected for using source moments, as opposed to ellipticities. We clarify the applicability of some of the approximations made in this method. We derive expressions for the corrections which only involve the galaxy moments. We derive an explicit relation between the shear and the average ellipticity. We discuss the shortcomings of the method, and test its validity using numerical simulations. As an application of the method, we repeat the analysis of the HST WFPC2 camera performed by Hoekstra et al. (1998). We confirm the presence of sizable (10%) PSF ellipticities at the edge of the WFPC2 chips. We also show that the PSF ellipticity varies by as much as 2% over time. We use these measurements to correct the shape of galaxies in the HST Survey Strip (``Groth'' Strip). By considering the dependence of the ellipticities on object size, we show that, after corrections, the residual systematic uncertainty for galaxies with radii greater than 0.15 arcsec, is about 0.4%, when averaged over each chip. We discuss how these results provide good prospects for measuring weak lensing by large-scale structure with deep HST surveys.
Transverse Growth of the Maxillo-Mandibular Complex in Untreated Children: A Longitudinal Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the longitudinal transverse growth of the maxillo-mandibular complex in untreated children using the Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Two sets of scans on 12 males (mean 8.75 years at T1 and 11.52 years at T2) and 18 females (mean 9.09 years at T1 and 10.80 years at T2) were analyzed using Dolphin 3D imaging. The transverse widths of various maxillary and mandibular skeletal landmarks and the dentoalveolar and dental landmarks at the level of first molars were measured. Overall, there were greater increases in the transverse dimension in the posterior than anterior portions of the maxilla and mandible. The increase in intergonial width of the mandible seems to be primarily due to the lengthening of the mandibular body. The dentoalveolar process at the first molar level increases at an equal rate corono-apically and is independent to the changes in molar inclination. When comparing maxillary dentoalveolar changes with that of the mandible, greater increases were noticed in the maxilla, which might be explained by the presence of sutural growth in the maxilla. Moreover, the first molars maintain their coordination with each other despite the differential increase in the maxillary and mandibular dentoalveolar processes.
Comparing mental health and well-being of US undergraduate and graduate students during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: This study explored how COVID-related mental health and well-being varied between undergraduate and graduate students. Relationships with physical health behaviors were also examined. Participants: Undergraduate (n = 897) and graduate (n = 314) students were recruited from three US universities between mid-April and late-May 2020. Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional survey self-reported perceived stress, financial stress, resilience, repetitive negative thinking, mood, anxiety, diet, sleep, and physical activity using validated instruments. Results: Undergraduate students reported more perceived stress, more repetitive negative thinking, less positive mood, and less support from professors than graduate students. Perceived stress, repetitive negative thinking, negative mood, and anxiety increased among all students (p < .05 for all). Correlations between mental health outcomes and physical health behaviors were weak to moderate (r = .08 to .49). Conclusions: College students, particularly undergraduates, perceived negative mental health impacts during COVID. Creative approaches for meeting student needs are necessary.
Functional Strategies of the Islet Organ

Many endocrine glands do not simply function by release of hormones into the circulation. Instead, they deploy a host of “functional strategies”, which range from mechanisms at the molecular level to topographic associations (Epple 1982). Probably no other endocrine gland surpasses the islet organ in the number and diversity of such strategies. As a consequence, probably no other endocrine organ presents investigators with more difficulties. The following discussion should make the point.