cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rule Discovery from Breast Cancer Risk Factors using Association Rule Mining

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Prevention of breast cancer through risk factors reduction is a significant concern to decrease its impact on the population. Attaining or detecting significant information in the form of rules is the key to prevent breast cancer. Our objective is to find hidden but important knowledge of the form of rules from the risk factors data set of breast cancer. Mining rules is one of the vital tasks of data mining as rules provide concise statement of potentially important information that is easily understood by end users. In this paper, we use association rule mining, a data mining technique to attain information in the form of rules from breast cancer risk factors data that could be useful to initiate prevention strategies. We discovered rules of both breast cancer and non-breast cancer patients so that we can understand and compare the characteristics of both breast cancer and non-breast cancer individuals. The experimental results show that generated or mined rules hold the highest confidence level.
A Polluting Creed: Religion and Environmental Inequality in the United States:

Research on religion and the environment primarily focuses how religion shapes environmental attitudes, but this leaves aside how this connection links to observable levels of pollution. This artic...
Minnesota’s 1st and 8th Congressional Districts: Riptide—Two Republicans Prevail Against the Blue Wave

The 2018 campaigns for the Minnesota 1st and 8th Congressional Districts represent two of only three seats flipped in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Republican Party during the midterm elections. These successful Republican campaigns were considered surprising, as both districts had been Democratic strongholds in past elections. However, this electoral pivot is emblematic of current national trends, especially after the 2016 presidential election, for districts that are both rural and majority white. In this chapter we detail how the two Republican candidates were able to use the electoral characteristics of the 1st and 8th districts to their advantage and successfully fight against the Democratic “blue wave” and flip the seats for their party.
Dilute Povidone-Iodine Solution Prevents Intraoperative Contamination of Sterile Water Basins During Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Periprosthetic joint infection is a major complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The intraoperative splash basin has been found to be a potential source of contamination. Although consensus recommendations against the use of splash basin have been made, splash basin use continues to be taught and utilized in practice. This study aims to investigate the effect of dilute betadine addition to the sterile water (SW) contents (0.02% solution) of the splash basin on contamination rates. This intervention could preserve the functionality and preferential use of the splash basin. The primary outcome of this study is the rate of splash basin contamination, with secondary outcomes of prevalence of culture speciation and mean operative times association with the rate of positive cultures. Methods Patients undergoing primary TJA were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial with assignment to either the intervention/betadine group, in which dilute betadine was added to the standard SW splash basin, or the control/standard SW group. For a total cohort of 104 patients, a 120 mL aliquot sample of basin fluid was collected at incision (“preprocedure”) and closure (“postprocedure”). Samples were cultured and monitored for 48 hours for growth, with further testing as necessary to identify microbial speciation. Results Of the final 100 postprocedure samples, 0 (0.0%) were positive in the betadine group, while there were 23 (47.9%) positive samples in the SW group (P Conclusion In conclusion, treating SW splash basins with dilute povidone-iodine (0.02% solution) eliminates intraoperative contamination of splash basins in TJA procedures. This intervention is simple, low cost, and readily implementable, making it a reasonable addition to TJA protocols. Level of Evidence Level 1, Controlled Laboratory Study.
Robust ToA-Based Localization in a Mixed LOS/NLOS Environment Using Hybrid Mapping Technique

A two-stage hybrid method based on the machine learning approach is proposed for source localization using time of arrival (ToA) measurements in a mixed line of sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) environment. The first stage applies an artificial neural network (NN) to detect the NLOS measurements that are outliers and the second stage passes the identified LOS measurements to an inverse weighted self-organizing network (IWSON) for determining the source location. The NN NLOS detector is able to take care of a variable number of NLOS measurements while the IWSON handles naturally a variable number of inputs and yields a solution without explicitly solving the nonlinear estimation problem. Simulations validate the good performance of the system with a different number of NLOS measurements. It provides a solution in reaching the Cramer-Rao‘ lower bound (CRLB) accuracy under a harsh multipath noisy environment, except over the small error region where it can act as an initialization for the iterative MLE to refine accuracy if necessary.
Fundamental Plane of BOSS galaxies: Correlations with galaxy properties, density field and impact on RSD measurements

Fundamental plane of elliptical galaxies can be used to predict the intrinsic size of galaxies and has a number of plausible application to study cosmology and galaxy physics. We present a detailed analysis of the fundamental plane of the SDSS-III BOSS LOWZ and CMASS galaxies. For the standard fundamental plane, we find a strong redshift evolution for the mean residual and show that it is primarily driven by the redshift evolution of the surface brightness of the galaxies. After correcting for the redshift evolution, the FP residuals are strongly correlated with the galaxy properties and some observational systematics. We show that the variations in the FP between the central and satellite galaxies, that have been observed in the literature, can primarily be explained by the correlation of the FP with the galaxy luminosity. We also measure the cross correlations of the FP residuals with the galaxy density field. The amplitude of the cross correlations depends on the galaxy properties and environment with brighter and redder galaxies showing stronger correlation. In general, galaxies in denser environments (higher galaxy bias ) show stronger correlations. We also compare FP amplitude with the amplitudes of intrinsic alignments of galaxy shapes (IA), finding the two to be correlated. Finally, using the FP residuals we also study the impact of intrinsic alignments on the constraint of growth rate using redshift space distortions. We do not observe any significant trends in measurements of the growth rate $f$ as function of the amplitude of FP-density correlations, resulting in null detection of the effects of IA on the RSD measurements.
FLAME: Feature-Likelihood Based Mapping and Localization for Autonomous Vehicles

Accurate vehicle localization is arguably the most critical and fundamental task for autonomous vehicle navigation. While dense 3D point-cloud-based maps enable precise localization, they impose significant storage and transmission burdens when used in city-scale environments. In this paper, we propose a highly compressed representation for LiDAR maps, along with an efficient and robust real-time alignment algorithm for on-vehicle LiDAR scans. The proposed mapping framework, which we refer to as Feature Likelihood Acquisition Map Emulation (FLAME), requires less than 0.1% of the storage space of the original 3D point cloud map. In essence, FLAME emulates an original map through feature likelihood functions. In particular, FLAME models planar, pole and curb features. These three feature classes are long-term stable, distinct and common among vehicular roadways. Multiclass feature points are extracted from LiDAR scans through feature detection. A new multiclass-based point-to-distribution alignment method is proposed to find the association and alignment between the multiclass feature points and the FLAME map. The experimental results show that the proposed framework can achieve the same level of accuracy (less than 10cm) as the 3D point cloud based localization.
A multimodal auditory equal-loudness comparison of air and bone conducted sounds

The term ‘multimodal’ typically refers to the combination of two or more sensory modalities; however, through the advancement of technology, modality variations within specific sensory systems are being discovered and compared in regards to physiological perception and response. The ongoing evaluation of air vs bone conduction auditory perception modalities is one such comparison. Despite an increased awareness of the potential benefits of utilizing bone conduction pathways, a complete understanding of the human auditory system, more specifically, the relationship between air conducted and bone conducted sound remains a critical deficiency hindering the development of advanced multimodal auditory displays. Conduction equivalency ratios (CERs), which were defined as the difference in sound intensity levels (in dB) between equally loud signals transmitted in air conduction (AC) (sound field) and bone conduction (BC) modes provided a link between these two modes of hearing by determining the relationship between spectral content of AC and BC sound. The current report aims to describe, in depth, the establishment of such CERs at three BC transducer contact locations on a listener’s head over a range of audible frequencies presented over three signal intensities within a controlled free-field listening environment. Results indicated the AC–BC relationship is not unique and depends on sound intensity, frequency, and BC transducer location. In addition, in terms of head sensitivity, results support similar findings which indicate that the Mastoid and Condyle locations can be considered interchangeable in terms of their frequency-related sensitivity while the Forehead was found to be considerably less sensitive compared to the other locations.
A Step in the Right Direction: Trends over Time in Bariatric Procedures for Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

While laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has recently emerged as the predominant surgery type for the national bariatric cohort, the literature suggests that laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) may be more effective in normalizing gastroesophageal physiology for the subset of patients with GERD. This study explored practice patterns over time for patients with GERD or hiatal hernia, a related comorbidity, undergoing bariatric surgery. Data for LSG and LRYGB were extracted from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) datasets for 2015–2018. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the effects of pre-existing GERD or concomitant hiatal hernia repair on surgery type. A total of 130,772 patients underwent LRYGB (30.5%) or LSG (69.5%) in 2015, which increased year-to-year to 161,275 patients in 2018 (74.61% LSG). A total of 38.4% LRYGB patients had pre-existing GERD vs. 27.55% LSG patients. Patients with pre-existing GERD were increasingly likely to undergo LRYGB vs. those without GERD (OR 1.205 [95% CI 1.17–1.24] in 2015 vs. OR 1.510 [95% CI 1.47–1.55] in 2018, p < 0.0001 across years). Concomitant hiatal hernia repair was less common among LRYGB patients across all years (OR 0.413 [95% CI 0.4–0.43] for 2015; OR 0.381 [95% CI 0.37–0.4] for 2016; OR 0.403 [95% CI 0.39–0.42] for 2017, OR 0.464 [95% CI 0.45–0.48] for 2018, p < 0.0001). Bariatric patients with pre-existing GERD are increasingly likely to undergo LRYGB, consistent with the literature. LSG is presently more common in the overall cohort and among those undergoing concomitant hiatal hernia repair. Despite the growing recognition of GERD in bariatric patients, a significant discrepancy persists in hiatal hernia management per bariatric procedure type.
Accurate double excitations from ensemble density functional calculations

The recent use of a new ensemble in density functional theory (DFT) to produce direct corrections to the Kohn-Sham transitions yields the elusive double excitations that are missed by time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) with the standard adiabatic approximation. But accuracies are lower than for single excitations, and formal arguments about TDDFT suggest that a correction kernel is needed. In principle, ensemble DFT with direct corrections at the exchange level must yield accurate doubles in the weakly correlated limit. We illustrate with exact calculations and analytic results on the Hubbard dimer. We also explain the error in formal arguments in TDDFT.
Analyzing state government spending: balanced budget rules or forward-looking decisions?

We analyze US state government spending behavior with a general intertemporal model allowing for asymmetry in balanced budget rules in a panel data setting. We find no strong evidence for forward-looking behavior in state spending; balanced budget rules are a significant constraint. States with budget rules imposing lighter restrictions are more likely to exhibit habit formation, while those with stricter rules demonstrate asymmetric responses to revenue changes. Evidence for a precautionary savings motive is limited. Balanced budget requirements trigger substantial pro-cyclical spending, possibly amplifying state economic volatility for states with tight fiscal rules, especially after revenue increases.
Inequality Consequences of the COVID-19 Recession

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown policies have disproportionately affected workers at the bottom of the income distribution, thus widening the earnings gap between the top and the bottom percentiles of workers. In this paper, we examine how changes in the labor market due to the COVID-19 recession affect earnings inequality in the US and contrast the effect of COVID-19 recession with previous recessions identified since 1988. Using monthly earnings data from the Current Population Survey, we find a precipitous increase in inequality as measured by the 10/90 ratio of earnings in April 2020. The increase in earnings inequality can be attributed to the widening of the gap in earnings in the bottom of the earnings distribution. Compared to the Great Recession, that saw a comparable increase in earnings inequality, the underlying causes of changes in inequality differ significantly. Most job losses in the COVID-19 recession are concentrated among low earning industries in the services sector, while job losses during the Great Recession were more uniformly distributed across the earnings distribution. The results of the present study provide key guidelines for the design of redistribution policies in the post pandemic recovery.
[18] Measuring immune responses to brain manipulation in rat

Publisher Summary Neuroimmunology has a double meaning. On the one hand, it is recognized that the brain has its own immune system and is by definition a neuroimmune system. On the other hand, the central nervous system (CNS) and the autonomic nervous system have effects that alter the peripheral immune system. These effects are therefore also neuroimmune. Since the brain is immune privileged, the two systems might work independently of each other in the absence of feedback and co-jointly in the presence of feedback from lymphokine endocrine and neural signals. The brain is in a position to control the peripheral immune system through sympathetic innervation of the thymus, spleen, and lymphoid tissue and by the release from the pituitary of immune signaling peptides. Stress, sensory inputs, and experimentally injected peptides into the brain are all factors which produce disturbances in the population of lymphocytes in blood and it is the lymphocytes which orchestrate the specific immune response.
Measurements of Free Surface Turbulence

Free-surface turbulence is important to the transfer of heat and mass across an air-liquid interface. In the absence of wind shear and surface waves, turbulence generated below the water surface (as from a streambed) is one of the controlling factors in air-water mass transfer. Research has shown that the temporal fluctuations in the two-dimensional divergence of the surface velocity field are related to the liquid-film mass transfer coefficient. To aid in understanding the relationship between free-surface turbulence and mass transport, an oscillating grid chamber has been used to study turbulence at a water surface. A horizontal grid of square bars was oscillated vertically beneath the water surface. Turbulence generated by the grid propagates up towards the water surface, generating near-two dimensional turbulence right on the free surface. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to measure the temporally varying flow pattern on the water surface for three different energy levels in the chamber. Data were recorded over eight different sub-regions of the water surface, and the velocity, vorticity, and two-dimensional divergence were calculated as functions of space and time for each region. The spatial variations in two-dimensional divergence are shown to be similar to those found in flume experiments; this suggests that that the oscillating grid chamber may be used as a direct analogue to open-channel flows for studying interfacial transport phenomena.
Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in immunoglobulin A (IgA) transport across epithelial cells. The major class of immunoglobulin found in a wide variety of mucosal secretions, such as gastrointestinal and respiratory secretions, is IgA. IgA is produced by submucosal plasma cells that are often found in lymphoid aggregates, such as gut-associated lymphoid tissue and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue. After secretion from the plasma cells, IgA is taken up by an overlying epithelial cell, transported across the epithelium, and released into external secretions. The IgA forms the first specific immunologic defense against infection. This transport system transports only polymeric immunoglobulins. Substantial progress has been made in understanding the cellular and molecular basis of the transcytosis of immunoglobulins. This knowledge is important for two reasons. First, transcytosis is one of several systems of protein traffic in epithelial cells. Analyzing the sorting signals and cellular machinery that decodes these signals will permit elucidation of the general principles that govern protein sorting. Second, transcytosis is important in the overall physiology of an organism.
Photometric Recovery of Ortho-Images Derived from Apollo 15 Metric Camera Imagery

The topographical and photometric reconstruction of the moon from Apollo metric data has gained attention to support manned mission planning since the NASA has been working on return to the moon in 2004. This paper focuses on photometric recovery of the moon surface from Apollo orbital imagery. The statistical behavior of photons generates the scene radiance which follows a continuous Poisson distribution with the mean of surface radiance. The pixel value is determined by the camera response of sensor exposure which is proportional to scene radiance and exposure time. The surface radiance, exposure time and camera response are estimated by the maximum likelihood method for sensor exposure. The likelihood function is highly nonlinear and we were unable to find an estimator in closed form. Grouping the three sets of parameters (surface radiance, exposure time, and camera response), an EM-like juggling algorithm is proposed to determine the one family of parameters from the others. The photometric recovery of otho-images derived from Apollo 15 metric camera imagery was presented to show the validity of the proposed method.
Reparations Within the Rule of Law

The debate over monetary reparations for slavery raises a number of questions. One important question is how reparations relate to the Rule of Law. There are two ways in which the Rule of Law impacts the reparations debate. First, reparations might be required under the Rule of Law. Second, they might be counter to the Rule of Law. Either possibility would impact the discussion of reparations.The answers to these questions will depend on how we view underlying issues about what the Rule of Law is and who defines it. The Rule of Law is an important and widely accepted idea, integral to most understandings of how society interacts with law. At its most basic, the Rule of Law is the idea that laws are equally applied, knowable, and distinct from arbitrary power. The Rule of Law is an imprecisely defined concept, however. There are varying versions of the Rule of Law, and they include different components.This Essay discusses how slavery may be viewed as a violation of different versions of the Rule of Law. It suggests that if slavery was a breach of the Rule of Law, then reparations are an important way to address that breach. Reparations are a tool to allow the community to repair the damage done to the Rule of Law under slavery. The Essay discusses how reparations fit within the concept of healing under the Rule of Law. Finally, the Essay discusses whether reparations themselves raise Rule of Law concerns.
Late Wisconsinan ice sheet flow across northern and central Vermont, USA

Abstract A compilation of over 2000 glacial striation azimuths across northern and central Vermont, northeastern USA, provides the basis for interpreting a sequence of ice flow directions across this area. The oldest striations indicate widespread ice flow to the southeast, obliquely across the mountains. Similarly oriented striations between northern Vermont and the ice sheet's terminus in the Gulf of Maine suggest that a broad area of southeast ice flow existed at the Last Glacial Maximum. Younger striations with more southerly azimuths on both the mountain ridgelines and within adjacent valleys indicate that ice sheet flow trajectories in most areas rotated from southeast to south, parallel to the North–South alignment of the mountains, as the ice sheet thinned. This transition in ice flow direction was time transgressive from south to north with the Green Mountains eventually separating a thick south-flowing lobe of ice in the Champlain Valley from a much thinner lobe of south-flowing ice east of the mountains. While this transition was taking place yet ice was still thick enough to flow across the mountains, ice flow along a narrow ∼65 km long section of the Green Mountains shifted to the southwest such that ice was flowing into the Champlain Valley. The most likely process driving this change was a limited period of fast ice flow in the Champlain Valley, a short-lived ice streaming event, that drew down the ice surface in the valley. The advancing ice front during this period of fast ice flow may be responsible for the Luzerne Readvance south of Glens Falls, New York. Valley-parallel striations across the area indicate strong topographic control on ice flow as the ice sheet thinned.
Why engineers must know and manage organizational culture

The engineering manager's success is being judged increasingly on qualitative measures concerning the human elements of the work. These new measures require engineers to become as skilled and at ease with the tools, methods, and techniques for qualitative issues as with more traditional quantitative tools, methods, and techniques. It is argued that to achieve success toward these qualitative measures demands a new way of thinking, indeed a new culture embodying new values and traditions. Engineering managers must use culture change mechanisms along with their other management tools. They must view concepts such as just-in-time, total quality management, and continuous performance improvement as integral to culture change efforts; these concepts and corresponding programs require an underlying culture to create an environment for change. It is concluded that engineers who want to manage and change culture and communicate these changes must become comfortable with hoopla and symbolism to add drama and life to their words and plans. >
Early prenatal exposure to air pollution and its associations with birth defects in a state-wide birth cohort from North Carolina

BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the potential relationship between air pollution and birth defects. The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) during pregnancy is associated with birth defects among women living throughout North Carolina. METHODS Information on maternal and infant characteristics was obtained from North Carolina birth certificates and health service data (2003–2005) and linked with information on birth defects from the North Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program. The 24-hr PM2.5 and O3 concentrations were estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian model of air pollution generated by combining modeled air pollution predictions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Community Multi-Scale Air Quality model with air monitor data from the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System. Maternal residence was geocoded and assigned pollutant concentrations averaged over weeks 3 to 8 of gestation. Binomial regression was performed and adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS No association was observed between either PM2.5 or O3 concentrations and most birth defects. Positive effect estimates were observed between air pollution and microtia/anotia and lower limb deficiency defects, but the 95% confidence intervals were wide and included the null. CONCLUSION Overall, this study suggested a possible relationship between air pollution concentration during early pregnancy and certain birth defects (e.g., microtia/anotia, lower limb deficiency defects), although this study did not have the power to detect such an association. The risk for most birth defects does not appear to be affected by ambient air pollution. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:696–701, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Disorders of the Temporal Bone

The ear is composed of three separate regions that are embryologically distinct, i.e., the external, middle, and inner ear.
High performance vehicular connectivity with opportunistic erasure coding

Motivated by poor network connectivity from moving vehicles, we develop a new loss recovery method called opportunistic erasure coding (OEC). Unlike existing erasure codingmethods, which are oblivious to the level of spare capacity along a path, OEC transmits coded packets only during instantaneous openings in a path's spare capacity. This transmission strategy ensures that coded packets provide as much protection as the level of spare capacity allows, without delaying or stealing capacity fromdata packets. OEC uses a novel encoding that greedily maximizes the amount of new data recovered by the receiver with each coded packet. We design and implement a system called PluriBus that uses OEC in the vehicular context. We deploy it on two buses for two months and show that PluriBus reduces the mean flow completion time by a factor of 4 for a realistic workload. We also show that OEC outperforms existing loss recovery methods in a range of lossy environments.
Transfer of arachidonic acid to human platelet plasmalogen in response to thrombin.

Abstract We have examined the turnover of phosphatide [ 3 H]-arachidonic acid in human platelets exposed to thrombin and have found: a) a decrease in the radioactivity of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl inositol b) no alteration in the radioactivity of phosphatidyl serine or diacyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine and c) a marked increase in the specific activity of plasmalogen phosphatidyl ethanolamine, attributable to labelled fatty acid in ester linkage. The increase was not depressed by the presence of unlabelled arachidonic acid in the medium when the platelets were exposed to thrombin. Experiments with the non-penetrating reagent trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid revealed a) no preferential exposure of plasmalogen phosphatidyl ethanolamine to the medium during incubation with thrombin, and b) an inhibitory effect of the reagent on the release of arachidonic acid and transfer to plasmalogen. We suggest that plasmalogen phosphatidyl ethanolamine is a receptor for arachidonic acid transferred from phosphatidyl choline and/or phosphatidyl inositol within the membrane and that the enzyme(s) involved in this transfer is (are) accessible at the surface of the platelet.
Delivery of nicotine in an extract of a smokeless tobacco product reduces its reinforcement-attenuating and discriminative stimulus effects in rats

Rationale Animal models of tobacco addiction rely on administration of nicotine alone or nicotine combined with isolated constituents. Models using tobacco extracts derived from tobacco products and containing a range of tobacco constituents might more accurately simulate tobacco exposure in humans.
Workshop - improving student engagement and intuition with the mobile studio pedagogy

This workshop will engage the participants in a hands-on ldquostudio sessionrdquo that demonstrates how PCs are being used to create new mobile ldquostudiordquo environments anywhere, at anytime; thereby allowing instructors to engage their students in hands-on activities that provide them with a visualization and scaffolding of key concepts. This new approach to teaching integrates lecture, problem session and laboratory experimentation activities in both in-class and out-of-class environments; providing an avenue for instructors to reap the benefits of employing the Kolb cycle of learning in teaching their courses. The session will begin with an overview of the mobile studio pedagogy, how it is being used in engineering and science courses at three schools (RPI, Howard and Rose-Hulman) and then review, as a result of an assessment (conducted by the Evaluation Consortium at UAlbany), the tremendous impact that the new practices have had on student learning.
Direct absorption measurement of the spin—orbit splitting of the ground state in atomic fluorine☆

Abstract We have measured the three hyperfine components of the spin—orbit split (2P 3 2 → 2P 1 2 ) ground state in atomic fluorine by diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The measurement improves the accuracy of the two lines previously reported (404.175 and 403.969 cm−1), with the third line at 404.210 cm−1. This confirms the spacing of the hyperfine components measured by EPR, and establishes diode laser absorption as a viable technique for determining F-atom concentrations.
Edge magnetoplasmons in a bounded two-dimensional electron fluid

A hydrodynamic model is used to study the magnetoplasma modes of a two-dimensional electron fluid confined to a half-plane. In addition to the usual bulk modes, an approximate theory predicts new localized edge modes that propagate along the boundary, with a frequency proportional to ${B}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ in high magnetic fields. These modes provide a good fit to those seen in recent experiments of Mast and Dehm.
Investigation of Charge Trapping at Grain Boundaries in Polycrystalline and Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) often shows a change in contrast at grain boundaries [1-3]. The origins of this contrast and the efficacy of SCM as a tool to identify band bending at grain boundaries in pc-Si and mc-Si are discussed. Contrast at these grain boundaries could be influenced by different oxide growth rates or by defect states at the oxide interface. In order to determine the influence of such mechanisms on the SCM signal, such effects must be modeled; we show that a simple one-dimensional model agrees well with more detailed models of SCM signal strength and indicates, for example, that very small changes in oxide thickness measurably affect the SCM signal. In our experimental data, the uniformity and quality of the oxide layer are confirmed, and increased contrast consistent with depletion regions is still observed at higher order grain boundaries as identified by electron backscattering diffraction, including 9 and 27a. Scans of the SCM signal as a function of dc probe voltage allow such regions to be more quantitatively investigated.
Erosive osteoarthritis: Presentation, clinical pearls, and therapy

Erosive osteoarthritis (OA) is a subcategory of OA in which destructive changes occur in the joints, probably as a result of a combination of inflammatory inciters and phenomena. The major changes occur in the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints, root joints of the thumb, and less commonly other hand and centripetal joints. A familial tendency suggests hereditary predisposition, and women more likely to be afflicted than men. Diagnosis has been enhanced by newer imaging techniques such as sonography and scintigraphy. Treatment remains chiefly palliative, although there are hints that alleviation of inflammation may be more salutary than simple analgesia.
Applications of micro sensors for fundamental study of manufacturing processes

Fundamental understanding of many multiscale manufacturing processes can be significantly improved with better sensing and instrumentation techniques. In light of the recent advances in micro senor technologies, this paper first reviews the recent research conducted at University of Wisconsin-Madison in developing methods to integrate micro thin film sensor into harsh environment manufacturing processes. The study demonstrates how thermomechanical data obtained with distributed micro sensors to improve the understanding of laser micromachining and mesoscale ultrasonic metal welding. The paper then presents the current study in an effort to extend the method to more manufacturing process, the feasibility of embedded micro sensors in metallic material using ultrasonic welding and diffusion bonding was investigated.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Recent Advances in Cigarette Ignition Propensity Research and Development.

Major U.S. cigarette companies for decades conducted research and development regarding cigarette ignition propensity which has continued beyond fire safety standards for cigarettes that have recently been legislated. This paper describes recent scientific advances and technological development based on a comprehensive review of the physical, chemical, and engineering sciences, public health, and trade literature, U.S. and international patents, and research in the tobacco industry document libraries. Advancements since the first implementation of standards have made been in: (a) understanding the key parameters involved in cigarette smoldering combustion and ignition of substrates; (b) developing new cigarette and paper wrapper designs to reduce ignition propensity, including banded and non-banded cigarette paper approaches, (c) assessing toxicology, and (d) measuring performance. While the implications of manufacturers’ non-safety-related aims are of concern, this research indicates possible alternative designs should experience with fire loss and existing technologies on the market suggest need for improvement.
Invasion of an exotic forb impacts reproductive success and site fidelity of a migratory songbird

Although exotic plant invasions threaten natural systems worldwide, we know little about the specific ecological impacts of invaders, including the magnitude of effects and underlying mechanisms. Exotic plants are likely to impact higher trophic levels when they overrun native plant communities, affecting habitat quality for breeding songbirds by altering food availability and/or nest predation levels. We studied chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina) breeding in savannas that were either dominated by native vegetation or invaded by spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), an exotic forb that substantially reduces diversity and abundance of native herbaceous plant species. Chipping sparrows primarily nest in trees but forage on the ground, consuming seeds and arthropods. We found that predation rates did not differ between nests at knapweed and native sites. However, initiation of first nests was delayed at knapweed versus native sites, an effect frequently associated with low food availability. Our seasonal fecundity model indicated that breeding delays could translate to diminished fecundity, including dramatic declines in the incidence of double brooding. Site fidelity of breeding adults was also substantially reduced in knapweed compared to native habitats, as measured by return rates and shifts in territory locations between years. Declines in reproductive success and site fidelity were greater for yearling versus older birds, and knapweed invasion appeared to exacerbate differences between age classes. In addition, grasshoppers, which represent an important prey resource, were substantially reduced in knapweed versus native habitats. Our results strongly suggest that knapweed invasion can impact chipping sparrow populations by reducing food availability. Food chain effects may be an important mechanism by which strong plant invaders impact songbirds and other consumers.
Cover Radar interferogram made from two passes of SIR-B over the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada

(1988). Cover Radar interferogram made from two passes of SIR-B over the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. International Journal of Remote Sensing: Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 835-835.
Mutual Information Item Selection Method in Cognitive Diagnostic Computerized Adaptive Testing with Short Test Length.

Cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing (CD-CAT) purports to combine the strengths of both CAT and cognitive diagnosis. Cognitive diagnosis models aim at classifying examinees into the correct mastery profile group so as to pinpoint the strengths and weakness of each examinee whereas CAT algorithms choose items to determine those strengths and weakness as efficiently as possible. Most of the existing CD-CAT item selection algorithms are evaluated when test length is relatively long whereas several applications of CD-CAT, such as in interim assessment, require an item selection algorithm that is able to accurately recover examinees’ mastery profile with short test length. In this article, we introduce the mutual information item selection method in the context of CD-CAT and then provide a computationally easier formula to make the method more amenable in real time. Mutual information is then evaluated against common item selection methods, such as Kullback–Leibler information, posterior weighted...
3-D supersonic combustion experiments with hydrogen in V-trough

Both supersonic blowdown and free jet wind tunnels were used in oil flow visualization and hydrogen gas burning tests of 60- and 90-deg V-shaped trough combustion characteristics. Oil dots showed that mass outflow from the reattachment region at the bottom of the V-trough dominated flow behavior, and occupied the trough's entire length and 10% of its cross-section. Intermingled vortex pairs were also found to superimpose themselves upon the outflow, and hydrogen burning within troughs reduced missile base drag by 25%. The troughs were aligned so that their long dimensions were parallel to the airflow, and the two top edges of the V section were mounted flush with respect to the upstream flat surfaces. Step heights tested ranged from 3.4 mm to 6.25 cm.
Multiscale modeling and simulation of soft adhesion and contact of stem cells

Abstract Recently, we have developed a multiscale soft matter model for stem cells or primitive cells in general, aiming at improving the understanding of mechanotransduction mechanism of cells that is responsible for information exchange between cells and their extracellular environment. In this paper, we report the preliminary results of our research on multiscale modeling and simulation of soft contact and adhesion of cells. The proposed multiscale soft matter cell model may be used to model soft contact and adhesion between cells and their extracellular substrates. This model is a generalization of the Fluid Mosaic Model ( Singer and Nicolson, 1972 ), or an extension of Helfrich’s liquid crystal membrane model ( Helfrich, 1973 ). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this may be the first time that a soft matter model is developed for cell contact and adhesion. Moreover we have developed and implemented a Lagrange type meshfree Galerkin formulation and the computational algorithm for the proposed cell model. Comparison study with experimental data has been conducted to validate the parameters of the model. By using the soft matter cell model, we have simulated the soft adhesive contact process between cells and their extracellular substrates. The simulation shows that the cell can sense substrate elasticity by responding in different manners from cell spreading motion to cell contact configurations.
Mental architectures with selectively influenced but stochastically interdependent components

Abstract The way external factors influence distribution functions for the overall time required to perform a mental task (such as responding to a stimulus, or solving a problem) may be informative as to the underlying mental architecture, the hypothetical network of interconnected processes some of which are selectively influenced by some of the external factors. Under the assumption that all processes contributing to the overall performance time are stochastically independent, several basic results have been previously established. These results relate patterns of response time distribution functions produced by manipulating external factors to such questions as whether the hypothetical constituent processes in the mental architecture enter AND gates or OR gates, and whether pairs of processes are sequential or concurrent. The present study shows that all these results are also valid for stochastically interdependent component times, provided the selective dependence of these components upon external factors is understood within the framework of a recently proposed theory of selective influence. According to this theory each component is representable as a function of three arguments: the factor set selectively influencing it, a component-specific source of randomness, and a source of randomness shared by all the components.
The relative influence of child and environmental characteristics on sleep disturbances in the first and second years of life.

ABSTRACTThe study was designed to explore the relationship between sleeping disturbance in early and late infancy and variables related to (1) prenatal and birth factors, (2) child characteristics such as sex and temperament, (3) sleeping and feeding practices, (4) background factors, and (5) matern
The Changing Faces of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: The Impact of Consensus Guidelines at the University of South Florida

Prior to the consensus guideline conference in 2007, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) was uncommon dominated by the fibrostenotic phenotype, but over the past decade has become a common cause of dysphagia with more inflammatory phenotypes diagnosed. We assessed the impact of guideline definitions on the characteristics of EoE phenotypes over the past 26 years at our institution. We reviewed the electronic health record of 75 consecutive patients meeting guideline definition EoE from 1/1988 to 5/2014. We separated groups based on 5-year intervals of diagnosis and phenotype. For continuous data, results were summarized as mean difference and standard deviation with 95 % confidence intervals. Five groups based on 5-year intervals of diagnosis were identified: group 1—1988–1993 (n = 7), group 2—1994–1999 (n = 7), group 3—2000–2005 (n = 4), group 4—2006–2011 (n = 35), and group 5—2012–2014 (n = 22). Prior to 2000, all patients were diagnosed with fibrostenotic EoE. After the initial 2007 guideline conference, inflammatory EoE has predominated with only one-third diagnosed with fibrostenotic EoE. Prior to 2011, only two were diagnosed with PPI-REE. In the last 3 years, 8 out of 22 patients (32 %) had PPI-REE. Overall, 8 out of 10 (80 %) PPI-REE were the inflammatory phenotype. When comparing pre- (n = 18) and post (n = 57)-consensus definitions, there was a significant difference between age of diagnosis (30.710.2 vs. 41.3 ± 14.3; p = 0.001), age of symptom onset (18.4 +/15.2 vs. 32.4 ± 15.5), and initial esophageal diameter (10.5 ± 2.7 vs. 14.3 ± 4.2; p < 0.0001), respectively. Fibrostenotic EoE has steadily decreased, and inflammatory EoE is now the most recognized form. Across our 26-year experience, there was a decrease in delay in diagnosis and severity of esophageal stricture. The pivotal change occurred around 2007 corresponding to the first EoE guideline emphasizing the impact and importance of early detection of disease.
Transport of Marine Life between Oceans through the Panama Canal

THE water in most of the Panama Canal is fresh with no measurable salinity (Fig. 1). Because of this, the intermingling of Atlantic and Pacific marine fauna, after the projected United States sea level canal is completed, is a subject of speculation and interest1. The towing of an assortment of marine animals through the canal with a limited in-transit mortality as a result of the low salinity suggests that there is a continued gene flow among fouling animals on either side of the canal. This experiment does not suggest that the freshwater of the Panama Canal is not a barrier to most intertidal non-sessile organisms in their normal mode of transport by larvae or adult movements. For these animals it is probably a most effective barrier and quite unlike the situation at Suez where migrations are commonly recorded2. But for typical fouling organisms, such as barnacles and the like, a conservative estimate of the marine fouling transported between each ocean by normal ship traffic is 252,000 kg/yr.
Testing the Specification of Economic Learning Equations

There has been a great deal of debate in this journal recently concerning the appropriate specification and estimation of models of cognitive achievement. It is now widely recognized that closer attention must be given to specification problems in order to obtain reliable results. Soper (1976, p. 40), for example, has suggested that research in economic education is entering a "second generation" in which "increased sophistication in both theoretical specification of models and empirical techniques is necessary if further advances are to be made." One of the principal issues is the specification of the pre-TUCE variable (pretest score on Test of Understanding in College Economics) in a regression explaining post-TUCE performance (post-test score). Soper pointed out that the pre-TUCE variable should probably be considered as endogenous and presented a simultaneous equation model. Swan (1978) noted that Soper's model is recursive in form but may in fact be interdependent if the errors in the model are correlated across equations (i.e., if the error variance-covariance matrix is nondiagonal). In that case, the pre-TUCE variable would be correlated with the error in the post-TUCE equation and ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates would be both biased and inconsistent.'
Reactive intermediate in the alkali-carbonate-catalysed gasification of coal char

Based on results from a variety of experimental measurements, a detailed mechanism is postulated for the action of the inorganic catalyst in char gasification. In this mechanism, a catalyst such as potassium carbonate in contact with char undergoes a chemical and physical transformation to form a molten potassium oxide film that covers the char surface. This film serves as an oxygen transfer medium between the gaseous reactant (H2O or CO2) and the char. At the catalyst/char interface, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs and the anions in the catalyst react with the oxidized char to form a phenolate-type functional group that subsequently splits out CO. The anions are replenished by reaction between the oxidizing gas (H2O or CO2) and the oxide at the gas/catalyst interface. Net transport of oxygen from gas to char occurs by diffusion of the species in the molten catalyst film.