cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Space by Nesting Black-billed Gulls Larus bulleri: Behavioural Changes During the Reproductive Cycle

Black-billed Gulls Larus bulleri nesting in seven colonies in braided rivers in New Zealand were studied in 1990. These habitats are subject to frequent floods following heavy rain or snow melts. While a colony contained only incubating birds, the gulls nested close together (mean nearest neighbour distance 45-80 cm in six colonies) but once chicks began to hatch and to wander into nearby territories, families required more space. Parents and families moved outside the original colony and, eventually, to the water's edge. Aggression levels were low for incubating birds, increased for parents with chicks still in the colony and decreased when parents with their chicks moved to the water's edge. Parents with territories at the water's edge benefitted from increased space, lower aggression rates, and decreased food piracy while they were feeding their chicks. For chicks, the advantages were decreased aggression from neighbours and the ability to escape to the water when a ground or aerial predator approached.
Extension of β-chloroenals to ethyl 5-chloro-2,4-pentadienoates using wadsworth-emmons reactions: subsequent conversions to 5-aryl-5-chloro-2,4-pentadienoic acids and 5-aryl-2-penten-4-ynoic acids

Convenient routes from (Z)-3-aryl-3-chloroenals to (2E,4Z)-5-aryl-5-chloro-2,4-pentadienoates and (2E)-5-aryl-2-penten-4-ynoates are described. The stereochemical assignments are based on NMR spectral data.
Alteration of selection regime resulting from harvest of American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius

Replicate harvest simulations were conducted in a large natural population of Panax quinquefolius L.␣(Araliaceae) to determine the selective effects of harvest. We investigated how minimum size requirements and the influence of size on apparency to human harvesters could result in preferential removal of large plants. To determine which plants were encountered in the large population, harvesters were tracked using GPS as they searched for every legally harvestable, adult plant they could find. Plants were assigned stage-specific fitness measures based on their contributions to population growth rate (λ) under three demographically based harvest regimes: no harvest, harvest and harvest removing seeds. Plant size was codified into a size-index equal to the product of total leaf area and stem height. Heterogeneity of slopes was tested to determine if the selection gradients (β) describing the relationship between fitness and size varied among the three harvest regimes. Harvest differentially reduced the fitness of larger plants in one of four individual harvest simulations. The combined harvest simulation significantly altered the selection regime for size in the population of juvenile and adult (harvestable) plants. Seed removal by harvesters intensified fitness declines for larger plants. Because larger plants contribute most to population growth, the selective effects of harvest could result in a shift in the evolutionary dynamics of this species with significant conservation implications.
Cummiskey's Kantian Consequentialism

In Kantian Consequentialism, David Cummiskey argues that the central ideas of Kant's moral philosophy provide claims about value which, if applied consistently, lead to consequentialist normative principles. While Kant himself was not a consequentialist, Cummiskey thinks he should have been, given his fundamental positions in ethics. I argue that Cummiskey is mistaken. Cummiskey's argument relies on a non-Kantian idea about value, namely that value can be defined, and objects with value identified, conceptually prior to and independent of the choices that a rational agent would make. The contrasting Kantian concept of value is that to possess value is to be the object of (one sort or other) of rational choice. Inasmuch as Cummiskey gives no reason to reject the Kantian account of value in favour of his own (consequentialist) account, his argument does not establish that Kant's ethics inevitably leads to normative consequentialism.
Emerging research device roadmap and perspectives

The challenges in CMOS scaling have motivated research on a wide range of emerging devices, to extend the life of CMOS or to explore beyond-CMOS applications. The Emerging Research Device (ERD) chapter in ITRS systematically tracks and assesses numerous novel device options for both memory and logic applications. Most emerging devices explored so far are more suitable to augment CMOS than to replace CMOS. To truly utilize the unique characteristics of emerging devices, a system approach with device-design co-optimization needs to be adopted. Novel architectures may find promising opportunities in the beyond-CMOS domain.
Electronic transitions in the IR: Matrix isolation spectroscopy and electronic structure theory calculations on polyacenes and dibenzopolyacenes

We present the argon matrix isolated and theoretical spectra of the dibenzo[fg,op]tetracene, dibenzo[hi,uv]hexacene and dibenzo[jk,a1b1]octacene ions. Low-lying electronic absorptions are observed experimentally with significant intensity in the radical anion species. These electronic features in the IR region are confirmed with time dependent density functional theory calculations. We investigate the origin of these IR electronic transitions with orbital mixing considerations.
Numerical model based approach for estimating probability of detection in NDE applications

A method for using a numerical model in a probabilistic framework for estimating the probability of detecting a flaw in the presence of measurement variabilities is presented. The approach used centers around a measurement model which is based on the finite-element analysis of the eddy current nondestructive testing (NDT) phenomenon. The probability of detection (POD) model consists of modeling the different sources of measurement variabilities by a multivariate Gaussian distribution about a mean vector and a diagonal covariance matrix. The effects of various sources of noise in a practical eddy current NDT situation have been studied. Results obtained show that the probability of detecting a flaw is decreased as a consequence of the measurement variabilities. >
A low cost 500 watt motor and drive for HVAC Applications: UW-Madison's design for the future energy challenge

Participants in the 2003 International future energy challenge attempted to design a single phase input, 500 watt adjustable speed motor and drive with a million unit volume production target cost of $40. The UW-Madison team approach is presented in this paper. A soft magnetic composite segmented stator PM-BLDC design and back-EMF sensing drive is proposed. Manufacturing cost is the main constraint in this design. Educational aspects are also discussed.
Residence times of juvenile salmon and steelhead in off-channel tidal freshwater habitats, Columbia River, USA

We documented two life history strategies for juvenile salmonids as expressed in off-channel tidal freshwater habitats of the Columbia River: (i) active migrations by upper river Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during the primary spring and summer migration periods and (ii) overwinter rearing in tidal freshwater habitats by coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and naturally produced Chinook salmon mostly from lower river sources. During spring–summer 2007–2008, acoustic-tagged fish originating above Bonneville Dam (rkm 234) had short residence times in off-channel areas (rkm 192–203): median 2.5 and 2.6 h for yearling (mean lengths 134 and 158 mm) and 3.0 and 3.4 h for subyearling (104 and 116 mm) Chinook salmon and 2.5 h for yearling steelhead (215 mm). The percentage of fish in off-channel areas out of the total in the main- and off-channels areas was highest for yearling Chinook salmon (8.1% and 9.3% for 2007 and 2008, respectively) and lowest for steelhead (...
Treatment of nevus of Ota by Q-switched ruby laser

Background: There are few reports on therapy for nevus of Ota. Moreover, traditional treatments are largely palliative or risk permanent pigmentary changes and/or scarring. Objective: The efficacy of the Q-switched ruby laser (694 nm, 40 nsec) as a therapy for nevus of Ota was investigated. Methods: Nine nevi or portions thereof were irradiated up to six times with 4.5 and/or 7.5 J/cm2 at a mean exposure interval of 3 weeks. Sequential skin biopsy specimens were processed for light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Results: Cosmetic improvement occurred at both doses in the irradiated parts of the six nevi available for follow-up. No appreciable difference was noted between single and multiple treatments. There was no gross scarring. Light microscopy revealed dose-related immediate injury with more melanophages and fewer dermal melanocytes after irradiation in comparison with control areas. Electron microscopic distinction between dermal melanocytes and melanin-laden macrophages was difficult. A monoclonal antibody to human melanosome-specific antigen type 1 (HMSA-1) was used to distinguish between the two cell populations. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the Q-switched ruby laser is useful for treating nevus of Ota.
Use of 18F-Fludeoxyglucose–Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for Patient Management and Outcome in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Review

18F-fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) has been performed widely in diagnosis and management of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). This review summarizes the literature on this tool in the management of these patients. The use of FDG-PET/CT helps in accurate staging of primary tumor, nodal involvement, and distant metastasis of patients with OPSCC. Contrast-enhanced FDG-PET/CT combines high-resolution CT and functional FDG-PET, providing the optimum imaging information for patient management. Using contrast-enhanced PET/CT leads to a combined anatomic and metabolic approach to radiation therapy planning in OPSCC. Moreover, PET/CT not only is a good modality for therapy assessment but also is a powerful tool in early recurrence detection of OPSCC. Finally, the PET/CT parameters provide survival information in patients with OPSCC; however, further studies are needed to introduce a scoring system to use clinically for prognosis prediction.
Evaluation of guilt, shame and depression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) relative to breast (BC) and prostate cancer (PC)

7158 Background: Most NSCLC is related to smoking, and thus is potentially avoidable. Prior qualitative studies suggest that stigma from a self-induced illness results in feelings of guilt and sham...
Ability and achievement

Abstract In the model used in this study, father's occupation and education, the number of siblings, and the early intelligence level of the respondent are taken to be “predetermined” variables, with no assumption made as to causal order, with respect to later achieved status and to intelligence measured at maturity. Four successive dependent variables are educational attainment, intelligence at maturity, occupational achievement, and monetary earning. Results indicate that the ideal of equal educational opportunity is realized in the white population studied to the extent that progress through the school system is influenced at least as much by how bright you are as by “who” you are. However, the fact that the latter, indexed by measures of family size and status, does make a substantial difference in educational outcome, apart from its correlation with intelligence, is an indication that the ideal is far from being completely realized at this time.
Earnings Announcements as Wake-Up Calls

This paper finds that low-price stocks' earnings announcement returns are significantly lower than those of high-price stocks. In contrast, we do not find such underperformance outside announcement periods. This evidence suggests that the cognitive bias induced by low share prices are corrected when and only when investors are confronted with hard evidence. Interestingly, we find that stock analysts are subject to the same bias when they forecast earnings. Regarding options, although the underperformance of OTM calls written on low-price stocks is more pronounced around earnings announcements, it remains significant outside announcement windows, suggesting different behaviors of stock and options traders.
Integration Of BPDA-PDA Polyimide With Two Levels Of Al(Cu) Interconnects

As device geometries continue to scale down, a larger portion of the circuit delay is contributed by interconnects, and the majority of this delay is due to capacitive loading. The replacement of plasma-deposited SiO2 as an intermetal dielectric with an insulator of lower dielectric constant can provide performance improvement through the reduction of capacitance. A commercially available polyimide, BiPhenylene DiAnhydride – Phenylene DiAmine, BPDA-PDA, with an out-of-plane dielectric constant 3.0, is evaluated by integration with AI(Cu) in a double level metal, BiCMOS 4MB SRAM device, with 0.5μm groundrules. Process challenges unique to integration of an organic rather than inorganic insulator are described and experimental features concerning process integration, particularly via etch, Al(Cu) deposition, adhesion and moisture management are presented.
Microwave-Supported Plasma Combustion Enhancement of Composite Solid Propellants Using Alkali Metal Dopants

This effort explores the microwave-supported plasma enhancement of a composite solid propellant flame through a novel alkali metal doping technique. The technique enables formation of a high temperature plasma within the propellant flame in order to perturb the burning rate of a composite solid propellant. The aim of this effort is to investigate the use of a microwave-supported plasma combined with an alkali earth metal doping technique to produce unsteady features within the combustion of aluminized composite solid propellant. The technique employs targeted energy deposition to the propellant flame from a subcritical microwave field through the flame-induced ionization of an alkali earth metal atom (i.e. sodium, in the form of sodium nitrate, NaNO3) and formation of high free electron sites within the flame, which serve as microwave energy deposition sites for plasma kernel formation. Equilibrium propellant combustion calculations using ionic chemistry indicate that propellant formulations containing 10-20 wt.% Al and 15-40 wt.% NaNO3 produce the strongest equilibrium flame electron concentrations. However, using a 1 kW uncharacterized multimodal cavity, this effort shows that at 1 atm pressure, low levels of doping (3.5 wt.%) can result in microwave-supported formation of plasmas within the propellant flame that are capable of enhancing propellant burning rate by as much as 67%. High speed filtered and unfiltered video indicates that plasma enhancement frequently initiates in the near-burning surface portion of the flame, where plasma kernel formation is prevalent due to both the abundance of atomic sodium (inferred regions of high free electron concentration) and high localized flame temperatures. These results also suggest the importance of burning aluminum particles as additional localized energy deposition sites via eddy current heating and as a high temperature source to enhance sodium ionization.
RTRB-14TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED GLIOBLASTOMA LACK WORLDWIDE CONSENSUS

This study explored the current worldwide management strategies for elderly patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. A web-based survey was distributed to 168 radiation oncologists (RO), neuro-oncologists (NO) and neurosurgeons (NS) from the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties and CNS subcommittees of international cancer groups. Questions addressed the influence of molecular information, age, and comorbidities on treatment recommendations to determine whether management consensus exists. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one response. There were 58 (39%) respondents (50% NO, 3.5% NS and 50% RO) with 73% having > 10 years experience. 90% were academicians and 55% reportedly saw >50 patients with GBM annually. The most important factors influencing treatment decisions were KPS (92%), MGMT methylation status (72%), and comorbidity index (31%). Only 42% of respondents factor in age with 60% defining elderly as > 70 years-old. The most common recommendations for MGMT-methylated elderly patients with KPS > 70 were standard chemoRT (58%), temozolomide alone (28%), and short course RT (28%). The most common recommendations for MGMT-unmethylated patients with KPS > 70 were standard chemoRT (45%), short course RT (45%), and short course chemoRT (20%). Recommendations for patients with KPS < 50 were short course RT (52%), supportive care (50%), or TMZ alone (22%). Novo-TTF is or will soon be available at 74% of institutions. The majority (85%) of institutions do not have a clinical trial specifically for elderly patients with GBM, although 94% expressed interest in participating in such a trial. 98% of respondents are willing to randomize MGMT-unmethylated elderly patients to an arm without TMZ. Over 90% of respondents are willing to use short course RT as the standard RT for elderly patients, irrespective of MGMT methylation status. This study highlights that worldwide treatment recommendations for elderly patients with newly diagnosed GBM vary widely. Further randomized studies are warranted to elucidate the optimal treatment strategy.
Serologic responses of dogs naturally exposed to or vaccinated against Borrelia burgdorferi infection.

Objective To characterize the serologic responses of dogs naturally exposed to or vaccinated against Borrelia burgdorferi and to assess responses at intervals after antibiotic treatment. Design Prospective, controlled clinical trial. Animals 19 dogs of various breeds and ages with narrowly defined clinical criteria of limb/joint borreliosis and 10 control dogs of equivalent age were used to determine serologic responses following natural exposure to the organism. Eight seronegative dogs were used to determine serologic responses following vaccination. Procedure Serologic responses to B burgdorferi and recombinant outer surface protein (Osp)A, flagellin, and P39 were assessed by means of ELISA and western immunoblot. Passive protective activity was assessed by use of a mouse protection assay. Results Naturally exposed dogs were seropositive, but had variable ELISA titers and immunoblot profiles. Immunoblot analysis did reveal consistent reactions to flagellin, P39, and a 22 kd protein, but not to OspA. Antibody responses did not change appreciably up to 13 weeks after antibiotic treatment. Vaccinated dogs had strong reactions to OspA and OspB, but not to P39. Clinical implications Dogs with clinical borreliosis are seropositive and remain seropositive after antibiotic treatment, emphasizing that serologic testing is not a useful means of measuring clinical response. Serologic responses of infected dogs can be discriminated from those of vaccinated dogs by means of immunoblot analysis, and recombinant P39 is a potentially useful antigen for that purpose.
Dietary treatment of hepatic diseases.

It is in the liver that nutrients are changed into forms most useful to the body. Its importance in nutrition cannot be underestimated, and in derangements of this organ, careful attention to food intake by the therapeutic team is vital.
Determination of deoxynivalenol in 1991 U.S. winter and spring wheat by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

A thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method was modified for determination of deoxynivalenol (DON) in 1991 U.S. winter and spring wheat. After extraction with acetonitrile-water (84 + 16) and cleanup on a charcoal-alumina-Celite (7 + 5 + 3) column, acetonitrile was used instead of ethyl acetate to transfer the concentrated extract containing DON. After the extract was evaporated to dryness, the residue was dissolved in methanol and an aliquot was spotted on a high-performance TLC plate. After development with chloroform-acetone-2-propanol (8 + 1 + 1), the plates were sprayed with aluminum chloride solution and heated; DON was quantitated by fluorodensitometry. Average recoveries of DON added to duplicate test portions of wheat at 200, 400, and 800 ng/g were 83, 82, and 72%, respectively. The detection limit was 40 ng/g. The method was applied to 81 test samples of spring and winter wheat. The wheat contained DON levels that ranged from nondetectable to 9330 ng/g (average 1570 ng/g). The results indicate that DON levels were higher in wheat from Missouri, North Dakota, and Tennessee than in wheat from 7 other states. The identity of DON, which was isolated from 21 of the extracts by preparatory TLC, was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in all 21 test samples.
Procurement for combined heart-lung transplantation: Bilateral thoracotomy with sternal transection, cardiopulmonary bypass, and profound hypothermia

A bilateral thoracotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass and profound hypothermia has become our preferred method of procurement of organs for combined heart-lung transplantation and has replaced the sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass as initially used. This technique has provided good exposure and has facilitated dissection and hemostasis of the posterior aspect of the middle mediastinum.
Evolution of Management and Outcomes in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: A Population-Based Analysis.

Introduction Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (WM) is a rare lymphoma affecting older patients. Its management largely relies on small phase II trials and it is unclear how their results translate into clinical practice in the community. Method We evaluated changes in the presentation, management, and survival among 2,666 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with WM between 1994 and 2011, using Medicare claims linked to Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results data. Results Prevalence of transfusions, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neuropathy at diagnosis significantly increased over time, whereas the use of plasmapheresis was low (2.5%) and stable. The proportion of patients starting chemotherapy within 1 year of WM diagnosis increased from 39% in 1994 to 62% in 2011 (p 50% of patients since 2004, and combination chemoimmunotherapy for a further 30%. Most patients initiating multiagent regimens in 2012-2013 received rituximab with bortezomib or bendamustine. These changes were accompanied by significant improvements in overall and WM-related survival, but also by a significant increase in cost of chemotherapy. Mean Medicare payments for chemotherapy drugs accrued in the first year of treatment rose from $9,464 in 1994-2000 to $29,490 after 2008. Conclusion Hematologists have rapidly adopted innovative, expensive therapies for WM before completion of randomized trials. This underscores the need to assess the comparative value of such therapies in rare malignancies through a combination of clinical and observational data. Implications for practice Most older patients with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia currently treated in the U.S. receive rituximab as monotherapy or in combination with bortezomib or bendamustine. Newly designed trials should consider control arms aligned with this prevalent real-life standard. Compared with the 1990s, patients diagnosed according to current criteria are more likely to have anemia or neuropathy, or to receive early chemotherapy, but only 2.5% require plasmapheresis at diagnosis. The incremental clinical value of newly introduced agents needs to be assessed through a combination of clinical and health services research, taking into consideration their associated survival benefits, toxicities, and associated costs of care.
Privatized Gains and Socialized Losses

Before the subprime crisis, mortgage markets had been operating efficiently for generations. Originally facilitated by local banks, mortgage societies, and savings and loans, these markets matched long-term and nicely collateralized borrowers with lenders that were equally interested in long-term lending. Risk was low because the approximately 60% of households who purchased homes strived toward and prized this American dream. Times have changed.
Mechanisms Underlying the Hepatotoxicity of Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) induced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is clearly idiosyncratic (i.e., host-dependent). Therefore, a discussion on mechanisms underlying the hepatic toxicity of NSAIDs includes both those that determine the compound-specific hazard and those that determine an individual’s risk to develop DILI. Significant liver injury is confined to a relatively small number of NSAIDs rather than being based on a general pharmacological class effect or chemical family effect. Insights into the compound-specific mechanisms have mostly been obtained from cell or rodent studies with the model NSAID, diclofenac, and, to a lesser extent, sulindac or nimesulide. Toxicity is multifactorial and includes toxicokinetic factors (metabolic bioactivation and disposition), as well as toxicodynamic factors (disruption of mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidant stress, apoptosis, activation of proinflammatory pathways, and innate or adaptive immune reactions). The patient-specific mechanisms are largely unknown, but a causal association between certain HLA haplotypes and NSAID-induced DILI has been emerging. Owing to the unique sensitivity of rodents to NSAID-induced gastrointestinal injury, there are no validated animal models available. Instead, efforts should be concentrated on analyzing DILI patient-specific determinants of susceptibility.
Revision of primary sleeve gastrectomy to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: indications and outcomes from a high-volume center.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has become an accepted primary bariatric operation. Like other bariatric operations, inadequate weight loss and complications have been reported. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the indications and outcomes of revision of SG to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) at a single community hospital. Setting Community hospital, United States. Methods Retrospective review of a prospectively collected database identifying SG operations done from February 2009 to June 2014. All patients who underwent revision from SG to RYGB were studied. Results Forty-eight patients underwent revision of SG to RYGB. Mean time to revision was 26 months (range, 2–60 mo) and mean follow up after RYGB was 20 months (range, 4–48 mo). Indications for revision were reflux (n = 14), inadequate weight loss (n = 11), reflux and inadequate weight loss (n = 16), stricture (n = 4), chronic leak (n = 1), and recurrent diabetes and reflux (n = 2). Reflux symptoms resolved in 96% of patients after revision, and hiatal hernias were repaired in 50% of patients. Percentage total weight loss at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months was 9.0%, 12.9%, 15.7%, 13.3%, and 6.5%, respectively. The overall rate of complication was 31%. There were no mortalities. Conclusions Revision of SG to RYGB is a potentially effective means of treating SG complications, particularly reflux. Reflux was the most common indication for revision and was often associated with a hiatal hernia. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the long-term maintenance of additional weight loss after revision of SG to RYGB.
Enhanced Sampling of Phase Transitions in Coarse-Grained Lipid Bilayers.

Freezing and melting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers are simulated in both the explicit (Wet) and implicit solvent (Dry) coarse-grained MARTINI force fields with enhanced sampling, via the isobaric, molecular dynamics version of the generalized replica exchange method (gREM). Phase transitions are described with the entropic viewpoint, based upon the statistical temperature as a function of enthalpy, TS(H) = 1/(dS(H)/dH), where S is the configurational entropy. Bilayer thickness, area per lipid, and the second-rank order parameter (P2) are calculated vs temperature in the transition range. In a 32-lipid Wet MARTINI system, transitions in the lipid and water subsystems are strongly coupled, giving rise to considerable structure in TS(H) and the need to specify the state of the water when reporting a lipid transition temperature. For gel lipid + liquid water → fluid lipid + liquid water, we find 292.4 K. The small system is influenced by finite-size effects, but it is argued that the entro...
Build It and They Will Come - Mandating Collaboration in Public Lands Planning and Management

The U.S. public lands are essentially a grand social experiment. Born in the Progressive Era of the late nineteenth century and institutionalized throughout the twentieth century, public lands are a milieu in which American society plays out its ever-evolving relationships with land, nature, and the resources that provide for human material survival and comfort. Public lands are also places in which Americans work out the ever-changing relationships with one another with respect to the natural world, from debates over the appropriate role of government regulation to whether private entities should be able to benefit from the use of public forests. At the turn of the twenty-first century, the participants in this grand social experiment are turning to collaboration as a primary way to work out these relationships. Collaboration—and related terms like cooperation and coordination—has been infused in just about every significant public lands policy initiative in the past five years. From former Secretary of Interior Gale Norton’s “4 C’s”—communication, consultation, and cooperation for conservation—and the Bush Administration’s “Cooperative Conservation” initiative to the National Fire Plan’s 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy Implementation Plan1 and the U.S. Forest Service’s forest planning rule promulgated in 2005,2 collaboration is the concept du jour. It has transformed from being an emergent process people on the ground turned to as a last resort to address immediate
Assertiveness Training: A Forgotten Evidence-Based Treatment

The current article discusses assertiveness training, a once highly popular area of investigation that has been neglected in recent years by the field of psychotherapy. A substantial body of research indicates that assertiveness is a relevant factor associated with a variety of clinical problems, populations, and contexts, and that assertiveness training is a valuable transdiagnostic intervention. Despite its demonstrated importance, research on assertiveness and assertiveness training as a stand-alone treatment within clinical psychology has diminished drastically. We review the history of assertiveness training, revisit early research evidence for assertiveness training in treating various clinical problems, discuss the current status of assertiveness training, consider issues of clinical implementation, and comment on how the variables accounting for unassertiveness map onto the NIMH RDoC funding priorities.
Residential solar panel performance improvement based on optimal intervals and optimal tilt angle

In this paper, daily and yearly performance of a solar panel for residential usage is improved. To this end, an optimization problem is proposed and solved to find the optimal periods for a given number of intervals. It is shown that a limited number of tilt angle adjustments can significantly increase the maximum power production of a solar panel if the intervals are chosen properly. Therefore, this paper proposes a three steps algorithm to find the optimal period for each interval. First, the optimal tilt angle for a given interval is computed by using a Bee Algorithm (BA). Second, an optimization problem is formed and solved to get new periods for all intervals, which is guaranteed to have a better performance than the previous periods. And finally, a stopping criterion is checked to decide whether the previous step has to be repeated or the obtained periods are acceptable. The effects of the initial intervals on the results of the proposed algorithm are also investigated. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is studied at the Binghamton area, NY, US. The results show improvement in the received solar power by using the optimal intervals.
Mechanistic target of rapamycin: integrating growth factor and nutrient signaling in the collecting duct.

The renal collecting duct and other postmacula densa sites are the primary tubular regions for fine-tuning of electrolyte homeostasis in the body. A role for the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mT...
Arthrofibrosis and Patella Infera

Arthrofibrosis includes a wide spectrum of pathologies that can result in loss of motion of varying degrees secondary to inflammation and scarring. Prevention and early detection of arthrofibrosis remains the key to successful clinical outcomes. In situations involving prolonged immobilization or severe inflammation, such as the case presented here, surgical intervention is required. Open debridement and release and tendon lengthening can be performed in order to restore range of motion.
Organic constituents of mutagenic secondary effluents from wastewater treatment plants.

The organic constituents of mutagenically active secondary effluents from industrial plants and publicly-owned treatment works in Illinois were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Tentative identification of 243 compounds, 20 of which are U.S. Environmental Protection Agency priority pollutants, was achieved, including 33 not previously reported as water constituents. Among the compounds detected in one or more of the effluents were aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, plasticizers, chloro- and bromo-compounds, anilines, indoles, and triazine herbicides. However, onlyN-nitrosodimethylamine ando-toluidine, among the identified compounds, are known to be carcinogens or mutagens.
A Failure Recovery Protocol for Software-Defined Real-Time Networks

In a distributed computing environment, real-time tasks communicate via a network infrastructure whose stability significantly impacts timing predictability. Network stability includes two aspects. First, the network has to guarantee the deadline requirements of real-time message transmissions in the absence of network failures. Second, the network needs to support dynamic recovery when network failures occur. This paper generalizes previous static routing approaches, which address the first aspect of the network stability, by developing a dynamic failure recovery policy and a protocol to address the second aspect of the network stability. We derive new real-time forwarding paths without compromising the capability of network devices to guarantee deadlines of concurrent real-time transmissions. We implement this mechanism on a network simulation platform and evaluate it on real hardware in a local cluster to demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness. Experiments confirm the ability to bound recovery delays based on the network parameters.
Metabolomics of anoxia tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster: evidence against substrate limitation and for roles of protective metabolites and paralytic hypometabolism

Animals vary tremendously in their capacities to survive anoxia, and the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. Adult Drosophila melanogaster are rapidly paralyzed and survive up to 12 h of ...
Introspective Environment Modeling

Autonomous systems often operate in complex environments which can beextremely difficult to model manually at design time. The set of agents and objects in the environment can be hard to predict, let alone their behavior. We present the idea of introspective environment modeling, in which one algorithmically synthesizes, by introspecting on the system, assumptions on the environment under which the system can guarantee correct operation and which can be efficiently monitored at run time. We formalize the problem, illustrate it with examples, and describe an approach to solving a simplified version of the problem in the context of temporal logic planning. We conclude with an outlook to future work.
Hyperparameter optimization in learning systems

While the training parameters of machine learning models are adapted during the training phase, the values of the hyperparameters (or meta-parameters) have to be specified before the learning phase. The goal is to find a set of hyperparameter values which gives us the best model for our data in a reasonable amount of time. We present an integrated view of methods used in hyperparameter optimization of learning systems, with an emphasis on computational complexity aspects. Our thesis is that we should solve a hyperparameter optimization problem using a combination of techniques for: optimization, search space and training time reduction. Case studies from real-world applications illustrate the practical aspects. We create the framework for a future separation between parameters and hyperparameters in adaptive P systems.
Dissecting racial bias in an algorithm used to manage the health of populations

Health systems rely on commercial prediction algorithms to identify and help patients with complex health needs. We show that a widely used algorithm, typical of this industry-wide approach and affecting millions of patients, exhibits significant racial bias: At a given risk score, Black patients are considerably sicker than White patients, as evidenced by signs of uncontrolled illnesses. Remedying this disparity would increase the percentage of Black patients receiving additional help from 17.7 to 46.5%. The bias arises because the algorithm predicts health care costs rather than illness, but unequal access to care means that we spend less money caring for Black patients than for White patients. Thus, despite health care cost appearing to be an effective proxy for health by some measures of predictive accuracy, large racial biases arise. We suggest that the choice of convenient, seemingly effective proxies for ground truth can be an important source of algorithmic bias in many contexts.
Economic and Environmental Cost Analysis of Cold In-Place Recycling

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to evaluate and quantify the construction costs, energy costs, and environmental benefits of using cold in-place recycling (CIR) as a pavement rehabilitation te...
The Effectiveness of Charge Limiting and Partial Charge Limiting

The lithium-ion battery is a smartphone component with a relatively short lifespan and is becoming increasingly non-replaceable. Various charging methods can be used to extend the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries. Different charging methods were applied to groups of smartphones programmed to charge and discharge in patterns similar to a typical use case of the smartphone, simulating conventional battery use. The capacity of these batteries were periodically measured, allowing for comparison in degradation between charging methods. Partial charge limiting was found to have a slight benefit in reducing battery degradation, but was vastly outperformed by full charge limiting.
Deleuze and the Enaction of Non-Sense

This chapter examines the ways in which French philosopher Gilles Deleuze offers conceptual resources for an enactive account of language, in particular his extensive consideration of language in The Logic of Sense. Specifically Deleuze’s distinction between the nonsense of Lewis Carroll’s portmanteau creations and that of Antonin Artaud’s “transla- tion” of Carroll’s Jabberwocky highlights the need for an enactive, rather than merely embodied, approach to sense-making, particularly with regard to the general category of what Jakobson and Halle (1956) call “sound symbolism”.
Posthypnotic Amnesia and the Dissociation of Memory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses posthypnotic amnesia and the dissociation of memory. Hypnosis is a social interaction in which one person, designated the subject, responds to the suggestions offered by another person, designated the hypnotist, for the experiences that involve subjectively compelling alterations in perception, memory, and action. Historically, hypnosis has been of interest to psychologists in part because its phenomena seem to involve a division in consciousness coupled by subconscious mental processing. Suggestions for posthypnotic amnesia are included in most of the standardized procedures that have been developed to assess individual differences in responsiveness to a hypnotic suggestion. These individual differences cannot be predicted with much accuracy by the usual sorts of personality inventories. As observed on the standardized scales of hypnotic susceptibility, posthypnotic amnesia is a phenomenon of incidental memory. Procedural knowledge represents the cognitive processes by which declarative knowledge is manipulated and transformed. It includes a person's knowledge of mathematical operations and linguistic syntax, as well as the rules by which he or she can make inferences and arrive at judgments. Procedural knowledge does not have truth value, and it can be represented in the form of production systems linking certain goals, conditions, and actions.
Improving penalized least squares through adaptive selection of penalty and shrinkage

Estimation of the mean function in nonparametric regression is usefully separated into estimating the means at the observed factor levels—a one-way layout problem—and interpolation between the estimated means at adjacent factor levels. Candidate penalized least squares (PLS) estimators for the mean vector of a one-way layout are expressed as shrinkage estimators relative to an orthogonal regression basis determined by the penalty matrix. The shrinkage representation of PLS suggests a larger class of candidate monotone shrinkage (MS) estimators. Adaptive PLS and MS estimators choose the shrinkage vector and penalty matrix to minimize estimated risk. The actual risks of shrinkage-adaptive estimators depend strongly upon the economy of the penalty basis in representing the unknown mean vector. Local annihilators of polynomials, among them difference operators, generate penalty bases that are economical in a range of examples. Diagnostic techniques for adaptive PLS or MS estimators include basis-economy plots and estimates of loss or risk.
Liposome Gene Transfection

Varied results have been obtained using cationic liposomes for in vivo delivery. Furthermore, optimization of cationic liposomal complexes for in vivo applications is complex involving many diverse components. These components include nucleic acid purification, plasmid design, formulation of the delivery vehicle, administration route and schedule, dosing, detection of gene expression, and others. This chapter will also focus on optimization of the delivery vehicle formulation. These formulation issues include morphology of the complexes, lipids used, flexibility versus rigidity, colloidal suspension, overall charge, serum stability, half-life in circulation, biodistribution, delivery to and dissemination throughout target tissues. Broad assumptions have been frequently made on the basis of the data obtained from focused studies using cationic liposomes. However, these assumptions do not necessarily apply to all delivery vehicles and, most likely, do not apply to many liposomal systems when considering these other key components that influence the results obtained in vivo. Optimizing all components of the delivery system is pivotal and will allow broad use of liposomal complexes to treat or cure human diseases or disorders. This chapter will highlight the features of liposomes that contribute to successful delivery, gene expression, and efficacy. Keywords: Colloidal Suspensions; Formulation; Gene Therapy; Lamellar Structures; Liposomes; Nonviral Delivery; Optimization; Serum Stability; Systemic Delivery
Effect of methylphenidate on brain injury-related anger

Abstract Anger and temper outbursts can be serious clinical problems after brain injury. This study used a randomized, pretest, posttest, placebo control group, single-blind design to evaluate the therapeutic usefulness of methylphenidate to control brain-injury-related anger. The 38 subjects in the study were young adult males who had sustained serious brain injuries and who were beyond the period of rapid, spontaneous recovery. The subjects were divided into two groups, one that eceived 30mg of methylphenidate per day and the placebo control group. A comparison of the drug group with the placebo group before and at the end of the six-week treatment period on all the anger outcome measures analyzed simultaneously with multivariate analysis indicated a significant drug-by-time interaction effect, F(4,33) = 5.29, p = .002, demonstrating the therapeutic effect of methylphenidate on anger. The study found that drug responders could be predicted by pretreatment level of anger with a. 09 probability of misclassification. Methylphenidate also significantly reduced impairment on all of the general psychopathology outcome measures (F[3,31] = 5.42, p
Advancing Human Rights in Post-Authoritarian Communities through Education

For two decades now, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Russia, have been transitioning from authoritarian pasts to somewhat more liberal forms of social and political organization. The development of human rights consciousness confronts three core challenges posed by the legacy of twentieth century communism: associational life reduced to niche or clique; lack of trust; and discouragement of individual personhood. Practitioners can meet these challenges through a new approach to civic education. I show how, in four steps: (1) I propose human rights advocacy by means of a ‘cognitive style’, (2) deployed within civic education, (3) in ways that encourage civic participation. (4) I conclude by sketching three forms of a human rights cognitive style to spur civic education and participation: for professional activists; for non-professional community activists; and for educational deployment.
Embedded metadata: a tool for digital excavation

In June of 2012, I commenced the weighty task of searching the far reaches of Phoenix Art Museum's digital storage spaces to import images into a recently acquired collection management system, The Museum System (TMS). Before my newly created position as Visual Resource Coordinator began, each department generated and stored assets with their own organizational system in digital silos. I excavated long forgotten folders on various servers and desktops, hunting for visual documentation of the art collection and past installations. Embedded metadata was used as a tool to identify subject matter of images and indicate which folders had been searched. These assets were then reorganized with a new file name convention and folder structure. This poster will discuss my method for using embedded metadata to track information about digital assets as well as challenges and opportunities for further development. This method could be implemented by other cultural organizations as a low cost approach to tracking basic metadata, content creators and copyright restrictions.
21.4: Zinc Indium Oxide Thin-Film Transistors for Active-Matrix Display Backplane

We report on the development of low-temperature gate dielectric materials for zinc indium oxide (ZIO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Several films, including ALD HfO2 and PECVD SiNx (deposited at 175°C and 150°C, respectively), yield good TFT performance. Bias stress-induced threshold shift for HfO2 is quite small, however does not follow conventional trends associated with hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) TFTs; PECVD SiNx conversely, shows bias stress characteristics that conform reasonably to a model appropriate for a-Si:H devices.