cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intelligent Data Fusion for Improved Space Situational Awareness

With the advent of these significantly improved sensors, the number of objects in the space catalog is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude or more, and the frequency of measurement updates for each object will likely also increase by a factor of 4 or more. The projected increase in numbers of objects alone will magnify many of the existing Space Surveillance Network (SSN) information processing challenges. As a result of the increases in volume of data, the complexity of the decision space, and the increased demands on Space Situational Awareness (SSA), it will very quickly become impractical to rely on human analysts to perform all the necessary functions. A classical, centralized approach to the computer-aided automation of intensive analysis, while possible given sufficient computing power, can quickly become impractical as well due to the complexities of the decision space and the number of decision points that need to be evaluated. Raytheon has developed demonstration systems for other programs utilizing information fusion and intelligent agent technology. This is a very promising approach to meeting future requirements for SSA, as it will permit automation of object track prediction, maintenance, assessment, and knowledge gathering, as well as inter-object conjunction, interaction, and reaction assessments in a distributed event driven architecture. Using planned new systems and potential network architectures as a working framework, we have studied the application of this technology to the SSA mission. In addition, we have identified possible approaches to the extension of the concept to include the existing SSN sensors, future space based systems, and other data sources
Finding Common Ground Within the Abortion Debate

Manninen, B. A. (2014). Pro-Life, Pro-Choice: Shared Values in the Abortion Debate. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.Price: $59.95 (cloth) ISBN 978-0-8265-1990-0Price: $24.95 (paper) ISBN...
Integrated Design of Key Technologies for Intelligent Substation and Electric Vehicle Charging Station

On the basis of present status of intelligent substation and electric vehicle charging station,this paper proposes an integrated design idea of intelligent substation and electric vehicle charging station.It proposes a primary equipment integrated design scheme based on three-winding transformers and a secondary equipment integrated design based on IEC 61850 international standard.It highlights the selection of capacity for three-winding transformers,connection mode for three-winding transformers,calculation of active filter and reactive compensation,communication network structure,synchronous time comparison scheme,integrated design of electric metering system,etc.
The Interrelation between Capital and Output in the American Economy

That capital is a necessary factor of production must have been known to men, beavers and bees from time immemorial, but serious and fruitful attempts to find a quantitative relationship between capital and output and to incorporate it into the body of economic theory have, with a few exceptions, been remarkably recent.1 Part of this delay may be conveniently attributed to a lack of statistical data. Yet sources which could have yielded reasonable estimates of capital for the country as a whole and by industries had existed for quite some time,2 and might have been utilised earlier if demand for information of this kind had been present. The principal blame for the neglect of this subject should be attributed, I believe, to traditional economic theory. With the exception of the quantity of money, it has been very wary of stocks and has almost completely neglected the balance sheet as an economic document.3 But more important in this connection has been its general preoccupation with the static optimum combination of factors of production as determined by relative prices, and its exaggerated emphasis on the elasticity of substitution between factors and products. If capital and labour were easily and freely substitutable for each other, their respective relationships to output could hardly have much significance.
Growth and Characterization of LiCaAlF6:Cr3+ for Solid State Laser Applications

LiCaAIF6:Cr3+ single crystals doped with 3% CrF3 (Cr:LiCAF) have been grown by the Czochralski (CZ) technique in dimensions up to 1" diameter and 3" in length (Fig. 1). In this paper, we will address several important criteria related to the growth and characterization of this material. Cr:LiCAF has recently been demonstrated to lase efficiently when using laser pumping of small crystals.1 In this work we report on our efforts to grow large single crystals to be used for the flashlamp-pumped configuration.
USE OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CALMODULINS AS STRUCTURE-FUNCTION PROBES

Publisher Summary This chapter explains use of genetically engineered calmodulins (CaM) as structure-function probes. CaM is a relatively small protein that interacts in a Ca2+-dependent manner with a variety of proteins and enzymes. It is a highly conserved protein that is identical in all vertebrates thus far examined with the exception of eel CaM that differs by a single conservative amino acid substitution. The sequence and the conformation of CaM encode information necessary for it to interact with and differentially regulate multiple target enzymes in the same cell. Mutant CaM genes were constructed by substituting portions of the chicken or eel CaM cDNAs with homologous regions to the pseudogene using common restriction endonuclease cleavage sites. Expression plasmids that direct the synthesis of CaML3A, CaML7, CaMLlO and CaML13 were constructed to define amino acid substitutions responsible for differential activation of CaM-dependent enzymes.
Static Equilibrium and Trim

This chapter explores static equilibrium and trim equilibrium. There is a detailed description of the trim equilibrium. The preliminary considerations and the conditions, degree, and variation of stability are explained. The chapter discusses the longitudinal static stability, wherein two types of stabilities are explained. These are controls fixed stability and controls free stability. Lateral static stability is concerned with the ability of the aircraft to maintain wings level equilibrium in the roll sense. On the other hand, directional static stability is concerned with the ability of the aircraft to yaw or weathercock into wind in order to maintain directional equilibrium. The condition for an aircraft to remain in steady trimmed flight requires that the forces and moments acting on the aircraft sum to zero and that it is stable. Thus, to calculate the trim condition of an aircraft it is convenient to assume straight or symmetric flight.
Psychological Symptoms in a Sample of Latino Abused Children

SUMMARY This study compared Latino children who were victims of child abuse with similar children who were not abused on measures of depression, anxiety, behavior problems, and dissociation. Abused children were found to have higher levels of symptoms on the majority of symptom measures. There were differences in the evaluation of distress levels on the self report versus parent/guardian report measures. Mean scores of the abused children on the self report measures were not in the clinical range, although a substantial number of children had high levels of distress. In contrast, the results of the parent/guardian measures revealed mean scores in the clinical range of problems. Implications for research and practice are included.
Crop Domestication: A Sneak-Peek into the Midpoint of Maize Evolution

In a new study, DNA from a 5,310-year-old corn cob found in the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico was sequenced and compared to modern maize and its wild progenitor grasses. The sample was found to be an intermediate between modern maize and its wild relatives, suggesting a gradual, protracted domestication process.
Abstract B45: A pilot trial of dietary fish and ω-3 fatty acid supplements in women at high risk for breast cancer

Background: The type of fat consumed in the diet may influence mammary tissue biology and breast cancer risk, with preclinical evidence for inhibitory effects of n-3 versus n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on mammary carcinogenesis. Fish consumption and fish oil supplements are two strategies to increase dietary n-3 fatty acids. Objective: To determine the effects of increased fish consumption on breast adipose tissue fatty acids, we conducted a study of dietary fish versus an n-3 fatty acid supplement in women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. Design: In this three month randomized study, women at high risk for breast cancer received either (a) dietary fish in the form of canned salmon and albacore tuna at a dose of four 6 ounce servings/week or (b) two n-3 fatty acid capsules (1.68 g EPA+DHA)/day for three months. Subjects underwent fasting blood draws monthly and breast adipose tissue samples at baseline and three months for fatty acid profiling by gas chromatography. Results: Both study interventions of dietary fish and n-3 PUFA capsule yielded increased EPA and DHA content in plasma (p Conclusions: Dietary fish and n-3 PUFA capsules significantly increase breast adipose tissue EPA and DHA content and represent two well tolerated strategies for future clinical trials of dietary n-3 PUFAs for breast cancer prevention. Citation Format: Shana Straka, Joanne L. Lester, Sarah Puchala, Angela Rose, Rachel Cole, Rebecca R. Andridge, Steven K. Clinton, Martha A. Belury, Lisa D. Yee. A pilot trial of dietary fish and ω-3 fatty acid supplements in women at high risk for breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr B45.
Developing an all-steel buckling controlled brace

Abstract The development of all-steel tube-in-tube buckling controlled brace (TinT-BCB) is presented. The efficiency of the TinT-BCBs is evaluated experimentally and numerically. The cyclic behavior and fracture life of TinT-BCBs was first investigated through physical testing, followed by FE-based simulations revealing the inherent correlation between fracture and peak cyclic strain in load-bearing braces. The cyclic strain in plastic zones was recorded up to 0.02 strain range during the cyclic tests, enabling the study to use the recorded strain in verifying the FE simulation models. The strain response of plastic zones was captured by the FE simulation up to fracture in conventional large-size braces. The paper concludes that (1) the TinT-BCB, developed based on the buckling-controlling concept, has demonstrated stable and symmetrical cyclic response, with global and local buckling controlled up to 0.035–0.04 story drift ratio; (2) the TinT-BCB is proven to be effective in elongating cyclic fracture life of conventional CBF from 2% SDR to 3.5–4% SDR by adding simple buckling controller. The cost for adding the buckling controller is low in comparison with the substantially increased lateral strength and energy dissipation capacity; and (3) the efficiency of the TinT-BCB in improving overall cyclic behavior in general and elongating fracture life of braces in particular is attributed to its ability in controlling highly concentrated strain in plastic zones of conventional braces. By spreading the concentrated strain demand throughout the entire length, the buckling controller is shown to reduce excessive peak strains in conventional braces by 7–8 times.
Moving to Learn: Exploring the Impact of Physical Embodiment in Educational Programming Games

There has been increasing attention paid to the necessity of Computational Thinking (CT) and CS education in recent years. To address this need, a broad spectrum of animation programming environments and games have been created to engage learners. However, most of these tools are designed for the touchpad/mouse and keyboard, and few have been evaluated to assess their efficacy in developing CT/programming skills. This is problematic when trying to understand the validity of such designs for CS education, and whether there are alternative approaches that may prove more effective. My dissertation work helps address this problem. After creating a framework based on a meta-review that carefully dissects embodiment strategies in learning games, I am building and evaluating tangible and augmented reality versions of a CT game. I plan to examine how these different forms of physical interaction help to facilitate and enhance meaning-making during the learning process, and whether/how they improve related learning factors such as self-belief and enjoyment.
Rates of liver retransplantation in the United States are declining in the era of direct-acting antiviral agents.

Background & Aims Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the leading indication for liver transplantation (LT) and liver re-transplantation (re-LT) in the United States (US). Following LT, the recurrence of HCV infection is universal, with 40% of grafts developing cirrhosis within five years, often necessitating re-LT. Until recently, treatment strategies for liver transplant recipients with recurrent HCV infection were less than ideal; however, the recent development and approval of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents have shifted the treatment paradigm in this difficult-to-treat cohort. Methods Using the United Network for Organ Sharing Database, we analyzed adults in the US who underwent re-LT from 2005 to 2014. We performed multivariate logistic analyses to determine the predictors of re-LT among patients with post-transplant recurrent HCV infection. Results The annual HCV re-LT rate (per 100 HCV-related LT) declined from 8.8 in 2005 to 3.8 in 2014. Moreover, the proportion of HCV-related re-LT within 1 year of LT declined from 20.4% in 2005 to 1.2% in 2014. Conclusion Our analysis demonstrated that the reduction in the rate of re-LT was independently associated with the era of DAA-based treatment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
X-ray optics simulation and beamline design for the APS upgrade

The upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to a Multi-Bend Achromat (MBA) will increase the brightness of the APS by between two and three orders of magnitude. The APS upgrade (APS-U) project includes a list of feature beamlines that will take full advantage of the new machine. Many of the existing beamlines will be also upgraded to profit from this significant machine enhancement. Optics simulations are essential in the design and optimization of these new and existing beamlines. In this contribution, the simulation tools used and developed at APS, ranging from analytical to numerical methods, are summarized. Three general optical layouts are compared in terms of their coherence control and focusing capabilities. The concept of zoom optics, where two sets of focusing elements (e.g., CRLs and KB mirrors) are used to provide variable beam sizes at a fixed focal plane, is optimized analytically. The effects of figure errors on the vertical spot size and on the local coherence along the vertical direction of the optimized design are investigated.
Children’s Throwing and Striking: A Longitudinal Study

Purpose: Object control skills (OCS) provide children the means to be physically active. However, gender equality in some OCS remains elusive. Particularly troublesome is the basic throwing pattern and by extension the striking pattern; both of which rely on forceful, rapid rotation, of pelvis, trunk and shoulders. Some scholars argue that sex differences in throwing and striking are rooted in human evolution. The purpose of this study was to examine development of throwing and striking at the fundamental movement level. Methods: The design was multi-cohort sequential: Two hundred eighty boys and girls grades K-8 (ages 4-15) were tested up to three times per year for five years on the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was applied to analyze individual growth curves. Results: As anticipated, significant (p<.001) age-related gains were found for throwing and striking. In terms of sex (biology) or gender (socio-cultural) differences, boys performed better longitudin...
Nitroxyl Modified Tobacco Mosaic Virus as a Metal-Free High-Relaxivity MRI and EPR Active Superoxide Sensor.

Superoxide overproduction is known to occur in multiple disease states requiring critical care; yet, noninvasive detection of superoxide in deep tissue remains a challenge. Herein, we report a metal-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) active contrast agent prepared by “click conjugating” paramagnetic organic radical contrast agents (ORCAs) to the surface of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). While ORCAs are known to be reduced in vivo to an MRI/EPR silent state, their oxidation is facilitated specifically by reactive oxygen species—in particular, superoxide—and are largely unaffected by peroxides and molecular oxygen. Unfortunately, single molecule ORCAs typically offer weak MRI contrast. In contrast, our data confirm that the macromolecular ORCA-TMV conjugates show marked enhancement for T1 contrast at low field (<3.0 T) and T2 contrast at high field (9.4 T). Additionally, we demonstrated that the unique topology of TMV allows for a “quenchless fluorescent” bimodal pr...
Input Strictly Local opaque maps

This paper gives a computational characterisation of opaque interactions in phonology. Specifically, a range of opaque interactions are shown to be Input Strictly Local (ISL) maps (Chandlee 2014), which are string-to-string functions that determine output based only on contiguous sequences of input symbols. Examples from Bakovic’s (2007) extended typology of counterfeeding, counterbleeding, self-destructive feeding, non-gratuitous feeding and cross-derivational feeding, as well as a case of fed counterfeeding from Kavitskaya & Staroverov (2010), are all given ISL analyses, which show that these interactions can be computed based on sequences of bounded length in the input. It is discussed how ISL maps are restrictive in their typological predictions, have guaranteed learning results and known methods for generation and recognition, and thus compare favourably to rule-based and constraint-based approaches to these interactions.
Barcelona: A Design and Runtime Environment for Declarative Artifact-Centric BPM

A promising approach to managing business operations is based on business artifacts, a.k.a. business entities with lifecycles [8, 6]. These are key conceptual entities that are central to guiding the operations of a business, and whose content changes as they move through those operations. A business artifact type is modeled using a an information model, which is intended to hold all business-relevant data about entities of this type, and b a lifecycle model, which is intended to hold the possible ways that an entity of this type might progress through the business. In 2010 a declarative style of business artifact lifecycles, called Guard-Stage-Milestone GSM, was introduced [4, 5]. GSM has since been adopted [7] to form the conceptual basis of the OMG Case Management Model and Notation CMMN standard [1]. The Barcelona component of the recently open-sourced [2] ArtiFact system supports both design-time and run-time environments for GSM. Both of these will be illustrated in the proposed demo.
Multiple Time Scale Numerical Methods for the Inverted Pendulum Problem

In this article, we study a class of numerical ODE schemes that use a time filtering strategy and operate in two time scales. The algorithms follow the framework of the heterogeneous multiscale methods (HMM) [1]. We apply the methods to compute the averaged path of the inverted pendulum under a highly oscillatory vertical forcing on the pivot. The averaged equation for related problems has been studied analytically in [9]. We prove and show numerically that the proposed methods approximate the averaged equation and thus compute the average path of the inverted pendulum.
Deleterious Role of TNF-α in Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Purpose Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a mediator of neuronal cell death and survival in ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study was conducted to further elucidate the role of TNF-alpha and its receptor in an in vivo model of retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by investigating its effects on retinal histopathology and function. Methods Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was performed on p55 and p75 knockout (KO) mice and Sprague-Dawley rats using the high intraocular pressure Method The temporal expression of TNF-alpha was ascertained with immunohistochemical staining. Separate rats received intravitreal recombinant TNF-alpha or neutralizing antibody before or after ischemia. TUNEL labeling was performed to assess for cell death, and electroretinography was performed to assess function. Results TNF-alpha expression peaked at 12 to 24 hours after ischemia-reperfusion injury. TUNEL staining was diminished after intravitreal TNF-alpha antibody. Both transgenic KOs demonstrated significantly less functional impairment. Rats receiving recombinant TNF-alpha 48 hours after ischemia showed exaggerated functional impairment. Animals treated with TNF-alpha antibody before ischemia displayed significant functional improvement. Conclusions TNF-alpha plays a largely deleterious role in ischemia-reperfusion injury in an in vivo model of retinal injury. Direct neutralization of this cytokine partially preserves retinal function. The diverse characteristics of TNF-alpha are attributed in part to the timing of its expression after injury. TNF-alpha receptor expression and function, along with combination treatments targeting death receptor-mediated apoptosis, should be further explored to develop neuroprotective therapeutic strategies for acute retinal ischemic disorders.
IDX-1: a new homeodomain transcription factor expressed in rat pancreatic islets and duodenum that transactivates the somatostatin gene.

Abstract We describe the cloning from a rat islet somatostatin-producing cell line of a 1.4 kb cDNA encoding a new homeoprotein, IDX-1 (islet/duodenum homeobox-1), with close sequence similarity to the Drosophila melanogaster homeobox protein Antennapedia (Antp) and the Xenopus laevis endoderm-specific homeoprotein XlHbox8. Analyses of IDX-1 mRNA and protein in rat tissues show that IDX-1 is expressed in pancreatic islets and ducts and in the duodenum. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays IDX-1 binds to three sites in the 5' flanking region of the rat somatostatin gene. In co-transfection experiments IDX-1 transactivates reporter constructs containing somatostatin promoter sequences, and mutation of the IDX-1 binding sites attenuates transactivation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of islet RNA using degenerate amplimers for mRNAs encoding homeoproteins indicates that IDX-1 is the most abundant of 12 different Antp-like homeodomain mRNAs expressed in adult rat islets. The pattern of expression, relative abundance and transcriptional regulatory activity suggests that IDX-1 may be involved in the regulation of islet hormone genes and in cellular differentiation in the endocrine pancreas and the duodenum.
Cruciferous Vegetable Consumption and Stomach Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Objective: To investigate the association between regular cruciferous vegetable intake and stomach cancer.Methods: A hospital-based, case-control study was conducted at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY, which included 292 stomach cancer patients and 1168 cancer-free controls recruited between 1992 and 1998 as part of the Patient Epidemiology Data System (PEDS). Dietary and other epidemiologic and confounding variables were collected by questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were utilized to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between usual pre-diagnostic cruciferous vegetable intake and stomach cancer, with adjustment for other stomach cancer risk factors and dietary characteristics.Results: We observed strong inverse associations between stomach cancer and highest versus lowest intakes of total cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.42-0.83), raw cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.38-0.73), raw broccoli (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.86), raw cauliflower (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.35-0.73), and Brussels sprouts (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.48-0.91).Conclusions: These data suggest that consuming raw cruciferous vegetables may be associated with a lower odds of stomach cancer, even after considering other dietary characteristics.
Analysis of mixed-mode crack propagation using the boundary integral method

An analysis, using the boundary integral method, was made of the plane problem of an edge crack under tension (Mode I) upon which a varying Hertzian stress field (Mode I plus Mode II) was superimposed, as in the inner race of a bearing of a high speed aircraft engine. Mode I, Mode II and effective stress intensity factors were computed and directions of crack propagation determined using both the maximum tangential stress and minimum strain energy density theories. Large discrepancies were found between the two theories. The curving of the crack out of its plane as it progresses was qualitatively shown. Further work in progress is described.
Toughness and prism-hamiltonicity of P4-free graphs

Abstract The prism over a graph G is the product G □ K 2 , i.e., the graph obtained by taking two copies of G and adding a perfect matching joining the two copies of each vertex by an edge. The graph G is called prism-hamiltonian if it has a hamiltonian prism. Jung showed that every 1-tough P 4 -free graph with at least three vertices is hamiltonian. In this paper, we extend this to observe that for k ≥ 1 a P 4 -free graph has a spanning k -walk (closed walk using each vertex at most k times) if and only if it is 1 k -tough. As our main result, we show that for the class of P 4 -free graphs, the three properties of being prism-hamiltonian, having a spanning 2-walk, and being 1 2 -tough are all equivalent.
Textured and Porous Biomaterials

Abstract Porous and textured biomaterial features have demonstrated an important role in the success of a myriad of biomedical applications. Biomaterial properties including texture and porosity are necessary and important considerations when designing biomedical devices and tissue engineering constructs. Texture, for example is necessary to recapitulate the surface morphology of the extracellular matrix and facilitate cellular adhesion and supports tissue organization. Porosity is an important consideration for nutrient transfer, and promotes cell migration and proliferation, leading towards regeneration and integration. Recent advances in biomaterials engineering has led to the development of an array of biomaterial fabrication methods for imparting controlled features at the nano-, micro-, and macro-scales which influence cell and tissue behavior in controlled ways, with a particular emphasis on synthetic biomaterials used in tissue engineering. These methods can be combined to fabricate application-specific devices or/and tissue engineering constructs to accommodate a variety of tissue interfaces or/and to template tissue regeneration.
The impact of religious affiliation on college students’ 12-step model preferences

Previous research has suggested that younger generations are reporting lower levels of religious affiliation and are more likely to drop out of traditional 12-step recovery programmes such as Alcoh...
Discovery and Opportunities With Integrative Analytics Using Multiple-Omics Data

In our era of post-information age, the generation of data increases at an astronomical pace. This progress has led to doubling the sum of medical knowledge to every 73 days in 2020 from every 50 years in 1950.(1) For example, recent efforts with large genomic datasets have allowed for unraveling unknown genetic associations with disease risk, and fueled therapeutic options.
Balancing safety on the road with risk from COVID-19: A content analysis of policy adaptations by Divisions of Motor Vehicles.

Abstract Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered people’s daily lives, including driving. However, how state Divisions of Motor Vehicles (DMV) adapted their operation policies in response to COVID-19 remains unknown. This study analyzed adaptations to the content of state DMV operation policies during the COVID-19 pandemic across 50 US states and assessed the relationships between these policy adoptions and their state-level COVID-19 restriction orders. Methods We merged data on policy adaptations due to COVID-19 obtained from DMV websites for all 50 states with data on state-level restrictions obtained from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). We created a codebook and analyzed the DMV policy adaptations in the following three areas: (1) road testing, (2) licensure extension and renewals, and (3) facility reopening. Two trained coders independently reviewed and coded the adaptations of policy content related to precaution to spread of COVID-19 and ease of obtaining licensure. We calculated summary scores for policy adaptations and ease of licensure and compared these scores across three categories of state-level COVID-19 restrictions using ANOVA. Results DMVs in all 50 states adapted their policies to slow the spread of COVID-19. The ease of licensure summary scores increased in some states but decreased in others. Extensions for licensure renewals was the most common change. Adoption of COVID-19 precautions during the road test was the most common road test adaptation, while road test waivers were the most controversial. Requiring appointments, social distancing, and/or face coverings/personal protective equipment [PPE] were common adaptations during facility reopening. However, variations in level of policy adaptations and ease of licensure were not associated with the state’s COVID-19 restrictions. Conclusions Our findings provide insight into policy adaptations made by state DMVs to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and may inform future policy adaptations in DMVs and other government agencies during public health emergencies.
Data and Data Management in Clinical Trials

Data management is one of the most critical areas in any clinical research protocol. They are the most important product of clinical research; and the ability to store, manipulate, analyze, and retrieve data is critical to the research process. The best data management tools are a well-written protocol, which includes data collection forms, standard terminologies, carefully written definitions, and a manual of standard operating procedures. Designing and conducting clinical research protocols involve the planning and the making of intelligent, informed decisions from the start. In conclusion, there is no proper way to conduct a clinical research study, as it takes the imagination, the creativity, the initiative, and the diligence of the of entire research team to complete the project. However, there are appropriate approaches that incorporate the regulatory requirements with effective and efficient data management designs.
Delivery of Online Learning for Healthcare Consumers

active participants in the process of care. Providing adequate information that is personally meaningful is a major challenge for healthcare providers. It is important that we understand how informatics can best be used to support the process of online consumer health education. Chapter 4 describes the design and evaluation of Web sites for healthcare consumers.This chapter focuses on online consumer health education and barriers to success in the delivery of technology innovations for consumer health education. Emotional distress, physical discomfort, limited privacy, and limited time with healthcare providers can all contribute to the ineffectiveness of the healthcare setting as a learning environment. Information technologies provide new opportunities for consumer health education and the information sharing process. Consumers and healthcare providers can come together to share information, engage in healthcare education processes, and form online groups for learning and social support all at a time that is most convenient for them. Information gathered from the Internet can improve comprehension and recall of information provided during the healthcare visit. The individualization of content and reinforcement of learning, which can occur in online learning environments, ensure prolonged retention of information and facilitate knowledge attainment [1–3]. Online learning environments are particularly useful for clients with special needs. Clients with low literacy skills benefit from the individualized pace of instruction and the multisensory learning experience. Elderly clients with very little prior computer experience have successfully learned computer-based material and reported high satisfaction with online information and learning [1–3]. As a leading resource for consumer health information and education the Internet also generates concerns about information quality, misunderstandings of information complexity, and information volume.These concerns and the unique needs of the target audience must all be considered by those who are designing online consumer health education programs [1–3].
Low-angle propagation measurements at HF over farmland

High fidelity electromagnetic modeling of the wave propagation field is essential to accurately assess the impact of wind-turbine modulated ground clutter on high frequency (HF) Over-The-Horizon (OTH) radar performance. To support the modeling effort, field measurements were conducted in 2014 near the AN/TPS-71 HF Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) in Virginia to investigate wave propagation near the ground. Extensive propagation data were collected by transmitting from a helicopter-borne HF transmitter to a number of monopole antennas on the ground near the ROTHR receive site at three HF frequencies (7.5 MHz, 14.5 MHz, and 23.5 MHz) and various elevation angles from five to zero degrees (grazing incidence) as measured from the receive antenna. The measurement ranges varied from 5 to 40 km and the helicopter altitudes varied from ground level up to 6000 feet. The measurement results are well correlated with model-based predictions for a smooth-homogeneous-earth surface provided that the “effective” dielectric constant and conductivity of the terrain are reduced from their expected values as estimated from in situ soil samples and the National Land Cover Database.
ACCESSING GENETIC KNOWLEDGE: A CASE FOR A HUMANIST VIRTUE ETHICS

This essay presents an ethical argument for the value of taking a theoretical perspective that privileges the particularities of individual lived experience over a priori categories of subjecthood. This argument is made through the examination of one practice – disclosure – among American patients who have recently been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, a fatal genetic disorder. Disclosure is understood in this context as the expected sharing of a Huntington’s disease diagnosis by the patient with those close to her (primarily family). It is modeled on the practice in which a medical professional informs a patient of her diagnosis. Through advancing an account of disclosure that constitutes it as an ethically obligatory practice within the realm of bioethics, the essay demonstrates that a particular set of ethical priorities is assumed by insisting on the salience of disclosure in the lives of patients diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. Two case studies are presented to illustrate that patients’ lived experience in the wake of a Hunting ton’s disease diagnosis does not necessarily include disclosure as an ethically important practice.
New TSP Construction Heuristics and Their Relationshipsto the 2-Opt

Correction heuristics for the traveling salesman problem (TSP), with the 2-Opt applied as a postprocess, are studied with respect to their tour lengths and computation times. This study analyzes the ’’2-Opt dependency,‘‘ which indicates how the performance of the 2-Opt depends on the initial tours built by the construction heuristics. In accordance with the analysis, we devise a new construction heuristic, the recursive-selection with long-edge preference (RSL) method, which runs faster than the multiple-fragment method and produces a comparable tour when they are combined with the 2-Opt.
Pityriasis amiantacea: a distinctive presentation of psoriasis associated with tumour necrosis factor‐α inhibitor therapy

Pityriasis amiantacea (PA; also known as tinea amiantacea) is a relatively rare but distinctive scalp condition characterized by thick scales that adhere to each other and to the hair shaft, resulting in agglomeration and matting of hair. Temporary alopecia is a common complication. Although a specific cause remains unclear, PA is associated with several inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis. We present a case of PA as a complication of underlying psoriasis, which developed during tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitor therapy for Crohn disease. This paradoxical cutaneous reaction to anti-TNF-α therapy has been recently described as an emerging and perplexing cause of psoriasis and psoriasiform eruptions.
Family and Parent Correlates of Educational Achievement: Migrant Children in China

Analyzing data drawn from the Beijing Migrant Children Compulsory Education Survey (BMCCES), this study examines the impact of child, family and parent factors on migrant Chinese children’s performance in math. The central questions address the differences between the performance of migrant and non-migrant children in Beijing, the family and parent correlates of education achievement, such as household income and parent education, the impact of social capital based on family relations, norms and interactions, such as educational expectation and parental involvement, and how the results compare to findings in the US literature. The results show some similarities and differences between the family-related factors that impact achievement in the US and China.
Implication of prostaglandin E2 in soluble factor-mediated immune suppression by murine decidual cells.

: Cells from the uteri of pregnant mice mediate profound nonantigen-specific and nonmajor histocompatibility complex-restricted immune suppression in vitro. In part, those cells accomplish suppression by releasing soluble suppressor factors. The purpose of the present study was to initiate identification of uterine cell suppressor factors. Immune suppression was assayed by the effect of decidual cells or in vitro generated supernatants of decidual cells on mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). The following findings support the designation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as a primary suppressor molecule originating with decidual cells: (1) Suppression mediated by supernatants of decidual cells was relieved by removal of lipids but not proteins; (2) indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, produced partial relief of suppression mediated by uterine cells and totally inhibited soluble suppressor factor generation by those cells; (3) decidual cells produced high levels of both PGE2 and PGF2a; (4) the addition of exogenous PGE2 at levels comparable to those found in the decidual cell supernatants restored suppression by decidual cells and their supernatants whereas the addition of PGF2a had no effect; (5) inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonate metabolism had no effect on cell or supernatant mediated suppression; (6) nonspecific suppressor mechanisms, such as arginine depletion and peroxide generation, were excluded as possible mediators of MLR suppression by decidual cells and their supernatants. Fractionation of decidual cells revealed at least three indomethacin-sensitive cell types: small, lymphocytelike cells, macrophages, and a third population of large decidual cells that was not identified by specific markers. The data strongly suggest that prostaglandins, primarily PGE2, are involved in immunosuppression by cells from the uteri of pregnant mice.
Effect of nestling status and brood size on concentration of corticosterone of free-living kittiwake chicks

Vertebrates respond to perceived stressors through increased plasma concentrations of glucocorticoids. However, there is considerable variation within and across species in the circumstances and degree to which glucocorticoid levels are elevated. We measured baseline and acute stress-induced levels of corticosterone of free-living, black-legged kittiwake chicks (Rissa tridactyla) across four consecutive breeding seasons in the northern Gulf of Alaska to determine the effect of hatching order and brood size on corticosterone levels of chicks. We sampled 12- to 15-day-old chicks from intact broods (i.e., no brood reduction) at three colonies from 2002-2005 (n=164). Baseline and stress-induced levels of corticosterone did not vary by hatching order or brood size. These results suggest that the adrenocortical function of kittiwake chicks from broods that survive intact through 12-15 days is not affected by either hatching order or brood size.
Shaping of the plasma facing surfaces of the ALT-II full toroidal belt limiter

Abstract The Advanced Limiter Test-II, ALT-II, is a full toroidal belt limiter that began operation on TEXTOR in April 1987. The experimental program investigates the effects of a full toroidal belt on particle confinement and on particle exhaust from the system. ALT-II is designed to operate with 6 MW of plasma heating for three second discharges. For design purposes we assumed that as much as 4 MW is deposited on the limiters. This paper describes how the design conditions were coupled with a detailed description of the tokamak plasma edge region to determine the shapes of the graphite tiles mounted on the ALT-II blades. The front faces of these tiles, the surfaces adjacent to the plasma, were profiled poloidally so that when the energy scrape-off length, λ c , is 1.0 cm the active surfaces experience a heat flux of 270 W/cm 2 . The ALT-II belt consists of eight individually movable blades with a 12.0 cm gap, for diagnostic access, between adjacent blades. Power flow through these gaps produces hot spots on the ends of each blade. Hot spots can also be generated on the ends if one blade is misaligned, protruding further into the plasma, than the adjacent blades. Heat flux loads associated with these hot spots were minimized by providing toroidal shaping to the end tiles in addition to the poloidal, front face, profiling mentioned above. The toroidal profiling is such that a single blade protruding 3 mm further into the plasma than the next nearest blade experiences 1 kW/cm 2 on the misaligned edge during full power operation. At this heat load, plasma contamination is maintained at an acceptable level since surface temperatures do not exceed 1800°C, well below the temperature at which graphite sublimation becomes a serious problem.
Multigrid in a weighted space arising from axisymmetric electromagnetics

Consider the space of two-dimensional vector functions whose components and curl are square integrable with respect to the degenerate weight given by the radial variable. This space arises naturally when modeling electromagnetic problems under axial symmetry and performing a dimension reduction via cylindrical coordinates. We prove that if the original three-dimensional domain is convex, then the multigrid V-cycle applied to the inner product in this space converges, provided certain modern smoothers are used. For the convergence analysis, we first prove several intermediate results, e.g., the approximation properties of a commuting projector in weighted norms, and a superconvergence estimate for a dual mixed method in weighted spaces. The uniformity of the multigrid convergence rate with respect to mesh size is then established theoretically and illustrated through numerical experiments.
Activity Gazer: A multi-dimensional visual representation of project performance

Abstract Project failure often arises from a flawed or delayed perception regarding the discrepancies between planned and actual performance; for this reason, project managers constantly seek better methods of capturing, processing, and presenting the complexity of multi-dimensional project data. Visual representations provide a useful means of monitoring key aspects of project performance, thus enabling project managers to better execute their duties. This paper introduces the conceptual framework for, and a prototype implementation of, Activity Gazer , a novel paradigm that renders project monitoring and control data in an intuitive visual environment. Activity Gazer applies the concept of earned value management, among other metrics, to provide performance information regarding schedule, cost, quality, and safety at the activity level. This information visualization tool facilitates management-by-exception and improves the effectiveness and efficiency of project managers for large-scale construction projects.
Are attitudes toward wolves changing? A case study in Utah

A number of trends suggest public behavior and sentiment regarding wildlife, and especially charismatic mega-fauna such as wolves (Canis lupus), changed in the latter half of the 20th century. Declining hunter participation, support for trapping ban initiatives, changes in wildlife-related policy and the portrayal of predators in the media all point to changes in the way US residents view wildlife. Yet, while many researchers have examined attitudes toward wolves and other wildlife species, few have empirically assessed such attitudes over time. We conducted a mail survey of Utah residents in 2003, replicating the methods of a 1994 study, in order to determine if Utahns’ attitudes toward wolves changed over the last decade. In addition, we compared the attitudes of relevant subgroups (i.e., big game hunters, rural residents, urban residents) across the two studies. Our results demonstrate the relative stability of attitudes toward wolves in Utah for all groups assessed, and offer important insights into questions related to the assessment of wildlife-related attitude change.
Self-rated health assessed by web versus mail modes in a mixed mode survey: the digital divide effect and the genuine survey mode effect.

Objective To investigate differences in self-rated health (SRH) between web and mail questionnaires in a mixed mode survey and to provide a model that explains those differences. Subjects A total of 15,200 mail respondents and 17,829 web respondents from the 2008 US National Health Survey conducted by the Gallup Panel. Research design Respondents were recruited using random digit dialing and assigned to one of the two survey modes (web or mail). Respondents with household Internet connection and frequent Internet usage were invited to complete the survey through the web mode. Respondents who had no Internet connection or who used the Internet infrequently were invited to the mail mode. Thus, respondents with better Internet access used the web mode. Measures Respondents completed a questionnaire that asked about SRH status, objective health conditions, health behaviors, and other socioeconomic variables. Statistical associations were analyzed with ordered Logit and negative binomial models. Results Web respondents reported better SRH than mail respondents. This difference is in part reflective of variability in objective health status between these two groups, and in part attributable to the effects of survey mode. These results maintained with age controlled. Conclusions The alignment between survey mode selection, Internet access, and health disparities, as well as genuine survey mode characteristics, leads to web-mail differences in SRH. Unless the digital divide and its influences on survey mode selection are resolved and differential genuine mode effects are fully comprehended, we recommend that both modes be simultaneously used on a complementary basis.