cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and implementation of ATC conflict analysis and simulation system

With the development of civil aviation, air traffic flux and conflict increase greatly. Air traffic control (ATC) is more and more difficult. But, in our country, ATC conflict is still evaluated by low efficiency manual work, without a convenient autosystem. An ATC conflict evaluation system based on general PC is introduced in this paper,including radar data acquirement and processing, to analyze and simulate conflict target. Evaluation, analysis, and training in ATC can be solved accurately and efficiently with this PC based system.
Leveraging antimicrobial stewardship into improving rates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are among the most critical threats facing our healthcare system and account for significant patient mortality. There is considerable interest in the development of new treatment strategies. However, less attention has been paid to reducing CRE infection rates. Antibiotic stewardship programs can be uniquely empowered to reduce widespread pathogen resistance and by extension, optimize patient care and lower healthcare costs.
Improved Efficiency of Muller’s Muscle Resection Through the Use of Locking Forceps In Lieu of Traction Sutures:

Muller’s muscle resection (MMR) surgery is effective for repair of eyelid ptosis. We describe an efficient modification to the MMR surgery, as described by Putterman, which uses locking 0.5-mm forceps, in place of retraction sutures, to retract the conjunctiva and Muller’s muscle while the ptosis clamp is applied. A chart review was performed to identify 100 consecutive patients starting from January 2015 who underwent the described technique of MMR. Primary end points were need for reoperation or complications. Pathologic specimens were reviewed for similarity between the standard approach using retraction sutures and the modified technique using locking forceps. All 100 patients had satisfactory surgical outcomes. There were no complications or reoperations needed. Pathologic analysis on tissue from the standard technique and modified technique was similar. The described technique is a technically easy, cost-effective, and logistically feasible modification that ptosis surgeons could adopt immediately.
Age and gender considerations for technology-assisted delivery of therapy for substance use disorder treatment: A patient survey of access to electronic devices

BACKGROUND Technology-assisted treatment (TAT) can be an effective supplement to established face-to-face therapy modalities with a growing literature in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. TAT access, interest, and familiarity are potential limitations to the use and efficacy of these approaches to treatment. METHODS 174 participants in outpatient SUD treatment were administered a survey regarding technology device and Internet access, and interest in engaging in TAT SUD counseling (SUDC). The group was dichotomized by mean age and gender to examine potential variations in in these subgroups. RESULTS Forty-three (43%) of participants were female, and the mean age was 44.8 years, and 89% of participants had Internet access. 83% of participants were interested in TAT for SUD counseling; 81% expected it to be at least "moderately helpful." 34% of participants noted they would choose to continue face-to-face therapy exclusively. 91% of participants had cell phones, but only 50% could access data or the Internet via their handheld device. 80% of participants stated they would be interested in trying SUDC via their phone. Women had a higher preference for computer-based SUDC than men, with gender being significantly correlated with TAT perceive helpfulness. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that patients in outpatient SUD treatment have access to resources for TAT implementation, although access was not always readily available. Future research will be needed to determine whether the technology that this population possesses will be able to support the evolving TAT modalities and whether interest in TAT across age and gender groups equalizes over time.
The influence of seasonal precipitation and grass competition on 20 years of forb dynamics in northern Chihuahuan Desert grassland

Aims In arid grasslands forbs represent a large component of species diversity and provide a key resource for pollinators and consumers. However, low abundances and high temporal variability make it challenging to successfully predict forb presence and abundance from 1 yr to the next. In this study we: (1) characterize patterns of semi-arid forb diversity and abundance over time; (2) determine the relative importance of direct vs indirect (via grass competition) effects of precipitation on forb richness and abundance; and (3) separate the effect of precipitation timing on forb community composition from the effects of precipitation amount and season. Location Semi-arid grassland, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, central New Mexico, USA. Methods We analysed forb dynamics along two 400-m long line-intercept transects in response to inter-annual and seasonal precipitation variability and abundance of perennial grasses using a unique 20-yr species composition data set from ungrazed native grassland in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Results Forb richness and cover were significantly positively associated with precipitation across seasons. Total richness was high across the time series but substantially lower within any given year. A direct, positive effect of precipitation overrode any potential negative, indirect effect via grass competition. Although aggregate forb responses were strongly linked with precipitation, individual species responses were highly variable and generally not linked with either precipitation timing or season. Conclusions In the hotter, drier climate predicted by meteorological models for the US southwest, forbs may be negatively impacted if winter moisture decreases and monsoon precipitation becomes more variable. On the other hand, the flexibility exhibited by forbs in germination and establishment throughout the growing season may help buffer some common species to increased inter-annual precipitation variability.
Feynman rules for electromagnetic and Yang-Mills fields from the gauge independent field theoretic formalism

The Feynman rules for the Yang-Mills field, originally derived by Feynman and DeWitt from $S$-matrix theory and the tree theorem, are here derived as a consequence of field theory. Our starting point is the gauge-independent, path-dependent formalism which we proposed earlier. The path-dependent Green's functions in this theory are expressed in terms of auxiliary, path-independent Green's functions in such a way that the path-dependence equation is automatically satisfied. The formula relating the path-dependent to the auxiliary Green's functions is similar to the classical formula relating the path-dependent field variables to the potentials. By using a notation similar but not identical to Schwinger's functional notation, the infinite set of equations satisfied by the Green's function can be replaced by a single equation. When the equation for the auxiliary Green's functions of electromagnetism is solved in a perturbation series, the usual Feynman rules result. For the Yang-Mills field, however, one obtains extra terms; such terms correspond precisely to the closed loops of fictitious scalar particles introduced by Feynman, DeWitt, and Faddeev and Popov.
Toxicology: What is Routine for Medicolegal Death Investigation Purposes?:

Drugs, whether illicit, prescription, or over-the-counter, cause or contribute to death in many cases falling under medical examiner or coroner jurisdiction. Thus, toxicological analysis often play...
Photo-crosslinkable polymers as hole transport materials for organic light-emitting diodes

A series of soluble arylamine-based hole transporting polymers with glass transition temperatures in the range of 97-108 degree(s)C have been synthesized. The synthetic methodology allows substitution of the aryl groups on the amine with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating moieties, which permits tuning of the redox potential of the polymer. The TPD-based monomers have been copolymerized with cinnamate-based moieties to obtain photo-crosslinkable polymers. These polymers have been used as hole-transport layers (HTLs) in multi-layer light-emitting diodes ITO/HTL/AlQ3/Mg:Ag [ITO=indium tin oxide, AlQ3=tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum]. The maximum external quantum efficiency of the device increases as the redox potential of the HTL is increased. A fluorinated hole- transport polymer with a relatively high oxidation potential (390 mV vs ferrocenium/ferrocene) yielded the device with the highest external quantum efficiency and the longest lifetime under constant current operation. UV cross-linking was optimized to obtain an insoluble hole-transport layer with stable performance. Processing of these materials is compatible with a standard mask aligner used for photolithography. Electroluminescent devices have also been fabricated by spinning a blend of polystyrene and AlQ3 on top of the crosslinked hole-transport layer.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
State and Institutional Correlates of Reported Victimization and Consensual Sexual Activity in Juvenile Correctional Facilities

This article uses multi-level analysis to model the effects of both institutional and state characteristics on juvenile reported sexual behavior (both consensual and forced) in 118 juvenile correctional facilities across 36 states. Data are taken from the 2012 National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC). We examine three dimensions of reported sexual contact including: forced sexual contact between juveniles and other institutionalized juveniles; forced sexual contact between juveniles and staff; and alleged consensual contact between juveniles and staff. At the institutional-level, facility capacity is the most consistent significant predictor of reported sexual contact. Findings also indicate that state-level variables such as median income and state-level violent crime rates are significantly associated with some types of reported incidents. Privacy protections of the available data make it impossible to look at individual level factors; however, we suggest this as a future step in important research.
Generating titles for millions of browse pages on an e-Commerce site

We present two approaches to generate titles for browse pages in five different languages, namely English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. These browse pages are structured search pages in an e-commerce domain. We first present a rule-based approach to generate these browse page titles. In addition, we also present a hybrid approach which uses a phrase-based statistical machine translation engine on top of the rule-based system to assemble the best title. For the two languages English and German we have access to a large amount of already available rule-based generated and curated titles. For these languages we present an automatic post-editing approach which learns how to post-edit the rule-based titles into curated titles.
Opus Cordis: Reflections of a Contemporary Artist Embracing the Drama of Religious Imagery

As a painter and printmaker, I am compelled by Biblical narrative that I express in a contemporary idiom. I often work with images of pilgrimage, lamentation, betrayal and absolution. Such archetypal themes flesh out parable and reveal to me the ancient stories, once again reborn, in our world of dissonance and division. These sacred stories, in their mythic and consuming drama, are forever played out in our most inward journeys. The moment of crucifixion or transfiguration is not ancient history, but reenacted anew within each soul in its own way. Through the work of my hands I am petitioning an otherness. The creative act becomes an Opus Cordis, a work of the heart. A dialogue begins.
Emergent design: bringing the learner close to the experience

The creative process of design is at the foundation of serious game and simulation development. Using a systematic approach, the designer of serious simulations or games analyzes the best approach that would deliver an interactive learning experience; one that will harnesses growing forms of behavior, requiring both the learner and technology to engage in an open-ended cycle of productive feedback and exchange. According to Collins [1], "Beyond simply providing an on/off switch or a menu of options leading to 'canned' content, users should be able to interact intuitively with a system in ways that produce new information. Interacting with a system that produces emergent phenomena is what I am calling interactive emergence" (4th Annual Digital Arts Symposium: Neural Net{work}).
Randomization for 2n-p Factorials in Sequential Experiments

The purpose of this expository paper is to explain methods of randomization for two-level factorial experiments in various designs when the treatment combinations are applied and observed in sequence and when not all treatment may follow one another...
Pragma-dialectical Theory and Interpersonal Interaction Outcomes: Unproductive Interpersonal Behavior as Violations of Rules for Critical Discussion

The purpose of this research review is to examine the usefulness of reconstructing problematic interpersonal conflict behavior as violations of rules for critical discussions. Dialectical reconstruction of interpersonal conflict behavior sheds light on the ways in which dialectical fallacies influence not only the course of a critical discussion, but also the personal and relationship outcomes experienced by arguers. Conflict sequences such as cross complaining and demand/withdraw are shown to be problematic, in part, because they prevent parties from resolving their difference through rational dialogue. The paper concludes by presenting some implications of the pragma-dialectical reconstruction of interpersonal conflict behavior.
News from Cosmic Ray Air Showers (ICRC 2019 -- Cosmic Ray Indirect Rapport)

This rapport summarizes the cosmic-ray indirect (CRI) session of the 36th ICRC conference. Updated measurements from several air-shower arrays with higher precision lead to the discovery of new features in the energy spectrum: HAWC measures a softening of the light component (p+He) around $10^{13.5}\,$eV; measurements of the Pierre Auger Observatory show that the second knee is a smooth feature extending at least over the range of $100-200\,$PeV and that the energy spectrum between the ankle and the cut-off cannot be described by a simple broken power law. Measurements of the mass composition confirm that the composition is a varying mixture of protons and nuclei at least up to several $10\,$EeV. A joint effort of several collaborations helps to better assess deficiencies of hadronic interaction models, e.g., by quantifying the muon deficit in the models over the shower energy. Anisotropy measurements with higher precision generally confirm earlier results. A change of the amplitude and phase of the equatorial dipole indicates that in the energy range between the second knee and the ankle there likely is a transition from Galactic to extragalactic sources. However, neither the most energetic Galatic nor the extragalactic sources have been discovered, which remains a primary science goal. Next to more exposure, an increase of measurement accuracy and decrease of systematic uncertainties will provide future progress. It is particularly exciting that new experiments are built and existing experiments upgraded to increase the measurement accuracy of the energy and mass composition, e.g., by combining radio antennas with particle detectors. Last but not least, there is a trend that experiments are designed such that they can target cosmic rays, photons, and neutrinos at the same time, which will facilitate multi-messenger astrophysics at the highest energies.
Assessing oncology patients’ perceptions of treatment goals.

26Background: Metastatic disease is generally treated with palliative intent. An individual patient’s understanding of his or her treatment goal is highly variable and dependent upon multiple facto...
Measurement Science in Graduate Education – Designed for Student Engagement and Learning

This Work in Progress of Innovative Practice describes educational techniques and outcomes of a graduate course in Metrology. Otherwise known as measurement science, this course challenges students to critically consider, evaluate and quantify measurement errors associated with their individual research topics. Originally designed as a lecture/lab course, the six various offering of this course have resulted in a team-based (1), student-led (2) course with industrial support. The instructor gained valuable insight into teaching methods through university instructional excellence programs and applied them to this interdisciplinary graduate course. Metrology concepts must be applied to any scientific endeavor regardless of discipline. This course originated from the need to develop a core graduate curricula appropriate for students in electrical, mechanical and aviation/transportation technologies. To date we have also included similar engineering disciplines, computer graphics, economics and engineering education students. A generic instrumentation system is described from which students specify the needs of their research projects to develop and evaluate their own instrumentation systems. The same approaches are then applied to quantify the system errors. This provides a very student centered environment which students appreciated. The wide variety of disciplines also provides unique opportunities for team development and dynamics. Two class projects were assigned to 1) discipline specific and 2) interdisciplinary teams requiring students to engage in both peer group and collaborative type settings. While sometimes confusing for students, overall results are positive. This paper will share successes and failures in student engagement and learning using combined teaching methods.
Structural Properties of Kerogens with Different Maturities

The thermogenic transformation of kerogen into hydrocarbons accompanies the development of a pore network within the kerogen that serves as gas storage locations both in pore space and the surface ...
A comprehensive guide to genetic variants and post-translational modifications of cardiac troponin C.

Familial cardiomyopathy is an inherited disease that affects the structure and function of heart muscle and has an extreme range of phenotypes. Among the millions of affected individuals, patients with hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), or left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) cardiomyopathy can experience morphologic changes of the heart which lead to sudden death in the most detrimental cases. TNNC1, the gene that codes for cardiac troponin C (cTnC), is a sarcomere gene associated with cardiomyopathies in which probands exhibit young age of presentation and high death, transplant or ventricular fibrillation events relative to TNNT2 and TNNI3 probands. Using GnomAD, ClinVar, UniProt and PhosphoSitePlus databases and published literature, an extensive list to date of identified genetic variants in TNNC1 and post-translational modifications (PTMs) in cTnC was compiled. Additionally, a recent cryo–EM structure of the cardiac thin filament regulatory unit was used to localize each functionally studied amino acid variant and each PTM (acetylation, glycation, s-nitrosylation, phosphorylation) in the structure of cTnC. TNNC1 has a large number of variants (> 100) relative to other genes of the same transcript size. Surprisingly, the mapped variant amino acids and PTMs are distributed throughout the cTnC structure. While many cardiomyopathy-associated variants are localized in α-helical regions of cTnC, this was not statistically significant χ2 (p = 0.72). Exploring the variants in TNNC1 and PTMs of cTnC in the contexts of cardiomyopathy association, physiological modulation and potential non-canonical roles provides insights into the normal function of cTnC along with the many facets of TNNC1 as a cardiomyopathic gene.
Connecting with Computing: Exploring Black/African-American Women's People-Centered Interests in Computing Sciences

Promoting inclusivity and increasing the representation of women in the field of Computer Science (CS) has been an ongoing initiative. When it comes to Black/African-American (AA) women, their underrepresentation in CS is even more disproportionate. CS is a field that is ever-evolving, but its ability to be perceived as a field that is inclusive-to-all has been a continuing challenge. One notable reason is that CS comes off as a field that lacks altruism by nature. For instance, literature shows that women tend to gravitate away from CS for fields that align more with their interests for helping others. However, CS in nature can create spaces that provide platforms for women, especially women of color, to express their personal interests. This article addresses such potential in CS by discussing a two-year study that was conducted on 51 Black/African-American female students who were enrolled in an introductory and intermediate CS course at a historically black university in the mid-Atlantic United States. In these respective courses, the assigned final project allowed students to choose their own original projects while showcasing their learned computational knowledge and developed programming competencies. The objective of this study was to observe the types of project topics that these 51 women, in particular, chose for their assigned final projects in these respective courses. The results revealed that 92% of the topics chosen tended to be ones that were altruistic in nature. Likewise, this study reflects potential support for the ability of CS to exhibit inclusive spaces for such interests.
Changes in live births, preterm birth, low birth weight, and cesarean deliveries in the United States during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and associated social, economic, and clinical disruption have been widely speculated to affect pregnancy decision-making and outcomes. While a few US-based studies have examined subnational changes in fertility, preterm birth, and stillbirth, there remains limited knowledge of how the pandemic impacted childbearing and a broader set of perinatal health indicators at the national-level throughout 2020. Here, we use recently released national-level data to fill this gap. Importantly, we, unlike earlier work, use time-series methods to account for strong temporal patterning (e.g., seasonality, trend) that could otherwise lead to spurious findings. MethodsFor the years 2015 to 2020, we obtained national monthly counts of births and rates (per 100 births) for six perinatal indicators: preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation), early preterm birth (<34 weeks gestation), late preterm birth (34-36 weeks gestation), low birth weight birth (<2500 g), very low birth weight birth (<1500 g), and cesarean delivery. We use an interrupted time-series approach to compare the outcomes observed after the pandemic began (March 2020) to those expected had the pandemic not occurred. ResultsFor total births as well as five of the six indicators (i.e., all but the rate of cesarean delivery), observed values fall well below expected levels (p<.0001 for each test) during the entire pandemic period. Declines in preterm birth and low birth weight were largest in magnitude in both early and later stages of the 2020 pandemic, while those for live births occurred at the end of the year. DiscussionOur findings provide some of the first national evidence of substantial reductions in live births and adverse perinatal outcomes during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Only cesarean delivery appeared unaffected. These declines were not uniform across the pandemic, suggesting that several mechanisms, which require further study, may explain these patterns.
Sarcopenia and the Brain.

The term sarcopenia (“a poverty of flesh”) was first described by Irving Rosenberg in 1989. In its original format it was limited to an aging related loss of muscle that was associated with functional deterioration and earlier mortality. In 2010, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Persons (EWGSOP) published a consensus definition on sarcopenia where they required both a loss of muscle mass and strength to make the diagnosis. In 2019 a revised version of the EWGSOP included [...]
Attribute Auto-dynamics

Some contemporary new product introductions feature attribute auto-dynamics — the property that enables a product to adapt its attributes automatically in response to changing customer, product-system, or environmental (CSE) conditions. In addition to explicating auto-dynamics, the authors propose a typology of attribute auto-dynamics, based on close examinations of 273 U.S. utility patents published between 2001 and 2017. Attribute auto-dynamics offers an efficient mapping design, applicable to changing conditions and product attribute states, that indicates a four-part (contingent, distinctive, associative, and generative) typology. Building on this typology, the authors specify a procedural framework for new product ideation by harnessing market-pull–relevant knowledge about CSE conditions, along with technology-push–relevant knowledge about product attributes. Finally, the application of a proposed framework for consumer decision making to pricing strategies for products with auto-dynamics reveals some key implications for research and practice.
Fabrication of a Large Aperture angle, Lens Less Line Focus Ultrasonic Transducer & Validation with Standard Materials

The main goal of this study is to characterize isotropic materials by determining the metal's elastic constants such as Modulus of Elasticity, Shear Modulus, and Poisson's Ratio using a large lens-less line focus transducer, proposing a new design of the line focus transducer by manipulating the radius of curvature and validating the proposed design by comparing the results with the industry-standard results.The elastic constants will be derived by utilizing the Time-Resolved method that uses the relationship between the defocus distance and the time difference between the bulk longitudinal wave and the Rayleigh surface wave.
Not your typical rate structure change: Heterogeneous water demand responses

Abstract This paper investigates behavioral responses to a complicated and peculiar change in a municipality's water rate structure. In 2006, the City of Norman, Oklahoma Water Utility added a four-dollar fixed fee, reduced the number of block-rate tiers, and changed the rate structure from one that decreased and then increased across higher consumption block groups, to a strictly increasing rate structure. The changes in the volumetric rates were not uniform across the block rates. Customers at ultra-low volumes of consumption faced a one-penny reduction in their volumetric rate but experienced a large increase in total and average cost of water due to the addition of the relatively large fixed fee. In contrast, higher-volume users faced a less severe increase in the total and average charge per gallon consumed. To address the co-determination of average water charge and consumption choice, we estimate separate regressions for households grouped by pre-price change demand and the block group of last gallon consumed. Using detailed, monthly panel data for 23,408 residential water customers from 2002 to 2010 and a variety of model specifications, our results highlight heterogeneous responses across consumption groups. Ultra-low users responded to the price-regime change by increasing consumption whereas higher-volume users reduced consumption. Behavioral responses were found to be greater in the longer-run than shorter-run as expected.
Pathophysiology and Grayscale Ultrasonography of Penile Corporal Fibrosis.

Abstract Introduction Penile corporal fibrosis may occur secondary to explantation of an infected penile prosthesis, severe penile trauma, refractory low-flow priapism, Peyronie's disease, or chronic intra-cavernous injection of vasoactive drugs. Other etiologies of corporal fibrosis, presenting primarily with erectile dysfunction, can develop in chronic smokers, hypertensive patients, alcoholics, diabetics, and after radical prostatectomy. Corporal erectile tissue fibrosis is a significant pathophysiologic component of erectile dysfunction; however, current ultrasound-based penile imaging protocols do not directly assess it. Objective To determine if grayscale ultrasonography (US) is a suitable imaging modality to identify and assess penile corporal erectile tissue fibrosis. Methods A PubMed literature review was performed for studies that detailed ultrasonographic methods and findings of pathologies causing penile corporal fibrosis. Our main outcome measure was the ultrasonographic findings of pathologies causing penile corporal fibrosis. Results Grayscale US demonstrates the capability to detect and localize the fibrotic changes of the corpora cavernosa. Ultrasonographic findings capture penile corporal tissue heterogeneity including diffuse, circumscribed, or localized patterns. Conclusion Overall, grayscale US may be a useful and convenient imaging modality to assess penile corporal fibrosis secondary to explantation of an infected penile prosthesis, priapism, penile trauma, chronic intra-cavernous injection of vasoactive drugs, diabetes, Peyronie's disease, and vascular disease. While limited by the skill and knowledge of the US operator, the combined knowledge of pathophysiology and US may help clinicians identify and manage the underlying etiology of penile corporal fibrosis. Kim J, Drury R, Morenas R et al. Pathophysiology and Grayscale Ultrasonography of Penile Corporal Fibrosis. Sex Med Rev 2021;XX:XXX–XXX.
The AHEAD Documentation Guidance at 10 Years: Continuing Concerns

In 2012, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) released guidance for disability documentation meant to help support students’ requests for accommodations. Even at that time, the guidance went against AHEAD’s own prior statements, and was contradicted by a developing body of empirical research. Since the release of the guidance, that body of research has grown substantially, continuing to question the accuracy of students’ self-reports and the value of casual conversations and observations made by disability services professionals. In addition, recent research has suggested that even external documentation from disability evaluators (such as psychologists) must be very carefully reviewed to ensure that there is sufficient evidence to support disability accommodations. We discuss selected findings from the empirical literature and propose improvements to documentation review processes. Subscribe to LDMJ
System Optimization and Technoeconomic Analysis of Integrated Clean Energy-Water Systems Using Openmodelica and Raven

Nuclear hybrid energy systems (NHES) are a viable option to provide clean power by combining renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Given recent development and their inherent safer and modular design, small modular reactors (SMRs) can play an instrumental role in complementing renewables and supporting carbon-free power sectors in the coming decades. With increasing population and demand for clean water, Freeze Desalination (FD) is a possible way to produce clean water while converting excess power from a SMR into stored thermal energy in an ice water tank. The stored thermal energy can then be used during peak hours to boost the power generation by improving the efficiency of the Rankine cycle of the SMR, while producing clean water. In contrast, Reverse Osmosis (RO) has been widely used for water desalination, which can use excess power from a SMR to efficiently produce clean water. This paper uses OpenModelica to model two types of NHES to produce clean energy and water, both powered by SMRs and wind turbines. The first system uses FD and the second system uses RO to generate clean water. RAVEN and TEAL, an economic analysis plugin for RAVEN, are used to optimize both systems for two case locations. The FD system is able to use the stored thermal energy to boost the power production by 12% during peak hours by increasing the efficiency of the Rankine cycle by 2%. This allows less capital investment on SMR/wind turbines, as well as less penalty due to mismatch of energy production and demand. The results from the two cases show that the FD system would be more economic when water price is less than $1.50/m3. A sensitivity analysis also identified the critical system parameters on the net present value (NPV) of the systems.
Controlling thermoelectric transport via native defects in the diamond-like semiconductors Cu2HgGeTe4 and Hg2GeTe4

Diamond like semiconductors (DLS) have emerged as candidates for thermoelectric energy conversion. Towards understanding and optimizing performance, we present a comprehensive investigation of the electronic properties of two DLS phases, quaternary Cu2HgGeTe4 and related ordered vacancy compound Hg2GeTe4, including thermodynamic stability, defect chemistry, and transport properties. To establish the thermodynamic link between the related but distinct phases, the stability region for both is visualized in chemical potential space. In spite of their similar structure and bonding, we show that the two materials exhibit reciprocal behaviors for dopability. Cu2HgGeTe4 is degenerately p-type in all environments despite its wide stability region, due to the presence of low-energy acceptor defects VCu and CuHg and is resistant to extrinsic n-type doping. Meanwhile Hg2GeTe4 has a narrow stability region and intrinsic behavior due to the relatively high formation energy of native defects, but presents an opportunity for bi-polar doping. While these two compounds have similar structure, bonding, and chemical constituents, the reciprocal nature of their dopability emerges from significant differences in band edge positions. A Brouwer band diagram approach is utilized to visualize the role of native defects on carrier concentrations, dopability, and transport properties. This study elucidates the doping asymmetry between two solid-solution forming DLS phases Cu2HgGeTe4 and Hg2GeTe4 by revealing the defect chemistry of each compound, and suggests design strategies for defect engineering of DLS phases.
A critical test on theories of work-hardening for the case of drawn iron wire

A recent extensive set of experimental data and electron micrographs derived from drawn iron wire by G. Langford and M Cohen have been employed for a critical test of the most important theories of work-hardening. As a first step, electron micrographs taken by the named authors were compared with the dislocation models used in the different theories. When these micrographs were found qualitatively to conform to the model of the “unified theory of work-hardening” and to none other, they were employed to determine the numerical values of a few simply defined parameters, describing the geometry of the dislocation structure, which appear in that theory. The thus measured values of the geometrical parameters were inserted into the equations derived from the theory for a quantitative test of it. Specifically compared were the theoretical and experimental values of the average free dislocation length, and of the linear work-hardening coefficient, the shape of the composite stress strain curve, and the rate of energy storage. In all cases agreement within the accuracy of the measurements was found over the whole range of deformation used by Langford and Cohen, extending between 22 and 740 pct true tensile strain.
Diffusion of Democracy: The Past and Future of Global Democracy

This book explores the course and causes of the worldwide diffusion of democracy through an assessment of the political and economic development of individual countries from the year 1800 to 2005. Using this extended range of data and examining multiple variables, Barbara Wejnert creates a conceptual model for the diffusion of democracy and to measure national democratization. The author characterizes each nation's political system, its networking with other countries, level of development, and media advancement, in order to pinpoint what leads to national and regional progress to, or regress from, democratization. Her innovative findings challenge established thinking and reveal that the growth of literacy does not lead to democratization but is instead an outcome of democracy. She also finds that networks between non-democratic and democratic states are more important to a nation's democratization than financial aid given to non-democratic regimes or the level of national development.
Acridine orange-sensitized photoinactivation of T4 bacteriophage. I. Parameters affecting phage sensitivity to visible light.

Abstract The rate at which the plaque-forming ability of phage T4 sensitized by acridine orange (AO) is inactivated by visible light (λ > 410 mμ) is found to depend on the time and temperature of incubation in dye before irradiation, and on the concentration of dye present during incubation. An osmotic-shock-resistant strain T4o 1 is sensitized by a short incubation in the dye more rapidly at all temperatures than is the wild-type T4o + . After long incubation times the sensitivity reaches a maximum and equilibrium slope which for a given dye concentration is independent of incubation temperature. From an Arrhenius plot, an activation energy δ E DG for the sensitization over short times can be calculated. The activation energies for both T4o 1 and T4o + are approximately 25 kcal/mole. The equilibrium inactivation slope and the number of AO molecules bound per viable phage are both proportional to AO concentration up to 1 μg/ml. Beyond this concentration, which corresponds to at most 10 4 AO molecules bound per phage, the equilibrium inactivation slope decreases as a function of AO concentration, though the dye bound per phage remains proportional to AO concentration up to 25 μg/ml, the highest concentration used. These dye-binding experiments imply that there are at least two modes of binding of acridine orange dye to strain T4o 1 .
Naturally Present Fatty Acids as Internal Calibrants for Fourier Transform Mass Spectra of Dissolved Organic Matter

The analysis of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) has gained wide interest recently, driven primarily by its ultrahigh resolving power and mass accuracy. Accurate calibration of mass spectra is a key step to successfully decipher the DOM components. We propose a simple and accurate method to internally calibrate the peaks in the complex spectra without the need to add a calibrant. Mass spectra of DOM samples from the Dismal Swamp, Virginia, and the lower Chesapeake Bay display the presence of naturally occurring fatty acids which can be readily recognized and calibrated with accuracies 600) have formulas with an average error of <0.6 ppm. Because fatty acids are ubiquitous components of most DOM, this approach is applicable to a large variety of DOM samples.
Solving Open Questions with an Automated Theorem-Proving Program

The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of using an automated theorem-proving program as an automated reasoning assistant. Such usage is not merely a matter of conjecture. As evidence, we cite a number of open questions which were solved with the aid of a theorem-proving program.
On the degree of irrationality in Noether’s problem

Noether’s problem asks whether, for a given field K and finite group G, the fixed field L := K(xh : h ∈ G)G is a purely transcendental extension of K, where G acts on the xh by g ⋅ xh = xgh. The field L is naturally the function field for a quotient variety V := V (K,G). We study the degree of irrationality Irr(V ) of V for an abelian group G, which is defined to be the minimal degree of a dominant rational map from V to projective space. In particular, we give bounds for Irr(V ) in terms of the arithmetic of cyclotomic extensions K.
Pirbuterol Hydrochloride: Evaluation of Beta Adrenergic Agonist Activity in Reversible Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Congestive Heart Failure

Pirbuterol hydrochloride is a beta 2 adrenergic agonist with a structure similar to that of albuterol, except for the substitution of a pyridine ring for the benzene ring. It is comparable in duration of action to albuterol when given by inhalation, but it is threefold less potent by weight. In man, pirbuterol and albuterol have similar beta 2 selectivity. In the acute therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pirbuterol is most effective in oral doses of 15-20 mg, and by aerosol in doses of 400 micrograms or greater. Long-term studies of oral pirbuterol in doses between 30-60 mg/day are promising, but further research is warranted. The combination of pirbuterol's beta 2 and lesser beta1 activity has proven helpful in the therapy of refractory congestive heart failure. Improvement of function of both right and left ventricles and systemic and pulmonic circulations has been demonstrated acutely. Drug effect wanes, as with other beta adrenergic agonists, due to the development of tolerance; however, long-term benefit appears to persist in both pulmonary and cardiac patients. Pirbuterol will be marketed in the United States as 10 and 15 mg tablets and as a 200 micrograms per actuation metered dose aerosol for use in pulmonary patients only; it will not be approved for use in congestive heart failure. In terms of beta 2 selectivity, duration of action, potency and frequency of side effects, pirbuterol is comparable to the two beta 2 agonists already available in the United States, albuterol and terbutaline.
Characterization of a Small Metal Binding Protein from Nitrosomonas europaea

A small metal-binding protein (SmbP) with no known similarity to other proteins in current databases was isolated and characterized from the periplasm of Nitrosomonas europaea. The primary structure of this small (9.9 kDa) monomeric protein is characterized by a series of 10 repeats of a seven amino acid motif and an unusually high number of histidine residues. The protein was isolated from N. europaea with Cu(II) bound but was found to be capable of binding multiple equivalents of a variety of divalent and trivalent metals. The protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and used for the study of its metal-binding properties by UV/vis, circular dichroism (CD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and equilibrium dialysis and isothermal titration calorimetry. The protein was found to bind up to six Cu(II) atoms with dissociation constants of approximately 0.1 microM for the first two metal ions and approximately 10 microM for the next four. Binding of Cu(II) resulted in spectroscopic features illustrating two distinctive geometries, as determined by EPR spectroscopy. The levels of SmbP in the periplasm were found to increase by increasing the levels of copper in the growth media. This protein is proposed to have a role in cellular copper management in the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium N. europaea.
The LGBTQ Component of 21st-Century Music Teacher Training: Strategies for Inclusion From the Research Literature

Music is important to the development of multidimensional future adults. Students have self-reported the value of music in their lives. Music educators, therefore, have a unique opportunity to crea...
Simulation of delivery of subnanosecond electric pulses into biological tissues

Delivery of subnanosecond pulses into biological tissue can be undertaken by an impulse radiating antenna (IRA). Previous analysis shows that it is important to add a dielectric lens, which reduces the abrupt change of dielectric constant from air to tissue and therefore increases the transmission of the pulses. As a proof of concept, we have simulated subnanosecond pulsed radiation focused into a tissue simulant which consists of homogeneous, hemisphere tissues using 3-D electromagnetic solver, CST Microwave Studio. The simulation of an IRA in conjunction of a lens indicates subnanosecond pulses can be focused 6 cm below tissue surface with a spot diameter approximately 1 cm. The focal point coincides with the geometric focus of the IRA. However, this result is only valid for a tissue with a low conductivity (σ< 0.3 S/m). For lossier tissues, the electric field decreases from the surface monotonically as the subnanosecond pulses penetrate in depth. Two approaches were proposed to solve this problem. One was to use an inhomogeneous dielectric lens, with lossy material partially filled, to attenuate the incident field in the small azimuthal angles but to spare the field in the larger azimuthal angels. A desirable focusing was observed. The second approach was to use a dipole antenna in conjunction with the impulse radiating antenna. The dipole antenna decreases the surface field intensity generated by the aperture antenna, but at the destination, the field will be mostly given by the aperture antenna, resulting in a focusing.
Earthquake size distribution and earthquake insurance

The distribution of earthquake seismic moment M is a Pareto (power-law) type with the exponent for shallow earthquakes. To ensure a finite total deformation energy, the distribution has to be modified for the largest earthquakes by introducing either a cutoff at or an exponential taper. Analysis of global seismicity suggests that both parameters do not change in a statistically significant way over continental areas and tectonic plate boundaries. Thus, very large earthquakes are possible in practically any urbanized areas. We present evidence that the statistical distribution of losses due to large earthquakes has a power-law (Pareto) tail with an exponent value less than 1.0: i.e., the distribution is heavy-tailed. If this statement is true, the earthquake average loss is controlled by the largest earthquakes. Neither the distribution of earthquake size at the maximum, nor the distribution of maximum losses is well known. This implies that insurance premiums can be determined only with significant uncert...
Computing periodic orbits with high accuracy

This paper introduces a new family of algorithms for computing periodic orbits of vector fields. These global methods achieve high accuracy with relatively coarse discretizations of periodic orbits through the use of automatic differentiation. High degree Taylor series expansions of trajectories are computed at mesh points. On a fixed mesh, we construct closed curves that converge smoothly to periodic orbits as the degree of the Taylor series expansions increase. The algorithms have been implemented in Matlab together with the use of the automatic differentiation code ADOL-C. Numerical tests of our codes are compared with AUTO calculations using the Hodgkin-Huxley equations as a test problem.
Empirical Bayes Approach for Developing Hierarchical Probabilistic Predictive Models and Its Application to the Seismic Reliability Analysis of FRP-Retrofitted RC Bridges

AbstractThis paper proposes a general formulation to develop hierarchical probabilistic predictive models for clustered data. The common clustering factor, shared among the data within a group, causes statistical dependence that needs to be accounted for in the estimation of unknown model parameters. The basic idea of the hierarchical formulation is that the unknown model parameters are endowed with distributions that depend on a set of shared underlying parameters, and this construction is recursive up to the highest level of the hierarchy. The usual improper noninformative prior distributions on variance parameters of hierarchical models can lead to nonexistent posterior distributions that may appear perfectly reasonable in numerical simulations. On the other hand, common proper noninformative prior distributions may also substantially affect posterior statistics. Instead, the empirical Bayes approach is proposed to objectively estimate the variance parameters. The Gibbs sampling algorithm is used to es...