cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-efficiency push-pull power amplifier integrated with quasi-Yagi antenna

This paper presents a C-band push-pull power amplifier integrated with a modified uniplanar quasi-Yagi antenna. In this circuit, corrugation is added to the truncated ground plane of the antenna so that it can be used for both out-of-phase power combining and second harmonic tuning. By using the active integrated antenna concept, this novel circuit eliminates the usage of an ordinary 180/spl deg/ hybrid at the power-amplifier output stage, therefore eliminating the losses associated with the hybrid, resulting in a compact and high-efficiency power-amplifier design with intrinsic second harmonic suppression. At an operating frequency of 4.15 GHz, a maximum measured power-added efficiency (PAE) of 60.9% at an output power of 28.2 dBm has been achieved. The measured PAE is above 50% over a 260-MHz bandwidth. Additionally, the second harmonic radiation is found to be 30 dB below the fundamental in both E- and H-planes. When the circuit is subjected to a two-tone test, the measured third-order intercept point is 37 dBm, about 10 dB above the P/sub 1 dB/ point.
Numerical simulation of SAR and B/sub 1/-field inhomogeneity of shielded RF coils loaded with the human head

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is combined with the method of moments (MoM) to compute the electromagnetic fields of shielded radio-frequency (RF) coils loaded with an anatomically accurate model of a human head for high-frequency magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. The combined method can predict both the specific energy absorption rate (SAR) and the magnetic field (known as the B/sub 1/ field) excited by any RF coils. Results for SAR and B/sub 1/ field distribution, excited by shielded and end-capped birdcage coils, are calculated at 64, 128, 171, and 256 MHz. The results show that the value of SAR increases when the frequency of the B/sub 1/ field increases and the B/sub 1/ field exhibits a strong inhomogeneity at high frequencies.
Dietary Fat and Neoplasia--The Role of Net Energy in Enhancement of Carcinogenesis: Effects of Fat and Calories on the Immune System

The mechanism by which carcinogenesis is enhanced by dietary fat is not understood. We know that a minimum level of essential fatty acids (EFA) is necessary for mammary tumor development and that this level probably exceeds the normal requirements of rats. Once the minimum level of EFA has been supplied, the calorie contribution of dietary fat may account for its enhancement of carcinogenesis. In this regard, we must recognize that the efficiency with which dietary energy is utilized is known to increase as the fat content of the diet is raised. Hence even when fed isocalorically to low fat diets, high fat diets will provide more net energy. Modulation of host immunity has been proposed as a mechanism of action of both fat and calorie intake on neoplasia. We review the literature examining the effects of fat and calories on the cell-mediated immune system, that arm of the immune system most directly responsible for the killing of neoplastic cells.
Monitoring and Measuring Drug Effects. I. Physical Effects

The decision to use psychoactive medications in children and adolescents is not taken lightly by parents or clinicians. Medications are often utilized after periods of behavioral therapy or psychotherapeutic approaches have failed to ameliorate adequately the presenting symptoms.
Special Contribution: Interview with Immanuel Wallerstein Retrospective on the Origins of World-Systems Analysis

Nearly four decades ago, in 1974, Immanuel Wallerstein published the first volume of his magnum opus, The Modem World-System. That same year, Perry Anderson, British historian and editor of the New Left Review, released the first two installments of his own large-scale history on the origins of modernity. The coincidence of publication invited many scholarly comparisons of their macro-historical perspectives. It is noteworthy that both writers think in terms of totalities. To totalize is to insist on methodological holism. Wallerstein conceives of totality in terms of world-systems, while Anderson advocates for totalization. This is a meaningful contrast. World-systems are closed totalities in the sense that they are historical systems, with a beginning, an end, and identifiable geographical boundaries. Totalization is historically open-ended, and thus invites analyses, in Anderson's case, beginning in Antiquity and without a specified end. While they each write about the modern world, Wallerstein and Anderson conceive of that world in drastically different terms. Neither scholar, however, has asserted his view as a singular paradigm of social analysis. Wallerstein has instead claimed world-systems to be a "call for a debate about the paradigm."
Optical Absorption Spectra of Coupled Nd 3 + Ions in Nd Cl 3 and Nd Br 3

The absorption spectra of single-crystal samples of pure Nd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ and Nd${\mathrm{Br}}_{3}$ have been obtained at low temperatures (4.2 to 1.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K) under high resolution in the region from 2700 \AA{} to 1 \ensuremath{\mu} for Nd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ and in the region 3000 to 7000 \AA{} for Nd${\mathrm{Br}}_{3}$. Aside from small shifts in the Stark multiplets of the order of 20 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, the principal difference from the spectrum of 1% Nd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$/La${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ is that each line is accompanied by two symmetrically placed satellites of comparable intensity, one on either side of the main line. Zeeman studies were made of the lines in fields up to 36 kOe, applied both parallel and perpendicular to the axis which joins the nearest-neighbor ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$ within the sample. The source of these additional lines is interactions coupling neighboring ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$ ions. Only a small part of this coupling is attributable to known, calculable interactions between the ions---electric dipole, magnetic dipole, and electric quadrupole. A satisfactory interpretation of the spectra can be obtained by assuming an additional coupling between ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$ neighbors $i$ and $j$ of the form ${\mathcal{H}}_{\mathrm{ij}}={\mathcal{J}}_{\mathrm{ij}}{S}_{\mathrm{zi}}{S}_{\mathrm{zj}}$ where ${S}_{z}$ is the $z$ component of fictitious spin \textonehalf{}. This coupling is assumed to be due to electron exchange. The sign and magnitude of the nearest-neighbor coupling has been obtained for the ground and five excited states in Nd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ and for the ground and five excited states in Nd${\mathrm{Br}}_{3}$. The sign and magnitude of the next-nearest-neighbor coupling has been obtained for the ground and two excited states in Nd${\mathrm{Br}}_{3}$.
Focus on the Crucial Issue

A Senior Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit addresses the importance of saving valuable time by focusing on the core issues when arguing a case. The essay also provides guidance on identifying core issues.
Discrete event simulation technique for evaluating performance of oncology department: a case study

This paper aims to implement the discrete event simulation modeling as a decision support tool for operations of the oncology department at a hospital in Tehran, Iran. The department of oncology at this hospital was established to deliver imaging and treatment services to patients using radiology and radiotherapy divisions. A discrete event simulation (DES) is constructed using FlexSim HC simulation software to identify the bottlenecks in the system and eliminate them from the real system. To achieve this goal, different "what-if" scenarios are investigated to explore the potential reduction of patient waiting time. Additionally, sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the critical value of model inputs. The obtained results illustrate a significant improvement in patient waiting time as well as patient throughput.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Critical Care Setting

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) permits noninvasive multiplanar imaging with a large field of view, better soft tissue differentiation than is possible with CT, and assessment of both vascular lumen and wall without administration of contrast media or exposure to x-rays. Patients with renal or cardiac failure or allergy to radiographic contrast agents can be imaged safely. In the critical care setting, MRI is particularly useful in evaluating the major arteries and veins of the trunk, detecting and differentiating masses within skeletal muscle, detecting and characterizing subacute and chronic stroke or intracranial trauma, evaluating the spinal cord, and evaluating suspected CNS infection and CNS complications of AIDS. Limitations of MRI relate to bore size, examination time, and, above all, constraints of a high magnetic field environment.
Advances in diagnostics for transplant rejection.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Identification of allograft injury, including acute clinical and subclinical injury, is vital in increasing the longevity of the transplanted organ. Acute rejection, which occurs as a result of a variety of immune and non-immune factors including the infiltration of immune cells and antibodies to the donor specific epitopes, poses a significant risk to the organ. Recent years have marked an increase in the discovery of new genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic biomarkers in molecular diagnostics, which offer better potential for personalized management of the transplanted organ by providing earlier detection of rejection episodes.Areas covered: This review was compiled from key word searches of full-text publications relevant to the field.Expert commentary: Many of the recent advancements in the molecular diagnostics of allograft injury show much promise, but before they can be fully realized further validation in larger sample sets must be conducted. Additionally, for better inform...
RNA Expression Levels of (Co)Chaperone Molecules of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Are Not Related to In Vitro Prednisolone Resistance in Childhood ALL.

In vitro resistance to Glucocorticoids (GC) is an important adverse risk factor in the treatment of ALL. To induce apoptosis in ALL cells, GC have to bind to the GC receptor (hGR), which is tightly regulated by various (co)chaperone molecules. HSP70, ST13 and HSP40 facilitate hGR binding to HSP90 and HOP in an energy dependent fashion. This complex is stabilised by immunophillins FKBP 51, FKBP59, CYP40 and P23 and is necessary for the hGR to be able to bind GC. The ATPase BAG1 can function as negative regulator of HSP70, and may downregulate hGR activity. After the GC-hGR complex is formed, it is transported to the nucleus to regulate GC responsive genes. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that RNA expression levels of these (co) chaperone molecules are important determinants for in vitro prednisolone sensitivity in childhood ALL. Methods: 20 children with leukemic cells in vitro sensitive to prednisolone (LC50 in vitro resistant patient (LC50 > 150 μg/ml). RNA expression levels of the different (co)chaperone molecules were measured by a quantitative real-time RT-PCR (Taqman) assay and standardised to endogenous GAPDH and RNAseP mRNA levels. In vitro resistance to prednisolone was measured by the MTT assay. Results. The highest median expression levels, indicated as percentage of GAPDH levels were found for HSP90 (29%) and p23 (10%), whereas FKBP51 and ST13 were expressed at 2% and 1.6% respectively. HSP70 (0.1%), HSP40 (0.44%), HOP (0.2%), FKBP59 (0.4%), PPID (0.3%) and BAG-1 (0.4%) were expressed at relatively low levels. Using matched pair analysis, no significant differences were found for the expression levels of the various (co)chaperone molecules between in vitro sensitive and resistant patients. The ratio of different (co)chaperone molecules with opposing effect (HIP versus BAG-1, FKBP-51 versus FKBP-52, HSP-90 versus P23, and HSP-90 versus the functional GR-alpha receptor, positive and negative effect respectively) was not related to GC resistance as well. Conclusion: Glucocorticoid resistance in childhood ALL can not be attributed to basal expression levels of the diverse (co)chaperone molecules involved in GC binding and transport of the GC-GR complex to the nucleus of the GR.
Regulation of Stem Cell Properties of Müller Glia by JAK/STAT and MAPK Signaling in the Mammalian Retina.

In humans and other mammals, the neural retina does not spontaneously regenerate, and damage to the retina that kills retinal neurons results in permanent blindness. In contrast to embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and embryonic/fetal retinal stem cells, Muller glia offer an intrinsic cellular source for regenerative strategies in the retina. Muller glia are radial glial cells within the retina that maintain retinal homeostasis, buffer ion flux associated with phototransduction, and form the blood/retinal barrier within the retina proper. In injured or degenerating retinas, Muller glia contribute to gliotic responses and scar formation but also show regenerative capabilities that vary across species. In the mammalian retina, regenerative responses achieved to date remain insufficient for potential clinical applications. Activation of JAK/STAT and MAPK signaling by CNTF, EGF, and FGFs can promote proliferation and modulate the glial/neurogenic switch. However, to achieve clinical relevance, additional intrinsic and extrinsic factors that restrict or promote regenerative responses of Muller glia in the mammalian retina must be identified. This review focuses on Muller glia and Muller glial-derived stem cells in the retina and phylogenetic differences among model vertebrate species and highlights some of the current progress towards understanding the cellular mechanisms regulating their regenerative response.
Making research tools accessible for AU AI students

The AI community is constantly creating and improving sophisticated tools for visualizing, understanding, and investigating AI algorithms. Because these tools are designed by and for researchers, they do not always present a welcoming interface to students learning the discipline for the first time. This paper presents a set of short assignments that scaffold three freely available libraries of use in AI investigations. We have found that activities such as these give undergraduate students the confidence and capabilities crucial to future success with open-ended AI investigations. In addition, the self-guided tasks free classroom time from software details that are better learned in a hands-on setting. Research tools: risks vs. rewards First and foremost, we teachers of undergraduate AI strive to instill excitement and self-confidence among our students. We want them to be able to read and appreciate the context of current AAAI and HCI research. In addition, AI electives often ask students to gain hands-on experience by implementing a medium-sized project, sometimes of their own design. To be efficient in balancing background knowledge and hands-on experience, students must build atop the resources – libraries, toolsets, and algorithms – that AI researchers constantly create and improve. Examples include graphical modeling tools (Bilmes and Zweig, 2002), robot control libraries and computer vision infrastructures (Montemerlo et al., 2003; Vaughan et al. 2003), user input and support processing of HCI data (Myers et al., 2000), and support for natural language work (Bird, 2005), to name but a few. Such resources complement from-scratch algorithm development in class: students can explore far broader swaths of AI far more deeply by standing on the shoulders of prior work. Yet even well-established research tools do not always make ideal pedagogical platforms. Such tools might emphasize performance and comprehensiveness over accessibility. They may have deep dependence chains that Copyright © 2008, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved. make setup or configuration challenging for students hoping to run on their own computers. Documentation may be incomplete or inaccessible to first-time users. Similar drawbacks haunt students’ first exposure to computer programming. A language’s feature set, the IDEcompiler-interpreter setup, and the mental models assumed by the documentation all conspire against the tentative student. We thus emulate the thematic approaches of today’s transformative CS 1 curricula (Bayliss and Strout, 2006; Blank, 2006, Guzdial, 2003, Kumar et al., 2008). A gently-graduated set of motivating tasks wraps skillpractice and fundamental concepts. Later assignments then leverage students’ confidence and independence in order to deepen computational investigations and understanding.
Reappraisal of dark matter co-annihilating with a top or bottom partner

We revisit the calculation of the relic density of dark matter particles co-annihilating with a top or bottom partner by properly including the QCD bound-states (onia) effects of the colored partners as well as the relevant electroweak processes, which become important in the low-mass region. We carefully set up the complete framework that incorporates the relevant contributions and investigate their effects on the cosmologically preferred mass spectrum, which turn out to be comparable in size to those coming from the Sommerfeld enhancement. We apply the calculation to three scenarios: bino-stop and bino-sbottom co-annihilations in supersymmetry and a vector dark matter co-annihilating with a fermionic top partner. In addition, we confront our analysis of the relic abundance with recent direct detection experiments and collider searches at the LHC, which have important implications in the bino-stop and bino-sbottom scenarios. In particular, in the bino-stop case, recent LHC limits have excluded regions of parameter space with a direct detection rate that is above the neutrino floor.
2D Semiconductor Optoelectronics

Two-dimensional (2-D) semiconductors exhibit excellent device characteristics, as well as novel optical, electrical, and optoelectronic characteristics. In this talk, I will present our recent advancements in defect passivation, contact engineering, surface charge transfer doping, and heterostructure devices of layered chalcogenides. We have developed a defect repair/passivation technique that allows for observation of near-unity quantum yield in monolayer MoS2. The work presents the first demonstration of an optoelectronically perfect monolayer. Forming Ohmic contacts for both electrons and holes is necessary in order to exploit the performance limits of enabled devices while shedding light on the intrinsic properties of a material system. In this regard, we have developed different strategies, including the use of surface charge transfer doping at the contacts to thin down the Schottky barriers, thereby, enabling efficient injection of electrons or holes. Additionally, I will discuss the use of layered chalcogenides for various heterostructure device applications, exploiting charge transfer at the van der Waals heterointerfaces.
DNA Polymerase β Cancer-Associated Variant I260M Exhibits Nonspecific Selectivity toward the β–γ Bridging Group of the Incoming dNTP

The hydrophobic hinge region of DNA polymerase β (pol β) is located between the fingers and palm subdomains. The hydrophobicity of the hinge region is important for maintaining the geometry of the binding pocket and for the selectivity of the enzyme. Various cancer-associated pol β variants in the hinge region have reduced fidelity resulting from a decreased discrimination at the level of dNTP binding. Specifically, I260M, a prostate cancer-associated variant of pol β, has been shown to have a reduced discrimination during dNTP binding and also during nucleotidyl transfer. To test whether fidelity of the I260M variant is dependent on leaving group chemistry, we employed a toolkit comprising dNTP bisphosphonate analogues modified at the β–γ bridging methylene to modulate leaving group (pCXYp mimicking PPi) basicity. Construction of linear free energy relationship plots for the dependence of log(kpol) on leaving group pKa4 revealed that I260M catalyzes dNMP incorporation with a marked negative dependence on...
Music and Culture: Parallel Evolution

Fascinating stories trace connections of consciousness and music from ancient world to the 21st century. This evolution is a struggle between differentiation and synthesis; it requires unified actions of language and music. From millennial history I select few episodes. In ancient Greece Apollonian and Dionysian consciousness is related to music from Homer to Attic tragedies. In the language of contemporary science I discuss Nietzsche’s comparison of tragedy to musical dissonance, and the death of tragedy in Socrates’ differentiation. Parallel evolution of consciousness and music is traced in ancient Israel from King David, Amos, and Seraphim antiphon in the vision of Isaiah to the last prophet Zechariah, at the same time when in Greece the first philosopher Thales pronounced “know thyself.” Contemporary consciousness emerges in parallel with Nehemiah’s antiphon. I trace synthesis and differentiation in consciousness and music during Early Christianity and Middle Ages; invention of musical notations and polyphony; love songs of troubadours and trouveres. I relate evolution of music during the Renaissance and Reformation including Baroque music to individuation of consciousness, music of Rococo and Classicism to rational consciousness, music of Romanticism to consciousness split by differentiation of the idea of rationality. Developments of consciousness in the 20th and 21st centuries away from the individual and toward the objective, collective socialism are related to dodecaphony, serialism, Modernism, postmodernism, minimalism, to elimination of emotions from music. Differentiation of the objective pushes against each other opposite tendencies in cognition and music. Parallel evolution of cognition and music is traced in tonal organization to the down of human evolution to before 250,000 BCE.
Cognitive Modeling and Self-Regulation of Learning in Instructional Settings

Self-regulation of cognition and behavior is an important aspect of student learning and academic performance in the 21st-century classroom. The purpose of the chapter is to present how an integrat...
A Model of Owner Controlled, Full-Provenance, Non-Persistent, High-Availability Information Sharing

In this paper, we propose principles of information control and sharing that support ORCON (ORiginator COntrolled access control) models while simultaneously improving components of confidentiality, availability, and integrity needed to inherently support, when needed, responsibility to share policies, rapid information dissemination, data provenance, and data redaction. This new paradigm of providing unfettered and unimpeded access to information by authorized users, while at the same time, making access by unauthorized users impossible, contrasts with historical approaches to information sharing that have focused on need to know rather than need to (or responsibility to) share.
Stemming the tide of viral infection.

A subset of canonical “interferon-stimulated” antiviral genes are intrinsically expressed in and protect mammalian stem cells.
Supplemental Readings and Practice Problems for "What Counts and What Gets Counted"

Full paper is available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2427106 “What Counts and What Gets Counted” (Bloomfield 2016) is an innovative way of teaching managerial accounting. The 1st edition of the book won the 2014 Jim Bulloch Award for Innovations in Management Accounting Education, and has only gotten better since then. However, the book suffers from two significant limitations. First, the book was intended primarily for MBA students, not for accounting undergrads. As a result, the book doesn’t go into sufficient depth on some of the technical topics that accounting majors need to understand. Second, the book lacks a bank of practice problems and solutions for students to use as they are learning material. Here I present two supplemental readings and a set of practice problems that can be used to supplement “What Counts and What Gets Counted” and make it more appropriate for use by undergraduate accounting majors. Send error information to Jeremiah Bentley - UMass Amherst.
The Infra-azygos Area

The portion of the mediastinum to be considered in this chapter lies below the azygos arch and behind the right side of the anterior mediastinum. The anatomy of the azygos arch has been reviewed in detail in chapter 8. The coronal plane marking the anterior boundary of the infra-azygos area passes through the superior vena cava. Along the anterior aspect of the infra-azygos area, lung contacts heart in front of the right inferior pulmonary ligament. The configurations produced by the contact of lung with the right atrium are well known and will not be discussed further. The appearances of the contact of lung with the left atrium and left pulmonary veins will be considered later in this chapter. It is the purpose of this chapter to correlate radiologic appearances with the anatomy and pathology of the structures situated be tween the azygos arch and the posterior aspect of the heart: the esophagus, the ante-esophageal spaces, and the right paraspinal area.
Intracranial ependymoma in the adult patient: Successful treatment with surgery and radiotherapy

Purpose: Ependymoma is an uncommon intracerebral tumor in adults. Since the site of origin frequently prevents complete surgical removal, adjunctive radiotherapy is used to destroy residual disease. We present our experience in treating 10 adults with intracranial ependymoma. Methods: Five men and 5 women were treated in the past 16 years. The median age was 38 (range 24–69). All had contrast enhanced CT or MRI showing the extent of the tumor. One patient had total excision while the remainder had subtotal removal. Radiation therapy was delivered to the tumor bed with a 1–2 cm margin of normal tissue generally at 180–200 centiGray (cGy) per treatment once a day. Total dose ranged from 5400 to 7200 cGy. Two patients received experimental treatment with 100 cGy delivered twice a day for total of 6800 and 7200 cGy respectively. Four patients received initial treatment to a large field with a subsequent boost to the tumor bed. One patient received his entire course of treatment via this large field. Results: With a median follow-up of 64 months, 7 patients are alive and free of disease while 2 died of intercurrent disease, without evidence of tumor, at 7 and 9 years following treatment. Another patient died 1 1/2 years after treatment of unknown causes. Conclusion: We conclude that postoperative radiotherapy is effective in preventing regrowth of intracranial ependymoma following subtotal resection in adults. Treatment fields should cover the initial tumor bed with a 1–2 cm margin to avoid long term radiation damage.
The Law Is a Causeway: Metaphor and the Rule of Law in Russia

This chapter explores how a metaphor for the rule of law created by the playwright Robert Bolt captures the difficulty that Russia has experienced in its self-proclaimed pursuit of a rule-of-law state: “The law is not a ‘light’ for you or any man to see by; the law is not an instrument of any kind. The law is a causeway upon which, so long as he keeps to it, a citizen may walk safely.” In Russia, the failure to build a rule-of-law state has been, among other things, a failure to create what this metaphor describes as the essence of that concept. The essay concludes with a case study taken from the author’s experience as an expert invited to submit a report to the Russian President’s Council on the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights.
On the maximum of bivariate normal random variables

The behavior of the mean and variance of the maximum of bivariate normal random variables to changes in the means, variances, and covariance of the underlying random variables is considered.
Star cluster formation in cosmological simulations - III. Dynamical and chemical evolution

In previous papers of this series, we developed a new algorithm for modeling the formation of star clusters in galaxy formation simulations. Here we investigate how dissolution of bound star clusters affects the shape of the cluster mass function and the metallicity distribution of surviving clusters. Cluster evolution includes the loss of stars that become unbound due to tidal disruption as well as mass-loss due to stellar evolution. We calculate the tidal tensor along cluster trajectories and use it to estimate the instantaneous mass-loss rate. The typical tidal tensor exhibits large variations on a time-scale of $\sim100$~Myr, with maximum eigenvalue of $10^7$~Gyr$^{-2}$, and median value of $10^4$~Gyr$^{-2}$ for the first Gyr after cluster formation. As a result of dynamical disruption, at the final available output of our simulations at redshift $z\approx1.5$, the cluster mass function has an approximately log-normal shape peaked at $\sim10^{4.3}M_\odot$. Extrapolation of the disruption to $z=0$ results in too many low-mass clusters compared to the observed Galactic globular clusters (GCs). Over 70\% of GC candidates are completely disrupted before the present; only 10\% of the total GC candidate mass remains in surviving clusters. The total mass of surviving clusters at $z=0$ varies from run to run in the range $(2-6)\times10^7M_\odot$, consistent with the observed mass of GC systems in Milky Way-sized galaxies. The metallicity distributions of all massive star clusters and of the surviving GCs have similar shapes but different normalization because of cluster disruption. The model produces a larger fraction of very metal-poor clusters than observed. A robust prediction of the model is the age-metallicity relation, in which metal-rich clusters are systematically younger than metal-poor clusters by up to 3~Gyr.
A stream classification system for the conterminous United States

Stream classifications are important for understanding stream ecosystem diversity while also serving as tools for aquatic conservation and management. With current rates of land and riverscape modification within the United States (US), a comprehensive inventory and evaluation of naturally occurring stream habitats is needed, as this provides a physical template upon which stream biodiversity is organized and maintained. To adequately represent the heterogeneity of stream ecosystems, such a classification needs to be spatially extensive where multiple stream habitat components are represented at the highest resolution possible. Herein, we present a multi-layered empirically-driven stream classification system for the conterminous US, constructed from over 2.6 million stream reaches within the NHDPlus V2 stream network. The classification is based on emergent natural variation in six habitat layers meaningful at the stream-reach resolution: size, gradient, hydrology, temperature, network bifurcation, and valley confinement. To support flexibility of use, we provide multiple alternative approaches to developing classes and report uncertainty in classes assigned to stream reaches. The stream classification and underlying data provide valuable resources for stream conservation and research. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)
Introducing Machine Learning to First-year Undergraduate Engineering Students Through an Authentic and Active Learning Labware

This innovative practice work in progress paper presents our pilot experiment of teaching machine learning to first-year multidisciplinary undergraduate engineering students using an authentic and active learning tool, which consists of a public Google site repository and a course project. The preliminary evaluation we conducted by pre-post survey shows user experiences and effectiveness of this teaching/learning tool. Analysis of the evaluation results will be used to guide us for further development of the tool.
Metamodeling Activities For Hierarchical Component-Based Models

Abstractions are necessary to facilitate grounding and managing model development and simulation experiments. Understanding the specific roles of different artifacts in abstractions is important to enrich the model development process. Actions and states reveal certain unique aspects about system behavior within and among component models. However, behavior specifications are not explicit and adequately supported in state-based formalisms. In this paper, we examine the role of actions in model specification in accordance with the notion of state in the modular and hierarchical parallel DEVS formalism. The resulting approach relies on the profoundness of DEVS while having a more intuitive abstraction around it via hierarchical activity metamodeling. Together the activity and DEVS modeling help simplify and strengthen specifying complex system behaviors as composition of atomic and coupled models. We show the importance of hierarchical DEVS activity modeling approach with a coordinator model as a part of a dual-server model.
Flow and mixing dynamics of phase-transforming multicomponent fluids

Despite the importance of phase-transforming, multicomponent fluids in medical diagnostics, atmospheric flows, or supercavitating vehicles, our understanding of their flow and mixing dynamics is very limited. Here, we investigate two-component flows, where one of the components is an incondensable gas and the other one is a fluid that undergoes liquid-vapor phase transformations accompanied by changes in its miscibility with the gas. We derived a continuum model from a Gibbs free energy that includes gradients of the fluid density and gas concentration, leading to a generalization of the classical equations of multiphase flow hydrodynamics. High-fidelity numerical simulations of the model show a very complex interplay between flow, mixing, and phase transformations. The model predicts quantitatively the saturation vapor pressure of water for a given mixture of air and water vapor at different temperatures. When applied to the problem of collapse of cavitation bubbles, the model allows us to study the role of gas dissolved in the liquid phase in the dynamics of the collapsing bubble. Our findings on the collapse of multicomponent bubbles have a strong bearing on the multiple applications of cavitation bubbles. The proposed model opens entirely different ways to study phase-transforming multicomponent fluids.
The network of empire and universal capitalism: imperialism and the laws of capitalist competition

Imperialism in the context of capitalism has been explained either in terms of the suspension of the laws of capitalist competition, or by focusing on the relationship of capitalism with pre-capita...
Visible-light induced disproportionation of pyrrole derivatives for photocatalyst-free aryl halides reduction

As a green synthetic approach, visible light-driven photosynthesis is highly desirable in arylation of inert alkyl halides, as they are important precursors in the total synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals. However, the high bond dissociation energy of aryl halides is typically out of the range of a single visible-light photon. Here, we propose an essential initiation and subsequent electron-transfer step process for visible light-driven aryl halide reduction, and identify the key pyrrole radical anion intermediate, that acts as the strong reduction species. We propose a photoinduced disproportionation (PDP) approach without the addition of any photocatalysts or additives to afford radical anions of pyrrole derivatives, which have enough reduction power to transfer an electron to aryl halide, giving rise to the corresponding aryl radical to afford the desired C–H arylated heterocyclic product. Once generated, the heterocyclic product can undergo the same photoinduced disproportionation (PDP) process to activate aryl halides, thereby promoting the reaction rate. This unprecedented initiation step, which was carried out in the absence of photocatalysts and additives under ambient conditions, can also be used for coupling a wide range of (hetero)aryl halides and pyrrole derivatives, as well as the synthesis of drug intermediates and biorelevant compounds.
Ionization wave propagation in a He plasma jet in a controlled gas environment

Characterizing ionization wave propagation in low temperature plasma jets is critical to predicting production of reactive species and plasma–surface interactions for biomedical applications and surface functionalization. In this paper, results from optical emission and laser induced fluorescence measurements of the ionization wave in a He plasma jet operating in a controlled gas environment are discussed and used for comparison with numerical modeling. The ionization wave was observed using ICCD (Intensified Charge Coupled Device) imaging and characterized by time and spatially resolved electron density measurements using laser-collision-induced fluorescence. The plasma jet was initially characterized using pure He (nominally at 200 Torr), while varying pressure and voltage. When operating in pure He, the ionization wave broadly expands exiting the plasma tube. Increasing the operating pressure reduces the speed and isotropic expansion of the ionization wave. The jet operated with a humid He shroud was also studied. The humid He shroud results in the electron density increasing and having an annular profile due to the lower ionization potential of H2O compared to He and localized photoionization in the mixing region. Numerical modeling highlighted the importance of resonance radiation emitted by excited states of He, photoelectron emission from the quartz tube, and the kinetic behavior of the electrons produced by photoionization ahead of the ionization front.
Inverse Geometric Design of Fabrication-Robust Nanophotonic Waveguides

We present an inverse design method making waveguides with high performance and high robustness to fabrication errors. As an example, we show a 1-to-4 mode converter with > −1.5 dB conversion efficiency under geometric variations within fabrication tolerances.
The Idea of Islamic Media: The Qur'an and the Decolonization of Mass Communication

The emergence of Islamic television in the Arab Middle East is usually explained as part of a Saudi media empire fueled by neoliberal petro-dollars. This article, by contrast, takes seriously the role ideas played alongside changing political economies in the origins of the world’s first Islamic television channel, Iqraa. Focusing on the intellectual and institutional career of “Islamic media” (al-i’lām al-Islāmī) as a category from the late sixties onwards in Egypt, I argue that Islamic television is part of a broader decolonization struggle involving the modern discipline of mass communication. Pioneering Arab communication scholars mounted a quest for epistemic emancipation in which the question of how to mediate Islam became inextricable from the question of what made media Islamic. Drawing on historical and ethnographic research, I show how the idea of Islamic media involved a radical reconceptualization of the Qur'an as mass communication from God and of Islam as a mediatic religion. This positing of an intimate affinity between Islam and media provoked secular skepticism and religious criticism that continue to this day. I conclude by reflecting on how the intellectual history of Islamic media challenges dominant framings of epistemological decolonization as a question of interrogating oppressive universalisms in favor of liberatory pluralisms.
Behavioral Auditory Processing in Children and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background Auditory-processing deficits are common in children and adults who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These deficits are evident across multiple domains as exhibited by the results from subjective questionnaires from parents, teachers, and individuals with ASD and from behavioral auditory-processing testing. Purpose Few studies compare subjective and behavioral performance of adults and children diagnosed with ASD using commercially available tests of auditory processing. The primary goal of the present study is to compare the performance of adults and children with ASD to age-matched, neurotypical peers. The secondary goal is to examine the effect of age on auditory-processing performance in individuals with ASD relative to age-matched peers. Research Design A four-group, quasi-experimental design with repeated measures was used in this study. Study Sample Forty-two adults and children were separated into four groups of participants: (1) 10 children with ASD ages 14 years or younger; (2) 10 age-matched, neurotypical children; (3) 11 adolescents and young adults with ASD ages 16 years and older; and (4) 11 age-matched, neurotypical adolescents or young adults. Data Collection and Analysis Data from each participant were collected in one test session. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measures ANOVA, or nonparametric analyses. Effect sizes were calculated to compare performance between those with ASD and those who were neurotypical within each age group. Results Across all the questionnaires and the majority of the behavioral test measures, participants with ASD had significantly poorer ratings or auditory-processing performance than age-matched, neurotypical peers. Adults had more favorable performance than children on several of the test measures. Medium to large effect sizes corroborated the significant results. Conclusion Overall, the questionnaires and behavioral tests used in this study were sensitive to detecting auditory-processing differences between individuals diagnosed with ASD and those who are considered neurotypical. On most test measures, children performed more poorly than adults. The findings in this study support that both children and adults with ASD exhibit auditory-processing difficulties. Appropriate school and work accommodations will be necessary to ensure appropriate access to speech in challenging environments.
The power of nonsense: humour in Egypt’s counter/revolution

This article analyzes a popular Mubarak era film series (al-Limby) and a post-uprising satirical television programme (al-Bernameg) to show how humour has a powerful capacity to create nonsense out...
Differentially private binary- and matrix-valued data query: an XOR mechanism

Differential privacy has been widely adopted to release continuous- and scalar-valued information on a database without compromising the privacy of individual data records in it. The problem of que...
Developing student capacity to produce digital scholarship in the humanities

Despite the increased use of technology in higher education classrooms, we need a better understanding of pedagogical strategies that improve student ability to produce quality scholarly digital co...
Resonance-Averaged Solar Torque Dynamics for Tumbling Satellites

Observations indicate that the spin states of retired and otherwise defunct satellites are diverse and can change significantly over time. Understanding defunct satellite spin state evolution is im...
Subjective Estimates of Velocity, Distance and Time: Implications in Helicopter Navigation

This study assessed the sorts of biases induced in a pilot's estimates of velocity, elapsed time, and distance traveled in a flight simulation environment. The validity of an “internal equation” relating the concepts of subjective distance, velocity, and time was assessed. Pilots flew a series of flight legs which varied in their distance, time and velocity, during which they were asked to make judgments of time passage (group 1), speed (group 2), and distance traveled (group 3). These judgments were made under both single and dual task conditions. There was little consistent effect of task loading on any of the subjective estimates, but variations in interval duration, speed, and distance effected the subjective estimates of these quantities in different ways. There was no evidence found for support of an internal equation.
Genomic Variation and Autoimmune Disease

Genetic epidemiology is the study of the relationship between genomic and phenotypic variation with a goal to uncover the genetic basis of monogenic or complex disorders. A variety of study designs are available, and the importance of choosing an approach that is appropriate for the goals of the study cannot be over-emphasized. In addition to study design, important issues include selection of genetic marker type and number of markers to be tested, as well as the use of genotyping technology. In this chapter, we review these important features of genetic epidemiology studies with particular emphasis on applications to autoimmune conditions.
Chapter V Liquid Scintillation Counting in Microbiology

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the liquid scintillation counting in microbiology. Liquid scintillation counting is a method of detecting radioactivity with a solution of certain chemicals and a photomultiplier tube. A scintillator is a material that emits a brief pulse of fluorescent light, or scintillation, when it interacts with a high-energy particle or quantum. The liquid scintillator may be simple or relatively complex, but it must have two essential ingredients: solvent and scintillation solute. In external liquid scintillation counting, the source of radiation is external to the liquid scintillator. These are usually large volume systems. Internal liquid scintillation counting applies to the situation where the source of radiation is intimately mixed with the liquid scintillator. These are usually small volume systems. The intrinsic advantage of internal liquid scintillation counting over other methods of detection is that it puts the source of radiation in intimate contact with the detector. The single most important characteristic that a scintillation solvent must possess is the ability to accept energy from incident ionizing radiation and transfer it to a dissolved scintillator. In addition, other characteristics, such as proper solvent properties in relation to the sample or a small absorption coefficient for the light the solute emits may be superimposed upon this basic requirement.
A Triarchic Theory of Mental Retardation

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a theory of mental retardation that accounts for the apparent inconsistency between the ability of Sarason's charges to plan a successful escape, on the one hand, and yet utterly to fail the mazes test, on the other. The theory is a special case of a more general triarchic theory of human intelligence. As its name implies, the theory consists of three parts: one part relates the concept of intelligence to the internal world of the individual; a second part relates intelligence to the external world of the individual; and a third part provides something of a bridge between the two. It is argue that all three parts of the triarchy must be taken into account in understanding and assessing mental retardation, and that in not doing so, existing theories tend to be incomplete.. The chapter presents the triarchic theory and shows how it can be applied to understanding the nature of mental retardation. Some of the evidence seems to support the theory, or at least elements of it.