cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust design of wideband loudspeaker arrays

Loudspeaker arrays usually are used in professional sound reinforcement systems to provide uniform sound coverage of the listening area. They can also be used for focusing the sound to the user for semi-private communication and reducing the overall noise pollution. In this paper we describe a procedure for designing broadband beamformers for loudspeaker arrays that is robust to the manufacturing tolerances of the loudspeakers - the limiting factor for achieving high directivity. The designed beamformer is evaluated using simulations and measurements of actual loudspeaker array.
Experiment on convex curvature effects in turbulent boundary layers

Turbulent boundary layers along a convex surface of varying curvature were investigated in a specially designed boundary-layer tunnel. A fairly complete set of turbulence measurements was obtained. The effect of curvature is striking. For example, along a convex wall the Reynolds stress is decreased near the wall and vanishes about midway between the wall and the edge of a boundary layer where there exists a velocity profile gradient created upstream of the curved wall.
A model of mechanical changes in biomaterials at and around their glass transition

The transition of biological and food materials from a glassy to a leathery or rubbery state and the accompanying loss of stiffness, hardness, or strength are tranditionally described by a relationahip between the magnitudes of these parameters and the temperature, moisture, or water activity. At the transition region, the curve depicting such a relationship has a sigmoidal shape that can be described by the model, Y(X) = Ys/{1 + exp[X - Xc)/a]}, where X is either temperature, moisture content, or water activity, Y(X) is a mechanical parameter (e. g., modulus), Ys is the latter's magnitude in the glassy state (assumed to be practically constant), Xc is a characteristic temperature, moisture, or aw level of the transition, and a is a constant. This model was tested with the published data of various biomaterials (baker's yeast, casein, coffee creamer, luncheon meat, sodium caseinate, sucrose/glucose glass, wheat grains, and bread). In all cases, it gave a consistent description of the mechanical changes at and around the transition and had a very satisfactory fit.
Exploring the regulation of human neural precursor cell differentiation using arrays of signaling microenvironments

Cells of a developing embryo integrate a complex array of local and long-range signals that act in concert with cell-intrinsic determinants to influence developmental decisions. To systematically investigate the effects of molecular microenvironments on cell fate decisions, we developed an experimental method based on parallel exposure of cells to diverse combinations of extracellular signals followed by quantitative, multi-parameter analysis of cellular responses. Primary human neural precursor cells were captured and cultured on printed microenvironment arrays composed of mixtures of extracellular matrix components, morphogens, and other signaling proteins. Quantitative single cell analysis revealed striking effects of some of these signals on the extent and direction of differentiation. We found that Wnt and Notch co-stimulation could maintain the cells in an undifferentiated-like, proliferative state, whereas bone morphogenetic protein 4 induced an ‘indeterminate' differentiation phenotype characterized by simultaneous expression of glial and neuronal markers. Multi-parameter analysis of responses to conflicting signals revealed interactions more complex than previously envisaged including dominance relations that may reflect a cell-intrinsic system for robust specification of responses in complex microenvironments.
Parallel evolution of image processing tools for multispectral imagery

We describe the implementation and performance of a parallel, hybrid evolutionary-algorithm-based system, which optimizes image processing tools for feature-finding tasks in multi-spectral imagery (MSI) data sets. Our system uses an integrated spatio-spectral approach and is capable of combining suitably-registered data from different sensors. We investigate the speed-up obtained by parallelization of the evolutionary process via multiple processors (a workstation cluster) and develop a model for prediction of run-times for different numbers of processors. We demonstrate our system on Landsat Thematic Mapper MSI , covering the recent Cerro Grande fire at Los Alamos, NM, USA.
Polar, thinned-polar, and linear spiral sampling using the UCLA bi-polar planar near-field measurement system: a comparative study

The determination of an antenna's far-field pattern from near-field measurements has become an integral part of modern antenna measurements. Planar near-field scanning, whose implementations include plane-rectangular, plane-polar, and the recent bi-polar, has enjoyed particular popularity due to the relative simplicity involved in the data acquisition and processing. The UCLA bi-polar near-field scanner consists of an antenna under test (AUT) mounted to a rotary positioner which rotates about one axis and a probe antenna mounted to a probe arm which rotates about a second axis. The bi-polar near-field measurement scanner's robotic positioning system and customizable motion control software allow great flexibility in the sample arrangements which may be explored. This paper compares bi-polar planar near field measurements acquired using three different sampling arrangements: polar, thinned-polar, and linear spiral. An interpolation/fast Fourier transform (FFT) based near-field to far-field processing technique is applied to each of these sample arrangements. A comparison and discussion of the resultant measured antenna patterns for a waveguide-fed slot array are included. >
Análise de Sensibilidade do Desenho de Roda no Coeficiente de Arrasto

Considerando que as rodas contribuem com 25% do total do arrasto de um veiculo, este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar a sensibilidade no coeficiente de arrasto com a mudanca dos raios da roda para um sedan de pequeno porte. Os resultados encontrados apresentaram um decrescimo no desempenho aerodinâmico, contudo quando ha o incremento do numero de raios, observa-se um incremento no desempenho aerodinâmico devido ao fechamento da area aberta da roda.
The Role of Ethics in International Law: The Role of Ethics in U.S. Private International Law

This chapter focuses on the role of ethics in United States private international law. The chapter explores the common law ethos of judicial decision making that grounds the U.S. experience with law generally. The resolution of legal disputes in the United States is a part of an ongoing legal and ethical conversation within a community’s law. When courts are asked, however, to examine private international law cases, the chapter argues that the conversation is at risk of breaking down, either because cases stand outside the Anglo-American tradition or because of unique facts that stretch positive and common law decision making beyond the bounds previously encountered in case law. The chapter shows that courts have looked to the conflict-of-law tradition for answers. The chapter proposes that a focus of future private international law scholarship should be to (a) define or refine the criteria for assessing ethical judgment in the multistate transnational context and (b) define the circumstances under which ethics and ethical reasoning can tip the scale in transnational cases, if at all.
The long and short of it: using the new factor products

Hemophilia A (HA) and B (HB) are classified as mild (>5%-40%) moderate (1%-5%) and severe (<1%) disease based on plasma factor activity. Severity of bleeding is commensurate with baseline factor levels in general; however, heterogeneity of bleeding in patients is well described. Recurrent bleeding with painful and disabling musculoskeletal complications is the largest source of morbidity for persons with hemophilia (PWH) but treatment advances through the years has led to improved outcomes. In the early 20(th) century, only whole blood and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was available to treat bleeding episodes. In 1959, cryoprecipitate was discovered and became an option for treatment of HA in 1965. In the 1970s plasma fractionation led to the first standard half-life (SHL) concentrates. These products ushered in the use prophylactic therapy to prevent bleeding episodes. However, viral contamination slowed the use of prophylaxis until the 1980s when viral attenuation steps increased the safety of plasma concentrates. In the 1990s recombinant concentrates were developed and prophylactic therapy is increasing widely yet not yet universally used. However even with frequent SHL concentrate infusions outcomes are not optimal as PWH spend the majority of time with factor levels below the normal range and are at increased risk for bleeding. In 2014, the first extended half-life (EHL) products were approved for use and have begun to change the landscape of hemophilia care. Challenges of EHL implementation include patient selection, product selection, dose and schedule of infusions, monitoring for safety, efficacy and outcomes, and managing economic aspects of care.
A mailman analogy: Retaining student learning gains in alkane nomenclature.

Visual analogies play an important role in the teaching and learning of many diverse topics in chemistry. Organic nomenclature is an essential skill needed for student success in organic chemistry; however, it is a topic most students have difficulty in mastering. Without a strong foundation of nomenclature, students will struggle to follow more advanced organic chemistry topics. The project described uses the analogy of a mailman, who is new to an area and trying to remember the destinations of his postal route, to teach alkane nomenclature. Once students master the topic of alkane nomenclature, they are ready to take on the task of naming other organic molecules. Application of the Teaching-With-Analogies (TWA) model defines a stepwise approach to generate an effective analogy and hence was used in the development of the mailman analogy. An easily understandable picture of a mailman, a route system, and housing along the route provides an analogy capable of developing students’ understanding of alkane n...
'This is the Manner of the Remission': Legal Exegesis and Eschatological Syntax in 11QMelchizedek

This article sheds light on the debates that took place in ancient Judaism between sectarian and early rabbinic interpretation of Scripture. Scholarship on 11QMelchizedek (11QMelch; 11Q13) has largely taken the scroll's harmonization of Deuteronomy's Sabbatical debt release (Deut 15:2) with the Jubilee (Lev 25:13) for granted, without examining its rationale. We provide an analysis of the hermeneutics that triggered the synthesis and argue that it was generated in part as a response to a legal-exegetical question: The Jubilee of Leviticus releases slaves, but does it require debt remission? When the separate sources of the Pentateuch were redacted into a single corpus, the compilation of originally inconsistent material into a single Torah must have posed interpretive problems for postexilic readers. After the promulgation of the Torah, Deuteronomy's Sabbatical debt law and the Jubilee were read synchronically, now for the first time as part of a unified literary composition. This had to raise the issue of their relationship. Among the questions that emerged for Second Temple readers was whether the Jubilee of Leviticus requires debt release, as Deuteronomy commands. But the absence of an explicit demand for debt release in Leviticus left the door open to argue that the Jubilee does not release debts (the position maintained in the halakic exegesis of the Sipre Deuteronomy and Sipra Leviticus). Taking a contrary stance, the author of 11QMelchizedek responded to that absence by identifying Leviticus's Jubilee with Deuteronomy's Sabbatical debt release. His synthesis of the two laws demonstrates that the often presumed opposition of legal and eschatological exegesis does not hold in the case of 11QMelchizedek.
Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Exposes the Role of Vibrational Coherence in Condensed-Phase Photoreactivity.

ConspectusFemtosecond spectroscopy has revealed coherent wave packet motion time and time again, but the question as to whether these coherences are necessary for reactivity or merely a consequence of the experiment has remained open. For diatomic systems in the gas phase, such as sodium iodide, the dimensionality of the system requires coordinated atomic motion along the reaction coordinate. Coherent dynamics are also readily observed in condensed-phase multidimensional systems such as chromophores in proteins and solvated charge transfer dimers. Is precisely choreographed nuclear motion (i.e., coherence) required for reactivity in these systems? Can this coherence reveal anything about the reaction coordinate?In this Account, we describe our efforts to tackle these questions using femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS). Results of four exemplary systems are summarized to illustrate the role coherence can play in condensed-phase reactivity, the exploitation of vibrational coherence to measure v...
Seroepidemiology of Group B Streptococcus Type III Colonization at Delivery

Immunity to group B streptococcal (GBS) disease is thought to be conferred by the presence of antibodies to the capsular polysaccharides, and protection of the fetus and newborn probably depends on antibodies of the IgG class, which are readily transferred across the placenta before birth. It has been clearly established that the risk for infection is correlated with the degree of exposure to GBS during the perinatal period [1]. Although it has been suggested that a deficiency of antibody is also a major risk factor in the development of GBS type III disease [2], the prevalence of antibodies to this type has not been studied in a large normal population in which the colonization status of mothers and infants was defined by culture at the time of delivery. We measured IgG antibody to both the complete (sialylated) and incomplete (nonsialylated) capsular antigens of GBS type III in 401 pairs of maternal and cord sera, from healthy patients of defined colonization status. From this we estimated the prevalence of antibody ^ pg/mL for all 8,928 deliveries that occurred during the 4-y study period. The low overall antibody prevalence suggests that antibody deficiency was widespread, even among type III carriers. As we have recently observed in seroepidemiologic studies of GBS type II in the same population [3], the presence or absence of type-specific antibody may not by itself be a useful determinant of risk for GBS disease.
AT-01PHASE I TRIAL OF DOSE ESCALATED RADIOSURGERY PLUS BEVACIZUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT/PROGRESSIVE GLIOBLASTOMA.

BACKGROUND: Management of recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) after standard initial therapy remains one of the most difficult challenges in oncology. Prior use of salvage stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for rGBM often involved maximum prescription doses defined by RTOG 90-05. We performed a prospective Phase I study to evaluate the safety of dose escalation when SRS was performed together with bevacizumab. METHODS: Patients with recurrent, histologically proven GBM were included in this Phase I trial. All patients had completed conventional chemoradiation, and had a unifocal enhancing mass with maximum diameter between 2 and 3 cm. Patients received a single dose of Bevacizumab (10mg/kg) followed within 10-14 days by SRS. SRS dose escalation was performed with a 3 + 3 design, starting at 18 Gy, the RTOG 90-05 maximum tolerated dose, and escalated by 2 Gy for each cohort, with a planned maximum of 3 cohorts. The MRI obtained before administration of bevacizumab was used for SRS planning. Patients were continued on a conventional schedule of bevacizumab following SRS. RESULTS: Nine patients were enrolled. Mean duration between bevacizumab and SRS was 12.4 days (10-15). There were no grade 3 or higher toxicities associated with SRS treatment in any dosing cohort. The study was completed after the third patient was treated in the 22 Gy cohort. The median starting tumor volume was 4.54 cm3 (2.1-8.8). The mean volume decrease of the enhancing focus before administration of bevacizumab and at the time of SRS was 1.868 cm3 (95%CI: -0.420–4.156, p-value = 0.103). The median progression free survival after SRS was 7.5 m (95% CI: 3.7–11.2). CONCLUSION: Bevacizumab prior to SRS for recurrent GBM permitted safe SRS dose escalation to 22 Gy. Efficacy of this higher SRS dose should be evaluated in a Phase II trial.
The Myth of the “Two Souths?” Racial Resentment and White Party Identification in the Deep South and Rim South*

Objectives This article addresses a debate among scholars of southern politics concerning the relevance of the distinction between the Deep South and Rim South states. Specifically, it examines the effect of racial resentment on white party identification in both southern subregions. Methods Data from the 2010 and 2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Studies (CCES) are analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model to examine subregional differences in the effect of racial resentment on southern white party identification. Results Although whites in the Deep South were more likely to identify as Republicans than whites in the Rim South, the effect of racial resentment on party identification in the Deep South was not statistically different from that of whites in the Rim South. Conclusions While it may be premature to completely discard the notion of the “Two Souths” it may behoove scholars of southern politics to also focus on individual state-by-state commonalities and differences, rather than be bound exclusively to the Deep/Rim South dichotomy.
A dictated policy: cartoons and the 1936 strike in Palestine

Current scholarship emphasises the dominant role played by the Arab press in the general strike in Palestine in 1936. In spite of this, cartoons, a crucial feature of Filastin – the most widely circulated Arabic-language daily in the Mandate – have received little scholarly attention. The current paper seeks to correct this through examining editorial cartoons to demonstrate how they reflect Filastin’s role in engendering sympathy toward and participation in the general strike among a broader audience than could be reach by the textual content of the paper. Cartoons contributed to the transformation of what it meant to be Palestinian in the context of the broader national struggle against Great Britain and Zionism by examining discourses of ‘peoplehood’ – i.e. intersecting and overlapping categories of identity – interrogating subjects such as gender, nation and class to mobilise disparate elements of Palestinian society against colonial intrusion.
Wall structure and material properties cause viscous damping of swimbladder sounds in the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau.

Despite rapid damping, fish swimbladders have been modelled as underwater resonant bubbles. Recent data suggest that swimbladders of sound-producing fishes use a forced rather than a resonant response to produce sound. The reason for this discrepancy has not been formally addressed, and we demonstrate, for the first time, that the structure of the swimbladder wall will affect vibratory behaviour. Using the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau , we find regional differences in bladder thickness, directionality of collagen layers (anisotropic bladder wall structure), material properties that differ between circular and longitudinal directions (stress, strain and Young9s modulus), high water content (80%) of the bladder wall and a 300-fold increase in the modulus of dried tissue. Therefore, the swimbladder wall is a viscoelastic structure that serves to damp vibrations and impart directionality, preventing the expression of resonance.
THE IMPACT OF ELECTRONICALLY- MEDIATED COMMUNICATION ON LANGUAGE STANDARDS AND STYLE

Half a century ago, Marshall McLuhan proclaimed the medium is the message (McLuhan 1964). While overstated, the declaration challenges us to consider whether communication media (from the printing press to the telegraph, radio, cinema, television, and now the Internet and mobile phones) affect the ways we speak and write. Similarly, Walter Ong’s (1982) notion of secondary orality, largely referring to the broadcast language of radio and television, encourages us to rethink whether electronic communication redefines language. If primary orality is the communication modality of societies that are essentially nonliterate (e.g. Homeric Greece) or rely heavily upon an oral culture OUP UNCORRECTED PROOF – FIRST-PROOF, 04/29/12, NEWGEN
Estimating Ecosystem Nitrogen Addition by a Leguminous Tree: A Mass Balance Approach Using a Woody Encroachment Chronosequence

Difficulty in quantifying rates of biological N fixation (BNF), especially over long time scales, remains a major impediment to defining N budgets in many ecosystems. To estimate N additions from BNF, we applied a tree-scale N mass balance approach to a well-characterized chronosequence of woody legume (Prosopis glandulosa) encroachment into subtropical grasslands. We defined spatially discrete single Prosopis clusters (aged 28–99 years), and for each calculated BNF as the residual of: soil N (0–30 cm), above- and below-ground biomass N, wet and dry atmospheric N deposition, N trace gas and N2 loss, leaching loss, and baseline grassland soil N at time of establishment. Contemporary BNF for upland savanna woodland was estimated at 10.9 ± 1.8 kg N ha−1 y−1, equal to a total of 249 ± 60 kg N ha−1 over about 130 years of encroachment at the site. Though these BNF values are lower than previous estimates for P. glandulosa, this likely reflects lower plant density as well as low water availability at this site. Uncertainty in soil and biomass parameters affected BNF estimates by 6–11%, with additional sensitivity of up to 18% to uncertainty in other scaling parameters. Differential N deposition (higher rates of dry N deposition to Prosopis canopies versus open grasslands) did not explain N accrual beneath trees; iterations that represented this scenario reduced estimated BNF estimates by a maximum of 1.5 kg N ha−1 y−1. We conclude that in this relatively well-constrained system, small-scale mass balance provides a reasonable method of estimating BNF and could provide an opportunity to cross-calibrate alternative estimation approaches.
Characterization of ventricular endomyocardial tissue using optical coherence tomography

We present an initial study to describe the potential of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for characterizing endomyocardial tissue. We obtained ventricular OCT images from 15 fresh human hearts. Layer thickness measurements and texture features were extracted from volumetric datasets with endocardial thickening, normal myocardium, myocardium with interstitial fibrosis, normal endocardium, and adipose tissue. Within our datasets, we observed that the thickness of endocardium was not different within samples with normal or myocardium with interstitial fibrosis, however samples with endocardial thickening showed statistically increased endocardial thickness.
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among 1.3 Million Adults With Overweight or Obesity, but Not Diabetes, in 10 Geographically Diverse Regions of the United States, 2012-2013.

INTRODUCTION Various phenotypes of overweight and obesity pose various health risks. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of 4 commonly measured cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs) among adults with overweight or obesity, but not diabetes, at the time of the study. METHODS We analyzed data for 1,294,174 adults (aged ≥20 y) who were members of one of 4 integrated health systems. Each cohort member had a body mass index in 2012 or 2013 that indicated overweight or obesity. We determined the presence of 4 CRFs within 1 year of the first BMI measurement: elevated blood pressure (systolic ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic >85 mm Hg or ICD-9-CM [International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification] diagnosis code 401.0-405.9); elevated triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL or ICD-9-CM 272.1); low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (<40 mg/dL for men or <50 mg/dL for women or ICD-9-CM 272.5); and prediabetes (fasting glucose 100-125 mg/dL or HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% or ICD-9-CM 790.2x). We tested the risk of having 1 or more CRFs after adjusting for obesity class and demographic characteristics with multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Among participants with overweight (52.5% of the sample), 18.6% had none of the 4 CRFs. Among the 47.5% of participants with obesity, 9.6% had none; among participants with morbid obesity, 5.8% had none. Age was strongly associated with CRFs in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION Almost 10% of participants with obesity had no CRFs. Overweight or obesity increases cardiometabolic risk, but the number and type of CRFs varied substantially by age, even among participants with morbid obesity.
Small Airway Absorption and Microdosimetry of Inhaled Corticosteroid Particles after Deposition

To predict the cellular-level epithelial absorbed dose from deposited inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) particles in a model of an expanding and contracting small airway segment for different particle forms. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based model of drug dissolution, absorption and clearance occurring in the surface liquid of a representative small airway generation (G13) was developed and used to evaluate epithelial dose for the same deposited drug mass of conventional microparticles, nanoaggregates and a true nanoaerosol. The ICS medications considered were budesonide (BD) and fluticasone propionate (FP). Within G13, total epithelial absorption efficiency (AE) and dose uniformity (microdosimetry) were evaluated. Conventional microparticles resulted in very poor AE of FP (0.37%) and highly nonuniform epithelial absorption, such that <5% of cells received drug. Nanoaggregates improved AE of FP by a factor of 57-fold and improved dose delivery to reach approximately 40% of epithelial cells. True nanoaerosol resulted in near 100% AE for both drugs and more uniform drug delivery to all cells. Current ICS therapies are absorbed by respiratory epithelial cells in a highly nonuniform manner that may partially explain poor clinical performance in the small airways. Both nanoaggregates and nanoaerosols can significantly improve ICS absorption efficiency and uniformity.
Approaches to Sedation in Pediatric Neuroimaging: What the Radiologist Should Know

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe and effective imaging technique that avoids exposure to ionizing radiation. The volume of pediatric MRI studies is increasing and with it the number of studies performed with sedation or anesthesia. When sedation or anesthesia are necessary for image acquisition there is an additional layer of complexity and the risks to the patient versus the benefits of imaging must be weighed. The purpose of this review is to describe sedation and anesthesia as it is utilized for MRI. Common techniques and inherent risks are discussed, as are recent controversies in and alternatives to sedation or anesthesia. The importance of collaboration and communication among providers is emphasized along with patient safety.
Ampullary micropapillary adenocarcinoma widely metastatic to the lymph nodes: A case report

Abstract First described in breast cancer, invasive micropapillary carcinoma is being increasingly recognized as an aggressive histological variant of cancers arising from many different organs such as the urinary bladder, the lung, the colorectum, the stomach, the pancreatobiliary system and the salivary glands. Only a few reports exist that focus on the ampullo-pancreatobiliary region. We report a case of a 71 year old man who was admitted with symptoms of obstructive jaundice and slight epigastric pain and weight loss. Clinical and histological investigations revealed a small ( We believe micropapillary carcinoma should be considered in the WHO classification of Tumors of the Digestive System, in the ampullary chapter, as a separate histological subtype, in analogy with other organs to reflect its aggressive clinical behavior.
Educating the Educator: Teaching Airway Adjunct Techniques in Athletic Training

T he 5th edition of the Athletic Training Education Competencies (Competencies) now requires athletic training educators (ATEs) to introduce into the curriculum various types of airway adjuncts including: (1) oropharyngeal airways (OPA), (2) nasopharyngeal airways (NPA), (3) supraglottic airways (SGA), and (4) suction. The addition of these Acute Care (AC) knowledge and skill competencies, as well as others (eg, rectal temperature, oxygen saturation, blood glucose level, nebulizers) were incorporated into the curriculum to reflect the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s published position statement recommendations or those in development.1 The specific knowledge and skill statements addressing these educational areas can be found in Table 1. However, for many ATEs teaching airway adjuncts and suctioning is an unfamiliar concept. Therefore, the purpose of this column is to provide the ATE with a resource document on how to use and teach different adjunct breathing devices within their educational program.
Building a Consumer Network to Engage Users with Disabilities

Involving end users is critical when designing assistive devices or conducting research on disability. Identifying and recruiting users willing to take part in these activities can be a difficult and time consuming task for designers and researchers who want information from a targeted group. Study samples which can be generalized to the larger population are important to both as well. To help address some of these issues, the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) at the Georgia Institute of Technology created the CATEA Consumer Network (CCN). The CCN is a network of older adults and people with disabilities whose members test new prototypes, products and services in order to improve them through focus groups, field-testing and surveys (www.catea.org/ccn/ccn.php).
Escalation through Entanglement: How the Vulnerability of Command-and-Control Systems Raises the Risks of an Inadvertent Nuclear War

Nonnuclear weapons are increasingly able to threaten dual-use command, control, communication, and intelligence assets that are spaced based or distant from probable theaters of conflict. This form...
DOPA: Detecting Open Ports in Android OS

In smartphones, open ports can be exploited by malicious applications to allow attackers to remotely control user’s device. In this work, we perform an attack that opens a port on an Android device to remotely connect to this port and access various phone features without requesting any permission from the user. Additionally, we develop and implement a tool called, Detecting Open Ports in Android operating system (DOPA), that detects open ports and reports them to the user.
Ibutilide for the control of refractory ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in patients with myocardial ischemia and hemodynamic instability

Introduction Recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in patients with myocardial ischemia requiring hemodynamic support can be refractory to available antiarrhythmic agents and even to cardioversion and defibrillation. The purpose of this study was to report the effect of intravenous ibutilide in patients with a VT and/or VF storm in the presence of incomplete revascularization requiring hemodynamic support. Methods and results Standard continuous telemetry and frequent 12-lead electrocardiograms were obtained to determine the effect of intravenous Ibutilide in these patients. We studied six consecutive patients (age 60 ± 12 years; five males) with incomplete revascularization and mechanical support (extracorporeal membrane of oxygenation = 2; left ventricular assist device = 4) with VT/VF refractory to lidocaine and amiodarone. Intravenous ibutilide was given as a last resort for management of their ventricular arrhythmias. Intravenous ibutilide (1-2 mg) allowed restoration of sinus rhythm in three patients with persistent VF that were refractory to multiple defibrillation shocks. When the 24-hour period before and after ibutilide administration was compared, this drug markedly reduced the number of required cardioversions/defibrillations in all patients from 20 ± 9 to 0.7 ± 0.8 shocks ( P = 0.036). Conclusions In patients with myocardial ischemia requiring hemodynamic support, intravenous Ibutilide demonstrates a potent antiarrhythmic effect and can facilitate defibrillation in patients with refractory VF.
Single-institution experience of medical students' bacterial colonization during training.

Background Medical students are often potential vectors for resistant bacteria to their entourage. We therefore conducted this study to evaluate the variation of medical students' multiple drug resistant bacterial flora throughout their medical training. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study enrolling medical students of the 2016 academic year from the Saint-Joseph University - Faculty of Medicine, Lebanon. Results The multivariate analysis identified the medical year as the sole factor contributing to the extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae colonization (OR = 2.33 [1.14-4.77], P = 0.021). Discussion Lack of hygiene knowledge among medical trainees is not uncommon. Hence, the degree of clinical exposure predicts their risk of contamination from critically ill patients. Conclusions Implementing regular and practical training in line with a behavioral modification program would limit the colonization of medical students with resistant germs.
Research on Automatic Steering Control System of Full Hydraulic Steering Tractor

The performance of automatic steering control directly affects the accuracy of tractor navigation. In order to improve the tractor navigation performance, the tractor automatic steering control technology is researched. The automatic steering control system for the full hydraulic steering tractor is designed with the Lovol Europard FT704 tractor. The mathematical model of automatic steering system is established. The PID parameters are determined by digital simulation analysis, and verified by steering test. The field test results show that the offset error is not greater than 5.98 cm and the average offset error is not greater than 1.23 cm at the travel speed of 1.0 m/s. The field tests indicated the tractor automatic steering control system can meet the needs of tractor automatic navigation.
Mission Possible: Blending the social and technical through an innovative biodesign challenge module for a Materials Science class

This work describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a module on bioengineering design and material selection in a third-year Materials Science course for undergraduate engineering students in Fall 2017. This module was implemented as part of a larger National Science Foundation REvolutionizing Engineering and Computer Science Departments (RED) project at the University of San Diego, the goal of which is to successfully blend technical content with social context in engineering curricula. This module required student teams to take on missions with specific users and sponsoring agents to design wrist bracing devices, with upfront consideration of social context unique to the mission. Students brainstormed design considerations in class, and then for homework, recommended a material for each of the three missions using technical calculations and engineering design tables that incorporated social context and human elements. Analysis of the weighted considerations showcased student understanding of the financial budgets of sponsoring agents as well as material requirements for specific users and environments. Through this work, students encountered and demonstrated understanding of the close relation between technical and social issues involved in Materials Science.
Inorganic carbon fixation in ice-covered lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys

Inorganic carbon fixation, usually mediated by photosynthetic microorganisms, is considered to form the base of the food chain in aquatic ecosystems. In high-latitude lakes, lack of sunlight owing to seasonal solar radiation limits the activity of photosynthetic plankton during the polar winter, causing respiration-driven demand for carbon to exceed supply. Here, we show that inorganic carbon fixation in the dark, driven by organisms that gain energy from chemical reactions rather than sunlight (chemolithoautotrophs), provides a significant influx of fixed carbon to two permanently ice-covered lakes (Fryxell and East Bonney). Fryxell, which has higher biomass per unit volume of water, had higher rates of inorganic dark carbon fixation by chemolithoautotrophs than East Bonney (trophogenic zone average 1.0 µg C l−1 d−1vs 0.08 µg C l−1 d−1, respectively). This contribution from dark carbon fixation was partly due to the activity of ammonia oxidizers, which are present in both lakes. Despite the potential importance of new carbon input by chemolithoautotrophic activity, both lakes remain net heterotrophic, with respiratory demand for carbon exceeding supply. Dark carbon fixation increased the ratio of new carbon supply to respiratory demand from 0.16 to 0.47 in Fryxell, and from 0.14 to 0.22 in East Bonney.
Body weight, frailty, and chronic pain in older adults: a cross-sectional study.

There exists limited data on the association between unhealthy body weight and chronic pain, and whether this association is explained by frailty status of older adults. We included older adults aged ≥65 years from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Chronic pain was defined by self-reported pain lasting for ≥3 months in the past year. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Participants were dichotomized as frail or non-frail based on a validated frailty index calculated as the proportion of the number of deficits present to a total of 45 possible deficits ascertained in NHANES. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of 3693 older participants, one in six (15.9%) experienced chronic pain, with higher prevalence among the underweight (24.6%) and obese (20.2%) group. Frailty versus non-frailty was independently associated with BMI (PR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.16–1.36 for underweight; and PR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.07–1.22 for obese), and chronic pain (PR = 2.84, 95% CI = 2.18–3.69). After adjustment for frailty, the association between BMI and chronic pain decreased from PR = 1.82 to 1.64 for the underweight and 1.41 to 1.33 for the obese group. We did not observe an interaction effect between frailty and BMI. Unhealthy body weight was associated with increased chronic pain and the associations were partially explained by frailty status of older adults. Our findings generate hypotheses for further investigations of the interplay of these chronic conditions in older adults.
Surviving in Professional Careers

Once an individual is into career, whether it be as a professor, a practicing physician, or a pharmacist, it may seem that much of the struggle is over and, relatively speaking, it is. However, this does not mean that there are still not obstacles that one must face, especially for women and minority scientists. For example, although the number of minority women entering science careers has increased in recent years, the attrition rates for minority women are higher than for men. This, of course, is due to a number of factors, some of which are similar for minority men as well. For example, the low numbers of minorities in the ranks make “the fit” difficult regardless of gender; however, since men still dominate the faculty ranks, women, and in particular, minority women often find the environment quite uncomfortable, sometimes even hostile. Add to this the fact that women still earn less despite having comparable credentials, it is not surprising that retention is an issue. Paramount to the issue of retention is the need to demonstrate success in one’s discipline whether it is through teaching excellence, research productivity, or extensive service to the school, community, and the discipline. In fact, for many, all three of these are essential in demonstrating success as well as maintaining it.
Silica-coated metallic nanoparticle-based hierarchical super-hydrophobic surfaces fabricated by spin-coating and inverse nanotransfer printing

By combining spin coating and inverse nanotransfer printing, silica-coated gold nanoparticles are patterned onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) superhydrophobic surfaces to form a hierarchical structure. A layer of nanoparticles is spin-coated on a flat silicon substrate serving as the stamp, which is then transferred to the raised regions of PDMS surfaces. Our inverse nanotransfer printing is in contrast to the standard nanotransfer printing, which transfers metal from the raised regions of a stamp to a flat PDMS surface. The fabricated hierarchical surface exhibits a higher contact angle and delays the Cassie-Wenzel transition during evaporation of a sessile droplet, indicating an improvement of superhydrophobicity. Finally, we demonstrate that the fabricated nanoparticle-based superhydrophobic surfaces can enhance the Raman intensity and significantly decrease the surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection limit.By combining spin coating and inverse nanotransfer printing, silica-coated gold nanoparticles are patterned onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) superhydrophobic surfaces to form a hierarchical structure. A layer of nanoparticles is spin-coated on a flat silicon substrate serving as the stamp, which is then transferred to the raised regions of PDMS surfaces. Our inverse nanotransfer printing is in contrast to the standard nanotransfer printing, which transfers metal from the raised regions of a stamp to a flat PDMS surface. The fabricated hierarchical surface exhibits a higher contact angle and delays the Cassie-Wenzel transition during evaporation of a sessile droplet, indicating an improvement of superhydrophobicity. Finally, we demonstrate that the fabricated nanoparticle-based superhydrophobic surfaces can enhance the Raman intensity and significantly decrease the surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection limit.
Supersymmetry of the chiral de Rham complex 2: Commuting sectors

We construct two commuting N = 2 structures on the space of sections of the chiral de Rham complex (CDR) of a Calabi-Yau manifold. We use this extra supersymmetry to construct a nonlinear automorphism of CDR preserving these N = 2 structures. Finally, we show how to extend these results to construct a commuting pair of N = 4 super vertex algebras in the HyperKahler case.
Preventable factors contributing to increased rates of chronic kidney disease in rural India

# Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is disproportionately more prevalent in rural and underserved areas globally, and the epidemiological factors contributing to this phenomenon are poorly understood. Here, we aim to identify several preventable factors contributing towards CKD in the city of Phalodi, a rural city located in the Indian state of Rajasthan. # Methods The qualitative and quantitative data obtained in this study comes from interviews with doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, and patients at the dialysis clinic in Phalodi. This region was selected because of its known increased prevalence of CKD, and its long-standing relation with Discovering Dialysis. # Results Several preventable factors were identified as contributors towards the increased prevalence of CKD: 1) Nimesulide abuse is fairly common in rural areas because it is affordable and effective, but it is highly nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic; 2) Kidney stones caused by the quantity and quality of rural water contribute towards both nimesulide abuse and CKD; 3) Lack of accessibility to healthcare for preventative measures and disease management exacerbate the severity of kidney disease; 4) Lack of transportation to dialysis centers limits the number of patients that can afford to receive dialysis treatment. # Conclusions This study demonstrates that several factors can be targeted to reduce the prevalence of CKD in rural India. Namely, legislation should focus on reducing nimesulide use, providing access to clean and available water, and increasing transportation to medical centers that can provide preventative care.
Prediction of Drive-Fed Induction Machine Efficiency Using Sine Wave Efficiency Results

Despite their prominent capabilities and features to control the speed and torque of electrical machines, adjustable-speed drives (ASDs) reduce the efficiency of machine compared to sine-fed machines. This reduction is due to additional losses generated by harmonics in the output voltage and current of ASDs. Due to the complex nature of these losses, accurate calculation of these losses is very difficult. This paper intends to present a simple and straightforward way to predict an induction machine (IM) efficiency in drive-fed mode by using its direct-fed mode results. For this purpose, four IMs are tested in three modes: Direct-fed, Scaler drive-fed and Direct Torque Control (DTC) drive-fed. The results are compared with each other and a simple and straightforward method is proposed to predict the efficiency of a drive-fed IM using direct-fed results.
Perceived effect of pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases on academics, college planning, and college adjustment.

Objective: To examine the relationship between perceived effect of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) on high school academics and college planning on college adjustment. Participants: Participants ...
Studying “and”: A perspective on studying the interdependence between management control practices

Abstract Inspired by the theme of the AOS Conference - Management Controls as System or Package - I discuss two issues regarding the notion of interdependence, the key feature distinguishing management controls as a system or package. First, I use the semantic framework of force dynamics to characterize interdependence between management control practices as a causal relationship between them, and use examples of research presented at the conference to highlight the usefulness of the force dynamics framework to study and understand interdependence. Second, I highlight two benefits of experiments for studying interdependence (force dynamics) between management control practices, both of which involve creating "ideal" counterfactuals: (1) leveraging the high level of internal validity of experiments to isolate the causal relationship between management control practices and the mechanism underlying that relationship, and (2) creating the variation in management control practice that may be absent in real-world settings, but are necessary for theory testing.