cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drifting to oblivion? Rapid genetic differentiation in an endangered lizard following habitat fragmentation and drought

Aim The frequency and severity of habitat alterations and disturbance are predicted to increase in upcoming decades, and understanding how disturbance affects population integrity is paramount for adaptive management. Although rarely is population genetic sampling conducted at multiple time points, pre- and post-disturbance comparisons may provide one of the clearest methods to measure these impacts. We examined how genetic properties of the federally threatened Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard (Uma inornata) responded to severe drought and habitat fragmentation across its range. Location Coachella Valley, California, USA. Methods We used 11 microsatellites to examine population genetic structure and diversity in 1996 and 2008, before and after a historic drought. We used Bayesian assignment methods and F-statistics to estimate genetic structure. We compared allelic richness across years to measure loss of genetic diversity and employed approximate Bayesian computing methods and heterozygote excess tests to explore the recent demographic history of populations. Finally, we compared effective population size across years and to abundance estimates to determine whether diversity remained low despite post-drought recovery. Results Genetic structure increased between sampling periods, likely as a result of population declines during the historic drought of the late 1990s–early 2000s, and habitat loss and fragmentation that precluded post-drought genetic rescue. Simulations supported recent demographic declines in 3 of 4 main preserves, and in one preserve, we detected significant loss of allelic richness. Effective population sizes were generally low across the range, with estimates ≤100 in most sites. Main conclusions Fragmentation and drought appear to have acted synergistically to induce genetic change over a short time frame. Progressive deterioration of connectivity, low Ne and measurable loss of genetic diversity suggest that conservation efforts have not maintained the genetic integrity of this species. Genetic sampling over time can help evaluate population trends to guide management.
The Failure of the Hong Kong Court of Appeal to Recognise and Remedy Disability Discrimination

This article critiques the recent decision of the Hong Kong Court of Appeal in Ma Bik Yung v Ko Chuen, the first case to be tried under Hong Kong's Disability Discrimination Ordinance. The Court of Appeal upheld the District Court's finding of disability harassment but granted the appeal from the finding of disability discrimination. The author argues that the Court erred, by introducing a hypothetical factual scenario that was inconsistent with the District Court's findings of fact and by failing to apply s 3 of the Ordinance. The article also criticises the Court's holding that an unwilling apology is outside the scope of remedies allowed by the Ordinance. In fact similar statutory language is regularly used in Australia as the basis for orders to apologise. The author concludes by considering the potential conflict between the right to free expression and court-ordered apologies and suggests two possible approaches to the issue.
Body Temperature in the Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus

Statistically significant samples of the body temperature of large wild mammals are ordinarily almost impossible to obtain. In the case of the northern (Alaska) fur seal, however, a sample of almost any desired size can be secured if one uses the animals involved in the annual commercial kill. Body temperatures of fur seals are of interest not only because of the large samples available but because of the species' size (up to 600 pounds), its high degree of specialization for an aquatic mode of life, and the fact that it lives in an environment where heat stress, in the usually accepted sense, is nonexistent. For any marine mammal the problem of heat loss to the water is always acute. Even at the extreme southern limit of the northern fur seal's winter range the difference between body temperature and environmental temperature is 20°C. or more. During much of their aquatic existence many of the adults operate in waters averaging only a few degrees above zero C. The insulation of hair and blubber necessary for the maintenance of body temperature while in the water presents a considerable physiological problem when the animals participate in violent and prolonged activities on shore during the breeding season, even though their rookeries in the Pribilof Islands are characterized by almost continuous summer overcast and air temperatures rarely rising above 12°C. Acknowledgments .—This work was carried out in the Pribilof Islands during the summer of 1951 in collaboration with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the general sponsorship of Dr. Victor B. Scheffer. Mr. Clarence Olson and Mr. Charles H. Anderson made available the facilities of St. Paul Island and gave every possible cooperation. Mr. Karl Kenyon assisted in obtaining the temperatures from the pups and from some of the adult bulls and cows. Methods …
Mulit-Objective Optimization of a Hypersonic Inlet Using Generalized Outflow Boundary Conditions in the Continuous Adjoint Method

Supersonic combustion ramjets, or scramjets have the potential to facilitate more efficient transatmospheric flight and airplane-like operations of launch vehicles. Although these airbreathing engines benefit from the mechanical simplicity of using flow deceleration only rather than mechanical compressors to achieve the conditions necessary for combustion, many challenges exist in their design. Robust and efficient design of these vehicles can benefit from the application of surface sensitivities calculated through the adjoint method. This work presents the derivation of a generalized boundary condition for the continuous adjoint which allows optimization for arbitrary outflow-based objectives, expanding the range of objectives that this method can address and facilitating multi-objective and multi-disciplinary optimization. The results of using this framework to optimize for a balance of thrust and nozzle exit area using low fidelity models of the combustion and expansion processes downstream of the inlet geometry are presented.
Compton scatter correction in case of multiple crosstalks in SPECT imaging

AbstractA strategy for Compton scatter correction in brain SPECT images was proposed recently. It assumes that two radioisotopes are used and that a significant portion of photons of one radioisotope (for example, Tc ) spills over into the low energy acquisition window of the other radioisotope (for example, Tl201). We are extending this approach to cases of several radioisotopes with mutual, multiple and significant photon spillover. In the example above, one may correct not only the Tl image but also the Tc"m image corrupted by the Compton scatter originating from the small component of high energy Tl201 photons. The proposed extension is applicable to other anatomical domains (cardiac imaging). [Neurof Rfes’TWS;’18: 31–32]
A novel feasibility analysis method for black‐box processes using a radial basis function adaptive sampling approach

Feasibility analysis is used to determine the feasible region of a multivariate process. This can be difficult when the process models include black-box constraints or the simulation is computationally expensive. To address such difficulties, surrogate models can be built as an inexpensive approximation to the original model and help identify the feasible region. An adaptive sampling method is used to efficiently sample new points toward feasible region boundaries and regions where prediction uncertainty is high. In this article, cubic Radial Basis Function (RBF) is used as the surrogate model. An error indicator for cubic RBF is proposed to indicate the prediction uncertainty and is used in adaptive sampling. In all case studies, the proposed RBF-based method shows better performance than a previously published Kriging-based method. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 532–550, 2017
The use of circular myotomy to facilitate resection and end-to-end anastomosis of the esophagus: An experimental study

Segmental resection of the thoracic esophagus with end-to-end anastomosis carries a lower mortality rate than esophagogastrostomy or colon interposition. However, if more than a few centimeters is resected, the anastomosis fails because of tension. An experimental study is presented in which circular myotomy was utilized to reduce tension and thereby increase the amount of esophagus which could be resected successfully. Sixteen dogs were first subjected to end-to-end anastomosis without myotomy after resection of segments varying from 4 to 7 cm. in length and comprising 20 to 40 per cent of the esophagus. In other dogs, circular myotomy was performed 3 cm. proximal to the anastomosis after resection of 40 to 50 per cent of the esophagus. However, initial attempts failed because of ischemia leading to anastomotic breakdown. The myotomy interrupted important vessels running longitudinally in the deeper layers of the muscularis. Subsequently, we determined that partial circular myotomy afforded just as great a reduction in tension without compromising the blood supply. Our studies show that this technique permits successful resection of much longer segments than would otherwise be possible.
Universal sinus computed tomography protocol for diagnostic imaging and intraoperative navigation.

BackgroundSinus computed tomography (CT) is performed for the diagnosis of paranasal sinus disease and to assess response to medical therapy. In addition, sinus CT is used for intraoperative imagin...
MRCK-1 Drives Apical Constriction in C. elegans by Linking Developmental Patterning to Force Generation

Apical constriction is a change in cell shape that drives key morphogenetic events including gastrulation and neural tube formation. Apical force-producing actomyosin networks drive apical constriction by contracting while connected to cell-cell junctions. The mechanisms by which developmental patterning regulates these actomyosin networks and associated junctions with spatial precision are not fully understood. Here we identify a myosin light-chain kinase MRCK-1 as a key regulator of C. elegans gastrulation that integrates spatial and developmental patterning information. We show that MRCK-1 is required for activation of contractile actomyosin dynamics and elevated cortical tension in the apical cell cortex of endoderm precursor cells. MRCK-1 is apically localized by active Cdc42 at the external, cell-cell contact-free surfaces of apically constricting cells, downstream of cell fate determination mechanisms. We establish that the junctional components α-catenin, β-catenin, and cadherin become highly enriched at the apical junctions of apically constricting cells and that MRCK-1 and myosin activity are required in vivo for this enrichment. Taken together, our results define mechanisms that position a myosin activator to a specific cell surface where it both locally increases cortical tension and locally enriches junctional components to facilitate apical constriction. These results reveal crucial links that can tie spatial information to local force generation to drive morphogenesis.
Developing depth and breadth of research methods training for doctoral students with CARMA webcasts

Research methods training for doctoral students is crucial to the development of the management discipline, yet acquiring depth and breadth across research methods education in a doctoral program can be challenging. As a resource to enhance research methods training, the Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA) has been providing online webcasts led by topic experts on contemporary methodological issues since 2004. This paper provides an evaluation and categorization of the 92 webcasts produced during CARMA's first decade to facilitate the incorporation of webcasts into doctoral-level methods training that enhance the depth and breadth of doctoral students' exposure to research methods.
Effective software-defined networking controller scheduling method to mitigate DDoS attacks

To improve the availability of the software-defined networking (SDN) under distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, a multi-queue SDN controller scheduling algorithm based on time slice allocation strategy is proposed. The proposed algorithm can take different time slice allocation strategies according to the intensity of DDoS attacks and use SDN controller to schedule processing flow request from different switches (including the switches suffering from different degrees of attacks and normal switches) to ensure better protection to the normal switch in the network under DDoS attacks. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Integrating Service Learning Into a Graduate Business Ethics Course:

Adopting a broad definition that distinguishes behavioral ethics as science and behavioral ethics in practice, we describe how service learning can be a meaningful component of a four-credit, one-quarter graduate business ethics course by blending both normative/prescriptive and behavioral/descriptive ethics. We provide a conceptual and theoretical grounding for our integration of service learning and describe how service learning is used in the course. We explain how we frame the service-learning project, the challenges we have faced, and final student reflections on the experience. Finally, we describe the assessment process used in the course. Based on the assessment of 215 students’ service-learning reflection papers, the results indicated that over 90% of students were able to make direct connections between major themes of the course and their service-learning experience. This is an indication of the efficacy of the use of service learning in teaching behavioral ethics.
Conclusion: Summary and Recommendations

This chapter begins with a look at the rise of the AAUP and the three areas it established as the foundation of tenure: teaching/providing quality instruction; service to the university and community as a whole; and scholarly research/publications. The discussion then shifts to an examination of five court cases that are pertinent to the discussion and their impact. Following this discussion, the all-important question of how the courts have interpreted tenure is addressed citing related court cases. A Summation and Recommendation section concludes the chapter.
Laser micro-ablated multi-point side-firing optical fiber for deep-tissue light delivery

A compact light delivery device capable of delivering light to multiple desired locations is essential for many biomedical applications. Here, we demonstrate the use of laser micro-ablation to create controllable conical-shaped cavities on optical fiber to enable a multi-point side-firing configuration using a single fiber.
Electro-Optic Frequency Beam Splitters and Tritters for High-Fidelity Photonic Quantum Information Processing

We report the experimental realization of high-fidelity photonic quantum gates for frequency-encoded qubits and qutrits based on electro-optic modulation and Fourier-transform pulse shaping. Our frequency version of the Hadamard gate offers near-unity fidelity ($0.99998\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.00003$), requires only a single microwave drive tone for near-ideal performance, functions across the entire $C$ band (1530--1570 nm), and can operate concurrently on multiple qubits spaced as tightly as four frequency modes apart, with no observable degradation in the fidelity. For qutrits, we implement a $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3$ extension of the Hadamard gate: the balanced tritter. This tritter---the first ever demonstrated for frequency modes---attains fidelity $0.9989\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0004$. These gates represent important building blocks toward scalable, high-fidelity quantum information processing based on frequency encoding.
Longitudinal Imaging of Reading and Naming Recovery after Stroke.

Background Functional neuroimaging techniques can provide a unique window into the neural basis of language recovery after a stroke. The functional neuroimaging literature on post-stroke language recovery is complex; multiple factors such as the time post-stroke, degree of initial impairment, nature of the task, and lesion location and size, influence recovery patterns. Some of these factors may not be applicable across different stroke participants, and therefore, influence recovery trajectories in vastly different manners across patients. Aims The aim of this paper is to examine longitudinal changes in brain activation patterns of reading and naming recovery in participants with posterior cerebral artery (PCA) strokes with varying degrees of initial language impairment. Methods & procedures Five participants with PCA strokes and 5 healthy controls underwent language testing and functional MRI with a covert reading task and an overt picture-naming task. Stroke participants underwent language testing and scanning at the three time points: 2-5 weeks (T1, subacute phase), 4-7 months (T2, chronic phase), and 11-13 months (T3, chronic phase). Healthy controls underwent language testing and fMRI once. Outcomes & results Language testing indicated that there were varying degrees of reading and naming recovery or decline from the subacute to the chronic phase. With regard to task-based fMRI, we found that for most participants, naming consistently activated a diffuse bilateral network of frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital regions across the three time points. In contrast, for the reading task, functional activation across the three time points was more left lateralized with a right to left shift in peak activation from the subacute to the chronic phase. Conclusions These results indicate that the patterns of activation during language processing is highly dependent on the task and phase of recovery, and these results may have implications for neurally targeted non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.
Label-free detection of lactoferrin and beta-2-microglobuin in contrived tear film using a low-cost electrical biosensor chip

In this paper, we present a biosensor chip to study two important biomarkers, lactoferrin (LCF) and beta-2-microglubin (B2M) present in our tear fluid. LCF and B2M have direct relevance with dry eye syndrome and diabetic retinopathy in patients respectively. We have developed a multi-layer paper-based biosensor chip connected with handheld printed circuit board (PCB) to monitor the effectiveness of B2M and LCF in contrived tear film (TF) with a wide range of detection (RoD) from 0.001 to 1ng/mL (R2=0.9886) and 1 to 10mg/mL (R2=0.9554) respectively. Multilayer biosensor is composed of graphene nanoplatelet and diblock-co-polymer coated on a filter paper followed by deposition of micro-Au electrodes. Anti-LCF and anti-B2M antibodies were immobilized via 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid di(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (DTSP) as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on Au. In addition to electrical measurements in real-time setup, Raman spectral analysis and SEM were utilized to characterize the sensor surface before and after testing the relevant proteins. We anticipate that the fabricated sensor chip has promising application to study dry-eye-disease (DED) and diabetes in Point-of-care (POC) setting.
Retrospective review of 65 atrioesophageal fistulas post atrial fibrillation ablation.

Abstract Background Although a rare complication of catheter based ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) is a serious and fatal event [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] ]. Most reports of AEF are single cases or small case series. Objective The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive literature search of all published atrioesophageal fistula following catheter ablation for AF in order to identify the mortality rates associated with therapeutic modalities and suggest the most definitive management in reducing mortality. Methods A comprehensive literature review of reported observational cases of atrioesophageal fistula post catheter based ablation for atrial fibrillation was performed. Results Sixty-five cases of AEF post atrial fibrillation ablation were reviewed. The mean age was 55 years old. 73.8% (48/65) of the identified cases occurred in males (p Conclusion Atrioesophageal fistula is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication of atrial fibrillation ablation. Patients who underwent surgical repair were twelve times more likely to survive than those treated with stenting, antibiotic therapy or no intervention. Based on the observation that patients are 12 times more likely to survive an AEF with surgery than without, the authors believe that prompt surgical correction of AEF should be considered as standard of care when dealing with this dreaded complication.
Rich-burn, flame-assisted fuel cell, quick-mix, lean-burn (RFQL) combustor and power generation

Abstract Micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cells (mT-FFC) were recently proposed as a modified version of the direct flame fuel cell (DFFC) operating in a dual chamber configuration. In this work, a rich-burn, quick-mix, lean-burn (RQL) combustor is combined with a micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cell (mT-SOFC) stack to create a rich-burn, flame-assisted fuel cell, quick-mix, lean-burn (RFQL) combustor and power generation system. The system is tested for rapid startup and achieves peak power densities after only 35 min of testing. The mT-FFC power density and voltage are affected by changes in the fuel-lean and fuel-rich combustion equivalence ratio. Optimal mT-FFC performance favors high fuel-rich equivalence ratios and a fuel-lean combustion equivalence ratio around 0.80. The electrical efficiency increases by 150% by using an intermediate temperature cathode material and improving the insulation. The RFQL combustor and power generation system achieves rapid startup, a simplified balance of plant and may have applications for reduced NOx formation and combined heat and power.
Protein content maximization of vegetable paste by incorporation of whey through the linear programming: drying and rehydration evaluation.

The vegetable paste was optimized by the protein content maximization through incorporation of whey using the linear programming, with linear restrictions functions. The enriched paste was dried in a spouted bed of cone-cylindrical geometry, at different conditions, and the dried powder products were analyzed by the functional, nutritional, bioactive, chemical, thermal and morphological properties and, also its rehydration characteristics were evaluated. The best results were found in the assay performed at inlet drying air temperature of 100 °C and in paste solids concentration of 10% (w/w). In these drying conditions, the values were of protein solubility of 26.5 ± 0.1% (w/w), water holding capacity 10.8 ± 0.1 g g−1, protein digestibility of 84.9 ± 2.2% (w/w), total phenolic compounds 7.72 ± 0.1 mgEAG g sample −1 , antioxidant activity of 75.7 ± 0.2% of DPPH inhibition. The glass transition temperature was in range of 97.3 °C, due to the lactose non-caramelization, this fact aided in the functionality of the bed. The powder morphology presented irregular and rough structure, with particles size lower than 100 μm and, with a low crystallinity index (12.8%). The rehydration constant value was found as 16.5 min−1, showing the rapidity with that the water diffused into the powder in the most suitable condition.
Neural signatures of chronic accessibility in parent - adult child attachment bonds.

ABSTRACTSome of the closest reciprocal relationships are between parents and their children. As part of the attachment characterizing many parent-child bonds, individuals form mental representation...
Multidisciplinary Approach in Developing Region Specific Optimization Tool for Sustainable Biorefining

Biofuels are an emerging alternative to the fossil based fuel upon which we have become dependent to supply our energy needs. Widely distributed source locations, varying feedstock and specific regional conditions makes it challenging to develop an optimization model that can be applied to any region to estimate the overall economics of the process. This paper will illustrate a novel approach to develop a region specific optimization tool which links various aspects of the biofuel supply chain like site location, transportation network, thermochemical and biochemical processing and environmental impacts. This contribution shows how various small-scale optimization models can be combined, resulting in a complete, multivariable economic optimization model for a regional biomass network. This tool will be further tested and validated using the Jackson Purchase region of Western Kentucky, as a case study.
Intradialytic Activities and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Hemodialysis Patients.

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) reflects a patient's perceived disease burden, treatment effectiveness, and health status. Given the time burden and physiologic effects of hemodialysis, patients who spend dialysis time (9-15 h/week) physically or intellectually engaged may have better HRQOL. We characterized the intradialytic activities and explored their association with HRQOL. Methods In a cross-sectional study of 431 hemodialysis patients, we ascertained kidney-disease-specific quality of life, measured frailty, and surveyed participants about their usual active intradialytic activities (reading, playing games, doing puzzles, chatting, or other) and passive intradialytic activities (watching TV or sleeping). We used adjusted ordered logistic regression to identify correlates of the activity index (the sum of active intradialytic activities) and adjusted linear regression to quantify the association between the activity index and physical-, mental-, and kidney-disease-specific HRQOL. Results The 2 most common intradialytic activities were passive activities (watching TV = 87.9%; sleeping = 72.4%). Participants who were female (aOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.28-2.66; p = 0.001), nonfrail (aOR 1.70, 95% CI 1.06-2.70; p = 0.03), and nonsmokers (aOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.39-4.90; p = 0.003) had a higher intradialytic activity index after adjustment. Higher intradialytic activity index was associated with better mental- (0.83 points, 95% CI 0.04-1.62; p = 0.04) and kidney-disease-specific HRQOL (1.70 points, 95% CI 0.47-2.93; p = 0.007), but not physical HRQOL. Conclusions Hemodialysis patients with more active intradialytic activities report better mental and kidney-disease-specific HRQOL. These results should be confirmed in a prospective study with a broader cohort of hemodialysis patients. Dialysis providers may consider offering patients with low levels of activity additional support and opportunities to engage in beneficial intradialytic activities.
From Romanticism Toward Modernism

As the nineteenth century progressed, so did a growing infatuation with innovation. Philosophical discussions, national languages and literatures, new technologies, and the pure possibilities of sound were just some of the factors that shaped how composers, performers, and audiences thought about music. Larger-than-life personalities captured the public’s attention, as Russell Sherman discusses in regard to Franz Liszt and Tony Palmer does for Richard Wagner. Legendary performers discuss composers who have had significant influences on their careers: Leif Ove Andsnes on Edvard Grieg, Marureen Forrester on Gustav Mahler, Mark Markham on French Impressionists, Rudolf Firkusny on Leos Janacek, and Gyorgy Sandor on Bela Bartok.
Innovate and Change: Understanding the Effects of Novel Innovation and Search on Strategic Change

Strategic change is an important action studied in strategic management because In order to maintain a competitive advantage, firms need to continually align themselves with their competitive envir...
Lithiated Defect Sites in Zr Metal–Organic Framework for Enhanced Sulfur Utilization in Li–S Batteries

Lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery technology is one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices; however, it is still hindered by limited capacity yield and poor long-term stability. The complexity of these devices has hindered efforts to study electrochemical determinants of battery performance, impeding advancement of the field. Due to the ease of functionalization, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are unique platforms to explore such reactions, where integration of defects into the crystalline structure provides a convenient method for introducing synthetic handles. In Zr-based MOFs such as UiO-66, the engineered defect sites contain acidic protons that can be replaced with lithium ions, transforming defected MOFs into a range of materials with tunable lithium content. Our results demonstrate the capability of this facile lithiation procedure to create novel cathode additives and evaluate their influence on Li-S battery performance. By improving ionic conductivity and dispersion of sulfur species, lithiated MOFs enhance both sulfur utilization and capacity retention at a variety of cycling rates compared to the as-synthesized MOFs. Our general synthetic strategy has the potential to be applied to technologies beyond MOFs, including polymeric and inorganic materials. Ultimately, we illustrate that defected MOFs can be used to systematically control lithiation, currently unprecedented in conventional inorganic materials, and provide a window to examine heterogeneous reactions relevant to energy conversion and storage.
Decentralized Unit Commitment in Competitive Energy Markets

In a competitive energy market, instead of, or in addition to, a centralized unit commitment, individual generation owners will make independent unit commitment decisions. They will seek to maximize their profits against the predicted market clearing price. Their unit commitment strategy will be expressed in their bids, so that they shut-down or start-up when the market price indicates such activity. In this chapter, we develop a unit commitment based price-taking (UCPT) bidding strategy with a simple price prediction mechanism and explore it using a market simulator. Simulation results show that an individual generator has higher profits with UCPT bidding than with simple price-taking bidding, and that the cost of supplying price-inelastic loads achieved by the market is lower when all generators use UCPT bidding. It appears that UCPT bidding gives results similar to those from a Lagrangian relaxation unit commitment (LRUC), without a fix-up step, and it has problems with convergence and feasibility similar to LRUC. We observe cyclic behavior in market prices with UCPT bidding, and we show that it depends on the price prediction mechanism. Alternative price prediction mechanisms can reduce cyclic behavior. Finally, we conceptually explore potential strategic behavior and market power arising from unit commitment constraints.
« Connais-toi toi-même et tu connaîtras l'univers et les dieux», l’initiation dans Archaos ou le jardin étincelant de C. Rochefort

Archaos ou le jardin etincelant de Cristiane Rochefort, est une utopie post soixante-huitarde. L’apprentissage prone dans ce roman, fait un pied de nez aux romans d’initiation traditionnels : les regles edictees ne le sont pas par un mentor exogene. Les maitres a pensee classiques sont tournes en derision. L’initiation tournee vers et pour soi-meme, se fait par le biais de l’education sexuelle condition sine qua non de l’accession au pouvoir. Resolument feministe, ce roman repense le monde guide par les femmes. Archaos est l’histoire d’un cheminement dionysiaque, qui sous couvert d’utopie politique, appelle a la mort symbolique et a une renaissance esoterique sous l’egide de la deesse Isthar. Archaos ou le jardin etincelant by Cristiane Rochefort, is a post-May 68 utopia. The learning process prescribed in this novel parodies/mocks traditional coming-of-age novels: rules are not enacted by an exogenous mentor. Classical intellectual guides are ridiculed. The process of initiation is turned inward, toward the self, and is accomplished by way of sex education, the ultimate condition for access to power. Resolutely feminist, this novel reconsiders the world led by women. Archaos is the story of a Dionysian journey under the guise of a political utopia which calls for symbolic death and for an esoteric renaissance under the auspices of the goddess Isthar.
A Shear-Stress Sensor for Hypersonic Flow Measurement

A shear-stress or skin-friction sensor for hypersonic flow measurements is presented. The sensor measures the displacement of a spring-mounted rectangular plate using a differential capacitance-based detection scheme. The 1.8-mm $\times $ 1.8-mm sensor is fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator wafer with a 20- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick epitaxial layer and packaged into a cylindrical form-factor with a 1/4-in diameter. Wall-shear-stress measurements are performed at a Mach-2.3 supersonic wind-tunnel facility at The University of Arizona. The sensors observe several features anticipated from hypersonic/supersonic flow physics, including the passing of normal shocks and the reversal of measured shear polarity when flow separation is deliberately induced via the use of a compression ramp. Furthermore, the measured value for dc wall-shear stress agrees with the model predictions for fully developed turbulent boundary layers. [2018-0191]
The Influence of Pre-Venture Planning on New Venture Creation

We use a sample of nascent entrepreneurs from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) to explore whether engaging in business planning and the degree of planning formalization, combined with other activities, was more likely to result in the creation of new businesses. A review of longitudinal studies of nascent entrepreneur planning behaviors is provided and hypotheses are suggested about the relationship of pre-venture planning and planning formalization to success when starting new ventures. Findings from our study suggest that nascent entrepreneurs who completed a business plan were six times more likely to start a business than individuals who did not complete a business plan. In addition, nascent entrepreneurs who contacted and participated in government-sponsored entrepreneurship programs were five times more likely to start a business than entrepreneurs who did not seekgovernment assistance.
Machine Learning for Classification of Economic Recessions

The ability to quickly and accurately classify economic activity into periods of recession and expansion is of great interest to economists and policy makers. Machine Learning methods can potentially be applied to the classification of business cycles. This paper describes two machine learning methods, K-Nearest Neighbor and Neural Networks, and compares them to a Dynamic Factor Markov Switching model for determining business cycle turning points. We conclude that machine learning techniques can offer more accurate classifiers that are worthy of additional study.
Undressing drug reactions, one cell at a time

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis allowed successful treatment of a patient with refractory severe drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.
The Role of Human Leukocyte Antigen Sensitization as a Risk Factor for Mortality in Patients Bridged to Heart Transplantation with VA-ECMO

Purpose Patients bridged to heart transplantation (BTT) with VA-ECMO have increased mortality in the first post-transplant year. This has been observed even after robust adjustment for recipient and donor comorbidities, suggesting either residual unmeasured risk or possible exacerbation of risk in the VA-ECMO BTT patient. Human leukocyte antibody (HLA) sensitization is observed more frequently with mechanical circulatory support. We hypothesize an increased risk of mortality in VA-ECMO BTT as a function of HLA sensitization. Methods We analyzed all 27,495 adult patients in the United Network for Organ Sharing database who underwent heart transplantation between 6/30/2004 and 12/30/2018, excluding re-transplantation or multiple organ transplantation. HLA sensitization was assessed by panel reactive antibody (direct or calculated). Odds of early graft failure (within 48 hours) or acute rejection (during the index hospitalization), hazard of all-cause mortality, and cause-specific relative hazard (csRH) of graft failure were modeled with pre-transplant VA-ECMO with and without PRA. Models were adjusted for recipient, donor, and operative risk factors including center and transplant year. Results VA-ECMO was used as BTT in 176 patients (0.64%), who were younger than those without VA-ECMO (mean age 44 vs 53, p 20% (18% vs 12%, p=0.034). After risk adjustment, VA-ECMO patients had more early graft failure (OR 5.6; 95% 2.2, 14.5), shorter time to graft failure (csRH 3.6; 2.1,6.2), and shorter time to mortality (HR 3.5; 2.6, 4.7), but no difference in acute rejection. PRA was independently associated with early graft failure (OR 1.09 per 10%; 1.01, 1.18), acute rejection (1.07; 1.04, 1.09), time to graft failure (1.05; 1.0, 1.09), and time to mortality (1.03; 1.01, 1.06), but did not modify the association between VA-ECMO and mortality (HR 1.1; 0.99, 1.3). Conclusion VA-ECMO as BTT is independently associated with higher odds of early graft failure, shorter time to graft failure, and shorter time to all-cause mortality. HLA sensitization is independently associated with the same outcomes and with acute rejection, but with a small effect size. HLA sensitization did not modify the association of VA-ECMO with outcomes.
Engaging Students in Academic Library Design: Emergent Practices in Co-Design

This article explores academic libraries that have gone beyond using the traditional survey or focus group methods of soliciting student input, specific to library design projects. The goal for eac...
Germination Traits in the Threatened Southeastern Grassland Endemic, Marshallia mohrii (Asteraceae)

Marshallia mohrii (Asteraceae) is a perennial forb endemic to grasslands in the southeastern United States. Despite having been listed as federally threatened for three decades, little is known about its biology and life history. In this study, we examined the role of light, temperature, seed age, and cold stratification on seed dormancy break and germination in M. mohrii. We also quantified soil temperatures in a Ketona glade population of M. mohrii to infer dormancy breaking and germination phenologies under natural conditions. Relatively high proportions (>65%) of cold stratified seeds germinated across a range of temperature regimes in both light and darkness, whereas nonstratified seeds only germinated to high proportions in light at high temperatures. Germination proportions of laboratory stored seeds were slightly greater than freshly matured seeds, but remained much lower than those of cold stratified seeds. According to laboratory experiments, both autumn and spring germination phenologies are possible depending on the temperature and light conditions seeds experience after dispersal. Seeds of M. mohrii exhibited type 3 non-deep conditional physiological dormancy, which has been found in other members of Asteraceae from temperate grasslands. Overall, the germination niche of M. mohrii is defined by conditional seed dormancy, reduced dormancy levels following cold stratification, dark germination after dormancy loss, seasonal germination cueing, and seed traits consistent with short-term persistence in soil. Results from our study are useful for future conservation and recovery actions with M. mohrii and represent the first known published report of germination traits in this genus, which contains several other rare and range-restricted species.
Toward High-Capacity Battery Anode Materials: Chemistry and Mechanics Intertwined

Lithium metal and lithium-rich alloys are high-capacity anode materials that could boost the energy content of rechargeable batteries. However, their development has been hindered by rapid capacity...
Effects of depth electrode montage and single-pulse electrical stimulation sites on neuronal responses and effective connectivity.

Abstract Objective To determine the optimal depth electrode montages for the assessment of effective connectivity based on single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES). To determine the effect of SPES locations on the extent of resulting neuronal propagations. Methods We studied 14 epilepsy patients who underwent invasive monitoring with depth electrodes and measurement of cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) and cortico-cortical spectral responses (CCSRs). We determined the effects of electrode montage and stimulus sites on the CCEP/CCSR amplitudes. Results Bipolar and Laplacian montages effectively reduced the degree of SPES-related signal deflections at extra-cortical levels, including outside the brain, while maintaining those at the cortical level. SPES of structures more proximal to the deep white matter, compared to the cortical surface, elicited greater CCEPs and CCSRs. Conclusions On depth electrode recording, bipolar and Laplacian montages are suitable for measurement of near-field CCEPs and CCSRs. SPES of the white matter axons may induce neuronal propagations to extensive regions of the cerebral cortex. Significance This study helps to establish the practical guidelines on the diagnostic use of CCEPs/CCSRs.
Toward a comprehensive understanding of ultracentrifugal milling on the physicochemical properties and aromatic profile of yellow pea flour.

Abstract Yellow pea (Pisum sativum L., YP) grain is generally milled into flour for further processing or direct consumption. However, the comprehensive relationship between milling configurations and YP flour properties remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of configurations (screen aperture size and rotor speed) of ultracentrifugal mill on the physicochemical properties and aromatic profiles of YP flours. Starch damage, morphology, particle size distribution, pasting, thermal property, and aromatic profiles of YP flours were studied. Results show that starch damage increased significantly as the screen aperture size decreased. The YP flour produced with a 500 µm aperture screen had the most stable pasting and thermal properties. With untargeted metabolomic approaches, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol could potentially be applied as an aroma maker to distinguish if an excessive milling or inappropriate configurations of ultracentrifugal mill are applied. This work has furnished fundamentals for the milling and application of YP flour.
Consensus-Based Stochastic Control for Model-Free Cell Balancing

Balancing the state of charge (SOC) of the cells improves both the capacity and the health of the battery. State of the art cell balancing algorithms assume highly accurate SOC estimation which can only be achieved using model-based control solutions. Unfortunately, electrochemical models of batteries are complicated and are still not reliable enough. We propose a simple consensus-based cell balancing algorithm that does not assume any knowledge of the electrochemical model of the battery. Instead, our algorithm only uses SOC estimates from online measurements to make sequential balancing decisions. Using martingale techniques, we prove that our algorithm equalizes the SOC of all cells with probability 1 even with very noisy SOC estimates under a general non-i.i.d. noise model. We then analyze the convergence time of our algorithm as a function of the problem parameters. We also prove performance guarantees for the more challenging case where balancing is done while the battery is charging or discharging. Finally, we present simulations that support our theoretical claims and show the reliability of our algorithm. Our model-free cell balancing is easy to implement and therefore is a major step towards making active cell balancing practical.
Impact of the Lack of Diversity Within Surgery Career Pathways and Mitigating Factors.

The lack of diversity in surgical career pathways impacts the cultural competence of the learning and working environment, the variety of leadership styles found within surgical leadership, and the...
Simulation and Analysis of the Influence of Artificial Interference Signal Style on Wireless Security System Performance

Aimming at the severe security threat faced by information transmission in wireless communication, the artificial interference in physical layer security technology was considered, and the influence of artificial interference signal style on system information transmission security was analyzed by simulation, which provided technical accumulation for the design of wireless security transmission system based on artificial interference.
Simple and Approximately Optimal Contracts for Payment for Ecosystem Services

Many countries have adopted Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs to reduce deforestation. Empirical evaluations find such programs, which pay forest owners to conserve forest, can lead to anywhere from no impact to a 50% reduction in deforestation level. To better understand the potential effectiveness of PES contracts, we use a principal-agent model, in which the agent has an observable amount of initial forest land and a privately-known baseline conservation level. Commonly-used conditional contracts perform well when the environmental value of forest is sufficiently high or sufficiently low, but can do arbitrarily poorly compared with the optimal contract for intermediate values. We identify a linear contract with a distribution-free per-unit price that guarantees at least half of the optimal contract payoff. A numerical study using United States land use data supports our findings and illustrate when linear or conditional contracts are likely to be more effective.
Chinese Complaint Systems: Natural Resistance

Introduction 1. Hot Potatoes: From Early Times to 1898 2. Halfway Revolutions: The Late Qing Period (1899-1911) 3. A Golden Age: The Early Republic (1912-1927) 4. A Mixed Picture: The Later Republic (1928-1949) 5. Revolutionary Idealism: The Early PRC (1949-1982) 6. Bureaucratic Pragmatism: The Reform Period (After 1982) 7. Conclusion
From Group Rights to Individual Liberties: Post-War Labor Law, Liberalism, and the WaningOf Union Strength

In the years following World War II, courts began to develop legal rules that regulated the relationship between unions and the workers they represented. These doctrines - the duty of fair representation and the right of exclusive representation, as well as the regulation of union member freedom of expression and union security arrangements - required courts to balance individual rights with the rights of unions. In the immediate post-war period, the courts sacrificed the rights of union members in order to promote the strength of the unions. By the 1960s, however, the courts had reversed themselves, protecting the rights of individual workers, even if it meant weakening organized labor in the process. This change in the judiciary's attitude was the result of broader changes in post-war intellectual thought. During the 1940s and 1950s, American intellectuals argued that democracy functioned best when government responded to the clash of competing interest groups. By the 1960s, however, thinkers argued that interest groups were unrepresentative and that government could never be truly representative if individuals could not participate directly. This intellectual framework provided the courts with the tools necessary to craft specific labor law rules. By the close of the 1960s, those rules, imbued with hostility towards interest groups and faith in participatory democracy, were profoundly disadvantageous to unions and brought about a weakening of the American labor movement.
GAS PHASE CHEMICAL PROCESSES IN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

The important gas phase rate processes governing the abundances of molecules in dense interstellar (molecular) clouds are thoroughly reviewed. Recent contributions to our understanding of gas phase rate processes are explored. The use of these processes in chemical models is discussed with an emphasis on the basic details of model construction. Isotopic fractionation and the formation of complex molecules are considered.