cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemistry of male mandibular gland secretions of Philanthus basilaris cresson and Philanthus bicinctus (Mickel) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Detailed chemical characterizations are provided for the species-specific mixtures of marking pheromones utilized by the male beewolvesPhilanthus basilaris andP. bicinctus. Successful analysis of these complex mixtures of 2-ketones, fatty acids, ethyl esters, and aldehydes was facilitated by the treatment of the crude extracts with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine and direct analysis of the resulting hydrazones, methyl esters, and starting ethyl esters by GC-MS.
The cylindrical bending vibration of a laminated elastic plate due to piezoelectric actuators

We analyze the forced cylindrical bending vibrations of a laminated elastic plate with actuators at the top and bottom surfaces and forced into vibrations by applying time harmonic voltages to the actuators. The actuators are modeled as thin films and mixed edge conditions are employed to simulate simple supports. The analysis is performed by using the method of Fourier series and the solution is exact within the assumptions of linear elasticity and plane strain deformations. Numerical results are computed for an aluminum plate with actuators affixed to its two major surfaces.
Defining women at high risk of ovarian cancer.

To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Dr. Pejovic et al. ( [1][1]) on cytogenetic instability in cultured ovarian epithelial cells from a small number of women at high risk of ovarian cancer. In studies of this sort, the definition of high risk is critical, but risk details for each
Economic Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction by Vehicle Lightweighting Using Aluminum and High‐Strength Steel

Summary The life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction benefits of vehicle lightweighting (LW) were evaluated in a companion article. This article provides an economic assessment of vehicle LW with aluminum and high-strength steel. Relevant cost information taken from the literature is synthesized, compiled, and formed into estimates of GHG reduction costs through LW. GHG emissions associated with vehicle LW scenarios between 6% and 23% are analyzed alongside vehicle life cycle costs to achieve these LW levels. We use this information to estimate the cost to remove GHG emissions per metric ton by LW, and we further calculate the difference between added manufacturing cost and fuel cost savings from LW. The results show greater GHG savings derived from greater LW and added manufacturing costs as expected. The associated production costs are, however, disproportionately higher than the fuel cost savings associated with higher LW options. A sensitivity analysis of different vehicle classes confirms that vehicle LW is more cost-effective for larger vehicles. Also, the cost of GHG emissions reductions through lightweighting is compared with alternative GHG emissions reduction technologies for passenger vehicles, such as diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid electric powertrains. The results find intensive LW to be a competitive and complementary approach relative to the technological alternatives within the automotive industry but more costly than GHG mitigation strategies available to other industries.
Technology and Dramaturgical Development: Five Observations

In her landmark book, The History of the Greek and Roman Theater, the great historian Margarete Bieber stated simply and elegantly, ‘The development of the theater building always follows the development of dramatic literature.’ While historians, of course, have always attempted to explain the drama in terms of known architectural, scenographic, and technological practices, the effect of one upon the other has been less fully or successfully explored. Why, for instance, is the reverse of Bieber's statement not true? And in the rapidly changing technology of the contemporary world, is it possible that technology has become a causal factor in the development of drama?
Composite Nano-Antenna Integrated With Quantum Cascade Laser

Exploiting optical nano-antennas to boost the near-field confinement within a small volume can increase the limit of molecular detection by an order of magnitude. We present a novel antenna design based on Au-SiO2-Au single nanorod integrated on the facet of a quantum cascade laser operating in the midinfrared region of the optical spectrum. Finite-difference time-domain simulations showed that for sandwiched dielectric thicknesses within the range of 20-30 nm, peak optical intensity at the top of the antenna ends is 500 times greater than the incident field intensity. The device was fabricated using focused ion beam milling. Apertureless midinfrared near-field scanning optical microscopy showed that the device can generate a spatially confined spot within a nanometric size about 12 times smaller than the operating wavelength. Such high intensity, hot spot locations can be used in increasing photon interaction with bio-molecules for sensing applications.
The duration of postoperative acute kidney injury is an additional parameter predicting long-term survival in diabetic veterans.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is primarily defined and staged according to the magnitude of the rise in serum creatinine. Here we sought to determine if the duration of AKI adds additional prognostic information above that from the magnitude of injury alone. We prospectively studied 35,302 diabetic patients from 123 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers undergoing their first noncardiac surgery. The main outcome was long-term mortality in those who survived the index hospitalization. AKI was stratified by magnitude according to AKI Network stages and by the duration (short (less than 2 days), medium (3–6 days) or long (7 days or more)). Overall, 17.8% of patients experienced at least stage 1 AKI or greater following surgery. Both the magnitude and duration of AKI were significantly associated with long-term survival in a dose-dependent manner. Within each stage, longer duration of AKI was significantly associated with a graded higher rate of mortality. However, within each of the duration categories, the stage was not associated with mortality. When considered separately in multivariate analyses, both a higher stage and duration were independently associated with increased risk of long-term mortality. Hence, the duration of AKI adds additional information to predict long-term mortality.
Conceptual Design of a Bendable UAV Wing Considering Aerodynamic and Structural Performance

A bendable UAV wing, developed at University of Florida, shows the ability to load stiffen in positive flight load direction, still remaining compliant in the opposite direction. Such a wing enables UAV storage inside smaller packing volumes. The present paper discusses utilization of a multidisciplinary design approach for conceptual design of a bendable wing having 24 inch span and 7 inch root chord. The wing shape definition parameters and the layup scheme used to manufacture wing, are treated as design variables. Aerodynamic performance of the wing is studied using an extended vortex lattice method based Athena Vortex Lattice (AVL) software. An arc length method based nonlinear FEA routine in ABAQUS is used to evaluate the structural performance of the wing and to determine maximum flying velocity that the wing can withstand without buckling or failing under flight loads. An analytical approach is used to study the stresses developed in the composite wing during storage and Tsai-Wu criterion is used to check failure of the wing due to the rolling stresses to determine minimum storage diameter. Multidisciplinary shape and layup optimization is performed using an elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm: NSGA-II. The design points on the Pareto optimal front thus achieved are compared with a baseline design to observe some designs with improved performance. Important design variables are identified for further investigation.
Territorial song sparrows tolerate juveniles during the early song-learning phase

Avian song learning is an important model system for understanding vocal learning in humans and other animals. Laboratory studies indicate that social interactions are critical for song learning, but field observations show that territorial males are aggressive to intruders, raising the question of whether young birds are tolerated, much less tutored in the wild. We examined how adult song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) treat juvenile and adult intruders during different seasons important for song learning—summer, autumn, and spring—using taxidermic mounts and song playback. Territorial adults responded aggressively to adult intruders throughout the year. Adults were tolerant of juvenile intruders in the summer, displayed somewhat reduced aggression in the autumn, but treated juveniles like adult intruders by the spring. In the summer and autumn trials, wild juveniles approached our simulated ‘‘interactions’’ between subjects and adult mounts; these wild juveniles were also tolerated, even at close distances. That juveniles can and do closely approach adults during the early sensitive phase of song learning suggests that direct interactions with adults are possible and might be important for learning. In contrast, since young birds are treated aggressively in early spring, most late song learning likely happens through eavesdropping or long-distance singing interactions.
N,N′Diethyl-m-Toluamide (m-DET): Analysis of an Insect Repellent in Human Urine and Serum by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A procedure for monitoring m-DET in human urine and serum is described. m-DET is removed from the urine specimen by partitioning into diethyl ether, but solid-phase extraction is used to remove it from human serum. The urine and serum m-DET values are determined by HPLC with a UV detector. The limit of detection was 0.09 micrograms/mL in urine and 0.09 micrograms/g for serum. The percent of m-DET recovered from human urine spiked between 0.50 and 8.00 micrograms/mL was 90 +/- 5.4%. For human serum spiked between 0.25 and 10.00, the percent recovered was 96 +/- 5.9%. The pooled relative standard deviations (RSD) for spiked matrices were 0.06 for urine and 0.06 for serum.
Effects of multi-path interference (MPI) on the performance of transmission systems using Fabry-Perot lasers and short bend insensitive jumper fibers

We measured the effects of MPI for systems that include Fabry-Perot lasers and short bend insensitive fibers and analyzed contributions from different factors including both laser and fiber characteristics.
Membrane depolarization and depletion of intracellular calcium stores are associated with delay of apoptosis in human neutrophils.

Apoptosis occurs rapidly in human poly- morphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) after exposure to 1 mM cycloheximide (CHX). We examined whether this form of stimulated apoptosis altered either resting cytosolic free Ca 21 concentrations ((free Ca)) or membrane potential (c) in PMN and found no significant effects. However, manipula- tion of either PMN intracellular Ca 21 stores or c was found to delay CHX-induced apoptosis. Deple- tion of PMN intracellular Ca 21 stores with thapsigar- gin caused membrane depolarization and signifi- cantly delayed CHX-induced apoptosis based on both morphological and annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate binding criteria. Short-term suspen- sion (4 h) of PMN in Ca 21 -free buffer depleted internal Ca 21 stores, induced membrane depolariza- tion at 2.5 h, and delayed spontaneous (24 h) apoptosis but had no effect on CHX-induced apop- tosis. Rapid membrane depolarization with 150 mM KCl buffer significantly delayed CHX-induced apoptosis, suggesting that depolarization rather than Ca 21 stores depletion was the crucial event. Timing experiments revealed that depolarization within 12 min of CHX exposure significantly de- layed apoptosis. Collectively, these observations suggest an early c-sensitive step in the apoptosis pathway initiated by CHX. CHX exposure alone does not alter either resting PMN (free Ca) or c; accompanying depolarization of plasma membrane (either electrochemically or via depletion of inter- nal Ca 21 stores) delays CHX-induced apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. J. Leukoc. Biol. 64: 759- 766; 1998.
Introduction: Rethinking Child Care Research

This introduction summarizes the articles in this collection. It describes how the articles address one or more of the key elements of the child care research model: (a) selecting and measuring the independent variablesto determine the characteristics ("qualities") of the child care environment (and, in some studies, the characteristics of parents and family), (b) selecting and measuring the dependent variablesto determine the child's physical and developmental status after a period of time in a particular child care arrangement (usually a school year) compared with that of children in other arrangements (or simply the same child before spending time in the arrangement), (c) establishing causal linksbetween the independent and dependent variables that are either assumed in randomized experiments or estimated through statistical controls in nonexperimental studies, and (d) assessing impacts across subgroups to see whether the program benefits one particular group more (or less) than others. The collection closes with a proposal to develop a systematic federal research program to pursue improvements in child care and early childhood education programs.
Dietary soybean protein prevents bone loss in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis

The purpose of this study was to examine whether soybean protein isolate prevents bone loss induced by ovarian hormone deficiency. Thirty-two 95-d-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four treatment groups [sham-operated (sham); ovariectomized (ovx); ovx+soybean; ovx + 17 beta-estradiol (E2)] and killed after 30 d. Rats in the sham, ovx and ovx + 17 beta-estradiol groups were fed a casein-based diet, and the soybean group was fed soybean protein isolate instead of casein; the diets were otherwise comparable. Rats in the ovx group had significantly lower densities of the right femur (P < 0.001) and the fourth lumbar vertebra (P < 0.05) than rats in the sham group. These lower bone densities were not observed in animals receiving 17 beta-estradiol or fed soybean. The ovx group also had significantly (P < 0.01) greater serum concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol than the other three groups. Our findings suggest that dietary soybean protein is effective in preventing bone loss due to ovarian hormone deficiency. Because serum activities of both alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase were significantly greater in the ovx group and in the ovx + soybean group but not in the group receiving 17 beta-estradiol, compared with sham animals, this confirms that ovariectomy enhances and 17 beta-estradiol suppresses the rate of bone turnover. Despite the higher rate of bone turnover in the soybean-fed animals, the vertebral and femoral bone densities of these rats were significantly greater than those of rats in the ovx group, suggesting that formation exceeded resorption. Further studies are needed to clarify whether this protective effect on bone is due to the protein itself or to the presence of isoflavones in soybean protein.
Dietary polyphenols suppress elevated levels of proinflammatory mediators and aromatase in the mammary gland of obese mice.

In postmenopausal women, obesity is a risk factor for the development of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer driven by estrogen. After menopause, aromatization of androgen precursors in adipose tissue is a major synthetic source of estrogen. Recently, in mouse models and women, we identified an obesity-inflammation-aromatase axis. This obesity induced inflammation is characterized by crown-like structures (CLS) consisting of dead adipocytes encircled by macrophages in breast white adipose tissue. CLS occur in association with NF-κB activation, elevated levels of proinflammatory mediators and increased aromatase expression. Saturated fatty acids released from adipocytes have been linked to obesity-related white adipose tissue inflammation. Here we found that stearic acid, a prototypic saturated fatty acid, stimulated Akt-dependent activation of NF-κB resulting in increased levels of proinflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2) in macrophages leading, in turn, to the induction of aromatase. Several polyphenols (resveratrol, curcumin, EGCG) blocked these inductive effects of stearic acid. Zyflamend®, a widely used polyherbal preparation that contains numerous polyphenols, possessed similar suppressive effects. In a mouse model of obesity, treatment with Zyflamend® suppressed levels of phospho-Akt, NF-κB binding activity, proinflammatory mediators and aromatase in the mammary gland. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting the activation of NF-κB is a promising approach for reducing levels of proinflammatory mediators and aromatase in inflamed mouse mammary tissue. Further investigation in obese women is warranted.
Game and Drama Theories

Conflict theory can be used to explain the interactions between societies during times of turmoil and change (i.e. revolutions, strikes or everyday debates). Games have been produced that make use of different aspects of conflict theory; however a common framework for organizing a system to produce realistic conflicts has not been created. This paper presents the Game and Drama Theories, which describe a generalized way of organizing a system to produce realistic conflict situations among cross-cultural. With our framework, we present the reflecting upon cross-cultural conflict, describing situations that would lend themselves to these approaches.
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: How to Improve Poverty Measurement in the United States

This paper discusses the reasons why the current official U.S. poverty measure is outdated and nonresponsive to many anti-poverty initiatives. A variety of efforts to update and improve the statistic have failed, for political, technical, and institutional reasons. Meanwhile, the European Union is taking a very different approach to poverty measurement. The paper ends with four recommended steps that would allow the U.S. to improve its measurement of poverty and economic need.”
Network tomography for internal delay estimation

On-line, spatially localized information about internal network performance can greatly assist dynamic routing algorithms and traffic transmission protocols. However, it is impractical to measure network traffic at all points in the network. A promising alternative is to measure only at the edge of the network and infer internal behavior from these measurements. We concentrate on the estimation and localization of internal delays based on end-to-end delay measurements from sources to receivers. We develop an EM algorithm for computing MLE of the internal delay distributions in cases where the network dynamics are stationary over the observation period. For time-varying cases, we propose a sequential Monte Carlo procedure capable of tracking non-stationary delay characteristics. Simulations are included to demonstrate the promise of these techniques.
Impact of release rates on the effectiveness of augmentative biological control agents

To access the effect of augmentative biological control agents, 31 articles were reviewed that investigated the impact of release rates of 35 augmentative biological control agents on the control of 42 arthropod pests. In 64% of the cases, the release rate of the biological control agent did not significantly affect the density or mortality of the pest insect. Results where similar when parasitoidsor predators were utilized as the natural enemy. Within any order of natural enemy, there were more cases where release rates did not affect augmentative biological control than cases where release rates were significant. There were more cases in which release rates did not affect augmentative biological control when pests were from the orders Hemiptera, Acari, or Diptera, but not with pests from the order Lepidoptera. In most cases, there was an optimal release rate that produced effective control of a pest species. This was especially true when predators were used as a biological control agent. Increasing the release rate above the optimal rate did not improve control of the pest and thus would be economically detrimental. Lower release rates were of ten optimal when biological control was used in conjunction with insecticides. In many cases, the timing and method of biological control applications were more significant factors impacting the effectiveness of biological control than the release rate. Additional factors that may limit the relative impact of release rates include natural enemy fecundity, establishment rates, prey availability, dispersal, and cannibalism.
Coupling an Advanced Land Surface–Hydrology Model with the Penn State–NCAR MM5 Modeling System. Part II: Preliminary Model Validation

A number of short-term numerical experiments conducted by the Penn State‐NCAR fifth-generation Mesoscale Model (MM5) coupled with an advanced land surface model, alongside the simulations coupled with a simple slab model, are verified with observations. For clear sky day cases, the MM5 model gives reasonable estimates of radiation forcing at the surface with solar radiation being slightly overestimated probably due to the lack of aerosol treatment in the current MM5 radiation scheme. The improvements in the calculation of surface latent and sensible heat fluxes with the new land surface model (LSM) are very apparent, and more importantly, the new LSM captures the correct Bowen ratio. Evaporation obtained from the simple slab model is significantly lower than observations. Having time-varying soil moisture is important for capturing even short-term evolution of evaporation. Due to the more reasonable diurnal cycle of surface heat fluxes in the MM5‐LSM, its nearsurface temperature and humidity are closer to the FIFE observations. In particular, the MM5‐slab model has a systematic warm bias in 2-m temperature. Both the slab model and the new LSM were coupled with the nonlocal Medium-Range Forecast model PBL parameterization scheme and they reproduced the depth of the morning surface inversion in the stable boundary layer well. The observed mixed layer in the late morning deepens faster than both models, despite the fact that both models have high bias in surface sensible heat fluxes. Presumably, such a rapid development of convective mixed layer is due to some effects induced by small-scale heterogeneity or large-scale advection that the MM5 failed to capture. Both surface models reasonably reproduce the daytime convective PBL growth and, in general, the temperature difference between the two models and observations is less than 28. The simulations of two rainfall events are not conclusive. Both models produce a good forecast of rainfall for 24 June 1997 and have similar problems for the event of 4 July 1997, although the simulations with the new LSM have slightly improved results in some 3-h rainfall accumulations. It seems that the new LSM does not have unexpected influences in situations for which the land surface processes are secondary, but that it may have subtle, though complex, effects on the model behavior because of heterogeneity introduced by soil moisture, vegetation effects, and soil type, which are all lacking in the slab model.
Neo-liberal Reform and the Big Data University

Andrew Feenberg has taken issue with the “neo-liberal agenda” that is currently guiding how far too many universities both conceptualize and use “educational technology.” In this article, I expand the scope of his critical discussion to include analysis of contemporary higher education initiatives that capitalize on big data.
Buckling of Viscoelastic Columns. Part II: Constant Deformation Rate Buckling

Abstract The buckling of viscoelastic columns has been considered from both a theoretical and an experimental perspective. The fact that buckling occurs at relatively low strain where the SBR is nearly linearly viscoelastic allowed several simplifications in the theoretical development, leading to closed form predictions of the loading and unloading curves. This treatment neglects gravitational effects and carbon secondary structure effects and fits the experimental data best at HAF loadings around 30 phr. At lower carbon black loadings, the gravitational effects caused the experimental Euler load to be less than predicted from linear viscoelasticity theory, while at higher carbon black loadings, the carbon black structure led to higher Euler loads than predicted.
Abstract SY12-01: Stem cell approaches dissect lung cancer biology

Lung cancer is the major cause of death from cancer worldwide. The five-year survival rate for the majority of lung cancer patients is only 16% because their tumors are refractory to chemotherapeutics or quickly become resistant to therapeutic response. Also contributing to morbidity, most lung cancer patients already have advanced, metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis or develop metastases after surgical removal of early-stage primary lung tumors. The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis is an attractive explanation for tumor growth, recurrence after treatment, and metastasis in some cancers, yet the precise role of CSCs in lung tumors has not been established. Since successful cancer therapy requires the elimination or incapacitation of all tumor cells capable of regenerating a tumor, it is crucial to characterize the cells that are able to propagate a tumor in vivo. We refer to these functionally important cancer cells as tumor-propagating cells (TPCs). Importantly, understanding the identity and molecular nature of TPCs will provide new opportunities for early detection, treatment and prevention of metastatic disease, whether or not they fit the CSC model in each type of cancer. My laboratory recently showed that murine lung adenocarcinomas, the most prevalent lung cancer subtype, contain a TPC population. In mice bearing tumors initiated with oncogenic Kras and deletion of p53, the cell surface marker Sca1 identifies cancer cells with stem cell properties. In contrast, TPCs are Sca1-negative in lung tumors that express a mutant EGFR. Thus, the predominant driving oncogenotype is an important determinant in the identification of TPC phenotype in lung cancer. This finding suggests that treatments directed against cancer stem cells should be targeted to subsets of patients grouped according to their oncogenotype. We have recently obtained global gene expression data from the Sca1-sorted populations of murine lung tumor cells, as well as their normal wild-type counterparts, to uncover the molecular pathways responsible for tumor propagation in lung adenocarcinoma. I will also discuss new avenues we have taken to understand the connections between TPCs and metastasis in mouse models as well as translating the importance of our findings in human lung cancer cells and patient samples. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr SY12-01. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-SY12-01
The macroeconomic cost of catastrophic pollinator declines

We develop a computable general equilibrium (CGE) approach to assess the macroeconomic impacts of productivity shocks due to catastrophic losses of pollination ecosystem services at global and regional scales. In most regions, producers of pollinator dependent crops end up benefiting because direct output losses are outweighed by increased prices, while non-agricultural sectors experience large adverse indirect impacts, resulting in overall losses whose magnitudes vary substantially. By comparison, partial equilibrium analyses tend to overstate the costs to agricultural producers, understate aggregate economy-wide losses, and overstate the impacts on consumers' welfare. Our results suggest an upper bound on global willingness to pay for agricultural pollination services of $127–$152 billion.
A safe method for securing anaerobiosis with hydrogen. IX

In the course of some quantitative studies on the growth of anaerobes in various plant and animal products, one of the authors (C. C. D.) has, during the past year, employed 13 large anaerobic jars. They have been operated in accordance with the principles proposed by Laidlaw 1 and constructed according to the descriptions published by Mcintosh and Fildes.2 It is the purpose of this paper to enumerate briefly the various details and operations which have eliminated the danger of explosions. The arrangement of the equipment as used in this laboratory is shown in fig. 1. It will be seen from the illustration that the jar is not unlike that described by Brown.3 A few alterations in construction are indicated in the photograph and are briefly summarized as follows: (1) The wires conveying current to the heating coil are soldered4 to short pieces of "Pyrex" glass tubing, which are then cemented into a rubber stopper (A). This method of introducing the lead wires readily permits the use of multiple stranded copper wire (as ordinary, flexible electric light cord), minimizing the chance of breakage. The wires should be looped over and tied to the side of the glass tubes on the outside of the jar top to prevent any strain from occurring at the soldered joint. (2) A shield of asbestos sheet (B) is placed over the upper surface of the coil to prevent the heat from cracking the jar top. (3) Instead of mica as used by Mcintosh and Fildes, asbestos washers are placed at these points (C) to deflect the heat from the inner ends of the rubber stoppers. In several papers,5 it is emphasized that the anaerobic apparatus embodying the principle of Brown's jar produces excellent results, but
Design of general automatic test system for engineering equipment

To enhance the general-utility of automatic test system(ATS),a general automatic test system for engineering equipment based on "PXI modularized instrument+program control instrument+receiver-adapter" structure was designed and implemented by combining VI(virtual instruments) technology with automatic measurement technology.The design of standard ICA(interface connector assembly) concerning the signal frequency and performance characteristic of UUT(unit under test) was illustrated.On instrument control,for the insufficiency of IVI(interchangeable virtual instruments) architecture,the system adopted IVI class modeling idea to construct an "ATS resource model" to configure an instrument-independent system.The software platform was designed to enable users to develop TPS(test program set) according to the requirements of UUT and to make TPS independent of the test resource.Application shows that the system has an excellent practicality and expansibility.
Chapter 1 – Knowledge communication systems

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of knowledge communication systems. The notion of knowledge communication provides some interesting perspectives on the subject. From the standpoint of artificial intelligence, it implies a view of pedagogical activities as the manifestation of a more general capability of intelligent systems. From the standpoint of education, knowledge communication does not carry the social connotations that teaching does, yet the concept of communication suggests a system of symbols and conventions and a cooperative interaction whereby information is shared. Although there is a hope that eventually, the explicit encoding of domain and pedagogical knowledge will give rise to more intelligent, adaptive, and effective behavior on the part of systems, the shift from the programming of decisions to the programming of knowledge is in itself the main distinctive feature of educational systems involving artificial intelligence.
Hybrid Classrooms: Switchers and Stayers

This mixed methods case study compiled the qualitative and quantitative grade results of 18 students enrolled in a hybrid statistics course that were given the option to switch mid-semester from hybrid to traditional seated classrooms with the same content, text, syllabus, and instructor. Qualitative items such as rationale for switching classes and overall satisfaction for “stayers” and “switchers” were compared. Quantitatively, the groups began with statistically significant differences and medium to large effect sizes in midterm exam grades ( p < .01, d = 2.66), first project grades ( p < .01, d = .608), and course grades ( p < .001, d = 2.21). After switching, the projects, exams, and course grades were no longer statistically different. No differences were found in the two groups’ time spent online and progress on relevant objectives, further isolating the treatment variable. Despite the improvements and relevant effect sizes, the results only focused on six switching students. More questions must be asked of larger and broader populations before generalizations may be drawn.
Muscle Oxygenation Correlates of Handgrip Fatigue with Obesity

The aims of this study were to determine obesity-related muscle oxygenation correlates of submaximal fatigue, across 20, 40, 60, and 80% of maximum voluntary contractions (MVC). 72 normal weight, overweight and obese adults, matched by gender, performed the four endurance tests on different days. Muscle oxygenation of the flexor and extensor carpi radialis were measured by near infrared spectroscopy and endurance time was recorded for each test. The findings indicated that obesity-related reduction in handgrip endurance was evident at low force contraction levels. Obesity was associated with impaired muscle oxygenation; however, the changes were independent of force contraction levels. Muscle oxygenation did not directly limit the time to failure for endurance tests at higher force levels. Thus, it is likely that factors other than local metabolic and hemodynamic changes impede fatigue resistance at higher force contraction levels.
Hallervorden-Spatz Disease: Clinicopathology

Clinical and pathological features of familial late infantile Hallervorden-Spatz disease (HSD) are reported in two sisters, one of whom died at 11 years, from the Institute for Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
The Association Between NIMH Funding and h-index in Psychiatry

Academic productivity is measured under many domains: number of high impact publications, objective bibliometrics, securing extra-mural funding, etc. Citation impact is measured by an objective bibliometric called h-index. Securing funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is considered prestigious in the field of psychiatry. It is unknown if NIMH takes into consideration the author’s h-index during the grant review process. The goal of this study was to determine the correlation between a principal investigator’s (PI’s) h-index and the NIMH funding. Correlational analysis was conducted on publicly available 2012 NIMH funding data to assess the relationship between NIMH funding and a PI’s h-index. A simple linear regression was calculated to predict the h-index based on the amount of funding offered to the PI. A total of 139 PIs and their corresponding h-index and NIMH funding (direct, indirect, and total cost) were included. A strong correlation was found between h-index and NIMH funding: direct cost (r = 0.632, p < 0.001); indirect cost (r = 0.570, p < 0.001); and total cost (r = 0.639, p < 0.001). Total funding significantly predicted h-index, β = 0.821, t (2.599), p < 0.01, and explained a significant proportion of variance in h-index, R 2 = 0.410, F (3, 119) = 27.59, p < 0.001. A strong relationship was seen between h-index and securing NIMH funding. Thus, h-index stands out as a reliable measure for assessing the impact of scholarly contributions in academic psychiatry and can be used as an adjunct for performance evaluations, appointment, and promotions in academia.
Story Maps as Convincing Representations of Claims to Space

The goal in this chapter is to illustrate how a critical geography framework guided my analysis of one resident/activist’s perspectives and participation in the Coalition for the Children of Lakeview (CCL; for an in-depth description, see O’Connor, Ares, & Larson, 2011), a resident-driven community-transformation initiative in upstate New York. As such, it is both a methodological piece and a report of research findings.
Outcomes of Elective Aortic Hemiarch Reconstruction for Aneurysmal Disease in the Elderly

Background This study evaluated outcomes of elective aortic hemiarch reconstruction for aneurysmal disease in the elderly. Methods Patients undergoing elective aortic hemiarch reconstruction for aneurysmal disease at a single institution between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were stratified into nonelderly (aged less than 75 years) versus elderly (aged 75 years or more). Outcomes included operative mortality and morbidity. Results In all, 629 patients (95 elderly; 15%) were included. Elderly patients had a greater comorbidity burden. Concomitant aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass were performed more frequently whereas root replacement was performed less frequently in the elderly. The overall stroke rate was 1.8% and was higher among the elderly (4.2% versus 1.3%, p = 0.05), although this difference no longer persisted after risk adjustment (odds ratio 2.54, p = 0.17). Median length of intensive care unit and hospital stay were longer in the elderly (64 versus 41 hours and 9 versus 7 days, respectively; each p p = 0.32). Elderly patients were less frequently discharged to home (65% versus 95%, p Conclusions Although elderly patients have a more prolonged recovery after elective aortic hemiarch reconstruction for aneurysmal disease, outcomes are acceptable with low operative mortality and with the majority being discharged home. Moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest with antegrade cerebral perfusion is a safe strategy for this cohort. Advanced age alone should not be viewed as a contraindication in these cases.
Magnetoencephalography and Magnetic Source Modeling

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a technique for recording weak magnetic fields generated by electrical activity within the brain. These neuromagnetic signals are generated by the same processes that give rise to EEG signals. However, the recording of these signals requires specialized sensors operating at very low temperatures within magnetically shielded environments. MEG systems used for clinical studies allow multichannel recordings from a few hundred sensors located around the head. Several source modeling techniques are available to localize the intracranial generators of the recorded activity. In patients with epilepsy, MEG together with magnetic source modeling can help localize the sources of spontaneous epileptic activity and ictal discharges. MEG can also be used to localize the generators of evoked responses to somatosensory, visual, auditory, motor, and language stimuli, making it a powerful noninvasive tool for mapping functional cortices. This chapter provides an overview of MEG and its place in presurgical evaluations for epilepsy surgery.
Performance of the DiaRem Score for Predicting Diabetes Remission in Two Health Systems Following Bariatric Surgery Procedures in Hispanic and non-Hispanic White Patients

The objective of this study was to determine whether the DiaRem, a score that predicts type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission following roux-en-y gastric bariatric surgery (RYGB), also predicts remission following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in white and Hispanic patients. While bariatric surgery is highly effective in reversing insulin resistance, there are patients for whom surgery will not lead to remission. To date, there is no score for predicting remission following LAGB or LSG surgery. Additionally, there is little known about how to predict whether Hispanic patients will experience remission. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of white and Hispanic patients with T2D who received bariatric surgery. There were 361 white and 130 Hispanic patients among whom 328 had RYGB surgery, 107 had LSG surgery, and 56 had LAGB surgery. We used age, diabetes treatment, and hemoglobin A1c to calculate DiaRem scores. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the association between DiaRem scores and remission. Area under the receiver operant curve (AUC) was used to assess the ability of the DiaRem to discriminate between patients who did and did not remit. The DiaRem was associated with partial remission in all surgery types for white and Hispanic patients (Mann-Whitney, p 0.70) for all surgical and racial/ethnic groups. The DiaRem distinguishes between patients likely and unlikely to experience remission, informing expectations of patients making T2D treatment decisions.
Observed positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks in the Sahel dominated by a moisture recycling mechanism

Classic, model-based theory of land-atmosphere interactions across the Sahel promote positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks dominated by surface albedo mechanism. However, neither the proposed positive vegetation-rainfall feedback nor its underlying albedo mechanism has been convincingly demonstrated using observational data. Here, we present observational evidence for the region's proposed positive vegetation-rainfall feedback on the seasonal to interannual time scale, and find that it is associated with a moisture recycling mechanism, rather than the classic albedo-based mechanism. Positive anomalies of remotely sensed vegetation greenness across the Sahel during the late and post-monsoon periods favor enhanced evapotranspiration, precipitable water, convective activity and rainfall, indicative of amplified moisture recycling. The identified modest low-level cooling and anomalous atmospheric subsidence in response to positive vegetation greenness anomalies are counter to the responses expected through the classic vegetation-albedo feedback mechanism. The observational analysis further reveals enhanced dust emissions in response to diminished Sahel vegetation growth, potentially contributing to the positive vegetation-rainfall feedback.
Nonlinear dynamic model of Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment – Validation and operational analysis

Abstract Several molten-salt reactor (MSR) concepts are currently being developed by private vendors and national organizations. Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) is the only MSR that operated for several years, for which the performance was well documented in the literature. Experimental data from MSRE serve as the standard for developing models and tools for MSR analysis. MSRE underwent several design changes from conception to construction to operation. Model validation requires the use of parameters consistent with those that existed during the various measurements. The paper therefore presents a brief discussion of the parameters that evolved over time, and details of sources for all the parameters used in the modeling. This report is part of a series of papers on modeling MSR dynamics. The goal here is to validate the modeling approach by comparing simulation results with experimental data. For this purpose, two nonlinear dynamic models are developed. The first model uses a one-region one-dimensional representation of the core. The second reproduces the nine-region core model developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for MSRE studies. The dynamics are analyzed by simulating transients during normal power operation. The frequency response of the models is also evaluated. Both models show excellent agreement with experimental data for both U-235 and U-233 fuels. Some apparent discrepancies in experimental data are reported and their consequences discussed. The one-region model is modified to simulate reactivity excursions resulting from operational anomalies, and the results are presented. This modeling approach can be applied to other MSR systems provided valid system parameters.
Pulsar timing for gravitational wave detection

Pulsar timing arrays may well be the next type of experiment to detect gravitational waves. Sensitive to lower frequencies than LIGO–Virgo, they will detect the stochastic background of massive binary black hole mergers.
Rebelling against suffering in capitalism

In this article, I bring Marx and Adorno into conversation with affect theory to establish three points: First, an affective reading of the concepts of alienation and exploitation via Marx’s metaphor of the “vampire capital” explains the ways in which capitalism depletes raced, gendered, and sexed working class of their bodily and mental powers. Second, discussing these thinkers’ ideas in the context of the larger mind and body opposition revives attention to the body in contemporary political theory and exposes the ways in which the mind and body opposition serves to cover over the suffering caused by capitalism. Third, it shows that we must theorize the mind and body, feeling and thinking, as a mediated relation to grasp the ways in which particularly negative feelings can generate critical thinking, necessary to rebel against the vampire capital.
Composite materials for dielectric applications

Electrical insulators are also known as dielectrics. Most ionic solids and molecular solids are insulators because of the negligible concentration of conduction electrons or holes.
Identification and Estimation with Incomplete Data

This paper is concerned with identification and estimation of econometric models when the sampling process produces missing observations. Missing observations occur frequently in applications due, for example, to non-response to questions on a survey or attrition from a panel. Missing observations usually cause population parameters of interest in applications to be unidentified except under untestable and often controversial assumptions. However, it is often possible to find identified, informative, bounds on these parameters that do not rely on untestable assumptions about the process through which data become missing. The bounds contain all logically possible values of the population parameters. Moreover, every parameter value within the bounds is consistent with some model of the process that generates missing observations. The bounds can be estimated consistently from data and often enable substantively important conclusions to be drawn without making untestable assumptions about missing observations. There are also situations in which the bounds are very wide. This is an indication that the data contain little information about the population parameters of interest and that substantive conclusions rely mainly on identifying assumptions that cannot be tested.
Timber Harvesting with Fluctuating Prices

Because of volatility in demand, timber prices tend to fluctuate from year to year. Timber owners know today's price but are uncertain about tomorrow's prices. Traditional Faustmann harvesting ignores these random annual price fluctuations and prescribes harvests on the basis of expected prices. This chapter discusses an asset sale model to forestry and solves for the optimal schedule of reservation prices. When current price is above the reservation price, owners should cut that age class, otherwise they should wait another year. This flexible price harvest policy significantly increases the present value of expected returns over the more rigid Faustmann model. A common assumption in economics is that the error structure around an empirical model's predictions is normally distributed. The most important measure of the desirability of flexible price harvesting is the resulting increase in the expected net present value of future timber revenue.