cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The CIA and Targeted Killings Beyond Borders

This Article focuses on the accountability of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in relation to targeted killings, under both United States law and international law. As the CIA, often in conjunction with Department of Defense (DOD) Special Operations forces, becomes more and more deeply involved in carrying out extraterritorial targeted killings both through kill/capture missions and drone-based missile strikes in a range of countries, the question of its compliance with the relevant legal standards becomes ever more urgent. Assertions by Obama administration officials, as well as by many scholars, that these operations comply with international standards are undermined by the total absence of any forms of credible transparency or verifiable accountability. The CIA’s internal control mechanisms, including its Inspector-General, have had no discernible impact; executive control mechanisms have either not been activated at all or have ignored the issue; congressional oversight has given a ‘free pass’ to the CIA in this area; judicial review has been effectively precluded; and external oversight has been reduced to media coverage which is all too often dependent on information leaked by the CIA itself. As a result, there is no meaningful domestic accountability for a burgeoning program of international killing. This in turn means that the United States cannot possibly satisfy its obligations under international law to ensure accountability for its use of lethal force, either under IHRL or IHL. The result is the steady undermining of the international rule of law, and the setting of legal precedents which will inevitably come back to haunt the United States before long when invoked by other states with highly problematic agendas.
Target motion analysis using time delays measured from a nonlinear array

This study deals with underwater passive target motion analysis using wave front curvature techniques when time delay measurements are obtained from an imperfectly linear three-sensor array. It is shown that even with a very small array misalignment, relative ignorance about the true position of sensors or depth-elevation source angle can result in a very large bias on target range estimates. A non-time-recursive algorithm for estimating the position, speed, course, and depth-elevation angle of a target with constant velocity and depth is presented. The estimator is shown, by computer simulation, to be unbiased and statistically efficient. >
"Insufferably Stupid or Miserably Out of Place": F. A. P. Barnard and His Scientific Instrument Collection in the Antebellum South

In the 1850s, the American scientist and educator Frederick A. P. Barnard created a collection of scientific apparatus at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, of a size and expense that surpassed any collection in the United States at that time. The collection, which would come to include over three hundred instruments of both American and European manufacture, was the attempt by Barnard, born and educated in the North, to bring Big Science to the South and challenge the dominance of Northern schools in science education. In this respect it failed, and the collection became a forgotten footnote in the history of Southern science. This article examines the importance of the collection in understanding science at U.S. universities before the Civil War and what Barnard referred to as the "scientific atmosphere" of the South. The first section compares the collection to others of the period, highlighting its historical uniqueness and significance. The second section uses Barnard's correspondence to construct a narrative of the collection's assembly, providing insight into the international scientific instrument market of the period as well as the difficulties he faced working in the antebellum South. Finally, an examination of Barnard's perceptions regarding intellectual isolation and the failure of his endeavor highlights differences perceived by scientists of the day concerning the practice of science in the North versus in the South prior to the Civil War.
Dream Content is Continuous with Waking Thought, Based on Preoccupations, Concerns, and Interests

om According to age-old stereotypes that are constantly reinforced by stories in the mass media, the content of dreams is extremely bizarre, with little apparent rhyme or reason. The popular idea that dreams are mostly strange and otherworldly is reinforced by well-known freudian claims that they are full of disguised impulses and arcane symbolism. Bizarreness is also the dominant theme in one of the most publicly visible dream theories of recent decades, the activationsynthesis theory advocated by Hobson. According to this theory, the unusual juxtapositions and themes in dreams are not caused by disguise or symbolism, but are the reaction of an ill-prepared forebrain to random activation that arises periodically from the brainstem because of the onset of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Hobson’s theory allows for the fact that the forebrain can draw on thought patterns and memories developed in the waking state to impose a certain degree of coherence on these chaotic stimuli, which means that dreams can provide at least some psychologic information about the dreamer, but dreams are still said to be ‘‘cognitive trash.’’ Is dream content really as strange and puzzling as the mass media and these rival dream theorists claim? In the past four decades dream researchers
Using high fidelity simulation to increase confidence in rehabilitation nurses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' reactions, competence and confidence levels before and after exposure to clinically relevant situations that could be addressed in simulation or in traditional learning environments. Methods: A nonrandomized controlled study consisting of forty rehabilitation nurses was conducted at the VA Palo Alto Hospital in Palo Alto California. Nurses were placed in to either a control (C=Control) or intervention (I=Intervention) group. Each group of twenty would complete pre and post questionnaires using a Likert scale designed to test their level of confidence and comfortability after exposure to three scenarios found in the rehabilitation setting. The control group would receive information in a traditional format of power point lecture and interactive discussion, and the intervention group would be immersed in a reality-based environment using the simulation lab and a high fidelity mannequin. The intervention group would be filmed and debriefed after their experience. Data collected from the questionnaires would be collected and coded into an Excel spreadsheet to allow for export to a statistical software program to determine confidence interval and degree of change mean scores and effect size. A twelve month follow up was conducted to assess retention. Results: Expected results differed from actual outcomes as there was little measurable difference between the intervention and control groups, although each group reported increased scores after both traditional and simulation learning. However, the twelve month follow up showed measurable increase in retention among the intervention group. Ordinal data was used with two independent groups. Non-parametric tests of significance were compared using a Wilcoxon test since normality could not be assumed. For comparison purposes, two sample t -tests were run, and the results were comparable to the Wilcoxon analysis . Power could not be determined because no true difference was known. Effect size of the possible benefit when introducing a new teaching method was calculated when appropriate. Conclusions: The findings provide evidence that high fidelity simulation versus traditional problem based learning provides a greater sustained effect on confidence, competence and comfort levels among experienced rehabilitation nurses. Clinical Relevance: Competent nurses are associated with improved patient outcomes and competent care arises from knowledge applicable to practice. This study supports the importance of simulation training in increasing clinical competence and confidence .
Lexical borrowings in French: Anglicisms as a separate phenomenon

This study examines the occurrences of new lexical borrowings in a French newspaper corpus to determine whether the phenomenon of English lexical borrowings (Anglicisms) is different than the phenomenon of non-English borrowings. Based on a search for all occurrences of new lexical borrowings in a corpus, it is found that new Anglicisms outnumber all other new borrowings combined. When cross-checking these results against the online archives of another French newspaper, it is found that the Anglicisms are more productive than borrowings with similar frequencies from other languages. Additionally, qualitative findings show that new Anglicisms are more likely than other borrowings to be integrated into the French lexicon. In French, Anglicisms are employed for different reasons than lexical borrowings from other languages.
Delayed intraventricular metastasis of clival chordoma.

Sir, Intracranial chordomas are typically clival and extradural in location, yet these tumors can obviously invade the dura. However, primary intradural chordomas without local extension is a rare event with approximately 47 cases reported in literature. Furthermore, all intradural chordoma reports appear to be extraventricular in location.[1,2] In addition, through advances in technology and optics, neuroendoscopy has come to the forefront as a mainstream operative technique. Some tumors are more conducive to endoscopic biopsy or resection than others due to hemorrhagic or consistency. We present this unique case of an intraventricular recurrence of a clival chordoma and successful use of neuroendoscopy to explore and resect the tumor. A 60-year-old male, with a history of clival chordoma resection and adjuvant radiation nearly 10 years prior, presented with an intraventricular lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained for stroke workup of the left sided weakness. Physical examination showed right third nerve palsy, left facial droop, and left sided weakness. MRI demonstrated an intraventricular enhancing lesion within the right lateral ventricle [Figure ​[Figure1a1a and ​andb].b]. No other evidence of metastasis was identified. The decision was made to endoscopically biopsy and resects the intraventricular lesion via a transcortical-transventricular approach [Figure 1c]. Postoperative MRI demonstrated gross total resection [Figure 1d]. The histopathologic diagnosis of the tumor was chordoma. No postoperative radiation was given. On 6-month follow-up imaging, the lesion has not recurred. Figure 1 (a and b) Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates an enhancing lesion, approximately 1.5 cm × 1.0 cm, along the ependymal surface within the right lateral ventricle caudothalamic notch. (c) Intraoperative view of intraventricular ... This case illustrates a unique occurrence of intraventricular recurrence of clival chordoma approximately 10 years after initial resection with good result via an endoscopic technique. Prior reports have typically focused on intradural, extraventricular metastases. A solitary intraventricular chordoma neoplasm is a rare, interesting event. Furthermore, neuroendoscopy is a useful technique for tumor resection and proves viable in the resection of chordomas. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Early stage time evolution of a dense nanosecond microdischarge used in fast optical switching applications

The mechanism of high-voltage nanosecond microdischarges is studied by the self-consistent two-dimensional Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo Collisions model. These microdischarges were recently proposed for use as fast switches of visible light in Bataller et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 105, 223501 (2014)]. The microdischarge is found to develop in two stages. The first stage is associated with the electrons initially seeded in the cathode-anode gap. These electrons lead to the formation of a cathode-directed streamer. The second stage starts when the secondary electron emission from the cathode begins. In this stage, a rather dense plasma (∼1016 cm−3) is generated which results in the narrow cathode sheath. The electric field in this sheath exceeds the critical electric field which is necessary for the runaway electrons generation. We have found that the presence of these energetic electrons is crucial for the discharge maintenance.
Parathyroidectomy Increases Peripheral Vascular Responsiveness to Exogenous Noradrenaline in the Uraemic Rat

The effect of surgical parathyroidectomy and/or cyclo-oxygenase inhibition on noradrenaline-induced blood pressure (BP) responses were investigated in a rat model of chronic uraemia. The blood pressure responses to noradrenaline were significantly lower in uraemic rats when compared with the responses of non-uraemic animals. Blood pressure responses of previously parathyroidectomized uraemic rats were significantly greater than sham-operated uraemic rats, as were the responses of uraemic rats pretreated with the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. Pretreatment of uraemic rats with both indomethacin and parathyroidectomy improved blood pressure responses to a degree equal to either manoeuvre alone, but did not exhibit an additive effect. These data suggest a role for parathyroid hormone and prostaglandins in the pathogenesis of the diminished noradrenaline responsiveness in uraemia, and suggest a common mechanism.
The emergence of the quantified child

ABSTRACTUsing document analysis, this paper examines the historical emergence of the quantified child, revealing how the collection and use of data has become normalized through legitimizing discourses. First, following in the traditions of Foucault's genealogy and studies examining the sociology of numbers, this paper traces the evolution of data collection in a range of significant education policy documents. Second, a word count analysis was used to further substantiate the claim that data collection and use has been increasingly normalized through legitimizing discourses and routine actions in educational settings. These analyses provide evidence that the need to quantify educational practices has been justified over long periods of time through a variety of documents and that the extent to which data governs educators’ thoughts, discourses, and actions has dramatically increased during the past century.
A One Health Approach to Wildlife and Food Safety

Global health problems including the assurance of safe and secure food are becoming more numerous and complex and require sensitive and transdisciplinary problem solving efforts. One Health provides the framework to approach food safety risks from the whole ecosystem of the food system by using a Web of Causation approach instead of an ‘us vs. them’ approach. This whole ecosystem, One Health approach focuses on prevention through the integration of wildlife, environmental, human, and domestic health sectors improving our ability to prevent rather than react to disease events. A true One Health viewpoint understands that all life is connected to its habitat, and the health of the whole sits squarely on a robust and sustainable environment. Safe food and water, thus ecological health, can be ensured using an evidence-based, transdisciplinary, collaborative based approach to the solution of food production and public health.
CT Diagnosis of the Cystic Lesions in Abdomen in Children

Objective To study CT diagnosis and different diagnosis of the cystic lesions in abdomen in children.Methods 16 cases of cystic lesions in abdomen were confirmed by surgery and histopathology.CT features of every lesions were analyzed.Results 3 cases of the cystic lesions in abdominal cavity included 2 cases of the giant cystic lesions of the omentum majus,1 case mesenteric cystis.13cases of retroperitoneal cystis lesions included 7 cases of choledochoceles,2 cases of inflammatory cystis,1 case cystic teratoma,3 cases giant hydronephrosis.Conclusion CT diagnosis of the cystic lesions in abdomen in children is easily diagnized when lesions are minor.CT differential diagnosis is difficult when cystic lesions in abdomen are giant.
Enhanced Th1/Th17 Functions of CD161+ CD8+ T Cells in Mucosal Tissues of Rhesus Macaques.

Expression of the C-type lectin-like receptor CD161 by human T cells is associated with type-17 responses, which play critical regulatory roles in immunity and inflammation at mucosal sites. However, the functions of CD161-expressing T cells in macaques, the pre-clinical model of several human diseases, remain unknown. This study examined the phenotypic and functional characteristics of CD161+ T cells in peripheral blood, mucosal tissues and lymph nodes of rhesus macaques. Majority of CD161-expressing T cells in peripheral blood and lung/intestinal mucosal tissues of rhesus macaques were found to be CD8+CD4– in phenotype. There was a significant enrichment of CD161+CD8+ T cells in the lungs and colonic mucosa (16.1%±6.6 and 16.8%±5.7) in comparison to peripheral blood (4.2%±1.2) and mesenteric lymph nodes (1.3%±0.8). Regardless of the tissue compartment, CD161+CD8+ T cells mainly comprised of γδ T cells and TCR Vα7.2+ MAIT cells (up to 80%), and displayed Th1 and Th17 cytokine responses to mitogen stimulation. Mucosal CD161+CD8+ T cells were characterized by very high expression of CD69, a recent activation marker that is preferentially expressed on tissue resident cells. Furthermore, lung and colonic mucosal CD161+CD8+ T cells showed enhanced IFN-γ, IL-17, and Perforin production in comparison to those in blood. Thus, macaque CD161+CD8+ T cells represent mucosal tissue-homing innate-like CD8+ T-cell populations with Th1/Th17 type cytokine and cytotoxic effector functions that can potentially enhance the recruitment of adaptive immune cells and control initial pathogen burden/dissemination in tissues. Analysis of their role in early immune responses to mucosal pathogens will be valuable in the design of vaccines and therapeutics.
Applications of Bulk and Nanostructured Polyaniline in Hydrogen Storage

Over the past few years, the need for a clean and renewable fuel has sharply risen. This is due to increasing fossil fuel costs and the desire to limit or eliminate harmful by-products which are created during the burning of these fuels. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and can be used in either fuel cells or traditional internal combustion engines to produce energy with no harmful emissions. One of the main obstacles facing the implementation of a hydrogen economy is its storage. Classical methods of storage involve either high and unsafe pressures or liquid storage involving a large amount of energy.
Functional Analysis of a Bacterial Antifreeze Protein Indicates a Cooperative Effect between Its Two Ice-Binding Domains

Antifreeze proteins make up a class of ice-binding proteins (IBPs) that are possessed and expressed by certain cold-adapted organisms to enhance their freezing tolerance. Here we report the biophysical and functional characterization of an IBP discovered in a bacterium recovered from a deep glacial ice core drilled at Vostok Station, Antarctica (IBPv). Our study showed that the recombinant protein rIBPv exhibited a thermal hysteresis of 2 °C at concentrations of >50 μM, effectively inhibited ice recrystallization, and enhanced bacterial viability during freeze–thaw cycling. Circular dichroism scans indicated that rIBPv mainly consists of β strands, and its denaturing temperature was 53.5 °C. Multiple-sequence alignment of homologous IBPs predicted that IBPv contains two ice-binding domains, a feature unique among known IBPs. To examine functional differences between the IBPv domains, each domain was cloned, expressed, and purified. The second domain (domain B) expressed greater ice binding activity. Data ...
Dynamic periplasmic chaperone reservoir facilitates biogenesis of outer membrane proteins

Outer membrane protein (OMP) biogenesis is critical to bacterial physiology because the cellular envelope is vital to bacterial pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance. The process of OMP biogenesis has been studied in vivo, and each of its components has been studied in isolation in vitro. This work integrates parameters and observations from both in vivo and in vitro experiments into a holistic computational model termed “Outer Membrane Protein Biogenesis Model” (OMPBioM). We use OMPBioM to assess OMP biogenesis mathematically in a global manner. Using deterministic and stochastic methods, we are able to simulate OMP biogenesis under varying genetic conditions, each of which successfully replicates experimental observations. We observe that OMPs have a prolonged lifetime in the periplasm where an unfolded OMP makes, on average, hundreds of short-lived interactions with chaperones before folding into its native state. We find that some periplasmic chaperones function primarily as quality-control factors; this function complements the folding catalysis function of other chaperones. Additionally, the effective rate for the β-barrel assembly machinery complex necessary for physiological folding was found to be higher than has currently been observed in vitro. Overall, we find a finely tuned balance between thermodynamic and kinetic parameters maximizes OMP folding flux and minimizes aggregation and unnecessary degradation. In sum, OMPBioM provides a global view of OMP biogenesis that yields unique insights into this essential pathway.
Responses to single and multiple sources of chemical cues by New Zealand crustaceans

This study examined the patterns of responses shown by animals to the simultaneous detection of conflicting inputs. The responses of individuals of seven species of New Zealand crustaceans to the introduction of alarm odours were tested in the laboratory. The crayfish Paranephrops zealandicus spent more time in the lowered posture while four species (Petrolisthes elongatus, Halicarcinus innominatus, Notomithrax ursus, and Cyclograpsus lavauxi) decreased locomotion or other movements upon introduction of alarm odour. The hermit crab Pagurus novazealandiae increased the frequency of shell grasps while Pagurus traversi showed no change in any behaviour. Combinations of two odours (alarm + food or alarm + shell cues) were presented to five species. The pattern of responses could be categorized as either a domination of one response over the other (Pagurus traversi, P. novazealandiae, and Halicarcinus innominatus) or an intermediate level of response compared to those shown to single stimuli (Paranephrops zeal...
Physical activity intervention using Fitbits in an introductory college health course

Objective:This study took the form of an intervention examining change in physical activity and quality of experience among students in an introductory health course who were asked to wear a Fitbit activity monitor throughout the semester.Method:College students (N = 56) took part in this controlled trial. Students enrolled in an introductory health course (Education + Fitbit; n = 24) were asked to purchase a Fitbit and wear it throughout the semester. This activity monitor purchase replaced the textbook requirement to reduce the financial burden for students. Change in objectively measured physical activity within this group was compared to students enrolled in a traditional introductory health course (Education Only; n = 14) and students enrolled in an introductory humanities course (Control; n = 18). To assess objectively measured physical activity, all participants wore a sealed pedometer for one week at the beginning and end of the semester. Students in the Education + Fitbit group also provided writ...
Book Review: Marital Imagery in the Bible: An Exploration of Genesis 2:24 and its Significance for the Understanding of New Testament Divorce and Remarriage Teaching:

Marital Imagery in the Bible: An Exploration of Genesis 2:24 and its Significance for the Understanding of New Testament Divorce and Remarriage Teaching. Apostolos Old Testament Studies. By Colin Hamer. London: Apostolos, 2015. 316 pp. $60.99 (cloth); $30.99 (paper).The biblical teaching on divorce and remarriage is clouded by the question of whether or not a duly covenanted and consummated marriage results in a mystical, ontological, indissoluble union which is permanent this side of death. Something close to that conception is the prism through which I once read the biblical passages on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, as have many others.But, with David Instone-Brewer and others, I eventually concluded that the only way to make sense of Jesus' teaching is that divorce and remarriage is permissible; it is just that the one who remarries after an invalid divorce commits adultery. Matthew's account makes this assumption explicit and essentially endorses the Shammaite reading of Deuteronomy 24:1 that divorce is permitted-not commanded-in such situations.But how can we be sure? And what about 1 Corinthians 6:16, where Paul cites a portion of Genesis 2:24: "Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, The two will become one flesh'" (ESV). Some recent studies argue that Paul's citation of Genesis 2:24 means he believed sexual relations with a literal prostitute create an ontological union. How do we address these and other questions that still cloud the skies of how to responsibly understand and apply the biblical teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage today?This is where Colin Hamer's amazing Marital Imagery in the Bible enters in. This conceptually integrative study uses both traditional metaphor theory and more recent developments in concept mapping to engage the considerable corpus of published material that considers marital imagery in scripture. Hamer shows there is no evidence that Jewish or Christian marriage teaching is rooted in the Genesis 2:23 literal flesh and blood connection of the primal couple. This neoplatonic model of indissoluble marriage patterned after the original couple first appears in the intertestamental period, and even there the evidence is scanty; nor is the primal couple marriage model a part of the implied readership of the New Testament. Rather, Hamer shows that the conceptual domain for marital imagery in the Bible is sourced in the Genesis 2:24 teaching that a woman becomes the wife of a man in a metaphoric one-flesh union formed by means of a volitional, conditional covenant. …
Investigation of Antibacterial 1,8-Cineole-Derived Thin Films Formed via Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

The need for low-fouling coatings for biomedical devices has prompted considerable interest in antibacterial compounds from natural and sustainable sources, such as essential oils. Herein, a tea tree oil-based precursor, 1,8-cineole, is used to fabricate antimicrobial films (denoted ppCin) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Film properties were comprehensively characterized using a variety of surface and bulk analytical tools, and the plasma gas phase is assessed using optical emission spectroscopy, which can be correlated to ppCin film properties. Notably, film wettability increases linearly with plasma pressure, yielding water contact angles ranging from ∼50° to ∼90°. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals less oxygen is incorporated at higher pressures, likely arising from the lower density of OH(g) species. Further, we utilized H2O(v) plasma surface modification of the ppCin films to improve wettability and find this results in a substantial increase in surface oxygen content. To elucidate the role of film wettability and antibacterial properties, both as-deposited and H2O(v) plasma-modified films were exposed to Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus using glass slides and hydrocarbon films deposited from 1,7-octadiene as positive controls. Overall, bacteria attach to a similar extent on all films, including controls, yet only essential oil-based films significantly prevent biofilm formation (4-7% coverage compared to ∼40% for controls).
Assessment of occupational exposure to heat stress and solar ultraviolet radiation among groundskeepers in an eastern North Carolina university setting

Groundskeepers spend most of the year working outdoors, exposing them to heat and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and increasing their risk to related adverse health effects. Various studies on he...
Anti-trafficking’s Sensational Misinformation: The “72-hour Myth” and America’s Homeless Youth

Media representations of sex trafficking among homeless youth typically and needlessly contain sensationalized images and unsupported false statistics regarding the issue. One of those factoids: that runaway and homeless youth are likely to be trafficked for sex within 72 hours of leaving home is particularly pervasive despite being completely unfounded. This article tracks down the sources of this misinformation. Then, using a study of over 600 homeless youth conducted by Loyola University’s Modern Slavery Research Project, the article provides a more nuanced and survivor-centered portrait of the human trafficking–both sex and labor–that affects the homeless youth population.
Rāhi digar: Ravāyat-hā-i dar bud-o-bāsh-e Cherik-hā-ye fadāʾi-e khalq-e Iran

During the decade prior to the 1978‒79 revolution, radical opposition in Iran was spearheaded not by clerics or the Islamic establishment but by hundreds of young men and women engaged in a violent...
Parent education and income gradients in children's executive functions at kindergarten entry

Abstract A growing body of research has demonstrated associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and children's early executive function (EF). Yet, although theory and research underscore that distinct components of SES, such as parent education and income, make unique contributions to children's outcomes, few studies have examined these in relation to EF abilities on a population level. To address this gap, we examined a large sample (N = 13, 000) of children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 (ECLS-K: 2011), a nationally-representative study of children entering kindergarten in the United States. Findings showed parent education and income gradients in cognitive flexibility and working memory at kindergarten entry after controlling for numerous child and family demographics. Notably, gaps were largest for parent education. These findings suggest that greater attention is needed to address parent education, in addition to income, disparities in executive function during early childhood.
In Situ Spectroscopic Analysis and Quantification of [Tc(CO)3]+ in Hanford Tank Waste.

The quantitative conversion of non-pertechnetate [Tc(CO)3]+ species in nuclear waste storage tank 241-AN-102 at the Hanford Site is demonstrated. A waste sample containing the [Tc(CO)3]+ species is added to a developer solution that rapidly converts the non-emissive species into a luminescent complex, which is detected spectroscopically. This method was first demonstrated using a [Tc(CO)3]+ sample non-waste containing matrix to determine a detection limit (LOD), resulting in a [Tc(CO)3]+ LOD of 2.20 × 10-7 M, very near the LOD of the independently synthesized standard (2.10 × 10-7 M). The method was then used to detect [Tc(CO)3]+ in a simulated waste using the standard addition method, resulting in a [Tc(CO)3]+ concentration of 1.89 × 10-5 M (within 27.7% of the concentration determined by β- liquid scintillation counting). Three samples from 241-AN-102 were tested by the standard addition method: (1) a 5 M Na adjusted fraction, (2) a fraction depleted of 137Cs, (3) and an acid-stripped eluate. The concen...
ROBIN: Using a Programmable Robot to Provide Feedback and Encouragement on Programming Tasks

LEGO Mindstorms robots are a popular educational tool for teaching programming concepts to young learners. However, learners working with these robots often lack sufficient feedback on their programs, which makes it difficult for them to reflect on domain concepts and may decrease their motivation. We see an opportunity to introduce feedback into LEGO Mindstorms programming environments by having the robot itself deliver feedback, leveraging research on learning companions to transform the programmable robot into a social actor. Our robot, ROBIN, provides learners with automated reflection prompts based on a domain model and the student’s current program, along with social encouragement based on a theory of instructional immediacy. We hypothesize that by having the robot itself provide cognitive and social feedback, students will both reflect more on their misconceptions and persist more with the activity. This paper describes the design and implementation of ROBIN and discusses how this approach can benefit students.
Dithiothreitol effects on the viscosity and quality of human semen

Objective To determine the effects of treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT) on seminal viscosity, consistency, and sperm motility, motion characteristics, and morphology. Design Prospective, in vitro study. Setting University teaching hospital. Patients Semen donors and patients of the infertility program. Experiment 1, n=34; experiment 2, n=82. Sufficient seminal volume for use was the only selection criterion. Interventions Experiment 1: semen was combined with 5.9mM DTT solution 1:1 (vol/vol), combined with distilled water 1:1 (vol/vol), or untreated. Experiment 2: semen was combined with 5.9mM DTT solution 1:1 (vol/vol) or untreated. Main Outcome Measures Seminal consistency and viscosity, percentage of motile sperm, sperm motion characteristics (straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, mean linearity, and angle of lateral head displacement), sperm concentration, and sperm morphology. Results Treatment of semen with DTT reduced seminal consistency and viscosity. Treatment with DTT had no effect on sperm concentration or percentage motile sperm. Sperm velocity was reduced by DTT treatment, particularly in semen that had normal initial consistency. Morphology of sperm in semen exhibiting abnormal initial consistency was unaffected by DTT. Conclusion Dithiothreitol effectively induced liquefaction of nonliquefied semen in vitro and had minimal effects on the sperm motility, motion characteristics, and morphology. Evaluation of DTT effects on the chromatin and on other functional traits of human sperm must be conducted before its use can be advocated.
Application of Color Theory to Commodity Areas

The measurement of color in food products has been applied in commodity areas where there is an economic need. This will be illustrated by several examples.
The endothelium modulates the contribution of chloride currents to norepinephrine-induced vascular contraction.

Activation of a Cl− current is critical to agonist-induced activation of rat aortic smooth muscle contraction. Substituting extracellular Cl− with 130 mM methanesulfonate (8 mM Cl−) increases the c...
Chloroplast Phenomics: Systematic Phenotypic Screening of Chloroplast Protein Mutants in Arabidopsis

As part of a project to analyze chloroplast functional networks systematically, we have subjected mutants in >3,200 nuclear genes predicted to encode chloroplast-targeted proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana (http://www.plastid.msu.edu) to parallel phenotypic assays. Detailed methods are presented for the various assays being used in this project to study chloroplast biology. These include morphological analysis of plants, chloroplasts, and seeds using controlled vocabulary. Metabolites synthesized in the chloroplast such as starch, amino acids, and fatty acids are analyzed in groups according to their chemical properties. As an indicator for the relative composition of seed storage oil and proteins, the carbon and nitrogen contents are determined by an elemental analyzer. The methods in this chapter describe how the assays are configured to run in relatively high throughput, maximizing data quality.
APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO RISK ANALYSIS FOR FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS

Forest ecosystems are subject to a variety of natural and anthropogenic disturbances that extract a penalty from human population values. Such value losses (undesirable effects) combined with their likelihoods of occurrence constitute risk. Assessment or prediction of risk for various events is an important aid to forest management. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have been applied to risk analysis owing to their ability to deal with uncertainty, vagueness, incomplete and inexact specifications, intuition, and qualitative information. This paper examines knowledge-based systems, fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, and Bayesian belief networks and their application to risk analysis in the context of forested ecosystems. Disturbances covered are: fire, insects/diseases, meteorological, and anthropogenic. Insect/disease applications use knowledge-based system methods exclusively, whereas meteorological applications use only artificial neural networks. Bayesian belief network applications are almost nonexistent, even though they possess many theoretical and practical advantages. Embedded systems -that use AI alongside traditional methods-are, not unexpectedly, quite common.
Detecting Encrypted and Polymorphic Malware Using Hidden Markov Models

Encrypted code is often present in some types of advanced malware, while such code virtually never appears in legitimate applications. Hence, the presence of encrypted code within an executable file could serve as a strong heuristic for malware detection. In this chapter, we consider the feasibility of detecting encrypted segments within an executable file using hidden Markov models.
Effects of Pre-Tuning Vocalization Behaviors on the Tuning Accuracy of College Instrumentalists:

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two pre-tuning vocalization behaviors (humming and singing) on the tuning accuracy of woodwind and brass instrumentalists. Undergraduate coll...
Standing on the shoulders of giants?: Faculty hiring in information schools

Abstract The past three decades have witnessed the tremendous growth of the number of information schools (a.k.a., iSchools) and the size of their faculty bodies. However, there is little empirical evidence in faculty hiring patterns within the community. Analyzing hand-curated data of 81 junior and 485 senior faculty members from 27 iSchools in the United States and a total of 41 981 journal and conference proceeding publications, we investigate the effects of collaboration experience on placement quality, controlling for other well studied factors including gender, scholarly performance, and prestige of degree-granting programs. In particular, we find that strong ties in collaboration, as measured by PhD advisors’ academic achievements, have little correlation with placement quality fixing other factors. On the other hand, weak ties, manifested by coauthors excluding advisors, are found to be beneficial. Providing a better understanding of hiring practice in iSchools, the results highlight the importance of “standing on the shoulders of giants” for junior information science researchers wishing to find high-quality faculty job. Finally, our findings lay the foundation for future investigations, where stakeholders and administrators can assess the effectiveness of existing hiring strategies, which in turn provide managerial and policy implications for iSchools to adapt to the fast growing landscape of information science.
Why Older Adults and Their Children Disagree About In-Home Surveillance Technology, Sensors, and Tracking

Background and objectives Despite the surveilling nature of technologies that allow caregivers to remotely monitor location, movements, or activities, the potential differences in comfort with remote monitoring between caregivers and care recipients have not been examined in depth. On the dyad and aggregate level, we compare preferences of older adult women and their adult children for three remote monitoring technologies. Their assessments of each technology's impact on privacy, safety, independence, freedom, relationship with family member, social life, and identity are also compared. Research design and methods This dyadic study used cognitive-based interview probing and value-centered design methods. Twenty-eight individual, in-depth, structured interviews were conducted with 18 women who are Meals on Wheels clients and 10 of their adult children. Results Meals on Wheels participants reported multiple chronic conditions and an average of 1.7 ADL and 3.3 IADL difficulties; two thirds were enrolled in Medicaid. Adult children preferred each technology more than their mothers did and underestimated both their mothers' ability to comprehend the functions of the technologies and the importance of engaging them fully in decision making. Most were confident that they could persuade their mothers to adopt. For both groups, privacy was the most-cited concern, and participants perceived significant overlap between values of privacy, independence, identity, and freedom. Discussion and implications Studying privacy in isolation overlooks privacy's instrumental role in enabling other values. Shared decision-making tools are needed to promote remote monitoring use consistent with older adults' values and to prevent conflict and caregiver overreach.
Example School Portfolio, The: A Companion to The School Portfolio

This book presents a prototype school portfolio, along with annotated explanations and suggestions. Although this book describes a hypothetical elementary school, the data and examples come from real schools at which the authors worked, and the recommendations can be applied to any level school engaged in systemic reform.
A Pressure Anomaly for HII Regions in Irregular Galaxies

The pressures of giant HII regions in 6 dwarf Irregular galaxies are a factor of ~10 larger than the average pressures of the corresponding galaxy disks, obtained from the stellar and gaseous column densities. Either the visible HII regions in these dwarfs are all so young that they are still expanding, or there is an unexpected source of disk self-gravity that increases the background pressure. We consider the possibility that the additional self-gravity comes from disk dark matter, but suggest this is unlikely because the vertical scale heights inferred for Irregular galaxies are consistent with the luminous matter alone. Some of the HII region overpressure is probably the result of local peaks in the gravitational field that come from large gas concentrations, many of which are observed directly. These peaks also explain the anomalously low average column density thresholds for star formation that were found earlier for Irregular galaxies, and they permit the existence of a cool HI phase as the first step toward dense molecular cores. Many of the HII regions could also be so strongly over-pressured that they will expand for a long time. In this case, the observed population would be only 7% of the total, and the aging HII regions, now too faint to see, should occupy nearly the entire dwarf galaxy volume. Such prolonged HII region expansion would explain the origin of the giant HI shells that are seen in these galaxies, and account for the lack of bright central clusters inside these shells.
Large-Scale Assessment of Scan-Time Variability and Multiple-Procedure Efficiency for Cross-Sectional Neuroradiological Exams in Clinical Practice

Scheduling of CT and MR exams requires reasonable estimates for expected scan duration. However, scan-time variability and efficiency gains from combining multiple exams are not quantitatively well characterized. In this work, we developed an informatics approach to quantify typical duration, duration variability, and multiple-procedure efficiency on a large scale, and used the approach to analyze 48,766 CT- and MR-based neuroradiological exams performed over one year. We found MR exam durations demonstrated higher absolute variability, but lower relative variability and lower multiple-procedure efficiency, compared to CT exams (p < 0.001). Our approach enables quantification of real-world operational performance and variability to inform optimal patient scheduling, efficient resource utilization, and sustainable service planning.
Formation and stratigraphic facies distribution of early Jurassic iron oolite deposits from west central Nevada, USA

Abstract The stratigraphic context and geochemical proxy potential are described for a newly reported early Jurassic marine iron ooid deposit in west central Nevada, U.S.A. Sedimentary analysis of the Ferguson Hill Member in the Sinemurian-aged Sunrise Formation was conducted in the Gabbs Valley Range of Nevada, U.S.A. Iron ooids were examined by transmitted light microscopy and electron scanning microscopy and found to consist of chamosite/berthierine and amorphous silica in cortical layers of the Sunrise Formation. Sedimentological characteristics of the uppermost beds of the Ferguson Hill Member show iron ooids are associated with transgressive deposits on the earliest-known first post-extinction metazoan carbonate factory identified in Eastern Panthalassa. The Ferguson Hill Member iron ooids are unique among most iron ooid deposits for being distributed grains within the carbonate. The formation of such a deposit required concentrations of iron and silica and fluctuating oxidation/reduction conditions sufficient to produce chamosite/berthierine and silica while not completely shutting down the shallow marine carbonate factory. For this reason, iron ooids observed in shallow carbonate sections serve as a useful indicator of shallow water geochemical conditions in the sedimentary record.
InAs/InAsSb Type-II Strained Layer Superlattice Barrier Infrared Detectors

Nearly-lattice-matched or pseudomorphic III-V semiconductor type-II superlattices (T2SLs) can provide high degree of flexibility in cutoff wavelength range. They can have sufficient absorption strength to attain ample quantum efficiency, are less susceptible to band-to-band tunneling than bulk semiconductors [1], and are capable of achieving reduced Auger recombination [2]. For mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors, InAs/GaSb and InAs/InAsSb are the two most common T2SL absorbers used. The former is well-established, and has been described in detail in review articles [3,4,5]. The latter [6,7,8] emerged more recently as an alternative with simpler growth [6], better defect tolerance, longer minority lifetimes [9], but smaller cutoff wavelength range, weaker optical absorption [10,11], and more challenging vertical hole transport [12].
Cookbooks and Recipes Published by Uncle Sam for Health, Nutrition, and Fun

he U.S. government publishes many online cookbooks and recipes of interest to library users and librarians — both practical and fun! They tend to fall into the categories of health and nutrition, education, environment, agriculture and miscellaneous, and are often aimed at special audiences. Examples range from cookbooks for health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure to cookbooks for better health, nutrition, and fun for kids, parents, and seniors. Among the topics covered are cooking for crowds, holiday cooking, cooking with garden foods, and low-fat cooking with healthy foods such as fruits, herbs, and vegetables, etc. The government also publishes online information on basic and advanced cooking skills from baking to barbecuing and smoking meats. Handling food safely in the household kitchen, whether it is poultry, eggs, or leftovers, is another common topic. For many titles, recipes are provided in both English and Spanish language versions.