cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a geometric-based and an evolutionary technique for tracking storm systems

The objective of this study is to compare geometric-based and evolutionary techniques for tracking storm systems from sequences of satellite images. Analysis was applied to the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project low resolution D1 database for selected storm systems during the month of September, 1988. During this time period there were two exceptionally long tracks of major hurricane systems, Hurricanes Gilbert and Helene. Cloud top pressure and cloud optical thickness were used to identify storm systems. The ability of the geometric-based and evolutionary techniques to generate tracks through storm regions was assessed. Differences in final tracking results between the two techniques resulted not only from the differences in methodology but also form differences in the type of preprocessed input used by each of the techniques. Tracking results were compared to results disseminated by the Colorado State/Tropical Prediction Center and maintained by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. For the hurricanes investigated in this study, both techniques were able to generate tracks which followed either most or some of the portions of the hurricanes. The evolutionary algorithm was in general able to maintain good continuity along the tracks but, with no knowledge of overall region movement, was unable to discern which of two possible directions would be best to pursue in cases where there were tow or more equally close storm systems components. The geometric method was able to maintain a smooth track close to the course of the hurricane except for confusion primarily at the beginning and/or end of tracks.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Shorter men live longer: association of height with longevity and FOXO3 genotype in American men of Japanese ancestry.

Objectives To determine the relation between height, FOXO3 genotype and age of death in humans. Methods Observational study of 8,003 American men of Japanese ancestry from the Honolulu Heart Program/Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HHP/HAAS), a genetically and culturally homogeneous cohort followed for over 40 years. A Cox regression model with age as the time scale, stratified by year of birth, was used to estimate the effect of baseline height on mortality during follow-up. An analysis of height and longevity-associated variants of the key regulatory gene in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway, FOXO3, was performed in a HHP-HAAS subpopulation. A study of fasting insulin level and height was conducted in another HHP-HAAS subpopulation. Results A positive association was found between baseline height and all-cause mortality (RR = 1.007; 95% CI 1.003–1.011; P = 0.002) over the follow-up period. Adjustments for possible confounding variables reduced this association only slightly (RR = 1.006; 95% CI 1.002–1.010; P = 0.007). In addition, height was positively associated with all cancer mortality and mortality from cancer unrelated to smoking. A Cox regression model with time-dependent covariates showed that relative risk for baseline height on mortality increased as the population aged. Comparison of genotypes of a longevity-associated single nucleotide polymorphism in FOXO3 showed that the longevity allele was inversely associated with height. This finding was consistent with prior findings in model organisms of aging. Height was also positively associated with fasting blood insulin level, a risk factor for mortality. Regression analysis of fasting insulin level (mIU/L) on height (cm) adjusting for the age both data were collected yielded a regression coefficient of 0.26 (95% CI 0.10–0.42; P = 0.001). Conclusion Height in mid-life is positively associated with mortality, with shorter stature predicting longer lifespan. Height was, moreover, associated with fasting insulin level and the longevity genotype of FOXO3, consistent with a mechanistic role for the IIS pathway.
Institutional resilience and climate variability in international water treaties: the Jordan River Basin as “proof-of-concept”

Abstract Climate-driven changes in precipitation distribution have implications for the long-term sustainability of international water-sharing and hydropower agreements. This research analyses water allocation methods, estimates the resilience of existing water supply arrangements, and examines the role of modified institutional arrangements in addressing possible vulnerabilities in transboundary basins. Specifically, we analyse the resilience of the 1994 Israel–Jordan Treaty of Peace during climate extremes. While the absence of a drought provision in the Treaty left Jordan and Israel vulnerable to drought-induced conflict, the Treaty did establish a Joint Water Committee (JWC) to resolve conflicts without making permanent amendments to the original agreement. During the drought of 1998/99, Israeli and Jordanian members of the JWC brokered a temporary arrangement to modify allocations in order to reflect water availability. Even though water availability restricted the parties from fulfilling Treaty obl...
Duodenal injuries in the very young: Child abuse?

BACKGROUND: Duodenal injuries in children are uncommon but have been specifically linked with child abuse in case reports. Owing to the rarity of the diagnosis, few studies to date have looked at the association between duodenal injuries and mechanism in younger child. We hypothesize that duodenal injuries in the very young are significantly associated with child abuse. METHODS: This investigation is a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted with duodenal injuries at one of six Level I pediatric trauma centers. All institutions had institutional review board approval. The trauma registries were used to identify children aged 0 year to 5 years from 1991 to 2011. Multiple variables were collected and included age, mechanism of injury, type of duodenal injury, additional injuries, mortality, and results of abuse investigation if available. Relationships were analyzed using Fischer's exact test. RESULTS: We identified 32 patients with duodenal injuries with a mean age of 3 years. Duodenal injuries included duodenal hematomas (44%) and perforations/transections (56%). Of all duodenal injuries, 53% resulted in operation, 53% had additional injuries, and 12.5% resulted in death. Of the 32 children presenting with duodenal injuries, 20 were child abuse patients (62.5%). All duodenal injuries in children younger than 2 years were caused by child abuse (6 of 6, p = 0.06) and more than half of the duodenal injuries in children older than 2 years were caused by child abuse (14 of 26). Child abuse-related duodenal injuries were associated with delayed presentation (p = 0.004). There was a significant increase in child abuse-related duodenal injuries during the time frame of the study (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Duodenal injuries are extremely rare in the pediatric population. This multi-institutional investigation found that child abuse consistently associated with duodenal injuries in children younger than 2 years. The evidence supports a child abuse investigation on children younger than 2 years with duodenal injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiological study, level III. Language: en
Chemiphoresis: Acceleration of hydrosol deposition by ionic surface reactions

Abstract A uniform film of 25 μm thickness after drying was deposited on a steel surface in 3 min from a bath containing 5 wt% commercial latex solids, 0.075 M HF and 0.044 M H 2 O 2 . The rate-limiting step for deposition of the latex particles is migration in an electric field which arises near the metal as a result of simultaneous diffusion of ionic reactants and products of dissolution toward or away from the metal. Other ionic surface reactions can be employed to promote or retard hydrosol deposition in other processes, such as deep-bed filtration where a rate enhancement of 25 times was estimated.
Estimating feedforward vs. feedback control of speech production through kinematic analyses of unperturbed articulatory movements.

To estimate the contributions of feedforward vs. feedback control systems in speech articulation, we analyzed the correspondence between initial and final kinematics in unperturbed tongue and jaw movements for consonant-vowel (CV) and vowel-consonant (VC) syllables. If movement extents and endpoints are highly predictable from early kinematic information, then the movements were most likely completed without substantial online corrections (feedforward control); if the correspondence between early kinematics and final amplitude or position is low, online adjustments may have altered the planned trajectory (feedback control) (Messier and Kalaska, 1999). Five adult speakers produced consonant-vowel (CV) and vowel-consonant (VC) syllables with high, mid, or low vowels while movements of the tongue and jaw were tracked electromagnetically. The correspondence between the kinematic parameters peak acceleration or peak velocity and movement extent as well as between the articulators’ spatial coordinates at those kinematic landmarks and movement endpoint was examined both for movements across different target distances (i.e., across vowel height) and within target distances (i.e., within vowel height). Taken together, results suggest that jaw and tongue movements for these CV and VC syllables are mostly under feedforward control but with feedback-based contributions. One type of feedback-driven compensatory adjustment appears to regulate movement duration based on variation in peak acceleration. Results from a statistical model based on multiple regression are presented to illustrate how the relative strength of these feedback contributions can be estimated.
RF powered sleep apnea monitoring system

Sleep Apnea is a chronic and widespread problem that is characterized by periods of pauses in breathing during sleep. It can lead to several life threatening conditions if left undiagnosed. Conventional methods of diagnosing sleep apnea involve connecting the patient to various sensors to monitor several physiological parameters overnight in what is called a sleep study. Problems associated with this method have led to several undiagnosed cases. To overcome this, we have proposed a low cost, RF powered, portable sleep apnea monitor that simplifies the process of screening for sleep apnea that can be done at the comfort of home. Tests of our system proved that the device was successful in detecting extended periods of apnea.
Reflections on the nature of genius: on the 300th anniversay of Mikhail Lomonosov (1711-1765)

This presentation goes beyond celebratory narration of the life and scientific achievements of Russia's first modern scientist Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov (1711-1765). Coming from the notion of complexity of sciences, we introduce 'a genius formula' G = TBD for semi-qualitative evaluation of a person's impact on the society, distinguish two type of geniuses, give several examples and draw general conclusions. The work largely follows presentation at the Fermilab Colloquium in November of 2011.
Acoustic resonance spectroscopy (ARS)

The basics of acoustic resonance spectroscopy (ARS), which provides data about an object's physical structure and composition, are explained. In ARS, one actively excites a large number of resonances (normal modes) in an object that has no internal vibrations by slowly sweeping the excitation frequency to obtain an acoustic spectrum of the object. The instrumentation for this nondestructive evaluation technique is described, and some applications are briefly discussed. >
SitePainter: a tool for exploring biogeographical patterns

As microbial ecologists take advantage of high-throughput analytical techniques to describe microbial communities across ever-increasing numbers of samples, the need for new analysis tools that reveal the intrinsic spatial patterns and structures of these populations is crucial. Here we present SitePainter, an interactive graphical tool that allows investigators to create or upload pictures of their study site, load diversity analyses data and display both diversity and taxonomy results in a spatial context. Features of SitePainter include: visualizing α -diversity, using taxonomic summaries; visualizing β -diversity, using results from multidimensional scaling methods; and animating relationships among microbial taxa or pathways overtime. SitePainter thus increases the visual power and ability to explore spatially explicit studies. Availability: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sitepainter Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. Contact: ude.odaroloc@goinotna, ude.odaroloc@thginK.boR
I Study What I Stink At: Lessons Learned from a Career in Psychology

I describe what I have learned from a rather long career in psychology. My goal is to aid those younger than I to learn from my experience and avoid my mistakes. I discuss topics such as the damage that self-fulfilling prophecies can do, the importance of resilience, the need to overcome fear of failure, the importance of being flexible in one's goals and changing them as needed, the relevance of professional ethics, and the need to be wise and not just smart. In the end, we and our work are forgotten very quickly and one should realize that, after retirement, it likely will be one's family, not one's professional network, that provides one's main source of support and comfort.
Dynamic control of DEP actuation and droplet dispensing

Rapid dielectrophoretic (DEP) liquid actuation and dispensing of uniform aqueous droplets on a substrate are implemented for the first time in a silicon-based architecture. Using � 100 � Si wafers takes advantage of the high thermal conductivity and extensive semiconductor microfabrication capabilities of silicon. The structures employ a coplanar, three-electrode design to guarantee reproducible dispensing of multiple sessile droplets as small as ∼75 pl. A reduced-order dynamic model provides a predictive relation for the transient liquid motion, which is implemented in an open-loop dynamic control scheme to achieve repeatable production of anywhere from 1 to 23 droplets per structure by controlling voltage on-time. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Insights to vertical jumping from computer simulations

Un nouveau regard sur le saut vertical a travers la simulation numerique La performance maximale en saut vertical est un paradigme experimental tres utilise pour caracteriser la coordination musculo-squelettique. L’objectif de cet article de synthese est de montrer l’interet de la simulation numerique du mouvement humain a partir des resultats de trois etudes portant sur le saut vertical. Le modele utilise est un modele dynamique direct actionne par des muscles. Il simule la performance maximale de saut vertical humain dans le plan sagittal. La premiere etude montre comment un modele peut etre utilise pour elaborer des modifications techniques afin d’optimiser la performance. La seconde etude illustre comment les proprietes musculaires dicte la performance du saut. Enfin, la troisieme etude explique comment le balancement des membres superieurs influence la performance du saut. Les modeles sont, par definition, des representations erronees des systemes qu’ils imitent, mais malgre cela, ils constituent un outil puissant et un complement utile aux etudes experimentales pour l’etude de la coordination musculo-squelettique.
A Proteomic Analysis of Human Cilia Identification of Novel Components

Cilia play an essential role in protecting the respiratory tract by providing the force necessary for mucociliary clearance. Although the major structural components of human cilia have been described, a complete understanding of cilia function and regulation will require identification and characterization of all ciliary components. Estimates from studies of Chlamydomonas flagella predict that an axoneme contains ≥ 250 proteins. To identify all the components of human cilia, we have begun a comprehensive proteomic analysis of isolated ciliary axonemes. Analysis by two-dimensional (2-D) PAGE resulted in a highly reproducible 2-D map consisting of over 240 well resolved components. Individual protein spots were digested with trypsin and sequenced using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Peptide matches were obtained to 38 potential ciliary proteins by this approach. To identify ciliary components not resolved by 2-D PAGE, axonemal proteins were separated on a one-dimensional gel. The gel lane was divided into 45 individual slices, each of which was analyzed by LC/MS/MS. This experiment resulted in peptide matches to an additional 110 proteins. In a third approach, preparations of isolated axonemes were digested with Lys-C, and the resulting peptides were analyzed directly by LC/MS/MS or by multidimensional LC/MS/MS, leading to the identification of a further 66 proteins. Each of the four approaches resulted in the identification of a subset of the proteins present. In total, sequence data were obtained on over 1400 peptides, and over 200 potential axonemal proteins were identified. Peptide matches were also obtained to over 200 human expressed sequence tags. As an approach to validate the mass spectrometry results, additional studies examined the expression of several identified proteins (annexin I, sperm protein Sp17, retinitis pigmentosa protein RP1) in cilia or ciliated cells. These studies represent the first proteomic analysis of the human ciliary axoneme and have identified many potentially novel components of this complex organelle.
Study of hydrogen bonding and thermal properties of polybenzoxazine and poly-(?-caprolactone) blends

The thermal properties of physical blends containing benzoxazine monomer and polycaprolactone (PCL) were monitored by DSC and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The ring-opening reaction and subsequent polymerization reaction of the benzoxazine were facilitated significantly by the presence of a PCL modifier. Hydrogen-bond formation between the hydroxyl groups of polybenzoxazine and the carbonyl groups of PCL was evident from the FTIR spectra. Only one glass-transition temperture (Tg) value was found in the composition range investigated, and the Tg value of the resulting blend appeared to be higher in the blend with a greater amount of PCL. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 736–749, 2001
Adhesion of an aromatic thermosetting copolyester with copper foils

Copper foils have been widely used in microelectronic devices. Adequate adhesion between copper foils to various substrates, such as Si, SiO2, polyimide, is crucial to high performance of these devices. The adhesion between a new high temperature adhesive, aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP), and various copper foils, namely, zinc(Zn)-coated copper foil, copper foil and nickel (Ni)-coated copper foil was characterized by a 90° peel strength test. It was found that the peel strength of Zn-coated copper foil to ATSP was 1050 N/m, which was more than three times higher than copper foil and five times that of Ni-coated copper foil. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies indicated that this higher adhesion results from the stronger mechanical interlocking due to the rougher surface of Zn-coated copper foil, and from chemical reactions at the interface which occur during the curing process of ATSP on the Zn-coated copper surface. In contract to the adhesive failure at the ATSP/Cu and ATSP/Ni interfaces, the failure mechanism of ATSP/Zn is both cohesive and adhesive. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance analysis of persistent scheduling for VoIP in WiMAX networks

WiMAX networks based on Release 1.0 were known for efficient support of data traffic, but were considered inefficient for VoIP capacity, i.e. for supporting a large number of simultaneous VoIP users, due to large control overhead associated with VoIP. Persistent Scheduling is a mechanism that was adopted in Mobile WiMAX Release 1.5 to reduce MAP (control) overhead for VoIP traffic and improve VoIP capacity. This paper presents a performance analysis of persistent scheduling in WiMAX. Our simulation results show that persistent scheduling can increase VoIP Capacity by 15%.
Breaking the Chains?: Constraint and the Political Rhetoric of Religious Interest Groups

Some scholars of religious interest groups argue that one challenge facing religious groups in their pursuit of political goals is that they are unwilling or unable to compromise, which makes it difficult for them to operate strategically within the secular political environment. An alternate explanation is that the types of arguments religious groups use are multifaceted but do not filter into the public discourse. In this article, I examine the concept of constraint in the context of mediated debates of contentious political issues by looking at the extent to which religious and nonreligious groups differ in their development of argument frames. Compared with nonreligious groups, religious groups do display more evidence of constraint in mediated debates over public policies. Patterns of constraint relate to visibility, framing, group resources, and group purpose. More importantly, however, I find that the patterns of constraint have more to do with journalistic decisions to filter arguments made by religious groups than with the actual rhetorical strategies of religious groups.
Question of gauge for the description of two-photon transitions or light scattering when using incomplete sets

In the calculation of two-photon transition probabilities and related radiation-matter interaction problems, the "length" and "velocity" forms of the dipole interaction give results that can differe by many orders of magnitude if a complete set of exact eigenfunctions is not used. These differences have been illustrated in the case of the $1s\ensuremath{-}2s$ two-photon transition in hydrogen by Bassani, Forney, and Quattropani [Phys. Rev. Lett. 39, 1070 (1977)], and it was concluded by these authors that for this problem the length form of the interaction is far superior to the velocity form when an incomplete set of bound states is used. In order to remove the question of gauge and thereby to improve the accuracy of such calculations when a complete set of exact eigenfunctions is not available, this paper proposes a modified form of the second-order equation. The modified equation, which employs a unique average-frequency approximation, is derived through incorporation of a sum rule that is a direct result of gauge invariance. It contains the length and velocity forms as limiting cases, and, like those equations, is exact for a complete set. Conventional length or velocity equations violate this sum rule for an incomplete set, and therefore are subject to large errors. The use of this modified equation is illustrated for the $1s\ensuremath{-}2s$ transition of hydrogen. Using only the $2p$ state as the "set" of intermediate states, the modified equation yields results that for all photon energies are within 2% of the exact probability amplitudes. For the $1s\ensuremath{-}2s$ problem, the accuracy is comparable to that obtained from length- and velocity-form equations employing an ordinary average-frequency approximation and closure. Unlike the modified equation, however, these latter equations require a separate calcualtion of matrix elements of ${r}^{2}$ or ${p}^{2}$, which may be inconvenient for a many-electron system. The modified equation should therefore be useful when these matrix elements are not easy to calculate, or when the best gauge form for the problem is not known.
APPLICATION OF GENE AMPLIFICATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HYBRIDIZATION SENSOR FOR RAPID DETECTION OF SALMONELLA SPP. AND FECAL CONTAMINATION INDICATORS IN ANIMAL FEEDS

The rapid detection of pathogenic microbial species in feed is of paramount importance considering its implications for animal production and food safety. To demonstrate the feasibility of rapidly detecting Salmonella spp. and fecal pollution microbial indicators in feed using gene amplification protocols, commercial and mixed feed samples were inoculated with two levels of a marker strain of S. typhimurium. Liquid extracts of the feed samples were used as templates in gene amplification reactions to amplify sequences associated with fecal contamination indicators. The sequence specificity of the amplification products (amplicons) were confirmed using biotin and fluorescein labeled probes in a navel dual probe based hybridization sensor. Using the combination of gene amplification and the hybridization sensor, the presence of sequences associated with fecal contamination were detected in 15 different feed matrices without employing preenrichment steps. Using this detection methodology, fecal pollution can be confirmed in feed at naturally occurring concentrations. The study demonstrates that it is possible to rapidly detect and confirm the presence of pathogenic bacterial genera in feed matrices by combining robust gene amplification reactions with appropriate post amplification detection systems.
Fibulin-5 Is a Novel Binding Protein for Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase

The extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD) plays an important role in atherosclerosis and endothelial function by modulating levels of the superoxide anion (O2·−) in the extracellular space. Al...
Comprehensive Study on the Impact of Dielectric and Magnetic Loss on Performance of a Novel Flexible Magnetic Composite Material

This paper introduces a novel flexible magnetic composite material for RFID and wearable RF antennas. The critical issue of dielectric and magnetic losses combined is addressed for the first time for such a material in the UHF frequency band and is thoroughly investigated using a hybrid method including electromagnetic simulations and statistical tools. The successful implementation of the flexible magnetic composite material will enable the significant miniaturization of RF passives and antennas in UHF frequency bands, especially for applications requiring conformal modules that can be easily fine-tuned, while minimizing the decrease in performance due to losses.
The chromatin remodelers RSC and ISW1 display functional and chromatin-based promoter antagonism

ISWI family chromatin remodelers typically organize nucleosome arrays, while SWI/SNF family remodelers (RSC) typically disorganize and eject nucleosomes, implying an antagonism that is largely unexplored in vivo. Here, we describe two independent genetic screens for rsc suppressors that yielded mutations in the promoter-focused ISW1a complex or mutations in the 'basic patch' of histone H4 (an epitope that regulates ISWI activity), strongly supporting RSC-ISW1a antagonism in vivo. RSC and ISW1a largely co-localize, and genomic nucleosome studies using rsc isw1 mutant combinations revealed opposing functions: promoters classified with a nucleosome-deficient region (NDR) gain nucleosome occupancy in rsc mutants, but this gain is attenuated in rsc isw1 double mutants. Furthermore, promoters lacking NDRs have the highest occupancy of both remodelers, consistent with regulation by nucleosome occupancy, and decreased transcription in rsc mutants. Taken together, we provide the first genetic and genomic evidence for RSC-ISW1a antagonism and reveal different mechanisms at two different promoter architectures.
Unbiased and stable leakage-based adaptive filters

The paper develops a leakage-based adaptive algorithm, referred to as circular-leaky, which in addition to solving the drift problem of the classical least mean squares (LMS) adaptive algorithm, it also avoids the bias problem that is created by the standard leaky LMS solution. These two desirable properties of unbiased and bounded estimates are guaranteed by circular-leaky at essentially the same computational cost as LMS. The derivation in the paper relies on results from averaging theory and from Lyapunov stability theory, and the analysis shows that the above properties hold not only in infinite-precision but also in finite-precision arithmetic. The paper further extends the results to a so-called switching-/spl sigma/ algorithm, which is a leakage-based solution used in adaptive control.
BIMA V3: an aligner customized for mate pair library sequencing

Mate pair library sequencing is an effective and economical method for detecting genomic structural variants and chromosomal abnormalities. Unfortunately, the mapping and alignment of mate-pair read pairs to a reference genome is a challenging and time-consuming process for most next-generation sequencing alignment programs. Large insert sizes, introduction of library preparation protocol artifacts (biotin junction reads, paired-end read contamination, chimeras, etc.) and presence of structural variant breakpoints within reads increase mapping and alignment complexity. We describe an algorithm that is up to 20 times faster and 25% more accurate than popular next-generation sequencing alignment programs when processing mate pair sequencing.
Internal stress and degradation in short-wavelength AlGaAs double heterojunction devices

Aging tests of incoherently operated zinc-doped double-heterojunction (DH) lasers designed for short-wavelength (0.71-0.72 micron) operation show that the introduction of buffer layers between the substrate and the DH structure leads to a drastic reduction in gradual degradation. This is attributed to a decrease in lattice mismatch stress.
The Effect of Immigration from Mexico on Social Capital in the United States.

Has mass migration from Mexico since the 1980s contributed to a well-documented decline in US social capital? Theories linking ethnic diversity to lower social cohesion and participation (e.g., Put...
Uncertainty Quantification of Energy Harvesting Systems Using Method of Quadratures and Maximum Entropy Principle

This paper uses the method of Quadratures in conjunction with the Maximum Entropy principle to investigate the effect of parametric uncertainties on the mean power output and root mean square deflection of piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesting systems. Uncertainty in parameters of harvesters could arise from insufficient manufacturing controls or change in material properties over time. We investigate bimorph based harvesters that transduce ambient vibrations to electricity via the piezoelectric effect. Three varieties of energy harvesters — Linear, Nonlinear monostable and Nonlinear bistable are considered in this research.This analysis quantitatively shows the probability density function for the mean power and root mean square deflection as a function of the probability densities of the excitation frequency, excitation amplitude, initial deflection of the bimorph and magnet gap of the energy harvester. The method of Quadratures is used for numerically integrating functions by propagating weighted points from the domain and evaluating the integral as a weighted sum of the function values. In this paper, the method of Quadratures is used for evaluating central moments of the distributions of rms deflection and mean harvested power and, then, in conjunction with the principle of Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) an optimal density function is obtained which maximizes the entropy and satisfies the moment constraints. The The computed nonlinear density functions are validated against Monte Carlo simulations thereby demonstrating the efficiency of the approach. Further, the Maximum Entropy principle is widely applicable to uncertainty quantification of a wide range of dynamic systems.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Role of molecular testing in the multidisciplinary diagnostic approach of ichthyosis

The term ichthyosis describes a generalized disorder of cornification characterized by scaling and/or hyperkeratosis of different skin regions. Mutations in a broad group of genes related to keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal barrier function have been demonstrated to play a causative role in disease development. Ichthyosis may be classified in syndromic or non-syndromic forms based on the occurrence or absence of extracutaneous signs. In this setting, the diagnosis of ichthyosis is an integrated multistep process requiring a multidisciplinary approach in order to formulate the appropriate diagnostic hypothesis and to address the genetic testing. Due to the complex features of the different ichthyoses and the high number of genes involved we have investigated a group of 64 patients, affected by syndromic and non-syndromic diseases, using Next Generation Sequencing as a new tool for the molecular diagnosis. Using this innovative molecular approach we were able to find pathogenic mutations in 53 out of 64 patients resulting in 82.8 % total detection rate. An interesting result from the analysis of the data is the high rate of novel sequence variations found compared to known mutations and the relevant rate of homozygous mutations. The possibility to analyze a large number of genes associated with various diseases allows to study cases with phenotypes not well-determined, giving the opportunity to make new genotype-phenotype correlation. In some cases there were discrepancies between clinical features and histology or electron microscopy and only molecular analysis allowed to definitively resolve the diagnostic dilemma. The genetic diagnosis of ichthyosis leads to a more accurate and effective genetic counseling, allowing correct evaluation of the risk of recurrence, particularly in families with consanguineous background.
The Demographics of the American Contemporary Voter: The Possibility for the Re-Election of President Barack Obama and Realignment Politics

This paper is an outgrowth of a paper initially presented at the 2009 Oxford Roundtable and Alabama State University’s College of Arts and Sciences Research Symposium. The paper considers the changing demographics (i.e. the dominance of women in the labor force; the growth of minorities in the American population; the use of technology in campaigns and fundraising; early voting incentives and significant shifts in America’s traditional electoral map) in the American electorate. Such changes were identified as important in the election of America’s first African American President, Barak Obama. In addition to discussing the aforementioned factors that were crucial to the President’s 2008 victory, an analysis of the 2010 midterm elections will be forthcoming. Other political and electoral events will also be considered as the 2012 presidential election counts down. A previous effort with this paper led to a review of Alabama state politics. As a result of the 2010 midterm election all three branches of Alabama state government are controlled by the Republican Party. Although such an occurrence does not directly affect the 2010 presidential election, it too is noteworthy. However, the same results are noteworthy in North Carolina which was significant to Obama’s 2008 victory which represented significant shifts in America’s traditional electoral map. Prior to 2008 when the Democratic National Party won the presidency and significant numbers in Congress, the Republicans dominated the presidency in the 20th. century and in 1994 had won majorities in Congress and state and local governments. The Democrat’s 2008 victories and the dominance of the national Republican Party caused many to wonder if these events signaled periods of political Realignment. Realignment is a process in which a substantial group of voters switch party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape. Therefore, comments about Realignment may be forthcoming as this paper reconsiders the demographics that shaped the 2008 presidential election and assesses developing and potential considerations in American politics.
Why Taxpayers Are Noncompliant: Comments from 1997 Arkansas Tax Amnesty Participants

The authors surveyed 1997 Arkansas tax amnesty participants to learn why taxpayers are noncompliant. They found that many intentionally noncompliant respondents were due a refund from the state and believed that they therefore did not have to file. Additional public announcement of tax changes and aligning of state rules with federal rules might increase compliance, the authors say.
Testing and Modeling of a Miniature Air Compressor for a Prototype Free-Piston Engine

A miniature free-piston engine air compressor is under development as a portable compact power supply. The performance of the air compressor side of the device was measured by separating the compressor portion from the free-piston engine and bench testing it independently. The compressor was operated over a speed range of 1000 to 10,000 cycles per minute, and output mass flow of air was measured with a load pressure range of 0 to 415 kPa (0 to 60 psi) above ambient. Two thermodynamic models of the air compressor were created. The first divided the compressor cycle into four ideal gas processes. The second model simulated the cycle through many small steps, calculating the thermodynamic states iteratively using conservation of energy for an open system. Valve effects and leakage losses were included in both models. The models were validated by comparing the results with experimental data.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Analysis of the human zeta-globin gene promoter in transgenic mice

zeta-Globin is the embryonic form of the alpha chain of hemoglobin. Transgenic mice generated with zeta-globin constructs containing the zeta-globin gene, 557 bp of 5′ flanking sequence, and 2-kb of 3′ flanking sequence linked to the beta-globin locus control region hypersensitive site 2 (HS2) expressed human zeta-globin only in embryonic yolk sac erythroid tissue, and not in definitive erythroid tissue in the fetal liver or in adult peripheral blood. To determine what sequences in the 5′ flanking region of the zeta-globin gene might be important for developmental specificity, a series of 5′ deletion constructs of the zeta-globin gene were made and used to generate transgenic mice. The 5′ ends of these constructs were located 417, 207, and 128 bp 5′ to the zeta-globin transcriptional start site, and HS2 was included to increase the level of erythroid-specific expression. In all lines of mice tested, human zeta-globin was expressed only in embryonic tissue, and not in fetal livers or in adult peripheral blood. Expression was independent of copy number and appeared to be dependent on the site of transgene insertion. These data suggest that the proximal 128 bp of the zeta-globin promoter is sufficient to properly regulate zeta-globin expression during development.
Ludic Ubuntu: An Appeal Toward Transformative Justice

Providing a vision for moving from (mass) incarceration to an abolitionist penal future with the concept of Ludic Ubuntu. South African philosopher Mogobe Ramose says that Westerners have the strange habit of “being in time,” in other words, of being ruled by time; Africans, by contrast, used to “make time.” Prisoners are told and have internalized the punitive aspect of “doing time.” Nowhere else does one “do time;” and yet, calendars are forbidden in prison (in the U.S.). So, the punishment, even if it lasts a few days, feels eternal; it feels even worse when committed to the “box” (solitary confinement).
Schedule-induced polydipsia: Effects of providing an alternate reinforced response and of introducing a lick-contingent delay in food delivery

In Experiment 1, rats exhibited polydipsia on a concurrent spaced-response, variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement for bar presses on two bars, indicating that even the availability of a reinforcement schedule (VR) that encourages high and steady bar-pressing rates does not eliminate the polydipsia induced by the spacing of food. In Experiment 2, rats developed polydipsia in response to a spaced-food schedule, even though every water lick delayed food delivery for 30–60 sec, indicating that the development of polydipsia does not depend on adventitious food reinforcement.
Combuthal as an Anesthetic for Baby Chicks

ABSTRACT LITERATURE dealing with the specific problem of anesthesia in poultry is rather meager. Schwarte (1945) stated that anesthesia is becoming more important because of the expanding field of poultry research. Volatile anesthetics, such as ether and chloroform, have been studied by Bachrach (1954), Gandel (1956), and Lee (1953), who found them unsatisfactory because of the peculiar anatomical structure of the avian respiratory system. The air sacs apparently retain the vapor of chloroform and ether which is rapidly absorbed into the system. This makes proper control of anesthesia impossible, with the result that most birds die of respiratory failure. These respiratory air sacs, according to Hazelhoff (1951), are connected to the lungs by way of the mesobronchi and secondary bronchi. Other connections to the lungs are provided by the recurrent bronchi, which bud off from the proximal ends of all the sacs and extend back to the lungs, where they anastamose . . .
Digital Disparities: The Persistent Digital Divide as Related to Health Information Access on the Internet

There is a vast amount of health information on the Internet, although certain underserved U.S. populations still lack equal access to this information. This digital divide pertains not only to computer and Internet access, but also to issues related to appropriate content. Some view the Internet as one solution to eliminating health disparities, although barriers such as education, income and cost, age, location, literacy, and content contribute to a persistent digital divide. Many solutions to this problem have been proposed, but the situation still warrants further study before eHealth strategies and interventions can be effectively implemented to a wider community.
Thermal Requirements for Development of the Parasite Microctonus aethiopoides

The thermal requirements for development of Microctonus aethiopoides Loan were studied under laboratory and field conditions. Laboratory studies indicated that the threshold temperature for development of M. aethiopoides larval and pupal stages was 8.4°C (47.2°F). The relationship between temperature and duration in days for development was linear within the range of temperatures supporting complete development (r2 = 0.97). Averages of 222 and 240 Fahrenheit degree days (F°D) were required for development of the larval and pupal stages, respectively. Larval plus pupal development required an average of 469 F°D. Degree days in the field were accumulated beginning 1 January, and based on a threshold for development of 47.2°F. During 2 years of study, 50% of the first and second generations emerged when means of 463 and 484 F°D, respectively, had accumulated. These data validated the use of °D, as computed in the laboratory, to forecast periodicity of M. aethiopoides adults in the field. The ability to predict parasite development would be helpful for collecting, rearing, and further releases of this insect in the field. This information would also be useful in timing of insecticide sprays to avoid the demise of the parasites.
Bariatric Surgery Candidates' Peer and Romantic Relationships and Associations with Health Behaviors.

The aim was to assess the romantic and peer relationships of bariatric surgery candidates and associations with health behaviors. Adults seeking bariatric surgery (N = 120) completed surveys addressing health behaviors and social relationships at information sessions. Analysis was done to compare male/female differences in peer and romantic relationships and associations with health behaviors. Previously published reference (REF) data on the Relationship Structures questionnaire was used for comparison, and to split our sample into those ≤ or > REF mean for relationship anxiety and avoidance. Our sample reported higher avoidance and lower anxiety in their close friendships and romantic relationships compared to the REF sample. Men in our sample had higher peer and romantic relationships avoidance compared to the REF sample and had significantly higher close friendship avoidance than women in our sample. Participants with lower anxiety in their romantic relationships (≤ REF) had higher uncontrolled eating and physical activity; those with more anxiety in their romantic relationships (> REF) had a higher BMI. Our findings highlight the potential influence that social relationships may have on health behaviors within the bariatric surgery population. Further investigation is warranted to explore male bariatric surgery candidates’ relationships to inform understanding and intervention development.
A Conceptual History of Personality Psychology

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the personality psychology that became an identifiable discipline in the social sciences in 1930. During that decade a number of separate lines of inquiry came together, culminating in the highly integrated programs for the field generated by Allport in 1937, Murray in 1938, and Lewin in 1935. Personality psychology was a dissident field in the context of American experimental psychology. Personality was holistic taking the whole person, as the primary unit of study. American learning theory focused on the relations between external stimuli and publicly observable responses in rats and other animals. Personality concerned itself with the problem of human motivation, conceived in terms of unobservable dynamics and promptings from within. Experimental psychologists searched for universal laws applicable to all individuals. Personality focused on the way people were different from each other as well as the way they were alike. In addition, personality psychology invited collaborations with a wide variety of disciplines lying outside the mainstream of American experimental psychology. These included psychoanalysis and other depth psychologies, such as mental testing and abnormal psychology. Personality psychology is treated as a discipline that has its own distinguishing features. Three of these put emphasis on the whole person, motivation and dynamics, and individual differences.
Trends in NRMP Data from 2007-2014 for U.S. Seniors Matching into Emergency Medicine.

Introduction Since 1978, the NRMP has published data demonstrating characteristics of applicants that have matched into their preferred specialty in the NRMP main residency match. This data has been published approximately every two years. There is limited information about trends within this published data for students matching into emergency medicine (EM). Our objective was to investigate and describe trends in NRMP data to include the ratio of applicants to available EM positions, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores (compared to the national means), number of programs ranked, and AOA membership among US seniors matching into EM. Methods This was a retrospective observational review of NRMP data published between 2007 and 2016. The data was analyzed using ANOVA and Fischer’s exact to determine statistical significance. Results The ratio of applicants to available EM positions remained essentially stable from 2007 to 2014, but did increase slightly in 2016. A net upward trend in overall Step 1 and Step 2 scores for EM applicants was observed. However, this did not outpace the national trend increase in Step 1 and 2 scores overall. There was no statistical difference in the mean number of programs ranked by EM applicants among the years studied (p=0.93). Among time intervals, there was a difference in the number of EM applicants with AOA membership (p=0.043) due to a drop in the number of AOA students in 2011. No sustained statistical trend was identified over the 7-year period studied. Conclusion NRMP data demonstrate trends among EM applicants that are similar to national trends in other specialties for USMLE board scores, and stability in number of programs ranked and AOA membership. EM does not appear to have become more competitive relative to other specialties or previous years in these categories.