cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diel vertical migration in zooplankton: field evidence in support of the predator avoidance hypothesis

We report results of a field test of the predator avoidance hypothesis as an explanation of the adaptive significance of diel vertical migration in zooplankton. We determined the vertical distribution and diel migration of the planktonic copepod Acartia hudsonica, concurrently with the abundance of pelagic fish, transparency and thermal stratification of the water column, on six cruises over a one year period in a temperate marine lagoon (Jakles Lagoon, San Juan Island, Washington, USA). Striking seasonal variability was observed in all biological and environmental variables. Linear regressions of the strength of diel vertical migration in A. hudsonica on these environmental variables resulted in only one statistically significant relationship, that between copepod diel vertical migration and predator abundance. These results, together with those of previous studies, point to diel vertical migration as a widespread behavioral response of planktonic prey to the presence of their predators.
The reliability and validity of pain interference measures in persons with spinal cord injury.

Abstract The current study compared the psychometric properties of 2 commonly used measures of pain-related interference, the Graded Chronic Pain (GCP) Disability scale and 3 modified versions of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Interference scale. Participants were 127 persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) who reported pain on a survey. The results suggest that the GCP Disability scale and 3 versions of the BPI Interference scale are reliable and valid measures of pain-related interference in persons with SCI and pain. All 4 measures evidenced excellent internal consistency. The composite scores and individual items of the GCP Disability scale and each version of the BPI Interference scale were significantly related to average pain intensity during the past week and a global measure of psychological functioning. Finally, as pain intensity ratings increased (from mild to moderate to severe), so did the composite and item-level ratings of interference for each version of the BPI Interference scale and GCP Disability scale. Strengths and weaknesses of each measure for use with persons with disability and pain are discussed. Perspective The GCP Disability scale and 3 versions of the BPI Interference scale (modified for use in persons with disabilities) appear to be reliable and valid measures of pain-related interference in persons with SCI. Future research should examine their psychometric properties in other disability populations.
VLSI design and verification of the Imagine processor

The Imagine stream processor is a 21 million transistor chip implemented by a collaboration between Stanford University and Texas Instruments in a 1.5 V 0.15 /spl mu/m process with five layers of aluminum metal. The VLSI design, clocking, and verification methodologies for the Imagine processor are presented. These methodologies enabled a small team of graduate students with limited resources to design a high-performance media processor in a modern ASIC flow.
AmpC Disk Test for Detection of Plasmid-Mediated AmpC β-Lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae Lacking Chromosomal AmpC β-Lactamases

Although plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases were first reported in the late 1980s, many infectious disease personnel remain unaware of their clinical importance. These enzymes are typically produced by isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus mirabilis, and Salmonella spp. and are associated with multiple antibiotic resistance that leaves few therapeutic options. Plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases have been associated with false in vitro susceptibility to cephalosporins. Many laboratories do not test for this resistance mechanism because current tests are inconvenient, subjective, lack sensitivity and/or specificity, or require reagents that are not readily available. In this study a new test, the AmpC disk test, based on filter paper disks impregnated with EDTA, was found to be a highly sensitive, specific, and convenient means of detection of plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases in organisms lacking a chromosomally mediated AmpC β-lactamase. Using cefoxitin insusceptibility as a screen, the test accurately distinguished AmpC and extended-spectrum β-lactamase production and differentiated AmpCs from non-β-lactamase mechanisms of cefoxitin insusceptibility, such as reduced outer membrane permeability. The test is a potentially useful diagnostic tool. It can provide important infection control information and help to ensure that infected patients receive appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Quantitative Analysis of Consistency in NoSQL Key-Value Stores

The promise of high scalability and availability has prompted many companies to replace traditional relational database management systems RDBMS with NoSQL key-value stores. This comes at the cost of relaxed consistency guarantees: key-value stores only guarantee eventual consistency in principle. In practice, however, many key-value stores seem to offer stronger consistency. Quantifying how well consistency properties are met is a non-trivial problem. We address this problem by formally modeling key-value stores as probabilistic systems and quantitatively analyzing their consistency properties by statistical model checking. We present for the first time a formal probabilistic model of Apache Cassandra, a popular NoSQL key-value store, and quantify how much Cassandra achieves various consistency guarantees under various conditions. To validate our model, we evaluate multiple consistency properties using two methods and compare them against each other. The two methods are: 1 an implementation-based evaluation of the source code; and 2 a statistical model checking analysis of our probabilistic model.
Theorizing the Deep Parallel between Goffman and Freud: Goffman's Interaction Order as a Social-structural Underpinning of Psychoanalytic Concepts of the Self

A dialectical reading of Goffman and Freud connects the Interaction Order to the psychoanalytic conception of the self and thereby open up new possibilities of interpretation and transformation. Goffman’s concept of the Interaction Order enables us to understand more clearly the Freudian concepts of superego, ego-ideal, and the introjected Father. Next, we draw out the dramaturgical approach of both Goffman and Freud in terms of performing self and performing illness and discuss how the psychoanalytic reading of Goffman’s work sheds light on the formation of neuroses and the neurotic symptoms which Freud characterized as a type of performance. Here we link Freud’s “symptoms” to Goffman’s modes of disordered or flawed modes of interaction, specifically hysteria connected to havoc and obsessive compulsive disorder connected to hyperritualization. This dialectical reading allows us to rethink notions of sociality and thereby opens new possibilities for constituting the relation between the self and the social.
Statistical Theory of Equations of State and Phase Transitions. I. Theory of Condensation

A theory of equations of state and phase transitions is developed that describes the condensed as well as the gas phases and the transition regions. The thermodynamic properties of an infinite sample are studied rigorously and Mayer's theory is re-examined.
Solid State Structure of Bis[(bromo)(dicyclopentadienyl)vanadium(μ2-fluoro)][(bromo)(cyclopentadienyl)vanadium][tetrafluoroborate]

The new complex [V(C 5 H 5 ) 2 Br] 2 (μ 2 -F) 2 [V(C 5 H 5 )Br]+[BF 4 ] − has been isolated from the reaction of vanadocene monobromide with the ferrocenium cation. The complex is a mixed valence compound composed of two V(IV) and one V(III) centers.The V(III) center has one cyclopentadienyl ligand in its coordination sphere, as well as a bromide and two fluoride ligands. Each fluoride ligand is also attached to one of the V(IV) centers, which additionally is coordinated by a bromide and two cyclopentadienyl ligands. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2 1 /m, with a = 7.66490(10)A, b = 15.2457(2)A, c = 13.3185(2)A, and β = 101.2721(8)° at 150(1) K.
Finding the N-cuts of Watershed Partitions for Image Segmentation

The normalized cut (N-cut) algorithm uses an algebraic graph optimization technique for image segmentation. Although N-cut produces good results for a variety of images, it has some weaknesses, such as high computational cost and sub-optimal partitions. In this paper we adopt the watershed transform to address these problems. Watershed can improve slow computing speed and produce closed object boundaries. However, watershed itself has the drawback of over-segmentation. Therefore, we propose to first apply watershed, then build a graph from the watershed regions, and find the N-cuts of the watershed region graph to improve segmentation accuracy. The objective of this paper is two-fold; the first goal is to reduce the complexity of this problem by optimizing region-based graph structures. The second goal is to validate the performance of the existing and proposed methods, and to test the hypothesis that region-based analysis reduces the complexity of optimization problem and improves segmentation accuracy.
How to Do More with Words. Two Views of (Musical) Ekphrasis

This essay is about ekphrasis and the possibility of musical ekphrasis in particular. It shows how ekphrasis came to be bound up with the contest of the arts. By juxtaposing an ancient, description-based view of ekphrasis with a modern work-to-work view, we are led to see the many productive ways in which ekphrasis has engaged the arts, including music, without assuming hard and fast distinctions of medium between the different arts.
Research of Pelvic Floor Anatomy in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction by Dynamic and Static MRI

Objective:To Compare the alterations of pelvic floor anatomy and function between the normal female and pelvic floor dysfunction(PFD) patients,to explore the relationship of PFD with specific pelvic floor anatomy abnormality,and to supply the objective bases for the pelvic floor reconstruction surgery.Methods:46 patients with PFD were recruited from January 2008 and march 2009,including 24 patients with pelvic organ prolapse(POP),10 patients with stress urinary incontinence(SUI),12 patients with both symptomes.14 normal women were enrolled as control group.The dynamic and static values of the areas of iliococcygeus,pubococcygeus and puborectalis,the widths of levator hiatus,the urethrovesical angle,the length of H-line and M-line,the levator angle were compared between PFD and control group.Results:The static areas of iliococcygeus,pubococcygeus and puborectalis were larger than those under dynamic status,while the dynamic width of levator hiatus was larger than that under static status in PFD group(P 0.05).However,no marked changes of these markers were found in control group(P 0.05).The urethrovesical angle,the length of Hline and M-line in PFD group were significantly larger than those in control group,while the levator angle in PFD group was smaller than that in control group(P 0.05).Conclusions:MRI can clearly show the anatomy and function changes of pelvic floor,and the abnormality of levator ani muscle in structure and function is associated with PFD.
Arterial vascularization of the soft tissues of the hand.

The central area of the palm contains a triangular zone which is poorly vascularized. Because of the paucity of blood vessels, extensive undermining of this flap may invite delayed wound healing or frank necrosis. Appreciation of this important anatomical weakness has led the authors to adopt the principles of limited undermining of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the palm or, following undermining of an extensive degree, the primary excision of nsomn-viable marginial tissue and coverage by skin grafts or pedicled flaps.
Prediction of graft-versus-host disease by phenotypic analysis of early immune reconstitution after CD6-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Because GVHD is frequently refractory to treatment, the early identification of high-risk patients could have significant clinical value. To identify such patients, we examined early immunologic recovery in 136 patients with hematologic malignancies who received anti-T12 (CD6)-purged allogeneic bone marrow over a 9-year period. The majority of patients received marrow from HLA-matched sibling donors after ablation with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. No patients received any immune suppressive medications for GVHD prophylaxis. The fraction and absolute numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) expressing the CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD56 surface antigens were determined weekly by immunofluorescence analysis in patients beginning 8 to 14 days (week 2) after marrow infusion. Results in patients who did or did not subsequently develop GVHD post-BMT were compared. Within 2 weeks of marrow infusion, patients who developed grades 2–4 GVHD had significantly higher percentages and absolute numbers of CD8+ T cells and a lower fraction of CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells than individuals who remained free of GVHD. Thirty-five percent of patients whose PBL were greater than 25% CD8+ in the second posttransplant week developed GVHD, compared with only 3% of patients who had < or = 25% CD8+ cells (odds ratio 37.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1 to 397). A subgroup of patients at very high risk for GVHD could be identified based on the combined frequency of CD8+ T cells and NK cells in blood. Seventy-five percent of patients with greater than 25% CD8+ cells and < or = 45% CD56+ cells during week 2 post-BMT developed GVHD, compared with only 11% of the remaining patients (odds ratio 24.9; 95% CI, 5.3 to 117.0). None of the 23 patients with both less than 25% CD8+ cells and greater than 45% CD56+ cells in the second posttransplant week developed grades 2–4 GVHD. Our findings indicate that CD8+ T cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of GVHD in humans. Analysis of immune reconstitution early after BMT is useful in predicting the onset of GVHD and can help direct the implementation of treatment strategies before the appearance of clinical manifestations. Such interventions may decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with allogeneic BMT and ultimately improve overall survival.
Photoionization in developing low temperature plasma streamer discharges in air

Experimental investigation of the vacuum and extreme ultraviolet emission spectra of gas discharges (i.e. low temperature plasmas) in the developmental phase was completed. These experiments confirm the often conjectured conclusion that molecular nitrogen transitions of sufficiently short wavelength are responsible for photoionization of molecular oxygen [1]. By varying the gas used in the experiments, Trienekens et al. were able to show that sub-100 nm emission predominantly originates from molecular nitrogen [2]. More refined experiments in air revealed transitions from the c4'1Σ +u excited state of N2 to be the primary contributor to sub-100 nm emission. This directly contradicts the common assumption that transitions from the b1nu and b'1Σ +u excited states of N2 (i.e. Birge-Hopfield transitions) are the primary contributors to photoionization in air. The efficacy of this conclusion was further benchmarked using a theoretical model of plasma development where it was observed that transitions from the c4'1Σ +u excited state of N2 did in fact provide sufficient emission to support positive streamer formation.
Variability in Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 virulence and biofilm-forming properties generated by prophage-related genome alterations

S toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) carry numerous prophage scattered throughout their genome; for instance, the Sakai reference strain encodes 18 prophage elements, many of which are degenerate. By definition, STEC carry 1 or more copies of Shiga toxin (stx) like genes on lambdoid prophage inserted at specific genomic sites. Prophage carrying stx2 often insert in wrb, while stx1 often inhabits the proximal portion of the mlrA gene, an essential transcription factor for full expression of csgD, the central regulator of curli fimbriae and E. coli biofilms. UV light and DNA damaging chemicals can activate prophage genes and induce prophage elements to enter the lytic phase. As such, prophage elements can have a profound effect on both pathogenicity and stress resistance. These effects are mediated not only by additions to the bacterial gene complement, but also by imposing regulatory effects on the expression of genes encoded in the bacterial genome and other prophage, as well as through direct positional effects on the genes surrounding insertion sites. We have identified variants with increased biofilm-forming abilities that arise within growing serotype O157:H7 populations. Parent/variant comparisons have identified several favored mechanisms responsible for the phenotypic changes. Using WGS and transcriptomic analyses, we identified differentially-expressed prophage and genomic genes that accompany these changes. We have also mapped differences in prophage gene patterns associated with stress and virulence genes under varying concentrations of DNA damaging antimicrobial agents. Collectively, these studies have help define novel ways that STEC modulate their stress and virulence properties.
Palaeontology: Dividing the dinosaurs.

The standard dinosaur evolutionary tree has two key branches: the 'bird-hipped' Ornithischia and the 'reptile-hipped' Saurischia. A revised tree challenges many ideas about the relationships between dinosaur groups. See Article p.501 For decades, dinosaurs have been divided into two universally accepted groups: the Saurischia, including the carnivorous theropods such as Tyrannosaurus rex and the giant sauropods such as Diplodocus, and the Ornithschia, including the ornithopods such as Iguanodon and armored dinosaurs such as Triceratops and Stegosaurus. However, approaches to dinosaur phylogeny may have taken these two groups for granted. A new hypothesis that includes neglected early ornithischians proposes a radical realignment in which sauropods are grouped with the early, carnivorous herrerasaurs, while ornithischians are grouped with theropods. If this new view of the dinosaur evolutionary tree is confirmed, not only will diagrams of dinosaur diversification require an overhaul, but museum displays the world over will have to be rearranged.
Modeling of downstream heating in melt electrospinning of polymers

In this study, both modeling and experimental approaches are used to demonstrate that downstream volumetric heating of electrospun fibers during melt electrospinning can result in markedly decreased fiber diameters. Previous melt electrospinning techniques were limited to production of micron-sized fibers. This is because high viscosity and low electrical conductivity of the polymer melt coupled with rapid heat loss to the surroundings resulted in solidification of the jet before it had been significantly stretched by the electric field. In our study, we utilize a model for non-isothermal melt electrospinning in the presence of a volumetric heat source. Our simulation results demonstrate that downstream heating does reduce the fiber diameter, and is therefore a feasible approach for resolving the limitations of melt electrospinning. In addition, our model has also been used to capture the effect of the surrounding temperature, which affects the thinning of the fiber through surface rather than volumetric interactions. Finally, melt electrospinning experiments are utilized to validate the model predictions for downstream heating. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017
A velocity/stress mixed stabilized nodal finite element for elastodynamics: Analysis and computations with strongly and weakly enforced boundary conditions

Abstract A new nodal mixed finite element is proposed for the simulation of linear elastodynamics and wave propagation problems in time domain. Our method is based on equal-order interpolation discrete spaces for both the velocity (or displacement) and stress (or strain) tensor variables. The mixed form is derived using either the velocity/stress or velocity/strain pair of unknowns, the latter being instrumental in extensions of the method to nonlinear mechanics. The proposed approach works equally well on hexahedral or tetrahedral grids and, for this reason, it is suitable for time-domain engineering applications in complex geometry. The peculiarity of the proposed approach is the use of the rate form of the stress update equation, which yields a set of governing equations with the structure of a non-dissipative space/time Friedrichs’ system. We complement standard traction boundary conditions for the stress with strongly and weakly enforced boundary conditions for the velocity (or displacement). Weakly enforced boundary conditions are particularly suitable when considering complex geometrical shapes, because they do not require dedicated data structures for the imposition of the boundary degrees of freedom, but, rather, they utilize the structure of the variational formulation. We also show how the framework of weakly enforced boundary conditions can be used to develop variational forms for multi-domain simulations of heterogeneous media. A complete analysis including stability and convergence proofs is included, in the case of a space–time variational approach. A series of computational tests are used to demonstrate and verify the performance of the proposed approach.
Pollen wall degradation in the Brassicaceae permits cell emergence after pollination.

Premise of the study Despite attempts to degrade the sporopollenin in pollen walls, this material has withstood a hundred years of experimental treatments and thousands of years of environmental attack in insects and soil. We present evidence that sporopollenin, nonetheless, locally degrades only minutes after pollination in Arabidopsis thaliana flowers, and describe here a two-part pollen germination mechanism in A. thaliana involving both chemical weakening of the exine wall and swelling of the underlying intine. Methods We explored naturally occurring components from pollen and stigma surfaces and found a tripartite mix of hydrogen peroxide, peroxidase and catalase enzymes (all at high levels at the pollination interface) to be experimentally sufficient to degrade the sporopollenin of some Brassicaceae family members. Key results At pollination, factors carried on the pollen surface may mix with factors on the stigma surface in a reaction that locally oxidizes the exine pollen wall. Hydrogen peroxide, catalases, and peroxidases are biologically present at the right time and place and, when mixed experimentally, are sufficient to degrade the walls of susceptible pollen. Conclusions Our work on native biochemistry for breaching sporopollenin suggests new research directions in pollen aperture evolution and could aid efforts to analyze sporopollenin's composition, needed for application of this corrosion-resistant, but long-intractable material.
SiC fiber strength after low pO2 oxidation

Hi-NicalonTM-S SiC fiber was heat-treated for one hour at 1300, 1400, and 1500°C in argon with pO2 of 3.7, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 ppm. Fiber strengths were measured by 30 single-filament tensile tests. Fiber microstructure and surface morphology were characterized by TEM. Active oxidation occurred in all cases except at 1500°C with 200 ppm pO2, 1400°C with 100 ppm pO2 or higher, and 1300°C with 50 ppm pO2 or higher. When active oxidation did not occur, a glass SiO2 scale formed at 1300 and 1400°C, and a cristobalite scale formed at 1500°C. The thickness of these scales was much larger than that predicted by linear dependence of oxidation rate on pO2. Fiber strengths were lowest after heat-treatment at 1300°C and a pO2 of 3.7 ppm, 1400°C and a pO2 of 20 ppm, and 1500°C and a pO2 of 200 ppm. Active oxidation caused fiber surface roughening, but no obvious changes to the internal fiber microstructure. Decreased fiber strength correlated with increased fiber surface roughness, but roughness magnitudes were not large enough to explain the amount by which strength was degraded. Fiber strengths, surface roughness, scale thicknesses, and the passive-active oxidation transition for SiC are compared with previous observations. Possible strength degradation mechanisms are discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Resilience to a Cyber-Attack on the Detroit Automobile Industry : A Computable General Equilibrium Approach

The overall objective of this research is to improve risk management for cyber-threats among both private and public sectors through better understanding of the economic consequence of cyber-attacks and the benefits of various cyber resilience tactics in reducing these consequences. This is carried out in 3 stages: 1) estimation of direct effectiveness and costs of post-attack cyber resilience tactics; 2) adaptation of a state-of-the-art economic impact modeling approach to estimate cyber-attack consequences and resilience potential at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic levels; and 3) an empirical assessment of cyber-resilience in the U.S. Automobile Industry using the economic model to provide insights for decision makers to enhance resilience to cyber-attacks.
A Collaborator's Reputation Can Bias Decisions and Anxiety under Uncertainty.

Informational social influence theory posits that under conditions of uncertainty, we are inclined to look to others for advice. This leaves us remarkably vulnerable to being influenced by other's opinions or advice. Rational agents, however, do not blindly seek and act on arbitrary information, but often consider the quality of its source before committing to a course of action. Here, we ask the question of whether a collaborator's reputation can increase their social influence and, in turn bias perception and anxiety under changing levels of uncertainty. Human male and female participants were asked to provide estimations of dot direction using the random dot motion (RDM) perceptual discrimination task and paired with transient collaborators of high or low reputation whom provided their own estimations. The RDM varied in degrees of uncertainty and joint performance accuracy was linked to risk of an electric shock. Despite providing identical information, we show that collaborating with a high reputation compared to a low reputation partner, led to significantly more conformity during the RDM task for uncertain perceptual decisions. Consequently, high reputation partners decreased the subjects' anxiety during the anticipatory shock periods. fMRI data showed that parametric changes in conformity resulted in increased activity in the ventromedial PFC, while dissent was associated with increased in activity the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Furthermore, the dACC and insula, regions involved in anticipatory pain were significantly more active when collaborating with a low reputation partner. These results suggest that information about reputation can influence both cognitive and affective processes and in turn alter the neural circuits that underlie decision-making and emotion.
Clinical Psychology: A Potential Pool for Recruitment

In order to test the hypothesis that clinical psychologists might be a potential pool for recruitment into psychiatry, 126 clinical psychology graduate students and 81 psychiatry residents were surveyed. These groups are similar, particularly in their self descriptions, their interest in human motivation, and their perception of emotional difficulties in themselves and family members. These similarities could mean that the two groups represent a common pool of students that could be recruited into either profession. Since the mean age of decision for psychologists was nineteen, psychiatry must have an influence on these potential recruits in high school or early in college.
Stability boundaries for fluid-conveying pipes with flexible support under axial load

The interaction of fluid velocity and axial load on the instability of a pipe is investigated. The downstream end of the pipe is free and the upstream end is pinned with a rotational spring. For an infinite spring stiffness, the system reduces to a cantilevered pipe. Flutter or divergence instability may occur, depending on the combination of velocity and load. Results are obtained by direct numerical solution of the governing equations. An approximate procedure based on a variational principle is also presented. The effects of the axial load, spring stiffness, and mass parameter are studied, and the results are compared to the standard case of a cantilevered pipe without axial load.
Opioid Antagonists in the Treatment of Pathological Gambling and Kleptomania

This chapter reviews the current knowledge of the clinical characteristics, associated psychopathology, family history, and neurobiology of pathological gambling and kleptomania. This chapter also presents study results of the pharmacological use of opioid antagonists in treating these disorders.
“… with interpersonal and project skills for all”: Integrating Project Management and Organizational Behavior Instruction

We explain the journey that led to our development of a course for all undergraduate business majors that combines the teaching of “hard” and “soft” skills needed in projects. In this class, we use group projects to provide a practice field for the project management skills (e.g., developing a scope statement, creating and assigning tasks, tracking and reporting progress) as well as the interpersonal skills needed for successful projects. Interpersonal skills taught are those typically found in an organizational behavior class, for example: active listening, managing diversity, managing conflict, communication, effective team meetings, and dealing with underperforming team members. We share our course syllabus, strategies for course materials and staffing the class, as well as outcomes and lessons learned from our first time teaching the course in Summer 2012. We also share our vision for further elements that can be developed to support our mission of “interpersonal and project skills for all” students, faculty, and staff.
Enhanced Performance of PDPP3T/ ${\rm PC}_{60}{\rm BM}$ Solar Cells Using High Boiling Solvent and UV - Ozone Treatment

Using higher temperature without any additives, poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole-terthiophene) was successfully dissolved with PC60BM in a commonly used high-boiling point solvent namely chlorobenzene (CB). Use of CB allowed us to heat the blend solution at a higher temperature, which leads to improved nanoscale phase separation between donor and acceptor, which is important for an efficient exciton dissociation. Devices were fabricated in both regular and inverted bulk heterojunction structure for comparison by spin coating an active layer. Inverted structure solar cells exhibited higher power conversion efficiency than regular structure with significant improvement in current density, possibly attributed to increased light absorption in the active layer due to less parasitic absorption in the PEDOT:PSS and the Ca layer, which were used in normal structures. Furthermore, ultraviolet (UV) ozone treatment of ZnO film improved the solar cell performance. A UV ozone treatment of 5 min was found to be the optimal time resulting in the highest device efficiency (4.45%) with short circuit current density of 9.3 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage of 0.69, and fill factor 69.5% without the need for any solvent additives.
Renal Dysfunction and Recovery following Initial Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma.

Introduction. Renal insufficiency (RI) in Multiple Myeloma (MM) portends a higher tumor burden and worse prognosis. Reversal of RI in newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) improves patient outcomes, but it is unknown if there is a disparity in renal recovery in NDMM between African Americans (AA) and non-African Americans. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 690 patients with NDMM at Rush University Medical Center from 2005 to 2016. 118 patients (59 AA and 59 non-AA) with NDMM and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 at the time of diagnosis were identified and analyzed. The time to best renal response and best eGFR achieved during initial myeloma therapy were tabulated. Results. Median eGFR at the time of diagnosis was similar between the AA and non-AA groups (47.89 versus 51.95, p=0.56). Median absolute change in eGFR after initial therapy was significantly higher in the AA (+33.64) versus the non-AA group (+21.07, p=0.00183). This difference remained whether the baseline eGFR at diagnosis was <90 or <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Discussion. AA patients with NDMM treated in the era of novel agents have greater improvement in renal function in comparison to non-AA patients, regardless of myeloma response. The biological underpinnings for this disparity require further investigation.
A Retrospective Study of Patient Outcomes After Temporomandibular Joint Replacement With Alloplastic Total Joint Prosthesis at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Purpose Disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) occur frequently, with a prevalence of 15 to 18%. Total joint replacement (TJR) surgery is indicated for severe joint damage associated with impaired function, pain, or occlusal change for which other treatments have been unsuccessful. The aim of this study was to assess changes in pain and range of motion (ROM), as well as postoperative complications and comorbidities, in patients receiving TJR surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Patients and Methods This study is a retrospective review that describes the clinical variables in patients after alloplastic TMJ reconstruction performed at MGH from 2000 to 2015. Clinical variables included primary diagnosis; number of previous surgical procedures; comorbidities; preoperative and postoperative pain; preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative ROM; and complications. Results Data were obtained from 95 patients undergoing a total of 108 surgical procedures, with an average follow-up period of 4.48 ± 3.38 years. The most common primary indications for TJR were ankylosis (44%) and inflammatory disease (23%). The maximum interincisal opening improved by a mean of 7.7 ± 10.27 mm, and pain decreased by a mean of 1.5 ± 3.29 points on a visual analog scale. Transient facial nerve palsy (25%) was the most common postoperative complication; however, long-term complications were rare. The most frequent comorbidities were psychiatric disorders (56%) and gastrointestinal disease (46%). Psychiatric patients had similar preoperative pain scores (6.0 ± 2.90) but significantly higher postoperative pain scores (4.7 ± 2.58) compared with nonpsychiatric patients. Twenty-eight percent of patients had prior failed TMJ implant materials, specifically Proplast-Teflon (Vitek, Houston, TX). These patients were significantly older (50.4 ± 8.26 years) and had smaller preoperative ROM (21.7 ± 8.85 mm) and smaller postoperative ROM (28.3 ± 9.59 mm). Conclusions Patients showed a statistically significant (P
Effects of Chronic Air Pollution Stress on Photosynthesis, Carbon Allocation, and Growth of White Pine Trees

Comparisons of annual growth, photosynthetic capacity, and fate of photosynthetic products were made to determine the rate and case of declining vigor of oxidant-stressed white pine (Pinus strobus L.) growing near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Three approximately 25-year-old trees were selected for study from each of three sensitivity classes based on needle color, length, and duration of retention. Growth ring analysis revealed comparable growth trends in intermediate and tolerant trees whereas sensitive trees experienced a steady decline in average ring width (70 percent decrease over 15 years) and a loss in capacity for recovery of growth. The fate of photosynthetically fixed /sup 14/C was followed after supplying /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ to in situ foliage four times (June, July, August, November) during the growing season. Carbon-14 transport patterns emphasized the role of older needles as sources of photosynthate for new needle growth in spring and storage sinks in the fall. Higher retention of /sup 14/C-photosynthate by foliage and branches of sensitive trees indicatd that photosynthante export to boles and roots was reduced. Photosynthetic capacity (CO/sub 2/ uptake/g dwt ) of foliage of sensitive and tolerant trees was similar. The ratio of respiratory to photosynthetic activity was significantly higher for foliage of sensitivemore » trees. Results suggest that declining vigor of sensitive trees in ths area results from reductions in needle longevity, size, increased respiratory activity, and altered translocation patterns which are induced by chronic air pollution stress.« less
The Activist Syllabus as Technical Communication and the Technical Communicator as Curator of Public Intellectualism

Recently, educators have created crowdsourced syllabi using social media. Activist syllabi are digitally circulated public collections of knowledge and knowledge-making about events and social move...
Shouting into the Void: A Database of the Alternative Social Media Platform Gab.

As social media platforms have increased their role as content moderators, alternative social media platforms have emerged with fewer rules and policies on moderating content. One such platform is Gab, a social media platform similar to Twitter that champions free speech with minimal standards on content. Early research has linked this platform with alt-right, hate speech, conspiracy theories, and other alternative content that is sometimes marginalized in mainstream social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. In an effort to provide a means for researchers to study this platform, we introduce a database of 37,012,061 posts (with additional edit histories), 24,551,804 comments, and 819,957 user profiles webscraped from Gab between August 2016 and December 2018. In this paper, we outline our data collection process, describe the data, consider the ethics of our data collection process, and provide suggested avenues of inquiry for researchers interested in analyzing our database.
Study of Wave Breaking Through Spectral Analysis of the Dissipated Sound Energy

This paper presents the first results of the spectral analysis of airborne and underwater sound produced by breaking waves, with the long-term objective to improve breaking wave detectability. The size of an air bubble can be directly linked to the frequency of the sound that is heard using the simple harmonic solution to the Rayleigh–Plesset equation. It indicates the inverse relationship between frequency and bubble size. This relationship has been used successfully to identify wave breaking in general by Manasseh in 2006 [4]. Now this research goes a step farther and examines how the frequency spectrum of the sound changes with time, in an effort to understand the general pattern and from that to deduce an empirical equation that describes the breaking down to turbulence during a wave breaking event. At this point there have been three main indicators identified that are necessary to prove wave breaking when analysing recorded sound: (1) higher frequencies get more pronounced as time passes, (2) amplitude decreases with increasing frequency, and (3) there is a sinusoidal pattern to how the power is distributed throughout the frequencies. This last point is the one that this research focusses on most. It can be concluded from the experimental data that the sinusoidal pattern is most likely due to the probability of how bubbles break down. This probability function depends on the physical properties of the medium the wave is travelling through, or in the case of ocean waves it depends on the properties of the water and air.
What is driving corporate social and environmental responsibility in China? An evaluation of legacy effects, organizational characteristics, and transnational pressures

Abstract China’s unique institutional environment, political system and developmental stage have combined to create what some scholars have dubbed “CSR with Chinese characteristics”. This study focuses on Chinese manufacturing companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) in order to identify the internal and external, domestic and transnational variables that explain the differences in CSR performance, as well as performance in specific CSR sub-fields, such as environmental and community responsibility. Our results show that firm size, profitability, industry, supervisory board size, and export levels are all significant determinants of overall CSR performance, mostly supporting other research on the influences of resource availability, efforts to secure public legitimacy, and “trading up” processes. We also find, however, that there are different combinations of drivers for CSR performance in different CSR sub-fields. While transnational pressure (as exemplified by export sales) is an important driver of environmental performance, it does not necessarily drive social performance. More research is needed, then, to understand other limitations of the “trading up” hypothesis, and to identify other mechanisms for increasing CSR performance across CSR sub-fields in China and beyond.
A Coupled Inductor based Single Phase Five Level Inverter with Capacitor Voltage Balancing

Conventional two level inverters have drawbacks like requirement of high voltage switches, high dv/dt and EMI problems when they operate at high voltages. Multilevel inverters overcome these drawbacks in high voltage and high power applications. In this paper, a coupled inductor based Five Level Inverter (FLI) is presented. The proposed inverter has features like less switch count, less number of capacitors, less charge control circuits and more reliability. Principle of operation and switching state selection in the proposed converter are given in detail. Simulation results are presented to validate the proposed idea.
A Survey on Web Security Issues

There are different types media of communication, Internet is the most used and many believe that it is the most reliable form of communication. The Internet has been polluted with different forms of viruses and malware since it first started. As the Internet does not have a centralized control, it is vulnerable to different types of attacks. Businesses around the globe use Internet to perform their daily tasks and with the use of botnets, botmasters have been able to gain lots of personal information from these businesses, turning their computers into a useful bot. In this article, we will take a look at different types of attacks on businesses over the Internet and different types of botnets and how they are affecting personal data. We will also discuss different types of destructive practices on the Internet performed by individuals using malicious codes and application. It has not been a long time since people started learning about botnets attacks, but their evolution and usage rate has increased very rapidly in this short time. The goal of this study is to make people aware of various kinds of attacks and how one can keep their private information safe on the Internet.
2 – Watsonian Behaviorism

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Watsonian behaviorism and offers an account of Watsonian behaviorism structured along three lines of inquiry. Watson's professional activities explain in terms of the successive phases of career; and, within this framework, the chapter analyzes the main features of its contributions. It finds that philosophy, psychology, and society in many ways prepared for Watsonian behaviorism, that is, for an objective, empirical, functional, and pragmatic psychology. Neither Watson nor Watson's behaviorism are however necessary for psychology to become objective, empirical, functional, and pragmatic. With or without metaphysical behaviorism, for instance, methodological behaviorism may have emerged, and nothing in Watson's individual context or persona is distinctive enough that he must have become the first behaviorist. What is critical was the unique confluence of culture, psychology, and Watson himself. The received view of Watsonian behaviorism is generally drawn from this last phase of his career. As a result, the importance of his early empirical and conceptual contributions and his place in the larger intellectual community for formulating, establishing, and situating behaviorism often go unappreciated. Watson's metaphysical behaviorism however never took hold to any appreciable degree and finally a completely naturalistic and independent science of behavior thus remains an elusive goal for psychology and even for some varieties of behaviorism.
Characterization of Single-Poly SGLC Cell Using 4kbits Array Test Chip for a Low Density Code Storage Embedded NVM Applications

In this paper, we have evaluated select gate lateral coupling (SGLC) cell by using a 4kbits (kb) macro. Using large data cell VT distributions, tail bit behavior can be analyzed. The test chip is fabricated on a 90 nm high voltage CMOS process without any additional steps. Thanks to the unique lateral coupling operation method, the size of the SGLC cell is comparable to SRAM of the same technology node resulting in the smallest single-poly non-volatile memory (NVM) cell size of 1.34 μm2 at 90 nm technology node. However, because of the high aspect ratio of unit cell geometry of 3.28 : 1, it was difficult to arrange word-line and bit-line decoder efficiently. For the 4-kb SGLC cell macro, by structuring the top and bottom side located cell addressing decoders, we achieved efficient decoder architecture and further memory density extension capability. Through the 150 oC retention bake test, we analyzed the possible retention weak cells that may be generated by the silicide-FG structure. As a result, over 10-years lifetime for code storage applications is verified without tail bit occurrences.
Evolution of Nanocrystalline Silicon Layers Deposited at 150°C for Thin Film Transistor Channels

Thin film transistors of nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) are made in the staggered topgate, bottom-source/drain geometry. To achieve both high carrier mobility and low off current, the nc-Si:H channel material must be kept thin but comprise a contiguous 10-nm thick crystalline layer at its top. We study this electrically most interesting top layer of the nc-Si:H channel film by AFM and SEM. Introducing an nc-Si:H seed layer underneath the TFT promotes the structural evolution of the nc-Si:H channel layer and raises the electron field effect mobility up to 40 cm2V-1s-1.
Amending the Unwritten Constitutional Use of Broad Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Law, Toward a Hyper-Narrow Concept

Prosecutorial Discretion (PD) is an unwritten constitutional norm that has been used by the federal executive branch to ensure faithful execution of the law. The current administration has undermined PD through its narrow application within immigration law, resulting in practical implications for students and others who depend on PD.