cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Data Analysis Modules in the Introductory Sociology Course: Lessons for the Social Sciences.

This article offers an evaluation of the implementation of the American Sociological Association's Integrating Data Analysis Project in a large introductory sociology course. This project was designed following an examination of the curricula of 13 disciplines that revealed that sociology failed to integrate empirical, quantitative literacy components throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Thus, efforts to introduce students to data analysis early and often were established as a best practice in the discipline. Results revealed that the students found the modules helped them understand the empirical nature of sociology. The students expressed an interest in participating in future research projects in sociology and/or other disciplines. They were not overly anxious about the quantitative literacy components of the course. Including on-line data analysis strategies using publicly available data and complimentary software represent cost and time-effective methods of introducing quantitative literacy into the social science classroom. Many social and behavioral sciences other than sociology have also discovered that their students lack a clear understanding of the relationship between empirical research and substantive topics within the discipline. Consequently, the lessons learned from the efforts of the ASA could be applied across many disciplines to form a more cohesive curriculum for many disciplines.
Context analysis and validation of lithography induced systematic variations in 65nm designs

The impact of lithography-induced systematic variations on the parametric behavior of cells and chips designed on a TI 65nm process has been studied using software tools for silicon contour prediction, and design analysis from contours. Using model-based litho and etch simulation at different process conditions, contours were generated for the poly and active layers of standard cells in multiple contexts. Next, the extracted transistor-level SPICE netlists (with annotated changes in CD) were simulated for cell delay and leakage. The silicon contours predicted by the model-based litho tools were validated by comparing CDs of the simulated contours with SEM images. A comparative analysis of standard cells with relaxed design rules and restricted pitch design rules showed that restrictive design rules help reduce the variation from instance to instance of a given cell by as much as 15%, but at the expense of an area penalty. A full-chip variability analysis flow, including model-based lithography and etch simulation, captures the systematic variability effects on timing-critical paths and cells and allows for comparison of the variability of different cells and paths in the context of a real design.
Cornell University's 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge Entry

The 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge required teams to design and build autonomous off-road vehicles capable of handling harsh terrain at high speeds while following a loosely-defined path. This paper discusses the critical subsystems of Cornell University’s entry, an autonomous Spider Light Strike Vehicle. An attitude and position estimator is presented with modifications for specific problems associated with high-speed autonomous ground vehicles, including GPS signal loss and reacquisition. A novel terrain estimation algorithm is presented to combine attitude and position estimates with terrain sensors to generate a detailed elevation model. The elevation model is combined with a spline-based path planner in a sensing / action feedback loop to generate smooth, human-like paths that are consistent with vehicle dynamics. The performance of these subsystems is validated in a series of demonstrative experiments, along with an evaluation of the full system at the Grand Challenge.
Control of nonlinear systems with time delay

The concept of control Lyapunov functions (CLF) has recently been extended to time delay system in the form of control Lyapunov-Razumikhin functions (CLRF) and control Lyapunov-Krasovsky functionals (CLKF). If a CLKF is known for a nonlinear time delay system, several stabilizing control laws can be constructed using one of the universal formulas derived for CLFs. In this paper we establish a generic sufficient condition for stabilization using the domination redesign formula. The proof of stability requires that the CLKF be augmented, but the construction of the augmentation term is not needed for control design. The results are illustrated on a model of a stirred tank reactor with recycling.
Graphene Coupled with Nanocrystals: Opportunities and Challenges for Energy and Sensing Applications

Graphene coupled with nanocrystals (NCs) represents a new type of hybrid nanostructure that has attracted wide attention in energy and sensing applications. The interaction between graphene and NCs provides the hybrids with additional properties, offering rich opportunities to tune the material structure and properties. This Perspective highlights some recent progress in the research on graphene–NC hybrid structures with a focus on their energy storage/conversion and sensing applications. The structural characteristics of graphene–NC hybrids and the advantages of coupling NCs with graphene are demonstrated and discussed. Recent studies have shown the great potential of graphene–NC hybrids to improve the performance of energy storage/conversion devices (e.g., Li ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and solar cells) and sensing devices (e.g., chemical sensors, biosensors, and water sensors). Further understanding and development of graphene–NC hybrids could therefore help address the demand for new e...
The interphase in epoxy composites

This article introduces the concept of an interphase in epoxy composites as being an identifiable entity which in some circumstances can control composite properties. The review is divided into two major parts. The first describes the interphase from a phenomenological viewpoint as to its possible structure and composition. Examples are given which serve to illustrate the potential for inducing compositional and structural differences at the reinforcement surface-epoxy interface. The second portion uses the results of micromechanical modeling of ideal composites to illustrate the magnitude and type of forces which operate in the interphase region. Specific examples are included which quantify the relationship between interphase structure and composite mechanical and fracture properties.
The formation of aminorex in racehorses following levamisole administration. A quantitative and chiral analysis following synthetic aminorex or levamisole administration vs. aminorex-positive samples from the field: a preliminary report

Beginning in 2004, the horseracing industry experienced an epidemic of drug positives for the amphetamine-like drug aminorex. Investigation of the therapeutic treatment of the horses called positive for this drug suggested that its source was from the administration of the anthelmintic levamisole. This study examines the urine concentrations of aminorex as a function of time following administration of synthetic, racemic aminorex. Confirmation of the presence of aminorex in urine samples from the horses known to be treated with levamisole is also presented as are data concerning the concentrations of aminorex in positives called from the field and the corresponding concentrations of levamisole found in the same samples. Furthermore, this study illustrates that the chiral isomer distribution of aminorex found in samples from the field is significantly different from that arising from the administration of synthetic, racemic aminorex and is similar to that observed from aminorex arising from levamisole administration. An examination of the chiral isomer distribution of aminorex and a determination of the presence of levamisole in a sample may be used to assess the source of an aminorex positive, distinguishing it from an intentional synthetic, racemic aminorex administration. The role of levamisole in aminorex formation is also discussed.
Detection of Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. in water by using the polymerase chain reaction and gene probes for uid.

A method was developed for the detection of the fecal coliform bacterium Escherichia coli, using the polymerase chain reaction and gene probes, based on amplifying regions of the uid gene that code for beta-glucuronidase, expression of which forms the basis for fecal coliform detection by the commercially available Colilert method. Amplification and gene probe detection of four different regions of uid specifically detected E. coli and Shigella species, including beta-glucuronidase-negative strains of E. coli; no amplification was observed for other coliform and nonenteric bacteria. Images
Someday, You Will Understand

Invention and discovery are both creative acts, and both require us to place new ideas within a context or infrastructure.The article is clearly evident on the children's faces. They couldn't grasp what was happening to their parents.In this article authors have altered the framework that they use to evaluate the invention of computing. Education involves much more than technical information or the elementary knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
A Review of “Observation Techniques: Structured to Unstructured”

Observation Techniques: Structured to Unstructured is one of several books in Bill Gillham's Real World Research Series. Similar to the other books, Observation Techniques is a slim text. Gillham p...
Autocorrelation function of the principal State of polarization vector for systems having PMD

The autocorrelation function (ACF) for the principal state of polarization (PSP) vector is reported. It is shown that the PSP vector ACF and the magnitude of the polarization-mode dispersion vector, i.e., the differential group delay (DGD) ACF are not independent. The PSP vector correlation bandwidth is verified to be narrower than that of the DGD.
Knowledge-rich temporal relation identification and classification in clinical notes.

Motivation: We examine the task of temporal relation classification for the clinical domain. Our approach to this task departs from existing ones in that it is (i) ‘knowledge-rich’, employing sophisticated knowledge derived from discourse relations as well as both domain-independent and domain-dependent semantic relations, and (ii) ‘hybrid’, combining the strengths of rule-based and learning-based approaches. Evaluation results on the i2b2 Clinical Temporal Relations Challenge corpus show that our approach yields a 17–24% and 8–14% relative reduction in error over a state-of-the-art learning-based baseline system when gold-standard and automatically identified temporal relations are used, respectively. Database URL: http://www.hlt.utdallas.edu/~jld082000/temporal-relations/
Native Myocardial T1 as a Biomarker of Cardiac Structure in Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Diffuse myocardial fibrosis is involved in the pathology of nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NIC). Recently, the application of native (noncontrast) myocardial T 1 measurement has been proposed as a method for characterizing diffuse interstitial fibrosis. To determine the association of native T 1 with myocardial structure and function, we prospectively studied 39 patients with NIC (defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50% without cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) evidence of previous infarction) and 27 subjects with normal LVEF without known overt cardiovascular disease. T 1, T 2, and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) were determined over 16 segments across the base, mid, and apical left ventricular (LV). NIC participants (57 ± 15 years) were predominantly men (74%), with a mean LVEF 34 ± 10%. Subjects with NIC had a greater native T 1 (1,131 ± 51 vs 1,069 ± 29 ms; p 2 (52 ± 8 vs 47 ± 5 ms; p = 0.02). After multivariate adjustment, a lower global native T 1 time in NIC was associated with a greater LVEF (β = −0.59, p = 0.0003), greater right ventricular ejection fraction (β = −0.47, p = 0.006), and smaller left atrial volume index (β = 0.51, p = 0.001). The regional distribution of native myocardial T 1 was similar in patients with and without NIC. In NIC, native myocardial T 1 is elevated in all myocardial segments, suggesting a global (not regional) abnormality of myocardial tissue composition. In conclusion, native T 1 may represent a rapid, noncontrast alternative to ECV for delineating myocardial tissue remodeling in NIC.
Long-timescale dynamics and regulation of Sec-facilitated protein translocation

We present a coarse-grained modeling approach that spans the nanosecond- to minute-timescale dynamics of cotranslational protein translocation. The method enables direct simulation of both integral membrane protein topogenesis and transmembrane domain (TM) stop-transfer efficiency. Simulations reveal multiple kinetic pathways for protein integration, including a mechanism in which the nascent protein undergoes slow-timescale reorientation, or flipping, in the confined environment of the translocon channel. Competition among these pathways gives rise to the experimentally observed dependence of protein topology on ribosomal translation rate and protein length. We further demonstrate that sigmoidal dependence of stop-transfer efficiency on TM hydrophobicity arises from local equilibration of the TM across the translocon lateral gate, and it is predicted that slowing ribosomal translation yields decreased stop-transfer efficiency in long proteins. This work reveals the balance between equilibrium and nonequilibrium processes in protein targeting, and it provides insight into the molecular regulation of the Sec translocon.
Identification of Diverse Carbon Utilization Pathways in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 via Expression Profiling

To identify pathways of carbon utilization in the metal-reducing marine bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, we assayed the expression of cells grown with various carbon sources using a high-density oligonucleotide Affymetrix microarray. Our expression profiles reveal genes and regulatory mechanisms which govern the sensing, import, and utilization of the nucleoside inosine, the chitin monomer N-acetylglucosamine, and a casein-derived mixture of amino acids. Our analysis suggests a prominent role for the pentose-phosphate and Entner-Doudoroff pathways in energy metabolism, and regulatory coupling between carbon catabolism and electron acceptor pathways. In sum, these results indicate that S. oneidensis possesses a broader capacity for carbon utilization than previously reported, a view with implications for optimizing its role in microbial fuel cell and bioremediative applications.
Use of auger spectroscopy in the evaluation of thermionic cathodes

The ability of Auger spectroscopy to identify chemical species existing on a surface has been used to evaluate the properties of "good" and "poor" impregnated tungsten cathodes used in high-power microwave wave tubes. The surfaces of "good" and "poor" cathodes were studied by means of Auger spectroscopy and work function measurements and the results interpreted to analyze failure modes in cathodes removed from TWT's because of poor emission characteristics. Most of the poor cathodes evaluated in this program were obtained from fabricated electron guns that had been employed and discarded from the 200-W TWT tubes developed for the Communication Technology Satellite (CTS) program. The results of these measurements have shown there are at least two types of failure modes that one observes with poor cathodes. They are 1) chemical contamination of the cathode surface and 2) low partial layer barium coverage of the cathode surface.
Differential Stem and Progenitor Cell Trafficking by Prostaglandin E2

To maintain lifelong production of blood cells, haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are tightly regulated by inherent programs and extrinsic regulatory signals received from their microenvironmental niche. Long-term repopulating HSCs reside in several, perhaps overlapping, niches that produce regulatory molecules and signals necessary for homeostasis and for increased output after stress or injury. Despite considerable advances in the specific cellular or molecular mechanisms governing HSC-niche interactions, little is known about the regulatory function in the intact mammalian haematopoietic niche. Recently, we and others described a positive regulatory role for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on HSC function ex vivo. Here we show that inhibition of endogenous PGE2 by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment in mice results in modest HSC egress from the bone marrow. Surprisingly, this was independent of the SDF-1-CXCR4 axis implicated in stem-cell migration. Stem and progenitor cells were found to have differing mechanisms of egress, with HSC transit to the periphery dependent on niche attenuation and reduction in the retentive molecule osteopontin. Haematopoietic grafts mobilized with NSAIDs had superior repopulating ability and long-term engraftment. Treatment of non-human primates and healthy human volunteers confirmed NSAID-mediated egress in other species. PGE2 receptor knockout mice demonstrated that progenitor expansion and stem/progenitor egress resulted from reduced E-prostanoid 4 (EP4) receptor signalling. These results not only uncover unique regulatory roles for EP4 signalling in HSC retention in the niche, but also define a rapidly translatable strategy to enhance transplantation therapeutically.
Direct Numerical Simulation of the Flow Through a Structured Pebble Bed Near a Wall Boundary

Packed pebble beds occur in many industrial applications, including the very high temperature and molten salt nuclear reactor design concepts. These designs are currently being researched as possible fourth-generation nuclear power system designs. In order to ensure proper cooling of the reactor cores in these systems during normal operation, as well as under accident conditions, a detailed understanding of the coolant flow behavior is required. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) can be used to simulate specific pebble bed flow and geometry conditions in order to develop high-fidelity fluid flow data and hence improve scientists’ understanding and enhance lower-fidelity modeling.We have used Nek5000, a spectral-element computational fluid dynamics code, to develop DNS fluid flow data for pebble bed flow, including budgets for the Reynolds stresses. The geometry is a structured pebble bed with a face-centered cubic packing arrangement. The flow domain features periodic boundaries in both streamwise and spanwise directions except for a single bounding wall parallel to the flow direction. In a fully periodic domain, the flow was found to be asymmetric. In this work we focus on turbulence properties in the near-wall region and their effect on the overall flow behavior. A set of preliminary Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes calculations was also performed to investigate the effect of geometric parameters such as the distance of the wall from the first row of pebbles.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Does hypoxia reduce habitat quality for Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus)? A bioenergetics perspective

In Lake Erie, the duration and extent of hypoxia (dissolved oxygen (DO) ≤ 2 mg·L–1) has increased in recent years, yet little is known on the corresponding impact on its fish, particularly the hig...
Numerical study of contributions of shock wave and gas penetration toward induced rock damage during blasting

The authors present an improved version of continuum analysis 2D, a hybrid two-dimensional finite element-discrete element-smoothed particle program for modeling rock blasting. A modified formula governing the interaction of smoothed particles with discrete elements is presented, along with the results of numerical simulations involving detonations within jointed rock. PETN was modeled as the explosive, and Barre granite as the rock specimen. The borehole was simulated both with and without a thin copper lining. The purpose of the copper lining is to prevent gas from penetrating into the induced cracks within the rock, so that the shock wave’s contribution toward rock damage can be separated from that of the gas penetration. The results suggest that majority of the cracks are formed due to the shock wave propagating within the rock, whereas the gas penetration mostly separates the already-formed rock fragments and pushes them apart.
An Evaluation of Self-training Styles for Domain Adaptation on the Task of Splice Site Prediction

We consider the problem of adding a large unlabeled sample from the target domain to boost the performance of a domain adaptation algorithm when only a small set of labeled examples are available from the target domain. In particular, we consider the problem setting motivated by the task of splice site prediction. For this task, annotating a genome using machine learning requires a lot of labeled data, whereas for non-model organisms, there is only some labeled data and lots of unlabeled data. With domain adaptation one can leverage the large amount of data from a related model organism, along with the labeled and unlabeled data from the organism of interest to train a classifier for the latter. Our goal is to analyze the three ways of incorporating the unlabeled data -- with soft labels only (i.e., Expectation-Maximization), with hard labels only (i.e., self-training), or with both soft and hard labels -- for the splice site prediction in particular, and more broadly for a general iterative domain adaptation setting. We provide empirical results on splice site prediction indicating that using soft labels only can lead to better classifier compared to the other two ways.
Major Techniques of Biotechnology

Since the discovery of the structure and function of DNA over 40 years ago, the established knowledge of molecular biology has increased dramatically, and many new tools have been discovered and utilized by scientists to develop new therapeutic agents. Important tools that are used in recombinant DNA technology include restriction endonucleases (cleave DNA), DNA ligase (link DNA molecules together), and cloning vectors (place foreign DNA into an organism such as bacterial or yeast cells in order to mass produce the protein encoded by that foreign DNA). The development of hybridoma technology provided a method to produce virtually unlimited quantities of pure antibody with a single specificity. These immuno-globulins are known as monoclonal antibodies, and have provided both therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Antisense molecules are oligonucleotides which bind to the messenger RNA (mRNA) of a target gene and selectively inhibit the production of specific proteins. Potential applications for these molecules...
Photophysical Properties of a Nonlinear Dye in PMMA at High Concentration

The effects of high concentration on the photophysical properties of a nonlinear material have been of interest for some time in our group. It is well known in the literature that for a nonlinear absorbing dye to be the most effective, high concentrations are needed. The problem is that most photophysical studies in solution are done at low concentration. These low concentration studies are important for understanding inherent materials properties but it is also important to understand what happens in a material at high concentration. In addition to this, efforts have been made to study the effects of incorporating a dye into a solid matrix environment to better understand the constraints this environment has to a given material. Preliminary results for a PMMA system reveal the formation of excimers (excited state dimers) with an increase in concentration. Excimers are forming from the triplet excited state of the E1-BTF. A rate constant for this formation is 2.3 × 106 M−1 s−1. While rather slow, at high concentration the excimer is readily formed. This must be considered when making nonlinear absorption measurements since the excimer will certainly contribute to the overall nonlinearity.
Parties in the Public Eye

To what degree do people distinguish the partisan divisions of national politics from the partisan battles within their state? We explore why people hold favorable views of the political parties in...
Measurement of Ionic Resonances in Alkyl Phenyl Ketone Cations via Infrared Strong Field Mass Spectrometry

Strong-field excitation of alkyl phenyl ketone molecules reveals an electronic resonance at 1370 nm in the radical cations upon measuring mass spectra as a function of excitation wavelength from 1240 to 1550 nm. The ratio of the benzoyl fragment ion to parent ion signal in acetophenone increases from 1:1.5 at 1240 nm excitation to 5:1 at 1370 nm (0.9 eV), and back to 1:1 at 1450 nm. Unlike acetophenone and propiophenone, the homologous molecules acetone and ethylbenzene exhibit no wavelength-dependent fragmentation patterns over the range from 1240 to 1550 nm, supporting the hypothesis that the electronic structure of the alkyl phenyl ketone cation enables the one-photon transition. Calculations on the acetophenone and propiophenone radical cations show the existence of a bright state, D2, 0.87 and 0.88 eV, respectively, above the ground-state D0 minimum. Calculations of the potential energy surfaces of the acetophenone radical cation suggest that a D2 → D0 radiationless transition precedes dissociation o...
Microscale Radiative Effects in Complex Microstructures of Iridescent Butterfly Wing Scales

The cellular microstructure of insect scales can be detailed intricately with threedimensional structures and multiple thin-film layers. In butterflies, iridescent scales can reflect bright colors through thin-film interference and other optical phenomena; the balance of radiation is absorbed for thermoregulatory purposes. Results of numerical and experimental investigations into the function, properties, and structure of these scales are presented. Of particular interest are the numerical modeling of the microscale radiative effects in the scales, determining the optical properties of the biological material, and the cellular development of thin-film structures.
Highly sensitive and selective detection of nitrite ions using Fe3O4@SiO2/Au magnetic nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A novel and pragmatic method was developed to detect the concentration of nitrite ions using Fe3O4@SiO2/Au magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The as-prepared bifunctional nanocomposites can be used to simultaneously purify target molecules using external magnetic field and produce Raman fingerprint spectrum with trace level of target molecules. In acidic media, 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) molecules conjugated on Fe3O4@SiO2/Au MNPs were triggered by nitrite ions to form azo bonds, resulting in three new marker peaks on the SERS spectrum. Under optimized conditions, the detection limit based on the three marker peaks were 15.63, 13.69, and 17.77μM, which was much lower than the maximum NO2(-) concentration of 1.0mgL(-1) (71.4μM) allowed in drinking water as defined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The specificity of this proposed method to detect nitrite ions was demonstrated using common ions as competitors. In addition, the SERS-based technique was successfully employed to detect nitrite ions in pond water, a synthetic urine solution, and pickle brine. Considering its good sensitivity and selectivity, the detection method is well suited for the detection of nitrite ions in real samples without pretreatment steps.
Application of Radiothermoluminescence to the Study of Polymer Systems

Plasticization is widely used in polymer technology when it is needed to increase flow and thermoplasticity of plastic materials. A plasticizer in a polymer having many points of attachment along the polymer chains breaks the attachments and masks the centers of force for polymer-polymer intermolecular attraction by selectively solvating the polymer at these points. This produces much the same results as if fewer points of attachment had been present on the macromolecules originally. It is usually assumed that solvents or plasticizers of different types are attached to the polymer macromolecules by forces of different magnitude and that none are bound permanently.
Efficacy of Controlled Atmosphere Treatments to Manage Arthropod Pests of Dry-Cured Hams

Research here explored the use of controlled atmospheres (CA) for managing arthropod pests that infest dry-cured hams. Experiments were conducted with low oxygen (O2) achieved with low pressure under a vacuum, high carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3). Results showed that both low O2 and high CO2 levels required exposures up to 144 h to kill 100% of all stages of red-legged ham beetle, Necrobia rufipes (De Geer) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and ham mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) at 23 °C. In addition, both low O2 and high CO2 had no significant mortality against the ham beetle and ham mites at short exposures ranging from 12 to 48 h. Ham beetles were more tolerant than ham mites to an atmosphere of 75.1% CO2 and low pressure of 25 mm Hg, which imposed an atmosphere estimated at 0.9% O2. Both low O2 and high CO2 trials indicated that the egg stages of both species were more tolerant than other stages tested, but N. rufipes eggs and pupae were more susceptible than larvae and adults to high concentration ozone treatments. The results indicate that O3 has potential to control ham beetles and ham mites, particularly at ≈166 ppm in just a 24 h exposure period, but O3 is known from other work to have poor penetration ability, thus it may be more difficult to apply effectively than low O2 or high CO2. would be. CA treatment for arthropod pests of dry-cured hams show promise as components of integrated pest management programs after methyl bromide is no longer available for use.
Obesity Epidemic: Is Its Impact on Total Joint Arthroplasty Underestimated? An Analysis of National Trends

Background Obesity is a well-established risk factor for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and a number of complications including prosthetic joint infection. The annual changes in the prevalence of obesity among primary, revision, and infected TJA has not been studied at a national level. Given the higher costs of complications of TJA, it is important to understand the association of obesity with the annual trends of revision and infected TJA.
BESI: reliable and heterogeneous sensing and intervention for in-home health applications

Advances in sensing, wireless communication, and data analytics have enabled various monitoring systems for smart health applications. However, many challenges remain to deploy such systems in actual homes, such as achieving robustness, unobtrusiveness, fault tolerance, privacy, and minimal user burden. This paper presents how these challenges were overcome in the realization and successful prototype deployment of the Behavioral and Environmental Sensing and Intervention (BESI) system. BESI is designed to sense behavioral activities using wearables and monitor environmental parameters with in-home sensors. With such data, behavioral patterns can then be modeled to determine associations with environmental attributes and, when appropriate, real-time notifications or interventions can be made based on these models. Challenges in building platforms with residential deployment constraints are discussed. BESI is currently deployed for an in-home study on dementia, and the results are presented to illustrate data collection procedures and system performance.
Yummy or yucky? Ask your central amygdala

Central amygdala directs behavioral responses to emotionally salient stimuli. While most studies have focused on aversive responses, some central amygdala neurons promote feeding and are positively reinforcing.
A 7.9 T cryogenic magnet for a space-based MHD disk generator test facility

A 7.9 T, 0.7 m bore, liquid-nitrogen-cooled, long pulse solenoid has been designed and is now under construction. The magnet will be a part of a ground-based test and demonstration facility for a single-sided, disk MHD generator system under development by TRW for multimegawatt, space-based power generation.
Emergent Geometric Frustration and Flat Band in Moiré Bilayer Graphene.

So far the physics of moir\'e graphene bilayers at large, incommensurate rotation angles has been considered uninteresting. It has been held that the interlayer coupling in such structures is weak and the system can be thought of as a pair of decoupled single graphene sheets to a good approximation. Here, we demonstrate that for large rotation angles near commensurate ones, the interlayer coupling, far from being weak, is able to completely localize electrons to within a large scale, geometrically frustrated network of topologically protected modes. The emergent geometric frustration of the system gives rise to completely flat bands, with strong correlation physics as a result. All of this arises although in the lattice structure no large scale pattern appears to the unguided eye. Sufficiently close to commensuration the low-energy physics of this remarkable system has an exact solution.
Bicarbonate conservation during incomplete cerebral ischemia with superimposed hypercapnia.

We superimposed extreme hypercapnia (arterial Pco2 400-450 mmHg) immediately before and during incomplete cerebral ischemia to distinguish the role of intracellular pH (pHi) and bicarbonate [( HCO3-]i) in postischemic metabolic and electrophysiological recovery. Incomplete global ischemia was produced in seven anesthetized dogs by 30 min of intracranial hypertension followed by 4 h of reperfusion. ATP, phosphocreatine (PCr), and pHi were measured with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and [HCO3-]i was calculated from the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation using the measured pHi and sagittal sinus Pco2. Cerebral blood flow was reduced to 7 +/- 1 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (+/- SE) during ischemia with extreme hypercapnia, and pHi decreased to 5.72 +/- 0.09. During normocapnic reperfusion, pHi rapidly returned to near baseline values by 14 min. [HCO3-]i fell from 12.1 +/- 0.9 to 6.0 +/- 1.2 mM by the midpoint of ischemia and recovered by 30 min of reperfusion. ATP, PCr, and O2 consumption also recovered rapidly and completely. Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEP) recovered to 43 +/- 10% of control amplitude. These results are in marked contrast to the poor metabolic and SEP recovery previously observed in hyperglycemic dogs in which pHi decreased to the same range as with hypercapnic ischemia, but in which [HCO3-]i was much lower (1.1 +/- 0.5 mM). Therefore, [HCO3-]i depletion during hyperglycemic ischemia may be a more important factor in recovery than end-ischemic pHi per se. We speculate that higher [HCO3-]i may improve glial cell buffering capacity or decrease iron availability for hydroxyl radical production.
Patterns of Maladjustment of Behaviorally Disordered Male Students

Behavior rating scale data on the adjustment problems of 146 behaviorally disordered elementary school boys were factor-analyzed. Five factors of adjustment problem were identified: Aggression-Disruption, Social Incompetence, Social Maladjustment, Attention Disorder, and Anxiety-Inferiority. The relation of these five factors to those identified in earlier research is discussed, together with implications for a clearer understanding of children's behavioral disorders.
Data Mining and Machine Learning in Education with Focus in Undergraduate CS Student Success

Computer science (CS) enrollments are at an all-time high, and successful undergraduate CS graduations are indisputably important. With a student population of approximately 51,000, Georgia State University is a USA based state university which is diverse and forms a rich big data footprint as students navigate pathways to graduation. Quoted in a July 2017 article from HigherEd.com, "Georgia State's extensive predictive analytics efforts are leading to better grades and student retention -- and more minorities graduating from STEM programs.'' This doctoral project builds upon current data mining and modeling, machine learning applications, and learning analytics for predicting student success that is beyond retention. Gaining knowledge of CS student learning, developing better alerting models for success, and discovering behavioral indicators from learning analytics reporting is the goal of this research. Using this knowledge as evidence based data for improving the CS student experience will aid in performance improvements and increase pathways to graduation. My supporting research project is building CS student datasets to represent the student as directed graphical models, investigating their relationships using machine learning frameworks, and complex mathematical computations (tensors or gradient boosting) along with graph data mining techniques.
Verbal Protocols in Literacy Research: Nature of Global Reading Development

This volume offers an updated analysis of the methodology of reading and reading research since 1995, when the landmark book Verbal Protocols of Reading: The Nature of Constructively Responsive Reading by Michael Pressley and Peter Afflerbach was published. It offers a thorough cross-analysis of the conscious processes experienced during reading, the structure of reading comprehension, and its application to more current initiatives such as Common Core State Standards and Response to Intervention. It also provides a detailed analysis of Constructively Responsive Reading through relevant online self-report studies in reading and reading comprehension behavior. It is a fresh and comprehensive volume that speaks not only to reading researchers, but to literacy teachers at all levels.
Dialogue: commentary on ‘Engaging African-ancestry participants in systemic lupus erythematosus clinic trials’

In the review entitled Engaging African-Ancestry Participants in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Clinic Trials , Anjorin and Lipsky1 sought to (1) summarise the extensive body of literature demonstrating differences in genetics and health impact in African American (AA) patients with SLE compared with European American (EA) counterparts, and (2) describe challenges in recruiting AA for clinical trials. Several facts in their comprehensive review are indisputable: systemic lupus disproportionately affects individuals of African ancestry (and probably other racial/ethnic groups such as Hispanics and Asians) compared with Caucasians; the clinical and immunological manifestations, damage accrual and morbidity of SLE tend to be more severe in those of African ancestry; and such individuals are often more socioeconomically disadvantaged, which may lead to problems with access to medical care, at least in …
Design and Analysis of Core Design for Small Modular Reactors

The pronuclear energy advocates are lobbying that the sustainable development of the world’s energy sector cannot be achieved without extensive use of nuclear energy and the advantages of nuclear-related technologies, including upcoming new generation of the small modular reactors in the near future horizon. The dawn of these SMRs requires new design and analysis no matter if they are falling into light water reactor (LWR), pressurized water reactor (PWR), or even multi-application small light water reactor (MASLWR) categories, depending on the vendor involved with these new technologies and consequently safety standards and their nonproliferation requirements as well. This chapter visits these standards for core design and generally elaborated on them with understanding that readers need to refer just beyond this book and this chapter for more details.
Fabrication of Biased-Magnetorheological Elastomers (B-MRE) based on Magnetized Ferromagnetic Particles

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs), like MR fluids, exploit magnetic forces between ferromagnetic particles to produce a material with instantaneously adjustable properties of stiffness and damping with external magnetic fields. In MREs, the particles are a part of a structured elastomer matrix, and an external magnetic field is applied to achieve an instantaneous change of stiffness due to magnetic forces between particles. A drawback of conventional MREs is its inability of softening (reduce stiffness) under an external field. Many engineering applications need an instant change of its stiffness in both directions, which requires a magnetic bias embedded in the MRE. One way is the use of a permanent magnet (PM) for pre-straining a base elastomer matrix, but its mechanical design can be bulky due to the size of PM. In this paper, we address a fabrication process of the biased-magnetorheological elastomers (B-MREs) and their mechanical properties. The B-MREs consist of magnetized ferromagnetic particles as fillers and an elastomer as a binder. The magnetization of ferromagnetic particles embedded in the elastomer matrix eliminates a need for the use of the PM and can achieve the desired pre-strain in the B-MRE. The experiment results related with the mechanical properties after magnetization were presented. Also, different MRE thickness and weight ratios of the ferromagnetic particles mixed with the base elastomer were compared in both normal and shear modes.
Multiple Phototransduction Inputs Integrate to Mediate UV Light–evoked Avoidance/Attraction Behavior in Drosophila:

Short-wavelength light guides many behaviors that are crucial for an insect's survival. In Drosophila melanogaster, short-wavelength light induces both attraction and avoidance behaviors. How light cues evoke two opposite valences of behavioral responses remains unclear. Here, we comprehensively examine the effects of (1) light intensity, (2) timing of light (duration of exposure, circadian time of day), and (3) phototransduction mechanisms processing light information that determine avoidance versus attraction behavior assayed at high spatiotemporal resolution in Drosophila. External opsin-based photoreceptors signal for attraction behavior in response to low-intensity ultraviolet (UV) light. In contrast, the cell-autonomous neuronal photoreceptors, CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) and RHODOPSIN 7 (RH7), signal avoidance responses to high-intensity UV light. In addition to binary attraction versus avoidance behavioral responses to UV light, flies show distinct clock-dependent spatial preference within a light environment coded by different light input channels.
Creating an innovative digital project team: Levers to enable digital transformation

Abstract Digital transformation encompasses an organization's ability to adapt, respond, and position itself for success in the face of rapid technology evolution. A critical structure in achieving successful digital transformation is the digital project team, yet there is little research on how they are created and developed. Much of the focus has been on agile methodologies and processes but there is less research to inform organizations on digital team dynamics such as roles, empowerment, learning, and leadership development. This article describes our findings from a multilevel study of the IT function of 60 companies, including fieldwork at five company sites involving more than 130 semistructured interviews with senior level IT professionals. We identify four essential team-based levers that enable digital transformation: (1) diverse and targeted team composition, (2) iterative goal setting, (3) continuous learning, and (4) talent management. Using company examples and practices, we describe how digital leaders are using these levers to propel their organizations forward in the journey toward digital transformation.
Heterakis gallinarum, the Cecal Nematode of Gallinaceous Birds: A Critical Review

Heterakis gallinarum is a heavily prevalent poultry parasite that thrives in the ceca of various species of gallinaceous birds. It is a small roundworm, measuring between 4 and 15 mm long, in the family Heterakidae. Heterakis gallinarum has a direct life cycle not requiring an intermediate host to complete development, and it is generally believed that poultry raised at high density on litter are at greatest risk for accumulating large numbers of the nematode. This species typically only causes mild pathology that does not significantly affect bird performance. However, H. gallinarum is recognized as an economically important parasite by the poultry industry because its ovum serves as the vector for the protozoal parasite Histomonas meleagridis, the cause of histomonosis in poultry. Diagnosis of the nematode typically relies on fecal egg counts, which are prone to false negative diagnoses. Molecular tools are available for studying the nematode and diagnosing infected flocks. Treating and preventing H. gallinarum infection is made difficult due to the low efficacy of anthelmintics for eradicating H. gallinarum from infected birds and of disinfectants for destroying H. gallinarum ova on contaminated farms.
A simple vortex-loop-based model for unsteady rotating wings

An analytical model is developed for the lift force produced by unsteady rotating wings; this configuration is a simple representation of a flapping wing. Modelling this is important for the aerodynamic and control-system design for bio-inspired drones. Such efforts have often been limited to being two-dimensional, semi-empirical, sometimes computationally expensive, or quasi-steady. The current model is unsteady and three-dimensional, yet simple to implement, requiring knowledge of only the wing kinematics and geometry. Rotating wings produce a vortex loop consisting of the root vortex, leading-edge vortex, tip vortex and trailing-edge vortex, which grows with time. This is modelled as a tilted planar loop, geometrically specified by the wing size, orientation and motion. By equating the angular impulse of the vortex loop to that of the fluid volume driven by the wing, the circulatory lift force is derived. Potential flow theory gives the fluid-inertial lift. Adding these two contributions yields the total lift formula. The model shows good agreement with a range of experimental and computational cases. Also, a steady-state lift model is developed that compares well with previous work for various angles of attack.
131P Association of Hla Class I and Class Ii Alleles with Breast Cancer in Eastern Indian Population

ABSTRACT Breast cancer is second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. In India, total 5lacs breast cancer patients are found with annual increment of 1.25lacs. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) has been reported to be an interesting tool for predisposition and protection of breast cancer. Association of ethnicity specific HLA allele haplotypes has a significant role in increased risk of breast cancer. Our aim was to find out correlation of different HLA class I & II alleles and susceptible and probable alleles associated with breast cancer in eastern Indian population, to make women having susceptible HLA subtypes, aware to prevent breast cancer by lifestyle modification or by detecting at an early stage. Till now 21 patients along with 18 normal controls were studied for both HLA Class-I & Class-II loci. Blood samples were collected and genomic DNA was isolated. Low resolution molecular typing using PCR-based sequence-specific primer technique and allele assignment were performed to detect HLA-A, B, C and HLA-DRB1, DQB1 alleles. HLA-A frequencies between both case and control groups showed no difference from the statistical viewpoint. HLA-B*1501 was found three times more common in the case groups. Probably HLA-C*7 has a protective role for the disease as it was expressed in 66% in normal control, but only 14% in patients. Although DRB1*15 were reported to be susceptible to other ethnic population, we found no significant difference between cases and control. Probably DQB1*05-allele expression has a protective role in our population. The number of individuals as well as control was too small to confirm the susceptible or probable alleles associated with breast cancer. But our results revealed the role of the MHC genes in the patho-physiology of breast cancer, suggesting a disorder of immune regulation. Close follow-up and monitoring will help us to interpret statistically high-risk group of breast cancer patients which will reduce the breast cancer burden in the community. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.