cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clonal and population variation in jellyfish symmetry

While it is generally assumed that jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) are stably tetramerous, variation in symmetry (i.e. unimerous to octamerous) can be observed in most populations at a rate of approximately 2%, but sometimes as high as 10%. This type of variation has been observed among clonemates during strobilation in five taxa, namely Aurelia aurita, A. labiata, Chrysaora fuscescens, Pelagia colorata, and Phacellophora camtschatica. It is currently unclear whether the symmetry variation is caused by genetic, environmental, or developmental factors, or some combination. Although hexamerous lineages were not bred successfully, lineages were raised with rates of variation higher than normal. Thus, there may be some genetic component to the variation. In one lineage observed over 4.5 months, the rate of non-tetramery declined substantially from an initial high of 88.9% to a final cumulative low of 29%. Apparently this lineage was able to stabilize tetramery over time, possibly indicating some self-correcting developmental mechanism. Furthermore, no difference was found in variation rates between stressed and unstressed polyps, indicating that environmental factors may not play an important role in symmetry determination in these animals. These results indicate stabilizing selection in controlling the expression of variable symmetry.
Comparison of several goodness‐of‐fit tests for the kappa statistic based on exact power and coverage probability

We present a general approach based on chi-square goodness-of-fit tests for performing tests of significance about the kappa statistic. We make recommendations for the particular goodness-of fit test to use under different situations. We also compare the test statistics in terms of the generated confidence intervals about the kappa statistic.
Amplitude and phase distributions for bistatic scattering from Pierson-Moskowitz sea surfaces

In this paper we study the statistical distributions of bistatic scattering from Pierson-Moskowitz sea surfaces. The Monte Carlo simulation method is applied and the Maxwellpsilas equations are solved numerically using the Banded Matrix Iterative Approach. By assuming normal-distributed and correlated real and imaginary scattering components, we derive analytical probability density functions (pdfs) for the amplitude and phase. The amplitude pdf is in the form of an infinite sum of modified Bessel functions while the phase pdf is expressed in terms of the error function. Results show that the amplitude and phase pdfs vary with wind speed, observation angle, and polarization. TM wave has a wider amplitude distribution than the TE wave. The phase of scattered field from sea surface is not uniformly distributed, especially at low wind speed. The analytical pdf models are in good agreement with empirical distributions.
RFID based learning assessment system

Learning Assessment or traditional testing is typically performed with the participation of a proctor, who must be physically present in the classroom at all times. Protecting the integrity of learning assessments, in any form, often involves complicated procedures and adjustments to the assessment process and environment. The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based Learning Assessment System (RLAS) is aimed at removing the need for a human proctor and reducing the complexity involved in the assessment. This is particularly important when assessment is more complex than a traditional pencil and paper variety. RLAS integrates RFID tags, Pocket PC (PDA's) and a server to create a complete learning assessment system. RFID tags are used to track students' movements and PDAs are used as communication devices. Students are then monitored by a virtual proctor on a server. In this paper the development of the RLAS system is described and its use as a tool to develop and execute individualized learning environments for students in K-12 is considered. The system integrates audio, video and common textual learning tools depending on the student's location and learning style needs. The system further assesses the effectiveness of the chosen tools in the student's learning process.
Reversible shear gelation of polymer–clay dispersions

Reversible, shear-induced gelation of semi-dilute aqueous colloidal dispersions consisting of monodisperse discoid particles (Laponite) and weakly adsorbing polymer (polyethylene oxide) is studied through a combination of small angle neutron scattering and oscillatory shear. When shaken the samples undergo a dramatic transition from a low viscosity fluid to a self-supporting, turbid gel. This complex non-linear behavior is found to occur over a narrow composition regime near a composition commensurate with saturation of the clay surface with polymer. Through a combination of SANS and rheology, shear gelation is found to occur through the deformation of large stable flocs that expose fresh surface area for the formation of new polymer bridges. At rest, the temporary shear-induced flocs slowly fractionate with time as the polymer desorbs from the clay surface. The shear-induced gelation is time reversible and strongly temperature-dependent suggesting that relaxation is an activated process. Samples showing shear induced gelation are also able to form stiff stable gels which are characteristically similar to pure clay dispersions.
Function-oriented protocols for the ARPA computer network

Much has been said about the mechanics of the ARPA Computer Network (ARPANET) and especially about the organization of its communications subnet. Until recently the main effort has gone into the implementation of an ARPANET user-level communications interface. Operating just above the communications subnet in ARPANET HOST Computers, this ARPANET interface is intended to serve as a foundation for the organization of function-oriented communications. See Figures 1 and 2 for our view of a computer system and the scheme for user-level process-to-process communications. It is now appropriate to review the development of protocols which have been constructed to promote particular substantive uses of the ARPANET, namely function-oriented protocols.
On vector quantization for fast facet edge detection

Presents an approach for performing edge detection which builds on prior work in fast facet edge detection using tree-structured vector quantization (TSVQ). The authors first extend the approach by using larger image vectors to reduce computational complexity by performing edge detection on multiple pixels at once. They then reduce the computational complexity of the edge detector without sacrificing performance by pruning the TSVQ with an edge detection-based criterion. They present results of edge detector performance on a sequence of images obtained from a mobile robot. >
1.4: Design of a high-gain wideband high-power 220-GHz multiple-beam serpentine TWT

A new concept for a compact high-gain multiple-beam TWT amplifier is introduced. To illustrate the concept, we present the design of a three-beam 220-GHz serpentine TWT amplifier. MAGIC-3D particle-in-cell code simulation results predict that the device should be capable of a peak power of 73 W and saturated gain of 42 dB over an instantaneous bandwidth of 50 GHz (23%), when powered by three 100 mA, 20 kV, well-focused electron beams. This performance can be achieved in a very compact circuit length of only 1.5 cm - a significant advantage for THz electron beam devices where issues of fabrication tolerances, beam alignment, and electron interception are of critical importance.
Reducing electronic waste through the development of an adaptable mobile device

Electronic waste is a growing problem in the world. As technology is more rapidly developed and made accessible to the public, an increase in the disposal of old electronics becomes more imminent. Electronic waste is harmful to the environment and the amount that it attributes to the waste stream can be reduced. Electronic products such as mobile devices are ubiquitous and the rates with which they are acquired and replaced by the consumers continue to rise. The current mobile device market encourages the acquisition of new devices more often than the end-of-life of the entire product. To create a more sustainable technological future, there must be a reduction in mobile device contribution to electronic waste. The problem of electronic waste with specific focus on mobile devices is approached from a systems engineering perspective. We performed a requirements analysis of alternative architectures that could potentially encourage and inspire customers to keep mobile devices for longer durations. In particular, we explored the idea of Phonebloks or a modular device, identified the critical factors in the development phase as outlined by ISO 15288 and ISO 9001 standards, and implemented a survey to evaluate user interest. This research explores a proof-of-concept design for a mobile device that is durable and customizable. A modular device allows for the consumer to replace a piece of the phone rather than the entire phone when they need to update their device. The consumer base is important to the success of the product, and our survey indicates a significant potential for consumer interest. The success of such a device could influence the development of more sustainable devices that will further encourage environmentally conscious technological design.
Composition of nonextractable radioactivity formed after injection of labeled L-thyroxine and 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine in rats.

The concentration of rat tissue residual radioactivity was measured after extensive extraction with 95% ethanol 4 days following a combined injection of phenolic (β)- and nonphenolic (α)-ring iodine-labeled L-thyroxine (131I-T4-β3 and 125I-T4-α) or nonphenolic-ring 14CT4-α. The concentration of nonextractable radioactivity derived from the nonphenolic-ring was comparable to that from the phenolic-ring in the plasma, liver and heart but was somewhat greater than that of the phenolic-ring label in the kidney and muscle. The presence of constituents of both rings of L-thyroxine in the nonextractable radioactivity suggested that the intact iodothyronine might be present in the nonextractable material. Pronase hydrolysis of the liver and plasma nonextractable m 125I (NE126I) was performed 3 days following the injection of 126I triiodothyronine (126I-T3-β) and 7 days after 125I-T4-β. Paper chromatographic analysis of the NE125I pronase digests showed 3 components: 125I-iodothyronine, 126I-iodide and 126I-monoio...
Mercury Exposure and Child Development Outcomes

Mercury is ubiquitous in the global environment, ensuring universal exposure. Some forms of mercury are especially neurotoxic, including clinical signs at high doses. However, typical human exposures occur at low to moderate doses. Only limited data about neurotoxicity at low doses are available, and scientists differ in their interpretation. Dose-response data on neurodevelopment are particularly limited. Despite or perhaps because of the lack of sufficient or consistent scientific data, public concern about a link between mercury exposure and developmental disabilities has been rising. After reviewing the data, the US Environmental Protection Agency proposed a reference dose (an estimate of a daily dose that is likely to be without a risk of adverse effects over a lifetime) for methyl mercury that is substantially lower than previous guidelines from the World Health Organization, the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the US Food and Drug Administration. Some questions have been raised about the Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines, but the issue remains unresolved. Meanwhile, consumer groups have raised questions about the potential link between mercury exposure and autism spectrum disorders as well as other adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. This hypothesis has prompted some parents to seek regulatory, legal, or medical remedies in the absence of firm evidence. This article reviews what is known about mercury neurotoxicity and neurodevelopmental risk. Our intent is to focus the debate about mercury on 1) additional research that should be sought and 2) defining the principal issues that public policy makers face.
Resetting the defect chemistry in CdTe

CdTe cell efficiencies have increased from 17% to 21% in the past three years and now rival polycrystalline Si [1]. Research is now targeting 25% to displace Si, attain costs less than 40 cents/W, and reach grid parity. Recent efficiency gains have come largely from greater photocurrent. There is still headroom to lower costs and improve performance by increasing open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor. Record-efficiency CdTe cells have been limited to Voc < 880 mV, whereas GaAs can attain Voc of 1.10 V with a slightly smaller bandgap [2,3]. To overcome this barrier, we seek to understand and increase lifetime and carrier concentration in CdTe. In polycrystalline structures, lifetime can be limited by interface and grain-boundary recombination, and attaining high carrier concentration is complicated by morphology.
Informal institutions and radical ideologies under institutional transformation

Abstract This article questions one of the central postulates of institutional economic theory, i.e., that of the sustainability and purely evolutionary changes of informal institutions. To study the phenomenon of the destruction of informal institutions and its consequences, we use the tools of sociological theory, which acknowledge that a period of intensive urbanization is characterized by anomie, i.e., a lack of norms, in which traditional institutions are destroyed, while new urban institutions have not yet taken shape. We reviewed the possible reactions of communities and individuals to the conditions of anomie, including the compensatory mechanisms of ideologies. In the case of the Dagestan Republic, we show how the proliferation of fundamentalist Islamic ideology is associated with the state of anomie and the consequences to which it could lead from an institutional point of view. The analysis of the situation in Dagestan is based on long-term field research conducted in the region.
Tracking Rate of Cognitive-functional Decline in Older Adults With Neurocognitive Disorders

Date Presented 4/16/2015 This study examined the annual rate of cognitive–functional decline measured by Cognitive Performance Test (CPT) scores in 80 subjects with neurocognitive disorders. Results indicate significance in the rate of decline of the total group (0.12 CPT) but little differentiation on the basis of etiology or severity of cognitive involvement.
The Sustained, Positive Impact of a Native American Cultures and Health Course on Students' Education and Practice-Related Choices.

Objective. To encourage pharmacy students to elect education and practice opportunities in Native American communities, including careers with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Methods. Students in 2 elective courses were educated on various aspects of contemporary Native American life in urban and reservation environments, including cultural traditions, social and health-related challenges, health access disparities, and cultural approaches to health and wellness. The teachers were Native American leaders and healers primarily from Plains tribes, as well as non-Native American practitioners affiliated with IHS hospitals and tribal health facilities. Students kept reflective journals, and a subset spent 5 days immersed in a rural Navajo community where they lived and worked alongside IHS practitioners and Community Health Representatives. Results. Student engagement with IHS opportunities was tracked for 11 years. Of the 69 pharmacy students who completed the electives, 11 applied for a Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Externship Program (Jr. COSTEP) (8 accepted, 6 completed), 43 requested one or more IHS APPEs (43 accepted, 32 completed, 8 in progress), 17 applied for an IHS residency (1 pending, 8 accepted, 5 completed), and 5 became IHS Commissioned Corps officers. Five additional students accepted an IHS or tribal position, with 3 pursuing a USPHS commission. Conclusion. Since the first report on the impact of this elective experience was published, the course continues to meet its primary objective of promoting interest in IHS/tribal education experiences and pharmacy practice careers.
Validation of the Microsoft Kinect as a Portable and Inexpensive Screening Tool for Identifying ACL Injury Risk

Objectives:A widespread screening tool to assess anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk should ideally be portable, inexpensive, markerless and easy to use. We hypothesize that our software p...
Multi-disciplinary competence assessment: a case study in consensus and culture.

The case of May Redwing, an American Indian woman assessed for competence is examined in detail. The case highlights the interconnections between the cultures of medicine and law and notes the importance of criteria of competence assessment, but also underscores the necessity of attention to the patient'scultural background in a multi-disciplinary competence assessment team process. Three interrelated areas of inquiry are explored: (1) Can we expect a morally and politically justifiable assessment of competence from a multi-disciplinary approach? (2) What pitfalls threaten a multi-disciplinary approach? and (3) How are the patient'scultural background and values relevant to a proper assessment of competence? These questions are investigated in the context of analyzing and evaluating a particularly difficult case. Although focused on a specific case, the study is instructive and cautionary for any group undertaking the challenges of multi-disciplinary competence assessment.
Antimicrobial therapy in musculoskeletal surgery

Summary The treatment of musculoskeletal infections often involves a combined surgical and antibiotic approach. The antimicrobial therapy of these infections does not differ in basic principles from that of other infections. Because many different microorganisms can cause musculoskeletal infections, appropriate antimicrobial therapy depends on proper culturing, isolation, identification, and antibiotic susceptibility testing of the etiologic infectious agent. The need for long-term treatment makes the proper selection of antibiotic and monitoring of therapy imperative. The least toxic, least expensive, and most effective antibiotic should be selected. During therapy, regular laboratory tests should be obtained to monitor potential adverse reactions. Although the optimal duration of treatment of orthopedic infections is not firmly established, factors for consideration include the infectious organism, duration of infection, surgical findings, adequacy of surgical treatment, host resistance, and characterstics of antibiotics. Properly selected antibiotics given for an appropriate duration usually result in cure.
Atmospheres of the Giant Planets

Abstract The atmospheres of the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are in many ways fundamentally different from the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets and they provide a variety of problems to test our understanding of how atmospheres work. These atmospheres are very deep and the internal energy for three of them (Uranus is the exception) is greater than the solar energy available to drive weather. Their rotation rates are fast and so the Coriolis force becomes more important, resulting in patterns of strong zonal (east–west) winds. Understanding the dominant physical processes that control the strengths, direction, and widths of the winds is still a very active area of research. This chapter highlights the salient features of the giant planet atmospheres, including their chemistry, clouds and colors, dynamics, and processes in the high atmosphere such as the aurora.
Low noise coupling techniques for multi-phase oscillators

This paper presents a capacitive-coupling technique for low phase noise multi-phase oscillators. The proposed coupling techniques can improve the phase noise performance while maintain good phase accuracy over wide frequency range. A 4.3–5.3 GHz two-phase VCO prototype is implemented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. It achieves a measured phase noise of −120 to −124.04dBc /Hz @ 1MHz offset and a measured phase error of 0.23–0.91° across a 1GHz tuning range.
Contact-Induced Spin Relaxation in Graphene Nonlocal Spin Valves

Graphene-based spintronics hinges on controlling spin currents through ferromagnet/graphene interfaces. By measuring devices with different contact resistances, the authors show that the spin-transport properties of the graphene\char22{}particularly its spin resistance\char22{}can be controlled by a gate voltage. Due to reduced flow of spins from graphene into the ferromagnetic contacts, spin accumulation increases with contact resistance, scaling with the ratio of contact resistance to graphene's spin resistance. This is an important, quantitative demonstration that the effect of this ratio on the spin signal is consistent with the theory of contact-induced spin relaxation.
Results on optimal stabilization of a continuum of equilibria

Pointwise asymptotic stability, or semistability, is a property of a set of equilibria of a dynamical system, where every equilibrium is Lyapunov stable and every solution is convergent to some equilibrium. Under an assumption that the property can be achieved, in a discrete-time nonlinear control system, through open-loop controls, it is shown that the property can be achieved by optimal or sub-optimal feedback.
Characterization of thermoelectric power generation Modules made from new materials

Lead-Antimony-Silver-Tellurium (L-A-S-T) materials, synthesized at Michigan State University, show promising thermoelectric properties at high temperatures for use in power generation applications. Recent scaled-up quantities of L-A-S-T show a ZT=1.4 at 700 K approaching the figure of merit for samples made in small quantities [1]. These materials are of great interest for power generation applications with hot side temperatures in the range of 600800 K. Developing these materials into working devices requires minimization of the thermal and electrical parasitic contact resistances, so various fabrication methods are under investigation. To examine each method, a new measurement system has been developed to characterize these devices under various load and temperature gradients. An introduction to the system will be presented, as well as results for devices made of the L-A-S-T materials.
Association Between Ibuprofen Use and Severity of Surgically Managed Posttonsillectomy Hemorrhage.

Importance Ibuprofen used in postoperative management of pain after tonsillectomy has not been shown to increase the overall risk for posttonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH). The severity of bleeding is difficult to quantify but may be a more important outcome to measure. Objective To evaluate the association between ibuprofen use and severity of PTH using transfusion events as a marker of severity. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study identified 8868 patients who underwent tonsillectomy from January 20, 2011, through June 30, 2014, at the tertiary academic Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Of these patients, 6710 met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using electronic database acquisition and query. Main Outcomes and Measures Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors for PTH and receipt of transfusion. Results Of the 6710 patients who met criteria for analysis (3454 male [51.5%] and 3256 female [48.5%]; median age, 5.4 years [interquartile range, 3.7-8.2 years]), 222 (3.3%) presented with PTH that required surgical control (sPTH). A total of 15 of the 8868 patients required transfusion for an overall risk for transfusion after tonsillectomy of 0.2%. Fifteen of 222 patients undergoing sPTH (6.8%) received transfusions. No significant independent increased risk for sPTH was associated with use of ibuprofen (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.90; 95% CI, 0.68-1.19). A significant independent association was found in the risk for sPTH in patients 12 years or older (adjusted OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.99-3.76) and in patients with a history of recurrent tonsillitis (adjusted OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.06). When using transfusion rates as a surrogate for severity of sPTH, transfusion increased by more than 3-fold among ibuprofen users compared with nonusers (adjusted OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.01-9.91), and the upper limit of the 95% CI suggests the difference could be nearly 10 times greater. Conclusions and Relevance The risk for sPTH is not increased with use of postoperative ibuprofen but is increased in patients 12 years or older and patients undergoing tonsillectomy with a history of recurrent tonsillitis. Hemorrhage severity is significantly increased with ibuprofen use when using transfusion rate as a surrogate marker for severity.
Treatment of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever in a Well-Resourced Environment

Evaluation and management of a patient with a potentially highly infectious disease, such as Ebola Virus Disease, requires a structured and thoughtful approach. The differential diagnosis in such cases will include potentially life-threatening diseases that require rapid diagnosis and early initiation of therapy. However, these goals must be balanced with the need to preserve the safety of providers and other patients.
Orthophotomapping for Prudhoe Bay Development

Rothophotomapping on Alaska's North Slope combined the imagery from an aerial photo that is free of distortion due to camera tilt and terrain relief with some conventional topographic mapping symbols to yield a portrait of the land more complete and realistic than possible by conventional maps. It is particularly suited to the North Slope because significant terrain features such as drained thaw lakes and ice-wedge polygons have no line map symbol. The U.S. Geological Survey is processing with a project to prepare 12 orthophotomaps at 1:24,000 scale of a 550 sq mile area at oil-rich Prudhoe Bay. High altitude photography, only recently obtainable by commercial contract, was acquired with flight line planning and photo spacing to give complete coverage of a 1:24,000-scale quadrangle on a single photograph.
RISKS OF CATHETER-DIRECTED THERAPY VERSUS CONSERVATIVE THERAPY IN A HIGH RISK, PROPENSITY-SCORE MATCHED PULMONARY EMBOLISM PATIENT POPULATION

Understanding which patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) are suitable for catheter directed therapies (CDT) remains controversial. There is little data comparing safety and efficacy outcomes in CDT patients compared to an equally high-risk cohort of conservatively-managed patients. All adult
Integers Causing Bipolar Orientation Reversal of Appendage Motion

(2005). Integers Causing Bipolar Orientation Reversal of Appendage Motion. Math Horizons: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 10-24.
The “Cruel” Death of William James

The last days of James are interpreted pessimistically in order to counter, although not discount, the usually optimistic way in which his experience with psychical research is understood. The work of Christian missionaries provides a helpful account of demon possession, showing that the devil is found in the persecution itself. The Deuteronomic prohibitions against the demonic are considered along with the prohibition against the Unpardonable Sin in the Gospels, showing how engagement with the demonic has to require both suspicion and openness. The work of literary theorist Rene Girard is used to argue that the name of the principal demon for Christianity should be Violent Sacrifice, which operates when the Many acts as the One.
Historical Tsunamis in the Pacific Basin

The Pacific Basin was divided into ten regions, and historical data were compiled for each region. As the Japanese word “tsunami” suggests, the Japan area situated near a collision zone for two crustal plates has generated the most tsunamis (247), and most of the damage has been confined to that area. Across the Pacific to the southeast lies the South American coast, another zone of plate collision, that has spawned many tsunamis (91). The records of the area report 13 events that were devastating not only locally, but as far away as Hawaii and Japan. Further, magnitude 7.5 earthquakes are more likely to generate tsunamis along the coast of South America. The North Pacific area has generated events with far-reaching effects. Five of the nine tsunamis that were damaging outside their source regions in the last 100 years were generated in the arc stretching from the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka across the Aleutians to the Gulf of Alaska. Hawaii is the area most often damaged by tsunamis generated elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean basin. But the west coast of North America, although frequently the site of earthquakes, has generated only seven damaging tsunamis.
Computer technology from a textile designer’s perspective

Abstract: This chapter discusses computer technologies used in the domain of textile design from the textile designer’s perspective. The chapter starts with a brief explanation of the history and role of CAD, CAM and CIM for textile weave, knit and print design. Then, it describes the main computer technologies, which encompass computer technologies as tools for (1) information gathering, (2) designing, (3) design editing and (4) presentation in textile design workflows. In addition, the chapter explains benefits and limitations in the textile design process from the initial design concept to final production and presentation.
Production of the X ( 3870 ) at the Υ ( 4 S ) by the coalescence of charm mesons

If the recently discovered charmonium state $X(3870)$ is a loosely bound molecule of the charm mesons ${D}^{0}$ and ${D}^{*0}$ or ${D}^{0}$ and ${D}^{*0},$ it can be produced in ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ annihilation at the $\ensuremath{\Upsilon}(4S)$ resonance by the coalescence of charm mesons produced in the decays of ${B}^{+}$ and ${B}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons. Remarkably, in the case of 2-body decays of the B mesons, the leading contribution to the coalescence probability depends only on the hadron masses and on the width and branching fractions of the B meson. As the binding energy ${E}_{b}$ of the molecule goes to zero, the coalescence probability scales as ${E}_{b}^{1/2}\mathrm{log}{(E}_{b}).$ Unfortunately, the coalescence probability is also suppressed by two powers of the ratio of the width to the mass of the B meson, and is therefore many orders of magnitude too small to be observed in current experiments at B factories.
Online Training for the Online Instructor

Institutions across the nation are developing online education programs that offer learners access to higher education. In addition to increased access for learners, instructors have increased access to career opportunities through online learning environments. With this access for instructors comes the responsibility of institutions to properly train instructors with skills necessary to educate the growing number of learners. This article focuses on the before, during, and after training strategies institutions should employ to prepare instructors for online teaching. This includes training on online instructional strategies, the establishment of Professional Learning Communities, the use of ongoing mentoring programs, and the use of ongoing, formative and summative feedback for instructors.
The relationship between physical work hazards and employee withdrawal: The moderating role of safety compliance.

We examined the relationship between physical work hazards and employee withdrawal among a sample of health care employees wherein safety compliance was hypothesized to moderate the relationship between physical work hazards and withdrawal. Health care workers (N = 162) completed an online questionnaire assessing physical work hazards, withdrawal, and indicators of workplace safety. Safety compliance moderated the relationship between patient aggression and withdrawal. Interaction plots revealed that for all significant moderations, the relationship between physical work hazards and withdrawal was weaker for those who reported high levels of compliance. Results shed initial light on the benefits of fostering safety compliance in health care contexts, which can contain exposure to physical work hazards.
The Free Energy Landscape of Internucleosome Interactions and Its Relation to Chromatin Fiber Structure.

The supramolecular chromatin fiber is governed by molecular scale energetics and interactions. Such energetics originate from the fiber’s building block, the nucleosome core particle (NCP). In recent years, the chromatin fiber has been examined through perturbative methods in attempts to extract the energetics of nucleosome association in the fiber. This body of work has led to different results from experiments and simulations concerning the nucleosome–nucleosome energetics. Here, we expand on previous experiments and use coarse-grained simulations to evaluate the energetics inherent to nucleosomes across a variety of parameters in configurational and environmental space. Through this effort, we are able to uncover molecular processes that are critical to understanding the 30 nm chromatin fiber structure. In particular, we describe the NCP–NCP interactions by relying on an anisotropic energetic landscape, rather than a single potential energy value. The attractions in that landscape arise predominantly f...
MeV bremsstrahlung X rays from intense laser interaction with solid foils

Laser-based compact MeV X-ray sources are useful for a variety of applications such as radiography and active interrogation of nuclear materials. MeV X rays are typically generated by impinging the intense laser onto ~mm-thick high-Z foil. Here, we have characterized such a MeV X-ray source from 120 TW (80 J, 650 fs) laser interaction with a 1 mm-thick tantalum foil. Our measurements show X-ray temperature of 2.5 MeV, flux of 3 × 1012 photons/sr/shot, beam divergence of ~0.1 sr, conversion efficiency of ~1%, that is, ~1 J of MeV X rays out of 80 J incident laser, and source size of 80 m. Our measurement also shows that MeV X-ray yield and temperature is largely insensitive to nanosecond laser contrasts up to 10−5. Also, preliminary measurements of similar MeV X-ray source using a double-foil scheme, where the laser-driven hot electrons from a thin foil undergoing relativistic transparency impinging onto a second high-Z converter foil separated by 50–400 m, show MeV X-ray yield more than an order of magnitude lower compared with the single-foil results.
Neutral Aroma Constituents in Burley Tobacco

The constituents of the neutral volatiles from air-cured Burley tobacco were studied using distillation, silicic acid column chromatography, preparative gas chromatography and GC–MS. The isolation and identification of 84 compounds are reported of which 27 are newly identified as tobacco constituents and 4 are new natural products.
Microtermolides A (I) and B (II) from Termite-Associated Streptomyces sp. and Structural Revision of Vinylamycin.

The title compounds are isolated and characterized, but no absolute configuration is determined.
Comparing Contract Administration Functions for Alternative and Traditional Delivery of Highway Projects

AbstractAgency roles and responsibilities for contract administration depend on the contracting method. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has encouraged agencies to consider alternative con...
Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes of Extracorporeal Septoplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

Objective:The safety and efficacy of extracorporeal septoplasty (ECS) has long been debated. Our objective was to determine this technique’s functional and aesthetic outcomes and complications thro...
Urea for Chronic Hyponatremia.

Background Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder encountered clinically. While acute and/or severe hyponatremia is commonly associated with significant symptoms, milder and more chronic forms of hyponatremia remain clinically inconspicuous. Recent evidence suggests that even milder forms of hyponatremia are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite this, currently available treatments for chronic hyponatremia lack data on efficacy and/or have important limitations related to patient nonadherence, adverse side effects, and/or significant costs. Consequently, there is a clear need for investigation of alternative treatments for this common condition. Summary Small case series conducted in Europe since the early 1980s suggest that urea, an oral osmotic diuretic that increases urinary water excretion, is safe and effective for the treatment of chronic hyponatremia. In 2016, a novel formulation of urea became available in the United States. Our group recently reported the first and only study describing the efficacy and safety of this American formulation of oral urea among hospitalized patients with hyponatremia. Key Messages: Oral urea appears to be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated therapeutic strategy in the management of chronic hyponatremia.
Expected Economic and Biological Impacts of Recreational Atlantic Striped Bass Fishing Policy

Understanding how recreational angling effort responds to regulatory adjustment is important for rebuilding overfished stocks such as Atlantic striped bass Morone saxatilis. In this paper, we use stated preference choice experiment data to evaluate how individual angler participation may respond to changes in fishing trip characteristics, particularly the number of small, medium-sized, and trophy striped bass kept and released. We use these results to simulate the aggregate effect of alternative fishing policies in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut on angler welfare, angler effort, recreational fishing mortality, and female spawning stock biomass. We find that a wide range of economically efficient policies are available if the primary management objective is to control recreational fishing mortality. In contrast, we find that the range of efficient policies is quite narrow if the primary management objective is to protect female spawning stock biomass. Additionally, only one of the 36 alternative policies analyzed; a one-fish harvest slot of 28” to 36”, is expected to achieve a nontrivial reduction in both total and female spawning stock removals relative to the actual 2015 policy of one fish, 28” or longer. Implementing a one-fish harvest slot of 28” to 36” comes with minimal costs in terms of foregone angler welfare due to the relatively low rate at which trophy striped bass in excess of 36” are encountered.
Clinicopathologic features and clinical outcomes associated with Gleason upgrading from biopsy to radical prostatectomy.

5056 Background: Gleason score stratifies patients into prognostic categories and is critical in guiding treatment. Previous series indicate that ~25% of patients with low-grade (Gleason ≤6) diseas...
SUDDEN DEATH IN HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION: A COMPETING RISKS ANALYSIS FROM THE TOPCAT TRIAL

Sudden death (SD) may be an important mode of death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but limited data are available estimating rates and identifying its risk predictors. We studied 1,767 patients with HFpEF (EF≥45%) enrolled in the Americas region of the
Trends And Disparities in Palliative Care Encounters in Acute Heart Failure Admissions; Insight From National Inpatient Sample

Heart failure is a leading cause of readmissions in the United States, although treatment has come along away, palliative care is often not appropriately offered in advanced heart failure. The purpose of this study was to use a large database of national in-patient sample to find out the use of palliative care in acute heart failure admissions. Data from 2002 to 2017 was used for analysis. Simple linear regression was used for trend analysis over the years. Variables that were statistically significant in univariate analysis were used in single-step (entry method) multiple logistic analysis. The use of palliative care was found to be low at 4.1%, although recent trends have shown an increase (from 0.4% in 2002 to 6.2% in 2017). Women (0.3% in 2002 to 6.5% in 2017) and Caucasians (0.6% in 2002 to 6.9% in 2017) had a higher proportion of PC encounters as compared to men (0.5% in 2002 to 5.9% in 2017) and other racial minorities, increasing age (OR, 1.04[CI; 1.03-1.04], p < 0.01), female gender (OR, 1.03[CI; 1.02-1.03], p < 0.01), do not resuscitate status (OR, 10.62[CI; 10.53-10.70], p < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.10[CI; 1.01-1.11], p < 0.01), liver disease (OR, 1.63[CI; 1.60-1.66], p < 0.01), renal failure (OR, 1.40[CI; 1.39-1.41], p < 0.01), acute myocardial infarction (OR, 1.28[CI; 1.27-1.30], p < 0.01), and cardiogenic shock (OR, 2.89[CI; 2.84-2.93], p < 0.01) were associated with higher odds of having PC encounter. In conclusion, the use of palliative care has increased in the United States over the years, however, it is still low as compared to other high-income countries.
Ex Vivo Performance of a Flexible Microwave Ablation Antenna

Objective: In this study, we investigate the performance of a flexible microwave ablation antenna for generating localized ablation zones. Methods: We designed a helical dipole antenna to operate at 1.9 GHz in egg white and liver. Semi-rigid prototypes of the antenna were fabricated and used to perform ablation experiments in egg white and perfused liver. Pulsed and continuous-wave power deliveries at different power levels were used. Flexible prototypes of the antenna were fabricated and used to perform ex vivo ablation experiments in perfused liver. Results: Pulsing was effective in reducing the shaft heating of semi-rigid cables. The antenna was capable of producing substantial ablation zones in perfused liver. Typical diameters (perpendicular to the antenna axis) of generated ablation zones with semi-rigid antennas in egg white and perfused liver were 30 mm and 20 mm, respectively. The flexible antenna had a good impedance match while bent. Average diameter of generated ablation zones by the flexible antenna with 10-W continuous-wave experiments in perfused liver was 26 mm. No significant difference was observed between the performances of semi-rigid and flexible prototypes. Conclusion: The flexible helical dipole antenna is capable of maintaining its good impedance match while bent and can generate substantial ablation zones in presence of perfusion. Significance: The proposed flexible antenna is promising for minimally invasive treatment of tumors that are otherwise inaccessible by rigid antennas. One example is lung where a catheter-based deployment of the flexible antenna into the tumor via airways may substantially reduce risks associated with using rigid antennas.
Discovering Effective Descriptors for CO2 Electroreduction to Predict the Catalysts with Different Selectivity

Electroreduction is a promising approach to transform CO2, a greenhouse gas, into valuable hydrocarbons and could help mitigate the global warming effect. However, the high overpotential associated...
Cattle Movement Monitoring and Location Prediction System Using Markov Decision Process and IoT Sensors

Though many research contributions have been made on cattle health monitoring, those techniques can only apply to specific geographical ranges. Another big challenge in the sensor networks is the limited amount of battery power in the sensor nodes. This paper proposes a cattle movement monitoring and location prediction system using the Markov decision process (LPS-MDP). In this system, the cattle's location is tracked by monitoring its movement along a geographical boundary. The current location and movement velocity are gathered through the cows' collars, from which their usual mobility pattern is determined. The probability of a cattle moving outside its boundary is determined based on the counted movement pattern using the Markov decision process. When the probability exceeds a specified threshold, the farmer is notified. Experimental results have proven that LPS-MD minimizes the prediction cost and delay and increases the prediction accuracy.
Self-organization Simulation Applied to Migration across a Peaceful Border: A Recent Study

Self-organization using simple dynamic laws has been applied to migration across a common border between two entities, states or countries. The motion of the migrants and their final positions are presented. In the system there were two sets of objects. One set was on a side of the boundary. One side, the right side, was considered to be the better entity. That is it had a good government and the economy was strong. On the left side the entity was decidedly different with respect to the governance and the economy. Each side's objects were further divided into two groups. The two groups were referred to as strong and weak. The strong represent the governance, rich or elite and weak refers to the general population. Initially the objects were randomly distributed in this two dimensional square bounded region, and then allowed to dynamically interact for a number of iterations. The forces among all of the particles as groups were defined to be attractive or repulsive and could be adjusted to study the resulting configuration from the dynamics. Four experiments were conducted to see how self-organization applies for these scenarios. In Experiment 1 the migration took place with only the object-to-object forces active. In Experiment 2 the concept of employment was introduced. An unemployed object was allowed to move faster than an employed object thus giving the unemployed greater mobility. The employment rate on right side is considerably higher than on the left side. Experiment 3 explored changing one of the forces from repelling to attract. Experiment 3 was the same as Experiment 2 except for this and it went for twice as many iterations. Experiment 4 created employment centers on the right side. These centers provided jobs to left side migrants that came close enough to a center. If the left side object got a center job then that migrant did not move for the remainder of the simulation. In Experiments 1 and 2 there was no incentive for a migrant to remain so the migrant traveled back and forth across the border. In Experiment 4 it was assumed that the job provided incentive for the migrant to remain at a fixed location. Thus clusters of migrants formed around the job centers. The clusters that formed were not sustainable indicating lack of reason to stay. The objectives of this effort were to apply computer simulation to a group of migrants to observe the traffic patterns from one side to the other and to observe if cluster or enclaves were formed.