cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust Adaptive Control of Stepper Motors

As seen in Chap. 3, the differential equations governing the behavior of stepper motors are nonlinear and several uncertainties are present in the dynamics. In accurate positioning applications, ignoring modeling of these uncertainties is detrimental to the motor performance. Many of the problems arising in the operation of the stepper motors, such as poor settling times, resonance phenomena, torque ripple, and positioning inaccuracy due to friction can be overcome by utilizing feedback control. In this chapter, the robust control designs advocated in the previous chapter are applied to various types of stepper motors to ensure good tracking performance. Some modifications to the control design methodology outlined in the previous chapter are made in order to account for unknown virtual and actual position-dependent control coefficients that arise in the dynamics of the stepper motors.
Anticipatory scene representation in preschool children's recall and recognition memory

Behavioral and neuroscience research on boundary extension (false memory beyond the edges of a view of a scene) has provided new insights into the constructive nature of scene representation, and motivates questions about development. Early research with children (as young as 6–7 years) was consistent with boundary extension, but relied on an analysis of spatial errors in drawings which are open to alternative explanations (e.g. drawing ability). Experiment 1 replicated and extended prior drawing results with 4–5-year-olds and adults. In Experiment 2, a new, forced-choice immediate recognition memory test was implemented with the same children. On each trial, a card (photograph of a simple scene) was immediately replaced by a test card (identical view and either a closer or more wide-angle view) and participants indicated which one matched the original view. Error patterns supported boundary extension; identical photographs were more frequently rejected when the closer view was the original view, than vice versa. This asymmetry was not attributable to a selection bias (guessing tasks; Experiments 3–5). In Experiment 4, working memory load was increased by presenting more expansive views of more complex scenes. Again, children exhibited boundary extension, but now adults did not, unless stimulus duration was reduced to 5 s (limiting time to implement strategies; Experiment 5). We propose that like adults, children interpret photographs as views of places in the world; they extrapolate the anticipated continuation of the scene beyond the view and misattribute it to having been seen. Developmental differences in source attribution decision processes provide an explanation for the age-related differences observed.
Dual Model Misspecification in Generalized Linear Models with Error in Variables

We study maximum likelihood estimation of regression parameters in generalized linear models for a binary response with error-prone covariates when the distribution of the error-prone covariate or the link function is misspecified. We revisit the remeasurement method proposed by Huang et al. (Biometrika 93:53–64, 2006) for detecting latent-variable model misspecification and examine its operating characteristics in the presence of link misspecification. Furthermore, we propose a new diagnostic method for assessing assumptions on the link function. Combining these two methods yields informative diagnostic procedures that can identify which model assumption is violated and also reveal the direction in which the true latent-variable distribution or the true link function deviates from the assumed one.
Recasting Critical Theory: Veblen, Deconstruction, and the Theory-Praxis Gap

This paper contends that Thorstein Veblen’s economic and social thought constitute a remarkably advanced form of critical theory. This “evolutionary critical theory” shares the goals, methods, assu...
Development of kinks in car-following models.

Many car-following models of traffic flow admit the possibility of absolute stability, a situation in which uniform traffic flow at any spacing is linearly stable. Near the threshold of absolute stability, these models can often be reduced to a modified Korteweg-deVries (mKdV) equation plus small corrections. The hyperbolic-tangent ``kink'' solutions of the mKdV equation are usually of particular interest, as they represent transition zones between regions of different traffic spacings. Solvability analysis is believed to show that only a single member of the one-parameter family of kink solutions is preserved by the correction terms, and this is interpreted as a kind of selection. We show, however, that the usual solvability calculation rests on an unstated, unjustified assumption, and that without this assumption it merely gives a first-order correction to the relation between the traffic spacings far behind and far ahead of the kink, rather than any kind of ``selection'' criterion for the family of kink solutions. On the other hand, we display a two-parameter family of traveling wave solutions of the mKdV equation, which describe regions of one traffic spacing embedded in traffic of a different spacing; this family includes the kink solutions as a limiting case. We carry out a multiple-time-scales calculation and find conditions under which the inclusions decay, conditions that lead to a selected inclusion, and conditions for which the inclusion evolves into a pair of kinks.
Overriding the Experts: A Stacking Method for Combining Marginal Classifiers

The design of an optimal Bayesian classifier for multiple features is dependent on the estimation of multidimensional joint probability density functions and therefore requires a design sample size that increases exponentially with the number of dimensions. A method was developed that combines classifications from marginal density functions using an additional classifier. Unlike voting methods, this method can select a more appropriate class than the ones selected by the marginal classifiers, thus "overriding" their decisions. For two classes and two features, this method always demonstrates a probability of error no worse than the probability of error of the best marginal classifier.
Incidence of Whistle-blowing in the Public and Private Sectors

Is whistle-blowing evenly distributed between the public and private sectors? The author answers this question by performing a content analysis on 1,148 newspaper articles on whistle-blowing published in 30 major U.S. newspapers between January 6, 1989, and November 16, 1995. He finds that 70 percent of the whistle-blowing incidents occurred in the public sector ‒ a sharp difference from the expected share of 20 percent (based on workforce distribution). Further analysis reveals that public sector whistle-blowing is prevalent in the federal government and in certain policy areas. In the private sector, whistle-blowing is prevalent in certain heavily regulated industries that administer government contracts and provide public or quasi public goods and services. In both sectors, whistle blowing is densely concentrated around the public/private interface. These findings suggest important individual, organizational, and environmental determinants of whistle-blowing in the public sector. The author explores several of these possibilities, and he discusses the implications for public managers and scholars.
The creation and evolution of coherent structures in plant canopy flows and their role in turbulent transport

In this paper we used simulation tools to study turbulent boundary-layer structures in the roughness sublayer. Of particular interest is the case of a neutrally-stratified atmospheric boundary layer in which the lower boundary is covered by a homogeneous plant canopy. The goal of this study was to formulate a consistent conceptual model for the creation and evolution of the dominant coherent structures associated with canopy roughness and how they link with features observed in the overlying inertial sublayer. First, coherent structures were examined using temporally developing flow where the full range of turbulent scales had not yet developed, which allowed for instantaneous visualizations. These visualizations were used to formulate a conceptual model, which was then further tested using composite-averaged structure realizations from fully-developed flow with a very large Reynolds number. This study concluded that quasi two-dimensional mixing-layer-like roller structures exist in the developed flow and give the largest contributions to mean Reynolds stresses near the canopy. This work fully acknowledges the presence of highly three-dimensional and localized vortex pairing processes. The primary argument is that, as in a mixing layer, the smaller three-dimensional vortex interactions do not destroy the larger two-dimensional structure. Because the flow has a very large Reynolds number, the roller-like structures are not well-defined vortices but rather are a conglomerate of a large range of smaller-scale vortex structures that create irregularities. Because of this, the larger-scale structure is more difficult to detect in correlation or conditional sampling analyses. The frequently reported ‘scalar microfronts’ and associated spikes in pressure occur in the slip-like region between adjacent rollers. As smaller vortices within roller structures stretch, they evolve to form arch- and hairpin-shaped structures. Blocking by the low-flux canopy creates vertical asymmetry, and tends to impede the vertical progression of head-down structures. Head-up hairpins are allowed to continually stretch upward into the overlying inertial sublayer, where they evolve into the hairpin structures commonly reported to populate wall-bounded flows. This process is thought to be modulated by boundary-layer-scale secondary instability, which enhances head-up hairpin formation along quasi-streamwise transects.
Mammon and God: Mapping Flannery O’Connor’s Atlanta

In “The Artificial Nigger,” Flannery O’Connor provides directions for the reader to precisely follow her characters’ circuitous route from the city center to the suburban train station where they end their journey. While the Heads find themselves in three of the city’s shopping centers, O’Connor is careful to keep them from coming within sight of any of the city’s churches. O’Connor uses this commercialized Atlanta to examines the claim that commerce can make people “too busy to hate.” She then moves into an allegorical register in which the market represents judgement and the Heads experience grace only after leaving it.
Bentyl® (Merrell-National)

Bentyl is an antispasmodic and anticholinergic. It relieves smooth muscle spasm of the gastrointestinal tract.
Process Considerations in the Age of Markman and Mantras

This article asserts that although notions of uniformity and certainty have always been part of patent law parlance, since the Federal Circuit's decision in Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., these noble ends have achieved mantra status. In Markman, the Federal Circuit, in the name of uniformity and certainty, characterized claim interpretation as a question of law subject to de novo review, thus positioning itself as the arbiter of claim meaning. If the Federal Circuit is unwilling to exercise greater obeisance toward district court claim interpretations, this article argues that to achieve uniformity and certainty in the context of de novo review the Federal Circuit should entertain interlocutory appeals of Markman hearings. Accordingly, this article proposes that the Supreme Court, pursuant to the Rules Enabling Act, promulgate a rule specifically permitting or requiring the Federal Circuit to hear an interlocutory appeal of a district court claim interpretation decision. The Federal Circuit, which has a special duty to promote uniformity and certainty, cannot have it both ways; that is, the court cannot employ a de novo standard of review on the one hand, and, on the other hand, refuse to entertain interlocutory appeals. Furthermore, acceptance of interlocutory appeals would foster early certainty and promote settlement negotiations. Consistent with this proposal, this article also recommends that district courts, when applicable, apply the doctrine of issue preclusion to their sister courts' claim interpretation decisions. The application of issue preclusion would promote uniformity at the district court level, and coupled with interlocutory review, would promote early certainty.
Assessing quality in payment reform initiatives

Abstract Rising healthcare costs and increasing evidence of variation in quality of healthcare have spurred payment reform initiatives that tie reimbursement to the quality of care provided. Success in these initiatives will require identification of valid and reliable measures of quality and rigorous evaluation of the effects of payment reform implementation on these quality metrics. Despite the support and investment in quality improvement through payment reform, results of these improvement initiatives have been mixed. Providers and researchers must remain invested in the development, evaluation, and selection of quality measures for healthcare policy reform.
In Memoriam: Professor James W. Jeans, Sr., Man of Encouragement

Professor James W. Jeans would appreciate this comparison. At a time close to 30 A.D. on the island of Cyprus there lived a man named Joseph. Joseph’s parents were Jewish and belonged to the Tribe of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. In Biblical times, Levites were given responsibility for the sacred tent and performed other religious duties. Presumably, the parents of Joseph were devout in the practice of Judaism. Joseph was a man of moderate wealth. The Book of Acts describes Joseph as a possessor of land. As an early convert to Christianity, Joseph sold his land and gave the proceeds to the small Christian community in Jerusalem. The author of the Gospel of Luke describes Joseph as a “good man.” At a time when the Christian movement was forming, Joseph became known as Barnabas; which, according to the author of Luke, means “son of encouragement.” Thus, Barnabas became “The Encourager” to many students of the Bible.
Zinc-induced neuronal death in cortical neurons.

Abstract Although Zn2+ is normally stored and released in the brain, excessive exposure to extracellular Zn2+ can be neurotoxic. The purpose of the present study was to determine the type of neuronal cell death, necrosis versus apoptosis, induced by Zn2+ exposure. Addition of 10-50 microM ZnCl2 to the bathing medium of murine neuronal and glial cell cultures induced, over the next 24 hrs., Zn2+-concentration-dependent neuronal death; some glial death also occurred with Zn2+ concentrations above 30 microM. The neuronal death induced by 20 microM Zn2+ was characterized by coarse chromatin condensation, the formation of apoptotic bodies, and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. It was attenuated in cortical cell cultures prepared from mice null for the bax gene, and by the caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-CH2F (ZVAD, 100 microM), but not by the NMDA receptor antagonist, D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (D-APV, 200 microM ). In contrast, the neuronal death induced by 50 microM Zn2+ was characterized by plasma membrane disruption and random DNA fragmentation; this death was attenuated by D-APV, but exhibited little sensitivity to ZVAD or deletion of bax. These results suggest that Zn2+ can induce cell death with characteristics of either apoptosis or necrosis, depending on the intensity of the Zn2+ exposure.
Poly (Enol—Ketone) from the Oxidation of Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)

Natural macromolecules such as proteins, cellulose, and starch are generally degraded in biological systems by hydrolysis followed by oxidation. Our studies on the biodegradation of synthetic polymers suggested that the most important factors controlling the biodegradability of synthetic polymers are the presence of hydrolyzable functional groups and accessibility of enzymes to the polymer chains.1–4 Polymers with carbon backbones without any hydrolyzable linkage are thus less likely to be biodegradable. Indeed very few carbon chain polymers have been reported to be biodegradable. Among these is poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA. Casey and Manly used activated sludge to treat PVA textile waste water and Suzuki suggested that oxidation of PVA was the first stage of the microbial degradation of PVA.6 We reasoned that chemical oxidation of PVA should improve its biodegradability. Controlled chemical oxidation of the β-dihydroxy units in PVA should result in the generation of β-diketone ← → enol-ketone units, Fig. 1. Since β-diketones (enol-ketohes) are well known to form chelates with metal ions the poly(enol-ketone), PEK, derived from the controlled oxidation of PVA can be expected to coordinate strongly with metal ions. Application of PEK as a degradable metal ion removal agent can be anticipated.
Exploring Thermal Transitions in Anthradithiophene-based Organic Semiconductors to Reveal Structure-Packing Relationships

Thermal analyses provide macroscopic measures as to how molecular-scale features impact the solid-state packing of organic semiconductors. Here, we make use of molecular dynamics simulations to explore the phase transitions of a series of anthradithiophene-based molecular materials. Various models are explored to overcome superheating effects that are typically associated with the simulated annealing of crystalline materials using periodic boundary conditions. Slab models, in particular, are shown to provide good agreement with melt temperatures determined experimentally, especially for unsubstituted anthradithiophenes. Importantly, the simulations provide atomic-scale details regarding solid–solid and solid–liquid phase transitions that deliver key insights into how variations in the anthradithiophene chemistry impact the nature of the molecular packing and, in turn, can be used to enhance the rational engineering of crystal packing in these organic semiconductors.
Interaction Of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet With Helium Flow

This research investigated plasma induced turbulence in the feed gas by interferometry and Schlieren photography1.
“Scientific” Healthcare and the Person: exemplifying relations between general laws and idiographic interpretation

This paper highlights the relationship between the person and the philosophy of science and mental healthcare. Focusing on what are generally considered to be the main differences between the idiographic sciences, that is, the human sciences and the nomothetic sciences, that is, the natural sciences, the paper sketches with a distinctive set of analytical tools the complexity of the relations between these scientific poles when it comes to understanding and explaining a person. Through an interdisciplinary historical and existential-phenomenological way of thinking, the paper shows that as living beings, we are not just physical brains or marionettes in a reasonable historical development; rather, we are creative, reflexive actors who have an impact on scientific and cultural norms, which we also, consciously and subconsciously, adapt to. This is why scientists dealing with persons and psychological phenomena should not only seek to become a positivist Sherlock Holmes, intelligently discerning the concealed and buried meaning that is awaiting discovery, but in contrast, the detective who finds him or herself part of the game and thereby a co-creator of the science and mystery she or he seeks to solve.
Models of continuous-time networks with tie decay, diffusion, and convection

The study of temporal networks in discrete time has yielded numerous insights into time-dependent networked systems in a wide variety of applications. However, for many complex systems, it is useful to develop continuous-time models of networks and to compare them to associated discrete models. In this paper, we study several continuous-time network models and examine discrete approximations of them both numerically and analytically. To consider continuous-time networks, we associate each edge in a graph with a time-dependent tie strength that can take continuous non-negative values and decays in time after the most recent interaction. We investigate how the moments of the tie strength evolve with time in several models, and we explore---both numerically and analytically---criteria for the emergence of a giant connected component in some of these models. We also briefly examine the effects of the interaction patterns of continuous-time networks on the contagion dynamics of a susceptible--infected--recovered model of an infectious disease.
Weil descent and cryptographic trilinear maps.

It has recently been shown that cryptographic trilinear maps are sufficient for achieving indistinguishability obfuscation. In this paper we develop a method for constructing such maps on the Weil descent (restriction) of abelian varieties over finite fields, including the Jacobian varieties of hyperelliptic curves and elliptic curves. The security of these candidate cryptographic trilinear maps raises several interesting questions, including the computational complexity of a trapdoor discrete logarithm problem.
Shock Compression of Porous Materials and Foams Using Classical Molecular Dynamics

In recent years, classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have increasingly been used to study shock compression of porous media. Such studies have shown that molecular scale mechanisms, driven by localization of deformation and stress near shrinking pores, can determine the microscopic and macroscopic shock behavior of distended material. MD is a capable tool to capture and understand the varying mechanisms in both hard and soft distended systems. In the area of soft materials, research has been driven by two primary application areas: hot spot initiation in energetic materials, and pulse shaping with polymer foams. In hard materials, work has focused on how defects and phase transitions nucleate near, or interact with, collapsing pores. Here we will review atomistic methodologies for studying single void and collective porosity effects, summarize recent significant research findings, and propose future directions for the field of study.
Attenuation Compensation Comparison for Human Carotid Plaque Characterization Using Spectral Analysis of Backscattered Ultrasound

Carotid atherosclerotic plaque composition is a valuable predictor of stroke risk. Ultrasound spectral analysis has been successfully implemented clinically for determining plaque composition in coronary arteries via intravascular ultrasound. Noninvasive implementation for carotid plaque requires compensation for the attenuating effects of overlying tissue. This study examines the effects of four attenuation compensation techniques on the accuracy of a carotid plaque classification system using spectral analysis and random forest machine learning classification. Radiofrequency (RF) data was acquired from 20 subjects prior to carotid endarterectomy (CEA). 41 fibrous (F), 60 hemorrhagic and/or necrotic core (H/NC), and 54 calcified (Ca) regions of interest (ROI) were selected from the RF data corresponding to homogenous zones within the histology of the excised plaque tissue. Additionally, 219 ROI’s were obtained from the adventitia (Adv) of six normal subjects. Power spectra for the ROI’s were computed and normalized to a uniform phantom. Four attenuation compensation methods were applied to the spectra: (1) 0.5 dB/cm-MHz; (2) optimum power spectral shift estimator (OPSSE); (3) 1-step and (4) 2-step normalized backscatter from adventitia. A linear fit of the resulting estimated backscatter transfer functions (eBTF) was performed over the fundamental bandwidth of 2.5 – 6.9 MHz. Eight spectral parameters were used to build the random forest classification models. While there were no statistically significant differences in the accuracy of the classification models based off each attenuation compensation approach, our work has shown that additional attenuation compensation may provide a benefit for characterizing carotid plaque.
Variation in Cultural Consensus Between Expert and Novice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes

The practice of martial arts for leisure and exercise is growing rapidly in the United States. In this study, we utilize mixed methods and cultural consensus analysis to examine a cultural model of strategy among Brazilian jiu jitsu athletes in a gym in Atlanta, Georgia, and to explore how that cultural knowledge varies within consensus. This study builds upon previous research in martial arts studies by employing cultural domain analysis and ethnographic research to quantify and link culture to embodied knowledge through a cultural model of strategy. Results show that strategy in Brazilian jiu jitsu revolves around the hierarchy of positional dominance. Low level belt-ranked novice athletes utilize shared understandings of positional dominance to guide their personal strategic selection of techniques, which they habitually practice to the point of embodied reflexivity. High belt-ranked expert athletes eventually reach a level of expertise at which relying exclusively on the cultural model of strategy impedes their performance in competition. These expert athletes develop a personal model of strategic fluidity within the context of the cultural model of strategy which focuses on adaptation to specific opponents and circumstances.
The lightness of water vapor helps to stabilize tropical climate

Moist air is lighter than dry air at the same temperature, pressure, and volume because the molecular weight of water is less than that of dry air. We call this the vapor buoyancy effect. Although this effect is well documented, its impact on Earth's climate has been overlooked. Here, we show that the lightness of water vapor helps to stabilize tropical climate by increasing the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). In the tropical atmosphere, buoyancy is horizontally uniform. Then, the vapor buoyancy in the moist regions must be balanced by warmer temperatures in the dry regions of the tropical atmosphere. These higher temperatures increase tropical OLR. This radiative effect increases with warming, leading to a negative climate feedback. At a near present-day surface temperature, vapor buoyancy is responsible for a radiative effect of 1 W/m2 and a negative climate feedback of about 0.15 W/m2 per kelvin.
Taylor Series Approximation to Solve Neutrosophic Multiobjective Programming Problem

In this paper, Taylor series is used to solve the neutrosophic multi-objective programming problem (NMOPP). In the proposed approach, the truth membership, Indeterminacy membership, falsity membership functions associated with each objective of multi-objective programming problems are transformed into a single objective linear programming problem by using a first-order Taylor polynomial series. Finally, to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method, a numerical experiment for supplier selection is given as an application of Taylor series method for solving neutrosophic multi-objective programming problems at end of this paper.
Message Passing Descent for Efficient Machine Learning.

We propose a new iterative optimization method for the {\bf Data-Fitting} (DF) problem in Machine Learning, e.g. Neural Network (NN) training. The approach relies on {\bf Graphical Model} (GM) representation of the DF problem, where variables are fitting parameters and factors are associated with the Input-Output (IO) data. The GM results in the {\bf Belief Propagation} Equations considered in the {\bf Large Deviation Limit} corresponding to the practically important case when the number of the IO samples is much larger than the number of the fitting parameters. We suggest the {\bf Message Passage Descent} algorithm which relies on the piece-wise-polynomial representation of the model DF function. In contrast with the popular gradient descent and related algorithms our MPD algorithm rely on analytic (not automatic) differentiation, while also (and most importantly) it descents through the rugged DF landscape by \emph{making non local updates of the parameters} at each iteration. The non-locality guarantees that the MPD is not trapped in the local-minima, therefore resulting in better performance than locally-updated algorithms of the gradient-descent type. We illustrate superior performance of the algorithm on a Feed-Forward NN with a single hidden layer and a piece-wise-linear activation function.
An Enhanced Mixer-First Receiver With Distortion Cancellation, Achieving 80-dB/decade RF Selectivity and +8-dBm B1dB for Adjacent Channel Blockers

An enhanced N-path filter-based receiver with 80-dB/decade RF selectivity and distortion cancellation is presented to improve channel selectivity and resilience to adjacent channel blockers. An integrated circuit prototype is fabricated in 28-nm CMOS as proof-of-concept and characterized. The front-end, capable of operation from 0.2 to 3.5 GHz, shows a close-in roll-off of 80 dB/decade. It achieves a record adjacent channel B1dB of +8 dBm, alternate channel B1dB of +10 dBm, and adjacent channel IIP3 of +23 dBm.
A New Frontier: The Development and Validation of the Intimate Partner Cyber Abuse Instrument:

As technology advances, new opportunities for partners to gain power and control in their romantic relationships are readily available. New cyber-based behaviors have slowly garnered scholarly atte...
Systemic and Ocular Comorbidities of Black, Hispanic, and White Women with Cataracts

Background: Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness in the world and disproportionately affect the elderly people and women. Sex- and race-related differences in cataract formation are...
Scoping Reviews of the Microbiology Literature: Methods and Payoffs

Abstract A scoping review is an approach to evidence synthesis. Its purpose is to provide an overview of the available research evidence without producing a summary answer to a discrete research question. Scoping reviews can be useful for answering expansive questions and identifying information relevant to a given research topic. The utility of scoping reviews is also to inform a systematic review, a knowledge synthesis process that aims to collect, and analyze all evidence that answers a specific research question. Scoping reviews are broadly depicted in the literature; however, the use of scoping review analysis techniques to rigorously prepare a clinical microbiology evidence base for comparison of multicomponent quality improvement interventions has not been explored. Recently, a pilot approach was published, and that approach is summarized here. It combined knowledge synthesis methods to (i) provide a meta-analytic route forward for a systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) and (ii) inform the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM's) approach to the production of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Further, a generalizable approach for other SRMA investigators who are similarly challenged by an evidence base that involves complex interventions was modeled by an ASM team re-exploring the impact of rapid diagnostics. While the approach is generalized, it is not intended to be prescriptive. The approach may frame or inform further conversation within the clinical microbiology community of practice and anyone reading the ASM CPGs. This article details a fundamental challenge to addressing “intervention complexity” in the clinical microbiology evidence base in the early stages of the CPG process.
Populism and plebiscitarianism 2.0: How Podemos used digital platforms for organization and decision-making:

Using the Spanish party Podemos as a case study, this article opens up a dialogue between researchers in the fields of populist communication and the digitization of political parties. Research has...
The Epidemiology of Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

With an expected increase in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures, revision TKA (rTKA) procedures continue to be a burden on the United States health care system. The evolution of surgical techniques and prosthetic designs has, however, provided a paradigm shift in the etiology of failure mechanisms of TKA. This review can shed light on the current reasons for revision, which may lead to insights on how to improve outcomes and lower future revision risks. We will primarily focus on the epidemiology of rTKA in the present time, but we will also review this in the context of various time periods to see how the field has evolved. We will review rTKAs: 1) prior to 1997; 2) between 1997 and 2000; 3) between 2000 and 2012; and 3) in the modern era since 2012. We will further subdivide each of the sections into reasons for early (first 2 years after index procedure) versus late revisions (greater than 2 years after index procedure). In doing so, it was determined that prior to 1997, the most prevalent causes of failure were infection, patella failure, polyethylene wear, and aseptic loosening. After a major shift of failure mechanisms was described by Sharkey et al, polyethylene wear and aseptic loosening became the leading causes for revision. However, with the improved manufacturing technology and implant design, polyethylene wear was replaced with aseptic loosening and infection as the leading causes of failure between 2000 and 2012. Since that time, in the modern era of TKA, mechanical loosening and infection have taken over the most prevalent causes for failure. Hopefully, with continued developments in component design and surgical techniques, as well as increased focus on infection reduction methods, the amount of rTKA procedures will decline.
Using space imagery in the science classroom: Efforts of the CASDE Project

This article describes the ongoing curriculum development efforts of the Consortium for the Application of Space Data in Education (CASDE), which is an evolving consortium of educators, engineers, scientists, and other professionals dedicated to providing the educational community with vast amounts of NASA imagery, tools, and interdisciplinary learning activities, distributed freely over the Internet. The article particularly details the curricular approach taken by CASDE, which involves the concept of “curriculum building blocks” that contain tools, data, tutorials, curriculum standards, assessments, and a sample lesson or instructional activity. The article also describes the student interactive DataSlate software, developed by engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to help teachers use space imagery conveniently with students in the science classroom. In addition, the article discusses the consortium's approach to providing ongoing training to teachers, and also describes the efforts of the consortium to evaluate some of the educational activities undertaken by participating teachers. Finally, a web-based link to all of the consortium's resources and curriculum activities is provided to the reader for their possible use and reference.
Whose Regulatory Interests? Outsourcing the Treaty Function

In this article I describe the status quo in the area of foreign judgment recognition, with attention to the tension between domestic interests and international cooperation. Precisely because the future of the status quo is in doubt, I then consider current proposals for change, particularly the effort to implement the Hague Choice of Court Convention in the United States. Prominent among the normative questions raised by my account is whose interests, in addition to the litigants’ interests, are at stake – those of the United States, those of the several states, or those of interest groups waving a federal or state flag. A related question is whether, if the uniformity we seek is to be found in state rather than federal law, we can be, and be seen by other countries to be, serious about international cooperation. I describe in some detail the sequence of events that led to the Uniform Law Commissioners (“ULC”) becoming involved in the process of drafting legislation to implement the Choice of Court Convention. I also explore reasons why the ULC has been successful in securing the lion’s share of attention for its preferred approach to implementation, which the ULC calls “cooperative federalism,” but which has come to resemble cooperative redundancy. Recounting how, and offering suggestions why, the ULC ultimately rejected a package of compromises proposed by the State Department’s Legal Adviser, even though almost all compromises were in favor of the ULC, I conclude with observations about the ULC’s ambitions in the international arena. My argument is that, if the ULC were successful in taking over the negotiation or implementation of private international law treaties, international cooperation would be if not a fortuity, then not a priority, because we would have regressed to a position of privileging not just federal but state law uniformity over international uniformity. And the state law we privileged would be anything but “indigenous.”
Morphological computation: A basis for the analysis of morphology and control requirements

Abstract The fact that the morphology of a robot affects its control requirements has become increasingly evident in robotics. Not only does the morphology determine the behaviors that can be performed, but also the amount of control required for these behaviors. Particularly in systems where behavior is obtained through purely sensory-motor interactions of the body with the environment, the morphology is of prime importance. Nonetheless, even in other robotic systems, a relationship has been found to exist between morphology and control requirements, in that some morphologies yield themselves to being more easily controlled than others. This relationship was first observed and characterized by Pfeifer as the morphology and control trade-off [R. Pfeifer, C. Scheier, Understanding Intelligence, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1999], but the mechanisms underlying this relationship have been unclear. However, the discovery of morphological computation, 1 [C. Paul, Investigation of Morphology and Control in Biped Locomotion, Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Computer Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland, 2004], the phenomenon that computation can be obtained through interactions of physical form, elucidates a possible mechanism underlying this relationship. The fact that simple physical interactions give rise to computation indicates the theoretical possibility for the dynamics of the morphology to play a computational role in the system, and thereby to subsume part of the role of control. Thus, it may serve to analyse the relationship between morphology and control, and guide the design of robots with reduced control requirements. The goal of the paper is to explore this possibility. The paper introduces the concept of morphological computation in the context of robot morphology, discusses its potential role in the morphology and control trade-off, and then uses it as a basis to develop a heuristic for the design of robots with reduced control requirements. The heuristic is then tested through experiments to validate its accuracy. The preliminary results are promising, and suggest that morphological computation can be a suitable framework for the analysis of morphology and control requirements.
Realistic group conflict theory: a review and evaluation of the theoretical and empirical literature

A comprehensive review and evaluation of realistic group conflict theory is presented. The philosophical foundations and postulates of the theory, as laid down by Muzafer Sherif, are discussed. The basic propositions of the theory are detailed and appraised, as is the empirical research designed to test the theory. The current status of realistic group conflict theory is evaluated in terms of its theoretical structure, scientific rigor, and ability to fulfil theoretical functions. Finally, some future directions for the theory are outlined. It is concluded that the theory and its underlying philosophy has much to offer contemporary social scientists
Ammonia permeability of erythrocyte membrane studied by 14N and 15N saturation transfer NMR spectroscopy.

The permeability of biological membranes to the rapidly penetrating compound ammonia is extremely difficult to study due to the lack of readily available radionuclides. 14N and 15N saturation transfer nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were used to measure the erythrocyte membrane permeability of ammonia under equilibrium exchange conditions. When 14N spectra from erythrocytes suspended in NH4Cl solution were obtained in the presence of the extracellular shift reagent dysprosium tripolyphosphate, intracellular and extracellular ammonia signals were readily resolved. Comparison with 15N spectra from erythrocyte suspensions containing 15N4Cl revealed that the intracellular [14N]ammonia signals were 100% NMR visible. 14N and 15N saturation transfer NMR experiments showed similar influx rates and permeabilities, indicating no loss of saturation transfer due to quadrupolar relaxation of 14N nuclei upon membrane passage. Ammonia influx was directly proportional to concentration (0.39 +/- 0.012 fmol.cell-1.s-1.mM-1 at pH 7.0) and not saturable, which is consistent with passive diffusion. Apparent ammonia permeability increased with pH over the range of pH 6-8 as the fraction of free NH3 increased. However, diffusion through unstirred layers became increasingly rate limiting. The permeability of the unstirred layers (1.1 +/- 0.45 x 10(-3) cm/s) was considerably lower than that of NH3 (0.21 +/- 0.014 cm/s). The Arrhenius activation energy for NH3 permeability was 49.5 +/- 11.8 kJ/mol. No evidence for NH+4 influx over the time domain of these experiments was found.
Bargaining with the Machine: A Framework for Describing Encounters with Surveillance Technologies

Relationships between surveillance and inequality (e.g., as surveillance is used for domination, as surveillance affects subjects’ life-chances) have been a central concern of surveillance studies scholars. This concern with inequalities that are produced and sustained by surveillance runs parallel to the longstanding interest of many social theorists more generally with the unequal workings of power in nominally free societies. How is inequality sustained without resort to force? Why do people consent to subjugation? Some form of ideology critique is often employed to answer such questions. However, the work of Rosen (1996) and others has cast serious doubt on the ability of ideology critique to make good on its explanatory claims. Thus, it is necessary to explore other theoretical constructs that carry greater explanatory force as theorists investigate the disadvantageous effects of surveillance on its targets. In this essay, I argue for the use of an alternative framework – a bargaining paradigm – to articulate what happens in individual subjects’ encounters with surveillance technologies. “Bargaining” shifts the focus from systematic domination of social groups to individually situated subjects while also ascribing agency to individuals rather than depicting them as merely helpless victims of larger forces.
EVIDENCE: TOWARD A LIBRARY DEFINITION OF EPHEMERA

In her book Evidence: The Art of Candy Jernigan, the artist works with a palette of what might be called detritus: sketches of crushed cans, cigarette packages, and burnt matches coreside with real bottle caps, crack vials, and even a stuffed rat, all of which form the substance of her work. This obsession with the rejected also is found in her travel journals, pages of which are reproduced in facsimile in the book. In these records of her travels across the United States and around the world, Jernigan ups the ante for the standard travelogue by pasting in cobwebs from . . .
Online algorithms for wireless sensor networks dynamic optimization

Technological advancements in wireless communications and embedded systems have led to the proliferation of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications, each with varying application requirements (i.e., lifetime, throughput, reliability, etc.). Sensor node tunable parameters enable WSN designers to specialize/tune a sensor node to meet application requirements, but however, parameter tuning is a challenging process that requires designer expertise to consider sensor node complexities and changing environmental stimuli. In this paper, we develop lightweight, online optimization algorithms for sensor node parameter tuning, which enables dynamic optimizations to meet application requirements and adapt to changing environmental stimuli. Results reveal that our online optimizations quickly converge to a near optimal solution using minimal computational and storage resources, and are thus amenable for implementation on resource and energy-constrained sensor nodes.
Benefits exceed risks of newer antidepressant medications in youth--maybe.

rate for medication hovered around 60% across trials independent of age, gender, or diagnosis. Interestingly, what distinguished a positive from a negative MDD trial was the size of the placebo response rate—the larger the placebo response, the greater the likelihood of a negative study. Given that Bridge and colleagues 1 found that an increased number of sites predicted a poor response, it is likely that method variance— perhaps reflecting baseline inflation, rater unreliability, and early dropout—rather than lack of efficacy accounts for the large number of failed trials in pediatric MDD. Consistent with this interpretation, all three fluoxetine MDD trials—two of which were funded by the National Institute of Men
Multiple Signal Transduction Pathways Link Na+/K+-ATPase to Growth-related Genes in Cardiac Myocytes: THE ROLES OF Ras AND MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASES *

We showed before that in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes partial inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase by nontoxic concentrations of ouabain causes hypertrophic growth and transcriptional regulations of genes that are markers of cardiac hypertrophy. In view of the suggested roles of Ras and p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as key mediators of cardiac hypertrophy, the aim of this work was to explore their roles in ouabain-initiated signal pathways regulating four growth-related genes of these myocytes,i.e. those for c-Fos, skeletal α-actin, atrial natriuretic factor, and the α3-subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase. Ouabain caused rapid activations of Ras and p42/44 MAPKs; the latter was sustained longer than 90 min. Using high efficiency adenoviral-mediated expression of a dominant-negative Ras mutant, and a specific inhibitor of MAPK kinase (MEK), activation of Ras-Raf-MEK-p42/44 MAPK cascade by ouabain was shown. The effects of the mutant Ras, an inhibitor of Ras farnesylation, and the MEK inhibitor on ouabain-induced changes in mRNAs of the four genes indicated that (a ) skeletal α-actin induction was dependent on Ras but not on p42/44 MAPKs, (b ) α3 repression was dependent on the Ras-p42/44 MAPK cascade, and (c ) induction of c-fos or atrial natriuretic factor gene occurred partly through the Ras-p42/44 MAPK cascade, and partly through pathways independent of Ras and p42/44 MAPKs. All ouabain effects required extracellular Ca2+, and were attenuated by a Ca2+/calmodulin antagonist or a protein kinase C inhibitor. The findings show that (a ) signal pathways linked to sarcolemmal Na+/K+-ATPase share early segments involving Ca2+ and protein kinase C, but diverge into multiple branches only some of which involve Ras, or p42/44 MAPKs, or both; and (b ) there are significant differences between this network and the related gene regulatory pathways activated by other hypertrophic stimuli, including those whose responses involve increases in intracellular free Ca2+ through different mechanisms.