cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant radiation in the TORS era: Is there a benefit to omitting the tumor bed?

Abstract Purpose Trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) followed by adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is becoming popular in treating node-positive tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). One potential benefit is eliminating irradiation of the primary site when the tumor is widely resected, and targeting the neck only. This study assessed whether omitting the tumor bed provides any dosimetric or clinical advantage. Methods and materials We identified 21 patients with primary tonsillar SCC that were treated with TORS followed by RT to the ipsilateral neck and primary (N+P) site. We subsequently replanned each case to allow target coverage to the neck only, excluding the tumor bed. For each case, we created 2 plans: neck only (NO) and N+P. Additionally, we identified patients (n = 7) with primary SCC tonsil who did receive NO irradiation to compare their dosimetry and toxicity profile with those treated to both the primary site and ipsilateral neck. Contralateral neck radiation was not administered in any of these cases. Results Despite excluding the primary site in the NO plans, the mean dose to the tumor bed was high: 53.9 Gy. The only significant differences in omitting the primary site were lower doses to the oral cavity, 29.8 Gy in NO plan versus 34.6 Gy in N+P plan, P = .002, and superior constrictors, 42.9 Gy in NO plan versus 46.1 Gy in N+P plan, P = .01. No appreciable differences in toxicities were noted in the limited cohort treated with NO irradiation. Conclusions Sparing the primary site after TORS in node-positive tonsillar SCC does not appear to provide any significant dosimetric or clinical advantage. Furthermore, the tumor bed receives a significant but potentially subtherapeutic dose, limiting options for irradiation in a salvage setting. At this time, we do not recommend omitting the tumor bed from the radiation target volume following TORS.
Representations of female body weight in the media: An update of Playboy magazine from 2000 to 2014

Most content analyzes of Playboy magazine have reported a trend toward increased thinness over time. However, recent research suggests that this trend may be reversing. The current study updates this research by examining changes in the body mass index (BMI) of Playboy models from 2000 to 2014. Results revealed that the average model BMI increased during most of this period with 95% of models now possessing BMIs that are either normal weight or only slightly underweight.
Reports of therapy skill use and their efficacy in daily life in the short-term treatment of depression

Previous studies have shown that the use of therapy skills in between sessions is an important mechanism of symptom improvement. The current study expands this line of research by using a diary approach to examine the use of therapy skills in daily life. A sample of 39 depressed adults (85% female, mean age 38) were signaled twice per week throughout the course of either cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or self-system therapy (SST). Results showed that, on days when participants reported greater use of therapy skills, they reported better mood and functioning in almost all domains. Additionally, participants in CBT reported greater use of cognitive skills while participants in SST reported greater use of self-regulatory skills. This study demonstrates that repeated assessments of daily events and experiences, which prevent retrospective reporting biases, further confirm the importance of therapy skill use as a mechanism of action in psychotherapy.
Acceleration of MCNP calculations for small pipes configurations by using Weigth Windows Importance cards created by the SN-3D ATTILA

In the nuclear engineering, you have to manage time and precision. Especially in shielding design, you have to be more accurate and efficient to reduce cost (shielding thickness optimization), and for this, you use 3D codes. In this paper, we want to see if we can easily applicate the CADIS methods for design shielding of small pipes which go through large concrete walls. We assess the impact of the WW generated by the 3D-deterministic code ATTILA versus WW directly generated by MCNP (iterative and manual process). The comparison is based on the quality of the convergence (estimated relative error (σ), Variance of Variance (VOV) and Figure of Merit (FOM)), on time (computer time + modelling) and on the implement for the engineer.
Triple Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation after PCI

The management of atrial fibrillation in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the treatment of coronary-artery disease is a common and difficult challenge. In pa...
Magnetoelectricity of CoFe2O4 and tetragonal phase BiFeO3 nanocomposites prepared by pulsed laser deposition.

The coupling between the tetragonal phase (T-phase) of BiFeO3 (BFO) and CoFe2O4 (CFO) in magnetoelectric heterostructures has been studied. Bilayers of CFO and BFO were deposited on (001) LaAlO3 single crystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. After 30 min of annealing, the CFO top layer exhibited a T-phase-like structure, developing a platform-like morphology with BFO. Magnetic hysteresis loops exhibited a strong thickness effect of the CFO layer on the coercive field, in particular along the out-of-plane direction. Magnetic force microscopy images revealed that the T-phase CFO platform contained multiple magnetic domains, which could be tuned by applying a tip bias. A combination of shape, strain, and exchange coupling effects are used to explain the observations.
Occult Suicidality and Psychiatric Disease Among Emergency Department Patients with Low-acuity Chief Complaints.

Author(s): McBride, Stephen M.; Braz, Valerie A.; Jones, Christopher W. | Abstract: Introduction: Patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) are often screened for suicidality, even when their chief complaint does not involve mental health concerns. Patient receptiveness to ED-based mental health screening and intervention is unknown, particularly among patients with low-acuity chief complaints, who often prioritize rapid evaluation and discharge. Methods: This cross-sectional study included adults with low-acuity chief complaints presenting to an urban, academic ED in the Northeastern United States during daytime and evening hours, from 2015 to 2016. Participants completed validated mental health screening instruments, including the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. Participants were also asked to rate the importance of addressing mental health concerns during their ED visit. Results: We approached 1,688 patients, and 816 (48.4%) consented to participate in the study. Of these, 27% screened positive for anxiety and 25% screened positive for depression. Even among patients with no prior depression history, 17% were at high risk of depression. Eleven percent of participants were at high risk for suicidal behavior, including 5% of those with no reported history of depression or bipolar disorder. Thirty-five percent of patients at risk for suicide and 53% of those at high risk of depression thought it was important or very important to address these issues during the ED visit. Conclusion: Symptoms of mental health disorders were common among this group of ED patients presenting with low-acuity chief complaints. Patients often desired to address these mental health concerns as part of their ED visit.
Urban-Rural Differences in Skilled Nursing Facility Rehospitalization Rates.

Abstract Objectives To examine the association of rurality with skilled nursing facility (SNF) all-cause 30-day risk-adjusted rehospitalization rates. Design Cross-sectional study combining Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare (CMS-NHC) website for 30-day risk-adjusted rehospitalization rates for 2014-2015 with SNF organizational and community variables. Participants 12,261 non–hospital based skilled nursing facilities in the US. Measurements We estimated a multiple linear regression model of percentage all-cause unplanned risk-adjusted rehospitalization rate within 30 days after a hospital discharge and admission to the SNF averaged over the third and fourth quarters of 2014 and the first and second quarters of 2015. The model uses robust standard errors. Results After controlling for community- and SNF-level resources, the risk-adjusted rehospitalization rates for SNFs are lowest in rural areas and large rural towns followed by SNFs in suburban and then urban areas. Conclusion The rural culture that includes a strong sense of connectedness among residents may contribute to lower SNF rehospitalization rates. Our results suggest that rural SNFs may avoid future reimbursement penalties and decreased admissions from patients discharged from hospitals because of their lower rehospitalizaton rates. However, because this is the first study to address this topic, additional research is needed.
The California Rockfish Conservation Area and Groundfish Trawlers at Moss Landing Harbor

This article uses a bioeconomic model and data for groundfish trawlers at Moss Landing Harbor in Central California to analyze effects of spatial closures that were implemented recently by West Coast fishery managers to reduce bycatch of overfished groundfish stocks. The model has a dynamic linear rational expectations structure, and estimates of its parameters exhibit spatial variation in microeconomic and ecological factors that affect decisions about where and when to fish. Test results show that variation in marginal costs of crowding externalities and biological rates of stock productivity are the most significant factors to consider in the spatial management of groundfish trawlers at Moss Landing.
Densification of liquid-phase-sintered silicon carbide

There has been growing interest in pressureless liquidphase sintering (LPS) of SiC, with Al2O3 additions [1] or simultaneous Al2O3 and Y2O3 (or rare earth oxides) additions [2–6], as it allows sintering at lower temperatures (1850 to 1950 ◦C) relative to solid-state sintering. A particularly important aspect of this class of materials is that they can be significantly toughened through careful microstructure design, wherein elongated SiC grain-reinforcements are grown in situ during sintering [7–10]. The elongate nature of the SiC grains and the weakness at the grain boundaries promote crack-wake bridging in these ceramics, resulting in a significant increase in the toughness [8, 10, 11]. Although in situ reinforced LPS SiC ceramics represent a new class of potentially important structural materials, the mechanisms of densification and subsequent microstructural evolution in these ceramics are not well understood. Some advances have been made in the understanding of the microstructural evolution in LPS SiC [7, 12–16], however, reliable processing of these ceramics is still plagued with two important shortcomings, namely: (i) inadequate and irreproducible densification; and (ii) significant weight loss during sintering. In the context of pressureless sintering of LPS SiC with simultaneous additions of Al2O3 and Y2O3, prior studies have demonstrated that sintering in a contained crucible and embedding the specimens in a packing bed consisting of coarse Al2O3 and SiC powders dramatically improves the densification [4–7, 17]. However, these results could not be reproduced by other workers (see, e.g., Refs. [7, 9, 18, 19]). Thus, the broad objective of this study was to understand the role of the packing bed on the densification of LPS SiC, with the specific goal of being able to reproducibly sinter these materials to near-full densities and with minimum weight loss. A long elusive parameter that significantly influences the densification in this system, namely the composition of the packing-bed powder, was identified. In particular, it was found that an optimum concentration of Al2O3 in the packing-bed powder is essential for consistent, near-complete densification (1% porosity), accompanied with negligible weight loss. While the absence of Al2O3 in the packing bed has been known to result in incomplete densification, here it is shown that excess Al2O3 in the packingbed powder also adversely affects the densification.
Hydroxyurea attenuates oxidative, metabolic, and excitotoxic stress in rat hippocampal neurons and improves spatial memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by accumulation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) plaques in the brain and decreased cognitive function leading to dementia. We tested if hydroxyurea (HU), a ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor known to activate adaptive cellular stress responses and ameliorate abnormalities associated with several genetic disorders, could protect rat hippocampal neurons against oxidative-, excitatory-, mitochondrial-, and Aβ-induced stress and if HU treatment could improve learning and memory in the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD. HU treatment attenuated the loss of cell viability induced by treatment of hippocampal neurons with hydrogen peroxide, glutamate, rotenone, and Aβ1–42. HU treatment attenuated reductions of mitochondrial reserve capacity, maximal respiration, and cellular adenosine triphosphate content induced by hydrogen peroxide treatment. In vivo, treatment of APP/PS1 mice with HU (45 mg/kg/d) improved spatial memory performance in the hippocampus-dependent Morris water maze task without reducing Aβ levels. HU provides neuroprotection against toxic insults including Aβ, improves mitochondrial bioenergetics, and improves spatial memory in an AD mouse model. HU may offer a new therapeutic approach to delay cognitive decline in AD.
The Tensorization Trick in Convex Geometry

The “tensorization trick” consists in proving some geometric result for a set of vectors \(\left\{ v_i\right\} \) in some vector space V and then applying the same result to the tensor powers \(\left\{ v_i^{\otimes k}\right\} \) in \(V^{\otimes k}\), which in turn produces a considerably stronger version of the original result for vectors \(\left\{ v_i\right\} \). Our main examples concern packing vectors in the sphere, approximation of convex bodies by algebraic hypersurfaces and approximation of convex bodies by polytopes. We also discuss applications of a closely related polynomial method to constructing neighborly polytopes, bounding the Grothendieck constant, proving the polynomial ham sandwich theorem, bounding the number of equiangular lines in \({\mathbb R}^d\) and to constructing a counterexample to Borsuk’s conjecture.
Influence of homogeneous decane oxidation on the catalytic performance of lean NOx catalysts

Extensive homogeneous gas‐phase reactions were observed when decane was used as the hydrocarbon reductant for the selective reduction of NOx. The catalytic performance of a SnO2/CoOx/Al2O3 catalyst was found to be strongly dependent on the extent of the homogeneous reaction in the pre‐catalytic volume. The effect of the homogeneous reaction on the catalytic performance also depended on whether SO2 was present in the feed. By filling the pre‐catalytic volume with 25–35 mesh irregularly shaped quartz chips, gas‐phase reaction was suppressed significantly. This methodology was used to evaluate the inherent catalytic performance of SnO2/CoOx/Al2O3 and SnO2/Al2O3 catalysts with decane as a reductant. It was found that in the absence of SO2, SnO2/Al2O3 was a better catalyst than SnO2/CoOx/Al2O3, but in the presence of 30 ppm of SO2 the latter was a far better catalyst.
Selection and Timing of Antibiotics for the Management of Appendicitis

Although appendicitis is a familiar diagnosis and all general surgeons are comfortable with its management, there is little consensus regarding the selection and timing of antibiotics in the care of the patient with appendicitis. While most guidelines encourage use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics, many institutional protocols continue to dictate at least initial use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, studies of microbial samples suggest that the most common pathogen is multidrug susceptible Escherichia coli, with markedly less common resistant or other strains. Multiple studies corroborate the idea that narrow-spectrum first- or second-generation cephalosporins are adequate for both uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis with no difference in postoperative complications, including intra-abdominal abscess formation. The addition of an agent to specifically target anaerobes seems to have no benefit. Studies also suggest that 3 days is a sufficient postoperative duration when compared with longer regimens of intravenous antibiotics, while current and ongoing studies question whether antibiotics are necessary at all. In this chapter we will review the current controversies in the antibiotic choice for the management of appendicitis.
Prevent Potential Hazards Caused by Medical Device Time Differences in Integrated Clinical Environments

As technology advances, many medical devices are used to assist patient care. Integrated Clinical Environment (ICE) is developed to provide seamless communications among medical devices and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems. However, time differences among different ICE devices can introduce serious medical hazards and even cause patient death. Unfortunately, medical device clock synchronization issues are not well-addressed, neither implemented in most ICE implementations including the well-known OpenICE implementation. In this paper, we present a design and an implementation of a time service module based on the OpenICE architecture to address the time inconsistency issue. We then experimentally validate the time service module's effectiveness in preventing potential hazards caused by medical device time differences. We also experimentally study the time service module's performance impact on the OpenICE platform and its scalability.
Screening for Intracranial Aneurysms in Patients with Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms.

Introduction A higher prevalence of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) has been previously reported by retrospective studies in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs). The goal of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of IAs in a large cohort of prospectively screened patients with TAAs and identify potential risk factors. Methods Patients above 18 years with TAAs who were prospectively screened for IAs using computed tomographic angiogram/magnetic resonance angiogram over a 9-year period were included in the study. Patient demographics, comorbidities, aortic, and IA locations and sizes were analyzed. Univariate analysis was performed with the χ2 test for categorical variables and the Student t test or ANOVA for continuous variables. Results Five hundred and fifty-four patients with TAAs were prospectively screened for IAs and included in the study. Thirty-one IAs were identified in 27 patients (prevalence = 4.9%). The prevalence of IAs in patients with ascending TAAs was 4.51% and in descending TAAs was 9.09%. Twenty out of 31 IAs were 2 mm in size, 6/31 were 3 mm, and 5/31 were 4 mm in size. Hypertension was associated with an increased prevalence of IAs, especially in patients with descending TAAs. Discussion/conclusion The prevalence of IAs in patients with TAAs may not be as high as described in previous retrospective studies. Our results suggest that the prevalence of IAs in patients with TAAs is similar to the general population. Study results reveal that IAs have a higher correlation to patients with descending TAAs, although not statistically significant. Hypertension was found to be a statistically significant risk factor for IAs in patients with TAAs.
Incorporating realistic teamwork into a small college software engineering curriculum

Software Engineering is by nature a collaborative process. Nearly all production software is designed by teams, working over a long period of time, using software tools to aid in the management of large, complex projects. In the real world, software projects continue for years, team composition changes, and a legacy library containing both documents and code provides project continuity. Unlike most teams created in a traditional classroom, typical teams have diverse backgrounds and strengths. This paper describes our efforts in building more realistic teams within a small college with traditional and non-traditional students. We describe how we have incorporated teamwork into our curriculum, as well as the challenges that teams face in our environment. Suggestions for addressing these challenges are proposed.
Knee joint kinematics of the pendulum test in children with and without Down syndrome.

Abstract Background The Wartenberg pendulum test is a common clinical test that is used to measure stiffness about the knee in persons with and without disabilities such as cerebral palsy and Down syndrome (DS). Adults and adolescents with DS show fewer number of swing cycles and a lower relaxation index than healthy controls. However, it is not clear if children with DS show a similar trend compared to typically developing (TD) children. Research question Was the knee joint kinematics different between children with and without DS during the pendulum test? Methods Thirteen children with DS and 13 TD children participated in this study. There were two load conditions: no load (NL) and with ankle load (AL) equal to 2 % of the subject’s body weight. Five trials of a pendulum test were collected for each condition. Results The DS group showed a smaller first flexion excursion, a lower relaxation index, lower mean and peak velocities and accelerations during the first and second flexion and extension, and greater variability of acceleration during the first flexion than the TD group across both load conditions. This suggests that the DS group may have greater stiffness of the knee than the TD group to compensate for joint instability. Significance The pendulum test appears to be a valid test to evaluate the passive stiffness of the knee in children with DS. The lower relaxation index in children with DS suggests that larger bursts of quadriceps may be activated during a pendulum test, particularly in the first flexion excursion, to assure the knee joint stability.
Evaluation of Aggregate Crushing Tests and Their Correlation with Superpave Mix Design Properties

AbstractThis paper evaluated alternative test methods to determine the crushing potential of aggregates and documented the influence of aggregate characteristics on the engineering properties of as...
Site engagement for multi-site clinical trials.

Abstract Multi-site clinical trials are essential within medical practice to help drive reliable and generalizable knowledge on advancing medical treatments. Although the success of multi-site trials is significantly dependent on local clinician and site research teams, best practices for engagement of site teams, or “site engagement,” has not been extensively discussed. Site engagement centers on including sites in the planning and implementation of clinical trials to promote trial enrollment, compliance, and applicability to local contexts. Using a case example from the RadComp Trial, a longitudinal, multi-site clinical trial, novel site engagement practices are provided across three major research phases. In the Planning Phase, site engagement builds partnerships and commitment by active elicitation of information on site specific processes and feedback on trial design. In the Conducting Phase, sustained engagement encourages bi-directional communication and facilitates learning networks for enhanced site performance. In the Dissemination Phase, site and community partnerships are leveraged to create locally designed dissemination plans for broader scientific reach and impact. Site engagement practices discussed in this paper can be replicated or molded for application in other multi-site clinical trials.
Thermal conductivity of rutile germanium dioxide

Power electronics seek to improve power conversion of devices by utilizing materials with a wide bandgap, high carrier mobility, and high thermal conductivity. Due to its wide bandgap of 4.5 eV, β-Ga2O3 has received much attention for high-voltage electronic device research. However, it suffers from inefficient thermal conduction that originates from its low-symmetry crystal structure. Rutile germanium oxide (r-GeO2) has been identified as an alternative ultra-wide-bandgap (4.68 eV) semiconductor with a predicted high electron mobility and ambipolar dopability; however, its thermal conductivity is unknown. Here, we characterize the thermal conductivity of r-GeO2 as a function of temperature by first-principles calculations, experimental synthesis, and thermal characterization. The calculations predict an anisotropic phonon-limited thermal conductivity for r-GeO2 of 37 W m−1 K−1 along the a direction and 58 W m−1 K−1 along the c direction at 300 K where the phonon-limited thermal conductivity predominantly occurs via the acoustic modes. Experimentally, we measured a value of 51 W m−1 K−1 at 300 K for hot-pressed, polycrystalline r-GeO2 pellets. The measured value is close to our directionally averaged theoretical value, and the temperature dependence of ∼1/T is also consistent with our theory prediction, indicating that thermal transport in our r-GeO2 samples at room temperature and above is governed by phonon scattering. Our results reveal that high-symmetry UWBG materials, such as r-GeO2, may be the key to efficient power electronics.
Joint Text and Label Generation for Spoken Language Understanding.

Generalization is a central problem in machine learning, especially when data is limited. Using prior information to enforce constraints is the principled way of encouraging generalization. In this work, we propose to leverage the prior information embedded in pretrained language models (LM) to improve generalization for intent classification and slot labeling tasks with limited training data. Specifically, we extract prior knowledge from pretrained LM in the form of synthetic data, which encode the prior implicitly. We fine-tune the LM to generate an augmented language, which contains not only text but also encodes both intent labels and slot labels. The generated synthetic data can be used to train a classifier later. Since the generated data may contain noise, we rephrase the learning from generated data as learning with noisy labels. We then utilize the mixout regularization for the classifier and prove its effectiveness to resist label noise in generated data. Empirically, our method demonstrates superior performance and outperforms the baseline by a large margin.
Instantiation, Actualization, and Absence: The Continuation and Safeguarding of Katie Paterson’s Future Library (2014–2114)

Over the last two decades, the conservation field has developed new frameworks for works that recur in multiple manifestations, such as many time-based media, installation, and performance artworks...
Elimination of the Depletion Deduction for Fossil Fuels

The depletion deduction, as set forth in 26 U.S.C. Section 611, allows fossil fuel companies and mine operators to deduct from income taxes an amount equal to the reduction in value of the mineral reserves as the mineral is extracted and sold. This provision is a misguided incentive that has been falsely analogized and justified, and needs to be abolished to provide funds to protect and preserve the environment. Exploiters of fossil fuels avoid $10 Billion in taxes every year by using the depletion deduction. This is an important topic today because the rising cost of fossil fuels and expected shortages, which problems could be eliminated by the use of renewable energy sources, which have recently become technologically feasible and economically viable. The purpose of the depletion deduction is to allow the taxpayer to recover his capital investment so that the taxpayer's capital investment will not be impaired as the minerals are extracted and sold. Notwithstanding this stated purpose, the taxpayer need not have invested any money in the mineral rights, and legal title is not required. Other businesses are not allowed to deduct the reduction in value of their raw materials or inventory as they sell their products. The author suggests that the depletion deduction for reduction in the supply of non-renewable resources such as coal and oil should be eliminated to (1) ensure certainty and equal treatment under the tax laws, (2) encourage development of renewable energy sources thereby abating further environmental harm caused by mining and extraction of fossil fuels, and (3) create increased tax revenue to fund reparations for damages caused by coal mining and oil extraction.
Differential Regulation of SAP Gene Expression in Syrian and Armenian Hamsters.

Studies of the difference in structure and expression of the genes encoding serum amyloid P component in different hamster genera afford unique opportunities to examine the primary structure of SAP monomers and the factors regulating expression of the SAP gene. Accordingly we have isolated and characterized clones for SAP from hepatic cDNA libraries constructed from Syrian and Armenian hamsters.
Operational Modal Parameter Estimation from Short Time-Data Series

The field of Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) has recently become an emerging research interest. OMA, also known as Response-Only Modal Analysis, extracts the modal parameters by processing only the system response data. In many experimental measurement situations, the system’s output data series is short in length and buried under potentially correlated noise. In such cases, the separation of the noise from true data is challenging, generally resulting in inconsistent modal parameter estimates. For many of these measurement situations, it is believed that the correlated noise is a function of the system’s operation and that a linear Auto-Regressive with eXogenous input (ARX) model exists that should describe the true system output. In this paper, a Nonlinear Auto-Regressive with eXogenous input (NARX) model based approach for estimating modal parameters from short output time series data is explored. In this approach, nonlinear terms are added to a linear ARX model to describe the noise and essentially filter out the system’s true output data from the noisy time data series.
A case for codons in evolutionary algorithms

A new method is developed for representation and encoding in population-based evolutionary algorithms. The method is inspired by the biological genetic code and utilizes a many-to-one, codon-based, genotype-to-phenotype translation scheme. A genetic algorithm was implemented with this codon-based representation using three different codon translation tables, each with different characteristics. A standard genetic algorithm is compared to the codon-based genetic algorithms on two difficult search problems; a dynamic knapsack problem and a static problem involving many suboptima. Results on these two problems indicate that the codon-based representation may promote rapid adaptation to changing environments and the ability to find global minima in highly non-convex problems.
Fulfilling Dreams in Adult Education: Managing the Multi-Level Classroom.

Have you ever wondered how Laura Ingalls Wilder taught all of her students in the little one-room school house in The Little House on the Prairie series? How did she teach students on so many different levels and all at the same time? Well, that is exactly what it is like in most adult education classrooms today. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of adult education and how to successfully manage a multi-level classroom. Moreover, many individuals are becoming aware of the wonderful opportunities that are available once they earn their High School Equivalency Diploma (GED). However, there is a variation in the number of hours that students spend in preparation for their GED. Therefore, this paper will include one year of various data including statistics on attendance hours for various levels of adult education students as well as the amount of progress made depending on hours of attendance. Some students do not require classroom time at all; however, other students require classroom study time, but at different time lengths because they enroll at different educational levels. Numerous students study many hours in the adult education classroom in preparation for the GED test before actually taking the test. Furthermore, having the proper classroom setting is essential in order for them to be successful. Managing students at varying educational levels while in a single classroom can be very challenging and overwhelming, or even frightening at times. However, teaching effectively in a multi-level classroom can be accomplished and many dreams can be fulfilled. Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”
An efficient timing simulation approach for CMOS digital circuits

A delay calculation method based on analytic macromodel equations is proposed for fast timing simulation of CMOS digital circuits. The delay equations are derived based on the characteristic equations of transistors of a simple inverter macromodel which include loading capacitance and input waveform slew rate. The equations are used to calculate the delay times as well as generate analytic output waveforms during simulation. The delay equations have been implemented in a mixed-mode simulator and simulation results show that the proposed delay equations can predict the delay times within 5% error for the several circuits tested, as compared with the SPICE simulation. >
Techniques for ion dissociation (fragmentation) and scanning in MS/MS

A determination of the mass of an ion, although important, may be insufficient for identification (see Mass spectrometry, FT-ICR, Quadrupole MS, and Quadrupole Ion Traps and a New Era of Evolution). Often, the manner in which and/or the degree to which an ion can be made to dissociate provides a wealth of characteristic and structural information. There are different instrumental approaches to promote and conduct ion dissociation, and there are several different “scanning” modes to obtain and utilize the ion dissociation information. Keywords: collisionally-activated dissociation (CAD); mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS); structure clucidation; neutral-loss scan; precursor ion
Design and implementation of a fuzzy logic yaw controller

This paper describes a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) designed and implemented to control the yaw angle of a 10 kW fixed speed teetered-rotor wind turbine presently being commissioned at the University of Texas at El Paso. The technical challenge of this project is that the wind turbine represents a highly stochastic nonlinear system. The problems associated with the wind turbine yaw control are of a similar nature as those experienced with position control of high inertia equipment like tracking antenna, gun turrets, and overhead cranes. Furthermore, the wind turbine yaw controller must be extremely cost-effective and highly reliable in order to be economically viable compared to the fossil fueled power generators.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The influence of particle size on the surface roughness of pharmaceutical excipient compacts

Abstract The effect of initial powder particle size on the surface roughness of compacted pharmaceutical materials was studied using non-contact optical profilometry. Various particle size grades of two commonly used pharmaceutical excipients, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and lactose monohydrate (LMH), were compacted to a solid fraction of 0.85. The compression stress values CSm (maximum) and CS0 (equilibrium), were recorded during uniaxial compression and triaxial decompression profiles for assessing the extent and mechanism of deformation. MCC samples were compressed beyond the reported yield pressure (Yp) values for these materials, whereas LMH samples were compressed only up to 55% of the reported Yp. As a result, two distinct compression behaviors could be classified for these excipients where CS0 > Yp (MCC) or CS0 The brittle–ductile transition diameter (Dcrit) values for these materials were important in predicting the deformation mechanism for each powder. The surface roughness parameter, Sq (root mean square roughness), was correlated with particle size and compression stress. Sq values increased with particle size for both excipient categories; LMH samples were found to have a stronger dependence on particle size than MCC since most LMH powders experienced incomplete fracture of particles during compression, whereas all MCC powders showed evidence of complete plastic deformation. The tensile strength (TS), an important mechanical property of the compacts, decreased with increasing particle size for both material types, and showed strong correlations with surface roughness. Smoother compacts exhibited higher values of TS, possibly due to the more intricate bonding between smaller particles. Hence, surface roughness parameters can be used as a non-destructive method for predicting the mechanical properties of materials. Profilometry was found to be a useful tool for understanding the relationship between initial particle size and the surface roughness of compacts from either brittle or ductile materials.
Promotion Versus Precaution: The Evolution of Biotechnology Policy in the United States

Biotechnology policy in the United States promotes the commercial development of genetically modified crops, yet adopts a precautionary approach when it comes to stem cells and cloning. In this article, the evolution of this bifurcated policy domain is traced. A detailed analysis of congressional hearings shows how distinctions between the products of biotechnology came to be reflected in the character of committees holding hearings, the attention to risks and benefits, and the pattern of interest-group activity in different biotechnology applications. It is argued that many of the differences that separate the United States and Europe in biotechnology reflect the way institutions reinforce past policy choices.
AN ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE INVESTIGATION OF THE BNO-BON-NBO SYSTEM

Abstract The potential energy hypersurface of the ground triplet states of the BNO-BON-NBO system has been investigated using traditional ab initio electronic structure theory. The molecules studied have the molecular formula BON and include three linear and three angular species, and two transition states for the isomerization of an angular NBO to an angular BON and a linear BNO, respectively. All stationary points on the BNO-BON-NBO isomerization potential energy surface have been characterized employing UMP2, UMP4, and Gaussian-2 (G2) theory with the 6-311 G(d), 6-311 G(2d), and TZ2P basis sets. The isomerization for an angular NBO to the linear BNO has a lower energy barrier than that of the former to an angular BON. Energetics are presented with G2 energies. Two sets of resonance structures for both bent BNO (boron nitrosyl) and BON (boron isonitrosyl) were proposed and the bonding in the two species was analyzed. For the purpose of comparison, the density functional theory based hybrid methods B3LYP/6-311G(d) and B3LYP/TZ2P have also been applied to both geometry optimization and single-point calculations. It is found that the B3LYP prediction of the nature of the linear BO is contradictory to that made by all MPn (n = 2 and 4) calculations. The cause for this contradiction is discussed.
Does organizational climate add to service quality in hotels

This paper examines organizational climate and organizational culture within a hotel industry framework. An argument is put forward that there is a causal link between good organizational climate and the level of service quality in a hotel. Organizational climate is also examined within the service quality framework to explore the effects of its integration into quality initiatives. A conceptual model of organizational climate and service quality and performance is presented that provides an explanation of the linkage between organizational culture, organizational climate, service quality, customer satisfaction and hotel performance.
HEAVY QUARK POTENTIAL IN LATTICE QCD: A REVIEW OF RECENT PROGRESS AT CALTECH

Recent progress on the calculation of the $q\bar{q}$ – potential is reviewed. Scaling is discussed from the perspective of critical phenomenon. Methods for fitting the correlations of Polyakov operators and the Wilson loops are reviewed and two new methods, the iterative method and the improved ratio method, are discussed in detail. These new methods are used to analyze/re-analyze the previously published data on Polyakov loops and new data on large Wilson loops. Convincing numerical evidences together with several analytical arguments strongly support the conclusion that the asymptotic scaling sets in at β~6 with ${{\sqrt \sigma } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\sqrt \sigma } {\Lambda _L = 79 \pm 3}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Lambda _L = 79 \pm 3}}$ and α=0.43±0.03. These results agree well with the potential model analysis of experimental data on $c\bar{c}$ and $b\bar{b}$ systems, and favors the Neveu-Schwarz strings as the underlying string theory. Finally, key issues on the use of the parall...
Greenhouse production of Burgundy truffle mycorrhizae on oak roots

Truffles, subterranean fruit-bodies of the ectomycorrhizal genus Tuber, are currently cultivated on host trees in plantations, both to offset declining wild production and to extend their geographic distribution. We report the effects of the potting medium and potting method components of two very different seedling production systems on the colonization of Quercus bicolor × Q. robur seedlings by T. aestivum (the Burgundy truffle). Seedlings grown in book planter containers using a peat-based medium were smaller yet much better colonized by T. aestivum than seedlings produced in RPM® (Root Production Method) containers using a ground bark-based RPM medium. In either container method, the peat-based medium supported development of more T. aestivum mycorrhizae than did the RPM medium. Seedlings grown in book planters developed significantly more root tips l−1 of medium than did seedlings grown in RPM containers. The optimum pH for T. aestivum mycorrhiza development in the peat-based medium is between 6.7 and 7.5.
Parents as Partners in the I.E.P. Process.

Much can be done prior to, during, and after the I.E.P. conference to make parents productive members of the team.
Integrating Service, Learning, and Professional Practice: Toward the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025

AbstractThe ASCE Body of Knowledge and the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission have emphasized a broad set of competencies required by 21st century civil engineers. In addition to competencies that are traditionally technical, these organizations recognize that professional competencies such as leadership, the ability to design sustainable systems, effective communication, and interdisciplinary teamwork are among the many skills required by engineers of the future. To develop and enhance all of these proficiencies within the undergraduate curriculum, there is a need to take an approach that interconnects all of these outcomes throughout the curriculum, or a “networked” approach. This paper discusses service learning as a potential approach for facilitating the broad set of foundational, technical, and professional learning outcomes cited by ASCE and ABET, by investigating two case studies within the Engineering Projects in Community Service program at Purdue University. The case studies are two serv...
Causes and implications of the middle rare earth element depletion in the eolian component of North Pacific sediment

Abstract Previous studies clearly demonstrate that the detrital fraction of central North Pacific sediment is derived almost exclusively from wind-born particles from the arid and semi-arid regions in Asia. These conclusions are based, in part, on trajectories observed for westerly wind systems and on a grainsize distribution for central North Pacific sediment which can only be explained by eolian transport. These observations have been verified by comparing the mineralogy, neodymium isotopic composition, and trace element geochemistry of the sediment with its Asian source region. However, recent geochemical investigations consistently highlight compositional differences exemplified by a MREE (middle rare earth element) depletion and a lower Th/Sc ratio in eolian material extracted from North Pacific sediment when compared to bulk China loess, the continental analog of the eolian material. These geochemical differences persist even when the bulk loess is subjected to the same extraction procedure. Here we present experiments demonstrating that these compositional differences are caused by a combination of grainsize fractionation during transport and partial dissolution of REE- and Th-bearing phosphatic phases during the extraction procedure. Two bulk loess samples from China were separated into several different grain size fractions and a split of each fraction was subjected to the extraction procedure commonly used to isolate terrigenous material from marine sediment. All extracted and unextracted sample pairs were analyzed for P, Th, Sc, Fe, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Yb, and Lu. The amount of P removed by the extraction procedure correlates well with both the observed MREE depletion and the decrease in Th/Sc and is most pronounced in the finest grained samples. These correlations strongly suggest that the extraction procedure dissolves inorganic phosphate phases which are rich in MREEs and Th. A comparison of the compositions of the 2–3 mm loess size fractions with central North Pacific sediment shows that both of these materials are identical.
Electronic structure calculations of intrinsic and extrinsic hydrogen point defects in KH2PO4

We report first-principles total-energy density-functional theory electronic structure calculations for the neutral and charge states of H intrinsic (Frenkel pair) and extrinsic (H vacancy or interstitial) point defects in ${\mathrm{KH}}_{2}{\mathrm{PO}}_{4}.$ The relaxed atomic structures, the formation energy, the ionization energy, and electron and hole affinities for the various defects have been calculated. For the Frenkel pair, the additional hole leads to a decrease of the $\mathrm{O}\char22{}\mathrm{O}$ bond length between the two O atoms next to the H vacancy, while the effect of the additional electron is small. For the H vacancy, the added hole is trapped and shared by the two O atoms adjacent to the vacancy, reducing dramatically the $\mathrm{O}\char22{}\mathrm{O}$ bond length, thus forming a molecular-type polaron. We find that the positively charged H vacancy introduces states in the gap, in contrast with its neutral state, confirming the experimental suggestion that it is a relevant absorbing center. The negatively charged H vacancy leads to an increase of the two O atoms close to the H vacancy, and does not induce states in the gap. The H interstitial does not interact with the host atoms in the neutral state. However, the addition of an electron leads to the ejection of a H host atom and the subsequent formation of a ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ interstitial molecule and a H vacancy, in agreement with experimental suggestions. In the positively charged state the H interstitial binds to its nearest-neighbor O atom forming a hydroxyl bond. The H interstitial in both positive and negative charge states induces no defect states in the band gap, in contrast with its neutral state. The calculations provide insights into the role of the charged and neutral defects on the transient optical absorption under irradiation by high-intensity laser beam.