cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actuation for simultaneous motions and constraining efforts: an open chain example

A brief discussion on systems where simultaneous control of forces and velocities are desirable is given and an example linkage with revolute and prismatic joint is selected for further analysis. The Newton-Euler approach for dynamic system analysis is applied to the example to provide a basis of comparison. Gauge invariant transformations are used to convert the dynamic equations into invariant form suitable for use in a new dynamic system analysis method known as the motion-effort approach. This approach uses constraint elimination techniques based on singular value decompositions to recast the invariant form of dynamic system equations into orthogonal sets of motion and effort equations. Desired motions and constraining efforts are partitioned into ideally obtainable and unobtainable portions which are then used to determine the required actuation. The method is applied to the example system and an analytic estimate to its success is made.
A sulfated metabolite produced by stf3 negatively regulates the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Sulfated molecules have been shown to modulate isotypic interactions between cells of metazoans and heterotypic interactions between bacterial pathogens or symbionts and their eukaryotic host cells. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, produces sulfated molecules that have eluded functional characterization for decades. We demonstrate here that a previously uncharacterized sulfated molecule, termed S881, is localized to the outer envelope of M. tuberculosis and negatively regulates the virulence of the organism in two mouse infection models. Furthermore, we show that the biosynthesis of S881 relies on the universal sulfate donor 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate and a previously uncharacterized sulfotransferase, stf3. These findings extend the known functions of sulfated molecules as general modulators of cell–cell interactions to include those between a bacterium and a human host.
Statistical modeling and computer simulation of intergranular corrosion growth in AA2024-T3 aluminum alloy

An extension of a brick wall model developed in a previous paper (Technometrics, to appear) was used to describe intergranular corrosion in AA2024-T3 aluminum alloys. The extended model simulates the behavior of corrosion paths at intersections of grain boundaries within the metal sample. Situations considered include the cases where a corrosion path might assume an upward turn, skip an intersection (not turn) or split into branches. The splitting of a corrosion path results in a smaller median of the minimum order statistic while the other factors increase the median of the minimum order statistic. Moreover, a larger number of grain layers increases the minimum path length for a sample with given thickness. With a proper combination of these factors, the extended model is able to provide a good fit to the experimental data developed by the foil penetration technique.
A tax on luxury: HTLV-I infection of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs

Almost a quarter of a century ago, Oldstone and colleagues proposed that infection of cells by noncytopathic viruses may lead to an alteration of the cells' ability to produce certain products or perform certain tasks, i.e., inhibition of "luxury function." In this issue of the JCI, this topic has been revisited by Yamano et al., who demonstrate that human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) results in a decrease in FOXP3 mRNA and protein expression. This leads to the inability of HTLV-I-infected CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs to inhibit the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) Tregs, due to the effect of the HTLV-I tax gene. Defects in the Treg population could be responsible for the large numbers of virus-specific T cells and occurrence of lymphoproliferation and inflammatory autoimmune disease in HAM/TSP patients.
Beyond P-1: Who Plays Online?.

Academics and industry professionals alike have long been interested in developing a nuanced and empirically sound typography of online gamers. Designers and engineers are aware of the value of well-considered "personas" to help guide the software development process. This study takes a new, quantitative approach to analyzing the aggregation of empirical characteristics for more than 1100 gamers. A statistical process called “factor analysis” reduces the dimensionality of this study’s survey data and mathematically suggests four distinct archetypes of online gamers that statistically account for more than two-thirds of play preferences. The significance of these findings is that they offer quantitative support for characterizing different kinds of online gamers in the way that other researchers have qualitatively interpreted their experiences.
The Impact of Hearing Protection on Sound Localization and Orienting Behavior

The effect of hearing protection devices (HPDs) on sound localization was examined in the context of an auditory-cued visual search task. Participants were required to locate and identify a visual target in a field of 5, 20, or 50 visual distractors randomly distributed on the interior surface of a sphere. Four HPD conditions were examined: earplugs, earmuffs, both earplugs and earmuffs simultaneously (double hearing protection), and no hearing protection. In addition, there was a control condition in which no auditory cue was provided. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant main effects of HPD for both search time and head motion data (p < .05), indicating that the degree to which localization is disrupted by HPDs varies with the type of device worn. When both earplugs and earmuffs are worn simultaneously, search times and head motion are more similar to those found when no auditory cue is provided than when either earplugs or earmuffs alone are worn, suggesting that sound localization cues are so severely disrupted by double hearing protection the listener can recover little or no information regarding the direction of sound source origin. Potential applications of this research include high-noise military, aerospace, and industrial settings in which HPDs are necessary but wearing double protection may compromise safety and/or performance.
Extended hubbard model with ring exchange: a route to a non-Abelian topological phase.

We propose an extended Hubbard model on a 2D kagomelattice with an additional ring exchange term. The particles can be either bosons or spinless fermions. We analyze the model at the special filling fraction 1=6, where it is closely related to the quantum dimer model. We show how to arrive at an exactly soluble point whose ground state is the ''d-isotopy'' transition point into a stable phase with a certain type of non- Abelian topological order. Near the ''special'' values, d � 2 cos�= � k � 2� , this topological phase has anyonic excitations closely related to SU� 2� Chern-Simons theory at level k.
Pediatric melanoma: Results of a large cohort study and proposal for modified ABCD detection criteria for children

Background Clinical and histopathologic features of childhood melanoma are poorly characterized. Atypical clinical presentations and ambiguous microscopic findings may contribute to diagnostic delays. Objectives We sought to determine whether conventional ABCDE melanoma detection criteria ( A symmetry, B order irregularity, C olor variegation, D iameter >6 mm, E volution [any morphologic or symptomatic change in the lesion]) adequately detects pediatric melanoma and to evaluate clinicopathologic and outcome differences between younger and older children. Methods This was a retrospective study of children given the diagnosis of melanoma (N = 60) or ambiguous melanocytic tumors treated as melanoma (N = 10) before age 20 years from 1984 to 2009 at the University of California, San Francisco. Seventy patients were divided into 2 age groups: 0 to 10 years (N = 19, group A) and 11 to 19 years (N = 51, group B). Clinical, histopathologic, and outcomes data were collected. Main outcome measures were time from diagnosis to death and predictors of metastasis and death. Results In all, 60% of group A and 40% of group B children did not present with conventional ABCDE criteria. Rather, amelanosis, bleeding, "bumps," uniform color, variable diameter, and de novo development were most common. Histopathological subtypes differed significantly between groups ( P = .002). In all, 44% were histopathologically unclassifiable using current melanoma subtypes. Stage IIA disease or higher comprised 92% and 46% of groups A and B, respectively ( P = .05). Ten patients died: 1 in group A and 9 in group B. Of these, 70% had amelanotic lesions, and 60% had at least 1 major risk factor. Breslow thickness predicted metastasis (adjusted odds ratio 12.8 [CI 1.4-115]). Limitations The retrospective design resulted in incomplete data capture. Conclusion Additional ABCD detection criteria ( A melanotic; B leeding, B ump; C olor uniformity; D e novo, any D iameter) used together with conventional ABCDE criteria may facilitate earlier recognition and treatment of melanoma in children.
Sources and Distribution of Organic and Carbonate Carbon in Surface Sediments of Pyramid Lake, Nevada

ABSTRACT Surface sediment samples from 32 sites in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, have been studied to investigate the sources and distribution of carbon within a large, terminal lake basin. The origins of organic and inorganic carbon in the sediments of this lake are predominantly from in-lake sources. Dilution of these sedimentary materials by land-derived elastic components occurs near the mouth of the Truckee River, the only perennial river entering the lake. Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations and CaCO3 concentrations and d18O values increase while organic matter C/N atomic ratios and d13C values decrease with increasing distance from the river mouth as the proportion of river-derived components decreases. Aragonite precipitates from lake water and dominates CaCO3 deposition in most parts of the lake, except near underlake springs, where calcite precipitates. TOC concentrations increase as water depth increases, reflecting grain sorting as smaller particles are resuspended and focused toward the deep basin center.
The Composition Of Corporate Boards Of Directors: Pre- And Post-Sarbanes-Oxley

The purpose of this study is to examine corporate board characteristics pre- and post-Sarbanes-Oxley. More specifically, using a sample 1141 US publicly traded firms, board characteristics were identified and then changes in these characteristics were examined across the years 2001, 2004, and 2007. Our analyses reveal significant changes in 8 of 10 board characteristics examined. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.
A survey of current and past Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellows regarding training

The objectives of this study were to characterize the satisfaction of Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellows with their training and to understand how opinions about training have changed over time. Anonymous survey studies were conducted with questions designed to include areas related to the 6 ACGME core competencies. Surveys for current fellows were distributed by fellowship directors, while surveys for graduates were mailed to all individuals with Pediatric Infectious Diseases certification. Response rates for current fellows and graduates were 50% and 52%, respectively. Most fellows (98%) and graduates (92%) perceived their overall training favorably. Training in most clinical care areas was rated favorably, however both groups perceived relative deficiencies in several areas. Current fellows rated their training in other competency areas (e.g., systems-based practice, research, and ethics) more favorably when compared to past graduates. Recent graduates perceived their training more favorably in many of these areas compared to past graduates. Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellowship training is well regarded by the majority of current and past trainees. Views of current fellows reflect improved satisfaction with training in a variety of competency areas. Persistent deficiencies in clinical training likely reflect active barriers to education. Additional study is warranted to validate perceived deficiencies and to establish consensus on the importance of these areas to infectious diseases training.
Too Close to Quit: The Role of Project Completion in Maintaining Commitment1

Conlon and Garland (1993) demonstrated that information about the degree of project completion, as compared with information about sunk costs, seemed to be the driving force behind continued investment in an R&D project. In the present paper, we replicate and extend this work. In studies with experienced bank managers, Chinese graduate students, and advanced-level MBA students, we find overwhelming support for the importance of project completion on investment intentions, with no indication of typical sunk cost effects. We argue that our results support a goal substitution explanation for many escalation phenomena where, as progress moves forward on a project, completion of the project itself takes increasing precedence over other goals (e. g., economic profit) that may have been more salient at the time the project was initiated.
Piecewise Image Registration in the Presence of Multiple Large Motions

We present a technique for computing a dense pixel correspondence between two images of a scene containing multiple large, rigid motions. We model each motion with either a homography (for planar objects) or a fundamental matrix. The various motions in the scene are first extracted by clustering an initial sparse set of correspondences between feature points; we then perform a multi-label graph cut optimization which assigns each pixel to an independent motion and computes its disparity with respect to that motion. We demonstrate our technique on several example scenes and compare our results with previous approaches.
Systems Concepts: Lectures on Contemporary Approaches to Systems

Collection of papers dealing with the application of systems concepts to a wide range of disciplines. The topics include systems definitions and designs, models for systems engineering, the evolution of the JPL, systems concepts in lunar and planetary projects, civil systems projects, and Apollo program evaluation. Individual items are announced in this issue.
Comments on: Control of the false discovery rate under dependence using the bootstrap and subsampling

It is a pleasure to congratulate Professors Romano, Shaikh, and Wolf (to be referred to as RSW hereafter) on an interesting and original paper. RSW address an important and challenging issue in multiple testing, to directly incorporate the dependence structure of the p-values while constructing a multiple testing method that provides a control of the false discovery rate (FDR). The dependence among the p-values has often been utilized in an indirect manner, to the extent of just validating that an FDR controlling method developed under the assumption of independent p-values continues to work even when there is a certain form of dependence among the p-values. A more explicit use of the dependence structure should result in a powerful method. The problem is, however, that one has to know the exact distribution of the underlying test statistics, or has to capture it from the data, at least approximately, by means of methods like those relying on resampling techniques. RSW have decided to take the latter approach by appealing to the bootstrap and subsampling methods. We do like the main idea in the paper, it will provide an impetus for research on developing bootstrap-based multiple testing methods. Nevertheless, we feel that a number of points need to be made to provide a better understanding of the paper and to fill up certain gaps.
Defect propagation at the project-level: results and a post-hoc analysis on inspection efficiency

Inspections are increasingly utilized to enhance software quality. While the effectiveness of inspections in uncovering defects is widely accepted, there is a lack of research that takes a more holistic approach by considering defect counts from initial phases of the development process (requirements, design, and coding) and examining defect propagation where defect counts are aggregated to the project-level (i.e., application-level). Using inspection data collected from a large software development firm, this paper investigates the extent of defect propagation at the project-level during early lifecycle phases. I argue that defect propagation can be observed from the relationship between defects in the prior phase and the defects in the subsequent phase. Both Ordinary Least Squares and 3-Stage Least Squares analyses support the hypotheses on defect propagation. Moreover, results show that the inspection efficiency (defects per unit inspection time) decreases as the software product progresses from requirements to design to coding. A post-hoc analysis revealed further insights into inspection efficiency. In each phase, as the inspection time increased, efficiency reached an optimal point and then dropped off. In addition, a project's inspection efficiency generally tends to remain stable from one phase to another. These insights offer managers means to assess inspections, their efficiency, and make adjustments to the time allotted to inspect project's artifacts in both the current and the subsequent phase. Implications for managers and future research directions are discussed.
Mechanical properties of cellulose nanomaterials studied by contact resonance atomic force microscopy

Quantification of the mechanical properties of cellulose nanomaterials is key to the development of new cellulose nanomaterial based products. Using contact resonance atomic force microscopy we measured and mapped the transverse elastic modulus of three types of cellulosic nanoparticles: tunicate cellulose nanocrystals, wood cellulose nanocrystals, and wood cellulose nanofibrils. These modulus values were calculated with different contact mechanics models exploring the effects of cellulose geometry and thickness on the interpretation of the data. While intra-particle variations in modulus are detected, we did not observe a measureable difference in modulus between the three types of cellulose particles. Improved practices and experimental complications for the characterization of cellulosic nanomaterials with atomic force microscopy are discussed.
Visible and near-infrared excitation spectra from the neptunyl ion doped into a uranyl tetrachloride lattice

Abstract Visible and near-infrared illumination induces 5f-5f and ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) transitions of the neptunyl tetrachloride anion in polycrystalline Cs2U(Np)O2Cl4, and results in near-infrared luminescence from the second electronically excited state to the ground state. This photoluminescence is used as a detection method to collect excitation spectra throughout the near-infrared and visible regions. The excitation spectra of LMCT transitions in excitation spectra were identified in previous work. Here the measurement and analysis is extended to include both LMCT and intra-5f transitions. The results manifest variation in structural properties of the neptunium-oxo bond among the low-lying electronic states. Vibronic intensity patterns and energy spacings are used to compare bond lengths and vibrational frequencies in the excited states, confirming significant characteristic differences between those excited by 5f-5f transitions from those due to LMCT transitions. Results are compared with recently published RASPT2/SO calculations of [NpO2Cl4]2−.
Nspl1, a new Z-band-associated protein.

Molecular characterization of a novel gene designated Neuroendocrine-Specific Protein-Like-1 (Nspl1) had revealed that this gene is expressed as two transcripts, a 1.2 kb transcript found predominantly in skeletal muscle and a 2.1 kb transcript expressed in the brain. The exceptionally high level of skeletal muscle expression prompted us to determine where the protein is localized to skeletal muscle. In vitro studies were performed using two plasmid constructs that generate full-length Nspl1 muscle-specific protein fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP). In one construct, the GFP cDNA was fused to the N-terminus of the Nspl1 cDNA while in the second construct, the GFP cDNA was fused to the C-terminus of the Nspl1 cDNA. Transfection of either plasmid into mononucleated myoblasts showed that the Nspl1-GFP chimeric protein was associated with intermediate filaments. This was confirmed by using an antibody to stain desmin and finding that GFP-Nspl1 colocalizes with desmin. Chick primary myoblasts were transfected with the chimeric cDNAs and allowed to differentiate into mature myotubes. Results from this analysis and the use of monoclonal antibody to stain α-actinin, further localized the Nspl1 protein to the Z-band of mature myotubes. Confocal microscopy of the myotubes containing Nspl1-GFP demonstrates that Nspl1 is distributed continuously throughout the Z-disks.
Foucault's critique of psychiatric medicine

From his earliest published work, Mental Illness and Personality (1954), to his last project, The History of Sexuality, Foucault was critical of the human sciences as a dubious and dangerous attempt to model a science of human beings on the natural sciences. He therefore preferred existential therapy, which did not attempt to give a causal account of human nature, but rather described the general structure of the human way of being and its possible distortions. Foucault focused his attack on psychiatry, which claimed to have an explanation of normal and abnormal functioning of the personality modeled on medicine. Freud typified for him this deep mistake which he traced first to the Kantian understanding of human beings as transcendental/empirical doubles which must think their own unthought, and then later to the gradually developing confessional practices which lead people in our culture to try unsuccessfully to put all their desires into words so as to conform to the norms of psychoanalysis which in turn are based on an account of sexuality as a cause of personality. Foucault proposed his genealogical account of how our culture arrived at this view of man as sexual being as a form of therapy which was to help us free ourselves from this restrictive self-interpretation.
The coating of conducting copolymer on coordination polymer nanorod: A visible light active p-n heterojunction photocatalyst for H2 production

Abstract A visible light active p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized successfully through in-situ chemical oxidation copolymerization of aniline (ANI) and diphenylamine-4-sulfonate (DPAS) with the existence of coordination polymer nanorod (CPNR) under initiation of ammonium persulfate (APS). Compared with neat coordination polymer nanorod, the resulted p-n heterojunction photocatalyst exhibits higher H2 generationrate under visible light irradiation. In this heterojunction photocatalyst, as a p-type semiconductor possessing suitable energy levels with coordination polymer nanorod, poly-(aniline-co-N-(4-sulfophenyl)-aniline) (PAPSA) forms p-n heterojunction with n-type coordination polymer nanorod, the inner electric field of p-n heterojunction accelerates the separation of electrons and holes, which enhances H2 production performance. Furthermore, the influence of concentration ratio between DPAS and ANI on photocatalytic property of the p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was discussed and a reasonable condition to fabricate photocatalyst with high H2 generationrate had been obtained. During photocatalytic water splitting H2 generation, the p-n heterojunction photocatalyst exhibited outstanding stability.
An Emergent Model of End-users' Acceptance of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: A Grounded Theory Approach

The success of Enterprise Resource Planning ERP implementation depends, to a large extent, on end-users' acceptance of ERP systems, which in turn affects the intensity and nature of system use. To understand the phenomenon underlying end-users' acceptance of ERP systems, the authors conducted a grounded theory research in a large institution that implemented an ERP system. Through systematic coding and content analysis, the authors inductively derived a theoretical model to explain end-users' acceptance of ERP systems. Three categories-beliefs about the system, changes in job scope, and social influence-emerged from the data as direct antecedents of user acceptance. The data also suggest that "beliefs about the system" mediates the influence of "training and support" and "personal characteristics" on user acceptance, whereas "personal characteristics" moderate the influence of "changes in job scope" on user acceptance. The theoretical model that emerged from this qualitative study extends existing models of user acceptance by providing a more complete understanding of end-users' acceptance of ERP systems.
Optimizing software development processes

It would appear that developing software programs or services is one of the easiest things in the world to do. The theorist would have us believe that all practitioners need to do is to write the code in specific software language (e.g. functional language) and follow specific processes (e.g. agile) and ideally deploy as a continuously evolving service and you will reach perfection. If you run into problems then that is because your engineers are not good enough and/or you are not following the process correctly. The reality is very different, especially when developing software at scale. This talk will describe why there are no universal development processes that can be applied across all software product and service. While practitioners are well aware of this reality, there is little assistance, based on empirical evidence, to help them either choose a suitable development process for their product or service, or in optimizing the solution they have already chosen. Over the last few years I and other researchers have being looking at how to assist developers in optimizing their process, based on the attributes of the product or services they are developing. In this talk I will describe the current state of our research in this space.
Censorship and Silencing

In her book Excitable Speech, Judith Butler attempts to take on board Foucault’s idea of post-sovereign power and meld it with the ideas of performative speech acts and Derrida’s idea of citationality to create what she calls ‘a politics of the performative.’ Butler proposes that the combination of post-sovereignty and speech act theory affords, for perhaps the first time in history, the possibility that a previously dis-empowered speaker can resignify a previously injurious speech act.
Are There Preferable Alternatives to International Migration as an Aid to Economic Development

I interpret the question which has been posed as pertaining to alternative ways to achieve higher per capita incomes; and I use ‘economic development’ as a short phrase to designate this objective, without, of course, implying that other elements, such as a lessening of inequality, may not also be involved commonly in the concept of progress. The test of the behaviour of average per capita income somewhat simplifies the further question ‘to whom preferable’ by ignoring the conflicting interests of groups within a national economy. But if migration raises average per capita incomes in one country and lowers them in another, the conflict of economic interest cannot be ignored and can only be resolved by the automatic working of the market or by some supra-national authority.
An Energy-Efficient Computational Model for Uncertainty Management in Dynamically Changing Networked Wearables

The utility of wearables is currently limited to lab experiments and controlled environments mainly because computational algorithms embedded in wearables fail to produce accurate measurements in uncontrolled, dynamically changing, and potentially harsh environments. With the exponentially growing adoption of these systems in human-centered Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, development of resource-efficient solutions to enhance the accuracy of this systems remains a considerable research challenge. In this paper, we introduce an energy-efficient framework for uncertainty management of networked wearables. The core components of our framework are anomaly screening units for detecting anomalies that require handling, thus resulting in one order of magnitude less energy consumption compared to the conventional frameworks. Furthermore, our screening approach achieves 98.3% accuracy in detecting anomalies based on real data collected with wearable motion sensors.
Cultivating positive social interactions through a web-based cyberbullying prevention program

Cyberbullying has been identified as a critical issue in education and a hurdle for the successful widespread adoption of social media in schools. Although a number of programs dedicated to the prevention and intervention of traditional bullying have been developed and evaluated, there is a dearth of information available regarding the components necessary for similar programs to address cyberbullying. Research of cyberbullying has been limited to describing the characteristics of the bully and the consequences for the victim. This article presents the development and evaluation of an innovative web-based program for middle school children to prevent cyberbullying.
Severity of anxiety– but not depression– is associated with oxidative stress in Major Depressive Disorder

Background Oxidative stress is implicated in both depression and anxiety, but it is currently unclear whether this relates to syndromal diagnoses or trans-diagnostic dimensional symptoms. We examined the relationship between oxidative stress and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Comparison of Spreading Depolarizations in the Motor Cortex and Nucleus Accumbens: Similar Patterns of Oxygen Responses and the Role of Dopamine.

Spreading depolarizations (SD) are pathophysiological phenomena that spontaneously arise in traumatized neural tissue and can promote cellular death. Most investigations of SD are performed in the cortex, a brain region that is susceptible to these depolarizing waves and accessible via a variety of monitoring techniques. Here, we describe SD responses in the cortex and the deep brain region of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the anesthetized rat with a minimally invasive, implantable sensor. With high temporal resolution, we characterize the time course of oxygen responses to SD in relation to the electrophysiological depolarization signal. The predominant oxygen pattern consists of four phases: 1) a small initial decrease, 2) a large increase during the SD, 3) a delayed increase, and 4) a persistent decrease from baseline after the SD. Oxygen decreases during SD were also recorded. This response occurred more often in the NAc than the cortex (56% vs 20% of locations, respectively), which correlates to den...
Building bridges with words: an inferential account of ethical univocity

Explaining genuine moral disagreement is a challenge for metaethical theories. For expressivists, this challenge comes from the plausibility of agents making seemingly univocal claims while express...
Using Structured Positive and Negative Reinforcement to Change Student Behavior in Educational Settings in order to Achieve Student Academic Success

Typically, classroom management approaches for dealing with disruptions and misbehavior from students involve the use of various forms of punishment: removal from the classroom, fines, in-school and out-of- school suspensions, or expulsions (Garret, 2015). However, traditional classroom management methods have yielded very little positive results. Some would even argue that classroom behaviors are escalating out of control. Using research based approaches; this article’s goal is to help teachers discover student-centered approaches that will positively improve discipline inside the classroom.
Coordination and Innovation in Judiciaries: Correct Law vs. Consistent Law

We identify the coordination consideration among judges who do not have formal authority over each other, and investigate its consequences for their decisions and legal innovations. Coordination concerns arise because judges value the consistent application of law. To mitigate their strategic uncertainty, judges overweight interpretations that are visible throughout the judiciary (e.g., prominent judges' opinions) because their visibility facilitates coordination. This creates a tradeoff between the consistent and correct application of law--the two desiderata of judicial decisionmaking. In particular, anticipating overreactions to their opinions, some prominent judges refrain from expressing their informed opinions. Paradoxically, the propensity to refrain is strongest in prominent judges who care most about the correct application of law. From their perspective, excessive concern for uniformity in the judiciary overrides the informational value of expressing informed opinions. We explore the implications for issuing narrow or broad opinions, the stickiness of precedent, and the practice of stare decisis. We provide concrete examples from contract, property, tort, and constitutional law that support our theoretical mechanisms.
Distribution, Sex Ratios, and Size Distributions of Diamond-Backed Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in the Deltaic Plain of Louisiana

Abstract Diamond-Backed Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are emydid turtles found in estuarine systems along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States between Texas and Massachusetts, and in Bermuda. Reductions in many terrapin populations have been documented throughout the species' range in association with habitat loss, overharvesting for consumption, bycatch in commercial and recreational fishing gear, and collection for the pet trade. Information on populations within Louisiana is limited, with survey efforts being performed only recently throughout the state's coastal zone. From 2012 through 2014, we sought to determine the distribution of Diamond-Backed Terrapins within the Deltaic Plain region of Louisiana, describe sex ratios and size class structure within select management basins, and establish marked populations to promote continued study of the species. Of the 27 terrapin sampling sites initially selected, 24 were chosen for further evaluation; a subset of these same locations were sam...
Why People Die Before They Expect To

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides a handy tool [2] to help people plan for their retirement. You enter your date of birth and the SSA estimates the expected number of years remainin...
Functionalized Quartz Nanopipette for Intracellular Superoxide Sensing: A Tool for Monitoring Reactive Oxygen Species Levels in Single Living Cell

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide radical anions, are vital components in numerous biological functions, including cell signaling and immune responses. Since ROS react with other biomolecules and oxidize them quickly, it is essential for cells to have superoxide-scavenging enzymes and other regulating enzymes that can catalyze the dismutation of superoxide radical anions into less damaging molecules. Otherwise, ROS overproduction can cause oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, cells, and tissues, damage that is associated with the pathogenesis of a range of neurodegenerative disorders, age-related diseases, and cancer. Understanding the relationship between superoxide and these disorders can help the development of innovative therapies for combating oxidative stress and degeneration of nerve cells. Although methods to quantify ROS already exist, they are indirect, destructive, ambiguous, and/or cannot provide real-time measurements in single cells. In this paper, we report a technique for s...
Pims: A Simple Technology for Clean-up of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides Throughout the World

Phosphate-induced metal stabilisation (PIMS) is a technology that can be applied immediately anywhere in the world to clean up metal- and radionuclide-contaminated soils and groundwater. PIMS works especially well for lead (Pb), uranium (U), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and copper (Cu). It is simple and straightforward, requires no sophisticated machinery, and can be supplied from local materials and with local labour. PIMS uses a special form of mineral apatite, Apatite II, which is the least expensive but most reactive form available. Apatite II stabilises a wide range of metals, in situ or ex situ, by forming new stable phosphate phases (apatite minerals) and other low-solubility phases that are stable for millions of years. PIMS can be emplaced as a down-gradient, permeable reactive barrier, mixed with contaminated soil or waste, and used as a disposal liner, or emplaced by other methods (Fig. 1).
Use of simulation-based statistical models to complement bioclimatic models in predicting continental scale invasion risks

Invasive species represent one of the greatest risks to global biodiversity and economic productivity of agroecosystems. The development of certain novel crops—e.g., herbaceous perennial biomass crops—may create a risk of novel invasions by these crops. Therefore, potential benefits and risks need to be weighed in making decisions about their introduction and subsequent management. Ideally, such a weighing will be based on good estimates of invasion risks in realistic scenarios pertaining to actual landscapes of concern. Most previous large-scale analyses of invasion risk have used species distribution models and their established methods. Unfortunately, these approaches are unable to incorporate local scale biotic and spatial factors that influence invasion risk. Here we present a case study for how such factors can be efficiently incorporated in large-scale analyses of invasion risk, by extending simulation models with statistical modeling tools. By these means, we predict invasion risk at the scale of the entire United States for a major biomass crop, Miscanthus × giganteus. We then combine invasion risk predictions for this method with those from bioclimatic methods, producing a map of aggregated invasion risk that can offer more nuanced predictions of invasion risk than either approach alone. Lastly, we evaluate potential risks for invasive crops that differ in invasiveness traits, to examine how geographic patterns of invasion risk vary among invaders as a result of their particular constellation of traits.
SLAM-based Underwater Adaptive Sampling Using Autonomous Vehicles

In order to achieve efficient and accurate sensing Abstract—In order to achieve efficient and accurate sensing coverage of water reservoirs and 3D ocean bodies in near real time, in this paper a novel adaptive sampling strategy using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) is introduced. The vehicles capture the spatial distribution of the specific manifestations—such as salinity, temperature, potential Hydrogen (pH), chlorophyll concentration—of the phenomenon in the field of interest with the help of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms for navigation. To enable adaptive sampling with the required accuracy, the vehicles, i.e., mobile nodes, need to adjust continuously their trajectories with the help of an external platform—the static nodes on the surface— based on the sampling information gathered by the on-board sensors and also on the localization information provided by the Speeded-Up Robust Feature (SURF) algorithm. Experiments were conducted on a mobile robot and a static surface node to verify the proposed solution. In the original scheme, the robot was connected to the user via a tether; instead, we use an onboard controller to perform adaptive sampling autonomously underwater, and on the water surface via wireless connection to the static node as the remote processor. coverage of water reservoirs and 3D ocean bodies in near real time, in this paper a novel adaptive sampling strategy using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) is introduced. The vehicles capture the spatial distribution of the specific manifestations—such as salinity, temperature, potential Hydrogen (pH), chlorophyll concentration—of the phenomenon in the field of interest with the help of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms for navigation. To enable adaptive sampling with the required accuracy, the vehicles, i.e., mobile nodes, need to adjust continuously their trajectories with the help of an external platform—the static nodes on the surface— based on the sampling information gathered by the on-board sensors and also on the localization information provided by the Speeded-Up Robust Feature (SURF) algorithm. Experiments were conducted on a mobile robot and a static surface node to verify the proposed solution. In the original scheme, the robot was connected to the user via a tether; instead, we use an onboard controller to perform adaptive sampling autonomously underwater, and on the water surface via wireless connection to the static node as the remote processor.
Abstract B058: Rapid and controlled T-cell expansion using scaffolds that mimic antigen-presenting cells

Current approaches to expand T-cells ex vivo for therapeutic applications are limited by low expansion rates and often result in unpredictable expansion products of varying phenotype and function. Key attributes, such as a balanced ratio of CD4-to-CD8 T-cells, or a high central memory T-cell fraction are known to correlate with robust and durable therapeutic responses but remain difficult to reproducibly achieve. Strategies that allow one to precisely control the phenotype of expanded T-cell products may thus potentiate the effects of CAR-T-cell therapies, and understanding how T-cells respond to stimulation is a crucial step to this end. Recently, we described a 3D expansion system that mimics natural antigen presenting cells (APCs) and promotes greater polyclonal expansion of primary human T-cells than commercial expansion beads (Dynabeads). These biodegradable, APC-mimetic scaffolds (APC-ms) are composed of fluid lipid bilayers supported on mesoporous silica micro-rods, which enables precise control over the spatial organization of membrane-bound T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulatory and costimulatory cues (i.e., anti-CD3/anti-CD28). Here, we investigated the activation and memory signature of primary human T-cells over time in response to APC-ms with different densities of activating surface cues compared to Dynabead stimulation. Higher surface cue densities of anti-CD3/anti-CD28 promoted greater proportions of central memory T-cells, with a parallel increase in the CD4-to-CD8 T-cell ratio. T-cells stimulated with Dynabeads exhibited higher expression of CD25 and CD69 that peaked earlier than standard APC-ms formulations, suggesting that APC-ms promotes relatively more transient T-cell activation than Dynabeads, potentially mitigating overstimulation and exhaustion. Overall, these data demonstrate that APC-ms can be used to rapidly expand primary human T-cells and tune their phenotypic attributes (e.g., CD4-to-CD8 ratio and memory subpopulations). This technology has the potential to improve the production of T-cells for adoptive T-cell-based therapies. Citation Format: David K.Y. Zhang, Anna Vaynrub, David J. Mooney. Rapid and controlled T-cell expansion using scaffolds that mimic antigen-presenting cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B058.
The Dictator’s Knowledge Problem

How does a dictator remain a dictator? Current economic models of dictatorship treat a dictator’s survival as a function of their ability to solve a simple utility maximization problem. These models make sense given the common assumption of complete information. But what about situations where dictators face incomplete information? When we move from theory to practice, the central problem is how a dictator finds the information so critical to his survival. This chapter analyzes the “dictator’s knowledge problem” with particular emphasis on the process through which a dictator discovers the necessary information to maintain his position of power. Three alternative information revelation mechanisms employed by “real world” dictators—legislatures, business and professional associations, and protests—are analyzed. The analysis clarifies these features of real-world dictatorships which are not explained by existing economic models. In doing so it explains why institutional arrangements that at first appear counterintuitive to the principles of dictatorship make sense when one realizes the primacy of the dictator’s knowledge problem.
Measuring attention to reward as an individual trait: the value-driven attention questionnaire (VDAQ)

Reward history is a powerful determinant of what we pay attention to. This influence of reward on attention varies substantially across individuals, being related to a variety of personality variables and clinical conditions. Currently, the ability to measure and quantify attention-to-reward is restricted to the use of psychophysical laboratory tasks, which limits research into the construct in a variety of ways. In the present study, we introduce a questionnaire designed to provide a brief and accessible means of assessing attention-to-reward. Scores on the questionnaire correlate with other measures known to be related to attention-to-reward and predict performance on multiple laboratory tasks measuring the construct. In demonstrating this relationship, we also provide evidence that attention-to-reward as measured in the lab, an automatic and implicit bias in information processing, is related to overt behaviors and motivations in everyday life as assessed via the questionnaire. Variation in scores on the questionnaire is additionally associated with a distinct biomarker in brain connectivity, and the questionnaire exhibits acceptable test-retest reliability. Overall, the Value-Driven Attention Questionnaire (VDAQ) provides a useful proxy-measure of attention-to-reward that is much more accessible than typical laboratory assessments.
Thermophysical properties prediction of brown seaweed (Saccharina latissima) using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and empirical models

ABSTRACTThermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity (k), bulk density (ρ), specific heat (C), and thermal diffusivity (D) are crucial for simulating dynamic thermal processes such as dry...
A fully implicit, scalable, conservative nonlinear relativistic Fokker–Planck 0D-2P solver for runaway electrons

Abstract Upon application of a sufficiently strong electric field, electrons break away from thermal equilibrium and approach relativistic speeds. These highly energetic ‘runaway’ electrons ( ∼ MeV) play a significant role in tokamak disruption physics, and therefore their accurate understanding is essential to develop reliable mitigation strategies. For this purpose, we have developed a fully implicit solver for the 0D-2P (i.e., including two momenta coordinates) relativistic nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation (rFP). As in earlier implicit rFP studies (NORSE, CQL3D), electron–ion interactions are modeled using the Lorentz operator, and synchrotron damping using the Abraham–Lorentz–Dirac reaction term. However, our implementation improves on these earlier studies by (1) ensuring exact conservation properties for electron collisions, (2) strictly preserving positivity, and (3) being scalable algorithmically and in parallel. Key to our proposed approach is an efficient multigrid preconditioner for the linearized rFP equation, a multigrid elliptic solver for the Braams–Karney potentials (Braams and Karney, 1987), and a novel adaptive technique to determine the associated boundary values. We verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed scheme with numerical results ranging from small electric-field electrical conductivity measurements to the accurate reproduction of runaway tail dynamics when strong electric fields are applied.