cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liquefaction beyond the Near Field

Earthquakes cause a spectrum of hydrologic responses such as liquefaction (Casagrande 1936; Seed and Lee 1966; Seed and Idriss 1967; Castro 1975; Kuribayashi and Tatsuoka 1975; Finn 1981; Committee on Earthquake Engineering 1985; Ambraseys 1988; Dobry 1989; Papadopoulos and Lefkopulos 1993; Ishihara 1996; Galli 2000; Hsu and Vucetic 2004; Hazirbaba and Rathje 2004; Wang et al. 2006), water-level changes (Roeloffs 1998; Matsumoto et al. 2003; Brodsky et al. 2003), streamflow increases (Rojstaczer et al. 1995; Manga et al. 2003; Wang, Manga et al. 2004; Wang, Wang et al. 2004) and new hot springs (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute 2004). These responses are variably interpreted as due to either the static or the dynamic effects associated with earthquakes (Manga and Wang forthcoming). Liquefaction is a major seismic hazard to engineered structures, yet its mechanism has remained a mystery. Several hypotheses have been proposed (Seed and Lee 1966; Committee on Earthquake Engineering 1985; Dobry 1989; Hsu and Vucetic 2004). The first hypothesis is that liquefaction during earthquakes is the consequence of an overall pore-pressure development in saturated soils that undergo undrained consolidation during which the intergranular stress is progressively transferred to the interstitial pore water; if pore pressure increases to the extent that it can bear the weight of the overburden, soil loses strength and behaves like a fluid. A second hypothesis assumes a local redistribution of soil density, even though the overall volume may remain constant; i.e. , during ground shaking, some parts of soils consolidate while other parts loosen up so much that they become contractive. Thus pore pressure eventually increases to the extent that soil loses strength and flow. A third and less-known hypothesis is that high …
A methodology for formal specification and implementation of Ada packages

The authors present a methodology for formal specification and prototype implementation of Ada packages using the Anna specification language. Given the formal specification of a package resulting from the methodology for package specifications, the methodology allows implementors of packages to follow a few simple steps to implement the package. The implementation is meant to be a prototype. This methodology for specification and implementation is applicable to most Ada packages. Limitations of this approach are pointed out, and software tools which help the process of specification and implementation are presented. >
Modeling and Control of Needles With Torsional Friction

A flexible needle can be accurately steered by robotically controlling the bevel tip orientation as the needle is inserted into tissue. Friction between the long, flexible needle shaft and the tissue can cause a significant discrepancy between the orientation of the needle tip and the orientation of the base where the needle angle is controlled. Our experiments show that several common phantom tissues used in needle steering experiments impart substantial friction forces to the needle shaft, resulting in a lag of more than 45deg for a 10 cm insertion depth in some phantoms; clinical studies report torques large enough to cause similar errors during needle insertions. Such angle discrepancies will result in poor performance or failure of path planners and image-guided controllers, since the needles used in percutaneous procedures are too small for state-of-the-art imaging to accurately measure the tip angle. To compensate for the angle discrepancy, we develop an estimator using a mechanics-based model of the rotational dynamics of a needle being inserted into tissue. Compared to controllers that assume a rigid needle in a frictionless environment, our estimator-based controller improves the tip angle convergence time by nearly 50% and reduces the path deviation of the needle by 70%.
Getting Back on Tap: The Policy Context and Cost of Ensuring Access to Low-Cost Drinking Water in Massachusetts Schools

Background Adequate water intake may have important health benefits for schoolchildren. Layers of federal, state, and local policy are relevant to provision of water within schools. Recently passed state and federal laws require free drinking-water access for students during mealtimes. Purpose To review Massachusetts local district wellness policies related to water access, provide estimates of costs for three water-provision strategies, and discuss implications for policy relevant to adequate drinking-water access. Methods Legal research was conducted using the LexisNexis legal database and government websites. Local wellness policies were double-coded using existing research tools. Costs of three water-delivery options were estimated using a 10-year school-district perspective. Results Prior to 2010, most Massachusetts public school district wellness policies (92%–94%) did not address access to free drinking water. Ten-year costs per school for providing water during mealtimes to students, including dispenser unit, installation, water testing, water, cups, and labor, range between $12,544 and $27,922 (depending on water-delivery option) assuming the average Massachusetts school enrollment. Water-provision strategies relying on tap water are more economical than bottled water in the long term. Conclusions Policy recommendations and cost considerations deserve attention at the local, state, and federal levels. Recommendations are discussed to ensure access to safe, free drinking water for all students.
Analysis of quantal size of voltage responses to retinal stimulation in the accessory optic system.

Abstract In the intact vertebrate central nervous system, the quantal nature of synaptic transmission is difficult to measure because the postsynaptic sites may be distributed along a tortuous dendritic tree that cannot be readily clamped spatially to a uniform potential. Titrating the intact brain's extracellular concentration of calcium ions is also challenging because of its strong buffering mechanisms. In this study, using a whole brain with eye attached preparation, quantal neurotransmission was examined in the turtle brainstem in vitro, by recording from accessory optic system neurons that receive direct input from visually responsive retinal ganglion cells. Unitary EPSPs, evoked by microstimulation of a single ganglion cell, were measured during whole cell current-clamp recordings. In this preparation, the neurons exhibit direction-selectivity, despite the hypoxic conditions. Bath application of cadmium to reduce calcium influx also reduced evoked EPSP amplitudes to that of the spontaneous synaptic events. Statistical analyses indicated that these evoked response amplitudes could be well fitted to a Poisson distribution for most brainstem neurons. Therefore, the spontaneous miniature excitatory synaptic events of approximately 1 mV, as also observed during spike blockade of the retina [Kogo, N., Ariel, M., 1997. Membrane properties and monosynaptic retinal excitation of neurons in the turtle accessory optic system. Journal of Neurophysiology 78, 614–627], are likely responses to the neurotransmitter of single vesicles release by retinal axon terminals.
Shoreline Development Drives Invasion of Phragmites australis and the Loss of Plant Diversity on New England Salt Marshes

The reed Phragmites australis Cav. is aggressively invading salt marshes along the Atlantic Coast of North America. We examined the interactive role of habitat alteration (i.e., shoreline development) in driv- ing this invasion and its consequences for plant richness in New England salt marshes. We surveyed 22 salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, and quantified shoreline development, Phragmites cover, soil salin- ity, and nitrogen availability. Shoreline development, operationally defined as removal of the woody vegetation bordering marshes, explained >90% of intermarsh variation in Phragmites cover. Shoreline development was also significantly correlated with reduced soil salinities and increased nitrogen availability, suggesting that re- moving woody vegetation bordering marshes increases nitrogen availability and decreases soil salinities, thus facilitating Phragmites invasion. Soil salinity (64%) and nitrogen availability (56%) alone explained a large proportion of variation in Phragmites cover, but together they explained 80% of the variation in Phragmites invasion success. Both univariate and aggregate (multidimensional scaling) analyses of plant community composition revealed that Phragmites dominance in developed salt marshes resulted in an almost three-fold decrease in plant species richness. Our findings illustrate the importance of maintaining integrity of habitat borders in conserving natural communities and provide an example of the critical role that local conserva- tion can play in preserving these systems. In addition, our findings provide ecologists and natural resource managers with a mechanistic understanding of how human habitat alteration in one vegetation community can interact with species introductions in adjacent communities (i.e., flow-on or adjacency effects) to hasten ecosystem degradation.
Erythrocyte aggregation tendency and cellular properties in horse, human, and rat: a comparative study

Horse blood has a higher tendency to form red blood cell (RBC) aggregates compared with human blood, with this enhanced aggregation previously attributed to differences in plasma factors. Our resul...
The rough sheath2 gene negatively regulates homeobox gene expression during maize leaf development.

Leaves of higher plants are produced in a sequential manner through the differentiation of cells that are derived from the shoot apical meristem. Current evidence suggests that this transition from meristematic to leaf cell fate requires the down-regulation of knotted1-like homeobox (knox) gene expression. If knox gene expression is not repressed, overall leaf shape and cellular differentiation within the leaf are perturbed. In order to identify genes that are required for the aquisition of leaf cell fates, we have genetically screened for recessive mutations that confer phenotypes similar to dominant mutations (e.g. Knotted1 and Rough sheath1) that result in the ectopic expression of class I knox genes. Independently derived mutations at the rough sheath2 (rs2) locus condition a range of pleiotropic leaf, node and internode phenotypes that are sensitive to genetic background and environment. Phenotypes include dwarfism, leaf twisting, disorganized differentiation of the blade-sheath boundary, aberrant vascular patterning and the generation of semi-bladeless leaves. knox genes are initially repressed in rs2 mutants as leaf founder cells are recruited in the meristem. However, this repression is often incomplete and is not maintained as the leaf progresses through developement. Expression studies indicate that three knox genes are ectopically or over-expressed in developing primordia and in mature leaves. We therefore propose that the rs2 gene product acts to repress knox gene expression (either directly or indirectly) and that rs2 gene action is essential for the elaboration of normal leaf morphology.
Preventing Diabetes in American Indian Communities

Diabetes incidence can be reduced by lifestyle interventions aimed at weight loss, diet change, and increased physical activity, according to several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) (1–5). Similarly, diabetes incidence rates were reduced in RCTs of metformin, acarbose, troglitazone, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone (1,4,6–9). These RCTs enrolled nondiabetic adults who were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes by virtue of having one of more of these characteristics: overweight or obesity, elevated fasting glucose, and impaired glucose tolerance in an oral glucose tolerance test. These lifestyle or drug interventions reduced diabetes incidence rates substantially, with risk reductions ranging from about 25–75%. Diabetes incidence was reduced by 58% during the 2.8-year initial phase of the largest such lifestyle intervention trial, the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) (1). This occurred among all the major race/ethnic groups in the DPP, including American Indians. Because of this dramatic result and the disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes among American Indians, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds to implement lifestyle interventions patterned on the DPP starting in 2006 in 36 American Indian or Alaska Native communities. The resulting Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention (SDPI-DP) demonstration project is described in this issue (10). The SDPI-DP was designed to deliver prevention services to a population in need, rather than as another RCT, because RCTs had already shown the efficacy of lifestyle intervention to prevent or delay diabetes in high risk persons. Furthermore, the segments of the U.S. population most affected by type 2 diabetes, especially American Indians who have contributed so much to diabetes research (11), deserve to benefit from the results of diabetes research. It …
Predicting science achievement: The role of developmental level, disembedding ability, mental capacity, prior knowledge, and beliefs

Controversy in the literature exists concerning the relative importance of cognitive characteristics such as general developmental level and specific prior knowledge for science achievement. Thus the relative ability of developmental level and prior knowledge to predict achievement of concepts of evolution and natural selection was assessed by means by three commonly used types of examination items: multiple choice items, a computational item, and an essay item. The effects of students' disembedding ability, mental capacity, and belief in evolution were also assessed. Disembedding ability, prior knowledge, and belief in evolution were found to be significantly related to overall achievement, while developmental level and mental capacity were not. However, developmental level was found to be the best predictor of performance on the computational item while belief in evolution and prior knowledge were found to be the best predictors of performance on the multiple-choice items. Mental capacity was found to be a predictor of performance on the essay item. It is argued that the cognitive variables influence different aspects of science achievement. Implications are discussed.
The Ethics of Transplantation Today and Tomorrow: Old Wine in New Bottles

I ' N 1954 AT THE Peter Bent Brigham Hospital . in Boston, Massachusetts, a kidney was removed from a young boy and given to his identical twin brother. An operat|on that would strike most transplant teams as mundane today was, only-four decades ago, considered to be so far out on the fringe of surgical innovation that it spawned an enormous debate about the morality of performing such an extreme experiment. Surprisingly, the moral issue that held center stage at the birth of organ transplantation was not the dangers that the recipient faced in undergoing surgery. The question that commanded attention was whether it was ethical to remove an organ from a child solely to benefit another child. Much has changed in the intervening four decades not only in the field of transplantation but also in ethical thinking about the practice of transplantation. Still, as the transplant communi ty struggles to find answers to the problem of scarcity in the supply of organs, the ethics of procurement has reappeared as the single most important issue in transplantation ethics. The early surgical pioneers and their patients faced tremendous technical challenges. Their only source of organs was living donors. No one knew whether human organs removed from dead bodies would regain function. Even if they could, it was not clear what had to be done to safely procure them. Donors and recipients had to be close biological relatives because there were no effective drugs available to prevent rejection. Identical twins or closely related siblings were the only candidates for transplants. The strongest restriction facing early transplant pioneers was not biological but moral. The only organs deemed acceptable for transplant were kid-
Calibration of sample-time error in a two-channel time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter

Offset mismatch, gain mismatch, and sample-time error between time-interleaved channels limit the performance of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). This paper focuses on the sample-time error. Techniques for correcting and detecting sample-time error in a two-channel ADC are described, and simulation results are presented.
HAIR COMBING INTERACTIONS: A New Paradigm for Research With African‐American Mothers

The hair combing interaction is proposed as a naturalistic observational research paradigm, within the conceptual framework of attachment theory, for understanding the socioemotional domains of African-American mother-child relationships. A pilot study of 11 mother-daughter dyads explores the validity of the hair combing context for assessing strategies of racial and gender socialization of children, evolving mother-child relationships, and the formation of internal working models of attachment relationships. The model is discussed as a method for research into enduring qualities of the mother-child relationship.
Fire frequency and tree canopy structure influence plant species diversity in a forest-grassland ecotone

Disturbances and environmental heterogeneity are two factors thought to influence plant species diversity, but their effects are still poorly understood in many ecosystems. We surveyed understory vegetation and measured tree canopy cover on permanent plots spanning an experimental fire frequency gradient to test fire frequency and tree canopy effects on plant species richness and community heterogeneity within a mosaic of grassland, oak savanna, oak woodland, and forest communities. Species richness was assessed for all vascular plant species and for three plant functional groups: grasses, forbs, and woody plants. Understory species richness and community heterogeneity were maximized at biennial fire frequencies, consistent with predictions of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. However, overstory tree species richness was highest in unburned units and declined with increasing fire frequency. Maximum species richness was observed in unburned units for woody species, with biennial fires for forbs, and with near-annual fires for grasses. Savannas and woodlands with intermediate and spatially variable tree canopy cover had greater species richness and community heterogeneity than old-field grasslands or closed-canopy forests. Functional group species richness was positively correlated with functional group cover. Our results suggest that annual to biennial fire frequencies prevent shrubs and trees from competitively excluding grasses and prairie forbs, while spatially variable shading from overstory trees reduces grass dominance and provides a wider range of habitat conditions. Hence, high species richness in savannas is due to both high sample point species richness and high community heterogeneity among sample points, which are maintained by intermediate fire frequencies and variable tree canopy cover.
Ipilimumab and a poxviral vaccine targeting prostate-specific antigen in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1 dose-escalation trial.

Summary Background Therapeutic cancer vaccines have shown activity in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), and methods are being assessed to enhance their efficacy. Ipilimumab is an antagonistic monoclonal antibody that binds cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, an immunomodulatory molecule expressed by activated T cells, and to CD80 on antigen-presenting cells. We aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of ipilimumab in combination with a poxviral-based vaccine targeting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and containing transgenes for T-cell co-stimulatory molecule expression, including CD80. Methods We did a phase 1 dose-escalation trial, with a subsequent expansion phase, to assess the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of ipilimumab in combination with a fixed dose of the PSA-Tricom vaccine. Patients with mCRPC received 2×10 8 plaque-forming units of recombinant vaccinia PSA-Tricom subcutaneously on day 1 of cycle 1, with subsequent monthly boosts of 1×10 9 plaque-forming units, starting on day 15. Intravenous ipilimumab was given monthly starting at day 15, in doses of 1, 3, 5, and 10 mg/kg. Our primary goal was to assess the safety of the combination. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00113984. Findings We completed enrolment with 30 patients (24 of whom had not been previously treated with chemotherapy) and we did not identify any dose-limiting toxic effects. Grade 1 and 2 vaccination-site reactions were the most common toxic effects: three of 30 patients had grade 1 reactions and 26 had grade 2 reactions. 21 patients had grade 2 or greater immune-related adverse events. Grade 3 or 4 immune-related adverse events included diarrhoea or colitis in four patients and grade 3 rash (two patients), grade 3 raised aminotransferases (two patients), grade 3 endocrine immune-related adverse events (two patients), and grade 4 neutropenia (one patient). Only one of the six patients previously treated with chemotherapy had a PSA decline from baseline. Of the 24 patients who were chemotherapy-naive, 14 (58%) had PSA declines from baseline, of which six were greater than 50%. Interpretation The use of a vaccine targeting PSA that also enhances co-stimulation of the immune system did not seem to exacerbate the immune-related adverse events associated with ipilimumab. Randomised trials are needed to further assess clinical outcomes of the combination of ipilimumab and vaccine in mCRPC. Funding US National Institutes of Health.
In vitro studies with five quinolones: evidence for changes in relative potency as quinolone resistance rises.

Abstract A panel of 203 staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and miscellaneous nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli were chosen for their various susceptibilities to ciprofloxacin. On the basis of agar dilution susceptibilities, each of the four taxonomic groups was divided into ciprofloxacin-susceptible, moderately resistant, and highly resistant subgroups, and each subgroup was then further analyzed for its susceptibility to the fluoroquinolones CI-960, CI-990, sparfloxacin, and ofloxacin. Although the MICs of each quinolone increased as ciprofloxacin resistance increased, the potency of CI-960 appeared to increase relative to the potencies of the other quinolones. Similarly, the MICs of sparfloxacin and ofloxacin appeared to be less affected by ciprofloxacin resistance than were the MICs of ciprofloxacin or CI-990. Single-step mutants of representative clinical isolates with different levels of ciprofloxacin resistance were selected to determine whether the study quinolones differed in their propensity to select resistant mutants and whether the presence of preexisting ciprofloxacin resistance influenced the subsequent development of resistance. Each of the five fluoroquinolones and nalidixic acid selected mutants that exhibited generally modest decreases in quinolone susceptibility (4- to 16-fold). However, CI-960 inhibited significantly more mutants (80%) than did the other quinolones (39 to 59%) at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml. The presence of preexisting ciprofloxacin resistance appeared to be associated with higher mutational frequencies in coagulase-negative staphylococci exposed to each of the fluoroquinolones and in Serratia marcescens exposed to nalidixic acid. Preexisting ciprofloxacin resistance did not influence the development of resistance in the strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were studied. The results of this study suggest that quinolones are not affected equally by all resistance mechanisms, and although each one can select mutants, some quinolones may be active against these mutants at clinically achievable concentrations.
Adaptive Probabilistic Scheduling for a Cellular Emergency Network

Currently, wireless priority services (WPS) are provided using call queueing with a weighted round-robin schedule based on a fixed parameter. In this paper, we introduce a flexible, analytically-based scheme for dealing with admission control in a cellular network that supports emergency service. In the scheduling scheme, a priority queue is used to ensure the wise utilization of system resources while guaranteeing the priority of public handoff traffic. Also, probabilistic scheduling is considered for adaptively ensuring the high admission rate of emergency traffic and protecting public calls for different traffic demands. The admission of emergency traffic and public originating traffic can be flexibly adjusted. Numerical results about the evaluation of this strategy are presented and show an obvious improvement over related strategies.
Cubeb Oil Lures: Terpenoid Emissions, Trapping Efficacy, and Longevity for Attraction of Redbay Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff, is an exotic wood borer and the primary vector of Raffaelea lauricola, a symbiotic fungus that causes laurel wilt. This lethal disease has decimated native redbay [Persea borbonia (L.) Sprengel] and swampbay [Persea palustris (Rafinesque) Sargent] throughout southeastern U.S. forests, and currently threatens avocado (Persea americana Miller) in Florida. To curtail the spread of laurel wilt, effective attractants are needed for early detection of the vector. Phoebe oil lures were the best known attractant for X. glabratus, but they are no longer available. The current detection system uses manuka oil lures, but previous research indicated that manuka lures have a short field life in Florida. Recently, cubeb oil was identified as a new attractant for X. glabratus, and cubeb bubble lures are now available commercially. This study compared trapping efficacy and field longevity of cubeb and manuka lures with phoebe lures that had been in storage since 2010 over a 12-wk period in south Florida. In addition, terpenoid emissions were quantified from cubeb and manuka lures aged outdoors for 12 wk. Captures were comparable with all three lures for 3 wk, but by 4 wk, captures with manuka were significantly less. Equivalent captures were obtained with cubeb and phoebe lures for 7 wk, but captures with cubeb were significantly greater from 8 to 12 wk. Our results indicate that cubeb bubble lures are the most effective tool currently available for detection of X. glabratus, with a field life of 3 months due to extended low release of attractive sesquiterpenes, primarily α-copaene and α-cubebene.
Epithelial Stem Cells: A Folliculocentric View

Putative epithelial stem cells were identified in the hair follicle bulge as quiescent "label retaining cells". The study of these cells was hindered until the identification of bulge cell molecular markers, such as CD34 expression and K15 promoter activity. This allowed for the isolation and characterization of bulge cells from mouse follicles. Bulge cells possess stem cell characteristics, including multipotency, high proliferative potential, and their cardinal feature of quiescence. Lineage analysis demonstrated that all epithelial layers within the adult follicle and hair originated from bulge cells. Bulge cells only contribute to the epidermis during wound healing, but after isolation, when combined with neonatal dermal cells, they regenerate new hair follicles, epidermis, and sebaceous glands. Bulge cells maintain their stem cell characteristics after propagation in vitro, thus ultimately they may be useful for tissue engineering applications. Understanding the signals important for directing movement and differentiation of bulge cells into different lineages will be important for developing treatments based on stem cells as well as clarifying their role in skin disease.
Notch 1 Impairs Osteoblastic Cell Differentiation

Notch receptors are single pass transmembrane receptors activated by membrane-bound ligands with a role in cell proliferation and differentiation. As Notch 1 and 2 mRNAs are expressed by osteoblasts and induced by cortisol, we postulated that Notch could regulate osteoblastogenesis. We investigated the effects of retroviral vectors directing the constitutive expression of the Notch 1 intracellular domain (NotchIC) in murine ST-2 stromal and in MC3T3 cells. NotchIC overexpression was documented by increased Notch 1 transcripts and activity of the Notch-dependent Hairy Enhancer of Split promoter. In the presence of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), ST-2 cells differentiated toward osteoblasts forming mineralized nodules, and Notch 1 opposed this effect and decreased the expression of osteocalcin, type I collagen, and alkaline phosphatase transcripts and Δ2Δ FosB protein. Further, NotchIC decreased Wnt/β-catenin signaling. As cells differentiated in the presence of BMP-2, they underwent apoptosis, and No...
Zero-phase velocity tracking of vibratory systems

The focus of this paper is on the development of an input shaper/time-delay filter that permits the precise tracking of a ramp input, while eliminating residual vibrations. Zero phase error velocity tracking is often required in applications where moving parts have to be mated, such as manufacturing lines with high production output. A closed form solution to a pre-filtering technique is presented which achieves the desired characteristics. The performance of this technique is compared with other input shaper designs in current literature, and is shown to achieve smaller settling time and maintain zero steady state phase error without a priori knowledge of the initiation and termination of ramp profiles. The technique is then physically applied to a rotary pendulum to demonstrate the consistency of its ramp tracking and vibration reduction capabilities.
Body-biased operation for improved MEM relay energy efficiency

The energy efficiency of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic circuits is fundamentally limited by the off-state leakage (I off ) of the transistors [1]. Mechanical switches can achieve zero I off and hence can overcome this limit, in principle; therefore, scaled relay technologies recently have been investigated for ultra-low-power digital integrated-circuit (IC) applications [2]. In general, IC design involves a trade-off between operating energy, signal propagation delay, and die area (cost); design optimization aims to minimize one of these metrics given constraints on the other two. The methodology for co-optimizing the operating voltage and threshold voltage to minimize energy for a given delay in a fixed CMOS process (e.g. minimally sized transistors) has been well established [3]. In this work, a similar methodology is described for scaled logic relay technology.
Cultural Neuroscience of Moral Reasoning and Decision-Making

Reasoning and decision-making, as an important aspect of a person's high-level cognition, may be influenced by cultural differences. For example, Asians tend to frame the decision to help as a matter of moral responsibility, whereas Americans are more likely to frame it as one's personal choice. In this chapter, we will discuss the cultural differences in high-level cognition, in regards to moral reasoning and decision-making, especially between the Chinese and American cultures. We will also explore the associated brain networks of cultural variation involved in this reasoning and decision process.
Questing as learning: iterative course design using game inspired elements

Purpose – This study aims to review the development of six iterations of a master’s level course between the summers of 2013 and 2015, with a particular focus on the use of optional quests to engage and motivate student learning. Design/methodology/approach – The comparative case study analysis draws on design-based research theory to consider learner activity, perceptions and commentary on course design. Findings – Findings show students consistently exceeding expectations in the classroom, creating their own assignments, accepting custom challenges and, on average, sustaining a high regard for the learning process and format. Practical implications – Positive results appear using free and available tools that can be adopted in any classroom setting. Originality/value – Given the degree of voluntary engagement with course content, this local set of case studies implies that quest-based learning can drive an entire course design with positive results and provides a design model for others to adopt and bui...
The Perioperative Surgical Home model facilitates change implementation in anesthetic technique within a clinical pathway for total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Background The challenge of knowledge translation in medical settings is well known, and implementing change in clinical practice can take years. For the increasing number total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients annually, there is ample evidence to endorse neuraxial anesthesia over general anesthesia. The rate of adoption of this practice, however, is slow at the current time. We hypothesized that a Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model facilitates rapid change implementation in anesthesia. Methods The PSH clinical pathways workgroup at a tertiary care Veterans Affairs hospital embarked on a 5-month process of changing the preferred anesthetic technique for patients undergoing TKA. This process involved multiple sequential steps: literature review; development of a work document; training of staff; and prospective collection of data. To assess the impact of this change, we examined data 6 months before (PRE, n=90) and after (POST) change implementation (n=128), and our primary outcome was the overall proportion of spinal anesthesia usage for each 6 month period. Secondary outcomes included minor and major complications associated with anesthetic technique. Results Over a period of one year, there was an increase in the proportion of patients who received spinal anesthesia (13% vs. 63%, p Conclusion Rapid and sustained change implementation in clinical anesthesia practice based on emerging evidence is feasible. Implications Perioperative Surgical Home model may facilitate rapid change implementation in surgical care. Level of evidence Cohort study, Level 2
INITIAL FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMEN T OF A TERMINAL AIRSPACE CONFLICT PR OBE APPLICATION

Strategic conflict probe tools ha ve been successfully applied to en route airspace as part of the FAA’s Free Flight Phase 1 project , providing benefits to both the controller and the airspace user . Another potential application of these tools is in the terminal airspace , particularly the large “metro plex ” TRACONs which serve multiple large airports and have mid -to -upper altitude traffic patterns similar to portions of en route airspace. However, the functional accuracy of the conflict probe and trajectory modeling functions in this airsp ace has not been assessed. This paper provides an initial accuracy assessment of these functions for the large, complex terminal airspace environment of the United Kingdom’s London Terminal Control Center . These result s are compared to those for surround ing UK en route airspace, and for US en route airspace. While preliminary in nature, they are indicative of similar functional performance accuracy in these two sets of airspace, and thus of the applicability of conflict probe technology to the terminal a irspace .
Exploring architectural design decision management paradigms for global software development

Global software development (GSD) is an increasing trend in the field of software engineering. It can be considered as coordinated activities of software development that are geographically and temporally distributed. The management of architectural knowledge, specifically, architectural design decisions (ADDs), becomes important in GSD due to the geographical, temporal, and cultural challenges in global environment. However, little work has be done on capturing, sharing, and evolving ADDs in a GSD context. Based on our previous work on ADD management in localized software development (LSD), we extend our study to explore ADD management paradigms for GSD in this paper. We propose three ADD management strategies for the distributed development environment, and according to global software project structures, we explore and analyze three typical ADD management paradigms that can be widely adopted in GSD. We aim to provide a fundamental framework on managing ADD documentation and evolution in GSD, and offer good insights into sharing and coordinating ADDs in a global setting. Keywords-architectural design decisions; global software development; architectural knowledge; documentation; evolution
Party brands and mass partisanship in comparative perspective

In Latin America, party convergence is associated with weakening partisan attachments. And that relationship appears to be causal: when survey respondents were given information that signaled party convergence, they became less likely to say that they identify with a party. However, the recent dramatic policy switches and strange-bedfellow alliances in Latin America are rare in other parts of the world. Perhaps we are observing a contingent set of relationships that will not obtain elsewhere. In other settings, does party polarization clarify party brands and strengthen voter partisanship? There are good reasons to think not: party polarization has long been seen as a problem for democracy. Studies link the polarization of the Democratic and Republican Parties in the United States to legislative gridlock, elite incivility, income inequality, and voter disengagement (e.g., Hetherington 2009; Layman et al. 2006; McCarty et al. 2006). Scholars also blame party polarization for democratic breakdowns in Germany's Weimar Republic, France's Fourth Republic, and Chile prior to 1973 (Sani and Sartori 1983; Sartori 1976; Valenzuela 1978; but see Bermeo 2003). And across a broad range of countries, polarization also seems to contribute to corruption, bad economic performance, and smaller government (Brown et al. 2011; Frye 2002; Lindqvist and Ostling 2010). But we still know little about the relationship between party polarization and individual attitudes like voter partisanship. Research in the United States highlights the coinciding rise in party polarization and resurgent voter partisanship (Abramowitz and Saunders 2008; Bartels 2000; Brewer 2005; Hetherington 2001; Levendusky 2009). But these studies primarily describe trends within a single case. They leave unexamined the causal connection between party polarization and individual partisanship. A handful of comparative studies find a similar association between party polarization and rates of partisanship in aggregate terms (Berglund et al. 2006; Holmberg 1994; Schmitt 2009; Schmitt and Holmberg 1995). But these studies rely on simple correlations from a very small sample of Western European countries. Do these correlations generalize beyond this limited sample? Do voters actually register party polarization and change their perceptions of their parties? At the individual level, the causal link between party polarization and voter partisanship also remains both unclear and untested. Studies of the United States and Western Europe emphasize the salience of party competition. Following Carmines and Stimson (1989), they expect voter partisanship to increase as parties become more and more salient in political discourse.
Differing Interpretations of Report Terminology Between Primary Care Physicians and Radiologists.

Abstract Purpose The lexicons of the radiologist and the referring physician may not be synonymous, which could cause confusion with radiology reporting. To further explore this possibility, we surveyed radiologists and primary care physicians (PCPs) regarding their respective interpretations of report terminology. Methods A survey was distributed to radiologists and PCPs through an internal listserv. Respondents were asked to provide an interpretation of the statistical likelihood of the presence of metastatic disease based upon the terminology used within a hypothetical radiology report. Ten common modifying terms were evaluated. Potential responses for the statistical likelihoods included 0%-25%, 26%-50%, 51%-75%, 76%-99%, and 100%. Differences between the groups were evaluated using either a χ 2 test or Fisher exact test, as appropriate. Results The phrases "diagnostic for metastatic disease" and "represents metastatic disease" were selected by a high percentage of both groups as conferring a 100% likelihood of "true metastatic disease." The phrases "cannot exclude metastatic disease" and "may represent metastatic disease" were selected by a high proportion of both groups as conferring a 0% likelihood of "true metastatic disease." Radiologists assigned a higher statistical likelihood to the terms "diagnostic for metastatic disease" ( P = .016), "represents metastatic disease" ( P = .004), "suspicious for metastatic disease" ( P = .04), "consistent with metastatic disease" ( P P = .003). Conclusion A qualitative agreement among radiologists and PCPs exists concerning the significance of the evaluated terminology, although radiologists assigned a higher statistical likelihood than PCPs for several phrases.
Modeling cybersecurity risks: Proof of concept of a holistic approach for integrated risk quantification

Decision-making in cyber-security is mostly ad-hoc and highly reliant on static policies, as well as human intervention. This does not fit current networks/systems, as they are highly dynamic systems where security assessments have to be performed, and decisions have to be made, automatically and in real-time. To address this problem, we propose a risk-based approach to cybersecurity decision-making. In our model, the system undergoes a continuous security risk assessment based on risk; decisions for each action are taken based on constructing a sequence of alternative actions and weighing the cost-benefit trade-offs for each alternative. We demonstrate the utility of our system on a concrete example involving protecting an SQL server from SQL injection attacks. We also discuss the challenges associated with implementing our model.
Infantile Leukoencephalopathy with Mild Course

Eight children, including 2 siblings, with infantile onset cerebral leukoencephalopathy and megalencephaly, and mild neurological signs and symptoms, are reported from Free University Hospital, and Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Formulation and validation of minimum brace stiffness for systems of compression members

Abstract Bracing that is used to reduce the effective length of compressive members, and thereby increase their load carrying capacity, must be designed to provide adequate stiffness and strength. In practice, a targeted minimum or ideal brace stiffness is typically defined, and then this value is increased by a factor of two or three in order to ensure brace strength demands can be satisfied efficiently. While straightforward expressions are available to determine the ideal brace stiffness for single members, the brace stiffness for systems of multiple parallel compression members is more complex. This paper presents the derivation and validation of a simple mathematical expression that is useful for obtaining the ideal brace stiffness of structural systems composed of multiple parallel compression members or sub-assemblages. Use and validation of the proposed expression is explored through a variety of examples. Agreement with results obtained using finite element analyses suggests that the developed expression sufficiently determines the minimum bracing stiffness for systems of multiple parallel members with single and multiple brace points.
Characterization and acute toxicity of alginate hydrogel for combined radiochemotherapy

1802 Objectives: A major concern in using therapeutic radionuclides is the radiation exposure to whole-body, blood-forming organs (red marrow, spleen), gonads (testes, ovaries), and effective dose equivalent based on clinical doses. Therefore, the delivery method of such radionuclides plays an important role in the feasibility of its use in humans. This study aimed to characterize the degradation profile of an alginate hydrogel and determine acute toxicity in tumor-bearing animals in order to assess its usefulness for cancer radiochemotherapy. Methods: Hydrogel was prepared by mixing sodium alginate (5% soln) with calcium chloride (5% soln) and vortexing. The degradation profile was evaluated by placing the hydrogel in conical tubes filled with DMEM and incubated at 37oC. Samples (n=3/time point) were collected on day 2, 7, 14 and 21, lyophilized and weighed. Prostate tumor-bearing mice (n=15/group) were injected with hydrogel, 188Re, 188Re-hydrogel and 188Re-cisplatin-hydrogel intratumorally, and sacrificed on day 2, 7, 10 and 14 to determine renal and systemic toxicity, along with reduction in tumor burden. Results: The degradation profile demonstrated no significant change in the dry weight of the hydrogel at 21 days post-incubation and visual inspection showed the complex to remain intact. Hematology and complete blood chemistry from animals treated with 188Re showed systemic and renal toxicity, while groups given radio- or radiochemotherapy in the presence of hydrogel showed less side effects. 188Re provided a slight delay in tumor growth, while greater anti-tumor effects were achieved with 188Re-hydrogel and 188Re-cisplatin-hydrogel. Conclusions: An in situ hydrogel has been developed for local retention of 188Re and slow-release of cisplatin. The hydrogel is stable and capable of retaining radioactive and chemotherapeutic materials at 7 days post-injection. Systemic toxicity associated with 188Re-hydrogel may be attributed to leakage from the injection site and can be improved with the use of an automated injection device.
Reactions on a Small Scale—1–25mmol

Reaction scale, three-neck ﬂask, Pyrex, Vycor, silanization, magnetic stirring, mechanical stirring, ground glass joints, inert atmosphere, glove bags, gas manifolds, closed systems, safety shield, Tygon tubing, inert gas balloon, rubber septa, addition funnel, syringe pump, slow addition, large ring formation, powder addition funnel, condensers, jack stand, fume hood, sensitizers.
An Examination of the Relationship Between SkillsUSA Student Contest Preparation and Academics

Vocational Student Organizations (VSOs), now termed Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) have been an integral component of Career and Technical Education (CTE) since the passage of theSmith-Hughes Act of 1917(Alfeld et al., 2007;Threeton & Pellock, 2008). While theGeorge-Barden Act of 1946was the first piece of federal legislation to specifically mention VSOs, theSmith-Hughes Act of 1917allocated funding for vocational teachers whose duties included advising and supervising these organizations (Hale, 1990). Over the last 92 years the scope of CTE has dramatically changed, but the integral relationship between CTE and CTSOs remains. A significant development and current federal priority includes strengthening the academic skills of CTE students by integrating academic instruction (Walter & Gray, 2002). TheCarl D. Perkins CTE Improvement Act of 2006names CTSOs as an integral partner of CTE programs in integrating academics and technical standards. While the focus of this paper is on the relationship between CTSO student contest preparation and academics, it may be extremely difficult to comprehend without a brief summary of significant CTE legislation, which has led to increased pressure to integrate academics within career and technical instruction.
An Improvement of Cartan’s Test for Ordinarity

Let Ω be an open subset of R n. For each non negative integer let A l(Ω) be the vector space of real analytic differential l-forms on Ω and let A*(Ω) =⊕ l n =0A l(Ω);A*(Ω) is an algebra with respect to exterior multiplication. Let I be an ideal in A*(Ω) such that Open image in new window