cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The importance of branching models in SCM

To improve software quality, you must first understand your software. If you do not understand your code base, your odds of updating it without breaking something are poor. Often, a fundamental misunderstanding of software configuration management (SCM) as it applies to real-world application development is at fault. Branching is integral to version management, software build correctness, and release management. Good decisions about when and why to branch can make it much easier for developers and release engineers to coordinate software product changes. The right branching strategy makes it easier to deliver the right code, re-create past releases, and-if necessary roll back to a previous release. The authors consider how adopting the right SCM branching model facilitates rapid development, increases overall product quality and process efficiency, reduces the incidence of software failures, and improves organizational performance.
Growth, ionic and osmotic relations of an Allenrolfea occidentalis population in an inland salt playa of the Great Basin Desert

Abstract Variation in growth, physiology and ionic relations patterns of Allenrolfea occidentalis , a perennial halophyte of dry habitats, was studied under field conditions from May 1996 to November 1997. An A. occidentalis community has a characteristic soil pH of 7·3–8·3. During the two years, the population was exposed to great variations in soil salinity, from 29 to 146 dS m −1 , and soil moisture, ranging from drought (9·2%) to wet (19%). The salt concentrations were significantly higher in the surface soil layers than in the subsurface layers. Seasonal changes in dry weight are directly related to soil salinity stress. Allenrolfea occidentalis had greater growth and biomass production under saline conditions. Na + and Cl − ions were accumulated in plant tissues in much greater amounts than K + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ . Soil salinities were significantly reduced at the end of the growing season. Water potentials of the shoots decreased significantly with increasing salinity. The plant (F v /F m ratio) was more affected by salinity and irradiation levels during the summer period.
Building public confidence in energy planning : a multimethod MCDM approach to demand-side planning at BC gas

Abstract Multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are one means of quantifying stakeholder values, but the way such methods are usually applied can cause people to feel manipulated by a ‘black-box’ methodology. An approach is proposed to mitigate this problem. It asks each person to apply two or more methods and to then resolve disagreements in the results in order to build understanding. The approach recognizes that no single method is best for every person. We describe a successful application by a diverse stakeholder group. The results confirm that decisions yielded by alternative MCDM methods can disagree and that a multimethod approach builds insight and confidence.
Wegener’s Granulomatosis of the Orbit: A Review of Clinical Features and Updates in Diagnosis and Treatment

Wegener’s Granulomatosis (WG) is an uncommon systemic vasculitic disease involving the respiratory system and kidneys. It is the most common antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Orbital involvement in WG is a rare but potentially devastating disorder leading to visual loss and deformity. Most clinical characteristics of this disease are non-specific, making clinical diagnosis nearly impossible. We reviewed the features of WG involving the orbit including radiologic, serologic, and histopathologic findings. Advances in treatment are likewise discussed.
An analysis of subspace fitting algorithms in the presence of sensor errors

The recently introduced class of subspace fitting algorithms for sensor array signal processing (e.g. direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation) includes deterministic maximum likelihood, ESPRIT, weighted subspace fitting, and both one- and multidimensional MUSIC as special cases. The performance of this class of algorithms is examined for situations where the sensor array response is perturbed from its nominal value. Theoretical expressions for the error in the DOA estimates are derived and compared with several simulation examples. It is shown that in difficult cases the algorithms are especially sensitive to the choice of subspace weighting. For a particular perturbation model, and optimal subspace weighting is proposed which minimizes the DOA estimate error variance over all possible weightings when finite sample effects are neglected. >
Reducing over-conservative expert failure rate estimates in the presence of limited data: A new probabilistic/fuzzy approach

Unique highly reliable components are typical for aerospace industry. For such components, due to their high reliability and uniqueness, we do not have enough empirical data to make statistically reliable estimates about their failure rate. To overcome this limitation, the empirical data is usually supplemented with expert estimates for the failure rate. The problem is that experts tend to be — especially in aerospace industry — over-cautious, over-conservative; their estimates for the failure rate are usually much higher than the actual observed failure rate. In this paper, we provide a new fuzzy-related statistically justified approach for reducing this over-estimation.
Compact modeling and performance optimization of 3D chip-to-chip interconnects with transmission lines, vias and discontinuities

In this paper we present a compact model for analysis of 3D chip-to-chip interconnect pathways consisting of planar transmission lines, vias, package and pin discontinuities. The model accurately captures signal losses for a wide frequency spectrum with very small error when compared with HSPICE circuit simulations. The interconnect pathway is optimized for maximum bandwidth density and minimum energy-per-bit highlighting the performance improvement obtained using low-k, air-clad planar interconnects over conventional substrate materials.
Error Performance of M-ary Noncoherent FSK in the Presence of CW Tone Interference

The error probability performance of M -ary noncoherent frequency-shift-keying (NCFSK) digital systems when under the influence of continuous wave (CW) interference is determined. Exact expressions are derived in terms of the signal-to-noise and the signal-to-interference ratios. Numerical results are given for quarternary and octonary NCFSK with the signal-signal-to-interference ratio as a parameter.
Diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms for identifying westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi), Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

We describe 12 diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays for use in species identification among rainbow and cutthroat trout: five of these loci have alleles unique to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), three unique to westslope cutthroat trout (O. clarkii lewisi) and four unique to Yellowstone cutthroat trout (O. clarkii bouvieri). These diagnostic assays were identified using a total of 489 individuals from 26 populations and five fish hatchery strains.
Frontside-only processing of 2-D MEMS scanner for miniature dual-axis confocal microendoscopes

We present a 2-D MEMS scanner for 3.2mm-diameter dual-axis confocal microendoscopes, which is fabricated by only front-side processing. Frontside-only processing greatly simplifies the process and reduces the cost of the fabrication. Furthermore, by removing the conventional backside etch window, the process enables solid, compact, and robust chip designs that significantly eases handling and packaging. To achieve 2-D imaging in dual-axis confocal microscopy, our scanner is gimbaled, but the outer frame of the gimbal is removed in order to minimize the size of the scanner chip. In static operation, the scanner has optical deflection angles of ∼±5.5° at 190V and ±3.8° at 100V for the outer and inner axes, respectively. At the torsional resonances, the optical deflection increases to ±11.8° at 1.18kHz for the outer axis and ± 8.8° at 2.76kHz for the inner axis, when the mirror is driven by (62 + 37sinωt)V and (68 + 37sinωt)V, respectively.
Automatic tuning of phase-lead and phase-lag compensators

The automatic tuning of simple digital filters is discussed and an automatic tuning method is proposed for the phase-lead and phase-lag compensators in three steps. First, an appropriate test signal is automatically generated by introducing a nonlinear element into the system. Secondly, the new gain crossover frequency and corresponding gain are estimated. Thirdly, the compensator parameters are determined by corresponding formulae. The method can be easily implemented by microprocessors and will be found useful in a variety of applications..
Barbiturates for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: A systematic review of clinical trials.

Abstract Purpose To perform a systematic review of the clinical trials concerning the use of barbiturates for the treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Materials and Methods A literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, together with a manual citation review was conducted. We selected English-language clinical trials (controlled and observational studies) evaluating the efficacy and safety of barbiturates compared with benzodiazepine (BZD) therapy for the treatment of AWS in the acute care setting. Data extracted from the included trials were duration of delirium, number of seizures, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, cumulated doses of barbiturates and BZDs, and respiratory or cardiac complications. Results Seven studies consisting of 4 prospective controlled and 3 retrospective trials were identified. Results from all the included studies suggest that barbiturates alone or in combination with BZDs are at least as effective as BZDs in the treatment of AWS. Furthermore, barbiturates appear to have acceptable tolerability and safety profiles, which were similar to those of BZDs in patients with AWS. Conclusions Although the evidence is limited, based on our findings, adding phenobarbital to a BZD-based regimen is a reasonable option, particularly in patients with BZD-refractory AWS.
Financial Portfolio Selection Using Multi-Factor Capital Asset Pricing Model

Diversification and portfolio selection is an integral part of finance teaching. In this study, multi-factor Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is estimated for components of Dow Jones Composite Index. Along with CAPM’s Beta, other statistics are calculated that are common decision criteria for portfolio selection such as historic standard deviation (total risk), total return, average daily return, Sharpe and Treynor measures. Two new commands are introduced, components and portfolio, that automate the entire process.
Can personality and politics be studied systematically

The study of personality and politics is possible and desirable, but systematic intellectual progress is possible only if there is careful attention to problems of evidence, inference, and conceptualization. This essay reviews such problems, setting forth a conceptualization that takes account of, and builds on, many of the recurring reservations that are advanced about the utility of studying the personalities of political actors. In doing do, it takes selective account of the classical literature on political psychology and more recent developments in the field.
The Effect of Top-Manager Personality on a Total Quality Management Environment

AbstractCurrent literature suggests that two of every three implementations of total quality management (TQM) fail. By any standard, this is an abysmal rate of success, one whose annual direct dollar and opportunity costs are staggering. During his years of lecturing on TQM, W. Edwards Deming continuously emphasized top managers' responsibility for creating an environment in which TQM can succeed. Our research was undertaken to help shed light on why so many efforts fail. The focus was to empirically investigate the relationship between top-manager personality preferences and “TQM characteristics” in a company's environment. By studying top-manager personality, we sought to capture the innate characteristics of the most important decision-maker in an organization.A nationwide survey of 457 top managers resulted in 111 usable responses. The statistical analysis compared top managers' personality scores from the Myers-Briggs type indicator (MBTI) with survey information regarding TQM characteristics in thei...
Individual variation in metabolic traits of wild nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), and the aerobic capacity model for the evolution of endothermy

A fundamental assumption of the aerobic capacity model for the evolution of endothermy is that basal (BMR) and peak (PMR) metabolic rates are functionally linked at the intraspecific level. The purpose of this study was to use the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus as a model to test this assumption. Measurements of BMR, PMR, mass and rectal temperature were obtained over two summers from wild, adult individuals from a population in Louisiana, USA. BMR and PMR were positively correlated (r=0.62), and both were significantly higher (by 46% for BMR and by 35% for PMR) in 1999 than in 1998. Similar results were obtained whether metabolic rates were expressed in whole-animal or mass-independent units. These results suggest the existence of a functional link between BMR and PMR and are therefore consistent with the aerobic capacity model. In addition, this study confirmed that, compared with most eutherian mammals, the nine-banded armadillo exhibits low and highly variable basal and peak metabolic rates (20-60% the predicted values; 23% and 27% coefficients of variation) and rectal temperatures (range 32.7-35.3 degrees C). Such metabolic traits are, however, consistent with the general pattern previously observed for other members of the order Xenarthra and with the hypothesis that low metabolic rates in armored mammals evolved as a result of unbalanced selection in which, because of low predation risks, selection for a high aerobic capacity was much weaker than the opposing selection for energy conservation.
Lapping Insulation Design of Termination Current Lead for 35 kV Superconducting Cable

Most of current leads adopt the solid insulation design.We designed a lapping insulation of termination current lead for 35 kV superconducting cable to improve insulation of the leads.Laminated polypropylene paper(LPP),which has good electrical property and mechanical characteristic under cryogenic conditions,was selected as the lapping insulation material of current leads.Then,aluminum foils were placed between the layers of polytetrafluoroethylene film with equal intervals to improve the electrical field distribution in current leads.Through calculation and simulation analysis,it is concluded that setting 4 layers of aluminum foil has the best effect.With electrical tests,electrical property of the proposed current lead under voltage of 35 kV is proved to meet the related electric requirements.The lapping insulation design of current lead has two prominent characteristics: the insulation lagging could sustain sudden cooling without cracking;the radial and axial electrical field and the anti-aging property are improved and the breakdown voltage is increased.
270 APIGENIN DECREASES HEMIN-MEDIATED HEME OXYGENASE-1 INDUCTION

Hemin is a strong inducer of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. The binding of NRF-2 and MafK to the StRE region of HO-1 promoter mediates hemin-induced HO-1 up-regulation. While moderate over-expression of HO-1 is protective against oxidative stress, uncontrolled high levels of HO-1 can be detrimental. Therefore, in order to study the regulation of HO-1 induction, we evaluated the effect of apigenin (APG), a flavonoid, which is potentially involved in a number of phosphorylation pathways and also known to inhibit inducible genes, such as iNOS and COX-2. When mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were incubated with APG (10 - 40 μM) and then treated with 30-μM hemin, mRNA expression and HO-1 protein were decreased. Western Blots (Fig. 1) show that HO-1 protein expression increased after treatment with hemin, but when cells were pre-incubated with APG or quercetin (QUER) and then stimulated with hemin for 6 h, HO-1 protein levels were significantly inhibited. To assess the effects of APG on HO-1 promoter activity, NIH-3T3-luc cells, stably transfected with a 15-kb mouse HO-1 promoter fused to the reporter gene luciferase, were treated with APG and HO-1 promoter activity was assessed by bioluminescence imaging (BLI). APG significantly reduced the induction of HO-1 promoter activity by hemin. Furthermore, through the use of specific inhibitors, this effect of APG was found unrelated to its PKC, CK2, PI3K, p38, or ERK inhibitory activities. By contrast, QUER (10 - 40 μM), also a flavonoid, imitated the inhibition of HO-1 by APG in cells. In addition, in in vivo studies using HO-1-luc transgenic mice treated with hemin, oral administration of APG (50 mg/kg) decreased HO activity and HO-1 protein expression in the liver. These results suggest that hemin-induced HO-1 expression can be attenuated by APG through a mechanism specific to its flavonoid properties.
Study on Extracting of Silicon from Laterite-nickel Ore by High Concentration Alkali Leaching

The effects of leaching temperature,initial alkali concentration,leaching time and mass ratio of alkali to ore on the extracting rate of SiO2 during high concentration alkali leaching are investigated by means of an orthogonal experiment.The results show that the primary and secondary sequence affecting the extracting rate of SiO2 is:leaching temperatureinitial alkali concentrationleaching timemass ratio of alkali to ore.Through orthogonal experiments an optimum condition is established:leaching temperature of 220℃,initial alkali concentration of 85%,leaching time of 90 min and mass ratio of alkali to ore of 5:1.The influnces of water volume,time and washing times on the extracting rate of SiO2 during dissolving are discussed,and the process of once dissolving twice washing is proposed.
Stimulation of basal and axillary bud formation of container-grown hybrid tea roses.

Abstract Two plant growth regulators, 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and sodium salt of 2,3,4,6-bis-O-(1-methylethylidene)-a-L-xylo-2-hexulofuranosonic acid [dikegulac-sodium (DS)], were applied separate...
Rate Teaching Sequence

The teaching experiment Integrated Course of Arithmetic and Algebra has been designed in response to the challenges that freshmen community college students experience while learning algebra. As the recent New York Times article “Is Algebra Necessary?” (July 28, 2012) demonstrates, the seriousness of the challenges is formidable, both at CUNY and nationwide.
Online Detection of Low-Quality Synchrophasor Measurements: A Data-Driven Approach

In this paper, an online data-driven approach is proposed for the detection of low-quality synchrophasor measurements. The proposed method leverages the spatio-temporal similarities among multiple-time-instant synchrophasor measurements and formulates the low-quality synchrophasor data as spatio-temporal outliers. A density-based local outlier detection technique is proposed to detect the spatio-temporal outliers. This data-driven approach involves no system modeling information. The detection algorithm can operate under both normal and fault-on system conditions, with fast computation speed suitable for online applications. Case studies on both synthetic and real-world synchrophasor data verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Kunstkritik und Politik 1919 – 1925

Obwohl seine »philosophische Gedankenentwicklung […] in einem Zentrum angelangt« sei, sah sich Benjamin, wie er in einem Brief Anfang 1918 schrieb, zunachst gezwungen, »sie in dem gegenwartigen Stadium zu belassen«, um sich nach Erledigung der Promotion »mit voller Freiheit […] vollkommen ihr zu widmen« (GB I, 441). Im Interesse der akademischen Pflichtubung hatte sich der vom Militardienst befreite Student zur Ubersiedlung in die Schweiz entschlossen, wo er sich im Oktober 1917 an der Universitat Bern immatrikulierte. Auf Bern fiel die Wahl, nachdem Sondierungen an den Universitaten Zurich und Basel ergebnislos verlaufen waren. Die von rein pragmatischen Erwagungen motivierte Suche galt nicht einem akademischen Lehrer im emphatischen Sinne, sondern einem Doktorvater, der die angestrebte Promotion weniger anregen als ihr vielmehr nicht im Wege stehen sollte. Benjamin fand ihn schlieslich in dem Berner Ordinarius fur Philosophie, Richard Herbertz (1878–1959). Dem von Benjamin selbst gepflegten Eindruck grostmoglicher Distanz zum akademischen Betrieb zum Trotz fand der Doktorand, wie jungst aufgefundene Dokumente belegen, in seinen zwei Berner Studienjahren manche Anregung und daruber hinaus Unterstutzung bei dem Versuch, eine akademische Laufbahn einzuschlagen, dem erst die 1925 gescheiterte Habilitation endgultig ein Ende setzte (Steiner 2001, 463–490).
Detecting ramp events in wind energy generation using affinity evaluation on weather data

Ramp events, which are significant changes in wind generation over a short interval, make it difficult to schedule wind energy on the power grid. Predicting the occurrences of these events can help control room operators ensure that the load and generation on the power grid are in balance at all times. In this paper, we focus on predicting up-ramp events, which are large increases in generation in a short time interval. We propose a novel detection algorithm that uses historical data to detect incoming pre-ramp events, which are defined as the part of the time series that occurs before ramp events. Using wind energy generation data from Bonneville Power Administration in the mid-Columbia Basin region, and weather data from the nearby meteorological towers, we define the concept of affinity of weather data to the preramp events. This is used to identify important weather variables and predict the pre-ramp events. A comparison of our approach with traditional feature selection and classification methods indicates that our method identifies a similar set of features as important and gives better detection accuracy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining: The ASA Data Science Journal, 2016
Tribal Exhaustion Doctrine and the FAA: Substantive and Procedural Limitations on Arbitration

As a matter of public policy, a motion to compel arbitration will either be stayed or dismissed if tribal court remedies have not been exhausted. As recently as this past October, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the Seneca Nation of Indians, granting a stay of federal proceedings pending the exhaustion of tribal court remedies. The plaintiff in the case, LECG, LLC, had petitioned the court for a determination that the Seneca Nation had waived its immunity by acceding to an arbitration agreement included as part of a contract with LECG to render forensic accounting and consulting services. This paper analyzes the fact patterns in four prior Circuit Court decisions and casts a critical light on the applicability of those decisions to the LECG case. It also addresses the advisability of setting a high bar for proving that a party favoring tribal exhaustion is delaying proceedings. Given the standard formulation of arbitration as a "[functional] alternative to judicial litigation...providing binding determinations through presumably less expensive, more efficient and expert, and nonetheless fair proceedings," the advisability of deference to other arbiters of justice is open to debate. Finally, the paper addresses the role waivers of sovereign immunity play in balancing out the tribal exhaustion doctrine.
Policies for the efficient reduction of carbon dioxide emissions

This paper reviews issues that affect the design and implementation of efficient plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Arguments in favour of market mechanisms as opposed to command–and–control regulations are, evaluated, the performance of alternative market instruments is assessed, and the question of timing is addressed.
Robotics Training and Simulation

Upon its FDA approval in 2000, the da Vinci surgical system has permanently changed the landscape of minimally invasive surgery. However, the most effective method to train surgical trainees in this modern modality is not known. This chapter explores the various aspects inherent to the evolution of robotic surgical training.
Procalcitonin in amniotic fluid at the time of genetic amniocentesis and preterm delivery

AbstractPurpose: Procalcitonin (PCT) is an acute-phase protein that has been infrequently studied in amniotic fluid. We sought to determine if PCT levels measured in amniotic fluid samples at the time of genetic amniocentesis are predictive of preterm delivery.Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on all women presenting for genetic amniocentesis between 15–23 weeks of pregnancy at our institution from 2011 to 2013 with stored amniotic fluid samples. PCT protein levels were measured in the samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PCT levels in women who delivered less than 37 weeks versus those who delivered at or after 37 week were compared. Mann–Whitney test was used.Results: Eighty-seven samples were available for analysis and of these eight (9.2%) were from patients who delivered preterm. Sixty-two (70%) had PCT levels below the lower limit of quantification, which was 25 pg/mL. Median PCT levels did not differ between the preterm and term group [20.4 pg/mL (ra...
How and What Might Teachers Learn Through Teaching Mathematics: Contributions to Closing an Unspoken Gap

My thesis in this chapter is that in order to decrease the gap between the potential and actual teacher learning through teaching (LTT), how and what teachers might learn needs to be further articulated. I begin with a rationale for the need to promote LTT and suggest reasons for that gap. Next, I propose using the reflection on activity–effect framework, originally developed for mathematics learning and teaching, to also address the problem of how LTT may occur. Then, I build on a previous distinction among three perspectives of mathematic teaching to propose a novel, three-prong pedagogical approach for answering the “what” question. Applying this approach to LTT, I discuss three issues that, integrated, constitute essential goals for LTT: Mathematics knowledge for teaching, task (or lesson) design and adjustment, and epistemological stance toward the nature of knowledge. I conclude with a few key questions for further research on LTT.
The metabolic cost of carrying a sexually selected trait in the male fiddler crab Uca pugilator

Models proposed to explain sexually selected structures assume that these traits are costly. However, studies investigating the impact of such structures on locomotory costs have produced inconsistent results. Male fiddler crabs possess a large sexually selected claw and are ideal for assessing the impact of a sexually selected trait on the cost of locomotion. Here, we measured the energy expenditure of clawed, declawed and artificially loaded crabs during sustained exercise by measuring oxygen consumption and blood lactate levels. We also measured blood lactate levels of clawed and declawed crabs following a sprint and forced walk to assess energy expenditure during non-sustainable, strenuous locomotion. Clawed and declawed crabs consumed the same amount of oxygen and had the same blood lactate concentration during sustained locomotion, suggesting that the large claw does not increase energetic costs during sustainable locomotion. Following non-sustainable, strenuous locomotion, however, there was a trend for clawed crabs to have higher concentrations of lactate in their blood than declawed crabs, suggesting that bearing a large claw may increase energetic costs during strenuous locomotion and lengthen recovery time. Artificially loaded crabs produced more lactic acid than clawed and declawed crabs during sustainable locomotion, suggesting that compensatory traits help mitigate the energetic cost of carrying the large claw. Overall, our results show that the impact of exaggerated structures on energy expenditure may depend on exercise intensity and highlight the need to examine various locomotory intensities when attempting to assess the costs of bearing a sexually selected trait.
The click is not the trick: the efficacy of clickers and other reinforcement methods in training naïve dogs to perform new tasks.

Background A handheld metal noisemaker known as a "clicker" is widely used to train new behaviors in dogs; however, evidence for their superior efficacy compared to providing solely primary reinforcement or other secondary reinforcers in the acquisition of novel behavior in dogs is largely anecdotal. Methods Three experiments were conducted to determine under what circumstances a clicker secondary reinforcer may result in acquisition of a novel behavior more rapidly or to a higher level compared to other readily available reinforcement methods. In Experiment 1, three groups of 30 dogs each were shaped to emit a novel sit and stay behavior of increasing duration with either the delivery of food alone, a verbal stimulus paired with food, or a clicker with food. The group that received only a primary reinforcer reached a significantly higher criterion of training success than the group trained with a verbal secondary reinforcer. Performance of the group experiencing a clicker as a secondary reinforcer was intermediate between the other two groups, but not significantly different from either. In Experiment 2, three groups of 25 dogs each were shaped to emit a nose targeting behavior and then perform that behavior at increasing distances from the experimenter using the same three methods of positive reinforcement as in Experiment 1. No statistically significant differences between the groups were found. In Experiment 3, three groups of 30 dogs each were shaped to emit a nose-targeting behavior upon an array of wooden blocks with task difficulty increasing throughout testing using the same three methods of positive reinforcement as previously tested. No statistically significant differences between the groups were found. Results Overall, the findings suggest that both primary reinforcement alone as well as a verbal or clicker secondary reinforcer can be used successfully in training a dog to perform a novel behavior, but that no positive reinforcement method demonstrated significantly greater efficacy than any other.
Principles of Secure Information Flow Analysis

In today’s world of the Internet, the World-Wide Web, and Google, information is more accessible than ever before. An unfortunate corollary is that it is harder than ever to protect the privacy of sensitive information. In this chapter, we explore a technique called secure information flow analysis.
Factors Associated With Clinical Remission of Skin Disease in Dermatomyositis.

Importance Cutaneous disease represents a significant burden for patients with dermatomyositis. However, quantitative estimates of the probability of skin disease remission and clinical factors associated with skin outcomes are lacking. Objective To characterize cutaneous disease course in adult patients with dermatomyositis. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective cohort study conducted at a dermatology clinic at a tertiary academic referral center. All adult patients with dermatomyositis (age >18 years) seen between May 15, 2007, and October 28, 2016, were eligible. Patients were included in the current analysis if they had a baseline Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI) activity score of 12 or higher, and 2 or more CDASI scores separated by 3 months or more within their first 3 years of follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures The percentage of patients who achieved clinical remission of their cutaneous disease as measured by the CDASI over a 3-year follow-up. Results A total of 74 patients met our inclusion criteria (mean [SD] age at initial CDASI scoring, 54 [13] years; 58 women [78%]), and 28 (38%) achieved clinical remission during our 3-year follow-up period. Increased age (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12;P = .01), a dermatomyositis-associated malignancy (OR, 14.46; 95% CI, 2.18-96.07;P = .01), and treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (OR, 6.00; 95% CI, 1.66-21.78;P = .01) were significantly associated with clinical remission of skin disease in multivariable analysis. Patients with anti–melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 antibodies had a significantly lower probability of meeting outcome criteria in our time-to-event analysis. Baseline cutaneous disease activity, disease duration at baseline, and disease duration before first systemic therapy were not significantly associated with clinical remission of skin disease. Conclusions and Relevance Clinical remission was relatively uncommon in our population despite aggressive systemic therapy, and patients with anti–melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 antibodies were even less likely to enter clinical remission during a 3-year follow-up period. Although mycophenolate mofetil compared favorably with other treatment options, our data provide evidence that a substantial population of patients with dermatomyositis have skin disease that is not adequately managed with standard-of-care therapies.
Introduction and Context

Impacts on coastal systems are among the most costly and most certain consequences of a warming climate (Nicholls et al., 2007). The warming atmosphere is expected to accelerate sea-level rise as a result of the decline of glaciers and ice sheets and the thermal expansion of sea water. As mean sea level rises, coastal shorelines will retreat and low-lying areas will tend to be inundated more frequently, if not permanently, by the advancing sea. As atmospheric temperature increases and rainfall patterns change, soil moisture and runoff to the coast are likely to be altered. An increase in the intensity of climatic extremes such as storms and heat spells, coupled with other impacts of climate change and the effects of human development, could affect the sustainability of many existing coastal communities and natural resources. This report examines the known effects and relationships of these and other climate change variables on coasts of the U.S. It also describes how several major sectors of the U.S. economy are likely to be affected as well as the diversity of adaptation options that are either being considered or already implemented in coastal regions.
Microtus agrestis (Common field vole)

The karyotypes displayed are donated by Dr. U. Wolf, Freiburg, Germany. The animals were collected in southern Germany. Long arm of the X and the Y are late replicating. Hansen-Melander describes a submetacentric Y in animals from Sweden; however, those from Zealand, Denmark, have the Y as shown here. Thus the Y chromosome of M. agrestis is polymorphic.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy of Polymers

Compared to ESR Spectroscopy, the interaction between the magnetic particles and the external magnetic field is much weaker in NMR. The resonance frequency is therefore much smaller and can be found in the range of radio frequencies (corresponding to wavelengths of 1 to 10m)1, 2). As discussed in Chap. 8, the main reason for this behaviour is the weakness of nuclear magnetic moments. Table 10.1 shows a list of nuclei frequently encountered in polymers together with their natural abundance and relative sensitivity of detection. The nuclear spin moment is given in Table 10.1 in units of h/2π.
The Neurophysiology of the Mammalian Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and Its Visual Afferents

In 1967 Richter concluded that the circadian clock controlling the rest-activity cycle of the rat is probably located “somewhere in the hypothalamus” (Richter 1967). He added: “...we assume that (the clock) is constituted of many cells, each one of which is programmed to function at a rate of 24 or nearly 24 h, that under ordinary conditions these cells all function together but that under certain conditions they may become desyn-chronized at least to some extent”. These statements represent perhaps the earliest speculation about the localization and neurophysiological organization of a circadian pacemaker in the mammalian hypothalamus. More recently Enright developed a more sophisticated neural model which includes specific mechanisms both for the generation of circadian oscillations and their photic entrainment. This model for the circadian pacemaker is primarily theoretical in nature. In order to construct a physiological model for the circadian pacemaker, a study of the functional properties of a “real” biological clock is essential. With the identification of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) as a putative pacemaker in the mammalian hypothalamus such an experimental program has become possible.
Amygdaloid-Hypothalamic Neurophysiological Interrelationships

Anatomy is logically prior to physiology, and as a member of an Anatomy Department, I feel some obligation at least to allude to what is known about the anatomy of amygdala-hypothalamic interconnections. In experimental studies, the anatomy of the amygdala has been studied extensively in cat, rat, rabbit and monkey. Although strong similarities between species exist, it is best to keep very clear which species one is talking about, otherwise, one gets into a muddle, making impossible an already very difficult subject. Unless otherwise noted, I intend to concentrate on cats, for both the anatomy and electrophysiology.
Characteristics of the Human Species

If humanity can be justified as an isolate in terms of its own organic history the rest is easy. For biologists do admit and even insist that it is an authentic species. Homo sapiens has progeny which are fertile and breed true. Moreover, the whole of humanity is a single species.
Health Information Exchange in Emergency Medical Services.

Background The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has outlined the benefits of health information exchange in emergency medical services (EMSs) according to the SAFR model—search, alert, file, and reconcile—developed in collaboration with the California Emergency Medical Services Authority. Objective This scoping review aims to identify and characterize progress toward the adoption of prehospital health information exchange, as reported in the peer-reviewed literature. Methods A structured review of literature in MEDLINE-indexed journals was conducted using the “Electronic Health Records” topic-specific query, the “Emergency Medical Services” Medical Subject Headings descriptor, and a prehospital identifier. Results Our initial search yielded 368 nonduplicative, English-language articles; 131 articles underwent full-text review and 11 were selected for analysis according to pre-established inclusion criteria. Original research was thematically grouped according to the SAFR model. Conclusion Within isolated systems, there has been limited progress toward the adoption of prehospital health information exchange. Interoperability, accurate match algorithms, security, and wireless connectivity have been identified as potential barriers to adoption. Additional research is required to evaluate the role of health information exchange within EMSs.
Citation analysis: An empirical approach to professional literary interpretation

Abstract This paper presents series of historiometric studies that exemplify the value of “citation analysis” as an empirical approach to professional literary-critical interpretation, especially with respect to the question of the “literariness” of literary texts. Specifically, the studies show that professional interpreters of Wordsworth’s poetry, across more than a century of time and despite widely varying critical approaches, tend to pay more attention to and therefore more frequently cite lines that involve prospective enjambments. Lines involving nominative noun phrase and retrospective enjambments, however, did not reveal the same correlation with frequency of citation. The studies thus suggest that literariness does indeed have a relatively stable textual component that may be discriminated through citation analysis of professional interpretations of individual literary texts by authors writing in distinct genres of literature and in different periods in literary history.
Public policy and the university-industry R&D nexus

ABSTRACTThis study addresses under-theorization of the Triple Helix hypothesis, which explains how public policies affect the production of basic science at universities and in governments and priv...
Epigeneti-What? Approaches on Translating Research for Primary Breast Cancer Prevention

In fiscal year 2017, the National Cancer Institute devoted more than a half-billion dollars to breast cancer research. Since 2012, the total investment has been more than $3 billion. Despite this significant investment, breast cancer still has no known immediate causes as it generally develops over the life course. Therefore, research is unable to provide the public any sort of magic bullet, or conclusive link between certain environmental exposures and the development of breast cancer later in life. What research is only able to report are likelihoods – possible links – things people might want to consider avoiding or doing in their everyday lives to reduce their future risks of developing breast cancer. This abundance of rigorously performed, albeit causally inconclusive, research focused on “plausible” links poses a challenge for health communicators who are tasked with seeking to find ways to translate this science into advice that people can act upon today. However, if society must wait for the science to provide 100% conclusive evidence before anyone ever takes action, how many lives could have been saved in the interim? Therefore, we advocate a two-pronged approach to translating scientific findings regarding environmental exposures and breast cancer prevention: a bottom-up approach – focused on informing the lay public and individuals, while simultaneously performing a top-down approach – focused on influencing policymakers. The current perspective analyzes the strengths and weaknesses to both approaches, and encourages scientists to work closely with health communicators to develop theoretically-driven strategies to drive positive changes over time.
Simulation Framework for Studying Optical Cable Failures in Dragonfly Topologies

In high performance computing (HPC) systems, optical network links are often utilized for the HPC networks of these systems, but they have a relatively high rate of failure compared to their electrical counterparts. Due to the high link failure rate, evaluating the impact of these failures on HPC workloads is of particular interest. We extended the Merlin network module of the Structural Simulation Toolkit (SST) in order to evaluate the impact of link failures on applications running on HPC systems which use dragonfly network topologies.We focus on dragonfly topologies as they are frequently found in HPC systems, including NERSC Cori and Edison systems.We demonstrate our changes to SST by providing a sample of performance results and routing statistics for a dragonfly network of 8,192 nodes and three HPC workloads with 1% of optical link failures. For the three motifs under consideration, we show that the impact of link failure is largely dependent on the underlying workloads running on the system.
Deep learning-based auto-segmentation of swallowing and chewing structures in CT

Abstract Purpose Delineating the swallowing and chewing structures in Head and Neck (H&N) CT scans is necessary for radiotherapy treatment (RT) planning to reduce the incidence of radiation-induced dysphagia, trismus, and speech dysfunction. Automating this process would decrease the manual input required and yield reproducible segmentations, but generating accurate segmentations is challenging due to the complex morphology of swallowing and chewing structures and limited soft tissue contrast in CT images. Methods We trained deep learning models using 194 H&N CT scans from our institution to segment the masseters (left and right), medial pterygoids (left and right), larynx, and pharyngeal constrictor muscle using DeepLabV3+ with the resnet-101 backbone. Models were trained in a sequential manner to guide the localization of each structure group based on prior segmentations. Additionally, an ensemble of models was developed using contextual information from three different views (axial, coronal, and sagittal), for robustness to occasional failures of the individual models. Output probability maps were averaged, and voxels were assigned labels corresponding to the class with the highest combined probability. Results The median dice similarity coefficients (DSC) computed on a hold-out set of 24 CT scans were 0.87±0.02 for the masseters, 0.80±0.03 for the medial pterygoids, 0.81±0.04 for the larynx, and 0.69±0.07for the constrictor muscle. The corresponding 95th percentile Hausdorff distances were 0.32±0.08cm (masseters), 0.42±0.2cm (medial pterygoids), 0.53±0.3cm (larynx), and 0.36±0.15cm (constrictor muscle). Dose-volume histogram (DVH) metrics previously found to correlate with each toxicity were extracted from manual and auto-generated contours and compared between the two sets of contours to assess clinical utility. Differences in DVH metrics were not found to be statistically significant (p>0.05) for any of the structures. Further, inter-observer variability in contouring was studied in 10 CT scans. Automated segmentations were found to agree better with each of the observers as compared to inter-observer agreement, measured in terms of DSC. Conclusions We developed deep learning-based auto-segmentation models for swallowing and chewing structures in CT. The resulting segmentations can be included in treatment planning to limit complications following RT for H&N cancer. The segmentation models developed in this work are distributed for research use through the open-source platform CERR, accessible at https://github.com/cerr/CERR.
Neither/Nor: The Complex Attachments of Zimbabwe’s Coloureds

Drawing on historical research and ethnographic fieldwork, this chapter examines the history of and ideology behind the classification of mixed race Coloured people, specifically the self-perpetuation and maintenance of this now outmoded racial category in post-colonial Zimbabwe. The term Coloured describes those who are entitled, on the basis of their being regarded as persons of mixed racial origin, to admission to officially designated institutions (segregated schools, residential areas, hospitals, etc.). Although theirs is a narrative of change given Zimbabwe’s complex racial history—specifically its history of revolution—the Coloured community has firmly embraced their legally imposed racial categorization through self-segregation. Many Coloureds have historically denied the reality of the boundaries that have separated them from whites or Europeans and, more recently, have reinforced the boundaries that have separated them from black Africans. The research revealed that there are historical fluctuations in the meanings of the Coloured category as it continues to remain crucial in Zimbabwe today. Interestingly, Coloureds themselves seem to be firm believers in racial difference in the post-colonial context and value Coloured identity above either a national Zimbabwean identity or even a continental African identity.