cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Hydrothermal Deoxygenation of Oleic Acid over Activated Carbon in a Continuous Flow Process

In this study, a novel approach to converting fatty acids into n-alkanes was investigated. Fuel range hydrocarbons were obtained in a continuous flow process from oleic acid using near- and supercritical water as the reaction medium, granulated activated carbon as a catalyst, and 1% v/v formic acid as an in situ source of hydrogen. Experiments were conducted in a packed tubular reactor with the weight hourly space velocity of 4 h–1 at temperatures from 350 to 400 °C and pressure 3500 psi (24.1 MPa). The oil to water to formic acid ratio was 1:5:0.05 by volume. The main reaction pathways were hydrogenation of oleic acid and decarboxylation/decarbonylation of the resulting stearic acid to form heptadecane. The yield of heptadecane of above 70% with a selectivity 80% was observed between 370 and 380 °C. The results of the study show that efficient hydrothermal deoxygenation of fatty acids can be achieved with activated carbon as a catalyst and formic acid as an in situ source of hydrogen within minutes. Kine...
APPLICATION OF CATASTROPHE THEORY TO TRANSIENT STABILITY STUDY OF LARGE POWER SYSTEMS

This paper proposes a method for fast transient stability assessment of large power systems.First themultimachine system is replaced by an equivalent circuit.Then transient stability region and steady statestability region are well defined by using swallowtail catastrophe.Critical clearing time is easily obtained.Theoretical analysis and results of a numerical example show its advantage in accuracy and computationspeed compared with other methods.
Statistic and Analysis on the Power Capacitors Operating in Guangdong Power Grid

This paper expounded the present status of power capacitor operated in Guangdong power grid and the statistic analysis based on the category and manufactory.The failure cause of power capacitor was found and the technical measures for reducing the failure rate of power capacitor were extracted.
Structural and mechanistic insights on the chemopreventive activity of dipyridamole and analogs

A149 There is an escalating demand in the area of cancer prevention and control for the development of novel agents and molecular targets that have potential to reduce the incidence of cancer. The JB6 mouse epidermal cell-culture based transformation model has been used in our efforts to identify novel chemopreventive agents and targets. We have identified potent chemopreventive activity by dipyridamole (DPM) against JB6 P + cells (tumor promotion sensitive). Dipyridamole inhibited TPA-induced tumor promotion with an IC 50 of 0.01 µM, while the known chemopreventive agent dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) had an IC 50 of 1.0 µM in the same assay. The chemopreventive activity of an in-house library of DPM analogs has been tested using soft-agar colony forming efficiency. Structure activity relationship results from our studies will be presented. We have developed a new AP-1-SEAP JB6 P + reporter cell line and successfully shown that DPM inhibits TPA-induced AP-1 transactivation. Inhibition of AP-1 transactivation suggests the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in the mechanism of DPM antitumor promotion. The involvement of p38, Erk, and JNK in the antitumor promotion effect of potent DPM analogs will also be presented. Supported by funds from the National Cancer Institute, grant Nos. CA101856, CA105327 and CA125850.
Safety assessment of the protective gases used in IFE chambers

Using xenon as a fill gas in IFE chambers results in generating a large amount of radioactive xenon, iodine, and cesium isotopes. The cesium isotopes, 134 Cs and 136 Cs, and the iodine isotope, 126 I, would produce a high level of off-site dose (62.13 rem) at the plant site boundary if they were released entirely to the environment during an accident. The xenon gas is pumped out of the chamber (recycled) during operation to remove unburned T 2 and D 2 . Removing the Cs and I isotopes from the Xe gas during this recycling process will reduce the Cs and I inventories inside the chamber to negligible values. This process limited the off-site dose caused by the accidental release of Xe from the chamber of the SOMBRERO power plant to 29.9 mrem, which is less than the 1 rem no-evacuation limit. Using krypton, argon or neon as fill gases will result in producing lower levels of off-site dose than xenon.
Birkhoff’s Theorem and the Consolidation of Wiener’s Ideas on Statistical Physics

Birkhoff’s Individual Ergodic Theorem, the discovery of which in 1931 had fortuituously resulted in Wiener’s important collaboration with Hopf, became a permanent article in Wiener’s scientific thought.
Security analysis and improvement of USB technology

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is one of the most commonly used standards for peripherals communications in the computer industry. Its features, such as cross-platform and hot-swapping, make USB the dominant choice of connections in computer systems including keyboards, printers, external storages, digital cameras, scanners, and smartphones. In addition to communication, USB is used to charge devices as well. The ubiquitous USB devices in daily lives hold high stake in their security. The USB was originally for ease of use for the user and currently there is a lack of security in for the USB. The USB currently has no security measures to protect the data communicating between devices on the Bus line. With the confidential and sensitivity of the data on the line; how can these devices maintain their integrity? This paper aims to analyze the USB protocol regarding vulnerabilities. To look into capturing the data on the bus line and proving security mechanics to protect the USB from both passive and active attacks. The paper will develop an addition to the USB protocol to account for a form of informational security including the encryption as well as authentication of data on the USB line.
Vehicle Classification and Traffic Flow Estimation from Airborne LiDAR/CCD Data

This paper provides a review of a 3-year research program on the feasibility of using airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and imagery collected simultaneously over transportation corridors for estimation of traffic flow parameters such as: (1) vehicle counts, (2) vehicle classification, (3) velocity per vehicle category, and (4) intersection movement patterns. This work is conducted by The National Consortium for Remote Sensing in Transportation-Flows (NCRST-F), led by The Ohio State University, supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The major focus is on improving the efficiency of transportation systems by integration of remotely sensed data with traditional ground data to monitor and manage traffic flows.
Dietary macronutrient composition and central neuropeptide Y injection affect dietary preference and hypothalamic gene expression in chicks.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the influence of dietary macronutrient composition on central NPY's orexigenic effect in chicks.Methods: Day-of-hatch chicks were fed one of three diets (3000 kcal ME/kg) ad libitum from hatch: high carbohydrate (HC), high fat (HF; 30% ME derived from soybean oil), and high protein (HP; 25 vs. 22% CP). In Experiment 1, chicks received intracerebroventricular injections of 0 (vehicle), 0.2, or 2.0 nmol NPY on day 4 and food intake was recorded for 6 hours. In Experiment 2, chicks were given all three diets before and after injection. In Experiment 3, hypothalamus was collected at 1-hour post-injection for gene expression analysis.Results: The HC diet-fed chicks responded with a greater increase, while the chicks fed the HF diet had a lower threshold response in food intake to NPY. Neuropeptide Y dose-dependently increased food intake in chicks fed the HC and HP diets. Chicks administered 0.2 nmol NPY preferred the HC and HP diets over the HF diet. Rel...
Advancing Global Cultural Competencies: International Service Learning Within NASPAA Member Programs

This article posits international service learning (ISL) as a pedagogy that supports internationalization in the field of public affairs and one known to advance global cultural competency in other...
Identifying Motives of Midlife Black Triathlete Women Using Survey Transformation to Guide Qualitative Inquiry.

Demonstrating health disparities related to race, age, and gender, older Black women (BW) are the most sedentary demographic group in the United States. Increasing PA in mid-life is important, as it improves health as BW age into their later years. Advancing our understanding of the exercise motives of BW triathletes presents a "reverse engineering" opportunity to identify motives that could influence sedentary mid-life BW to increase their activity. The purposes of this study were to: (a) utilize an innovative survey transformation method to adapt a measure developed primarily in Caucasian males, i.e., the Motivations of Marathoners Scale for Triathletes (MOMS-T) into a qualitative interview guide for use with BW triathletes; (b) use this interview guide to identify culturally based motives for triathlon participation among BW not previously addressed by the MOMS-T and; (c) interpret the novel motivational domains of the MOMS-T discovered, in order to gain understanding and influence subsequent interventions. Purposive sampling was used to select 12 interview participants from 121 self-identified Black female US residents aged ≥36 years with recent experience completing or training for a triathlon. The interviews identified four culturally based themes, including improving body composition to become "more lean", physical attractiveness, triathlete family, and camaraderie. These novel themes were related to existing MOMS-T scales, but the current MOMS-T questions did not illuminate their culturally distinct aspects. The process of survey transformation provides a viable approach to identify important culturally based characteristics and to adapt surveys to cultural minority populations, particularly when study resources are limited.
Acute Pyelonephritis in Adults

Key Clinical Points Acute Pyelonephritis Acute pyelonephritis has the potential to cause sepsis, septic shock, and death. Urine culture is the cardinal confirmatory diagnostic test. Imaging is recommended at the time of presentation for patients with sepsis or septic shock, known or suspected urolithiasis, a urine pH of 7.0 or higher, or a new decrease in the glomerular filtration rate to 40 ml per minute or lower. Subsequent imaging is indicated in patients whose condition worsens or does not improve after 24 to 48 hours of therapy. The rising prevalence of Escherichia coli resistant to fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole complicates empirical oral therapy. In patients who receive oral treatment from the outset, depending on the likelihood of resistance, an initial dose of a supplemental, long-acting, parenteral antimicrobial agent (e.g., an aminoglycoside, ceftriaxone, or ertapenem) may be appropriate, and close follow-up is warranted. Assessment of illness severity, underlying host statu...
Retrospective Analysis of Intrathecal Drug Delivery: Outcomes, Efficacy, and Risk for Cancer-Related Pain at a High Volume Academic Medical Center

Objectives Cancer pain is common and difficult to treat, as conservative medical management fails in approximately 20% of patients for reasons such as intolerable side-effects or failure to control pain. Intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDS), while underutilized, can be effective tools to treat intractable cancer pain. This study aims to determine the degree of pain relief, efficacy, and safety of patients who underwent IDDS implantation at a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was conducted of patients with an intrathecal pain pump implanted for malignant pain. Charts were reviewed for demographics, cancer type, pain scores before and after implantation, and intrathecal drugs utilized. A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was conducted on the paired differences of pain scores before and after implant. A regression analysis was conducted using a linear model to assess effects of demographic variables on change in pain scores. Results 160 patients were included in analysis. The median pain score was 7.1 at time of implantation and 5.0 at one-month postimplantation. For patients with both baseline and one-month pain scores available, the median decrease in pain was 2.5 (p < 0.0001). Pain scores three-month postimplantation did not significantly differ from one-month postimplantation. Median longevity was 65 days. Five patients had pumps explanted due to infection with a median time to pump extraction of 28 days. Conclusions IDDS has the potential to improve cancer pain in a variety of patients and should be strongly considered as an option for those with cancer pain intractable to conservative medical management.
Antioxidant Vitamins and Cancer: the Physicians’ Health Study and Women’s Health Study

The possibility that antioxidant vitamins may prevent cancer has been the focus of considerable attention in recent years, both among the scientific research community and the general public. With respect to the major causes of death, in the United States and most developed countries, cancer accounts for about one-sixth of all deaths. For this reason, even the most plausible small to moderate benefits of antioxidant vitamins - - risk reductions of 20-30% - - could have a substantial public health impact. At present, however, antioxidant vitamins represent a promising, but unproven, means to prevent cancer. This paper reviews current evidence on antioxidants and cancer and describes ongoing large-scale randomized trials that will provide needed additional data on this question.
Systemic, Infectious, and Inflammatory Diseases

Wegener’s Granulomatosis is the most common granulomatous disease to affect the upper airway with necrotizing granulomas, and small and medium vessel vasculitis.Behcet’s syndrome is a relapsing and remitting autoimmune disease with a triad of oral or genital ulcers, iritis/uveitis, and progressive sensorineural hearing loss.Paget’s disease, also known as, osteitis deformans, is an autosomal dominant idiopathic, chronic, and at times progressive disease of bone, osteolytic and osteoblastic changes that affect axial skeleton
The Challenges of 'Quality of Life' Policing for the Fourth Amendment

In New York City in the last several years, record numbers of people, overwhelmingly non-white, have been stopped and frisked by police. Only very rarely did those stops and frisks lead to discovery of a weapon or contraband. Only a small minority led to an arrest or summons. Even among those arrested, a miniscule number actually went to trial where the legality of the police conduct could be tested. In short, under the current Fourth Amendment framework, most of that police activity was never subjected to any judicial scrutiny, either before or after it occurred, to determine whether it was legally authorized or legally carried out. The Fourth Amendment framework currently in use to control police discretion relies heavily on the courts, both to enforce before-the-fact limits like probable cause, reasonable suspicion and the warrant requirement, and to impose the primary after-the-fact remedy of exclusion. This article argues that the current framework is ill-suited to the task of regulating aggressive policing regimes. One basic problem with the current judicial framework for regulating police-citizen interactions is that on the whole, the Supreme Court’s Fourth Amendment jurisprudence is atomistic. It is focused on resolving individual disputes between law enforcement and individual suspects. This individualized focus is poorly suited to identifying and addressing shared harms, such as the effects of aggressive policing regimes on the quality of life of entire neighborhoods, or the injuries inflicted when the burden of police intrusion falls most heavily on certain racial or ethnic or economic groups, or the widespread intrusions authorized by the use of criminal law to regulate minor infractions, or the increasing number of so-called ‘special needs’ searches that require no individualized suspicion of wrongdoing. Second, the atomistic focus is poorly suited to addressing shared causes of harm. Fourth Amendment jurisprudence has yet to grapple with policing as an institution, or with the complex web of judicial, legislative, administrative and other institutions that influence policing.The problem of police culture and police incentives is system-wide and must be addressed systemically. The courts, left to their own devices, cannot achieve this sort of reform. It requires some serious rethinking — both about how the courts can be brought back into the equation, and about what other institutions besides the courts should be doing to protect Fourth Amendment rights.
Late life depressive symptoms and cognitive function among older Mexican adults: the past and the present.

AbstractObjective: To evaluate associations between depression and individual cognitive domains and how changes in depressive symptoms relate to cognition three years later in the context of Mexico...
A UGT1A1 genotype-guided dosing study of modified FOLFIRINOX in previously untreated patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies.

BACKGROUND FOLFIRINOX (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, irinotecan, oxaliplatin) is an effective but toxic therapy for pancreatic cancer. UGT1A1 (UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1A1) eliminates the active metabolite of irinotecan. Polymorphisms reduce UGT1A1 activity, leading to toxicity. The primary objective was to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate in cycle 1 of modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) using genotype-guided dosing of irinotecan for the most common UGT1A1 genotypes (*1/*1, *1/*28) in advanced gastrointestinal malignancies, with expansion in pancreatic and biliary tract cancers. METHOD 5-FU (2400 mg/m2 over 46 hours), leucovorin (400 mg/m2 ), oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2 ), and irinotecan were given every 14 days. Irinotecan doses of 180, 135, and 90 mg/m2 were administered for UGT1A1 genotypes *1/*1, *1/*28, and *28/*28, respectively. Prophylactic pegfilgrastim was omitted in cycle 1 for cohort 1 (tolerability by genotype), but was given in cohort 2 (tolerability by tumor type). Doses were tolerable if the upper limit of a 2-sided 80% confidence interval for DLT rate was ≤33%. RESULTS In cohort 1, DLTs (most commonly febrile neutropenia, fatigue, diarrhea) occurred in 2/15 (13%), 3/16 (19%), and 4/10 (40%) patients with *1/*1, *1/*28, and *28/*28 genotypes, respectively. In cohort 2, 6/19 (32%) pancreatic and 4/19 (21%) biliary tract cancer patients experienced DLTs (most commonly fatigue, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting). In cohort 2, upper confidence limits of DLT rates exceeded 33%. Response rates were 38% in pancreatic and 21% in biliary tract cancers. CONCLUSION On the basis of our prespecified criteria, tolerability of UGT1A1 genotype-guided mFOLFIRINOX was not established in pancreatic and biliary tract cancers. However, this regimen was effective.
Productivity and cost estimates for incorporating tracked processors into conventional loblolly pine harvesting regimes in the Southeastern United States

Due to the recent encouragement for loggers to integrate tracked processors into their conventional harvest equipment regime in the Southeastern United States, this study aimed to provide loggers with an estimate of the additional productivity and operating costs that could be incurred. Since tracked processors have rarely been operated in this region, a comparison study was conducted to determine differences in productivity and operating costs between a less experienced operator versus a more experienced operator. The study indicated the less experienced operator was able to produce 67 green tonnes/hour while the more experienced operator produced 80 green tonnes/hour. Costs per tonne for the less experienced operator were approximately $2.18/tonne at the end of year 1 and decreased to $1.92/tonne at the end of year 5, depicting a $0.26/tonne difference within 5 years. The more experienced operator incurred costs of $1.82/tonne at the end of year 1 and $1.61/tonne at the end of year 5 for a total difference of $0.21/tonne. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that extreme fluctuations in fuel or maintenance/repair prices had less than a $0.20 increase in the final cost/tonne. An increase in production rates from 65 to 125 tonnes decreased the cost/tonne $0.90/tonne, and increasing utilization rates from 50% to 85% decreased the cost per tonne of the processor by $0.78 per tonne. These results indicated that operators should be less concerned with changes in fuel and maintenance costs and be more concerned with their production and utilization rates. Abbreviations: CTL = cut-to-length, WT = whole tree, less experienced operator = LExOp, more experienced operator = MExOp, Timberland Investment Management Organization = TIMO, manufacturer's suggested retail price = MSRP, productive machine hours = PMH
Unique Far-Lateral Closure Technique: Technical Note

Background The far-lateral approach is a mainstay in gaining access to the ventrolateral craniocervical junction for tumor removal and the treatment of vascular lesions. It has a reportedly high rate of cerebrospinal fluid leak (up to 20%), which can bring devastating consequences, including meningitis, and may require wound revision associated with a longer hospital stay. Objective To describe a closure technique employed to close the access corridor provided by the far-lateral approach and present an illustrative case. Methods The far-lateral closure technique employs dural closure, followed by fat buttress, to alleviate dead space and reduce the likelihood of fluid collection and leakage. Results This technique has been successfully used by the senior author for more than 14 yr, with a rate of cerebrospinal fluid leak of 2.9%. Conclusion This unique approach and closure of the far-lateral craniotomy is a reasonable option for the approach to the ventrolateral craniocervical junction. Skull base surgeons can consider the use of this closure technique to ensure watertight closure.
Use of 3D-printed patient-specific neurovascular phantoms to investigate the correlation between disease severity and quantitative angiography results

Purpose: 3D printed Patient-Specific Neurovascular Phantoms (3DP-PSNP) containing significant portions of the neurovasculature can be used to develop and test new diagnostic tools. The purpose of this research is to assess the use of 3DP-PSNP to study the correlation between Angiographic Parametric Imaging (API) features and the severity of carotid artery disease. Materials and Methods: We developed 3DP-PSNP for twenty patients with carotid atherosclerosis and performed two studies. In the first study, we used three phantoms with complete Circle of Willis (COW) with none, moderate and severe stenosis respectively. In the second experiment, all phantoms regardless of the COW structure were used. 3DP-PSNPs were connected in a simulated physiological pulsatile flow loop and Digital Subtractive Angiography (DSA) was performed by injecting 10 ml of contrast at 10 mL/s. An API software calculated imaging biomarkers: time-to-peak TTP, mean transit time MTT, time to arrival TTA, peak height PH, and area under the curve AUC for both carotids. Results: For none, moderate, and severe stenosis respectively, absolute mean percent differences between diseased vs. contralateral carotids were: 1.9%, 8.1%, 32.3% TTP; 6.8%, 7.5%, 41.0% TTA; 13.2%, 12.4%, 6.4% MTT; 8.7%, 11.3%, 97.6% PH; and 10.3%, 22.6%, 100% AUC. Injection parameters did not cause significant change to the difference between diseased and contralateral carotids. The second experiment showed strong correlation between the TTA and location of the stenosis, regardless of COW configuration. Conclusions: Overall, API was assessed in 3DP-PSNPs and shown to have increasing differences between diseased and contralateral carotid arteries with increasing severity.
Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, Sixth Edition

Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, Sixth Edition, is intended to be used in a first course in Fluid Mechanics, taken by a range of engineering majors. The text begins with dimensions, units, and fluid properties, and continues with derivations of key equations used in the control-volume approach. Step-by-step examples focus on everyday situations, and applications. These include flow with friction through pipes and tubes, flow past various two and three dimensional objects, open channel flow, compressible flow, turbomachinery and experimental methods. Design projects give readers a sense of what they will encounter in industry. A solutions manual and figure slides are available for instructors.
The Monsters Among Us: Realism and Constructivism in Vampire: The Masquerade

In the roleplaying game Vampire: The Masquerade, players assume supernatural character identities with distinct goals, further framed inside conflictual in-game power structures and societal expectations. In this chapter, the author combines narrative analysis and player interviews with live-action roleplaying observations to assess in-game power and norms through the lenses of Realism (power) and Constructivism (norms). Drawing on liminality, or that in-game performances become emotionally real to the players, the author finds that Vampire: The Masquerade becomes a liminal space inside which players practice alternate political behaviors that magnify Realism’s and Constructivism’s most disturbing theoretical expectations.
Aluminum particle reactivity as a function of alumina shell structure: Amorphous versus crystalline

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate Al particle reactivity as a function of the Al2O3 shell phase. Aluminum particles were thermally treated to transition the shell from amorphous to crystalline and each powder was combined with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Flame speeds were measured for Al + PTFE powder mixtures for two Al particle sizes that differ from micrometer (μAl) to nanometer (nAl) diameter and for both crystalline and amorphous Al2O3 shells encapsulating Al core particles. Results showed that μAl particles were more sensitive to shell phase than nAl particles. Reactions were modeled according to the melt dispersion mechanism (MDM), and altering the shell phase reduced the thickness, damaged the shell structure, impeded melt dispersion, and reduced flame speed for μAl particles by 45% and nAl particles by 12%.
Short-Term Reproducibility of Masked Hypertension Among Adults Without Office Hypertension.

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure (BP) Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines recommends ambulatory BP monitoring to detect masked hypertension. D...
Assessment of a pharmacy technician medication history program

PURPOSE To determine the percentage of unintentional prior-to-admission (PTA) medication list discrepancies captured by second-source verification. METHODS A prospective, randomized, controlled intervention was conducted on all patients admitted to a large academic medical center with a PTA medication list completed by a pharmacy technician from December 2018 through January 2019. Excluded patients included those admitted as observation status or discharged prior to the time of second-source verification. The following data was collected: patient's medical record number, age, admission date and time, service admitted to, date and time of completed PTA medication list, date and time of second-source verification, type of second-source verification, medication name, dose, route, frequency, formulation, and confidence level of pharmacy technician completing the initial PTA medication list. Second-source verification was conducted on all medications from a patient's PTA medication list after completion by a pharmacy technician. RESULTS There were a total of 992 medications from the 200 randomly assigned patients with a completed PTA medication list by a pharmacy technician during the study time frame. Of these medications, 116 (11.7%) contained a discrepancy identified by second-source verification. The most common type of discrepancy was omission (67%) followed by dosing, frequency, and formulation. The median time to complete second-source verification was 9 minutes (interquartile range, 5-17 minutes). CONCLUSION Second-source verification at the time of hospital admission helps identify medication discrepancies and may improve medication use safety and prescribing pattern and, accordingly, may contribute to reducing medication errors.
Prophylactic Ureteral Localization Stent with Guidewire Assistance Decreases Urologic-Induced Complication Rates: Quality Improvement Initiative and Review of Literature.

Background: We previously reported a 2% Clavien IIIb urologic-induced complication rate associated with blind (no guidewire, no fluoroscopy) prophylactic ureteral localization stent (PULSe) placeme...
Plenary talk II

Motivated by the needs to accommodate size/shape variations in non-traditional robotics and emerging human-centered applications, this talk presents recently developed novel methods (referred to here as magflexonics) that enable uses of embedded magnetic fields for cost-effective design/control of flexible structures while allowing for natural or engineered compliance. As a medium of energy conversion and signal transmission, magnetic fields exist everywhere in our daily life, and have contributed to the rapid advances in computing, communication, and information technologies. Magnetic fields are also increasingly used in a spectrum of modern mechatronic devices, instrumentation and actuation because they are instantaneous and invariant to pressure, temperature and other environmental factors. This talk reviews the past and present state-of-the-arts of magnetics for precision mechatronics, and presents recently developed magflexonics for applications that require multi degrees of freedom motions. Magflexonics, which unlike traditional approaches, take advantages of low-cost computational intelligence into design, requires no explicit position sensor or information for real-time feedback control. Selected examples are given to help illustrate these impacts and yet to cover a wide variety of robotic, automation and mechatronic applications. The intended audience of this talk includes engineers, undergraduates, graduate students and faculty with technology backgrounds, but not necessarily in magnetics. Te objective is to stimulate discussions of emerging magflexonics and its potential applications to address emerging problems facing society in a rapidly changing world.
Masculine Pleasures as Normalized Practices: Character Design in the Video Game Industry:

Scholars have extensively studied video game labor practices (e.g., Bulut, E. (2015). Glamor above, precarity below: Immaterial labor in the video game industry. Critical Studies in Media Communica...
Efficacy of Machine Learning-Based Classifiers for Binary and Multi-Class Network Intrusion Detection

The internet-based services undoubtedly led the worldwide revolution with exponential growth, but security breaches resulting personal digital asset losses which need for a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. Traditionally, signature-based network intrusion detection is employed to capture attributes of normal and abnormal traffics in a network, but it fails to detect the zero-day attack. The machine learning-based approach is attractive among various known NIDS methods to circumvent the shortcoming because machine learning based approach can efficiently analyze the big network traffic data and efficiently detect the zero-day attack. The imbalanced NIDS dataset does not provide better performance on practical implementation scenarios. Reducing the number of target classes into a new target class creates a balanced NIDS and improved classifier performance. In this paper, we present the efficacy of several machine learning algorithms, including Random forest (RF), J48, Naive Bayes, Bayesian Network, Bagging, AdaBoost, and Support Vector Machine (SVM) using network logs traffic (KDD99, UNSW-NB15, and CIC-IDS2017) using WEKA. This paper examined the impact of changing the number of output classes of the publicly available network intrusion datasets on sensitivity (True Positive Rate), False Positive Rate (FPR), Area under the ROC curve (AUC) and incorrectly identified percentage. Interestingly, the efficiency of these classifiers has increased, adding strongly correlated features to the target classes. The experimented results reveal that the machine learning classifiers performance improved when the number of target classes decreased. The addition of a highly correlated feature to the output class increases the performance of the classifiers.
Addressing Sexual Misconduct in the United States Military: An Organizational Approach

Sexual assault and harassment are ongoing problems in the military. This Article, co-authored by an expert on workplace sex discrimination and a former military officer, examines this problem from an organizational perspective. Social science research finds that organizational climate and composition strongly predict the occurrence of sexual harassment. A positive organizational climate decreases the prevalence of sexual harassment, reduces retaliation against those who report it, and lessens its job-related and psychological impacts. In contrast, organizations that tolerate sexual harassment are associated with greater levels of harassment and worse outcomes for victims. Workplaces where men significantly outnumber women are also associated with increased rates of sexual harassment. Building on this social science research, we propose a set of legal and policy reforms designed to improve the representation of women in the military and reduce its hypermasculine culture. These reforms include establishing diversity goals and targets, instituting gender-neutral physical fitness standards, and ending male-only draft registration. As our analysis demonstrates, these organizational reforms are both permitted and mandated by constitutional law.
Advances in spectroscopic methods for quantifying soil carbon

The current gold standard for soil carbon (C) determination is elemental C analysis using dry combustion. However, this method requires expensive consumables, is limited by the number of samples that can be processed (~100/d), and is restricted to the determination of total carbon. With increased interest in soil C sequestration, faster methods of analysis are needed, and there is growing interest in methods based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the visible, near-infrared or mid-infrared spectral ranges. These spectral methods can decrease analytical requirements and speed sample processing, be applied to large landscape areas using remote sensing imagery, and be used to predict multiple analytes simultaneously. However, the methods require localized calibrations to establish the relationship between spectral data and reference analytical data, and also have additional, specific problems. For example, remote sensing is capable of scanning entire watersheds for soil carbon content but is limited to the surface layer of tilled soils and may require difficult and extensive field sampling to obtain proper localized calibration reference values. The objective of this chapter is to discuss the present state of spectroscopic methods for determination of soil carbon.
Left‐Handed Materials for Microwave Devices and Circuits

In this article we discuss the use of left-handed materials or arrangements of materials to produce left-handed responses to enable the construction of electronic devices and circuits. Attention is directed mainly toward the nonfocusing and nonradiating aspects of left-handed behavior. Production of these materials, insertion of these materials in structures to produce devices and circuits, and the potential new properties of these electronic components and circuits is covered. The new physics causing the unusual aspects of left-handed materials is presented. Propagation constants for microwave and millimeter electromagnetic waves will be presented, as well as electromagnetic field distributions in devices using left-handed materials. Left-handed devices and circuits, utilizing the physical action of left-handed materials, will be discussed. Keywords: left-handed materials; negative-index-of-refraction-materials; negative-phase-velocity materials; backward wave behavior; negative permittivity and permeability materials; left-handed devices; backward wave devices; left-handed circuits; backward wave circuits
Nicotine and cotinine in the amniotic fluid of smokers in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Abstract Amniotic fluid samples were analyzed for nicotine and for one of its major metabolites, cotinine, by radioimmunoassay procedures. Of the 37 samples collected from smokers, 22 contained nicotine in concentrations ranging up to 31 ng. per milliliter and 33 contained cotinine in concentrations ranging up to 129 ng. per milliliter. These compounds were not detected in fluid from 63 nonsmokers.
Nanosecond laser-induced explosive boiling studied by photoacoustic and plume transmission techniques

A model experimental "thin variable thickness transparent liquid layer on opaque (absorbing) solid substrate" geometry has been chosen to study explosive boiling and lift-off of a pre-deposited 2-propanol (isopropanol, IPA) layer on a crystalline Si substrate heated by a nanosecond KrF excimer laser using contact photoacoustic and optical plume transmission techniques. The threshold-like transition from the low-amplitude (sub-MPa) bipolar to the intense (near GPa) unipolar temporal shape of acoustic transients has been observed above the ablation threshold of 0.17 J/cm 2 ("universal" for micron-thick IPA layers used) due to sub-nanosecond explosive near-critical expansion and boiling in the nanometer-thick liquid IPA sub-layer near the film/substrate interface heated by conduction from the Si substrate. This pressure build-up exceeding many times the critical pressure of 2-propanol (4.8 MPa) exerted a reactive force on the cooler liquid overlay of the IPA layer and accelerated it to lift-off (ablative plume) velocities from several m/s to several tens m/s depending on the film thickness, while the initial expansion velocity of the superheated IPA sub-layer was about 1 km/s. In a good agreement with experimental data, calculations of the IPA/substrate interface temperatures versus laser fluence have shown near-critical state of the IPA sub-layer near the ablation threshold. These data allow testing the general sub-surface explosive boiling mechanism, characteristic for pulsed laser ablation of both opaque and weakly-absorbing materials.
History of Medicine Rivalries and controversies during early ether anaesthesia

National and international rivalries can intrude into the arena of medical and scientific advances. Editorials and reports published in North American, British, and French medical journals in early 1847 regarding the discovery and initial use of ether anaesthesia illustrate these rivalries. The effects of these opinions and attitudes on the spread of ether anaesthesia are analyzed.
Type B lactic acidosis associated with multiple myeloma

We present a 58-year-old man with recurrent multiple myeloma treated with 2 autologous stem cell transplantations. He was admitted for dyspnea and found to have severe type B lactic acidosis with serum lactate level of 193.6 mg/dL. This case reviews malignancy-associated type B lactic acidosis and discusses its etiology, pathogenesis, and management.
Adaptive Robotic Welding Using A Rapid Image Pre-Processor

The rapid pre-processor initially developed by NRCC and Leigh Instruments Inc. as part of the visual aid system of the space shuttle arm 1 has been adapted to perform real time seam tracking of multipass butt weld and other adaptive welding functions. The weld preparation profile is first enhanced by a projected laser target formed by a line and dots. A standard TV camera is used to observe the target image at an angle. Displacement and distorsion of the target image on a monitor are simple functions of the preparation surface distance and shape respectively. Using the video signal, the pre-processor computes in real time the area and first moments of the white level figure contained within four independent rectangular windows in the field of view of the camera. The shape, size, and position of each window can be changed dynamically for each successive image at the standard 30 images/sec rate, in order to track some target image singularities. Visual sensing and welding are done simultaneously. As an example, it is shown that thin sheet metal welding can be automated using a single window for seam tracking, gap width measurement and torch height estimation. Using a second window, measurement of sheet misalignment and their orientation in space were also achieved. The system can be used at welding speed of up to 1 m/min. Simplicity, speed and effectiveness are the main advantages of this system.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The science of images: a cross-disciplinary introduction to the field of 3-D computer graphics

Students choosing to specialize in the study of computer graphics often come from two disparate groups - the mathematically-inclined students who are often most interested in the computer programming aspects of the field, and the artistically-inclined students whose interest lies more in design and image construction. If these two groups are to learn as part of one community, they need to develop (at least) a common background and language. This paper presents an approach to achieving this goal and discusses a particular course, The Science of Images, which has been taught for several years in this pursuit.
A Na+/Ca2+ exchange mechanism in apical membrane vesicles of the retinal pigment epithelium.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lying between the neural retina and the choroid, performs as a transport organ for solutes and water between the choriocapillaries and the subretinal space. It also has the function to maintain the microenvironment of photoreceptors including the regulation of calcium ions during light or dark adaptation. In order to further elucidate the transport functions of the RPE, apical membranes were isolated from RPE by differential precipitation with divalent ions. In this work bovine tissues were used as well as elasmobranch tissues. For the latter, we have already purified and characterized membrane vesicles in a previous paper. Na+-K+-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase, which are marker enzymes of the apical membrane, were highly enriched in the final membrane fraction. The majority of the fraction consists of right side out vesicles. The fluorescent indicator for sodium, SBFI, or the calcium specific indicator, Fura-2, were pre-loaded into the apical membra...
Catalytic Allylic Amination versus Allylic Oxidation: A Mechanistic Dichotomy

Allylic oxidation of hydrocarbon substrates is the foundation of many industrial and fine-chemical production processes. Direct allylic oxidation of cycloalkenes (C5-8) has been widely discussed in the chemical literature. However, certain mechanistic details related to the presence of allylic free radicals have yet to be fully resolved. The corresponding copper-catalyzed allylic amination reaction has not been previously achieved. We report the first examples of this class of amination reaction using saccharin and bis-p-toluenesulfonamide as nitrogen sources and t-BuOOH and PhI(saccharinate)2 as oxidants. Kinetic studies on stoichiometric model reactions demonstrate that the oxidant is not involved in the RDS of the transformation, and studies with 3,3,6,6-tetradeuteriocyclohexene conclusively show a mechanistic dichotomy between the catalytic oxidation and amination reactions. Both oxidative processes involve η1-allyl intermediates, and regiochemical results are a consequence of discrete copper complexe...
Pediatric nasal valve surgery: short-term outcomes and complications.

Abstract Objectives To examine the short-term outcomes and complications of open nasal valve surgery in children under 16 years of age. Study design : case series and chart review study setting: an urban, tertiary, pediatric otolaryngology practice. Methods Children under 16 years of age who had undergone nasal valve surgery with cartilage grafting for functional indications were identified. Patients with cleft-related nasal deformities were excluded. Charts were reviewed for indications and short-term outcomes (patient satisfaction and postoperative complications within the first 90 days). A literature review assessed prior outcomes in adult nasal valve patients. Results Fifteen pediatric patients, 15 years old or younger, were identified as having undergone open nasal valve repair utilizing septal or auricular cartilage grafts. Patient age ranged from 6 to 15 years. Surgical indications were nasal obstruction with nasal valve stenosis related to either previous trauma ( n = 10), congenital deformity ( n = 3), iatrogenic injury ( n = 1) or hemangioma of infancy ( n = 1). All patients noted improvement of symptoms at the 90 day interval or later. There was one episode of self-limited epistaxis, which occurred on postoperative day 7 following splint removal. Conclusions In children, an obstructive nasal breathing pattern may be caused by nasal valve collapse, which can be addressed with nasal valve surgery. This small series suggests that short-term results in children may be similar to those observed in the adult population. Pediatric nasal valve surgery outcomes have not been described previously; studies focused on long-term outcomes following pediatric nasal valve surgery are needed. Level of evidence 4.
The Economic Impact of Taxes in the US: Some Tests Based on the St. Louis Model

The primary purpose of this article is to investigate empirically for the US the potential impact of monetary and fiscal policy upon real economic activity using the “St. Louis equation” approach. Only lagged values of the policy variables are included in the estimation to ensure their statistical exogeneity. Hsiao's (1981) multivariate technique is employed to determine the model lag specification. The empirical results suggest that only fiscal policy as measured by high‐employment tax changes can exert a significant lasting impact upon real GNP. Monetary policy, on the other hand, has only a temporary effect on real GNP. The results also show that both monetary and fiscal policy have significant and permanent effects on nominal GNP, the former via its permanent effect on prices and the latter through its permanent effect on real GNP.
Increased peroxidation and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity in Alzheimer's disease

The overall peroxidation activity in brain tissue by region from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-matched controls was determined employing the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay, a measure of lipid peroxidation, followed by a determination the activities of the antioxidant enzymes Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT), in the frontal, temporal, and cerebellar cortex of 10 AD and 9 control brains. The level of TBARS was elevated in all regions, with particular statistical significance in the temporal cortex when compared to age-matched controls. SOD activity was significantly decreased in AD frontal and AD temporal cortex, while catalase activity was significantly decreased in AD temporal cortex. There was no significant difference in GSH-Px activity found in any of the regions examined. This study supports the theory that in AD the brain is affected by increased oxidative stress which, when combined with a decrease in SOD activity, produces oxidative alterations, seen most significantly in temporal cortex in AD, where the pathophysiologic changes are most severe.