cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use and perceived effectiveness of energy conservation strategies for managing multiple sclerosis fatigue.

OBJECTIVE. This study describes the use and perceived effectiveness of energy conservation strategies by persons with multiple sclerosis after participation in an energy conservation course. METHOD. One hundred twenty-three participants completed a survey about their use of energy conservation strategies. RESULTS. All strategies were newly used by at least 50% of the participants and rated as effective. Strategies that involved rest and delegation were used most and rated most effective, followed by modifying priorities and standards. The most common reason for not implementing strategies was that participants were already using them. CONCLUSION. Persons with multiple sclerosis who participated in an energy conservation course implemented a number of new energy conservation strategies and reported them as effective.
Determination of Selenium in Biological Materials by Gas Chromatography

A simple and practical method has been developed for determining specific forms of selenium In biological materials. The procedure Is based on the selective chelation of tetravalont selenium with 4-nltro-o-phenylenedlamino to form 5-nitroplazselenol, which Is measured by electron-capture gas chromatography. Organoselonium and selenite (So IV) are determined by digesting the sample in concentrated nitric acid, and total selenium is determined by further treatment of the digest with hydrochloric acid. The difference between the two values obtained represents the selonate (Se VI) content. Selenium recovery ranges from 75 to 90% and is assessed by using a 7sSe-labeled tracer for liquid scintillation spectremetric assay. Gas-chromatographic conditions permit detectlon of selenium concentrations below 1 ppb. Mean deviation and relative accuracy average 2.3 and 3.4%, respectively. The method has been used In human population studies to assess selenium-mercury correlations and to examine the selenium content and form in specific protein fractions of fish muscle.
Hospital readmissions for newly discharged pediatric home mechanical ventilation patients

Background Ventilator-dependent children have complex chronic conditions that put them at risk for acute illness and repeated hospitalizations.
The Power of The Right Stuff: A Quasi-Experimental Field Test of the Docudrama Hypothesis

HOLLYWOOD produced a major film lionizing the heroics of a presidential candidate at the start of the 1984 campaign. The implications were unprecedented, and as a result, this motion picture-The Right Stuffgenerated great interest among political analysts. The key question was, as the cover of Newsweek put it, "Can a Movie Help Make a President?" For students of political communications, The Right Stuff raised a more enduring issue that went beyond the immediate campaign consequences of the movie. That issue may be referred to as the "docudrama hypothesis," which stipulates that the docudrama, as a hybrid of melodramatic fiction and news documentary, powerfully influences viewers' conceptions of social and political reality. Public images of both distant and recent history are said to be molded by these film and video dramas. Dan Nimmo and James Combs (1983), in a valuable discussion of the genre, maintain that "our political knowledge of the past and present is partially formed by the dramatic fantasies of popular media." They suggest that fictional interpretations of history effectively "yield the illusion that viewers are participating in a recreation of the real event" and in turn shape "much of what we 'know' about the past" (p. 71).
Going Home: Formerly Incarcerated African American Men Return to Families and Communities

More than 800,000 African American men are currently incarcerated in prisons or jails in the United States. Most of these men leave prison ill prepared to return to society as workers, or to reintegrate into family settings. Returning from prison is complicated by struggles in the housing and job markets. This article begins with a review of literature exploring drug laws and disproportionate incarceration rates, homelessness, and joblessness. Data from a community-based, qualitative study of African American men following incarceration is presented. A discussion of how incarceration influenced their return to family situations is included that supports the findings by earlier studies on the effects of homelessness and joblessness on individuals and families. The article concludes with recommendations for the development of targeted support systems and offers suggestions for future nursing research with this population.
Automatic calibration of conceptual rainfall-runoff models: The question of parameter observability and uniqueness

Reasons for the inability to obtain unique and conceptually realistic parameter sets for conceptual rainfall-runoff models are examined in this paper. The problem is first posed in a framework that allows a more consistent and logical analysis of the related aspects. Response surface studies demonstrate that choice of an objective function that better explains some of the stochastic properties of the errors in the output results in a smoother, better shaped response surface; hence the chances of obtaining unique and realistic parameter estimates are improved. However, our analysis indicates that part of the problem is also due to inadequacies in the model structure. The arguments are illustrated using results obtained with the soil moisture accounting model of the National Weather Service's river forecast system.
Genetics of Prolactinomas

Prolactinomas are tumors of lactotroph cells in the anterior pituitary that hypersecrete prolactin, resulting in amenorrhea and galactorrhea in women and reduced sexual function in males. Macroadenomas cause additional symptoms, including visual defects and severe headaches, and are present in 90% of males with prolactinomas (1). Prolactinomas are the most common of all pituitary adenomas and occur more frequently in females, with a 3:1 preponderance (2). Mixed tumors expressing both prolactin and growth hormone also occur, and are derived from the earlier precursor mammosomatotrophs, which diverge into lactotroph and somatotroph lineages in normal development.
What are the prospects for regulation in immunotoxicology

Evaluating the immunotoxic potential of investigational new drugs is a standard component of non-clinical safety assessment. Effects evaluated include the potential for drugs to induce hypersensitivity and/or autoimmune reactions or to produce unintended immunosuppression. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is considering approaches for evaluating potential immunotoxicity. In particular, two methods are being examined for potential recommendation where indicated: immune cell phenotype determination and the murine local lymph node assay. Issues concerning immunotoxicology testing will be discussed.
Outcomes of an Oral Care Protocol in Postmechanically Ventilated Patients

Background Oral care is standard practice to prevent hospital-associated infections while patients are intubated and in the intensive care unit. Following extubation and transfer, infections remain an important risk for patients, but less attention is paid to oral care. Few studies have assessed the impact of oral care in recently extubated acutely ill patients. Aims To develop an evidence-based oral care protocol for hospitalized patients and determine the impact of this protocol on health outcomes in recently extubated patients. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, subjects were randomized to usual care or an intervention protocol that included tooth brushing, tongue scraping, flossing, mouth rinsing, and lip care. Major outcome measures were the revised THROAT (R-THROAT; oral cavity assessment) and overall prevalence of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus on oral cultures. Results Seventy-four subjects were randomized. As measured by the R-THROAT, oral cavity health improved over time in both groups, but the intervention group demonstrated significantly more improvement than the control group (R-THROAT score improved by 1.97 intervention vs. 0.87 control; p = .04). Two categories, tongue and mouth comfort, demonstrated the most significant improvement. There was no difference in MSSA/MRSA colonization between the groups at the conclusion of the study. Overall, subjects in the intervention group were more satisfied with their protocol than subjects in the usual care group. Linking Evidence to Action This study offers an important evaluation of an oral care protocol after extubation. Results demonstrated improvement in the oral cavity assessment with the designed oral care protocol. Patients expressed a preference for the intervention protocol, which included a battery-operated toothbrush, higher-quality toothpaste and mouth rinse, tongue scraper, floss, and lip balm. The implementation of an oral care protocol specifically addressing patients in the immediate postintubation is essential.
MgAl2O4 Spinel-Stabilized Calcium Oxide Absorbents with Improved Durability for High-Temperature CO2 Capture

With efficient energy recovery, calcium-oxide-based absorbents that operate at elevated temperatures have an advantage over absorbents that operate at lower temperatures for CO2 capture from coal power plants. The major limitation of these absorbents is that the carbonation and decarbonation reactions of CaO and CaCO3 are far from complete or reversible. Rapid loss of CO2 capacity over many carbonation/decarbonation cycles is always observed because of severe absorbent sintering. We have found that this sintering effect can be effectively mitigated by properly mixing calcium oxide precursors with small rod-like MgAl2O4 spinel nanoparticles. A new class of CaO-based absorbents with much improved high-temperature durability was developed by wet physical mixing of calcium acetate with nano MgAl2O4 spinel particles followed by high-temperature calcination. CaO−MgAl2O4 (32 wt % spinel content) material provides 34 wt % CO2 capacity after 65 carbonation−decarbonation cycles (650 and 850 °C, respectively), corre...
Depression and stressful environments: identifying gaps in conceptualization and measurement

ABSTRACTBackground and Objectives: Stress is well known as a trigger of depressive reactions, fear, anxiety, and behavioral disorders. However, there are many gaps in the conceptualization and measurement of environmental stress. Results: Exciting developments in the neuroscience of stress have increasingly expanded our knowledge of mechanisms by which stress may affect emotional and behavioral adjustment. Ironically, environmental stress has often been a silent player in human studies of stress processes. There is a significant need for increased efforts to include environmental stress variables in models of internalizing and other disorders. Measurement and conceptualization issues are prominent, and this article makes the case for improved methods of measuring acute, chronic, and early life stress, and for additional conceptualization of the dynamically changing and bidirectional effects of stress on disorder over time. Conclusions: There is a critical need for greater focus on and better measurement o...
Notes on the genus Armillaria.

This very rare agaric occurs in the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio, where it is usually found limited to three or four fruiting bodies at the most. It appears rather late in the year, from October to midNovember. The exact dates on which it has been found during the past twelve years are November 16, 1935; October 14, 1938; October 19, 1941; and September 30, 1945. It has always been found growing on well-decayed and usually well-soaked logs of deciduous trees in a beech-maple-hemlock forest. This species is perfectly illustrated in Icones Farlowianae, pl. 17, as T. decorosum, by specimens whose identity was confirmed by Peck himself. The Ohio material checks almost perfectly with the account in the Icones and so we have limited our comments here
Infections in Early Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Pathogenesis

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) etiology likely involves complex interactions between genetic and environmental stimuli that lead to autoantibody production and chronic inflammation. Infections are considered likely environmental triggers of SLE because certain viruses and bacteria can stimulate the innate immune system, incite the production of autoreactive responses, and alter immune cell activation and regulation. Specifically, decades of research point to Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) contributing to lupus pathogenesis. EBV promotes the development of lupus-associated autoantibodies through molecular mimicry and epitope spreading, and EBV proteins can drive aberrant activation of B cells and cytotoxic T cells by mimicking the functional effects of CD40 and interleukin-10. In individuals who are inherently susceptible to immune dysregulation, such microbe-driven changes can enhance the onset or progression of autoimmune disease. Microbiota may also influence autoimmunity. Finally, some infections may protect against autoimmunity in animal models, highlighting the intricacy of the gene–environment interactions that influence SLE pathogenesis.
Phylogenetic relationships of theJuglandaceae

A cladistic analysis of molecular data from the chloroplast generbcL was used to examine the taxonomic relationships of the walnut family (Juglandaceae). In addition, chemical and morphological data from a previous study byHufford (1992) were incorporated, expanded, and analyzed independently and in combination with the molecular data. The results of these analyses suggest that theJuglandaceae are more closely related to theFagaceae, Betulaceae, Casuarinaceae, andUrticaceae and their relatives (sensuCronquist 1981) than they are to theAnacardiaceae (sensuThorne 1983). However, sequence data fromrbcL also suggest a relationship between the higherHamamelidae and certain families in theRosidae sensuCronquist 1981 (such asRosaceae andRhamnaceae), an outcome which would add credence to the widely accepted view of the polyphyletic nature of theHamamelidae.
Relation of Trigger Factors to Migraine with Aura

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark studied the relation between natural trigger factors and migraine with aura (MA) in 27 patients who reported that bright or flickering light or strenuous exercise would trigger their attacks.
Investigation on abnormal insulator erosion under high flight acceleration load

Based on chemical reaction / two-phase flow coupling, combustion model of aluminum particle was established. By means of turbulence combustion in chemical reaction rate model, internal flow field of aluminized solid propellant rocket motor was numerically investigated under the high acceleration condition. The results show that aluminum particle abnormal accumulation on local position of the chamber and severe chemical exothermic reaction are the main reason resulting in abnormal insulator erosion under the high acceleration condition.
Hypoglossal nerve response to 5-HT3 drugs injected into the XII nucleus and vena cava in the rat.

Systemically administered ondansetron, a 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist, reduces obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) events in the English bulldog. The neural mechanisms through which ondansetron acts are unknown. 5-HT 3 receptor immunoreactivity and mRNA have been detected in the vicinity of upper airway dilator motoneurons (UAWDMn's), suggesting that this receptor may contribute to the state-dependent modulation of UADMn's. To characterize 5-HT 3 receptor activity within a representative UAWD nucleus, we performed acute microinjections of selective 5-HT 3 drugs, 1-(m-Chlorophenyl)-biguanide HCI, an agonist, and ondansetron, an antagonist, into a major population of UADMn's, the hypoglossal nucleus (XII), in anesthetized, paralyzed and mechanically-ventilated rats. The 5-HT 3 -selective drugs neither altered the baseline XII nerve activity nor the excitatory effect of 5-HT microinjected into the XII. In contrast, systemic-administration of ondansetron (3 mg/kg) produced a significant increase in the inspiratory modulation of XII nerve activity (to 195.8%±19.3 of control, p<0.001). Together, these data suggest that 5-HT 3 receptors within the XII nucleus do not mediate 5-HT effects on XII motoneurons, rather antagonism of 5-HT 3 receptors outside the XII nucleus can increase respiratory drive to XII motoneurons. These results highlight the importance of understanding serotonergic effects on respiratory drive outside the UAWD motor nuclei as we search for 5-HT drug therapies for OSDB.
Local and systemic functions of bone fat and its contribution to the energy metabolism - The effect of diabetes and obesity on bone

Osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity are major public health concerns due to their prevalence in economically developed countries. The current estimates and the future prognosis for the occurrence of these diseases in the United States are alarming and indicate that 40% of the population are obese, 20% of elderly individuals are osteoporotic and almost 8% of the population are diabetic. Thus, the economic burden to treat these diseases is very high and it will be rising. New clinical evidence indicates that diabetic patients have increased fracture risk as compared to non-diabetics. In addition, a class of anti-diabetic drugs, thiazolidinediones (TZD), causes bone loss and further increases fracture risk in diabetic individuals. A number of evidence indicates that osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes share several features including genetic predispositions, molecular controls and a common cell progenitor. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARA) transcription factor is a DNA-binding nuclear receptor, which regulates glucose metabolism, energy expenditure, fat development and bone mass. In bone, PPARA controls lineage commitment of multipotential marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) toward bone forming cells (osteoblasts) and fat cells (adipocytes). Specifically, PPARA2 isoform acts as a positive regulator of adipocyte differentiation and a dominant-negative regulator of osteoblast differentiation 1 . PPARA is also expressed in hematopoietic cells and controls osteoclast differentiation 2 . With aging bone
Basic Landscape Analysis

Tangible Landscape allows us to explore the spatial patterns of topographic parameters and their relation to basic surface geometry. We can easily sculpt a physical model of a landscape with our hands changing its topography. With Tangible Landscape we can analyze the topography of a landscape model and how it changes by continually 3D scanning the model and computing DEMs from the scanned point clouds using binning or interpolation. By computing basic topographic parameters, morphometric units, and DEM differencing we can map changes in elevation, slope, and landform as the model is modified. These maps are then projected over the physical model of the landscape so that we have near real-time feedback and can understand the impact of the changes we are making as we make them.
Open information extraction: the second generation

How do we scale information extraction to the massive size and unprecedented heterogeneity of the Web corpus? Beginning in 2003, our KnowItAll project has sought to extract high-quality knowledge from the Web. In 2007, we introduced the Open Information Extraction (Open IE) paradigm which eschews hand-labeled training examples, and avoids domain-specific verbs and nouns, to develop unlexicalized, domain-independent extractors that scale to the Web corpus. Open IE systems have extracted billions of assertions as the basis for both common-sense knowledge and novel question-answering systems. This paper describes the second generation of Open IE systems, which rely on a novel model of how relations and their arguments are expressed in English sentences to double precision/recall compared with previous systems such as TEXTRUNNER and WOE.
Certification Programs for Citrus

Certification programs are important for the long term sustainability of citrus and other crops which are vegetatively propagated. The certification program provides a basic platform for all integrated pest management practices, it is important for the management of insect and fungal pests, and the program ensures that the grower is planting healthy germplasm of the highest horticultural quality. Graft transmissible pathogens without insect vectors are effectively controlled, and graft transmissible pathogens having insect vectors or other means of natural spread can be controlled and their damage minimized. To be effective, a certification program must be mandatory. The components of a certification program include a quarantine program, a clean stock program, and a certification program to provide for distribution of the high quality, virus testes propagating material into the citrus industry for the benefit of the citrus industry as a whole. Sustainability of a certification program and other considerations are summarized. The cost of planting trees healthy trees of the highest genetic potential which originate from a certification program is very small, considering that a healthy citrus planting may outlive the person who plants it.
Emergency Department Pain Management Following Implementation of a Geriatric Hip Fracture Program

Introduction: Over 300,000 patients in the United States sustain low-trauma fragility hip fracturesannually. Multidisciplinary geriatric fracture programs (GFP) including early, multimodal painmanagement reduce morbidity and mortality. Our overall goal was to determine the effects of a GFPon the emergency department (ED) pain management of geriatric fragility hip fractures. Methods: We performed a retrospective study including patients age ≥65 years with fragility hipfractures two years before and two years after the implementation of the GFP. Outcomes were timeto (any) first analgesic, use of acetaminophen and fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) in the ED,and amount of opioid medication administered in the first 24 hours. We used permutation tests toevaluate differences in ED pain management following GFP implementation. Results: We studied 131 patients in the pre-GFP period and 177 patients in the post-GFP period.In the post-GFP period, more patients received FICB (6% vs. 60%; difference 54%, 95% confidenceinterval [CI] 45-63%; p<0.001) and acetaminophen (10% vs. 51%; difference 41%, 95% CI 32-51%;p<0.001) in the ED. Patients in the post-GFP period also had a shorter time to first analgesic (103vs. 93 minutes; p=0.04) and received fewer morphine equivalents in the first 24 hours (15mg vs.10mg, p<0.001) than patients in the pre-GFP period. Conclusion: Implementation of a GFP was associated with improved ED pain management forgeriatric patients with fragility hip fractures. Future studies should evaluate the effects of thesechanges in pain management on longer-term outcomes.
Region and Insurance Plan Type Influence Discharge Disposition After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Evidence From the Privately Insured US Population.

Abstract Background Little is known about regional variation in the use of postacute care services after elective procedures, such as total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA), and how insurance type may influence it. The goal of this study is to assess the influence of region and insurance arrangements on discharge disposition. Methods A representative sample of the privately insured US population with THA or TKA in 2009 or 2010 was obtained from the MarketScan database applying individual-level weights from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict the odds of being discharged to an extended care facility (ECF) compared with being discharged home. The model adjusted for region, insurance plan type, sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and length of stay. Results Large variability was observed in ECF use across the US. Patients in the Northeast were 2.5 times more likely to receive care at an ECF compared with patients in the South (odds ratio [OR] = 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.97-3.19). Enrollees in noncapitated plans such as fee-for-service plans or exclusive provider organizations were less likely to be discharged to an ECF compared with health maintenance organizations/preferred provider organizations with capitation enrollees (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57-0.94; OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34-0.74, respectively). Conclusion Region and private insurance plan arrangements are related to extended care use among THA and TKA patients. Understanding regional variation in discharge disposition provides policy makers with important information as to where to focus new tests of hip and knee procedures such as same day arthroplasty.
The Economics of Property Law

The economic analysis of property has made progress in areas of property closest to contracts and torts, where the assumption that legal rules can be studied in isolation has some plausibility. Property law is a system, and economic analysis can be used to capture the role of traditional notions of things, possession, and ownership. The theme in all of property law is the separation of clusters of resource related activities for treatment in partial isolation of their context. The very treatment of resource-related activities through rights to things serves to chunk together attributes, activities, and duty bearers for wholesale treatment. These modular things of property law emerge from basic possession and accession. The separation of parts of the world for semi-formal treatment extends through sophisticated forms of entity property, asset partitioning, and mixed systems. All these forms of separation promote specialization and investment, but separation comes at the cost of potential strategic behavior: actors will favor parts of the system from which they benefit more, to the detriment of others. To curtail such strategic behavior around the fault lines of the property system, property law uses a variety of exclusion and governance strategies, equitable interventions, and remedies.
High-Pressure Etching

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses high-pressure etching. The high velocity of the electrons relative to the positive ions causes them to travel more rapidly to the electrodes and the containment walls, so that the glow-discharge plasma builds up a positive charge with respect to all of these surfaces until the resulting retarding field for electrons is just enough to reduce the electron loss rate to the level of the positive ion loss rate. The two chief active species in plasma etching are fast ions and chemically active free radicals. Various plasma-etching techniques have evolved that exploit each of these species to a larger or smaller extent depending on gas composition and pressure, electrode configuration, excitation frequency and power, and the location of the wafer whose surface is to be etched. Energetic ions and chemically active neutrals are both important participants in high-pressure plasma etching, as they are in lower-pressure etching. The neutrals are relatively more abundant at higher pressures, often resulting in increased etching rate and chemical selectivity.
High speed trajectory control using an experimental maneuverability model for an insect-scale legged robot

This paper presents an off-board trajectory controller for a range of stride frequencies (2–45 Hz) that enables zero-radius turns and holonomic control on one of the smallest and fastest legged robots, the Harvard Ambulatory MicroRobot (HAMR). An experimental model is used as the basis for control to capture the highly nonlinear response of the robot to input signals. Closed-loop trajectories are performed with an RMS position error at or below 0.3 body lengths (BL) using gaits at speeds up to 6.5 BL/s (29.4 cm/s) for straight-line and sinusoidal trajectories.
Writing what can scarcely be imagined

Michael Richardson grounds his Gestures of testimony in an axiom: ‘Torture should be known, not simply in the abstract – as something that happens over there, to someone else – but as an experience...
Bounded rationality, lifecycle consumption, and Social Security

Abstract This paper explores an overlapping-generations model of bounded rationality in which consumers only foresee the future over a subset of their life span. We focus in particular on whether the model can, in general equilibrium, produce a hump-shaped lifecycle consumption profile with a peak that matches data for the average U.S. consumer. For a simple four-period model, we show that an increasing income profile along with exogenously imposed retirement are sufficient to induce a hump. With no other mechanism that can account for a hump besides bounded rationality, the model best fits the salient features of consumption data with a planning horizon of 20 years, which is well-supported by the behavioral evidence found in surveys on retirement planning. Finally, we show that the age of the consumption peak is robust to the introduction of Social Security, mortality risk, and another species of bounded rationality, quasihyperbolic discounting. Moreover, Social Security can be welfare improving with a short planning horizon. We can calibrate the model to jointly explain the timing of the consumption hump and the optimality of the current Social Security system. With quasihyperbolic discounting instead, we can calibrate the model so the current Social Security system is optimal but we cannot also account for the timing of the consumption hump. If we add quasihyperbolic discounting in addition to a short planning horizon, the present bias has a negligible effect in equilibrium.
The Developing Infant Creates a Curriculum for Statistical Learning

New efforts are using head cameras and eye-trackers worn by infants to capture everyday visual environments from the point of view of the infant learner. From this vantage point, the training sets for statistical learning develop as the sensorimotor abilities of the infant develop, yielding a series of ordered datasets for visual learning that differ in content and structure between timepoints but are highly selective at each timepoint. These changing environments may constitute a developmentally ordered curriculum that optimizes learning across many domains. Future advances in computational models will be necessary to connect the developmentally changing content and statistics of infant experience to the internal machinery that does the learning.
A framework for treating DSM‐5 alternative model for personality disorder features

Despite its demonstrated empirical superiority over the DSM-5 Section 2 categorical model of personality disorders for organizing the features of personality pathology, limitations remain with regard to the translation of the DSM-5 Section 3 alternative model of personality disorders (AMPD) to clinical practice. The goal of this paper is to outline a general and preliminary framework for approaching treatment from the perspective of the AMPD. Specific techniques are discussed for the assessment and treatment of both Criterion A personality dysfunction and Criterion B maladaptive traits. A concise and step-by-step model is presented for clinical decision making with the AMPD, in the hopes of offering clinicians a framework for treating personality pathology and promoting further research on the clinical utility of the AMPD. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A picture description of the boundary map in algebraic K-theory

In this paper we describe the boundary map e: K3(A/J) → K2(A,J) in the algebraic K-theory exact sequence * Open image in new window where K3 is given in terms of Igusa’s “pictures” [2,3,4] and K2(A,J) has the presentation given independently by Keune [5] and Loday [6]. One use of this explicit description of e is in computing some examples of the K3 invariant for π1 DIff (M).
The Ternary Golay Code and 2·M12

We give a brief treatment of the ternary Golay code, which leads to the group 2·M 12, the unique nonsplit perfect central extension of M 12 (2.14). In particular, we prove existence and uniqueness results for the ternary Golay in the same sprit as that of Section 5.
Mean and Eddy Dynamics of the Main Thermocline

This paper reviews and discusses a selection of developments in the theory of the structure of the main thermocline, and the mesoscale eddies that inhabit it. In classical theories, that is theories that assume a steady, near-laminar flow and that are based on the planetary geostrophic equations, the upper thermocline (below the surface mixed layer) is conservative and advectively dominated — that is, the dominant balance in the thermodynamic equation lies in the advective terms, leading to a ventilated thermocline. Below this the internal thermocline is a diffusive transition region, and in the limit of small diffusivity it becomes an internal boundary layer between the ventilated thermocline and the abyss. The thermocline is, typically, baroclinically unstable and this leads to an upper ocean populated by vigorous mesoscale eddies. The eddies are strongest in regions of western boundary currents, ‘mode water’ regions, and in the circumpolar current, and in these regions the eddies significantly affect the structure of the main thermocline. Elsewhere, the structure of the upper (ventilated) thermocline is largely determined by mean-flow advection. Lower in the water column, eddies typically tend to thicken the isostads that form the internal thermocline, leading to a complex three-way balance between mean flow, eddy fluxes and diffusion, suggesting that the internal thermocline may have finite thickness even as diffusivity tends to zero. In the circumpolar current eddies are a dominant effect, and qualitatively change the structure of the stratification.
National survey of attitudes towards pregnancy termination procedures among anaesthesiology residents in the US

Anaesthesiologists are vital to abortion access in the US. An online survey of 215 anaesthesiology residents assessed attitudes towards abortion. Among the surveyed residents, first-trimester abortion was more acceptable than second-trimester abortion (P < 0.001). Few respondents objected to abortion in cases of fetal anomalies or maternal health indications. Further, 77.3% of surveyed residents reported past participation in abortion procedures, including 77.8% of residents with objections to abortion in some circumstances. Anaesthesiology residents who are female, childless and non-religious were more likely to find first-trimester abortion acceptable.
Methods for Tn-Seq Analysis in Acinetobacter baumannii

Transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-seq) is a powerful method for identifying genes required for virtually any growth or survival trait in bacteria. The technology employs next-generation DNA sequencing to identify and quantify the relative abundances of individual transposon mutants within complex pools of such mutants. When applied to pools of thousands to millions of random transposon mutants grown under selective pressure, the technique can rapidly identify, at genome scale, the mutants and corresponding genes negatively or positively selected. This chapter presents core protocols for Tn-seq analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii: generation of a high-saturation random transposon mutant pool, and isolation and sequencing of transposon-genome junctions from such a pool for identifying and quantifying the individual mutants. With these tools, the researcher can address diverse biological questions by carrying out selective growth of a mutant pool followed by Tn-seq analysis to identify genotype-phenotype associations.
No Fear, Just Fun!: Meaningful, Memorable Musicking in Secondary General Music:

Secondary general music is hard to define. For some, this denotes an accelerated version of elementary general music or a decelerated version of a college music appreciation course. Others view thi...
Bessel Models and Applications

Holomorphic Siegel modular forms F correspond to cuspidal automorphic representations \(\pi _F\) of \(\mathrm{GSp}_4({\mathbb A})\) that are not globally generic, i.e., they do not have a global Whittaker model.
Blockchain for Power Grids

Sharing information is an important part of regulating and maintaining efficient and safe power grids. This project’s goal is to develop a way of using blockchain technology to share transaction information among different power grids in a secure, controlled, monitored, and efficient manner. The biggest concern regarding the data is integrity. By leveraging blockchain technology, the data will be reliable and resilient to attacks, such as man-in-the-middle and data spoofing attacks. The Hyperledger Fabric implementation provides a permissioned network in which power grids will act as nodes that maintain ledger information. By using a distributed ledger to validate transactions though the process of consensus, the system can share information in a manner that is more secure and transparent than traditional information sharing systems in which data is less secure and takes longer to validate. The additional layers of security and speed that Hyperledger technology provide help to prevent issues, such as power grid failures, that could stem from the latency or integrity issues involved with traditional methods of validating, processing, and reacting to shared data.
Implications of Tennessee's Opioid Legislation for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome:

Opioid use during pregnancy is on the rise in the United States. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), also known as newborn drug withdrawal, is a public health epidemic. Between 2004 and 2014, Tenne...
Europium concentration effects on the scintillation properties of Cs4SrI6:Eu and Cs4CaI6:Eu single crystals for use in gamma spectroscopy

Abstract Recently discovered scintillators Cs4SrI6:Eu and Cs4CaI6:Eu have shown promising properties for gamma-ray detection in homeland security applications, with
XRF analysis of bronze castings after recasting.

青銅鋳物のXRF分析における試料前処理に,高周波誘導加熱による再溶解-遠心鋳造法を利用した.標準試料と分析試料にこれを適用することにより,両者の間の組織の違いを解消し,検量線法でCu,Sn,Pbの正確な分析結果を得ることができた.亜鉛については再溶解中に一部が揮散し低い分析値を与えるため,再鋳造を行わないほうが良いことが分かった.再溶解条件の最適化を行い,得られた試料の均一性を確認した.
An on-orbit infrared intercalibration reference standard for decadal climate trending of the Earth

The value of operational satellite systems for decadal climate trending can be greatly enhanced by implementing on-orbit transfer standards for testing and improving calibration accuracy. This concept is an important part of the Climate Absolute Radiance and Reflectivity Observatory (CLARREO) mission recommended as a Tier 1 mission in the 2007 Decadal Survey. The Absolute Radiance Interferometer (ARI) was designed to measure absolute spectrally resolved infrared radiance (200 – 2700 cm-1 at 0.5 cm-1) with ultra-high accuracy ( The International Space Station (ISS) would provide an affordable opportunity to demonstrate this new capability. The ISS orbit gives good time of day coverage for latitudes below 52 degrees, and the natural precession of the ISS offers many orbit crossings for radiance intercomparisons with operational satellites in sun-synchronous orbits. Thus, the ARI could serve as an on-orbit reference calibration standard for the operational infrared sounders, and these sounders could in turn be used to create climate benchmark products at all latitudes. In this approach, an ARI mission on the ISS would leverage operational instruments to provide a demonstration of the new climate decadal trending capability offered by spectrally resolved radiances with high accuracy proven on-orbit.
Delaying Gratification: How High School Health Textbooks Portray Marriage and Sex

Abstinence-only-until-marriage ideology continues to be promoted in US high schools as part of sex education, despite its well-documented lack of success at delaying onset of sexual initiation and sexual risk avoidance. As schools are often the single source of formal sex education, it is important to investigate whether students are given proper tools with which to negotiate their sex lives. This study uses a content analysis of nine US high school health textbooks to examine how the textbooks address marriage, reasons for remaining abstinent until marriage, and adult life outside of marriage. Results indicate that the ways in which marriage and abstinence are described are inconsistent with modern realities of adult relationships (e.g., increased age of first marriage, cohabitation, etc.). These findings suggest that the textbooks constitute a failure of pedagogy and a lack of social-scientific accuracy.
The Changing Moral Mirror of Society: from Human to Artifical Intelligent Systems

Management of technology and its development carry along the responsibility and consequences for interactions between Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems (AIS). In spite of all good intentions, the effects and repercussions of conflicts between Human and the systems built with intent to assist Human may be proceeding along the path that will recognize a dismal mistake in judgment. Dreadful and intolerable impositions on Human behavior may arise regardless of how AIS is designed. That is not to say progress should cease, but rather to make the case that intensely determined efforts need to delve into the uses and implications of AIS. Heretofore, only the manifestations of goodwill are energizing research and early uses. This paper proposes and outlines the power of applying Systems Model-Based Thinking (SMBT) to begin outlining the realms of behavior that society could be aware. Open discussion to facilitate general awareness is deemed essential to a fuller participation in a useful and enlightened future with AIS.
Enantiospecific equilibrium adsorption and chemistry of d-/l-proline mixtures on chiral and achiral Cu surfaces

A fundamental understanding of the enantiospecific interactions between chiral adsorbates and understanding of their interactions with chiral surfaces is key to unlocking the origins of enantiospecific surface chemistry. Herein, the adsorption and decomposition of the amino acid proline (Pro) have been studied on the achiral Cu(110) and Cu(111) surfaces and on the chiral Cu(643)RS i.e., adsorption is not enantiospecific. However, exposure to non-racemic mixtures of d-Pro and 1-13 C-l-Pro resulted in amplification of enantiomeric excess on the surface, indicative of homochiral aggregation of adsorbed Pro. During co-adsorption, this amplification is observed even at very low coverages, quite distinct from the behavior of other amino acids, which begin to exhibit homochiral aggregation only after reaching monolayer coverages. The equilibrium adsorption of d-Pro and 1-13 C-l-Pro mixtures on achiral Cu(110) did not display any aggregation, consistent with prior scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observations of dl-Pro/Cu(110). This demonstrates convergence between findings from equilibrium adsorption methods and STM experiments and corroborates formation of a 2D random solid solution.
An experimental investigation of the effectiveness of Ar-CO 2 shielding gas mixture for the wire arc additive process

Wire arc additive manufacturing (AM) is the process by which a large, metallic structure is built layer-by-layer using a welding arc to melt a wire feedstock. A novel opportunity exists to alter the shielding gas composition to fabricate distinct geometrical features without altering the other AM parameters. In the following study, shielding gases with varied concentrations of Argon (Ar) and CO2 was used to deposit three distinct geometric shapes (walls, infill, and overhang) using a wire-based additive manufacturing system utilizing the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) surface tension transfer (STT) process. Computer-aided design (CAD) models were sliced with a custom-built slicer, and the sliced algorithm was converted into optimal robotic toolpaths. A custom virtual instrument (VI) was built in LabVIEW to compare the temperature profiles on the surface during each deposition process. After each deposition, the geometric features were scanned, and the surface waviness value was evaluated. Tensile and Charpy impact coupons were extracted from the wall geometries in the longitudinal and transverse directions and tested. The results indicated that a higher CO2 content produced higher melt pool temperatures to an extent, while lower contents of CO2 resulted in a dimensionally accurate geometry. The data also indicated that the 2%/98% CO2/Ar blend produced scatter in tensile strength and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows significant difference. However, the intermediate range of CO2 (5–10%) resulted in uniform tensile properties. Altogether, these results indicate that a 5%/95% CO2/Ar blend is the ideal shielding gas for lowering process temperatures and improving mechanical properties in wire arc additive manufacturing using the gas metal arc welding surface tension transfer process. Additionally, varying concentrations of Ar/CO2 can be used within the same part in order to modify the local properties or process parameters such as strength, toughness, temperature, or dimensional features. This may improve overall manufacturing quality without sacrificing specific properties.
Gangbangin on the [Face]Book: Understanding Online Interactions of Chicago Latina/o Gangs.

Objectives:This study examines gang group processes on the digital street to understand if gang processes in the online environment mimic those on geographic street corners. Specifically, this pape...
Flexible Dry Electrodes for EMG Acquisition within Lower Extremity Prosthetic Sockets

Acquisition of surface electromyography (sEMG) from a person with an amputated lower extremity (LE) during prosthesis-assisted walking remains a significant challenge due to the dynamic nature of the gait cycle. Current solutions to sEMG-based neural control of active LE prostheses involve a combination of customized electrodes, prosthetic sockets, and liners. These technologies are generally: (i) incompatible with a subject’s existing prosthetic socket and liners; (ii) uncomfortable to use; and (iii) expensive. This paper presents a flexible dry electrode design for sEMG acquisition within LE prosthetic sockets which seeks to address these issues. Design criteria and corresponding design decisions are explained and a proposed flexible electrode prototype is presented. Performances of the proposed electrode and commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes are compared in seated subjects without amputations. Quantitative analyses suggest comparable signal qualities for the proposed novel electrode and commercial electrodes. The proposed electrode is demonstrated in a subject with a unilateral transtibial amputation wearing her own liner, socket, and the portable sEMG processing platform in a preliminary standing and level ground walking study. Qualitative analyses suggest the feasibility of real-time sEMG data collection from load-bearing, ambulatory subjects.
Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Gait Performance, Respiratory Function, and Psychological Variables in Patients Post-Stroke.

Background: Animal-assisted therapy using dogs is being administered to patients post-stroke for the purpose of recovering psychological and physical activity. Objective: This study was conducted to confirm the effect of animal-assisted therapy using dogs on gait performance, pulmonary function, and psychological variables in patients post-stroke. All outcomes were analyzed using two-way repeated-measure analysis. Methods: In total, 30 post-stroke patients were divided into an experimental group (gait training by animal-assisted activity, n = 15) and a control group (gait training, n = 15). Gait performance (cadence, gait speed, stride length, symmetric index), respiratory pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP)), and psychological variables (rehabilitation motivation and depression assessment) were measured before and after eight weeks of intervention. Results: Gait performance, respiratory pulmonary function, and psychological variables significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Based on this study, it was found that animal-assisted therapy using dogs is an effective intervention for recovery of psychological and physical activity in patients post-stroke.