cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symbol acquisition for task-level planning

We consider the problem of how to plan efficiently in low-level, continuous state spaces with temporally abstract actions (or skills), by constructing abstract representations of the problem suitable for task-level planning. The central question this effort poses is which abstract representations are required to express and evaluate plans composed of sequences of skills. We show that classifiers can be used as a symbolic representation system, and that the ability to represent the preconditions and effects of an agent's skills is both necessary and sufficient for task-level planning. The resulting representations allow a reinforcement learning agent to acquire a symbolic representation appropriate for planning from experience.
Discarding Immunity from Service of Process Doctrine

The immunity from service of process doctrine provides that a nonresident cannot be served while going to, attending, or leaving an ongoing judicial proceeding. However, the doctrine evolved while "tag" jurisdiction was in vogue, whereby mere presence in the forum state sufficed, and the nonresident only had to be "tagged" with service to confer jurisdiction on the forum state. This article suggests that modern "minimum contacts" territorial jurisdiction theory more adequately addresses the concerns of efficiency of judicial proceedings and fairness to nonresidents than the immunity from service of process doctrine. The article proposes that the immunity from service of process doctrine is unnecessary and should be discarded, and that the considerations underlying the doctrine should instead be folded into the territorial jurisdiction-as-fairness analysis.
Thermodynamics of Abeta(16-21) Dissociation from an Amyloid Fibril

Here, we study the thermodynamic properties of Aβ16-21 dissociation from an amyloid fibril using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and TIP4P water. An umbrella sampling protocol is used to compute potentials of mean force (PMF) of peptide dissociation at five temperatures as well as changes in enthalpy, entropy and heat capacity upon dissociation. We find that similarly to protein unfolding, Aβ16-21 dissociation is characterized by an unfavorable change in the enthalpy (ΔH>0), a favorable entropic energy (-TΔS 0). The exposure of non-polar residues that are initially buried in the dry core of the fibril and become exposed to water as the peptide dissociates can be associated to the positive change in heat capacity. The increased freedom of the backbone and the loss of native contacts as the peptide dissociates from the fibril can explain the favorable entropy and unfavorable enthalpy, respectively. Furthermore, we characterize dock and lock states of the peptide based on the solvent accessible surface area. We observe that the Lennard-Jones energy of the system increases continuously in lock and dock states as the peptide dissociates. The electrostatic energy in the lock state increases as the peptide dissociates and inter-peptide hydrogen bonds are ruptured while it decreases in the dock state as new peptide-water hydrogen bonds are formed. We also observe that before unbinding from the fibril, the peptide has to overcome an enthalpic barrier of the order of 10 kJmol−1. This barrier is associated to interactions between exposed phenylalanine residues of the fibril and the peptide. Implication of these results to fibril growth will be discussed.
Determination of Fe3+/Fe using the electron microprobe: A calibration for amphiboles

Iron is a common constituent in minerals from the Earth’s crust and upper mantle and often occurs in minerals as mixtures of two valence states, Fe 3+ or Fe 2+ . Quantification of the values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal, where FeTotal = Fe 3+ +Fe 2+ , in minerals may be necessary to accurately apply certain mineral equilibria to determine equilibrium values of important variables such as temperature (T), pressure (P), and oxygen fugacity (ƒO2). Most useful would be an analytical technique that permits determination of values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal within a single mineral grain that is contained within a standard petrographic thin section, and the excellent spatial resolution and relative accessibility of the electron microprobe (EMP) have resulted in various attempts to use this instrument to determine values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal. These efforts have typically involved quantifying characteristics of the FeLα and/or FeLβ peaks. In this paper, we employ the method of Fialin et al. (2001), who have shown that the location of the FeLα peak changes as a function of Fe content and values of Fe 3+ / FeTotal, to determine values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal in amphiboles. We have characterized the FeLα peak in several amphiboles with known values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal using the electron microprobe at Texas A&M University. Initial analyses employed a beam current of 20 nA in an effort to avoid Fe-oxidation due to electron beam generated H-loss (Wagner et al. 2008). Subsequent analyses were conducted at 100 nA, and the results are consistent with the 20 nA data only when relatively short duration analytical times were used. The position of the FeLα peak was determined for three suites of amphiboles that have been experimentally treated such that grains in any one of these mineral suites are chemically identical except for differences in the values of Fe 3+ /FeTotal. A linear relation between the FeLα peak location and value of Fe 3+ /FeTotal was observed for each of these three amphibole suites. These three lines differ from one another in both their slope and intercept and these differences vary as a function of Fe content. Thus, these amphiboles served as the basis for the derivation of a relation between Fe content and FeLα peak location, both measured with the EMP, and the value of Fe 3+ /FeTotal as originally determined with 57 Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy. The relation between the relative peak position (RPP = hematite standard FeLα peak position – amphibole FeLα peak position), Fe content, and Fe 3+ /FeTotal is
Sparing Action of Protein on Pantothenic Acid Requirement of Rat. III. Fibrin as the Protein Component.

SummaryThe sparing action of protein on the pantothenic acid requirement of the rat has been confirmed by using a protein considerably lower in pantothenic acid, washed beef blood fibrin, instead of casein as the protein component of the diet. Despite the accentuation of the pantothenic acid deficiency produced by substituting purified fibrin for casein at the 24% level, doubling the fibrin level resulted in significantly better growth and survival. The differences in growth and survival between the two protein levels in the fibrin-containing diets were more pronounced than those observed for the casein-containing diets. The protective effects of the high fibrin diet indicated also that phosphorus can be eliminated as a possible factor concerned in the sparing action.
Clinical observation on the effect of three laxatives such as Senna in the treatment of bedridden patients with constipation

Objective To study the effect of Senna,Phenolphthalein combined with Cisapride and Glycerine Enema in the treatment of bedridden patients with constipation.Methods According to the sequential method,selected cases were divided into Senna group(60 cases),Phenolphthalein combined with Cisapride group(60 cases) and Glycerine Enema group(60 cases).Stool discharge rate within 12 hours after treatment,first defecation time,defecation frequency,character and weight of stool,blood pressure when defecating,adverse reactions such as hemoproctia,patient acceptance level of all patients in three groups were observed.Results Stool discharge rate within 12 hours after treatment,first defecation time,defecation frequency,character and weight of stool and patient acceptance level of three groups patients showed statistically significant difference(P 0.01,P 0.05).While blood pressure when defecating,adverse reactions such as hemoproctia of three groups patients were not statistically significant(P 0.05).Conclusion The three kinds of laxatives are safe and effective to relieve constipation of bedridden patients,and there are advantages and disadvantages to each laxative.The effect of senna immersion fluid taken orally and glycerine enema clystered is better than phenolphthalein combined with cisapride.
The Slaves' Living Conditions

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the living conditions of the slaves of Cannon's Point. Most of the Cannon's Point slaves spent their lives as field hands, growing the cash and food crops that supported the plantation. Despite the long growing season, the slaves had some leisure time during the daylight hours. Each morning, with the exception of Sundays and holidays, the slave drivers roused the field hands and escorted them to the fields. The drivers assigned the slaves their tasks and inspected their work in the afternoons. The drivers punished any slaves who failed to complete their work. Each driver wore the badge of his office—the cotton planter—a short whip with a heavy handle and a plaited, tapering thong. The threat of the whip was always there. Some tidewater planters eschewed the whip, preferring other modes of punishment such as extra work, reduced rations, or confinement. However, the plantation regime was always based on the threat of coercion. The drivers meting out the punishments were the agents of the planters' authority.
Hematopoietic Defects In ACD/TPP1-Deficient Mice Reveal An Essential Role for the Shelterin Complex In Blood-Forming Stem Cell Homeostasis

Abstract 882 Bone marrow failure syndromes can be caused by loss-of-function mutations in telomerase components. Besides the enzymatic activity of telomerase, telomere maintenance requires the protective function of the shelterin protein complex. This complex consists of six proteins that bind to the telomere and prevent an inappropriate DNA damage response from being elicited by exposed telomeric DNA. Within this complex, TPP1, encoded by the gene Acd , plays a central role in complex organization as it links elements that bind the double-stranded portion of the telomere to those that bind the single-stranded overhang. We report an essential function for the shelterin complex and specifically for TPP1 in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Utilizing adrenocortical dysplasia ( acd ), a spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse mutation causing profoundly hypomorphic Acd expression, we identified phenotypic and functional abnormalities in fetal hematopoietic progenitors. acd mutant Fetal liver HSCs were larger, more granular, and expressed higher levels of the cell surface protein Sca-1, as compared to wild-type counterparts. BrdU incorporation analysis showed an accumulation of Acd-deficient progenitors in the G2M phase of the cell cycle, consistent with G2M arrest. Absolute quantification of fetal liver HSCs revealed a significant reduction in stem cell numbers in acd mutants as compared to control littermates. p53 deficiency rescued the HSC depletion phenotype, but induced a paradoxical exacerbation of the increased progenitor cell size and Sca-1 expression. These findings suggest that p53-dependent and p53-independent elements contribute to the acd HSC phenotype. In competitive repopulation assays, acd HSCs failed to provide tri-lineage hematopoietic reconstitution in lethally irradiated recipients, indicating a profound functional defect. To further study the effects of Acd deficiency in adult HSCs, we generated an Acd allele in which exons 3–8 are flanked by loxP sites, allowing conditional inactivation following Mx1-Cre induction via poly(I:C) administration. Acd inactivation resulted in rapid HSC depletion within 2 weeks after initiation of poly(I:C) injections. To assess whether Acd exerted exclusively cell-autonomous effects in HSCs, we transplanted Acd f/– Mx1-Cre + HSCs into wild-type recipients. Poly(I:C)-mediated Acd inactivation in these bone marrow chimeric mice resulted in rapid HSC loss and failure of tri-lineage hematopoiesis in animals reconstituted with Acd -deficient bone marrow. These data indicate an exquisite cell-autonomous requirement for Acd/TPP1 in adult mouse HSCs. In view of the extremely rapid HSC loss after Acd inactivation, these observations cannot be explained by telomere shortening. Together, our findings represent the first report of an essential role for Acd/TPP1 and the shelterin complex in HSC maintenance and hematopoietic homeostasis, independently of telomerase function. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Religious Women in Early Carolingian Francia: A Study of Manuscript Transmission and Monastic Culture. By Felice Lifshitz. (New York, NY: Fordham University Press, 2014. Pp. xxiv, 349. $55.00.)

The author of this study discovers feminist resistance to misogynistic Carolingian reform in the Guntza and Abirhilt group manuscripts produced in mid‐ and late‐eighth‐century Karlburg and Kitzinge...
‘Sorry, but they don’t want Chinese Americans to participate’: a case study of tracking in an Ivy League Chinese language programme

This study examines a Chinese language programme in an Ivy League institution through the lens of Tracking to re-conceptualise the achievement gap between Chinese heritage language learners (CHLLs) and non-heritage language learners. Like most prestigious universities in the U.S., Chinese language learners in this case study are put on one of two tracks: Chinese heritage or non-heritage. This study reveals that CHLLs obtain a lower level of Chinese language proficiency despite their cultural background and language advantages. Scholars have tended to analyse CHLLs’ academic performance through linguistic or cultural perspectives. Drawing on research studies of tracking systems, this study compares the dual-track system in a Chinese language programme with the tracking system in place at American K-12 schools. This comparison allows for a deeper understanding of how CHLLs’ status as a minority in American language classrooms makes it more difficult for CHLLs to learn Chinese. This study examines the cultural processes and structural forces that shape the learning environment of CHLLs. It focuses on factors that contribute to CHLLs’ academic struggles, including school culture, institutional structures, and individual’s agency, to offer foreign language teachers and scholars new ways of thinking about improving the language proficiencies of heritage language learners.
Behavioral Assessment of the Negative Emotion Aspect of Distress Tolerance: Tolerance to Emotional Images

The current behavioral tasks assessing distress tolerance measure tolerance to frustration and tolerance to physical discomfort, but do not explicitly assess tolerance to negative emotion. We closely evaluated the conceptual distinctions between current behavioral tasks and self-report tasks assessing distress tolerance, and then developed a new behavioral distress tolerance task called the Emotional Image Tolerance (EIT) task. The EIT task retains elements of existing behavioral tasks (e.g., indices of persistence) while augmenting the reliability and content sufficiency of existing measures by including multiple trials, including a variety of negative affect stimuli, and separating overall task persistence from task persistence after onset of distress. In a series of three studies, we found that the EIT correlated with extant behavioral measures of distress tolerance, the computerized mirror-tracing task and a physical cold pressor task. Across all of the studies, we also evaluated whether the EIT correlated with self-report measures of distress tolerance and measures of psychopathology (e.g., depression, anxiety, and binge eating). Implications for the refinement of the distress tolerance construct are discussed.
The role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in staging and restaging primary bone lymphoma.

Purpose Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is one of the rarest primary bone malignancies. Very limited data are available on the role of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/CT in PBL. Patients and methods Overall, 16 relevant patients had F-FDG PET/CT for staging or staging/restaging PBL. The cases with extraskeletal lesions such as lymphadenopathy or with osseous involvements in disseminated lymphoma were excluded on the basis of the definition of PBL. F-FDG PET/CT findings were correlated to pathologic and/or anatomic image information. Results F-FDG PET/CT was positive with markedly increased uptake in all known PBL lesions, with a sensitivity of 100%. In 15 of 16 (93.8%) cases, the bone lesions infiltrated the adjacent soft tissue with visible soft tissue components. Except for known primary bone lesion, F-FDG PET/CT showed additional 24 bone lesions in seven patients, which accounted for 44% of all cases. With maximum standardized uptake value of 2.5 as a cutoff for differentiating residual lymphoma from metabolically inactive disease on restaging scan, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of F-FDG PET/CT for PBL were 100% (4/4), 75% (9/12), 57% (4/7), and 100% (9/9), respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of restaging F-FDG PET/CT was 81% (13/16). Two of three false-positive scans were because of post-therapeutic osteonecrosis. Conclusion F-FDG PET/CT is sensitive for showing PBL that is typically highly F-FDG avid and has the ability to depict extraskeletal soft tissue involvement and additional bone lesions on staging. More importantly, F-FDG PET/CT may accurately and reliably evaluate therapeutic response with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value. However, false-positive F-FDG uptake poses a concern on restaging PET/CT. Post-therapeutic osteonecrosis is a potential source of false-positive findings on F-FDG PET/CT.
Utilizing Probabilistic Downscaling Methods to Develop Streamflow Forecasts from Climate Forecasts

AbstractStatistical information from ensembles of climate forecasts can be utilized in improving the streamflow predictions by using different downscaling methods. This study investigates the use of multinomial logistic regression (MLR) in downscaling large-scale ensemble climate forecasts into basin-scale probabilistic streamflow forecasts of categorical events over major river basins across the U.S. Sun Belt. The performance of MLR is then compared with the categorical forecasts estimated from the traditional approach, principal component regression (PCR). Results from both cross validation and split sampling reveal that in general, the probabilistic categorical forecasts from the MLR model have more accuracy and exhibit higher rank probability skill score (RPSS) compared to the PCR probabilistic forecasts. MLR forecasts are also more skillful than PCR forecasts during the winter season as well as for basins that exhibit high interannual variability in streamflows. The role of ensemble size of precipita...
The importance of frequent return visits and hypertension control among US young adults: a multidisciplinary group practice observational study

Young adults (aged 18 to 39 years) have the lowest hypertension control rates compared with older adults. Shorter follow-up encounter intervals are associated with faster hypertension control rates in older adults; however, optimal intervals are unknown for young adults. The study objective was to evaluate the relationship between ambulatory blood pressure encounter intervals (average number of provider visits with blood pressures over time) and hypertension control rates among young adults with incident hypertension. A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients aged 18 to 39 years (n = 2990) with incident hypertension using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards analyses over 24 months. Shorter encounter intervals were associated with higher hypertension control: 6 months (13%). Young adults with shorter encounter intervals also had lower medication initiation, supporting the effectiveness of lifestyle modifications. Sustainable interventions for timely young adult follow-up are essential to improve hypertension control in this hard-to-reach population.
Abstract 030: Angiotensin II-induced Hypertension and Cardiac Hypertrophy are Mediated Differentially by TLR3- and TLR4-dependent Pathways

The innate immune system plays a key role in onset and maintenance of hypertension. We showed that the toll-like receptor (TLR) adaptor protein TRIF (toll interleukin receptor domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon-b), but not MyD88 (myeloid differentiation 88), is required for angiotensin II (Ang II) induced hypertension in mice. TRIF transduces signals from TLR3 and TLR4, to induce inflammatory gene expression. In this study, we sought to determine which TLR is responsible for TRIF-mediated hypertensive effects of Ang II. We used a TLR4 deficient mice (TLR4-del) that have TLR4 gene deleted and the wild type (WT) control strain (C57BL/10). We also used a TLR3-knockout mice (TLR3ko) that have the exon 1 of the Tlr3 gene deleted. Saline or Ang II (1000 ng/kg/min) was infused subcutaneously for 3 weeks using mini-osmotic pumps and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured by tail cuff. Ang II increased peak SBP in WT (from 108 ± 1.3 mmHg to 136.0 ± 12.7 mmHg, n= 3) and TLR4-del (from 115.6 ± 2.7 mmHg to 154.4 ± 3.3 mmHg, n=3) mice. In contrast, peak SBP was not increased significantly with Ang II infusion in TLR3ko mice (from 111.3 ± 4.5 to 122.2 ± 18.6 mmHg, n=6) nor was it increased in WT mice after selective inhibition of TLR3 signaling with CU CPT 4a. Thus, the TLR3/TRIF, but not TLR4, pathway is essential for Ang II hypertension. In parallel with the pressure responses to Ang II, renal expression of Nox4 was significantly decreased in TLR3ko mice but was unchanged in TLR4-del and WT mice. In contrast to Ang II-induced hypertension, AngII-induced cardiac hypertrophy, measured as heart weight to body weight ratio, after 3 weeks of Ang II infusion was reduced in both TLR4-del (5.38 ± 0.19 mg/g) and TLR3ko (4.99 ± 0.15 mg/g) compared to WT (7.14 ± 0.49 mg/g). Thus, cardiac hypertrophy is abrogated in TLR4-del despite a robust pressor response to Ang II. The cardiac pro-inflammatory gene expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha ( Tnfa ), NADPH oxidase 4 ( Nox4 ), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 ( Mmp9 ) was increased in WT heart but attenuated in both TLR4-del and TLR3ko hearts. The results indicate a selective dependence of Ang II hypertension on TLR3/TRIF pathway whereas Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy depends on both TLR3 and TLR4, likely through the common TRIF adaptor protein.
Nutrition and Bioavailability: Sense and Nonsense of Nutrition Labeling

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the nutrition and bioavailability with respect to nutrition labeling. Nutrition labels are intended to educate consumers regarding the extent of salt, sugar, fat, cholesterol, minerals, some vitamins, and protein in processed foods. The intent is that people use and understand the information in the Nutrition Facts Panel to assist them in making decisions about their dietary choices to reduce the risk for chronic diseases such as some types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It is crucial that nutrition labeling is combined with education on healthy lifestyles, including clear advice about the contribution that all foods make to a healthy diet and the importance of physical activity. A common framework of nutrition labeling, complete with bioavailability information, contributes to products being sold more competitively worldwide. Harmonization makes a positive contribution to global movements of foods and helps to minimize the exploitation of different national labeling regulations.
The Outward Mind: Materialist Aesthetics in Victorian Science and Literature

In his 1858 lecture “The Deteriorative Power of Conventional Art Over Nations,” John Ruskin objected to the “barbarism” of an “utterly dead” school of design that willfully closed its eyes to “natu...
Role of Software Defined Radio in Wireless Access to the Internet

The convergence of the Internet and Cellular networks will result in a new high speed, packet switched, IP based wireless network. We examine some of the technical issues associated with such a system. Smart antenna based media access protocols, better scheduling algorithms in interference limited environments and a micromobility protocol are presented. The role of software radio in expanded beyond the air interface to enable these new technologies.
Decision-Making Task Complexity: Model Development and Initial Testing

Preparing skilled decision-makers requires an understanding of the decision-making tasks nurses face. This article presents the development and initial testing of a model of decision-making task complexity in nursing. The Decision-Making Task Complexity Model has its roots in Newell and Simon's (1972) Information Processing Theory. The Model includes two components, content and context, along with five characteristics in each component. The content component of the model was initially tested using a single sample repeated measures design. Case study examples of a weaning task in critical care were developed to include all combinations of the four independent variables: irrelevance, ambiguity, conflict, and change. Forty-one registered critical care nurses rated each case study example on a scale from 1 (least complex) to 7 (most complex). Results indicated that when conflict was manipulated the ratings were consistently higher. Implications for nursing education and the development of decision-making skills are described.
Findings and Conclusions

We now turn to a comparison of the seven cases presented in Part Two in order to identify contextual factors and conditions that influence the outcome of a government’s efforts to employ the strategy of coercive diplomacy. By doing so, we formulate essential generic knowledge about the strategy to supplement the general abstract model described earlier.
Conductor Expressivity Affects Evaluation of Rehearsal Instruction

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of conductor expressivity on the evaluation of rehearsal instruction. We video recorded two conductors in rehearsal with a university band. We ex...
The Precocious Period: The Impact of Early Menarche on Schooling in India

This paper studies the impact of early onset of menstruation on school enrollment in India, where the onset of menstruation (menarche) has immense socio-cultural importance, and menarche marks a child's transition into womanhood. Estimates based on a difference-in-differences model show that starting menses before age twelve decreases school enrollment by 13\%. While understanding the role of menarche, a universal biological event for all women, in determining education is a critical end in itself, it also has implications for the effect of early nutrition on girls' well-being. Better-nourished girls typically reach menarche earlier, and if menarche impedes schooling, their gains due to better nutrition may be undercut. The effect of menarche on school enrollment is stronger if girls live in communities where the perceived safety among children is low or if they belong to social groups with restrictive gender norms. Conversely, dropout rates are lower in communities with higher expected wages for female-dominated professions. Jointly, these findings suggest that the interaction between cultural norms and the local economic opportunities shapes female education decisions in response to menses.
Initialize once, start fast: application initialization at build time

Arbitrary program extension at run time in language-based VMs, e.g., Java's dynamic class loading, comes at a startup cost: high memory footprint and slow warmup. Cloud computing amplifies the startup overhead. Microservices and serverless cloud functions lead to small, self-contained applications that are started often. Slow startup and high memory footprint directly affect the cloud hosting costs, and slow startup can also break service-level agreements. Many applications are limited to a prescribed set of pre-tested classes, i.e., use a closed-world assumption at deployment time. For such Java applications, GraalVM Native Image offers fast startup and stable performance. GraalVM Native Image uses a novel iterative application of points-to analysis and heap snapshotting, followed by ahead-of-time compilation with an optimizing compiler. Initialization code can run at build time, i.e., executables can be tailored to a particular application configuration. Execution at run time starts with a pre-populated heap, leveraging copy-on-write memory sharing. We show that this approach improves the startup performance by up to two orders of magnitude compared to the Java HotSpot VM, while preserving peak performance. This allows Java applications to have a better startup performance than Go applications and the V8 JavaScript VM.
Best Practices: Training, Presentations & Support Materials

Presentations offer an opportunity for us to educate or persuade an audience about a given subject. For many, it is the dreaded quarterly report. For others it is building a case for why our company (or client) should invest in a product, service or concept. Or, maybe the presentation takes the form of electrical safety training and education. Regardless the focus of the presentation, there are some best practices when creating presentations and the support materials that can make them more engaging, more memorable, more impactful.Following the author’s paper, Best Practices for Safety Labels & Signage [1], from the 2019 IEEE-IAS Electrical Safety Workshop, many of the audience questions and comments focused on how the sign and label best practices related to designing training slide decks and support materials. There are, indeed, many best practices that are common between the two mediums. However, in the author’s opinion, there are several critical practices that are unique to designing and delivering effective presentations and training.By comparing ANSI/ASSE Z490.1-2009 (Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training), to best practices from Dale Carnegie, and from Garr Reynolds’ Presentation Zen, this paper will seek to provide the reader with practical, actionable ways to create more impactful, memorable presentations, trainings and support materials.For purposes of this paper we will only concentrate on classroom slide-deck presentations. Note that for effective safety education, classroom instruction is but one aspect of training and should be used in concert with effective hands-on and on-the-job training.
Effects of ozone on n-heptane low temperature chemistry and premixed cool flames

Abstract Ozone (O3) has been shown to accelerate low and high temperature chemistry and is a promising strategy to effectively enhance and control combustion and ignition processes, such as for engines. There has, however, been a lack of experimental investigation of O3 enhancement effects on low temperature chemistry and premixed cool flames. This study undertook a detailed experimental and numerical assessment of O3 enhancement effects on ignition behavior, propagation speeds, flame temperatures, and CH2O production of n-heptane cool flames as functions of O3 addition. Zero-dimensional simulations were used to gain insights into the effects of O3 on two-stage ignition behavior and gradual suppression of NTC phenomena. Propagation speeds of O3-enhanced cool flames were experimentally determined using a flame lift-off technique, and one-dimensional simulations utilizing several full and reduced mechanisms were performed for comparison. Enhancement by O3 versus enhancement by preheating were experimentally compared and analyzed to evaluate relative effectiveness of these enhancement strategies. Finally, downstream temperature measurements and formaldehyde planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging (CH2O PLIF) were performed at different O3 enhancement levels to further elucidate O3 impacts, and numerical simulations were performed to support experimental insights. Results of this study reveal O3 impacts on low temperature kinetics and resulting impacts on low temperature ignition and cool flames.
Does Faculty Experience Count? A Quantitative Analysis of Evidence-Based Testing Practices in Baccalaureate Nursing Education.

AIM This study explored evidence-based testing practices of nurse faculty teaching in baccalaureate programs. BACKGROUND Faculty-developed examinations are important for determining progression in nursing programs. Little is known about faculty who implement such practices most often. METHOD A causal comparative study with a convenience sample of 177 was used to answer the research question. Participants were grouped according to level of teaching experience based on Benner's novice to expert theory. Individual/group means were calculated for the best practices in test development survey; one-way analysis of variance was used to identify significant differences between groups. RESULTS Expert faculty had higher overall mean scores than the other four groups, with significantly higher scores than both the advanced beginner (p = .007) and proficient (p = .020) groups. CONCLUSION Faculty with more experience seem to implement evidence-based testing practices most often. This information can be used to guide faculty development and peer-mentoring initiatives within nursing programs.
Screening level intake estimates of low and no-calorie sweeteners in Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

As obesity rates increase, several countries in Latin America have implemented strategies to curb the consumption of sugars, resulting in reformulations of products with low and no-calorie sweetene...
Google Glass: Integrating Ultrasound with Anatomy

Google Glass is wearable technology that can supplement instruction for procedures and skills. Google Glass was used to create online instructional modules to conduct ultrasound scans of the hepatobiliary system. Ultrasound imaging is an important tool for physicians at the point of care that requires a working knowledge and understanding of anatomy. TTUHSC/SOM incorporates ultrasound in undergraduate medical education, integrating these skills with anatomical dissections to provide a method of visualizing anatomy in a clinical context. Ultrasound sessions were integrated with dissection sessions of the wrist, neck and liver. These exercises were assessed with five point pre- and post-tests for each session and average student performance increased (p<0.0001) from pre- to post-test; wrist (2.71/4.20), neck (3.20/4.73), and liver (2.89/4.45). Student opinion was assessed by survey on a five-point Likert scale. Improved understanding of anatomy scored 3.52 and students rated the Google Glass modules signifi...
Sense, plan, triple jump

In the field of human-robot interaction, collaborative and/or adversarial game play can be used as a testbed to evaluate theories and hypotheses in areas such as resolving problems with another agent's work and turn-taking etiquette. It is often the case that such interactions are encumbered by constraints made to allow the robot to function. This may affect interactions by impeding a participant's generalization of their interaction with the robot to similar previous interactions they have had with people. We present a checkers playing system that, with minimal constraints, can play checkers with a human, even crowning the human's kings by placing a piece atop the appropriate checker. Our board and pieces were purchased online, and only required the addition of colored stickers on the checkers to contrast them with the board. This paper describes our system design and evaluates its performance and accuracy by playing games with twelve human players.
Wave-Ice and Air-Ice-Ocean Interaction During the Chukchi Sea Ice Edge Advance

Abstract : Ocean Heat: In the new Arctic summer ice regime, with extended open water periods in areas previously covered with sea ice, ocean heat, received during these summer ice-free periods, may be either confined to the surface mixed layer or enter deeper ocean waters. Our goal is to determine the amount and disposition of ocean heat received and determine whether it is exhausted during fall freeze-up and affects only initial ice growth or, remains in the ocean and has residual effects on ice growth during winter and spring. Sea State Regime: Large expanses of ice-free water in the Chukchi Sea in the late summer have potentially changed the impact of fall storms by creating wave fields in the vicinity of the advancing ice edge. A goal is to determine if larger amounts of frazil ice and increased turbulence levels in the water column result, leading to significant increases in pancake ice formation and higher incorporation of sediment into pack ice in the continental shelf regions.
CONVERSION OF PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND TO NONAGRICULTURAL USES IN ONE AREA OF THE SUNBELT

In general, people are aware of the rapid growth of urban areas, the spread of suburban developments, urban sprawl, strip developments, and extensive highway systems, but they are seldom aware of the extent to which prime agricultural land has been, and is being, diverted to these and other nonagricultural uses.
Decadal-scale aspen changes: evidence in remote sensing and tree ring data

Question: (1) Which remote sensing classification most successfully identify aspen using multitemporal Landsat 5 TM images and airborne lidar data? (2) How has aspen distribution changed in southwestern Idaho? (3) Are topographic variables and conifer encroachment correlated with aspen changes? Location: Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in southwestern Idaho, USA. Methods: Multi-temporal Landsat 5 TM and lidar data were used individually and fused together. The best classification model was compared with a 1965 aspen map and tree ring data. Conifer encroachment was examined via image-based change detection and field mapping. Lidar-derived topographic variables were correlated with aspen change patterns using quantile regression models. Results: The best Landsat 5 TM classification was a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)-based approach with 92% overall accuracy. The lidar classification of tree presence/absence performed with 100% overall accuracy. Fusing the lidar classification with various Landsat 5 TM classifications improved overall accuracies 3 to 6%. Among the fusion models, the NDVI-lidar fusion performed best with 96% overall accuracy. Change detection indicated 69% decline in aspen cover, but 179% increase in aspen cover in other areas of the watershed. Conifers have completely replaced 17% of the aspen, while 93% of the remaining aspen stands have young Douglas-fir and western juniper trees underneath the aspen canopy. Aspen significantly decreased (P-values <0.05) with increasing elevation (up to 2150 m) and decreasing slope. Conclusions: Landsat 5 TM data used with a NDVI-based approach provide an accurate method to classify aspen distribution. Landsat 5 TM classifications can be further improved via fusion with lidar data. Aspen change patterns are spatially variable: while aspen is drastically declining in some parts of this watershed, aspen is increasing in other areas.
Synecdoche and Surprise: Transdisciplinary Knowledge Production

Using contemporary insights from feminist critical theory and the literary image of synecdoche, we argue that transdisciplinary knowledge is productive because it “maximizes serendipity.” We draw on student learning experiences in a course on Gender and Science to illustrate how the dichotomous frameworks and part-whole correspondences that are predominant in much disciplinary discourse must be dismantled ifor innovative intellectual work to take place. In such a process, disciplinary presumptions interrogate and unsettle one another to produce novel questions and answers.
Acerca de nación, raza y etnicidad en América Latina en los siglos XIX y XX

Bibliographic outline of the following book: APPELBAUM, Nancy P. , Anne S. Macpherson and Karin A. Rosemblatt (Eds.) (2003). Race and Nation in Modern Latin America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 329 pp.
SOCIAL ASPECTS OF MENSTRUATION RELATED PRACTICES IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS OF DISTRICT DEHRADUN

Context: Menstrual hygiene is an issue that every girl and woman has to deal with in her life, but there is lack of awareness on the process of menstruation. The taboos surrounding this issue in the society prevent girls and women from articulating their menstrual needs. It is now becoming increasingly recognized that the social and cultural significance of menstruation interacts with the physiological process to produce culturally determined norms and practices. Settings and Design: Cross-Sectional conducted in two randomly selected Inter colleges (one rural and one urban) of district Dehradun of Uttarakhand state.Methods and Material: 453 girls studying in 9th to 12th grades were interviewed by using a prestructured and pretested questionnaire regarding various aspects of menstruation process.Statistical analysis used: percentages and Chi-square testResults: Most of the girls faced one or the other kind of social and / or religious restriction during their menstrual periods. Maximum restriction was observed in going to the temple (87.4 %) followed by prohibition in touching pickles (48.6 %). These restrictions were equally reported by the urban and rural girls.Conclusions: Girls should be made aware regarding physiological basis of menstruation and a change in beliefs and attitudes need to be attained to ensure optimal behaviour and thereby prompting of a healthy menstrual life styles and practices.
Direct observation of reduction of PdO to Pd metal by in situ electron microscopy

We have made direct in situ observations of the reduction of small particles of PdO to Pd metal using electron microscopy. We find that the reduction at low temperature (
Temperature coefficient of resistance of piezoresistors

A simple method to accurately model the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of ion-implanted piezoresistors in silicon is presented. The model takes into account effects of piezoresistor compensation up to an impurity concentration of 10/sup 20/ atoms/cm/sup 2/. >
Safety and Economic Assessment of Converting Two-Way Stop-Controlled Intersections to Roundabouts on High Speed Rural Highways

This research addressed two questions: “Are roundabouts on rural high-speed roadways safer than two-way stop controlled (TWSC) intersections?” and “What economic benefits can be expected from converting TWSC intersections to roundabouts in terms of safety improvement?” Crash and traffic data on four TWSC intersections that were converted to roundabouts in Kansas were analyzed using the empirical Bayes before-after evaluation method and crash costs were applied to evaluate economic benefits. Analysis showed that fatal, non-fatal, and property-damage-only crashes were reduced by 100%, 76.47%, and 35.49%, respectively. The annual monetary value from this reduction was between $1.0—$1.6 million in 2014 dollars.
System design considerations for FPGA synthesis

This article provides an overview of some of the system level considerations when designing with FPGA/CPLD devices. The tools supporting these types of designs vary widely in the features that have a significant impact on the time and effort it takes to complete a design. With flexibility as the key, you should ensure your tools support a "top-down design" approach, have mixed mode (language and schematic) entry, and are integrated into a tool which can provide timing simulation and board layout. Finally, you should realize that CPLD devices now have a unique combination of speed and density that can potentially be used in areas where only FPGAs were considered viable. >
Computations and experiments for a multiple normal shock/boundary-layer interaction

Results from a numerical investigation of a Mach 1.61 multiple normal shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction are compared to wall static pressure and laser Doppler velocimeter measurements. The computations used the explicit, time-dependent, second-order accurate MacCormack scheme to solve the mass-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Turbulence was modeled by means of the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic model and the Wilcox-Rubesin two-equation model. The computation with the Wilcox-Rubesin model was able to capture the major features of the normal shock train and accurately predicted the flow reacceleration mechanisms which occur between shocks. However, this computation failed to accurately predict the level of flow separation under the first shock. The Baldwin-Lomax computation displayed a more limited ability to capture the features of this shock train flow.
Process & design impact on BV DSS stability of a shielded gate trench power MOSFET

This paper discusses the breakdown voltage (BV DSS ) characteristics of an n-channel charge balanced shielded gate trench power MOSFET. The study emphasizes on elements that affect the BV DSS stability of such devices to gain good control on design and process/device parameters in order to produce a robust product. Breakdown voltage (BV DSS ) walk-in or walk-out can be observed when certain process (e.g., epi doping concentration) and design layout (e.g., termination) conditions are not in coherence.
Distributed Recursive Least-Squares: Stability and Performance Analysis

The recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm has well-documented merits for reducing complexity and storage requirements, when it comes to online estimation of stationary signals as well as for tracking slowly-varying nonstationary processes. In this paper, a distributed recursive least-squares (D-RLS) algorithm is developed for cooperative estimation using ad hoc wireless sensor networks. Distributed iterations are obtained by minimizing a separable reformulation of the exponentially-weighted least-squares cost, using the alternating-minimization algorithm. Sensors carry out reduced-complexity tasks locally, and exchange messages with one-hop neighbors to consent on the network-wide estimates adaptively. A steady-state mean-square error (MSE) performance analysis of D-RLS is conducted, by studying a stochastically-driven `averaged' system that approximates the D-RLS dynamics asymptotically in time. For sensor observations that are linearly related to the time-invariant parameter vector sought, the simplifying independence setting assumptions facilitate deriving accurate closed-form expressions for the MSE steady-state values. The problems of mean- and MSE-sense stability of D-RLS are also investigated, and easily-checkable sufficient conditions are derived under which a steady-state is attained. Without resorting to diminishing step-sizes which compromise the tracking ability of D-RLS, stability ensures that per sensor estimates hover inside a ball of finite radius centered at the true parameter vector, with high-probability, even when inter-sensor communication links are noisy. Interestingly, computer simulations demonstrate that the theoretical findings are accurate also in the pragmatic settings whereby sensors acquire temporally-correlated data.
Observation of Single Pion Production by a Weak Neutral Current

In exposures of the Argonne National Laboratory 12-ft bubble chamber filled with hydrogen and deuterium to a neutrino beam, we have observed events consisting of (1) a single ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ meson originating in the liquid, and (2) a proton with an ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ pair pointing to it. Only a small fraction of these events can be ascribed to known reactions such as $\mathrm{np}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{nn}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and $\mathrm{np}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{np}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$. The remaining events, which correspond to a signal of about 4.5 standard deviations, we ascribe to the reactions $\ensuremath{\nu}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}n{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and $\ensuremath{\nu}p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$.