cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
National Foreign Language Policy: A State Language Coordinator's Perspective

This article provides an overview of the implementation of K-12 world languages programs in NewJersey from 1995 to 2005 and a rationale for why national and state policies are critical to systemic reform in language education. Standards-based reform in NewJersey emerged from the efforts of panels of educators, representatives from business and government sectors, and national experts who, over a 3-year period (19921995), developed a new framework for language education. The framework included the study of world languages in Grades K-12 and the unprecedented alignment of standards, instruction, and statewide assessment. The adoption of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for World Languages (1996) placed two major demands on school districts and language educators: (a) to devote sufficient instructional time and to cre-
High-performance remote data access for remote visualization

Visualization of remote data needs software that is fundamentally designed for distributed processing and high-speed networks. Motivated by and following the requirements of a distributed visualization application, this article describes the design and implementation of a fast and configurable remote data access system called eavivdata. Because wide-area networks may have a high latency, the remote data access system uses an architecture that effectively hides latency. Four remote data access architectures are analyzed and the results show that an architecture that combines bulk and pipeline processing is the best solution for high-throughput remote data access. The resulting system, also supporting high-speed transport protocols and configurable remote operations, is up to 400 times faster than a comparable existing remote data access system.
The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered: Cultural Power

Recent technological change and the economic upheaval it has produced are coded by social meanings. Cultural codes not only trigger technological and economic changes, but also provide pathways to control them, allowing the democratic practices of independent journalism to be sustained in new forms. Even as they successfully defend their professional ethics, however, journalists experience them as vulnerable to subversion in the face of technological and economic change. Indeed, independent journalists and the social groups who support them often feel as if they are losing the struggle for autonomy. Just as current anxieties have been triggered by computerization and digital news, so were earlier crises of journalism linked to technological shifts that demanded new forms of economic organization. Digital production has created extraordinary organizational upheaval and economic strain. At the same time, critical confrontations with digital production have triggered innovative organizational forms that allow new technologies to sustain, rather than undermine, the democratic culture and institution of news production. If news producers are making efforts to adapt professional journalism to the digital age while maintaining journalistic civil values, there are parallel adaptations from the digital side: digital journalism becoming more like professional journalism.
Iterative phase unwrapping for phase-interferometric moving target detection in SAR

In an interferometric phase SAR image, all points on the ground nominally appear as a continuum of phase differences while the moving targets appear as discontinuities. The authors have previously shown that it is possible to detect moving targets in the SAR by detecting such phase anomalies.
Reliability-Based Design Using Two-Stage Stochastic Optimization with a Treatment of Model Prediction Errors

Design problems that involve optimization of the reliability of engineering systems are the focus of this paper. Methodologies are discussed applicable to problems that involve nonlinear systems and a large number of uncertain parameters specifying the system and excitation models. To address the complexity of these problems, stochastic simulation is considered for evaluation of the system reliability. An innovative approach, called stochastic subset optimization (SSO), is discussed for performing a sensitivity analysis with respect to the design variables of the problem as well as the uncertain model parameters. In a small number of iterations, SSO converges to a smaller subset of the original design space that has high plausibility of containing the optimal design variables and that consists of near-optimal designs. For higher accuracy, an appropriate stochastic optimization algorithm may then be used to pinpoint the optimal design variables within this subset. This produces an efficient two-stage framework for optimal reliability design. Topics related to the combination of the two different stages for overall enhanced efficiency are discussed. An example is presented that illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed two-stage methodology for a challenging dynamic reliability problem. Also, a study is performed of the influence on the optimal design decisions of the prediction error of the system model, which is introduced because no model makes perfect predictions of the system response.
Faster algorithms for the construction of parameterized suffix trees

Parameterized strings were introduced by Baker to solve the problem of identifying blocks of code that get duplicated in a large software system. Parameter symbols capture the notion of code identity while permitting renaming of variables. The code duplication problem was solved by first constructing a generalized suffix tree for the corresponding parameterized strings. The fastest known generalized suffix tree algorithm has an O(n.
Discrete dynamic programming for optimized path planning of flexible robots

An optimized path-planning approach is presented for flexible dynamic systems. Feedforward command profiles are determined for rest-to-rest large angle maneuvers that keep vibrations to a minimum. The performance index included both minimum energy and minimum time optimization problems. The feedfoward command profiles were generated by solving a discrete-time optimal control problem via discrete dynamic programming (DDP). A simple planar two-link flexible robot arm was utilized to demonstrate the DDP path-planning scheme. Numerical simulation results included: 1) minimum effort, 2) minimum effort with bounds, 3) minimum time, and 4) minimum torque-rate or power, respectively. The DDP approach demonstrated an effective alternative for numerical optimization, to generate optimal feedforward trajectory profiles.
BEACH family of proteins: phylogenetic and functional analysis of six Dictyostelium BEACH proteins.

The beige and Chediak-Higashi syndrome (BEACH)-domain containing proteins constitute a new family of proteins found in all eukaryotes. The function of these proteins, which include the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) protein, Neurobeachin, LvsA, and FAN, is still poorly understood. To understand the diversity of this novel protein family, we analyzed a large array of BEACH-family protein sequences from several organisms. Comparison of all these sequences suggests that they can be classified into five distinct groups that may represent five distinct functional classes. In Dictyostelium we identified six proteins in this family, named LvsA-F, that belong to four of those classes. To test the function of these proteins in Dictyostelium we created disruption mutants in each of the lvs genes. Phenotypic analyses of these mutants indicate that LvsA is required for cytokinesis and osmoregulation and LvsB functions in lysosomal traffic. The LvsC-F proteins are not required for these or other processes such as growth and development. These results strongly support the concept that BEACH proteins from different classes have distinct cellular functions. Having six distinct BEACH proteins, Dictyostelium should be an excellent model system to dissect the molecular function of this interesting family of proteins.
Recruitment of the protein tyrosine phosphatase CSW by DOS is an essential step during signaling by the Sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase

The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain-containing protein Daughter of Sevenless (DOS) is an essential component of the Sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase (SEV) signaling cascade, which specifies R7 photoreceptor development in the Drosophila eye. Previous results have suggested that DOS becomes tyrosine phosphorylated during SEV signaling and collaborates with the protein tyrosine phosphatase CSW. We have investigated this possibility by identifying tyrosine residues 801 and 854 of DOS as the phosphorylated binding sites for the CSW SH2 domains. We show that these sites become phosphorylated in response to SEV activation and that phosphorylation of both sites is required to allow CSW to bind DOS. Mutant DOS proteins in which either Y801 or Y854 of DOS has been changed to phenylalanine are unable to function during signaling by SEV and other receptor tyrosine kinases. In contrast, we find that a mutant DOS protein in which all tyrosine phosphorylation sites except Y801 and Y854 have been removed is able effectively to provide DOS function during SEV signaling and to rescue the lethality associated with dos loss-of-function mutations. These results indicate that a primary role for DOS during signaling by SEV and other receptor tyrosine kinases is to become phosphorylated at Y801 and Y854 and then recruit CSW.
Multimorbidity and access to major cancer surgery at high-volume hospitals in a regionalized era.

Abstract Background The Institute of Medicine has recently prioritized access of quality cancer care to vulnerable persons including multimorbid patients. Despite promotional efforts to regionalize major surgical procedures to high-volume hospitals (HVHs), little is known about change in access to HVH over time among multimorbid patients in need of major cancer surgery. We performed a time-trend appraisal of access of multimorbid persons to HVH for major cancer surgery within a large nationally representative cohort. Methods We identified 168,934 patients who underwent 6 major cancer surgeries from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (1998 to 2010). Comorbidities were identified using Elixhauser's method. HVHs were defined as hospitals of highest procedure volumes that treated 1/3 of all the patients. Logistic regression models and predictive margins were used to assess the adjusted effects of comorbidity on receiving major cancer surgeries at HVH. Results Of all, 45.7% of the patients had 2 comorbidities or more. Multimorbidity predicted decreased access to HVH for esophagectomy, total gastrectomy, pancreatectomy, hepatectomy, and proctectomy, but not for distal gastrectomy, after controlling for covariates. A comorbidity level by year interaction analysis also showed that little disparity existed for receiving distal gastrectomy at an HVH, whereas the predicted difference in probability of receiving any of the other 5 major cancer procedures remained prominent between the years 1998 and 2010. Conclusions In this large 12-year time-trend study, multimorbid cancer patients have sustained low access to HVH for major cancer surgery across many oncologic resections. These results continue to reinforce and highlight the need for policy targeted research and intervention aimed at improving these access gaps.
Temperament as a Behavioral Construct Assessing the Classroom Environment and Student–Teacher Relationship

With the limited success of social skills training on particularly disruptive behaviors, researchers have begun to develop a more holistic approach grounded in temperament research that focuses on ...
Multiscale community geometry in a network and its application.

We introduce a between-ness-based distance metric to extract local and global information for each pair of nodes (or ``vertices'' used interchangeably) located in a binary network. Since this distance then superimposes a weighted graph upon such a binary network, a multiscale clustering mechanism, called data cloud geometry, is applicable to discover hierarchical communities within a binary network. This approach resolves many shortcomings of community finding approaches, which are primarily based on modularity optimization. Using several contrived and real binary networks, our community hierarchies compare favorably with results derived from a recently proposed approach based on time-scale differences of random walks and has already demonstrated significant improvements over module-based approaches, especially on the multiscale and the determination of the number of communities.
Characterization of the endogenous mediator(s) of serum zinc and iron depression during infection and other stresses.

SummarySerum zinc and iron concentrations were shown to be decreased significantly by a common heat labile endogenous mediator present in the serum of animals within 2 hr after the administration of a variety of inflammation inducing agents. The endogenous mediator obtained from PMN leukocytes of peritoneal exudates produced significant dose-dependent reductions in both serum zinc and iron concentrations. Preliminary data characterize the mediator as a heat labile, nondialyzable, low molecular weight protein (10,000-30,000 mol wt).
Soil moisture and relative humidity effects during postdiapause on the emergence of western cherry fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Pupae of western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae), from Kennewick and Roslyn in Washington State, United States of America, were subjected to different soil and air moisture conditions to test the hypotheses that adult emergence from dry and moist soil is similar and is greater and occurs earlier at high than low relative humidities (RHs). Adult fly emergence from 0–57% saturated loam soil did not differ in Kennewick (64.8–75.1%) and Roslyn (81.7–86.6%) populations. Emergence did not occur from 76% saturated loam soil. In a RH experiment using dry soil, emergence of Kennewick flies was highest at 97% RH (76.8%), intermediate at 12–74% RH (66.4–69.6%), and lowest at 3% RH (58.0%). Emergence of Roslyn flies was higher at 97% RH (85.6%) than 3% (69.2%) and 12% RH (74.3%), but it did not differ from that at 33% (76.9%) and 74% RH (79.4%). Flies emerged ∼2–3 days earlier at 97% RH than at 3–12% RH. An unnaturally low RH of 3% caused more flies to be deformed than higher RHs. High emergence of R. indifferens in dry and moist conditions likely contributes to its presence in a wide range of native and nonnative habitats.
Mycoplasmal Pneumonia in a Patient with Rheumatic Heart Disease

The pulmonary lesions in a case of mycoplasmal pneumonia are described. Mycoplasmal antigen was demonstrated in the lung by the indirect fluorescence antibody technic. The pulmonary changes were similar to those reported in cases of cold agglutinin-positive primary atypical pneumonia. In addition, cells morphologically indistinguishable from Reed-Sternberg cells were found in alveolar spaces, and caution is directed against placing undue emphasis on their presence. The use of immunofluorescent examination of pulmonary tissue as a diagnostic technic for patients with suspected mycoplasmal pneumonia is suggested.
Pros and Cons of Proof Testing Carbon Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels: A Comparison of Two Mathematical Models

Proof testing of carbon/epoxy composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) is often viewed as a process of weeding out weak vessels, thus improving future reliability. Unlike in metal vessels, however, considerable damage is done in terms of fiber breakage. This is clear from acoustic emission and is expected based on data on Weibull fiber strength, which allows estimation of the number of fiber breaks to expect at a given proof pressure. Thus if a proof pressure level is too high, long term reliability may degrade rather than improve. Classical reliability models are not based on fiber breakage processes that capture the above drawbacks. In fact, when applied to carbon/epoxy COPVs, the classic power law-Weibull version predicts that the higher the proof test level, the greater the reliability benefit. Here we develop a modelcalled the stochastic fiber breakage model, that explicitly accounts for micromechanical and statistical fiber failure processes in the overwrap. We find that any long term benefits of a proof test depend critically on the proof pressure level. Examples are given that are motivated by certain pressure vessels that are currently in service. These examples are based on data for types of carbon fiber (T1000G and AS4) in an epoxy matrix, and for comparison purposes results are also given for Kevlar 49 fiber. Under a proof pressure levels above 0.70 the proof test is predicted to degrade long-term reliability in the case of carbon fibers, but not in the case of Kevlar 49 fibers.
A Model and Measurement Methodology for Predicting Individual Consumer Choice

The authors describe a model and measurement methodology by which to predict the probability that an individual consumer will choose a product from an offered set of competing products. After a bri...
Finite Simple Groups

(1977). Finite Simple Groups. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 84, No. 9, pp. 693-714.
Performance analysis of a grid connected micromorphous silicon PV pilot plant after eight months monitoring

This paper presents an eight months follow up of 2.3Kwp micromorphous PV plant installed on a building facade at UDES located at Bou-Ismail (latitude 36°38 N, longitude 2°41 E) near the Mediterranean sea in the north of Algeria. The PV system was monitored during the period March–October 2013. All the electricity generated was fed into the local low voltage network to supply a building. The PV system was evaluated using the performance factors such as array yield, reference yield, final yield, array capture losses, system losses, inverter efficiency and performance ratio according to the standard IEC 61724. The total energy generated during the monitoring period was 274kWh/kWp while the average daily final yield, reference yield and array yield were 2.41kWh/kWp/day, 2.85kWh/kWp/day and 2.62kWh/kWp/day respectively. The average daily Photovoltaic array efficiency, system efficiency and inverter efficiency were 3.5%, 3.2% and 96% respectively. The average daily capture and system losses are 2.15h/day and 0.064h/day respectively. Although, the first results show that the PV plant seems to correctly functioning during the monitoring period, however, some instabilities of the network and some errors in the data acquisition process have altered the performance of the PV system.
Source of Lao she's Interest in Xia Culture Within His Novels

Xia culture is the lower strata's culture which affected Lao-she during his childhood. Because of Lao-she's great interest in Xia culture, the characters' behavioral logic in his novels can be explained as Xia only. What's more important, in his novels many ordinary people embody the distinctive personality of Xia. Lao-she knows a little about revolution and revolutionists, but he tried a lot to depict them according to his imagination. As a result of that, these revolutionists are more like Xia than like revolutionists.
Assessment and management of the lower extremity in cerebral palsy

For all lower extremity problems in children with cerebral palsy, early attention to overactive spastic muscle groups can aid in preventing bony deformities under most situations. More severely involved children need more aggressive treatment, with early soft tissue procedures to attempt balance of muscle groups surrounding joints. Early aggressive management of soft tissue problems can avoid long-term bony deformity and more severe posturing problems in the lower extremities of children with cerebral palsy.
Effect of Solvent on the Partial Molal Volumes and Heat Capacities of Nonelectrolytes

Group contributions to $$\overline V _2^o $$ in seven solvents and to $$\overline C _{p2}^o $$ in three solvents have been tabulated. The variation of $$\overline V _2^o $$ group parameters is discussed in terms of the solvent compressibility coefficient, βT. The scaled particle theory (SPT) is used to calculate cavity contributions to $$\overline V _2^o $$ and ΔC p2 o . Interaction contributions are obtained from the cavity terms and $$\overline V _2^o $$ and $$\overline C _{p2}^o $$ values estimated through the additivity schemes. $$\overline C _{p2}^o $$ values are more sensitive to solute-solvent interactions than $$\overline V _2^o $$ in water and less sensitive in methanol. The SPT results for heat capacities support the concept of structural promotion by hydrophobic solutes in water.
Introduction: Latin American Documentary Film in the New Millennium

The upsurge in Latin American documentary film at the turn of the twenty-first century is undeniable. In a region that has made documentary films, in some form or another, since the end of the nineteenth century, fiction film has long eclipsed the documentary in terms of prestige and circulation. Yet signs indicate that this situation is changing. While documentary production in the USA enjoyed something of a boom in the 2000s—it now comprises about 10% of the market—in Argentina, as Jens Andermann has noted, documentary now accounts for about 40% of total film production.1 The reasons for this boom are likely many and may include factors such as: an increase in documentary festivals, the creation of alternative distribution channels, the relatively inexpensive nature of documentary filmmaking, the democratization of the “field” for aspiring filmmakers, the use of portable media and new technologies, and the advantages of documentary for dealing with urgent social, political, or economic issues.2 Moreover, this boom in documentary has been accompanied not only by increased academic inquiry about the documentary form, but also by sustained innovation in documentary filmmaking practices—practices that are increasingly reflexive, metacinematic, and that blur the line traditionally separating documentary from fiction film.
Towards a Structured-Document-Image Utility

Digitized documents are preprocessed for library archival and distribution. Pages from technical journals scanned at 300 dpi are recursively segmented with multiple alternating horizontal and vertical cuts according to publication-specific layout information. The resulting rectangular blocks are labeled concurrently in terms of functional components such as author block, title, abstract. Three specific applications for integrating paper-based information into an electronic environment are described. The first will allow library users to interactively select and view portions of a page-image, such as illustrations, subtitles, or text paragraphs, when either the screen resolution of their workstation or low transmission rates prevent viewing the bitmap of an entire page. The second application will automate the selection of suitable portions of the document ( e.g., abstracts) for subsequent optical character recognition for full-text search of journals and reports in paper form. The third application will automatically link pixel maps of illustrations with ASCII text files. All three applications are based on syntactic processing of binary document images.
Direct visual internal urethrotomy for isolated, post-urethroplasty strictures: a retrospective analysis.

Background:Urethroplasty is often successful for the treatment of male urethral stricture disease, but limited data exists on recurrence management. Our goal was to evaluate direct visual internal ...
Abstract 112: Endothelial Mineralocorticoid Receptor Knock Out Protects the Endothelium From Aldosterone-Mediated Vascular Stiffness

Background: There is accumulating evidence that increased levels of aldosterone (Aldo) and increased vascular mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) signaling increases vascular inflammation and oxidative...
The spot in the shadow

Robert P Crease observes a simple demonstration that is at once a compelling educational tool and a dramatic lesson in science history.
Continued Success or Caught in the Housing Bubble? Black Immigrants and the Housing Market Crash

The recent housing market crisis in the United States led to a drastic drop in homeownership and house values nationwide. While research documents the disproportionate impact of the housing market crisis on blacks, and the surprisingly small effect on immigrants, no research investigates how individuals who are both black and immigrants fared. I use 2005–2007 and 2009–2011 pooled American Community Survey data (N = 2,000,689 and 2,013,001, respectively) to determine whether black immigrants’ housing market outcomes mirrored that of U.S.-born blacks or other immigrants during the housing crisis. Using the maximum likelihood estimator regression with a Heckman correction to measure race and nativity differences in homeownership and house value, I find that there is a great deal of diversity in black immigrant housing market outcomes. Caribbean immigrants experienced significantly larger drops in homeownership than U.S.-born whites and blacks and Asian immigrants, but there is no significant difference between whites and African immigrants. Consistent with previous research, living in major settlement areas meditated black immigrants’ housing market disadvantage. Despite the benefits of living in a co-ethnic community, both African and Caribbean immigrants experienced significantly larger drops in house value than U.S.-born blacks and whites and Asian immigrants. These findings indicate that black immigrants’ housing options are more rather than less constrained than U.S.-born blacks after the housing market crash. Given that the bulk of black wealth is held in home equity, reduced house values may also have long-term consequences on black immigrants’ ability to make, maintain, and pass on wealth across generations.
People and Profits: The Impact of Corporate Objectives on Employees’ Need Satisfaction at Work

For decades, scholars have debated the corporate objective. Scholars have either advocated a corporate objective focused on generating value for shareholders or creating value for multiple groups of stakeholders. Although it has been established that the corporate objective can shape many aspects of the corporation—including culture, compensation, and decision making—to date, scholars have not yet explored its psychological impact; particularly, how the corporate objective might influence employee well-being. In this article, we explore how two views of the corporate objective affect employee self-determination, a key component of overall psychological need satisfaction and well-being. We hypothesize that a corporate objective based on creating value for multiple stakeholders will increase employee psychological need satisfaction as compared to one focused on creating value for only shareholders. Across four experimental studies and one field survey, we find consistent support for our hypotheses and test three facets of a stakeholder-focused corporate objective. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Investigating the raveling test for full-depth reclamation

Full-Depth Reclamation (FDR) is a sustainable method of building pavement structure compared to more traditional rehabilitation methods. Traffic is generally returned to an FDR project before a surface course is applied, as water in the FDR needs time to evaporate from the structure. This should not be done too quickly or raveling occurs. Currently, there is no test to quantify the timing of return to traffic. In this study, the “Raveling test of cold mixed bituminous emulsion samples” (ASTM D7196) was used to compare asphalt emulsion and asphalt foam FDR. Asphalt emulsion samples were cured at ambient and 40 °C temperatures, while asphalt foam samples were cured at ambient temperatures. Raveling test data was collected from 0 to 48 hours of curing, however, samples were often not able to withstand fifteen minutes of testing. Therefore, the “time lasted” (the time the raveling head loses contact with the surface of the sample) was recorded. In general, the asphalt emulsion samples that were cured in the oven at 40 °C had a longer time lasted and showed higher potential for determination of return to traffic. In addition, the asphalt emulsion samples had a longer time lasted than the asphalt foam samples at ambient temperatures.
Mammals (exclusive of bats) of Belém, Pará, Brazil

Abstract A complete list of the non-volant wild mammals believed to be now living in Belem, Para, Brazil and vicinity or which may have lived there within historic times is presented. The list includes 72 species : 9 opossums, 6 primates, 10 edentates, 1 rabbit, 3 introduced commensal rodents, 18 native rodents, 2 cetaceans, 17 carnivores, 1 manatee, 1 tapir, and 4 artiodactyls. Relevant synonomies, recognition characters and notes on taxonomy and natural history are provided. A non-technical key is included which is intended to be of especial use by non-mammalogists such as paramedical researchers.
Resilience in Black Families

Family scholars now seem to agree on a definition of family resilience—namely that resilient families are those that, confronted with adversity, get beyond it to grow and become stronger in the process. Rather than limiting conceptualizations of resilience to individual children who seem to be able to succeed in the face of adversity, or to explanations of “protective factors” that may insulate “at-risk” children from failure, recent emphasis has been on the resilient family in its own right.
A Fruit of Yucca Mountain: The Remote Waste Package Closure System

Was the death of the Yucca Mountain repository the fate of a technical lemon or a political lemon? We must be careful not to let this debate lure us away from capitalizing on the fruits of the proj...
Erosion/corrosion of HVOF sprayed coatings

Cermet based materials are known to have an excellent performance under several different wear conditions. High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying technology allows the deposition of such hard materials in the form of protective coatings onto different surfaces. Under slurry erosion, the performance of the coating is influenced by the occurrence of corrosion reactions with the metallic matrix. Slurry erosion tests were conducted with a jet impingement rig with a 9.1wt% alumina particle/water slurry. Indeed, wet conditions promote the dissolution of metallic binder resulting in a potential synergy between the corrosion and wear mechanisms. Coatings based on tungsten carbide embedded in four different metallic binders were evaluated with regard to wear and corrosion. Depending on the composition of the metallic binder, different degradation rates were observed.
Thermal Resistance Factors in Differential Scanning Calorimetry

In the analysis of heat flow processes in differential scanning calorimetry it has been generally agreed(O’Neill) that the controlling thermal resistance is between sample container and sample holder, and, consequently, that the sample and sample container are at the same temperature. The thermal equation applying to this situation, usually referred to as Newton’s Law, is $$\frac{{d{q_s}}}{{dt}} = \frac{{{T_p} - {T_s}}}{R}$$ (1) where dqS/dt = total rate of flow of thermal energy to the sample, Tp = programmed temperature, Ts = sample temperature, and R = thermal resistance.
Epidemiological and Other Investigations in the Human

A number of retrospective studies have been done on human populations exposed or believed to have been exposed to RF/MW energies. There have been a few epidemiological studies of MW/RF exposure but these have generally been limited in scope (Silverman, 1979, 1980). Persons exposed while assigned to the military services or occupationally exposed in industrial settings have been the principal groups studied. A few other populations living or working near generating sources or exposed to medical diathermy have been or are being investigated (Silverman, 1979, 1980; Bureau of Radiological Health, 1980; Ruggera, 1980). Information about health status has come from medical records, questionnaires, physical and laboratory examination, and vital statistics. Sources of exposure data include personnel records, questionnaires, environmental measurements, equipment emission measurements, and (assumed adherence to) established exposure limits. Although there have been advances in measurement, microwave dosimetry still presents formidable problems for meaningful assessment in most epidemiological studies (Roberts and Michaelson, 1985; Silverman, 1979, 1980).
Evaluating Zidua Herbicide in a Sweet Corn Weed Management Program

Materials and Methods The trial was conducted on a Fruitfield coarse sand soil with 1.5 percent organic matter and soil pH of 6.0 (buffer pH of 7.0). Previous crop was soybean. Spring tillage included chisel plowing and disking in preparation for planting. Except for herbicide treatments, normal cultural practices were followed for fertilization, irrigation, and pest control. Seed of BC 0805 sweet corn was planted in rows 30 in. apart on May 10 at 27,700 seeds/acre. Trial design was a randomized complete block with three replications. A herbicide plot consisted of 6 rows 20 ft in length. Herbicide treatments were applied with a CO2 small plot sprayer with 4-nozzle boom calibrated to apply 20 gpa at 20 psi. Herbicide treatments are described in Table 1. Crop preemergence (PRE) treatments were applied on May 14 to a dry soil surface and were incorporated by 0.8 in. of rainfall on May 19. Early post (EPOST) treatments were applied on May 29 when sweet corn was at the V3 growth stage and soil surface was moist. Post (POST) herbicide treatments were applied on June 13 to sweet corn at the V5 growth stage. Weed counts were taken on June 19 and July 3 to determine effectiveness of PRE, EPOST, and POST herbicide treatments on weeds. Harvest data were taken from center rows on August 2 to determine effects of herbicide treatment on sweet corn yield. Results and Discussion Sweet corn, cultivar BC 0805, was planted on May 10 and PRE treatments applied May 14 to a weed-free soil surface. None of the PRE treatments affected sweet corn emergence and a good uniform stand was established. Above average rainfall in May contributed to strong weed pressure.
Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Properties of Electronically Modified Cycloplatinated Formazanate Complexes

Formazanates are a class of monoanionic, chromophoric, redox-active chelating ligands, and until recently, the coordination chemistry of formazanates with third-row transition metals was unexplored. Described here is a series of heteroleptic cyclometalated platinum formazanate complexes of the type Pt(C^N)(Fz), where "C^N" is the cyclometalating ligand and "Fz" is the formazanate. This work includes a set of 14 complexes derived from four different cyclometalating ligands and five different formazans, greatly expanding the structural and electronic diversity of this class of complexes. The formazans fall into two major categories: triarylformazans with either electron-donating (Me, OMe) or electron-withdrawing (CN) para substituents, and even more electron-deficient diarylformazans where the center position of the backbone is a cyano group. Seven of the new compounds are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and all are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy to provide insight into the frontier orbitals. The complexes can be electrochemically reduced by three electrons, with the first two electrons populating formazanate-centered frontier orbitals and the third being added to the Pt-C^N fragment. The formazanate-based reduction potentials are highly sensitive to the substitution pattern of the formazanate and can be tuned over a wide range of ca. 0.8 V by altering substituents. The formazanates also impart these complexes with very strong, low-energy visible absorption bands assigned to HOMO → LUMO transitions, which are greatly perturbed from the free ligand due to interactions of the formazanate frontier orbitals with platinum-centered orbitals. Unlike the redox properties, the formazanate-derived visible absorption band is relatively insensitive to substituent effects. Additional visible absorption bands, attributed to Pt(d) → C^N(π*) MLCT transitions, can be tuned over a wide range by changing the structure of the C^N ligand, giving rise to strong panchromatic absorption for some members of the series.
Correct abstraction in counter-planning: a knowledge compilation approach

Knowledge compilation improves search-intensive problem-solvers that are easily specified but inefficient. One promising approach improves efficiency by constructing a database of problem-instance/best-action pairs that replace problem-solving search with efficient lookup. The database is constructed by reverse enumeration--expanding the complete search space backwards, from the terminal problem instances. This approach has been used successfully in counter-planning to construct perfect problem-solvers for subdomains of chess and checkers. However, the approach is limited to small problems because both the space needed to store the database and the time needed to generate the database grow exponentially with problem size. This thesis addresses these problems through two mechanisms. First, the space needed is reduced through an abstraction mechanism that is especially suited to counter-planning domains. The search space is abstracted by representing problem states as equivalence classes with respect to the goal achieved and the operators as equivalence classes with respect to how they influence the goals. Second, the time needed is reduced through a hueristic best-first control of the reverse enumeration. Since with larger problems it may be impractical to run the compiler to completion, the search is organized to optimize the tradeoff between the time spent compiling a domain and the coverage achieved over that domain. These two mechanisms are implemented in a system that has been applied to problems in chess and checkers. Empirical results demonstrate both the strengths and weaknesses of the approach. In most problems and 80/20 rule was demonstrated, where a small number of patterns were identified early that covered most of the domain, justifying the use of best-first search. In addition, the method was able to automatically generate a set of abstract rules that had previously required two person-months to hand engineer.
Characterizing Rock Facies Using Machine Learning Algorithm Based on a Convolutional Neural Network and Data Padding Strategy

In the exploration and production of fossil resources, the characterization of rock facies is critical for estimations of rock physical properties, such as porosity and permeability, and for reservoir detection and simulation. We propose a new machine learning (ML) algorithm for characterizing rock facies using a convolutional neural network (CNN) with feature engineering and data padding strategies. In the new ML algorithm, we extend rock feature data from 1-dimensional “profile” to 2-dimensional maps by padding the original dataset. The 2-dimensional padded rock facies map enables the CNN to capture the inherent geological features while keeping the local continuities. In this new ML algorithm, we only need a simple CNN design and structure to efficiently achieve accurate classification of rock facies. We test the feasibility of applying this new algorithm using a verifiable well logging dataset from the Panoma gas field in southwest Kansas. The results show that our new ML algorithm with a simple CNN structure has achieved higher accuracy in classifications of rock facies in comparison with the CNN results of the 2016 SEG ML contest. This new ML algorithm has application potential in automatic rock facies characterization with high accuracy and efficiency.
Negotiated Rulemaking for U.S. Higher Education Regulatory Policy: A Process of Deliberative Democracy?

The rulemaking process through which higher education regulatory policy is created in the U.S. Department of Education has received critical attention in recent years. One concern is that this important policymaking process takes place in an agency of unelected officials, sometimes with the help of select interest groups. How, then, does this process maintain its democratic legitimacy? An important aspect of the process – known as negotiated rulemaking – may help to promote democratic legitimacy through open deliberations and broad stakeholder participation. Through the lens of deliberative democratic theory, this article draws on dozens of interviews and documentary data regarding a number of higher education regulations to analyze the ways in which negotiated rulemaking for U.S. higher education regulatory policy reflects (and does not reflect) aspects of deliberative democracy.
Teaching NeuroImages: Diffuse cerebrovascular susceptibility artifact following ferumoxytol infusion.

A 79-year-old woman presented with dysarthria, aphasia, and right hemiparesis. MRI of the brain demonstrated a small acute infarct in the left temporoparietal convexity (figure 1) and a marked decrease in susceptibility signal of the cerebral vasculature (figure 2). Due to her religious beliefs (Jehovah's Witness), the patient’s anemia is treated with ferumoxytol infusions rather than red blood cell transfusion. She received an infusion 1 day prior to her scan. Susceptibility artifact of cerebral vasculature following IV iron therapy has been described.1 Ferumoxytol has gained interest as an MRI contrast agent in patients with decreased renal function.2
Noise and sensitivity in optical coherence tomography based vibrometry

There is growing interest in using the exquisite phase sensitivity of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure the vibratory response in organ systems such as the middle and inner ear. Using frequency domain analysis, it is possible to achieve picometer sensitivity to vibration over a wide frequency band. Here we explore the limits of the frequency domain vibratory sensitivity due to additive noise and consider the implication of phase noise statistics on the estimation of vibratory amplitude and phase. Noise statistics are derived in both the Rayleigh (s/n = 0) and Normal distribution (s/n > 3) limits. These theoretical findings are explored using simulation and verified with experiments using a swept-laser system and a piezo electric element. A metric for sensitivity is proposed based on the 98% confidence interval for the Rayleigh distribution.
Psychiatric comorbidities in a comparative effectiveness smoking cessation trial: Relations with cessation success, treatment response, and relapse risk factors.

Abstract Background Comorbid psychiatric diagnoses have been shown to predict cessation failure. The relative impact of various diagnoses on cessation and other cessation processes is rarely studied, particularly among a general population. The impact of psychiatric history among primary care patients seeking cessation services on nicotine dependence, cessation outcomes, treatment effects and adherence, and withdrawal symptoms was examined. Methods Secondary data analysis of a multi-site comparative effectiveness smoking cessation trial was conducted. Adult smokers (n = 1051; 52.5 % Female, 68.1 % white) completed a structured clinical interview at baseline to assess psychiatric diagnostic history (past-year and lifetime). Nicotine dependence was assessed via self-report measures at baseline. Point-prevalence abstinence was assessed at 8 weeks and 6 months post-quit. Withdrawal symptoms were assessed for one week pre- and post-quit using ecological momentary assessment. Treatment adherence was self-reported at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-quit. Results Past-year substance use disorder, lifetime mood disorder, and > one lifetime diagnosis, were related to lower rates of short-term, but not long-term, cessation. Lifetime psychiatric diagnosis was related to elevated nicotine dependence, particularly to secondary dependence motives associated with instrumental tobacco use. History of psychiatric diagnosis was associated with increased withdrawal-related craving. There was little evidence that psychiatric diagnostic status moderated the effects of the tested pharmacotherapies on long-term abstinence. Conclusions Psychiatric diagnoses affect risk factors that exert their effects early in the post-quit process and highlight the potential utility of examining transdiagnostic risk factors to better understand the relations between psychiatric vulnerabilities and the smoking cessation process.
Post-tonsillectomy respiratory complications in children with sleep disordered breathing.

Abstract Objective A common indication for tonsillectomy in children is clinically diagnosed sleep disordered breathing (SDB) without confirmation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by polysomnography (PSG). Our goal was to review rates of post-tonsillectomy respiratory complications in children with SDB without prior PSG in order to develop recommendations for postoperative monitoring and safe hospital discharge in this population. Methods Following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, a database query using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy (42820, 42821, 42825, 42826) between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017 was performed. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for sleep disordered breathing (G47.30), snoring (R06.83), and obstructive sleep apnea (G47.33) were applied for further selection. Charts were individually reviewed to confirm the inclusion criteria of pediatric patients (≤18 years) who underwent tonsillectomy without prior PSG and were monitored overnight. Demographic, operative, and relevant postoperative hospital course data (including desaturations, supplemental oxygen requirements, and upgraded level of care) were collected. Results A total of 1874 unique patient encounters were identified by our database search and 364 children met inclusion criteria. The average age of the patient population was 6.5 ± 3.1 years and 52.2% of children were female. Mean z-score for the population was 0.6. The rate of overnight oxygen desaturation events ( Conclusion A lack of significant postoperative respiratory complications or alterations in the clinical management of children with SDB without prior PSG supports the idea that such patients may safely be discharged from the hospital following tonsillectomy without overnight oxygen monitoring.
Unusual presentation of left ventricular rupture.

We describe a case of 49-year-old man who presented with chest pain and was diagnosed with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed severe global hypokinesis of left ventricle with ejection fraction of 25%–30%. Left heart catheterisation showed severe right coronary stenosis and focal 60%–70% distal left anterior descending artery stenosis. Cardiac MRI (CMR) was done for evaluation of viability which showed a large pseudoaneurysm which was missed on TTE and left ventriculogram. Our case demonstrates the increasing importance of cardiac MRI in the diagnosis of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. In our case left ventricular pseudoaneurysm was missed on TTE and left ventriculogram. It was diagnosed on CMR which was ordered for evaluation of myocardium viability.