cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultraviolet Polarimetry Using High Altitude Balloons

The ozone and oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere prevent all ground-based observing at wavelengths shorter than about 3000 A. With the largest available balloons and a large telescope one can get sufficiently above the ozone to make precise polarization measurements of stars and planets near 2820 A and 2200 A. Two telescope/gondola systems are in operation. The first actually is a prototype for spacecraft but it is also used on balloons, mounted in a gondola of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. It has two 7.5-cm reflecting telescopes (7.5 cm is the diameter of the primary mirror). The second system has a 71-cm Cassegrain reflector, two vidicon cameras, command and telemetry by radio link, and a startracker that guides the stabilized platform (±1 min of arc). The first measurements made were of the polarization of the moon at 2900 A in December 1965, and of interstellar polarization at 2820 A and 2200 A in May 1966.
DNAPL pool dissolution in saturated porous media: procedure development and preliminary results

Abstract In order to study dissolution kinetics of dense non-aqueous-phase liquids (DNAPL's), a procedure was developed to create a DNAPL pool at the bottom of a specially designed experimental aquifer. The aquifer was housed in an all glass rectangular tank with internal dimensions 75 cm × 21.1 cm × 36.8 cm. The tank was equipped with sampling ports, inlet and outlet wells, constant-head reservoirs, and pumps for full hydraulic control. The pool was formed inside a 27.9 cm × 18 cm × 4.7 cm internal dimensions glass pan containing a gravel layer 1.6 cm thick at the bottom and the remainder filled with aquifer sand. The pools formed had a distinct, but not perfectly flat upper surface. The fraction of sand penetrated by DNAPL was larger at elevations closer to the bottom of the tank. Dissolution experiments, using TCA and mixture of TCE and TCA pools, resulted in aqueous concentrations much lower than the respective solubility. Pulsed pumping increased the respective aqueous concentrations by a factor of ≈ 6.
Polarization demodulation: A new approach to the reduction of polarization artifacts from vibrational circular dichroism spectra

In vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) measurements and other polarization modulation techniques, artifact signals often arise due to polarization sensitivity of the optical components located subsequent to the sample. In this paper, we describe a method for demodulating the light beam after passage through the sample in such a manner that only one linearly polarized state is allowed to reach the detector, thus eliminating these artifacts. The method is a beam reversal technique in which the light subsequent to the sample is redirected through the photoelastic modulator in such a way that the retardation produced on the first traversal through the modulator is removed. The light is returned to its original state of linear polarization prior to detection. The method is applicable to Fourier transform as well as to dispersive spectrometers since demodulation is effected for all wavelengths simultaneously. The results of preliminary demodulation experiments are presented and found to be more than 90% efficient in removing circular dichroism intensity of a birefringent origin.
Effects of Genetic Immunity and Resistance on Endemics

Abstract We incorporate basic genetics into an SIS endemic model of a disease that is spread primarily by individual–individual contact after it is introduced into the population. We illustrate that if a homozygote is immune to the disease or is resistant to the effects of the disease, the corresponding allele goes to fixation. On the other hand, if the heterozygote is immune to the disease or is resistant to the effects of the disease, polymorphism usually occurs. However, under some conditions, polymorphism may not occur.
Long-Lived Isomer of Al 26

Long-lived ${\mathrm{Al}}^{26}$ has been chemically purified from aluminum targets used in the 86-in. cyclotron. The main decay observed is through a 1.30\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15 Mev positron in coincidence with a 1.82-Mev gamma ray. In addition, gamma rays of 0.717 Mev and 2.91 Mev have been found.
Comments on the Interpretation of the Mechanism of Formation of Minor Products Accompanying the Catalytic Cracking of Cumene

Abstract The article “The Catalytic Cracking of Cumene” by Corma and Wojciechowski [11 discusses, among other things, mechanisms of formation of minor products accompanying dealkylation of isopro-pylbenzene. The mechanistic schemes advanced by the authors by artfully exhibited drawings seem to violate accepted principles of cationic reactions and ignore known facts of catalytic hydrocarbon conversions.
A nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic investigation of the headgroup motions of lysophospholipids in bilayers

Fully hydrated lysophospholipids in both the gel and the liquid crystalline states have been shown to exhibit negative phosphorus chemical shift anisotropies (Δσ) by31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The magnitude of Δσ for monoacyl lysophospholipids is found to be smaller than that of the corresponding diacyl phosphospholipids in bilayers by about a factor of two. We present evidence to suggest that the reduction in Δσ can be attributed primarily to an additional motional averaging of the lysophospholipid headgroup, and the additional motion can best be explained by rapid rotational motions of the headgroup about the C(1)-C(2) glycerol bond.
Design Optimization of Radiation-Hardened CMOS Integrated Circuits

Ionizing-radiation-induced threshold voltage shifts in CMOS integrated circuits will drastically degrade circuit performance unless the design parameters related to the fabrication process are properly chosen. To formulate an approach to CMOS design optimization, experimentally observed analytical relationships showing strong dependences between threshold voltage shifts and silicon dioxide thickness are utilized. These measurements were made using radiation-hardened aluminum-gate CMOS inverter circuits and have been corroborated by independent data taken from MOS capacitor structures. Knowledge of these relationships allows one to define ranges of acceptable CMOS design parameters based upon radiation-hardening capabilities and post-irradiation performance specifications. Furthermore, they permit actual design optimization of CMOS integrated circuits which results in optimum pre-and post-irradiation performance with respect to speed, noise margins, and quiescent power consumption. Theoretical and experimental results of these procedures, the applications of which can mean the difference between failure and success of a CMOS integrated circuit in a radiation environment, are presented.
A nonconforming finite element method for a two-dimensional curl–curl and grad-div problem

A numerical method for a two-dimensional curl–curl and grad-div problem is studied in this paper. It is based on a discretization using weakly continuous P 1 vector fields and includes two consistency terms involving the jumps of the vector fields across element boundaries. Optimal convergence rates (up to an arbitrary positive $${\epsilon}$$) in both the energy norm and the L 2 norm are established on graded meshes. The theoretical results are confirmed by numerical experiments.
Computers in mathematics: teacher-inservice training at a distance

While research and experience show many advantages for incorporation of computer technology into secondary school mathematics instruction, less than 5 percent of the nation's teachers are actively using computers in their classrooms. This is the case even though mathematics teachers in grades 7 - 12 are often familiar with computer technology and have computers available to them in their schools. The implementation bottleneck is in-service teacher training and there are few models of effective implementation available for teachers to emulate. Stevens Institute of Technology has been active since 1988 in research and development efforts to incorporate computers into classroom use. We have found that teachers need to see examples of classroom experience with hardware and software and they need to have assistance as they experiment with applications of software and the development of lesson plans. High-band width technology can greatly facilitate teacher training in this area through transmission of video documentaries, software discussions, teleconferencing, peer interactions, classroom observations, etc. We discuss the experience that Stevens has had with face-to-face teacher training as well as with satellite-based teleconferencing using one-way video and two- way audio. Included are reviews of analyses of this project by researchers from Educational Testing Service, Princeton University, and Bank Street School of Education.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Lifetime and diffusivity determination from frequency-domain transient analysis

Minority-carrier lifetime and diffusion coefficient are determined by a new method using the Fourier transforms of transient responses following optical excitation. We demonstrate the method (frequency-domain transient analysis, FDTA) and show that it is more plausible and accurate than other time-domain techniques. The diffusion coefficient in a p-type 0.16-Ω.cm base was measured and found to be 17 ± 1 cm2/s. The method can be applied to characterize bulk wafers, epitaxial layers, solar cells, and other bipolar devices. Extension to devices operating in the dark is discussed.
Folding of nascent polypeptide chains in a high molecular mass assembly with molecular chaperones

The folding of polypeptides emerging from ribosomes was analysed in a mammalian translation system using firefly luciferase as a model protein. The growing polypeptide interacts with a specific set of molecular chaperones, including Hsp70, the DnaJ homologue Hsp40 and the chaperonin TRiC. The ordered assembly of these components on the nascent chain forms a high molecular mass complex that allows the cotranslational formation of protein domains and the completion of folding once the chain is released from the ribosome.
Proton Adsorption and Electrical Double-Layer Formation Inside Charged Platinum Nanochannels

This study is focused on the formation of the electrical double layer (EDL) inside uniform platinum nanochannels. Strong hysteresis of adsorption/desorption of protons observed in cyclic voltammetry experiments suggests that adsorption is controlled by ion diffusion through the charged nanochannels whereas desorption is controlled by the electrical potential. It was determined that the nanostructured platinum electrodes prepared in this study were selective for halogen ions. The sorption capacity decreased in the order of F- > Cl- > Br-.
Haplotype-resolved genome sequencing of a Gujarati Indian individual

Sequencing a human genome using next-generation methods does not distinguish between the two copies of each chromosome. Kitzman et al. determine a haplotype-resolved genome sequence by efficiently constructing and sequencing long-insert clones that cover the diploid genome with a low likelihood of overlap.
The importance of central compartment elective lymph node excision in the staging and treatment of papillary thyroid cancer.

Objective To determine the incidence of nodal involvement and assess the role of elective lymph node (LN) exploration and/or dissection in staging of tumors and treatment of patients with papillary thyroid cancer. Design Retrospective medical chart review. Setting Academic tertiary care medical center. Patients One hundred patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer by fine-needle aspiration or intraoperative frozen section who underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment cervical LN exploration. Main Outcome Measure Incidence of positive LNs in patients 45 years or older (group A) vs those younger than 45 years (group B). Results Sixteen (39%) of 41 patients in group A had positive LN status following LN exploration and/or dissection. Seventeen (29%) of 59 patients in group B were found to have positive LNs. According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system, the tumors of 11 patients (28%) in group A would be restaged from stage I/II to stage III after establishment of the positive pathologic nodal status. Conclusions Lymph node metastasis was present in the central compartment in 39% of patients in group A. Presence of LN metastasis in older patients has been reported to increase the risk of recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Furthermore, recurrence and reoperation in the central compartment is associated with a higher risk of vocal cord paralysis. In patients in group A diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, routine central compartment LN exploration and/or dissection at the time of thyroidectomy is advocated, which allows more accurate staging of tumors and appropriate treatment. Elective excision of central compartment LNs in this older age group may improve locoregional control and possibly reduce morbidity in the long run.
Lipofuscin and the Principles of Fundus Autofluorescence: A Review

Fundus autofluorescence is a non-invasive imaging modality that measures lipofuscin that has accumulated in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Excessive lipofuscin in the RPE is a common pathway found in several diseases including Stargardt’s disease and age-related macular degeneration. This review discusses the role of photooxidative damage in the development of lipofuscin and the principles of fundus autofluorescence.
Comprehensive theory of plane-wave expansion based eigenmode method for scattering-matrix analysis of photonic structures

A plane-wave-based eigenmode method for scattering-matrix propagation of waves through layered photonic structures is presented. Mode matching using plane-wave-based eigenmode expansion requires a balance between the number of plane waves for the expansion of fields and the number of modes (number of eigensolutions) for mode matching. A matrix-free Fourier operator can handle the increase in the number of plane waves for large structures independently of the number of eigenmodes needed for the scattering-matrix analysis. A convergence analysis of the reflection and transmission of photonic crystal and photonic crystal defect structures as a function of the number of plane waves and the number of eigenmodes is carried out.
Effects of Proficiency Rates on Later Performance of a Recall and Writing Behavior

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two proficiency rates on the retention of materials using the Precision Teaching Method. Data were obtained during 3 days of treatment and over four monthly posttests using 120 fourth-grade subjects who were categorized by prior achievement as above average, average, and below average. Both treatments were conducted by teachers in classroom settings. Analyses included ANCOVA, t-test of retention ratio means, and t-test of percentage of correct response means. While the results were mixed, a significant interaction effect indicated that subjects in the average and below-average categories performed significantly better after 3 months when the higher proficiency rate was required. Subjects in the below-average category were found to perform with significantly greater accuracy in the higher proficiency rate treatment.
Gas Chromatographic Study of Flavor Deterioration in High-Temperature Short-Time Fluid Sterile Milk

Abstract Flavor changes which occur in high temperature short-time (HTST) fluid sterile milk during storage at 4.4, 22, and 36C for three months were investigated. The fluid milk was processed in a commercial steriliser at 140.5 C±1C for approximately 4sec. The physical changes observed in the HTST sterile milk during storage were: gelation, sedimentation, and creaming. Organoleptic evaluation revealed the development of stale flavor after two months at 22C. Rate of staling was a function of storage temperature. Flavor components isolated from the sterile milk were separated by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) using a dual flame ionization detector. Flavor components tentatively identified in fresh samples were: ethanal, propanal, furfural, acetone, 2-butanone, ethanol, and butanol. Storage samples showed in addition to the aforementioned: butanal, hexanal, heptanal, 2-pentanone, and 2-heptanone. Confirmation of some carbonyl compounds tentatively identified by GLC was made by TLC of their 2,4 DNPH derivatives. Ethanal, acetone, and 2-butanone were identified in the controls, while ethanal, butanal, hexanal, acetone, 2-butanone, and 2-heptanone were identified in samples stored for three months at 22C.
Tuscarora Sandstone (Silurian), Central Pennsylvania: Preliminary Quantitative Grain Shape Analyses of Cotter’s (1982) Facies—Fluvial, Estuarine, Beach, and Marine(?) Shelf: ABSTRACT

Cotter (1982) demonstrated a logical sequence of depositional facies in the Tuscarora Sandstone, both vertically and laterally, from braided river fluvial deposits to the southeast, progressing through local "estuarine" and regional beach facies, to marine(?) shelf sand waves to the northwest. Several examples of each facies were sampled and subjected to quantitative grain-shape analysis. Although the outcropping Tuscarora has suffered intense diagenesis (pressure solution and quartz overgrowth), these effects are less obvious in thin sections cut parallel to bedding, where the gross two-dimensional grain shapes are relatively unmodified. Preliminary results comparing the Fourier Analysis (FA) methods of Ehrlich and colleagues (1970 to 1982) and Boon (1982) with the Rotat d Radials-Factor Score (RR-FS) method of Parks (1981) are presented. In the RR-FS method, the two-dimensional silhouettes of several hundred grains from each sample are electronically digitized and the raw data (100+ points per grain) are stored on floppy disks. From this point on, the analysis is performed under operator control by a series of FORTRAN programs implemented on a microcomputer. For each grain, the digitized outline is rotated about a calculated "center of gravity" to a least squares best fit with an empirical "reference shape"; and 36 equal-angle spaced radials are calculated. The data set for each sample (400+ grains) is reduced by R-mode Factor Analysis. Computed factor scores are used to classify the gross grain shapes into a limited number of distinguishable categories. Associations of shape types are compared to specific facies. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1173------------
Statistical Wireless Channel Propagation Characteristics in Underground Mines at 900MHz

Wireless communication carries a great importance for underground mines from the perspective of safety, security, and industry. However, it is observed that commercial wireless communication systems in underground mines may not work always properly because of different environmental characteristics. In order to have wireless communication systems which work properly under the harsh environments such as underground mines, it is very important to understand the characteristics of the radio propagation within those environments. This work presents experimental results of wideband radio propagation at 900 MHz in a real underground environment. Several important wireless propagation channel parameters are obtained.
Equidistant regression modeling

A criterion of equalizing residual squares is considered for regression modeling, and its results are compared with the ordinary least squares and least absolute deviations regression models. Equalized residuals yield a model with the minimum mean difference of the error squared or the most efficient residual variance. Absolute errors' minimum mean difference is also tried, and its results are close to those of the squared equalized deviations. Solutions obtained with these nonlinear optimization criteria can be more adequate and better interpretable than the results of the regular least squares and least absolute deviations regression models.
Design of Multiuser Downlink Linear MIMO Precoding Systems With Quantized Feedback

We treat the problem of sum-rate maximization via scheduling and linear precoding in multiuser (MU) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems with quantized feedback. We formulate the optimal quantized linear precoder design problem and provide the numerical procedure for finding the solution. We also provide a simple scheduling scheme that exploits the MU diversity gain. With the aim of sum-rate maximization, we further address the quantization codebook design based on the capacity measure by introducing a new distance metric. It is demonstrated that, with or without scheduling, the proposed optimal linear precoding scheme achieves significant gain over the conventional linear precoder designs with similar feedback overhead, such as the zero-forcing precoder. Moreover, although the proposed quantization codebook design improves the performance of other existing MU-MIMO precoding schemes, the performance gain offered by it is typically much higher when it is coupled with the proposed linear precoding design.
Use of a genetic algorithm to assess relative motion in highly elliptic orbits

This paper examines final rendezvous between two vehicles in highly elliptic orbits. The range of eccentricities addressed is 0.6 to 0.9. Due to the varying orbital speeds of the two vehicles, the relative motion during elliptic rendezvous is highly dependent on initial conditions and differs significantly from the relative motion seen in circular rendezvous. The character of the motion has important implications for operational and safety considerations. The development of relative motion targeting and propagation procedures that output relative coordinates in a suitable curvilinear coordinate system is discussed. These procedures are subsequently combined with a genetic algorithm optimization that is used to globally characterize the solution space. Results of genetic algorithm studies are presented and a fuel-optimal family of solutions is identified for further study and characterization.
“The Great Mimicker”: An Unusual Etiology of Cytopenia, Diffuse Lymphadenopathy, and Massive Splenomegaly

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystem disease characterized by the formation of noncaseating granulomas. It frequently presents with pulmonary infiltrates and bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Splenic involvement is common, but massive splenomegaly is a rare occurrence. Sarcoidosis is known as “the great mimicker” (or “the great imitator”) since it exhibits a myriad of symptoms, mimicking other inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic conditions, including lymphoma. Herein, we report the case of a 44-year-old male patient who was found to have bicytopenia, hypercalcemia, diffuse lymphadenopathy, and massive splenomegaly, a constellation of findings suggestive of underlying lymphoma. Interestingly, lymph node biopsy showed noncaseating granulomas suggestive of sarcoidosis, without evidence of malignancy.
Pinhole edge penetration and scatter in small-animal energy-integrating pinhole emission computed tomography

In small animal emission computed tomography, multiple-camera systems can provide high sensitivity and rapid imaging. With enough cameras, all views can be acquired simultaneously, with no camera rotation. Such a system operated in SPECT mode is expensive because of the cost of the energy-discriminating cameras required for scatter rejection. The scatter from mice and rats is far less than that from humans, reducing the need for scatter rejection. A small-animal ECT system based on energy-integrating detectors could be much more affordable and widely available than a multi-camera SPECT system. Previous Monte Carlo studies have shown that an energy-integrating detector, accepting all scatter, would have a 20% lower effective photon count (based on SNR) than a detector with perfect energy discrimination when imaging a 2-cm diameter water cylinder with Tc-99m. The reduction would be as much as 60% for a 5-cm diameter cylinder imaged with I-125. Signal errors due to scatter would be comparable and would present a challenge for reconstruction algorithms. The effects of scatter and penetration at pinhole edges are well recognized, but have generally been studied with the assumption that scattered photons could be rejected by energy discrimination. This study examines the resolution and noise effects of pinhole edge penetration and scatter for tungsten, gold and platinum pinholes for energy-integrating systems, with effects for energy-discriminating systems examined for comparison.
Round ligament lipoma mimicking acute appendicitis in a 24-week pregnant female: a case report

An exhaustive search of the literature using the Pub Med database revealed no reports of round ligament lipomas mimicking acute appendicitis in pregnant patients. There are relatively few articles on round ligament lipomas and even less on round ligament lipomas during pregnancy. This case report is on a 27-year-old 24-week pregnant female who presented with signs and symptoms similar to acute appendicitis who in fact had a large right pelvic round ligament lipoma that was causing her pain.
Methyl jasmonate and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) reduce decay and maintain postharvest quality of papaya 'Sunrise'

Abstract Exposure of papaya ( Carica papaya L., cv. Sunrise) fruit to methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapors (10 −5 or 10 −4 M) for 16 h at 20 °C inhibited fungal decay and reduced chilling injury development and loss of firmness during storage for 14–32 days at 10 °C and 4 days shelf life at 20 °C. MJ-treated fruit also retained higher organic acids than the control fruit. Low density polyethylene film packaging prevented water loss and further loss of firmness as well as inhibiting yellowing ( b * values) of papaya fruit. The modified atmosphere created (3–5 kPa O 2 and 6–9 kPa CO 2 ) inside the package did not induce any off-flavor development during storage at 10 °C. The postharvest quality of papaya was enhanced significantly by combining the MJ-treatments and MAP. Use of MJ at 10 −5 M with MAP is beneficial to maintaining postharvest quality of papaya during low temperature storage and shelf-life period.
PUBLIC PROTEST AND PUBLIC POLICY: THE ANTI‐APARTHEID MOVEMENT AND POLITICAL INNOVATION*

With the Comprehensive Anti-apartheid Act of 1986, Congress instituted economic sanctions against South Africa, thereby reversing the historic course of U. S. foreign policy. This political innovation constituted a great victory for minority interests. This article utilizes the agenda-setting literature to examine the relationship between Anti-apartheid movement activity in the United States and adoption of economic sanctions against South Africa. The analysis is based upon an events data set consisting of 1353 events appearing in the New York Times between 1960 and 1986, interviews with activists and legislators, and archived materials. The ar- ticle concludes that although the Anti-apartheid movement was only in- directly involved in moving sanctions legislation to the policy agenda, the movement exerted direct influence in the policy process once the legislation had agenda status.
SAMMate: a GUI tool for processing short read alignments in SAM/BAM format

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology generates tens of millions of short reads for each DNA/RNA sample. A key step in NGS data analysis is the short read alignment of the generated sequences to a reference genome. Although storing alignment information in the Sequence Alignment/Map (SAM) or Binary SAM (BAM) format is now standard, biomedical researchers still have difficulty accessing this information. We have developed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) software tool named SAMMate. SAMMate allows biomedical researchers to quickly process SAM/BAM files and is compatible with both single-end and paired-end sequencing technologies. SAMMate also automates some standard procedures in DNA-seq and RNA-seq data analysis. Using either standard or customized annotation files, SAMMate allows users to accurately calculate the short read coverage of genomic intervals. In particular, for RNA-seq data SAMMate can accurately calculate the gene expression abundance scores for customized genomic intervals using short reads originating from both exons and exon-exon junctions. Furthermore, SAMMate can quickly calculate a whole-genome signal map at base-wise resolution allowing researchers to solve an array of bioinformatics problems. Finally, SAMMate can export both a wiggle file for alignment visualization in the UCSC genome browser and an alignment statistics report. The biological impact of these features is demonstrated via several case studies that predict miRNA targets using short read alignment information files. With just a few mouse clicks, SAMMate will provide biomedical researchers easy access to important alignment information stored in SAM/BAM files. Our software is constantly updated and will greatly facilitate the downstream analysis of NGS data. Both the source code and the GUI executable are freely available under the GNU General Public License at http://sammate.sourceforge.net .
Scheduling to minimize power consumption using submodular functions

We develop logarithmic approximation algorithms for extremely general formulations of multiprocessor multi-interval offline task scheduling to minimize power usage. Here each processor has an arbitrary specified power consumption to be turned on for each possible time interval, and each job has a specified list of time interval/processor pairs during which it could be scheduled. (A processor need not be in use for an entire interval it is turned on.) If there is a feasible schedule, our algorithm finds a feasible schedule with total power usage within an O(log n) factor of optimal, where n is the number of jobs.(Even in a simple setting with one processor, the problem is Set-Cover hard.) If not all jobs can be scheduled and each job has a specified value, then our algorithm finds a schedule of value at least (1-e) Z and power usage within an O(log(1/e)) factor of the optimal schedule of value at least Z, for any specified Z and e > 0. At the foundation of our work is a general framework for logarithmic approximation to maximizing any submodular function subject to budget constraints.
Preference for delay-associated cues: Cognitive dissonance?

Eighteen albino rats were given 96 trials in a runway during which delay-box cues were differentially paired with 2-, 10-, and 30-sec reinforcement delays. The animals then received 18 paired-comparison trials, in a Y-maze, where they were exposed to the three possible pairings of the delay-associated cues. It was found that the animals chose the 2-sec cue significantly more often when paired with either the 15- or 30-sec delay. There was no difference in the frequency of choice for the 10- and 30-sec pairing. Results were discussed with reference to Festinger’s “cognitive dissonance” theory, which predicts a preference for cues associated with longer delays.
Mortality and Length of Stay Trends Following Implementation of a Rapid Response System and Real-Time Automated Clinical Deterioration Alerts.

A study was performed to determine the potential influence of a rapid response system (RRS) employing real-time clinical deterioration alerts (RTCDAs) on patient outcomes involving 8 general medici...
Rerandomization to Balance Tiers of Covariates

When conducting a randomized experiment, if an allocation yields treatment groups that differ meaningfully with respect to relevant covariates, groups should be rerandomized. The process involves specifying an explicit criterion for whether an allocation is acceptable, based on a measure of covariate balance, and rerandomizing units until an acceptable allocation is obtained. Here, we illustrate how rerandomization could have improved the design of an already conducted randomized experiment on vocabulary and mathematics training programs, then provide a rerandomization procedure for covariates that vary in importance, and finally offer other extensions for rerandomization, including methods addressing computational efficiency. When covariates vary in a priori importance, better balance should be required for more important covariates. Rerandomization based on Mahalanobis distance preserves the joint distribution of covariates, but balances all covariates equally. Here, we propose rerandomizing based on Ma...
Improving student performance with an extra-curricular robotics club

We developed an extra-curricular robotics club in order to strengthen the academic performance of our computer science students and to increase their understanding of different career paths that are open to them. Despite the small size or our program, around 100 students, the club has the determined participation of six to eight students, including women and minority students. The club's activities increased the student's practical knowledge of embedded systems by developing low-cost line-following robots using inexpensive RC cars and 8-bit microcontrollers. Some of the technical content created by the club's activities will now be used in the first offering of a robotics course.
Rural Life in New England

This article summarizes the major dimensions of "rurality" and significant recent changes in the political, economic, and social composition of rural life. It then examines the origins of these changes, their impact on future directions of rural society, and the implications of this for collecting of sources for the study of rural life, with some description of available sources and discussion of unmet collecting needs.
MANAGING SHARED MEMORY SPACES IN AN OBJECT-ORIENTED REAL-TIME SIMULATION

Sharing memory spaces between parallel processes is a common practice in a real-time simulation environment. In an environment where parallel processes can exist on the same machine or on different machines, it is a challenge to develop and maintain reusable software that interfaces with shared memory spaces. The two main problems involved in dealing with shared memory spaces are: 1) providing platform independent access to the memory space, and 2) providing to all processes a consistent view of the structure and content of the memory space. Object-oriented techniques were used to create a software architecture designed to manage shared memory spaces. Object-oriented design patterns were used to present client code with a conceptual model of shared memory spaces while concealing the underlying implementation details. The resulting architecture is largely computing platform independent, with platform specific code being isolated to a few selected classes. The design was implemented in C++ for the NASA Langley Standard Real-Time Simulation (LaSRS++) Application Framework. This paper provides an overview of the design and implementation of the LaSRS++ shared memory management software.
The Oppenheimer case: a study in the abuse of law

(1977). The Oppenheimer case: a study in the abuse of law. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 33, No. 7, pp. 12-61.
Survey of AIDS-related knowledge and HIV infection among daughters-in-law from Vietnam in Daxin county

Objective To understand the awareness of AIDS-related knowledge and HIV infection among daughtersin-law from Vietnam in Daxin county on Vietnam-China border.Methods A questionnaire survey was carried out among Vietnamese daughters-in-law and their blood sample were collected and tested for HIV, syphilis and HCV antibody testing.Results A total of 110 daughters-in-law from Vietnam were surveyed and tested, The overall awareness rate of HIV/AIDS knowledge was 31.8%; the awareness rate of three transmission routes of HIV/AIDS were 80.0%; The positive rates for HIV and syphilis were 0.9%(1/110) and 3.6%(4/110). No positives for HCV were detected.Conclusion Effective measures be taken to control the infection of HIV/AIDS and syphilis among this special population including health education and monitoring activities for early management of the infections encountered.
Needing Assistance to Die Well

People die the way they live. I heard this many times from those who struggled for a simple answer to my prying questions.…“If you understood my life,” they'd say, “you'd understand my death.” Lonny Shavelson To understand with one's heart the pain of others is an attribute of the Divine. Ronald Valdiserri In Chapter 3, I argued that there are conditions under which some few persons may find that their dying experiences place tragic obligations on them. While the locus of moral concern in that chapter revolved around the patient (as it does in every chapter), there has been important acknowledgement throughout that a radically empirical take on values and meaning implicates others as well. This chapter extends the moral implications of our account of significance and obligation for end-of-life care. This “extension” comes by way of a focus on experience within a context familiar in medicine, and yet resides at the margins of individuality and society – situations that involve the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. In particular, I wish to explore two aspects of the dying process and our attitudes toward meaningful acts of dying through suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia: (1) why and how some of us might wish to die differently, and (2) why and how those of us involved with dying persons might help in their dying processes.
Some Aspects of Aircraft Instrumentation for Storm Research

Methods of airborne measurements of air velocity, aircraft parameters (location, velocity, attitude), state parameters of the atmosphere (temperature, humidity, pressure) and microphysical parameters (cloud droplets, liquid water content, raindrops and solid hydrometeors) are described and discussed, with particular attention to the needs of thunderstorm research. Airborne data systems, communications systems and radar are also discussed, in terms of operational requirements for hailstorm research.
Phylogeography and genetic structure of endemic Acmispon argophyllus and A. dendroideus (Fabaceae) across the California Channel Islands.

Premise of the study Taxa inhabiting the California Channel Islands exhibit variation in their degree of isolation, but few studies have considered patterns across the entire archipelago. We studied phylogeography of insular Acmispon argophyllus and A. dendroideus to determine whether infraspecific taxa are genetically divergent and to elucidate patterns of diversification across these islands. Methods DNA sequences were collected from nuclear (ADH) and plastid genomes (rpL16, ndhA, psbD-trnT) from >450 samples on the Channel Islands and California. We estimated population genetic diversity and structure, phylogenetic patterns among populations, and migration rates, and tested for population growth. Key results Populations of northern island A. argophyllus var. niveus are genetically distinct from conspecific populations on southern islands. On the southern islands, A. argophyllus var. argenteus populations on Santa Catalina are phylogenetically distinct from populations of var. argenteus and var. adsurgens on the other southern islands. For A. dendroideus, we found the varieties to be monophyletic. Populations of A. dendroideus var. traskiae on San Clemente are genetically differentiated from other conspecific populations, whereas populations on the northern islands and Santa Catalina show varying degrees of gene flow. Evidence of population growth was found in both species. Conclusions Oceanic barriers between islands have had a strong influence on population genetic structure in both Acmispon species, although the species have differing phylogeographic patterns. This study provides a contrasting pattern of dispersal on a near island system that does not follow a strict stepping-stone model, commonly found on isolated island systems.
Risk Factors for the Development of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent event following cardiac surgery, occurring in up to 40% of patients [1-5]. The arrhythmia itself is often benign such that its occurrence is sometimes not labeled as a “complication” even so, postoperative AF is associated with an increased length of hospital stay following cardiac surgery. In addition, the sequellae of postoperative AF can be severe and even life-threatening including hemodynamic compromise and thromboemboli. As such, a thorough knowledge of the risk factors associated with the development of the arrhythmia is warranted. Furthermore, it is essential that this understanding include the underlying mechanisms by which these risk factors predispose, and to seek prevention and early treatment of postoperative AF.
Inclusive Education for International Students: Applications of a Constructivist Framework

International students are a globally growing population that have numerous risk factors to their successful matriculation. One classroom tool university instructors have to combat these risk factors is utilizing an inclusive pedagoglogical framework. Instructors of international students that wish to apply an inclusive pedagogy to meet the needs of all students are lacking in concrete examples and strategies. This manuscript expands upon the idea of constructivist education as a type of inclusive pedagogy and uses the Constructive Supervision Process (Guiffrida, 2015) to provide a methodology for instructors of internationals students. The tenents of the model are described in practical detail and a table of examples is provided.
Prediction of pore-scale transport properties in unconventional reservoirs using novel theoretical dendroidal pore-network model

Abstract Measurement of transport properties of shale in laboratories can be expensive, extremely time-intensive and inaccurate due to lack of sufficient tool resolution. On the other hand, rigorous pore-scale simulation is prohibitively compute-intensive and is limited to sub-micron scale lacking volume-representativeness. Thus, theoretical pore-network modeling is a routine method to characterize the transport properties of shales. Connectivity architecture of porous media observed in unconventional shale reservoirs is markedly different from that in conventional reservoirs. The theoretical models developed for conventional reservoirs are explicitly proven to be not appropriate in capturing the unique characteristics of unconventional reservoirs; meanwhile, most models proposed for unconventional reservoirs are too simplified to capture realistic pore distribution. This paper presents a stochastically-distributed dendroidal pore-network model based on the analysis of pore-networks extracted from scanning electron tomographic microscope (SEM) images. Semi-acyclic model is adopted to capture the non-plateau trend of mercury intrusion capillary pressure (MICP) versus non-wetting phase saturation curve. Mercury drainage experimental data have also been compensated for the effect of pore compressibility. Intrinsic permeability and relative permeability is evaluated and validated to be in an acceptable range. Apparent permeability and its relation to intrinsic permeability is predicted by different gas-slippage correlations based on the dendroidal models. Data and samples from Marcellus shales are employed to validate the new proposed pore-network model and to compare different correlations of apparent permeability. Besides the predictive power, this new dendroidal model can also be employed as an analog of real shale porous media to perform different pore-scale simulations and analyses.
Law, psychology, and morality.

Abstract In a democratic society, law is an important means to express, manipulate, and enforce moral codes. Demonstrating empirically that law can achieve moral goals is difficult. Nevertheless, public interest groups spend considerable energy and resources to change the law with the goal of changing not only morally laden behaviors, but also morally laden cognitions and emotions. Additionally, even when there is little reason to believe that a change in law will lead to changes in behavior or attitudes, groups see the law as a form of moral capital that they wish to own, to make a statement about society. Examples include gay sodomy laws, abortion laws, and prohibition. In this chapter, we explore the possible mechanisms by which law can influence attitudes and behavior. To this end, we consider informational and group influence of law on attitudes, as well as the effects of salience, coordination, and social meaning on behavior, and the behavioral backlash that can result from a mismatch between law and community attitudes. Finally, we describe two lines of psychological research — symbolic politics and group identity—that can help explain how people use the law, or the legal system, to effect expressive goals.
Near-azeotropic volatility behavior of hydrous and anhydrous ethanol gasoline mixtures and impact on droplet evaporation dynamics

Abstract After fermentation, the concentration of bioethanol is only 8–12 wt%. To produce anhydrous ethanol fuel, a significant amount of energy is required for separation and dehydration. Once the azeotrope composition is reached, distillation can no longer be exploited for purification and more expensive methods must be used. Replacing anhydrous ethanol fuel with hydrous ethanol (at the azeotrope composition) can result in significant energy and cost savings during production. The goal of this study was to characterize the volatility behavior and the droplet evaporation dynamics of hydrous and anhydrous ethanol gasoline blends. Three hydrous ethanol-gasoline blends (10, 15, and 30 vol%) in which the hydrous ethanol was composed of the azeotropic proportions of ethanol and water, and three anhydrous ethanol gasoline blends (10, 15, and 30 vol%) were prepared and analyzed with the advanced distillation curve method. Distillation curves were obtained for all test fuels and distillate samples were taken during the distillation process. A droplet evaporation model validated with the distillation data was exploited to understand how the non-ideal volatility behavior of these blends, the high heat of vaporization of water, and altered fluid properties can affect the transient droplet evaporation phenomena and thus the fuel's potential to effectively mix with air in direct injection internal combustion engines. Minor differences in the distillation curves and vapor-liquid equilibrium between the hydrous and anhydrous fuels were measured. Droplet modeling results showed that the higher heat of vaporization and viscosity of water relative to ethanol can lead to significant differences in the net droplet evaporation time between the two types of blends, especially at the higher blending ratios evaluated. These results suggest that the presence of water in ethanol-gasoline blends may extend droplet lifetimes and increase the susceptibility of the fuel to form particulate matter emissions. This is the first study to use distillation methods to gain a better understanding of evaporation behavior and the role of water's non-linear vapor-liquid equilibrium on droplet evaporation dynamics.
Impact of Epoxy Encapsulation on Device Stability of Large- Area Laser-Patterned Perovskite Solar Cells

Organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells have achieved power conversion efficiencies that rival the established mainstream photovoltaic technologies, however, the lack of longterm stability presents one major hurdle for their commercialization. Here, we investigate the impact of low-cost epoxy encapsulation on device stability of large-area, laserpatterned perovskite solar cells and mini-modules, yielding results relevant to large modules for commercial applications. We track the performance evolution of our devices stored under different conditions. On this basis, we employ light-beam induced current (LBIC) to spatially resolve the photocurrent degradation of these devices, showing the striking contrast between devices with and without encapsulation after three months $(\sim2000$ hours) of storage under ambient and humid conditions.