cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF HAIL SUPPRESSION EXPERIMENTS

Abstract A statistical methodology involving the analysis of three basic types of historical hail data on an areal approach is presented for the planning and evaluation of hail suppression experiments in Illinois. The methodology was used to generate nomograms relating the number of years required to detect significant results to 1) type I error, 2) type II error, and 3) power of the test for various statistical tests and experimental designs. These nomograms were constructed for various area sizes and geographical locations within the State. Results indicate that, for an Illinois experiment, insurance crop-loss data are the optimum hail measurement if the study area has more than 60 percent insurance coverage. The optimum experimental design is the random-historical design in which all potential storms are seeded on a particular day, and 80 percent of the forecasted hail days are chosen at random to be “seeded days.” The recommended statistical analysis is the sequential analytical approach. If, however,...
Nitrite Does Not Provide Additional Protection to Thrombolysis in a Rat Model of Stroke with Delayed Reperfusion

An adjuvant therapy to prolong the therapeutic window for stroke patients is urgently needed. This randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled study investigated adjuvant intravenous sodium nitrite with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with 6 and 2 h of ischemia followed by reperfusion in Sprague-Dawley rats (n=59). Quantitative diffusion, T(1)-, T(2)-weighted, and semiquantitative perfusion imaging were performed before and after reperfusion and at 48 h after ischemia to determine the spatiotemporal evolution of stroke. After 48 h animals were killed and examined to evaluate infarct size and evidence of hemorrhagic transformation. Factor VIII immunostaining was performed to assess vessel morphology. Nitrite treatment (6 h group: 37.5 micromol for more than 90 mins; 2 h group: 26.25 and 1.75 micromol for more than 60 mins) did not reduce infarct volume 48 h after MCAO compared with saline-treated placebo groups after 6 or 2 h of MCAO. Stroke progression from baseline to 48 h, based on the apparent diffusion coefficient and relative cerebral blood flow deficits before and after reperfusion and T(2)-weighted hyperintensity at 48 h, did not differ between treated and control animals. These results suggest that nitrite is not a protective adjuvant therapy to delayed rtPA administration after ischemic stroke in rats.
Transatlantic relations and peace in Europe

What are the foundations of political order and peace in Europe? Various European observers have argued that US leadership and protection have pacified and stabilized the region by constraining rivalry for primacy among the leading powers in NATO Europe. In 1992 Manfred W6rner, the former German minister of defence then serving as NATO's secretary-general, said, 'If the United States disengages, I foresee a certain temptation for Western European nations to revert to past patterns of power politics.'T W6rner's apprehension has rarely been examined in depth. Besides being speculative and scenario-dependent, the topic appears distasteful and repellent. However, as a mental exercise, a Gedankenexperiment, it deserves attention. As a starting point, this article critically examines a recent novel that explores what might happen in Europe without NATO and US security commitments. It then reviews various theories regarding the origins of peace among the member states of the European Union. It points out that, thanks in large part to the Atlantic alliance and US security policies, the European integration movement has advanced under comparatively propitious international circumstances. The EU's ability to deal with major external security challenges and maintain its political cohesion without US military support is therefore debatable. Notwithstanding the EU's achievements and other peace-promoting developments in Europe, the challenges and uncertainties that would face Europe without NATO argue that the alliance remains an essential underpinning of political order in Europe. Indeed, NATO continues to serve as an indispensable basis for pursuing constructive policies throughout the Euro-Atlantic region, notably in relations with Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, the alliance can serve as a key element in the
Diamond nucleation on nickel substrates seeded with non-diamond carbon

Oriented diamond films have been nucleated on single crystal nickel substrates seeded with non-diamond carbon and annealed at high temperatures in atomic hydrogen. The non-diamond carbon seeds included graphite powders, fullerene (60) powders, and gaseous carbon species. It was found that these different non-diamond carbon powders or species were effective in the enhancement of oriented nucleation of diamond. The morphologies of diamond films were similar regardless of the types of carbon used, suggesting a common nucleation mechanism involved. Based on the experimental observations, a revised model was developed for the oriented nucleation of diamond on Ni.
Access resistance of stimulation electrodes as a function of electrode proximity to the retina.

Objective. Epiretinal prostheses seek to effectively stimulate the retina by positioning electrode arrays close to its surface so current pulses generate narrow retinal electric fields. Our objective was to evaluate the use of the electrical impedance of insulated platinum electrodes as a measure of the proximity of insulated platinum electrodes to the inner surface of the retina. Approach. We examined the impedance of platinum disk electrodes, 0.25 mm in diameter, insulated with two widths (0.8 and 1.6 mm outer diameter) of transparent fluoropolymer in a rabbit retinal eyecup preparation. Optical coherence tomography measured the electrode's proximity to the retinal surface which was correlated with changes in the voltage waveform at the electrode. Electrode impedance changes during retinal deformation were also studied. Main results. When the 1.6 mm diameter insulated electrodes advanced towards the retinal surface from 1000 μm, their voltage step at current pulse onset increased, reflecting an access resistance increase of 3880 ± 630 Ω, with the 50% midpoint averaging 30 μm, while thin 0.8 mm insulated electrode advancement showed an access resistance increase 50% midpoint averaging 16 μm. Using impedance spectroscopy, electrode–retina proximity differences were seen in the 1.6 mm insulated electrode impedance modulus between 1 and 100 kHz and the waveform phase angle at 0.3–10 kHz, while thin 0.8 mm insulated electrode advancement produced smaller impedance modulus changes with retinal proximity between 3 and 100 kHz. These impedance changes with retinal proximity may reflect different sized zones of eye wall being coupled in series with the insulated platinum electrode. Significance. The proximity of stimulus electrodes to neural tissue in fluid-filled spaces can be estimated from access resistance changes in the stimulus pulse waveform. Because many prosthetic devices allow back telemetry communication of the stimulus electrode waveform, it is possible these series resistance increases observed with retinal proximity could be used as a metric of stimulus electrode placement.
Mechanistic aspects of coenzyme B12-dependent rearrangements: organometallics as free radical precursors

Abstract Coenzyme B12 (5′-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, abbreviated [CoIIIR−]) serves as a cofactor for several enzymic reactions, a common feature of which involves the 1,2-interchange of a H atom and another group (X = OH, NH2, CH(NH2)COOH, etc.) on adjacent carbon atoms, i.e., A widely accepted mechanistic interpretation of these reactions, supported by a variety of evidence from studies on the enzymic processes as well as on model systems, is, At the present stage it appears that the principal, if not the only, role of coenzyme B12 is to serve as the precursor for an organic free radical which triggers the substrate rearrangement. This role implies and utilizes a very weak Coalkyl bond, susceptible to homolytic cleavage under mild conditions, for which there has until recently been no convincing evidence or precedent. We have developed the first reliable systematic methods for the determination of transition metalalkyl bond dissociation energies (BDE) and have applied these to the determination of such BDE's in a variety of organocobalt compounds (notably containing dioxime or Schiff base ligands) related to coenzyme B12. The CoC BDE's yielded by such measurements are in the range 15–25 kcal/mol, i.e., low enough to be consistent with the proposed role of coenzyme B12 depicted in Eqn. (1). The influences of electronic and steric factors on CoC bond dissociation energies, revealed by these studies, are such as to suggest that coenzyme B12 is an ideal candidate for such a role and that steric factors probably are responsible for the enzyme-induced CoC bond weakening and dissociation. An analogy is developed between the role of coenzyme B12 in biological systems as a reversible ‘free radical carrier’ (i.e., according to Eqn. (1)) and the role of hemes as reversible dioxygen carriers, i.e., [FeIIIO2−] ⇄ [FeII] + O2
A predicate logic approach to CAD/CAM modeling

An approach to CAD and CAM modeling and to the design of CAD/CAM systems is presented. Models of the product and of the process are represented by logical assertions in a common logical language. CAD/CAM functions are represented by the application of logical inference rules, which correspond to the derivation of new information as well as to actions. This allows all the different kinds of model and specification used in design and manufacturing to be represented in a computer in a common form. It therefore allows the representation of constraints and rules connecting any aspects of design and manufacturing together.This approach has all the advantages of formal specifiction, namely, ease of expression, communication, standardization and abstraction. At the same time, we demonstrate its practical implementation in an efficient form, and which is industry compatible, and we report practical experience with using this approach for CAD/CAM models and for intelligent CAD/CAM functions.
Experimenting with a global decision tree for state clustering in automatic speech recognition systems

In modern automatic speech recognition systems, it is standard practice to cluster several logical hidden Markov model states into one physical, clustered state. Typically, the clustering is done such that logical states from different phones or different states can not share the same clustered state. In this paper, we present a collection of experiments that lift this restriction. The results show that, for Aurora 2 and Aurora 3, much smaller models perform as least as well as the standard baseline. On a TIMIT phone recognition task, we analyze the tying structures introduced, and discuss the implications for building better acoustic models.
Numerical simulation of reactive flow in liquid composite molding using flux-corrected transport (FCT) based finite element/control volume (FE/CV) method

Abstract The mold-filling simulation of liquid composite molding (LCM) is of great importance in optimizing this cost-effective polymer-composites manufacturing process. The flow in LCM is a convection-dominated reactive, non-isothermal flow involving a moving boundary, so the Galerkin finite element method (FEM) has to be adapted with stabilization techniques to solve such problems. The streamline-upwind Petrov–Galerkin (SUPG) method is one of the most popular stabilized methods. However, the use of SUPG still leads to localized numerical wiggles in the vicinity of sharp solution gradients, which is often encountered in the 3D mold-filling simulation of LCM for thick parts. In this study, we propose to use the flux-corrected transport (FCT) based FEM to solve a set of highly convective transport equations. The numerical examples presented in this paper demonstrate the excellent performance of FCT based FEM in suppressing spurious oscillations in the regions of steep solution-gradients as opposed to the numerical instability of SUPG in such regions. For the first time, the FCT based FEM combined with the control-volume method is employed to simulate the non-isothermal mold-filling process in LCM. We have developed a simulation code PORE-FLOW© based on the scheme proposed in the study. Numerical studies have proven the stability of the FCT based FEM while modeling the mold-filling process of LCM.
Conjugated linoleic acid decreases production of pro-inflammatory products in macrophages: Evidence for a PPARγ-dependent mechanism

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a dietary fatty acid that has received considerable attention due to its unique properties in rodent models including anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic and anti-diabetic effects. The effects of CLA are similar to those seen with ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs), most notably of the PPAR gamma subtype. With the recent observation of a role for PPAR gamma in regulation of immune responses, we suspected that CLA could affect immune function, in particular macrophage activity. The goal of our study was to examine whether this dietary fatty acid has anti-inflammatory properties similar to those reported for PPAR gamma activators such as 15-deoxy prostaglandin J(2) (PGJ(2)). In reporter assays, various CLA isomers activated PPAR gamma in RAW264.7 mouse macrophage (RAW) cells. CLA decreased the interferon-gamma (IFN gamma)-induced mRNA expression of mediators of inflammation including cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), inducible NOS (iNOS), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha). Reporter assays also demonstrated reduced IFN gamma-stimulated transcriptional activity of the iNOS and COX2 promoters by CLA. Consequently, CLA decreased the production of PGE(2), TNFalpha and the inflammatory agent nitric oxide (NO) in RAW cells treated with IFN gamma. Other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 beta and IL-6 were similarly decreased by CLA treatment of RAW cells. In addition, various CLA isomers induced HL60 cell differentiation along the monocytic lineage as assessed by measuring expression of the cell surface marker CD14. This differentiation process, as well as the regulation of iNOS and COX2 by 15dPGJ(2), is believed to involve PPAR gamma. Mutations of Leu(468) and Glu(471) to alanine in helix 12 of the ligand-binding domain of PPAR gamma resulted in a protein with strong dominant-negative activity (dnPPAR gamma). Transfecting dnPPAR gamma into RAW cells eliminated the ability of various CLA isomers to regulate the iNOS reporter construct. Taken together, these results suggest that CLA has anti-inflammatory properties that are mediated, at least in part, by the nuclear hormone receptor PPAR gamma.
A bit-constrained sar adc for compressive acquisition of frequency sparse signals

We introduce a novel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on the traditional successive approximation register. This architecture employs compressive sensing (CS) techniques to acquire and reconstruct frequency sparse signals. One important difference between our approach and traditional CS systems is that our architecture constrains the number of bits used during acquisition rather than the number of measurements. Our system is able to flexibly partition a fixed budget in order to trade the number of measurements it acquires with the quantization depth given to each measurement. We show that this degree of flexibility is particularly advantageous for ameliorating the CS noise folding phenomenon, allowing our ADC significant gains over measurement-constrained compressive sensing systems.
Monte-Carlo approximations for Dempster-Shafer belief theoretic algorithms

The Dempster-Shafer (DS) belief theory is often used within data fusion, particularly in applications rife with uncertainty that causes problems for probabilistic models. However, when a large number of variables is involved, DS theory (DST) based techniques can quickly become intractable. In this paper, we present a method for complexity reduction of DST methods based on statistical sampling, a tool commonly used in probabilistic-based signal processing (e.g., particle filters). In particular, we use sampling-based approximations to reduce the number of propositions with non-zero support, upon which the computational complexity of many DST-based algorithms are directly dependent on, thereby significantly reducing the computational overhead. We present some preliminary results that demonstrate the validity and accuracy of the proposed method, along with some insights into further developments. We also compare the proposed method to previously presented approximation methods.
Influence of dissimilatory metal reduction on fate of organic and metal contaminants in the subsurface

become dominant members of the microbial community when Fe(III)-reducing conditions develop as the result of organic contamination, or when Fe(III) reduction is artificially stimulated. These results suggest that further understanding of the ecophysiology of Geobacter species would aid in better prediction of the natural attenuation of organic contaminants under anaerobic conditions and in the design of strategies for the bioremediation of subsurface metal contamination.
Ethylene signal transduction.

• Background The phytohormone ethylene is a key regulator of plant growth and development. Components of the pathway for ethylene signal transduction were identified by genetic approaches in Arabidopsis and have now been shown to function in agronomically important plants as well. • Scope This review focuses on recent advances in our knowledge on ethylene signal transduction, in particular on recently proposed components of the pathway, on the interaction between the pathway components and on the roles of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in ethylene signalling. • Conclusions Data indicate that the site of ethylene perception is at the endoplasmic reticulum and point to the importance of protein complexes in mediating the initial steps in ethylene signal transduction. The expression level of pathway components is regulated by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, degradation of the transcription factor EIN3 being a primary means by which the sensitivity of plants to ethylene is regulated. EIN3 also represents a control point for cross-talk with other signalling pathways, as exemplified by the effects of glucose upon its expression level. Amplification of the initial ethylene signal is likely to play a significant role in signal transduction and several mechanisms exist by which this may occur based on properties of known pathway components. Signal output from the pathway is mediated in part by carefully orchestrated changes in gene expression, the breadth of these changes now becoming clear through expression analysis using microarrays.
Bridging immunity and lipid metabolism by gut microbiota

The human gut is a unique organ in which hundreds of different microbial species find their habitat and in which different host physiologic functions, such as digestion, nutrition, and immunity, coexist. Although all these players were studied separately for decades, recently, there has been an explosion of studies demonstrating the essential role for interactions between these components in gut function. Furthermore, new systems biology methods provide essential tools to study this complex system as a whole and to identify key elements that define the crosstalk between the gut microbiota, immunity, and metabolism. This review is devoted to several human diseases resulting from the disruption in this crosstalk, including immunodeficiency-associated and environmental enteropathies, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity. We describe findings in experimental models of these diseases and in germ-free animals that help us understand the mechanisms and test new therapeutic strategies. We also discuss current challenges that the field is facing and propose that a new generation of antibiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics coupled with novel, systems biology–driven diagnostics will provide the basis for future personalized therapy.
Emergence phenology of trichoptera from six mile Creek, Erie County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Abstract An emergence trap was placed over a section of Six Mile Creek, a warm water stream which flows into Lake Erie and is located in Erie County, PA. Six families, 17 species, and 1782 specimens of caddisflies were collected over a three year period. Diplectrona modesta Banks, the most abundant species, has an extended emergence from late May to August‐September and may exist in two cohorts. Wormaldia moesta (Banks) was the next most abundant species; in the 1979 collection it was four times more abundant than during either of the previous two years. Two cohorts may also exist in this species, one emerging in spring, and the other in late summer. Neophylax concinnus McLachlan, the third most abundant species, also revealed a dramatic increase in numbers the third year over the previous two years. This species always emerged during a period of four to six weeks in early autumn. Polycentropus elarus Ross, the next most abundant species, was quite synchronous in emergence in the last two years of the stu...
The Effect of Reactive School Closure on Community Influenza-Like Illness Counts in the State of Michigan During the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

Background In sum, 559 Michigan schools were closed as a nonpharmaceutical intervention during the influenza A 2009 (H1N1) pandemic. Methods By linking the proportion of schools closed within a district to state influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance data, we measured its effect on community levels of ILI. This analysis was centered by the peak week of ILI for each school district, and a negative binomial model compared three levels of school closure: 0%, 1%-50%, and 51%-100% of schools closed from three weeks leading up to ILI peak to four weeks following ILI peak rate. Results We observed that school closures were reactive, and there was no statistically significant difference between ILI rates over the study period. There was an elevated rate ratio for ILI at 51%-100% closure, and a reduction in the rate ratio at the 1%-50% compared to the 0% closure level. Conclusions These findings suggest that district level reactive school closures were ineffective.
Effects of swirling inlet flow on pressure recovery in conical diffusers

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of swirling inlet flow on the performance and outlet flow profile of conical diffusers. Twenty four different diffusers were tested, with total divergence angles ranging from 4.0 to 31.2°, and with area ratios from 1.30 to 8.27. The effect of swirling inlet flow on diffuser performance was found to be a strong function of flow regime in the same diffuser with axial inlet flow. Swirling inlet flow did not affect performance of diffusers which were unseparated or only slightly separated with axial inlet flow. For diffusers which were moderately or badly separated for axial inlet flow, swirling inlet flow caused large performance increases based on total inlet kinetic energy. The results indicate that optimum diffuser performance for swirling inlet flow may be higher than that for axial inlet flow. However, the geometry of the optimum diffuser will differ considerably from that for axial inlet flow. New optimums are presented for the three swirl ratios investigated.
Modelling of an Active PCM Thermal Energy Storage for Control Applications

Abstract This paper presents the results of an experimental and numerical study focusing on the control-oriented modelling of an actively charged/discharged phase-change material (PCM) thermal energy storage (TES) system. The PCM-TES system consists of five layers of commercial macro-encapsulated PCM panels with an air cavity in its center. Air can flow through the cavity to charge/discharge the PCM panels. The PCM-TES was tested in an environmental chamber and its dynamic response was carefully monitored. A detailed fifth order thermal network finite difference model for the system is developed and verified against experimental results. The detailed model is then simplified to a 2 nd order model for control purposes. A five-parameter equation is developed to model the storage of heat in the PCM. An average and maximum temperature difference of 0.8 °C and 2.0 °C, respectively, is achieved between the experiment data and that simulated by the detailed model. The second order model has an average and maximum temperature difference of 0.2 °C and 0.9 °C, respectively, compared to the detailed model. It is thus adequate for real time model predictive control of the system.
Key influence of sex on urine volume and osmolality

Demographics influence kidney stone risk and the type of stone that is more likely to form. Common kidney stone risk factors include having a low urine volume and a high urine concentration. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effect of demographics on urinary concentration and osmole excretion. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected from non-Hispanic white sibships in Rochester, MN. Height, weight, blood pressure, serum creatinine, and cystatin C were measured. Diet was assessed using the Viocare food frequency questionnaire. Effects of demographics and dietary elements on urine osmolality and volume were evaluated in bivariate and multivariable models, as well as models that included dietary interactions with age, sex, and weight. Samples were available from 709 individuals (mean age 66 ± 9 years, 59 % female). Across the age spectrum, males had higher urine osmolality (~140 mOsm/kg, p < 0.0001) and total osmole excretion (~270 mOsm, p < 0.0001) compared to females. For any given urine volume, males had a consistently higher urine osmolality (~140 mOsm/kg, p < 0.0001). In multivariable models, urine osmolality declined with age and water intake and remained higher in males than females. Urine osmolality positively associated with weight and animal protein intake. Higher urine volume associated with larger water intake. An interaction revealed that greater body weight was associated with larger changes in urine osmolality as oxalate intake increased (p = 0.04). Data from this study support the hypothesis that there are sex differences in thirst and vasopressin action. This trend in urine concentration is also consistent with known epidemiologic patterns of urinary stone disease risk.
PS-359 Cross-cultural Study Of Adaptation In Families Of Individuals With Down Syndrome

Background There is growing evidence that while some families of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) find it difficult to adapt to the ongoing challenges associated with raising an individual with DS, others adapt successfully and some even thrive. However, few studies have examined the experiences of families living in different countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of family factors on adaptation in families of individuals with DS living in four countries. Methods The guiding framework for this study was the Resiliency Model of Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation. Over 800 parents of individuals with DS from Ireland, Portugal, UK, and USA completed a survey which included these measures: Family Index of Regenerativity and Adaptation- General; Family Management Measure; Family Problem Solving Communication Index and the Brief Family Assessment Measure. Linear mixed modelling was used accounting for intra-familial correlation and constant variance for the two parents. An adaptive modelling process was also used. Results Family functioning was worse with greater family strains and incendiary communication and with lower condition management ability, affirming communication, and family hardiness. Parent wellbeing was worse with greater condition management effort, family strains, family stressors and incendiary communication and with lower condition management ability and family hardiness. Conclusion Findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying processes associated with differing outcomes in families of individuals with DS. Efforts to intervene will be more effective if clinicians recognise how culture and family factors interact and shape how families respond.
Protection against inhalation of chromic acid mist. Use of filters impregnated with ascorbic acid.

(1965). Protection Against Inhalation of Chromic Acid Mist. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 770-772.
A Finite Difference Proof That E = mc2

It is shown that the classical formula E = mc2 follows directly from forward difference definitions of both velocity and energy, thus avoiding the necessity of the concept of a derivative.
The Hope of Fundamentalists

In "Optimism and Fundamentalism," we (Sethi & Seligman, 1993) indicated that members of the fundamentalist faiths (e.g., Muslims, Orthodox Jews, and Calvinists) are more optimistic than members of moderate faiths (e.g., Conservative Jews, Catholics, Lutherans, and Methodists), who are in turn more optimistic than members of liberal faiths (e.g., Reform Jews and Unitarians). Following the recommendation of Kroll (this issue, pp. 56-57), we now present the data about which dimensions led to greater optimism with more fundamentalism. There are three dimensions of explanatory style: internality, stability, and globality. Kroll asks if the differences with fundamentalism still hold when internality is excluded. There are two widely used statistics of the data that exclude internality: Hopefulness (HP) is derived through summing dimensions of stability-instability and globality-specificity for positive events within the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ). The hopelessness (HN) score sums across these dimensions for negative events. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences among the fundamentalists, moderates, and liberals in their HP scores for positive events, F(2, 601) = 6.32, p < .002. The mean HN score for negative events also showed significant differences among the fundamentalists, moderates, and liberals, F(2, 601) = 2.65, p < .007. As shown in the paired comparisons of Table 1, fundamentalists had significantly higher HP scores than moderates nd liberals, while liberals had significantly higher HN scores than fundamentalists. These findings indicate that even after internality-externality is removed, fundamentalism is associated with higher levels of optimism and hope. A separate analysis was conducted on the third dimension of the questionnaire, internality-externality. ANOVA indicated that the internality score for negative events (IN) significantly differed across the three groups, F(2, 601) = 10.96, p < .00001 . As Table 1 shows, fundamentalists and moderates had more optimistic IN scores than liberals. This result suggests that fundamentalists and moderates are less likely to attribute their failures to themselves. The internality score for positive events (IP), however, did not differ across the fundamentalists, moderates, and liberals, F(2, 601) = 0.01, n.s. This finding suggests that fundamentalists are no more likely than moderates and liberals to attribute their successes to themselves.
Unifying Artificial Intelligence and Trajectory Optimization for UAV Guidance

The envisioned scope of autonomy of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has broadened from autonomous point-to-point motion to intelligent motion, which involves the completion of a high-level task. Algorithmic frameworks for defining and completing such tasks have been developed in the theory of artificial intelligence (AI). One such framework is of classical planning problems (CPP)s. We discuss the applicability of CPPs to formulate new types of complex UAV tasks. Next, we present a new technique to unify trajectory optimization algorithms with solutions of CPPs, thereby introducing a new class of UAV guidance techniques. The proposed approach is particularly suited to leverage existing algorithms for solving CPPs and, independently, algorithms for trajectory optimization. We introduce a family of graphs called lifted planning graphs parametrized by an integer H, and we map paths in these graphs to solutions of the CPP. We show that the overall cost of a high-level plan is a nonincreasing function of H, and that there exists a finite H for which an optimal path in the lifted planning graph is associated with the optimal solution of the CPP. We illustrate the proposed ideas with numerical simulation examples involving task-planning for a point-mass UAV model.
THE ANALYSIS OF HARBOR AND ESTUARY SYSTEMS

It is one of the paradoxes of our age that hydraulic engineering is concerned with problems that in many ways exceed in difficulty those encountered in the more glamorous fields of science. One measure of this situation is that classical mathematics, which is a powerful tool when applied to simple systems, has proved to be a rather impotent aid m hydraulic calculations, except when the geometry is simple. Harbor and estuary systems are usually associated with complex geometry, and thus we ordinarily cannot depend on mathematics to give general solutions. Instead of solving the hydraulic equations of flow in the complex geometry, we have sought to reconstruct the geometry of the prototype in a reduced scale, by means of models, and by assuming that the equations governing the full-size and reduced-scale systems are the same, to find specific solutions through direct measurements in the latter. Because of scale effects, the hydraulic model is not perfect, but it does reproduce the complex geometry and some of the complexities of three dimensional flows in the prototype. These cannot at present be described mathematically, and where they are important a properly constructed and adjusted hydraulic model is our most powerful tool in the investigation of estuarial problems, and is likely to remain so. However, hydraulic models are very expensive, especially if they are built to a reasonably large scale, so it behooves us to be sure that we have not overlooked other, perhaps less powerful, methods when we are confronted with a particular problem. Within the past decade two methods have been developed that will eventually replace hydraulic models for tidal flow and river flood routing investigations. One is based on the use of digital computers to numerically integrate the differential equations of open channel flow; the realization of this method by a digital computer program for a particular system has been called a "mathematical model". The second is based on the use of analog elements that behave with respect to electrical current in the same way as the prototype behaves with respect to flows of water. When an assembly of such elements is adjusted to duplicate the behavior of a hydraulic system in a way similar to the way a hydraulic model is adjusted during its verification period, the result may be called an analog model.
Effects of Deformation Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Electron Beam Welded Joint of Ti2AlNb/Ti60 Dual Alloys

The effects of deformation temperature of close isotemperature forging on the microstructure and mechanical property of the joint by electron beam welded(EBW) Ti2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys were investigated.The results show the following: after deformation at different temperature of close isotemperature forging followed by the same heat treatment,the microstructure of electron beam welded joint of Ti2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys is refined obviously,and the strength and ductility of welded joint are obviously enhanced,which are higher than that of Ti60 alloy substrate;with the increase of deformation temperature,the spherical α phase content decreases gradually,beta turning microstructure increases and strip α phase gets shorter and thicker in the heat affected zone of Ti60 alloy.This phenomenon causes the intensity of alloy increases and the plasticity decreases in the tensile test at room-temperature;at the deformation temperature of 1010 ℃,the microstructure of the welded bond area is well distributed,the plastic phase B2 content is more,and the welded specimens generally show a good match between strength and plasticity in the tensile test at room-temperature and 600 ℃.
HERNÁN G. INVERSO, 2015. EL MUNDO ENTRE PARÉNTESIS: UNA ARQUEOLOGÍA DE LAS NOCIONES DE REDUCCIÓN Y CORPORALIDAD. BUENOS AIRES: PROMETEO LIBROS, 156 PP.

Resena de Hernan G. Inverso, 2015. El mundo entre parentesis: una arqueologia de las nociones de reduccion y corporalidad. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros, 156 pp.
Investment Model: An Overview

Risk management is at the heart of the entrepreneurial process. Getting Funded develops a venture capital investment model, the core of which is efficient risk mitigation. Effective risk management is a core competency of successful investors and entrepreneurs. The deal-killer risks, incentive-alignment risks, and path-dependent risks should be addressed very early, and the critical operational risks should be addressed as early as possible. The remaining operational risks should be addressed as they occur. Investors invest in high-ability entrepreneurs with high-growth, high-margin businesses. Six potential areas are explored for investors to add value in a startup. The characteristics of high-ability entrepreneurs are explained. The investor criteria are examined. Entrepreneurial ability alone is not enough for an investor to accept an investment proposal, although it can be the main reason for an investor to reject a proposal. Common flaws with business plans and entrepreneur presentations can be easily fixed by the entrepreneur to improve the odds of “getting funded.” An entrepreneur should not approach the investor for funding until the startup is investor ready.
A FAST POISSON SOLVER FOR MULTIPROCESSORS

This chapter discusses the efficient direct methods for solving the finite-difference approximation of the Poisson equation on the unit square. The most effective sequential algorithm combines the block cyclic reduction and Fourier analysis schemes. This is Hockney's FACR ( l ) algorithm. It presents the asymptotic operation count for FACR( l ) on an n × n grid is O ( n 2 log 2 log 2 n ), and is achieved when the number l of the block cyclic reduction steps preceding Fourier analysis is taken as (log 2 log 2 n ). Using only cyclic reduction, or Fourier analysis, to solve the problem on a sequential machine requires O ( n 2 log 2 n ) arithmetic operations. Fourier analysis, or the matrix decomposition Poisson solver (MD-Poisson solver), is ideally suited for parallel computation. It consists of performing a set of independent sine transforms, and solving a set of independent tridiagonal systems. On a parallel computer consisting of n 2 processors, with an arbitrarily powerful interconnection network, the MD-Poisson solver for the two-dimensional case requires O (log 2 n ) parallel arithmetic steps.
Stream network geomorphology mediates predicted vulnerability of anadromous fish habitat to hydrologic change in southeast Alaska

In rivers supporting Pacific salmon in southeast Alaska, USA, regional trends toward a warmer, wetter climate are predicted to increase mid- and late-21st-century mean annual flood size by 17% and 28%, respectively. Increased flood size could alter stream habitats used by Pacific salmon for reproduction, with negative consequences for the substantial economic, cultural, and ecosystem services these fish provide. We combined field measurements and model simulations to estimate the potential influence of future flood disturbance on geomorphic processes controlling the quality and extent of coho, chum, and pink salmon spawning habitat in over 800 southeast Alaska watersheds. Spawning habitat responses varied widely across watersheds and among salmon species. Little variation among watersheds in potential spawning habitat change was explained by predicted increases in mean annual flood size. Watershed response diversity was mediated primarily by topographic controls on stream channel confinement, reach-scale geomorphic associations with spawning habitat preferences, and complexity in the pace and mode of geomorphic channel responses to altered flood size. Potential spawning habitat loss was highest for coho salmon, which spawn over a wide range of geomorphic settings, including steeper, confined stream reaches that are more susceptible to streambed scour during high flows. We estimated that 9–10% and 13–16% of the spawning habitat for coho salmon could be lost by the 2040s and 2080s, respectively, with losses occurring primarily in confined, higher-gradient streams that provide only moderate-quality habitat. Estimated effects were lower for pink and chum salmon, which primarily spawn in unconfined floodplain streams. Our results illustrate the importance of accounting for valley and reach-scale geomorphic features in watershed assessments of climate vulnerability, especially in topographically complex regions. Failure to consider the geomorphic context of stream networks will hamper efforts to understand and mitigate the vulnerability of anadromous fish habitat to climate-induced hydrologic change.
First Tonic-Clonic Seizure: Treatment and Prognosis

The outcome of immediate treatment (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or sodium valproate) or delayed treatment after a second seizure, in two groups of patients followed for a minimum of 3 years, was evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, open trial reported by the “FIRST Group” from Segrate, Italy.
Fast Iterative Maximum-Likelihood Algorithm (FIMLA) for Multipath Mitigation in Next Generation of GNSS Receivers

In this paper, we efficiently solve the maximum-likelihood (ML) time-delay estimation problem for GNSS signals in a multipath environment. Exploiting the GNSS signal model structure and the spreading code periodicity, we develop an efficient implementation of the Newton iterative likelihood- maximization method by finding simple analytical expressions for the first and second derivatives of the likelihood function. The proposed Fast Iterative ML Algorithm (FIMLA) for time- delay estimation is shown to be an attractive technique for mitigation of closely-spaced multipath for current GPS receivers as well as future modernized GPS and the European Galileo systems based on BOC signals. Simulation results show that FIMLA improves the performance of the ML synchronization algorithm in presence of multipath.
Associations between omega fatty acid consumption and depressive symptoms among individuals seeking behavioural weight loss treatment

Objective The typical Western diet is deficient in omega‐3 and high in omega‐6 fatty acids (FAs). These FAs may play a role in depressive symptoms via inflammatory processes, especially in the context of obesity, a pro‐inflammatory state. This study investigated associations between omega‐3 and omega‐6 FA intake and depressive symptoms in adults seeking behavioural weight loss treatment (BWLT).
Chapter 4 – Negative Knowledge and Aggressive Human Nature

Chapter Summary This chapter deals with negative knowledge that triggers the societies into disarray, dismay, and deterioration of ethics and values accumulated during the prior interval that built positive ethics and values. We report events from recent history as facts only to indicate that polluted and adulterated knowledge has dire consequences. Section 4.1 documents some of the events that have brought the ethics and conscience of political abusers in grave doubt. The reader is forewarned about the facts that most authors shirk to report. In an extended timeframe, activities of humans and societies are a balance between the fine side of humans and their coarse side. Be as it may, most thoughtful minds weigh and consider all facts. Historically and philosophically, cultures and societies have never been able to eradicate either of the two sides of human nature. Social values are as likely to regress, as they are likely to progress. Nations come and go due to the bipolar nature of their leaders. In summarizing the movements of civilizations that have prevailed, the betterment of human race appears to have stood ground because order and wisdom are byproducts of peaceful living of the thoughtful, in contrast to the chaos and disarray that are a result of aggression and violence of the thoughtless. It is our contention that the next generation of knowledge machines, based on the science of knowledge and the knowledge of science will damp these oscillations and offer well-reasoned pathways to the betterment of the humankind. Though the lives are short lived, the memory banks of machines (or the encrypted holographs and inscribed tablets) can withstand the erosive efforts of time. In the modern era of borderless culture of knowledge and the timeless retentions of knowledge in the Internet knowledge banks (KBs), machines by far do outperform human beings. However, it becomes necessary to empower these machines with the ability to process (positive and negative) knowledge and to extract (±) wisdom as the computer scientists have empowered the plain old computers of the 70s and 80s to process (positive and negative) data and extract (±) information from it. In this chapter, we propose the methodology to program knowledge machines and track incremental changes of knowledge that govern the corresponding changes in the society. In a sense, knowledge plays a similar focal role as money plays in commerce bringing about expansion and contractions in the financial markets. Cultures and nations are treated as super-objects that respond to the ± “social energy (=social power times lapsed time)” in the same fashion as cosmic objects that respond to ± “work-done (= physical power times lapsed time).”
Mathematics and the definitions of religion

In 2014, I published a proposal for a definition of “religion”. My goal was to offer a definition of this contentious term that would include Buddhism, Daoism, and other non-theistic forms of life widely considered religions in the contemporary world. That proposal suggested necessary and sufficient conditions for treating a form of life as a religious one. It was critiqued as too broad, however, on the grounds that it would include the study of math as a religion. How can one include forms of life based on non-theistic realities without including math? In this paper, I show the flaw in the previous definition and the weaknesses of two attempts to evade that flaw, before recommending a shift, first, to a Wittgenstein-inspired polythetic definition of “religion” and, second, to a certain kind of polythetic definition that I call “anchored”.
Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Health Care Utilization in the United States for Transgender People: A Review of Recent Literature

Transgender people face numerous barriers when utilizing health care in the United States. The current study sought to highlight transgender consumer perspectives in order to present theoretically informed, concrete recommendations for increasing transgender health care utilization. The search yielded several prominent themes associated with barriers to health care for transgender people: 1) provider lack of knowledge concerning transgender identity issues and transgender health issues, 2) transgender patients' previous negative experiences with the health care system or anticipation of these experiences, 3) transgender patients' inability to pay for health care services, and 4) health care provider refusal to provide health care services to transgender people. We present a modified version of Adapted Behavioral Model of health care utilization for transgender people focused on transgender individuals as a guiding theoretical framework that informs our recommendations for increasing transgender health care utilization.