cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retrodirective Phased Array Antenna for CubeSats

This paper discusses the design of a retrodirective phased array antenna for CubeSat applications. A phased array antenna can offer high gain and beamforming capabilities to small satellites. Retrodirective capabilities allow the communication system to autonomously determine the direction of an incoming signal without prior knowledge, and form the beam appropriately to achieve maximum gain. The end result is a compact high gain antenna without strict pointing requirements or deployables. Simulation result demonstrate that retrodirectivity provides array gain improvement across the entire scan range of the array rather than just the steer angle. Further simulations show that the benefits of retrodirectivity are more significant in larger arrays. An architecture is proposed using existing COTS parts, with a power added efficiency of 37% for a 5 W power output. Analytic analysis shows that due to DC power overhead, EIRP drops in larger arrays; arrays larger than $3\times 3$ are impractical using the proposed architecture. A antenna design process is presented to meet the needs of the phased array, and a 2.2 GHz RHCP design with a 6 dBi gain and 2 dB axial ratio is shown. Test results highlight that errors in the phase shifters result in large errors in scanning accuracy. A method of calibration to correct for phase shift error is demonstrated.
Part geometry and conduction-based laser power control for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

Abstract Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) uses a focused, high power laser to repeatedly scan geometric patterns on thin layers of metal powder, which build up to a final, solid three-dimensional (3D) part. This process is somewhat limited in that the parts tend to have poorer surface finish (compared to machining or grinding) and distortion due to residual stress, as well as multiple other deficiencies. Typical laser scan strategies are relatively simple and use constant laser power levels. This elicits local variations in the melt pool size, shape, or temperature, particularly near sharp geometric features or overhang structures due to the relatively higher thermal conductivity of solid metal compared to metal powder. In this paper, we present a new laser power control algorithm, which scales the laser power to a value called the geometric conductance factor (GCF). The GCF is calculated based on the amount of solid vs. powder material near the melt pool. The algorithm for calculating GCF is presented along with some basic examples for clarification. Then, we detail the hardware and software implementation on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) additive manufacturing metrology testbed (AMMT), which includes co-axial melt pool monitoring using a high-speed camera. Six parts were fabricated out of nickel superalloy 625 (IN625) with the same nominal laser power, but with varying GCF algorithm parameters. We demonstrate the effect of tailored laser power on reducing the variability of melt pool intensity measured throughout the 3D build. Finally, we contrast the difference between the ‘optimized’ part vs. the standard build parameters, including the deflection of the final part top surface near the overhang and the variation of surface finish on the down-facing surfaces. Ultimately, the improvements to the in-situ process monitoring and part qualities demonstrate the utility and future potential tuning and optimizing more complex laser scan strategies.
Building Histories That Have Futures: The Benefits of Collaborative Research

This paper outlines the benefits of collaborative research involving the Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Nipmuc Nation of southern New England, centred in Massachusetts. Over the past 15 years, work carried out by both authors has resulted in the production of a more detailed history of the Nipmuc community of Hassanamisco in what is today Grafton, Massachusetts. Having survived the ravages of King Philip’s War (1675–1676), Hassanamisco has remained a culturally and politically viable community. This paper discusses the nature of the collaboration that has resulted in a renewed understanding of Hassanamisco Nipmuc history.
Influence of Nitrogen Dioxide upon the Ignition Temperature of Hydrogen-Oxygen Mixtures

H. B. DIXON has observed that the ignition temperature of hydrogen-oxygen mixtures may be lowered so much as 200° C. by small quantities of nitrogen dioxide. Hinshelwood1,2 and his co-workers, who investigated this reaction afresh, found that the nitrogen dioxide concentration must lie between two definite limits to give the observed effect, and when the nitrogen dioxide concentration is above or below these limits, only a slow combination of hydrogen and oxygen ensues. Up to the present, it has not been possible to give a satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon.
In a Phase 1a escalating clinical trial, autologous mesenchymal stem cell infusion for renovascular disease increases blood flow and the glomerular filtration rate while reducing inflammatory biomarkers and blood pressure.

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) reduces tissue perfusion and eventually leads to loss of kidney function with limited therapeutic options. Here we describe results of Phase 1a escalating dose clinical trial of autologous mesenchymal stem cell infusion for ARVD. Thirty-nine patients with ARVD were studied on two occasions separated by three months. Autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were infused through the renal artery in 21 patients at three different dose levels (1, 2.5 and 5.0 × 105 cells/kg) in seven patients each. We measured renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (iothalamate and estimated GFR), renal vein cytokine levels, blood pressure, and tissue oxygenation before and three months after stem cell delivery. These indices were compared to those of 18 patients with ARVD matched for age, kidney function and blood pressure receiving medical therapy alone that underwent an identical study protocol. Cultured mesenchymal stem cells were also studied in vitro. For the entire stem cell treated-cohort, mean renal blood flow in the treated stenotic kidney significantly increased after stem cell infusion from (164 to 190 ml/min). Hypoxia, renal vein inflammatory cytokines, and angiogenic biomarkers significantly decreased following stem cell infusion. Mean systolic blood pressure significantly fell (144 to 136 mmHg) and the mean two-kidney GFR (Iothalamate) modestly but significantly increased from (53 to 56 ml/min). Changes in GFR and blood pressure were largest in the high dose stem cell treated individuals. No such changes were observed in the cohort receiving medical treatment alone. Thus, our data demonstrate the potential for autologous mesenchymal stem cell to increase blood flow, GFR and attenuate inflammatory injury in post-stenotic kidneys. The observation that some effects are dose-dependent and related to in-vitro properties of mesenchymal stem cell may direct efforts to maximize potential therapeutic efficacy.
Margin of Safety in TMDLs: Natural Language Processing-Aided Review of the State of Practice

AbstractThe margin of safety (MOS) accounts for uncertainties in the total maximum daily load (TMDL) development process and the variabilities involved in simulating systems, providing a complete d...
Optimization of horizontal well fracturing in shale gas reservoir based on stimulated reservoir volume

Abstract Optimization of multi-stage fracturing horizontal wells is with great significance in shale oil and gas reservoir production to enhance the gas recovery. The stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) is an important factor for fracturing horizontal well design and gas reservoir development. However, very few research has studied horizontal well optimization considering the effect of SRV. This paper proposes a mathematical model for SRV estimation during hydraulic fracturing. The model couples both rock and fluid mechanic effects. The displacement discontinuity method (DDM) is adopted to calculate the formation stress field. Then a natural fracture failure criterion based on formation pressure and stress fields is used to estimate the SRV. Additionally, a stress dependent permeability (SDP) algorithm is applied to estimate permeability change within the SRV region. Based on SRV and SDP models, an automatic optimization framework is established, with the net present value (NPV) employed as the optimization objective function, in which the overall cost and the ultimate income are involved simultaneously. A Modified-PSO algorithm is proposed and adopted to realize the optimization process, which can significantly reduce the calculation time while maintaining the accuracy of the result. In the end, two cases with shale gas reservoirs are presented, and different types of hydraulic fracturing wells are optimized to validate this optimization framework. Parameters including hydraulic fracturing spacing and half-length, well spacing and well length are optimized to achieve the optimum well design. The optimization results are compared and discussed, which show that this approach can contribute to obtaining the optimal shale gas recovery and provide a new insight into hydraulic fracturing well design under the effect of SRV.
A Mueller matrix approach to flat gold mirror analysis and polarization balancing for use in retinal birefringence scanning systems

Abstract In a polarization-sensitive optical system, it is important to understand the effects that mirrors have on polarization at a specific wavelength of interest, angle of incidence, reflective material, coating, etc. When modeling reflection, the optical designer oftentimes needs to know the Mueller matrix for the particular mirror, in order to assess its overall impact on polarization and possibly reduce the mirror-related effects in the entire system’s performance. Based on an example of a protected gold flat mirror, we investigated two methods, one analytical and one experimental, for determining the Mueller matrix of a noble metallic mirror. The measured Mueller matrix was shown to be nondepolarizing. Then, using polar decomposition, the measured matrix was interpreted as a combination of a pure retarder and a diattenuator. Further investigation showed that the diattenuation property was very weak, which offered the opportunity of largely balancing the introduced polarization deviation by means of a linear compensating retarder. The results of this work were used successfully for improving the design of a diagnostic device for ophthalmology based on retinal birefringence scanning. The described approach also greatly improves the precision of Mueller-matrix-based computer modeling of polarization sensitive systems.
One-Pot Aldol Cascade for the Preparation of Isospiropyrans, Flavylium Salts and bis-Spiropyrans

We probed tandem aldol condensations of sixteen o-hydroxyacetophenones, carrying electron withdrawing and donating groups at positions 4 and 5, by using five molar equivalents of SiCl4 in anhydrous...
The Development of Unity

Martha Nussbaum’s list of the 10 central capabilities contains the most plausible account of valuable functionings that we have. In this lecture, I explore how Nussbaum’s account converges with the...
Nutrition Self-Efficacy and Dietary Patterns among Older African American Women in Kansas.

Introduction Nutrition is the key contributor to disparities in many chronic diseases. However, little is known about the dietary habits and nutrition self-efficacy beliefs of older African American women with chronic diseases. This study looked at the relationship between nutrition self-efficacy and dietary patterns among older African American women. Methods A total of 115 African American women 55 years and older, with one or more chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, were recruited from a midwestern city in Kansas. Participants completed a survey comprised of dietary intake items and the Physical Activity and Nutrition Self-Efficacy (PANSE) scale. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and Wilcoxon rank sum test (Mann-Whitney U Test). Results There was a 79% (91/115) participation rate. Participants were confident in their ability to maintain healthy behaviors (57.67/72; SD = 11.22). The mean dietary score for fats and carbohydrate consumption was 32.67 ± 2.48 compared to 5.89 ± 3.52 for fruit and vegetable intake. A significant positive correlation was observed between fruit and vegetable intake and nutrition self-efficacy. A higher fruit and vegetable intake were observed among married women (mean = 7.35; SD = 4.45). Conclusion Our findings shed new light on older African American women's perceptions of healthy eating and the confidence to eat heathy. Based on these results, older African American women met the daily fruit and vegetable recommendations; however, more work is needed to understand how to intervene to improve dietary behaviors regarding fat and carbohydrate consumption in this population. While more research is needed, the findings indicated behavioral theories such as nutrition self-efficacy may have utility in tailoring nutrition interventions in an older African American population.
Analyzing Students’ Construction of Graphical Models: How Does Reaction Rate Change Over Time?

With recent curricular movements aimed at engaging students in science practices, more work is needed regarding evidence-based approaches for supporting students in developing competency in contexts such as chemistry. In this work, we focus on student engagement in constructing models related to graphical representations of reaction rate. Using semistructured interviews, 15 general chemistry students were provided a prompt that asked them to draw a graph to indicate how rate would change over time. Analysis involved characterizing the models students constructed, with students combining chemistry principles with mathematical reasoning to justify the specific shape of the graph. Results indicate similar chemistry and mathematical ideas discussed among the students but a variety of distinct models to describe reaction rate. The similar chemistry and mathematics ideas used by the students indicate they have productive ideas for reasoning about the context, but they need more support regarding how to combine these ideas, reflecting students’ difficulty in using mathematics to model chemistry phenomena.
Managing the modern infodemic.

As if facing a novel coronavirus was not bad enough, health care professionals today have to contend with a torrent of misleading information circulating via social media. As Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, noted in mid-February, “We’re not just
JA:2021-30. Constant Contact ® Readership Analytics: Lessons Learned

Purpose: With the increased adoption of digital communications to disseminate agricultural-related news and information, it is imperative to monitor and tailor the content based on actual user enga...
Optimizing Networked Rural Electrification Design using Adaptive Multiplier-Accelerated A* Algorithm

Networked rural electrification can potentially improve energy resources utilization, reduce cost and enhance supply reliability. Identifying optimal connection paths is critical for proper network design. To overcome the inefficiency of applying standard A* path-finding method to complex topography, multiplier-accelerated A* (MAA*) algorithm, which utilizes a modified heuristic, has been developed in previous research. While MAA* can generally reduce computation time by ~90% at the cost of ~10% optimality, the computation burden can still be remarkable for some areas with intricate topological variations. This paper proposes an adaptive version of MAA*. By introducing intermediate nodes in MAA*, the new algorithm significantly simplifies computations in complex regions. This greatly facilitates the analysis and design of optimal network for cost-effective electricity supply to users in remote, difficult-to-reach areas.
Immunocomputing-Based Approach for Optimizing the Topologies of LSTM Networks

This paper aims to automatically design optimal LSTM topologies using the clonal selection algorithm (CSA) to solve text classification tasks such as sentiment analysis and SMS spam classification. Designing optimal topologies involves determining the best configuration of hyperparameters that will give the best performance. The current state-of-the-art LSTM topologies are often designed using trial and error approaches which are incredibly time-consuming and require domain experts. Our proposed method, referred to as CSA-LSTM, is evaluated using the Large Movie Review Dataset (IMDB). Furthermore, to verify the robustness of the hyperparameters discovered by CSA for the IMDB dataset, we have used them for the other datasets, viz. the Twitter US Airline Sentiment and the SMS Spam Collection. Additionally, the discovered hyperparameters for the LSTM are combined with pre-determined convolutional neural network (CNN) layers to achieve the same or better results to fast the training time and fewer trainable parameters. For further verification and evaluation of the generalization ability and effectiveness of the proposed approach, it is compared with four machine learning algorithms widely used for text classification tasks: (1) random forest (RF), (2) logistic regression (LR), (3) support vector machine (SVM), and (4) multinomial naive Bayes (NB). The results of our experiments show that the LSTM topologies automatically designed by our CSA method are less expensive, reusable and outperform the machine learning algorithms and other models in the literature evaluated on the same three datasets. Through our proposed method, LSTM’s best topology can be self-determined without any human intervention, making CSA-based algorithms a promising approach to automatically design optimal LSTM topologies that provide the best performance for a given task.
Reorganization of the Social Brain in Individuals with Only One Intact Cerebral Hemisphere

Social cognition and emotion are ubiquitous human processes that recruit a reliable set of brain networks in healthy individuals. These brain networks typically comprise midline (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex) as well as lateral regions of the brain including homotopic regions in both hemispheres (e.g., left and right temporo-parietal junction). Yet the necessary roles of these networks, and the broader roles of the left and right cerebral hemispheres in socioemotional functioning, remains debated. Here, we investigated these questions in four rare adults whose right (three cases) or left (one case) cerebral hemisphere had been surgically removed (to a large extent) to treat epilepsy. We studied four closely matched healthy comparison participants, and also compared the patient findings to data from a previously published larger healthy comparison sample (n = 33). Participants completed standardized socioemotional and cognitive assessments to investigate social cognition. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were obtained during passive viewing of a short, animated movie that distinctively recruits two social brain networks: one engaged when thinking about other agents’ internal mental states (e.g., beliefs, desires, emotions; so-called Theory of Mind or ToM network), and the second engaged when thinking about bodily states (e.g., pain, hunger; so-called PAIN network). Behavioral assessments demonstrated remarkably intact general cognitive functioning in all individuals with hemispherectomy. Social-emotional functioning was somewhat variable in the hemispherectomy participants, but strikingly, none of these individuals had consistently impaired social-emotional processing and none of the assessment scores were consistent with a psychiatric disorder. Using inter-region correlation analyses, we also found surprisingly typical ToM and PAIN networks, as well as typical differentiation of the two networks (in the intact hemisphere of patients with either right or left hemispherectomy), based on idiosyncratic reorganization of cortical activation. The findings argue that compensatory brain networks can process social and emotional information following hemispherectomy across different age levels (from 3 months to 20 years old), and suggest that social brain networks typically distributed across midline and lateral brain regions in this domain can be reorganized, to a substantial degree.
Good Reasons to Run: Women and Political Candidacy: by Shauna L. Shames, Rachel I. Bernhard, Mirya R. Holman, and Dawn Langan Teele, Philadelphia, PA, Temple University Press, 2020, 324 pp., $37.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978143991956-9

The topic of gender and its influence on running for political office has unleashed a wave of new scholarship in recent decades. As the number of women running for and winning elected office has in...
Drainage for Infected Pancreatic Necrosis - Is the Waiting the Hardest Part?

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis, which occurs in up to 30% of episodes of acute pancreatitis, can be a devastating, life-threatening disease. For many years, acute necrotizing pancreatitis (the caus...
Opportunities for narrative medicine in dental education and practice, a narrative review

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES Reflection is one of four components of the experiential learning cycle and is often the one overlooked. This practice can be used in graduate-level health care education, such as medicine and dentistry. This metacognitive practice allows students to conceptualize learning in a clinical setting and apply this knowledge to new scenarios. Reflective practice can be taught using different modalities of narrative medicine, and several studies have studied its effectiveness in areas such as professional development, collaboration, communication among others. Most of these studies, however, have been conducted solely in the medical setting, and narrative medicine may have useful application in the practice and teaching of dentistry. METHODS This literature review examined the outcomes of narrative medicine in medical studies concerning reflection and hypothesized their benefits to dental education. The studies reviewed were chosen by utilizing key term searches of the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed library and qualitative factor analysis by study team investigators. Elective-based, prospective enrollment and whole cohort participation programs were analyzed for potential effectiveness in dental education. RESULTS The most feasible programs for potential integration into dental curricula are elective-based, small-group, graduate-level courses with a level of evaluation such as residency competencies, as demonstrated by Arntfield et al. CONCLUSION(S): These programs should be investigated further to evaluate their potential in improving reflective skills of students, and ultimately in improving their experiential learning experience.
Cumulative Effects of Resting-state Connectivity Across All Brain Networks Significantly Correlate with ADHD Symptoms

BackgroundThe clinical utility of MRI neuroimaging studies of psychopathology has been limited by a constellation of factors--small sample sizes, small effect sizes, and heterogeneity of methods and samples across studies--that hinder generalizability and specific replication. An analogy is early genomics studies of complex traits, wherein a move to large, multi-site samples and a focus on cumulative effects (polygenic scores) led to reproducible and clinically applicable effects from genome-wide association studies. A similar logic in MRI may provide a way to improve reproducibility, precision, and clinical utility for brain-wide MRI association studies. MethodsPolyneuro scores (PNS) represent the cumulative effect of brain-wide measures--in the present case, resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fcMRI) associated with ADHD symptoms. These scores were constructed and validated using baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD, N=5666) study, with a reproducible matched subset as the discovery cohort (N=2801). Association between the PNS and ADHD symptoms was further tested in an independent case-control cohort, the Oregon-ADHD-1000 (N=533). ResultsThe ADHD PNS was significantly associated with ADHD symptoms in both the ABCD and Oregon cohorts after accounting for relevant covariates (p-values < 0.001). While the strongest effects contributing to the PNS were concentrated among connections involving the default mode and cingulo-opercular networks, the most predictive PNS involved connectivity across all brain networks. These findings were robust to stringent motion thresholds. In the longitudinal Oregon-ADHD-1000, non-ADHD comparison youth had significantly lower ADHD PNS ({beta}=-0.309, p=0.00142) than children with persistent ADHD (met diagnostic criteria at two or more time points from age 7 to 19). The ADHD PNS, however, did not reliably mediate polygenic risk for ADHD. Instead, the PNS and an ADHD polygenic score were independently associated with ADHD symptoms. ConclusionsA polyneuro risk score representing cumulative ADHD-associated resting-state connectivity was robustly associated with ADHD symptoms in two independent cohorts using distinct sampling designs, yet was independent of polygenic liability for ADHD, suggesting the need to examine environmental influences. The polyneuro score approach holds promise for improving the reproducibility of neuroimaging studies, identifying their clinical utility, and unraveling the complex relationships between brain connectivity and the etiology of behavioral disorders.
The Dimorphic Life Cycle of Caulobacter and Stalked Bacteria

The development of stalked bacteria like Caulobacter is an integral part of cell growth and occurs in each cell division cycle. This chapter introduces the life cycle of stalked bacteria and then focuses on the best-studied example, Caulobacter crescentus. Recent progress in understanding the regulation of stalk and holdfast synthesis and of cell division are reviewed. The holdfast, the adhesion organelle that allows Caulobacter to attach to surfaces, appears at the tip of nascent stalks during swarmer cell differentiation. Phosphate starvation dramatically induces stalk synthesis in Caulobacter, whereas starvation for nitrogen can block the differentiation of swarmer cells. Caulobacter cells undergo drastic morphological changes when cultured in stationary phase for an extended period. The isolation of mecillinam-resistant short-stalked mutants of Caulobacter also suggests that penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) play an important role in stalk synthesis. The increase in surface-to-volume ratio caused by stalk elongation during phosphate starvation is thought to allow Caulobacter cells to take up phosphate and other nutrients more efficiently. The holdfast is an adhesive organelle, found at the tips of stalks in Caulobacter, which mediates attachment to substrates. The study of bacterial development has had a major impact on one’s understanding of the bacterial cell.
The Effectiveness of Using Technology in English Language Classrooms in Government Primary Schools in Bangladesh.

Across the globe, governments of different countries have recognized the importance and value of digital technologies in language learning. This article is based on the pilot project of Save the Children using information and communication technology (ICT) in education. Through this initiative, interactive multimedia software based on national curriculum of English Class 4 were developed and tested in selected government primary schools. The pre-intervention survey indicated that the teachers do not have the language competence to confidently facilitate English classes using the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach. The results of the project showed that the use of audio-visual content has strong potential for enhancing and promoting interactive language classes. However, the success of the program depends on how the technology is designed and implemented and how the teachers are trained to use it. The full text of the article can be found at 10.18275/fire201502011049
Glycosylation sites flank phosphorylation sites on synapsin I: O-linked N-acetylglucosamine residues are localized within domains mediating synapsin I interactions.

Synapsin I is concentrated in nerve terminals, where it appears to anchor synaptic vesicles to the cytoskeleton and thereby ensures a steady supply of fusion-competent synaptic vesicles. Although phosphorylation-dependent binding of synapsin I to cytoskeletal elements and synaptic vesicles is well characterized, little is known about synapsin l's O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modifications. Here, we identified seven in vivo O-GlcNAcylation sites on synapsin I by analysis of HPLC-purified digests of rat brain synapsin I. The seven O-GlcNAcylation sites (Ser 55 , Thr 56 , Thr 87 , Ser 516 , Thr 524 , Thr 562 , and Ser 576 ) in synapsin I are clustered around its five phosphorylation sites in domains B and D. The proximity of phosphorylation sites to O-GlcNAcylation sites in the regulatory domains of synapsin I suggests that O-GlcNAcylation may modulate phosphorylation and indirectly affect synapsin I interactions. With use of synthetic peptides, however, the presence of an O-GlcNAc at sites Thr 562 and Ser 576 resulted in only a 66% increase in the K m of calcium/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation of site Ser 566 with no effect on its V max . We conclude that O-GlcNAcylation likely plays a more direct role in synapsin I interactions than simply modulating the protein's phosphorylation.
Cavity-Less 40 GHz pulse source tunable over 95 nm

We demonstrate a widely tunable 40GHz pulse source using linear pulse compression in a cavity less structure. The source is characterized with pulsewidth of 2.2ps and SNR exceeding 30 dB is achieved over 95nm.
Generic summative assessment functional model

Using computer to enhance learning has been around for more than 40 years. It can be realized in various forms from computer-aided instructions (CAI), intelligent tutoring system (ITS), to Web-based learning (WBL), and elearning systems. We are working on research in which we have developed an elearning system framework. One of the framework components is assessment. The assessment is integrated in the framework to evaluate student knowledge in order to support student learning, and educational decision making. Most of the existing systems use a static assessment technique, which has fixed questions presented to all students following "one size fits all" approach. In this paper, we present a flexible adaptive assessment functional model that provides a system with better understanding of student levels and shows their weaknesses and strengths. The model is based on the characteristics of students and their performances. In addition, the model provides a dynamic assessment strategy that allows teachers to set up an appropriate assessment mechanism for their students. Moreover, it specifies the functions that should be performed by each assessment component.
Indoor chemistry: research opportunities and challenges

In this editorial, we have highlighted key research opportunities and challenges in four topical themes for indoor chemistry: human occupants as agents influencing indoor chemistry; oxidative chemistry; surface phenomena; and semivolatile organic compounds. In each case, enough prior work has been done to demonstrate the importance of the theme and to create a foundation for future studies. Extensive achievements and ongoing progress in (outdoor) atmospheric chemistry—both in the analytical methods developed and in the scientific knowledge created—also contribute to a strong foundation from which to achieve rapid research progress in this exciting new domain.
Price Effects of Across-State Regulation of U.S. Electric Utilities

Investor-owned utilities (IOUs)serving multiple states are subject to multiple publicservice (utility) commission (PSC) regulation. Focusing on relative rates of an IOU across PSCsisolates regulatory effects. This analysis examines38 such multistate IOUs from 1995. For theresidential-commercial customer comparison, electedPSC commissioners, Republican-appointed commissioners,PSC jurisdiction over municipally-owned utilities (anindirect IOU competitor), and IOU home-state statusare associated with a higher relative rate, whereasmore PSC employees per capita and population densityare associated with a lower relative rate. Thecommercial-industrial comparison results are largelyreversed, but are similarly robust.
Cyber-Extortion: The Elephant in the Server Room

This article has three goals. First, the authors review the available data on the phenomenon of cyber-extortion - the practice of demanding money in exchange for not carrying out threats to commit harm that would involve a victim's information systems. Second, the authors investigate why attorneys are apparently the last to know when their business clients are the victims of cyber-crimes. Third, the authors offer proactive steps that attorneys may take to prevent or mitigate the harm that their clients could otherwise experience at the hands of cyber-criminals. This article has a companion piece - Cyber-Extortion: The Duties and Liabilities Related to the Elephant in the Server Room - that comprehensively analyzes the legal frameworks related to cyber-extortion. That article is also available here at www.ssrn.com
Low-Power Parallel Video Compression Architecture for a Single-Chip Digital CMOS Camera

A low-power, large-scale parallel video compression architecture for a single-chip digital CMOS camera is discussed in this paper. This architecture is designed for highly computationally intensive image and video processing tasks necessary to support video compression. Two designs of this architecture, an MPEG2 encoder and a DV encoder, are presented. At an image resolution of 640 × 480 pixels (MPEG2) and 720 × 576 (DV) and a frame rate of 25 to 30 frames per second, a computational throughput of up to 1.8 billion operations per second (BOPS) is required. This is supported in the proposed architecture using a 40 MHz clock and an array of 40 to 45 parallel processors implemented in a 0.2 μm CMOS technology and with a 1.5 V supply voltage. Power consumption is significantly reduced through the single-chip integration of the CMOS photo sensors, the embedded DRAM technology, and the proposed pipelined parallel processors. The parallel processors consume approximately 45 mW of power resulting a power efficiency of 40 BOPS/W.
Engineering Identity: Gender and Professional Identity Negotiation among Women Engineers

This article considers how women in a gendered profession, engineering, construct their professional identity in response to workplace interpersonal interactions that marginalize it. Using data from interviews with women engineers, it also explores how these interactions influence the engineers' sense of self and belonging in engineering. The interpersonal interactions place professional identity on the periphery and can overly validate gender identity. I discuss two types of identity construction strategies employed by the participants in response to these marginalizing interactions: impression management tactics and coping strategies. Although the data demonstrate that participants may be left feeling devalued or ambivalent towards their identity or fit in engineering, some interactions are more validating and offer a sense of belonging. This article also reflects on how the engineers' actions may, in fact, represent forces for change in the gendered culture of engineering.
Hypoxia and interdemic variation in Poecilia latipinna

Variation in respiratory traits was quantified between two populations of the sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna (one from a periodically hypoxic salt marsh, Cedar Key, and one from a chronically normoxic river site, Santa Fe River). Two suites of characters were selected: traits that may show both short-term acclimation response and interdemic variation in acclimation response (metabolic rate, critical oxygen tension and respiratory behaviour), and those that are not likely to respond to short-term acclimation but may vary among populations (gill morphometric characters). Sailfin mollies from the salt marsh, acclimated to hypoxia (1 mg l -1 , c. 20mmHg) for 6 weeks, spent less time conducting aquatic surface respiration and had lower gill ventilation rates than hypoxia-acclimated conspecifics from the well-oxygenated river site. Poecilia latipinna acclimated to hypoxia exhibited a lower critical oxygen tension (P c ) than fish acclimated to normoxia; however, there was also a significant population effect. Poecilia latipinna from Cedar Key exhibited a lower P c than fish from the Santa Fe River, regardless of acclimation. Cedar Key fish had a 14% higher mean gill surface area relative to fish from the Santa Fe River, a character that could account, at least in part, for their greater tolerance to hypoxia.
Analysis of the packing stage in injection molding

An unconditionally stable explicit finite difference numerical scheme is used to determine the pressure distribution during the packing stage of a rectangular mold cavity. Different initial conditions arising from both an isothermal and nonisothermal mold filling analysis are considered in relation to subsequent packing behavior. The packing stage is of short duration, may be assumed to be isothermal, and gives rise to a more uniform pressure distribution within the mold cavity.
Atrophy of Myelinated Retinal Nerve Fibers After Acute Optic Neuropathy

A 45-year-old man with extensive myelinated retinal nerve fibers had an attack of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Serial fundus photographs documented the loss of myelin. Visual acuity in the affected eye decreased to 6/90 (20/300) and color perception was markedly reduced. The visual fields in the affected eye showed dense superior and inferior arcuate scotomas and central depression. These findings were unchanged nine months later, but the areas of myelinated nerve fibers had become smaller.
Ankylosed teeth as abutments for maxillary protraction: A case report

It has been recognized that using the maxillary teeth to deliver extraoral force to the maxilla not only results in sutural remodeling but also periodontal remodeling and tooth movement. In patients with severe maxillomandibular malrelationships, the potential for tooth movement often limits the amount and duration of extraoral force and, consequently, affects the success of treatment. This case report describes a technique to intentionally ankylose deciduous teeth in a patient with severe maxillary retrusion. The ankylosed teeth were used as abutments to deliver an anteriorly directed intermittent extraoral force. After 12 months of treatment, the anterior crossbite was nearly corrected. At that point the ankylosed teeth loosened because of root resorption and the treatment was terminated. Cephalometric superimposition demonstrated that the occlusal correction was the result of anterior maxillary movement with little mandibular growth and no movement of the ankylosed teeth. The results suggest that intentionally ankylosed teeth may be used as abutments for extraoral traction in patients with a severe disturbance in maxillary growth.
Neural voting machines

A "Winner-take-all" network is a computational mechanism for picking an alternative with the largest excitatory input. This choice is far from optimal when there is uncertainty in the strength of the inputs, and when information is available about how alternatives may be related. For some time, the Social Choice community has recognized that many other procedures will yield more robust winners. The Borda Count and the pair-wise Condorcet tally are among the most favored. If biological systems strive to optimize information aggregation, then it is of interest to examine the complexity of networks that implement these procedures. We offer two biologically feasible implementations that are relatively simple modifications of classical recurrent networks.
Electrocardiographic localization of the site of origin of ventricular tachycardia in patients with prior myocardial infarction

The utility of the 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in identifying the site of origin of sustained ventricular tachycardia in patients with previous myocardial infarction was studied. A new mapping grid, based on biplanar fluoroscopic imaging of the heart, was utilized for the definition of left ventricular endocardial sites. On the basis of QRS configurations resulting from left ventricular endocardial pacing at disparate sites in 22 patients (Group I), ECG features that were specific for particular sites were identified and used to construct an algorithm. Apical and basal sites were differentiated by the QRS configuration in leads V4 and aVR, anterior and inferior sites by that in leads II, III and V6 and septal and lateral sites were differentiated using leads I, aVL and V1. The algorithm was used to predict the site of earliest endocardial activation during 44 episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia in a second group of 42 patients (Group II) in a blinded fashion. Anterior sites were correctly predicted in 83% of cases, inferior sites in 84%, septal sites in 90% and lateral sites in 82% of cases. Apical and basal sites were each correctly predicted in 70% of cases, whereas intermediate sites were less well predicted (29 to 55%) on the basis of QRS configuration. Precise localization of the site of origin of ventricular tachycardia (in all three planes) was achieved in 17 cases (39%), and in 16 cases (36%) the site of origin was immediately adjacent to the predicted site. Prediction of the site of origin of ventricular tachycardia from the 12 lead ECG may serve as a useful, time-saving adjunct to, but not a substitute for, activation sequence mapping during ventricular tachycardia.
An Analysis of the 1932 Presidential Vote in Chicago.

In many ways, the city of Chicago is typical of the United States as a whole in the twentieth century. It is a cross-section of the mixture of races, religions, sects, linguistic groups, and economic classes that go to make up modern America. In the past two decades, the political behavior of the citizens of Chicago in national elections has been similar to that of the entire American electorate. Except for the election of 1916, when Hughes carried the city by a narrow margin, the presidential candidate who carried Chicago also carried the electoral college.At irregular intervals, there have occurred in American party history certain crucial presidential elections which appear to have set the party alignments for several decades. The election of 1896 was such an election, since it determined the supremacy of the Republican party for a period of a quarter of a century, interrupted only by the Wilson Administration, which came to power because of a split in the Republican ranks. A new era in American politics was definitely started by the election of 1932 which ended the Republican dominance. An intensive study of the behavior of the voters in Chicago during this political upheaval will throw some light upon the motivation of the voters in the entire United States.
ALTERATIONS IN EVOKED RESPONSES IN CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITY: A DOUBLE BLIND STUDY

The following criteria were used to select 29 subjects of school age for this pilot study: (1) normal EEG: (2) no history of a convulsive disorder, diagnosis of CNS disease, or lateralizing signs; (3) normal intelligence; (4) learning disability severe enough to require admission to a special school or class for remedial work; and (5) sufficient psychologic testing to permit a judgment whether the learning disability was clearly due to “perceptual-motor deficits” (group A) or to “emotional factors” (group B). Sixteen of the 29 subjects have been tested for evoked auditory and visual potentials. Using the physiologic determinates developed by E. Roy John, an independent investigator, who did not know either the children or their clinical records, divided the children into 2 groups. The separation of the 16 individuals by the characteristics of evoked potentials corresponded to the group A and group B classification with only one exception.
Threonine phosphorylation of modulator protein RsbR governs its ability to regulate a serine kinase in the environmental stress signaling pathway of Bacillus subtilis.

The sigmaB transcription factor of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis controls the synthesis of over 100 general stress proteins that are induced by growth-limiting conditions. Genetic evidence suggests that RsbR modulates the phosphorylation state of the RsbS antagonist in the signaling pathway that regulates sigmaB activity in response to environmental stresses that limit growth. According to the current model, the phosphorylated RsbS antagonist is unable to complex RsbT, which is then released to initiate a signaling cascade that ultimately activates sigmaB. Here, we show that the RsbR protein itself has no kinase activity but instead stimulates RsbS phosphorylation by the RsbT serine kinase in vitro. We further show that in addition to its previously known serine kinase activity directed toward the RsbS antagonist, purified RsbT also possesses a threonine kinase activity directed toward residues 171 and 205 of the RsbR modulator. Threonine residues 171 and 205 were each found to be important for RsbR function in vivo, and phosphorylation of these residues abolished the ability of RsbR to stimulate RsbT kinase activity in vitro. These results are consistent with a model in which RsbR modulates the kinase activity of RsbT directed toward its RsbS antagonist in vivo, either specifically in response to environmental signals or as part of a feedback mechanism to prevent continued signaling.
Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration of Kidney Masses

Scan the quick response (QR) code to the left with your mobile device to watch this article's video abstract and others. Don't have a QR code reader? Get one by searching 'QR Scanner' in your mobile device's app store. clinical management strategy is based on imaging features. A solid, contrast-enhancing renal mass seen on CT or MRI is considered malignant until proven otherwise, and operative resection is undertaken in appropriate candi- dates. A histologic diagnosis remains necessary in selected patients, such as those with radiographically indetermi- nate lesions, in those considering partial nephrectomy, and to confirm malignancy in patients unfi tf or surgery. Tissue diagnosis is critical to discern appropriate treat- ment in this subgroup. Renal biopsies are usually per- formed percutaneously under transabdominal ultrasound (US) or CT guidance. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration (FNA) can discriminate benign from malignant neoplasms in 91% of cases with histologic classification of tumor type possible in 87% of tumors. 2 Nondiagnostic/inade- quate specimens are largely owing to sampling error and occur in about 30% of cases. Data from case reports and series suggest endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided FNA may provide an additional diagnostic technique for tissue acquisition of renal mass lesions.