cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulatory Obstacles to Commercial Space Tourism and the Lobbying Solution

This paper asks two fundamental and related questions about space tourism: how significant are regulatory impediments to development of commercial space tourism, and does lobbying offer substantial promise as a means of countering regulatory impediments to space tourism? The first question is fundamental because regulation has been identified by potential space tourism providers and stakeholders as the greatest barrier to participating in this industry. The secon d question functions as a conceptual derivative of the first. If regulation is a significant barrier, then successful lobbying can present a possible solution for overcoming that barrier: successful lobbying can result in changes in a regulatory regime. Th ese changes can either be partial and thus counter the challenges of regulation, or complete, and eliminate them entirely. So, the answer to the second question will depend upon the answer to the first. They must be addressed separately and in order. This study will be limited to the domestic United States commercial space tourism industry, and will investigate the regulatory role of the United States government and its agencies in the regulation of this industry. Because most of the regulation of this indu stry was consolidated into the Federal Aviation Administration Office of the Associate Administrator of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, that particular agency, and the regulations that it has promulgated will be a focus. The other Federal ag ency that most significantly regulates this industry is the Department of State “pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.” The FAA/AST and its policies and regulations are identified as an insignificant reg ulatory barrier, whereas the Department of State and the ITAR regulations pose a significant and potentially overly burdensome obstacle. Other Federal Agencies and various states also regulate commercial space tourism. They will be included in the analysis , as well as the possible burdens that they might create in their regulatory roles. Lobbying has been remarkably successful in this industry. The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 and its predecessor, the Commercial Space Launch Act are exampl es of how legislation has been successfully influenced by stakeholders in the industry. In addition to investigating the successes of lobbying in this industry, an analysis and assessment of the organizations and the tactics of lobbying will be discussed.
Effect of Several Inorganic Salts on Infectivity of Mengo Virus.

SummaryMengo infected mouse brain preparations were stable, as judged by mouse lethality, when diluted in 1 molar sodium chloride or distilled water and incubated at 37° C. Mengo virus was inactivated when incubated in 150 mM sodium chloride. Inactivation was directly related to time and temperature of incubation and was demonstrable at concentrations of sodium chloride between 15 and 300 millimolar. Inactivation appeared to be related to the presence of Cl-, or similar anions, rather than Na+.The author gratefully acknowledges the advice and encouragement of Dr. Chester M. Southam, helpful discussions with Dr. M. Earl Balis, and invaluable assistance of Miss Katherine Aliminosa.
Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins and the biological landscape of phosphoinositide signaling in plants

Phosphoinositides and soluble inositol phosphates are essential components of a complex intracellular chemical code that regulates major aspects of lipid signaling in eukaryotes. These involvements span a broad array of biological outcomes and activities, and cells are faced with the problem of how to compartmentalize and organize these various signaling events into a coherent scheme. It is in the arena of how phosphoinositide signaling circuits are integrated and, and how phosphoinositide pools are functionally defined and channeled to privileged effectors, that phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) transfer proteins (PITPs) are emerging as critical players. As plant systems offer some unique advantages and opportunities for study of these proteins, we discuss herein our perspectives regarding the progress made in plant systems regarding PITP function. We also suggest interesting prospects that plant systems hold for interrogating how PITPs work, particularly in multi-domain contexts, to diversify the biological outcomes for phosphoinositide signaling. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Lipid Biology edited by Kent D. Chapman and Ivo Feussner.
Pasture-Raised Milk: The Market for a Differentiated Product

Pasture-raised (PR) milk is a specialty product that could feasibly be produced by economically challenged dairy farms. Our goal was to profile the milk market using an internet survey to identify potential future consumers of PR milk. There were 611 U.S. respondents that were divided into three categories as types of milk consumers: those who only purchased conventional milk in the past year (CONV), those who only purchased non-conventional milk (such as organic, PR, or natural milk) in the past year (NONCONV), and those who purchased both conventional and non-conventional milk in the past year (MIXED). MIXED and NONCONV agreed or strongly agreed with PR milk benefits substantially more than CONV. PR milk was also valued by NONCONV and MIXED in purchasing intentions, but not nearly as much as organic milk. In addition, CONV valued PR milk in purchasing intentions more than organic milk. Results suggest that PR milk can be successfully positioned to appeal to MIXED and perhaps some CONV, potentially incre...
Fluctuations in Symmetric Diblock Copolymers: Testing Theories Old and New

Computer simulations are used to study composition fluctuations in disordered diblock copolymer melts over a range of values of the chain length $N$, and test several theories for the structure factor $S(q)$. Specifically, we test the random-phase approximation (RPA), which is based on a self-consistent field treatment of fluctuations, the Fredrickson-Helfand theory, which was designed to describe fluctuations near the order-disorder transition, and the relatively new renormalized one-loop (ROL) theory. The results confirm claims that the RPA is exact in the limit $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ and that the ROL theory yields the dominant corrections to the RPA within a systematic expansion in powers of ${N}^{\ensuremath{-}1/2}$, and show that the ROL theory is much more accurate than either older theory.
Street-Level Bureaucratic Discretion: An Investigation of Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems

This study seeks to provide a structural explanation for a poorly understood administrative and policy phenomenon: the problem of minority overrepresentation or disproportionality in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Disproportionality is a pressing policy and practice concern regarding how to halt the continual over representation of African American and other minority youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. It has social and policy implications at the national, state and local level. Disporportionality affects the lives of youth who are unnecessarily removed from their families or adjudicated and detained as well as state and local budgets when scarce financial resources are spent in costly interventions like detention, juvenile correctional facilities, residential treatment and foster care. A qualitative comparative, explanatory case study methodology treated front line bureaucrats as experts about what transpires within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and essentially asked those making decisions “what do you think is going on?”. Thirty-six people were interviewed in two localities regarding the role of professional decision making in generating or maintaining policies and procedures that affect disproportionality. Disproportionality in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems in these localities was explored with the goal that the collective insight of these decision makers might result in a greater understanding and explanation of the structural causes of the problem. Participants identified that professional bias is a significant factor affecting assessment at every decision point in the system. Although these findings are case specific and cannot be generalized they add to the literature by providing insights that are transferable about how race is a factor in public administration decision making. The study has implications for policy makers who may need to consider the structural nature and insidiousness of such differential decision making prior to implementing further policies. It also suggests that the colorblind civility engaged in by many public administrators since the post-civil rights era, is a form of collective, public collusion that denies the existence of deeply held racial biases and the reality of institutionalized inequities and injustices.
Optimization of Sol-Gel Derived PZT thin Films by the Incorporation of Excess PBO

A series of PZT precursor solutions was prepared which incorporated excess PbO to give the composition Pb1+xZr0.53Ti0.47O3+x, where 0 < × < 0.3. These solutions were spin coated on platinized Si wafers and fired at elevated temperatures up to 750C for 30 mins. After crystallization into single-phase perovskite, the films were studied using XRD, optical microscopy and electrical characterization techniques (hysteresis loops and dielectric properties). It was found that the presence of excess PbO significantly improved the PZT films in terms of phase assemblage, microstructure and electrical properties. Under optimized conditions, films with dielectric constants of around 3000 can be obtained.
More on the need for circadian, circaseptan and circannual optimization of cyclosporine therapy

Cyclosporine chronotherapy of pancreas-allotransplanted rats revealed, beyond a circadian stage-dependence of equal daily doses, further gain in graft function from doses varying from day to day with an about 7-day periodicity, the first highest dose being given on the 3rd or 5th day after surgery.
Elastic and plastic analysis of cable-sustainer under radial-load

The different design forms and the load-bearing capability of cable-sustainer for a solid rocket motor are analysed by means of the general finite element software ANSYS, the elastic and plastic characteristics of the structural material is considered. The calculation result gives the load-bearing capability of cable-sustainer and the result is accord with the test data.
Pricing Mechanisms and Coordination Strategies of Closed-Loop Supply Chain with Dual-Channel Recycling systems

A recycling and remanufacturing system consisting of the remanufacturer,retailer and third-party recycler was investigated. In this dual-channel recycling model,product recycling of the closed-loop supply chain was determined by the remanufacturer and third-party recycler. In addition,pricing mechanisms and coordination strategies were analyzed under decentralized and centralized decision with the method of game theory. Based on the Rubinstein bargaining model and discount factor theory,coordination strategy and Pareto improvement were established.Finally,a numerical example was given to illustrate the effectiveness of the pricing mechanisms and coordination strategies. This study proves that the dual-channel recycling model can not only improve all parties ' benefits but also promote the overall efficiency of this recycling and remanufacturing system.
Expression of the human TSPY gene in the brains of transgenic mice suggests a potential role of this Y chromosome gene in neural functions

The testis specific protein Y-encoded(TSPY) is a member of TSPY/SET/NAP1 superfamily,encoded within the gonadoblastoma locus on the Y chromosome.TSPY shares a highly conserved SET/NAP-domain responsible for protein—protein interaction among TSPY/SET/NAP1 proteins. Accumulating data,so far,support the role of TSPY as the gonadoblastoma gene,involved in germ cell tumorigenesis.The X-chromosome homolog of TSPY,TSPX is expressed in various tissues at both fetal and adult stages,including the brain,and is capable of interacting with the multi-domain adapter protein CASK,thereby influencing the synaptic and transcriptional functions and developmental regulation of CASK in the brain and other neural tissues.Similar to TSPX,we demonstrated that TSPY could interact with CASK at its SET/NAP-domain in cultured cells.Transgenic mice harboring a human TSPY gene and flanking sequences showed specific expression of the human TSPY transgene in both testis and brain.The neural expression pattern of the human TSPY gene overlapped with those of the endogenous mouse Cask and Tspx gene.Similarly with TSPX,TSPY was co-localized with CASK in neuronal axon fibers in the brain,suggesting a potential role(s) of TSPY in development and/or physiology of the nervous system.
STATISTICAL PROBLEMS OF SAMPLE SIZE AND SPACING ON LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES

Beaches along Lake Michigan display a wide range in texture and composition. Some are composed of fairly uniform sand or gravel, others display an irregular mixture of both. Host beach sand is predominantly quartz with variable amounts of calcite, feldspar, and heavy minerals. Some gravel beaches are composed wholly of limestone or dolomite pebbles of local origin; in others the pebbles have the varied composition of their parent glacial materials.
Reading Epilepsy Response to Anticonvulsants

Investigators at the Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN report 3 patients with reading epilepsy, a boy aged 14 years, a 26- year-old male, and a 27-year-old woman, 2 having an excellent response to levetiracetam.
A guide to translation of research results from model organisms to human

A new study helps resolve a controversy about determinants of gene expression variability and might facilitate the effective translation of research results across species.
Replication, recombination, and symptom-modulation properties of the satellite RNAs of turnip crinkle virus.

Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) is a member of the carmovirus group and the only group member that is associated with confirmed sat-RNAs. The host range of TCV is quite widespread, including numerous cruciferous and some noncruciferous hosts (Broadbent and Heathcote 1958). TCV has a single RNA genome of 4054 bases (Carrington et al. 1989; Oh et al. 1995) and two subgenomic RNAs of 1721 bases and 1447 bases (Carrington et al. 1987; Wang and Simon 1997) (Fig. 1). The genomic RNA is the mRNA for two overlapping polypeptides required for viral replication, p28 and p88. The translation of p88, which contains the conserved polymerase active site motif GDD, requires an in-frame ribosomal readthrough of an amber codon at the end of the p28 open reading frame (ORF).
Pell and Pell–Lucas Polynomials

Pell numbers and Pell–Lucas numbers are specific values of Pell polynomials p n (x) and Pell–Lucas polynomials q n (x), respectively. Both families were studied extensively in 1985 by A.F. Horadam of the University of New England, Armidale, Australia, and Bro. J.M. Mahon of the Catholic College of Education, Sydney, Australia [108]. Both families are often defined recursively: $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} \begin{array}{llllllllll} p_{0}(x) & =&0,p_{1}(x) = 1 &&&&q&&&&&q_{n}(x)& =&2xq_{n-1}(x) + q_{n-2}(x),\end{array} & & {}\\ \end{array}$$ where n ≥ 3. The first ten Pell and Pell–Lucas polynomials are given in Table 14.1.
Psychometric Overview of the NEO PI-R

The NEO PI-R consists of 240 items that clients answer on a (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree Likert-type scale and they are balanced to control for the effects of acquiescence. The items are simple sentences describing specific behaviors or attitudes. The NEO PI-R measures the five major domains of personality and within each domain there are six facet scales that are designed to assess more specific aspects of each domain. A listing of the facets is presented in Table 2–1.
A Probabilistic Cost/Benefit Analysis of Transmission and Distribution Asset Expansion Projects

The electric power industry often uses cost/benefit analysis to evaluate system expansion projects. This letter discusses a probabilistic formulation of cost/benefit analysis to incorporate uncertainty in the data used for these studies. A Gaussian statistical model is used and an example is shown relating to distribution engineering.
Using Small Group Assignments in Teaching Research Ethics

Perhaps worse, many students view argument, especially moral argument, as dangerous and pointless. In hierarchical settings, including the classroom, many students are accustomed to authority figures who simply tell them what is right and what is wrong. In less hierarchical settings, such as gatherings of their friends, some students find that discussing controversial topics leads only to fighting or hard feelings. Besides, many students claim, when it comes to morality, everyone’s opinion is as good as everyone else’s, so there’s no point in talking about it.
Community Poverty and Child Abuse Fatalities in the United States

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Child maltreatment remains a problem in the United States, and individual poverty is a recognized risk factor for abuse. Children in impoverished communities are at risk for negative health outcomes, but the relationship of community poverty to child abuse fatalities is not known. Our objective was to evaluate the association between county poverty concentration and rates of fatal child abuse. METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of child abuse fatalities in US children 0 to 4 years of age from 1999 to 2014 by using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Compressed Mortality Files. Population and poverty statistics were obtained from US Census data. National child abuse fatality rates were calculated for each category of community poverty concentration. Multivariate negative binomial regression modeling assessed the relationship between county poverty concentration and child abuse fatalities. RESULTS: From 1999 to 2014, 11 149 children 0 to 4 years old died of child abuse; 45% (5053) were 3 times the rate of child abuse fatalities compared with counties with the lowest poverty concentration (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 3.03; 95% confidence interval, 2.4–3.79). CONCLUSIONS: Higher county poverty concentration is associated with increased rates of child abuse fatalities. This finding should inform public health officials in targeting high-risk areas for interventions and resources.
Looking at Early Childhood Programs from a Global Perspective

This book tells many stories about early childhood education in many countries. It started with an idea that evolved and expanded into more ideas about understanding early childhood education in a global setting. Another story is about how a set of basic guidelines for early childhood education became an assessment tool for self-evaluation of early childhood programs that have been used in various countries in different languages. A parallel story is how the guidelines were used to introduce quality early childhood programs in other countries. And, finally, the book tells stories about early childhood educators and very young children in diverse locations, speaking many languages, representing unique programs, and reflecting local cultures. This is the most important feature of the book—the children, the teachers, the families, and the different cultures. Nevertheless, the first step is to describe how an idea became an international early childhood collaboration among early childhood specialists representing individual countries.
Effect of boron nitride (hBN) filler on thermal properties of underfill epoxy

In nano-domains, particles of different sizes and surface morphologies affect the properties of materials and its matrix environment uniquely compared to larger size particles. Reducing particle size increases the surface area in contact with the surrounding matrix material such as epoxy resin, along with higher drag and viscosity. Hence, nanoparticles can be exploited to enhance and alter the properties of materials distinctively. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) particles of various sizes (1.5μm, 500nm and 70nm) were employed in the fabrication of underfills to investigate the effect of particle size (and surface to volume ratio) on its thermal properties. Filler loadings of 1% to 5% volume fractions were used to prepare underfills using EPON™ Resin 826 and Epikure 3140. The experimental results exhibited that thermal properties of underfills is altered depending upon filler content and particle size. Thermal conductivity of 0.3W/mK was obtained at 5% volume fraction of 70nm hBN filler loading. Furthermore, the influence of filler size and loading on the glass transition temperature (T g ) of the adhesive were studied.
Finding MyoD and lessons learned along the way

In 1987, Robert Davis, Hal Weintraub and I reported the identification of MyoD, a transcription factor that could reprogram fibroblasts into skeletal muscle cells. In this recollection, I both summarize the prior work of Helen Blau, Woody Wright, Peter Jones and Charlie Emerson that inspired my entry into this field, and the subsequent events that led to finding MyoD. Lastly, I highlight some of the principles in developmental biology that have emerged during the past 30 years, which are particularly relevant to skeletal muscle biology.
Anthropocene World / Anthropocene Waters: A Historical Examination of Ideas and Agency

Philip Scarpino’s essay is a history of the concept of the Anthropocene—specifically from the perspective of an environmental historian. In tracing the long history of the idea, he weaves it together with the history of environmentalism in the twentieth century, arguing that it was the culmination of a series of ideas that developed over decades. He continues by making the point that scholars need to be careful when using the concept of the Anthropocene as a heuristic tool. Culture, he argues, is historically contingent and manifests itself in different ways in different contexts. As such, any study of entangled natural systems and human systems, must take into account variable local conditions and not assume culture as a “single, undifferentiated variable.”
Constructs and events in verbal behavior.

Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior has been the subject of much controversy in recent years. While criticism has historically come from outside the field of behavior analysis, there are now wellarticulated arguments against Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior from within the field as well. Recently, advocates of Skinner’s analysis have attempted to respond to the critiques, particularly to those regarding Skinner’s definition of verbal behavior articulated by proponents of relational frame theory. Specifically, it has been suggested that talk about definitions equates to making the essentialist error. This paper provides an overview of these issues in the context of understanding the role of constructs in science more generally. It will be argued that definitions are central to scientific progress, and are not only relevant to a functional analysis, but a central prerequisite to the pursuit of such an analysis.
Ultrastructural changes in peripheral blood leukocytes in α-synuclein knockout mice.

Abstract Effects of α-synuclein deficiency on cellular blood components have not been extensively investigated. This study evaluated ultrastructural changes of leukocytes in α-synuclein knockout (KO) mice using electron microscopy (EM). The following ultrastructural characteristics were quantified in leukocytes: mitochondria, primary granules, specific granules (SG), Golgi apparatus (GA), inclusions, rough-endoplasmic reticulum (RER), smooth-endoplasmic reticulum (SER), and cellular projections (CP). EM showed increased numbers or amounts of SG, inclusions, and SER in KO group (5.3 ± 4.5 in WT vs. 14.1 ± 10.3 in KO, p = 0.02; 0.4 ± 0.9 in WT vs. 3.2 ± 2.8 in KO, p = 0.007; and 7.7 ± 6.7 in WT vs. 17.7 ± 12.2 in KO, p = 0.03, respectively). Although CP number was not significantly different between the two groups (13.4 ± 5.3 in WT vs. 16.3 ± 7.5 in KO, p = 0.32), their size and shapes were altered in KO mice. Notably, findings occurred in the setting of significant lymphopenia. α-Synuclein deficiency leads to changes in size and shape of secretory particles and increases in SER, SG, and inclusions, indicating a potential role for α-synuclein in vesicular trafficking in leukocytes. Further studies are needed to elucidate functions mediated by α-synuclein.
Capturing the fast-food landscape in England using large-scale network analysis

Fast-food outlets play a significant role in the nutrition of British children who get more food from such shops than the school canteen. To reduce young people’s access to fast-food meals during the school day, many British cities are implementing zoning policies. For instance, cities can create buffers around schools, and some have used 200 meters buffers while others used 400 meters. But how close is too close? Using the road network is needed to precisely computing the distance between fast-food outlets (for policies limiting the concentration), or fast-food outlets and the closest school (for policies using buffers). This estimates how much of the fast-food landscape could be affected by a policy, and complementary analyses of food utilization can later translate the estimate into changes on childhood nutrition and obesity. Network analyses of retail and urban forms are typically limited to the scale of a city. However, to design national zoning policies, we need to perform this analysis at a national scale. Our study is the first to perform a nation-wide analysis, by linking large datasets (e.g., all roads, fast-food outlets and schools) and performing the analysis over a high performance computing cluster. We found a strong spatial clustering of fast-food outlets (with 80% of outlets being within 120 of another outlet), but much less clustering for schools. Results depend on whether we use the road network on the Euclidean distance (i.e. ‘as the crow flies’): for instance, half of the fast-food outlets are found within 240 m of a school using an Euclidean distance, but only one-third at the same distance with the road network. Our findings are consistent across levels of deprivation, which is important to set equitable national policies. In line with previous studies (at the city scale rather than national scale), we also examined the relation between centrality and outlets, as a potential target for policies, but we found no correlation when using closeness or betweenness centrality with either the Spearman or Pearson correlation methods.
Barriers to Higher Education for Students with Bipolar Disorder: A Critical Social Model Perspective

Employing some of the features of participatory research methodology, a disabled faculty joins a student with mental health diagnosis to examine the factors that hinder or enable success for this group. The theoretical framework or scholarly bearings for the study comes from the critical social model of disability, disability services scholarship in the United States, and education theory literature on “student success”. With a particular focus on students with bipolar disorder, the article highlights the gaps in disability scholarship on this specific group while underscoring the oppression experienced by them through the inclusion of an autoethnographic segment by the primary author in this collaborative, scholarly work. The model of access, we propose, moves beyond accommodations—which are often retrofits or after the thought arrangements made by an institution—and asks for environmental support, social and institutional inclusion, and consideration for students with psychiatric health diagnosis. This article not only presents an array of problems in the United States academy but also a set of recommendations for solving these problems. Going beyond the regime of retrofit accommodations, we ask for an overhaul of institutional policies, infrastructures, and curricula so that the academy is inclusive of neurodiverse bodies and appreciates their difference.
Torts Against the State

The state provides the forum in which private parties can seek recourse for tortious wrongs other private parties cause. The state can also be liable for torts it commits. These observations are commonplaces. The state can also be a tort plaintiff, however, and that phenomenon has important implications for tort theory. Natural persons and artificial persons like the state have different kinds of interests, and these interests, in turn, implicate different sets of values. Accommodating torts against personified entities like the state will require tort theorists to significantly amend leading models, which presume wrongs against individual, natural persons. Some of these changes may be difficult for some scholars to stomach given their other theoretical commitments, including, especially, their normative priors. Nevertheless, a more complete theory must account for torts against the state.
The proper locus of professionalization: the individual or the institutions?

Clinical ethics consultation has come a long way. The 1980s and 90s witnessed the birth and growth of hospital ethics committees. In 1990, 60% of hospitals had an ethics committee (American Hospita...
Fading Analysis of Direct Detection Free Space Optical Systems under Different Atmosphere Conditions

Free space optical communication systems have been used in many communication applications and especially the communication through the free medium such as the atmosphere. However, they are still having some performance limitation due to the atmosphere turbulence. In this paper, we will test an important factor that affects the performance of any free space optical communication system, which is fading in the received signal. The signal fading is tested under week to moderate turbulent atmosphere. We will use the conventional Kolmogorov power spectrum model to evaluate a free space optical system when the probability distribution function is characterized by log-normal probability distribution function (PDF). The probability of fade and fading time will be discussed. Also, the acceptable fading threshold is tested for optical system under the given conditions.
Recent updates and developments in PET imaging of prostate cancer

A number of positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers have been developed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of imaging for prostate cancer. These radiotracers include the bone-seeking agent Na18F as well as more tumor-specific compounds such as 11C-choline and 18F-fluciclovine. In this review, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these PET radiotracers for the imaging of men with prostate cancer across a range of clinical contexts. We will also touch upon radiotracers in late clinical development that have not gained regulatory approval, including those targeted against prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR).
A Probabilistic Wind Power Forecasting Approach Based on Gaussian Process Regression

Wind power forecasting (WPF) is an effective way to eliminate the negative impacts and enhance the market competitiveness of wind power. Probabilistic WPF gives the prediction intervals of possible output power, which may largely improve the confidence level and accuracy of the wind power forecasts. Considering the fluctuation characters of wind power, a combination scheme of different Gaussian kernels is used to establish the Gaussian Process Regression model, which is used to predict the mean value and the confidence interval of output power by taking wind speed and wind direction as input variates. Via the case analysis of a real wind farm in North China, results show that, the proposed Gaussian kernel scheme can well describe the fluctuation process of wind power, and the uncertain intervals produced by the established probabilistic WPF model basically able to cover the measured power. Compared with a typical statistical WPF model based on neural network, the improvement of monthly forecasting precision is up to 1.8 %.
A statistical learning approach to determine optimal sizing & investment timing of commercial-scale distributed energy resources

Abstract The problem of optimal sizing and investment timing for a portfolio of gas-fired and photovoltaic (PV) generation is presented and solved using an optimization- classification technique. It is assumed that the demand, the prices of natural gas, and PV technology are stochastic processes. Our methodology takes advantage of decomposing the problem into two sub-problems. First, the optimal sizing problem is solved using dynamic programming and most likely solutions are identified as clusters. Then, the Investment time problem is formulated as a Real Option for each cluster to determine optimal timing. Although the two-step optimization approach can successfully close the loop between operational dynamics and investment decisions, we are also interested in discovering patterns in a multidimensional space of input parameters that make a certain combination of assets optimal among dozens of discrete choices. On that note, by applying Recursive Partitioning algorithm, decision trees are developed to estimate the structure of solutions rendered from optimization models by a rule-based system. Despite the high level of accuracy, the initial model is biased in favor of highly frequent clusters, and discards the optimal clusters resulted from extreme market behaviors. Value at Risk (VaR) is employed as a risk measure to demonstrate the enhancement risk performance. Finally, in order to investigate the robustness of the results, we conduct extensive sensitivity analysis over different parameter settings. The proposed model can be thought of as a statistically optimal summarizer of optimization models that enables decision makers to have an insight into optimal investment strategies according to characteristics of the building and the long-term energy market outlook.
A Ten-Year Review of Treating Active Duty Military Service Members in a Gold-Standard Western Region Military Intensive Outpatient Program

Prior to the integration of Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) into the U.S Army Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL) in 2015, very few military IOPs existed to meet the unique needs of active-d...
Foramen Ovale Restriction in a Late Gestation Fetus Resembling Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Abstract A pregnant woman presented at term with a fetus with foramen ovale restriction. We illustrate the contrast between fetal and postnatal echocardiography of this rare entity. (Level of Diffi...
Design of genetic circuits that are robust to resource competition

Abstract The ability to engineer genetic circuits in living cells has tremendous potential in many applications, from health, to energy, to bio-manufacturing. Although substantial efforts have gone into design approaches that make circuits robust to variable cellular context, context dependence of genetic circuits remains a significant hurdle. We review intra-cellular resource competition, one culprit of context dependence, and summarize recent efforts toward design approaches to mitigate it. We classify these approaches into two main groups: global control and local control. In the former, the pool of resources is regulated to meet the demand, and in the latter, individual modules are regulated to be robust to variability in the pool of resources. Within each group, we highlight both feedback and feedforward implementations.
Can NFL Combine Results be Used to Estimate NFL Defensive Players Longevity

The National Football League Scouting Combine is an annual event held to evaluate football players. The results of the combine are used to identify talent and player potential. Our study aims to examine the relationship between combine drill performance (e.g., speed, power, agility, explosiveness) and career longevity. We performed a retrospective review of The National Football League combine test results for all defensive players from 2005-2015 to determine the association of each player's combine test results with career longevity. The position that had the most significant associations for 1-year status was linebackers, with weight, 10-yard dash, 20-yard dash, 40-yard dash, broad jump, 3-cone drill, and shuttle being significantly associated with 1-year roster status. The position that had the most significant associations for 5-year status was cornerbacks, with weight, 10-yard dash, 20-yard dash, 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill, and shuttle being significantly associated with 1-year roster status. The least number of significant associations was found for safeties, with no drill being associated with 1-year roster status and only height and shuttle time significantly associated with 5-year career longevity. Our study demonstrates the utility of the combine results to help estimate the career longevity of NFL defensive players.
Single-cell transcriptomic assessment of cellular phenotype stability in human precision-cut lung slices

ABSTRACT Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) are increasingly utilized for ex vivo disease modeling, but a high-resolution characterization of cellular phenotype stability in PCLS has not been reported. Comparing the single-cell transcriptomic profile of human PCLS after five days of culture to freshly isolated human lung tissue, we found striking changes in endothelial cell and alveolar epithelial cell programs, reflecting both injury and pathways activated in static culture, while immune cell frequencies and programs remained largely intact and similar to the native lung. These cellular dynamics should be considered when utilizing PCLS as a model of the human lung.
Diffusion And Structural Studies Of Asphaltenes And Their Implications For Resid Upgrading

The diffusion and structural aspects of asphaltenes were reviewed. In order to improve the efficiency of the asphaltene hydrotreating process, a better understanding of the phenomena such as asphaltene structure, colloidal nature and mechanism of asphaltene diffusion through porous systems is desirable. The diffusive behavior showed that asphaltenes are polydisperse entities consisting of many components with a broad range of transport coefficients. Results demonstrated that the activation energies are typical of association/dissociation energies for individual asphaltene sheets rather than diffusion activation energies. A Schultz type distribution of the asphaltene molecular weight and a scaling relationship between diffusivity and molecular weight were observed.
Mémoire: Case Based Reasoning Meets the Semantic Web in Biology and Medicine

Memoire is a framework for the sharing and distribution of case bases and case based reasoning in biology and medicine. Based on the fact that semantics account for the success of biomedical case based reasoning systems, this paper defends the suitability of a semantic approach similar to the semantic Web for sharing and distributing case bases and case based reasoning in biology and medicine. Memoire will permit to bridge the gap between the multiple case based reasoning systems dedicated to a single domain, and make available to agents and Web services on the Web the case based competency of the CBR systems adopting its interchange language. This paper presents the components of Memoire for the representation of cases, case structure, and case based ontologies in biology and medicine. The approach could be extended to other application domains of CBR.
Identification of linear and threshold responses in streams along a gradient of urbanization in Anchorage, Alaska*

We examined biotic and physiochemical responses in urbanized Anchorage, Alaska, to the percent of impervious area within stream basins, as determined by high-resolution IKONOS satellite imagery and aerial photography. Eighteen of the 86 variables examined, including riparian and instream habitat, macroinvertebrate communities, and water/sediment chemistry, were significantly correlated with percent impervious area. Variables related to channel condition, instream substrate, water chemistry, and residential and transportation right-of-way land uses were identified by principal components analysis as significant factors separating site groups. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the macroinvertebrate communities responded to an urbanization gradient closely paralleling the percent of impervious area within the subbasin. A sliding regression analysis of variables significantly correlated with percent impervious area revealed 8 variables exhibiting threshold responses that correspond to a mean of 4.4 – 5.8% impervious area, much lower than mean values reported in other, similar investigations. As contributing factors to a subbasin's impervious area, storm drains and roads appeared to be important elements influencing the degradation of water quality with respect to the biota.
Statistical Models for Analyzing Learning Data.

This chapter will provide potential models for analyzing learning data through a discussion of screening data and then analyzing that data using appropriate statistical techniques.
Direct adaptive control of force-guided assembly robots using tuned dither

This paper describes a novel method for force guided assembly of complex parts using dither as a perturbation input. In the robotic assembly of parts with poor surface finish, simple force measurement does not provide reliable information for guiding the parts. Due to friction at burrs and irregular surfaces, force signals are very noisy and erratic, preventing reliable sensing and monitoring of the assembly process. In this paper, instead of simply measuring contact forces, the authors take positive actions by actively shaking the end effector and observing the reaction forces to the perturbation in order to obtain rich, reliable information. By taking the correlation between the input perturbation and the resultant reaction forces, the authors can determine the direction of robot motion correctly despite burrs and poor surface finish. First, the principle of force-guided assembly using the dither and correlation technique is described. The control algorithm is formulated as a type of direct adaptive control where the optimal point of a cost function is searched by perturbing the input. The assembly process is then analyzed by using describing functions for modeling the nonlinearity associated with mechanical contacts. Stability conditions and guidelines for tuning the dither and control parameters are obtained. The proposed method is then applied to a practical task, i.e. assembly of sheet metals. Experiments and simulation verify the analytical results as well as demonstrate the usefulness of the method.
An EEG-based method for graded cursor control

Individuals were trained to modulate their EEGs in order to move a cursor on a video screen to intercept a moving target. EEG activity was recorded from the scalp over the central sulcus of the left hemisphere, and mu-rhythm amplitude was assessed three times per second by a fast Fourier transform. The cursor began at the midpoint of the right edge of the screen and moved up or down depending on mu-rhythm amplitude. A target of selected vertical length began at a random height on the left edge of the screen and moved horizontally across the screen in 8 sec. The subjects’ task was to move the cursor along the right edge of the screen so as to intercept the moving target. After several weeks of training, 3 of the 4 subjects were able to perform this task with significant success. On average, these 3 subjects reduced the vertical target-cursor distance to 54% of its initial value. These results indicate that the mu rhythm can be used to control graded cursor movement and are additional evidence that with further development it might provide a new means of communication and control for individuals with severe motor disabilities.
The Zona Incerta Regulates Communication between the Superior Colliculus and the Posteromedial Thalamus: Implications for Thalamic Interactions with the Dorsolateral Striatum

There is uncertainty concerning the circuit connections by which the superior colliculus interacts with the basal ganglia. To address this issue, anterograde and retrograde tracers were placed, respectively, into the superior colliculus and globus pallidus of Sprague-Dawley rats. In this two-tracer experiment, the projections from the superior colliculus terminated densely in the ventral zona incerta (ZIv), but did not overlap the labeled neurons observed in the subthalamic nucleus. In cases in which anterograde and retrograde tracers were placed, respectively, in sensory-responsive sites in the superior colliculus and posteromedial (POm) thalamus, the labeled projections from superior colliculus innervated the ZIv regions that contained the labeled neurons that project to POm. We also confirmed this colliculo–incertal–POm pathway by depositing a mixture of retrograde and anterograde tracers at focal sites in ZIv to reveal retrogradely labeled neurons in superior colliculus and anterogradely labeled terminals in POm. When combined with retrograde tracer injections in POm, immunohistochemical processing proved that most ZIv projections to POm are GABAergic. Consistent with these findings, direct stimulation of superior colliculus evoked neuronal excitation in ZIv and caused inhibition of spontaneous activity in POm. Collectively, these results indicate that superior colliculus can activate the inhibitory projections from ZIv to the POm. This is significant because it suggests that the superior colliculus could suppress the interactions between POm and the dorsolateral striatum, presumably to halt ongoing behaviors so that more adaptive motor actions are selected in response to unexpected sensory events. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By demonstrating that the zona incerta regulates communication between the superior colliculus and the posteromedial thalamus, we have uncovered a circuit that partly explains the behavioral changes that occur in response to unexpected sensory stimuli. Furthermore, this circuit could explain why deep brain stimulation of the zona incerta is beneficial to patients who suffer from Parkinson9s disease.
Urban agriculture: who cultivates and way? A case-study of Lusaka, Zambia

Contrary to the official view that rejects urban cultivation as an irrational activity by a small group of recent migrants who have yet to be integrated into the urban environment, urban agricultur...
Concepts and tools from the learning sciences for linking research, teaching and practice around sustainability issues

Though the research, teaching and civic missions of the modern university have often been considered distinct, changing notions of knowledge and practice suggest increased synergy. This paper develops insights stemming from the learning and developmental sciences on the nature of learning, its relation to practice, and how one can better design environments where learning can flourish. It explores ways the learning science literature could be much more effectively leveraged in study programs for sustainability. Using the proposed requisites of sustainable education programs provided in the typology of the first article of this special issue, we examine whether and how learning science theory and research can contribute to such ongoing efforts.
Impulse response of a discrete time system

The use of a Markov model is a valuable aid in the analysis of many systems. The purpose of this work is the establishment of a response for this type of system based on the use of an impulse function. The response of the system is obtained with the impulse as an excitation while utilising the Markov property of the system.