cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Educational differentials between Negroes and whites in the south

This paper examines differences between whites and nonwhites in median years of school completed, by urban and rural areas of southern states. Whites, of course, have higher average levels of education, but the important point is the increasing differential between whites and nonwhites. The differences do not increase in all southern states, but they did increase during the years 1950–60 in seven of the eleven states studied. Only four of the eleven states showed an increase in educational differentials during the years 1940-50.
Optical flow and principal component analysis-based motion detection in outdoor videos

We propose a joint optical flow and principal component analysis (PCA) method for motion detection. PCA is used to analyze optical flows so that major optical flows corresponding to moving objects in a local window can be better extracted. This joint approach can efficiently detect moving objects and more successfully suppress small turbulence. It is particularly useful for motion detection from outdoor videos with low quality. It can also effectively delineate moving objects in both static and dynamic background. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach outperforms other existing methods by extracting the moving objects more completely with lower false alarms.
Resistance of small metallic loops.

An earlier analysis of small one-dimensional rings of normal metal, driven by an external time-dependent magnetic flux, is extended to allow for inelastic scattering. This supplements the Josephson-type behavior of the earlier discussion by dissipative effects. As in the case of strong one-dimensional localization, dc current grows as inelastic scattering is first introduced, but diminishes again with sufficiently intense inelastic scattering.
Preservice Mathematics and Science Teachers' Case Studies of a Diverse Population of Workers

Sixteen preservice science and mathematics teachers in the last term of a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program completed case studies of workers from a variety of settings including a radio station, department store, manufacturing plant, health care facility, water treatment plant, and engineering firm. These preservice teachers then examined their findings and reflected about the knowledge and skills necessary for high school graduates to be successful in the present day workplace. Finally, the preservice teachers examined how they could personally contribute to these desirable student outcomes within the high school science or mathematics curriculum for which they will eventually be responsible in their future teaching situations.
Effect of total cementitious content on shear strength of high-volume fly ash concrete beams

Abstract The production of portland cement – the key ingredient in concrete – generates a significant amount of carbon dioxide. However, due to its incredible versatility, availability, and relatively low cost, concrete is the most consumed manmade material on the planet. One method of reducing concrete’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is the use of fly ash to replace a significant amount of the cement. This paper compares two experimental studies that were conducted to investigate the shear strength of full-scale beams constructed with high-volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC) – concrete with at least 50% of the cement replaced with fly ash. The primary difference between the two studies involved the amount of cementitious material, with one mix having a relatively high total cementitious content (502 kg/m 3 ) and the other mix having a relatively low total cementitious content (337 kg/m 3 ). Both mixes utilized a 70% replacement of portland cement with a Class C fly ash. Each of these experimental programs consisted of eight beams (six without shear reinforcing and two with shear reinforcing in the form of stirrups) with three different longitudinal reinforcement ratios. The beams were tested under a simply supported four-point loading condition. The experimental shear strengths of the beams were compared with both the shear provisions of selected standards (US, Australia, Canada, Europe, and Japan) and a shear database of conventional concrete (CC) specimens. Furthermore, statistical data analyses (both parametric and nonparametric) were performed to evaluate whether or not there is any statistically significant difference between the shear strength of both mixes. Results of these statistical tests show there is no significant difference between the shear strength of these two HVFAC mixes for the beams tested in this investigation.
Hadwiger's conjecture for graphs on the Klein bottle

This paper consists of a proof that six-chromatic graphs which embed on the Klein bottle contract to K"6 and thus Hadwiger's conjecture is true for all graphs on the Klein bottle.
When are adaptive radiations replicated in areas? Ecological opportunity and unexceptional diversification in West Indian dipsadine snakes (Colubridae: Alsophiini)

Aim We examine diversification in Caribbean alsophiine snakes and hypothesize that, given the ecological opportunity presented by colonization of the West Indies, alsophiines should show the signature of an early burst of diversification and associated low within-clade ecological and morphological disparification. We also test whether changes in morphology and ecology are associated with changes in diversification rate, as trait-dependent diversification is hypothesized to affect historical inferences of diversification and disparification. Finally, as replicated radiations are found across the West Indies in the anoles, we test for significant differences in ecological and morphological assemblages and rates among the major island groups. Location The West Indies. Methods A time-calibrated phylogeny produced from six genes using relaxed clock methods in beast was constructed to estimate ancestral areas using Lagrange. Maximum body size and ecological niche were scored for all species in the phylogeny, and comparative phylogenetic methods in R using geiger, laser, ape and our own code were used to examine diversification through time, disparification and trait-dependent diversification from this dated phylogeny. Results The pattern of species diversification did not differ significantly from the Yule model of diversification. Morphology and ecology fitted a Brownian and white noise model of diversification, respectively. Although not significantly different, morphological disparification was lower than the Brownian null model, whereas ecological disparification was significantly greater than the null. Traitdependent diversification analyses suggested that the constant null models provided the best fit to these data. There was no significant signal of rate variation among the major island groups for size, but moderate evidence for niche. Main conclusions Although ecological opportunity was similarly present for alsophiines as it was for anoles, the snakes fail to show an early burst of speciation. Potential reasons for this include the young age of the group, and staggered diversification due to waiting times between island colonization. In turn, ecological and morphological disparities do not necessarily follow predictable patterns related to species diversification. Thus, the presence of ecological opportunity alone is not necessarily sufficient to trigger replicated adaptive radiations in areas.
Wide field telescope using spherical mirrors

A new class of optical telescope is required to obtain high resolution spectra of many faint, distant galaxies. These dim objects require apertures approaching 30 meters in addition to many hours of integration per object, and simultaneous observation of as many galaxies as possible. Several astronomical telescopes of 20, 30, 50, even 100 meters are being proposed for general purpose astronomy. We present a different concept here with a 30-m telescope optimized for wide field, multi-object spectroscopy. The optical design uses a fully steerable, quasi-Cassegrain telescope in which the primary and secondary mirrors are parts of concentric spheres, imaging a 3° field of view onto a spherical surface. The spherical aberration from the mirrors is large (about 2 arc minutes) but it is constant across the field. Our system design uses numerous correctors, placed at the Cassegrain focus, each of which corrects over a small field of a few arc seconds. These can be used for integral field spectroscopy or for direct imaging using adaptive optics. Hundreds of these units could be placed on the focal surface during the day to allow all-night exposures of the desired regions. We believe that this design offers an economical system that can be dedicated for several important types of astronomical observation.
Prognosis after initial myocardial infarction: the Framingham study

During 20 years of follow-up of 5,127 men and women initially free of coronary heart disease in the Framingham cohort, 193 men and 53 women had one or more recognized, symptomatic myocardial infarctions. An additional 45 men and 28 women had unrecognized myocardial infarctions. Subsequent mortality and morbidity including angina, reinfarction, congestive failure and sudden death were ascertained. One in five men who had a first myocardial infarction died within 1 year, a mortality rate 14 times that of those free of coronary heart disease. In men who survived the 1st year, a recognized myocardial infarction increased risk of death over the next 5 years to 23 percent, four times that of the general population. The next 5 years carried a 25 percent mortality (three times that of the general population). The prognosis was distinctly worse in women than in men chiefly because of a higher (45 percent) early mortality rate in women. Patients with recognized and unrecognized myocardial infarctions had similar survival rates after 3 years. A second myocardial infarction occurred in 13 percent of the men and in 40 percent of the women within 5 years of the first infarction. Thus, women were more prone to death and reinfarction than men. Congestive heart failure occurred as commonly as reinfarction, affliction 14 percent of the men within 5 years of the initial infarction. Once congestive failure ensued, half of the affected patients were dead within 5 years. Angina developed in one third of the patients within 5 years of their first infarction.
A Multicopper Oxidase Is Required for Copper Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is one of the most important bacterial pathogens. Recent work has revealed that the natural bactericidal properties of copper are utilized by the host immune system to combat infections with bacteria, including M. tuberculosis. However, M. tuberculosis employs multiple mechanisms to reduce the internal copper amount by efflux and sequestration, which are required for virulence of M. tuberculosis. Here, we describe an alternative mechanism of copper resistance by M. tuberculosis. Deletion of the rv0846c gene increased the susceptibility of M. tuberculosis to copper at least 10-fold, establishing Rv0846c as a major component of copper resistance in M. tuberculosis. In vitro assays showed that Rv0846c oxidized organic substrates and Fe(II). Importantly, mutation of the predicted copper-coordinating cysteine 486 resulted in inactive Rv0846c protein which did not protect M. tuberculosis against copper stress. Hence, Rv0846c is a multicopper oxidase of M. tuberculosis and was renamed mycobacterial multicopper oxidase (MmcO). MmcO is membrane associated, probably by lipidation after export across the inner membrane by the twin-arginine translocation system. However, mutation of the lipidation site did not affect the oxidase activity or the copper protective function of MmcO. Our study revealed MmcO as an important copper resistance mechanism of M. tuberculosis, which possibly acts by oxidation of toxic Cu(I) in the periplasm.
Aerobic coupling of aqueous phenols catalyzed by binuclear copper: Ring substituent effect and the kinetics of the coupling of o‐methylphenol

The substituent effect on the aerobic and catalytic coupling of aqueous phenols conforms to a Hammett correlation in which the reaction constant is −2.16; the results are very similar to that of the enzymatic coupling reaction, in which the reaction constant is −2.4. Deviations from the Hammett correlation are attributed to steric factor, product inhibition, and the blocking of coupling sites on phenoxy radicals. Available evidence indicates that catalytic and enzymatic coupling reactions are strikingly similar in many respects. The striking resemblance suggests a common reaction mechanism in which binuclear metal (copper or iron) plays a key role. The common mechanistic features of the coupling reactions are suggested, and the implications of the findings are discussed with reference to (1) the design of a novel dephenolization scheme, (2) the elucidation of the widely occurring but poorly understood enzymatic coupling reactions, and (3) the synthesis of active polymer-bound coupling catalysts.
Linear Prediction and ARMA Spectrum Estimation

Up to this point, I have presented speech analysis methods which obtain spectral or time–frequency information from the signal data directly by means of some kind of transformation. It has been shown how different processing schemes can extract such information from the signal in different ways, but none has relied on any special assumptions about a speech signal beyond the most general and widely-held sort. In this chapter, I introduce an entirely different approach to what is often called “spectral estimation,” in which the signal is explicitly assumed to conform to the outlines of a model. The parameters of the assumed model are then estimated from the signal data, and the values of the parameters are used as a kind of proxy estimate of corresponding signal properties.
Effects of Self-Directed Summary of Performance on Postsecondary Education Students’ Participation in Person-Centered Planning Meetings:

Teaching students to develop and use a Summary of Performance (SOP) may be one method for teaching self-advocacy skills to ensure students with intellectual disability can advocate for accommodations and supports during Person-Centered Planning (PCP) meetings and in postschool employment settings. This study used a multiple-probe across participants design to investigate the effects of the Self-Directed Summary of Performance (SD-SOP) on participation in PCP meetings for students with intellectual disability. Results indicated increased participation during PCP meetings for all participants. In addition, participants were able to generalize use of the SD-SOP to employment settings. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Role of cGMP in carbon monoxide-induced cerebral vasodilation in piglets

The hypothesis was addressed that CO-induced cerebral vasodilation requires a permissive cGMP signal that can be produced by nitric oxide (NO). Anesthetized piglets were implanted with cranial wind...
Sometimes, More Is Better

usual pathogens rather than classic opportunistic infections, and (2) despite effective cART, preventative vaccines are not as effective as we would like. Important questions arise: How can we improve the efficacy of preventative vaccines for this immunocompromised population? Will higher antigen dose vaccines yield better protection? For influenza, these questions are particularly relevant given that timely vaccine administration is an important preventive measure in the general population [7]. Unfortunately, current formulations of influenza vaccines are not uniformly protective. Although healthy children and young adults develop sufficient neutralizing antibodies 90% of the time, certain populations at greatest risk for severe influenza (the immunocompromised, elderly adults, and infants)
Health outcomes and costs of community mitigation strategies for an influenza pandemic in the United States.

Background The optimal community-level approach to control pandemic influenza is unknown. Methods We estimated the health outcomes and costs of combinations of 4 social distancing strategies and 2 antiviral medication strategies to mitigate an influenza pandemic for a demographically typical US community. We used a social network, agent-based model to estimate strategy effectiveness and an economic model to estimate health resource use and costs. We used data from the literature to estimate clinical outcomes and health care utilization. Results At 1% influenza mortality, moderate infectivity (R(o) of 2.1 or greater), and 60% population compliance, the preferred strategy is adult and child social distancing, school closure, and antiviral treatment and prophylaxis. This strategy reduces the prevalence of cases in the population from 35% to 10%, averts 2480 cases per 10,000 population, costs $2700 per case averted, and costs $31,300 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, compared with the same strategy without school closure. The addition of school closure to adult and child social distancing and antiviral treatment and prophylaxis, if available, is not cost-effective for viral strains with low infectivity (R(o) of 1.6 and below) and low case fatality rates (below 1%). High population compliance lowers costs to society substantially when the pandemic strain is severe (R(o) of 2.1 or greater). Conclusions Multilayered mitigation strategies that include adult and child social distancing, use of antivirals, and school closure are cost-effective for a moderate to severe pandemic. Choice of strategy should be driven by the severity of the pandemic, as defined by the case fatality rate and infectivity.
EMI testing of a high speed rail train set

A series of tests were performed to investigate the potential for electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the operation of a high speed rail train set. The EMI effects on the railroad signaling system were studied. The potential for the train's variable frequency traction motors to compromise the safety signaling system on the train was analyzed. >
Trends in the teaching of analytical chemistry in American universities

The historical development of analytical education is traced from the turn of the century and an outlook into the future is presented, characterized by the disappearance of qualitative analysis and the emphasis laid upon instrumental methods and interdisciplinary courses.
Localization of the xanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase gene (gpt) of E. coli in AS52 metaphase cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization

The purpose of this study was to localize the xanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase gene (gpt) to a specific chromosome to investigate its proposed autosomal location in the AS52 cell line. AS52 cells are hgprt-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells which carry a single functional copy of the E. coli gpt gene. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and digoxigenin-labeled probes, as small as 673 bp, were used in an attempt to localize the 456 bp gpt gene to a specific chromosome. Chi-square analysis of 13 metaphases showed significant labeling on autosomal chromosomes 6 or 7, which are indistinguishable without further banding analysis. Furthermore, a majority of the signals were on the q arm, proximal to the centromere. The data collected supports incorporation of the gpt gene into an acrocentric autosome of the AS52 cell line.
Controls on Chlorophyll Synthesis in Barley

In 7- to 10-day-old leaves of etiolated barley (Hordeum vulgare), all of the enzymes that convert δ-aminolevulinic acid to chlorophyll are nonlimiting during the first 6 to 12 hours of illumination, even in the presence of inhibitors of protein synthesis. The limiting activity for chlorophyll synthesis appears to be a protein (or proteins) related to the synthesis of δ-aminolevulinic acid, presumably δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase. Protein synthesis in both the cytosol and plastids may be required to produce nonlimiting amounts of δ-aminolevulinic acid. The half-life of a limiting protein controlling the synthesis of δ-aminolevulinic acid appears to be about 1½ hours, when determined with inhibitors of protein synthesis. Acceleration of chlorophyll synthesis by light is not inhibited by inhibitors of nucleic acid synthesis, but is inhibited by inhibitors of protein synthesis. A model for control of chlorophyll synthesis is proposed, based on a light-induced activation at the translational level of the synthesis of proteins forming δ-aminolevulinic acid, as well as the short half-life of these proteins. Evidence is presented confirming the idea that the holochrome on which protochlorophyllide is photoreduced to chlorophyllide functions enzymatically.
Joint ownership verification for digital images

Many image watermarking schemes for copyright protection have been proposed in recent years, but they seldom deal with the problem of joint ownership verification if an image is created collaboratively. This paper addresses this problem by applying a secret sharing scheme to the watermarking scheme so that the secret key, which determines the embedded watermark, is shared among the multiple owners and only a authorized number of owners can verify the ownership. Experimental results show that this scheme is robust against a wide range of common signal processing procedures such as compression, median filtering and additive noise.
Microfluidic technology for in vitro embryo production

In the last decade the use of in vitro production of mammalian embryos and the utilization of assisted reproductive technologies such as embryo transfer, cryopreservation, and cloning are being used to produce genetically superior livestock. However, efficiencies of these assisted reproductive technologies (ART'S) are low. For these ART's to become more commercially viable, the efficiencies must improve. Despite this importance of reproduction for the livestock industry, little progress in decreasing embryonic mortality has been made. The livestock industry has succeeded in achieving large increases in average milk production of dairy cattle, growth rate in beef cattle and leanness in swine but reproductive efficiency has actually decreased. For example, research has provided little progress toward developing an objective method to examine viability of a single living embryo. At the same time, the growth of miniaturization technologies beyond integrated circuits and towards small mechanical systems has created opportunities for fresh examination of a wide range of existing problems. While the investigation and application of miniaturization technologies to medicine and biology is progressing rapidly, there has been limited exploration of microfabricated systems in the area of embryo production. We have taken a major step in demonstrating microfluidic systems for embryo manipulation and analysis.
Application of optical fiber sensors in Smart Grid

Smart Grid is a promising power delivery infrastructure integrated with communication and information technologies. By incorporating monitoring, analysis, control and communications facilities, it is possible to optimize the performance of the power system, allowing electricity to be delivered more efficiently. In the transmission and distribution sector, online monitoring of transmission lines and primary equipments is of vital importance, which can improve the reliability of power systems effectively. Optical fiber sensors can provide an alternative to conventional electrical sensors for such applications, with high accuracy, long term stability, streamlined installation, and premium performance under harsh environmental conditions. These optical fiber sensors offer immunity to EMI and extraordinary resistance to mechanical fatigue and therefore they will have great potential in on-line monitoring applications in Smart Grid. In this paper, we present a summary of the on-line monitoring needs of Smart Grid and explore the use of optical fiber sensors in Smart Grid. First, the on-line monitoring needs of Smart Grid is summarized. Second, a review on optical fiber sensor technology is given. Third, the application of optical fiber sensors in Smart Grid is discussed, including transmission line monitoring, primary equipment monitoring and substation perimeter intrusion detection. Finally, future research directions of optical fiber sensors for power systems are discussed. Compared to other traditional electrical sensors, the application of optical fiber sensors in Smart Grid has unique advantages.
Some Uses of REPMM's in Storage Rings and Colliders

Improvements for existing rings and techniques for building new rings composed entirely of passive, Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Multipoles (REPMM's) are considered using circular dipoles, quadrupoles and sextupoles. Over the past few years we have made such magnets using a single size SmCo5 block with up to five easy-axis orientations. The final production scheme is modular in that magnets are built-up from quantized layers. All multipole layers are made in exactly the same way using algorithms differing only by the desired multipole symmetry. The method is simple, efficient and inexpensive and allows a "do-it-yourself" approach to constructing new magnetic elements. For rings these might include focusing optical klystrons, rotatable multipoles for diagnostics, correction or extraction, or possibly combined function systems for the unit cells. A high quality, low-beta, PMQ insertion which can change beta, tune and energy is described as well as the PMS's for the SD and SF elements of the North SLC damping ring. Because these sextupoles will be the first optical use of PM's in storage rings they are discussed in detail together with the advantages, problems and requirements of such applications.
Hydrolysis of aluminum-tri-(sec-butoxide) in ionic and nonionic media

The hydrolysis of aluminum-tri-(sec-butoxide), ASB, in ionic and nonionic media is shown to be a useful method for the synthesis of aluminum minerals. Infrared and X-ray analysis were used to identify the reaction products. Pseudoboehmite is formed at low water to aluminum ratios. At higher water content, transformation of pseudoboehmite occurs with bayerite as the final phase. Daw- sonite-type minerals are produced when ASB is hydrolyzed in the presence of sodium, potassium, or ammonium bicarbonate. Infrared evidence suggests that the carbonate group is more perturbed than indicated by the proposed crystal structure. A compound with a structure like the pyoaurite- sj6grenite group was obtained when ASB reacted with a lithium carbonate solution. The infrared spectrum indicates the possible existence of bicarbonate and carbonate ions between the brucite-like layers.
A phylogenetic analysis reveals an unusual sequence conservation within introns involved in RNA editing.

Adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs) are RNA editing enzymes that convert adenosines to inosines within cellular and viral RNAs. Certain glutamate receptor (gluR) pre-mRNAs are substrates for the enzymes in vivo. For example, at the R/G editing site of gluR-B, -C, and -D RNAs, ADARs change an arginine codon (AGA) to a glycine codon (IGA) so that two protein isoforms can be synthesized from a single encoded mRNA; the highly related gluR-A sequence is not edited at this site. To gain insight into what features of an RNA substrate are important for accurate and efficient editing by an ADAR, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of sequences required for editing at the R/G site. We observed highly conserved sequences that were shared by gluR-B, -C, and -D, but absent from gluR-A. Surprisingly, in contrast to results obtained in phylogenetic analyses of tRNA and rRNA, it was the bases in paired, helical regions whose identity was conserved, whereas bases in nonhelical regions varied, but maintained their nonhelical state. We speculate this pattern in part reflects constraints imposed by ADAR’s unique specificity and gained support for our hypotheses with mutagenesis studies. Unexpectedly, we observed that some of the gluR introns were conserved beyond the sequences required for editing. The ;600-nt intron 13 of gluR-C was particularly remarkable, showing .94% nucleotide identity between human and chicken, organisms estimated to have diverged 310 million years ago.
Synaptic Vesicular Glutamate Uptake: Modulation by a Synaptosomal Cytosolic Factor

We have demonstrated previously that L-glutamate is taken up into isolated synaptic vesicles in an ATP-dependent manner, supporting the neurotransmitter role of this acidic amino acid. We now report that a nerve terminal cytosolic factor inhibits the ATP-dependent vesicular uptake of glutamate in a dose-dependent manner. This factor appears to be a protein with a molecular weight greater than 100,000, as estimated by size exclusion chromatography, and is precipitated by ammonium sulfate (40% saturation). The inhibitory factor is inactivated by heating to 100 degrees C. Proteolytic digestion of the ammonium sulfate fraction by trypsin or chymotrypsin did not reduce, but rather increased slightly, the inhibition of glutamate uptake. Unlike the native factor, the digest retained inhibitory activity after heating, suggesting that proteolytic digestion may generate active fragments. The inhibition of ATP-dependent vesicular glutamate uptake is not species-specific, as the factor obtained from both rat and bovine brains produced an equal degree of inhibition of glutamate uptake into vesicles of each species. These observations raise the possibility that vesicular uptake of glutamate may be regulated by an endogenous factor in vivo.
ReNew: A Semi-Supervised Framework for Generating Domain-Specific Lexicons and Sentiment Analysis

The sentiment captured in opinionated text provides interesting and valuable information for social media services. However, due to the complexity and diversity of linguistic representations, it is challenging to build a framework that accurately extracts such sentiment. We propose a semi-supervised framework for generating a domain-specific sentiment lexicon and inferring sentiments at the segment level. Our framework can greatly reduce the human effort for building a domainspecific sentiment lexicon with high quality. Specifically, in our evaluation, working with just 20 manually labeled reviews, it generates a domain-specific sentiment lexicon that yields weighted average FMeasure gains of 3%. Our sentiment classification model achieves approximately 1% greater accuracy than a state-of-the-art approach based on elementary discourse units.
The Nonlinear Critical Layer in a Slightly Stratified Shear Flow

An attempt is made in this paper to extend the nonlinear critical layer analysis, as developed for homogeneous shear flows by Benney and Bergeron [1] and Davis [2], to the case of a stratified shear flow. Although the analysis is restricted to small values of the Richardson number evaluated at the edge of the critical layer, it is definitely shown that buoyancy leads to the formation within the critical layer region of thin velocity and thermal boundary layers which tend to reduce the local Richardson number. We suggest that this result has considerable relevance to the phenomenon of clear air turbulence. As in the homogeneous case, no phase change of the disturbance takes place across the nonlinear critical layer.
Musical Sonification of Avatar Physiologies, Virtual Flight and Gesture

Virtual actors moving through interactive game-space environments create rich streams of data that serve as drivers for real-time musical sonification. The paradigms of avian flight, biologically-inspired kinesthetic motion and manually-controlled avatar skeletal mesh components through inverse kinematics are used in the musical performance work ECHO::Canyon to control real-time synthesis-based instruments within a multi-channel sound engine. This paper discusses gestural and control methodologies as well as specific mapping schemata used to link virtual actors with musical characteristics.
Error estimates for a bar code reconstruction method

We analyze a variational method for reconstructing a bar code signal from a blurry and noisy measurement. The bar code is modeled as a binary function with a finite number of transitions and a parameter controlling minimal feature size. The measured signal is the convolution of this binary function with a Gaussian kernel. In this work, we assume that the blur kernel is known and establish conditions (involving noise level and variance of the convolution kernel) under which the variational method considered recovers essentially the correct bar code.
Analysis of Mach Disks from an Underexpanded Nozzle Using Experimental and Computational Methods

Using both computational and experimental procedures, this research aims to resolve various aerothermo properties of Mach disks from the exhaust of an underexpanded nozzle. Using computational methods, such as the method of characteristics, we plan to do preliminary calculations on flow properties through Mach disks. Some of the properties to be calculated include velocity, pressure, temperature, and Mach number. The experimental spectroscopy technique being used to take the measurements is rotational-vibrational Raman scattering using an Nd:YAG laser operating at a wavelength of 532 nm. From this experimental technique we will be able to accurately measure pressure, temperature, and species concentration of the flow. This research focuses on measuring the properties of Mach disks in order to help further research in the area of supersonic combustion and improve present day high-speed air breathing propulsion.
Suprapubic endoscopic vesical neck suspension.

AbstractExperience with 20 endoscopic vesical neck suspensions (Stamey procedure) is compared to 20 matched anterior cystourethropexies (Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz procedure) performed by the same staff. The present procedure is a transvaginal vesical neck suspension, described in 1959 by Pereyra, modified in 1973 by Stamey and further modified in 1975 by Mason. The long-term success rate for relief of urinary stress incontinence was 90 per cent with either procedure. Advantages and disadvantages of the endoscopic vesical neck suspension are discussed.
The Importance of Resident Involvement in Quality Improvement: An Investment in Our Future

As frontline providers of patient care, residents are key drivers of quality at academic medical centers. Therefore, it is essential for teaching hospitals to engage their residents as core participants in organizational initiatives to improve the quality of patient care. Simply put, the success of an academic medical center’s quality improvement programs is dependent on the participation of residents.
Blazing New Trails: Strengthening Policy Research in Gifted Education:

Policy research in gifted education has occurred at much lower rates than other areas of research within the field, such as identification and talent development. However, without changes and implementation of these policies, systematic change is unlikely to occur. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to argue that policy research should be a top priority. To begin, we define and contrast three terms common in crafting policy—policy, advocacy, and intervention. Next, we provide a context of previous policy research in gifted education. We then detail areas in which policy research is the most critical. Finally, we conclude with action steps to engage more researchers and practitioners in policy development, implementation, and monitoring.
Morphological and histochemical changes in muscle biopsies of myasthenia gravis with a typical clinical presentation

The morphological and histochemical changes in nbsp muscle biopsies from cases with myasthenia gravis MG were studied The patients were misdiagnosed at the initial presentation however they were all proved later by either histochmical and serological tests or improvement on mestinone therapy to have MG nbsp Here the histomorphological and histochemical changes that were seen in muscle biopsies of MG with atypical clinical presentation were the followings atrophy of type II fibers predominance of type I fibers increased NADH staining at the neuromuscular junction NMJ The most consistent finding is marked reduction in acetylcholinesterease AChE activity at the end plates in all cases nbsp The results of this study suggest that histochemical and acetyl cholinesterase stains in combination with clinical assessment can help to identify unsuspected cases of MG
CorpusDB: Software for Analysis, Storage, and Manipulation of Sound Corpora.

CorpusDB is a system for representing sound files and associated analysis metadata in a structured format. The formats and conventions used in conjunction with the database allow for representation of sound files and their processed variants; multiple, overlapping, hierarchical relationships between sound files and segments thereof; and connections between sounds, their transformations, and analysis metadata. The software described in this paper is a parallel implementation consisting of SuperCollider classes, Python classes, and a common data representation of corpora that allows for seamless sharing of data between the two complementary environments. Code examples and listings of multi-step algorithms are included that demonstrate the kinds of operations possible within this system.
Structure Optimization of Aloperine Derivatives as HIV-1 Entry Inhibitors

As a step toward developing novel anti-HIV agents, we have identified a class of quinolizidines, including aloperine, that inhibit HIV at 1–5 μM by blocking viral entry. In this study, we have optimized the structure of aloperine and derived compounds with markedly improved activity. Our structural optimization has yielded an aloperine derivative 19 with approximately a 15-fold increase in anti-HIV-1 activity. Our mechanism of action study reveals that compound 19 does not inhibit binding of HIV-1 to receptors but arrests the virus from fusion with the membrane. Binding of the compound to HIV-1gp120 might be responsible for its anti-HIV-1 entry activity.
Implications of Attrition in a Longitudinal Web-Based Survey: An Examination of College Students Participating in a Tobacco Use Study.

Background: Web-based survey research has several benefits, including low cost and burden, as well as high use of the Internet, particularly among young adults. In the context of longitudinal studies, attrition raises concerns regarding the validity of data, given the potential associations with individual and institutional characteristics, or the focal area of study (eg, cigarette use). Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare baseline characteristics of nonresponders versus responders in a sample of young adult college students in a Web-based longitudinal study regarding tobacco use. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of 3189 college students from seven Georgia colleges and universities in a 2-year longitudinal study. We examined baseline tobacco use, as well as individual- and institutional-level factors, as predictors of attrition between wave 1 (October and November 2014) and wave 2 (February and March 2015) using multilevel modeling. Results: A total 13.14% (419/3189) participants were lost to follow-up at wave 2. Predictors of nonresponse were similar in the models examining individual-level factors and institutional-level factors only and included being black versus white (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, CI 1.23-2.46); being male versus female (OR 1.41, CI 1.10-1.79); seeking a bachelor’s degree versus advanced degree (OR 1.41, CI 1.09-1.83); not residing on campus (OR 0.62, CI 0.46-0.84); past 30-day tobacco use (OR 1.41, CI 1.10-1.78); attending a nonprivate college (OR 0.48, CI 0.33-0.71); and attending a college with ≤10,000 students (OR 0.56, CI 0.43-0.73). Conclusions: Future longitudinal studies should assess predictors of attrition to examine how survey topic and other individual and institutional factors might influence the response to allow for correction of selection bias. [JMIR Public Health Surveill 2017;3(4):e73]
Networked News, Racial Divides: How Power and Privilege Shape Public Discourse in Progressive Communities

Against conventional wisdom, pervasive black-white disparities pair with vitriolic public conversation in politically progressive communities throughout America. Networked News, Racial Divides examines obstacles to public dialogues about racial inequality and opportunities for better discourse in mid-sized, liberal cities. The book narrates the challenges faced when talking about race through a series of stories about each community struggling with K-12 education achievement gaps. Media expert Sue Robinson applies Bourdieusian field theory to understand media ecologies and analyze whose voices get heard and whose get left out. She explores how privilege shapes discourse and how identity politics can interfere with deliberation. Drawing on network analysis of community dialogues, interviews with journalists, politicians, activists, and citizens and deep case study of five cities, this reflexive and occasionally narrative book chronicles the institutional, cultural and other problematic realities to amplifying voices of all people while also recommending strategies to move forward and build trust.
The Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum

The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), a widely used laboratory animal, is a native of Lake Xochimilco, a large clear-water lake at Mexico City. The various scientific names which have been applied to it are discussed at length by Smith (1969) in a recent article. The common name, axolotl, of Aztec origin, has been variously interpreted as water dog, water twin, water sprite, or water slave. The last interpretation (“slave of the water”) is in one sense particularly appropriate: Since the Mexican axolotl does not ordinarily metamorphose and become adapted to a terrestrial existence, it must spend its life in water, in contrast with its many relatives of the genus Ambystoma. The term axolotl, however, is loosely applied to unmetamorphosed or larval stages of the various subspecies of Ambystoma tigrinum found in the western part of the United States and in Mexico; hence, in applying the term to Ambystoma mexicanum, it is well to qualify it by saying “Mexican axolotl.”
Vocational education, occupational choice and unemployment over the professional career

This study investigates the relationship between occupational choice and unemployment over the professional career with German administrative linked employer–employee data that track more than 800,000 graduates from vocational education over 25 years. Using short-run fluctuations in local and sectoral occupation-specific labor demand as instruments, it finds that choosing an occupation that later turns out to suffer from low or negative employment growth has a statistically and economically significant impact on unemployment over the professional career. On average, an unanticipated one-standard deviation decrease in occupation-specific employment growth raises unemployment by about 116 days over the life cycle.
A Systematic Review of Social Presence: Definition, Antecedents, and Implications.

Social presence, or the feeling of being there with a “real” person, is a crucial component of interactions that take place in virtual reality. This paper reviews the concept, antecedents, and implications of social presence, with a focus on the literature regarding the predictors of social presence. The article begins by exploring the concept of social presence, distinguishing it from two other dimensions of presence—telepresence and self-presence. After establishing the definition of social presence, the article offers a systematic review of 222 separate findings identified from 150 studies that investigate the factors (i.e., immersive qualities, contextual differences, and individual psychological traits) that predict social presence. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of heightened social presence and when it does and does not enhance one’s experience in a virtual environment.
A method for advancing understanding of streamflow and geomorphological characteristics in mixed-land-use watersheds.

Methods are needed to quantify stream geomorphological response to land use and hydroclimatic variability. The method applied herein incorporated channel measurements from a physical habitat assessment (channel width, bankfull width, thalweg depth, and estimated cross-sectional area), and streamflow data collected via an experimental watershed study, to identify factors contributing to longitudinal variation in stream morphology in a mixed-land-use watershed of the central U.S. Channel and bankfull width ranged from 0.8 m and 1.8 m, respectively, at the headwaters, to 70 m and 74 m, respectively, mid-watershed. Minimum thalweg depth (0.2 m) was observed at the headwaters, while the maximum (8.6 m) was observed at the mouth. Mann Kendall results indicated a significant positive trend (p 0.7), significant (p < 0.05) correlations with the estimated longitudinal pattern of 99th percentile flows, while thalweg depth correlated most strongly with 75th percentile flows (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.001). Collectively, results emphasize the importance of high flows to channel morphology, but identify other factors (e.g. land use, geology, physiography) that variously contribute to observed stream geomorphology. Furthermore, results demonstrate the capacity of the method to provide detailed, quantitative characterizations of physical and hydrologic features, and to identify potential drivers of channel morphology in contemporary mixed-land-use watersheds.
Silver nanowire-based transparent electrode as FTO replacement for dye-sensitized solar cell

In this paper, we present a novel usage of silver nanowire-based transparent electrode instead of fluorine-doped tin oxide for a ZnO–TiO2 core–shell dye-sensitized solar cell. The Ag nanowire-based transparent electrode was fabricated with a simple coating method at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This method potentially helps to reduce the production cost of dye-sensitized solar cell significantly by eliminating vacuum deposition processes for transparent electrodes and also enables the usage of various flexible substrates as a glass alternative. The Ag nanowire-based electrode is characterized using scanning electron microscope, four-point probe, and UV–Vis methods. With the short-circuit current density, Isc, of 4.3 × 10−4 A/cm2 and the open-circuit voltage, Voc, of 0.63 V, the performance of the dye-sensitized solar cell shows promising preliminary data for a low-temperature ZnO–TiO2 DSSC.