cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application regime and distortion metric for multivariate RF photonics

Photonic weight banks employing multivariate statistical techniques could extend performance limits of multiantenna radio systems. We characterize the aggregate bandwidth penalty imposed by a silicon microring weight bank and assess application regimes for multivariate RF photonics.
The psychology of deterrence explains why group membership matters for third-party punishment

Abstract Humans regularly intervene in others' conflicts as third-parties. This has been studied using the third-party punishment game: A third-party can pay a cost to punish another player (the "dictator") who treated someone else poorly. Because the game is anonymous and one-shot, punishers are thought to have no strategic reasons to intervene. Nonetheless, punishers often punish dictators who treat others poorly. This result is central to a controversy over human social evolution: Did third-party punishment evolve to maintain group norms or to deter others from acting against one's interests? This paper provides a critical test. We manipulate the ingroup/outgroup composition of the players while simultaneously measuring the inferences punishers make about how the dictator would treat them personally. The group norm predictions were falsified, as outgroup defectors were punished most harshly, not ingroup defectors (as predicted by ingroup fairness norms) and not outgroup members generally (as predicted by norms of parochialism). The deterrence predictions were validated: Punishers punished the most when they inferred that they would be treated the worst by dictators, especially when better treatment would be expected given ingroup/outgroup composition.
Long Term Benefits of Building Commissioning: Should Owners Pay the Price?

Abstract This research paper explores the long-term benefits of building commissioning and the persistence of benefits over time. The lack of a strong financial business case has led to a slow uptake of the practice within the building industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine the background of building commissioning and its benefits, determine whether an initial investment by a building owner will result in cost savings and long term benefits, and provide an unbiased perspective on the value of building commissioning.
Office-Based Spirometry: A New Model of Care in Preoperative Assessment for Low-Risk Lung Resections.

Background Formal pulmonary function testing with laboratory spirometry (LS) is the standard of care for risk stratification before lung resection. LS and handheld office spirometry (OS) are clinically comparable for forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity. We investigated the safety of preoperative risk stratification based solely on OS. Methods Patients at low-risk for cardiopulmonary complications were enrolled in a single-center prospective study and underwent preoperative OS. Formal LS was not performed when forced expiratory volume in 1 second was more than 60% by OS. Propensity score matching was used to compare patients in the OS group to low-risk institutional database patients (2008 to 2015) who underwent LS and lung resection. Standardized mean differences determined model covariate balance. The McNemar test and log-rank test were performed, respectively, for categorical and continuous paired outcome data. Results There were 66 prospectively enrolled patients who received OS and underwent pulmonary resection, and 1,290 patients received preoperative LS, resulting in 52 propensity score–matched pairs (83%). There were no deaths and two 30-day readmissions per group. The major morbidity risk was similar in each group (7.7%). All analyses of discordant pair morbidity had p exceeding 0.56. There was no association between length of stay and exposure to OS vs LS ( p = 0.31). The estimated annual institutional cost savings from performing OS only and avoiding LS was $38,000. Conclusions Low-risk patients undergoing lung resection can be adequately and safely assessed using OS without formal LS, with significant cost savings. With upcoming bundled care reimbursement paradigms, such safe and effective strategies are likely to be more widely used.
Autonomy and Moral Responsibility in Journalism

Autonomy and responsibility are interrelated concepts particularly important to moral analysis of professional persons, organizations and institutions. The complementary ideals of these concepts allow for a basic groundwork for understanding professional capabilities, and for laying moral praise and blame. Since much of the work of ethics, particularly professional ethics, hinges on (a) a person or organization’s ability to function well, and (b) the placement of praise and blame on moral agents or organizations, it is evident why a substantial exploration of these concepts within the sphere of professionalism is crucial to this book. This chapter will begin by reviewing the conceptual basis of each term – autonomy and responsibility. It will follow by applying these concepts to individual agents and professional organizations, focusing on traditional individual and organizational moral issues in journalism. Ultimately, this chapter will discuss the difficulties journalistic bureaucracies raise for evaluating moral responsibility of journalists, largely because institutional corruptors compromise other journalists’ autonomy in crucial ways.
Ensemble machine learning models for aviation incident risk prediction

Abstract With the spectacular growth of air traffic demand expected over the next two decades, the safety of the air transportation system is of increasing concern. In this paper, we facilitate the “proactive safety” paradigm to increase system safety with a focus on predicting the severity of abnormal aviation events in terms of their risk levels. To accomplish this goal, a predictive model needs to be developed to examine a wide variety of possible cases and quantify the risk associated with the possible outcome. By utilizing the incident reports available in the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), we build a hybrid model consisting of support vector machine and an ensemble of deep neural networks to quantify the risk associated with the consequence of each hazardous cause. The proposed methodology is developed in four steps. First, we categorize all the events, based on the level of risk associated with the event consequence, into five groups: high risk, moderately high risk, medium risk, moderately medium risk, and low risk. Secondly, a support vector machine model is used to discover the relationships between the event synopsis in text format and event consequence. In parallel, an ensemble of deep neural networks is trained to model the intricate associations between event contextual features and event outcomes. Thirdly, an innovative fusion rule is developed to blend the prediction results from the two types of trained machine learning models, thereby improving the prediction. Finally, the prediction on risk level categorization is extended to event-level outcomes through a probabilistic decision tree. By comparing the performance of the developed hybrid model against another three individual models with ten-fold cross-validation and statistical tests, we demonstrate the effectiveness of hybrid model in quantifying the risk related to the consequences of hazardous events.
Introduction: An Overview of Assessment and Teaching

The use of classroom assessments to enhance teaching and learning is an important issue in contemporary language teaching practice. Meaningful assessment activities help learners see what quality academic work is like and foster dialogue to help them engage independently with feedback. This Introduction discusses a number of dimensions to take account of in assessment for teaching, as well as various approaches to assessment, many of which do not involve tests per se. The paper also discusses Assessment Literacy, the elements of assessment knowledge and practice that language teachers should be aware of as they work to incorporate assessment into their classroom planning. Finally, the five papers in the Special Issue are introduced.
Consequences of exchange-site heterogeneity and dynamics on the UV-visible spectrum of Cu-exchanged SSZ-13

The speciation and structure of Cu ions and complexes in chabazite (SSZ-13) zeolites, which are relevant catalysts for nitrogen oxide reduction and partial methane oxidation, depend on material composition and reaction environment. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra of Cu-SSZ-13 zeolites synthesized to contain specific Cu site motifs, together with ab initio molecular dynamics and time-dependent density functional theory calculations, were used to test the ability to relate specific spectroscopic signatures to specific site motifs. Geometrically distinct arrangements of two framework Al atoms in six-membered rings are found to exchange Cu2+ ions that become spectroscopically indistinguishable after accounting for the finite-temperature fluctuations of the Cu coordination environment. Nominally homogeneous single Al exchange sites are found to exchange a heterogeneous mixture of [CuOH]+ monomers, O- and OH-bridged Cu dimers, and larger polynuclear complexes. The UV-Vis spectra of the latter are sensitive to framework Al proximity, to precise ligand environment, and to finite-temperature structural fluctuations, precluding the precise assignment of spectroscopic features to specific Cu structures. In all Cu-SSZ-13 samples, these dimers and larger complexes are reduced by CO to Cu+ sites at 523 K, leaving behind isolated [CuOH]+ sites with a characteristic spectroscopic identity. The various mononuclear and polynuclear Cu2+ species are distinguishable by their different responses to reducing environments, with implications for their relevance to catalytic redox reactions.
Understanding Anorexia Nervosa in Males: An Integrative Approach

Because anorexia nervosa has historically been viewed as a disorder that impacts women and girls, there has been little focus on the conceptualization and treatment of males suffering from this complex disorder. Understanding Anorexia Nervosa in Males provides a structure for understanding the male side of the equation combined with practical resources to guide clinical intervention. Presented using an integrative framework that draws on recent research and organizes information from multiple domains into a unified understanding of the interconnected issues at hand, this informative new text provides a comprehensive approach to understanding and treating a widely unrecognized population.
18 F-FPPRGD 2 PET/CT in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer

The usefulness of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using (18F)-2-fluoropropionyl-labeled PEGylated dimeric arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide [PEG3-E{c(RGDyk)}2] (18F-FPPRGD2) in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) has not been evaluated; therefore, we were prompted to conduct this pilot study. Seven patients with mRCC were enrolled in this prospective study. 18F-FPPRGD2 and 2-deoxy-2-(18F)fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT images were evaluated in a per-lesion analysis. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and tumor-to-background ratio (T/B) were measured for all detected lesions, both before and after starting antiangiogenic therapy. Sixty lesions in total were detected in this cohort. SUVmax from 18F-FPPRGD2 PET/CT was lower than that from 18F-FDG PET/CT (4.4 ± 2.9 vs 7.8 ± 5.6, P < 0.001). Both SUVmax and T/B from 18F-FPPRGD2 PET/CT decreased after starting antiangiogenic therapy (SUVmax, 4.2 ± 3.2 vs 2.6 ± 1.4, P = 0.003; T/B, 3.7 ± 3.2 vs 1.5 ± 0.8, P < 0.001). Average changes in SUVmax and T/B were − 29.3 ± 23.6% and − 48.1 ± 28.3%, respectively. 18F-FPPRGD2 PET/CT may be an useful tool for monitoring early response to antiangiogenic therapy in patients with mRCC. These preliminary results need to be confirmed in larger cohorts.
Community and Public Arena Advocacy Training Challenges, Supports, and Recommendations in Counseling Psychology: A Participatory Qualitative Inquiry

Despite a continuing need for clinicians to engage in socially-­‐just practice that addresses systemic factors impacting the mental health of clients through advocacy, there are often limited formalized opportunities for doctoral counseling psychology students to be exposed to and to engage in community or public arena advocacy. Two counseling psychology faculty members initiated and supervised a Participatory Action Research (PAR) team comprised of six advanced counseling psychology doctoral students and three early career counseling psychologists with experience conducting community and public arena advocacy. The nine PAR team members explored the doctoral students’ experiences conducting advocacy during their doctoral training and the resulting qualitative data was analyzed using a content analysis methodology. The study results highlight the challenges inherent in facilitating and conducting these types of advocacy training activities, discuss essential supports provided by their doctoral programs, and offer recommendations to counseling psychology faculty interested in preparing their students to engage in this work.
Association of TGF-β expression with intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in patients with microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer.

3577Background: Transforming growth factor- β pathway (TGF-β) has an established role in promoting growth, invasion, metastasis as well as epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) transition. Among 4 differ...
AB0195 THE IMPACT OF KETOGENIC DIET AND HIGH-FAT-HIGH-GLUCOSE DIET IN PRISTANE INDUCED LUPUS-LIKE NEPHRITIS MURINE MODEL

Background Systemic lupus erythematous is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease which commonly involes kidneys[1]. Aside from the use of conventional immunosuppressants, dietary components and metabolites may likely affect our immune system. Objectives An interest in the anti-inflammatory property of ketogenic diet (KD) has recently come to attention. It not only alters the balance between Th17 and Treg cells[2], its metabolite, beta-hydroxybutyrate was known to block NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation[3-6]. High-fat-high-glucose diet (HFGD), on the other hand, was known for a proinflammatory property. Aim to understand the immune modulatory effect of KD and HFGD in cases with systemic lupus erythematous, a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with glomerulonephritis, pristane induce lupus like nephritis murine model was used. Methods Pristane induced lupus nephritis mice were divided in to groups fed with regular chow (CD), KD and HFGD along with healthy controls. The diets were kept for 6 months with regular body weight and urine protein monitoring. Serum samples were collected for metabolic evaluation and immune survey bimonthly. The mice were sacrificed 6 months after diet change. Kidneys, lymph nodes, spleen, blood and guts were collected for evaluation. Results KD and HFGD were both well tolerated by experimental mice. Two months after diet change, higher level of beta-hydroxybutyrate and triglyceride but lower sugar level was noted in mice fed on KD when compared to those fed on CD and HFGD (all p Conclusion In conclusion, food plays a critical role in immune modification. Despite the reported anti-inflammatory effect of KD, it does not mitigate lupus nephritis progression. HFGD formula, however, accelerated the autoimmune phenotype for cases with lupus like glomerulonephritis. References [1] Borchers AT, Leibushor N, Naguwa SM, Cheema GS, Shoenfeld Y, Gershwin ME (2012) Lupus nephritis: a critical review. Autoimmun Rev12:174-194. [2] Ni FF, Li CR, Liao JX, Wang GB, Lin SF, Xia Y, Wen JL (2016) The effects of ketogenic diet on the Th17/Treg cells imbalance in patients with intractable childhood epilepsy. Seizure38:17-22. [3] Goldberg EL, Asher JL, Molony RD, Shaw AC, Zeiss CJ, Wang C, Morozova-Roche LA, Herzog RI, Iwasaki A, Dixit VD (2017) beta-Hydroxybutyrate Deactivates Neutrophil NLRP3 Inflammasome to Relieve Gout Flares. Cell Rep18:2077-2087. [4] Choi IY, Piccio L, Childress P, Bollman B, Ghosh A, Brandhorst S, Suarez J, Michalsen A, Cross AH, Morgan TE, Wei M, Paul F, Bock M, Longo VD (2016) A Diet Mimicking Fasting Promotes Regeneration and Reduces Autoimmunity and Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms. Cell Rep15:2136-2146. [5] Storoni M, Plant GT (2015) The Therapeutic Potential of the Ketogenic Diet in Treating Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Mult Scler Int2015:681289. [6] Choi IY, Lee C, Longo VD (2017) Nutrition and fasting mimicking diets in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases and immunosenescence. Mol Cell Endocrinol455:4-12. Disclosure of Interests None declared
Rhetoric, Reality, and Politics: The Neoliberal Cul-de-Sac in Education:

In Barbara Ferman’s collection, The Fight for America’s Schools, grassroots resistance to neoliberal education reform holds the spotlight. Her geographic lens is the Pennsylvania/New Jersey region....
Prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and childhood growth trajectories from age 5-14 years.

Abstract There is evidence that exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and fine particles in air pollution are associated with higher childhood body mass index (BMI). Birth cohort analyses of prenatal exposures to PAH and child BMI Z-scores from age 5–14 years were conducted. African-American and Hispanic children born in the Bronx or Northern Manhattan, New York (1998–2006), whose mothers underwent personal air monitoring for airborne PAH exposure during pregnancy, were followed up with measurements of height and weight at approximate ages 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12.5 and 13.5 years. Multivariable generalized estimating equation analyses were used to relate prenatal airborne PAH exposures to child BMI Z-scores through time. The analyses adjusted for many known risk factors for childhood obesity and included interactions terms between age and exposure tertiles and age squared and exposure tertiles. In total, 535 children had at least one height and weight measure during follow-up. The prevalence of obesity was 20.6% at age 5 and increased across follow-ups until age 11 when it was 33.0%. At age 5, BMI Z-scores were significantly greater for children in the third tertile of exposure relative to the first tertile (0.35 Z-score units, 95% CI 0.09, 0.61, p = 0.007) and were non-significantly higher for the second tertile of exposure compared to the first tertile (0.25 Z-score units, 95% CI -0.02, 0.52, P = 0.075). The trajectories of BMI Z-scores by tertiles of exposure converged as the children aged, such that by age 11 years the estimated mean BMI Z-scores associated with each tertile of exposure were not different. Prenatal exposures to airborne PAH were associated with higher childhood BMI Z-scores at a young age, but growth trajectories converged by age 11 years. Accordingly, highly exposed children spend a greater proportion of their childhood with higher BMI Z-scores.
Promoting oral health in nursing education through interprofessional collaborative practice: A quasi-experimental survey study design

Abstract Background Optimal oral health education is limited in nursing curricula and may therefore, not translate as a priority for nurses in clinical practice. Objectives To evaluate the influence of an educational intervention on knowledge, confidence, practice behaviors, and perceived barriers of nursing students regarding preventive oral health services. Design Quasi-experimental pre–post survey study design. Participants Sixty-four first–year Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing (ASBN) students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Methods Students were asked to complete oral–health–related questionnaires following didactic and clinical simulation on principles of oral health, oral screening, counseling, and referral to a dentist. A post–survey following clinical rotations was completed testing long–term effectiveness. Results Fifty–five (86%) ABSN students completed the pre–survey, 49 (77%) completed the post–survey; 44 (69%) completed both. Participants ' showed a significant increase in knowledge from pre–post questionnaires for two of five questions (p = 0.04; p Conclusion Mixed educational methods can successfully influence oral health knowledge and confidence among ABSN students and their willingness to perform in clinical practice.
Organizational Readiness to Implement System Changes in an Alaskan Tribal Dental Care Organization

Introduction:Tribal health care systems are striving to implement internal changes to improve dental care access and delivery and reduce health inequities for American Indian and Alaska Native chil...
Treatment and Intervention Strategies for Youthful Offenders

Throughout its history the United States’ approach to treatment and prevention of juvenile crime has evolved. Beginning with a punitive focus, intervention has developed a more rehabilitative and preventative approach. Through Federal initiatives the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention was established, and a shift was made to utilize research for developing appropriate strategies and alternatives to juvenile incarceration through state initiatives. While a diverse range of treatment and interventions are presented here, there are a few key factors commonly found in the more effective approaches. An individualized assessment of the juvenile should be performed in order to understand the specific needs of the youth and their family to tailor the intervention strategies specifically to their circumstances. Interventions should focus on both risk and protective factors, paying close attention to all systems of influence, including family, school, peers, and the community. Incorporating multiple treatment approaches and integrating treatment into areas in the community where at-risk children live and interact is critical. There remains a need for continued examination of evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents to provide the most effective treatment and prevention.
Chemistry of the sky god.

If you feel like shifting your attention away from what’s happening here on planet Earth in 2020 for a moment, join Bruce C. Gibb on a tour through the chemistry of the largest planet in the Solar System.
Robotic-assisted surgery enhances the learning curve while maintaining quality outcomes in sleeve gastrectomy: a preliminary, multicenter study.

The frequency of robotic-assisted bariatric surgery has been on the rise. An increasing number of fellowship programs have adopted robotic surgery as part of the curriculum. Our aim was to compare technical efficiency of a surgeon during the first year of practice after completing an advanced minimally invasive fellowship with a mentor surgeon. A systematic review of a prospectively maintained database was performed of consecutive patients undergoing robotic-assisted sleeve gastrectomy between 2015 and 2019 at a tertiary-care bariatric center (mentor group) and between 2018 and 2019 at a semi-academic community-based bariatric program (mentee 1 group) and 2019–2020 at a tertiary-care academic center (mentee 2 group). 257 patients in the mentor group, 45 patients in the mentee 1 group, and 11 patients in the mentee 2 group were included. The mentee operative times during the first year in practice were significantly faster than the mentor’s times in the first three (mentee 1 group) and two (mentee 2 group) years (P < 0.05) but remained significantly longer than the mentor’s times in the last two (mentee 1 group) and one (mentee 2 group) years (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in venothromboembolic events (P = 0.89) or readmission rates (P = 0.93). The mean length of stay was 1.8 ± 0.5 days, 1.3 ± 0.5 days, and 1.5 ± 0.5 days in the mentor, mentee 1, and mentee 2 groups, respectively (P < 0.0001). There were no reoperations, conversion to laparoscopy or open, no staple line leaks, strictures, or deaths in any group. This is one of the first series to show that the robotic platform can safely be taught and may translate into outcomes consistent with surgeons with more experience while mitigating the learning curve as early as the first year in practice. Long-term follow-up of mentees will be necessary to assess the evolution of fellowship training and outcomes.
Military Losses and Public Support for Domestic Counterinsurgency

When does the public support domestic counterinsurgency? Do military casualties decrease support for fighting, as during overseas wars? I theorize conditions under which government losses move public opinion against continued counterinsurgency. These are features common to many civil wars: asymmetric combat, an isolated military theater, and socially marginalized insurgents. Evidence comes from a 2010 survey regarding war in southern Thailand. Combining information on the Royal Thai Army's draft system and deployments, I show that army fatalities from a respondent's area predict support for implementing southern autonomy as a means of ending insurgency. As a placebo comparison, I show that army fatalities in the southern campaign do not explain support for compromise in an unrelated conflict in Bangkok. Respondents' assessments of the toll of southern insurgency also predict support for autonomy. This is the first study to show military losses depress support for counterinsurgency in a contemporary civil war.
Targeting reactive nitroxidative species in preclinical models of migraine.

BackgroundReactive nitroxidative species, such as nitric oxide but particularly peroxynitrite, have been strongly implicated in pain mechanisms. Targeting peroxynitrite is anti-nociceptive in pain ...
Mediators of the Relationship Between Cognition and Subjective Well-Being

Cognitive functioning has consistently found to predict subjective well-being (SWB), but it remains unclear why this relationship exists. Several potential explanations for this relationship have been offered in the literature, one of which is that a third variable accounts for this relationship. The current study examines this hypothesis by testing need for cognition (NfC), self-rated health, physical activity, cognitive activity, emotional stability, and conscientiousness as mediators of the relationship between cognitive ability (g) and indices of well-being. Data were drawn from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project, a study of community-dwelling adults aged 18–99 (N = 4354). A composite variable representing cognition was created using measures of episodic memory, perceptual speed, reasoning ability, and spatial visualization. SWB was conceptualized as life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect; the three facets of SWB were treated as separate outcomes. Results indicate that NfC, self-rated health, emotional stability, and conscientiousness partially mediate the relationship between cognition and all facets of SWB. Neither physical activity nor cognitive activity mediated the relationship between cognition and SWB. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the cognition-SWB relationship can partially be explained by third variables and provide insight into the personality and individual difference characteristics that underlie this relationship.
Primary care provider perspectives on and utilization of a mandatory prescription drug monitoring program in New York City.

BACKGROUND The ways in which prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have been integrated into primary care practice remain understudied, and research into physician utilization of PDMPs in states where PDMP use is mandated remains scant. OBJECTIVES To characterize primary care physician perspectives on and utilization of a mandatory PDMP in New York City. METHODS We conducted face-to-face, in-depth interviews with primary care physicians who reported that they currently prescribed opioid analgesic medication. We used a thematic analytic approach to characterize physician perspectives on the PDMP mandate and physician integration of mandatory PDMP use into primary care practice. RESULTS Primary care providers demonstrated a continuum of PDMP utilization, ranging from consistent use to the specifications of the mandate to inconsistent use to no use. Providers reported a range of perspectives on the purpose and function of the PDMP mandate, as well as a lack of clarity about the mandate and its enforcement. CONCLUSION Findings suggest a need for increased clinical and public health education about the use of PDMPs as clinical tools to identify and treat patients with potential substance use disorders in primary care.
Uniting biological and chemical strategies for selective CO2 reduction

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 into useful fuels and chemical feedstocks offers great promise for conversion to a carbon-neutral economy. However, challenges in product selectivity continue to limit the practical application of electrocatalytic systems. In this Perspective, we outline the thermodynamic and kinetic factors for the design of improved catalysts for CO2 fixation and carbon–carbon bond formation, and draw parallels between synthetic systems and natural enzymes that perform analogous transformations. By identifying the primary features that underpin the highly efficient CO2 conversion reactions seen in nature, synthetic catalysts can be constructed to take advantage of similar chemical principles. Given the demonstrated prior success of bio-inspired molecular design, increased and dynamic interactions between the chemical, biological and materials science fields will advance catalyst development in a synergistic fashion. Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a complex process with many competing products, yet nature has evolved ways to overcome these issues. This Perspective makes connections between the motifs observed in nature and strategies that can be employed in synthetic systems for the advancement of selectivity in CO2 reduction.
Phylogeography is not enough: The need for multiple lines of evidence

The concepts of equilibrium and stability in biogeography are perhaps much more fleeting than has generally been appreciated, and disequilibrium may actually rule the situation in most cases (Manning et al. 2009). That is, although researchers may discuss current distributional patterns as fixed, those patterns may have been in place only for a relatively short period of time (~10 yr), perhaps since the last major global cool period at the end of the Pleistocene (Figure 1). Although Pleistocene climatic fluctuations have been considered a major force in biogeography, and some have argued that they may have produced much of current species diversity (Mengel 1970, Haffer 1997), the validity of the Pleistocene speciation paradigm has been debated hotly recently—see, e.g., Klicka and Zink (1997) versus Weir and Schluter (2004). “The Pleistocene” is often cited as a biogeographic force, but too often uncritically and without full consideration of the complexity of world climates over the past million years. That is, molecular systematists frequently use molecular “clocks” that date splitting events imprecisely, usually with confidence intervals so broad as to inspire concern (Peterson 2007); these studies often refer to Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, but with no specifics, although the ability to date splitting events may improve with broader use of population-genetic approaches to the challenge (Arbogast et al. 2002). This general appreciation of the role of Pleistocene climatic fluctuations as important biogeographically nonetheless has not to date translated into detailed analyses of key events structuring biogeographic patterns in many phylogeographic analyses. In particular, the Pleistocene was characterized by a complex series of warm periods (similar to present-day climates) and cold periods (“ice ages”), with impressively short transitions in between (Figure 2; Dansgaard et al. 1993). Although considerable attention has focused on the last of the glacial maxima (~21,000 yr before present), in reality, all of these alternating periods of warm and cold climates probably had some influence on present patterns of diversity and distribution of biodiversity (Svenning and Skov 2004). The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on likely effects of such repeated and dramatic global climate fluctuations in shaping patterns of distribution of species, and to emphasize the need for broader Phylogeography is not enough: The need for multiple lines of evidence A. Townsend Peterson
Residential Buildings Engineered to Resist Tornadoes

The destruction of property and loss of life due to the effects of tornadoes and hurricanes is a yearly worldwide problem. In the United States, property damage accounts for nearly $1 billion annually. In this paper, the emphasis has been placed on tornadoes. Based on existing data available, two maximum loading conditions were adopted to design and render a typical ranch-style, wood-frame home resistant to tornadoes. These design loadings were based on reduced core pressures, and tangential wind velocities within a tornado funnel. A system of X-cables in the roof, walls, and ceiling, and bolted connections, can stiffen and strengthen a residence to carry forces many times greater than building codes require. For the maximum loading conditions recommended, a 19% increase in the construction cost of the building was determined. For less protection, and lower additional cost, a percentage of the maximum design pressures and velocities can be used.
The RTL System: A Framework for Code Optimization

The construction of compiler front and back-ends is understood well enough for a great deal of the work to be automated, but such is not the case for the rest of a modern compiler, the optimizer. This paper describes the RTL System, a flexible set of classes with a large number of predefined algorithms that the compiler writer can customize. The RTL System differs from systems to construct compiler front and back-ends because it does not specify the optimizations with a specialized language, but is instead an object-oriented framework. This paper describes the framework and how it can be used to build a code optimizer.
Structure and high-temperature properties of Ti5Si3 with interstitial additions

This study was motivated by the fact that previous research on the structure and properties of Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} showed unacceptably inconsistent results. The primary reason for these inconsistencies was interstitial contamination of Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} by carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Thus, this study measured the effects that these interstitial atoms have on some of the previously reported properties. These properties include crystalline structure, thermal expansion anisotropy, electronic structure and bonding, and high temperature oxidation resistance. In Chapter 2 of this study, the lattice parameters and atomic positions of Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} as a function of carbon, nitrogen or oxygen content were measured via x-ray and neutron diffraction. Comparing these lattice parameters to those reported in other studies on supposedly pure Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} confirmed that the majority of the previous studies had samples with a considerable amount of interstitial impurities. In fact, the lattice parameter trends given in Chapter 2 can be used to estimate the types and level of impurities in these studies. Furthermore, Chapter 2 discusses how atomic positions change as interstitial atoms are incorporated into the lattice. These changes in atomic separations suggest that strong bonds form between the interstitial atoms and the surrounding titanium atoms.more » This is in full agreement with the electronic structure calculations given in Chapter 4. These calculations show that bonding does occur between titanium d-states and interstitial atom p-states at the expense of bonding between some of the titanium and silicon atoms. In addition, carbon seems to be the most strongly bonded interstitial atom. Knowledge of the exact interstitial content and its effect on bonding is important because Chapters 3 and 5 have shown that interstitial atoms have a marked effect on the thermal expansion and oxidation resistance. As discussed in Chapter 3, all interstitial atoms lower the thermal expansion anisotropy of Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} due to the formation of bonds between the interstitial atom and the surrounding titanium atoms. Although interstitial atoms do have an effect on the thermal expansion of Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3}, these effects were not strong enough to explain all the scatter of previous studies. These studies most likely suffered from systematic errors as a result of poor experimental design. The experimental procedure used in this study was designed to significantly reduce these systematic errors.« less
Neutronic Analysis of an Advanced Fuel Design Concept for the High Flux Isotope Reactor

This study presents the neutronic analysis of an advanced fuel design concept for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) that could significantly extend the curre...
Initiation and Direction of RNA Transcription by Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Virion Transcriptase

Abstract The initiation of RNA transcription by the virion-bound RNA transcriptase of vesicular stomatitis virus has been examined. Multiple initiation sequences have been observed, two of which have been characterized (pppApCpGp... and pppGpCp...) suggestive of a transcription process which can start at different sites along the template RNA. By the use of sequential labeling techniques and exonucleases, it has been determined that there is a 5′ to 3′ direction of product RNA synthesis.
Fine Structure of the Upper Chromosphere

The paper contains a review of attempts to understand observational data on the inhomogeneous structure of the upper solar chromosphere, particularly the spicules. Observations over the electromagnetic spectrum from millimetric to the ultraviolet give equivocal results; and in spite of recent progress, models for these inhomogeneous structures still face difficulties in accounting for the observed radiation. New observations in the visible are needed in order to answer even the simplest questions of kinematics, while the interpretation of the line spectra still poses many difficulties. The acquisition of EUV data at high spatial resolution should lead to major progress in the field, just as it already has done in showing the EUV emission to be concentrated over the network boundaries.
Design and implementation of an intelligent controller using neural networks

The problem of design and implementation of an intelligent controller is dealt with. An approach based on neural networks, artificial intelligence, and conventional methods is proposed. The step-by-step design procedure is given. It is shown that this approach is well-suited for implementation on neural networks, which offer a definite speed advantage. Potential applications of the design methodology are discussed. >
The Linear Quadratic Tracking Problem

In this chapter we will study a very important problem in the field of optimal control theory. In general, control theory is concerned with using the measurements in a dynamical system to “control” the state vector x. The precise meaning of the word control will be made clear as we proceed. The word “quadratic” in the title of this chapter refers to a particular class of control problems that use a quadratic form to measure the performance of a system. The reason we choose this particular performance index is that in the stochastic case it leads to a tractable solution. For reasons that will be clear later, we begin with the deterministic problem.
Self‐similarity and turbulence characteristics of wind turbine wakes via large‐eddy simulation

Mean and turbulent properties of the wake generated by a single wind turbine are studied in this paper with a new large eddy simulation (LES) code, the wind turbine and turbulence simulator (WiTTS hereafter). WiTTS uses a scale-dependent Lagrangian dynamical model of the sub-grid shear stress and actuator lines to simulate the effects of the rotating blades. WiTTS is first tested by simulating neutral boundary layers without and with a wind turbine and then used to study the common assumptions of self-similarity and axisymmetry of the wake under neutral conditions for a variety of wind speeds and turbine properties. We find that the wind velocity deficit generally remains self similarity to a Gaussian distribution in the horizontal. In the vertical, the Gaussian self-similarity is still valid in the upper part of the wake, but it breaks down in the region of the wake close to the ground. The horizontal expansion of the wake is always faster and greater than the vertical expansion under neutral stability due to wind shear and impact with the ground. Two modifications to existing equations for the mean velocity deficit and the maximum added turbulence intensity are proposed and successfully tested. The anisotropic wake expansion is taken into account in the modified model of the mean velocity deficit. Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budgets show that production and advection exceed dissipation and turbulent transport. The nacelle causes significant increase of every term in the TKE budget in the near wake. In conclusion, WiTTS performs satisfactorily in the rotor region of wind turbine wakes under neutral stability. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Why do smart people make irrational decisions every day? The answers will surprise you. Predictably Irrational is an intriguing, witty and utterly original look at why we all make illogical decisions. Why can a 50p aspirin do what a 5p aspirin can't? If an item is "free" it must be a bargain, right? Why is everything relative, even when it shouldn't be? How do our expectations influence our actual opinions and decisions? In this astounding book, behavioural economist Dan Ariely cuts to the heart of our strange behaviour, demonstrating how irrationality often supplants rational thought and that the reason for this is embedded in the very structure of our minds. Predicatably Irrational brilliantly blends everyday experiences with a series of illuminating and often surprising experiments, that will change your understanding of human behaviour. And, by recognising these patterns, Ariely shows that we can make better decisions in business, in matters of collective welfare, and in our everyday lives from drinking coffee to losing weight, buying a car to choosing a romantic partner.
Carry-save and binary sign-digit representations conversion

Computer arithmetic operations based on the binary sign-digit (BSD) numbers and carry-save addition (CSA) representation systems provide them with high-speed computations due to carry-propagation free features. However, in the previous researches, these two representations are treated respectively. In this paper, the algorithms and implementation structures are proposed for the conversion between them, thus, the arithmetic developed for one representation can be easily adapted to the other. The conversion overheads in the area and speed are also studied
The development of Ammon's horn and the fascia dentata in the cat: A [3H]thymidine analysis

The present [3H]thymidine autoradiographic analysis of neurogenesis demonstrates that the neurons which populate the adult cat hippocampus are born between embryonic day (E)22 and E42. In contrast, although neuronal production in the fascia dentata begins on the same day, granule cells in this area continue to be produced throughout prenatal life and into early postnatal life, and probably continues at an extremely low rate well into adulthood. Three major sets of spatiotemporal gradients characterize the production of neurons in Ammon's horn and the fascia dentata. The first set involves the radial axis. Within the hippocampus there exists an inside-out gradient. The reverse gradient is present in the fascia dentata, i.e. outside-in. The second set of gradients involves the transverse or rhinodentate axis. In general the CA3 neurons are born earlier than the CA1 neurons. Within both neuronal layers of the fascia dentata, the hidden blade cells tend to be born earlier than those of the exposed blade. Again, the pattern in the fascia is the reverse of that in the hippocampus proper. A temporal to septal gradient is also present, but this is the weakest of the gradients.
Molecular dissection of Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis

Abstract Using an experimental model in COS-1 cells, we have examined the structural requirements for phagocytosis of IgG-sensitized cells by Fcγ receptors. We have established that isoforms of each of the 3 classes of the Fcγ receptors, FcγRI, FcγRII and FcγRIII, are able to transmit a phagocytic signal in the absence of the other receptor class. FcγI and RcγRIIIA require a γ-subunit for this signaling event, but FcγRIIA does not. FcγRIIA and the γ-subunit associated with FcγRI and FcγRIIIA contain 2 copies of a conserved tyrosine-containing cytoplasmic sequence, YXXL. This sequence is important for phagocytosis and is phosphorylated on tyrosine after receptor ligation. The Fcγ receptors FcγRIIB1 and FcγRIIB2 which contain only 1 copy of the YXXL cytoplasmic sequence do not include the phagocytosis of IgG-coated cells. Thus, the Fcγ receptor isoforms differ in their ability to transmit a phagocytic signal. Structure/function studies also indicate that the Fcγ receptors which induce phagocytosis differ in their requirements for phagocytic signaling.
Efficacy of Sublingual Nifedipine in the Acute Treatment of Systemic Hypertension

The effects of sublingual nifedipine, a calcium antagonist vasodilator, were assessed in 43 patients with moderate to severe hypertension in an emergency room setting. Following a no-response placebo treatment period, the patients with supine diastolic blood pressure of
N coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations with mixed nonlinear interactions

Abstract We present analytic solitary-wave solutions for N coupled nonlinear Schrodinger (CNLS) equations that is applicable to cases in which the nonlinear coupling parameters consist of −1 as well as +1, i.e., are of the “mixed” type. We conjecture that solitary-wave solutions that consist of all possible combinations of Lame function of order n = N cover a “complete” subset of possible mixed interaction type. These results may have important applications to problems in nonlinear optics, and may provide insights into the integrability of CNLS equations of the mixed interaction type for general N .
On the nonlinear elastic response of bodies in the small strain range

The classical linearized approximation to describe the elastic response of solids is the most widely used model in solid mechanics. This approximate model is arrived at by assuming that the norm of the displacement gradient is sufficiently small so that one can neglect the square of the norm in terms of the norm. Recent experimental results on Titanium and Gum metal alloys, among other alloys, indicate with unmistakable clarity a nonlinear relationship between the strain and the stress in the range of strain wherein one would have to use the classical linearized theory of elasticity, namely wherein the square of the norm of the strain can be ignored with regard to the value of the strain, leading to a dilemma concerning the modeling of the response, as the classical nonlinear Cauchy elastic model would collapse to the linearized elastic model in this range. A novel and important generalization of the theory of elastic materials has been suggested by Rajagopal in Appl Math 48: 279–319, 2003 and Zeit Angew Math Phys 58: 309–317, 2007 that allows for an approximation wherein the linearized strain can be a nonlinear function of the stress. In this paper, we show how this new theory can be used to describe the new experiments on Titanium and Gum metal alloys and also clarify several issues concerning the domain of application of the classical linearized theory.