cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical and superposed epoch study of dipolarization events using data from Wind perigee passes

Abstract. From 1995 to 2000, the Wind spacecraft spent over 500h in the magnetotail, much of it within ~2x10 4 km of the predicted location of the neutral sheet. Wind passed through the near magnetotail at distances of -15 R E X GSM R E on 35 occasions. Another 10 passes took place at distances of -30 R E X GSM R E . We identified 65 dipolarization events in the Wind magnetic field data set between Y GSM~-16 and +16 R E based upon our requirements that the magnetic field inclination had to change by more than 15°, the maximum inclination angle had to be greater than 20°, and the inclination angle had to increase by a factor of at least 1.5. Most of the dipolarization events occurred in the pre-midnight region of the magnetotail and were accompanied by earthward flows with speeds greater than 100km/s. The properties of the dipolarization events did not depend upon the Y GSM position. However, they did vary with the distance to the neutral sheet. Isolated dipolarization events, defined as occurring more than 20min apart, were characterized by a decrease in B x GSM and B TOTAL , and an increase in B z GSM and the magnetic field inclination. Dipolarizations that occurred as part of a series of small dipolarizations spaced less than 20min apart were characterized by a transient increase in B z GSM and the magnetic field inclination, but no significant change in B x GSM and B TOTAL . The events consisting of a series of small dipolarizations occurred predominantly near midnight. We interpret these results in terms of two different modes of magnetotail convection: 1) a classical substorm pattern featuring storage of magnetic energy in the tail lobes which is explosively released at onset, and 2) a directly driven process.
Designing model-based fault estimator for a separation column

Considers a practical approach to model-based fault diagnostics. The fault estimation is performed by a delayed FIR filter that is designed as a noncausal Wiener filter. The approach is demonstrated using a case study of a process upset in a separation column in a petrochemical plant. The designed fault estimator demonstrates early and reliable detection of the fault. It presents a conclusive evidence of the fault more than 250 minutes earlier than the action the operator took during the upset based on direct sensory data.
Pools, clubs and security: designing for a party not a person

Security solutions fail not only because of technological or usability limitations, but also due to economic constraints and lack of coordinated adoption. Existing research conceptualizes security as a public good suffering from underinvestment, or as a private good with externalities, i.e. consequences that are not part of the price. It is also difficult to distinguish high and low quality security products, thus where there is incentive the resulting investments may be misdirected. We argue for a new paradigm of security solutions designed for communities rather than individuals. We leverage canonical economic theory of 'club goods' and 'common-pool resources' to encourage security through collective action and peer production. We operationalize these by providing examples of security solutions redesigned as club or pool goods. Investigating the paradigm of cooperation through community informs novel solutions that impinge on real world security and we advocate further research to enable this shift.
Three-dimensional visualization and microstructure-based modeling of deformation in particle-reinforced composites

Modeling and prediction of the overall elastic–plastic response and local damage mechanisms in composite materials, in particular particle-reinforced composites, is a very complex problem. This is because microstructural aspects of the composite, such as particle size, shape, and distribution, play important roles in deformation behavior. Analytical models and numerical models that simplify the microstructure of the composite do not account for the microstructural factors that influence the mechanical behavior of the material. In this paper we describe a serial sectioning process, followed by finite element method (FEM) simulation, to reproduce, visualize, and model the three-dimensional (3D) microstructure of particle-reinforced metal matrix composites. The 3D microstructure-based FEM accurately represents the alignment, aspect ratio, and distribution of the particles. Comparison with single-particle and multiparticle models of simple shape (spherical and ellipsoidal) shows that the 3D microstructure-based approach is more accurate in simulating and understanding macroscopic and microscopic material behavior.
Characterization of a mutant calcineurin A alpha gene expressed by EL4 lymphoma cells.

Thecalmodulin-stimulatedphosphatasecalcineurinplaysacriticalroleincalcium-dependentT-lymphocyte activation pathways. Here, we report the identification of a missense mutation in the calcineurin Aa gene expressed by EL4 T-lymphoma cells. This mutation changes an evolutionarily conserved aspartic acid to asparagine within the autoinhibitory domain of the calcineurin Aa protein. A comparison of wild-type and mutant autoinhibitory peptides indicates that this amino acid substitution greatly reduces inhibition of calcineurin phosphatase activity. Additional peptide inhibition studies support a pseudosubstrate model of autoinhibitory function, in which the conserved aspartic acid residue may serve as a molecular mimic of either phosphoserine or phosphothreonine. Expression of the mutant calcineurin appears to affect cellular signal transductionpathways,asEL4cellscanbeactivatedbysuboptimalconcentrationsofcalciumionophoreinthe presenceofphorbolesters.Moreover,thisphenotypecanbetransferredtoJurkatTcellsbytransfectionofthe mutated calcineurin gene. Thesefindings implicate a conserved aspartic acid in the mechanism of calcineurin autoinhibition and suggest that mutation of this residue is associated with aberrant calcium-dependent signaling in vivo.
3E-1 Real-Time Ultrasonic Imaging System Based on Discrete Cosine Transform for NDE Applications

This paper presents a unified, hardware efficient architecture for multi-purpose ultrasonic imaging systems. Ultrasonic flaw detection, data compression and denoising applications are implemented within the same framework by integrating a common transform block, discrete cosine transform (DCT). DCT is primarily used for energy compaction properties in compression applications and for frequency decomposition in detection algorithms. Furthermore, recursive DCT implementations based on Clenshaw's formula are presented in order to reduce the hardware requirements of large scale transforms for a feasible real-time SoC architecture
A Closed-Form Expression for Static Worm-Scanning Strategies

This work presents a closed-form expression for characterizing the spread of static worm-scanning strategies through a mean-field approximation. Our model can both accurately capture the worm propagation speed before the number of infections becomes large and explicitly demonstrate the effects of important parameters such as the vulnerable-host distribution and the worm-scanning strategy. Our approach is based on the mean-field theory that investigates the average number of infected hosts over time. Experiments are carried out based on the parameters chosen from the Witty worm. Experimental results verify that the closed-form expression can accurately reflect the mean value of infections over time before the infected hosts become saturated for a wide range of scanning methods. Therefore, our model can help defenders design better detection and defense systems and provide a stepping stone towards obtaining closed-form expressions for the propagation of dynamic worm-scanning strategies.
Nω-monomethyl-l-arginine inhibits nitric oxide production in murine cardiac allografts but does not affect graft rejection

Endogenous nitric oxide biosynthesis in mice receiving allogeneic heterotopic heart transplants was monitored as a function of time post-transplant. Nitric oxide production was measured by daily urine nitrate levels and by formation of paramagnetic heme-nitrosyl complexes in the cardiac tissue. Exogenous sources of urine nitrate and EPR signal were minimized by maintaining the animals on a low nitrite/nitrate diet. Urine nitrate peaked on postoperative day 7. A heme-nitrosyl EPR signal also appeared in the cardiac tissue on postoperative day 7 and remained unchanged in size until rejection on postoperative day 9 at which time the peak height of the signal nearly tripled. Some of the animals in the study were treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N omega-monomethyl-L-arginine which caused marked inhibition of urinary nitrate excretion and prevented heme-nitrosyl complex formation in beating hearts. However, administration of the inhibitor did not increase graft survival time. Low intensity heme-nitrosyl signals were identified in inhibitor-treated allogeneic hearts after rejection. Syngeneic heart transplants did not induce urinary nitrate excretion nor EPR signal formation. These results show that cytokine induced high output nitric oxide synthesis from L-arginine is a prominent biochemical component of the cell-mediated immune response to cardiac allografts in mice. However, nitric oxide production was not essential for rejection of cardiac allografts mismatched at the major histocompatibility locus.
Aspects of masticatory form and function in common tree shrews, Tupaia glis

Tree shrews have relatively primitive tribosphenic molars that are apparently similar to those of basal eutherians; thus, these animals have been used as a model to describe mastication in early mammals. In this study the gross morphology of the bony skull, joints, dentition, and muscles of mastication are related to potential jaw movements and cuspal relationships. Potential for complex mandibular movements is indicated by a mobile mandibular symphysis, shallow mandibular fossa that is large compared to its resident condyle, and relatively loose temporomandibular joint ligaments. Abrasive tooth wear is noticeable, and is most marked at the first molars and buccal aspects of the upper cheek teeth distal to P2. Muscle morphology is basically similar to that previously described for Tupaia minor and Ptilocercus lowii. However, in T. glis, an intraorbital part of deep temporalis has the potential for inducing lingual translation of its dentary, and the large medial pterygoid has extended its origin anteriorly to the floor of the orbit, which would enhance protrusion. The importance of the tongue and hyoid muscles during mastication is suggested by broadly expanded anterior bellies of digastrics, which may assist mylohyoids in tensing the floor of the mouth during forceful tongue actions, and by preliminary electromyography, which suggests that masticatory muscles alone cannot fully account for jaw movements in this species.
Functional holey graphene oxide: a new electrochemically transformed substrate material for dopamine sensing

Increasing active sites through generating holes within the basal plane of graphene sheets is an effective strategy to enhance catalytic performance in various applications such as sensors, electrocatalysis, and electronics. In this study, we report a simple two-step electrochemical approach to convert graphene oxide (GO) into holey graphene oxide (HGO)—graphene sheets with holes ranging from several to tens of nanometers in diameter. The resultant HGO graphene has an order of magnitude more effective surface area than GO, and behaves almost as a reversible electrode system in terms of peak-to-peak seperation value (ΔE) and heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k0) towards the Fe(CN)63−/4− redox probe. Characterization of the HGO surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry confirmed generation of holes on the graphene sheets. β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) was immobilized on ‘as prepared’ HGO demonstrating an additional advantage from the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on the resultant HGO surface. The β-CD-HGO nanocomposite was investigated as a potential dopamine (DA) sensor material using amperometric techniques. The linear range for DA detection was 0.1–800 μM (N = 3), sensitivity was 4.4 nA μM−1 cm−2, and the detection limit was 7.6 nM (S/N = 3). In addition to enhanced catalytic performance, HGO can be easily modified with materials such as β-cyclodextrin, as well as nanoparticles, bioactive molecules, and stimuli responsive polymers, providing a promising sensor platform.
Relative intensity noise in optical heterodyning applied to millimeter-wave systems

In this paper, the impact of relative intensity noise (RIN) on optical heterodyne millimeter-wave (MMW) generation for radio-over-fiber (RoF) applications and systems is presented. The theoretical and experimental study is provided for two different techniques that generate MMW signals. The model of RIN is also presented and is in close agreement with the experimental results. The novelty and originality of this paper are the analysis of RIN in MMW frequency band, where impairments of the generated MMW carrier due to RIN are shown for the first time. The theoretical concepts and the experimental results prove that RIN appearing as side bands of MMW signal is directly generated from initial RIN at low frequency. Two significant impacts are considered: the phase noise on the beat note carrier and the frequency response of the system, in order to extract real RIN contribution.
Potential Keystone Plant Species for the Frugivore Community at Tinigua Park, Colombia

Different practical problems restrict the possibility of rigorously testing the role of plants as keystone species in tropical forests, and therefore we do not yet know the impacts that could result from their removal. Currently, the criteria used to suggest keystone plant species in tropical forests include an assessment of their importance in supporting frugivore communities during periods of fruit scarcity, their reliability during these periods, their abundance, and the number of species that feed on their fruits. However, even for resources that match these criteria it has been shown that the density of these plant species is not necessarily correlated with the abundance of frugivores, so their relevance is still an open question. In this study I use information on feeding behavior and phenological data collected over three years in Tinigua National Park, Colombia, to identify potential plant keystone resources for the fruiteating animals. Among 29 plant species that produced fruit or were consumed in periods of fruit scarcity, I found virtually no case of a species that could maintain a large proportion of the frugivore community. Plant species previously suggested playing keystone roles, such as palms and figs, were included in the list. But palms did not support a very large coterie of frugivores and figs were reliable only at the genus level. The fact that only 3 of the 29 species suggested to play keystone roles at Tinigua were present in a recent review of the potential keystone resources in Neotropical forests (Peres, 2000), suggests that species playing important roles in one community may be unimportant in other localities. I conclude that postulating keystone resources in tropical forests might lead to strategies to protect local animal guilds, but it is difficult to find species that could support the majority of frugivores in complex communities and it is naive to generalize about their roles across localities. I suggest that the bulk of frugivores in Tinigua (i.e. primates) may use fat reserves accumulated during periods of fruit abundance to survive the lean period, and therefore keystone resources might not be restricted to particular seasons.
Chapter 9. Information Difficulties: The Policy-Maker

This is Chapter 9 of a new book that attempts to make the presentation of environmental economics a cohesive non-rambling narrative. This chapter clarifies how difficult it is for policy-makers to obtain insights about the value of environmental amenities even when both households and firms actually know their respective benefits and costs, unlikely in practice.
Health Aid Is Allocated Efficiently, But Not Optimally: Insights From A Review Of Cost-Effectiveness Studies

Development assistance from high-income countries to the health sectors of low- and middle-income countries (health aid) is an important source of funding for health in low- and middle-income countries. However, the relationship between health aid and the expected health improvements from those expenditures--the cost-effectiveness of targeted interventions--remains unknown. We reviewed the literature for cost-effectiveness of interventions targeting five disease categories: HIV; malaria; tuberculosis; noncommunicable diseases; and maternal, newborn, and child health. We measured the alignment between health aid and cost-effectiveness, and we examined the possibility of better alignment by simulating health aid reallocation. The relationship between health aid and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios is negative and significant: More health aid is going to disease categories with more cost-effective interventions. Changing the allocation of health aid earmarked funding could lead to greater health gains even without expanding overall disbursements. The greatest improvements in the alignment would be achieved by reallocating some aid from HIV or maternal, newborn, and child health to malaria or TB. We conclude that health aid is generally aligned with cost-effectiveness considerations, but in some countries this alignment could be improved.
An Investigation of Three-Dimensional Flow over an Undulating Inflatable Wing

Inflatable wings provide a compact alternative for aircraft that need to fit into small volumes before deployment, such as backpack unmanned aircraft or rocket-delivered air vehicles. Due to their design, the wings tend to have lower aspect ratios, using spanwise chambers to maintain rigidity. This leads to an airfoil with bumpy surfaces due to the center of each chamber expanding further compared to its edges, where the interior baffles connect to the surface. Early wind tunnel tests of these designs showed evidence that separation over these airfoils was reduced compared to their smooth counterparts in some flow conditions. Currently, these wings are being investigated through a combination of two-dimensional and preliminary three-dimensional simulations as well as wind tunnel experiments. In all cases, low to moderate Reynolds numbers are used (50,000 to 300,000) over a range of angles of attack. This places the flows in a naturally transitional regime, presenting additional complications in attempting to reconcile the results for these different investigative techniques and increasing the need to understand both twoand three-dimensional flow effects.
Outcomes of Multimodality Therapy in Pediatric Patients With Ruptured and Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

BACKGROUND Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) are a frequent cause of pediatric hemorrhagic stroke, which frequently results in significant morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE To analyze the results of multimodality treatment for a consecutive series of pediatric patients with ruptured and unruptured BAVMs at a single institution. METHODS Forty patients <18 years of age were retrospectively reviewed. Results were divided by hemorrhage status, ie, ruptured or unruptured, and the intended curative treatment modality, ie, surgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. RESULTS Twenty-seven patients (68%) presented with hemorrhage, and 13 patients (32%) presented without hemorrhage. Among ruptured patients, 19 (70%) underwent surgery and 8 (30%) underwent stereotactic radiosurgery. In surviving patients who presented with hemorrhage, 23 of 26 (88%) had a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0 to 2 at the last follow-up, and 24 of 26 (92%) obtained radiographic cure. For unruptured BAVMs, all 6 patients with grade I to III BAVM obtained radiographic cure and had an mRS score of 0 to 1 at the last follow-up, whereas 1 of 5 patients (20%) with grade IV and V BAVM had BAVM obliteration and a mean mRS score of 1.8 at the last follow-up. In a total of 93.6 years of follow-up from date of presentation to last clinical follow-up, there was 1 hemorrhage (1.1%/y). Of 30 patients with radiographic obliteration, 2 patients had radiographic recurrence (7% incidence). CONCLUSION The majority of ruptured patients had an mRS score of 0 to 2 at the last follow-up and obtained radiographic cure. Unruptured patients with grade I to III BAVMs had superior outcomes compared with those with grade IV and V AVMs. Treatment of grade I to III BAVMs appears safe, and additional study is needed to determine optimal strategies for the management of unruptured grade IV and V BAVMs.
Sequence analysis of V3～V4 region of env gene on 5 HIV infected couples in Ningbo city

Objective:To investigate different subtype of HIV-1 distribution and gene mutation among infected couples in Ningbo.Methods: 5 double whole blood was collected from confirmed HIV infected couples in Ningbo.The absolute numbers of CD4+ T lymphocyte were detected by flow cytometer.The partial HIV-1 env gene was amplified from clinical samples by nested-PCR and sequenced.To determine the viruses subtype,the sequence ware aligned and analyzed between clinical strains and reference strains using DNASTAR software.Results: 10 env gend sequences were obtained and the sequence analysis results showed that 4 were B′ subtype,two were CRF07_BC subtype and four were CRF08_BC subtype.The absolute number of CD4+ T lymphocyte in clinical blood samples ranged from 133/μl to 411/μl and the mean value was 289/μl.Conclusion: Multiple HIV-1 subtypes circulated in infected couples in Ningbo,and most of HIV-1 infected person needing therapy with antivirus drugs.Under this serious epidemic situation of AIDS,the surveillance on monitor virus variation and immunological status should be strengthened.Meanwhile,a suitable prevention and control plot of HIV-1 also needed implemented.
Can your employees really speak freely

No matter how approachable you may be as a manager, chances are good that your employees are withholding valuable intelligence from you. Research shows that many people are more likely to keep mum than to raise important questions or suggest new ideas. Companies use a variety of tactics to get people to open up, like “climate” surveys and all-staff feedback sessions. But they usually fall short for two key reasons: a fear of consequences and a sense of futility. In this article, two professors look at how leaders’ misguided attempts to promote candid expression fail to address—and sometimes stir up—those feelings. For example, if you ask for anonymous input, you may be signaling that it’s not safe to speak openly in your organization. And if you don’t act on feedback, employees will quickly come to believe that providing it is pointless. But there are several ways to create a much more vocal culture, say the authors. To make idea sharing less intimidating, tone down the power cues with employees, and gather feedback in regular, casual exchanges. Be transparent about the processes for gathering and following up on ideas. And if you really want to know what people think, go ask them. Research shows that when employees do speak up, organizations see increased performance. So getting all this right pays off—both for workers eager to make contributions and for their firms
Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College: Increasing First-Year Student Engagement and Success by Kimberly M. Lowry

Historically, the promise of the community college included “access to higher education” (p.4). Currently, that promise has evolved and now emphasizes student success. For students to be successful...
Single-wing ladder resonant multilevel converter

This paper presents an innovative resonant multilevel modular bidirectional dc-dc switched-capacitor converter based on GaN switching devices. Proposed converter achieves the following advantages; soft switching, low voltage device rating, boost or buck mode, common ground, high conversion ratio, variety of environment temperature operation, simple control algorithm and modular structure. The proposed single-wing ladder resonant multilevel converter is composed of COG temperature compensating ceramic capacitors along with GaN switching devices that can handle high switching frequency hence, high power density. Converter proposed in this paper has superior advantages over the traditional multilevel modular switched capacitor dc-dc converters due to its modular structure, high efficiency, common ground, low voltage device stress, and simplicity of the control algorithm.
Brentuximab: is it time for a new “B” in ABVD?

In this issue of Blood , Connors et al report promising 5-year outcomes that support the replacement of bleomycin with brentuximab vedotin in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) for the front-line treatment of patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. 1
Anxiety reduction in PET/CT imaging by improving patient/technologist communication

2639 Objectives Patients often experience anxiety during imaging procedures because of confined spaces, uncertainties with the procedure, results, etc. When a patient experiences anxiety during PET/CT imaging, it can affect the quality of the scan in a number of ways most commonly through unwanted movements. Current patient/technologist communication is limited to a PA system of which the patient may not be aware or is uncertain whether it is actually on. This study investigates the use of a call button enabling rapid communication to improve patient9s comfort level to potentially reduce patient anxiety. Methods Clinical patients with various indications, undergoing PET-CT imaging, were asked to use a call button. All patients were imaged using a Siemens Biograph mCT. For whole-body PET-CT imaging, the button was positioned so that the diagnostic quality of the scan was not affected. Metrics were tracked regarding the patient9s stimulus to use the call button and the number of times it was activated. Upon completion of the procedure, patients were asked to fill out a survey with questions related to comfort status during the scan; whether the button made them feel more comfortable and whether or not they might request this type of mechanism for other procedures. Results Survey results indicate that 75% of the respondents experienced a reduction in anxiety and 81.3% would request this type of button for other procedures. A correlation was observed between improved patient/technologist communication and perceived feelings of safety with identical percentages of positive responses. Although responses were mostly positive, 18.8% did not perceive any reduction in anxiety with the same number indicating they would not use the system in the future. The attached images show aggregated results from key points of the survey. Conclusions Patient anxiety can be reduced through the use of a tangible button which enables better perceived communication between the patient and imaging staff.
Methyl Ketone Production in Juvenile Red-Sided Garter Snakes

The skin lipids of female red-sided garter snakes contain a series of methyl ketones which function as a sexual attractiveness pheromone. The pheromone is likely regulated by oestrogen. As previous studies have focused mainly on adult females, it is unknown whether juvenile garter snakes produce methyl ketones. The current study was designed to determine whether (1) juvenile female garter snakes are physiologically capable of producing methyl ketones and (2) oestrogen initiates or enhances methyl ketone production in juveniles. Snakes were injected with either oestradiol or an oil vehicle, or received no injection. Subsequent chemical analyses of skin lipid samples clearly demonstrated that juveniles were able to produce methyl ketones regardless of treatment. However, we were unable to demonstrate that oestradiol affected methyl ketone production at this stage in the female life cycle.
Diastereoselective conjugate addition/cyclization/bromination: Access to four stereocenters in a single step

Abstract A stereoselective tandem conjugate addition reaction with a chiral amine-derived nucleophile is reported in which the enolate intermediate is quenched with 1,2-dibromotetrachloroethane as a mild brominating reagent. X-ray analysis of a subsequent derivative was used to prove the configuration at each of the four newly formed stereocenters. The resulting α-bromoester underwent selective transesterification catalyzed by mild base to allow selective manipulation of the two ester groups of the product.
Analyses of Multiyear Statewide Secondary Crash Data and Automatic Crash Report Reviewing

Secondary crashes are undesired consequences of highway incidents. Previous studies used different methods to identify secondary crashes. However, because of the expense of accurate identification, most studies focused only on small-scale highway networks (e.g., up to urban arterials). Some studies considered statewide networks, but the accuracy of their secondary crash identification methods was not justified. Recently, the authors proposed an efficient method to identify secondary crashes on statewide freeway networks with reasonable accuracy. A 1-year case study was conducted for preliminary analysis. As a continuing effort, this research included four more years of secondary crash data and found that (a) rear-end and sideswipe crashes in the same direction were the top two secondary crash types; (b) road debris, construction zones, and obscured visibility were three major potential highway contributing factors; (c) following too closely, inattentive driving, losing vehicle control, and speeding were four major potential driver contributing factors; (d) temporal distributions by hour and month were different between secondary crashes and general crashes; and (e) secondary crash hot spots clustered around urban areas and were within 1 mi from major freeway interchanges. In addition, an algorithm was proposed to detect secondary crashes on the basis of police narratives in the crash reports. This algorithm was evaluated by using 5-year secondary crash data (4 years for training and 1 year for testing). By choosing an optimal threshold, this algorithm identified all true secondary crashes while keeping false positives at a low number.
Peace in Our Time? Reflections on Comparative Data About Peace and Reconciliation from All Regions of the World

Experiences and the ways in which individuals are socialized through culturally transmitted beliefs, modeling, media images, daily observations, and other means vary according to home region on this planet and the geopolitical realities surrounding individuals as they develop. The mythos, stories, and values of culture interplay to create beliefs. It is likely that this socialization, in turn, affects definitions of peace and reconciliation and beliefs about whether or not peace is possible. Definitions of peace and reconciliation as reported on the Personal and Institutional Rights to Aggression and Peace Survey (PAIRTAPS) from convenience samples in countries throughout the world were analyzed qualitatively using a grounded theory approach. In this chapter, frequencies of different types of definitions were compared across regions. In addition, exploratory chi-square analyses compared responses by gender, record of military service of self or family members, and participation in antiwar protests in each region. Group differences varied somewhat across regions. Given that none of the regional samples were probability samples, the results reports in this chapter must be considered purely exploratory, as suggesting directions for further research, rather than as definitive findings concerning the contributions of the selected demographic variables to likelihood of defining peace and reconciliation in particular ways. The data gathered as part of GIPGAP and presented here, however, do seem to suggest that peace in our time is perceived as possible by many citizens in regions throughout the world.
Instability of 7-aminoclonazepam in frozen storage conditions

Abstract Drug monitoring of benzodiazepines is often performed in toxicology and pain management settings. During the validation of a laboratory-developed multiplex UPLC-MS/MS assay for quantifying benzodiazepines in human urine, we observed notable instability (greater than 20% nominal) in 7-aminoclonazepam (7AC) during prolonged freezing conditions by performing method comparisons and a conventional analyte stability study. These findings highlight the importance of proper calibrator storage and also the essential need to perform method comparison and analyte stability studies. It is recommended that clinical laboratories testing for urine 7AC carefully validate its stability if subjected to freezing conditions.
Quantitative Sustainability Assessment of Various Remediation Alternatives for Contaminated Lake Sediments: Case Study

Abstract Various technologies have been developed for the remediation of environmentally contaminated sites. The prime goal of remediation technologies is to identify and reduce the contaminants to...
Bayesian Belief Network Based Occupancy Assessment Framework

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditions (HVAC) consumes up to 50%of energy in residential, commercial, warehouse and large laboratories. Lighting would be the second highest consumer of electricity. If buildings are not occupied then some of the HVAC units and lighting can be turned off resulting in enormous savings in the energy cost. This work creates a framework for situation awareness using Bayesian Based Network with cooperative and non-cooperative sensors. It provides occupancy information useful for turning on/off HVAC system or inform authorities of any emergency.
Are Increasing Trends in Opioid-Related Hospitalizations Attributable to Increases in Diagnosis Recordability? Evidence from 2 Large States.

Based on calculations using all-listed diagnoses, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports increasing national trends in opioid-related hospitalizations. It is unclear whether ...
Parameter-Mapping Sonification of Tick-Data

The previous chapter explored the use of audification of a numerical series, each member representing the daily closing value of an entire stock market, to observe the cross-correlation (trending) within the market itself. This chapter employs parameter-mapping sonification to study the perceptual flow of all trades in individual stock groupings over a trading day by applying various filters and selection methodologies to a detailed ‘tick’ dataset. It outlines the use of a size/mass metaphorical model of market activity and the simultaneous use of two opposing conceptual paradigms without apparent conceptual contradiction or cognitive dissonance to demonstrate, given conducive conditions, the power of intention over perception and sensation, in auditory information seeking.
Correlation between Argus II array-retina distance and electrical thresholds of stimulation is improved by measuring the entire array.

Purpose:To describe two methods of measuring Argus II array–retina distance and to correlate array–retina distance to electrode stimulation thresholds.Methods:This was a case series of eight patien...
The evolution of a bat population with white-nose syndrome (WNS) reveals a shift from an epizootic to an enzootic phase

White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a mycosis caused by a cutaneous infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). It produces hibernation mortality rates of 75–98% in 4 bats: Myotis lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, M. sodalis, and Perimyotis subflavus. These high mortality rates were observed during the first several years after the arrival of P. destructans at a hibernation site. Mortality is caused by a 60% decrease in torpor bout duration, which results in a premature depletion of depot fat prior to spring. Little is known about the long-term effects of Pd on torpor and mortality, thus we conducted a 9-year study on M. lucifugus at 5 of the hibernation sites where Pd first appeared in North America during the winter of 2007–08. The M. lucifugus hibernating at one of these sites one year after the arrival of Pd (2008–09) had: a) a mean torpor bout duration of 7.6 d, b) no depot fat reserves by March, and c) an apparent over-winter mortality rate of 88%. The M. lucifugus hibernating at this same site 6–9 years after the arrival of Pd, in contrast, had: a) a mean torpor bout duration of 14.7 d, b) depot fat remaining in March, and c) an apparent mortality rate of 50%. The number of M. lucifugus hibernating at 2 of these sites has consistently increased since 2010 and is now more than 3.0-fold higher than the number remaining after the winter of 2008–09. These findings indicate that this population of M. lucifugus has evolved mechanisms to hibernate well in the presence of Pd, thus reducing over-winter mortality.
Efficient generation of accurate mobility maps using machine learning algorithms

Abstract U.S Army’s mission is to develop, integrate, and sustain the right technology solutions for all manned and unmanned ground vehicles, and mobility is a key requirement for all ground vehicles. Mobility focuses on ground vehicles’ capabilities that enable them to be deployable worldwide, operationally mobile in all environments, and protected from symmetrical and asymmetrical threats. In order for military ground vehicles to operate in any combat zone, the planners require a mobility map that gives the maximum predicted speeds on these off-road terrains. In the past, empirical and semi-empirical techniques (Ahlvin and Haley, 1992; Haley et al., 1979) were used to predict vehicle mobility on off-road terrains such as the NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM). Because of its empirical nature, the NRMM method cannot be extrapolated to new vehicle designs containing advanced technologies, nor can it be applied to lightweight robotic vehicles. The mobility map is a function of different parameters such as terrain topology and profile, soil type (mud, snow, sand, etc.), vegetation, obstacles, weather conditions, and vehicle type and characteristics. A physics-based method such as the discrete element method (DEM) (Dasch et al., 2016) was identified by the NATO Next Generation NRMM Team as a potential high fidelity method to model the soil. This method allows the capture of the soil deformation as well as its non-linear behavior. Hence it allows the simulation of the vehicle on any off-road terrain and have an accurate mobility map generated. The drawback of the DEM method is the required simulation time. It takes several weeks to generate the mobility map because of the large number of soil particles (millions) even while utilizing high performance computing. One approach to reduce the computational time is to use machine learning algorithms to predict the mobility map. Machine learning (Boutell et al., 2004; Burges, 1998; Barber et al., 1997) can lead to very accurate mobility predictions over a wide range of terrains. Machine learning is divided into two categories: the supervised and the unsupervised learning. Supervised learning requires the training data to be labeled into predetermined classes, while the unsupervised learning does not require the training data to be labeled. Machine learning can help generate mobility maps using trained models created from a minimum number of simulation runs. In this study different supervised machine learning algorithms such as the support vector machine (SVM), the nearest neighbor classifier (k-NN), decision trees, and boosting methods were used to create trained models labeled as 2 classes for the ‘go/no-go’ map, 5 classes for the 5-speed map, and 7 classes for the 7-speed map. The trained models were created from the physics-based simulation runs of a nominal wheeled vehicle traversing on a cohesive soil.
Geometrically Finite n -Manifolds

In this chapter, we study the geometry of geometrically finite hyperbolic n-manifolds. The chapter begins with a study of the limit set of a discrete group of Mobius transformations of B n . In Section 12.3, we study geometrically finite groups of Mobius transformations of B n . In Section 12.4, we study nilpotent groups of isometries of hyperbolic n-space. In Section 12.5, we prove the Margulis lemma. In Section 12.6, we apply the Margulis lemma to study the geometry of geometrically finite hyperbolic n-manifolds. In particular, we determine the global geometry of complete hyperbolic n-manifolds of finite volume.
Not discussed: Inequalities in narrative text data for suicide deaths in the National Violent Death Reporting System.

BACKGROUND The rate of suicide in the US has increased substantially in the past two decades, and new insights are needed to support prevention efforts. The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), the nation's most comprehensive registry of suicide mortality, has qualitative text narratives that describe salient circumstances of these deaths. These texts have great potential for providing novel insights about suicide risk but may be subject to information bias. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between decedent characteristics and the presence and length of NVDRS text narratives (separately for coroner/medical examiner (C/ME) and law enforcement (LE) reports) among 233,108 suicide and undetermined deaths from 2003-2017. METHODS Generalized estimating equations (GEE) logistic and quasi-Poisson modeling was used to examine variation in the narratives (proportion of missing texts and character length of the non-missing texts, respectively) as a function of decedent age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, military history, and homeless status. Models adjusted for site, year, location of death, and autopsy status. RESULTS The frequency of missing narratives was higher for LE vs. C/ME texts (19.8% vs. 5.2%). Decedent characteristics were not consistently associated with missing text across the two types of narratives (i.e., Black decedents were more likely to be missing the LE narrative but less likely to be missing the C/ME narrative relative to non-Hispanic whites). Conditional on having a narrative, C/ME were significantly longer than LE (822.44 vs. 780.68 characters). Decedents who were older, male, had less education and some racial/ethnic minority groups had shorter narratives (both C/ME and LE) than younger, female, more educated, and non-Hispanic white decedents. CONCLUSION Decedent characteristics are significantly related to the presence and length of narrative texts for suicide and undetermined deaths in the NVDRS. Findings can inform future research using these data to identify novel determinants of suicide mortality.
Neurophysiologic Function of the Mesentery

The mesenteric nervous system relies heavily on the harmonious relationship between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the human body. Regulation of blood flow within the mesentery consists of the splanchnic circulation, which is innervated by the sympathetic and spinal sensory nerves. Together these nerve systems innervate mesenteric vasculature to provide blood pressure regulation. Mesentery arteries and veins have been shown to react differently to single and repetitive stimuli. There is limited data regarding innervation of lymphatic vessels of the mesentery, however, there are multiple hypotheses such as passive lymphatic flow versus active nearby smooth muscle contraction leading to lymph vessel contraction. The vagus nerve is important for maintenance of the homeostasis between pro and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the mesentery and the bowel. Acetylcholine and norepinephrine produced by the autonomic nervous system interact with additional local factors including substance P, and Toll-like receptors to regulate pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines with the mesentery and the gastrointestinal tract.
Multi-Scale Modeling of Fracture Properties for Nano-Particle Reinforced Polymers Using Atomistic J-Integral

The nano-scale interaction between polymer molecules and nanoparticle is a key factor in determining the macro-scale strength of the composite. In recent years numerous efforts have been directed towards modeling nanocomposites in order to better understand the reasons behind the enhancement of mechanical properties, even by the slight addition (a few weight percent) of nano-materials. In order to better understand the local influence of nano-particle on the mechanical properties of the composite, it is required to perform nano-scale analysis. In this context, modeling of fracture and damage in nano-graphene reinforced EPON 862 has been discussed in the current paper. Regarding fracture in polymers, the critical value of the J-integral (JI), where the subscript I denotes the fracture mode (I=1, 2, 3), at crack initiation could be used as a suitable metric for estimating the crack driving force as well as fracture toughness of the material as the crack begins to initiate. However, for the conventional macroscale definition of the J-integral to be valid at the nanoscale, in terms of the continuum stress and displacement fields and their spatial derivatives — requires the construction of local continuum fields from discrete atomistic data, and using these data in the conventional contour integral expression for atomistic J-integral. One such methodology is proposed by Hardy that allows for the local averaging necessary to obtain the definition of free energy, deformation gradient, and Piola-Kirchoff stress as fields (and divergence of fields) and not just as total system averages. Further, the atomistic J-integral takes into account the effect of reduction in J from continuum estimates due to the fact that the free energy available for crack propagation is less than the internal energy at sufficiently high temperatures when entropic contributions become significant. In this paper, the proposed methodology is used to compute J-integral using atomistic data obtained from LAMMPS (Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator). As a case study, the feasibility of computing the dynamic atomistic J-integral over the MD domain is evaluated for a graphene nano-platelet with a central crack using OPLS (Optimized Potentials for Liquid Simulations) potential. For model verification, the values of atomistic J-integral are compared with results from linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) for isothermal crack initiation at 0 K and 300 K. Computational results related to the path-independence of the atomistic J-Integral are also presented. Further, a novel approach that circumvents the complexities of direct computation of entropic contributions is also discussed. Preliminary results obtained from the bond-order based ReaxFF potential for 0.1 K and 300 K are presented, and show good agreement with the predictions.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Peridynamic modeling of delamination growth in composite laminates

Abstract Delamination growth predictions in previous peridynamic models were based on the assumption of constant critical stretch for each interlayer bond interaction. This study presents a new approach to terminate the interlayer peridynamic bonds. The critical stretch of a bond is implicitly determined by using the measured critical energy release rate values for different modes of deformation, and can vary depending on the degree of deformation. The bond failure occurs when the amount of energy required to remove the bonds across a unit surface equals the critical energy release rate of the interface between the two layers. This approach is applied to model delamination growth in double cantilever beam (DCB) (Mode I) and transverse crack tension (TCT) (Mode II dominated) specimens. The peridynamic predictions correlate well with the numerical and experimental results available in the literature.