cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolated vowel recognition using linear predictive features and neural network classifier fusion

In this work, various linear predictive feature vectors were used to train three different automated neural networks type classifiers for the task of isolated vowel recognition. The features used included linear prediction filter coefficients, reflection coefficients, log area ratios, and the linear predictive cepstrum. The three neural network classifiers used are the multilayer perceptron, radial basis function and the probabilistic neural network. The linear predictive cepstrum of dimension 12 is the best feature especially when training is done on clean speech and testing is done on noisy speech. Three different classifier fusion strategies (linear fusion, majority voting and weighted majority voting) were found to improve the performance. Linear fusion with varying weights is the best method and is most robust to noise.
Feminist Theory and Law

Because of women’s perceived biological differences, women have historically been relegated to the 'private' or family sphere. These exclusionary consequences of differences led many feminist legal scholars and practitioners to argue for equality in terms of sameness of treatment that assumed no legally relevant differences between men and women. However, sameness of treatment in a conservative institution such as the law has made it increasingly difficult for women to grasp equality. Recognition of difference is necessary to remedy socially and culturally imposed harms to women.This paper develops the concept of a 'gendered life' to give content and legitimacy to legal concern for differences which were once used to exclude women. As a group, women share the potential for experiencing a variety of situations, statuses, and ideological and political impositions in which their gender is culturally relevant. With gender revealed as a central social and cultural consideration, women’s attention in many areas can productively be directed toward confronting and challenging the gendered implications of our lives.
Ralph Ellison, Journeyman: Three Early Stories

For Ralph Ellison, the commitment to fiction, which he made in 1937, meant taking on the responsibility of describing that fragment of American experience which he knew best. This involved a twofold obligation, a twofold possibility: to contribute at once to the growth of literature and to the shaping of the culture as he would like it to be (Shadow and Act 183). He has pointed out that, in serious American fiction, that which deals with the moral core of society, Blacks and their status have always been used to express the moral concern about the contradiction between professed ideals and the actuality of conduct (Shadow 182). To this he has added his belief that the primary social role of fiction "is that of seizing from the flux and flow of our daily lives those abiding patterns of experience which . . help to form our sense of reality and from which emerge our sense of humanity and our conception of human value" (The Living Novel 69). Ellison's decision to become a writer meant striving to discover and articulate these values, to squeeze them from the life which he knew best. The fundamental problem was to develop adequate and appropriate forms through which to express the AfroAmerican experience. His first two stories left unresolved the question of what in his specific background embodied the humanity of his people, for him a question of both form and content. But he found his solution almost immediately, by his third story, published in 1940. Taking his clue from world literature and art he cites Dostoyevsky and Picasso he found the answer in folklore. Folklore, Ellison has since said,
Ixodes Dammini (Acari: Ixodidae) on White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) in Connecticut

During the 1977 through 1980 hunting seasons (December) in Connecticut, 309 White-tailed Deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) were examined for ectoparasites. Adult Ixodes dammini (1918 males, 960 females) were taken from 58.6% of these deer. Immature I. dammini were not observed on deer during December, although 15 larvae and 1 nymph were taken from a deer in June. Dermacentor albipictus (38 nymphs, 397 males, 160 females) were found on 20.7% of the deer. Does and fawns carried smaller tick loads of both species than did bucks and older deer. The possible role that deer have played in the increase in I. dammini populations in recent years is discussed, as are the public health implications associated with these increases in relation to Lyme disease and babesiosis.
The Impact of Information on Job Choices and Turnover

In this article the authors discuss research they conducted on the relationship between employee turnover and their access to accurate information about their job. The authors hypothesized that ind...
Evaluating and Improving Argument-Centered Works in Marketing:

Marketers have yet to adopt a standard repertoire of techniques with which they can critically evaluate argument-centered works. Certain analytical techniques of the logician are proposed for evaluating such works. The authors provide an example to illustrate the use and value of these techniques.
Static rearfoot alignment: a comparison of clinical and radiographic measures.

Foot structure is typically evaluated using static clinical and radiographic measures. To date, the literature is devoid of a correlation between rearfoot frontal plane radiographic parameters and clinical measures of alignment. In a repeated-measures study comparing radiographic and clinical rearfoot alignment in 24 healthy subjects, radiographic angular measurements were made from standard weightbearing anteroposterior, lateral, long leg calcaneal axial, and rearfoot alignment views. Clinical measurements were made using a jig and scanner to assess the malleolar valgus index and a goniometer to evaluate the resting and neutral calcaneal stance positions. There was a significant correlation between frontal plane radiographic angles (long leg calcaneal axial and rearfoot alignment views) (r = 0.814). Similarly, there was a significant correlation between clinical measures (resting calcaneal stance position and malleolar valgus index) (r = 0.714). A multivariate stepwise regression showed that resting calc...
Skeletal Development at the Time of Fledging in House Wrens

We examined skeletal development at the time of first flight in House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) as one step in assessing whether calcium availability limits nestling growth in this species. Young wrens begin flying with about 49 mg of calcium in their skeletons, 30% less calcium than is found in adult skeletons. Degree of calcification varies greatly from bone to bone at first flight which suggests that, during development, growing nestlings selectively allocate more calcium to certain skeletal components than to others. The coracoids, which directly resist contractions of the large flight muscles, are the most calcified bones in the fledgling body. Unexpectedly, long bones of the wing are not highly calcified at nest-leaving and are less calcified than leg bones. Strong leg bones may reflect the fact that young use legs' extensively when competing for food within nests, and that legs probably bear the brunt of hard, awkward landings which young birds experience before flight is perfected.
Liposarcoma: molecular targets and therapeutic implications

Liposarcoma (LPS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma and accounts for approximately 20 % of all adult sarcomas. Current treatment modalities (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy) all have limitations; therefore, molecularly driven studies are needed to improve the identification and increased understanding of genetic and epigenetic deregulations in LPS if we are to successfully target specific tumorigenic drivers. It can be anticipated that such biology-driven therapeutics will improve treatments by selectively deleting cancer cells while sparing normal tissues. This review will focus on several therapeutically actionable molecular markers identified in well-differentiated LPS and dedifferentiated LPS, highlighting their potential clinical applicability.
A control study of effect among risperidone lon-acting injection,risperidone, quetiapine pills in treatment of schizophrenia

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy, safety and the influence of the social function among risperidone long-acting microsphere(RLAI), risperidone and quetiapine pills for the treatment of schizophrenia patients.Methods A total of 120 cases of patients with schizophrenia were randomly divided into 3 groups, RLAI group of 30 cases, risperidone group of 45 cases, quetiapine group of 45 cases, treated for 12 weeks. Clinical efficacy was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), social functions with the Personal and Social Performance Scale(PSP) and adverse reactions with the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale(TESS). Results The PANSS scores were significantly lower and PSP scores were significantly higher(P0.01) in RLAI than risperidone and quetiapine group at the end of 8th and 12 th week; There were no significant differences in efficacy among three groups(P0.05) at 12 th weekend; Main adverse reactions of RLAI and risperidone were tremor, akathisia, those of quetiapine group were weight gain and tachycardia. Conclusion RLAI, risperidone and quetiapine have equivalent difficancy in the treatment of schizophrenia, but RLAI has an advantage in controlling mental symptoms, improve social function over risperidone and quetiapine pills, and RLAI has the advantage of long-term maintenance treatment.
The Aging Heart

Despite the assumption that age weakens the heart's pumping power and contractility, overall cardiac function is well maintained with advancing years. However, age-related changes do have to be taken into account in the treatment of cardiac disease, particularly with inotropic drugs and agents that influence the adrenergic nervous system.
Diffusion Coefficient-Formula Weight (D-FW) Analysis of 2H Diffusion-Ordered NMR Spectroscopy (DOSY)

We report extension of the D-FW analysis using referenced 2H DOSY. This technique was developed in response to limitations due to peak overlay in 1H DOSY spectra. We find a corresponding linear relationship (R2 > 0.99) between log D and log FW as the basis of the D-FW analysis. The solution-state structure of THF solvated lithium diisopropyl amide (LDA) in hydrocarbon solvent was chosen to demonstrate the reliability of the methodology. We observe an equilibrium between monosolvated and disolvated dimeric LDA complexes at room temperature. Additionally we demonstrate the application of the 2H D-FW analysis using a compound with an exchangeable proton that is readily labeled with 2H. Hence, the 2H DOSY D-FW analysis is shown to provide results consistent with the 1H DOSY method, thereby greatly extending the applicability of the D-FW analysis.
Environmental Contaminants and Child Development

Developmental scientists have long been interested in how the environment influences children's development. However, with few exceptions, they have not researched how exposure to contaminants in the physical environment affects developmental processes. Children are uniquely at risk for exposure to contaminants because they drink more, eat more, and breathe more air than adults as a proportion of their body weight. In this article, we provide an ecosystems perspective to illustrate how contexts—from the prenatal environment and neighborhood-level exposure to laws and policies—contribute to children's exposure to contaminants. We also discuss four mechanisms that account for how and when exposure to contaminants affects children, and we provide examples to spur research on these mechanisms. We conclude with recommendations to foster integrative science where developmental science interacts with environmental health and toxicology.
Comparative Study of Poly (ε-Caprolactone) and Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) -Based Nanofiber Scaffolds for pH-Sensing.

This study aims to develop biodegradable and biocompatible polymer-based nanofibers that continuously monitor pH within microenvironments of cultured cells in real-time. In the future, these fibers will provide a scaffold for tissue growth while simultaneously monitoring the extracellular environment. Sensors to monitor pH were created by directly electrospinning the sensor components within a polymeric matrix. Specifically, the entire fiber structure is composed of the optical equivalent of an electrode, a pH-sensitive fluorophore, an ionic additive, a plasticizer, and a polymer to impart mechanical stability. The resulting poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) based sensors were characterized by morphology, dynamic range, reversibility and stability. Since PCL-based nanofibers delivered the most desirable analytical response, this matrix was used for cellular studies. Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds (NFSs) were created directly out of optode material. The resulting NFS sensors respond to pH changes with a dynamic range centered at 7.8 ± 0.1 and 9.6 ± 0.2, for PCL and PLGA respectively. NFSs exhibited multiple cycles of reversibility with a lifetime of at least 15 days with preservation of response characteristics. By comparing the two NFSs, we found PCL-NFSs are more suitable for pH sensing due to their dynamic range and superior reversibility. The proposed sensing platform successfully exhibits a response to pH and compatibility with cultured cells. NSFs will be a useful tool for creating 3D cellular scaffolds that can monitor the cellular environment with applications in fields such as drug discovery and tissue engineering.
The scent of your enemy is my friend? The acquisition of large carnivore scent by a smaller carnivore

Scent marking is critical to intraspecific communication in many mammal species, but little is known regarding its role in communication among different species. We used 4 years of motion-triggered video to document the use of scent marking areas—termed “community scrapes”—by pumas (Puma concolor) ( http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812pc01a ) and other carnivore species. We found that gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) routinely rubbed their cheeks on puma scrapes ( http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc01a ), and tested a series of hypotheses to determine its function. We found that gray foxes selected puma scrapes over other objects, and cheek rubbing by foxes was also correlated with how recently a puma had visited the scrape, suggesting that foxes were intent upon accumulating fresh puma scent. Cheek rubbing by foxes was not correlated with their breeding season or with how recently another fox had visited the site. Finally we found a cascading pattern in the occurrence of pumas, coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray foxes at community scrapes, suggesting that gray foxes may use puma scent to deter predation. This is the first published study to find evidence of a subordinate species using the scent of a dominant species to communicate with heterospecifics. The behavioral cascade we found in scent marking patterns also suggests that scent marking could be a mechanism that impacts the distribution and abundance of species. Additional videos pertaining to this article include http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc02a , and http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc03a .
Adaptive refreshing and read voltage control scheme for FeDRAM

Ferroelectric Field Effect Transistor (FeFET) is a promising nonvolatile device which provides high integration density, fast programming speed, and excellent CMOS compatibility. In general, the non-volatility of FeFET is impacted by its physical structure and there is a trade-off between data retention time and device endurance. To improve the cell endurance, for example, the ferroelectric layer of FeFET needs to be programmed to a low polarization level, leading to a short retention time. In ferroelectric DRAM (FeDRAM) design, degradation in FeFET retention time and write-read disturbance requires the FeDRAM cells to b e periodically refreshed in order to prevent data loss. In this work, we propose a novel adaptive refreshing and read voltage control scheme to minimize the energy overheads associated with FeDRAM refreshing while still achieve high cell access reliability.
New Tools for Assessing Drought Conditions for Rangeland Management

On the Ground Historical drought assessment and ongoing monitoring is essential for understanding past drought occurrence, the relationships between past drought and its impacts, and for triggering action during current drought events. A variety of new products have recently been developed to better monitor drought conditions and assess past occurrences at the local scale. A growing number of resources are available to assist rangeland managers to develop a monitoring system and incorporate it into a drought management plan.
Intensive CT scan surveillance for patients who have undergone curative intent treatment for colorectal cancer: The Medstar Washington Hospital Center experience.

e14675 Background: The current ASCO guideline for surveillance after curative intent treatment of colorectal cancer is yearly CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis with every 3-6 months history and physical exam and serial measurement of Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The benefit of doing more intensive CT scan surveillance has not been adequately substantiated. Methods: Data of patients with resectable stage I-III colorectal cancer treated at Medstar Washington Hospital Center from January 2000-June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Epidemiologic, histopathologic , surveillance schedule (CT scan and CEA), and survival data were analyzed. Our institutional standard was to obtain CT scans every 3 months for the first year, every 6 months for the second year and then yearly for years 3-5. Results: Thirty-three patients with adequate documentation were included. The mean age of the patients was 59.6 years at diagnosis, 55% were female and 78% ethnically African American. 6% were in stage I, 37% were in...
Thermal environment of the Southern Washington region of the Cascadia subduction zone

Eleven recently collected multichannel seismic (MCS) profiles from the Cascadia Open-Access Seismic Transects experiment offshore Washington State are used to characterize the distribution of bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) from seaward of the deformation front onto the continental shelf of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The 11 MCS lines consisted of nine lines perpendicular and two lines parallel to the Cascadia margin covering a 100 km along-strike region of the accretionary wedge. From these MCS profiles we generated a 3-D view of the Cascadia margin thermal structure by interpreting 40,232 individual BSR picks in terms of temperature and heat flow. Overall BSR-derived heat flow values decrease from approximately 95 mW m−2 10 km east of the deformation front to approximately 60 mW m−2 located 60 km landward of the deformation front. Anomalously low heat flow values near 25 mW m−2 on a prominent midmargin terrace indicate recent sediment failure within the accretionary prism. Localized differences between BSR heat flow and numerical models reflect an estimated regional mean vertical fluid flow of +0.53 cm yr−1 for the survey area, with localized fluid flow approaching a maximum of +3.8 cm yr−1. Distinct finite element models for the nine MCS profiles perpendicular to the deformation front reproduce BSR heat flow values, producing an overall root-mean-square misfit of 10.2 mW m−2. At the deformation front, the incoming oceanic sediment/crust interface temperatures vary from 164°C to 179°C, indicating the updip limit of the Cascadia seismogenic zone.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity of RhIII and IrIII β-Diketonato Piano-Stool Compounds

A series of RhIII and IrIII half-sandwich compounds of the type [(η5-Cp*R)M(β-diketonato)Cl] were synthesized and characterized, including 17 X-ray crystallographic structures. In general, the complexes were synthesized in short reaction times and in good yield. The antimicrobial properties of these complexes were tested against a variety of microbes, and several complexes were found to have good activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis.
Alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of people: A qualitative study

This New York City-based qualitative study rooted in minority stress and grounded theories explores the experiences of 11 transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) adults in Alcoholics Anonymous ...
Implementation of physiological fluids to provide insight into the characterization, fate, and biological interactions of silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are being increasingly utilized in consumer and medical applications. However, there remains conflicting reports on their safety, which are evaluated through a combination of in vitro and in vivo exposure models. These discrepancies may arise, in part, due to the inherent differences between cell-based and animal systems. It is well established that nanotoxicological effects are highly dependent on the unique physicochemical properties and behavior of the particle set, including size, surface chemistry, agglomeration, and ionic dissolution. However, recent studies have identified that these properties vary as a function of exposure environment; providing a rationale for the contradictory results between in vitro and in vivo assessments. Artificial physiological fluids are emerging as a powerful tool as they allow for the characterization of NPs in an environment which they would likely encounter in vivo, in addition to having the experimental advantages of flexibility and consistency. Here, we demonstrated that the utilization of artificial fluids provided a mechanism to assess AgNP behavior and induced bioresponses in environments that they would likely encounter in vivo. AgNPs were introduced within an alveolar-based exposure model, which included alveolar epithelial (A549) cells incubated within artificial alveolar fluid (AF). Additionally, the particles underwent extensive characterization within both AF and lysosomal fluid, which the AgNPs would encounter following cellular internalization. Following incubation in physiological environments AgNP properties were significantly modified versus a traditional media environment, including alterations to both extent of agglomeration and rate of ionic dissolution. Moreover, when A549s were exposed to AgNPs in AF, the cells displayed lower cytotoxicity and stress rates, corresponding to a fluid-dependent drop in silver ion production. This work highlights the need for enhanced in vitro models that more closely mimic in vivo exposure environments in order to capture true NP behaviors and cellular interactions.
Modeling adverse event counts in phase I clinical trials of a cytotoxic agent.

Background/AimsThe goal of phase I clinical trials for cytotoxic agents is to find the maximum dose with an acceptable risk of severe toxicity. The most common designs for these dose-finding trials...
Using Simulation for Disclosure of Bad News

Educating the medical community with regard to disclosure of medical errors, unanticipated outcomes, and/or bad news has become a priority for physician educators; and a popular topic over the last decade. Unfortunately, physicians and surgeons are not well equipped to deliver this difficult news due to inadequate training. It is not surprising that litigation, humiliation, and stress burden those charged with this responsibility. Today, patients, accreditation standards, laws, and hospital policies require explicit and candid communication after such events are recognized.
The Integrated Role of Biomaterials and Stem Cells in Vascular Regeneration

A healthy vascular system is essential for maintaining normal blood supply and circulation in the body, while ischemia can lead to limb amputation or even death. Vascular regeneration engineering holds the promise of permanent, effective treatments for many vascular diseases. However, many challenges also remain to bring the therapy to the clinic, as the formation of blood vessels is a complicated process. One major challenge facing vascular engineering is developing the ability to maintain large masses of viable and functional cells during in vitro culture and following their transfer from in vitro conditions into the patient. This chapter introduces the cells being studied for vascular differentiation and regeneration and introduces the biomaterials being investigated for vascular engineering, including their sources, properties, and different scaffold types. We then discuss recent approaches to engineering microenvironments, including proper signaling cues and biodegradable scaffolds that will guide the development of these cells into vessels suitable for cell-based vascular therapy. These functional biomaterials may be used as environments to stimulate the generation of blood vessels, to deliver cells to angiogenic areas of the vasculature, or to promote differentiation from progenitor cells into mature vascular cells.
On the Dynamical Definition(s) of “Mesoscale”

Geophysical fluid dynamicists generally think of planetary fluid flows as comprised of a number of more or less discrete scales of motion. The definitions of these scales more often than not have their origins in observations, but these definitions are later refined by theoretical considerations. The “synoptic scale” has thus become associated with the deformation radius.
Nonstationary Quasi-Compressibility Methods

The subject of this chapter is the investigation of established as well as new nonstationary quasi-compressibility methods. In contrast to the schemes that have been investigated in the previous chapter the features of the present ones are more sophisticated, due to the additional error transport mechanisms that stem from the evolutionary character of the perturbation in the quasi-compressibility constraint, which is thus no algebraic constraint any more. As we will see, the analysis of these schemes provides the basis for understanding the basic error mechanisms that arise in diverse numerical models like augmented Lagrangean formulations or higher order projection schemes (compare the Van Kan scheme in Chapter 7).
Daily Links Between Sleep and Anger Among Spouses of Chronic Pain Patients

Objectives This study identified daily associations between sleep, emotion, and marital functioning in the context of chronic pain. Because spouses' sleep is compromised on nights when patients experience more pain, we set out to identify implications of spouses' sleep for their own emotion (anger) upon waking and marital interaction (marital tension) throughout the rest of the day. We further considered whether spouses' critical attitudes about patients' pain-related coping exacerbated associations between their sleep, morning anger, and marital tension. Method Data came from a study of knee osteoarthritis patients (50+ years old) and spouses (N = 138 couples) who completed daily diaries across 22 days. Multilevel models were estimated to test hypotheses. Results Spouses woke up angrier on mornings when they reported that their sleep was more unrefreshing than usual. This association was stronger among more critical spouses. Morning anger resulting from unrefreshing sleep, however, did not predict marital tension throughout the rest of the day. Discussion Findings highlight the potential value of intervention efforts aimed at promoting spouses' sleep quality in an effort to offset negative emotional consequences that may undermine spouses' and patients' adjustment in the context of chronic pain.
Covalently Crosslinked 1,2,3-Triazolium-Containing Polyester Networks: Thermal, Mechanical, and Conductive Properties.

Azide–alkyne “click” cyclization was used to prepare a series of polymerizable acetoacetate monomers containing a 1,2,3-trizolium ionic liquid group. The monomers were subsequently polymerized using base-catalyzed Michael addition chemistry, producing a series of covalently crosslinked 1,2,3-triazolium poly(ionic liquid) (TPIL) networks. Structure–activity relationships were conducted to gauge how synthetic variables, such as counteranion ([Br], [NO3], [BF4], [OTf], and [NTf2]), and crosslink density (acrylate/acetoacetate ratio) effected thermal, mechanical, and conductive properties. TPIL networks were found to exhibit ionic conductivities in the range of 10–6–10–9 S/cm (30 °C, 30% relative humidity), as determined from dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, despite their highly crosslinked nature. Temperature-dependent conductivities demonstrate a dependence on polymer glass transition, with free-ion concentrations impacted by various ions’ Lewis acidity/basicity and ion mobilities impacted by freely mobi...
Validating compositional fluid flow simulations using 4D seismic interpretation and vice versa in the SECARB Early Test—A critical review

Abstract This paper discusses strengths and weaknesses of 4D seismic interpretation as a technique for monitoring carbon dioxide that was injected as part of a large scale test associated with commercial enhanced oil recovery (EOR) at Cranfield Field, Mississippi, USA. The goals of the monitoring effort are 1) to make measurements to verify that the CO2 is contained in the reservoir according to operational designs and model predictions, and 2) that if there are deviations, to provide data which can be used to update the earth models and determine if any mitigation is needed. The current work uses a compositional numerical simulation to model CO2 flow in the reservoir and compares the results with estimates of changes in seismic properties between a pre-injection and a survey after more than 2 million metric tons injected. The complicated physics of the problem in Cranfield field present challenges to seismic interpretations. Our results show partial agreement between the results of the numerical simulation and the seismic interpretations. Possible causes of discrepancies among the fluid flow model and multiple interpretations of the same seismic data sets performed with different work flows illuminates the types of uncertainties that should be considered to achieve the goals of monitoring.
Russian Industry in November 2012

According to the data of surveys carried out by the Gaidar Institute10, the situation of enterprises changed sooner for the worse, rather than improved. The demand kept falling and its forecasts suggested no optimism. In such conditions, even the existing stagnation of production results in the advanced dynamics of output as compared to that of sales. Such a situation contributes to accumulation of risks of production failure and makes enterprises introduce serious negative adjustments into their output plans and use a price reduction as an incentive for the demand.
Nanodiamonds in the Cosmos

Interstellar molecular clouds exhibit infrared emission features characteristic of C-H stretching bands that are attributed to dust grains of hydrogen terminated diamond. Within our solar system, primitive chondritic meteorites (among the most well preserved, least altered, and least metamorphosed material that initially formed in our solar system) have been found to contain pristine dust grains that predate the formation of the solar system. Nanometer-sized diamonds are ubiquitous in primitive chondrites at 1–1400 ppm, often representing a significant component of carbon in the matrices of these meteorites. The astronomical sources, which produced the nanodiamonds, and the relative contribution of the sources to the nanodiamond population have not been fully established. The presence of trapped Xe with specific isotopic anomalies (characteristic of explosive nucleosynthesis) in nanodiamond isolates from meteorites suggests at least a subpopulation of the nanodiamonds formed in association with supernovae. However, all attempts to isolate that subpopulation have failed and the exact nature of the Xe carriers is not known. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) carbon stars are a likely source of presolar nanodiamonds based on their pervasive dust production, however the available isotopic evidence can neither support nor eliminate AGB stars as sources. Similarly, the solar nebula should not be neglected as a possible source since the available isotopic evidence cannot exclude it. Regardless of source, comparative microstructural studies indicate the majority of the nanodiamonds formed by low-pressure vapor condensation. Microstructural and trapped element isotopic data on meteoritic nanodiamonds are discussed in terms of the origin and formation mechanisms of the nanodiamonds.
Is the Education ► Entrepreneurship Link Uncoupling?

Researchers have established a strong link between education and both entrepreneurial intent and entrepreneurial performance. Yet, for some time, and certainly since the 2008 financial crisis, entrepreneurial activity rates have been declining while education levels are at an all-time high and access to entrepreneurship education is ubiquitous as supported by an independent study. Three converging factors are discussed as catalysts to this unfolding paradox– the recession, the growth in size and power of large corporations, and a generational shift. Implications to public policy and higher education are discussed.
Limitations of difference-in-difference for measuring convergence

Linguistic convergence is the phenomenon in which interlocutors’ speech characteristics become more similar to each other’s. One of the methods frequently used to measure convergence is the difference-in-difference (DID) approach, comparing change in absolute distance between a subject and an interlocutor or model talker. We show that this approach is not a reliable measure of convergence when the starting values of the subject and the interlocutor or model talker are close, which can result in the measurement of apparent divergence, while extreme starting points can result in overestimation of convergence. These biases are of particular concern in studies that look for individual differences in convergence. We propose an alternative approach, linear combination, which does not have the same biases, and demonstrate the advantages of this method using data from convergence studies of four linguistic characteristics and simulated data.
Application Of College Task Collection For Informatics And Information System Students

Abstract: The web is very popular with internet users, because it makes it easy for internet users to search and search for information. Web information system for educational institutions is used as a means to provide, in addition it is used as conducting lecture activities, storing lecture process data and so on. The information that is accessed is very diverse, one of which is for students and lecturers supporting courses is to open an academic portal, collect lecture assignments and create assignments in the form of Information Systems.Existing task collection Web portal, still rarely used by lecturers and students as a media to collect assignments, in fact there are already several features in the existing portal including storing student and lecturer data that teaches, setting the task collection limit, entering the assignment name , etc. Unfortunately the display is not yet user friendly (the display cannot adjust to the device that accesses it automatically) so that if opened on a smartphone, the menu display and writing become smaller, causing menu selection to be more difficult.The results of this study are the construction of a lecture assignment application for students of Informatics and Information Systems that are user friendly. By using this application, students are able to view assignments and collect assignments online while lecturers are able to provide and download assignments online and in real time. Abstrak : Web cepat sekali populer di lingkungan pengguna internet, karena memberikan kemudahan pada pengguna internet untuk melakukan penelusuran dan pencarian informasi. Web sistem informasi untuk lembaga pendidikan digunakan sebagai sarana untuk memberikan, selain itu digunakan sebagai melakukan kegiatan-kegiatan perkuliahan, penyimpanan data proses perkuliahan dan sebagainya . Informasi yang diakses sangat beragam, salah satunya bagi para mahasiswa dan dosen pengampu mata kuliah adalah membuka portal akademik, pengumpulan tugas kuliahnya dan pembuatan tugas yang berbentuk Sistem Informasi. Portal Web pengumpulan tugas yang sudah ada, masih jarang digunakan oleh para dosen dan mahasiswa sebagai media mengumpulkan tugas, sebenarnya sudah ada beberapa fitur pada portal yang sudah ada diantaranya penyimpanan data-data mahasiswa dan dosen yang mengajar, pengaturan batas pengumpulan tugas, memasukan nama tugas, dll. Sayangnya tampilan yang ada belum user friendly (tampilan belum bisa menyesuaikan dengan perangkat yang mengakses secara otomatis) sehingga jika dibuka di smartphone , tampilan menu dan tulisannya menjadi lebih kecil, sehingga menyebabkan pemilihan menu menjadi lebih sulit. Hasil penelitian ini adalah telah dibangunnya aplikasi pengumpulan tugas kuliah bagi mahasiswa Informatika dan Sistem Informasi yang user friendly. Dengan menggunakan aplikasi ini, mahasiswa mampu melihat tugas dan mengumpulkan tugas secara online sedangkan dosen mampu memberikan dan men-download tugas secara online dan real time.
A Contactless Method for Unbalanced Loading Detection in Power Distribution Lines by Magnetic Measurements

Reliability of power distribution network is highly desired by end customers. The power utility companies make best efforts to ensure balanced power transfer for single-phase customers. Phase unbalancing is common in congested power distribution systems where a large number of single-phase consumers are served by three-phase transformers. It deteriorates transformer efficiency and results in increased power system losses. As a standard practice, utility providers use portable CTs to periodically measure phase currents to reduce the unbalanced loading of transformers. The approach requires manual intervention and regular inspections. This article proposes a novel noncontact method for the measurement of unbalanced single-phase loading using a single magnetic sensor and processing with a trained neural network (NN). This article employs variation in phase and magnitude of the magnetic field produced by three-phase line conductors to detect and identify the unbalanced lines. The optimal sensing location is determined by using outcomes of coherence between the training and test data. Then, a trained NN uses a pattern recognition algorithm to estimate the unbalanced and the balanced loading. The method is comprehensively tested by numerical simulations and experimentation, which involves various potential configurations of distribution lines (flat, vertical, and delta). The method of estimation of unbalanced loading by magnetic field sensing and pattern recognition method has been experimentally implemented and verified in the laboratory setup. The results provide accurate unbalance phase detection with an error of less than 1%.
‘Skin black and wrinkled’: The toxic ecology of the Sibyl’s cave

In Virgil’s Aeneid, the famous prophetess known as the Sibyl of Cumae is imagined as coextensive with her cavernous home, a porous volcanic cave that amplifies her voice. However, as the twelfth-century adaptors of the Aeneid reimagined the many-mouthed cavern of prophecy as the murky and blackened ecology at the entrance to the underworld, the Sibyl is similarly transformed into a withered and blackened witch in the Roman d’Eneas. This marginalized and racialized woman is poisoned by her environment, the ‘trans-corporeality’ of flesh and environ a harmful constellation of material and cultural factors. And yet the Sibyl survives, perhaps preserved by the toxic landscape and even granted specialized knowledge. A bit of moss growing from her ear in the German Eneit also suggests that mastery over nature is impossible, entanglement within the environment a kind of feminine resistance to masculine attempts at dominance over nature.
Stars take down relativistic jets

One way for a relativistic jet to decelerate is by instabilities developing on its boundary, which are likely to be caused by continuous bombardment by stars from the host galaxy of the radio jet.
Competitive ability determines coalition participation and partner selection during maturation in wild male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii)

Social mammals often live in groups in which a dominance hierarchy is an important determinant of access to mates. In addition to competing individually, males may form coalitions of two or more to attack or intimidate rivals. Coalition formation could be particularly advantageous for adolescent males by helping them compensate for their physical and social immaturity. However, adolescents may struggle to attract effective coalition partners because of these inadequacies. Here, we examine the behavior of maturing male chimpanzees to test whether coalitions are more frequent among more or less powerful individuals. Our longitudinal study followed 18 males (ages 5 through 25 years) and utilized 1517 coalitions across 12 years of observation of the Kanyawara chimpanzee community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. We found that rates of coalition formation increased across maturation and that this increase was independent of a rise in the overall use of aggression. Juveniles formed coalitions almost exclusively with their mothers, while adolescents partnered primarily with peers and adult males. When adolescents and adult males formed coalitions with each other, the adolescents were more likely to join the adults than vice versa. Finally, adolescents engaged in joint behavior with adult males more often in non-aggressive vocal displays than in aggressive coalitions. Taken together, our results suggest that adolescent males are largely unable to attract the most powerful coalition partners and that they “make the best of a bad job” by joining adult males in less competitive situations, when the risk of receiving aggression from opponents is lower. Adolescent males are at a disadvantage in competing for powerful allies, because they have less strength to contribute to a cooperative dyad. Even when a variety of possible coalition partners are present, the partner choices of higher-ranking males likely limit the number of remaining individuals that are available and willing to form coalitions with adolescents. Accordingly, we found that males sorted with closely ranked coalition partners down the hierarchy, leaving adolescents to form coalitions with partners of similar rank to themselves rather than high-ranking adult males. There was no evidence for rank sorting in joint vocal displays, however. Additionally, adolescents participated in more than twice as many joint vocal displays as coalitions. These data suggest that joint vocal displays represent a viable alternative to coalitions for adolescents attempting to integrate themselves into the adult male social world.
The Coir Industry and Its Social Relations of Production

This chapter examines the nature of social relations of production in the coir industry. There are six sections in this chapter following the introduction. The second section reviews the historical geography of social relations in the coir industry. The third section maps the contemporary classes and class relations in the industry. Sections 4 and 5 add to the discussion on class relations by examining the main forms of exploitation and labor control between employers and workers. Section 6 explores the relationship of production between class and non-class entities. Thereupon, I briefly look at how social relations are spatially organized in Sect. 7. The last section concludes the main findings of this chapter in light of the conceptual framework of this book.
Critical nuclei at hetero-phase interfaces

Abstract Two-step nucleation, in which a metastable intermediate phase acts as a precursor for nucleating a thermodynamically stable phase, has been widely observed in many materials systems and solid-state reactions. Among the advantages of two-step nucleation is that the stable phase may nucleate heterogeneously at the hetero-phase interface between the original and the precursory phases. Although heterogeneous nucleation (HN) theories for homo-phase grain boundaries and inert surfaces are well established, our understanding of HN at reactive hetero-phase interfaces remains incomplete. This deficiency stems from the discontinuity of the chemical potential driving force across the hetero-phase interface, which profoundly affects the fundamental properties of the nucleus in a way that is not properly accounted for in existing models. Herein, we incorporate these effects to extend the classical nucleation theory to HN at hetero-phase interfaces. Our extended model demonstrates that the nucleus shape along the minimum energy path is strongly size-dependent, and this additional degree of freedom can result in the reduction of the critical nucleus volume and associated activation energy barrier by orders of magnitude relative to conventional predictions. The simulation results are used to construct a sensitivity map in the parameter space of interfacial energy and bulk driving force ratios, which quantifies the difference in nucleation barriers predicted by different models.
Firearm exposure and the health of high-risk intimate partner violence victims.

Abstract Rationale The negative physical and mental health consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV) have been well-documented, as those who are exposed to trauma experience more physical health issues. Further, an abuser's direct access to a firearm drastically increases the risk for fatality, which can exacerbate ongoing stress and trauma in an abusive relationship. However, very little research has investigated the intersection of exposure to firearms and adverse health outcomes in the context of IPV. Objective. This study investigates the sensitivity of firearm exposure in IPV contexts by examining if abusive partner firearm ownership—regardless of actual use of a gun in the abuse—is associated with negative health outcomes. Methods. The research team administered questionnaires to IPV victims (N = 215) from six domestic violence shelters across rural and urban locations in a single state. Results. Having an abusive partner who owned a firearm was associated with significantly worse physical health—above and beyond IPV experienced in the relationship. Even so, IPV involving firearms was not significantly associated with physical health beyond partner firearm ownership. The relationship between partner firearm ownership and negative health outcomes was primarily attenuated by sleep disturbances among victims. Conclusions. The results provide initial information about the role that firearms play in adverse victim health beyond injuries (e.g., gunshot wounds) and fatalities.
Traffic Shifting based Resource Optimization in Aggregated IoT Communication

Aggregated Internet of Things (IoT) communication aims to use core network resources efficiently by providing cellular access to a group of IoT devices over the same subscriber identity. Leveraging the low data rates and long data sending intervals of IoT devices, several of the IoT devices in the same serving area of the core network are grouped together and take turns to send their data to their servers without causing overlaps in their communication. In this paper, we take this approach further and benefiting from the flexibility in data sending schedules, we aim to increase savings in cellular resources by shifting (delaying or performing earlier) the regular traffic patterns of IoT devices slightly. To this end, we consider two different traffic shifting models, namely, consistent and inconsistent shifting. We first solve the optimal aggregation of IoT devices under each model by using Integer Linear Programming (ILP). In order to avoid the high complexity of ILP solution, we then develop a heuristic based solution that runs in polynomial time. Through simulations, we show that heuristic based solution provides close to optimal results in various scenarios and shifting based aggregated communication offers more resource optimization (i.e., smaller number of bearers needed to connect all IoT devices) than the aggregated communication with no shifting.