cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transitions of the type 2s-2p in oxygenlike Y, Zr, and Nb

Transitions of the type 2s-2p in the oxygenlike ions Y XXXII, Zr XXXIII, and Nb XXXIV were identified in spectra recorded at the University of Rochester's Omega laser facility. Solid targets were spherically irradiated by 24 beams of frequency-tripled (351-nm) Nd-glass laser radiation. The spectra were photographed with a 3-m grazing-incidence spectrograph. The identified transitions of the oxygenlike ions are in the range 30 to 73 A. The wavelengths for the magnetic-dipole transitions within the 2s2p4 ground configurations of these ions are predicted from the experimental energy levels.
On sensor network lifetime and data distortion

Fidelity is one of the key considerations in data collection schemes for sensor networks. A second important consideration is the energy expense of achieving that fidelity. Data from multiple correlated sensors is collected over multi-hop routes and fused to reproduce the phenomenon. However, the same distortion may be achieved using multiple rate allocations among the correlated sensors. These rate allocations would typically have different energy cost in routing depending on the network topology. We consider the interplay between these two considerations of distortion and energy. First, we describe the various factors that affect this trade-off. Second, we discuss bounds on the achievable performance with respect to this trade-off. Specifically, we relate the network lifetime Lt to the distortion D of the delivered data. Finally, we present low-complexity approximations for the efficient computation of the Lt(D) bound
Growth and properties of YBCO-coated conductors fabricated by inclined-substrate deposition

YBCO-coated conductors with high current-carrying capability are desirable for electric power transmission applications. Inclined-substrate deposition (ISD) is capable of producing high-quality biaxially textured template films, which are important for fabrication of YBCO-coated conductors. We have grown biaxially textured ISD-MgO template films on flexible metallic substrates at deposition rates of 2-10 nm/sec. Columnar grains with a roof-tile-shaped surface structure were observed on the ISD-MgO films. X-ray pole figure analysis revealed that the ISD-MgO film is biaxially textured and its c-axis is titled at an angle from the substrate normal. Strontium ruthenium oxide (SRO) buffer films were epitaxially grown on ISD-MgO by pulsed laser deposition prior to the deposition of YBCO. Low /spl phi/-scan full-width at half maximum (FWHM) values of 6/spl deg/ and 7/spl deg/ were observed for YBCO and SRO, respectively. T/sub c/ of 91 K with a sharp transition and transport J/sub c/ over 1.4 MA/cm/sup 2/ at 77 K in self-field were measured on YBCO coated conductors grown with ISD MgO architectures using a SRO buffer.
Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Fe-based Particles by CO2 Laser Pyrolysis

Nanocrystalline Fe (α and γ phases), Fe-carbide (Fe3C, Fe7C3 ), Fe-sulfide (Fel-xS), Fe-nitride (Fe3N and Fe4N) particles with narrow size distributions have been produced using a CO2 laser pyrolysis of vapor mixtures of Fe(CO)5 with C2H4, H2S or NH3. Typical production rates of ∼ 1 - 3 g/hr were observed. The chemical phase and size of these nanoscale particles can be controlled by reaction parameters such as laser intensity and gas composition. Pyrolytic carbon coatings were found to be present on the Fe-carbide particles, but absent in the Fe-sulfide and -nitride particles.
Expression of the vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter in pancreatic islet cells: distribution of the transporter within rat islets.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is stored in microvesicles in pancreatic islet cells. Because GAD65 and GAD67, which catalyze the formation of GABA, are cytoplasmic, the existence of an islet vesicular GABA transporter has been postulated. Here, we test the hypothesis that the putative transporter is the vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter (VIAAT), a neuronal transmembrane transporter of GABA and glycine. We sequenced the human VIAAT gene and determined that the human and rat proteins share over 98% sequence identity. In vitro expression of VIAAT and immunoblotting of brain and islet lysates revealed two forms of the protein: an ∼52-kDa and an ∼57-kDa form. By immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry, we detected VIAAT in rat but not human islets. Immunohistochemical staining showed that in rat islets, the distribution of VIAAT expression parallels that of GAD67, with increased expression in the mantle. GABA, too, was found to be present in islet non-β-cells. We conclude that VIAAT is expressed in rat islets and is more abundant in the mantle and that expression in human islets is very low or nil. The rat islet mantle differs from rat and human β-cells in that it contains only GAD67 and relatively increased levels of VIAAT. Cells that express only GAD67 may require higher levels of VIAAT expression.
Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Among Men in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Background and Purpose— Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a subclinical marker of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest that shorter sleep duration is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but there is limited evidence regarding this association using high-quality, objective assessments of sleep. The aim of this study is to determine whether sleep duration is associated with CIMT. Methods— The study used an observational cohort consisting of 617 black and white middle-aged healthy participants (37–52 years; 58% female) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses were performed. Sleep duration was measured using wrist actigraphy monitors. CIMT was calculated using the average of 20 measurements of the mean common carotid, bulb, and internal CIMT, which was assessed using ultrasound images. Results— After adjusting for covariates, 1 hour of longer sleep duration was associated with 0.026 mm less CIMT among men ( P =0.02; 95% CI, −0.047 to −0.005) and 0.001 mm less CIMT among women ( P =0.91; 95% CI, −0.020 to 0.022). Segment-specific analyses indicated that the carotid bulb was a key driver of the observed association. Conclusions— Shorter objectively assessed sleep duration was associated with greater CIMT among men but not women.
A 400 MHz delta-sigma modulator for bandpass IF digitization around 100 MHz with excess loop delay compensation

The past few years has seen a tremendous amount of work being published in the area of continuous-time delta-sigma ADC designs with various compensation techniques to counter its susceptibility to non-idealities like clock jitter and excess loop delay, to name a few. The focus of this paper is the design of a tunable continuous time bandpass delta-sigma modulator that utilizes an excess loop delay compensation technique proposed in [1] to optimize the SNR of the modulator, besides preserving its stability by incorporating a full clock cycle delay. An improved, low noise, compact gyrator-C structure is proposed to obtain a high-Q bandpass filter subsequently used in the design of a second-order bandpass delta-sigma modulator clocked at 400 MHz for direct conversion of narrow band signals around 100 MHz. The proposed structure eliminates the need of a capacitor bank/array for the coarse tuning of the modulator since this structure enables coarse tuning in the range of 80 to 120 MHz and fine tuning of 5 MHz above or below the centre frequency. This modulator has been implemented in AMI 0.5µ CMOS process and achieves an SNR of 46 dB over a bandwidth of 1 MHz, calculated from post-layout simulations. The power consumption of this design is 49 mW at a supply of 3V.
Potential production of ultrashort electron bunches with the Advanced Photon Source linac

With the recent addition of a chicane bunch compressor to the Advanced Photon Source (APS) linac, it may now be possible to create ultrashort electron bunches, with rms bunch lengths on the order of 10 fs and peak currents of several hundred amperes. Although such bunches are too short to be useful for free-electron-laser-related work, they would still provide a potential source of short-pulse spontaneous radiation, either from an undulator or a bending magnet. The APS linac features a high-brightness thermionic rf gun that delivers a beam to the linac via an alpha magnet. This setup provides a first stage of bunch compression at an energy of about 3 MeV, as well as permitting elimination of the low-energy tail using a scraper in the alpha magnet. In simulations, this beam has been further compressed using the chicane bunch compressor at 150 MeV. Scrapers in the chicane are used to aid in the production of a clean, short pulse. This paper discusses the results of these simulations, including jitter sensitivity and the effects of coherent synchrotron radiation and wakefields.
Cluster expansion and pairing in a two-band model of Cu oxides

A two-band model for the high-TcCu oxide superconductors involving Cu-O exchange and pair-hopping interactions is considered. A cluster expansion for treating fluctuations around a superconducting mean-field background is developed, and shown to converge at T=0 for small but non-zero doping concentration, and small "J/t" couplings.
Animals as Sentinels of Human Environmental Health Hazards: An Evidence-Based Analysis

Despite recognition that animals could be serving as “sentinels” for environmental risks to human health, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the use of animal sentinel data in human health decision making. We performed a systematic review of the animal sentinel literature to assess the evidence linking such events to human health. A search of MEDLINE identified peer-reviewed original studies of animals as sentinels for either chemical or biological environmental hazards. A limited search of the CAB and AGRICOLA databases was also performed. We classified a random sample of 100 studies from the MEDLINE search according to species, hazard, and health outcome examined; study methods; and linkages to human health. Animal sentinel studies were difficult to locate in MEDLINE because of a lack of adequate key words for this concept. We found significant limitations in the study methods used to investigate animal sentinel events. Clear linkages to human health were frequently absent. Studies of sentinel events in animal populations hold potential for the recognition and control of human environmental health hazards, yet a number of barriers exist to using such data for evidence-based human health decisions. There is a need for greater data sharing and cooperative research between human and animal health professionals regarding environmental hazards and health outcomes in animal and human populations.
Antipsychotics and Metabolics in the Post-CATIE Era

Schizophrenia patients have high prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease risk factors and high CV mortality, with increasing concern over the contribution of antipsychotic medications to cardiometabolic risk. The design of the NIMH-sponsored Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) Schizophrenia Trial was driven by a need to understand the efficacy and safety differences between atypical antipsychotics, and between atypical and typical antipsychotics. The CATIE data indicated differences between olanzapine and other antipsychotics in phase 1 on the primary outcome measure, time to drug
Bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy findings as indications for tracheotomy in the burned child.

Objective To determine possible indications for tracheotomy in the burned child based on bronchoscopic and laryngoscopic findings. Design and Setting A retrospective case study of all patients admitted to a tertiary children's burn center. Participants All children admitted with burn inhalation injury between 1990 and 1995 (n=211). Intervention All patients underwent laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy and 19 underwent tracheotomy, with 5 tracheotomy tubes placed emergently. Main Outcome Measures Observations during laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy included erythema, edema, carbonaceous material, ulcerations, and bronchial mucous casts. The supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis were analyzed separately, when possible. Any sepsis resulting from tracheotomy was determined. Complications, such as glottic webs, subglottic stenosis, and tracheomalacia, were noted. Results Indications for tracheotomy included 6 for airway obstruction, 6 for prolonged intubation, 6 for pulmonary cleansing, and 1 for endotracheal tube complications (subglottic stenosis). When examined by bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy, 17 of 19 children had significant airway edema, 10 had carbonaceous material in the airway, and 3 had ulcerations in the airway. Conclusions Tracheotomy is indicated in the burned child when significant airway edema is present. Failure to place a tracheotomy tube in these cases leads to a high incidence of immediate tracheotomies (26%). There was no evidence of clinically significant infection attributable to tracheotomy. The number of airway complications due to tracheotomy was no higher than from endotracheal intubation.
Electro-hydraulic piston control using neural MRAC based on a modified state observer

A new model reference adaptive control design method using neural networks that improves both transient and steady-state performance is proposed in this paper. Stable tracking of a desired trajectory can be achieved for nonlinear systems having significant uncertainties. An uncertainty-state observer structure is designed to achieve desired transient performance. The neural network adaptation rule is derived using Lyapunov theory, which guarantees stability of the error dynamics and boundedness of the neural network weights. An extra term is added in the controller expression to introduce a “soft-switching” sliding mode that can be used to reduce tracking error. The proposed design method is applied to control the velocity and position of an electrohydraulic piston comprising industrial components and having a limited bandwidth, and experimental results demonstrate its effectiveness as compared to commonly used controllers.
Relation of lipid gene scores to longitudinal trends in lipid levels and incidence of abnormal lipid levels among individuals of european ancestry the atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study

Background —Multiple genetic loci have been associated with blood lipid levels. We tested the hypothesis that people with an unfavorable lipid gene profile would experience a greater increase in lipid levels and a higher incidence of abnormal lipid levels, relative to those with more favorable lipid gene profiles. Methods and Results —9,328 European-descent individuals in ARIC (ages 45-64 y) were followed for 9 years. Separate gene scores were created for each lipid phenotype based on 95 loci identified in a published GWAS of >100,000 European-descent individuals. Adjusted linear and survival models were used to estimate associations with lipid levels and incidence of lipid-lowering medication or abnormal lipid levels. Age and sex interactions were also explored. The cross-sectional difference (mg/dL) per one standard deviation (SD) was -1.89 for HDL-C, 9.5 for LDL-C, and 22.8 for triglycerides (p -34 for all). Longitudinally, overall triglyceride levels rose over time, and each SD greater triglyceride gene score was associated with an average increase in triglyceride levels of 0.3 mg/dL (p=0.003) over 3-years. The HDL-C, LDL-C and total cholesterol gene scores were not related to change. All lipid gene scores were positively related to incidence of abnormal lipid levels over follow-up (HRs per SD ranged from 1.15-1.36). Conclusions —Associations of genetic variants with lipid levels over time are complex, with the triglyceride gene score positively related to change in triglycerides levels. Similar longitudinal results were not observed for LDL-C or HDL-C levels. Unfavorable gene scores were nevertheless related to higher incidence of abnormal levels.
Unmet medical care needs in persons with multiple chemical sensitivity: A grounded theory of contested illness

We interviewed nineteen persons with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivities in order to explore medical care access and use for this population with a “contested” illness. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory in the tradition of Glaser, via incident, focused, and theoretical coding. We named the core category health quest (resisting annihilation) and construed four categories that embody the essence of this quest: illness as omnipotent, bidding for access, standard protocols irrelevant, and transcending hegemony. The categories suggest that mainstream medicine is unprepared to care for this population, that standard interventions are ineffective but used regardless, and that persons feel that they must survive on their own outside of the structured medical care system. In fact, most informants avoided medical care unless faced with an emergency. Results are discussed in terms of the need to recognize and understand this health problem.
In vivo and in vitro studies of a putative inhibitor of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate production.

AbstractOur main objective was to test the efficacy of 6-anilino-5,8-quinolinedione (LY83583) in vivo, a putative inhibitor of cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) production. If the drug proved capable of lowering plasma, vascular, and kidney levels of cGMP and of inhibiting the hypotensive effect of sodium nitroprusside and methacho-line, then LY83583 could be of potential use in exploring the contribution of cGMP to cardiovascular and renal physiology. We found that when administered to trained conscious rats, LY83583 (1-mg/kg bolus, followed by a 2-hr infusion of 3 mg/kg·hr) decreased plasma cGMP concentration by 36% (P < 0.01). Doubling the dosage of drug (2-mg/kg bolus, 6 mg/kg·hr) decreased plasma cGMP by 46% (P < 0.05). We next measured tissue levels of cGMP ex vivo from rats that had received LY83583 or vehicle for 2 hr. The cGMP content of aortic segments when LY83583 was infused at the low dose, or renal cortical tissue when LY83583 was infused at both doses, was not significantly differ...
Infestation of Flour by Tribolium castaneum: Rate of Adult Dispersal in Relationship to Sex, Mated Condition, and Other Factors

The average distance at which adult Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) were present below the surface of the flour increased by a mean 21% with each doubling of the time interval. The percentage of total beetles below the surface also increased with time. The number of beetles at a given depth decreased by a nearly constant percentage of the number of beetles at the previous depth with each 2.54 cm increase in depth. These percentages averaged 81, 55, 56, 39, 22, and 6% of the number of beetles at the previous depth in 3, 6, 12, 24, 72, and 144-hr tests, respectively. Rate of adult dispersal in flour generally did not vary significantly with differences in sex, mated condition and density. The rate of dispersal of mated females was similar in the presence and absence of males. Both sexes appeared to have a slight negative geotaxis.
Lengthscale-Dependent Solvation and Density Fluctuations in n-Octane.

Much attention has been focused on the solvation and density fluctuations in water over the past decade. These studies have brought to light interesting physical features of solvation in condensed media, especially the dependence of solvation on the solute lengthscale, which may be general to many fluids. Here, we focus on the lengthscale-dependent solvation and density fluctuations in n-octane, a simple organic liquid. Using extensive molecular simulations, we show a crossover in the solvation of solvophobic solutes with increasing size in n-octane, with the specifics of the crossover depending on the shape of the solute. Large lengthscale solvation, which is dominated by interface formation, emerges over subnanoscopic lengthscales. The crossover in n-octane occurs at smaller lengthscales than that in water. We connect the lengthscale of crossover to the range of attractive interactions in the fluid. The onset of the crossover is accompanied by the emergence of non-Gaussian tails in density fluctuations ...
Accumulation of Lead and Arsenic by Potato Grown on Lead–Arsenate-Contaminated Orchard Soils

ABSTRACTThere are concerns of potential food chain transfer of metals in crops grown on lead–arsenate-contaminated soils. The objective of this study was to investigate lead and arsenic uptake by four potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars grown on lead–arsenate-contaminated soils with lead and arsenic concentrations ranging from 350 to 961 and 43 to 290 mg kg−1, respectively. Yield was not reduced due to treatment. Potato tubers were washed thoroughly before peeling. Lead concentration in both peeled tubers and peel was below instrument detection limit. Arsenic concentration in peeled tubers grown on the lead–arsenate soils ranged from 0.24 to 1.44 mg kg−1. Arsenic concentration was 60% higher in the peel than in the peeled tuber. The relatively high arsenic levels in the peel demonstrated that arsenic was taken up into the potato peel tissue. It is recommended that if potatoes are grown on these soils they should be peeled before consumption.Abbreviations Pb, lead; As, arsenic; DW, dry weight; FW, fres...
MRI guided Fluorescence Optical Tomography for Small Animal Imaging

We present 3-D reconstructions of ICG fluorescence from time domain optical measurements on a phantom model mouse, imbedded with the near-infrared flurophore, Indocyanine green (ICG) . The complex medium boundary of the mouse phantom was obtained from MRI images, and subsequently incorporated in a linearized, finite-difference diffusion equation based forward model to reconstruct the flurophore properties The procedure illustrated here will subsequently be applied to in-vivo small animal fluorescence measurements, with diffusion and transport based forward models that utilize the detailed MRI images of the mouse tissue structure
To Observe and Compare the Chinese and Foreign Fire-Fighting and Rescue Equipment

For fire rescue equipment standard,makes a comparative study from the fire fighting equipment and fire respectively rescue tools,firefighters equipment three aspects are discussed,and then puts forward our country fire rescue equipment standards Suggestions.According to the current standard and technology development has been revised and integration,and according to the fire product certification,timely formulate new equipment standards,and the fire emergency rescue tools make relevant regulations,adjust the firemen protective equipment standard structure,enhance the firemen protective equipment performance requirements of coordination.
Analysis of risk factors of chronic diseases among rural residents in Shouxian County sampling survey in 2014

Objective To carry out the monitoring of the state in fourth chronic disease and its risk factors; To learn the prevalence of chronic diseases and their risk in rural areas of Shouxian County,and provide scientific basis for the relevant policies of health assessment the chronic disease prevention and the control effect of the project. Methods By using a stratified cluster sampling method to investigate 600 rural residents aged over 18 in Shouxian County,finishing the questionnaire survey face to face and giving them both physicaland laboratory examination. Results In this survey,the prevalence rate of hypertension was 43. 83%,the prevalence of diabetes was 22. 17%,the rate of overweight was 41. 17%,the rate of obesity was 16. 83%,the abnormal rate of blood lipid in 24. 00%. For men and women,and the chronic disease prevalence in all age groups was statistically significant. The smoking rate was 31. 50%,the drinking rate was 35. 83%,secondhand smoke exposure rate was 59. 67%,lack of exercise,smoking rate was 92. 83%; People who suffering from chronic diseases have higher rates of exposure to secondhand smoke and exercise lacking than that of non,the difference was statistically significant; Also people who have awareness of their own blood pressure and glucose know more,the difference was also statistically significant. Conclusion Rural residents have High prevalence of hypertension,diabetes in Shouxian County,the main related risk are smoking,drinking and lack of exercise. Male has higher danger than that of female. So we should strengthen the standardized management of chronic diseases,health education and health promotion activities,to control the prevalence rate and risk factors of chronic disease effectively in Shouxian county.
Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome

The Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome is characterized by the triad of a port-wine stain, varicose veins, and bony and soft-tissue hypertrophy of an extremity. Recognition is usually possible during infancy or early childhood, and evaluation and treatment is important because morbidity may be minimized. We will review the clinical features, etiology, assessment, and treatment of patients with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome.
An Inscribed Arrowhead of a Crown Prince of Babylon

The arrowhead which belongs to a private collection in California bears the cuneiform inscription of a Babylonian prince. Its physical characteristics are similar to those of a number of other royal Babylonian arrowheads dating to the end of the second and beginning of the first millennium BCE. It has a flat lanceolate blade joined to a substantial tang, approximately square in section, which tapers at its midpoint to a thinner prong for hafting. There were two kings of Babylon by the name of Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, both of whom reigned in the poorly documented post-Kassite period. Keywords: Babylonian arrowheads; Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur
Presystemic and systemic glucuronidation of propranolol.

The relative importance of presystemic and systemic glucuronidation of propranolol was examined in normal subjects given single oral and intravenous doses of propranolol. The areas under the plasma concentration--time curves (AUCs) of propranolol glucuronide (PG), 41 +/- 15 ng . hr/ml, and propranolol, 48 +/- 15 ng . hr/ml, were of the same order after the intravenous dose (0.05 mg/kg). After oral doses of 20 and 80 mg, the AUCs of PG were 302 +/- 105 and 1,398 +/- 409 ng . hr/ml; these were 7 times the AUCs of propranolol, 44 +/- 15 and 220 +/- 38 ng . hr/ml. The time lapse to peak concentration, 1.5 to 3.0 hr, and the plasma half-life, 3.2 to 3.7 hr, were the same for PG and propranolol. These results demonstrate glucuronidation as an important determinant of propranolol bioavailability.
The Treatment of Ureteral Obstruction in Gardner’s Syndrome: Renal Autotransplantation

Abstract We report a case of successful renal autotransplantation for the treatment of ureteral obstruction owing to retroperitoneal desmoid tumors in Gardner’s syndrome. Our patient has survived 2 years postoperatively and represents to our knowledge the only long-term success recorded.
Post-Newtonian Gravitation

Einstein’s field equations relate space-time geometry to matter and energy distribution. These tensorial equations are so unwieldy that solutions are only known in some very specific cases. A semi-relativistic approximation is desirable: One where space-time may still be considered as flat, but where Newton’s equations (where gravity acts instantaneously) are replaced by a post-Newtonian theory, involving propagation of gravity at the speed of light. As this retardation depends on the geometry of the point masses, a dynamical system with state dependent delay results, where delay and state are implicitly related. We investigate several cases with Lagrange’s inversion technique and perturbation expansions. Interesting phenomena (entrainment, dynamic friction, fission and orbital speeds) emerge.
Genome Sequences of Gordonia Phages BaxterFox, Kita, Nymphadora, and Yeezy

ABSTRACT Gordonia phages BaxterFox, Kita, Nymphadora, and Yeezy are newly characterized phages of Gordonia terrae, isolated from soil samples in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These phages have genome lengths between 50,346 and 53,717 bp, and encode on average 84 predicted proteins. All have G+C content of 66.6%.
A 1.5MS/s 6-bit ADC with 0.5V supply

A moderate resolution analog-to-digital converter targeting wireless sensor networks applications is presented. Employing a successive approximation architecture, the device achieves 6 bits of resolution at 1.5 MS/s output rate, while drawing 28muA from a low 0.5 V supply, corresponding to a Figure of Merit (FOM) of .25pJ/conversion step. Low-density metal5-metal6 capacitors guarantee feedback DAC linearity while minimizing input capacitance, while the use of a passive sample and hold, combined with a class-AB comparator reduce analog power dissipation to 4muW (30% of the total). The analog core is operational for supply values as low as .3V, even though sampling rate is reduced to 175kS/s.
Conference 2: Good, Better, and Best in Psychology

This Conference provides students with the opportunity to further integrate their learnings in the units since the first Conference. Students do an assigned reading at home. This text is chosen to encompass themes and questions that relate to questions of value, or “good, better, and best” in psychology. The guiding questions of the present Conference are: What is the Good? Are some ways of living, thinking, acting, or speaking “better” than others? Conference questions require students to compose an imaginative dialogue between Socrates and a representative of psychologist. On Conference day, students compose role-plays to enact for the whole class.
A Survey on Industry Impact and Challenges Thereof [Technical Activities]

At its 2014 World Congress, the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) launched a "pilot" industry committee with the objective of increasing industry participation in, and impact from, IFAC activities. The chair of this committee is Tariq Samad, with support from Roger Goodall (Loughborough University, United Kingdom) and Serge Boverie (Continental, France) as cochairs. This committee was established as an outcome of an industry task force led by Roger Goodall in the last IFAC triennium (2011-2014).
William James, Niels Bohr, and Complementarity: III - Schrödinger’s Cat

In the psychological context, William James had introduced the concept of complementarity, applicable to every thought: In the previous papers of this series it was shown that this applied also to transitory thought itself. The “mind” is quantumized. The implications of this have to be pursued, and the present paper provides an introductory look at what this means for psychology. It means rejecting classical causation, determinism, and reductionism, and recognizing the opposite, as well as that the role of the observer is crucial in psychology, as it is in physics. It is important to recognize that this means we can now measure anyone’s psychological experience de novo, without depending upon any psychological principles heretofore used in the classical mode. An example is given of a “single case,” in which, except for the use of Q-technique, everything confronting the subject is in her own everyday commonplace language (“communicability”), which provided the concourse and the conditions of instruction for her Q-sorts. In this introductory paper I also provide the first empirical data for the separation of classical and quantum-theoretical modes of thought, as subject to complementarity. Technical aspects of this quantumizaton will be developed in subsequent papers. Meanwhile Q-technique is the key to it: It involves a new use of statistics, to represent states of feeling.
An updated influenza A(H3N2) vaccine generates limited antibody responses to previously encountered antigens in children

Abstract Background Influenza vaccination may provide a “back-boost” to antibodies against previously encountered strains. If the back-boost effect is common, this could allow more aggressive vaccine updates, as emerging variants would be expected to both elicit de-novo responses and boost pre-existing responses against recently circulating strains. Here we used the emergence of an antigenically novel A(H3N2) strain to determine whether an antigenically updated vaccine boosted antibodies against historical strains. Methods We performed hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assays on pre- and post-vaccination sera from 124 children 5–17 years old who received 2015–2016 inactivated influenza vaccine, containing an antigenically updated A(H3N2) strain. We evaluated the mean fold increase in HI titer against both the 2015–2016 vaccine strain and representative strains from two prior antigenic clusters. Factors associated with post-vaccination titers against historical strains were evaluated using linear regression, adjusting for baseline titer. Results Geometric mean titers against each antigen examined increased significantly after vaccination (P Conclusions A vaccine containing an antigenically novel A(H3N2) strain modestly boosted antibody responses against historical influenza strains in children.
Bias in Perceptions of Public Opinion among Political Elites

The conservative asymmetry of elite polarization represents a significant puzzle. We argue that politicians can maintain systematic misperceptions of constituency opinion that may contribute to breakdowns in dyadic representation. We demonstrate this argument with original surveys of 3,765 politicians’ perceptions of constituency opinion on nine issues. In 2012 and 2014, state legislative politicians from both parties dramatically overestimated their constituents’ support for conservative policies on these issues, a pattern consistent across methods, districts, and states. Republicans drive much of this overestimation. Exploiting responses from politicians in the same district, we confirm these partisan differences within individual districts. Further evidence suggests that this overestimation may arise due to biases in who contacts politicians, as in recent years Republican citizens have been especially likely to contact legislators, especially fellow Republicans. Our findings suggest that a novel force can operate in elections and in legislatures: Politicians can systematically misperceive what their constituents want.
Wondering About Rapunzel: Reading and Responding to Feminist Fairy Tales with Seventh Graders

Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale’s graphic novel set Rapunzel’s Revenge (2008) and Calamity Jack (2010) features fractured fairy tales that take up the issue of ‘the damsel in distress,’ questioning and complicating traditional gender roles in fairy tales. Throughout both graphic novels Rapunzel’s character challenges traditional representations of being feminine within the heterosexual matrix (Butler, 2006). And, in many instances, Rapunzel does this by blending masculine and feminine traits, rather than trading one for the other. However, she also falls back into traditional fairy tale tropes that maintain boundaries around who women are and what they can do in these narratives. Because of the opposing narratives of femininity in these Rapunzel-influenced graphic novels, there were openings for seventh grade students reading these texts in their English Language Arts class to notice, critique, and question the texts and their messages. By exploring both the texts and students’ responses to them in detail, this article focuses on textual tensions around gender representation that offer opportunities for young people to critique and analyze reading a “wonder tale.” These young readers wondered and re-imagined how gender and femininity could be represented, not only in fairy tales, but also in their worlds beyond the text. Ultimately this article seeks to advocate for books that take up a more complex and fluid portrayal of what it means to be human and reading practices that support that complexity and fluidity.
Quantum voting and violation of Arrow's Impossibility Theorem

We propose a quantum voting system in the spirit of quantum games such as the quantum prisoner's dilemma. Our scheme enables a constitution to violate a quantum analog of Arrow's impossibility theorem. Arrow's theorem is a claim proved deductively in economics: Every (classical) constitution endowed with three innocuous-seeming properties is a dictatorship. We construct quantum analogs of constitutions, of the properties, and of Arrow's theorem. A quantum version of majority rule, we show, violates this quantum Arrow conjecture. Our voting system allows for tactical-voting strategies reliant on entanglement, interference, and superpositions. This contribution to quantum game theory helps elucidate how quantum phenomena can be harnessed for strategic advantage.
Scientific visualization of physical phenomena

Contents: Keynote and Invited Papers.- Animation.- Parallel Processing.- Volume Rendering.- Visualization Methods.- Ray Tracing/Rendering.- Picture Generation.- Computational Geometry.- Visualization in Engineering.- Fluid Flow Visualization.- Applications.
DROPLET: Distributed Operator Placement for IoT Applications Spanning Edge and Cloud Resources

Internet of Things (IoT) applications generate massive amounts of real-time streaming data. IoT data owners strive to make predictions/inferences from these large streams of data often through applying machine learning, and image processing operations. A typical deployment of such applications includes edge devices to provide processing/storage operations closer to the location where the streaming data is captured. An important challenge for IoT applications is deciding which operations to execute on an edge device and which operations should be carried out in the cloud. In this paper, we propose a scalable dynamic programming algorithm called DROPLET, to partition operations in IoT applications across shared edge and cloud resources, while minimizing completion time of the end-to-end operations. We evaluate DROPLET using three real-world applications. Our results show that DROPLET finds a partitioning of operations having overall completion time within 4% of the optimum for these applications. It also scales to thousands of operations and outperforms closest heuristics in the literature, by being 10 times faster in running time while finding partitioning of operations with total completion time that is 20% better for the large applications that we simulated. We analyze DROPLET to show that it scales with total number of operations in log-linear time.
Anatomic Analysis of Palatal Roots of Maxillary Molars Using Micro-computed Tomography.

Abstract Introduction The morphology of the palatal root of maxillary first and second molars was analyzed and compared using micro–computed tomographic scanning. Methods Forty-seven extracted maxillary molars were scanned with a micro–computed tomographic device to analyze the palatal radicular dentin dimensions, canal working width, root length, canal curvature, lateral canals, and apical constriction anatomy. Quantitative data were analyzed with mean and standard deviation for first and second molars, respectively. Comparison was made between first and second molars using an unpaired t test. Results The palatal root of maxillary first molars was found to have statistically significantly thinner dentin than second molars on the palatal aspect of the root 8–11 mm from the apex, correlating to the coronal and middle thirds of the root. First molar palatal roots also had a statistically significantly wider canal mesiodistally than second molars at 13–15 mm from the apex, correlating approximately to the level of the cementoenamel junction and pulpal floor. Significant canal curvature was present. These findings suggest the need for conservative coronal flaring and instrumentation. Conclusions The absence of an apical constriction in 76.6% of the specimens highlights the importance of creating an apical seat through instrumentation to maintain obturation materials. A minimum master apical file size of 40 is recommended based on preoperative working widths in the apical 0.5–1.0 mm. A root-end resection of 3.5 mm would remove a greater majority of lateral canals.
Randomized Load Balancing for Cloud Computing using Bacterial Foraging Optimization

In this paper, we conducted an evaluation of three randomized load balancing algorithms that use the Bacterial Foraging Optimization algorithm (BFO) to improve its optimality. The first algorithm consists of the Two-Choice Randomized Online Algorithm (SQ) that uses the BFO to improve its optimality. The second algorithm proposed in this paper adds the Round Robin to the SQ algorithm (SQRR) that also uses the BFO to improve its optimality. The third algorithm proposed in this paper uses SQRR, but with the BFO algorithm modified so that its search space is limited to a window to improve the latency required of the BFO algorithm when searching thru a large grid space of server nodes that gives the optimal load balancing. Simulation results show that the performance of the three algorithms SQ-BFO, SQRR-BFO, and SQRR-Windowed BFO, all perform better than the classic greedy method by a wide margin in minimizing the task waiting time under both conditions where the computing server node CPUs are homogeneous and non-homogeneous. However, under heavy load conditions, the SQ-BFO algorithm does not perform as well as the SQRR-BFO, and SQRR-Windowed BFO algorithms proposed in this paper. We believe that when performing load-balancing in non-homogeneous environments, the SQRR-BFO and SQRR-Windowed BFO algorithms would outperform SQ-BFO in minimizing the delay time tasks would experience, which leads to higher quality of service.
Low Bit-Rate Imaging in Scanning Tomographic Acoustic Microscopy

Acoustic microscopy has been successfully employed in many areas, such as medical imaging and non-destructive evaluation. Using acoustic waves, the technique is able to obtain important information of the specimen under evaluation that is not available or that is more difficult to obtain with other means. Properties such as the acoustic velocity and attenuation in biological tissue, for example, is readily obtained with acoustic microscopes. This information can be interpreted by pathologists to identify the condition of tissues. In the area of non-destructive evaluation, the differences in attenuation of flaws such as voids and the surrounding materials is easily identified using acoustic waves. In order to expand the usefulness of acoustic microscopes, holographic and tomographic techniques have been employed which have the effect of improving system resolution, but at the expense of increased computational complexity and increased bit rates.1,2
A Closer Look at Invalid Action Masking in Policy Gradient Algorithms.

In recent years, Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithms have achieved state-of-the-art performance in many challenging strategy games. Because these games have complicated rules, an action sampled from the full discrete action space will typically be invalid. The usual approach to deal with this problem in policy gradient algorithms is to "mask out" invalid actions and just sample from the set of valid actions. The implications of this process, however, remain under-investigated. In this paper, we show that the standard working mechanism of invalid action masking corresponds to valid policy gradient updates. More interestingly, it works by applying a state-dependent differentiable function during the calculation of action probability distribution. Additionally, we show its critical importance to the performance of policy gradient algorithms. Specifically, our experiments show that invalid action masking scales well when the space of invalid actions is large, while the common approach of giving negative rewards for invalid actions will fail. Finally, we provide further insights by evaluating different action masking regimes, such as removing masking after an agent has been trained using masking.
Stochastic Value Formation

We propose a simple model of value formation in two societies (communities). When forming values, individuals face conformity pressure within their own society and they are intolerant toward the other society. When such a value formation process is noisy, the interaction between conformity, intolerance and noise can give rise to interesting dynamic outcomes including two polarized societies and polarization across the two societies.
Blockchain-Enabled Deep-Tier Supply Chain Finance

Problem Definition: For many supply chains, deep-tier suppliers, due to their small sizes and lack of access to capital, are most vulnerable to disruptions. In this paper, we study the use of advance payment (AP) as a financing instrument in a multitier supply chain to mitigate the supply disruption risk and compare the traditional system (deep-tier financing with limited visibility) with the blockchain-enabled system (financing with perfect visibility). The main goal of this paper is to shed light on how blockchain adoption impacts agents' operational and financial decisions as well profit levels in a multitier supply chain. Academic/Practical Relevance: Traditionally, because of the limited visibility in the deep-tiers, powerful downstream manufacturers' financing schemes offered to their immediate upstream suppliers are not effective in instilling capital into the deep-tiers. Advancements in blockchain technology improve the supply chain visibility and enable the manufacturer to better devise deep-tier financing to improve supply chain resilience. Methodology: We develop a three-tier supply chain model and take a game-theoretic approach to understand a financially constrained supply chain's optimal operational and financial strategies. Results: We find that the improved supply chain visibility (by blockchain adoption) always benefits the manufacturer by enabling her to induce the desired operational risk-mitigation investment from the tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers. However, depending on the directional change in the operational risk-mitigation investment, which depends on the suppliers' initial wealth levels, the tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers can be worse-off. The "win-win-win" outcome takes place only when all operational risk-mitigation measures increase, that is, when the tier-1 supplier is severely capital constrained but the tier-2 supplier is moderately capital constrained. Comparing the two types of blockchain-enabled deep-tier financing schemes, adjacent-tier delegated financing versus cross-tier direct financing, the manufacturer strictly prefers the latter. In contrast, the tier-1 supplier strictly prefers the former because the former endows the tier-1 with financial leverage over the manufacturer. The tier-2 supplier prefers the latter only when the emergency source is expensive. Managerial Implications: Our insights help firms assess opportunities and challenges associated with enhancing supply chain visibility via blockchain adoption.