cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Privacy, Transparency, and Accountability in the NSA’s Bulk Metadata Program

Disputes at the intersection of national security, surveillance, civil liberties, and transparency are nothing new, but they have become a particularly prominent part of public discourse in the years since the attacks on the World Trade Center in September 2001. This is in part due to the dramatic nature of those attacks, in part based on significant legal developments after the attacks (classifying persons as “enemy combatants” outside the scope of traditional Geneva protections, legal memos by White House counsel providing rationale for torture, the USA Patriot Act), and in part because of the rapid development of communications and computing technologies that enable both greater connectivity among people and the greater ability to collect information about those connections. One important way in which these questions intersect is in the controversy surrounding bulk collection of telephone metadata by the U.S. National Security Agency. The bulk metadata program (the “metadata program” or “program”) involved court orders under section 215 of the USA Patriot Act requiring telecommunications companies to provide records about all calls the companies handled and the creation of database that the NSA could search. The program was revealed to the general public in June 2013 as part of the large document leak by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the NSA. A fair amount has been written about section 215 and the bulk metadata program. Much of the commentary has focused on three discrete issues. First is whether the program is legal; that is, does the program comport with the language of the statute and is it consistent with Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures? Second is whether the program infringes privacy rights; that is, does bulk metadata collection diminish individual privacy in a way that rises to the level that it infringes persons’ rights to privacy? Third is whether the secrecy of the program is inconsistent with democratic accountability. After all, people in the general public only became aware of the metadata program via the Snowden leaks; absent those leaks, there would have not likely been the sort of political backlash and investigation necessary to provide some kind of accountability. In this chapter I argue that we need to look at these not as discrete questions, but as intersecting ones. The metadata program is not simply a legal problem (though it is one); it is not simply a privacy problem (though it is one); and it is not simply a secrecy problem (though it is one). Instead, the importance of the metadata program is the way in which these problems intersect and reinforce one another. Specifically, I will argue that the intersection of the questions undermines the value of rights, and that this is a deeper and more far-reaching moral problem than each of the component questions.
Twin gestation and the burden of adult cardio-renal disease

The rate of twin births has increased by nearly 80% in recent decades largely due to advanced reproductive technologies. Twins are often born preterm and/or growth restricted which are independently associated with impaired renal and vascular development. Many preterm and twin infants are surviving into adulthood, albeit with an increased burden of chronic health conditions. Twinning as a research tool offers the unique opportunity to investigate the impact of genetics versus the environment on clinical outcomes. This educational review will focus on delineating our current understanding of the renal and cardiovascular development and long-term outcomes among twin born individuals. Specifically, existing literature regarding how twins differ in kidney size and function as well as vascular stiffness and hypertension profiles from singletons will be discussed. The unique situation of twin-twin transfusion syndrome which is associated with distinct short- and long-term cardio-renal disease will be highlighted. Ultimately, the ability to stratify risk of future cardio-renal disease at birth for infants born preterm and/or growth restricted, including twins, is important to guide clinical follow up. In addition, this early risk stratification could direct research efforts to better understand the mechanisms driving impaired organogenesis and allow for discovery of therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying disease progression and improving longevity in the most vulnerable infant subgroups.
Social media use, attitudes, and knowledge among social work students: Ethical implications for the social work profession

Abstract The propagation of social media carries potentially rich ethical implications for communication norms, societal well-being, and individual mental health (i.e., human development and behavior). These concerns fall within the professional purview of social work. The purpose of this pilot survey research study is two-fold: (1) to describe and explore variables of interest, and their ethical implications, within the data pertaining to social work students’ use and knowledge of, and attitudes toward, social media; and, (2) to make recommendations for follow-up research studies seeking to more deeply ascertain the intersection of social media, ethical social work practice, and professional development. To achieve this stated purpose, the authors administer a 55-item survey to social work students (N ​= ​57) at a public university in the Southeastern United States with the permission of program directors and Human Subjects approval from the university’s Institutional Review Board. Overall, findings reveal that social work students seemingly hold conflicting attitudes toward social media that are also at times contrary to their self-reported knowledge and use of social media. The authors discuss social media’s ethical implications for the social work profession, taking the position that information about social media should be included in social work curricula.
Windows 8: What Educators Need to Know

In October 2012, Microsoft will release the commercial version of its next operating system, presently called “Windows 8.” This version represents a significant departure from the past. Microsoft wants this operating system to meet user needs regardless of physical platform (e.g., desktop, notebook, tablet, mobile phone). As part of this mission, the company has created a new, touch-oriented user interface that has already appeared on new Windows phones. What will the release of this new operating system, which does not rely on mouse-clicks, mean for educators? How will the Windows 8 interface challenge teachers of information technology? This article will discuss these issues based on what is currently known about this new product. Schools do not need to upgrade, as there is no “killer application” forcing the use of Windows 8. Current Windows 7 software will run fine on most versions of Windows 8. Using a touch-screen display with Windows 8 is helpful, but not required.
Policy-Relevant Science: The Depth and Breadth of Support Networks

Proponents of basic science argue that objective scientific understanding can inform improvement in public policy. We gather data on scientific research cited in official benefit-cost analyses produced by US federal regulatory agencies to justify policy decisions between 2008 and 2012. We construct a science-policy network in which benefit-cost analyses and the studies they cite are the nodes, and citations represent the edges. We assess two features of each scientific publication in the network; how frequently is it used; and how broadly it spans across the network, as measured by betweenness centrality. We ask which author affiliations and funders are associated with the best-cited and farthest spanning publications. Elite universities and major government funders support publications that are most heavily cited, but the farthest spanning articles are written by scientists with non-academic affiliations and sponsored by non-governmental funders. These results suggest that bias towards academically affiliated investigators should be scrutinized by major funding organizations if a major objective is to support science that is used by policymakers.
Experimental Study Of The Erosion-Corrosion Of Copper And Copper-Nickel Alloys Using A Submerged Impinging Jet

An experimental method is described for the electrochemical and visual monitoring of erosion-corrosion of copper and copper-nickel alloys in a synthetic sea water environment. An impinging jet cell was designed to accommodate electrochemical instrumentation and video microscopy equipment. A combination of electrochemical techniques including corrosion potential monitoring and impedance spectroscopy are utilized to investigate the state of the system and the reactivity of the electrode surface. Digital images of the electrode surface are acquired in-situ to provide a visual record of the events occurring on the electrode surface.
Enterovirus nucleic acid detection and analysis on epidemiologic characteristics of hand-foot-month disease in Shenzhen area during 2015-2016

Objective This study was to analysis the epidemiologic characteristics of hand-foot-month (HFMD) in Shenzhen during 2015-2016, to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of HFMD. Methods 7 758 statistical data from Shenzhen children's hospital clinical lab during 2015-2016 was included. We used real time fluorescent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect enterovirus general (EV), enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A group 16 (CoxA16), and analyzed the age, sex and epidemic time of the patients. Results In 2015 and 2016, the positive rate of EV was 67.19%(2679/3987) and 52.61%(1 984/3 771) respectively, with statistically significant difference (χ2=71.84, P<0.05). The radio of male to female children was 1.91∶1(1 757/922) and 1.83∶1 (1 283/701) in 2015 and 2016, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The age of the children was <5 years old, accounting for more than 90% of the total number of patients. April to July and September were the two peaks of HFMD. The enterovirus of hand foot and mouth disease in Shenzhen was dominated by other enteroviruses (more than 82% of the total number of patients). With the increase of age, the proportion of EV71 in children with severe hand and foot was increasing, and the proportion of other enteroviruses was decreasing. Conclusions Vaccination is one of the important measures of HFMD control. It's beneficial for the diagnosis and treatment of HFMD to collected epidemiologic characteristics data about HFMD in Shenzhen. Key words: Hand, foot and mouth disease/VI; Enterovirus/GE; Epidemiologic studies
Cognitive Architecture for Video Games

There has been an increasing interest in Frame-oriented reinforcement learning (FORL) in recent year. However, most of the works in the literature show little inspiration from human’s perception action reward cycle (PARC) and causation.Inspired by human’s vision system and learning strategy, we propose a novel architecture for FORL that understands the content of raw frames. The architecture achieves four objectives:1.Extracting information from the environment by exploiting only unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning.2.Understanding the content of a raw frame.3.Exploiting a Folvea vision strategy which is analogous to human’s vision system.4.Establishing self-awareness and collecting new training data subset automatically to learn new objects without forgetting previous ones..The architecture is developed in the Super Mario Brothers video game.. At first, Mario is the only object recognized by the architecture. After automatic data subset collection and memory update, the architecture can recognize both Goomba and Mario and classify them using incremental training.We exemplify performance of each piece of the architecture with snippets obtained from the video game.
Retbindin: A riboflavin Binding Protein, Is Critical for Photoreceptor Homeostasis and Survival in Models of Retinal Degeneration.

The large number of inherited retinal disease genes (IRD), including the photopigment rhodopsin and the photoreceptor outer segment (OS) structural component peripherin 2 (PRPH2), has prompted interest in identifying common cellular mechanisms involved in degeneration. Although metabolic dysregulation has been shown to play an important role in the progression of the disease etiology, identifying a common regulator that can preserve the metabolic ecosystem is needed for future development of neuroprotective treatments. Here, we investigated whether retbindin (RTBDN), a rod-specific protein with riboflavin binding capability, and a regulator of riboflavin-derived cofactors flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), is protective to the retina in different IRD models; one carrying the P23H mutation in rhodopsin (which causes retinitis pigmentosa) and one carrying the Y141C mutation in Prph2 (which causes a blended cone-rod dystrophy). RTBDN levels are significantly upregulated in both the rhodopsin (Rho)P23H/+ and Prph2Y141C/+ retinas. Rod and cone structural and functional degeneration worsened in models lacking RTBDN. In addition, removing Rtbdn worsened other phenotypes, such as fundus flecking. Retinal flavin levels were reduced in RhoP23H/+/Rtbdn-/- and Prph2Y141C/+/Rtbdn-/- retinas. Overall, these findings suggest that RTBDN may play a protective role during retinal degenerations that occur at varying rates and due to varying disease mechanisms.
Mental Health Service Utilization Among Young Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in HIV Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Young Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YB-GBMSM) face multiple psychosocial stressors, and are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Mental health care engagement is a promis...
Understanding Bias in Surgery: Perceived Cultural Similarity Between Surgeons and Patient Families:

ObjectiveWe describe surgeon and parent perceptions of similarity toward each other and evaluate differences in the perceptions of similarity by race.Study DesignObservational cohort analysis.Setti...
Using Aortic Arch Short Axis Views during Transesophageal Echocardiographic Examination Facilitates Right Ventricular Assist Device Imaging

Introduction Recent increased utilization of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support for the management of cardiogenic shock and end-stage heart failure has resulted in the development and more widespread use of percutaneous right ventricular assist device (RVAD) technologies in right ventricular failure. RVADs require appropriate imaging to confirm correct positioning and ensure function. The proper imaging for this new technology has not been well described. We present two cases in which the upper esophageal (UE) aortic arch (AA) short-axis (SAX) view with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) played an important role in RVAD management. Case Report Case 1. Device malposition: Four days after initial placement of a ProtekDuo cannula (CardiacAssist, Pittsburg, PA, USA) with extracorporeal RVAD under fluoroscopy, cannula malposition was noted intraoperatively. Under TEE UE AA SAX visualization, the cannula was advanced such that the tip remained in the main pulmonary artery throughout the cardiac cycle, ensuring proper flow (Figure 1A-C). Case 2. Device malfunction: One month after extracorporeal RVAD implantation, acute RVAD flow reduction and significant hemolysis were observed. The UE AA SAX view demonstrated thrombus formation on the tip of the RVAD outflow cannula (Figure 1D). The RVAD outflow cannula was exchanged surgically, and upon examination of the old cannula, the thrombus was noted to cause significant cannula exit obstruction. Summary These cases support the importance of the UE AA SAX TEE view in RVAD outflow imaging. When obtainable, this view should be included in routine RVAD assessment.
Osteosarcoma with Telangiectatic Features Metastatic to the Small Bowel

Abstract Herein, we present the case of a 35-year-old man with a previous history of osteosarcoma of his left tibia followed by multiple episodes of bilateral pulmonary metastases. After being clinically free of disease for seven years, the patient developed a 23 cm mass involving his small bowel wall. To our knowledge, this is the largest reported case of metastatic osteosarcoma involving the small intestine. The metastasis was that of a conventional high-grade osteosarcoma with telangiectatic features. The unusual presentation of this metastasis could be secondary to increased long-term survival of patients with osteosarcoma following more advanced modern therapy.
Disruption, Transformation, Rebirth: Steel Production Ends in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem Steel quit making steel in 1995 in its Pennsylvania hometown. By 1998, it had shut down its coke furnaces and sold its last two steel-related businesses at the 1,800-acre Lehigh Valley complex. Seven hundred executives were left to dismantle and dispose of the silent mills and cold furnaces, while former employees and city businesses coped with the reality of unemployment and bankruptcy. Curtis H. (Hank) Barnette, chairman and CEO, knows that it would be easy to just walk away from the company he'd shepherded, but also that walking away wouldn't be in keeping with Bethlehem Steel's four-point mission: to increase shareholder value, serve customers, establish partnerships among employees, and be a good citizen. Barnette has assets to work with: the land, historical artifacts, town, buildings, goodwill he'd spent a large part of his life creating, and the people. This case chronicles the story of Barnette and his team as they work to lay Bethlehem Steel to rest and to leave the land it had occupied better off. Excerpt UVA-BC-0226 Rev. Oct. 2, 2019 Disruption, Transformation, Rebirth: Steel Production Ends in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is the one state that built the other forty-nine. —Governor Tom Ridge, 1997 . . .
diaLogic: Interaction-Focused Speaker Diarization

diaLogic is a user-friendly Python program which performs social interaction classification through speaker diarization. The main libraries used include Python’s PyQt5 and Keras APIs, Matplotlib, and the computational R language. Speaker diarization is achieved with high consistency due to a simple four-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on the Librispeech ASR corpus. Speaker interactions are modeled through a custom R language script. The data generated by the program allows the characterization of speaker traits within social experiments. Group leaders, followers, and level of speaker contribution can be characterized. These traits can be used to determine overall group performance, as well as the performance of individuals. The interface is designed to be simplistic and intuitive, which allows easy operation by nonengineers. This design consideration allows program operation with minimal training for users in the social sciences disciplines. The program is designed with a modular backend, which is invisible to the user of the program. The backend allows easy expansion through modular algorithms. For future iterations of the program, speaker interaction data collection will be fully automated through machine learning and/or logical constructs. The integration of voice-based emotion recognition will be the next phase for this program. Overall, the diaLogic program is the central workspace for social interaction characterization.
Who's Grocery Shopping Online and Why: Cross-Sectional Analysis of a Nationally-Representative Sample Since the Pandemic

Objectives COVID-19 has created a new normal, affecting food purchasing behaviors, moving a portion of them online. It is unknown how these behavioral shifts may differ by sociodemographic characteristics and whether shifts may widen or diminish existing diet-related disparities. To fill these gaps, we use nationally-representative Consumer Panel survey data to examine shifts in online grocery shopping by sociodemographic characteristics.
Universal Model for Predicting the Thermal Boundary Conductance of a Multilayered-Metal–Dielectric Interface

Overheating in electronic devices is difficult to mitigate, because thermal transport across the internal interfaces is poorly understood. This study uses atomistic simulations and analytical theory to create a model that predicts how the thermal boundary conductance of a metal cap--metal contact--dielectric junction varies with contact thickness. The model contains no fitting parameters and is validated against more than 100 experimental measurements, revealing the important role played by electron-phonon coupling. Physically motivated approximations reduce the model to a simple thermal circuit that retains high predictive power, for streamlining the design of thermally efficient contacts.
Utilization of Conventional Treatments and Agricultural Wastes as Low-Cost Adsorbents for Removal of Lead Ions from Wastewater

This study reviewed the most common methods for removing lead ions from industrial wastewater and municipal wastewater. Most of the research done was reviewed using traditional methods such as chemical precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, oxidation, evaporation, electric-dialysis, membrane filtration, and solvent extraction. These operations were related to several restrictions, that comprised the treatments to be limited to a definite concentration of the Lead (II) ions. Similarly, disadvantages complicated the production of huge quantities of dangerous waste although very high costs. This means these operations were very costly. For these reasons, to utilize the agricultural waste and low-cost adsorbents operation can be considered as eco-friendly. Currently, agricultural waste and natural materials are present in a huge quantity, and that is very damaging to the environment. Therefore, adsorption is an alternate operation for eliminating Lead (II) ions. According to the increased quality of adsorption operations, like the properties of improved adsorptive, increase availability, and cost-effectiveness, the operation is economical option for eliminating Lead(II) ions.
Liver Transplantation With Grafts From Super Obese Donors.

There are limited data on liver transplant (LT) outcomes with grafts from super obese donors. The present study aims to evaluate a unique cohort of recipients following LT using grafts from donors with body mass index (BMI) ≥50. Methods Patients receiving grafts from donors with BMI ≥50 and BMI <50 from 2010 to 2019 were identified. A 1:2 case-control match was conducted to compare outcomes between the groups. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier curves. Results Six hundred sixty-five adult LTs were performed in the study period. Eighteen patients receiving a graft from a donor with BMI ≥50 were identified and matched to 36 patients receiving a graft from a donor with BMI <50. Grafts from male donors were significantly lower in the donor BMI ≥50 group when compared with the donor BMI <50 group (16.7% versus 66.7%, P = 0.001). Liver biopsy was performed in 77.8% of grafts in the donor BMI ≥50 group, whereas only in 38.8% of the grafts in the donor BMI <50 group (P = 0.007). Recipients in the donor BMI ≥50 group had a significantly higher diagnosis rate of hepatocellular carcinoma pretransplant versus the donor BMI <50 group (38.9% versus 8.3%, respectively; P = 0.006). Major complications within 30 d did not differ statistically between groups. Biliary complications within the first 30 d were equal among groups (16.7%). Subanalysis comparing the super obese donor group versus the nonobese donor group showed no differences in terms of postoperative complications, readmission rate, graft rejection, or major complications including the need for reoperation, retransplantation, or mortality. Graft and patient survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-y graft were similar between the donor BMI ≥50 group versus donor BMI <50 group (94%/89%/89% versus 88%/88%/88%, P = 0.89, and 94%/94%/94% versus 88%/88%/88%, P = 0.48, respectively). Conclusions LT with carefully selected grafts from super obese donors can be safely performed with outcomes comparable with non-super obese donor livers. Therefore, these types of grafts could represent a safe means to expand the donor pool.
The physiology of chromatophores.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the chromatophores of vertebrates and invertebrates. The chapter also discusses the crustaceans, the class most intensively investigated in past several years. Physiological color changes involve alterations on appropriate stimulation in the degree of dispersion of pigment granules in chromatophores, and may be evoked by a number of factors; the most important are light and temperature. Responses of chromatophores to light may be divided into two categories, primary and secondary. Primary color changes typically occur through routes other than the eyes, while secondary responses depend on the nature of the background and not on the quantity of light impinging on the eye. The chapter describes the three common functions of color changes: protective coloration, thermoregulation, and displays associated with mating. Color changes of fishes are investigated more intensively than those of amphibians or reptiles, the other vertebrates with functional chromatophores. The chromatophorotropic substances of vertebrates and invertebrates ultimately may be shown to be closely related molecules.
Distribution and logistics development in China: The revolution has begun

Prior to the economic reform movement, China’s centrally planned, three‐tier system dominated the distribution sector. After the 1980s, this system gradually shifted away from the socialist mode to the free market mode. Today, China’s distribution system lies somewhere between these two modes. Since the reform, China’s government has been encouraging export‐oriented foreign firms’ investments in free trade zones along the coast. Foreign firms do not enjoy the same inland distribution and logistics rights as their Chinese counterparts. However, the distribution puzzle is not only faced by foreign firms, but also by Chinese firms that operate nationwide. China’s undeveloped infrastructure, government regulations, and regional protectionism fragment distribution channels throughout China. However, there are three main forces that are changing and modernizing China’s distribution and logistics system. These are the booming economy, entering the WTO and e‐commerce. The inevitable revolution of China’s distribution and logistics system is on the way.
Narrative Dialogue and Teacher Leadership for Social Justice: Re-Storying to Understand

In this chapter, we use narrative dialogue both to demonstrate a method of inquiry and to advocate for a narrative approach to develop teacher leaders for social justice. We engaged in an extended dialogue about our narratives for the purpose of understanding ourselves as teacher leaders for social justice. As three doctoral students and an adviser (Marilyn), we had talked about our lives as teachers and doctoral students. We were comfortable talking about teaching and academic ideas, yet we had quite different backgrounds. Lindsayanne was beginning her second year as a doctoral student after having taught 7 years, Hilarie was writing her dissertation in her fourth year of the doctoral program and had previously taught for 6 years, Daniel was a first-year doctoral student from Concepcion, Chile, and had completed a master’s thesis using narrative life histories, and Marilyn was a professor with research interests in collaboration research and teacher education. In spite of these differences, we enthusiastically embraced this project of writing about teacher leadership.
Osteology and skeletal development of Pyxicephalus adspersus (Anura: Ranidae: Raninae).

Despite the abundance and diversity of neobatrachians, relatively few descriptions exist of their ontogenesis and skeletal development. Herein, the adult and larval skeleton and the ontogenesis of the skeleton of the African frog, Pyxicephalus adspersus (Ranidae: Raninae), are described on the basis of cleared and double-stained, dry, and alcohol-preserved specimens. In P. adspersus, the first elements that ossify are the neural arches of the pre- and postsacral vertebrae (Gosner Stage 35), followed by the parasphenoid, frontoparietals, and exoccipitals (beginning at Stage 36). Major modifications of the chondrocranium begin at approximately Stage 40. The skull of the adult P. adspersus is exostosed and hyperossified, with many of the dermal bones of the cranium fused and highly ornamented. The osteology of the adult P. adspersus is compared to the skeletal morphologies of Conraua alleni (Raninae), which represents an African ranine for which osteological descriptions exist, and Ceratophrys cornuta (Leptodactylidae), which represents a hyperossified anuran with convergent morphology and behavior. The larval morphology and development of P. adspersus is compared to those of Rana pipiens and R. temporaria, which have been described in relative detail. The sequence of ossification of elements is compared with those of R. pipiens and R. temporaria. This study includes a discussion of the morphology of the elements forming the orbit, as well as a survey of the distribution of several characters related to dentary tusks of other Asian and African ranids. J. Morphol. 240:49-75, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Scanning transmission electron microscopy of nuclear structures.

Publisher Summary The unique power of the scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) technique is its ability to examine isolated unstained structures in projection by mapping boundaries, internal mass distribution, and site-specific cluster labels, and measuring total mass. The digital STEM image can be compared directly to a computed projection of a model structure assembled from known or postulated components. If any feature of the proposed model is incorrect, the STEM image will provide direct statistical evidence as to the extent and significance of the discrepancy. STEM mass measurement, mass mapping, and heavy atom cluster labeling are widely known and accepted in the biophysics and biochemistry communities. The feasibility of the STEM portion of any proposed study provides the basic parameters of a possible model. It is similarly easy to assess how close the sample preparation is to the point of useful data collection with a simple pilot study. Therefore, the current approach is to try as many pilot studies of potentially feasible projects as possible and proceed as quickly as possible with those having the fewest practical problems.
Adaptive feedforward control of processes with parameters uncertainty

This paper investigates the design of robust controllers for such applications that could be modeled by low order dynamics with uncertainties. Lots of control applications fall into this category such as industrial processes (e.g. level, flow, pressure, etc.) and some automotive applications (e.g. active suspension). The design technique is based on using a combination of state feedback and Lyapunov-based techniques. The proposed controller has the advantage of being applicable to both linear and nonlinear models. The key issue in the design is arriving at the best parameter update law that guarantees both stability and satisfactory transient performance. Trade offs between stability and performances are carefully studied. A simulated level process and one degree of freedom robot arm are used to exemplify the suggested technique. Finally a conclusion is submitted with comments regarding real-time compatibility of the proposed controller.
Healthy Systems: Literature, Nature, and Integrity

Our interactions with everyday objects inform our understanding of the world; yet today much of what we use is tossed immediately. Items made in haste, used in haste, and made into waste belie the values that, for centuries, humans have taken for granted. What do our consumption practices teach our students today? I suggest that apathy, loss of agency, lack of integrity and disconnection is often a result of our incomplete understanding of what lasts and where things go when we’re finished with them. Fortunately, the literature classroom, which can introduce students to texts such as “God’s Grandeur,” Grapes of Wrath , and Frankenstein , among others, offers educators an opportunity to challenge our throwaway society and reverence what lasts.
A INTERDISCIPLINARIDADE POR MEIO DA PEDAGOGIA DE PROJETOS: UMA ANÁLISE DO PROJETO “HORTA ESCOLAR: APRENDA CULTIVANDO HORTALIÇAS” NUMA PERSPECTIVA CTSA

Considerando as possibilidades e os beneficios da implantacao de uma horta no contexto escolar, objetivou-se estudar os aspectos pedagogicos do projeto desenvolvido em Escola Publica do Estado do Espirito Santo, tendo como principais eixos norteadores a interdisciplinaridade e o movimento CTSA. A implantacao do projeto foi realizada de modo que os estudantes acompanhassem todas as etapas de construcao e manutencao de uma horta na escola. Os conteudos dos componentes curriculares de Matematica, Quimica, Biologia e Geografia foram desenvolvidos ao longo da implantacao da horta, obedecendo ao cronograma de atividades e seu contexto com o ensino em sala de aula. Verificamos que a pedagogia de projetos a partir da implantacao de horta escolar fez a inter-relacao entre varias componentes curriculares, nao somente para as questoes de ensino-aprendizagem convencional, mas para um modelo de formacao da consciencia cidada, onde o estudante percebe-se como parte integrante do ambiente em que se vive.
Regularized Prediction Problems

This chapter contains sections titled: Regularized Backward Prediction Regularized Forward Prediction Low-Rank Factorization
KNOCK (DETONATION) CONTROL BY ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER SHAPE

A reduction of engine knock intensity is demonstrated by incorporation of a stepped piston top to provide an abrupt increase in flame front area in an ASTM-CFR octane rating engine. The conclusions are based on several different types of knock measurements. Three different piston designs were tested. Decreases in the knock intensity, the magnitude of the pressure oscillations following knock, of up to 40% were realized. The statistical nature of knock is shown to be somewhat different from a normal distribution. The data have more scatter, particularly toward the high side of the mean value.
The Rights of Refugees under International Law: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Preamble Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Tension Pneumothorax: Etiology, Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Management

The normally air-free pleural cavity exists at subatmospheric pressure to promote pleural apposition and proper lung excursion. Owing to its unique bilayer structure, air introduced into this space either from within the thoracic cavity or from an extrathoracic source causes pleural separation and simple pneumothorax (PTX). Most simple pneumothoracies of a small or static volume in healthy patients do not appreciably impair cardiopulmonary function despite variable collapse of the lung. If increasing pressure develops within this pleural air collection, however, a cascade of pathophysiological changes can result from altered anatomical positions of heart, lung, and great vessels. The development of increasing pressure within the pleural space, with resultant ipsilateral lung collapse and hemithoracic expansion into the mediastinum and the contralateral lung, is termed tension pneumothorax (TPTX). The exact incidence of TPTX is unknown, but it is reported in up to 2 to 3% of all pneumothoracies. Certain me...
The impact of some parameters on linkage analysis of Alzheimer's disease.

The two-point lod score linkage analysis of familial Alzheimer's disease is sensitive to the parameters of age-dependent penetrance rate, phenocopy rate, heterogeneity, and marker gene frequency. If unsuitable parameters are used, it may lead to false negative evidence against linkage. However, it is clear that, in some cases, it may lead to false positive evidence of linkage
4 Mobility, Territorial Commitments, and Political Organization among Late Bronze Age Polities in Southern Caucasia

In this case study of territoriality in Armenia's Late Bronze Age Tsaghkahovit Plain we examine land claims and political relations among fortified communities with highly varied subsistence and economic practices, including mobile pastoralism. Integral to political relations between fortress-based institutions and mobile subjects was the need to create highly legible places for political subjection, authorization, and action. However, the same social, political, economic, and religious institutions that help elucidate the spatial dimensions of politics in the LBA—shrines, workshops, storage spaces, cemeteries—also demonstrate that political claims and commitments to land did not likely resemble the neat borders of absolutist cartographies essential to modern nation-states. We detail potential models of territorial organization that incorporate the strategies of rule and socioeconomic dynamics derived from a decade of archaeological survey and excavation on the plain by Project ArAGATS. [mobility, complex polities, land, landscape, political economy]
Effects of Self-Efficacy, Emotional Intelligence, and Perceptions of Future Work Environment on Preservice Teacher Commitment

This study was designed to examine the effects of self-efficacy, expectations of future work environment, and emotional intelligence on preservice teacher commitment to the teaching profession on a sample of 209 preservice teachers. The purpose of the study was to add to the existing knowledge surrounding preservice teacher commitment and promote new ways to approach teacher education. Using correlation and regression analyses, we found that preservice teacher self-efficacy expectations surrounding classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement were positively correlated with commitment. Preservice teacher expectations of future work environment influenced their satisfaction with the profession, which was also positively correlated with their commitment to enter the profession. Preservice teachers with greater emotional awareness and pro-motivational thinking also demonstrated higher levels of commitment.
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND SURPLUS LABOUR IN EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE, 1952–1972

This paper has two main purposes. First to determine if technical innovation has occurred in Egyptian agriculture and whether or not it has been labour-using in nature. Secondly, to determine whether or not the marginal product of labour in Egyptian agriculture has been negative (surplus labour). The time period covered by the study is 1952 to 1972. The above objectives were met by estimating a weak disposability of inputs (WDI) production function. The characteristics of the weak disposability of inputs function were discussed in great detail, since much of the profession is unfamiliar with this functional form. The function was then estimated and the results seemed to indicate that this functional form was appropriate for Egyptian agriculture. The results of the estimation process indicated that labour-using technical innovation had indeed occurred, although at a very slow rate. In addition, for most of the time period covered the marginal product of labour was indeed negative.
Use of importance measures in risk-informed regulatory applications

Abstract The use of importance measures to analyze PRA results is discussed. Commonly used importance measures are defined. Some issues that have been identified as potentially limiting their usefulness are addressed, namely: there is no simple relationship between importance measures evaluated at the single component level and those evaluated at the level of a group of components, and, as a result, some of the commonly used importance measures are not realistic measures of the sensitivity of the overall risk to parameter value changes; and, importance measures do not typically take into account parameter uncertainties which raises the question of the robustness of conclusions drawn from importance analyses. The issues are explored in the context of both ranking and categorization of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) with respect to risk-significance and safety-significance for use in risk-informed regulatory analyses.
Multiple-focus ultrasound phased-array pattern synthesis: optimal driving-signal distributions for hyperthermia

A method for computing array element amplitude and phase distributions for direct synthesis of multiple-focus field patterns using ultrasonic phased arrays is shown to be capable of producing desired field levels at a set of control points in the treatment volume. The complex pressure at any of these control points can be chosen to produce the desired power deposition at the point, including reducing the field level to avoid potential hot spots, thus providing a powerful tool for hyperthermia treatment planning. The method also allows the complex excitation vector to be weighted to reduce the dynamic range of the driving signals without disturbing the relative field levels at the control points, allowing near maximum power transfer from the array into the treatment volume. >
Extreme correction of hyponatremia in a patient treated with intravenous conivaptan

Intravenous administration of conivaptan, an arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective therapy for euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia. In this case report, we report an extremely rapid correction of serum sodium with a typical dosing regimen of conivaptan. The patient was a 24 year woman who presented with nausea and vomiting, and was found on imaging to have two intracranial tumors, one of which was a large pituitary macroadenoma. Her serum sodium declined to 121 mmol/L and intravenous conivaptan therapy was started. After approximately 25 mg of conivaptan, her sodium increased 16 mmol/L over 8.5 hours. Fortunately, in this case, this correction was well tolerated, and the patient experienced no adverse effects of such a dramatic correction of serum sodium. Despite the good clinical result in this case, it should serve as a warning regarding the use of conivaptan, that although a gradual steady improvement in serum sodium can be expected in the majority of patients, more extreme corrections can be inadvertently achieved with even moderate doses. Thus, the exact clinical situation should be taken into consideration, especially in cases of subacute to chronic hyponatremia, where such an extreme correction could lead to neurologic devastation.
Fully digital hysteretic modulator for DC-DC switching converters

This paper presents an alternative modulation approach for digitally controlled DC-DC switching converters, which exploits the natural jittering activity of a digital hysteretic feedback loop in order to provide an effective increase in resolution. The proposed structure replaces conventional high-resolution digital pulse-width modulators (DPWM) or sigma-delta based (ΣΔ-DPWM) solutions with a single, fully-digital block featuring reduced complexity, high resolution, and improved noise performance and small-signal dynamic characteristics, enabling the design of accurate, high-bandwidth digital feedback loops with minimum hardware resources. A stochastic modeling approach is developed for the proposed structure, which allows the derivation of a simple and effective switching frequency control criterion. Analysis, simulation and experimental tests are shown to validate the properties of the proposed digital hysteretic modulator.
Consistency among alternative performance measures in an applied judgement setting

Abstract The extent to which different performance measures can lead to different conclusions about human performance is investigated in a task involving the prediction of experts' ratings of the quality of corporate bonds. Results produced by the traditional correlational performance measure - with respect to both the relative performance of ‘man’ versus model and the effects of feedback on performance - are compared with results produced by five alternative measures including mean absolute error, mean squared error, and various types of ‘hit rates’. The correlational measure produces results that are moderately consistent with those produced by the other five measures in this applied prediction setting. Potential implications of using alternative performance measures in applied settings, especially the need to identify appropriate loss functions, are emphasized.
The Importance of Social Connectedness in Building Age-Friendly Communities

The purpose of this paper is to further elucidate the importance of social relationships and social connectedness with aging in place and in developing elder-friendly communities. The process used in this study was inclusive of younger adults (age 40-65) as well as older adults (65+) in order to further understand how they envision a community that could support their own aging in place. A community forum, using the World Cafe format, was conducted in order to engage community members, 40 years and older, in conversation about the importance of social connectedness in elder-friendly communities. A second purpose of this forum was to obtain data on what would keep aging boomers in their community as they age. Three major themes emerged from qualitative analysis of the forum: social reciprocity, meaningful interactions, and structural needs/barriers. The results of this study reinforce the importance of social connectedness in creating and maintaining elder-friendly communities for older adults, as well as soon-to-be retired individuals, wishing to maintain life connectedness to their community. The study suggests the possibility of using more nontraditional research techniques (such as the World Cafe process) for gathering community level data.