cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobile Data Roaming and Incentives for Investment in Rural Broadband Infrastructure

Mobile broadband Internet access is highly important to the American economy. The benefits of mobile broadband depend on investment in deploying and upgrading network infrastructure by broadband providers. Thus investment in mobile wireless infrastructure plays a vitally important role in sustaining the growth of the industry and the economy. There is a high opportunity cost from the forgone benefits when investment is discouraged. Each dollar not spent on investment destroys more than a dollar’s worth of economic output and GDP, as well as lowering earnings and employment, due to the interconnected nature of the economy. Preserving incentives and lowering barriers to invest thus are paramount. Roaming arrangements among service providers allow a provider to offer service to its customers when they travel to areas where the provider holds no spectrum licenses. Current federal policy toward mobile data roaming, however, has the potential to discourage investment in infrastructure, and indeed appears to have done so. Today’s rules grant ever more bargaining power and lower rates to the party requesting roaming from the carrier that actually deployed the infrastructure, constituting a form of access regulation that deters investment by allowing free-riding on others' networks. The analysis performed here indicates that the poor incentives created by liberal data roaming policy may have cost the economy an estimated $20 billion in output, $11 billion in GDP, $6 billion in earnings for workers, and 134,000 jobs. Under some alternative assumptions, these opportunity costs are even larger.
Building Theory From Media Ideology: Coding for Power in Journalistic Discourse:

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is an increasingly important approach for critical-qualitative communication scholarship. This essay has three purposes: (1) to explain the history and application...
Mouse Models of Thyroid Neoplasia: Insights into Thyroid Pathophysiology

Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy, and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for over 90% of all thyroid malignancies. The incidence of thyroid cancer, mainly PTC, has been rising rapidly in recent decades worldwide. One major challenge of basic and medical research is to create in vitro and in vivo models to recapitulate in a controlled and investigable manner different aspects of tumor and cancer disease, such as in situ growth, local invasion, and distant colonization (metastasis). From this perspective, simplicity of the model is a major advantage. However, the finis ultimus of biomedical research is to define effective pharmacological treatments for diseases. In this other outlook, conservation from model to human and model complexity are desired.
Training Physicians in Elective Abortion Technique in the United States

The typical path for the dissemination of a new surgical technique is that an innovator (often an academic with time and funds for clinical research) develops a new technique, describes it at medical meetings and in the professional literature, and then teaches it to colleagues and surgeons-in-training. These students of the surgical innovator then teach it to their own students and the technique becomes incorporated into standard medical practice. Safe and effective techniques thus become generally recognized and accepted and are taught to successive generations of surgical trainees.
Terror in the Classroom: Teaching Terrorism Without Terrorizing

Despite its popularity among students, terrorism is a sensitive and emotive topic that is difficult to learn, and challenging to teach. Given the lack of a simple definition, terrorism is hard to e...
Effect of filler metals on solidification cracking susceptibility of Al alloys 2024 and 6061

Abstract The effectiveness of filler metals in reducing solidification cracking in welds of 2024 Al and 6061 Al was examined, these two Al alloys being highly susceptible to solidification cracking. The effectiveness was evaluated by the transverse motion weldability (TMW) test. 2024 Al was welded with filler metals 2319 Al, 4043 Al and 4145 Al. 4043 Al and 4145 Al both reduced cracking effectively, but 4145 Al was significantly better. 6061 Al was welded with filler metals 4043 Al and 4943 Al (a new alloy designed to increase the weld strength of the 6000-series alloys), and the effectiveness was similar. Micrographs and curves of temperature T vs. fraction solid fS of the weld metals were used to help explain the test results.
MyShake: Using Human-Centered Design Methods to Promote Engagement in a Smartphone-Based Global Seismic Network

MyShake is a global seismic network that uses private citizens’ smartphones to detect earthquakes and record both ground shaking and users’ experiences. The goal is to reduce earthquake risk and provide users with a resource for earthquake science and information. It is powered by the participation of users, therefore, its success as a global network and its utility for the users themselves is reliant on their engagement and continued involvement. This paper discusses the citizen scientist participation that enables MyShake, with specific attention to the human-centered design process that was used to overhaul the mobile application’s user interface. After the successful initial launch of the application in February of 2016, we had the opportunity to revisit the user interface based on user feedback and needs. The process began with an assessment of the demographics and distribution of the original user base through surveys and Google Play Store analytics. Subsequently, through systematic examination of the motivations and needs of community members in the San Francisco Bay Area and iterative evaluations of design decisions, MyShake was redesigned to appeal as a resource to a wider range of users in earthquake-prone regions. The efficacy of the new user interface was evaluated through interviews, surveys, and meetups with potential users. We highlight the human-centered methodology we employed, as well as the roadblocks we faced, in the hopes that our experience will be valuable to other citizen science projects in the future.
Measuring Discomfort in Health Research Relative to Everyday Events and Routine Care: An Application to Sexual and Gender Minority Youth.

Abstract Purpose Understanding how sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth's comfort with research procedures compares to their comfort with everyday experiences and routine health care can help calibrate decisions about whether a study meets minimal risk criteria. We sought to quantify SGM adolescents' comfort with sexual health research relative to everyday events and activities often cited as benchmarks of minimal risk. Methods A total of 616 SGM adolescents in the United States (mean age = 15.7 years, 41.7% racial/ethnic minority) completed online survey questions assessing sexual behavior, SGM identity, and a 53-item Measure of Adolescent Comfort with Clinical, Research, and Everyday Events that assessed comfort on a 7-point scale (1 = extremely uncomfortable and 7 = extremely comfortable). Results The Everyday Events for Adolescents domain had the lowest mean comfort score (M = 3.49, standard deviation [SD] = .58) and was significantly lower than the Routine Medical and Psychological Tests domain (M = 4.43, SD = .92) and the HIV/Sexual Health Research Procedures domain (M = 4.19, SD = .94). Eleven of 17 items on the HIV/Sexual Health Research Procedures domain were ranked as more comfortable than a neutral rating of “neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.” Higher levels of parental acceptance predicted greater levels of comfort across all four domains of the Measure of Adolescent Comfort with Clinical, Research, and Everyday Events. Participants who were out to their parents expressed greater comfort with both SGM Identity and Sexual Health–related procedures and events as well as HIV/Sexual Health Research Procedures. Conclusions Overall participants expressed equal or more comfort with research procedures than with everyday life experiences. These findings indicate that common sexual health research procedures may meet minimal risk criteria among SGM adolescent populations.
Obesity Leads to Increased IL-18, Treg Impairment and Increased Risk of PGD

Purpose Lung transplantation (Tx) is a life-saving treatment for terminal lung diseases but long-term outcomes are poor, beginning with possible development of primary graft disease (PGD) in the first few days post-Tx. PGD mainly involves hyperactivation of innate immunity, but as CD4+FOXP3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells can curtail various types of inflammation, we wondered whether patients who develop PGD might have dysfunctional Treg cells. Methods We studied pre-Tx blood samples from 78 patients listed for lung Tx (40% COPD, 20% IPF, 10% non-IPF interstitial lung disease, 10% sarcoidosis, 20% others), 50 of whom received a lung Tx, and 18 of whom post-Tx developed grade 3 PGD. Results The patients who went on to become PGD+, had a 1.5-fold pre-Tx decrease in their Treg function (p Conclusion Increases in circulating levels of IL-18 in ob/ow patients pre-Tx may serve as an important sign of of the need to check Treg function, since this combination may lead to increased innate immune activation and become a major risk for PGD, with consequent negative effects on short- and long-term outcomes post-Tx.
On the Origin of Rules (With Apologies to Darwin): A Comment on Antonin Scalia's "The Rule of Law as a Law of Rules"

The dilemma of rules and discretion is ancient and intractable, and it is ubiquitous in the law. Should we govern conduct with rela tively precise rules or with discretionary standards that call for the exercise of judgment? Rules generally make matters more predicta ble; they reduce the danger of arbitrary or discriminatory action; and they are usually easier and less expensive to apply. But rules are inva riably crude. They cover some cases that ideally should not be cov ered, and they fail to cover others that should. For some drivers in some circumstances it is safe to drive faster than fifty-five miles per hour; for others it is not safe to drive that fast. Discretionary standards ("do not exceed a reasonable speed for the conditions") have the op posite vices and virtues. Ideally they permit the right outcome to be reached in every case. But compared to rules, their application is less certain, and they leave the door open to abuses. There is almost always something to be said for both sides?that's why it's a dilemma? although in particular instances it may be possible to figure out that the better solution is a rule, or a discretionary standard, or some com bination of the two. Justice Antonin Scalia's engaging essay The Rule of Law as a Law of Rules1 covers this familiar ground, but it is an important and in fluential Article because it does much more. Justice Scalia's subject, he says, is not the choice between rules and discretion generally but "the dichotomy between general rules and personal discretion within the narrow context of law that is made by the courts."2 As the title reveals, Justice Scalia leans toward the rules side of the dilemma, with a candid acknowledgment of the dangers of doing so. He recognizes that discre tionary standards will never be banished from the law made by courts: "We will have totality of the circumstances tests and balancing modes of analysis with us forever?and for my sins, I will probably write some
Casuística de neoplasias diagnosticadas em bovinos do Oeste de Santa Catarina - um estudo retrospectivo

As neoplasias fazem parte dos diagnosticos estabelecidos em bovinos, a partir de necropsias e fragmentos enviados para analise ao Laboratorio de Patologia Veterinaria do Instituto Federal Catarinense Campus Concordia (LPV – IFC). O presente estudo teve por objetivo identificar a prevalencia de neoplasias em bovinos no periodo dos tres primeiros anos (2013 a 2015) de atuacao do laboratorio na regiao Oeste Catarinense. Realizou-se um levantamento de dados nos arquivos, onde foram identificados 46 diagnosticos de neoplasias, correspondendo a 11,4%, dentre um total de 402 bovinos avaliados. Identificou-se ainda, prevalencia por raca, sexo, idade e localizacao anatomica.As neoplasias mais frequentes foram linfossarcoma (32,6%) e o carcinoma de celulas escamosas (28,1%). Concluiu-se que as neoplasias sao uma importante causa de mortalidade e possivel fator que leva ao descarte de bovinos, pois representaram um expressivo numero dos diagnosticos em bovinos no periodo de tempo avaliado (3 anos). Em virtude do predominio da etiologia viral do linfossarcoma e da intoxicacao cronica pelo Pteridium arachnoideum no carcinoma de celulas escamosas, medidas de prevencao e controle deveriam ser instauradas na regiao para reduzir os prejuizos economicos.Palavras-chave: Bovinos, neoplasias, diagnostico.
VANISH regularization for generalized linear models

Marketers increasingly face modeling situations where the number of independent variables is large and possibly approaching or exceeding the number of observations. In this setting, covariate selection and model estimation present significant challenges to usual methods of inference. These challenges are exacerbated when covariate interactions are of interest. Most extant regularization methods make no distinction between main and interaction terms in estimation. The linear VANISH model is an exception to these methods. The linear VANISH model is a regularization method for models with interaction terms that ensures proper model hierarchy by enforcing the heredity principle. We derive the generalized VANISH model for nonlinear responses, including duration, discrete choice, and count models widely used in marketing applications. In addition, we propose a VANISH model that allows to account for unobserved consumer heterogeneity via a mixture approach. In three empirical applications we demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms main effects models as well as other methods that include interaction terms.
A Review of Middle School Vocabulary Interventions: Five Research-Based Recommendations for Practice

Purpose The purpose of this tutorial is to explain key concepts about vocabulary acquisition and instruction and to translate research from middle school vocabulary interventions into practice reco...
Managing Student Debt

Over 75% of medical students in the USA graduate with debt with an average indebtedness of nearly $200,000. Although debt can appear overwhelming, this chapter will discuss ways to manage student debt including extended and graduated repayment plans in addition to loan forgiveness.
Dewey’s Theory of Experience, Traumatic Memory, and Music Education

Trauma’s ubiquity in society leads to an acknowledgement that damaging experiences likely affect more students than they leave untouched. Dewey acknowledged the importance of the past throughout his theorizing of experience and simultaneously recognized that students need to draw upon past experiences in new learning encounters. In this paper, we argue that Dewey may have opened the door to account for the possibility of traumatic experience affecting learning. We acknowledge the potential of music to prompt a trauma response and seek to explore ways that music education may also provide a mechanism for working through difficult and traumatic pasts.
Total Body PET: Why, How, What for?

PET instruments are now available with a long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) to enable imaging the total-body, or at least head and torso, simultaneously and without bed translation. This has two major benefits, a dramatic increase in system sensitivity and the ability to measure kinetics with wider axial coverage so as to include multiple organs. This article presents a review of the technology leading up to the introduction of these new instruments, and explains the benefits of an LAFOV PET-CT instrument. To date there are two platforms developed for total-body PET (TB-PET), an outcome of the EXPLORER Consortium of the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The uEXPLORER at UC Davis has an AFOV of 194 cm and was developed by United Imaging Healthcare. The PennPET EXPLORER was developed at Penn and is based on the digital detector from Philips Healthcare. This multiring system is scalable and has been tested with 3 rings but is now being expanded to 6 rings for 140 cm. Initial human studies with both EXPLORER systems have demonstrated the successful implementation and benefits of LAFOV scanners for both clinical and research applications. Examples of such studies are described in this article.
Chapter 3 – Clinical Pathology

Publisher Summary Clinical pathology relates to descriptive, functional and time-related changes in parameters assessed when the animal is alive. As a diagnostic tool, clinical pathology is often core to effecting diagnoses. The role of clinical pathology in the evaluation of the toxicologic potential of therapeutic agents, pesticides, and industrial chemicals in laboratory animals also occurs during the live phase of non-clinical evaluation, and relies on hematology, clinical chemistry, and urinalysis. In the experimental situation, the most important and relevant comparators for interpreting results are the findings in matched concurrent control animals. The associations between clinical pathology parameters and correlations of clinical pathology results with other study findings (e.g., clinical signs, microsomal enzyme analyses, anatomic pathology, and toxicokinetics) are essential for accurate interpretation of clinical pathology results. Clinical pathology results integrated with other study findings often provide important information regarding mechanisms of toxicity, dose‑response relationships of target organ effects across different laboratory animal species. It is also important in the findings to humans or animal species potentially exposed to the test article.
Lower foetal haemoglobin levels at 31- and 34-weeks post menstrual age is associated with the development of retinopathy of prematurity : PacIFiHER Report No. 1 PacIFiHER Study Group (Preterm Infants and Fetal Haemoglobin in ROP).

Previous studies have suggested that lower mean foetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels is associated with an increased risk for developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Lower HbF levels may lead to high oxygen exposure to the developing retina thereby increasing the risk of acute ROP. In this study, we characterize the temporal relationship of HbF levels and the development of ROP. This is a single institution prospective observational cohort study. Preterm infants (born <31 weeks gestational age or <1500 g) with HbF measured at birth (cord blood), 31-, 34-, and 37-weeks post menstrual age (PMA); and at least one ROP exam, were enrolled. A total of 60 preterm infants (28 females, 47%) were enrolled. At 31-, 34-, 37-weeks PMA, infants with ROP (mild = Type 2 or less severe and severe = Type 1 ROP) had statistically lower percentages of HbF than infants with no ROP (28.2 ± 15 and 9.7 ± 2.9 vs 67.1 ± 29.6; p < 0.0001; 23.3 ± 14.7 and 32.5 vs 60.1 ± 25; p < 0.005; 31.9 ± 15.8 and 41.6 vs 60.2 ± 20.0; p < 0.0019). Infants with HbF levels in the lowest tercile at 31-weeks PMA were 7.6 times more likely to develop mild and severe ROP (95% CI 2.1–24.0, p value = 0.0006) and this risk increased to 12.3 times (95% CI: 2.6-59.0, p value = 0.0017) at 34-weeks PMA. Low HbF levels at 31- and 34-weeks PMA are associated with significantly increased risk of developing ROP. The decrease in HbF precedes the development of ROP and may be important in its pathogenesis.
Early pregnancy dyslipidemia is associated with placental DNA methylation at loci relevant for cardiometabolic diseases.

Aim: To identify placental DNA methylation changes that are associated with early pregnancy maternal dyslipidemia. Materials & methods: We analyzed placental genome-wide DNA methylation (n = 262). Genes annotating differentially methylated CpGs were evaluated for gene expression in placenta (n = 64). Results: We found 11 novel significant differentially methylated CpGs associated with high total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. High triglycerides were associated with decreased methylation of cg02785814 (ALX4) and decreased expression of ALX4 in placenta. Genes annotating the differentially methylated CpGs play key roles in lipid metabolism and were enriched in dyslipidemia pathways. Functional annotation found cis-methylation quantitative trait loci for genetic loci in ALX4 and EXT2. Conclusion: Our findings lend novel insights into potential placental epigenetic mechanisms linked with maternal dyslipidemia. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00912132.
Defects4J as a Challenge Case for the Search-Based Software Engineering Community

Defects4J is a collection of reproducible bugs, extracted from real-world Java software systems, together with a supporting infrastructure for using these bugs. Defects4J has been widely used to evaluate software engineering research, including research on automated test generation, program repair, and fault localization. Defects4J has recently grown substantially, both in number of software systems and number of bugs. This report proposes that Defects4J can serve as a benchmark for Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE) research as well as a catalyst for new innovations. Specifically, it outlines the current Defects4J dataset and infrastructure, and details how it can serve as a challenge case to support SBSE research and to expand Defects4J itself.
Computationally efficient autoregressive method for generating phase screens with frozen flow and turbulence in optical simulations.

We present a sample-based, autoregressive (AR) method for the generation and time evolution of atmospheric phase screens that is computationally efficient and uses a single parameter per Fourier mode to vary the power contained in the frozen flow and stochastic components. We address limitations of Fourier-based methods such as screen periodicity and low spatial frequency power content. Comparisons of adaptive optics (AO) simulator performance when fed AR phase screens and translating phase screens reveal significantly elevated residual closed-loop temporal power for small increases in added stochastic content at each time step, thus displaying the importance of properly modeling atmospheric “boiling”. We present preliminary evidence that our model fits to AO telemetry are better reflections of real conditions than the pure frozen flow assumption.
Stakeholder Perspectives on Standardizing the Residency Application and Interview Processes.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine stakeholder perspectives on recommended standards for the obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) residency application and interview processes proposed for the 2019 to 2020 application cycle. The authors aimed to assess the acceptance and perception of key stakeholders on the feasibility of implementing the standards as well as the effect of these changes on applicant anxiety. Design and Setting The authors electronically distributed an anonymous survey in February 2020 to OBGYN residency applicants, clerkship directors, student affairs deans, program directors, and program managers. Participants received a 15-item survey, with questions assessing the importance and adoption of the guidelines, as well as their effect on perceived applicants’ anxiety. Responses were measured on a 5-item Likert scale. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore which residency factors were associated with compliance with the standards. IRB exemption was granted by the University of Michigan. Participants A total of 1358 participants completed the survey for an overall response rate of 39.26%. Response rates were 36.04% for applicants (904/2508), 46.67% for CDs (105/225), 34.84% for members of GSAs (34/155), 59.43% for program directors (167/281), and 51.03% for program managers (148/290). Results The overall response rate was 39.26% (1358/3459) with 36.04% of applicants (904/2508), 46.67% of clerkship directors (105/225), 34.84% of student affairs deans (34/155), 59.43% of program directors (167/281), and 51.03% of program managers (148/290). The recommendations were perceived as important by all stakeholders. More than 90% of program directors reported compliance with some or all of the recommendations and more than 90% of all applicants, clerkship directors and student affairs deans reported that the standards reduced applicant anxiety. All stakeholders rated each guideline to be important to extremely important. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptance of universal standards for the residency application process in the field of OBGYN. The vast majority of stakeholders surveyed supported the initiative and participated in the guidelines. Applicant respondents perceived the guidelines to be important and to decrease anxiety surrounding the application and interview timelines. These findings are important for other specialties when considering similar interventions.
Linking human behaviors and infectious diseases.

Human behaviors determine outbreak trajectories of infectious diseases. This fundamental relationship underlies why broad behavioral interventions (BIs) are effective tools in outbreak management. BIs target an overall reduction in contacts and behaviors that enable pathogen transmission as a nonspecific solution for preventing new infections. Despite that, there is a lot that remains unknown about the interactions between human behavior and infectious diseases. These gaps limit targeted outbreak management and prevention. In PNAS, Vigfusson et al. (1) narrow this gap by exploring multiple ways to assess behavioral changes in infectious hosts using existing data sources. By linking mobile-phone call detail records (CDRs) with health records of clinically confirmed influenza, they measure deviations in routine behaviors during illness compared to pre- and postillness behaviors. There are many well-studied links between human behavior and infectious diseases. The concept of the behavioral immune system posits that susceptible individuals exercise preventative behaviors when faced with the threat of infection (2). Disease avoidance saves the immune system from the costly process of reacting to the invasion of a pathogen. These behaviors include reactions like disgust and avoidance of infectious hosts. Other individual behaviors linked to epidemiological outcomes are correlated with exposure and infection. For example, higher social activity is linked to an increased likelihood of influenza infection during outbreaks (3). At larger scales, synchronized movements among susceptible individuals that increase population density and contacts can drive population-wide disease outbreaks (4, 5). Human behaviors linked to active infections have been more difficult to characterize. Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic individuals can be central to superspreading events because behaviors do not change during a period of infectiousness (6, 7). For symptomatic infections in humans, disease modelers and policy makers often assume that hosts have fewer contacts or move less than healthy hosts (5), but data explicitly … [↵][1]1Email: nita{at}psu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
A National Survey of Robotic Surgery Training Among Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Residents.

Objective:The aim of this study is to describe the current state of robotic surgery training among Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) residency programs in the United States.Methods:This i...
Association of Medicaid Expansion with Cancer Stage and Disparities in Newly Diagnosed Young Adults.

BACKGROUND Young adults (YAs) experience higher uninsurance rates and more advanced stage at cancer diagnosis than older counterparts. We examined the association of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion with insurance coverage and stage at diagnosis among YAs newly diagnosed with cancer. METHODS Using the National Cancer Database, we identified 309,413 YAs aged 18-39 years who received a first cancer diagnosis in 2011-2016. Outcomes included percentages of YAs without health insurance at diagnosis, with stage I (early-stage) diagnoses, and with stage IV (advanced-stage) diagnoses. We conducted difference-in-difference (DD) analyses to examine outcomes, before and after states implemented Medicaid expansion compared with non-expansion states. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS The percentage of uninsured YAs decreased more in expansion than non-expansion states (adjusted DD = -1.0 percentage points [ppt]; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = -1.4 to -0.7 ppt; p<0.001). The overall percentage of stage I diagnoses increased (adjusted DD = 1.4 ppt; 95% CI = 0.6 to 2.2 ppt; p<0.001) in expansion compared with non-expansion states, with greater improvement among YAs in rural areas (adjusted DD = 7.2 ppt; 95% CI = 0.2 to 14.3 ppt; p=0.045) than metropolitan areas (adjusted DD = 1.3 ppt; 95% CI = 0.4 to 2.2 ppt; p=0.004), and among non-Hispanic Black patients (adjusted DD = 2.2 ppt; 95% CI = -0.03 to 4.4 ppt; p=0.05) than non-Hispanic White patients (adjusted DD = 1.4 ppt; 95% CI = 0.4 to 2.3 ppt; p=0.008). Despite the non-statistically significant change in stage IV diagnoses overall, the percentage declined more (adjusted DD = -1.2 ppt; 95% CI = -2.2 to -0.2 ppt; p=0.02) among melanoma patients in expansion relative to non-expansion states. CONCLUSIONS We provide the first evidence on the association of Medicaid expansion with shifts to early-stage cancer at diagnosis and a narrowing of rural-urban and Black-White disparities in YA cancer patients.
Past, present and future of electrochemical capacitors: Technologies, performance and applications

Abstract Over the past decades, many research efforts are focused on electrochemical capacitors (ECs) along with materials utilized in them. The two generalstrategies for improving the specific energy (Wh/kg) or energy density (Wh/L) are to increase the cell voltage of the device and to increase the specific capacitance (F/g) of its electrodes. Herein, we provide an overview of the electrochemical performance of various electrode active materials includingnano-structured carbon materials, metal oxides, and conducting polymers. The focus of the paper is to evaluate from available research results the potential of the advanced electrode materials and ionic liquid electrolytes to improve EC performance in the case of complete cells. This is not a simple task because the research data are given in terms of F/g and A/g based on active weight of the electrode or cell. A method is included in the paper that uses the research data to determine inputs to a calculation of complete cell performance in terms of energy and pulsed power capability based on cell voltage and resistance. Considerable test data for commercially available hybrid ECs are included in the paper to assist in evaluating their present performance and future potential. The history of the development of modern ECs starting in about 1990 is also reviewed. This paper is a companion paper to the paper “Past, Present, and Future of Electrochemical Capacitors: Pseudocapacitance, Aging Mechanisms and Service Life Estimation”, P. Kurzweil, J. Schottenhauer, and C. Schell. That paper treats in detail the science of electrochemical capacitors and this paper reviews the technology and development in recent years.
Monte Carlo Calculation of Transfer Matrix Eigenvalues

Results of various variance reduction schemes are reported for the Monte Carlo calculation of eigenvalues of the transfer matrices of Z(n) models in two dimensions and the Ising model in three dimensions. Numerical evidence is presented for absence of critical slowing down in a weak sense. The method is applied to confirm the conjectured value of the conformai anomaly number c=8/7=l.14286 for the end-point of the critical fan of the Z(5) model from the finite-size behavior of strips up to width 50. For strips up to size 11 exact numerical calculation of eigenvalues is used, this yields an estimate c=1.1432±0.0014.
Expertise and its discontents

William Easterly’s Tyranny of Experts further embellishes his record of subjecting the global aid enterprise to penetrating criticism. This essay endorses the primary thrust of his critique but raises several questions concerning its ramifications: (1) Easterly’s experts are criticized for espousing authoritarian development, but a more charitable interpretation places them on the side of authoritarian development; (2) absence of any reference to the experience of India is puzzling and arguably question-begging; (3) that aid technocrats should afford increased concern to democracy and rights is a central point of the book’s argument, but Easterly does not attend to the wide range of meanings these terms carry in the 21st Century, some of which are antithetical to his own conceptions.
The prognostic significance of glandular involvement in cold knife conization biopsies in carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix: an analysis of 136 cases.

Abstract One hundred thirty-six cases of carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix have been analyzed to determine the possible prognostic significance of endocervical glandular involvement in in situ tumor in the pretreatment conization biopsies. One hundred thirty conization biopsies were performed prior to initiation of any definitive therapy. Forty-five cases, or 34.7 per cent, were found to have involvement of the endocervical glands; 10, or 7.6 per cent, were negative for cancer; and the remainder were positive for cancer in situ without glandular involvement. Thirty-six, or 27.3 per cent of the 132 patients treated, were found to harbor residual tumor in the postoperative specimens. Fourteen, or 38.8 per cent of the cases with residual tumor in the postoperative specimen, were derived from the 45 conization biopsies with endocervical glandular involvement, for an incidence of 31.1 per cent. The remaining 22 cases, or 61.2 per cent, were derived from 75 conization biopsies without involvement of the endocervical glands, for an incidence of 29.3 per cent. Sixty-three patients, or 46.4 per cent of the total series, have been adequately followed since being treated and 73, or 53.6 per cent, have been lost to follow-up over a period of seven years. Twenty-one patients, or 15.4 per cent of the combined groups, have been free of recurrence over five years. Fourteen, or 18.8 per cent of the seventy-five patients without involvement of the endocervical glands in the conization biopsies, have been followed for five years without recurrence of disease, whereas 4, or 8.8 per cent of the 45 with glandular involvement in the conization biopsies, have attained the five-year salvage mark safely. Fifteen, or 15.6 per cent of the 96 patients without residual tumor in the postoperative specimens, were followed for five years without recurrence of disease, while 6, or 16.6 per cent of the 36 with residual disease in the post-operative specimens, were also followed uneventfully for a five-year period. Six patients in the series had extensive glandular involvement in the conization biopsies and no involvement of glands in the preceding quadrant biopsies, thus demonstrating a progression of the disease microscopically. Both cases of invasive cancer of the cervix diagnosed in the postoperative specimens in the series were preceded by extensive endocervical glandular involvement in the cones. There were 3 cases of residual tumor in the postoperative specimen that were preceded by conizations negative for evidence of cancer. There were 4 cases in the series that were diagnosed during pregnancy and treatment was individualized in each case as noted in Table XI. There have been no deaths in the series to date that could be attributed to carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix to the best of our knowledge.
Simulation Using Orchestration

The real world is inherently concurrent and temporal. For simulating physical phenomena of the real world, one prefers frameworks which easily express concurrency and account for the passage of time. We propose Orc, a structured concurrent calculus, as a framework for writing simulations. Orc provides constructs to orchestrate the concurrent invocation of services while managing time-outs, priorities, and failures of services or communication. Orc's treatment of time is of particular interest in simulation. We propose an abstract notion of time and show its utility in coding simulations. We also show how Orc's structure allows us to compute statistics from a simulation.
Increasing student interaction and the development of critical thinking in asynchronous threaded discussions

The context for this case study is an online, undergraduate, 300-level organization behavior course that explores the intersection of individuals and organization systems at three levels of aggregation: individual, team/group, and organization system. The case study begins with a learning activity designed to use an asynchronous threaded discussion format to elicit, organize and meaningfully share prior knowledge. The case study goes on to detail the initial review, redesign, assessment and results of an improvement cycle aimed at addressing the challenges of stimulating meaningful interaction and critical thinking in this online format. The resulting redesigned learning activity used a collective visual metaphor, based on prior experience, to fuel the threaded discussion process. The case study includes pre- and post-redesign examples and specific instructions for those interested in applying this approach.
Purification and characterization of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase III from rabbit reticulocytes and rat pancreas.

Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase III (CaM kinase III) phosphorylates and thereby inactivates eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (EF-2). This enzyme, purified to homogeneity from either rabbit reticulocytes or rat pancreas, had similar properties: it migrated with an apparent M(r) of 140,000 by gel filtration, was comprised of a major polypeptide of M(r) 95,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had a high affinity for CaM (half-maximal activation
Weber's Law

Ernst Heinrich Weber (1795–1878), professor of anatomy (1821–1871) and physiology (1840–1866) at the University of Leipzig, on the basis of experiments with stimuli of pressure, lifted weights, and visual distance (line lengths), along with reported observations of others, concluded that, rather than perceiving simply the difference between stimuli being compared, we perceive the ratio of the difference to the magnitude of the stimuli. A similar finding had already been made by the French physicist and mathematician Pierre Bouguer (1698–1758) for visual brightness. Gustav T. Fechner (1801–1887), formerly a student of Weber's and later also a professor at the University of Leipzig, translated this conclusion into the familiar mathematical form used today. Thus Weber's law is usually given as either ΔI/I = k or ΔI = kI, where ΔI is the change required for a just noticeable difference in stimulation (JND), I is the stimulus magnitude, and k is a constant for the particular sense. The value of k is termed the Weber ratio. The equation ΔI = kI shows more clearly the proportional change in stimulation required for a JND. If, for example, the stimulus magnitude is doubled, the amount of change required for a JND is also doubled. Keywords: Fechner's law; just noticeable differences; sensation
Feedback control of a flexible joint robot

This paper studies the problem of controlling a super-articulated robot manipulator with joint elasticity. A control design constraint involving generalized accelerations is first imposed for controlling the manipulator motion without storing elastic energy. A nonlinear control system formulation is then introduced to describe the constrained manipulator dynamics. Following a controllability and stabilizability analysis, a time-invariant discontinuous feedback law is constructed to control the manipulator to a desired configuration without excitation of its elastic degree of freedom. The effectiveness of the proposed feedback control law is illustrated through a simulation example.
Enzymatic digestion of PVDF-bound proteins: A survey of sixteen non-ionic detergents

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the enzymatic digestion of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)-bound proteins and presents a survey of sixteen non-ionic detergents. Successful enzymatic digestion of PVDF-bound protein requires the presence of non-ionic detergents in the digestion buffer. Direct mass analysis of peptide/detergent mixtures by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) or electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) cannot be obtained because of the presence of detergent related adducts signals and peptide signal suppression. As a result, peptide/detergent mixtures obtained from enzymatic digestion of PVDF-bound proteins cannot be used for quick screening and tentative identification of proteins via peptide mass database analysis search. Analysis of the primary structure of proteins is more powerful with the inclusion of MALDI-TOF MS data. The chapter describes (1) when high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Edman sequence analysis are to be employed; Genapol X-080, Pluronic F-127, and hydrogenated Triton X-100 produce a higher peptide recovery, while obtaining good sequencing initial yields, (2) when incorporating MALDI-TOF MS into the characterization scheme, the two glucopyranoside and two maltopyranoside detergents are good choices because of the strong signal response and absence of detergent clusters, (3) Tween 20 and Tween 80 are not recommended because of the lower sequencing initial yields and the detergent's interference during MALDI-TOF MS analysis.
Electron-atom resonances: The complex-scaled multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator method for the 2 P Be − shape resonance problem

We propose and develop the complex-scaled multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator (CMCSTEP) technique for theoretical determination of resonance parameters with electron-atom and electron-molecule systems including open-shell and highly correlated atoms and molecules. The multiconfigurational spin-tensor electron propagator (MCSTEP) method developed and implemented by Yeager and co-workers in real space gives very accurate and reliable ionization potentials and attachment energies. The CMCSTEP method uses a complex-scaled multiconfigurational self-consistent field (CMCSCF) state as an initial state along with a dilated Hamiltonian where all of the electronic coordinates are scaled by a complex factor. The CMCSCF was developed and applied successfully to resonance problems earlier. We apply the CMCSTEP method to get ${}^{2}P\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{Be}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ shape resonance parameters using $14s11p5d,\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}14s14p2d$, and $14s14p5d$ basis sets with a $2s2p3d$ complete active space. The obtained values of the resonance parameters are compared to previous results. Here CMCSTEP has been developed and used for a resonance problem. It appears to be among the most accurate and reliable techniques. Vertical ionization potentials and attachment energies in real space are typically within $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\text{eV}$ or better of excellent experimental results and full configuration-interaction calculations with a good basis set. We expect the same sort of agreement in complex space.
Peptide-directed assembly of functional supramolecular polymers for biomedical applications: electroactive molecular tongue-twisters (oligoalanine–oligoaniline–oligoalanine) for electrochemically enhanced drug delivery

We report the preparation and characterization of films of electroactive supramolecular polymers based on non-electroactive oligoalanines and electroactive oligoanilines. Fibroblasts adhered to and proliferated on the films, and the delivery of the clinically relevant anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone phosphate could be enhanced upon the application of an electrical stimulus.
Design of a course in artificial intelligence and expert systems

A model is described for the design and implementation of a new senior-level engineering course for the introduction of artificial intelligence and expert systems. The course is intended to provide an introduction to the most important concepts of artificial intelligence within forty contact hours. Students in the course were required to complete a term project which typically involved the design of an elementary expert system using an artificial-intelligence language. Some of the important issues involved in developing such a course include choice of topics, choice of computer languages and facilities, and the definition of term project assignments that can be completed in one term and yet be meaningful. Conclusions drawn after twice offering this course and suggestions for those involved in designing a course of this type are presented. >
Hymenoptera: Pure Venom from Bees, Wasps, and Hornets.

Pure venom can be obtained from bees, wasps, and hornets by electrical stimulation with inexpensive apparatus.
Kinetics of Gas-Phase Chemical Reactions and Growth of a-SiC:H Films from Silane and Acetylene in a Remote Hydrogen Plasma Reactor

Gas-phase chemical reactions of interest for the deposition of amorphous silicon carbide in a remote hydrogen plasma reactor have been quantitatively characterized with electron spin resonance, and the deposition of a-SiC:H from silane and acetylene is demonstrated.
A practical approach to extracting DTD-conforming XML documents from heterogeneous data sources

XML documents are becoming popular for business process integration. To achieve interoperability between applications, XML documents must also conform to various commonly used data type definitions (DTDs). However, most business data are not maintained as XML documents. They are stored in various native formats, such as database tables or LDAP directories. Hence, a middleware is needed to dynamically generate XML documents conforming to predefined DTDs from various data sources. As industrial consortia and large corporations have created various DTDs, it is both challenging and time-consuming to design the necessary middleware to conform to so many different DTDs. This problem is particularly acute for a small- or medium-sized enterprise because it lacks the IT skills to quickly develop such a middleware. In this paper, we present XLE, an XML Lightweight Extractor, as a practical approach to dynamically extracting DTD-conforming XML documents from heterogeneous data sources. XLE is based on a framework called DTD source annotation (DTDSA). It treats a DTD as the control structure of a program. The annotations become the program statements, such as functions and assignments. DTD-conforming XML documents are generated by parsing annotated DTDs. Basically, DTD annotations describe declaratively the mappings between target XML documents and the source data. The XLE engine implements a few basic annotations, providing a practical solution for many small- and medium-sized enterprises. However, XLE is designed to be versatile. It allows sophisticated users to plug in their own implementations to access new types of data or to achieve better performance. Heterogeneous data sources can be simply specified in the annotations. A GUI tool is provided to highlight the places where annotations are needed.