cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of anisotropic multiple scattering on solar radiation in the troposphere and stratosphere.

Accurate determination of photodissociation rates in the troposphere and stratosphere in the 280–800-nm wavelength range requires calculation of the effects of anisotropic multiple scattering, pure absorption, and ground reflection on the solar flux incident at the top of the atmosphere. Past attempts to model these effects have led to approximate, sometimes time-consuming, models whose reliability is unknown. A general algorithm has been developed which includes (1) Rayleigh and Mie scattering by molecules and aerosols, (2) ground reflectivity, and (3) pure absorption by trace constituents such as ozone. Selected comparisons with existing approximate calculations are discussed, and a region of validity in wavelength and optical depth for isotropic scattering is presented.
Exploring the inherent benefits of RFID and automated self-serve checkouts in a B2C environment

Automated identification services such as RFID and self-serve checkouts that require many different technological components in order to successfully operate and be accepted in a B2C (Business-to-Customer) environment. In theory, using self-checkouts as a proxy for RFID applications allows for an investigation of potential consumers' acceptance of self-service technology to be determined when applied to a retail environment. In terms of factor analysis results, three independent constructs were found from the interval Likert-type and binary discrete variables from the questionnaire data. The three major constructs that were generated from the factor loadings, renamed based on the variables that loaded with loadings equal to greater than 0.5, included: positive experience, privacy and demographics, and acceptability of technology. The independent constructs of positive experience (t = 6.296, p = 0.000) and acceptability of technology (t = 2.478, p = 0.016) were the most important factors in predicting the frequency of use of such automated technologies in a retail grocery setting.
Action of various sympathomimetic amines on the isolated stripped vas deferens of the guinea‐pig

Abstract 1. The contractile potencies of some sympathomimetic amines and cholinergic drugs were studied in the isolated, stripped vas deferens of the guinea-pig. 2. α-Methylnoradrenaline, adrenaline and metaraminol produced the same relative maximal responses as noradrenaline, which served as reference drug; on the other hand, octopamine, dopamine and α-methyldopamine were much less active. Short term pretreatment of the animals with reserpine did not affect the maximal relative responses. 3. Tyramine, α-methyl-m-tyramine and hordenine methiodide had little effect on the untreated preparation. In the presence of just threshold concentrations of noradrenaline, the relative maximal responses to tyramine and hordenine methiodide were markedly increased. 4. The relative maximal response to carbachol was the same as that to noradrenaline, while that to DMPP was smaller. In contrast to carbachol, the action of DMPP was potentiated by pretreatment of the preparation with noradrenaline.
Automated Tracking for Aircraft Surveillance Radar Systems

An improved moving target detector (MTD) (a digital signal processor) has been designed, constructed, and tested which successfully rejects all forms of radar clutter while providing reliable detection of all aircraft within the coverage of the radar. The MTD is being tested on both terminal and enroute surveillance radars for the FAA. This processor has been integrated with automatic tracking algorithms to give complete rejection of ground clutter, heavy precipitation, and angels (birds).
Discovery and Customized Validation of Antibody Targets by Protein Arrays and Indirect ELISA

Because of our access to human genome data and ever improving genome sequencing and proteome analysis methods we are much better in terms of our understanding of biological processes. In addition to genomics, proteomics, and other "omics" methods, availability of more sophisticated molecular assaying methods have augmented our knowledge about immune processes towards autogeneic and allogeneic targets. High-density protein arrays are developed to analyze protein-small molecule interactions, enzyme-substrate profiling, protein-protein interaction, and immune monitoring by assessing antibodies in the serum.
Hydraulic Elements for USBR Standard Horseshoe Tunnel

The hydraulic elements for the USBR standard horseshoe tunnel are identified and computed. These elements are described in relation to the varying value of the central flow depth.
DNA break-induced sumoylation is enabled by collaboration between a SUMO ligase and the ssDNA-binding complex RPA

Upon genome damage, large-scale protein sumoylation occurs from yeast to humans to promote DNA repair. Currently, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here we show that, upon DNA break induction, the budding yeast SUMO ligase Siz2 collaborates with the ssDNA-binding complex RPA (replication protein A) to induce the sumoylation of recombination factors and confer damage resistance. Both RPA and nuclease-generated ssDNA promote Siz2-mediated sumoylation. Mechanistically, the conserved Siz2 interaction with RPA enables Siz2 localization to damage sites. These findings provide a molecular basis for recruiting SUMO ligases to the vicinity of their substrates to induce sumoylation upon DNA damage.
Changing roles of personnel in neighborhood health centers.

The neighborhood health center addresses itself to a major consequence of being poor—lack of access to good health care. Based on a study of 40 such centers, this discussion considers the many changes in staffing patterns and health care delivery. Analysis of the individual roles of the health care team and of the team as a unit points out the advantages and pitfalls in this rapidly emerging health care entity.
Prognostic value of residual normal metaphases in acute myelogenous leukemia patients presenting with abnormal karyotype

Two hundred and forty-four untreated acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients with unfavorable karyotypes and 109 others with favorable aneuploid karyotypes were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of having both normal and abnormal metaphases (AN) vs only abnormal metaphases (AA) at AML presentation. The AA and AN groups were similar with respect to known prognostic variables. Among patients with unfavorable karyotypes (-5, 5q-, -7, 7q-, and +8), the AN group had a significantly higher complete remission (CR) rate (46 vs 31%, P = 0.02), and a longer CR duration (P = 0.02) and survival (P = 0.026) than the AA group. The number of patients with other unfavorable karyotypes, such as t(11q23), were too small to evaluate properly. Among those with favorable karyotypes (inv(16) and t(8 ;21)), on the other hand, both the AN and AA group had similar CR rate, CR duration, and survival. Similarly, in patients with t(15 ;17), CR duration of the AN and AA groups were similar. These data suggest that, among patients with abnormal karyotypes, residual normal metaphases are associated with a higher CR rate, CR duration and survival, only in patients with unfavourable karyotypes, but not in those with favorable karyotypes.
Field endocrinology of nonhuman primates: past, present, and future

In the past few decades, research on nonhuman primate endocrinology has moved from the lab to the field, leading to a huge increase in both the breadth and depth of primate field studies. Here, I discuss the past, present, and future of primate field endocrinology. I review the history of the field, and go on to discuss methodological developments and the issues that they sometimes entail. Next, I consider ways in which we might conceptualize the role of hormones, and focus on the need to distinguish proximate from ultimate levels of explanation. Current potentially problematic issues in the field include: 1) an inability to obtain noninvasive measurements of Central Nervous System (CNS) rather than peripheral hormone concentrations; 2) research questions that become stuck (e.g., questions regarding sexual swelling expression mechanisms); 3) data dredging and post-hoc linking of hormones to any plausible variable, leading to a lack of clarity on their role in animal ecology and behavior. I finish by discussing several unanswered questions that might benefit from further research. These are how we might: 1) best obtain measurements for CNS hormone concentrations non-invasively; 2) measure hormone receptor expression alongside hormone concentrations; 3) consider the human endocrinology literature more thoroughly and perhaps take more multimarker approaches; 4) better consider the social environment, including audience and dyadic familiarity effects; and 5) apply our findings to conservation issues.
Market(ing) Activism: Lush Cosmetics, Ethical Oil, and the Self-Mediation of Protest

In recent years, movements seeking social and environmental reform have turned from addressing the state to addressing the market, using campaigns designed to ‘name and shame’ corporate actors into adopting environmentally and socially responsible practices. In response, corporations have learned to turn their prosocial behaviours to their advantage, using corporate social responsibility as an opportunity to build their brands. One particularly noteworthy tactic in the latest wave of CSR is the adoption of activism, resistance and protest by corporate actors themselves. The deployment of social action as a marketable commodity forces us to reconsider what ought properly to be called contentious politics and what claims we ought to be able to make in its name. This article inquires into the co-optation of the concepts of activism and protest by commercial firms, with a particular emphasis on the self-mediated image activism of two corporate actors: the Lush Cosmetics company and the Ethical Oil lobby group. The primary argument is that the marketing of protest by corporate actors, regardless of the intention behind these practices, has the potential to weaken the role of protest and activism in attempting to bring about social change.
Transcription factor Pitx3 mutant mice as a model for Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common, age-dependent degenerative neurological disorder impairing motor control function and cognition. A key pathology of PD is a degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system, leading to a severe dopamine denervation in the striatum and dynsfunction of the striatal neural circuits.
Multilevel analysis exploring the links between stress, depression, and sleep problems among two-year college students.

Objective: This study explored the association of stress and depression with a multidimensional sleep problems construct in a sample of 2-year college students. Participants: The sample consisted o...
Crystal structure, magnetization, 125Te NMR, and Seebeck coefficient of Ge49Te50R1 (R = La, Pr, Gd, Dy, and Yb)

Abstract GeTe, a self-doping semiconductor, is a well-known base compound for thermoelectric and phase-change materials. It is known, that replacement of Ge in Ag6.5Sb6.5Ge37Te50 (TAGS-85) material by rare earth Dy significantly enhances both the power factor and thermoelectric figure of merit. Here we demonstrate how replacement of Ge in GeTe by rare earths with different atomic size and localized magnetic moments affect XRD patterns, magnetization, 125Te NMR spectra and spin-lattice relaxation, and the Seebeck coefficient of the alloys with a nominal composition of Ge49Te50R1 (R = La, Pr, Gd, Dy, and Yb). SEM, EDS and WDS data show that rare earth atoms in the matrix are present at smaller extent compared to a nominal composition, whereas rare earth also is present in inclusions. Rare earths affect the Seebeck coefficient, which is a result of interplay between the reduction due to higher carrier concentration and enhancement due to magnetic contribution. The effect of replacement of Ge in GeTe by Dy on the Seebeck coefficient is smaller than that observed in Ag6.5Sb6.5Ge36 Te50Dy1. This can be explained by larger amount of rare earth, which can be embedded into the lattice of materials containing [Ag + Sb] atomic pairs and possible effect from these pairs.
Physical activity, restrictions in activity, and body mass index among urban children with persistent asthma

Abstract Background Asthma and obesity are public health problems that disproportionately affect underserved children. Urban children with asthma may be limited in their participation in physical activity, further increasing their risk for overweight. Objective To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among high-risk children with persistent asthma, to assess physical activity and activity restrictions by level of asthma control, and to evaluate whether activity is associated with weight status. Methods We analyzed baseline data from 324 urban children with poorly controlled asthma (3–10 years old) enrolled in the School-Based Telemedicine Enhanced Asthma Management program in Rochester, New York. Caregivers reported their child's asthma symptoms, physical activity, and activity limitation, and height and weight were measured. Results Most children were black (59%), and 69% had Medicaid. Almost half (47%) of children had symptoms that indicated poorly controlled asthma, 15% were overweight, and 31% were obese. Few children (39%) participated in 1 or more hour of physical activity per day. In addition, most (85%) did not walk to and from school, 38% did not have any recess in school, and 35% reported no safe place to exercise. More children with very poorly controlled asthma symptoms, compared with children with more mild symptoms, reported limitation in gym class (58% vs 43%, P = .01) and even in mild activities (28% vs 14%, P = .004). Children with activity limitation were at significantly greater odds of being overweight or obese (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–3.8). Conclusion Many children with persistent asthma are overweight or obese, have limited opportunity for activity, and experience activity limitations. Efforts are needed to optimize asthma control and provide opportunity for increased physical activity in and outside school. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01650844.
Thermal challenges and industry trends of consumer electronic devices

There are many thermal design challenges in consumer electronic devices including wearables, portable computing platforms and IOT communication devices. This talk covers industry trends in the consumer electronics hardware business and the role that thermal management and design plays, as well as how to cope with the trends to overcome power and thermal challenges.
Direct and Indirect Cerebral Effects of Deliberate Hypotension

The benefits of inducing hypotension during anesthesia and surgery were first described by Harvey Cushing in 1917. However, laboratory investigations did not begin until 1944 when Phemister demonstrated increased survival of rabbits after hypotension was induced with hemorrhage when compared with neurogenic blockade. In 1946 Gardner removed 1600 ml of blood from the dorsalis pedis artery thereby reducing systolic blood pressure from 140 to 100 torr. In 1948 Gillies used subarachnoid block to reduce blood pressure and stated that “a low head of arterial pressure associated with vasodilation and a normal blood volume carried less potential danger than the illusory higher pressure which accompanies vasoconstriction and a reduced blood volume”. The use and development of methonium compounds for ganglionic blockade occurred from 1948 to 1951. These drugs were recommended to treat hypertension and to afford a hypotensive state during operation that would significantly reduce bleeding from the operative field. In 1953 Boyan reduced blood pressure to a mean of 50 torr with hexamethonium bromide in a group of patients undergoing radical cancer surgery. Surgery was facilitated, blood loss was reduced, and adverse effects were not observed. The popularity of this technique has varied but today finds wide acceptance especially during microvascular surgery.
CHARACTERISTIC DEFECTS AT THE Si-SiO2 INTERFACE

ABSTRACT The Si-SiO2 interface possesses defects which may be considered characteristic of the thermal oxidation process. Electronic defects introduce a broad peak in the interface-state distribution which is centered ~0.3 eV above the silicon valence-band maximum. Furnace anneals remove these levels yielding the generally observed U-shaped distribution. The ESR interface defect was evaluated over a range of annealing temperatures (≤600 C). The spin signal rapidly decays in MOS structures annealed above 250 C. An anneal in atomic deuterium at 230 C completely annihilated the spin center, which could not be recovered with vacuum anneals up to 600 C.
Multiple student learning objectives in basic business statistics: Strategies, assessment, and recommendations

AbstractThe basic business statistics course is ideal for incorporating multiple objectives related to program learning goals common at most business schools. Along with quantitative reasoning skil...
Photonic Integrated Si 3 N 4 Ultra-Large-Area Grating Waveguide MOT Interface for 3D Atomic Clock Laser Cooling

We describe a silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) designed to deliver non-diverging 780nm free-space optical cooling beams to an 87Rb atomic magneto optic trap (MOT) via fiber coupled ultra-large-area 3.88mm × 2.08mm gratings © 2019 The Author(s)
The State of Marijuana in The Buckeye State and Fiscal Policy Considerations of Legalized Recreational Marijuana

In 1975, Ohio’s 63rd Governor James A. Rhodes joined the growing trend of marijuana decriminalization by signing a bill passed by the legislature that supported amending the Ohio Revised Code to remove criminal penalties for use of marijuana. This was the first big change to marijuana laws in Ohio. Despite Ohio being one of the most conservative states in the country at the time, Rhodes brought Ohio to become the 6th state to relax punishments on marijuana use. Since that time, a lot has changed regarding the status of cannabis in the Buckeye State. This paper will first describe the past legal framework for marijuana along with current developments and proposed changes in the future, including a citizen’s ballot initiative that will appear on the November 2019 ballot that could potentially make sweeping changes to Ohio’s Constitution and marijuana law in Ohio. This is then followed by an analysis of the potential benefits that recreational marijuana could have in respect to key fiscal budgetary issues facing the state of Ohio.
The short-run effects of marijuana dispensary openings on local crime

The recent legalization of marijuana in several states has led to increased public interest regarding the effect of legalization on crime. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence relating the legalization of marijuana use and distribution to criminal activity. This paper uses a difference-in-differences design to estimate the effect of marijuana dispensary openings on local crime rates in Denver, Colorado. We find that the opening of dispensaries actually decreases violent crime rates in above median income neighborhoods, an important finding in light of increased political debate surrounding legalization. We also find robust evidence that non-marijuana drug-related crimes decrease within a half-mile of new dispensaries but do not simultaneously increase within a half-mile to mile of new dispensaries, with one possible explanation being that legal marijuana sales and hard drug sales are local substitutes. Finally, in line with previous research, we find that vehicle break-ins increase up to a mile away from new dispensaries.
Physiological, Pathological, and Targetable Membraneless Organelles in Neurons.

Neurons require unique subcellular compartmentalization to function efficiently. Formed from proteins and RNAs through liquid–liquid phase separation, membraneless organelles (MLOs) have emerged as one way in which cells form distinct, specialized compartments in the absence of lipid membranes. We first discuss MLOs that are common to many cell types as well as those that are specific to neurons. Interestingly, many proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease are found in MLOs, particularly in stress and transport granules. We next review possible links between neurodegeneration and MLOs, and the hypothesis that the protein and RNA inclusions formed in disease are related to the functional complexes occurring inside these MLOs. Finally, we discuss the hypothesis that protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), which can alter phase separation, can modulate MLO formation and provide potential new therapeutic strategies for currently untreatable neurodegenerative diseases.
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle, Managing Hyperlipidemia, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and Immunizations in Patients with Cirrhosis

Maximizing the general well-being of the patient with cirrhosis is an ongoing challenge, with limited information about the optimal approach. In this chapter, we discuss the management of some common comorbid conditions, including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. We also review the approach to weight loss and exercise, as obesity and decreased physical fitness are significant concerns in this population and can have major negative consequences, including increased operative risk, higher rates of decompensation, and hepatocellular cancer. Finally, we summarize the current recommendations for vaccinations, an important component in the primary care of the patient with cirrhosis.
Basic genetics: mitosis, meiosis, chromosomes, DNA, RNA, and beyond

Abstract The human genome contains fundamental codes by which heritable information is stored, translated into functional data, and transmitted from one generation to the next. DNA is organized into functional sequences called genes, the building blocks of living organisms. This DNA is decoded via the synthesis of RNA and protein, and can be further modulated in a posttranscriptional manner by a number of complex processes. Vast classes of molecules including noncoding RNAs also play critical roles in numerous biological processes. Cell division via mitosis and meiosis allows for the division of parent cells and dissemination of genetic information. To understand the enormous potential for advances in human health from this and other discoveries, it is imperative to understand the basic building blocks of the human genome.
Impact of cancer and cancer-related treatments on participation restrictions:

IntroductionThe purpose of this research was to describe participation restrictions in younger and older adult cancer survivors post treatment.MethodYounger adult cancer survivors (n = 20) and olde...
Recurrent respiratory viral diseases and chronic sequelae due to dominant negative IFIH1

Viral respiratory infections are the most common childhood infection worldwide. However, even common pathogens can have significant consequences in the context of patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases. More than half or viral infections annually are due to rhinovirus/enterovirus strains. Most clinical manifestations of viral infection are mild. However 3% of cases result in hospitalization in patients who have no other known risk factors. These patients may have an inborn error of immunity, a genetic susceptibility to viral infections. Here we present the case of an adult male who suffered respiratory viral infections his whole life and developed chronic, inflammatory damage to sinuses and lungs as a consequence. Genomic sequencing identified compound heterozygous variants in the IFIH1 gene, encoding the protein Melanoma Differentiation Association Protein 5 (MDA5), a RIG-I-like cytoplasmic sensor of RNA intracellular infections. We show a dominant negative effect on these variants on the level of interferon-induced expression of MDA5 protein. This work supports that loss-of-function variants in IFIH1 affect the sensing of viral infections. Underlying genomic variants may dictate the point at which recurrent, respiratory viral infections leave commonplace experience and incur lasting damage.
Numerical Integration in One Dimension

Galerkin methods require the evaluation of integrals of the type $$\displaystyle A=\int _{\varOmega } f(\mathbf {x}) d\varOmega \; \; \mathrm {and} \; \; B=\int _{\varGamma } f(\mathbf {x}) d\varGamma $$ where Ω is the domain that we wish to integrate within and Γ are its boundaries. Thus A and B are element and trace integrals, respectively. By element integrals we mean either area or volume integrals in 2D and 3D, respectively. By trace integrals we mean integrals along the boundary of the element which could be line or surface area integrals in 2D and 3D, respectively.
Practical Considerations For Customer-sited Energy Storage Dispatch On Multiple Applications Using Model Predictive Control

Abstract Government subsidies for energy storage and renewable generation have led to the cost of energy storage come down during recent years. This has motivated people to deploy behind-the-meter energy storage units, to reduce their monthly electricity bill. For optimal control of the battery to incorporate maximum photovoltaic energy generation as well as demand charge reduction, data-driven and advanced Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) control strategies are required. This paper explores different use cases where customers could deploy energy storage systems for demand charge reduction as well as when customers could deploy energy storage systems for demand charge reduction while satisfying a utility set objective. From historical load and PV data, different use cases are simulated using a Model Predictive Control (MPC) based BESS control model. MPC requires machine-learning (ML) based forecasts of photovoltaic (PV) as well as load as inputs. A sensitivity analysis on the effect of different energy forecasts on the performance of MPC is presented in the paper. A degradation analysis with as a function of charge/discharge cycles is also presented in the paper to evaluate the trade-off between economic objectives and battery health.
Revisiting Solitary Pedunculated Lipofibromas.

Objectives Pedunculated lipofibromas are soft, compressible, skin-colored nodules that typically present as an acquired solitary lesion, predominantly located on the buttocks and thighs. We aimed to differentiate between pedunculated lipofibromas and nevus lipomatosus superficialis. Although benign, this may be important as treatment options vary. Methods We describe 3 cases of solitary pedunculated lipofibromas occurring in older, obese adults that required clinicopathologic correlation for the correct diagnosis. Results The histopathologic features of pedunculated lipofibromas include a broad-based lesion with aggregates of mature adipocytes extending upwards into the dermis without an associated inflammatory infiltrate. The primary histopathologic differential diagnoses include fibroepithelial polyps with adipocytes and nevus lipomatosus superficialis, which is more frequently found in children or young adults and is typically characterized clinically by multiple lesions with a cerebriform to verrucoid surface. Conclusions While the precise relationship between pedunculated lipofibromas and nevus lipomatosus is still unknown, we propose using pedunculated lipofibroma as a more specific clinical term to refer to solitary pedunculated or broad-based fatty lesions with a smooth surface that occur in older patients and in a wide anatomic distribution.
Serum HMGB1 associates with liver disease and predicts readmission and mortality in patients with alcohol use disorder.

Abstract Identifying the minority of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who develop the wide spectrum of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), and risk-stratifying these patients, is of critical importance. High-Mobility Group Box 1 protein (HMGB1) is an alarmin that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple liver diseases. Its use as a biomarker for liver disease in those with AUD has not been studied. In this report, we investigated the association between serum HMGB1 and the presence, severity, and progression of ALD in two well-characterized cohorts of patients with AUD. In our discovery cohort of 80 patients, we found that patients with AUD and ALD exhibited higher serum HMGB1 levels compared to patients with AUD only (p = 0.0002). Additionally, serum HMGB1 levels were positively associated with liver disease severity (p
Toying With Engineering: Teaching Engineers to Be Entrepreneurial by Developing a Toy:

Most engineering design projects focus primarily on the engineering fundamentals. Studying the business case or manufacturability of a design is often left for other courses, if at all. To address ...
Adult cold tolerance and potential North American distribution of Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Cold tolerance and potential distribution of Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus Marshall, a polyphagous pest in the United States, were investigated. Adult survivorship after 2 days at 0 °C and − 5 °C averaged 60% and 18%, respectively. Four days of exposure resulted in survivorship of 11% at 0 °C and 4% at − 5 °C, respectively. Summer-collected weevils at − 5 °C through repeated cold exposure of 2 h survived 3 times longer than those subjected to sustained cold period of 10 h. Leaf consumption did not differ among summer-collected weevils at constant 20 °C and repeated cold exposure treatments; weevils under sustained cold exposure consumed less than weevils in repeated cold exposure treatments. Leaf area consumed after cold exposure was 2–4 times greater in winter-collected weevils compared to summer-collected weevils. Leaf consumption by winter-collected weevils decreased as the number of repeated cold exposure periods increased. Locality data from collections in Florida during 2000–2012 were used to produce a correlative model complemented by a mechanistic model from the cold tolerance data to project the potential distribution of M. undecimpustulatus undatus in North America. The models support the hypothesis that M. undecimpustulatus undatus could spread to areas of the southeastern and western United States. The predicted northern distribution followed an isothermal line about 33° North. The niche model defined an area along the western Gulf Coast as unsuitable for the weevil, possibly because the area receives greater annual rainfall than other areas of the southeastern United States and has aquic or udic soil unlike the well-drained sandy soil of peninsular Florida.
Maximizing Scalability in Literacy Game App Design for Minority Languages

Minority language communities lack access to educational technology that facilitates literacy skill building. The approach currently taken by most educational game app developers privileges widely spoken languages and often requires intensive resource investment. In response, a new game app was designed to provide easily localized, pedagogically appropriate games for literacy skill building. Scalability to multiple minority languages was possible through a programming design based on language packs that could be compiled by local implementation teams without specialized technical skills and without significant resource investment. We describe the scalability issues encountered when localizing the app for the initial ten minority language pilot groups and how a language-neutral app design that relies on language packs to specify language-specific content and parameters can adequately address these issues. When it comes to meeting the demands of growing education technology markets in underserved Indigenous and minority communities, localizing an app initially designed for maximum scalability is more feasible than investing significant resources converting apps custom designed for one language into new languages.
Association of Manganese Biomarker Concentrations with Blood Pressure and Kidney Parameters among Healthy Adolescents: NHANES 2013-2018

Deficiency or excess exposure to manganese (Mn), an essential mineral, may have potentially adverse health effects. The kidneys are a major organ of Mn site-specific toxicity because of their unique role in filtration, metabolism, and excretion of xenobiotics. We hypothesized that Mn concentrations were associated with poorer blood pressure (BP) and kidney parameters such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and albumin creatinine ratio (ACR). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1931 healthy U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 years participating in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles 2013-2014, 2015-2016, and 2017-2018. Blood and urine Mn concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Systolic and diastolic BP were calculated as the average of available readings. eGFR was calculated from serum creatinine using the Bedside Schwartz equation. We performed multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, race/ethnicity, and poverty income ratio. We observed null relationships between blood Mn concentrations with eGFR, ACR, BUN, and BP. In a subset of 691 participants, we observed that a 10-fold increase in urine Mn was associated with a 16.4 mL/min higher eGFR (95% Confidence Interval: 11.1, 21.7). These exploratory findings should be interpreted cautiously and warrant investigation in longitudinal studies.
Study on droplet dispersion influenced by ventilation and source configuration in classroom settings using low‐cost sensor network

The COVID‐19 virus can transmit through airborne expiratory droplets and thus, the viral transmission can take place between the occupants in the isolated room. With the school re-opening under the current COVID‐19 pandemic, it is urgent to improve the classroom ventilation system to mitigate the risk of virus transmission. The present study developed a particle concentration monitoring network (PCMN) using low‐cost sensors and deployed it to explore the dispersion of the droplet particles under different ventilation settings and aerosol configurations. Our experiment shows the advance of using a low‐cost sensor network on spatiotemporal air monitoring and demonstrates indoor particle concentration level and distribution are strongly impacted by the ventilation setting and source location. Two recommendations on reducing the viral risk in the classroom were derived from the study. The first is the respiratory droplet source, e.g., the instructor, should be in the location such that the particle dispersion opposes the ventilation flow. The second is the air handling unit (AHU) and fan coil unit (FCU) should be both turned on during class hours despite whether there is a need for thermal comfort, as it allows higher and more uniform ventilation flow to resolve the issue of the dead air zone. © The Author(s).
Inconsistency in Roman Epic: Studies in Catullus, Lucretius, Vergil, Ovid and Lucan

How should we react as readers and as critics when two passages in a literary work contradict one another? Classicists once assumed that all inconsistencies in ancient texts needed to be amended, explained away, or lamented. Building on recent work on both Greek and Roman authors, this book explores the possibility of interpreting inconsistencies in Roman epic. After a chapter surveying Greek background material including Homer, tragedy, Plato and the Alexandrians, five chapters argue that comparative study of the literary use of inconsistencies can shed light on major problems in Catullus' Peleus and Thetis, Lucretius' De Rerum Natura, Vergil's Aeneid, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and Lucan's Bellum Civile. Not all inconsistencies can or should be interpreted thematically, but numerous details in these poems, and some ancient and modern theorists, suggest that we can be better readers if we consider how inconsistencies may be functioning in Greek and Roman texts.
Observing, Monitoring and Evaluating the Effects of Discharge Plumes in Coastal Regions

Our ability to predict, observe, and monitor the performance of ocean outfall discharges is rapidly transforming through advances in numerical modeling, remote sensing and underwater vehicle technology. The rapid implementation of sensor and AUV technology has transformed our ability to monitor effluent plumes from coastal discharges of both brine and wastewater. Advances in remote sensing technology provide new views of anthropogenic discharges into coastal seas and oceans. Improved spatial and temporal resolution of coastal models provides more comprehensive dispersion estimates from these discharges. The combined capabilities now provide more detailed observations of the oceanographic processes affecting the dispersion of these discharges and produce statistical maps of the dispersion of properties related to the effluents. These results will contribute to management and design of ocean outfalls and enable better interpretation of discharge effects on coastal ocean ecosystems.
Design of Mars Missions

This paper deals with the optimal design of round-trip Mars missions, starting from LEO (low Earth orbit), arriving to LMO (low Mars orbit), and then returning to LEO after a waiting time in LMO.
Optical Emission Line Studies and the Warm, Ionized Component of the Local Interstellar Medium

Observations of diffuse, galactic H alpha, N2 lambda 6583, and S2 6716 emission lines provide evidence for a warm (10,000K), primarily ionized component of the interstellar medium distribution throughout the galactic disk. This component of the interstellar gas has an electron density approximately equals 0.1-0.2/cu cm and occupies about 10 to 30% of the interstellar volume. Interstellar H alpha emission near the galactic poles, the dispersion measure of a nearby pulsar, and observations of interstellar gas flowing into the solar system indicate that this ionized component is an important constituent of the interstellar medium in the solar neighborhood. The intensity of the H alpha background at high galactic latitudes implies that this component is maintained by an average hydrogen ionization rate in the vicinity of the Sun of (2-4) x 100,000 s(-1) per square cm of galactic disk. The emission measure is 1.3 to 2.3 cm (-6) pc toward the galactic poles. The sources of this ionization were not identified but may include escaping Lyman continuum radiation from planetary nebulae, hot white dwarfs, and early type stars.
Conformance Testing of Object-Oriented Components Specified by State/Transition Classes

In object-oriented software development, a class is the basic unit of semantic abstraction, a component is a closely related collection of classes, and a system is a collection of components designed to solve a problem. An object is an instance of a class. Each object consists of state and behavior, where state is determined by the values of state variables identified in the class definition, and behavior is determined by methods (i.e. functions or procedures), defined in the class, that operate on one or more object instances to read or modify their state variables. Objects communicate by sending messages to one another, where a message is a request to invoke one of the recipient object’s methods. Conformance testing of object-oriented software is often done in three stages: unit testing, to ensure that the individual methods of a class are properly defined over all possible object instances; component testing, to ensure that methods restricted to the component under test operate as specified by rules of how the component should behave and that messages to external objects are properly sent; and system testing, to ensure that the entire system behaves as specified by some overall system functional specification. Both component testing and system testing rely heavily on integration testing, which ensures that messages from objects in one class or component are sent and received in the proper order and have the intended effect on the state of external objects that receive the messages. This new work focuses on integration testing. It is strongly influenced by the work of Hong, Kwon, and Cha, who model a single class as a finite state machine, transform that representation into a data flow graph that explicitly identifies the definitions and uses of each state variable of the class, and then apply conventional data flow coverage criteria and testing techniques to produce a collection of abstract test cases that can be used to test conformance of the given class to its functional specification. This paper extends those ideas to an arbitrary number of classes and components. It introduces flexible representations for message sending and receiving among objects and allows parallel processing among any, or all, classes and components. Our approach relies on finite state machines, database modeling and processing techniques, and algorithms for analysis and traversal of directed graphs. A prototype implementation of the approach demonstrates its effectiveness on non-trivial, real-world problems.
Gender and Place

The analysis of gender and place is interdisciplinary in that the field seeks to combine the spatial orientation of geographers, architects, and urban planners with the social focus of anthropologists, sociologists, and historians to understand the ways space and gender mutually reinforce each other. Places range from the geographic scale of the city or neighborhood to the building, and now to cyberspace. Gender identities include masculine, feminine, gay, lesbian, and an ambiguous ‘third gender’ of queer that recognizes gender identity as variable both historically and individually over the life course.
Why Not Try the Carrot? A Modest Proposal for Granting Immunity to Lawyers Who Disclose Client Financial Misconduct

This essay proposes that states and the federal government grant immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative liability to lawyers who disclose client financial misconduct. This proposal is needed because recent amendments to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct fail to address the costs to lawyers of the disclosure the amended rules permit. The changes are therefore more cosmetic than substantive. Lawyers facilitate client financial misconduct by cooperating with the client and with other professionals in either performing unlawful acts or silently tolerating them. Cooperation among professionals succeeds because each party knows that every other party maximizes its gains by remaining silent. My proposal seeks to destroy such cooperation by creating a prisoners' dilemma, in which participants believe that disclosure of unlawful activity is more profitable than silence. This essay presents reasons to support these propositions, and it considers objections to my proposal.
Transfection in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Abstract Intact cells of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were examined for ability to take up biologically active LR-4 phage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from the surrounding medium. DNA incorporation as measured by subsequent plaque formation (transfection) failed to occur when the bacteria were grown in defined minimal salts media, and was restricted to a 4-hr period in the early log phase of growth in enriched media. In the latter case, maximal transfection frequencies were obtained after a 25- to 30-min incubation with 22.5 μg of phage DNA/ml. Higher DNA concentrations or longer incubation times were inhibitory. Transfection was completely inhibited by deoxyribonuclease but not by ribonuclease, trypsin, or phage-specific antisera.
Programming language semantics in foundational type theory

There are compelling benefits to using foundational type theory as a framework for programming language semantics. I give a semantics of an expressive programming calculus in the foundational type theory of Nuprl. Previous type-theoretic semantics have used less expressive type theories, or have sacrificed important programming constructs such as recursion and modules. The primary mechanisms of this semantics are partial types, for typing recursion, set types, for encoding power and singleton kinds, which are used for subtyping and module programming, and very dependent function types,for encoding signatures.
Robust power systems stability assessment with sum of squares optimization

Analytic methods to quantify power systems stability margins while acknowledging uncertainty will be critical in dynamic security assessment due to the integration of renewable resources and uncontrollable loads. Lyapunov's direct method provides a mathematical framework to assess stability margins. However, analytical construction of Lyapunov functions are limited to very restrictive settings and cannot be extended to accommodate the impact of uncertainty. This paper focuses on the algorithmic construction of Lyapunov functions and the estimation of the robust Region-Of-Attraction (ROA) with sum-of-squares (SOS) optimization programs which can be translated into semidefinite problems and then solved with readily available software. Key to the proposed approach is the formulation of computationally tractable polynomial differential equation models that are affine in parametric/input uncertainty. Numerical case studies for a prototypical power system model validate the accuracy of the polynomial approximations and compare the ROA and the robust ROA with results from repeated time-domain simulations.
Ethanol oxidation is not required to attenuate endotoxin-enhanced glucose metabolism

Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that acute ethanol (EtOH) intoxication, through an unknown mechanism, blunts the endotoxin-enhanced carbohydrate metabolism. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether oxidation of the ethanol moiety is required for the inhibition of the endotoxin-induced changes in carbohydrate metabolism. In vivo glucose kinetics were assessed by the intravenous administration of D-[3-3H]glucose in catheterized conscious unrestrained rats. Escherichia coli endotoxin (200 micrograms/100 g body wt) increased glucose rate of appearance (Ra) and metabolic clearance rate (MCR) by 75 and 50%, respectively. A primed-constant infusion of EtOH (275 mg/100 g + 25 mg.100 g-1.h-1) initiated 2 h before endotoxin challenge attenuated the endotoxin-enhanced glucose kinetics. EtOH intoxication did not prevent endotoxin-induced hyperglycemia but delayed the hyperlactacidemic response. The importance of EtOH metabolism in suppressing the glucose metabolic response to endotoxin was studied by administering 4-methyl-pyrazole (4-MP; 8 mg/100 g), an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase activity. After administration of 4-MP and a bolus injection of EtOH (275 mg/100 g), the plasma EtOH concentration remained constant and matched the level of EtOH in rats receiving a primed-constant infusion of EtOH. Inhibition of EtOH metabolism with 4-MP did not abrogate the ability of EtOH to suppress endotoxin-induced increases in glucose Ra or MCR. Furthermore, the injection of the nonmetabolized alcohol tert-butanol abolished the endotoxin-induced increase in glucose Ra and MCR without preventing the endotoxin-induced hyperglycemia and hyperlactacidemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
FORGETTING AND THE TASK OF SEEING: Ordinary Oblivion, Plato, and Ethics

The gaps, fissures, and lapses of attention in a life—what I call “ordinary oblivions”—are fertile fragilities that present a compelling source for ethics. Plato, not Aristotle, is the ancient philosopher specially poised to speak to this feature of human life. Drawing upon poet C. K. Williams's idea that forgetting is a “looking away” that makes possible “beginning again,” I present a Platonic approach to ethics as an alternative to Aristotelian or virtue ethics. Plato's Phaedrus is a key source text for this alternate picture; from it I suggest how we might construe Iris Murdoch's “task of seeing” in terms of the engagement with written form. Poetry is a central locale for such engagement, and thus suggests a kind of ethical praxis that arises from the theoretical emphases of my examination of forgetting, the unmoored self, remade other-regard, and sacred sources.