cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The President's Power to Withdraw the United States from International Agreements at Present and in the Future

An uneasy equilibrium exists with respect to how the United States exits international agreements. In general, exit is easy as a matter of legal doctrine but, for important agreements, difficult as a matter of political practice. While presidents can withdraw the United States from most major international agreements, they have done so only rarely—and never yet with deep costs to the stability of our world order.
All Talk and No Action? Racial Differences in College Behaviors and Attendance

According to the influential “oppositional culture” account, we should expect black students as a group to be less likely to engage in school than their white counterparts because they are more lik...
Branes in AdS and pp-wave spacetimes

We find half supersymmetric AdS embeddings in AdS5 × S5 corresponding to all quarter BPS orthogonal intersections of D3-branes with Dp-branes. A particular case is the Karch-Randall embedding AdS4 × S2. We explicitly prove that these embeddings are supersymmetric by showing that the kappa symmetry projections are compatible with half of the target space Killing spinors and argue that all these cases lead to AdS/dCFT dualities involving a CFT with a defect. We also find an asymptotically AdS4 × S2 embedding that corresponds to a holographic RG-flow on the defect. We then consider the pp-wave limit of the supersymmetric AdS embeddings and show how it leads to half supersymmetric D-brane embeddings in the pp-wave background. We systematically analyze D-brane embeddings in the pp-wave background along with their supersymmetry. We construct supersymmetric D-branes wrapped along the light-cone using operators in the dual gauge theory: the open string states are constructed using defect fields. We also find supersymmetric D1 (monopoles) and D3 (giant gravitons) branes that wrap only one of the light-cone directions. These correspond to non-perturbative states in the dual gauge theory.
Do Crowdsourced Hospital Ratings Coincide with Hospital Compare Measures of Clinical and Nonclinical Quality

Objective To determine the consistency with which government-issued hospital quality ratings and crowdsourced ratings on social media sites identify hospital quality. Data sources Hospital ratings from Facebook, Google, and Yelp were linked with Hospital Compare (HC) measures. Study design Fixed-effects linear regression model. Principal findings Among crowdsourcing sites' best-ranked hospitals, 50-60% were also the best ranked on HC's overall and patient experience ratings; 20% ranked as the worst. Best-ranked hospitals had significantly better clinical quality scores than worst ranked hospitals, but were not more likely to be the highest rated in terms of HC's clinical quality measures alone. Conclusions Crowdsourcing sites and HC provide comparable information on patient experience; scores were less consistent in terms of risk-adjusted measures of patient safety and clinical quality.
NT-proBNP-guided and conventional therapies did not differ for readmission or mortality in acute decompensated HF.

Source Citation Stienen S, Salah K, Moons AH, et al. NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide)-guided therapy in acute decompensated heart failure: PRIMA II randomized controlled trial ...
Impact of Morphing Trailing Edges on Mission Performance for the Common Research Model

Nonmorphing, conventional aircraft wings are designed for a compromise of good performance at a variety of flight conditions. Accordingly, such wings perform suboptimally when considered at a singl...
Densities, Viscosities, Speeds of Sound, Bulk Moduli, Surface Tensions, and Flash Points of Quaternary Mixtures of n-Dodecane (1), n-Butylcyclohexane (2), n-Butylbenzene (3), and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-Heptamethylnonane (4) at 0.1 MPa as Potential Surrogate Mixtures for Military Jet Fuel, JP-5

The composition of Navy Jet fuel JP-5 was determined using gas chromatography(GC)-electron impact mass spectrometry and GC × GC/(flame ionization detection) to contain by mass 21% linear alkanes, 2...
A National Profile of Health Educators: Preliminary Data from the First Cohorts of CHES

Abstract With advent of a national certification system for health educators, the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) is beginning to collect information about the profession of health education and the individuals who practice health education across the five major practice settings. A preliminary profile of practitioners is emerging which contains information about professional preparation, professional affiliations, and distribution of practitioners in various practice settings. Within a year, other important demographic information should be available. NCHEC data represent the first time in the history of the profession that information about health educators in schools, communities, medical care, and worksite settings has been compiled. A profile of the information gathered during the first four years of the certification is highlighted.
Jeopardized Bodies: Representations of Race, Gender, and Mortality in the Notorious R.B.G.

We examine the popular “Notorious R.B.G.” image through a lens informed by scholarship on Black masculinity, Blackface, and Black rage. The Notorious R.B.G. is predicated on the juxtaposition of th...
Tendon Transfers for Radial Nerve Palsy

The patient is identified in the pre-op holding area and brought to the room. Ancef 1 g is given preoperatively. The patient is placed supine on the operating room table. Arm is placed on a hand table. Soft roll followed by tourniquet is applied to the proximal aspect of the arm. The extremity is prepped and draped in a sterile fashion. The tourniquet is turned up.
Nanotoxicology: Developing a Responsible Technology

In 2003, Sayes’ advisor (Vicki Colvin, Rice University) published a perspective piece in Nature Biotechnology (Colvin 2003). Colvin noted that there was a mounting public discussion surrounding the environmental and social costs of nanotechnology versus its many benefits. At the time, there was speculation that engineered nanomaterials were being incorporated into commercial and industrial products (Maynard et al. 2006). In fact, by 2006, more than 300 products on the market claimed to be nano-enabled (Maynard et al. 2006). According to WikiBooks (https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Nanotechnology/Glossary), the term “nano-enabled is used to refer to devices or systems that utilize some aspect of nanotechnology to enhance their function. Products that act solely on the macroscale but have some enhancement due to nanotechnology are sold as being nano-enabled.” The debate that ensued in the early 2000s resulted in a request for more information about the toxicological and environmental effects of direct and indirect exposure to nanomaterials (Foss Hansen et al. 2008; Maynard et al. 2006). Scientists, regulators, and consumers alike were concerned about the lack of clear guidelines to quantify the potential adverse health effects induced by engineered nanomaterials.
Sex Differences in Adolescent Neurobiological Risk for Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders

It is well established that adolescence is a period of time during which experimentation with substances escalates, while neurobiological changes simultaneously leave adolescents increasingly vulnerable to the development of substance use disorders (SUDs). This review sought to summarize the literature on sex differences in neurobiological risk for substance use and SUDs among adolescents. Findings from previous reviews are discussed and supplemented with evidence from recent research. We synthesize literature from human and animal studies and highlight sex differences in development, structure, and function in three primary brain regions linked to SUD risk: the prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, and amygdala. Evidence from both human and animal studies suggests sex-divergent paths in risk for substance use and addiction: an internalizing path in females and an externalizing path in males. While much work is still needed to clarify sex-dependent neurobiological changes that contribute to differences in addiction risk, prefrontal and striatal findings have emerged in both animal and human studies. Continued efforts are needed in order to shed light on mechanisms of risk and, eventually, sex-tailored interventions.
Endovascular management of acute postprocedural flow diverting stent thrombosis.

Introduction Postprocedural thrombosis is a rare complication after flow diverting stent (FD) implantation for aneurysm treatment with few reported cases in the literature. Management strategies and outcomes associated with this complication have not been reported. Methods A multicenter retrospective series of cases of acute postprocedural FD thrombosis were compiled and prevalence was calculated based on procedural volumes over a 7 year period. Acute postprocedural FD thrombosis was defined as the development of neurologic deficit with angiographic imaging demonstrating acute thrombus within the index FD stent at least 2 hours following completion of the implantation procedure. Results A total of 10 cases of postprocedural thrombosis were identified at five participating centers among a total of 768 patients treated (prevalence 1.3%). Thrombosis occurred a median of 5.5 days after implantation (range 0–83 days). 9/10 patients underwent emergent angiography with intent to perform endovascular reperfusion. A variety of different endovascular treatments were used, including aspiration thrombectomy, retrievable stent thrombectomy, balloon angioplasty, and intra-arterial thrombolytic infusion, without any procedural complications. There were no instances of FD migration, stent kinking, or aneurysm rupture. 90% of patients achieved Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2B or greater revascularization. Favorable clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score of 0–2) at 3 months were achieved in 88% of patients. Conclusion Acute postprocedural thrombosis of an FD is a rare complication that occurs in approximately 1–2% of patients after aneurysm treatment. Patients presenting with acute postprocedural FD thrombosis should be aggressively managed using large vessel occlusion thrombectomy techniques, as good angiographic and clinical outcomes are possible.
Ultrahigh Temperature Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Boron Nitride and Aluminum Nitride for Ultraviolet Photonic and Excitonic Devices

We report on the achievement of superior quality hexagonal boron nitride and aluminum nitride using ultrahigh temperature molecular beam epitaxy. We demonstrate high efficiency deep ultraviolet LEDs and low threshold laser diodes. Moreover, ultrahigh Q microring resonators using aluminum nitride on sapphire are also achieved.
Association between thiopurine medication exposure and Alzheimer's disease among a cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Abstract Introduction Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), a member of the Rho-GTPase family of proteins, could be an Alzheimer's disease (AD) triggering co-factor due to its effect on both amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau. Thiopurine medications, such as azathioprine and mercaptopurine, are immunosuppressants that suppress Rac1 activation. We hypothesize that due to their ability to suppress Rac1, thiopurines are associated with a lower risk of AD. Methods To explore the relationship between thiopurines and incident AD diagnosis, we conducted a national retrospective cohort study among U.S. Veterans with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC), as well as a non-IBD control. We created propensity score-matched cohorts and estimated the hazard ratio via the time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model. Results The study sample size was 66,312 patients and consisted of 24,057 IBD patients (4354 thiopurine exposed and 19,703 unexposed) and 42,255 patients without IBD or thiopurine exposure. Patients exposed to thiopurines have the lowest rate of AD, and our results demonstrate for each additional year of thiopurine exposure risk of AD is reduced by 8.3%% (adjusted HR = 0.917; 95% CI = [0.851–0.989]). Discussion Our results support the preclinical findings implicating Rac1 in the AD disease process. A national cohort study demonstrated that Rac1 is associated with the AD process consistent with the preclinical evidence. Further exploration and evaluation of Rac1 inhibition are needed.
Dentipellis fimbriata sp. nov. (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from subtropical Taiwan

Dentipellis fimbriata sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Taiwan. This new species is characterized by odontoid to hydnoid hymenophore, margin with rhizomorphs, monomitic hyphal system with clamp connections, subiculum with yellowish brown hyphae, aculeal trama with numerous tubular gloeocystidia, and amyloid basidiospores. Morphological and phylogenetic studies based on ITS and 28S rDNA sequences, support this new species in Dentipellis. We provide a key to species of Dentipellis, Dentipellicula and Dentipellopsis.
The European Central Bank System

On May 3, 1998, European Union (EU) leaders took the most significant step toward European integration since the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. They agreed, in substance, that monetary policy within the Union was no longer under the exclusive control of EU member states’ central banks, but was transferred to the Economic Monetary Union (EMU) of the European Union. The substance of monetary union is that most countries within the EMU no longer have distinct national currencies. A new currency - the euro (€) - has replaced nearly all national currencies. To qualify under the European System of Central Banks (ESCB), a member state should meet specific requirements: a high degree of price stability, sound public finances, a stable exchange rate, and stable long-term interest rates. The ESCB commenced operations on June 1, 1998, and assumed responsibility for the conduct of monetary policy for the euro area on January 1, 1999. The ESCB is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany; and its present is Dr Mario Draghi,43 the former Governor of the Italian Central Bank. National central banks are the ESCB shareholders. Shares are based on the GDP and population of each member state. However, all states of the ESCB have the same powers of decision, regardless of their size and GDP, and best decisions are made to benefit all the states that use the euro.
Determining Hosts of Antibiotic Resistance Genes: A Review of Methodological Advances

Advancing environmental research on antibiotic resistance will require developing better databases of not only the occurrences of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment but also whic...
Dynamic Contract Time Determination System for Highway Projects

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) projects have been experiencing significant delays. Some of these delays can be rooted to the inaccurate estimation of the contract time. This research pr...
ReLeQ : A Reinforcement Learning Approach for Automatic Deep Quantization of Neural Networks

Deep Quantization (below eight bits) can significantly reduce the DNN computation and storage by decreasing the bitwidth of network encodings. However, without arduous manual effort, this deep quantization can lead to significant accuracy loss, leaving it in a position of questionable utility. We propose a systematic approach to tackle this problem, by automating the process of discovering the bitwidths through an end-to-end deep reinforcement learning framework (ReLeQ). This framework utilizes the sample efficiency of proximal policy optimization to explore the exponentially large space of possible assignment of the bitwidths to the layers. We show how ReLeQ can balance speed and quality, and provide a heterogeneous bitwidth assignment for quantization of a large variety of deep networks with minimal accuracy loss ($\leq$ ≤ 0.3% loss) while minimizing the computation and storage costs. With these DNNs, ReLeQ enables conventional hardware and custom DNN accelerator to achieve $~2.2\times$ 2 . 2 × speedup over 8-bit execution.
Existential inertia and the Aristotelian proof

Edward Feser defends the ‘Aristotelian proof’ for the existence of God, which reasons that the only adequate explanation of the existence of change is in terms of an unchangeable, purely actual being. His argument, however, relies on the falsity of the Existential Inertia Thesis (EIT), according to which concrete objects tend to persist in existence without requiring an existential sustaining cause. In this article, I first characterize the dialectical context of Feser’s Aristotelian proof, paying special attention to EIT and its rival thesis—the Existential Expiration Thesis. Next, I provide a more precise characterization of EIT, after which I outline two metaphysical accounts of existential inertia. I then develop new lines of reasoning in favor of EIT that appeal to the theoretical virtues of explanatory power and simplicity. Finally, I address the predominant criticisms of EIT in the literature.
Effects of Antenna Characteristics on the Performance of Heart Rate Monitoring Radar Systems

This communication investigates the effects of antenna radiation parameters on the detection capabilities of a continuous-wave 2.4-GHz Doppler radar used in noncontact heart rate monitoring systems. Four different types of patch antennas and array configurations were implemented on the transmitter and receiver sides. Extensive experiments using a linear actuator were performed, and several important observations were reported. A specific configuration of antennas was shown to result in the highest signal quality and system performance. Proof-of-concept experiments on human subjects further validated the suggested results, showing that the recommended antenna arrangement boosts the radar detection accuracy by an average of 11%.
Acoustofluidic separation enables early diagnosis of traumatic brain injury based on circulating exosomes.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global cause of morbidity and mortality. Initial management and risk stratification of patients with TBI is made difficult by the relative insensitivity of screening radiographic studies as well as by the absence of a widely available, noninvasive diagnostic biomarker. In particular, a blood-based biomarker assay could provide a quick and minimally invasive process to stratify risk and guide early management strategies in patients with mild TBI (mTBI). Analysis of circulating exosomes allows the potential for rapid and specific identification of tissue injury. By applying acoustofluidic exosome separation—which uses a combination of microfluidics and acoustics to separate bioparticles based on differences in size and acoustic properties—we successfully isolated exosomes from plasma samples obtained from mice after TBI. Acoustofluidic isolation eliminated interference from other blood components, making it possible to detect exosomal biomarkers for TBI via flow cytometry. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that exosomal biomarkers for TBI increase in the first 24 h following head trauma, indicating the potential of using circulating exosomes for the rapid diagnosis of TBI. Elevated levels of TBI biomarkers were only detected in the samples separated via acoustofluidics; no changes were observed in the analysis of the raw plasma sample. This finding demonstrated the necessity of sample purification prior to exosomal biomarker analysis. Since acoustofluidic exosome separation can easily be integrated with downstream analysis methods, it shows great potential for improving early diagnosis and treatment decisions associated with TBI.
Recurrent connectivity underlies lateralized temporal processing differences in Auditory Cortex

Brain asymmetry in the sensitivity to spectrotemporal modulation is an established functional feature that underlies the perception of speech and music. Recent studies in humans suggest separable neural mechanisms must underlie these cognitively complex functions. The left Auditory Cortex (ACx) is believed to specialize in processing fast temporal components of speech sounds, and the right ACx slower components. However, the circuit features and neural computations behind these lateralized spectrotemporal processes are poorly understood. To answer these mechanistic questions we use mice, an animal model that captures some relevant features of human communication systems. In this study, we screened for circuit features that could subserve temporal integration differences between the left and right ACx. We mapped excitatory input to principal neurons in all cortical layers and found significantly stronger recurrent connections in the superficial layers of the right ACx compared to the left. We hypothesized that the underlying recurrent neural dynamics would exhibit differential characteristic timescales corresponding to their hemispheric specialization. To investigate, we recorded spike trains from awake mice and estimated the network time constants using a quasi-Bayesian method to combine evidence from multiple weak signal-to-noise ratio neurons. We found longer temporal integration windows in the right ACx compared to the left as predicted by stronger recurrent excitation. Our study shows direct evidence that stronger recurrent synaptic connections lead to longer network time scales. These findings support speech processing theories that purport asymmetric integration time constants is a crucial feature of lateralization in auditory processing.
Fullerene Recipes (Add half a dozen electrons and spread them really thin.)

A first definition of art is a "skill acquired by experience, study, or observation." Researchers involved in the early days of fullerene electrochemistry will probably agree that this definition fits quite well the task of adding or removing electrons from these interesting carbon cages.
Energy Unavailable for Useful Work in a System Undergoing Change

I dropped the words into the air, heavy and dark. I arranged the names so that her friends could taste the suggestion of more than those round green and purple fruits. She wanted that particular season on their tongues, a certain history of soil and gardeners carrying roots wrapped in cotton handkerchiefs from Genoa and Malaga. (I am inventing this part; what I wanted, then, was a kind of instant pleasure of distinctions tasted only in language.)
Chronic Pain Patients' Impressions of an Emergency Department Opioid Prescribing Guideline Poster.

Objective To determine if an opioid prescribing guideline poster, meant to be posted in an emergency department (ED) triage area, would deter patients with chronic pain from seeking care. Methods We prospectively enrolled patients presenting to a chronic craniofacial pain clinic affiliated with an urban academic Level I trauma center. Patients were surveyed with a close-ended, structured questionnaire. Included patients were aged 18 and older with pain lasting 12 weeks or longer. Patients were shown a sample pain poster. The primary outcome was determination if such a poster would prevent the patient from staying to receive care in the ED. Results One hundred patients were surveyed. Most patients (77%) reported having been a patient in the ED in the past, and of these, 23% reported visiting the ED for worsening of chronic pain. After being shown the poster, 97% believed the recommendations in the poster were reasonable and 97% thought that the poster should be displayed in the ED. Seven patients (7%) reported that seeing the poster in the ED waiting room or triage area would intimidate them, and two patients within this group (2% of total sample) reported that it would prevent them from staying to get care. Conclusions The vast majority of patients with chronic pain in this cohort believes that a pain guideline poster is reasonable and should be posted in the ED. However, a small percentage of patients reported that they would feel intimidated by such a poster and that it would prevent them from staying to get care, a result meant to inform hospitals and policy-makers deciding if such posters should be displayed.
The Life and Times of Aboutness: A Review of the Library and Information Science Literature

Objective – This paper explores the concept of “aboutness”, its related terms, and the process of aboutness determination as found in the Library and Information Science Literature. Methods – A review of the literature pertaining to aboutness determination and related terms specific to Library and Information Science was undertaken, borrowing extensively from the literature review of Daniel Joudrey’s (2005) dissertation, Building puzzles and growing pearls: A qualitative exploration of determining aboutness, as well as examining a small selection of research and articles not discussed by Joudrey. In addition, a concept map was developed to outline many of the concepts and theories found. Results – The LIS literature demonstrates conflicting positions surrounding the term aboutness and its correlates. Despite the lack of firm agreement on terminologies, the notion of subject is explored because it featured prominently in the literature. As well, intensional and extensional aboutness are explored in contrast to a more subjectivist perspective which asserts that a document's aboutness cannot be separated from its reader. Aboutness determination is also examined through the lens of theme and rheme, that is what is presupposed in a document versus what is new. Aboutness from the user perspective featured considerably in the literature, with many authors asserting both the importance and the challenge of mediating knowledge on behalf of the user. The stage of aboutness determination in the complete process of subject indexing is also presented here, and the findings demonstrate that the stages are anything but linear and sequential. Conclusion – While the findings are more expositional than conclusive, they demonstrate the complexities and challenges surrounding the concept of “aboutness” and the process of its determination. The value of this review is in its ability to present the ways in which scholars and practitioners have attempted to grapple with this conundrum. Although indexers may find temporary solace in cataloguing manuals that outline aboutness determination procedures, underneath these “safe surfaces” is an ambiguous concept further complicated by obscure and incomplete processes. This review provides an opportunity to reflect on those challenges and to further the discussion.
Retention time of chlorophacinone in black-tailed prairie dogs informs secondary hazards from a prairie dog rodenticide bait.

BACKGROUND Secondary toxicity in mammals and birds that consume animals containing residues of anticoagulant rodenticides represents a persistent conflict between conservation, agriculture and environmental contamination. Chlorophacinone residues in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) represent a secondary exposure hazard to predatory and scavenging avian and mammalian species in the Central Plains of the United States, especially considering efforts to re-establish black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). Rozol® Prairie Dog Bait (chlorophacinone 0.005%) is registered to control black-tailed prairie dogs in ten states throughout the midwestern and western United States. RESULTS We fed Rozol Prairie Dog Bait to captive black-tailed prairie dogs for 2 days and analyzed their livers and whole bodies (without livers) for chlorophacinone residue on days 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18 and 27 post-exposure. We found the greatest levels of residues in livers ( = 5.499 mg kg−1) and whole bodies ( = 1.281 mg kg−1) on day 3. Residues in both tissues declined rapidly over time, with estimated half-lives of approximately 6 days post-exposure. However, a risk assessment of secondary toxicity to non-target mammals indicated acute risks for mammalian species up to 27 days post-exposure and negligible risks for birds. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the greatest risk of secondary toxicity occurs ≤14 days post-application of Rozol Prairie Dog Bait and declines thereafter. This corresponds to the time when chlorophacinone residues are high, and prairie dogs exhibit signs of intoxication and are perhaps most susceptible to predation and scavenging. These results confirm that Rozol Prairie Dog Bait should not be used in areas where black-footed ferrets or other sensitive species occur. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Carcinoma of the antrum: a clinical and histopathologic study.

Abstract 1. 1. Carcinoma of the maxillary antrum is twice as common in men as in women. The highest incidence is in the sixth to eighth decades of life. The average age of patients in our series was 64 years. 2. 2. The most common sign of antral malignancy is swelling around the eye, nose, and cheek. Next, in order of their frequency, are nasal, oral, neurological, and ocular symptoms. 3. 3. In over 25 per cent of the patients, initial signs and symptoms appear in the oral cavity and may call for consultation with a dentist. 4. 4. Due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease in its early stages, in the majority of cases diagnosis is not made until the disease is advanced. Upon admission, 88 per cent of the patients demonstrated roentgenologic evidence of destruction of one or more bony walls of the antrum. 5. 5. Metastases are not as infrequent as is generally believed. In the present series, 17 per cent of the patients had lymph node involvement, and 7 per cent had generalized metastases. 6. 6. There were fifty cases of epidermoid carcinoma, and only two were of the cylindroma variety. 7. 7. Of fifty-two patients, three died of postoperative complications. Among the remaining forty-nine patients, five (10 per cent) lived for more than five years and eight (15 per cent) lived for three years.
Turbulence, Coherent Structures, Dynamical Systems and Symmetry

Preface Part I. Turbulence: 1. Introduction 2. Coherent structures 3. Proper orthogonal decomposition 4. Galerkin projection Part II. Dynamical Systems: 5. Qualitative theory 6. Symmetry 7. One-dimensional 'turbulence' 8. Randomly perturbed systems Part III. 9. Low-dimensional Models: 10. Behaviour of the models Part IV. Other Applications and Related Work: 11. Some other fluid problems 12. Review: prospects for rigor Bibliography.
Is Religion a One-Trick Pony?: An Empirical Study of the Impact of Religious Affiliation on Voting in Congress

Many studies have quantified the effect of religious affiliation on abortion-related issues. However, reading the “statements of principles” for many religious denominations, it is clear these bodies have positions on issues other than abortion. This paper attempts to tease out any influence affiliation might have on voting behavior in Congress when dealing with some “other” issues on which major faiths still have an expressed interest (i.e. political stance). Using a binary logistic regression, it is found that affiliation’s effects are inconsistent. In some cases, affiliation is insignificant, but in others affiliation is significant. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol15/iss1/8
Modeling Dynamic Load Balancing in Molecular Dynamics to Achieve Scalable Parallel Execution

To achieve scalable parallel performance in Molecular Dynamics Simulation, we have modeled and implemented several dynamic spatial domain decomposition algorithms. The modeling is based upon Valiant's Bulk Synchronous Parallel architecture model (BSP), which describes supersteps of computation, communication, and synchronization. We have developed prototypes that estimate the differing costs of several spatial decomposition algorithms using the BSP model.
Modular arithmetic and fast algorithm designed for modern computer security applications

Modular arithmetic plays very crucial role for public key cryptosystems, such as the public key cryptosystem, the key distribution scheme, and the key exchange scheme. Modular exponentiation is a common operation used by several public-key cryptosystems, such as the RSA encryption scheme and the Diffie-Hellman key exchange scheme. In this paper, we have proposed a new method to fast evaluate modular exponentiation, which combines the complement recoding method and canonical recoding technique.
Issues for the Future

The purpose of this chapter is to delineate an area in need of a creative dialogue. Its purpose should be to reassess the current in-house corporate health care delivery system and to identify the changes it should undergo if the country is to maintain safe and healthy workplaces at the most reasonable cost possible.
Nicolai Hartmann: Proper Ethics Is Atheistic

Nicolai Hartmann was educated at his birthplace Riga (Latvia) and at St. Petersburg (Russia), where he graduated from gymnasium in 1901, prior to his university studies in medicine at Tartu (German, Dorpat; Russian, Yuryev) in Estonia and in classical philology at St. Petersburg. When he changed fields to philosophy, he moved to the university at Marburg, Germany. The principal chairs in philosophy there were held by the neo-Kantians Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp. Under their direction, he worked intensively on ancient philosophy, completing his doctoral dissertation in 1907 and his Habilitationschrift on Platos Logik des Seins (Plato’s logic of being) in 1909. By 1912, however, Hartmann began a struggle against the general neo-Kantian approach and against the logical idealism of his chief academic mentors at Marburg. This shift was brought on, as he himself later reported, largely by studying the work of Edmund Husserl and Max Scheler. The change did not become public, however, until his Grundzuge einer Metaphysik der Erkenntnis (Outlines of a metaphysics of cognition) appeared in 1921, after he assumed in 1920 the chair Natorp had held at Marburg. In that work he declares affinity with the work of these phenomenologists, whom he identified as his nearest philosophical neighbors. Still, he had hardly any contact with other members of the phenomenological movement until 1925, when he became a colleague of Scheler at Cologne. They remained friends until Scheler’s death in 1928. In 1931 Hartmann transferred to a chair at Berlin and finally to Gottingen in 1945. He died at Gottingen on October 9, 1950.
Hard Water: Politics and Water Supply in Milwaukee, 1870-1995

Examines formation, growth and change in the Milwaukee water department. Combining history, technology, politics and policy-making, the author explains how municipal decision-making processes determine technological determinations throughout the history of water works.
Simulation of the 1979 Spring Bloom in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: A Coupled Physical/Biological/Optical Model

A coupled physical/biological/optical model is developed for studies of phytoplankton variability in the spring 1979 Mid-Atlantic Bight, as observed by CZCS imagery. The model incorporates advection, mixing, sinking, growth as a function of light, temperature, nutrient availability, and death as a function of ingestion. It produced chlorophyll concentrations within the first attenuated depth within 1 standard deviation of CZCS imagery on large scale. The primary production estimates obtained using this model were within reasonable agreement with those measured in situ.
Team Teaching in an Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Program: A Decade of Lessons Learned

Preparing students in the early childhood field to work with children both with and without disabilities and to collaborate with different professionals is an important endeavor for colleges and universities. The purpose of this paper is to articulate a unique model of program collaboration between early childhood special education and early childhood regular education that demonstrates a cohesive preservice teacher education program across two departments within one university. This unique 10-year history of interdisciplinary collaboration and team teaching provides insights into many of the benefits and challenges of this type of program. This paper presents an historical overview of the development of this collaborative program and describes the logistics of operating an interdisciplinary program at the administrative level. Information collected from faculty and students illustrates the benefits and challenges of team teaching. Finally, strategies for developing a successful program are discussed.
Applying Ecological Interface Design to the Driving Domain: The Results of an Abstraction Hierarchy Analysis

Abstraction Hierarchy of the Driving Domain The level of functional purpose defines the reason and purpose for the system’s existence relative to the environment. The functional purpose for the driving domain includes the goals of providing safe, efficient, and rapid transport and driving pleasure. Safe transport describes the need to avoid hazards while moving from one point to another. Efficient and rapid transport describes the economic and timing considerations of transportation. Driving pleasure concerns those constraints that influence a visceral level of enjoyment. The diversity in the driving domain at the level of the functional purpose distinguishes it from other domains. Few domains must accommodate safety, efficiency, timeliness, and pleasure. The relevant functional purpose can be substantially different between drivers and can change within an individual driver over time. This makes the driving domain unique, and this heterogeneity introduces substantial complexity at the level of functional purpose. The level of
Surgical decompression in acute spinal cord injury: A review of clinical evidence, animal model studies, and potential future directions of investigation

The goal for treatment in acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is to reduce the extent of secondary damage and facilitate neurologic regeneration and functional recovery. Although multiple studies have investigated potential new therapies for the treatment of acute SCI, outcomes and management protocols aimed at ameliorating neurologic injury in patients remain ineffective. More recent clinical and basic science research have shown surgical interventions to be a potentially valuable modality for treatment; however, the role and timing of surgical decompression, in addition to the optimal surgical intervention, remain one of the most controversial topics pertaining to surgical treatment of acute SCI. As an increasing number of potential treatment modalities emerge, animal models are pivotal for investigating its clinical application and translation into human trials. This review critically appraises the available literature for both clinical and basic science studies to highlight the extent of investigation that has occurred, specific therapies considered, and potential areas for future research.
An Improved Method for In Vitro Cultivation of B. Leprae.

SummaryThe trypsinization of the leprous tissue bits, before attempting the cultivation of the contained B. leprae, affords at once the split-protein products which we consider the necessary nutrient factor. The trypsin apparently exerts no harmful effect upon the Hansen bacillus as evidenced by its unmistakable growth in 4 to 6 weeks. This initial in vitro multiplication occurs in the trypsinized leprous tissue without the aid of other nutrients and under ordinary atmospheric conditions at 37°C. Growth continues in subculture on ordinary agar medium as long as the trypsinized leprous material is transferred. The crucial point in the initial cultivation of B. leprae away from the influence of the host tissue is experienced at this juncture. After the complete utilization of the nutrient material of the trypsinized host tissue, the acid-fast bacillus of Hansen will only multiply in a medium that is enriched with sufficient quantities of protein cleavage products.Many attempts have been made by various inve...
Effect of hydrogen absorption on the magnetic properties of Zr(Fe1−xAlx)2 compounds

Abstract Magnetic measurements have been performed on Zr(Fe0.8Al0.2)2 (C15 structure) and on Zr(Fe0.7Al0.3)2 (C14 structure) and their hydrides. These host metal system absorb ≈2 H/formula unit, accompanied by an expansion in volume ranging from 11 to 14%, without change of crystal structure. In both compounds, ferromagnetism is strongly suppressed upon hydrogenation, indicating that Fe-Fe exchange is markedly weakened by hydriding. Hydrogenation converts ferromagnetic Zr(Fe0.8Al0.2)2 and Zr(Fe0.7Al0.3)2 into a super paramagnet and spin-glass, respectively. This suggests a striking change in the electronic 3d band structure due to hydrogen absorption, and in addition the importance of varying local hydrogen concentrations because of varying environments for a given interstitial site.
Monte Carlo Simulations of Phase-Separated Membranes

In multi-component lipid mixtures, macro-domains can be directly observed with light microscopy, but nano-domains cannot. Monte-Carlo simulations of liquid-disordered + liquid-ordered phase separation, using a competing-interactions model, can simulate various types of phase morphologies including nano-domains. These simulations capture a more realistic picture of nano-domains as irregular clusters rather than smooth, round disks. On a curved vesicle, when line tension and the competing interaction of bending energy are of similar magnitude, modulated phase patterns occur Current work focuses on studying the various morphologies when competing interactions of line tension, bending energy, and dipole-dipole repulsion form nano-domains.
Variation in Length of Stay and Outcomes among Hospitalized Patients Attributable to Hospitals and Hospitalists

BACKGROUND There have been no prior population-based studies of variation in performance of hospitalists.
Comparative effects of continual lighting and pinealectomy on the eyes, the harderian glands and reproduction in pigmented and albino rats

Abstract 1. 1. Exposure of albino Sprague-Dawley and pigmented Long Evans rats to continuous lighting for 65 days resulted in significant regression of the ovaries, the Harderian glands and the pineal glands. Similarly, both strains of rats in constant lighting exhibited an increased incidence or cornified cells in their vaginal smears. None of these responses were affected by pineal removal. 2. 2. Albino rats, but not pigmented rats, also exhibited gross hypotrophy of their eyes and retinas after continual light exposure. Histological examination of the retinas of rats kept in continual light for 65 days revealed that the photoreceptor layer of the albino rats had degenerated and disappeared while only minor changes were seen in the retinas of the pigmented animals. 3. 3. The pineal glands of pigmented rats were found to be only two-thirds the size of those in albino animals but had about the same relative hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity.
Characterization of a novel cellulose synthesis inhibitor

The physiological effects of an experimental herbicide and cellulose synthesis inhibitor, N2-(1-ethyl-3-phenylpropyl)-6-(1-fluoro-1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine, called AE F150944, are described. In the aminotriazine molecular class, AE F150944 is structurally distinct from other known cellulose synthesis inhibitors. It specifically inhibits crystalline cellulose synthesis in plants without affecting other processes that were tested. The effects of AE F150944 on dicotyledonous plants were tested on cultured mesophyll cells of Zinnia elegans L. cv. Envy, which can be selectively induced to expand via primary wall synthesis or to differentiate into tracheary elements via secondary wall synthesis. The IC50 values during primary and secondary wall synthesis in Z. elegans were 3.91×10−8 M and 3.67×10−9 M, respectively. The IC50 in suspension cultures of the monocot Sorghum halapense (L.) Pers., which were dividing and synthesizing primary walls, was 1.67×10−10 M. At maximally inhibitory concentrations, 18–33% residual crystalline cellulose synthesis activity remained, with the most residual activity observed during primary wall synthesis in Z. elegans. Addition to Z. elegans cells of two other cellulose synthesis inhibitors, 1 μM 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile and isoxaben, along with AE F150944 did not eliminate the residual cellulose synthesis, indicating little synergy between the three inhibitors. In differentiating tracheary elements, AE F150944 inhibited the deposition of detectable cellulose into patterned secondary wall thickenings, which was correlated with delocalization of lignin as described previously for 2, 6-dichlorobenzonitrile. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that the plasma membrane below the patterned thickenings of AE F150944-treated tracheary elements was depleted of cellulose-synthase-containing rosettes, which appeared to be inserted intact into the plasma membrane followed by their rapid disaggregation. AE F150944 also inhibited cellulose-dependent growth in the rosette-containing alga, Spirogyra pratensis, but it did not inhibit cellulose synthesis in Acetobacter xylinum or Dictyostelium discoideum, both of which synthesize cellulose via linear terminal complexes. Therefore, AE F150944 may inhibit crystalline cellulose synthesis by destabilizing plasma membrane rosettes.
Fast solution of linear and Quadratic Programs with an analog circuit

We present the design of an analog circuit which solves linear programming (LP) or Quadratic Programming (QP) problems. In particular, the steady-state circuit voltages are the components of the LP (QP) optimal solution. The proposed method is used to implement a LP-based Model Predictive Controller by using an analog circuit. VLSI design of an LP problem demonstrates nanosecond range solution latency. Simulative and experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Swimming pattern as an indicator of the roles of copepod sensory systems in the recognition of food

The roles of copepod sensory systems in the recognition of food were investigated using the “Bugwatcher”, a video-computer system designed to track and describe quantitatively the swimming patterns of aquatic organisms. The swimming behavior of the copepodPseudocalanus minutus in the presence of phytoplankton is characterized by a decrease in average swimming speed and an increase in “pause” behaviors compared to its swimming behavior in filtered seawater. Copepods exposed to chemosensory stimulation alone (filtered phytoplankton exudate) exhibited an increase in average swimming speed and an increase in the number of “burst” swimming behaviors. When exposed to a novel, non-food chemosensory stimulus (morpholine), no change in swimming behavior was observed unless the copepods had been conditioned to this odor in the presence of phytoplankton. Copepods exposed to mechanosensory stimulation alone (plastic spheres) exhibited a decrease in swimming speed and an increase in pause behaviors. When exposed to both forms of stimulation simultaneously (phytoplankton exudate and plastic spheres), a further decrease in swimming speed and increase in pause behaviors occurs, yielding a swimming pattern similar to that found in the presence of phytoplankton. This analysis of swimming pattern indicates that both chemoreception and mechanoreception contribute to the recognition of food inP. minutus.
Aerated lagoons for the treatment of fats and oil industry wastes

This paper diseusses the effects of discharging waste materials into receiving streams, and the methods whereby a treatment system condenses the biological cycle to a few days. Also covered are the three basic types of lagoon operations, their advantages and limitations, typical biochemical oxygen demand and solids reduction, as well as the associated economics of each type of system. Methods of installing and positioning mechanical surface aerators in a lagoon, both platform or bridge mounted and floating platform units, are included.