cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multivariable PI tuning and application to engine idle speed control

A multivariable proportional-integral (PI) tuning strategy is developed and the advantage of the design is illustrated in an automotive application. The multivariable control design technique developed has disturbance rejection as its main objective rather than set-point tracking, which is the focus of most of the MIMO PI tuning techniques so far in the literature. The benefit of the design is that it does not try to minimize interactions in a multivariable plant and instead uses the interactions to achieve better disturbance rejection. The application of the control design technique is in multivariable speed and air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) control of a lean-burn natural gas engine to achieve less speed drop during load transients at idle.
The modulation of operant variation by the probability, magnitude, and delay of reinforcement

Recent studies have demonstrated that the expectation of reward delivery has an inverse relationship with operant behavioral variation (e.g., Stahlman, Roberts, & Blaisdell, 2010). Research thus far has largely focused on one aspect of reinforcement – the likelihood of food delivery. In two experiments with pigeons, we examined the effect of two other aspects of reinforcement: the magnitude of the reward and the temporal delay between the operant response and outcome delivery. In the first experiment, we found that a large reward magnitude resulted in reduced spatiotemporal variation in pigeons’ pecking behavior. In the second experiment, we found that a 4-s delay between response-dependent trial termination and reward delivery increased variation in behavior. These results indicate that multiple dimensions of the reinforcer modulate operant response variation.
The Near-Earth Plasma Environment

An overview of the plasma environment near the earth is provided. We describe how the near-earth plasma is formed, including photo-ionization from solar photons and impact ionization at high latitudes from energetic particles. We review the fundamental characteristics of the earth’s plasma environment, with emphasis on the ionosphere and its interactions with the extended neutral atmosphere. Important processes that control ionospheric physics at low, middle, and high latitudes are discussed. The general dynamics and morphology of the ionized gas at mid- and low-latitudes are described including electrodynamic contributions from wind-driven dynamos, tides, and planetary-scale waves. The unique properties of the near-earth plasma and its associated currents at high latitudes are shown to depend on precipitating auroral charged particles and strong electric fields which map earthward from the magnetosphere. The upper atmosphere is shown to have profound effects on the transfer of energy and momentum between the high-latitude plasma and the neutral constituents. The article concludes with a discussion of how the near-earth plasma responds to magnetic storms associated with solar disturbances.
Therapeutic abortion of early human gestation with vaginal suppositories of prostaglandin F2α

Abstract The effectiveness of intravaginal suppositories of prostaglandin 2α (PGF 2α ) for therapeutic abortion was studied in 10 women having gestations of less than 6 weeks. Suppositories of 50 mg. were administered at intervals of 2 to 4 hours for a 24 hour period with a total dosage ranging from 200 to 600 mg. Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and progesterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay prior to starting therapy, at intervals during therapy, and one and 2 weeks thereafter. All patients had significant side effects, mainly diarrhea and vomiting, indicating that systemic absorption took place. Of the 10 patients, 8 aborted, 7 of whom aborted completely and required no further therapy. The other had an incomplete abortion and required a curettage. The 2 patients who failed to abort with PGF 2α also had dilatations and curettages. The 7 patients who completely aborted had a fall in HCG levels, while the HCG continued to rise in the 3 subjects who required dilatations and curettages.
Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium in artificially contaminated alfalfa seeds and mung beans by fumigation with ammonia.

Sprouts eaten raw are increasingly perceived as hazardous foods because they have been vehicles in outbreaks of food-borne disease, often involving Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. Although the source of these pathogens has not been established, it is known that the seeds usually are already contaminated at the time sprouting begins. Earlier studies had shown that ammonia was lethal to these same pathogens in manure, so it seemed reasonable to determine whether ammonia was effective against them when associated with seeds to be used for sprouting. Experimentally contaminated (108 to 109 CFU/g) and dried seeds, intended for sprouting, were sealed in glass jars in which 180 or 300 mg of ammonia/liter of air space was generated by action of ammonium sulfate and sodium hydroxide. Samples were taken after intervals up to 22 h at 20°C. Destruction of approximately 2 to 3 logs was observed with both bacteria associated with alfalfa seeds, versus 5 to 6 logs with mung beans. Greater kills are ...
Decision-related perturbations of decision-irrelevant eye movements

It is well established that ongoing cognitive functions affect the trajectories of limb movements mediated by corticospinal circuits, suggesting an interaction between cognition and motor action. Although there are also many demonstrations that decision formation is reflected in the ongoing neural activity in oculomotor brain circuits, it is not known whether the decision-related activity in those oculomotor structures interacts with eye movements that are decision irrelevant. Here we tested for an interaction between decisions and instructed saccades unrelated to the perceptual decision. Observers performed a direction-discrimination decision-making task, but made decision-irrelevant saccades before registering their motion decision with a button press. Probing the oculomotor circuits with these decision-irrelevant saccades during decision making revealed that saccade reaction times and peak velocities were influenced in proportion to motion strength, and depended on the directional congruence between decisions about visual motion and decision-irrelevant saccades. These interactions disappeared when observers passively viewed the motion stimulus but still made the same instructed saccades, and when manual reaction times were measured instead of saccade reaction times, confirming that these interactions result from decision formation as opposed to visual stimulation, and are specific to the oculomotor system. Our results demonstrate that oculomotor function can be affected by decision formation, even when decisions are communicated without eye movements, and that this interaction has a directionally specific component. These results not only imply a continuous and interactive mixture of motor and decision signals in oculomotor structures, but also suggest nonmotor recruitment of oculomotor machinery in decision making.
Inference and Decoding of Motor Cortex Low-Dimensional Dynamics via Latent State-Space Models

Motor cortex neuronal ensemble spiking activity exhibits strong low-dimensional collective dynamics (i.e., coordinated modes of activity) during behavior. Here, we demonstrate that these low-dimensional dynamics, revealed by unsupervised latent state-space models, can provide as accurate or better reconstruction of movement kinematics as direct decoding from the entire recorded ensemble. Ensembles of single neurons were recorded with triple microelectrode arrays (MEAs) implanted in ventral and dorsal premotor (PMv, PMd) and primary motor (M1) cortices while nonhuman primates performed 3-D reach-to-grasp actions. Low-dimensional dynamics were estimated via various types of latent state-space models including, for example, Poisson linear dynamic system (PLDS) models. Decoding from low-dimensional dynamics was implemented via point process and Kalman filters coupled in series. We also examined decoding based on a predictive subsampling of the recorded population. In this case, a supervised greedy procedure selected neuronal subsets that optimized decoding performance. When comparing decoding based on predictive subsampling and latent state-space models, the size of the neuronal subset was set to the same number of latent state dimensions. Overall, our findings suggest that information about naturalistic reach kinematics present in the recorded population is preserved in the inferred low-dimensional motor cortex dynamics. Furthermore, decoding based on unsupervised PLDS models may also outperform previous approaches based on direct decoding from the recorded population or on predictive subsampling.
Ozone-induced alteration of biomass allocation and nitrogen derived from air in the leguminous plant-Rhizobium-VAM system

Ozone (O3), a photochemical air pollutant, suppresses C availability to roots and may alter interactions among leguminous plants, rhizobia, and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (YAM) fungi. Objectives of this experiment were to quantify O3-induced changes in plant N status and determine the influence of a VAM fungus on the response of the plant-Rhizobium system to O3.
Effect of centrifugation on the removal of extracellular polymers and physical properties of activated sludge

Activated sludge is a flocculated suspension of living and dead microorganisms enmeshed together in a polymer matrix along with some organic and inorganic materials. Extracellular polymers, main components of which are the polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids, act as a protective barrier to the living microbial community, and give the floc its integrity and rigidity. These polymers have been found to affect the dewatering and settling characteristics of activated sludge. Even though they were studied considerably in the past there is not a complete understanding of the relationship between the amount of polymer and changes in the physical properties of sludge. The purpose of this research is to observe the effects of centrifugal force on the extraction of the extracellular polymers from an activated sludge and to correlate the amount of polymer extracted to the subsequent physical properties of the sludge. Centrifugal forces of 2000, 5000, 8000, 11,000, 14,000, and 16,500 G were tested for their effects on the amount of extracellular polymer collected, as well as the final properties of sludge like viscosity, filterability, compactability and supernatant turbidity. Results were evaluated in comparison to those of an uncentrifuged control waste activated sludge. Removal of extracellular polymers seems to affect the viscosity of activated sludge. Filterability, as measured by the capillary suction time instrument, was affected by the extraction of polymers to a great degree. Results of the independent tests correlated well with each other and with the amount of polymers extracted. Results of this study have important implications on sludge pumping and dewatering.
The Evolution of an Automated Reading Strategy Tutor: From the Classroom to a Game-Enhanced Automated System

The implementation of effective pedagogical software is difficult to achieve. In this chapter we describe one possible solution to this problem, the evolutionary development of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). This development process typically involves establishing training practices, developing automated instruction, and then amending motivational elements. While this development cycle can take years for completion because each step requires an iterative process of both execution and evaluation, it also has a greater chance of success. We illustrate such a cycle in this chapter in the evolution of an intelligent tutoring and gaming environment [i.e., interactive Strategy Trainer for Active Reading and Thinking-Motivationally Enhanced (iSTART-ME)] from an ITS (i.e., iSTART), which was originally conceived and tested as a human-delivered intervention (i.e., SERT).
WE-FG-207B-06: Plaque Composition Measurement with Dual Energy Computed Tomography

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of characterizing arterial plaque composition in terms of water, lipid and protein or calcium using dual energy computed tomography. Characterization of plaque composition can potentially help distinguish vulnerable from stable plaques. Methods: Simulations studies were performed by the CT simulator based on ASTRA tomography toolbox. The beam energy for dual energy images was selected to be 80 kVp and 135 kVp. The radiation dose and energy spectrum for the CT simulator were carefully calibrated with respect to a 320-slice CT scanner. A digital chest phantom was constructed using Matlab for calibration and plaque measurement. Pure water, lipid, protein or calcium was used for calibration and a mixture of different volume percentages of these materials were used for validation purposes. Non-calcified plaque was simulated using water, lipid and protein with volumetric percentage range of 35%∼65%, 5%∼60% and 5%∼40%, respectively. Calcified plaque was simulated using water, lipid and calcium with volumetric percentage range of 50%∼80%, 8%∼45% and 3%∼13%, respectively. We employed iterative sinogram processing (ISP) to reduce the beam hardening effect in the simulation to improve the decomposition results. Results: The simulated known composition and dual energy decomposition results were in good agreement. Water, lipid and protein (calcium) mixtures were decomposed into water, lipid and protein (calcium) contents. The RMS errors of volumetric percentage for the water, lipid and protein (non-calcified plaque) decomposition, as compared to known values, were estimated to be approximately 5.74%, 2.54%, and 0.95% respectively. The RMS errors of volumetric percentage for the water, lipid and Calcium (calcified plaque) decomposition, as compared to known values, were estimated to be approximately 7.4%, 8.64%, and 0.08% respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the dual energy decomposition can potentially be used to quantify the water, lipid, and protein or calcium composition of a plaque with relatively good accuracy. Grant funding from Toshiba Medical Systems and Philips Medical Systems
High-Temperature Corrosion Testing of Uranium Silicide Surrogates

The corrosion resistance of cerium silicide, a surrogate of uranium silicide, is investigated to gain insight into the reaction of uranium silicide with water. As-received and proton-irradiated Ce3...
11-Step Total Synthesis of Araiosamines

A concise route to a small family of exotic marine alkaloids known as the araiosamines has been developed, and their absolute configuration has been assigned. The dense array of functionality, high polarity, and rich stereochemistry coupled with equilibrating topologies present an unusual challenge for chemical synthesis and an opportunity for innovation. Key steps involve the use of a new reagent for guanidine installation, a remarkably selective C–H functionalization, and a surprisingly simple final step that intersects a presumed biosynthetic intermediate. Synthetic araiosamines were shown to exhibit potency against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria despite a contrary report of no activity.
Solid Planet–Atmosphere Interactions

Even without an abundant aqueous phase, planetary surfaces are coupled with planetary atmospheres through complex physical and chemical processes. On Mars and Venus, dissociation of H 2 O and hydrogen escape from early atmospheres have caused partial oxidation of crustal materials. Although early atmospheric conditions could have favored the formation of carbonates and hydrated minerals, current environments may not be suitable for carbonate formation. Throughout history, volcanic/impact degassing was followed by consumption of sulfur and halogens into surface materials through weathering reactions. Atmosphere–surface interactions could have been affected by changing solar luminosity, orbital parameters, the greenhouse heating, internal processes, and impact cratering.
Experimental observation of relativistic nonlinear Thomson scattering

Classical Thomson scattering1 — the scattering of low-intensity light by electrons — is a linear process, in that it does not change the frequency of the radiation; moreover, the magnetic-field component of light is not involved. But if the light intensity is extremely high (∼1018 W cm−2), the electrons oscillate during the scattering process with velocities approaching the speed of light. In this relativistic regime, the effect of the magnetic and electric fields on the electron motion should become comparable, and the effective electron mass will increase. Consequently, electrons in such high fields are predicted to quiver nonlinearly, moving in figure-of-eight patterns rather than in straight lines. Scattered photons should therefore be radiated at harmonics of the frequency of the incident light2,3,4,5,6,7,8, with each harmonic having its own unique angular distribution4,5,6. Ultrahigh-peak-power lasers9 offer a means of creating the huge photon densities required to study relativistic, or ‘nonlinear’ (ref. 6), Thomson scattering. Here we use such an approach to obtain direct experimental confirmation of the theoretical predictions of relativistic Thomson scattering. In the future, it may be possible to achieve coherent10,11 generation of the harmonics, a process that could be potentially utilized for ‘table-top’ X-ray sources.
Synthesis of pyridine-alkoxide ligands for formation of polynuclear complexes

We have prepared and characterized a series of novel polydentate N,O-donor ligands derived from our well-studied ligand 2-(2-pyridinyl)-2-propanol (pyalkH), having the general formula Me{C(OH)(2-py)CH2}nH, where n = 2 or 3. Like pyalkH, these analogues bind via N and O with deprotonation at the latter, thus extending the strongly donor pyridine-alkoxide chelation power of pyalkH to polydentate forms. The greater denticity allows for more effective binding and polynuclear cluster formation with first-row transition metals. Several stable alkoxo-bridged polynuclear clusters of these ligands with Mn, Cu, Co and Ni have been prepared; all reported ligands and complexes have been characterized, including by X-ray crystallography. We report a one-step synthesis of these ligands, alongside pyalkH, on a multi-gram scale from inexpensive starting materials. We have also developed a new scalable procedure for the isolation of pyalkH that avoids the need for chromatography, making large-scale production of this ligand commercially viable.
A Focus Group Study of African American Students' Experiences with Classroom Discussions about Race at a Predominantly White University.

ABSTRACTPast research has drawn attention to the unique challenges for students of color attending predominantly white colleges and universities, yet few have focused on the classroom as a micro-context in which race-related discussions often occur. Using a focus group methodology, 22 African American undergraduate students from a variety of academic programs shared their past experiences with classroom discussions about race. Thematic analyses revealed that African American students’ cognitive and emotional responses to race-focused discussions in the classroom were uniquely shaped by the broader context of attending a predominantly White university situated in a Midwestern region of the United States. Students’ responses gave insights into the strategies that minority students use to navigate race-focused discussions in class and the impact that those strategies have on their class participation. The implications of our results for students and faculty, particularly those situated on predominantly White...
Great Expectations: Infertility, Disability, and Possibility

This chapter uses personal narrative along with feminist and disability theories to explore the relationship between personal experience of infertility and the 1998 designation of infertility as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Shigley summarizes the case law on this issue, but focuses particularly on how infertility appears in select literary texts. To begin this textual exploration, she examines the etymology and connotations of the word ‘infertile’ and its close cousins, and explores both personally and textually how the feelings and stigma of infertility linger long after the quest for pregnancy has been abandoned.
On achieving high performance optical communications from very deep space

Missions will continue to need very capable communications systems to transfer data to and from Deep Space, both for science and human exploration. Despite the amazing accomplishments of NASA’s Deep Space Network to date, even higher data rates will be desired in the future. The optical bands have long held out the potential for delivering these higher data rates without having SWaP and cost grow too high. In fact, recent and ongoing laboratory development and space demonstrations make the optical technologies look very promising. A question has arisen recently, though, as to whether the technology will truly be able to meet the needs of many different kinds of missions, especially as the missions go deeper and deeper into space. We present here a communications analysis of the links in question which results in an insight into how we can make such links work. We then propose some feasible system architectures, affecting both the space and ground segments, which can lead to systems that could outperform present-day and future RF systems by from one to four orders of magnitude. We feel that optical technology should be able to support such high-rate communications throughout the Solar System, and even far beyond Pluto.
Value-Based ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Care Using Risk-Guided Triage and Early Discharge

Background:Prior studies suggest that low-risk ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention can be considered for early discharg...
Evaluation of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Questions relating to cognitive functioning in persons with psychiatric illness comprise one of the most common referrals to neuropsychologists, second currently only to referrals for evaluation of closed head injury (Grant & Adams, 1996). The well-informed reader may ask, particularly in this age of managed health care, what advantages are present in conducting neuropsychological evaluations with psychiatric patients given that the incidence of overt neurological dysfunction is relatively small in these populations, aside from the iatrogenic effects of neuroleptic medication. Neuropsychological evaluations can be construed as relatively timeconsuming as well as costly; and occasionally they yield more questions than answers. These criticisms not withstanding, there are several important rationales for conducting neuropsychological assessments in neuropsychiatric populations.
AXONAL TRANSPORT IN ACRYLAMIDE NEUROPATHY

ABSTRACT The axoplasmic transport of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were studied in the sciatic nerves of normal rats and those with neuropathy due to acrylamide by measuring the accumulation of these enzymes proximal to single and double ligatures. Approximately 10 per cent of the enzymes were mobile. The absolute transport rate of AChE was decreased to 287 mm/24h in acrylamide neuropathy compared with 567 mm/24h in normal nerve. The absolute transport rate of ChAT was unchanged (176 and 170 mm/24h). The amount of AChE activity transported in the orthograde direction in acrylamide neuropathy was 2.03 umol/24h, which was slightly less than normal (2.6 umol/24h). The amount of ChAT transported in acrylamide neuropathy was 0.5 umol/24h which was considerably greater than normal (0.2 umol/24h). Specific colchicine binding by neurotubulin from acrylamide intoxicated rats was reduced to 40 per cent of normal though the total amount of neurotubulin appeared to be normal.
Social support and mental health: An analysis of online support forums for Asian immigrant women

Immigrants experience adversity and hardship in a new environment. These experiences negatively affect their psychological well-being. Online support forums are preferred channels to seek and receive social support for mental health issues. Accordingly, this study analyzed online support forums for Chinese and Korean immigrant women, focusing on different types of mental health problems, support-seeking strategies used, social support received and the relationships between them. Asian immigrant women with mental health problems primarily sought social support by sharing their personal experiences and received informational support “most”. Informational support was most frequently offered for depression, anxiety disorder, and personality disorder, but emotional support was most frequently provided for impulse control. While informational support was most commonly offered with requests for information, emotional support was most repeatedly reported for statements of extreme behavior.
Dopamine neurons projecting to the posterior striatum reinforce avoidance of threatening stimuli

Midbrain dopamine neurons are well known for their role in reward-based reinforcement learning. We found that the activity of dopamine axons in the posterior tail of the striatum (TS) scaled with the novelty and intensity of external stimuli, but did not encode reward value. We demonstrated that the ablation of TS-projecting dopamine neurons specifically inhibited avoidance of novel or high-intensity stimuli without affecting animals’ initial avoidance responses, suggesting a role in reinforcement rather than simply in avoidance itself. Furthermore, we found that animals avoided optogenetic activation of dopamine axons in TS during a choice task and that this stimulation could partially reinstate avoidance of a familiar object. These results suggest that TS-projecting dopamine neurons reinforce avoidance of threatening stimuli. More generally, our results indicate that there are at least two axes of reinforcement learning using dopamine in the striatum: one based on value and one based on external threat.
Examining the Effects of Mindful Eating Training on Adherence to a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (the DELISH Study): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Diet patterns have a profound influence on glycemic control for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and craving-related eating is an important obstacle to dietary adherence. A growing body of research suggests that carbohydrate-restricted (CR) diets can improve glycemic control and reduce medication dependence in T2DM. However, limited data speak to the effects of long-term adherence to CR diets. Mindful eating training has been shown to reduce craving-related eating in overweight populations but has yet to be examined as a behavioral support for dietary adherence in T2DM. This trial examines behavioral mechanisms, particularly craving-related eating, through which mindful eating training might improve adherence to CR dietary recommendations in T2DM. This will clarify the importance of focusing on craving-related eating in the optimization of dietary adherence interventions. Objective: The aim of this trial is to determine whether providing training in mindful eating increases adherence to a CR dietary recommendation in T2DM. Methods: We are randomizing 60 participants to receive a CR diet with or without mindful eating training (12-week group intervention) and are following participants for 12 weeks after intervention completion. We hypothesize that participants who receive mindful eating training (relative to those who do not) will demonstrate greater adherence to the CR diet. Results: Our primary outcome is change in craving-related eating, as assessed using an ecological momentary assessment mobile phone–based platform. Secondary behavioral pathway outcomes include changes in stress-related eating, impulsivity, glycemic control, weight change, dietary adherence, and resumption of dietary adherence after dietary nonadherence. Conclusions: This theory-driven trial will shed light on the impact of mindfulness training on mechanisms that may impact dietary adherence in T2DM. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03207711; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03207711 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73pXscwaU)
Implications of hydropower variability from climate change for a future, highly-renewable electric grid in California

Abstract This study investigates how hydropower generation under climate change affects the ability of the electric grid to integrate high wind and solar capacities. Using California as an example, water reservoir releases are modeled as a function of hydrologic conditions in the context of a highly-renewable electric grid in the year 2050. The system is perturbed using different climate models under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate scenario. The findings reveal that climate change impact on hydropower can increase greenhouse gas emissions up to 8.1% due to increased spillage of reservoir inflow reducing hydropower generation, but with minimal effects (
Case Series: Allograft Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis Utilizing Fresh Talus:

Background:Talar body osteonecrosis can be a difficult condition to treat. Recent reports highlight a high rate of failure with the use of femoral head allograft. Additionally, higher rates of fail...
Rodent models of respiratory control and respiratory system development—Clinical significance

The newborn infant's respiratory system must rapidly adapt to extra-uterine life. Neonatal rat and mouse models have been used to investigate early development of respiratory control and reactivity in both health and disease. This review highlights several rodent models of control of breathing and respiratory system development (including pulmonary function), discusses their translational strengths and limitations, and underscores the importance of creating clinically relevant models applicable to the human infant.
A Single Center Experience With Long-Term Ustekinumab Use and Reinduction in Patients With Refractory Crohn Disease.

Background Ustekinumab was approved for moderate and severe Crohn's disease (CD) in 2016, but little is known about long-term outcomes. Methods A retrospective study evaluated all patients with CD treated with ustekinumab, including patients with reinduction. C-reactive protein (CRP), Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI), Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SIBDQ), and endoscopy outcomes were collected prospectively. Results Ninety-six patients received ustekinumab, resulting in improvement in CRP, HBI, and SIBDQ scores with 68% endoscopic improvement/remission. Thirty-four patients underwent reinduction, resulting in improved HBI and CRP. Conclusions Ustekinumab in refractory CD results in significant clinical and endoscopic improvement and reinduction may be a viable option to recapture response.
An optimization via agent-based simulation framework to integrate stochastic programming with human introduced uncertainty

Uncertainty is ubiquitous in almost every real world optimization problem. Stochastic programming has been widely utilized to capture the uncertain nature of real world optimization problems in many different aspects. These models, however, often fall short in adequately capturing the stochasticity introduced by the interactions within a system or a society involving human beings or sub-systems. Agent-based modeling, on the other hand, can efficiently handle such randomness resulting from the interactions among different members or elements of a systems. In this study, we develop a framework for stochastic programming optimization by embedding an agent-based model to allow uncertainties due to both stochastic nature of system parameters as well as the interactions among the agents. A case study is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
The Perception and Use of High-Frequency Speech Energy: Clinical and Research Implications

Purpose High-frequency speech energy (above approximately 4–5 kHz) is garnering substantial research attention. This review surveys recent evidence surrounding the presence and use of perceptual in...
Diffusiophoresis and diffusioosmosis in tandem: Two-dimensional particle motion in the presence of multiple electrolytes

We develop a model of time-dependent diffusiophoretic compaction of colloids in a two-dimensional pore due to the gradient of a multivalent solute in tandem with a diffusioosmotic slip-driven background flow field. The model is simulated for various surface charges and particle diffusivities. We also conduct experiments varying the initial ion combinations and total solute concentration. Our results indicate that diffusiophoretic compaction can be increased or decreased by manipulating electrolyte and total solute concentrations, wall charge, and particle diffusivity; each effect can modify the particle velocity, with varying strength, in unison or in opposition to the other effects.
SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF HYDROXYL RADICAL FORMATION IN THE END GASES OF A SPARK-IGNITED ENGINE UTILIZING A DYE LASER

An experimental determination was undertaken of a select chemical species, the hydroxyl radical, present in the nonflamed end gases ahead of the flame front in a spark-ignited engine during normal and knock conditions. Measurements of the radical were obtained via resonance absorption spectroscopy utilizing a broadband-output, frequency-tunable, flashlamp-pumped, organic-dye laser. The dye laser and a photographic spectrometer were placed on opposite sides of a single-cylinder research engine, and the combustion chamber was fitted with quartz windows which allowed the dye laser light pulse to pass through the end gas region and into the spectrometer. The dye laser was pulsed once at a preset crank angle during the combustion cycle by a trigger mechanism recording the absorption spectra on film. The absorption technique allowed hydroxyl radical concentration measurements within the range of 6.0 x 10 to the -10 power to 1.5 x 10 to the -8 power moles/cc, sufficient for the radical to be measured in the nonflamed end gases several degrees ahead of the advancing flame front. This investigation has demonstrated that dye laser absorption spectroscopy is a valuable tool in combustion research.
Analysis of quality costs - A critical element in CIM

This paper presents the quality cost concept as an approach to identify, measure and reduce quality costs while improving quality within the CIM environment. The effect of advanced failure prevention methodologies, such as continuous process improvement and the quality engineering methods of Taguchi, on quality and cost is discussed. Results indicate that continuously pursuing variability reduction and robust process design is the key to achieve high quality and reduce cost. CIM links robust design methods with computer aided design and provides the ideal environment for continuously improving quality and cost.
What the Jury Must Hear: The Supreme Court’s Evolving Seventh Amendment Jurisprudence

This Article examines the Supreme Court's evolving Seventh Amendment jurisprudence by focusing on the four strands that have emerged primarily in the twentieth century: first, the historical test of the right to a jury trial, based upon whether the action could have been brought in a court of law in 1791, the time of the Seventh Amendment's ratification; second, the preservation of the "substance" of the jury trial right, as opposed to mere matters of pleading and practice; third, the preservation of the jury right after law and equity courts were merged in 1938; and fourth, the creation of an exception to the Seventh Amendment guarantee for matters which Congress has delegated for decision to non-Article III courts and administrative agencies.Part I of this Article describes the background of the Seventh Amendment, including the emergence of the historical test for the right to a jury trial. This historical background sets the stage for the discussion in Part II of the four strands of twentieth-century Seventh Amendment jurisprudence. Part III then outlines the Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. decision and compares it with the four strands of Seventh Amendment jurisprudence. Part IV concludes that Markman should have little impact upon the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial outside the area of patent law. Part V discusses the continuing evolution of Seventh Amendment jurisprudence in three post-Markman decisions: Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chemical Co., Feltner v. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. and City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes.
Timing assumptions and verification of finite-state concurrent systems

We have described a scheme that allows timing assumptions to be incorporated into automatic proofs of arbitrary finite-state temporal properties. The obvious extension is to be able to prove timing properties, not just assume them. This would provide a verification framework for finite-state hard real-time systems. We conjecture that the method presented can, in fact, be extended in this way.
Hybrid control of uncertain process systems

Abstract Hybrid control refers to control structures that integrate lower-level continuous controllers together with higher-level logic-based supervisors that orchestrate switching between the constituent controllers. In this work, we consider linear process systems with input constraints and uncertain variables and develop a hybrid robust control structure that employs switching between bounded robust control and MPC to achieve stabilization. The robust hybrid control structure provides a safety net for the practical implementation of MPC to linear systems with uncertainty. The implementation and efficacy of the proposed hybrid robust control structure is demonstrated through a simulation example.
Excitonic instability in layered degenerate semimetals

Abstract We study excitonic pairing in quasi-two-dimensional degenerate semimetals such as graphite, where the electron density of states nearly vanishes at the Fermi level and, therefore, the Coulomb interactions remain unscreened. By focusing on the Dirac-like low-energy electronic excitations and numerically solving a non-linear gap equation for the excitonic order parameter, we obtain a critical value of the Coulomb coupling and establish the Kosterlitz–Thouless-like nature of the putative semimetal-to-excitonic insulator transition which can also be identified as a formal analog of chiral symmetry breaking in relativistic fermion theories.
Why Tutored Problem Solving May be Better Than Example Study: Theoretical Implications from a Simulated-Student Study

Is learning by solving problems better than learning from worked-out examples? Using a machine-learning program that learns cognitive skills from examples, we have conducted a study to compare three learning strategies: learning by solving problems with feedback and hints from a tutor, learning by generalizing worked-out examples exhaustively, and learning by generalizing worked-out examples only for the skills that need to be generalized. The results showed that learning by tutored problem solving outperformed other learning strategies. The advantage of tutored problem solving was mostly due to the error detection and correction that was available only when skills were applied incorrectly. The current study also suggested that learning certain kinds of conditions to apply rules only for appropriate situations is quite difficult.
DIRECT INJECTED METHANOL FUELING OF TWO-STROKE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE

One cylinder of a two-stroke cycle locomotive engine was converted to operate with methyl alcohol (methanol) as primary fuel and pilot injection of diesel fuel for ignition. Two fueling schemes, featuring injection of methanol and pilot fuel at different locations in the cylinder, were evaluated.
Consecuencias políticas del calendario electoral en América latina: ventajas y desventajas de elecciones simultáneas o separadas para presidente y legislatura

The paper analyzes the ideas put forward by Shugart and Carey (1992) and Mainwaring and Shugart (1997) regarding the combined effect of presidential electoral systems and the timing of the parliamentary elections over political representation and governability. The hypotheses of these authors are contrasted with the results of Latin American presidential elections (1996-2000). The conclusion is reached that, as expected, the timing of presidential and parliamentary elections and the electoral system for president tend to influence the chance that the party or coalition of the president has a sizeable or majority parliamentary representation.
Measurement of phagocytosis and of the phagosomal environment in polymorphonuclear phagocytes by flow cytometry.

Phagocytes are the most important early components of the immune response, programmed to recognize, engulf, and destroy immune complexes (formed when antibodies recognize their specific antigens), foreign particles, bacteria, mycobacteria, apoptotic cells, etc. Neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells all participate in this process. Flow cytometry permits observation of phagocytes that have responded and, with the appropriate fluorescent probes, of the environment in the phagosome that has enclosed the foreign matter. This unit gives the background and the protocols for performing such studies. Curr. Protoc. Cytom. 51:9.31.1-9.31.10. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: phagocytosis; phagosome; phagocytes; flow cytometry
Surgical Specialty Residents More Likely to Receive the Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award

Objective The Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards are given by medical students to residents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of this award based on residency specialty. The hypothesis is that surgical residents more commonly receive this award. Methods This was a retrospective study from 2004 to 2013. All award recipients were obtained from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation website. The specialties of award recipients were tabulated. The number of award winners per thousand specialty residents was estimated using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Data Resource Book, adjusting for the number of awarding schools and resident specialties. All statistics used an α = 0.05. Results There were 2489 awards given during the study period, with 52.6% in medical specialties and 47.4% in surgical specialties (p = 0.45). The specialties most commonly awarded were General Surgery (22.3%), Internal Medicine (20.9%), and Obstetrics/Gynecology (20.4%). Adjusting for the number of eligible residents, there were 59.9 awards/1000 Obstetrics/Gynecology residents, 43.1 awards/1000 General Surgery residents, and 20.2 awards/1000 Internal Medicine residents (p Conclusion Controlling for the number of eligible residents, the Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards are more commonly given to surgical specialty residents.
The Use of Anatomical Dolls as Assessment and Evidentiary Tools

Anatomical dolls commonly are used to assess allegations of child sexual abuse. Such assessments are based largely on interviews with children and observations of how they play with and handle the dolls. Several recent court decisions have questioned the reliability and validity of anatomical dolls as an assessment and evidentiary tool. This article reviews the literature on the use of anatomical dolls and highlights issues concerning their diagnostic and forensic efficacy. The authors identify and discuss implications of the use of these dolls for social work practice and research. Language: en
Referral adherence in an inner city breast and cervical cancer screening program

Background. Early detection and immediate follow-up treatment for cancer of the breast and cervix can reduce morbidity and mortality. This report describes adherence to follow-up appointments for suspected breast and cervical malignancies in a population of low-income black women who participated in a community-based nurse-managed screening program. Methods. Components of the program that were part of the intervention included the following: a consistent referral mechanism augmented by a computerized tickler system; education of women about the importance of follow-up; and active nurse assistance in the follow-up process. Referral for follow-up of suspected malignancies or for other questionable findings was made to the public sector hospital clinics (86%) or to other providers of the women's choice (14%). Results. Follow-up rates for suspected malignancies of the breast were high (92%) in this population of women, sometimes described as less likely to adhere to recommendations for continued care. In contrast, adherence rates for gynecologic conditions were lower (70%). Conclusions. This screening program and follow-up system has relevance to systems that serve similar groups of low-income women.
Singular trajectories for time-optimal half-loop maneuvers of a high alpha fighter aircraft

Consideration is given to the problem of deriving a time-optimal open-loop control for the half-loop maneuver of a high-alpha aircraft, with initial conditions Mach 0.6 and 15,000 feet. Pontriagin's maximum principle is used to derive candidate optimal solutions. Using the two-point boundary-value algorithm, the flight path angle is maximized for various increasing specified final times until a final time of 13.6 sec yields a 180-deg flight-path angle. As the final time increased from 0.0 to 13.6 sec, the optimization process revealed 13 distinct switching structures of the control law, of which 11 contained singular arcs, and two had double singular arcs.
The effects of some putative antidepressant agents on the schedule-controlled behavior of the pigeon

Numerous “second-generation” antidepressants with pharmacological profiles and chemical structures different from those of the tricyclic antidepressants have recently been developed. We examined the actions of four of these compounds (mianserin, maprotiline, trazodone and fluvoxamine) on the responding of pigeons under two different multiple (mult) schedules of grain presentation (a mult fixed-interval (FI) 600-s fixed-ratio (FR) 30-response and a mult FI 200-s FI 200-s in which responding in one component was punished by intermittent presentation of a brief electric shock). The rate of FI 600-s responding was greatly increased by several doses of maprotiline and mianserin, which either did not affect or produced only small increases in the rate of FR 30 responding. Fluvoxamine and trazodone did not produce similar differential effects. Relatively low doses of maprotiline, mianserin and trazodone decreased the FI quarter-lifes. Fluvoxamine only decreased the FI quarter-life at a dose that largely eliminated responding. Mianserin produced proportionally greater increases in the rate of punished FI 200-s responding than in the rate of unpunished FI 200-s responding. Selective effects on punished responding were not seen with maprotiline, fluvoxamine and trazodone.