cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring pedagogical agent persona and the influence of agent persona on learning

Pedagogical agents are virtual characters embedded within a learning environment to enhance student learning. Researchers are beginning to understand the conditions in which pedagogical agents can enhance learning, but many questions still remain. Namely, the field has few options in terms of measurement instruments, and limited research has investigated the influence of pedagogical agent persona, or the way the agent is perceived by students, on learning outcomes. In this study, we re-examine the Agent Persona Instrument (API) using confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch methods. We then examine the influence of agent persona on learning outcomes using path analysis. The results confirmed the four factor structure of the instrument, and the fit of items with the Rasch model demonstrates construct validity in our context. However, the analyses indicated that revisions to the instrument are warranted. The path analysis revealed that affective interaction significantly influenced information usefulness variables, however perceptions measured by the API had no significant impact on learning outcomes. Suggestions for revising the API are provided. The four factor structure of the Agent Persona Instrument is re-examined.Rasch methods were used to examine the construct validity of the instrument.Results indicate the instrument is a useful tool, but would benefit from revisions.Path analysis revealed perceptions did not significantly influence learning.
Expanding the scope of lamellar keratoplasty.

Abstract PURPOSE: To investigate whether applications of current technology, such as cryolathe and excimer laser, might improve outcomes and increase use of lamellar keratoplasty. METHODS: Six studies were performed, beginning with animals and progressing to human subjects. The first study compared cryolathed with hand-dissected rabbit corneas to ascertain which created a smoother donor interface. The second animal pilot study was done to determine whether thickness of donor cornea resection could be accurately predicted with the cryolathe. A prospective animal trial was then undertaken to compare lamellar keratoplasty outcomes using cryolathed versus hand-dissected tissue. The fourth work extrapolated previous animal findings to lamellar keratoplasty in human disease. Finally, two ongoing studies are described. The first explores the possibility of sutureless lamellar keratoplasty. The second utilizes the excimer laser to dissect the recipient stromal bed. RESULTS: The initial animal pilot study demonstrated a clearer stromal surface in cryolathed versus hand-dissected corneal tissue. The second pilot showed that plano-powered donor tissue could be generated to predetermined thickness. The prospective animal trial revealed that clear grafts of intended thickness could be obtained with cryolathing. Human studies suggested that lamellar keratoplasty using cryolathe-prepared donor tissue may offer superior results to free-hand dissection. Finally, one ongoing study indicates that sutureless lamellar keratoplasty is untenable, and the other shows that clear grafts can be obtained by combining cryolathed donor tissue with recipient photoablation. CONCLUSION: This body of work demonstrates that use of new lamellar keratoplasty technology may offer expanded scope and better outcomes than traditional lamellar keratoplasty techniques.
Graphene field effect transistors for highly sensitive and selective detection of K+ ions

Abstract Graphene-based ion sensitive field effect transistors (GISFETs) with high sensitivity and selectivity for K+ ion detection have been demonstrated utilizing valinomycin based ion selective membrane. The performance of the GISFETs for K+ ion detection was studied in various media over a concentration range of 1 μM–2 mM. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be >60 mV/decade, which is comparable to the best Si-based commercial ISFETs, with negligible interference found from Na+ and Ca2+ ions in high concentration. The sensor performance did not change significantly in Tris–HCl solution or with repeated testing over a period of two months highlighting its reliability and effectiveness for physiological monitoring. The performance of the sensor also remained unchanged when fabricated on biocompatible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, showing significant potential for developing flexible bio-implantable graphene-based ISFETs.
Impact on Disinfection Byproducts Using Advanced Oxidation Processes for Drinking Water Treatment

Since the inception of drinking water treatment systems, ensuring the production of microbiologically safe drinking water has been a primary objective. While chemical oxidants are often successfully employed to mitigate microbial risks, the chemical reactions that occur between oxidants and the dissolved or particulate constituents present in source waters, e.g., natural organic matter (NOM), can produce byproducts associated with unintended health consequences. These disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are potentially carcinogenic, mutagenic, genotoxic, and/or teratogenic. Since the discovery of DBPs in the early 1970s, considerable effort has been afforded to develop regulations or guidelines striving to simultaneously control microbial pathogens and DBPs. As advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) gain traction as an integral part of advanced treatment trains in water, wastewater, and water reuse scenarios, their impact on DBPs, in terms of both formation and destruction, is an increasingly important consideration and is the focus of this chapter.
A full wave analysis of a propagator method for electromagnetic fields

We present 1-, 2-, and 3-D numerical expressions for the full wave time domain propagator solution of Maxwell's equations. Boundary conditions for dielectric and prefect conductors, an absorbing boundary condition and the dispersion relations are also presented along with results and comparisons with FDTD and analytical solutions.
Why do BCL-2 inhibitors work and where should we use them in the clinic?

Intrinsic apoptosis is controlled by the BCL-2 family of proteins but the complexity of intra-family interactions makes it challenging to predict cell fate via standard molecular biology techniques. We discuss BCL-2 family regulation and how to determine cells’ readiness for apoptosis and anti-apoptotic dependence. Cancer cells often adopt anti-apoptotic defense mechanisms in response to oncogenic stress or anti-cancer therapy. However, by determining their anti-apoptotic addiction, we can use novel BH3 mimetics to overwhelm this apoptotic blockade. We outline the development and uses of these unique anti-apoptotic inhibitors and how to possibly combine them with other anti-cancer agents using dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP) to improve personalized cancer treatment.
Extracting More from Dynamic Modulus Data Using Split-Plot Repeated Measures Analysis

Dynamic modulus testing and the development of master curves is an essential test used to characterize asphalt mixes. The dynamic modulus values are used in the mechanisitic-emprical pavement design guide that is being implemented by many state agencies. To compare dynamic modulus values, most researchers use master curves to analyze the values; however, the log-log scale of the master curve masks the differences between the mixes, requiring the use of an appropriate and reliable statistical data analysis approach to make accurate comparisons between mixes. In this paper, a full experimental plan is designed to investigate the effect of three different factors on the dynamic modulus, namely (1) type of mix: hot mix asphalt versus warm mix asphalt, (2) impact of reheating, and (3) moisture conditioning of specimens. An open-access statistical software package, “R,” is used for the analysis. The data showed that the type of mix and moisture conditioning were statistically significant factors. The statistical analyses presented in this paper begin with a simplified approach and then become increasingly comprehensive. The simplified approach considers a single temperature and frequency only. A more encompassing approach, with the aid of split-plot repeated measures (SPRM) analysis, is then performed in which each of the three factors is considered separately. This is followed by a full analysis on the entire data set that takes into account the interaction between all factors. The benefits of performing a full analysis in lieu of a simplified analysis are highlighted and a detailed interpretation of the results is given.
Critical care toxicology. Diagnosis and management of the critically poisoned patient, 2nd ed.

What do I want from a text in clinical toxicology? Well…….it needs to be comprehensive, accurate, well referenced and strictly evidence-based (i.e., reliable), of course. More importantly I’ve got ...
Primary integration outcomes in a newly resettled Bhutanese refugee community

This study explores primary integration outcomes among 270 Bhutanese refugees, including education, employment, income, and health variables. Findings confirm that Bhutanese refugees are at a disti...
Mutational analysis of the mitochondrial Rieske iron-sulfur protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. I. Construction of a RIP1 deletion strain and isolation of temperature-sensitive mutants.

Abstract A protocol has been devised to permit mutational analysis of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein of the mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The gene for this iron-sulfur protein (RIP1) has recently been cloned and sequenced (Beckmann, J. D., Ljungdahl, P. O., Lopez, J. L., and Trumpower, B. L. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 8901-8909). We have constructed a stable yeast deletion strain, JPJ1, in which the chromosomal copy of RIP1 was displaced by the yeast LEU2 gene by homologous recombination. A linear DNA fragment containing the LEU2 gene was inserted at the breakpoints of an 800-base pair deletion of the iron-sulfur protein gene and used to transform a leu- yeast strain. Leu+ transformants were obtained which were unable to grow on nonfermentable carbon sources. Southern analysis of the transformant, JPJ1, confirmed that the chromosomal copy of the RIP1 gene was deleted and replaced by the LEU2 gene. The genotype of JPJ1 was confirmed by genetic crosses. JPJ1 cannot grow on nonfermentable carbon sources but can be complemented to respiratory competence and transformed by yeast vectors containing the wild type RIP1 gene. The ability to complement strain JPJ1 with episomally encoded iron-sulfur protein provided the basis of a selection protocol by which mutagenized plasmids containing the RIP1 gene were assayed for mutations affecting respiratory growth. Five mutants of RIP1 were identified by their ability to complement JPJ1 to temperature-sensitive respiratory growth. DNA sequence analysis demonstrated that temperature-sensitive respiratory growth resulted from single point mutations within the protein coding region of RIP1. These mutations altered a single amino acid residue in each case. Mutations were dispersed throughout the terminal two-thirds of the protein. Each mutation was recessive and did not affect fermentative growth on dextrose. However, each mutation exerted unique temperature-sensitive growth characteristics on media containing the nonfermentable carbon source glycerol.
CHORIONIC SOMATOMAMMOTROPIN IN PRIMATES: SECRETION AND PHYSIOLOGY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the secretion and physiology of chorionic somatomammotropin in primates. Human chorionic somatomammotropin (hCS) is a peptide secreted by the syncytiotrophoblast throughout gestation. Quantitative and qualitative differences in the biological activities of hCS and hGH have been described in animals and humans. The discrepancies in the bioactivity of hCS may be partly a result of its greater liability because of molecular alteration during purification. The concentration of hCS in the maternal circulation rises commensurately with changes in placental weight and syncytiotrophoblastic mass. Urinary excretion of hCS being variable and not correlated with maternal serum levels suggests renal degradation. The higher levels of hCS associated with liver disease during pregnancy suggest the liver may be an additional site for the degradation of hCS. Altered placental function or size is reflected in changes in hCS secretion. Decreased levels of hCS are associated with intrauterine growth retardation and with prolongation of gestation.
Field Applications of Automated Weed Control: Western Hemisphere

Opportunities for automated weed control vary widely among cropping systems of the Western Hemisphere. High-value conventional and organic horticultural crops may provide the best initial opportunity for automated weed control because of dependency on labor for hand weeding and the lack of effective herbicides. Fresh market vegetable crops are planted year-round in small successive plantings which make them an attractive target for weed control automation equipment. The most likely immediate role for weed control automation in agronomic crops would be in the area of sprayer control so that weed-infested patches could be treated selectively and weed-free patches not treated. If automated weed control solutions are developed and made cost effective and time efficient, then broader adoption of automated weed control technology is possible.
Antiviral prophylaxis and the Epstein Barr virus-related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder

Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection has been associated with the post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in up to 8% of transplant recipients. Primary EBV infection and the use of antilymphocyte preparations appear to increase the incidence of PTLD. Experimental evidence suggests that the antiviral prophylaxis used by many transplant programs may influence the development of this post-transplant complication. In order to investigate the influence of antiviral prophylaxis (intravenous ganciclovir followed by high-dose oral acyclovir) on the development of PTLD in kidney-pancreas and liver allograft recipients from the University of Washington Medical Center, records were reviewed for pretransplant EBV status, antilymphocyte preparation use and for histologic documentation of PTLD. Two of 83 kidney-pancreas recipients (1 EBV-seronegative, 1 EBV-seropositive) and 1 of 123 liver recipients (EBV-seropositive) has developed PTLD. Six of 83 kidney-pancreas patients were EBV-seronegative prior to transplantation and 4 of these patients received at least two courses of an antilymphocyte preparation. Thirty-eight (49%) of the 77 EBV-seropositive kidney-pancreas recipients received at least two courses of an antilymphocyte globulin without the development of PTLD. Both the EBV-seronegative kidney-pancreas and the liver recipient who developed PTLD had received multiple courses of antilymphocyte globulins. One EBV-seropositive kidney-pancreas recipient had only received one course of OKT3 1 year prior to the development of PTLD. The incidence of PTLD reported here in patients receiving intravenous ganciclovir followed by high-dose oral acyclovir antiviral prophylaxis is lower than previously recorded when consideration is given for patient's EBV status and the use of antilymphocyte preparations.
Cardiac Arrhythmia and Device Management in Patients with Cancer

In this chapter we have briefly discussed the management of torsade de pointe and cardiac devices, in patients with cancer.
Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse Predicts Suicide Risk in a Large Cohort of Veterans.

Objective To examine whether childhood physical and sexual abuse is a significant predictor of suicide risk in veterans. Methods This study was a retrospective chart review of 4,709 patients admitted to a psychiatric ward (August 2004 through July 2014) at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Sociodemographic and clinical data and history of childhood (aged ≤ 18 years) physical and sexual abuse were obtained from the patients' electronic health records. Suicide risk data of patients who attempted and completed suicide were obtained from the Atlanta VAMC suicide high-risk team. Binary logistic regressions with maximum likelihood estimation method were used to examine the association of demographic (age, sex, marital status, race, service) and clinical (psychiatric diagnoses, number of hospital admissions, and length of stay) variables and childhood physical and sexual abuse and type with suicide behavior. Results The combination of childhood physical and sexual abuse, number of admissions to a psychiatric inpatient unit, and major depressive disorder (MDD) were the best predictors of enhanced suicide risk (P < .001). This combination accounted for 9.9% variance in suicide risk and correctly classified 83% of cases into respective suicide versus nonsuicide risk groups. Additional significant predictors were bipolar disorder (P < .001) and cocaine use disorder (P = .02). Surprisingly, diagnosis of schizophrenia predicted a reduced risk. Conclusions To our knowledge, this study is the first to shed light on the interaction of childhood physical and sexual abuse and suicide risk in a large cohort of veterans. In the final model, childhood physical and sexual abuse, number of psychiatric admissions, and MDD were the best predictors of increased suicide risk. Schizophrenia was a protective factor in this veteran cohort.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Intoxication and Toxicity

Adverse effects related to cannabis are an emerging health risk exemplified by reliable increases in calls to poison control centers and emergency department visits due to both unintentional and abuse-related exposures. Toxicity as a consequence of synthetic cannabinoid use (i.e., Spice, K2) has also become an apparent clinical issue with sometimes severe adverse consequences. This chapter will describe the prevalence of over-intoxication, or toxicity by cannabis, cannabis-derived products, and synthetic cannabinoids, with attention to understanding populations most at risk. The constellation of physiological and psychiatric symptoms of intoxication and severe adverse reactions according to cannabis, cannabis-derived products, and synthetic cannabinoids will be described. While there is currently no standard course of action to treat cannabis and cannabinoid exposures, the current treatments reported in the literature will be summarized. As cannabis availability grows and strength of products increases, clinician awareness of the signs and symptoms of cannabis toxicity is critical for undertaking the optimal course of patient treatment. Additionally, knowledge of the risks associated with synthetic cannabinoid use and most frequent treatment approaches will also prepare clinicians for the most effective strategies to addressing their physiological and psychiatric adverse effects.
Education Attainment and Obesity：Differential Returns Based on Sexual Orientation.

Background: Although high educational attainment is linked to better health and lower health risk behaviors, this effect may be systemically smaller for racial and ethnic minority groups compared to Whites. However, it is still unknown whether these diminished returns also apply to marginalization based on sexual orientation. Aims: In a national sample of adults which was composed of people of color, we compared straight and homosexual people for the association between education attainment and obesity. Methods: The Social Justice Sexuality Project (SJS-2010) is a cross-sectional national survey of health and wellbeing of predominantly people of color who identify as homosexual. The current analysis included 2884 adults (age 24 or more) who were either heterosexual (n = 260) or homosexual (n = 2624). The predictor variable was education attainment, and the outcome variable was obesity status (body mass index larger than 30 kg/m2 [kilograms per meter squared]). Demographic factors (age and gender), household income, nativity (US born vs. immigrant), and health (self-rated health and current smoking) were the covariates. Sexual orientation was the moderator. Results: In the pooled sample, high education attainment was protective against obesity status. Sexual orientation interacted with education attainment on odds of obesity, which was suggestive of stronger protective effects of high education attainment against obesity for heterosexual than homosexual individuals. Conclusion: High education attainment better protects heterosexual than homosexual people against obesity, a pattern similar to what has been observed for comparison of Whites and non-Whites. Smaller protective effects of education attainment on health behaviors of marginalized people are possibly, due to prejudice and discrimination that they experience. Discrimination may minimize stigmatized individuals’ abilities to mobilize their economic and human resources and translate them to tangible outcomes. This finding extends the Minorities’ Diminished Returns theory, suggesting that it is not just race/ethnicity but possibly any marginalizing and stigmatizing social identity that results in diminished returns of socioeconomic status resources.
Feasibility of high intensity interval training in patients with breast Cancer undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy: a randomized pilot trial

Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness in breast cancer patients. High intensity interval training (HIIT) induces greater benefits on cardiorespiratory fitness than moderate continuous aerobic exercise in patients with heart failure. The study purpose was to determine whether a HIIT intervention is a feasible exercise strategy for breast cancer patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Thirty women were randomized to either HIIT or non-exercise control group (CON). Participants performed a maximal cycling fitness test to measure peak power output during maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). The HIIT group participated in an 8-week HIIT intervention occurring 3 times weekly. Feasibility was calculated by computing (1) the average weekly minutes of HIIT over 8 weeks and (2) the number of sessions attended and multiplied by 100 (percentage of sessions). The intervention was considered feasible if more than 50% of participants completed both an average of 70% of weekly minutes (63/90 min) and attended 70% exercise sessions (17/24 sessions). Participants were 46.9 ± 9.8 (mean ± SD) years old, diagnosed with clinical stage II (30%) or III (63%) breast cancer. The average weekly minutes of exercise completed was 78 ± 5.1 out of 90 min. Twelve of 15 participants met both feasibility criteria, attending 19.2 ± 2.1 out of 24 sessions (82.3%). VO2max was maintained (19.7 ± 8.7 to 19.4 ± 6.6 ml/kg/min) in HIIT group (p = 0.94) while there was a significant decrease in VO2max (18.7 ± 7.1 to 16.1 ± 6.0 ml/kg/min) in CON group from baseline to 8 weeks (p = 0.001). HIIT is a feasible exercise intervention to maintain VO2max in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The protocol and informed consent were approved by the institutional IRB (HS-12-00227) and registered ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02454777; date of registration: May 272,015).
Annulation chemistry based on tandem Michael addition-enamine formation – An improved method for the preparation of 1-substituted-2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones

Abstract The reaction of 2-(but-2-enoyl)cyclohexan-1-one 2 with primary amines affords 1-substituted-2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinolin-4(1H)-ones through a tandem Michael addition/enamine formation reaction sequence at room temperature in high yields. Reaction times are greatly reduced (4–24 h vs. 1–2 h; reflux versus room temperature) when powdered 4 A sieves are used.
Evidence for a Proton‐Coupled Electron Transfer Mechanism in a Biomimetic System for Monoamine Oxidase B Catalysis

Mechanistic studies with 5-ethyl-3-methyllumiflavinium (Fl+ ) perchlorate, a biomimetic model for flavoenzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) catalysis, and the tertiary, allyl amine 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl-1 H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MMTP) reveal that proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) may be an important pathway for MAO catalysis. The first step involves a single-electron transfer (SET) leading to the free radicals Fl. and MMTP. , the latter produced by deprotonation of the initially formed and highly acidic MMTP.+ . Molecular oxygen (O2 ) is found to play a hitherto unrecognized role in the early steps of the oxidation. MMTP and several structurally similar tertiary amines are the only tertiary amines oxidized by MAO, and their structural/electronic properties provide the key to understanding this behavior. A general hypothesis about the role of SET in MAO catalysis, and the recognition that PCET occurs with appropriately substituted substrates is presented.
Towards Classification Parity Across Cohorts

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in ensuring algorithmic fairness in machine learning where the central question is how to prevent sensitive information (e.g. knowledge about the ethnic group of an individual) from adding "unfair" bias to a learning algorithm (Feldman et al. (2015), Zemel et al. (2013)). This has led to several debiasing algorithms on word embeddings (Qian et al. (2019) , Bolukbasi et al. (2016)), coreference resolution (Zhao et al. (2018a)), semantic role labeling (Zhao et al. (2017)), etc. Most of these existing work deals with explicit sensitive features such as gender, occupations or race which doesn't work with data where such features are not captured due to privacy concerns. In this research work, we aim to achieve classification parity across explicit as well as implicit sensitive features. We define explicit cohorts as groups of people based on explicit sensitive attributes provided in the data (age, gender, race) whereas implicit cohorts are defined as groups of people with similar language usage. We obtain implicit cohorts by clustering embeddings of each individual trained on the language generated by them using a language model. We achieve two primary objectives in this work : [1.] We experimented and discovered classification performance differences across cohorts based on implicit and explicit features , [2] We improved classification parity by introducing modification to the loss function aimed to minimize the range of model performances across cohorts.
Reflections: Building a Culture of Evidence to Counter the Assault on Truth.

Widespread misinformation and disinformation in society, accelerated by communications technology and social media, constitute an assault on truth itself. To prepare students to navigate this treac...
Time dependence of magnetic moment of strontium-ferrite powder measured with a biaxial vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM)

The magnetic hysteresis and viscosity of SrO(Fe2O3)6/PA-12 filaments with 5wt% and 26wt% was determined with a biaxial VSM. The hysteresis curves indicate that manufactured samples have a flow induced anisotropy with an easy plane perpendicular to the filament’s cylindrical axis. The Mx and My magnetic viscosity signals vary with field and field angle. The Mx magnetic viscosity is maximum in the easy plane and decreases to a factor of two along the macroscopic hard axis of the filament. The My magnetic viscosity is nearly zero along the hard axis and in the easy plane and is maximum for intermediate field angles.
PROTOCOL: Impact of social protection on gender equality in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of reviews

This is the protocol for a Campbell review. The review aims to systematically collect, appraise, map and synthesise the evidence from systematic reviews on the differential gender impacts of social protection programmes in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries (LMICs). Therefore, it will answer the following questions: (1) What is known from systematic reviews on the gender‐differentiated impacts of social protection programmes in LMICs? (2) What is known from systematic reviews about the factors that determine these gender‐differentiated impacts? (3) What is known from existing systematic reviews about design and implementation features of social protection programmes and their association with gender outcomes?
LiDAR predictive modeling of Pacific Northwest mound sites: A study of Willamette Valley Kalapuya Mounds, Oregon (USA)

Abstract Archaeologists need new methods to survey large areas and overcome environmental and archaeological barriers to site discovery in heavily forested regions. LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology is one possible solution to these challenges as LiDAR digitally clears away vegetation, facilitating large-scale remote sensing survey. The Calapooia Watershed, located in the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon, is an ideal area to utilize LiDAR. While valley lowlands are cleared for agriculture, riverine areas remain heavily wooded and are known to contain hundreds of low-lying earthwork features created by pre-colonial Kalapuyan people. To assess the potential application of LiDAR in this region, we developed and tested a mound detection predictive model using LiDAR and aerial imagery. Field testing of the model identified seven new Kalapuyan mounds and verified the location of several others. Our model was 44 percent successful in identifying cultural mounds and 100 percent successful in identifying extant previously identified mounds. The model is effective and can be used to identify and preserve mound features in the Pacific Northwest; the model can also be modified and used to identify earthwork features in other regions.
First Case Report of an Unusual Fungus (Sporopachydermia lactativora) Associated with a Pulmonary Infection in a Drug Injection User.

In contrast to a robust literature on known pathogenic fungi such as Cryptococcus and Aspergillus species that cause pulmonary infections, reports of the uncommon genus Sporopachydermia causing inf...
Driver Intent Prediction with Barrier Functions

Path planning and collision avoidance algorithms for driver assist systems and autonomous vehicles require predictions of the future locations of other vehicles. In the absence of V2X communication, driver intent prediction algorithms provide this information. Intent prediction algorithms generally fall into two categories: those based on vehicle dynamics models and filtering, and machine learning based approaches. Both approaches have advantages and drawbacks, but two disadvantages both approaches share is the relative computational complexity and the likelihood of false positives and negatives. In the literature, barrier functions (BF) are used to enhance safety by providing forward invariance of an admissible set. In this paper, BFs are used to determine driver intent in a comparatively efficient manner with quick detection particularly at high speeds, in a way where the chance of false positives and negatives can be significantly reduced.
Oat crown rust disease severity estimated at many time points using multispectral aerial photos.

All plant breeding programs are dependent on plant phenotypic and genotypic data, but the development of phenotyping technology has been slow relative to that of genotyping. Crown rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae Erikss.) is the most important disease of cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) making the development of disease resistant oat cultivars an important breeding objective. Visual observation is the most common scoring method, but it can be laborious and subjective. We visually scored a diverse collection of 256 oat lines at a total of twenty-seven time points in three disease nursery environments. Multispectral aerial photos were collected using an unmanned aerial vehicle at the same time points as the visual observations. The photos were analyzed and a subset of spectral properties of each plot were measured. Random forest modeling was used to model the relationship between the spectral properties of the plots and visually observed disease severity. The ability of the photo data and the random forest model to estimate visually observed disease severity was evaluated using three different cross-validation analyses. We specifically address the issue of assessing phenotyping accuracy across and within time points. The accuracy of the photo estimates was greatest for adult plants shortly before they began to senesce. Accuracy outside of that time frame is generally low, but statistically significant. Unmanned aerial vehicle mounted sensors could increase disease scoring efficiency, but additional investigation into the spectral signature of disease severity at all plant growth stages may be necessary to automate accurate full-season measurements.
Turning the Tables on the War on Terror: The Alliance of Civilizations As a United Nations Response to It

Much has been written about how countries limit or prevent the United Nations (UN) from fulfilling its mission, especially when great powers have a vested interest in influencing outcomes themselves. As a result, the UN has become very creative in establishing and selling norms to its Member States as a work-around to these obstacles. One of the more flagrant violations of the UN’s mission was the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the USA and its allies. After the invasion, the UN Secretary-General used his entrepreneurial skills to provide an alternative to the US’s militaristic approach to the war on terror by creating the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (AoC). Since its creation in 2005, the AoC has worked to bridge the cultural and religious divides between Islam and the West to prevent and counter violent extremism. Data trends suggest that deaths from violent extremism and terrorism have declined slightly since 2014, but the number of countries experiencing violent extremism and terrorism has risen steadily, and the number of regions being impacted by violent extremism has increased. This chapter examines the role played by the UN Secretary-General in reframing the international response to terrorism via AoC initiatives. I analyze the rationale on the part of the Secretary-General for setting this new norm of “alliance,” the politics involved in selling this norm within the UN system, and the extent to which the AoC has fulfilled its goals and objectives of preventing and countering violent extremism.
Technological advancements towards developing a robotic pruner for apple trees: A review

Abstract Automation and robotics have been widely applied in many agricultural operations; however, the production operations of apple trees are usually performed manually. Pruning is one of the most labor-intensive operations, accounting for about 20% of the total labor costs. Robotic pruning is a potential long-term solution to deal with the issue of labor shortages and associated high costs. In recent years, researchers have advanced technologies that could lead to the development of a robotic pruning system. However, numerous challenges are involved for successful adoption of robotic pruning technologies. This review highlighted the technological progress in the core components of a robotic pruner including machine vision, manipulator, end-effector, path planning, and obstacle avoidance; the challenges associated with the existing technologies; and potential solutions to the development of an automated pruning system. The review covers both scientific/research and commercial technologies developed for robotic tree pruning. The available literature related to all technological components of a robotic pruning system was reviewed in detail, and useful information was synthesized for presenting in the paper. Finally, the paper scrutinizes the challenges and potential future opportunities for developing a robotic pruning system for a sustainable apple production system.
Power Law Distributions In the Social Science Research Network

Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-first Century makes the assertion that r > g, or that the rate of capital increase will, generally speaking, outstrip the growth rate of the economy. In this paper I will show that the statistical distribution cited by Piketty as evidence for his claim can also be found in data sets regarding the productions of social scientists themselves, perhaps suggesting just why social scientists may have individual incentives to ignore Piketty’s arguments.
A Thermodynamic Treatment of Active Sodium Transport

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses classical approaches to the energetics of active transport invoke doubtful and invalid assumptions. The classical equivalent circuit model is inappropriate, because it is insufficient to describe incompletely coupled two-flow processes. On theoretical grounds, the “electromotive force of sodium transport” E Na comprises both kinetic and energetic factors. Linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics (NET), although incompletely tested, appears to provide a valid framework for the design and analysis of experiments. The thermodynamic affinity A represents a purely energetic quantity. There is no unique stoichiometric ratio that relates the rates of active sodium transport and oxygen consumption under all circumstances. In the short-circuited state, suprabasal Na/O 2 may vary from animal to animal. For incompletely coupled flows, Na/O 2 varies with the transmembrane electrical potential difference. Rates of active sodium transport and oxygen consumption show the postulated linear dependence on the electrochemical potential difference of sodium. The NET approach should facilitate understanding of mechanisms altering sodium transport.
The role of dopamine and dopaminergic pathways in dystonia: insights from neuroimaging.

Background : Dystonia constitutes a heterogeneous group of movement abnormalities, characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal postures. Overwhelming data suggest involvement of basal ganglia and dopaminergic pathways in dystonia. In this review, we critically evaluate recent neuroimaging studies that investigate dopamine receptors, endogenous dopamine release, morphology of striatum, and structural or functional connectivity in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical and related cerebellar circuits in dystonia. Methods : A PubMed search was conducted in August 2014. Results : Positron emission tomography(PET) imaging offers strong evidence for altered D2/D3 receptor binding and dopaminergic release in many forms of idiopathic dystonia. Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) data reveal likely involvement of related cerebello-thalamo-cortical and sensory-motor networks in addition to basal ganglia. Discussion : PET imaging of dopamine receptors or transmitter release remains an effective means to investigate dopaminergic pathways, yet may miss factors affecting dopamine homeostasis and related subcellular signaling cascades that could alter the function of these pathways. fMRI and DTI methods may reveal functional or anatomical changes associated with dysfunction of dopamine-mediated pathways. Each of these methods can be used to monitor target engagement for potential new treatments. PET imaging of striatal phosphodiesterase and development of new selective PET radiotracers for dopamine D3-specific receptors and Mechanistic target of rampamycin(mTOR) are crucial to further investigate dopaminergic pathways. A multimodal approach may have the greatest potential, using PET to identify the sites of molecular pathology and magnetic resonance methods to determine their downstream effects.
Sulfuric acid nucleation: An experimental study of the effect of seven bases

Nucleation of particles with sulfuric acid, water, and nitrogeneous bases was studied in a flow reactor. Sulfuric acid and water levels were set by flows over sulfuric acid and water reservoirs, respectively, and the base concentrations were determined from measured permeation rates and flow dilution ratios. Particle number distributions were measured with a nano-differential-mobility-analyzer system. Results indicate that the nucleation capability of NH3, methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine with sulfuric acid increases from NH3 as the weakest, methylamine next, and dimethylamine and trimethylamine the strongest. Three other bases were studied, and experiments with triethylamine showed that it is less effective than methylamine, and experiments with urea and acetamide showed that their capabilities are much lower than the amines with acetamide having basically no effect. When both NH3 and an amine were present, nucleation was more strongly enhanced than with just the amine present. Comparisons of nucleation rates to predictions and previous experimental work are discussed, and the sulfuric acid-base nucleation rates measured here are extrapolated to atmospheric conditions. The measurements suggest that atmospheric nucleation rates are significantly affected by synergistic interactions between ammonia and amines.
Efficient sampling of SCHEMA chimera families to identify useful sequence elements.

SCHEMA structure-guided recombination is an effective method for producing families of protein chimeras having high sequence diversity, functional diversity, and thermostabilities greater than any of the parent proteins from which the chimeras are made. A key feature of SCHEMA chimera families is their amenability to a “sample, model, and predict” operation that allows one to characterize members of a small chimera sample set and use those data to construct models that accurately predict the properties of every member of the family. In this chapter, we describe applications of this “sample, model, and predict” approach and outline methods for designing chimera sample sets that enable efficient construction of models to identify useful sequence elements. With these models we can also predict the sequences and properties of the most desirable chimeras.
Pediatric burn injuries.

Care of the pediatric burn patient requires knowledge of physiologic differences between adults and children for estimation of burn size, calculation of fluid needs, and assessment of response. Dressing techniques, pain management, and nutritional and psychologic support of this population require special considerations. Language: en
A watershed perspective on nutrient enrichment, science, and policy in the Patuxent River, Maryland: 1960–2000

The Patuxent River, Maryland, is a nutrient-overenriched tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Nutrient inputs from sewage outfalls and nonpoint sources (NPS) have grown substantially during the last four decades, and chlorophyll a levels have increased markedly with concomitant reductions in water quality and dissolved oxygen concentrations. The Patuxent has gained national attention because it was one of the first river basins in the U.S. for which basin-wide nutrient control standards were developed. These included a reduction in NPS inputs and a limit on both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loadings in sewage discharges intended to return the river to 1950s conditions. Full implementation of point source controls occurred by 1994, but population growth and land-use changes continue to increase total nutrient loadings to the river. The present paper provides the perspectives of scientists who participated in studies of the Patuxent River and its estuary over the last three decades, and who interacted with policy makers as decisions were made to develop a dual nutrient control strategy. Although nutrient control measures have not yet resulted in dramatic increases in water quality, we believe that without them, more extensive declines in water quality would have occurred. Future reductions will have to come from more effective NPS controls since future point source loadings will be difficult to further reduce with present technology. Changing land use will present a challenge to policy makers faced with sprawling population growth and accelerated deforestation.
Acute occlusion of the infrarenal aorta.

Summary Acute occlusion of the abdominal aorta is usually the result of either severe atherosclerosis followed by spontaneous thrombosis, blunt abdominal trauma, or aortic embolism. Four cases of acute infrarenal aortic occlusion are presented and the literature is reviewed to illustrate this rare but serious vascular catastrophe. These cases are of interest because they represent examples of the major pathogenic varieties of the abdominal aortic thrombosis. All four patients were correctly diagnosed preoperatively and all were relieved of the aortic obstruction with minimal morbidity and without mortality. Early diagnosis and an aggressive surgical approach are essential if this group of patients are to be managed successfully.
Amyloid-β vaccination, but not nitro-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment, increases vascular amyloid and microhemorrhage while both reduce parenchymal amyloid

Vaccination with Aβ1–42 and treatment with NCX-2216, a novel nitric oxide releasing flurbiprofen derivative, have each been shown separately to reduce amyloid deposition in transgenic mice and have been suggested as potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. In the current study we treated doubly transgenic amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 (APP+PS1) mice with Aβ1–42 vaccination, NCX-2216 or both drugs simultaneously for 9 months. We found that all treatments reduced amyloid deposition, both compact and diffuse, to the same extent while only vaccinated animals, with or without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment, showed increased microglial activation associated with the remaining amyloid deposits. We also found that active Aβ vaccination resulted in significantly increased cerebral amyloid angiopathy and associated microhemorrhages, while NCX-2216 did not, in spite of similar reductions in parenchymal amyloid. Co-administration of NCX-2216 did not attenuate this effect of the vaccine. This is the first report showing that active immunization can result in increased vascular amyloid and microhemorrhage, as has been observed with passive immunization. Co-administration of an NSAID agent with Aβ vaccination does not substantially modify the effects of Aβ immunotherapy. The difference between these treatments with respect to vascular amyloid development may reflect the clearance-promoting actions of the vaccine as opposed to the production-modifying effects proposed for flurbiprofen.
Activation of nonspecific lipase (EC 3.1.1.-) by bile salts

Abstract The enzyme nonspecific lipase (EC 3.1.1.-) from rat pancreas has been isolated and its amino acid composition determined. The amino acid composition confirms more indirect evidence that nonspecific lipase is not the same enzyme as cholesteryl ester hydrolase. Activation of the enzymatic activity by bile salts has been studied by equilibrium dialysis, gel filtration, light scattering, circular dichroism and fluorescence polarization. The binding of bile salt by the enzyme is saturable and is associated with a conformational change. Upon binding cholate, the protein experiences a decrease in β-structure with no significant change in α-helix content, an increase in apparent Stokes radius, a decrease in light scattering properties, and a slight decrease in polarization of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. Attachment of bile salt is associated with decreased reactivity of essential sulfhydryl groups, but no detectable change in reactivity of amino groups. A change to a more nearly spherical shape upon binding bile salt would be consistent with the experimental observations, but the exact sites of binding remain uncertain.
Characterization of organic fractions in solvent-refined coal by quantitative n.m.r. spectroscopy

Abstract A solvent-refined coal product obtained from Pittsburgh No. 8 coal has been preparatively separated into four sized fractions by gel permeation chromatography. Quantitative 1 H and 13 C Fourier-transform nuclear-magnetic-resonance results for the separated fractions are reported along with elemental and molecular weight analysis data. Observed trends for several average molecular parameters for these fractions (e.g. ( H C ) alp , ( H C ) aro , etc.) are discussed. The absence of certain organic functional groups, such as carbonyls, is also noted.