cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extended Pattern Search with Transformations for the Three-Parameter Weibull MLE Problem

The Weibull distribution has found extensive applications in a variety of engineering, science and business problems. A journal survey indicated that it is the third most often used distribution in the statistical literature. To use it, one must best estimate its parameters from a given sample. Maximum likelihood estimates MLE of the three Weibull parameters are usually desirable due to their nice asymptotic properties, but several computational difficulties arise during the solution of this bounded-variable nonlinear optimization problem. This paper extends a method pattern search which was successfully used by the author for obtaining joint MLE of all three Weibull parameters. Fifteen different transformations to eliminate bounds and three search direction approaches derivative-free, exact and numerical gradient of a revised unconstrained pattern search are evaluated on a set of randomly generated realistic test problems. Performance criteria include computation speed, accuracy of estimators relatively to the true parameters and true MLEs, log-likelihood value achieved, and goodness of fit of the estimated distribution to the sample or generating population. The results are analyzed statistically and successful unsuccessful transformation/direction options are identified for each criterion. User interest in different performance criteria and the flatness of the log-likelihood function prevent identification of a single “overall best” option. Simple percentile estimators, used as search starting points, proved to be superior to MLE in problems with a small shape parameter value. The search procedures examined in this paper may also be used for solving other types of nonlinear optimization problems with bounded variables. They are attractive to practitioners because they are easily programmed and understood; they run fast but they do not guarantee optimality.
A randomized, controlled field trial for the prevention of jellyfish stings with a topical sting inhibitor.

Background. Jellyfi sh stings are a common occurrence among ocean goers worldwide with an estimated 150 million envenomations annually. Fatalities and hospitalizations occur annually, particularly in the Indo-Pacifi c regions. A new topical jellyfi sh sting inhibitor based on the mucous coating of the clown fi sh prevents 85% of jellyfi sh stings in laboratory settings. The fi eld effectiveness is unknown. The objective is to evaluate the fi eld effi cacy of the jellyfi sh sting inhibitor, Safe Sea ™ . Methods. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial occurred at the Dry Tortugas National Park, FL, USA and Sapodilla Cayes, Belize. Participants were healthy volunteers planning to snorkel for 30 to 45 minutes. Ten minutes prior to swimming, each participant was directly observed applying a blinded sample of Safe Sea (Nidaria Technology Ltd, Jordan Valley, Israel) to one side of their body and a blinded sample of Coppertone ® (ScheringPlough, Kenilworth, NJ, USA) to the contralateral side as placebo control. Masked 26 g samples of both Safe Sea SPF15 and Coppertone ® SPF15 were provided in identical containers to achieve 2 mg/cm 2 coverage. Sides were randomly chosen by participants. The incidence of jellyfi sh stings was the main outcome measure. This was assessed by participant interview and examination as subjects exited the water. Results. A total of 82 observed water exposures occurred. Thirteen jellyfi sh stings occurred during the study period for a 16% incidence. Eleven jellyfi sh stings occurred with placebo, two with the sting inhibitor, resulting in a relative risk reduction of 82% (95% confi dence interval: 21% – 96%; p = 0.02). No seabather ’ s eruption or side effects occurred. Conclusions. Safe Sea is a topical barrier cream effective at preventing >80% jellyfi sh stings under real-world conditions.
Hot-electron effects in MOSFETs

The physics of several hot-electron currents and their impact on IC performance and reliability is reviewed, V_{d} - V_{dsat} is emphasized as the driving force of all hot-electron effects. V_{g}, V_{sub} , and L affect the hot-electron effects only through their influence on V dsat . A simple hot-electron sealing rule is to scale V_{d}, V_{t} , and \sqrt{x_{ox}x_{j}} in proportion to L . Several proposed structural changes should provide considerable relief to the hot-electron problem.
Medical Complications of Spinal Cord Injury

SUMMARY Recent medical advances have greatly improved the prognosis for people who sustain spinal cord injury (about 10000 people initially survive spinal cord injury each year in the US). Physicians may become involved with the acute care of spinal cord injured persons or care for complications which develop later. Certain conditions such as heterotopic bone formation and autonomic dysreflexia are seen almost exclusively in this group of patients; other complications such as urinary tract and soft tissue infections occur quite often. Common medical complications of spinal cord injured persons are reviewed, as well as their diagnosis and treatment.
Numbers and types of nonbladder syndromes as risk factors for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

Objectives To examine the interaction of types and numbers of antecedent nonbladder syndromes (NBSs) to seek clues to the pathogenesis of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). Numerous case series have shown IC/PBS to be associated with several syndromes that do not include bladder symptoms. In a previously reported case-control study, we confirmed these findings and found that such nonbladder syndromes often preceded the onset of IC/PBS. Methods Incident female IC/PBS cases (n = 312) and matched controls were compared for 11 antecedent NBSs. The odds ratios (ORs) for IC/PBS according to the number of antecedent NBSs per person were calculated. From this model, each NBS was serially removed, and the calculations for the ORs were repeated using the remaining 10 NBSs. We assessed the types of NBSs included in each subgroup formed by the number of NBSs. Results The ORs for IC/PBS increased with the increasing number of antecedent NBSs. The types of NBSs were interchangeable in calculating these ORs. The distribution of the types of NBSs was skewed, with allergy overrepresented in those with few NBSs, and the classic functional somatic syndromes of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome overrepresented in those with many NBSs. Conclusions Two main hypotheses were generated. One was that the incidence of a NBS initiated a process that contributed to the emergence of other NBSs and IC/PBS. The second was that each NBS and IC/PBS was a manifestation of a common, shared pathogenesis. It is likely that a well-designed prospective study will be necessary to distinguish between these 2 hypotheses.
Variation in Milling Quality of Peanuts1

Abstract Poor milling quality of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) results in a substantial financial loss to the peanut industry. With recent development of a sheller and methodology for the evaluation of milling quality for small samples, it is possible for a peanut breeder to evaluate and select a desired level of milling quality. This study was conducted to determine the variation in milling quality among several large-seeded virginia cultivars and among a group of breeding lines from the cross of the Virginia cultivars, NC 5 and Florigiant. Cultivars were significantly different for milling quality. However, cultivars did not perform consistently over years, locations or harvest dates. Large differences in milling quality among F2 families measured in the F6 generation for the cross of NC 5 and Florigiant were observed. Selection for milling quality among the F5 lines should be effective; however, selection for milling quality without consideraiton of blanching properties may result in the development of...
Ex Vivo Detection of Free Radical Metabolites of Toxic Chemicals and Drugs by Spin Trapping

This chapter represents a compilation of various studies and reviews on various sub-categories of trapped metabolites
Theoretical Observations on Applied Behavioral Science Role Taking and the Study of Majority/Minority Relationships

This article presents the major theoretical issues concerning "role taking" and "role making," particularly as these relate to relationships between majority and minority groups. The author examines the barriers researchers and others face when seeking to take the roles of others, and finds that we must recognize how ethnic and/or gender differences affect role taking. Three problem areas are examined: circumstances in which one group has more power than another, unexamined roles, and contradictory role expectations. The author concludes that role taking and role making have major methodological implications, and that further analysis of these concepts is essential to our understanding of the relationships among persons from different sectors of society.
Design of Spring Coupling for High Q, High Frequency MEMS Filters

This paper presents the design optimization of the coupling beam of wine glass (WG) mode micromechanical disk filters using the simulated annealing algorithm. The filter under consideration consists of two identical wine-glass mode disk resonators, mechanically coupled by a flexural mode beam. Such coupled two-resonator system exhibits two mechanical resonance modes with closely spaced frequencies that define the filter passband. The frequencies of the constituent resonators determine the center frequency of the filter, while the bandwidth is determined by the stiffness and location of attachment of the coupling beam. The goal is to design a filter with a commonly used bandwidth, namely 100 kHz. The design variables that control the bandwidth value are the beam length, the beam width, and the location of attachment of the coupling beam from the center. The simulated annealing algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem, since the governing dynamic equations of the resonator-coupling system are highly nonlinear. The resulting optimum design is simulated using the finite element method, which confirms the achievement of the desired center frequency and bandwidth.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
CAR-FOLLOWING AND COLLISION CONSTRAINT MODELS FOR UNINTERRUPTED TRAFFIC: REEXAMINATION USING HIGH-PRECISION GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM DATA

In the last few decades several car-following models have been proposed and tested using mainly vehicle location data. The use of high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) data to test several car-following and collision constraint models is reported, with a critical evaluation of these models and proposal of a modified collision constraint formulation. GPS receivers typically report time-stamped location or position fixes and velocity. For a pair of leading and following vehicles, location and velocity data were used to examine estimates of acceleration, velocity, and headway by Pipes's; modified Pitt's, or FRESIM; CARSIM; and INTELSIM car-following models. The important aspects of collecting accurate GPS data are also highlighted.
Thruster array design approaches for a solar electric propulsion Encke Flyby mission

Design approaches are described and evaluated for a mercury electron-bombardment ion thruster array. Such an array might be used on a solar electric interplanetary spacecraft that obtains electrical energy from large solar panels. Thruster array designs are described and evaluated as they would apply to an Encke Flyby mission. Besides several well known approaches, a new concept utilizing individual two-axis gimbal actuators on each thruster is described and shown to have many structural and thermal advantages.
Spider fauna in apple ecosystem of Western Oregon and its field susceptibility to chemical and microbial insecticides

Abstract Twelve families, 26 genera, and 30 identifiable spider species were found in surveys conducted in apple orchards of western Oregon. The Salticidae, Linyphiidae, Clubionidae, Philodromidae, and Theridiidae comprised 85.56% of the total spiders collected. The most common species in order of abundance were Metaphidippus aeneolus Curtis, Spirembolus mundus Chamberlin & Ivie, Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz), Philodromus spectabilis Keyserling, Eris marginata (Walckenaer), and Theridion lawrencei Gertsch & Archer. Individuals of these species were collected in 50–60% of the samples and were most abundant in the month of August. The Bacillus thuringiensis-based insecticides, DiPel (100 Million International Units/100 liters) and MVP (250 ml/100 liters), summer oil (0.5–1.0 liter/100 liters), the insect growth regulator (IGR) diflubenzuron (3–12 g/100 liters), and organophosphate Phosmet (6–60 g/100 liters) were generally harmless (P > 0.05) to these spider species. Full field rates of organophosphate az...
Human neutrophil-specific granule deficiency: a model to assess the role of neutrophil-specific granules in the evolution of the inflammatory response

It has been suggested that neutrophil (PMN) specific granules are important in cell aggregation, locomotion, hydroxyl radical formation, and in extracellular functions such as the generation of complement-related inflammatory mediators (C5a) and the feedback regulation of myelopoiesis. In the current studies, a 9-yr-old boy with a history of recurrent infections and specific granule deficiency (absent lactoferrin, B-12 binding proteins, and characteristic specific granules on sucrose gradient centrifugation of cell homogenates) was studied to assess some of these concepts. In vivo, the patient had decreased PMN and monocyte accumulation into Rebuck skin windows but an expected febrile episode with an associated neutropenia (PMN margination) and neutrophilia (mobilization of marrow reserves) in response to intravenous endotoxin. In vitro, the patient's resting PMN showed increased ruffling, increased surface-to-volume ratio, and increased numbers of centriole-associated microtubules. His PMN showed a significant decrease in cell negative surface charge (which may relate to aggregation) in response to several stimuli and adhered better than normally to plastic. In addition, his PMN aggregated normally in response to the chemoattractant f-met-leu-phe, although the subsequent disaggregation normally seen with PMN did not occur with the patient's cells. Chemotaxis of the patient's PMN to several stimuli was abnormal, and specific saturable and displaceable binding of the chemoattractant f-met-leu-[3H]phe was decreased. Similarly, following incubation with secretagogues, there was a less than normal increase in f-met-leu-[3H]phe binding and an absence of the normal increases in PMN surface area. The patient's PMN bactericidal activity, stimulated oxygen metabolism (cytochrome-c reduction, chemiluminescence, and NBT reduction), and elicited changes in membrane potential were also abnormal. Studies assessing the mechanism for the abnormal monocyte accumulation into skin windows indicated the patient's monocyte chemotaxis was better than normal in vitro. However, the patient's PMN homogenates lacked a stimulus of monocyte locomotion and did not generate chemotactic activity normally from serum. Thus, the data indicate that specific granule constituents are not required for neutrophil margination in vivo or aggregation in vitro. However, the data support the concept that PMN-specific granules are important for PMN locomotion and oxidative metabolism. In addition, extracellular release of specific granule constituents appears to be important for amplification of the initial and subsequent phases of the inflammatory response.
Manifestations of cardiovascular toxicity associated with the approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors

14152 Background: Since 2001, 5 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKi’s; imatinib, erlotinib, sorafenib, sunitinib and dasatinib) have been approved for hematologic and solid tumor indications including,...
The 'Logic' of 'Quantum Logic'

One can and often does use the word ‘logic’ in a variety of metaphorical ways, speaking of “the logic of the situation”, “the logic of events”, “the logic of history”, and so on. No harm is done, so long as one realizes that these usages are metaphorical, and should not be given any deeper significance — at least without extensive discussion of the meaning of the word ‘logic’ in these phrases. In this metaphorical sense, one may speak of “the logic of quantum mechanics”, just as one may speak of “the logic of modern art”, for example.
Improved Imaging with a Wide Band Array

Real time near field ultrasound imaging of soft tissues with linear phased arrays is subject to a variety of problems. These include 1) Image ambiguities which result from the finite sampling of the aperture and limiti. effective dynamic range; 2) Coherent speckle in the image; 3) The wavelength dependence of some reflectors. A substantial reduction in the effect of these problems on image quality may be achieved by the use of transducer arrays with wider bandwidths. Towards this end, a broadband linear array transducer was designed and constructed. This transducer overcomes the usual compromise between sensitivity and bandwidth typical of mechanically damped transducers, by using arrays of differing frequencies.
Opportunities and challenges in biological lignin valorization

Lignin is a primary component of lignocellulosic biomass that is an underutilized feedstock in the growing biofuels industry. Despite the fact that lignin depolymerization has long been studied, the intrinsic heterogeneity of lignin typically leads to heterogeneous streams of aromatic compounds, which in turn present significant technical challenges when attempting to produce lignin-derived chemicals where purity is often a concern. In Nature, microorganisms often encounter this same problem during biomass turnover wherein powerful oxidative enzymes produce heterogeneous slates of aromatics compounds. Some microbes have evolved metabolic pathways to convert these aromatic species via ‘upper pathways’ into central intermediates, which can then be funneled through ‘lower pathways’ into central carbon metabolism in a process we dubbed ‘biological funneling’. This funneling approach offers a direct, biological solution to overcome heterogeneity problems in lignin valorization for the modern biorefinery. Coupled to targeted separations and downstream chemical catalysis, this concept offers the ability to produce a wide range of molecules from lignin. This perspective describes research opportunities and challenges ahead for this new field of research, which holds significant promise towards a biorefinery concept wherein polysaccharides and lignin are treated as equally valuable feedstocks. In particular, we discuss tailoring the lignin substrate for microbial utilization, host selection for biological funneling, ligninolytic enzyme–microbe synergy, metabolic engineering, expanding substrate specificity for biological funneling, and process integration, each of which presents key challenges. Ultimately, for biological solutions to lignin valorization to be viable, multiple questions in each of these areas will need to be addressed, making biological lignin valorization a multidisciplinary, co-design problem.
Attraction of Female and Male Caribbean Fruit Flies to Food-Baited and Male-Baited Traps Under Field Conditions

Sexually mature 9-day-old male Caribbean fruit flies, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), attracted both female and male flies under field conditions. Male-baited sticky traps captured females and males in equal numbers while McPhail traps baited with an aqueous preparation of yeast hydrolysate attracted from 1.4–1.8 times as many females as males. The presence of released males did not reduce the recapture percentage of females, nor did the presence of females influence recapture of males. Males released in the absence of females Were as strongly attracted to males as when females were present.
Physical Health of the Female Athlete: Observations, Effects, and Causes of Reproductive Disorders

This review begins by summarizing the state of knowledge about menstrual disorders in athletes at the turn of the 21st Century. It then highlights the most important developments of outstanding interest that have been reported in the 18 months since then. New observations of the characteristics of these disorders are followed by new reports of clinical consequences and recommendations for treatment, and discoveries about their physiological mechanism. In general, evidence is continuing to accumulate that exercise has no suppressive effect on the reproductive system beyond the impact of its energy cost on energy availability. These results encourage the hope that athletic women may be able to prevent or reverse menstrual disorders by dietary supplementation without any moderation of their exercise regimen.
Zwitterions and unobserved intermediates in organocatalytic Diels-Alder reactions of linear and cross-conjugated trienamines.

The Diels–Alder reactions of cyclic linear and cross-conjugated trienamines with oxindoles have been studied with density functional theory [M06-2X/def2-TZVPP/IEFPCM//B97D/6-31+G(d,p)/IEFPCM]. These reactions are found to proceed in a stepwise fashion. Computations revealed that these transformations involve complex mechanisms including zwitterionic intermediates and several unstable alternate cycloadducts arising from (2 + 2) cycloadditions and hetero-Diels–Alder reactions. The observed regio- and stereochemistry can be rationalized by a combination of kinetic and thermodynamic control.
Health risk behaviors of adolescents in Pudong New Area of Shanghai City in 2012: Investigation of network usage

[Objective]To understand the health risk behaviors of adolescents in Pudong New Area of Shanghai City,including network usage,internet addiction behavior and development trends among middle school students,and provide scientific evidence for health and education departments to develop student injury intervention measures.[Methods]During March-June 2012,multistage stratified sampling method was adopted to select 5 768 students form 21 middle schools and 2 vocational high school in urban area,suburban town center and rural area of Pudong New Area for questionnaire survey of adolescent health risk behaviors.[Results]The network usage investigation showed that 4 881(86.5%) had used Internet,the Internet accessing rate was significantly different between secondary school,high school and vocational high school(χ2 = 14.662,P ﹤ 0.01).The number of students with Internet addiction was 238,with the rate of 4.2%;the Internet addiction rate was significantly different between genders(χ2 = 23.894,P ﹤ 0.01).The video game addiction rate in urban area,suburban town center and rural area was 16.2%,12.6%,12.7%,with significant difference(χ2 = 26.397,P ﹤ 0.01).[Conclusion]Internet access at spare time is common among students.Education and health departments should establish a multi-sectoral cooperation mechanism,carry out interventions on rational network usage to improve the health levels of adolescents in Pudong New Area and prevent the occurrence of health risk behaviors.
Cluestering algorithm based on Max-min Distance for students' score analysis in universities and applications

The classic algorithm of k-means is discussed,that is one of the most widespread methods in clustering,including both strongpoint's and shortages.Not only is it sensitive to the original clustering center,but also it may be affected by the k.Given these shortages,an improved algorithm is discussed,which makes improvements in k and selection of original clustering center.To select original clustering center based on the max-min distance.This paper presents the application which all show that the improved algorithm can lead to better and more stable solutions than k means algorithm.The experiment and application affection by the outliers is down to a much low figure.The improved algorithm was used to the students' score analysis in universities and had a good closer.
Expression and antigenicity analysis of the omp25 of Brucell melitensis strain

To express omp25 gene of Brucella in E.coli Rosetta and determine the antigenicity of the recombinant protein omp25 of Brucella.The omp25 gene were obtained from Brucella melitensis by Polymerase chain reaction(PCR),and the omp31 gene were cloned into vector pET-32a and expressed in E.coli Rosetta,then detected by SDS-PAGE and Western-blot.The recombinant plasmid pET-32a-omp31 was constructed successfully and the recombinant protein were expressed successfully in E.coli.The recombinant protein could react with Brucella melitensis positive serum.The recombinant protein can react with Brucella melitensis serum,which provides good foundation for the study of lab diagnosis and preparation of subunt vaccine.
Effect of Surface Inversed Segregation of Phosphorus on Weathering Resistance Property of Cast Strip Steel

Cast strip containing 0.15 mass% P was made by using a pilot twin-roll strip caster.It was found that P was segregated towards the strip surface.A uniform surface layer enriched in P may formed on the steel strip after subsequent processing of cold rolling and annealing.The effect of surface inversed segregation of P on weathering resistance property of high-P strip was investigated by accelerated corrosion test,a wet-dry cyclic test simulated industrial atmosphere corrosion.The test results for 120 cycles each cycle lasts 12 h indicated that the weight gain of the high-P strip was reduced by 31% as compared with that of the conventional weathering resistant strip containing 0.08% P and that a dense barrier layer was formed beneath the corrosion scale of the cast strip after cold rolling and annealing,which reduced the corrosion rate and enhanced the weathering resistance of the steel strip.
Identifying the Causes of Inefficiency and Poor Performance of the Delivery of Services

Abstract The construction industry has had a history of nonperformance in the delivery of services [in terms of being on time and on budget]. Other industries such as IT and professional services have also experienced nonperformance. The problem seems complex, as there are many participants who are involved in the project nonperformance including the owner, the buyer, the vendor, sub vendors, manufacturers, and project managers. An industry structure analysis proposes that the problem is caused by parties managing, directing, and controlling (MDC) another party. This could happen anywhere in the supply chain. This paper proposes that a major source of the nonperformance in projects is caused by project managers who are managing the projects from the different supply chain participants including the owner, the designer, the vendors, and procurement. This has been identified in numerous project tests where the objective of the test was to minimize the MDC in the projects and the major difficulty was the resistance from project managers. The paper also proposes that the project managers are educated to manage, direct, and control in their education and training including their professional certifications from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the International Project Management Association (IPMA).
Leaving Group Ability Observably Affects Transition State Structure in a Single Enzyme Active Site.

A reaction’s transition state (TS) structure plays a critical role in determining reactivity and has important implications for the design of catalysts, drugs, and other applications. Here, we explore TS structure in the enzyme alkaline phosphatase using hybrid Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics simulations. We find that minor perturbations to the substrate have major effects on TS structure and the way the enzyme stabilizes the TS. Substrates with good leaving groups (LGs) have little cleavage of the phosphorus–LG bond at the TS, while substrates with poor LGs have substantial cleavage of that bond. The results predict nonlinear free energy relationships for a single rate-determining step, and substantial differences in kinetic isotope effects for different substrates; both trends were observed in previous experimental studies, although the original interpretations differed from the present model. Moreover, due to different degrees of phosphorus–LG bond cleavage at the TS for different substrates, the...
Abstract 146: Drivers of Healthcare Costs Among Adults With Obesity in United States: 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Background: It is well established that obesity is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. However, additional factors contributing to higher healthcare expenses among those with obesity is not well characterized. In our study we specifically aimed to elucidate drivers of healthcare expenditures among adults with obesity in a national representative sample of U.S population. Methods: The 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative survey of the non-institutionalized civilian population of the United States, was analyzed. Our study population consisted of adults ≥ 18 years of age. Obesity was defined as self-reported body mass index (BMI) values ≥ 30 kg/m2. Two-part models were utilized to study cost data; after taking into consideration the probability of having an expenditure (first model), a generalized linear model with gamma distribution and link log (second model) was used to assess the mean expenditure per capita among participants classified as obese. The survey’s complex design was taken into consideration. Results: 27,288 MEPS participants met our inclusion criteria (mean age: 47 years, 53% female), which translates to 231 million people across the United States. Prevalence of obesity was 30% (69 million). The total expenditure for obese adults in 2012 was nearly $350 billion. Modifiable risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and physical activity), increasing age, and burden of comorbid conditions (defined by modified Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]), were the biggest drivers of cost among obese adults, while physical activity was associated with lower health-related expenditures. On adjusted analysis, the highest average incremental cost was noted with presence of 2 or more comorbid conditions ($10,462.66), followed by diabetes ($3,328.78) and hypertension ($1,617.23). Furthermore, with increasing obesity categories, differences among CCI categories became non-significant. Conclusion: Comorbid disease burden along with diabetes and hypertension are the most significant drivers of cost among obese adults. Future research should clarify role of chronic disease management in curtailing increasing healthcare expenditure among this high-risk population. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Understanding Spatial Pattern Cognition from Tactile Maps and Graphics

This article explores the cognitive dimensions of spatial pattern identification in people who are blind or low vision using tactile graphics. We contend that spatial pattern identification is critical to the construction of an informative and rich environmental image, and insight into these cognitive skills can inform current practices in tactile map production and accessible cartography. This research investigates individual spatial thinking skills hypothesized to be components of spatial pattern identification. The findings suggest that Cartesian proximity and object differentiation are vital cognitive skills of spatial pattern identification and could potentially be exploited to communicate complex environmental knowledge in tactile reference maps. The relationship between prior map-reading training and test performance indicates a critical need for an increased presence of tactile cartographies and highlights future research opportunities. RESUME: L’article explore les dimensions cognitives de la reconnaissance des formes a l’aide de graphiques tactiles chez les personnes aveugles ou malvoyantes. Nous avancons que la reconnaissance des formes est essentielle a la construction d’une image riche et informative de l’environnement, et que l’etude des habiletes cognitives necessaires permettra d’eclairer les methodes de production de cartes tactiles et de cartes d’accessibilite. Nos recherches portent sur les capacites individuelles de raisonnement spatial que l’on croit ệtre a la base de la reconnaissance des formes. Les resultats laissent croire que la proximite et la differenciation des objets sont des habiletes cognitives essentielles a la reconnaissance des formes et pourraient permettre d’acquerir des connaissances complexes sur l’environnement grâce a des cartes tactiles. La relation entre une formation anterieure a la lecture de cartes et les resultats aux tests montre la necessite d’une utilisation accrue des cartes tactiles et met en lumiere des avenues de recherche potentielles.
Relationship among physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and cardiometabolic risk factors during gastric bypass surgery–induced weight loss☆

Abstract Background The impact of daily physical activity (PA) on the cardiometabolic risk of bariatric surgery patients is not known. Objective We examined the influence of physical activity and sedentary behavior on modifying cardiometabolic risk after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. Setting University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and East Carolina University bariatric surgery centers. Methods Data from 43 women and 7 men who completed testing at 1–3 months after RYGB surgery and again at 9 months postsurgery were analyzed. Outcomes measured included PA level (min/d), steps/d, sedentary time, and body composition. Insulin sensitivity was determined with an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Weight and blood lipid profiles also were obtained. Results Patients reduced body mass index by a mean of –8.0±3.4 kg/m 2 ( P P = .014), and decreased sedentary time (–47.9±101.0 min/d, P = .002). However, 24% of patients decreased overall PA ( P P P = .006) and steps/d (rho = –.31, P = .0106) were related to weight loss. Insulin sensitivity was associated with light PA before (rho = .37, P P = .015) intervention. Increasing overall P A also was related to higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (rho = .33, P P = .012) but not to other cardiometabolic risk factors. Conclusions The majority of patients increased PA (76%) and decreased sedentary time (61%) after RYGB surgery, but the amount of PA and sedentary time varied substantially. Higher PA, even at low intensity levels, was related to beneficial outcomes in body composition, insulin sensitivity, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Single-Pulse Avalanche Mode Robustness of Commercial 1200 V/80 mΩ SiC MOSFETs

Commercialization of 1200-V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET has enabled power electronic design with improved efficiency as well as increased power density. High-voltage spikes induced in applications such as solenoid control, solid-state transformer, boost converter, and flyback converter can drive the MOSFET into avalanche mode operation due to high di / dt coupled with parasitic inductance. Avalanche mode operation is characterized by high-power dissipation within the device due to the high voltage and current crossover. This study focuses on the evaluation of two commercially available SiC MOSFETs from different manufacturers, each rated for 1200 V with an ON-state resistance of 80 mΩ, during unclamped inductive switching (UIS) mode operation. To determine device reliability, a decoupled UIS testbed was developed to evaluate the avalanche energy robustness at 22 $ \,^{\circ}$ C and 125 $ \,^{\circ}$ C during two specific conditions: high current and low energy, and low current and high energy. The SiC MOSFETs were evaluated using a load inductance of 1.42, 5.1, 10.5, and 15.8 mH to understand the effect of current and avalanche energy on device failure. To correlate the experimental results with the failure mechanism, estimated junction temperature and static device characteristics are presented; additionally, MOSFETs were decapsulated to examine the failure sites on the semiconductor die.
Motor impulsivity differentiates between psychiatric inpatients with multiple versus single lifetime suicide attempts

A history of multiple suicide attempts conveys greater risk for suicide than a single attempt. Impulsivity may partially explain the association between multiple attempts and increased risk. We examined trait impulsivity, ability to engage in goal-directed behaviors, and impulse control among psychiatrically hospitalized United States military personnel and their dependents. Individuals with a history of multiple versus single attempts had significantly higher motor impulsivity, indicating spur of the moment action. Providers are encouraged to directly assess and treat motor impulsivity among suicidal individuals. Further research should explore whether motor impulsivity is a mechanism of change in psychosocial suicide prevention interventions.
Open Educational Resources and Student Course Outcomes: A Multilevel Analysis

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is Utah’s largest open enrollment college, and as an institution, is concerned about the expense associated with attaining a degree. All students face challenges in paying for their education, but SLCC students tend to have fewer resources to dedicate to school than students at other institutions in the state. While faculty and administrators have little control over the rising cost of tuition, they are able to offer students open educational resources (OER) to cut down on textbook costs. Salt Lake Community College’s OER initiative was implemented in Summer 2014, and has since expanded to include 125 sections in Spring 2016. We examine OER’s impact on three measures of student success: course grade, likelihood of passing, and likelihood of withdrawing. We use a multilevel modeling (MLM) approach in order to control for student, instructor, and course effects, and found no difference between courses using OER and traditional textbooks for continuing students. For new students, there is evidence that OER increases average grade. However, student-level differences such as demographic background and educational experience have a far greater impact on course grade and likelihood of passing or withdrawing than an instructor’s use of an OER text. Future research should focus on longer-term impacts of OER on retention, completion, and transfer.
Clinically differentiating life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited conduct problems: Is age-of-onset really enough?

Abstract One important subtyping of behavior problems is Moffitt's (1993) “life-course-persistent” (LCP) and “adolescent limited” (AL) categories of antisocial behavior, which she differentiated in terms of high impulsivity, poor academic performance, and aggression. These problems may be exacerbated by the cumulative effects of chronic stress. Copious evidence has documented validity and developmental differences between these subtypes, whereas far fewer data exist regarding their clinical utility, in spite of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual's nomenclature including corresponding subtypes based on age-of-onset of behavioral symptoms. The present study evaluated how well age-of-onset based subtyping identifies distinct developmental patterns of antisocial behavior corresponding to Moffitt's subtypes in terms of risk factors and gender between LCP and AL in a prospective sample of chronically stressed youth. A computerized assessment tool (ALEXSA©) was used to obtain data from 1147 youth aged 8–16. Implications for clinical assessment and intervention strategy, particularly with stressed youth, are discussed.
Reference system based model predictive control

Abstract Despite recent advances in the field, the tuning of presently popular Model Predictive Control formulations is largely a trial and error procedure. Motivated by this fact, a Reference System based tuning is explored through Reference System Model Predictive Control. The RS-MPC algorithm is examined because of its potentially more intuitive approach to tuning. Under this methodology the tuning involves the selection of two parameters for each controlled variable. The first parameter adjusts the shape of the response and the second one affects the speed. Using these, instead of the weight-based tuning of conventional MPC, much of the trial and error is eliminated. The most important features of the controller arc elucidated through the performance of the STSO and MIMO cases for the Amoco Fluid Catalytic Cracker Process simulation.
Tight Closure, Parameter Ideals, and Geometry

These notes are based on five lectures given at the Summer School on Commutative Algebra held at the CRM in Barcelona during July, 1996. I would like to thank the organizers J. Elias, J. M. Giral, R. M. Miro-Roig, and S. Zarzuela for the excellent job they did. The great success of the Summer School was due mainly to their efforts.
A New Perspective on Value Creation and Marketing’s Dominant Logic: An Abstract

Few would argue that the success of any firm is tied to its ability to create value. Yet the concepts of value and value creation remain poorly understood. Debates regarding the nature of value have been raging on many fronts – in philosophy, economics, and marketing. However, like the quest for “The Theory of Everything” in the physical sciences, marketing scholars have yet to develop a comprehensive theory of value that incorporates the multidimensional nature of value and explains how value is created. This void is problematic for practitioners, scholars, and stakeholders. How can marketers create what is not understood? How can scholars study what is not clearly defined? Moreover, how can stakeholders measure what is not properly articulated? When faced with the task of creating value, uncertainty about what value “is” leads to unclear managerial priorities and muddled metrics, resulting in suboptimal outcomes.
The development and psychometric validation of the Ethical Awareness Scale

Aim To develop and psychometrically assess the Ethical Awareness Scale using Rasch measurement principles and a Rasch item response theory model. Background Critical care nurses must be equipped to provide good (ethical) patient care. This requires ethical awareness, which involves recognizing the ethical implications of all nursing actions. Ethical awareness is imperative in successfully addressing patient needs. Evidence suggests that the ethical import of everyday issues may often go unnoticed by nurses in practice. Assessing nurses' ethical awareness is a necessary first step in preparing nurses to identify and manage ethical issues in the highly dynamic critical care environment. Design A cross-sectional design was used in two phases of instrument development. Method Using Rasch principles, an item bank representing nursing actions was developed (33 items). Content validity testing was performed. Eighteen items were selected for face validity testing. Two rounds of operational testing were performed with critical care nurses in Boston between February-April 2017. Results A Rasch analysis suggests sufficient item invariance across samples and sufficient construct validity. The analysis further demonstrates a progression of items uniformly along a hierarchical continuum; items that match respondent ability levels; response categories that are sufficiently used; and adequate internal consistency. Mean ethical awareness scores were in the low/moderate range. Conclusion The results suggest the Ethical Awareness Scale is a psychometrically sound, reliable and valid measure of ethical awareness in critical care nurses.
A Comprehensive Analysis of Findings from Single Audits: The Implications of Auditee Type and Auditor Expertise

ABSTRACT Single audits provide critical accountability for federal grant awards. Our study comprehensively examines differences in single audit findings (related to both financial statements and ma...
The Ancient Messenians: The conquest of Messenia through the ages

Thanks to the fourth book of Pausanias' Description of Greece , there is virtually no event or complex of events in archaic Greek history for which the evidence of the ancient literary sources can be said to approach, in terms of comprehensiveness and level of detail, that for the Spartan conquest of Messenia. This is slightly embarrassing. Ephorus said that narratives of the most distant past are the more credible the less detailed they are ( FgrHist 70 F 9), and a modern reader would concur, albeit with some qualification. However, Pausanias' narrative of the First Messenian War, which he dated to the second quarter of the eighth century, takes some twenty-four pages of Greek. It may help us absorb the implications of this fact if we recall that Pausanias was farther away in time from that war than we are from John Lackland and the battle of Bouvines. Of course, he certainly had recourse to the work of earlier authors, but the fact that his narrative is more than four times longer than all the remaining evidence for that war does not encourage optimism. In a nutshell, this peculiar situation is at the root of all problems that affect the reconstruction of an archaic history of Messenia, not to mention Sparta.
An economic-based empirical approach to modeling the internet's inter-domain topology and traffic matrix

Internet connectivity at the Autonomous System (AS)-level, defined in terms of pairwise business peering relationships, is constantly evolving. This evolution is largely a response to economic, political, and technological changes that impact the way ASs conduct their business. Existing research activities focusing on modeling AS-level Internet connectivity have been lacking in efforts to incorporate the very business-centric nature of ASs in establishing peering relationships and exchanging traffic with other ASs, and instead have been perusing generic graph-theoretic approaches. As a result, the fidelity of their findings and usefulness of their approaches from the networking perspective can sometimes be called into question. For one, we demonstrate that the widely used AS-level topology snapshots as exported from Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing data sets contain significantly incomplete connectivity information at the AS-level. This misleading picture of BGP-inferred AS-level Internet topology is due to routing policies of individual ASs, as a consequence of their business peering relationships. We also show that the generic graph growth model that takes the BGP-inferred AS graphs at face value fails to explain the evolution of the Internet connectivity at the AS-level. These findings suggest the need for an alternate approach that fully embraces the AS-specific semantics in explaining how the inter-AS connectivity is constructed and evolves over time. We present a new framework for modeling this AS-specific evolutionary process by identifying a set of criteria that ASs consider either in establishing a new peering relationship or in reassessing an existing relationship. The proposed framework is intended to capture key elements in the decision processes underlying these relationships. Taking into account the dual role of an AS as a customer and a peer, we propose a model that incorporates two distinct decision processes executed by an AS. We then populate the model with realistic inter-AS traffic demands derived from publicly available surrogate measurements. To reflect the enormous heterogeneity among customer or peer ASs, our models are also flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of AS-specific objectives. We demonstrate the potential of this new framework by considering different decision models in various realistic "what if" experiment scenarios. We implement these decision models to generate and study the evolution of the resulting AS graphs over time, and compare them against observed historical evolutionary features of the Internet at the AS level.
Frequency Distributions of Predominant Tropopause Heights along 80 °W in Summer

Sample frequency distributions of height of the predominant tropopause in summer, at various latitudes along 80°W, as interpolated from analyzed tropopause-contour charts, are studied. At most locations the frequency distributions are such as to be statistically acceptable as being samples drawn from relatively simple theoretical parent distributions. It is therefore possible to compute theoretical frequencies of predominant-tropopause height for individual class intervals of height at these locations.