cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Landscape hierarchies influence riparian ground-flora communities in Wisconsin, USA

We examinedthedistributionofground-floraspecies (herbaceous andwoody species <1 mtall) across riparianareas of northeasternWisconsin in an effort to understand how hierarchical landscape properties, such as the physiographic system (ground moraine and outwash plain), valley system (constrained and unconstrained), and valley floor landforms influence distribution patterns of ground-flora species and functional plant guilds across riparian areas of small streams and rivers in a glacial landscape. A total of 162 species were recorded on 417 (1 m 2 ) plots stratified by four different valley types that reflect the dominant physiographic system and valley system (constrained ground moraine, constrained outwash plain, unconstrained ground moraine, unconstrained outwash plain) and transverse geomorphic structure (valley floor landforms including floodplains, terraces, slopes, and adjacent uplands). Although distributionpatterns of individual ground-flora species are highly variable among the four valley types, canonical correspondence analyses (CCA) of individual valley types indicate that ground-flora vegetation is related strongly to hierarchical landscape properties, including valley type and the transverse geomorphic structure of the stream valley. Vegetation ultimately reflects the influence of hydrogeomorphic processes that shape valley floor landforms. Constrained valley types tend to be characterized by diverse floodplain ground-flora communities dominatedby graminoids and pteridophytes, while the terraces and slope plant communities arecomprised of facultative upland and obligate upland perennial forb and woody species whose distribution appears to be a function of topographic features, such as aspect. However, ground-flora communities of unconstrained valley types appear to be responding not only to changes associated with the transverse geomorphic structure of the riparian ecotone, but also to more localized changes in environmental conditions associated with flooding and hydrologic regime. As a result, floodplain, terrace, and slope ground-flora communities tend to be diverse, dominated by a mixture of obligate wetland, facultative wetland, and facultative species. Thus, variation in riparian plant community characteristics can be explained using a nested, hierarchical landscape framework to organize and group different riparian settings based on the underlying geomorphic processes shaping stream valleys. Based on these results, we suggest that riparian management zones (RMZs) designed to maintain riparian function should be variable in width rather than fixed, encompassing variation in valley floor landforms and valley walls, regardless of the physiographic system. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Neorealism as Ideology: Bazin, Deleuze, and the Avoidance of Fascism

Although the very existence of neorealism has been under scrutiny at least since the 1950s, an obstinate outlook on Italy's cinema history still reduces all national films to anticipations, prolongations, or betrayals of this elusive new wave. Why is this the case? In this article, I explain the persisting critical hegemony of neorealism from the point of view of ideology critique. I argue that Bazin's and Deleuze's influential accounts of neorealism as a revolutionary, anti-narrative, zero-degree cinema have streamlined the fantasy of an innocent post-war Italy, of a child-like nation that redeemed itself from its past and was ready to start afresh. In this light, I suggest that the attachment to neorealism ought be recognized as a collective defence mechanism repressing the aborted ‘de-fascitizzazione’ of Italian post-Fascist society.
A Photographic Study of Neutrons from Al+H 2

The $\mathrm{dn}$ reaction on aluminum has been studied using Eastman NTB emulsions. Twenty-two hundred head-on recoil tracks are plotted, and ten groups identified (with widths and intensities), extending up to 9 Mev excitation of the product ${\mathrm{Si}}^{28}$ nucleus. The first two excited levels, at 1.8 and 4.5 Mev, agree with gamma-ray energies and inelastic scattering. The reaction $Q$ value (9.08\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.20 Mev) determines the mass difference ${\mathrm{Si}}^{28}$-${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ = +0.996 05 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ mass unit.
Bioaugmentation for Aerobic Degradation of CIS -1,2-Dichloroethene

Polaromonas sp. strain JS666 is the first isolate capable of using cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) as its sole carbon and energy source under aerobic conditions (Coleman et al., 2002a). It is a promising candidate for bioaugmentation at cis-DCE-contaminated sites where cis-DCE has migrated downgradient into an aerobic zone. Addition of the strain can circumvent the problems associated with cometabolic oxidation as a bioremediation strategy because it catalyzes rapid degradation without the addition of a cosubstrate, and the requirements for oxygen are much lower than for cometabolic transformations. The metabolic capabilities of JS666, development of a molecular probe for process monitoring, microcosm assessment of site suitability, and the preliminary results of a field-scale study are discussed in this chapter.
Will Choice of Corporate Law Become Trivial

American corporate law scholarship has witnessed the waxing and waning of a variety of grand theories about the globalization of corporate law in the past two decades. The first idea was that harmonization of European company law might lead to a productive form of uniformity. The second was that American law was out of step with that of other leading industrialized nations, and perhaps we should look to their models, generally involving controlling shareholders, for guidance. The third idea was that investors and corporations face common problems regardless of local law, and in a competitive environment one might expect a convergence of corporate laws through market forces that sought the most efficient solutions to these common problems. This kind of convergence has only occurred at a few margins, and seems unlikely to occur in such a way that choice of law rules in corporate law would become less relevant. Indeed, the fourth wave of scholarship in this field now seeks to explain why significant differences persist.
Liquid State Thermodynamics: Application to Highly Compressed Solids

Thermodynamic properties of materials above a few hundred KBars can normally be obtained only by dynamic techniques which have the associated difficulty (from the theoretical point of view) that the high pressure states are usually also at quite high temperatures. Thus, it is important to obtain accurate estimates of the thermal contribution to the thermodynamic functions. Within the pair potential model of solids, these thermal contributions may be determined by a self-consistent phonon approximation, but this is generally a very complicated calculation. Numerous approximate methods have thus been developed to estimate the thermal contribution to the thermodynamic functions [1].
The Role of Bank Reputation in “Certifying” Future Performance Implications of Borrowers’ Accounting Numbers: role of bank reputation

We investigate the role played by the reputation of lead arrangers of syndicated loans in mitigating information asymmetries between borrowers and lenders. We hypothesize that syndications by more reputable arrangers are indicative of higher borrower quality at loan inception and more rigorous monitoring during the term of the loan. We investigate whether borrowers with more reputable lead arrangers realize superior performance subsequent to loan origination relative to borrowers with less reputable arrangers. We further examine whether certification by high-reputation lead banks extends to the quality of borrowers’ reported accounting numbers. Controlling for endogenous matching of borrowers and lead banks, we find that higher bank reputation is associated with higher profitability and credit quality in the three years subsequent to loan initiation. We also show that bank reputation is associated with long-run sustainability of earnings via higher earnings persistence, and debt contracting value of accounting via a stronger connection between pre-loan profitability and future credit quality. We further document that the enhanced earnings sustainability associated with higher reputation lead banks reflects both superior fundamentals and accruals more closely linked with future cash flows.
Distensibility of arteries in human hypertension.

SummaryDistensibility of an isolated segment of brachial artery was measured directly in 11 normotensive and 12 hypertensive humans in vivo. The brachial artery segment between the profunda brachial and ulnar collateral branches was exposed by sterile surgical techniques. An indwelling cannula was inserted into the segment from below. The segment was then isolated and gently emptied. A distensibility curve was constructed by adding fluid (T-1824-tinged normal saline at 37°C) to the segment in stepwise increments of 0.05 ml and recording segment pressure at each fluid increment by the use of a 3-way stopcock arrangement connected to the cannula.There was a distinct separation of the pressure-volume relationships of the brachial artery between the two groups of subjects. Curves from the hypertensive subjects were shifted toward the pressure axis, indicating that this vessel is less distensible in hypertensive humans than in humans with normal blood pressure. The mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon we...
The Application of Rhodamine B in Inorganic Analytical Field

The application of rhodamine B in inorganic analytical field including spectrophotometry,fluorescence analysis and light scattering technique in recent years is reviewed in detail and 49 references are cited.
The Development of Food Safety System Certification 22000 in China

Based on Food Safety Management System ISO22000 and publicly available specification(PAS220,PAS222 and PAS223),FSSC22000 was issued by the FFSC(Foundation for Food Safety Certification) in Netherlands, clearly defined and unified prerequisite programs(PRPs), recognized by GFSI(Global Food Safety Initiative) in 2009, become a global unified food safety management system standards. Currently more than 7,000 certificates have FSSC22000 certification, 27 accreditation bodies agree FSSC2000 certification program,90 certification bodies can permission FSSC certification, 144 countries have FSSC22000 certification.From December 10, 2009 began to December 31, 2013 a total of 742 enterprises in China through FSSC22000 certification, mainly in Guangdong Province, Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, mainly at products with a long shelf life at ambient temperature. With the rapid development of FSSC22000 certification in the global and the rapid development of food industry in China, the recognized globally advantages of FSSC22000 certification in China will become more prominent, so in the processing of revision and rectification national food safety standards we should integration Publicly Available Specification early, will have important significance in reducing duplication certified and improving food enterprises to reduce food safety risks.
Valproic Acid Induced Hyperammonemia in a Long Time Treated Patient

We report a case of a patient who had been on long time valproic acid for treatment of bipolar affective disorder. While being an inpatient, serology ammonia level testing revealed a very high ammonia level despite being asymptomatic. Dual therapy of carnitine and lactulose was provided to the patient for treatment of the hyperammonemia. It should also be noted that, during this treatment, valproic acid was not stopped. Consequently, this case illustrates that patients can present asymptomatically despite very high ammonia levels and hyperammonemia can occur in chronic valproic acid despite not increasing the dose of the medication and psychiatrists do not need to discontinue valproic acid in the presence of elevated levels of ammonia if the patient shows no signs of encephalopathy or delirium.
Decomposition dynamics of aquatic macrophytes in the lower Atchafalaya, a large floodplain river

Decomposition of aquatic macrophytes can considerably influence carbon cycling and energy flow in shallow freshwater aquatic ecosystems. The Atchafalaya River Basin (ARB) is a large floodplain river in southern Louisiana that experiences a seasonal floodpulse and is spatially composed of a mosaic of turbid riverine and stagnant backwater areas. During two seasons, winter and fall of 1995, we examined decomposition of four common aquatic macrophytes in the ARB: water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), arrowhead (Sagittaria platyphylla), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum) and hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata). To determine decay rates, we used litter bags of two mesh sizes (5 mm and 0.25 mm) and analyzed data with a single exponential decay model. Analysis of decay rates established several trends for aquatic macrophyte decomposition in the ARB. First, macrophytes decayed faster in fall than winter due to the effect of increased temperature. Second, macroinvertebrates were the primary decomposers of macrophytes in riverine sites and microbes were the primary decomposers in backwater areas. These trends may have been related to decomposer-habitat interactions, with well-oxygenated riverine sites more hospitable to invertebrates and backwater areas more favorable to microbes because of high organic inputs and reduced flow. Decay rates for macrophytes, ranked from slowest to fastest, were E. crassipes<S. platyphylla<C. demersum<H. verticillata. Slower decomposition of E. crassipes was probably a result of microbial inhibition by the waxy-cutin outer layer and low nutritional value. The accelerated decomposition of C. demersum and H. verticillata was most likely a function of the large surface area of the highly dissected leaves. Macroinvertebrate numbers were twice as high in riverine sites compared to backwater sites. In the winter, amphipods Gammarus spp. and Hyallela azteca composed a large percentage of the total density on detritus. In the fall, Caenis sp. was prevalent in the backwater habitat and dipterans were abundant in the riverine site. We investigated the microbial component involved in the decomposition of E. crassipes and S. platyphylla and found that the highest microbial respiration rates occurred early in the winter at the backwater site. Bacterial density in the winter on E. crassipes and S. platyphylla averaged 1.4×106 cm-2 after two days and decreased to 2.0×105 cm-2 after 28 d. Our results emphasized the importance of the microbial community in the decomposition of macrophytes in the ARB, especially in backwater habitats and in the early stages of decay.
Insider Attack Identification and Prevention in Collection-Oriented Dataflow-Based Processes

We introduce an approach of automatically identifying attacks by insider agents on dataflow-based processes having a collection-oriented data model and then improving the processes to prevent the attacks against them. Some process data, if used by some agents via steps at certain points of timeline, will lead to a privacy attack. A manual identification of these vulnerable data and rogue agents is quite tedious; thus, our approach automatically performs these identifications. We model a process and an attack based on a directed acyclic graph, with steps, reading and writing data, and controlled by agents. Then, we perform a declarative implementation to find out if this attack model can be mapped onto the process model based on some similarity criteria. If these criteria are met, we conclude that the attack model is “similar enough” to the process model to be successfully realized through it. Each possible way of mapping shows an avenue of attack on the process. Agent collusion scenarios are also identified. Finally, our approach automatically identifies process improvement opportunities and iteratively exploits them, thereby eliminating attack avenues.
Does attending a state-funded preschool program improve letter name knowledge?

Abstract This study investigated the causal impact of attending a state-funded pre-K program, the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI), on letter name knowledge using a regression discontinuity (RD) design. Children who attended VPI ( n = 9,689) had higher letter name knowledge (9 letters higher) compared to students who had just begun VPI ( n = 10,897). Findings were robust across various model specifications and imputation methods used. Effect sizes were large ( ES = 0.89–1.01) and comparable to other statewide pre-K evaluations using an RD design with a similar outcome.
Estimating Infrared Radiometric Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Retrieval Cold Biases in the Tropics due to Unscreened Optically Thin Cirrus Clouds

AbstractPassive longwave infrared radiometric satellite–based retrievals of sea surface temperature (SST) at instrument nadir are investigated for cold bias caused by unscreened optically thin cirrus (OTC) clouds [cloud optical depth (COD) ≤ 0.3]. Level 2 nonlinear SST (NLSST) retrievals over tropical oceans (30°S–30°N) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) radiances collected aboard the NASA Aqua satellite (Aqua-MODIS) are collocated with cloud profiles from the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. OTC clouds are present in approximately 25% of tropical quality-assured (QA) Aqua-MODIS Level 2 data, representing over 99% of all contaminating cirrus found. Cold-biased NLSST (MODIS, AVHRR, and VIIRS) and triple-window (AVHRR and VIIRS only) SST retrievals are modeled based on operational algorithms using radiative transfer model simulations conducted with a hypothetical 1.5-km-thick OTC cloud placed incrementally from 10.0 to 18.0 km above mean sea level...
Damage in elastomers: nucleation and growth of cavities, micro-cracks, and macro-cracks

The nucleation of internal cavities and their transition to cracks are examined at high spatial and temporal resolutions within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomers of various cross-link densities under externally applied quasi-static mechanical loads. The focus here is on experiments where the initiation and propagation of internal damage are designed to occur in between two spherical glass beads that are firmly embedded within a matrix of the PDMS elastomer and are placed close to each other in order to generate a high triaxial stress state. An optical microscope is used to monitor the various processes of nucleation and growth of cavities and cracks at a spatial resolution of about $$1\,\upmu \hbox {m}$$ and a temporal resolution of about 66.7 ms. In combination with corresponding full-field simulations, the experiments show that the nucleation of cavities—that is, the onset of cavitation—is an extremely fast process (involving stretch rates in excess of $$100\,\hbox {s}^{-1})$$ that is controlled primarily by the stiffening at large deformations of the underlying elastomer and, more critically, by its fracture properties. The experiments and simulations also show that cavitation is followed by two distinct events upon further macroscopic loading: the transition of the nucleated cavities to micro-cracks, and the further transition of some micro-cracks to macro-cracks. These two distinct events are also controlled primarily by the fracture properties of the underlying elastomer.
ENabling Reduction of Low-grade Inflammation in SEniors Pilot Study: Concept, Rationale, and Design

Objectives To test two interventions to reduce interleukin (IL)-6 levels, an indicator of low-grade chronic inflammation and an independent risk factor for impaired mobility and slow walking speed in older adults. Design The ENabling Reduction of low-Grade Inflammation in SEniors (ENRGISE) Pilot Study was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized pilot trial of two interventions to reduce IL-6 levels. Setting Five university-based research centers. Participants Target enrollment was 300 men and women aged 70 and older with an average plasma IL-6 level between 2.5 and 30 pg/mL measured twice at least 1 week apart. Participants had low to moderate physical function, defined as self-reported difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing a flight of stairs and usual walk speed of less than 1 m/s on a 4-m usual-pace walk. Intervention Participants were randomized to losartan, omega-3 fish oil (ω-3), combined losartan and ω-3, or placebo. Randomization was stratified depending on eligibility for each group. A titration schedule was implemented to reach a dose that was safe and effective for IL-6 reduction. Maximal doses were 100 mg/d for losartan and 2.8 g/d for ω-3. Measurements IL-6, walking speed over 400 m, physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery), other inflammatory markers, safety, tolerability, frailty domains, and maximal leg strength were measured. Results Results from the ENRGISE Pilot Study will provide recruitment yields, feasibility, medication tolerance and adherence, and preliminary data to help justify a sample size for a more definitive randomized trial. Conclusion The ENRGISE Pilot Study will inform a larger subsequent trial that is expected to have important clinical and public health implications for the growing population of older adults with low-grade chronic inflammation and mobility limitations.
Osteopontin Impacts West Nile virus Pathogenesis and Resistance by Regulating Inflammasome Components and Cell Death in the Central Nervous System at Early Time Points

Osteopontin (OPN) is a molecule that is common in central nervous system (CNS) pathologies, which participates in the activation, migration, and survival of inflammatory cells. However, the mechanisms by which OPN modulates inflammatory pathways are not clear. To understand the role of OPN in CNS viral infections, we used a lethal mouse model of West Nile virus (WNV), characterized by the injection of high doses of the Eg101 strain of WNV, causing the increase of OPN levels in the brain since early time points. To measure the impact of OPN in neuropathogenesis and resistance, we compared C57BI/6 WT with mice lacking the OPN gene (OPN KO). OPN KO presented a significantly higher mortality compared to WT mice, detectable since day 5 pi. Our data suggests that OPN expression at early time points may provide protection against viral spread in the CNS by negatively controlling the type I IFN-sensitive, caspase 1-dependent inflammasome, while promoting an alternative caspase 8-associated pathway, to control the apoptosis of infected cells during WNV infection in the CNS. Overall, we conclude that the expression of OPN maintains a critical threshold in the innate immune response that controls apoptosis and lethal viral spread in early CNS infection.
Homework Expectancy Value Scale for high school students: Measurement invariance and latent mean differences across gender and grade level

Abstract The current study validated the Homework Expectancy Value Scale (HEVS) for high school students. Results revealed that the HEVS consisted of two distinct but related subscales: Expectancy and Value. Given satisfactory measurement invariance , the latent mean differences were further examined across gender (males vs. females) and grade level (10th vs. 11th). Results revealed that, compared with males, females had significantly higher scores in Value. Meanwhile, there were no statistically significant mean differences across grade level. Finally, consistent with theoretical expectations, Expectancy and Value were negatively correlated with homework distraction, and positively correlated to homework effort, emotion regulation, and completion.
Inverse ambiguous functions on some finite non-abelian groups

In Schmitz (Aequ Math 91:373–389, 2017), the first author defines an “inverse ambiguous function” on a group G to be a bijective function $$f:G \rightarrow G$$ satisfying the functional equation $$f^{-1}(x) = (f(x))^{-1}$$ for all $$x \in G$$ . Using a simple criterion involving the number of elements in G not equal to their own inverse, the classification of finite abelian groups admitting inverse ambiguous functions is achieved. In this paper we aim to extend the results from (2017) to determine the existence of inverse ambiguous functions on members of certain families of non-abelian groups, namely the symmetric groups $$S_n$$ , the alternating groups $$A_n$$ , and the general linear groups GL(2, q) over a finite field $$\mathbb {F}_q$$ .
The Invisible Irish: Finding Protestants in the Nineteenth-Century Migrations to America

The American Revolutionary War has customarily marked the end point for studies of Irish Presbyterian migration to America. Scholars such as R.J. Dickson, Kerby Miller, David N. Doyle, Donald Akens...
A large-scale empirical study on the effects of code obfuscations on Android apps and anti-malware products

The Android platform has been the dominant mobile platform in recent years resulting in millions of apps and security threats against those apps. Anti-malware products aim to protect smartphone users from these threats, especially from malicious apps. However, malware authors use code obfuscation on their apps to evade detection by anti-malware products. To assess the effects of code obfuscation on Android apps and anti-malware products, we have conducted a large-scale empirical study that evaluates the effectiveness of the top anti-malware products against various obfuscation tools and strategies. To that end, we have obfuscated 3,000 benign apps and 3,000 malicious apps and generated 73,362 obfuscated apps using 29 obfuscation strategies from 7 open-source, academic, and commercial obfuscation tools. The findings of our study indicate that (1) code obfuscation significantly impacts Android anti-malware products; (2) the majority of anti-malware products are severely impacted by even trivial obfuscations; (3) in general, combined obfuscation strategies do not successfully evade anti-malware products more than individual strategies; (4) the detection of anti-malware products depend not only on the applied obfuscation strategy but also on the leveraged obfuscation tool; (5) anti-malware products are slow to adopt signatures of malicious apps; and (6) code obfuscation often results in changes to an app's semantic behaviors.
Carbon pricing and energy efficiency: pathways to deep decarbonization of the US electric sector

Despite the commitment of the Paris agreement to pursue efforts to limit end-of-century global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, few have studied mitigation pathways consistent with such a demanding goal. This paper uses a fully integrated engineering- economic model of the U.S. energy system, to explore the ability of the U.S. electricity sector to operate within a budget of 44 gigatons of CO2 (GtCO2) between 2016 and 2040 - almost 20 percent less than projected. Our modeling results suggest that carbon taxes coupled with strong energy-efficiency policies would produce synergistic effects that could meet deep decarbonization goals. Combining energy-efficiency initiatives with a $10/tCO2 tax rising to $27/tCO2 in 2040 (in $2013) would achieve the U.S. electric sector's carbon budget with a net savings to the U.S. economy. A $20/tCO2 tax rising to $53/tCO2 in 2040 would also stay below this budget, but it would cost more if not coupled with strong energy efficiency. U.S. regionswillwin or lose depending on their generationmix and how carbon tax revenues are recycled.
Improving Asthma Management in the Elementary School Setting: An Education and Self-management Pilot Project

Abstract Purpose To increase daily asthma symptom self-assessments of elementary school students using Green Means Go, an asthma education and self-assessment program, via a partnership between an elementary school and a school of nursing. Methods Over four months, accelerated MSN nursing students provided small group education sessions to teach students and teachers to identify asthma symptoms by Asthma Action Plan (AAP) zones and actions for each zone. To promote continuity of care between school and home, a teacher-parent communication log during yellow zone days was encouraged. Results Students with asthma (n = 90), teachers (n = 12) and parents (n = 1) participated. Previously no students performed daily self-assessments and at program end, all students accurately identified symptoms, AAP zones, and action steps. A total of 789 symptom self-assessments were recorded. Teachers reported increased asthma knowledge. One parent attended an education session and one home visit was completed. No communication logs were returned. Conclusions Partnerships between elementary and nursing schools may be an effective strategy for delivery of health programs to high-risk children with chronic diseases. Self-assessment of symptoms and taking appropriate actions at school are critical components of early asthma intervention, particularly when a school nurse is not always available. Training teachers to follow a child's AAP within school policies is a critical second step. Home visits showed potential as a strategy for engaging parents. Practice implications In the current climate of school nurse shortages, management of asthma-related episodes in school can be improved with similar partnerships and programs that promote health education and self-management.
Orthodox Quantum Mechanics

This chapter develops the measurement interpretation of quantum mechanics. This is an austere systematized version of the orthodox Copenhagen interpretation. Dirac used an analysis of the distinctive features of quantum measurements as a basis for developing the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics. Schwinger put this on a more systematic basis and extended the formalism to include quantum electrodynamics and basic quantum field theory. This measurement formulation does not accommodate further advances in quantum field theory or quantum cosmology, where there is no outside observer.
Python puts a squeeze on java for CS0 and beyond

This paper compares Python with Java for teaching CS0, the first introductory course for computer science majors. Python has a simpler and more elegant syntax than Java. Python has an open, community-based development model managed by the non-profit Python Software Foundation; while Java is proprietary. Both Python and Java provide support for Graphical User Interfaces and object-oriented programming but Java seems to be more complex. These features make Python more suitable than Java for CS0 and more advanced courses.
Controlling injury hazards in construction.

Using information from the U.S. government and the scientific literature, the authors identify preventive strategies for specific types of injuries and categorize features of employers and workers that are associated with low injury rates. They conclude that safe working conditions are possible and are related to the attitudes of workers and management. Language: en
Performance Evaluation Based Upon Simulation

In this chapter, we consider the statistical performance of robot position control methods, and discuss the origin of robot positioning errors. In conventional design-model robot control, the robot design model is used as a basis for kinematic control. In this case, manufacturing errors contribute most to robot positioning errors. In arm signature-based robot control (S-Model), the correct arm signature model eliminates kinematic errors due to manufacturing. In this case, robot performance is limited by sensor errors which contribute to inaccuracy of the identified arm signature model.
Efforts to Foster Mental Health at Work

This chapter discusses key stressors that many individuals encounter in the modern workplace and how those stressors can impair mental wellness. Also introduced are government regulations and private sector initiatives, including employee assistance programs (EAP) and mindfulness training, that can enhance mental health in the professional context and help those who are mentally unwell. The reflection encourages the reader to consider whether and how his or her organization has followed some of these trends, what impacts efforts have had to date, and what more could be done.
Technologies of the Body in Contemporary Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Peruvian Amazon: Implications for Future Research

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant mixture used in a ceremonial context throughout WesternAmazonia whose use has expanded globally in recent decades becoming popular among westerners whotravel to the Peruvian Amazon in increasing numbers to experience its reportedly healing andtransformative effects. The experience often involves participating in a shamanic dieta, which involvesfasting and ingesting non-psychoactive plants as well as a variety of plants for bodily and energeticcleansing in the form of purges and ritual baths. I demonstrate that the use of plants in this mannerconstitutes a technology intricately connected with Amazonian conceptions of the body and ultimately localeco-cosmologies that enrich our understanding of human-nature relationships and thus should form part offuture research or sustainability efforts in the area.
Brief and cost-effective tool for assessing verbal learning in multiple sclerosis: Comparison of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) to the California Verbal Learning Test - II (CVLT-II).

Abstract Background The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) is a common cognitive screening tool. However, administration and scoring can be time-consuming, and its use of proprietary subtests like the California Verbal Learning Test – II (CVLT-II) is financially limiting. Use of the non-proprietary Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) may be provide a valid alternative. Objectives To compare the RAVLT and CVLT-II in terms of diagnostic accuracy for detecting cognitive impairment, and to determine optimal cut-scores for the RAVLT. Methods 100 participants with MS completed the five learning trials from the RAVLT and CVLT-II. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to compare the measures' sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), and to identify optimal cut-scores. Results Using a criterion of 1.5 SD below the normative sample mean, the RAVLT showed fair to good (κs = 0.21–0.41) agreement with the CVLT-II. A cut-score of 12 on Trials 1 + 2 of the RAVLT showed fair sensitivity (75%) and specificity (76%) and did not differ significantly from the CVLT-II (p > .05). Conclusions Performance on initial learning trials of the RAVLT may provide a brief, valid, and cost-effective alternative to the CVLT-II for screening verbal learning impairments in MS.
Transnational remittances and state protection of human rights: A case for caution

This paper explores the impact of transnational remittance receipts on state respect for human rights, identifying the latter with the CIRI Index of Physical Integrity Rights which aggregates information on disappearances, extrajudicial killings, political imprisonment, and torture. Based on sample of 106 developing economies considered over the period 1981–2011, we find that remittances have a strong negative impact on state respect for physical integrity rights, the results being robust to alternate specifications and estimation methods. Our results underline the need for caution in evaluating the developmental consequences of remittance inflows, especially on institutional quality.
Antinuclear Antibodies and Antithyroid Antibodies in Psychiatric Patients

In 1912, Khoroshko first suggested that autoimmune phenomena could be involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disturbance. This suggestion has been followed by a series of studies to determine whether antibodies against brain tissue were present in patients with schizophrenia (De Lisi et al., 1985). Surprisingly, there has been little interest in exploring whether autoimmunity is of potential significance in the pathophysiology of affective illness (Amsterdam et al., 1984). Most reports in this area have been anecdotal, retrospective, or focused exclusively on the potential effect of long-term psychotropic drug usage on two measures of autoimmune phenomena (i.e., antinuclear and antithyroid antibodies) (see Tables 1-3). Nonetheless, these data do suggest that although certain abnormal autoimmune phenomena are seen with use of certain psychotropic agents, i.e., chlorpromazine and lithium, they rarely impact on clinical care. So, in contrast to the potential significance these autoimmune findings have in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, the affective literature principally suggests that these phenomena are drug-induced and of minimal clinical importance.
Assessing Part-Time Nursing Faculty Needs: A Needs Assessment for a Quality Improvement Project

Abstract Part-time nursing faculty need supports to be successful educators. A needs assessment using qualitative and quantitative data was undertaken as a first step of a quality improvement (QI) project aimed to support part-time faculty and ultimately improve teaching effectiveness. The needs assessment provided essential information about strengths and areas for improvement within our department. A strength in this department was the role of course lead, two areas for improvement include development of a department level orientation and online or written resources. This report can serve as a model for other department on how to use local data to design interventions that reflect the unique needs of their department.
“Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover”: Exploring Book Traits Children Favor

We present the preliminary exploration we conducted to identify traits that can influence children’s preferences in books. Findings offer insights for the design of recommender algorithms that would look beyond patterns inferred from traditional user-system interactions (e.g., ratings) for recommendation purposes, since when it comes to children such data is rarely, if at all, available.
Nothing Human Can Be Perfect: Constitutional Change and the Limits of the Remedies Thereafter

Part III of the text moves from focusing on the problems inherent in the structure the Framers adopted (Part I) and the ways our foremothers and fathers have tried to mitigate them (Part II) to focusing on potential remedies or reforms that can be adopted to address them. To this end, the first chapter in this section, Chapter 9 (“Nothing Human Can Be Perfect: Constitutional Change and the Limits of the Remedies Thereafter”), begins by noting that the Framers were the first to acknowledge that the Constitution was flawed. In recognition of these defects, they took the somewhat unusual (although not unprecedented) step of including in Article V methods for amendment. As in the case of our first constitution, however, it is still difficult to revise; so much so that in the post-Civil War period it has only been done successfully twelve times, two of which cancelled each other out. As of this writing, the document has not been amended since the early 1990s. Moreover, of those amendments that have been adopted, few concern the type of structural changes that this book is concerned with. The discussion ends with a recognition that Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine were two of the Framers who proposed a mechanism for reconstitution that was not included in the Constitution, but is worth consideration today.
Insulin Dosage Adjustments After Initiation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Background:Combination of insulin and GLP-1RAs have shown reductions in the HbA1c, body weight, and the risk of hypoglycemia. To date, there are conflicting data regarding the effect of GLP-1RAs on...
Welcome to the International Journal of Prognostics and Health Management (Communication)

The Prognostics and Health Management Society (PHM Society) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of PHM as an engineering discipline. One of the fundamental principles of the Society is to provide centralized, timely, free and unrestricted access to knowledge about PHM research and applications.
Functional Decline in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in the Early Months of the Pandemic

Introduction COVID-19 survivors are at risk of functional decline. To address the current gap in knowledge about post-acute needs of those infected by COVID-19, we examined discharge function data to better prepare patients, providers, and health systems to return patients to optimal levels of functioning. Objective This study examines the prevalence of functional decline and related rehabilitation needs at hospital discharge. Design Prospective chart review. Setting Academic tertiary care hospital PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized adults with a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, with admission dates between March 4, 2020 and May 1, 2020 INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Discharge location; need for outpatient physical, occupational, or speech therapy; need for durable medical equipment at discharge; presence of dysphagia at discharge; functional decline. Results Three hundred eleven potential cases were reviewed. The final number of cases included in analysis was N=288, ranging in age from 20-95 years old (mean 66.80±15.31 years). Nearly twenty percent of COVID-19 survivors discharged to a location other than their home. Forty-five percent of survivors experienced functional decline impacting their discharge. Eighty-seven (80.6%) of survivors who showed functional change during hospitalization were referred for additional therapy at discharge. At least 73 (67.6%) of these patients required DME at discharge (in 12 cases this was not clearly documented). Twenty-nine (26.7%) of the survivors who showed functional changes had ongoing dysphagia at the time of hospital discharge. Ninety-seven of the survivors (40.6%) were never assessed by a PM&R physician, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech language pathologist during their hospitalization. Conclusions COVID-19 mortality rates are frequently reported in the media, while the effects on function are not as well described. The information provided here highlights the need for rehabilitative services during and after hospitalization for COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
An exact irrotational solution for a hemispherically bounded cyclonic flowfield

This study focuses on the development of an internal potential flow solution in the context of a hemispherically bounded cyclonic chamber. The analysis proceeds from the Bragg–Hawthorne equation, which is quite effective in the treatment of steady, inviscid, and axisymmetric flows when expressed in terms of the streamfunction. Once the streamfunction is obtained, other flow properties are readily deduced; these include the principal velocity and pressure distributions, swirl intensity, crossflow velocity, and mantle location. Furthermore, given the overarching spherical geometry, two different types of mantles are identified and related to the coexistence of axially bidirectional and circularly bipolar regions. The first, axial mantle, which is traditionally used in the analysis of cylindrical and conical cyclone separators, consists of a rotating, non-translating interfacial layer along which the axial velocity vanishes. It thus separates the outer, vertical updraft, from the inner, swirling downdraft. The second, polar mantle, which arises in the context of a hemispherical flow configuration, coincides with the spherical interface along which the polar velocity vanishes. It hence partitions the flow domain into a much larger outer region, where the flow direction remains strictly counterclockwise, and a proportionally smaller inner region, where the outflow becomes clockwise. Despite their dissimilar structures, both axial and polar mantles meet in the exit plane at a fractional radius of 1 / e 2 or 13.53%. In this study, the unique characteristics of the resulting irrotational motion, which reduces to a continuously looping, hemispherically cyclonic potential vortex, are evaluated and discussed.
Prior Statin Use Is Associated with Decreased Mortality and Lower Levels of Liver and Brain Organ Failure Scores in Sepsis - A Matched Observational Study

Background: Statin use is associated with a decreased rate of severe sepsis. The objective of this paper is to quantify the level of organ dysfunction of patients with and without statin use prior to hospitalization. Methods: MIMIC-III was searched for adult sepsis patients. Immunosuppressed patients were excluded. Organ dysfunction was defined as alterations in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score components or laboratory values. Other endpoints examined include 28-day, 90-day, and in-hospital mortality. All analyses were adjusted for Elixhauser comorbidity index components, age, gender, ethnicity, and year of admission and used doubly robust estimation. In a sensitivity analysis, the effect of statin potency on organ dysfunction was analyzed. Findings: 3,091 statin users and non-users were matched. In the matched cohort, mean age was 72 years, 54% of patients were female, and 31% had diabetes. The odds of mortality at day 28 (0.78), day 90 (0.75), and in the hospital (0.78) were significantly lower for those on statins (p=0.001; p<0.001; and p=0.003, respectively). Central nervous system (CNS, -14% change) and hepatic SOFA (-27% change) component scores were also significantly lower for statin users (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found for other measures of organ failure. Statin potency had statistically significant effects on day-28, day-90, and in-patient mortality, as well as coagulation, hepatic, and CNS components of the SOFA score. Interpretation: Statin use prior to sepsis was associated with dose-dependent lower short-term mortality that was clinically and statistically significant. This mortality benefit might be explained by neuro- and hepato-protective effects. Funding Statement: National Institutes of Health (NIBIB grant R01 EB017205). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The MIMIC III database is an open-access, publicly available dataset whose use has been approved by the institutional review boards of the BIDMC and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, respectively (2001-P001699/3).
The clinical impact of chronic liver disease in patients undergoing transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement: Systematic analysis of the 2011-2017 US hospital database.

OBJECTIVES In this study, we use a national database to evaluate post-transcatheter (TAVR)/surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) outcomes stratified using chronic liver disease (CLD). BACKGROUND In patients undergoing TAVR and SAVR, the surgical risks should be optimized; this includes evaluating hepatic diseases that may pose an operative risk. METHODS 2011-2017 National Inpatient Sample was used to select in-hospital TAVR and SAVR cases, which were stratified according to CLD (cirrhosis, hepatitis B/C, alcoholic/fatty/nonspecific liver disease). The cases-controls were matched using propensity score matching and compared with various endpoints. RESULT After matching for demographics and comorbidities, for TAVR, 606 and 1818 were with or without CLD; for SAVR, 1353 and 4059 were with and without CLD. In TAVR, there was no differences in mortality (2.81% vs. 2.75% OR 1.02 95% CI 0.58-1.78) or length of stay (6.29 vs. 6.44d p = 0.29), and CLD-present patients had marginally increased costs ($228,415 vs. $226,682 p = 0.048). There were no differences in complications. In multivariate, there was no difference in mortality (aOR 1.02 95% CI 0.58-1.79). In SAVR, CLD patients had higher mortality (7.98% vs. 3.23% OR 2.60 95% CI 2.00-3.38), length of stay (13.3 vs. 11.3 days p < 0.001), and costs ($273,487 vs. $238,097 p < 0.001). CLD patients also had increased respiratory failure (9.02% vs. 7.19% OR 1.28 95% CI 1.03-1.59) and bleeding (8.43% vs. 6.33% OR 1.36 95% CI 1.08-1.71). In multivariate, CLD had higher mortality (aOR 2.60 95% CI 2.00-3.38). CONCLUSION CLD is associated with higher mortality and complications in patients undergoing SAVR; however, no correlation was found in patients undergoing TAVR.