cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 48–79 GHz Low-Noise Amplifier with Broadband Phase-Invariant Gain Control in 45nm SOI CMOS

A 48−79 GHz low noise amplifier (LNA) with broadband phase-invariant gain control is proposed for wide-band phased array applications. The proposed IC consists of a three-stage LNA, a phase-invariant attenuator, and an output buffer. A broadband phase-invariant attenuator is implemented with a phase-compensated transmission line periodically loaded with NFETs. The proposed IC was fabricated in a 45-nm CMOS SOI process and occupies an active area of 1.1 mm2. The measured gain is 22.2 dB with 31-GHz bandwidth (49% fractional bandwidth) from 48 to 79 GHz. The measured gain tuning range is higher than 8.9 dB from 63 to 80 GHz with a phase shift variation less than 6◦. The measured noise figure (NF) is less than 4.8 dB with an average NF of 3.8 dB from 50 to 62 GHz. The measured dc power consumption is 30 mW from a 1.2-V supply.
Sleep across early childhood: implications for internalizing and externalizing problems, socioemotional skills, and cognitive and academic abilities in preschool.

BACKGROUND Sleep is thought to be important for behavioral and cognitive development. However, much of the prior research on sleep's role in behavioral/cognitive development has relied upon self-report measures and cross-sectional designs. METHODS The current study examined how early childhood sleep, measured actigraphically, was developmentally associated with child functioning at 54 months. Emphasis was on functioning at preschool, a crucial setting for the emergence of psychopathology. Participants included 119 children assessed longitudinally at 30, 36, 42, and 54 months. We examined correlations between child sleep and adjustment across three domains: behavioral adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems), socioemotional skills, and academic/cognitive abilities. We further probed consistent associations with growth curve modeling. RESULTS Internalizing problems were associated with sleep variability, and cognitive and academic abilities were associated with sleep timing. Growth curve analysis suggested that children with more variable sleep at 30 months had higher teacher-reported internalizing problems in preschool and that children with later sleep timing at 30 months had poorer cognitive and academic skills at 54 months. However, changes in sleep from 30 to 54 months were not associated with any of the domains of adjustment. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that objectively measured sleep variability and late sleep timing in toddlerhood are associated with higher levels of internalizing problems and poorer academic/cognitive abilities in preschool.
Incidence of hypothyroidism in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving radiotherapy with and without immune checkpoint inhibitors.

e18551Background: Treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy (RT). RT for HNSCC is a known risk f...
Population Insulin Sensitivity from Sparsely Sampled Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests

Abstract Objective This work aimed to estimate population-level insulin sensitivity (SI) from 2-hour oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) with less than 7 samples. Research design and methods The current methodology combines the OGTT mathematical model developed by Dalla Man et al., with nonlinear multilevel (NLML) statistical model to estimate population-level insulin sensitivity (SI) from sparsely sampled datasets (3 or 4 samples per subject obtained in 120 min). To validate our novel methodology of population SI estimation, we simulated 50 virtual subjects. We simulated 10 observations per subject over 240 minutes. After estimating their SI using the OGTT model, the virtual subjects were split into two groups, subjects with SI above the average and ones with below average. Subsequently, the simulated data were analyzed using statistical software and employing a t-test. The mean estimates of population SI for the two groups of virtual subjects and their respective 95% CI were compared to the estimates obtained with our novel NLML group SI estimates obtained using the 3 and 4 time points per subject. To further validate the performance of the novel NLML model, a set of 34 prediabetic and 30 diabetic subjects with T2D was used. As outlined above for the in-silico subjects, differences between the prediabetic and T2D subjects in regard to SI was assessed using the classical two-stage approach (individual SI estimation followed by statistical comparison of the two groups). The average estimates obtained with the classical two-stage approach were compared to the group estimated obtained with the NLML approach using 3 (0, 60, and 120 minutes) points per subject obtained in 120 minutes. Results Unique and identifiable individual estimates of SI were obtained for all virtual subjects. In comparison to the subjects with above average SI (n=25), the subjects with simulated below average SI (n=25) exhibited significantly lower insulin sensitivity (P Conclusions The population estimates of SI from OGTT data is an effective tool to assess population insulin sensitivity and assess differences that may not be possible when calculating individual SI or when less than 7 samples are available.
An inconvenient truth about temperature–time data from thermocouples

Plant ecologists have long been interested in the effects of fire on vegetation. Thermocouples have been in their proverbial toolbox for decades, despite temperature not being a direct product or measure of wildland fire behaviour or fire effects. To better represent the cumulative impact of high-temperature exposure on organisms, ecologists often use temperature–time curves from thermocouples to calculate residence time—the duration of heat exposure above a threshold temperature—which can be used to calculate another popular metric, degree $$\cdot $$ seconds. A systematic literature review of 105 published papers shows that residence time, especially, and degree $$\cdot $$ seconds are common metrics derived from raw temperature–time data. While several errors in thermocouple readings have been previously identified and addressed—responsiveness to heating, discrepancy between thermocouple temperature and actual temperature of the medium surrounding the thermocouple—this paper highlights a previously unconsidered source of error that must be reconciled for metrics like residence time to be biologically valid: the disproportionately long time it takes for thermocouples to cool once heat input is complete. Using an array of thermocouples in a fume hood over a Bunsen burner before and after the flame is extinguished, this paper shows that after being exposed to flame, 30-gauge K-type thermocouples require 80–100 s to register ambient temperatures despite taking only about 5 s to respond to heating. The review indicates ecologists give no consideration for this disproportionately slow cooling response. These findings indicate that residence time (and therefore degree $$\cdot $$ seconds) have been over-estimated in the fire ecology literature. The proposed solution is to simply truncate temperature–time curves at the point temperature begins to decline, which indicates a shift from the biologically relevant effect of heat input to the biologically irrelevant, physical properties (heat diffusivity) of the thermocouple itself. Conceptual models present these biologically relevant portions of the temperature–time curve and identify parts of the biologically relevant curve that might be useful in quantifying components of flammability.
Music and the Evolution of Embodied Cognition

Music is a universal human activity. Its evolution and its value as a cognitive resource are starting to come into focus. This chapter endeavors to give readers a clearer sense of the adaptive aspects of music, as well as the underlying cognitive and neural structures. Special attention is given to the important emotional dimensions of music, and an evolutionary argument is made for thinking of music as a prelinguistic embodied form of cognition—a form that is still available to us as contemporary music creators and consumers.
Predicting Driver's Transition Time to a Secondary Task Given an in-Vehicle Alert

The goal of this study is to provide a framework, using hidden semi-Markov models, for modeling a driver's response time after an alert is provided in manual driving. Given the plethora of alerts and warning within a vehicle, there is a need to understand when a driver will respond after an alert is provided. Data from a previous driving simulator study, where drivers were interacting with an in-vehicle information system (IVIS) were used for model training. The final data set included 16 participants, with 288 task initiations. The proposed model could predict a driver's response time accurately using only a small portion of the available data, and had a mean absolute error of 0.51 seconds with 84% of predictions within an absolute error of 1 second. This framework has applicability in mitigating the risk of transitions in driver distraction. This includes transitions from the road to the secondary task and back to the road.
Interannual Variability in the Thermal Habitat of Alexandrium catenella in the Bay of Fundy and the Implications of Climate Change

Globally, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an increasing problem. In the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella are annually recurrent phenomena. As this region is one of the most rapidly warming areas of the global ocean, an improved understanding of the mechanisms driving the initiation of local A. catenella blooms, their interannual variability and the implications of future climate change is critical to local monitoring strategies and marine resources management. A 27-year (1988-2014) time series of weekly A. catenella cell counts from the Bay of Fundy and concurrent satellite-measured sea surface temperature, freshwater discharge from the St. John River and wind-driven turbulence are compared to assess their relationship to variability in bloom phenology metrics. The mean thermal habitat associated with early detection of A. catenella is 6.5±1.6˚C, whereas that of bloom initiation averages 9.2±1.5˚C. Both thermal habitats for A. catenella are trending earlier over the study period. Bloom initiations that precede the arrival of the thermal habitat mean (occur in colder water) are associated with higher spring freshwater discharge and are generally weaker blooms. Increased spring freshwater discharge is also associated with earlier bloom initiation and earlier maximum concentration dates. No significant relationship was observed with the strength of wind-driven mixing. Removal of the mean thermal seasonal cycle shows that surface temperature anomalies have a strong negative relationship to the bloom phenology metrics and arrival of thermal habitat: warmer years are linked to earlier arrival of thermal habitats (~12 days ˚C-1) and earlier detection and bloom initiation dates (~33 days ˚C-1). Using these relationships and present trends in Bay of Fundy surface temperature warming over the period 1982-2019, we project the arrival dates of bloom thermal habitat and bloom phenology metrics out to the middle of this century. Based on current rates of sea surface temperature change, bloom phenology metrics (e.g. bloom initiation, early detection), can be expected to shift 1-2 months earlier in the season by mid-century. Such changes in the phenology of A. catenella blooms will need to be incorporated into both monitoring strategies and forecasting models for the region.
When Rights Encounter Reality: Enforcing Federal Remedies

This Article examines our commitment to the idealized notion of judicial rights definition by measuring it against the standard set out in Marbury: that the law must afford a remedy when rights have been violated. If Marbury's fundamental tenet were correct, we would expect to find a tight congruence in constitutional law between right and remedy. What emerges from a study of the law of remedy and enforcement, however, is the picture of a system in which there is tremendous flexibility in the fit between right and remedy and therefore a system in which rights receive far less respect than the rhetoric would suggest. Indeed, close examination reveals a system in which failure to comply with, if not outright defiance of, judicial remedial orders is tolerated to a certain degree. This divergence between the ideal and reality is not surprising; it reflects a similar divergence between our idealized view of the judicial function and the reality imposed by the milieu in which courts must operate. The "countermajoritarian difficulty" is born of a world in which courts are seen as insulated bodies decreeing rights without regard to popular will. But, as John Marshall knew all too well, defining rights is one thing; enforcing them is another. Thus, as this Article argues, our idealized notion of countermajoritarian courts must give way to a vision of courts as bodies different from, but nonetheless responsive to, popular will. This, the Article suggests, is where the constitutional remedial and enforcement process comes into play. Rights are often abstract; they are announced without a clear sense of how they will be received or implemented. Through the process of remediation and enforcement, however, courts take into account popular will and tolerance for the rights announced.
Modeling of Rheological Properties of Metal Nanoparticle Conductive Inks for Printed Electronics

Of late, printed electronics continues to experience an increased demand due to enhanced use of flexible electronics, RFID devices, gas sensors, antennas, and intelligent food packaging devices. Due to this demand, the use of inkjet printers and conductive inks, with desirable properties, is on the rise. Conductive nanomaterials, such as metal nanoparticles and nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, are promising building blocks for synthesizing conductive inks for printed electronics. In order to develop printing devices that are optimized for flexible electronics, numerical studies on the ink flows and the associated rheological properties are crucial. Therefore, it is critical to provide accurate conductive ink properties for reliable numerical results. However, it is difficult to find such data in the literature since conductive inks for printed electronics contain precious metal nanoparticles and they are not only non-Newtonian but expensive. To address this challenge, this paper aims to utilize common viscosity–shear rate models such as the power law model to study rheological properties such as viscosity, shear rate, and shear stress of conductive inks. Notably, conductive inks made from metal nanoparticles such as silver, copper, gold, nickel, and aluminum are considered in this study. The results obtained from this model have been compared with experimental data. To further understand the effects of temperature and viscosity on synthesized ink, the viscosity–temperature relationship of the conductive ink is also modeled using Arrhenius’s law and compared with experimental data. The benefits of using this model for performing numerical simulations of desirable rheological properties of conductive inks for printed electronics are discussed.
Comparative analysis of various pretreatments to mitigate fouling and scaling in membrane distillation

Abstract Membrane distillation (MD) has shown strong promise for treating hypersaline produced water (PW) streams. Scaling and fouling on the membrane surface, however, have been identified as major challenges for commercialization and widespread application. The focus of this study was to first identify the nature of foulants and scalants on the membrane surface and then investigate the pretreatment strategies that mitigate the extent of fouling and scaling on the membrane surface. Vacuum MD (VMD) was selected for this study because of its higher flux at more moderate feed temperatures that eventually leads better assessment of fouling and scaling on the membrane surface. VMD flux tests were carried out with three different real PW samples at total dissolved solids concentrations in the range of 120–160 g/L. It was found that an efficient pretreatment prior to MD is required to mitigate the fouling potential of the organic matter, mostly suspended constituents, in PW samples. Suspended organics fouled and quickly wetted the MD membrane. Major conventional treatments, including filtration, oxidation, coagulation, air floatation, and aeration were investigated to pretreat the PW before VMD tests. A comprehensive comparative analysis is presented showing that the ultrafiltration and coagulation pretreatments displayed the best performance in mitigating the fouling and scaling, while oxidative pretreatment was found to be effective in reducing the iron concentration to less than 5 ppm. The surface of scaled membranes was carefully characterized to further evaluate the performance of each pretreatment. The components that had the highest tendency to precipitate on the membrane surface were identified as strontium sulfate, calcium carbonate, sodium chloride, iron oxide, and silica. These findings are supported by thermodynamic estimation of the saturation index.
Exact k -body representation of the Jaynes-Cummings interaction in the dressed basis: Insight into many-body phenomena with light

Analog quantum simulation---the technique of using one experimentally well-controlled physical system to mimic the behavior of another---has quickly emerged as one of the most promising near-term strategies for studying strongly correlated quantum many-body systems. In particular, systems of interacting photons, realizable in solid-state cavity and circuit QED frameworks, for example, hold tremendous promise for the study of nonequilibrium many-body phenomena, in part due to the capability to locally create and destroy photons. These systems are typically modeled using a Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard (JCH) Hamiltonian, named due to similarities with the Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian. While comparisons between the two are often made in literature, the JCH Hamiltonian comprises both bosonic and psuedospin operators, leading to physical deviations from the Bose-Hubbard model for particular parameter regimes. Here, we present a nonperturbative procedure for transforming the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian into a dressed operator representation that, in its most general form, admits an infinite sum of bosonic $k$-body terms where $k$ is bound only by the number of excitations in the system. We closely examine this result in both the dispersive and resonant coupling regimes, finding rapid convergence of this sum in the former and contributions from $k\ensuremath{\gg}1$ in the latter. Through extension to the simple case of a two-site JCH system, we demonstrate that this approach facilitates close inspection of the analogy between the JCH and Bose-Hubbard models and its breakdown for resonant light-matter coupling. Finally, we use this framework to survey the many-body character of a two-site JCH for general system parameters, identifying four unique quantum phases and the parameter regimes in which they are realized, thus highlighting phenomena realizable with finite JCH-based quantum simulators beyond the Bose-Hubbard model. More broadly, this paper is intended to serve as a clear mathematical exposition of bosonic many-body interactions underlying Jaynes-Cummings-type systems, often postulated either through analogy to Kerr-like nonlinear susceptibilities or by matching coefficients to obtain the appropriate eigenvalue spectrum.
Influenza A Virus Reassortment

Reassortment is the process by which influenza viruses swap gene segments. This genetic exchange is possible due to the segmented nature of the viral genome and occurs when two differing influenza viruses co-infect a cell. The viral diversity generated through reassortment is vast and plays an important role in the evolution of influenza viruses. Herein we review recent insights into the contribution of reassortment to the natural history and epidemiology of influenza A viruses, gained through population scale phylogenic analyses. We describe methods currently used to study reassortment in the laboratory, and we summarize recent progress made using these experimental approaches to further our understanding of influenza virus reassortment and the contexts in which it occurs.
Biodegradable plastic as an integral part of the solution to plastic waste pollution of the environment

Biodegradable plastics are promising alternatives to conventional, persistent plastics. In this opinion article, we discuss the benefits of biodegradable plastics in combination with appropriate disposal systems. We argue that the most beneficial environmental value of biodegradable plastics is in the areas of packaging, single-use items, and agricultural plastic mulches. While biodegradable plastics need to be an integral component of strategies to minimize plastic pollution of the environment, they have to be used and managed with specific end-of-life scenarios. Disposal in the environment, except for agricultural plastic mulches, must never be an end-of-life option. International standards ensure the ‘intrinsic biodegradability’ in compost, anaerobic digesters, or soil, but additional test methods are needed to verify rates of biodegradation in natural environments. Furthermore, attention needs to be paid to additives used in biodegradable plastics to ensure these additives do not pose an environmental hazard.
Retrospective assessment of antimicrobial stewardship initiative in outpatient use of ertapenem for uncomplicated extended spectrum beta lactamase Enterobacteriaceae urinary tract infections.

BACKGROUND Urinary tract infections (UTI) are often over-diagnosed and over-treated, which can induce and select for resistant pathogens. After observing wide-spread outpatient use of ertapenem, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, a structured antimicrobial stewardship initiative (ASI) to improve appropriate antimicrobial prescribing was undertaken. ASI objectives were to achieve a goal of reducing ertapenem utilization for extended spectrum beta lactamase Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-EB) UTI by 10% and evaluate the clinical outcomes associated with the ASI. METHODS A pre-to-post cohort study was conducted at a single-center integrated healthcare system between November 1, 2014 and February 26, 2017. An intensive, 90-day, pharmacist-driven, structured ASI was implemented between November 1, 2015 and January 29, 2016. Female patients aged ≥18 years who were treated for an uncomplicated, ESBL-EB urinary tract infection (UTI) were included. Primary outcome was clinical resolution defined as cure, persistence, relapse and recurrence. Secondary outcome measured was monthly ertapenem use expressed as number of days of therapy (DOT)/1000 adjusted patient days (APD). Segmented regression analysis for interrupted time series was performed to estimate ASI intervention effect. RESULTS A total of 184 patients were included in the study. Ertapenem utilization decreased from 0.0145 DOT/1000 APD in Nov. 2014 to 0.0078 DOT/1000 APD Feb. 2017(p < 0.01). The mean ertapenem DOT declined 19% overall from the pre vs. post intervention periods (32 vs 26, p < 0.01). Frequency of recurrent UTIs between treatments did not significantly differ and no adverse effects were reported in patients treated with aminoglycosides. CONCLUSIONS A structured ASI for uncomplicated ESBL-EB UTI was associated with a clinically meaningful decrease in ertapenem utilization and once-daily, 5-day aminoglycoside treatment was well-tolerated.
Generation of Tumor-activated T cells Using Electroporation.

Abstract Expansion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is a crucial step in almost all cancer immunotherapeutic methods. Current techniques for expansion of tumor-reactive CTLs present major limitations. This study introduces a novel method to effectively produce and expand tumor-activated CTLs using high-voltage pulsed electric fields. We hypothesize that utilizing high-voltage pulsed electric fields may be an ideal method to activate and expand CTLs due to their non-thermal cell death mechanism. Tumor cells were subjected to high-frequency irreversible electroporation (HFIRE) with various electric field magnitudes (1250, 2500 V/cm) and pulse widths (1, 5, and 10 µs), or irreversible electroporation (IRE) at 1250 V/cm. The treated tumor cells were subsequently cocultured with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells along with antigen-presenting cells. We show that tumor-activated CTLs can be produced and expanded when exposed to treated tumor cells. Our results suggest that CTLs are more effectively expanded when pulsed with HFIRE conditions that induce significant cell death (longer pulse widths and higher voltages). Activated CD8+ T cells demonstrate cytotoxicity to untreated tumor cells suggesting effector function of the activated CTLs. The activated CTLs produced with our technique could be used for clinical applications with the goal of targeting and eliminating the tumor.
Abstract 196: Thrombolytic Treatment using Drip and Ship Treatment Paradigm among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients in the United States: Outcomes and impact on regional thrombolytic utilization and referral patterns

Background: While single center and regional estimates of thrombolytic administration using drip and ship treatment paradigm are available, patient outcomes, thrombolytic utilization, cost, and ref...
Drift-Diffusion Systems: Variational Principles and Fixed Point Maps for Steady State Semiconductor Models

The mathematical semiconductor device model, consisting of the potential equation and the current continuity subsystem for the carriers, is studied from the standpoint of its decoupling fixed point map and the numerical approximate fixed point map. Variational principles will be discussed for this process and for discretizations achieved by use of generalized splines. By the choice of trial space, these capture the upwinding associated with Scharfetter-Gummel methods. An approximation calculus will be introduced in conjunction with the numerical fixed point map.
Validating the personal health records adoption model using a modified e‐Delphi

logue m.d. & effken j.a. (2013) Validating the personal health records adoption model using a modified e-Delphi. Journal of Advanced Nursing69(3), 685–696. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06056.x Abstract Aim. To report the results of a preliminary test of validity of a proposed theoretical framework of electronic personal health record adoption by older adults. Background. Personal health records can assist older adults in managing or co-managing their chronic health conditions. Although there is interest by this population, their adoption of this technology has been slow. Without a comprehensive understanding of the reasons for this phenomenon, facilitating adoption will be difficult. Therefore, we developed a theoretical framework of adoption barriers and facilitators. Design. Survey. Methods. A modified e-Delphi methodology was used to validate the framework by obtaining consensus from a panel of experts in related healthcare fields. These data were collected over 3 months in 2010. Of 16 expert panellists, 13 completed Round 1, 12 completed Rounds 2 and 3, and 9 completed Round 4. Central tendencies and percent agreement were computed to establish consensus. Findings. The e-Delphi resulted in expert consensus on the concepts, variables, and empirical indicators that were retained in (or added to) the framework to describe barriers and/or facilitators to older adults’ adoption of personal health records for self-management of chronic disease. Conclusion. The validated model will be used as the basis for developing an instrument to identify barriers and facilitators to personal health records adoption and use by older adults with chronic disease. With better understanding of the factors that influence personal health record adoption in this population, more effective strategies may be developed to increase adoption and thus improve chronic disease management.
One Box to Search Them All: Implementing Federated Search at an Academic Library

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present how, in May 2008, the Ad Hoc Committee on Federated Search was formed to prepare a preliminary report on federated searching for a special meeting of Librarians Academic Council at Memorial University Libraries. The primary purpose is to discuss current implementation of federated searching at this institution, explore what other institutions have done, examine federated search technologies, and offer recommendations for the future of this resource.Design/methodology/approach – Information was drawn from a recent usability study, an informal survey was created, and a literature/technology review was conducted.Findings – These four recommendations were proposed and unanimously accepted: actively develop the current federated search implementation by developing a web presence supporting “federated search in context”, re‐evaluating the need for consortial purchase of a federated search tool, continuing to assess the current federated search marketplace with a...
Non-asymptotic covering lemmas

In information theory, the packing and covering lemmas are conventionally used in conjunction with the typical sequence approach in order to prove the asymptotic achievability results for discrete memoryless systems. In contrast, the single-shot approach in information theory provides non-asymptotic achievability and converse results, which are useful to gauge the backoff from the asymptotic fundamental limits due to fixed blocklength, and which do not rely on discrete/memoryless assumptions. This paper reviews the non-asymptotic covering lemmas we have obtained recently and their application in single-user and multiuser information theory.
Software application design based on architecture, reliability and cost

In this paper we present an optimization framework based on an evolutionary algorithm to design a modular software application taking into account its architecture, reliability and cost. The specific design problem that we address is the reliability maximization of a software application subject to a specified cost constraint. Evolutionary algorithm (EA) is used as an optimization technique because of the discontinuous search space, usually nonlinear but monotonic relation between cost and reliability of individual modules comprising the software application and complex software architectures giving rise to nonlinear dependencies between individual module reliabilities and the overall application reliability. We demonstrate how the EA can be effectively and efficiently to design a software application using three case studies.
Technical evaluation of a dual-junction same-band-gap amorphous silicon photovoltaic system at NREL

On December 7, 1992, a 1.8-kW/sub AC/ utility-interconnect photovoltaic (PV) system using amorphous silicon modules was brought on-line at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's photovoltaic test site. This system was deployed to conduct an in-situ technical evaluation of the PV array (in a high voltage configuration) and system performance and reliability in a utility-interconnect application. The system is unique due to the installation of construction-grade insulation on the back of each PV module. This use of insulation is an attempt to levelize the annual array power output by elevating the operating temperature of the modules. This paper presents array and system performance data. Emphasis is placed on quantifying the effects of individual losses as well as seasonal changes on PV array and system performance.
Leisure Behaviors of Freshmen at the University of Northern Colorado

The purpose of this research is to gain insight on the leisure behaviors of freshmen students at the University of Northern Colorado and how they relate to stress, independence, and GPA. An online and paper convenience sample of 160 freshmen completed the 31-item questionnaire composed of leisure behavior ratings, the College Student Stress Scale, and independence level indicators. Visual inspection of the correlation matrixes revealed that involvement in religious activities is most highly correlated with GPA, drugs and alcohol activity is most highly correlated with feeling stressed over attaining goals, and doing homework is most highly correlated with GPA. Overall the study revealed that freshmen college students’ chosen leisure behaviors do have a relationship with the amount of stress they experience across many aspects, their academic success, and how independent they are from their parents. Keywords: Stress, Independence, Freshmen College Students, GPA, Leisure Behaviors
The Red Queen Paradox: A proper name for a popular game

HOLM [1995] claims that the prisoners' dilemma story is dubious: Each prisoner may confess even when innocent. However, this apparent failing can be remedied. The story is dubious rather because it is already institution-bound (the trust which binds the prisoners) and, therefore, its range is limited. An alternative, institution-free story is the 'Red Queen Paradox' from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The Red Queen Paradox highlights the reason behind the familiar suboptimal outcome of competition. The reason ist not the lack of an enforcer but rather the character of property as non-exclusively owned which typifies competition.
Assessing the English Language Proficiency of International Aviation Staff

This chapter investigates the bilingual issue of language proficiency for pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCs) in the international aviation context. Bilingualism is crucial in international aviation, because English is used as the international language for communication between pilots and ATCs irrespective of whatever their first languages may be, and research shows that human errors associated with language communication problems between pilots and ATCs account for 70% to 80% of all airline accidents. For international pilots and ATCs who lack sufficient bilingualism in English, international operations present a safety problem. However, there is a lack of research on English language bilingualism, especially in proficiency testing, in the context of international aviation. The chapter critically examines the bilingual problem in aviation, with the focus on the importance of English language proficiency for international aviation safety as well as on pilots’ and ATCs’ awareness of the language factor in aviation safety. Because of the importance of bilingualism in English for international aviation safety, it is essential to ensure the highest possible reliability and validity in the bilingual (English) language proficiency testing programs for international pilots and ATCs to enable them to deal successfully with unexpected events and emergency situations. However, most previous studies took for granted the reliability and validity of language testing, and did not ask how to enhance them. This chapter critically discusses the traits of reliability and validity by following the theoretical framework that validity and ordinary truth are essentially one and the same attribute. The means to improve reliability and validity of testing is also demonstrated. The chapter shows that not only is the reliability and validity of language testing critical to international aviation safety but that good communication between test administrators and test takers can improve the reliability and validity of testing. Keywords: Assessment evaluation; Assessment methods; Language for specific purposes
Placing cryptic, recently extinct, or hypothesized taxa into an ultrametric phylogeny using continuous character data: A case study with the lizard Anolis roosevelti

In recent years, enormous effort and investment has been put into assembling the tree of life: a phylogenetic history for all species on Earth. Overwhelmingly, this progress toward building an ever increasingly complete phylogeny of living things has been accomplished through sophisticated analysis of molecular data. In the modern genomic age, molecular genetic data have become very easy and inexpensive to obtain for many species. However, some lineages are poorly represented in or absent from tissue collections, or are unavailable for molecular analysis for other reasons such as restrictive biological sample export laws. Other species went extinct recently and are only available in formalin museum preparations or perhaps even as subfossils. In this brief communication we present a new method for placing cryptic, recently extinct, or hypothesized taxa into an ultrametric phylogeny of extant taxa using continuous character data. This method is based on a relatively simple modification of an established maximum likelihood (ML) method for phylogeny inference from continuous traits. We show that the method works well on simulated trees and data. We then apply it to the case of placing the Culebra Island Giant Anole (Anolis roosevelti) into a phylogeny of Caribbean anoles. Anolis roosevelti is a "crown-giant" ecomorph anole hypothesized to have once been found throughout the Spanish, United States, and British Virgin Islands, but that has not been encountered or collected since the 1930s. Although this species is widely thought to be closely related to the Puerto Rican giant anole, A. cuvieri, our ML method actually places A. roosevelti in a different part of the tree and closely related to a clade of morphologically similar species. We are unable, however, to reject a phylogenetic position for A. roosevelti that places it as sister taxon to A. cuvieri; although close relationship with the remainder of Puerto Rican anole species is strongly rejected by our method.
The Male Dancer in the Middle East and Central Asia

Within this quotation the reader may find a rich description of historical and even contemporary Middle Eastern attitudes toward dance and male dancers in particular, penned from a native point of view. In this article I address those attitudes, but more importantly challenge several cherished, long-held assumptions and theoretical stances expressed by native elites and Westerners interested in Middle Eastern dance and dancers. First, I challenge the romantic views that many gay men hold that the presence of male dancers and the sexual interest expressed toward them by Middle Eastern men somehow constitutes evidence for an environment accepting of homosexuality and a Utopian gay paradise, where the possibility of unbridled sexual congress with handsome, passionately out-of-control Arabs, Persians, and Turks exists. Thus, they crucially confuse gay or homosexual identity with homosexual activity or behavior. Because of this confusion, I use an important aspect of queer theory that counters “the monolithic alternative of liberationist gay politics” (Bleys 1995, 7) to look at the phenomenon of professional male dancers in a somewhat grittier, more realistic light. In particular, I refer to Stephen O. Murray's groundbreaking article, “The Will Not to Know” (1997, 14–54) which establishes a valuable lens through which to view how the vast majority of Middle Eastern individuals regard homosexual acts.
A case report of reappearance of spinal anesthesia.

Objective: We present a case of reappearance of spinal anesthesia despite the use of plain (isobaric) lidocaine and without an associated cough or Valsalva maneuver. Case Report: A 66-year-old man had spinal anesthesia for knee arthroscopy. Two hours after the induction of spinal anesthesia and after the patient9s motor strength had returned to the lower extremities, his head was elevated to 30 degrees. His legs became weak and he became hypotensive. Within 1 hour, his strength returned and he was discharged uneventfully. Conclusions: The reappearance of spinal anesthesia may be secondary to remixing of the cerebrospinal fluid with the pooled local anesthetic or transfer of the local anesthetic from the subdural to the subarachnoid space with movement of the patient.
Prediction of Near-term Breast Cancer Risk Based on Bilateral Mammographic Feature Asymmetry

Rationale and Objectives The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of predicting near-term risk of breast cancer development in women after a negative mammography screening examination. It is based on a statistical learning model that combines computerized image features related to bilateral mammographic tissue asymmetry and other clinical factors. Materials and Methods A database of negative digital mammograms acquired from 994 women was retrospectively collected. In the next sequential screening examination (12 to 36 months later), 283 women were diagnosed positive for cancer, 349 were recalled for additional diagnostic workups and later proved to be benign, and 362 remain negative (not recalled). From an initial pool of 183 features, we applied a Sequential Forward Floating Selection feature selection method to search for effective features. Using 10 selected features, we developed and trained a support vector machine classification model to compute a cancer risk or probability score for each case. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and odds ratios (ORs) were used as the two performance assessment indices. Results The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.725 ± 0.018 was obtained for positive and negative/benign case classification. The ORs showed an increasing risk trend with increasing model-generated risk scores (from 1.00 to 12.34, between positive and negative/benign case groups). Regression analysis of ORs also indicated a significant increase trend in slope (P = .006). Conclusions This study demonstrates that the risk scores computed by a new support vector machine model involving bilateral mammographic feature asymmetry have potential to assist the prediction of near-term risk of women for developing breast cancer.
Initial performance of roof top PV arrays of CIGS, CdTe and c-Si in the US northeast climate

Four ~25kW Photovoltaic arrays of three different technologies (c-Si, CIGS and CdTe) deployed by the US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium are being continuously monitored along with all the metrological parameters. During the months of Aug 2012 till April 2013 it is observed that the total power produced by the monitored combiners Si-E is 4852 KWh and Si-W is 4882 KWh while for the thin film arrays, CIGS is 5256 KWh and CdTe is 4129 KWh. Since all the three systems have different ratings and only one combiner is complete monitored for each array, this study reports the average power produced by different technologies and the effects of array orientation, seasonal variations, irradiance, module temperature, snow and shadowing on the power produced in the northeast climatic conditions for those panels.
Possible long-term changes in biologically active ultraviolet radiation reaching the ground

— Three scenarios for long-term changes in atmospheric ozone over the time period 1960 to 2030 lead to different projections for the ultraviolet radiation flux at the earth's surface. Biologically effective fluxes for damage to DNA and generalized damage to plants vary by a factor of 10 or more with latitude and season irrespective of possible changes in ozone. The natural latitudinal gradient in radiation corresponds to spatial changes in biologically effective fluxes which are large compared to temporal changes expected from trends in ozone over the time period analyzed. In an extreme scenario of ozone change, based on an assumed increase in chlorofluorocarbon release rates of 3% per year after 1980, the annually integrated effective flux for damage to DNA increases by 13.5% at latitude 40°N between 1960 and 2030. With chlorofluorocarbon release rates held fixed at their 1980 values, the corresponding radiation increase is only 2.3%. In a scenario where atmospheric chlorine remains fixed at its 1960 value, trends in atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide imply a decrease in biologically effective flux at 40°N of 5.3% between 1960 and 2030.
Immigration and Males' Earnings Inequality in the Regions of the United States *

In this paper I investigate the impact of recent immigration on males’ earnings distributions in the major regions of the United States. I use six counterfactual scenarios to describe alternative regional skill distributions and wage structures for the population of natives and long-term immigrants in the absence of recent immigration. I find that immigration over the last three decades can account for a substantial portion of the variation in inequality across the regions. Recent immigration has contributed moderately to national growth in males’ earnings inequality, primarily by changing the composition of the population.
The Ampere-Neumann Electrodynamics of Metallic Conductors

This is a review of the old electrodynamics which prevailed during the first half of the 165-year history of electromagnetism. Amperes principal achievement was the deduction of his empirical force law from experiments with several current balances. Faraday then discovered electro-magnetic induction. This prompted F. E. Neumann to work out a quantitative explanation of induction based on Amperes force law. It involved the concept of the electrodynamic potential which, as we know now, is the same entity as magnetic energy. With the newtonian principle of virtual work, Neumann found his potential yielded the correct mechanical forces on metallic current circuits. Neumanns theory contains a physical quantity which today is called the magnetic vector potential and treated as a mathematical contrivance. Neumanns mutual inductance formula has become a powerful tool of inductance calculations. Maxwell made a major contribution to the Ampere-Neumann electrodynamics by developing the mean-geometric-distance method for calculating the inductance of conductors of finite cross-sections. This became particularly useful after Sommerfeld solved Neumanns double integral for parallel, straight wires. Maxwell built all of Neumanns mathematical theory into his field equations but the lingo changed. Electrodynamic potential became kinetic energy of the field; conductor element interactions became flux linkage; and so on. Maxwells equations do not contain a magnetic force law. He believed both Amperes law and the law currently in use, which was first suggested by Grassmann in 1845, were compatible with field theory. Lorentz later found that the motion of charges in vacuum obeyed only Grassmanns law and not Amperes. From then onward the old electrodynamics fell into disuse and field theory has reigned supremely ever since. Recent developments have shown the conflict between Amperes and Grassmanns law to be related to the nature, of the electric current. Conduction currents in metals obey Amperes law and convection currents in vacuum obey Grassmanns law. Both laws agree on the reaction forces between closed metallic circuits, because the relativistic contribution from the Grassmann law then integrates to zero. This fact appears to have mislead Lorentz in believing that the drifting electron in vacuum is magnetically equivalent to the current element of metals. An examination of the long debate concerning the validity of Newtons third law of motion in electromagnetism proves the Ampere-Neumann electro-dynamics to be valid for metallic circuits while the theory of special relativity and field momentum conservation are required for convecting charges in vacuum. This conclusion is strongly supported by experimental evidence. It demands a change in the concept of the metallic current element.