cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REARRANGEMENTS OF CYCLOPROPENES INTO FIVE-MEMBERED AROMATIC HETEROCYCLES: MECHANISTIC ASPECT

This review covers rearrangements of cyclopropenes into aromatic five-membered heterocyclic compounds, namely furans and pyrroles; accompanied by small ring cleavage proceeding in the presence of catalytic amounts of transition metals, Lewis acids, or under UV irradiation. Authors: M. Rubin and P. G. Ryabchuk. English translation in Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds , 2012, 48 (1), pp 126-138 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10593-012-0976-4
Consideration of CSO Floc Characteristics for Modeling the Removal of Solids in a Detention Tank

Within the past decade, there has been a renewed interest in urban runoff quality control strategies and technologies. These technologies include wet and dry s…
Moderne entrindungsmaschinen—Technologie und Wirtschaftlichkeit

Holzspanplatten-, Holzfaserplatten-, Papier- und Zellstoffindustrie verarbeiten heute in der Hauptsache Faserholz. Stangenholz wird von den Impragnierbetrieben weiterverarbeitet zu Grubenholz und Masten. Stammholz ist schlieslich der Ausgangsrohstoff fur Sagewerke, Sperrhozwerke, Fasfabriken und andere holzverarbeitende Industriebetriebe. Faserholz, Stangenholz und Stammholz mussen fur die genannten Industrien in entrindetem Zustand geliefert oder in den Betrieben selbst von der Rinde befreit werden. Die Entrindung nimmt also einen breiten Raum bei der Robstoffaufbereitung ein. Diese Tatsache spiegelt sich deutlich in der Entwicklung und Erzeugung moderner Entrindungsmaschinen und Entrindungsanlagen wieder. Die vorliegende Arbeit hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, dieses Arbeitsgebiet ausfuhrlich darzustellen. Die wichtigsten Bautypen jeder Entrindungsmaschinenart werden nach ihrem Arbeitsprinzip und ihrem Einsatzbereich geordnet besprochen. Uberlegungen zur Wirtschaftlichkeit jeder Maschinenart werden angestellt. In mehreren Tabellen und Ubersichten sind alle erarbeiteten Daten zusammengestellt.
Engineered in India--patent law 2.0.

India's Supreme Court ruling in Novartis v. Union of India adopting a strict interpretation of the country's new patent law represents a step toward a “patent law 2.0” that may help ensure access to medicines and align drug innovation with public health needs.
Does Hydrophilicity of Carbon Particles Improve Their Ice Nucleation Ability

Carbonaceous particles account for 10% of the particulate matter in the atmosphere. Atmospheric oxidation and aging of soot modulates its ice nucleation ability. It has been suggested that an increase in the ice nucleation ability of aged soot results from an increase in the hydrophilicity of the surfaces upon oxidation. Oxidation, however, also impacts the nanostructure of soot, making it difficult to assess the separate effects of soot nanostructure and hydrophilicity in experiments. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of changes in hydrophilicity of model graphitic surfaces on the freezing temperature of ice. Our results indicate that the hydrophilicity of the surface is not in general a good predictor of ice nucleation ability. We find a correlation between the ability of a surface to promote nucleation of ice and the layering of liquid water at the surface. The results of this work suggest that ordering of liquid water in contact with the surface plays an important ro...
A High Temperature, High Pressure Reaction-Screening Apparatus.

This short note describes an apparatus that has been designed and constructed to allow assessment of the extent of chemical decomposition of fluids and fluid mixtures under high temperature, high pressure conditions. The apparatus is used to screen fluid systems prior to PVT (pressure-volume-temperature) or VLE (vapor-liquid equilibrium) experiments under severe conditions. For a predetermined residence time, the fluids are maintained at the temperature and pressure at which the PVT or VLE experiment will be conducted. The residence time in the reactor is comparable to the expected residence time in the PVT or VLE apparatus. Samples of fluid are withdrawn directly at regular intervals for analysis by gas chromatography, or collected in a sampling vessel for more extensive analysis.
Photonic Integration at Sandia National Laboratories.

This talk will discuss recent work on photonic integration for applications in optical signal processing, digital logic, and fundamental device research with an emphasis on InP-based photonic integrated circuits.
What May Superclusters Tell Us About Galaxy Formation

The structure and dynamical properties of superclusters (SC’s) may help us distinguish between various scenarios for galaxy formation. N-body simulations and analytic estimates show that (contrary to a common belief) a nondissipative pancake scenario can explain the observed flattening of SC’s. Then, the disk-halo structure of the Local SC (LSC) and its velocity field suggest that galaxies form before SC’s and not necessarily as a result of a dissipative gas collapse to SC pancakes. A confrontation of the simulations with the data indicates that the LSC has collapsed along its short axis only after z∿l.
Mode of Action of Cholecystokinin and Related Peptides on Gallbladder Muscle

The effect of cholecystokinin (CCK), octapeptide-CCK, caerulein, and pentagastrin on guinea pig gallbladder muscle contraction was investigated in vitro. Concentration-response curves were constructed for each peptide and shown to obey Michaelis–Menten type kinetics. Maximal responses were similar indicating that the efficacies of all four peptides were equal. In this instance, therefore, the C50’s—that is, the concentrations required to elicit a given (half-maximal) response—could be held to represent molar potency. Accordingly, it was calculated that the octapeptide fragment of CCK and caerulein were, respectively, 10 and 2 times more potent than CCK while pentagastrin was 1800 times less potent. Response could not be altered by anticholinergic, anti-adrenergic, and depolarizing agents, or tetrodotoxin, from which it was concluded that CCK and related-peptides exerted their action directly on gallbladder muscle.
Survivalist entrepreneurship in the Great Depression

Abstract The disadvantage theory of business enterprise predicts that blocked opportunity encourages self-employment among disadvantaged minorities. The present study argues that appropriate empirical tests of this prediction must carefully define key variables’ measurement and precisely specify the circumstances under which the theory is most applicable. The study analyses Census data from the Great Depression, comparing the regression estimates of different methodological approaches. The results identify the conditions under which, in accord with the theory’s prediction, a disadvantaged minority (blacks) is more likely than the majority group (whites) to be self-employed in response to limited labor force options. The findings reveal previous studies’ limitations and suggest new directions for survivalist entrepreneurship research.
Epidemiology of Diabetes in Adults Aged 35 and Older from Shanghai, China.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of diabetes in adults from Shanghai, aged 35 and older, in 2013. Methods We estimated the diabetes prevalence in a representative sample of 18,736 adults who were selected through a multistage stratified cluster sampling process. A standard questionnaire containing questions about demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors was distributed. After an overnight fast of at least 10 hours, a venous blood sample was collected from each participant. For each patient without a history of diabetes, another blood sample was drawn 120 min after an oral glucose tolerance test to identify undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetic condition. Results Among Shanghai residents aged 35 and above, the overall weighted prevalence of diabetes was 17.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 16.4%–18.8%]. The prevalences were 19.3% in men and 15.8% in women as well as 19.1%, 15.4%, and 16.1% in urban, suburban, and rural residents, respectively. In addition, the weighted prevalence of prediabetes was 16.5% (95% CI: 15.3%–17.8%), with the prevalences of 16.5% in men, 16.6% in women, 15.2% in urban residents, 18.0% in suburban residents, and 18.5% in rural residents. Among all patients with diabetes, 68.1% (95% CI: 64.3%–71.6%) were aware of their status, 63.5% (95% CI: 60.0%–66.9%) received diabetes treatment, but only 35.1% (95% CI: 32.4%–37.8%) had adequate glycemic control. Conclusion In Shanghai, diabetes and prediabetes are highly prevalent. However, 1/3 rd of diabetes cases are undiagnosed, and the rate of glycemic control is low.
Discovery of novel zeolites and multi-zeolite processes for p-xylene separation using simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography

Abstract We present a multiscale approach for the identification of novel zeolites as well as for the optimization of simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatographic processes for p -xylene separation. Our hierarchical in silico approach pertains to detailed modeling, simulation, and optimization at molecular and process scales. At the molecular scale, it includes geometric-level pore topology characterization, minimum-energy pathway based selectivity prediction, and shape-selectivity based zeolite ranking for separation of xylenes. At the process scale, first principles model-based optimization of industrial-scale SMB process with 24 columns is performed for the selection of top zeolites and optimal process conditions. We develop a generalized mixed-integer nonlinear optimization (MINLP) model which considers both process design and material selection. We also allow for different zeolites to be selected in different columns. The application of the overall framework results in the discovery of several novel zeolites for the most profitable p -xylene separation using SMB chromatography. The top-ranked shape-selective zeolites are OBW, MEL, MWW, MTT, OWE, FER, SZR, IMF, TON and LAU, which have not been considered in the previous literature for p -xylene separation. To that end, we suggest new applications for these zeolites. Our results indicate that significant increase in profit can be achieved by replacing the current adsorbents by MWW and MEL zeolites. Remarkably, a new SMB process with multiple zeolites introduced in different columns provides the maximum profit. Such a materials-based hybrid configuration is found to significantly increase the overall p- xylene separation and profit compared to the cases when a single zeolite is used for the entire process. While the discovery of both new zeolites and process configurations is enabled through the proposed multi-scale systems approach, the findings depend on sound molecular models and call for experimental validation.
Eye Size and Set in Small-Bodied Fossil Primates: A Three-Dimensional Method

We introduce a new method to geometrically reconstruct eye volume and placement in small-bodied primates based on the three-dimensional contour of the intraorbital surface. We validate it using seven species of living primates, with dry skulls and wet dissections, and test its application on seven species of Paleogene fossils of interest. The method performs well even when the orbit is damaged and incomplete, lacking the postorbital bar and represented only by the orbital floor. Eye volume is an important quantity for anatomic and metabolic reasons, which due to differences in eye set, or position within (or outside) the bony orbit, can be underestimated in living and fossil forms when calculated from aperture diameter. Our Ectopic Index quantifies how much the globe's volume protrudes anteriorly from the aperture. Lemur, Notharctus and Rooneyia resemble anthropoids, with deeply recessed eyes protruding 11%-13%. Galago and Tarsius are the other extreme, at 47%-56%. We argue that a laterally oriented aperture has little to do with line-of-sight in euprimates, as large ectopic eyes can position the cornea to enable a directly forward viewing axis, and soft tissue positions the eyes facing forward in megachiropteran bats, which have unenclosed, open eye sockets. The size and set of virtual eyes reconstructed from 3D cranial models confirm that eyes were large to hypertrophic in Hemiacodon, Necrolemur, Microchoerus, Pseudoloris and Shoshonius, but eye size in Rooneyia may have been underestimated by measuring the aperture, as in Aotus. Anat Rec, 299:1671-1689, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On Alexander Pruss’s One Body

This essay considers one key aspect of Alexander Pruss’s One Body: An Essay in Christian Sexual Ethics (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2013), namely, his judgment that many, perhaps most, of the fleshly intimacies possible among human persons ought be evaluated and judged licit or illicit by their relation to the act whereby husband and wife become “one flesh.” This account of fleshly intimacies is too restrictive, indeed absurdly so, and particularly if considered according to natural lights alone and in abstraction from Christian revelation and doctrine, which is what Pruss claims to do in the book.
Arctic sea ice, Eurasia snow, and extreme winter haze in China

The East China Plains (ECP) region experienced the worst haze pollution on record for January in 2013. We show that the unprecedented haze event is due to the extremely poor ventilation conditions, which had not been seen in the preceding three decades. Statistical analysis suggests that the extremely poor ventilation conditions are linked to Arctic sea ice loss in the preceding autumn and extensive boreal snowfall in the earlier winter. We identify the regional circulation mode that leads to extremely poor ventilation over the ECP region. Climate model simulations indicate that boreal cryospheric forcing enhances the regional circulation mode of poor ventilation in the ECP region and provides conducive conditions for extreme haze such as that of 2013. Consequently, extreme haze events in winter will likely occur at a higher frequency in China as a result of the changing boreal cryosphere, posing difficult challenges for winter haze mitigation but providing a strong incentive for greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Mental files, concepts, and bodies of information

In this paper, I argue that mental files are both concepts and bodies of information, against the existing views proposed by Fodor and Recanati. Fodor argues that mental files are not concepts but memories of information because concepts are mental symbols. However, Fodor’s argument against the identification of mental files with concepts fails. Recanati disagrees with Fodor and argues that mental files are concepts. But Recanati’s view does not differ essentially from Fodor’s because Recanati holds that mental files are simple mental symbols that cannot be composite entities such as bodies of information. I show that Recanati fails to capture the significance of the notion of mental files as repositories of information. More importantly, we should accept that mental files are bodies of information that literally contain pieces of information. By holding that concepts are bodies of information, we can provide a simpler account with a wider explanatory scope that explains how concepts carry cognitive significance and why one concept is deployed in thought instead of another co-referring concept.
The Effect of Nanofiber Mats on Dropwise Condensation

In this work, condensation characteristics of water droplet on metallized nanofibers mat on short time scale has been studied. It has been shown that condensation of water droplet on copper nanofibers mat is delayed to a great extent in comparison to condensation on bare copper. It has been observed that on copper nanofibers mat the number of water droplets is much less than on bare copper and did not cause film as on bare coppers. At the end theoretical analysis showed that such behavior can be explained by Kelvin effect.
Control of chirality and catenation in cobalt and cadmium camphorate coordination complexes

Hydrothermal reaction of either cobalt or cadmium nitrate, D-camphoric acid (H2cam), and conformationally flexible dipyridylamide ligands produced five coordination networks which were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. {[Co2(DL-cam)2(bdn)]·2H2O}n (1, bdn = N,N′-(butane-1,4-diyl)dinicotinamide) possesses {Co2(OCO)4} paddlewheel dimer-based [Co2(DL-cam)2] grid layers pillared by bdn ligands into a 6-connected 41263pcu network. In contrast, the cadmium analog {[Cd2(D-cam)2(bdn)2]·5H2O}n (2) shows {Cd2(OCO)2} dimer-based [Cd2(D-cam)2] layers tethered by bdn ligands into an 8-connected 42464bcu network. {[Co2(D-cam)2(pdn)]·2H2O}n (3, pdn = N,N′-(propane-1,3-diyl)dinicotinamide) manifests a self-penetrated 446810 mab network in contrast to 1, and retains chirality. {[Cd2(D-cam)2(pdn)]·H2O}n (4) manifests {Cd2(OCO)4} paddlewheel dimer-based [Cd2(D-cam)2] grids, connected by exotridentate pbn ligands into a unique 3,7-connected 3D network with (3·52)(324456687) topology derived from a rare non-self-penetrated 4966acs topology sublattice. {[Co2(DL-cam)2(pedn)]·2H2O}n (5, pedn = N,N′-(pentane-1,5-diyl)dinicotinamide) shows a hybrid structure of discrete slabs of 3D pcu network with interleaved 2D hxl (3,6) layers at random intervals, instead of the self-penetrated mab network seen in 3. The specific coordination environments and dipyridylamide lengths result in control of topology and self-penetration in this series of coordination networks. The cadmium complexes 2 and 4 were assayed for luminescent and nitrobenzene detection properties. Thermal properties of 1–5 are also discussed.
Grounded Theory of Productive Practices for Algebraic Thinking.

ABSTRACTIn response to students’ difficulties with algebra, many have advocated for algebraic thinking in elementary schools as a route to algebra. However, many studies show students’ difficulties...
Egocentric Network Analysis: Foundations, Methods, and Models

Egocentric network analysis is used widely across the social sciences, especially in anthropology, political science, economics, and sociology, and is increasingly being employed in communications, informatics, and business and marketing studies. Egocentric network analysis requires a unique set of data collection and analysis skills that overlap only minimally with other network methodologies. However, until now there has been no single reference for conceptualizing, collecting, and analyzing egocentric social network data. This comprehensive guide to study design, data collection, and analysis brings together the state of knowledge with the most effective research tools to guide newcomers to this field. It is illustrated with many engaging examples and graphics and assumes no prior knowledge. Covering the entire research process in a logical sequence, from conceptualizing research questions to interpreting findings, this volume provides a solid foundation for researchers at any stage of their career to learn and apply ego network methods.
Characteristics and Correlates of Tobacco Use in a Community Sample of Sexual Minority Men and Women: Implications for Smoking Cessation Program Development.

Abstract Purpose: Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, death, and disability in the United States. Research suggests that sexual minorities have an increased risk for smokin...
Teaching Non-Target Information to Children with Disabilities: An Examination of Instructive Feedback Literature.

Systematic trial-based learning procedures are commonly used to teach students with disabilities in special education settings. Instructive feedback is a procedure created to increase the efficiency of trial-based learning procedures. It involves the planned addition of non-target information that is systematically placed in the consequent events of learning trials. This systematic review examines the instructive feedback literature that was conducted since the only previous review was published in 1995. An extensive search of published and gray literature yielded a total of 54 eligible studies. Across studies, participants acquired an average of 64% of the non-target information presented through the instructive feedback procedure. In group studies of instructive feedback, participants exhibited an average gain of 55% of the extra information provided to peers. Results suggest that the instructive feedback procedure can be used to increase the efficiency of trial-based learning for students with disabilities of all ages. Instructive feedback is recommended as an effective strategy for enhancing trial-based teaching procedures for students with disabilities.
Solid-State Magnetic Sensors for Bioapplications

During the last decade, intensive research efforts have been expended to develop solid-state magnetic sensors for applications such as biomolecular sensing and single molecule detection. This chapter reviews sensors proposed thus far, including (a) GMR and spin valve sensors based on the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect; (b) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensors based on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR); (c) anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) ring sensors and planar Hall effect sensors based on the AMR effect; (d) Hall sensors based on the classical Hall effect; and (e) giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) sensors based on the frequency-dependent variation of the skin depth in magnetic wires with field. Two different types of sensors are highlighted: the ones with large sensing areas (hundreds of μm2) intended to provide statistical counting of a large number of magnetic micro- or nanoparticles and the others with micro- or submicrometer-sized sensing areas that focus on single particle detection.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis)

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA), represents a group of lung diseases caused by repeated inhalation of a specific antigen or antigens in susceptible individuals. The lung is the site of a variety of complex inflammatory reactions in response to endogenous or exogenous stimuli. In HP the inflammation represents a tissue reaction against various environmental agents that vary from thermophilic bacteria, mammalian and avian proteins, and fungi, to a large number of organic particles and, rarely, low molecular weight compounds. Diffuse inflammation of the small airways and the peripheral gas-exchanging portion of the lung are characteristic of HP.1 Although the terms hypersensitivity and allergic might suggest an atopic disorder, HP is not associated with eosinophilia or excessive production of immunoglobulin E (IgE). Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is characterized by a bronchioloalveolitis sustained by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, interstitial granulomas, and, over time, the development of interstitial fibrosis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis has a complex and poorly understood pathogenesis, and although it involves predominantly cell-mediated mechanisms, the production of specific antibodies directed against the offending antigens2 and nonimmunologic factors may play a role.
Examining the effect of common nitrosating agents on chitosan using a glucosamine oligosaccharide model system.

Abstract Chitosan has received substantial attention as a biomaterial due to its unique properties. It has become increasingly common to derivatize chitosan to produce nitric oxide (NO)-releasing materials that exert various therapeutic effects through the action of NO. It is generally the case that these NO-releasing polymers are prepared by exposure to high-pressure NO or nitrosating agents like nitrous acid (HNO2) or alkyl nitrites (RONO). In our study, mass spectrometry and spectroscopic methods demonstrate that both monomeric and oligomeric glucosamine experience chemical alteration after exposure to HNO2-based nitrosating conditions from the literature. In polymeric chitosan, HNO2-based nitrosating conditions were found to induce degradation through the formation of 2,5-anhydro- d -mannose and oligosaccharides. In contrast, the RONO tert-butyl nitrite and high-pressure NO were not found to significantly degrade or otherwise alter the structure of glucosamine or its oligomers, supporting the suitability of these approaches.
Relationships between Molecular Structure, Interfacial Structure, and Dynamics of Ionic Liquids near Neutral and Charged Surfaces

Room-temperature ionic liquids are being researched for a variety of applications ranging from electrochemistry, energy storage, to lubrication. In many applications with ionic liquids, key process...
Long-term forecasting of fuel demand at theater entry points

Abstract Managing the distribution of fuel in theater requires Army fuel planners to forecast demand at the strategic level to ensure that fuel will be in the right place, at the right time, and in the amounts needed. This work presents a simulation approach to forecasting that accounts for the structure of the supply chain network when aggregating the demand of war fighters across the theater over the forecasting horizon. The resulting empirical distribution of demand at the theater entry point enables planners to identify forecast characteristics that impact their planning process, including the amplitudes and temporal positions of peaks in demand, and the estimated lead time to the point of use. Experimentation indicates that the forecasts are sensitive to the pattern of war fighter demand, the precise structure of the in-theater supply chain network, and the constraints and uncertainty present in the network, all of which are critical planning considerations.
Community Need Index (CNI): a simple tool to predict emergency department utilization after hospital discharge from the trauma service.

Background Emergency department (ED) visits after hospital discharge may reflect failure of transition of care to the outpatient setting. Reduction of postdischarge ED utilization represents an opportunity for quality improvement and cost reduction. The Community Need Index (CNI) is a Zip code-based score that accounts for a community’s unmet needs with respect to healthcare and is publicly accessible via the internet. The purpose of this study was to determine if patient CNI score is associated with postdischarge ED utilization among hospitalized trauma patients. Methods Level 1 trauma patient admitted between January 2014 and June 2016 were stratified by 30-day postdischarge ED utilization (yes/no). CNI is a nationwide Zip code-based score (1.0–5.0) and was determined per patient from the CNI website. Higher scores indicate greater barriers to healthcare per aggregate socioeconomic factors. Patients with 30-day postdischarge ED visits were compared with those without, evaluating for differences in CNI score and clinical and demographic characteristics. Results 309 of 3245 patients (9.5%) used the ED. The ED utilization group was older (38.3±15.7 vs. 36.3±16.4 years, p=0.034), more injured (Injury Severity Score 10.4±8.7 vs. 7.7±8.0, p Discussion CNI is an easily accessible score that independently predicts postdischarge ED utilization in trauma patients. Patients with CNI score ≥4 are at significantly increased risk. Targeted intervention concerning discharge planning for these patients represents an opportunity to decrease postdischarge ED utilization. Level of evidence III, Prognostic and Epidemiological.
Executive functions predict improvements in pure-tone thresholds for children with normal hearing and children with hearing loss

Detection of pure tones is known to improve in early childhood. The ability to suppress self-generated noise during detection tasks has been identified as a contributing factor to higher audiometric thresholds in children. Data from children with hearing loss indicate that children with thresholds that are above the level of self-generated noise do not show the same improvements across age as peers who can hear their self-generated noise. In an effort to examine the specific cognitive mechanisms that affect this process, audiometric thresholds and executive functions skills were measured in a group of 213 1st and 3rd grade children (84 children with normal hearing, 129 children with hearing loss). The relationship between selective attention and vigilance and thresholds were assessed for both groups. Children with stronger selective attention and vigilance skills had lower pure-tone thresholds than peers with poorer skills in these domains. The previous finding that children only showed an improvement in thresholds when they could hear their self-generated noise was also replicated. Audiometric test equipment that can monitor the sound level in the ear canal may help to increase the accuracy of clinical pure-tone detection tasks in children. Detection of pure tones is known to improve in early childhood. The ability to suppress self-generated noise during detection tasks has been identified as a contributing factor to higher audiometric thresholds in children. Data from children with hearing loss indicate that children with thresholds that are above the level of self-generated noise do not show the same improvements across age as peers who can hear their self-generated noise. In an effort to examine the specific cognitive mechanisms that affect this process, audiometric thresholds and executive functions skills were measured in a group of 213 1st and 3rd grade children (84 children with normal hearing, 129 children with hearing loss). The relationship between selective attention and vigilance and thresholds were assessed for both groups. Children with stronger selective attention and vigilance skills had lower pure-tone thresholds than peers with poorer skills in these domains. The previous finding that children only showed an improvement in ...
Assessment of System Reliability in Presence of Cyber Attack Risk on PMU Data

This paper provides an assessment of the effect of Synchrophasor Measurement Units in improving power system reliability. First, an overview of cyber threats to PMU networks is given where the possible vulnerabilities of the network to malicious data manipulation are studied. The addition of PMUs to the power system infrastructure would offer greater observability in the system and thus mitigate the risk of transmission line failure due to thermal overloading. However, the addition of PMUs opens the system to cyber threats that might, in fact, lower system reliability. The analysis in this work looks at the effect of these threats on the overall system reliability of a real system layout based on real PMU data obtained from a utility. The benefit to a utility in including PMUs under the varying levels of cyber threat is also studied.
Towards the development of quantitative resilience indices for Multi-Echelon Assembly Supply Chains

Abstract This paper develops a framework to create resilience indices for multi-echelon assembly supply chain (MEASC) networks. Each supplier within this network assembles a component from a series of sub-components received from other suppliers, thus, disruptions at suppliers can cascade and significantly affect the performance of the whole network. The framework combines the decision rules developed in [32] and Monte Carlo simulation. These indices can evaluate the vulnerability of a MEASC network to different types of disruptive events and to estimate with statistical confidence the impact of such events. As an extension, this approach is applied to individual suppliers to create individual resilience indices and identify the most vulnerable suppliers within the network. The resilience indices can further be used to understand how certain mitigation efforts improve resilience and identify improvements that potentially make the network less vulnerable to a certain type of disruptive event. It can further be applied to understand how certain mitigation efforts improve resilience (e.g., safety stocks at suppliers or requiring key suppliers to have back-up capacities at their other assembly locations), which is important in determining thecorrect requirements of the MEASC network to meet certain post-disruptive event performance criteria.
Longitudinal multimodal assessment of neurodegeneration and vascular remodeling correlated with signal degradation in chronic cortical silicon microelectrodes.

Significance : Cortically implanted microelectrode arrays provide a direct interface with neuronal populations and are used to restore movement capabilities and provide sensory feedback to patients with paralysis or amputation. Penetrating electrodes experience high rates of signal degradation within the first year that limit effectiveness and lead to eventual device failure. Aim : To assess vascular and neuronal changes over time in mice with implanted electrodes and examine the contribution of the brain tissue response to electrode performance. Approach : We used a multimodal approach combining in vivo electrophysiology and subcellular-level optical imaging. Results : At acute timescales, we observed structural damage from the mechanical trauma of electrode insertion, evidenced by severed dendrites in the electrode path and local hypofluorescence. Superficial vessel growth and remodeling occurred within the first few weeks in both electrode-implanted and window-only animals, but the deeper capillary growth evident in window-only animals was suppressed in electrode-implanted animals. After longer implantation periods, there was evidence of degeneration of transected dendrites superficial to the electrode path and localized neuronal cell body loss, along with deep vascular velocity changes near the electrode. Total spike rate (SR) across all animals reached a peak between 3 and 9 months postimplantation, then decreased. The local field potential signal remained relatively constant for up to 6 months, particularly in the high-gamma band, indicating long-term electrode viability and neuronal functioning at further distances from the electrode, but it showed a reduction in some animals at later time points. Most importantly, we found that progressive high-gamma and SR reductions both correlate positively with localized cell loss and decreasing capillary density within 100 μm of the electrode. Conclusions : This multifaceted approach provided a more comprehensive picture of the ongoing biological response at the brain–electrode interface than can be achieved with postmortem histology alone and established a real-time relationship between electrophysiology and tissue damage.
Multidimensional Analysis of Personality Theories

Factor and cluster analyses of the matrix of ratings for 19 personality theories provided by Hall and Lindzey converged on a six-group solution. The treatment was designed to respect the ordinal na...
A multi-tiered systems of support blueprint for re-opening schools following COVID-19 shutdown

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic will create enormous disruptions for youth and families with respect to economic and health status, social relationships, and education for years to come. The process of closing and intermittently reopening schools adds to this disruption and creates confusion for parents and school officials who must balance student educational progress with health and safety concerns. One framework that may serve as a roadmap in this regard is a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) model. This article briefly addresses four main domains of functioning (adjustment, traumatic stress, academic status, health and safety) across three tiers of support (universal, targeted, intensive). Each section draws on existing literature bases to provide specific recommendations for school officials who must address various and changing logistical, academic, and health-based challenges. The recommendations are designed to be flexible given fluctuations in the current crisis as well as focused on maximum-value targets. An MTSS approach adapted for contemporary circumstances can also be used to help address longstanding disparities that have been laid bare by the pandemic.
Workplace Stress and Productivity: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between workplace stress and productivity among employees from worksites participating in a WorkWell KS Well-Being workshop and assess any differences by gender and race. METHODS. A multi-site, cross-sectional study was conducted to survey employees across four worksites participating in a WorkWell KS Well Being workshop to assess levels of stress and productivity. Stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and productivity was measured by the Health and Work Questionnaire (HWQ). Pearson correlations were conducted to measure the association between stress and productivity scores. T-tests evaluated differences in scores by gender and race. RESULTS. Of the 186 participants who completed the survey, most reported being white (94%), female (85%), married (80%), and having a college degree (74%). A significant inverse relationship was observed between the scores for PSS and HWQ, r = -0.35, p < 0.001; as stress increased, productivity appeared to decrease. Another notable inverse relationship was PSS with Work Satisfaction subscale, r = -0.61, p < 0.001. One difference was observed by gender- males scored significantly higher on the HWQ Supervisor Relations subscale compared with females, 8.4 (2.1) vs. 6.9 (2.7), respectively, p = 0.005. CONCLUSIONS. Scores from PSS and the HWQ appeared to be inversely correlated; higher stress scores were significantly associated with lower productivity scores. This negative association was observed for all HWQ subscales, but was especially strong for work satisfaction. This study also suggests that males may have better supervisor relations compared with females, although no gender differences were observed by perceived levels of stress.
Measuring Students’ Perception of Learning: The Systematic Development of An Instrument

Within the education sector various tools have been used to measure effectiveness of instruction. It is typical that measures of teaching effectiveness include, but are not limited to, the student’s perception of their experience in the classroom and with a given instructor. Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are one form of measurement commonly used in American universities. It is important to determine whether these SETs are helpful in assessing effective teaching and the instructor’s work in and out of the classroom, in general. To determine whether these SETs are helpful in assessing effective teaching and the instructor’s work in and out of the classroom, in general, we sought to develop an instrument to measure the students’ perception of teaching and learning as represented by three concepts: Student, Course, and Instructor. We used scaled survey items, some of which we borrowed from other instruments to operationalize the concepts and create a pilot test. We analyzed the data using Factor analysis techniques. The result was an instrument that included 24 items scaled on a five-point Likert scale. Key words: Teaching evaluation, instructor evaluation, course evaluation, student evaluation of teaching, students’ perception of learning. Dans le secteur de l’education, divers outils ont servi a l’evaluation de l’efficacite de l’enseignement. Typiquement, les mesures de l’efficacite de l’enseignement comprennent, entre autres, la perception qu’a l’etudiant de son experience en classe et avec son professeur. Les evaluations par les etudiants de l’enseignement sont une mesure couramment utilisee dans les universites americaines. Il est important de determiner si ces evaluations par les etudiants sont utiles dans l’evaluation generale de l’efficacite de l’enseignement et du travail du professeur en salle de classe et a l’exterieur de celle-ci. Pour le faire, nous avons tente de developper un instrument permettant de mesurer la perception qu’ont les etudiants de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage en fonction de trois concepts : l’etudiant, le cours et le professeur. Pour mettre en œuvre les concepts et creer un essai pilote, nous nous sommes servi de questions de sondage echelonnees, dont certaines ont ete empruntees a d’autres instruments. Nous avons analyse les donnees avec des techniques d’analyse factorielle. Le resultat est un instrument a 24 items gradues selon l’echelle de Likert. Mots cles : evaluation de l’enseignement, evaluation de l’enseignant, evaluation de cours, evaluation par les etudiants de l’enseignement, perception des etudiants de l’apprentissage
Improved constructions and bounds for 2-D optical orthogonal codes

Some bounds and efficient constructions for 2-D optical orthogonal codes (OOC) in which spreading is carried out over both wavelength and time are provided. Such codes are of current practical interest as they enable fiber-optic communication at lower chip rates. The bounds provided include 2-D versions of the Johnson bound as well as a novel bound based on an extension of the Johnson bound to non-binary alphabets. The Singleton bound is recovered as a special instance of this bound. Several constructions of 2-D OOC are presented in the paper and almost all of these are either optimal or else asymptotically optimum in the sense of having code size that equals or approaches the maximum possible as the size of the code matrix (along the dimension associated to time) approaches infinity. Our principal construction views each wavelength-time OOC as the plot of a function and the functions employed in the constructions belonging to this class are either polynomials or rational functions. Other constructions include a technique for deriving 2-D OOCs from 1-D OOCs using the Chinese remainder theorem, a means of making use of MDS codes to construct 2-D OOCs satisfying the one-pulse-per-wavelength constraint and a method of concatenating a constant-weight code with a one-pulse-per-wavelength 2-D OOC to generate OOCs with at most one pulse per wavelength
Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Gentamicin Sulfate In Vitro: Lack of Correlation Between Disc Diffusion and Broth Dilution Sensitivity Data

Seventy-eight of 420 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa yielded zones of inhibition of less than 12 mm in diameter around 10-mug discs of gentamicin sulfate when tested by the standardized Bauer-Kirby disc diffusion method. Of 153 strains chosen from these isolates, one strain (0.65%) required 25 mug of gentamicin per ml for inhibition; the remainder (99.35%) were inhibited by 6 mug/ml or less of the antibiotic. It is recommended that those isolates of P. aeruginosa that yield zones of inhibition less than 12 mm in diameter be disc susceptibility-tested once more; those isolates that give zones of inhibition of less than 12 mm upon repeated examination should then be subjected to the broth dilution test before they are designated as sensitive or resistant to gentamicin.
Alternative Sigma Factor σB Is Not Essential for Listeria monocytogenes Surface Attachment

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen frequently isolated from the food processing environment. Multiple lines of evidence suggested a possible role for the L. monocytogenes alternative transcription factor sigma B (sigmaB) in surface attachment and biofilm formation. Therefore, through plate count and microscopic techniques, the L. monocytogenes 10403S strain and an otherwise isogenic deltasigB strain were tested for attachment to stainless steel. Analysis of microscopic images revealed that after 72 h at 24 degrees C under static conditions the tested L. monocytogenes strains attached uniformly to surfaces as single cells. Both strains were capable of rapid attachment (i.e., numbers of attached cells were essentially the same after either 5 min or 24 h of incubation). Numbers of attached deltasigB cells were significantly lower than those of the wild-type strain after 48 and 72 h of incubation at 24 degrees C (P = 0.001). Similar numbers of the deltasigB strain attached to stainless steel regardless of temperature (24 or 37 degrees C); however, deltasigB cells attached at higher relative numbers in the presence of 6% NaCl after 48 and 72 h. Furthermore, in the presence of Pseudomonas fluorescens, similarly high numbers of wild-type and deltasigB cells attached to the surfaces, forming mixed biofilms. Our data suggest that sigmaB is not required for initial surface attachment of L. monocytogenes.
An Odd Thing Happened on the Way to Balancing: East Asian States’ Reactions to China’s Rise

Are East Asian states reacting to China’s rise according to balance-of-power expectations? This review discusses the pertinent debate and presents overtime data germane to this question. It raises several issues of theoretical argumentation and historical purview pertaining to this debate, and concludes that the conduct of China’s neighbors thus far is anomalous from the traditional balance-of-power perspective.
Thoughts On Reconnection

It was clearly recognized in the early sixties that rapid magnetic field line reconnection was required in order to account for the fast energy release in solar flares and also to cause convection in the magnetosphere and ionosphere. However, reconnection mechanisms based only on diffusion of magnetic fields due to electrical resistivity were much too slow to provide the required rates. It was suggested [Petschek, 1964] that slow and intermediate MHD waves would appreciably decrease the size of the diffusion region and therefore increase the rate of reconnection.
Validated anti-derivatives

We present an overview of two approaches to validated, one dimensional indefinite integration. The first approach is to find an inclusion of the integrand, then integrate this inclusion to obtain an inclusion of the indefinite integral. Inclusions for the integrand may be obtained from Taylor polynomials, Tschebyscheff polynomials, or other approximating forms which have a known error term. The second approach finds an inclusion of the indefinite integral directly as a linear combination of function evaluations plus an interval-valued error term. The second approach can be applied to any quadrature formula such as Gaussian or Newton-Cotes quadrature with a known error expression. In either approach, composite formulae improve the accuracy of the inclusion.
Using Case Provenance to Propagate Feedback to Cases and Adaptations

Case provenance concerns how cases came into being in a case-based reasoning system. Case provenance information has been proposed as a resource to exploit for tasks such as guiding case-based maintenance and estimating case confidence [1]. The paper presents a new bidirectional provenance-based method for propagating case confidence, examines when provenance-based maintenance is likely to be useful, and expands the application of provenance-based methods to a new task: assessing the quality of adaptation rules. The paper demonstrates the application of the resulting quality estimates to rule maintenance and prediction of solution quality.
Determinants of women's non-family work in Ghana and Zimbabwe

One objective of this paper is to evaluate the determinants of female non-family work in Africa. Selected labor force participation theories are tested using demographic and health survey data. The traditional kinship-oriented family organization in Africa, along with high fertility, have long been seen as factors that constrain women’s participation in the labor force, particularly in seeking formal sector employment. We use demographic and health survey data from two African countries, Ghana and Zimbabwe. Education emerges as the most important determinant of non-family work. Even if female education levels increase, single women may not gain easy entry into the informal economy managed by kinship-based social networks. A large proportion of these educated women may not find jobs if the formal economy does not expand. Results from Ghana and Zimbabwe are compared.
p -wave superconductivity in heavy-fermion systems: An induced-interaction approach

The Fermi-liquid parameters for heavy-fermion systems are calculated. The spin fluctuations (${F}_{0}^{a}$) renormalize the effective mass modestly, but significantly affect the triplet scattering amplitude; consequently, p-wave pairing occurs. Additionally in the extreme limit of this model, ${F}_{0}^{a}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}-0.906 while the effective mass diverges algebraically, suggesting a Mott-like localization. This is a consequence of the finite range of the effective interactions and many-body correlations.