cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Man-equivalent telepresence through four fingered human-like hand system

The author describes a newly developed mechanical hand system. The robot hand is in human-like configuration with a thumb and three fingers, a palm, a wrist, and the forearm in which the hand and wrist actuators are located. Each finger and the wrist has its own active electromechanical compliance system, allowing the joint drive trains to be stiffened or loosened. This mechanism imitates the human muscle dual function of positioner and stiffness controller. This is essential for soft grappling operations. The hand-wrist assembly has 16 finger joints, three wrist joints, and five compliance mechanisms for a total of 24 degrees of freedom. The strength of the hand is roughly half that of the human hand and its size is comparable to a male hand. The hand is controlled through an exoskeleton glove controller that the operator wears. The glove provides the man-machine interface in telemanipulation control mode: it senses the operator's inputs to guide the mechanical hand in hybrid position and force control. The hand system is intended for dexterous manipulations in structured environments. Typical applications will include work in hostile environments such as space operations and nuclear power plants. >
The Place of the Psyche in a Constructed World

The vast majority of social constructionist writings have been critical of psychological science-on both ideological and conceptual grounds. The constructionist emphasis on microsocial processes also functions oppositionally to psychological accounting. The existing animus grows, however, from a realist metaphysics and a correspondence view of language, neither of which constructionism endorses. Viewing the relationship between constructionism and psychological science in more pragmatic terms, we find three significant ways in which constructionism contributes to a more fully enriched and broadly effective psychology. First, critical constructionism functions to denaturalize psychological accounts, opening them to reflexive deliberation, and democratizing the field more generally. Second, constructionist metatheory invites a resuscitation of marginal or suppressed discourse within the field, and invigorates societally engaged efforts to forge new and more useful discourses of the mind. Finally, social con...
Euler stability of the human ligamentous lumbar spine. Part I: Theory

The human ligamentous lumbar spine was modelled in the frontal plane as an Euler column for the purpose of rigorously studying its mechanical stability. Using stiffness data obtained from testing cadaveric specimens, we simulated the vertebral bodies as rigid links and the intervertebral elastic behaviour as both linear (linear model) and exponential (exponential model). The linear model, with a higher initial stiffness, predicted a higher buckling load (67 N), and hence was more stable in upright posture than the exponential model (11 N). After buckling, the greatest lateral motion was predicted at L5-S1. The exponential model predicted postbuckling motion to be less than 5° at 100 N, while the linear model predicted an excessive 40° at L5-S1. In both models the injured spine, simulated with decreased intervertebral stiffness, was predicted to be more unstable by buckling at lesser loads and undergoing greater postbuckling lateral motion. Validation of this model was accomplished through experimentation described in Part II.
Steroid sulfatase in brain: comparison of sulfohydrolase activities for various steroid sulfates in normal and pathological brains, including the various forms of metachromatic leukodystrophy.

– The enzymatic hydrolysis by brain homogenate of the sulfate esters of estrone, pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, cholesterol and p-nitrophenol was studied. With homogenate of young rat brain, the pH optima of estrone sulfatase4 and arysulfatase C (p-nitrophenyl sulfate as substrate) were 8.2 and all other steroid sulfatases had pH optima at 6.6. Apparent Kms for these steroid sulfates were widely different. The highest Km value was 32.2 μm for estrone sulfate and the lowest was 0.66 μm for testosterone sulfate; the Km for p-nitrophenyl sulfate was 30 fold higher than for estrone sulfate. Specific activity was also highest with estrone sulfatase and lowest with testosterone sulfatase; specific activity with aryl sulfatase C was over 3 fold higher than with estrone sulfatase. Estrone sulfatase activity was inhibited noncompetitively by sulfate esters of dehydroepiandrosterone, pregnenolone, and cholesterol; on the other hand, other steroid sulfatases were inhibited by these latter three sulfates competitively. Developmental changes of these sulfohydrolase activities in rat brain were almost identical with the exception of testosterone sulfatase activity; the latter sulfatase had a peak activity at 30 days old, while all other sulfatase had a peak at 20 days old. Thermal stability of all these activities was identical. Testosterone sulfatase activity in neurological mouse mutants, jimpy, msd, and quaking mice, was less than one half of littermate controls, while other steroid sulfatase levels in these mutants' brain were normal. All sulfatase activities were diminished in the brain of a metachromatic leukodystrophy patient with multiple sulfatase deficiency. The brains of classical metachromatic leukodystrophy patients contained normal levels of all steroid sulfatases and arylsulfatase C, with the single exception of testosterone sulfatase which level was less than 50% of control.
Operation Policy Analysis: Sam Rayburn Reservoir

A combined optimization-simulation procedure was developed and applied to identify the optimal conservation pool storage allocation problem is formulated and solved as a constrained nonlinear programming (NLP) problem with multiple objectives. The Box-Complex algorithm is coupled with an existing generalized reservoir simulation model to seek a solution to the NLP problem. The solutions are refined by an iterative simulation process that allows input from planners and engineers who are involved in management of this system.
Combustion of Coal in Practical Flames

Chapters 3 and 4 dealt with characteristics and reaction rates of small quantities of coal particles under very carefully controlled laboratory conditions. This chapter and Chapter 6 consider the nature and characteristics of practical, coal-containing flames. This chapter treats direct combustion flames, while the next chapter emphasizes practical flames in coal gasification. In principle there is little difference in these two flame types. Direct combustion flames are those where the reactions of coal take place to near completion with CO2 and H2O being among the major product species and where a high-temperature gas is the principal purpose.
Transcriptomics of plant responses to apical damage reveals no negative correlation between tolerance and defense

While one may expect the loss of plant tissue by animal herbivores to be universally detrimental to a plant’s fitness, a wide range of tolerance responses exists, including undercompensation (lower fitness when damaged), equal compensation, and even overcompensation (increased fitness when damaged). Theory predicts that these responses could be constrained by the investment into defensive chemicals and structures produced for improving resistance in damaged tissues, and thus tolerance and induced defense could be considered alternative strategies to the selection pressure imposed by herbivory. To determine which genetic pathways underlie differences in compensatory (i.e., growth and fitness) responses to damage by tissue loss, and to test their relation with pathways involved in defense, we performed a controlled greenhouse study to measure total gene expression via RNA-sequencing of undamaged and mechanically damaged plants of three Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes that differ in their compensatory performances: Columbia-4, Landsberg erecta, and a recombinant inbred line (RIL) from a Columbia-4 × Landsberg erecta cross. Among the many genetic pathways that responded to clipping, Columbia-4 significantly up-regulated genes involved in secondary defense chemistry and equally compensated for fitness while Landsberg erecta and the RIL both undercompensated and significantly down-regulated secondary defense pathways. The genotypes’ different compensatory performances are thus positively correlated with their differential investments into secondary metabolism following tissue loss. This study identifies differential post-damage gene regulation of growth, developmental signaling, and environmental response pathways in A. thaliana, and provides the first transcriptomic evidence counter to the presumed tradeoff between tolerance and defense in plant-herbivore interactions.
Explanation, Existence and Natural Properties in Mathematics – A Case Study: Desargues’ Theorem

Nicole and Arnauld took explanation (“divining into the true reason of things” (1717, 427)) to be as important in mathematics as it is in natural science. More recently, the mathematician William Byers (2007, 337) has characterized a “good” proof as “one that brings out clearly the reason why the result is valid”. Likewise, empirical researchers on mathematics education have recently argued that students who have proved and are convinced of a mathematical result often still want to know why the result is true (Mudaly and de Villiers 2000), that students assess alternative proofs for their “explanatory power” (Healy and Hoyles 2000, 399), and that students expect a “good” proof “to convey an insight into why the proposition is true” even though explanatory power “does not affect the validity of a proof” (Bell 1976, 24). However, none of this work investigates what it is that makes certain proofs but not others explanatory. Recently, as Mancosu (2008) and Tappenden (2008a) note, philosophers have renewed their interest in mathematical explanation, which has received
Minority physicians serving in rural National Health Service Corps sites

Providing National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholarships to under-represented minorities has been an important federal mechanism to bolster the numbers of minority physicians. Little is known about how minorities fare during their NHSC commitment periods. In 1991, questionnaires were mailed to all primary care physicians placed in rural communities from 1987 through 1990 in the NHSC scholarship program, in a retrospective cohort study. One hundred and twenty-two of the 398 eligible NHSC physician respondents (31%) indicated they were minorities. National Health Service Corps physicians were found to be well matched by race to the sites where they served, and minority NHSC physicians worked in counties and practices with greater proportions of minority inhabitants and patients. Minorities among rural NHSC physicians were less likely to have been raised in rural areas and were less interested in rural practice during medical school and when placed in their rural NHSC sites. The relative urban preferences of minority physicians in large part explains why this group was more dissatisfied with their work and personal lives while serving their obligations. Minority physicians also reported lower satisfaction for their families. Minority and nonminority NHSC physicians reported comparable acceptance by their communities, and demonstrated similarly low retention rates. The NHSC plays a significant role in the careers of many young minority physicians and in promoting the temporary availability of minority physicians for rural health professional shortage areas. However, as of 1991, many minority NHSC physicians placed in rural areas would have preferred urban sites, which resulted in their lower satisfaction.
Simple Adaptive Control in the Delta Domain Using a Linear Matrix Inequality

A recent work extended simple adaptive control to delta operator systems with a bounded disturbance. However, the design of a feedforward gain to satisfy the almost strictly positive real requirement for delta operator systems was left as an open question. In this paper, a new proof is presented that yields a sufficient condition for stability in terms of a linear matrix inequality. Then, the paper shows how to design a feedforward gain to satisfy the linear matrix inequality over a polytope of control effector failures. The first example is a tailless aircraft that shows the design of a feedforward gain for a loss of control effectiveness in any one control effector of either 93% elevon, 76% all moving tips , or 63% yaw thrust vectoring. The second example is an F/A-18 aircraft, with a lateral velocity wind gust, that shows the design of a feedforward gain for a loss of control effectiveness in any one control effector of either 92% trailing edge flap, 99% aileron, or 80% rudder. The designs use a fixed eigenstructure assignment controller for an inner loop augmented with the simple adaptive controller. Simulations show that the adaptive controller exhibits improved model following as compared with the fixed gain eigenstructure assignment controller alone.
Effect of hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis on cardiac contractility.

SummaryIsolated myocardial strips of rabbit atrium were exposed to an oxygenated, modified Ringer-Locke's solution having various levels of Pco2, pH, and bicarbonate. Peak contraction force and maximum rate of tension development were used to evaluate myocardial contractility. Exposure to a low Pco2 and control pH environment did not cause a significant change in contractility. Myocardial performance was significantly increased by exposure to a bathing solution containing a low Pco2 and high pH. The results are interpreted to indicate that the change in pH is the significant factor in the positive inotropic response to low Pco2.
Total Quality Management in a Hospital

The adaptation of the management philosophy and tools of total quality management (TQM) to the modern American hospital, its staff, and physicians is a major challenge facing health care today. The TQM "bandwagon" is one that hospitals both want to--and are required to--jump on, insofar as TQM is now part of the revised Joint Commission standards [Ed note: The standards encourage hospitals to adopt TQM, continuous quality improvement, or a similar approach to improve performance]. TQM holds out the promise of improving clinical quality while simultaneously reducing the "cost of poor quality." Although the actual realization of cost savings through TQM remains to be seen, the author provides an exceptionally clear overview of the issues involved in TQM implementation at the hospital level. This article is noteworthy in its practical and experienced approach to the necessary groundwork for a successful TQM program, including strategic commitment, human resource issues, and oversight of the TQM process as it unfolds. Quality review professionals may still wonder how to merge hospital and medical staff quality assurance efforts with TQM initiatives in the near future.
Cortaro Points and the Archaic of Southern Arizona

ABSTRACTA new Archaic projectile point style, the Cortaro point, is introduced and described. Its morphology, manufacturing technology and distribution are documented, and it is shown to be a morphologically and technologically consistent point style. Available data indicate that it is limited to southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Temporal data for the Cortaro point are presented and suggest that it may be of late Middle or Late Archaic age. Cortaro points may, therefore, prove to be useful temporal markers and may constitute yet another projectile point style in use in the southern Southwest during the Archaic period. The cultural implications of Cortaro points are explored, and four hypotheses are presented for consideration by researchers.
Emotions and Societal Stratification

Emotions are like any other resource; they are distributed unequally to individuals and families and, thus, are part of a society’s stratification system. Reservoirs of positive emotions give individuals confidence to secure other types of resources, such as money, power, learning, knowledge, competitive advantage, etc. In contrast, reservoirs of negative emotions hinder the acquisition of resources. The distribution of emotions corresponds roughly with the ranking of social classes and categoric units generated by discriminatory treatment of individuals. Emotional stratification is an outcome of individuals’ access to (a) resource-distributing corporate units within institutional domains and (b) locations in hierarchical divisions of labor of these corporate units. Sociology has over-emphasized money, power/authority, and prestige as the major stratifying resources, while under-emphasizing other resources that are also highly valuable to persons. When these additional resources are counted in the overall distribution of resources in a society, the degree of stratification is greatly reduced, which helps explain why revolutions and conflict in post-industrial societies is less common than conflict theorists have predicted. Conflict is generated by negative emotional arousal, but if a majority of the population experiences a net surplus of positive emotions from the resources that they receive, the conflict potential in a society is reduced.
Ant community and habitat limit colony establishment by the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

Summary Hypotheses of community assembly include limitation through habitat physical attributes, as well as competition among species. Such hypotheses must be resolved through experimental tests. Previous experiments have shown that: (i) fire ants of the monogyne social form occur mostly in highly disturbed habitat where they do not compete with mature colonies of co-occurring ants; (ii) in native pine forests of northern Florida, habitat disturbance favours fire ants while simultaneously reducing native ants; (iii) fire ants thrive in these disturbances but do not persist as these become less disturbed over time; and finally, (iv) newly mated, dispersing/colony-founding fire ant queens settle preferentially in such disturbed sites. We now show that by choosing disturbed sites, newly mated, monogyne fire ant queens greatly increase their chances of successful colony establishment. Experimental plots were created in the native ground cover of a north Florida pine forest with all combinations of tilling, shading or reduction of the native ant community. Newly mated fire ant queens, incipient colonies and small colonies were planted in these plots. Only five of 980 (0·5%) newly mated queen nests survived after 120 days, and only five of 400 incipient colonies (1·3%) survived after 30 days. All survivors were in plots with tilling and/or native ant reduction. Extrapolation indicated that 0·04% of newly mated queens and 0·1% of incipient colonies were likely to have survived at 1 year. In contrast, planting small colonies resulted in much higher rates of survival – in plots with native ant reduction, fire ants increased on baits throughout the year but decreased in unreduced control plots. Fifteen months after planting 108 colonies, 21 mounds (19%) were found in the ant-reduced plots, but <2% of 108 colonies survived in the control plots. Taken together, these results show that by landing in disturbed habitat with its reduced native ant population, newly mated fire ants queens increase their chances of successful colony establishment. In contrast to much of the previous literature, our results suggest that ant community assembly proceeds primarily by queen habitat choice and secondarily by filtering and competition. A lay summary is available for this article.
Logic characterization vehicle design reflection via layout rewiring

Continued scaling of semiconductor fabrication processes has made achieving yield targets increasingly difficult. The design and fabrication of various types of test vehicles is one approach for enabling fast yield learning. Recent work introduced the Carnegie Mellon logic characterization vehicle (CM-LCV). The CM-LCV design methodology uses regularity and existing testability theory to produce logic-based designs that are both highly testable and diagnosable. For the CM-LCV to be effective for yield learning, it must reflect the design characteristics of actual product layouts. Previous work enables incorporation of a standard-cell distribution derived from product designs into an LCV while simultaneously ensuring optimal testability. In this work, a new method is proposed for constructing a CM-LCV that reflects the design characteristics of a product through rewiring either the entire layout or some portion thereof. Four different approaches for rewiring are examined, and the results of each approach are evaluated using a variety of metrics. Experiment results reveal that a product layout can be easily rewired to construct an LCV with reasonable wirelength with reasonable CPU time. Rewiring has many advantages including the transformation of an actual product front-end to a logic-based test chip that has significant transparency to failure. Consequently, this means that front-end masks from an actual product can be re-used to create an effective LCV that is both more reflective and inexpensive to fabricate.
Graspable math: Towards dynamic algebra notations that support learners better than paper

Pen and paper remain the preferred tools for solving mathematical problems — despite the fact that paper derivations are very challenging to master and are limited by the static nature of paper. While traditional computer algebra systems are not geared towards the need of learners, dynamic algebra notation systems (DANS) that bring derivations into the digital space without sacrificing the user agency and directness that paper derivations provide have much to contribute to mathematics education. In this paper, we first analyze the strengths and weaknesses of pen and paper for doing algebraic derivations and discuss the potential benefits of DANS. We then present Graspable Math, our own implementation of such a system, discuss the interface design challenges solved in its development, and report on the encouraging outcomes of two user studies.
Generation of retinal pigmented epithelium from iPSCs derived from the conjunctiva of donors with and without age related macular degeneration

Fidelity in pluripotent stem cell differentiation protocols is necessary for the therapeutic and commercial use of cells derived from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Recent advances in stem cell technology, especially the widespread availability of a range of chemically defined media, substrates and differentiation components, now allow the design and implementation of fully defined derivation and differentiation protocols intended for replication across multiple research and manufacturing locations. In this report we present an application of these criteria to the generation of retinal pigmented epithelium from iPSCs derived from the conjunctiva of donors with and without age related macular degeneration. Primary conjunctival cells from human donors aged 70-85 years were reprogrammed to derive multiple iPSC lines that were differentiated into functional RPE using a rapid and defined differentiation protocol. The combination of defined iPSC derivation and culture with a defined RPE differentiation protocol, reproducibly generated functional RPE from each donor without requiring protocol adjustments for each individual. This successful validation of a standardized, iPSC derivation and RPE differentiation process demonstrates a practical approach for applications requiring the cost-effective generation of RPE from multiple individuals such as drug testing, population studies or for therapies requiring patient-specific RPE derivations. In addition, conjunctival cells are identified as a practical source of somatic cells for deriving iPSCs from elderly individuals.
A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation:

Field notes are widely recommended in qualitative research as a means of documenting needed contextual information. With growing use of data sharing, secondary analysis, and metasynthesis, field notes ensure rich context persists beyond the original research team. However, while widely regarded as essential, there is not a guide to field note collection within the literature to guide researchers. Using the qualitative literature and previous research experience, we provide a concise guide to collection, incorporation, and dissemination of field notes. We provide a description of field note content for contextualization of an entire study as well as individual interviews and focus groups. In addition, we provide two "sketch note" guides, one for study context and one for individual interviews or focus groups for use in the field. Our guides are congruent with many qualitative and mixed methodologies and ensure contextual information is collected, stored, and disseminated as an essential component of ethical, rigorous qualitative research.
Communicating With Employees: Resisting the Stereotypes of Generational Cohorts in the Workplace

Introduction: Stereotypes about generational cohorts have been spread widely among current literature; this study challenges those stereotypes and provides a simple method for managers to learn how to effectively communicate with, motivate, and retain employees, no matter what cohort they belong to. Research questions: ( 1) Do people in a particular generational cohort behave according to the stereotypes assigned to their cohort? (2) Do people in a particular generation believe that the stereotypes assigned to their generation are accurate? Literature review: Current literature promulgates generational stereotypes and encourages managers to learn about the differences of each cohort so that they can tailor their communication to each cohort. Knowing the differences allegedly provides managers of technical communication teams or any team with more effective strategies to communicate with, motivate, and retain members of each cohort. Much of the literature examined was not based on rigorous research, and some that was rigorous and empirical claims there are more similarities than differences among the cohorts. Methodology: The findings from this study are based on answers to surveys from 107 participants and semistructured interviews with eight of those participants who were employees at a software company or were students or employees at a local university. The findings challenge the stereotypes found in the current literature, specifically concerning longevity in a job and workplace compliance. Conclusions, limitations, and future research: Managers need to learn more about individual employees rather than relying on stereotypes of generational cohorts when communicating with employees. Learning about individuals is simple and can foster more effective communication, which will enhance employees’ job satisfaction and engagement, and ultimately employee retention. As the research reported in this study shows, these are crucial variables to consider about a person's tenure in a position and workplace compliance behavior but are not included by most when studying generational cohorts. Further research could help us learn how managers can best develop employees and recognize and reward employees’ workplace achievements.
ON THE OPTIMAL REALIGNMENT OF A CONTEST: THE CASE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

This article examines the relationship between demand and scheduling in college football. We first derive two different metrics for team quality, and then use those metrics to see how they impact attendance. We find that there is a positive interaction between the quality of the teams. Then various simulations are run to see how attendance would change under different scheduling scenarios. If teams are put into conferences based on the team quality measures, the average per game attendance only rises 1–2%. This is true if 1-year or 10-year quality measures are used. However, our simulation suggests that this effect would be more than offset, mainly because schools with larger capacity would play fewer home games and so aggregate attendance would fall. We discuss whether this effect would be mitigated by capacity adjustments in the longer term. (JEL L83, Z20, C78)
Predictors of safe discharge for pediatric drowning patients in the emergency department.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine if stable, well-appearing, drowning patients who have normal age-adjusted vital signs and pulse oximetry upon arrival to the emergency department may be safely discharged without a prolonged observation period. Methods Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for drowning patients presenting to a single pediatric emergency department from 1995 to 2014. Data were collected on vital signs and pulse oximetry at presentation, chest x-ray results, disposition and complications for each encounter. Patients were identified as having either normal or abnormal initial vital signs and pulse oximetry, and were compared based on disposition and complication rates. Results Two hundred seventy-six records were initially evaluated and 91 were excluded. Thirty-six percent had normal age-adjusted vital signs upon arrival. Patients with abnormal temperature, respiratory rate or pulse oximetry, as well as those with any abnormal initial cardiopulmonary physical exam findings, abnormal mental status, or chest radiograph findings, were more likely to be admitted to the hospital. Eight patients developed respiratory complications after presentation to the emergency department. Those with abnormal pulse oximetry readings on arrival were more likely to develop complications. Only two patients who developed complications had initially normal vital signs and each had evidence of clinical deterioration within 1 h of arrival. Conclusions The overall complication rate in initially stable, well-appearing drowning patients is low. An abnormal pulse oximetry reading at presentation may help predict subsequent complications. Those patients with normal age-adjusted vital signs and physical exam at presentation may not require a prolonged observation period.
Note, South Dakota v. Brown: Judicial Enforcement of Governor's Duty to Extradite Fugitives

This Note focuses on the Brown court's analysis of the issue of state court enforcement of the gubernatorial extradition duty imposed by the Extradition Act. It examines the court's construction of the Act, as well as the court's initial decision to frame the basic question addressed as solely one of statutory interpretation. The conclusion reached is that the Brown court's analysis is a product of result-oriented judicial reasoning. This Note does not address the court's handling of enforcement of the federally imposed duty nor the theoretical justifications for gubernatorial discretion in extradition of interstate fugitives.
Distributed output feedback stationary consensus of multi-vehicle systems in unknown environments

In the traditional distributed consensus of multi-vehicle systems, vehicles agree on velocity and position using limited information exchange in their local neighborhoods. Recently, distributed leaderless stationary consensus has been proposed in which vehicles agree on a position and come to a stop. The proposed stationary consensus schemes are based on all vehicles’ access to their own absolute velocity measurements, and they do not guarantee this collective behavior in the presence of disturbances that persistently excite vehicles’ dynamics. On the other hand, traditional distributed disturbance rejection leaderless consensus algorithms may result in an uncontrolled increase in the speed of multi-vehicle system. In this paper, we propose a dynamic relative-output feedback leaderless stationary algorithm in which only a few vehicles have access to their absolute measurements. We systematically design the distributed algorithm by transforming this problem into a static feedback robust control design challenge for the low-order modified model of vehicles with fictitious modeling uncertainties. We further propose dynamic leader-follower stationary consensus algorithms for multi-vehicle systems with a static leader, and find closed-form solutions for the consensus gains based on design matrices and communication graph topology. Finally, we verify the feasibility of these ideas through simulation studies.
Maintaining and Sharing a Haudenosaunee Identity: Onondaga Collective Memory and Social Media

In this article, I survey the Onondaga Nation's social media outlets in the light of collective memory theory. The article identifies several core topics of the nation's identity narratives which, ...
Insect Acetylcholinesterase as a Target for Effective and Environmentally Safe Insecticides

Abstract Insecticides are a cost-effective approach to managing disease-carrying, crop-destroying, and residential pest insects. However, current anticholinesterase insecticides are toxic to beneficial insects and vertebrates because they target the catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterase, a hydrolase vital to the regulation of acetylcholine in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Targeting this serine residue for more than 70 years has also contributed to current problems with insecticide resistance. This chapter presents data undergirding a mechanistically new insecticide concept that targets a cysteine residue unique in pest insect acetylcholinesterase to impart species-selective toxicity and a low propensity for resistance. These data are used to discuss how gainful deployment of the mechanism of irreversible inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase responsible for cholinergic functions in pest insects—but not in social bees and other higher social hymenopterans—may lead to cysteine-targeting anticholinesterases that are effective and environmentally safe in controlling pest insects while sparing economically important beneficial insects.
Climatic Warming in the Himalaya During Recent Decades

Analyses of daily average, maximum and minimum temperatures from 19 stations of 4 countries in the Himalayan region reveal warming trend in the Himalaya after 1973. The linear rate of average temperature increase over the Himalaya during the period 1973 to 2009 is 0.0570C/ year, which exceeds IPCC and NASA’s calculated global and the Northern Hemisphere trend over the same period. Rate of temperature increase was also pronounced with the elevation ranges, geographical regions and the elevation in the Himalaya: high elevation region, Central Himalaya and winter season exhibited higher rate of temperature increase in their categories. Diurnal temperature range (DTR) was calculated from the daily maximum and minimum temperature. The rate of change of DTR in the region was found to be 0.0250C/ year however it was marginal when studied separately for Eastern, Central and Western Himalayas. Winter month exhibited higher DTR than the summer month. Elevation range 1000-3000m with high urbanization rate in the region showed high DTR. Since this study covers temperature study over a period of 3 decades and only deals with some causes of climate warming in Himalaya, a detailed study on the region covering long-term data is necessary to conclude on the climate change in the region.
The Energy Balance Equation: Reigning Intellectual Paradigm or Straitjacket?

People approach any task, whether it is to manage their weight, their retirement account, or anything else, with mental models that reflect the world as they understand it. They create these models out of their prior experience and whatever knowledge they have (real or imaginary, naive or sophisticated). Once formed, mental models are all important because they determine not only how people make sense of the world, but also how they act and what strategies they use to achieve their goals.1
Narrowing the distance to language: one step at a time.

Abstract Infants' earliest attempts at word segmentation appear to be guided by a single source of information (e.g., English-learners initially rely on the predominant stress pattern of words). This initial strategy successfully identifies many potential words in the input, but mis-segments others. However, simply breaking the input into smaller chunks helps learners to identify other possible cues to the location of word boundaries in utterances. Because no one source of information is completely reliable, listeners must eventually rely on multiple cues to segment words The development of such skills is not critical for developing a native language vocabulary, but also for acquiring the grammatical organization of utterances. Tracking familiar sound patterns, such as function words and grammatical morphemes, may help in learning about syntactic organization. One factor that facilitates learning about the distribution of such elements is sensitivity to boundaries of prosodic phrases. Access to such linguistically-relevant chunks also helps in tracking the distribution of words in the input.
The Anatomy of an Economic Crisis: Money, Prices, and Economic Order

What would Hayek have to say about financial crises and the Great Recession? In the mind of the public policymakers, the Great Recession constituted the most serious challenge to free market ideas since the Great Depression. The bust of the housing bubble led to a financial market crash, which in turn led to a severe economic downturn. Markets seemed to have failed. Our analysis of the causes of the crisis and the policy response must rely on some theoretical framework. The consensus of policymakers around the world converged on a Keynesian understanding of the macroeconomy while the Hayekian alternative was unfortunately ignored. Hayek developed a theory of the trade cycle in which loose monetary policy generates a boom, followed by a bust caused by the economic reality of scarce resources.
Natural History of Avascular Necrosis in the Talus: When to Operate

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the talus bone is a progressive and debilitating consequence of trauma or exposure to a variety of risk factors. The Ficat classification describes current understanding of the natural history of AVN, including preclinical, preradiographic, precollapse, postcollapse, and arthritic stages. The size and location of the avascular region likely determines risk of progression; however, symptoms do not correlate with stage. Patients may be minimally symptomatic despite diffuse involvement for long periods. Joint-sparing strategies have shown promise but do not universally prevent progression of the disease. When bone structure fails, joint-sacrificing strategies may be required.
Project-based learning for middle school students monitoring standby power: replication of impact on stem knowledge and dispositions

Middle school students participating in energy-monitoring activities guided by their teachers during 2009–2011 gained (p < .05) in content knowledge and became more positive in their dispositions toward STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). No comparison group data were gathered for this initial study. Activities were replicated with a new group of treatment students during 2013–2014, adding a comparison group not receiving the treatment. Matched pre-post data from 2013 to 2014 confirmed gains in knowledge of environmental science and vampire power (p < .0001, effect size = .86). Aggregate dispositions toward science, mathematics, engineering and technology became more positive for treatment versus comparison group students (p = .023). Gains in STEM dispositions for girls were more positive (effect size = .37) than for boys. Implications of these findings are that hands-on, inquiry-based science activities may help increase the STEM career pipeline in ways that can lead to broader participation in STEM careers in the future.
Preoperative patient-centric predictors of postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing arthroscopic meniscectomy

Purpose To determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computer-adaptive testing assessments in patients undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. The secondary purpose was to identify which preoperative patient factors are associated with MCID achievement. Methods Three PROMIS computer-adaptive testing assessments (Physical Function [PF], Pain Interference [PI], and Depression [D]) were administered to all patients presenting to 1 of 2 board-certified, sports medicine orthopaedic surgeons. Patients with Current Procedural Terminology codes of 29880 or 29881 were chart reviewed for a host clinical and demographic factors. PROMIS scores were assessed for improvement and patient characteristics were assessed for influence on any improvement. MCID was calculated according to the distribution methodology and receiver operating characteristics were used to assess preoperative scores predictive ability. Results In total, 166 patients met inclusion criteria (58 exclusions). Postoperative PROMIS-PF (45.6), PROMIS-PI (54.6), and PROMIS-D (44.1) significantly improved at least 3 months after surgery when compared with baseline (P = .002). MCID values for PROMIS-PF, PROMIS-PI, and PROMIS-D were 3.5, 3.3, and 4.4, respectively. Individuals with PROMIS-PF scores below 34.9 yielded an 82% probability of achieving MCID, while PROMIS-PI scores above 67.5 yielded an 86% probability of achieving MCID and a cutoff of 58.9 for PROMIS-D yielded a 60% probability of achieving MCID, with 90% specificity. Conclusions PROMIS scores, obtained preoperatively, were shown to be valid predictors of postoperative clinical improvement in patients undergoing meniscectomy. Our findings suggest that patients with physical function scores of 34.9 or less have an increased probability of reaching a minimal clinically important difference. Similarly, patients with pain interference scores of 67.5 and above have increased probability of reaching MCID for pain interference. These cutoffs may be used by physicians to aid in the counseling of patients considering arthroscopic meniscectomy. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.
Pacific and Atlantic controls of the relationship between Mainland Southeast Asia and East China interannual precipitation variability

The Asian monsoon region is highly dependent on boreal summer rainfall, which directly impacts the socio-economic stability and welfare of billions of people each year. Precipitation variability over East China has been extensively studied and is known to be characterized by meridional tripole and dipole precipitation structures. In contrast, few studies have focused on precipitation variability over Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) and the possible relationship with the variability over East China. Here we focus on how interannual precipitation variability across MSEA during 1983–2017 may be associated with the tripole or dipole patterns using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. The first EOF shows a meridional tripole pattern in East China summer precipitation and an in-phase relationship between MSEA and South China precipitation. In contrast, the second EOF shows a meridional dipole pattern in East China precipitation and an out-of-phase relationship between MSEA and South China precipitation. We show that the first EOF mode is a delayed precipitation response to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), while the second EOF mode is a simultaneous precipitation response to the remote influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Therefore, the in-phase or out-of-phase variations in precipitation between MSEA and South China may be used to gauge the relative importance of local Pacific and remote Atlantic influences on Asian monsoon climate.
Risk Factors Associated with Symptomatic Deep Vein Thrombosis Following Elective Spine Surgery: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND Few studies provide insight into risk factors (RFs) associated with postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following elective spinal surgery. DVTs are detrimental in this population because of the risk of pulmonary embolization or surgical site hemorrhage with treatment. OBJECTIVE Elective spine surgery patients have a low incidence of DVT, thus a case-control study was selected to investigate RFs associated with postoperative, symptomatic DVT. METHODS Cases were matched to controls in a 1:2 ratio based on surgery type. Risk of having a prior DVT and choice of subcutaneous heparin dosing following surgery was analyzed in a multivariate regression model with other potentially confounding variables. RESULTS A total of 195 patients were included in this study. Independent of patient age, history of DVT was associated with postoperative symptomatic DVT (odds ratio [OR], 4.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-13.78). Two versus 3 times daily postoperative heparin dosing (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 0.32-7.56), surgery length (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.98-1.79), and patient age (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.0-1.08) were not statistically significant, independent RFs. Older age and longer length of surgery trended toward association with DVT without reaching significance. Length of stay was increased from 3-5 days (P < 0.001) in DVT patients compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that patients with a history of DVT undergoing elective spinal surgery are at higher risk of developing symptomatic DVT postoperatively resulting in significantly increased length of stay. Further studies on additional preoperative screening and medical optimization in elective spine surgery patients may help reduce the rate of symptomatic, postoperative DVT.
Predictive Factors for Surgical Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Breast Carcinoma.

IntroductionOperative interventions for breast cancer are generally classified as clean surgeries. Surgical site infections (SSIs), while rare, do occur. This study sought to identify risk factors ...
Сalculation of characteristics of atomization of liquid supplied at an angle to the flow direction and justification of adjusting the angle of the nozzle inclination relative to the gas flow

В рамках решения задачи повышения эффективности летательных аппаратов с возможностью полёта на сверхзвуковой скорости важным аспектом является снижение расходуемого на этом режиме полёта топлива, так как это наиболее перспективное направление в развитии авиации и эти режимы сопровождаются рядом существенных проблем, требующих решения совместными усилиями ведущих в этой области организаций. Для решения задачи по расширению диапазона использования форсажной камеры сгорания в процессе полёта летательного аппарата и снижения потребного для этого полёта топлива предлагается регулирование угла наклона подачи топлива относительно направления потока газа. Представлены результаты расчёта распределения форсажного топлива по объёму форсажной камеры сгорания, верифицированные с известными экспериментальными данными. Проведён анализ характерных точек на графиках зависимости основных переменных и обозначены возможные причины особенного протекания рабочего процесса в форсажной камере сгорания при изменении угла установки топливных форсунок. Предложены возможные варианты управления рабочим процессом в форсажной камере сгорания.