cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Embedding and Distributing Constant Time Delay in Circle Time and Transitions

The purpose of this study was to evaluate embedding and distributing constant time delay instructional trials into circle time activities and transitions between activities. Three boys in a summer day camp participated, and their teachers implemented the instruction. A multiple probe design across behaviors and replicated across participants was used. The data indicated (a) the teachers embedded and distributed the instruction accurately; (b) the children acquired the behaviors they were taught; (c) the trials to criterion and percentage of errors were similar, in large part, with what occurs when constant time delay is used in structured instructional sessions; and (d) the children generalized the learned behaviors across adults and materials. The findings are discussed in terms of our existing knowledge about embedding instruction in inclusive activities.
The influence of autonomic arousal and semantic relatedness on memory for emotional words

Increased memory for emotional stimuli is a well-documented phenomenon. Emotional arousal during the encoding of a stimulus is one mediator of this memory enhancement. Other variables such as semantic relatedness also play a role in the enhanced memory for emotional stimuli, especially for verbal stimuli. Research has not addressed the contributions of emotional arousal, indexed by self-report and autonomic measures, and semantic relatedness on memory performance. Twenty young adults (10 women) were presented neutral-unrelated words, school-related words, moderately arousing emotional words, and highly arousing taboo words while heart rate and skin conductance were measured. Memory was tested with free recall and recognition tests. Results showed that taboo words, which were both semantically related and high arousal were remembered best. School-related words, which were high on semantic relatedness but low on arousal, were remembered better than the moderately arousing emotional words and semantically unrelated neutral words. Psychophysiological responses showed that within the moderately arousing emotional and neutral word groups, those words eliciting greater autonomic activity were better remembered than words that did not elicit such activity. These results demonstrate additive effects of semantic relatedness and emotional arousal on memory. Relatedness confers an advantage to memory (as in the school-words), but the combination of relatedness and arousal (as in the taboo words) results in the best memory performance.
Child Care Quality in Different State Policy Contexts.

Using data from the Child Care Supplement to the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we test associations between the quality of child care and state child care policies. These data, which include observations of child care and interviews with care providers and mothers for 777 children across 14 states, allow for comparisons across a broader range of policy regimes and care settings than earlier research on this topic. Using multilevel linear and logistic models, we found that more generous subsidy policies (that is, greater investment, higher income eligibility) were positively associated with the quality of care in nonprofit child care centers, as well as with the use of center care. The stringency of regulations (that is, teacher education requirements, teacher-child ratios/thresholds) was also associated with both quality and type of care, but in more complex ways. Higher teacher training requirements were positively associated with the quality of both family child care and nonprofit centers, while more stringent regulations decreased the number of children attending center care. No links were found between state policies and the quality of for-profit center care. The implications for policy makers, advocates, and policy analysts are discussed. © 2007 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
A generalized split-window algorithm for retrieving land-surface temperature from space

Proposes a generalized split-window method for retrieving land-surface temperature (LST) from AVHRR and MODIS data. Accurate radiative transfer simulations show that the coefficients in the split-window algorithm for LST must vary with the viewing angle, if the authors are to achieve a LST accuracy of about 1 K for the whole scan swath range (/spl plusmn/55/spl deg/ from nadir) and for the ranges of surface temperature and atmospheric conditions over land, which are much wider than those over oceans. The authors obtain these coefficients from regression analysis of radiative transfer simulations, and they analyze sensitivity and error over wide ranges of surface temperature and emissivity and atmospheric water vapor abundance and temperature. Simulations show that when atmospheric water vapor increases and viewing angle is larger than 45/spl deg/, it is necessary to optimize the split-window method by separating the ranges of the atmospheric water vapor, lower boundary temperature, and the surface temperature into tractable subranges. The atmospheric lower boundary temperature and (vertical) column water vapor values retrieved from HIRS/2 or MODIS atmospheric sounding channels can be used to determine the range for the optimum coefficients of the split-window method. This new algorithm not only retrieves land-surface temperature more accurately, but is also less sensitive to uncertainty in emissivity and to instrument quantization error.
Virus-Like Particles in a Soil Ameboflagellate, Naegleria Gruberi

By virtue of the ecological niches they occupy, protozoa have ample opportunity to become infected with virus-like particles (VLPs). One of the better described and documented instances of such an infection is in Entamoeba histolytica, an endosymbiont of the human gut. Diamond and co-workers (2) have described several different VLPs in the nucleus and cytoplasm of Entamoeba, but the source of infection is not clear. These VLPs may have been acquired by the amebas during their residence in the intestinal lumen, an ideal habitat for numerous species of bacteria and viruses. Not resolved in this study is the relationship between the VLPs and the ability of Entamoeba to cause amebic dysentery. Does the presence of VLPs in the ameba serve as a means of enhancing virulence of the amebas? The VLPs apparently cause lysis of amebas under appropriate circumstances (2).
Factors influencing the male frog test for pregnancy.

In 1937, Hugh observed that the injection of pituitary extract causes the release of spermatozoa from the testis of hibernating frogs. De Robertis and associates later investigated the actual mechanism of the release of sperm in the toad Bufo arenarum Hensel by the injection of anterior pituitary extract of the male toad. Robbins and Parker in 1947 demonstrated the spermatogenic response of the male South African frog to mammalian gonadotropin. On the basis of these previous observations, Galli-Mainini in 1947 introduced a pregnancy test using the male South American toad Bufo arenarum Hensel. Subsequently in 1948, Wiltberger and Miller and Robbins and Parker reported the use of the male North American frog, Rana pipiens, as a test animal. Since the introduction of the male frog test, a number of workers have reported modifications, experiences and observations with the test. Reports 18 on the reliability of the male frog pregnancy test claim 96 to 99 per cent accuracy. Galli-Mainini reported 100 per cent accuracy on several thousand negative control cases. Robbins and Parker obtained 77 correct positives, 44 correct negatives and one false negative in a total of 122 urines tested. Despite the many reports of the accuracy of this simple, rapid and economical test, there have been recent communications on its gross inaccuracies' and difficulties arising from the seasonal changes in the sensitivity of the test animal. ,19 ,24
The related problems and countermeasures of the application of intelligent watt-hour meter

To ensure the reliable operation and accurate measurement of intelligent watt- hour meter,quality tracking and problems analysis and research in its operation process is critical.Combined with the theoretical and practical research achievements about the intelligent watt-hour meter,problems exposed in the operation are analyzed.From the aspects of technology and management the conesponding prevention and improvement measures are put forward to promote the intelligent watt-hour meter further ascension in production applications.
Application of Infrared Camera Technology in Studies of Mammal Activity Patterns

From November 2011 to March 2013,40 infrared cameras were installed in Hetaoping area,Wolong National Nature Reserve,Sichuan province. The species composition and relative richness were studied in this area. Of particularly concern,we analyzed that circadian activity rhythm,seasonal activity pattern and the influence of habitat types on the occurred frequency for the first 4 species including sambar( Cervus unicolor),giant panda( Ailuropoda melanoleuca),red panda( Ailurus fulgens),golden monkey( Rhinopithecus roxellanae). We found that the results of daily activity pattern of this 4 species by cameras monitoring were almost consistent with previous studies. In winter,there were higher occurred frequency of giant panda and red panda in valley-stream,while sambar and golden snub-nose monkey had not exhibited particularly preference to valley-stream,this indicated that comparing to sambar and golden snub-nose monkey,giant panda and red panda more rely on permanent water source sites during winter. To help improve efficiency of application of infrared cameras in wildlife behavioral and conservation studies,researchers should set up camera traps based on special studied objective.
Green roof seasonal variation: comparison of the hydrologic behavior of a thick and a thin extensive system in New York City

Green roofs have been utilized for urban stormwater management due to their ability to capture rainwater locally. Studies of the most common type, extensive green roofs, have demonstrated that green roofs can retain significant amounts of stormwater, but have also shown variation in seasonal performance. The purpose of this study is to determine how time of year impacts the hydrologic performance of extensive green roofs considering the covariates of antecedent dry weather period (ADWP), potential evapotranspiration (ET0) and storm event size. To do this, nearly four years of monitoring data from two full-scale extensive green roofs (with differing substrate depths of 100 mm and 31 mm) are analyzed. The annual performance is then modeled using a common empirical relationship between rainfall and green roof runoff, with the addition of Julian day in one approach, ET0 in another, and both ADWP and ET0 in a third approach. Together the monitoring and modeling results confirm that stormwater retention is highest in warmer months, the green roofs retain more rainfall with longer ADWPs, and the seasonal variations in behavior are more pronounced for the roof with the thinner media than the roof with the deeper media. Overall, the ability of seasonal accounting to improve stormwater retention modeling is demonstrated; modification of the empirical model to include ADWP, and ET0 improves the model R 2 from 0.944 to 0.975 for the thinner roof, and from 0.866 to 0.870 for the deeper roof. Furthermore, estimating the runoff with the empirical approach was shown to be more accurate then using a water balance model, with model R 2 of 0.944 and 0.866 compared to 0.975 and 0.866 for the thinner and deeper roof, respectively. This finding is attributed to the difficulty of accurately parameterizing the water balance model.
Sorbents, Hemoperfusion Devices

This chapter discusses the multiple uses to which sorbents have been put in modern medicine. They range from the simple ingestion of sorbents to remove substances such as uremic toxins, electrolytes, and drugs, to modifications of dialysis circuits by placing sorbent devices in line, to complex devices employing plasmapheresis to expose plasma to sorbents (avoiding blood cell exposure), to novel uses of sorbent systems to remove antibodies, cytokines, and viruses from biological fluids. Many of the devices are in clinical trial, but many are available in Europe and Japan for clinical use.
Marking Disidentification: Race, Corporeality, and Resistance in Trademark Law

ABSTRACTThis essay considers two case studies—Andy Warhol’s Mammy and Marshawn Lynch’s Beast Mode®—through the analytic lens of disidentification in order to theorize how embodied resistance reifies and remakes race and gender identities in trademark law. It develops two subcategories of Jose Esteban Munoz’s classic term: prosopopeic disidentification, which gives face and voice to the mythic figure of the mammy; and (de)propertizing disidentification, which refuses white ownership of black bodies while asserting the right of the individual in monetizing corporeal acts. It concludes that disidentification is an important but imperfect means for people of color to intervene in processes of racial formation by reimagining the boundaries of race, gender, and law as well as dominant monopolies on memory and property.
Geotechnical Issues and Site Response in the Central U.S.

This article highlights the results of recent studies dealing with key seismic geotechnical issues in the central United States including: 1) Significance of using the Conditional Mean Spectrum for seismic design at the periphery of the New Madrid seismic zone: The commonly used Uniform Hazard Response Spectrum does not represent any specific earthquake event in this region whereby the seismic hazard is a composite of two or more distinct sources of significantly different characteristics. Treatment of these sources separately results in a more realistic assessment of seismic hazard. 2) Site response of deep soil deposits in the Mississippi Embayment: there is a need to use depth-dependent site amplification factors instead of commonly used depth-independent NEHRP site coefficients. 3) Unique aspects of liquefaction in the central United States, particularly in the New Madrid Seismic Zone: Currently used liquefaction triggering analysis has been developed for plate margin settings which differ from the tectonic setting in the central United States.
A multi-agent learning approach to online distributed resource allocation

Resource allocation in computing clusters is traditionally centralized, which limits the cluster scale. Effective resource allocation in a network of computing clusters may enable building larger computing infrastructures. We consider this problem as a novel application for multiagent learning (MAL). We propose a MAL algorithm and apply it for optimizing online resource allocation in cluster networks. The learning is distributed to each cluster, using local information only and without access to the global system reward. Experimental results are encouraging: our multiagent learning approach performs reasonably well, compared to an optimal solution, and better than a centralized myopic allocation approach in some cases.
Nurses' perception of ethical climate at a large academic medical center.

Background:Nurses are confronted daily with ethical issues while providing patient care. Hospital ethical climates can affect nurses’ job satisfaction, organizational commitment, retention, and physician collaboration.Purpose:At a metropolitan academic medical center, we examined nurses’ perceptions of the ethical climate and relationships among ethical climate factors and nurse characteristics.Design/participants:We used a descriptive correlational design and nurses (N = 475) completed Olson’s Hospital Ethical Climate Survey. Data were analyzed using STATA.Ethical considerations:Approvals by the Nursing Research Council and Institutional Review Board were obtained; participants’ rights were protected.Results:Nurses reported an ethical climate total mean score of 3.22 ± 0.65 that varied across factors; significant differences were found for ethical climate scores by nurses’ age, race, and specialty area.Conclusion:These findings contribute to what is known about ethical climate and nurses’ characteristics...
A School-Based Program for Overweight and Obese Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Given the dramatic increase in adolescent overweight and obesity, models are needed for implementing weight management treatment through readily accessible venues. We evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of a school-based intervention consisting of school nurse-delivered counseling and an afterschool exercise program in improving diet, activity, and body mass index (BMI) among overweight and obese adolescents. METHODS A pair-matched cluster-randomized controlled school-based trial was conducted in which 8 public high schools were randomized to either a 12-session school nurse-delivered cognitive-behavioral counseling intervention plus school-based after school exercise program, or 12-session nurse contact with weight management information (control). Overweight or obese adolescents (N = 126) completed anthropometric and behavioral assessments at baseline and 8-month follow-up. Main outcome measures included diet, activity, and BMI. Mixed effects regression models were conducted to examine differences at follow-up. RESULTS At follow-up, students in intervention compared with control schools were not different in BMI, percent body fat, and waist circumference. Students reported eating breakfast (adjusted mean difference 0.81 days; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11-1.52) on more days/week; there were no differences in other behaviors targeted by the intervention. CONCLUSIONS While a school-based intervention including counseling and access to an after-school exercise program is theoretically promising with public health potential, it was not effective in reducing BMI or key obesogenic behaviors. Our findings are important in highlighting that interventions targeted at the individual level are not likely to be sufficient in addressing the adolescent obesity epidemic without changes in social norms and the environment.
Making Boundaries Great Again: Essentialism and Support for Boundary-Enhancing Initiatives

Psychological essentialism entails a focus on category boundaries (e.g., categorizing people as men or women) and an increase in the conceptual distance between those boundaries (e.g., accentuating the differences between men and women). Across eight studies, we demonstrate that essentialism additionally entails an increase in support for boundary-enhancing legislation, policies, and social services, and that it does so under conditions that disadvantage social groups, as well as conditions that benefit them. First, individual differences in essentialism were associated with support for legislation mandating that transgender people use restrooms corresponding with their biological sex, and with support for the boundary-enhancing policies of the 2016 then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee (i.e., Donald Trump). Second, essentialism was associated with support for same-gender classrooms designed to promote student learning, as well as support for services designed to benefit LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) individuals. These findings demonstrate the boundary-enhancing implications of essentialism and their social significance.
Perspective: Evolution of Human Skin Color: How Low Levels of Vitamin D Drove Natural Selection

Human origins have been traced to Africa, near the equator, approximately 150,000 years ago. Humans migrated out of Africa in waves and moved northward into Europe. As humans moved away from the equator, their exposure to sunlight diminished, particularly in the winter months. This decrease in sun exposure at higher latitudes led to reduced levels of vitamin D. Reduced vitamin D levels led to infertility and reproductive inefficiency which fueled natural selection to lighten human skin color to restore normal fertility and preserve the species. A selection signature for skin color, the strongest signature identified in the human genome, has been identified, although a similar signature has not been identified for higher circulating levels of vitamin D. These genomic signatures are still present in the human genome, reflecting ongoing, wide spread, deficiencies of vitamin D in human populations and the continued reduced exposure to sunlight for most humans, particularly in Westernized urban countries.
The role of fiber reinforcement in mitigating shrinkage cracks in concrete

Abstract: Tensile stresses are generated in concrete when volume changes caused by moisture loss, temperature reductions, and chemical reactions are restrained. If these tensile stresses are high enough, they may result in cracking. Short-fiber reinforcement can be added to concrete in low volumes (less than 2–3%) to increase the fracture toughness of the concrete, which will help to control the width of cracks that form. The shrinkage cracking performance of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is generally assessed using small-scale laboratory specimens. A need exists to link the results of laboratory experiments to the cracking behavior of full-scale concrete elements.
A GaN-Based 6.78 MHz Single-Stage Transmitter with Constant Output Current for Wireless Power Transfer

A single-stage transmitter is reviewed which directly converts a utility ac input to high frequency (6.78 MHz) ac output for wireless power transfer applications. Compared with a two-stage transmitter implementation, this single-stage transmitter obtains high power efficiency with reduced component-count. In this paper, a method is proposed to enable constant current at the output of the single-stage transmitter to accommodate multiple receivers. First, the constant output voltage transmitter is obtained by implementing closed-loop control and a model-based modulation scheme. Then, an impedance matching network is implemented at the output of transmitter to convert the constant voltage to constant current. This feature allows a single transmitter to charge multiple receivers simultaneously. The control methodology is verified using both simulation and a laboratory prototype.
A filter paper-based liquid culture system for citrus shoot organogenesis—a mixture-amount plant growth regulator experiment

This study determined the effects of a static liquid culture system on shoot regeneration from citrus epicotyl explants. A mixture-amount experiment was used to determine the effects of zeatin riboside (ZR), 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on two citrus types—citrange (Citrus sinensis ‘Washington’ L. Osbeck. × Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf var. Carrizo) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck var. ‘Ridge Pineapple’). A liquid culture system comprising a Petri dish, cellulose filter paper, and liquid culture medium was used. Shoot regeneration experiments were conducted over 6 wk that included 2 wk in the dark followed by 4 wk in the light. Three responses were measured: (1) number of explants forming buds and/or shoots, (2) number of explants with shoots > 2 mm, and (3) overall explant and shoot quality. The effects of paper disc number, liquid medium volume, and explant size on shoot regeneration were determined. High-quality shoots were produced from explants cultured in 5.25 to 12 mL medium volume and explant sizes ranging from 2 to 15 mm. The effects of the plant growth regulators were similar for the two citrus types and were as follows: (1) use of ZR or BA resulted in high-quality shoot production; (2) ZR and BA were not synergistic; (3) culture in 20 μM ZR resulted in the highest shoot production; (4) BA and IAA were strongly synergistic, with the greatest production with BA when IAA was included in the mixture; and (5) ZR and IAA were antagonistic, particularly with Ridge Pineapple.
A WENO finite-difference scheme for a new class of Hamilton-Jacobi equations in nonlinear solid mechanics

Abstract This paper puts forth a high-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) finite-difference scheme to numerically generate the viscosity solution of a new class of Hamilton–Jacobi (HJ) equations that has recently emerged in nonlinear solid mechanics. The solution W of the prototypical version of the HJ equations considered here corresponds physically to the homogenized free energy that describes the macroscopic magneto-electro-elastic response of a general class of two-phase particulate composite materials under arbitrary quasi-static finite deformations , electric fields, and magnetic fields in N = 2 , 3 dimensions. An important mathematical implication of its physical meaning is that W – although it may exhibit steep gradients – is expected to be at least twice continuously differentiable. This is in contrast to the viscosity solutions of the majority of HJ equations that have appeared in other scientific disciplines, which are merely Lipschitz continuous. Three other defining mathematical features that differentiate this new class of HJ equations from most of the existing HJ equations in the literature are that: ( i ) their “space” variables are defined over non-periodic unbounded or semi-unbounded domains, ( i i ) their Hamiltonians depend explicitly on all variables, namely, on the “space” and “time” variables, the “space” derivatives of W , and on the function W itself, and ( i i i ) in general, their integration in “time” needs to be carried out over very long “times”. The proposed WENO scheme addresses all these features by incorporating a high-order accurate treatment of the boundaries of the domains of computation and by employing a high-order accurate explicit Runge–Kutta “time” integration that remains stable over very large “time” integration ranges. The accuracy and convergence properties of the proposed scheme are demonstrated by direct comparison with a simple explicit solution W available for the case when the general HJ equation is specialized to model the elastic response of isotropic porous Gaussian elastomers. Finally, for showcasing purposes, the scheme is deployed to probe the magneto-elastic response of a novel class of magnetorheological elastomers filled with ferrofluid inclusions.
The Uncanny Soundscapes of the Palestinian Exile: Rethinking Technics, Memory, and Sound

This chapter investigates the question of technics and memory in the context of mediated soundscapes of exile by bringing the field of soundscape studies into a dialogue with the work of Bernard Stiegler. The role of technologically mediated memory is underlined while offering a critique of the industrialization of memory under the dominance of mass, standardized media. The video works of Mona Hatoum and Basma Alsharif, however, encourage an alternative artistic style and political desire by intervening into the already-there of history that has been destroyed or repressed. Ultimately, this chapter complicates acoustic ecology’s prescriptive emphasis on balanced “ecology” and suggests that the practice of soundscape composition provides a template for grasping how media practice is being used to articulate the subjectivity of global patterns of displacement.
Cutaneous soft tissue tumors: how do we make sense of fibrous and “fibrohistiocytic” tumors with confusing names and similar appearances?

In the 2018 World Health Organization Classification of Skin Tumors, a wide range of predominantly benign mesenchymal neoplasms are included in the fibroblastic, myofibroblastic, and "fibrohistiocytic" categories. By far the most common of these tumors is dermatofibroma (fibrous histiocytoma). There are many histologic variants of dermatofibroma, some of which (cellular, aneurysmal, and atypical) are associated with a higher risk of local recurrence; these variants may be mistaken for more aggressive tumor types, including sarcomas. Furthermore, distinguishing among the fibrous and "fibrohistiocytic" tumors can be a diagnostic challenge, given their sometimes-similar histologic appearances and confusing nomenclature. Immunohistochemistry and molecular genetic assays play a relatively limited role in the diagnosis of these tumor types, with notable exceptions (i.e., epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans). Proper recognition of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is critical, since this tumor type is associated with locally aggressive behavior; transformation to the fibrosarcomatous variant brings metastatic potential. In recent years, understanding of the molecular pathogenetic basis for cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms has increased dramatically, with the discovery of gene rearrangements in some of these tumor types. In this review, the histologic features of the most common fibrous and "fibrohistiocytic" cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms will be discussed, as well as recently identified molecular genetic alterations.
Measuring Relational Trust in Human-Robot Interactions

Trust is an integral part of almost any human-robot interaction (HRI). The most technologically advanced robot can sit unused if a human interactant does not trust it. Conversely, a robot that is overly trusted may be assumed to be more advanced than it truly is, resulting in over-reliance on an imperfect system [8]. One of the most widely used definitions for trust in HRI is that trust is "the attitude that an agent will help achieve an individual's goals in a situation characterized by uncertainty and vulnerability." [6]. As robots initially emerged into society in factory roles, their goals were clear and their performance was concretely measurable with metrics such as time to completion, number of errors in a given behavior, and behavior consistency over time. The humans who worked with them, therefore, could base their trust in the robots on how effectively they achieved these clearly defined goals.
Revolutionizing School HR Strategies and Practices to Reflect Talent Centered Education Leadership

Grounded in the theories of inclusive talent management (TM) and social-exchange, this conceptual paper draws on the education working conditions and broader TM scholarship to promote Talent Center...
Semantically Aware, Mission-Oriented (SAMO) Networks: A Framework for Application/Network Integration

With advances in programmable data plane, networks are far more flexible with configurable network functionality. At the same time, applications have also become increasingly complex, with diverse quality-of-experience requirements. We outline a Semantically Aware, Mission-Oriented (SAMO) networking framework for application-network integration. SAMO incorporates a per-packet, host-application-to-network-application signaling mechanism, enabling networks to quickly adapt to the changing network state in accordance with application semantics. It is designed for "unmanaged" environments, targeting many industrial Internet-of- Things (IoT) and military environments and applications.
Variable or atypical? Comparing unusual songs of the Tufted Titmouse with a citizen-science database

The Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor is well known for its stereotyped “peter-peter-peter” song, but anecdotal reports of its song’s diversity also exist. We identified an atypical song in East-Central Illinois, USA, that has persisted for several years in the same vicinity. We used a spectrogram-based comparison metric to assess song similarity scores against con- and heterospecific songs from a citizen-science database. The results suggest that these novel songs may truly be outliers beyond the Tufted Titmouse’s local range of species-typical song variability. Our study also illustrates a methodological approach regarding the assessment of other, potentially atypical vocalizations recorded from birds.
\(EW_{256357}\): A New Secure NIST P-256 Compatible Elliptic Curve for VoIP Applications’ Security

Selection of a proper elliptic curve is the most important aspect of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). Security of ECC is based on the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem which is believed to be unsolvable. Some of the well-known elliptic curve standards are NIST FIPS 186-2, Brainpool, and ANSI X9.62. Among these, NIST-recommended curves are a popular choice for industrial applications, in particular, for Internet security as a part of TLS/SSL, and even in real-time media encryption which uses Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. Specifically, NIST P-256 curve is widely used in these applications. Some NIST curves have disadvantages related to security issues, and therefore it is important to search for secure alternatives. In our work, we propose a new secure short Weierstrass curve \(EW_{256357}\) at the 128-bit security level and compare it with the NIST P-256 curve. Our proposed curve is compatible with NIST P-256 curve but features better security. Based on the performance analysis of related curves in our previous and present works in terms of delay and jitter, we say that our proposed curve is suitable for the real-time media encryption.
Classification of finite-dimensional irreducible modules over -algebras

Finite -algebras, the structure theory of cells and Springer representations, and multi-fusion monoidal categories.
Extending Enforcement: How the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs Leverages Public Information to Strengthen Environmental Governance

The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (“IPE”), a domestic Chinese non-governmental organization, plays a unique role in China’s environmental governance by leveraging openly published information to improve environmental compliance and ultimately outcomes. The organization’s use of officially-published information as the basis for its interaction with stakeholders serves the dual purpose of lending credibility to IPE’s advocacy efforts while also mitigating operational sensitivities. While IPE’s work has generally been framed through the lens of transparency, this chapter illustrates how IPE’s mechanisms of influence extend well beyond just the provision and consolidation of information. By implementing systematic assessments to evaluate subjects and rank them, IPE serves as a civil society regulator that incentivizes stakeholders to engage and collaborate with IPE to improve their performance. Moreover, adopting separate ranking systems to target local governments’ disclosure performance and industrial environmental compliance, respectively, is self-reinforcing. On the one hand, the Pollution Information Transparency Index (“PITI”) motivates governments to implement existing laws and policies that mandate environmental disclosure. Wider implementation of these policies in turn expands the quantity of data underpinning the Corporate Information Transparency Index (“CITI”), enabling it to better strengthen corporate environmental governance. IPE’s role, therefore, adds value beyond just consolidating information by supplementing official environmental enforcement efforts where capacity may be lacking.
An Empirical Cybersecurity Evaluation of GitHub Copilot's Code Contributions

There is burgeoning interest in designing AI-based systems to assist humans in designing computing systems, including tools that automatically generate computer code. The most notable of these comes in the form of the first self-described `AI pair programmer', GitHub Copilot, a language model trained over open-source GitHub code. However, code often contains bugs - and so, given the vast quantity of unvetted code that Copilot has processed, it is certain that the language model will have learned from exploitable, buggy code. This raises concerns on the security of Copilot's code contributions. In this work, we systematically investigate the prevalence and conditions that can cause GitHub Copilot to recommend insecure code. To perform this analysis we prompt Copilot to generate code in scenarios relevant to high-risk CWEs (e.g. those from MITRE's "Top 25" list). We explore Copilot's performance on three distinct code generation axes -- examining how it performs given diversity of weaknesses, diversity of prompts, and diversity of domains. In total, we produce 89 different scenarios for Copilot to complete, producing 1,692 programs. Of these, we found approximately 40% to be vulnerable.
Acute inhibition of dopamine β-hydroxylase attenuates behavioral responses to pups in adult virgin California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

Abstract In biparental species, in which both parents care for their offspring, the neural and endocrine mediators of paternal behavior appear to overlap substantially with those underlying maternal behavior. Little is known, however, about the roles of classical neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine (NE), in paternal care and whether they resemble those in maternal care. We tested the hypothesis that NE facilitates the initiation of nurturant behavior toward pups in virgin male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus), a biparental rodent. Virtually all parents in this species are attracted to familiar and unfamiliar pups, while virgins either attack, avoid, or nurture pups, suggesting that the neurochemical control of pup-related behavior changes as mice transition into parenthood. We injected virgin males and females with nepicastat, a selective dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitor that blocks NE synthesis (75 mg/kg, i.p.), or vehicle 2 h before exposing them to a novel pup, estrous female (males only), or pup-sized novel object for 60 min. Nepicastat significantly reduced the number of males and females that approached the pup and that displayed parental behavior. In contrast, nepicastat did not alter virgins' interactions with an estrous female or a novel object, suggesting that nepicastat-induced inhibition of interactions with pups was not mediated by changes in generalized neophobia, arousal, or activity. Nepicastat also significantly reduced NE levels in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex and increased the ratio of dopamine to NE in the hypothalamus. Our results suggest that NE may facilitate the initiation of parental behavior in male and female California mice.
On the Possibility of Group Membership Protocols

Chandra et al. [5] showed that the group membership problem cannot be solved in asynchronous systems with crash failures. We identify the main assumptions required for their proof and show how to circumvent this impossibility result building a weaker, yet non trivial specification. We provide an algorithm that solves this specification and show that our solution is an improvement upon previous attempts to solve this problem using a weaker specification.
Evidence‐Based Psychosocial Interventions for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Evidence-based practice is a multistep process of incorporating empirical evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values to make clinical decisions. In the United States, there are legal mandates (i.e., No Child Left Behind [Public Law 107-110], Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [Public Law 108-446]) requiring the use of scientifically based practices. Insurance companies in the United States are increasingly requiring all treatments that provide reimbursement to be evidence-based, including coverage of treatment of autism spectrum disorders. There is also growing (and possibly greater) recognition of the importance of providing evidence-based practices globally. Hence, there is a great need to identify which treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorders are evidence-based. This chapter is devoted to providing an overview of the current state of the science related to evidence-based psychosocial interventions (both comprehensive and focal in nature), and concludes with an overview of essential curricular components for treatment programs for individuals who have autism spectrum disorders. Keywords: ASD; autism; autism spectrum disorders; comprehensive programs; evidence-based practice; treatment
Psychological factors in coronary artery disease: epidemiologic evidence.

Since Virchow’s initial observations of fat accumulations impinging on arterial lumens, both epidemiologic and laboratory research have added much to our understanding of the intricacies of lipid metabolism and the role of various lipid fractions in atherogenesis. No longer do we think of a simple link between elevated levels of total cholesterol in blood. Instead, we know now that some components—e.g., low-density lipoproteins-of the total Cholesterol fraction appear to confer increased risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) while others—e.g., high-density lipoproteins—afford some protection against development of CHD.
On the dimension of modules and algebras. VIII. Dimension of tensor products

The questions concerning the dimension of the tensor product of two K-algebras have turned out to be surprisingly difficult. In this paper we follow a method using spectral sequences (§§1-3) which in some concrete cases yields complete results (§§4-5). In particular, complete results are obtained when r is a ring of matrices, triangular matrices, polynomials or rational functions, so that in the first three cases is respectively the ring of matrices, triangular matrices or polynomials with coefficients in the arbitrary algebra A.
Sensitivity of the North Atlantic Basin to Cyclic Climatic Forcing During the Early Cretaceous

Striking cyclic interbeds of laminated dark-olive to black marlstone and bioturbated white to light-gray limestone of Neocomian (Early Cretaceous) age have been recovered at Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) sites in the North Atlantic. These Neocomian sequences are equivalent to the Maiolica Formation that outcrops in the Tethyan regions of the Mediterranean and to thick limestone sequences of the Vocontian Trough of France. This lithologic unit marks the widespread deposition of biogenic carbonate over much of the North Atlantic and Tethyan seafloor during a time of overall low sealevel and a deep carbonate compensation depth. The dark clay-rich interbeds typically are rich in organic carbon (OC) with up to 5.5% OC in sequences in the eastern North Atlantic. These eastern North Atlantic sequences off northwest Africa, contain more abundant and better preserved hydrogen-rich, algal organic matter (type II kerogen) relative to the western North Atlantic, probably in response to coastal upwelling induced by an eastern boundary current in the young North Atlantic Ocean. The more abundant algal organic matter in sequences in the eastern North Atlantic is also expressed in the isotopic composition of the carbon in that organic matter. In contrast, organic matter in Neocomian sequences in the western North Atlantic along the continental margin of North America has geochemical and optical characteristics of herbaceous, woody, hydrogen-poor, humic, type III kerogen. The inorganic geochemical characteristics of the dark clay-rich ( 3 ) interbeds in Neocomian sequences in the North American Basin and the Cape Verde Basin off northwest Africa suggest that most of the detrital clastic material was derived from deep-sea fans off North America and Morocco during relatively wet intervals to dilute pelagic biogenic carbonate. Inorganic geochemical characteristics of the clastic material in the bioturbated, white, carbonate-rich (>80% CaCO 3 ) interbeds in both the eastern and western basins of the North Atlantic suggest that they contain minor amounts of relatively unweathered eolian dust derived from northwest Africa during dry intervals.
Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Is Not a Vascular Disease.

Background Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a rare disorder characterized by postprandial abdominal pain, weight loss, and celiac stenosis. Diagnosis can be challenging, leading to a delay in treatment. We report on our continued experience using a laparoscopic approach for this uncommon diagnosis. Methods This is an Institutional Review Board-approved, prospectively collected retrospective analysis of patients treated with laparoscopic MAL release at our institution. Data collected included patient demographics, preoperative symptoms, operative approach, and postoperative outcomes. Patients were then contacted to complete a postoperative survey designed to assess the improvement of symptoms and overall patient satisfaction. Results A total of 39 patients (33 women and 6 men) underwent laparoscopic MAL release from March 2007 to July 2014. Mean age was 40.6 years (range, 17–77 years). Thirty of 39 patients had a postoperative celiac axis ultrasound. Twenty-three had a patent celiac axis on postoperative duplex. Of the remaining 7, 5 with residual celiac axis stenosis and 1 with occlusion, reported complete resolution of their symptoms. One remaining patient with occlusion remained symptomatic. Thirty-three of 39 (84.6%) reported symptom relief after surgery. Nine of 33 (27.3%) responders had cardiovascular risk factors versus 4 of 6 (67%) nonresponders. Five patients with atypical presentations underwent preoperative diagnostic celiac plexus block using local anesthetic, with 4 reporting symptom reliefs after block. These 4 patients also reported postoperative symptom relief. One patient of 39 received a postoperative celiac stent placement and remained symptomatic. There were 4 conversions to open surgery (10.3%) and no deaths. Conclusions Laparoscopic MAL release continues to be a safe and effective means of managing MALS. Our data suggest that the symptoms associated with MALS are not related to vascular compromise, and atherosclerotic risk factors may predict poorer outcomes. Symptomatic relief is seen in the vast majority of patients undergoing this procedure. However, patient selection remains critically important in obtaining optimal results.
The current and future needs and production of engineers and scientists in the United States

Engineers and scientists are important to the economic well being and national defense of the United States. They conceive new ideas and create new products which are needed for use but which are also needed to maintain and grow our country's capability to compete internationally for markets and for jobs. The need for engineers and scientists has increased substantially over the last twenty years due to population growth and the increased importance and need for technology. However, the number of engineers and scientists being produced by the US has decreased substantially. This paper describes the decreases; its causes, and the impact at the undergraduate and graduate levels, along with possible solutions.
Management Development: Context and Strategies

Reviews the book “Management Development: Context and Strategies,” edited by J. Burgoyne and R. Stuart.
Noninvasively measuring the hemodynamic effects of massage on skeletal muscle: A novel hybrid near-infrared diffuse optical instrument

Increase in tissue blood flow is one of the most acknowledged potential effects of massage; however, actual research studies examining this phenomenon are inconsistent and inconclusive. One possible reason for continued uncertainty regarding this topic is methodology, specifically how tissue blood flow is measured because limitations exist in previously utilized technologies. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) affords massage researchers a versatile and non-invasive measurement option by providing dynamic information on oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations, total hemoglobin concentration, and blood oxygen saturation in deep tissue. Near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is an innovative technique for continuous non-invasive measurement of blood flow in deep tissue. The combination of these two technologies has resulted in a novel hybrid diffuse optical instrument for simultaneous measurement of limb muscle blood flow and oxygenation. The purposes of this short report are to review previous blood flow measurement techniques and limitations in massage therapy research, introduce a novel hybrid near-infrared diffuse optical instrument that addresses previous limitations in the assessment of hemodynamic properties, outline a proposed massage therapy pilot study utilizing the novel measurement technology, and present sample data from a pilot participant using the introduced novel technology.