cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technical Note: Universal method for determining train values of planetary gear trains

This paper presents a new universal method for determining train values for ordinary and planetary gear trains which has been developed on the basis of defining the general equation of power and then the general equation of motion has been derived using simple mathematical relationships. Then, the general equation of motion has been applied to determine train values for the Wilson planetary gear transmission as a numerical example.
Robotic thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy: An initial experience with retroauricular approach.

Background New approaches for robotic-assisted thyroidectomy were recently described. The purpose of this study was to present the report of our initial experience using a retroauricular approach for thyroid and parathyroid surgeries. Methods This is a prospective study that was conducted under institutional review board approval and all surgeries were performed by a single surgeon at a North American academic institution. Some patients underwent an additional concomitant neck lift surgery in addition to the thyroid surgery. Some cases were performed without the use of the robot and they have been evaluated compared with the robotic cases. Clinical characteristics, total operative time, blood loss, surgical outcome, and length of hospital stay were evaluated. Results Forty cases representing thirty-eight female patients were included in this study, which includes 37 thyroid lobectomies and 3 parathyroid surgeries. Mean age was 44 ± 13 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.9 ± 5.31. Mean thyroid nodule size was 2.01 ± 0.94 cm. All cases were completed successfully via a single retroauricular incision. There was no conversion to an open approach. Six of 38 patients underwent additional neck lift surgery with a mean total operative time of 189 ± 45 minutes. The mean operative time for the remaining 34 patients who underwent retroauricular robotic-assisted hemithyroidectomy without neck lift surgery was 156 ± 39 minutes. Five patients underwent an endoscopic, retroauricular approach to the thyroid and parathyroid without using the robot. Two of 38 patients developed postoperative hematoma, in whom one of them needed a surgical evacuation. There were no cases of permanent vocal cord paralysis or permanent hypoparathyroidism. However, 2 patients developed transient hoarseness, which resolved 9 weeks and 10 weeks postoperatively, respectively. Mean blood loss was 19.0 ± 30.93 mL. Twenty-one patients were discharged on the same day of surgery, 17 patients were discharged after an overnight stay, and the remaining 2 patients were discharged after 2 days. Conclusion Single-incision retroauricular robotic hemithyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy can be safe and feasible and concomitant neck lift surgery can be offered in a select group of patients. In addition, the nonrobotic retroauricular approach can be performed safely; however, future studies are warranted to further evaluate the benefits and limitations of this novel robotic retroauricular surgical approach.
Frequency and consequences of ventricular hypertrophy in pregnant women with treated chronic hypertension.

Background Ventricular hypertrophy is a known sequela of long-standing chronic hypertension with associated morbidity and mortality. Objective We sought to assess the frequency and importance of left ventricular hypertrophy in gravidas treated for chronic hypertension during pregnancy. Study Design This was a retrospective study of pregnant women with chronic hypertension who were delivered at our hospital from January 2009 through February 2015. All women who were given antihypertensive therapy underwent maternal echocardiography and were managed in a dedicated, high-risk prenatal clinic. Left ventricular hypertrophy was defined using the criteria of the American Society of Echocardiography as left ventricular mass indexed to maternal body surface area with a value of >95 g/m 2 . Maternal and infant outcomes were then analyzed according to the presence or absence of left ventricular hypertrophy. Results Of 253 women who underwent echocardiography, 48 (19%) met criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy. Women in this latter cohort were significantly more likely to be African American ( P = .031), but there were no other demographic differences. More than 85% of the entire cohort had a body mass index >30 kg/m 2 and a third of all women had class III obesity with a body mass index of >40 kg/m 2 . Importantly, duration of chronic hypertension ( P = .248) and gestational age at time of echocardiography ( P = .316) did not differ significantly between the groups. Left ventricular function was preserved in both groups as measured by left ventricular ejection fraction ( P = .303). Those with ventricular hypertrophy were at greater risk to be delivered preterm ( P = .001), to develop superimposed preeclampsia ( P = .028), and to have an infant requiring intensive care ( P = .023) when compared with women without ventricular hypertrophy. These findings persisted after adjustment for age, race, and parity. The gestational age at delivery according to measured left ventricular size was also examined and with increasing ventricular mass there was a significant association with the severity of preterm birth ( P Conclusion Left ventricular hypertrophy was identified in 1 in 5 women given antepartum treatment for chronic hypertension. Further analysis showed that these women were at significantly greater risk for superimposed preeclampsia and its attendant perinatal sequelae of preterm birth.
Family Dynamics May Influence an Individual's Substance Use Abstinence Self-Efficacy.

Background Previous work on substance use suggests the influence of family dynamics on emotion regulation. Objective The present study examined the role of family in substance use recovery. It is of importance to examine whether conflict with various family members influences an individual's abstinence self-efficacy. Methods We examined individual abstinence self-efficacy scores and lifetime conflict with mother, father, and siblings in a sample of 200 women who had been justice involved. Results We found that conflict with mother was the best predictor of abstinence self-efficacy compared to conflict with father and conflict with siblings. Individuals who indicated having conflict with mother over their lifetime had lower confidence that they could abstain from use in potentially emotionally triggering situations. Conclusions/importance These findings suggest that family dynamics, specifically lifetime conflict with mother, do play a role in an individual's confidence to regulate emotions in high-risk relapse situations without turning to substances. Limitations include using abstinence self-efficacy as a proxy for emotion regulation and not directly measuring emotion regulation. Examining family relationships may be especially important in the treatment of women in recovery from substance use.
On the 50th Anniversary of the Tanglewood Symposium

In my previous column, I endeavored to talk about the future by looking to the past to chronicle the many efforts that had been made to move music education and music teacher education forward. I mentioned the 1967 Tanglewood Symposium as a touchstone, a point of demarcation that represented a call for change in the way we teach about music as well as in the way we prepare those who will teach it. By the time this column is published, we will have observed the 50th anniversary of the Symposium, and as is often the case with anniversaries, I am tempted to reflect on the meanings this event had and still has for our profession.
Refining Pragmatically-appropriate Oral Communication Via Computer-simulated Conversations

ABSTRACTTo address the problem of limited opportunities for practicing second language speaking in interaction, especially delicate interactions requiring pragmatic competence, we describe computer simulations designed for the oral practice of extended pragmatic routines and report on the affordances of such simulations for learning pragmatically appropriate communication. Twelve highly proficient learners of English completed six simulated conversations focused on making requests in academic contexts. Evidence of learning was examined microgenetically by comparing data across the simulated conversations and triangulated by written reflections, surveys, and interviews. Results showed that participants gained content and linguistic forms from expert speaker models, and their interactions in scenario-based simulations indicated greater pragmatic awareness and changes in oral production over time. The majority of participants viewed the program positively, commenting on features such as its authenticity and ...
Current views on chelicerate phylogeny—A tribute to Peter Weygoldt

Abstract Peter Weygoldt pioneered studies of arachnid phylogeny by providing the first synapomorphy scheme to underpin inter-ordinal relationships. Since this seminal work, arachnid relationships have been evaluated using morphological characters of extant and fossil taxa as well as multiple generations of molecular sequence data. While nearly all datasets agree on the monophyly of Tetrapulmonata, and modern analyses of molecules and novel morphological and genomic data support Arachnopulmonata (a sister group relationship of Scorpiones to Tetrapulmonata), the relationships of the apulmonate arachnid orders remain largely unresolved. Three threads may allow us to resolve the recalcitrant phylogeny of arachnids: the careful evaluation of large amounts of molecular data; novel techniques grounded in comparative morphology and evolutionary developmental biology, which add improved homology statements and explain the transition between character states; and new fossil discoveries, which continue to incorporate relevant novel data to the discussion of the relationships among the arachnid orders.
Topics in Laser-Driven Acceleration

A focused laser beam can easily produce an extremely high electric field at the focal point. For example, a laser beam with an energy of 1 J and pulse duration of 100 fs focused to a spot size of 10 \(\upmu \)m, has a maximum electric field of about 40 GV/cm which is many orders of magnitude larger than what is used in traditional accelerators. In this chapter we will discuss several topics related to the possibility of using laser fields for accelerating charged particles.
SYNTHESIZING THE VERTICAL AND THE HORIZONTAL: A World-Ecological Analysis of 'the Industrial Revolution', Part I

'The Industrial Revolution' is simultaneously one of the most under-examined and overly-simplified concepts in all of social science. One of the ways it is highly under-examined is in the arena of the ecological, particularly through the lens of critical world-history. This paper attempts to analyze the phenomenon through the lens of the world-ecology synthesis, in three distinct phases: First, the history of the conceptualization of the Industrial Revolution is examined at length, paying special attention to the knowledge foundations that determine these conceptualizations. Secondly, I sift out what I believe is the dominant model throughout most of modern and now postmodern history, which I identify as the techno-economic narrative. I then present the main critical world-historical challenge to that argument (that the Industrial Revolution was a unified, linear, two-century phenomenon) by outlining the critical interpretations of Fernand Braudel, Immanuel Wallerstein, Giovanni Arrighi, among others, leading a view of industrialization that is over the very long term, or what Braudel referred to as the longue duree. This long-view form of critical historical analysis is unabashedly Marxist, so there is some foray into various pieces of the Marxian canon, pieces that are often left untouched or at the least under-utilized in many politico-economic analyses of environmental history and politico-ecological narratives as well. Thirdly, I attempt to bring this new long-form view of industrialization more firmly into the ecological, but filtering the basic presuppositions of the 'techno-economic' narratives and the Marxist 'critical world-historical' narratives through the presuppositions of Jason W. Moore's world-ecology synthesis. What we arrive at through this filtering process is a very different view of the Industrial Revolution than we are used to hearing about. This is Part I of a much larger research process, one that I intend to bring into the present and future by looking at the development process of the BRICS as the next extension of the Industrial Revolution. What this paper is most concerned with is re-igniting what I think is a valuable debate among theorists, economic historians, and Marxist ecological thinkers, the debate about what exactly this phenomenon was, is, and will be. My small contribution is to re-define it in relationship to its really-existing history, including its antecedents and possible future expansions.
The Assimilative Capacity of the Oceans for Wastes

It is inevitable that the compositions of ocean waters will change continuously in the future. An increasing world population with an increasing appetite for material goods and energy will product an increasing amount of waste. Modern societies do not accumulate or recycle materials -- they dispose. The discharge of the unwanted substances can take place in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere through incineration or pyrolysis. Most of the materials will be benign and will neither interfere with life processes nor damage the environment. However, a part of the wastes is hazardous and can jeopardize the resources of the surroundings. Herein, I will present an assessment of conventional wisdom on the abilities of the oceans to accept a part of these generated wastes, the presently perceived dangers to marine resources through the promiscuous release of materials, and some strategies to effectively use the oceans as waste space. I will use data from the United States to illustrate the problems of an industrialized nation, while I will treat the problems of the developing countries in a general way.
Abstract Clone Theory

A concrete clone is a family of operations on a set, containing all projection operations and closed under all meaningful compositions. The abstract clones discussed here form an axiomatic version of the concrete notion. They stand in the same relation to concrete clones as that of groups to permutation groups. Roughly speaking, each representation of an abstract clone C is an algebra A, and the family of all these algebras A is a variety V. This correspondence is bijective between isomorphism types of clones C and equivalence classes of varieties V. In this context, surjective clone homomorphisms correspond to the embedding of one variety in another, and injective homomorphisms correspond to the formation of reduct varieties.
Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Infections-Decision-Making Process in Complex Patients: Report of 3 Cases

Cardiac implantable electronic devices infections are becoming increasingly frequent with more of these devices being implanted in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. They carry high morb...
Barriers and facilitators to digital health collaboration between academia and industry: a cross-cultural analysis

Abstract Background In a landscape of rising chronic disease burden in middle-income and high-income countries, digital health is seen as a promising solution to improving population health. Importantly, the development and uptake of digital health technologies require multisectoral efforts from academia and industry. However, few have explored the factors that help or hinder the success of these collaborations. Our study aims to identify the themes, barriers, and facilitators associated with industry–academia collaborations in digital health in middle-income and high-income countries. Methods Trained researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 stakeholders who are active in industry (n=11), academia (n=11), or both (n=1) using prespecified interview guides. Stakeholders were based in World-Bank-defined middle-income countries (China, India; n=15) or high-income countries (USA, Australia, Singapore; n=8). Interviews were conducted in the stakeholder's language of choice (Chinese, n=12; English, n=11). Qualitative interview questions elicited discussions about stakeholders' past experience with academia–industry collaboration, challenges they faced, and factors that facilitated the process. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive content analysis. A codebook was developed by the research team over five iterations and used by two bilingual coders to thematically code the data. Findings Four central themes emerged from the discussions: stakeholder role in collaboration, communication between partners, goals or expectations, and individual priorities. Stakeholders in both academia and industry identified several facilitating factors for successful collaborations: the adoption of complementary roles; authentic communication between partners; and clearly outlined goals or expectations before the collaboration begins. Misaligned goals or expectations, particularly differences in timeline and difficulties balancing business outcomes versus scientific evidence, were identified as the primary barriers. Stakeholders in high-income countries reported inauthentic communication as a significant barrier to collaboration, whereas those in middle-income countries did not. Interpretation This study highlights the need for increased planning and communication prior to and throughout collaborations between academia and industry in the field of digital health. Outlining each party's goals and expectations about timelines, assigning complementary roles, and communication about priorities will facilitate fruitful collaborations in the future. Furthermore, best practices for communication styles may depend on the cultural setting and, thus, should be adopted accordingly. Funding None.
Identifying Hidden Risks in Multi-Stakeholder, Dynamic System Development Environments

In this paper the authors explore the causes and effects of material weaknesses in multi-stakeholder, dynamic system development environments. In traditional system development, cost, schedule and performance measures and metrics are often used to baseline activity and quantify risk. Yet, system development efforts often fail to deliver the desired outcome or have catastrophic in-progress effects regardless of achieving the desired milestones and metrics. While cost, schedule and performance challenges clearly identify risks, the authors assert that the alignment of beliefs between stakeholders about expectations across system development activities add a level of insight that improves the ability of stakeholders to discover unknown risks and manage to successful system outcomes. To test this assertion the authors developed a probabilistic Bayesian Belief Network informed by retrospective, historical case studies. The model provides a mechanism to understand the stakeholders’ beliefs and how these beliefs directly influence decisions and risks. This model was then tested by an analysis of active system development projects to see if it could identify, in a prospective sense, possible material weaknesses It is envisioned that this approach can be used as an initial analysis tool to baseline system development endeavors and provide continuous assessment in dynamic environments.
A new phase field fracture model for brittle materials that accounts for elastic anisotropy

Abstract In this manuscript, a new phase field model of brittle fracture is proposed that accounts for any elastic anisotropy using spectral decomposition of the stress. To verify the model, both Mode I and Mode II fracture simulations were performed to ensure that the correct crack paths were predicted. Next, the fracture of face-centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close packed (HCP) single crystals was modeled, comparing the impact of crystal orientation on the stress–strain curve. Third, fracture in an HCP bicrystal was simulated and the impact of crystal orientation on the crack paths and stress–strain curves was studied. Finally, a polycrystal structure was simulated to study the impact of crystallographic texture on transgranular fracture.
Body mass index and peripheral artery disease

Abstract Background and aims An independent association of body mass index (BMI) with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is somewhat controversial and may differ by vascular bed. Sex-specific risk factors for atherosclerosis may further modify these associations. Obesity and peripheral artery disease (PAD) are both more prevalent in women. We sought to determine the association between PAD and BMI using a very large population-based study. Methods Self-referred individuals at >20,000 US sites completed medical questionnaires including height and weight, and were evaluated by screening ankle brachial indices (ABI) for PAD (ABI Results Among 3,250,350 individuals, the mean age was 63.1 ± 10.5 years and 65.5% were women. The mean BMI was 27.7 ± 5.8 kg/m2. 27.8% of participants were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) – 27.6% females, 28.1% males. Overweight individuals (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2) exhibited the lowest prevalence of PAD. There was a J-shaped association of BMI with prevalent PAD. After adjustment for age and cardiovascular risk factors, underweight was associated with similarly increased odds of PAD (1.72 vs. 1.39, women and men, respectively). The association of obesity with PAD was predominant in women, with only a slight association of increasing BMI with PAD in men (OR = 2.98 vs. 1.37 for BMI ≥40 kg/m2). Conclusions Our study suggests that increasing BMI is a robust independent risk factor for PAD only in women. This observation requires validation, but highlights the need for further research on sex-specific risk and mechanisms of atherosclerosis.
Are There Ethical Reasons to Preserve Biodiversity Against Local Communities

The chapter is about the conflict between preserving biodiversity and fulfilling the basic human needs of local communities residing within and near protected areas. The chapter argues that local human communities should be allowed to exploit resources within and near protected areas even if that exploitation by human local communities is harmful to biodiversity. A claim is made that all types of biodiversity are not of equal value and do not matter at the same level; there are differences in functions; some species or ecosystems matter more than others. As a defense for this view appeal is made to biological concepts such as trophic levels, keystone species, hotspot areas, and the species redundancy, which all hierarchize biodiversity in different degrees of importance. The chapter also claims that the most convincing argument in defense of biodiversity conservation is to appeal to instrumental values. Biodiversity matters more to humans for the services it provides to human well-being than for any other reasons. In this sense, the argument runs that there might be ethical reasons why harmful human activities by local communities should be allowed. Several strands of arguments, including the biological species redundancy, the ethical notion of the sacredness of human life (right to life), the distributive justice (jus soli, rights of the first occupants and environmental justice) are used in the support the main claim of the chapter that regardless of circumstances, human local communities should be allowed to use natural resources. The chapter finally discusses the possible reconciliation between human basic needs and biodiversity, arguing that partial (at least) reconciliations are possible in most cases through possible hierarchizing harms, accounting for scales, and identifying trade-offs by agreeing with local communities, in a participative process, on what can be extracted by local communities.
Agency in the fentanyl era: Exploring the utility of fentanyl test strips in an opaque drug market.

Abstract Background In Baltimore, the emergence of fentanyl and its analogues exacerbated an existing heroin crisis and increased uncertainty about drug composition and potency. In an effort to reduce overdoses, harm reduction organizations and health departments across the U.S. began distributing fentanyl test strips, a low barrier, inexpensive drug checking strategy. Studies show that people who use drugs (PWUD) frequently suspect that their drugs contain fentanyl and are interested in using fentanyl test strips to check their drugs; however, some people question their usefulness in regions where fentanyl presence is assumed. Understanding the utility of fentanyl test strips in fentanyl-saturated markets is a priority to best tailor interventions. Methods In-depth interviews (N = 20) were conducted with individuals who reported recent (past 30 days) opioid use in Baltimore, MD. Results Fentanyl was viewed as pervasive, dangerous, and difficult to avoid in the local drug supply. This dominant narrative characterized PWUD as disempowered by the heightened unpredictability of the drug market. While several strategies are used to navigate the drug market, respondents wanted more information about their drugs. In this context, fentanyl test strips were used in unique and unexpected ways to empower PWUD to be savvier market consumers, including avoiding fentanyl when there could be negative social or legal consequences, negotiating with dealers, and helping others in their social network navigate the opaque drug market. Conclusion These findings add nuance and place fentanyl preference and use in the context of the drug market. When fentanyl presence is assumed, people used fentanyl test strips in unexpected ways to gain some control over their drug use. Novel uses for fentanyl test strips strengthen existing strategies used to navigate the drug market and mitigate overdose risk, and highlight their potential to quickly disseminate valuable information about the local drug supply.
Ethnic Identity and Coping Strategies as Moderators of COVID-19 Racial Discrimination Experiences Among Chinese Americans

A moderated mediation path analysis indicated COVID-19 racial discrimination was negatively associated with life satisfaction and positively related to depression in Chinese immigrants and Chinese ...
Perception of Internal Controls Helps Explain Whistleblowing

The nonprofit sector may suffer financially from inconsistency in regulations and polices surrounding internal control implementation. To address this issue, our study explores how perceived intern...
The impact of primary processes and secondary alteration on the stable isotope composition of ocean island basalts

Abstract Molybdenum and uranium are redox sensitive elements that experience isotope fractionation in the Earth-surface environment. Recent studies have explored the transfer of these fractionated signals in subduction zones to arc magmas, but less is known about the full variation of these isotopic tracers in the mantle, particularly domains of the mantle that may feed hot spots. Here, we present Mo and U isotope data for lava samples from Pitcairn, the Samoan Islands, and St. Helena, representing classic localities for the EM-1 (enriched mantle 1), EM-2 (enriched mantle 2) and HIMU (high μ, where μ is 238U/204Pb) endmembers. Mo and U isotope compositions are highly variable for each location, and the range of variation largely overlaps between the three localities. However, some of this variation may be attributable to chemical weathering and low-temperature alteration effects, as revealed by 234U/238U disequilibrium, also reported here; many samples, especially from Pitcairn, have a 234U deficit, while a few others have a 234U excess. Samples with the greatest 234U deficit tend to have the highest Ce/Mo for a given locality and samples with the lowest δ98Mo typically show considerable 234U/238U disequilibrium, suggesting that Mo was leached during weathering with preferential loss of heavy isotopes. Of the samples with 234U and 238U activity in equilibrium from the three localities, most have δ98Mo values lower than the published average for MORB, but they have δ238U values within uncertainty of MORB. In contrast, two Samoan samples have δ98Mo values similar to MORB but have isotopically light δ238U. While the low δ98Mo seen in many samples could be attributable to the incorporation of subducted sediments into the plume sources, such sediment would have needed to be deposited under oxic oceanographic conditions that were not prevalent until the Neoproterozoic; in contrast, radiogenic isotope compositions tend to point towards a much greater age of recycled components in the plume sources. Instead, we consider the most likely cause of the light Mo isotope compositions to be incorporation into the source region of ancient subducted ocean crust that experienced Mo isotope fractionation during devolatilization, which favored loss of the heavy isotopes, as has been proposed in several recent studies. This is in line with models for the origin of the EM-1 and HIMU source, along with a portion of the Samoan source. The two Samoan samples with isotopically light U, but MORB-like δ98Mo, may reflect influence of a distinct pool of mid-Proterozoic recycled ocean crust.
Color me calm: Grayscale phone setting reduces anxiety and problematic smartphone use

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is a topic that is routinely examined in the empirical literature. Given an individual’s inability to control their phone use, PSU is commonly related to a host of negative outcomes including declines in academic and work productivity, sleep difficulties, risky driving and psychopathological concerns. Though PSU may be related to issues in individuals lives, there is currently a paucity of empirical works that evaluate methods to reduce PSU. Prior work has shown switching one’s phone display to grayscale is an efficacious method in reducing phone use. Though, it has not been previously studied if this reduces PSU. This study consisted of 133 college students who came to the lab on two separate visits. After receiving baseline data, 63 participants had their phone’s screen display changed to grayscale and told to not switch it back until after their second visit. Participants who had their phones in grayscale exhibited a significant decrease in PSU, anxiety, and screen time during their second visit. Though it should be noted, no significant changes to depression were found and the decrease in anxiety experienced by grayscale condition participants may not be clinically significant. Aside from these considerations, it appears smartphone use in grayscale is less gratifying, which makes it easier for individuals to regulate their smartphone use. A discussion of study limitations and implications for future research is outlined.
To Kill a Cleric?: The Al-Awlaki Case and the Chaplaincy Exception under the Laws of War

Anwar al-Awlaki was the first American citizen to be targeted for extrajudicial assassination by the Obama administration. While scholarly attention has focused on legality of his killing under domestic law, his status as a chaplain under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) has gone unexamined. The possibility that Anwar al-Awlaki may have been a protected person as a chaplain has profound ramifications for the legality of his killing and for the conduct of the war on terror more generally. As the definition of a "Chaplain" under IHL is under-developed at best and vague at worst, ideologues such as Mr. al-Awlaki operate in a liminal legal space where they are protected from force or capture under IHL while contributing to the recruitment, moral resolve, and legitimation of the group to which they are attached. The assassination of a cleric has the potential of conveying the message that the war on terror is in a war against Islam as a religion, a claim that has served as a potent recruiting tool for American adversaries. This paper offers a preliminary assessment of the applicability of the IHL chaplaincy exception to Anwar al-Awlaki and the implications of such protections should they apply, as well as pointing out the existence of a gap in the IHL framework. The paper begins by providing a brief history of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Awlaki¹s journey to affiliation with AQAP. Next, I offer a detailed analysis of the positions offered by the Bush and Obama Administrations on the legality of targeting al-Awlaki under IHL. After examining the body of international humanitarian legal rules applicable to the al-Awlaki killing, the paper interrogates the degree to which al-Awlaki conformed to the standard of religious personnel due specific protections under IHL. Based on this analysis, I conclude that the chaplaincy exception is a missing dimension to accounts of the legality of the Awlaki killing with important implication for future targeting decisions taken by the U.S, and for the future development of IHL.
Neuromorphic Computing for Autonomous Racing

Neuromorphic computing has many opportunities in future autonomous systems, especially those that will operate at the edge. However, there are relatively few demonstrations of neuromorphic implementations on real-world applications, partly because of the lack of availability of neuromorphic hardware and software, but also because of the lack of availability of an accessible demonstration platform. In this work, we propose utilizing the F1Tenth platform as an evaluation task for neuromorphic computing. F1Tenth is a competition wherein one tenth scale cars compete in an autonomous racing task; there are significant open source resources in both software and hardware for realizing this task. We present a workflow with neuromorphic hardware, software, and training that can be used to develop a spiking neural network for neuromorphic hardware deployment to perform autonomous racing. We present initial results on utilizing this approach for this small-scale, real-world autonomous vehicle task.
The Analytic Decision Game

Gaining and maintaining student attention has been a long sought-after goal of education professionals across all levels of instruction—from pre-school to graduate school—keeping students (and educators) engaged throughout the learning process can be a challenge. Noted educational theorist John Dewey stressed the importance of student initiative and excitement in the learning process. Dewey believed the ideal educational model was one that promoted creativity and the development of problem-solving skills (Dewey 1938). Thanks in large part to Dewey educators in the U.S. began to incorporate experiential methods into their classrooms. Problem-based learning was shifted from traditional teacher-centered instruction to a more student-interactive process. And along came the on-rush of technology. In today’s era of ubiquitous communication, social media and the “app,” students not only want to be engaged, but they also want to be stimulated by technology. This need for constant stimulation can cause educators to question their role in the teaching process. When does education become “edutainment” and when does the use of technology overshadow content? At Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology we are exploring various innovative teaching and learning methods to address this issue. This essay explores the use of one such method, the Analytic Decision Game.
Kinetics of Radiation-Induced Segregation in Ternary Alloys

Model calculations of radiation-induced segregation in ternary alloys have been performed, using a simple theory. The theoretical model describes the coupling between the fluxes of radiation-induced defects and alloying elements in an alloy A-B-C by partitioning the defect fluxes into those occurring via A-, B-, and C-atoms, and the atom fluxes into those taking place via vacancies and interstitials. The defect and atom fluxes can be expressed in terms of concentrations and concentration gradients of all the species present. With reasonable simplifications, the radiation-induced segregation problem can be cast into a system of four coupled partial-differential equations, which can be solved numerically for appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Model calculations have been performed for ternary solid solutions intended to be representative of Fe-Cr-Ni and Ni-AL-Si alloys under various irradiation conditions. The dependence of segregation on both the alloy properties and the irradiation variables, e.g., temperature and displacement rate, was calculated. The sample calculations are in good qualitative agreement with the general trends of radiation-induced segregation observed experimentally.
Finding Regions of Interest in Large Scientific Datasets

Consider a scientific range query, such as find all places in Africa where yesterday the temperature was over 35 degrees and it rained . In theory, one can answer such queries by returning all geographic points that satisfy the query condition. However, in practice, users do not find this low-level answer very useful; instead they require the points to be consolidated into regions, i.e., sets of points that all satisfy the query conditions and are adjacent in the underlying mesh. In this paper, we show that when a high-quality index is used to find the points and a good traditional connected component labeling algorithm is used to build the regions, the cost of consolidating the points into regions dominates range query response time. We then show how to find query result points and consolidate them into regions in expected time that is sublinear in the number of result points. This seemingly miraculous speedup comes from a point lookup phase that uses bitmap indexes and produces a compressed bitmap as the intermediate query result, followed by a region consolidation phase that operates directly on the intermediate query result bitmap and exploits the spatial properties of the underlying mesh to greatly reduce the cost of consolidating the result points into regions. Our experiments with real-world scientific data demonstrate that in practice, our approach to region consolidation is over 10 times faster than a traditional connected component algorithm.
Consumer Field Tests and Questionnaire Design

How is the goodwill of a consumer to be earned and maintained in a competitive marketplace? One strategy is to ensure that the consumer perceives, through the senses, the characteristics that make the company’s product superior to competitors’ products, and thus more desirable. Furthermore, this perception must be maintained to build brand loyalty and to ensure repurchase. The sustainability of the perception of quality is important long after the initial rush of interest from advertising claims and promotions that surround a new product introduction. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the techniques for consumer product testing in the field on a blind-labeled basis that ensures the sustainable perception of positive product characteristics.
The Opacity of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies and Their Contribution to Quasar Absorption

The sum of the mass in the luminous parts of the ∼ 1010 galaxies in the universe amounts to only 0.3% of the closure density. Since this is well below the lower bound predicted by the successful model of big bang nucleosynthesis (Walker et al. 1991), there are presumably many baryons waiting to be found. Dust can dim and redden the light from distant galaxies, removing them from optical catalogs. It can also extinguish the light from background quasars, and so obscure our view of the high redshift universe (Heisler & Ostriker 1988). In addition, there is a strong observational selection against diffuse or low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies (Disney & Phillips 1983), or galaxies that have not converted much of their gas into stars. Galaxies with intermediate surface brightness are visible out larger distances, so such galaxies must be overrepresented in any catalog. Both issues, the presence of dust and the neglect of LSB galaxies, hamper a complete census of baryons.
Relativistic interactions and reducible representations of the Poincaré group

We study the representations of the Poincare group corresponding to elastic scattering of scalar particles (no bound states). These representations are unitarily equivalent to the one describing free particles. Not all such unitarily equivalent representations are of interest in physics. We derive a simple lemma characterizing those representations which are physically acceptable,i.e. reproduce the standard results of formal scattering theory.
Implementation of a virtual environment for traffic accident simulation

This Part II of a two-part paper presents the development of a prototype of the INtelligent TRaffic Evaluator for Prompt Incident Diagnosis using a Reality Engine (INTREPID-RE), a system that simulates a traffic accident site using virtual reality. While Part I emphasizes the construction of the user interface control panel and the 3D objects, this paper describes the development of the virtual reality algorithm, environment and models. During the simulation process, novice highway patrol officers wear a head-mounted display and a cyberglove to enter and view an accident scene that they create, and assess the magnitude and severity of the traffic accident. Based on their assessments, patrol officers establish an on-site traffic control strategy and coordinate parking of emergency vehicles that minimizes unnecessary traffic congestion. Officers use INTREPID-RE to secure a safe area for on-site patrol officers, create a channel to permit other drivers to pass the site, and dispatch highway patrol and emergency vehicles to the accident site. The interactive positioning function allows a virtual hand to simulate the positioning of emergency vehicles and clearing of accident vehicles on the road. Six domain experts who evaluated INTREPID-RE rated the system as good and agree that it has the potential to become a promising tool for training novice police officers.
Modal analysis of corrugated rectangular waveguides supporting left-hand propagation

The purpose of this work is to investigate the possibility of supporting LH propagation in rectangular waveguides with dielectric-filled broad wall corrugations. In this paper, spectral analysis of a corrugated waveguide is performed based on the dyadic Green's function approach in conjunction with Floquet's theorem analysis of periodic structures to determine the dispersion characteristics and modal field distribution.
Visualization of surface immunoglobulin of human B lymphocytes using microsophere-immunoglobulin conjugate in Giemsa-stained preparations.

Abstract In studies of normal and neoplastic lymphocytes it is important to correlate immunological findings with cell identification by cytological criteria. The demonstration of surface immunoglobulin (SIg) using direct immunoflourescence remains the principal method for the identification of B lymphocytes, but suffers from significant disadvantages in that preparations are not permanent and the morphological features of SIg-positive and -negative cells are not discernable. This paper describes the demonstration of lymphocyte SIg using a two-stage mixed antiglobulin procedure and polymeric microspheres coated with immunoglobulin. The labeling of cells by the immunoglobulin-coated microspheres can be assessed by light microscopy in Giemsa-stained preparations. Cytological detail is good and the method allows quantitation of the relative density of SIg of normal and neoplastic lymphoid cells.
Preparation and Properties of Starch Phosphates Using Waxy, Common, and High-Amylose Corn Starches. II. Reactive Extrusion Method

ABSTRACT The structure and physicochemical properties of extruded waxy, common, and high-amylose corn starch phosphates prepared using slurry and dry-mixing treatments were studied. Extrusion parameters including moisture content and zone temperatures were optimized. All phosphorylated starches showed improved freeze-thaw stability, decreased retrogradation, and improved water binding relative to their parent starches. The extrusion process greatly increased the degree of phosphorylation compared with the conventional oven-heating method. The extrusion parameters of high pressure, temperature, and shear enhanced the efficiency of phosphorus incorporation. The slurry treatment was more effective than dry mixing in incorporating phosphate groups because its higher moisture content allowed for better mixing under the reaction conditions studied. The phosphorylated starches prepared by the slurry treatment exhibited a lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy, a higher pasting viscosity profile, and impro...
Tubular basement membrane changes during induction and regression of drug-induced polycystic kidney disease

Tubular basement membrane changes during induction and regression of drug-induced polycystic kidney disease. Defective cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) biophysiology is considered a factor in the development of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Altered biosynthesis of various ECM components may result in tubular dysmorphogenesis and uncontrolled tubular cystic expansion. In this study, expression of certain ECM components was investigated in a diphenylthiazole (DPT)-induced rat model of PKD. DPT induces cystic change in all the collecting tubules, most severe in the outer medulla and inner cortex, and following withdrawal of DPT, cystic tubules return to normal with persistence of focal interstitial fibrosis. SDS-PAGE analyses of isolated tubular basement membranes (TBMs) of control and PKD kidneys revealed overall similar electrophoretic migratory bands. However, in PKD, there were relative increases in components with M r ˜ 380,000, 250,000 and 145,000, and a decrease in the component with M r ˜ 55,000. Immunoblot analyses revealed that the major components of TBM (type-IV collagen, laminin β 1 and β 2 chains and entactin) were present in the same relative concentrations in control and PKD. The expression of tubulointerstitial (TIN) antigen was decreased. Also, the relative concentrations of type-I collagen and fibronectin were increased in the PKD group. Following recovery, the expressions of TIN and fibronectin returned to normal, whereas type-I collagen remained elevated. ELISA determinations revealed increased expression of interstitial collagens type-I, -V and -VI in PKD vs control and they remained elevated following recovery, while that of type-III was unchanged. Since cell-matrix integrity is vital in the maintenance of normal biophysiology of the renal tubule, the observed altered expressions in various ECM glycoproteins may be relevant to the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the development and progression of PKD.
Voltammetry at micropipet electrodes.

The use of micropipet electrodes for quantitative voltammetric measurements of ion-transfer (IT) and electron-transfer (ET) reactions at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) requires knowledge of geometry of the liquid interface. The shape of the meniscus formed at the pipet tip was studied in situ by video microscopy under controlled pressure. The shape of the interface can be changed from a complete sphere to a concave spherical cap by varying the pressure applied to the pipet, and the diffusion current to the pipet changes accordingly. With no external pressure applied, the water/organic interface turned out to be flat, and the voltammetric response of a pipet must follow the well-known theory for a microdisk electrode. The large deviations from this theory observed previously can be attributed to a small amount of the filling aqueous solution which escapes from the pipet and forms a thin layer on its outer wall. This effect can be eliminated by making the outer pipet wall...