cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Break-up of droplets in a concentrated emulsion flowing through a narrow constriction

This paper describes the break-up of droplets in a concentrated emulsion during its flow as a 2D monolayer in a microchannel consisting of a narrow constriction. Analysis of the behavior of a large number of drops (N > 4000) shows that the number of break-ups increases with increasing flow rate, entrance angle to the constriction, and size of the drops relative to the width of the constriction. As single drops do not break at the highest flow rate used in the system, break-ups arise primarily from droplet–droplet interactions. Analysis of droplet properties at a high temporal resolution of 10 microseconds makes it possible to relate droplet deformation with droplet break-up probability. Similar to previous studies on single drops, no break-up is observed below a set of critical flow rates and droplet deformations. Unlike previous studies, however, not all drops undergo break-up above the critical values. Instead, the probability of droplet break-up increases with flow rate and the deformation of the drops. The probabilistic nature of the break-up process arises from the stochastic variations in the packing configuration of the drops as they enter the constriction. Local break-up dynamics involves two primary drops. A close look at the interactions between the pair of drops reveals that the competing time scales of droplet rearrangement relative to the relaxation of the opposing drop govern whether break-up occurs or not. Practically, these results can be used to calculate the maximum throughput of the serial interrogation process often employed in droplet microfluidics. For 40 pL-drops, the highest throughput with less than 1% droplet break-up was measured to be approximately 7000 drops per second. In addition, the results presented are useful for understanding the behavior of concentrated emulsions in applications such as mobility control in enhanced oil recovery, and for extrapolating critical parameters such as injection rates to ensure the stability of the fluids going through small pore throats.
On the maximum path metric difference in Viterbi decoders of punctured rate (n-1)/n codes

The relationship between code parameters for full and punctured code rates, the maximum candidate path metric difference, and the wordsize of path metrics for modulo normalization is examined. The maximum difference between the candidate path metrics must be known to efficiently implement the modulo normalization technique for accommodating the growth of path metrics in a Viterbi decoder. For rate 1/n and the rate (n-1)/n punctured codes derived therefrom, the smallest number of bits necessary to represent each path metric is a function of the maximum difference between path metrics and hence the minimum free distance (d/sub free/) of the code. The authors examine these relationships and present code parameters and deletion maps for several punctured codes of interest derived from maximum d/sub free/ rate 1/2 codes with memory 8 through 13. A modification to J.A. Heller's (1968) upper bound on d/sub free/ for rate 1/n codes is presented which yields an upper bound on d/sub free/ for punctured rate (n-1)/n codes. >
Hepatic Fatty Acid Trafficking: Multiple Forks in the Road

The liver plays a unique, central role in regulating lipid metabolism. In addition to influencing hepatic function and disease, changes in specific pathways of fatty acid (FA) metabolism have wide-ranging effects on the metabolism of other nutrients, extra-hepatic physiology, and the development of metabolic diseases. The high prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has led to increased efforts to characterize the underlying biology of hepatic energy metabolism and FA trafficking that leads to disease development. Recent advances have uncovered novel roles of metabolic pathways and specific enzymes in generating lipids important for cellular processes such as signal transduction and transcriptional activation. These studies have also advanced our understanding of key branch points involving FA partitioning between metabolic pathways and have identified new roles for lipid droplets in these events. This review covers recent advances in our understanding of FA trafficking and its regulation. An emphasis will be placed on branch points in these pathways and how alterations in FA trafficking contribute to NAFLD and related comorbidities.
Are store brands perceived to be just another brand

Proposes two hypotheses and tests them empirically: that consumers do not differentiate between store brands offered by competing stores; that store brand market share is consistent with chain penetration. To test the hypotheses, employs an experimental design using 350 subjects, and collects survey data from 923 respondents regarding store patronage behavior and brand choice. The first hypothesis received unconditional support. The second hypothesis received conditional support. Discusses implications for marketing strategy.
Poor resident-attending intraoperative communication may compromise patient safety.

Background Prior research suggests that hierarchy in medicine may impact communication and patient safety. This study examined the factors that influence surgical trainees in expressing their opinion in the operating room and the consequences this might have on patient safety. Methods An anonymous survey of general surgery, gynecology, and orthopedic surgery residents and attendings was conducted at a teaching institution in 2010. Separate surveys were used for attendings and for trainees consisting of 26 and 27 questions, respectively, with 17 questions in common. The surveys assessed whether the surgical hierarchy interfered with the residents voicing concerns about patient safety. Survey data was compiled, and χ2, Fisher exact tests, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test were used depending on the normality of the data. Results Thirty-eight trainees and 23 attendings participated in the survey; 74%–78% of trainees and attendings recalled an incident where the trainee spoke up and prevented an adverse event. While all attendings reported that they encourage residents to question their intraoperative decision making, only 55% of residents agreed (P Conclusion Our findings indicate that resident attending intraoperative communication can prevent adverse patient events. Trainees often feel impaired in voicing their concerns to their attendings. Strategies that improve resident attending communication intraoperatively are needed as they are likely to enhance patient safety.
Gate-drain breakdown effects upon the large signal performance of GaAs MESFETs

GaAs MESFETs often demonstrate a negative breakdown slope characteristic. This slope can be critical in determining the RF performance of MESFET amplifiers. It is demonstrated that as the breakdown slope decreases, RF power performance is degraded. Tuning is also important because this adjusts the load line to allow maximum voltage and current swings on the drain. Reverse breakdown followed by forward gate conduction are confirmed to be the main saturation mechanisms for GaAs MESFETs. >
Analytical Estimation of UH-60A Helicopter Pilot Vibration with Active Control

In the absence of actual flight test data for the UH-60A helicopter with active controls, the objective of the present study is to obtain analytical estimates of the UH-60A pilot vertical vibration with active control from available experimental data. The particular form of active control considered in this study is “individual blade control” (IBC). This initial study presents an approximate, first order perturbation type of model that estimates the effects of IBC on the pilot vertical vibration (PVV). Two full-scale experimental databases are used. The first database is the NASA/Army UH-60A Airloads Program flight test database that does not contain IBC effects. The second database is the low speed full-scale UH-60A rotor-only wind tunnel database that was acquired in the NASA Ames 80- by 120Foot Wind Tunnel with the Large Rotor Test Apparatus (LRTA) with an IBC system installed. The measured wind tunnel data include both the rotating system hub accelerations and the fixed system hub loads from the LRTA dynamic rotor balance system. The low speed, level flight PVV with a single IBC input is considered using two methods. The first method uses the wind tunnel rotating system tangential (in-plane) hub accelerations. The second method uses the wind tunnel fixed system N/rev balance hub loads. Using each of the six components of the balance hub forces and moments separately, six different estimates of the PVV have been obtained. In addition, two more estimates of the PVV have been obtained using the in-plane hub force (obtained from the axial and side forces) and the hub moment (obtained from the rolling and pitching moments). The PVV variations that are based on the wind tunnel in-plane hub measurements (the rotating system in-plane hub accelerations and the fixed system in-plane hub force) show similar trends.
Frequency-to-Period-to-Analog Computer for Flowrate Measurement

The Frequency-to-Period-to-Analog Computer is a special purpose nonlinear analog computer which accepts an ac voltage of varying frequency, acts upon the period of each cycle, computes the inverse of the time period, e = 1/T, and holds the information for the period of the next cycle. Thus, the output voltage is a level which is proportional to the input frequency f = 1/T computed once for every cycle. The system is accurate to better than ± 0.5 per cent of 2/3 full scale. Application of the computer is described and results presented for fast readout and recording of gas and liquid turbine type flowmeters. Extensions of the circuits used can produce voltages proportional to In t or 1/t2, for time t greater than a small positive number.
State of H - source development

The status of H/sup -/ ion source development is reviewed. Advances in both surface- and volume-production H/sup -/ sources are noted. It is shown that high-brightness H/sup -/ beams are generated by ion sources which utilize both surface and volume production processes. Most hybrid sources are capable of producing high current densities of low-temperature H/sup -/ ions. >
Maneuverability and Mobility in Palm-Sized Legged Robots

Palm sized legged robots show promise for military and civilian applications, including exploration of hazardous or difficult to reach places, search and rescue, espionage, and battlefield reconnaissance. However, they also face many technical obstacles, including- but not limited to- actuator performance, weight constraints, processing power, and power density. This paper presents an overview of several robots from the Biomimetic Millisystems Laboratory at UC Berkeley, including the OctoRoACH, a steerable, running legged robot capable of basic navigation and equipped with a camera and active tail; CLASH, a dynamic climbing robot; and BOLT, a hybrid crawling and flying robot. The paper also discusses, and presents some preliminary solutions to, the technical obstacles listed above plus issues such as robustness to unstructured environments, limited sensing and communication bandwidths, and system integration.
Robust graph SLAM in dynamic environments with moving landmarks

Recent developments in human-robot interaction brings about higher requirements for robot navigation. Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms face open challenges for navigation in complex dynamic environments due to presumptions of static environments or exceeding computational limitations. In this paper, we propose a robust graph SLAM formuation exploring Expectation Maximization algorithms to characterize landmark mobility while establishing the estimations of robot trajectory and the map. We evaluate the performance of existing robust SLAM algorithms as baselines, and validate the improvement of our new framework against datasets of dynamic environments with moving landmarks.
Social Cognition Impairments in Mice Overexpressing Alpha-Synuclein Under the Thy1 Promoter, a Model of Pre-manifest Parkinson's Disease

Background: Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may exhibit deficits in “Theory of Mind”, the ability to read others’ mental states and react appropriately, a prerequisite for successful social interaction. Alpha-synuclein overexpression is widely distributed in the brain of patients with sporadic PD, suggesting that it may contribute to the non-motor deficits observed in PD patients. Mice over-expressing human wild-type alpha-synuclein under the Thy1 promoter (Thy1-aSyn mice) have synaptic deficits in the frontostriatal pathway, low cortical acetylcholine, and high level of expression of mGluR5 receptors, which have all been implicated in social recognition deficits. Objective: To determine whether Thy1-aSyn mice present alterations in their response to social stimuli. Methods: We have submitted Thy1-aSyn mice to tests adapted from autism models. Results: At 7–8 month of age Thy1-aSyn mice explored their conspecifics significantly less than did wild-type littermates, without differences in exploration of inanimate objects, and pairs of Thy1-aSyn mice were involved in reciprocal interactions for a shorter duration than wild-type mice at this age. These deficits persisted when the test animal was enclosed in a beaker and were not present at 3–4 months of age despite the presence of olfactory deficits at that age, indicating that they were not solely caused by impairment in olfaction. Conclusion: Thy1-aSyn mice present progressive deficits in social recognition, supporting an association between alphasynuclein overexpression and Theory of Mind deficits in PD and providing a useful model for identifying mechanisms and testing novel treatments for these deficits which impact patients and caretakers quality of life.
Impact of the Penny Stock Reform Act of 1990 on the IPO Market

The Penny Stock Reform Act of 1990 (PSRA) was an attempt to curb fraudulent security issues by placing severe restrictions on initial public offerings (IPOs) that were priced below $5. The regulation had the cosmetic effect of reducing the number of IPOs priced below $5, but had no substantive impact on issuer quality. Delisting risk, which is a measure of issuer quality, did not decline significantly in the post-PSRA period. Instead, abnormal returns earned by a portfolio of non-penny stocks declined significantly in the post-PSRA period. We present evidence that attributes the decline in abnormal returns to migration of speculative issuers into the non-penny range.
Immersion injury. Drowning and near drowning

Near drowning remains one of the most frequently encountered environmental injuries in the United States. Physicians can do much to educate their patients on prevention. Both at the scene and in the emergency department, physicians should direct initial attention to aggressive respiratory management, because hypoxia is the primary cause of mortality and morbidity in the near-drowning victim. An apparently lifeless victim of cold-water immersion may go on to full recovery with such management. In patients who survive the initial insult, the degree of hypoxic encephalopathy is the major determinant of outcome. Language: en
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CAUSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN ADULTS AND PUPAE OF CULICOIDES: A FACTOR ANALYSIS AND MULTIPLE REGRESSION STUDY.

When examining the evolutionary patterns in a given organism, one can logically argue that natural selection operates on the interlocking of patterns of growth, rather than single characters. Further, the adaptations of populations are multidimensional and reflect the interaction of the organism with a number of environmental parameters. To examine the validity of these two statements, two problems must be resolved. First is the resolution of large suites of characters into a few biologically interpretable morphogenetic factors which account for a considerable amount of the variation of the original attributes. The second is the interaction of these patterns of morphological variation with a number of environmental parameters. If the selective agents are, in fact, multidimensional and act in concert, some method is needed to untangle the magnitude and effect of each. In holometabolous insects especially, but also in other organisms, some environmental factors are more important at one stage of the life history than at another, and the untangling of the interrelationships of stimulus and response in the various stages is of considerable importance. The reduction of a hyperellipsoidal scatter of points reflected by a multivariate sample of characters is best accomplished by multiple factor analysis. Factor analysis attempts to isolate and identify the morphogenetic forces that interact to produce
Amniotic Fluid Derived Stem Cells for Cardiac Muscle Therapies

Many forms of pediatric and adult heart disease are accompanied by high morbidity and mortality, as the heart muscle has limited regenerative potential. Cell therapy has been proposed as a means to promote the regeneration of injured heart muscle. We have established lines of broad spectrum multipotent stem cells derived from primitive fetal cells present in human amniotic fluid (hAFS) cells (1). AFS cells offer several advantages: They are easy to isolate and grow (no feeder layers needed), are highly expansive including clonal growth and they can differentiate into all germ layers. In the current study, we demonstrate that AFS cells can differentiate into cardiac muscle cells and be used for cardiac tissue regeneration.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Pregnancy Associated Hormonal Milleu and Bronchomammary Cell Traffic

Previous studies have established that a well defined secretory immune system exists in man and other mammalian species. This system has been analyzed in several recent monographs and reviews (1,2,3,4). Briefly, the secretory immune system refers to immunocompetent lymphoid tissue found in association with many external mucosal surfaces. It includes the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), the bronchus associated lymphoid tisue (BALT), and the lymphoid tissues of male and female external genital tracts, conjunctiva, and mammary glands. Investigations have clearly shown that antigenic exposure in the intestinal and bronchial mucosa results in the appearance of specific secretory IgA locally in the mucosal lumen as well as in more distant secretory sites.
Quantized Crystal Plasticity Modeling of Nanocrystalline Metals

A quantized crystal plasticity (QCP) model, which connects emerging deformation physics with the unique mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals, is presented in this chapter. The QCP model adopts a discrete/quantized constitutive flow rule associated with dislocation depinning from grain boundary ledges; in particular, single slip events across nanoscale grains impart large (∼1 %) increments in grain-averaged plastic shear. The flow rule is implemented for a NC assembly within the framework of crystal plasticity. By reproducing aggregate flow stress evolution and internal stress within subpopulations of grains measured by in situ X-ray diffraction tests, the QCP model predicts a transition from continuous and relatively homogenous, multiple-dislocation slip to quantized and highly heterogeneous single dislocation slip as grain size decreases to the nanometer scale.
The Tail That Wags the Dog: How the Disordered C-Terminal Domain Controls the Transcriptional Activities of the p53 Tumor-Suppressor Protein

The p53 tumor suppressor is a transcription factor (TF) that exerts antitumor functions through its ability to regulate the expression of multiple genes. Within the p53 protein resides a relatively short unstructured C-terminal domain (CTD) that remarkably participates in virtually every aspect of p53 performance as a TF. Because these aspects are often interdependent and it is not always possible to dissect them experimentally, there has been a great deal of controversy about the CTD. In this review we evaluate the significance and key features of this interesting region of p53 and its impact on the many aspects of p53 function in light of previous and more recent findings.
Distributed coordination for economic dispatch with varying load and generator commitment

This paper considers the economic dispatch problem for a group of power generating units. The collective aim is to meet a power demand while respecting individual generator constraints and minimizing the total generation cost. Assuming that the units communicate over a strongly connected, weight-balanced digraph, we propose a distributed coordination algorithm that provably converges to the solution of the dispatch problem starting from any initial power allocation. Additionally, we establish that the proposed strategy is robust against mismatch between load and total generation (and thus able to handle time-varying loads), and against intermittent generation commitment, a plausible scenario due to the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid. Our technical approach uses notions and tools from algebraic graph theory, nonsmooth analysis, set-valued dynamical systems, and dynamic average consensus. Several simulations illustrate our results.
College Women's Gender Identity and Their Drinking Choices

Because college women's drinking rates now rival men's rates, the authors interviewed college women to ascertain how gender identity affected their drinking choices. Interpretative phenomenological analysis indicated that high-risk drinkers viewed their gender identity differently than did low-risk drinkers. Counseling implications are discussed.
Realtime pipelined spline data fitting for sketched curves

Abstract Sketching provides an intuitive design interface for modeling, but results in very large, inaccurate data sets. The goal of data reduction methods is to create a B-spline curve representation which compactly and faithfully represents the sketched data. In [1,2] a data reduction algorithm was presented whose goal was to obtain approximating curves with reasonable accuracy in real-time by reducing the data incrementally in moving windows. The approach was derived from the approach for general spline data reduction presented in [6,7,8]. In this paper we explore the effects of the window size and the error in pixels as well as pipelining and multiple phases on the compactness and quality of the resulting reduced curve. As multi-processor workstations become available, this approach becomes more practical to adopt.
Pollinator traits and competitive context shape dynamic foraging behavior in bee communities.

Interspecific interactions (e.g. competition) can dynamically shape individual and species-level resource use within communities. Understanding how interspecific competition between pollinators species shapes resource use is of particular interest because pollinator foraging behavior (i.e. floral fidelity) is directly linked to plant reproductive function through the movement of conspecific pollen. Through targeted species removals, this study aims to gain a predictive understanding of how interspecific competition can influence pollinator foraging behavior. We explore how traits, specifically pollinator tongue length, known to dictate pollinator resource partitioning, influence behavioral plasticity and drive dynamic interspecific interactions. Our results demonstrate that bee species vary in their floral fidelity and that tongue length explains a large part of this variation. Bees with shorter tongues move between plant species (floral infidelity) more often than bees with longer tongues. We did not find significant variation in the response of bee species to a reduction in interspecific competition, but rather saw a guild-wide reduction in floral fidelity in response to the removal of the dominant bee species Finally, our results suggest that tongue length of the most abundant bee species, a site-level attribute, explains much of the site-to-site variation in pollinator foraging behavior. In particular, we found that as the tongue length of the most abundant bee in the site increases, the site level foraging fidelity decreases. With global pollinator populations on the decline, novel interactions between plants and pollinators are likely to occur. Exploring how the competitive landscape shapes foraging plasticity will help us generalize to other plant pollinator systems and begin to better predict the functional implications of competitive interactions.
Chapter 32 – Louisiana Coastal Marsh Environments and MC252 Oil Biomarker Chemistry

Abstract Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of over 700 near-surface sediments and sediments cores collected from Louisiana coastal salt marshes has provided an insight into the unique effects that these environments have on the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil residues deposited in them after the accidental release in April 2010. The weathering of oil residues was dependent on whether it was deposited on the surface, incorporated just below the sediment surface, or buried in the anoxic soil layer that can be typically found in these environments. One of the primary effects observed was a predictable weathering pattern of the biomarkers found in these oil residues, particularly changes in the diasterane and regular sterane biomarkers. Qualitative and quantitative oil source fingerprinting techniques were employed to determine if any oil residues detected were from the DWH oil spill (i.e., MC252 oil). The redistribution of buried oil residues in some of the impacted marshes by tropical weather events remains a concern 6 years after the DWH spill.
Pharmacologic Prevention of Incident Atrial Fibrillation: Long-Term Results From the ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial).

Background Although atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines indicate that pharmacological blockade of the renin–angiotensin system may be considered for primary AF prevention in hypertensive patients, previous studies have yielded conflicting results. We sought to determine whether randomization to lisinopril reduces incident AF or atrial flutter (AFL) compared with chlorthalidone in a large clinical trial cohort with extended post-trial surveillance. Methods and Results We performed a secondary analysis of the ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial), a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical trial that enrolled hypertensive individuals ≥55 years of age with at least one other cardiovascular risk factor. Participants were randomly assigned to receive amlodipine, lisinopril, or chlorthalidone. Individuals with elevated fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were also randomized to pravastatin versus usual care. The primary outcome was the development of either AF or AFL as diagnosed by serial study ECGs or by Medicare claims data. Among 14 837 participants without prevalent AF or AFL, 2514 developed AF/AFL during a mean 7.5±3.2 years of follow-up. Compared with chlorthalidone, randomization to either lisinopril (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.94–1.15; P =0.46) or amlodipine (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.84–1.03; P =0.16) was not associated with a significant reduction in incident AF/AFL. Conclusions Compared with chlorthalidone, treatment with lisinopril is not associated with a meaningful reduction in incident AF or AFL among older adults with a history of hypertension. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000542.
Dynamics of proteins aggregation. II. Dynamic scaling in confined media.

In this paper, the second in a series devoted to molecular modeling of protein aggregation, a mesoscale model of proteins together with extensive discontinuous molecular dynamics simulation is used to study the phenomenon in a confined medium. The medium, as a model of a crowded cellular environment, is represented by a spherical cavity, as well as cylindrical tubes with two aspect ratios. The aggregation process leads to the formation of β sheets and eventually fibrils, whose deposition on biological tissues is believed to be a major factor contributing to many neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diseases. Several important properties of the aggregation process, including dynamic evolution of the total number of the aggregates, the mean aggregate size, and the number of peptides that contribute to the formation of the β sheets, have been computed. We show, similar to the unconfined media studied in Paper I [S. Zheng et al., J. Chem. Phys. 145, ...
Electronic tool helps anaesthesia trainee handovers.

BACKGROUND Handovers in patient care are increasingly common occurrences in medicine and are highly susceptible to communication failures. Intraoperative anaesthesiology handovers are especially challenging because of concurrent management of the patient. Our goal was to develop and use an electronic handover checklist as an educational tool to teach anaesthesiology trainees a standardised method of handing over a case intraoperatively. We hypothesised that the use of the checklist would systematically enhance the transfer of accurate and complete information. METHODS Thirty-four anaesthesia trainees were observed giving an intraoperative handover without the checklist, and then again with the checklist at a later time. An observational handover assessment tool was used by investigators to mark each item as either spontaneously relayed by the giver, elicited by the receiver, not discussed or not applicable to the case. After the use of the checklist, each handover giver filled out a survey related to his or her perceptions of the checklist. RESULTS The proportion of items spontaneously relayed increased from 54% without the checklist to 98% when using the checklist (p < 0.0001). More than 90% of participants felt that the checklist increased handover efficiency and communication skills. All participants stated that the handovers were more thorough with the checklist and that they would incorporate it into their daily practice. Intraoperative anaesthesiology handovers are especially challenging because of concurrent management of the patient DISCUSSION: With the intervention of the checklist, our results show that the use of a standardised intraoperative checklist improved the transfer of important patient information among anaesthesia trainees.
Genetics and Aneurysm Formation

This article reviews the current understanding of genetic factors involved in the development of intracranial aneurysms. Of the large number of heritable connective tissue disorders that have been associated with intracranial aneurysms, three are discussed in detail: autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV, and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. The author reviews the familial occurrence of intracranial aneurysms, which is found in about one-fifth of patients with aneurysm subarachnoid hemorrhage. Guidelines are provided for the evaluation of patients with familial intracranial aneurysms and screening of their relatives.
The AFL-CIO Split: Does It Really Matter?

In 2005, the AFL-CIO split and the Change to Win Coalition (CtW) was founded because of the personal ambition of dissident union leaders and their frustration with the severe and continuing decline in union membership. The CtW was build on a shared faith that only afresh start could lead the unions out of their crisis. But a convincing case has not been made that the seceding unions would be more successful outside of AFL-CIO. When it is seen against the backdrop of the crisis in the labor movement and the enormity of the task of union organizing and revival, the AFL-CIO split does not really matter.
Passive Space Spectrometer Systems

This chapter discusses the space spectrometer sensor systems. The spectrometer can be considered in terms of physical refraction, diffraction, and interference. The separation of earth radiation into its spectral bands can be accomplished by prism dispersion, grating diffraction, and radiation interference. The type of spectrometer that is chosen for space applications depends on several factors: the width of the earth's emission spectral lines, radiance of the emission lines, and interference from other atmospheric components. Nothing is simpler than a prism spectrometer. Grating spectrometer provides better spectral resolution, and the interferometer spectrometer is used for the high-spectral-resolution atmospheric measurements. The atmospheric emission linewidth is a function of the temperature, pressure, and the density of the molecules. Radiance measurements, cloud shadowing effect measurements, and radiation time-dependent measurements are important in the infrared region.
"Witchdoctors" in White Coats: Politics and Healing Knowledge in Tanzania.

At the center of conflict between the state and traditional healers (waganga wa kienyeji) over the meanings of traditional healing in contemporary Tanzania are debates about what constitutes knowle...
Using citizen science data in integrated population models to inform conservation

Abstract Analysis of animal population status and change are core elements of ecological research and critical for prioritizing conservation actions for at-risk species. Traditionally, count-based data from structured surveys have been the main source of information used to estimate trends and changes in populations. In the past decade, advances in integrated population models (IPMs) have allowed these data to be combined with other data sources (e.g., observations of marked individuals). IPMs have allowed researchers to determine the direction and magnitude of population trends and to identify underlying mechanisms contributing to population change. For many species, life-history characteristics (e.g., colonial breeding, low site-fidelity), low abundance and/or low detection probability make it difficult to collect sufficient data; thus, IPMs for these species are difficult to employ. Citizen science data may be useful in such situations and enable conservation biologists to combine data from many sources into robust estimates of population trajectories. IPM's represent a possible way of combining diverse data sources, but their practicality for incorporating citizen science data has not been investigated. Here, we used count data from eBird to estimate population trends for a species of conservation concern, the tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor). We combined estimates of relative abundance with banding and nesting data. Our joint estimation of demographic rates allowed us to evaluate their individual contributions to the population growth rate. Our analysis suggests that the California tricolored blackbird population suffered a mean decline of 34% from 2007 to 2016. Mean annual adult survival ranged from 0.28 to 0.93 for females and 0.17 to 0.78 for males. Mean juvenile survival across years was 0.21 (95% CI = 0.0007–0.49), fecundity (as nestlings per nest) ranged from 0.46 to 1.27. We suggest that investments in increasing reproductive success and recruitment are the most likely conservation strategies to increase the population. Here, the extensive survey efforts of citizen scientists aided the employment of IPMs to inform conservation efforts for tricolored blackbirds.
The expanding phenotype of OFD1-related disorders: Hemizygous loss-of-function variants in three patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Background OFD1 has long been recognized as the gene implicated in the classic dysmorphology syndrome, oral-facial-digital syndrome type I (OFDSI). Over time, pathogenic variants in OFD1 were found to be associated with X-linked intellectual disability, Joubert syndrome type 10 (JBTS10), Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome type 2 (SGBS2), and retinitis pigmentosa. Recently, OFD1 pathogenic variants have been implicated in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a disorder of the motile cilia with a phenotype that includes recurrent oto-sino-pulmonary infections, situs abnormalities, and decreased fertility. Methods We describe three male patients with PCD who were found to have hemizygous pathogenic variants in OFD1, further supporting that PCD is part of a clinical spectrum of OFD1-related disorders. In addition, we provide a review of the available clinical literature describing patients with OFD1 variants and highlight the phenotypic variability of OFD1-related disease. Results Some individuals with hemizygous OFD1 variants have PCD, either apparently isolated or in combination with other features of OFD1-related disorders. Conclusion As clinicians consider the presence or absence of conditions allelic at OFD1, PCD should be considered part of the spectrum of OFD1-related disorders. Understanding the OFD1-related disease spectrum may allow for more focused genetic testing and more timely management of treatable sequelae.
Cake Cam: Take Your Photo and Be in it Too

Tourists often turn to strangers when they need a photographer while traveling; however, they do so at a cost. Strangers are not typically trained photographers, nor are they telepathically intuiting what composition the tourist wants. Existing smartphone camera interfaces do not communicate the desired framing to the stranger, and prior work in mobile photography guidance does not manage the 3D movement required when composing the tourist's ideal photo. We offer a new kind of mobile interaction for communicating the intended photo to a stranger without instructions. In our methodology, the tourist first composes a photo with the desired framing. The app, Cake Cam, then stores the camera position and orientation. Finally, 3D augmented reality markers guide the stranger to retake the photo with the tourist now standing in the frame. Our study resulted in more accurate camera placements and required fewer additional instructions than the traditional tourist photography method (n=40).
Influence of culture on purchase decision: Integrative models development of amusement park customers

Abstract The current study developed and examined integrative models to analyze the influence of national culture on purchase decision attributes (PDAs) between American and Chinese amusement park customers using the consumer style inventory (CSI), attributes of purchase decisions, and cultural dimensions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the dimensions (i.e., cultural dimensions and PDAs); the prevalent estimate of error covariance; the validity of the integrative models and the group invariance; and the effects among the latent variables. Structural equation modeling suggested significant impacts of power distance (PD), uncertainty avoidance (UA) and long-term orientation (ORI) on PDAs. The group invariance model analysis showed significantly more positive impacts of PD and ORI on PDAs among Chinese amusement park customers. Theoretical and managerial implications such as insignificance of individualism/ collectivism, perception of price appropriateness, niche markets development for American customers, and more diverse products and service packages for Chinese customers, are discussed.
The Legislative Policy of the Freedom of Information Law in Egypt The Views of Academicians, Legal Experts and Media Personnel

The problem to be studied springs from the absence of a comprehensive vision for the public sharing of data, information and knowledge in contemporary Egyptian society. There is a dire need for a law that controls and guarantees information flow inside Egypt, one which provides full transparency for the public opinion. Free access to data and information is needed to overcome corruption, especially after the 25th January 2011 revolution. Consequences of the revolution have been that Egyptian society has suffered from severe transitional periods, continuous restrictions on freedom of expression and media, and no granting of specific freedoms to work to journalists. It resulted in conflict of mass media policy that was witnessed in various forms, the matter was obvious in the instability of the nation’s official mass media system which has seen changes in policies, curricula and individuals. As for information sources, this concept also varied after the 25th January Revolution, as the government no more monopolizes information. The individual now exists by his ability to create information. This trend has existed abroad for many years, and it was eventually to reach Egypt through the use of social media sites as an information field and the exploiting of the modern techniques tools for registering information, and its transfer and exchange. However, this came with the fact that factual information was mixed with rumors that were to result in a lot of cases in information chaos. Accordingly, the research problem was specified in the points of views of Academicians. Legal experts and media personnel relating to the law of freedom of information exchange with regard to legislation and execution.
Treatment Algorithms for Higher-Risk Disease

Higher-risk MDS requires thorough diagnostic characterization, assessment of patient goals, implementation of timely therapy, and comprehensive medical care. While hypomethylating agents (HMAs) have proven clinical and survival benefit in these patients, the only curative treatment remains allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). No regimen has clear superiority in relapsed or refractory higher-risk MDS, and clinical trials (particularly those incorporating molecular data to guide biologic rationale) are of great importance to expanding treatment options for this population. Irrespective of the treatment regimen chosen, proactive supportive care is an essential component of managing these patients.
Questioning the K-ABC: What Does It Measure?

Although only recently released, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) has been the object of much speculation and interest and numerous claims. The K-ABC manuals are quite impressive...
Administration of the Repertory Grid Assessment Technique for Exploring Social Cognition of Individuals With Autism

Social communication is a core deficit of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) play a key role in evaluating social skills of individuals with autism. Use of person-c...
APOL1 risk variants and the development of HIV-associated nephropathy

HIV Associated Nephropathy (HIVAN) remains a concern among untreated HIV patients, notably of African descent, as patients can reach end-stage renal disease within three years. Two variants (G1 and G2) of the APOL1 gene, common in African populations to protect against African sleeping sickness, have been associated with an increased risk of several glomerular disorders including HIVAN, hypertension-attributed chronic kidney disease, idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and are accordingly named renal risk variants (RRVs). This review examines the mechanisms by which APOL1 RRVs drive glomerular injury in the setting of HIV infection and their potential application to patient management. Innate antiviral mechanisms activated by chronic HIV infection, especially those involving type 1 interferons, are of particular interest as they have been shown to upregulate APOL1 expression. Additionally, the downregulation of miRNA 193a (a repressor of APOL1) is also associated with the up-regulation of APOL1. Interestingly, glomerular damage affected by APOL1 RRVs is caused by both loss and gain of function changes in the protein, explicitly characterizing these effects. Their intracellular localization offers a further understanding of the nuances of APOL1 variants effects in promoting renal disease. Finally, although APOL1 variants have been recognized as a critical genetic player in mediating kidney disease, there are significant gaps in their application to patient management for screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Unsecured (Black) Bodies: How Baltimore Foreshadows the Dangers of Racially Targeted Dragnet Policing Let Loose by Utah v. Strieff

With Utah v. Strieff, the Supreme Court endorsed the ends justifies the means approach to policing. More problematic for the those living in U.S. cities, particularly those of color, the majority opinion encourages police to engage in dragnet policing knowing that a warrant for something as trivial as a unpaid speeding ticket will wipe away 4th Amendment violations. Using Baltimore, Maryland as a backdrop, this article explores the practice and effects of dragnet policing in cities pre-Strieff, and how this practice will surely expand post-Strieff to the detriment of residents of color in our cities.
Climate change alters host tree physiology and drives plant-insect interactions in forests of the southwestern United States of America

Abstract The climate of the southwestern United States of America (USA) is projected to become warmer and drier as atmospheric CO2 concentrations continue to increase, and these environmental shifts are likely to impact the ecology of plant-insect interactions in regional forest ecosystems. Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations can enhance tree growth rates but may also reduce nutritional quality of tree tissues and alter insect chemical signaling and tree defense processes. Elevated temperatures are likely to alter tree and insect phenology, with consequences for duration of tree exposure to herbivory and number of generations-per-year that some insect populations achieve in the southwestern USA. Increased rates of herbivory early in the growing season resulting from expedited insect emergence may be especially damaging. Conversely, some forest insect species with obligate cold diapause requirements may experience population declines as a result of warming, especially in high-elevation areas. Increasingly, xeric conditions and more frequent droughts are likely to disproportionately impact interactions, as forest trees under drought stress may lose the ability to mount appropriate induced defenses in response to herbivory. In general, cambium feeders such as bark beetles are expected to positively respond to warmer and drier conditions as water limitations mediate the defenses of their host trees. Other feeding guilds such as defoliators, phloem-feeders, and galling insects are more variable in their responses to environmentally mediated changes in host tree physiology and may either increase or decrease in population size. Collectively, very few studies have simultaneously examined the effects of multiple climate drivers on plant-insect interactions in southwestern forest tree species, and there is a need to incorporate population variation of both host trees and insect herbivores into the research framework to determine which populations may be vulnerable to rapidly changing conditions.
Model in-cognizant control of residential HVAC units with limited sensing and actuation.

In this paper, we consider the problem of controlling residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units in response to changes in grid-side electrical power imbalances causing unacceptable frequency. We derive a novel energy-based model that relates the HVAC physics-based dynamics to both real and reactive power balance at the point of interconnection with the grid. Based on this modeling, we propose a composite control comprising of a robust sliding mode controller in tandem with a slower model predictive controller that can achieve near-optimal physical and economic performance. In contrast to several other approaches in the literature, we analyze whether a limited number of HVAC units can meet the stringent performance metrics set by the ARPA-E/NODES program on following the regulation signal, while maintaining consumer comfort. Theoretical and simulation-based evidence is provided to show that the proposed approach to control a single HVAC unit results in a provable response simultaneously satisfying NODES program performance metrics and consumer comfort constraints. The use of this model overcomes fundamental issues concerning limited sensor measurements and model uncertainties.