cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reverse Public Announcement Operators on Expanded Models

Past public announcement operators have been defined in Hoshi and Yap (Synthese 169(2):259–281, 2009) and Yap (Dynamic logic montreal, 2007), to describe an agent’s knowledge before an announcement occurs. These operators rely on branching-time structures that do not mirror the traditional, relativization-based semantics of public announcement logic (PAL), and favor a historical reading of past announcements. In this paper, we introduce reverse public announcement operators that are interpreted on expanded models. Our model expansion adds accessibility links from an epistemic model $$\mathcal {M}$$ to a filtrated submodel of the canonical model for $$\mathbf K _g$$ . Here $$\mathbf K _g$$ is the minimal normal modal logic together with $$\mathbf S5 $$ axioms for the universal operator U. This yields a highly general pre-announcement version of $$\mathcal {M}$$ that makes our operators potentially useful for studying non-standard interpretations of rescinded announcements in PAL. Indeed, we find that our reverse announcement operators cannot be represented by product update, and that they have an intimate connection with the knowledge forgetting of Zhang and Zhou (Artif Intell J 173(16–17):1525–1537, 2009). We show that the logic resulting from adding reverse announcements to PAL is sound and complete.
Coral reefs for coastal protection: A new methodological approach and engineering case study in Grenada.

Abstract Coastal communities in tropical environments are at increasing risk from both environmental degradation and climate change and require urgent local adaptation action. Evidences show coral reefs play a critical role in wave attenuation but relatively little direct connection has been drawn between these effects and impacts on shorelines. Reefs are rarely assessed for their coastal protection service and thus not managed for their infrastructure benefits, while widespread damage and degradation continues. This paper presents a systematic approach to assess the protective role of coral reefs and to examine solutions based on the reef's influence on wave propagation patterns. Portions of the shoreline of Grenville Bay, Grenada, have seen acute shoreline erosion and coastal flooding. This paper (i) analyzes the historical changes in the shoreline and the local marine, (ii) assess the role of coral reefs in shoreline positioning through a shoreline equilibrium model first applied to coral reef environments, and (iii) design and begin implementation of a reef-based solution to reduce erosion and flooding. Coastline changes in the bay over the past 6 decades are analyzed from bathymetry and benthic surveys, historical imagery, historical wave and sea level data and modeling of wave dynamics. The analysis shows that, at present, the healthy and well-developed coral reefs system in the southern bay keeps the shoreline in equilibrium and stable, whereas reef degradation in the northern bay is linked with severe coastal erosion. A comparison of wave energy modeling for past bathymetry indicates that degradation of the coral reefs better explains erosion than changes in climate and historical sea level rise. Using this knowledge on how reefs affect the hydrodynamics, a reef restoration solution is designed and studied to ameliorate the coastal erosion and flooding. A characteristic design provides a modular design that can meet specific engineering, ecological and implementation criteria. Four pilot units were implemented in 2015 and are currently being field-tested. This paper presents one of the few existing examples available to date of a reef restoration project designed and engineered to deliver risk reduction benefits. The case study shows how engineering and ecology can work together in community-based adaptation. Our findings are particularly important for Small Island States on the front lines of climate change, who have the most to gain from protecting and managing coral reefs as coastal infrastructure.
Patterned Liquid Metal Contacts for Printed Carbon Nanotube Transistors

Flexible and stretchable electronics are poised to enable many applications that cannot be realized with traditional, rigid devices. One of the most promising options for low-cost stretchable transistors are printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs). However, a major limiting factor in stretchable CNT devices is the lack of a stable and versatile contact material that forms both the interconnects and contact electrodes. In this work, we introduce the use of eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) liquid metal for electrical contacts to printed CNT channels. We analyze thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated using two different liquid metal deposition techniques—vacuum-filling polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel structures and direct-writing liquid metals on the CNTs. The highest performing CNT–TFT was realized using vacuum-filled microchannel deposition with an in situ annealing temperature of 150 °C. This device exhibited an on/off ratio of more than 104 and on-currents as high as 150 μA/mm—metrics that are on par wi...
No file left behind: the predicament of archival appraising in the digital age

iv Introduction 1 Chapter I: Appraisal Before Born-Digital Records 9 Chapter II: Adding to the Conversation: Appraisal of Digital Material 24 Chapter III: The Born-Digital Predicament 41 Chapter IV: Just Keep Swimming: Recommendations for an Archival Transition 57 Conclusion 67 Bibliography 73 Appendix I 76 Appendix II 79 Appendix III I 8
Precursors of Gastric Carcinoma

Two main histopathological types of gastric carcinoma have been identified, for which the names “intestinal” and “diffuse” have been coined [1]. The diffuse type is most frequently found in a mucosa which has a normal appearance outside the tumor. Although precancerous lesions have been described in some such cases, namely the “globoid dysplasia” [2] and the “nonmetaplastic dysplasia” [3], they are not found in most cases seen in general pathology practice.
Liquid Fuels by Low-Severity Hydrotreating of Biocrude

Bio crude (fast pyrolysis oil from wood) was hydrotreated to minimize the negative aspects of this fuel. The instability of the oil was reduced by reaction of the most unstable functional groups. Concurrently, the oxygenated component of the oil was also reduced, resulting in an improved energy density. Changes in the physical handling properties were also modified. All of this change was accomplished at less severe processing conditions (lower temperature, shorter residence time) than that required for the earlier processing for gasoline production. Improved conversion was achieved by the use of a downflow reactor system. The experiments reported include those performed with clean (filtered hot vapor) biocrude just recently available from processing systems in the U.S.
Stopping Abusive Tax Shelters

This chapter examines a series of PSI investigations into abusive tax shelters, especially tax shelters used by wealthy individuals and those featuring offshore gimmicks. The first inquiry exposes how accounting firms like KPMG mass-marketed tax shelters in exchange for lucrative fees. The second features a case study of the Wyly brothers who hid hundreds of millions of dollars in a network of 58 offshore corporations and trusts. The third recounts how two billionaires used an offshore tax shelter called the POINT Strategy to dodge capital gains taxes. The chapter shows how the hearings helped spur criminal and civil enforcement actions against the tax shelter promoters, and led to the accounting industry’s largely abandoning the U.S. tax shelter business.
Whose Rebellion? Reformed Resistance Theory in America: Part II

Abstract: Students of the American Founding routinely assert that America’s civic leaders were influenced by secular Lockean political ideas, especially on the question of resistance to tyrannical authority. In the first part of this series, we showed that virtually all Reformed writers, from Calvin to the end of the Glorious Revolution, agreed that tyrants could be actively resisted. The only debated question was who could resist them. In this essay, we contend that the Reformed approach to active resistance had an important influence on how America’s Founders responded to perceived tyrannical actions by Parliament and the Crown. KEYWORDS:
Meaningful integration within mixed methods studies: Identifying why, what, when, and how

Abstract This special issue of Contemporary Educational Psychology brings together an important collection of examples of how researchers have applied mixed methods research to study questions of interest in the field of educational psychology. Collectively, the articles illustrate the unique insights that can be gained when researchers intentionally integrate quantitative and qualitative methods within mixed methods studies. Further, the special issue highlights specific mixed methods strategies that the authors used to achieve and communicate the integration aspects within their studies. The authors’ application of these strategies provides useful models for scholars planning mixed methods studies and scholars reviewing reports of mixed methods studies within educational psychology and beyond.
An Energy Efficient Framework for UAV-Assisted Millimeter Wave 5G Heterogeneous Cellular Networks

We study downlink transmission in a multi-band heterogeneous network comprising unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) small base stations and ground-based dual mode mmWave small cells within the coverage area of a microwave ( $\mu W$ ) macro base station. We formulate a two-layer optimization framework to simultaneously find efficient coverage radius for the UAVs and energy efficient radio resource management for the network, subject to minimum quality-of-service and maximum transmission power constraints. The outer layer derives an optimal coverage radius/height for each UAV as a function of the maximum allowed path loss. The inner layer formulates an optimization problem to maximize the system energy efficiency (EE), defined as the ratio between the aggregate user data rate delivered by the system and its aggregate energy consumption (downlink transmission and circuit power). We demonstrate that at certain values of the target SINR $\tau $ introducing the UAV base stations doubles the EE. We also show that an increase in $\tau $ beyond an optimal EE point decreases the EE.
Naphthalene genotoxicity: DNA adducts in primate and mouse airway explants.

Abstract Naphthalene (NA) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and possible human carcinogen that forms tumors in rodents with tissue/regional and species selectivity. This study seeks to determine whether NA is able to directly adduct DNA in an ex vivo culture system. Metabolically active lung tissue was isolated and incubated in explant culture with carbon-14 labeled NA (0, 25, 250 μM) or 1,2-naphthoquinone (NQ), followed by AMS analyses of metabolite binding to DNA. Despite relatively low metabolic bioactivation in the primate airway, dose-dependent NA-DNA adduct formation was detected. More airway adducts were detected in female mice (4.7-fold) and primates (2.1-fold) than in males of the same species. Few adducts were detected in rat airway or nasal epithelium. NQ, which is a metabolic product of NA, proved to be even more potent, with levels of adduct formation 70–80-fold higher than seen when tissues were incubated with the parent compound NA. This is the first study to demonstrate NA-DNA adduct formation at a site of carcinogenesis, the mouse lung. Adducts were also detected in non-human primate lung and with a NQ metabolite of NA. Taken together, this suggests that NA may contribute to in vivo carcinogenesis through a genotoxic mechanism.
Marvin W. Mikesell, 1929–2017

Marvin W. Mikesell occupies a prominent position in the history of mid-to-late twentieth-century U.S. cultural geography. One of the most distinguished doctoral students of Carl Sauer at Berkeley, ...
Re-evaluation of combination therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Abstract Background Clinical trials of COPD pharmacotherapy typically involve aging populations with moderate-to-severe COPD, but the latter is often diagnosed by spirometric criteria that are not age-appropriate across the continuum of lung function. We have therefore re-evaluated the clinical effect of combination therapy (salmeterol plus fluticasone) in moderate-to-severe COPD, using more age-appropriate spirometric criteria from the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) and trial data from Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH). Methods Of the 6112 TORCH participants, 5688 (93.1%) had GLI-based moderate-to-severe COPD (mean age 64.8 years). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and the primary comparison was combination therapy vs. placebo. Secondary outcomes included COPD and cardiovascular (CV) mortality and pneumonia. A modified intention-to-treat analysis evaluated differences in time-to-event over a three-year period, using Cox proportional hazards models with statistical significance at p Results Relative to placebo, combination therapy yielded a statistically non-significant reduction in all-cause mortality—adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR] 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64, 0.95), p = 0.012. Relative to placebo, combination therapy also yielded statistically non-significant reductions in COPD and CV mortality—adjHR 0.75 (95% CI: 0.55, 1.02), p = 0.068 and adjHR 0.76 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.09), p = 0.135, respectively. In contrast, combination therapy yielded a statistically significant increased risk of pneumonia, relative to placebo—adjHR 1.80 (95% CI: 1.46, 2.21), p Conclusion In GLI-based moderate-to-severe COPD, combination therapy yields a statistically significant increased risk of pneumonia but the reductions in mortality are not statistically significant, although could potentially be clinically meaningful.
“Why Wouldn’t I Have Asked Him?”: Herbert Gans, Chapter 9 of the Kerner Report, and the Resolution of a Dilemma:

There are always a number of stories involved in any group report. The 700-page Kerner Report, which sought to explain the causes of the rioting that had occurred in 1967, is no exception. Some of ...
Online Correction of Hard Errors and Soft Errors via One-Step Decodable OLS Codes for Emerging Last Level Caches

The number of marginal cells in static random-access memory (SRAM) increases as technology scales further. Spin transfer torque magnetic random-access memory (STT-MRAM) which is gaining popularity as a L3 cache alternative due to their small size, nonvolatility, high endurance, fast speed, scalability and low power consumption, also suffers from various stochastic and process variations causing both hard-errors and soft-errors in field. Orthogonal Latin Square (OLS) codes have been conventionally used in SRAMs for their low latency decoding. In this paper, an error-correcting scheme is proposed based on OLS codes which corrects both hard- errors and soft-errors simultaneously in a single step. The idea proposed is that in general a t-error correcting OLS code can be modified so that it can correct a certain number (t s < t) of soft-errors while tolerating a certain number of hard errors as well. This is achieved by storing the hard-error locations during the encoding procedure and masking the hard-error locations during the decoding procedure. A threshold voting based decoding is used instead of majority logic decoding. The proposed one-step decoding methodology is shown to have a small decoding latency. This enables high throughput for STT-MRAMs and SRAMs, even in the presence of errors, and increases their reliability. It is shown that compared to a naive increased strength code to address both hard errors and soft errors, the proposed codes achieve better hardware overhead as well as better data redundancy.
HPV vaccination knowledge, intentions, and practices among caregivers of childhood cancer survivors.

The HPV vaccine is an important vaccine for childhood cancer survivors because of their risks of second cancers, yet few survivors receive it. We examined HPV vaccine knowledge among caregivers of ...
Dynamics of an interacting luminous disk, dark halo, and satellite companion

This paper explores the dynamical interaction between extended halo and spheroid components of a disk galaxy and an environmental disturbance. One finds that resonant interaction between a galaxy and passing interlopers or satellite companions can carry the disturbance inward, deep inside the halo, where it can perturb the disk. Applied to the Milky Way for example, the LMC and SMC appear to be sufficient to cause the observed Galactic warp and possibly seed other asymmetries. A polar satellite orbit produces the largest warp and therefore the inferred LMC orbit is nearly optimal for maximum warp production. Both the magnitude and morphology of the response depend on the details of the disk and halo models. The results and prognosis for N-body simulations are discussed. Discreteness noise in the halo, similar to that due to a population of $10^6M_\odot$ black holes, can produce observable warping.
Properties of strong ground motion earthquakes

The usual type of California earthquake is associated with a relative horizontal slipping of the two faces of a fault which lies essentially in a vertical plane. As a consequence of this slipping, the surface of the ground experiences a severe motion in the neighborhood of the fault during large earthquakes. This surface ground motion can be measured, and for the relatively small number of strong ground motions that have been recorded the maximum horizontal acceleration measured was 0.33 of gravity. For obvious reasons the accumulation of data on strong ground motion is a slow process, so that it will be many years before a sufficiently large body of observations is amassed to give a reasonably complete picture of what can be expected in the way of destructive seismic motions. Analysis of the problem is rendered difficult by the fact that it is not possible to make direct observations of the mechanism that generates the seismic waves, for the usual California earthquake originates at a depth of approximately ten miles, although in some large earthquakes the slipping on the fault has extended to the surface of the ground.
Alcohol and Marijuana Use Behaviors among Latinx Adolescents: The Interplay of Intra- and Inter-Personal Predictive Factors Differ by Gender

This cross-sectional study examined the interactive effects of key interpersonal (i.e. parental monitoring) and intrapersonal (i.e. impulsivity) factors on alcohol use frequency, alcohol-related pr...
CryoDRGN: Reconstruction of heterogeneous structures from cryo-electron micrographs using neural networks

Abstract Cryo-EM single-particle analysis has proven powerful in determining the structures of rigid macromolecules. However, many protein complexes are flexible and can change conformation and composition as a result of functionally-associated dynamics. Such dynamics are poorly captured by current analysis methods. Here, we present cryoDRGN, an algorithm that for the first time leverages the representation power of deep neural networks to efficiently reconstruct highly heterogeneous complexes and continuous trajectories of protein motion. We apply this tool to two synthetic and three publicly available cryo-EM datasets, and we show that cryoDRGN provides an interpretable representation of structural heterogeneity that can be used to identify discrete states as well as continuous conformational changes. This ability enables cryoDRGN to discover previously overlooked structural states and to visualize molecules in motion.
A 2-Question Summative Score Correlates with the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

Author(s): Li-Sauerwine, Simiao; Rebillot, Katie; Melamed, Matthew; Addo, Newton; Lin, Michelle | Abstract: Introduction: There is a high prevalence of burnout among emergency medicine (EM) residents. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is a widely used tool to measure burnout. The objective of this study was to compare the MBI-HSS and a two-question tool to determine burnout in the EM resident population.Methods: Based on data from the 2017 National Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey study, we determined the correlation between two single-item questions with their respective MBI subscales and the full MBI-HSS. We then compared a 2-Question Summative Score to the full MBI-HSS with respect to primary, more restrictive, and more inclusive definitions of burnout previously reported in the literature.Results: Of 1,522 residents who completed the survey 37.0% reported “I feel burned out from my work,” and 47.1% reported “I have become more callous toward people since I took this job” once a week or more (each item g3 on a scale of 0-6). A 2-Question Summative Score totaling g3 correlated most closely with the primary definition of burnout (Spearman’s rho 0.65 [95% confidence interval 0.62-0.68]). Using the summative score, 77.7% of residents were identified as burned out, compared to 76.1% using the full MBI-HSS, with a sensitivity and specificity of 93.6% and 73.0%, respectively.Conclusion: An abbreviated 2-Question Summative Score correlates well with the full MBI-HSS tool in assessing EM resident physician burnout and could be considered a rapid screening tool to identify at-risk residents experiencing burnout.
Chapter 23 – Decreasing Costs and the Theory of the Second-Best—The Boiteux Problem

Chapter 23 extends the first-best analysis of decreasing cost services in Chapter 9 with the second-best analysis of the multiproduct, decreasing-cost firm developed by Marcel Boiteux in the 1950s. Boiteux considered how the firm should raise the prices of its products above marginal costs to remove the deficit that would arise with marginal cost pricing. The pricing rule is closely related to the optimal commodity tax rule for raising a given amount of revenue to minimize efficiency loss. Boiteux's analysis is one of the seminal contributions to second-best public expenditure theory. He is as closely associated with the decreasing-cost firm as Paul Samuelson is with the nonexclusive public good.
Effects of orthognathic surgery on quality of life compared with nonsurgical controls in an American population

Introduction To determine the psychosocial effects of a facial skeletal mal-relationship with its subsequent surgical correction in a group of patients treated using surgical orthodontics compared with a matched group of nontreated controls. Methods This study was approved by The Ohio State University Institutional Review Board. Subjects were patients presenting with facial skeletal mal-relationships whose proposed treatment plans included orthognathic surgery. This study used valid and reliable questionnaires: Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), Beck Depression Inventory II (Children's Depression Inventory – 2), Satisfaction with Life Scale, and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children), administered at 3 different stages of treatment (time 1 = initial pretreatment, time 2 = before oral surgery, and time 3 = at completion of treatment). Matched controls recruited at each time point completed the same questionnaires. Results A total of 267 subjects were recruited to participate in this study. There were no significant differences between treatment and control groups in age, sex, education level, or employment status at any of the 3 time points. The randomization test was used to compare values for all outcome variables between groups at the 3 stages of treatment. For the pretreatment period, T1, there were significant differences between patients and controls in domains 1 (P = 0.0126), 2 (P = 0.0000), and 3 (P = 0.0000) of the OQLQ (social aspects, facial esthetics, and oral function, respectively) as well as total OQLQ (P = 0.0000). For the presurgery period, T2, there were significant differences between patients and controls in domains 2 (P = 0.0136) and 3 (P = 0.0001) of the OQLQ (facial esthetics and oral function) as well as total OQLQ (P = 0.0291). Finally, for the posttreatment period, T3, there was a significant difference between patients and controls only in domain 3 (P = 0.0196) of the OQLQ (oral function). Conclusions The psychosocial profile of patients with a facial skeletal mal-relationship does not differ from the general population in depression, anxiety, and overall satisfaction with life. However, these patients do report a reduced quality of life based on condition-specific measures in social aspects, facial esthetics, and oral function. Concerns about oral function remain even up to 2 years after treatment is completed.
Sudden stop detection and automatic seating support with neural stimulation during manual wheelchair propulsion.

Objective: Wheelchair safety is of great importance since falls from wheelchairs are prevalent and often have devastating consequences. We developed an automatic system to detect destabilizing events during wheelchair propulsion under real-world conditions and trigger neural stimulation to stiffen the trunk to maintain seated postures of users with paralysis. Design: Cross-over intervention Setting: Laboratory and community settings Participants: Three able-bodied subjects and three individuals with SCI with previously implanted neurostimulation systems Interventions: An algorithm to detect wheelchair sudden stops was developed. This was used to randomly trigger trunk extensor stimulation during sudden stops events Outcome Measures: Algorithm success and false positive rates were determined. SCI users rated each condition on a seven-point Usability Rating Scale to indicate safety. Results: The system detected sudden stops with a success rate of over 93% in community settings. When used to trigger trunk neurostimulation to ensure stability, the implant recipients consistently reported feeling safer (P<.05 for 2/3 subjects) with the system while encountering sudden stops as indicated by a 1-3 point change in safety rating. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that this system could monitor wheelchair activity and only apply stabilizing neurostimulation when appropriate to maintain posture. Larger scale, unsupervised and longer-term trials at home and in the community are indicated. This system could be generalized and applied to individuals without an implanted stimulation by utilizing surface stimulation, or by actuating a mechanical restraint when necessary, thus allowing unrestricted trunk movements and only restraining the user when necessary to ensure safety. Trial Registration: NCT01474148.
Current knowledge and future perspectives of barrier membranes: A biomaterials perspective

Periodontal regenerations and bone augmentations are common procedures practiced on a daily basis worldwide. This had led to the introduction of a wide number of barrier membranes, all aiming at regenerating a sufficient amount of bone while being safe, cost effective and easy to handle. Membranes have different characteristics that may influence their clinical properties and the result obtained. The article aims at presenting an overview of the different barrier membranes commonly used in the oral surgery field, while shedding light on the new advances in the third generation membranes. La regeneration parodontale et les chirurgies d’augmentation osseuse sont des procedures courantes pratiquees quotidiennement dans le monde entier. Cela a conduit a l’introduction d’un grand nombre de membranes barrieres, toutes visant a regenerer une quantite suffisante d’os tout en etant sures, rentables et faciles a manipuler. Les membranes ont des caracteristiques differentes qui peuvent influencer leurs proprietes cliniques et le resultat obtenu. L’article vise a presenter un apercu des differentes membranes barrieres couramment utilisees dans le domaine de la chirurgie buccale, tout en mettant en lumiere les nouvelles avancees des membranes de troisieme generation.
Kazakhstan as Logistics Linchpin in the Belt and Road Initiative

Between China and Russia and East Asia and Europe, Kazakhstan’s strategic position on the New Silk Road empowers it as a logistics linchpin. Combining Kazakhstan’s geographic position, political stability, relatively high per capita income, highly developed energy sector and the fact that the old Silk Road ran along Kazakhstan’s southern border has catalyzed development of an integrated transport complex where logistics, air transportation and financial and business services come together to promote establishment of regional headquarter hubs. Integration would expand and develop facilities which encompass “The Four Rs” of transportation: road, rail, runway and river/sea. While this outcome may be part of Kazakhstan’s destiny, sophisticated planning and development is necessary, and this will require integration and coordination between Khorgos, Almaty, Nur-Sultan and ongoing Chinese investment.
Education in the United States and Nigeria: policies and advocacy, and inclusion of children with disabilities

The world is now a developed, modern village, and countries around the world are borrowing a leaf from other countries’ policies. This paper presents a picture of the inter-locking relationships between the United States of America’s educational policies and the Nigeria’s educational policies and early childhood education. This paper looks at education in the United States and that of Nigeria, viz-a-vis, its differences and similarities. This paper also looks at the inclusion of children with disabilities in education of both countries.
Sympathetic activation due to limb venous distension is preserved during muscle metaboreceptor stimulation

Venous saline infusions in an arterially occluded forearm evoke reflex increases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and blood pressure (BP) in humans (venous distension reflex). It is uncl...
Hexagonite: A Hypothetical Organic Zeolite

Elaborating the discrete hydrocarbon molecule bicyclo[2.2.2]-2,5,7-octatriene in three-dimensions, a unique, hypothetical allotrope of carbon is produced. Such a structure possesses a principal six-fold axis; along this axis are hexagonal, organic tunnels with about a 5.70 A outside tunnel diameter across opposite vertices, and an actual, inside diameter of 4.16 A when taking into account the covalent radius of tetrahedral carbon. Across opposite edges, the outside hexagonal tunnel diameter is 4.94 A, and the inside tunnel diameter is 3.61 A. These tunnels are lined alternately with hexagonally disposed ethane-like functions and hexagonally disposed ethene-like functions that stack along the tunnel axis. The lattice lies in space group P6/mmm, and it has the Schlafli symbol given by (6, 3), it is therefore topologically related to the graphite-diamond hybrids. Because of the hexagonal symmetry of the unit cell, and also due to the fact that its polygonality is six, the structure has been given the name hexagonite. There are ten carbon atoms in the unit of pattern, and the density is 2.50 g/cc; bordered by the densities of graphite at 2.27 g/cc and diamond at 3.56 g/cc. Its large organic channels, lined with π organic functions, may make it particularly useful as an organic zeolite material, or alternatively as a host lattice for ionic conduction. The electronic band structure of the empty, hexagonal host lattice is described.
Behavior of a 3-Span Continuous Bridge Before and After Continuity Joint Replacement Using Ultra-High-Performance Concrete

AbstractOne method of bridge construction consists of simply supported precast, prestressed concrete girders made continuous for live load through individual continuity joints connecting the two gi...
Separating the contributions of SLC26A9 and CFTR to anion secretion in primary human bronchial epithelia (HBE).

Aberrant anion secretion across the bronchial epithelium is associated with airway disease, most notably in cystic fibrosis. While the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is ...
A Course to Meet the Nature of Science and Inquiry Standards within an Authentic Service Learning Experience

An analysis of teacher education programs at the University of Akron prompted the development of courses to address nature of science in an inquiry context. A new course, “Geology Service Learning” was developed with the primary educational objective of providing both undergraduate geology majors and future teachers with research experiences where they collect, analyze, and interpret real world data. Students work in teams to complete a semester long, service learning, research project that focuses on resource management issues of the local Metro Parks. Collaboration between a science education and a geology instructor produced an evaluation plan to assess variables of interest (students' acquisition of environmental geology concepts and skills, and their conception of the nature of science). Data sources included students' responses to a standardized nature of science instrument, students' preliminary analyses of an environmental problem, students' responses to email prompts, and their preliminary drafts...
Drexel at TREC 2014 Federated Web Search Track

Abstract : This paper reports our participation in the Federated Web Search Track in TREC 2014. We submitted 21 runs for all the three tasks: Vertical Selection (7), Resource Selection (7) and Results Merging (7). Our main purpose is to test several established resource selection methods on the new realistic FedWeb test collections. We evaluated 7 well known resource selection methods for the vertical selection and resource selection tasks. The effectiveness of these methods in the RS tasks does not carry to the VS tasks, which implies that more sophisticated algorithms and more diverse sources of evidence are needed for solving the VS task effectively. Our Results Merging experiments reveal the correlation between the performance of RM and the performance of its input RS results.
Ecological Study Design

The purposes of ecological studies range from descriptive (e.g. hypothesis-generating) to inferential. The target of inference may be the group (called ecological inference) or the individual (called biological inference). Ecological studies are most appropriate for assessing the effects of interventions on populations, although the inference can be limited relative to an individual-level study. Their applicability to etiological hypotheses about individuals is much more controversial, due to the risk of committing the ecological fallacy. This fallacy is present when characteristics of individuals are wrongly inferred from grouped data. Although these reservations have a sound basis, most ecological study literature does not distinguish between issues inherent to the analysis of opportunistic observational data, and those pertinent to valid biological inference from group-level analyses. Keywords: ecological inference; biological inference; ecological fallacy; aggregate data; environmental exposure; health effect; multilevel study; contextual effects
Sandin v. Conner and Intraprison Confinement: Ten Years of Confusion and Harm in Prisoner Litigation

The 1995 United States Supreme Court case of Saudin u Conner .dramatically altered how federal courts examine prisoners' procedural clue process claims. Prior to Sandia. a prison official's act against a prisoner in violation of a specific regulation often gave rise to a liberty interest worthy of procedural clue process protection. Sandin ended this analysis by stating that the proper inquiry should focus on whether such a violation caused an "atypical and significant hardship on the inmate in relation to the ordinary incidents of prison life." This Note argues that the "atypical and significant" standard, as applied by the majority of the lower courts, has led to harsh results, particularly for prisoners claiming that their assignments to higher levels of intraprison confinement followed little or no process. Because intraprison confinement is not. representative of the prisoner experience and often harms inmates, courts must recognize such confinements to be the "atypical and significant" experiences that they truly are.
Motivation norms of knowledge engineers compared to those of software engineers

Abstract:This paper describes the results of a survey of members of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (knowledge engineers) concerning their individual need for growth and their perceptions about their work environment. Responses are compared to those of software engineers whose qualifications are similar to those of knowledge engineers. Comparisons are made on 16 variables. The analysis shows that personnel in the two job categories are quite similar; both have quite high need for growth and therefore need jobs rich in the factors key to motivation. The survey also identified several problems that managers in the artificial intelligence (ai) area need to resolve.
Practical verification for the working programmer with codecontracts and abstract interpretation

CodeContracts provide a language agnostic way to specify and check preconditions, postconditions and object invariants (collectively called contracts [17]). Specifications take the form of calls to static methods of a Contract library [7]. The authoring library is available out-of-the-box to all .NET programmers from υ4.
Termination of slower ventricular tachycardia using an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator triggered by chest wall stimulation.

Abstract The automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (A1CD) (CPI Inc.) is effective in reducing the yearly mortality rate for malignant tachyarrhythmias to about 2%. 1 Inappropriate AICD discharges may occur in response to unsustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias, 2 sinus and other supraventricular tachycardias and interaction with an implanted pacemaker during programming 3 as a consequence of the inherent limitations of AICD design. We exploited these design characteristics to intervene therapeutically during tachycardias at rates below those ordinarily detected by the AICD. Electrical chest wall stimulation with a low-amplitude pacer stimulus is a standard means of triggering and inhibiting conventional implanted pacemakers. This report describes the use of chest wall stimulation to elicit a therapeutic AICD discharge on several occasions.
Near-IR imaging of Asteroid 4 Vesta

Abstract The Keck Observatory's adaptive optics (AO) system has been used to observe Asteroid 4 Vesta during its 2003 closest approach to Earth. Broadband K ′ - and L ′ -band images, centered at 2.1 and 3.6 μm, respectively, are presented here. The sharpness of the images was improved by applying a deconvolution algorithm, MISTRAL, to the images. The K ′ - and L ′ -band images at spatial resolutions of 53 km ( 0.055 ″ ) and 88 km ( 0.085 ″ ), respectively, display albedo features on the surface of the asteroid that can also be seen in the HST images (673 nm) presented by Thomas et al. [1997. Impact excavation on Asteroid 4 Vesta: Hubble Space Telescope results. Science 277, 1492–1495] and Binzel et al. [1997. Geologic mapping of Vesta from 1994 Hubble Space Telescope images. Icarus 128, 95–103] at the same latitudes and longitudes. While we cannot determine the morphology of these features, we can speculate that some of the albedo features may be impact craters filled with dark material. Spectra, centered at 1.65 and 2.1 μm, were also obtained. Spectra were corrected for the solar flux and are similar to those published by Gaffey [1997. Surface lithologic heterogeneity of Asteroid 4 Vesta. Icarus 127, 130–157], along the same wavelength range.
Effect of impurity compounds on ethanol hydration

Abstract The hydration of ethanol is often described as “hydrophobic hydration,” which refers to the restructuring of the water H-bond network to accommodate ethanol molecules. In the present study we investigate by molecular dynamics simulations how impurity compounds impact this water restructuring. Specifically impurity compounds found in alcoholic beverages, including acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, methanol, and fusel oils (1-proanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, and 2-methyl-1-butanol), are investigated by equilibrium radial distribution function (RDF) analysis of simulated water–alcohol mixtures. Impurities can increase the first peak of the RDF compared to “clean” mixtures, implying a more ordered structure. The basis of enhanced ordering is explored by MCR-ALS analysis, which resolves the solutions into four components — pure water, two ethanol hydrates, and pure ethanol. Impurities enhance the water component at the expense of the water-rich hydrate implying an enhanced hydrophobic effect. The extent of this effect depends on both the geometric and electrostatic characteristics of the impurity compound. The results suggest that impurities can induce a watery taste in alcoholic beverages.
The Role of Leukocyte-Generated Oxidants in Left Ventricular Remodeling

The cellular injury that results from irreversible ischemia leads to the alteration of tissue function responsible for the phenomenon that we call left ventricular remodeling. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key elements of this process; in mice as in humans, elevation of markers of inflammation at the time of myocardial infarction (MI) is a predictor of the development of ischemic myopathy and of adverse clinical outcomes. Several leukocyte-derived enzyme systems are responsible for the release of oxidizing agents into the myocardium after ischemic injury and provide a means of better understanding MI. By identifying the oxidation products present after inflammation, the responsible leukocyte-generating oxidant systems can be elucidated. Interestingly, a key leukocyte-derived marker, myeloperoxidase (MPO), was formerly measured routinely by older-generation hematology analyzers. Patients with lower levels of MPO were noted to be at lower risk for untoward cardiovascular events, suggesting that humans are more genomically "hardwired" than previously thought. Studies with genetic knockout mice confirm the importance of these leukocyte-generated oxidants in the pathophysiologic consequences of ischemia. This clearly affects the anatomic extent of damage, the hemodynamic consequences, and ultimately, the clinical correlates and potential outcomes. An understanding of these oxidative processes and their relation to inflammation will be extremely useful in the development and understanding of potential therapeutic agents.
2,8-Dihydroxyadenine Nephrolithiasis Induces Developmental Stage-specific Alterations in Gene Expression in Mouse Kidney

Objectives To identify factors that may be crucial for the initiation and progression of stone-induced injury in the developing mouse kidney by a prospective observational study using microarray analysis. Kidney stone diseases are common in premature infants, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not fully defined. Methods Mice with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency develop 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) nephrolithiasis. The gene expression changes between Aprt −/− and Aprt +/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips. Targets of interest were further analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Results We identified a set of genes that were differentially expressed in the developing kidney in response to DHA-induced injury. In 1-week-old Aprt −/− mice, the expression of Sprr2f and Clu was highly augmented and that of Egf was significantly decreased. We also observed that maturation-related gene expression changes were delayed in developing Aprt −/− kidneys, and immature Aprt −/− kidneys contained large numbers of intercalated cells that were blocked from terminal differentiation. Conclusions This study presents a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional changes induced by DHA stone injury in the developing mouse kidney. Our findings help explain growth impairment in kidneys subject to injury during the early stages of development.
Torque characterization of functional magnetic polymers using torque magnetometry

Abstract Magneto-Rheological Elastomers (MREs) are functional magnetic polymers filled with magnetic particles. MREs with fixed magnetic polarization within the particles, or H-MREs, develop a torque in response to an applied magnetic field. This ability leads to unique actuation properties which are critical for designs and applications of flexible actuators employing H-MREs. Thus, the primary goal of this paper is to characterize the relationship between torque generated and volume concentration of magnetic particles, an essential design parameter in H-MRE fabrication. To this end, a torque magnetometer based on a parallel plate capacitor was designed, and used to measure the torque response from H-MRE samples. The H-MRE samples were fabricated with varying percent volume of magnetic particles. The results from torque testing paralleled theoretical trends expected for the samples. An empirical correlation between volume content and maximum torque was found for samples above 10% volume composition and followed a linear trend. The equation governing the relationship was found from experimental results.
Characterization of Balloon-Jointed Micro-Fingers

A micro-finger structure articulated by pneumatically controlled micro balloon joints is characterized for its force capability. The micro-finger, being developed as a building component for future micro-robotics, is made of thick (>100 μm) silicon segments closely jointed by micro balloons made of Parylene thin film. The thick silicon structure and the small gap in between provide strength and stiffness that are desirable in micro-robots. The force characterization of the microfingers, obtained from a simple experimental setup, demonstrates that the micro-finger can apply 1.2 mN force at 60 psi pneumatic actuation. The effective stiffness of the micro-finger is also obtained. The increasing stiffness under higher pressure suggests that the micro-fingers can exert stronger force by increasing pressure, showing the advantage of the active grasping mechanism.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
WRAP&Zip decompression of the connectivity of triangle meshes compressed with edgebreaker

Abstract The Edgebreaker compression (Rossignac, 1999; King and Rossignac, 1999) is guaranteed to encode any unlabeled triangulated planar graph of t triangles with at most 1.84t bits. It stores the graph as a CLERS string—a sequence of t symbols from the set { C,L,E,R,S} , each represented by a 1, 2 or 3 bit code. We show here that, in practice, the string can be further compressed to between 0.91t and 1.26t bits using an entropy code. These results improve over the 2.3t bits code proposed by Keeler and Westbrook (1995) and over the various 3D triangle mesh compression techniques published recently (Gumhold and Strasser, 1998; Itai and Rodeh, 1982; Naor, 1990; Touma and Gotsman, 1988; Turan, 1984), which exhibit either larger constants or cannot guarantee a linear worst case storage complexity. The decompression proposed by Rossignac (1999) is complicated and exhibits a non-linear time complexity. The main contribution reported here is a simpler and efficient decompression algorithm, called WrapZ King and Rossignac, 1999) yields a simple and effective solution for compressing the connectivity information of large and small triangle meshes that must be downloaded over the Internet. The CLERS stream may be interleaved with an encoding of the vertex coordinates and photometric attributes enabling inline decompression. The availability of local incidence information permits to use, during decompression, the location and attributes of neighboring vertices to predict new ones, and thus supports most of the recently proposed vertex compression techniques (Deering, 1995; Gumhold and Strasser, 1999; Taubin and Rossignac, 1998; Touma and Gotsman, 1998).