cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Century-scale paleoclimatic reconstruction from Moon Lake, a closed-basin lake in the northern Great Plains

Estimates of past lake-water salinity from fossil diatom assemblages were used to infer past climatic conditions at Moon Lake, a climatically sensitive site in the northern Great Plains. A good correspondence between diatom-inferred salinity and historical records of mean annual precipitation minus evapotranspiration (P - ET) strongly suggests that the sedimentary record from Moon Lake can be used to reconstruct past climatic conditions. Century-scale analysis of the Holocene diatom record indicates four major hydrological periods: an early Holocene transition from an open freshwater system to a closed saline system by 7300 B.P., which corresponds with a transition from spruce forest to deciduous parkland to prairie and indicates a major shift from wet to dry climate; a mid-Holocene period of high salinity from 7300 to 4700 B.P., indicating low effective moisture (P - ET); a transitional period of high salinity from 4700 to 2200 B.P., characterized by poor diatom preservation; and a late Holocene period of variable lower salinity during the past 2,200 yr, indicating fluctuations in effective moisture.
Automated Circuit Breaker Monitoring

Circuit breakers are used in a power system to break or make current flow through power system apparatus. The action of circuit breakers changes switching topology of a power system. Reliable operation of circuit breakers is critical to the ability to reconfigure a power system and can be assured by regular inspection and maintenance. An automated circuit breaker monitoring system is proposed to monitor circuit breaker's control circuit. System is designed to enable deployment of system-wide applications that utilize the data recorded by the system. An application of system wide data analysis is demonstrated. It makes possible to track the circuit breaker switching sequences and make conclusions about their performance and final outcome. Lab and field evaluation of the designed system is performed and results are presented.
Influence of speed on walking economy poststroke.

Background and Objective. Walking speed influences energy cost in healthy adults, but its influence when walking is impaired due to stroke is not clear. This study investigated the effect of manipu...
A Review of “Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations”

First published in 1988, the Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations is now in its fifth edition. The “checklist” is exactly what its title implies—a well-organized and exhaustive list ...
R-Ras promotes focal adhesion formation through focal adhesion kinase and p130(Cas) by a novel mechanism that differs from integrins.

R-Ras regulates integrin function, but its effects on integrin signaling pathways have not been well described. We demonstrate that activation of R-Ras promoted focal adhesion formation and altered localization of the α2β1 integrin from cell-cell to cell-matrix adhesions in breast epithelial cells. Constitutively activated R-Ras(38V) dramatically enhanced focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and p130Cas phosphorylation upon collagen stimulation or clustering of the α2β1 integrin, even in the absence of increased ligand binding. Signaling events downstream of R-Ras differed from integrins and K-Ras, since pharmacological inhibition of Src or disruption of actin inhibited integrin-mediated FAK and p130Cas phosphorylation, focal adhesion formation, and migration in control and K-Ras(12V)-expressing cells but had minimal effect in cells expressing R-Ras(38V). Therefore, signaling from R-Ras to FAK and p130Cas has a component that is Src independent and not through classic integrin signaling pathways and a component that is Src dependent. R-Ras effector domain mutants and pharmacological inhibition suggest a partial role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), but not Raf, in R-Ras signaling to FAK and p130Cas. However, PI3K cannot account for the Src-independent pathway, since simultaneous inhibition of both PI3K and Src did not completely block effects of R-Ras on FAK phosphorylation. Our results suggest that R-Ras promotes focal adhesion formation by signaling to FAK and p130Cas through a novel mechanism that differs from but synergizes with the α2β1 integrin.
Talk that Talk: Storytelling and Analysis Rooted in African American Oral Tradition

Stories are the foundation of qualitative research. However, the development of qualitative methods rooted in oral traditions remains largely unexplored by researchers. The contextual and historical influences on storytelling and storytaking are critical features of the African American oral tradition that are often ignored or minimized in qualitative research. Despite the complex and often contentious history of African Americans, their oral traditions have not been explored to reveal the depth of their lived experiences and the way those experiences inform their health concerns. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, dialogues about storytelling and storytaking are revisited and critiqued. Second, a comprehensive analytic process for gathering and interpreting stories rooted in African American oral tradition is outlined.
The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply project: An introduction

In the United States, empirical information on the sustainability of commercial-scale egg production is lacking. The passage of state regulations specific to hen housing created urgency to better understand the effects of different housing systems on the sustainability of the egg supply, and stimulated the formation of a coalition, the Coalition for a Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES), to conduct research on this topic. The CSES is a multi-stakeholder group with 27 members, including food manufacturers, research institutions, scientists, restaurants, food service, retail food companies, egg suppliers, and nongovernmental organizations. A commercial-scale study was developed to better understand the effect of 3 housing systems (conventional cage, enriched colony, and cage-free aviary) on 5 areas related to a sustainable egg supply. These 5 sustainability areas represent effects on people, animals, and the environment: animal health and well-being, environment, food safety, worker health and safety, and food affordability. Five teams of scientists, each associated with a sustainability area, conducted an integrated field study at a commercial site in the upper Midwest through 2 flock cycles in 3 housing systems. This paper provides a brief overview of the CSES project to serve as an introduction for the papers that follow in this volume of Poultry Science.
Serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatases and cancer

In a multicellular organism, the cell number depends on the balance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death or apoptosis. Human cancer is a disease that involves unrestrained cell cycle progression and/or a failure to undergo apoptosis. While we have identified the essential pathways controlling the cell number, we have realised that these two processes are regulated by protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. Considerable effort is now being devoted towards testing and exploiting molecular targets that can improve the mostly frustrating results of present chemotherapy. Given that our understanding of protein phosphorylation is far better than that of protein dephosphorylation, it is not surprising that most of the work is currently focused on select protein kinases, their regulators and substrates. This review will discuss recent advances in the characterisation of protein phosphatases, which play a role in controlling the cell number and, at the same time, attempt to identify important ar...
MtuA, a lipoprotein receptor antigen from Streptococcus uberis, is responsible for acquisition of manganese during growth in milk and is essential for infection of the lactating bovine mammary gland.

A mutant strain of Streptococcus uberis (AJS001) that was unable to grow in bovine milk was isolated following random insertional mutagenesis. The level of growth in milk was restored to that of the parental strain (strain 0140J) following addition of MnSO4 but not following addition of other metal ions. The mutant contained a single insertion within mtuA, a homologue of mtsA and psaA, which encode metal-binding proteins in Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. Strain AJS001 was unable to infect any of eight quarters on four dairy cows following intramammary challenge with 105 CFU. Bacteria were never recovered directly from milk of these animals but were detected following enrichment in Todd-Hewitt broth in three of eight milk samples obtained within 24 h of challenge. The animals showed no inflammatory response and no signs of mastitis. Three mammary quarters on two different animals simultaneously challenged with 600 CFU of the parental strain, strain 0140J, became colonized, shed high numbers of S. uberis organisms in milk, displayed a marked inflammatory response to infection, and showed overt signs of mastitis. These data indicate that mtuA was required for efficient uptake of Mn2+ during growth in bovine milk and infection of the lactating bovine mammary gland.
X‐ray diffraction by thermotropic main‐chain polymers with side groups. II. semiflexible polyesters

Semiflexible thermotropic aromatic polyesters with lateral groups were aligned magnetically and mechanically in monodomains after separation into high-molecular-weight (polymer) and low-molecular-weight (oligomer) fractions. Based on the x-ray intensity distributions recorded for a series of seven different substituents in the arylsulfonyl substituted group, a novel smectic structure was determined for H, F, Cl, OCH3, and CH3 in the para position while a normal nematic alignment prevailed when it contained Br or NO2.
Effects of Acylation of Defatted Cottonseed Flour with Various Acid Anhydrides on Protein Extractability and Functional Properties of Resulting Protein Isolates

Maleylation, succinylation, dimethylglutarylation, and sodium sulfite treatment of cottonseed flour increased protein extraction from the flour in suspension, and precipitated more protein in the extract at pH 4.0, compared to unmodified flour processed through conventional methods. However, acetylation decreased protein extraction and precipitation at this pH. Protein isolates from succinylated, maleylated and dimethylglutarylated flours were highly water-soluble, and did not coagulate by heating. Acetylation decreased heat coagulability of the resulting protein isolate, but did not affect water solubility of the isolate. Treatment of the flour with sodium sulfite markedly increased heat coagulability of the isolate, and decreased its solubility. Oil absorption capacity of the isolate was increased slightly by dimethylglutarylation, but other treatments did not affect the capacity significantly. Sensitivity of proteins in isolates to calcium ions was not affected by acylation or sodium sulfite treatment of the flour.
Escape from the pond: stress and developmental responses to ranavirus infection in wood frog tadpoles

Summary 1. Animal populations exhibit considerable variation in their susceptibility to infection by emerging diseases, yet it is poorly understood how environmental and intrinsic factors contribute to these patterns. Considering that intrinsic factors (e.g. life history stage, nutritional state) can impact immune function, knowledge of the physiological mechanisms that mediate susceptibility to infection may improve our understanding of the emergence of disease in natural populations. 2. Ranavirus outbreaks have been associated with die-offs of amphibians worldwide. While the ecological factors associated with epidemics have been widely studied, little is known about how physiological factors mediate amphibian responses to ranavirus infection. 3. The neuroendocrine hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis (HPI) is a physiological system central to coordinating energy balance and development. It is known to both stimulate and inhibit immune function in vertebrates in different contexts. We hypothesized that the HPI axis would also mediate responses to ranavirus infection. We used wood frog (Rana sylvatica) larvae and ranavirus isolated from recent die-offs of local wood frog populations to examine the physiological responses to infection. 4. In addition to increasing odds of death with increasing doses of virus in an LD50 study, we saw a 1·7-fold increase in the odds of death with each increase in Gosner stage at the time of infection. 5. We then examined the HPI stress response of prometamorphic tadpoles exposed to a lethal dose of ranavirus. Infected tadpoles exhibited significantly elevated corticosterone levels, more rapid developmental changes, and a greater decrease in body weight relative to controls over 6 days after exposure. 6. Although elevated corticosterone mobilizes resources and enhances immunity, its acceleration of metamorphosis may be maladaptive in response to ranavirus infection, because it can draw energy away from expensive immune responses. These findings provide insight into how the balance of energy between development and immune function may contribute to patterns of ranavirus infection in pre-metamorphic amphibians.
The Creative Identity: Creative Behavior from the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective.

This paper outlines a framework for understanding the motivation of certain creative behaviors from the perspective of symbolic interactionism. The fundamental tenets of symbolic interactionism are described, followed by a discussion of the mechanics of symbolic interactionist-based role-identity theory, and how the theory can be applied to the motivation of creative behavior. The paper also addresses directions for practical application and future research in this area.
Sol-gel synthesis of phosphate ceramic composites II

Phosphate ceramics were synthesized using sol-gel technique of direct reaction of P2O5 with tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) or titanium tetraethoxide (Ti(OEt)4). The reaction mechanism of P2O5 and TEOS was deduced using liquid and solid-state NMR. Hexacoordinated silicon in phosphosilicate gels was observed. A specially structured titanium phosphate-layered Ti(HPO4)2 · 2H2O was synthesized for the first time through the sol-gel method. The gelation process and phase transformations were investigated.
Evaluation of Morphological Changes in Degenerative Cartilage Using 3-D Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an important noninvasive medical imaging technique that can reveal subsurface structures of biological tissue. OCT has demonstrated a good correlation with histology in sufficient resolution to identify morphological changes in articular cartilage to differentiate normal through progressive stages of degenerative joint disease. Current OCT systems provide individual cross-sectional images that are representative of the tissue directly under the scanning beam, but they may not fully demonstrate the degree of degeneration occurring within a region of a joint surface. For a full understanding of the nature and degree of cartilage degeneration within a joint, multiple OCT images must be obtained and an overall assessment of the joint surmised from multiple individual images. This study presents frequency domain three-dimensional (3-D) OCT imaging of degenerative joint cartilage extracted from bovine knees. The 3-D OCT imaging of articular cartilage enables the assembly of 126 individual, adjacent, rapid scanned OCT images into a full 3-D image representation of the tissue scanned, or these may be viewed in a progression of successive individual two-dimensional (2-D) OCT images arranged in 3-D orientation. A fiber-based frequency domain OCT system that provides cross-sectional images was used to acquire 126 successive adjacent images for a sample volume of $6{\times}3.2{\times}2.5\;mm^3$ . The axial resolution was $8\;{\mu}m$ in air. The 3-D OCT was able to demonstrate surface topography and subsurface disruption of articular cartilage consistent with the gross image as well as with histological cross-sections of the specimen. The 3-D OCT volumetric imaging of articular cartilage provides an enhanced appreciation and better understanding of regional degenerative joint disease than may be realized by individual 2-D OCT sectional images.
Aquatic life water quality criteria derived via the UC Davis method: III. Diuron.

Diuron is a phenylurea herbicide that has been frequently detected in surface waters (the US Environmental Protection Agency, USEPA 2003), including periods when relatively low amounts were used, because it is moderately persistent in the water column (Ensminger et al. 2008). Diuron poses a risk to aquatic life because it, and other herbicides, can cause adverse effects on algae and vascular plants, which are the foundation of the aquatic food chain. Water quality standards are used to regulate pesticides in surface waters, and these standards are typically based on water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life. When pesticide concentrations do not exceed water quality criteria, no adverse effects on aquatic life are expected. The derivation of acute and chronic water quality criteria for diuron using a new methodology developed by the University of California, Davis (TenBrook et al. 2010), is described in this chapter. The UC Davis methodology (UCDM) was designed to be more flexible than the USEPA method (1985) for deriving water quality criteria, although many aspects of the methods are similar.
Rendering the Intractable More Tractable: Tools from Caenorhabditis elegans Ripe for Import into Parasitic Nematodes

Recent and rapid advances in genetic and molecular tools have brought spectacular tractability to Caenorhabditis elegans, a model that was initially prized because of its simple design and ease of imaging. C. elegans has long been a powerful model in biomedical research, and tools such as RNAi and the CRISPR/Cas9 system allow facile knockdown of genes and genome editing, respectively. These developments have created an additional opportunity to tackle one of the most debilitating burdens on global health and food security: parasitic nematodes. I review how development of nonparasitic nematodes as genetic models informs efforts to import tools into parasitic nematodes. Current tools in three commonly studied parasites (Strongyloides spp., Brugia malayi, and Ascaris suum) are described, as are tools from C. elegans that are ripe for adaptation and the benefits and barriers to doing so. These tools will enable dissection of a huge array of questions that have been all but completely impenetrable to date, allowing investigation into host-parasite and parasite-vector interactions, and the genetic basis of parasitism.
Critical Connections: The Amazon and Global Climate Disruption

This chapter explores the connections between the Amazon Rain Forest and global climate change. The first connection is the contribution the deforestation of the Amazon makes to global climate change. The second is the impact climate change has on the rain forest by exacerbating droughts and forest fires. The chapter also discusses the roles of forests in the planetary carbon cycle, and tropical forest loss and climate change. One conclusion is that, thus far, the responses to this crisis have been woefully inadequate.
Data management and curation practices: the case of using DSpace and implications

Data management and curation is a new challenge with the emerging trend of data-dependent scholarly research. Due to the lack of common standards and best practices, current data management and curation practices have been varied. This poster presents a project that examines the common practices of data management and curation that helps understand the scope of and factors behind such variations. The sample of this study consists of 171 unique data repositories created by 164 institutions from 95 countries worldwide. The preliminary results indicate that data management and curation is a global issue. Currently, academic institutions and government agencies are the leading force in contributing and sharing data. Data repositories are used for various purposes with international repository and learning resources being the most common use cases. Additionally, system functions used to manage data repositories vary to a great extent with statistics and OAI harvesting being the most common ones.
High-performance infrared light trapping in nano-needle structured p^+ SnO_x (x ≤ 1)/thin film n-Ge photodiodes on Si

We report nano-needle structured conductive SnOx (x≤1) as a self-assembled electrode for high-efficiency light trapping in thin-film infrared (IR) photonic devices, benefiting from the high scattering efficiency, high density, and low IR loss of the nano-needles. We demonstrate a 2.2× responsivity enhancement for a 1.5-μm-thick Ge absorber in a nano-needled p+ SnOx/n-Ge photodiode on Si at λ=1580 nm, in good agreement with theoretical calculation of 2.3× enhancement assuming no IR loss in the nano-needles. Such low-loss light trapping can potentially enable 15–30× absorption enhancement at λ=1600–1650 nm in the Ge layer when integrated with a perfect rear reflector.
The role of high work-function metallic nanodots on the performance of a-Si:H solar cells: offering ohmic contact to light trapping.

Addition of carbon into p-type “window” layers in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells enhances short circuit currents and open circuit voltages by a great deal. However, a-Si:H solar cells with high carbon-doped “window” layers exhibit poor fill factors due to a Schottky barrier-like impedance at the interface between a-SiC:H windows and transparent conducting oxides (TCO), although they show maximized short circuit currents and open circuit voltages. The impedance is caused by an increasing mismatch between the work function of TCO and that of p-type a-SiC:H. Applying ultrathin high-work-function metals at the interface between the two materials results in an effective lowering of the work function mismatch and a consequent ohmic behavior. If the metal layer is sufficiently thin, then it forms nanodots rather than a continuous layer which provides light-scattering effect. We demonstrate 31% efficiency enhancement by using high-work-function materials for engineering the work function at t...
Role of condensed tannin on salivary tannin-binding proteins,bioenergetics, and nitrogen digestibility in Microtus pennsylvanicus

We investigated the ability of the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus , to produce tannin-binding salivary proteins when fed quebracho tannin-containing diets or when injected with the drug isoproterenol. None of the treatments induced production of new salivary proteins. None of the salivary proteins from voles bound tannin in vitro, and none of the proteins in vole saliva reacted with antibodies to tannin-binding proteins from saliva of rats. Diets containing 2.9% crude quebracho tannin had no effect on growth or survival of voles. Voles consuming diets containing 6% crude quebracho tannin had increased rates of loss of body mass and mortality and decreased rates of food consumption early in the trial, but began to accommodate to the diet by the end of the 10-day trial. Voles fed diets containing 6% tannin prepared by moistening and heating a mixture of lab chow and quebracho tannin had significantly higher rates of mortality than voles fed 6% tannin added directly to dry chow. Nitrogen, dry matter, and caloric digestibilities did not differ significantly among treatments.
Visibility and Legibility of Exit Signs Part I: Analytical Predictions

This paper presents an analytical assessment of the factors involved in visibility and legibility of exit signs in commercial buildings. A companion paper,1 which follows (pp. 29–32), presents the results of experimental work which confirms the theoretical predictions.
A study of the effects of fiber waviness on the buckling characteristics of laminated plates

The equations of equilibrium of composite plate with in-plane fiber waviness are derived and the effects of waviness on the buckling loads are studied. The plate is assumed to be in cylindrical bending and the resulting eigenvalue problem is solved using a combination of a shooting algorithm and the secant method. A numerical example of a plate with sinusoidal fiber waviness shows that the buckling load decreases as the amplitude of the waviness increases. However, results indicate that it is possible to enhance the stability characteristics of the plate by introducing artificial fiber waviness to increase its buckling load.
Corrective operation for tetralogy of Fallot in presence of side-to-end aorto-left pulmonary artery shunt. An unusual case and suggestion concerning management.

An unusual case of tetralogy of Fallot, in which a long-present side-to-end shunt between the descending thoracic aorta and the left pulmonary artery had to be closed as the first part of a corrective cardiac procedure, has been presented. The pulmonary artery was separated from the aorta and a graft was attached to it through a posterolateral incision. Then the mediastinotomy incision was made for open repair of the congenital cardiac anomaly and for attachment of the graft to the pulmonary trunk. The marked cyanosis which occurred immediately upon closing the shunt prompts the suggestion that, in circumstances such as this, the surgeon should be prepared immediately to place the patient on partial cardiopulmonary bypass through previously inserted femoral or iliac catheters. This general plan may offer the safest approach in taking down functioning Potts anastomoses as the first step in the complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot in other situations in which the aorto-pulmonary anastomosis can be most safely and effectively dealt with through a posterolateral incision.
Health reform: special report. Health reform turns two: after passage of the Affordable Care Act, the work--and the criticisms--persist.

UNLABELLED NCSL tracks state actions on federal health reform closely. You can learn more about federal regulations, state legislation, Medicaid, insurance reform and more at www.ncsl.org/healthreform. Several NCSL health staff contributed to this package of stories related to the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Contributors: Exchanges: job no. 1--Martha Salazar. Big changes for insurers--Richard Cauchi. Sharp divisions persist over law's future--Richard Cauchi. Transforming Medicaid--Melissa Hansen. States decided essential benefits--Richard Cauchi. PREVENTION more than an ounce--Amy Winerfeld. Help wanted: doctors and nurses--Laura Tobler.
Functional genomics and its impact on the future medicine

The sequencing of the human genome was completed in 2003. These data will affect all aspects of biological and medical sciences. Since almost all the genes of the genome are known, the diagnosis and therapy of the future is expected to evolve towards more personalized and efficient methods. Before these medical advancements become applicable, functional genomics must successfully determine the cellular role all the genes in the genome. Comprehensive functional studies will require suitable animal models. Although many mammalian species are used in biological and medical experiments, the mouse emerges as a key model organism in studies of human genes. The power of the mouse model system comes from its extensive physiological and pathological similarities to humans and from technological advancements offered by mouse genetics. Recently, a project called ENCODE was launched to accelerate this monumental effort of gene analysis. Once gene analysis is completed, the face of medicine will change markedly. The greatest impact is expected on the front of individual diagnosis of disease genes and personalized treatments of patients.
Writing Sociology, Personal Reflections on What the Arts Can Teach Us

Sociology has had classes on writing, a newsletter devoted to improving sociological writing, a remarkable number of books on writing, and special writing issues of sociological journals. Still, helping both sociology students and professional sociologists write more effectively continues to be seen as a major problem for the discipline. This brief essay suggests that four lessons drawn from the arts can improve the writing of sociologists and our students. First, sociologists must recognize the centrality of audience and develop their writing with specific audiences in mind. Second, a lesson drawn from the ceramics studio shows the power of sharply sculpting and focusing work. Third, understanding that research reporting is telling a story allows sociologists to draw on some traditional devices of storytellers to craft more powerful and effective writing. Finally, a phrase (“close enough for jazz”) from musical ensembles acknowledges the importance of avoiding unreasonable delay in presenting one’s work.
Asthma : An important disease to otolaryngologists - Part II: Asthma management strategy

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract which is triggered by exposure to allergens or other airway irritants, and is commonly encountered in otolaryngologic practice. This three-part review is designed to assist otolaryngologists in effectively managing their asthmatic patients. In Part I, current information on the pathophysiology and increasing prevalence of asthma, its clinical variability, the assessment of asthma severity and methods for diagnosis of asthma were summarized. Part II discusses a tripartite strategy for asthma management, based on environmental controls, the use of anti-inflammatory therapies and patient education. In addition, pharmacologic treatments which are not primarily anti-inflammatory are reviewed in detail. The uses, effectiveness, side effects and suitability for drug combination therapy for mucolytic, anticholinergic, antihistamine, theophylline and beta agonist drugs are compared, and the disadvantages of beta antagonists are summarized. Part III concludes with an overview of anti-inflammatory therapies for asthma control.
Novel Architectures for Streaming/Routing in Optical Networks

Present-day networks are being challenged by dramatic increases in data rate demands of emerging applications. New network architectures for streaming/routing large “elephant” transactions will be needed for cost and power efficiencies. This chapter examines a number of possible optical network transport mechanisms: optical packet switching, burst switching, and flow switching and describes the necessary physical layer, routing, and transport layers architectures for these transport mechanisms. Performance comparisons are made based on capacity utilization, scalability, costs, and power consumption. A global-reach network architecture, incorporating optical flow switching, will provide significant lower cost and power consumption for large transactions. This transport mechanism will necessitate physical, media access control, routing, and transport layers and control plane architecture changes over the current Internet architecture and must co-exist with traditional TCP/IP electronic packet switching transport in the same optical network. Scalability in network management and control and session scheduling is identified as the most important driver in the architecture construct. The physical architecture coupled with a matched media access control protocol can help slow down the control plane and still can operate the network with highly dynamic sessions and at high efficiency which is critical for low cost and low power operations. For intra-data center networks when the network bandwidth is not as challenged as a wide area network some form of burst switching can be advantageous if fast light-weight protocols are needed albeit the network must be used at light occupancy for low collision probabilities.
Causes and Consequences of Feelings: Feelings, Persuasion, and Motivation

This chapter will deal largely with persuasion: how people's feelings influence their acceptance of the proposals communicated to them. You will see that this matter is more complicated, and perhaps more surprising, than many readers expect. Because the audience members' response to the message depends to a great extent on their thoughts about the information they receive, this survey will extend the examination of the impact of mood on information processing that was introduced in Chapter 3 and continued in Chapter 5. The first section of this review will be concerned mainly with the role of positive affect. Contrary to the widespread belief that most persons “lead a life of quiet desperation” or are, at best, grudgingly resigned to the ill fortune fate has dealt them, research has consistently demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of people in most societies are actually fairly happy. This being the case, we should ask whether this general happiness can have less than optimal consequences. And so, in considering how feelings can affect persuasibility, we will be especially interested in the notion, introduced earlier, that positive affect often promotes a cursory, somewhat simplified style of thinking. In this connection, we will continue our examination, begun in the previous chapter, of why pleasant feelings frequently have this effect. Chapter 5 discussed the MAI explanation. Here we will take up two other accounts, one emphasizing motivation and the other focusing on limitations on cognitive capacity. The chapter will conclude with a brief examination of the role of negative affect.
Examination of the Link Between Medication Adherence and Use of Mail-Order Pharmacies in Chronic Disease States.

BACKGROUND: Higher medication adherence is associated with positive health outcomes, including reduction in hospitalizations and costs, and many interventions have been implemented to increase patient adherence. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether patients experience higher medication adherence by using mail-order or retail pharmacies. METHODS: Articles pertaining to retail and mail-order pharmacies and medication adherence were collected from 3 literature databases: MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA). Searches were created for each database and articles were compiled. Articles were screened for exclusion factors, and final articles (n=15) comparing medication adherence in patients utilizing mail and retail pharmacies were analyzed. For each study, various factors were identified including days supply, patients’ out-of-pocket costs, prior adherence behavior, therapeutic class, measure of adherence, limitations, and resu...
Two Model Systems

Learning in Hermissenda largely conforms to expectations of what classical Pavlovian conditioning is supposed to look like, and the neural and biophysical substrates of learning have been well characterized in this system (e.g., Alkon, 1974; Crow and Alkon, 1978; Farley et al., 1983). Features shared by conditioning in Hermissenda (or other invertebrate systems) and behavioral conditioning in vertebrates strengthens the assumption that mechanisms of learning in the former are applicable to the latter. What follows is a consideration of some of the characteristics of classical conditioning in Hermissenda that are often cited as relevant to the issue of whether this system can tell us much about neural mechanisms of classical conditioning in vertebrates.
NMR Spectra through the Eyes of a Student: Eye Tracking Applied to NMR Items

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) plays a key role in introductory organic chemistry, spanning theory, concepts, and experimentation. Therefore, it is imperative that the instruction methods for NMR are both efficient and effective. By utilizing eye tracking equipment, the researchers were able to monitor how second-semester organic chemistry students solved NMR items. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students were used as a comparison group. The students in the course were characterized as novices, while the comparison group served as “experts” in statistical comparisons of problem-solving strategies. This study examines aspects of proton NMR spectra that each group considered while matching organic structure with a provided spectrum. Significant differences between the expert and novice groups as well as within the novice group were observed. The participants’ search patterns (i.e., gaze frequency and gaze order) were interpreted in terms of a problem-solving approach. These results can p...
Silicon Photonic Switches for Datacenters

Silicon photonics offers unprecedented capability to integrate large-scale optical switches on a chip. We review the current state-of-the-art of silicon photonic switches, and describe our large-scale (64×64) switches with microsecond switching time.
Switched Linear State-Space Control of dc/dc converters with Optimal Dwell-Time

Following up on a low-cost implementation of the state-space based modern control of the output voltage of a dc/dc converter, this paper reports on the usage of a Switched Linear State Space Control with Optimal Dwell Time. The state space control is based on small-signal modeling of converter operation. This is valid for certain operation conditions and any large signal change would see an alteration in performance. To avoid this, the paper proposes to switch the actual control law at each major change in the static operating point. The switch is done with a certain dwell time that is herein optimized for the case of either a voltage reference or a major perturbation change (either input voltage or output current). The theory is validated with extensive MATLAB analysis and discussed for implementation on a Microchip Explorer board.
What Do TIMSS Studies Show About Math Achievement Inequality? A Sociological Perspective

With the vast progress in international comparative achievement data collection since the early 1960s, we have witnessed the rise of research that examines why primary and secondary school students in some countries perform better than students in other countries. In addition to identifying the sources of between-country gaps in average student achievement, international data projects such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have paved the way for a rich body of literature that examines achievement inequality by social background. This chapter attempts to fill a gap in the research by reviewing the comparative literature that used TIMSS data to examine math achievement inequality in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States over the past two decades. We focus on two types of inequality: inequality in student test scores on the basis of socioeconomic and demographic backgrounds, as measured by achievement gaps among different groups (e.g., gender, family socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and family structure), and the relative importance of school compared to family background on mathematics achievement. In this chapter, we summarize what comparative research studies say about the relationship between social backgrounds and math achievement in primary and secondary schools. Finally, we suggest possible avenues for further research.
Anisotropic and Interconnected Nanoporous Materials from Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks

Microphase separation within randomly end-linked copolymer networks (RECNs) provides access to disordered bicontinuous morphologies over a wide composition range of the constituent network strands. Here, we rely on end-linking of telechelic hydroxyl-terminated polystyrene (PS) and poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) chains of equal molecular weight, with a tetrafunctional isocyanate cross-linker in a good solvent for both strands, followed by solvent removal to induce microphase separation, and finally etching of the PLA phase to yield nanoporous materials. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tomographic reconstructed 3D images along with gravimetric measurements and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) indicate the formation of highly interconnected structures over a range of ∼40–70 vol % of PLA, while N2 adsorption measurements indicate narrowly distributed pore sizes that can be tuned by varying the strand molecular weights. Stretching of the PS/PLA copolymer networks above the glass transition temperatures of b...
Phenotypic, physiological and malt quality analyses of US barley varieties subjected to short periods of heat and drought stress

Abstract Drought and heat are major abiotic stresses that significantly reduce crop yield and seed quality. In this study, we examined the impact of heat, drought and combined effect of heat and drought stress imposed during the grain filling stage in 18 US spring barley varieties. These impacts were assessed based on dry biomass, seed yield and six important malting quality traits, namely, beta-glucan, free amino nitrogen, soluble protein, refractive index, diastatic power and alpha-amylase activity. Singly applied heat or drought stress evoked a diverse set of responses among these varieties with respect to biomass, seed yield and malt quality traits suggesting these varieties can be exploited for enhancing barley production based on local conditions. Majority of the tested varieties performed poorly with reference to seed yield when the stresses were applied in combination, suggesting a lack of genetic diversity in the currently grown spring barley varieties to overcome co-occurring episodic drought and heat regimes, especially during heading stages. In the wake of global climate change, enhancing adaptive capacity of barley varieties by introducing novel germplasm into breeding programs or via new technologies is vital to sustain US barley production and meet the demands of the rapidly growing brewing industry.
Supervised HDP using prior knowledge

End users can find topic model results difficult to interpret and evaluate. To address user needs, we present a semi-supervised hierarchical Dirichlet process for topic modeling that incorporates user-defined prior knowledge. Applied to a large electronic dataset, the generated topics are more fine-grained, more distinct, and align better with users' assignments of topics to documents.
Portal vein thrombosis after hepatitis C eradication with direct acting antiviral therapy.

We read with great interested the recent report of 28 patients by Tripodi et al.(1) suggesting that hepatitis C (HCV) eradication in patients with well compensated cirrhosis may restore the precarious coagulation system back towards a more balanced one by improving individual pro- and anticoagulants and decreasing clotting time. This report confirms previous work by Nielson et al.(2) in the non-cirrhotic population and is timely given the marked clinical benefits obtained by HCV eradication with direct acting antivirals (DAA) and their widespread use. Patients with chronic HCV cirrhosis may be at increased risk for clinically relevant thrombotic events, including portal vein thrombosis (PVT), which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and impaired health related quality of life.(3-5) The clinical benefits of HCV eradication on coagulation remain unknown. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
3D Analysis of Fuel Cell Electrocatalyst Degradation on Alternate Carbon Supports

Understanding the mechanisms associated with Pt/C electrocatalyst degradation in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathodes is critical for the future development of higher-performing materials; however, there is a lack of information regarding Pt coarsening under PEMFC operating conditions within the cathode catalyst layer. We report a direct and quantitative 3D study of Pt dispersions on carbon supports (high surface area carbon (HSAC), Vulcan XC-72, and graphitized carbon) with varied surface areas, graphitic character, and Pt loadings ranging from 5 to 40 wt %. This is accomplished both before and after catalyst-cycling accelerated stress tests (ASTs) through observations of the cathode catalyst layer of membrane electrode assemblies. Electron tomography results show Pt nanoparticle agglomeration occurs predominantly at junctions and edges of aggregated graphitized carbon particles, leading to poor Pt dispersion in the as-prepared catalysts and increased coalescence during ASTs. Tomographic reconstructions of Pt/HSAC show much better initial Pt dispersions, less agglomeration, and less coarsening during ASTs in the cathode. However, a large loss of the electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) is still observed and is attributed to accelerated Pt dissolution and nanoparticle coalescence. Furthermore, a strong correlation between Pt particle/agglomerate size and measured ECSA is established and is proposed as a more useful metric than average crystallite size in predicting degradation behavior across different catalyst systems.
Climate Change, Economics of

There are two sides to the economics of climate change—the economic cost of impacts, including the cost of adaptation, and the economic cost of mitigation policy. Both are highly uncertain given our inability to understand fully the science of change, to comprehend the links between global change and local impact, to account for adaptation, and to look many decades into the future with any clarity. Both are also evolving continuously over time, so estimates must be associated with their dates of publication. The cost associated with potential impacts is generally judged as damage that could be avoided in the absence of that change. These estimates should include representations of adaptation, and so they are tied to systems' adaptive capacities. Some regions and sectors might benefit from moderate change over long periods of time. Estimates of modest costs or benefits aggregated to a global level may therefore hide enormous variations in costs and/or benefits at local, regional, or sectoral levels. The pace of climate change can have a large effect on the magnitude and distribution of costs and benefits; and even the low possibility of a high-consequence event associated with change cannot be ignored. The economic cost of mitigation depends critically upon the pace and flexibility of underlying economic activity, its geographic distribution, and the rate at which the future is discounted (its intertemporal distribution). Cost also depends on the design of the policy, itself; and so it depends critically on the political economy of international negotiation. Dynamic and spatial efficiency can reduce the cost of limiting atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases by 50–80 percent. Excessive near-term limitations of emissions can exacerbate long-term costs by comparable proportions.
“Driver Take Over”: A Preliminary Exploration of Driver Trust and Performance in Autonomous Vehicles:

Automated vehicles are becoming more prominent in research and development. These automated vehicles introduce issues that have been seen in other autonomous systems such as decreases in situation ...
Striking a chord.

![Figure][1] A 20-year-old woman presented with anemia (Hgb 6.2 g/dL), circulating immature cells (80/cmm), and compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Bone marrow biopsy was performed to evaluate for acute leukemia. Aspirate smears were hypercellular, showing large vesicular
Heavy-traffic limits for server idle times with customary server-assignment rules

Abstract Sun and Whitt (2017) developed a class of server-assignment rules that can help create effective breaks for servers from naturally available idleness. They found that the standard longest-idle-server-first rule and the alternative random routing generate breaks too infrequently. This paper provides theoretical justifications for these empirical findings by establishing the many-server heavy-traffic limits for server idle times with customary assignment rules. We gain insights into the server idle–busy activity patterns resulting from the server-assignment schemes in the system.