cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parental Migration, Caretaking Arrangement, and Children’s Delinquent Behavior in Rural China

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between parental rural-to-urban migration, caretaking arrangement, and left-behind children’s self-reported delinquency in rural China. The direct effect of parental migration on children’s delinquency as well as the indirect effect through children–caretaker conflict, school bonding, and children’s association with deviant peers are explored. The study uses data from the Parental Migration and Children’s Well-Being Survey, which collected information on parental migration and delinquency from a probability sample of 600 middle school students in southern China. Path models are used to evaluate hypotheses generated from mainstream criminology theories and the literature of immigration and internal migration in rural China. Parental migration and caretaking arrangement has a significant effect on children’s socialization and behavioral outcomes in rural China. Results indicate that pathways to delinquency among left-behind children differ across various caretaking arrangements. Grandparents and other extended family members, when serving as primary caretakers, are challenged to effectively monitor and supervise left-behind children’s interaction with deviant peers, which is the main route to further delinquency. Stay-at-home mothers, on the other hand, have difficulty in developing strong mother–child bonds and in avoiding conflictual and strained relationships with their children. The study highlights the importance of a father’s presence on children’s behavioral outcomes in the context of rural China.
The “hook effect” causing a negative pregnancy test in a patient with an advanced molar pregnancy

•At high hCG levels in molar pregnancies, a "hook effect" can cause an artificially negative value.•Delay in diagnosis of a molar pregnancy due to the "hook effect" can lead to severe complications.•Suspicion of a molar pregnancy should be communicated so a diluted sample is used to quantify hCG.
Abstract 16529: Coupling of Mitochondrial Respiration and Superoxide Production in Healthy and Failing Hearts

Mitochondrial respiration through electron transport chain (ETC) activity critically regulates energy homeostasis and heart performance. Insufficient energy supply and excessive oxidative stress underlie the mechanism of heart failure. How mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species production are fine-tuned in the healthy heart and dys-regulated in the failing heart remain largely unknown. Recently, we discovered stochastic and transient superoxide production events, named superoxide flashes, in single mitochondria of intact cardiac myocytes. Here, we show that superoxide flash is tightly coupled to mitochondrial respiration and diminished superoxide flash activity is a hallmark of the transition to heart failure. Increase in either metabolic substrate availability (glucose 10 mM, palmitate 0.5 mM, or pyruvate 10 mM) or energy demand (isoproterenol 1 µM or pacing) boosted superoxide flash activity. In permeabilized myocytes, addition of the specific substrates for each ETC complex (Complex I, II or IV) elevated superoxide flash activity 3-4 folds over basal level, indicating that superoxide flash arises from the ETC electron flow. Further, myocytes from a Complex I deficient mice (Ndufs4H-/-) showed significantly lower flash activity, which was stimulated by palmitate but not pyruvate. This indicates that Complex I is likely the primary site for electron entrance under normal conditions. However, when Complex I activity is compromised, electron entrance at other sites (associated with palmitate oxidation) may be enhanced. Interestingly, inhibition of the FoF1 ATP synthase by oligomycin A acutely increased flash activity followed by a decline to below normal level. Thus, ETC activity is transiently accelerated upon blockade of the downstream ATP generation. In the pressure overload induced heart failure model, the decline of superoxide flash precedes the contractile dysfunction, suggesting that impaired mitochondrial respiration occurs at the early stage of heart failure. In summary, our data support the mechanistic coupling of superoxide flash with mitochondrial respiration, and suggest that superoxide flash is a sensitive indication of single mitochondrial dysfunction in heart failure.
Statistical modelling of runway incursion occurences in the United States

Abstract Runway incursions are an important aviation safety concern; between 2002 and 2015 there were 16,785 runway incursions at United States airports ranging in size from small general aviation (GA) to large commercial airline hubs. When examining airports with the 50 highest incursion count over the past 5 years, the predominant categories were large hubs, which accounted for 21 airports and general aviation (GA) airports which accounted for 16 airports. In June 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) program to identify airport risk factors that might contribute to a runway incursion and develop strategies to help airport stakeholders mitigate those risks. Different size airports serve different aircraft fleets, serve different operating volumes, and have different resources available (both funds and technologies) for incursion mitigation. Therefore, it is valuable to determine the correlating factors that affect incursions at different size airports. This paper uses econometrics based modelling techniques to identify statistically significant factors in data provided by the (FAA) public web sites on runway incursions. The model identified statistically significant variables that correlate with incursions, based on severity, for airports categories defined by the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The model results indicate that operational incidents (OI) are more likely at large hub airports. In contrast, at GA/non-hub airports, pilot deviations (PD) were significant for less severe incursions (severity C and D). Only one variable, “number of years since 2002”, was found to be significant for all the three airport categories; this variable was correlated with severity A incursions and indicated a statistically significant reduction in severity A incursions, despite an overall 80% increase in incursions between 2002 and 2015.
The Diffusion of Inflation Expectations: Theory and Evidence

The assumption of homogenous representative agents with perfect rationality is challenged by recent macroeconomic literature. In this paper, we consider an asymmetric information diffusion process from more-informed to less-informed agents in a standard cobweb-type expectation model. Our main finding is that less-informed agents' forecasts confound those of more-informed agents whenever there is misinterpretation in the information acquisition process. We term this situation the boomerang effect. Using inflation forecasting data from Survey Research Center, we find the boomerang effect exists in agents' inflation forecasting behavior. The implication of the boomerang effect centers on policymaker's disseminating policy/public information in a transparent manner.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a gastrointestinal motility disorder that results from the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus or oral cavity resulting in symptoms or complications. The typical symptoms of GERD are heartburn and regurgitation of gastric contents into the oropharynx. GERD affects quality of life and may cause erosive esophagitis, esophageal strictures, and Barrett esophagus, a precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma. GERD is a clinical diagnosis and is most effectively treated with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). Long-term use of PPIs is associated with bone fractures, chronic renal disease, acute renal disease, community-acquired pneumonia, and Clostridium difficile intestinal infection.
Learning, Teaching, and Social Justice: Eleanor Duckworth’s Perspective

This chapter presents Duckworth’s ideas on education in the context of school reform, summarizing both published sources and interviews. Central values of her career are examined: Schools should focus on developing the power and creative capacities of students’ minds, strengthen their understanding so it becomes confident and complex, and help children develop a sense of community responsibility, democratic commitment, and social justice. In a recent interview, she continues to prioritize learners’ engagements with subject matter and express her hopes that joy will return to learning and teaching.
Serotonin, Serotonergic Antagonists, and Hypertension

Whether the increased total systemic vascular resistance characteristic of chronic hypertension is a primary event or secondary to increased cardiac output is still debated. Whatever the initiating cause, the increased resistance must result from the narrowing of the small arteries and arterioles (Fig. 1). This may be due either to structural changes or to augmented contraction of the smooth muscle of these resistance vessels. The former probably reflects the adaptation of the blood vessel wall to the increase in distension pressure [24]. The latter may have many causes. One may be alterations of the neurogenic control of the circulation. Possibilities include changes in the activity of central nervous system (CNS) controlling centers, resetting of the control exerted by the arterial and cardiopulmonary mechanoreceptors, alterations in the many processes that can modulate transmitter release and disposition [24, 27, 31, 44, 45, 67, 68]. There may also be changes in the adrenoceptors and in the other receptors on the smooth muscle cells, or changes in the smooth muscles themselves, including abnormalities of membrane transport.
Role of Vibrational Dynamics on Excited-State Electronic Coherence in a Binuclear Platinum Complex.

Long-lived quantum coherence between excited electronic states can enable highly efficient energy and charge transport processes in chemical systems. Recent pump–probe experiments on binuclear platinum complexes identified persistent, periodic beating of transient absorption anisotropy signals, indicating long excited-state coherence lifetimes. Our previous simulations of the electronic dynamics of these complexes indicate that coherence lifetimes are sensitive to the balance between competitive electronic couplings. The complexes with shorter Pt–Pt distances underwent no appreciable dephasing in the limit of static nuclei, motivating the inclusion of nuclear motion into our simulations. The tert-butyl-substituted complex is studied in this work using the Ehrenfest method for mixed quantum–classical dynamics to investigate the role of vibrational dynamics on a complex shown to support long coherence lifetimes. Results indicate that the inclusion of excited-state vibrations drives a rapid collapse of the t...
The Tumour Cell and Vascular Bed Size Relationship in Experimental Metastases

An involved discussion of the soilversus-seed theory of metastases might seem academic if not solely historical today. There are presently available for review many investigations in which varying conditions have been applied experimentally to manipulate the patterns of metastases. Of most general interest has been the manner in which intravascular spread of tumour could be controlled. To quote some examples: local injury, either chemical or physical (Alexander, 1964; Robinson, 1962) general anesthesia (Agostino, 1964) cortisone (Baserga, 1954; Zeidman, 1962) surgical “stress” (Kallenbach, 1962; Buinauskas, 1958) growth hormone (Wood, 1956) reticuloendothelial blockade (Fisher, 1961) proferrin (Fisher, 1962) pancreatic inhibitor (Cagliani, 1962) orotic acid (Chu, 1964) pituitary homogenates (Fisher, 1961) epsilon amnio caproic acid (Cliffton, 1964) and host irradiation (Driessens, 1963) have been observed to increase incidence of metastases; heparin (Agostino, 1962; Gallinotto, 1964) fibrinolysin (Grossi, 1960) chymotrypsin (Cagliani, 1962) neuraminidase (Gasic, 1962) coumadin (Agostino, 1963) surgery (Ketcham, 1961) and x-irradiation of donor (Hoye, 1961) have been observed to reduce incidence of metastases.
Design of Gaussia luciferase-based bioluminescent stem-loop probe for sensitive detection of HIV-1 nucleic acids

Here we describe the design of a bioluminescent stem-loop probe for the sensitive detection of HIV-1 spliced RNA. In this study, we employed Gaussia luciferase (GLuc), a bioluminescent protein that has several advantages over other bioluminescent proteins, including smaller size, higher bioluminescent intensity, and chemical and thermal stability. GLuc was chemically conjugated to the DABCYL-modified stem-loop probe (SLP) and was purified with a 2-step process to remove unconjugated GLuc and SLP. The binding of the target RNA to the loop region of the SLP results in the open conformation separating the stem part of SLP. GLuc conjugated to the stem acts as a reporter that produces light by a chemical reaction upon adding its substrate, coelenterazine in the presence of the target, while DABCYL serves as a quencher of bioluminescence in the closed conformation of SLP in the absence of the target. The optimized GLuc based-SLP assay resulted in a signal-to-background ratio of 47, which is the highest reported with bioluminescent SLPs and is significantly higher compared to traditional fluorescence-based SLPs that yield low signal to background ratio. Moreover, the assay showed an excellent selectivity against a single and double mismatched nucleic acid target, low detection limit, and ability to detect spiked HIV-1 RNA in human serum matrix.
AEVE 3D: Acousto Electrodynamic Three-Dimensional Vibration Exciter for Engineering Testing

A high percentage of failures in sensors and devices employed in harsh industrial environments and airborne electronics is due to mechanical vibrations and shocks. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to test equipment reliability and ensure its survival in long missions in the presence of physical fluctuations. Traditional vibration testbeds employ unidirectional acoustic or mechanical excitations. However, in reality, equipment may encounter uncoupled (unidirectional) and/or coupled (multidirectional) loading conditions during operation. Hence, to systematically characterize and fully understand equipment's behavior, a testbed capable of simulating a wide variety of vibration conditions is required. The primary objective of this study is design, fabrication, and testing of an acousto electrodynamic three-dimensional (3-D) vibration exciter (AEVE 3-D), which simulates coupled and decoupled (with unpowered arms) 3-D acoustic and/or 3-D mechanical vibration environments. AEVE 3-D consists of three electromagnetic shakers (for mechanical excitation) and three loud speakers (for acoustic excitation) as well as a main control unit that accurately calculates and sets the actuators’ input signals in order to generate optimal coupled and decoupled vibrations at desired frequencies. In this paper, the system's architecture, its mechanical structure, and electrical components are described. In addition, to verify AEVE 3-D's performance, various experiments are carried out using a 3-D piezoelectric energy harvester and a custom-made piezoelectric beam.
Narrating and naming positive agents: Storytelling by Philadelphia postwar political elite

Abstract This paper connects research in social psychology, psycholinguistics, and discourse analysis to develop two hypotheses about character description. Interviews conducted in the late 1970s with political elites of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA confirm predictions. Speakers describe co-group members as praiseworthy agents disproportionately, in comparison to out-group members, and refer to co-group members with individually specific language disproportionately. Extrapolating from research of similar practices in other contexts, the author explains why these two patterns may be important to identity formation. Images of positive agents are central to collective identity, so repeated stories portraying group members as such would reinforce those identities. Social psychological research suggests that specific, individual naming draws attention away from group identity; explicit group naming does the opposite. The use of individually specific names, rather than group names, may therefore mask the symbolic power created by the stories’ repeated descriptions of co-group members as positive agents. The language practice is both ubiquitous and opaque; it is common, and its power emerges from the aggregation of very short utterances. The combined practices of “narrating and naming” may exemplify the kind of misrecognition imagined by Pierre Bourdieu and Passeron (1990 [1977]). Together, these practices can reproduce or challenge social inequalities without being acknowledged for doing so.
A flexible optimization-based method for synthesizing intent-expressive robot arm motion:

We present an approach to synthesize robot arm trajectories that effectively communicate the robot’s intent to a human collaborator while achieving task goals. Our approach uses nonlinear constrain...
Brooding and Provisioning of Nestlings by Male and Female White-eyed Vireos (Vireo griseus)

Most species of songbirds exhibit biparental care, but, for many taxa and species, little is known about the relative contributions of males and females in brooding and provisioning nestlings. Addi...
UV–Vis Action Spectroscopy of Guanine, 9-Methylguanine, and Guanosine Cation Radicals in the Gas Phase

Cation radicals of guanine (G•+), 9-methylguanine (MG•+), and guanosine (rG•+) were generated by dissociative oxidation of gas-phase copper complexes and characterized by UV–vis photodissociation action spectra and ab initio calculations. Comparison of the action spectra of G•+ with the calculated vibronic absorption spectra of several cation radical tautomers showed the best match for the canonical 6-oxo-N-9-H structure (G1•+). The formation of G1•+ was favored by the stability of its precursor CuII ion complexes in solution and the gas phase. G1•+ was the marginally lowest-energy guanine tautomer according to CCSD(T) calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set limit (CBS). A canonical 6-oxo structure (MG1•+) was also assigned to the 9-methylguanine cation radical on the basis of a match between the action spectrum and the calculated vibronic absorption spectra. MG1•+ was calculated by CCSD(T)/CBS to be marginally less stable than the 6-OH enol tautormer, but its formation was favored by the supe...
Modeling and Test Structures for Accurate Current Sensing in Vertical Power FETs

A new approach using a combination of analytical models, Spice simulations, and test structures is reported that allows for a comprehensive treatment of 3-dimensional (3D) distributed effects in vertical power FETs. This method leads to higher accuracy in current sensing as well as more cost effective design cycles.
Technical Tips: A Checklist for Responding to Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Changes

When changes occur in neurological responses during a surgical case, it is very important that all staff in the operating room (OR) understand their role in resolving or improving these conditions....
Modeless Streaming Synchrophasor Data Recovery in Nonlinear Systems

This paper develops a model-free approach to recover the missing points in streaming synchrophasor measurements obtained in nonlinear dynamical systems. It can accurately recover simultaneous and consecutive data losses across all channels for some time consecutively without modeling the nonlinear dynamics at all. The idea is to lift the nonlinear system to an infinite-dimensional linear dynamical system and exploit the low-rank Hankel in the lifted dimension to characterize the system dynamics. The kernel technique is employed to handle the implicit lifting function. Compared with existing model-free synchrophasor data recovery methods, our approach drops the assumption of linear systems and applies to general nonlinear systems. The algorithm has low computational complexity and can be implemented in real time. The method is validated through numerical experiments on recorded synchrophasor datasets.
White matter integrity differences associated with post-traumatic stress disorder are not normalized by concurrent marijuana use.

Abstract Marijuana (MJ) use and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have both been associated with abnormalities in brain white matter tracts, including the cingulum and the anterior thalamic radiations (ATR), which project from subcortical regions to frontal cortex. Studies have not assessed the integrity of these tracts in patients with comorbid PTSD and MJ use. To examine effects of PTSD and MJ use on brain structure, we performed diffusion tensor imaging scans on seventy-two trauma-exposed participants, categorized into four groups: those with PTSD who used MJ at least weekly (PTSD+MJ; n = 20), those with PTSD with no regular MJ use (PTSD; n = 19), trauma-exposed controls without PTSD who used MJ (TEC+MJ; n = 14) and trauma-exposed controls with no PTSD or MJ use (TEC; n = 19). White matter integrity was evaluated by calculating fractional anisotropy (FA). Results showed that while FA values in the right ATR and the cingulum differed across groups, there were no significant interactions between PTSD and MJ in any white matter tracts, indicating that MJ exposure neither normalizes nor worsens white matter abnormalities in those with PTSD. Further study is needed to evaluate the impact of MJ use on other neurobiological markers of PTSD.
Modeling the Viability of a Refrigeration-Based Atmospheric Water Generator under the Present-Day Climate

In this study, a mathematical model was developed of an atmospheric water generator which utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle to improve performance. This model was used as a tool to assess the feasibility and productivity of a water generator under a given climate with and without the use of heat pump. In addition, for two general system configurations with heat pumps, important parameters pertaining to the performance of each system were determined, such as the water production efficiency (defined as the volume of water generated per energy input). Based on these results, self-contained energy systems can then be designed to allow these systems to be operated in remote areas without access to an electrical grid.
A Methodology for Studying the Relationship Between Heat Release Profile and Fuel Stratification in Advanced Compression Ignition Engines

Low temperature combustion strategies have demonstrated high thermal efficiency with low pollutant emissions, (e.g. oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter) resulting from reduced heat transfer losses and lean air-fuel mixtures. One such advanced compression ignition combustion strategy, Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI), has demonstrated improved control over the heat release event due to the introduction of in-cylinder stratification of equivalence ratio and chemical reactivity via direct injection of a high-reactivity fuel into a premixed low-reactivity fuel/air mixture. The nature of the RCCI strategy provides inherent fuel flexibility, however, the direct injection strategy must be tailored to the combination of premixed and direct injected fuel chemistry and engine operating conditions to optimize efficiency and emissions. In this work, a 0-D methodology for predicting the required fuel stratification for a desired heat release rate profile for kinetically controlled stratified-charge combustion strategies is proposed. The methodology, referred to as Fuel Stratification Analysis (FSA), was inspired by a similar approach which utilized ignition predictions calculated via a Livengood-Wu integral approach correlated with experimental heat release profiles to determine in-cylinder temperature stratification in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion. The methodology proposed in this work expands upon this method to include strategies involving fuel stratification (such as RCCI). Reacting and non-reacting CFD simulations were performed with the KIVA3V release 2 code to validate the CFD. Reacting simulations were validated against published experimental HCCI and RCCI data, and non-reacting simulations were used to generate fuel distribution profiles to compare to the FSA results. The results of this validation showed that the FSA method was able to provide good overall agreement in the predicted fuel distribution compared to the actual fuel distributions from CFD simulations within the range of injection timings of interest in RCCI combustion (-140o to about -35o after top-dead-center). For later injection timings, FSA predictions are not able to capture the actual fuel distributions present at the start of combustion, likely due to a transition into a mixing dominated, as opposed to a kinetically dominated, combustion regime, thereby violating one or more inherent method assumptions.
State Medical Marijuana Laws and Associated Marijuana Use, Attitudes, and Perceived Social Norms among Adolescents in the U.S

Statewide medical marijuana laws (MMLs) in the U.S. may be associated with adolescent marijuana use behavior, attitudes toward marijuana use, and social norms. This study used data from the Nationa...
Fever and Headache in a 10-year-old Boy.

1. Sarah Gustafson, MD*,† 2. Darien Nguyen, MD* 3. Michael Bolaris, MD*,† 1. *Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 2. †David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA A previously healthy 10-year-old boy presents with 12 days of headache, 8 days of fever, and 3 days of generalized weakness. His headaches are associated with photophobia and localize to the right retro-orbital region. The headaches and daily fevers (102o–104oF [38.9o–40oC]) are unresponsive to medications. On the day of hospital admission he has developed worsening fatigue, weakness, intermittent pain in his posterior thighs and calves, and a limp favoring his left side, and he has started dropping objects. His eyes also appeared red 1 day before admission. His mother notes a 2-lb weight loss during the past week. There is no congestion, rhinorrhea, sore throat, chest pain, abdominal pain, emesis, hematuria, dysuria, diarrhea, rash, easy bruising, or easy bleeding. He lives in a suburban home with 4 dogs and 1 cat. Other animal exposures include multiple rats in the backyard but no known direct contact with the patient. He has not traveled recently and denies new food exposures or sick contacts. He is fully immunized. His temperature is 103.1oF (39.5oC), heart rate is 146 beats/min, blood pressure is 115/64 mm Hg, respirations are 22 breaths/min, and oxygen saturation is 100% on room air. On physical examination he is tired but well-appearing, with no pallor or jaundice. No conjunctivitis is noted. There is pain on passive neck flexion. A 1-cm left anterior cervical lymph node is palpated. Mucous membranes are dry, lips are cracked, and he is tachycardic with a 2/6 systolic murmur at the left sternal border. Neurologic and musculoskeletal examination findings are normal except for an antalgic gait favoring the left side. Laboratory evaluation is significant for the following values: white blood cell count …
Soil Properties Affected Vegetation Establishment and Persistence on Roadsides

Vegetation along roadsides reduces soil erosion, increases filtering of water runoff, and acts as a biodiversity corridor. The purpose of this study was to assess soil properties and evaluate their effect on vegetation establishment in roadsides. Furthermore, the effects of shoulder type (paved and unpaved) and time since seeding (0–1 year, 2–4 years, and ≥ 5 years) on soil properties were also evaluated. Roadside soil was sampled from 53 sites in three regions (Panhandle, Southcentral, and Southeastern) in Nebraska, USA. The soil was analyzed for pH, Na, Cl, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage, and bulk density and heavy metals. At each site, vegetation was classified into one of four categories, (1) 50% plant canopy cover dominated by weedy annual grasses and forbs; and (4) > 50% plant canopy cover dominated by seeded perennial grasses. Sodium concentration exceeded the limits that can cause vegetation growth decline in all regions. Sodium and soil bulk density in all regions were clustered with the < 10% plant canopy cover category, meaning that these clustered soil properties have a significant influence on the amount of bare ground and establishment/persistence of vegetation. Heavy metal concentrations (lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, and nickel) were less than the thresholder in all regions. It was observed that 12–44% of roadside sites had less than 50% vegetation cover. Roadside soils of paved shoulders had lower Na and Cl concentrations than the roadside soils of unpaved shoulders. The 0–1 year since seeding had higher cadmium, arsenic, and nickel concentrations compared to ≥ 5 years since seeding. Soil degradation declined vegetation establishment along highways, and the degree of soil degradation of these roadsides varied depending on shoulder types and time since seeding.
Flotsam: Garbage dumping, pollution, and legal tensions in the Detroit River

This paper examines garbage dumping as a transboundary water conflict that brought to the surface issues of federalism as it did territorial sovereignty by examining a garbage trial in the town of Amherstburg, along the Detroit River. In June 1895, the collector of the town of the Canadian town of Amherstburg seized an American scow and tug which were accused of dumping garbage into the Detroit River near Canadian waters. As a transboundary waterbody, both the United States and Canada had access to and interest in the Detroit River; it was an important commercial water as well as fishing ground. The garbage contained all sorts of waste including animal offal, much to the chagrin of Amherstburg’s residents and officials. In the trial that followed, local officials and residents argued that the garbage interfered with fish catches and was a general nuisance. The collector had seized the vessels only after he had first tried to get a directive from the Ministry of Agriculture. His telegram asking for direction received a reply telegram which was merely an acknowledgement of receipt. When he did hear back, from another ministry, he was told it was a local matter as there was no contravention of a federal policy. To the American owners of the tug and scow, the garbage trial (as it came to be known) was not merely a local issue. Local officials and residents testified to their growing annoyance and the overall inconvenience caused by the dumping at the trail. To federal officials, this remained a local matter. By following the garbage trial and its aftermath, this paper shows how garbage became a local, federal, and transboundary issue, all at once thus exposing the interstitial space that garbage occupies. In so doing, expands our understanding of garbage, pollution, and their evolution as binational issues between the United States and Canada before the formation of the International Joint Commission.
Distributed Zero-Order Algorithms for Nonconvex Multiagent Optimization

Distributed multiagent optimization finds many applications in distributed learning, control, estimation, etc. Most existing algorithms assume knowledge of first-order information of the objective and have been analyzed for convex problems. However, there are situations where the objective is nonconvex, and one can only evaluate the function values at finitely many points. In this article, we consider derivative-free distributed algorithms for nonconvex multiagent optimization, based on recent progress in zero-order optimization. We develop two algorithms for different settings, provide detailed analysis of their convergence behavior, and compare them with existing centralized zero-order algorithms and gradient-based distributed algorithms.
The lamp and the lighthouse: Joseph Weizenbaum, contextualizing the critic

The life and work of the computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum is a testament to the ways in which the field of artificial intelligence has engendered discontent. In his articles, public talks, and ...
2000–2010 “Doing What It Takes”: Career Advancement for Women Physicians

During the first decade of the new millennium, there were attempts made to integrate women more fully into the mainstream of the practice of medicine. The factors that influenced women’s decisions to pursue academic careers versus private practice positions are reviewed, as are the more over-arching issues of women’s confidence and self-advocacy. Some of the initiatives developed to advance women’s careers were aimed at improving women’s skills through mentoring and leadership and negotiation training; others were institution-based programs designed to promote women’s career advancement as the inequities between men and women physicians became more visible and harder to ignore. The issue of the “gender pay gap” is examined in detail, as are the programs developed to address it.
Learning in Places: The Informal Education Reader

During an age of educational standardization and scripted teaching, Learning in Places is a refreshing reminder that learning happens everywhere that humans interact. Co-editors, Zvi Bekerman, Nich...
Insights into the Function of Prenylation from Nuclear Lamin Farnesylation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the function of prenylation from nuclear lamin farnesylation. The first prenylated proteins to be identified were the nuclear lamin proteins—B lamins and prelamin A—that were subsequently shown to be farnesylated at a carboxyl-terminal CAAX motif. In both types of lamins, farnesylation and carboxymethylation play a role in targeting these proteins to the nuclear envelope. The nucleus can be demonstrated to be a CAAX processing compartment for the lamins. Because the nucleus contains only one target membrane, lamin farnesylation and carboxymethylation may be sufficient to allow association with this membrane. The farnesylation and carboxymethylation of CAAX proteins have been shown to be adequate to produce kinetically stable association with a lipid bilayer. In the case of cytosolic farnesylated proteins, the multiple membrane compartments require a second signal to assure specificity of subcellular localization. Another feature of lamin farnesylation that is common to other farnesylated proteins is that geranylgeranylation can substitute when farnesylation is blocked. A processing, substitution of geranylgeranyl for farnesyl by CAAX-box mutation, results in a slower rate of processing but normal assembly into the lamina.
The role of musculoskeletal mechanics in motor coordination.

Publisher Summary Spinal cord physiologists have long appreciated the importance of the mechanical properties of the peripheral motor apparatus in the production of coordinated movement. They have contributed much to the literature on muscle physiology in general and, in particular, on those properties that are expressed during normal motor behavior. The study of muscle and limb mechanics has been carried out along several specific lines of research, including intrinsic mechanics of single muscle fibers and motor units and muscles, muscle architecture, biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system, and kinesiology. This chapter discusses a number of relevant key findings published between 1900 and 1980 that were discovered by researchers primarily interested in the spinal mechanisms of motor coordination. The chapter then focuses on the more specific subject of the properties of muscle that are dependent upon the history of activation and prior movements and the relevance of these properties for motor coordination. In the first half of the twentieth century, investigators of spinal mechanisms studied musculoskeletal organization in relationship to reflex circuits. Sherrington and his coworkers recognized that the antagonistic, synergistic, and antigravity actions of muscle were important factors in the organization of basic reflex circuits.
Near Miss Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Episodes? A Clinical and Electrocardiographic Correlation

The study was carried out to validate objectively the relationship between clinical impressions of parents and ECG evidence of life-threatening arrhythmias in infants considered to be at high risk. Twenty infants considered to be at high risk were provided with a hospital grade home monitor with a hard copy-recording capability (n = 12) and/or an ECG telephone transmission system (n = 8). There were 93 alarms considered by the parents as true alarms. All of the ECG tracings recorded during the 93 episodes were normal. Infant stimulation was provided for 11 infants and was not administered during 82 of these alarms. None of the infants died and all are well at 1 year of age. Our data raises questions regarding parental clinical ability to correctly perceive a true near miss episode in most cases and may explain, in part, the lack of consistency noted in previously published physiologic studies of "high risk" populations. Finally, the study raises further questions regarding the use of parental impression alone without supportive objective data as an indication for therapy in the majority of such patients. Research efforts and application of therapeutic measures will benefit greatly by development of objective data to support and supplement parental clinical observations.
Designing "Communication Action Patterns" for Global Communication and Cooperation: A Discourse Ethical Approach

Designing intercultural communication and cooperation systems involves at least two central issues, i.e., concepts for modeling communication and the legitimacy of communication norms and conventions established through modeling and designing. This paper discusses the concept of genre in regard to modeling communication and reflects on how discourse-ethical principles may inform the design of intercultural genres (or communication action patterns). It also describes a model for the collaborative construction of communicative action patterns that may form part of an information system, which supports communication and cooperation in virtual intercultural teams. In addition, it provides a set of general communication claims, which – if challenged – may lead to breakdowns in genre-based communication. Finally, it discusses the shortcomings of the approach and provides suggestions for further research.
Fabrication and Texture Characterization of Bulk (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox and Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox Superconductors

Bulk (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox (Bi-2223) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi-2212) superconductors were fabricated by sinter forging. Bi-2223 (≈90% Bi-2223, 10% (Bi,Pb)2Sr2CaCu2Ox + other phases) and Bi-2212 (nearly phase pure) powders were first synthesized and then cold pressed into bars that were «50% dense. These bars were surrounded by Ag foil, heated in air to ≈845°C, and compressed for 3–6 h. The resultant bars were dense and highly textured. At 77 K, the Bi-2223 exhibited transport critical current density (Jc) values of 2000–8000 A/cm2; the Bi-2212 exhibited very low Jc. Extent of texture was evaluated by three X-ray diffraction methods: 2θ scans, rocking curves, and orientation distribution functions. It was found that Jc correlated best with the orientation distribution functions.
Blood Diamond, directed by Edward Zwick, produced by Paula Weinstein, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Graham King, and Gillian Gorfil

The movie Blood Diamond takes place in Sierra Leone around the late 1990s, a time when diamonds were smuggled for money to purchase the arms needed to fuel the civil war. Solomon Vandy (played by D...
A Review of Statistical Model Selection Criteria: Application to Prediction in Regression, Histograms, and Finite Mixture Models

Some model-selection criteria for choosing among a set of alternative models are reviewed. Particular model-selection problems considered here include choice of a regression equation for prediction, the number of bins for a histogram, and the number of component p.d.f.s in a finite mixture model.Several general methods of scoring the choices in such problems are considered. Minimum description length and penalized likelihood criteria are discussed, in particular AIC (Akaike's Information Criterion), BIC (Bayesian Information Criterion) and KIC (Kashyap's Information Criterion). Interpretation of BIC and KIC in terms of posterior probabilities of alternative models is given. Averaging a prediction or classification over models is considered.
NOVEL ASTA USERS FACILITY AT FERMILAB : A TESTBED FOR SUPERCONDUCTING RF TECHNOLOGY AND ERL R&D.

The Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA) currently under commissioning at Fermilab will enable a broad range of beam-based experiments to study fundamental limitations to beam intensity and to develop transformative approaches to particle-beam generation, acceleration and manipulation. ASTA incorporates a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) linac coupled to a photoinjector and small-circumference storage ring capable of storing electrons or protons. ASTA will establish a unique resource for R&D towards Energy Frontier facilities and a test-bed for SRF accelerators and high-brightness beam applications, including ERLs. The unique features of ASTA include: (1) a high repetition-rate, (2) one of the highest peak and average brightness within the U.S., (3) a GeV-scale beam energy, (4) an extremely stable beam, (5) the availability of SRF and high quality beams together, and (6) a storage ring capable of supporting a broad range of ring-based advanced beam dynamics experiments. These unique features will foster a broad program in advanced accelerator R&D which cannot be carried out elsewhere. We describe ASTA and its experimental program, with particular emphasis on the ERL-related accelerator R&D opportunities.
Elements of Physical Hydrology, 2nd Edition

There will always be need for a book that in a succinct and undiluted way presents the fundamentals of hydrology to new generations of future scientists. However, it is difficult to write such a book because the breadth of the discipline includes a diverse array of specialties, e.g., geoscientists, meteorologists, engineers, and water resources specialists. The first edition of Elements of Physical Hydrology (EPH for brevity) was published in 1998, a time when considerable efforts were made to produce modern textbooks on hydrology. Among them were the 4th edition of Principles of Hydrology (Ward and Robinson 2000), the 2nd edition of Physical Hydrology (Dingman 2002), and Hydrology: An Introduction (Brutsaert 2005). The first edition of EPH was different in several ways. The authors distilled the science of hydrology to about 300 pages by showing principles, retaining only important aspects of the discipline, and providing a healthy combination of problems and training exercises. I have used it as a classroom text since then. In the hydrologic community, the book was lauded as a publishing model for hydrological education (Duffy 2000). The 2nd edition has largely left the original framework intact (Hornberger et al. 2014). The authors avoided the temptation to squeeze in much additional information, as often happens with new editions, and the volume of the text has increased only modestly. In fact, only two chapters are completely new, and existing material was thoroughly refreshed. Additional illustrations preserve the original efficient style. The hallmark of this book is again a combination of clarity, brevity, and focus. The revised Chapter 1 introduces the water cycle and water budget at different spatial and temporal scales. Chapter 2 covers basics of evaporation and precipitation using the energy balance concept, mass transfer equation, Bowen ratio, and the Penman method. Chapter 3 skillfully introduces elements of fluid dynamics as bases for hydrology with a minimum of derivations; it appeals to a broad audience. Chapter 4 covers classic open channel hydraulics, with
Online Dectection and Modeling of Safety Boundaries for Aerospace Application Using Bayesian Statistics

The behavior of complex aerospace systems is governed by numerous parameters. For safety analysis it is important to understand how the system behaves with respect to these parameter values. In particular, understanding the boundaries between safe and unsafe regions is of major importance. In this paper, we describe a hierarchical Bayesian statistical modeling approach for the online detection and characterization of such boundaries. Our method for classification with active learning uses a particle filter-based model and a boundary-aware metric for best performance. From a library of candidate shapes incorporated with domain expert knowledge, the location and parameters of the boundaries are estimated using advanced Bayesian modeling techniques. The results of our boundary analysis are then provided in a form understandable by the domain expert. We illustrate our approach using a simulation model of a NASA neuro-adaptive flight control system, as well as a system for the detection of separation violations in the terminal airspace.
Inelastic Neutron Scattering in Iron

The gamma-ray spectrum from the inelastic scattering of $D\ensuremath{-}D$ neutrons in iron has been obtained using an unshielded single-crystal NaI spectrometer. A ring-type geometry permitted subtraction of the back-ground rate from the total rate: this yields a complex spectrum attributed to the inelastic scattering in iron. Energies have been assigned to the peaks of the complex spectrum indicating gamma-rays of 2.66, 2.10, 1.76, 1.59, 1.42, 1.24, 0.989, 0.851, 0.634, and 0.462 Mev.
An experimental study of early L3 development: age, bilingualism and classroom exposure

This research investigated Spanish–English bilingual adults' initial learning of a third language (L3), Latin, comparing the learning processes and outcomes of early- and late-onset bilinguals. Thirty-three participants were classified as Early or Late Bilinguals according to their age of arrival to the USA, and they were introduced to Latin by means of an interactive computer programme that provided grammar explanation, input-based practice and explicit feedback. Results indicated that (1) overall, the two groups garnered similar benefits from the instructional treatment; (2) the Late Bilinguals maintained improvements in accurately marking noun case morphology in L3 production somewhat better than Early Bilinguals; and (3) there is a role for current age in explaining the variance observed in initial L3 learning, particularly when a target structure is morphologically complex and memory cannot be supported by existing L1/L2 knowledge.
Facilitating Student Engagement: Social Responsibility and Freshmen Learning Communities

Human rights education is advanced as a method for promoting social responsibility, with an emphasis on promoting ideals of “global citizenship” among undergraduate students. At the same time, the practice of learning communities is widespread on college campuses for retaining freshmen and promoting student success. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of combining these approaches. In response to this literature gap, this article first provides an overview of key concepts—social responsibility, human rights education, and learning communities—and outlines how these terms are currently understood within higher education. Second, the methods and initial findings of a longitudinal study within Webster University’s Social Engagement Learning Community focus on gauging and assessing human rights knowledge and social engagement. Initial findings suggest that most freshmen respondents lack basic human rights knowledge and an activist orientation, yet their empathy and perspective-taking abilities provide foundations for building awareness of human rights issues and social responsibility. Lastly, recommendations are outlined for addressing learning goals related to identity awareness, helping students step outside of their “comfort zones,” and promoting awareness and solutions.