cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changing Societies, Changing Party Systems: Israel: New Parties for New Groups?

This chapter begins a case study of Israel, the only Jewish state in the world. A small country with a population of seven and a half million and a land mass the size of New Jersey, Israel has nevertheless been an important actor on the world stage in its sixty years of existence. This has brought it to the attention of historians and scholars of international relations. But Israel has also drawn the attention of political scientists studying comparative politics, both for its plural society and for its political institutions. Regarding the latter, Israel has been a parliamentary democracy since its founding in 1948. The exception is the period from 1996 to 2001, when it directly elected its prime minister and thus employed an unusual type of regime. However, Israel exhibits less dynamism with respect to the second key political institutional variable: throughout its history, it has had one of the world's most permissive electoral systems. To elaborate, all 120 members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, are elected in a single nationwide district. A list proportional representation electoral formula, the d'Hondt, is used to translate the votes into seats in the parliamentary elections. This means that voters cast their ballots for a party's list of candidates, and that seats in the parliament are allocated to the parties roughly in proportion to the votes that they receive. Moreover, the threshold for representation in the Knesset has ranged from a low one to two percent of valid votes.
Chemotherapy by Design

In 1988 the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to Sir James W. Black, Gertrude B. Elion, and George H. Hitchings “for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment.” The award to Elion and Hitchings recognized a collaboration that had yielded effective drugs for use in a remarkable variety of conditions, including cancer, gout, organ transplantation, malaria, and bacterial and viral infections. This article offers a description and analysis of the Hitchings-Elion research program: its grounding in the antimetabolite concept, and its implementation in the development of new drugs. Emphasis is on the coherence and unity of the program over more than four decades, its incorporation of both rational and empirical elements, and its character as industrialized research.
Clarifying Atomic Weights: A 2016 Four-Figure Table of Standard and Conventional Atomic Weights.

To indicate that atomic weights of many elements are not constants of nature, in 2009 and 2011 the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) replaced single-value standard atomic weight values with atomic weight intervals for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, bromine, and thallium); for example, the standard atomic weight of nitrogen became the interval [14.00643, 14.00728]. CIAAW recognized that some users of atomic weight data only need representative values for these 12 elements, such as for trade and commerce. For this purpose, CIAAW provided conventional atomic weight values, such as 14.007 for nitrogen, and these values can serve in education when a single representative value is needed, such as for molecular weight calculations. Because atomic weight values abridged to four figures are preferred by many educational users and are no longer provided ...
Terahertz Metasurface Quantum-Cascade VECSELs: Theory and Performance

Achieving both high power and high-quality beam pattern has been a longstanding challenge for terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade (QC) lasers largely due to their use of subwavelength metallic waveguides. Recently, the vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) concept was demonstrated for the first time in the THz range and for a QC-laser. This is enabled by the development of an amplifying metasurface reflector capable of coupling incident free-space THz radiation to the QC-laser material such that it is amplified and reradiated. The THz metasurface QC-VECSEL initiates a new approach for making QC-lasers with high power and excellent beam pattern. Furthermore, the ability to engineer the electromagnetic phase, amplitude, and polarization response of the metasurface enables lasers with new functionality. This paper provides an overview of the fundamental theory, design considerations, and recent results for high-performance THz QC-VECSELs.
Net Zero Energy Master Planning Concept

This section introduces a concept and steps of successful Energy Master Planning process: setting energy goals and study boundaries, co-benefits of energy master planning, data required for establishing the Baseline, establishing the Base-Case and alternative scenarios, definition and implementation of a roadmap to net zero energy communities, its major milestones and setting targets for individual projects.
Restless legs syndrome: Losing sleep over the placebo response.

The placebo response is a vexing problem for clinical trial design and drug development. Defined as a clinical improvement that occurs in participants treated with a physiologically inert substance, the placebo response has been largely ascribed to “expectation of clinical improvement and Pavlovian conditioning.”1 Other factors certainly play a role, however, including strict application of inclusion and exclusion criteria at study entry with subsequent reversion to the mean; that is, participants and investigators, knowing entry criteria for a trial, may subconsciously (or intentionally) overrate signs and symptoms to get into a trial, and then present at subsequent visits in their more typical state. Though this is not traditionally considered part of the true placebo response, it is likely that this phenomenon contributes to what is measured as the magnitude of the placebo response. Clinical trial design strategies such as central blinded ratings and avoiding the use of primary outcome measure criteria for screening can mitigate this phenomenon, but these are not routinely utilized.
Rod outer segment length and visual sensitivity.

Detection threshold for the rod system was measured psychophysically in adult goldfish before and after exposure to constant illumination of 340 lux (91 /iW/cm 2 ) for 7 days. As shown in the previous paper, rod outer segment (ROS) length increases an average of 60% under these conditions. The present work shows that visual sensitivity also increases, in approximate proportion to the additional optical density predicted by the longer ROSs. These results are the first to show that exposure to constant light can enhance visual sensitivity. They imply further that detection threshold is related to ROS length. Apparently, the photopigment in the ROS tips that is normally shed on a daily basis retains its photon-catching ability. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 31:2320-2325,1990 Vision in vertebrate species is mediated by photopigment contained in stacks of discs in the photoreceptors. The discs are dynamic structures: new discs form daily at the basal end of the rod outer segment (ROS), and old ones shed from the distal end. 1 The relationship between this process and vision is unclear, but a reasonable hypothesis is that the renewal process allows membrane to be replaced as it ages. 1 This would imply, perhaps, that more distal discs might be senescent, thus providing less than optimal photon-catching properties. However, investigations of this hypothesis have revealed only minor differences in function between distal and proximal locations. For example, microspectrophotometric measurements in Bufo rods revealed no differences in the absorption spectrum, concentration, dichroism, or lateral diffusion rate of rhodopsin at different locations along the ROS, although pigment regeneration was faster in the basal discs. 2 Electrophysiological measurements in Bufo 3 and in rhesus monkey 4 have also shown that the kinetics of response to a flash of light are faster at the basal end than at the distal end of the ROS. The renewal of ROSs in vertebrate eyes is synchronized by the light-dark cycle. 5 Under cyclic light conditions incorporation of new protein at the basal end of the ROS occurs shortly after light onset, as does shedding from the distal end. In some species 6
Binarized-octree generation for Cartesian adaptive mesh refinement around immersed geometries

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. We revisit the generation of balanced octrees for adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) of Cartesian domains with immersed complex geometries. In a recent short note (Hasbestan and Senocak, 2017) [42], we showed that the data locality of the Z-order curve in a hashed linear-octree generation method may not be perfect because of potential collisions in the hash table. Building on that observation, we propose a binarized-octree generation method that complies with the Z-order curve exactly. Similar to a hashed linear-octree generation method, we use Morton encoding to index the nodes of an octree, but use a red-black tree in place of the hash table. Red-black tree is a special kind of a binary tree, which we use for insertion and deletion of elements during mesh adaptation. By strictly working with the bitwise representation of an octree, we remove computer hardware limitations on the depth of adaptation on a single processor. Additionally, we introduce a geometry encoding technique for rapidly tagging a solid geometry for mesh refinement. Our results for several geometries with different levels of adaptations show that the binarized-octree generation method outperforms the linear-octree generation method in terms of runtime performance at the expense of only a slight increase in memory usage. The current AMR capability, rebl-AMR, is available as open-source software.
Galantamine and Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cocaine Dependence: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective To examine whether galantamine, a cognitive-enhancing medication that is both acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and agonist at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, is effective at improving cocaine use outcomes and cognitive functioning, alone and in combination with computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Method A 12-week, randomized 2 × 2, factorial trial was conducted to evaluate galantamine versus placebo (double-blind) and computerized CBT plus standard methadone treatment versus standard methadone treatment alone in a community-based methadone maintenance program (September 2009-April 2015). One hundred twenty individuals diagnosed with DSM-IV cocaine use disorder were randomly assigned to the following conditions: (1) galantamine (8 mg/d) plus standard methadone maintenance treatment (treatment as usual [TAU]), (2) placebo plus TAU, (3) galantamine plus computerized CBT plus TAU, or (4) placebo plus computerized CBT plus TAU; medication administration was supervised at the time of daily methadone dosing. The primary cocaine use outcome was change in percent days of abstinence over time. Number of cocaine-negative urine toxicology screens submitted and cognitive function were secondary outcomes. Results Random effect regression analysis indicated significant reductions in frequency of cocaine use over time, with significant treatment-by-time effects for both galantamine over placebo (F = 5.3, P = .02, d = 0.34) and computerized CBT over standard methadone treatment (F = 4.2, P = .04, d = 0.30) but no evidence of significant benefit of the combination over either treatment alone. Pretreatment to posttreatment comparisons of multiple indices of cognitive functioning, including sustained attention, indicated no benefit of galantamine over placebo. Conclusions Findings suggest benefits of galantamine and computerized CBT for reducing cocaine use in this sample. Although galantamine did not improve measures of cognitive function in this sample, multiple measures of cognitive function were associated with cocaine use outcomes, underlining the significance of cognitive function in cocaine treatment outcomes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00809835.
Evidence of Wnt/β-catenin alterations in brain and bone of a tauopathy mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a significant comorbidity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may reflect systemic regulatory pathway dysfunction. Low BMD has been identified in several AD mouse models selective for amyloid-β or tau pathology, but these deficits were attributed to diverse mechanisms. In this study, we identified common pathophysiological mechanisms accounting for bone loss and neurodegeneration in the htau mouse, a tauopathy model with an early low BMD phenotype. We investigated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway—a cellular signaling cascade linked to both bone loss and neuropathology. We showed that low BMD persisted in male htau mice aged from 6 to 14 months, remaining significantly lower than tau-null and C57BL/6J controls. Osteogenic gene expression in female and male htau mice was markedly reduced from controls, indicating impaired bone remodeling. In both the bone and brain, htau mice showed alterations in Wnt/β-catenin signaling genes suggestive of increased inhibition of this pathway. These findings implicate dysfunctional Wnt signaling as a potential target for addressing bone loss in AD.
Shoulder MRI Abnormalities in Asymptomatic Little League Baseball Players

Background:Youth baseball is extremely popular in the United States, but it has been associated with shoulder pain and injury. The incidence of shoulder abnormalities in this athletic population ha...
The use of light's criteria in hospitalized children with a pleural effusion of unknown etiology.

Objective Pleural effusions are common in pediatrics. When the etiology of a pleural effusion remains unknown, adult literature recommends the use of Light's criteria to differentiate a transudate from an exudate. Pediatricians may rely on adult literature for the diagnostic management of pleural effusions as Light's criteria has not been validated in children. The purpose of this study was to review the use of Light's criteria in hospitalized children with a pleural effusion of unknown etiology. Methods Retrospective review was performed on children hospitalized with a pleural effusion requiring chest tube placement or thoracentesis between January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2017 at Children's Hospital Colorado. Charts were reviewed for primary team, use of Light's criteria, pleural effusion diagnosis, and 30-day recurrence of repeat intervention or fluid analysis. Results Sixty-eight patients were hospitalized with a pleural effusion of unknown etiology requiring intervention. Only 16 pleural effusions (24%) were classified using Light's criteria. In those patients for whom Light's criteria was used, a diagnosis or change in management occurred in 10 of 16 patients (63%). Pleural effusions were most common on the cardiology service (26/68). Use of Light's criteria was most frequent on the oncology service (7/8). Thirty-day need for repeat intervention was lower in those with Light's criteria (13%) compared to those without (27%). Conclusions Light's criteria were utilized infrequently in hospitalized children with a pleural effusion of unknown etiology at a single institution. There was considerable practice variation among provider teams. When utilized, Light's criteria assisted in making a diagnosis or changing management in many patients, and may lead to a reduction in 30-day recurrence requiring repeat intervention.
ASSESSING PESTICIDE TOXICITY IN MAN AND CORRELATIONS WITH LABORATORY ANIMAL STUDIES

Abstract Our knowledge about the adverse effects of pesticide exposure in humans derives from two main sources. The first source is primarily epidemiologic and consists of the observations made on individuals exposed to pesticides acutely or chronically as a result of their occupation (formulators, applicators, pickers and other agricultural workers, etc.) or from accidental or intentional (suicide and homicide) exposure. The second source is toxicologic and is obtained by evaluating the toxicity data base for the pesticide and predicting the type and severity of adverse effects that will be produced in man. Each source has limitations and problems which constrain the extent of our knowledge of pesticide effects in humans. The data from poison control centers involved in the treatment of acute pesticide poisoning, for example, provides documentation of the type of adverse effects produced in man by pesticide exposure but rarely provides the type of dose information that is needed to fully characterize pesticide toxicity in a single species. Epidemiologic studies of workers in various pesticide related occupations are also frequently lacking in exposure-dose information and are further confounded by multiple factors which complicate interpretation (concomitant exposure to other agents, current and previous medical history, previous occupational exposures, etc.). With regard to the toxicity data base in animals, there are always uncertainties associated with predicting results in the target species (humans) on the basis of data obtained in the test species (animal toxicity tests). Differences in metabolism, absorption, distribution, excretion and even in the receptor response to the pesticide can invalidate such predictions even when they are made on the basis of a toxicity data base that has met all of the required test protocols. It is evident that our continued ability to benefit from the use of pesticides while avoiding their potential adverse effects depends on the knowledge that we obtain both from observations made in man and predictions that we can make from our tests in animals. It is also evident that we need to strengthen the linkage between the observations obtained from man and those provided by the animal tests. Two examples of how we might accomplish this are: to utilize sophisticated monitoring of body fluids in occupational exposed pesticide wrokers (during the experimental use permit period, for example) to provide better dosage information, and to focus our animal test protocols on some of the more clinically relevant aspects of pesticide poisoning, such as antidote and treatment regimes. Much of the uncertainty which is associated with the prediction of human effects on the basis of tests in animals could be eliminated, for example, if we develop procedures that can be safely used to characterize the kinetics of a pesticide in man. With such information ye could base our prediction on the most predictive species rather than on the most sensitive species, as we currently often do.
The Role of Microsurgical Free Flaps in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Microsurgery is clearly an extremely useful adjunct in foot and ankle reconstruction. It requires careful planning between the microsurgeon and vascular, podiatric, and orthopedic surgeons. Ideally, each member of the team should have a special focus on limb salvage. The more experienced the microsurgeon and the better the planning the higher the chance of success. Current success rates in large microsurgical centers exceed 95% free flap survival. Skill in choosing the appropriate flap and optimizing how it is inset ensure an optimal aesthetic and functional result while minimizing the need for later revisions. Adding microsurgical free flaps to the armamentarium of limb salvage surgeons ensures a much higher salvage rate in limbs that heretofore posed too large of a reconstructive challenge and, therefore, were amputated. Current efforts should be directed toward the salvage of only those feet that will be functional, while avoiding limb salvage surgery in other cases. Microsurgical salvage should not be undertaken simply because it is technically feasible. The patient who undergoes 10 to 15 procedures over a 2 to 3 year interval and has a viable, but minimally functional, limb has not been helped. One, therefore, must be sure that the functional salvage can be performed within a defined number of operations in a given time. If not, a below-knee amputation should be considered strongly.
Molecular Design of Fluorocarbon Film Architecture by Pulsed Plasma Enhanced and Pyrolytic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pulsed PECVD) and pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition (pyrolyric CVD) of fluorocarbon films from hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) have demonstrated the ability to molecularly design film architecture. Film structures ranging from highly amorphous crosslinked matrices to linear perfluoroalkyl chain crystallites can be established by reducing the modulation frequency of plasma discharge in plasma activated deposition and by eventually shifting mechanistically from an electrically activated to a thermally activated process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed CF2 content increasing from 39–65 mol%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed an increasing resolution between the symmetric and asymmetric CF2 stretches, and a reduction in the intensity of the amorphous PTFE and CF3 bands. High-resolution solid-state 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) revealed an increasing CF2CF2CF2 character, with the pyrolytic CVD film much like bulk poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns evidenced an increase in crystallinity, with the pyrolytic CVD film showing a characteristic peak at 2θ = 18° representing the (100) plane of the hexagonal structure of crystalline PTFE above 19°C.
Photoacoustic effect in a stratified atmosphere

The photoacoustic effect is usually studied in an isotropic medium on a laboratory scale. However, it is possible to use optical sources to launch pressure perturbations in the atmosphere consisting of both acoustic and gravity waves. Here photoacoustic theory is extended to incorporate the effects of a stratified atmosphere and a gravitational field on launching and propagation of pressure waves in the atmosphere. Properties of pressure waves corresponding to several optical excitation schemes are investigated. The acoustic component of the optically launched pressure waves is explored separately to delineate its properties from those found without the effects of a gravitational field.
The Relationship between Accelerated Dev-Ed Coursework and Early College Milestones: Examining College Momentum in a Reformed Mathematics Pathway.

More than half of community college students fail to meet college-readiness standards in math. Developmental education (dev-ed) aims to help students acquire the knowledge and skills to succeed in ...
Does Vibrissal Innervation Patterns and Investment Predict Hydrodynamic Trail Following Behavior of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina)

Our understanding of vibrissal function in pinnipeds is poor due to the lack of comparative morphological, neurobiological, and psychophysical performance data. In contrast, the function of terrestrial mammalian vibrissae is better studied. Pinnipeds have the largest vibrissae of all mammals, and phocids may have the most modified vibrissae. The tactile performance for pinniped vibrissae is well known for harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Harbor seals display at least two types of tactile behavior involving their mystacial vibrissae: a fine discriminatory capability using active touch and hydrodynamic trail following (the ability to detect and follow turbulent trails). This study investigated innervation patterns of harbor seal follicle-sinus complexes (F-SCs) to test the hypothesis that the whiskers used in hydrodynamic trail following possess increased innervation investment compared to other phocids. Therefore, the most lateral vibrissae from five harbor seals were histologically processed so that morphometric measurements and axon counts could be collected. Vibrissae from one harbor seal were immunolabeled with anti-protein gene product (PGP 9.5) to document the pattern of deep vibrissal nerve innervation of the F-SCs. Overall, harbor seals showed an innervation pattern (axons/F-SC and axons/muzzle) similar to other phocids. The ventrolateral vibrissae, involved in hydrodynamic trail following, have greater axon density in harbor seals than harp seals, suggesting harbor seal F-SC innervation patterns could explain their performance at trail following. The combination of microstructural, innervation investment, and behavioral data provides a foundation for functional inference regarding this tactile behavior in harbor seals and also facilitates future comparative work for other pinniped species. Anat Rec, 302:1837-1845, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
Comparison with global soil radiocarbon observations indicates needed carbon cycle improvements in the E3SM land model

Author(s): Chen, J; Zhu, Q; Riley, WJ; He, Y; Randerson, JT; Trumbore, S | Abstract: We evaluated global soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and turnover time predictions from a global land model (ELMv1-ECA) integrated in an Earth System Model (E3SM) by comparing them with observed soil bulk and Δ14C values around the world. We analyzed observed and simulated SOC stocks and Δ14C values using machine learning methods at the Earth System Model grid cell scale (~200nkm). In grid cells with sufficient observations, the model provided reasonable estimates of soil carbon stocks across soil depth and Δ14C values near the surface but underestimated Δ14C at depth. Among many explanatory variables, soil albedo index, soil order, plant function type, air temperature, and SOC content were major factors affecting predicted SOC Δ14C values. The influences of soil albedo index, soil order, and air temperature were primarily important in the shallow subsurface (≤30ncm). We also performed sensitivity studies using different vertical root distributions and decomposition turnover times and compared to observed SOC stock and Δ14C profiles. The analyses support the role of vegetation in affecting soil carbon turnover, particularly in deep soil, possibly through supplying fresh carbon and degrading physical-chemical protection of SOC via root activities. Allowing for grid cell-specific rooting and decomposition rates substantially reduced discrepancies between observed and predicted Δ14C values and SOC content. Our results highlight the need for more explicit representation of roots, microbes, and soil physical protection in land models.
Two new integrable modified KdV equations, of third-and fifth-order, with variable coefficients: multiple real and multiple complex soliton solutions

In this work, we develop two new integrable modified KdV equations, of third and fifth orders, with time-dependent coefficients, which can be used to describe many nonlinear phenomena in fluid dyna...
Optimization of biomethane production from anaerobic Co-digestion of microalgae and septic tank sludge

Abstract The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of the total organic concertation and the proportion of microalgae to optimize biomethane production during anaerobic co-digestion of microalgae and septic tank sludge. To achieve this goal, a statistical tool, central composite design, was applied to design the co-digestion experiments. Using multiple variance analysis, the experimental data were analyzed, and the results were presented by the response surface methodology, which illustrated that peak methane production could be achieved when the total volatile solids concentration was in the range of 16–20 g/L and the proportion of microalgal biomass ranged from 26 to 47%. An inhibitory effect was observed from volatile fatty acids accumulation when the total volatile solids concentration was supplied as high as 35 g/L. Organic nitrogen mineralization took place in all groups, ranging from 23 to 62%. There was no direct evidence showing that produced ammonium ion nitrogen or the free ammonia nitrogen had inhibitive effects on methanogenic activity.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel

Study Objectives:The aim of this study was to obtain preliminary data on the efficacy, credibility, and acceptability of Exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy for military service members a...
Stochastic Expert Choice in Ship Production Project Management

Abstract : Shipbuilders have traditionally delayed major change decisions until the last moment and often not until it was too late to solve a problem. The reason was largely risk aversiveness of shipyard management, an unfortunate attitude in an industry subject to large uncertainties and risks. Expert choice, or the analytic hierarchical process (AHP), offers an approach which allows consideration of all the factors, as well as the risk attitudes of the decision makers and others involved. The basic AHP method was modified to permit consideration of the probabilities associated with hierarchical relationships of factors and decision makers. AHP is further suggested to include the effect of time on the determination of the risk, and time dependence of the outcome of alternative decisions. Thereby AHP permits determination of not only the most effective choices, but also timing of complex decisions met so frequently in ship production project management.
Student Participation in Supplemental Instruction in STEM Courses at a Large Urban Community College in California

A realist evaluation framework asks what works best for whom under what circumstances. This study utilized a realist evaluation framework to determine which students benefited under what circumstan...
Improving campus dining operations using capacity and queue management: A simulation-based case study

Abstract With growing consumer demand, dining facilities athigher education institutions have started to provide a wide assortment of food products catering to the needs of every individual. In developed countries like the United States, labor is an expensive asset, and campus dining facilities are struggling to utilize their employees efficiently and achieve service excellence. This research is motivated by a real-life case study of a campus dining service (CDS), which is an all-you-can-eat establishment with an annual influx of 500,000 students. The CDS has eight food stations but experiences long queues only at individual stations that prepare made-to-order (MTO) meals, thereby leading to excessive wait at the facility. Given the characteristics of the CDS, the objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of capacity reallocation and queue management on customer waiting time. The methodology integrates the six sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) framework with a discrete event simulation modeling approach to understand, analyze, and improve the service responsiveness at CDS. Five different alternatives pertaining to capacity reallocation and queue management are proposed. The experimental analyses indicate that reallocating underutilized workers to high demand MTO stations can reduce the average waiting time by 29%. Besides, when adopting a combination of server reallocation and queue management, the CDS can curtail wait times by up to 45%. Finally, the alternatives are evaluated with respect to multiple criteria (cost and ease of implementation, responsiveness, and sustainability) to provide managerial insights to the CDS.
12 – Sucker Rod Pumping

Publisher Summary Sucker rod pumping, also referred to as “beam pumping,” provides mechanical energy to lift oil from bottom hole to surface. It is efficient, simple, and easy for field people to operate, and it can pump a well down to very low pressure to maximize oil production rate. It is applicable to slim holes, multiple completions, and high-temperature and viscous oils. The system is also easy to change to other wells with minimum cost. The major disadvantages of beam pumping include excessive friction in crooked/deviated holes, solid-sensitive problems, low efficiency in gassy wells, limited depth due to rod capacity, and bulky in offshore operations. Beam pumping trends include improved pump-off controllers, better gas separation, gas handling pumps, and optimization using surface and bottom-hole cards. This chapter presents the principles of sucker rod pumping systems and illustrates a procedure for selecting components of rod pumping systems. Major tasks include calculations of polished rod load, peak torque, stresses in the rod string, pump deliverability, and counterweight placement.
Functional Impacts of Aminoglycoside Treatment on Speech Perception and Extended High-Frequency Hearing Loss in Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to better understand the prevalence of ototoxicity-related hearing loss and its functional impact on communication in a pediatric and young adult cohort with cystic fibrosis (CF) and individuals without CF (controls). Method Observational, cross-sectional investigation of hearing function in children, teens, and young adults with CF (n = 57, mean = 15.0 yr.) who received intravenous aminoglycoside antibiotics and age- and gender-matched controls (n = 61, mean = 14.6 yr.). Participants completed standard and extended high frequency audiometry, middle ear measures, speech perception tests, and a hearing and balance questionnaire. Results Individuals with CF were 3 to 4 times more likely to report issues with hearing, balance, and tinnitus and performed significantly poorer on speech perception tasks compared to controls. A higher prevalence of hearing loss was observed in individuals with CF (57%) compared to controls (37%). CF and control groups had similar proportions of slight and mild hearing losses, however individuals with CF were 7.6 times more likely to have moderate and greater degrees of hearing loss. Older participants displayed higher average EHF thresholds, with no effect of age on average SF thresholds. Although middle ear dysfunction has not previously been reported to be more prevalent in CF, this study showed that 16% had conductive or mixed hearing loss and higher rates of previous otitis media and pressure equalization (PE) tube surgeries compared to controls. Conclusions Individuals with CF have a higher prevalence of conductive, mixed and sensorineural hearing loss, poorer speech-in-noise performance and higher rates of multiple symptoms associated with otologic disorders (tinnitus, hearing difficulty, dizziness, imbalance and otitis media) compared to controls. Accordingly, children with CF should be asked about these symptoms, receive baseline hearing assessment(s) prior to treatment with potentially ototoxic medications, and at regular intervals thereafter in order to provide otologic and audiologic treatment for hearing and ear-related problems to improve communication functioning.
A system-of-systems meta-architecting approach for seru production system design

Sponsored by expedient technologic innovation, consumers frequently expect manufacturer offerings to exhibit extensive product variety and regular product advancement. These expectations have rendered many traditional production practices less applicable. Chiefly impacted is the notion of mass produced, low-variety artifacts via massive assembly lines. These operations have difficulty meeting the high-customization, short life-cycle requirements imposed by contemporary demand. Many industries and organizations have begun the transformation from these rigid assembly mechanisms to a more versatile, cellular production strategy known as seru production. To facilitate this transition, methods are needed to aid manufacturers in appropriately selecting and arranging seru system components, a critical step in seru system design. Herein, a generalized model is proposed utilizing a system-of-systems architecting approach to determine the component assembly best suiting the needs of the manufacturing entity. Candidate architectures are generated and evaluated using a multi-objective genetic algorithm from which a preferred alternative is selected through a fuzzy inference system. Directing this genetic algorithm, domain-independent objectives are presented, maintaining applications to most seru production design scenarios. The proposed method is then applied to a camera production example, culminating in the identification of a well-performing architecture. The presented method should find increased use as organizations further adopt this flexible production methodology.
Reductions in mortality resulting from reduced air pollution levels due to COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Abstract To control the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, state and local governments in the United States have implemented several mitigation efforts that resulted in lower emissions of traffic-related air pollutants. This study examined the impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures on air pollution levels and the subsequent reductions in mortality for urban areas in 10 US states and the District of Columbia. We calculated changes in levels of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter no larger than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) during mitigation period versus the baseline period (pre-mitigation measure) using the difference-in-difference approach and the estimated avoided total and cause-specific mortality attributable to these changes in PM2.5 by state and district. We found that PM2.5 concentration during the mitigation period decreased for most states (except for 3 states) and the capital. Decreases of average PM2.5 concentration ranged from 0.25 μg/m3 (4.3%) in Maryland to 4.20 μg/m3 (45.1%) in California. On average, PM2.5 levels across 7 states and the capital reduced by 12.8%. We estimated that PM2.5 reduction during the mitigation period lowered air pollution-related total and cause-specific deaths. An estimated 483 (95% CI: 307, 665) PM2.5-related deaths was avoided in the urban areas of California. Our findings have implications for the effects of mitigation efforts and provide insight into the mortality reductions can be achieved from reduced air pollution levels.
Preserving National Regulatory Autonomy in Financial Services: The GATS’ Prudential Carve-Out

This note addresses the interplay of trade liberalization and financial services regulation — namely the key issue of the United States’ prudential regulation of financial services and its linkage to commitments made under the General Agreement on Trade in Services and free trade agreements. Focusing on the prudential carve-out exception present in the GATS, and nearly all of the United States’ liberalization commitments, this Note suggests that the prudential carve-out is over-inclusive and thus well insulates the US from challenges to its prudential framework. This Note also argues that the United States is further protected from challenges to its national regulatory autonomy due to the political economy surrounding the WTO and its limited judgment-enforcing powers.
Dimensionality of speech fluency: Examining the relationships among complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) features of speaking performances on the Aptis test:

Speech fluency has been extensively researched as a core construct for second language (L2) speaking assessment. Despite the broad consensus on its multifaceted nature, few researchers have empiric...
Regeneración de las células ciliadas auditivas: Un tratamiento potencial para los problemas de oído en el horizonte

espanolLa audicion requiere de la buena salud de las celulas ciliadas (vello) para garantizar que el sonido se detecte y procese correctamente. Estas se degeneran y mueren con la edad o por la exposicion a sonido intenso, entre otras causas, y normalmente no se regeneran. Se presentan algunos resultados de la investigacion sobre la posible regeneracion de las celulas ciliadas cocleares que sugieren que existe la posibilidad de un tratamiento para la discapacidad auditiva debida a esta enfermedad. EnglishHearing requires good health of the hair cells to ensure that the sound is detected and processed correctly. They degenerate and die due to age or exposition to high intensity sound, among other causes, and usually they do not regenerate. Some research results about possible regeneration of cochlear hair cells that suggest the possibility of treatment for hearing impairment due to this disease are presented in this paper
Standardizing Endoscopy Training: A Workshop for Endoscopy Educators.

Introduction Endoscopy education in the US traditionally follows the apprenticeship model, in which educators often have little formal training in education, and the acquisition of procedural skill...
Partnership in Glory: Newton and Locke Through the Enlightenment and Beyond

Many names have been given to the eighteenth century: first and foremost the “Enlightenment,” but also the “Century of Light,” the “Age of Reason,” and even the “Age of Newton.” In view of the complex nature of the century, it is not surprising that such grand titles — and, more importantly, the unity of doctrine they imply — have been increasingly challenged. Which Enlightenment? What Reason? Whose Light? are just a few of the questions being posed by a new breed of historians determined to rid the eighteenth century of its traditionally one-dimensional interpretation. Certainly their probing has radically altered our perception of the period, giving it a depth and complexity missing a generation ago.
On naturally occurring colorless polyenes

Die farblosen, lebhaft fluoreszierenden Polyene, Phytofluen und Phytofluenol, wurden in Pflanzenextrakten aufgefunden. Sie werden spektroskopisch sowie chromatographisch gekennzeichnet und ihre Beziehung zu carotinoiden Farbstoffen wird besprochen.
Cellular mechanisms of frontal bone development in spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus).

Background The cellular and molecular mechanisms initiating vertebrate cranial dermal bone formation is a conundrum in evolutionary and developmental biology. Decades of studies have determined the developmental processes of cranial dermal bones in various vertebrates and identified possible inducers of dermal bone. However, evolutionarily derived characters of current experimental model organisms, such as non-homologous frontal bones between teleosts and sarcopterygians, hinder investigations of ancestral and conserved mechanisms of vertebrate cranial dermal bone induction. Thus, investigating such mechanisms with animals diverging at evolutionarily informative phylogenetic nodes is imperative. Results We investigated the cellular foundations of skull frontal bone formation in the spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus, a basally branching non-teleost actinopterygian. Whole-mount bone and cartilage staining and hematoxylin-eosin section staining revealed that mesenchymal cell condensations in the frontal bone of spotted gar develop in close association with the underlying cartilage. We also identified novel aspects of frontal bone formation: enrichment of F-actin, cellular membranes, and E-cadherin in condensing cells, and extension of podia-like structures from osteoblasts to the frontal bone, which may be responsible for bone mineral transport. Conclusion This study highlights the process of frontal bone formation with dynamic architectural changes of mesenchymal cells in spotted gar, an emerging non-teleost fish model system, illuminating supposedly ancestral and likely conserved developmental mechanisms of skull bone formation among vertebrates.
Developing a grouped random parameter beta model to analyze drivers’ speeding behavior on urban and suburban arterials with probe speed data

Abstract Speeding is one of the major contributing factors to traffic fatalities. Various speed management strategies have been proposed to encourage drivers to select more appropriate speeds. This study aims to explore the different effects of the speed management strategies on the speeding proportions at urban and suburban arterials. Probe speed data was used to calculate the speeding proportions. To overcome the variability of probe speed data caused by the signalized intersections, a new method was suggested to calculate the speeding proportion, and a fractional split model was estimated to adjust the probe speed data. A Beta regression model was developed to analyze the speeding proportion. A grouped random parameter modeling structure was adopted to realize the different effects of speed management strategies and other road attributes on speeding proportions by different road types. Besides, a fixed beta model was developed for the comparison. The results suggested the grouped random parameter model could provide better performance over the counterpart and could realize the different effects of road features and other contributing factors on the speeding of different roads. It is expected that the findings could help inform more appropriate road design in order to reduce speed limit violations on urban and suburban arterials.
Gentamicin binding to serum and plasma proteins

Gentamicin binding to serum proteins was studied by equilibrium dialysis at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 in the presence of both physiologic and adjusted concentrations of ionized calcium and magnesium. The percentage of bound drug was inversely related to the concentration of these two divalent cations, raning from 27% bound with no calcium and magnesium present to 17% bound in the presence of four times physiologic concentrations. No significant difference in the extent of drug-protein binding was noted in a comparison of sera from healthy and uremic subjects. Heparin also was found to affect gentamicin binding. Increasing heparin concentration in serum increased apparent gentamicin-protein binding to 34% in the presence of physiologic amounts of calcium and magnesium. Buffered heparin solutions without plasma proteins bound up to 65% of total drug concentration. Gentamicin-protein binding may have implications regarding pharmacokinetics and renal cortical uptake.
A 90nm CMOS single-chip GPS receiver with 5dBm out-of-band IIP3 2.0dB NF

A single-chip GPS receiver with a low-IF heterodyne RF front-end includes a LNA, image-reject IQ mixers, a passive poly-phase filter, and a fully integrated synthesizer. The IF-strip consists of a jammer-reject filter, a VGA, a /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ ADC, and a digital IF-filter. The receiver dissipates 60 mA at 1.4 V and achieves a NF of 2 dB and out-of-band IIP3 of 5 dBm.
Grazing methods and stocking rates for direct-seeded alfalfa pastures: III. Economics of alternative stocking rates for alfalfa pastures.

A framework that permits estimation of economically optimal stocking rates for alternative economic parameters and alfalfa forage allowance was developed and applied to a controlled grazing experiment conducted with Holstein steers (243 kg) placed on direct-seeded alfalfa pastures in central Michigan. Responses of ADG to alternative levels of forage allowance (FA) were summarized by a quadratic function and the associated gains/hectare were calculated. The standard stocking rate (SSR; standard livestock units/ ha) that maximized gain/hectare increased with FA and was greater than that which maximized ADG. Net returns to fixed resources(NRFR)/hectare were calculated for alternative SSR and economically optimal SSR were identified under various levels of herbage mass (kg/d). The SSR that maximized NRFR were between the SSR that maximized ADG and gain/hectare. Magnitude of the sale price discount for heavier calves, the slide, influenced the optimal SSR and the sensitivity of net return to SSR. The economically optimal SSR increased as the slide increased because animals stocked under higher SSR weighed less off pasture and therefore received a lower price discount.