cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTIC FOR PRODUCTION OF CO2 BY PHASEOLUS SEEDLINGS

The temperature characteristic for respiratory production of CO(2) by young seedlings of Phaseolus aureus (Roxb.) is micro = 16,500 calories, 12-21 degrees C., even when the analyses depend upon the use of many seedlings crowded in a small respiration chamber, provided reasonable precautions are taken to avoid injury and to permit proper thermal adaptation. There is evidence of a definite critical temperature at 20-21 degrees . These findings agree quantitatively with those obtained with other similar seedlings, and contradict the results reported by Kurbatov and Leonov (1930); the reasons for this are analysed.
Experiment and simulation of dynamic voltage regulation with multiple distributed energy resources

Distributed energy (DE) resources are power sources located near load centers and equipped with power electronics converters to interface with the grid, therefore it is feasible for DE to provide reactive power (along with active power) locally for dynamic voltage regulation. In this paper, a synchronous condenser and a microturbine with an inverter interface are implemented in parallel in a distribution system to regulate the local voltage. Developed voltage control schemes for the inverter and the synchronous condenser are presented. Experimental results show that both the inverter and the synchronous condenser can regulate the local voltage instantaneously although the dynamic response of the inverter is much faster than the synchronous condenser. In a system with multiple DEs performing local voltage regulation, the interaction between the DEs is studied. The simulation results show the relationship between the voltages in the system and the reactive power required for the voltage regulation. Also, integrated voltage regulation (multiple DEs performing voltage regulation) can increase the voltage regulation capability of DEs and reduce the capital and operating costs.
Water use of mature Thompson Seedless grapevines in California

Water use of Thompson Seedless grapevines was measured with a large weighing lysimeter from 4 to 7 years after planting (1990–1993). Above-ground drip-irrigation was used to water the vines. Vines growing within the lysimeter were pruned to four and six fruiting canes for the 1990 and 1991 growing seasons, respectively, and eight fruiting canes in the last 2 years. Maximum leaf area per vine at mid-season ranged from 23 to 27 m2 across all years. Reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) averaged 1,173 mm between budbreak and the end of October each year, with a maximum daily amount of approximately 7 mm each year. Maximum daily vine water use (ETc) was 6.1, 6.4, 6.0, and 6.7 mm (based upon a land area per vine of 7.55 m2) for 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993, respectively. Seasonal ETc was 718 mm in 1990 and ranged from 811 to 865 mm for the remaining 3 years of the study. The differences in water use among years were probably due to the development of the vine's canopy (leaf area), since they were pruned to differing numbers of fruiting canes. These differences were more pronounced early in the season. Soil water content (SWC) within the lysimeter decreased early in the growing season, prior to the initiation of the first irrigation. Once irrigations commenced, SWC increased and then leveled off for the remainder of the season. The maximum crop coefficient (K c) calculated during the first year (1990) was 0.87. The maximum K c in 1991, 1992, and 1993 was 1.08, 0.98, and1.08, respectively. The maximum K c in 1991 and 1993 occurred during the month of September, while that in 1992 was recorded during the month of July. The seasonal K c followed a pattern similar to that of grapevine leaf area development each year. The K c was also a linear function of leaf area per vine using data from all four growing seasons. The decrease in K c late in the 1991, 1992, and 1993 growing seasons, generally starting in September, varied considerably among the years. This may have been associated with the fact that leafhoppers (Erythroneura elegantula Osborn and E. variabilis Beamer) were not chemically controlled in the vineyard beginning in 1991.
Operational atmospheric correction of AVHRR visible and near infrared data

The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRR) on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) series of satellites have been in continuous polar orbit since 1979. The extent of the temporal, spatial and spectral resolutions of the data set generated by this radiometer makes it very valuable for global studies. It has been used by several authors to demonstrate the potential of remote sensing for large scale terrestrial investigations (Becker et al., 1988; Gatlin et al., 1983; Justice et al., 1985). The signal at satellite level is affected by different atmospheric effects. Ozone and water vapor absorption bands affect AVHRR visible and near infrared channels respectively. Rayleigh scattering mainly affects the visible channel and aerosol scattering, which is certainly the most challenging term, affects both channels. The authors present a brief description of their preprocessing chain and of the atmospheric corrections applied to the data. >
Yield increases during the organic transition: Improving soil quality or increasing experience?

Reported increases in crop yields over the first few years of organic farming (especially during the 3-year ‘‘transitional’’ period established in US law) have been attributed to gradual improvements in soil properties, such as the capacity of the soil microbial community to mineralize N or to suppress disease. To test the hypothesis that yield increases with years of organic farming are due to improvements in soil properties, we compared identically managed organic and transitional plots differing only in duration of organic management (>5 versus <1 year). Conventional plots were included for reference purposes. There was no difference in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) growth or yield between established organic and first-year transitional plots, but both outperformed the comparable conventional system. Even no-compost subplots within the transitional plots had yields similar to established organic plots, so the yield advantage relative to conventional plots was apparently due to beneficial effects of a winter legume cover crop in a wet year. Soil inorganic N did not differ between transitional and organic plots. Conventional and organic plots differed in soil microbial community composition, but transitional plots were not intermediate between conventional and organic. In the second year of the organic transition, when maize (Zea mays L.) was grown, yields were again not significantly different from the established organic system. This result is inconsistent with the hypothesis that yield-limiting differences in soil quality between organic and conventional systems take at least 3 years to develop. An alternative hypothesis, not tested directly, is that previously reported yield increases result from improved management with increasing experience, not improving soil quality. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Comparison of 1% MgAl and 1% SiAl Wire Interconnects

Ultrasonically bonded interconnects have been made to semiconductor devices with both 1% SiAl and 1% MgAl wire. This investigation indicates that 1% MgAl wire is not a dominant cause of electrical degradation in any device studied. On the other hand, the effects of annealing time ue to 1000 hours and annealing temperature up to 300°C on the strength of the wire demonstrate the mechanical superiority of the 1% MgAl wire. The two types of wire have a similar behavior in relation to the effects of ultrasonic power and time on wire deformation and bond strength. A critical amount of energy input, as evidenced by wire deformation, is necessary for a strong bond, and further deformation weakens the interconnection. This investigation indicated that the one mil, 1% MgAl wire has potentially higher reliability than the 1% SiAl wire.
The Impact of Design and Code Reviews on Software Quality: An Empirical Study Based on PSP Data

This research investigates the effect of review rate on defect removal effectiveness and the quality of software products, while controlling for a number of potential confounding factors. Two data sets of 371 and 246 programs, respectively, from a personal software process (PSP) approach were analyzed using both regression and mixed models. Review activities in the PSP process are those steps performed by the developer in a traditional inspection process. The results show that the PSP review rate is a significant factor affecting defect removal effectiveness, even after accounting for developer ability and other significant process variables. The recommended review rate of 200 LOC/hour or less was found to be an effective rate for individual reviews, identifying nearly two-thirds of the defects in design reviews and more than half of the defects in code reviews.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR SECURITY REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR LOW-COST, DISTRIBUTED UBIQUITOUS SYSTEMS

The class of low-cost, distributed ubiquitous systems represents a computing mode where a system has small, inexpensive networked processing devices, distributed at all scales throughout business activities and everyday life. The unique features of such a class of ubiquitous systems make the security analysis different from that for the centralized computing paradigms. This paper presents a holistic approach for security requirement analysis for low cost, distributed ubiquitous systems. Rigorous security analysis needs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to produce the holistic view and the robust data regarding the security features that a system must have in order to meet users’ security expectations. Our framework can assist system administrators to specify key security properties for a low-cost, distributed ubiquitous system and to define the specific security requirements for such a system. We applied Bayesian network and stochastic process algebra to incorporate probabilistic analysis to the framework.
A current source inverter with advanced circuit and control method

In this paper, a thyristor-based current source inverter (CSI) is proposed, employing single voltage source inverter (VSI) with small power rating as an external circuit. Three tasks are performed by the VSI: 1) turning-off of thyristors; 2) transfer of reactive load energy; 3) clamping peak voltages across the load and thyristors. The proposed CSI system with the small VSI can realize the commutation process of the inductive loads without large AC capacitors and complicated auxiliary circuits accompanying complex controls. Furthermore, the proposed CSI ensures simple and easy control of the commutation process due to the simple switching operation of the VSI. The VSI operates only during commutation periods of the load currents and stops working over the non-commutation periods. Thus, the VSI with small power rating can be used for the proposed CSI system. The feasibility of the proposed CSI system is verified by simulation and experimental results
Comparison of two methods for analysis of gene-environment interactions in longitudinal family data: the Framingham heart study.

GxE interaction analysis can potentially enhance gene discovery for common complex traits. However, genome-wide interaction analysis (GWIS) is computationally intensive. Moreover, analysis of longitudinal data in families is much more challenging due to the two sources of correlations arising from longitudinal measurements and family relationships. GWIS of longitudinal family data can be a computational bottleneck. Therefore, we compared two methods for analysis of longitudinal family data: a methodologically sound but computationally demanding method using the Kronecker Model (KRC) and a computationally more forgiving method using the Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM). The KRC model uses a Kronecker product of an unstructured matrix for correlations among repeated measures (longitudinal) and a compound symmetry matrix for correlations within families at a given visit. The HLM uses an autoregressive covariance matrix for correlations among repeated measures and a random intercept for familial correlations. We compared the two methods using the longitudinal Framingham Heart Study (FHS) SHARe data. Specifically, we evaluated SNP-Alcohol (amount of alcohol consumption) interaction effects on HDL-cholesterol. Keeping the prohibitive computational burden of KRC in mind, we limited the analysis to chromosome 16, where preliminary cross-sectional analysis yielded some interesting results. Our first important finding was that the HLM provided very comparable results but was remarkably faster than the KRC, making HLM the method of choice. Our second finding was that longitudinal analysis provided smaller p values, thus leading to more significant results, than cross-sectional analysis. This was particularly pronounced in identifying GxE interactions. We conclude that longitudinal analysis of GxE interactions is more powerful and that the HLM method is an optimal method of choice as compared to the computationally (prohibitively) intensive KRC method.
Explicit A Posteriori Error Estimates for Eigenvalue Analysis of Heterogeneous Elastic Structures

An a posteriori error estimator is developed for the eigenvalue analysis of heterogeneous elastic structures. It constitutes an extension of a well-known explicit estimator to heterogeneous structures. We prove that our estimates are independent of the variations in material properties and independent of the polynomial degree of finite elements. Finally, we study numerically the effectivity of this estimator on several model problems.
Prophylactic vena caval filters in trauma: The rest of the story

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe outcomes for patients with trauma who had vena caval filters placed in the absence of venous thromboembolic disease (group P) and compare them with outcomes for patients with trauma who had filters placed after either deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (group T). Design: The study is a case series of consecutive patients who received vena caval filters after traumatic injury. Data were collected prospectively at the time of filter placement from reports of diagnostic studies obtained for clinical indications and during the annual follow-up examinations. Event rate findings are based on objective tests. Data were obtained from the Michigan Vena Cava Filter Registry. Results: Filters were placed in 385 patients with trauma; 249 of these filters were prophylactic (group P). Event rates were similar in the two groups. New pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in 1.5% of the patients in group P and 2% of the patients in group T. Caval occlusion rates were 3.5% for group P and 2.3% for group T. In all, 15.6% of the patients in group P had deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism after placement. The frequencies of lower extremity swelling and use of support hose were higher in group T than in group P (43% vs 25% and 25% vs 3.5%, respectively; P < .005). Outcomes were comparable in the two groups with respect to mechanical stability of the filter. Conclusions: The prophylactic indication for vena caval filter placement in patients with trauma is associated with a low incidence of adverse outcomes while providing protection from fatal pulmonary embolism. The current challenge is to limit the number of unnecessary placements through improved methods of risk stratification. (J Vasc Surg 2000;32:490-7.)
Effectiveness of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in Treating Selected Patients With Sarcoidosis With Neurological Involvement

Objective To assess the efficacy of chloroquine (Aralen) phosphate and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) sulfate in the treatment of patients with neurosarcoidosis who either do not respond to corticosteroid therapy or develop unacceptable side effects. Design Retrospective study. Setting Sarcoidosis clinic at a university teaching hospital. Patients Twelve patients with biopsy-proved sarcoidosis, 6 women and 6 men ranging from 20 to 49 years of age, with neurological involvement. Intervention Chloroquine phosphate, 250 mg twice daily, or hydroxychloroquine sulfate, 200 mg twice daily, was administered for a period of 6 to 21 months. Patients had regular clinical evaluation, determination of serum and cerebrospinal fluid angiotensin-converting enzyme level, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, chest radiography, lung function testing, and slit-lamp examination of the eyes. Results Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine either stabilized symptoms or controlled neurological symptoms in 10 of 12 patients. Two patients failed to respond. Cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, including lymphocytosis, were seen in 3 patients. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium was most helpful in supporting the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and monitoring the course of the disease. Conclusions Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are effective in controlling neurological sarcoidosis in those patients who fail to respond to corticosteroids or develop severe side effects. Ocular toxic effects from chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine were not observed.
Electrothermal microactuators based on dielectric loss heating

A method for microactuation based on excitation using the heat generated as a result of dielectric loss of materials at high frequencies is presented. This concept has been realized by fabricating electrothermal microactuators, composed of a layer of the copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE), on top of polyimide, using a fully integrated, self-aligned process. These actuators show larger deflection per unit temperature rise than conventional resistively heated electrothermal microactuators due to the properties of the materials used. In addition, they are easy to fabricate, can be remotely excited, and are capable of underwater operation. The actuation mechanism has been verified and a simplified model as well as a finite-element model have been developed. The measured values are in good agreement with those predicted by the model. >
Framework for the design and analysis of congestion revenue rights

The capability to deal effectively with the uncertainty associated with locational marginal prices (LMPs) in congestion management schemes requires the development of appropriate financial tools. Congestion revenue rights (CRR) are hedging tools that provide the holder reimbursement of the congestion charges in the day-ahead market and thereby provide transmission service customers with price certainty. In this paper, we construct a framework for the design and analysis of the CRR by marrying finance theory notions with salient characteristics of electric power systems and electricity markets. The framework consists of three interconnected layers with one layer each to represent the models of the transmission network, the commodity markets and the CRR financial markets. The interaction between the layers is represented as information flows. The framework has sufficient scope to allow the analysis of a broad range of problems associated with ensuring price certainty for transmission services. The structural modularity of the framework provides the flexibility to analyze issues and design structures for the provision of transmission services in the competitive environment. We introduce a new notion of CRR payoff parity and a practical pricing scheme, which are used as the basis for the design of more liquid CRR markets. The application of the framework is further illustrated by the analysis of the conditions that guarantee the revenue adequacy for the CRR issuer.
Selecting transmit powers and carrier sense thresholds in CSMA protocols for wireless ad hoc networks

Carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols, such as the IEEE 802.11 protocol, are widely used in wireless ad hoc networks. In this paper, we consider how the parameters of such protocols should be selected. Our primary goal is an increase in spatial reuse. By analyzing conditions for collision prevention, we argue that the product of the transmit power and the carrier sense threshold should remain constant. We then discuss the practical implementation of this principle within the framework of the IEEE 802.11 protocol. Finally, we provide simulation results that compare our scheme to other methods of selecting the protocol parameters. These results indicate that an increase in spatial reuse can indeed be achieved.
Mental, social, and physical well-being in New Hampshire, Oregon, and Washington, 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: implications for public health research and practice related to Healthy People 2020 foundation health measures on well-being

Well-being is now accepted as one of four cross-cutting measures in gauging progress for Healthy People 2020. This shift to population indicators of well-being redresses notions of health that have focused on absence of illness (negative health) as a primary or sufficient indicator of positive functioning. The purpose of this study was to estimate mental, social, and physical well-being in three US states using new measures piloted on the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey System (BRFSS). Baseline estimates were provided for states overall, and within states for demographic subgroups, those with chronic health conditions or disabilities, and those with behavioral risk factors. Ten validated questions designed to assess mental (e.g., satisfaction with life, satisfaction with life domains, happiness), physical (e.g., satisfaction with energy level), and social dimensions (e.g., frequency of social support) of well-being were selected with state input for inclusion on BRFSS. 18,622 individuals responded to the BRFSS surveys administered by New Hampshire (N = 3,139), Oregon (N = 2,289), and Washington (N = 13,194). Multivariate adjusted proportions of positive responses to well-being items were examined. After adjustment for confounders, about 67% of adults in these states had high levels of well-being, including >80% reporting experiencing happiness. Most adults were satisfied with their work, neighborhood, and education, but significant differences were seen in subgroups. Well-being differed by demographic characteristics such as marital status, health behaviors, chronic conditions, and disability status, with those who reported a disability and smokers consistently experiencing the worst well-being. Well-being is accepted as one of four cross-cutting measures in gauging progress for Healthy People 2020. Well-being differs by important sociodemographic factors and health conditions (e.g., age, employment, smoking, disability status). These findings provide baseline estimates for the three states to use in gauging improvements in well-being and can serve as a model for other state-level or national surveillance systems. These findings also assist states in identifying vulnerable subgroups who may benefit from potential interventions such as those in the National Prevention Strategy that focus on enhancing well-being where such disparities exist.
Statistically optimal interslice value interpolation in 3D medical imaging: theory and implementation

Describes a technique for statistically optimal interslice interpolation of scalar values for use in three-dimensional medical image rendering. The interpolation technique is based upon kriging, which is known to be the best linear unbiased estimation technique for spatially distributed data. The authors present the results obtained using kriging in the object space preprocessing operation of slice interpolation by slice-value interpolation. As a byproduct of the technique, kriging calculates the estimation error for the interslice values. This makes it possible to quantify the interpolation error in slices computed by the estimation technique. >
Special Operations in World War II: British and American Irregular Warfare Andrew L. Hargreaves. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2013.

Special Operations in World War II: British and American Irregular Warfare Andrew L. Hargreaves. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2013.Anyone who picks up this book expecting a blood and guts page-turner crammed with tales of derring-do by steely-eyed commandos stalking Nazis Quentin Tarantino-style will be sorely disappointed. Andrew L. Hargreaves's Special Operations in World War II is not intended for consumers of military thrillers; it is a densely argued academic monograph. As such, it is a worthy entry in the University of Oklahoma Press "Campaigns and Commanders Series." Hargreaves, a military historian who received his PhD from the Department of War Studies, King's College, London, is interested in the origins, organization, and effectiveness of the special forces raised and deployed by Great Britain and the United States during the Second World War. His is an analytic work, not a conventional narrative; while it does contain some stories describing specific wartime special operations, these are present to help illustrate the flow of an argument. As a rigorous and comprehensive study of Anglo-American special forces in World War Two, Hargreaves's book meets a real historiographical need. Various special forces units such as the British Commandos, Darby's Rangers, and Merrill's Marauders have received a lot of attention over the years from popular and professional historians. But Hargreaves looks at the whole range of wartime special operations, from the most publicized and glamorous to the most obscure. This enables him to make informed judgments on the utility of special forces for the Anglo-American war effort.British and American special forces were born of necessity. Following the fall of France and the expulsion of British forces from continental Europe in 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill needed a means of striking back at the victorious Germans. With a fullscale invasion of France out of the question, the only viable option open to the British was a program of harassing German occupation forces through raids. This led to the creation of the Commandos. The United States faced a similar situation in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Special formations of Marine Raiders were organized to wage guerilla war against Japanese outposts in the Pacific. The raid on Makin Atoll by a battalion led by Evans Carlson was heavily publicized but never repeated. The British proved to be very amenable to the proliferation of special forces. …
Estimating profile soil moisture and groundwater variations using GRACE and Oklahoma Mesonet soil moisture data

[1] In this study we estimate a time series of regional groundwater anomalies by combining terrestrial water storage estimates from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission with in situ soil moisture observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet. Using supplementary data from the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (DOE ARM) network, we develop an empirical scaling factor with which to relate the soil moisture variability in the top 75 cm sampled by the Mesonet sites to the total variability in the upper 4 m of the unsaturated zone. By subtracting this estimate of the full unsaturated zone soil moisture anomalies, we arrive at a time series of groundwater anomalies, spatially averaged over a region approximately 280,000 km2 in area. Results are compared to observed well level data from a larger surrounding region, and show consistent phase and relative inter-annual variability.
The effect of livestock grazing on the rainbow grasshopper: population differences and ecological correlates

Abstract This study examined the effect of livestock grazing on a common herbivore in semiarid grasslands of the Southwest: the rainbow grasshopper, Dactylotum variegatum. Population attributes and key environmental variables were compared between sites on active cattle ranches and sites on a 3160-ha ungrazed sanctuary. Although density of D. variegatum nymphs did not differ significantly between grazed and ungrazed sites, adult density was significantly lower on grazed sites, and sex ratios differed between grazed and ungrazed sites over time. Grazed sites had higher percentages of bare ground and fewer Baccharis pteronioides, a common shrub. However, only bare ground was highly correlated with adult D. variegatum density; lower adult densities were associated with more bare ground. At a smaller scale, D. variegatum tended to be more abundant in areas with B. pteronioides on grazed sites and less abundant in areas on un-grazed sites. This study suggests that cattle grazing influences ecological variables...
Experimental Evaluation of a Braille-Reading-Inspired Finger Motion Adaptive Algorithm

Braille reading is a complex process involving intricate finger-motion patterns and finger-rubbing actions across Braille letters for the stimulation of appropriate nerves. Although Braille reading is performed by smoothly moving the finger from left-to-right, research shows that even fluent reading requires right-to-left movements of the finger, known as “reversal”. Reversals are crucial as they not only enhance stimulation of nerves for correctly reading the letters, but they also show one to re-read the letters that were missed in the first pass. Moreover, it is known that reversals can be performed as often as in every sentence and can start at any location in a sentence. Here, we report experimental results on the feasibility of an algorithm that can render a machine to automatically adapt to reversal gestures of one’s finger. Through Braille-reading-analogous tasks, the algorithm is tested with thirty sighted subjects that volunteered in the study. We find that the finger motion adaptive algorithm (FMAA) is useful in achieving cooperation between human finger and the machine. In the presence of FMAA, subjects’ performance metrics associated with the tasks have significantly improved as supported by statistical analysis. In light of these encouraging results, preliminary experiments are carried out with five blind subjects with the aim to put the algorithm to test. Results obtained from carefully designed experiments showed that subjects’ Braille reading accuracy in the presence of FMAA was more favorable then when FMAA was turned off. Utilization of FMAA in future generation Braille reading devices thus holds strong promise.
Five empirical laws of politics

Political scientists tend to shy away from claiming that there are laws of politics. This diffidence is unwarranted. Here, I present five empirical laws of politics. By a "law" of politics I mean an empirical regularity that is invariant, or almost invariant, that is descriptive of intrinsic properties of politics, democracy, and the state. The laws, four spanning democracies and autocracies, and one setting a boundary between the two regime types, are drawn from data on 452 elections in 27 democracies, 15 from the Ibero-America (Latin America plus Spain and Portugal), and most of the rest from North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim (the OECD countries), plus ritualistic "elections" and referendums in 14 dictatorships. Law #1. The law of minority rule. All governments are minority governments. This is a given in dictatorships, but even in democracies parties capture or retain the presidency or the parliament with the votes of a minority of the "selectorate" (registered or eligible voters). In democracies, average turnout is about 75% and the mean incumbent share of the vote is around 40%. Therefore, the average "winning coalition" averages 30%.Law #2. The law of incumbent advantage. In democracies, on average incumbents are reelected more than half the time. Law #3. The law of shrinking support. On average, incumbents lose between 3 and 8 percent points per term, the former representing the "cost of governing" in the OECD region, the latter in Ibero-America. Their illusions of unanimity and perpetual power notwithstanding, dictatorships are not exempt from this law, as evidence drawn from transition elections in autocracies from several continents, cultures, and region of the world attest. Formerly ruling parties crashed, their share of the vote plummeting from the 90-99% they used to claim in single party "elections" to as low as the single digits or low teens.Law #4. The law of 60 percent. In democracies, it is rare for incumbents to win more than 60 percent of the vote, and it never happens twice within the same spell in office. The average maximum incumbent share of the vote across all democracies is 53.5%, the one variable on which there is no difference between regions. This law serves as a boundary separating all democracies from most dictatorships.Law #5. The law of alternation or shared power. In democracies, control of the government alternates between political parties or coalitions of parties. This is because no party is capable to encompassing the totality of the values and interests of any society. As well as presenting the data that demonstrate these patterns, I place these laws in the context of related scholarly literature, and offer possible explanations for the laws in light of it.
Water-Based Synthesis of Ultrasmall PEGylated Gold–Silica Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Long-Term Stability

Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles have attracted great interest in biomedical applications due to the intrinsic properties of gold nanoparticles and their potential renal clearance capability. We present a synthetic method for a type of sub-10 nm core–shell nanoparticle composed of an ultrasmall gold core, a thin silica shell, and a polyethylene glycol (PEG) outer layer. The thin silica shell is crucial in terms of maintaining colloidal stability of the nanoparticles. The PEG layer provides a neutral surface as well as steric stabilization. The core–shell nanoparticles show long-term stability for nearly a year in both water and PBS buffer solution even when stored at room temperature. The nanoparticle suspensions further exhibit high contrast in a microscale computed tomography scanner. This study suggests that these ultrasmall gold–silica core–shell nanoparticles can be used as a promising platform for future biomedical applications in imaging, diagnostics, and theranostics.
Contribution of mixing within an ejector to the farfield noise measurements

The objective of this study was to experimentally establish the contribution of the mixing noise produced within an ejector surrounding a mixer to the far-field measurements. A mixer consisting of 12 daisy lobes and 24 tubes was used in conjunction with a round ejector. The effects of nozzle insertion within the ejector on the static pressure distribution within the ejector and the far-field noise were measured. By using a broadband liner on the walls of the ejector, it was established that the mixing within the ejector can be a significant contributor to the far-field noise. (Author)
The Computational Sprinting Game

Computational sprinting is a class of mechanisms that boost performance but dissipate additional power. We describe a sprinting architecture in which many, independent chip multiprocessors share a power supply and sprints are constrained by the chips' thermal limits and the rack's power limits. Moreover, we present the computational sprinting game, a multi-agent perspective on managing sprints. Strategic agents decide whether to sprint based on application phases and system conditions. The game produces an equilibrium that improves task throughput for data analytics workloads by 4-6× over prior greedy heuristics and performs within 90% of an upper bound on throughput from a globally optimized policy.
[Tumor-induced hypercalcemia].

Ursache einer Hyperkalzamie ist sehr haufig eine bereits fortgeschrittene maligne Erkrankung. Die physiologische Basis ist eine gestorte Kalziumhomoostase mit vermehrter Resorption bzw. verminderter Exkretion. Eine leichte Hyperkalzamie verlauft oft klinisch asymptomatisch, wahrend sehr hohe Kalziumspiegel mit deutlichen neurologischen, gastrointestinalen, kardialen und renalen Symptomen assoziiert sind. Im Rahmen der Diagnostik ist als Bestandteil einer fundierten Laborchemie die Bestimmung des Serumalbumins und des ionisierten Kalziums essenziell. Die Therapieindikation hangt von der Hohe des Kalziumspiegels sowie von der klinischen Symptomatik ab. Entscheidend sind allerdings auch die Kinetik des Anstiegs und die Dauer der Hyperkalzamie. Therapeutische Prinzipien sind eine adaquate Infusionstherapie und Aufrechterhaltung einer suffizienten Diurese. Daneben kommen Kalzitonin, Bisphosphonate und eventuell Steroide zum Einsatz.
Laser Microdissection for Gene Expression Study of Hepatocellular Carcinomas Arising in Cirrhotic and Non-Cirrhotic Livers

Laser microdissection (LMD) is a robust well-established technology for the isolation of chosen cell populations from surrounding tissues and cells. This technique is particularly useful to minimize bias inherent in the molecular analysis of highly heterogeneous whole tissue sections. The aim of this study was to identify the pattern of mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arising in cirrhotic liver and compare it to the pattern of expression in HCC arising from non-cirrhotic liver. The expression profiles of the tumors were also compared to that of the surrounding liver (either cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic) from the same patient. In addition, the expression pattern of each of the four tissues were compared to normal hepatic tissue. Samples of HCC tissue and surrounding cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic parenchyma were collected at the time of resection or liver transplantation. The samples were snap frozen and stored at -80 °C. The snap frozen samples were then cryosectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for LMD. Hepatocytes from each sample were collected using the Leica LMD instrument. The RNA was extracted according to standard methodology and amplified. Microarray analysis was performed using the Affymetrix human genome array platform. The resulting microarray data were analyzed using Affymetrix Microarray Suite 5.0 (MAS 5.0). Results were displayed using Genespring, dChip, SAM, and GenMapp/MAPP Finder software. Validation studies on selected genes and proteins were performed utilizing RT-PCR and immunohistologic techniques.
Theory-Based Bayesian Models of Inductive Reasoning

INTRODUCTION Philosophers since Hume have struggled with the logical problem of induction, but children solve an even more difficult task – the practical problem of induction. Children somehow manage to learn concepts, categories, and word meanings, and all on the basis of a set of examples that seems hopelessly inadequate. The practical problem of induction does not disappear with adolescence: adults face it every day whenever they make any attempt to predict an uncertain outcome. Inductive inference is a fundamental part of everyday life, and for cognitive scientists, a fundamental phenomenon of human learning and reasoning in need of computational explanation. There are at least two important kinds of questions that we can ask about human inductive capacities. First, what is the knowledge on which a given instance of induction is based? Second, how does that knowledge support generalization beyond the specific data observed: how do we judge the strength of an inductive argument from a given set of premises to new cases, or infer which new entities fall under a concept given a set of examples? We provide a computational approach to answering these questions. Experimental psychologists have studied both the process of induction and the nature of prior knowledge representations in depth, but previous computational models of induction have tended to emphasize process to the exclusion of knowledge representation. The approach we describe here attempts to redress this imbalance by showing how domain-specific prior knowledge can be formalized as a crucial ingredient in a domain-general framework for rational statistical inference.
The Aesthetics of Imagination in Design, by Mads Nygaard Folkmann

The core contention of Mads Nygaard Folkmann’s The Aesthetics of Imagination in Design is that the act of design is an act of aesthetic imagination. This is a compelling claim, not least because so...
Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Renal Diseases

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used to prevent and treat various medical conditions worldwide. The chapter begins with a description of the epidemiology of CAM use among individuals with renal conditions, and discusses the legal and ethical considerations of CAM use. This is followed by a review of the scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of CAM therapies (including natural health products, traditional Chinese medicine and massage) used to prevent and treat symptoms associated with various renal conditions (including urinary tract infections, nephrotic syndrome, chronic renal failure) with a special focus on pediatric populations. Some CAM therapies (e.g. cranberry, omega-3 fatty acids) considered have been researched more widely among pediatric populations than others; pediatric data are preferentially discussed when available. Some CAM therapies may be effective and relatively safe for use among pediatric populations (e.g. acupressure or acupuncture for uremic pruritus), while other CAM therapies have limited evidence and warrant further investigation (e.g. many traditional Chinese medicine herbal remedies).
Infowar on the Web: When the Caliphate goes Online

The Middle-East has witnessed a tremendous increase in Information Warfare Operations on the Web in the last two years. The strategy developed by the ISIS group to increase visibility and reach takes advantage of various core competencies of digital media communication. By identifying actions and observing their impact in the specific context of the Middle East, this ongoing research tries to understand how ISIS conceived its Web communication strategy to target populations and spread its message to the online world.
The Social Organization of Actors in Stolen Data Markets

This chapter discusses social organization frameworks, and applies Best and Luckenbill’s framework model to the study of stolen data market participants. The framework recognizes five different types of social organizations (loners, colleagues, peers, teams, and formal organizations) based on characteristics such as mutual association, mutual participation, elaborate division of labor, and extended organization. Based on these characteristics of organizational complexity, stolen data forums operate concurrently at different levels of complexity. While some forums have longer duration of operations, others provide evidence for the sophisticated division of labor via specialized roles for members. Hence, the differentiation depends on the nature of the transaction more than on the nature of the forum.
Pharmacologic and Liability Considerations of Therapeutic Interchange with Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins:

Therapeutic interchange (TI), a formulary management process, is used by health care systems to help contain medication costs. A scientifically defensible and pharmacoeconomically beneficial TI program adheres to rigorouscriteria enforced by an institution's Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. In situations where adherence to essential criteria is not mandated, TI may not produce the intended clinical and economic outcomes, and in practice may have legal implications. Appropriate application of TI has been described within the position statements of certain health care organizations and associations. Due to the high cost and frequent use of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs), health care institutions have identified this pharmacologic class as a potential target for TI. Currently, the application of the TI process to LMWHs is questionable. This paper reviews the TI process and explores its controversial role in the formulary management of LMWHs.
Big Dreams, Religion, and the Transformational

This essay offers reflections on the data set, method, and evaluation of the intersection between religion and dreams found in Kelly Bulkeley’s Big Dreams. The reflections are organized around four interrelated rubrics: definitions, methods, the transformational, and social spaces. Definitions explores the issues surrounding how to circumscribe the “what” of religion. Methods unpacks the adaptive, therapeutic import of dreams as found in the pages of Big Dreams. The transformational asks how to theorize what William James referred to as the “farther” side of the “more” with respect to the dream life and what the nature of the data set (James’s “wild facts”) correlated to it might look like. Social spaces speaks to what we do as scholars of religion and dreams, the rules that govern that space, and how that space differs from and is related to others both within and outside of the academy.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Study of Southwestern Montana Health Care Providers Diagnosis Criteria and the Treatment Plan

This study is a way to qualitatively gauge the knowledge of Southwestern Montana Health Care Providers in regards to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. CFS is “a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and may be worsened by physical or mental activity” (CDC 2015). Additionally this study is used to better understand what diagnosis criteria is being used to determine and differentiate this difficult and controversial syndrome, and also the treatments which are being used to help in the healing process of patients suffering from CFS. This study will discuss the common practices in use in the Southwestern Montana region.
High-rate capability of Na2FePO4F nanoparticles by enhancing surface carbon functionality for Na-ion batteries

Metal phosphate compounds are considered promising candidates as positive electrode materials for Na-ion batteries because they offer higher cation-insertion potentials than analogous metal oxides. One such example is sodium iron fluorophosphate (Na2FePO4F), a compound that is typically synthesized by high-temperature solid-state routes. In this study, we prepare phase-pure Na2FePO4F using the polyol route, a low-temperature process that allows for the synthesis of nanoparticles (15–25 nm), a form that enhances Na-ion insertion kinetics and cycling stability. We then apply two methods to enhance the electronic conductivity of Na2FePO4F: (i) converting residual organic byproducts of the polyol synthesis to conductive carbon coatings; and (ii) preparing a nanocomposite with reduced graphene oxide. The resulting electrode materials are characterized in nonaqueous Na-ion electrolytes, assessing such metrics as specific capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability. A thorough electrochemical kinetics analysis is performed to deconvolve surface-vs.-bulk Na-ion insertion as a function of composite structure. Specific capacities between 60–110 mA h g−1 were achieved in galvanostatic charge–discharge tests when cycling in the range from 10C to C/10, respectively.