cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drought effects on large fire activity in Canadian and Alaskan forests

Fire is the dominant disturbance in forest ecosystems across Canada and Alaska, and has important implications for forest ecosystems, terrestrial carbon dioxide emissions and the forestry industry. Large fire activity had increased in Canadian and Alaskan forests during the last four decades of the 20th century. Here we combined the Palmer Drought Severity Index and historical large fire databases to demonstrate that Canada and Alaska forest regions experienced summer drying over this time period, and drought during the fire season significantly affected forest fire activity in these regions. Climatic warming, positive geopotential height anomalies and ocean circulation patterns were spatially and temporally convolved in causing drought conditions, which in turn enhanced fuel flammability and thereby indirectly affected fire activity. Future fire regimes will likely depend on drought patterns under global climate change scenarios.
Time to Work or Time to Play: The Effect of Student Employment on Homework, Housework, Screen Time, and Sleep

Although student employment may have some positive effects on students’ future earnings by providing work experience, some researchers have documented a small negative relationship between working while in high school and a student’s academic achievement. For example, Ruhm (1995, 1997) and Tyler (2003) found that student employment has a negative effect on both the number of years of schooling that students complete and their 12th grade math achievement. Oettinger (1999) found a decline in the grades of minority students who work long hours. Using U.K. data, Dustmann and Van Soest (2007) found that part-time work has a small negative effect on males’ exam performance. However, less emphasis has been placed on the mechanisms through which these effects occur. One hypothesis is that working students get less sleep. Oettinger (1999) suggested that students’ grades may suffer if they are fatigued from working long hours. Another hypothesis is that high school students who work do less homework, as found by Kalenkoski and Pabilonia (2009a). The latter may be particularly important given that Stinebrickner and Stinebrickner (2004) found a strong positive relationship between first-year college students’ study time and their grade point averages and Betts (1997) found that high school students who were assigned more homework had higher math scores. This paper uses data on high school students aged 15-18 from the 2003-2007 American Time Use Surveys (ATUS) to examine the effects of doing paid work on students’ major activities. Because class time is mandatory for enrolled students and because very little variation in such time is observed, we focus on activities outside of the classroom. In particular, we explore the effects of market work on the time students spend doing homework and sleeping (as time spent in these activities may affect their academic achievement), the time they spend doing household work (including care for younger siblings), and the time they spend using the
Characteristics of memory associations: A consumer-based brand equity perspective

Abstract This research uses a memory network model to identify various association characteristics underlying consumer-based brand equity. An empirical study measures association characteristics, such as set size, valence, uniqueness, and origin, and examines differences between high and low equity brands on these measures. The results show that consumer association differences are consistent with external equity indicators and provide insights on strong and weak areas for each brand that could be used to strengthen the brand. The discussion addresses implications of the association patterns for managing brand equity, compares the association measures with other equity measurement approaches, and broadens the set of association concepts used in this research.
Physical function among older adults with knee pain: The role of pain coping skills

Objective To evaluate the association between pain coping skills and disability among older adults with knee pain. Methods Baseline measures from 394 older adults with knee pain and disability who participated in a 30-month observational study were analyzed. Pain coping skills were correlated with self-reported disability and walking distance after controlling for covariates of disability. Results Pain coping skills were significantly associated with disability (P < 0.05) and distance walked (P < 0.05). Less catastrophic thinking and prayer, greater ignoring and reinterpretation of pain sensations, and stronger perceptions of pain control were associated with less disability and better physical function. Conclusion Pain coping skills used by older adults with osteoarthritis and knee pain may play a significant role in determining disability.
Agitation During Procedural Sedation and Analgesia in Children

Background. Agitation that occurs in children receiving standard procedural sedation regimens may indicate inadequate patient comfort and compromise procedural success. Although agitation in uninterrupted pediatric procedures is recognized to occur, it is not generally tracked as an adverse event, and there have been no formal studies to determine its rate of incidence. Methods. We identified intraprocedural agitation in a large cohort of children undergoing standardized sedation regimens in a tertiary care pediatric hospital over a calendar year and compared it with rates of well-accepted quality measures of sedation using odds ratio analysis, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All analyses excluded those patients who were documented to fail to sedate or to wake before the procedure was over—2 tracked adverse events that involve agitation and aborted, interrupted, or incomplete procedures. Results. Agitation occurred in 433 of 5045 (8.6%) procedures during the study period, including 306 (6.1%) who had...
Particle selection in the nauplius of Calanus pacificus

Food selection by the nauplius of Calanus pacificus is defined as the ability to ingest certain kinds of particles in behavioral preference to others that occur simultaneously in the same environment. Using mixtures of planktonic algae and plastic beads of different or similar sizes, the nauplii strongly selected the algal cells, consuming them almost exclusively, and at similar rates to the controls with only algae. In some cases, however, ingestion rates on the algae were lower than the in the controls, mainly when the mixture was composed of algal cells and plastic beads of smaller sizes able to be captured by the nauplii. Selection of algal particles was also observed when pollen grains or detritus were used instead of the plastic beads. Selection behavior also occurred when mixtures of two algae of different sizes were offered to the nauplii, and it was dependent on the proportion and concentration of both kinds of algae in the mixture. The possible effect of particle production on the observed selective patterns is discussed.
Transgenerational Effects of Early Life Starvation on Growth, Reproduction, and Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Starvation during early development can have lasting effects that influence organismal fitness and disease risk. We characterized the long-term phenotypic consequences of starvation during early larval development in Caenorhabditis elegans to determine potential fitness effects and develop it as a model for mechanistic studies. We varied the amount of time that larvae were developmentally arrested by starvation after hatching (“L1 arrest”). Worms recovering from extended starvation grew slowly, taking longer to become reproductive, and were smaller as adults. Fecundity was also reduced, with the smallest individuals most severely affected. Feeding behavior was impaired, possibly contributing to deficits in growth and reproduction. Previously starved larvae were more sensitive to subsequent starvation, suggesting decreased fitness even in poor conditions. We discovered that smaller larvae are more resistant to heat, but this correlation does not require passage through L1 arrest. The progeny of starved animals were also adversely affected: Embryo quality was diminished, incidence of males was increased, progeny were smaller, and their brood size was reduced. However, the progeny and grandprogeny of starved larvae were more resistant to starvation. In addition, the progeny, grandprogeny, and great-grandprogeny were more resistant to heat, suggesting epigenetic inheritance of acquired resistance to starvation and heat. Notably, such resistance was inherited exclusively from individuals most severely affected by starvation in the first generation, suggesting an evolutionary bet-hedging strategy. In summary, our results demonstrate that starvation affects a variety of life-history traits in the exposed animals and their descendants, some presumably reflecting fitness costs but others potentially adaptive.
PLR: A Software Approach to Transient Fault Tolerance for Multicore Architectures

Transient faults are emerging as a critical concern in the reliability of general-purpose microprocessors. As architectural trends point toward multicore designs, there is substantial interest in adapting such parallel hardware resources for transient fault tolerance. This paper presents process-level redundancy (PLR), a software technique for transient fault tolerance, which leverages multiple cores for low overhead. PLR creates a set of redundant processes per application process and systematically compares the processes to guarantee correct execution. Redundancy at the process level allows the operating system to freely schedule the processes across all available hardware resources. PLR uses a software-centric approach to transient fault tolerance, which shifts the focus from ensuring correct hardware execution to ensuring correct software execution. As a result, many benign faults that do not propagate to affect program correctness can be safely ignored. A real prototype is presented that is designed to be transparent to the application and can run on general-purpose single-threaded programs without modifications to the program, operating system, or underlying hardware. The system is evaluated for fault coverage and performance on a four-way SMP machine and provides improved performance over existing software transient fault tolerance techniques with a 16.9 percent overhead for fault detection on a set of optimized SPEC2000 binaries.
Sampling Characteristics from Isobaric Floats in a Convective Eddy Field

During the recent Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment, numerous isobaric floats were deployed. Interpretation of the quasi-Lagrangian measurements from these floats requires an understanding of any biases that may be introduced by the response of the floats to the flow in which they are embedded. To investigate the float measurement biases in convecting flow numerical simulations of isobaric floats in a domain containing several mesoscale eddies have been performed. When a surface heat loss is applied, spatially variable convective mixing and baroclinic instability result. The authors find that without surface cooling, probability density functions of Eulerian and isobaric float measurements of tracers and velocities are very similar, given an initial distribution of isobaric floats that is random with respect to the initial features of the tracer field. However, with cooling isobaric statistics are biased compared to the Eulerian statistics. In particular, in near-surface regions isobaric floats appear to oversample regions of dense downwelling fluid. Since in near-surface layers downwelling dense fluid is associated with convergence, a probable explanation of the isobaric float biases is a tendency for floats to concentrate in regions of horizontal convergence. Also, with cooling floats may be more easily exchanged between eddies and the ambient fluid. The escape of a float from an eddy can be identified from changes in the values of material tracers. The authors identify a positive skewness in the time derivative of the buoyancy measured by the individual near-surface floats as a indicator of convection in the presence of mesoscale eddies.
Lesbian and Bisexual Female Youths Aged 14 to 21: Developmental Challenges and Victimization Experiences

SUMMARY Two hundred six lesbian and bisexual female youth aged 14 to 21 were sampled from social and recreational settings. Most were aware of their same-sex attractions in adolescence, but disclosure to others lagged by five years. Youth on average spent 30% of their lives aware of their orientation without disclosure to others. According to youths' reports, three-quarters of their mothers and half of their fathers knew of their sexual orientation. Half had experienced repetitive verbal abuse, 12% reported several threats, and 7% had been assaulted multiple times. Youths who had self-identified as lesbian or bisexual or had told others of their sexual orientation reported more lifetime sexual orientation victimization. Fewer mental health symptoms were associated with having support from parents and with having not lost friends due to their sexual orientation. Less past sexual orientation victimization and fewer fears about future attacks were significant predictors of having less mental health symptoms....
Usefulness of transthoracic echocardiography in detecting significant prosthetic mitral valve regurgitation.

To identify the transthoracic echo-Doppler (TTE) variables most predictive of significant mitral regurgitation (MR) of mechanical prosthetic valves, TTE and transesophageal echo (TEE) studies were independently reviewed in 57 patients (mean age [± SD] 59 ± 12.5 years) undergoing both studies within 2 ± 3 days. Several 2-dimensional and Doppler hemodynamic variables from the TTE studies were derived. Prosthetic MR was significant (moderate or severe) by TEE in 20 patients, whereas mild or no MR was seen in 37 patients. The best univariate predictors of significant MR by TTE were peak velocity of mitral inflow, mean gradient, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, and ratio of time velocity integral of mitral inflow to time velocity integral in the left ventricular outflow (TVIMV/TVILVO). Peak mitral velocity and TVIMV/TVILVO were the best predictors of significant MR and performed similarly (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve: 0.97 for both). A peak velocity of ≥1.9 m/s was 90% sensitive and 89% specific for significant prosthetic MR, whereas a TVIMV/TVILVO ≥2.5 had a sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 91%, respectively. A decision tree was constructed to assess the conditional probabilities of having significant MR given all the possible outcomes of the 2 best predictors. None of the patients with peak velocity <1.9 m/s and TVIMV/TVILVO <2.5 by TTE had significant MR. Conversely, all patients with peak velocity ≥1.9 m/s and TVIMV/TVILVO ≥2.5 had significant MR. The use of more complex algorithms did not further improve the results. Thus, measurements of hemodynamic Doppler variables on TTE examination can accurately identify a large number of patients without significant prosthetic MR, thereby reducing the need for further investigation with TEE.
Arrhythmokinesis is evident during unimanual not bimanual finger tapping in Parkinson’s disease

Arrhythmokinesis, the variability in repetitive movements, is a fundamental feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). We hypothesized that unimanual repetitive alternating finger tapping (AFT) would reveal more arrhythmokinesis compared to bimanual single finger alternating hand tapping (SFT), in PD. The variability of inter-strike interval (CVISI) and of amplitude (CVAMP) during AFT and SFT were measured on an engineered, MRI-compatible keyboard in sixteen PD subjects off medication and in twenty-four age-matched controls. The CVISI and CVAMP of the more affected (MA) and less affected (LA) sides in PD subjects were greater during AFT than SFT (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference between AFT and SFT for controls. Both CVISI and CVAMP were greater in the MA and LA hands of PD subjects versus controls during AFT (P < 0.01). The CVISI and CVAMP of the MA, but not the LA hand, were greater in PDs versus controls during SFT (P < 0.05). Also, AFT, but not SFT, detected a difference between the MA and LA hands of PDs (P < 0.01). Unimanual, repetitive alternating finger tapping brings out more arrhythmokinesis compared to bimanual, single finger tapping in PDs but not in controls. Arrhythmokinesis during unimanual, alternating finger tapping captured a significant difference between both the MA and LA hands of PD subjects and controls, whereas that during a bimanual, single finger tapping task only distinguished between the MA hand and controls. Arrhythmokinesis underlies freezing of gait and may also underlie the freezing behavior documented in fine motor control if studied using a unimanual alternating finger tapping task.
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLASTICITY IN LARVAL DEVELOPMENT IN THREE SPECIES OF SPADEFOOT TOADS

We used spadefoot toad larvae to evaluate assumptions and test predictions of the Wilbur and Collins model for plasticity in age and size at metamorphosis. The model assumes that there is a threshold during larval development after which it is possible to metamorphose and to accelerate metamorphosis in response to certain environmental stimuli. The threshold presumably sets the minimum size and/or age at metamorphosis. Development after the threshold is modified according to environmental conditions, with growth rate serving as an index of environmental quality. Rapidly growing larvae are predicted to delay metamorphosis to take advantage of a favorable larval environment. Slower growers are predicted to transform closer to the threshold, thus enabling them to escape from a poor larval environment. Groups of three larvae from all three species (Experiment 1) or isolated larvae from two species (Experiment 2) in the genus Scaphiopus were reared at three food levels. At predetermined ages, subsamples of larvae had their food supply eliminated. The cessation of feeding represents a decline in the quality of the larval environment. After food elimination, larvae either completed development or entered a developmental stasis, making no further progress toward metamorphosis. The ability to complete development was demarcated by a specific stage of development or a narrow range of stages, thus defining a threshold. The threshold for successful metamorphosis was arrived at earlier at higher food levels and is best described as a function of both stage and mass. If food was eliminated after the threshold had been reached, the starved larvae completed larval development at an earlier age than continuously fed controls at each food level except the lowest food treatment of S. intermontanus. The magnitude of this acceleration of development was greatest in fast-growing (high food) larvae and smallest in slow growers (low food). These results confirm that all three species respond to a decline in the quality of the larval environment as predicted by Wilbur and Collins. Furthermore, the interspecies comparison implies an adaptive shift in this plasticity in the form of a change in the stage of development that serves as a threshold, the degree of acceleration in development rate after the threshold, and the flexibility in the amount of growth that is seen after the threshold. S. couchii, which is derived from the most ephemeral environment, reaches the threshold at an earlier stage of development. It also displays a greater proportional acceleration in development rate after the threshold, matched by a larger trade-off in reduced body size at metamorphosis in comparison with species from less ephemeral environments.
Adolescent Perceptions of Relevant Social Problems

PROBLEM: Social problems can be a significant stressor for adolescents. Disturbed youth often experience negative outcomes to social problems, solve problems poorly, and display distortions in reasoning about social problems. METHODS: A series of focus groups was conducted with adolescents (N = 36), and the data was analyzed inductively. Activities to increase the rigor of the study data (establishing credibility, trustworthiness, and transparency) were incorporated into the phenomenological research design. FINDINGS: Five social problem themes with critical attributes were perceived to be relevant to teenagers in today's society. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents' social problems shift in response to a changing society. Findings from this study can be used to help target assessments and treatment plans when working with disturbed youth. Language: en
Constrained optimal framings of curves and surfaces using quaternion Gauss maps

We propose a general paradigm for computing optimal coordinate frame fields that may be exploited to visualize curves and surfaces. Parallel transport framings, which work well for open curves, generally fail to have desirable properties for cyclic curves and for surfaces. We suggest that minimal quaternion measure provides an appropriate heuristic generalization of parallel transport. Our approach differs from minimal tangential acceleration approaches due to the addition of "sliding ring" constraints that fix one frame axis, but allow an axial rotational freedom whose value is varied in the optimization process. Our fundamental tool is the quaternion Gauss map, a generalization to quaternion space of the tangent map for curves and of the Gauss map for surfaces. The quaternion Gauss map takes 3D coordinate frame fields for curves and surfaces into corresponding curves and surfaces constrained to the space of possible orientations in quaternion space. Standard optimization tools provide application specific means of choosing optimal, e.g., length- or area-minimizing, quaternion frame fields in this constrained space.
talent as an alternative conception of giftedness

This article explores the multi-faceted nature of giftedness. The writer draws together a number of diverse definitions and developments of researchers in the field. He suggests a way forward in understanding the concept of giftedness in the light of recent research.
Synthesis and infrared characterization of Br-HBr and Br-DBr entrance channel complexes in solid parahydrogen.

We report high resolution vibrational spectra in the HBr (2560 cm−1) and DBr (1840 cm−1) stretching regions for Br–HBr and Br–DBr entrance channel complexes isolated in solid parahydrogen (pH2). The Br–HBr complexes are generated by synthesizing solid pH2 crystals doped with trace amounts of HBr/Br2 mixtures followed by 355 nm in situ photodissociation of Br2 to form Br atoms. After photolysis is complete, the solid is warmed from 2 to 4.3 K resulting in the irreversible formation of Br–HBr complexes. The large 36.63 cm−1HBr monomer-to-complex induced vibrational shift to lower energy measured in these studies is consistent with the linear Br–HBr hydrogen bonded structure predicted from theory. The 0.02 cm−1Br–HBr absorption linewidths indicate a 1 ns vibrational excited state lifetime for these entrance channel complexes in solid pH2.
Eigenstructure techniques for 2-D angle estimation with uniform circular arrays

The problem of 2D angle estimation (azimuth and elevation) of multiple plane waves incident on a uniform circular array (UCA) of antennas is considered. Two eigenstructure-based estimation algorithms that operate in beamspace and employ phase mode excitation-based beamformers have been developed. The first, UCA-RB-MUSIC, is a beamspace version of MUSIC that offers numerous advantages over element space operation, including reduced computation, as subspace estimates are obtained via real-valued eigendecompositions, enhanced performance in correlated source scenarios due to the attendant forward-backward averaging effect, and the applicability of Root-MUSIC. The second, UCA-ESPRIT, represents a significant advance in the area of 2D angle estimation. It is a novel closed-form algorithm that provides automatically paired source azimuth and elevation estimates. With UCA-ESPRIT, the eigenvalues of a matrix have the form /spl mu//sub i/=sin /spl theta//sub i/e/sup j/spl phi/(i/), where /spl theta//sub i/ and /spl phi//sub i/ are the elevation and azimuth angles, respectively. Expensive search procedures being thus avoided, UCA-ESPRIT is superior to existing 2D angle estimation algorithms with respect to computational complexity. Finally, asymptotic expressions for the variances of the element space MUSIC and UCA-RB-MUSIC estimators for the 2D scenario have been derived. Results of simulations that compare UCA-RB-MUSIC and UCA-ESPRIT and also validate the theoretical performance expressions are presented. >
PrimerView: high-throughput primer design and visualization

High-throughput primer design is routinely performed in a wide number of molecular applications including genotyping specimens using traditional PCR techniques as well as assembly PCR, nested PCR, and primer walking experiments. Batch primer design is also required in validation experiments from RNA-seq transcriptome sequencing projects, as well as in generating probes for microarray experiments. The growing popularity of next generation sequencing and microarray technology has created a greater need for more primer design tools to validate large numbers of candidate genes and markers. To meet these demands I here present a tool called PrimerView that designs forward and reverse primers from multi-sequence datasets, and generates graphical outputs that map the position and distribution of primers to the target sequence. This module operates from the command-line and can collect user-defined input for the design phase of each primer. PrimerView is a straightforward to use module that implements a primer design algorithm to return forward and reverse primers from any number of FASTA formatted sequences to generate text based output of the features for each primer, and also graphical outputs that map the designed primers to the target sequence. PrimerView is freely available without restrictions.
Electrical Engineering and Nontechnical Design Variables of Multiple Inductive Loop Systems for Auditoriums

This research analyzed both engineering and nontechnical issues involved in the use of Induction Loop Amplification (ILA) devices in auditoriums or large gathering places for hard-of-hearing individuals. A variety of parameters need to be taken into account to determine an optimal shape/configuration for the ILA device. In many cases, an optimal configuration is different from those proposed for classroom use (Ross, 1969; Hodgson, 1986; Clevenger, 1992). Experimental results were obtained for a double-loop configuration in such a setting (a university gymnasium/auditorium in this case). The results demonstrate that a double-loop configuration is a viable possibility for auditorium use. Several variables using this configuration were examined, and experimentation was done. Various implications, including consequent nontechnical issues specific to this application, are discussed as well. Technical and nontechnical aspects of the ILA configuration need to be examined together when designing an optimal system.
Agile Methodology In Offshore Outsourcing

Firms have to be cognizant of appropriate methods to deploy when managing offshore outsourcing. As industry continues to deploy agile methodology, such methodology may not be the best approach in offshore outsourcing. Managers may benefit from more disciplined application development methodologies. The case study examines risk factors of offshore outsourcing of software projects and the appropriateness of agile methodologies in these projects. The findings contribute important insight into the benefits and limitations of agile methods in offshore outsourcing.
A Computational Model to Investigate the Influence of Spacing Errors on Spur Gear Pair Dynamics

In this paper, a computational model is developed to investigate the influence of tooth spacing errors on the dynamics of spur gear pairs. This finite element based computational model implicitly includes periodically-time varying gear mesh stiffness and nonlinearities caused by tooth separations in resonance regions. The model can simulate the long period transmission error induced dynamic response from a spur gear with different spacing error patterns and predicts both time domain histories and frequency-domain spectra of dynamic mesh force and dynamic transmission error. The dynamic responses due to both deterministic and random teeth spacing errors are predicted and compared to the previously generated results from a lumped parameter model capable of utilizing experimentally measured transmission error as the realistic excitation mechanism. This study also enables creation of an extensive database of dynamic response spectra of gear pairs under the influence of spacing errors that will later be utilized for investigating the diagnostics of gear pairs.
Evaluation of Homeostatic Changes in CSF Circulation: In vivo Analysis of the Effect of Neurotransmitter Accumulation in the Extracellular Space Following Transient Global Ischemia

Accumulation of potassium and excitatory amino acids (EAA) in the extracellular space (ECS) following ischemia has been well documented. Careful monitoring of these transients is crucial to gain a better understanding of CNS pathophysiology. This study was initiated to determine if CSF concentrations of EAAs reflect those measured in the ECS. Transient global ischemia, 20 minutes in duration, was produced by clamping the left subclavian and innominate arteries combined with hemorrhagic hypotension. The accumulation of glutamate and electrolytes were measured in CSF and the extracellular fluid (ECF) of cerebral cortex. Microdialysis (MD) was utilized to measure the extracellular concentrations while direct sampling of CSF was provided via cannulation of the cisterna magna. Hydrogen clearance and laser doppler methods were used to monitor regional cortical CBF.
Poly(ethylene glycol) conjugation stabilizes the secondary structure of α-helices by reducing peptide solvent accessible surface area

We investigate the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side-chain conjugation on the conformational behavior of an α-helix using molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvents of varying hydrophobicity. Our simulations illustrate an increase in peptide helicity with increasing PEG molecular weight in the range ∼400 to 1800 Da. The data with varying PEG contour lengths as well as constant force pulling simulations that allow control over the end-to-end length of PEG indicate a strong inverse correlation between peptide helicity and solvent accessible surface area (SASA). A residue-based mapping analysis reveals that the formation of a protecting PEG shell around peptide helix in water is facilitated by two distinct mechanisms that depend on the solvent environment. First, cationic residues such as lysine interact favorably with PEG due to strong polar interactions with PEG oxygen atoms. Additionally, we find that hydrophobic residues interact strongly with PEG to reduce their SASA in polar solvents ...
Response of Corn Seedlings to Simulated Southern Corn Root worm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Feeding Damage

The impact of simulated southern corn root worm (SCR), Diabrotica undecimpunctata Howardi Barber, feeding damage on survival, growth, and yield of corn was investigated. Seedlings were grown in the laboratory, then transplanted into field plots after one of seven SCR feeding damages was simulated. In 1985, simulated SCR damage had little effect on plant survival, growth, or yield. In 1986, damage effects varied in intensity between sites but followed similar trends. Damage to the developing crown node was most detrimental to seedling survival, growth, and yield, resulting in yield reductions of up to 44%. Simulated damage to the base of the lateral root and seed endosperm also inhibited growth and reduced yields. Damage to the scutecular node or the first internode, or removal of up to three-fourths of the primary root, had minor effects on plant performance. These results indicate that many below-ground plant tissuesare relatively insensitive to simulated SCR feeding damage. Feeding deterrents that shift SCR feeding from sensitive plant tissuesonto less sensitive ones may be useful in protecting corn yield.
Interfacial Diffusion in a MOCVD Grown Barium Titanate Film

A combination of two nondestructive techniques, Grazing Incidence X-ray Reflectivity and High Resolution X-ray Diffraction, is used to study (at around 10A resolution) the composition profile across a 500A thick film of BaTiO3 grown epitaxially on (100) MgO by MOCVD. Results from both studies indicate diffusion of Mg to about 250A into the film at film-substrate interface, consistent with the diffuse ferroelectric phase transition observed in this film. The lattice parameter a shows a progressive decrease as we move into the film from the interface, and an anomalously low value in the Mg-free portion of the film.
Lightning Protection Method for Transmission Lines Based on Power Grid Lightning Hazard Distribution

To improve the pertinence and effectiveness of lightning protection measures for power grids,a determination method of power grid lightning hazard map is proposed.According to insulation strength and frequency of lightning activity,dangerous currents distribution is proposed,and other influential factors such as terrain,geology,landform,operation experiences and are integrated.Accordingly,a shielding-failure lightning hazard map of power grid and back striking lightning hazard map of power grid are formed.The lightning protection principle based on power grid lightning hazard map is put forward too.Therefore,different lightning protection measures according to different voltage levels,different lightning hazard characters,different lightning hazard ranks are designed and configured to improve the pertinence and effectiveness.Based on automatic detection lightning data from north China lightning location system,four-rank lightning hazard map of north China power grid in 2003~2006 years is plotted using the method.Combined with the proposed lightning protection principle,the lightning protection measures for server 500 kV and 220 kV transmission lines are rebuilt to get good effects.
Near-Infrared Optical Imaging for Diagnosis of Maxillary Sinusitis.

Computed tomography (CT) is the current gold standard imaging for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) but is limited by cost, risk of radiation, and difficulty of being performed in the typical outpatient...
Randomness, Chaos, and Fractals

In the previous lessons, we considered the extrapolation problems in which the result was, in principle, predictable, in the sense the more patterns we know, the better our predictions can be. In many practical problems, however, the analyzed process has a random component that is impossible to predict even if we have many patterns. For example, we may be able to predict how the Internet grows with time, but it is difficult to predict the delay of a single message sent through the Internet. In such situations, when we cannot determine the exact value, we may be able to determine the probabilities of different possible values. In this lesson, we show how continuous mathematics can help in in computing these probabilities, and how fractal theory can help to interpret the results in visual geometric form.
Maternally induced intraclutch cannibalism: an adaptive response to predation risk?

Theory on condition-dependent risk-taking indicates that when prey are in poor condition, their anti-predator responses should be weak. However, variation in responses resulting from differences in condition is generally considered an incidental by-product of organisms living in a heterogeneous environment. Using Leptinotarsa decemlineata beetles and stinkbug (Podisus maculiventris) predators, we hypothesised that in response to predation risk, parents improve larval nutritional condition and expression of anti-predator responses by promoting intraclutch cannibalism. We showed that mothers experiencing predation risk increase production of unviable trophic eggs, which assures provisioning of an egg meal to the newly hatched offspring. Next, we experimentally demonstrated that egg cannibalism reduces L. decemlineata vulnerability to predation by improving larval nutritional condition and expression of anti-predator responses. Intraclutch cannibalism in herbivorous insects might be a ubiquitous strategy, aimed to overcome the dual challenge of feeding on protein-limited diets while living under constant predation threat.
Determinants of Judicial Institutionalization: A Study of the Post-Communist Constitutional Courts

This study argues that institutional development of the courts is shaped primarily by the strategies of dominant political actors who attempt to maximize the congruence of the judiciary with their interests and its responsiveness to their priorities. To test this argument, this study identifies five factors – legislative fragmentation, the distribution of executive-legislative power, the transparency of the political environment, participation in the EU accession program, and direct foreign aid – which are hypothesized to affect the process of judicial reforms by altering the politicians’ interests, bargaining power, and the degree of electoral uncertainty. As an empirical test of these hypotheses, this paper examines institutionalization of 22 post-communist constitutional courts, from the beginning of the transition period through 2005. The findings suggest that there is a non-linear relationship between legislative fragmentation and judicial empowerment. In addition, this study finds that the participation in the EU accession program and executive power have an important impact on the development of viable constitutional courts. Transparent environment and foreign direct aid, on the other hand, do not exert a significant impact on the development of post-communist courts.
Caprock integrity susceptibility to permeable fracture creation

Abstract Caprock leakage is of crucial concern for environmentally and economically sustainable development of carbon dioxide sequestration and utilization operations. One potential leakage pathway is through fractures or faults that penetrate the caprock. In this study, we investigate the permeability induced by fracturing initially intact Marcellus shale outcrop specimens at stressed conditions using a triaxial direct-shear method. Measurements of induced permeability, fracture geometry, displacement, and applied stresses were all obtained at stressed conditions to investigate the coupled processes of fracturing and fluid flow as may occur in the subsurface. Fracture geometry was directly observed at stressed conditions using X-ray radiography video. Numerical simulation was performed to evaluate the stress distribution developed in the experiments. Our experiments show that permeability induced by fracturing is strongly dependent on the stresses at which the fractures are created, the magnitude of shearing displacement, and the duration of flow. The strongest permeability contrast was observed when comparing specimens fractured at low stress to others fractured at higher stress. Measureable fracture permeability decreased by up to 7 orders of magnitude over a corresponding triaxial confining stress range of 3.5 MPa–30 MPa. These results show that increasing stress, depth, and time are all significant permeability inhibitors that may limit potential leakage through fractured caprock.
The interplay between solid electrolyte interface (SEI) and dendritic lithium growth

Abstract Li dendrite formed in Li metal batteries can be categorized into two different types. One is the detrimental Li dendrite that heads towards the separator with a potential to short cell. The other is the ill-defined fibrous Li formed within bulk Li metal. The detrimental Li dendrite may cause cell short, while the other dendrites, covered by SEI, mainly increase cell impedance and terminate the cell operation, most often, before any “short” really happens. Without decoupling these two different Li dendrites, it is hard to develop any effective approach to realize both stable and safe Li metal batteries. Herein, a straightforward approach is proposed to induce the growth of detrimental dendritic Li so the cells are “shorted” frequently and consistently. Based on this new protocol, various electrolytes are revisited and the SEI derived are compared and quantified, providing new insights for addressing the challenges in rechargeable Li metal battery technologies.
Human-readable fiducial marker classification using convolutional neural networks

Many applications require both the location and identity of objects in images and video. Most existing solutions, like QR codes, AprilTags, and ARTags use complex machine-readable fiducial markers with heuristically derived methods for detection and classification. However, in applications where humans are integral to the system and need to be capable of locating objects in the environment, fiducial markers must be human readable. An obvious and convenient choice for human readable fiducial markers are alphanumeric characters (Arabic numbers and English letters). Here, a method for classifying characters using a convolutional neural network (CNN) is presented. The network is trained with a large set of computer generated images of characters where each is subjected to a carefully designed set of augmentations designed to simulate the conditions inherent in video capture. These augmentations include rotation, scaling, shearing, and blur. Results demonstrate that training on large numbers of synthetic images produces a system that works on real images captured by a video camera. The result also reveal that certain characters are generally more reliable and easier to recognize than others, thus the results can be used to intelligently design a human-readable fiducial markers system that avoids confusing characters.
Extracting and Integrating Data from Entire Electronic Health Records for Detecting Colorectal Cancer Cases

Identification of a cohort of patients with specific diseases is an important step for clinical research that is based on electronic health records (EHRs). Informatics approaches combining structured EHR data, such as billing records, with narrative text data have demonstrated utility for such tasks. This paper describes an algorithm combining machine learning and natural language processing to detect patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) from entire EHRs at Vanderbilt University Hospital. We developed a general case detection method that consists of two steps: 1) extraction of positive CRC concepts from all clinical notes (document-level concept identification); and 2) determination of CRC cases using aggregated information from both clinical narratives and structured billing data (patient-level case determination). For each step, we compared performance of rule-based and machine-learning-based approaches. Using a manually reviewed data set containing 300 possible CRC patients (150 for training and 150 for testing), we showed that our method achieved F-measures of 0.996 for document level concept identification, and 0.93 for patient level case detection.
Optimum Failure Truncated Testing Strategies

Testing mechanical components for their intended purpose under predetermined working conditions is a common practice used by industries to prevent failures. Fatigue tests are categorized as Time Truncated or Failure Truncated, known in the literature as Type I and Type II tests, respectively. The parameters of a typical failure truncated test include the capacity of the test facility, the actual number of components placed on the test, the termination of the test once a predetermined number of test results has been collected and the duration of the test. Important is the cost for components and test time as well as the desired confidence in the results. The investigation of varying Type II testing strategies to determine optimal test methods is the essence of this work. This work considers two different Type II test strategies. The strategies are termed: the Modified Sudden Death Test (MSDT) and the Classified Sudden Death Test (CSDT). In this study, the time and cost domains for MSDT and CSDT are investigated. The theoretical research in test completion time for the MSDT and CSDT is done to establish the most advantageous testing strategy from both a time and cost perspective.
Differences in Obesity Prevalence by Demographics and Urbanization in US Children and Adolescents, 2013-2016

Importance Differences in childhood obesity by demographics and urbanization have been reported. Objective To present data on obesity and severe obesity among US youth by demographics and urbanization and to investigate trends by urbanization. Design, Setting, and Participants Measured weight and height among youth aged 2 to 19 years in the 2001-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which are serial, cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. Exposures Sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, education of household head, and urbanization, as assessed by metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs; large: ≥ 1 million population). Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥95th percentile of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] growth charts) and severe obesity (BMI ≥120% of 95th percentile) by subgroups in 2013-2016 and trends by urbanization between 2001-2004 and 2013-2016. Results Complete data on weight, height, and urbanization were available for 6863 children and adolescents (mean age, 11 years; female, 49%). In 2013-2016, the prevalence among youth aged 2 to 19 years was 17.8% (95% CI, 16.1%-19.6%) for obesity and 5.8% (95% CI, 4.8%-6.9%) for severe obesity. Prevalence of obesity in large MSAs (17.1% [95% CI, 14.9%-19.5%]), medium or small MSAs (17.2% [95% CI, 14.5%-20.2%]) and non-MSAs (21.7% [95% CI, 16.1%-28.1%]) were not significantly different from each other (range of pairwise comparisons P = .09-.96). Severe obesity was significantly higher in non-MSAs (9.4% [95% CI, 5.7%-14.4%]) compared with large MSAs (5.1% [95% CI, 4.1%-6.2%]; P = .02). In adjusted analyses, obesity and severe obesity significantly increased with greater age and lower education of household head, and severe obesity increased with lower level of urbanization. Compared with non-Hispanic white youth, obesity and severe obesity prevalence were significantly higher among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic youth. Severe obesity, but not obesity, was significantly lower among non-Hispanic Asian youth than among non-Hispanic white youth. There were no significant linear or quadratic trends in obesity or severe obesity prevalence from 2001-2004 to 2013-2016 for any urbanization category ( P range = .07-.83). Conclusions and Relevance In 2013-2016, there were differences in the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity by age, race and Hispanic origin, and household education, and severe obesity was inversely associated with urbanization. Demographics were not related to the urbanization findings.