cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFSHORE PERSONNEL: INSPECTION PERSONNEL

The need for an approval scheme for personnel carrying out underwater inspection has been accepted by governments, certification authorities, offshore operating companies (operators) and the underwater services companies (contractors). Individual operators and certifying authorities have carried out their own approval schemes for assessing the competence of inspection divers, and CSWIP (Certification Scheme for Weldment Inspection Personnel) introduced an examination scheme for underwater inspection personnel as “Phase 7: Certification of Diver Inspectors” in 1982. The examination included both theory (written) papers requiring multiple-choice and essay-style answers as well as an in-water practical examination carried out by divers on an underwater structure controlled by CSWIP and containing various test pieces and examples of defects.
Lake Wobegon’s guns: Overestimating our gun-related competences

The Lake Wobegon Effect is a general tendency for people to overestimate their own abilities. In this study, the authors conducted a large, nationally-representative survey of U.S. citizens to test whether Americans overestimate their own gun-relevant personality traits, gun safety knowledge, and ability to use a gun in an emergency. The authors also tested how gun control attitudes, political identification, gender, and gun experience affect self-perceptions. Consistent with prior research on the Lake Wobegon Effect, participants overestimated their gun-related competencies. Conservatives, males, and pro-gun advocates self-enhanced somewhat more than their counterparts but this effect was primarily due to increased gun experience among these participants. These findings are important to policymakers in the area of gun use, because overconfidence in one’s gun-related abilities may lead to a reduced perceived need for gun training.
High-Order LES Simulations using Implicit-Explicit Runge-Kutta Schemes

For many flow problems modeled by Large Eddy Simulation (LES), the computational meshes are such that a majority of the elements would allow for explicit timestepping, but the CFL-condition is limited by the smaller stretched elements in the boundary layers. We propose an implicit-explicit time-integration scheme that uses an implicit solver only for the smaller portion of the domain where it is required to avoid severe timestep restrictions, but an efficient explicit solver for the rest of the domain. We use the Runge-Kutta IMEX schemes and consider several schemes of varying number of stages, orders of accuracy, and stability properties, and study the stability and the accuracy of the solver. We also show the application of the technique to a realistic LES-type problem of turbulent flow around an airfoil, where we conclude that the approach can give performance that is superior to both fully explicit and fully implicit methods.
How an Intranet Provides Opportunities for Learning Organizational Culture

The ProblemOrganizational culture is a central part of defining virtual human resource development (VHRD), yet little empirical research has uncovered the relationship between culture and intranets...
Response of Soybeans to Foliage Losses in South Carolina

Defoliations of 17, 33, 50, and 67% were made during periods of insect activity on soybeans at midbloom, pod-set, pod-fill, and on a continued basis from midbloom to pod-set. Foliage losses of 33% at bloom did not result in significant yield losses in any of 10 tests; 67% defoliation at pod-set, or on a continued basis from bloom to pod-set caused greatest losses; and 17% defoliation did not cause significant losses at any stage of growth or on a continued basis. Yield losses from defoliations at pod-fill were intermediate between those at bloom and pod-set. Yield reductions were generally accompanied by reductions in seed weight and protein content and increases in oil content. Seed germination was not affected. Although results were not affected significantly by date of planting and by use of irrigation or different varieties, there was a tendency toward generally lower yields at high production levels in the ‘Hampton’ variety after severe defoliations (50 and 67%) at bloom and pod-fill. It was concluded that foliage losses of 17 or 33% allowed additional light penetration to lower leaves, resulting in compensation by increased photosynthate production in these leaves.
Inotrope and Vasopressor Support in Neonates

Hemodynamic instability is a common problem in neonates and has important implications for long-term outcomes. Inotropes and vasopressors are commonly used to treat low blood pressure or poor perfusion in neonatal intensive care, despite limited evidence to guide optimal management in specific clinical situations. Dopamine is the most commonly used agent in clinical practice, increasing blood pressure with limited adverse effects compared with epinephrine. Dobutamine is less commonly used but may be the optimal agent for premature neonates with poor perfusion due to immature myocardial contractility. New evidence is emerging to guide the treatment of hypotension in the setting of sepsis and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Norepinephrine and vasopressin may have utility in the setting of refractory hypotension due to sepsis. Increasing evidence supports use of norepinephrine, milrinone, and vasopressin in the setting of persistent pulmonary hypertension. Hydrocortisone should be reserved for vasopressor-resistant hypotension in preterm neonates; however, this agent may also prove useful in the treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension in term neonates. Further clinical trials are necessary to determine the optimal treatment algorithm for neonates with hemodynamic instability. Future trials should include physiologically relevant end points and long-term follow-up. However, one approach may not be efficacious for all neonates even with a similar diagnosis. Therefore, bedside assessment techniques should continue to be explored to allow tailored therapy based on real-time assessment of underlying physiology.
Discussion about the Alkyl Imidazole Ionic Liquids and Its Feasibility on Dealing with Oily Wastewater

Most of oilfields in China have entered the middle and late stages of mining,produced liquid water content increases on year by year.The produced liquid water content exceeds 90% in some oilfields,resulting in dramatic increase of the wastewater that needs to be treated.With the enhanced awareness of environmental protection,the treatment of wastewater produced while producing oil in some oilfields is drawing more attention.As a result,a new pharmacy,which is able to deal with the oily wastewater,is introduced.As alkyl imidazole ionic liquids displays special physicochemical properties,such as lower melting point,lower vapor pressure,wider electrochemical window,adjustable acidity,good solubility,and different cations and anions can be chosen to change the physicochemical properties of the ionic liquids in order to make them adapt to different extraction systems.The nature of alkyl imidazole ionic liquids and its feasibility on dealing with the oily wastewater as well as the recycling methods of the ionic liquids are discussed.
Treatment of Achalasia of the Esophagus

During the 27-year period 1949 through 1975, 899 patients underwent treatment for achalasia of the esophagus at the Mayo Clinic: 468 by transthoracic esophagomyotomy and the remaining 431 by one or more forceful hydrostatic or pneumatic dilatations. Comparison of the groups indicates that myotomy is more effective and safer than forceful dilatation. Chronic gastroesophageal reflux as a complication of either form of therapy was rare.
Modeling the Steady-State and Dynamic Characteristics of Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract This chapter begins by introducing solid-oxide fuel-cell systems, including a description of balance-of-plant components and alternative cell architectures. Following a discussion of basic fuel-cell functions, a modeling framework is described in the context of a physically based mathematical representation of transport, chemistry, and electrochemistry. Recognizing the importance of dynamic behavior, the relevant conservation equations are presented in transient form. Using tubular and planar cells as examples, model problems are solved to illustrate and discuss both dynamical and steady-state behaviors. The models can be exercised in alternative ways to support different objectives. For example, model-based electrochemical impedance spectroscopy can assist interpreting dynamical behaviors in physical and chemical terms, providing a powerful alternative to equivalent-circuit modeling. Another important objective is to develop models that support model-predictive control strategies, coordinating multiple sensors and actuators, and respecting multiple constraints on actuation or responses.
Memoirs: The Cytology and Binary Fission of Peranema

1. Peranema trichophorum is holozoic in nature and selective in its food, but not predaceous. It feeds usually on dead and encysted Euglena proxima, Euglena gracilis, and rarely upon Chilomonas and Entosiphon. 2. The ‘Staborgan’ or rod-organ is not connected with the reservoir, but it opens into the cytostome which lies ventrally to this vesicle. Therefore the term gullet should not be applied to the neck of the reservoir. 3. The chromosome count of Peranema trichophorum is estimated to be thirty-two in number. 4. The ‘Staborgan’ is thrown out of its position during mitosis and it disintegrates in the cytoplasm. New rod-organs grow out from granules which form at the base of the new daughter cytostomes. These granules may be of mitochondrial origin. 5. A centroblepharoplast is described. No paradesmose is present. 6. A theory is suggested which supposes that an interaction between the centroblepharoplast and the endosome occurs. The centroblepharoplast acts as a kinetic attraction sphere which carries the nucleus anteriorly in order that the blepharoplasts can function as extra-nuclear division centres; thereby a co-ordinated interaction is brought about between both intranuclear kinetic elements and all of its cellular components. Such a reaction or interrelation of parts is necessary to initiate cellular division. 7. The mitochondria of Peranema were found to be spherical; these may grow into large disc-shaped types with clear centres. The latter have a tendency to group themselves round the nucleus and the reservoir. 8. The Golgi apparatus was found to be a network of long fibres. These Golgi bodies seem to be concentrated in the posterior end and round the reservoir. Neither the contractile vacuole nor the reservoir was impregnated by osmic acid methods.
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMATOSIS TREATED BY RADIO-GUIDED SURGERY

ABSTRACT Objective: Pheochromocytomatosis is a rare cause of recurrent pheochromocytoma due to seeding of tumor cells at the time of adrenalectomy. The diagnosis can be difficult and a high degree of suspicion is required pre-operatively. We present the case of a 57-year-old woman with a long history of symptoms suggestive of recurrent pheochromocytoma that evaded diagnosis for many years. Methods: We describe the clinical course, diagnosis, and management. We also present a comprehensive review of the current literature. Results: Pheochromocytomatosis in our patient presented as multiple recurrent episodes of tachycardia and hypertension 15 years after left adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. Diagnosis was evaded until complete hormonal evaluation confirmed biochemical evidence of catecholamine overproduction. Imaging revealed two sites of recurrence. Management included alpha-blockade followed by radio-guided surgery using 123I-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy and a gamma probe. At surgery, ...
RF Shielding and Electrical Properties of Boron and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composites

RF shielding and electrical properties of boron and carbon fibre reinforced composites were measured by inserting materials, including control samples of aluminum, between small source and receiver coils and noting changes at the receiver. In the frequency range 10 to 500 MHz, parallel or crossed boron fibres and parallel carbon fibres have little shielding effectiveness. However, crossed carbon fibres have some useful shielding properties. The equivalent electrical conductivity for one type of material was measured as 0. 63 (10)-4 relative to copper.
Intakes of fruits and vegetables, and carotenoids and risk of renal cell cancer in a pooled analysis of 13 prospective studies

B60 Fruit and vegetable consumption has been hypothesized to reduce the risk of renal cell cancer. We examined the associations between intakes of fruits, vegetables, and specific carotenoids found predominantly in fruits and vegetables and the risk of renal cell cancer in a pooled analysis of 13 prospective studies. Participants completed a food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. Using the primary data from each study, the study-specific relative risks (RRs) for renal cell cancer were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards models and then pooled using a random effects model. Among 530,469 women and 244,483 men with maximum follow-up times of 7-20 years, a total of 1,478 persons were diagnosed with an incident renal cell cancer. Fruit and vegetable consumption was inversely associated with risk of renal cell cancer. Compared to Conclusions: We found that fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with reduced risk of renal cell cancer. This inverse association may be due in part to the presence of carotenoids in fruits and vegetables, as these were also associated with reduced risk of renal cell cancer.
Police Interrogation and Suspect Confessions: Social Science, Law and Public Policy

In this chapter, I review and analyze the most important findings from the extensive empirical social science research literature on police interrogation and confessions. I then review existing law and policy on interrogation and confessions, and then offer empirically based policy and legal recommendations. I will argue that the most important legal and policy reforms for achieving both the elicitation (by police) and admission into evidence (by trial courts) of voluntary and reliable confession evidence are: mandatory full electronic recording of all police interviews and interrogations; improved police training and practice on pre-interrogation investigative procedures; a shift from guilt-presumptive accusatory interrogation techniques that prioritizes eliciting confessions above all else to more professional investigative interviewing approaches that prioritize obtaining accurate information above all else; and pre-trial reliability hearings to prevent false and unreliable confession evidence from being admitted into evidence at trial and leading to wrongful convictions.
Tdap Vaccination Among Healthcare Personnel-21 States, 2013.

Introduction Outbreaks of pertussis can occur in healthcare settings. Vaccinating healthcare personnel may be helpful in protecting healthcare personnel from pertussis and potentially limiting spread to others in healthcare settings. Methods Data from 21 states using the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System industry/occupation module were analyzed in 2016. Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination status was self-reported by healthcare personnel along with their occupation, healthcare setting/industry, demographics, and access to care factors. To compare groups, t-tests were used. The median state response rate was 44.0%. Results Among all healthcare personnel, 47.2% were vaccinated for Tdap. Physicians had higher Tdap coverage (66.8%) compared with all other healthcare personnel except nurse practitioners and registered nurses (59.5%), whose coverage did not statistically differ from that of physicians. Tdap vaccination coverage was higher among workers in hospitals (53.3%) than in long-term care facilities (33.3%) and other clinical settings, such as dentist, chiropractor, and optometrist offices (39.3%). Healthcare personnel who were younger, who had higher education, higher annual household income, a personal healthcare provider, and health insurance had higher Tdap vaccination coverage compared with reference groups. Tdap vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel in 21 states ranged from 30.6% in Mississippi to 65.9% in Washington. Conclusions Improvement in Tdap vaccination among healthcare personnel is needed to potentially reduce opportunities for spread of pertussis in healthcare settings. On-site workplace vaccination, offering vaccines free of charge, and promoting vaccination may increase vaccination among healthcare personnel.
Regulation of the Chicken Very Low Density Apolipoprotein II Gene: Interaction of Estrogen and Insulin

Publisher Summary The chicken very low density apolipoprotein II (apoVLDLII) gene is expressed in chicken liver in response to high concentrations of circulating estrogen during periods of egg-laying. The estrogen-dependent induction of this yolk protein gene is dramatic. ApoVLDLII mRNA is undetectable in the absence of estrogen and is expressed at approximately 40,000 copies per cell in the fully induced hen. This chapter discusses the response that has been studied in the Leghorn male hepatoma (LMH) cell line, in which the apoVLDLII mRNA is expressed from both the endogenous gene and from transfected DNA. Using this system, four regions of the apoVLDLII gene that bind protein between the TATA box and the proximal estrogen response element (ERE) have been shown to be crucial for expression. Mutation of any one of these regions results in loss of more than 80% of the estrogen-dependent expression, suggesting that protein–protein interactions must occur across this region of the apoVLDLII promoter to allow a stable initiation complex to assemble.
Myofascial Chronic Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain affects up to 24% of women with myofascial pelvic pain being a major etiology. It is diagnosed after ruling out other etiologies and by identifying trigger points located within the pelvic floor muscles through direct palpation. A complete examination includes evaluation of the patient’s gait, posture, spine, and hips. Pelvic floor physical therapy is considered one of the first lines of treatment. Medication options include tricyclic antidepressants and muscle relaxants. A multidisciplinary approach is vital for the patient with chronic pelvic pain.
Marian Johnson-Thompson: Lifelong Mentor

Dr. Marian Johnson-Thompson is a revered, long-time mentor for countless female mentees who have themselves attained mentor status. As the Director of Education and Biomedical Research Development at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), she sponsored, supported, encouraged, and fostered numerous women in microbiology and in the sciences in general. Her life’s work has directly and indirectly led to the production of female scientists in academia, industry, and government, and her contribution to the pipeline continues to grow exponentially.
Spectrally Resolved Fiber Photometry for Multi-component Analysis of Brain Circuits

Summary To achieve simultaneous measurement of multiple cellular events in molecularly defined groups of neurons in vivo , we designed a spectrometer-based fiber photometry system that allows for spectral unmixing of multiple fluorescence signals recorded from deep brain structures in behaving animals. Using green and red Ca 2+ indicators differentially expressed in striatal direct- and indirect-pathway neurons, we were able to simultaneously monitor the neural activity in these two pathways in freely moving animals. We found that the activities were highly synchronized between the direct and indirect pathways within one hemisphere and were desynchronized between the two hemispheres. We further analyzed the relationship between the movement patterns and the magnitude of activation in direct- and indirect-pathway neurons and found that the striatal direct and indirect pathways coordinately control the dynamics and fate of movement. Video Abstract
Ongoing efforts towards developing a physiologically driven training system

There have been a number of successes of real-time application of physiological measures in operational environments such as with the control of remotely piloted vehicles (RPV). More recently, similar techniques have been investigated within the context of improving learning. A major challenge of the learning environment is that an individual's ability to perform the task, and thus their workload experienced during the task, are constantly changing. Cognitive Load Theory provides insight into how workload interacts with learning. One aspect of this theory is that as information is learned it reduces working memory demands. This paper discusses results from an RPV training study investigating the effects of workload and learning on pupil diameter. Specifically, pupil diameter decreased overtime as the task difficulty was held constant, and increased as new information was presented. The results of these studies are discussed in terms of how they can be used in a physiologically driven adaptive training system.
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

THE International Court of Justice, "the principal judicial organ of the United Nations," 1 has replaced the League of Nations' Permanent Court of International Justice 2 with little change in the Court's constitution, in its relationship to the parent international organization, in the extent of its jurisdiction, or in the procedure prescribed under its Statute. The new Court has a new name, a technically new Statute, some new judges and, perhaps most important of all, some new members.3 In matters of substance, however, the new Court is a continuation of the old. It need not be expected, nor was it intended, to add anything new to the structure of international order. Salvaging for the new Court the twenty years' accumulation of experience and precedent of the old Court was deliberate and meaningful. When, during 1943 and 1944, the form to be given the international organization to which the Allied Powers had committed themselves first came under discussion, there was general agreement that the Permanent Court of International Justice had creditably performed a pioneering task.4 The draftsmen of the instrument establishing the
Acting While Negotiating in the Convoy Formation Problem

In the convoy formation problem, two embodied agents are negotiating the synchronization of their movement for a portion of the path from their respective sources to destinations. We consider a setting where the negotiation happens in physical time, thus the agents have the opportunity to perform actions while negotiating. Thus, the agent’s behavior is controlled by the interacting pair of negotiation and action strategies. After considering the challenges of acting while negotiating for the general convoy formation problem, we focus on a specific case where convoys can traverse a rectangular obstacle which is unaccessible to individual agents. We propose a general framework for building interacting negotiation and action strategies based on the selfishness and the optimism parameters. We propose two strategies with minimal opponent modeling, and a more complex strategy which uses particle filters to create a time evolving opponent model. Through a series of experiments we study the interaction between the negotiation and action strategies and compare the performance of the proposed strategy pairs in incomplete information scenarios.
Semiparametric Proportional Hazards Regression with Fixed Covariates

Often one is interested in comparing two or more groups of times-toevent. If the groups are similar, except for the treatment under study, then, the nonparametric methods of Chapter 7 may be used directly. More often than not, the subjects in the groups have some additional characteristics that may affect their outcome. For example, subjects may have demographic variables recorded, such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, or education; behavioral variables, such as dietary habits, smoking history, physical activity level, or alcohol consumption; or physiological variables, such as blood pressure, blood glucose levels, hemoglobin levels, or heart rate. Such variables may be used as covariates (explanatory variables, confounders, risk factors, independent variables) in explaining the response (dependent) variable. After adjustment for these potential explanatory variables, the comparison of survival times between groups should be less biased and more precise than a simple comparison.
A 32-Unit 240-GHz Heterodyne Receiver Array in 65-nm CMOS With Array-Wide Phase Locking

This paper reports a 32-unit phase-locked dense heterodyne receiver array at $f_{\mathrm{ RF}}=240$ GHz. To synthesize a large receiving aperture without large sidelobe response, this chip has the following two features. The first feature is the small size of the heterodyne receiver unit, which is only $\lambda _{f_{\mathrm{ RF}}}/4\times \lambda _{f_{\mathrm{ RF}}} /2$ . It allows for the integration of two interleaved $4\times 4$ arrays within a 1.2 mm2 die area for concurrent steering of two independent beams. Such unit compactness is enabled by the multi-functionality of the receiver structure, which simultaneously accomplishes local oscillator (LO) generation, inter-unit LO synchronization, input wave coupling, and frequency downconversion. The second feature is the high scalability of the array, which is based on a strongly coupled 2-D LO network. Large array size is realizable simply by tiling more receiver units. With the upscaling of the array, our de-centralized design, contrary to its prior centralized counterparts, offers invariant conversion loss and lower LO phase noise. Meanwhile, the entire LO network is also locked to a 75-MHz reference, facilitating phase-coherent pairing with external sub-terahertz transmitters. A chip prototype using a bulk 65-nm CMOS technology is implemented, with a dc power of 980 mW. Phase locking of the 240-GHz LO is achieved among all 32 units, with a measured phase noise of −84 dBc/Hz (1-MHz offset). The measured sensitivity (BW = 1 kHz) of a single unit is 58 fW. Compared to previous square-law detector arrays of comparable scale and density, this chip provides phase-sensitive detection with $\sim 4300\times $ sensitivity improvement.
Effective Potential for a Renormalized d -Dimensional g ϕ 4 Field Theory in the Limit g → ∞

The first four coefficients in the effective potential ${V}_{\mathrm{eff}}({\ensuremath{\phi}}_{R})=\ensuremath{\Sigma}{n=1}^{\ensuremath{\infty}} {V}_{2n}{{\ensuremath{\phi}}_{R}}^{2n}$ are calculated for a mass- and wave-function-renormalized $g{\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ field theory in $d$ space-time dimensions in the limit where the unrenormalized coupling $g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ with the renormalized mass $M$ held fixed. The accuracy of these numerical results is verified by exact analytical calculations of the effective potential performed in 0 and 1 space-time dimensions.
Situation awareness information requirements for maritime navigation: A goal directed task analysis

Abstract Maritime shipping transports about 90% of the international trade and is considered a high-risk industry. Among all daily operations carried out by merchant ships, navigation is deemed the most critical. With the ever-increasing dimensions of ocean-going ships and the threat possessed by dangerous cargoes in the event of an accident to individual lives and environment alike, the human factors which affect the navigation of merchant ships require paramount consideration to enhance safety in maritime operations. In this study, we explore the concept of Situation Awareness (SA) within the maritime domain, identifying the SA information requirements of navigators and factors affecting their SA. A total of 7 experienced navigators were interviewed in this exploratory study to determine the SA information requirements by a Goal-Directed Task Analysis (GDTA). Three Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) possessing Captain’s license for merchant ships were used for validation of initial findings. The findings reveal the information navigators use during the pilotage phase of navigation and further classify them in three levels. The findings shed light on the factors that affect SA of navigators and are discussed with their potential implications for the procedures and practices which better support SA in maritime navigation.
Elucidating the evolution of silicon anodes in lithium based batteries

Silicon has attracted particular attention as a potential high capacity material for lithium based batteries. However, the application of Si-based electrodes remains challenging, in major part due to its significant irreversible energy loss during cycling. Here isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) is demonstrated to be a precise and operando characterization method for tracking a battery’s thermal behaviour and deconvoluting the contributions from electrochemical polarization, entropy change, and parasitic reactions. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) further elucidate the Si reactivity in conjunction with the IMC.
Dirty dishes or dirty laundry? Comparing two methods for quantifying American consumers' preferences for load management in a smart home

Abstract One challenge of transitioning to renewable energy is that household electricity use and renewable generation are often misaligned. Smart home energy management systems hold promise for shifting usage to match generation, but these systems need to be designed with the occupants’ preferences in mind. The purpose of the present research is to compare two approaches for collecting and modeling consumers’ load management preferences, both of which are amenable to use in a home energy management system. Specifically, we examine the performance of Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique Exploiting Ranks (SMARTER) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in quantifying consumers’ preferences regarding air temperature (air conditioning and heating), water heating, dishwashing, clothes washing and drying, monetary costs, environmental impacts, and comfort/convenience. Two studies are presented: Study 1 examines the SMARTER approach, and Study 2 focuses on the AHP approach. In both studies, online surveys (NSMARTER = 956 and NAHP = 1023) were conducted to elicit preferences from participants across the United States. The preferences modeled by both approaches were validated based on (a) their ability to predict participants’ choices in a Discrete Choice Experiment and (b) their convergence with previous research on load-shifting behavior. The validation procedure suggests that the SMARTER approach is superior in modeling consumers’ preferences for load management. This research lays the groundwork for designing a smart home interface capable of collecting occupants’ preferences and using those preferences to deliver improved occupant comfort, lower operating costs, reduced environmental impact, and more significant demand response than exists today.
New Navigation Approaches for Endoscopic Lateral Skull Base Surgery.

Image-guided navigation is well established for surgery of the brain and anterior skull base. Although navigation workstations have been used widely by neurosurgeons and rhinologists for decades, utilization in the lateral skull base (LSB) has been less due to stricter requirements for overall accuracy less than 1 mm in this region. Endoscopic approaches to the LSB facilitate minimally invasive surgeries with less morbidity, yet there are risks of injury to critical structures. With improvements in technology over the years, image-guided navigation for endoscopic LSB surgery can reduce operative time, optimize exposure for surgical corridors, and increase safety in difficult cases.
Breast cancer resistance mechanisms: challenges to immunotherapy.

Purpose The clinical implementation of immunotherapy has profoundly transformed cancer treatment. Targeting the immune system to mount anti-tumor responses can elicit a systemically durable response. Employing immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has suppressed tumor growth and vastly improved patient overall and progression-free survival in several cancer types, most notably melanoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. Despite widescale clinical success, ICB response is heterogeneously efficacious across tumor types. Many cancers, including breast cancer, are frequently refractory to ICB. In this review, we will discuss the challenges facing immunotherapy success and address the underlying mechanisms responsible for primary and acquired breast cancer resistance to immunotherapy. Findings Even in initially ICB-responsive tumors, many acquire resistance due to tumor-specific alterations, loss of tumor-specific antigens, and extrinsic mechanisms that reshape the immune landscape within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The tumor immune interaction circumvents the benefits of immunotherapy; tumors rewire the tumor-suppressive functions of activated immune cells within their stroma to propagate tumor growth and progression. Conclusions The breast cancer immune TME is complex and the mechanisms driving resistance to ICB are multifaceted. Continued study in both preclinical models and clinical trials should help elucidate these mechanisms so they can be targeted to benefit more breast cancer patients.
System Identification in Multi-Actuator Hard Disk Drives with Colored Noises using Observer/Kalman Filter Identification (OKID) Framework

Multi Actuator Technology in Hard Disk drives (HDDs) equips drives with two dual stage actuators (DSA) each comprising of a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator and a piezoelectric micro actuator (MA) operating on the same pivot point. Each DSA is responsible for controlling half of the drive's arms. As both the DSAs operate independently on the same pivot timber, the control forces and torques generated by one affect the operation of the other. The feedback controllers might not completely reject these transferred disturbances and a need to design feedforward controllers arises, which require a good model of the disturbance process. The usual system identification techniques produce a biased estimate because of the presence of the runout which is a colored noise. In this paper, we use the OKID framework to estimate this disturbance cross transfer function from the VCM control input of one DSA to the output of the other DSA from the collected time series data corrupted by colored noise.
Mentoring to enhance diversity in STEM and STEM-intensive health professions

Effective mentoring is essential for promoting student success in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Engaging students in mentored learning communities and encoura...
Mismatch Repair Deficiency: The What, How and Why It is Important.

The mismatch repair system is a major pathway that functions in the maintenance of genomic integrity. It is involved in mitotic and meiotic recombination, apoptosis, immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, somatic hypermutation and other processes. Deficiencies in mismatch repair give rise to hypermutability and the phenomenon called microsatellite instability. Detection of deficient mismatch repair function or microsatellite instability is used diagnostically, predictively and prognostically. Specifically, deficient mismatch repair function is used for screening of Lynch syndrome, determining patients who are likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibition and to contributes to an understanding of which cancer patients may pursue a more aggressive clinical course. Microsatellite instability can be evaluated directly by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or indirectly by assessment of mismatch repair protein expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and mismatch repair function using next generation sequencing assays which evaluates homopolymer indels. In this article, we provide a concise practical review on MMR-d/MSI, focusing on clinical testing, different testing methods, interpretation of findings, the predictive and prognostic utility of MSI. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Why More States Should Not Jump on the Uniform Bar Exam Bandwagon

With New York’s recent adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam, the standardized licensing test now has taken hold in 16 states and is gaining steam. Many believe it can and should spread to all 50 states.Not so fast. To be sure, national adoption of the UBE would produce benefits in the form of greater interstate license portability for new lawyers, but at an unacceptable cost. At a dynamic time of change in the legal profession and legal education, the UBE sustains a flawed and stale bar exam. In several states yet to adopt it, the UBE would actually increase the exam’s dubious focus on knowledge of legal content over execution of legal skills. In addition, if the UBE spreads throughout the country, the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the UBE’s author and promoter, will accrue even more power over bar examinations, and states will be left with less. States have historically played an important role in bar testing innovations, and the National Conference is largely content with the current construct of the bar exam. Hence, the shift in power makes even more daunting the already difficult challenge of achieving meaningful bar exam reform. Moreover, there is another way to achieve the worthy aim of interstate license portability without enduring the various drawbacks of the UBE. We already have a uniform exam, the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the multiple-choice test administered as roughly half the bar exam in 49 states. States could allow all applicants who previously achieved a passing score on the MBE on any state’s bar exam to seek admission without the necessity of taking a bar exam again. Minnesota, North Dakota and the District of Columbia already do it, and so can any other state.
Preoperative trophic feeds in neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Objective The aim of this is study is to determine if preoperative trophic feeds (TFs) can improve outcomes after Norwood palliation. Design This is a retrospective cohort study. Setting The setting is a pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital. Patients The patients were 50 consecutive patients with hypoplastic left heart, excluding 5 patients with prematurity or other significant comorbidities. Thirty-one patients that received preoperative TFs (20–30 mL/kg) were compared with 14 that remained nothing by mouth. Decision to initiate feeds was based on attending preference. All patients had protocolized feeds postoperatively, with initiation via transpyloric tube when patient was on minimal inotropes. Outcome Measures Demographic, feeding, and other clinical outcome data were collected retrospectively from the patient medical record. Results There were no differences in demographics or preoperative risk factors (mechanical ventilation and lowest pH) between the two groups. Overall survival to discharge was 78% (25/31 TF, 10/14 nothing by mouth, P = .7). Neonates receiving TFs had less fluid administration in the cardiovascular operating room (P = .002), a more negative 48-hour postoperative fluid balance (P = .03), and median 3 days shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (P = .006). Trophic feeds patients also had a nonsignificant trend toward lower peak lactic acid (P = .06), lower inotropic score (P = .15), shorter hospital length of stay (P = .19), and faster time to tolerance of full enteral and oral feeds by 3 and 8 days, respectively (P = .06 and .01). There were no episodes of necrotizing enterocolitis in either group. Conclusions Preoperative TFs before Norwood palliation appear safe and are associated with shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, a trend toward more stable postoperative hemodynamics, less fluid overload, and earlier postoperative feeding tolerance.
Model of lactose repressor core based on alignment with sugar-binding proteins is concordant with genetic and chemical data.

Using primary sequence similarity to arabinose-binding protein, D-glucose/D-galactose-binding protein, and ribose-binding protein (Vyas, N. K., Vyas, M. N., and Quiocho, F. A. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 5226-5237; Mowbray, S. L., and Cole, L. B. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 225, 155-175), the core domain (residues 62-323) of the bacterial regulatory protein lac repressor has been aligned to these sugar-binding proteins of known structure. Although the sequence identity is not striking, there is strong overall homology based on two separate matrix scoring systems (minimum base change per codon (MBC/C) and amino acid homology per residue (AAH/R)) (mean score: MBC/C 5.50; random sequences: MBC/C = 1.45, AAH/R = 4.46). Similarly, the predicted secondary structure of the repressor exhibits excellent agreement with the known secondary structures of the sugar-binding proteins. Using this primary sequence alignment, the tertiary structure of the core domain of the lac repressor has been modeled based on the known structures of the sugar-binding proteins as templates. While the structure deduced for the repressor is hypothetical, the model generated allows a comparison between the predicted tertiary arrangement and the wealth of genetic and chemical data elucidated for the repressor. Important residues involved in operator and sugar binding and in protein assembly have been identified using genetic methods, and placement of these residues in the model is consistent with their known function. This approach, therefore, provides a means to visualize the core domain of the lac repressor that allows interpretation of genetic and chemical data for specific residues and rational design of future experiments.
Three Single Wheel Machines for Traction and Soil Compaction Research

Three single wheel machines for traction and soil compaction research have been developed in recent years at the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory. The Traction Research Vehicle has been used extensively for soil bin traction and soil compaction experiments. The vehicle uses feedback computer control to control tire dynamic load, forward velocity, inflation pressure, and in a given run, either travel reduction or net traction. The all-terrain vehicle (ATV) tire single wheel machine has been used in determining traction and motion resistance characteristics of ATV tires in soil bins. The ATV tire machine uses the forward velocity feedback computer control of the Traction Research Vehicle and uses deadweight loading for dynamic load. Tire angular velocity is manually controlled by the operator using a joystick. A single wheel traction research machine designed for use in the field has been developed, but computer control has not been completed.
'Etra, Extra: Read All About It': Newspapers and Personal Papers as Indigenous Knowledge of the 1943 Alexandra Bus Boycott

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of using personal memoirs and newspapers as sources for recovering oral testimony. It uses as a case study the African and Coloured urban township of Alexandra, South Africa and one of its historic bus boycotts to analyze how the aforementioned sources are examples of indigenous knowledge. Lasting a week, the township’s fourth historical bus boycott distinguished itself from its predecessors in three crucial ways: women played a role in intellectualizing how increased bus fares affected them; ANC President General Dr. A. B. Xuma challenged the bus monopoly’s credibility and refuted their argument that the company lost money as a justification for higher fares; and lastly, this protest was widely covered in African newspapers, coverage that provided a counterpoint to what appeared in the white-oriented Rand Daily Mail. The paper will also provide a gendered analysis to explore constructions of labor identity and its relationship to the 1943 bus boycott. Thus, this paper Africanizes the struggle for lower transport prices, and as a result, shows it as a continuum of the subsistence issues that characterized local politics in 1940s Johannesburg.
Sight: A Scintillation Imaging Gas-Filled Hard X-ray Telescope

We are building a Scintillation Imaging Gas-filled Hard X-ray Telescope (SIGHT), a hard X-ray telescope optimized for 30 keV - 300 keV. The central detector of this telescope is a high pressure xenon scintillation time projection chamber, using waveshifting fibers in a novel scheme to read out the light. This detector should have good energy resolution (~ 5 times better than NaI, ~ 3 times worse than Ge), excellent imaging capabilities (~ 200 μm position resolution in the detector leading to ~ 1’20” mapping resolution on the sky), and outstanding sensitivity due to the large effective area and low detector background (the sensitivity is competitive with many satellites even though the SIGHT integration time is assumed 100 times shorter). With these detector capabilities, SIGHT is well-suited for observations of X-ray binary systems, as well as nuclear lines from supernovae, active galactic nuclei, and the diffuse X-ray flux. SIGHT is funded by NASA for a proposed first flight in 1993. If proven successful, this technology can evolve in several directions for future experiments: extrapolation to larger detectors for deep pointed observations, hemispherical coded aperture masks for continual coverage of half the sky, and Compton telescopes utilizing imaging of the recoil electron.
Demo: routing overlay for reliable communication in networks with blockage

This work addresses the challenge in providing reliable communication in mobile networks with intermittent, on/off links through the use of a routing overlay designed to deal with these channel impairments. Link blockage is a predominant feature of mobile networks operating at 10+ GHz frequencies, and current techniques are ill-suited to address this problem. We present an approach comprised of multiple-path routing with end-to-end coding, queue-length-based congestion control, and a negative acknowledgement (NACK) loss-recovery scheme; these are implemented in an IP-overlay. The demonstrated scenario consists of two clusters of mobile ground vehicles operating in an ``urban canyon'' environment. Blockage occurs on satellite links connecting the clusters. Through the use of interactive displays, demo participants gain an understanding of routing behavior.
The development of the cerebellar cortex of the syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Foliation, cytoarchitectonic, golgi, and electron microscopic studies

Although a number of investigations of abnormalities of cerebellar development have been carried out in the hamster, no detailed Golgi or ultrastructural studies of cerebellar development in this species have been reported. This report describes the development of the hamster cerebellar cortex from birth (day 0) through postnatal day 78, as studied by light, Golgi, and electron microscopic methods. Foliation patterns correlate with the expansion of the cerebellar layers and of total cerebellar area. Cytologic and morphologic development of the major cerebellar cell types--Purkinje, Golgi, basket, stellate, granule, and Bergmann glial cells--correlate with those of other species, such as the rat and mouse. Electron microscopic observations at selected developmental ages allow identification and classification of synapses in the early postnatal hamster. Parallel fiber and climbing fiber synapses are already present at birth. Although synaptogenesis probably continues through the first two postnatal months, all major cell types have developed initial synapses by postnatal day 6, at a time when little cellular maturation has occurred. By using gestational rather than natal age, close developmental correlations between hamsters and rat and mouse are possible. Since the gestational period of the hamster is only 16 days, the hamster cerebellum is less mature at birth than that of either the rat or mouse. Thus, the hamster is a convenient animal in which to investigate the effects of various procedures on early cerebellar development.