cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Supervised Learning Model for Identifying Inactive VMs in Private Cloud Data Centers

A private cloud has become an essential computing infrastructure for many enterprises. However, according to a recent study, 30% of VMs in data centers are not being used for any productive work. These "inactive" (or "zombie") VMs can arise from faulty VM management code within the cloud infrastructure but are usually the result of human neglect. Inactive VMs can hurt the performance of productive VMs, can distort internal cost management, and in the extreme can result in the cloud infrastructure being unable to allocate resources for new VMs. Correctly assessing the productivity of a VM can be challenging: e.g., is a VM that has low CPU utilization being used to slowly edit source code or is it an inactive VM that happens to be performing routine maintenance (e.g., virus-scan and software updates)? To address this problem, we develop a supervised learning model that leverages primitive information (e.g., running process, login history, network connections) of VMs periodically collected by a lightweight data collection framework. This model employs a linear support vector machine (SVM) approach that reflects single VM behavior as well as coordinated VM behaviors. We evaluated the identification accuracy of this model with a real-world dataset within IBM of more than 750 VMs. Results show that our model has a 20% higher accuracy (90%) than state-of-the-art approaches. An accurate model is an important first step to enable private cloud infrastructures to achieve better resource management through such actions as suspending or dynamically downsizing inactive VMs.
Theory and Methods in Comparative Drug Policy Research: Response to a Review of the Literature

Comparative drug policy analysis (CPA) is alive and well, and the emergence of robust alternatives to strict prohibition provides exciting research opportunities. As a multidisciplinary practice, however, CPA faces several methodological challenges. This commentary builds on a recent review of CPA by Ritter and colleagues to argue that the practice is hampered by a hazy definition of policy that leads to confusion in the specification and measurement of the phenomena being studied. This problem is aided and abetted by the all-too-common omission of theory from the conceptualization and presentation of research. Drawing on experience from the field of public health law research, this commentary suggests a distinction between empirical and non-empirical CPA, a simple taxonomic model of CPA policy-making, mapping, implementation and evaluation studies, a narrower definition of and rationale for “policy” research, a clear standard for measuring policy, and an expedient approach (and renewed commitment) to using theory explicitly in a multi-disciplinary practice. Strengthening CPA is crucial for the practice to have the impact on policy that good research can.
Survey of Future Railroad Operations and the Role of Automation

In the past decade, freight rail automation systems have made significant advances. The objective of this work was to elicit ideas from the railroad industry about future automation systems and their impact on future operating configurations (such as the roles of human operators). A Dephi survey was administered in two rounds to industry leaders (Class I railroad managers and General Electric transportation senior engineers). The industry was generally found to be open to new operating configurations and to see increasing automation technology as key to achieving future benefits. However, there are significant concerns around training, deskilling, and the current development process. Several solutions to each of these problems were ranked by participants in order of perceived effectiveness. The implications for the development of rail technology and opportunities for future research are discussed.
Very-wide electrothermal tuning of graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators

We report on the first demonstration of electrothermally tunable graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators via Joule heating. We fabricate single-, bi- and tri-layer graphene resonators (up to 136MHz) to study electrothermal effects on resonance characteristics. The tri-layer graphene resonator exhibits frequency upshift from 9.5MHz to 26.1MHz by electrothermal heating, resulting in tuning range up to 180%. The device temperature is carefully verified via anharmonic frequency shift of Raman modes, exhibiting temperature elevation up to 600K in tri-layer graphene device with Joule heating. This work proves that electrothermal effects could broadly tune graphene resonators with high efficiency.
A Novel Off-the-Shelf Technique for Endovascular Repair of Type III and IV Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms Using the Gore Excluder and Viabahn Branches.

Background The aim of this study is to describe the use of a novel off-the-shelf technique to repair type III and type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) in the absence of available prefabricated branched devices. Methods All patients undergoing endovascular repair of type III and IV TAAAs using this technique were included from a prospectively maintained registry at a regional aortic referral center. The proximal bifurcated Gore C3 Excluder device is positioned in the descending thoracic aorta with the contralateral gate 2–3 cm above the celiac artery. From an axillary approach, the contralateral gate renovisceral branches are sequentially cannulated and simultaneously stented using Viabahn covered stents. In cases were the celiac artery could not be excluded, a parallel stent (snorkel) was added adjacent to the proximal endograft. All branches are simultaneously balloon dilated to ensure proximal gutter seal in the contralateral gate. Via the ipsilateral limb, the device can then be extended with a flared iliac extension and/or additional bifurcated device to obtain seal in the distal aorta (previous open repair) or common iliac arteries. Results Eight patients (male = 6, mean 78 years of age) were treated in this manner since January 2015. All patients underwent repair using Gore C3 device with 3 (n = 5) or 4 (n = 3) renovisceral branches. The celiac artery was sacrificed in 4 patients and 1 renal artery in 1 patient. Mean fluoroscopy time was 88.7 min with a mean of 92.3 cc contrast utilized. Median length of stay was 7 days with 3 days spent in the intensive care unit. No major cardiac, respiratory, renal, neurologic, or wound complications occurred. Three patients had early endoleaks treated with additional endovascular techniques (n = 2) or open surgical ligation (n = 1) during the index hospitalization. Two late endoleaks were identified; 1 type II with stable sac size and 1 type III requiring iliac limb relining. All limbs and branches remain patent at the time of the last imaging study (mean 6.8 months). Conclusions We present an endovascular technique for repair of type III and IV TAAAs which appears to be both feasible and safe with good short-term outcomes.
Stadium: A Distributed Metadata-Private Messaging System

Private communication over the Internet remains a challenging problem. Even if messages are encrypted, it is hard to deliver them without revealing metadata about which pairs of users are communicating. Scalable anonymity systems, such as Tor, are susceptible to traffic analysis attacks that leak metadata. In contrast, the largest-scale systems with metadata privacy require passing all messages through a small number of providers, requiring a high operational cost for each provider and limiting their deployability in practice. This paper presents Stadium, a point-to-point messaging system that provides metadata and data privacy while scaling its work efficiently across hundreds of low-cost providers operated by different organizations. Much like Vuvuzela, the current largest-scale metadata-private system, Stadium achieves its provable guarantees through differential privacy and the addition of noisy cover traffic. The key challenge in Stadium is limiting the information revealed from the many observable traffic links of a highly distributed system, without requiring an overwhelming amount of noise. To solve this challenge, Stadium introduces techniques for distributed noise generation and differentially private routing as well as a verifiable parallel mixnet design where the servers collaboratively check that others follow the protocol. We show that Stadium can scale to support 4x more users than Vuvuzela using servers that cost an order of magnitude less to operate than Vuvuzela nodes.
Flow regime transition criteria for co-current downward two-phase flow

Abstract Downward two-phase flow is observed in light water reactor accident scenarios such as loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and loss of heat sink accident (LOHS) due to loss of feed water or a secondary pipe break, and so, it is vital to have a thorough understanding of the flow mechanisms and regimes. With this point of view, flow regime transition criteria for vertical downward flow for a range of pipe diameters of 24–101.6 mm has been developed. Several models looked at the radial distribution of the bubbles and the wake effect of leading bubbles while others looked into the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability seen at the gas-liquid interface. The newly developed criteria have been compared to flow regime maps obtained via subjective and objective means, consisting of air-water data at atmospheric conditions as well as at an elevated pressure of 0.2 MPa. The new model is also compared to flow regime maps developed with different inlet conditions. Overall, the present model showed good agreements with the available data, with the exception of several 50.8 mm ID flow regime maps of different inlet conditions as well as a self-organizing neural network. This study also highlights the need for a more objective and consistent flow regime map data for large diameter pipes, the identification of cap-bubbly and churn-turbulent flows in these maps, and the deviations observed between a supervised and self-organizing neural network (SONN).
Physical watermarking for securing cyber physical systems via packet drop injections

Physical watermarking is a well known solution for detecting integrity attacks on Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) such as the smart grid. Here, a random control input is injected into the system in order to authenticate physical dynamics and sensors which may have been corrupted by adversaries. Packet drops may naturally occur in a CPS due to network imperfections. To our knowledge, previous work has not considered the role of packet drops in detecting integrity attacks. In this paper, we investigate the merit of injecting Bernoulli packet drops into the control inputs sent to actuators as a new physical watermarking scheme. With the classical linear quadratic objective function and an independent and identically distributed packet drop injection sequence, we study the effect of packet drops on meeting security and control objectives. Our results indicate that the packet drops could act as a potential physical watermark for attack detection in CPSs.
Clinical Implications of p53 Mutations in Lung Cancer

The process of bronchial carcinogenesis is characterized by accumulated genetic abnormalities which ultimately lead to malignant transformation of bronchial epithelial cells, followed by invasion and metastasis. One of the most common and consistent of these genetic lesions is inactivation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene by mutation or deletion. The frequency of p53 alterations in lung cancer is highest in those subtypes of bronchial carcinomas that are most consistently associated with smoking, especially SCLC and squamous cell carcinomas. The frequency is lower in adenocarcinomas, in which the association with smoking, although present, is not as strong. The frequency of p53 abnormalities is higher in patients with greater cumulative tobacco exposure. Tobacco-specific carcinogens, in particular BPDE, cause a unique spectrum of p53 mutations, quite distinct from those found in cancers that are not associated with smoking. This characteristic genetic "signature" may persist even decades following smoking cessation. The prognostic significance of p53 mutations in lung cancer is not entirely clear despite the multitude of clinical studies that have been carried out. Nevertheless, the majority of clinical studies suggest that lung cancers with p53 alterations carry a worse prognosis. Furthermore, those tumors with mutant p53 may be relatively more resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. An understanding of the role of p53 in human lung cancer may lead to more rational targeted approaches for treating this disease. For example, the observation that the introduction of wild-type p53 into lung cancer cells with mutant or deleted p53 may reverse the malignant phenotype despite the presence of multiple other genetic abnormalities (14) suggests that replacement of this gene may be an effective clinical strategy. Preclinical and early clinical studies indicate that this is a promising approach, but clearly more effective means of gene delivery to the tumor cells are required (127-129), as discussed elsewhere in this volume.
The Behavior of Grantmaking Foundations

Any examination of issues confronting grantmaking foundations is diminished in value without a theoretical framework that gives these issues a larger meaning within the study of philanthropy and provides both scholars and practitioners a means to analyze them in some systematic way. Until recently, however, students of organizational behavior have neglected grantmaking foundations as objects of scholarly study, leaving a major theoretical lacuna for understanding and predicting the behavior of these important social institutions. The lacuna is especially evident in understanding those internal forces that shape grantmaking programs and decisions. Such a lacuna stands in stark contrast to the rich organizational theories developed to explain the behavior of for-profit firms and public agencies. As a consequence, foundations remain “black boxes,” little known and even less understood, “shrouded in mystery, inspiring in some the highest hopes and expectations and in others dark fears and resentments” (Nielsen, 1985, p. 4). This chapter’s purpose is to suggest three broad models of organizational behavior with which to begin building a theory of foundation behavior. Each model provides hypotheses that can be tested through field research and, particularly, the systematic collection of case studies. The three models are the Rational Actor Model, the Bureaucratic Politics Model, and the Organizational Process Model.
Topics in the Theory of the Firm

In this chapter we present two types of extensions of the traditional model of the firm. The first type explores different modes of management and the second type looks at the dynamics of the firm’s behavior.
#Sad: Twitter Content Predicts Changes in Cognitive Vulnerability and Depressive Symptoms

Research shows that social media networks can affect both the physical and mental health of its users. We hypothesized that social media would also be associated with cognitive vulnerability to depression. To test this hypothesis, we used a 3-month pre-post prospective longitudinal design with a sample of undergraduates (n = 105). Results showed that participants who had tweets with a “past focus” (as determined by LIWC software) were more likely to exhibit increases in cognitive vulnerability and depressive symptoms than participants who did not have tweets with a past focus. Increases in cognitive vulnerability were associated with increases in depressive symptoms. However, the effect of Twitter content on future depressive symptoms was not accounted for by increases in cognitive vulnerability. Rather, one’s past focus Twitter content had an effect on future depressive symptoms that was independent of its effect on future cognitive vulnerability levels. These results provide further support for the plasticity of cognitive vulnerability in early adulthood as well as corroborate emerging evidence for the association between social media and mental health risk factors.
Sickle cell trait and renal disease among African American U.S. Army soldiers

Sickle cell trait and certain renal disorders are disproportionately prevalent among African American individuals, so a clear understanding of their association is important. We conducted a longitudinal study using the Stanford Military Data Repository to examine sickle cell trait in relation to the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our study population consisted of African American U.S. Army soldiers on active duty between January 2011 and December 2014. The cumulative incidence was 0·51% for AKI (236 cases out of 45 901 soldiers) and 0·56% for CKD (255 cases out of 45 882 soldiers). Discrete time logistic regression models adjusting for demographic-, military- and healthcare-related covariates showed that sickle cell trait was associated with significantly higher adjusted odds of both AKI [odds ratio (OR): 1·74; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1·17-2·59] and CKD (OR: 2·00; 95% CI: 1·39-2·88). Elevated odds of AKI and CKD were also observed in association with prior CKD and AKI, respectively, and with obesity and prior hypertension. Individuals with sickle cell trait and their providers should be aware of the possibility of increased risk of AKI and CKD to allow for timely intervention and possible prevention.
The role of perceived duration in the identification of vowels

Abstract The role of perceived duration in discriminating between tense and lax vowel quality was explored. Two target vowels, having identical formant structures but different durations, were employed as stimuli in a backward recognition masking task. One of the two target vowels was presented on each trial, followed after a variable silent intervowel interval by a masking vowel. Six masking vowels were utilized, differing in both formant structure and duration. The subjects’ task was to identify the target vowel as being tense or lax. In Experiment 1, identification of the long target improved monotonically with increases in the intervowel interval, while identification of the short target decreased slightly in accuracy with increases in the intervowel interval. Identification of the long target vowel was most accurate when followed by a long masking vowel and least accurate when followed by a short masking vowel. While the opposite results were obtained for the short target vowel. In Experiment 2, subjects rated the quality of the target vowel along a continuous scale between the two vowel alternatives. The target vowel was rated as being progressively more tense with increases in the durations of the target vowel, the masking vowel, and the intervowel interval. The results were interpreted within an information processing model describing the perception of duration. Both experiments demonstrated that perceived duration rather than actual stimulus duration is critical to the tense-lax distinction.
Endoscopic Versus Open Carpal Tunnel Release

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common compressive neuropathy encountered by hand and upper extremity surgeons. The predominant presentation includes symptomatic paresthesias in the median nerve distribution of the affected hand, frequently causing nocturnal disturbances. Surgical treatment requires division of the transverse carpal ligament, which can be performed through open and endoscopic means. Endoscopic techniques have evolved significantly since they were first introduced in the late 1980s. This manuscript reviews the literature to summarize the current state of carpal tunnel surgery. While endoscopic techniques have demonstrated superior early functional outcomes and a more rapid recovery, there are lingering concerns over the potential for nerve, vessel, and tendon injuries. These concerns have not been validated by the hand surgery literature, which ascribes similar rates of complications for both open and endoscopic surgical approaches. Moreover, patients report greater satisfaction with endoscopic surgical approaches compared with open techniques. In summary, the debate between proponents of open versus endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery continues. While surgeons who employ endoscopic techniques appear to be in the minority, there is a plethora of evidence to suggest that both approaches are comparably safe and equally effective.
Influence of Phospholipids and Sequential Kinase Activities on Tau in Vitro

The in situ function(s) of the axonal-specific microtubule-associated protein tau have not been fully disclosed, but are the focus of intense study both in terms of neuronal differentiation and homeostasis, and also since tau is the major structural constituent of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease (for reviews, see Goedert, 1993; Mandelkow and Mandelkow, 1993; Kosik, 1993). It has been known for some time that tau promotes MT assembly and renders MTs resistant to depolymerization under cell-free conditions (Cleveland et al., 1977; Dreschel et al., 1992) as well as within in intact cells (Baas et al., 1994; Drubin and Kirschner, 1986; Shea and Beermann, 1994; Takemura et al., 1992). However, more recent analyses revealing that tau is more concentrated in the distal region of growing axons (Black et al., 1996; Brandt et al., 1995; Kempf et al., 1996; Mandell and Banker, 1996), where MTs are the most labile, have prompted the hypothesis that tau in situ must have function(s) other than promotion of MT stability, and that the likely site for such additional putative functions is the distal axon and growth cone (Black et al., 1996; Kempf et al., 1996). In this regard, recent studies have demonstrated the apparent association of tau with the plasma membrane of cultured neuronal cells (Brandt et al., 1995; Kempf et al., 1996), where it may participate in as yet undisclosed aspects of signal transduction (Lee et al., 1996a,b). Consistent with such possibilities are that (1) the association of tau with the plasma membrane is mediated via its its N-terminal projection domain (Brandt et al., 1995), while MT-mediated association is via its C-terminus (Aizawa et al., 1988; Lee et al., 1989; Himmler et al., 1989), that (2) tau is more weakly associated with MTs than other microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs; Black et al., 1996; Kempf et al., 1996), and that (3) tau immunoreactivity is best preserved under conditions that maintain the integrity of the plamsa membrane (Black et al., 1996; Kempf et al., 1996).
Ownership Redirection in Franchising: a Conceptual Exploration of the Moderating Effect of Relationalism

The empirical evidence on Oxenfeldt and Kelly's ownership redirection thesis seems to remain ambiguous. Most of the studies have concentrated on examination of the phenomenon itself. Some studies have looked at the outcomes and affects of ownership redirection. Even fewer studies have examined the antecedents of ownership redirection. In general, the studies have attempted to explain the notion of ownership redirection from a rational and economic perspective. The notion of relational norm in franchising, although implied, has not been explicitly investigated. This study, through a series of propositions, begins this new research branch by conceptually examining the relationship between ownership direction and the relationship progression perspective (which includes the relational norm concept) in the context of franchising.
Evaluating the transport of Hg(II) in the presence of natural organic matter through a diffusive gradient in a thin-film passive sampler

The effects of a model natural organic matter (NOM) on the transport of Hg(II) into diffusive gradient in thin-film devices (DGTs) was evaluated in order to better understand their ability to measure colloidal Hg species in porewater. The presence of NOM significantly reduced the diffusivity of the Hg(II) species and the reduction was dependent upon NOM to Hg(II) ratio. This relationship was modeled by determining the Hg(II) partition coefficients (Kd) of size fractionated NOM obtained by ultrafiltration and estimating the Hg diffusivity through the DGT for the different NOM size fractions across a range of Hg-NOM ratios. The estimated diffusivities were consistent with experimental observations of uptake into the DGT. Overall, this study indicated that Hg(II) associated with NOM passes into a DGT, however the transport is slowed in accordance with the diffusivity of the NOM to which the Hg(II) is associated. Thus, the Hg-NOM association and complex diffusivities need to be considered when relating DGT uptake to Hg porewater concentration. The results also suggest that Hg(II) associated with colloidal or larger particles of negligible diffusivity are unlikely to contribute significantly to DGT measurements.
Parsing the backstop: Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement in the Brexit debates

This article examines the challenges Brexit poses to the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in Northern Ireland (NI) by considering how political leaders frame the problem of reconciling Brexit with the GFA. Analyzing the Hansard record of four key debates on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act of 2018 in the House of Commons (the first Withdrawal Agreement), we conclude that the Brexit debate reveals a distinct new threat to the peace accord: its nestedness in British politics. The primary objection MPs raised was that the withdrawal deal would undermine UK sovereignty. In fact, opposition to the multiple sovereignties that the GFA enshrined appeared to be one of the principal reasons for the withdrawal act’s defeat. Second, MPs objected to the way the backstop’s multiple exercise of sovereignty and multilateralism would impact the union between NI and Great Britain, if not its impact on NI itself. Indeed, they tended to decouple discussion of the backstop from previous violence or the peace process. Third, debate was heavily skewed in favor of Unionism, rather than the balanced and plural mechanisms typical of British policy. Fourth, MPs were not coherent in how they understood the GFA. We find that the British Parliament has departed markedly from its established pattern of bilateralism, bipartisanship and deference to government in dealing with Northern Ireland. The consequence is that the British parliament, rather than armed actors in the province, may well undo one of the most successful peace agreements and for reasons that have little to do with NI.
Anatomically Coiled Internal Carotid Artery Resulting in Severe Dysphagia and Burning Mouth Syndrome

This is a report of a 65-year-old female presenting with symptoms of dysphagia due to a coiled left internal carotid artery, treated with resection and primary repair. Dysphagia lusoria is more commonly caused by aortic arch anomalies, aberrant subclavian or common carotid arteries. Internal carotid tortuosity as a cause of severe dysphagia and burning mouth syndrome is highly unusual. A literature review examines the etiology, natural history, and treatment options.
Improving tumor mutational burden calibration in non-European patients.

1559Background: Tumor mutational burden (TMB), has been recently granted FDA approval as a biomarker for ICI treatment in tumors with a high mutation load (≥ 10/MB). To leverage this biomarker in t...
Alternative use of buprenorphine among people who use opioids in three U.S. Cities.

Background: Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder, yet some persons are concerned with its “alternative use” (i.e., any use unintended by the prescriber). There is limited...
Understanding Perceptions of Radical and Liberal Feminists: The Nuanced Roles of Warmth and Competence

In four studies (N = 1176), we examined whether negativity towards feminists varies based on the specific ideology endorsed: liberal feminism (i.e., the belief that gender equality can be achieved through adequate changes within societies) or radical feminism (i.e., the belief that gender equality can only be achieved by reconstructing the whole social system). In Study 1, college students rated radical female feminists as less warm than liberal female feminists and a control target group (animal rights activists). Study 2 replicated the difference between ratings of radical and liberal feminists with Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers and further demonstrated that male feminist targets were not subject to the negativity associated with radical feminism. Study 3 with MTurk workers found an indirect effect of radical feminism on lower perceived hireability and suitability for a job, due to lower perceived warmth. Lastly, Studies 1 and 4 with Prolific workers showed that negative evaluations of radical feminists persisted even after controlling for perceived extremity. Together, the findings in this paper demonstrate that radical feminists faced more negative evaluations than other types of feminists, suggesting the importance of considering feminist beliefs when studying the stereotypes associated with feminists in psychological research.
Wolbachia cifB induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in the malaria mosquito vector

Wolbachia, a maternally inherited intracellular bacterial species, can manipulate host insect reproduction by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in embryo lethality in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. CI is encoded by two prophage genes, cifA and cifB. Wolbachia, coupled with the sterile insect technique, has been used in field trials to control populations of the dengue vector Aedes albopictus, but CI-inducing strains are not known to infect the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Here we show that cifA and cifB can induce conditional sterility in the malaria vector An. gambiae. We used transgenic expression of these Wolbachia-derived genes in the An. gambiae germline to show that cifB is sufficient to cause embryonic lethality and that cifB-induced sterility is rescued by cifA expression in females. When we co-expressed cifA and cifB in male mosquitoes, the CI phenotype was attenuated. In female mosquitoes, cifB impaired fertility, which was overcome by co-expression of cifA. Our findings pave the way towards using CI to control malaria mosquito vectors.
Ethical Ambiguity in Science

Drawing on 171 in-depth interviews with physicists at universities in the United States and the UK, this study examines the narratives of 48 physicists to explain the concept of ethical ambiguity: the border where legitimate and illegitimate conduct is blurred. Researchers generally assume that scientists agree on what constitutes both egregious and more routine forms of misconduct in science. The results of this study show that scientists perceive many scenarios as ethically gray, rather than black and white. Three orientations to ethical ambiguity are considered—altruism, inconsequential outcomes, and preserving the status quo—that allow possibly questionable behavior to persist unchallenged. Each discursive strategy is rationalized as promoting the collective interest of science rather than addressing what is ethically correct or incorrect. The results of this study suggest that ethics training in science should focus not only on fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism and more routine forms of misconduct, but also on strategies for resolving ethically ambiguous scenarios where appropriate action may not be clear.
The Politics of Income Inequality in the United States: Explaining Income Inequality

“Who gets what?” is arguably the most important question of political contestation. The answer to this question determines equality and inequality in society. Of course there are many forms of inequality. Political inequality, racial inequality, social inequality, power inequality, and economic inequality, to name a few, have received attention from journalists, pundits, and social commentators, as well as scholars from a variety of academic disciplines (Danziger and Gottschalk 1995, Harris et al. 2004, Johnston 2007, Keister 2000, McCarty et al. 2006, Page and Simmons 2000). While various forms of inequality are almost certainly interconnected, this book explicitly examines one specific form of inequality – economic inequality. I focus on income distribution as a primary indicator of economic inequality. The amount of inequality present in the income distribution presents an empirical answer to the question of “Who gets what?” I assess the (national) government role, the actions and policies by which government balances – or unbalances – the scales of equality. Much of the story of equality and inequality must be a tale of changes in a market economy. But an important and often neglected part of the story concerns government and how policies benefit some people at the expense of others. That is my focus. When Richard Nixon took the oath of office in 1969, he inherited an economy in which American incomes were more equal than when his predecessor took office, more equal in fact than ever before.
A systems engineering approach to teaching energy

In this paper we discuss the energy systems portion of an environmental engineering sequence for nonenvironmental engineering students. Energy is approached from the prospective of a systems engineer, who is concerned with the overall design of an energy system. Through novel laboratory exercises and projects, students become familiar with the various components of energy systems such as energy sources, conversion, storage, and utilization. They also get acquainted with sizing energy systems and the economics of energy.
A CLIMATE‐BASED INDEX OF HISTORIC SPAWNING‐STREAM HYDROLOGY

Reproductive success of stream-spawning Oncorhynchus fishes (Pacific salmon, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and their allies) may be greatly affected by stream discharge or its covariate, stream temperature, during the spawning season. Because such data for the physical environment may not have been routinely collected as part of previous investigations of these fishes, identification of simple but robust indices of historic, seasonal stream discharge and temperature, using long-term climate data sets, would be important, especially to investigations of historic population dynamics. This study examined statistical associations among several climate variables and the spawning-season (approximately June) discharges and temperatures of Clear Creek, a Yellowstone Lake tributary used by spawning Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri (YCT), from the lake. Correlation analysis showed that total water-year degree-days (calculated on the basis of mean daily air temperature > 0°C) at Lake Village, on the lake's north shore, was a robust index (both negative and positive, respectively) of consecutive, total semi-month metrics of creek discharge and temperature during the YCT spawning season. This study (and subsequent use of the Lake Village degree days metric as an environmental variable in a dynamic, age-structured model of the lacustrine–adfluvial YCT population of Clear Creek) showed how exploratory analyses of the fragmentary but long-term and regionally unique data sets for Clear Creek discharge and temperature revealed a simple but robust index of climate variation important to understanding the historic dynamics of Clear Creek's YCT population, which is a key spawning stock of Yellowstone Lake. In addition, the extensive statistical associations among the climate variables, along with the temporal trends in two key variables, broadly showed how climate varied across the Yellowstone Lake region during the past several decades. Those observations have implications for the historic, seasonal hydrology of all Yellowstone Lake tributaries used by spawning YCT. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diode lasers for gas analysis: some characteristics

We report studies of Pb1−xSnxTe and Pb1−xGex Te laser characteristics which affect their performance in high-sensitivity gas analysis. In Pb1−xSnxTe, the rates at which the energy gap Eg and the individual cavity mode frequencies ν¯ tune with current are consistent with published data. Single-mode operation typically occurs near threshold; at higher currents, multimode operation is common. In Pb1−xGexTe, Eg and ν¯ tune more slowly, and multimode operation generally occurs. High-resolution absorption measurements on C2H4 (950 cm−1) and NH3 (931 cm−1) indicate that the frequency reproducibility of the lasers is adequate for trace gas analysis. Such analysis has been performed on calibrated samples of C2H4 in N2 at atmospheric pressure. The minimum detectable C2H4 concentration for a 10-cm path was between 17 ppm and 50 ppm, in good agreement with the 30 ppm estimated for detector-noise-limited operation. Effects of detector and laser noise on detection sensitivity are discussed.
“I’ve Thought About This, Trust Me”: Understanding the Values and Assumptions Underlying Prescription Stimulant Misuse Among College Students

Grounded in a social constructionist perspective of biomedicine, this qualitative study explored the meanings and practices associated with prescription stimulant (PS) misuse among college students. In-depth interviews uncovered four primary themes: using and manipulating PS for increased productivity, basic knowledge about PS and risks, learning about the effects of PS through experimentation, and locating resistance and addiction within the realm of individual control. The study provides one instance of how biomedical technologies are appropriated by lay people in the absence of medical supervision to achieve nonmedical goals. The study also reveals the declining authority of the medical provider and the increased role of biomedicine in everyday life. The discussion elaborates on the modernist assumptions of individualism and control embedded in the biomedical model of medicine that provide the ideological framework for this potentially dangerous pharmaceutical practice.
Understanding and Validity in Qualitative Research

Qualitative researchers rely — implicitly or explicitly — on a variety of understandings and corresponding types of validity in the process of describing, interpreting, and explaining phenomena of ...
An aggregative resource allocation model for hospital administration

Abstract One of the most pressing social problems in the United States today is the delivery of adequate health care services to every American. Despite the phenomenal rate of increase in hospital costs, the quality and depth of hospital service have been far from satisfactory. Yet, systematic analysis of hospital administration has been generally neglected by decision scientists, hospital administrators, and economists. This paper presents a methodology for an aggregative resource allocation in hospital administration. More specifically, it applies goal programming to design a general model and demonstrates its practical application for an optimum resource allocation in hospital administration through an empirical study.
AI and navigation on the Internet and Intranet

Recent research has focused on using AI to harness the World Wide Web. Although intelligent agents are one of the most visible uses of AI on the WWW, substantial hype surrounds such usage. Oren Etzioni and Daniel Weld (1995) analyze the fact, fiction, and forecast of intelligent agents on the WWW and distinguish between the hype and the reality. The analysis summarizes some of the work discussed and demonstrated at the Fall Symposium on AI Applications in Knowledge Navigation and Retrieval, sponsored by the American Association for Artificial Intelligence. In addition, the analysis investigates subsequent and related research in this rapidly changing field. Finally, I investigate some of the implications of these recent developments and isolate some gaps in the current research. I give particular attention to the impact of such systems on issues such as privacy and electronic commerce.
Dependent Relevations: Time-to-Failure Under Dependence

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTKrakowski (1973) introduced the concept of the relevation, which is the conditional distribution of a random variable X2, given that it exceeds an independent random variable X1. This is relevant to failure time distributions when replacement is made from an aging stock.We develop analysis appropriate to relevation for dependent variables, and suggest it might be relevant if there is batch-to-batch variation, producing association between lifetimes of initial and replacement components.
Generalized Equations of Motion for the Dynamic Analysis of Elastic Mechanism Systems

Until recently, vibration effects have generally been neglected in the design of high-speed machines and mechanisms. This has been primarily due to the complexity of the mathematical analysis of mechanisms with elastic links. With the advent of high-speed computers and structural dynamics techniques, such as finite element analysis, this is no longer regarded as such a formidable task. To date, with few exceptions, the analysis of elastic mechanism systems have been limited to a single type of mechanism (i.e., a four-bar or slider-crank) modeled with a small number of simple finite elements (usually beam elements). This paper develops the generalized equations of motion for elastic mechanism systems by utilizing finite element theory. The derivation and final form of the equations of motion provide the capability to model a general two- or three-dimensional complex elastic mechanism, to include the nonlinear rigid-body and elastic motion coupling terms in a general representation, and to allow any finite element type to be utilized in the model. A discussion of a solution method, applications, as well as an experimental investigation of an elastic four-bar mechanism will be presented in subsequent publications.
THE EFFECTS OF NONNORMAL DISTRIBUTIONS ON CONFIDENCE INTERVALS AROUND THE STANDARDIZED MEAN DIFFERENCE: BOOTSTRAP AND PARAMETRIC CONFIDENCE INTERVALS

The standardized group mean difference, Cohen’s d, is among the most commonly used and intuitively appealing effect sizes for group comparisons. However, reporting this point estimate alone does not reflect the extent to which sampling error may have led to an obtained value. A confidence interval expresses the uncertainty that exists between d and the population value, δ, it represents. A set of Monte Carlo simulations was conducted to examine the integrity of a noncentral approach analogous to that given by Steiger and Fouladi, as well as two bootstrap approaches in situations in which the normality assumption is violated. Because d is positively biased, a procedure given by Hedges and Olkin is outlined, such that an unbiased estimate of δ can be obtained. The bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence interval using the unbiased estimate of δ is proposed and recommended for general use, especially in cases in which the assumption of normality may be violated.
Re-evaluation of Some Devonian Lebensspuren

Taonurus cauda-galli, a lebensspuren found in Lower and Middle Devonian rocks of the Appalachian region, has been referred to as a form of seaweed, worm burrows, inorganic mineral markings, or wave markings of a peculiar type. A trace fossil resembling Taonurus cauda-galli has been found at Fourth Lake, Ulster County, New York. The mode of preservation of this fossil and its similarities to Taonurus cauda-galli indicate that both are marine plants of similar origin.
Methylcyclopropane ion formation by elimination of water from n-butanol and 2-methylpropanol ions

C4H8+˙ ions generated from ionized n-butanol (a) and from ionized 2-methylpropanol (b) were characterized by reaction of the daughter ions with ammonia in a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Hydrogen transfers occur in a in the ratio five-membered ring:six-membered ring = 1:3.2. However, both hydrogen-transfers are followed by the formation of ionized methylcyclopropane. Ionized methylcyclopropane is also produced on elimination of water from b.
Domain and data partitioning for parallel mining of frequent closed itemsets

In this paper, we propose an algorithm to partition both the search space and the database for the parallel mining of frequent closed itemsets in large databases. The partitioning of the search space is based on splitting the power set lattice of the total item set to two sub-lattices. Conditional databases axe used to partition the large database. The combination of the search space and database partitioning allows parallel processors to mine the frequent closed itemsets independently and thus minimizes the interprocessor communication and synchronization. The partitioning also ensures the load balance among the parallel processors.
THE TEXT OF STORM'S IMMENSEE

SOME time ago I had occasion to use several editions of "Immensee" in the same class, and very soon discovered that the text was not identical. This led to a comparison with the German editions, and ultimately to the surprising discovery that these too contain numerous discrepancies. I doubt whether these facts are very widely known to the American teaching profession, and as "Immensee" is the most popular elementary text we have, I think the matter should be brought to the knowledge of all teachers of German.
Suicide and the surrogate.

In medical toxicology, intentional drug ingestions with intent to commit suicide are a regular occurrence. Often, patients who have attempted suicide refuse lifesaving intervention. In most circumstances, emergency physicians will intervene regardless of the patient's wish to die. Their argument: patients who attempt suicide do not have the capacity to refuse lifesaving care because severe depression or psychosis has clouded their judgment. In choosing this approach, physicians make two assumptions. First, the patient's attempted suicide is directly related to psychiatric illness and not the result of a planned death in the setting of a terminal illness (euthanasia or compassionate death is an entirely different situation). Second, the patient's poorly controlled psychiatric disorder is not considered a terminal illness. The purpose of this editorial was to review medical, psychiatric, and bioethical aspects surrounding the decision to withdraw care in the suicidal patient. Two cases are reviewed where withdrawal of care was considered after suicide attempt by overdose. In the poisoned patient, medical toxicologists are poised to make significant contributions to end-of-life discussions with patients, surrogates, and care providers. Thoughtful consideration of brain death criteria and whether continued care is indeed futile will improve our framework for these mortal discussions.
The synthesis and molecular structure of 1-(η5-cyclopentadienyl)-1-triphenylphosphine-2,3,4,5-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)rhodole

Abstract A reaction between π-cyclopentadienylcarbonyl(triphenylphosphine)rhodium and bis(pentafluorophenyl)acetylene in refluxing xylene has produced low yields of hexakis(pentafluorophenyl)benzene and 1-(η5-cyclopentadienyl)-1-triphenylphosphine-2,3,4,5-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)rhodole. The metallocycle has been characterized by elemental analysis, spectral measurements and an X-ray diffraction study. Yellow crystals of the title compound from Skelly C are triclinic with a 11.715(4), b 14.015(6), c 20.420(6) A and α 114.07(3), β 106.97(3), γ 107.28(3)°. The space group indicated by intensity statistics is P1, and there are two molecules per unit cell. An ill-defined solvent molecule in the cell affects the agreement between the observed and calculated densities. A similar solvation was observed in the corresponding cobaltacycle which is isomorphous with the rhodium complex. The final residual R after least-squares refinement was 0.065 for the 5235 reflections with I $ 2σ(I) which were used in the analysis. The rhodium is σ-bonded to the two carbons of the butadiene-like fragment with Rh—C bonds of 2.060(12) and 2.067(11) A. The C—C distances of 1.343(16), 1.457(16) and 1.354(15) A indicate that the C4fragment is very similar to a butadiene group. The Rh—P distance of 2.293(2) A is longer than the value of 2.234(3) A found in the cobaltacycle, which is consistent with the larger size of Rh compared to Co.