cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An experimental and numerical study of the kinetics of harzburgite reactive dissolution with applications to dunite dike formation

Abstract The mechanisms and kinetics of harzburgite reactive dissolution in basaltic liquids were examined using a combined experimental and numerical approach. Dissolution experiments were conducted at 1250–1290°C and 0.6–0.75 GPa using dissolution couples consisting of pre-synthesized rods of alkali basalt and harzburgite in graphite and platinum-lined molybdenum capsules. Reactive dissolution of harzburgite produces a melt-bearing, orthopyroxene-free dunite with a sharp mineralogical front at the dunite–harzburgite interface. The thickness of the dunite layer is proportional to the square root of experimental run time, and its growth rate is limited by the rates of diffusion of major components in the melt. Around the sharp mineralogical front there exists a broad composition boundary layer where major and trace element abundances in the interstitial melt and olivine vary systematically as a function of distance and time. The sharp mineralogical front and the broad composition boundary layer result from a combined effect of orthopyroxene and olivine dissolution at the dunite–harzburgite interface, olivine re-precipitation within the dunite, as well as diffusive exchange between the crystals and the melts. Based on experimental observations a simple model for harzburgite reactive dissolution was developed and used to extrapolate the experimentally measured dissolution rates and concentration profiles to conditions relevant to melt transport under the mid-ocean ridge. Model calculations demonstrate that diffusive dissolution alone is incapable of producing dunite dikes wider than a few meters within the time scale of mantle upwelling under the mid-ocean ridge. Prevalent melt percolation, hence large melt–rock ratios, is required in the formation of large dunite channels in the mantle. The composition of the reacting melt is of particular importance in determining the composition gradients in olivine across the dunite–harzburgite interface. By adjusting the reacting melt compositions we were able to produce concentration profiles broadly similar to those observed in our experiments as well as those reported across the dunite–harzburgite sharp contacts in the mantle sections of ophiolites and peridotite massifs around the world.
On the Control of the Distribution of Meiotic Exchange in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

The effects of eight recombination-defective meiotic mutants on crossing over within the X heterochromatin were examined. Since none permit substantial frequencies of exchange within heterochromatin although six lessen or abolish constraints on the location of exchanges within euchromatin, the systems that prohibit exchange within heterochromatin and that govern where exchanges will occur in euchromatin are under separate genetic control.—A minor component of the effects of mei-218 is the production of nonhomologous exchanges; of mei-9 is the recovery of deleted chromatids; and of mei-41 is the recovery of deleted chromatids and/or a low frequency of heterochromatic exchanges.
The Determinants of Organizational Innovation: An Interpretation and Implications for Research Libraries

The research reported here is focused on a specific type of change in an organization: an innovation. In an empirical analysis of research libraries, it was found that five factors had a significant impact on the innovation performance of the library. These factors relate to the strategy, organizational structure, and leadership of the research library. The study sample consisted of 50 libraries that were members of the Association of Research Libraries. This paper will discuss the theoretical model, explain the effects of these five variables, highlight certain additional correlations that are meaningful, and discuss implications for research libraries.
Architales: physical/digital co-design of an interactive story table

Many research efforts today explore how digitally augmented tables enable face-to-face interaction with digital content and applications. Yet the design of digital tables is still largely driven by the constraints and requirements of the underlying sensing technologies. In order to move digital tables into our real-world physical spaces, researchers need to work closely with architects and industrial designers in order to engage the knowledge and skills from a long history of physical design and fabrication in the creation of tabletop systems. This paper presents Architales, an interactive story table for gallery exhibition, developed as an experiment in physical/digital co-design. We describe the creation of the interactive table, tangible storytelling system, and story content, which evolved together in a closely unified design process, drawing on the skills from computing, media, design and architecture. We also describe lessons learned about the interdisciplinary design process and the creation of physical/digital artworks.
Performance characterization of TCP/IP packet processing in commercial server workloads

TCP/IP is the communication protocol of choice for many current and next generation server applications (Web services, e-commerce, storage, etc.). As a result, the performance of these applications can be heavily dependent on the efficient TCP/IP packet processing within the termination nodes. Motivated by this, our work presented in this paper focuses on analyzing the underlying architectural characteristics of TCP/IP packet processing component within server workloads. Our analysis and characterization methodology is based on in-depth measurement experiments of TCP/IP packet processing performance on Intel's state-of-the-art low-power Pentium/spl reg/ M microprocessor running the Microsoft Windows* Server 2003 operating system. We start by analyzing the impact of NIC features such as Large Segment Offload and the use of Jumbo frames on TCP/IP packet processing performance. We then show that the architectural characteristics of transmit-side processing (largely compute-bound) are significantly different than receive-side processing (mostly memory-bound). Finally we quantify the computational requirements for sending/receiving packets within commercial workloads (SPECweb99, TPC-C and TPC-W) and show that they can form a substantial component.
Imaging receptor for advanced glycation end product expression in mouse model of hind limb ischemia.

Background The purpose of this study is to image the effect of diabetes on expression of receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) in limb ischemia in live animals.
Polymorphisms in genes in the SREBP1 signalling pathway and SCD are associated with milk fatty acid composition in Holstein cattle.

Genes in the sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP1) pathway play a central role in regulation of milk fat synthesis, especially the de-novo synthesis of saturated fatty acids. SCD, a SREBP-responsive gene, is the key enzyme in the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids in the mammary gland. In the present study, we discovered SNP in candidate genes associated with this signalling pathway and SCD to identify genetic markers that can be used for genetic and metabolically directed selection in cattle. We resequenced six candidate genes in the SREBP1 pathway (SREBP1, SCAP, INSIG1, INSIG2, MBTPS1, MBTPS2) and two genes for SCD (SCD1 and SCD5) and discovered 47 Tag SNP that were used in a marker-trait association study. Milk and blood samples were collected from Holstein cows in their 1st or 2nd parity at 100–150 days of lactation. Individual fatty acids from C4 to C20, saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, monounsaturated fatty acid content, polyunsaturated fatty acid content and desaturase indexes were measured and used to perform the asociation analysis. Polymorphisms in the SCD5 and INSIG2 genes were the most representative markers associated with SFA/unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) ratio in milk. The analysis of desaturation activity determined that markers in the SCD1 and SCD5 genes showed the most significant effects. DGAT1 K232A marker was included in the study to examine the effect of this marker on the variation of milk fatty acids in our Holstein population. The percentage of variance explained by DGAT1 in the analysis was only 6% of SFA/UFA ratio. Milk fat depression was observed in one of the dairy herds and in this particular dairy one SNP in the SREBP1 gene (rs41912290) accounted for 40% of the phenotypic variance. Our results provide detailed SNP information for key genes in the SREBP1 signalling pathway and SCD that can be used to change milk fat composition by marker-assisted breeding to meet consumer demands regarding human health, as well as furthering understanding of technological aspects of cows’ milk.
The Pyramid Star Identification Technique

: A new highly robust algorithm, called Pyramid, is presented to identify the stars observed by star trackers in the general lost-in-space case, where no a priori estimate of pointing is available. At the heart of the method is the k-vector approach for accessing the star catalog, which provides a searchless means to obtain all cataloged stars from the whole sky that could possibly correspond to a particular measured pair, given the measured interstar angle and the measurement precision. The Pyramid logic is built on the identification of a four-star polygon structure—the Pyramid—which is associated with an almost certain star identification. Consequently, the Pyramid algorithm is capable of identifying and discarding even a high number of spikes (false stars). The method, which has already been tested in space, is demonstrated to be highly efficient, extremely robust, and fast. All of these features are supported by simulations and by a few ground test experimental results.
Quantitative trait loci, epigenetics, sugars, and microRNAs: quaternaries in phosphate acquisition and use.

Phosphorus (P) is a critical element for plant growth and is frequently the limiting nutrient in many soils. Continued production and application of P fertilizer relies on a nonrenewable resource that will peak in about 2050. This will result in significantly increased cost, particularly for
Estrogens Attenuate and Corticosterone Exacerbates Excitotoxicity, Oxidative Injury, and Amyloid β‐Peptide Toxicity in Hippocampal Neurons

Steroid hormones, particularly estrogens and glucocorticoids, may play roles in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, but their mechanisms of action are not known. We report that estrogens protect cultured hippocampal neurons against glutamate toxicity, glucose deprivation, FeSO4 toxicity, and amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) toxicity. The toxicity of each insult was significantly attenuated in cultures pretreated for 2 h with 100 nM-10 microM 17 beta-estradiol, estriol, or progesterone. In contrast, corticosterone exacerbated neuronal injury induced by glutamate, FeSO4, and A beta. Several other steroids, including testosterone, aldosterone, and vitamin D, had no effect on neuronal vulnerability to the different insults. The protective actions of estrogens and progesterone were not blocked by actinomycin D or cycloheximide. Lipid peroxidation induced by FeSO4 and A beta was significantly attenuated in neurons and isolated membranes pretreated with estrogens and progesterone, suggesting that these steroids possess antioxidant activities. Estrogens and progesterone also attenuated A beta- and glutamate-induced elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations. We conclude that estrogens, progesterone, and corticosterone can directly affect neuronal vulnerability to excitotoxic, metabolic, and oxidative insults, suggesting roles for these steroids in several different neurodegenerative disorders.
Timing driven routing and resistivity minimization

Two resistivity minimization routines that can be used for performance optimization during the routing stage are presented. The first optimizer, the topological resistivity minimizer (TRM), is lowcost and rearranges wires to minimize the length of high-resistivity wires (usually poly). The second one, the constrained resistivity minimizer (CRM), fixes the topology and uses layer assignment techniques to reduce the poly length. Since extra contacts are generally inserted, this optimizer can be expensive. Assuming that 10% of the nets are critical in a 2-1/2 layer design, the total poly length of these nets can be reduced by 4.9 times while increasing the routing area by only 1%. >
Diagnosing Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors before the Year 2000

To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Artinyan et al. ([1][1]) examining the effect of race and socioeconomic status on outcomes for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The authors queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for histologically confirmed GIST (
On relay node placement and assignment for two-tiered wireless networks

Wireless networks that operate on batteries are imposed with energy constraints and long distance communications between nodes are not desirable. Implementing Relay Nodes (RNs) can improve network capacity and save communication energy. A two-hop relay routing scheme is considered, in which the RNs are temporarily placed and have energy constraints. This paper investigates a joint optimization problem on Relay Node Placement (RNP) and route assignment for two-tiered wireless networks. A recursive Weighted Clustering Binary Integer Programming (WCBIP) algorithm is proposed to maximize the total number of information packets received at the Base Station (BS) during the network lifetime. We first present an optimization algorithm based on Binary Integer Programming (BIP) for Relay Node Assignment (RNA) with the current node locations. Subsequently, a weighted clustering algorithm is applied to move the RNs to the best locations to best serve their respectively associated Edge Nodes (ENs). The algorithm has the complexity of O(2n). The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has significantly better performance than the other two relay placement schemes. Both theoretical analysis and practical design procedures are also presented with details.
Analysis of body fluids for forensic purposes: from laboratory testing to non-destructive rapid confirmatory identification at a crime scene.

Body fluid traces recovered at crime scenes are among the most important types of evidence to forensic investigators. They contain valuable DNA evidence which can identify a suspect or victim as well as exonerate an innocent individual. The first step of identifying a particular body fluid is highly important since the nature of the fluid is itself very informative to the investigation, and the destructive nature of a screening test must be considered when only a small amount of material is available. The ability to characterize an unknown stain at the scene of the crime without having to wait for results from a laboratory is another very critical step in the development of forensic body fluid analysis. Driven by the importance for forensic applications, body fluid identification methods have been extensively developed in recent years. The systematic analysis of these new developments is vital for forensic investigators to be continuously educated on possible superior techniques. Significant advances in laser technology and the development of novel light detectors have dramatically improved spectroscopic methods for molecular characterization over the last decade. The application of this novel biospectroscopy for forensic purposes opens new and exciting opportunities for the development of on-field, non-destructive, confirmatory methods for body fluid identification at a crime scene. In addition, the biospectroscopy methods are universally applicable to all body fluids unlike the majority of current techniques which are valid for individual fluids only. This article analyzes the current methods being used to identify body fluid stains including blood, semen, saliva, vaginal fluid, urine, and sweat, and also focuses on new techniques that have been developed in the last 5–6 years. In addition, the potential of new biospectroscopic techniques based on Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy is evaluated for rapid, confirmatory, non-destructive identification of a body fluid at a crime scene.
Photodetector nonlinearity limitations on a high-dynamic range 3 GHz fiber optic link

The performance of a dc to 3 GHz externally modulated link utilizing balanced high-power photodetection is presented. Nonlinearity measurements of high power photodiodes show 1 dB compression currents in excess of 55 mA and an output third-order intercept point of +32 to +34 dBm. These high current photodetectors permit the use of high power lasers as external modulator sources for low noise fiber optic links with only small degradations in the predicted link dynamic range. An externally modulated link with a 240 mW Nd:YAG laser, a dual-output 4-V V, (dc) modulator, and balanced 100 mA total photocurrent yielded a link noise figure from 15.5 to 17.5 dB, a spur-free dynamic range of 119.5 dBHz/sup 2/3/, and a 1-dB compression dynamic range of 168.4 dBHz.
Vegetation and Elevational Gradients within a Bottomland Hardwood Forest of Southeastern Louisiana

Abstract Twelve belt transects were used to sample woody vegetation in a 110-y-old regrowth forest on a natural levee ridge bordering Bayou Sauvage, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Elevation was measured along each transect and species flood tolerances, based upon measured elevational ranges, were assessed. Codominant native hardwoods included Celtis laevigata, Quercus virginiana and Salix nigra; palmetto (Sabal minor) was the principal understory species. An invasive exotic species, Sapium sebiferum, was found throughout the study site (2485 adults >2 m tall per ha), and showed high flood tolerance. Among saplings (0.3–2 m tall), S. sebiferum abundance (3916 per ha) far exceeded that of all native species combined. The forest showed complex species zonation along an elevational gradient of 163.5 cm across a forest-marsh ecotone. Correspondence analysis delimited at least three plant communities, two dominated by single woody plant species and a third with 15 species. These communities were: (1) a Salix nigra ...
Multipulse PPM on memoryless channels

We examine several properties of n-pulse pulse position modulation (PPM) [H. Sugiyama et al., 1989] on memoryless channels. We derive the maximum likelihood decision rule and an exact expression for the symbol error rate for nges1, generalizing previous results [R.M. Gagliardi et al., 1976, M. Simon et al., 2003]. A capacity comparison indicates that muItipulse PPM does not produce appreciable gains over conventional PPM except at high average power
Abstracted painterly renderings using eye-tracking data

When used by artists, manual interfaces for painterly rendering can yield very satisfying abstract transformations of images. Automatic techniques produce interesting paintings as well, but can only recast pictures in a different style without performing any abstraction. At best, information is removed uniformly across the image, without emphasizing the important content. We describe a new approach for the creation of painterly renderings that draws on a model of human perception and is driven by eye-tracking data. This approach can perform meaningful abstraction using this data, with the minimum interaction possible: the user need only look at the image for several seconds. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this interactive technique and compare it with a fully automatic approach.
Ultra-low-noise, 8.3 GHz dielectric resonator oscillator

A parallel feedback 8.3-GHz dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) was designed by evaluating the residual phase noise of the GaAs FET amplifier and the resonant structure (RS). The resonant structure consists of two-port, dielectric resonator coupled to 50- Omega microstrip lines housed inside a copper cavity. The DRO has been shown to have excellent phase noise and temperature stability. The oscillator is small in size (2.54 cm*2.54 cm*2.54 cm) and offers a spurious-free output spectrum. The loaded-Q enhancement of the dielectric resonator and the noise degradation of unpackaged GaAs FET and bipolar junction transistor (BJT) amplifiers at 77 K are reported. >
Conceptualization and identification of depression in adults with brain damage by clients and rehabilitation clinical staff.

Primary objective: To explore reasons used by staff and clients to identify depression and examine how each group differs. Research design: A between group comparison on both quantitative and qualitative data. Methods and procedure: Thirty-seven individuals with brain injury and 18 non-psychologist rehabilitation professionals participated in this study. The Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology (IDS), a 28-item instrument of client self-report and clinician ratings was used for comparison. Additionally, qualitative data on presence and reason for identification of depression were collected from both parties. Results: There is substantial disagreement between clinicians and clients with regard to overall identification of depression. However, both groups based diagnoses on mood/cognitive symptoms rather than anxiety or vegetative symptoms. Conclusion: The results point to a discrepancy in client and clinician identification and understanding of depression after brain injury, indicating a potential need for education for both groups.
Control of vortex shedding on two- and three-dimensional aerofoils

We review and expand on the control of separated flows over flat plates and aerofoils at low Reynolds numbers associated with micro air vehicles. Experimental observations of the steady-state and transient lift response to actuation, and its dependence on the actuator, aerofoil geometry and flow conditions, are discussed and an attempt is made to unify them in terms of their excitation of periodic and transient vortex shedding. We also examine strategies for closed-loop flow and flight control using actuation of leading-edge vortices.
Specialized N-modular redundant processors in large-scale distributed systems

Computers are being used to achieve increasingly sophisticated control for large and complex systems. Many of these systems require a large shared state-space or database. Thus, handling real-time concurrent accesses to a shared database is an essential feature for modern fault-tolerant systems. Many fault-tolerant systems have been implemented for uniformly tolerating various types of failures, such as MAFT (Multicomputer Architecture for Fault Tolerance), FTP (Fault-Tolerant Processor), FTPP (Fault-Tolerant Parallel Processors) and Delta-4. However, most of these either lack the notion of a shared state-space or do not efficiently support parallel tasks that concurrently access a shared state-space. We use a processor-specialization approach to increase the effectiveness of replication and, consequently, achieve cost-effective fault tolerance in such systems. The SNMR (specialized N-modular redundancy) protocol has been developed based on these concepts. Compared to many existing Byzantine-resilient systems, the SNMR approach incurs less overhead and can be easily parameterized to fit various fault models.
Autonomous Navigation of a Personal Transporter within Moving Human Groups Using Reactive Control

If a vehicle has to drive autonomously in an area with mostly pedestrian traffic and thus needs to share the free space with pedestrians it has to safely navigate in this environment. A pedestrian area lacks fixed lanes and definite traffic rules which leads to more complex paths. Classical path planning in a partially known environment with multiple moving pedestrians is a hard planning problem. Just the task of accurately predicting the individual path of multiple pedestrians in a group accounting for all interactions between the different persons over more than a few seconds is as good as impossible. Using this faulty prediction as a foundation for a path planning algorithm will produce a flawed plan. However such an environment is easy for humans or animals to navigate, avoidance of other persons and moving in a group of pedestrians happens almost unconsciously. In this paper a simple way of autonomously navigating such an environment by using a pure reactive control based on a few simple rules is explored. This method doesn’t need a completely known environment, doesn’t plan ahead, is simple to implement and can react quick to changes in the environment.
Alcohol abuse and docosahexaenoic acid: Effects on cerebral circulation and neurosurvival

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are major and yet surprisingly unacknowledged worldwide causes of brain damage, cognitive impairment, and dementia. Chronic abuse of alcohol is likely to elicit significant changes in essential polyenoic fatty acids and the membrane phospholipids (PLs) that covalently contain them in brain membranes. Among the fatty acids of the omega-3 polyenoic class, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is relatively concentrated in mammalian brain, has proven particularly important for proper brain development as well as neurosurvival and protection. DHA losses in brains of chronic alcohol-treated animals may contribute to alcohol's neuroinflammatory and neuropathological sequelae; indeed, DHA supplementation has beneficial effects, including the possibility that its documented augmenting effects on cerebral circulation could be important. The neurochemical mechanisms by which DHA exerts its effects encompass several signaling routes involving both the membrane PLs in which DHA is esterified as well as unique neuroactive metabolites of the free fatty acid itself. In view of indications that brain DHA deficits are a deleterious outcome of human alcoholism, increasing brain DHA via supplementation during detoxification of alcoholics could potentially fortify against dependence-related neuroinjury.
The J-domain proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana: an unexpectedly large and diverse family of chaperones

A total of 89 J-domain proteins were identified in the genome of the model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The deduced amino acid sequences of the J-domain proteins were analyzed for an assortment of structural features and motifs. Based on the results of sequence comparisons and structure and function predictions, 51 distinct families were identified. The families ranged in size from 1 to 6 members. Subcellular localizations of the A thaliana J-domain proteins were predicted; species were found in both the soluble and membrane compartments of all cellular organelles. Based on digital Northern analysis, the J-domain proteins could be separated into groups of low, medium, and moderate expression levels. This genomics-based analysis of the A thaliana J-domain proteins establishes a framework for detailed studies of biological function and specificity. It additionally provides a comprehensive basis for evolutionary comparisons.
Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of quaternary AlInGaN multiple quantum well structures for deep ultraviolet emitters

We report on the growth of quaternary AlInGaN layers and MQWs by two different metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques such as pulsed atomic layer epitaxy (PALE) and pulsed MOCVD (PMOCVD). For both growth processes, emission wavelength of quaternary MQWs can be tuned from 350 nm to 300 nm by simply changing the unit growth cell configurations. The PALE grown AlInGaN MQWs have a very smooth surface, few band tail states and exhibit a band-to-band emission. The PMOCVD grown AlInGaN MQWs exhibit a high density of band tail states, which strongly enhance spontaneous emission. Based on the characterization by photoluminescence, X-ray diffraction and AFM, both MOCVD techniques grown quaternary samples are shown to be promising for fabricating the active region of deep UV LEDs.
Predicting Childhood Obesity Prevention Behaviors Using Social Cognitive Theory among Upper Elementary African-American Children

Childhood obesity is a major public health problem in the African-American community. Commonly suggested public health strategies to reduce childhood obesity are limiting television viewing, encouraging daily moderately intense physical activity of at least 60 minutes per day, increasing fruit and vegetable intake to five or more cups per day, and increasing water consumption. This study examined the extent to which selected social cognitive theory constructs can predict these four behaviors in African-American upper elementary children. A 56-item valid and reliable scale was administered to 222 students. Glasses of water consumed were predicted by self-control for drinking water and self-efficacy for drinking water (R2 = 0.123). Fruits and vegetables consumed were predicted by self-efficacy for eating fruits and vegetables (R2 = 0.083). For designing primary prevention interventions to reduce childhood obesity in the African-American community, social cognitive theory provides a useful framework.
Social Change and the Jazz Musician

Interviews with 118 randomly selected jazz musicians and four months of participant observation yield evidence strongly suggesting changes in the occupation ideology of jazz musicians. Age controls on the findings suggest that jazz musicians are becoming less hostile toward audiences and the larger society, that in-group norms promoting cohesiveness are weakening, and that jazz musicians are becoming less inclined to interact only with their own kind. These major attitudinal shifts are attributed to an increased positive valuation of jazz music by the general public. Implications drawn from the study include a criticism of a priori assumptions of homogeneity in the study of occupational or deviant groups and some further
Modeling corrosion of steel in concrete

Abstract This chapter presents an overview of theoretical and empirical approaches to model corrosion of steel in concrete. Theoretical corrosion modeling approaches that are based on fundamental principles of steel corrosion in concrete can be quite powerful; however, they also require assumptions about the parameters affecting corrosion and consideration of the variability associated with these parameters. Empirical models, on the other hand, are easy to use since they do not require a wide range of assumptions to be made. However, because they are derived from limited experimental data, their applicability and reliability can be rather limited. When used properly, accurate corrosion simulations combined with relatively infrequent, and hence inexpensive, corrosion rate measurements can be key to successful health monitoring of reinforced concrete structures.
Use of an Interatrial Baffle To Correct Transposition of the Great Arteries

Despite the difficulties of operating on small and sick babies, definitive surgery for CTGA should be undertaken as early as possible to minimize the detrimental changes in the pulmonary vasculature. The case presented was diagnosed at birth, an immediate palliative procedure carried out, and the child placed under close cardiologic surveillance until, at age 12 months, it was apparent nothing more could be gained by waiting.
Real-Time Feedback During Colonoscopy to Improve Quality: How Often to Improve Inspection?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US despite wide use of colonoscopy to prevent CRC-related death. The current explanation for the failure of colonoscopy to prevent most CRC-related death is that lesions are not detected or completely removed. Real-time feedback during colonoscopy has the potential to alert endoscopists that sub-optimal visualization of the colon mucosa is occurring. To determine what type and frequency of feedback most likely will improve colonoscopy, we studied a set of randomly obtained video files for four features associated with quality of visualization: clear or blurry frames, camera speed, amount of remaining debris and effort of the endoscopist to inspect in a circumferential fashion all of the mucosa. Our results show that the two types of feedback most frequently needed to improve visualization are reminders to obtain clear frames or to inspect all of the mucosa in circumferential fashion.
Development of a system for the calibration of digital bridges for non-conventional instrument transformers

This paper describes a development of a calibration system at National Research Council (NRC) Canada for digital bridges, which are in turn used for calibrations of non-conventional current transformers. A pre-calculated set of digital data is generated in accordance with the IEC 61850-9-2 LE specification for data transmission in power substations and synchronized to 1 pulse-per-second (PPS) signal. A known current is created and provided to the digital bridge under test. The ratio and phase errors of the digital bridge are determined by a digital sampling system. The expanded uncertainties (k=2) are estimated to be better than 100 μA/A for magnitude and 100 μrad for phase.
Exploring the Impact of Job Insecurity on Employees’ Unethical Behavior

The multitude of corporate scandals has prompted research that examines factors that influence an individual’s engagement in unethical behavior. This article extends previous research by examining the psychological processes through which unethical behavior may occur. We develop and test a model that uses self-regulation theory to explain and predict how and under what circumstances individuals are likely to engage in unethical behavior. Results from data collected from 107 professionals at two points in time and 205 employees from various industries confirm that job insecurity increases emotional exhaustion, which subsequently impairs an employee’s ability to activate self-regulating processes to avoid engaging in unethical behavior. However, the link between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion as well as the mediated relationship between job insecurity and unethical behavior through emotional exhaustion are weaker for employees who have high adaptability and stronger for employees who are highly embedded in their organization.
Surface organization of a DPPC monolayer on concentrated SrCl2 and ZnCl2 solutions

Transition metals are known to be enriched in organic-coated marine aerosols, but the impact these cations have on their surface properties is not well understood. Here the effect of Zn2+ enrichment on the surface properties of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) monolayer was investigated and compared to that of the alkaline earth metal Sr2+, an ion not enriched in aerosols. Phase behavior of the DPPC film on concentrated aqueous solutions was probed with surface pressure–area isotherms while domain morphology was monitored with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy were used to assess the impact of cations on the conformation and orientation of alkyl chains as well as the hydration state of the carbonyl and phosphatidylcholine (PC) moieties. Results of compression isotherms and BAM show that Zn2+ strongly interacts with DPPC molecules, and induces condensation of the monolayer while Sr2+ only weakly interacts with the monolayer in expanded phases. Conformational order and orientation of alkyl chains in the condensed phase are not significantly altered by either cation. IRRAS indicates that Sr2+ has weak interactions with the PC headgroup. Zn2+ ions cause dehydration of carbonyl groups and binds to the phosphate group in a 2 : 1 bridging complex. Findings here suggest that Sr2+ is not enriched in aerosols because it behaves similar to a monovalent ion and only weakly interacts with the monolayer, while enrichment of Zn2+ is due to strong binding to the lipid film.
Cécile in Françoise Sagan's BONJOUR TRISTESSE: A Female Version of Albert Camus's STRANGER?

In the years after World War II, under the influence of existentialism, an image of “modern man” emerged: a male outsider in family and society, who strives, despite profound doubt, to forge an aut...
Are high penetrations of commercial cogeneration good for society

Low natural gas prices, market reports and evidence from New York State suggest that the number of commercial combined heat and power (CHP) installations in the United States will increase by 2%–9% annually over the next decade. We investigate how increasing commercial CHP penetrations may affect net emissions, the distribution network, and total system energy costs. We constructed an integrated planning and operations model that maximizes owner profit through sizing and operation of CHP on a realistic distribution feeder in New York. We find that a greater penetration of CHP reduces both total system energy costs and network congestion. Commercial buildings often have low and inconsistent heat loads, which can cause low fuel utilization efficiencies, low CHP rates-of-return and diminishing avoided emissions as CHP penetration increases. In the northeast, without policy intervention, a 5% penetration of small commercially owned CHP would increase CO2 emissions by 2% relative to the bulk power grid. Low emission CHP installations can be encouraged with incentives that promote CHP operation only during times of high heat loads. Time-varying rates, such as time-of-day and seasonal rates, are one option and were shown to reduce customer emissions without reducing profits. In contrast, natural gas rate discounts, a common incentive for industrial CHP in some states, can encourage CHP operation during low heat loads and thus increase emissions.
Synthesis of Active Hexafluoroisopropyl Benzoates through a Hydrogen-Bond-Enabled Palladium(II)-Catalyzed C-H Alkoxycarbonylation Reaction

A PdII-catalyzed ortho C−H alkoxycarbonylation reaction of aryl silanes toward active hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIP) benzoate esters has been developed. This efficient reaction features high selectivity and good functional-group tolerance. Notably, given the general nature of the silyl-tethered directing group, this method delivers products bearing two independently modifiable sites. NMR studies reveal the presence of hydrogen bonding between HFIP and a pyrimidine nitrogen atom of the directing group, and it is thought to be crucial for the success of this alkoxycarbonylation reaction.
Fano varieties with large Seshadri constants

Abstract We show that the set of Fano varieties (with arbitrary singularities) whose anticanonical divisors have large Seshadri constants satisfies certain weak and birational boundedness. We also classify singular Fano varieties of dimension n whose anticanonical divisors have Seshadri constants at least n, generalizing an earlier result of Liu and the author.
Systematic Review of the Literature on Simulation in Nursing Education

Simulation-based learning is an educational intervention which creates an environment that is conducive to experiential learning. Despite the prevalence of research on the influence of simulation on nursing education, there is a dearth of literature on the effectiveness of simulation-based learning. This systematic review examines literature on simulation outcomes in nursing education from the years 2000-2010. The electronic databases reviewed for the systematic review of the literature included: CINAHL Plus, Medline, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Education, Google Scholar, and Digital Dissertations and Theses through ProQuest. The MeSH search terms included "simulation outcomes measurement" and "nursing education". Seventeen studies were included in the review of the literature. The literature was categorized into three themes; internal outcomes, external outcomes, and clinical evaluation. The available literature on simulation and nursing education provides evidence that that simulation is useful in creating a learning environment which contributes to knowledge, skills, safety, and confidence. This systematic review of the literature revealed a gap in the literature pertaining to the transfer of these outcomes to the clinical setting, and lays a foundation for further research on outcomes specific to simulation and nursing education.
Verification and Validation of Behavior Models Using Lightweight Formal Methods

The research described herein provides a method for exposing invalid behaviors in systems of systems (SoS) early in design, at the architecture level. The Monterey Phoenix (MP)-based method for conducting behavior model verification and validation (V&V) was developed after students ranging from high school to the graduate level began discovering unintended, invalid, and potentially high consequence behaviors permitted by their designs. These unspecified behaviors were consistent with known requirements, but violated stakeholder intent. Examples from four models from different domains and developed by different students are presented, then used as a basis for developing a structured set of behavior model V&V criteria that may be applied to any MP model. Finally, the criteria are put into the context of a systematic method that guides modelers in a thorough V&V of the behavior model. The ease with which unspecified and potentially invalid behaviors were exposed by students at various levels of education suggests that this lightweight formal method approach for behavior model V&V is user-friendly for application by practitioners who have basic skills in logic and logical thinking. Follow-on work will further test the method on other MP behavior modeling efforts, with an aim to improve and extend behavior model V&V criteria and the methods in which they are employed.
Major Depressive Disorder and Condom Use in Young Adult Females.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability and can contribute to risky sexual behavior, potentially leading to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).Young adult women face unique STI risks, along with gender prevalence for MDD. Aim The aim of this study is to assess the association between moderate to severe MDD and inconsistent condom use in U.S women aged 18-25. Methods We examined National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2011-2013 Our study focuses on responses to the depression screener and "sexual behavior" questions. Results A total of 302 women, aged 18-25 responded to the depression screener and the "never had sex without a condom question". Of these , 270 had no or mild MDD and 32 had moderate to severe MDD Of the women with moderate-severe MDD, 1 consistently used condoms, and 31 used condoms inconsistently. On both bivariate and multivariate analysis this association between moderate-severe MDD and inconsistent condom use was significant (p = .004, OR 10.260 95% Cl 1-371- 76.801 ) After using the complex samples module, this association remained significant, even after controlling for race (p = 0_032; OR = 7_677, 95% Cl = 1202-49.048). Conclusion Moderate-severe MDD is significantly associated with inconsistent condom use in 18-25 year-old women. This suggests a need for further research and interventions geared toward treating MDD, but also in counseling young adult women with MDD regarding healthy sexual behaviors.
Correlation between hospital-level antibiotic consumption and incident health care facility-onset Clostridium difficile infection.

Background The purpose of this single-center, ecologic study is to characterize the relationship between facility-wide (FacWide) antibiotic consumption and incident health care facility-onset Clostridium difficile infection (HO-CDI). Methods FacWide antibiotic consumption and incident HO-CDI were tallied on a monthly basis and standardized, from January 2013 through April 2015. Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients were calculated using matched-months analysis and a 1-month delay. Regression analyses were performed, with P Results FacWide analysis identified a matched-months correlation between ceftriaxone and HO-CDI (ρ = 0.44, P = .018). A unit of stem cell transplant recipients did not have significant correlation between carbapenems and HO-CDI in matched months (ρ = 0.37, P = .098), but a significant correlation was observed when a 1-month lag was applied (ρ = 0.54, P = .014). Discussion Three statistically significant lag associations were observed between FacWide/unit-level antibiotic consumption and HO-CDI, and 1 statistically significant nonlagged association was observed FacWide. Antibiotic consumption may convey extended ward-level risk for incident CDI. Conclusions Consumption of antibiotic agents may have immediate and prolonged influence on incident CDI. Additional studies are needed to investigate the immediate and delayed associations between antibiotic consumption and C difficile colonization, infection, and transmission at the hospital level.
A Stakeholders' Analysis of the Systems that Support Foster Care

This paper focuses on understanding how the key stakeholders of the foster care system work together, as well as the systems that facilitate collaboration. We conducted 20 interviews with foster parents, 2 with non-profit agencies, and 1 case worker interview. Our findings suggest that each stakeholder faces their own unique challenges and sociotechnical systems put in place to assist stakeholders are not sufficient for addressing these concerns. This poster identifies the major stakeholders, their goals and needs, as well as the systems used. Our work helps identify gaps in order to design more effective systems that can better support the foster care system.
Willa Cather's My Antonia and Legal Thought in the Late Nineteenth Century

In the 1918 novel My Antonia, Willa Cather offered an unusual portrait of the American experience. Cather’s method was to present a central female character through the eyes of a male narrator. The narrator, Jim Burden, is a Harvard-educated lawyer in New York for “one of the great Western railways.” Antonia Shimerda is a friend from his childhood in Nebraska during the waning days of the frontier. Jim tells the story of how Antonia, the daughter of poor Bohemian homesteaders, survives the suicide of her father and the disgrace of being an unwed mother to build a life on the land and thus bear out the “pioneer ideal.” Despite their disparate social statuses and divergent life paths, Jim sees Antonia as the utmost symbol of “the country” and “conditions” of his youth.
A finite-difference approach for solving pure quasi-P wave equations in transversely isotropic and orthorhombic media

ABSTRACTStarting from the dispersion relation and setting S-wave velocity along symmetry axes to zero, pseudoacoustic-wave equations have been proposed to describe the kinematics of acoustic wavefi...
Ionic liquid stationary phases for multidimensional gas chromatography

Abstract Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of organic salts that meet many of the requirements of GC stationary phases including high thermal stability, high viscosity, and tunable selectivity through the modification of the chemical structure. IL-based columns, when incorporated either in the first or second dimension, can offer unique selectivity compared to polydimethyl(siloxane) and poly(ethyleneglycol) derived GC stationary phases for the separation of complex samples by multidimensional gas chromatography. In addition, IL-based columns are emerging as superior choices for applications requiring high polarity as well as high thermal stability. The present contribution provides an overview on IL-based stationary phases for multidimensional gas chromatography with an emphasis on developments in the period from 2012 to early 2018. The analysis of various analytes (e.g., fatty acids, polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles, and biodiesels) in complex matrices as well as the developments of new IL-based stationary phases for multidimensional gas chromatography are described.