cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and Follow-Up of Patients with Urinary Lithiasis: Minimizing Radiation Exposure

As unenhanced computed tomography (CT) has supplanted other modalities (eg, intravenous urography, ultrasonography) as the “test of choice” for evaluation of stone disease, patients have been exposed to higher doses of ionizing radiation in both primary evaluation and follow-up. There has been progressive recognition that low doses of radiation in the range of conventional CT may increase the long-term risk of cancer in exposed patients; these data have been extrapolated from longitudinal and ongoing study of atomic bomb survivors. There have been mounting efforts to develop alternative approaches to conventional CT (eg, low-dose protocols, substitution of ultrasound/plain X-ray) to provide comparable data while reducing total radiation exposure. It is essential that urologists collaborate with radiologists, emergency room physicians, and other providers to appropriately balance the theoretical risks and practical benefits of ionizing radiation in the diagnosis of stone disease.
Piezoelectricity in bone as a function of age.

The piezoelectric constant of mature and immature bone (defined herein) has been measured in an effort to determine whether it varies with age. It was found that the average value of the piezoelectric constantd14 of femur from three week old calves was 58% of the value of femur from three year old bulls. The results were interpreted to indicate qualitative differences in the corresponding collagen matrices. Mature human tibia from males ranging in age from 21 to 53 years of age showed a small but significant increase ind14 with age. Some data concerning diseased human bone, and well-preserved human bone excavated in Peru are also presented.
Identification of Failures in a Set of Sensors of a Spacecraft

A method to find and identify failures in a spacecraft’s set of sensitive elements that measure vector quantities of different nature is discussed.
Asymptotic formulae of multivariate Bernstein approximation

Abstract We expand multivariate Bernstein approximation asymptotically in this paper. Our results generalize Bernstein's asymptotic formulae ( C. R. Acad. Sci. URSS (1932), 86–92) to the multivariate setting.
Serum and mucosal antibody responses to inactivated polio vaccine after sublingual immunization using a thermoresponsive gel delivery system

Administering vaccines directly to mucosal surfaces can induce both serum and mucosal immune responses. Mucosal responses may prevent establishment of initial infection at the port of entry and subsequent dissemination to other sites. The sublingual route is attractive for mucosal vaccination, but both a safe, potent adjuvant and a novel formulation are needed to achieve an adequate immune response. We report the use of a thermoresponsive gel (TRG) combined with a double mutant of a bacterial heat-labile toxin (dmLT) for sublingual immunization with a trivalent inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in mice. This TRG delivery system, which changes from aqueous solution to viscous gel upon contact with the mucosa at body temperature, helps to retain the formulation at the site of delivery and has functional adjuvant activity from the inclusion of dmLT. IPV was administered to mice either sublingually in the TRG delivery system or intramuscularly in phosphate-buffered saline. We measured poliovirus type-specific serum neutralizing antibodies as well as polio-specific serum Ig and IgA antibodies in serum, saliva, and fecal samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Mice receiving sublingual vaccination via the TRG delivery system produced both mucosal and serum antibodies, including IgA. Intramuscularly immunized animals produced only serum neutralizing and binding Ig but no detectable IgA. This study provides proof of concept for sublingual immunization using the TRG delivery system, comprising a thermoresponsive gel and dmLT adjuvant.
Squeezed light from injection-locked quantum well lasers.

Measurements based on balanced detection demonstrate more than 3 dB photon-number squeezing from a quantum well laser injection locked to a coherent signal. We show that injection locking significantly reduces the photon-number fluctuation by suppressing weak side modes that feature intensity noise far above the standard quantum limit. The measurements also reveal that the photon statistics vary qualitatively with the polarization of the laser field.
Production of Hydrogen Peroxide in Liquid CO2. 1. Design, Synthesis, and Phase Behavior of CO2-Miscible Anthraquinones

H2O2 production via sequential hydrogenation−oxidation of anthraquinones (AQs) represents a potentially efficient process application of liquid or supercritical CO2 (ScCO2). First, the use of CO2 as the organic solvent in the process will eliminate the mass-transfer limitation during the hydrogenation and oxidation and also the contamination of the aqueous phase during isolation of hydrogen peroxide. Further, the hydrogen peroxide can be recovered from CO2 solution without depressurization by liquid−liquid extraction, helping to minimize the energy cost. The primary obstacle to use CO2 as a working fluid in the process is the poor solubility of conventional AQs in CO2. Therefore, we designed and generated CO2-philic AQs suitable to be used in the production of hydrogen peroxide. Both mono- and difunctionalized anthraquinones (FAQs) were synthesized by attaching CO2-philic polymers chains (−CF(CF3)CF2O−) either to mono- or diaminoanthraquinones or to (hydroxymethyl)anthraquinone. All FAQs synthesized are h...
Heat Transfer Coefficient Between Flat Surface and Sand

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems are of interest in solar thermal power applications as an effective means of retaining energy. One of the primary issues with this type system is the exchange of thermal energy coming off the power field. In a heat exchanger, the effective heat transfer coefficient between the exchange mediums plays a crucial factor in determining the sizing of the heat exchange unit. A concept utilizing sand as a cheap particulate thermal medium was recently proposed for an alternative thermal energy storage system. The overall system will be described in some detail; however, the primary focus of this research report will be to present the experimental results measuring the heat transfer coefficient between flowing sand and a representative heat exchanger surface. To measure the heat transfer coefficient a horizontal rotating drum is used to continuously deposit sand over a centrally positioned test article. The heat transfer coefficient in this case was calculated by taking the power input divided by the known area of the test article covered by the sand as well as the measured temperature difference between the article surface and sand temperature. Calibrated thin film thermocouples attached to the test article surface as well as thin film thermocouples suspended into the sand pooling in drum satisfy the needed temperature measurements. Then, by electrically heating a known area of the test article, a heat transfer coefficient between the sand and surface can be determined. Insulation of key end surfaces and errors such as heat leak due to air as well as measurement inaccuracies were also accounted for in the experimental setup and are included in the report’s error propagation analysis. The overall results compare heat transfer coefficients measurements for a range of different sands and sizes, as well as model comparisons with known literature on the subject.© 2011 ASME
Filling potholes: macroeconomic effects of maintenance versus new investments in public infrastructure

Abstract The maintenance of existing public infrastructure has often been neglected in favor of building new infrastructure in developing countries. This paper develops a dynamic general equilibrium model that analyzes the reasons and effects of such neglect. First, the optimal level of maintenance is shown to depend on the size of new investments as a share of existing public infrastructure and on the productivity of infrastructure. Second, the model is parameterized and solved numerically for a sample of Latin American countries. Quantitative results show that reallocating funds from new infrastructure to maintenance can have positive effects on these countries’ GDP.
Fracture behavior of nuclear graphite NBG-18

This paper aimed to study the fracture behavior of nuclear graphite NBG-18 through three-point bend tests with single-edge-notched beams. The size effect on its fracture toughness and associated statistical characteristics was studied by using three different specimen sizes: (I) 200 mm(Span) × 50 mm(Width) × 25 mm(Thickness), (II) 100 mm(S) × 20 mm(W) × 10 mm(T) and (III) 40 mm(S) × 10 mm(W) × 5 mm(T). Digital image correlation and acoustic emission techniques were employed to monitor the damage evolution during loading. The mean and standard deviation of critical stress intensity factor KIC (MPam) measured from each group were: (I) 1.69 (0.04), (II) 1.36 (0.05), and (III) 1.27 (0.09). The obtained curve of KIC against crack length showed three stages: an initial increase, a plateau and a final decrease, similar to a typical crack growth resistance curve. An analytical model based on the fracture process zone ahead of the crack tip was used to examine the size effect and to derive the length of fracture process zone cf and size-independent constant KIf. The predicted cf and KIf were 9.74 mm and 1.76 MPam, respectively. The test results were correlated with the micro-structure and unique fracture characteristics of NBG-18 were concluded.
Policy feedback and support for the welfare state

How does the structure of social policy institutions shape the level of public support for the welfare state? The policy feedback literature predicts that highly inclusive welfare institutions generate larger bases of public support by shifting the focus away from redistribution and toward common market insecurities felt across classes, while more selective strategies erode support by highlighting the conflicts of interest imbedded in clearly redistributive social programs. This paper expands on existing research by adopting a disaggregated approach to measuring both welfare state structure and public support, uncovering important cross-program variations in public attitudes and welfare state design masked by traditional measures of universality and public support. This project applies this method to public opinion data in 17 advanced capitalist democracies across three policy areas: healthcare, pensions, and unemployment. The findings offer evidence of policy feedback effects.
Two-dimensional MHD simulation of isothermal plasma armatures

The authors report results on the use of a two-dimensional resistive MHD code to simulate the internal dynamics in a railgun plasma armature, starting from a slightly perturbed equilibrium initial state. The plasma temperature, conductivity, and ionization fractions are treated as uniform in space and constant in time. The rear of the plasma is in contact with a low-pressure nonconducting gas. A finite-difference, explicit, Eulerian, flux-corrected transport code is used to advance all quantities in time. The computation grid has 200 cells parallel to the rails, and 20 across the rails. The results show the growth and subsequent shedding of the plasma mass toward the nonconducting region at the rear. The mass lost is not replenished and the armature becomes shorter, with steeper pressure and magnetic field profiles. The bulk of the profiles is not thoroughly disrupted, but behaves rather sturdily and seems to maintain a shape fairly close to the equilibrium profiles. >
The Role of the Theory-of-Mind Cortical Network in the Comprehension of Narratives.

Narrative comprehension rests on the ability to understand the intentions and perceptions of various agents in a story who interact with respect to some goal or problem. Reasoning about the state of mind of another person, real or fictional, has been referred to as Theory of Mind processing. While Theory of Mind processing was first postulated prior to the existence of neuroimaging research, fMRI studies make it possible to characterize this processing in some detail. We propose that narrative comprehension makes use of some of the neural substrate of Theory of Mind reasoning, evoking what is referred to as a protagonist perspective network. The main cortical components of this protagonist-based network are the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and the right temporo-parietal junction. The article discusses how these two cortical centers interact in narrative comprehension but still play distinguishable roles, and how the interaction between the two centers is disrupted in individuals with autism.
Environmental Implications of Excessive Selenium: A Review

Selenium is a naturally occurring trace element that is nutritionally required in small amounts but it can become toxic at concentration s only twice those required. The narrow margin between beneficial and harmful levels has important implications for human activities that increase the amount of selenium in the environment. Two of these activities, disposal of fossil fuel wastes and agricultural irrigation of arid, seleniferous soils, have poisoned fish and wildlife, and threatened public health at several locations in the United States. Research studies of these episodes have generated a data base that clearly illustrates the environmental hazard of excessive selenium. It is strongly bioaccumulated by aquatic organisms and even slight increases in waterborne concentrations can quickly result in toxic effects such as deformed embryos and reproductive failure in wildlife. The selenium data base has been very beneficial in developing hazard assessment procedures and establishing environmentally sound water quality criteria. The two faces of selenium. required nutrient and potent toxin, make it a particularly ~ important trace element in the health of both animals and man. Because of this paradox, environmental selenium in relation to agriculture, fisheries, and wildlife will continue to raise important land and water-management issues for decades to come. If these issues are dealt with using prudence and the available environmental selenium data base, adverse impacts to natural resources an&public health can be avoided.
Mechanical strength of bone allografts subjected to chemical sterilization and other terminal processing methods

Infectious disease transmission through the use of human donor allografts can be a catastrophic complication in an otherwise straightforward surgical procedure. The use of bone allograft in reconstructive orthopedic surgeries is increasing, yet severe complications, including death, can result if the transplanted tissues transmit a communicable disease to the tissue recipient. The BioCleanse tissue sterilization process is a fully automated, low-temperature chemical sterilization process that renders allograft tissue sterile. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a chemical tissue sterilization process on the mechanical strength of cortical bone allografts prior to implantation. Cylindrical cortical bone specimens were harvested from seven human cadaver donors and treated either by: chemical sterilization alone; chemical sterilization and terminal sterilization by gamma irradiation; chemical sterilization, lyophilization, terminal sterilization by STERRAD and rehydration; or untreated. The specimens were tested to failure in axial compression, diametral compression, shear, or bending. There were no significant differences in ultimate stress, strain, or fracture energy between the chemically sterilized and control groups in any of the testing modes.
An Improved Technique for the Preparation of Mounted or Unmounted Carbon Epoxy Specimens

As carbon/epoxy materials became more prevalent in the aerospace industry, microstructural analysis demanded specimen preparation techniques that led to better polished surfaces, achievable in a shorter time, and using fewer steps. The desire to use image analysis for material characterization also helped drive the goal for defect free surfaces. At NASA-Langley (LaRC), carbon/epoxy specimens had been historically prepared in 1 inch diameter Bakelite mounts. Carbon/epoxy specimens that were 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick were not affected by the heat and pressure required for mounting in Bakelite, however thinner specimens were crushed during mounting. A two-part room temperature curing epoxy was chosen as an alternative but sometimes voids developed between the specimen and the mounting material. This was prevented by either heating the epoxy to 140 degrees F to lower the viscosity of the epoxy or by using a vacuum impregnation apparatus. Both techniques helped facilitate flow and allowed the epoxy to penetrate crevices.
Service design projects sponsored by the Kansas State University Student Chapter of the IEEE EMBS

Service projects offer volunteer student organizations a means to generate interest and focus activity outside of the context of the classroom. This paper addresses efforts by the Kansas State University (KSU) Student Chapter of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) to initiate and guide service projects in two primary areas: (1) research to aid persons with disabilities (RAPD) and (2) hands-on efforts to interest young women in the quantitative fields of science and engineering. Three RAPD projects are presented: a computer mouse design that helps to alleviate productivity problems associated with Parkinson's tremors, a battery removal tool for arthritic individuals with limited dexterity, and a wireless door control and communication system to assist mobility-limited individuals. Service projects to garner science and engineering interest in young women are co-sponsored by the KSU Women in Engineering and Science Program (WESP). The most recent activity, entitled “Vital Signs Shirts,” is presented in this paper, along with a summary of pending interactive laboratories designed to interest participants in engineering as applied to the human body. These service projects encourage IEEE EMBS student chapter members to explore their biomedical engineering interests and make a positive impact in the community.
XMAP from Xenopus eggs promotes rapid plus end assembly of microtubules and rapid microtubule polymer turnover.

We have used video-enhanced DIC microscopy to examine the effects of XMAP, a Mr 215,000 microtubule-associated protein from Xenopus eggs (Gard, D.L., and M. W. Kirschner. 1987. J. Cell Biol. 105:2203-2215), on the dynamic instability of microtubules nucleated from axoneme fragments in vitro. Our results indicate that XMAP substantially alters the parameters of microtubule assembly at plus ends. Specifically, addition of 0.2 microM XMAP resulted in (a) 7-10-fold increase in elongation velocity, (b) approximately threefold increase in shortening velocity, and (c) near elimination of rescue (the switch from rapid shortening to elongation). Thus, addition of XMAP resulted in the assembly of longer, but more dynamic, microtubules from the plus ends of axonemes which upon catastrophe disassembled back to the axoneme nucleation site. In agreement with previous observations (Gard, D.L., and M. W. Kirschner. 1987. J. Cell Biol. 105:2203-2215), the effects of XMAP on the minus end were much less dramatic, with only a 1.5-3-fold increase in elongation velocity. These results indicate that XMAP, unlike brain MAPs, promotes both polymer assembly and turnover, and suggests that the interaction of XMAP with tubulin and the function of XMAP in vivo may differ from previously characterized MAPs.
Daily Horizons Evidence of Narrow Bracketing in Judgment From 10 Years of M.B.A. Admissions Interviews

Many professionals, from auditors, venture capitalists, and lawyers, to clinical psychologists and journal editors, divide continuous flows of judgments into subsets. College admissions interviewers, for instance, evaluate but a handful of applicants a day. We conjectured that in such situations, individuals engage in narrow bracketing, assessing each subset in isolation and then—for any given subset—avoiding much deviation from the expected overall distribution of judgments. For instance, an interviewer who has already highly recommended three applicants on a given day may be reluctant to do the same for a fourth applicant. Data from more than 9,000 M.B.A. interviews supported this prediction. Auxiliary analyses suggest that contrast effects and nonrandom scheduling of interviews are unlikely alternative explanations of the observed pattern of results.
Understanding and comparing the performance of optimized JVMs

Java virtual machines have different performance characteristics depending on their interpretation and just in time compilation strategies. These characteristics are even more complex when running on a modern out-of-order superscalar processor. This paper analyzes the behavior of the SPECjvm98 benchmarks on IBM's JikesRVM Java virtual machine executing on the IBM Power4 processor. Execution time parameters such as the number of instructions and cycles, the behavior of instruction and data caches, and the branching characteristics obtained from hardware performance counters are used to explain performance differences between interpreted, JIT compiled and dynamically optimized JVMs. Our goal is to understand benchmark and processor behavior with different JIT optimization options and strategies and to use this knowledge in design of future JVMs. The results show that the reduction in the number of executed instructions due to compiler optimizations is the main reason for improved performance. An increase in instruction level parallelism in compiled code provides further improvement. The increased ILP is in large part due to elimination of dependences in the optimized code.
Spatial and temporal distributions of U.S. winds and wind power at 80 m derived from measurements

windprofilesfromthesoundings,resultedin80-mwindspeedsthatare,onaverage,1.3–1.7 m/s faster than those obtained from the most common methods previously used to obtain elevated data for U.S. wind power maps, a logarithmic law and a power law, both with constant coefficients. The results suggest that U.S. wind power at 80 m may be substantially greater than previously estimated. It was found that 24% of all stations (and 37% of all coastal/offshore stations) are characterized by mean annual speeds � 6.9 m/s at 80 m, implying that the winds over possibly one quarter of the United States are strong enough to provide electric power at a direct cost equal to that of a new natural gas or coal power plant. ThegreatestpreviouslyunchartedreservoirofwindpowerinthecontinentalUnitedStatesis offshore and nearshore along the southeastern and southern coasts. When multiple wind sites are considered, the number of days with no wind power and the standard deviation of the wind speed, integrated across all sites, are substantially reduced in comparison with when one wind site is considered. Therefore a network of wind farms in locations with high annual mean wind speeds may provide a reliable and abundant source of electric power. INDEX TERMS: 0345 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Pollution—urban and regional (0305); 3399 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: General or miscellaneous; 9350 Information Related to Geographic Region: North America;KEYWORDS:U.S. wind power, least squares, global warming, air pollution, energy, wind speed Citation: Archer, C. L., and M. Z. Jacobson, Spatial and temporal distributions of U.S. winds and wind power at 80 m derived from measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D9), 4289, doi:10.1029/2002JD002076, 2003.
Coronary Risk Prediction by Logical Analysis of Data

The objective of this study was to distinguish within a population of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease groups at high and at low mortality rates. The study was based on Cleveland Clinic Foundation's dataset of 9454 patients, of whom 312 died during an observation period of 9 years. The Logical Analysis of Data method was adapted to handle the disproportioned size of the two groups of patients, and the inseparable character of this dataset – characteristic to many medical problems. As a result of the study, we have identified a high-risk group of patients representing 1/5 of the population, with a mortality rate 4 times higher than the average, and including 3/4 of the patients who died. The low-risk group identified in the study, representing approximately 4/5 of the population, had a mortality rate 3 times lower than the average. A Prognostic Index derived from the LAD model is shown to have a 83.95% correlation with the mortality rate of patients. The classification given by the Prognostic Index was also shown to agree in 3 out of 4 cases with that of the Cox Score, widely used by cardiologists, and to outperform it slightly, but consistently. An example of a highly reliable risk stratification system using both indicators is provided.
Superhydrophilic anti-fog polyester film by oxygen plasma treatment

Superhydorphilic polyester film has been obtained by oxygen plasma treatment to maintain optical clarity under high relative humidity. The original and treated films are simultaneously exposed to the vapor from hot water. The latter keeps its optical clarity because the condensed water formed a thin film on it instead of droplets for the former. Compared with the widely used coating method, plasma treatment to obtain anti-fog polymer film has the potential for mass production, lower cost, better compatibility with thermal extrusion process, and safer for food packaging. It can also be employed to improve the visualization of microfluidic reactors under high relative humidity.
Willingness-to-pay and the perfect safari:Valuation and cultural evaluation of safari package attributes in the Serengeti and Tanzanian Northern Circuit

Governments and NGOs worldwide aim to develop models of tourism that realize the economic, environmental, and cultural ideals of ecotourism. This is true in the national parks of the Northern Safari Circuit of Tanzania, which attract hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. To better understand what tourists to Tanzania were willing to pay for various attributes of their tour package, we used a linear mixed effects model to analyze what attributes of 72 tour packages from 32 tour operators contributed to the price of tour packages. We found that the number of days spent on tour, the number of days spent in the Serengeti, the type of accommodation (basic camping versus lodges or luxury tents), the mode of transport into the park (flying versus driving), and the inclusion of cultural tourism helped predict the price of a tour package. Our findings suggest that tour operators charge 92% more for a day in the Serengeti than other Northern Circuit attractions, but we do not examine what happens to the additional rent generated by the Serengeti. Additionally, the utility of cultural tourism in attracting foreign tourists presents both tremendous opportunities and potential challenges to efforts to realize culturally sensitive ecotourism.
Wavelet-based fractal analysis of multi-channel epileptic ECoG

In this work, the spectral exponent 7 derived from the wavelet-based representation for 1// processes is used to analyze multi-channel electrocorticogram (ECoG) data obtained from a subject with temporal lobe epilepsy. The computational results show that the spectral exponents of different channels of the ECoG data exhibit different characteristics of spectral exponent 7. Also during an epileptic seizure the spectral exponent 7 of the ECoG signals is significantly higher than that associated with other states of the brain. An increase in the spectral exponent can however be observed in only channels that exhibit the ictal behavior, suggesting that regions of the brain that are involved in ictal activity can be localized.
Long-term effects of pediatric intensive care unit hospitalization on families with young children * **

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term effects of the pediatric intensive care unit experience on parents and on family adaptation. Design: A three-group prospective, comparison, convenience sample was used in this study. Setting: The study took place in a midwestern university-affiliated tertiary pediatric medical center. Subjects: Three groups of parents (parents with children in the pediatric intensive care unit, parents with children in a general care unit, and parents with nonhospitalized ill children) were studied. The children were ages 5 years or younger. Outcome Measures: Indicators of family adaptation included parental stress, stress symptoms, family functioning, and life events. Results: The mothers' stress symptoms in all groups were more prevalent than a normative sample, and they perceived their families as dysfunctional after discharge from the hospital. Slope analysis was used to examine the patterns of stress symptoms and family functioning and indicated little directional change over time for the mothers. Conclusion: Despite the smaller than expected sample sizes over time, results suggest that parents are still having stress-related symptoms and difficulties with family functioning as long as 6 months after a child's illness event. (Heart Lung® 2002;31:53-66.)
Density Dependent Double Brooding in Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in the Northern Great Plains, USA

Abstract. Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) are primarily monogamous birds that usually raise only one brood per season, but rare instances of double brooding have been documented. Piping Plovers breeding in the northern Great Plains, USA were studied in two locations: the Missouri River near the Gavins Point Dam (2005– 2013) and the lower Platte River (2008–2013). There were 25 confirmed instances of double brooding on the Missouri River across the 9-year duration of the study. There were no instances of double brooding observed locally on the lower Platte River. However, in 2013, two female Piping Plovers successfully hatched eggs and fledged chicks from nests on the lower Platte River and later were observed nesting for a second time on the Missouri River. Factors predicted to increase the frequency of double brooding are: early nest initiation, male biased sex ratio, age of breeding adults, and decreased nesting density. Our results indicate density is an important factor that accounts for some of t...
Quantifying the Effects of Repeated Long-Duration Dives on Baseline Heart Rate Variability Measures

Military divers undergo unique and strenuous physical demands on a daily basis. The MULLET study is a unique experiment designed to replicate some of the distinct demands related to repeated thermo...
Rodrigo's Remonstrance: Love and Despair in an Age of Indifference - Should Humans Have Standing?

I enlist my alter ego, Rodrigo Crenshaw, to analyze the predicament of men of color, particularly black men who, according to many commentators, are an endangered species with high rates of school dropout, conviction, imprisonment, and early death. I review commentaries and environmental law showing that protection of nonhuman animals is advancing rapidly and that animals may easily gain legal standing to sue for violation of their rights and interests even earlier than the date when black men receive full protection.
Foreign Words and the Automatic Processing of Arabic Social Media Text Written in Roman Script

Arabic on social media has all the properties of any language on social media that make it tough for natural language processing, plus some specific problems. These include diglossia, the use of an alternative alphabet (Roman), and code switching with foreign languages. In this paper, we present a system which can process Arabic written in Roman alphabet (“Arabizi”). It identifies whether each word is a foreign word or one of another four categories (Arabic, name, punctuation, sound), and transliterates Arabic words and names into the Arabic alphabet. We obtain an overall system performance of 83.8% on an unseen test set.
Higher Education Accreditation: Market Regulation or Government Regulation Revisited

Higher education is under fire in the United States. Pressure, both financial and political, is being placed on colleges and universities to reform. One barrier to reform that has been put forth is accreditation. While calls for reform have identified what appear to be problems with accreditation, it is important to not engage in the nirvana fallacy and assume that what we can imagine will be better will be better. In that light, I look at the history of the accreditation process with a focus on the role the federal government has played and how that has in uenced other players in the higher education market. After surveying the history, I conclude that accreditation as currently practiced in not self- regulation, but rather government regulation.
Scattering and attenuation

abstract An extensive existence of strong small-scale heterogeneity in the earth is suggested by the great variability of direct waves and remarkable stability of scattered waves, both in the case of teleseismic P coda and in the case of local earthquake S coda. Quantitative studies of small-scoale heterogeneities have been made by the following three methods. A lower bound of heterogeneity in the lithosphere has been estimated by the deterministic or stochastic modeling of travel-time and amplitude fluctuation of teleseismic P waves across a large aperture seismic array. An upper bound of heterogeneity has been estimated by modeling the attenuation of S waves as a scattering loss due to heterogeneity. These two approaches suggest the existence of heterogeneity with rms velocity fluctuations from 3 to 10 per cent. The third method is based on the estimation of heterogeneity from the amplitude of coda waves. We found a significant discrepancy between the result obtained by the third method and those from the first two, and attribute the discrepancy to the assumption of a single-scattering model adopted in the coda generation theory. The need for including multiple scattering as well as for considering vector elastic waves rather than scalar waves is emphasized.
Vascular Risk Factors: A Ticking Time Bomb to Alzheimer’s Disease

Evidence is growing that vascular risk factors (VRFs) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) affect cerebral hemodynamics to launch a cascade of cellular and molecular changes that initiate cognitive deficits and eventual progression of AD. Neuroimaging studies have reported VRFs for AD to be accurate predictors of cognitive decline and dementia. In regions that participate in higher cognitive function, middle temporal, posterior cingulate, inferior parietal and precuneus regions, and neuroimaging studies indicate an association involving VRFs, cerebral hypoperfusion, and cognitive decline in elderly individuals who develop AD. The VRF can be present in cognitively intact individuals for decades before mild cognitive deficits or neuropathological signs are manifested. In that sense, they may be "ticking time bombs" before cognitive function is demolished. Preventive intervention of modifiable VRF may delay or block progression of AD. Intervention could target cerebral blood flow (CBF), since most VRFs act to lower CBF in aging individuals by promoting cerebrovascular dysfunction.
Progress in High-Order Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Aerospace Applications

This paper covers progress in developing and applying high-order accurate discretizations based on the Discontinuous Galerkin approach to aerodynamic applications. The paper concentrates on various specific areas including discretization of diusion terms, shock capturing, and multigrid solution methods. The development of a fully conservative Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian formulation which obeys the Geometric Conservation Law while maintaining the design order of accuracy of the static mesh discretization is also presented. Additionally, adjoint-based sensitivity analysis for design optimization as well as error estimation and adaptive control is demonstrated. Finally, prospects for future advancements and eciency gains over traditional finite volume methods are discussed in a concluding section.
Factors that Facilitate and Impede School Counselor Advocacy for and with LGBT Students

ABSTRACTDespite the increasing focus on advocacy in the field of school counseling, there is a dearth of empirical research on the factors that facilitate and impede school counselor advocacy in general and with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in particular. As such, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the factors that enable and inhibit high school counselors’ advocacy efforts with and on behalf of LGBT students.
First-Principles Definition and Measurement of Planetary Electromagnetic-Energy Budget

The imperative to quantify the Earths electromagnetic-energy budget with an extremely high accuracy has been widely recognized but has never been formulated in the framework of fundamental physics. In this paper we give a first-principles definition of the planetary electromagnetic-energy budget using the Poynting- vector formalism and discuss how it can, in principle, be measured. Our derivation is based on an absolute minimum of theoretical assumptions, is free of outdated notions of phenomenological radiometry, and naturally leads to the conceptual formulation of an instrument called the double hemispherical cavity radiometer (DHCR). The practical measurement of the planetary energy budget would require flying a constellation of several dozen planet-orbiting satellites hosting identical well-calibrated DHCRs.
Lentivirus Transduction of Gene Tags in Blastocysts

Chapter Summary Lentiviral gene transduction into blastocysts for placenta-specific gene manipulation enables sensitive assays of gene functions in the placenta. Using optical reporter genes and bioluminescence imaging (BLI), this method has been used for noninvasive, repetitive monitoring of placenta-specific gene expression throughout pregnancy in mice. Selection of lentivirally transduced blastocysts for optimal reporter expression before transfer into recipients ensures uniform gene expression in all placentas of the same litter and early detection and quantitative analysis of gene expression throughout pregnancy by BLI. This system has been adapted for pregnancy stage-specific induction of gene expression in placentas using the tetracycline-inducible Tet-On system, an important advancement enabling analysis of stage-specific gene functions. This protocol describes methods for transduction of blastocysts with lentiviruses expressing firefly luciferase (Fluc) and tomato fluorescent protein (Tomato) for trophoblast-specific gene expression, monitoring of Fluc expression by BLI in the blastocyst and throughout pregnancy, and doxycycline induction of Fluc expression in blastocysts and at discrete stages of pregnancy.
Analytic Solution to the Two Dimension Merton Model

We present an exact analytic solution to the two-dimensional correlated default structural Merton model in the form of a local volatility problem using a conformal square-root transformation of the exact solution to a 2D hybrid barrier problem. We also give an approximation and evaluate it numerically to give an example. Finally we give an exact simpler solution for the zero correlation case.
A PRECISION MEASUREMENT OF THE TOTAL CROSS SECTION OF Pu$sup 239$ BETWEEN 0.00291 AND 0.1 ev

The total neutron cross section of Pu/sup 239/ was measured at seventeen neutron energies between 0.00291 ev and 0.l0 ev with a crystal spectrometer. The absorption cross section was obtained by subtracting the relatively small scattering cross section from the measured total cross section. The sample used was a plutonium-aluminum metallic foil containing 1% aluminum. The isotopic content of the plutonium was 99.82% Pu/sup 239/, 0.15% Pu/sup 240/, and 0.03% Pu/ sup 241. The value obtained for the absorption cross section of Pu/sup 239/ at 2200 meters/sec was sigma /sub a/= 1007 plus or minus 8 barns. (auth)
Measuring, Interpreting, and Responding to Changes in Coral Reefs: A Challenge for Biologists, Geologists, and Managers

What, exactly, is a coral reef? And how have the world’s reefs changed in the last several decades? What are the stressors undermining reef structure and function? Given the predicted effects of climate change, do reefs have a future? Is it possible to “manage” coral reefs for resilience? What can coral reef scientists contribute to improve protection and management of coral reefs? What insights can biologists and geologists provide regarding the persistence of coral reefs on a human timescale? What is reef change to a biologist… to a geologist?
Fabrication and characterization of AlGaInP multiple-quantum-wire lasers

We report on the fabrication of the first AlGaInP visible laser diodes with multiple quantum wire active regions formed in situ during gas source molecular beam epitaxy. No regrowths or ex situ fabrication procedures were employed in the formation of the quantum wires. Quantum wires with cross-sectional dimensions of approximately 50 AA*120 AA were achieved with a linear wire density of 100/ mu m. Broad area stripe geometry lasers with contact stripe oriented in the [110] and [110] directions had an anisotropic threshold current density ratio of more than 3.75. Lower threshold current densities were obtained for lasers with contact stripes in the [110] direction, perpendicular to the quantum wires. Strong dependence of electroluminescence polarization on contact stripe direction was observed with a TE/TM intensity ratio of over 275. >
Classification of Totally Ordered Abelian Groups

Totally ordered abelian groups fall into two categories namely dense and discrete ordered groups according as the group, considered as an ordered set. Is dense or discrete in its order. In [9], we have discussed a special class of discrete ordered groups which we called hereditary discrete ordered groups.
Motivating urban cycling through a blockchain-based financial incentives system

As cities become increasingly dense, they must turn to novel technologies and frameworks to address the mobility challenges that will arise. 50% of trips in the U.S. are less than 3 miles, and could be replaced by a more sustainable and space-efficient mode of transportation, such as bicycling, if effective policies and incentives were implemented. This abstract presents a financial incentives system to increase the prevalence of urban cycling. The blockchain-based system allows cyclists to receive financial compensation from organizations, such as city governments or local businesses, that would like to sponsor cyclists. Using bicycle-powered sensors, cyclists collect and redeem their activity data through smart contracts stored and executed on an Ethereum blockchain. The use of blockchain technology makes transactions secure, trustworthy, and timely. This project envisions expanding this data platform to include additional bicycle-based sensors that cyclists use to collect and sell data, monetizing their commuting habits, and building a scalable and stable solution for encouraging sustainable transportation in cities.
Histologic Considerations and Salivary Gland Tumor Classification in Surgical Pathology

The classification of salivary gland neoplasms is dynamic and continues to evolve, as reflected in the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Head and Neck Tumours. This includes recently identified and defined tumor types, such as intraductal carcinoma and cribriform adenocarcinoma of minor salivary glands. It also includes new nomenclature for well-established tumors, most notably, polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAd) for polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) and secretory carcinoma (SC) for mammary analogue secretory carcinoma (MASC). The WHO classification separates neoplastic entities primarily on tumor morphology and predicts biologic behavior. Newly identified and continually growing numbers of specific molecular alterations in salivary gland tumors have buttressed the morphologic-based classification.
Pulse Shortening in Recirculating Planar Magnetrons

Recirculating planarmagnetron (RPM) experiments at the University of Michigan have utilized a 12-frame ultrafast intensified CCD camera to analyze the effect of plasma formation on microwave pulse duration. The RPM was driven by a −300-kV voltage pulse for 0.3–1.0 $\mu $ s, with a 0.08–0.27-T axial magnetic field. The RPM has previously demonstrated peakmicrowave powers of over 150 MW, with typical microwave pulse durations of 50–150 ns, far shorter than the available voltage pulse. To investigate possible causes of pulse shortening, the RPM was imaged with both S-band (2 GHz) and L-band (1 GHz) anodes, as well as two different cathodes with substantially different anode–cathode (AK) gap widths and end caps. It was found that a smaller AK gap produced brighter plasma and allowed for improvements in temporal resolution of the imaging configuration at the expense of larger end-loss current. Many shotsdemonstrated a direct correlationbetween intervane anode plasma formation and a sharp reduction in RF power. Anode vane plasma is formed at the axial ends of the anode, indicating field enhancement effects. Contact resistance plasma was also observed at the back of anode vane cavities. Details of plasma formation are illustrated and methods for remediating these plasmas are proposed.
Long-term Clinical Outcomes of Pars Plana Versus Anterior Chamber Placement of Glaucoma Implant Tubes.

Purpose To compare long-term surgical outcomes and complications of pars plana (PP) tube implantation with conventional anterior chamber (AC) tube implantation. Materials and methods Records of patients undergoing glaucoma tube implant surgery at a single institution between 2007 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Eyes were matched for glaucoma diagnosis and patient age. Demographics, baseline characteristics, and treatment outcomes were recorded. Surgical success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) between 6 and 21 mm Hg, no subsequent glaucoma surgeries performed, and at least light perception vision. Results Fifty-seven eyes that underwent Ahmed or Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device surgery with PP tube placement were compared with 57 eyes with AC tube placement. Mean follow-up was 43.5 months in the PP group and 35.3 months in the AC group (P=0.02). Forty-nine (86.0%) PP eyes and 46 (80.7%) AC eyes achieved surgical success (P=0.45). At last follow-up, mean IOP decreased from 29.0 to 15.1 mm Hg in the PP group (P 0.05 for all). There were 16 complications in the PP group and 14 in the AC group (P=0.67). Conclusions Long-term results of glaucoma tube implant surgery with PP versus AC implantation shows effective IOP control with similar rates of surgical success.
Pleurotomaria: Pedigreed Perseverance?

Living pleurotomariids or slit shells provide a rare glimpse at the biology of remnants of a primitive and predominantly Paleozoic group of gastropods. Discovery of the first living pleurotomariid (Fischer and Bernardi 1856) generated considerable scientific excitement, in precisely the same pattern that later attended the discovery of Neopilina galatheae (Lemche 1957).