cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study on evaluation method of cation exchange capacity using NMR T_2 distribution

Cation exchange capacity(CEC) is a critical item in the interpretation model of water saturation resistivity based on shaly sandstone.According to the volume model of oil-bearing and gas-bearing shaly sandstone and the diffusion double layer theory,the theoretical relationship among CEC and the porosity of clay bound water,the salinity of formation water and total porosity was derived.On this basis,a method of calculating CEC was put forward by using nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) T2 distribution combined with the data of NMR experiment and wet chemistry cation exchange capacity test.Actual data application shows that the result of CEC calculated by using NMR T2 distribution coincides with that of core analysis,which confirms that the proposed method in this paper is feasible.The study can provide some references for extending application of NMR logging reservoir evaluation.
Spring and Asymptotic Boundary Condition Models for Study of Scattering by Thin Cylindrical Interphases

Specially designed fiber-matrix interphases are created in modern composites to improve fracture toughness, chemical compatibility and matching of thermal expansion coefficients between composite constituents [1, 2, 3]. Since the interphase transfers the load from matrix to fiber, the interphase elastic moduli, thickness and the quality of bonding with the surrounding fiber and matrix are essential in determining composite mechanical performance. Such interphase conditions can be sensed by ultrasonic waves due to strong interphase effects on wave scattering from fibers. However the interphase properties (elastic modulus and thickness) are in-situ parameters and are often difficult to define. One way to get around this is to introduce simplified boundary condition (B.C.) models to describe the displacement and stress fields across the interphase directly. In this paper we will address this problem with emphasis on spring and asymptotic B.C. models as a representation of a thin fiber-matrix interphase when studying wave scattering from fibers.
Failure and Success of Current Total Ankle Replacements Used in the United States

Methodology for the evaluation of total ankle replacements is described. These include the kinematics of and forces on the ankle, and failure analysis, particularly wear. Ankle arthrodesis and its problems are discussed, as are those of total ankle replacement. Ankle arthrodesis is an imperfect solution since it greatly reduces ankle functionality and has significant complications such as malunion and significant post-operative pain. Early fixed-bearing total ankle replacements were all long-term failures and thus, abandoned. Currently available fixed-bearing total ankle replacements have either proven to be inferior to ankle arthrodesis or are substantially equivalent to the earlier devices and thus long-term expectations should be tempered. In contrast, mobile-bearing total ankle replacements have been shown to be reasonably safe and effective and are widely used outside the USA. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved one mobile-bearing total ankle replacement, the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement, after a rigorous non-inferiority clinical trial comparing it to ankle arthrodesis.
Essential tremor treated with topiramate: A case series

Objective: The authors evaluated a series of essential tremor (ET) patients treated with topiramate in a university-based movement disorders clinic. Design: A retrospective clinical review of patient cases in a naturalistic setting was employed. Subjects and Setting: Patients who were prescribed topiramate for ET were identified from clinic records. Patients were contacted by telephone to determine subjective improvement of tremor. Patients reporting improvement were invited to return for clinical evaluation. Outcome Measures: Patients drew the Archimedes Spiral and were asked about performance of activities of daily living at each office visit. These activities were evaluated using a 5-point Essential Tremor Scale (ETS). Results: Fourteen ET patients had been prescribed topiramate. The average age was 58 years and the average tremor duration was 17 years. The mean final topiramate dose was 105 mg/day (range: 25 to 400 mg/day). Eight of the 14 patients reported subjective tremor improvement with a mean dose of 128 mg/day (50 to 400 mg/day). Five of the patients were available for further evaluation. The average topiramate dose for the five patients was 175 mg/day (50 to 400 mg/day). The mean initial ETS score was 3.02 (2.5 to 3.5) for the patients; the final mean ETS score was 2.3 (1.75 to 3). The mean dose for the six patients who stated they did not respond to topiramate treatment was 75 mg/day (25 to 100 mg/day). One patient discontinued topiramate due to increased nervousness. Conclusions: Based on the 57% subjective response rate seen in our case series, topiramate may be a useful treatment for some patients with ET in a clinical practice.
Grapes and Cancer

Grape consumption has been linked to beneficial effects in the prevention or treatment of various different cancers in laboratory animals and humans. Several phytochemicals in the skin and seeds of grapes have been implicated in having anticancer activity including resveratrol, quercetin, and proanthocyanidins, among others. These components promote tumor cell apoptosis, have antiproliferative effects through cell cycle arrest, disrupt intracellular signaling including Wnt and PI3K/AKT pathways, suppress inflammatory responses, and display anti-angiogenic activity. The best studied individual component of grapes with anticancer properties is resveratrol which can inhibit intestinal tumorigenesis, hepatocellular cancer, and skin cancer in rodent models. Only a handful of human studies have been performed with resveratrol, but these have demonstrated activity on key proliferative pathways in target organs despite questions about bioavailability and attainable serum concentrations of specific grape-derived phytochemicals. Overall, based on epidemiologic evidence, laboratory studies in vitro and in model organisms, and direct human studies, grapes or specific components of grapes hold promise for both cancer prevention and treatment.
Accountable to Whom? The Rhetorical Circulation of Neoliberal Discourse and Its Ambient Effects on Higher Education

The chapter uses Ron Greene’s cartographic methodology and a sensibility toward what Thomas Rickert calls ambient rhetoric to explore shifts in the felt environment of higher education. It tracks the rhetorical circulation of educational discourse through its historical formation and analyzes this ambient rhetoric within recent policy changes at the California State University (CSU) and the State University of New York (SUNY) systems. The history is culled from deliberations about federally funded educational initiatives interwoven with popular discourse manifested in newspapers, magazines, and best-selling economic literature. Ultimately, the chapter reveals a transition in the underlying warrant for education policies from the national social good to international market competition and a transformation in its recipients from individuals with social needs to statistical populations with market needs.
Effects of functional electrical stimulation on gait in people with multiple sclerosis - A systematic review.

Abstract Background Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is commonly used to ameliorate gait deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). This review critically evaluates the literature describing the orthotic and therapeutic effects of FES on gait in PwMS. Methods The PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases were searched. Included were studies that evaluated therapeutic and/or orthotic effects of FES in PwMS with at least one outcome measure related to gait. Methodology was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. Results Twelve relevant studies were reviewed. Their methodological quality ranged from 14 to 21 of 28. Eleven studies reported the effects of peroneal stimulation. Most found a significant orthotic effect (measured during stimulation), mainly on walking speed. Only three assessed the therapeutic effect (carry-over), which was not significant. Conclusions The evidence presented in this review suggests that FES has a positive orthotic effect on walking in PwMS. Yet, more robust trials are needed to substantiate this finding. Therapeutic efficacy of FES was not demonstrated, and almost all studies tested a single channel peroneal stimulator. Future studies involving FES technological innovations with advanced clinical approaches might contribute to a carry-over effect from FES and increase the percentage of PwMS who benefit from this technology.
The rotational dynamics of H2 adsorbed in covalent organic frameworks

A combined inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and theoretical study was carried out on H2 adsorbed in two covalent organic framework (COF) materials: COF-1 and COF-102. These COFs are synthesized from self-condensation reactions of 1,4-benzenediboronic acid (BDBA) and tetra(4-(dihydroxy)borylphenyl)methane (TBPM) molecules, respectively. Molecular simulations of H2 adsorption in COF-1 revealed that the H2 molecules occupy the region between two eclipsed layers of the COF. The most favorable H2 binding site in COF-1 is located between two B3O3 clusters of the eclipsed layers. Two distinct H2 binding sites were identified in COF-102 from the simulations: the B3O3 clusters and the phenyl rings of the tetraphenylmethyl units. Two-dimensional quantum rotation calculations for H2 adsorbed at the considered sites in both COFs resulted in rotational transitions that are in good agreement with those that appear in the corresponding INS spectra. Such calculations were important for interpreting the INS spectra in these materials. Calculation of the rotational potential energy surface for H2 bound at the most favorable adsorption site in COF-1 and COF-102 revealed unusually high rotational barriers that are attributed to the nature of the B3O3 rings. The values for these barriers to rotation are greater than or comparable to those observed in some metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that possess open-metal sites. This study demonstrates the power of using INS experiments in conjunction with theoretical calculations to gain valuable insights into the nature of the binding sites and, for the first time, the rotational dynamics of H2 adsorbed in COFs.
Clinical effect of CYP2C9*5/*6 genotype on a patient's warfarin dose requirement.

We describe a 38-year-old African–American female treated with warfarin for acute bilateral pulmonary emboli who is a carrier of two rare CYP2C9 variant alleles, *5 and *6, along with VKORC1 −1639GG and CYP4F2 433Val/Val genotypes. Warfarin was dosed according to the hospital's Personalized Medicine Program recommendations of 5–6 mg/day for the first 6 days, and reduced to 2.5 mg/day starting on day 8 and continued for the following 3 weeks. This case sheds further light on the cumulative clinical impact of the CYP2C9 variant alleles, *5 and *6, on warfarin dose requirements and practical considerations for warfarin genotyping in a racially and ethnically diverse population.
Neighborhood, Family, and Peer Factors Associated with Early Adolescent Smoking and Alcohol Use

There is broad agreement that neighborhood contexts are important for adolescent development, but there is less consensus about their association with adolescent smoking and alcohol use. Few studies have examined associations between neighborhood socioeconomic contexts and smoking and alcohol use while also accounting for differences in family and peer risk factors for substance use. Data drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project (N = 808), a gender-balanced (female = 49%), multiethnic, theory-driven longitudinal study originating in Seattle, WA, were used to estimate trajectories of smoking and alcohol use from 5th to 9th grade. Time-varying measures of neighborhood socioeconomic, family, and peer factors were associated with smoking and alcohol use at each wave after accounting for average growth in smoking and alcohol use over time and demographic differences. Results indicated that living in more socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, lower family income, lower family general functioning, more permissive family smoking environments, and affiliation with deviant peers were independently associated with increased smoking. Lower family functioning, more permissive family alcohol use environments, and deviant peers were independently associated with increased alcohol use. The effect of neighborhood disadvantage on smoking was mediated by family income and deviant peers while the effect of neighborhood disadvantage on alcohol use was mediated by deviant peers alone. Family functioning and family substance use did not mediate associations between neighborhood disadvantage and smoking or alcohol use. The results highlight the importance of neighborhood, family, and peer factors in early adolescent smoking and alcohol use. Future studies should examine the unique association of neighborhood disadvantage with adolescent smoking net of family socioeconomics, functioning, and substance use, as well as peer affiliations. Better understanding of the role of contextual factors in early adolescent smoking and alcohol use can help bolster efforts to prevent both short and long harms from substance use.
Development of new transformants of mouse JB6P series cells as tools for understanding redox and transcriptional factor regulation

4269 The mouse epidermal JB6P cell line consists of tumor promotion sensitive (JB6P+) and tumor promotion resistant cells (JB6P-) that have been widely utilized to study tumor promotion. We transformed the JB6P+ cell line with prolonged low dose, UVBR (10mJ/cm 2 ), H 2 O 2 (10µM), and CdCl 2 (1µg/ml). Cell transformation was confirmed by anchorage-independence. JB6P+ parent cells formed colonies in soft agar culture (13.7±3.5 per 20 high-power fields) which are increased by stimulation with the tumor promotor TPA (44.7±2.9). For the new transformants in the absence of TPA, colonies formed (104.0± 17.3 per 20 high-power fields, JB6P+/UV; 56.7±15.0, JB6P+/H 2 O 2 ; 64.3±22, JB6P+/Cd cells; p 2 O 2 (6.5, 1.3-fold), and JB6P+/Cd cells (3.6,1.4 fold). Many nuclear transcription factors, for example Activating Protein-1(AP-1), are rapidly activated by elevated ROS stresses. Using Western Blot analysis of nuclear protein extractions, the distinct AP-1 composition patterns are summarized in the table below. We hypothesize that the UVBR, H 2 O 2 and CdCl 2 transformed the JB6P+ cells through different mechanisms. Relative l densitometric laser measurements of AP-1 subunits Each band was scanned and the densitometric measurements normalized to the JB6P+ results. ( C-Fos was normalized to JB6P+/UV results). * The zero value represents
Using Semidefinite Programming to Calculate Bounds on Stochastic Chemical Kinetic Systems at Steady State

Abstract The method of moments has been proposed as a potential means to reduce the dimensionality of the chemical master equation (CME) appearing in stochastic chemical kinetics. However, attempts to apply the method of moments to the CME usually result in the so-called closure problem. Several authors have proposed moment closure schemes, which allow them to obtain approximations of quantities of interest, such as the mean count of molecules of each species. However, these approximations have the dissatisfying feature that they come with no error bounds. This paper presents a fundamentally different approach to the closure problem in stochastic chemical kinetics. Instead of making an approximation to compute a single number for the quantity of interest, we calculate mathematically rigorous bounds on this quantity by solving semidefinite programs (SDPs). These bounds provide a check on the validity of the moment closure approximations, and are in some cases so tight that they effectively provide the desired quantity. This paper is concerned solely with mean particle counts at steady state. However, in the conclusion, we suggest several possible extensions of the method.
Automatic Identification of Peak V in Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials

The need for automatic interpretation of evoked potentials for use in intraoperative monitoring and for monitoring of critically ill patients in intensive care units is discussed. A computer algorithm for automatic identification and continuous tracking of peak V of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) is described.
Comparative Assessment of PASI and Variations of PGA×BSA as Measures of Psoriasis Severity:

BackgroundCommonly used instruments for measuring psoriasis, such as Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), have limitations, including high complexity.ObjectiveDetermine if PGA×BSA or PGA×√BSA ...
Guidelines for Determining the Structures of Radical SAM Enzyme-Catalyzed Modifications in the Biosynthesis of RiPP Natural Products.

Abstract Radical S-adenosylmethionine (RaS) enzymes catalyze some of the most fascinating transformations in Nature. With only ~ 100 of the > 300,000 members studied to date, it is safe to assume that a plethora of new reactions and reaction mechanisms remain to be elucidated. It is by now relatively easy to spot RaS enzymes in microbial genomes. However, to determine the reactions that they carry out, detailed structural characterization of the product(s) is necessary, a process that still represents a significant roadblock in the study of RaS enzymes. We have recently combined natural products structural elucidation along with RaS enzymology to provide a proof of concept for how the confluence of these approaches can lead to the discovery of new natural products and RaS enzyme-mediated transformations. Herein, we provide guidelines for expressing, purifying, and reconstituting a subclass of RaS enzymes that contain a so-called SPASM domain, as well as characterizing the reactions that they catalyze using a combination of HR/MSn and NMR investigations. Application of these approaches will aid in expanding the chemical and biosynthetic repertoire of RaS enzymes in the future.
Using voice recognition enabled smartwatches to improve nurse documentation

Nurses in inpatient wards devote significant time and effort to documenting patient care. At present, documentation accounts for about 35% of a nurse's shift. Inadequate documentation can impact patient health and institutional liability. To ensure its prompt completion, data entry is often done in front of a patient, with a nurse's gaze fixed to a computer and keyboard. This practice can disrupt patient trust and engagement. The work herein introduces a new paradigm to support nurse data entry, task planning, and notification. The paradigm is to simplify the entry of data into initial placeholders at the point of patient care, for subsequent full completion later, away from the patient. Respectively, a smartwatch application with voice recognition was implemented, as well as a desktop user interface. Items can be added to an electronic checklist, upcoming events scheduled so that notifications are received, and specific notes can be flagged to facilitate shift handoff. Design choices were based on observations, focus groups, and feedback from registered nurses. Accordingly, the applications were evaluated, with simulated patients, by nurses who reported they were easy to learn and not distracting. The use of available features varied by nurse, indicating a degree of individual customizability.
O2-Independent Killing of Gram-Negative Bacteria by Intact Granulocytes. The Role of a Potent Bactericidal Membrane-Perturbing Protein

During the past two decades many students of the microbicidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) have become increasingly convinced that the important role of the PMN in host defense against bacterial infection depends predominantly on the cell’s ability to generate cytotoxic systems that utilize oxygen1,2. This view has been strongly supported by the observations on patients with chronic granulomatous disease, whose leukocytes cannot generate these systemsl,2.
Interval Estimates for Signal Processing: Special Purpose Hardware

Error estimation for the results of signal processing is traditionally based on the assumption that we know the probability distribution of the input signals. In many real-life situations, however, we only know the upper bounds for the signal's error, i.e., we only know the intervals of possible values of the input signal. In such situations, we are interested in knowing the interval of possible values of the output. The corresponding computations are often very computationally intensive; in this paper, we describe a special purpose hardware which can drastically speed up the computation of interval estimates for signal processing.
Differential topography of human eye movement potentials preceding visually triggered and self-initiated saccades.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses differential topography of human eye movement potentials preceding visually triggered and self-initiated saccades. During normal vision the external world is scanned by a sequence of eye movements that occur from 2 to 5 times/sec. Input of the visual image is accomplished during the intervening fixations. The factors that enter into the programming of each saccade are complex, including visual information from the preceding fixation, changes in visual, auditory and somesthetic input and internally generated cognitive demands as well. Scalp recordings of potentials associated with self-initiated saccades in human subjects show activity that precedes the eye movements. Twelve normal adults are studied. A midline and left parasagittal electrode montage comprising 12 electrodes spanned the head from the mid-frontal (Fz) to the occipital region (Oz) so as to encompass the region of the classical frontal and posterior eye fields. Electroencephalography (EEG) is conventionally recorded with bandpass of 0.3–70 Hz and averaged in synchrony with the onset of saccades.
Temperature Dependence for Hydrothermal Reactions of Waste Glasses and Ceramics

While leach tests to date on simulated high level waste (HLW) forms have been conducted at temperatures ranging from 20° to 350°C, little has been done to determine the actual temperature dependence for the interaction between the waste form and the leachate. This report discusses the results of a study to determine the effect of temperture on the leaching behavior of several HLW forms.
Why Does the State Keep Coming Back? Neoliberalism, the State and the Archeon

In this essay I argue that the distinction between neoliberalism and the Westphalian order that is said to precede it (along with populism, authoritarianism and other contemporary phenomenon) are all facets of one and the same phenomenon: archism. Archism is a style of politics based on rule and division. Looking at the work of Derrida, Foucault and Benjamin, I examine the inner workings of archism and how it can be resisted. Above all, I consider the notion of the ‘archeon’; that privileged perch from which the state or law can judge without itself being subject to that judgment. The archeon, I argue is the central node of archism that allows itself to insinuate into any number of myriad forms without appearing to be the same phenomenon. By looking at the way Benjamin subverts the theological origins of the archeon with the idea of a God who abandons the position of judgment, I show a model for how to think differently about archism such that we do not seem eternally fated to choose between the same false dichotomies over and over again.
Investigating Relationship Dependence in International B2B Channel Relationships: An Abstract

Developing successful relationships with channel partners has become increasingly important in recent years as channel systems rather than individual firms compete for advantage. Yet as many firms have discovered, managing a channel, especially channels with international partners, can be difficult. Aside from the inherent financial conflict between channel members, international channel partners often have different goals, different management styles, and cultural differences. In such situations, channel management is a function of relationship dependence. The more dependent the channel partner is on the relationship, the more likely the partner is to cooperate (e.g., Razzaque and Boob 2003). Dependence influences satisfaction with the relationship (e.g., Johnson 1999) as well as performance (e.g., Hernandez-Espallardo and Arcas-Lario 2008, Osmonbekov and Gruen 2013).
RATES AND PREDICTORS OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS VACCINATION AMONG YOUNG MEN RECRUITED FROM URBAN CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS

Background and Objective Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are suboptimal in young men, representing a missed opportunity to prevent cancers caused by HPV. Data about factors associated with vaccination over time are important to design interventions that improve vaccination rates. The aims of this study were to determine HPV vaccine initiation and completion rates in young men 13-26 years of age recruited from clinical and community settings from 2013-2014 and 2016-2017, and to determine factors associated with vaccination. Material and Methods Men (N=747) were recruited from a hospital-based teen health center (THC), health department sexually transmitted disease clinic (HDSTD) and the general community. Participants completed a self-administered survey assessing demographic and behavioral factors. Vaccination status was determined using the electronic medical record and a statewide immunization registry. We determined vaccine initiation and completion rates, by recruitment site and year. We determined factors independently associated with vaccine initiation and completion, overall and stratified by recruitment year, using multivariable logistic regression. Results Mean age was 21.2 years, 258 (34.5%) had initiated the vaccine series and 154 (20.8%) had completed it. Those recruited from the THC (vs. community and HDSTD) were more likely to initiate (71.3%, 23.2%, and 19.5%, respectively, p<.0001) and complete (50.7%, 11.7%, and 8.3%, p<.0001) the series. In multivariable analysis, variables associated with vaccine initiation were younger age (13-17 vs. 22-26 years: AOR 5.31), insurance plan (Private vs. Medicaid: OR 0.39; Medicaid vs. others: AOR 2.22), no cigarette smoking (no vs. yes: AOR 1.78) and recruitment site (THC vs. HDSTD: AOR 3.74; THC vs. community: AOR 3.01). Variables associated with vaccine completion were younger age (13-17 vs. 22-26 years: AOR 3.55; 18-21 vs. 22-26 years: AOR 4.26), insurance plan (Private vs. Medicaid: AOR 0.51; Medicaid vs. others: AOR 2.62), fewer lifetime female partners (1 vs. 2-10: AOR 2.55; 1 vs. 11+: AOR 2.23) and recruitment site (THC vs. HDSTD: AOR 4.99; THC vs. community: AOR 3.95). Conclusion HPV vaccine initiation and completion rates were low among young men over the 6 years after vaccine recommendations for men. Men who reported behaviors that have been associated with a higher risk for HPV were less likely to be vaccinated. Interventions that improve access to a primary care medical home and insurance programs that cover vaccination costs may increase HPV vaccination rates in young men.
Organization of the Oral Case Presentation

Medical students often view the oral case presentation as a rigid, rule-based recitation of clinical data, while their teachers see it as a flexible form of communication that uses the data to construct a diagnosis and treatment plan. The history of present illness should include a clinical timeline, pertinent positives and negatives, and relevant elements of the past medical and surgical history, social history, and review of systems. The physical exam gives detailed descriptions of the important findings; laboratory and imaging results should focus on abnormal and pertinent normal results. The assessment includes a summary of the key findings, a broad differential diagnosis, and an argument for the leading diagnosis. The plan should cover major treatment issues and diagnostic strategies. The SOAPS Method (Story, Organization, Argument, Pertinence, and Speech) provides a useful guide to the qualities of an effective oral presentation.
Project X - a new multi-megawatt proton source at Fermilab

Project X is a multi-megawatt proton facility being developed to support intensity frontier research in elementary particle physics, with possible applications to nuclear physics and nuclear energy research, at Fermilab. The centerpiece of this program is a superconducting H- linac that will support world leading programs in long baseline neutrino experimentation and the study of rare processes. Based on technology shared with the International Linear Collider (ILC), Project X will provide multi-MW beams at 60-120 GeV from the Main Injector, simultaneous with very high intensity beams at lower energies. Project X will also support development of a Muon Collider as a future facility at the energy frontier.
Cooperative Reasoning on Knowledge Graph and Corpus: A Multi-agentReinforcement Learning Approach

Knowledge-graph-based reasoning has drawn a lot of attention due to its interpretability. However, previous methods suffer from the incompleteness of the knowledge graph, namely the interested link or entity that can be missing in the knowledge graph(explicit missing). Also, most previous models assume the distance between the target and source entity is short, which is not true on a real-world KG like Freebase(implicit missing). The sensitivity to the incompleteness of KG and the incapability to capture the long-distance link between entities have limited the performance of these models on large KG. In this paper, we propose a model that leverages the text corpus to cure such limitations, either the explicit or implicit missing links. We model the question answering on KG as a cooperative task between two agents, a knowledge graph reasoning agent and an information extraction agent. Each agent learns its skill to complete its own task, hopping on KG or select knowledge from the corpus, via maximizing the reward for correctly answering the question. The reasoning agent decides how to find an equivalent path for the given entity and relation. The extraction agent provide shortcut for long-distance target entity or provide missing relations for explicit missing links with messages from the reasoning agent. Through such cooperative reward design, our model can augment the incomplete KG strategically while not introduce much unnecessary noise that could enlarge the search space and lower the performance.
Numerical Methodology for the Conceptual Design of Conformal Ablative Heat Shields

Conformal ablators are low-density composite materials comprising a flexible fibrous substrate and polymer matrix. Recent advancements have improved the efficiency of conformal ablator fabrication ...
Online shopping as a substitute or complement to in-store shopping trips in Iran?

Abstract The rapid growth of information and communications technology (ICT) has brought significant changes in shopping-related travel behavior. However, little attention has been paid to remote connectivity-based options in non-Western countries in terms of individuals' travel behavior and willingness to shop online rather than travel to brick-and-mortar retailers. This study investigates the emergence of online shopping behavior among Iranian people, who have experienced a recent and transformative boom in internet usage. To explore shopping behaviors, online and in-store shopping frequencies were examined through a comprehensive survey which collected data from individuals in the Metropolitan of Shiraz. The predictive factors of online and in-store shopping include internet experience, in-store shopping attributes, attitudes, lifestyle, and built-environment measures. The proportion of online shopping among the study population is remarkable despite the barriers to access popular online applications in Iran. Employing Structural Equation Models, this study accounts for both direct and indirect effects of key variables on both online and in-store shopping frequencies. Overall, our results reveal that the most influential determinants of online versus in-store shopping frequencies include the built environment, store-specific attributes, consumers' lifestyles and general attitudes. Other notable predictors of online shopping are the frequency of pre-purchase online searching and driving as the primary travel mode. Results suggest that in-store shopping has a complementary, rather than a purely adversarial, relationship with online shopping frequency while online shopping also motivates individuals to do more in-store shopping. Thus, while the ICT alternatives improve travel options, it is not always able to reduce shopping-related travel frequencies in the regions with the cultural and economic situations such as Iran.
Lynn, John A. Another Kind of War: The Nature and History of Terrorism: New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 520 pp., $40.00, ISBN 978-0300188813, Publication Date: July 2019

John A. Lynn has performed a great service with the release of his Another Kind of War: The Nature and History of Terrorism. Those interested in learning about the history and evolution of politica...
Electoral rules and voter bias against female candidates in Brazilian congressional elections

This paper examines whether and how electoral rules moderate the effect of voter bias on candidate choice. Voter bias against female candidates follows a pattern known as aversive sexism, which den...
First-year college students' weight change is influenced by their randomly assigned roommates' BMI

Author(s): van Woerden, Irene; Hruschka, Daniel; Brewis, Alexandra; Schaefer, David R; Bruening, Meg | Abstract: BackgroundThere is ongoing debate about whether friends' greater similarity in Body Mass Index (BMI) than non-friends is due to friend selection, shared environments, or peer influence.MethodsFirst-year college students (n = 104) from a southwestern U.S. university were randomly assigned roommates during the university's housing process, effectively removing friend selection effects. Participant BMI was measured up to four times (T1-T4) across 2015-2016. The influence of roommate baseline BMI (T1) on change in participant BMI over time (T2-T4) was analyzed using a linear mixed effects model adjusted for individual socio-demographics, linear time trends, baseline BMI, and physical clustering of students. A sensitivity analysis examining floormates was also conducted.ResultsConsistent with roommate influence, participants randomized to roommates with a higher BMI gained more weight between times T2 and T4 (β = 0.06; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.10). No shared environment effects (shared campus or floor) were found.ConclusionsRandomly assigned roommates influenced each other's weight trajectories. This clarifies that BMI convergence can occur outside of friend selection or shared environments mechanisms.
Accessibility, land use models, and modeling

Abstract This chapter examines the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice of land use–transportation interaction (LUTI) models from an accessibility perspective. Accessibility is a fundamental outcome of urban areas—that is, a measure of how well a city performs in allowing people and firms to access daily wants and needs. Accessibility is also a key variable integrating the land use and mobility subsystems. The relative attractiveness of a given location for, say, a particular household, depends on the accessibility enabled by that location, given the activities a household (or firm) wants to undertake and how it can undertake them. The relative attractiveness of different mobility options, given a household’s location and its desired activities, depends on the respective accessibility the various options help enable. Based on an updated review of recent LUTI model studies, the chapter assesses the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice, with a particular emphasis on the use of accessibility as an indicator and as a means for integrating LUTI model systems. There is speculation on how accessibility can and/or should be utilized, accounting for relevant technological changes and social dynamics. It is asserted that the next generation of LUTI models should adopt disaggregate, activity-based accessibility measures to better capture how individual choices aggregate to system behavior. This is particularly timely considering the accelerating changes in communications, mobility technologies, activity patterns, time routines, and other factors that may influence how individuals, firms, and households function, and desire to function, in modern metropolises.
Microcircuit synchronization and heavy tailed synaptic weight distribution in preB\"otzinger Complex contribute to generation of breathing rhythm

The preBotzinger Complex, the mammalian inspiratory rhythm generator, encodes inspiratory time as motor pattern. Spike synchronization throughout this sparsely connected network generates inspiratory bursts albeit with variable latencies after preinspiratory activity onset in each breathing cycle. Using preBotC rhythmogenic microcircuit minimal models, we examined the variability in probability and latency to burst, mimicking experiments. Among various physiologically plausible graphs of 1000 point neurons with experimentally determined neuronal and synaptic parameters, directed Erdős-Renyi graphs best captured the experimentally observed dynamics. Mechanistically, preBotC (de)synchronization and oscillatory dynamics are regulated by the efferent connectivity of spiking neurons that gates the amplification of modest preinspiratory activity through input convergence. Furthermore, to replicate experiments, a lognormal distribution of synaptic weights was necessary to augment the efficacy of convergent coincident inputs. These mechanisms enable exceptionally robust yet flexible preBotC attractor dynamics that, we postulate, represent universal temporal-processing and decision-making computational motifs throughout the brain.
Bureaucratic and Public Attitudes toward Environmental Regulation and the Economy

to regulate industrial activity in order to protect the environment with the effect of regulation on the economy. This problem is reflected in the jobs vs. environment debate that often arises when governments consider promulgating new standards or increasing the stringency of enforcement efforts. While em pirical studies of the relationship between en vironmental regulation and economic perfor mance show mixed results (Feiock and Stream 2001; Meyer 1995), conventional wisdom holds that there are some tradeoffs (Goodstein 1999). Understanding attitudes toward the relationship between environmental regula tion and the economy can give insight into the policy preferences of the public and the decisions of regulatory officials.
International Investment Law in Transition (Introduction)

The international investment regime is in a phase of transition, and emerging market MNEs will likely bear on the evolution. Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) have been the instrument of choice to pursue the right of establishment and investor protection by developed countries. These agreements aim to protect both investors’ and governments’ power to regulate. However, the increasing complexity of the international investment regime requires several considerations, such as governments’ increased screening of FDI projects, “essential security” concerns, political climates fostering protectionist behavior, and the relatively sudden spurt in investor-state disputes. While the investor-state dispute-settlement mechanism has helped address some issues, the mechanism faces criticisms as it has created inconsistent rulings and placed states on the defensive. In the context of this transition, will emerging players, many of which include state-owned entities, be accepted on equal terms by developed countries and their MNEs? This overview is part of a book that contains chapters by Roberto Echandi; Howard Mann; Peter T. Muchlinski; Stanimir A. Alexandrov; Susan D. Franck; Petros C. Mavroidis; John Cobau; Nassib G. Ziade; John H. Dunning and Sarianna M. Lundan; Rainer Geiger; Brigitte Stern; James Zhan, Jorg Weber and Joachim Karl; and Andrea K. Bjorklund.
Dissecting nematode resistance regions in soybean revealed pleiotropic effect of soybean cyst and reniform nematode resistance genes

Reniform nematode (RN, Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford & Oliveira) has emerged as one of the most important plant parasitic nematodes of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Planting resistant varieties is the most effective strategy for nematode management. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for RN resistance in an exotic soybean line, PI 438489B, using two linkage maps constructed from the Universal Soybean Linkage Panel (USLP 1.0) and next-generation whole-genome resequencing (WGRS) technology. Two QTL controlling RN resistance were identified-the soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) resistance gene GmSNAP18 at the rhg1 locus and its paralog GmSNAP11. Strong association between resistant phenotype and haplotypes of the GmSNAP11 and GmSNAP18 was observed. The results indicated that GmSNAP11 possibly could have epistatic effect on GmSNAP18, or vice versa, with the presence of a significant correlation in RN resistance of rhg1-a GmSNAP18 vs. rhg1-b GmSNAP18. Most importantly, our preliminary data suggested that GmSNAP18 and GmSNAP11 proteins physically interact in planta, suggesting that they belong to the same pathway for resistance. Unlike GmSNAP18, no indication of GmSNAP11 copy number variation was found. Moreover, gene-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed for rapid detection of RN or SCN resistance at these loci. Our analysis substantiates synergic interaction between GmSNAP11 and GmSNAP18 genes and confirms their roles in RN as well as SCN resistance. These results could contribute to a better understanding of evolution and subfunctionalization of genes conferring resistance to multiple nematode species and provide a framework for further investigations.
A new algorithm for the binate covering problem and its application to the minimization of Boolean relations

The binate covering problem (BCP) is the problem of finding a minimum cost assignment to variables that is a solution of a Boolean equation f=1. It is a generalization of the set covering (or unate covering) problem, where f is positive unate, and is generally given as a table with rows corresponding to the set elements and the columns corresponding to the subsets. Previous methods have considered the case when f is given as a product-of-sum formula or as a binary decision diagram (BDD). A branch-and-bound algorithm for the BCP that assumes f is expressed as the conjunction of multiple BDDs is presented. The BCP solver that has been implemented can be applied to several problems, including exact minimization of Boolean relations, for which results are presented. It has been possible to solve large, difficult problems (up to 4692 variables) which could not be solved by the product of sum based method. >
Teaching Devices and Controls during the Pandemic

This paper presents our experience in teaching Devices and Controls remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic in Autumn 2020, at the School of Engineering and Technology, University of Washington, Tacoma. As a core course for Computer Engineering and Systems students, and the only control course in this program’s curriculum, we tried our best to minimize the impact brought by the remote teaching and learning, bridge the gap between system theories and practical applications, and expose students to the state-of-the-art technology in the field of embedded control systems. Our efforts include distributing each student an easy-to-use Arduino Mega2560 starter kit, enhancing students’ understanding of control theories by using analysis/design tools supported by MATLAB/Simulink, and remotely supervising individual labs and a final project which implements a PID controller through both MATLAB/Simulink and Arduino IDE. In addition to four-hour lectures in the virtual classroom, students also take two-hour virtual lab each week, and complete the course project by the end of quarter. The course evaluation results showed that although challenged by the physically isolated setting, students gained knowledges of the embedded control systems, and in particular, the hands-on experience obtained from virtual labs and the individual project.
Data flow methods for dynamic system simulation - A CSSL-IV microcomputer network interface

A major problem in employing networks of microcomputers for the real-time simulation of complex systems is to allocate computational tasks to the various microcomputers in such a way that idle time and time lost in interprocess communication is minimized. The research reported in this paper is directed to the development of a software interface between a higher-level simulation language and a network of microcomputers. A CSSL-IV source program is translated to a data flow graph. This graph is then analyzed automatically so as to allocate computing tasks to the various processors.
Evidence of high frequency gravity wave forcing on the meridional residual circulation at the mesopause region

Abstract Data of high frequency gravity wave propagation direction from globally distributed stations indicate a meridional preference of mesospheric gravity waves to be globally oriented toward the summer pole. This orientation is opposite to the mean residual circulation (from summer to winter pole) at mesospheric altitudes. We discuss here a number of dynamic mechanisms including filtering that may be responsible for the preferential wave orientation, and the effects of the gravity wave forcing imposed on the meridional flow due to dissipative waves. Using nightglow image data recorded in three distinct latitude stations, we have estimated the meridional wave drag (i.e, deceleration) of about - 4.6 ± 0.2 m/s/day during the summer, and 3.8 ± 0.2 m/s/day during the winter, which is significant because the meridional flow has small magnitude. This is a component of dynamic forcing in the mesopause region, not heretofore recognized.
Stimulus Control of Amphibious Predation in the Northern Water Snake (Nerodia s. sipedon)

The first feeding experience of a litter of water snakes in an artificial gravel pool was video-taped and described quantitatively. Over a 9 month period the visual and chemical stimulus control of feeding was investigated through the use of models, water laden with fish odor, and fish surface substances. The experiments, based on hypotheses arising from the behavioral description, examined the snakes' ability to respond to visual and chemical cues (diffuse and local) in air and when submerged. They further sought to determine whether the predatory behavior of these animals consists simply of stages governed by particular sensory modalities, or if different classes of cue are integrated.
Applications of molecular biology to plant disease and insect resistance.

Publisher Summary Molecular biology is a powerful new tool for reduction of plant diseases. It is noted that breeding within an existing genetic base can be enhanced with the use of molecular biological methods. Moreover, DNA from any source can potentially be used to genetically modify a crop plant. The chapter reviews several areas in which molecular biological methods are applied for disease and pest control in crop plants. The chapter discusses specific disease control strategies and illustrates common themes and conceptual categories that can be identified among those strategies. Socioeconomic factors that influence realistic application of molecular biology to disease control are also presented. Genetic engineering offers an incredible diversity of opportunities for improvement of disease control in plants. However, the environmental and health effects of the transgenic disease control strategies require continual attention so that the safety record of plant genetic engineering can be sustained.