cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of peripartum plasma insulin concentration with milk production, colostrum insulin levels, and plasma metabolites of Holstein cows

The main objective of this study was to assess associations between plasma insulin concentration around parturition and production in Holstein cows. Primiparous and multiparous cows (n = 267) were enrolled. Blood samples were collected within 12 h after parturition (d 0), and on d 3 and 10 after calving. In addition, blood samples were collected 7 d before (-7 d) the expected date of parturition and colostrum samples were collected within 8 h after parturition from a subset of cows to measure insulin concentration (n = 47). All samples were harvested from 0630 to 1100 h and were used to quantify insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and β-hydroxybutyrate. The plasma concentrations of insulin on d -7 and 0 were not correlated with insulin levels in colostrum. Cows were grouped according to plasma insulin concentration based on the median as low insulin (L-INS) or high insulin (H-INS) on d 0 (median = 0.35 ng/mL; range 0.2 to 1.2), 3 (median = 0.32 ng/mL; range 0.2 to 1.6), and 10 (median = 0.30 ng/mL; range 0.2 to 0.8). We detected that cows in the L-INS group on d 0 (L-INS = 0.57 ± 0.02; H-INS = 0.49 ± 0.02 mmol/L), d 3 (L-INS = 0.56 ± 0.02; H-INS = 0.49 ± 0.02 mmol/L), and d 10 (L-INS = 0.61 ± 0.03; H-INS = 0.55 ± 0.03 mmol/L) had higher NEFA concentrations compared with cows in the H-INS group. Compared with H-INS cows, milk yield was higher for cows classified as L-INS on d 0 (L-INS = 40.75 ± 0.69; H-INS = 38.41 ± 0.64 kg) and d 10 (L-INS = 40.95 ± 0.74; H-INS = 38.66 ± 0.64 kg). Moreover, fat-corrected milk was higher for cows classified as L-INS on d 0 (L-INS = 40.59 ± 2.36; H-INS = 37.73 ± 2.31 kg) and d 10 (L-INS = 41.00 ± 2.42; H-INS = 38.65 ± 2.28 kg) compared with H-INS cows, and energy-corrected milk was higher for L-INS cows compared with H-INS cows regardless of the day (d 0, L-INS = 44.50 ± 0.70 vs. H-INS = 41.67 ± 0.64 kg; d 3, L-INS = 43.65 ± 0.74 vs. H-INS = 40.88 ± 0.72 kg; d 10, L-INS = 44.09 ± 0.73 vs. H-INS = 40.55 ± 0.68 kg). We conclude that low plasma insulin concentration during early lactation is associated with higher milk yield in the long term.
Early to mid-term outcome of Oxinium on Verilast highly cross-linked polyethylene bearing surface in uncemented total hip arthroplasty.

Introduction:We report 5- to 10-year clinical and radiological outcomes of a series of uncemented Oxinium on Verilast (highly cross-linked polyethylene liners) total hip replacements (THAs) using t...
Machine Learning Systems are Stuck in a Rut

In this paper we argue that systems for numerical computing are stuck in a local basin of performance and programmability. Systems researchers are doing an excellent job improving the performance of 5-year-old benchmarks, but gradually making it harder to explore innovative machine learning research ideas. We explain how the evolution of hardware accelerators favors compiler back ends that hyper-optimize large monolithic kernels, show how this reliance on high-performance but inflexible kernels reinforces the dominant style of programming model, and argue these programming abstractions lack expressiveness, maintainability, and modularity; all of which hinders research progress. We conclude by noting promising directions in the field, and advocate steps to advance progress towards high-performance general purpose numerical computing systems on modern accelerators.
Effect of Exposure to Gun Violence in Video Games on Children's Dangerous Behavior With Real Guns: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Among resource-rich countries, the United States has the highest rate of child mortality by unintentional firearm use. Objective To test whether children’s exposure to violent video games increases dangerous behavior around firearms. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized clinical trial was set in a university laboratory and included pairs of children aged 8 to 12 years who knew each other. Of 313 participants who signed up, 250 were tested (2 arrived without partners, 61 did not arrive to participate). Of the 250 children tested, 8 were excluded (2 did not complete the study, 2 had participated in a related study, and 4 were outliers). Each child was paid $25. Data were collected July 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018. Interventions In a 3-group randomized design, pairs of children played or watched 1 of 3 versions of the gameMinecraftfor 20 minutes: (1) violent with guns, (2) violent with swords, or (3) nonviolent. The pairs of children were then placed in a different room and were told they could play with toys and games for 20 minutes. A cabinet in the room contained 2 hidden disabled handguns with counters for trigger pulls. Play sessions were videotaped. Main Outcomes and Measures Main outcomes were touching a handgun, seconds spent holding a handgun, and number of trigger pulls (including at oneself or the partner). Control variables included sex, age, trait aggressiveness, exposure to violent media, attitudes toward guns, presence of firearms in the home, interest in firearms, and whether the child had taken a firearm safety course. Results Of 242 participants, 220 children (mean [SD] age, 9.9 [1.4] years; 129 [58.6%] boys) found a gun and were included in analysis. Among the 76 children who played the video game that included gun violence, 47 children (61.8%) touched a handgun. Among the 74 children who played the video game that included sword violence, 42 (56.8%) touched a handgun. Among the 70 children who played the nonviolent video game, 31 (44.3%) touched a handgun. Participants who played a violent version of the game were more likely to shoot at themselves or their partners than those who played a nonviolent game. Other risk factors for dangerous behavior around firearms included self-reported habitual exposure to violent media and trait aggressiveness. Self-reported exposure to violent media was positively associated with total trigger pulls (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.00-1.98) and trigger pulls at oneself or one’s partner (IRR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.29-2.72). Trait aggression was positively associated with total trigger pulls (IRR, 13.52; 95% CI, 3.14-58.29), trigger pulls at oneself or one’s partner (IRR, 25.69; 95% CI, 5.92-111.39), and time spent holding a handgun (IRR, 4.22; 95% CI, 1.62-11.02). One protective factor was having taken a firearm safety training course. Conclusions and Relevance Exposure to violent video games increases children’s dangerous behavior around firearms. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifierNCT03259139
Germ Granules in Drosophila

Germ granules are hallmarks of all germ cells. Early ultrastructural studies in Drosophila first described these membraneless granules in the oocyte and early embryo as filled with amorphous to fibrillar material mixed with RNA. Genetic studies identified key protein components and specific mRNAs that regulate germ cell-specific functions. More recently these ultrastructural studies have been complemented by biophysical analysis describing germ granules as phase-transitioned condensates. In this review, we provide an overview that connects the composition of germ granules with their function in controlling germ cell specification, formation and migration, and illuminate these mysterious condensates as the gatekeepers of the next generation.
Solitary Bee Life History Traits and Sex Mediate Responses to Manipulated Seasonal Temperatures and Season Length

The effects of climate change on solitary bee species, the most diverse and abundant group of wild pollinators, remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to forecast consequences for bee-plant interactions and pollination services. Life history traits, such as overwintering life stage, sex, and body size may influence solitary bee responses to climate change by mediating the effects of temperature on physiological processes spanning fall, winter, and spring. Yet, most studies assessing the effects of temperature on solitary bees have focused on managed species and have isolated the effects of winter temperature. Here, we reared male and female individuals representing eight cavity-nesting solitary bee species that overwinter either as adults (i.e., Osmia spp.) or prepupae (i.e., Megachile spp.). Eight rearing treatments were used, in which we manipulated fall and spring temperature, fall duration, and the timing of spring onset. We measured pre-emergence mortality, pre-emergence weight loss, emergence timing, and post-emergence lifespan. We found that Osmia spp. responded primarily to the timing of spring onset, whereas Megachile spp. responded primarily to spring temperature. Early-spring onset increased both pre-emergence mortality and pre-emergence weight loss and reduced post-emergence lifespan in Osmia spp. In addition, treatments caused unequal shifts in the timing of emergence between male and female Osmia spp. By contrast, warmer spring temperature decreased weight loss and increased lifespan in Megachile spp. These findings suggest that Osmia spp. may be more vulnerable to negative fitness consequences of climate change compared to Megachile spp., and that climate change may have implications for population-level sex-ratios and mating success in species of Osmia. This work helps build a mechanistic understanding of how life histories may mediate solitary bee responses to climate change, and how these responses may impact solitary bee fitness and plant-bee interactions.
Vibrotactile Feedback Improves Foot Placement Perception on Stairs for Lower-Limb Prosthesis Users

Lower-limb amputees demonstrate decreased performance in stair ambulation compared to their intact-limb counterparts. An estimated 21% of amputees can navigate stairs without a handrail; almost 33% do not use stairs at all. The absence of tactile sensation on the bottom of the foot, creating uncertainty in foot placement, may be overcome by integrating sensory feedback into prosthesis design. Here we describe the design and evaluation of a haptic feedback system worn on the thigh to provide vibrotactile cues of foot placement with respect to stair steps. Tactor discrimination and foot placement awareness tests were performed to analyze system efficacy. Control participants wearing ski boots (N=10) and below-knee amputees (N=2) could discriminate individual tactor vibrations with 95.4% and 90.1% accuracy, respectively. The use of vibrotactile feedback increased accuracy in reporting foot placement by 15% and 17.5%, respectively. These results suggest that using vibrotactile arrays for sensory feedback may improve stair descent performance in lower-limb amputees.
Validation of Novel Relative Orientation and Inertial Sensor-to-Segment Alignment Algorithms for Estimating 3D Hip Joint Angles.

Wearable sensor-based algorithms for estimating joint angles have seen great improvements in recent years. While the knee joint has garnered most of the attention in this area, algorithms for estimating hip joint angles are less available. Herein, we propose and validate a novel algorithm for this purpose with innovations in sensor-to-sensor orientation and sensor-to-segment alignment. The proposed approach is robust to sensor placement and does not require specific calibration motions. The accuracy of the proposed approach is established relative to optical motion capture and compared to existing methods for estimating relative orientation, hip joint angles, and range of motion (ROM) during a task designed to exercise the full hip range of motion (ROM) and fast walking using root mean square error (RMSE) and regression analysis. The RMSE of the proposed approach was less than that for existing methods when estimating sensor orientation ( 12.32 ° and 11.82 ° vs. 24.61 ° and 23.76 ° ) and flexion/extension joint angles ( 7.88 ° and 8.62 ° vs. 14.14 ° and 15.64 ° ). Also, ROM estimation error was less than 2.2 ° during the walking trial using the proposed method. These results suggest the proposed approach presents an improvement to existing methods and provides a promising technique for remote monitoring of hip joint angles.
Spatial heterogeneity in CO 2 , CH 4 , and energy fluxes: insights from airborne eddy covariance measurements over the Mid-Atlantic region

The exchange of carbon between the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere influences the atmospheric abundances of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Airborne eddy covariance (EC) can quantify surface-atmosphere exchange from landscape-to-regional scales, offering a unique perspective on carbon cycle dynamics. We use extensive airborne measurements to quantify fluxes of sensible heat, latent heat, CO2, and CH4 across multiple ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic region during September 2016 and May 2017. In conjunction with footprint analysis and land cover information, we use the airborne dataset to explore the effects of landscape heterogeneity on measured fluxes. Our results demonstrate large variability in CO2 uptake over mixed agricultural and forested sites, with fluxes ranging from −3.4 ± 0.7 to −11.5 ± 1.6 μmolm−2 s−1 for croplands and −9.1 ± 1.5 to −22.7 ± 3.2 μmol m−2 s−1 for forests. We also report substantial CH4 emissions of 32.3 ± 17.0 to 76.1 ± 29.4 nmol m−2 s−1 from a brackish herbaceous wetland and 58.4 ± 12.0 to 181.2 ± 36.8 nmol m−2 s−1 from a freshwater forested wetland. Comparison of ecosystem-specific aircraft observations with measurements from EC flux towers along the flight path demonstrate that towers capture ~30%–75% of the regional variability in ecosystem fluxes. Diel patterns measured at the tower sites suggest that peak, midday flux measurements from aircraft accurately predict net daily CO2 exchange. We discuss next steps in applying airborne observations to evaluate bottom-up flux models and improve understanding of the biophysical processes that drive carbon exchange from landscapeto- regional scales.
Asian Roboticism: Connecting Mechanized Labor to the Automation of Work

Author(s): Bui, Long | Abstract: Abstract This article reconsiders the present-day automation of work and its transformation of who we are as humans. What has been missing from this important conversation are the social meanings surrounding Asian roboticism or how Asians have already been rendered as “robotic” subjects and labor. Through this racial gendered trope, I assess whether industrial automation will lessen, complicate, or exacerbate this modern archetype. By looking at corporate organizational practices and public media discourse, I believe that Asian roboticism will not simply vanish, but potentially continue to affect the ways such subjects are rendered as exploitable alienated robots without human rights or status.
Turn- on Delay Based Real-Time Junction Temperature Measurement for SiC MOSFETs With Aging Compensation

Online junction temperature $({{T_j}})$ measurement enables robust power converter operations by providing overtemperature protection and condition monitoring of the power devices. For SiC MOSFETs, the real-time ${T_j}$ information is especially critical as limited field data are available regarding the reliability. In this article, utilizing the turn -on delay time as temperature sensitive electrical parameter, an online ${T_j}$ measurement is realized through an intelligent gate drive. Specifically, the turn -on delay time is translated into the pulsewidth of a digital signal through the conditioning/logic circuits. During ${T_j}$ measurements, the adjustable gate resistance circuit is activated to improve the measurement sensitivity beyond 600 ps/°C. Using the high-resolution capture module (300-ps resolution) in the system microcontroller, this pulsewidth is measured and then converted to junction temperature with a resolution of ${T_j}$ measurement method. The switching test results show that the circuit is able to precisely measure ${T_{d,{\rm{on}}}}$ and offers a good linearity/sensitivity for ${T_j}$ estimation. In the continuous operation, the junction temperature of a decapsulated device using an infrared camera and ${T_j}$ obtained from the circuit match well with ${T_{d,{\rm{on}}}}$ is considered for SiC MOSFETs, and an aging compensation scheme is discussed to maintain the measurement accuracy throughout the device's lifetime. It is shown that the proposed circuit provides an accurate real-time ${T_j}$ measurement for SiC MOSFETs, which can be deployed to improve the power converters’ reliability.
Biofeedback and Differential Conditioning of Response Patterns in the Skeletal Motor System

While biofeedback techniques are being extensively applied in operantly conditioning an impressive variety of central and autonomic nervous system responses, our ignorance of the neural mechanisms underlying operant learning remains virtually complete. Indeed, we still have the most elementary and speculative conception of how the nervous system initiates a simple voluntary motor response, no less how the occurrence of such a response can be modified by reinforcement. Our understanding of neural mechanisms underlying operant responding will probably advance soonest in the skeletal motor system, for several reasons. A basic understanding of the neural pathways converging onto spinal motoneurons has emerged from a century of anatomical and electrophysiological studies. More recently developed experimental techniques now make it possible to study activity of identified neurons in awake animals trained to perform relevant motor responses. In such experiments, biofeedback techniques could prove particularly useful in investigating functional relations between elements of the skeletal motor system. We will first review some relevant facts concerning the functional organization of the final elements in the skeletal motor system and then consider past and potential applications of biofeedback techniques to investigate this system.
Unique White Dwarfs Accompanying Recycled Pulsars

I introduce the two classes of pulsar, white-dwarf binaries, and describe for each what we have learned from a specific system, PSR J1012+5307 and PSR B0655+64, respectively, summarising what has been done, presenting new results, and discussing what the future may hold. Briefly, for the companion of PSR J1012+5307 we find a DA spectrum, and infer a mass of about 0.16Msun, the lowest among all spectroscopically identified white dwarfs. Combined with a radial-velocity orbit, a neutron-star mass between 1.5 and 3.2Msun (95% conf.) is derived. The companion of PSR B0655+64 shows strong Swan C2 bands, i.e., it is a DQ star. Unlike anything reported for other DQs, however, it shows variations in strength of the bands by a factor two. Most likely, the variations are periodic, with a period of about 9.7h. This is substantially shorter than the 1-day orbital period, which can likely be understood in terms of its past evolution.
Buildings-to-distribution-network integration for coordinated voltage regulation and building energy management via distributed resource flexibility

Abstract Electricity demand for building-related activities is steadily increasing due to urbanization. Combined with the increasing penetration of renewable energy, this trend brings new challenges to distribution network operators in maintaining nodal voltage and minimizing active power losses. At the same time, building operators require more effective methods of reducing building operational costs. Therefore, as a critical step towards smart cities, it is imperative to optimally manage and coordinate the resources across building and power distribution networks to improve the overall system's efficiency and reliability. To this end, this paper develops a novel framework for Buildings-to-Distribution-Network (B2DN) integration. The framework couples commercial, residential buildings, and DERs, including photovoltaic (PV) generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS), with the power distribution network, enabling buildings and the distribution networks to be optimized simultaneously while respecting both building and distribution network constraints. The proposed B2DN framework is implemented in a receding horizon manner by solving a quadratically constrained quadratic programming (QCQP) problem. The framework’s capabilities are demonstrated on the IEEE 13-, 33-, and SB 129-node distribution networks integrated with 90, 192, and 481 buildings and DERs. The simulation results reveal that the B2DN controller successfully minimizes distribution network active power losses and enhances voltage regulation while at the same time minimizing building energy costs and maintaining occupant's comfort in comparison with decoupled designs, where buildings and distribution networks are independently managed. Finally, uncertainty analysis shows a minimal decrease in the B2DN controller's performance in the presence of randomness in weather variables, building internal heat gains, and distribution network nodal base demands.
Exposure to corticosteroids in pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes among infants of mothers with inflammatory bowel disease: results from the PIANO registry.

Objective Active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during pregnancy may require the use of corticosteroids. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of in utero corticosteroid exposure on adverse pregnancy outcomes, congenital malformations, infections and neurocognitive development among offspring of mothers with IBD. Design Using the prospective Pregnancy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Neonatal Outcomes registry, data were collected at each trimester, delivery; and in the 12 months post partum. Bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression models compared pregnancy outcomes by corticosteroid exposure. Results A total of 1490 mothers with IBD were enrolled, with 1431 live births recorded. Corticosteroid use was associated with increased risk of preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight (LBW), intrauterine growth restriction and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. On adjusted multivariate models, corticosteroid use was associated with preterm birth (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.73), LBW (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.88) and NICU admission (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.30). Late corticosteroid use (second and/or third trimester) was associated with serious infections at 9 and 12 months (4% vs 2% and 5% vs 2%, respectively, p=0.03 and p=0.001). There were five newborns with in utero corticosteroid exposure born with orofacial clefts versus one without corticosteroid exposure. Developmental milestones were similar across corticosteroid exposure groups. Conclusion In this prospective pregnancy registry, offspring of women exposed to corticosteroids during pregnancy were more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes. This emphasises the importance of controlling disease activity before and during pregnancy with steroid-sparing therapy.
Better Outcomes but no Difference in Joint Space Narrowing at Five Years Among Patients Without Unstable Chondral Lesions Versus Those With Unstable Chondral Lesions (Left In Situ) at the Time of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy.

Purpose To compare 5-year outcomes among patients with and without unstable chondral lesions undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM). Methods Using data from the Chondral Lesions And Meniscal Procedures (ChAMP) Trial, we compared outcomes for patients with unstable chondral lesions found at the time of APM and left in situ (CL-noDeb, N = 71) versus patients without unstable chondral lesions (NoCL, N = 47) at 5 years after APM. Outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog pain scale, Short-form Health Survey (SF-36), physical knee measurements, progressive joint space narrowing on radiographs, and the rate of additional knee surgery. Multivariate linear regression was used to obtain mean differences (MDs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for age, body mass index, and preoperative score (for postoperative scores). Results Compared with CL-noDeb, NoCL subjects had significantly greater improvement at 5 years in the KOOS score for function in sport and recreation (MD = 9.9 [95% CI, 0.7-19.1]), SF-36 pain (MD = 13.9 [95% CI, 5.5-22.3]), knee extension (MD = 0.8 [95% CI, 0.1-1.5]), and decreased quadriceps circumference at the mid-portion of the patella (MD = −1.5 [95% CI, −2.7 to −0.3). A greater proportion of patients in the NoCL group achieved the MCID for all outcome scores except for the WOMAC pain score (89% CL-NoDeb vs 87% NoCL) and SF-36 general (29% CL-NoDeb vs 23% NoCL). There were no significant group differences in measures of progressive radiographic joint space narrowing in any compartments of the operative knee and no significant difference in the rate of additional knee surgery within 5 years of the initial APM. Conclusions Patients undergoing APM without unstable chondral lesions had statistically significantly better outcomes than patients with unstable chondral lesions at 5 years after surgery; however, there were no group differences in progressive radiographic joint space narrowing. Level of Evidence Level II, prospective comparative study.
Lockstepping Through Stop-and-Frisk: A Call to Independently Assess Terry v. Ohio Under State Law

Fifty-two years ago, in Terry v. Ohio, the United States Supreme Court upheld stop-and-frisk under the Fourth Amendment. At that time, stop-and-frisk had provoked substantial disagreement at the state level—leading to divergent opinions and repeat litigation. But after Terry, the state courts became silent. Since 1968, every state court has lockstepped with Terry in interpreting its own constitutional provisions. This presents a puzzle, since state courts are free to provide more expansive (or less expansive) rights protections in interpreting their own state constitutions. And in other contexts, they have not been shy in doing so. In roughly a quarter of the Supreme Court’s Fourth Amendment cases, state courts have read their state guarantees to exceed the U.S. Constitution’s protections. Terry’s suspect pedigree further complicates the puzzle. Over the past few decades, stop-and-frisk has helped spark a breakdown in police-community relations. Multiple federal investigations have uncovered its connection to systemic racism. By many accounts, both the stop and the frisk have disproportionately targeted minorities. Terry has also led to nationwide unrest. A Terry stop precipitated the deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and Freddie Gray. This Note proposes a change in perspective: that litigants challenge stop-and-frisk under state law. It also lays the groundwork for such challenges. It examines the history of stop-and-frisk at the state level before Terry. It analyzes the Terry litigation, relying especially on the NAACP’s briefing, which accurately predicted stop-and-frisk’s perverse potential. And it synthesizes this analysis into three arguments that should be raised against stop-and-frisk under state law.
ACTIVE EXPLANATION REDUCTION: An Approach to the Multiple Explanations Problem

Abstract : The multiple explanations problem is central to explanation-based learning from imperfect theories. In this paper, we present a new approach called active explanation reduction to deal with this problem. Active explanation reduction involves the purposeful alteration of the world to generate new information. This new information with cause some of the explanations to become inconsistent with reality, thereby eliminating them from further consideration. Active explanation reduction may also be viewed as experiment design. This paper presents a theory of experiment design which is based on the principle of refutation. The theory describes three strategies for designing experiments - elaboration, discrimination and transformation. The theory and an experiment engine - an implementation of the theory - are illustrated using a detailed example which involves constructing explanations from intractable theories. The relation of the multiple explanations problem to the imperfect theory problems is also described. Finally, active explanation reduction is evaluated based on four criteria - completeness, efficiency, tolerance of unavailable data and feasibility. Keywords: Machine learning.
An Art History & Art Making Course for Blind Adults

The manager of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts accessible programs gives a history of the institution’s services for people with disabilities, with particular attention to services for the blind and visually impaired. These include descriptive tours, touch tours, three-dimensional tactile interpretations of two-dimensional works, and a long standing art history and art making class for blind and visually impaired students, Form in Art. Key words: Philadelphia Museum of Art, museum accessibility, touch tours, descriptive tours, audio description, blind artists, art education for the blind and visually impaired.
The Digital Mosque

This article introduces the idea of the “convergent mosque,” an online mosque paradigm converging virtual and physical spaces. First, it reviews the formal and typological elements of religious architecture as accumulated over the course of centuries, highlighting the evolutionary nature of mosque design and focusing specifically on the Ottoman/Turkish case. Building upon this historical background, the latter part of the article elaborates a new mosque paradigm suitable for the digital age. The main argument of the study is that a concept as time-honored as the architecture of the mosque may paradoxically be best maintained by a change in design, allowing it, too, to evolve in accordance with advancing technologies.
Training MRF-Based Phrase Translation Models using Gradient Ascent

This paper presents a general, statistical framework for modeling phrase translation via Markov random fields. The model allows for arbituary features extracted from a phrase pair to be incorporated as evidence. The parameters of the model are estimated using a large-scale discriminative training approach that is based on stochastic gradient ascent and an N-best list based expected BLEU as the objective function. The model is easy to be incoporated into a standard phrase-based statistical machine translation system, requiring no code change in the runtime engine. Evaluation is performed on two Europarl translation tasks, GermanEnglish and French-English. Results show that incoporating the Markov random field model significantly improves the performance of a state-of-the-art phrase-based machine translation system, leading to a gain of 0.8-1.3 BLEU points.
Establishment and regulation of chromatin domains: mechanistic insights from studies of hemoglobin synthesis.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses progress on dissecting mechanisms underlying the establishment and regulation of the erythroid cell-specific β-globin chromatin domain while emphasizing general principles that have emerged from the work. ‘‘Chromatin domain’’ refers to a broad chromosomal region from approximately several thousand to several hundred thousand base pairs in which a gene or gene cluster resides rather than the classically defined ∼100-kb topologically constrained chromosomal loop identified by microscopy. The chapter reviews predominantly mechanistic studies conducted in mammalian systems, including genetic complementation analysis of trans-acting factor function in biologically relevant murine erythroid cell lines and analysis of cis-element function via targeted deletions in mice. Further work on the compelling problem of how cell type-specific chromatin domains are established and regulated in normal cells and how the underlying mechanisms go awry in disease states promises to be highly rewarding and to yield a continuous stream of focused and serendipitious discoveries for many years to come.
Tension and compression testing of single-crystalline gamma Ti-55.5 Pct Al

High-quality single crystals 6 to 10 mm in diameter of γ-Ti 55.5 pct Al have been grown using the optical float zone furnace technique. These crystals have been oriented and cut into microsample tension and compression specimens with a gage area of 250×250 µm and an effective gage length of 300 µm. These specimens have been deformed using a microsample testing machine which applies loads on the order of 50 N and measures strain using an interferometric strain/displacement gage. Stress-strain curves have been obtained for four different orientations and two temperatures and as a function of the sense of the applied load. Of special interest is the availability of tensile data for the resolved shear stress. Preliminary comparison of tension and compression microsample tests indicates that the tension-compression asymmetry is negligible at 500 K.
Assay of Feedstuffs and Concentrates for Vitamin B12 Potency

Abstract INTELLIGENT use of new sources of vitamin B12 in feeds requires reasonably accurate methods of assay. Methods of obtaining a vitamin B12 value of feedstuffs with a chick assay have been described by Bird, Rubin and Groschke (1948), Lillie, Denton and Bird (1949), Coates, Harrison and Kon (1950), and Ott (1951). The rat assay has been employed to estimate the B12 content of feedstuffs by Hartman, Dryden and Cary (1949), Lewis, Register and Elvehjem (1949), and Lewis, Register, Thompson and Elvehjem (1949). Ansbacher et al. (1949), Peeler, Yacowitz and Norris (1949), and Peeler et al. (1941), DeHeus and DeMan (1951), and Tarr (1952) have employed microbiological assays to estimate B12 of feedstuffs. Stokstad, Hoffman and Jukes (1949) were unable to obtain agreement in the vitamin B12 values estimated by microbiological and animal bioassays. Cheng and Thomas (1951) reported that the re-sults of vitamin B12 bioassays of kidneys by the laboratory …
Secondary structure analysis of polypeptides based on an excitonic coupling model to describe the band profile of amide I' of IR, raman, and vibrational circular dichroism spectra

FTIR and, to a lesser extent, visible Raman spectroscopy are frequently used to determine the secondary structure composition of peptides and proteins in solution. This generally allows distinguishing between α-helices, β-strand, and what is often called a random coil conformation. Thus, these vibrational spectroscopies generally appear as useful but low resolution techniques. We developed a novel approach, which allows a more precise structure analysis of short and intermediate sized peptides. It is based on exploiting the delocalization of amide I‘ over several peptide groups owing to excitonic coupling. The vibrational eigenfunctions obtained by diagonalizing the complete Hamiltonian of the interacting amide I‘ modes were used to calculate the amide I‘ band profile in the IR, isotropic, and anisotropic Raman and vibrational circular dichroism spectrum. A combined use of these profiles is a tool to distinguish between helical segments of different length and between different conformations adopted in wh...
Detailed-balance power conversion limits of nanocrystal-quantum-dot solar cells in the presence of carrier multiplication

Semiconductor nanocrystals can respond to absorption of a single photon by producing multiple electron-hole pairs with extremely high efficiencies. This letter analyzes the impact of this carrier-multiplication (CM) phenomenon on power conversion limits of solar cells using detailed-balance considerations that take into account practical values of CM efficiencies measured in experimental studies. For PbSe nanocrystals that exhibit a ca. 3Eg CM threshold (Eg is the energy gap), the calculated maximum detailed-balance efficiency is 36% in the presence of CM versus 31% in the no-CM case. An increase to 42% is possible if the CM threshold is at its theoretical minimum of 2Eg.
Notes on the Life Cycle of the Chrysanthemum Aphid, Macrosiphum Sanborni (Gillette)

In a genetic study of determination and differentiation of wings in the chrysanthemum aphid, Macrosiphum sanborni , several facts were recorded which pertain to the life cycle and natural history of this species. These data are recorded here.
Three project-based approaches to spacecraft design education

In order to provide a realistic, hands-on educational experience for spacecraft design students, three complimentary project-based spacecraft design activities have been developed. These design programs are similar given that each relies on simplicity, speed, and self-sufficiency. These attributes (1) allow students to understand the full technical design of a spacecraft system, (2) expose students to the full developmental life-cycle, and (3) introduce students to the challenges of managing a team in order to engineer a complete system. The programs differ in their fidelity and comprehensiveness in order to provide a spectrum of approaches from which educators may select based upon their resources. This paper discusses the educational objectives of these project-based spacecraft design programs. It also reviews the specific design guidelines and strategies for each. Finally, it presents 5 years of results from previous and ongoing projects, and it presents future educational enhancements and spacecraft missions.
Quantitative XPS Analysis of PEG-Modified Silicon Surfaces

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) films were covalently coupled to silicon surfaces using a solution phase and a vapor phase technique. These methods are targeted for creating nonfouling PEG films on silicon bio-microsystems. We used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to better understand and analyze PEG functionalized silicon surfaces. Elemental surface composition was obtained from survey spectra for various PEG modified surfaces. Further, high-resolution C-1s scans were taken to ensure the presence of the characteristic C−O bond, which confirms the coupling of PEG on the silicon surface. Percent C−O was analyzed theoretically to better understand the formation of thin PEG films on silicon surfaces. Also, the thickness of the PEG film was estimated using the standard overlayer model.
Stereoscopic size discrimination in disturbed and non-disturbed children.

10 children with withdrawn personality disturbances showed significantly greater response variability on a stereoscopic size-discrimination task than did children with very aggressive conduct disturbances or normal controls. It is proposed that mechanisms associated with the reliable initiation and maintenance of cognition are more salient than those involving primary sensory/perceptual coding.
Effect of Dietary Protein and Fat on Prothrombin Time of Chickens at Different Environmental Temperatures

Abstract Prothrombin time was determined on 144 growing White Plymouth Rocks fed six different diets at three different temperatures (8°, 19° and 30°C.) In a second trial prothrombin time was determined on 108 Athens Randombred chickens fed a conventional diet in the same environments as used in the first trial. The determination of prothrombin time was conducted in each individual twice at 15 day intervals. The birds fed the high level of protein (25.4%) had longer prothrombin time than birds fed the lower level of protein (22.1%). The prothrombin time was shortened by increasing the fat content of the diet. The longer prothrombin time was observed among those birds raised at 30°C. There was no difference in prothrombin time between males and females or between 15- and 52- week old males.
Central orientations: A study of behavior organization from childhood to adolescence.

This investigation attempts to establish what behaviors are both predictive and persistent throughout the developmental span. Repeated ratings of a wide variety of behaviors shown by normal children from age 5 to 16 were analyzed. The measures which at all times and for both sexes were most general (predictive) and persistent were found to group into three dimensions: withdrawal-expressiveness, reactivity-placidity, and passivity-dominance. Sex differences and over-time changes in the pattern of correlates of the three dimensions suggest that both their meaning and their expression may vary as a function of shifting developmental demands.
IES ARROW-DOT PERFORMANCE IN TWO MONTESSORI PRESCHOOLS

Sum~nary.-Preschool children attending two Montessori schools (26 boys, 23 girls at School A; 33 boys, 33 girls at School B) were administered the IES Arrow-Dot Test along with several other psychological tests in order to establish preliminary preschool norms and to test the hypothesis that I-scores would decline, while E- and S-scores would rise over ages 3 to 6. The data supported the hypothesis; however, there were clear differences between the two schools which indicated that much more than age and IQ were determining the level and pattern of the scores. The Arrow-Dot test is one of four tests devised to assess the relative strengths of the personality variables of impulsivity, overcontrol (Superego), and egocontrol (Dombrose & Slobin, 1958). A recent review of studies using the four tests showed that the Arrow-Dot test was the most reliable of the four and, in addition, it seems to be the most sensitive to environmental and behavioral influences (Herron, 1966). None of the studies reviewed involved Ss younger than third-grade students. And yet, application of this test to preschool children could be expected to provide more than just some further preliminary, normative data of another age-grouping (as useful as this information would be in its own right). Such a study could provide evidence for construct validity of the test. An easy prediction, following Freudian theory (Baldwin, 1967), is that impulsivity, starting from an originally high value, should decline while the Ego and S~~perego scores should rise during the ages 3 to 6. The opportunity to examine this hypothesis was supplied when two suburban Chicago Montessori preschools invited us to initiate and establish testing procedures for their schools so that they might better evaluate their contrib~~tion to the development of the children.
Some Practical Suggestions for Teaching Science in the Liberal Arts

: At the undergraduate level, science is held at a distance from the liberal arts by common agreement among professors from both sides of a wall erected for them by the Enlightenment some centuries ago. There is today no intellectual argument put forth for maintaining the wall; the arguments in its defense are largely cultural and political and therefore in the final analysis fiscal, if not venal. Here are some concrete suggestions for how that wall might be brought down.
A cubic algorithm for the directed Eulerian subgraph problem

Abstract Given a directed graph G ( V , A ) with archs weighted as w : A → Z , we seek a maximum (arc) weight subgraph of G which is Eulerian. After showing the problem to be NP-hard even on graphs with bounded vertex degree, we give a cubic-time algorithm for its resolution on directed series-parallel graphs.
Comparison theorems for the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation

Using rearrangements of matrix-valued sequences, we prove that with certain boundary conditions the solution of the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation increases or decreases under monotone rearrangements of its potential.
Effects of estrogen on the number of neurons expressing β-endorphin in the medial basal hypothalamus of the female guinea pig

The distribution pattern of immunoreactive beta-endorphin neurons was studied in female guinea pigs that were ovariectomized, and one week later were injected with 25 micrograms estradiol benzoate or oil. The animals (5 from each group) were perfused after 24 hours with 4% paraformaldehyde. The locations of beta-endorphin cells and fibers were determined using avidin-biotin immunohistochemistry on free-floating vibratome sections. beta-endorphin-immunoreactive fibers were distributed widely throughout specific regions of the rostral forebrain, similar to what has been described in other species. beta-endorphin cell bodies were found in the arcuate nucleus and in adjacent ventrolateral areas throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the basal hypothalamus. Cells immunoreactive to beta-endorphin were also present in the caudal part of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. The number of beta-endorphin neurons was quantified in anatomically matched sections through the rostral, medial and caudal basal hypothalamus of estradiol benzoate- and oil-treated guinea pigs. Analysis of variance revealed that the number of immunoreactive beta-endorphin cells was significantly increased in all regions of the basal hypothalamus of estrogen-treated guinea pigs as compared to vehicle-treated animals (P < 0.01). These data indicate that in the guinea pig, the number of neurons expressing beta-endorphin is increased in the arcuate nucleus 24 hours after estrogen treatment.
Tobacco control in the wake of the 1998 master settlement agreement.

This Special Report discusses the implications of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the states and the tobacco industry. In the context of current state budget crises, a decreasing proportion of the settlement dollars is being spent on programs to reduce smoking. This report presents an overview of local, state, and federal tobacco-control policies and reviews recent developments focused on taxation, smoking cessation, bans on smoking in public areas, and international trade policies.
Real-time deep virtual machine introspection and its applications

Virtual Machine Introspection (VMI) provides the ability to monitor virtual machines (VM) in an agentless fashion by gathering VM execution states from the hypervisor and analyzing those states to extract information about a running operating system (OS) without installing an agent inside the VM. VMI's main challenge lies in the difficulty in converting low-level byte string values into high-level semantic states of the monitored VM's OS. In this work, we tackle this challenge by developing a real-time kernel data structure monitoring (RTKDSM) system that leverages the rich OS analysis capabilities of Volatility, an open source computer forensics framework, to significantly simplify and automate analysis of VM execution states. The RTKDSM system is designed as an extensible software framework that is meant to be extended to perform application-specific VM state analysis. In addition, the RTKDSM system is able to perform real-time monitoring of any changes made to the extracted OS states of guest VMs. This real-time monitoring capability is especially important for VMI-based security applications. To minimize the performance overhead associated with real-time kernel data structure monitoring, the RTKDSM system has incorporated several optimizations whose effectiveness is reported in this paper.
Palaeoecological patterns within the dysaerobic biofacies: Examples from Devonian black shales of New York state

Abstract Two distinct body fossil distribution patterns are recognized within Devonian dysaerobic strata of the Appalachian Basin: 1) taxa that are adapted to the lowest bottom water oxygen conditions, and 2) taxa that are adapted to fully oxygenated conditions with distinct ranges of tolerance to low oxygen conditions. The latter group, taxa demonstrate a nested pattern of distribution in association with relative bottom water oxygen levels. As a result, rather than discrete, unique taxonomic assemblages within the dysaerobic biofacies, the successive loss of species in a predictable order in association with decreasing oxygen, serves to delineate relative bottom water oxygen levels. Throughout the range of dysaerobic conditions, rhynchonelliform brachiopods of the super-family Camarotoechioidea are overwhelmingly dominant, but species within this clade are ecologically variable. Valve size of Eumetabolotoechia multicostata with a broad range of oxygen tolerance varies in association with relative oxygen levels. Further, variation in life habit distribution is recognized through the dysaerobic zone. Epifaunal filter feeders dominate under extremely reduced oxygen levels, and specific oxygen thresholds are recognized by the addition and/or dominance of specific life habits. This nested pattern of taxonomic distribution through the dysaerobic zone is unexpected based on observations in modern and other post-Palaeozoic low oxygen communities and is likely associated with frequent and pervasive periods of dysoxia in shallow epeiric seaways.