cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance Considerations Relating to the Design of Interconnection Networks for Multiprocessors Systems

Choosing the best interconnection scheme for a multiprocessor is no easy task. This paper presents a two phase analysis to assist in this task. The two phases of the analysis are analyti cal, and simulation. The analytical phase introduces a new metric called the network bandwidth require ment, or nbr. The nbr is an estimate for the in terconnecting network link speed of a multiprocessor. This result is used in the second phase of the analy sis, different multiprocessor configurations are simu lated using stochastic activity networks to verify the results of the analytical phase, and analyze the effects of contention and memory design on performance.
Contamination performance of silicone rubber cable terminations. II

For pt.1 see IEEE Trans. Power Deliv., vol.6, no.4, p.1366-73 (1991). This study is a follow-up of a previous report describing a systematic study of the contamination performance of silicone rubber cable terminations in a fog chamber. The goal of the study is to aid the development of an artificial contamination laboratory test for evaluating the electrical performance of all types of polymeric terminations in the field. This is achieved by understanding the role played by the various experimental factors on the electrical performance. The effect of varying the test method off-time on the regeneration of the silicon rubber's hydrophobic or water repellant surface is studied. The effect of load current on dry band arcing, which occurs on a moist and contaminated surface of an energized termination and can result in material degradation or flashover, has also been evaluated. It has been shown for the first time that the surface temperature rise due to the full load current causes a significant reduction in dry band arcing activity and therefore has a beneficial effect on the contamination performance of polymeric terminations. >
A Methodological Critique of Fleming's Alternative for Phonemic Encoding.

Fleming (1976) criticized Rubenstein et al.'s (1971) evidence for phonemic encoding and conducted two studies of his own which he interpreted as supporting an alternative process. His alternative has considerable explanatory power, but Fleming based his evidence for it upon Rubenstein et al.'s RTs for a sample of 69 nonwords and upon being able to prove that the variance between these RTs was not explained by phonemic encoding. The Rubenstein RTs, however, had previously been re-analyzed by Clark (1973) who contended that the reported differences could not be generalized beyond the particular items used in the experiment. Thus, Fleming's evidence for his alternative suffers the same weakness that raised questions about the original experiment. In the process of examining that weakness, we were led to re-analyze the statistics of previous experiments, and we unearthed several serious errors. Our re-analyses strengthen the evidence for phonemic encoding and suggest that Fleming's “alternative” should be con...
Foresight and insight: the art of the ancient tarot.

In the 1970s I became interested in the phenomenon of the growing popularity of fortune-telling and predictions. In an effort to try to understand what about this practice was so attractive to people, I visited several Hispanic Tarot card readers. Their practice of this ancient craft was combined with the practice of “Espiritismo,” which was heavily tainted with the use of Christian good and evil metaphors, which for me interfered with an objective evaluation of the psychological motivations of people seeking out such readers. Almost at once, I came to the conclusion that the Hispanic and Gypsy advisors saw mainly people in crisis, people who were anxious or overwhelmed by their life circumstances. Under these conditions the manipulation of the cards to give predictions of outcome seemed to me to be an anxiety-allaying transitional phenomenon between the reader and the client. The reader presented herself and was perceived as possessing special gifts of insight into the past, present, and future, immediate or distant. The feeling that special energies were working through her as well as the symbolism of the cards enabled both of them to create a psychologically and emotionally calm space in which to contemplate the problems and their proposed resolutions. In this creation of a transitional space the practice seemed to me to be very like psychotherapy. In addition, the need to control fate, destiny, or karma by one’s own correct or reworked thinking also bore a resemblance to psychoanalysis. Subsequently I tried to learn how to do reading for and by myself and discovered a wealth of writing about archetypal humanistic symbols and a philosophy of life’s developmental journey that dated back to biblical times. This article deals with how the rich variety of symbols engages the person who seeks such “self-help” into a contemplation of his or her own development as person—past, present, and future. This process allows
Alternate air bearing slider designs for areal density of 1 Tb/in/sup 2/

To achieve the areal density goal in hard disk drives of 1 Tb/in/sup 2/ the minimum physical spacing or flying height (FH) between the read/write transducer and disk must be reduced to about 2 nm. At such low spacing new nanoscale forces act between the slider and disk, such as intermolecular and electrostatic forces, which must be taken into consideration in the air bearing design. These forces increase the level of flying height modulations (FHMs), which in turn creates dynamic instability and intermittent contact in the flying head slider similar to what has been observed in experiments. Here, we present three possible approaches to minimize such forces and/or reduce FHM by FH control, including a micro-trailing pad slider, a thermal flying height control slider, and a piezoelectric flying height control slider for hard disk drives.
Can built and social environmental factors encourage walking among individuals with negative walking attitudes

We investigate whether the design of the built environment encourages walking above and beyond individuals’ attitudes toward walking. With data from a regional travel survey, we use regression anal...
Tropical Storm Gamma and the Mosquitia of eastern Honduras: a little‐known story from the 2005 hurricane season

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was unprecedented in terms of storm activity in the United States, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean. Given the impacts of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Honduran Mosquitia sparked little attention despite being hit by two hurricanes and a tropical storm in 2005. This article recounts the history of these storms in the Afro-Caribbean community of Batalla, drawing from public weather advisories and testimony of local residents obtained through participatory research. We contextualise this local history with results from the first paleotempestological study undertaken in the Mosquitia to shed light on long-term risk of catastrophic storms in the region and to demonstrate the value of integrating these two research approaches. Our findings contribute to recent ethnographic research on hazards by describing how a coastal people understand and respond to tropical cyclones and how landscape change influences the vulnerability of a coastal area. Although residents have not witnessed a storm as intense as those documented in the paleotempestological record, their knowledge and perceptions show how tropical cyclones can be disasters while leaving behind no sedimentary records. The paleotempestological evidence, however, reminds us that catastrophic hurricanes have struck the Mosquitia in the past and will do so again in the future. Understanding the interactions between contemporary human perceptions and responses and long-term hurricane risk provides insight for emergency managers and local stakeholders to better prepare for such a catastrophic event.
Demonstration of local evanescent array coupled biosensors with organic nanofilms

Patterned nanoscale organic films including photoresist and bovine serum albumin locally modulate the evanescent field distribution of a SiNx core waveguide and are sensed with an integrated photodetector array on a CMOS chip.
Characterization of bovine cellular and serum antibody responses during infection by Cryptosporidium parvum.

Abstract Cellular and serum antibody responses of calves were monitored for 23 days after oral inoculation of the calves with oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum. In vitro blastogenic responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes were assessed after stimulation with a C. parvum preparation. Specific lymphocyte blastogenic responses to the parasite were detected 2 days after inoculation. Parasite-specific antibody titers were demonstrable 7 days after inoculation with oocysts and achieved peak levels 9 days after inoculation, coinciding with oocyst shedding at 5 to 10 days after inoculation. Both lymphocyte and antibody responses remained elevated until the termination of the experiment. Immunoblotting the C. parvum preparation with serum from an infected calf revealed six major parasite antigens. Five of these antigens reacted on immunoblots from 7 to 14 days after inoculation with oocysts. A parasite antigen of approximately 11,000 molecular weight demonstrated intense reactivity on immunoblots from 7 to 23 days after inoculation. The 11,000-molecular-weight antigen also reacted on immunoblots with parenterally raised antioocyst and antisporozoite rabbit sera. These results indicate that cell-mediated as well as humoral immune responses are initiated by cryptosporidial infection in calves and that the 11,000-molecular-weight parasite antigen is immunodominant.
B7-mediated costimulation and the immune response

In addition to presentation of antigen, T cells require additional or 'costimulatory' signals from antigen-presenting cells. Failure to receive costimulation following antigen presentation renders T cells anergic, and these cells are functionally incapable of proliferating or secreting cytokines in response to subsequent rechallenge. Recent evidence has demonstrated that a critical costimulatory signal is delivered by members of the B7 family. B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86) provide costimulation through CD28, their ligand on the T cell. Dysregulation of expression of B7 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. In contrast, lack of expression of B7 on tumor cells may explain in part the lack of immune response against the majority of tumors. It may now be possible to exploit this pathway to induce immunological response against tumors. Blockade of this pathway will likely have significant impact on transplantation biology, to induce T-cell anergy and prevent graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease.
Deletion of Periostin Protects Against Atherosclerosis in Mice by Altering Inflammation and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling

Objective— Periostin is a secreted protein that can alter extracellular matrix remodeling in response to tissue injury. However, the functional role of periostin in the development of atherosclerotic plaques has yet to be described despite its observed induction in diseased vessels and presence in the serum. Approach and Results— Hyperlipidemic, apolipoprotein E–null mice ( ApoE −/ − ) were crossed with periostin ( Postn −/− ) gene–deleted mice and placed on a high-fat diet for 6 or 14 weeks to induce atherosclerosis. En face analysis of aortas showed significantly decreased lesion areas of ApoE −/− Postn −/− mice compared with ApoE −/− mice, as well as a reduced inflammatory response with less macrophage content. Moreover, diseased aortas from ApoE −/− Postn −/− mice displayed a disorganized extracellular matrix with less collagen cross linking and smaller fibrotic caps, as well as increased matrix metalloproteinase-2, metalloproteinase-13, and procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase-1 mRNA expression. Furthermore, the loss of periostin was associated with a switch in vascular smooth muscle cells toward a more proliferative and synthetic phenotype. Mechanistically, the loss of periostin reduced macrophage recruitment by transforming growth factor-β in cellular migration assays. Conclusions— These are the first genetic data detailing the function of periostin as a regulator of atherosclerotic lesion formation and progression. The data suggest that periostin could be a therapeutic target for atherosclerotic plaque formation through modulation of the immune response and extracellular matrix remodeling.
Biological and chemical control of the Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The efficacy of chemical and biological control agents against larvae of the Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea (Arrow), in turfgrass under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions were determined. In field trials where insecticides were applied preventively against eggs and young larvae, the molt-accelerating compound halofenozide and the neonicotinoids imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were ineffective, whereas another neonicotinoid, clothianidin, provided 62–93% control. In greenhouse experiments against third instars in pots, the carbamate insecticide carbaryl was ineffective, whereas the organophosphate trichlorfon provided 71–83% control. In laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments, the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar and Steinernema glaseri Steiner (not tested in the field) were ineffective against third instars, whereas S. scarabaei Stock & Koppenhofer provided excellent control. In microplot field experiments at a rate of 2.5 × 109 infective juveniles per ha, H. bacteriophora provided 12–33% control and S. scarabaei 71–86% control. Combinations of S. scarabaei and imidacloprid did not provide more control of third instars compared with S. scarabaei alone.
Surface faulting near Lake Oroville, California in August, 1975

abstract The m b 5.9 earthquake of August 1, 1975, near Lake Oroville, California, was accompanied and followed by normal faulting at the surface. The distribution of aftershocks led directly to our discovery of the 3.8 km-long N- to NNW-trending zone of new fractures. In position, orientation, and sense of slip, the surface faulting agrees with the fault zone defined by mapped aftershocks and focal mechanisms, and is compatible with deformation shown by comparisons between pre- and postearthquake level surveys. The block to the east of the fault moved upward relative to that to the west, as shown by at least 55 mm of slip across the surface ruptures and 180 mm of vertical movement of benchmarks near the rupture zone. The faulting follows a zone of earlier displacement that may have been active in Quaternary time.
Inverse problems biomechanical imaging(Conference Presentation)

It is now well recognized that a host of imaging modalities (a list that includes Ultrasound, MRI, Optical Coherence Tomography, and optical microscopy) can be used to “watch” tissue as it deforms in response to an internal or external excitation. The result is a detailed map of the deformation field in the interior of the tissue. This deformation field can be used in conjunction with a material mechanical response to determine the spatial distribution of material properties of the tissue by solving an inverse problem. Images of material properties thus obtained can be used to quantify the health of the tissue. Recently, they have been used to detect, diagnose and monitor cancerous lesions, detect vulnerable plaque in arteries, diagnose liver cirrhosis, and possibly detect the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. In this talk I will describe the mathematical and computational aspects of solving this class of inverse problems, and their applications in biology and medicine. In particular, I will discuss the well-posedness of these problems and quantify the amount of displacement data necessary to obtain a unique property distribution. I will describe an efficient algorithm for solving the resulting inverse problem. I will also describe some recent developments based on Bayesian inference in estimating the variance in the estimates of material properties. I will conclude with the applications of these techniques in diagnosing breast cancer and in characterizing the mechanical properties of cells with sub-cellular resolution.
Meta-Analytic Methods for Public Health Research

This chapter presents an overview on meta-analysis (MA) intended for public health researchers to understand and to apply the methods of MA. Emphasis is focused on classical statistical methods for estimation of the parameters of interest in MA as well as recent development in research in MA. Specifically, univariate and multivariate fixed- and random-effects MAs, as well as meta-regression are discussed. All methods are illustrated by examples of published MA in public health research. We demonstrate how these approaches can be implemented using software packages in R.
A STUDY ON THE RAT AS A MODEL ANIMAL FOR DETERMINING ILEAL AMINO ACID DIGESTIBILITY IN THE GROWING PIG

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the suitability and sensitivity of the rat as a model animal for the growing pig for determining ileal amino acid digestibility.In experiment 1,30 Sprague Dawley male rats of 6 weeks of age and 140 160 g body weight (BW) were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups.Meanwhile,10 Large White ×Landrace male pigs,averaging 40 kg BW,were also selected and randomly divided into 2 groups.Two semi purified diets each containing one of two different quality blood meal(BM)(batch drying or ring drying BM) were formulated for feeding the rats and two for feeding the pigs.The experimental design of experiment 2 was the same with experiment 1 except the experimental diets which contained one of two different quality soybeans (raw or heat treated soybeans).The experiments included 7 day preliminary period and 7 day test period.On day 14,rats and pigs were slaughtered for sampling ileal digesta for determining ileal amino acid digestibility.The results showed:(1) The ileal amino acid digestibility differed (P0 001) between the two BM.However,there were no statistically significant (P0 05) inter species differences for ileal amino acid digestibility with the exception of serine.(2) The ileal amino acid digestibility differed (P0 001) between the two soybeans.However,there were no statistically significant (P0 05) inter species differences for ileal amino acid digestibility.The results indicate that the rat appears to be a suitable model animal for determining ileal amino acid digestibility of blood meal and soybean for the growing pig.
Satellite Remote Sensing in Support of Fisheries Management in Global Oceans

The world’s oceans are dynamic: environmental conditions and ecosystems in marine environments fluctuate spatially and temporally on multiple scales. Spatially, the ocean varies with water depth, ocean currents, and oceanic fronts. This abiotic and biotic variability makes managing resources in the dynamic ocean environment extremely difficult, and as a result, fisheries management often serves as one of the textbook examples of an unstructured or ‘wicked’ environmental problem. This chapter provides an overview of the role satellite remote sensing can play in ocean and fisheries management. Currently, there are very few applications available that enable managers to use satellite earth observations in a scientifically robust but straightforward manner. The chapter recommends collaboration between researchers, scientists, data analysts and conservation practitioners to develop accessible tools, all the while ensuring such approaches are scientifically robust and defensible and are directly meeting the needs of the management community. Continued support and resources for satellite earth observations, distribution, integration, and management-relevant science are needed to maximize the return on this investment in support of sustainable fisheries.
Second-order asymptotics of covert communications over noisy channels

We consider the problem of covert communication over noisy binary input Discrete Memoryless Channels (DMCs). Covertness is measured with respect to an adversary in terms of the divergence between the channel output distribution induced with and without communication. We characterize the exact second order asymptotics of the number of bits that can be reliably transmitted with a probability of error less than ∈ and a divergence less than δ. The main technical contribution of this paper is a detailed analysis of how to expurgate a random code while maintaining its channel resolvability properties.
Introduction: A Forgotten Revolutionary Ideal

Adam Smith’s goal was to improve the happiness of societies, which places him squarely within the Enlightenment. It also correlates perfectly with the American founders’ ideal of an equal opportunity to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Smith saw happiness as resulting from being beloved. This community aspect is consistent with contemporary happiness scholars who define three levels of happiness, with momentary joy being the lowest level, and the good life, the highest. Smith and current scholars also agree on the ambiguous relationship between wealth and happiness. In the quest for wealth, Americans may be undermining both individual and national happiness.
Saponins and Cardenolides

Saponins are compounds that possess a polycyclic aglycone moiety with either a steroid (typically C27) or triterpenoid (C30) structure attached to a carbohydrate unit (a monosac-charide or oligosaccharide chain) (Fig. 24.1). These sugar units are composed variously of pentoses, hexoses, or uronic acids. The existence of uridine-5′-diphosphate-glucose (UDPG).sterol transglucosylase activity in paniculate preparations from higher plants is well established (Goodwin, 1985).
l-tetrahydropalmatine reduces nicotine self-administration and reinstatement in rats

The negative consequences of nicotine use are well known and documented, however, abstaining from nicotine use and achieving abstinence poses a major challenge for the majority of nicotine users trying to quit. l-Tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP), a compound extracted from the Chinese herb Corydalis, displayed utility in the treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction via reduction of drug-intake and relapse. The present study examined the effects of l-THP on abuse-related effects of nicotine. Self-administration and reinstatement testing was conducted. Rats trained to self-administer nicotine (0.03 mg/kg/injection) under a fixed-ratio 5 schedule (FR5) of reinforcement were pretreated with l-THP (3 or 5 mg/kg), varenicline (1 mg/kg), bupropion (40 mg/kg), or saline before daily 2-h sessions. Locomotor, food, and microdialysis assays were also conducted in separate rats. l-THP significantly reduced nicotine self-administration (SA). l-THP’s effect was more pronounced than the effect of varenicline and similar to the effect of bupropion. In reinstatement testing, animals were pretreated with the same compounds, challenged with nicotine (0.3 mg/kg, s.c.), and reintroduced to pre-extinction conditions. l-THP blocked reinstatement of nicotine seeking more effectively than either varenicline or bupropion. Locomotor data revealed that therapeutic doses of l-THP had no inhibitory effects on ambulatory ability and that l-THP (3 and 5 mg/kg) significantly blocked nicotine induced hyperactivity when administered before nicotine. In in-vivo microdialysis experiments, l-THP, varenicline, and bupropion alone elevated extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the nucleus accumbens shell (nAcb). Since l-THP reduces nicotine taking and blocks relapse it could be a useful alternative to varenicline and bupropion as a treatment for nicotine addiction.
The Power of Outdoor Play and Play in Natural Environments.

Young children's outdoor play serves important and diverse purposes, including physical exercise and opportunities for growth in all developmental areas. Unfortunately, the amount of time that children spend engaged in unstructured, child-directed outdoor play has diminished significantly in the past generation. In this article, the authors describe some of the reasons for this decline and outline the research-supported benefits of outdoor play in general, as well as benefits of play in natural outdoor environments in particular. Suggestions for making the most of outdoor play will benefit children around the world.
A training approach to develop reusable software components by combining adaptation algorithms

An approach for an effective and efficient off-line training of particular classes of reusable controller software components is presented. The class selected for this dissertation is the first-order nonlinear feedback control system for the tracker problem (FNFCT). To build a necessary relationship between a component's abstract and concrete levels, each control software component is represented at the abstract level by means of a set of adaptive fuzzy logic (FL) rules and at the concrete level by means of adaptive fuzzy membership functions (MBFS). Training is carried out by certain combinations of adaptation algorithms: genetic algorithms (GAs), neural net algorithms (NNs), and Monte Carlo algorithms (MCs). We specify effective combinations of these three existing adaptation algorithms to train faulty FL rule-based software components for the tracker problems. In the approach, training of a faulty component consists of two phases: testing and adapting. In the testing phase, a scenario driver generates fault scenarios by using individual adaptation algorithms or their combinations. Faults are identified with execution of fault scenarios. In the adapting phase, individual adaptation algorithms or their combinations are used to modify the MBFS of each faulty component. Trainability metric categories of adaptability, flexibility, stability, and testability are described. A training environment has been developed. In the simulation experiments, we apply GAs or a combination of GAs and NNs with error backpropagation algorithms (GA/BP) in the testing phase for generating fault scenarios. Faulty MBFS types are characterized. We apply each of the GAs, MCs, and BPs or their combinations (such as GA/MC and BP/MC) in the adapting phase. Experimental simulation results show that our off-line training approach supports controller software component adaptation effectively and efficiently in terms of controlled process operation accuracy and effort spent.
Invited paper: Assessment and management of breeding bulls

Reproductive statistics on the farm are greatly influenced by the fertility and the handling of the bulls. Bull fertility is influenced by number and quality of spematozoids, libido and mounting skills, as well as by the social interactions between the animals in the reproductive field o corral. The procedures for evaluating a bull include the Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE), and tests of sexual desire and mounting skills. The new BSE criteria established by the American Society of Teriogeneology, include new standards for scrotal circumferance, motility, spermatazoon morphology. In practice, these new standards have proved to be stricter than the previous ones, affecting young Bos indicus bulls in particular. There are a series of tests to evaluate sexual desire in bulls which iriclude an evaluation of libido, and the certification of service capacity. In this artic le the repeatability of certain tests is discussed, and its relationship with reproductive efficiency and the factors which affect it, as well as the expression of sexual desire in the bull. The factors to discuss include bull breeding methods, the bull/ cow ratio, social effects and genotype differences. Since there is no relationship between sexual desire and reproductive capacity in bulls, the optimum estimation of bull breeding soundness should include the evaluation of both. To optimize bull use, they should be evaluated each year and the use of young and old bulls in the same breeding area should be avoided.
Listening Niches across a Century of Popular Music.

This article reports the results of a study spanning a century of popular music, divided into 10 decades, with participants varying in age from their mid-teens to their mid-70s. It traces the music media with which they listened in different periods of their lives. It asks about whether they know and like the music in each decade, and their emotional reactions. Finally, it asks whether the music is associated with autobiographical memories and, if so, with whom they were listening or whether they were listening alone. The results show a regular progression through the life span of listening with different individuals (from parents to children) and with different media (from records to digital downloads). A number of effects found in previous studies were replicated, but the study also showed interactions with the birth cohorts. Overall, there was a song specific age effect with preferences for music of late adolescence and early adulthood; however, this effect was stronger for the older participants. In addition, there were preferences for music of the 1940s, 1960s, and 1980s that were stronger for the younger participants. Music of these decades also produced the strongest emotional responses and coincided with the introduction of important new music technologies, particularly long playing records, tape cassettes, and CDs. When growing up, the participants tended to listen to the older music on the older media, but rapidly shifted to the new music technologies in their last teens and early twenties. Younger listeners are currently listening less to music, suggesting an important role of socially sharing music. Finally, the oldest listeners had the broadest taste, liking music that they had been exposed to in different “listening niches” over their lifetimes.
Evaluación de Impacto de los Programas de Renovación de Cafetales 2007-11: Efectos Sobre la Capacidad Productiva de los Caficultores Colombianos (Impact Assessment of Coffee Plantation Renewal Programs 2007-11: Effects on the Productive Capacity of Colombian Coffee Growers)

Spanish Abstract: Esta investigacion estudia el efecto de dos programas para la renovacion de cafetales en Colombia (Competitividad y Permanencia, Sostenibilidad y Futuro) sobre la estructura del parque productivo entre 2007 y 2011. Utilizando datos del sistema de informacion SICA de la Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros, se realizan estimaciones mediante diferentes tecnicas de evaluacion de impacto como Diferencias en Diferencias, Diferencias en Diferencias Emparejadas y Regresion por Quantiles de los efectos de los programas sobre la estructura del parque medida por densidad de siembra, edad del cultivo, area tecnificada y area total sembrada en cafe. Los resultados evidencian que los programas de renovacion han incentivado un cambio en la estructura del parque cafetero, la cual expande la frontera de posibilidades de produccion de los caficultores colombianos. En particular, los resultados muestran un mayor efecto de los programas en aquellos caficultores que tienen menores niveles de tecnificacion en sus cultivos. English Abstract: This article investigates the effect of two coffee plants renovation programs (Competitividad and Permanencia, Sostenibilidad y Futuro) over the production structure of the Colombian coffee growers between 2007 and 2011. Using data from the Coffee Growers Federation information system SICA and through some impact evaluation techniques such as Differences in Differences, Differences in Differences Matching and Quintile regression I show that both programs had a positive effect over the coffee plantations measured as planting density, trees age, technified coffee area and total coffee area. The results provide evidence to support that such renovation programs are generating a transformation on the coffee plantation, which expands Colombian coffee growers’ production possibility frontier. Particularly, the results show higher effects on those coffee growers with lower levels of technology on their production system.
Combined endonasal and eyelid approach for management of extensive frontal sinus inverting papilloma.

OBJECTIVES Sinonasal inverting papilloma (IP) is a benign but locally aggressive mucosal neoplasm with a high recurrence rate. Extension into the frontal sinus presents surgical challenges for endonasal resection. This study presents an orbitofrontal approach for managing extensive IP. STUDY DESIGN Case series. METHODS Four patients seen between 2012 and 2016 with biopsy-proven IP with lateral frontal sinus extension underwent a combined endonasal and transpalpebral approach for tumor resection. Patient demographic data, preoperative characteristics, imaging, and follow-up data were compiled through retrospective chart review. Patients were selected for this approach when the tumor extended to the posterior frontal sinus wall, lateral frontal sinus recess, and orbit. Tumors were first approached endonasally until the frontal recess was reached. A Draf IIB or Draf III procedure was then performed to gain better exposure. Orbitofrontal exposure was achieved through an upper eyelid incision. Miniorbitofrontal craniotomy window was designed based on tumor location. Resection of the frontal and orbital extension was enhanced by endoscopic-assisted dissection through the orbitofrontal window. RESULTS The transpalpebral approach provided access to all walls of the ipsilateral frontal sinus, the intersinus septum, and the medial aspect of the contralateral sinus. Complete tumor resection was achieved in all patients. There were no orbital complications, no visible eyelid asymmetry or scarring, and all patients had preserved forehead sensation. There were no recurrences on follow-up. CONCLUSION Combining a transpalpebral orbitofrontal craniotomy with the endonasal approach allows complete resection of invasive IP with extension into the frontal sinus. This is achieved with great cosmetic results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 128:3-9, 2018.
Reactivation of the FMR1 Gene

Abstract Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most frequent form of monogenic intellectual disability and autism, is not only the prototype of repeat-expansion disorders but also (in the majority of cases) an epigenetic disorder, that is, a condition due to the transcriptional silencing of a single gene, namely FMR1. In fact, the coding sequence of FMR1 is intact but the expansion of CGG repeat (>200 repeats, full mutation) in the promoter region associates with multiple epigenetic changes, eventually causing heterochromatin formation and loss of transcription. The exact molecular mechanisms involved in FMR1 gene silencing are only partially understood and it is still unclear why rare individuals with an unmethylated full mutation (UFM) exist and produce enough FMRP to allow an almost normal intelligence. These UFM carriers prove that CGG expansion per se is compatible with sufficient transcription, therefore reversing the (local) epigenetic modifications that silence the FMR1 gene could effectively cure FXS.
A 10-b 800-MS/s Time-Interleaved SAR ADC With Fast Variance-Based Timing-Skew Calibration

This paper presents a time-interleaved (TI) SAR analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a fast variance-based timing-skew calibration technique. It uses a single-comparator-based window detector (WD) to calibrate the timing skew. The WD can suppress variance estimation errors and allow precise variance estimation from a significantly small number of samples. It has low-hardware cost and orders of magnitude faster convergence speed compared to prior variance-based timing-skew calibration technique. The proposed technique brings collateral benefit of offset mismatch calibration. After timing-skew calibration, a prototype 10-b 800-MS/s ADC in 40-nm CMOS achieves the Nyquist-rate SNDR of 48 dB and consumes 4.9 mW, leading to the Walden FoM of 29.8-fJ/conversion step.
Consumption Behavior Analytics-Aided Energy Forecasting and Dispatch

For decades, electricity customers have been treated as mere recipients of electricity in vertically integrated power systems. However, as customers have widely adopted distributed energy resources and other forms of customer participation in active dispatch (such as demand response) have taken shape, the value of mining knowledge from customer behavior patterns and using it for power system operation is increasing. Further, the variability of renewable energy resources has been considered a liability to the grid. However, electricity consumption has shown the same level of variability and uncertainty, and this is sometimes overlooked. This article investigates data analytics and forecasting methods to identify correlations between electricity consumption behavior and distributed photovoltaic (PV) output. The forecasting results feed into a predictive energy management system that optimizes energy consumption in the near future to balance customer demand and power system needs.
Differences in Learning Outcomes in Simulation: The observer role.

Abstract The objective of the study was to examine differences in learning outcomes, in students in the role of observer, using an observation guide and those without an observation guide during a simulation-based learning experience. The study design was quasi-experimental and included statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-tests to identify differences in learning outcomes. No significant improvement in knowledge, self-confidence, or collaboration was noted between baccalaureate nursing students (n = 121) using an Observation Guide (n = 62). However, students utilizing an Observation Guide were more satisfied with the Simulation-based Learning (SBL) experience (t (117) = 2.518, p = 0.013), although effect size was small (r = 0.05). Challenges such as decreases in clinical placement sites and increased student enrollment, indicate a need for improvements in implementation of SBL for student observers.
Political efficacy, respect for agency, and adaptive preferences

ABSTRACTSerene Khader and Rosa Terlazzo have each recently proposed theories of adaptive preferences (APs) which purport to both respect persons’ agency and provide an effective political tool. While Khader and Terlazzo thus share a similar goal, they take fundamentally different paths in its pursuit: Khader offers a perfectionist account of APs and Terlazzo an autonomy-based theory. In this paper, I argue first that if it is to adequately respect persons’ agency, a theory of APs should in some way include autonomy considerations. If it is to provide an effective political tool, however, our theory should not be entirely autonomy-based, but include a condition addressing a preference’s compatibility with basic flourishing. The suggestion is thus that it is worth considering the possibility of a ‘mixed,’ rather than exclusively perfectionist or exclusively autonomy-based, theory of APs. I outline two such theories. The first, I argue, does quite well with respect to the political efficacy aim of AP theoriz...
Entanglement loss and recovery due to arbitrarily oriented polarization dependent loss for telecom band photon pairs

Interplay of residual fiber birefringence and modal loss impairs propagation of polarization entangled photons in fibers. We introduce an illustrative Stokes space model of the effect, verify it experimentally, and demonstrate a simple compensating scheme.
Aortic Angulation Does Not Impact Outcomes in Self-Expandable or Balloon-Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Objectives: The role of aortic angulation in attenuating procedural success in balloon-expandable (BE) and self-expandable (SE) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been controversial. Methods: We retrospectively assessed patients undergoing SE and BE TAVR who had an aortic angle measured on multidetector computed tomography at a single tertiary referral center. The primary outcome was device success, measured per the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria. Clinical outcomes at 30 days (including mortality) were also assessed. Results: A total of 251 patients were identified; 182 patients received a BE valve and 69 patients an SE valve. The median aortic angle was 46.8° (range 24.4–70°) in the BE group and 43.3° (range 20–71°) in the SE group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, aortic angulation did not affect device success. Mortality at 30 days and 12 months and postprocedural clinical outcomes were similarly not associated with aortic angulation. Conclusion: In this cohort of patients undergoing BE and SE TAVR over a wide range of aortic angles, we found no associations between angle and device success or any other clinical metrics. Increased aortic angulation does not adversely affect outcomes in BE or SE TAVR.
Therapy of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

The treatment of type 1 diabetes is simple in theory: replace the missing endogenous production of insulin with exogenous insulin in a manner that mimics normal physiology. The difficulties in doing this are myriad, however, in part stemming from the fact that endogenous insulin is delivered in intricate pulses to the portal circulation whereas exogenous insulin is provided subcutaneously through the peripheral circulation. Additionally, the beta cells in the pancreas sense minute changes in blood sugar levels and secrete insulin, glucagon, amylin, incretins, and other hormones to balance blood sugar levels. The traditional monitoring of blood sugar levels four times per day with two to three injections of insulin does not come close even approximately to what should be happening with regards to insulin regulation.
What About New Uses for American Farm Products

Suppose we can’t eat the American food and fiber surplus. We use farm products other ways, too. Couldn’t we expand these other markets enough to use the surplus food? Let’s look at the possibilities.
Mining E-Mail Content for a Small Enterprise

Emails constitute a rich source of a company’s information, replacing fax, letters, phone and memos as the dominant form of inter- and intra-business communication. An email system is now a place where task is received, managed and delegated in a company. For small companies, the backbone of modern business, sieving and analyzing tons of business emails consume much business time. There are abundant data mining techniques that can assist email analysis. This paper describes a web-based approach to parse and mine email logs from a POP3 server for content information. The email system affords users a computer-aided tool for decision making. can be associated with diseases with improved visualizations.
Geometry of Dual Pairs of Complex Supercurves

Supercurves are a generalization to supergeometry of Riemann surfaces or algebraic curves. I review the definitions, examples, key results, and open problems in this area.
Impact of Deductible Health Plans on Parental Decision Making for Common Pediatric Otolaryngology Procedures.

ObjectiveTo describe how deductible health plans affect parental decision making for common pediatric otolaryngology operations.Study DesignA cross-sectional survey study.SettingTertiary care pedia...
A Comparison of Two Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI Ventilation Quantification Pipelines: The Effect of Signal to Noise Ratio.

Rationale Hyperpolarized 129 Xe MRI enables quantitative evaluation of regional ventilation. To this end, multiple classifiers have been proposed to determine ventilation defect percentage (VDP) as well as other cluster populations. However, consensus has not yet been reached regarding which of these methods to deploy for multicenter clinical trials. Here, we compare two published classification techniques–linear-binning and adaptive K- means–to establish their limits of agreement and their robustness against reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Methods A total of 29 subjects (age: 38.4 ± 19.0 years) were retrospectively identified for inter-method comparison. For each 129 Xe ventilation image, 7 images with reduced SNR were generated with equal decrements relative to the native SNR. All 8 sets of images were then analyzed using both methods independently to classify all lung voxels into four clusters: VDP, low-, medium-, and high-ventilation-percentage (LVP, MVP and HVP). For each cluster, the percentage of the lung it comprised was compared between the two methods, as well as how these values persisted as SNR was degraded. Results The limits of agreement for calculating VDP were [+0.2%, +4.0%] with a +1.5% bias for binning relative to K- means. However, the inter-method agreement for the other clusters was moderate, with biases of −5.7%, 8.1%, and −4.0% for LVP, MVP, and HVP, respectively. As SNR decreased below ∼4, both methods began reporting values that deviated substantially from the native image. By requiring VDP to remain within ≤1.8% of that calculated from the native image, the minimum tolerable SNR values were 2.4 ± 1.0 for the linear-binning, and 3.5 ± 1.5 for the K- means. Conclusions Both methods agree well in quantifying VDP, but agreement for LVP and MVP remains variable. We suggest a required SNR threshold be two standard deviations above the minimum value of 3.5 ± 1.5 for robust determination of VDP, suggesting a minimum SNR of 6.6. However, robust quantification of the ventilated clusters required an SNR of 13.4.
The SNARE SYP132 Fine-Tunes Proton Transporter Levels at the Plasma Membrane during Plant Growth.

The acid-growth theory was proposed over 40 years ago based on early observations that low apoplastic pH promotes growth in a pathway involving the plant hormone auxin ([Rayle and Cleland, 1992][1]; [Hager, 2003][2]; [Arsuffi and Braybrook, 2018][3]). Since this discovery, a clearer understanding of
Vulnerability of Complementary Cell Suppression to Intruder Attack

Complementary cell suppression was the rst and remains a popular method for disclosure limitation of magnitude data such as economic censuses data. We show that, when not solved in a rigorous mathematical way, suppression can fail to protect data, sometimes fatally. When solved properly as a mathematical programming problem, suppression is guaranteed to meet certain conditions re- lated to protecting individual data, but we demonstrate that other vulnerabilities exist. Suppression sacrices both condential
Urban sprawl and the emergence of food deserts in the USA

Providing access to a variety of healthy and affordable foods has been the goal of several federal and state policy initiatives in the USA. The first step towards the successful implementation of t...
High murine blood persistence of phage T3 and suggested strategy for phage therapy

Our immediate objective is to determine whether infectivity of lytic podophage T3 has a relatively high persistence in the blood of a mouse, as suggested by previous data. Secondarily, we determine whether the T3 surface has changed during this mouse passage. The surface is characterized by native agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE). Beyond our current data, the long-term objective is optimization of phages chosen for therapy of all bacteremias and associated sepsis. We find that the persistence of T3 in mouse blood is higher by over an order of magnitude than the previously reported persistence of (1) lysogenic phages lambda and P22, and (2) lytic phage T7, a T3 relative. We explain these differences via the lysogenic character of lambda and P22, and the physical properties of T7. For the future, we propose testing a new, AGE-based strategy for rapidly screening for high-persistence, lytic, environmental podophages that have phage therapy-promoting physical properties.