cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controls over pathways of carbon efflux from soils along climate and black spruce productivity gradients in interior Alaska

Abstract Small changes in C cycling in boreal forests can change the sign of their C balance, so it is important to gain an understanding of the factors controlling small exports like water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) fluxes from the soils in these systems. To examine this, we estimated WSOC fluxes based on measured concentrations along four replicate gradients in upland black spruce ( Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) productivity and soil temperature in interior Alaska and compared them to concurrent rates of soil CO 2 efflux. Concentrations of WSOC in organic and mineral horizons ranged from 4.9 to 22.7 g C m −2 and from 1.4 to 8.4 g C m −2 , respectively. Annual WSOC fluxes (4.5–12.0 g C m −2 y −1 ) increased with annual soil CO 2 effluxes (365–739 g C m −2 y −1 ) across all sites ( R 2 =0.55, p =0.02), with higher fluxes occurring in warmer, more productive stands. Although annual WSOC flux was relatively small compared to total soil CO 2 efflux across all sites (
High-density probe substrate for testing optical interconnects

The design, fabrication, and demonstration of a high-density probe substrate (100 /spl mu/m pitch) for testing chips with electrical and optical input/output (I/O) interconnects are presented. The primary purpose of this substrate is to provide nondamaging, temporary interconnections between the device-under-test (DUT) and the automated test equipment (ATE) during wafer probing - an essential step in the system-on-chip (SOC) manufacturing process. Optical probing of an array of polymer pillar-based optical I/O interconnects is demonstrated for the first time, to the authors' knowledge.
A new approach to machine-based perception of monocular images

A novel approach to machine-based visual perception of monocular images is described and initial recognition results are presented. The approach uses a recursive procedure to generate a series of reconstructed versions of the raw video image. The procedure is motivated by certain perceptual organization functions of the human visual system. Recognition of object categories is attempted at each step by comparing the newly generated regions to stored object categories. Category retrieval is carried out using a software-based content-addressing scheme which provides access to complete object representations in memory using incomplete portions of the representation. The category-representation scheme is sufficiently general to allow a variety of poorly correlated images of specific category examples to be represented and recognized by a single general category representation. These properties are illustrated using a group of distorted, defective, and idealized images of ASCII A's and handguns. >
Relation of gemfibrozil treatment and high-density lipoprotein subpopulation profile with cardiovascular events in the Veterans Affairs High-Density Lipoprotein Intervention Trial

The significant cardiovascular disease (CVD) event reduction in the Veterans Affairs High-Density Lipoprotein Intervention Trial (VA-HIT) could not be fully explained by the 6% increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol with the fibrate gemfibrozil. We examined whether measurement of HDL subpopulations provided additional information relative to CVD risk reduction. The HDL subpopulations were characterized by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis in subjects who were treated with gemfibrozil (n = 754) or placebo (n = 741). In this study, samples obtained at the 3-month visit were used; and data were analyzed prospectively using CVD events (coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) during the 5.1 years of follow-up. Analyses in the gemfibrozil arm showed that subjects with recurrent CVD events had significantly higher prebeta-1 and had significantly lower alpha-1 and alpha-2 HDL levels than those without such events. Prebeta-1 level was a significant positive predictor; alpha-1 and alpha-2 levels were significant negative risk factors for future CVD events. alpha-2 level was superior to HDL cholesterol level in CVD-risk assessment after adjustment for established risk factors. Gemfibrozil treatment was associated with 3% to 6% decreases in the small, lipid-poor prebeta-1 HDL and in the large, lipid-rich alpha-1 and alpha-2 HDL and with increases in the small alpha-3 (3%) and prealpha-3 (16%) HDLs. Although the use of gemfibrozil has been associated with reduction in CVD events in VA-HIT, HDL subpopulation analysis indicates that gemfibrozil-mediated improvement in CVD risk might not be the result of its effects on HDL. It is quite possible that much of the cardiovascular benefits of gemfibrozil are due to a much wider spectrum of effects on metabolic processes that is not reflected by changes in blood lipids and HDL subpopulations.
Spore coat genes SP60 and SP70 of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract We cloned and sequenced the genes for two of the major proteins found in spore coats of Dictyostelium discoideum. The predicted translation product of each of these genes starts with a hydrophobic signal sequence that is subsequently cleaved. Expression of these spore coat genes is coordinate in prespore cells.
Novices and experts: An information processing approach to the “good language learner” problem

It is hypothesized that strategies and techniques employed by “expert” language learners differ from those of “novice” learners. In this study, the performance of multilingual subjects was contrasted to that of bilingual and monolingual subjects on two tasks that involved learning a miniature linguistic system. Under “implicit” learning conditions, multilingual subjects showed superior performance to that of the other two groups, but under “explicit” conditions, there were no differences. The results were interpreted in information processing terms as indicating that multilingual subjects have strategies that help them allocate processing resources more efficiently than our other subjects in formulating informal rules of limited scope under implicit conditions.
Practical defenses against pollution attacks in wireless network coding

Recent studies have shown that network coding can provide significant benefits to network protocols, such as increased throughput, reduced network congestion, higher reliability, and lower power consumption. The core principle of network coding is that intermediate nodes actively mix input packets to produce output packets. This mixing subjects network coding systems to a severe security threat, known as a pollution attack, where attacker nodes inject corrupted packets into the network. Corrupted packets propagate in an epidemic manner, depleting network resources and significantly decreasing throughput. Pollution attacks are particularly dangerous in wireless networks, where attackers can easily inject packets or compromise devices due to the increased network vulnerability.In this article, we address pollution attacks against network coding systems in wireless mesh networks. We demonstrate that previous solutions are impractical in wireless networks, incurring an unacceptable high degradation of throughput. We propose a lightweight scheme, DART, that uses time-based authentication in combination with random linear transformations to defend against pollution attacks. We further improve system performance and propose EDART, which enhances DART with an optimistic forwarding scheme. We also propose efficient attacker identification schemes for both DART and EDART that enable quick attacker isolation and the selection of attacker-free paths, achieving additional performance improvement. A detailed security analysis shows that the probability of a polluted packet passing our verification procedure is very low (less than 0.002p in typical settings). Performance results using the well-known MORE protocol and realistic link quality measurements from the Roofnet experimental testbed show that our schemes improve system performance over 20 times compared with previous solutions.
Effects of Blood Pressure Control on Progressive Renal Disease in Blacks and Whites

Abstract African Americans (blacks) have a disproportionately high incidence of end-stage renal disease due to hypertension. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study found that strict blood pressure control slowed the decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) only in the subgroup of patients with proteinuria. The present report compares the effects of blood pressure control in black and white MDRD Study participants. Fifty-three black and 495 white participants with baseline GFRs of 25 to 55 mL/min/1.73 m 2 were randomly assigned to a usual or low mean arterial pressure (MAP) goal of ≤107 or ≤92 mm Hg, respectively. GFR decline was compared between randomized groups and correlated with the level of achieved blood pressure. The mean (±SE) GFR decline over 3 years in the low blood pressure group was 11.8±7.3 mL/min slower than in the usual blood pressure group among blacks ( P =.11) compared with 0.3±1.3 mL/min slower among whites ( P =.81) ( P =.12 between blacks and whites). In both blacks and whites, higher baseline urine protein excretion was associated with a greater beneficial effect of the low MAP goal on GFR decline ( P =.02 for both races). Combining both blood pressure groups and controlling for baseline characteristics, higher follow-up achieved MAP was associated with faster GFR decline in both blacks ( P P =.002), with a sevenfold stronger relationship in blacks ( P 1 g/d). In addition, a lower level of blood pressure control may be even more important in blacks than in whites in slowing the progression of renal disease.
Machine Learning Study of the Heulandite Family of Zeolites

Heulandite and clinoptilolite form the most abundant family of natural zeolite crystals. The topology of both of them is characterized by the framework type HEU. Despite many studies on these crystals, the mineral assignment to a zeolite as heulandite or clinoptilolite is still controversial and unresolved today. Based on a machine learning clustering analysis of crystallographic data of zeolite crystals, we show that zeolites belonging to the HEU framework type are divided into three groups of minerals instead of two. Two of the groups, HEU-h and HEU-c, contain crystals with names heulandite and clinoptilolite, respectively. The third newly proposed group HEU-m is composed of mixed zeolites named under both traditional names. The grouping is based on the EM algorithm and a set of descriptors built from data collected in the NIST/FIZ Inorganic Crystal Structure Database. Verification of the division of the HEU family into three groups is provided based on a battery of machine learning tests.
ChIP-Enrich: gene set enrichment testing for ChIP-seq data

Gene set enrichment testing can enhance the biological interpretation of ChIP-seq data. Here, we develop a method, ChIP-Enrich, for this analysis which empirically adjusts for gene locus length (the length of the gene body and its surrounding non-coding sequence). Adjustment for gene locus length is necessary because it is often positively associated with the presence of one or more peaks and because many biologically defined gene sets have an excess of genes with longer or shorter gene locus lengths. Unlike alternative methods, ChIP-Enrich can account for the wide range of gene locus length-to-peak presence relationships (observed in ENCODE ChIP-seq data sets). We show that ChIP-Enrich has a well-calibrated type I error rate using permuted ENCODE ChIP-seq data sets; in contrast, two commonly used gene set enrichment methods, Fisher's exact test and the binomial test implemented in Genomic Regions Enrichment of Annotations Tool (GREAT), can have highly inflated type I error rates and biases in ranking. We identify DNA-binding proteins, including CTCF, JunD and glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα), that show different enrichment patterns for peaks closer to versus further from transcription start sites. We also identify known and potential new biological functions of GRα. ChIP-Enrich is available as a web interface (http://chip-enrich.med.umich.edu) and Bioconductor package.
A transformerless galvanically isolated switched capacitor LED driver

The design and test of a capacitor-isolated LED driver, suitable for screw-in, residential lighting applications, is reported. The design relies on a pair of high voltage isolation capacitors, comprising part of a series resonant tank. The series resonant tank is integrated with a balanced ladder step-down switched capacitor front-end, enabling the series resonant conversion stage to function conveniently with any line voltage, while still preserving the efficient voltage regulation capability of the resonant stage. Dimming and power control are effected with a low frequency PWM control loop. The tested prototype delivers 15.5 W at 425 mA at rated power into a string of 12 LEDs at 92% efficiency. Efficiency exceeding 85% is maintained over more than a 10:1 dimming range, and also over a wide range of line voltages.
Evaluation of a Mammography Screening Decision Aid for Women Aged 75 and Older: Protocol for a Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: There is insufficient evidence to recommend mammography for women >75 years. Guidelines recommend that older women be informed of the uncertainty of benefit and potential for harm, especially for women with short life expectancy. However, few older women are informed of harms of screening and many with short life expectancy are screened. Therefore, we aim to test whether a mammography screening decision aid (DA) for women >75 years affects their use of mammography, particularly for women with <10 year life expectancy. Methods/Design: The DA is a self-administered pamphlet that includes information on screening outcomes, tailored information on breast cancer risk, health, life expectancy, and competing mortality risks, and includes a values clarification exercise. We are conducting a large cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the DA with the primary care provider (PCP) as the unit of randomization to evaluate its efficacy. We plan to recruit 550 women 75-89 years from 100 PCPs to receive either the mammography DA or a pamphlet on home safety for older adults (control arm) before a visit with their PCP, depending on their PCP’s randomization assignment. The primary outcome is receipt of mammography screening assessed through chart abstraction. Secondary outcomes include effect of the DA on older women’s screening intentions, knowledge, and decisional conflict, and on documented discussions about mammography by their PCPs. We will recruit women from 5 Boston-based primary care practices (3 community-based internal medicine practices and 2 academic practices), and 2 North Carolina-based academic primary care practices. Discussion: It is essential that we test the DA in a large RCT to determine if it is efficacious and to substantiate the need for broad translation into clinical practice. Our DA has the potential to improve health care utilization and care in a manner dictated by patient preferences. Trial registration: NCT02198690.
Press pause to fast forward

Hit pause on a video and you can scan the screen, analyze the scene, and edit the picture. Hit pause on a cell cycle, and you could one day do the same: A simple and reversible method for arresting the cell cycle at different stages would provide opportunities to genetically manipulate mammalian cells with great efficiency and reproducibility. Current methods to control cell cycle using nutrient deprivation and small-molecule inhibition are cell-type–specific and disrupt other cellular processes. Here, Wei and Smolke present a genetically encoded ribozyme-based method that can control cell cycle by regulating RNA message of key checkpoint proteins. Wei and Smolke first genetically engineered a human osteosarcoma cell line to individually overexpress known cell cycle regulatory proteins. The assays showed that certain single proteins could inhibit G0/1 or G2/M transition by ~50% in the overall cell population. Optimization of the gene expression construct or coexpression of multiple regulatory proteins showed little to no improvement. After identifying the important protein regulatory nodes, the group then implemented a small molecule–responsive ribozyme switch that could control the RNA transcript for these proteins. (Ribozymes are self-cleaving RNA regulatory elements that can be inserted into the untranslated region of a target gene for transcriptional control.) Exposing the cell culture to the small molecule flipped the ribozyme switch, effectively degrading the RNA for the cell cycle protein target and arresting cells at a particular cell cycle stage. The ribozyme switch was found to be effective and durable for weeks. Crucially, the arrest is also reversible, allowing the cell cycle to restart without the damage caused by previous methods. Controlling cell cycle in a predictable manner opens up the opportunity to improve the efficiency of genetic engineering, which is dependent on the stage of the cell cycle. Furthermore, arrested cells more stably express transgenes for episomes, allowing for potentially safer gene therapy in human cells without genome integration. However, the methods used by Wei and Smolke were cell type–specific, so further application will require identification of important nodes in each cell type of interest. Nevertheless, arresting cell cycles with ribozyme switches suggests that a temporary pause can put science on fast forward. K. Y. Wei and Smolke, Engineering dynamic cell cycle control with synthetic small molecule-responsive RNA devices . J. Biol. Eng. 10.1186/s13036-015-0019-7 (2015). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13036-015-0019-7
Stability Tests of Interlocking Block Revetment

This paper is a report on the further development of light-weight interlocking concrete block revetments through tests in the Large Wave Tank at Coastal Engineering Research Center. Two types of blocks were tested on a 1 on 2 slope; one a machine-produced tongue-and-groove type weighing 75 lb, and the other a hand-produced shiplap type weighing 150 lb, the latter having twice the surface area of the former. In all, ten tests were made with wave heights ranging from 1.5 ft to 6.2 ft and wave periods ranging from 3.0 sec to 6.0 sec. Observations were made of the displacement of blocks and the vertical movement of the face of the slope when attacked by waves. Test data have provided information resulting in the development of a machine-produced block which remained stable under the continuous attack of 4.7-sec 4.8-ft breaking waves. Comparative tests showed that the tongue-and-groove blocks have greater stability than the shiplap blocks.
Making Jury Trials More Truthful

In investigating the trial goals of truth and justice through the lens of the adversary system, key questions surface. How well does the system work to achieve either goal? What could we learn from the relatively nonadversarial inquisitorial system? To what extent does the "truth" and "justice" of adversarial trial procedure conform to common notions of truth and justice? Lastly, does the ethics of trial advocacy promote or frustrate the realization of truth and justice? This article first reviews the untoward implications for jury trial truth-seeking resulting from exclusive use of adversarial procedure. Part I discusses the adversarial trial's search for the truth: the underlying theory; impediments to truth; truth-corrupting devices by attorneys; and the impact of adversarial ethics. Part II looks at jury factfinding. Notwithstanding our extensive reliance on the jury system, our procedural rules actually compound the already considerable innate fact-finding limitations of all-lay juries. Part III compares the relative strengths and weaknesses of the adversary and inquisitorial systems as regards the search for truth. Having delineated the major problems of jury factfinding in the context of a highly adversarial trial system, the article moves on to consider ameliorative change. Part IV proposes specific responsive reforms, some sourced in the inquisitorial system, to make jury trials more truthful, i.e., more effective in the search for truth. In this regard, the pertinent findings of three large-scale surveys are presented.
Optimal Trade-Offs between Housing Cost and Environmental Performance

AbstractHousing units in the United States account for 18% of the total greenhouse gas emissions and 58% of public-supply water consumption. These negative environmental impacts of housing units can be reduced by integrating green building measures and fixtures, such as geothermal heat pumps and water-saving plumbing fixtures. The integration of these green measures often leads to an increase in the initial costs of the housing units, and therefore decision makers need to study and optimize the potential trade-offs between the environmental performance of housing units and their initial costs. This paper presents a multiobjective optimization model that is capable of optimizing housing design and construction decisions to generate optimal trade-offs between maximizing the environmental performance of housing units and minimizing their initial costs. The model was designed to maximize housing environmental performance during its operational phase by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and water consumpti...
Trauma-Informed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Female Survivors of Interpersonal Violence: Results From a Stage I RCT.

OBJECTIVE: This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated a novel trauma-informed model of mindfulness-based stress reduction (TI-MBSR) as a phase I trauma intervention for female survivors of interpersonal violence (IPV). METHOD: A community-based sample of women (mean age = 41.5, standard deviation = 14.6) with a history of IPV was randomly assigned to an 8-week TI-MBSR intervention (n = 23) or a waitlist control group (n = 22). Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression as well as anxious and avoidant attachment were assessed pre- and postintervention. RESULTS: Relative to the control group, participation in TI-MBSR was associated with statistically and clinically significant decreases in PTSD and depressive symptoms and significant reductions in anxious attachment. Retention in the intervention was high, with most participants completing at least 5 of the 8 sessions for the intervention. Minutes of mindfulness practice per week significantly predicted reductions in PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSION: TI-MBSR appears to be a promising and feasible phase I intervention for female survivors of interpersonal trauma.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Long-Time Behavior of the Catalytic Partial Oxidation of Glycerol in an Autothermal Reactor

We performed a long-term study of the autothermal reforming of glycerol. Liquid glycerol and water were introduced into a quartz reactor at room temperature and mixed with air in a nebulizer. The aerosol reacted to form H2, H2O, CO, and CO2 over a bed of spherical Rh−Ce/CeO2/Al2O3 particles, with minor production of C2+ species. Catalyst deactivation was exhibited by a decrease in the production of H2 and CO2 and increases in CO and temperature over 450 h. The product changes suggest reduction in the water−gas shift reaction, which is typically promoted by Ce. SEM analysis indicated sintering of the catalyst due to high reaction temperatures, and EDS showed inorganic deposits on the walls of the quartz reactor and on the catalyst spheres. Etching of the quartz reactor shell was also observed.
ARTSY-J: Convenient and precise measurement of (3)JHNHα couplings in medium-size proteins from TROSY-HSQC spectra.

Abstract A new and convenient method, named ARTSY-J, is introduced that permits extraction of the 3 J HNHα couplings in proteins from the relative intensities in a pair of 15 N– 1 H TROSY-HSQC spectra. The pulse scheme includes 3 J HNHα dephasing of the narrower TROSY 1 H N –{ 15 N} doublet component during a delay, integrated into the regular two-dimensional TROSY-HSQC pulse scheme, and compares the obtained intensity with a reference spectrum where 3 J HNHα dephasing is suppressed. The effect of passive 1 H α spin flips downscales the apparent 3 J HNHα coupling by a uniform factor that depends approximately linearly on both the duration of the 3 J HNHα dephasing delay and the 1 H– 1 H cross relaxation rate. Using such a correction factor, which accounts for the effects of both inhomogeneity of the radiofrequency field and 1 H α spin flips, agreement between prior and newly measured values for the small model protein GB3 is better than 0.3 Hz. Measurement for the HIV-1 protease homodimer (22 kDa) yields 3 J HNHα values that agree to better than 0.7 Hz with predictions made on the basis of a previously parameterized Karplus equation. Although for Gly residues the two individual 3 J HNHα couplings cannot be extracted from a single set of ARTSY-J spectra, the measurement provides valuable ϕ angle information.
Squigonometry, Hyperellipses, and Supereggs

A superegg is the solid of revolution for a hyperellipse, an ellipse with squarish corners. The two objects became the basis of a design revolution of sorts in the 1960s, as practiced by the Danish...
The Reconstruction of Federal Judicial Power, 1863–1875

In no comparable period of our nation's history have the federal courts, lower and Supreme, enjoyed as great an expansion of their jurisdiction as they did in the years of Reconstruction, 1863 to 1876. To a court, jurisdiction is power: power to decide certain types of cases, power to hear the pleas and defenses of different groups of litigants, power to settle policy questions which affect the lives, liberty, or purses of men, corporations, and governments. An increase in a court's jurisdiction allows that court to take on new powers, open its doors to new parties, and command the obedience of men formerly strangers to its writ. Thus it is that in crabbed and obscure jurisdictional statutes a hundred years old we may trace out great shifts of power, shifts that left the nation supreme over the states in 1876 and that gave the federal courts a greater control over the policies of Congress than they had before the Civil War.
Arms Control Implications of the Third-World Naval Hierarchy

The expansion of Third-World navies over just a few decades creates, at first sight, an ominous impression. There has been both horizontal expansion and increasingly potent naval weaponry distributed to conflict-prone environments. Bilateral disputes and arms races have frequently fuelled continuing build-ups. And since, in such circumstances, security is particularly elusive, the usual dynamic of arms build-ups is accentuated and more and increasingly potent weapons are acquired as resources permit.
Determining Cosmology for a Nonlocal Realization of MOND

We numerically determine the cosmological branch of the free function in a nonlocal metric-based modification of gravity which provides a relativistic generalization of Milgrom's modified Newtonian dynamics. We are able to reproduce the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ expansion history over virtually all of cosmic history, including the era of radiation domination during big bang nucleosynthesis, the era of matter domination during recombination, and most of the era of vacuum energy domination. The very late period of $0\ensuremath{\le}z\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.0880$, during which the model deviates from the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ expansion history, is interesting because it causes the current value of the Hubble parameter to be about 4.5% larger than it would be for the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ model. This may resolve the tension between inferences of ${H}_{0}$ which are based on data from large redshift and inferences based on Hubble plots.
Perennial Grasses as Second-Generation Sustainable Feedstocks Without Conflict with Food Production

Biofuel production from maize grain has been touted by some as a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, while being criticized by others for removing land from food production, exacerbating greenhouse gas emissions, and requiring more fossil energy than they produce. The use of second-generation feedstocks for cellulosic biofuel production is widely believed to have a smaller greenhouse gas footprint than first-generation feedstocks. In particular, perennial grasses may provide a balance between the high productivity necessary to minimize the amount of land area necessary for feedstock production and the sustainability of the perennial growth habit.
Color properties of the model spin chain materials V O H P O 4 ⋅ 1 2 H 2 O and ( V O ) 2 P 2 O 7 : Spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations

We report the optical properties of two prototypical $S=1∕2$ magnetic materials: vanadyl (IV) hydrogen-phosphate hemihydrate $\mathrm{V}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}\ensuremath{\cdot}\frac{1}{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ and its derivative vanadyl pyrophosphate ${(\mathrm{V}\mathrm{O})}_{2}{\mathrm{P}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$. Local density approximation electronic structure calculations are used to identify and evaluate correct structures, assign the observed excitations, and quantify bonding and hybridization effects in both materials. $\mathrm{V}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}\ensuremath{\cdot}\frac{1}{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ displays a strong color band that is derived from ${\mathrm{V}}^{4+}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}d$ excitations. It is sensitive to both the local vanadium environment and the enhanced low-temperature hydrogen bonding between layers. In contrast, ${(\mathrm{V}\mathrm{O})}_{2}{\mathrm{P}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ displays a diffuse and gradually rising near infrared absorption in all directions. The $\mathrm{O}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{V}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}d$ charge transfer gaps in both materials are similar. We predict that the on-site excitations of the transition metal centers may be sensitive to a magnetic state via a magnetic field control of $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}d$ hybridization.
Scalable Secure Multi-party Network Vulnerability Analysis via Symbolic Optimization

Threat propagation analysis is a valuable tool in improving the cyber resilience of enterprise networks. As these networks are interconnected and threats can propagate not only within but also across networks, a holistic view of the entire network can reveal threat propagation trajectories unobservable from within a single enterprise. However, companies are reluctant to share internal vulnerability measurement data as it is highly sensitive and (if leaked) possibly damaging. Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC) addresses this concern. MPC is a cryptographic technique that allows distrusting parties to compute analytics over their joint data while protecting its confidentiality. In this work we apply MPC to threat propagation analysis on large, federated networks. To address the prohibitively high performance cost of general-purpose MPC we develop two novel applications of optimizations that can be leveraged to execute many relevant graph algorithms under MPC more efficiently: (1) dividing the computation into separate stages such that the first stage is executed privately by each party without MPC and the second stage is an MPC computation dealing with a much smaller shared network, and (2) optimizing the second stage by treating the execution of the analysis algorithm as a symbolic expression that can be optimized to reduce the number of costly operations and subsequently executed under MPC. We evaluate the scalability of this technique by analyzing the potential for threat propagation on examples of network graphs and propose several directions along which this work can be expanded.
Correlative analysis of circulating tumor (ct) DNA and tumor mutational analysis (TMA) in patients with advanced pancreatobilliary malignancies (PBM).

235Background: Tumor archival tissue (TT) MA of PBM is challenging due to insufficient specimen acquired from fine needle aspirations. This is a barrier to analyzing specimens for targeted therapy ...
Acoustic emission and active sensing capabilities on full-scale nuclear dry cask storage structures

Nuclear dry cask storage systems are being used for extended periods of time. Structural health monitoring of these casks has grown out of concern that the radioactive waste could jeopardize the casks’ structural health as time progresses. Ultrasonic guided waves offer a potential solution for monitoring the nuclear casks structural health without opening the containers. This paper explores sensing techniques on small-scale mockup and full scale dry cask storage systems. Methods include acoustic emission (AE) as well as active sensing. Results showed accuracies in localizations, differences in sensing techniques, structural responses, and the capabilities of ultrasonic guided waves in dry cask storage systems.
Spiking neural networks for handwritten digit recognition—Supervised learning and network optimization

We demonstrate supervised learning in Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) for the problem of handwritten digit recognition using the spike triggered Normalized Approximate Descent (NormAD) algorithm. Our network that employs neurons operating at sparse biological spike rates below 300Hz achieves a classification accuracy of 98.17% on the MNIST test database with four times fewer parameters compared to the state-of-the-art. We present several insights from extensive numerical experiments regarding optimization of learning parameters and network configuration to improve its accuracy. We also describe a number of strategies to optimize the SNN for implementation in memory and energy constrained hardware, including approximations in computing the neuronal dynamics and reduced precision in storing the synaptic weights. Experiments reveal that even with 3-bit synaptic weights, the classification accuracy of the designed SNN does not degrade beyond 1% as compared to the floating-point baseline. Further, the proposed SNN, which is trained based on the precise spike timing information outperforms an equivalent non-spiking artificial neural network (ANN) trained using back propagation, especially at low bit precision. Thus, our study shows the potential for realizing efficient neuromorphic systems that use spike based information encoding and learning for real-world applications.
Modular Framework for Data Prefetching and Replacement at the Edge

In this paper, we define and evaluate a Bayesian reasoning based cache management framework to minimize data movement and hence the latency and energy consumption of edge devices when interacting with the cloud to retrieve the needed data. The framework can be implemented either directly as a real cache, or as a virtual cache that acts as an advisor to the real cache. The latter strategy is useful when the real cache already exists and deals with complexities such as pinning/unpinning of some objects. The caching framework makes intelligent prefetching and eviction decisions using contextual and temporal relationships while automatically adjusting its parameters in the background. This flexibility and adjustability is crucial for the edge because of the prevalence of the context dependent and heterogeneous nature of the cloud interaction. The paper shows through several storage traces that the mechanism is at least as good as other state of the art algorithms, and can adapt faster to workload changes.
Aging of the Heart and Arteries

The world population in both industrialized and developing countries is aging. For example, in the United States, 35 million people are over the age of 65 years, and the number of older Americans is expected to double by the year 2030. The clinical and economic implications of this demographic shift are staggering because age is the most powerful risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The incidence and prevalence of hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure, and stroke, the quintessential diseases of Western society, increase exponentially with age. Although epidemiological studies have discovered that some aspects of lifestyle and genetics are risk factors for these diseases, age, per se, confers the major risk. Thus, it is reasonable to hypothesize that specific pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie these diseases become superimposed on cardiac and vascular substrates that have been modified by an “aging process,” and that the latter modulates disease occurrence and severity. In other words, age-associated changes in cardiovascular structure and function become “partners” with pathophysiological disease mechanisms, lifestyle, and genetics in determining the threshold, severity, and prognosis of CVD occurrence in older persons (Fig. 1).
Thermal modeling and efficiency of a dual-stage sodium heat engine

Abstract A thermal design of an axisymmetric dual-stage sodium thermal electrochemical converter (Na-TEC) is presented, where a reduced-order finite-element model is used in conjunction with a Na-TEC thermodynamic model to determine the total parasitic heat loss of this dual-stage design. A number of simplifications are applied in the reduced-order model to decrease the computational time while maintaining acceptable accuracy. These include the use of effective thermal conductivities to account for complex corrugated geometries and apparent surface emissivities to accommodate the effect of radiation shields. Furthermore, a simplified analytical model is developed to account for conduction bypass through the Na-TEC liquid-return path. An iterative procedure between the finite-element and thermodynamic models is described in detail, and the thermal performance of the design proposed herein is analyzed. According to this analysis, a maximum efficiency of 29% and a maximum power output of 125 W can be achieved.
Resident Memory and Recirculating Memory T Cells Cooperate to Maintain Disease in a Mouse Model of Vitiligo

Tissue resident memory T cells (Trm) form in the skin in vitiligo and persist to maintain disease, as white spots often recur rapidly after discontinuing therapy. We and others have recently described melanocyte-specific autoreactive Trm in vitiligo lesions. Here, we characterize the functional relationship between Trm and recirculating memory T cells (Tcm) in our vitiligo mouse model. We found that both Trm and Tcm sensed autoantigen in the skin long after stabilization of disease, producing IFN-γ, CXCL9, and CXCL10. Blockade of Tcm recruitment to the skin with FTY720 or depletion of Tcm with low-dose Thy1.1 antibody reversed disease, indicating that Trm cooperate with Tcm to maintain disease. Taken together, our data provide characterization of skin memory T cells in vitiligo, demonstrate that Trm and Tcm work together during disease, and indicate that targeting their survival or function may provide novel, durable treatment options for patients.
Toward Improving Ambient Volta Potential Measurements with SKPFM for Corrosion Studies

Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) is used in corrosion studies to quantify the relative nobility of different microstructural features present within complex metallic systems and thereby elucidate possible corrosion initiation sites. However, Volta potential differences (VPDs) measured via SKPFM in the literature for metal alloys exhibit large variability, making interpretation and application for corrosion studies difficult. We have developed an improved method for referencing SKPFM VPDs by quantifying the closely related work function of the probe relative to an inert gold standard whose modified work function is calculated via density functional theory (DFT). By measuring and tracking changes in the probe vs. gold VPD, this method compensates for some of the complex effects that cause changes in an individual probe's work function. Furthermore, it provides a path toward direct, quantitative comparison of SKPFM results obtained by different researchers. Application of this method to a Cu-Ag-Ti eutectic braze of a steel sample imaged with multiple SKPFM probes of differing compositions led to enhanced repeatability both within and among probe types, as well as enabled the calculation of modified work function values for each of the microstructural constituents present.
Multi-geometry Spatial Acoustic Modeling for Distant Speech Recognition

The use of spatial information with multiple microphones can improve far-field automatic speech recognition (ASR) accuracy. However, conventional microphone array techniques degrade speech enhancement performance when there is an array geometry mismatch between design and test conditions. Moreover, such speech enhancement techniques do not always yield ASR accuracy improvement due to the difference between speech enhancement and ASR optimization objectives. In this work, we propose to unify an acoustic model framework by optimizing spatial filtering and long short-term memory (LSTM) layers from multi-channel (MC) input. Our acoustic model subsumes beamformers with multiple types of array geometry. In contrast to deep clustering methods that treat a neural network as a black box tool, the network encoding the spatial filters can process streaming audio data in real time without the accumulation of target signal statistics. We demonstrate the effectiveness of such MC neural networks through ASR experiments on the real-world far-field data. We show that our two-channel acoustic model can on average reduce word error rates (WERs) by 13.4 and 12.7% compared to a single channel ASR system with the log-mel filter bank energy (LFBE) feature under the matched and mismatched microphone placement conditions, respectively. Our result also shows that our two-channel network achieves a relative WER reduction of over 7.0% compared to conventional beamforming with seven microphones overall.
Wideband, Beam-Steerable Reflectarrays Based on Minimum-Switch Topology, Polarization-Rotating Unit Cells

We describe the results of a wideband, reconfigurable reflectarray concept based on polarization-rotating unit cells (PRUCs) with a minimum-switch topology design. To enhance the simplicity and decrease the cost, the approach focuses exclusively on a one-bit phase shifting architecture. We investigated PRUCs having four conducting, single-headed arrow structures on their top surfaces and crossed, conducting strips acting as hard-wired switches on their bottom surfaces. The top-surface arrows and the bottom-surface strips are connected with four vertical vias. The switch states of the bottom conducting strips determine the two operating states of the unit cell for rotating the polarization of the reflected waves by +90° and −90° with respect to that of the incident, linearly polarized waves. The PRUC provides a co-polarization reflection coefficient of better than −1 dB over the wide frequency range of 8–12 GHz, as demonstrated by the simulation results. The PRUCs were incorporated into an illustrative reflectarray operating in the $X$ -band. The full-wave simulation results show good beam scanning performance over the range of ±45° with a maximum scan loss of 3 dB. Two static realizations of the reflectarray for beam collimation at $\theta =0^\circ $ and $\theta =45^\circ $ in the $x z$ plane were fabricated and experimentally characterized. The measurement results show good agreement with the simulation results and demonstrate the beam steering operation of the proposed reflectarray.
Projected increase in the spatial extent of contiguous US summer heat waves and associated attributes

The frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves are all expected to increase as the climate warms in response to increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. The focus of this study is on another dimension of heat waves, their spatial extent, something that has not been studied systematically by researchers but has important implications for associated impacts. Of particular interest are spatially contiguous heat wave regions, examined here over the conterminous U.S. for the May to September season in both the current climate and climate model projections from the CMIP5 archive (11 models total) using the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 radiative forcing scenarios. Given their myriad impacts, heat waves are defined using multiple temperature variables, one which includes atmospheric moisture. In addition to their spatial extent, several other physical attributes are computed across contiguous heat wave regions, including a proxy for energy use. An estimate of the human population exposed to current and future heat waves is also evaluated. We find that historical climate model simulations, in aggregate, show good fidelity in capturing key characteristics of heat waves in the current climate while projections show a substantial increase in spatial extent and other attributes by mid-century under both scenarios, though generally less for RCP4.5, as expected. Overall, the study presents a framework for examining the behavior, and associated impacts, of a frequently overlooked aspect of heat waves. The projected increases in the spatial extent and other attributes of heat waves reported here provides a new perspective on some of the potential consequences of the continued increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
Impacts of Clarification Techniques on Sample Constituents and Pathogen Retention

Determination of the microbial content in foods is important, not only for safe consumption, but also for food quality, value, and yield. A variety of molecular techniques are currently available for both identification and quantification of microbial content within samples; however, their success is often contingent upon proper sample preparation when the subject of investigation is a complex mixture of components such as foods. Because of the importance of sample preparation, the present study employs a systematic approach to compare the effects of four different separation techniques (glass wool, 50 μm polypropylene filters, graphite felt, and continuous flow centrifugation (CFC)) on sample preparation. To define the physical effects associated with the use of these separation methods, a multifactorial analysis was performed where particle size and composition, both pre- and post- processing, were analyzed for four different food matrices including lean ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey and spinach. Retention of three important foodborne bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes) was also examined to evaluate the feasibility of the aforementioned methods to be utilized within the context of foodborne pathogen detection. Data from the multifactorial analysis not only delineated the particle size ranges but also defined the unique compositional profiles and quantified the bacterial retention. The three filtration membranes allowed for the passage of bacteria with minimal loss while CFC concentrated the inoculated bacteria. In addition, the deposition and therefore concentration of food matrix observed with CFC was considerably higher for meat samples relative to spinach. However, filtration with glass wool prior to CFC helped clarify meat samples, which led to considerably lower amounts of solids in the CFC vessel post processing and an increase in the recovery of the bacteria. Overall, by laying a framework for the deductive selection of sample preparation techniques, the results of the study can be applied to a range of applications where it would be beneficial to scientifically guide the pairing of the criteria associated with a downstream detection method with the most advantageous sample preparation techniques for complex matrices such as foods.