cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heparin Prevents Histone-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Mortality

Abstract Abstract 2106 Histones and DNA are released from activated neutrophils to form extracellular traps (NETs) which bind and kill bacteria. Histones contribute to this antimicrobial activity, but they are a double-edged sword because they are a major mediator of death in sepsis. Histones are cytotoxic and intravenous infusion of histones into mice can lead to death. Recently we have shown that NETs provide a scaffold supporting platelet adhesion, activation and thrombus formation. NETs and histones were found in deep vein thrombi. Here we show that platelets in blood are preferentially targeted by histones. Histone binding to platelets induces calcium influx, recruits fibrinogen and causes platelet aggregation which depends on the interaction of histones, fibrinogen and αIIβ3-integrins. Mice challenged intravenously with histones at sublethal concentrations developed a rapid and profound thrombocytopenia reflecting platelet aggregation in vivo. Heparin administration abolished histone interaction with platelets and prevented thrombocytopenia. Heparin also prevented histone induced cytotoxicity towards endothelial cells and rescued mice after a challenge with a lethal dose of histones. The biological function of heparin stored in granules of mast cells is not known. We propose that it may be to counteract histone-mediated thrombosis and injury during innate immune response. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Crime Data, the Internet, and Free Speech: An Evolving Legal Consciousness

Digitization and open access to governmental data have made criminal justice information incredibly easy to access and disseminate. This study asks how law should govern access to criminal histories on the Internet. Drawing upon interviews with crime website publishers and subjects who have appeared on websites, I use legal consciousness theory to show how social actors interpret, construct, and invoke law in a nascent and unregulated area. The analysis reveals how both parties construct legality in the absence of positive legal restrictions: Website publishers use legal justifications, while those appealing to have their online record cleared resort to personal pleas, as opposed to legal remedy. Ultimately, I show how current data practices reinforce structural inequalities already present in criminal justice institutions in a profoundly public manner, leaving website subjects with little recourse and an inescapable digital trail.
Nerd ecology: defending the earth with unpopular culture

Operating from the not-wholly uncontroversial principle that ‘nerd culture’ is now both mainstream and increasingly valued in contemporary society, Anthony Lioi’s Nerd Ecology: Defending the Earth ...
Which tyrosine kinase inhibitor should we use to treat Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia?

The incorporation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) into chemotherapy regimens has significantly improved the long-term survival of patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). Successive generations of TKIs with increased potency against BCR-ABL and broader spectrum of activity against ABL kinase domain mutations have led to incremental improvements in the outcomes of patients with this disease. In particular, ponatinib, a potent pan-BCR-ABL TKI capable of overcoming the T315I mutation, holds significant promise in the treatment of Ph+ ALL, although the potential cardiovascular toxicity of this agent remains a concern. With the development of more potent TKIs that are capable of inducing deep and sustained remissions, future studies re-evaluating the need for intensive chemotherapy as well as the role for stem cell transplantation in first remission for patients with Ph+ ALL are warranted.
Fractal Distributions in Geology, Scale Invariance, and Deterministic Chaos

The scale invariance of geological phenomena is one of the first concepts taught to a student of geology. It is pointed out that an object with a scale, i.e., a coin, a rock hammer, a person, must be included whenever a photograph of a geological feature is taken. Without the scale, it is often impossible to determine whether the photograph covers 10 cm or 10 km. A specific example is folded, layered sedimentary rocks that occur over this range of scales. Another example is an aerial photograph of a rocky coastline. Without an object with a characteristic dimension, such as a tree or house, the elevation of the photograph cannot be determined. In this context, Mandelbrot (1967) introduced the concept of fractals. Because of scale invariance, the length of a coastline increases as the length of the measuring rod decreases according to a power law; the power determines the fractal dimension of the coastline.
Two Constructions with a Two-Edged Ruler

(1963). Two Constructions with a Two-Edged Ruler. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 24-24.
Effects of Corrosion in Supercritical CO 2 on the Microstructural Evolution in 800H Alloy

This study investigates corrosion of Fe–Ni-based alloy 800H that were exposed to supercritical CO2 (sCO2), ambient air and argon gas at pressures up to 20 MPa, at 650 and 750 °C for up to 1000 h. This alloy and other comparable metal alloys are expected to be used in sCO2 heat exchanger cycles as proposed in the DOE Advanced Ultra-Supercritical program. Alloy 800H is considered for this application, because it meets the high-temperature strength and creep rupture requirements and is a lower cost alternative to other Ni-based alloys. The oxidation performance and microstructural changes due to exposure in sCO2 have been evaluated and compared with exposures in air and Ar. The 800H alloy showed similar oxide scale thicknesses in sCO2 as in air. A recrystallized zone was observed beneath the oxide formed in air and sCO2. No such zone was observed after exposure to Ar, suggesting this recrystallization was associated with the oxidation process and not simply an effect of surface finishing. A wider recrystallized zone was observed underneath the oxide formed in sCO2 than in air. The effect of air and sCO2 on internal oxidation and carburization was investigated as well, showing that air led to more internal oxidation but less internal carburization than sCO2. It was concluded that the carbon species provided by the sCO2 atmosphere in conjunction with the increased grain boundary density in the recrystallized zone allowed for more ingress of carbon into the base metal, which resulted in a higher densities of carbides beneath the oxide scale.
Investigation of Model Falsification Using Error and Likelihood Bounds with Application to a Structural System

AbstractModels are used to represent and characterize physical phenomena. When there are many plausible models for a particular phenomenon, the modeler can exploit the computational tool called mod...
Sleep Loss in Older Adults: Effects on Waking Performance and Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation with Healthy Aging and Insomnia

Aging is accompanied by changes in sleep quality that include decreases in total sleep time and sleep efficiency as well as increases in wake time after sleep onset and early-morning awakenings. These changes produce an overall decline in sleep quality that can be further exacerbated by behavioral factors such as increased daytime napping and diminished exposure to circadian time cues as well as by a wide variety of medical and neuropsychiatric conditions. Prominent changes in sleep architecture with normal aging include decreases in slow wave sleep time and its accompanying spectral power as well as decreases in rapid eye movement (REM) density in REM sleep and stage 2 sleep spindles and K-complexes in non-REM sleep. Intrinsic circadian rhythms of sleep and wake propensity are damped in amplitude and advanced (shifted to earlier times) in older relative to younger adults. Paradoxically, vigilant attention is less degraded by experimental sleep loss in older vs. younger adults due, possibly, to lesser accumulation of sleep pressure with prolonged waking. Nonetheless, sleep-dependent memory consolidation, a cognitive process taking place during sleep itself, is strongly impacted by normal aging. Specifically, sleep-dependent consolidation of procedural memory, such as learning a specific motor sequence, is diminished with aging, whereas sleep continues to facilitate consolidation of declarative memory (e.g., verbal memory) in older adults. Despite buffering of vigilance against sleep loss and preservation of some forms of sleep-dependent memory consolidation with healthy aging, the concurrent degradation of sleep due to medical and neuropsychiatric issues in many elders may greatly reduce benefits to cognition provided by sleep in younger adults. A prominent example of such is the mutually exacerbating conditions of anxiety and insomnia. Thus, treatment of anxiety and/or insomnia may help to restore other cognitive benefits of good sleep in the elderly.
Probabilistic representations of boundary layer expansions

Using probabilistic methods we treat the problem of asymptotic expansions for a class of semilinear elliptic equations depending upon a small parameter e which degenerate to parabolic equations when e becomes zero. The method depends upon the representation of the solution of the partial differential equation as the expected value of a functional of an Ito stochastic differential equation.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Clinical Syndrome and Historical Perspective

This review considers the evolution of the concept of obstructive sleep apnea over the past 100 years, and emphasizes the new diagnostic tools available today.
Are We Alone? The Emergence of SETI

This chapter continues the historical discussion, focusing on the development of scientific SETI research in the 1950s. The chapter looks at some of the ideas that have emerged in relation to the nature of ETI, the Drake Equation, and the nature of human and alien civilizations and points out several of the underlying assumptions related to these ideas, particularly the manner in which nineteenth century concepts of cultural evolution have shaped the way many SETI scientists and others have conceptualized the possible nature of an extraterrestrial civilization.
Effects of Peripheral Thyroid Hormones on the Central Nervous System: Relevance to Disorders of Mood

The association of mood symptoms with disorders of the thyroid has been evident since the earliest clinical descriptions of such disorders. From Caleb Parry’s mention of “nervous affectations” (1825) and Graves’ delineation of “symptoms which were supposed to be hysterical” (1940), to more recent longitudinal studies such as that of Hermann and Quarton (1965), thyroid hyperfunction has been shown to play an etiologic role in the production of many and varied mental symptoms. Similarly, since the early study of hypothyroidism by the Clinical Society of London (1888) and Asher’s classic longitudinal study (1949), thyroid hy- pofunction has been identified as a causative agent in various sorts of psycho- pathology. This close relationship between thyroid economy and mental function has interested psychiatric researchers with diverse interests over at least the last 40 years (e.g., Gjessing et al. 1976; Lidz and Whitehorn 1949). More recently, this interest in the role of the thyroid axis in psychiatric disorders, particularly disorders of mood, has grown. Impetus for recent research stems from such clinical observations as the high prevalence of abnormal thyrotroph responsiveness to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in unipolar and bipolar depression, and the efficacy of thyroid hormones as adjuvants in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar affective disorders.
Historical Foundations for a Democratic China

In these days when China is being regarded as a partner and ally fighting on the side of the democracies, it is natural that political scientists and students of comparative government should ask some such questions: Is China a democracy? Has Chinese republicanism or Chinese democracy any historical basis?
Abstract 5841: Ceramide synthase-6 binding to CD95/Fas confers resistance to chemotherapy in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Ceramide synthase (CERS) produces ceramides, key intermediators in the biosynthesis of complex sphingolipids and play an important role in cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and senescence. Six isoforms of ceramide synthases (CERS1-6) with varying substrate specificity generate ceramides of diverse chain lengths. In normal tissues, CERS2, synthesizing ceramides with C24 acyl chain (C24-Cer), is highly expressed in most of the tissues while CerS6 generates C16-Cer with low and tissue-specific distribution. Our data showed that CERS6 and C16-Cer levels were significantly higher in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells in comparison to peripheral blood mononuclear cells and T-Lymphocytes derived from healthy human volunteers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of CERS6 in chemo resistance in T-ALL models. Stable knockdown/overexpression of CERS6 was achieved by lentiviral vector transduction. Ceramide levels were measured by LC/MS. Cytotoxicity of conventional and investigational anti-leukemia agents was evaluated in T- ALL cells with altered CERS6 levels using DIMSCAN assay. CERS6 knockdown significantly decreased C16-Cer by 4-fold (p Citation Format: Dattesh U. Verlekar, Hwangeui Cho, Sung-Jen Wei, Min H. Kang. Ceramide synthase-6 binding to CD95/Fas confers resistance to chemotherapy in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5841.
Virtual Monochromatic Dual-Energy Aortoiliac CT Angiography With Reduced Iodine Dose: A Prospective Randomized Study.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of performing abdominopelvic aortoiliac CT angiography (CTA) with 16.0 g of iodine contrast medium acquired with low-energy (40 an...
How to Integrate Data from Multiple Biological Layers in Mental Health

Integrating information from multiple biological layers is a key approach to unraveling the complexities of the human brain, with its multiple overlapping structural and functional subsystems operating at widely different temporal and spatial scales. Moreover, it has true potential to positively impact mental health patients through early diagnosis and individualized treatment. This chapter lays out a succession of approaches to synergistic fusion of multimodal brain imaging data, with a special focus on blind source separation (BSS) and deep learning (DL) methods. Firstly, a broad unified description of the BSS field is introduced, serving as a theoretical backbone for the chapter. Complementary to that, a detailed case study of three different applications of joint independent component analysis (jICA) provides both a reference guide on data fusion and a bridge into more advanced BSS methods. Various advanced BSS methods such as multiset canonical correlation analysis (mCCA), multi-way partial least squares (N-PLS), independent vector analysis (IVA) and Parallel ICA are then reviewed and discussed in terms of their strengths and limitations. Finally, DL methods are introduced, focusing on three important applications: classification utilizing strategies for multimodal data augmentation, embedding of learned representations in order to reveal disease severity spectra, and multimodal tissue segmentation.
Mediation or Moderation? Examining How Politically Like-Minded and Dissimilar Conversations Influence the Relationship Between Social Media Political Information Consumption and Political Participation

Research has shown that social media conversations with like-minded and politically dissimilar others are an important part of the political process. Yet more needs to be done to clarify the roles ...
Lessons learned from signal-detection-theory-oriented studies of the processing of auditory patterns

One extension of Fechner’s (1860) methods by which the influence of sensory stimuli on human observers could be quantified in physical units, sometimes termed a "new psychophysics" was Stevens (1938) theory and methodology of perceived magnitude estimation that attempted to bridge the gap between sensation and perception. A more far-reaching second extension began in 1954, when Peterson, Birdsall, and Fox applied statistical decision theory to the recovery of physical signals embedded in background noise and Tanner, Green, and Swets applied those principles to develop a new psychophysical methodology. What became known as “signal detection theory” provided methods of determining the capacity of systems to detect, discriminate, or recognize physical stimuli, a second "new psychophysics." The two alternatives to Fechner represent complimentary approaches to a single set of phenomena, one of which can be characterized as the study of sensory capabilities and the other of response proclivities. The two require entierly different methods of measurement and address fundamentally different questions. Both are of practical and theoretical importance. Levels of stimulus uncertainty and the type and duration of experience with stimuli can have profound influences on measurements of both types. Examples of these effects for complex sounds, both speech and nonspeech, will be presented.
Amplification of Productivity Shocks: Why Don’t Vacancies Like to Hire the Unemployed?

Abstract In this paper, I study a new amplification mechanism in search models that arises when workers can choose to search on the job and when, for endogenous reasons, employers reap higher benefits from contacting employed searchers. The motivation for on-the-job search in the model is job shopping, where workers look for jobs they find appealing and the appeal of a job to the worker is not observed by the firm. In equilibrium, workers arriving from unemployment are more likely to leave a job for a more appealing one. Knowing this, firms prefer to contact already-employed searchers. Employers’ preference for contacting already-employed searchers introduces a new amplification mechanism into search models. Vacancies in this type of model respond more to aggregate shocks than in standard search models: the probability that a newly encountered searcher is employed rises in a boom, thereby making it more attractive for firms to post vacancies. Using simulations of the proposed model, I explore the extent to which this new amplification mechanism helps in explaining the volatility of unemployment and vacancies over the business cycle. The calibration results show that, for standard parameter values, this mechanism can generate eight times more amplification in response to productivity shocks compared to the baseline model. Moreover, the proposed model, unlike the standard search model, predicts that unemployment and vacancies respond with different signs to shocks in the rate of exogenous separation. This brings back these type of shocks as plausible driving forces behind labor-market fluctuations over the business cycle.
Thermal conductivity and its relation to atomic structure for symmetrical tilt grain boundaries in silicon.

We perform a systematic study of thermal resistance and conductance of tilt grain boundaries (GBs) in Si using classical molecular dynamics. The GBs studied are naturally divided into three groups according to the structural units forming the GB core. We find that, within each group, the GB thermal conductivity strongly correlates with the excess GB energy. All three groups predict nearly the same GB conductivity extrapolated to the high-energy limit. This limiting value is close to the thermal conductivity of amorphous Si, suggesting similar heat transport mechanisms. While the lattice thermal conductivity decreases with temperature, the GB conductivity slightly increases. However, at high temperatures it turns over and starts decreasing if the GB structure undergoes a premelting transformation. Analysis of vibrational spectra of GBs resolved along different directions sheds light on the mechanisms of their thermal resistance. The existence of alternating tensile and compressive atomic environments in the GB core gives rise to localized vibrational modes, frequency gaps creating acoustic mismatch with lattice phonons, and anharmonic vibrations of loosely bound atoms residing in open atomic environments.
318-OR: Ciliary GPCRs Regulate Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion

Defects in primary cilia result in syndromes collectively called “ciliopathies”, which often present with obesity and diabetes. Although glucose is the primary mediator of GSIS, circulating factors including free fatty acids, amino acids, and various hormones also play critical roles. At the interface between these circulating factors and GSIS, GPCR signaling is often central. The primary cilium is a membrane and microtubule-based sensory organelle and is highly enriched with specialized GPCRs. Cilia are present on pancreatic β-cells, but the role of cilia in β-cell function remains unclear. To discover ciliary GPCRs important for β-cell function, we compiled a list of candidate β-cell specific or highly expressed GPCRs based on human pancreatic gene expression profiles. We identified 66 β-cell specific GPCRs comparing with α-cells and acinar-cells. These 66 candidate GPCRs was expressed as C-terminally tagged GFP fusion proteins and screened for ciliary localization in a mouse pancreatic β-cell line, MIN6. To date, we have identified the following GPCRs localize to cilia in MIN6 cells: FFAR4, PTGER4, ADRB2, KISS1R, and P2RY14. To validate ciliary localization of GPCRs, we also used antibodies against the endogenous GPCRs. We have confirmed that the free fatty acid receptor 4 (Ffar4) and the prostaglandin E receptor 4 (Ptger4) are localized to the primary cilium of mouse and human β-cells. In addition, the treatment of each of agonists of these receptors promote glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in mouse and human islet. Tulp3 is required for transporting GPCRs into the primary cilium. We used shRNA targeting Tulp3 delivered by lentivirus to knock-down Tulp3 in mouse and human islet cells. Tulp3 depletion leaves ciliary structure intact but impairs the localization of Ffar4 and Ptger4 in cilia and disrupts agonist-stimulated GSIS in mouse and human pseudo-islets. Together, these data suggest that primary cilia and ciliary GPCRs are important for the circulating factors-regulated GSIS in β-cell. Disclosure C. Wu: None. K. Hilgendorf: None. Y. Hang: None. R.J. Bevacqua: None. C.T. Johnson: None. C.A. Chang: None. S. Park: None. K. Tellez: None. S. Kim: None. P.K. Jackson: None. Funding Stanford Diabetes Research Center
No Disrespect: Student and Faculty Perceptions of the Qualities of Ineffective Teachers.

Research examining excellence in teaching is extensive. Nevertheless, research examining the inverse—what constitutes poor or ineffective teaching—has not been as systematic. The current research a...
The association between ambient air pollution and scarlet fever in Qingdao, China, 2014-2018: a quantitative analysis.

Background We conducted a distributed lag non-linear time series analysis to quantify the association between air pollution and scarlet fever in Qingdao city during 2014-2018. Methods A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) combined with a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) was applied to quantify the distributed lag effects of air pollutions on scarlet fever, with daily incidence of scarlet fever as the dependent variable and air pollutions as the independent variable adjusted for potential confounders. Results A total of 6316 cases of scarlet fever were notified, and there were 376 days occurring air pollution during the study period. Scarlet fever was significantly associated with air pollutions at a lag of 7 days with different relative risk (RR) of air pollution degrees [1.172, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.038-1.323 in mild air pollution; 1.374, 95% CI 1.078-1.749 in moderate air pollution; 1.610, 95% CI 1.163-2.314 in severe air pollution; 1.887, 95% CI 1.163-3.061 in most severe air pollution]. Conclusions Our findings show that air pollution is positively associated with scarlet fever in Qingdao, and the risk of scarlet fever could be increased along with the degrees of air pollution. It contributes to developing strategies to prevent and reduce health impact from scarlet fever and other non-vaccine-preventable respiratory infectious diseases in air polluted areas.
Structural and computational examination of hydrogen-bonding between the C-H bonds of phenylphosphates and nitrate ions

Abstract In an effort to understand the packing forces that control the ubiquitous interactions between nitrate (NO3−) anions and phosphate moieties, the C-H structural data concerning phenylphosphates and a NO3− were obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) tabulated, averaged, and compared to elucidate these variables. In addition, molecular modeling was undertaken using density functional theory calculations to explore the characteristics of this interaction. In particular, the varying reactivity of the protons on the phenol ring and the resulting impact on NO3− bonding was explored. These electronic structure gas phase calculations identified the different atomic charges of the ortho-, meta-, and para-protons on the phenol ring, which were found to be in agreement with the observed crystallographic trends. Overall, it was determined that based on the strong agreement between the model and experimental data, the charge on the ring protons controls the hydrogen bonding to the NO3− ion and the ultimate construction of the molecule.
The Anteromedial Thigh Flap

The anteromedial thigh (AMT) flap is not our first flap of choice, mainly due to its highly variant vascular anatomy and the less favorable donor site defect compared to the ALT flap. However, it is a good option in the plastic surgeon’s armamentarium when dissecting an ALT flap and no suitable perforators are found during surgical exploration. As a matter of fact, when harvesting an ALT flap, we always perform the anteromedial incision first and we do not proceed with the lateral incision until we have verified that there are adequate perforators that can carry the ALT flap with good inflow and outflow. If no suitable perforators are found, we typically explore the medial thigh in the subfascial plane to assess whether an AMT flap can be harvested. If a good perforator of the innominate (or medial branch/rectus femoris branch) of the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex is found, then an AMT is an option. If the decision is made to proceed with harvesting an AMT, then the previously performed medial incision of the ALT serves as the lateral aspect of the AMT. The AMT, similarly to the ALT flap is a Cormack type B flap. As discussed above, the most common blood supply to the flap is the innominate branch which courses posteromedial to the rectus femoris muscle. If that branch is small and not suitable to carry a flap, then the flap can be shifted to a more inferomedial aspect of the thigh. The blood supply to this newly designed flap are the septocutaneous branches surrounding the sartorius muscle arising from the femoral artery and vein.
A Multiparametric Assessment of Human Islets Predicts Transplant Outcomes in Diabetic Mice

Prior to transplantation into individuals with type 1 diabetes, in vitro assays are used to evaluate the quality, function and survival of isolated human islets. In addition to the assessments of these parameters in islet, they can be evaluated by multiparametric morphological scoring (0-10 points) and grading (A, B, C, D, and F) based on islet characteristics (shape, border, integrity, single cells, and diameter). However, correlation between the multiparametric assessment and transplantation outcome has not been fully elucidated. In this study, 55 human islet isolations were scored using this multiparametric assessment. The results were correlated with outcomes after transplantation into immunodeficient diabetic mice. In addition, the multiparametric assessment was compared with oxygen consumption rate of isolated islets as a potential prediction factor for successful transplantations. All islet batches were assessed and found to score: 9 points (n = 18, Grade A), 8 points (n = 19, Grade B), and 7 points (n = 18, Grade B). Islets that scored 9 (Grade A), scored 8 (Grade B) and scored 7 (Grade B) were transplanted into NOD/SCID mice and reversed diabetes in 81.2%, 59.4%, and 33.3% of animals, respectively (P < 0.0001). Islet scoring and grading correlated well with glycemic control post-transplantation (P < 0.0001) and reversal rate of diabetes (P < 0.05). Notably, islet scoring and grading showed stronger correlation with transplantation outcome compared to oxygen consumption rate. Taken together, a multiparametric assessment of isolated human islets was highly predictive of transplantation outcome in diabetic mice.
SM6: A 16nm System-on-Chip for Accurate and Noise-Robust Attention-Based NLP Applications : The 33 rd Hot Chips Symposium – August 22-24, 2021

In this work, we present SM6, an SoC architecture for real-time denoised speech and NLP pipelines, featuring (1) MSSE: an unsupervised probabilistic sound source separation accelerator, (2) FlexNLP: a programmable inference accelerator for attention-based seq2seq DNNs using adaptive floating-point datatypes for wide dynamic range computations, (3) a dual-core Arm Cortex A53 CPU cluster, which provides on-demand SIMD FFT processing, and operating system support. In adverse acoustic conditions, MSSE allows FlexNLP to store up to 6x smaller ASR models obviating the very inefficient strategy of scaling up the DNN model to achieve noise robustness. MSSE and FlexNLP produce efficiency ranges of 4.33-17.6 Gsamples/s/W and 2.6-7.8TFLOPs/W, respectively, with per-frame end-to-end latencies of 15-45ms.
Strengthening Country Commitment to Human Development: Lessons from Nutrition

Malnutrition persists in most developing countries. It contributes to the deaths of 3.4 million children annually and reduces the intelligence, health, and productivity of those who survive. Nutrition programs-indeed all human development programs-succeed or fail depending in part on the commitment of politicians, bureaucrats, and communities to properly implement them, both initially and over the long term. Technical, economic, and organizational issues get the lion's share of attention in designing nutrition and other human development programs. But the success of such programs often depends on two variables: whether countries back them with adequate financing and whether countries sustain a commitment to high-quality implementation. This book argues that assessing and strengthening country commitment should therefore become a new field of systematic professional practice. This new field requires expertise in political and policy analysis, organizational behavior, and strategic communication. Focusing on a variety of country programs in nutrition-both successful and failed-the book describes practical ways to assess and strengthen commitment and outlines an agenda for learning by doing. In addition to political will, programs need to build support and commitment across government and civil society, from local leaders to parents. To sustain that commitment, organizational structures and processes must be designed to motivate communities and officials over the 15 to 20 years it takes to successfully implement a national nutrition program. This book will especially appeal to those in the fields of nutrition, public health, community and economic development, and political science.
Cognitive-Behavioral Perspectives on Body Image

This article details a cognitive behavioral framework regarding body image functioning. It delineates the historical and developmental determinants as well as the proximal determinants of body image experiences in everyday life. Key distinctions are made between body image evaluation and body image investment. The contextual, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral elements of body image functioning are described. The article provides information about the assessment of the body image variables in the cognitive behavioral model and integrates pertinent research findings. The article concludes with a brief overview of a cognitive behavioral approach to body image intervention.
Hillslope Topography from Unconstrained Photographs

Quantifications of Earth surface topography are essential for modeling the connections between physical and chemical processes of erosion and the shape of the landscape. Enormous investments are made in developing and testing process-based landscape evolution models. These models may never be applied to real topography because of the difficulties in obtaining high-resolution (1–2 m) topographic data in the form of digital elevation models (DEMs). Here we present a simple methodology to extract the high-resolution three-dimensional topographic surface from photographs taken with a hand-held camera with no constraints imposed on the camera positions or field survey. This technique requires only the selection of corresponding points in three or more photographs. From these corresponding points the unknown camera positions and surface topography are simultaneously estimated. We compare results from surface reconstructions estimated from high-resolution survey data from field sites in the Oregon Coast Range and northern California to verify our technique. Our most rigorous test of the algorithms presented here is from the soil-mantled hillslopes of the Santa Cruz marine terrace sequence. Results from three unconstrained photographs yield an estimated surface, with errors on the order of 1 m, that compares well with high-resolution GPS survey data and can be used as an input DEM in process-based landscape evolution modeling.
Learning in the limit in a growing language

This paper describes the design of an algorithm which learns a class of theories in the limit in a sublanguage of afirst order language. The languages chosen are richer than those handled previously - needing a more efficient search through the version space. The language is not initially known to the system, but is learned together with the theory.
The Contribution of Painting to Children's Cognitive Development.

This article explores the grounds for the belief generally held that there are benefits to be derived by children from art activity. It describes nine consequences or potential consequences of art ...
Formalism in the Tax Law

The tax law is the paradigmatic system of rules. Over thirteen large black volumes filled with tax rules sit on my shelf. Yet over the last several years, the purely rule-oriented approach to the tax law has begun to be perceived as a failure. The reason is that taxpayers have been able to manipulate the rules endlessly to produce results clearly not intended by the drafters. Manipulation of this sort is inefficient, loses revenue, and demoralizes others. To respond, lawmakers and regulators have shifted the tax system toward standards, primarily by adopting what are known as "anti-abuse rules." A typical anti-abuse rule allows the government (and only the goverrnment) to override the literal words of a statute or regulation. Instead, the government may require a "reasonable" tax result if the taxpayer enters into or structures a transaction with a principal purpose of reducing tax liabilities in a manner contrary to the purposes of the statute or regulation, even if the transaction otherwise literally complies with the rules.'
Interactive X-ray and proton therapy training and simulation

External beam X-ray therapy (XRT) and proton therapy (PT) are effective and widely accepted forms of treatment for many types of cancer. However, the procedures require extensive computerized planning. Current planning systems for both XRT and PT have insufficient visual aid to combine real patient data with the treatment device geometry to account for unforeseen collisions among system components and the patient. The 3D surface representation (S-rep) is a widely used scheme to create 3D models of physical objects. 3D S-reps have been successfully used in CAD/CAM and, in conjunction with texture mapping, in the modern gaming industry to customize avatars and improve the gaming realism and sense of presence. We are proposing a cost-effective method to extract patient-specific S-reps in real time and combine them with the treatment system geometry to provide a comprehensive simulation of the XRT/PT treatment room. The X3D standard is used to implement and deploy the simulator on the web, enabling its use not only for remote specialists’ collaboration, simulation, and training, but also for patient education. An objective assessment of the accuracy of the S-reps obtained proves the potential of the simulator for clinical use.
Alkenyl Carbonyl Derivatives in Enantioselective Redox Relay Heck Reactions: Accessing α,β-Unsaturated Systems

A highly enantioselective and site-selective Pd-catalyzed arylation of alkenes linked to carbonyl derivatives to yield α,β-unsaturated systems is reported. The high site selectivity is attributed to both a solvent effect and the polarized nature of the carbonyl group, both of which have been analyzed through multidimensional analysis tools. The reaction can be performed in an iterative fashion allowing for a diastereoselective installation of two aryl groups along an alkyl chain.
Bayesian Time-of-Flight for Realtime Shape, Illumination and Albedo

We propose a computational model for shape, illumination and albedo inference in a pulsed time-of-flight (TOF) camera. In contrast to TOF cameras based on phase modulation, our camera enables general exposure profiles. This results in added flexibility and requires novel computational approaches. To address this challenge we propose a generative probabilistic model that accurately relates latent imaging conditions to observed camera responses. While principled, realtime inference in the model turns out to be infeasible, and we propose to employ efficient non-parametric regression trees to approximate the model outputs. As a result we are able to provide, for each pixel, at video frame rate, estimates and uncertainty for depth, effective albedo, and ambient light intensity . These results we present are state-of-the-art in depth imaging. The flexibility of our approach allows us to easily enrich our generative model. We demonstrate this by extending the original single-path model to a two-path model, capable of describing some multipath effects. The new model is seamlessly integrated in the system at no additional computational cost. Our work also addresses the important question of optimal exposure design in pulsed TOF systems. Finally, for benchmark purposes and to obtain realistic empirical priors of multipath and insights into this phenomena, we propose a physically accurate simulation of multipath phenomena.
Structure and Function of Nitrogenase

This chapter discusses the structures of the metal centers and polypeptide chains of the nitrogenase proteins based on the crystallographic structures of both the Fe-protein and the MoFe protein that have been determined at Caltech. The discussion is presented in the context of the nitrogenase protein structures. The two nitrogenase proteins, Fe-protein and MoFe-protein, are composed of a total of three different types of subunits and contain three different types of metal centers. The properties of the nitrogenase proteins have been discussed in the chapter. To distinguish the two nitrogenase proteins, isolated from different bacterial sources, the MoFe-protein and Fe-protein are designated as components “1” and “2,” respectively, preceded by a two-letter abbreviation of the source species and genus—that is, Av1 is MoFe-protein isolated from Azotobacter vinelandii and Cp2 is Fe-protein isolated from Clostridium pasteurianum, etc. In addition to the mechanistic role in the nitrogenase enzymatic function, Fe-protein also participates at several stages in the biosynthesis of the nitrogenase proteins. The chapter explains the nitrogenase mechanism from the viewpoint of an electron traveling through the system. The Haber–Bosch process utilizes an iron catalyst to accelerate the rate of ammonia formation from dinitrogen and hydrogen.
Modeling Decision-Making Outcomes in Political Elite Networks

A methodology for modeling group decision making by political elites is described and its application to real-world contexts is illustrated for the case of Afghanistan. The methodology relies on the judgments of multiple experts as input and can improve analysis of political decision making by elucidating the factional structure of the group of elites and simulating their interaction in a policy debate. This simulation is performed using a model of small group decision making which integrates actor policy preferences and their inter-relationship network within a nonlinear dynamical systems theory framework. In addition to the basic nonlinear model, various components required to implement the methodology are described such as the analyst survey, structural analysis, and simulation. Implementation and analysis results are discussed for both the government and insurgent sides of the current conflict in Afghanistan.
Evaluation of ESI and class-based delta encoding

The portion of web traffic attributed to dynamic web content is substantial and continues to grow as users expect more personalization and tailored information. Unfortunately, dynamic content is costly to generate. Moreover, traditional web caching schemes are not very effective for dynamically-created pages. In this paper we study two acceleration techniques for dynamic content. The first technique is Edge-Side Includes (ESI), and the second is Class-Based Delta Encoding. To evaluate these schemes, we present a model for the construction of dynamic web pages. We use simulation to explore how system, page and algorithm parameters affect the performance of dynamic-content delivery techniques, and we present a detailed comparison of ESI and delta encoding in two representative scenarios.
Winning the DARPA grand challenge

The DARPA Grand Challenge has been the most significant challenge to the mobile robotics community in more than a decade. The challenge was to build an autonomous robot capable of traversing 132 miles of unrehearsed desert terrain in less than 10 hours. In 2004, the best robot only made 7.3 miles. In 2005, Stanford won the challenge and the $2M prize money by successfully traversing the course in less than 7 hours. This talk, delivered by the leader of the Stanford Racing Team, will provide insights in the software architecture of Stanford's winning robot. The robot massively relied on machine learning and probabilistic modeling for sensor interpretation, and robot motion planning algorithms for vehicle guidance and control. The speaker will explain some of the basic algorithms and share some of the excitement characterizing this historic event. He will also discuss the implications of this work for the future of the transportation.
Interpreting Minimum Wage Effects on Wage Distributions: A Cautionary Tale

textabstractWhile it is tempting to infer the welfare effects of minimum wage changes from empirical observations on pre- and post-change wage distributions, in this exercise we have attempted to point out the hazards of doing so. We have focused on wage distributions in this paper, but this statement applies with equal force tot the case in which the lack of change in employment levels following a minimum wage increase is taken to imply welfare increases. The welfare criterion utilized in this paper, which is motivated by a simple equilibrium matching and bargaining model, reflects both employment probability and wage distribution effects of minimum wage changes and hence is preferable to any measure which takes into account only employment or wage information. While the value of the welfare measure we haven chosen is open to question, we would argue that whatever measure is finally chosen, a formal model of the labor market is required in order to meaningfully interpret minimum wage impacts on labor market outcomes. The small empirical applications we have presented usefully summarizes the general points we wish to make. First, the fact that the wage offer distribution in 1998 first order stochastically dominates the 1997 wage offer distribution does not necessarily imply an increase in welfare. Second, while we found no evidence of spillover resulting from the minimum wage increase of September 1997, within the context of our model this could only be taken to imply that there were no welfare effects of the minimum wage increase if the matching distribution satisfied condition 1 of Proposition 2. To determine whether or not this is the case requires that specific tests be conducted using information from the wage distribution above the minimum or that the equilibrium model be directly estimated and tested. Third, we have demonstrated that employment rate declines are perfectly consistent with increases in welfare. Finally, we have shown that the existence of spillover effects does not imply that a given minimum wage change was beneficial. Spillover can be good or bad, and can only be judged as beneficial within a particular model of the labor market.
Financing Subnational Governments with Decentralized Taxes

This paper is about the case for assigning taxing powers to subnational governments, and about the structure of this revenue assignment. As Musgrave (1983) put it in perhaps the seminal paper on this subject, “Who Should Tax, Where and What”? This review reconsiders the Musgrave questions after 25 years, asks whether the international trend in tax assignment is in step with what economists have prescribed, and concludes with some thoughts about the most likely future for the decentralization of tax systems.
The semantics of resource sharing in lexical-functional grammar

We argue that the resource sharing that is commonly manifest in semantic accounts of coordination is instead appropriately handled in terms of structure-sharing in LFG f-structures. We provide an extension to the previous account of LFG semantics (Dalrymple et al., 1993a) according to which dependencies between f-structures are viewed as resources; as a result a one-to-one correspondence between uses of f-structures and meanings is maintained. The resulting system is sufficiently restricted in cases where other approaches overgenerate; the very property of resource-sensitivity for which resource sharing appears to be problematic actually provides explanatory advantages over systems that more freely replicate resources during derivation.
Optimal Packing of High-Precision Rectangles

The rectangle-packing problem consists of finding an enclosing rectangle of smallest area that can contain a given set of rectangles without overlap. Our new benchmark includes rectangles of successively higher precision, a problem for the previous state-of-the-art, which enumerates all locations for placing rectangles. We instead limit these locations and bounding box dimensions to the set of subset sums of the rectangles' dimensions, allowing us to test 4,500 times fewer bounding boxes and solve N=9 over two orders of magnitude faster. Finally, on the open problem of the feasibility of packing a specific infinite series of rectangles into the unit square, we pack the first 50,000 such rectangles and conjecture that the entire infinite series can fit.