cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical Implementation Of Systolic FIR Filters

An optical systolic finite impulse response (FIR) filter (or convolution operation) implementation using barrel shifters and a Modified Signed-Digit (MSD) adder is proposed in this paper. The computational element used in systolic FIR filters in electronics consists of a multiplier and an accumulator. A speed-up in the throughput data rate can be achieved along with a high degree of regularity and concurrency by replacing the multiplier with barrel shifters and accumulators. The basic cell for the optical implementation consists of a barrel-shifter, an intensity-to-polarization converter and an optical MSD adder. The principle underlying barrel-shifting is the same as that of an optical matrix-vector multiplier. The Liquid crystal light valve (LCLV) structure forms the switching matrix whose elements are determined by the number of shifts specified and also the specified output precision. All barrel shifters in the architecture are implemented using different areas on the same LCLV structure. The MSD adder is implemented using symbolic substitution logic (SSL) and the input operands in the various cells are arranged on the same input data plane to give all the required summation terms.The optical implementation of the above architecture offers reconfigurability together with the inherent speed and massive parallelism of optics. It is shown that a FIR filter of order eight can be implemented using one LCLV and one optical MSD adder.
A markerless tiling method for tracking daily lung tumor motion on imperfectly matched images

In order to locate lung tumors on projection images without internal markers, digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) is created and compared with projection images. Since lung tumors always move and their locations change on projection images while they are static on DRRs, a special DRR (background DRR) is generated based on modified anatomy from which lung tumors are removed. In addition, global discrepancies exist between DRRs and projections due to their different image orientations, scattering, and noises. This adversely affects comparison accuracy. A simple but efficient comparison algorithm is reported to match imperfectly matched projection images and DRRs.
Spontaneous ventricular tachycardia associated with isolated right ventricular infarction, one day after right coronary artery occlusion in the dog: Studies on the site of origin and mechanism

Abstract The electrophysiologic and arrhythmic properties of isolated infarcted right ventricle (RV) were studied in 17 dogs during the first 24 hours after complete occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA). During the 16-to-20-hour post occlusion period, spontaneously occurring sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) was present in all 17 dogs. Overdrive ventricular pacing (cycle lengths 200 to 250 msec) caused significant suppression of the VT when the rate of the VT was slower than 150 bpm (range 120 to 145 bpm) (n = 9), but had negligible effect when VT rate was higher than 150 bpm (range 160 to 245 bpm (n = 8). Overdrive pacing could not terminate either the slow or the fast tpe of VT. Bipolar intramural electrograms have showed electrical activity in the infarcted RV zone to precede Q wave of the VT by 15.4 ± 5.8 msec regardless of VT rate. Microelectrode studies on isolated RV endocardial infarcted tissues 24 hours after RCA occlusions have shown the presence of spontaneous repetitive activity at a rate of 87 ± 47 bpm, which was overdrive suppressed in dogs with slow VT, and spontaneous activity at a rate of 115.2 ± 36 bpm ( p p p
ProBeam: a practical multicell beamforming system for OFDMA small-cell networks

Small cells form a critical component of next generation cellular networks, where spatial reuse is the key to higher spectral efficiencies. Interference management in the spatial domain through beamforming allows for increased reuse without having to sacrifice resources in the time or frequency domain. Existing beamforming techniques for spatial reuse, being coupled with client scheduling, face a key limitation in practical realization, especially with OFDMA small cells. In this context, we argue that for a practical spatial reuse system with beamforming, it is important to decouple beamforming from client scheduling. Further, we show that jointly addressing client association with beamforming is critical to maximizing the reuse potential of beamforming. Towards our goal, we propose ProBeam -- a practical multi-cell beamforming system for reuse in small cell networks. ProBeam incorporates two key components - a low complexity, highly accurate SINR estimation module that helps determine interference dependencies for beamforming between small cells; and an efficient, low complexity joint client association and beam selection algorithm for the small cells that accounts for scheduling at the small cells without being coupled with it. We have prototyped ProBeam on a WiMAX-based network of four small cells. Our evaluations reveal the accuracy of our SINR estimation module to be within 1 dB, and the reuse gains from joint client association and beamforming to be as high as 115% over baseline approaches.
The adenovirus tripartite leader sequence can alter nuclear and cytoplasmic metabolism of a non-adenovirus mRNA within infected cells

All mRNAs encoded by the adenovirus major late transcription unit share a common 5' noncoding region, 200 nucleotides in length, termed the tripartite leader sequence. To assess function of the tripartite leader, recombinant viruses were prepared which carried either a bona fide herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene or a modified thymidine kinase gene whose normal 5' noncoding domain was replaced with the adenovirus leader sequence. The tripartite leader simultaneously decreased the nuclear half-life and increased the cytoplasmic half-life of the thymidine kinase-specific mRNA. The tripartite leader stabilized the non-adenovirus mRNA only within the environment of an adenovirus-infected cell during the late phase of the infectious cycle.
Ancient Winds of Change: Climatic Settings and Prehistoric Social Complexity in Mesoamerica

A comparison of regional archaeological sequences for eastern and southern Mesoamerica should indicate if there were times of contemporaneous transcultural punctuated cultural developments. Punctuated developments in the form of cultural intensifications or destabilizations (cultural collapses) may imply external cultural stimulation, such as diffusion of ideas and/or technology, or natural external factors resulting from general climatic instability. Such information is relevant to understanding systems dynamics of cultural transformation from small-scale, egalitarian societies to ones characterized by stratification and ranked social orders.
Finite-sample performance guarantees for one-dimensional stochastic root finding

We study the one-dimensional root finding problem for increasing convex functions. We give gradient-free algorithms for both exact and inexact (stochastic) function evaluations. For the stochastic case, we supply a probabilistic convergence guarantee in the spirit of selection-of-the-best methods. A worst-case bound on the work performed by the algorithm shows an improvement over naive stochastic bisection.
Side-scan sonar imaging of hydrocarbon seeps on the Louisiana continental slope

Submarine hydrocarbon seeps are widespread in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and give rise to unusual seafloor features that are commonly poorly defined because water depth limits the resolution afforded by sea-surface seismic profiles. Detailed seep images are possible with side-scan sonars because such devices use beam-formed high-frequency sound to give high spatial resolution. Furthermore, side-scan sonars are useful for mapping seeps because their sound waves respond to changes in near-seafloor sediment properties caused by seep activity. To examine seep sonar signatures, we used a broad-swath, sea-surface side-scan sonar to survey three areas of the Louisiana continental slope where seeps are known to occur. In sonar mosaics from upper-slope study sites, seep features are the main anomalous seafloor response and display high backscatter of sonar waves. The mosaics show fault traces, fault scarps, authigenic carbonate mounds, irregular patches of seep-affected seafloor, mud mounds and mud volcanoes, craters, and sediment flows. Most of these features are located along faults that control seepage. Cores from seep-affected areas imply that enhanced sonar backscatter results from a combination of the perturbation of seafloor sediment physical properties and the introduction of seep-produced foreign material, including gas, oil, carbonate nodules and fragments, and chemosynthetic organism debris. In the lower slope survey area, tectonic activity and resultant mass sediment movements make identification of seeps more difficult. In this area, many sonar backscatter anomalies appear to result from sediment flows and mass movements on the edges and bottoms of intrasalt basins. Basin walls appear as highly dissected, commonly showing crenulations and grooves, which were probably created by sediment failure and erosion by downslope sediment transport. Seeps are commonly difficult to discern because of the abundance of other anomalous features, but seem to be located mainly on basin walls and summits of salt highs.
An Instrument for the Measurement of Job Satisfaction

Summary The construction of a 99 item job satisfaction questionnaire is described as covering the following work areas: physical and mental exertion; relations with associates; relations with employer; security, advancement, and finances; interest in, liking for, and emotional involvement in the job; job information and status; physical surroundings and work conditions; future, goals, and progress toward goals; and evaluation in retrospect. The test-retest reliability coefficient over a three-week interval with 98 teachers was .90, while individual items averaged 91.4 per cent complete agreement between the two questionnaires. Internal consistence was indicated by item analysis, comparing the most and least satisfied 27 per cent of 844 female teachers and 242 male teachers respectively. Biserial correlations were significant for 97 of the 99 items for the female group, and for 87 out of 99 for the smaller male group. The average magnitude of the biserial correlations obtained was .45 for each sex group when all items were considered together, and ranged from .33 to .55 when items were grouped into the various work categories represented. Validity was inferred from the nature of the construction of the instrument, ratings of the individual items by ten judges, ratings of work characteristics for importance to job satisfaction by 1184 teachers, a correlation of .64 between self-estimates of satisfaction and job satisfaction scores for 98 teachers and a correlation of .61 between paired-comparison ratings of job satisfaction and scores for 18 teachers. Such an instrument should be of value in studying and diagnosing job satisfaction in both applied and research situations.
A high aperture efficiency, single reflector antenna with 60 degrees scanning

The author describes a novel type of microwave single-reflector antenna, with surface geometry based on an ellipse rather than a parabola, which gives a much greater field of view. This scanning reflector, like the torus antenna, combines reasonable scanning in one plane with good focusing in the other. It is superior in scanning ability to the torus and all other single reflectors because it has much greater aperture efficiency and is thus smaller while giving the same performance. The surface has been optimized for minimum aperture phase errors and numerically simulated. The scanning profile is a fourth-order curve that approximates tilted parabolas over different limited ranges. Extending the profile into a two-dimensional focusing surface is accomplished using an iterative perturbation method to minimize its variation from the appropriate tiled paraboloid. Excellent results are attained for a single reflector with a +or-30 degrees field of view, with almost no peak gain loss and only 1.5-dB sidelobe elevation for a 30 lambda wide aperture. >
Capacitance Compact Model for Ultrathin Low-Electron-Effective-Mass Materials

We present a compact model to calculate the capacitance of undoped high-mobility low-density-of-states materials in double-gate device architecture. Analytical equations for estimating the subband energies, while taking the effect of wavefunction penetration into the gate oxide and the effective mass discontinuity, are presented for the first time in a compact modeling framework. The surface potential equation for a two subband system is solved, assuming Fermi-Dirac statistics, and compared to numerical Schrodinger-Poisson simulations. The importance of accurately treating the charge profile distribution is illustrated, and an analytical expression for the effective oxide thickness to model the charge centroid is developed.
Success of a Safe and Simple Algorithm to Reduce Use of CT Pulmonary Angiography in the Emergency Department

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to determine whether the radiation exposure to patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) could be decreased by safely increasing the use of ventilation–perfusion (V/Q) scanning and decreasing the use of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) through an educational intervention.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Collaborative educational seminars were held among the radiology, nuclear medicine, and emergency medicine departments in December 2006 and January 2007 regarding the radiation dose and accuracies of V/Q scanning and CTPA for diagnosing PE. To reduce radiation exposure, an imaging algorithm was introduced in which emergency department patients with a clinical suspicion of PE underwent chest radiography. If the chest radiograph was normal, V/Q scanning was recommended, otherwise CTPA was recommended. We retrospectively tallied the number and results of CTPA and V/Q scanning and calculated mean radiation effective dose before and after the intervention. False-negative findi...
Mitochondrial and Y Chromosome Diversity in the English‐Speaking Caribbean

Summary The transatlantic slave trade lasted over three centuries and represents one of the largest forced migrations in human history. The biological repercussions are not well understood especially in African-Caribbean populations. This paper explores the effects of the forced migration, isolation, and admixture on genetic diversity using mitochondrial and Y chromosome markers for 501 individuals from Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Vincent, and Trinidad. Genetic diversity and population genetic structure analyses of mitochondrial data and Y chromosome data indicate that there was no post-migration loss in genetic diversity in the African derived lineages. Genetic structure was observed between the islands for both genetic systems. This may be due to isolation, differences in the number and source of Africans imported, depopulation of indigenous populations, and/or differences in colonization history. Nearly 10% of the individuals belonged to a non-African mitochondrial haplogroup. In contrast, Y chromosome admixture estimates showed that there was nearly 30% European contribution to these Caribbean populations. This study sheds light on the history of Africans in the Americas as well as contributing to our understanding of the nature and extent of diversity within the African Diaspora.
A Preliminary Retrospective Treatment and Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Asthma Care Provided by Allergists, Immunologists, and Primary Care Physicians in a Teaching Hospital

Allergy immunology specialists (AIs) differ from primary care physicians (PCP) in their treatment of asthma. A limited retrospective chart review of several visits over a 1-year period in 1997 evaluating the quality of asthma care by AIs vs. PCPs was conducted in an academic center. Data concerning quality, effectiveness and cost of asthma care was randomly collected from 15 AIs and 15 PCPs from charts at 3-month intervals over a 1-year period. Information obtained from data collection forms revealed that asthma patients evaluated by AIs had more visits and received a greater quantity of medication compared to those treated by PCPs. All 15 patients with persistent asthma followed by AIs were treated with inhaled corticosteroids at each visit in contrast to only 80% of those treated by PCPs. The total numbers of controller medications (i.e., inhaled corticosteroids, salmeterol, cromolyn, and theophylline) that were utilized, as recommended, by the National Asthma Expert Panel (NAEP) of the National Heart, ...
When the Best is not Good Enough An Examination of Best Practice

The term best practice is widely used by professionals in special education. However, various definitions, conceptualizations, and applications of the term presently exist. This article reviews and describes how best practice has been used and suggests that the term is misleading unless measurable criteria have been systematically applied. A single operational definition is proposed that focuses on (a) the theoretical basis for a procedure, (b) the integrity of the research design and the extent of systematic replication, (c) consensus with existing literature, (d) process and product outcomes, and (e) evidence of social validity. Implications for practitioners, researchers, and teacher educators are addressed.
Regeneration of the Retinotectal Projection in Goldfish: Selective Stabilization of Retinotopic Synapses by Correlated Activity

In most studies of postlesion neural plasticity, the question centers around the rearrangement of connections of the remaining unlesioned neurons. However since the retinotectal projection of fish and frogs readily regenerates, the question centers around the mechanisms by which the regenerating axons select appropriate termination sites to reestablish the precise retinotopic map on the tectum.
A novel imaging method for assessing vessel wall inflammation: Dynamic multi-bed PET parametric imaging

1670 Objectives To develop a novel method for assessing near total body vascular wall inflammation over an extended field-of-view using dynamic multi-bed FDG PET. Methods Whole-body parametric and standard uptake value (SUV) static PET images were obtained from 6 oncology patients. The parametric images were produced by dynamically scanning the patient over the heart for the first 6 minutes post FDG injection (24 frames), followed by six subsequent whole body scans. The total dynamic acquisition lasted less than 45 minutes and the collected data were analyzed using the Patlak method to produce Ki (influx) parametric images over the full whole-body scan range. The SUV images were acquired by performing a standard static whole-body scan beginning 1 hour post-injection of FDG. In both parametric and SUV images, the mean and maximum values of circular ROI at 10 different levels along the thoracic aorta were measured and the averages were calculated. For the SUVs, the measured values were corrected for lean body mass (SULmean and SULmax). Results With static images, the average SULmean over 10 aorta regions was 1.23±0.27, and the average SULmax was 1.61±0.35. With parametric images, the average of the mean Patlak Ki was 0.77±0.57 and the average of the maximum was 1.60±0.85. Conclusions Enabling minimization of background blood activity, the parametric Patlak Ki image is a novel method for quantitative assessment of inflammation in the walls of large portions of major vessels.
The External Browpexy: A Minimally Invasive Brow Lifting or Stabilization Procedure

The external browpexy is a transcutaneous variant of the internal brow suspension. Like the internal lift, its purpose is to minimally lift or stabilize the temporal brow as an adjunct to upper blepharoplasty. The ideal candidate is the patient with minimal temporal brow descent who does not desire the downtime, costs, and intricacies of more extensive brow lifts.
Code scaling

The order of an electromagnetics algorithm or code is defined by the rate at which the CPU time, and memory requirements C/sub CPU/=O(f/sup /spl alpha//) and C/sub m/=O(f/sup /spl beta//), respectively-grow with frequency. Knowledge of this information helps in the prediction of computer-run times and memory requirements for problems of interest. This paper presents a methodology for determining the computational and memory orders of a code. These results are presented for a finite-volume time-domain (FVTD) code and for a method-of-moments (MoM) code. Computer-resource requirements are plotted for computer runs that calculate the bistatic radar cross section (RCS) for spheres of different electrical sizes, within a set error level from the Mie-series solution. These plots are used to calculate the computational and memory orders of the codes. >
Weak Lensing Measurement of the Mass--Richness Relation of SDSS redMaPPer Clusters

DOE [DE-AC02-98CH10886]; US Department of Energy [DE-AC02-76SF00515]; National Science Foundation [NSF-AST-1211838]; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; National Science Foundation; US Department of Energy Office of Science; Department of Energy Early Career Award program; University of Arizona; Brazilian Participation Group; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Carnegie Mellon University; University of Florida; French Participation Group; German Participation Group; Harvard University; Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; Michigan State/Notre Dame/JINA Participation Group; Johns Hopkins University; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics; Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics; New Mexico State University; New York University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; University of Portsmouth; Princeton University; Spanish Participation Group; University of Tokyo; University of Utah; Vanderbilt University; University of Virginia; University of Washington; Yale University
The Darrington seismic zone in northwestern Washington

Abstract Earthquakes occurring between 1971 and 1988 are evidence for a small zone of crustal seismicity under the western North Cascades near Darrington, Washington. Better-quality hypocenters imply the activity occurs on a fault or fault zone striking N80°W ± 20°, dipping nearly south at 40° ± 15°, with a length along strike of at least 10 km and possibly 20 km or more. We term this feature the Darrington Seismic Zone (DSZ). Focal depths range between 3 and 15 km. A single-event and a composite focal mechanism show nearly pure thrust faulting with one nodal plane in agreement with the hypocenter pattern. P axes strike N20°W to N25°W, in accord with a regional stress direction due to relative motion of the Pacific and North American Plates. No mapped fault can be identified as the surface expression of the zone. The area of the DSZ is adequate to generate a magnitude 5+ earthquake should it rupture in a single event, and an M L 5.6±earthquake on 29 April 1945 in the Cascades ESE of Seattle demonstrates that crustal earthquakes having such magnitudes are possible beneath the western North Cascades. The DSZ is the first crustal seismogenic structure to be identified beneath the North Cascades.
Development of Poultry Guidelines to Regulate Interface with Neighbors

Abstract The legal siting of poultry production units close to neighbors precipitated the need to develop siting and managemental guidelines acceptable to the public and the poultry industry. A committee was formed with representation from the public, the poultry industry, and county government staff. This committee was charged with developing siting and managemental guidelines for county government. Siting guidelines were developed with special emphasis on separation between new poultry sites and neighbors, with distinct distance based on wind direction. For biosecurity, separation was established between all species of poultry. Management guidelines gave the public recourse when existing facilities failed to mitigate nuisances. An accord agreeable to both sides was reached and became an ordinance.
The Mechanics of Adhesion: Current and Future Research Trends

As the size of the contact region between two bodies decreases to the micro- and nano-scale, the effect of adhesion becomes increasingly important. As introductory remarks to a panel discussion on this topic, we briefly review recent research in the mechanics of adhesion and discuss future research needs. Attention is focused on adhesion with plastic deformation, molecular dynamics simulations, and multi-scale effects.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Cytokine and Estrogen Stimulation of Endothelial Cells Augments Activation of the Surface-Bound Prekallikrein-High Molecular Weight Kininogen Complex: Implications for Hereditary Angioedema (HAE)

Background When the prekallikrein-high molecular weight kininogen complex is bound to endothelial cells, prekallikrein is stoichiometrically converted to kallikrein because of release of heat shock protein-90 (Hsp90). Although bradykinin formation is typically initiated by factor XII autoactivation, it is also possible to activate factor XII either by kallikrein, thus formed, or by plasmin. Objective Because attacks of hereditary angioedema can be related to infection and/or exposure to estrogen, we questioned whether estrogen or cytokine stimulation of endothelial cells could augment release of Hsp90 and prekallikrein activation. We also tested release of profibrinolytic enzymes, urokinase, and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) as a source for plasmin formation. Methods Cells were stimulated with agonists, and secretion of Hsp90, urokinase, and TPA was measured in the culture supernatants by ELISA. Activation of the prekallikrein-HK complex was measured by using pro-phe-arg-p-nitroanilide reflecting kallikrein formation. Results Hsp90 release was stimulated with optimal doses of estradiol, IL-1, and TNF-α (10 ng/mL) from 15 minutes to 120 minutes. TPA release was not augmented by any of the agonists tested but urokinase was released by IL-1, TNF-α, and thrombin (positive control), but not estrogen. Augmented activation of the prekallikrein-HK complex to generate kallikrein was seen with each agonist that releases Hsp90. Addition of 0.1% factor XII relative to prekallikrein-HK leads to rapid formation of kallikrein; factor XII alone does not autoactivate. Conclusions IL-1, TNF-α, and estrogen stimulate release of Hsp90 and augment activation of the prekallikrein-HK complex to generate kallikrein and bradykinin. IL-1 and TNF-α stimulate release of urokinase, which can convert plasminogen to plasmin and represents a possible source for plasmin generation in all types of hereditary angioedema, but particularly hereditary angioedema with normal C1 inhibitor with a factor XII mutation. Both kallikrein and plasmin activate factor XII; kallikrein is 20 times more potent on a molar basis.
Photons: The Quantized Radiation Field

In order to interpret the number as the number of photons of type , we shall look at the properties of the quantized radiation field in more detail.
The Epidemic Features of Notifiable Infectious Diseases in Nanning 2011

Objective Analyze the epidemic features and variation of notifiable infectious diseases in Nanning 2011,and provide scientific basis for developing effective strategies for infectious disease control and prevention. Methods Data of the notifiable infectious diseases in Nanning 2011 were sorted out,and indices such as rate and propotion were used to provide descriptive analysis on the features of noifiable infectious diseases. Results A total of 73007 cases( 24 kinds) of notifiable infectious disease were reported with 232 cases died. The incidence rate was 1095. 94/lakh,and the death rate was 3. 48/lakh. Report the number of b,c class infectious diseases accounted for 32. 00% and 68. 00% respectively,while type C infectious disease accounted for 99. 14% of the death cases. Cases with blood and sexually transmitted diseases were the most among Type B infectious disease cases; the top five diseases with higher incidence among them were: viral hepatitis( 37. 1%),tuberculosis( 25. 45%),syphilis( 23. 26%),gonorrhea( 6. 06%),as well as dysentery( 4. 16%). The top three diseases with higher incidence among the reported type C infectious disease were: HFMD( 72. 31%),the mumps( 13. 97%),and other infectious diarrhea( 9. 62%). Conclusions The incidence of notifiable infectious diseases was relatively high in Nanning 2011,and there were significant differences in epidemiological characteristics between category B and category C infections disease. We should take targeted measures to prevention and control infection disease.
The Possibility-Impossibility Boundary in Social Choice

Kenneth Arrow’s impossibility theorem (Arrow, 1950, 1951, 1963) was a landmark in the history of ideas. It created new branches of logic and social studies, and it spawned an enormous literature.2 It inspired other impossibility theorems which are themselves landmarks — most notably, Sen (1970a) — and, by teaching us how to formulate questions about the existence of decision-making mechanisms with specified properties, may claim the incentive theorems of Hurwicz (1972), Gibbard (1973) and Satterthwaite (1975) as offspring. Arrow’s theorem is extraordinarily robust, as forty years of social choice literature testifies. But it is time to turn from the production of impossibility theorems to the search for favourable trade-offs. In our view, a favourable trade-off is one that takes us far from dictatorship (or some other disastrous implication of a set of otherwise appealing axioms) without deviating much from the spirit of the criteria that we want reflected in the decision rule. We have taken some steps in this direction, and we highlight our own work on trade-offs in this paper. We have discovered that the prospects for favourable trade-offs are dim, except when one weakens Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives (IIA). Even a very small relaxation of IIA opens the door to rules that are far from dictatorial.
Improved vertically integrated resonant tunneling diodes

A lumped-element circuit model is developed for vertically integrated resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs), assuming that the individual RTDs behave as independent circuit elements in vertically integrated RTDs. The limit of this model is determined and the transition between incoherent and coherent transport is observed by systematic variation of separation layer thickness between diodes. The limit of applicability of this model is determined to be devices with 500 AA separation for 10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/ doping. High current density is identified as a critical parameter for high-speed operation, and a peak current density of 2.5*10/sup 4/ A/cm/sup 2/ was achieved with little degradation in the peak to valley ratio by using thin barriers. Approaches for further improvement are suggested. >
Programmable infrared steganography using photoinduced heating of nanostructured metallic glasses

We demonstrate a new steganography approach that combines an infrared laser, nanopatterned metallic glasses, and a thermal camera. The marked photoinduced heat localization allows for generating well-defined programmable patterns at low power laser excitation conditions.
Observing parent-child purchase related interactions in US-based retail environments: replication and extension

AbstractThis study replicates and extends work by Buijzen and Valkenburg. We observed and coded purchase-related interactions of parent-child dyads in stores in the US, collected questionnaire data from them and collected questionnaire data from parents visiting stores without their children in order to assess external validity. The current study found key differences between families who bring their child to the store and those who do not. Observation and coding, which examined parent-child dyads with children between the ages of 2–12, also revealed that younger children exhibited more coercive behaviors than older children by begging, crying, and negative tone use; parent television viewing was related to child requests; and parent communication and control orientation as measured by the Buijzen Consumer Communication scale were linked to child consumer behavior.
The Netherlands: The PvdA’s Pyrrhic Victories or, Waiting for Pim Fortuyn

The case study of the Netherlands scrutinizes Dutch immigration debates from their first politicization in the early 1990s up until the Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF) triggered a political earthquake in 2002. The chapter explains how a crisis of the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) led to a politicization of the immigration issues in the early 1990s; it continues in explaining how and why the VVD dropped its conservative messaging over the course of the 1990s. VVD’s party rationale was hardly dependent on immigration-related matters, but mainly on the benign economic climate and the very successful Social Democratic party (PvdA). Both led to the VVD dropping its conservative messaging on immigration issues. As a consequence, at least from the late 1990s, conservative Dutch voters got the impression that the VVD overpromised and underdelivered on immigration issues, preparing the electoral plane for the LPF.
Surgical Treatment: Transurethral Resection of the Prostate

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the standard recommended surgical procedure for men with bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms between 30–80 mL. For prostates larges than this, open prostatectomy has been traditionally performed. Current practice however advocates minimally invasive techniques of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) and bipolar enucleation. This requires surgical experience and skill and according to current guidelines, should ideally be performed in a specialist centre or where there is a mentorship programme in place. This is not always freely available. The urological surgeon commonly encounters BPH causing LUTS, and a TURP is a core surgical skill learnt throughout urological training. With adequate experience, a TURP can be performed in the enlarged prostate >100 mL. Use of bipolar TURP limits the risk of dilutional hyponatraemia from TURP syndrome, which can be seen after prolonged resection or capsular perforation with monopolar TURP. We therefore recommended bipolar TURP in the case of a potentially difficult surgical procedure.
Statistical relational data integration for information extraction

These lecture notes provide a brief overview of some state of the art large scale information extraction projects. Consequently, these projects are related to current research activities in the semantic web community. The majority of the learning algorithms developed for these information extraction projects are based on the lexical and syntactical processing of Wikipedia and large web corpora. Due to the size of the processed data and the resulting intractability of the associated inference problems existing knowledge representation formalism are often inadequate for the task. We will present recent advances in combining tractable logical and probabilistic models that bring statistical language processing and rule-based approaches closer together. With these lecture notes we hope to convince the attendees that there are numerous synergies and research agendas that can arise when uncertainty-based data-driven research meets rule-based schema-driven research. We also describe certain theoretical and practical advances in making probabilistic inference scale to very large problems.
A simple microfluidic device for live cell imaging of Arabidopsis cotyledons, leaves, and seedlings

One of the challenges of performing live-cell imaging in plants is establishing a system for securing the sample during imaging that allows for the rapid addition of treatments. Here we report how a commercially available device called a HybriWell™ can be repurposed to create an imaging chamber suitable for Arabidopsis seedlings, cotyledons and leaves. Liquid in the imaging chamber can be rapidly exchanged to introduce chemical treatments via microfluidic passive pumping. When used in conjunction with fluorescent biosensors, this system can facilitate live-cell imaging studies of signal transduction pathways triggered by different treatments. As a demonstration, we show how the HybriWell can be used to monitor flg22-induced calcium transients using the R-GECO1 calcium indicator in detached Arabidopsis leaves.
The USPTO's Proposal of a Biological Research Tool Patent Pool Doesn't Hold Water

J.D., 2004, Stanford Law School; M.S., 2001, University of California, San Diego; B.S., 2000, University of California, San Diego. The author wishes to thank Mark Lemley, Erin Ito, Sarah Givan, and the editorial staff of the Stanford Law Review for their critical reading and thoughtful editing of this Comment. In addition, the author thanks the 19962001 members of the Kadonaga Lab at the University of California, San Diego, for the constant reminder that scientific discovery is a perpetual process and is continually advanced by the insights of preceding generations of investigators. Please direct any questions or comments regarding this Comment to the author at siyama@stanfordalumni.org.
Constructions of Masculinity and the Perception of Interracial Relationships Among Young Male Chinese International Students and Scholars in the United States

Relocating to the United States influences the perceptions of Chinese men on manhood and their attitudes toward interracial relationships between Chinese women and American men. In this study, we e...
An Insulin-Responsive Sensor in the SIRT1 Disordered Region Binds DBC1 and PACS-2 to Control Enzyme Activity

Current models of SIRT1 enzymatic regulation primarily consider the effects of fluctuating levels of its co-substrate NAD+, which binds to the stably folded catalytic domain. By contrast, the roles of the sizeable disordered N- and C-terminal regions of SIRT1 are largely unexplored. Here we identify an insulin-responsive sensor in the SIRT1 N-terminal region (NTR), comprising an acidic cluster (AC) and a 3-helix bundle (3HB), controlling deacetylase activity. The allosteric assistor DBC1 removes a distal N-terminal shield from the 3-helix bundle, permitting PACS-2 to engage the acidic cluster and the transiently exposed helix 3 of the 3-helix bundle, disrupting its structure and inhibiting catalysis. The SIRT1 activator (STAC) SRT1720 binds and stabilizes the 3-helix bundle, protecting SIRT1 from inhibition by PACS-2. Identification of the SIRT1 insulin-responsive sensor and its engagement by the DBC1 and PACS-2 regulatory hub provides important insight into the roles of disordered regions in enzyme regulation and the mode by which STACs promote metabolic fitness.
How Tracking Companies Circumvented Ad Blockers Using WebSockets

In this study of 100,000 websites, we document how Advertising and Analytics (A&A) companies have used WebSockets to bypass ad blocking, exfiltrate user tracking data, and deliver advertisements. Specifically, our measurements investigate how a long-standing bug in Chrome's (the world's most popular browser) chrome.webRequest API prevented blocking extensions from being able to interpose on WebSocket connections. We conducted large-scale crawls of top publishers before and after this bug was patched in April 2017 to examine which A&A companies were using WebSockets, what information was being transferred, and whether companies altered their behavior after the patch. We find that a small but persistent group of A&A companies use WebSockets, and that several of them engaged in troubling behavior, such as browser fingerprinting, exfiltrating the DOM, and serving advertisements, that would have circumvented blocking due to the Chrome bug.
Preoperative prealbumin and transferring: Relation to 30-day risk of complication in elective spine surgical patients.

Of background data There is growing interest in identifying nutritional biomarkers associated with poor outcomes of elective spine surgery. Prealbumin and transferrin are both biomarkers of nutritional status that can be obtained from clinical laboratories. However, associations of preoperative measures of these nutritional biomarkers across their range with risk of complications from spine surgery have not been fully investigated. Objective Determine associations of preoperative prealbumin and transferrin levels with 30-day risk of complication among elective spine surgery patients. Study design Cohort study with preoperative prealbumin and transferrin collected as standard of care. Outcome measures 30-day risk of medical complication. Methods Data were obtained from medical records of 274 consecutive adult patients ages ≥50 years who underwent elective spine surgery from June 2013 to June 2014. Prealbumin (mg/dL), serum transferrin (mg/dL), and preoperative factors were abstracted from medical records. Prealbumin and transferrin levels were categorized into quartiles and as below versus median or higher. The primary outcome measure was 30-day risk of medical complication, such as renal failure or infections. Associations of the biomarkers with outcome risk were assessed with chi-square tests and with risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimated with multivariable log-binomial regression. Results The 274 adults studied had a median prealbumin level of 27.4 mg/dL and a median transferrin level of 265.0 mg/dL. The 30-day risk of complication was 12.8% (95% CI: 8.8%-16.7%). Risk of complication did not vary by quartile for either prealbumin (P = .26) or transferrin (P = .49) and was not associated either with prealbumin (below median, RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.5) or transferrin (below median, RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.6). Conclusions Among adults undergoing elective spine surgery, the 30-day risk of complication was not associated with prealbumin or transferrin. Nutrition status, as measured by prealbumin and transferrin, does not appear to be associated with complication risk. Level of evidence Level III.
Child Health in a Post-Flood Period in Bangladesh

In the summer of 1998, Bangladesh was inundated by significant flooding that covered two-thirds of the country and affected more than 30 million people. Although annual flooding is normal and expected in Bangladesh, the 1998 floods caused extraordinary devastation and were considered a “century” flood. Homestead flooding, crop loss and infrastructure damage all compromised food security in rural areas. In this paper I use longitudinal data from the post-flood period in rural Bangladesh to examine children’s nutritional status in the post-flood recovery period. I find that parent’s human capital (as measured by mother’s height and educational attainment of the household head) attenuates the negative effects of flood exposure on children’s nutritional status during the post-flood year. Understanding the implications of a post-disaster recovery period for child welfare is vital for future planning and relief efforts. This study contributes to these efforts by exploiting longitudinal data and age differences in growth rates to identify the importance of parental human capital in protecting children during nutritionally vulnerable periods.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Laser Scattering Techniques at High Pressure

This review covers various aspects of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and laser Raman and Rayleigh spectroscopy at high pressure. The presentation is organized into the following main sections: 1. Introduction; 2. Experimental High Pressure NMR Techniques; 3. Experimental High Pressure Laser Scattering Techniques; 4. Applications of NMR at High Pressure; 5. Applications of Laser Raman Scattering at High Pressure. The main emphasis is on studies aimed towards improving our fundamental understanding of the dynamic structure of fluids but several examples dealing with disordered solids are also included.
BlockTrail: A Scalable Multichain Solution for Blockchain-Based Audit Trails

Blockchain-based audit trails provide a consensus-driven and tamper-proof trail of system events that are helpful in creating provenance in enterprise solutions. However, taking into account the transaction bulk generated by these applications and the throughput limitations of existing blockchains, a single ledger for record keeping can be inefficient and costly. To that end, we see an imperative need for a new blockchain design that is capable of addressing current challenges, without compromising security and provenance. Hence, we propose BlockTrail, a scalable and efficient blockchain solution for auditing applications. BlockTrail fragments the legacy blockchain systems into layers of co-dependent hierarchies, thereby reducing the time and space complexity, and increasing the throughput. BlockTrail is prototyped on &#x201C;Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance&#x201D; (PBFT) protocol with a custom-built blockchain. Experiments with BlockTrail show that compared to the conventional schemes, BlockTrail is more efficient, and has less storage footprint.
HapSense: A Soft Haptic I/O Device with Uninterrupted Dual Functionalities of Force Sensing and Vibrotactile Actuation

We present HapSense, a single-volume soft haptic I/O device with uninterrupted dual functionalities of force sensing and vibrotactile actuation. To achieve both input and output functionalities, we employ a ferroelectric electroactive polymer as core functional material with a multilayer structure design. We introduce a haptic I/O hardware that supports tunable high driving voltage waveform for vibrotactile actuation while insitu sensing a change in capacitance from contact force. With mechanically soft nature of fabricated structure, HapSense can be embedded onto various object surfaces including but not limited to furniture, garments, and the human body. Through a series of experiments and evaluations, we characterized physical properties of HapSense and validated the feasibility of using soft haptic I/O with real users. We demonstrated a variety of interaction scenarios using HapSense.
Pre-Biased Synchronous Charge Extraction for Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Ambient motion energy harvesting using triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can increase the on-board battery life for applications in wearable, implantable and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. This paper reports modeling, simulation and analysis of a novel energy extraction circuit that interfaces the TENG with the on-board battery load. The proposed circuit termed, pre-biased Synchronous Charge Extraction (pSCE) uses the load battery itself to synchronously add pre-bias voltage (equivalently, charge) to the TENG to increase the net energy transduced from the mechanical source. Per-cycle energy output when employing a pSCE is mathematically derived and validated against PSPICE simulation. For the considered test TENG with parameters (max open circuit voltage: 220 V; min capacitance: 240 pF, max to min capacitance ratio: 8, and battery load: 5 V), a 21-fold (resp., 1.35-fold) gain over the standard full wave rectifier (resp., over standard SCE) is found.