cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conversion of atrial flutter in pediatric patients by transesophageal atrial pacing: A safe, effective, minimally invasive procedure

Atrial reentry tachycardia, often termed atrial flutter, is an arrhythmia that is uncommon in the general pediatric population but is seen frequently in patients with congenital heart disease. One goal in treating the arrhythmia is to terminate it, returning the atrium to its underlying rhythm. This report describes the use of transesophageal atrial pacing to attempt termination of atrial reentry in 102 pediatric patients (158 episodes). The patients ranged in age from 1 hour to 41.5 years. Conversion was successful for 112 (71%) of 158 episodes. Six of the 112 episodes required an infusion of procainamide after initial attempts at pacing led to atrial fibrillation. There were no significant differences between the ages of patients or the duration of the tachycardia in comparing successful versus unsuccessful conversions. In contrast, the atrial cycle lengths for the successfully converted tachycardias were significantly greater than for unsuccessful attempts. Transesophageal atrial pacing is a safe and effective means of terminating atrial flutter in the pediatric population. It is minimally invasive, it can often be performed in an outpatient setting, and the technique may occasionally be facilitated by infusion of intravenous procainamide.
Insider threats to voting systems

Insider attacks are particularly insidious threats to electoral integrity. Traitors that misuse the trust that is placed in them often have system access that facilitates malicious acts themselves and their subsequent cover-up efforts.In this paper, we define what it means to be an insider and we identify several classes of elections insiders. We also categorize the threats that each insider class has relative to the electoral functions.Beyond specifying well-known elections insiders such as poll workers and local elections officials, we address several insider categories that are rarely, or never, mentioned in considering election insider threats. For example, we have not previously seen members of the judiciary identified as prospective elections insiders and we give a concrete example of how judges can accomplish insider attacks on elections. Similarly, we identify the impact that policy makers can have on the electoral process and show how malicious legislators may be able to influence a broad spectrum of elections through the laws that they propose and promote.Insider attacks are real and imminent threats to electoral integrity. By identifying insiders and categorizing the threats that they pose allows us to create policies and procedures that better ensure sound elections and to ensure the integrity of our way of government at local, state, and federal levels.
DynDex: a dynamic and non-metric space indexer

To date, almost all research work in the Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) community has used Minkowski-like functions to measure similarity between images. In this paper, we first present a non-metric distance function, dynamic partial function (DPF), which works significantly better than Minkowski-like functions for measuring perceptual similarity; and we explain DPF's link to similarity theories in cognitive science. We then propose DynDex, an indexing method that deals with both the dynamic and non-metric aspects of the distance function. DynDex employs statistical methods including distance-based classification and bagging to enable efficient indexing with DPF. In addition to its efficiency for conducting similarity searches in very high-dimensional spaces, we show that DynDex remains effective when features are weighted dynamically for supporting personalized searches.
Computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer: Artificial neural network approach for optimized merging of mammographic features

Rationale and Objectives. An artificial neural network (ANN) approach was developed for the computer-aided diagnosis of mammography using an optimally minimized number of input features. Methods. A backpropagation ANN merged nine input features (age plus eight radiographic findings extracted by radiologists) to predict biopsy outcome as its output. The features were ranked, and more important ones were selected to produce an optimal subset of features. Results. Given all nine features, the ANN performed with a receiver operator characteristic area under the curve ( A z ) of .95 ± .01. Given only the four most important features, the ANN performed with an A z of .96 ± .01. Although not significantly better than the ANN with all nine features, the ANN with the four optimized features was significantly better than expert radiologists' A z of .90 ± .02 ( p = .01). This four-feature ANN had a 95% sensitivity and an 81% specificity. For cases with calcifications, the radiologists' performance dropped to an A z of .85 ± .04, whereas a specialized three-feature ANN performed significantly better with an A z of .95 ± .02 ( p = .02). Conclusion. Given only four input features, the ANN predicted biopsy outcome significantly better than did expert radiologists, who also had access to other radiographic and nonradiographic data. The reduced number of features would substantially decrease data entry efforts and potentially improve the ANN's general applicability.
Self-consistent energy band calculations

The use of self-consistent band calculations to understand the electronic structure of solids is reviewed. The formal basis for the approach is first examined to emphasise that not all band calculations are applications of the same theory. Similarly the critical points, both fundamental and mundane, of the self-consistency process are examined. Again, the central theme is the idea that perhaps some aspects of the self-consistent calculation are not completely established. On the other hand, band structure technique, while still developing, has been rather well explored. Thus one can examine it from the general point of view of seeing what the various techniques imply about the nature of the band structure problem. Finally, some applications of self-consistent band structure calculations are examined.
Maximizing performance in a striped disk array

Improvements in disk speeds have not kept up with improvements in processor and memory speeds. One way to correct the resulting speed mismatch is to stripe data across many disks. In this paper, we address how to stripe data to get maximum performance from the disks. Specifically, we examine how to choose the striping unit, i.e. the amount of logically contiguous data on each disk. We synthesize rules for determining the best striping unit for a given range of workloads.We show how the choice of striping unit depends on only two parameters: 1) the number of outstanding requests in the disk system at any given time, and 2) the average positioning time × data transfer rate of the disks. We derive an equation for the optimal striping unit as a function of these two parameters; we also show how to choose the striping unit without prior knowledge about the workload.
The RIG-I-like receptor LGP2 controls CD8(+) T cell survival and fitness.

Summary The RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) signal innate immune defenses upon RNA virus infection, but their roles in adaptive immunity have not been clearly defined. Here, we showed that the RLR LGP2 was not essential for induction of innate immune defenses, but rather was required for controlling antigen-specific CD8 + T cell survival and fitness during peripheral T cell-number expansion in response to virus infection. Adoptive transfer and biochemical studies demonstrated that T cell-receptor signaling induced LGP2 expression wherein LGP2 operated to regulate death-receptor signaling and imparted sensitivity to CD95-mediated cell death. Thus, LGP2 promotes an essential prosurvival signal in response to antigen stimulation to confer CD8 + T cell-number expansion and effector functions against divergent RNA viruses, including West Nile virus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
A Proof of a Partition Conjecture of Bateman and Erdős

Abstract Bateman and Erdős found necessary and sufficient conditions on a set A for the k th differences of the partitions of n with parts in A , p ( k ) A ( n ), to eventually be positive; moreover, they showed that when these conditions occur p ( k +1) A ( n )/ p ( k ) A ( n ) tends to zero as n tends to infinity. Bateman and Erdős conjectured that the ratio p ( k +1) A ( n )/ p ( k ) A ( n )= O ( n −1/2 ). We prove this conjecture.
Clinical trials of drugs used off-label in neonates: ethical issues and alternative study designs.

The use of drugs for indications unapproved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), often called “off-label use,” is widespread in children, including neonates. The widespread off-label use of drugs in neonates presents ethical and safety challenges. Since the passage of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) in 2002, both the FDA and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have taken initiatives to facilitate and encourage research to achieve the necessary labeling for drugs routinely used in infants and children. Federal regulations provide broad rules and guidance for the protection of human subjects in research. However, there are ethical issues that a physician may face when designing clinical trials of drugs in neonates that are routinely used off-label and widely believed to be beneficial. We attempt to describe these ethical challenges and provide recommendations, including alternative study designs, to resolve them in an ethical framework that takes into account the Belmont Report, the s...
Effect of Prenatal Dexamethasone on Postnatal Serum and Urinary Angiotensin II Levels

Background Prenatal programming of hypertension has been described in humans and in animal models that receive a prenatal insult, but the mechanism for the increase in blood pressure remains elusive. Methods In male rats whose mothers received dexamethasone between days 15 and 18 of gestation systemic and urinary levels of angiotensin II were measured to determine whether angiotensin II was a potential factor for the generation (4 weeks of age) or maintenance (8 weeks of age) of hypertension. Results A group 4- and 8-week-old male rats that were the product of a pregnancy where the mother received prenatal dexamethasone between days 15 and 18 of gestation had comparable plasma renin and angiotensin II levels to the offspring of vehicle-treated controls. Renal angiotensin II levels were not different at 4 and 8 weeks of age between the controls and the prenatal dexamethasone group. Urine angiotensin II/Creatinine levels, a reflection of filtered and renally generated and secreted angiotensin II, were higher at both 4 and 8 weeks of age in male rats that received prenatal dexamethasone compared to controls. Conclusions The high-urine angiotensin II levels in prehypertensive and hypertensive rats that were the product of mothers that received dexamethasone compared to vehicle suggest that luminal angiotensin II may play a role in the generation and maintenance of hypertension in this model of prenatal programming.
Electromagnetic Scattering From Dispersive Dielectric Scatterers Using the Finite Difference Delay Modeling Method

A new method for solving the time-domain integral equations of electromagnetic scattering from dispersive dielectric bodies is proposed. The method is based on the finite difference delay modeling scheme, which accomplishes the temporal discretization by substituting a z -domain finite-difference approximation for the continuous time Laplace domain s parameter. The inverse z -transform used for computing the temporal kernels is calculated numerically using the trapezoidal rule and inverse discrete Fourier transform. Arbitrary dispersive models can be simulated without extraneous convolution using the new technique. The normal field equations are augmented to the standard tangential equations to solve the low-frequency instability problem.
The psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work

Building on Kahn’ s (1990) ethnographic work, a e eld study in a U.S. Midwestern insurance company explored the determinants and mediating effects of three psychological conditions ‐ meaningfulness, safety and availability ‐ on employees’ engagement in their work. Results from the revised theoretical framework revealed that all three psychological conditions exhibited signie cant positive relations with engagement. Meaningfulness displayed the strongest relation. Job enrichment and work role e t were positively linked to psychological meaningfulness. Rewarding co-worker and supportive supervisor relations were positively associated with psychological safety, whereas adherence to co-worker norms and self-consciousness were negatively associated. Psychological availability was positively related to resources available and negatively related to participation in outside activities. Finally, the relations of job enrichment and work role e t with engagement were both fully mediated by the psychological condition of meaningfulness. The association between adherence to co-worker norms and engagement was partially mediated by psychological safety. Theoretical and practical implications related to psychological engagement at work are discussed. To explore the challenge to the human soul in organizations is to build a bridge between the world of the personal, subjective, and even unconscious elements of individual experience and the world of organizations that demand rationality, efficiency, and personal sacrifice . . . we must be willing to shift our viewpoint back and forth between what organizations want of people and what constitutes human complexity: the contradictory nature of human needs, desires, and experience. (Briskin, 1998, p. xii.) This quote from Briskin (1998), an organizational consultant, reflects the challenges that managers and researchers of organizations face as they seek to understand and
Extended-range linear magnetostrictive motor with double-sided three-phase stators

The authors have developed a novel extended-range linear magnetostrictive motor using the peristaltic motion of a laminated Terfenol-D (Tb/sub 0.3/Dy/sub 0.7/Fe/sub 2/) element. This element migrates in the opposite direction of the traveling magnetic field generated by prevailing three-phase armature commutation. The actuator mechanical design is in an open structure in order to allow easy assembly and access to internal actuator components. Eight sets of Belleville washers guarantee uniform squeeze preload in spite of wear, thermal expansion, or motion of the moving element. We incorporated a laminated Terfenol-D slab in this actuator to reduce the eddy current, leading to high-frequency high-speed operation. We have also designed and constructed the power electronics and control units for the magnetostrictive actuator's open-loop and closed-loop operations. With a series-resonant capacitor, we were able to achieve a near-unity power factor and decrease the reactive power requirement by a factor of 20. The magnetostrictive motor has demonstrated 12-mm/s speed at excitation frequency of 1600 Hz, and shown 140-N load capacity. The effective travel range of the present motor is 25 mm, and can be extended further. This linear magnetostrictive motor shows great potential in high-force precision positioning applications such as automotive actuators, robotics, and flight control surface actuators.
An improved vertex caching scheme for 3D mesh rendering

Modern graphics cards are equipped with a vertex cache to reduce the amount of data needing to be transmitted to the graphics pipeline during rendering. To make effective use of the cache and facilitate rendering, it is key to represent a mesh in a manner that maximizes the cache hit rate. In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective algorithm for generating a sequence for efficient rendering of 3D polygonal meshes based on greedy optimization. The algorithm outperforms the current state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of rendering efficiency of the resultant sequence. We also adapt it for the rendering of progressive meshes. For any simplified version of the original mesh, the rendering sequence is generated by adaptively updating the reordered sequence at full resolution. The resultant rendering sequence is cheap to compute and has reasonably good rendering performance, which is desirable to many complex rendering environments involving continuous rendering of meshes at various level of details. The experimental results on a collection of 3D meshes are provided.
Drag Output Error Estimation Using the Entropy Adjoint Approach

This paper presents a method for estimating the drag error in a computational uid dynamics simulation using the adjoint property of entropy variables. The error of interest is that caused by the numerical discretization in the calculation of drag, including eects of nite mesh size and approximation order. Since the entropy variables are obtained by a direct transformation of the state, no separate adjoint solution is required. The proposed error estimate applies to a drag calculation that involves a far-eld integration of the entropy. Error estimates are derived separately for inviscid and viscous ows, and results are presented for examples in two dimensions. These results show that the error estimate is consistently within a factor of 1.0 and 1.5 of the true numerical error in the drag. The results also indicate that the error estimate applies equally well to near-eld drag calculations on meshes adapted using the entropy adjoint approach. As such, this estimate provides a useful stopping criterion for adaptation using the entropy adjoint.
The role of macrophages in the development and progression of AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Despite HAART, patients infected with HIV develop NHL at a significantly higher level than the noninfected population. The primary difference between lymphoma in non-HIV-infected individuals and those with ARL is that ARL is consistently high-grade and metastatic. The emergence of ARL is associated with the presence of macrophage viral reservoirs, similar to what has been observed for HAD. HIV-infected macrophages, as seen by histology and HIV p24 staining, are present in approximately half of ARLs. Macrophage reservoirs recruit additional immune cells, including monocytes/macrophages, through the release of chemoattractants. Additionally, TAM are known to promote tumor progression for most cancer types, including lymphomas. This review will highlight and discuss the role of macrophage viral reservoirs in the development and progression of ARLs and hopefully, shed light on this new and interesting field.
VLSI systolic binary tree-searched vector quantizer for image compression

A high-speed image compression VLSI processor based on the systolic architecture of difference-codebook binary tree-searched vector quantization has been developed to meet the increasing demands on large-volume data communication and storage requirements. Simulation results show that this design is applicable to many types of image data and capable of producing good reconstructed data quality at high compression ratios. Various design aspects of the binary tree-searched vector quantizer including the algorithm, architecture, and detailed functional design are thoroughly investigated for VLSI implementation. An 8-level difference-codebook binary tree-searched vector quantizer can be implemented on a custom VLSI chip that includes a systolic array of eight identical processors and a hierarchical memory of eight subcodebook memory banks. The total transistor count is about 300000 and the die size is about 8.67/spl times/7.72 mm/sup 2/ in a 1.0 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The throughput rate of this high-speed VLSI compression system is approximately 25 Mpixels per second and its equivalent computation power is 600 million instructions per second. >
Impact of process variation on endurance algorithms for wear-prone memories

Non-volatile memories, such as Flash and Phase-Change Memory, are replacing other memory and storage technologies. Although these new technologies have desirable energy and scalability properties, they are prone to wear-out due to excessive write operations. Because wear-out is an important phenomenon, a number of endurance management schemes have been proposed. There is a trade-off between what techniques to use, depending on the range of bit cell lifetime within a device. This range in cell durability arises from effects due to process variation. In this paper, we describe modeling techniques to analyze trade-offs for endurance management based on the anticipated distribution of cell lifetime. This analysis considers two general endurance strategies (physical capacity degradation and physical sparing) under four distributions of cell lifetime (constant, linear, normal, and bimodal). The modeling techniques can be used to determine how much redundancy is needed when a sparing endurance strategy is adopted. With the correct choice of technique, the device lifetime can be doubled.
Acute and chronic presentation of ectopic pregnancy may be two clinical entities

Abstract Objective The diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy (EP) is often confirmed at presentation (acute), but often requires serial β-hCG levels to confirm the diagnosis (chronic). The purpose of this study is to analyze whether these clinical presentations represent a spectrum of disease. Design The retrospective cohort study of 452 patients diagnosed with EP at the University of Pennsylvania in the years 1990–1999. Setting University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patient(s) Four hundred fifty-two patients diagnosed with EP. Patients diagnosed with EP were divided into two groups according to the time of diagnosis. Main outcome measure(s) A total of 37 parameters were examined including historic and demographic factors, findings at presentation, and treatment and outcome variables. Result(s) The two groups were similar in terms of historic EP risk factors. Multivariable analysis demonstrates that women with a chronic presentation were less likely to have received fertility medications (odds ratio [OR] 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06–0.84), less likely to present with pain (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.12–0.71), have a lower β-hCG level at presentation (9,849 mIU/mL ± 16,726 vs. 1,787 mIU/mL ± 4,717), lower chance of rupture (OR 0.19; 95% CI 0.05–0.73), and less frequently have blood type 0. Conclusion(s) Women diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy can be categorized into two groups, those with an acute presentation and those with a chronic presentation. Differences in risk factors, presentation, and outcome may reflect differences in trophoblast viability or invasive potential.
CALCIUM RELEASE AND ITS VOLTAGE DEPENDENCE IN FROG CUT MUSCLE FIBERS EQUILIBRATED WITH 20 MM EGTA

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release was studied at 13-16 degrees C in cut fibers (sarcomere length, 3.4-3.9 microns) mounted in a double Vaseline-gap chamber. The amplitude and duration of the action-potential stimulated free [Ca] transient were reduced by equilibration with end-pool solutions that contained 20 mM EGTA with 1.76 mM Ca and 0.63 mM phenol red, a maneuver that appeared to markedly reduce the amount of Ca complexed by troponin. A theoretical analysis shows that, under these conditions, the increase in myoplasmic free [Ca] is expected to be restricted to within a few hundred nanometers of the SR Ca release sites and to have a time course that essentially matches that of release. Furthermore, almost all of the Ca that is released from the SR is expected to be rapidly bound by EGTA and exchanged for protons with a 1:2 stoichiometry. Consequently, the time course of SR Ca release can be estimated by scaling the delta pH signal measured with phenol red by -beta/2. The value of beta, the buffering power of myoplasm, was determined in fibers equilibrated with a combination of EGTA, phenol red, and fura-2; its mean value was 22 mM/pH unit. The Ca content of the SR (expressed as myoplasmic concentration) was estimated from the total amount of Ca released by either a train of action potentials or a depleting voltage step; its mean value was 2,685 microM in the action-potential experiments and 2,544 microM in the voltage-clamp experiments. An action potential released, on average, 0.14 of the SR Ca content with a peak rate of release of approximately 5%/ms. A second action potential, elicited 20 ms later, released only 0.6 times as much Ca (expressed as a fraction of the SR content), probably because Ca inactivation of Ca release was produced by the first action potential. During a depolarizing voltage step to 60 mV, the rate of Ca release rapidly increased to a peak value of approximately 3%/ms and then decreased to a quasi-steady level that was only 0.6 times as large; this decrease was also probably due to Ca inactivation of Ca release. SR Ca release was studied with small step depolarizations that open no more than one SR Ca channel in 7,000 and increase the value of spatially averaged myoplasmic free [Ca] by only 0.2 nM.
Persuasion, Interrupted: The Effect of Momentary Interruptions on Message Processing and Persuasion

Marketers often seek to minimize or eliminate interruptions when they deliver persuasive messages in an attempt to increase consumers' attention and processing of those messages. However, in five studies conducted across different experimental contexts and different content domains, the current research reveals that interruptions that temporarily disrupt a persuasive message can increase consumers’ processing of that message. As a result, consumers can be more persuaded by interrupted messages than they would be by the exact same messages delivered uninterrupted. In documenting this effect, the current research departs from past research illuminating the negative effects of interruptions, and delineates the mechanism through which and conditions under which momentary interruptions can promote persuasion.
Predicting the failure response of cement-bone constructs using a non-linear fracture mechanics approach.

A non-linear fracture mechanics approach was used to predict the failure response of complex cement-bone constructs. A series of eight mechanical tests with a combination of tensile and shear loading along the cement-bone interface was performed. Each experiment was modeled using the finite element method with non-linear constitutive models at the cement-bone interface. Interface constitutive parameters were assigned based on the quantity of bone interdigitated with the cement. There was a strong correlation (r 2 =0.80) between experimentally measured and finite element predicted ultimate loads. The average error in predicted ultimate load was 23.9 percent. In comparison to the ultimate load predictions, correlations and errors for total energy to failure (r 2 =0.24, avg. error =38.2 percent) and displacement at 50 percent of the ultimate load (r 2 =0.27, avg. error=52.2 percent) were poor. The results indicate that the non-linear constitutive laws could be useful in predicting the initiation and progression of interface failure of cemented bone-implant systems. However, improvements in the estimation of post-yield interface properties from the quantity of bone interdigitated with cement are needed to enhance predictions of the overall failure response.
Modeling Mutual Influence Between Social Actions and Social Ties

In online social media, social action prediction and social tie discovery are two fundamental tasks for social network analysis. Traditionally, they were considered as separate tasks and solved independently. In this paper, we investigate the high correlation and mutual influence between social actions (i.e. user-behavior interactions) and social ties (i.e. user-user connections). We propose a unified coherent framework, namely mutual latent random graphs (MLRGs), to flexibly encode evidences from both social actions and social ties. We introduce latent, or hidden factors and coupled models with users, users’ behaviors and users’ relations to exploit mutual influence and mutual benefits between social actions and social ties. We propose a gradient based optimization algorithm to efficiently learn the model parameters. Experimental results show the validity and competitiveness of our model, compared to several state-of-the-art alternative models.
Development of a macromolecular diffusion pathway in the lens.

The mammalian lens consists of an aged core of quiescent cells enveloped by a layer of synthetically active cells. Abundant gap junctions within and between these cell populations ensure that the lens functions as an electrical syncytium and facilitates the exchange of small molecules between surface and core cells. In the present study, we utilized an in vivo mouse model to characterize the properties of an additional pathway, permeable to macromolecules, which co-exists with gap-junction-mediated communication in the lens core. The TgN(GFPU)5Nagy strain of mice carries a green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene. In the lenses of hemizyous animals, GFP was expressed in a variegated fashion, allowing diffusion of GFP to be visualized directly. Early in development, GFP expression in scattered fiber cells resulted in a checkerboard fluorescence pattern in the lens. However, at E15 and later, the centrally located fiber cells became uniformly fluorescent. In the adult lens, a superficial layer of cells, approximately 100 μm thick, retained the original mosaic fluorescence pattern, but the remainder, and majority, of the tissue was uniformly fluorescent. We reasoned that at the border between the two distinct labeling patterns, a macromolecule-permeable intercellular pathway was established. To test this hypothesis, we microinjected 10 kDa fluorescent dextran into individual fiber cells and followed its diffusion by time-lapse microscopy. Injections at depths of >100 μm resulted in intercellular diffusion of dextran from injected cells. By contrast, when injections were made into superficial fiber cells, the injected cell invariably retained the dextran. Together, these data suggest that, in addition to being coupled by gap junctions, cells in the lens core are interconnected by a macromolecule-permeable pathway. At all ages examined, a significant proportion of the nucleated fiber cell population of the lens was located within this region of the lens.
Low-Power High-Efficiency Class D Audio Power Amplifiers

The architecture, design, and implementation of two clock-free analog class D audio power amplifiers using 0.5 ?m CMOS standard technology are introduced. The amplifiers are designed to consume significantly less power than former implementations. Both designs operate with a 2.7 V single voltage supply and deliver a maximum output power of 250 mW into an 8 ? speaker. The two class-D amplifiers are based on a hysteretic sliding mode controller, which avoids the complex task of generating the highly linear triangle carrier signal used in conventional architectures. The first design generates a two-level modulated signal, known as binary modulated amplifier (BMA); the second topology implements a three-level modulated signal, also called ternary modulated amplifier (TMA). The architectures and implementations are simple and compact, providing very low quiescent power consumption. Experimental results of the BMA/TMA yield an efficiency of 89/90% and a total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of 0.02/0.03%, respectively. The efficiency and linearity is comparable to state-of-the-art amplifiers but the static power consumption is less than one tenth of previous proposed architectures. Both class D amplifiers achieve a power supply rejection ratio greater than 75 dB at 217 Hz, and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) higher than 90 dB within the whole audio band. Each amplifier occupies less than 1.5 mm2.
LTC4 synthase polymorphism modifies efficacy of botanical seed oil combination in asthma.

Botanical seed oils reduce the generation of leukotrienes in patients with asthma. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of a botanical seed oil combination against airflow obstruction in asthma, and to determine the pharmacogenomic effect of the leukotriene C4 synthase (LTC4S) polymorphism A-444C. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial in mild to moderate asthmatics to determine the change in FEV1 after 6 weeks of therapy with borage and echium seed oils versus corn oil placebo. We also examined the effect of the variant LTC4S -444C allele on the change in lung function. We did not identify a difference in FEV1 in the study cohort as a whole (n = 28), nor in the group of A homozygotes. In the C allele carriers (n = 9), FEV1 improved by 3% after treatment with borage and echium seed oils and declined by 4% after placebo corn oil (p = 0.02). All 9 C allele carriers demonstrated an improvement in their FEV1 on active treatment compared to placebo as compared to only 7 out of 19 A allele homozygotes (p = 0.007). We observed transient differences in ex vivo leukotriene generation from circulating basophils and granulocytes. We did not observe significant differences in urinary LTE4 levels. We conclude that compared to corn oil, a combination of borage and echium seed oils improves airflow obstruction in mild to moderate asthmatics who carry the variant allele in the LTC4S gene (A-444C). Botanical oil supplementation may have therapeutic potential in asthma if used in a personalized manner. Trial registration: This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00806442.
Did intense volcanism trigger the first Late Ordovician icehouse?: COMMENT

Details of the climate evolution during the Middle and Late Ordovician are increasingly debated, with implications for understanding both greenhouse-icehouse transitions and the Late Ordovician mass extinction. We applaud [Buggisch et al. (2010)][1] for attempting to distinguish among different
Monitoring of facial stress during space flight: Optical computer recognition combining discriminative and generative methods

Astronauts are required to perform mission-critical tasks at a high level of functional capability throughout spaceflight. Stressors can compromise their ability to do so, making early objective detection of neurobehavioral problems in spaceflight a priority. Computer optical approaches offer a completely unobtrusive way to detect distress during critical operations in space flight. A methodology was developed and a study completed to determine whether optical computer recognition algorithms could be used to discriminate facial expressions during stress induced by performance demands. Stress recognition from a facial image sequence is a subject that has not received much attention although it is an important problem for many applications beyond space flight (security, human–computer interaction, etc.). This paper proposes a comprehensive method to detect stress from facial image sequences by using a model-based tracker. The image sequences were captured as subjects underwent a battery of psychological tests under high- and low-stress conditions. A cue integration-based tracking system accurately captured the rigid and non-rigid parameters of different parts of the face (eyebrows, lips). The labeled sequences were used to train the recognition system, which consisted of generative (hidden Markov model) and discriminative (support vector machine) parts that yield results superior to using either approach individually. The current optical algorithm methods performed at a 68% accuracy rate in an experimental study of 60 healthy adults undergoing periods of high-stress versus low-stress performance demands. Accuracy and practical feasibility of the technique is being improved further with automatic multi-resolution selection for the discretization of the mask, and automated face detection and mask initialization algorithms.
HAWKING ON GOD AND PHYSICAL THEORY

. When queried about his objectives, the celebrated theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking has replied, “My goal is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.” In this essay, I comment on what Hawking has to say about the role of God in the understanding he seeks. I draw from his popular writings and pronouncements, since both are peppered with references to God and with statements about what God can and cannot do. In particular, I focus on his most recent collection of essays intended for a general audience. I argue that the theological implications Hawking has drawn from his cosmological models are shallow and that the narrow naturalistic path he has taken is inadequate to the large task he has set for himself.
Role of anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibition in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

Purpose Published data on the clinical efficacy, safety, dosage and administration, and costs of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors crizotinib and ceritinib in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are reviewed and compared. Summary The ALK protein functions as a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase; rearrangements of the ALK gene are associated with the development of NSCLC with adenocarcinoma histology. Crizotinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved in 2011 as a first-line therapy for patients with metastatic ALK mutation–driven NSCLC. Significantly improved response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) have been reported with the use of crizotinib therapy versus standard chemotherapy, but mutations conferring resistance to treatment develop in most cases. The second-generation ALK inhibitor ceritinib was approved in 2014 for the treatment of ALK -mutated NSCLC in patients who are intolerant or develop resistance to crizotinib. In a clinical trial of ceritinib involving 130 patients with ALK -positive NSCLC, the majority of whom had experienced disease progression during crizotinib use, patients receiving at least 400 mg of ceritinib daily had an overall response rate of 56% and median PFS of seven months. Adverse effects commonly reported with the use of either drug include visual disturbances, gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., diarrhea), and liver enzyme abnormalities. Conclusion The tyrosine kinase inhibitors crizotinib and ceritinib provide an effective treatment approach for patients with ALK -mutated NSCLC. Efficacy data for both crizotinib and ceritinib indicate improved response rates and PFS with the use of either drug as an alternative to standard chemotherapy.
Analysis of Listening Preferences of High School and College Musicians

Undergraduate college music majors, high school musicians in performance groups, and sixth-grade students in eight sites across the United States listened to brief excerpts of music from early cont...
Analysis of Spatial Variability Using a Numerical Spectral Approach

Numerical spectral methods are alternatives to finite elements and finite differences for solving partial differential equations. In this paper, we discuss how characteristics particular to spectral methods make them ideally suited for some problems of relating covariances using the physically based governing equations. We examine the approximations required for the numerical method, and compare numerical spectral methods to finite element and finite difference methods. Finally, we demonstrate how the numerical spectral method can be applied to any valid log-permeability covariance by providing an example using a piece-wise linear covariance. The numerical spectral methods are computationally efficient and flexible. We conclude that numerical spectral methods offer an excellent practical way of using stochastic partial differential equations to derive the statistical characteristics of variables of interest in geohydrologic applications.
In Search of the Next Enlightenment? The Challenge for Education in Uncertain Times

We live in a period when foundational givens of thought are on the move and when the cosmology that has framed experience in Western societies is unraveling. This is creating a shift in the underst...
Syntax Augmented Machine Translation via Chart Parsing

We present translation results on the shared task "Exploiting Parallel Texts for Statistical Machine Translation" generated by a chart parsing decoder operating on phrase tables augmented and generalized with target language syntactic categories. We use a target language parser to generate parse trees for each sentence on the target side of the bilingual training corpus, matching them with phrase table lattices built for the corresponding source sentence. Considering phrases that correspond to syntactic categories in the parse trees we develop techniques to augment (declare a syntactically motivated category for a phrase pair) and generalize (form mixed terminal and nonterminal phrases) the phrase table into a synchronous bilingual grammar. We present results on the French-to-English task for this workshop, representing significant improvements over the workshop's baseline system. Our translation system is available open-source under the GNU General Public License.
A metric for sets of trajectories that is practical and mathematically consistent

Metrics on the space of sets of trajectories are important for scientists in the field of computer vision, machine learning, robotics, and general artificial intelligence. However, existing notions of closeness between sets of trajectories are either mathematically inconsistent or of limited practical use. In this paper, we outline the limitations in the current mathematically-consistent metrics, which are based on OSPA (Schuhmacher et al. 2008); and the inconsistencies in the heuristic notions of closeness used in practice, whose main ideas are common to the CLEAR MOT measures (Keni and Rainer 2008) widely used in computer vision. In two steps, we then propose a new intuitive metric between sets of trajectories and address these limitations. First, we explain a solution that leads to a metric that is hard to compute. Then we modify this formulation to obtain a metric that is easy to compute while keeping the useful properties of the previous metric. Our notion of closeness is the first demonstrating the following three features: the metric 1) can be quickly computed, 2) incorporates confusion of trajectories' identity in an optimal way, and 3) is a metric in the mathematical sense.
Arrangement of Physical Space in Social Work Settings

■ Social work has not shown much interest in the effect of physical surroundings on clients. This article describes six different social work settings and relates the physical aspects of each to some theoretical formulations found in the literature. Because the optimum arrangement of space in a specific agency should be related to the agency's function and the needs of its clients, the author stresses the importance of more intensive research on the subject. ■
Veterans Administration medical center policies and procedures for handling injectable antineoplastic drugs

Policies and procedures for handling injectable antineoplastic agents in Veterans Administration medical centers ( VAMCs ) were surveyed. The chiefs of pharmacy of 158 VAMCs received a questionnaire that covered (1) methods of preparation, administration, and disposal of injectable antineoplastic medications, (2) precautions in the handling of these drugs, and (3) general information about the institutions. Representatives of 136 (86.1%) of the VAMCs responded, representing more than 72,000 hospital beds with 1203 designated as oncology beds. Approximately half of these institutions had written policies and procedures for the preparation, administration, and disposal of the agents. Only 22 VAMCs had a formal training program for their employees. Sixty-two percent indicated that the pharmacy had complete responsibility for the preparation of injectable antineoplastics, while 33% still claimed nursing involvement. Only five institutions stated tests were performed to evaluate harmful effects. Only half used vertical laminar-airflow hoods exclusively for the preparation of these agents. Two thirds of the VAMCs stated that they had special methods for segregating antineoplastic waste; 81% employed incineration. The survey identified areas involving the handling of injectable antineoplastics in which hospitals need to develop policies.
What Happened?: An Historical Analysis of the De-Professionalization of Child Welfare with Implications for Policy and Practice

This article presents an overview and historical analysis of child welfare from its inception in the 19th century through the Social Security Act of 1935 and into the present. An argument is made that the historical de-professionalization of child welfare is reflected in changing societal values and resultant legislation framing investments in child welfare, as well as the influence of child welfare on the quality of services to children and families. De-professionalization has resulted in lowering the professional credentials of child welfare staff, increasing levels of employee turnover, the formulation of questionable policies, all affecting the quality of services to children and families. Implications of the findings for the re-professionalization of child welfare and for policy and practice are discussed.
Design of hand-held power harmonic analyzer based on LabVIEW DSP module

A new design scheme of hand-held power harmonic analyzer based on LabVIEW DSP(Digital Signal Processor) module is presented.It takes a 32-bit floating-point DSP as the core and completes real-time acquisition of currents and voltages with less hardware such as sensors and the A / D converter.While the quasi-synchronous sampling,digital filtering,adding windows,FFT(Fast Fourier Transform) operation,electric parameter calculation and so on,are implemented by software in DSP.It makes full use of LabVIEW DSP module in interaction,usability,integrated resource and data processing ability,thus making the development easier and faster.The designed analyzer is of multi-function,small cubage,high-performance and easy expansion.
hiPSC Models Relevant to Schizophrenia

Abstract Probing the etiology of schizophrenia currently relies upon brain imaging, postmortem, and animal studies, although a wealth of information has been garnered using such methodologies, there are limitations. Brain imaging studies reveal information about brain volume and structural changes at the gross level only; postmortem studies uncover the state of the brain at disease endpoint, but are confounded by environmental factors such as patient treatment history, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse; animal studies rely on a priori knowledge of the genomic loci contributing to disease, and so typically model only single highly penetrant risk alleles (such as DISC1 or NRG1). The derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from schizophrenia patients allows investigators to capture the full complement of genetic insults (known and unknown) that contribute to disease onset or progression. With more efficient derivation of functional and defined neuronal populations from patient cells, investigators can overcome the lack of live human brain tissue for study, enabling the unraveling of the specific cellular phenotypes and molecular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia. Moreover, combining the amenability of pluripotent stem cells to genetic manipulation, with in-depth analysis through transcriptome sequencing, will, for the first time, facilitate hypothesis testing of putative causal gene or regulatory networks involved in disease initiation or progression. The following chapter reviews the advancements in the application of induced pluripotent stem cells to the in vitro modeling of schizophrenia.
Crowds: The Decline of Disorder

On the afternoon of 10 May 1784, near the close of the election contest for Westminster Nicholas Casson, a constable, was struck on the head with a large stick, allegedly by Patrick Nicholson. The Irish labourer and four others were later accused of hitting Casson several more times while he lay on the ground; the perpetrators then ‘got upon his body, trampled upon him, and broke three of his ribs’. What began as a scuffle between two men then became a battle between two mobs. Intervention by constables merely generated more violence, the disturbance ending only after the military intervened. Casson died the following morning from the injuries he sustained.