cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Volumetric facial contour changes of immediately placed implants with and without immediate provisionalization.

Background Whether immediate provisionalization can preserve facial tissue contour remains undetermined. The goal of this 12-month randomized controlled clinical trial was to compare three-dimensional (3D) ridge changes after immediate implant placement with and without immediate provisionalization. Methods Forty participants with an unrestorable maxillary anterior or premolar tooth were randomized to receive either a provisional crown (test) or standard healing abutment (control) after immediate implant placement. In each participant, three digital models taken before implant surgery, final crown delivery (4 months), and final follow-up (12 months) were registered to analyze linear deviation in 3D and volume changes of ridge contour at the implant site. Results The mean value of mid-facial linear 3D spatial resorption ranged from 0.1 to 0.7 mm. Significant difference of linear changes of facial contour was noted over time and not between the groups. Facial volume changes at 12 months remained significantly higher in the control group than in the test group (17.4% versus 11.9%, P = 0.04). Conclusions Linear changes of facial soft-tissue resorption at immediately placed implants were independent of immediate provisionalization. However, immediate provisionalization showed better volume preservation at the esthetic concern area (mid-facial margin and 2 to 6 mm above) at the final 12-month follow-up.
Jointly Optimized 3D Drone Mounted Base Station Deployment and User Association in Drone Assisted Mobile Access Networks

In drone assisted mobile networks, a drone mounted base station (DBS) is deployed over a hotspot area to help user equipments (UEs) download their traffic from the macro base station (MBS), thus improving the throughput and spectrum efficiency (SE) of the UEs. Finding the optimal 3D position of the DBS to maximize the overall SE of the UEs in the hotspot area is challenging because the 3D DBS placement and user association problems are coupled together. In this paper, we formulate the problem of jointly optimizing the 3D DBS placement and user association to maximize the overall SE in the context of drone assisted mobile networks. The spectrum efficiency aware DBS placement and user association (STAR) algorithm is designed to decompose the original problem into two subproblems, i.e., user association and DBS placement, and to iteratively solve the two subproblems until the overall SE of the hotspot area cannot be improved further. The performance of STAR is demonstrated via extensive simulations.
Automatic weak imposition of free slip boundary conditions via Nitsche's method: application to nonlinear problems in geodynamics

Imposition of free slip boundary conditions in science and engineering simulations presents a challenge when the simulation domain is non-trivial. Inspired by recent progress in symbolic computation of discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods, we present a symmetric interior penalty form of Nitsche's method to weakly impose these slip boundary conditions and present examples of its use in the Stokes subsystem motivated by problems in geodynamics. We compare numerical results with well established benchmark problems. We also examine performance of the method with iterative solvers.
CIRCULARITY AND ENCLOSURES: Metabolizing Waste with the Black Soldier Fly

This essay traces a scientific pilot project to transform the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) into a biotechnology to treat urban organic waste in accordance with the dominant cultural logics of an ecologically modern approach to waste management in contemporary China. A principle of urban waste management, circularity, and a spatial logic of urban living, enclosures, condition the scientific intervention that promises to harness animal metabolic labor as a biotechnology and a waste infrastructure that can be adapted to the urban ecologies of Guangzhou. While scientists emphasize the natural proclivities of insect metabolism to transform waste into value, my ethnographic research illustrates that the practice of aligning animal metabolism with urban metabolism is anything but natural or automatic. Together, circularity and enclosure, as guiding logics of waste management in Chinese ecological modernization, uphold a fiction of biocapital; they create the illusion that nature generates value and remediates environments without human intervention while mystifying and naturalizing the appropriation of nature and labor in the new green city. 摘要 本文研究中国科学家利用黑水虻分解餐厨垃圾生物技术的实验项目。昆 虫学家们希望，能让这一项目符合中国生态现代化垃圾处理理念，同时可以在现代化封闭式的居住社区中使用。昆虫学家强调，运用昆虫的代谢系 统来处理餐厨垃圾，既符合广州城市垃圾设施生态循环化的理念，也可利 用昆虫的天然生命周期將废物转变成资本。但人类学研究显示，昆虫的代 谢系統不可能与都巿垃圾循环規律自动匹配。在这个项目中，两个概念-循 环和封闭，仅仅是由生命资本打造生命经济的美好愿望。沒有人的介入， 只根据昆虫自然的生命周期的循环就能产生价值，这种理论混淆了生物能 与劳动力在发展新型綠色城市中的作用.
Investigating temporal distributions for spectral anomaly detection through time

The Reed-Xiaoli (RX) detector is used for identifying spatial anomalies in multispectral imagery, which are pixels whose spectra are anomalous relative to other pixels in a scene. The distribution of the spectra in an image is used to represent the background, and the anomalies are the pixels whose spectra deviate statistically from this distribution. While RX is used to identify spatial anomalies, in this research we have instead developed a method to capture temporal anomalies, or fleeting changes, such as a music festival in the desert. Using the annual Burning Man festival as a test case, we use a time series of multispectral images and iterate through each pixel, drawing the "background" distribution from a particular pixel location over time. Temporal RX (TRX) thus compares a pixel against itself through time, which enables us to capture normal seasonal trends and identify fleeting changes. We also describe a local window variant called Local Temporal RX (LTRX). Using k-means clustering and a new approach deemed Meta-RX, we investigate the nature of the temporal anomalies detected by TRX and LTRX to infer types and causes of change.
Usefulness of interpretability methods to explain deep learning based plant stress phenotyping

Deep learning techniques have been successfully deployed for automating plant stress identification and quantification. In recent years, there is a growing push towards training models that are interpretable -i.e. that justify their classification decisions by visually highlighting image features that were crucial for classification decisions. The expectation is that trained network models utilize image features that mimic visual cues used by plant pathologists. In this work, we compare some of the most popular interpretability methods: Saliency Maps, SmoothGrad, Guided Backpropogation, Deep Taylor Decomposition, Integrated Gradients, Layer-wise Relevance Propagation and Gradient times Input, for interpreting the deep learning model. We train a DenseNet-121 network for the classification of eight different soybean stresses (biotic and abiotic). Using a dataset consisting of 16,573 RGB images of healthy and stressed soybean leaflets captured under controlled conditions, we obtained an overall classification accuracy of 95.05 \%. For a diverse subset of the test data, we compared the important features with those identified by a human expert. We observed that most interpretability methods identify the infected regions of the leaf as important features for some -- but not all -- of the correctly classified images. For some images, the output of the interpretability methods indicated that spurious feature correlations may have been used to correctly classify them. Although the output explanation maps of these interpretability methods may be different from each other for a given image, we advocate the use of these interpretability methods as `hypothesis generation' mechanisms that can drive scientific insight.
Concurrent EEG monitoring helps interpret neuropsychological testing results in patients with epilepsy.

Abstract Objective We sought to determine if global cognitive function in patients with epilepsy (PWE) differs when electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities are present during concurrent neuropsychological (NP) evaluation. Methods We explored the association between subclinical epileptiform discharges (sEDs) and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and global aspects of cognition in 79 consecutive PWE who underwent continuous EEG monitoring during NP evaluation for diagnostic (15%) or presurgical (85%) purposes while on their standard antiseizure medication (ASM) regimens. As some researchers have suggested that the apparent link between IEDs and cognition represent epiphenomena of an underlying damaged neural substrate, we used functional status as a stratifying covariate to allow us to address this position. Results Despite being on their standard ASM regimen, EEG was abnormal in 68% of patients. Epileptiform abnormalities (IEDs, sEDs, or both) were seen in isolation or coupled with diffuse or focal slowing in 38% of patients. Individuals with IEDs occurring during their NP evaluation demonstrated poorer scores in attention/working memory (forward and backward digit span), processing speed (symbol searching and coding), and speeded components of language (semantic fluency) tests compared with those with normal EEG tracings matched by their real-world, functional status. In two high functioning patients, performance was significantly better when these individuals were tested in the absence of IEDs, with performances appearing invalid when tested during periods of IED activity. No significant association was found between NP performance and nonepileptiform EEG abnormalities. Significance A substantial proportion of PWE undergoing NP evaluation manifest concurrent EEG abnormalities, with epileptiform abnormalities associated with poorer global cognitive performance. As this pattern was observed regardless of functional status, this association appears to represent more than unrelated features coincidentally shared by the lowest functioning cohort. Coupled with our individual case data, our findings suggest that NP testing may be adversely affected by IEDs and sEDs going unrecognized in the absence of simultaneous EEG recordings, and set the stage for future studies to definitively establish this possible relationship.
An Antiparasitic Compound from the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box Promotes Leishmania Tubulin Polymerization

The few frontline antileishmanial drugs are poorly effective and toxic. To search for new drugs for this neglected tropical disease, we tested the activity of compounds in the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) "Pathogen Box" against Leishmania amazonensis axenic amastigotes. Screening yielded six discovery antileishmanial compounds with EC50 values from 50 to 480 nM. Concentration-response assays demonstrated that the best hit, MMV676477, had mid-nanomolar cytocidal potency against intracellular Leishmania amastigotes, Trypanosoma brucei, and Plasmodium falciparum, suggesting broad antiparasitic activity. We explored structure-activity relationships (SAR) within a small group of MMV676477 analogs and observed a wide potency range (20-5000 nM) against axenic Leishmania amastigotes. Compared to MMV676477, our most potent analog, SW41, had ∼5-fold improved antileishmanial potency. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that MMV676477 selectively disrupts Leishmania tubulin dynamics. Morphological studies indicated that MMV676477 and analogs affected L. amazonensis during cell division. Differential centrifugation showed that MMV676477 promoted partitioning of cellular tubulin toward the polymeric form in parasites. Turbidity assays with purified Leishmania and porcine tubulin demonstrated that MMV676477 promoted leishmanial tubulin polymerization in a concentration-dependent manner. Analogs' antiparasitic activity correlated with their ability to facilitate purified Leishmania tubulin polymerization. Chemical cross-linking demonstrated binding of the MMV676477 scaffold to purified Leishmania tubulin, and competition studies established a correlation between binding and antileishmanial activity. Our studies demonstrate that MMV676477 is a potent antiparasitic compound that preferentially promotes Leishmania microtubule polymerization. Due to its selectivity for and broad-spectrum activity against multiple parasites, this scaffold shows promise for antiparasitic drug development.
Sustaining forest soil quality and productivity [Chapter 3]

Abstract Soil sustainability is key to maintaining forest growth and ecosystem services around the world. Determining how to maintain soil functions and knowing when soils are degraded can be difficult. Complicating our understanding of the relationship between soil functions and soil sustainability is the inherent heterogeneity of forest soils. However, maintaining or improving soil organic matter (OM) contents is essential to soil health, quality, and sustainability, and both OM quantity and quality have key roles in soil porosity, water infiltration, gas exchange, nutrient cycling, aggregate stability, trafficability, and flood control. Forest management practices, such as harvesting and site preparation, have a major impact on soil properties, which can vary widely across different soil types and climatic regimes. We also examine how compaction, fertilization, and herbicide use can influence forest sustainability. This chapter is structured to give an overview of management-related changes on soil properties, and how these practices may be refined to sustain or improve forest soil quality and productivity. In addition, a synthesis of soil monitoring practices is provided to show the importance of this information for adaptive management.
Chaoborus predation and delayed reproduction in Daphnia: a demographic modeling approach

I develop a demographic model that examines the impact of Chaoborus predation on the population dynamics and life history of Daphnia. Predation effects are determined through analysis of the various components of the predator-prey interaction (encounter, attack, strike efficiency), and are integrated into a stage-classified matrix population model. The model is parameterized with data from interactions between D. pulex and fourth-instar C. americanus. I test this model with two laboratory experiments that examine population growth of D. pulex under the influence of five different levels of Chaoborus predation. With the exception of a single predation treatment in each experiment, the model accurately predicted the observed reduction in Daphnia numbers with increasing Chaoborus predation. I then use this model to investigate the evolution of delayed reproduction in D. pulex that are exposed to Chaoborus. I ask whether delayed reproduction may evolve in Daphnia that are subjected to Chaoborus predation as a trade-off for the benefits of larger body size. The model predicts that the effectiveness of such a life history trade-off depends on the relative sizes of predator and prey. In some interactions between Chaoborus and Daphnia, increasing Daphnia body length by as little as 5% from base growth trajectories sufficiently increases fitness (by reducing vulnerability to Chaoborus predation) to compensate for the cost of delayed reproduction. In other interactions, however, increased body length provides no benefit to Daphnia (and may even reduce fitness), and selection would act against the evolution of delayed reproduction.
Myocardial Injury in Severe COVID-19 Compared With Non-COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Background: Knowledge gaps remain in the epidemiology and clinical implications of myocardial injury in COVID-19. Our goal was to determine the prevalence and outcomes of myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 compared to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) unrelated to COVID-19. Methods: We included intubated COVID-19 patients from 5 hospitals between March 15 and June 11, 2020 with troponin levels assessed. We compared them to patients from a cohort study of myocardial injury in ARDS. We performed survival analysis with primary outcome of in-hospital death associated with myocardial injury. We performed linear regression to identify clinical factors associated with myocardial injury in COVID-19. Results: Of 243 patients intubated with COVID-19, 51% had troponin levels > upper limit of normal (ULN). Chronic kidney disease, lactate, ferritin and fibrinogen were associated with myocardial injury. Mortality was 22.7% among COVID-19 patients with troponin 10xULN (P< 0.001). The association of myocardial injury with mortality was not statistically significant after adjusting for age, sex and multi-system organ dysfunction. Compared to non-COVID ARDS patients, patients with COVID-19 were older with higher creatinine and less favorable vital signs. After adjustment, COVID-19 was associated with lower odds of myocardial injury compared to non-COVID ARDS (OR 0.55 95% CI 0.36-0.84, P=0.005). Conclusions: Myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 is a function of baseline comorbidities, advanced age and multisystem organ dysfunction similar to traditional ARDS. The adverse prognosis of myocardial injury in COVID-19 relates largely to multisystem organ involvement and critical illness.
Robots Made From Ice: An Analysis of Manufacturing Techniques

Modular robotic systems with self-repair or self-replication capabilities have been presented as a robust, low cost solution to extraterrestrial or Arctic exploration. This paper explores using ice as the sole structure element to build robots. The ice allows for increased flexibility in the system design, enabling the robotic structure to be designed and built post deployment, after tasks and terrain obstacles have been better identified and analyzed. However, ice presents many difficulties in manufacturing. The authors explore a structure driven approach to examine compatible manufacturing processes with an emphasis on conserving process energies. The energy analysis shows the optimal manufacturing technique depends on the volume of the final part relative to the volume of material that must be removed. Based on experiments three general design principles are presented. A mobile robotic platform made from ice is presented as a proof of concept and first demonstration.
Strains induced in the vagina by smooth muscle contractions.

Abstract The ability of the vagina to contract gives rise to a set of active mechanical properties that contribute to the complex function of this organ in-vivo. Regional differences in the morphology of the vagina have been long recognized, but the large heterogeneous deformations that the vagina experiences during contractions have never been quantified. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding differences in contractility along the two primary anatomical directions of the vagina: the longitudinal direction (LD) and the circumferential direction (CD). In this study, square vaginal specimens from healthy virgin rats ( n = 15 ) were subjected to isometric planar biaxial tests at four equi-biaxial stretches of 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. Contractions were induced at each stretch by a high concentration potassium solution. The digital image correlation method was used to perform full-field strain measurements during contractions. The vagina was found to undergo significantly higher compressive strains, tensile strains, and contractile forces along the LD than along the CD during contractions. Specifically, when computed over all the applied equi-biaxial stretches, mean ( ± std. dev.) absolute maximum compressive strains were -(13.43 ± 1.56) % along the LD and -(3.19 ± 0.25) % along the CD, mean absolute maximum tensile strains were (10.92 ± 1.73) % along the LD and (3.62 ± 0.57) % along the CD, and mean maximum contractile forces were 6.24 ± 0.55 mN along the LD and 3.35 ± 0.56 mN along the CD. Moreover, the vaginal tissue appeared to undergo compression in the proximal region and tension in the distal region while kept at constant equi-biaxial stretches. The active mechanical properties of the healthy vagina need to be fully investigated so that detrimental alterations in vaginal contractility, such as those caused by pelvic floor disorders and current treatment strategies, can be prevented. Statement of significance Contractile forces of the vagina have been measured by several investigators using uniaxial tensile testing methods. Unlike previous studies, in this study planar-biaxial tests of vaginal specimens were performed while the full-field strains of the vagina, as induced by smooth muscle contraction, were measured. The vagina was found to generate significantly larger contractile strains and forces in the longitudinal direction than in the circumferential direction. Knowledge of the contractile mechanics of the healthy vagina is essential to understand the detrimental effects that pelvic organ prolapse and the use of surgical meshes have on the functionality of smooth muscle in the vagina.
Speech Emotion Recognition Using Deep Learning Techniques

The developments in neural systems and the high demand requirement for exact and close actual Speech Emotion Recognition in human-computer interfaces mark it compulsory to liken existing methods and datasets in speech emotion detection to accomplish practicable clarifications and a securer comprehension of this unrestricted issue. The present investigation assessed deep learning methods for speech emotion detection with accessible datasets, tracked by predictable machine learning methods for SER. Finally, we present-day a multi-aspect assessment between concrete neural network methods in SER. The objective of this investigation is to deliver a review of the area of distinct SER.
To bin or not to bin: analyzing single-cell growth data

Collection of high-throughput data has become prevalent in biology. Large datasets allow the use of statistical constructs such as binning and linear regression to quantify relationships between variables and hypothesize underlying biological mechanisms based on it. We discuss several such examples in relation to single-cell data and cellular growth. In particular, we show instances where what appears to be ordinary use of these statistical methods leads to incorrect conclusions such as growth being non-exponential as opposed to exponential and vice versa. We propose that the data analysis and its interpretation should be done in the context of a generative model, if possible. In this way, the statistical methods can be validated either analytically or against synthetic data generated via the use of the model, leading to a consistent method for inferring biological mechanisms from data. On applying the validated methods of data analysis to infer cellular growth on our experimental data, we find the growth of length in E. coli to be non-exponential. Our analysis shows that in the later stages of the cell cycle the growth rate is faster than exponential.
Association of Amyloid-β Pathology with Decision Making and Scam Susceptibility.

Background Recent findings suggest that poor decision making and increased scam susceptibility are harbingers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and may be among the earliest behavioral manifestations of pathologic cognitive aging. However, the degree to which poor decision making and scam susceptibility reflect accumulating Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology remains unclear. Objective To investigate the associations of AD pathology with decision making and scam susceptibility in older adults without dementia. Methods Data came from 198 deceased participants without clinical dementia (mean age at death = 90 years; 69%women) from two ongoing studies of aging. All underwent annual clinical evaluations, completed assessments of healthcare and financial decision making and scam susceptibility, and brain donation. Neuropathologic evaluations quantified pathologic hallmarks of AD, amyloid-β and tau-tangles, Lewy body pathology, and TDP-43 proteinopathy. Results In linear regression models adjusted for demographics, amyloid-β pathology was associated with lower decision making (estimate = -0.35; SE = 0.16, p = 0.03), particularly healthcare decision making (estimate = -0.20; SE = 0.09, p = 0.03), as well as greater scam susceptibility (estimate = 0.12; SE = 0.04, p = 0.003); tau-tangle pathology was not related. Further, TDP-43 pathology was associated with greater scam susceptibility (estimate = 0.10; SE = 0.04; p = 0.02). Conclusion Accumulating AD pathology, particularly amyloid-β, is associated with poor decision making and increased scam susceptibility among older persons without overt cognitive impairment. These findings provide compelling evidence that decision making and scam susceptibility are sensitive to the earliest pathological changes of AD.
Rapid and flexible segmentation of electron microscopy data using few-shot machine learning

Automatic segmentation of key microstructural features in atomic-scale electron microscope images is critical to improved understanding of structure–property relationships in many important materials and chemical systems. However, the present paradigm involves time-intensive manual analysis that is inherently biased, error-prone, and unable to accommodate the large volumes of data produced by modern instrumentation. While more automated approaches have been proposed, many are not robust to a high variety of data, and do not generalize well to diverse microstructural features and material systems. Here, we present a flexible, semi-supervised few-shot machine learning approach for segmentation of scanning transmission electron microscopy images of three oxide material systems: (1) epitaxial heterostructures of SrTiO3/Ge, (2) La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 thin films, and (3) MoO3 nanoparticles. We demonstrate that the few-shot learning method is more robust against noise, more reconfigurable, and requires less data than conventional image analysis methods. This approach can enable rapid image classification and microstructural feature mapping needed for emerging high-throughput characterization and autonomous microscope platforms.
Combined CRH Dexamethasone Suppression Test

This test is performed to be able to distinguish Cushing’s syndrome from pseudo-Cushing’s states.
Network Reliability and Algebraic Structures

Overview of network reliability Approaches for calculating network reliability An algebraic formulation of network reliability problems Bounds on two-terminal reliability Enumeration of paths and cutsets Pseudopolynomial algorithms for calculating reliability Reliability covering problems State-space approximation Stochastic shortest-path problems Glossary of terms References Index.
Did Decide or Should Have Decided: Issue Exhaustion and the Veterans Benefits Appeals Process

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1279 I. Veterans Benefits 1281 II. The Veterans Benefits Claims and Appeals Process 1283 III. Conflicting Goals in the Veterans Benefits Appeals Process 1289 IV. Development of the Case Law on Issue Exhaustion 1292 V. Options for Resolving the Conflict 1305 A. Requiring Issue Exhaustion for All Issues 1305 B. Not Requiring Issue Exhaustion for Any Issue 1306 C. Requiring Issue Exhaustion for Some Issues, But Not Others 1309 1. Case-by-case balancing versus a general rule 1309 2. Types of arguments on appeal: suggestions for a taxonomy 1311 a. The form or structure of the argument on appeal 1312 b. The legal authority relied on 1313 c. The function or substance of the rule 1314 d. Changing the settled “rules of the game”—“lawcreating” and “law-destroying” arguments 1316 Conclusion 1319
Getting computers to see information graphics so users do not have to

Information graphics such as bar, line and pie charts appear frequently in electronic media and often contain information that is not found elsewhere in documents. Unfortunately, sight-impaired users have difficulty accessing and assimilating information graphics. Our goal is an interactive natural language system that provides effective access to information graphics for sight-impaired individuals. This paper describes how image processing has been applied to transform an information graphic into an XML representation that captures all aspects of the graphic that might be relevant to extracting knowledge from it. It discusses the problems that were encountered in analyzing and categorizing components of the graphic, and the algorithms and heuristics that were successfully applied. The resulting XML representation serves as input to an evidential reasoning component that hypothesizes the message that the graphic was intended to convey.
Finite difference methods for ordinary boundary value problems

Finite difference methods have been shown to be extremely effective in the accurate and efficient solution of very general nonlinear two point boundary value problems. As with all practical numerical methods their development is tied very closely to the theoretical understanding of the procedures in question. Not surprisingly then there has been much current work on the theory of difference methods for two point problems. We shall recapitulate some of this theory here and also discuss some of the practical aspects in developing standard computer codes for such problems.
Store-Operated Orai Channels: Structure and Function

In many animal cells, store-operated Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels function as an essential route for Ca(2+) entry. CRAC channels control many fundamental cellular functions including gene expression, motility, and cell proliferation, are involved in the etiology of several disease processes including a severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, and have emerged as major targets for drug development. Although little was known of the molecular mechanisms of CRAC channel operation for several decades, the discovery of Orai1 as a prototypic CRAC channel protein and STIM1 as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) sensor has led to rapid progress in our understanding of the mechanisms and functions of CRAC channels. It is now known that activation of CRAC channels following ER Ca(2+) store depletion is governed by several events, which include the redistributions and accumulations of STIM1 and Orai1 into overlapping puncta at peripheral cellular sites, resulting in direct protein-protein interactions between the two proteins. In this chapter, I review the molecular features of the STIM and Orai proteins that regulate the gating and ion conduction mechanisms of CRAC channels.
Internal and external anatomy of the abdominal disc of Atelopus (Bufonidae) larvae

The abdominal disc of Atelopus tadpole is a complex structure, which includes three welldefined regions with several muscles and ligaments attached to its internal surface. It is hypothesized that the disc has two mechanisms of attachment to the substrate, namely, friction and suction. The size and insertion points of the muscles and ligaments of the disc suggests that the suction mechanism works passively, without the constant action of the muscles.
Toward an Improved Pure Hydrogen EOS for Astrophysical Applications

The motivation for our equation of state (EOS) work derives from our interest in the structure and evolution of substellar “brown dwarf” stars. To construct an evolutionary model requires the solution of the differential equations governing stellar structure and evolution, which in turn requires knowledge of the EOS of stellar matter.
International Standards: Past Free Trade Agreements and the Prospects in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership represents a strategic vision of transatlantic relations, including job creation, global leadership, and establishing high international standards. This paper discusses how three recent bi-lateral and regional agreements, along with positions adopted in transatlantic negotiations, convey respective side's acceptable parameters, and how international standards are emerging from and disseminated through agreements involving the European Union and the United States
Budget optimization for online campaigns with positive carryover effects

While it is relatively easy to start an online advertising campaign, proper allocation of the marketing budget is far from trivial. A major challenge faced by the marketers attempting to optimize their campaigns is in the sheer number of variables involved, the many individual decisions they make in fixing or changing these variables, and the nontrivial short and long-term interplay among these variables and decisions. In this paper, we study interactions among individual advertising decisions using a Markov model of user behavior. We formulate the budget allocation task of an advertiser as a constrained optimal control problem for a Markov Decision Process (MDP). Using the theory of constrained MDPs, a simple LP algorithm yields the optimal solution. Our main result is that, under a reasonable assumption that online advertising has positive carryover effects on the propensity and the form of user interactions with the same advertiser in the future, there is a simple greedy algorithm for the budget allocation with the worst-case running time cubic in the number of model states (potential advertising keywords) and an efficient parallel implementation in a distributed computing framework like MapReduce. Using real-world anonymized datasets from sponsored search advertising campaigns of several advertisers, we evaluate performance of the proposed budget allocation algorithm, and show that the greedy algorithm performs well compared to the optimal LP solution on these datasets and that both show consistent 5-10% improvement in the expected revenue against the optimal baseline algorithm ignoring carryover effects.
On linear transform design with non-linear approximation

In this paper we share our recent observations on methods for sparsity enforced orthogonal transform design. In our previous work on this problem, our target was to design transforms (sparse orthonormal transforms - SOT) that minimize the overall sparsity-distortion cost of a collection of image patches mainly for improving the performance of compression methods. In this paper we go one step further to understand why these transforms achieve better approximation and how different they are from transforms like the DCT or the Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT). Our study lead us to mathematically validate that for a Gaussian process the KLT is the optimal transform not only in a linear approximation sense but also in a nonlinear approximation sense, the latter forming the basis for sparsity-based regularization. This means that the search for SOTs yields the KLT in Gaussian processes, but results in transforms that are distinctly different from the KLT in non-Gaussian cases by capturing useful structures within the data. Both toy examples and real compression results in various representation domains are presented in this paper to support our observations.
A Royalty Revenue Forecast Model for Louisiana

Louisiana receives royalty revenue when minerals are produced on state-owned lands and water bottoms, federal properties within the state, and offshore fields underlying federal and state jurisdiction within 3–6 nautical miles from the coastline. Royalty revenue on oil and gas production has averaged $465 million per year and has contributed 3–7% of the state general revenue over the past decade. The purpose of this article is to develop a royalty revenue forecast model to assist in state budgeting and planning purposes. Producing fields are evaluated within a probabilistic framework to capture the uncertainty associated with future capital outlays and operational changes, and a discovery model is used to generate production from fields expected to be discovered in the future. The forecasts are combined with commodity price scenarios and royalty rate assumptions to generate a royalty revenue outlook for the state. We estimate that cumulative royalty revenue during 2012–2017 will range from $704 million to $1,408 million for oil production and from $286 million to $1,145 million for gas production for commodity prices of 60–120 $/bbl and 2–8 $/Mcf. At $80/bbl and $4/Mcf, cumulative royalty receipts from 2012 to 2017 are estimated at $1,510 million.
INFLUENCE OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON ULTRASONIC BACKSCATTERING NOISE IN TITANIUM ALLOYS

Abstract Backscattering from microstructural discontinuities such as grain boundaries in metals produces noise which is observed in most ultrasonic experiments. These signals provide information concerning the microstructure of the material. The utilization of the absolute values of the noise signals in materials characterization is described in this paper. A quantitative model for the dependence of the noise signals upon the radiation pattern of the transducer is presented, including such measurement variables as transducer radius, frequency and ultrasonic propagation paths. The microstructure enters into the problem via a scattering parameter, or material figure of merit (FOM) for grain noise severity. For a simple case such as a single phase polycrystal, this may be thought of as the root mean square value of the scattering amplitude of a grain embedded in an effective medium representing the polycrystal. After reviewing this model, the paper will concentrate on experimental tests of its accuracy. Incl...
Time-limited, structured youth mentoring and adolescent problem behaviors

Youth mentoring can have a profound impact on the lives of high-risk youth. This study presents the Campus Corps program, a time-limited (12-week), structured mentoring program for high-risk youth (ages 11-18), and results from a quasi-experimental pilot evaluation. Baseline and post-intervention problem behavior data from 315 offending youth were used in multiple regression analyses. After accounting for baseline group differences, pre-intervention scores, and demographic covariates, Campus Corps participants (n=187, 63.1% male) reported less engagement in problem behavior, lower acceptance of problem behavior, and greater sense of autonomy from marijuana use post-intervention than participants in the comparison condition (n=128, 66.4% male). Conversely, post-intervention group differences were not observed for peer refusal skills or autonomy from alcohol use. A description of the Campus Corps program design and supplemental preliminary findings contribute to the growing knowledge base of youth mentoring program designs and outcomes.
Mechanistic investigation of intracluster proton transfer from p-hydroxybenzoic acid to peptides

The mechanism of photoinitiated intracluster proton transfer from the laser desorbed proton donor, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, to vari ous co-desorbed, non-chromophoric peptide proton acceptors has been investigated. Both laser power and wavelength-dependent data are presented which suggest a mechanism of cluster proton transfer initiated by two-photon ionization of the p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The mass spectra resulting from the photoinitiated cluster proton transfer reaction are shown to contain ion signals from both the protonated peptide parent molecule and peptide fragments. Examination of the specific fragment ions observed and fragment ions produced from a series of complementary dipeptide pairs suggests that the fragment ions result from peptide activation during the cluster proton transfer reaction. Furthermore, N-terminal protonation of the peptide proton acceptors is suggested in the absence of arginine or histidine residues.
A comparison of the angle resolved photoemission spectra of Cu and Ni

Abstract The angle resolved photoemission spectra of Cu and Ni taken for hv =16.9 and 40.8 eV exhibit very similar features, suggesting that band theory is working as well for Ni as it is for Cu. No evidence is seen for the 0.6 eV exchange splitting of Ni. The broader Ni spectra can be explained by residual final state effects.
Estimation of Purcell factor from mode-splitting spectra in an optical microcavity

We investigate scattering process in an ultrahigh-$\mathrm{Q}$ optical microcavity coupled to subwavelength scatterers by introducing splitting quality ${\mathcal{Q}}_{\mathrm{sp}}$, a dimensionless parameter defined as the ratio of the scatterer-induced mode splitting to the total loss of the coupled system. A simple relation is introduced to directly estimate the Purcell factor from single-shot measurement of transmission spectrum of scatterer-coupled cavity. Experiments with polystyrene (PS) and gold (Au) nanoparticles, erbium ions, and Influenza A virions show that Purcell-factor-enhanced preferential funneling of scattering into the cavity mode takes place regardless of the scatterer type. Experimentally determined highest ${\mathcal{Q}}_{\mathrm{sp}}$ for single PS and Au nanoparticles are 9.4 and 16.19 corresponding to Purcell factors with lower bounds of 353 and 1049, respectively. The highest observed ${\mathcal{Q}}_{\mathrm{sp}}$ was 31.2 for an ensemble of Au particles. These values are the highest ${\mathcal{Q}}_{\mathrm{sp}}$ and Purcell factors reported up to date.
Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors inhibit primary (1-0) but not secondary (1-1) or cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes

The isoquinolinesulfonamide PKC inhibitors H-7 and H-8 inhibit primary, in vivo generated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity by 50% at concentrations approximating their reported Ki values for PKC, 6 uM and 15 uM respectively. However, a greater than ten-fold higher concentration of H-7 (100 uM) is required to reduce secondary or clone 8F CTL-mediated cytotoxicity by 50%. At this concentration H-7 is also reported to inhibit calmodulin (CaM)-dependent enzymes. To distinguish between the effect of 100 uM H-7 on PKC versus CaM the napthalenesulfonamide CaM antagonist W-7 was investigated. W-7 inhibited primary, secondary and clone 8F CTL-mediated cytolysis by 50% near its reported Ki value for CaM-dependent kinase activity, 12 uM. We conclude that W-7 and 100 uM H-7 reduce cytolysis by inhibiting CaM-dependent reactions and not PKC. Thus, these findings indicate that primary killers require both PKC- and CaM-dependent activation pathways for lethal hit delivery, whereas highly lytic cultured CTL use only one pathway dependent upon CaM.
Effects of low- and high-intensity exercise on plasma and cerebrospinal fluid levels of ir-β-endorphin, ACTH, cortisol, norepinephrine and glucose in the conscious dog

This study was designed to assess effects of exercise on plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of immunoreactive (ir) beta-endorphin, ACTH, cortisol, norepinephrine, and glucose in the conscious dog. Dogs were exercised on a treadmill at low or high intensity (4.2 miles/h and a 6% or 20% incline) for 90 min, and were allowed to recover for 90 additional min. Neither intensity of exercise changed plasma glucose levels, but dose-related changes in glucose kinetics did occur. CSF glucose declined in both groups. During low intensity exercise, plasma levels of ir-beta-endorphin, ACTH, and cortisol increased with duration of exercise. During high intensity exercise, ACTH, ir-beta-endorphin and cortisol increased faster, and the integrated plasma response of these hormones was greater. Thus, peripheral release of ir-beta-endorphin, ACTH, and cortisol during exercise is dose-related with respect to time and intensity. CSF ir-beta-endorphin and ACTH both increased during low- but not high-intensity exercise. CSF cortisol rose markedly in both exercise groups. During high-intensity exercise there was a 50% increase in CSF norepinephrine, indicating that exercise induces alterations in central noradrenergic turnover. We conclude that exercise is a physiologic regulator of both peripheral and central neuroendocrine systems.
Human rights and the allocation of foreign aid: A cross-national analysis of the last years of the Cold War, 1980–1989

Abstract Studies of conflict behavior show that states act differently based on changes in the global system. However, studies of other types of foreign policy behavior, such as aid allocation, have neglected to focus on similar system effects. This study is among the first to look at the impact of the cold war system on the relationship between recipient human rights practices and foreign aid disbursements for eight major aid donors, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Through an analysis of aid allocations to a sample of 72 recipients from 1980 to 1989 (the only Cold War years for which reliable and valid human rights data are available) this paper reveals striking and unique findings. Contrary to previous studies, it appears that recipient human rights are a significant factor in whether or not a recipient gets any aid, the so-called gatekeeping stage, but are not a significant factor in how much aid a country receives in the level stage. This paper makes three major contributions to the field. It is the first direct test of the effect of the Cold War system on the relationship between recipient country human rights and aid. It also extends this analysis to donors other than the United States. Finally, the results serve as a baseline for assessing the relationship between human rights and aid during the post-Cold War period (1990–2001) and the so-called “age of terror” (2002 onwards).
Nonlocal gravity and structure in the Universe

The observed acceleration of the Universe can be explained by modifying general relativity. One such attempt is the nonlocal model of Deser and Woodard. Here we fix the background cosmology using results from the Planck satellite and examine the predictions of nonlocal gravity for the evolution of structure in the Universe, confronting the model with three tests: gravitational lensing, redshift space distortions, and an estimator of gravity ${E}_{G}$ that combines spectroscopic information with lensing. Current data favor general relativity (GR) over nonlocal gravity: fixing primordial cosmology with the best fit parameters from Planck leads to weak lensing results favoring GR by 6.8 sigma; redshift space distortions measurements of the growth rate preferring GR by 7.8 sigma; and the single measurement of ${E}_{G}$ favoring GR, but by less than 1 sigma. The significance holds up even after the parameters are allowed to vary within Planck limits. The larger lesson is that a successful modified gravity model will likely have to suppress the growth of structure compared to general relativity.
An Innovative Method to Construct Silicone Cerebrovascular Replicas

Our objective is to create cerebrovascular replicas that offer detailed geometry from clinical imaging data and have versatile applications such as testing new endovascular devices. To facilitate optical observation, simulate physiological environment and obtain reliable data, the replica is designed to be transparent and elastic with uniform thickness and good compatibility with imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA). Several different manufacturing processes have been demonstrated in previous studies [1,2]. The physical 3D vasculature models were first obtained either by injecting methylmethacrylate into the human specimens to get vascular lumen casts of the part of interest or sending data derived from images generated from the imaging facilities to 3D printer for rapid prototyping. Different methods including repeated painting, dip-spin processing, and lost-wax technique were then applied to the casts to form the elastomeric replicas.© 2008 ASME
WOUND DRESSINGS: RESULTS OF STUDIES OVER THIRTEEN YEARS

Summary Many materials were used in and on experimentally inflicted wounds in many studies over a 13-year period. No material prevented decay. The individual tree had a greater effect on the wound than the treatments. Some individual trees of a species closed and compartmentalized wounds rapidly and effectively, regardless of treatment, while other trees did not close and compartmentalize treated or control wounds. The width of healthy wood behind wounds in red maple was the major factor affecting the course of the wound. Results are given from wounds on 275 treated and dissected trees.