cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Query Relaxation in Cooperative Query Processing

This chapter explores new trends of query relaxation strategies that allow to implement a cooperative query processing paradigm. This new paradigm is based on the belief that the user has an idea of what he/she wants and the system has to automatically lead him/her to formulate meaningful queries by relaxing query constraints. Three kinds of query relaxation mechanisms are investigated: semantic, structural and topological query relaxation. Moreover, as similarity is an important, widely used concept in the co-operative query processing since it supports the identification of objects that are close, we intend to give an extensive overview of existing similarity definitions and methodologies for evaluating it.
Human Papillomavirus 16 DNA and Epithelial Cell Immortalization

Papillomaviruses have had a unique position in carcinogenesis studies. As early as 1907 Ciuffo1 demonstrated that the infectious agent for the common wart persisted in filtered homogenates and thus was not due to a bacterial or protozean etiology. These findings raised the possibility that warts were caused by newly recognized submicroscopic entities that are now referred to as viruses. Shope and Hung2 later isolated and characterized the first oncogenic DNA virus, referred to as cottontail rabbit papilloma. Subsequently, Rous and associates3,4 demonstrated that when Shope papilloma virus was injected in rabbits, progression from papillomas to carcinomas would be accelerated by the application of either coal tar or a well characterized carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbon, 3-methylcholanthrene. This rabbit-virus model also responded to X-irradiation5 which was shown to contribute to progression of papillomas to carcinomas. A decade later, it was realized that X-irradiation of juvenile laryngeal papilloma (HPV 6/11) resulted in carcinomas6. Today, treatment is by surgery or laser. Human papilloma viruses (HPV) are strongly associated with anogenital cancer, including cervical cancer. HPV’s have been associated worldwide with 15% of the human cancers, most notably cancer of the uterine cervix, penis, vulva and anal region. HPV type 16, 18, 31, 33 and 39 have been identified in cervical cancer; over 90% of these neoplasias can be classified as positive. Current epidemiological evidence suggests that incidence of cervical cancer in women is greater in smokers than in non-smokers7.
The Secret Politics of the Compatibilist Criminal Law

Many criminal theorists say that we have a 'compatibilist' criminal law, by which they mean that in our criminal law a person can deserve punishment for her acts even if she does not have 'genuinely' free will. This conception of the criminal law harbors and is driven by a secret politics, one that resists social change and idealizes the existing social order. In this Article, I map this secret politics. In so doing, I call into question the descriptive accuracy of the compatibilist account of the criminal law, and set the stage for a franker discussion of criminal punishment - one that recognizes that the perpetual struggle to say just who 'deserves' punishment is driven as much by brute politics and the competition to allocate power and resources in society as by any independent moral logic.
Trackable life : data, sequence, and organism in movement ecology

Abstract Over the past decade an increasing number of ecologists have begun to frame their work as a contribution to the emerging research field of movement ecology. This field's primary object of research is the movement track, which is usually operationalized as a series of discrete “steps and stops” that represent a portion of an animal's “lifetime track.” Its practitioners understand their field as dependent on recent technical advances in tracking organisms and analyzing their movements. By making movement their primary object of research, rather than simply an expression of deeper biological phenomena, movement ecologists are able to generalize across the movement patterns of a wide variety of species and to draw on statistical techniques developed to model the movements of non-living things. Although it can trace its roots back to a long tradition of statistical models of movement, the field relies heavily on metaphors from genomics; in particular, movement tracks have been seen as similar to DNA sequences. Though this has helped movement ecology consolidate around a shared understanding of movement, the field may need to broaden its understanding of movement beyond the sequence if it is to realize its potential to address urgent concerns such as biodiversity loss.
Surface Chemistry and Non-Stoichiometry of Nd2NiO4+ Epitaxial Thin Films with Different Orientation and Strain

National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Division of Materials Research, Ceramics Program, CAREER award)
MYOSTATIN INHIBITION IMPROVES CARDIAC GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN A MURINE MODEL OF HEART FAILURE

Myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator of muscle growth that may improve insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that systemic MSTN inhibition would improve cardiomyocyte glucose metabolism in experimental heart failure (HF). C57BL/6J mice were subjected to left anterior descending coronary artery
The Utility of a Syndemic Framework in Understanding Chronic Disease Management Among HIV-Infected and Type 2 Diabetic Men Who Have Sex with Men

Syndemic theory posits that epidemics of multiple physical and psychosocial problems co-occur among disadvantaged groups due to adverse social conditions. Although sexual minority populations are often stigmatized and vulnerable to multiple health problems, the syndemic perspective has been underutilized in understanding chronic disease. To assess the potential utility of this perspective in understanding the management of co-occurring HIV and Type 2 diabetes, we used linear regression to examine glycemic control (A1c) among men who have sex with men (MSM) with both HIV and Type 2 diabetes (n = 88). Bivariable linear regression explored potential syndemic correlates of inadequate glycemic control. Compared to those with adequate glycemic control (A1c ≤ 7.5 %), more men with inadequate glycemic control (A1c > 7.5 %) had hypertension (70 vs. 46 %, p = 0.034), high triglycerides (93 vs. 61 %, p = 0.002), depression (67 vs. 39 %, p = 0.018), current substance abuse (15 vs. 2 %, p = 0.014), and detectable levels of HIV (i.e., viral load ≥75 copies per ml blood; 30 vs. 10 %, p = 0.019). In multivariable regression controlling for age, the factors that were independently associated with higher A1c were high triglycerides, substance use, and detectable HIV viral load, suggesting that chronic disease management among MSM is complex and challenging for patients and providers. Findings also suggest that syndemic theory can be a clarifying lens for understanding chronic disease management among sexual minority stigmatized populations. Interventions targeting single conditions may be inadequate when multiple conditions co-occur; thus, research using a syndemic framework may be helpful in identifying intervention strategies that target multiple co-occurring conditions.
On the reduction of verbose queries in text retrieval based software maintenance

We argue that verbose queries used for software retrieval contain many terms that follow specific discourse rules, yet hinder retrieval. We report the results of an empirical study on the effect of removing such terms from verbose queries in the context of Text Retrieval-based concept location. In the study, we remove terms from 424 queries, generated from bug reports of nine open source systems. Removing the terms leads to substantial improvement in retrieval: 73% of the queries are improved, leading to 21.8% and 13.4% gain in terms of MRR and MAP, respectively. Such improvement is larger than that of many more sophisticated state-of-the-art approaches. The results show promise and the future challenge lies with automatically identifying the terms to be removed from the verbose queries.
Common and Uncommon Infections of the Hand

Summary Most serious hand infections are preventable at this time if proper prophylaxis is maintained with regard to the hands and if the precursor conditions —mild inflammations and infections —are quickly and appropriately treated. In those few serious hand infections that still occur, a judicious combination of medical, surgical, and rehabilitative measures should preserve normal or at least reasonable function in practically all instances.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in adult and juvenile mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from the Hudson River, New York, USA.

Abstract The Hudson River, NY, USA is contaminated for over 300 km with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) released from two General Electric (GE) capacitor plants. We collected adult and juvenile mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from four different areas of the river; an area upstream of the GE plants (n = 38), two areas directly downstream of the GE plants (n = 41, n = 38), and an area more than 100 km downstream in the freshwater tidal river (n = 20). Collections occurred during July and August (2008) when ducks were flightless to ensure ducks were “resident” and exposures were local. Fat and muscle tissue were analyzed for PCBs. PCBs were detected in all samples, and mallards below the GE plant sites on the Hudson River had orders of magnitude higher concentrations of PCBs than those above the plants. Juvenile mallards from areas directly downstream of the GE plant sites tended to have higher PCB concentrations in fat than adults. The patterns of PCB congeners and homolog groups varied across the study areas, with areas directly downstream of the GE plants dominated by tetra-chloro biphenyls whereas samples from upstream and the freshwater tidal river tended towards higher chlorinated congeners. Congener patterns between male and female and juvenile and adult mallards were generally similar within study areas, with the exception of one area downstream of the GE plants where adult birds exhibited different patterns than juveniles. Evidence of PCBs from the GE plant sites was detected in the tidal Hudson River, more than 100 km downstream of the plant sites. More than 90% of the ducks collected in areas downstream of the GE plants but above the tidally influenced river exceed the USFDA tolerance level for PCBs in poultry, which should be a concern for consumers of waterfowl taken in proximity to the upper Hudson River.
Microfluidic Methods in Single Cell Biology

Stochastic variations within seemingly homogeneous cell populations determine the emergent properties of complex cellular systems such as biofilms, tumors, pluripotent stem cells, and multispecies ecosystems. The advent of microfluidic technologies, coupled with rapid advances in fluorescence-based molecular imaging and genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling techniques, has spurred a revolution in biological analysis at the level of single cells. Over the past decade, several microfluidic platforms have been developed that enable the isolation, enrichment, and biochemical or genetic analysis of individual cells with high spatiotemporal resolution in a fashion that is not achievable using macroscale methods. In sharp contrast to population-averaged measurements based on bulk-level techniques, microfluidic cell culture platforms permit the acquisition of multiparametric and high-content information while preserving the identity and monitoring the behavior of individual cells over time. In this way, microfluidics has ushered in new frontiers in single cell biology with a direct impact on applied and foundational studies in microbial ecology, systems biology, therapeutics development, and clinical diagnostics. In this chapter, we describe the transformative impact of microfluidics in single cell biology with particular emphasis on the following areas: (1) microfluidic bioreactors for cellular analysis in dynamically changing microenvironments, (2) microfluidic chips for in vitro drug screening, and (3) single cell confinement and isolation microchips for sorting and profiling rare or unculturable cells in complex environmental consortia.
Identity Salience for Latino Male Collegians at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Emerging HSIs, and Non-HSIs:

This article challenges the notion of underachievement of Latino male collegians by examining those who successfully enter higher education. Using in-depth interviews, we analyze the way three different institutional types contribute to the racial/ethnic identity salience of Latinos, looking specifically at the curricular and co-curricular structures available at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and emerging HSI in comparison with non-HSIs. Findings reveal differences in identity salience based on the college context.
Safe and effective sofosbuvir-based therapy in patients with mental health disease on hepatitis C virus treatment.

Safe and effective sofosbuvir-based therapy in patients with mental health disease on hepatitis C virus treatment
Photophysical and Electrochemical Characterization of BODIPY-Containing Dyads Comparing the Influence of an A-D-A versus D-A Motif on Excited-State Photophysics.

A complete photophysical characterization of organic molecules designed for use as molecular materials is critical in the design and construction of devices such as organic photovoltaics (OPV). The nature of a molecule’s excited state will be altered in molecules employing the same chromophoric units but possessing different molecular architectures. For this reason, we examine the photophysical reactions of two BODIPY-based D–A and A–D–A molecules, where D is the donor and A is the acceptor. A BODIPY (4,4′-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene) moiety serves as the A component and is connected through the meso position using a 3-hexylthiophene linker to a N-(2-ethylhexyl)dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole (DTP), which serves as the D component. An A–D–A motif is compared to its corresponding D–A dyad counterpart. We show a potential advantage to the A–D–A motif over the D–A motif in creating longer-lived excited states. Transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy is used to characterize the photophysical evolutio...
512. Tumor-Associated Macrophages Via Up-Regulation of PD1 Ligands Protect Neuroblastoma from Immunotherapy With NKT Cells Expressing GD2-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor

Immunotherapy with Natural Killer T cells engineered to express a GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR.GD2 NKTs) demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in a metastatic model of neuroblastoma in humanized (hu)NSG mice. However, tumors eventually progressed without the loss of GD2 expression suggesting that tumor escape is due to inhibition of effector function of CAR. GD2 NKTs. Since NKTs co-localize and specifically interact with M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), we examined whether TAMs inhibit effector functions of NKT and CAR.GD2 NKT cells. In vitro experiments revealed a reciprocal inhibition of NKTs and M2-polarized macrophages. We found that NKTs selectively kill M2-polarized macrophages or induce their differentiation toward M1-like cells. However, both M2- and M1-macrophages suppressed NKT-cell proliferation and IFNγ production in response to TCR or CAR stimulation. This was associated with rapid up-regulation of PD-L1 and PD-L2 on both M2 and M1 macrophages upon addition of supernatant from activated NKT cells. Moreover, M1 macrophages constitutively expressed PD-L1 and were resistant to NKT-cell cytotoxicity. The analysis of tumor tissues in hu-NSG mice revealed strong up-regulation of PD-L1 expression exclusively on TAMs and not on neuroblastoma cells after treatment with CAR. GD2 NKTs. Neither neuroblastoma cells nor TAMs expressed PD1 ligands in untreated mice or in primary NB tissues from patients with stage 4 disease. Importantly, a combination of CAR.GD2 NKT cell immunotherapy with anti-PD1 blocking mAb produced durable tumor regression. The results provide a rationale for a combined use of CAR-redirected NKT cells with PD1-blocking therapeutics for immunotherapy of neuroblastoma and possibly other solid tumors.
A Review of Discipline-Based Education Research: A Scientist’s Guide, by Slater, Slater and Bailey

Review of : Discipline-Based Education Research: A Scientist’s Guide ; Stephanie Slater, Timothy Slater and Janelle Bailey; (2010). W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, NY. 100 pages.
Gas Phase Oxidation of Campholenic Aldehyde and Solution Phase Reactivity of its Epoxide Derivative

The rate constant for the OH reaction with campholenic aldehyde (CA) was measured using the flow tube-chemical ionization mass spectrometry method with a relative rate kinetics technique and was found to be (6.54 ± 0.52) × 10–11 cm3 molecule–1 s–1 at 100 Torr pressure and 298 K. A mechanism for the formation of the observed products was developed for both NO-free and NO-present conditions. On the basis of measurements of the pressure dependent yields of the products, between 5 and 20% of the CA oxidation at atmospheric pressure is predicted to lead to campholenic aldehyde epoxide (CAE). The aqueous solution reaction rate constants for CAE were determined via NMR spectroscopy and were found to be (2.241 ± 0.036) × 10–5 s–1 for neutral conditions and 0.0989 ± 0.0053 M–1 s–1 for acid-catalyzed conditions at 298 K. The products of the CAE aqueous solution reaction were identified as an isomer of CAE and the aldehyde group hydrated form of this isomer. Unlike the isoprene-derived epoxide, IEPOX, a nucleophilic...
Can Statistical Capacity Building Help Reduce Procyclical Fiscal Policy

Few papers have attempted to assess the role of ‘capacity’, especially in the area of macroeconomic statistics. Consequently, we make an attempt to advance this literature through the construction of a ‘statistical capacity building index’ and then test its explanatory power on the cyclicality of government spending. Using panel data from 62 developing countries, we find evidence that improvements in this index are associated with less procyclicality of government spending over the period 1990–2012, with the significance of this relationship dependent upon the quality of administrative and technical capacity of budgetary institutions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract 5724: Circulatory microRNA expression profiling between HCV-infected African & Caucasian Americans: implications for racial health disparities

The purpose of the study: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is global problem and incidence of HCC is increasing in last several years. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major cause towards development of HCC. HCV infection is highly prevalent in African American population compared to other ethnic groups and these people are less likely to naturally clear HCV. Higher incidence of HCC and mortality was noted in HCV infected African Americans as compared to Caucasians. However, the explanation for this disparity and the molecular mechanisms behind this are currently unknown. Circulating microRNAs in the blood are emerging as biomarkers for pathological conditions. Differential expression of miRNAs among ethnic groups would be important for optimizing personalized treatment strategies. Experimental procedures: In this study, we assessed the differential expression of circulatory miRNAs from HCV infected African Americans and Caucasians by cancer specific miRNA array profiling. Expression of significantly altered miRNAs was validated by qRT-PCR. Results: We identified increased expression of miR-146a, miR-150 and miR-155 in HCV infected African Americans patient sera as compared to sera of Caucasians. Further analysis demonstrated that these miRNAs were significantly elevated in African Americans diagnosed with HCV-mediated HCC. Higher expression of miR-150 was also noted in cirrhosis and HCC in African Americans, which may serve as predictor of liver disease progression in this population. Conclusion: The differential expression of miRNAs suggests that these miRNAs and their target genes could be useful to gain further mechanistic insight of racial disparity associated with HCV pathogenesis. Citation Format: Pradip Devhare, Robert Steele, Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, David E. Kaplan, Ratna B. Ray. Circulatory microRNA expression profiling between HCV-infected African & Caucasian Americans: implications for racial health disparities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5724. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5724
Graphics programming on Android

Graphics programming has long been a popular elective at our school combining mostly mathematical theory with robust programming exercises. To spark interest we are currently teaching it using the Android platform.
The Kuroshio off Southern Japan: Analysis of Data from the Asuka Study

Abstract : The long-term goal of this research is to determine Kuroshio Current and Kuroshio Countercurrent transports of volume, heat, and salt off Shikoku, Japan, and their fluctuations on time scales of days to years. The specific goals of this project are as follows: (1) Characterize the structure of Kuroshio variability off Shikoku at time scales from 1 day to 1 year; (2) Determine Kuroshio volume, heat, and salt transports and their fluctuations at these time scales; (3) Develop a simply maintained proxy measurement scheme for Kuroshio volume and heat transports; and (4) Compare the Kuroshio in this region with the Kuroshio upstream and downstream, and also with the Gulf Stream off the coast of Georgia. For more than two years, we have maintained a 1,000 km array of 8 inverted echo sounders (IES) along a TOPEX satellite altimeter line across the Kuroshio off Shikoku Island in southern Japan. During the same timeframe, Japanese oceanographers maintained an array of current meters (including moored ADCP's) and carried out frequent (nearly twice a month, on average) hydrographic studies for what was called the ASUKA' program. We successfully recovered all 8 IESs from the Japanese vessel T/V Keiten-maru in November 1995. Despite some data loss in the shallowest instruments due to acoustic reflections from the bottom, we obtained good data from all instruments. Processing and analysis of the IES data and comparison with the TOPEX altimeter data and hydrographic data are completed. Recently, our Japanese colleagues made their current-meter data available to us and we are using these data for absolute referencing.
Value Congruence, Trust, and Their Effects on Purchase Intention and Reservation Price

We study the roles of value congruence and trust in increasing online shoppers’ intention to purchase goods and their reservation prices for these goods. Hypotheses are developed and a controlled experiment is conducted to measure subjects’ value congruence with and their trust in online sellers with disparate values, along with their purchase intention and willingness to pay price premiums. Using social exchange theory, we find that, for business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce, value congruence increases consumer online trust, and both value congruence and online trust have direct effects on purchase intention and reservation prices. In particular, in the positive value congruence vs. value neutral case, trust has a greater effect than value congruence on purchase intention, but value congruence has a greater effect than trust on reservation price. These findings suggest that trust is essential to a consumer's intention to purchase online but value congruence can induce price premiums from potential buyers for online sellers. This implies that trust is essential to B2C e-commerce, but value congruence can be a more effective instrument for online sellers to achieve competitive advantage through value-based differentiation in the virtual marketplace.
Emergency Department Blood Gas Utilization and Changes in Ventilator Settings.

BACKGROUND: Mechanically ventilated patients increasingly spend hours in emergency department beds before ICU admission. This study evaluated the performance of blood gases in mechanically ventilated subjects in the emergency department and subsequent changes to mechanical ventilation settings. METHODS: This was a multi-center, prospective, observational study of subjects ventilated in the emergency department, conducted at 3 academic emergency departments from July 2011 to March 2013. We measured the rate of arterial blood gas (ABG) and venous blood gas (VBG) analysis, and we assessed the associations between the conditions of hypoxemia, hyperoxia, hypercapnia, or acidemia and changes to mechanical ventilator settings. RESULTS: Of 292 ventilated subjects, 17.1% did not have a blood gas sent in the emergency department. Ventilator changes were made significantly more frequently for subjects who had an ABG as the initial blood gas sent in the emergency department (odds ratio 2.70, 95% CI 1.46–4.99, P = .002). However, findings of hypoxemia, hyperoxia, hypercapnia, or acidemia were not correlated with ventilator adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective observational study of subjects mechanically ventilated in the emergency department, the majority had a blood gas checked while in the emergency department. While ABGs were associated with having changes made to ventilator settings in the emergency department, clinical findings of hypoxemia, hyperoxia, hypercapnia, and acidemia were not. Inattention to blood gas results may lead to missed opportunities in guiding ventilator changes in the emergency department.
Policing Tumorigenesis within the Skin: Good Outs Bad

Recently published in Nature, Brown et al. (2017) shed new light on how the skin handles the activation of oncogenic pathways in the stem cell compartment and how wild-type cells limit the proliferation of mutant cells to maintain proper tissue homeostasis.
Influence of Axial Forces on Plastic Moment

In Chapter 11, the analysis is based on the principle of pure bending. Although this assumption is valid for continuous beams, other secondary effects have to be included in the analysis and design of frames. Secondary effects are attributed to a number of factors such as axial forces, shear forces, buckling (local, lateral, column), repeated loading (fatigue), and brittle fracture. In this text, only the effect of axial loads and shear forces will be included in considering a plastic failure in members of a structural system. The analysis of plastic failure is based on the theory of small deformations.
Maternal sedentary behavior during pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy and mean offspring birth size: a cohort study.

Sedentary behavior is associated with adverse health outcomes in the general population. Whether sedentary behavior during pregnancy is associated with newborn outcomes, such as birth size, is not established, and previous studies have been inconsistent. While previous research suggests that male and female fetuses respond differently to maternal behaviors, such as physical activity, the role of infant sex in sedentary behavior-birth size associations has not been examined. Participants in the Omega study, a cohort in Washington State (1996–2008), reported leisure time sedentary behavior (non-work time spent sitting), light intensity physical activity, and moderate/vigorous leisure time physical activity duration in the year before pregnancy (N = 1373) and in early pregnancy (N = 1535, mean 15 weeks). Offspring birth size was abstracted from delivery records. Non-parametric calibration weighting was used to assign adjustment weight (matching the distribution of sociodemographic and medical characteristics of the full cohort (N = 4128)) to participants with available sedentary behavior data. Weighted linear regression models were used to estimate mean differences in offspring birthweight, head circumference, and ponderal index (birthweight/length3) associated with leisure time sedentary behavior. Regression models were run overall and stratified by offspring sex. Isotemporal substitution modeling was used to determine mean differences in birthweight associated with replacing sedentary behavior with light or moderate/vigorous physical activity. On average, women spent 2.3 and 2.6 h/day in leisure time sedentary behavior during pre- and early pregnancy, respectively. There were no associations of pre-pregnancy leisure time sedentary behavior with mean birthweight, head circumference, or ponderal index (adjusted β = − 12, 95% CI: -28, 4.1; β = 0.0, 95% CI: -0.04, 0.1; and β = 0.1, 95% CI: -0.2, 0.4, respectively). Early pregnancy sedentary behavior was not associated with mean birth size. Associations of sedentary behavior with mean birth size did not differ by offspring sex. Replacing sedentary time with light or moderate/vigorous physical activity was not associated with mean birthweight. We did not observe associations of maternal sedentary behavior during pre- or early pregnancy with mean offspring birth size. Pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy sedentary behavior may have important adverse effects on maternal health, but our results do not support associations with mean offspring birth size.
To Score or Not to Score? Estimates of a Sponsored Search Auction Model

We estimate a structural model of a sponsored search auction model. To accomodate the "position paradox", we relax the assumption of decreasing click volumes with position ranks, which is often assumed in the literature. Using data from "Website X", one of the largest online market places in China, we find that merchants of different qualities adopt different bidding strategies: high quality merchants bid more aggressively for informative keywords, while low quality merchants are more likely to be sorted to the top positions for value keywords. Counterfactual evaluations show that the price trend becomes steeper after moving to a score-weighted generalized second price auction, with much higher prices obtained for the top position but lower prices for the other positions. Overall, there is only a very modest change in total revenue from introducing popularity scoring, despite the intent in bid scoring to reward popular merchants with price discounts.
System-level design of a roaming multi-modal multi-sensor system for assessing and monitoring civil infrastructures

Abstract: This chapter discusses the system-level design of a roaming multi-modal multi-sensor system and puts the associated general problems into a real-life context, based on the case study of Versatile On-board Traffic-Embedded Roaming Sensors (VOTERS) – a sensing system to monitor the structural health of roads and bridge decks. The design challenges of this and similar distributed sensing systems are addressed. First, the background of comparable sensing systems is reviewed, then an overview of the VOTERS multi-modal multi-sensor system with its system-level requirements for sensing, synchronizing, processing, and storing is presented. The focus then shifts to details of the hierarchical distribution of work, the organization and structure of handling large data amounts including a communication framework, and the challenges of enabling sensor fusion. All aspects are considered in the context of achieving a fully automated system.
Voronoi Tessellations and Their Application to Climate and Global Modeling

We review the use of Voronoi tessellations for grid generation, especially on the whole sphere or in regions on the sphere. Voronoi tessellations and the corresponding Delaunay tessellations in regions and surfaces on Euclidean space are defined and properties they possess that make them well-suited for grid generation purposes are discussed, as are algorithms for their construction. This is followed by a more detailed look at one very special type of Voronoi tessellation, the centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT). After defining them, discussing some of their properties, and presenting algorithms for their construction, we illustrate the use of CVTs for producing both quasi-uniform and variable resolution meshes in the plane and on the sphere. Finally, we briefly discuss the computational solution of model equations based on CVTs on the sphere.
Epilogue: Queerness as Belonging

Beginning with a story about a conflict between the local minister of culture and a group of performance artists in Teresina, the epilogue ties the book’s chapters together. It underscores the notion that in a place undergoing acute transformation like Teresina, rather than relying on a fixed or static identity, participants in alternative communities can establish a sense of belonging both in the world and at home by creatively maneuvering in and out of different subjectivities in a diversity of contexts and on numerous geographic scales.
Exascale Computing in the United States

The U.S. is a long-time international leader in HPC, rooted in a strong and innovative computing industry that is complemented by partnerships with and among federal agencies, academia, and industries whose success relies on HPC. The advent of exascale computing brings challenges in traditional simulation as well as in areas colloquially referred to as “Big Data.” Within this context, we describe the U.S. exascale computing strategy: 1) the National Strategic Computing Initiative, a multiple U.S. federal agency effort comprehensively addressing computing and computational science requirements in the U.S.; 2) the Exascale Computing Initiative, a DOE effort to acquire, develop, and deploy exascale computing platforms within DOE laboratories on a given timeline; and, 3) the Exascale Computing Project (a component of the Exascale Computing Initiative), dedicated to the creation and enhancement of applications, software, and hardware technologies for exascale computers, focused on vital U.S. national security and science needs.
A Hardware Implemented Autocorrelation Technique for Estimating Power Spectral Density for Processing Signals from a Doppler Wind Lidar System.

A signal processing technique utilizing autocorrelation of backscattered signals was designed and implemented in a 1.5 µm all-fiber wind sensing Coherent Doppler Lidar (CDL) system to preprocess atmospheric signals. The signal processing algorithm’s design and implementation are presented. The system employs a 20 kHz pulse repetition frequency (PRF) transmitter and samples the return signals at 400 MHz. The logic design of the autocorrelation algorithm was developed and programmed into a field programmable gate array (FPGA) located on a data acquisition board. The design generates and accumulates real time correlograms representing average autocorrelations of the Doppler shifted echo from a series of adjustable range gates. Accumulated correlograms are streamed to a host computer for subsequent processing to yield a line of sight wind velocity. Wind velocity estimates can be obtained under nominal aerosol loading and nominal atmospheric turbulence conditions for ranges up to 3 km.
El Manifiesto de Córdoba: vigencia pedagógica para la construcción de una nueva educación en nuestra América Latina.

espanolA partir del Manifiesto de Cordoba, el papel relevante que desempenan ydeben asumir, de forma constante, los estudiantes, dentro y fuera de los campusuniversitarios, debe ser una responsabilidad permanente para la construccion decomunidades de pensamiento criticas, reflexivas y propositivas que propendanpor el mejoramiento de una mejor sociedad, asi mismo, los maestros comoacompanantes del proceso educativo; el Gobierno como garante y los Medios deComunicacion por el papel de influencia que cumplen en la comunidad. EnglishFrom the Cordoba Manifesto, the relevant role that the students play and mustconstantly assume, in and out the university campuses must be a permanentresponsibility for the construction of critical, reflective, and proactive thinkingcommunities. These tend to the improvement of a better society, as well asof accompanying teachers of the educational process, the Government as aguarantor, and the Media for the role of influence that they play in the community.
U-Slot Patch Antenna Principle and Design Methodology Using Characteristic Mode Analysis and Coupled Mode Theory

Patch antennas incorporating a U-shaped slot are well-known to have relatively large (about 30%) impedance bandwidths. This work uses characteristic mode analysis (CMA) to explain the impedance behavior of a classic U-slot patch geometry in terms of coupled mode theory and shows the relevant modes are in-phase and anti-phase coupled modes whose resonant frequencies are governed by coupled mode theory. Additional analysis shows that one uncoupled resonator is the conventional TM01 patch mode and the other is a lumped $LC$ resonator involving the slot and the probe. An equivalent circuit model for the antenna is given wherein element values are extracted from CMA data and which explicitly demonstrates coupling between these two resonators. The circuit model approximately reproduces the impedance locus of the driven simulation. A design methodology based on coupled mode theory and guided by CMA is presented that allows wideband U-slot patch geometries to be designed quickly and efficiently. The methodology is illustrated through example.
Lightweight Functional Logic Meta-Programming.

Meta-interpreters in Prolog are a powerful and elegant way to implement language extensions and non-standard semantics. But how can we bring the benefits of Prolog-style meta-interpreters to systems that combine functional and logic programming? In Prolog, a program can access its own structure via reflection, and meta-interpreters are simple to implement because the “pure” core language is small. Can we achieve similar elegance and power for larger systems that combine different paradigms?
Quantifying Alloy 625 Crevice Corrosion Using an Image Differencing Technique: Part I. Initiation and Propagation

An image differencing technique was used to analyze optical images from an alloy 625 crevice made using an acrylic window. In these experiments, crevices were immersed in ASTM artificial ocean water and held potentiostatically in the passive region while the current was monitored with time. The technique quantified the change in pixels between successive images due to corrosion damage. By calibrating the number of pixels per unit area we calculated the active area and, from this, the crevice current density. It was found that the crevice propagated in the current density range between 3 mA cm−2 at initiation and 100 mA cm−2 at steady state. It is shown that the mass loss as a function of position calculated from the current density accurately reproduces the damage profile inside the crevice. By knowing the location of the active front and the crevice current, we are also able to calculate the wall potential as a function of time and distance. It is shown that the initiation site has a wall potential that is within millivolts of the applied anodic potential and decreases as the active front moved towards the mouth. Finally, we derive an expression for the crevice shape factor which was used to show that the crevice is under diffusion control at later times in the propagation stage.
Chapter 3 – Hematology

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the blood clotting. Blood is an inhomogeneous fluid composed of formed elements suspended in a complex colloidal fluid known as plasma. Plasma is composed of water (90%), protein (7%), and organic and inorganic solutes (3%). Protein concentrations in plasma are much higher than those within tensile strength, flexibility, and concave shape. Red blood cells (RBCs) possess no organelles. Blood is sometimes grouped based on carbohydrate determinants on the external surface of the red blood cells. White blood cells (WBCs) consist of granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocyte cells. The major forms of mature polymorphonuclear granulocytes are neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. Monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, reticulocytes, RBC, platelets, and T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes are found in the circulating blood. Various leukocytes are differentiated by their morphology and the staining qualities of their granules, nucleus, and cytoplasm. The clot becomes beefier in consistency and more tenaciously adherent to the vessels. The key to the VSP mystery may lie in complex biochemical cascades associated with clotting, disintegration of enmeshed RBCs, and fibrin lattice. Blood clot in the subarachnoid space incites an inflammatory response; headache, fever, nuchal rigidity, systemic leukocytes as well as pleocytosis within the CSF.
Career Education: A Continuing Need of Illinois Gifted Students

A descriptive survey was implemented across the state of Illinois in 1975 and 1976 regarding career education provisions for gifted and talented students in the state. Professional educators in field settings of career education or educators of gifted and talented students were included in the population. Information was sought through questionnaires and interviews regarding the current status of career education programs for gifted students in Illinois and regarding the opinions of these educators about what should be done for these students. Differentiated career education programs for gifted students in the Illinois public schools were few in number and generally not fully developed. There was little purposeful or systematic effort to integrate programs and practices in career education and gifted education for the students in Illinois.
Clinical Presentation and Stroke Incidence Differ by Moyamoya Etiology.

Introduction:Moyamoya arteriopathy, which can be idiopathic or associated with sickle cell disease, neurofibromatosis, Down syndrome, or cranial radiation therapy, is a progressive cerebral arterio...
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the emergency department: A single center retrospective study.

Abstract Introduction Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) and the related term Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS) denote a constellation of clinical symptoms paired with key radiological findings. These symptoms may include headache, altered mental status, visual changes, and seizures. PRES is a rare condition and remains a challenging diagnosis to make in the emergency department. Data on risk factors and clinical presentation are limited, and there is no recent literature-supported diagnostic criteria. Our primary objective was to identify initial symptoms, clinical presentation, and risk factors that should guide the emergency clinician to consider a diagnosis of PRES. A secondary objective was to identify associations between risk factors and the outcomes of mortality and ICU admissions. Methods This was a retrospective, observational study that evaluated patients seen in the Emergency Department (ED) in an urban tertiary care center with the diagnosis of PRES or RPLS from 1/1/2008 to 1/1/2018. The Health System’s Electronic Medical Record was used to collect data. Search criteria included any patient diagnosed with Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) or Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS), and excluded patients under 18 years of age, transfer patients, or patients that were not evaluated in our emergency department. Results We identified 98 patients based on our initial search criteria. After a chart review, 27 patients met our predefined eligibility criteria. In patients with confirmed diagnosis of PRES, the majority were female (70%) and 37% were either on an immunomodulator or undergoing chemotherapy at the time of presentation. 67% of patients presented with altered mental status, 41% had a focal neurologic deficit, and 37% had a witnessed seizure prior to diagnosis. Headache (48%), nausea (33%), and vision changes (30%) were the next most common reported symptoms. The majority of patients were hypertensive at time of presentation (82%) and many had a past medical history of hypertension (78%); twelve were given anti-hypertensive medications. 33% of the patients were admitted to the ICU and 26% died. There were no statistical associations found between documented ED interventions and the outcome of mortality. Conclusion PRES is difficult to identify and diagnose in the emergency department. Significant risk factors such as female gender, hypertension, and those currently undergoing active immunotherapy/chemotherapy are associated with PRES. Common presenting complaints and exam findings include headache, altered mental status, and neurologic deficits. Emergency providers should consider PRES in patients presenting with altered mental status with significant risk factors, especially with neurologic deficits for which stroke has been ruled out.
Musical Prosody-Driven Emotion Classification: Interpreting Vocalists Portrayal of Emotions Through Machine Learning

The task of classifying emotions within a musical track has received widespread attention within the Music Information Retrieval (MIR) community. Music emotion recognition has traditionally relied on the use of acoustic features, verbal features, and metadata-based filtering. The role of musical prosody remains under-explored despite several studies demonstrating a strong connection between prosody and emotion. In this study, we restrict the input of traditional machine learning algorithms to the features of musical prosody. Furthermore, our proposed approach builds upon the prior by classifying emotions under an expanded emotional taxonomy, using the Geneva Wheel of Emotion. We utilize a methodology for individual data collection from vocalists, and personal ground truth labeling by the artist themselves. We found that traditional machine learning algorithms when limited to the features of musical prosody (1) achieve high accuracies for a single singer, (2) maintain high accuracy when the dataset is expanded to multiple singers, and (3) achieve high accuracies when trained on a reduced subset of the total features.
Baseline intracardiac echocardiography predicts haemodynamic changes and Doppler velocity patterns during follow-up after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation.

Background Intracardiac echocardiography Doppler-derived gradients have previously been shown to correlate with post-procedure echocardiographic evaluations when compared with invasive gradients measured during percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation, suggesting that intracardiac echocardiography could offer an accurate and predictable starting point to estimate valve function after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 51 patients who underwent percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation between September 2018 and December 2019 in whom intracardiac echocardiography was performed immediately after valve implantation. We evaluated the correlation between intracardiac echocardiography gradients and post-procedural Doppler-derived gradients. Among the parameters assessed, those which demonstrated the strongest correlation were used to create a predictive model of expected echo-derived gradients after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. The equation was validated on the same sample data along with a subsequent cohort of 25 consecutive patients collected between January 2020 and July 2020. Results All the assessed correlation models between intracardiac echocardiography evaluation and post-procedure transthoracic echocardiographic assessments were statistically significant, presenting moderate to strong correlations. The strongest relationship was found between intracardiac echocardiography mean gradients and post-procedural transthoracic echocardiographic mean gradients. Therefore, an equation was created based on the intracardiac echocardiography-derived mean gradient, to allow prediction of the post-procedural and follow-up transthoracic echocardiographic-derived mean gradients within a range of ±5 mmHg from the observed value in more than 80% of cases. Conclusions There is a strong correlation between intracardiac echocardiography and post-procedure transthoracic echocardiographic. This allowed us to derive a predictive equation that defines the expected transthoracic echocardiographic Doppler-derived gradient following the procedure and at out-patient follow-up after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation.