cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous Detection and Disambiguation of Martian Ion Trails Using Geometric Signal Processing Techniques

We propose a novel "big data" application of geometric feature extraction techniques to autonomously identify and track the temporal evolution of charged particle trails in the Martian ionosphere. Specifically, we propose a Radon-transform extension to the geometric distance transform to algorithmically isolate potentially overlapping trail features in energy spectrograms. Our methods seek to connect large- scale statistical analysis with individual case studies and thus provide the computational framework or connecting theoretical models with potential terabytes of remote sensing data. Based on individual ion populations as the basic unit of observation, we provide data-driven results of applying our method over representative energy spectrograms generated from the NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission data from the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer (SWIA) instrument.
Data-driven constraint approach to ensure low-speed performance in transonic aerodynamic shape optimization

Abstract Aerodynamic shape optimization based on computational fluid dynamics has the potential to become more widely used in the industry; however, the optimized shapes are often criticized for not being practical. Techniques seeking more practical results, such as multipoint optimization and geometric constraints, are either ineffective or too time consuming because they require trial and error. We propose a data-driven constraint for the aerodynamic shape optimization of aircraft wings that ensures the overall practicality of the optimum shape, with a focus on achieving a good low-speed performance. The constraint is formulated by extracting the relevant features from an airfoil database via modal analysis, correlation analysis, and Gaussian mixture models. The optimization results demonstrated that this approach addresses the thin leading edge issue that had plagued previous optimization results, and further analysis demonstrated that this data-driven constraint ensures good low-speed off-design performance without sacrificing the transonic on-design performance. The proposed approach can use other airfoil databases and can even be generalized to other shape optimization and engineering design problems.
Gut dysbiosis and its epigenomic impact on disease

Abstract The intestinal microbiome is an assortment of microbes that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. It has long been thought that the microbiome contributes to health and disease, and recent technological advances in culture-independent microbiome analyses have hastened the study of microbiome compositional variation and subsequent functional host-microbiome interactions. Microbiome composition is regulated by a variety of environmental interactions, including diet, as well as host-specific interactions. Herein, we review normal microbiome development as well as common mechanisms of dysbiosis in the context of pathophysiology. Host-microbiome interactions have been associated with a variety of disease states, and more recent data is beginning to elucidate mechanistic insight into how host-microbiota interactions promote specific diseases. While treatments that directly manipulate the microbiome composition are not currently available, this is a promising area of research that may be able to treat and prevent both gastrointestinal and systemic diseases.
Deep Metric Learning with Triplet Networks: Application to Hand-grip Myotonia Quantification

Myotonia, which refers to delayed muscle relaxation after contraction, is the main symptom of myotonic dystrophy patients. The relaxation time after a hand squeeze has been used as a biomarker for diagnostic purposes and in clinical trials to quantify the effectiveness of a treatment. Current processes that rely on handcrafted features tend to be sensitive to data acquisition noise and intra- and inter-patient variability. In this work, we develop a deep metric learning framework for analyzing the hand-grip time series based on triplet-networks. Experiments show that the learned embedding space can be used to quantify the symptoms, evaluate the effectiveness of treatments, and design new data collection protocols.
The Stethoscope in 19th-Century American Practice: Ideas, Rhetoric, and Eventual Adoption.

The stethoscope was invented in 1816 by the French physician R.T.H. Laennec, who, after three years of clinical observations, published his treatise Mediate Auscultation in 1819. In his treatise, Laennec included details of his new method of using the stethoscope to provide physiological and pathological evaluation of patients. American physicians attended lectures and clinics at Paris hospitals and carried this information back to their respective medical schools and practices. This was accomplished by a relatively limited number of elite American physicians who were able to take advantage of travel abroad and whose practices were academically affiliated. However, it is a well-substantiated historical claim that the adoption of the stethoscope by most American physicians was slow. There are many reasons for slow adoption of the stethoscope in America, among which are lack of formal education, including bedside training in the stethoscope, complexity of interpretation of auscultatory information, hesitancy of the patient and physician to have an instrument placed between them, and lack of opportunities for continuing education for physicians after leaving medical school. As the nineteenth century progressed, scientific ideas and rhetoric related to auscultation and the stethoscope became more widespread, reflecting gradual acceptance and adoption of the stethoscope by American practitioners. In this article, I examine the ideas and rhetoric in medical journal articles, advertisements, and medical school textbooks to learn what was thought by physicians to be important in their practice. Advertisement of medical school curricula with mention of specific course work or lectures related to auscultation or the stethoscope is noted, reflecting increased interest in the stethoscope as an adjunct to physical examination. This information introduces evidence to test and bolster the existing historical claims of slow adoption of the stethoscope by addressing in more detail when and why adoption by American physicians became widespread.
Ventricular arrhythmia suppression with ivabradine in a patient with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia refractory to nadolol, flecainide, and sympathectomy.

Conventional treatment strategies for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) include avoidance of strenuous exercise and competitive sports, drugs such as s-blockers and flecainide and, cervical sympathectomy. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has been utilized if the response to these strategies is inadequate; however, ICD use in CPVT patients, in addition to usual complications, is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening electrical storm. Ivabradine is a selective inhibitor of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated potassium channel 4 generated funny current (If ), which has been shown to be efficacious in suppression of inappropriate sinus tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, atrial tachycardia, and ventricular ectopy in humans. We report an 18-year-old male with a severe CPVT phenotype refractory to flecainide, nadolol, and sympathectomy who exhibited suppression of ventricular arrhythmias after initiation of ivabradine. These findings are of importance as ivabradine could be an important add-on therapy in CPVT patients who are drug refractory or are unable to continue conventional therapies at the recommended doses.
SHELTERBELTS AND WINDBREAKS: MATHEMATICAL MODELING AND COMPUTER SIMULATIONS OF TURBULENT FLOWS

Shelterbelts or windbreaks were used for centuries to reduce wind speed, to control heat and moisture transfer and pollutant diffusion, to improve climate and environment, and to increases crop yields; but only within the last few decades have systematic studies considered the aerodynamics and shelter mechanisms of shelterbelts and windbreaks. This review examines recent modeling and numerical simulation studies as well as the mechanisms that control flow and turbulence around shelterbelts and windbreaks. We compare numerical simulations with experimental data and explain the relationships between sheltering effects and the structure of shelterbelts and windbreaks. We discuss haw and why the desired effects are achieved by using numerical analysis. This chapter begins with the derivation of a general equation set for porous shelterbelts and windbreaks; the numerical model and simulation procedure are developed; unseparated and separated flows are predicted and characterized; the momentum budget and shelter mechanisms are analyzed; the effects of wind direction, density, width, and three dimenionality of shelterbelt structure on flow and turbulence are systematically described. Recent modeling and simulation of heat flux and evapotranspiration are also summarized. Finally, we discuss the use of highperformance distributed and parallel computing as well as clusters of networked workstations to enhance performance of the model applied to simulations of shelterbelts and windbreaks.
Insolvency and Incentives for Efficient Care

Limited liability has long been recognized to incentivize owners of firms near bankruptcy to take suboptimal care to prevent harm to third parties. I use violations of the Clean Water Act to study these incentives. I show that as firms approach bankruptcy (as measured by their credit ratings) they indeed become more likely to violate laws designed to protect third parties. A move from the best to worst credit rating is associated with a seven-fold increase in violation frequency. These results are robust to time and company fixed effects, an instrumental variables strategy, and controls for company liquidity, leverage and profitability. I also propose a policy solution that can improve incentives for firms near bankruptcy. This proposal calls for agencies such as the EPA to increase monitoring of firms closer to insolvency. This can be implemented without legislative changes, and without disrupting foundations of corporate law such as limited liability.
Fostering the growth of TPACK among international teachers of developing nations through a cultural exchange program

This study investigated the impact of a semester-long technology course as part of a higher education cultural exchange program for secondary school teachers of developing nations. We integrated quantitative data from surveys that evaluated participants’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), with qualitative evidence from participants’ technology-based lesson designs. Analysis across the 16 participants indicated that the course was effective in improving teachers’ TPACK. Teachers reported increases in all TPACK domains, with the largest growth in technological content knowledge and TPACK. However, qualitative analysis suggested greater presence of technological pedagogical knowledge. Teachers learned to consider affordances of technology in accordance with content or pedagogy, but their ability was limited due to resource constraints or students’ readiness. Results suggest that international exchange programs are a valuable way to support teachers of developing nations in building educational technology capacity at their home schools. Implications for practice or policy: Technology education should leverage teacher expertise in pedagogical content knowledge. Developers should consider the contexts of home schools when designing education experiences for international teachers. Continuing education that gives opportunities for hands-on work (active learning) is an effective way to support development of teachers regarding educational technology.
Factors associated with interventions for intra-abdominal injuries in children after motor vehicle crashes

Purpose: Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a leading cause of abdominal injury in children, accounting for 32% of all intraabdominal injuries (IAIs) and 45% of IAIs undergoing medical or surgical intervention. A need exists to determine what factors identify children with MVC-related IAIs, particularly those undergoing acute intervention. The purpose of our study was to determine MVC characteristics, clinical findings, and laboratory results that are associated with IAIs undergoing intervention among children involved in MVCs. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Abdominal Trauma Public Use Database, a large, prospective observational …
Current Management of Tics and Tourette Syndrome: Behavioral, Pharmacologic, and Surgical Treatments

Tourette syndrome is a heterogeneous neurobehavioral disorder manifested by childhood-onset motor and phonic tics, often accompanied by a variety of behavioral comorbidities, including attention deficit and obsessive compulsive disorder. Treatment must be tailored to the needs and goals of the individual patients and their families. All patients should receive education on the condition and, if possible, engage behavioral therapy targeted towards tics and/or comorbidities. Pharmacological therapies, such as alpha agonists, topiramate, and vesicular monoamine transport type 2 inhibitors, are generally used as first-line therapies in patients with troublesome tics that are not controlled by behavioral therapy or when the latter is not available or accessible. Botulinum toxin injections can be used in patients with bothersome focal tics. Second-line therapy includes antipsychotics, such as fluphenazine, aripiprazole, risperidone, and ziprasidone. These medications are generally efficacious but carry the risk of metabolic syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, and other side effects. Much more research is needed before novel therapies such as cannabis-derived products or transcranial magnetic stimulation can be recommended. There is promise in ongoing clinical trials with D1 receptor antagonist ecopipam and other experimental therapeutics. Patients with tics that are refractory to conventional treatments may be candidates for deep brain stimulation, but further studies are needed to determine the optimal target selection.
On the use of low-dimensional temporal subspace constraints to reduce reconstruction time and improve image quality of accelerated 4D-MRI.

Abstract Background and purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the use of low-dimensional temporal subspace constraints for 4D-MRI reconstruction from accelerated data in the context of MR-guided online adaptive radiation therapy (MRgOART). Materials and methods Subspace basis functions are derived directly from the accelerated golden angle radial stack-of-stars 4D-MRI data. The reconstruction times, image quality, and motion estimates are investigated as a function of the number of subspace coefficients and compared with a conventional frame-by-frame reconstruction. These experiments were performed in five patients with four 4D-MRI scans per patient on a 1.5T MR-Linac. Results If two or three subspace coefficients are used, the iterative reconstruction time is reduced by 32% and 18%, respectively, compared to conventional parallel imaging with compressed sensing reconstructions. No significant difference was found between motion estimates made with the subspace-constrained reconstructions (p > 0.08). Qualitative improvements in image quality included reduction in apparent noise and reductions in streaking artifacts from the radial k-space coverage. Conclusion Incorporating subspace constraints for accelerated 4D-MRI reconstruction reduces noise and residual undersampling artifacts in the images while reducing computation time, making it a strong candidate for use in clinical MRgOART workflows.
Hunger enhances food-odour attraction through a neuropeptide Y spotlight

Internal state controls olfaction through poorly understood mechanisms. Odours that represent food, mates, competitors and predators activate parallel neural circuits that may be flexibly shaped by physiological need to alter behavioural outcome1. Here we identify a neuronal mechanism by which hunger selectively promotes attraction to food odours over other olfactory cues. Optogenetic activation of hypothalamic agouti-related peptide (AGRP) neurons enhances attraction to food odours but not to pheromones, and branch-specific activation and inhibition reveal a key role for projections to the paraventricular thalamus. Mice that lack neuropeptide Y (NPY) or NPY receptor type 5 (NPY5R) fail to prefer food odours over pheromones after fasting, and hunger-dependent food-odour attraction is restored by cell-specific NPY rescue in AGRP neurons. Furthermore, acute NPY injection immediately rescues food-odour preference without additional training, indicating that NPY is required for reading olfactory circuits during behavioural expression rather than writing olfactory circuits during odour learning. Together, these findings show that food-odour-responsive neurons comprise an olfactory subcircuit that listens to hunger state through thalamic NPY release, and more generally, provide mechanistic insights into how internal state regulates behaviour.
Bias-free self-induced nonreciprocal transmission based on ultrathin nonlinear dielectric metasurfaces

We demonstrate a simple bias-free self-induced nonreciprocal device of an ultrathin bifacial dielectric metasurface. It is composed of two passive silicon-based metasurfaces exhibiting Fano and Lorentzian resonances, respectively. The narrowband resonant response, as well as the boosted field enhancement, lead to very low required input intensity values to obtain significant nonreciprocal transmission. Cascaded metasurface designs are also presented to further improve the geometric asymmetry and self-induced nonreciprocal performance. This work is expected to have several applications, such as nonreciprocal ultrathin coatings for the protection of sources or other sensitive equipment from external pulsed signals, circulators, and isolators.
EMPLOYEE RETICENCE: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ITS SCALE

Purpose of the study: The purpose of the study was twofold, first to find the antecedents and consequences of employee voice using the theory of planned behaviour, and second to develop, introduce and validate the construct of employee reticence (employee-silence attitude) and its scale. Methodology: Mixed-Method Research using interviews, and questionnaire was the methodology of the study. IBM SPSS 20.0 and SmartPLS 2.0 software were used for data analysis to test and confirm face validity, content validity, reliability, item reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, nomological validity. Main Findings: Employee reticence is a valid employee attitude. The employee silence behaviour is supported by the theory of planned behaviour. It was found that the Theory of planned behaviour applies to the situations of employee silence. The scale of employee reticence developed, as the result of this study, is valid and ready to be used by researchers, organizational behaviourists, psychologists, and HR experts. Applications of this study: The study is applicable for change intervention programs in organizations by organizational behaviourists. The researchers can use it to explore and develop organizational and team-level attitudes of silence. Its scale is a useful tool, largely for recruiters for ensuring PO fit. It is usable to researchers for further exploration and using it as in organizational research including but not limited to Employee silence, knowledge management, and stress. Psychologists can take the lead from the concept of ER to develop similar constructs for their field for analysing their patients of stress etc. from this perspective. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study is novel and original as the construct of employee reticence has been developed, introduced, and validated (employee-silence attitude). Further, the scale of the new construction has been constructed and validated, using standard methods.
Challenges with increased utilization of clinical tumor testing in ovarian cancer

Objectives: To describe challenges with applying tumor genomic testing among women with ovarian cancer to clinical practice in a large division with >90% germline genetic testing compliance. Methods: Institutional review board (IRB)-approved, retrospective review of tumor genomic results obtained within a single Gynecologic Oncology division. Clinicopathologic data were abstracted from medical records and tumor genomic results were evaluated for congruency and discrepancies between different labs. Results: A total of 261 patients with epithelial ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal cancer had tumor testing between 2017 and 2020. A total of 4 commercial labs with CLIA-approved testing were primarily used over the study period (Figure 1). A total of 15 patients had tumor tests at more than one clinical laboratory, with 4/15 (27%) found to have Loss of Heterozygosity (LOH) on the second test (LOH testing was not performed on the first test). An additional 4 patients (27%) had discrepant somatic BRCA (sBRCA) results. A single patient had a somatic large rearrangement in BRCA2 not detected through her first sBRCA test. For 3 patients, a sBRCA alteration was reported from a testing laboratory that subsequently changed testing/reporting practices that negated the original reports. Secondary sBRCA testing at a different laboratory revealed no sBRCA alterations in all three patients.26 (10%) had germline BRCA (gBRCA) PVs [15 BRCA1, 11 BRCA2]. All 26 gBRCA carriers had somatic testing. 5 of those somatic tests included LOH tests and 5/5 demonstrated LOH-high scores. 10/26 (38%) tumor tests were ordered at the time of initial surgery and before the first line of chemotherapy was completed. There were 48 tumors with sBRCA PVs and no gBRCA PV. LOH testing with a score was provided for 6 patients, 5/6 (83%) had LOH-high scores. Excluding the sBRCA results from the lab that later negated reports, there were 18 tumors with 20 sBRCA variants confirmed. One patient's sBRCA variant was also found through germline testing and was classified as a variant of uncertain significance by the germline testing lab. Download : Download high-res image (52KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Classification of somatic variants differs from germline variants. Whether all somatic BRCA variants indicate homologous recombination deficiency and sensitivity to PARP inhibitors is not known. Discrepancies between labs and the availability of novel test components (i.e. LOH testing) highlight that repeating tumor testing can be valuable and may allow additional treatment options. Tumor testing is rapidly changing; the test ordered and timing of testing need to be carefully considered for each patient. In retrospect, the addition of tumor testing in the upfront setting did not alter management in patients who were found to carry gBRCA PVs. For gBRCA PV carriers, it may be higher yield to reserve tumor testing for the recurrent disease setting.
Relationship between estrogens and enzyme activity.

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes the relationship between estrogens and enzyme activity. The action of estrogen on various tissues is not a single but a multiple one. The administration of estrogen to castrate rodents produces in the vagina and uterus hypertrophy of the stroma and proliferation of the epithelial cells followed in the vagina by cornification, growth of nipple, and hyperplasia of the ductal epithelium of the breast, relaxation of the pelvic ligaments, separation of the pubic bones, increase in the connective tissue stroma of the accessory male genitalia and of other tissues, changes in bone structure, alterations in the adrenal gland, inhibition of the pituitary gland and many other phenomena. This chapter describes important tissue responses to estrogen and outlines what appears to be the main pathway of estrogen in the body. Attention is directed to the specificity of estrogenic substances, the multiple tissue responses to estrogen, factors influencing estrogen activity, and the significance of the estrogen conjugates. Factors influencing estrogenic activity are elaborated. Significance of the estrogen conjugates is described. This chapter also describes hepatic “activation” and “inactivation” of estrogens.
Fast algorithms for block-based medial axis transform on the LARPBS

Many parallel algorithms have been proposed for computing the two-dimensional block-based medial axis transform (2D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT). Unfortunately, almost all of them are dedicated for solving 2D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT problem and are very difficult to be extended for solving the 3D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT problem. In this paper, an O(1) time algorithm for solving the 2D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT of a binary image P of size N /spl times/ N on an LARPBS is first developed. The running time of this algorithm has a smaller constant factor compared with those of all the other previous proposed O(1) time algorithms. Then this algorithm is extended for computing the 3D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT of a binary image V of size N /spl times/ N /spl times/ N in O(1) time on an LARPBS. The running time of this algorithm has a small constant factor also. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first parallel algorithm proposed for solving the 3D/spl I.bar/BB/spl I.bar/MAT problem known.
A Non-monotonic Goal Specification Language for Planning with Preferences

This paper introduces a default logic based approach to defining goal specification languages that can be non-monotonic and allow for the specification of inconsistencies and priorities among goals. The paper starts by presenting a basic goal specification language for planning with preferences. It then defines goal default theories resp. with priorities by embedding goal formulae into default logic resp. prioritizing default logic. It is possible to show that the new language is general, as it can express several features of previously developed goal specification languages. The paper discusses how several other features can be subsumed by extending the basic goal specification language. Finally, we identify features that might be important in goal specification that cannot be expressed by our language.
Chapter 5 - The Global Structure of the Turing Degrees

This chapter focuses on the properties of the Turing degrees. One of the most interesting features of the Turing degrees is the way in which its global properties are reflected by those of its small ideals. This chapter discusses the early results of the Turing degrees. For the most part, these are to the effect that Turing degrees have rich existential theory in various languages, showing that they play various roles as a universal object. The chapter describes the calculation of the degree of the first-order theory, the development of recursively enumerable in and above (REA)-operators, and the proof that the Turing jump is definable. It presents the automorphism group of Turing degrees.
Representation Of The Horizontal Coordinate With And Without Liquid.

Piaget and Inhelder (1956, Ch. 13) discuss the point that chil dren come to construct reference systems by positing a coordinate arrangement with invariant horizontal and vertical axes (e.g., p. 416). They argue that a reference system is neither given nor perceptually obvious. It is a conception that follows from a series of structurings about space. Knowledge of the horizontal axis is a case in point. It was only at about age 9 years that Piaget and Inhelder's subjects appeared to comprehend the invariance of the horizontal plane in space. This conclusion was based on performance in which subjects represented liquid in a sealed container when the container was up right, then tilted in several orientations. Piaget and Inhelder maintained that success on this task involves relating the water level to some external reference system rather than to the bottle itself. They state that the establishment of a relation between mobile elements (liquid surface) and a stationary reference frame outside of the bottle (such as a table top) forms a basis for the geometrical operations involved in a Euclidean coordinate system (pp. 389-390). Children who are unable to interpret the physical fact of horizontally when presented with a "mobile element" that is de fined in space by the horizontal plane, are assumed to lack such operations. In other words, when children fail to discover the physical principle of the invariance of the liquid surface, it is because a stable reference system has not yet been constructed.
Aging, practice effects, and genetic risk in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention

Background: In the last five years, a consensus has developed that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may begin years before overt cognitive impairment. Accordingly, the focus has shifted to identifying preclinical disease in order to match treatments to those most likely to benefit. Subtle cognitive changes, including reduced benefit from practice, may be one such preclinical sign. In this study, we explore cognitive aging trajectories within a large cohort of clinically intact late middle-aged adults. Method: Longitudinal cognitive data were analyzed from 594 participants in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. Mixed models were used to examine trajectories, adjusting for prior exposure, and the moderation thereof by markers of dementia risk, APOE-e4 status, and family history of AD. Results: Practice effects were observed for Verbal Learning & Memory, Working Memory, Speed & Flexibility, and Visual Learning. However, for Working Memory and Speed & Flexibility, these effects were attenuated for FH +...
A statistical model for cryo electron microscope images and 3-D reconstruction and experimental design [spherical viruses]

A statistical model for cryo electron microscope images is described. 3-D reconstruction and experimental design methods based on the model are demonstrated. Advantages of this approach to 3-D reconstruction include that minimal prior information, only particle symmetry and radii, is required.
Extracellular superoxide dismutase activity is affected by dietary zinc intake in nonhuman primate and rodent models

Assessment of zinc nutriture is often compromised by the lack of reliable biomarkers. In the present study the effect of dietary zinc deprivation on plasma extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC SOD) activity was investigated in rat and rhesus macaque models. This enzyme, which contains both zinc and copper, is distinct from cytosolic copper-zinc SOD. Young, growing rats fed zinc-deficient diets (1.5 nmol Zn/g diet) were characterized by low plasma zinc concentrations and plasma EC SOD activities (16% and 56% of controls, respectively). Adolescent rhesus macaques fed diets that contained a marginal amount of zinc (30.6 nmol Zn/g diet) also had low plasma zinc concentrations and low EC SOD activities compared with controls fed diets containing 765 nmol Zn/g diet (75% and 40%, respectively). Enzyme activity was not affected after in vitro addition of zinc to plasma samples from control, restrict-fed, and zinc-deficient rats. Taken together, these data support the concept that plasma EC SOD activity can be a biomarker for zinc status. Am J Clin Nutr 1995 ;61 :1263-7.
Spare CASH: reclaiming holes to minimize aperiodic response times in a firm real-time environment

Scheduling periodic tasks that allow some instances to be skipped produces spare capacity in the schedule. Only a fraction of this spare capacity is uniformly distributed and can easily be reclaimed for servicing aperiodic requests. The remaining fraction of the spare capacity is non-uniformly distributed, and no existing technique has been able to reclaim it. We present a method for improving the response times of aperiodic tasks by identifying the non-uniform holes in the schedule and adding these holes as extra capacity to the capacity queue of the CASH mechanism. The non-uniform holes can account for a significant portion of spare capacity, and reclaiming this capacity results in considerable improvements to aperiodic response times.
Fault simulation for synchronous sequential circuits under the multiple observation time testing approach

The authors describe a fault simulator for synchronous sequential circuits given in gate-level. The simulator uses the multiple observation time testing approach to identify faults detected by a given test sequence, that cannot be identified as detected using a conventional fault simulator. It is shown that a test sequence that does not detect a given fault may still be effective in identifying that the circuit is faulty. This situation can only be identified by the multiple observation time approach. Based on this observation, one can propose a new definition of fault coverage, that is more effective than the conventional definition in retaining test sequences (or test vectors) that are effective in identifying faulty circuits. Experimental results are presented to support the effectiveness of multiple observation time fault simulation and of the new fault coverage definition. >
Hybrid detection of lung nodules on CT scan images.

Purpose: The diversity of lung nodules poses difficulty for the current computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) schemes for lung nodule detection on computed tomography (CT) scan images, especially in large-scale CT screening studies. We proposed a novel CAD scheme based on a hybrid method to address the challenges of detection in diverse lung nodules. Methods: The hybrid method proposed in this paper integrates several existing and widely used algorithms in the field of nodule detection, including morphological operation, dot-enhancement based on Hessian matrix, fuzzy connectedness segmentation, local density maximum algorithm, geodesic distance map, and regression tree classification. All of the adopted algorithms were organized into tree structures with multi-nodes. Each node in the tree structure aimed to deal with one type of lung nodule. Results: The method has been evaluated on 294 CT scans from the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) dataset. The CT scans were randomly divided into two independent subsets: a training set (196 scans) and a test set (98 scans). In total, the 294 CT scans contained 631 lung nodules, which were annotated by at least two radiologists participating in the LIDC project. The sensitivity and false positive per scan for the training set were 87% and 2.61%. The sensitivity and false positive per scan for the testing set were 85.2% and 3.13%. Conclusions: The proposed hybrid method yielded high performance on the evaluation dataset and exhibits advantages over existing CAD schemes. We believe that the present method would be useful for a wide variety of CT imaging protocols used in both routine diagnosis and screening studies.
Does early enteral feeding prevent hypoglycemia in small for gestational age neonates

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between early enteral feeding and the incidence of hypoglycemia in SGA neonates. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review to evaluate the association of hypoglycemia and early enteral feeding was performed. Eligible patients were born full-term between 1/1/2008–7/1/2011 and classified as SGA (birth weight <10th percentile). We collected the first two serum glucose values, time to enteral feeds and feeding type. The primary outcome was incidence of hypoglycemia, defined as serum glucose values ≤35 mg/dL (1.9 mmol/L). RESULTS: 203 infants were included in the analysis. 94 patients were fed between the first and second glucose measurement and 109 were not. Although the incidence of hypoglycemia was greater in the group that received early enteral feeds (13% versus 4%; p = 0.02), feeding was not a significant predictor of the second serum glucose in a multivariable regression model (p = 0.078). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that early enteral feeding does not predict hypoglycemia in this cohort of SGA neonates.
Cardiovascular risk assessment - From individual risk prediction to estimation of global risk and change in risk in the population

Background Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death and risk prediction formulae such as the Framingham Risk Score have been developed to easily identify patients at high risk that may require therapeutic interventions.
A physics-based compact model for SCR devices used in ESD protection circuits

A CMOS SCR compact model is developed for circuit simulation of ESD protection circuits. The model is comprised of coupled NPN and PNP transistors. A previously unnoted interaction between these transistors is described, resulting in improved agreement between simulation and measurement. This model addresses fundamental limitations of previous models, allowing for improved simulation accuracy, while limiting the number of parameters. The model parameters are scalable with respect to the layout spacings.
Interplanetary field control of the location of the Venus bow shock: Evidence for comet‐like ion pickup

The location of the Venus bow shock is found to be sensitive to both the angle of the IMF to the solar wind flow and the phase of the solar cycle. The former dependence is attributed to the effect of planetary ion pickup by the magnetosheath convection electric field analogous to cometary ion pickup by the solar wind electric field. The latter dependence is attributed to the solar-cycle variation in the density of exospheric neutrals in the magnetosheath analogous to the cometary response to distance from the sun. Both a north-south and a pole-equator asymmetry in the location of the bow shock are also found, controlled by the direction of the IMF in the plane perpendicular to the solar wind flow.
Milnor Number and Tjurina Number of Complete Intersections.

Two basic invariants of a complex analytic isolated complete intersection singularity (X, x) are its Milnor number g(X, x) and its Tjurina number z(X, x). The former is the n th Betti number (minus one if n = 0) of a no nsingular nearby fibre, whereas the latter is the dimension of the base space of a miniversal deformation of (X, x). It is conjectured that for n > 1 we always have p(X, x) > z(X, x). So far this has been verified in the following cases: (1) if (X, x) is a hypersurface singularity, (2) if n = 1, (3) if the link of x in X is a rational homology sphere, (4) if (X, x) is quasi-homogeneous [then we actually have equality of p(X, x) and z(X, x)], (5) if n=2 . The first case is rather trivial, the next three are all due to Greuel [3] and the fifth case is due to the first author [4]. Subsequently, J. Wahl expressed for n = 2 the difference of Milnor number and Tjurina number as a sum of non-negative !nvariants of the germ (X, x) [7]. The purpose of this note is to prove the conjecture ~n general. In fact, we obtain a higher dimensional generalization of Wahl's result:
Selective Inhibition of Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Brain Cells by Squalestatin 1

The effect of squalestatin 1 (SQ) on squalene synthase and other enzymes utilizing farnesyl pyrophosphate (F-P-P) as substrate was evaluated by in vitro enzymological and in vivo metabolic labeling experiments to determine if the drug selectively inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis in brain cells. Direct in vitro enzyme studies with membrane fractions from primary cultures of embryonic rat brain (IC50 = 37 nM), pig brain (IC50 = 21 nM), and C6 glioma cells (IC50 = 35 nM) demonstrated that SQ potently inhibited squalene synthase activity but had no effect on the long-chain cis-isoprenyltransferase catalyzing the conversion of F-P-P to polyprenyl pyrophosphate (Poly-P-P), the precursor of dolichyl phosphate (Dol-P). SQ also had no effect on F-P-P synthase; the conversion of [3H]F-P-P to geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GG-P-P) catalyzed by partially purified GG-P-P synthase from bovine brain; the enzymatic farnesylation of recombinant H-p21ras by rat brain farnesyltransferase; or the enzymatic geranylgeranylation of recombinant Rab 1A, catalyzed by rat brain geranylgeranyltransferase. Consistent with SQ selectively blocking the synthesis of squalene, when C6 glial cells were metabolically labeled with [3H]mevalonolactone, the drug inhibited the incorporation of the labeled precursor into squalene and cholesterol (IC50 = 3-5 microM) but either had no effect or slightly stimulated the labeling of Dol-P, ubiquinone (CoQ), and isoprenylated proteins. These results indicate that SQ blocks cholesterol biosynthesis in brain cells by selectively inhibiting squalene synthase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Coarsening in BGA Solder Balls: Modeling and Experimental Evaluation

The reliability of solder joints in electronic packaging is becoming more important as the ball grid array (BGA) develops rapidly into the most popular packaging technology. Thermal fatigue of solder joints has been a reliability concern in the electronic packaging industry since the introduction of surface mount technology (SMT). Microstructural coarsening (phase growth) is considered to be closely related to thermomechanical fatigue failure. Many researchers proposed coarsening models for bulk scale metals. But these models have never been verified for micron-scale actual BGA solder balls. In the present study, three different phase growth models are investigated experimentally on BGA solder balls in a real-life electronic package. Model simulations obtained from three models were compared against test data. The best performing model was chosen for finite element fatigue reliability studies based on continuum damage mechanics. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1602707#
Investigation of Power Harvesting via Parametric Excitations

This article presents an analytical and experimental investigation of energy harvesting via parametrically excited cantilever beams. To that end, we consider a lumped-parameter non-linear model that describes the first-mode dynamics of a parametrically excited cantilever-type harvester. The model accounts for the beam's geometric and inertia non-linearities as well as non-linearities representing air drag. Using the method of multiple scales, we obtain approximate analytical expressions describing the beam response, voltage drop across a purely resistive load, and output power in the vicinity of the first principle parametric resonance. Using these expressions, we study the effect of the electromechanical coupling and load resistance on the output power. We show that these parameters play an imperative role in determining the magnitude of the output power and characterizing the broad-band properties of the harvester. Specifically, we show that the region of parametric instability wherein energy can be har...
Relative solubilities of hybrid ionomers and compomers by acid impingement.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relative erosion/solubility for hybrid glass–ionomers and a compomer using the jet-impingement technique with lactic acid of various molarities. The materials studied included Dyract®, Duet®, Vitremer®, Advance®, Fuji-II LC®, and Fuji-I®, Ketac Cem® and Modern Tenacin® as the control. Data were analysed using anova and Tukey's comparison test. Results indicated that depth of erosion/solubility with hybrid glass–ionomers and compomers was not measurable by the normal procedure. Similarly, weight changes were not detectable at 0·002, 0·02 and 0·05 m (except for Advance® at 0·05 m). All glass–ionomers materials and the compomer revealed weight changes at 0·1 m after 24 h, in the following increasing order: Dyract®<Fuji-II LC®=Duet®<Advance®<Vitremer®. It was concluded that weight loss is a better parameter to characterize these new hybrids glass–ionomers and compomers for erosion/solubility by jet-impingement. In addition, a lactic acid of minimum 0·1 m as a test solution is required to generate 24 h-data that can be measured in most laboratories and thus used for statistical comparison.
A viscous line vortex in an imposed axisymmetric straining flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid

Abstract An exact solution is found which describes a viscous line vortex in an imposed axisymmetric straining flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid. The vorticity distribution becomes more concentrated around the symmetry axis as the relaxation time is increased.
Glyoxylate carboligase from E. coli: Specificity of the enzyme for unhydrated glyoxylate

Abstract The rate constant of the glyoxylate carboligase-catalyzed condensation of glyoxylate has been measured at high enzyme concentrations. A saturation effect has been observed: the rate constant approaches a limiting value independent of enzyme concentration. Kinetic analysis shows that at these high enzymic rates, the rate-limiting step becomes the nonenzymic dehydration of the extensively hydrated aldehyde function of glyoxylate. The value of the rate constant measured in this way ( k dehyd = 5.0 × 10 −2 sec −1 at 25 °, pH 7.8) is in agreement with previously published estimates for the dehydration of hydrated glyoxylate. Thus, the enzyme has a high specificity for unhydrated glyoxylate, and does not catalyze the dehydration reaction.
Regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular function by renalase

The renalase pathway is a previously unrecognized mechanism for regulating cardiac function and blood pressure. In this pathway, renalase, a novel secreted amine oxidase that is inactive at baseline, is rapidly turned on (∼10 fold increase) by either a modest increase in blood pressure or by brief surges in plasma catecholamines. The active enzyme degrades circulating catecholamines, causing a significant fall in blood pressure. Plasma catecholamines not only activate renalase enzymatic activity but also lead to a 3–4 fold stimulation of renalase secretion. The renalase knockout mouse (KO) is hypertensive and exquisitely sensitive to cardiac ischemia. Abnormalities in the renalase pathway are present in animal models of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the renalase gene were found to be associated with essential hypertension in man. Blood renalase levels are inversely correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and are markedly reduced in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD). We hypothesize that renalase is secreted into blood by the kidney (although also expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, and small intestine) and plays a key role in regulating blood pressure and cardiovascular function, and that abnormalities in the renalase pathway contribute to the heightened cardiovascular risks observed in patients with CKD.
Citation analysis as an unobtrusive method for journal collection evaluation using psychology student research bibliographies

Bibliographic citation analysis of student research papers is one method of evaluating the use of a journal collection. Journal selection and cancellation may be done on the basis of use and cost‐effectiveness to maximize the usefulness of materials purchased with the library budget. An analysis of the bibliographic citations of research papers by undergraduate and graduate students in the psychology department of St Mary’s University was used as one basis for psychology journal selection and deselection in the academic library. Findings confirmed that the most cost‐effective and the most used materials were usually held by the library. Titles that met these criteria and were not held are good candidates for new subscriptions. Likewise, the least cost‐effective and least‐used titles are candidates for cancellation. Convergence of data from other sources should be used to confirm citation analysis findings due to the inherent limitations of the method.