cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Practical implications of via-middle Cu TSV-induced stress in a 28nm CMOS technology for Wide-IO logic-memory interconnect

The impact of isolated and arrayed 10×60µm via-middle Cu TSVs on 8LM 28nm node CMOS poly-SiON P/NFETs was electrically measured for proximities >4 µm at 27C and 105C. The largest observed shift in I on (&#60;2.3%) is significantly less than that from other context-dependent sources such as dual stress liner boundaries (∼10%). NanoBeam Diffraction measurements of Si strain within 5µm of TSVs were acquired for samples prepared from fully processed wafers, showing that for proximity >1.5µm the impact of TSVs is negligible. Interaction with overlying interconnect is mitigated through optimization of post-TSV plating anneal to achieve &#60;200A Cu pumping and by introducing a TSV unit cell designed to minimize the impact on local environment.
The Halloween effect: Trick or treat?

Abstract Research documents higher stock returns in November through April than for the rest of the year. This anomaly is known as the “Halloween effect” and results in the following trading rule: sell stocks in early May, invest in T-bills, and re-invest in stocks on Halloween. In contrast to recent studies, we show that the Halloween effect is robust to consideration of outliers and the “January effect.” Additionally, we show that investing in a “Halloween portfolio” provides risk-adjusted returns in excess of buy and hold equity returns even after consideration of transaction costs.
Relationship between physical activity, physical performance, and iron status in adult women

Iron deficiency affects approximately 16% of US females 18–45 years old. Iron is a key component of heme-containing proteins, which are essential for oxygen transport throughout the body. With low ...
AN EVALUATION OF FLUID INCLUSION MICROTHERMOMETRIC DATA FOR ORPIMENT-REALGAR-CALCITE- BARITE-GOLD MINERALIZATION AT THE BETZE AND CARLIN MINES, NEVADA

Carlin-type deposits contain gold in association with main-stage quartz-pyrite-kaolinite mineralization and late-stage orpiment-realgar-calcite-barite mineralization. Fluid characteristics for main-stage mineralization are well documented by fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies on quartz. In contrast, fluid characteristics for late-stage mineralization are not well constrained because of large ranges in fluid inclusion microthermometric data. These ranges could represent real variations in fluids or be a result of the reequilibration of fluid inclusions. Microthermometric analyses were conducted on fluid inclusions in samples of barite, calcite, realgar, and orpiment from the Betze and Carlin mines, Nevada. Petrographic studies of individual crystals and cleaved sections reveal that fluid inclusions in realgar and barite have negative crystal shapes, in contrast to elongate and rounded inclusions in orpiment and calcite. Point-count data document that one-phase liquid inclusions (type 1) are the dominant type in barite and realgar, relative to two-phase, vapor-poor inclusions (type 2) in calcite and orpiment. Type 2 inclusions in realgar and barite commonly reequilibrate (e.g., stretch) during analysis and exhibit ranges in homogenization temperatures (T h ) of 100° to 250°C and 110° to 300°C, respectively. In contrast, type 2 inclusions in orpiment and calcite have T h of 108° to 182°C, which could be repeated to within 1°C. Based on these results, fluid inclusions in barite and realgar are most susceptible to reequilibration, with T h of ~100° to 110°C most representative. Fluid salinities for orpiment and calcite are 1.7 to 5.4 wt percent NaCl equiv, relative to 1.1 to 2.9 wt percent NaCl equiv for barite and realgar. The lower T h and salinity for fluid inclusions in barite and realgar suggest fluid cooling and dilution, following the deposition of paragenetically earlier orpiment and calcite.
Growth and development of adolescent girls from the Segou Region of Mali (West Africa).

In Mali, adolescent girls face many physical stresses which, with a history of poor nutrition, can result in delayed growth and development. Despite the fact that adolescent girls encounter nutritional demands, most research in Mali has focused only on young children. This study examines anthropometric and reproductive data on 1,056 adolescent girls (aged 10-17 years) from the Segou Region of Mali. When compared to the reference population, the Malian girls exhibited poorer indicators of growth and development. Z-scores for height-for-age and weight-for-age were below 0 at all ages. Urban girls had better indicators of growth than rural girls. The body composition data show that the Malian girls have lower body fat than reference girls. Menarche was delayed by about 1.5 years compared to girls from the United States and Europe. Delayed growth and development may be due to many factors, including a history of undernutrition, poor socioeconomic status, and increased energy demands.
OS characterization for local CFAR detection

An order-statistic (OS) characterization for modeling clutter statistics at local detectors is presented. Important features of the OS characterization include its structure, which allows for parallel computations, and its degrees of freedom, which enable it to track various changes in the clutter statistics. Constant-false-alarm rate (CFAR) performance for local detectors designed from the OS characterization is compared to that of conventional CFAR detectors that operate locally at each receiver. The results demonstrate the ability of the local OS detectors to adapt to changes in the skewness of the clutter distribution. For the cases tested, the local OS detectors maintain the expected value for the false alarm probability better than the local conventional CFAR detectors by factors ranging from 2 to 100. OS detectors also provide information to the data fusion center that can be useful in discriminating different types of interference and detecting small targets in clutter. Examples of utilizing OS detections at the data fusion center are discussed. >
3D Digital Legos for Teaching Security Protocols

We have designed and developed a 3D digital Lego system as an education tool for teaching security protocols effectively in Information Assurance courses (Lego is a trademark of the LEGO Group. Here, we use it only to represent the pieces of a construction set.). Our approach applies the pedagogical methods learned from toy construction sets by treating security primitives as Lego pieces and protocols as construction results. Simulating the Lego toys, the digital Legos use matching shapes to help students understand the relationships among security primitives and protocols. Specifically, we present a flexible Lego generation method that can use various intuitive shapes to represent abstract and complex security protocols. Our design allows easy generation of new Lego sets and creation of different course materials. The integrated system also provides 3D interaction methods that simulate the real Lego building experience. For selected security courses, we have designed sample demonstrations and experiments for a set of important protocols. The initial evaluation results show encouraging feedback from students on using digital Legos in introductory security courses.
Bacterial Counts and Weight Changes of Broiler Carcasses Chilled Commercially by Water Immersion and Air-Blast

Abstract Broiler carcasses chilled by immersion in slush ice in a 2-stage commercial continuous chiller showed lower bacterial count after chilling and during storage than carcasses which by-passed the immersion chiller and were air-blast chilled at −7°C. for 45 min. Carcasses chilled by the combination of immersion and air-blast were usually intermediate in bacterial count after chilling and during storage. When carcasses were handled or rehung during and after chilling, bacterial count significantly increased in skin surfaces.
A Wide Power Supply Range, Wide Tuning Range, All Static CMOS All Digital PLL in 65 nm SOI

An all static CMOS ADPLL fabricated in 65 nm digital CMOS SOI technology has a fully programmable proportional-integral-differential (PID) loop filter and features a third order delta sigma modulator. The DCO is a three stage, static inverter based ring oscillator programmable in 768 frequency steps. The ADPLL lock range is 500 MHz to 8 GHz at 1.3 V and 25degC, and 90 MHz to 1.2 GHz at 0.5 V and 100degC. The IC dissipates 8 mW/GHz at 1.2 V and 1.6 mW/GHz at 0.5 V. The synthesized 4 GHz clock has a period jitter of 0.7 ps rms, and long term jitter of 6 ps rms. The phase noise under nominal operating conditions is 112 dBc/Hz measured at a 10 MHz offset from a 4 GHz center frequency. The total circuit area is 200 mum 150 mum.
Rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion in cattle fed diets varying in forage and energy source

Abstract Four Holstein steers, each fitted with a rumen fistula and duodenal t-shaped cannula, were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to measure the rumen fermentation and digestibility of the following diets: (1) alfalfa hay and barley; (2) alfalfa hay and ground corn; (3) corn silage and barley; (4) corn silage and corn. All diets contained 50% forage and 50% concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis, with a minimum of 10% of the DM as alfalfa hay. Diets based on alfalfa hay had more organic matter digestion in the rumen and total digestive tract than those containing corn silage. Diets containing corn as the major concentrate energy source had less ruminal starch digestion and a greater flow of organic matter to the duodenum than diets containing barley. Total tract digestion of nitrogen (N) was greater for barley than corn diets, but was similar between forage sources. Neither the forage nor concentrate energy source affected bacterial protein synthesis. Rumen pH was higher and ammonia-N was lower in alfalfa than barley diets. In addition, rumen acetate was higher and rumen propionate was lower, resulting in a greater acetate-to-propionate ratio in alfalfa diets.
Characterization of Malignant Brain Tumor Using Elastic Light Scattering Spectroscopy

We report a pilot study designed to test elastic light-scattering (ELS) spectroscopy for characterizing normal, tumor, and tumor-infiltrated brain tissues. ELS spectra were measured from 393 sites on 36 ex vivo tissue specimen obtained from 29 patients. We employed and compared the performances of three methods of spectral classification for tissue characterization, including spectral slope analysis, principle component analysis (PCA), and artificial neural network (ANN) classification. The ANN classifier yielded the best correlation between spectral pattern and histopathological diagnosis, with a typical sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 93% for differentiating tumor from normal brain tissues. We also demonstrate that all three classification methods discriminate between tumor and normal tissue and have the potential to identify and quantitatively characterize tumor-infiltrated brain tissues.
Quinapril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, prevents cardiac hypertrophy during episodic hypertension.

Six control dogs, six dogs treated with 1.5 mg/kg b.i.d. quinapril, and six dogs treated with 8 mg/kg q.d. minoxidil underwent 6 hours daily of hindquarter compression for 9 weeks. Minoxidil significantly decreased baseline blood pressure (-17 mm Hg; p less than or equal to 0.01), whereas quinapril decreased baseline blood pressure 11 mm Hg but not significantly (p = 0.15). Hindquarter compression elicited blood pressure increases in all three groups (control +18, quinapril +13, minoxidil +19 mm Hg). After 9 weeks, left ventricular mass in control dogs increased 22% (p less than 0.004); a similar increase was seen in minoxidil-treated dogs (+22%, p less than 0.0001) but not in the quinapril-treated group (+4%, p less than 0.15). The increase in left ventricular mass in control dogs was concentric (increased epicardial volume only), whereas in the minoxidil group, the hypertrophy was eccentric (both epicardial and endocardial volumes increased). The minimal hypertrophy in the quinapril group was concentric (no change in epicardial, but a decrease in endocardial volume). Quinapril had little hypotensive effect, but prevented the development of left ventricular hypertrophy, whereas minoxidil did not prevent hypertrophy in spite of its hypotensive effect. The mechanism of this differential effect of direct vasodilation versus converting enzyme inhibition on left ventricular hypertrophy is not fully elucidated. The results with quinapril suggest that some antihypertensive agents may positively affect left ventricular hypertrophy in spite of the absence of a large effect on baseline blood pressure or on blood pressure reactivity.
STABLE ISOTOPES REVEAL THAT SAGUARO FRUIT PROVIDES DIFFERENT RESOURCES TO TWO DESERT DOVE SPECIES

During the Sonoran Desert summer, saguaro cacti produce an abundant fruit crop whose nutrients and water have distinctive stable isotope compositions. Carbon stable isotope analyses indicated that, at the peak of saguaro fruit production, saguaro fruit represented >90% of White-winged Dove and ∼50% of Mourning Dove carbon incorporation. Over the entire summer, saguaro fruit comprised 50% and 14% of the diet of White-winged and Mourning Doves, respectively. In White-winged Doves, δ13C of their liver tissue and δD (deuterium) of their body water were linearly correlated, indicating that saguaro fruit was an important source of both nutrients and water. In Mourning Doves, in contrast, δ13C and δD were not correlated. Mourning Doves acquired nutrients but not water from saguaro fruit. Stable isotopes revealed that a common food plant sometimes provides a very different suite of resources to the different species that consume it.
Initial therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Socioeconomic implications and limitations

Background: The optimal therapeutic approach for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still evolving; however, many would consider one of two basic options: “medical”-only thrombolysis or reperfusion, or an early (invasive), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The decision about which is most appropriate depends (perhaps unfortunately) on more than just medical factors. That is, the choice for some patients is also limited by payor source and the technical capabilities at the site of the initial treatment. Practically speaking, a significant portion of the US population simply does not have the option of (at least, initial) PCI. Methods and results: Kino Community Hospital in Tucson, AZ, serves primarily an indigent population in southern Arizona, near the border with Mexico. This facility does not have in-house capability for PCI. Therefore, shortly after the publication of the original Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 14 study (June 1999), we implemented their combination reperfusion protocol for the initial therapy of eligible patients admitted to the hospital with AMI. This report documents our experience with this medical reperfusion regimen in 42 patients over a span of almost 3 years. A retrospective chart review was conducted to evaluate outcome in 42 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction given the TIMI-14 reperfusion regimen. Complete resolution of ST-segment changes occurred in 30 patients (71.4%), with major bleeding complicating the therapy of only 3 patients (7.1%). After stabilization in our facility, 28 patients (66.6%) needed PCI. Conclusion: This report summarizes the experience of a small county hospital where medical thrombolysis is the only immediate therapy available. (CHEST 2004; 126:457– 460)
Histone H1 Represses Estrogen Receptor α Transcriptional Activity by Selectively Inhibiting Receptor-Mediated Transcription Initiation

Chromatin is the physiological template for many nuclear processes in eukaryotes, including transcription by RNA polymerase II. In vivo, chromatin is assembled from genomic DNA, core histones, linker histones such as histone H1, and nonhistone chromatin-associated proteins. Histone H1 is thought to act as a general repressor of transcription by promoting the compaction of chromatin into higher-order structures. We have used a biochemical approach, including an in vitro chromatin assembly and transcription system, to examine the effects of histone H1 on estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha)-mediated transcription with chromatin templates. We show that histone H1 acts as a potent repressor of ligand- and coactivator-regulated transcription by ER alpha. Histone H1 exerts its repressive effect without inhibiting the sequence-specific binding of ER alpha to chromatin or the overall extent of targeted acetylation of nucleosomal histones by the coactivator p300. Instead, histone H1 acts by blocking a specific step in the ER alpha-dependent transcription process, namely, transcription initiation, without affecting transcription reinitiation. Together, our data indicate that histone H1 acts selectively to reduce the overall level of productive transcription initiation by restricting promoter accessibility and preventing the ER alpha-dependent formation of a stable transcription pre-initiation complex.
2008 Special Issue: Embodied models of delayed neural responses: Spatiotemporal categorization and predictive motor control in brain based devices

In order to respond appropriately to environmental stimuli, organisms must integrate over time spatiotemporal signals that reflect object motion and self-movement. One possible mechanism to achieve this spatiotemporal transformation is to delay or lag neural responses. This paper reviews our recent modeling work testing the sufficiency of delayed responses in the nervous system in two different behavioral tasks: (1) Categorizing spatiotemporal tactile cues with thalamic ''lag'' cells and downstream coincidence detectors, and (2) Predictive motor control was achieved by the cerebellum through a delayed eligibility trace rule at cerebellar synapses. Since the timing of these neural signals must closely match real-world dynamics, we tested these ideas using the brain based device (BBD) approach in which a simulated nervous system is embodied in a robotic device. In both tasks, biologically inspired neural simulations with delayed neural responses were critical for successful behavior by the device.
The thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk score in unstable angina/non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Risk stratification in unstable angina (UA)/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) can provide an estimate of a patient's prognosis and optimize clinical choices. The Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score for UA/NSTEMI is an integrated approach that uses baseline variables that are part of the routine medical evaluation to identify patients at high risk for death and other major cardiac ischemic events. Using multivariable logistic regression, seven independent predictor variables were identified: age > or = 65 years, > or = 3 risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), known CAD (stenosis > or = 50%), severe anginal symptoms (> or = 2 anginal events in preceding 24 h), use of aspirin in the last seven days, ST-segment deviation > or = 0.05 mV, and elevated serum cardiac markers of necrosis. Each predictor carried similar prognostic weight; therefore, a risk score was constructed as the simple arithmetic sum of the number of predictors. The rate of death, MI, or urgent revascularization significantly increased as the TIMI risk score increased, ranging from 40% for patients with a risk score of 6 or 7. The risk score has been validated in several other trials of UA/NSTEMI. In addition, using the risk score to categorize patients also effectively defines a gradient for benefit with specific treatments such as low-molecular-weight heparins, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and an early invasive strategy.
An efficient real-time human posture tracking algorithm using low-cost inertial and magnetic sensors

Real-time accurate human posture tracking in unconstrained environments provides an enabling technology for physicians and other care providers to monitor the movements of their patients in real-life situations. Constructing a posture tracking system with the form factor suitable for human wear requires the development of miniature units that can be attached to the limb segments of interest in an unobtrusive way. Simultaneously, fast algorithms that can produce real-time posture estimates at sufficient rates are needed. In this paper, we focus on the development of efficient and accurate algorithms that compute the human posture information from low-cost miniature inertial and magnetic sensors. We present a new technique that computes posture estimates from the sensor data 23.8 times faster than the most efficient previously proposed technique, and simultaneously increases the accuracy of the estimates.
Calibration of water proton chemical shift with temperature for noninvasive temperature imaging during focused ultrasound surgery.

The present work was performed to calibrate water proton chemical shift change with tissue temperature in vivo to establish a method of quantitative temperature imaging during focused ultrasound surgery. The chemical shift change measured with a phase-mapping method using spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in steady state (SPGR) (TR = 26 msec, TE = 12.8 msec, matrix = 256 x 128) was calibrated with the corresponding temperature elevation (0-50 degrees C, 32-84 degrees C in absolute temperature) measured with a copper-constantan thermocouple (.05-mm-diameter bare wires) in rabbit skeletal muscle (16 animals) under focused ultrasound exposures (10-100 W radiofrequency [RF] power, 20-second sonication). A linear calibration with a regression coefficient of (-8.76+/-.69) x 10(-3) ppm/degrees C (P < .01 [P, significance level]) was obtained. Temperature distributions during a 20-second sonication were visualized every 3.3 seconds with a 2.3-mm3 spatial resolution and 4 degrees C temperature uncertainty.
Achilles Tendon Allograft Reconstruction of the Fibular Collateral Ligament and Posterolateral Corner

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional and clinical outcomes of a consecutive series of patients who underwent fibular collateral ligament (FCL) and posterolateral corner (PLC) reconstruction by use of a single Achilles tendon allograft construct. Methods: Patients were identified through prospective sports medicine databases at 2 academic institutions. Only patients who had undergone FCL and PLC reconstruction (as opposed to repair) were included. All patients followed a standard postoperative rehabilitation protocol. Various patterns of combined ligament injuries were included and divided into 2 groups (2 ligament v multiligament). Functional and clinical outcomes were assessed by clinical examination, Lysholm scores, and International Knee Documentation Committee subjective scores. Statistical analysis was performed by use of Wilcoxon paired rank-sum tests and multivariate regression. Results: We identified 16 knees in 16 patients, with a minimum of 2 years’ follow-up. There were 13 men and 3 women. The mean age was 30 years (range, 19 to 61 years). The mean length of clinical follow-up was 30 months (range, 24 to 75 months). The mean International Knee Documentation Committee subjective scores were 80 points and 80 points (P .79) in the 2-ligament and multiligament groups, respectively, and the mean Lysholm scores were 90 points and 89 points (P .96), respectively. Age (P .41), gender (P .84), and interval between injury and surgery (P .72) did not affect the clinical and functional outcomes between the 2 groups. Arthrofibrosis requiring manipulation developed in 1 patient. Residual varus laxity (1) was noted in 4 patients, none of whom displayed functional instability. No patient has required revision reconstruction to date. Conclusions: We describe a novel technique that takes into account the main static PLC stabilizers (FCL, popliteofibular ligament, and posterolateral capsule) that has not been previously reported. Our series showed no significant differences in clinical and functional outcomes between 2-ligament and multiligament PLC-based reconstructions. However, given the heterogeneity and small sample size of our study group, it is difficult to draw qualitative conclusions. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series. Key Words: Posterolateral corner—Knee ligament reconstruction—Fibular collateral ligament.
Finding Effective Intervention and Personnel Preparation Practices for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The CEC Research Award recognizes researchers for the significant contributions they have made to special education. We believe that the members of this distinguished group have much to share with our readers. We have invited each of them to contribute an article, addressing their perspectives on special education research and practices. Richard Simpson was awarded the Research Award in 2002. This article by Simpson presents his motivations for entering the field and what he has learned from his work with children and youth with autism spectrum disorders; selected representative references are also provided.
Effects of crustal stresses on fluid transport in fractured rock: case studies from northeastern and southwestern USA

The link between stress and hydrologic properties was examined at two sites that are distinguished by different rock types and different stress states. This investigation is based upon the analysis and interpretation of geophysical logs obtained in water wells at the two locations. At the northeast site (Newark Basin), the hydrologic characteristics of sedimentary rocks are dependent upon the relationship to the current regional stress field of two primary types of orthogonal features that serve as preferential pathways for fluid flow. Subhorizontal bedding-plane partings are highly transmissive near the surface and delineate transversely isotropic fluid flow at shallow depths. With increasing depth, the subhorizontal planes become less dominant and steeply dipping fractures become more influential hydrologically. These high-angle features define anisotropic flow pathways that are preferentially oriented along strike. At the southwest site (west Texas), extrusive rocks are subjected to topographically modified tectonic and gravitational stresses that vary spatially within a valley setting. The attendant changes in stress invariants cause fracture connectivity within the rock mass to systematically increase with depth along the valley flanks, but to remain relatively low in the central valley. The degree of fracture connectivity predicted within this valley configuration is consistent with variations in transmissivity determined at several well locations. In each of these cases, the idealized understanding of the hydrologic system is enhanced by considering the effects of regional and local stresses that act upon the fractured-rock aquifer.
Nutrition, ageing and GFR: is age-associated decline inevitable?

Due to the paucity of long-term observational data, it is still unclear whether the decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) noted in older humans is a result of true changes in renal function over time. The fact that a carefully characterized subpopulation of subjects showed no decrease in GFR over time suggests that the 'physiological decrease' in GFR noted in the elderly is not inevitable. In studies in our patient population, there was a significant correlation between creatinine clearance and nutritional protein intake in elderly patients without renal disease. In our studies, elderly subjects without renal disease who ingested > 1 g/kg day of protein had creatinine clearances in the range of 90-100 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , while those with lower protein intakes had lower creatinine clearances. Our studies suggest that GFR is not a fixed function, and that its value may change both over short periods and over decades in humans, with these changes being associated with changes in nutritional protein intake. Low levels of GFR are not necessarily equivalent to a diagnosis of renal disease. Diet must be considered in the assessment of renal function in elderly patients before a diagnosis of renal insufficiency can be made. Decreased GFR is not an inevitable consequence of ageing in humans.
Maternal exposure to predation risk decreases offspring antipredator behaviour and survival in threespined stickleback

Summary 1. Adaptive maternal programming occurs when mothers alter their offspring's phenotype in response to environmental information such that it improves offspring fitness. When a mother's environment is predictive of the conditions her offspring are likely to encounter, such transgenerational plasticity enables offspring to be better-prepared for this particular environment. However, maternal effects can also have deleterious effects on fitness. 2. Here, we test whether female threespined stickleback fish exposed to predation risk adaptively prepare their offspring to cope with predators. We either exposed gravid females to a model predator or not, and compared their offspring's antipredator behaviour and survival when alone with a live predator. Importantly, we measured offspring behaviour and survival in the face of the same type of predator that threatened their mothers (Northern pike). 3. We did not find evidence for adaptive maternal programming; offspring of predator-exposed mothers were less likely to orient to the predator than offspring from unexposed mothers. In our predation assay, orienting to the predator was an effective antipredator behaviour and those that oriented survived for longer. 4. In addition, offspring from predator-exposed mothers were caught more quickly by the predator on average than offspring from unexposed mothers. The difference in antipredator behaviour between the maternal predator-exposure treatments offers a potential behavioural mechanism contributing to the difference in survival between maternal treatments. 5. However, the strength and direction of the maternal effect on offspring survival depended on offspring size. Specifically, the larger the offspring from predator-exposed mothers, the more vulnerable they were to predation compared to offspring from unexposed mothers. 6. Our results suggest that the predation risk perceived by mothers can have long-term behavioural and fitness consequences for offspring in response to the same predator. These stress-mediated maternal effects can have non-adaptive consequences for offspring when they find themselves alone with a predator. In addition, complex interactions between such maternal effects and offspring traits such as size can influence our conclusions about the adaptive nature of maternal effects.
A Review of “Reinventing the Library for Online Education”

Many precepts of the academic library can be traced back to the thirteenth century, and in his new book, Reinventing the Library for Online Education, Frederick Stielow challenges librarians to dec...
Three-dimensional modeling of the reactive transport of CO2 and its impact on geomechanical properties of reservoir rocks and seals

Abstract This article develops a model to analyze CO2 reservoirs using the STOMP-CO2-R code that is interfaced with the ABAQUS® finite element package. The STOMP-CO2-R/ABAQUS® simulator accounts for the reactive transport of CO2 causing changes in mineralogy that modify the geomechanical properties of reservoir rocks and seals. Rocks’ elastic properties that vary during CO2 injection and govern the poroelastic behavior of rocks are modeled by an Eshelby–Mori-Tanka approach. A three-dimensional (3D) STOMP-CO2-R model for a CO2 reservoir containing a vertical fault was built to analyze a formation containing a reaction network with 5 minerals: albite, anorthite, calcite, kaolinite and quartz. A 3D ABAQUS® model that maps this STOMP-CO2-R model was built for the analysis using STOMP-CO2-R/ABAQUS®. The results show that after a long period of CO2 injection the mineralogical changes significantly reduced the permeability and elastic modulus of the reservoir in front of the fault leading to a reduction of the pressure margin to fracture at and beyond the injection location. The impact of reactive transport of CO2 on the geomechanical properties of reservoir rocks and seals are studied in terms of mineral composition changes that affect the rock stiffness, stress and strain distributions, and pressure margin to fracture.
Multistable internal resonance in electroelastic crystals with nonlinearly coupled modes

Nonlinear modal interactions have recently become the focus of intense research in micro- and nanoscale resonators for their use to improve oscillator performance and probe the frontiers of fundamental physics. However, our understanding of modal coupling is largely restricted to clamped-clamped beams, and lacking in systems with both geometric and material nonlinearities. Here we report multistable energy transfer between internally resonant modes of an electroelastic crystal plate and use a mixed analytical-numerical approach to provide new insight into these complex interactions. Our results reveal a rich bifurcation structure marked by nested regions of multistability. Even the simple case of two coupled modes generates a host of topologically distinct dynamics over the parameter space, ranging from the usual Duffing bistability to complex multistable behaviour and quasiperiodic motion.
Temperature Dependence of Ion Transport in Dilute Tetrabutylammonium Triflate-Acetate Solutions and Self-Diffusion in Pure Acetate Liquids

Conductivities and static dielectric constants for 0.0055 M tetrabutylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate in n-butyl acetate, n-pentyl acetate, n-hexyl acetate, n-octyl acetate, and n-decyl acetate have been collected over the temperature range of 0-80 °C. Self-diffusion coefficients and static dielectric constants of pure acetates were obtained over the same temperature range. Both temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients and ionic conductivities of these pure acetates and dilute acetate solutions can be accurately described by the compensated Arrhenius formalism. Activation energies were calculated from compensated Arrhenius plots for both conductivity and diffusion data. Activation energies are higher for conductivity data of 0.0055 M TbaTf-acetates compared to diffusion data of pure acetates. The plot of the exponential prefactor versus the dielectric constant yields a single master curve for both conductivity and diffusion data. These data support the argument that mass and charge transport are thermally activated processes in the acetates, as previously observed in alcohol-based electrolytes.
Hypotensive anesthesia: Comparing the effects of different drug combinations on mean arterial pressure, estimated blood loss, and surgery time in orthognathic surgery.

Abstract Sevoflurane, an inhalational hypotensive anesthetic agent with a vasodilatory property, has been commonly used as a single agent to induce hypotension and effectively decrease blood loss in orthognathic surgery. However, it is common for patients to receive other hypotensive anesthetic agents in combination with sevoflurane. The purpose of our retrospective cohort study is to investigate whether administering an additional hypotensive agent has greater effect at reducing mean arterial pressure (MAP), estimated blood loss (EBL) and surgery time during orthognathic surgery. Material and methods 57 subjects, aged 0–89 of both genders, who underwent orthognathic surgery were investigated in this study. Each patient's anesthesia records were reviewed to record the following variables of interest: EBL, duration of surgery, and MAP reduction in %. 41 subjects were placed in Group I and they received sevoflurane alone. 16 subjects were placed in Group II and they received sevoflurane plus a “supportive” agent. These “supportive” agents were esmolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nicardipine, and dexmedetomidine. The significant differences between two groups were assessed by using ANCOVA and p Results Subjects in Group II experienced a greater reduction in MAP during surgery than subjects in Group I, 27.30% and 20.44%, respectively (p = 0.027). There was no significant difference for sex (p = 0.417) or age group (p = 0.113) in estimated blood loss, however. The mean surgery time in Group I was 1.93, 2.77, and 4.54 h with respect to LeFort, BSSO/IVRO, and double jaw surgery. Patients in Group II had a mean surgery time of 1.73, 2.07, and 5.64 h with respect to LeFort, BSSO/IVRO, and double jaw surgery. No statistically significant difference was demonstrated in surgery time between Group I vs. Group II (p > 0.05). Subjects in Group II experienced, on average, more blood loss than subjects in Group I, 355.50 ml and 238.90 ml, respectively. Conclusion The use of multi-drug combination may offer significant advantage of reducing patients' mean arterial pressure. However, this has no significant effect on reducing blood loss or surgery time in comparison to sevoflurane alone.
The Future of Crises

Assumptions, not facts, are the building blocks of our knowledge of the world around us. Therefore, monitoring of key assumptions is an integral part of strategic thinking and crisis management. Our guiding motto is “Know thy assumptions and prepare for the highly likely event that they will be rendered false.” We hope that we have examined enough crises and assumptions so that the reader is better equipped to face new crises head on and to anticipate and uncover the critical assumptions that underlie them.
Oxidative Stress Is a Driver of Normal and Pathological Ovarian Aging

Normal ovarian development and aging are discussed, highlighting the role of declining antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress in ovarian aging. Evidence for the importance of oxidative stress in driving pathological ovarian aging comes from various lines of research. Correlative studies in women undergoing assisted reproduction provide evidence that decreased antioxidant capacity and increased oxidative damage are associated with poorer outcomes. Genetically modified mouse models of increased oxidative stress show accelerated ovarian aging. Reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress mediate ovarian damage caused by multiple chemical toxicants and ionizing radiation. Exposure to chemical and physical agents or to under-or over-nutrition during development are increasingly recognized as important determinants of ovarian health during adult life. Accelerated ovarian aging in many of these experimental models can be mitigated by supplementation with antioxidants.
Autonomy infused teleoperation with application to brain computer interface controlled manipulation

Robot teleoperation systems face a common set of challenges including latency, low-dimensional user commands, and asymmetric control inputs. User control with Brain---Computer Interfaces (BCIs) exacerbates these problems through especially noisy and erratic low-dimensional motion commands due to the difficulty in decoding neural activity. We introduce a general framework to address these challenges through a combination of computer vision, user intent inference, and arbitration between the human input and autonomous control schemes. Adjustable levels of assistance allow the system to balance the operators capabilities and their perception of control authority. Additionally, a custom servo controller design allow for safe interactions of the robotic arm with the environment. We present experimental results demonstrating significant performance improvement using our shared-control assistance framework on adapted rehabilitation benchmarks with two subjects at various timepoints relative to their implantation with intracortical BCIs. Our results indicate that shared assistance mitigates perceived user difficulty in using a seven-degree of freedom robotic arm as a prosthetic and enables successful performance on previously infeasible tasks. We showcase the extensibility of our architecture with applications to quality-of-life tasks such as opening a door, pouring liquids from containers, and manipulation with objects previously unknown to the system in densely cluttered environments.
Two-Dimensional Solitons

In Chap. 2, we have shown that the KP hierarchy admits particular solutions, called the KP solitons, the main subject of this book, which are expressed by the Wronskian form. In this chapter, we show that this determinant structure is common for other two-dimensional integrable systems generated by several reductions of the modified bilinear identity proposed by Ueno-Takasaki [128] (see [123] for a further generalization of the bilinear identity). In addition to the KP hierarchy, these integrable systems also include the two-dimensional Toda lattice hierarchy and the Davey-Stewartson hierarchy. Here we construct their soliton solutions in the determinant form and show that their wave parameters for these solutions are chosen from conic curves, that is, the KP soliton from the parabola, the two-dimensional Toda soliton from the hyperbola, and the Davey-Stewartson soliton from the circle.
How Should Resident Physicians Respond to Patients’ Discomfort and Students’ Moral Distress When Learning Procedures in Academic Medical Settings?

Transparency about teaching hospitals’ educational mission respects patient autonomy and aligns patients’ interests with those of trainees and the public.
Toward the development of customizable textile-integrated thermal actuators

This study explores efficient methods for production of customizable heated textiles. An electrical heating system using the Liberator40® conductive fiber, stitched in a serpentine pattern on stretch knit fabrics, was employed. Parameters including thread layers, pattern sizes, and different fiber-based substrates and covering were compared when analyzing resistance and temperature output. Results indicated that covered knit fabrics stitched with a 0.4cm serpentine spacing produced the most efficient measure of temperature.
Sampling algorithms to update truncated SVD

A truncated singular value decomposition (SVD) is a powerful tool for analyzing modern datasets. However, the massive volume and rapidly changing nature of the datasets often make it too expensive to compute the SVD of the whole dataset at once. It is more attractive to use only a part of the dataset at a time and incrementally update the SVD. A randomized algorithm has been shown to be a great alternative to a traditional updating algorithm due to its ability to efficiently filter out the noises and extract the relevant features of the dataset. Though it is often faster than the traditional algorithm, in order to extract the relevant features, the randomized algorithm may need to accesses the data multiple times, and this data access creates a significant performance bottleneck. To improve the performance of the randomized algorithm for updating SVD, we study, in this paper, two sampling algorithms that access the data only two or three times, respectively. We present several case studies to show that only a small fraction of the data may be needed to maintain the quality of the updated SVD, while our performance results on a hybrid CPU/GPU computer demonstrate the potential of the sampling algorithms to improve the performance of the randomized algorithm.
Optimizing rural village microgrids to provide affordable and reliable renewable electricity in developing countries

Worldwide, more than one billion people lack access to electricity. Village electrification using microgrids has the potential to provide rural households with reliable electricity that not only delivers light but also creates opportunities to use electricity for productive uses that enable economic development. Using a stochastic simulation model, we demonstrate that costs can be reduced by designing for less than 100% reliability, but the cost tradeoff is significantly impacted by the capital investment in distribution systems. Models also illustrate how active encouragement of productive use can transition microgrids from demonstration projects to ‘bankable’ investments. Modeling indicates that load growth of 9% annually for 8 years — an achievable goal with proper information and access to capital — lowers the cost of electricity supply by greater than 25%. Growth models also illustrate that higher total growth should be coupled with diversification of both generation and loads. Our results have several important policy implications. First, rural electrification can be cost effectively achieved if integrated with rural development, and conversely, electrification without sufficient attention to development is unlikely to produce economically sustainable systems. Second, regulators should consider standards requiring that private providers of electricity have effective processes for both cost minimization & encouragement of local development.
Was There a Riurikid Dynasty in Early Rus

This article explores the gap between the scholarly literature, which touts a Riurikid dynasty in Rus’ before the sixteenth century, and the primary sources of the time, which seem to be unaware of such a dynasty. The appeals to legitimacy in the primary sources for particular kniazi to rule in a town never resort to claiming descent from Riurik. Instead, such claims are based on whether one’s father ruled in that town. All others are izgoi , that is, outside the line of succession to any particular throne. The chronologies of the Povest’ vremennykh let and the Novgorod I Chronicle that declare Igor’ to be Riurik’s son are faulty and most likely derive from a single source. In the sixteenth century, Rus’ churchmen in an effort to shore up the legitimacy of the Daniilovichi, who should have been considered izgoi according to the Rus’ succession system, to rule in Moscow claimed descent of the Rus’ grand prince from Riurik and beyond him to Prus, a supposed kinsman of Augustus Caesar. Historians have accepted the dynastic claim of the sixteenth-century Rus’ churchmen to Rus’ kniazi being descended from Riurik (although not from Prus) and thus perpetuate the view that such a dynasty, and thereby a state, existed in early Rus’.
Development of a Laboratory Test Program to Examine Human-Structure Interaction

Vibration serviceability is a widely recognized design criterion for assembly-type structures likely subjected to rhythmic human-induced excitation. Current design guidance is based on the natural frequency of the structure. However, a phenomenon known as human-structure interaction suggests that there is a dynamic interaction between the structure and the occupants, altering the natural frequency of the system. It is unknown if this shift in natural frequency is significant enough to warrant consideration in the design process. Therefore, there is a need to identify the circumstances under which human-structure interaction should be considered because of its potential impact on serviceability assessment. Because the influence of the structural properties on human-structure interaction cannot be separated from the influence of the crowd characteristics, this study explores the interface of both factors through experimental testing. To do so, a laboratory test structure is designed, constructed, and operated based on particular design criteria selected with knowledge from previous human-structure interaction studies. This study provides a review of the design and construction of the test structure, methods used to validate a finite element computer model to the as-built structure, and the experimental testing procedure for testing with occupants.