cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Static partitioning vs dynamic sharing of resources in simultaneous multithreading microarchitectures

Simultaneous MultiThreading (SMT) achieves better system resource utilization and higher performance because it exploits Thread-Level Parallelism (TLP) in addition to “conventional” Instruction-Level Parallelism (ILP). Theoretically, system resources in every pipeline stage of an SMT microarchitecture can be dynamically shared. However, in commercial applications, all the major queues are statically partitioned. From an implementation point of view, static partitioning of resources is easier to implement and has a lower hardware overhead and power consumption. In this paper, we strive to quantitatively determine the tradeoff between static partitioning and dynamic sharing. We find that static partitioning of either the instruction fetch queue (IFQ) or the reorder buffer (ROB) is not sufficient if implemented alone (3% and 9% performance decrease respectively in the worst case comparing with dynamic sharing), while statically partitioning both the IFQ and the ROB could achieve an average performance gain of 9% at least, and even reach 148% when running with floating-point benchmarks, when compared with dynamic sharing. We varied the number of functional units in our efforts to isolate the reason for this performance improvement. We found that static partitioning both queues outperformed all the other partitioning mechanisms under the same system configuration. This demonstrates that the performance gain has been achieved by moving from dynamic sharing to static partitioning of the system resources.
Soil organic matter composition and quality across fire severity gradients in coniferous and deciduous forests of the southern boreal region

Recent patterns of prolonged regional drought in southern boreal forests of the Great Lakes region, USA, suggest that the ecological effects of disturbance by wildfire may become increasingly severe. Losses of forest soil organic matter (SOM) during fire can limit soil nutrient availability and forest regeneration. These processes are also influenced by the composition of postfire SOM. We sampled the forest floor layer (i.e., full organic horizon) and 0–10 cm mineral soil from stands dominated by coniferous (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) or deciduous (Populus tremuloides Michx.) species 1–2 months after the 2011 Pagami Creek wildfire in northern Minnesota. We used solid-state 13C NMR to characterize SOM composition across a gradient of fire severity in both forest cover types. SOM composition was affected by fire, even when no statistically significant losses of total C stocks were evident. The most pronounced differences in SOM composition between burned and unburned reference areas occurred in the forest floor for both cover types. Carbohydrate stocks in forest floor and mineral horizons decreased with severity level in both cover types, whereas pyrogenic C stocks increased with severity in the coniferous forest floor and decreased in only the highest severity level in the deciduous forest floor. Loss of carbohydrate and lignin pools contributed to a decreased SOM stability index and increased decomposition index. Our results suggest that increases in fire severity expected to occur under future climate scenarios may lead to changes in SOM composition and dynamics with consequences for postfire forest recovery and C uptake.
Clonal relationships among bloodstream isolates of Escherichia coli.

The clonal relationships among 187 bloodstream isolates of Escherichia coli from 179 patients at Boston, Mass., Long Beach, Calif., and Nairobi, Kenya, were determined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), analysis of polymorphisms associated with the ribosomal operon (ribotyping), and serotyping. MLEE based on 20 enzymes resolved 101 electrophoretic types (ETs), forming five clusters; ribotyping resolved 56 distinct patterns concordant with the analysis by MLEE. The isolates at each study site formed a genetically diverse group and demonstrated similar clonal structures, with the same small subset of lineages accounting for the majority of isolates at each site. Moreover, two ribotypes accounted for approximately 30% of the isolates at each study site. One cluster contained the majority (65%) of isolates and, by direct comparison of the ETs and ribotypes of individual isolates, was genetically indistinguishable from the largest cluster for each of two other collections of E. coli causing pyelonephritis and neonatal meningitis (R. K. Selander, T. K. Korhonen, V. Vaisanen-Rhen, P. H. Williams, P. E. Pattison, and D. A. Caugent, Infect. Immun. 52:213-222, 1986; M. Arthur, C. E. Johnson, R. H. Rubin, R. D. Arbeit, C. Campanelli, C. Kim, S. Steinbach, M. Agarwal, R. Wilkinson, and R. Goldstein, Infect. Immun. 57:303-313, 1989), thus defining a virulent set of lineages. The isolates within these virulent lineages typically carried DNA homologous to the adhesin operon pap or sfa and the hemolysin operon hly and expressed O1, O2, O4, O6, O18, O25, or O75 antigens. DNA homologous to pap was distributed among isolates of each major cluster, whereas hly was restricted to isolates of two clusters, typically detected in pap-positive strains, and sfa was restricted to isolates of one cluster, typically detected in pap- and hly-positive strains. The occurrence of pap-positive isolates in the same geographically and genetically divergent lineages suggests that this operon was acquired early in the radiation of E. coli, while hly and sfa were acquired subsequently, most likely by pap-positive and pap- and hly-positive precursors, respectively.
Ureteral Stone Location at Emergency Room Presentation With Colic

Purpose: It is thought that the 3 narrowest points of the ureter are the ureteropelvic junction, the point where the ureter crosses anterior to the iliac vessels and the ureterovesical junction. Textbooks describe these 3 sites as the most likely places for ureteral stones to lodge. We defined the stone position in the ureter when patients first present to the emergency department with colic.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 94 consecutive patients who presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of colic and computerized tomography showing a single unilateral ureteral calculus. Axial, coronal and 3-dimensional reformatted computerized tomography scans were evaluated, and stone position and size (maximal axial and coronal diameters) were recorded, as were the position of the ureteropelvic junction, the iliac vessels (where the ureter crosses anterior to the iliac vessels) and the ureterovesical junction. Patients with a history of nephrolithiasis, shock wave...
Methane Detection by Means of Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy in NIR

Trace methane detection by means of quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy using a fiber-coupled DFB diode laser at 1651 nm will be reported. An autonomous sensor configuration will be described.
Snoogle: A Search Engine for the Physical World

Hardware advances will allow us to embed small devices into everyday objects such as toasters and coffee mugs, thus naturally form a wireless object network that connects the object with each other. This paper presents Snoogle, a search engine for such a network. Snoogle uses information retrieval techniques to index information and process user queries, and compression schemes such as Bloom filters to reduce communication overhead. Snoogle also considers security and privacy protections for sensitive data. We have implemented the system prototype on off-the-shelf sensor motes, and conducted extensive experiments to evaluate the system performance.
Formation of methane in comet impacts: implications for Earth, Mars, and Titan

Abstract We calculate the amount of methane that may form via reactions catalyzed by metal-rich dust that condenses in the wake of large cometary impacts. Previous models of the gas-phase chemistry of impacts predicted that the terrestrial planets' atmospheres should be initially dominated by CO/CO 2 , N 2 , and H 2 O. CH 4 was not predicted to form in impacts because gas-phase reactions in the explosion quench at temperatures ∼2000 K, at which point all of the carbon is locked in CO. We argue that the dust that condenses out in the wake of a large comet impact is likely to have very effective catalytic properties, opening up reaction pathways to convert CO and H 2 to CH 4 and CO 2 , at temperatures of a few hundred K. Together with CO 2 , CH 4 is an important greenhouse gas that has been invoked to compensate for the lower luminosity of the Sun ∼4 Gyr ago. Here, we show that heterogeneous (gas–solid) reactions on freshly-recondensed dust in the impact cloud may provide a plausible nonbiological mechanism for reducing CO to CH 4 before and during the emergence of life on Earth, and perhaps Mars as well. These encouraging results emphasize the importance of future research into the kinetics and catalytic properties of astrophysical condensates or “smokes” and also more detailed models to determine the conditions in impact-generated dust clouds.
The Gent–McWilliams Skew Flux

This paper formulates tracer stirring arising from the Gent‐McWilliams (GM) eddy-induced transport in terms of a skew-diffusive flux. A skew-diffusive tracer flux is directed normal to the tracer gradient, which is in contrast to a diffusive tracer flux directed down the tracer gradient. Analysis of the GM skew flux provides an understanding of the physical mechanisms prescribed by GM stirring, which is complementary to the more familiar advective flux perspective. Additionally, it unifies the tracer mixing operators arising from Redi isoneutral diffusion and GM stirring. This perspective allows for a computationally efficient and simple manner in which to implement the GM closure in z-coordinate models. With this approach, no more computation is necessary than when using isoneutral diffusion alone. Additionally, the numerical realization of the skew flux is significantly smoother than the advective flux. The reason is that to compute the skew flux, no gradient of the diffusivity or isoneutral slope is taken, whereas such a gradient is needed for computing the advective flux. The skew-flux formulation also exposes a striking cancellation of terms that results when the GM diffusion coefficient is identical to the Redi isoneutral diffusion coefficient. For this case, the horizontal components to the tracer flux are aligned down the horizontal tracer gradient, and the resulting computational cost of Redi diffusion plus GM skew diffusion is roughly half that needed for Redi diffusion alone.
Technological progress and the perpetual learning curve [Spectral Lines]

Talk to my iphone 6 Plus to compose text messages, and I’m not alone. Many people are abandoning typing, which can be hard on the hands. Why let your fingers take a pounding when you can get what you want by speaking?
New Developments in High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography for Non-Destructive Defect Detection in Next Generation Package Technologies

The development of a next generation high-resolution x-ray Computed Tomography (CT) tool and its applications are reported in this paper. Some of the key features are region of interest capability, improved time-to-data, improved usability, and data collection automation capability. We also discuss the key technical challenges that are faced by x-ray CT technology. Critical cases that are hard or not possible to isolate by alternative methods are also discussed. Examples include Controlled Collapse Chip Connection (C4) bump cracking and “invisible” non-wetting analysis, ball grid array (BGA) solder joint cracking, and wirebond microcracking and wirebond shorting, as well as demonstration of progressive testing capability.
Inherent secure communications using lattice based waveform design

The wireless communications channel is innately insecure due to the broadcast nature of the electromagnetic medium. Many techniques have been developed and implemented in order to combat insecurities and ensure the privacy of transmitted messages. Traditional methods include encrypting the data via cryptographic methods, hiding the data in the noise floor as in wideband communications, or nulling the signal in the spatial direction of the adversary using array processing techniques. This work analyzes the design of signaling constellations, i.e. modulation formats, to combat eavesdroppers from correctly decoding transmitted messages. It has been shown that in certain channel models the ability of an adversary to decode the transmitted messages can be degraded by a clever signaling constellation based on lattice theory. This work attempts to optimize certain lattice parameters in order to maximize the security of the data transmission. These techniques are of interest because they are orthogonal to, and can be used in conjunction with, traditional security techniques to create a more secure communication channel.
Marijuana use trajectories and academic outcomes among college students.

Abstract Background Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug by college students. Prior studies have established an association between marijuana use and poor academic performance in college, but research on the frequency of marijuana use over the entire college career is limited. The study objective was to examine the association of marijuana use trajectories on academic outcomes, including senior year enrollment, plans to graduate on time, and GPA. Methods Data were collected from a cohort of 3146 students from 11 colleges in North Carolina and Virginia at six time points across the college career. Group-based trajectory models were used to characterize longitudinal marijuana use patterns during college. Associations between marijuana trajectory groups and academic outcomes were modeled using random-effects linear and logistic regressions. Results Five marijuana trajectory groups were identified: non-users (69.0%), infrequent users (16.6%), decreasing users (4.7%), increasing users (5.8%), and frequent users (3.9%). Decreasing users and frequent users were more likely to drop out of college and plan to delay graduation when compared to non-users. All marijuana user groups reported lower GPAs, on average, than non-users. Conclusion These results identify marijuana use patterns that put students at risk for poor academic performance in college. Students who use marijuana frequently at the beginning of the college career are especially at risk for lower academic achievement than non-users, suggesting that early intervention is critical.
Molecular Mechanisms for the Biological Storage of Renewable Energy

Recent and ongoing discoveries in the field of extracellular electron transport offer the potential to electrically power highly flexible, carbon-fixing microbial metabolisms and generate a rich variety of chemicals and fuels. This process, electrosynthesis, creates the opportunity to use biology for the low cost storage of renewable electricity and the synthesis of fuels that produce no net carbon dioxide. This article highlights recent discoveries on the molecular machinery underpinning electrosynthesis and reviews recent work on the energy conversion efficiency of photosynthesis to begin to establish a framework to quantify the overall energy storage and conversion efficiency of electrosynthesis.
PDPH in obstetric anesthesia: comparison of 24-gauge Sprotte and 25-gauge Quincke needles and effect of subarachnoid administration of fentanyl.

Background and Objectives. Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a frequent complication of spinal anesthesia. Some investigators have recommended the use of the Sprotte needle to reduce the incidence of this serious complication. This study prospectively compared the incidence of PDPH with two spinal needles of different size and design: the 24-gauge Sprotte (noncutting point) versus the 25-gauge Quincke (diamond, cutting point). The hypothesis that subarachnoid fentanyl will reduce the incidence of PDPH, as suggested in the literature, was also studied. Methods. Only patients for emergency or elective cesarean delivery were studied. One hundred ninety four patients were randomly assigned to receive spinal anesthesia with one of the two needles (Sprotte, n = 96; Quincke, n = 98). Simultaneously, each patient was assigned to receive hyperbaric 0.75% bupivacaine local anesthetic or a combination of the same concentration of local anesthetic with 20 μg of fentanyl (Sprotte with fentanyl, n = 47; Sprotte without fentanyl, n = 49; Quincke with fentanyl, n = 49; Quincke without fentanyl, n = 49). All patients were evaluated during the first 4 postoperative days, and follow-up telephone interviews were conducted 3 weeks after discharge. Results. Four patients (4.2%) in the Sprotte group and seven (7.1%) in the Quincke group developed PDPH. Three out of four patients with headache in the Sprotte and four out of seven in the Quincke group received fentanyl as an adjunct for spinal anesthesia. Two patients in the Sprotte group required an epidural blood patch as a therapy for PDPH. Two patients in the Quincke group had severe headache and required an epidural blood patch. Conclusions. In the current study, the use of the 24-gauge Sprotte spinal needle resulted in a low incidence of severe PDPH, but was not significantly different when compared with the use of a 25-gauge Quincke needle (oriented parallel to the longitudinal dural fibers). The addition of fentanyl to hyperbaric bupivacaine spinal anesthesia did not reduce the risk of PDPH.
Phosphatidylserine Synthesis in Castor Bean Endosperm

Phosphatidylserine synthesis by the endoplasmic reticulum fraction isolated from castor bean (Ricinus communis var. Hale) endosperm was assayed by measuring the incorporation of 14C-l-serine into chloroform-soluble material. Both phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine were identified as products. The incorporation required calcium ions and showed an optimum pH of 7.8 in 2 mm CaCl2. Phosphatidylethanolamine and CDP-diglyceride stimulated the reaction only about 40 to 50% and primary alcohols had relatively little effect on the incorporation. These and other results suggest the synthesis of phosphatidylserine in this tissue occurs by an exchange reaction but the relative roles of phospholipase D and phosphatidylethanolamine: l-serine phosphatidyltransferase remain to be elucidated.
Price Disequilibrium Theory

Even in the modern ‘knowledge economy’ in a global world, financial systems still continue to be central to global commerce. Technological advances in computer and communications have changed both knowledge and the economy and also the financial system. Globalization and technology have made international finance more powerful and important to the world; but they have increased volatility, instability, and fraud in international finance. For example, Martin Wolf wrote: “It is possible to identify … two huge shifts (in the economy). One is ‘liberalization’, the reliance on market forces across much of the world economy, including and notably, in finance. A second is ‘technological change’, in particular the information and communications technology revolution, which turbocharged the integration of economies, again, quite particularly, financial markets …. These great shifts of our time have permitted or created significant further changes. Among the most important have been: the emergence of a globalized world economy; soaring inequality in most economies; the entry of gigantic emerging economies (e.g., China and India) …, In brief, we have a world that is in the midst of historic shifts towards a more market-oriented, financially driven and globalized world economy …. It is a world that has seen downward shocks to the rate of inflation. It is also, it turns out, a world that is hugely crisis prone.” (Wolf 2014)
Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrographs – From Ions to Neutral Atoms†

After their introduction to space physics in the mid 1980's time-of-flight (TOF) spectrographs have become a main staple in space borne mass spectrometry. They have largely replaced magnetic spectrometers, except when extremely high mass resolution is required to identify complex molecules, for example in the vicinity of comets or in planetary atmospheres. In combination with electrostatic analyzers and often solid state detectors, TOF spectrographs have become key instruments to diagnose space plasma velocity distributions, mass and ionic charge composition. With a variety of implementation schemes that also include isochronous electric field configurations, TOF spectrographs can respond to diverse science requirements. This includes a wide range in mass resolution to allow the separation of medium heavy isotopes or to simply provide distributions of the major species, such as H, He, and O, to obtain information on source tracers or mass fluxes. With a top hat analyzer at the front end, or in combination with deflectors for 3-axis stabilized spacecraft, the distribution function of ions can be obtained with good time resolution. Most recently, the reach of TOF ion mass spectrographs has been extended to include energetic neutral atoms. After selecting the arrival direction with mechanical collimation, followed by conversion to ions, adapted TOF sensors form a new branch of the spectrograph family tree. We review the requirements, challenges, and implementation schemes for ion and neutral atom spectrographs, including potential directions for the future, while largely avoiding overlap with complementary contributions in this special issue.
The Human High Affinity Interleukin-2 Receptor

A novel human interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor has been identified on the surface of resting and activated human T cells, B cells, and large granular lymphocytes (natural killer cells) by chemical crosslinking of 125I-IL-2. This receptor has an estimated size of 70,000 daltons, lacks reactivity with the anti-Tac antibody, and binds IL-2 with an affinity that is intermediate between the previously recognized high and low affinity forms of the IL-2 receptor. High affinity crosslinking of 125I-IL-2 results in the labeling of both the p70 protein and the Tac antigen, a well-characterized membrane IL-2 receptor, and the crosslinking to both proteins is inhibited by the anti-Tac antibody. Transfection of MLA-144 T cells, which display only intermediate affinity p70 IL-2 receptors (Kd of 0.6–1.2 nM), with the Tac cDNA reconstituted high affinity (Kd of 30–75 pM) IL-2 receptor expression in these cells. IL-2 binding to these reconstituted high affinity receptors was blocked by anti-Tac; however, this antibody did not alter IL-2 binding to the intermediate affinity p70 receptors. Similarly, high affinity IL-2 receptors were reconstituted on the “natural killer-like” YT cells which display 8,000–10,000 p70 receptors and little or no Tac by activation of Tac gene expression with forskolin or IL-1. Together, these data suggest that the high affinity IL-2 receptor corresponds to a membrane receptor complex composed of two different IL-2 binding proteins.
Effect of pre- and post-plant fungicide and fertilizer treatments on infection by Colletotrichum acutatum, plant survival, and yield of annual strawberry in Florida.

Abstract The effects of pre-plant dips and post-plant treatments on the infection by Colletotrichum acutatum, survival, and yields of strawberry plants were evaluated over two seasons in Florida us...
Haberma's Discourse Theory of Law and the Relationship between Law and Religion

Jurgen Habermas's discourse theory of law poignantly sets forth the modern legitimation crisis of law. Relying on Max Weber's social theory and sociology of law, he argues that the rationalization of society has eliminated religious and metaphysical justifications for law and has differentiated law from politics and morality. Law must now be legitimated based on its legality. The legal positivists (including Weber, H.L.A. Hart, John Austin) and John Finnis attempt to define legality merely in terms of procedural requirements. Habermas, however, demonstrates the circularity of this definition of legality. Legal positivists fail to legitimate the procedural requirements that are claimed to validate law; they merely rely on a subjective belief (rationality) in the legitimacy of the existing legal procedures. To address this problem, Habermas claims that legality can legitimate the law based on the discourse principle. The discourse principle claims that voluntary, intersubjective agreement by all those affected by a legal norm provides a basis for legitimation. To the contrary, the discourse theory of law is also circular and fails to explain adequately how intersubjective agreement can legitimate law. Law as legality thus cannot have subjective or intersubjective rational grounds for legitimation. Consequently, the summary and critique of Habermas's discourse theory of law in this article attempts to call into question the modern consensus that law can be legitimated independently of a religious or metaphysical worldview and opens up the possibility that law must have a religious and metaphysical justification if it is to have any rational justification at all.
The Dynamic Identity of Intestinal Cancer Stem Cells.

Elimination of self-renewing cancer stem cells (CSCs) is necessary to permanently eradicate malignant tissues. In a recent article in Nature, de Sousa e Melo et al. (2017) reveal that intestinal tumors can contain dynamic pools of functionally distinct CSC populations, which seem to interconvert depending on the host tissue microenvironment.
Author response: Mediodorsal nucleus and its multiple cognitive functions

We thank Dr. Onofrj for the comments on our review,1 and for highlighting past literature that suggested the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus may also be involved in the development of confabulations in addition to the clinical features described in our case of an isolated left-sided lesion. Indeed, Dr. Onofrj's group's recent clinical case of bilateral lesions of the mediodorsal thalamic nuclei and the associated imaging data lend further support to this concept. Their study and case series would interestingly suggest a possible laterality to the role of the thalamus in the phenomenon of confabulations and provide valuable groundwork for future study in this area.
Introduction: The Shakespeare User

This introductory chapter argues that in the twenty-first century, Shakespeare readers are increasingly replaced by Shakespeare users. The chapter imagines Shakespeare not as a man or a body of work but a network of collective innovation, and considers the ways in which materialist forces shape—and are shaped by—Shakespeare use. The emergence of digital culture as mass media has expanded the user’s ability to participate in the text, and this chapter considers how new opportunities for critical interrogation arise when Shakespeare is used in communities, online and otherwise, that catalyze a new economy of creative and critical appropriation. Fan agency, transmedia representation, and creative critical use point to a new intracultural identity for Shakespeare, encouraging critics and users to rethink Shakespeare’s presence in cultural and intellectual thought.
A penny saved is a penny earned methods of energy transformation to reduce OPEX for remote area

In this paper, methods of energy transformation to reduce OPEX for remote area are introduced which can be divided into efficiency improving and consumption reducing.
Sulfation of von Willebrand factor

von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a multimeric adhesive glycoprotein essential for normal hemostasis. We have discovered that cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells incorporate inorganic sulfate into vWF. Following immunoisolation and analysis by polyacrylamide or agarose gel electrophoresis, metabolically labeled vWF was found to have incorporated [35S]-sulfate into all secreted multimer species. The time course of incorporation shows that sulfation occurs late in the biosynthesis of vWF, near the point at which multimerization occurs. Quantitative analysis suggests the presence, on average, of one molecule of sulfate per mature vWF subunit. Virtually all the detectable sulfate is released from the mature vWF subunit by treatment with endoglycosidases that remove asparagine-linked carbohydrates. Sulfated carbohydrate was localized first to the N-terminal half of the mature subunit (amino acids 1 through 1,365) by partial proteolytic digestion with protease V8; and subsequently to a smaller fragment within this region (amino acids 273 through 511) by sequential digestions with protease V8 and trypsin. Thus, the carbohydrate at asparagine 384 and/or 468 appears to be the site of sulfate modification. Sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of adenosine triphosphate-sulfurylase, blocks sulfation of vWF without affecting either the ability of vWF to assemble into high molecular weight multimers or the ability of vWF multimers to enter Weible-Palade bodies. The stability of vWF multimers in the presence of an endothelial cell monolayer also was unaffected by the sulfation state. Additionally, we have found that the cleaved propeptide of vWF is sulfated on asparagine-linked carbohydrate.
The Rosenblatt Process

This is a brief history of the Rosenblatt process, how it came about, the role it played, its properties and a detailed description of its various representations.
Fish species diversity in sand bank habitats of a neotropical river

The fish fauna of the Cinaruco River, an intermediate sized floodplain river that forms the southern boundary of the newly established Santos Luzardo National Park in the llanos of Venezuela, was sampled in 1993-1994. Due to highly seasonal rainfall, the nutrient-poor Cinaruco undergoes dramatic changes in water level, creating a variety of seasonally available habitats for fishes. Sand bank habitats are conspicuous features in both main-channel and lentic backwater areas, and support fish assemblages that are different from adjacent rocky shore and shrubby shore habitats. Seine samples from sand bank habitats revealed high alpha diversity, dominated numerically by a few species of small Characiformes. Comparisons among and between lagoon, side-channel, and main-channel sand bank habitats showed little assemblage similarity. Overall, sand bank habitats were used by 8 orders, 21 families, and 105 species of fish, mostly of size classes less than 100 mm. Several species are currently undescribed. Elements which may contribute to high fish diversity include proximity to a diverse Amazonian fauna, seasonally dynamic habitat availability, the influence of keystone predators, and episodes of intermediate disturbance, such as seasonal release from intense biotic interactions.
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually changing medical practice. With recent progress in digitized data acquisition, machine learning and computing infrastructure, AI applications are expanding into areas that were previously thought to be only the province of human experts. In this Review Article, we outline recent breakthroughs in AI technologies and their biomedical applications, identify the challenges for further progress in medical AI systems, and summarize the economic, legal and social implications of AI in healthcare.
Survival Comparison in Patients with Stage IV Lung Cancer in Academic versus Community Centers in the United States

Abstract Introduction Although metastatic NSCLC is widely treated in both academic centers (ACs) and community-based centers (CCs), it is unclear whether outcomes are similar across both settings. A growing variety of chemotherapies and targeted agents for an increasingly histology- and molecular-based treatment strategy could provide an advantage to patients treated in ACs. Using the National Cancer Database, we investigated whether treatment at ACs was associated with a survival advantage in metastatic NSCLC. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database after the introduction of novel NSCLC chemotherapy agents from 1998 to 2010. The primary outcome was 2-year survival, which was analyzed by using a multivariable regression model controlling for age, year of diagnosis, sex, primary payer, histologic type, facility type (AC versus CC), and an interaction term allowing a time-based comparison of survival between ACs and CCs. Alpha was set to 0.001 because of the size of the data set. Results There were 193,279 patients included in this study. The percentage of patients achieving 2-year survival was higher in ACs versus in CCs in 1998 (11.5% versus 9.2% [+2.3%]), and by 2010, the difference had increased to 17.4% versus 13.1% (+4.3%). Multivariable analysis confirmed a significant relative increase in 2-year survival associated with ACs versus with CCs from 1998 to 2010 (p = 0.0005). A histology-dependent survival difference was also noted in adenocarcinoma versus in squamous cell carcinoma (10.2% versus 9.9% in 1998 [+0.3%], increasing to 17.3% versus 10.1% in 2010 [+7.2%]). Adenocarcinoma survival also varied by treatment facility, with the difference in 2-year survival in ACs versus in CCs increasing from 12.3% versus 9.1% (+3.2%) in 1998 to 20.5% versus 15.5% (+5%) in 2010, with a trend toward significance in our multivariable model (p = 0.005). Conclusions A greater increase in survival was noted in ACs than in CCs over this time period, and it was particularly pronounced among patients with adenocarcinoma versus in those with squamous cell carcinoma. Given the known advances in adenocarcinoma treatment compared with in squamous cell lung cancer over this time period, our study suggests that potential treatment-related disparities may exist between ACs and CCs. Further study will be needed to validate this disparity in health care and address opportunities to improve survival in patients with stage IV NSCLC across treatment settings.
MEMS Accelerometer Mini-Array (MAMA): A Low-Cost Implementation for Earthquake Early Warning Enhancement

Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEWS) are often challenged when the earthquakes occur outside the seismic network or where the station density is sparse. In these situations, poor locations and l...
BT WebWorld

BT WebWorld is a new service from BT, launched in October 1996. It delivers a range of Internet Web-hosting services based on centrally managed webserver farms. The service offers customers cost-effective, powerful, flexible and robust web- server capability and associated support services. BT WebWorld leaves customers free to focus on the opportunities offered by the Internet, with BT handling the complex technical and operational issues.
Higher SNR PET image prediction using a deep learning model and MRI image

PET images often suffer poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our objective is to improve the SNR of PET images using a deep neural network (DNN) model and MRI images without requiring any higher SNR PET images in training. Our proposed DNN model consists of three modified U-Nets (3U-net). The PET training input data and targets were reconstructed using filtered-backprojection (FBP) and maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM), respectively. FBP reconstruction was used because of its computational efficiency so that the trained network not only removes noise, but also accelerates image reconstruction. Digital brain phantoms downloaded from BrainWeb were used to evaluate the proposed method. Poisson noise was added into sinogram data to simulate a 6 min brain PET scan. Attenuation effect was included and corrected before the image reconstruction. Extra Poisson noise was introduced to the training inputs to improve the network denoising capability. Three independent experiments were conducted to examine the reproducibility. A lesion was inserted into testing data to evaluate the impact of mismatched MRI information using the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The negative impact on noise reduction was also studied when miscoregistration between PET and MRI images occurs. Compared with 1U-net trained with only PET images, training with PET/MRI decreased the mean squared error (MSE) by 31.3% and 34.0% for 1U-net and 3U-net, respectively. The MSE reduction is equivalent to an increase in the count level by 2.5 folds and 2.9 folds for 1U-net and 3U-net, respectively. Compared with the MLEM images, the lesion CNR was improved 2.7 folds and 1.4 folds for 1U-net and 3U-net, respectively. The results show that the proposed method could improve the PET SNR without having higher SNR PET images.
NoteExploring the legend of a nation of joiners: A research note

The promise of the USA as a “nation of joiners” has long motivated scholars, especially those studying voluntary associations. We reexamine this idea using evidence from three voluntary association...
Abstract 142: Feel the Burn, PCI Advances Increase Radiation Exposure of Patients

Objective: Interventional cardiology success in revascularization and structural heart has an unseen cost. Complex, prolonged cases increase exposure of patients (Pts) and staff to ionizing radiati...
Perceived Value of Higher Education among Police Officers: Comparing County and Municipal Officers

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of higher education among police officers, to determine whether these perceptions vary among county and municipal police officers, and to exp...
The Added Challenge of Digital Reading: Exploring Young Children's Page Turning Behaviors

Electronic books (e-books) with audio narration are often touted as enabling pre-literate children to read independently, which, indeed, is the most common way children utilized e-books in the U.S. However, young children may have trouble navigating e-books, as their cognitive and fine motor skills are still developing. Compared to print-books, e-books lack the tactability and tangibility of print books and thus may pose additional challenge to book navigation. To examine this issue, we randomly assigned 174 children aged 3-5 to be read either a print book by an adult (n = 85) or an e-book with audio narration (n = 89) and compared their page-turning behaviors, including disruptive turning (i.e., turning before narration ends), delayed turning (i.e., being inattentive for over one minute after the narration ends), and incorrect page-turning motions. We found that screen-based reading imposes additional cost to children's navigation of the book, especially for children under four years old and those who are less experienced with tablet devices. The learning curve to navigate e-books appears to be steeper than that for print-books. Future e-book design may want to provide scaffolding for young users and those lacking familiarity with touchsreen technologies.
High-value care for older adults with complex care needs: Leveraging nurses as innovators.

Abstract Background Our health care system is facing unprecedented and complex challenges in caring for older adults and their families. A paradigm shift is needed that recognizes new roles and competencies for nurses to play a leadership role in the design and implementation of high value care models. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a series of recommendations for leveraging nurses to generate innovative tools and solutions for the delivery of value-based care for older adults living with complex health and social needs and their families. Methods These recommendations were generated by a Think-Tank of national experts based on review of current evidence and focus groups with older adults. Finding The generated recommendations focus on positioning nurses to assume leadership roles in implementing evidence-based care models, preparing nurses to serve as health innovators and catalysts of system transformation, and fostering system-level infrastructure that leverages the contributions of nurses for current and emerging roles. Discussion Nurses as innovators can address the challenges in providing high quality care for older adults with complex needs and their families. System-level infrastructure, including resources for training and implementation of well-established programs, is necessary to leverage the contributions of nurses and facilitate innovative approaches to care.
Maintaining Positive Self-Evaluations: Reducing Attention to Diagnostic but Unfavorable Social Comparison Information When General Self-Regard Is Salient

We predicted that when (1) people are faced with diagnostic but personally challenging social comparison information in a domain, and (2) their self-regard is salient, they will be less likely to use the comparison information when judging their standing in the domain (making the judgment less inductive). Participants in Study 1 estimated their standing on risk factors for two health problems, and some did so after their self-regard was made salient. Moreover, some received information (about their peers' standing on these risk factors) that challenged participants' self-serving comparative beliefs. As expected, estimates of personal risk factor standing among high self-regard salience/comparison information participants were less correlated with similar estimates collected 2 months earlier, suggesting the estimates had become less inductive. There was also tentative evidence that, in this condition, self-esteem played a greater role in constructing these estimates. In Study 2, participants were led to believe that their comparative standing on risk factors was better than it actually was, and in this case, they were more likely to use this information when making self-judgments about their personal risk. Evidently, the extent to which people use diagnostic comparison information inductively when making self-inferences depends on the favorability of that information.
Isotope Effects in Molecular Multiquantum Amplitudes

The full isotopic character of multiquantum amplitudes is discussed. Of particular importance are the roles of enhanced isotopic effects generally characteristic of molecular perturbed spectra and the complete utilization of all the available optical field variables. Examples involving NH3, CH3Br, and SF6 are examined.
Uncovering the Role of Metal–Organic Framework Topology on the Capture and Reactivity of Chemical Warfare Agents

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs), such as sarin and sulfur mustard, continue to be a threat due to their high toxicity coupled with worldwide usage. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are efficient mate...
Drainage of inflammatory macromolecules from the brain to periphery targets the liver for macrophage infiltration

Many brain pathologies are associated with liver damage, but a direct link has long remained elusive. Here, we establish a new paradigm for interrogating brain-periphery interactions by leveraging zebrafish for its unparalleled access to the intact whole animal for in vivo analysis in real time after triggering focal brain inflammation. Using traceable lipopolysaccharides (LPS), we reveal that drainage of these inflammatory macromolecules from the brain led to a strikingly robust peripheral infiltration of macrophages into the liver independent of Kupffer cells. We further demonstrate that this macrophage recruitment requires signaling from the cytokine IL-34 and Toll-like receptor adaptor MyD88, and occurs in coordination with neutrophils. These results highlight the possibility for circulation of brain-derived substances to serve as a rapid mode of communication from brain to the liver. Understanding how the brain engages the periphery at times of danger may offer new perspectives for detecting and treating brain pathologies.
Dancing Larynx Syndrome Associated With Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Multiple Sclerosis.

A 44-year-old man with multiple sclerosis (MS) presented with focal myoclonus of the mylohyoid and anterior belly of the digastric known as “dancing larynx” [1] which began after gamma knife radiation to the left trigeminal nerve root administered for trigeminal neuralgia (Video 1,). MRI brain showed T2 hyperintensity in the left cerebellopontine angle which expanded following radiation (Figure 1). He received botulinum toxin injections in the mylohyoid muscles with resolution of the movements. The “dancing larynx” was likely from irritation of the trigeminal nerve motor root or pons itself caused by the pontine lesion that enlarged after radiation.
LETTER: The Life and Times of Extremal Black Holes

Charged extremal black holes cannot fully evaporate through the Hawking effect and are thus long lived. Over their lifetimes, these black holes take part in a variety of astrophysical processes, including many that lead to their eventual destruction. This paper explores the various events that shape the life of extremal black holes and calculates the corresponding time scales.
Utility of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis Score: Comorbid Conditions Do Matter.

Background: The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) has been proposed as a diagnostic tool for necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI). However, its utility remains underreported, particularly in patients with comorbid conditions. The purpose of this study was to identify the test characteristics of LRINEC for patients with various comorbid conditions. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including patients with suspected NSTI. Our study patients were then relegated into the subgroups; intravenous drug use (IVDU), end-stage liver disease (ESLD), and diabetes mellitus (DM). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of a positive LRINEC score (≥ 6 or 8) were calculated in reference to intra-operative findings or results of the pathologic examination. Area under the curve (AUC) using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots were compared between each subgroup and the overall study population using DeLong test. Results: A total of 220 patients were included for the analysis. Overall, the sensitivity was 76%, specificity of 52%, PPV of 32%, and NPV of 88%. The subgroup analysis showed low PPVs in all subgroups. The DM and ESLD groups had a high NPV (90.5% and 88.0%, respectively), whereas NPV in the IVDU group was 70.6%. The AUC and DeLong test for the subgroups were 0.649 (p = 0.902) for ESLD, 0.699 (p = 0.683) for DM, and 0.565 (p = 0.034) for IVDU. Conclusions: The LRINEC can be a useful adjunct to rule out the diagnosis of NSTI with exception of IVDU. In contrast, further diagnostic workup might be still required in those patients with positive LRINEC.
What Every CPA Should Know About Estate of Hubert

In the Estate of Hubert, a divided Supreme Court held that certain administrative expenses could be deducted, for income tax purposes, without a corresponding reduction in the amount claimed for the estate tax marital deduction. While the determination of the precise amount was left unclear, the decision opens up increased post-mortem planning opportunities. The IRS is expected to promulgate regulations to implement the decision and, more importantly, how to calculate what amounts may be so deducted. This article reviews the decision and discusses the potential estate planning opportunities that it now provides. Estate practitioners should be aware of these new alternatives and be open to including them in their client's estate plans.
Theory of Some Special Features

In the final Chapter (IX) of our monograph we shall discuss a series of special geomorphological features of the Earth which have no direct relation to any of the processes whose theory was discussed earlier. First, we shall consider some special aspects of badland erosion, particularly the formation of hoodoos (Sec. 9.2). Then we shall analyse some thermal effects (Sec. 9.3) and finally conclude with a discussion of karsts and caves.