cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping the Literature of GIS.

This study analyzed citations in four journals, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Cartography and Geographic Information Science, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, and Cartographic Journal, using Bradford’s Law of Scattering to identify three influence zones indicating core and peripheral titles in the study areas of GIS. Journals were ranked resulting in twenty-three core journals and 187 secondary journals. Scores for relevant indexing/abstracting services are also given to describe access points and coverage. The results can assist librarians and collection managers to support research in their institutions where GIS is both used and studied.
Bile duct crystals do not contribute to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.

Abstract Background: Microlithiasis has been proposed as a cause of both occult gallbladder disease and of idiopathic pancreatitis. Theoretically, microlithiasis could also cause postcholecystectomy pain by causing temporary biliary obstruction and may be more common in patients with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. The frequency of crystals in bile duct aspirates was assessed from patients with symptoms after cholecystectomy with and without elevated baseline sphincter of Oddi pressures. Methods: A prospective analysis was performed on all patients with recurrent biliary pain after cholecystectomy who presented for ERCP and manometry between January 1998 and June 2000. All patients had aspirates obtained from the common bile duct for crystal analysis by using the aspirating port of the manometry catheter before the injection of contrast. Four to 20 mL of bile was examined by microscopy for both cholesterol and bilirubinate crystals. Results: Sixty patients (83% women, mean age 44 years) were studied. Thirty-five had normal baseline biliary sphincter pressures and 25 elevated biliary baseline sphincter pressures (>40 mm Hg). Two patients in the normal pressure group and 1 in the elevated pressure group had cholesterol crystals present in their aspirate. No patient had bilirubinate crystals present. A 5% frequency of microlithiasis was identified overall. Conclusions: Bile duct crystals occur infrequently in patients with symptoms after cholecystectomy and are found in patients with normal and abnormal biliary sphincter manometry. This study suggests that the presence of bile duct crystals, or microlithiasis, does not play a role in sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. (Gastrointest Endosc 2002;55:163-6.)
Scalability, locality, partitioning and synchronization PDES

As parallel discrete event simulation becomes increasingly important to the solution of very large systems design problems, it becomes increasingly critical to establish whether PDES technology will scale up with increasing problem size and architecture. We address the problem in a general setting, and provide a resounding conclusion: maybe. To scale requires that the simulation model not grow in ways that defeat an ability to load balance, and that do not overwhelm any one processor with communication. It requires an architecture that scales as well. It requires a partitioner that balances workload and exploits locality of communication. The specific partition strategy we examined is very simple; our point is not to promote its specific use. Our point is that scalability is possible using it, and hence if a more refined partitioner can balance workload and maintain locality of communication, then simulations built using it will scale also. If these conditions apply, then we demonstrate by example a simple conservative synchronization protocol, QS, that scales. Using QS, we then examine the trade-off between load imbalance and synchronization overhead. We show how to efficiently manage that trade-off by probing the space of potential restricted partitions.
Potential performance bottleneck in Linux TCP

Transmission control protocol (TCP) is the most widely used transport protocol on the Internet today. Over the years, especially recently, due to requirements of high bandwidth transmission, various approaches have been proposed to improve TCP performance. The Linux 2.6 kernel is now preemptible. It can be interrupted mid-task, making the system more responsive and interactive. However, we have noticed that Linux kernel preemption can interact badly with the performance of the networking subsystem. In this paper, we investigate the performance bottleneck in Linux TCP. We systematically describe the trip of a TCP packet from its ingress into a Linux network end system to its final delivery to the application; we study the performance bottleneck in Linux TCP through mathematical modelling and practical experiments; finally, we propose and test one possible solution to resolve this performance bottleneck in Linux TCP. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
STRUCTURE AND INTONATION IN SPOKEN LANGUAGE UNDERSTANDING

The structure imposed upon spoken sentences by intonation seems frequently to be orthogonal to their traditional surface-syntactic structure. However, the notion of "intonational structure" as formulated by Pierrehumbert, Selkirk, and others, can be subsumed under a rather different notion of syntactic surface structure that emerges from a theory of grammar based on a "Combinatory" extension to Categorial Grammar. Interpretations of constituents at this level are in turn directly related to "information structure", or discourse-related notions of "theme", "rheme", "focus" and "presupposition". Some simplifications appear to follow for the problem of integrating syntax and other high-level modules in spoken language systems.
Successful coronary angioplasty in two patients with cardiogenic shock using the nimbus hemopump support device

When standard medical therapy is employed, cardiogenic shock is associated with an in-hospital mortality rate in excess of 75 % . Coronary angioplasty has been shown to reduce this mortality in patients following myocardial infarction,’ but the procedure can be complicated by transient myocardial ischemia induced by prolonged balloon inflation, acute vessel closure, or arrhythmias. To avoid possible decompensation during high-risk angioplasty, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass have been used to help support the circulation.2-5 Although these devices can provide variable degrees of circulatory support, none directly decompress the left ventricle and unload the heart throughout the cardiac cycle. A new circulatory support device, the Nimbus Hemopump (Nimbus Medical Inc., Ranch0 Cordova, Calif.), decompresses the left ventricle by withdrawing blood directly from the ventricular cavity and ejecting it into the descending aorta (Fig. 1). Flow up to 3.5 L/min is generated by an Archimedes spiral vane screw rotating at 25,000 rpm. We report two patients with cardiogenic shock who were successfully supported with the Hemopump during coronary angioplasties complicated by potentially catastrophic arrhythmias. Case No. 1. A 48-year-old man with an extensive anterolateral myocardial infraction was treated with tissue plasminogen activator, but developed progressive congestive heart failure and hypotension over the ensuing 48 hours. Despite inotropic support, the blood pressure (BP) remained 74/50 mm Hg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) was 37 mm Hg, and the cardiac index (CI) was 2.3 L/min. The left femoral artery was surgically exposed and the 21F Hemopump was advanced into the left ventricle via a 12 mm Dacron graft anastomosed to the side of the vessel. With Hemopump support, BP rose to 96/61 mm Hg, PCWP fell to 11 mm Hg, and CI increased to 3.9 L/min.
Death Certificate Inaccuracy and Underreporting of Injury in Elderly People

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether resident physicians (MDs) could complete a death certificate for elderly patients with injury-related fatalities and whether their abilities were related to training or other factors. SETTING: A large tertiary teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred thirty-six MDs. DESIGN: Through an anonymous Web-based test, MDs were questioned regarding prior training and experience in completion of death certificates. The MDs read a case of an elderly patient who died from intracranial bleeding after a fall and then completed a test death certificate. Whether proper completion was associated with MD characteristics such as year of residency, self-assessment, or previous death certificate experience was examined. RESULTS: Almost two-thirds (63.6%) of MDs completed the test. Of participants, 52% (95% confidence interval (CI)=46-59%) filled out the death certificate with the correct primary cause of death and 10% (95% CI=6-14%) listed the three major contributing causes of death. Only 35% (95% CI=28-41%) correctly reported injury as a contributing cause of death, but 51% of the participants reported a high level of confidence in their ability to complete a death certificate accurately. CONCLUSION: Accurate completion of the sample death certificate and identification of injury was low, and MDs overrated their abilities. Death certificates completed by MDs may not be accurate and may underestimate the contribution of injury to elderly mortality. Language: en
The Effect of Semen Dilution with a Yolk-Containing Extender on the Oxygen Uptake and Motility of Bull Spermatozoa

Summary Dilution of semen with egg-yolk-saline-phosphate extender stimulated oxygen uptake by bovine spermatozoa at 37° C. over that observed in undiluted semen, the stimulation being more sustained with the addition of catalase. Motility of the spermatozoa was depressed by the dilution and was not improved significantly by the addition of catalase. Under these conditions oxygen uptake and motility were essentially independent.
College and university Earth System Science Education for the 21st century (ESSE 21)

The NASA/USRA Cooperative University-based Program in Earth System Science Education (ESSE), initiated a decade ago through NASA support, has led in the creation of a nationwide collaborative effort to bring Earth system science into the undergraduate classroom. Forty-rive ESSE institutions now offer over 120 Earth system courses each year, reaching thousands of students annually with interdisciplinary content. Systemic change in the offering of courses and content and the organizational infrastructure of colleges and universities emphasizing cross disciplinary curricula, programs, degrees and departments are at the heart of this effort. Building on this successful experience and collaborative infrastructure within and among colleges, universities and NASA partners, a new program called ESSE 21 is being proposed. Through expanded partnerships the Program seeks to further develop broadly based educational resources, including shared courses, electronic learning materials and degree programs that will extend Earth system science concepts in the undergraduate classroom and laboratory. These resources emphasizing fundamentals of Earth system science serve to advance the nation's broader agenda for improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics competency and are critical to extending and solidifying a knowledge based foundation for decision making in the future by both scientists and citizens. ESSE 21 aims to solicit proposals from undergraduate institutions to create or adopt undergraduate and graduate level Earth system science content in courses, curricula and degree programs.
The architecture of information: interpretation and presentation of information in dynamic environments

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Media Arts & Sciences, 1995.
Hippocampal rhythmic slow activity (RSA; theta): a critical analysis of selected studies and discussion of possible species-differences.

The literature concerning the correlates of hippocampal RSA (theta) has seen a wealth of hypotheses generated from seemingly contradictory data. Two possible reasons for this are examined here. (1) An analysis of the maximum published RSA amplitudes in over 70 papers shows that there is enormous variation in how effective various research groups have been in tapping the hippocampal RSA generator zones. It is suggested that this variation is a major source of 'contradictory data'. The enormous variability is probably due to the fact that the laminar structure of the hippocampus, and the location of two seemingly independent 180 degrees out-of-phase RSA generators, results in very disparate signals being recorded by electrodes of different configurations. Electrodes which are not optimally placed result in records which may provide misinformation as to whether or not the hippocampus is in the RSA 'mode'. The results of studies with less than adequate records must therefore be viewed with great caution. (2) An explanation often evoked to account for much of the controversy is that of species differences. This idea is examined and it is suggested that there are probably not major species differences in that all of the species appropriately examined thus far have neural systems capable of producing both an atropine-sensitive and an atropine-resistant form of RSA. All species (with the exception of primates) also show relations of RSA to ongoing motor behavior. However, there are definitely species differences in the neural mechanisms underlying the production of atropine-sensitive, immobility-related RSA. Although all species appear to be capable of producing immobility-related RSA some do so only rarely (e.g. rats), while others do so frequently, particularly in response to sensory stimulation (e.g. rabbits, cats, guinea pigs). Therefore, the answer to the question as to whether there are species differences in the occurrence of RSA may be yes, or not, depending upon how specifically the question is posed.
Visual Servo Velocity and Pose Control of a Wheeled Inverted Pendulum through Partial-Feedback Linearization

Vision-based control of wheeled vehicles is a difficult problem due to nonholonomic constraints on velocities. This is further complicated in the control of vehicles with drift terms and dynamics containing fewer actuators than velocity terms. We explore one such system, the wheeled inverted pendulum, embodied by the Segway. We present two methods of eliminating the effects of nonactuated attitude motions and a novel controller based on partial feedback linearization. This novel controller outperforms a controller based on typical linearization about an equilibrium point.
Gnathic and postcranial skeleton of the largest known arctocyonid ‘condylarth’ Arctocyon mumak (Mammalia, Procreodi) and ecomorphological diversity in Procreodi

Procreodi is an order of Paleocene and Eocene mammals thought to lie at the base of the radiation of the paraphyletic ‘condylarths.’ Taxa within the order have been linked to the origins of other c...
Latino Veterans and Income: Are There Gains from Military Service?

Using national cross-sectional data from 2006 through 2009, we test hypotheses concerning the effects of military service on later-life earnings for men. The results suggest that serving in the armed forces augments or penalizes civilian income later in the life cycle depending on race and ethnicity when controlling for formal educational attainment. Although some of the results for race and ethnicity vary according to model specification, we conclude that Latino veterans earn more money than nonveteran Latinos. Further, our data imply that age does not substantially condition the influence of military service on earnings after discharge. Past research has conceptualized the military experience in various ways vis-a-vis income: negatively, as a “tax” or “disruption,” or positively, as an enhancement of “social capital,” serving as a “bridging environment,” or as a “screening device” to signal employability. Our results suggest that these perspectives should be seen as context dependent related to the individuals’ race and ethnicity.
Clinical association of circulating VEGF-B levels with hyperlipidemia and target organ damage in type 2 diabetic patients.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B is an important member of the VEGF protein family. Recent animal studies indicated that VEGF-B signaling had determinant roles in insulin resistance, lipid distribution and metabolism in type 2 diabetes. The clinical significance of VEGF-B in type 2 diabetes is still not clear. This study aimed to correlate VEGF-B levels with biochemistry characteristics and target organ damage in type 2 diabetic patients. Serum VEGF-B levels were measured using ELISA. A crosssectional control study, which included 180 type 2 diabetic patients and 62 healthy subjects, was carried out. Diabetic patients who were undergoing insulin therapy were not included. This results showed that serum VEGF-B levels did not differ between the type 2 diabetic patients and the healthy controls (169.2∓118.8 vs 163.5∓115.2 pg/mL; P=0.734). VEGF-B levels in type 2 diabetic patients were significantly associated with the levels of c-peptide, total cholesterol and triglyceride. T-test analysis showed that the associations of serum VEGF-B levels with insulin resistance, pancreatic reserve, HDL and LDL were not significant. Regression analysis showed that VEGF-B levels were significantly correlated with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. No significant association between VEGF-B and macro-vasculopathy was found. In conclusion, our study findings suggested that VEGF-B levels did not differ between the type 2 diabetic patients and the normal controls. High VEGF-B levels might correlate with the presence of hyperlipidemia and target organ damage in type 2 diabetic patients.
Stratification of recanalization for patients with endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Background With the increasing use of endovascular techniques in the treatment of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, the issue of obliteration efficacy has become increasingly important. Objective To systematically develop a comprehensive model for predicting retreatment with various types of endovascular treatment. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records that were prospectively collected for 305 patients who received endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms from 2007 to 2013. Multivariable logistic regression was performed on candidate predictors identified by univariable screening analysis to detect independent predictors of retreatment. A composite risk score was constructed based on the proportional contribution of independent predictors in the multivariable model. Results Size (>10 mm), aneurysm rupture, stent assistance, and posttreatment degree of aneurysm occlusion were independently associated with retreatment, whereas intraluminal thrombosis and flow diversion demonstrated a trend toward retreatment. The Aneurysm Recanalization Stratification Scale was constructed by assigning the following weights to statistically and clinically significant predictors: aneurysm-specific factors: size (>10 mm), 2 points; rupture, 2 points; presence of thrombus, 2 points. Treatment-related factors were stent assistance, -1 point; flow diversion, -2 points; Raymond Roy occlusion class 2, 1 point; Raymond Roy occlusion class 3, 2 points. This scale demonstrated good discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.799. Conclusion Surgical decision making and patient-centered informed consent require comprehensive and accessible information on treatment efficacy. We constructed the Aneurysm Recanalization Stratification Scale to enhance this decision-making process. This is the first comprehensive model that has been developed to quantitatively predict the risk of retreatment after endovascular therapy.
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON TUMOR EXTRACTS CAUSING HEMOLYSIS IN VITRO.

SummaryFurther study has been made of the direct hemolytic factor present in hamster tumors. Hemolytic activity was generally present in viable tumor tissue and generally absent from necrotic tumor and normal tissue. The evidence so far implicates protein or protein-bound material as the causative agent.
FASTGRASS implementation in BISON and Fission gas behavior characterization in UO 2 and connection to validating MARMOT

This activity is supported by the US Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Fuels Product Line (FPL). Two major accomplishments in FY 15 are summarized in this report: (1) implementation of the FASTGRASS module in the BISON code; and (2) a Xe implantation experiment for large-grained UO2. Both BISON AND MARMOT codes have been developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to enable next generation fuel performance modeling capability as part of the NEAMS Program FPL. To contribute to the development of the Moose-Bison-Marmot (MBM) code suite, we have implemented the FASTGRASS fission gas model as a module in the BISON code. Based on rate theory formulations, the coupled FASTGRASS module in BISON is capable of modeling LWR oxide fuel fission gas behavior and fission gas release. In addition, we conducted a Xe implantation experiment at the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) in order to produce the needed UO2 samples with desired bubble morphology. With these samples, further experiments to study the fission gas diffusivity are planned to provide validation data for the Fission Gas Release Model in MARMOT codes.
Cascaded Narrowband Filter With Computer-aided Diagnosis and Synergic Debug Technology Platform

This article mainly expounds principles and methods of computer-aided diagnosis and debugging technology platform for cascaded narrowband filter.The general methods is firstly to short the final resonator of the practical filter,secondly using measure or simulation approach to confirm multi relative frequency points with which the phase of reflection coefficient are 0,and,among these frequency points we come to get independent resonance frequency of each resonator and coupling coefficient between neighbor resonators,which then can synchronously synergic simulate,diagnose and debug various narrowband filters comparing with its prototype circuit parameters.Furthermore,this article also presents optimization means for HFSS simulation models for the first time,by which the optimized computing amount can be reduced from traditional to .
Patients Have Strong Preferences and Perceptions for Biceps Tenotomy Versus Tenodesis

Purpose To evaluate what factors are important in the patients' preference and their perception of a successful surgical outcome. Methods A biceps-specific questionnaire was developed using a series of questions assessing current symptoms, previous knowledge of biceps tendon surgery, surgical outcome priorities, and patient demographics and administered to 100 patients with proximal biceps pathology after approval by the Institutional Review Board. The patients were asked which surgery they would prefer. A set of χ 2 tests were used to test the association between categorical variables. All tests were 2-sided and considered significant at P Results A total of 100 patients enrolled in the study, with 49 female and 51 male patients at an average age of 49 years (range, 19 to 79 years). Of the 100 patients, 64 (64%) chose to have biceps tenodesis. Factors predictive of choosing a biceps tenodesis included female sex, and concern of cosmetic deformity and residual postoperative pain with a tenotomy ( P P Conclusions Patient age should not be used as the sole criterion when deciding between biceps tenotomy and tenodesis. Our results can be consolidated to 5 predictive, reliable questions that will assist orthopaedic surgeons in making individualized patient-specific decisions regarding proximal biceps tendon surgery by emphasizing what factors are most important to patients for a successful surgical outcome.
Specific frontal neural dynamics contribute to decisions to check

Curiosity and information seeking potently shapes our behaviour and are thought to rely on the frontal cortex. Yet, the frontal regions and neural dynamics that control the drive to check for information remain unknown. Here we trained monkeys in a task where they had the opportunity to gain information about the potential delivery of a large bonus reward or continue with a default instructed decision task. Single-unit recordings in behaving monkeys reveal that decisions to check for additional information first engage midcingulate cortex and then lateral prefrontal cortex. The opposite is true for instructed decisions. Importantly, deciding to check engages neurons also involved in performance monitoring. Further, specific midcingulate activity could be discerned several trials before the monkeys actually choose to check the environment. Our data show that deciding to seek information on the current state of the environment is characterized by specific dynamics of neural activity within the prefrontal cortex.
2,2′,3,5′,6-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 95) Is Atropselectively Metabolized to para-Hydroxylated Metabolites by Human Liver Microsomes

Exposure to neurotoxic, chiral PCBs has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, but their metabolism in humans remains unexplored. We investigated the enantioselective metabolism of PCB 95 by human liver microsomes (HLMs) to potentially neurotoxic, hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs). OH-PCB profiles formed in experiments with HLMs differed from metabolite profiles reported for rodent species. The second eluting atropisomer of 2,2',3,5',6-pentachlorobiphenyl-4'-ol, the major metabolite, was preferentially formed by all HLM preparations investigated. Differences in metabolite formation rates were observed with single donor HLMs. The metabolism of PCBs and its role in PCB-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders need to be further characterized.
Between Europe and Africa: Morocco as a country of immigration

ABSTRACTIn September 2013, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, made an announcement that startled the country’s civil society: Morocco would be reforming its national migration policy. Specifically, he called for the drafting of a new comprehensive policy on immigration with the intention of providing a path to regularization for migrants, the majority of whom originate from West African states. Why did the Moroccan government suddenly change its approach to migration, and what consequences has this had for civil society and for migrants and refugees residing in Morocco? While explanations for the migration policy reform tend to focus on the role of the European Union, a secondary explanation is Morocco’s desire to play a leading role in Africa, both economically and geopolitically. Using approximately fifty interviews conducted between January and April 2015 in Rabat, Morocco, this study analyzes the reform process and examines competing explanations, paying particular attention to regional power structure...
Down-regulation of Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 during Hyperglycemia Induces Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Dedifferentiation

Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, but the mechanism by which hyperglycemia accelerates lesion development is not well defined. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) signal through the scaffold protein insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1). In diabetes, IRS-1 is down-regulated, and cells become resistant to insulin. Under these conditions, the IGF-I receptor signals through an alternate scaffold protein, SHPS-1, resulting in pathophysiologic stimulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation. These studies were undertaken to determine whether IRS-1 is functioning constitutively to maintain VSMCs in their differentiated state and, thereby, inhibit aberrant signaling. Here we show that deletion of IRS-1 expression in VSMCs in non-diabetic mice results in dedifferentiation, SHPS-1 activation, and aberrant signaling and that these changes parallel those that occur in response to hyperglycemia. The mice showed enhanced sensitivity to IGF-I stimulation of VSMC proliferation and a hyperproliferative response to vascular injury. KLF4, a transcription factor that induces VSMC dedifferentiation, was up-regulated in IRS-1-/- mice, and the differentiation inducer myocardin was undetectable. Importantly, these changes were replicated in wild-type mice during hyperglycemia. These findings illuminate a new function of IRS-1: that of maintaining cells in their normal, differentiated state. Because IRS-1 is down-regulated in states of insulin resistance that occur in response to metabolic stresses such as obesity and cytokine stimulation, the findings provide a mechanism for understanding how patients with metabolic stress and/or diabetes are predisposed to developing vascular complications.
Data-driven understanding of collective carbon nanotube growth by in situ characterization and nanoscale metrology

Aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess great potential for transforming the fabrication of advanced interfacial materials for energy and mass transport as well as for structural composites. Realizing this potential, however, requires building a deeper understanding and exercising greater control on the atomic scale physicochemical processes underlying the bottom-up synthesis and self-organization of CNTs. Hence, in situ nanoscale metrology and characterization techniques were developed for interrogating CNTs as they grow, interact, and self-assemble. This article presents an overview of recent research on characterization of CNT growth by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), organized into three categories based on the growth stage, for which each technique provides information: (I) catalyst preparation and treatment, (II) catalytic activation and CNT nucleation, and (III) CNT growth and termination. Combining all three categories together provides insights into building the process–structure relationship, and paves the way for producing tailored CNT structures having desired properties for target applications.
Laughter and the management of divergent positions in peer review interactions

In this paper we focus on how participants in peer review interactions use laughter as a resource as they publicly report divergence of evaluative positions, divergence that is typical in the give and take of joint grant evaluation. Using the framework of conversation analysis, we examine the infusion of laughter and multimodal laugh-relevant practices into sequences of talk in meetings of grant reviewers deliberating on the evaluation and scoring of high-level scientific grant applications. We focus on a recurrent sequence in these meetings, what we call the score-reporting sequence, in which the assigned reviewers first announce the preliminary scores they have assigned to the grant. We demonstrate that such sequences are routine sites for the use of laugh practices to navigate the initial moments in which divergence of opinion is made explicit. In the context of meetings convened for the purposes of peer review, laughter thus serves as a valuable resource for managing the socially delicate but institutionally required reporting of divergence and disagreement that is endemic to meetings where these types of evaluative tasks are a focal activity.
Neural Networks for System Identification: A Control Industry Perspective

Abstract Although most applications of neural networks to system identification focus on one or two standard methods, a considerably greater variety is available. This paper discusses several approaches, indicating their distinctive aspects and noting successful demonstrations. These approaches can be used to develop forward or inverse models, with external or internal dynamics, and with or without a priori information. The second part of this paper addresses some issues related to the practical application of neural identification in industry: the requirements for system data, ease of use considerations, and the problem of the opacity of most neural network models. Broad-based applications of neural networks to dynamic system modeling are problematic until these and other such issues are satisfactorily resolved.
Researching Fiber Networks: Computational Modeling of Complex Fibrous Tissue Geometries

Many types of human tissue-such as the brain and spinal cord of the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and muscles, including the heart muscle-are fibrous in nature. Isotropic human models that assume homogeneous volumes for every individual tissue do not properly take this into account.
Action-angle formulation of generalized, orbit-based, fast-ion diagnostic weight functions

Due to the usually complicated and anisotropic nature of the fast-ion distribution function, diagnostic velocity-space weight functions, which indicate the sensitivity of a diagnostic to different fast-ion velocities, are used to facilitate the analysis of experimental data. Additionally, when velocity-space weight functions are discretized, a linear equation relating the fast-ion density and the expected diagnostic signal is formed. In a technique known as velocity-space tomography, many measurements can be combined to create an ill-conditioned system of linear equations that can be solved using various computational methods. However, when velocity-space weight functions (which by definition ignore spatial dependencies) are used, velocity-space tomography is restricted, both by the accuracy of its forward model and also by the availability of spatially overlapping diagnostic measurements. In this work, we extend velocity-space weight functions to a full 6D generalized coordinate system and then show how ...
Fostering socio-informational behaviors online: The interactive effect of openness to experience and extraversion

Abstract Behavioral manifestations of personality have been well-researched in offline contexts, but less so in online contexts. To illuminate the behavioral markers linked to personality in online contexts, we use Facebook profiles to test the idea that open people are more likely to engage in socio-informational behaviors on social media (e.g., joining common-interest groups, posting statuses, “liking” things, listing events on one's profile) when they are also extraverted. Based on data from a large sample of Facebook users (N = 115,873), we found that open, extraverted people more frequently displayed certain behaviors (e.g., “liking” thing, listing events) capable of obtaining or disseminating information, and posted statuses containing expressive and active social language. Research implications and future directions are discussed.
Exchange Pattern Mining in the Bitcoin Transaction Directed Hypergraph

Bitcoin exchanges operate between digital and fiat currency networks, thus providing an opportunity to connect real-world identities to pseudonymous addresses, an important task for anti-money laundering efforts. We seek to characterize, understand, and identify patterns centered around exchanges in the context of a directed hypergraph model for Bitcoin transactions. We introduce the idea of motifs in directed hypergraphs, considering a particular 2-motif as a potential laundering pattern. We identify distinct statistical properties of exchange addresses related to the acquisition and spending of bitcoin. We then leverage this to build classification models to learn a set of discriminating features, and are able to predict if an address is owned by an exchange with \(>80\%\) accuracy using purely structural features of the graph. Applying this classifier to the 2-motif patterns reveals a preponderance of inter-exchange activity, while not necessarily significant laundering patterns.
Modellierung und numerische Simulation in der Chemischen Verfahrenstechnik

Wachsende Anforderungen an die Wirtschaftlichkeit, den Umweltschutz sowie die Sicherheit und mimimalen Rohstoffeinsatz in der chemischen Industrie fuhren dazu, das die Computersimulation das Hilfsmittel fur den Entwurf, die Auslegung und den Betrieb verfahrenstechnischer Anlagen wie Raffinerien, petrochemischer und biotechnologischer Prozesse oder Luftzerleger ist. Die wesentlichen Bestandteile dieser Prozesse sind Stoffumwandlung durch chemische Reaktion und Trennung von Stoffgemischen mit dem Ziel, die Produkte in der geforderten Reinheit herzustellen. Daruber gewinnt die Mes- und Regeltechnik zur Uberwachung und Automatisierung der Anlagen standig an Bedeutung.
Political Tendencies and Parties in Germany

To the observer who has experienced the transformation of Germany from imperial to republican regimes and the struggles for and against the establishment of democracy after the First World War, the most striking feature of the political scene in present-day West Germany–the Bundesrepublik–is the nearly complete absence of social or political mass movements. Whereas German society from 1918 to 1933 was virtually seething with political and social schemes, creeds, sects, and parties, post-Nazi Germany seems quiet and sober. The labour unions have become even less concerned with fundamental changes in the social order than they were in the days of the Weimar Republic. The youth movement seems dead. There is no mass movement of former Nazis or of neo-Fascists. Even the Communists are no longer a strong force. Voting in all kinds of elections is very heavy, but organized membership in political parties is low. There seems to be a widespread reluctance among the older people to join any kind of organized political group or to commit themselves to any kind of “cause.” Most Germans, having burnt their fingers once or twice, seem to refrain from active participation in public life as much as possible. This does not mean that the channels through which a common will, a political consensus, is formed have ceased to function. Political parties, though fewer in number than in the Weimar era, do exist; trade unions and organizations of farmers, artisans, business men, and industrialists exert their influence along with numerous and varied “lobby” organizations (refugees and expellees, victims of nazism, veterans' organizations, war invalids' associations, and so on); and last though not least the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical (Protestant) churches raise their voices and take a stand on all important issues of public life. But none of these influential groups seems to aim at radical changes in the political or economic order. Nor is any large and powerful group opposed to the democratic system of government which was formed under the authority of the American, British, and French occupation regimes.
Novel t(1;2)(p36.1;q23) and t(7;19)(q32;q13.3) chromosomal translocations in ischemic fasciitis: expanding the spectrum of pseudosarcomatous lesions with clonal pathogenetic link

Ischemic fasciitis is a distinctive pseudosarcomatous entity with a marked predilection for elderly and physically debilitated or immobilized patients. The etiology of these lesions is unknown but felt to be related to ischemic vascular events. Herein, we report for the first time, two cytogenetic translocations, t(1;2)(p36.1;q23) and t(7;19)(q32;q13.3) in a 75 year-old ambulating female with a history of left total hip arthroplasty 20 years ago. These translocations suggest a possible clonal pathogenetic link though their significance remains to be established.
Zappers & Employment Tax Fraud

Beyond the grey area of worker misclassifications and general employment tax irregularities there are darker employment relationships where workers are intentionally paid in cash “off-the-books” or “under-the-table.” Grey employment relationships present civil enforcement issues that may become criminal; darker-relationships are criminal from the beginning. Zappers are found on the dark side. Zappers are fraud-technologies that automatically (and remotely) skim cash from electronic cash registers (ECRs) or back room point of sales (POS) systems. Globally, tax auditors are finding that Zappers frequently provide the cash that is used to compensate “under-the-table” workers. In fact, a Zapper appears to be at the heart of the allegations in Ohio where seven I-HOP franchises allegedly used Zappers (with remote access functionality likely downloaded free from the Internet) to skim cash from their operations. The cash was allegedly used to pay more than 200 illegal immigrants “off-the-books.” This paper explores the relationship between Zappers and criminal employment tax fraud. It urges greater Federal/State enforcement efforts on the front end and adoption of secure technology-based solutions as part of the criminal restitution on the back end. Security-based restitution could either be statutorily mandated or court imposed. Zappers are far too easy to re-install if an owner is inclined to do so. There is technology that will detect (and prevent the use of) Zappers. Based on the published sample of 98 employment tax fraud cases pursued by the IRS over the past three years, and which provide the foundation for the Federal/State QETP initiative, it is clear that there are two major types of employment tax fraud – embezzlement frauds and collusive frauds. Embezzlements tend to be short-lived, although they can still involve large tax losses. Embezzlements tend be identified after two years when third-party payroll providers are involved, but can last longer when the embezzler is the employer. Collusive employment tax frauds are more difficult to detect, and as a result tend to last longer. Collusive frauds are vulnerable when the large amounts of cash needed to feed the fraud starts to raise suspicion. Collusive frauds facilitate further frauds in Earned Income Tax Credits, Child and Dependent Care Credits, and Additional Child Tax Credits as well as Medicare, food stamp and welfare fraud. If full tax recovery is likely to be Pyrrhic when employment tax fraud lasts for more than a few years, then thoughtful use should be made of the plea bargain process. We can deepen our understanding of sales suppression technology in the US if we make good use of the cases we have.
Gene editing vectors for studying nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cholinergic transmission.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), prototype members of the cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel family, are key mediators of cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system. Despite their importance, technical gaps exist in our ability to dissect the function of individual subunits in the brain. To overcome these barriers, we designed CRISPR/Cas9 small guide RNA sequences (sgRNAs) for the production of loss-of-function alleles in mouse nAChR genes. These sgRNAs were validated in vitro via deep sequencing. We subsequently targeted candidate nAChR genes in vivo by creating herpes simplex virus (HSV) vectors delivering sgRNAs and Cas9 expression to mouse brain. The production of loss-of-function insertions or deletions (indels) by these 'all-in-one' HSV vectors was confirmed using brain slice patch clamp electrophysiology coupled with pharmacological analysis. Next, we developed a scheme for cell type-specific gene editing in mouse brain. Knockin mice expressing Cas9 in a Cre-dependent manner were validated using viral microinjections and genetic crosses to common Cre-driver mouse lines. We subsequently confirmed functional Cas9 activity by targeting the ubiquitous neuronal protein, NeuN, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery of sgRNAs. Finally, the mouse β2 nAChR gene was successfully targeted in dopamine transporter (DAT)-positive neurons via CRISPR/Cas9. The sgRNA sequences and viral vectors, including our scheme for Cre-dependent gene editing, should be generally useful to the scientific research community. These tools could lead to new discoveries related to the function of nAChRs in neurotransmission and behavioral processes.
CHROMOSOMAL MAPPING OF ECOTROPIC AND XENOTROPIC LEUKEMIA VIRUS-INDUCING LOCI IN THE MOUSE

ABSTRACT Classical mendelian segregation analysis and somatic cell hybridization techniques were used to map chromosomal genes for the induction of ecotropic and xenotropic retroviruses in high and low leukemic mouse strains. This work has resulted in the genetic mapping of 6 ecotropic virus-inducing loci in 5 mouse strains to nonallelic positions in 4 mouse chromosomes. In contrast, all 5 mouse strains examined were shown to carry a single genetic locus for xenotropic virus induction on chromosome 1. These studies provide further evidence that endogenous viral loci are present at different chromosomal sites in various mouse strains and emphasize the difference in the chromosomal distribution of ecotropic and xenotropic induction loci.
American Society of Breast Surgeons' Practice Patterns After Publication of the SSO-ASTRO-ASCO DCIS Consensus Guideline on Margins for Breast-Conserving Surgery With Whole-Breast Irradiation.

The SSO-ASTRO-ASCO consensus guideline on margins for breast-conserving surgery with whole breast irradiation in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) recommended a 2-mm margin. We sought to determine the impact of guideline publication on clinician practice. A total of 3081 members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) received a survey. Respondents’ clinical practice type and duration, guideline familiarity, and margin width preferences before and after publication were assessed. Clinical practice pattern differences before and after publication were investigated using McNemar’s test. A total of 767 (24.9%) of those surveyed responded. Most (92.4%) indicated guideline familiarity. Of those familiar, re-excision preference for DCIS and a positive margin remained the same before (94.4%) and after (94.3%) publication (McNemar’s test p = 1.0). Following publication, surgeons were more likely to avoid re-excision to achieve margins wider than 2-mm (82.3% pre versus 87.5% post, p = 0.002). More surgeons performed re-excision for a close margin with pure DCIS (25.9% pre versus 36.5% post, p < 0.001) and with DCIS with microinvasion (DCIS-M) (40.7% pre versus 52.3% post, p < 0.001). For patients with invasive disease with extensive intraductal component (EIC) and a close margin, preference to avoid re-excision was similar (51.2% per versus 55.2% post, p = 0.071). Since guideline publication, surgeons are less likely to perform re-excision to obtain a margin greater than 2-mm and more likely to perform re-excision to obtain a 2-mm margin for both pure DCIS and DCIS-M. Preference to avoid re-excision with a close margin and EIC was similar before and after publication.
Image analysis characterization of pyrite in fine coal flotation

The flotation behavior of a −28 mesh Pittsburgh No. 8 coal sample is investigated through the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy in conjunction with Image Analysis. Release analysis is used to generate the flotation products, which are then characterized to provide the particulate composition in terms of pyrite, mineral matter and carbonaceous material. The results of this investigation indicate that the material recovered in the first stage of release analysis tends to be well-liberated carbonaceous material. This is followed by an increase in the recovery of middlings and fines in the later stages of the process. Any free carbonaceous material remaining in the tailings from the release analysis test tends to be associated with the very fine sizes (−400 mesh). Pyrite recovery is attributed to the hydrophobicity provided by small inclusions of carbonaceous material, since the amount of truly liberated pyrite particles (i.e., 100% pyrite) present in the sample is found to be negligible.