cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facilitating timing debug by logic path correspondence

Synthesis tools for high-performance VLSI designs employ aggressive logic optimization techniques in order to meet physical requirements such as area and cycle time. During these optimizations, the original structure of the design, which is usually written in a hardware description language (HDL), is lost. It is difficult, and often impossible, to relate signals after synthesis to the original signals in the HDL code. Some signals only lose their names while for others there are no equivalent counterparts in the design after synthesis. Debugging timing problems is based on timing reports which are usually represented in terms of the post-synthesis design. Hence, it is difficult to relate critical paths in the timing reports to the relevant paths in the HDL code when a logic fix is needed. In this paper, we propose a different approach for dealing with the correspondence problem: instead of trying to relate signals we relate paths. Given a critical path in a post-synthesis representation, our method is able to find all corresponding paths in the pre-synthesis (HDL) representation. As a result, locating the parts in the HDL which are relevant to the given timing problem becomes trivial. A novel Sat-based algorithm for dealing with the path-correspondence problem is described. Experimental results on various industrial high-end processor designs show the effectiveness of our algorithm in substantially reducing the amount of paths in the HDL which one will have to consider when debugging a given critical path.
Heart rate, heart rate variability, and blood pressure during perioperative stressor events in abdominal surgery

Study Objective To define the behavior of power spectral heart rate variability (PSHR) during potentially stressful events in the perioperative period, and relate it to changes in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Design Longitudinal clinical study. Setting Operating room and recovery suites of a large tertiary care referral center. Patients: 26 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery. Interventions Anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium and fentanyl, and maintained with isoflurane/nitrous oxide (N 2 O)/relaxant or enflurane/N 2 O/relaxant. The trachea was intubated and intraabdominal surgery was performed. Measurements and Main Results Observations consisted of HR, noninvasive blood pressure, and PSHR. They were made before and after induction of anesthesia, tracheal intubation, and surgical incision, and during maximal surgical stimulation and skin closure. HR and mean arterial pressure (MAP) maxima were also recorded for one hour before and after emergence from anesthesia. PSHR was obtained using a special algorithm and data acquisition system for real time spectral analysis of the instantaneous HR versus time function. The HR power spectrum parameters analyzed were low-frequency (LFA; powerband=0.04 to 0.10 Hz), respiratory-induced frequency (RFA; powerband=respiratory frequency ±0.06 Hz), and the ratio of LFA to RFA. With induction of anesthesia, only RFA power decreased significantly. LFA power reduction became significant only after intubation and continued so until after incision. Immediately after induction, the decline in RFA power ( vs. preinduction) was more pronounced when compared with the decline in LFA power (76% vs. 34%; p = 0.01). Hence, the ratio LFA/RFA increased significantly after induction of anesthesia. It was significantly higher than at postintubation, preincision, or skin closure. A significant elevation in LFA, LFA/RFA ratio, and BP occurred with maximal abdominal surgical stimulation. Only preinduction LFA, RFA, and LFA/RFA ratio were predictive of MAP changes with induction of anesthesia ( p = 0.006). In 8 of the 15 patients who had MAP changes of at least 10 mmHg with induction, PSHR indices correctly predicted a change of this magnitude. Late intraoperative HR maxima were positively correlated with the change in HR and incision (r 2 = 0.58; p 2 = 0.60; p Conclusions On anesthetic induction, preoperative, but not intraoperative, spectral indices were predictive of BP changes. Power spectral analysis of HR may provide information about the autonomic state that is not evident from BP or HR. The HR power spectrum, in particular, indicated a striking autonomic imbalance immediately after the induction of anesthesia despite stable HR and BP. LFA and LFA/RFA ratio appeared to track sympathetic autonomic activation during abdominal surgical stimulation, but not during other perioperative stressor events.
Nosocomial Pneumonia: Pathogenesis and Recent Advances in Diagnosis and Therapy

Despite recent progress in the prevention and treatment of hospital-acquired infections, nosocomial pneumonia remains an important problem among critically ill patients. Nosocomial pneumonia develops in five to 10 patients per 1,000 admissions and has a mortality rate of 20%-50%. This review focuses on three areas of nosocomial pneumonia that have been the subject of investigation in recent years: (1) pathogenesis, especially the role of gastric colonization with gram-negative bacilli in retrograde pharyngeal spread; (2) diagnosis, particularly by means of bronchoalveolar lavage and the protected specimen brush during bronchoscopy; and (3) therapy with extended-spectrum penicillins, third-generation cephalosporins, imipenem, aztreonam, and quinolones.
Stomatal response of swordfern to volcanogenic CO2 and SO2 from Kilauea volcano

[1] The experimentally determined relationship between atmospheric pCO2 and plant stomata has been used to interpret large but transient changes in atmospheric composition, such as may have resulted from the eruptions of flood basalt. However, this relationship has not been tested in the field, i.e. in the vicinity of active volcanoes, to examine the specific effects of volcanogenic emissions. Moreover, the interpretation of paleoatmospheric pCO2 from fossil stomatal data assumes that the stomatal response resulted solely from variation in pCO2 and ignores the potential effect of outgassed SO2. We hypothesize that volcanogenic SO2 also has a significant effect on leaf stomata and test this hypothesis by measuring the stomatal index of the common swordfern (Nephrolepis exaltata) in the plumes of the actively outgassing vents of Kilauea volcano. We find that, compared to control locations, stomatal index is lowest at sample sites in the plume of Halema'uma'u Crater, where concentrations of both CO2 and SO2 are much higher than background. However, sites located directly in the plume of Pu'u O'o, where SO2 levels are high, but CO2 levels are not, also yield low values of stomatal index. We propose that shifts in the stomatal index of fossil leaves may record transient atmospheric increases in both SO2 and CO2, such as may be caused by eruptions of flood basalts. Calculations of pCO2 based on stomatal frequency are likely to be exaggerated.
THE CONTINUING COPARENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIVORCED SPOUSES

Findings are reported from an empirical investigation of the relationship between divorced spouses one year following the divorce. Interviews covering a wide range of topics were conducted with 54 pairs of divorced parents. It was found that the majority continued to interact with one another; those who interacted the most frequently were the supportive and cooperative coparents.
Code restructuring for improving cache performance of MPSoCs

One of the critical goals in code optimization for MPSoC architectures is to minimize the number of off-chip memory accesses. This is because such accesses can be extremely costly from both performance and power angles. While conventional data locality optimization techniques can be used for improving data access pattern of each processor independently, such techniques usually do not consider locality for shared data. This paper proposes a strategy that reduces the number of off-chip references due to shared data. It achieves this goal by restructuring a parallelized application code in such a fashion that a given data block is accessed by parallel processors within the same time frame, so that its reuse is maximized while it is in the on-chip memory space. This tends to minimize the number of off-chip references since the accesses to a given data block are clustered within a short period of time during execution. Our approach employs a polyhedral tool that helps us isolate computations that manipulate a given data block.
Bounds on Expected Project Tardiness

A frequent goal in scheduling projects and production operations is determining the financial impact of project duration or production lead time. This paper considers net project value effects that increase proportionally to time in excess of a deadline. New bounds on the expected value of these tardiness costs are given. The bounds provide robust measurements without requiring extensive assumptions about activity distributions.
Use of a Crocking Test Method to Measure the Transfer of Pesticide from Contaminated Clothing

Crocking tests methods and equipment are proposed as a method to study pesticide transfer from contaminated clothing. An AATCC crockmeter was used to stimulate the action of skin rubbing against a contaminated fabric surface. Fabrics commonly worn by agricultural workers were contaminated with 14C- labelled methyl parathion and mounted on the crockmeter. The mechanical finger was covered with clean, dry, unfinished fabric and rubbed against the contaminated specimen. The amount of pesticide transferred to the clean fabric was measured by liquid scintillation counting of the radiotracer. Tests showed that more pesticide was transferred from contaminated 65% polyester/35% cotton fabric than from 100% cotton fabric. More pesticide was transferred from heavier weight cotton denim than from lighter weight cotton denim. The nondurable starch finish reduced the pesticide transfer from both the 100% cotton fabric and the 65% polyester/35% cotton shirtweight fabric. These cloth-to-cloth transfer studies have demon...
The general and asymptotic solution of the elastic wave equation in an unbounded medium

New forms and new properties are given for the general solution of the three-dimensional dynamic equation for the displacement vector in an isotropic linear elastic solid. The general initial value problem in an unbounded medium with no sources is solved. The general solution at an arbitrary time is given in terms of two asymptotic vector fields. One is thereby able to obtain the complete and exact solution, including initial conditions, which corresponds to a specified or desired asymptotic solution, valid for large times in the future. The complete elastic field energy of an arbitrary exact solution is also shown to depend, in a simple way, only on the two asymptotic vector fields.
Facial Emotion Recognition Using Fuzzy Systems

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based emotion recognition system. The system is comprised of an image processing stage followed by an emotion recognition stage. In the image processing stage, the subject's face and facial features (eyes, mouth, etc.) are extracted. Next, the relevant identifying points are extracted from each facial feature. In the emotion recognition stage, the identifying points are used to fuzzify and determine the strength of different facial actions. These strengths are then used to determine the subject's displayed emotion. The Japanese Female Facial Expression database was used to evaluate the system's performance resulting in an overall successful detection rate of 78.8%.
A Strategy for Deducting Direct Labor and Manufacturing Overhead

Professor Steven H. Klein of Truman State University presents a strategy that, he says, allows corporations to deduct direct labor and manufacturing overhead.
Analysis of responses to kallidin, DABK, and DAK in feline hindlimb vascular bed

Responses to kallidin, des-Arg9-bradykinin (DABK), and des-Arg10-kallidin (DAK) were investigated in the hindlimb vascular bed of the cat under constant-flow conditions. Injections of kallidin, DABK, and DAK into the hindlimb perfusion circuit produced dose-dependent vasodilator responses in the hindlimb vascular bed. Vasodilator responses to kallidin and bradykinin (BK) were similar in magnitude and time course, and both peptides were approximately 100-fold more potent than DABK or DAK. Responses to kallidin were decreased by the kinin B2 antagonist, HOE 140, whereas responses to DABK and DAK were reduced by des-Arg9[Leu8]BK, a kinin B1-receptor antagonist. N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) reduced vasodilator responses to kallidin, DABK, and DAK, whereas meclofenamate, atropine, and U-37883A, a vascular selective ATP-sensitive K+ (K+ATP) channel-blocking agent, did not alter responses to the three peptides. These data suggest that both kinin B1 and B2 receptors are normally present in the hindlimb vascular bed. These data also suggest that kinin B1 and B2 receptor-mediated vasodilator responses are mediated by the release of nitric oxide and that the activation of K+ATP channels or muscarinic receptors, or the release of vasodilator prostaglandins play little if any role in mediating responses to kallidin, DABK, or DAK in the hindlimb vascular bed of the cat.
Activities of coordinated dietetic program directors compared by educational background.

This study was designed to ascertain the activities performed by coordinated program directors, compare current activities with 5-year expectations, and identify differences in importance and time spent on 14 pertinent activities by directors with master’s degrees and those with doctorates. Responses were collected by a descriptive survey of 64 directors, all of whom participated. Program directors with master’s degrees considered public relations with affiliations, attending faculty meetings, student advisement, and reading professional materials significantly more important (p
A time-dependent wave-thermoelastic solid interaction

This paper presents a combined field and boundary integral equation method for solving the time-dependent scattering problem of a thermoelastic body immersed in a compressible, inviscid and homogeneous fluid. The approach here is a generalization of the coupling procedure employed by the authors for the treatment of the time-dependent fluid-structure interaction problem. Using an integral representation of the solution in the infinite exterior domain occupied by the fluid, the problem is reduced to one defined only over the finite region occupied by the solid, with nonlocal boundary conditions. The nonlocal boundary problem is analyzed with Lubich's approach for time-dependent boundary integral equations. Existence and uniqueness results are established in terms of time-domain data with the aid of Laplace-domain techniques. Galerkin semi-discretization approximations are derived and error estimates are obtained. A full discretization based on the Convolution Quadrature method is also outlined. Some numerical experiments in 2D are also included in order to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the procedure.
Generators of Jacobi forms are Poincaré series

The ring of Jacobi forms of even weights is generated by the weak Jacobi forms \(\phi _{-2,1}\) and \(\phi _{0,1}\). Bringmann and the first author expressed \(\phi _{-2,1}\) as a specialization of a Maass–Jacobi–Poincare series. In this paper, we extend the domain of absolute convergence of Maass–Jacobi–Poincare series which allows us to show that \(\phi _{0,1}\) is also a Poincare series.
"Small Blood Vessels: Big Health Problems?": Scientific Recommendations of the National Institutes of Health Workshop.

Small blood vessels (generally <100 μm in internal diameter) contribute to fundamental physiological processes and pathological events, but may not necessarily garner the attention associated with macrovascular physiology and disease. Major reasons for the bench‐to‐bedside research gap is the
Advanced Calculus : Theory and Practice

Sequences and Their Limits Computing the Limits Definition of the Limit Properties of Limits Monotone Sequences The Number e Cauchy Sequences Limit Superior and Limit Inferior Computing the Limits-Part II Real Numbers The Axioms of the Set R Consequences of the Completeness Axiom Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem Some Thoughts about R Continuity Computing Limits of Functions A Review of Functions Continuous Functions: A Geometric Viewpoint Limits of Functions Other Limits Properties of Continuous Functions The Continuity of Elementary Functions Uniform Continuity Two Properties of Continuous Functions The Derivative Computing the Derivatives The Derivative Rules of Differentiation Monotonicity. Local Extrema Taylor's Formula L'Hopital's Rule The Indefinite Integral Computing Indefinite Integrals The Antiderivative The Definite Integral Computing Definite Integrals The Definite Integral Integrable Functions Riemann Sums Properties of Definite Integrals The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus Infinite and Improper Integrals Infinite Series A Review of Infinite Series Definition of a Series Series with Positive Terms The Root and Ratio Tests Series with Arbitrary Terms Sequences and Series of Functions Convergence of a Sequence of Functions Uniformly Convergent Sequences of Functions Function Series Power Series Power Series Expansions of Elementary Functions Fourier Series Introduction Pointwise Convergence of Fourier Series The Uniform Convergence of Fourier Series Cesaro Summability Mean Square Convergence of Fourier Series The Influence of Fourier Series Functions of Several Variables Subsets of Rn Functions and Their Limits Continuous Functions Boundedness of Continuous Functions Open Sets in Rn The Intermediate Value Theorem Compact Sets Derivatives Computing Derivatives Derivatives and Differentiability Properties of the Derivative Functions from Rn to Rm Taylor's Formula Extreme Values Implicit Functions and Optimization Implicit Functions Derivative as a Linear Map Open Mapping Theorem Implicit Function Theorem Constrained Optimization The Second Derivative Test Integrals Depending on a Parameter Uniform Convergence The Integral as a Function Uniform Convergence of Improper Integrals Integral as a Function Some Important Integrals Integration in Rn Double Integrals over Rectangles Double Integrals over Jordan Sets Double Integrals as Iterated Integrals Transformations of Jordan Sets in R2 Change of Variables in Double Integrals Improper Integrals Multiple Integrals Fundamental Theorems Curves in Rn Line Integrals Green's Theorem Surface Integrals The Divergence Theorem Stokes' Theorem Differential Forms on Rn Exact Differential Forms on Rn Solutions and Answers to Selected Problems Bibliography Subject Index Author Index
Hepatotoxicity with Vismodegib: An MD Anderson Cancer Center and Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports Project

On 30 January 2012, the US FDA approved vismodegib (Erivedge®, Genentech, CA, USA) for the management of both metastatic and locally advanced basal cell carcinoma. Our objective was to identify evidence of hepatotoxicity with vismodegib in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) in treated patients in two National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Centers. FAERS was searched for reports dated 1 January 2009 through 31 December 2015 using terms including hedgehog pathway and vismodegib and hepatic-related terms such as liver, jaundice, and hepatitis, among others. Disproportionality analyses with estimates of proportional reporting ratio and empirical Bayesian geometric mean were conducted. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, and the clinical databases at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University were searched. Two cases of severe liver dysfunction were published (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] class III), and 94 reports of adverse events (AEs) were detected in FAERS, 35 of which were serious AEs. Safety notifications related to hepatotoxicity have not been issued by the manufacturer or the FDA, although vismodegib is listed in LiverTox and the European Medicines Agency website. We identified a detectable safety signal for hepatotoxicity for vismodegib within 4 years of FDA approval. Vismodegib should be used in patients with severe liver disease only after careful consideration, and concomitant hepatotoxic medications should be avoided. Rapid dissemination of such safety concerns is expected to result in fewer serious hepatotoxic AEs and more optimal outcomes for patients with cancer receiving vismodegib.
Software-level task scheduling on GPUs

Task scheduling is critical for exploiting the full power of multicore processors such as graphics processing units (GPUs). Unlike central processing units, GPUs do not provide necessary APIs for the programmers or compilers to use to control scheduling. On the contrary, the hardware scheduler on modern GPUs makes flexible task scheduling difficult. This chapter presents a compiler and runtime framework with the capability to automatically transform and optimize GPU programs to enable controllable task scheduling to the streaming multiprocessors (SMs). At the center of the framework is SM-centric transformation, which addresses the complexities of the hardware scheduler and provides the scheduling capability. The framework presents many opportunities for new optimizations, of which this chapter presents three: parallelism, locality, and processor partitioning. We show in extensive experiments that the optimizations can substantially improve the performance of a set of GPU programs in multiple scenarios.
Study of Additional Eye-Related Features for Future Eye-Tracking Techniques

We investigated additional eye-related features that can be tracked by modified Video-Oculography (VOG) and Photosensor Oculography (PSOG) systems in order to improve their data quality. Using a VOG technique in conjunction with the developed method of detection of actively moving eye-related features, we performed an experimental evaluation of movement characteristics of the observed features, such as eyelashes and eyebrows. Our results shown strong correlation between the lower eyelashes and limbus, which was taken as a control measure of eye movements. Our results can be implemented in applications that require high data quality of eye-tracking, such as in Virtual Reality (VR).
Critical review of wetting and adhesion phenomena in the preparation of polymer-mineral composites

The wetting behavior of liquid polymers at solid surfaces and the adhesion forces involved at polymer-filler interfaces should always be considered in the preparation of high-quality polymer composites, including those made with mineral fillers. Spontaneous polymer spreading over the filler surface is a basic condition for the design of polymer-mineral composites. In this regard, the wetting and adhesion characteristics of polymer-mineral systems are reviewed. Based on this review it is clear that several aspects of wetting phenomena at mineral-filler surfaces require further systematic study. Specifically, efforts should be made to determine the wetting characteristics of molten polymers at mineral-filler surfaces in greater detail. Also, the effects of mineral-surface contamination (including surface hydration) on wetting and adhesion phenomena need specific investigation. It is expected that an improved fundamental understanding of wetting and adhesion phenomena for polymer-mineral composites will provide the basis for further technological development.
Susceptibility to Attitude Change as A Function of Internal-External Control

This study investigated the hypothesis that externally controlled subjects when compared with internally controlled subjects would manifest significantly greater attitude change when exposed to standard communications advocating positions contrary to their pre-established attitudes. Experimental results confirmed the hypothesis that externals are more susceptible to attitude change influence attempts in a research setting than are internals. It was suggested that the differential changes of attitude evidenced by internals and externals may be attributed to differences in their expectations for reinforcements.
428 ARE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS AT RISK FOR INFLUENZA

Despite highly effective vaccines, influenza and its associated complications contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in the United States, especially among high-risk individuals. The objective of this study is to determine whether individuals at high-risk for influenza represent a disproportionately higher percentage of emergency department (ED) visitors during the influenza season and whether their vaccination status is similar to the national percentage. Medical records of a convenience sample of all patients above the age of 6 months presenting to the ED at a university-affiliated hospital in Tucson during February 1 to 7, 2007, were reviewed (N = 1,309). Using the ACIP and CDC guidelines for vaccination, patients were stratified as (1) high risk for influenza or its complications, (2) health care worker or household contact of a high risk patient, and (3) healthy adult. Additionally, prior ED use within that season9s vaccination period was determined, evaluating the potential for vaccination within the ED; 42.3% of ED patients were at high risk for influenza or its complications (US 33.5%, p
Neighbor discovery message hold times for MANETs

Abstract We present the results of an experimental study that was designed to understand the impact of neighbor discovery (ND) message hold times on the performance of mobile ad hoc networks. Experiments were conducted on a physical testbed of pseudo-mobile nodes and an NS-3 based simulator. The results of these experiments indicate that setting the ND message hold time 25% to 100% larger than the ND message interval provides favorable performance; or 2 s larger on an absolute scale. In particular, that hold time provides the best trade-off between two sources of packet loss induced by the neighbor discovery process: misrouting and neighbor-flapping. The precise absolute value required is system dependent and therefore we discuss how to derive it in general. To nearly eliminate neighbor-flapping, the ND message hold time needs to be set to slightly greater than twice the value of the ND message interval (i.e., > 100% larger) to protect against the occurrence of a single isolated lost ND message.
Characterization of Volume-Based Changes in Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials and Prepulse Inhibition

The auditory evoked startle reflex is a conserved response resulting in neurological and motor activity. The presence of a mild prepulse immediately before the main pulse inhibits startle responses, though the mechanism for this remains unknown. In this study, the electroencephalography (EEG) data recorded from 15 subjects was analyzed to study the N1 and P2 components of cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) evoked by 70, 80, 90, 100, and 110 dB stimuli both in the presence and absence of 70 dB prepulses. Results without a prepulse showed an evolution of N1 amplitudes, increasing with stimulus intensity and showing largely significant differences. Results from prepulse trials only showed noteworthy changes in peak-to-peak amplitude in the 100 dB condition. Prepulse and non-prepulse conditions were then compared using peak amplitudes and theta power. Prepulse conditions significantly decreased the amplitude for both components in the 110 dB condition, i.e., pre-pulse inhibition, but significantly increased the N1 amplitude in the 70 dB condition, i.e., pre-pulse facilitation. Similarly theta band power significantly increased in the 70 dB prepulse condition and significantly decreased in the 110 dB prepulse condition. These results expand the basis of knowledge regarding how CAEPs change and elaborate on their neural function and representation.
Chapter 1 – Supply Chain for Libraries—Big Picture

This chapter sets up the overall context for the reasons why academic and research libraries need to adopt Supply Chain concept and its methodologies. Currently, libraries are facing tremendous pressure to provide new services to support the continuous expansion of their academies; meanwhile, established library operations lockdown majority of the available resources that could otherwise be used for rapid growth of emerging services. Library stakeholders expect libraries to demonstrate more impact their services have on the academies; yet, at the same time, library resources have been plateauing in the past several decades. Libraries, as service organizations, will need to examine and optimize their current model of operations. Supply Chain is a discipline, and a framework, that can help raise the utility of their limited resources to maximize user benefits. The goal of the chapter is to set the stage for later chapters of the book on the topic of Supply Chain and its adoption.
Electrostatic actuation of the pulse-activated Piezo-NEMS shuttle relay

This paper reports on electrostatic switching of the Pulse-Activated Piezo-NEMS Shuttle Relay. This relay demonstrates a new highly scalable geometry that offers area independent performance — only layer thickness affects the device performance to first order. Additionally, testing demonstrates non-volatile states, proving the device can be used in memory applications. Switching was recorded at electrostatic voltages ranging 5V-19V depending on the starting state of the device. Although relatively high, this voltage is going to be used as a body bias in the ultimate envisioned utilization of the relay. An on resistance of 700±200Ω was measured for the relay.
Hydrazide as a ligand moiety in immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography: Separation of BO–IMI and BODIPY–hydrazide

Abstract BODIPY hydrazide (BO–HZ, a commercially available fluorescent dye) and BO–IMI (obtained by coupling the hydrazide moiety of BODIPY to the carboxyl group of N -acetylhistidine) were separated on three forms of a Sepharose–iminodiacetic acid column: Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II). Whereas BO–IMI eluted first on the Cu(II) and Ni(II) columns (a pH gradient from 7.0 to 2.0 was applied), it eluted last on the Zn(II) column. BO–HZ eluted from the Zn(II) column without displacing this metal. The explanation suggested for these results is that BODIPY hydrazide undergoes strong, bidendate binding only to the Cu(II) and Ni(II) columns.
THE EFFECTS OF CRACK CLOSURE ON ULTRASONIC SCATTERING MEASUREMENTS

The ultrasonic scattering from cracks is traditionally modelled by requiring that the stresses vanish on the crack faces. A violation of this assumption is found in real cracks when asperities on opposing faces are forced into contact by closure or applied stresses. Many investigators have reported substantial decreases in ultrasonic reflections, as well as partial transmission through such cracks. This paper describes a model which has been developed to take into account the effects of the contacts on the ultrasonic signals scattered from the crack.
Overtaking the Road: Careless Pedestrians

This chapter locates the demise of car travel in French Indochina. As the economy collapsed in the early 1930s, the position of the French was undercut by social anxiety and they retreated to individual transport, while the Vietnamese turned to buses. As traffic increased, so did road accidents. Road safety campaigns collected critical surveys from all provinces, officially undermining the prestige of mise en valeur. Discontented Vietnamese reclaimed the roads as walking signs of otherness. Ultimately, this chapter brings our attention to pedestrianism in the colonial automobility era as act of protest and resistance.
A Natural Conversation Framework for Conversational UX Design

With the rise in popularity of chatbot and virtual-agent platforms, from Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM and more, a new design discipline is emerging: Conversational UX Design. While it is easy to create natural language interfaces with these platforms, creating an effective and engaging user experience is still a major challenge. Natural language processing (NLP) techniques have given us powerful tools for analyzing bits of language, but they do not tell us how to string those bits together to make a natural conversation. Natural conversation has a sequential organization that is independent of the organization of language itself. At IBM Research-Almaden, we are addressing this user experience (UX) design challenge by applying formal, qualitative models from the field of Conversation Analysis to the design of conversational agents. Our Natural Conversation Framework (NCF) is a design framework for conversational user experience. It provides a library of generic conversational UX patterns that are inspired by natural human conversation patterns and that are agnostic to platform and input method (text or voice). This chapter will cover the four components of our Natural Conversation Framework: (1) an interaction model, (2) common activity modules, (3) a navigation method and (4) a set of sequence metrics. In addition, it will briefly outline a general process for designing conversational UX: from mock-up to working prototype.
Impact of Individual Vs. Composite Endpoints for Prediction of Long-Term Survival in Gvhd Clinical Trials Research

INTRODUCTION The composite endpoint of GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS), defined as survival free from grade 3–4 acute GVHD (aGVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD) requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy (IST), or relapse has emerged as an outcome to capture clinically meaningful events. In the present study, we validated GRFS as a useful surrogate endpoint by examining the relative importance of individual events and the GRFS composite itself on overall survival (OS) at 5-years after allogeneic HCT. METHODS We conducted an IRB-approved retrospective cohort study on 565 consecutive patients (age ≥18 years) undergoing first-time allogeneic HCT for hematologic malignancy (January 2007–March 2013). Data abstraction of GRFS events was performed through chart review of the EHR. To determine the impact of each event of the GRFS composite endpoint, we accounted for competing risks using Fine and Gray methods, and correlated each event with OS using Kaplan-Meier methods. Using statistical simulations, the relative consequences of successfully modulating individual or composite endpoints on OS were examined to further elucidate the role of GRFS in clinical trials research. RESULTS The median age of the cohort was 54 years (18–73 years), comprised predominantly of males (58%) and Caucasians (94%). The most common indication for transplant was AML (41%), followed by lymphoma (21%) and MDS/MPD (14%). Patients received HLA-matched related (47%), and matched unrelated (53%) donors, and mostly peripheral blood stem cells (90%) and myeloablative conditioning (68%). Relapse conferred the greatest risk for death (HR 7.89; 95% CI:5.83–10.69). Grade 3–4 aGVHD was associated with HR 6.16 (95%CI:4.42–8.56), while cGVHD requiring IST was associated with lower HR 1.69 (95%CI:1.16–2.46). Indeed, the GRFS composite correlated with less HR 4.81 (95% CI:3.61–6.41) compared with either relapse or grade 3–4 aGVHD events. To determine the impact of hypothetical improvements on individual events or combined events (composite) on OS, we next performed Monte Carlo simulations. Compared with individual events, modulating composite endpoints predicted the greatest change in 5-year OS (Figure 1). The greatest gain in OS was seen by proportionally reducing both grade 3–4 aGVHD and relapse (modified GRFS). Reducing chronic GVHD requiring IST proportionally with grade 3–4 aGVHD and relapse events (conventional GRFS) did not change 5-year OS. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the importance of influencing OS by targeting the major early adverse post-HCT events (i.e., grade 3–4 acute GVHD and relapse). Moreover, the simulations herein suggest that GRFS as currently defined may be less optimal for predicting OS than using early grade 3–4 aGVHD and relapse as composite endpoints. Importantly, further refinement of these endpoints will depend on the a priori defined study population as well as intervention.
PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STEROID-METABOLIZING CYTOCHROME P-450 DEPENDENT MIXED FUNCTION OXIDASE SYSTEMS FROM BOVINE ADRENOCORTICAL MICROSOMES

Cytochrome P-450 and NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase were purified from bovine adrenocortical (BAC) microsomes. Cytochrome P-450 AM-1 purified to 10–12 nanomoles P-450/mg protein by AM 2 SO 4 fractionation and hydrophobic interaction chromatography showed essentially one band by SDS-page (>95%) with a MW = 52,000. Fraction P-450 AM-2 with a specific content of 3-4 nanomoles P-450/mg protein contained two hemeproteins with M.W. of 49,000 and 52,000. Partially purified reductase reduced cytochrome P-450. Adrenodoxin was not required nor did it stimulate reduction. Photoaffinity labeling studies show the inhibitor derived label 1-(4-azidophenyl)imidazole to have high affinity for BAC microsomal P-450. Labeling experiments using partially purified BAC microsomal P-450 afforded stoichiometric label incorporation.
Features of a pan balance that may support students’ developing understanding of mathematical equivalence

Elementary school students struggle in interpreting the equal sign as a symbol denoting equivalence. Although many have advocated using a pan-balance scale to help students develop this understandi...
Analysis of the Secure Data Transmission System Parameters

In this paper we describe the method which allows the separation of legal software data from the data that is sent by extraneous software sources in order to increase the reliability of legal software data. This is done through the use of a buffer to store legal software data by using a set of mathematical equations. The combination of reversible and irreversible transformations is the basis of secure data messages formation algorithm. Having finished the reception, the receiver starts the analysis of the data written in the buffer and makes chains of words. We also describe the mathematical models which allow us to get the numerical values of the presented method. The article show the size of the buffer influences the security of data transmission system. The best correlations between the parameters of formation of secure data transmission algorithm are determined. At the same time the article reveals the problem of collisions during the transmission of secure messages. By collision in this work we understand situation, when hardware selects two or more different chains from buffer. It is shown that by variation of parameters of secure data analysis algorithm we can reduce the possibility of authentication mistakes by a factor a 10.
A Derivative-Free Optimization Method With Application to Functions With Exploding and Vanishing Gradients

In this letter, we propose a bio-inspired derivative-free optimization algorithm capable of minimizing objective functions with vanishing or exploding gradients. The proposed method searches for improvements by leveraging a PCA-based strategy similar to fish foraging. The strategy does not require explicit gradient computation or estimation and is shown in simulation to require few function evaluations. Additionally, our analysis proves that the proposed algorithm’s search direction converges to the gradient direction everywhere outside of small neighborhoods around local minima. Applications to a data-driven LQR problem and noisy Rosenbrock optimization problem are demonstrated. Empirical results show the proposed method exhibits fast convergence and is able to find the LQR gains for any controllable system, including unstable systems, and is robust to noisy function evaluations.
Comparison of creatine kinase in cerebrospinal fluid collected from the cerebellomedullary and lumbar cisterna in 10 dogs with neurologic disease

BACKGROUND Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid CK (CSF-CK) might be useful as a prognostic indicator in dogs with neurologic disease. Previous studies have mostly analyzed CSF-CK collected from the cerebellomedullary (CM) cisterna, but CSF collection sites could affect its levels. OBJECTIVES This is a pilot study aimed to evaluate differences in CSF-CK concentrations when collected from the CM or lumbar cisterna in dogs presenting with neurologic disease. METHODS Ten dogs presenting for neurologic disease underwent magnetic resonance imaging and CSF collection from both the CM and lumbar cisterna. Cerebrospinal fluid CK was analyzed within 30 minutes. RESULTS Ten dogs were prospectively recruited. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference between CSF-CK collected from the CM or lumbar cisterna (P = .31). When evaluated by neurolocalization, CSF-CK was different between sites in dogs with thoracolumbar myelopathy (P = .024), but not in dogs with intracranial or cervical neurolocalization (P = .93). All dogs with thoracolumbar myelopathy had equivocal or higher CK levels at the lumbar collection site compared with levels at the CM collection site. CONCLUSIONS Cerebrospinal fluid CK values differed depending on the CSF site collection, especially in dogs with thoracolumbar myelopathy. In dogs with thoracolumbar myelopathy, CSF-CK was likely to be higher when CSF was taken from the lumbar cisterna compared with the CM cisterna. Collecting CSF from the thoracolumbar site could provide better prognostic information than if collected at the CM collection site.
78. PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE: THE USE OF EPAS TO STANDARDIZE PEDIATRIC MOCK CODE FEEDBACK

Background Pediatric mock code simulation plays a critical role in the development of a trainee's decision making ability for high-stakes, low frequency situations. To ensure trainees receive maximal benefit from these simulations, it is important that they receive optimal, timely feedback. Objective The aim of this study is to characterize the implementation and pilot use of the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for mock code feedback. Methods We designed a simulation-based education intervention study of pediatric trainees at a large pediatric residency program. To ensure consistency and breadth of experience, a standardized mock code curriculum of 13 cases was created. An online assessment tool was created based on the ABP's EPA 10 (resuscitation and initial stabilization) incorporating objective clinical behaviors that the learner must display during the simulation. EPAs and communication were rated based on narrative anchors with seven and five possible levels, respectively. The tool was used to facilitate and record feedback between the instructor and trainee. In addition, other mock code participants evaluated the trainee using the tool in real time. Results 6 months since implementation, 21 residents (45% of PGY-2, PGY-3 classes) have received one-to-one verbal and written feedback using our tool following a mock code. 90 evaluations were completed by faculty and observers. The average EPA rating and communication score of residents was 5.4 (SD 1.27) and 3.66 (SD 0.75), respectively. There were no significant differences observed in the EPA or communication scores between the observers and faculty (P = 0.46 and 0.8, respectively). In the post-simulation survey, 93% (13/14) of trainees indicated the feedback process would improve their future performance. Conclusions An EPA-based, online assessment tool was feasible and easily incorporated into mock code simulations. We found that observers with varying levels of expertise gave similar ratings, suggesting future possibilities of using peers for feedback in mock code settings.
Defining and estimating the reliability of physician quality measures in hierarchical logistic regression models

In healthcare provider profiling, the reliability of a performance measure indicates whether observed differences in patient outcomes can be attributed to genuine differences in quality across providers. While reliability is easy to define, estimate, and interpret when the outcome of interest is continuous and a hierarchical linear model can be assumed, several different definitions and estimators of reliability are in use for performance measures based on binary outcomes. We compare these candidate definitions and estimators when a hierarchical logistic regression model is assumed for the binary outcome. Our simulations revealed important differences across reliability estimators, particularly when the number of patients per provider is low, as expected for physician quality measures. Using claims data on Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries treated by physicians in Florida, we illustrate the practical implications by examining two process-of-care measures collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the U.S. for physician quality reporting.
Central Banks and Climate Change

Central banks are increasingly called upon to address climate change. Proposals for central bank action on climate change range from programs of “green” quantitative easing to increases in risk-based capital requirements meant to deter banks from lending to climate-unfriendly business. Politicians and academics alike have urged climate risk as both macroeconomic and financial stability risk. Relative to counterparts abroad, the U.S. central bank—the Federal Reserve—has been more measured in its response. This Article offers a legal explanation why. It urges that, despite the substantive importance of climate change, the U.S. Federal Reserve presently has relatively limited legal authority to address that problem head-on. Drawing on insights from corporate finance and macroeconomics, the Article constructs a legal framework—stitching together a variety of Fed laws, regulations, and precedents of practice—to discern why many aspects of climate change sit outside the Fed’s legal remit today. Ultimately, the Article tackles one of the most pressing rule-of-law questions facing the Fed today: What are the limits of the Fed’s mandates to address climate change and how far can the Fed press beyond those mandates to make the economy greener? In doing so, the Article prompts reflection on the ideal role of the Fed vis-a-vis the fiscal authority of the Treasury, the political actors in Congress, and the Chief Executive.
Of balls, bladders, and balloons: The time required to deflate an elastic sphere

Experience teaches us that a large balloon takes longer to deflate than a small one of the same kind. But what is the quantitative relation between the deflation time τ and the radius R of a balloon? A simple analysis, depending only upon elementary physics, shows that τ ∼ R 7 / 2—a prediction that is surprisingly easy to illustrate with a party balloon, a tape measure, and a smart-phone app.
CO 2 — FIR Lasers with Common Resonator

Throughout the last years much progress has been made in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in coherently pumped FIR gas lasers. Diffusion of molecules to the tube walls have been found to be a dominant process for the relaxation to the ground state /1/. Unfortunately, this restricts the operating gas pressure as is evident from experiments and theoretical analysis, as well /1,2/. Since low gas pressures imply a low pump absorption coefficient and saturation parameter, saturation of the absorption transition occurs for relatively small values of pump irradiance. This in turn makes it difficult to achieve a high pump efficiency, i. e., to get most of the pump radiation absorbed in the FIR gas.
Hello world!: code responsibly: why cyber is a game changer for computer science education

Cybersecurity continues to be a global crisis. The ever-growing need for cyber talent has challenged universities to build and expand cybersecurity programs, despite an acute shortage of cybersecurity faculty. With every challenge comes opportunity. Can cybersecurity draw more students to computer science? Given the appropriate resources, can teaching cyber create opportunities for computer science educators to engage students and increase diversity? To address the cyber crisis, all university programs should offer an introduction to cyber course, all programming classes should teach responsible coding, and we should integrate security across the curriculum.