cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Cross-Layer Design for Perceptual Optimization Of H.264/SVC with Unequal Error Protection

Delivering high perceptual quality video over wireless channels is challenging due to the changing channel quality and the variations in the importance of one source packet to the next for the end-user's perceptual experience. Leveraging perceptual metrics in concert with link adaptation to maximize perceptual quality and satisfy real-time delay constraints is largely unexplored. We introduce an APP/MAC/PHY cross-layer architecture that enables optimizing perceptual quality for delay-constrained scalable video transmission. We propose an online QoS-to-QoE mapping technique to quantify the loss visibility of packets from each video layer using the ACK history and perceptual metrics. At the PHY layer, we develop a link adaptation technique that uses the QoS-to-QoE mapping to provide perceptually-optimized unequal error protection per layer according to packet loss visibility. At the APP layer, the source rate is adapted by selecting the set of temporal and quality layers to be transmitted based on the channel statistics, source rates, and playback buffer state. The proposed cross-layer optimization framework allows the channel to adapt at a faster time scale than the video codec. Furthermore, it provides a tradeoff between playback buffer occupancy and perceptual quality. We show that the proposed architecture prevents playback buffer starvation, provides immunity against short-term channel fluctuations, regulates the buffer size, and achieves a 30% increase in video capacity versus throughput-optimal link adaptation.
A ceraphronid wasp in Early Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae)

The first fossil of the parasitoid wasp family Ceraphronidae (Ceraphronoidea) is described and figured. Ceraphron ceuthonymus Engel, new species, is described from Early Miocene (Burdigalian) amber from the Dominican Republic and distinguished from its close congeners. A brief summary of the fossil record of Ceraphronoidea is provided.
Facilitating Motor Learning in a Child with a Chromosome Translocation: Applications of Quantitative Surface Electromyography

Physical rehabilitation typically conjures up images of an adult in physical therapy to recover from an accident or injury. Children are also the unfortunate victims of strokes, head injuries, and developmental disorders. In this case study, a child with a rare genetic disorder is helped to learn to stand using a modification of surface electromyography, quantitative surface electromyography (QSEMG). Over a period of twelve 1-hour sessions, she learned to stand with minimal assistance. Achieving these types of goals is of critical importance for the development of maximum independence in performing activities of daily living.
Community responses to contaminants: Using basic ecological principles to predict ecotoxicological effects

Community ecotoxicology is defined as the study of the effects of contaminants on patterns of species abundance, diversity, community composition, and species interactions. Recent discoveries that species diversity is positively associated with ecosystem stability, recovery, and services have made a community-level perspective on ecotoxicology more important than ever. Community ecotoxicology must explicitly consider both present and impending global change and shift from a purely descriptive to a more predictive science. Greater consideration of the ecological factors and threshold responses that determine community resistance and resilience should improve our ability to predict how and when communities will respond to, and recover from, xenobiotics. A better understanding of pollution-induced community tolerance, and of the costs of this tolerance, should facilitate identifying contaminant-impacted communities, thus forecasting the ecological consequences of contaminant exposure and determining the restoration effectiveness. Given the vast complexity of community ecotoxicology, simplifying assumptions, such as the possibility that the approximately 100,000 registered chemicals could be reduced to a more manageable number of contaminant classes with similar modes of action, must be identified and validated. In addition to providing a framework for predicting contaminant fate and effects, food-web ecology can help to identify communities that are sensitive to contaminants, contaminants that are particularly insidious to communities, and species that are crucial for transmitting adverse effects across trophic levels. Integration of basic ecological principles into the design and implementation of ecotoxicological research is essential for predicting contaminant effects within the context of rapidly changing, global environmental conditions.
Metastability and rapid convergence to quasi-stationary bar states for the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations

Quasi-stationary, or metastable, states play an important role in two-dimensional turbulent fluid flows, where they often emerge on timescales much shorter than the viscous timescale, and then dominate the dynamics for very long time intervals. In this paper we propose a dynamical systems explanation of the metastability of an explicit family of solutions, referred to as bar states, of the two-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equation on the torus. These states are physically relevant because they are associated with certain maximum entropy solutions of the Euler equations, and they have been observed as one type of metastable state in numerical studies of two-dimensional turbulence. For small viscosity (high Reynolds number), these states are quasi-stationary in the sense that they decay on the slow, viscous timescale. Linearization about these states leads to a time-dependent operator. We show that if we approximate this operator by dropping a higher-order, non-local term, it produces a decay rate much faster than the viscous decay rate. We also provide numerical evidence that the same result holds for the full linear operator, and that our theoretical results give the optimal decay rate in this setting.
DATING MODERN DELTAS: Progress, Problems, and Prognostics 1

▪ Abstract Radiocarbon dating is the method most frequently used to date Holocene deltaic sequences, but less than one quarter of 14C dates are within ±500 years of predicted age. Such dates tend to be unreliable, in other words, often too old and commonly inverted upsection, and core sample dates obtained near deltaic plain surfaces may be as old as mid- to late Holocene. Stratigraphic irregularities result primarily from downslope reworking of upland alluvial sediment, with displacement of “old carbon” in the sediment that accumulates in lower valleys and deltaic plains. Use of dates that are too old results in inaccurately calculated rates (most often too low) of relative sea-level rise and/or land subsidence. More reliable timing of deltaic sediment requires a multiple-method dating approach, including, where possible, identification of associated archaeological material. Developing an accurate dating strategy is a critical step for implementing reliable coastal protection measures needed for the rapi...
Reconstruction of the postsubiculum head direction signal from neural ensembles.

Head direction cells change their firing rates as a function of the orientation of an animal within an environment. Typically, these cells display a unimodal tuning curve with maximal firing at the cell's preferred direction. As different cells have different preferred directions, the population of cells has been hypothesized to represent the orientation of the animal within the environment. Previous research has shown that pairs of simultaneously recorded head direction cells respond similarly to cue manipulations, suggesting that a population of head direction cells acts in concert to represent the animal's orientation within its environ- ment. Ensembles of head direction cells were recorded from the postsub- iculum from rats foraging in an open field. Directional responses of each cell were quantified by the nonparametric Watson's U 2 statistic, a mea- sure which makes no explicit assumptions of tuning curve shape. Direc- tionally responsive cells were then used to reconstruct each animal's orientation within the open field using population vector, optimal-linear estimator, and Bayesian methods. The results indicated that postsubicu- lum contained a complete representation of the animal's orientation. The internal consistency of a neural ensemble can be assessed by comparing the ensemble activity to the expected activity given the reconstructed orientation. This has been termed the "coherency" of the neural ensem- ble. Reconstruction error decreased as the coherency of the orienta- tion representation increased, indicating that coherency could be used to measure a level of confidence in the representation quality. Be- cause coherency is a linear measure dependent only on internal vari- ables, coherency may be a behaviorally relevant measure used to ascertain the animal's confidence in its representation of orientation. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
How important is consent for controlled clinical trials

The Nuremberg Code of ethical principles for experiments involving human beings has as its first requirement that “the voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.” Since the time of the trials that supplied its motivation the principles have been amplified and detail and distinctions have been added. For example, the Declaration of Helsinki, adopted by the World Medical Association in 1964, again laid down general principles related to voluntariness, balance of risk and benefit, and scientific soundness. However, it also noted that the ethical issues with regard to two distinctly different types of human experiment vary. These two types are clinical research (i.e., “medical research combined with profession care”) and nonclinical biomedical research (i.e., “nontherapeutic biomedical research involving human subjects”). In actuality, we may distinguish three types of human biomedical experimentation. Two of these are therapeutic and nontherapeutic experimentation. The first is directed primarily to the benefit of the experimental subjects who are being treated with some new experimental therapy for their ailment. In the second an experiment is designed to increase medical knowledge and uses volunteers who are healthy or whose illness is not related to the experimental study. One key difference between the ethical requirements specified by the Declaration of Helsinki for therapeutic and nontherapeutic experimentation was that the second approach required participation only by volunteers whom we assume are able to and do give their informed consent. However, in the first approach if consent were not obtained, the physician must specify the reasons and present these before an independent committee.
Safety of Liposuction: A Review of 9478 Cases Performed by Dermatologists

Complications and methods of anesthesia were reviewed in 9478 patients who had undergone liposuction surgery often in several areas. Seventy-one percent of the patients were treated under local anesthesia and the overall level of complications was extremely low. The results of the survey reflect the large number of liposuction procedures that are being performed by dermatologists with a high degree of patient safety.
YELLOW PINE CHIPMUNKS CANNOT CLIMB QUAKING ASPENS: IMPLICATIONS FOR AVIAN NEST SITE SELECTION

Abstract Predation of eggs or nestlings is generally believed to be the most influential factor limiting passerine reproductive success. Thus, there should be strong selective pressures for birds to place their nests in sites that are inaccessible to predators or that are less likely to be discovered by them. We found and monitored 231 nests of 4 species of arboreal, cup-nesting birds: Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus), Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus), American Robin (Turdus migratorius), and Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata). We determined strength of nest tree species selection by comparing nest trees and tree species availability. Western Wood-Pewees and Warbling Vireos demonstrated strong preference for placing nests in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Yellow-rumped Warblers showed a weak preference for aspen, and American Robins demonstrated no preference. We designed a series of experiments to determine whether yellow pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), an abundant nest predator, coul...
The association between self-rated eating habits and dietary behavior in two Latino neighborhoods: Findings from Proyecto MercadoFRESCO

Objective Latinos are the largest racial and ethnic minority group in the United States and bear a disproportionate burden of obesity related chronic disease. Despite national efforts to improve dietary habits and prevent obesity among Latinos, obesity rates remain high. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between self-rated dietary quality and dietary behavior among Latinos and how this may vary by socio-demographics to help inform future public health efforts aiming to improve eating habits and obesity rates.
Accountability and Independence in Public Enforcement

American democracy has never settled on a single metric of legitimacy for government action. Instead, across a range of government functions, we balance goals of accountability, representation, and responsiveness with complementary values of independence, expertise, consistency, and predictability. We tend to emphasize accountability when government acts in a legislative or regulatory capacity, while celebrating independence in the context of adjudication. Yet, for all the attention that has been heaped on these topics, scholars and policymakers have failed to attend to the function that connects law-making and law-application: enforcement. Focusing on the civil side of the civil/criminal divide, this Article develops a theory of public enforcement with important implications for both accountability and independence. Enforcement is a form of discretionary policymaking, necessitating the same sorts of wide-ranging policy judgments that characterize law-making — and triggering similar demands for accountability and transparency. But enforcers also must make individualized legal determinations of the sort we associate with judging. The similarity to adjudication suggests that accountability must be tempered by measures designed to foster the exercise of neutral and independent judgment. Perhaps paradoxically, some insulation from public pressures may be necessary in order for public enforcement to serve the public interest.If the argument here is even close to correct, then we are getting things badly wrong. Leveraging the analogies to lawmaking and adjudication, I show that the tools we have developed in other contexts to manage accountability and independence are at best weakened, and at worst wholly inapplicable, when it comes to enforcement. Under existing law, enforcement is neither meaningfully accountable nor meaningfully independent.
Induction of apoptosis by the new anticancer drug XK469 in human ovarian cancer cell lines

XK469, a synthetic quinoxaline phenoxypropionic acid derivative, has been found to have selective activity against a broad panel of solid tumors including several drug-resistant cell lines and has been approved for phase I clinical evaluation. Recent studies suggested that XK469 is a selective topoisomerase IIβ inhibitor, but the mechanism of XK469-induced cell death remains unknown. Here we investigate the ability of XK469 to induce apoptosis of human cancer cells. In the human ovarian cancer cell line PA1, XK469 caused the release of cytochrome c, activation of caspases including caspases 9, 7 and 3, cleavage of PARP, and subsequently cell death. Moreover, Bcl2 and Bax were cleaved in XK469 treated cells. PA1 cells expressing the dominant negative-caspase 9 were less sensitive to XK469. Importantly, in these PA1 cells expressing DN-casp 9, the activation of caspases including caspases 3, 7 and 9, and cleavage of Bax and Bcl2 were inhibited, suggesting that the activation of the mitochondrial pathway is required for XK469-induced anticancer activity. These results indicate that the induction of apoptosis by XK469 may account for its anti-tumor activity and such activity is required for the activation of the mitochondrial pathway. Thus, our study defines a possible mechanism, at least in part, underlying XK469-induced anti-cancer activity.
Observations Of Grain Growth In Thin Films

Grain growth occurs during the deposition and subsequent processing of metallic films. Observation of the grain structure by scanning ion probe microscopy and grain growth by in situ transmission electron microscopy using a heating stage serves to define some characteristic grain structures and their evolution in pure metal and alloy films used for metallisation.
Failed Cartilaginous Grafts in the Eyelid: A Retrospective Clinicopathological Analysis of 5 Cases.

To analyze the clinical and histopathologic features of 5 failed autologous cartilaginous grafts to the lower eyelids and to analyze the reasons for these failures. In this retrospective case series, the data collected included patient ages, reasons for and duration of cartilaginous graft implants, sources of cartilaginous grafts, and clinical and histopathologic findings at time of graft removal using hematoxylin and eosin, elastic, Alcian blue, and Masson trichrome staining for analysis of tissue alterations. Five cartilaginous, posterior lamellar lower eyelid grafts were complicated by eyelid thickening or retraction, graft extrusion, and entropion. Histopathologic findings included segmentation of the original single implant, stripped of its perichondrium, due to “kerfing,” sometimes with overlapping of the segments and scar formation between the segments. In place of the perichondrium that had been removed during the preparation the graft implants, a fibrous pseudoperichondrial capsule had formed. Pyknotic nuclei in varying degrees were typically found in the center of the grafts, despite a high degree of preservation of the extracellular matrix (collagenous, elastic, and proteoglycan components). No evidence of inflammation, cartilaginous vascularization, or necrosis was identified in any graft. Despite minimal reactive processes, kerfing (partial thickness cuts made in the graft to increase its pliancy) may be partially responsible for graft migration, deformation, and surgical failure. The consequences were graft fragmentation and overlapping of the multiple fragments. Graft migration can be exacerbated if a posterior lamellar graft is used to correct an anterior lamellar deficiency. Interference with the overall architectural integrity of the graft and its extracellular matrix appears to play no role in failure, despite removal of the perichondrium. Mild to moderate degrees of chondrocytic dropout in the absence of necrosis and inflammation are probably attributable to the thick and coarsely textured collagen of the fibrous pseudoperichondrial capsule that may impede diffusion of nutrients into the center of the graft.
A Characterization of Convex Bodies

(1962). A Characterization of Convex Bodies. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 69, No. 1, pp. 25-31.
Comparing Implicit and Explicit Measures of Sex Guilt in Predicting Sexual Behavior

COMPARING IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT MEASURES OF SEX GUILT IN PREDICTING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR Delaram Asadzadeh Totonchi Old Dominion University, 2015 Director: Dr. Louis H. Janda Sex guilt is a generalized expectancy for self-mediated punishment for violating or anticipating violating standards of proper sexual conduct. Our current knowledge about sex guilt is primarily achieved through using explicit measures, particularly the widely used Mosher Sex Guilt Inventory. Research has shown that explicit sex guilt can predict many sexual behaviors such as sexual activity, number of sexual partners, and condom use. Responses on explicit measures, however, are influenced by dissimulation and social desirability, especially when assessing socially sensitive domains such as sexual attitudes. The present study hypothesized that adding implicit sex guilt as a second predictor to the Mosher Sex Guilt Inventory would significantly improve the prediction of sexual behaviors. An Implicit Association Test (IAT) was created for the purposes of this study. The IAT consisted of two dimensions: pictorial and lexical. For the pictorial section, the study contrasted the target category of sex with the more neutral category of exercise. The lexical dimensions were guilt-innocent. Two hundred and twenty five female and 48 male undergraduate students participated in the study. IAT and Mosher Sex Guilt scales were correlated (r = .25) which provided some support for the convergent validity of IAT sex guilt. Regression and correlation analyses indicated that IAT sex guilt was associated with whether or not participants were sexually active, the extent to which participants were satisfied with their first sexual intercourse, frequency of engaging in sexual intercourse, and contraceptive use. However, results on multiple regression and correlation indicated that when IAT was added to the model as a second predictor, it only improved the prediction of whether or not participants were sexually active. Overall, Mosher sex guilt demonstrated better convergent validity compared to IAT sex guilt and the results did not support the idea of IAT sex guilt increasing the amount of variance accounted for in sexual behaviors compared to the Mosher scale alone. The implementation of explicit measures for assessing outcome variables could be a reason for the stronger association between Mosher sex guilt, compared to IAT sex guilt, and outcome variables.
Indirect Pulp Treatment, Direct Pulp Capping, and Stepwise Caries Excavation

In children with deep carious lesions, the tooth’s pulp can become inflamed. If this lesion is not treated properly, the caries can approximate the pulp resulting in pain and infection. The treatment of these pulp conditions often results in extraction or root canal therapy. Vital pulp therapy procedures can treat the decay approximating the pulp to avoid the pulp becoming infected or being treated with pulpotomy. An alternative to pulpotomy, extraction, or pulpectomy for deep carious lesions where the pulp is vital is indirect pulp treatment (IPT). IPT has been shown to be successful using stepwise caries excavation in two appointments or using partial caries excavation as a one-appointment procedure. These procedures are indicated for primary, immature permanent, and mature permanent teeth in children and adolescents. Direct pulp capping in primary teeth due to a carious exposure is not indicated but is used in permanent teeth. This chapter will review the literature and systematic reviews on these treatments, show their advantages and disadvantages, and offer conclusions as to the treatment of choice.
Diagnosis of pulmonary diseases.

SUMMARY A broad spectrum of lung disease occurs in association with HIV infection. Included are both infectious and neoplastic processes and idiopathic disorders. To insure prompt, accurate, and efficient diagnosis, a logical, staged sequence of tests should be applied. Chest films and, in some instances, pulmonary function tests and gallium-67 citrate lung scans serve to provide objective indications of lung disease. Each of these tests is sensitive but nonspecific. Specific infecting organisms, particularly P. carinn, can be identified by examining sputum induced by inhalation of 3 per cent saline. Bronchoscopic procedures, including BAL and TBB, are highly sensitive and should be performed in patients having non-diagnostic sputum examinations. Tests involving antigen and antibody detection are of little use in the evaluation of individual patients. Detection of recurrent episodes of PCP is difficult because abnormalities in the usual screening tests may be residual from previous episodes. Finding P. carinii in sputum or bronchoscopic specimens soon (within 2 to 3 months) after a confirmed episode of PCP likely represents residual organisms rather than recrudescence of the infection. Empiric diagnosis of P. carinii should be employed only in limited circumstances when specific diagnostic studies are not available, are contraindicated, or are refused.
The Future Place of Turkey in the Middle East

This chapter briefly assesses the future of Turkey’s place in the Middle East and by implication the future of Turkey–Qatar relations. It argues that Turkey’s place in the region will ultimately depend on its willingness and capability to balance Iran in the region. The chapter questions whether Turkey has such a capacity and willingness. Yet, the chapter also prophesizes that Turkey will continue to seek ways to keep, even strengthen, relations with the Arab Gulf states. The rise of new challenges in the region might make Turkey indispensable to improve Arab Gulf security.
Microarchitecture-aware physical planning for deep submicron technology

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a new design paradigm that combines microarchitecture design and circuit design with physical design for deep submicron technology. For deep submicron technology, wire delay will be the bottleneck for high performance microarchitecture design. Given the location information, inter-module latency can be calculated and hence, performance of the system can be estimated. In this thesis, we present a novel microarchitectural floorplanning that can help computer architects tackle the wire delay problem early in the microarchitecture design stage. We show that by employing microarchitectural floorplanning up to 40% performance gain can be achieved. We also extend the framework to include three dimensional integrated circuit (3D-IC). 3D-IC is a new integration technique that is also introduced to address the wire delay issue in deep submicron technology. By combining microarchitectural floorplanning with 3D-IC, we show that wire delay impact can be reduced substantially. We also show that not only the module location, but also the module size can impact the performance. Adaptive search engine is introduced to identify the right module size. Using our adaptive search engine, we show that the system can identify good module sizes that help improve the performance with a shorter run-time than the limited runtime brute force search. Our microarchitecture-aware physical planning assumes that the target clock period can be achieved by inserting more ip-ops into the system. Inserting ip-ops along the wires can make the system meet the timing constraints without violating correctness of the circuit on that path because the function of the wire is to transfer signal from one location to another. However, inserting the ip-op along the paths that consist of gates cannot guarantee the correctness of that path. A circuit optimization technique that allows ip-op insertion along circuit path is called retiming. In this dissertation, We show that retiming can be used to achieve target clock period in microprocessor design. With the same target clock period, power reduction technique can be combined with retiming to help reduce the power consumption. We show that up to 34% power reduction can be achieved without timing violation. Furthermore, to tackle the problem of process variation in deep submicron, we also propose a modified retiming that can tolerate errors from statistical timing computation. We show that our statistical retiming algorithm provides close results to Monte-Carlo simulation results.
Acute arthropod envenomation. Incidence, clinical features and management.

Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) envenomation is found throughout both the temperate and tropical latitudes, and is one of the leading causes of death from arthropod envenomations worldwide. The venom is highly neurotoxic, affecting the presynaptic motor endplate to allow massive noradrenaline (norepinephrine) and acetylcholine release into synapses causing excessive stimulation and fatigue of the motor end plate and muscle. Clinically, patients develop a bite site lesion and pain, abdominal pain and tenderness, and lower extremity pain and weakness within minutes to hours of envenomation. Symptoms progress over several hours, then subside over 2 to 3 days. The recommended treatment of ‘common’ envenomation is calcium gluconate 10% intravenously, titrated to relief of symptoms; antivenin, although effective, may cause hypersensitivity and serum sickness reactions, and should be restricted to life-threatening envenomations only. Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) envenomations are seen in the Americas and in Europe, and are endemic to the south and central United States. The venom contains at least 8 enzymes, consisting of various lysins (facilitating venom spread) and sphingomyelinase D, which causes cell membrane injury and lysis, thrombosis, local ischaemia, and Chemotaxis. Local envenomations begin as pain and itching that progresses to vesiculation with violaceous necrosis and surrounding erythema, and ultimately ulcer formation. Systemic envenomations may be life threatening, and present with fever, constitutional symptoms, petechial eruptions, thrombocytopenia, and haemolysis with haemoglobinuric renal failure. Treatment of local envenomations is conservative (local wound care, cryotherapy, elevation, tetanus prophylaxis, and close follow-up); systemic envenomation requires supportive care and treatment of arising complications, corticosteroids to stabilise red blood cell membranes, and support of renal function. Dapsone 100mg daily has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent in both animal studies and clinical trials. Over 650 species of scorpions are known to cause envenomation (mostly in children under 10 years); they are endemic mostly in arid and tropical areas. Different venoms and clinical presentations are seen across the different species. Most commonly, an inflammatory local reaction occurs with envenomation, which is treated with wound debridement and cleansing, tetanus prophylaxis, and antihistamines. Occasionally the venom is allergenic, and the resultant allergic reaction is treated in a standard fashion. Infrequently, Centruroides sculpturatus may cause a severe cholinergic envenomation, with presentation of severe cholinergic toxicity (salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation, bradycardia, bronchospasm, fasciculations). These patients need intensive care unit milieu, treatment of bronchospasm, and high dose anticholinergic therapy titrated to relief of symptoms.
Evaluation of 802.11a for streaming data in ad-hoc networks

Advances in communication and processing have made ad-hoc networks of wireless devices a reality. One application is home entertainment systems where multiple Home-to-Home (H20) devices collaborate as peers to stream audio and video clips to a household. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of IEEE 802.11a protocol in combination with both TCP and UDP to realize a H20 device. Challenges include lossy connections, unfair allocation of bandwidth between multiple simultaneous transmissions, and the exposed node limitation [22], [19], [13], [4]. Our primary contribution is an empirical study of 802.11a to quantify these factors and their significance. Our multi-dimensional experimental design consists of the following axes: distance between participating devices, number of intermediate H20 devices used to route a stream from a producing H20 device to a consuming H2O device, and simultaneous number of active streams in the same radio range. Both operating system and application level routing were considered_ Obtained results demonstrate the following lessons. First, with a multi-hop UDP transmission, in the absence of congestion control, transient bottlenecks result in a high loss rate. Hence, a transport protocol with congestion control is essential for streaming of continuous media within a H2O cloud. Second, 802.11a does not drop TCP connections in the presence of many competing transmissions (802.11b drops connections [22]). Third, we observed fairness when transmitting several hundred Megabytes (MB) of data, among multiple competing 1- hop TCP and UDP flows. Fourth, while there is unfair allocation of bandwidth with an exposed node, the observed bandwidths are sufficient to stream a high-quality video clip (with a 4 Mbps display bandwidth requirement). These results indicate streaming of data is feasible with an ad-hoc network of wireless devices employing the 80211a protocol.
Observed differences in child picky eating behavior between home and childcare locations

Abstract Picky eating (PE) is a common mealtime difficulty that is reported by up to 50% of caregivers. Most of the research to date on PE has focused on parents, even though millions of children also eat meals in home- or center-based childcare settings. Currently, little is known about PE behaviors manifested by the child across the home and childcare settings, or how these behaviors differ between home-based childcare (HBCC) and center-based childcare (CBCC) locations. The objectives of this study were to compare PE behaviors between the child's home and HBCC or CBCC environments, and compare PE behaviors between HBCC and CBCC environments. Children, ages 3–5 years, were recruited from CBCC (n = 26) or HBCC (n = 24) locations. Caregivers and children were videotaped consuming two different lunchtime meals in their home and childcare. Picky eating behaviors were coded from the videos using a codebook created for the study. Observational results showed that children in CBCC displayed more PE behaviors when at home than at childcare, while HBCC children displayed PE behaviors more similarly between the two locations. Thus, interventions to reduce PE behaviors should be personalized for location-specific intervention programs focused on raising healthy eaters across multiple locations.
Investigation of the binding and simultaneous quantifications of propanil and bromoxynil herbicide concentrations in human serum albumin

ABSTRACTThis study reported the use of UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and partial-least-square (PLS) multivariate regression for accurate and simultaneous quantifications of two widely used herbicides, propanil, 3′,4′-dichloropropionanilide (PPL) and bromoxynil, 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzonitrile (BXL) in human serum albumin (HSA) at physiological conditions. The binding affinity and thermodynamic properties of PPL-HSA and BXL-HSA complexes were also investigated. Partial-least-square (PLS) regression was used to collate the variability in the absorption or emission spectra of PPL-HSA and BXL-HSA complexes with PPL and/or BXL concentrations in HSA samples. The binding constants of 7.66× 108 M−1 for PPL-HSA and 4.88× 106 M−1 for BXL-HSA complexes were calculated at physiological conditions (temperature, 310 K; pH 7.4). Thermodynamic parameter values: enthalpy (ΔH) (13.99 kJ mol−1), entropy (ΔS) (0.078 kJ mol−1 K−1), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) (−10.19 kJ mol−1) were determined for PPL-HSA complexat...
Haptic simulation for robot-assisted dressing

There is a considerable need for assistive dressing among people with disabilities, and robots have the potential to fulfill this need. However, training such a robot would require extensive trials in order to learn the skills of assistive dressing. Such training would be time-consuming and require considerable effort to recruit participants and conduct trials. In addition, for some cases that might cause injury to the person being dressed, it is impractical and unethical to perform such trials. In this work, we focus on a representative dressing task of pulling the sleeve of a hospital gown onto a person's arm. We present a system that learns a haptic classifier for the outcome of the task given few (2–3) real-world trials with one person. Our system first optimizes the parameters of a physics simulator using real-world data. Using the optimized simulator, the system then simulates more haptic sensory data with noise models that account for randomness in the experiment. We then train hidden Markov Models (HMMs) on the simulated haptic data. The trained HMMs can then be used to classify and predict the outcome of the assistive dressing task based on haptic signals measured by a real robot's end effector. This system achieves 92.83% accuracy in classifying the outcome of the robot-assisted dressing task with people not included in simulation optimization. We compare our classifiers to those trained on real-world data. We show that the classifiers from our system can categorize the dressing task outcomes more accurately than classifiers trained on ten times more real data.
A Chaotic Controller for the Double Pendulum

Here we consider a two link pendulum attached at the top link to a fixed DC motor. A second DC motor provides a bearing between the two links. The torque provided by both motors is limited so that each motor operating under maximum current at steady state will lift each link to an angle of less than 20°. Chaotic motion may be easily produced in this system by driving the system with the first motor under a sine input with no input to the second motor. This paper examines the potential usefulness of using such chaotic motion as a part of an overall control system design strategy in order to achieve target states which would otherwise require more complicated control algorithms (e.g. optimal control theory). In particular we examine the problem of obtaining an inverted position for the second link starting the system with the two links at rest hanging straight down. We demonstrate that an open loop chaotic controller in conjunction with a closed loop controller can indeed result in a useful control design. The key to using such a design depends on having available a simple and accurate method for determining the domain of attraction for the closed loop controller. Results are presented both in terms of a computer simulation of this system and data from an actual two link pendulum.
Decentralized Hybrid Control for Multi-Agent Motion Planning and Coordination in Polygonal Environments

Abstract This paper presents a decentralized hybrid control scheme for the motion planning and coordination of teams of mobile agents in known obstacle environments with both convex and non-convex obstacles. A mathematical analysis using tools from switched systems theory is carried out to establish the convergence of the system trajectories under certain modeling assumptions on the surrounding environment. The design resolves a class of deadlock situations arising in earlier work, and allows for a wider class of obstacles (both convex and non-convex) to be considered in the environment. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm.
BET Inhibition Overcomes Receptor Tyrosine Kinase–Mediated Cetuximab Resistance in HNSCC

Cetuximab, the FDA-approved anti-EGFR antibody for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), has displayed limited efficacy due to the emergence of intrinsic and acquired resistance. We and others have demonstrated that cetuximab resistance in HNSCC is driven by alternative receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) including HER3, MET, and AXL. In an effort to overcome cetuximab resistance and circumvent toxicities associated with the administration of multiple RTK inhibitors, we sought to identify a common molecular target that regulates expression of multiple RTK. Bromodomain-containing protein-4 (BRD4) has been shown to regulate the transcription of various RTK in the context of resistance to PI3K and HER2 inhibition in breast cancer models. We hypothesized that, in HNSCC, targeting BRD4 could overcome cetuximab resistance by depleting alternative RTK expression. We generated independent models of cetuximab resistance in HNSCC cell lines and interrogated their RTK and BRD4 expression profiles. Cetuximab-resistant clones displayed increased expression and activation of several RTK, such as MET and AXL, as well as an increased percentage of BRD4-expressing cells. Both genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of BRD4 abrogated cell viability in models of acquired and intrinsic cetuximab resistance and was associated with a robust decrease in alternative RTK expression by cetuximab. Combined treatment with cetuximab and bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 significantly delayed acquired resistance and RTK upregulation in PDX models of HNSCC. These findings indicate that the combination of cetuximab and bromodomain inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy for HNSCC patients.
Does Shared Social Disadvantage Cause Black–Latino Political Commonality?

Shared social disadvantage relative to Whites is assumed to motivate inter-minority political behavior but we lack causal evidence. Using a survey experiment of 1,200 African Americans, we prompt respondents to consider group social position when evaluating political commonality with Latinos. The experiment describes racial disparities in a randomized domain (education or housing), varies the description of inequality (either Black versus White, Latino versus White, or Black and Latino versus White), and offers half of the respondents a political cue to test whether shared social disadvantage causes Blacks’ perceptions of political commonality with Latinos. We find little evidence of a causal relationship. We conclude that cross-racial minority political coalitions may be more difficult to activate than previously thought.
A new algorithm for continuation and bifurcation analysis of large scale free surface flows

This thesis presents a new algorithm to find and follow particular solutions of parameterized nonlinear systems. Important applications often arise after spatial discretization of time dependent PDEs. We embed a block eigenvalue solver in a continuation framework for the computation of some specific eigenvalues of large Jacobian matrices that depend on one or more parameters. The new approach is then employed to study the behavior of an industrial process referred to as coating. Stability analysis of the discretized system that models this process is important because it provides alternatives for changing parameters in order to improve the quality of the final product or to increase productivity. Experiments on several problems show the reliability of the new approach in the accurate detection of critical points. Further analysis of two-dimensional coating flow problems reveals that computational results are competitive with those of previous continuation approaches. As a byproduct, one obtains information about the stability of the process with no additional cost. Due to the size and structure of the matrices generated in three-dimensional free surface flow applications, it is necessary to use a general iterative linear solver, such as GMRES. However, GMRES displays a very slow rate of convergence as a consequence of the poor conditioning in the coefficient matrices. To speed up GMRES convergence, we developed and implemented a scalable approximate sparse inverse preconditioner. Numerical experiments demonstrate that this preconditioner greatly improves the convergence of the method. Results illustrate the effectiveness of the preconditioner on very large free surface flow problems with more than million unknowns.
Modeling and Data Problems

Data envelopment analysis provides a nonparametric method of analysis of economic efficiency, in the sense that it does not have to assume any specific form of the production and cost frontier. By using the observed input Output data it provides by the convex hull method an estimate of the production and cost frontier. The LP model is generally employed to estimate the frontier, which yields a piecewise linear function. Recently DEA modeis have been applied to private sector firms and enterprises, where data on market prices of inputs and Outputs are available. In such cases the allocative efficiency concept is more appropriate, where prices present an important role. Also the need for linearity in the cost and production frontiers is much less compelling. The need for exploring some transformations of the input Output data e.g., log transformation is likely to be useful. For example in modern high-tech industries the effects of inputs such as R&D investment and new innovation are strongly nonlinear. Hence we need to extend the DEA modeis accordingly.
Obesity, Body Fat Distribution, and Blood Pressure in Nigerian and African-American Men and Women

This article describes a study that assesses body fat distribution patterns in Nigerian and African-American males and females and determines the association between body fat distribution patterns and blood pressure in young adults of differing geographical and ethnic backgrounds. The study population was comprised of 275 African Americans (92 males and 183 females) and 282 Nigerians (219 males and 63 females). The mean ages for the African-American males and females were 18.7 and 18.9 years, respectively, compared with 21 and 19.2 years for the Nigerian males and females. African Americans were more likely to be obese and overweight compared with their Nigerian counterparts. However, there were no significant differences between the two ethnic groups within gender for body fat distribution patterns based on waist-to-hip ratio. Despite being leaner, the Nigerians had higher diastolic blood pressures than the African Americans. There were no significant associations observed between blood pressure and waist-to-hip ratio for either the Nigerian or the African-American males or females, and body mass index was associated consistently with blood pressure only among the African Americans. These findings suggest that body mass index, a general indicator of obesity, is a better correlate of blood pressure than the waist-to-hip ratio among African Americans.
Foreign Aid, Economic Development and Income Distribution: Some Inferences from a CGE Model for Egypt

This paper examines the sensitivity of quantitative assessments of foreign aid on the level of income and its distribution across income groups to alternative modelling and parametric assumptions. It does so with the use of a computable general equilibrium model for Egypt by subjecting the model to alternative assumptions. Although the results are (as expected) sensitive to the assumptions made, they indicate that at least potentially, as for example, when foreign aid takes an appropriate form and is accompanied by appropriate offsetting policies, it can be a useful tool for achieving development at minimum social cost.
Janus: A Multi-TCP Framework for Application-Aware Optimization in Mobile Networks

As the dominant protocol on the Internet, TCP has attracted significant attention and has been implemented in various ways, each of which optimizes for a single objective such as high throughput or low delay. However, in today's mobile networks that carry traffic from diverse types of flows, this approach may lead to misconfiguration of TCP congestion control algorithms and further degrade performance for many applications. In this paper, we propose Janus, a new transport-layer framework that automatically selects among existing congestion control variants to optimize traffic in accordance with application demands. Janus is easy to deploy because it reuses existing, well-tested congestion control implementations, and does not require any in-network or client-side changes. To explore the potential for this approach, we implement Janus in the Linux kernel and extensively evaluate its performance with both emulated and real Internet traffic. We show Janus outperforms alternative protocols by offering fast convergence times in response to changing network conditions, achieving 5-10X lower delay with comparable or higher throughput. Our approach also significantly improves user-perceived performance according to QoE metrics, with up to 5X fewer interruptions for video streaming applications and 2X faster page loading for web-browsing applications.