cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear system identification of the thalamocortical circuit in response to thalamic microstimulation

Sensory neural prostheses aim to restore lost sensory function by using electrical stimulation to deliver information about the external sensory environment. However, current electrical stimulation techniques suffer from a lack of stimulation specificity on a single electrode and complicated neural interactions from stimulation across multiple electrodes. Here we present the construction and validation of a single-input, single-output nonlinear model of the downstream cortical activity in response to thalamic microstimulation for use in improving current electrical stimulation techniques.
Backwards-compatible array bounds checking for C with very low overhead

The problem of enforcing correct usage of array and pointer references in C and C++ programs remains unsolved. The approach proposed by Jones and Kelly (extended by Ruwase and Lam) is the only one we know of that does not require significant manual changes to programs, but it has extremely high overheads of 5x-6x and 11x-12x in the two versions. In this paper, we describe a collection of techniques that dramatically reduce the overhead of this approach, by exploiting a fine-grain partitioning of memory called Automatic Pool Allocation. Together, these techniques bring the average overhead checks down to only 12% for a set of benchmarks (but 69% for one case). We show that the memory partitioning is key to bringing down this overhead. We also show that our technique successfully detects all buffer overrun violations in a test suite modeling reported violations in some important real-world programs.
A Review of “Rethinking Anti-Americanism: The History of an Exceptional Concept in American Foreign Relations”

Professor Max Paul Friedman of American University has written another outstanding book. His first monograph, Nazis and Good Neighbors (Cambridge University Press, 2005), analyzed the US wartime ca...
Effect of Antioxidant Application Methods on the Color, Lipid Oxidation and Volatiles of Irradiated Ground Beef

Four antioxidant treatments (none, 0.05% ascorbic acid, 0.01%alpha-tocopherol + 0.01% sesamol, and 0.05% ascorbic acid + 0.01%alpha-tocopherol + 0.01% sesamol) were applied to ground beef using either mixing or spraying method. The meat samples were placed on Styrofoam trays, irradiated at 0 or 2.5 kGy, and then stored for 7 d at 4 degrees C. Color, lipid oxidation, volatiles, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and carbon monoxide (CO) production were determined at 0, 3, and 7 d of storage. Irradiation increased lipid oxidation of ground beef with control and ascorbic acid treatments after 3 d of storage. alpha-Tocopherol + sesamol and ascorbic acid +alpha-tocopherol + sesamol treatments were effective in slowing down lipid oxidation in ground beef during storage regardless of application methods, but mixing was better than the spraying method. Irradiation lowered L*-value and a*-value of ground beef. Storage had no effect on lightness but redness decreased with storage. Ascorbic acid was the most effective in maintaining redness of ground beef followed by ascorbic acid +alpha-tocopherol + sesamol. Irradiation and storage reduced the b*-value of ground beef. Irradiation lowered ORP of ground beef regardless of antioxidants application methods, but ORP was lower in beef with mixing than spraying method. Beef sprayed with antioxidants produced more hydrocarbons and alcohols than the mixing application, but ascorbic acid +alpha-tocopherol + sesamol treatment was effective in reducing the amount of volatiles produced by irradiation. Therefore, mixing was better than the spraying method in preventing lipid oxidation and maintaining color of irradiated ground beef.
Evaluating a putative bottleneck in a population of bowhead whales from patterns of microsatellite diversity and genetic disequilibria.

A size-selected Balaena mysticetus geno- mic library was screened for clones containing simple sequence repeat, or microsatellite, loci. A total of 11 novel loci was identified. These loci were combined with a set of 9 published loci, for a total of 20 markers, and were scored across a sample of 108 bowhead whales from the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas population of bowhead whales. Genetic variability was measured in terms of polymorphism information content values and unbiased heterozygosity. From the latter, estimates of long-term effective population size were obtained. In ad- dition, gametic phase disequilibrium among loci was in- vestigated. Moderate to high levels of polymorphism were found overall, and the long-term effective size es- timates were large relative to total population size. Tests of heterozygosity excess (Cornuet and Luikart 1996) and allele frequency distribution (Luikart et al. 1998) indi- cated that the possibility of a recent genetic bottleneck in the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas population of bow- head whales is highly unlikely. However, the fact that five loci displayed a statistically significant heterozygote deficiency remains to be explained.
The effect of space charge on bunching in a two-cavity klystron

The effect of space charge on bunching in a two-cavity klystron has been analyzed by many investigators, but no rigorous theory exists for large-signal bunching in a finite beam klystron. The various available theories are reviewed and compared with new experimental data on the subject. It is found that there is 25 per cent loss of bunching efficiency at the drift length which is currently accepted as optimum, namely, 90 degrees of an effective plasma wavelength. It is shown that to reduce this loss to 5 per cent, drift length should vary from 65 degrees of an effective plasma wavelength at \gamma b = 0.5 to 45 degrees at \gamma b = 2. Reasoning qualitatively from these measurements, the optimum drift lengths for a multicavity klystron are suggested to be: 90° : 90° : ... : 65°-45° : 30°.
Comparison of the Mobile Charge Distribution Models in Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors

Different models of the steady-state ionic and electronic defect distributions in mixed ionic-electronic conductors under chemical and electrical potential gradients are compared in this paper. Simple analytical expressions without any dummy parameters are obtained under the local charge neutrality approximation and constant electrical field approximations, respectively. The accuracies of the approximate solutions are evaluated by numerically solving the Nernst-Plank-Poisson equation set using the Galerkin-weighted residual finite element method. The numerical results show that the constant electrical field approximation introduces errors of less than 10% so long as the average ionic transference number is not smaller than 0.5; and that the local charge neutrality approximation introduces only very small errors (less than 3%) even when the average ionic transference number is as small as 0.001. Analytical criteria for the constant electrical field approximations to be valid are also given, and the effects of dopant concentration and the sample thickness are discussed. The analytical criteria are in agreement with the numerical results.
Nucleation and Growth During Tungsten Atomic Layer Deposition on Oxide Surfaces

Nucleation and growth has been studied during tungsten (W) atomic layer deposition (ALD) on oxide surfaces. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was utilized to examine the deposition of W during the sequential (A) WF6 and (B) Si2H6 reaction cycles that define W ALD. The AES results displayed an initial nucleation period of ∼10 AB cycles to deposit one tungsten monolayer on SiO2. Subsequently, the W and Si AES signals grew and oscillated dramatically versus WF6 and Si2H6 exposures. The increase in the W AES signal in the growth region was consistent with a W ALD growth rate of 3.5 A per AB cycle. An examination of the oxygen and tungsten AES signals versus AB cycles indicated that W ALD displayed nearly ideal “layer-by-layer”, Frank- van der Merwe growth after the nucleation period. On Al2O3, the AES results displayed a much shorter nucleation period for W ALD. Only 3 AB cycles were required to deposit one tungsten monolayer. Subsequently, the tungsten film grew at a rate of 3.6 A per AB cycle. The initial nucleation period and growth mechanism during ALD are important because they will affect the roughness of the resulting ALD film.
Look how far we have come

Economics has changed enormously since Professor Ha-Joon Chang burst onto the scene in the early 1990s. His critiques of mainstream economics are far more applicable to the discipline at that time than they are now. Whatever the shortcomings of the current literature on institutions and development, progress is not being held back by conceptual blinders imposed by economic orthodoxy. Game theory and behavioral economics have enriched the menu of models acceptable in the professional journals. More important, empirical standards have greatly advanced. Behavioral models are being confronted with computerized games and even with in-the-field experiments, especially in poor countries where recruiting experimental subjects is cheaper. The recent literature does not merely undermine traditional assumptions; it offers parsimonious interpretations that help us to understand the economy and the polity better than before.
Patterns of dietary fluoride supplement use during infancy.

Objectives This paper reports on patterns of dietary fluoride supplement use during infancy. Methods Data were collected by mail for a birth cohort (n = 1,072) studied at 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age. Results Percentages using supplements were 13.7 at 6 weeks, 13.4 at 3 months, 16.5 at 6 months, 13.0 at 9 months, and 12.1 at 12 months. Among those receiving supplements, mean proportions of weeks that supplements were received during the different time periods varied from 0.59 to 0.80. Number of days per week receiving supplements averaged 4.8 to 5.0. Mean fluoride dosages when supplements were received were 0.22 mg to 0.24 mg. Estimated average daily fluoride ingestion per day (among those receiving supplements during that time period and factoring in those days and weeks that supplements were not received) was 0.11 mg at 6 weeks, 0.15 mg at 3 months, 0.12 mg at 6 months, 0.11 mg at 9 months, and 0.14 mg at 12 months. Among the subset of 129 children with complete data at all time points who used supplements sometime during their first year of life, mean annual daily supplement dosage was 0.07 mg fluoride, with 75 percent having less than or equal to 0.10 mg. Those infants with mothers and fathers with more education were more likely to receive supplements. Conclusions Group average use of fluoride supplements was fairly consistent over the 12 months; however, individual patterns varied substantially. Estimated actual mean daily fluoride intake when including days that supplements were not received was substantially less than the recommended 0.25 mg per day.
Simulation and analysis of express run frequency

EXPRESS is a database tool the Air Force (AF) uses to prioritize depot maintenance of reparable spare parts based on warfighter need. Many studies have examined individual portions of EXPRESS, though few examine it as an entire system. This effort proposes a modeling approach for examining overall system behavior of EXPRESS using discrete event simulation. The emphasis of the model is to be flexible enough to provide useful insight into system performance and a foundation for future expansion and analysis. In current operations, EXPRESS runs every day. This research effort tries to determine the impact on the depot repair process' ability to respond to warfighter need due to running EXPRESS less frequently. A discrete event simulation written in Arena, modeling the general flow of information and parts through the depot repair process, is used to determine the effect of the frequency of EXPRESS runs on Mission Capable (MICAP) hours.
Patch Burning Improves Forage Quality and Creates Grass- bank in Old-field Pasture: Results of a Demonstration Trial

Abstract Ecosystem benefits of heterogeneity-based rangeland management have been widely documented, but little research has explored ecologically based grazing systems from the livestock perspective. Fire and grazing management can advance conservation goals in old-field pasture stands in the southeastern US, but the viability of fire-based grazing for natural areas management remains unknown. Fire is a natural process in the southeastern US that can increase the forage quality of native vegetation. We report results from a patch-burn—grazing trial on a 16-ha pasture in eastern Tennessee, in which we predicted that fire would increase the crude-protein content of the stand and grazing would be concentrated in the burned patch. We measured crude protein content for the entire grazing season (April–September), expecting forage quality to decrease as forage matured. We also sampled fecal-pat density, tiller height, and frequency of herbivory in the burned and unburned areas in May and July to describe the s...
Caspase protocols in mice

Members of the caspase family of proteases are evolutionarily conserved cysteine proteases that play a crucial role as the central executioners of the apoptotic pathway. Since the discovery of caspases, many methods have been developed to detect their activation and are widely used in basic and clinical studies. In a mouse tissue, caspase activation can be monitored by cleavage of caspase-specific synthetic substrates and by detecting cleaved caspase by western blot analysis of the tissue extract. In tissue sections, active caspase can be detected by immunostaining using specific antibodies to the active caspase. In addition, among the myriads of caspase-specific substrates known so far, cleaved fragments produced by caspases from the substrates such as PARP, lamin A, and cytokeratin-18 can be monitored in tissue sections by immunostaining as well as western blots of tissue extracts. In general, more than one method should be used to ascertain detection of activation of caspases in a mouse tissue.
Guanethidine chemical sympathectomy: spinal cord and sciatic nerve blood flow

The spinal cord vasculature is innervated by noradrenergic nerve fibers, the role of which in the regulation of regional spinal cord blood flow (RSCBF) is presently unclear. We used the distribution of [14C]butanol to simultaneously measure RSCBF at seven cord levels and the regional blood flow in sciatic nerve (NBF), truncal skin, and biceps femoris muscle. The subjects were control rats and rats that had been given parenteral guanethidine sulfate for 5 wk to induce selective postganglionic "chemical sympathectomy." Flows were measured under basal conditions (group I) and immediately after an arterial hemorrhage (group II). The results indicate that RSCBF was unchanged from control after guanethidine administration in both groups; however, NBF was elevated after guanethidine by 47% in group I and by 41% in group II. We conclude that in the spinal cord as in the brain, sympathetic inflow does not appear to have an important role in the regulation of regional blood flow. Sympathetic inflow appears to partly regulate NBF, however, probably by varying vascular tone.
Red cell transfusions as an independent risk for mortality in critically ill children

Severity of illness is an important consideration in making the decision to transfuse as it is the sicker patient that often needs a red cell transfusion. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions could potentially have direct effects and interact with presenting illness by contributing to pathologies such as multi-organ dysfunction and acute lung injury thus exerting a considerable impact on overall morbidity and mortality. In this study, we examine if transfusion is an independent predictor of mortality, or if outcomes are merely a result of the initial severity as predicted by Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) III, Pediatric Index of Mortality (PIM2), and day 1 Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scores. A single center retrospective study was conducted using data from a prospectively maintained transfusion database and center-specific data at our pediatric ICU between January 2009 and December 2012. Multivariate regression was used to control for the effects of clinical findings, therapy, and severity scores, with mortality as the dependent variable. Likelihood ratios and area under the curve were used to test the fidelity of severity scores by comparing transfused vs. non-transfused patients. There were 4975 admissions that met entry criteria. In multivariate analysis, PRISM III scores and serum hemoglobin were significant predictors of transfusion (p < 0.05). Transfused and non-transfused subjects were distinctly disparate, so multivariate regression was used to control for differences. Severity scores, age, volume transfused, and vasoactive agents were significantly associated with mortality whereas hemoglobin was not. A substantial number of transfusions (45 %) occurred in the first 24 h, and patients transfused later (24–48 h) were more likely to die compared to this earlier time point. Likelihood ratio testing revealed statistically significant differences in severity scoring systems to predict mortality in transfused vs. non-transfused patients. This study suggests that RBC transfusion is an important risk factor that is statistically independent of severity. The timing of transfusions that related strongest to mortality remained outside the purview of severity scoring, as these happened beyond the timing of data collection for most scoring systems.
Die Komplexität der Kommunikation

Als ich gebeten wurde, fur dieses Buch einen Artikel uber etwas aus meinem Forschungsgebiet zu schreiben, musste ich sofort an Kommunikationskomplexitat denken. Dieses trotz seiner Einfachheit sehr schone und wichtige Teilgebiet der Komplexitatstheorie beschaftigt sich mit der Frage, wie viel Kommunikation zur Bestimmung eines bestimmten Ergebnisses zwischen mehreren Beteiligten notig ist. Wir werden das grundlegende Kommunikationsmodell einfuhren und einige klassische Ergebnisse geben, teilweise sogar mit Beweis. Danach betrachten wir eine Variante, in der die Spieler gerechte Munzen werfen konnen. Wir schliesen mit einigen anspruchsvolleren Modellen, uber die man bis jetzt noch nicht allzu viel weis. Alle Definitionen, Aussagen und Beweise sind komplett elementar, und doch konnen wir offene Fragen angeben, die selbst die besten Forscher seit Jahrzehnten nicht beantworten konnen.
Facial Nerve and Parotid Gland Anatomy

This article provides an overview of important anatomic and functional anatomy associated with the parotid gland and facial nerve for the practicing otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon, facial plastic surgeon, and plastic surgeon. The discussion includes the important anatomic relationships and physiology related to the parotid gland and salivary production. A comprehensive description of the path of facial nerve, its branches, and important anatomic landmarks also are provided.
The “chasa overo palagio” of Alberto di Zanobi: A Florentine Palace of about 1400 and its Later Remodeling

This first detailed study of a Florentine palace built before the Medici Palace offers a paradigm for approaching the city's domestic architecture from the period 1370-1420. The article dates the building precisely, identifies the patron, locates him in Florentine society, and proves that the ground-floor arcades — usually thought of as shops — had no real function. Analysis of style reveals a complex reality underlying the apparent visual unity on the facade. Documentation confirms the evidence of the stones and chronicles the strategies of two owners for whom the palace was a vehicle in their quests for social status.
Power Series for Elementary Functions

Suppose that f is a function ℝ →ℝ, such that (1) f is differentiable, with f′ = f, (2) f(0) = 1, and (3) there is a series \(\sum\limits_{i\; = \,0}^\infty {{a_i}{x^i}}\) which converges to f. Then for each i we have ai = 1/i!.
Considering Friends Within the Context of Peers in School for the Development of Ethnic/Racial Identity

The importance of ethnicity/race for adolescents’ identity (i.e., centrality), and how that importance changes over time, may in part be a function of the social contexts that they inhabit. Although centrality has shown to be an adaptive component of ethnic/racial identity, little is known about how centrality changes during adolescence in relation to these social contexts. The current study examined the role of same-ethnic/racial peers and friends in the longitudinal development of ethnic/racial identity centrality. Drawing on four waves of data over 2 years collected with a diverse sample of 350 adolescents (M age at W1 = 15.2; 69 % female), the findings indicated that when adolescents had a greater proportion of same-ethnic/racial friends, they reported feeling that their ethnic/racial identity was more central to their sense of self six months later. However, this effect was strongest among adolescents with a low proportion of same-ethnic/racial peers in school, and weakest among adolescents with a high proportion of same-ethnic/racial peers in school. The implications of these findings for our understanding of the joint effects of peer and friend diversity in relation to ethnic/racial identity are discussed.
Effect of exercise intensity on circulating microparticles in men and women

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What is the effect of exercise intensity on circulating microparticle populations in young, healthy men and women? What is the main finding and its importance? Acute, moderate-intensity continuous exercise and high-intensity interval exercise altered distinct microparticle populations during and after exercise in addition to a sex-specific response in CD62E+ microparticles. The microparticles studied contribute to cardiovascular disease progression, regulate vascular function and facilitate new blood vessel formation. Thus, characterizing the impact of intensity on exercise-induced microparticle responses advances our understanding of potential mechanisms underlying the beneficial vascular adaptations to exercise. ABSTRACT Circulating microparticles (MPs) are biological vectors of information within the cardiovascular system that elicit both deleterious and beneficial effects on the vasculature. Acute exercise has been shown to alter MP concentrations, probably through a shear stress-dependent mechanism, but evidence is limited. Therefore, we investigated the effect of exercise intensity on plasma levels of CD34+ and CD62E+ MPs in young, healthy men and women. Blood samples were collected before, during and after two energy-matched bouts of acute treadmill exercise: interval exercise (10 × 1 min intervals at ∼95% of maximal oxygen uptake VO2max) and continuous exercise (65% VO2max). Continuous exercise, but not interval exercise, reduced CD62E+ MP concentrations in men and women by 18% immediately after exercise (from 914.5 ± 589.6 to 754.4 ± 390.5 MPs μl-1 ; P < 0.05), suggesting that mechanisms underlying exercise-induced CD62E+ MP dynamics are intensity dependent. Furthermore, continuous exercise reduced CD62E+ MPs in women by 19% (from 1030.6 ± 688.1 to 829.9 ± 435.4 MPs μl-1 ; P < 0.05), but not in men. Although interval exercise did not alter CD62E+ MPs per se, the concentrations after interval exercise were higher than those observed after continuous exercise (P < 0.05). Conversely, CD34+ MPs did not fluctuate in response to short-duration acute continuous or interval exercise in men or women. Our results suggest that exercise-induced MP alterations are intensity dependent and sex specific and impact MP populations differentially.
The Cambrian Explosion of Brands

With the advent of mass media in the 1960s, immortalized in the TV series Mad Men, the pace of brand introduction, sophistication, and importance accelerated dramatically. The world has witnessed a “Cambrian explosion” of brands. The digital revolution of the twenty-first century with cheap mobiles, big data, social media, and global connectivity has further accelerated this process. Brands have become ubiquitous in today’s marketplace. And analysis of the annual rankings of the world’s most powerful brands by consultancies Brand Finance, Interbrand, and Millward Brown confirms that the strongest brands in about any industry are almost invariably global brands.
Adipocyte-Specific Deficiency of NADPH Oxidase 4 Delays the Onset of Insulin Resistance and Attenuates Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Obesity.

Objective— Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase in adipose tissue during the development of obesity. We previously showed that in response to excess nutrients like glucose and palmitate, adipocytes generated ROS via NADPH oxidase (NOX) 4, the major adipocyte isoform, instead of using mitochondrial oxidation. However, the role of NOX4-derived ROS in the development of whole body insulin resistance, adipocyte inflammation, and recruitment of macrophages to adipose tissue during the development of obesity is unknown. Approach and Results— In this study, control C57BL/6 mice and mice in which NOX4 has been deleted specifically in adipocytes were fed a high-fat, high-sucrose diet. During the development of obesity in control mice, adipocyte NOX4 and pentose phosphate pathway activity were transiently increased. Primary adipocytes differentiated from mice with adipocytes deficient in NOX4 showed resistance against high glucose or palmitate-induced adipocyte inflammation. Mice with adipocytes deficient in NOX4 showed a delayed onset of insulin resistance during the development of obesity, with an initial reduction in adipose tissue inflammation that normalized with prolonged high-fat, high-sucrose feeding. Conclusions— These findings imply that NOX4-derived ROS may play a role in the onset of insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation. As such, therapeutics targeting NOX4-mediated ROS production could be effective in preventing obesity-associated conditions, such as insulin resistance.
Investigating a Weakly Informative Prior for Item Scale Hyperparameters in Hierarchical 3PNO IRT Models.

The half-t family has been suggested for the scale hyperparameter in Bayesian hierarchical modeling. Two parameters define a half-t distribution: the scale s and the degree-of-freedom ν. When s is set at a finite value that is slightly larger than the actual standard deviation of the parameters, the half-t prior density can be vaguely informative. This paper focused on such densities, and applied them to the hierarchical three-parameter IRT model. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to investigate the performance of such specifications in parameter recovery and model comparisons under situations where the actual variability of item parameters varied, and results suggest that the half-t family does offer advantages over the commonly adopted uniform or inverse-gamma prior density by allowing the variability for item parameters to be either very small or large. A real data example is also provided to further illustrate this.
New and Noteworthy - "That's How We Do Things Here": Organizational Culture in Libraries

This "New and Noteworthy" column offers reviews of several recent books, articles and blog posts on the topic of organizational and corporate culture from a library management perspective.
14.3 A 28nm SoC with a 1.2GHz 568nJ/prediction sparse deep-neural-network engine with >0.1 timing error rate tolerance for IoT applications

Machine Learning (ML) techniques empower Internet of Things (IoT) devices with the capability to interpret the complex, noisy real-world data arising from sensor-rich systems. Achieving sufficient energy efficiency to execute ML workloads on an edge-device necessitates specialized hardware with efficient digital circuits. Razor systems allow excessive worst-case V DD guardbands to be minimized down to the point where timing violations start to occur. By tracking the non-zero timing violation rate, process/voltage/temperature/aging (PVTA) variations are dynamically compensated as they change over time. Resilience to timing violations is achieved using either explicit correction (e.g., replay [1]), or algorithmic tolerance [2]. ML algorithms offer remarkable inherent error tolerance and are a natural fit for Razor timing violation detection without the burden of explicit and guaranteed error correction. Prior ML accelerators have focused either on computer vision CNNs with high-power (e.g., [3] consumes 278mW) or spiking neural networks with low-accuracy (e.g. 84% on MNIST [4]). Programmable fully-connected (FC) deep-neural-network (DNN) accelerators offer flexible support for a range of general classification tasks with high accuracy [5]. However, because there is no parameter reuse in FC layers, both compute and memory resources must be optimized.
Performance of basic kinematic thresholds in the identification of crash and near-crash events within naturalistic driving data

Understanding causal factors for traffic safety-critical events (e.g., crashes and near-crashes) is an important step in reducing their frequency and severity. Naturalistic driving data offers unparalleled insight into these factors, but requires identification of situations where crashes are present within large volumes of data. Sensitivity and specificity of these identification approaches are key to minimizing the resources required to validate candidate crash events. This investigation used data from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program Naturalistic Driving Study (SHRP 2 NDS) and the Canada Naturalistic Driving Study (CNDS) to develop and validate different kinematic thresholds that can be used to detect crash events. Results indicate that the sensitivity of many of these approaches can be quite low, but can be improved by selecting particular threshold levels based on detection performance. Additional improvements in these approaches are possible, and may involve leveraging combinations of different detection approaches, including advanced statistical techniques and artificial intelligence approaches, additional parameter modifications, and automation of validation processes.
Signs, and Signs in Law

Important focus on signs in law are the result of (a) the concept of a sign itself, (b) the importance of culture in this context, (c) signs as a power of merging law and semiotics, and (d) the community as a precondition for signs.Law refers to Peirce’s definition of a sign and should therefore accept its triple relationship as constitutive: the “interpretant” is mediator in understanding signs. A sign on itself is not a sign: there is always a context, a community, a language or at least another person needed to cause a sign to be a sign! Yet, we all (lawyers included) talk about signs as if they were things. The “as if” is law’s fundamental figure called ‘fiction’.Peirce underlines how every thought contains the idea of a triadic relation: “a sign is a thing related to an object and determining in the interpreter an interpreting sign of the same object” he writes, and involves the relation between sign, interpreting sign, and object. The latter are social issues and therefore essential for law—as essential as they were for medicine in Ancient Greek thought formation pertaining to medicine. The “Cf.” as a sign in law is an example here.
End-to-End Analysis of Integration for Thermocouple-Based Sensors Into 3-D ICs

Solutions to the integration challenges of a new thermal sensor technology into 3-D integrated circuits (ICs) will be discussed in this paper. Our proposed architecture uses bimetallic thin-film thermocouples, which are thermally linked to points of measurement throughout the 3-D stack with dedicated vias. These vias will be similar to thermal through-silicon vias (TSVs) in structure, yet different in functionality. We propose a low-overhead design methodology by linking the sensor placement task with the existing thermal TSV planning phase for 3-D ICs. A fraction of thermal TSV resources is decoupled from their original use and repurposed for the temperature sensing infrastructure. Tradeoffs concerning the reduction of the thermal TSV resources are investigated. Furthermore, we present an end-to-end system, including the physical realization of the sensor network as well as its analog interface circuitry with the sensor data sampling unit. We demonstrate the operation and correctness of this interface with transistor-level simulations. Next, through thermal modeling and simulation using a state-of-the-art tool (FloTHERM), we demonstrate that we can achieve high accuracy (1 °C error) in temperature tracking while still maintaining the effectiveness of the thermal TSVs in heat management (conforming to a peak temperature constraint of 95 °C).
Symplectic Projective Orbits

Let H be a complex Hilbert space and P(H) the corresponding projective space, i.e., the space of all one dimensional subspaces of H. If v is a non-zero vector in H we shall denote the corresponding point in P(H), i.e., the line throughv by [v]. Let G be a compact Lie group which is unitarily represented on H so that we may consider the corresponding action of G on P(H). In conjunction with the Hartree-Fock and other approximations, a number of physicists, [2], [4], and [5], have become interested in the following problem: For which smooth vectorsv is the orbit G [v] symplectic? Since G is compact, by projecting onto components we may reduce the problem to the case where the representation is irreducible and hence H is finite dimensional. We restate the question in this case: The unitary structure on H makesP(H) into a Kaehler manifold and thus, in particular, into a symplectic manifold. Each G orbit in P(H) is a submanifold. The question is: for which G orbits is the restriction of the symplectic form of P(H) nondegenerate so that the orbit becomes a symplectic manifold? We shall show that the only symplectic orbits are orbits through projectivized weight vectors. But not all such orbits are symplectic; there is a further restriction on the weight vector that we shall describe. The orbit through the projectivized maximal weight vector is not only symplectic but is also Kaehler, i.e., is a complex submanifold of P(H) and is the only orbit with this property.
Begin with Yourself: Using Self-Study Methodology in the Process of Cultivating Mindfulness

The purpose of this chapter is to interpret how I used self-study methodology to examine my journey with mindfulness practices. What prompted my interest in mindfulness was a deep desire to pay attention to how I respond to stress and emotions, particularly in my role as a tenure-track teacher educator at a research intensive institution. More specifically, I was looking for alternative ways to alleviate chronic migraines and digestive pains that were challenging my ability to “effectively” juggle research, teaching, and service.
On the effects of student interest, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the instructor on flow, satisfaction, and learning outcomes

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the relationships between student interest, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the instructor on a set of learning outcomes that include, but are broader than, traditiona...
Crystal structure of memantine-carb-oxy-borane.

The synthesis and crystal structure of the title compound, C13H24BNO2 [systematic name: 3,5-di­methyl­adamantanyl­amine–borane­carb­oxy­lic acid or N-(carb­oxy­boranyl­idene)-3,5-di­methyl­adamantan-1-amine], derived from the anti-Alzheimer's disease drug memantine is reported. The C—N—B—CO2 unit is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.095 A). The extended structure shows typical carb­oxy­lic acid inversion dimers linked by pairwise O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds [O⋯O = 2.662 (3) A]. The amino group forms a weak N—H⋯O hydrogen bond [N⋯O = 3.011 (3) A], linking the dimers into [001] chains in the crystal. Highly disordered solvent mol­ecules were treated using the SQUEEZE routine of PLATON [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18], which treats the electron density as a diffuse contribution without assignment of specific atom locations. A scattering contribution of 255 electrons was removed. The crystal studied was refined as a two-component twin.
Nurse Staffing under Absenteeism: A Distributionally Robust Optimization Approach

We study the nurse staffing problem under random nurse demand and absenteeism. While the demand uncertainty is exogenous (stemming from the random patient census), the absenteeism uncertainty is endogenous, i.e., the number of nurses who show up for work partially depends on the nurse staffing level. For the quality of care, many hospitals have developed float pools of nurses by cross-training, so that a pool nurse can be assigned to the units short of nurses. In this paper, we propose a distributionally robust nurse staffing (DRNS) model that considers both exogenous and endogenous uncertainties. We derive a separation algorithm to solve this model under an arbitrary structure of float pools. In addition, we identify several pool structures that often arise in practice and recast the corresponding DRNS model as a monolithic mixed-integer linear program, which facilitates off-the-shelf commercial solvers. Furthermore, we optimize the float pool design to reduce the cross-training while achieving a specified target staffing costs. The numerical case studies, based on the data of a collaborating hospital, suggest that the units with high absenteeism probability should be pooled together.
Assessing Group Incentives, Independent Spending, and Campaign Finance Law by Comparing the States

Independent expenditures (IEs) in U.S. elections have increased substantially at nearly all levels of government over the past decade, but judicial decisions are only a partial explanation for this...
A Qualitative Appraisal of Neurotology Fellowship Websites.

OBJECTIVE To assess the accessibility and breadth of online information regarding neurotology fellowship programs by appraising individual fellowship websites as well as two popular online databases. METHODS The American Neurotology Society Program Information Page (ANSPIP), the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA), and three online search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) were assessed for accessibility to individual fellowship websites. Each program's ANSPIP data sheet and fellowship-specific website were then evaluated for the presence of 18 characteristics of interest to the neurotology fellowship applicant. RESULTS All three search engines yielded 23 (96%) Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited neurotology fellowship websites. Searching "Neurotology fellowships" in Google, Yahoo, and Bing required exploring up to nine pages of search results to identify all of the ACGME-accredited program-specific websites. Direct links to program websites were found on 12 (55%) and 3 (13%) of the ANSPIP and FREIDA fellowship pages, respectively. Of the 18 characteristics of interest, the ANSPIP data sheet and individual program websites on average delineated 8.0 and 7.8 characteristics, respectively. Ninety-one percent of fellowship websites included program coordinator information, general program description, and breadth of surgical exposure. In contrast, work/life balance, postfellowship placement, and current fellow(s) were least commonly displayed (4%, 9%, 13% respectively). One-hundred percent of ANSPIP data sheets included program coordinator information, number of fellows, and affiliated hospital(s), whereas none of the pages included selection criteria, application requirements, description of location, or work/life balance. CONCLUSION Although most neurotology fellowship programs have websites or ANSPIP data sheets, many of them lack information that has been previously demonstrated to be valued by applicants. Furthermore, incongruence of information between these sources may lead to confusion, applicant stress, and reflect poorly on fellowship programs. Perhaps a standardized list of ACGME-required data points to be posted on websites would facilitate the application process.
N 6 -Adenosine Methylation of Socs1 mRNA is Required to Sustain the Negative Feedback Control of Macrophage Activation

Bacterial infection triggers a cytokine storm that needs to be resolved to maintain the host’s wellbeing. Here we report that ablation of m6A methyltransferase subunit METTL14 in myeloid cells exacerbates macrophage responses to acute bacterial infection leading to high mortality due to sustained production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. METTL14 depletion blunts Socs1 mRNA m6A methylation and reduces YTHDF1 binding to the m6A sites, which diminishes SOCS1 induction leading to overactivation of TLR4/NF- k B signaling. Forced expression of SOCS1 in macrophages depleted of METTL14 or YTHDF1 rescues the hyper-responsive phenotype of these macrophages in vitro and in vivo. We further show that LPS treatment induces Socs1 m6A methylation and sustains SOCS1 induction by promoting FTO mRNA degradation, and forced FTO expression in macrophages mimics the phenotype of METTL14-depleted macrophages. We conclude that m6A methylation-mediated SOCS1 induction is required to maintain the negative feedback control of macrophage activation in response to bacterial infection.
Simulation in General Aviation Research

I manage the Human Factors Research Laboratory at the FAA’s Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City. I’ve been there for four years. Before that, I was in the military in San Diego, in the Navy, and private industry. So I’ve worked in human factors for a long time. I’d like to reflect today on that basis, and what I’ve presented here. I must say that we have had here an excellent set of papers.
ITA recommendations on contractual sharing of risks/AITES recommandations sur le partage contractuel des risques: ITA working group on contractual sharing of risks/ AITES groupe de travail partage contractuel des risques

Abstract This report summarizes two recommendations prepared by the International Tunnelling Association Working Group on Contratual Sharing of Risks. The recommendations have been officially approved by the ITA General Assembly.
An Integrated Approach for Signal Validation in Nuclear Power Plants

A signal validation system, based on several parallel signal processing modules, is being developed at the University of Tennessee. The major modules perform (1) general consistency checking (GCC) of a set of redundant measurements, (2) multivariate data-driven modeling of dynamic signal components for maloperation detection, (3) process empirical modeling for prediction and redundancy generation, (4) jump, pulse, noise detection, and (5) an expert system for qualitative signal validation. A central database stores information related to sensors, diagnostics rules, past system performance, subsystem models, etc. We are primarily concerned with signal validation during steady-state operation and slow degradations. In general, the different modules will perform signal validation during all operating conditions. The techniques have been successfully tested using PWR steam generator simulation, and efforts are currently underway in applying the techniques to Millstone-III operational data. These methods could be implemented in advanced reactors, including advanced liquid metal reactors.
Evaluation of Servo-Controllers for Machine Tools

To achieve the high precision required in future contouring machining applications, accurate servo-controllers are needed. This paper summarizes existing servo-controllers for contouring applications and presents an evaluation of three basic types of controllers: feedback controllers, feedforward controllers, and cross-coupling controllers. The evaluation of servo-controllers includes: (1) their abilities in eliminating different error sources, and (2) their practical limitations in machine-tool control. The evaluation is supported by simulation and experimental results.
Protein secondary structure prediction for a single-sequence using hidden semi-Markov models

The accuracy of protein secondary structure prediction has been improving steadily towards the 88% estimated theoretical limit. There are two types of prediction algorithms: Single-sequence prediction algorithms imply that information about other (homologous) proteins is not available, while algorithms of the second type imply that information about homologous proteins is available, and use it intensively. The single-sequence algorithms could make an important contribution to studies of proteins with no detected homologs, however the accuracy of protein secondary structure prediction from a single-sequence is not as high as when the additional evolutionary information is present. In this paper, we further refine and extend the hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM) initially considered in the BSPSS algorithm. We introduce an improved residue dependency model by considering the patterns of statistically significant amino acid correlation at structural segment borders. We also derive models that specialize on different sections of the dependency structure and incorporate them into HSMM. In addition, we implement an iterative training method to refine estimates of HSMM parameters. The three-state-per-residue accuracy and other accuracy measures of the new method, IPSSP, are shown to be comparable or better than ones for BSPSS as well as for PSIPRED, tested under the single-sequence condition. We have shown that new dependency models and training methods bring further improvements to single-sequence protein secondary structure prediction. The results are obtained under cross-validation conditions using a dataset with no pair of sequences having significant sequence similarity. As new sequences are added to the database it is possible to augment the dependency structure and obtain even higher accuracy. Current and future advances should contribute to the improvement of function prediction for orphan proteins inscrutable to current similarity search methods.
Sustainable Transportation Planning, A New Academic Specialization in the USA

Recent efforts have helped to augment the knowledge base, the public policies, professional practices and funding required for sustainable transportation. I argue that the progress made is laudable but caution that it may vanish rapidly if, due to a number of factors and events, including the need to ameliorate the consequences of the global financial crisis, attention is redirected at resuming a nation building project centred on land development and automobility. This paper uses a fourfold-criterion to analyse the new specialization in non-motorized transportation planning and to discuss the dilemma of technology transfer among communities and countries.