cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LIGHTING AND SHADOW INTERPOLATION USING INTRINSIC LUMIGRAPHS

Densely-sampled image representations such as the light field or Lumigraph have been effective in enabling photorealistic image synthesis. Unfortunately, lighting interpolation with such representations has not been shown to be possible without the use of accurate 3D geometry and surface reflectance properties. In this paper, we propose an approach to image-based lighting interpolation that is based on estimates of geometry and shading from relatively few images. We decompose light fields captured at different lighting conditions into intrinsic images (reflectance and illumination images), and estimate view-dependent scene geometries using multi-view stereo. We call the resulting representation an Intrinsic Lumigraph. In the same way that the Lumigraph uses geometry to permit more accurate view interpolation, the Intrinsic Lumigraph uses both geometry and intrinsic images to allow high-quality interpolation at different views and lighting conditions. The joint use of geometry and intrinsic images is effective in computing shadow masks for shadow prediction at new lighting conditions. We illustrate our approach with images of real scenes.
The design of trellis coded MPSK for fading channels: set partitioning for optimum code design

A previous work on criteria for designing trellis-coded MPSK modulation to achieve minimum error probability performance on the Rician fading channel (see ibid., vol.36, no.9, p.1004-1012, Sep. 1988) is extended. It is demonstrated that allowing for multiple symbols per trellis branch, i.e., multiple trellis-coded modulation (MTCM), provides an additional degree of freedom for designing a code to meet the optimization on the fading channel. Diversities larger than those achievable with conventional trellis codes having the same number of trellis states are now attainable, it is under these conditions that MTCM achieves its full potential. >
An Evaluation of the Discrepancy Definition of Dyslexia

The purpose of this study was to determine whether children with dyslexia, that is, children whose reading levels were significantly lower than would be predicted by their IQ scores, constituted a distinctive group when compared with poor readers, that is, children whose reading scores were consistent with their IQ scores. The performance of children with dyslexia, poor readers, and normally achieving readers was compared on a variety of reading, spelling, phonological processing, language, and memory tasks. Although the children with dyslexia had significantly higher IQ scores than the poor readers, these two groups did not differ in their performance on reading, spelling, phonological processing, or most of the language and memory tasks. In all cases, the performance of both reading disabled groups was significantly below that of nondisabled readers. The findings were similar whether absolute difference or regression scores were used. Reading disabled children, whether or not their reading is significantly below the level predicted by their IQ scores, experience significant problems in phonological processing, short-term and working memory, and syntactic awareness. On the basis of these data, there does not seem to be a need to differentiate between individuals with dyslexia and poor readers. Both of these groups are reading disabled and have deficits in phonological processing, verbal memory, and syntactic awareness.
Flexible beamformer and remoting head for optically controlled phased array antennas

A unique photonic beamformer and remoting head for array antennas in broadcast mode wireless communication is proposed enabling for the first time, flexible antenna array upgrades via software and flexible front-head attachments leading to user defined changes in number of antenna elements and carrier frequency. Initial experimental results are described.
Useful Bounds on Interesting Quantities by Path Integrals

In these lectures I shall discuss some interesting consequences of the representation of Green’s functions by means of path integrals. First we shall discuss a lower bound for the partition function of a system that follows from this representation, and show how it may be used to discuss the density of energy levels of a model disordered system. Second a very natural upper bound will be discussed, and it will be shown that special cases of this comprise all the well-known “isoperimetric inequalities” of physics and geometry.
The principal site of glycation of human complement factor B.

Accumulating amino acid sequence data have made it increasingly evident that many essential complement proteins have potentially modifiable lysine residues in putative critical functional regions. Evidence is now presented that glucose is covalently attached to lysine-266 of purified human complement Factor B as a result of glycation. Purified B was treated with NaB3H4, which reduces such bound glucose to a mixture of radiolabelled hexitols. Amino acid analysis revealed the expected radiolabelled hexitol-lysine epimers. In addition, fluorography of dried gels resolving the major high-molecular-mass h.p.l.c.-fractionated CNBr-cleavage peptides of NaB3H4-reduced B indicated that this radioactivity was specifically associated with the 15 kDa fragment derived from the N-terminal region of fragment Bb. Amino acid sequence analysis suggested that the C-terminal lysine (residue 266 of B) of the N-terminal Lys-Lys doublet of this peptide is preferentially modified. If such glycation can subsequently be shown to occur in vivo, then perhaps this modification might also be found to affect the functional activity of B and offer a potential explanation for some of the immunopathological complications of diseases exposing key plasma proteins, such as this active-site-containing proteinase of the multimeric alternative-complement-pathway C3/C5 convertases, to long-term high concentrations of glucose, such as the decreased resistance to infection and impaired chemotaxis and phagocytosis characteristic of diabetes.
Primary Care Opportunities to Prevent Unintentional Home Injuries: A Focus on Children and Older Adults:

Unintentional injuries are a persistent public health problem in the United States. A new health care landscape has the potential to create a clinical environment that fosters greater involvement b...
Abstract B31: Oral contraceptive use in relation to breast cancer subtypes in African American women: Results from the AMBER Consortium

Introduction. Evidence on oral contraceptive (OC) use in relation to breast cancer subtypes is sparse and the findings are inconsistent. We investigated duration and recency of OC use in relation to molecular subtypes of breast cancer in a pooled analysis of data from African American women. Methods. The African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk (AMBER) Consortium is a collaborative research project which pools data, samples, and tumor tissue from several studies. The present analysis was based on data from the Black Women9s Health Study, the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, and the Women9s Circle of Health Study. Pathology reports and/or cancer registry data were abstracted to classify cancers by molecular subtype. Exposures of interest were duration and recency of OC use. Never use was defined as never having used OCs or use that lasted less than 1 year. Duration was categorized as Results. The study population included 14,106 African American women, of whom 1,839 had estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, 1,037 had estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, 495 had triple negative breast cancer (ER-, progesterone receptor-negative, and HER2 receptor-negative), and 10,061 were controls. ORs for ≥10 years duration of OC use were elevated for both ER+ and ER- breast cancer (ER+, OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.11-1.52; ER-, OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.31-1.94). OC use within the past 5 years was also associated with risk of both ER+ (1.57, 95% CI 1.27-1.94) and ER- (1.72, 95% CI 1.33-2.22) breast cancer. ORs for TN breast cancer were similar to those for ER- breast cancer. Results were consistent across age groups, including for early-onset breast cancer (diagnosed before age 40). The only evidence of multiplicative interaction was for OC use with BMI and the interaction was statistically significant for ER- breast cancer (p 0.05 indicating no statistically significant heterogeneity. Conclusion. Our results suggest that oral contraceptive use, particularly long duration and recent use, is associated with an increased risk of both ER+ and ER- breast cancer, and that obesity may modify the association. Potential mechanisms for this interaction will be discussed. Citation Format: Traci N. Bethea, Lynn Rosenberg, Chi-Chen Hong, Melissa A. Troester, Kathryn A. Lunetta, Elisa V. Bandera, Pepper Schedin, Virginia F. Borges, Andrew F. Olshan, Christine B. Ambrosone, Julie R. Palmer. Oral contraceptive use in relation to breast cancer subtypes in African American women: Results from the AMBER Consortium. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B31. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-B31
Alternate Equations to the NRC Beef Feedlot Animal Intake Equation12

Summary The net energy system is the preferred method for calculating feedlot beef cattle diets. Calculating these diets using the equations given in the 1984 NRC Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle is difficult, because it requires a known value for animal dietary intake prior to calculating a diet. The NRC equation for calculating intake is based on net energy for maintenance content per kg (NEmkg) of diet. This number is not known unless the diet has been formulated or a value can be used from a previously calculated table. To balance a diet where an estimate is not available a number of trial diets must be balanced, each using the intake estimated in the previous diet. This process is continued until dietary needs are satisfied. The NEmkg content of diets for each respective class of feedlot animal does not change for animal weights within that class. Several hundred imaginary diets were calculated for differing average daily gains (ADG) for each feedlot animal class using a wide range of feedstuffs. Feedstuffs did not mathematically affect the final NEmkg content of diets. Polynomial regressions were used as a technique to create an equation that predicts NEmkgbased on desired ADG for each class of feedlot animal. Using these polynomial equations allows estimation of intake prior to formulating diets and will predict intake for any rational ADG for reasonable animal weights in all feedlot classes.
Analysis and simulation on cyclic superelastical deformation behavior of TiNi shape memory alloy subjected to loading and unloading

Superelasticity is one of the important mechanical properties of shape memory alloy (SMA). In the present paper, the superelastic deformation behavior of TiNi SMA under various loading conditions with different experimental temperatures and strain rates was discussed based on the experimental studies. The change of transformation stress and the modulus of elasticity during cyclic deformation was analyzed from the continuum mechanical point of view. The cyclic superelastic deformation of TiNi SMA subjected to loading and unloading is characterized by introducing three internal variables, that is, the residual stress and strain which are accumulated during cycling and the residual martensite phase which is also accumulated. The method of simulating cyclic superelastic behavior deformation was proposed. The modulus of elasticity during the internal loop is expressed by the mixed rule with the function of transformation strain. It is important to design perfect SMA working elements and to evaluate their reliability.
Peripherin assembles into homopolymers in SW13 cells

The properties of full-length and mutant peripherins were studied in intermediate filament-less SW13 cells to define regions of peripherin that are essential for initiation of filament assembly. A full-length rat peripherin gene transfected into SW13 cells resulted in filament formation, consistent with the close structural relationship of peripherin to other type III intermediate filament proteins that readily form homopolymers. Translation of full-length rat peripherin is initiated predominantly at the second of two inframe AUGs. Deletions within the amino terminus of wild-type peripherin abolished its ability to form filaments in SW13 cells. In contrast, deletion of the entire carboxyl-terminal tail of peripherin did not affect its ability to form filamentous arrays in transfected SW13 cells. These results indicate that, of the intermediate filament proteins that are expressed in mature neurons, only peripherin and alpha-internexin are capable of making homopolymer intermediate filaments. In addition, mutations of the carboxyl tail of peripherin generally do not interfere with filament network formation.
Surgical therapy for ulcerative colitis.

SUMMARY Ulcerative colitis is a curable disease. Despite newer medications, many patients either fail medical therapy or develop dysplasia or carcinoma requiring surgery. Surgical techniques have improved, and complication rates have declined. The functional results of ileoanal reservoir surgery are excellent in most patients, and most patients agree that a pouch is better than the disease. One must balance poor function secondary to disease, cancer risk, need for medication, and side effects of medication against surgical morbidity and postoperative function.
l-Arginine in Cancer Therapy

One method of treating certain cancers is by amino acid depletion. The best example of this is asparaginase, which has been used to lower blood levels of asparagine, a nonessential amino acid in humans. Asparaginase has been used for years to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of leukemia in children and young adults. Since most human body cells do not require asparagine for their growth and survival, whereas the leukemic cells are auxotrophic for this amino acid, this represents a targeted approach to treatment.
The Impacts of Social Support and Cognitive Function on Depression among Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Americans.

Research has demonstrated a relationship between social support, cognitive function, and depression among older adults, yet fewer studies have explored this association with Japanese American elders. This study aims to examine depression and describe its relationship with social support, cognitive function, and socioeconomic condition among Japanese American elders. A cross-sectional study of 205 Japanese American elders was conducted in Honolulu and Los Angeles County. A hierarchical regression model was used with depression as a dependent variable and with independent variables such as social support, cognitive function, and socioeconomic status. The study found that social support and cognitive function were significantly associated with depression for Japanese American elders. Also age and education were significantly associated with depression. Based on the findings, the study indicates the importance of developing preventive strategies to reduce the depression issue using culturally tailored program...
Food processing and structure impact the metabolizable energy of almonds

The measured metabolizable energy (ME) of whole almonds has been shown to be less than predicted by Atwater factors. However, data are lacking on the effects of processing (roasting, chopping or grinding) on the ME of almonds. A 5-period randomized, crossover study in healthy individuals (n = 18) was conducted to measure the ME of different forms of almonds (42 g per day), as part of a controlled diet: whole, natural almonds; whole, roasted almonds; chopped almonds; almond butter; and control (0 g per day). After 9 days of adaptation to each diet, participants collected all urine and fecal samples for 9 days. Diets, urine, and feces were analyzed to determine ME. Fracture force and fracture properties of whole and chopped almonds were measured. Measured ME (kcal g−1) of whole natural almonds (4.42), whole roasted almonds (4.86), and chopped almonds (5.04) was significantly lower than predicted with Atwater factors (P < 0.001); ME of almond butter (6.53 kcal g−1) was similar to predicted (P = 0.08). The ME of whole roasted and chopped almonds was lower than almond butter (P < 0.0001). ME of whole natural almonds was lower than whole roasted almonds (P < 0.05). This may be due to lower hardness of whole roasted (298 ± 1.3 N) compared to whole natural almonds (345 ± 1.6 N) (P < 0.05), and to whole natural almonds fracturing into fewer, larger particles, thus inhibiting the release of lipids. Atwater factors overestimate the ME of whole (natural and roasted) and chopped almonds. The amount of calories absorbed from almonds is dependent on the form in which they are consumed.
SHH ventralizes the otocyst by maintaining basal PKA activity and regulating GLI3 signaling

During development of the inner ear, secreted morphogens act coordinately to establish otocyst dorsoventral polarity. Among these, Sonic hedgehog (SHH) plays a critical role in determining ventral polarity. However, how this extracellular signal is transduced intracellularly to establish ventral polarity is unknown. In this study, we show that cAMP dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is a key intracellular factor mediating SHH signaling through regulation of GLI3 processing. Gain-of-function experiments using targeted gene transfection by sonoporation or electroporation revealed that SHH signaling inactivates PKA, maintaining a basal level of PKA activity in the ventral otocyst. This, in turn, suppresses partial proteolytic processing of GLI3FL, resulting in a low GLI3R/GLI3FL ratio in the ventral otocyst and the expression of ventral-specific genes required for ventral otocyst morphogenesis. Thus, we identify a molecular mechanism that links extracellular and intracellular signaling, determines early ventral polarity of the inner ear, and has implications for understanding the integration of polarity signals in multiple organ rudiments regulated by gradients of signaling molecules.
Clinical, Biochemical, and Histopathology Features of Patients With Glycogenic Hepatopathy.

Background & Aims Glycogenic hepatopathy, a syndrome characterized by hepatomegaly and increased liver transaminases in patients with type 1 diabetes, has not been well characterized in adults. We describe the clinical, biochemical, and histopathology profile of a cohort of patients with glycogenic hepatopathy. We also examined differences between patients with type 1 diabetes with versus without glycogenic hepatopathy. Methods We performed a case–control study of patients with type 1 diabetes diagnosed with glycogenic hepatopathy and patients with type 1 diabetes without glycogenic hepatopathy (control subjects). Cases were identified in the database of electronic medical records at Mayo Clinic, Rochester from January 1, 1998, through January 1, 2014. Age- and sex-matched control subjects were identified from a Mayo Clinic registry of patients with type 1 diabetes who had normal levels of liver enzymes. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and histopathology data were collected and compared between cases and control subjects. The primary outcome was difference in frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis episodes and hemoglobin (Hb) A 1c levels between cases and control subjects. Results Among the 36 patients diagnosed with glycogenic hepatopathy, 20 had undergone liver biopsy analysis. Most cases were female (n = 28; 77.8%). Abdominal pain was the most common symptom (n = 23; 63.9%); 28 patients (77.8%) had hepatomegaly. All patients had poor control of diabetes (mean HbA 1c level, 11.2 ± 2.4%). A higher proportion of cases had recurrent episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (61%) than control subjects (9%) ( P = .009), and cases had a higher mean level of HbA 1c (11.2 ± 2.4% vs 9.0 ± 2.2% in control subjects; P = .0004). Adult cases had higher levels of aspartate transaminase (312.5 IU/L; range, 245.5–775 IU/L) than pediatric cases (157; range, 104–267 IU/L; P = .02) and lower serum levels of albumin (3.7 ± 0.5 g/dL vs 4.3 ± 0.4 g/dL for pediatric cases; P = .008). Only 16.7% of pediatric patients with glycogenic hepatopathy had growth retardation. Levels of liver transaminases were normalized at follow-up examinations of 18 of 21 adult or pediatric patients with glycogenic hepatopathy. Conclusions More than half of patients with glycogenic hepatopathy and type 1 diabetes have recurrent episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, and these patients have higher levels of HbA 1c than patients with type 1 diabetes without glycogenic hepatopathy. We observed growth retardation in only about 17% of pediatric patients with glycogenic hepatopathy.
Ethnicity, history and standard Ixhil (Ixil) Mayan

Abstract This paper explores the tension between local ethnic identities and pan-Maya language ideologies in the development of Standard Ixhil Mayan, a standardized variety recognized by the Guatemalan state and the Academy of Mayan Languages of Guatemala. Based on the analysis of interviews and publications in Ixhil, I examine how alternative ethnic identities are indexed through variations in orthographic conventions. As in other Mayan communities in the highlands of Guatemala, standardization is a contested field in which different notions of indigeneity are staged. I discuss the role of systemic tensions between the Maya movement and Ixhil communities and show how local dialectal stereotypes are being used to forge a pan-linguistic Ixhil super-ethnicity capable of buttressing local spaces of cultural sovereignty.
Response by Halliday et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Association Between Midwall Late Gadolinium Enhancement and Sudden Cardiac Death in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Mild and Moderate Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction”

We thank Dr Locorotondo and colleagues for their kind comments regarding our recently published article.1 We agree that, although the quantification of midwall late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in dilated cardiomyopathy has been shown to be reproducible between operators in the same center using a single technique, it is not known whether this remains the case when examining operators in different centers using different techniques.2 Quantification of LGE relies on a degree of subjective interpretation, and this appears to be a major barrier to the use of cutoff values within clinical practice. In addition, the exact relationship between the extent …
Mentorship in Anesthesia

Selecting an appropriate mentor is essential to academic achievement and should be a core component of training in anesthesiology. Mentorship develops leaders as a talent pool as part of succession and diversity and enables a balance between professional and personal life. There are multiple benefits to both mentors and mentees. Such a program facilitates the growth of academic departments through research, career satisfaction and often faculty retention, recruitment, and educational success. However, careful planning is essential in determining which individuals are most suited for both mentoring and being mentored, the relevance to individual needs, and the best means to evaluate and reevaluate the program. Both barriers to a successful program and opportunities exist
The Burden of Dysphagia on Family Caregivers of the Elderly: A Systematic Review

With the rapid increase in the elderly population, there is a simultaneous increased need for care provided by family caregivers. Research in the field of head and neck cancer has indicated that caring for patients with dysphagia can impact a caregiver’s quality of life. Given that many older adults present with dysphagia, one can assume that their caregivers are equally, if not more greatly, affected. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine all relevant literature regarding the caregiver burden in caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with dysphagia. A review of relevant studies published through April 2018 was conducted using search terms related to dysphagia, caregiver burden, and older adults. The search yielded 2331 unique abstracts. Of the 176 abstracts that underwent full review, four were accepted. All reported an increase in caregiver burden due to presence of dysphagia in care recipients. Worsening feeding-related behaviors were associated with burden, and the use of feeding tubes was more frequently associated with “heavy burden”. The presence of dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults is a factor leading to an increased burden among caregivers. Although aspects of dysphagia play a role in the caregiver burden, the specific reasons for the increased burden are unknown. Clinicians should be aware of dysphagia as a source of the burden, and future studies should further define the relationship between dysphagia and the caregiver burden in order to develop comprehensive approaches to care.
Competition and Performance: The Role of Technology and Innovation Strategies

How do competitive forces interact with technology adoption and innovation strategies to influence firm performance? This question matters for at least two distinct reasons. On the one hand, recent...
Computational music: birds of a feather discussion and demonstration

This session will provide an opportunity for CCSC NW Conference participants to interact with the keynote speaker, Professor Perry R. Cook. Prof. Cook will bring several of his musical instruments, and will answer questions about his talk, provide some demonstrations, and encourage discussion about computational music.
Acute and Chronic Interstitial Nephritis

The appearance of eosinophils in the urine, or eosinophiluria, has been reported in allergic conditions of the urinary tract.1 Other investigators have reported eosinophiluria in 9 of 14 rejection episodes after kidney transplantation and in 1 case without evidence of rejection; the number of eosinophils, however, never exceeded 5% of the total number of granulocytes in the urine.2 In one study, urine specimens from 228 patients were examined. Of these 228 patients, 87 had chronic pyelonephritis, 56 had cystourethritis, 75 had other renal diseases, and 10 had bronchial asthma or some other allergic condition. The percentage of eosinophiluria was as follows: 90 patients had less than 1% eosinophils; 40 patients had 1 to 5% eosinophils; and 14 patients had 6 to 33% eosinophils on at least one occasion. In the latter 14 patients, renal histopathological studies did not reveal eosinophils. The authors concluded that eosinophils are excreted from the renal pelvis, though they may originate from the ureters or bladder.3 In another study, urinary sediments from 65 patients showed eosinophils. In 35 of these 65 patients (54%) with eosinophiluria, the eosinophil count ranged from 1 to over 10% of the total white blood cells (WBC) in the urine; the vast majority, however, had between 1 and 5% eosinophils. The remaining 46% of patients had fewer than 1% of eosinophils.4 In this study, infections of the upper or lower urinary tract accounted for the largest proportion (45%) of the clinical conditions associated with eosinophiluria.
Junction Plasmon Driven Population Inversion of Molecular Vibrations: A Picosecond Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Study

Molecular surface-enhanced Raman spectra recorded at single plasmonic nanojunctions using a 7 ps pulse train exhibit vibrational up-pumping and population inversion. The process is assigned to plasmon-driven, dark, impulsive electron-vibration (e-v) excitation. Both optical (Raman) pumping and hot-electron mediated excitation can be rejected by the characteristic spectra, which allow the simultaneous measurement of vibrational temperature of the molecules and electronic temperature of the metal. Vibrational populations are determined from anti-Stokes to Stokes intensity ratios, while the electron temperature is obtained from the anti-Stokes branch of the electronic Raman scattering continuum. Population inversion survives in high-frequency vibrations that effectively decouple from the metal.
Tracking User Application Activity by using Machine Learning Techniques on Network Traffic

A network eavesdropper may invade the privacy of an online user by collecting the passing traffic and classifying the applications that generated the network traffic. This collection may be used to build fingerprints of the user’s Internet usage. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of performing such breach on encrypted network traffic generated by actual users. We adopt the random forest algorithm to classify the applications in use by users of a campus network. Our classification system identifies and quantifies different statistical features of user’s network traffic to classify applications rather than looking into packet contents. In addition, application classification is performed without employing a port mapping at the transport layer. Our results show that applications can be identified with an average precision and recall of up to 99%.
Functional Performance of a Millimeter Wave Square Holey Dielectric Waveguide

This paper presents the functional performance of a square holey dielectric waveguide that operates from 180 to 360 GHz for supporting high data rate communication systems. A 7 cm waveguide is excited using a microstrip patch antenna at 264 GHz and shows 30 dB improvement from the system noise floor and 12 dB improvement from a free space transmission in an uncalibrated measurement. This waveguide minimizes cross talk and allows for polarization division multiplexing supporting vertical and horizontal polarizations.
Data Center Participation in Demand Response Programs with Quality-of-Service Guarantees

Demand response helps stabilize the power grid and offers opportunities for consumers to reduce their cost by regulating their power consumption to follow market requirements. Regulation service reserves (RSRs) is a specific form of a demand response program, requiring participants to regulate their power to follow a dynamically-changing target that is updated every few seconds. In return, participants' electricity bill is reduced in proportion to the reserves they provide. Data centers are significant power consumers, and they are good candidates to participate in RSRs because they have the flexibility to regulate their power consumption through various strategies. Previous work in this area has proposed power regulation policies that enable data centers to participate in RSRs, but without providing guarantees on the Quality-of-Service (QoS) of the jobs running on the data center. This paper develops a strategy for a data center to provide RSR while offering QoS guarantees, expressed in terms of the sojourn time of jobs. The proposed policy regulates data center power through power capping and job scheduling, following the spirit of a Generalized Processor Sharing (GPS) policy. Parameters in our policy are calculated so as to minimize the electricity cost under QoS constraints. The key in guaranteeing QoS is to determine an acceptable range for policy parameters using a queueing theoretic result for delay. We evaluate our policy in both large-scale simulations as well as real-system experiments on a small cluster. We demonstrate that our policy enables data centers to participate in RSRs and reduces their electricity bill by 14-51% while providing guarantees on the QoS of the jobs.
Unthinking empiricism and the overdiagnosis of nonlethal cranial injuries: An interdisciplinary review of diagnostic criteria for healing, depressed cranial fractures

Abstract The work examines how antemortem cranial injury is diagnosed in the literature in order to determine whether nonlethal trauma is being over-diagnosed in archaeology. While the majority of publications cite criteria for perimortem cranial fractures, none have adopted a clear set of criteria for diagnosing antemortem depressed fractures. This study systematically reviewed the relevant bioarchaeological, forensic, and paleopathological literature and identified ten criteria commonly used in diagnosing healing, depressed cranial fractures (HDCF). Bioarchaeological studies (n = 146) describing trauma were evaluated for the criteria used to diagnose HDCF. Results indicate that studies recording HDCF rarely consider >2–3 criteria. The most commonly scored features, lesion shape (63%), size (63%) and location (91%), can only be considered consistent with HDCF. Features diagnostic of HDCF, retention of concentric or radiating fracture lines, were only mentioned in 1% and 7% of the studies respectively. Even more problematic were contradictions in how criteria were applied across studies. Unclear, ambiguous, inconsistent or absent diagnostic criteria for HDCL is potentially causing an overestimation of nonlethal violence in the archaeological record.
The Scattering of Electromagnetic Fields from Anisotropic Objects Embedded in Anisotropic Multilayers

This article presents an efficient method for calculating the scattered electromagnetic (EM) fields from anisotropic objects embedded in general anisotropic multilayers, both with arbitrary anisotropy. The electric field integral equation (EFIE) is derived based on the electric dyadic Green’s functions for general anisotropic multilayers. The volume integral equation (VIE) involves a convolution form between the dyadic Green’s function and equivalent sources. To accelerate the integral computation, the fast Fourier transform technique (FFT) is adopted which reduces the computational cost from $O(N^{2})$ to $O (N \log N)$ . The biconjugate gradient stabilized method (BiCGSTAB) is then applied to solve the EFIE efficiently to calculate the total electric fields in the computational domain. In order to validate the algorithm, several examples are modeled for anisotropic objects embedded in both isotropic and anisotropic multilayers. The modeled scattered fields are compared with the finite-element method (FEM) results. The good agreement between the two results shows the algorithm works properly.
Finding the Sweet Spot: An Interactive Workshop on Diabetes Management in Older Adults.

Introduction Intensive glucose lowering in older adults with diabetes leads to increased risks with minimal benefits. Surveys indicate that clinician confidence for individualizing glycemic goals a...
Oncologic Services Through Project Access and Other Safety Net Care Coordination Programs

PURPOSE:Little is known about the provision of oncologic services by Project Access safety net care coordination programs.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Information on safety net care coordination program l...
Hearing loss as a predictor for hearing protection attenuation among miners.

Objective This study investigated risk factors for poor earplug fit, with a focus on the association between hearing loss and personal attenuation ratings (PARs). Methods Earplug fit was assessed by obtaining PARs using a real ear at attenuation threshold (REAT) system. Hearing loss was assessed using the unoccluded hearing thresholds measured during the REAT testing and the results of a speech-in-noise test. Potential predictors of PARs were modelled using both simple and multiple linear regression. Hearing loss was the primary predictor of interest. Results Data were collected from 200 workers at ten above-ground mining sites in the Midwestern USA. Workers reported wearing their hearing protection on average 73.9% of the time in a high noise environment (mean 8-hour time-weighted average noise exposure 85.5 dBA, range 65–103 dBA). One-quarter (26.7%) of workers were found to have a hearing loss (hearing threshold ≥25 dB across 1–4 kHz), and 42% reported symptoms of tinnitus. Workers with a hearing loss had a significantly lower PAR than those without a hearing loss (β=−5.1, SE=1.7). Conclusions The results of the adjusted regression models suggest that workers with hearing loss achieved significantly lower PARs than those without hearing loss. This association between hearing loss and hearing protection devices (HPD) fit brings into focus the potential benefit of fit checks to be included in hearing conservation programmes. Workers found to have hearing loss should be prioritised for fit testing, as their hearing impairment may be associated with poor HPD fit.
Economic Comparison between Battery and Supercapacitor for Hourly Dispatching Wave Energy Converter Power

This paper demonstrates a dispatching scheme of slider-crank wave energy converter (WEC) power generation using two different kinds of energy storage components, namely, Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery and Supercapacitors (SC). The performance of the two energy storage components has been compared in order to develop the most economical energy storage system for WEC hourly dispatching scheme. The cost optimization of the energy storage system considering both cycling and calendar aging expenses is made based on its usage of depth of discharge. In this study, extensive simulation is conducted in MATLAB/Simulink platform, and it is found that SC is a better solution than Li-ion battery in terms of economic assessment for hourly dispatching WEC power.
The Types of Functional and Structural Subdivisions of Cortical Areas

The term “cortical column” has been used to identify a number of different types of subdivisions of cortical areas. Here we describe and discuss several of these types of modular subdivisions in cortex, and suggest criteria for distinguishing these types. Minicolumns are narrow, vertical arrays of densely interconnected neurons that cross all cortical layers, and may represent a basic computational unit that is common to all cortical areas across mammalian species. Other types of columns are more variable across cortical areas and mammalian species, and have different developmental and evolutionary functions and histories. Classical columns are so named because they correspond to the column type first described by Mountcastle (J Neurophysiol 20:408–434, PMID 13439410, 1957), and consist of larger alternating patches of cortex that span all cortical layers, and contain neurons that have different response properties from those of neurons in adjoining columns. Several types of classical columns have been identified, and evidence for more types will likely emerge with further investigation. Classical columns divide cortical areas into sets of functionally specialized modules. A third type of cortical subdivision, unbounded columns, collectively represent a continuously varied stimulus dimension, such as the orientation of a bar or line, across a cortical area. Thus, vertical rows of neurons across a patch of cortex representing a small portion of the visual field will vary continuously in the orientation of a stimulus bar that best activates them, and there are no obvious borders between rows of neurons that prefer one orientation and adjoining rows that prefer a slightly different orientation. Other continuously variable stimuli such as color are likely to be represented by unbounded columns as well. A fourth type of cortical column consists of adjoining blocks of neurons that represent different parts of the receptor surface. The ocular dominance columns in primary visual cortex constitute a well-known example, where blocks of neurons are activated preferentially by one eye or the other. The banded representation of digits in somatosensory cortex of monkeys and raccoons provide another example. Lastly, cortical areas are sometimes divided into specialized regions or domains that are distinct from one another and do not repeat across the cortical surface. Such domains appear to exist in motor and premotor cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and temporal visual cortex of primates. Finally, we address questions of how columns emerge in development, and how mechanisms for their development evolved. Clearly there are genetic factors, especially for those that control activity-dependent neural mechanisms of synapse formation and selection.
Pediatric lower extremity sarcoma reconstruction: A review of limb salvage procedures and outcomes.

Summary Background In recent years, dramatic advances in the multidisciplinary treatment of pediatric sarcoma have resulted in significant improvement in the long-term survival of the patient. Thus, following tumor resection, significant effort has gone into limb salvage and improving functional outcomes. Plastic surgeons, in conjunction with orthopedic surgeons, are using techniques in microvascular free-tissue transfer and rotational flap surgery to preserve limb length. This study presents a review of the current reconstructive strategies and the oncologic, surgical, and functional outcomes in this population. Methods Using the Pubmed and Cochrane Library databases, studies describing lower extremity plastic surgical reconstruction were identified following pediatric lower extremity sarcoma resection. This study included those studies which described reconstructive techniques, oncologic and functional outcomes, and surgical complications. Results A total of nine articles were identified, yielding 96 pediatric patients. The most common procedures performed were free fibular flaps (53 patients) followed by pedicled muscle flaps (31 patients). A total of 72 of 96 patients (75%) achieved independent ambulation, and an additional 19 patients (20%) ambulated with assistance. There were only three (3%) amputations. A total of 13 patients died from metastatic disease (14%). Conclusions Plastic surgery procedures play an increasingly important role in pediatric lower extremity sarcoma reconstruction and functional limb salvage. Published series are limited in number and case volume; to date, no systematic review has been published. The existing data emphasize the role of microvascular free-fibula transfer as well as local muscle flap coverage in preserving limb length and function, with minimal risk of local recurrence and need for amputation.
The Myth of Isolated Civilizations

In this wide-ranging and ambitious study, David Wengrow examines the joint evolution of two great adjacent civilizations, Egypt and Mesopotamia, over a span of four millennia. Central to the book (and critical to answering the question posed in its title) are the interactions between these and other societies, interactions that Wengrow sees as inseparably cosmological and economic. There is a particular straw man to be burned here: the idea that civilizations are bounded and isolated entities that interact infrequently and in exceptional circumstances. The most recent emergence of this straw man, and the one to which Wengrow is responding, is in the idea of an impending “clash of civilizations” promulgated by the late historian Samuel Huntington, who foresaw a future of conflict between China, the Arab Middle East, and the West. Despite its reliance on antiquity, Huntington’s argument is remarkably uninformed by the work of actual ancient historians and archaeologists. Wengrow aims to demonstrate archaeologically the falsity of the isolated-civilizations model. He rightly declares that “straw men have a habit of resurrecting themselves, even after numerous attempts at incineration. Burning them is not a one-off exercise” (p. 13). Wengrow’s torch is a series of short and provocative essays that proceeds chronologically, starting from prehistoric times, when Egypt and the Near East existed in wider but largely separate worlds, to a Bronze Age (primarily the third millennium BC) in which economic and ritual “imperatives” forced the widespread movement of commodities between them. In the Neolithic world, trade and interaction were already widespread. North African societies, for example, shared traditions of boiling-based cooking that had led to broad similarities in ceramics, and they used the body to inscribe the community into its landscape via burials. The Near East, on the other hand, had grinding and roasting food-preparation technologies, and the body and houses were associated closely via defleshing and physical incorporation of body elements.
Bulk Processing and Mechanical Properties of Ni3Mo

High-energy ball milling was used to produce a homogeneously blended and partially alloyed elemental nickel and molybdenum of Ni3Mo composition. Alloy samples were cold-compacted, sintered/solutionized at 1300°C and quenched to retain the a-solid solution. The cold compaction and subsequent sintering were repeated three more times for a total of 100 h of sintering/solutionization time to achieve near full density. Aging was performed between 600°C and 900°C for up to 100 h. Scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to analyze the aged samples to study the microstructural evolution. The phases observed in the aged samples were Ni3Mo, NiMo, solid solution Ni(Mo) or their mixtures. Cellular precipitation was observed in some samples. Hardness values were as high as 880 Hv in the samples aged at 800°C.
An internal ribosome entry site mediates the initiation of soluble guanylyl cyclase β2 mRNA translation

The soluble guanylyl cyclases (sGC), the receptor for nitric oxide, are heterodimers consisting of an a- and b-subunit. This study aimed to investigate the translational mechanism of the sGC b2-subunit. Two mRNA species for sGC b2 were isolated from human kidney. These transcripts had dissimilar 5¢-untranslated regions (5¢-UTRs). The most abundant sGC b2 mRNA showed numerous upstream open reading frames (ORFs) and stable secondary structures that inhibited in vivo and in vitro translation. To evaluate whether these 5¢-UTRs harbored an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) that allows translation by an alternative mechanism, we inserted these regions between the two luciferase genes of a bicistronic vector. Transfection of those genetic constructs into HeLa cells demonstrated that both sGC b2 leaders had IRES activity in a cell-type dependent manner. Finally, the secondary structural model of the sGC b 25 ¢-UTR predicts a Y-type pseudoknot that characterizes the IRES of cellular mRNAs. In conclusion, our findings suggest that sGC b 25 ¢-UTRs have IRES activity that may permit sGC b2 expression under conditions that are not optimal for scanning-dependent translation.
Some Interactions of Speech Rate, Signal Distortion, and Certain Linguistic Factors in Listening Comprehension.

This experiment was designed to determine the relative effects of speech rate and signal distortion due to the time compression process on listening comprehension. In addition, linguistic factors--including sequencing of random words into story form, and inflection and phraseology--were qualitatively considered for their effects on listening comprehension. The subjects were 180 Army inductees who had scored 80 or above on the "Armed Forces Qualification Test" (AFQT). The results indicate that both speech rate and signal distortion may affect listening comprehension, especially in the case of signal distortion when low-redundancy materials are used. (RB) IJ S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION 11115 DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN AT1NG IT POiN TS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENTOFFICIAL NATIONA'. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY Professional Paper 39.68
Elastic Behavior of Interfaces

A large body of work on epitaxial thin films has focused on controlling interfacial structure, particularly on preventing formation of interface dislocations which can lead to diffusion and electrical breakdown in semiconductor devices [1]. However, in other types of interfacial materials, dislocations might actually be desirable for controlling or enhancing certain mechanical properties, such as toughness and ductility. In this section we illustrate — by means of atomistic computer simulations — the important role of the atomic structure and, in particular, misfit dislocations in the elastic behavior of metallic interface materials. In particular, we review atomic-level simulations that elucidate the causes of the anomalous elastic behavior of thin films and composition-modulated superlattice materials. (For earlier reviews, see Refs. [2] and [3].)