cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plaque excision with the Silverhawk catheter: Early results in patients with claudication or critical limb ischemia

Objective This study was conducted to detail the early experience after infrainguinal atherectomy using the Silverhawk plaque excision catheter for the treatment of symptomatic peripheral vascular disease. Methods A prospective database was established in August 2004 in which data for operations, outcomes, and follow-up were recorded for patients undergoing percutaneous plaque excision for peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) ischemia scores and femoropopliteal TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) criteria were assigned. A follow-up protocol included duplex ultrasound surveillance at 1, 3, and 6 months and then yearly thereafter. Standard statistical analyses were performed. Results During a 17-month period, 66 limbs of 60 patients (37 men [61.7%]) underwent 70 plaque excisions (four repeat procedures). Indications included tissue loss based on SVS ischemia at grades 5 and 6 (25/70), rest pain at grade 4 (22/70), and claudication at grades 2 to 3 (23/70). The mean lesion length was 8.8 ± 0.7 cm. The technical success rate was 87.1% (61/70). Adjunctive treatment was required in 17 procedures (24.3%), consisting of 14 balloon angioplasties and three stents. Femoropopliteal TASC criteria included 5 TASC A lesions, 14 TASC B lesions, 32 TASC C lesions, and 19 TASC D lesions. Although 17 plaque excisions included a tibial vessel, no patient underwent isolated tibial atherectomy. The mean increase in ankle-brachial index was 0.27 ± 0.04 and in toe pressure, 20.3 ± 6.9 mm Hg. Mean duplex ultrasound follow-up was 5.2 months (range, 1 to 17 months). One-year primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency was 61.7%, 64.1%, and 76.4%, respectively. Restenosis or occlusion developed in 12 patients (16.7%) and was detected at a mean of 2.8 ± 0.7 months. Restenosis or occlusion was significantly more common ( P Conclusions Percutaneous plaque excision is a viable treatment option for lower extremity revascularization. Outcomes are related to ischemia and lesion severity. Patency and limb salvage rates are equivalent to other endovascular modalities.
Soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and storage throughout the soil profile in a sweetgum plantation after 11 years of CO2‐enrichment

Increased partitioning of carbon (C) to fine roots under elevated [CO2], especially deep in the soil profile, could alter soil C and nitrogen (N) cycling in forests. After more than 11 years of free-air CO2 enrichment in a Liquidambar styraciflua L. (sweetgum) plantation in Oak Ridge, TN, USA, greater inputs of fine roots resulted in the incorporation of new C (i.e., C with a depleted d 13 C) into root-derived particulate organic matter (POM) pools to 90-cm depth. Even though production in the sweetgum stand was limited by soil N availability, soil C and N contents were greater throughout the soil profile under elevated [CO2] at the conclusion of the experiment. Greater C inputs from fine-root detritus under elevated [CO2] did not result in increased net N immobilization or C mineralization rates in long-term laboratory incubations, possibly because microbial biomass was lower in the CO2-enriched plots. Furthermore, the d 13 CO2 of the C mineralized from the incubated soil closely tracked the d 13 C of the labile POM pool in the elevated [CO2] treatment, especially in shallower soil, and did not indicate significant priming of the decomposition of pre-experiment soil organic matter (SOM). Although potential C mineralization rates were positively and linearly related to total SOM C content in the top 30 cm of soil, this relationship did not hold in deeper soil. Taken together with an increased mean residence time of C in deeper soil pools, these findings indicate that C inputs from relatively deep roots under elevated [CO2] may increase the potential for long-term soil C storage. However, C in deeper soil is likely to take many years to accrue to a significant fraction of total soil C given relatively smaller root inputs at depth. Expanded representation of biogeochemical cycling throughout the soil profile may improve model projections of future forest responses to rising atmospheric [CO2].
Biological production rates off the Southern California coast estimated from triple O2 isotopes and O2 : Ar gas ratios

The isotopic composition of dissolved O2 (17Δ) and the biological O2 saturation from O2 : Ar ratios were measured in the surface ocean during six cruises off the coast of southern California from November 2005 to August 2008 to determine rates of gross oxygen production (GOP), net oxygen production (NOP), and the NOP : GOP ratio (a measure of potential export efficiency). In the mixed layer, 17Δ of dissolved O2 (17Δdiss) ranged from 24 to 108 per meg and biological O2 saturation ranged from 101% to 113% for all regions and cruises. Mixed-layer 17Δ-GOP ranged from 49 ± 23 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 to 533 ± 185 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 with an annual mean for the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) grid of 151 ± 59 mmol O2 m−2 d−1. Mixed-layer O2 : Ar-NOP ranged from 8 ± 6 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 to 135 ± 31 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 with an annual mean of 25 ± 8 mmol O2 m−2 d−1, implying that the CalCOFI grid is autotrophic year-round. 17Δ-GOP estimates were consistently greater than on-deck incubation-based 14C-primary production (14C-PP) by a factor of 5.6 ± 0.4 and greater than satellite PP estimates by a factor of 3.5 ± 0.3 (mmol O2 : mmol C). The 17Δ-GOP to 14C-PP factor was twice the expected factor of 2.7 determined from comparisons of incubation-based 18O-GOP and 14C-PP. The annual mean NOP : GOP ratio was 0.16 ± 0.06, suggesting a potential export efficiency that is surprisingly similar to the open ocean using comparable methods.
Activation of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Sensor STIM1 and Store-Operated Calcium Entry by Rotavirus Requires NSP4 Viroporin Activity

Rotavirus nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) induces dramatic changes in cellular calcium homeostasis. These include increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) permeability, resulting in decreased ER calcium stores and activation of plasma membrane (PM) calcium influx channels, ultimately causing a 2- to 4-fold elevation in cytoplasmic calcium. Elevated cytoplasmic calcium is absolutely required for virus replication, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for calcium influx remain poorly understood. NSP4 is an ER-localized viroporin, whose activity depletes ER calcium, which ultimately leads to calcium influx. We hypothesized that NSP4-mediated depletion of ER calcium activates store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) through activation of the ER calcium sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). We established and used a stable yellow fluorescent protein-expressing STIM1 cell line (YFP-STIM1) as a biosensor to assess STIM1 activation (puncta formation) by rotavirus infection and NSP4 expression. We found that STIM1 is constitutively active in rotavirus-infected cells and that STIM1 puncta colocalize with the PM-localized Orai1 SOCE calcium channel. Expression of wild-type NSP4 activated STIM1, resulting in PM calcium influx, but an NSP4 viroporin mutant failed to induce STIM1 activation and did not activate the PM calcium entry pathway. Finally, knockdown of STIM1 significantly reduced rotavirus yield, indicating STIM1 plays a critical role in virus replication. These data demonstrate that while rotavirus may ultimately activate multiple calcium channels in the PM, calcium influx is predicated on NSP4 viroporin-mediated activation of STIM1 in the ER. This is the first report of viroporin-mediated activation of SOCE, reinforcing NSP4 as a robust model to understand dysregulation of calcium homeostasis during virus infections.
Pre-commitment and personality: Behavioral explanations in ultimatum games

Abstract In a laboratory ultimatum bargaining experiment, responder behavior is more consistent with game-theoretic predictions when responders indicate a binding minimum acceptable offer (MAO) or when rejection penalizes a “hostage” third player. In general, female subjects indicated higher MAOs but had a much greater reaction than males to the presence of a third player. Offers increase in the presence of a binding MAO but are not affected by a third player. Behavior in our experiment is also generally consistent with hypotheses based on a popular personality test instrument.
The effect of ambient humidity on the foraging behavior of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta

The foraging decisions of flower-visiting animals are contingent upon the need of an individual to meet both energetic and osmotic demands. Insects can alter their food preferences to prioritize one need over the other, depending on environmental conditions. In this study, preferences in nectar sugar concentrations (0, 12, 24 %) were tested in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, in response to different levels of ambient humidity (20, 40, 60, and 80 % RH). Moths altered their foraging behavior when placed in low humidity environments by increasing the volume of nectar imbibed and by consuming more dilute nectar. When placed in high humidity environments the total volume imbibed decreased, because moths consumed less from dilute nectars (water and 12 % sucrose). Survivorship was higher with higher humidity. Daily foraging patterns changed with relative humidity (RH): moths maximized their nectar consumption earlier, at lower humidities. Although ambient humidity had an impact on foraging activity, activity levels and nectar preferences, total energy intake was not affected. These results show that foraging decisions made by M. sexta kept under different ambient RH levels allow individuals to meet their osmotic demands while maintaining a constant energy input.
Thyroid function in relation to burden of PCBs, p,p'-DDE, HCB, mirex and lead among Akwesasne Mohawk youth: a preliminary study.

Abstract The effects of endocrine disrupting environmental contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), p , p ′-dichlorophenyldichloroethylene ( p , p ′ - DDE), mirex, and lead, are examined in a sample of youth of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation who are 10–16.9 years of age ( n = 115). The Akwesasne community is located adjacent to hazardous waste sites where PCBs and other toxicants have contaminated the local ecology. This study examines the relationship between measures of thyroid function and endocrine disrupting environmental toxicants. Both with and without statistical adjustment for other toxicants, as well as age, sex and lipid levels, several indicators of PCB burden are significantly, negatively related to levels of free thyroxine and total thyroxine, and positively to thyrotropin. Lead level was positively related to triidothyronine. Future testing of non-linear relationships is warranted. Despite the linear associations with thyrotropin, free and total thyroxine, PCBs were not related to increased occurrence of these hormones outside the clinically normal range for the testing laboratory.
Review of Jeremy Levitt, (Ed.) Mapping New Boundaries in African International Law

Mapping New Boundaries in African International Law, edited by Jeremy, continues and pushes in new directions the contributionist tradition of African international law. Contributionists have long argued that Africa participated in the making of international law, contrary to Eurocentric accounts that designated Africa as backward, stateless and as such having played no role in the making of international law. Like in the contributionist tradition, the premise of Mapping New Boundaries is that Africa has been and continues to be ‘an innovator and generator of human knowledge, institutions and rules.’ It seeks to answer the question: ‘What contributions have African States, institutions and peoples made to the development of international law?’ The thesis of the book in short is that Africa is ‘at centre stage in confirming the status and nature of existing norms of international law and at the cutting edge of norm creation’ and to dispel the notion that ‘Africa is wholly disadvantaged and ineffectual.’
Transfer of an Interest in an LLC Taxed as an S Corporation Raises Many Questions

When the LLC statutes first were enacted, they were designed to allow taxpayers to form an entity that was classified as a partnership for tax purposes and, at the same time, offered limited liability to all of the entity's investors. The LLC was popular because it allowed taxpayers to avoid the constraints of subchapter S. The benefits of forming an LLC that is classified as a partnership, rather than an S corporation, have been well-documented and will not be discussed in this column.In recent years, taxpayers have begun converting S corporations to LLCs under state conversion or merger statutes. In some cases, taxpayers have elected to treat newly formed LLCs as S corporations. There are some advantages that can be achieved when an LLC is taxed as an S corporation that are not available to an LLC that is taxed as a partnership. For convenience, this column sometimes will refer to an LLC that is taxed as an S corporation as an LLC/S corporation.State law merger and conversion statutes, the check-the-box regulations, and IRS rulings have made it easy to convert an S corporation to an LLC without incurring adverse tax consequences. Care should be taken, however, in forming and operating an LLC that is classified as an S corporation. There are some questions concerning the tax consequences of certain transactions involving LLC/S corporations and their members. This column discusses some of the benefits of converting an existing S corporation to an LLC or forming a new LLC that is classified as an S corporation, offers suggestions for avoiding adverse tax consequences, and raises questions concerning the tax results when a member transfers an interest in an LLC/S corporation to another person.
Micromagnetics Simulation of Asymmetric Pseudo-Spin Valve Dots

Wepresent simulation results for Ni79Fe21 (5 nm)/Cu (3 nm)/Co (4nm)pseudo-spin valves. These simulations have been conducted on several different aspect ratios of rectangular dots. Distinct switches of the two magnetic layers were observed. At smaller aspect ratios, magnetization reversalproceeds through a leaf state in the soft layer and a flower state in the hard layer. For larger aspect ratios, reversalproceeds by nucleation and annihilation of domain walls. Our simulations show a reasonable agreement with the experimental results. Differences between the experimental and simulation results are discussed.
An Organizational Identity Perspective on the Effects of Exploration Alliances on Firm Performance

The paper investigates how organizational identity affects the impact of alliances on performance outcomes. Alliances that explore and experiment tend to affect organizational outcomes negatively, at least in the short term. Although exploration strategies facilitate learning and adaptation in the long run, they incur costs due to the nature of experimentation. I advance an alternative perspective that organizational identity plays a role in this alliance-performance link. Depending on the strength of an organization’s identity in terms of how coherent and taken-for- granted its categorization or social grouping is, the effect on performance may be more or less negative.
Tobacco rattle virus is Detected in Established Landscape Plantings of Epimedium sp. in Ohio

In this brief, the authors report the first detection of Tobacco rattle virus in established landscape plantings of barrenwort (Epimedium sp.) from two geographical regions of Ohio. Accepted for pu...
Towards a New Concept of Residential Well-Being Based on Bottom-Up Spillover and Need Hierarchy Theories

This chapter reviews the various conceptualizations of residential well-being and introduces a new conceptualization. The new concept of residential well-being is defined as satisfaction with one’s living arrangement captured by one’s home and its immediate surrounding (i.e., community) to the extent that this satisfaction contributes to the sense of well-being in seven major life domains, namely health/safety, financial, family, social, work, leisure/arts/culture, and education/personal development, which in turn all contribute to the overall sense of subjective well-being. The sense of well-being in major life domains such as health/safety, financial, and family life serves to meet basic needs a la Maslow (low-order needs related to survival such as biological and safety needs). In contrast, satisfaction in other life domains such social, work, leisure/arts/culture, and education/personal development serves to meet growth needs (again a la Maslow; high-order needs related to human flourishing). Thus, housing and community amenities play a significant role in each of the aforementioned life domains contributing to domain satisfaction, which in turn contribute to overall life satisfaction. Within a given life domain, satisfaction with housing and community amenities contribute to positive/negative affect within that domain. Based on this conceptualization of residential well-being, survey measures can be developed and tested to establish the reliability and validity of this construct.
Analysis of detection result of IgM serum antibody of suspected cases with measles in Longnan City from 2005 to 2012

Objective To detect serum IgM antibody of suspected cases with measles, and provide scientific evidence for disease prevention and control. Methods Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect samples for serum IgM antibody of 839 suspected cases with measles from 2005 to 2012, and Spss 19.0 software was taken to carry out statistical analysis. Results Totally 534 cases were detected to be measles IgM antibody positive, with positive rate of 63.6%. There were cases with measles reported every year in Longnan City from 2005 to 2012, with the highest positive rate of 82.6% in 2008. There were positive measles cases in each district and county, and there was statistical difference in positive rate among different districts and counties(χ2=86.917, P0.05). Patients mainly concentrated on age group of eight months to 25 years old, accounting for 74.5% of the total positive cases. There were measles cases in every month, with the peaks at period from March to July. Conclusions Detection for IgM antibody to measles plays a key role in early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment and taking control measures timely. Medical institutions at all levels should pay attention to serum collection of the suspected cases, at the same time, basic and intensive immunization should be strengthened in key crowd. Supplementary immunization should be taken to eliminate immune gap and increase coverage rate and time rate of immunization.
In utero opiate dependence and sudden infant death syndrome.

Infants born, to smoking, alcoholic, and drug-dependent women appear to suffer increased prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, vascular changes, and hypoxic episodes as a result of decreased oxygen carrying capacity in the blood, depression with overdose, and withdrawal symptoms. The author reviews these associations and suggests further research to clarify their role in the sudden infant death syndrome.
The Role of Depression in the Uptake and Maintenance of Cigarette Smoking

Cigarette smoking and depression both account for significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. The prevalence of both smoking and depression increase across mid-to-late adolescence and show high rates of comorbidity. While little is known about why smoking is disproportionately higher among depressed adolescents than adolescents without depression, emerging research has begun to offer some initial insights. The high rates of comorbidity between depression and smoking emphasize the importance of identifying intervention targets to inform smoking prevention efforts for this high-risk group. Interventions during adolescence may lessen the prevalence of depression-prone adult smokers. Depression is over-represented among adult smokers and contributes to lower smoking cessation rates. Negative mood management and pharmacotherapy have been the central focus of smoking cessation interventions for depression-prone populations to date. Converging lines of research highlight novel smoking cessation targets such as the maintenance of positive mood and reward regulation. Smoking cessation research in depression-prone smokers is critical to identify efficacious treatments that will ultimately decrease the excess smoking burden for this population.
Infection Control Considerations for In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer Programs

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is a process in which human ova are obtained by laparoscopic ovarian follicular puncture, fertilized in vitro by capacitated donor sperm, and introduced transcervically into the uterus. The prospective mother's ovarian cycle is usually stimulated with either clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin, or both, so that multiple aspiratable follicles are produced. Follicular development is monitored by ultrasound and by serial serum or urine estrogen determinations. When adequate follicular development has been achieved, a pre-ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotropin is administered.
A new framework of decentralized social networks

Due to the increasing popularity of online social networking services, more and more people have been outsourcing their personal data to these service providers. Data privacy has gradually become a big concern. Decentralized social network proposed in recent researches has been a promising alternative. But there lacks an e cient system of decentralized social network with complete social networking functions. In this thesis, we design a new framework of decentralized social network and implement the prototype. Our experiments shows that our design protects data privacy as well as achieve communication e ciency.
Activated Prothrombin Complex Concentrate versus Plasma for Reversal of Warfarin‐Associated Hemorrhage

tudy Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an activated four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) versus plasma for the reversal of warfarin-associated hemorrhage. Design Single-center, retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients with warfarin-associated hemorrhage treated with either aPCC or plasma. Patients Patients received either aPCC or plasma as treatment for warfarin-associated hemorrhage between January 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013. Patients with missing data points were excluded from the final analysis. Of the 276 patients included in the final analysis, 128 received aPCC and 148 received plasma. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Those patients who received aPCC achieved a lower posttreatment INR (1.1 [0.1] vs 1.6 [0.5]; p<0.05). In addition, patients who received aPCC had a 4.3 times higher odds of achieving an INR of less than 1.4 (97 [75.8%] vs 65 [43.9%]; p<0.05; odds ratio [OR] = 4.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6–7.3]). When controlling for vitamin K administration, history of diabetes mellitus, receipt of the recommended reversal agent dose, and pretreatment INR, aPCC administration remained an independent predictor for achieving an international normalized ratio (INR) of less than 1.4 in the first 24 hours after treatment (OR = 3.75 [95% CI 2.11–6.65]; p<0.001). In addition, there was no statistical difference between the groups with regard to occurrences of infusion reaction, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Conclusions Compared with patients who received plasma, patients who received aPCC achieved a lower posttreatment INR, had a larger INR change, and were more likely to achieve an INR less than the prespecified goal. Those patients who received aPCC did not have a higher incidence of thromboembolic events.
Accelerometer-Derived Total Activity Counts, Bouted Minutes of Moderate to Vigorous Activity, and Insulin Resistance: NHANES 2003–2006

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to compare the associations of accelerometer-derived total activity counts per day and minutes of bouted moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with insulin resistance. METHODS The sample included 2,394 adults (aged ≥20 y) from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Time spent in MVPA, measured by using 2 cutpoints (≥2,020 counts/min [MVPA2,020] and ≥760 counts/min [MVPA760]), was calculated for bouts of at least 8 to 10 minutes. Total activity counts per day reflects the total amount of activity across all intensities. Insulin resistance was measured via the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). Two nested regression models regressed HOMA-IR and QUICKI, respectively, on minutes of bouted MVPA and total activity counts per day. We used an adjusted Wald F statistic to illustrate strength of association. RESULTS After adjustment for covariates, total activity counts per day was more strongly associated with both HOMA-IR (adjusted Wald F = 36.83 , P < .001) and QUICKI (adjusted Wald F = 29.44, P < .001) compared with MVPA2,020 (HOMA-IR, adjusted Wald F = 4.00, P = .06; QUICKI, adjusted Wald F = 1.08, P = .31).Total activity counts per day was more strongly associated with both HOMA-IR (adjusted Wald F = 13.64, P < .001) and QUICKI (adjusted Wald F = 12.10, P < .001) compared with MVPA760 (HOMA-IR, adjusted Wald F = 1.13, P = .30; QUICKI, adjusted Wald F = 0.97, P = .33). CONCLUSION Our study indicated that total activity counts per day has stronger associations with insulin resistance compared with minutes of bouted MVPA. The most likely explanation is that total activity counts per day captures data on light physical activity and intermittent MVPA, both of which influence insulin resistance.
The Impact of Globalization

Globalization is defined and illustrated with the growth of the transplant automakers in the United States, the related decline of the Detroit Three automakers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler), and the subsequent collapse of the city of Detroit. The impact of globalization on union growth and collective bargaining, particularly for the United Automobile Workers, is described. It is shown how globalization challenges the fundamental union mission. A central question is asked—How can the unions best respond to globalization?
The Influence of Axial Grooves on Dislodgment Resistance of Prosthetic Metal Crowns in Canine Teeth of Dogs.

The reported failure rate for full veneer crowns of canine teeth of dogs is suboptimal, particularly in teeth with naturally poor retentive features, such as those with low height/diameter (H/D) ra...
Threshold-Based File Maintenance Strategies for Mobile Cloud Storage Systems

We study the data reliability problem for a community of devices forming a mobile cloud storage system. We consider the application of regenerating codes for maintaining a file within a geographically-limited area. Such codes require lower bandwidth to regenerate lost data fragments compared to file replication or reconstruction. We investigate threshold-based repair strategies where data repair is initiated after a threshold number of data fragments have been lost due to node mobility. We show that at a low departure-to-repair rate regime, a lazy repair strategy in which repairs are initiated after several nodes have left the system outperforms eager repair in which repairs are initiated after a single departure. This optimality is reversed when nodes are highly mobile. We further compare distributed and centralized repair strategies and derive the optimal repair threshold for minimizing the average repair cost per unit of time, as a function of underlying code parameters.
Scepticism and the Study of History

During the two centuries prior to the publication of David Hume’s History of England, the attitude of the sceptical thinkers regarding the study of history had changed greatly. The ancient Greek sceptics and the Renaissance sceptics had limited interest in collections of historical data, and saw the work of historians as mostly just fables, poetry or lies, not really contributing to the search for truth. However, in the period 1560–1760, sceptics became more and more concerned with historical studies, in both a positive and negative way. They questioned the reliability of historical data and the kinds of inferences employed in reasoning about the past. On the other hand, they used historical studies as a basic form of sceptical argumentation. Issues raised in the course of this transition in sceptical concern with history, and factors involved in bringing this about, played a major role in the development of the theory and methodology of what is now considered historical research. The great achievements of Pierre Bayle (1647–1706) and David Hume (1711–1776), both philosophical sceptics and practicing historians, can, perhaps, be better appreciated when seen in terms of this phase of the history of modern scepticism.
Looking Backward to Look Forward: Reflections of Past Presidents of the Council for Learning Disabilities:

Anniversaries offer a time for reflection, celebration, validation, and sometimes, simply a candid conversation on the current state of a field. In the field of learning disabilities, anniversaries...
Host managed contention avoidance storage solutions for Big Data

The performance gap between compute and storage is fairly considerable. This results in a mismatch between the application needs from storage and what storage can deliver. The full potential of storage devices cannot be harnessed till all layers of I/O hierarchy function efficiently. Despite advanced optimizations applied across various layers along the odyssey of data access, the I/O stack still remains volatile. The problems associated due to the inefficiencies in data management get amplified in Big Data shared resource environments. The Linux OS (host) block layer is the most critical part of the I/O hierarchy, as it orchestrates the I/O requests from different applications to the underlying storage. Unfortunately, despite it’s significance, the block layer, essentially the block I/O scheduler, hasn’t evolved to meet the needs of Big Data. We have designed and developed two contention avoidance storage solutions, collectively known as “BID: Bulk I/O Dispatch” in the Linux block layer specifically to suit multi-tenant, multi-tasking shared Big Data environments. Hard disk drives (HDDs) form the backbone of data center storage. The data access time in HDDs is majorly governed by disk arm movements, which usually occurs when data is not accessed sequentially. Big Data applications exhibit evident sequentiality but due to the contentions amongst other I/O submitting applications, the I/O accesses get multiplexed which leads to higher disk arm movements. BID schemes aim to exploit the inherent I/O sequentiality of Big Data applications to improve the overall I/O completion time by reducing the avoidable disk arm movements. In the first part, we propose a dynamically adaptable block I/O scheduling scheme BID-HDD for disk based storage. BID-HDD tries to recreate the sequentiality in I/O access in order to provide performance isolation to each I/O submitting process. Through trace driven simulation based experiments with cloud emulating MapReduce benchmarks, we show the effectiveness of BID-HDD which results in 28–52% lesser time for all I/O requests than the best performing Linux disk schedulers. In the second part, we propose a hybrid scheme BID-Hybrid to exploit SCM’s (SSDs) superior random performance to further avoid contentions at disk based storage. BID-Hybrid is able to efficiently offload non-bulky interruptions from HDD request queue to SSD queue using BID-HDD for disk request processing and multi-q FIFO architecture for SSD. This results in performance gain of 6–23% for MapReduce workloads when compared to BID-HDD and 33–54% over best performing Linux scheduling scheme. BID schemes as a whole is aimed to avoid contentions for disk based storage I/Os following system constraints without compromising SLAs.
Impact of information buffering on a flexible cloud gaming system

Cloud gaming will make high quality gaming more accessible to everyone. It not only relieves users of the constant need to upgrade their hardware, but also makes it possible to enjoy high quality gaming on a variety of devices. Although cloud gaming alleviates some of the hardware constraints associated with end user devices, it does come at a cost - an array of performance issues such as increased bandwidth usage, degradation in visual quality, and higher interactive latency. In previous work, we proposed a flexible cloud gaming system that utilizes different combinations of local and remote resources that trades off different performance requirements. A 3D image warping technique is used to help reduce or even eliminate interactive latency by making use of the most recently received residual frame. However, due to occlusion effect and insufficient sampling, some of the pixels will not get the residual information needed to recover their original values. In this paper, we address this issue by applying 3D image warping to multiple recently received and buffered residual frames. Our experimental results show that the impact on visual quality can be positive or negative depending on factors such as interactive latency and base Level of Detail (LOD) models used on the client side.
Impact of holistic review on student interview pool diversity.

Diversity in the physician workforce lags behind the rapidly changing US population. Since the gateway to becoming a physician is medical school, diversity must be addressed in the admissions process. The Association of American Medical Colleges has implemented a Holistic Review Initiative aimed at assisting medical schools with broadening admission criteria to include relevant, mission-driven attributes and experiences in addition to academic preparation to identify applicants poised to meet the needs of a diverse patient population. More evidence is needed to determine whether holistic review results in a more diverse selection process. One of the keys to holistic review is to apply holistic principles in all stages of the selection process to ensure qualified applicants are not overlooked. This study examines whether the use of holistic review during application screening at a new medical school increased the diversity of applicants selected for interview. Using retrospective data from the first five application cycles at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB), the author compared demographic and experiential differences between the applicants selected using holistic review, including experiences, attributes and academic metrics, to a test sample selected solely using academic metrics. The dataset consisted of the total group of applicants selected for interview in 2011 through 2015 using holistic review (n = 2773) and the same number of applicants who would have been selected for an interview using an academic-only selection model (n = 2773), which included 1204 applicants who were selected using both methods (final n = 4342). The author used a combination of cross-tabulation and analysis of variance to identify differences between applicants selected using holistic review and applicants in the test sample selected using only academics. The holistic review process yielded a significantly higher than expected percent of female (adj. resid. = 13.2, p < .01), traditionally underrepresented in medicine (adj. resid. = 15.8, p < .01), first generation (adj. resid. = 5.8, p < .01), and self-identified disadvantaged (adj resid. = 11.5, p < .01) applicants in the interview pool than selected using academic metrics alone. In addition, holistically selected applicants averaged significantly more hours than academically selected students in the areas of pre-medical school paid employment (F = 10.99, mean difference = 657.99, p < .01) and community service (F = 15.36, mean difference = 475.58, p < .01). Using mission-driven, holistic admissions criteria comprised of applicant attributes and experiences in addition to academic metrics resulted in a more diverse interview pool than using academic metrics alone. These findings add support for the use of holistic review in the application screening process as a means for increasing diversity in medical school interview pools.
Wideband microstrip-fed tapered slot antennas and phased array: Research Articles

Two wideband tapered slot antennas are designed, fabricated, and tested. The first antenna, which is fabricated on a high dielectric constant substrate (er = 10.2), shows a measured return loss of better than 10 dB from 1.6 to 12.4 GHz (7.7:1 bandwidth), and an antenna gain varying from 3.6 to 7.8 dBi. The second antenna is built on a low dielectric constant substrate (er = 2.2), and demonstrates return loss of better than 10 dB from 1.8 to 15.2 GHz (8.4:1 bandwidth). The second antenna also has improved antenna gain, from 5 to 15.6 dBi, and is used to build a wideband 1 × 4 H-plane phased array with a total gain of 9–17 dBi and a beam steering angle of ±15° from 3 to 12 GHz. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2007.
Joyce, Ireland, and the American South: Whiteness, Blackness, and Lost Causes

This chapter explores the historical connections between Ireland and the American South—particularly the shared dedication to lost causes, the role of Irish nationalism and Irish immigration in the formation of Irish American identity, and the divisiveness of racial issues involving the Civil War and slavery. The Irish—considered racially other at the time, not white—nevertheless managed to become accepted by Southern natives as white Southerners, so much so that Gone with the Wind, the most influential cultural representation of Southern culture of the Civil War era, could have its heroine (Scarlett O’Hara) be the daughter of an Irish immigrant whose Southern white status is not even questioned. The chapter discusses how this union between Irishness and Southernness came about—and explores Joyce’s depictions of the South in several of his works, concluding with a discussion of the opening pages of Finnegans Wake, which have much to say about the Irish presence in the South, the Ku Klux Klan, and racial strife.
HIV Prioritization and Risk Perception Among an Online Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States

Men who have sex with men (MSM) may prioritize interpersonal and structural factors, such as LGBTQ-related inequalities, housing instability, financial insecurity, and relationship seeking, over HIV prevention. The aim of this study was to assess how MSM prioritize HIV relative to other factors and the association between HIV prioritization, HIV testing and sexual risk behavior, and perceived risk. Data were collected from a national online survey of MSM in the United States assessing HIV knowledge and prioritization. Participants ranked HIV prevention relative to LGBTQ-related concerns and life issues (e.g., housing, job, relationship). Adjusted regression models were conducted to assess the association of HIV prioritization with HIV testing and condomless anal sex (CAS) and to evaluate associations between perceived risk and HIV risk behavior. Among 516 participants, HIV prevention was ranked significantly higher among MSM reporting recent CAS ( p = .04) and HIV testing within the past ( p = .02); HIV prevention was prioritized higher relative to life issues among MSM reporting last HIV test more than 1 year ago ( p = .02). Perceived HIV risk was significantly associated with higher HIV prioritization relative to LGBTQ concerns ( p = .001) and life issues ( p = .001). Higher HIV perceived risk was associated with lower odds of any CAS ( p < .001) and higher odds of having an HIV test in the past year ( p < .001). In this online study, HIV prioritization was identified as differentially associated with HIV testing, sexual risk behavior, and perceived HIV risk. HIV prevention programs should integrate strategies to address social and structural inequalities based on priority needs of MSM.
PET/MR Imaging: A Case-Based Approach

R. Gupta, R. Matthews, L. Bangiyev, D. Franceschi, and M. Schweitzer, Eds. New York, NY: Springer, 2018, 351 pages, $179.99 PET/MRI is an exciting novel diagnostic imaging modality that combines the precise anatomic and functional information provided by MRI with the molecular data obtained with
Scintigraphic and Ultrasound Evaluation of Gastric Motility

Nausea, vomiting and dyspepsia are common symptoms of gastric motor dysfunction. However, they are not specific for gastric disorders. In order to elucidate an underlying gastric cause for such symptoms, it is important to objectively test gastric motor function.
Lipide und Zellmembranen

Die Begrenzung einer Zelle wird von biologischen Membranen gebildet. Diese Barrieren verhindern das Austreten der in der Zelle erzeugten Molekule und das Eindringen unerwunschter Molekule von ausen. Sie enthalten auserdem Transportsysteme zur Aufnahme spezifischer und zum Ausschleusen unerwunschter Molekule aus der Zelle. Solche Transportsysteme verleihen Membranen die wichtige Eigenschaft der selektiven Permeabilitat.
A computational analysis to assess the influence of specimen geometry on cleavage fracture toughness of metallic materials

The fracture response of mild steel in the domain of brittle behavior, i.e., the cleavage range, has been carefully evaluated using a weakest link statistical model, assuming the existence of a distribution of cracked carbide particles in the microstructures. Experiments have provided an evidence of both scatter in test results and the existence of constraints. Statistical-based model to include micromechanics were developed in an attempt to study and analyze the problem. The Weibull stress micro-mechanical model was used in this study to quantify the constraint effects. This was done numerically using a constraint function (g(M)) derived from the Weibull stress model. The non-dimensional function (g(M)) describes the evolution of the effects of constraint loss on fracture toughness relative to the reference condition, i.e., plane-strain, small scale yielding (SSY) (T-stress = 0). Single-edge SE(B) notched bending specimens having different crack lengths, different cross-sections and side-grooves were modeled and the constraint function (g(M)) was calculated. In this paper, we compare the loss in constraint for both the deep notch and shallow notch specimens for a given cross-section of the single-edge notched bend specimen (SE(B)).
Perceived value of leadership experiences in a postgraduate year 2 ambulatory care pharmacy residency

Purpose Leadership experiences taught within the Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) ambulatory care pharmacy residency program were evaluated. Methods KPCO leadership training incorporated 6 mandatory leadership sessions and offered a 6-week elective rotation. In this qualitative study, an 18-item semistructured interview guide was developed, tested, and administered telephonically to former KPCO PGY2 residents who had been in clinical practice for a minimum of 1 year. The primary outcome was the perceived value of the leadership experiences, and perceived gaps was the secondary outcome. Qualitative analysis was performed for open-ended questions. Responses were coded and key phrases were highlighted to illustrate major concepts and themes. Results Of 34 former residents, 29 (85%) completed the interview. Ninety-seven percent of participants reported that the leadership experiences provided value in their professional career; 89% reported value in their personal development. The 3 most common themes of perceived value that emerged from the interviews were exposure to leadership, managing and leading self and others, and clinical service development. Identified gaps included further exposure to senior leadership within the organization and a better understanding of the national pharmacy landscape. Conclusion Leadership experiences during the PGY2 ambulatory care pharmacy residency at KPCO were perceived positively by former residents on a professional and a personal level.
Effects of coplanar satellite bands on galactic disc evolution

Small dwarf companions have been long thought to have minimal influence on their host galaxy's evolution without undergoing direct impacts to the host's disc. However, in light of recent discoveries of coplanar, corotating satellite structures around the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Centaurus A, we use an N-body/test particle simulation to show that low-mass dwarf satellites within such structures are able to exert significant influence on their host's disc, driving spiral waves and inducing stellar scattering. This is accomplished through quasi-periodic alignments of multiple small satellites within the structure that emulate the gravitational influence of a single, larger satellite such as Sagittarius Dwarf or the Large Magellanic Cloud. We find that the coplanar, corotational nature of such structures allows for repeated alignments on short enough timescales to overcome damping within the disc, and in a consistent enough fashion to continually drive spiral waves over the course of 2 Gyr of simulation time. The spirals driven by this phenomenon tend to be flocculent and many-armed due to the irregular intervals over which alignments occur. We additionally find that while the aligned satellites are able to induce noticeable thickening of the disc, their ability to drive surface density profile evolution is secondary to other effects.
Bioisosteric modification of salvinorin A, a potent and selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist

Salvinorin A ((2S,4aR,6aR,7R,9S,10aS, 10bR)-2H-naphtho[2,1-c]pyran-7-carboxylic acid, 9-(acetyloxy)-2-(3-furanyl)dodecahydro-6a,10b-dimethyl-4,10-dioxo methyl ester, 1, CAS 83729-01-5) has been shown to bind with high affinity and selectivity to the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) as an agonist. Bioisosteres of 1 were developed and biologically evaluated in binding and functional assays. The C-2 thioacetate isoster produced comparable activity to 1, but nitrogen substitution had a diminishing effect. Intermediates, which lack a beta-carbonyl at C-2, displayed moderate affinity. The derivatives were tested against all opioid subtypes and were selective towards KOR.
“Satisfaction” in search: Individuals’ own search expectations predict their errors in multiple-target search

When people search for multiple targets in a display, finding one target hinders their ability to find additional targets. These errors were originally proposed to stem from a “satisfaction” with finding a first target that leads people to prematurely stop searching. However, empirical evidence for this premise has been elusive, prompting consideration of other theories. We returned to the satisfaction proposal and assessed whether people generate expectations regarding the likelihood of multiple targets that lead to search biases that, in turn, predict the rates at which additional targets are missed. Participants searched for one or two targets among distractors. To measure accuracy, most trials allowed search to progress to completion. The remaining trials terminated when participants had found their first target. In these cases, participants guessed whether an additional (unfound) target was present. The time needed to find a first target was inversely related to the searchers’ expectations that a second target would be present. These expectations underestimated objective reality, and the strength of an individual’s one-target bias was directly related to his or her likelihood of missing subsequent targets. Thus, people’s expectations—based on their own behavior—likely impacted search performance, providing a novel mechanistic explanation for the previously posited “satisfaction-of-search” errors.