cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Research gaps related to the environmental impacts of electronic cigarettes

Objective To consider the research gaps related to the environmental impacts of electronic cigarettes due to their manufacture, use and disposal. Methods Literature searches were conducted through December 2013. Studies were included in this review if they related to the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes. Results Scientific information on the environmental impacts of e-cigarette manufacturing, use and disposal is very limited. No studies formally evaluated the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process or disposal of components, including batteries. Four studies evaluated potential exposure to secondhand e-cigarette aerosol, an indication of impacts on indoor air quality. A 2010 survey of six e-cigarette models found that none of the products provided disposal instructions for spent cartridges containing nicotine. Notably, some e-cigarette manufacturers claim their e-cigarettes are ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’, despite the lack of any supporting data or environmental impact studies. Some authors argue that such advertising may boost sales and increase e-cigarette appeal, especially among adolescents. Conclusions Little is known about the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes, and a number of topics could be further elucidated by additional investigation. These topics include potential environmental impacts related to manufacturing, use and disposal. The environmental impacts of e-cigarette manufacturing will depend upon factory size and the nicotine extracting method used. The environmental impacts of e-cigarette use will include chemical and aerosol exposure in the indoor environment. The environmental impacts of disposal of e-cigarette cartridges (which contain residual nicotine) and disposal of e-cigarettes (which contain batteries) represent yet another environmental concern.
Learning functions generated by randomly initialized MLPs and SRNs

In this paper, nonlinear functions generated by randomly initialized multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) and simultaneous recurrent neural networks (SRNs) and two benchmark functions are learned by MLPs and SRNs. Training SRNs is a challenging task and a new learning algorithm - PSO-QI is introduced. PSO-QI is a standard particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with the addition of a quantum step utilizing the probability density property of a quantum particle. The results from PSO-QI are compared with the standard backpropagation (BP) and PSO algorithms. It is further verified that functions generated by SRNs are harder to learn than those generated by MLPs but PSO-QI provides learning capabilities of these functions by MLPs and SRNs compared to BP and PSO.
Commentary: Stalking risk profile.

Paul Mullen and his colleagues have developed a Stalking Risk Profile that is the latest model for assessing and managing stalkers. The model includes an assessment of the nature of the relationship between the stalker and his victim; the stalker's motivations; the general psychological, psychopathological, and social realities of the stalker; the circumstances of the victim, and the legal and mental health context. The model is not an actuarial scale, but rather an assessment to be used on a case‐by‐case basis. It recommends certain standardized tests as part of the assessment. The Stalker Risk Profile is the most thorough risk assessment to date. It includes victim variables and provides specifics for assessment and specifics for treatment of the stalker.
A graph theoretic algorithm for placing data and parity to tolerate two disk failures in disk array systems

In recent years commercial redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID) systems have become increasingly popular because of their enhanced I/O bandwidths, large capacities and low cost. However, the continued demand for larger capacities at low cost, has led to the use of larger arrays with increased probability of random disk failures. Hence the need for RAID systems to tolerate two or more random disk failures without sacrificing performance or storage space. In this paper, we devise a novel graph-theoretic method for placing data and parity in an array of N disks (N /spl ges/ 3) to enable its recovery from any two random disk failures. We first provide an algorithm for the case when the number of disks N = P - 1, where P is a prime number, and then generalize the solution for any arbitrary N. We also determine the fraction of space used for storing parity in an array of N disks employing our algorithm, and show that this fraction has the optimal value of 21N for all N = P - 1. For illustration, this fraction and the percentage of its difference from the optimal ratio are graphed for values of N between 5 and 255. Finally, we describe a method for determining the data-blocks from where the reconstruction of two failed disks can be started in such an array.
In vivo microdamage is an indicator of susceptibility to initiation and propagation of microdamage in human femoral trabecular bone

Microdamage has been cited as an important element of trabecular bone quality and fracture risk, as materials with flaws have lower modulus and strength than equivalent undamaged materials. However, the magnitude of the effect of damage on failure properties depends on its tendency to propagate. Human femoral trabecular bone from the neck and greater trochanter was subjected to one of compressive, torsional, or combined compression and torsion. The in vivo, new, and propagating damage were then quantified in thick sections under epifluorescent microscopy. Multiaxial loading, which was intended to represent an off-axis load such as a fall or accident, caused much more damage than either simple compression or shear, and similarly caused the greatest stiffness loss. In all cases, initiation of new damage far exceeded the propagation of existing damage. This may reflect stress redistribution away from damaged trabeculae, resulting in new damage sites. However, the accumulation of new damage was positively correlated with quantity of pre-existing damage in all loading modes, indicating that damaged bone is inherently more prone to further damage formation. Moreover, about 50% of in vivo microcracks propagated under each type of loading. Finally, damage formation was positively correlated to decreased compressive stiffness following both axial and shear loading. Taken together, these results demonstrate that damage in trabecular bone adversely affects its mechanical properties, and is indicative of bone that is more susceptible to further damage.
Synergism analysis of biochemical systems. II. Tensor formulation and treatment of stoichiometric constraints.

Abstract The previous paper outlined a conceptual and mathematical framework for synergism analysis of kinetic models. Though the formalism presented there is adequate for studying simple models, the analysis of large-scale models benefits from the more effective formulation achieved in this work. The present formulation is based on simple tensor operations and takes advantage of the analogy between the formalisms for synergism and log-synergism analysis presented before. Well-known relationships of first-order sensitivity analysis and new relationships for (log-)synergism coefficients of various steady-state properties are cast in the new formal setting. The formalism is then extended to models that are subject to constraints between variables, fluxes and/or parameters. This treatment, which generalises Reder’s concept of link matrices, is applied to networks that include moiety conservation cycles [C. Reder, Metabolic control theory: a structural approach, J. Theor. Biol. 135 (1988) 175]. It is also used to take advantage of flux conservation at steady-state to simplify synergism analysis. Issues of numerical effectiveness are briefly discussed, and the theory illustrated with the study of synergistic behaviour in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species and of a scheme of dynamic channelling.
Facebook and Me, or How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Greetings all! Well, this week I signed up for Facebook. I have contradictory feelings about it, frankly. I've been avoiding it because it seems like just one more thing to keep track of, be distra...
A critique of sanctioning reform

Over the past decade in the U.S. and, more recently, in England, there has been extensive criticism of existing penal policy. There has been a movement in both countries to abandon the rehabilitative ideal in favor of the justice model. In this paper we analyze the debate over sanctioning that has emerged in the two countries and suggest some caveats about the implications of the justice model as a basis of penal policy. Additionally, we offer some observations about the general context of sanctioning reform.
Performance evaluation of NEMO in satellite networks

Network mobility (NEMO) protocols can be used to manage aggregate mobility of multiple IP-enabled devices on-board a Low Earth Orbit satellite (a mobile network on-board). NEMO protocols enjoy several performance advantages, such as reduced signaling, increased manageability and conservation of satellite link bandwidth as compared to host mobility protocols for individual devices. In addition, NEMO protocols can provide continuous connectivity at upper layers using nested NEMO (a mobile network attached to another) during unavailability of ground stations where as connection would terminate if host mobility protocols were used. Therefore, NEMO protocols needs to be evaluated in space. We propose an architecture for NEMO in space, where the devices are connected together using an on-board local area network . The architecture includes nesting where a mobile network ontwork. The architecture includes nesting where a mobile network on-board a satellite can attach to another. We evaluated NEMO protocols for the architecture using a space friendly data transfer protocol called Saratoga because widely used protocols like TCP is not space friendly. Simulation based performance evaluation shows continuity of connections at upper layers and performance superiority of Saratoga to TCP for NEMO in space.