cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional bubble field resolution using synthetic aperture imaging: application to a plunging jet

A methodology for resolving three-dimensional (3D) bubble fields using 3D synthetic aperture imaging (SA imaging) is developed and applied to the bubbly flows induced by a turbulent circular plunging jet. 3D SA imaging involves capturing entirely in-focus images in an array of cameras with multiple viewpoints, then reprojecting the images into the measurement volume and combining them post capture. The result is a stack of synthetically refocused images that span the measurement volume with each refocused image having a narrow focus on a particular plane. In this paper, bubble shadow images are captured by projecting diffuse backlight onto the measurement volume. 3D SA imaging is ideally suited to investigate optically dense multiphase flows due to the ability to reconstruct volumes that contain partial occlusions. Instantaneous bubble sizes and locations in the plunging jet bubble fields are extracted from the volumes using two feature extraction algorithms and presented for various jet heights. The data are compared with existing literature on bubble penetration depth and size distributions. A scaling law for the integrated air concentration as a function of depth below the free-surface is proposed. Coupled with scaling laws for a parameter describing the radius of the bubble cone and radial concentration profiles, this new scaling law can be used to determine the entire air concentration profile given a minimal number of single-point measurements.
Depressive Symptoms and Subjective And Objective Sleep In Community-Dwelling Older Women

Objectives To examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective and objective sleep in older women.
Compass gait revisited: A human data perspective with extensions to three dimensions

To better understand human walking, three bipedal robotic models—starting with the compass gait biped and increasing in complexity to a 3D kneed biped—are studied with controllers of human-inspired design; these controllers are derived from experimental data measuring the kinematics of human test subjects. The collected data are examined in an attempt to classify some of the most fundamental behaviors underlying human walking; it is found that a subset of functions on the kinematics of humans can be represented as a single class of functions. The control scheme uses feedback linearization to track the human output functions on a robot. A state-based parameterization for time is introduced to make these human functions time-invariant. Simulation results indicate the existence of locally exponentially stable periodic orbits for each model of interest; these orbits represent stable, steady-state walking gaits. The application of the human-inspired control approach results in “humanlike” walking as supported by agreement between the outputs of the robot models and humans.
Quad-tree partitioned compressed sensing for depth map coding

We consider a variable block size compressed sensing (CS) framework for high efficiency depth map coding. In this context, quad-tree decomposition is performed on a depth image to differentiate irregular uniform and edge areas prior to CS acquisition. To exploit temporal correlation and enhance coding efficiency, such quad-tree based CS acquisition is further extended to inter-frame encoding, where block partitioning is performed independently on the I frame and each of the subsequent residual frames. At the decoder, pixel domain total-variation minimization is performed for high quality depth map reconstruction. Experiments presented herein illustrate and support these developments.
Black Brazil Never Slept

Analyzing the media coverage of the 2013 Brazil protests, sociologist Katherine Jensen uncovers that violence against white women became the rallying cry for popular political action, while black mobilization was depoliticized as violent chaos and violence against blacks was ignored.
Report from the meeting of the Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiologic Health: September 21, 2004.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circulatory System Devices Panel met to discuss the type of data required to effectively evaluate the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and hypothermia devices for cardiac arrest patients. Advisory panels make nonbinding recommendations to the FDA. The era of modern CPR began in the 1960s, when mouth-to-mouth ventilation combined with forceful chest compressions were first used together to attempt to resuscitate victims of cardiopulmonary arrest. Unfortunately, despite the promise of a variety of pharmacological, electrical, and mechanical therapies during and after administration of CPR, meaningful improvements in cardiac arrest survival have been difficult to achieve. Earlier generations of CPR devices are designed to assist the rescuer in the performance of CPR. These devices, for example, may compress the chest at a fixed rate and compression depth, or they may provide audible or visual indicators to assist the rescuer with compliance with published CPR guidelines. In general, regulatory guidelines do not require clinical data for these devices as long as they are similar in design and technology to previously marketed “predicate” devices. More than 30 devices for external compression and/or timing assistance during CPR have been cleared for marketing by the FDA. Devices intended to enhance a clinical aspect of CPR, in contrast to devices designed simply to assist the rescuer in the performance of CPR, require clinical data to support approval of the device. These devices, such as those providing interposed abdominal compression, circumferential chest compression, or active compression-decompression, have focused primarily on enhancing hemodynamics during CPR. Despite great interest in improving CPR survival rates, no device intended to enhance hemodynamics during CPR has been approved by the FDA for marketing in the United States. The Circulatory System Devices Panel was asked to discuss and make recommendations about the type of clinical data …
High efficiency electrophosphorescence from bilayer organic light emitting diodes

An electron mobility of 2.7 ? 10?5?cm2?V?1?s?1 was measured for the phosphorescent emitter bis[3,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazolato]platinum(II)(Pt(ptp)2), which prompted its evaluation as both the emissive layer and electron transport layer in organic light emitting diodes with a simple bilayer structure. Power and external quantum efficiencies of 54.0 ? 0.2?lm?W?1 and 15.9% were obtained, which as far as we could ascertain are amongst the highest reported values for bilayer devices. We ascribe the high device efficiency to the combination of the high electron mobility, short excited-state lifetime (117?ns) and high luminescence quantum yield (60%) of the bis[3,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazolato]platinum(II). The colour temperature of the devices was 2855?K at 5?V, which places the emission in the 'warm' light spectral region.
Global Planarization Requirements for Wafer-Level Three-Dimensional (3D) ICs

Planarization needs for integrated circuit (IC) technology focus on feature-scale (100nm–1μm) and die-scale (5mm-20mm) dimensions. As three-dimensional (3D) integration moves from die-by-die assembly to wafer-level integration to provide a higher density of low electrical parasitic vertical interconnects (or vias), wafer-level planarization needs to be considered. Planarization needs depend upon the 3D technology platform approach (such as (1) blanket bonding followed by inter-wafer interconnect processing or via-first processing followed by bonding and thinning to expose the vias and (2) the number of wafers in a 3D stack) and the processing conditions used in fabricating the wafers to be 3D integrated (in particular, the built-in stress levels and post-bonding thermal processing budget). This invited presentation includes a summary of the current interest in wafer-level 3D integration in both the academic and industrial research community. Wafer-level planarization issues with different technology platforms are presented, and the limited results presented in the literature to date are summarized. The importance of wafer-level planarization compared to bonding, thinning and wafer-to-wafer alignment is discussed.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Delayed taste aversion learning in preweanling rats exposed to alcohol prenatally

Abstract Parallels between the behavioral profiles of rats exposed to alcohol prenatally and those with hippocampal damage suggest that hippocampal dysfunction may underlie some of the behavioral abnormalities resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure. Because of possible hippocampal involvement in the acquisition of a delayed conditioned taste aversion, this task was assessed in rat pups exposed to alcohol prenatally. Long-Evans rats were maintained on liquid diets containing either 35% or 0% ethanol derived calories from Days 6–20 of gestation. Pair-feeding procedures and an ad lib Lab Chow (LC) group were included. Fifteen-day-old offspring from these three groups were given access to saccharin and then injected immediately (0 hr) or 2 hr later with either lithium chloride (LiCl) or sodium chloride (NaCl). Immediate pairing of saccharin with LiCl produced a marked taste aversion, although this effect was less pronounced in 35% EDC pups. In the 2 hr condition, weaker aversions were exhibited and again the 35% EDC group showed the least aversion. However, prenatal treatment did not interact with the injection interval.
INSTRUCTIONAL SET AND SOCIAL DESIRABILITY SCALE VALUES

Instructional set affects endorsement of personality items, but its effect on the social desirability scale values (SDSV) of such items is unknown. The results suggest that probability of endorsement of a personality item may be altered in response to the influence of set upon perceived SDSV of trait items.
Anti-VEGF antibody in experimental hepatoblastoma: suppression of tumor growth and altered angiogenesis.

Abstract Background: Hepatoblastoma is the most common primary hepatic malignancy of childhood, frequently presenting as advanced disease. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial mitogen and survival factor critical to growth and angiogenesis in many human cancers. Inhibition of VEGF effectively suppresses tumorigenesis in multiple experimental models. The authors hypothesized that anti-VEGF antibody would alter vascular architecture and impede tumor growth in experimental hepatoblastoma. Methods: The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Columbia University approved all protocols. Xenografts were established in athymic mice by intrarenal injection of cultured human hepatoblastoma cells. Anti-VEGF antibody (100 μg/dose) or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally 2 times per week for 5 weeks. At week 6, 10 control/treated mice were killed and remaining animals maintained without treatment until week 8. Tumor weights were compared by Kruskal-Wallis analysis, and vascular alterations ascertained by fluorescein angiography and specific immunostaining. Results: Anti-VEGF antibody significantly inhibited tumor growth at 6 weeks (1.85 g +/− 0.60 control, 0.05 +/− 0.03 antibody, P Conclusions: Specific anti-VEGF therapy inhibits neoangiogenesis and significantly suppresses tumor growth in experimental hepatoblastoma. Surviving vasculature displays dilation and increased vascular smooth muscle. Anti-VEGF agents may represent new therapeutic alternatives for children with advanced disease. J Pediatr Surg 38:308-314. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Supercritical fluid extraction of coal under pyrolysis conditions

Abstract Supercritical fluid extraction of Wandoan coal was carried out under pyrolysis conditions using hexane, benzene, toluene and a toluene-tetralin mixture. The residues and extracts obtained were analysed using solid state 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectroscopy, gas chromatography (g.c.), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (g.c.-m.s.) and gel permeation chromatography (g.p.c.), respectively, to clarify the relation among the extraction yield, the solvent power of the supercritical fluid, and the reactions taking place during extraction. The decrease in conversion, defined by 100—residue yield, at higher extraction temperatures above 653 K, was mainly due to the aromatization of coal. The aromatization was suppressed by addition of tetralin to the extraction solvent, which resulted in an increase in conversion. The extract yield was increased, without increasing the gas yield, through the enhancement of solvent power by increasing the extraction pressure or selecting the solvent. The extraction solvents used were found to be partly condensed to dimers during the extraction. The condensation of toluene was inhibited by addition of tetralin, but another dimer between tetralin and toluene was formed instead. Conversion was increased and dimer formation suppressed by impregnating tetralin into the coal in advance.
IMG: the integrated microbial genomes database and comparative analysis system

The Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system serves as a community resource for comparative analysis of publicly available genomes in a comprehensive integrated context. IMG integrates publicly available draft and complete genomes from all three domains of life with a large number of plasmids and viruses. IMG provides tools and viewers for analyzing and reviewing the annotations of genes and genomes in a comparative context. IMG's data content and analytical capabilities have been continuously extended through regular updates since its first release in March 2005. IMG is available at http://img.jgi.doe.gov. Companion IMG systems provide support for expert review of genome annotations (IMG/ER: http://img.jgi.doe.gov/er), teaching courses and training in microbial genome analysis (IMG/EDU: http://img.jgi.doe.gov/edu) and analysis of genomes related to the Human Microbiome Project (IMG/HMP: http://www.hmpdacc-resources.org/img_hmp).
Mitochondria in Neurodegeneration

Many neurodegenerative diseases demonstrate abnormal mitochondrial morphology and biochemical dysfunction. Alterations are often systemic rather than brain-limited. Mitochondrial dysfunction may arise as a consequence of abnormal mitochondrial DNA, mutated nuclear proteins that interact directly or indirectly with mitochondria, or through unknown causes. In most cases it is unclear where mitochondria sit in relation to the overall disease cascades that ultimately causes neuronal dysfunction and death, and there is still controversy regarding the question of whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a necessary step in neurodegeneration. In this chapter we highlight and catalogue mitochondrial perturbations in some of the major neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s disease (HD). We consider data that suggest mitochondria may be critically involved in neurodegenerative disease neurodegeneration cascades.
Disrupting differential hypoxia in peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Patients receiving circulatory support with peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) are at risk of developing differential hypoxia. This phenomenon occurs in patients with concomitant respiratory failure. Poorly oxygenated blood, ejected into the ascending aorta from the left ventricle, competes with retrograde flow from the ECMO circuit, potentially causing myocardial and cerebral ischaemia. In a recent Critical Care article, Hou et al. use an animal model of peripheral VA-ECMO to study the physiology of differential hypoxia. Their findings support a dual circuit hypothesis, and show how different cannulation strategies can disrupt the two circuits. In particular, strategies that increase venous oxygen saturations in the pulmonary artery can have a large effect on oxygenation saturation in the ascending aorta. The authors provide evidence supporting the use of veno-arterial-venous ECMO in patients who require peripheral VA-ECMO but have simultaneous respiratory failure.
Some analysis of microphone arrays for speech data acquisition

Speech data for recognition, talker verification, or recording are typically acquired using a head-mounted or hand-held microphone. These devices can be very inconvenient or provide a poor signal-to-noise ratio. A microphone array has the potential for surmounting both of these problems. Here, results on optimal spacing and gain for practical linear arrays are derived under the assumption that the desired signal and intrusive speech may be accurately modeled by plane waves. Several sets of curves are presented from the solution of constrained and unconstrained multidimensional nonlinear equations derived from the theory. The curves suggest optimal spacing and gains for linear microphone arrays for speech acquisition.
Substituted Hippurates and Hippurate Analogs as Substrates and Inhibitors of Peptidylglycine α-Hydroxylating Monooxygenase (PHM)

Peptidyl alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM) functions in vivo towards the biosynthesis of alpha-amidated peptide hormones in mammals and insects. PHM is a potential target for the development of inhibitors as drugs for the treatment of human disease and as insecticides for the management of insect pests. We show here that relatively simple ground state analogs of the PHM substrate hippuric acid (C(6)H(5)-CO-NH-CH(2)-COOH) inhibit the enzyme with K(i) values as low as 0.5microM. Substitution of sulfur atom(s) into the hippuric acid analog increases the affinity of PHM for the inhibitor. Replacement of the acetylglycine moiety, -CO-NH-CH(2)-COOH with an S-(thioacetyl)thioglycolic acid moiety, -CS-S-CH(2)-COOH, yields compounds with the highest PHM affinity. Both S-(2-phenylthioacetyl)thioglycolate and S-(4-ethylthiobenzoyl)thioglycolic acid inhibit the proliferation of cultured human prostate cancer cells at concentrations >100-fold excess of their respective K(i) values. Comparison of K(i) values between mammalian PHM and insect PHM shows differences in potency suggesting that a PHM-based insecticide with limited human toxicity can be developed.
Transaxillary Nonendoscopic Subpectoral Augmentation Mammaplasty: A 10-Year Experience With Gel vs Saline in 2000 Patients-With Long-Term Patient Satisfaction Measured by the BREAST-Q.

Background: Transaxillary augmentation mammaplasty (TAM) is an option for patients who wish to avoid a visible breast incision from breast augmentation (BA). Objectives: The authors compared TAM outcome data for gel and saline implants and evaluated patient satisfaction using the BREAST-Q patient-reported outcome measure (BQ). Methods: In this 10-year retrospective, comparative, and cross-sectional study, the authors reviewed results of saline implants placed with TAM in a surgeon’s practice during the final 5 years of the moratorium of the US Food and Drug Administration (phase 1) and compared them with results for gel and saline implants placed with TAM during the 5 years after the moratorium (phase 2). Outcomes were assessed for the entire BA study population (n = 2430 for primary BA; 4860 implants); 670 patients completed and returned the BQ, from which postoperative satisfaction was evaluated. Results: BQ responses demonstrated a high rate of patient satisfaction, with outcomes comparable to those of other studies. The differences between the median BQ-assessed breast satisfaction and outcome satisfaction scores in the axillary and nonaxillary surgical groups were statistically significant, favoring axillary over nonaxillary. The difference in mean satisfaction scores was marginally significant between the 2 types of implants, favoring silicone gel. The incidence of surgical revision was 7.5% for the entire BA study population and 6.8% for the patients who underwent TAM. Conclusions: TAM produces long-term patient satisfaction as measured by the BQ. Complication rates are similar to those of other studies. In the present study, patients who underwent TAM and thus had hidden incisions were more satisfied than patients whose incisions were visible. Level of Evidence: 3 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Variations in the csgD Promoter of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Associated with Increased Virulence in Mice and Increased Invasion of HEp-2 Cells

Promoter alterations in the csgD gene of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains ATCC 43894 and ATCC 43895 are associated with variations in curli expression and the ability to bind Congo red dye. Red variants of each strain were more invasive for cultured HEp-2 cells than were white variants. An ATCC 43895 red variant was more virulent than a white variant in a mouse model. However, there were no differences in Shiga toxin production between red and white variants.
The Recent History of Christian Bioethics Critically Reassessed

Many have regarded the 1970’s, rich as they were with the works of such as Paul Ramsey and Richard McCormick, as the golden age of bioethics. As Stanley Hauerwas has pointed out, the claim is false. This article argues that Ramsey and others, by creating a Christian bioethics that was not founded in Christ and in distinctly Christian commitments, contributed to the auto-demolition of Christian bioethics. After all, if Christian bioethics contributed to bioethical reflection only what a good secular bioethics can offer, why bother. However, now a distinctly Christian bioethics is growing.
U1 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) aggregate in Alzheimer’s disease due to autosomal dominant genetic mutations and trisomy 21

Background: We recently identified U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) tangle-like aggregates and RNA splicing abnormalities in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However little is known about snRNP biology in early onset AD due to autosomal dominant genetic mutations or trisomy 21 in Down syndrome. Therefore we investigated snRNP biochemical and pathologic features in these disorders. Findings: We performed quantitative proteomics and immunohistochemistry in postmortem brain from genetic AD cases. Electron microscopy was used to characterize ultrastructural features of pathologic aggregates. U1-70k and other snRNPs were biochemically enriched in the insoluble fraction of human brain from subjects with presenilin 1 (PS1) mutations. Aggregates of U1 snRNP-immunoreactivity formed cytoplasmic tangle-like structures in cortex of AD subjects with PS1 and amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutations as well as trisomy 21. Ultrastructural analysis with electron microscopy in an APP mutation case demonstrated snRNP immunogold labeling of paired helical filaments (PHF). Conclusions: These studies identify U1 snRNP pathologic changes in brain of early onset genetic forms of AD. Since dominant genetic mutations and trisomy 21 result in dysfunctional amyloid processing, the findings suggest that aberrant β-amyloid processing may influence U1 snRNP aggregate formation.
Core-excited metastable levels: application to spectroscopy, to the generation of picosecond extreme-ultraviolet pulses, and to lasers

The paper reviews both the properties and the applications of core-excited metastable atoms. The production of these atoms by microwaves, pulsed hollow-cathode discharges, and laser-produced x rays is described. We discuss the application of these atoms to several new types of spectroscopy that allow autoionizing linewidths as narrow as 0.1 cm−1 to be measured. The application of these metastables to the generation of picosecond-time-scale soft-x-ray pulses and to XUV lasers is also discussed.
BI-RADS-MRI: a primer.

OBJECTIVE. Variations in breast MRI techniques and descriptions of morphologic findings led to the development of a breast MRI lexicon. This lexicon, the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS-MRI, includes terminology for describing lesion architecture and enhancement characteristics. We show the use of these descriptors on breast MR images obtained at our institution.CONCLUSION. BI-RADS-MRI is a common language with which to report MRI findings of studies from different institutions.
M-channel lifting factorization of perfect reconstruction filter banks and reversible M-band wavelet transforms

An intrinsic M-channel lifting factorization of perfect reconstruction filter banks (PRFBs) is presented as an extension of Sweldens' conventional two-channel lifting scheme. Given a polyphase matrix E(z) of a finite-impulse response (FIR) M- channel PRFB with det(E(z))=z/sup -K/, K/spl isin//spl Zopf/, a systematic M-channel lifting factorization is derived based on the Monic Euclidean algorithm. The M-channel lifting structure provides an efficient factorization and implementation; examples include optimizing the factorization for the number of lifting steps, delay elements, and dyadic coefficients. Specialization to paraunitary building blocks enables the design of paraunitary filter banks based on lifting. We show how to achieve reversible, possibly multiplierless, implementations under finite precision, through the unit diagonal scaling property of the Monic Euclidean algorithm. Furthermore, filter-bank regularity of a desired order can be imposed on the lifting structure, and PRFBs with a prescribed admissible scaling filter are conveniently parameterized.
Elevated fluctuating asymmetry in eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) from a river receiving paper mill effluent

The present study investigated whether fluctuating asymmetry can serve as a useful biomarker of environmental stress in the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Fluctuating asymmetry was measured in sexually mature females sampled from two Florida, USA, coastal streams: The Fenholloway River, which is dominated by effluent from a paper mill, and Spring Creek, a tributary to the Fenholloway River (Taylor County, FL, USA) that does not receive paper mill effluent. Nine morphometric (lengths of the A and B scales, fifth pectoral fin ray, supraorbital canal, and preorbital canal and the sixth gill raker on the first brachial arch; orbit diameter; distance from the dorsal-ventral midpoint of the eye socket to the base of the pectoral fin; and distance from the postorbital canal to the operculum) and five meristic traits (numbers of scales in the lateral line, radii on the A and B scales, pectoral fin rays, and gill rakers on the first brachial arch) were included. For each of the three indexes of fluctuating asymmetry that were used, the majority of the traits showed a higher level of fluctuating asymmetry in fish from the Fenholloway River than in fish from Spring Creek. For two of the indexes, the difference was significant. Comparisons of mean values for fluctuating asymmetry (over all traits) for each fish and the means of a composite index of asymmetry both indicated that fish from the Fenholloway River had significantly greater overall fluctuating asymmetry than those from Spring Creek. Results of the present study are consistent with the hypothesis that environmental stress increased the level of fluctuating asymmetry in fish from the Fenholloway River. Thus, fluctuating asymmetry appears to be a useful biomarker for stress-induced developmental instability in the eastern mosquitofish.
Status Inconsistency and Wallace Supporters in a Midwestern City

Wallace supporters are compared with a representative sample to test two hypotheses: (1) Wallace supporters are disproportionately status inconsistents, and (2) Wallace supporters tend to have higher incomes than their education and/or occupation ranks would appear to warrant. The data indicate that both hypotheses hold for the subject community. ince the McCarthy era of the early 1950s social scientists have shown increasing LJ interest in determining the factors which attract some individuals away from moderate political views to those which are more extreme. There has been a particular interest in those people who have moved to the extreme right on the political continuum. This phenomenon has been analyzed from several perspectives, ranging from societal conditions down to the particular personality traits of individuals. At the societal level, social scientists such as Daniel Bell (1961) and Talcott Parsons (1964) have sought to explain the rise of the radical right in terms of "status anxieties" and "strains" in the society. At the societal level, factors such as upward and downward mobility (Lipset and Bendix, 1966:73-74), social class position (Lipset, 1963 :87-126), and occupational type (Trow, 1958) have been shown to be related to adherence to radical right beliefs. Finally, some researchers, most notably Herbert McClosky (1958), have focused on the comparison of the personality traits of conservatives and liberals. The research reported here examines the effects of a social variable which has already proven to have some explanatory power in the area of political behavior-status inconsistency. The focus will be on the relationship between status inconsistency and support for George Wallace outside the South in the 1968 Presidential election. STATUS INCONSISTENCY AND EXTREME
Optimal accuracy in semi-Lagrangian models

Abstract A one-dimensional semi-implicit semi-Lagrangian (SISL) linear model and a nonlinear SISL global shallow-water model are employed to investigate the sensitivity of the solutions on (i) the order of interpolation applied at the departure points, (ii) trajectory uncentering adopted in recent studies to suppress computational gravitational noise, and (iii) the optimal truncation conditions. The linear model results show that the truncation errors associated with the semi-Lagrangian (SL) part of the SISL scheme dominate the error characteristics when the estimates of the departure point values are based on linear or quadratic polynomial Lagrangian interpolation. In these two cases, the rate of error growth is large and may significantly exceed the acceptable levels in operational numerical weather prediction. Application of cubic interpolation drastically reduces the overall truncation errors, and the accuracy is well within the acceptable range. In contrast with the schemes based on lower-order inter...
MayBMS A System for Managing Large Probabilistic Databases

Note: Chapter 6 Reference EPFL-CHAPTER-167070 Record created on 2011-06-22, modified on 2017-05-12
Future of dietary exposure assessment

Nutritional epidemiology depends on valid assessment of exposure of individuals to food-borne factors. The tools being applied are generally blunt instruments that are simple for the scientist to administer and analyze. The burden of aggregating foods, combining amounts, drawing on episodic or generic memory, and interpreting the questions is placed on the subjects. Alternative approaches include enhanced use of biomarkers of exposure as external, internal, and target tissue markers. Because biomarkers exist for only a few substances of interest at the exposure time of interest, the future of subjective measures is likely to be in the development of subjective dietary assessment methods that apply modern technology, including audio systems to overcome literacy barriers and allow multilingual interviews, and pictures for identifying foods. Automated methods can ensure that all questions have been responded to and all responses outside of normal ranges have been double-checked. Computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI) may prove to be the most economic and cognitively supportive approach for assessment of food-borne exposures in the future
Five Incidents, One Theme: Twitter Spam as a Weapon to Drown Voices of Protest

Social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, have become an impressive force in the modern world with user bases larger than many individual countries. With such influence, they have become important in the process of worldwide politics. Those seeking to be elected often use social networking accounts to promote their agendas while those opposing them may seek to either counter those views or drown them in a sea of noise. Building on previous work that analyzed a Russian event where Twitter spam was used as a vehicle to suppress political speech, we inspect five political events from 2011 and 2012: two related to China and one each from Syria, Russia, and Mexico. Each of these events revolved around popular Twitter hashtags which were inundated with spam tweets intended to overwhelm the original content. We find that the nature of spam varies sufficiently across incidents such that generalizations are hard to draw. Also, spammers are evolving to mimic human activity closely. However, a common theme across all incidents was that the accounts used to send spam were registered in blocks and had automatically generated usernames. Our findings can be used to guide defense mechanisms to counter political spam on social networks.
Regulation of Dynamin by Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase

Nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase is required for multiple cellular functions, including cell growth, motility, and differentiation, and its loss is associated with pathologies including tumor metastasis. A recent study has revealed a previously unknown function for NDP kinase as positive regulator of dynamin, a GTPase essential for endocytosis. In this review we describe the evidence that NDP kinase function is essential for endocytosis and also elaborate on a mechanism for NDP kinase regulation of dynamin. Recently documented interactions between endocytosis and cell signaling have revealed new insights into potential mechanisms of cancer. In this context, we discuss the possible relevance of NDP kinase and dynamin interaction for tumor suppression.
REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT IN CALOPTERYX (ODONATA: CALOPTERYGIDAE).

The search for examples of reproductive character displacement (as redefined by Grant, 1972) is motivated by the desire to reveal the role natural selection plays in the establishment and/or improvement of premating barriers to gene exchange between speciating populations. The search is severely limited by the need to examine closely related species whose geographic ranges overlap extensively but not completely (Walker, 1974) and by the difficulty in documenting expected examples (Grant, 1972). Considerable attention has been focused on the acoustical pair-forming signals of birds, anurans, and singing insects. Despite the suitability of these signals in quantitative surveys for patterns suggesting reproductive character displacement, few examples have been found (Alexander, 1969; Blair, 1974; Fouquette, 1975; Grant, 1972; Thielcke, 1969; Walker, 1974). To date only a few studies have focused on the displacement of: 1) pair-forming displays (Ferguson, 1973), 2) morphology associated with species discrimination (Grant, 1975), or 3) discrimination abilities within a species (Waage, 1975; Wasserman and Koepfer, 1977). This paper presents an example of displacement of morphological characters used in species discrimination for two species of damselflies, Calopteryx maculata (De Beauvois) and C. aequabilis (Say), and deals with the problems affecting previous efforts to document character displacement. Grant (1972, 1975) provided a critical review of these problems and presented an example of careful documentation in the classic case of the rock nuthatches (Sitta). There are four basic stages in the documentation of reproductive character displacement. These stages were stated or implied by Grant (1972, 1975) and others (e.g. Alexander, 1969; Littlejohn, 1965; Littlejohn and Loftus-Hills, 1968) and are summarized as follows:
Cell wall organisation in Chlamydomonas reinhardi

Among a series of mutants regulating wall formation, two exhibit both Mendelian and non-Mendelian segregation patterns on crossing with wild type. In addition each, on crossing with an identical mutant, frequently gives wild type and pseudo-wild type forms. Diploid wild types can be generated by fusing two identical haploid mutants. The results of genetic analyses indicated that extra-nuclear information is involved in the regulation of wall formation; this is usually stable in vegetative cells but can be renewed at the diploid spore stage. The degree of autonomy of the extra-nuclear system is considered, and the possibility of its being ultimately based on nuclear information discussed.
Light, Lighting, and Health: Issues for Consideration

AbstractFundamental research into the effects of light on biology, behavior, and health is a rapidly-advancing field. As the lighting community learns more about these research results, interest in potential lighting applications is growing. This paper sets out issues for consideration in three areas: research areas in which knowledge is needed; topics that the lighting community should address to lay a strong foundation for application of this knowledge; and, ways in which the lighting community might facilitate the interdisciplinary work needed in order for basic research to lead to application. The integration of light and health knowledge into lighting practice is less a revolution than an evolution, as we continue to develop the general model of lighting quality that emerged in the mid-1990s.
Frictional slip of a rigid punch on an elastic half-plane

If a rigid punch is perfectly bonded to an elastic half-plane, the stress state possesses a well-known oscillating singularity. Because the shear and normal stresses are out of phase with each other, the application of a frictional slip model is expected to result in a slip zone at each of the corners. A solution exists in the literature if the punch is subjected to a normal load. It was shown that the extent of the slip zone is an eigenvalue which depends upon Poisson’s ratio and the coefficient of friction, but is independent of the magnitude of the applied load. In this investigation, the extent of the slip zone as well as the slip displacement is determined from the perfect bond solution. The analysis is valid if the length of the slip zone is small compared with the punch width. However, the results are shown to be in excellent agreement with the solution in the literature even when the total length of the slip zones is equal to half of the punch width. A solution is then obtained for combined normal and tangential loading. This work, and its extensions, is expected to be applicable in the study of the mechanics of fretting.
Infrastructure for Trusted Environment: In Search of a Solution

Millions of PCs are currently sold equipped with a Trusted Platform Module, TPM, serving as a root of trust on the platform. Trusted Computing as an area of security has acquired significant visibility, and many new products and a growing number of research projects in areas ranging from virtualization to network security are based on Trusted Computing technologies and vision. In order to fully realize the vision of the Trusted Computing community, dedicated or compatible trust infrastructure for verification and attestation is required. Similar to other trust-enabling technologies, Trusted Computing needs an infrastructure that can verify the claim that a device is genuine and can be trusted to take part in a transaction, in which it is involved. Such an infrastructure will enable an environment where individuals can use the technology for protected transactions and potentially employ less risky authentication methods. This paper explores the role of infrastructure in Trusted Computing, starting with the discussion of the infrastructure’s importance and issues in trust establishment, followed by the description of the basics of Trusted Computing functionality requiring infrastructure support. We use examples of other trust enabling infrastructures, such as general-purpose PKI and infrastructure for Identity Federation to highlight common approaches. Finally, we touch upon economics of trust and intermediation, in order to define potential models for building enabling infrastructure for Trusted Computing.. While the paper doesn’t propose concrete solutions for the infrastructure problem in Trusted Computing, some possible avenues of building the necessary framework are outlined.
Planning and Preparing for the Operation: Guidelines and the Evidence-Based Decision Tree

Surgical interventions induce a stress response whose magnitude depends on the pathology being treated, as well as many other factors such as the surgical approach, and the acuity of the procedure, among others. Additional factors accounting for the surgical risk include the complexity of the surgery and the patient’s premorbid conditions. There are different predictive models to estimate cardiac risks for patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. One of the first described is the Goldman Multifactorial Risk Index developed in 1977, followed by the Detsky’s Cardiac Risk Index in 1986, the Eagle’s Cardiac Risk Index in 1989, and more recently by the Revised Cardiac Risk Index popularized by Lee in 1999. One of the most widespread tools used by anesthesiologist is the American Society of Anesthesiologist Physical Status Classification, which stratifies patients in six classes. There are several factors to be considered to decrease the overall risk of cardiac-related and all-cause surgical morbidity and mortality. The type and length of anesthesia is one of them, along with the impact that each organ specific pathology may have on the planned operation. This review highlights some of the more important aspects of planning and preparing for an operation, starting with the assessment of its risk and benefits based on the preoperative evaluation and the outcome expected.
Reimagining rewilding: A response to Jørgensen, Prior, and Ward

Abstract This article continues and expands the conversation initiated by Jorgensen on the need to rethink rewilding, which elicited a response from Prior and Ward. To spur further conversation, my response to both papers argues for two modes of discourse expansion: geographical and disciplinary. Although both articles gesture toward global rewilding sites, their discussions remain focused on European geographies. I offer James Feldman’s environmental history of the Apostle Islands to extend a geographical purview beyond European contexts. Secondly, I take up these papers’ implicit call for humanities scholars to join this conversation, and I argue for the relevance and importance of fictional writings to a debate regarding rewilding. I briefly introduce two recent fictional works and argue for their place in rewilding conversations based on the ability of imaginary writings to develop empathy.
Proposal for an Innovative Security for Retirees

The article advocates for the issue of a new type of U.S. Treasury security to help retirees with modest savings earn a safe, steady retirement income. In contrast with existing interest-paying securities, this new security would pay out both principal and interest as an inflation-adjusted annuity over 20 or 25 years. Private financial institutions can also seize this opportunity to cater to a growing market by creating a synthetic, Treasury asset-backed security with the same characteristics. By investing in this safe security and in a deferred-income (longevity insurance) policy, retirees would be able to earn an inflation-adjusted income without the stress of managing a retirement portfolio or irrevocably committing their savings to an immediate annuity.
A 28nm CMOS ultra-compact thermal sensor in current-mode technique

This paper describes an innovative architecture for temperature sensors, which achieves excellent linearity at minimum complexity. Fabricated in 28nm, the circuit occupies only 0.0038mm2 and draws 16µA from 1.8V, capable also for lower supplies. The 8-bit smart sensor operates from −20 to 130°C and utilizes the benefits of parasitic NPN transistor. Current-mode technique is adopted in a new way, which simplifies digital output and makes common error correction dispensable. Excellent PSRR and a raw accuracy of 1.8°C (3σ) is obtained without calibration, due to the inherent robustness against MOS mismatch. Precision can be increased to ∼ +/−0.8°C by convenient single point soft-trimming. (smart thermal sensor, current-mode, NPN bipolar, CMOS)
Digital signal processor microchips applied to aerospace control systems

The author reviews the requirements placed on the controller in real-time aerospace control applications and compares them with those found in the digital signal processing (DSP) field. The application of a family of powerful DSP microchips to the field of aerospace control systems is studied. An example of a simple control system is used to present the basic concepts and to show the effects of data sampling rate. The code sequence required to implement the control law is shown for a floating-point DSP microchip, and the timing is also given. It is concluded that DSP microchips, such as the Motorola DSP56001 and DSP96002, are extremely powerful and have the speed necessary for real-time control applications. Their instruction sets easily meet the requirements for real-time operating systems. Fixed-point units, such as the DSP56001 with 24-b precision, are more than adequate for many applications. For complicated control systems, like those using Kalman filtering to predict the state of the system, DSP microchips with floating-point capability, such as the 32-b DSP96002, would be the logical choice, for they increase dynamic range and are much easier to use. >
BIST test pattern generators for stuck-open and delay testing

Testing for delay and CMOS stuck-open faults requires two pattern tests and test sets are usually large. Built-in self-test (BIST) schemes are attractive for such comprehensive testing. The BIST test pattern generators (TPGs) for such testing should be designed to ensure high pattern-pair coverage. In this paper, necessary and sufficient conditions to ensure complete/maximal pattern-pair coverage for linear feedback shift register (LFSR) and cellular automata (CA) have been derived. The theory developed here identifies all LFSR/CA TPGs which maximize pattern-pair coverage under any given TPG size constraints. It is shown that LFSRs with primitive feedback polynomials with large number of terms are better for two-pattern testing. Also, CA are shown to be better TPGs than LFSRs for two-pattern testing. Results derived in this paper provide practical algorithms for the design of optimal TPGs for two-pattern testing. Experiments on some benchmark circuits indicate the TPGs designed using the procedures outlined in this paper provide much higher delay fault coverage than other TPGs. >
Controlling chitosan degradation properties in vitro and in vivo

Among the many advantages of chitosan as an implant biomaterial, is controllable degradability, which makes chitosan a unique biomaterial choice for tissue engineering and drug delivery devices. Degradation of chitosan implants in vivo occurs over the course of days to months, depending on the type of chitosan implant. Many years of research into chitosan both in vitro and in vivo has highlighted important, the relationship between chitosan degradation and material properties such as molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, and fabrication methods. Biological mechanisms for chitosan degradation, biomaterials design considerations, and research into modification of degradation profile are presented, as well as commonly used methods to measure degradation.
The evolving superiority of covered metallic stents for benign biliary strictures.

We read with interest Cote et al. ’s study (1) comparing the outcomes of covered self-expanding metal stents (CSEMS) versus multiple plastic stents in the treatment of benign biliary strictures (BBS).