cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflammation and Cell Death in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Immunopathological and Ultrastructural Model

The etiology of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) remains elusive despite the characterization of many factors contributing to the disease in its late-stage phenotypes. AMD features an immune system in flux, as shown by changes in macrophage polarization with age, expression of cytokines and complement, microglial accumulation with age, etc. These point to an allostatic overload, possibly due to a breakdown in self vs. non-self when endogenous compounds and structures acquire the appearance of non-self over time. The result is inflammation and inflammation-mediated cell death. While it is clear that these processes ultimately result in degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor, the prevalent type of cell death contributing to the various phenotypes is unknown. Both molecular studies as well as ultrastructural pathology suggest pyroptosis, and perhaps necroptosis, are the predominant mechanisms of cell death at play, with only minimal evidence for apoptosis. Herein, we attempt to reconcile those factors identified by experimental AMD models and integrate these data with pathology observed under the electron microscope—particularly observations of mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA leakage, autophagy, and cell death.
Inferring semantic concepts for video indexing and retrieval

This paper proposes a novel probabilistic framework for semantic indexing and retrieval in digital video. The components of the framework are probabilistic multimedia objects (multijects) and a network of such objects (multinet). The main contribution is a Bayesian multinet which enhances the detection performance of individual multijects and supports inference of concepts that are not observed directly in the multiple media. This inference is based on their relation with observable concepts. We develop multijects for detecting sites (locations) in video and integrate the multijects using a multinet in the form of a Bayesian network. We also use the site multijects and the multinet to infer the presence of the multiject Outdoor which has no direct support in media features.
Toward a Boot Odometer

In trustworthy systems, object reuse requirements extend to all forms of memory on the platform and can include volatile elements such as RAM, cache, I/O device registers, and certain controllers. To ensure that residual information is not accessible from one session to another, these regions must be either protected or purged. In situations where the operating system cannot be trusted to meet object reuse requirements, an alternative is needed. In this paper, we address the object reuse problem in volatile memory. A "hard" reboot includes a power cycle, which ensures that sensitive information in volatile memory is purged, whereas a software initiated reboot does not. How can we prove that a hard reboot has occurred? To our knowledge, it is not possible for a remote entity using currently available technology, to sense whether a hard reboot has occurred on an PC client, e.g. between communication sessions. We propose a hardware-assisted design that uses a secure coprocessor to sense the reboot type of the host platform and that maintains a boot odometer that tracks the sum of hard reboots that have occurred on the host. In addition, secure coprocessor services allow trustworthy attestation to a remote entity, cognizant of a previous boot odometer value, that volatile memory has been purged
Towards efficient resource management for data-analytic platforms

We present architectural and experimental work exploring the role of intermediate data handling in the performance of MapReduce workloads. Our findings show that: (a) certain jobs are more sensitive to disk cache size than others and (b) this sensitivity is mostly due to the local file I/O for the intermediate data. We also show that a small amount of memory is sufficient for the normal needs of map workers to hold their intermediate data until it is read. We introduce Hannibal, which exploits the modesty of that need in a simple and direct way — holding the intermediate data in application-level memory for precisely the needed time — to improve performance when the disk cache is stressed. We have implemented Hannibal and show through experimental evaluation that Hannibal can make MapReduce jobs run faster than Hadoop when little memory is available to the disk cache. This provides better performance insulation between concurrent jobs.
Evaluating the impact of Clinical Trials On-line on clinical trial awareness and accrual

Clinical trials are essential for understanding the effects of different cancer treatment approaches and the value of their interaction. A prerequisite for completion of a clinical trial is the accrual of an adequate number of patients. Although surveys of the general public have shown widespread support for the concept of clinical trials, it is widely reported that only 1-3% of the 1.2 million patients diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year are enrolled. Explaining clinical trials to patients and their families, remembering active trials to a particular malignancy, and paper based distribution of clinical trial information have been identified among several major obstacles to enrolment. Improved information distribution methods, heightened public awareness, and the dissemination of clinical trial synopses have been suggested as strategies to help overcome them. Based on an analysis of the barriers to clinical trial enrolment and the emergence of the Internet as part of a new paradigm in healthcare information delivery, City of Hope National Medical Center was motivated to develop a Web enabled database of oncology clinical trials information called Clinical Trials On-Line (CTOL). The article describes CTOL and the methods employed to assess its impact. A summary of the different types of interactions, inquiries, and outcomes generated by CTOL during its first 30 weeks of operation are presented. The quantitative and qualitative data suggest that CTOL is capable of making a positive contribution toward increased clinical trial awareness and accrual.
Joint semi-blind channel identification in punctured ARQ retransmissions

We study the channel estimation of a bandwidth efficient automatic repeat request (ARQ) system in which re-transmissions are symbol or bit-wise punctured. Unlike simple ARQ in which an erroneous packet is retransmitted, many hybrid ARQ systems aim to conserve bandwidth by only retransmitting a punctured or recoded data packet. We formulate a joint semi-blind channel estimation algorithm for the punctured retransmission in a hybrid ARQ network. We show that the joint semi-blind estimation is quite simple and naturally combines training in the first transmission with retransmitted data statistics. We show that bandwidth savings resulting from puncturing the retransmission only lead to a marginal degradation to the accuracy of channel estimation.
Proliferation of human colon cancer cells: Role of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factorα

Human colon cancer cells produce and secrete a variety of polypeptide growth factors. The functional role of these growth factors, however, is poorly understood. Though the secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like activity and EGF-related molecules by human colon cancer cells in culture has been reported, it is not known whether colon cancer cells produce and secrete EGF, and the functional role of EGF in the growth control of these cells is also unknown. We have shown that EGF acts as a potent growth stimulator on the moderately differentiated Moser colon cancer cell line and as an inhibitor on the highly metastatic KM12SM cell line. In the present study, we show that EGF is produced by human colon cancer cells and characterize the levels of EGF mRNA expression and EGF protein secretion from 8 human colon cancer cell lines. The cell-surface EGF receptors on these cell lines were also characterized by radiolabeled ligand binding and Scatchard analyses. All the cell lines expressed EGF mRNA and secreted EGF. Both high- and low-affinity subtypes of EGF receptor were detected on 7 of the cell lines. These lines also secreted transforming growth factor (TGF)α. Some cell lines exhibited a proliferative response to treatment with either exogenous EGF or TGFα, while others did not respond to treatment with these growth factors. Antibody-blocking experiments, using anti-EGF or anti-EGF receptor antibody, suggested that these cell lines could be broadly classified into 2 groups in terms of their autocrine or paracrine growth regulation via the cell-surface EGF receptor: (1) cells that utilized EGF and/or TGFα; and (2) cells that did not utilize EGF or TGFα (via the cell-surface receptor), even though they secreted abundant amounts of these growth factors. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anomalously low endemic goiter prevalence among Efe pygmies

The existence of endemic goiter, caused by iodine deficiency and the presence of a dietary goitrogen, has been noted in eastern Zaire by a number of authors (De Visscher et al.: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 21:175-188, 1961; Delange et al.: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 34:1059, 1972). In the Ituri Forest of Huate-Zaire, two distinct populations, the Efe (pygmy) and Lese (Bantu), live in association with each other and have similar diets. The goiter survey reported here documents differences in goiter prevalence and severity between the nomadic pygmy and village-living Bantu populations. While the Efe have an overall goiter prevalence of 9.4%, the Lese have a goiter prevalence of 42.9%. Furthermore, Efe women living in Lese villages and subsisting on a Lese diet have a prevalence of goiter similar to that of forest-living Efe women. Village-living individuals born of Efe mothers and Lese fathers have a prevalence of goiter greater than that of pure Efe but less than that of Lese. While our data cannot exclude dietary explanations for the difference in goiter prevalence between the Efe and Lese, they do support the hypothesis that the Efe possess an adaptation to an iodine-deficient environment that does not result in the development of goiters.
Automatic generation of customized discrete fourier transform IPs

This paper presents a parameterized soft core generator for the discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Reusable IPs of digital signal processing (DSP) kernels are important time-saving resources in DSP hardware development. Unfortunately, reusable IPs, however optimized, could introduce inefficiencies because they cannot fit the exact requirements of every application context. Given the well-understood and regular computation in DSP kernels, an automatic tool could generate high-quality ready-to-use IPs customized to user-specified cost/performance tradeoffs (beyond basic parameters such as input size and data format). The paper shows that the generated DFT cores could match closely the performance and cost of DFT cores from the Xilinx LogiCore library. Furthermore, the generator could yield DFT cores over a range of different performance/cost tradeoff points that are not available from the library.
Wireless physical layer authentication via fingerprint embedding

Authentication is a fundamental requirement for secure communications. In this article, we describe a general framework for fingerprint embedding at the physical layer in order to provide message authentication that is secure and bandwidth-efficient. Rather than depending on channel or device characteristics that are outside of our control, deliberate fingerprint embedding for message authentication enables control over performance trade-offs by design. Furthermore, low-power fingerprint designs enhance security by making the authentication tags less accessible to adversaries. We define metrics for communications and authentication performance, and discuss the trade-offs in system design. Results from our wireless software-defined radio experiments validate the theory and demonstrate the low complexity, practicality, and enhanced security of the approach.
Dosage as a Critical Variable in Yoga Therapy Research

The sophistication of yoga therapy research has progressed substantially. Researchers are beginning to identify outcomes that are uniquely associated with yoga therapy practices. Creditable research requires rigorous study design and careful attention to measurement and methodology. It is a process of excavation. As with other fields, much of yoga research started with general, surface-level questions: Does yoga help individuals who have arthritis, anxiety, or an eating disorder? Does yoga prevent the onset of these and other difficulties? Does yoga promote health? There is accumulating evidence that it may do each of these things and more.
Abstract 2893: Robot-based Assessments Of Upper Extremity Function Are Valid And May Be Useful For Tele-outcomes After Stroke

INTRODUCTION: The increasing number of restorative stroke trials has generated increased discussion about optimal endpoints to detect changes in behavior over time. Robotic devices are under study ...
Mobile Device Connectivity als Brücke zwischen Heim, Büro und Automobil

Multimedia und Infotainment fur Heimanwendung, Buro und Automobil werden in Zukunft weiter zusammenwachsen. Dieser Beitrag des neuen Unternehmens Delphi-Grundig befasst sich mit der naheren Zukunft mit einem Schwerpunkt auf die „Mobile Device Connectivity“ — der Anbindung von mobilen Endgeraten wie beispielsweise Mobiltelefon, Smart-Phones und PDAs an das Car-Audio-System.
An Alternative to the Gram-Schmidt Process

(1969). An Alternative to the Gram-Schmidt Process. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 203-205.
The Effects of Interface Roughness on Ellipsometric Measurements of Thin Oxides

Measurements of film thickness using ellipsometry assume all interfaces to be ideally planar. This approximation works well for films much thicker than the roughness of the interfaces. For very thin films. the interface roughness can cause significant errors in thickness measurements. In this paper, we calculate the effect of interface roughness on oxide thickness measurements and use those calculations to account for some of the observed differences between film thickness measurements of thin oxides (< 200 A) as measured by ellipsometry and transmission electron microscopy.
Study on Differential Space-Time Coding

An accurate channel estimation at receiving end is needed for decoding of common space-time coding,while the channel state information(CSI) and channel estimation are not needed for DSTC.Under the circumstances where wireless channels fade very rapidly or the data rate is very high,the channel estimation is too hard or too costly to detect,the DSTC is required.In this paper,the encoding and decoding theories,features,and performances of space-time coding for incoherent system are introduced,and the comparison between them is presented.The examples and simulation results are proposed.
LOEX 2016: Learning from the past, building for the future

"By ‘open access’ to this literature, we mean its free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright in this domain, should be to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.”
Reduced Volumetric Expansion and Isothermal Compressibility Factor Plots

The volumetric expansion coefficient (∂ ln V/∂T) p has been found useful in heat-transfer analyses. Yaskin et al. [1] demonstrated its usefulness in groupie hehum heat-transfer data in the near-thermodynamic critical region. The author [2] demonstrated the usefulness of the energy expansion coefficients (∂ ln V/∂H) p in qualitatively grouping heat-transfer data for nitrogen and oxygen in the near-thermodynamic critical region; however, quantitative agreement has not yet been achieved. Hendricks et al. [3] qualitatively demonstrated the relations between density fluctuations, volumetric expansion coefficient, and turbulent energy and momentum fluxes. The energy expansion coefficient was used in qualitatively grouping gaseous and fluid heat-transfer data of several investigators. These data sets for helium, hydrogen, air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water cover a wide range of experimental conditions.
Surgical treatment of the failing heart

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospitalization worldwide. Currently, most therapeutic strategies are aimed at resolving the acute exacerbation of failure, resulting in a high readmission rate. Despite significant advances in the medical treatment of heart failure, the results are far from perfect. Mortality remains high and hospitalization costly. Surgical management is still required for patients with end-stage heart failure. Unfortu-nately, its evolution has occurred in a less structured fashion. In addition to transplantation, strategies for the treatment of heart failure currently under investigation include implantation of pacemakers, left ventricular reconstruction, mitral valve repair, coronary revascularization, cardiomyoplasty and mechanical circulatory support. In the end however, the surgical management of patients with heart failure rests on the type of underlying cardiomyopathy. Hence, care must be taken to accurately diagnose these patients as either having dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Bioassay analysis of nutrient and Artemia franciscana effects on trophic interactions in the Great Salt Lake, USA

14-day microcosm experiments demonstrated the strong interactions between bottom–up and top–down effects of nutrient addition (control, nitrogen, phosphorus, nitrogen + phosphorus) and Artemia franciscana grazing on algae in Great Salt Lake water from Gilbert Bay. Nitrogen addition increased phytoplankton chlorophyll concentrations, while phosphorus addition had no stimulatory effect. A combined N + P treatment was synergistic, increasing both phytoplankton and periphyton >10-fold above controls. Our results suggest that phytoplankton were primarily limited by nitrogen and secondarily limited by phosphorus and that periphyton was colimited by nitrogen and phosphorus. The grazing effect increased as A. franciscana grew from nauplii to adults and by the final day, A. franciscana had markedly reduced both phytoplankton and periphyton abundance in the Control, +N, and +P treatments. Grazing also significantly reduced periphyton in the N + P treatments. Due to high phytoplankton growth rates in the N + P treatment, A. franciscana grazing did not significantly reduce chlorophyll concentrations during the bioassay. However, A. franciscana in the N + P treatment was significantly larger and had greater reproductive output than in the controls, suggesting that the following generation might have exerted greater grazing pressure.
Dual Exposure Glass Layer Suspended Structures (DEGLaSS): A Novel Fabrication Process for Glass Micro-Fluidic Nanostructures on Planar Substrates

Microfluidic systems that can be easily integrated with microelectronics have the potential to generate a variety of new sensor and separation technologies. Typical fabrication techniques require a combination of lithography, dry etching, multi-layer thin film deposition, thermal or anodic bonding, and specialized materials with high etching selectivities. We propose a new approach to fabrication of microfluidic systems.
Adding energy minimization strategy to peptide-design algorithm enables better search for RNA-binding peptides: Redesigned λ N peptide binds boxB RNA

Our previously developed peptide-design algorithm was improved by adding an energy minimization strategy which allows the amino acid sidechains to move in a broad configuration space during sequence evolution. In this work, the new algorithm was used to generate a library of 21-mer peptides which could substitute for λ N peptide in binding to boxB RNA. Six potential peptides were obtained from the algorithm, all of which exhibited good binding capability with boxB RNA. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were then conducted to examine the ability of the λ N peptide and three best evolved peptides, viz. Pept01, Pept26, and Pept28, to bind to boxB RNA. Simulation results demonstrated that our evolved peptides are better at binding to boxB RNA than the λ N peptide. Sequence searches using the old (without energy minimization strategy) and new (with energy minimization strategy) algorithms confirm that the new algorithm is more effective at finding good RNA-binding peptides than the old algorithm. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Sensitivity Of the NMR Imaging Experiment

Commencing with the signal-to-noise ratio of the free induction decay from the hydrogen in a human being, the various factors which influence the signal-to-noise ratio of a medical NMR image are examined. It is shown that the chemical shift range inherent in human tissue and the considerable variation of longitudinal relaxation times with frequency ωo profoundly affect any analysis, causing, for a fixed resolution and given imaging time, the image signal-to-noise ratio to vary only as approximately ωo 1/4. The power deposited in the human body by the r.f. pulses is also considered, and it is shown that, above about 60 MHz, the heating produced in the torso (under the conditions pertaining to multi-slice examination) exceeds recommended values. Techniques for reducing the power absorption are briefly considered, and the use of multiple echoes at medium field strengths (~0.7T) is advocated as a possible method of improving image quality.
Fifty years of transistor action

Back in 1940, when I was at school, information was something found in books. The seeds of change germinated at the end of the Second World War. The first electronic computer, called ENIAC, came into being in 1946, and the invention of the transistor in 1947 opened the way to making computers accessible, familiar and powerful. Walter Brattain, John Bardeen and William Shockley, who discovered transistor action at Bell Laboratories in December 1947, earned the 1956 Nobel Prize for Physics for the work. Crystal Fire is an engrossing story of the invention and formative days of the transistor. It is a noteworthy contribution to the 50th anniversary of the origins of the era of electronic information.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF GENETIC RECOMBINATION

ABSTRACT An in vitro system is described in which the cutting of crosslinked oX RF I DNA molecules by the uvr system of E. coli induces the cutting of homologous undamaged DNA during incubation with crude extracts of thermally induced E. coli (λ precA + ) lysogens. This reaction, which has also been observed in intact E. coli lysogens infected with λ. phages, is dependent on the presence of functional recA + and uvrB + gene products.
Identification of Novel Peptide Sequences with Improved Nuclear Delivery of Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Sequences

Peptide Nucleic Acids, DNA mimics featuring a peptide-like backbone and nucleobases that bind nucleic acids, are capable of impacting gene expression, are resistant to degradation, and show promise as therapeutic agents. PNAs are cell-impermeant and intracellular delivery has been a challenge, however cell-penetrating peptides show some promise as delivery vehicles. To identify sequences that improve nuclear PNA delivery we constructed a library of 8192 unique peptide sequences based on the well-known cell penetrating peptides Tat and Penetratin.
Polyphenols and Intestinal Health

Abstract Altering the gut microbiome with prebiotics can mitigate dysbiosis and improve intestinal and systemic health. Plants are rich in three main classes of polyphenols with prebiotic properties: (1) phenolics acids, (2) flavonoids, and (3) other phenolics. All of these are abundant in fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs and have both antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Because dietary polyphenols are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, they persist in the colon to be metabolized into aromatic metabolites that are absorbed into the portal blood and sent to the liver or excreted in the feces. Hepatic polyphenol metabolites enter the (1) bloodstream for uptake by target tissues, (2) bladder for urinary excretion, or (3) bile acid pool for remixing with intestinal digesta. In the colon, polyphenols alter the populations of gut microbes and the production of microbial metabolites and host-derived intestinal metabolites and peptide hormones that influence intestinal integrity and systemic metabolism.
Bioassays and Inactivation of Prions

The experimental study of prions requires a model for their propagation. However, because prions lack nucleic acids, the simple techniques used to replicate bacteria and viruses are not applicable. For much of the history of prion research, time-consuming bioassays in animals were the only option for measuring infectivity. Although cell models and other in vitro tools for the propagation of prions have been developed, they all suffer limitations, and animal bioassays remain the gold standard for measuring infectivity. A wealth of recent data argues that both β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins form prions that cause Alzheimer's disease, and α-synuclein forms prions that cause multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease. Cell and animal models that recapitulate some of the key features of cell-to-cell spreading and distinct strains of prions can now be measured.
Voices from the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War by Carleton Young; Reviewed by Aaron O'Data

When was the last time you cleaned your attic? The process can be as surprising as it is daunting. Questions may arise about where certain items came from, or alternatively where certain items went. A surprising find and a quest for answers is at the heart of a new book, Voices From the Attic, by local educator and author Carleton Young.
Colon cancer presenting as pseudo-obstruction during pregnancy - A case report

The incidence of colorectal cancer in pregnancy is between 0.002 and 0.008%. Diagnosis is often delayed as symptoms of colorectal cancer can mimic as common complaints of pregnancy. We present the case of a 29-year-old with a history of chronic constipation who presented in the second trimester with abdominal pain, inability to tolerate anything orally and no bowel movement in more than three weeks. Non-contrast MRI at presentation failed to show an obstructing mass. Patient was treated conservatively for presumed pseudo-obstruction secondary to worsening constipation from chronic ondansetron use and pregnancy. After four days without clinical improvement, she had a colonoscopy that revealed a completely obstructing sigmoid mass, which biopsies confirmed was a primary colorectal adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent a total abdominal colectomy. She was referred to medical oncology and began adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaloplatin four weeks post-operatively.
Does Metabolic Rate Increase Linearly with Running Speed in all Distance Runners

Running economy (oxygen uptake or metabolic rate for running at a submaximal speed) is one of the key determinants of distance running performance. Previous studies reported linear relationships between oxygen uptake or metabolic rate and speed, and an invariant cost of transport across speed. We quantified oxygen uptake, metabolic rate, and cost of transport in 10 average and 10 sub-elite runners. We increased treadmill speed by 0.45 m·s−1 from 1.78 m·s−1 (day 1) and 2.01 m·s−1 (day 2) during each subsequent 4-min stage until reaching a speed that elicited a rating of perceived exertion of 15. Average runners’ oxygen uptake and metabolic rate vs. speed relationships were best described by linear fits. In contrast, the sub-elite runners’ relationships were best described by increasing curvilinear fits. For the sub-elites, oxygen cost of transport and energy cost of transport increased by 12.8% and 9.6%, respectively, from 3.58 to 5.14 m·s−1. Our results indicate that it is not possible to accurately predict metabolic rates at race pace for sub-elite competitive runners from data collected at moderate submaximal running speeds (2.68–3.58 m·s−1). To do so, metabolic rate should be measured at speeds that approach competitive race pace and curvilinear fits should be used for extrapolation to race pace.
Tubular Opacities in the Gastrointestinal Tract.

A 3-year-old boy presented with postprandial abdominal pain and vomiting. Abdominal imaging showed a large burden of tubular structures filling the small bowel, a finding consistent with infection with Ascaris lumbricoides.
Toward the automatic detection of manually labeled irregular pitch periods

Irregular pitch periods (IPPs) occur in a wide variety of speech contexts and can support automatic speech recognition systems by signaling word boundaries, phrase endings, and certain prosodic contours. IPPs can also provide information about emotional content, dialect, and speaker identity. The ability to automatically detect IPPs is particularly useful because accurately identifying IPPs by hand is time-consuming and requires expertise. In this project, we use an algorithm developed for creaky voice analysis by Kane et al. (2013) incorporating features from Ishi et al. (2008) to automatically identify IPPs in recordings of speech from the American English Map Task database. Short-term power, intra-frame periodicity, inter-pulse similarity, subharmonic energy, and glottal pulse peakiness measures are input into an artificial neural network to generate frame-by-frame creak probabilities. To determine a perceptually relevant threshold probability, the creak probabilities are compared to IPPs hand-labeled by experienced raters. Preliminary results yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82. Thresholds above 0.1 produced very high specificity, but even lower thresholds yielded fairly high sensitivity and specificity. These results indicate generally good agreement between hand-labeled IPPs and automatic detection, calling for future work investigating effects of linguistic and prosodic context.Irregular pitch periods (IPPs) occur in a wide variety of speech contexts and can support automatic speech recognition systems by signaling word boundaries, phrase endings, and certain prosodic contours. IPPs can also provide information about emotional content, dialect, and speaker identity. The ability to automatically detect IPPs is particularly useful because accurately identifying IPPs by hand is time-consuming and requires expertise. In this project, we use an algorithm developed for creaky voice analysis by Kane et al. (2013) incorporating features from Ishi et al. (2008) to automatically identify IPPs in recordings of speech from the American English Map Task database. Short-term power, intra-frame periodicity, inter-pulse similarity, subharmonic energy, and glottal pulse peakiness measures are input into an artificial neural network to generate frame-by-frame creak probabilities. To determine a perceptually relevant threshold probability, the creak probabilities are compared to IPPs hand-labeled ...
Teaching the Fundamental Attributes of IS Requirements

Requirements are the building blocks of IS products. "If you don't get the requirements right, it doesn't matter how well you do anything else" (Wiegers, 2004). However, generically, IS requirements are complex. They have multiple attributes. To extract business information relevant to building a product, classifying IS requirements into functional and non-functional categories is not enough. Requirement gatherers and analysts should be conversant with the multifaceted nature of IS requirements and their attributes. Yet, currently, the MIS and Computer Science programs do not impart this knowledge to their students. To fill the gap, this paper describes the concepts which would be useful to include as a module in a Requirements Engineering/ Management course. In addition, the article provides an illustrative example of how these concepts can be taught to give students a flavor of the real world.
Training Mental Health Personnel in Mental Retardation

During the last decade, there has been an enhanced interest in providing both general and specialized training experiences in mental retardation for mental health personnel. Increasingly, one notes a variety of course offerings in mental retardation in the mental-health undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education programs. This interest has been spurred by the rapidly increased services provided for retarded citizens, especially in community-based mental-retardation service systems. These systems, usually organized on a regional or statewide basis, have begun to “discover” the high incidence of coexisting mental illness in their clientele. When such systems search for mental health resources to meet these rapidly emerging needs or attempt to develop their own specialized mental-health services, it has become abundantly clear that the traditional mental-health personnel pools and allied resources need reevaluation as to their awareness or knowledge of modern concepts and trends in mental retardation. Concomitantly, a strong interest has been shown in similar educational offerings and efforts that extend the knowledge base of current mental retardation professionals by means of modern information on mental health principles, methods, and techniques.
Historical Time and a New Conception of the Historical Sciences

Historiography and systematic history deal with the same problem: why have the events of history occurred? In the first part of the article the answer given by the deductive-nomological model is discussed. The Hempel-Oppenheim model is characterized as a krypto-reduction of historical sciences to natural ones, since the covering law has to be taken from the natural sciences. The trend to replacement of the deductive-nomological explanation by statistical forms finally leads to Gardiner’s, Greeno’s, Danto’s and Dray’s weakened forms using no general law-like statements in historical sciences at all. Thus the hiatus between natural sciences and humanities (Geisteswissenschaften) opens up again. In the second part, the approach of Hegel, Rickert and Dilthey and the modern hermeneutic approach to history of Gehlen, Gadamer and Schelsky is reduced to its bare essentials: history and historical science conceived of as an evaluation of man’s past. Consequently, the third part offers a scheme of interpretation (evaluation) as a two-dimensional manifold of evaluation and calendar time under uncertainty and risk. The axiomatic definition of this form of historical time plus an empirical interpretation serves as an explicatum for history. The concept of a common history of a group is defined; re-evaluation and re-interpretation are regarded as a repetition of the comparison of evaluated events of the past, leading to different rankings, even if the underlying quasi-order (political, ideological or cultural) remains the same. That means that the individual’s or nation’s momentary experience or estimations are decisive for the evaluation of its history. Evaluation of the past may even depend on the future (prospects). A definition of traditionalism and activism is given. This result does not need psychological, ideological motives for re-interpretation of history. It is based solely on uncertainty facing the future or past, uses no absolute values and needs no teleological interpretation of the course of history.
Optimizing any-aged management of mixed-species stands: II. effects of decision criteria

The effects of maximum present value and maximum volume objectives on the efficiencies of alternative silvicultural systems are determined by solving any-aged management problems for mixed-conifer stands in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Any-aged management problems are formulated with periodic planting and harvesting controls and without constraints on the stand age or size structure over time. Optimization is performed with the Stand Prognosis Model, a single-tree simulator that has been calibrated for many forest types in the western United States. With a maximum present value objective, 1987 stumpage prices, and no logging damage, steady-state, uneven-aged management using selection cuts is the target silvicultural system for a range of stand types. Optimal transition regimes for understocked stands include clearcutting and planting western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl. ex D. Don), a high-value, fastgrowing species. With a maximum merchantable volume objective, two types of management emerge as optimal: even-aged plantation management and an uneven-aged shelterwood system are both capable of producing the same high level of yield indefinitely. Both types of management rely on a series of thinnings to grow the most vigorous crop trees into the largest size classes. In addition, the shelterwood system ensures that adequate natural regeneration is established when the crop trees are harvested. Because the uneven-aged shelterwood system produces steady-state yields that are as high or higher than plantation management, these results call into question the widely held view that even-aged plantation management maximizes total merchantable volume production.
Prevention of lean flame blowout using a predictive chemical reactor network control

Abstract Optimization of efficiency and pollution control for gaseous species and particulate matter are common to any combustion system. Combustor lean blowout (LBO) is a concern for aircraft safety and for land-based gas turbines designed to operate at lean equivalence ratios to achieve better fuel efficiency and to limit NOx emissions. This paper provides an experimental demonstration of model-based control applied to a laboratory jet-stirred reactor (JSR) approaching LBO. The approach uses (1) combustor temperature measurements, coupled with (2) the calculation of free radical concentrations in the reactor using a real-time chemical reactor network (RT-CRN) model as the reactor approaches LBO, which in turn (3) are used by a predictive control algorithm to achieve stable combustion. The RT-CRN represents the combustor as three perfectly stirred reactors (PSRs) in series with a recirculation pathway; the model inputs include real-time measurements of temperature and mass flow rates of fuel and air. In a series of experiments, the combustor is operated on a premixed methane-air mixture; after achieving stable combustion, the air flow rate is increased beyond the stable air-fuel ratio either as a step function or by ramping up linearly. The predictive RT-CRN control algorithm calculates the distribution of hydroxyl (OH) radicals in the free jet, impinging jet, and recirculation regions of the JSR in near real-time (∼1 s delay), and determines the leanest stable state based on the OH uniformity in the combustor. As the OH shifts towards the recirculation region, the reactor approaches LBO, if this condition is detected the control algorithm injects additional fuel; reactor stabilization is achieved within a 5–15 s time frame. Although this proof-of-concept demonstration is performed for LBO control in a JSR with ceramic walls, the control methodology is applicable to other types of high-intensity recirculation stabilized combustors.
Effect of inclination on heat transfer and flow regimes in large flattened-tube steam condensers

Abstract An experimental study of convective steam condensation inside a large, inclined, flattened tube used in air-cooled condensers for power plants is presented. This is the fourth of a four-part group of papers. The first three parts (Kang et al., 2017; Davies et al., 2017, 2018) published in the same journal present the facility, pressure drop, void fraction, flow regime and heat transfer results, while this study presents the effects of inclination on heat transfer and flow regimes. The condenser is a flattened steel tube with brazed aluminum fins. The full tube has dimensions 10.72 m × 214 mm × 18 mm. The condenser tube is cut in half lengthwise and covered with a polycarbonate window to perform visualization simultaneously with the heat transfer measurements. The steam is condensed at atmospheric pressure, and cooled by air at a uniform velocity profile. The angle of inclination is varied from horizontal (0°) to 75° downward. Condenser performance is also predicted with a model. The majority of the condenser is found to be in the stratified flow regime for all inclinations tested, with only a short annular section at the inlet of the condenser. The tubes inclined greater than 60° are also found to have stratified-wavy flow near the condenser outlet. Overall condenser U is found to increase with increasing downward inclination angle of the condenser, with a maximum increase of approximately 4% at 75° inclination. This improvement is found to be the result of improved drainage and increased void fraction near the condenser outlet. Mean steam-side heat transfer coefficient 1 (HTC) is found to remain constant along the tube, and for the entire condenser, with changes in tube inclination angle. Commonly-used inclined condensation HTC correlations are found to underpredict the magnitude of the experimentally-determined steam-side HTC.
Characterization of the infection process by Peronospora belbahrii on basil by scanning electron microscopy

Abstract Basil downy mildew caused by Peronospora belbahrii is a disease of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) production worldwide. In this study, sweet basil was grown in plant growth chambers and inoculated with sporangia of P. belbahrii harvested from previously infected plants. Plants were placed in closed, clear plastic bags and leaves harvested over time and observed using scanning electron microscopy. In most cases, sporangia germinated myceliogenically on abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces as early as three days after inoculation. Germ tubes and the tips of hyphae ramifying on leaf surfaces directly penetrated basil leaves to initiate the infection process. Hyphal growth was not observed to gain entrance to the interior of leaves through stomata, though growth over these openings was observed. Most frequently, seven days after inoculation, one or more sporangiophores grew through stomata to produce new sporangia on both the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of leaves. Macroscopic signs of infection were visible on both sides of leaves approximately ten days after inoculation under the conditions of this study. These results contribute to a better understanding of the infection process and disease onset of P. belbahrii and should help in the development of more effective measures for reducing basil downy mildew.
Repair of isthmic pars interarticularis fractures: a literature review of conventional and minimally invasive techniques.

Introduction The repair of symptomatic isthmic pars interarticularis fractures can result in excellent outcomes. A variety of operative interventions exist with conventional techniques requiring larger exposures. Recently described, less invasive techniques tend to minimize disruption of adjacent soft tissues, decrease postoperative pain, increase patient satisfaction, and improve return to work status and/or competitive sports. The present review details both conventional and minimally invasive techniques of pars interarticularis repairs. Also, the review uniquely describes the authors' technique of fluoroscopically guided direct pars screw placement with recombinant human morphogenic protein, with clinical and radiographic outcomes. Evidence acquisition A PubMed database literature review and retrospective chart review were conducted, in search of patients with lumbar spondylosis treated surgically. Literature review focused on various surgical techniques in repairing pars interarticularis fractures. Retrospective chart review analyzed demographic, radiographic, as well as pre- and postoperative clinical outcomes data. Evidence synthesis Surgical technique was characterized as traditional or minimally invasive operative technique. Four major operative techniques are discussed: The Buck repair, the Scott repair, the Morscher repair, and other pedicle-screw based repairs. The Levi technique is also described, utilizing minimally invasive techniques, in full. Conclusions Surgical treatment of isthmic pars interarticularis fractures is safe and effective. Many surgical techniques exist, however minimally invasive techniques tend to provide additional clinical benefit. Moreover, fluoroscopically guided direct pars screw placement with use of recombinant human morphogenic protein, may provide the most benefit, especially in adolescent patients with high levels of physical activity.
Reflections on Experiencing Apollo 11: On Trying to Outdo Yourself:

Some of you might know that I was a member of the launch team that sent Apollo 11 on its way to the moon in 1969. July of 2019 is the 50th anniversary of that momentous event. I have elected to use...
Digital Demons: Psychological Effects of Creating, and Engaging with, Virtual Avatars Representing Undesirable Aspects of the Self

Avatars are extensions of users' identities in virtual environments (VEs), yielding substantial influence over self-perception, affect, and behavior. However, extant research has largely focused on the implications associated with creating, and interacting with, avatars representing desirable aspects of the self (ideal self), overlooking other aspects of the self. Across several studies I examine the psychological and emotional effects of (a) creating avatars representing anxiety within the user (anxious self), and (b) interacting with such “anxiety avatars”. Results from three experiments consistently show that creating, and subsequently destroying, an anxiety avatar in various contexts reduces anxiety, effects explained by self-discrepancy theory's self-regulatory mechanisms. Follow-up studies examine interactions with anxiety avatars in custom-created PC and VR games to identify other potential mechanisms, unique to immersive VEs, contributing to these outcomes. Preliminary results support conclusions from the initial studies. Herein, I review pertinent literature, discuss findings, and outline ongoing experiments.
Bayesian model selection for metal yield models in high-velocity impact

Abstract The shock hydrodynamics code ALEGRA and the optimization and uncertainty quantification toolkit Dakota are used to calibrate and select between three competing steel yield models, taking uncertainties in the system into account. A Bayesian model selection procedure is used to choose between the models in a systematic, automated fashion, within an uncertainty quantification workflow. Time-series penetration data of a long tungsten-alloy rod impacting a hardened steel plate at approximately 1250 m/s, along with their measurement uncertainty, are used to calibrate and select between the models. The procedure finds that between the Johnson–Cook, Steinberg–Guinan–Lund, and Zerilli–Armstrong stress models, Zerilli–Armstrong performs the best.