cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nexus: A New Approach to Replication in Distributed Shared Caches

Last-level caches are increasingly distributed, consisting of many small banks. To perform well, most accesses must be served by banks near requesting cores. An attractive approach is to replicate read-only data so that a copy is available nearby. But replication introduces a delicate tradeoff between capacity and latency: too little replication forces cores to access faraway banks, while too much replication wastes cache space and causes excessive off-chip misses. Workloads vary widely in their desired amount of replication, demanding an adaptive approach. Prior adaptive replication techniques only replicate data in each tile's local bank, so they focus on selecting which data to replicate. Unfortunately, data that is not replicated still incurs a full network traversal, limiting the performance of these techniques.We argue that a better strategy is to let cores share replicas and that adaptive schemes should focus on selecting how much to replicate (i.e., how many replicas to have across the chip). This idea fully exploits the latency-capacity tradeoff, achieving qualitatively higher performance than prior adaptive replication techniques. It can be applied to many prior cache organizations, and we demonstrate it on two: Nexus-R extends R-NUCA, and Nexus-J extends Jigsaw. We evaluate Nexus on HPC and server workloads running on a 144-core chip, where it outperforms prior adaptive replication schemes and improves performance by up to 90% and by 23% on average across all workloads sensitive to replication.
Awkward sincerity and critical empathy: Encounters in “international marriage brokering” and feminist anthropology:

When feminist anthropologists engage “Others” close to home – those who might actively criticize feminism or whose political orientations are uncomfortably both familiar and strange – fieldwork encounters engender discomfiting methodological and representational challenges. Here, I explore those challenges through an examination of my own fieldwork among U.S. men participating in the “international marriage brokering” industry, specifically those married to or seeking spouses from the former Soviet Union. Anthropology traditionally represents the experiences and beliefs of culturally distant others relativistically and rather empathetically; but does this task shift when those observed are (at least in some ways) close to home, and when the researcher's personal and intellectual politics (and those of her most expected academic audiences) are in tension with her interlocutors'? This essay describes some of the tense moments and unsettling questions that arose in my own (conventional and online) ethnograph...
NUCLEAR DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF THE FUSION TRANSMUTATION OF WASTE REACTOR

The nuclear design and safety analyses for the Fusion Transmutation of Waste Reactor (FTWR) are described. The advantages of sub-critical operation for nuclear stability and safety are illustrated.
Business intelligence and analytics case studies

The ongoing process of digital transformation of organizational operations resulting from the incorporation of new technologies by businesses and consumers has resulted in the creation of vast data...
The Use of Digitally-modified Videos to Study the Function of Ornamentation and Courtship in the Guppy, Poecilia reticulata

The use of video playback, digitally-modified video images, and animations is a potentially powerful tool for exploring the interactions between morphological and behavioral components of complex sexually selected traits. The utility of digitally-modified video was evaluated by the responses of females to male images in which either the behavioral components of display or the colors of ornamentation were manipulated. Females were presented with paired male images that varied only in the size of the orange or blue spot on the body (19.1% vs. 8.6%), courtship duration (7 sec vs. 2.3 sec), or courtship rate (3 displays min-1 vs. 1 display min-1). Females preferred male images with more vigorous courtship displays (both duration and rate) but did not discriminate between images differing in spot size. The results of the present study suggest that females discriminate more strongly between variation in male behavior than in their morphological attributes. The results of morphological manipulations should be interpreted with caution, however, because several factors could have contributed to the lack of female responses to color spot variation. Among them are lowered resolution of the computer image, which fails to capture the precision and complexity of the color pattern. Despite these potential difficulties, digitally-modified video promises to be a powerful method to study complex visual communication systems, where the function of and interaction between the various morphological and behavioral components is as yet poorly understood.
Using a Mobile Multimedia System to Improve Information Exchange in EMS.

This research uses multiple research methodologies guided by Information Systems Design Theory (ISDT) to design and evaluate a mobile multimedia information system for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). We examined the impact of multimedia information for EMS information exchange and decision-making. A field study was designed and conducted in the Boise, Idaho region for three months to evaluate the system and validate ISDT design propositions. Findings from qualitative analysis illustrated the value of digital images and audio recordings for improving information exchange and augmenting medical decision-making. This paper describes the problem and justification, presents the system design, the pilot test methodology and findings and overall implications and future research directions.
An Ethical Theory Analysis of the Food System Discourse

The ethical and political discourse around food production and consumption is increasingly focused on the systems that provide the food that we eat. The predominant “industrial” or “global” food system has received a barrage of criticism in recent years, including that it displaces smallholding farmers, exploits workers, undermines cultural practices, disrupts rural communities, degrades the environment, promotes unhealthy eating, empowers corporations over individuals, causes animal suffering, diminishes food autonomy and security, and reduces the aesthetic quality of food. Critics of the global food system argue that we ought to reject the system in favor of shorter food supply chains, more local and regional food systems, which engender responsibility and empower smaller producers, workers, communities, families, and individuals. However, the “alternative food movement” has itself been subject to large amounts of criticism on the grounds that its food system vision would actually reduce food security, diminish diet quality, decrease food access, and make our diets less aesthetically interesting. Moreover, the movement has been charged with being classist, valorizing elitist ideas about “good food”, and promoting a false nostalgia about pre-industrial food conditions and practices. In this paper I provide a brief overview of the global food system and alternative food movement before discussing the ethical perspectives embedded in the cross system critiques. I suggest that proponents of the alternative food movement prioritize one type of ethical concern – recognition and respect – while proponents of the global food system prioritize another – bringing about overall beneficial outcomes. I then explore how a third ethical outlook – virtue-oriented ethics – might approach the food system issue. I suggest that a virtue-oriented approach is useful for identifying both insights and limitations of positions in the food system debate.
Modeling and Optimizing the Efficiency of a ZnO/ZnTe Solar Cell Using SCAPS Software

This paper presents a systematic study on optimizing the efficiency of ZnO/ZnTe solar cells. Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator was used to perform the analysis. The cell structure under study consists of ZnO/CdS/ZnTe deposited on Indium Tin Oxide covered glass. Three main parameters were optimized: (a) the layer thickness of the absorbent film (ZnTe) and the window layer (ZnO) (b) the lattice mismatch between the metal contact and the window layer (ZnO) (c) adding a buffer layer between the absorbent and the window layers. We found the highest efficiency can be obtained with an absorbent layer greater than 15 J.1m, with using Aluminum as the metal contact since it has the lowest lattice mismatch with ZnO, and with adding a CdS buffer layer between ZnO and ZnTe. All the above results were verified using SCAPS software. The highest efficiency obtained was 17.25 % with a short current density (J sc ) 9.8 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage (V oc ), 1.89 V and Fill Factor of 92.74 %.
363) Antidepressant Use in Patients with a History of Depression is Associated with Reduced Opioid Use after Total Knee Arthroplasty

Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) affects up to 40% of patients and is associated with prolonged postoperative opioid use. Depression is one risk factor for CPSP, but it is unknown if antidepressants modulate the risk for CPSP or prolonged postoperative opioid use in patients undergoing procedures at high-risk for CPSP. This retrospective cohort study utilized the records of Veterans Affairs patients who underwent a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between April 2012 – April 2016. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) use was recorded. Exclusion criteria were no depression diagnosis, opioid use preoperatively, other antidepressant use, and chronic pain diagnoses. Outcomes included morphine equivalents through postoperative day one and opioid use through 30, 90, and 365 days after surgery. Generalized linear models were created to adjust for confounding covariates, and a secondary analysis stratified outcomes by antidepressant class. The study cohort included 1,655 TKAs after applying all exclusion criteria, and it was 90.6% male and 77.1% white with a mean age of 65 years. Patients meeting inclusion criteria and using an SSRI or SNRI comprised 454 cases (27.4%). After adjustment for age, BMI, sex, race, general or regional anesthesia, non-opioid adjunct pain medication use, and comorbidities recorded in the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP), SSRI or SNRI use was associated with reduced opioid use through 30 days after surgery (OR = 0.74 (0.57, 0.95), p = 0.020). In the secondary analysis, SSRI use was associated with reduced opioid use through 90 days after surgery compared to SNRI use (OR = 0.35 (0.14, 0.89), p = 0.022). Perioperative SSRI or SNRI use, in patients with depression, is associated with reduced prescription opioid use 30 days after TKA. Prospective research is warranted to elucidate if there is a role for antidepressants as non-opioid analgesics in specific surgical populations.
Predicting piano skill acquisition in beginners: The role of general intelligence, music aptitude, and mindset

Abstract This study was designed to investigate sources of individual differences in musical skill acquisition. We had 171 undergraduates with little or no piano-playing experience attempt to learn a piece of piano music with the aid of a video-guide, and then, following practice with the guide, attempt to perform the piece from memory. A panel of musicians evaluated the performances based on their melodic and rhythmic accuracy. Participants also completed tests of working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, processing speed, and two tests of music aptitude (the Swedish Music Discrimination Test and the Advanced Measures of Music Audiation). Measures of general intelligence and music aptitude correlated significantly with skill acquisition, but mindset did not. Structural equation modeling revealed that general intelligence, music aptitude, and mindset together accounted for 22.4% of the variance in skill acquisition. However, only general intelligence contributed significantly to the model (β = 0.44, p
Hybrid Intrusion Detection System Using Machine Learning Techniques in Cloud Computing Environments

Intrusion detection is one essential tool towards building secure and trustworthy Cloud computing environment, given the ubiquitous presence of cyber attacks that proliferate rapidly and morph dynamically. In our current working paradigm of resource, platform and service consolidations, Cloud Computing provides a significant improvement in the cost metrics via dynamic provisioning of IT services. Since almost all cloud computing networks lean on providing their services through Internet, they are prone to experience variety of security issues. Therefore, in cloud environments, it is necessary to deploy an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect new and unknown attacks in addition to signature based known attacks, with high accuracy. In our deliberation we assume that a system or a network “anomalous” event is synonymous to an “intrusion” event when there is a significant departure in one or more underlying system or network activities. There are couple of recently proposed ideas that aim to develop a hybrid detection mechanism, combining advantages of signature-based detection schemes with the ability to detect unknown attacks based on anomalies. In this work, we propose a network based anomaly detection system at the Cloud Hypervisor level that utilizes a hybrid algorithm: a combination of K-means clustering algorithm and SVM classification algorithm, to improve the accuracy of the anomaly detection system. Dataset from UNSW-NB15 study is used to evaluate the proposed approach and results are compared with previous studies. The accuracy for our proposed K-means clustering model is slightly higher than others. However, the accuracy we obtained from the SVM model is still low for supervised techniques.
Congenital fibular dystrophisms conform to embryonic arterial dysgenesis

The congenital short limb (CSL) with fibular deficiency has traditionally been graded by plain radiography. The most popular orthopedic classification sorts the fibular dysmorphologies into three radiographic groupings: IA (thinned), IB (proximally truncated), or II (absent). In contrast, the soft tissues have been relatively neglected. Since bone formation of the fibula progresses from the anlage, a scaffolding cartilage mold intermediate, cartilage transformation to bone is dependent upon timely embryonic arterial invasion. Absences of the requisite arteries predicate specific skeletal dysmorphologies. The usual arterial supply of the fibula is comprised primarily of the anterior tibialis artery (ATA), which uniquely supplies the proximal portion of the fibula, and also joins the peroneal artery (PA) in supplying the mid to distal fibular shaft. Combinations of the two nutrient arteries allow four potential variations of fibular vascular supply, among which the ATA and PA conjoin to supply the normal fibula and variably supply the three dysmorphic fibular models. The IA and IB deformities conform, respectively, to the absences of the PA and the ATA. Combined ATA and PA absences present in the radiographically "absent" fibula. Thus, each of the four fibular (dys)morphologies conforms to a specific embryonic pattern of arterial development. The term "dystrophism" most accurately characterizes such malformed long bones.
Von Thünen’s Political Economy of Justice

While von Thunen has been much praised for his agricultural economics and his contributions to marginal productivity theory, his political economy of justice has only rarely been taken seriously. T...
The Unified Mechanism of Corrosion in Aqueous Weak Acids Solutions: A Review of the Recent Developments in Mechanistic Understandings of Mild Steel Corrosion in the Presence of Carboxylic Acids, Carbon Dioxide, and Hydrogen Sulfide

The recent developments in mechanistic understandings of mild steel corrosion in the presence of carboxylic acids, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, when place side by side, reveal a simple, un...
Fishers’ Perceptions of Environmental and Climate Change in Puerto Rico: Implications for Adaptation and Sustainability

Marine fisheries in the Caribbean are vulnerable to a wide range of environmental and climatic change impacts. Direct and indirect effects of these impacts on fish species affect the ability of fishers to harvest them resulting in reductions in revenue and food security. Understanding factors impacting and transforming fisheries from the viewpoint of the fishers is crucial for developing adequate strategies to maximize coastal communities’ resilience and adaptation to change, particularly under future climate change scenarios. This study uses qualitative and quantitative data collected from 212 surveys with Puerto Rican fishers to explore aspects of fishers’ subjective perceptions of environmental and climate change and investigate factors influencing these perceptions. Our findings show that fishers perceive the local environment and climate to have undergone significant changes in the past couple of decades and they believe these changes have been affecting the fishery and consequentially leading them to adapt. Adaptations to these impacts, which consist mostly of seeking new fishing grounds, have led them to increase their exposure to risks, particularly among SCUBA divers fishing in deeper waters and farther away from the coast. Results also show important relationships between fishers’ perceptions of the status of fishery resources, demographics, levels of environmental awareness, and concern about climate change. These findings have significant implications for the development of policy and educational strategies aimed at increasing sustainability and well-being in fishing communities.
A pentapeptide from type I procollagen promotes extracellular matrix production.

The NH2 and COOH propieces of fibril-forming collagens are cleaved off extracellularly and have been implicated in feedback regulation of their own synthesis. Recently, we showed that a subfragment of the carboxyl-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (residues 197-241) dramatically augments extracellular matrix production in subconfluent fibroblasts. This stimulation of type I collagen, type III collagen, and fibronectin production occurred in a dose- and time-dependent manner with no effect on total protein synthesis or on the ratio of secreted proteins to cell-associated proteins (Katayama, K., Seyer, J.M., Raghow, R., and Kang, A.H. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 7097-7104). In the present report, we have extensively dissected this subfragment of the propeptide and found that the pentapeptide Lys-Thr-Thr-Lys-Ser (residues 212-216) is the minimum sequence necessary for potent stimulation of collagen and fibronectin production in a variety of mesenchymal cells. We postulate that the extracellular matrix production in fibroblasts may be subject to either positive or negative feedback regulation depending on the repertoire of specific proteases during postinflammatory tissue regeneration and fibrosis.
Analysis of linear parameter varying system models based on reachable sets

Presents the analysis method of quasi-LPV models, comparing the ellipsoid set which contains the reachable set of a nonlinear system to determine which quasi-LPV model is less conservative to present the nonlinear dynamics. Quasi-LPV models are constructed from a nonlinear model using different methods, to facilitate synthesis of an LPV controller for the nonlinear system. The comparison results of the closed-loop system performance with the synthesized LPV controllers correspond to the analysis results of quasi-LPV models.
Sound‐channel observations of ice‐generated tremor in the Indian Ocean

[1] Mid to low southern latitude hydrophone stations within the Indian Ocean have recorded two distinct types of low-frequency (<100 Hz) tremor that can be correlated with drifting icebergs and glacial features along the Wilkes Land coast of eastern Antarctica. The most common of these signals is a variable harmonic tremor (VHT), with spectral peaks that exhibit frequency fluctuations through time. These signals typically display a 4 to 10 Hz fundamental frequency and may have as many as ten harmonic bands. Individual VHT signal packets have durations of up to ∼30 min and occur throughout the year in clusters that continue for hours to days. A second, less commonly observed signal is characterized by shorter duration (25 to 90 s) pulses with a convex-upward spectrogram appearance. These cusped pulse tremors (CPT) often exhibit a near-uniform pulse spacing, with episodes continuing for minutes to hours. Tremor received levels at hydrophones near 32°S, 114°E and 7°S, 72°E reach as high as 142 and 133 dB re 1 μPa (peak to peak), respectively. Propagation likely occurs as a sea surface–reflected phase at high latitudes and a sound channel phase north of the convergence zone, with low-frequency transmission loss estimates suggesting maximum acoustic source levels of ∼245 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m. Source locations for a subset of the loudest VHT signals correlate with the satellite-derived locations of a large iceberg (B-15D) that migrated westward along the Wilkes Land shelf region during 2002 and early 2003. Most VHT sources, however, cannot be correlated with known iceberg locations, suggesting that these signals also may be sourced from smaller unnamed icebergs and/or associated with outlet glaciers distributed along the Wilkes Land coast. CPT signals have a more limited spatial distribution, originating from five specific regions where ice streams are observed. The harmonic nature of both signal types is consistent with the resonance of an ice layer or fluid-filled cavity within an ice mass.
Directed broadcast: a MAC level primitive for robust network broadcast

Network wide broadcast (NWB) is a common and important operation in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). NWBs are used to propagate routing requests and/or state in routing protocols as well as application data in group communication protocols. NWB rely on MAC level broadcast which is unreliable. In the presence of shadowing or collisions, this leads to loss of coverage, especially in low density networks or for optimized NWB algorithms with limited redundancy. In this work, we propose a new MAC level primitive, directed broadcast, which significantly improves the reliability of link level broadcast. In particular, directed broadcast is especially suited for optimized NWB algorithms that build a virtual backbone because it allows full reliability for the messages as they cross the backbone. We show that using directed broadcast can significantly improve the reliability of NWB operation.
Multiple myeloma in women with silicone breast implants. Serum immunoglobulin and interleukin-6 studies in women at risk

Multiple myeloma is a relatively rare malignancy, resulting from the neoplastic transformation of a B lymphocyte clone with terminal differentiation into plasma cells. With a median age at presentation of 64–69 years, it is uncommon before the age of 45. The incidence of multiple myeloma is significantly higher in men than women and in blacks than in whites [1,2]. While its etiology is not known, some epidemiological studies have shown an increased rate of myeloma in persons with chronic inflammatory conditions including allergic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic bronchitis [2,3]. These studies suggest a relationship between chronic antigenic stimulation, and the development of myeloma.
Understanding the Effect of Security Assistance on Human Rights: The Case of Plan Colombia

Existing large-N research argues that governments that rely on their citizens for their revenue are more accountable to their citizens and thus have more incentives to protect human rights. This argument predicts that other sources of revenue fail to provide such incentives. Due to this, governments that rely on alternative sources of revenue will experience poor human rights conditions. This article is aimed at exploring this expectation by looking at one particular type of alternative source of revenue: security assistance. According to the argument, security assistance should negatively impact human rights conditions due to its effect on governments' efforts to protect and respect human rights. This article uses the case of Plan Colombia to assess this argument. By looking at the way in which foreign assistance interacts with domestic institutions, the case suggest that the negative effect is caused by the erosion on checks and balances and, most importantly, by changes in civil-military relations.
Improved Microscopy of Mycoplasma In Vitro

Abstract Techniques were developed for continuous microscopic observation of mycoplasmata growing in vitro in Rose chambers by using an inverted phase microscope. The methods permitted direct microscopic observation of undisturbed growth of mycoplasmata in liquid medium. Inocula of mycoplasmata were passed through 0.22-μm filters before culture to provide a suspension of discrete particles. The sequential growth of Mycoplasma pneumoniae was followed from points or single straight lines, with development of branching, a net-like confluence of filaments, large bodies occurring in the center of developing colonies, and finally coccoid forms. Other species of Mycoplasma which did not attach as readily to glass could be observed also by inverted phase microscopy. Umbonation of colonies (a “friedegg” appearance) occurred in liquid medium, indicating that this appearance was not due simply to interaction with the agar medium, but may reflect a qualitative difference in growth patterns between center and periphery. For growth on solid medium, direct observation of colonies in uncovered plates of agar medium was made by using inverted phase microscopy. This was found helpful in detecting small colonies and in observing relationships between colonies.
Carbon dioxide and ozone affect needle nitrogen and abscission in Pinus ponderosa

To determine whether CO2 (a key contributor to climate change), and O3 (an important air pollutant), interact to affect needle N dynamics; we grew Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws. seedlings for three seasons (1998–2000) in outdoor chambers with ambient or elevated CO2 combined with low or elevated O3. Nitrogen concentration (area basis) was measured for attached and abscised needles. Nitrogen retranslocation was determined by comparing N for attached needles in July vs. October, and N resorption by comparing N for needles which abscised from July to October vs. attached needles in October. Ozone, and to a lesser extent CO2, reduced needle N depending on age class and sampling date, but there were no CO2 × O3 interactions. There was a significant CO2 × O3 interaction for N retranslocation for 1998 needles in 1999 (O3 reduced higher retranslocation with elevated CO2), but CO2 and O3 had only marginal effects on N retranslocation or resorption for other needles. Abscission of year-old needles increased with elevated CO2, but not O3. Long-term studies are needed to determine if the responses to elevated CO2 and O3 in our seedlings persist as trees mature and have multiple age-classes of needles.
Neural network learning algorithms

The earliest network models of associative memory were based on correlations between input and output patterns of activity in linear processing units. These models have several features that make them attractive: The synaptic strengths are computed from information available locally at each synapse in a single trial; the information is distributed in a large number of connection strengths, the recall of stored information is associative, and the network can generalize to new input patterns that are similar to stored patterns. There are also severe limitations with this class of linear associative matrix models, including interference between stored items, especially between ones that are related, and inability to make decisions that are contingent on several inputs. New neural network models and neural network learning algorithms have been introduced recently that overcome some of the shortcomings of the associative matrix models of memory. These learning algorithms require many training examples to create the internal representations needed to perform a difficult task and generalize properly. They share some properties with human skill acquisition.
Thermal processing impact on the integrity of HfO 2 -based high-k gate dielectrics

Comprehensive studies of the integrity of HfO2-based high-k gate dielectrics are critical for optimizing and determining their performance properties. We present our results of atomic force microscopy, angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, mercury probe, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction investigations of the HfO2 gate stack integrity thermally processed with low and high temperatures, and the arising issues on interfacial reaction, diffusion, crystal phase, surface structures, impurities, and dielectric behaviors are addressed and discussed. The aim of the present study is to gain a better understanding of these physical, chemical, and structural characteristics of high-k oxide gate dielectric stacks on silicon under elevated temperature annealing.
Prevalence of central venous occlusion in patients with chronic defibrillator leads.

Abstract Background Many patients with previously implanted ventricular defibrillators are candidates for an upgrade to a device capable of atrial-ventricular sequential or multisite pacing. The prevalence of venous occlusion after placement of transvenous defibrillator leads is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of central venous occlusion in asymptomatic patients with chronic transvenous defibrillator leads. Methods Thirty consecutive patients with a transvenous defibrillator lead underwent bilateral contrast venography of the cephalic, axillary, subclavian, and brachiocephalic veins as well as the superior vena cava before an elective defibrillator battery replacement. The mean time between transvenous defibrillator lead implantation and venography was 45 ± 21 months. Sixteen patients had more than 1 lead in the same subclavian vein. No patient had clinical signs of venous occlusion. Results One (3%) patient had a complete occlusion of the subclavian vein, 1 (3%) patient had a 90% subclavian vein stenosis, 2 (7%) patients had a 75% to 89% subclavian stenosis, 11 (37%) patients had a 50% to 74% subclavian stenosis, and 15 (50%) patients had no subclavian stenosis. Conclusions The low prevalence of subclavian vein occlusion or severe stenosis among defibrillator recipients found in this study suggests that the placement of additional transvenous leads in a patient who already has a ventricular defibrillator is feasible in a high percentage of patients (93%). (Am Heart J 2001;141:813-6.)
Autonomous Organization Of Grasping Tasks

This paper describes an architecture for the control of robotic devices, and in particular of anthropomorphic hands, characterized by a hierarchical structure in which every level of the architecture contains data and control function with varying degree of abstraction. Bottom levels of the hierarchy interface directly with sensors and actuators, and process raw data and motor commands. Higher levels perform more symbolic types of tasks, such as application of Boolean rules and general planning operations. The implementation of the layer has to be consistent with the type of operation and its requirements for real time control. One implementation of the rule level, with a Boolean artificial neural network which would have a response time sufficient for producing reflex corrective action at the actuator level is presented.
Intein Applications: From Protein Purification and Labeling to Metabolic Control Methods

The discovery of inteins in the early 1990s opened the door to a wide variety of new technologies. Early engineered inteins from various sources allowed the development of self-cleaving affinity tags and new methods for joining protein segments through expressed protein ligation. Some applications were developed around native and engineered split inteins, which allow protein segments expressed separately to be spliced together in vitro. More recently, these early applications have been expanded and optimized through the discovery of highly efficient trans-splicing and trans-cleaving inteins. These new inteins have enabled a wide variety of applications in metabolic engineering, protein labeling, biomaterials construction, protein cyclization, and protein purification.
Clinical Manifestations, Etiology, and Pathogenesis of the Hyper-IgE Syndromes

Autosomal dominant Hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES) is a rare primary immunodeficiency characterized by eczema, recurrent skin and lung infections, elevated serum IgE, and various connective tissue, skeletal, and vascular abnormalities. Mutations in signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) have recently been found to account for most cases; however, the pathogenesis of the varied features remains poorly defined. A distinct syndrome, known as autosomal recessive HIES (AR-HIES) manifests as severe eczema, recurrent bacterial and viral skin infections, and sinopulmonary infections. As opposed to STAT3 deficient HIES, AR-HIES lacks the connective tissue and skeletal manifestations but has an increase in neurologic abnormalities. In this review, we discuss the clinical presentations, genetic etiologies, and immunologic abnormalities of these two syndromes. In addition, we discuss animal models of STAT3 deficiency that provide insight into the pathogenesis of HIES. Further understanding of how STAT3 results in the diverse manifestations of HIES will allow us to develop more specific therapies for HIES as well as for many of the manifestations, such as scoliosis, recurrent staphylococcal infections, and eczema, which are common in the general population.
An O ( n log log n )-time algorithm for triangulating a simple polygon

Given a simple n-vertex polygon, the triangulation problem is to partition the interior of the polygon into $n - 2$ triangles by adding $n - 3$ nonintersecting diagonals. We propose an $O(n\log \log n)$-time algorithm for this problem, improving on the previously best bound of $O(n\log n)$ and showing that triangulation is not as hard as sorting. Improved algorithms for several other computational geometry problems, including testing whether a polygon is simple, follow from our result.
O3-(2-carbomethoxyallyl) ethers of opioid ligands derived from oxymorphone, naltrexone, etorphine, diprenorphine, norbinaltorphimine, and naltrindole. Unexpected O3-dealkylation in the opioid radioligand displacement assay.

O3-(2-Carbomethoxyallyl) ether derivatives of some phenolic 4,5-epoxymorphinan opioid ligands have been prepared in a simple one-step procedure, and their behavior in the radioligand receptor assay was compared to their phenolic precursors. These O3-ether ligands appeared to show significant affinity for opioid receptors, about 2-fold less than the parent phenols, and their receptor selectivities were similar. However, on close examination of the stability of a representative ether 2b in the radioligand displacement assay, considerable O3-dealkylation was observed. The dealkylation process occurred even after denaturation of the proteins of the membrane preparation, and it occurred in the presence of model nucleophiles imidazole and thiophenol. Thus, what apparently was unusual activity is explained by O3-dealkylation to the parent phenol (e.g., 2a). Saturated ether analog 2c was not dealkylated under the conditions of the radioligand displacement assay and was a very weak opioid ligand. We conclude that the conversion of the O3(2-carbomethoxyallyl) ether electrophilic ligands to their parent phenols accounts for their activity in the opioid radioligand displacement assay.
Does prophylaxis against atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery reduce length of stay or hospital costs

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after cardiac surgery and may result in stroke, need for permanent pacemaker, hemodynamic instability, and sustained AF. Studies determining the effect of prophylaxis against AF in cardiac surgery on length of stay (LOS) and hospital cost were reviewed. A MEDLINE search from January 1966-November 2000 was conducted using the medical subject heading (MeSH) atrial fibrillation. The search was limited to clinical trials in the English language. In five of the seven studies reviewed, the frequency of postoperative AF was significantly reduced with prophylactic amiodarone or sotalol. In only one study were LOS and costs significantly reduced. Whereas there is strong evidence that prophylactic drug therapy reduces the frequency of postoperative AF, there is little evidence of an economic advantage. Future studies are warranted that examine costs beyond initial hospitalization; compare prophylaxis administered selectively to high-risk patients with prophylaxis administered universally; and compare prophylaxis with the combination of rate control and anticoagulation with cardioversion if AF persists.
A hemangioblastoma in the pineal region: case report.

Objective Although reported to occur throughout the central nervous system, hemangioblastomas are principally found in the cerebellum and spinal cord. Pineal region tumors comprise approximately 1% of central nervous system neoplasms. A wide variety of tumors can affect this region, the most common being germ cell tumors, gliomas, and pineal cell tumors. In the literature, we found only one case of hemangioblastoma in the pineal region in association with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Clinical presentation We describe the case of a patient with a symptomatic hemangioblastoma in the pineal region with no clinical criteria for von Hippel-Lindau disease. The patient had a 1-month history of short-term memory loss, headache, difficulty concentrating and writing, disturbed balance, and loss of bladder function. At the time of physical examination, she was awake, alert, and oriented. An ophthalmoscopic examination revealed nystagmus with conjugate upward gaze and papilledema. Radiological images showed a mass in the pineal region with obstructive hydrocephalus. Intervention A lateral suboccipital infratentorial supracerebellar approach was used to remove the tumor, which was attached to the quadrigeminal plate. Histological examination showed the lesion to be a hemangioblastoma. The clinical findings for von Hippel-Lindau disease were negative. Conclusion The patient's neurological deficits were reversed after surgery. This case emphasizes the importance of the differential diagnosis of hemangioblastomas located in this region. These tumors can be safely removed through surgery.
Upper Cambrian Faunal Patterns on the Craton

Analysis of the biostratigraphy and the litho-facies pattern of Upper Cambrian sedimentation upon the craton reveals four synchronous marine regressions and three transgressions attributable to eustatic sea level change. The beginning of each regression relates to the impoverishment or extinction of the existing trilobite biota and the appearance of many individuals of a few unrelated genera and species. Except in near-shore sites the abrupt faunal change preceded by a short time the physical evidence of regression in the sections. The cause of the faunal change and of the regression was a deterioration of world climate. The first regression occurred during the Bolaspidella Zone and the ensuing faunal impoverishment and change has been used to mark the end of the Middle Cambrian. The beginning of the second regression coincided with the appearance of the oldest genera of the Aphelaspis Zone assemblage on the craton in late Dresbachian; the third with the earliest genera of the Conaspis Zone assemblage in the middle Franconian; and the fourth with the dominance of genera of the Hungaia assemblage on the craton in late Trempealeauan. The small biota of each new assemblage evolved during the regression to occupy the limited habitats of the shrinking environments on the craton and in the adjoining miogeosyncline. During the succeeding transgression some of the genera evolved explosively as a variety of habitats became available in the warming marine waters of the expanding cratonic environment. The Cedaria-Crepicephalus, the Elvinia, and the Prosautya-early Saukja assemblages are the characteristic, highly varied biotas of the transgressions.
Diplopia as early sign of temporal arteritis. Report of two cases.

The case histories of 2 elderly men who developed diplopia as a predominant symptom of temporal arteritis are presented. In 1, the significance of diplopia was not appreciated and blindness ensued. In the second prompt therapy resulted in remission of symptoms with preservation of vision. Diplopia occurs in 10–15% of patients with temporal arteritis; when seen in elderly persons it should lead to a search for other manifestations of this disease.
Assessing interpersonal and communication skills in radiation oncology residents: a pilot standardized patient program.

Purpose There is a lack of data for the structured development and evaluation of communication skills in radiation oncology residency training programs. Effective communication skills are increasingly emphasized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and are critical for a successful clinical practice. We present the design of a novel, pilot standardized patient (SP) program and the evaluation of communication skills among radiation oncology residents. Methods and Materials Two case scenarios were developed to challenge residents in the delivery of “bad news” to patients: one scenario regarding treatment failure and the other regarding change in treatment plan. Eleven radiation oncology residents paired with 6 faculty participated in this pilot program. Each encounter was scored by the SPs, observing faculty, and residents themselves based on the Kalamazoo guidelines. Results Overall resident performance ratings were “good” to “excellent,” with faculty assigning statistically significant higher scores and residents assigning lower scores. We found inconsistent inter rater agreement among faculty, residents, and SPs. SP feedback was also valuable in identifying areas of improvement, including more collaborative decision making and less use of medical jargon. Conclusions The program was well received by residents and faculty and regarded as a valuable educational experience that could be used as an annual feedback tool. Poor inter rater agreement suggests a need for residents and faculty physicians to better calibrate their evaluations to true patient perceptions. High scores from faculty members substantiate the concern that resident evaluations are generally positive and nondiscriminating. Faculty should be encouraged to provide honest and critical feedback to hone residents' interpersonal skills.
Government publications of the People's Republic of China

Abstract China has had a long history of government printing and publishing. The People's Republic of China (PRC) carries this tradition one step further by controlling all aspects of printing and publishing, including the printing shops and the distribution system throughout the country. Everything published in the PRC is technically a government publication. Some government publications are printed in both Chinese and foreign languages. There is a separate agency to handle publications for export. There is no free depository library program, no index to government publications, and no automation in handling government publications. However, government publications do reach almost every citizen through the government and Communist party hierarchies. In the PRC, government publications are utilized not only to inform people, but also to indoctrinate them to official party policies.
A TRICK'n way to see the pioneer round of translation

Because proteins are largely the ultimate effectors of genotype, controlling the process of protein synthesis in space and time can play a critical role in cell metabolism. The subcellular localization of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and their ensuing translation into proteins are known to be exploited to regulate processes such as development, cell motility, and neurotransmission. However, a dearth of tools for observing where and when mRNA translation occurs with single-molecule resolution in live cells has limited analysis to primarily ensemble, often static, biochemical measurements. On page 1367 of this issue, Halstead et al. ( 1 ) have filled this need by developing a method for visualizing mRNA translation in both live cells and whole animals.
Retinotopic map refinement requires spontaneous retinal waves during a brief critical period of development.

Abstract During retinocollicular map development, spontaneous waves of action potentials spread across the retina, correlating activity among neighboring retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). To address the role of retinal waves in topographic map development, we examined wave dynamics and retinocollicular projections in mice lacking the β2 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. β2 −/− mice lack waves during the first postnatal week, but RGCs have high levels of uncorrelated firing. By P8, the wild-type retinocollicular projection remodels into a refined map characterized by axons of neighboring RGCs forming focal termination zones (TZs) of overlapping arbors. In contrast, in P8 β2 −/− mice, neighboring RGC axons form large TZs characterized by broadly distributed arbors. At P8, glutamatergic retinal waves appear in β2 −/− mice, and later, visually patterned activity appears, but the diffuse TZs fail to remodel. Thus, spontaneous retinal waves that correlate RGC activity are required for retinotopic map remodeling during a brief early critical period.
Editorial: Introducing the New Editor-in-Chief

I have been appointed as the next Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering and will step down from my current Executive Editor position for Knowledge and Information Systems (KAIS) at the end of 2004. Nick Cercone, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University in Canada, will take the responsibility of Editor-in-Chief for Knowledge and Information Systems (KAIS), starting January 1, 2005. Professor Cercone is an internationally renowned researcher in several fields of computer science and a recognized world leader. His research interests include natural language processing, knowledge-based systems, knowledge-discovery in databases, data mining and design and human interfaces. He is the author of over 200 refereed publications and has graduated 60 graduate students. Professor Cercone cofounded the Computational Intelligence journal and currently serves on the editorial boards of six journals. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and a past president of the CSCSI/SCEIO (Canadian Society for Computational Studies of Intelligence), of the Canadian Society for Fifth Generation Research, and of the Canadian Association for Computer Science (CACS/AIC). In 1996, he won the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Society’s Distinguished Service Award. Prior to his current dean position at Dalhousie, Professor Cercone was Chair of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. From 1993 until 1997, he was Associate Vice President (Research) and Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Regina. Formerly, he was Director of the Center for Systems Science at Simon Fraser University (1987–1992) and Chairman of the School of Computing Science (1980–1985) at Simon Fraser. He received the BS degree in engineering science from the University of Steubenville in 1968, the MS degree in computer and information science from Ohio State University in 1970, and a PhD degree in computing science from the University of Alberta in 1975. Professor Cercone has an active home page on the Web at with detailed information for his research and leadership activities. Springer and I are very grateful for Professor Cercone’s agreement to serve in the KAIS Editor-in-Chief position. We believe that his research expertise and leadership