cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal receptive fields of barrel cortex revealed by reverse correlation of synaptic input

Of all of the sensory areas, barrel cortex is among the best understood in terms of circuitry, yet least understood in terms of sensory function. We combined intracellular recording in rats with a multi-directional, multi-whisker stimulator system to estimate receptive fields by reverse correlation of stimuli to synaptic inputs. Spatiotemporal receptive fields were identified orders of magnitude faster than by conventional spike-based approaches, even for neurons with little spiking activity. Given a suitable stimulus representation, a linear model captured the stimulus-response relationship for all neurons with high accuracy. In contrast with conventional single-whisker stimuli, complex stimuli revealed markedly sharpened receptive fields, largely as a result of adaptation. This phenomenon allowed the surround to facilitate rather than to suppress responses to the principal whisker. Optimized stimuli enhanced firing in layers 4-6, but not in layers 2/3, which remained sparsely active. Surround facilitation through adaptation may be required for discriminating complex shapes and textures during natural sensing.
Criteria To Screen for Chronic Sinonasal Disease

Background: Sinusitis and rhinitis are associated with uncontrolled asthma. There are no simple, validated tools to screen for these diseases. The objective of this study was to assess instruments to assist in the diagnosis of chronic sinonasal disease. Methods: Participants without acute sinonasal symptoms underwent an extensive evaluation. The results were submitted to an expert panel that used the Delphi method to achieve consensus. Using the consensus diagnosis of the panel, we determined the sensitivity and specificity of test procedures to diagnose chronic sinonasal disease. We determined the reproducibility of the most sensitive and specific instrument in a separate cohort. Results: Fifty-nine participants were evaluated, and the expert panel reached consensus for all (42 participants with chronic sinonasal disease, 17 participants without chronic sinonasal disease). A six-item questionnaire based on the frequency of nasal symptoms was the most sensitive tool used to diagnose sinonasal disease (minimum specificity, 0.90). Reproducibility testing in a separate cohort of 63 participants (41 chronic sinonasal disease with asthma, 22 chronic sinonasal disease without asthma) showed a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85 to 0.94) when this questionnaire was limited to five items (ie, excluding a question on smell). This five-item questionnaire had a sensitivity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.77 to 0.97), a specificity of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.71 to 1.00), and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97 (95% CI, 0.93 to 1.0). Sinus CT scans and nasal endoscopy lacked sensitivity for use in the diagnosis of chronic sinonasal disease. Conclusions: We have developed a sensitive, specific, and reproducible instrument to screen for chronic sinonasal disease. Validation studies of this five-item questionnaire are needed, including in patients with asthma. (CHEST 2009; 136:1324–1332) Abbreviations: AUC area under the curve; ROC receiver operating characteristic; SNQ sinonasal questionnaire
Inhibition of cancer cell invasion and metastasis by genistein

Genistein is a small, biologically active flavonoid that is found in high amounts in soy. This important compound possesses a wide variety of biological activities, but it is best known for its ability to inhibit cancer progression. In particular, genistein has emerged as an important inhibitor of cancer metastasis. Consumption of genistein in the diet has been linked to decreased rates of metastatic cancer in a number of population-based studies. Extensive investigations have been performed to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying genistein’s antimetastatic activity, with results indicating that this small molecule has significant inhibitory activity at nearly every step of the metastatic cascade. Reports have demonstrated that, at high concentrations, genistein can inhibit several proteins involved with primary tumor growth and apoptosis, including the cyclin class of cell cycle regulators and the Akt family of proteins. At lower concentrations that are similar to those achieved through dietary consumption, genistein can inhibit the prometastatic processes of cancer cell detachment, migration, and invasion through a variety of mechanisms, including the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway. Several in vitro findings have been corroborated in both in vivo animal studies and in early-phase human clinical trials, demonstrating that genistein can both inhibit human cancer metastasis and also modulate markers of metastatic potential in humans, respectively. Herein, we discuss the variety of mechanisms by which genistein regulates individual steps of the metastatic cascade and highlight the potential of this natural product as a promising therapeutic inhibitor of metastasis.
A Generic Scalable Architecture for Min-Sum/Offset-Min-Sum Unit for Irregular/Regular LDPC Decoder

The most common algorithm used in iterative decoding of low-density parity check (LDPC) codes is based on a generic class of the sum-product algorithm, which has a nonlinear dependence on the log(tanh()) function. The implementation based on fixed precision has substantial loss of accuracy and is computationally expensive with full precision. A suboptimal version of belief propagation called the offset-min-sum algorithm is generally used in hardware implementation. This paper proposes a generic scalable architecture for minimum search during check-node operation in the offset-min-sum algorithm applicable to regular as well as irregular LDPC codes with check node of any degree d. For an LDPC code with maximum check node degree d, the proposed architecture consists of 2(d-2) 2 × 1 multiplexers and 3(d-2) two-input compare-and-select units (CSUs). This has latency of [2⌈log2(d)⌉-2]tdc when ⌈log2(d)⌉-log2(d) <; log2(4/3) else [2⌈log2(d)⌉-3]tdc, with tdc representing the delay of a two-input CSU. The proposed architecture has been implemented for d = 20 using a TSMC 0.18-μm CMOS process.
The loss of positional certainty in long-term memory.

Long-term memory for sequential position was examined following retention intervals that ranged from 30 sec to 24 h. The Estes perturbation model (1972) is shown to provide a reasonable qualitative fit of the dynamics of forgetting, even though the model was designed to account for the phenomena of immediate memory. Similarities among the forgetting processes of short-and long-term memory are considered.
Exploring the Roles of the Generative Vocabulary Matrix and Academic Literacy Engagement of Ninth Grade Biology Students

Seeking to increase conceptual understanding by sustaining adolescents’ engagement and interest in secondary science classrooms, an intervention, the Engagement Model of Academic Literacy for Learning (EngageALL), was designed to implement a disciplinary literacy approach and organize instruction according to characteristics of student interest development. A central feature of the intervention was the Generative Vocabulary Matrix. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine the impact of the intervention on 222 ninth grade biology students’ conceptual understanding of a one-week biology unit, quality of learning experience, student engagement, motivational changes, perceptions, and academic vocabulary/language use. Using the Experience Sampling Method, quantitative and qualitative analyses, and scenario-based writing to measure effects, findings revealed that students receiving the intervention performed at significantly higher levels of conceptual understanding of biology content, engagemen...
Pathways for ring inversion in 9, 10-dihydroanthracene, 9, 10-dihydrophenanthrene, and 7, 12-dihydropleiadene: combined molecular orbital and molecular mechanics study

The combined semiempirical AM1 and MM2 study of the ring inversion processes in 9, 10-dihydroanthracene (1), 9, 10-dihydrophenanthrene (2), and 7, 12-dihydropleiadene (3) predicts planar transition states for 1 and 2, in accord with earlier assumptions. In the case of 3, however, a nonplanar, chair-like transition state is located on the potential energy surface in contrast with previous conclusions. Implications of the nonplanar TS on the rationalization of available experimental data are discussed. The calculated barriers for ring inversion in 1–3 are in reasonable agreement with both experiment and previous theoretical results. In general, AM1 is found to slightly underestimate the barriers as compared to the MM2 calculations.
DISQUISITIONS ON ORIGINAL ANTIGENIC SIN : I. EVIDENCE IN MAN

When primary immunity is boosted not by the homologous but by a crossreacting vaccine, the newly formed antibodies react better with the primary antigen than with the antigen actually eliciting the response. This phenomenon bears the name of Original Antigenic Sin (1). It is shown that the number of antibody molecules produced against the original and the vaccinating antigen is the same; that each of these molecules is capable of reacting with both antigens; that the activity of an antiserum can be completely absorbed with either antigen; that both residual and adsorbed-dissociated fractions of antibody exhibit the same relative affinities towards the two antigens as did the native serum; that, unlike standard primary and secondary responses, the population of antibody molecules characterizing the Original Antigenic Sin is homogeneous; that each molecule has a lower equilibrium constant (i.e. higher avidity) against the original antigen than against the antigen stimulating the present response; and that all equilibrium constants are typical of secondary antibody. It is concluded that the Original Antigenic Sin is a partial anamnestic response, a related antigen stimulating that sector only of the originally primed cells which is destined to produce cross-reacting antibody. A hypothesis is developed according to which the basic difference between primary and secondary reactivity rests on the presence of a trapping mechanism that allows anamnestic production of antibody against lower doses of the homologous antigen. Such a mechanism is capable of cross-trapping related antigens, thus preventing a standard primary response and allowing manifestations of Original Antigenic Sin.
Adoption and perceptions of shelter-in-place in California's Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District

The increasing impact of wildland fire on human settlements in the USA, and a growing recognition that evacuation might not always to the safest option for those in the path of the flames, continue to spur consideration of alternatives to evacuation among the American public and its fire professionals. Alternatives to evacuation typically include the option for residents to remain in fire-hardened structures while the flames pass; however, it appears there is no clear consensus on whether existing Australian alternatives or new variations should be used in American communities, and if any option will reduce risks to residents and firefighters. This study uses structuration theory to analyse adoption of the shelter-in-place policy created by the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District in southern California. We interviewed professionals working in and around the District and the public affected by the policy. Results suggest that professional support and implementation of shelter-in-place are influenced by the breadth of their personal firefighting experience, their agencies' flexibility and constraints on innovation, and perceived potential liability for damage from adoption of alternatives. Resident knowledge and understanding of shelter-in-place are also lacking. We conclude with recommenda- tions for continued development of alternatives to evacuation. Additional keywords: alternatives to evacuation, community development, public safety, Stay and Defend or Leave early.
Assisting seller pricing strategy selection for electronic auctions

This research examines sellers' pricing strategy oriented to bidders' risk preferences, within the context of an electronic auction. A business model is then proposed to predict the probability of potential bidders' risk preference, which sellers can consider to set pricing strategy to maximize their profits. A tailored intelligent auction registry engine is constructed based upon an initial version of our business model. Because the extensible markup language (XML)-based simple object access protocol (SOAP) is utilized to support interactions with other resources, our engine is decoupled from the underlying technology choices; therefore, it can be deployed to different platforms.
A general class of vector absorbing boundary conditions for FEM applications

A derivation is presented which leads to a new and general class of vector absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs) for use with the finite element method (FEM). The derivation is based on a vector one-way wave equation and a polynomial approximation of the vector radical. Wide-angle absorbing boundary conditions, as proposed in Halpern and Trefethen (1988) for optimal absorption of outward waves, can be obtained in vector forms and their implementation in a FEM formulation can achieve the fifth-order absorbing accuracy with derivatives only up to the second order. >
Behavioral and physiological consequences of suckling in rat and human newborns

Suckling, in addition to yielding milk, water and calories, exerts profound behavioral effects on newborn rats and humans. In particular, suckling induces feelings of calm, reduces heart rate and metabolic rate, causes infants to bring their hands to their mouths and elevates the pain threshold. These changes are mediated by opioid and non-opioid systems, each having its own separate behavioral and neurological characteristics. The implications of suckling-induced changes for long-term motivational and cognitive change are discussed.
IV.—Woodwardian Museum Notes: on some Anglesey Dykes. II.

In the Woodwardian Museum is a collection of nearly a thousand rock-specimens made by Professor Henslow to illustrate his “ Geological Description of Anglesea ” (1821, Trans. Camb. Phil. Soc. vol. i. pp. 359–452, plates xv.–xxi.). Specimens of the principal dykes were submitted to the examination of Professor Cordier, and his remarks on them are quoted in Henslow's paper. As Cordier's determinations date from a time when thin slices of rocks were unknown, and but little attention has since been given to the dykes of Anglesey, it is believed that brief notices of some of the typical rocks from localities easity identified may have an interest for British geologists. As regards the mode of occurrence of the dykes and their effects upon the adjacent strata, little can be added to the accurate descriptions of Henslow, written at a time when the igneous origin of dykes was a proposition to be proved.
Arterially misplaced Swan-Ganz catheter in a hypotensive and hypoxic COPD patient

Arterial misplacement of the Swan-Ganz catheter occurs occasionally and usually can be easily detected. However, in some special clinical settings, the problem may become more complicated. We report a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in which, because of severe hypoxemia, systemic hypotension, and pulmonary hypertension, conventional methods failed to recognize the misplacement, until confirmed with blood gas analysis.
Laboratory Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections in Adult Patients

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections and account for a significant part of the workload in clinical microbiology laboratories. Enteric bacteria (in particular, Escherichia coli) remain the most frequent cause of UTIs, although the distribution of pathogens that cause UTIs is changing. More important is the increase in resistance to some antimicrobial agents, particularly the resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole seen in E. coli. Physicians distinguish UTIs from other diseases that have similar clinical presentations with use of a small number of tests, none of which, if used individually, have adequate sensitivity and specificity. Among the diagnostic tests, urinalysis is useful mainly for excluding bacteriuria. Urine culture may not be necessary as part of the evaluation of outpatients with uncomplicated UTIs, but it is necessary for outpatients who have recurrent UTIs, experience treatment failures, or have complicated UTIs, as well as for inpatients who develop UTIs.
Introducing undergraduate students to global health challenges through web-based learning.

Abstract Since many students cannot afford the expense of international travel, creative and active learning methods are needed to help students experience the increased awareness that results from exposure to global health concepts. The global health course described in this article uses a variety of web-based learning experiences and other interactive strategies to equip future nurses for leadership roles in global health. An emphasis on written communication is an important component of the course.
Every Day More Wicked: Reflections on Culture, Politics, and Punishment by Death

As part of a larger scholarly effort to rethink and reformulate the terms of our national capital punishment debate by examining the problems for constitutional form and structure that attend the contemporary death penalty dialogue, this Essay confronts cultural and media institutions as factors affecting capital punishment policy and politics. Although these institutions play a vital mediating role in a representative democracy, they also possess extraordinary power - of which they often today take advantage - to influence public perception of and attitudes toward capital punishment. But this often is accomplished through inaccurate and/or incomplete depictions of, and commentary on, the death penalty, which undermines the public's capacity for intelligent self-government on a morally and politically complex issue of law and policy. This reinforces the need for robust representative institutions in order to counter the danger that cultural and media institutions (which are immediately accessible and alluringly democratic) will become dominant mediating forces on policy questions. Representative institutions of government should be the primary mediums for filtering our public passion, but they can do so safely and competently only by retaining essential distance from the people and by refining and enlarging, rather than appeasing, the public view. Modern representative institutions have, however, eschewed this deliberative role, thus enhancing the dangers posed by popular culture and the media that the capital punishment debate exemplifies. This Essay therefore urges a return to formal institutional arrangements that account for the problems of democratic rule.
Public and Private Space in Urban Areas: House, Neighborhood, and City

From time immemorial, societies have fashioned informal and formal public and private spaces in their settlements. Public space is “a place accessible to all citizens, for their use and enjoyment” (Jackson, 1974). In contrast, a private place is open to those permitted by law or custom. As it becomes more clear in the following essay, the meaning of the words “accessible,” “use,” and “enjoyment” is very broad (Francis, 1989). The demarcation of public and private areas, although seemingly sharp is sometimes vague. In addition, different societies at various times in history have placed more or less attention on the creation and maintenance of public space. Public space is important to urban sociologists who recognize that it serves as a setting for community activities or public life, for example, parades, meetings, and informal gatherings. They also observe how it can be a magnet for community organization; for example, groups unite in designing, developing, maintaining, and protecting public spaces. And finally, they see that it can provide a unique identifiable reference that reinforces a sense of belonging to a community; for example, New Yorkers identify with Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, and Central Park or Philadelphians resonate to Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Love Park, Fairmount Park, and the steps of the Museum of Art.
Synthesis, structure, ultrafast kinetics, and light-induced dynamics of CuHETPHEN chromophores

Five heteroleptic Cu(I)bis(phenanthroline) chromophores with distinct variation in the steric bulk at the 2,9-phenanthroline position were synthesized using the HETPHEN method, and their ground and excited state properties are described. Analysis of the crystal structures reveals a significant distortion from tetrahedral geometry around the Cu(I) centre which is attributed to favourable aromatic interactions between the two phenanthroline ligands. Ultrafast and nanosecond transient optical spectroscopies reveal that the excited state lifetime can be tuned across two orders of magnitude up to 74 nanoseconds in acetonitrile by changing the 2,9-substituent from hydrogen to sec-butyl. X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy at the Cu K-edge confirmed Cu(I) oxidation to Cu(II) and revealed a decrease of the Cu–N bond lengths in the excited state. The ground and excited state characterization presented here will guide the integration of CuHETPHEN chromophores into complex electron donor–acceptor architectures.
Relationships of abdominal pain, reports to visceral and temperature pain sensitivity, conditioned pain modulation, and heart rate variability in irritable bowel syndrome.

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a heterogeneous condition with a number of pathophysiological mechanisms that appear to contribute to symptom chronicity. One of these is altered pain sensitivity. Methods Women between ages 18–45 were recruited the community. Of those enrolled, 56 had IBS and 36 were healthy control (HC) women. Participants completed questionnaires, kept a 4-week symptom diary and had a 12-h Holter placed to assess nighttime heart rate variability including high frequency power (HF), low frequency power (LF), and total power (TP). At mid-follicular phase approximately 80% of women completed a thermal pain sensitivity test with conditioned pain modulation and visceral pain sensitivity using a water load symptom provocation (WLSP) test. Key Results As expected, daily abdominal pain was significantly higher in the IBS compared to HC group. There were no differences between the bowel pattern subgroups (IBS-diarrhea [IBS-D], IBS-constipation plus mixed [IBS-CM]). Thermal pain sensitivity did not differ between the IBS and the HC groups, but was significantly higher in the IBS-CM group than the IBS-D group. In the WLSP test, the IBS group experienced significantly more symptom distress than HCs and the IBS-CM group was higher than the IBS-D group. Heart rate variability indicators did not differ between the groups or IBS subgroups. Daily abdominal pain was positively correlated with LF and TP in the IBS group. Conclusions & Inferences Despite similar levels of abdominal pain in IBS, the IBS-CM group demonstrated greater sensitivity to both thermal and visceral testing procedures.
Risk-Stratified Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Total Joint Arthroplasty: Aspirin and Sequential Pneumatic Compression Devices vs Aggressive Chemoprophylaxis

Abstract Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major concern after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). We evaluated a risk-stratified prophylaxis protocol for patients undergoing TJA. Methods A total of 2611 TJA patients were retrospectively studied. Patients treated with an aggressive VTE chemoprophylaxis protocol were compared with patients treated with a risk-stratified protocol utilizing aspirin and sequential pneumatic compression devices (SPCDs) for standard-risk patients and targeted anticoagulation for high-risk patients. Results We found equivalence in terms of VTE prevention between the 2 cohorts. There was a decrease in adverse events and readmissions among the risk-stratified cohort, although this did not reach statistical significance. A statistically significant reduction in costs (P Conclusion The use of aspirin/SPCDs in a risk-stratified TJA population is a safe and cost-effective method of VTE prophylaxis.
The Vocal Repertoire of the Red Junglefowl: A Spectrographic Classification and the Code of Communication

This report attempts to describe objectively the complete vocal repertoire and the vocal code of the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), most probable wild ancestor of the domestic fowl. An unconfined color-banded flock was watched over a period of 6 years at the San Diego Zoo. The general behavior and vocalizations are essentially the same in Red Junglefowl and the domestic fowl. Different vocal signals can be recognized by their sonograms and by the common element in the various situations in which a signal is given. Twenty-four vocal signals are described but because of intergradation between some signals and between different situations no absolute size of vocal repertoire can be fixed. A spectrographic (structural) key to the vocal signals of the Red Junglefowl is given and with the sonograms should enable one to identify the typical calls. Different elements can be combined to produce specific vocal signals, in effect a code. Brief, soft repetitive notes of low frequency are attraction calls. Loud harsh sounds with high frequencies are alarm cries. Harsh sounds emphasizing low frequencies are threat sounds. These rules hold for many other birds. Junglefowl also have special calls that appear to indicate well-being, or mild disturbance and frustration. The evolution of the vocal signals of the Red Junglefowl is discussed in relation to Darwin's (1872) three principles of communication and to modern ethology.
An alternative circular smoothing method to nonparametric estimation of periodic functions

ABSTRACTThis article provides alternative circular smoothing methods in nonparametric estimation of periodic functions. By treating the data as ‘circular’, we solve the “boundary issue” in the nonparametric estimation treating the data as ‘linear’. By redefining the distance metric and signed distance, we modify many estimators used in the situations involving periodic patterns. In the perspective of ‘nonparametric estimation of periodic functions’, we present the examples in nonparametric estimation of (1) a periodic function, (2) multiple periodic functions, (3) an evolving function, (4) a periodically varying-coefficient model and (5) a generalized linear model with periodically varying coefficient. In the perspective of ‘circular statistics’, we provide alternative approaches to calculate the weighted average and evaluate the ‘linear/circular–linear/circular’ association and regression. Simulation studies and an empirical study of electricity price index have been conducted to illustrate and compare o...
Welding Technology of 34CrNi3Mo Impeller Keyway

According to the welding capability analysis of 34CrNi3Mo impeller keyway,draw up a set of welding repair technology,acquire success in the practice welding.
Russia's Military-technical Cooperation with Latin American Countries:Characteristics and Development Prospects

As an important part of Russian foreign policy, foreign military-technical cooperation is an important means to expand its political influence and grab economic interests. Latin America as the "strategic backyard"of the U.S., has been considered the America's traditional sphere of influence. Russia's active conduction of military technical cooperation in the area is a result of multiple strategic considerations.This paper first makes a brief summary of the status quo of the Russian military-technical cooperation,then analyzes the main features of its origination and development and essential motivations, and lastly summarizes several issues that may impact its future development trends.
Playing with Race in the Early Republic: Mr. Potter, the Ventriloquist

Abstract The first American-born stage magician and ventriloquist was an African American named Richard Potter. Potter's stage career (1811–1835) coincided with the transition from an entertainment culture grounded in a metropolitan Atlantic world to an American show business that was nationalist and racist. This essay traces Potter's strategies and experiences within that transformation.
Africa and the Great Recession: The Dynamics of Growth Sustainability

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as a whole did remarkably well during the Great Recession. On average, over the 2008–13 period, SSA (excluding South Africa) grew at a rate that was 2.9 per cent higher than that achieved by the world as a whole. The paper explores the reason for this performance. First, a number of African countries in recent years have built up significant reserves and tapped new sources of finance. Like many Latin American and Asian countries, they were able to avoid IMF loans and create policy space for the adoption of anti-cyclical fiscal and monetary policies. Second, SSA countries reoriented their economies away from traditional export markets and sources of FDI toward Asian and other emerging countries which had been less badly affected than their traditional western partners by the recession. Third, both before and during the Great Recession SSA countries continued to rely heavily on commodity production, which allowed them to ride the boom in commodity prices. However, in the long run this reliance generates structural weaknesses that are a threat to the sustainability of growth in SSA.
Georgius Agricola's De Re Metallica in early modern scholarship

Georgius Agricola's De Re Metallica (1556) is generally considered a mining text that had some important technical innovations but lacked broader philosophical consequences. This article shows that the opposite is true: Agricola's geological ideas, though innovative, had little immediate impact, but he inverted the contemporary concept of scholarship and its relation to artisanal knowledge by giving Latin scholarly form to the kind of observation-based studies of the earth that had previously been reserved for treatment in the vernacular. In doing so, he extended the early 16th-century trend toward observation-based medical practice to the study of the earth.
Low cost ultra-pure sine wave generation with self calibration

As data acquisition systems' performance continues to increase, so does the need for a test and characterization solution to have an input test signal with purity that exceeds what is currently available in state of the art instruments. This paper presents a new method for generating ultra-pure sine wave that can be used in such applications. The pure sine wave is generated by readily available DACs with distortions that could be thousands time worse than the required system purity. Readily available ADC with similar purity as the DAC is used to measure the distortions generated by the DAC. Innovative algorithm is used to iteratively remove distortions present in the generated sine wave. Simulation results verified the proposed method by generating a −140dB ultra-pure sine wave using two DACs and an ADC with −85dB THD. A test board has been designed and measurement results demonstrated that generated sine wave has the high purity that is capable of testing an ADC with −120dB THD accurately.
Scale formation in porous media and its impact on reservoir performance during water flooding

Abstract Water flooding is the most widely used improved oil recovery technique, and many other methods, such as chemical methods, are based on water flooding performance. If the injected water is not compatible with the formation water, scaling and other solid deposition would occur, which can reduce the formation permeability and transmissibility of the reservoir. The objective of this research is to model the in-depth reservoir formation damage as a result of scaling and to simulate its impact on reservoir performance. Literature survey shows that the development of a theoretical model for estimation of permeability and porosity reduction is of practical importance. In this paper, two models based on barium concentration were proposed to estimate permeability reduction in porous media as a result of scale deposition. Model development was conducted by using 216 experimental data points from literature covering various thermodynamic properties and reservoir conditions, and statistical and graphical error analyses were employed to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed models. The results showed that the proposed models are capable of predicting permeability alteration caused by scale deposition with absolute average relative errors less than 1% compared with the experimental data. In addition, the values of root mean square error and coefficient of determination were found to be nearly 0.1 and 0.95 for the high barium concentration model and 0.06 and 0.94 for the normal barium concentration model. Moreover, error distribution curves of the developed models showed that the models do not have any significant error trend under different reservoir and thermodynamic conditions. A synthetic field was used to simulate the injection and production performance of an incompatible water flooding operation to better study the impact of scaling issue on reservoir performance. In particular, the impacts of scale deposition on reservoir properties and injection pressure were investigated. The results of numerical simulation indicated that scale formation could reduce the reservoir porosity from 0.2 to nearly 0.07. Moreover, the injection bottom hole pressure needed for the operation increases significantly up to nearly 19,000 psi when the reservoir is affected by scale formation.
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: Back to Histiocytosis X

Abstract Abstract SCI-8 Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disorder characterized by inflammatory lesions that include pathologic CD207+ dendritic cells. LCH has pleotropic clinical presentations ranging from single lesions cured by curettage to potentially fatal multisystem disease. The first descriptions of LCH, including Hand-Schuller-Christian disease and Letterer-Siwe disease, were based on anatomic location and extent of the lesions. Despite clinical heterogeneity, LCH lesions are generally indistinguishable by histology, which led to the notion that the spectrum of clinical manifestations represents a single disorder, histiocytosis X. The designation “Langerhans cell histiocytosis” was subsequently proposed with discovery of cytoplasmic Birbeck granules in the pathologic infiltrating dendritic cells in histiocytosis X lesions, a feature shared by epidermal Langerhans cells. The etiology of LCH remains elusive, and debate of LCH as an inflammatory versus malignant disorder remains unresolved. However, recent discoveries question the model of LCH arising from transformed or pathologically activated epidermal Langerhans cells. We found cell-specific gene expression signature in CD207+ dendritic cells within LCH lesions to be more consistent with immature myeloid dendritic cell precursors than epidermal Langerhans cells. Furthermore, recent mouse studies demonstrate that CD207+ is more promiscuous than previously appreciated. Langerin (CD207) expression can be induced in many dendritic cell lineages, supporting the plausibility of a spectrum of candidates for an LCH cell of origin, including circulating dendritic cell precursors. Finally, recurrent activating BRAF mutations in LCH lesions suggest a role for a hyperactive RAS pathway in LCH pathogenesis, and possibly in normal dendritic cell development. This presentation will discuss the historical background and recent advances in LCH biology, along with a proposal to reframe “histiocytosis X” as a myeloid neoplasia caused by aberrant maturation and migration of myeloid dendritic cell precursors. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Response to Comment on “Diversification of the antigen-specific T cell receptor repertoire after varicella zoster vaccination”

In our repertoire studies of varicella zoster virus-specific T cells, we used very stringent computational criteria to keep contamination with T cell receptor sequences from bystander-activated T cells to a minimum.
A preoperative risk score for transfusion in infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair to avoid type and cross

Abstract Objective Preoperative type and cross are often routinely ordered before elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), but the cost of this practice is high, and transfusion is rare. We therefore aimed to stratify patients by their risk of transfusion to identify a cohort in whom a type and screen would be sufficient. Methods We queried the targeted vascular module of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) for all elective EVARs from 2011 to 2015. We included only infrarenal aneurysms and excluded ruptured aneurysms and patients transfused within 72 hours preoperatively. Two-thirds of the cases were randomly assigned to a model derivation cohort and one third to a validation cohort. We created and subsequently validated a risk model for transfusion within the first 24 hours of surgery (including intraoperatively), using logistic regression. Results Between 2011 and 2015, there were 4875 patients who underwent elective infrarenal EVAR, only 221 (4.5%) of whom received a transfusion within 24 hours of surgery. The frequency of transfusion during the study period declined monotonously from 6.5% in 2011 to 3.2% in 2015. The factors independently associated with transfusion were preoperative hematocrit 36%, only 6 (0.1%) had a risk score of >3. Conclusions Perioperative transfusion for EVAR is becoming increasingly uncommon and is predicted well by a transfusion risk score or simply a hematocrit of
Reading the Centromere Epigenetic Mark.

Centromeres epitomize the central problem of propagating non-DNA sequence-based information across generations. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Hori et al. (2017) and French et al. (2017) show that the centromere-associated protein KNL-2/M18BP1 reads the centromere epigenetic code to maintain centromere identity.
Replicated Computations Results (RCR) Report for “MNO--PQRS: Max Nonnegativity Ordering—Piecewise-Quadratic Rate Smoothing”

The article “MNOPQRS: Max Nonnegativity Ordering—Piecewise-Quadratic Rate Smoothing” by Chen and Schmeiser constructs a smooth piecewise-quadratic rate estimate for a nonhomogeneuous Poisson process based on event counts over k adjacent time intervals. The event times can be generated by generating a Poisson process with unit rate and inverting the cumulative rate function or by the thinning technique. The overall algorithm has O(k2) time complexity and O(k) space requirements in the number of intervals. This replicated computation report focuses on the reproducibility of the experimental results in the aforementioned article.
Finding a routine that works: A mixed methods study of foster parents

Although it is well established that daily routines are important for family well-being, very little research has been done on how foster parents establish and integrate new foster children into family routines. We used a mixed-methods, cross-sectional design, focused on qualitative results to explore how foster parents utilize routines. Twenty-three foster parents were recruited from a private child welfare agency in a large city in the United States. Surveys were administered to obtain demographic information, overall home atmosphere, and the importance and prevalence of different routines, including mealtimes and sleep schedules. Nine foster parents received a semistructured interview with open-ended questions. Foster parents reported that routines such as bedtimes, mealtimes, chores, and homework were essential to family well-being. Because both parents and children had to adjust to living together in an intimate family environment, it was important to establish routines quickly. Foster parents modified routines depending on their child's needs. Along with typical family routines, foster parents reported additional tasks, such as visits with biological parents, meetings with caseworkers, and trainings that affected their family schedule. Results imply that training foster care workers and foster parents about routines can engender stability and emotional belonging for children.
A Note on Victoria Laundry

In Victoria Laundry v Newman, Asquith LJ claimed that the headnote in Hadley v. Baxendale was “definitely misleading” noting that had it been accurate, the decision would have been decided the other way. In this note, I argue that the headnote was not misleading and, even if it were, his conclusion did not follow. His interpretation lowered the standard for finding liability for consequential damage. Given the facts, Victoria Laundry would have lost, even with his new standard. His solution was simple: alter the facts.
Data-Based Approach for Fast Airfoil Analysis and Optimization

Airfoils are of great importance in aerodynamic design, and various tools have been developed to evaluate and optimize their performance. Existing tools are usually either accurate or efficient, bu...
Development tools for interactive behaviors

This research uses participatory design workshops and user-centered design with trained interaction designers to guide the development of a new programming language and environment for creating interactive applications. Interactive behaviors, which define the operation of an interactive application, are usually difficult for interaction designers to program because many interaction designers do not have formal programming training and many features of interactive behaviors make the task of programming them distinct from, and often more challenging than, other programming tasks. This research aims to create a programming language and environment that is tailored to the needs of interaction designers and that alleviates the problems that make programming interactive behaviors difficult.
Regulating Poisoned Flowers

Actionable deceit, misappropriation, spoilage or unfair competition in cyberspace does not suddenly become privileged just because the offender also incorporates someone else's trademark and ingenuously claims there was no "use" of the offending expression "as" a mark. Conversely, value-adding conduct in cyberspace that incorporates technologically reasonable accommodations to mitigate any incidental harm should not be forbidden simply because a trademark is somewhere or somehow involved. Where there is an otherwise actionable cyberspace intervention, the incorporation of a mark makes the underlying offense more egregious and its effect more harmful. It compounds the fault and might also constitute an independent act of trademark infringement, but it should not obscure what is actually happening with the new technological uses that occur in the code world, cyberspace and the new machines that design and are designed by the architecture of that world. Offensive cyberspace interventions effectively deny access, obstruct navigation, take unfair advantage of augmented presences, and destroy trust in cyberspace. Such deliberate acts of sabotage, if actionable at all, do not depend upon whether or not the offending actor incorporates a trademark within the offending expression, nor does it make any difference whether the actor "uses" the expression (under some unnatural reading of trademark law) "as" a mark, nor does it turn upon whether there is some non-preclusive "initial interest confusion" (under some other misbegotten version of trademark law). On the other hand, conduct that fosters and supports cyberspace and which increases the reliability of its virtual map by use of navigational markers does not automatically become taboo simply because a trademark lurks somewhere in the ether. This Article is yet another modern moral realist/normative jurisprudential experiment in designing law for the code world by making explicit choices. This time the goal is to persuade the reader that the previously specified new factor: the "nature and place of use" for new technological uses in the code world does three things necessary to become part of the everyday law. In this Article, I claim that the new factor: (1) works, (2) is efficient, and (3) is authorized, predictable and principled. I also claim it is better in all three respects than any other competing explanation of, or proposal for how to deal with invisible or attenuated trademark-related disputes in cyberspace.
Trends und Entwicklungen im PC-Software-Vertrieb

Die traditionelle Vertriebslandschaft hat sich in den neunziger Jahren gewandelt. Neue Kanale (2) sind entstanden, die auf Kosten der traditionellen Wiederverkaufer, sei es Fachhandel oder Hardware Hersteller, Marktanteile gewonnen. haben. Hierfur sind mehrere Ursachen verantwortlich. Der vorliegende Artikel nimmt darauf Bezug und analysiert die Veranderungen in den PC-Vertriebskanalen.
The Fallen Angel

This article discusses a case where the buyer was defrauded by a real estate broker into purchasing property he could not afford.
Mid-European Aspects of German Nationalism, 1815–1871

The various Mitteleuropa concepts which emerged during the First World War, and thereafter, often differed radically in detail; but they all had two fundamental assumptions in common. First was the concept of national unification, the belief that the divided Germans of Middle Europe had the same right to consolidate that underlay the unification ideals of other European peoples. The second assumption recognized the difficulties of transplanting the West European pattern of coinciding national and state boundaries to fit the complicated mosaic of peoples and traditions in Middle Europe. Some form of organization was deemed necessary, and these Germans considered themselves best fitted to give cohesion and leadership to the mid-European area. Mitteleuropa thus had an exclusively German connotation. Yet, from the very outset, the mid-European thinkers faced the dilemma of reconciling a narrow national ideal with broader, regional problems of international significance.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Heart Failure With Reduced Versus Preserved Ejection Fraction: MESA.

Background Higher fibroblast growth factor‐23 (FGF‐23) levels are associated with incident heart failure (HF) in MESA (the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). FGF‐23 is also associated with left...
Keep Others from Peeking at Your Mobile Device Screen

People use their mobile devices anywhere and anytime to run various apps, and the information shown on their device screens can be seen by nearby (unauthorized) parties, called shoulder surfers. To mitigate this privacy threat, we have developed HideScreen by utilizing the human vision and optical system properties to hide the users' on-screen information from the shoulder surfers. Specifically, HideScreen discretizes the device screen into grid patterns to neutralize the low-frequency components so that the on-screen information will "blend into'' the background when viewed from the outside of the designed range. We have developed and evaluated several ways of hiding both on-screen texts and images from shoulder surfers. Our extensive experimental evaluation of HideScreen demonstrates its high protection rates (>96% for texts and >99% for images) while providing good user experience.
Landslides and Subsidence

The process of gradation is responsible for both the wearing-down or “wasting” of the surface of the earth (degradation) and the building-up of the earth’s surface by deposition (aggradation). The most common gradational agents are chemical and physical weathering and erosion, and transportation and deposition by running water, wind, glacial ice, and landslides. These agents and processes are often referred to as surficial processes inasmuch as they are most significant in influencing the surface of the earth rather than the deeper parts of the earth’s crust. In this chapter we will consider the legal aspects of landslide activity and subsidence, and in chapter 23 we will turn our attention toward the legal implications of erosion and deposition by running water and waves.