cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creating and Capturing Value in Repeated Exchange Relationships: Managing a Second Paradox of Embeddedness

Prior empirical studies suggest repeated exchange makes buyer-supplier relationships more valuable. A first order implication of this finding is that buyers will focus exchange to generate maximum value in relationships. However, buyers are equally concerned with value capture. By distributing rather than focusing exchange, buyers may position themselves to capture more of the value created, leaving buyers potentially conflicted concerning the choice. We label this dynamic the second paradox of embeddedness, distinguishing it from Uzzi’s (1997) paradox driven by technological uncertainty. By examining the procurement activities of a large, diversified manufacturing company, we then test for supplier and buyer behavior consistent with the conditions that enable and behaviors that result from this second paradox.
Assessment of mechanical rock alteration caused by CO2water mixtures using indentation and scratch experiments

Abstract CO 2 injection into geological formations disturbs the geochemical equilibrium between water and minerals. Thus, some mineral phases are prone to dissolution and precipitation with ensuing changes of petrophysical and geomechanical properties of the host formations. Chemically-assisted degradation of mechanical properties can endanger the structural integrity of the storage formation and must be carefully studied and considered to guarantee safe long-term trapping. Few experimental data sets involving CO 2 alteration and mechanical testing of rock samples are available since these experiments are length, expensive, and require specialized equipment and personnel. Autoclave experiments are easier to perform and control but result in a limited ⿿skin depth⿿ of chemically-altered zone near the surface of the sample. This article presents the validation of micro-indentation and micro-scratch tests as efficient tools to assess the alteration of mechanical properties of rocks geochemically altered by CO 2 ⿿water mixtures. Results from tests on sandstone and siltstone from Crystal Geyser, Utah naturally altered by CO 2 -acidified water show that mechanical parameters measured with indentation (indentation hardness, Young's modulus and contact creep compliance rate) and scratching (scratch hardness and fracture toughness) consistently indicated weakening of the rock after CO 2 -induced alteration. Decreases of measured parameters vary from 14% to 87%. Experimental results and analyses show that micromechanical tests are potentially quick and reliable tools to determine the change of mechanical properties of rocks subject to exposure to CO 2 -acidified water, particularly in well-controlled autoclave experiments. Measured parameters are not intended to provide inputs for coupled reservoir simulation with geomechanics but rather to inform the execution of larger scale tests investigating the susceptibility of rock facies to chemical alteration by CO 2 ⿿water mixtures. Recognizing this susceptibility of rock facies of CO 2 geological storage target formations is critical to controlling undesired emergent behavior associated with CO 2 sequestration.
Management of the Climacteric with Ethinyl Estradiol

Summary The climacteric syndrome has been effectively managed in 45 patients through 348 cycles, by means of ethinyl estradiol treatment. This was given in the orally active enteric-coated 50 microgram tablets daily for twenty-one days, followed by a withholding interval of a week's duration. Following six such cyclic treatments, the estrogen was again withheld, this time for a period of one month, and evaluation of the various components of the syndrome was made. Continuation of the therapy was usually indicated. It was not determined whether such estrogen treatment hastens, postpones, or has no effect on eventual symptomatic equilibrium. Transitory sequellae of mild degree occurred at some time during estrogen treatment in 11 per cent of the 45 consecutive patients.
A novel initialization method for particle swarm optimization-based FCM in big biomedical data

Based on empirical studies, the feature of random initialization in Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based Fuzzy c-means (FCM) methods affects the computational performance especially in big data. As the data points in high-density areas are more likely near the cluster centroids, we design a new algorithm to guide the initialization according to the data density patterns. Our algorithm is initialized by fusing the data characteristics near the cluster centers. Our evaluation results from real data show that our approach can significantly improve the computational performance of PSO-based Fuzzy clustering methods, while preserving comparable clustering performance.
A “line item” approach to the identification of genes involved in polygenic behavioral disorders: The Adrenergic α2A (ADRA2A) gene

The usual approach for using single base pair polymorphisms (SNPs) for the investigation of the genetics of behavioral disorders is to examine a single diagnostic syndrome or personality trait based on variables relating to a cluster of behavioral symptoms. However, since some of these variables may address behaviors that are associated with one allele while others are associated with the other allele, the overall association may be non-significant and significant sub-syndromal associations may be missed. Thus, we have reversed the process in a technique we term a “line item” approach. As a test of the technique we have examined the association between genotypes of a C- > G-1291 Msp I promotor SNP of the ADRA2A gene and 390 individual symptoms from a structured review of DSM-IV criteria for twelve different groups of symptoms. We examined 334 individuals consisting of controls and subjects with Tourette syndrome (TS). Based on the mean scores for each genotype, those symptoms that were individually significant at α ≤ 0.05 fell into three major groups by mode of inheritance: allele 1 codominant (11 > 12 > 22), allele 2 codominant (22 > 12 > 11), and negative heterosis (12 < 11, 22). Within each mode of inheritance group, the number of symptoms that were significant for the twelve symptom clusters was compared by chi-square analysis. This showed that symptoms were drawn from the diagnostic groups in a significantly non-random fashion. Thus, the allele 1 codominant symptoms came from the anxiety, affective, schizoid, and somatization diagnostic groups (internalizing symptoms) (χ2 = 80.0, d.f. = 11, P ≤ 0.0000001), while the allele 2 codominant symptoms came from the ADHD and oppositional defiant/conduct disorder diagnostic groups (externalizing symptoms) (χ2 = 81.0, d.f. = 11, P ≤ 0.0000001). The questions that fell in the negative heterosis type of inheritance were not significantly associated with specific diagnostic groups (P = 0.87). These results showed that the ADRA2A gene was associated with symptoms of autonomic, sympathetic dysfunction from different diagnostic groups. The advantages of the “line item” approach include (a) the identification of the symptoms associated with each allele, (b) the identification of symptom clusters independent of DSM diagnoses, (c) the elucidation of heterosis and other mode of inheritance effects, (d) the distinction between an association with a primary disorder versus a comorbid disorder, (e) the identification of associations with sub-syndromal symptom clusters that do meet full DSM-IV criteria, and (f) the identification of symptom clusters across databases. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Machine-vision-based pose estimation system using sensor fusion for autonomous satellite grappling

When capturing a non-cooperative satellite during an on-orbit satellite servicing mission, the position and orientation (pose) of the satellite with respect to the servicing vessel is required in order to guide the robotic arm of the vessel towards the satellite. The main objective of this research is the development of a machine vision-based pose estimation system for capturing a non-cooperative satellite. The proposed system finds the satellite pose using three types of natural geometric features: circles, lines and points, and it merges data from two monocular cameras and three different algorithms (one for each type of geometric feature) to increase the robustness of the pose estimation. It is assumed that the satellite has an interface ring (which is used to attach a satellite to the launch vehicle) and that the cameras are mounted on the robot end effector which contains the capture tool to grapple the satellite. The three algorithms are based on a feature extraction and detection scheme to provide the detected geometric features on the camera images that belong to the satellite, which its geometry is assumed to be known. Since the projection of a circle on the image plane is an ellipse, an ellipse detection system is used to find the 3D-coordinates of the center of the interface ring and its normal vector using its corresponding detected ellipse on the image plane. The sensor and data fusion is performed in two steps. In the first step, a pose solver system finds pose using the conjugate gradient method to optimize a cost function and to reduce the re-projection error of the detected features, which reduces the pose estimation error. In the second step, an extended Kalman filter merges data from the pose solver and the ellipse detection system, and gives the final estimated pose. The inputs of the pose estimation system are the camera images and the outputs are the position and orientation of the satellite with respect to the end-effector where the cameras are mounted. Virtual and real simulations using a full-scale realistic satellite-mockup and a 7DOF robotic manipulator were performed to evaluate the system performance. Two different lighting conditions and three scenarios each with a different set of features were used. Tracking of the satellite was performed successfully. The total translation error is between 25 mm and 50 mm and the total rotation error is between 2 deg and 3 deg when the target is at 0.7 m from the end effector
Explicit Precipitation-Type Diagnosis from a Model Using a Mixed-Phase Bulk Cloud–Precipitation Microphysics Parameterization

AbstractThe Rapid Refresh (RAP) and High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR), both operational at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) use the Thompson et al. mixed-phase bulk cloud microphysics scheme. This scheme permits predicted surface precipitation to simultaneously consist of rain, snow, and graupel at the same location under certain conditions. Here, the explicit precipitation-type diagnostic method is described as used in conjunction with the Thompson et al. scheme in the RAP and HRRR models. The postprocessing logic combines the explicitly predicted multispecies hydrometeor data and other information from the model forecasts to produce fields of surface precipitation type that distinguish between rain and freezing rain, and to also portray areas of mixed precipitation. This explicit precipitation-type diagnostic method is used with the NOAA operational RAP and HRRR models. Verification from two winter seasons from 2013 to 2015 is provided against METAR surface observations. An...
Design and Fabrication of Miniature Objective Lens for Laser Ablation Surgery Probe

A prototype miniature objective was designed and fabricated for use in a laser ablation probe utilizing a piezo scanned fiber to rapidly produce a large cutting region, improving functionality and speed for laser ablation surgery.
Abstract 309: Induction of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) by dendritic cells leads to genomic instability in human myeloma

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is often implicated in regulating the growth of tumors, but whether it can directly alter the genetics of tumors is not known. Myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by growth of tumor cells in the bone marrow. Prior studies have shown that genomic instability and dendritic cell (DC) infiltration are common features of human myeloma (MM). Mechanisms underlying genomic instability in MM are largely unknown. Here we show that the interaction between myeloma and DCs but not monocytes, leads to rapid induction of the genomic mutator AID and AID-dependent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in myeloma cell lines as well as primary MM cells. Both myeloid as well as plasmacytoid DCs known to infiltrate MM lesions have the capacity to induce AID in MM tumor cells. The induction of AID and resultant DNA-DSBs in tumor cells by DCs depends on DC-tumor contact and is inhibited by the blockade of RANK/RANKL interactions. DC-mediated genomic damage in tumors also leads to altered tumorigenicity in vivo. These data demonstrate a novel pathway for the capacity of specific cells in TME such as DCs to regulate genomic integrity in cancer. These findings also suggest that DC-mediated genomic instability may be targetable by approaches such as RANKL inhibition that are already in the clinic. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 309. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-309
Descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Correspondence and requests for reprints to James I. Fann, MD, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Falk Cardiovascular Research Center, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 94305-5247, USA. Tel: þ1 650 858 3917; fax: þ1 650 723 7110; e-mail: jfann@stanford.edu Introduction Since the incidence of thoracic aortic aneurysms are over five cases per 100 000 person-years, patients with this entity are not infrequently evaluated by the physician in the outpatient or hospital setting [1]. A descending thoracic aortic aneurysm is defined as involving any portion of the thoracic aorta distal to the left subclavian artery and extending to above the diaphragm; thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms are more extensive with the distal portion involving all or part of the abdominal aorta. The main goal of the diagnosis and treatment is to prevent aneurysm rupture, which is the most feared and devastating complication. Historically, techniques to treat patients with aneurysms of the aorta or peripheral arteries included ligation proximal to the aneurysm, excision and over-sewing of the neck of the aneurysm, placement of wire into the sac to effect thrombosis, aneurysm wrapping with an external support, and endoaneurysmorrhaphy.
Study on the Species Composition and Application of Landscape Plants in School Garden of Northern University for Nationalities

The species composition and application of landscape plants in school garden of Northern University for Nationalities(NUN)were investigated.The results showed that 63 species employed in school garden of NUN,including 40 species of arbor,17 species of shrub and 6 species of herb,belong to 29 families and 44 genus.Nine evergreen species,54 deciduous species accounted for 14.3%,85.7% of total species and 36 endemic species,27 alien species for 57.1%,42.9% of total species respectively.Analysis of existing problems of landscape plant species composition and application and suggestions on relevant improving measure were given.
Synthesis and Property of Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymer Grafted Carbon Nanotubes

A side-chain liquid crystal 4-allyloxybenzoyl-4 '-hydroxyl-p-biphenyl ester( M) was synthesized using an in-situ polymerization method. Then we grafted different amounts of carbon nanotubes( CNTs) onto it. A series of liquid crystalline polymers generated liquid crystal composite materials because of polymerization reaction. The liquid crystalline composites were characterized by polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry( DSC). The results showthat a little CNTs are well dispersed in the liquid crystalline composites matrix,and they cannot change the texture of the original polymer. The DSC results showthat the clear point and mesomorphic temperature range increase with the adding of CNTs.
Beyond Classification: Structured Regression for Robust Cell Detection Using Convolutional Neural Network

Robust cell detection serves as a critical prerequisite for many biomedical image analysis applications. In this paper, we present a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) based structured regression model, which is shown to be able to handle touching cells, inhomogeneous background noises, and large variations in sizes and shapes. The proposed method only requires a few training images with weak annotations (just one click near the center of the object). Given an input image patch, instead of providing a single class label like many traditional methods, our algorithm will generate the structured outputs (referred to as proximity patches). These proximity patches, which exhibit higher values for pixels near cell centers, will then be gathered from all testing image patches and fused to obtain the final proximity map, where the maximum positions indicate the cell centroids. The algorithm is tested using three data sets representing different image stains and modalities. The comparative experiments demonstrate the superior performance of this novel method over existing state-of-the-art.
Prognosis for resolution of moderate, primary reflux in girls.

AbstractDetailed cystoscopic grading of ureteral orifices has proved unnecessary in our experience for determining the prognosis of moderate, primary reflux in girls. Medially placed orifices strongly predict spontaneous resolution with preventive medication, while radiographic pyelonephritic scarring and/or grade III reflux strongly predict failure to resolve. While laterally placed ureteral orifices and low volume reflux suggest a need for operation, they are prognostically less useful, particularly when those with grade III reflux are excluded. Cystitis cystica and unrelated anomalies seem to be associated with the ultimate need for operation but are of uncertain significance.
Marketplace subsidies: Changing the 'family glitch' reduces family health spending but increases government costs

Under the Affordable Care Act, if one family member has an employer offer of single coverage deemed to be affordable—that is, costing less than 9.66 percent of family income in 2016—then all family...
Streamlining Management of Multiple Cloud Services

With the increase in the number of cloud services and service providers, manual analysis of Service Level Agreements (SLA), comparison between different service offerings and conformance regulation has become a difficult task for customers. Cloud SLAs are policy documents describing the legal agreement between cloud providers and customers. SLA specifies the commitment of availability, performance of services, penalties associated with violations and procedure for customers to receive compensations in case of service disruptions. The aim of our research is to develop technology solutions for automated cloud service management using Semantic Web and Text Mining techniques. In this paper we discuss in detail the challenges in automating cloud services management and present our preliminary work in extraction of knowledge from SLAs of different cloud services. We extracted two types of information from the SLA documents which can be useful for end users. First, the relationship between the service commitment and financial credit. We represented this information by enhancing the existing Cloud service ontology proposed by us in our previous research. Second, we extracted rules in the form of obligations and permissions from SLAs using modal and deontic logic formalizations. For our analysis, we considered six publicly available SLA documents from different cloud computing service providers.
The Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype: Critical Effector in Skin Cancer and Aging.

Cellular senescence, a state of stable cell cycle arrest in response to cellular stress, is an indispensable mechanism to counter tumorigenesis by halting the proliferation of damaged cells. However, through the secretion of an array of diverse cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and proteases known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), senescent cells can paradoxically promote carcinogenesis. Consistent with this, removal of senescent cells delays the onset of cancer and prolongs lifespan in vivo, potentially in part through SASP reduction. In this review, we consider the evidence for the SASP and "SASP-like" inflammation in driving skin carcinogenesis, emphasizing how further understanding of both the roles and mechanisms of SASP expression may offer new targets for skin cancer prevention and therapy.
A Methodology for Affordability Maturity Assessment

Systems are becoming more complex while engineering of these systems is facing challenges in cost reduction and shortened schedules due to the fact that technologies emerge and quickly became obsolete. "Do more for less" is a new reality for the U.S. defense industry. As a result, large defense corporations have shifted their cost control effort from business to project management and systems engineering organizations. The realization of affordability in major weapon systems development programs may not be at a tipping point; however, the biggest customer of these weapon developers, that is, the U.S. Department of Defense DoD, will drive affordability through contract estimation and performance on a firm fixed contract method. This becomes game changing in the defense contract industry, which will drive affordability from offices and manufacturing floors to supplier warehouses. For every complex system development program, the cost to design such system is estimated or predicted before the systems development and demonstration contract is awarded. The transformation of the estimated cost figure is evolving as systems engineering efforts taking place throughout the design life cycle. Thus, without understanding the cost figures during this time, the evolution of cost overrun is inevitable. This paper describes a method to assess the affordability maturity level associated with the systems engineering tasks defined by ISO/IEC 15288 and the Defense Acquisition Strategy, DODI 5000.02. The paper focuses on developing a methodology to insert and assess the maturity of systems engineering efforts and the integration of performance and cost measurement from concept definition through systems design and development. The method is called affordability maturity assessment methodology.
First patient in Serbia with biochemically and genetically diagnosed pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy

Introduction. Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism present with early-onset seizures resistant to common anticonvulsants. PDE has been shown to be caused by a defect of a α-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (also known as ALDH7A1 or antiquitin) in the cerebral lysine degradation pathway. Its deficiency results in accumulation of α-aminoadipic semialdehyde (α-AASA), piperideine -6-carboxylate and pipecolic acid, which serve as diagnostic markers in urine, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of the disease. α-Aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase is encoded by the ALDH7A1 or antiquitin gene and definitly confirmation of diagnosis of PDE was by genetic analysis. Case report. We present a first patient in Serbia who was diagnosed clinically, biochemically and genetically. We suspected PDE due to drug-resistant seizures in the seventh day of life when we attempted with pyridoxine. Since that time the patient has taken pyridoxine and the seizures haven’t recured. Our patient had markedly elevated α-AASA in urine while on treatment with individual dosages of pyridoxine. Molecular - genetical analysis identified mutations of the ALDH7A1 (antiquitin) gene. Conclusion. α-AASA is reliable marker to select PDF patient for molecular analysis of the ALDH7A1(antiquitin) gene. Diagnosis is confirmed by molecular - genetical analysis and pyridoxine withdrawal is no longer needed to establish the diagnosis of „definite“ PDE.
Neutron cross-talk characterization of liquid organic scintillators

Correlated neutrons from a Cf-252 spontaneous fission source were measured with a coincidence detection system. The system consisted of three EJ-309 cylindrical liquid scintillators (length and diameter of 7.62 cm) configured to quantify the effects of neutron cross-talk on the total observed correlated counts. Because scatter-based detectors are susceptible to neutron cross-talk, the discrimination between true correlated counts and cross-talk is significant for neutron coincidence measurements. This measurement aimed to mitigate the neutron cross-talk between detectors with adequate polyethylene shielding, and was compared to simulations. The fractional influence of cross-talk on the total observed correlated counts was 30% for neutrons above ∼0.65 MeV at a detector-source-detector angle of 30°. Furthermore, the fractional influence of neutron cross-talk increases for decreasing detector-source-detector angles at a constant detector standoff. The angular distribution of the scattered neutron was also simulated, and shows an anisotropic distribution in the scatter detector frame of reference primarily dependent on kinematics of the neutron-hydrogen scatter and the detector volume.
Effects of Hot Boning and Various Levels of Salt and Phosphate on Protein Solubility, Functionality, and Storage Characteristics of Preblended Pork Used in Frankfurters

Five pork carcasses were used to determine the effects of hot boning and various combinations of salt (0, 1.5 or 3.0%) and a phosphate mixture (0 or 0.5%) on functional, processing, and storage characteristics of preblended pork (preblends). Although hot-boned (HB) preblends had superior functionalities compared to conventionally boned (CB) preblends, HB and CB frankfurters showed similar processing characteristics. More myosin heavy chain (MHC) from the myofibrillar protein fraction and more actin (P<0.05) from the sarcoplasmic protein fraction were extracted from HB than CB preblends. Addition of salt (1.5 or 3.0%) or phosphate (0.5%) generally increased the extraction of MHC and actin from the myofibrillar protein fraction in both HB and CB preblends. Salt level could be reduced from 3.0 to 1.5% in frankfurters without any processing or storage difficulties, if phosphate (0.5%) was added. Some model system measurements may be used to predict relative processing yield of raw materials.
Tumor vascularity and hematogenous metastasis in experimental murine intraocular melanoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that primary tumor vascularity in a murine model of intraocular melanoma positively correlates with the development and hematogenous spread of metastasis. METHODS: Forty 12-week-old C57BL6 mice were inoculated in either the anterior chamber (AC) or posterior compartment (PC) of 1 eye with 5 x 10(5) cells/microL of Queens tissue culture melanoma cells. The inoculated eye was enucleated at 2 weeks; the mice were sacrificed at 4 weeks postinoculation, and necropsies were performed. The enucleated eyes were examined for histologic and ultrastructural features, including relationship of tumor cells to tumor vascular channels, vascular pattern, and mean vascular density. RESULTS: Melanoma grew and was confined to the eye in 12 of 20 AC eyes and 10 of 20 PC eyes. Histologic and electron microscopic examination showed tumor invasion into vascular channels. Five of 12 AC tumors (42%) and 8 of 10 PC tumors (80%) metastasized. All of the AC tumors, but none of the PC tumors, that distantly metastasized also metastasized to ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes (P = .00535). There was no statistically significant difference of vascular pattern between the melanomas that did and did not metastasize to lungs in the PC group (P = .24), although there was a significant difference in the AC group (P = .02). Tumors with high-grade vascular patterns were more likely to metastasize than tumors with low-grade vascular patterns in the AC group. The mean vascular density positively correlated with the presence and number of metastases in both groups (P = .0000 and P < .001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference of vascular pattern and mean vascular density for AC versus PC melanoma (P = .97). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of metastasis in this murine intraocular melanoma model positively correlates with primary tumor vascularity. The melanoma metastasizes via invasion of tumor vascular channels. AC melanoma also metastasizes through regional lymphatics.
Vertebrate paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleohydrology of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada (USA)

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (TUSK) preserves 22,650 acres of the upper Las Vegas Wash in the northern Las Vegas Valley (Nevada, USA). TUSK is home to extensive and stratigraphically complex groundwater discharge (GWD) deposits, called the Las Vegas Formation, which represent springs and desert wetlands that covered much of the valley during the late Quaternary. The GWD deposits record hydrologic changes that occurred here in a dynamic and temporally congruent response to abrupt climatic oscillations over the last ~300 ka (thousands of years). The deposits also entomb the Tule Springs Local Fauna (TSLF), one of the most significant late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) vertebrate assemblages in the American Southwest. The TSLF is both prolific and diverse, and includes a large mammal assemblage dominated by Mammuthus columbi and Camelops hesternus . Two (and possibly three) distinct species of Equus , two species of Bison , Panthera atrox , Smilodon fatalis , Canis dirus , Megalonyx jeffersonii , and Nothrotheriops shastensis are also present, and newly recognized faunal components include micromammals, amphibians, snakes, and birds. Invertebrates, plant macrofossils, and pollen also occur in the deposits and provide important and complementary paleoenvironmental information. This field compendium highlights the faunal assemblage in the classic stratigraphic sequences of the Las Vegas Formation within TUSK, emphasizes the significant hydrologic changes that occurred in the area during the recent geologic past, and examines the subsequent and repeated effect of rapid climate change on the local desert wetland ecosystem.
Shaping Ceramics with a Continuous Wave Carbon Dioxide Laser

The application of the continuous wave carbon dioxide laser to processes such as straight-line cutting and hole drilling is well established.1 Recently the CW-CO2 laser has been used to shape ceramics in lathing and milling operations. In this report we present results on such shaping of Si2N4, SiAlON and SiC workpieces. A straightforward analysis is presented, which predicts the feed and power corresponding to a specific surface roughness grade and effective material removal rate.
Online Adaptation and Energy Minimization for Hardware Recurrent Spiking Neural Networks

The Liquid State Machine (LSM) is a promising model of recurrent spiking neural networks that provides an appealing brain-inspired computing paradigm for machine-learning applications such as pattern recognition. Moreover, processing information directly on spiking events makes the LSM well suited for cost- and energy-efficient hardware implementation. In this article, we systematically present three techniques for optimizing energy efficiency while maintaining good performance of the proposed LSM neural processors from both an algorithmic and hardware implementation point of view. First, to realize adaptive LSM neural processors, thus boost learning performance, we propose a hardware-friendly Spike-Timing Dependent Plastic (STDP) mechanism for on-chip tuning. Then, the LSM processor incorporates a novel runtime correlation-based neuron gating scheme to minimize the power dissipated by reservoir neurons. Furthermore, an activity-dependent clock gating approach is presented to address the energy inefficiency due to the memory-intensive nature of the proposed neural processors.Using two different real-world tasks of speech and image recognition to benchmark, we demonstrate that the proposed architecture boosts the average learning performance by up to 2.0% while reducing energy dissipation by up to 29% compared to a baseline LSM with little extra hardware overhead on a Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA.
Interaction Mechanisms: Heating

When ultrasound of a given frequency is transmitted into a medium (e.g., a liquid, a solid, or biological tissue) a fraction of the acoustic power is converted into heat. If effects of shear viscosity are not important the time-averaged rate Q at which heat is produced per unit volume is given by the following expression (Nyborg, 1981; Cavicchi and O’Brien, Jr., 1984): $$ Q{\mkern 1mu} = {\mkern 1mu} ({{2}^{\alpha }}/\rho c){\mkern 1mu} , $$ (1) where α is the absorption coefficient at the specified frequency; p and c are the density and velocity of sound, respectively, for the medium; p is the acoustic pressure (total instantaneous pressure less the mean value) and denotes the time average of p2. If the ultrasound source is driven at frequency f, and if the approximations of linear acoustics hold, the pressure at any point will be given by $$ p{\mkern 1mu} = {\mkern 1mu} {{p}_{o}}{\mkern 1mu} \cos {\mkern 1mu} (\omega t{\mkern 1mu} + {\mkern 1mu} \beta ),{\mkern 1mu} \omega {\mkern 1mu} = {\mkern 1mu} 2\pi f. $$ (2)
Approximate Transformations as Mutation Operators

Mutation testing is a well-established approach for evaluating test-suite quality by modifying code using syntax-changing (and potentially semantics-changing) transformations, called mutation operators. This paper proposes approximate transformations as new mutation operators that can give novel insights about the code and tests. Approximate transformations are semantics-changing transformations used in the emerging area of approximate computing, but so far they were not evaluated for mutation testing. We found that approximate transformations can be effective mutation operators. We compared three approximate transformations with a set of conventional mutation operators from the literature, on nine open-source Java subjects. The results showed that approximate transformations change program behavior differently from conventional mutation operators. Our analysis uncovered code patterns in which approximate mutants survivedand showed the practical value of approximate transformations for both understanding code amenable to approximations and discovering bad tests. We submitted 11 pull requests to fix bad tests. Seven have already been integrated by the developers.
Artificial neural network-based prediction of human posture

The use of an artificial neural network (ANN) in many practical complicated problems encourages its implementation in the digital human modeling (DHM) world. DHM problems are complicated and need powerful tools like ANN to provide acceptable solutions. Human posture prediction is a DHM field that has been studied thoroughly in recent years. This work focuses on using a general regression neural network (GRNN) for human posture prediction. This type of ANN has advantages over others when incorporated in DHM problems like posture prediction. A new heuristic approach is also presented in this study to determine the GRNN parameters that lead to the best performance and prediction capability. The results are promising: a high success rate is obtained for predicting 41 outputs, which represent the upper-body degrees of freedom of a human model. This work initiates future focus on embedding GRNN to generalize human posture prediction in a task-based manner.
Bismarck and the New Province

While Bismarck was attending to the negative aspect of the Guelph problem, that is, destroying the Movement and thwarting George’s agitation, he also had to concern himself with building up support for the Berlin Government within the new province. Once the decision had been made to annex the kingdom of Hanover, many problems confronted the Prussian Government. Prussia had not absorbed any territory of major significance and size for more than fifty years, least of all a kingdom with its own traditions, administration, and culture. Particularist sentiment had always been strong in Hanover and now showed itself in the form of a Guelph inspired anti-Prussian movement vying with the Prussian Government for popular support. Bismarck readily realized that Guelph demands for the restoration of an independent Hanover would lose their effectiveness once they were no longer supported by public sentiment within the new province. Consequently, it was not enough for Bismarck to annex the kingdom; it was now necessary to assimilate Hanover and the Hanoverians into the Prussian state.
Hayek, Orwell, and the Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four?

Hayek and Orwell are justifiably famous for their mid-late 1940s analyses of the inherent logic of totalitarianism. Indeed, Hayek’s arguments in The Road to Serfdom (1944) and Orwell’s mid-late 1940s writings—e.g., Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949a)—are usually viewed as having provided very similar assessments of the sundry ‘perversions to which a centralized economy is liable.’ And the similarities between aspects of Hayek’s 1944 analysis of planning and Orwell’s scathing 1949 analysis of Ingsoc (Newspeak for English Socialism) were the topic of much discussion when the Mont Pelerin Society met in England in early September 1984 for a fortieth anniversary celebration of the publication of The Road to Serfdom. But Orwell had explained that Nineteen Eighty-Four was not meant to be viewed as an ‘attack on socialism’ or the ‘British Labor party (of which I am a supporter)’ but as an account of the ‘perversions to which a centralized economy is liable.’ And any ‘return to “free” competition’ would, Orwell insisted, virtually assure that the ‘mass’ of the populace subsequently found themselves subject to a ‘tyranny probably worse … than that of the state.’ This chapter provides some basic graphical machinery to help to illustrate the analytical tenor of Orwell’s largely implicit model of the way in which a society might ultimately find itself saddled with full-blown oligarchical collectivism.
History as tragedy

[… And this means changing tragic history into ethical history in the West. What is the tragic origin of our history? Why has that origin been tragic – and why, in consequence, is it the threshold ...
Premature Myocardial Infarction as the Presenting Sign of Hypercoagulable Syndrome

Introduction Premature myocardial infarction (MI) in a young patient proves to be a challenge to manage. In the absence of family history or provoking factors, etiology can be difficult to determine. Hypercoagulable syndromes should be considered as an etiology for premature MI, as future management may be influenced by the presence of these syndromes. We report the case of a young heart-kidney transplant recipient presenting with multiple thrombotic events including premature MI, LVAD thrombosis, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the setting of May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS) exemplifying the importance of thorough hypercoagulability testing. Case Report Our patient is a 41-year-old male with a history of MI at age 37, resulting in ischemic cardiomyopathy complicated by cardiogenic shock requiring LVAD placement for bridge to transplant. Patient's post LVAD course was complicated by recurrent LVAD thrombosis despite adequate anticoagulation (AC) requiring two device exchanges. Hypercoagulability testing was limited due to the necessity of chronic AC. One month after undergoing heart-kidney transplant, patient presented with left lower extremity (LLE) pain and difficulty ambulating with duplex ultrasound showing DVT of LLE extending from the L common iliac vein to the L popliteal vein, requiring thrombectomy. Venography identified narrowing of the L common iliac vein confirming the diagnosis of MTS and an iliac vein stent was placed. Repeat hypercoagulability testing revealed an elevated factor VIII (FVIII) activity level to 319% of normal, warranting long-term AC with an elevated therapeutic INR range and high dose aspirin. Patient has had no recurrent thrombosis since starting this regimen. Summary Patients with multiple thrombotic events should undergo thorough hypercoagulability testing to identify risk for future thromboses and need for AC. Traditionally, elevated FVIII levels are thought to be an acute phase reactant, not necessitating AC. However, it has recently been shown that patients with an elevated FVIII level are at significant risk for thrombosis and require long-term AC. Our case highlights the importance of early FVIII level testing in hypercoagulability evaluation.
Uptake and Clinical Utility of Multibiomarker Disease Activity Testing in the United States.

Objective. The clinical utility of the multibiomarker disease activity (MBDA) test for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management in routine care in the United States has not been thoroughly studied. Methods. Using 2011–2015 Medicare data, we linked each patient with RA to their MBDA test result. Initiation of a biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in the 6 months following MBDA testing was described. Multivariable adjustment evaluated the likelihood of adding or switching biologic/JAK inhibitor, controlling for potential confounders. For patients with high MBDA scores who added a new RA therapy and were subsequently retested, lack of improvement in the MBDA score was evaluated as a predictor of future RA medication failure, defined by the necessity to change RA medications again. Results. Among 60,596 RA patients with MBDA testing, the proportion adding or switching biologics/JAK inhibitor among those not already taking a biologic/JAK inhibitor was 9.0% (low MBDA), 11.8% (moderate MBDA), and 19.7% (high MBDA, p Conclusion. The MBDA score was associated with both biologic and JAK inhibitor medication addition/switching and subsequent treatment outcomes.
Thinning akamai

Global-scale Content Distribution Networks (CDNs), such as Akamai, distribute thousands of servers worldwide providing a highly reliable service to their customers. Not only has reliability been one of the main design goals for such systems - they are engineered to operate under severe and constantly changing number of server failures occurring at all times. Consequently, in addition to being resilient to component or network outages, CDNs are inherently considered resilient to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks as well.In this paper, we focus on Akamai's (audio and video) streaming service and demonstrate that the current system design is highly vulnerable to intentional service degradations. We show that (i) the discrepancy among streaming flows' lifetimes and DNS redirection timescales, (ii) the lack of isolation among customers and services, (e.g., video on demand vs. live streaming), (iii) a highly transparent system design, (iv) a strong bias in the stream popularity, and (v) minimal clients' tolerance for low-quality viewing experiences, are all factors that make intentional service degradations highly feasible. We demonstrate that it is possible to impact arbitrary customers' streams in arbitrary network regions: not only by targeting appropriate points at the streaming network's edge, but by effectively provoking resource bottlenecks at a much higher level in Akamai's multicast hierarchy. We provide countermeasures to help avoid such vulnerabilities and discuss how lessons learned from this research could be applied to improve DoS-resiliency of large-scale distributed and networked systems in general.
How Small Is Too Small? Decision-Making and Management of the Small Aortic Root in the Setting of Interrupted Aortic Arch

Interrupted aortic arch is commonly associated with a posterior malalignment ventricular septal defect (VSD) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) hypoplasia. Standard repair is carried out in the neonatal period and includes re-establishing arc continuity and VSD closure. Reintervention on the LVOT for obstruction is a common and an ongoing source of morbidity and mortality. A variety of preoperative echocardiographic measurements have been identified to identify patients at risk for developing LVOT obstruction but an aortic valve annulus dimension (mm)
Heat mitigation of a core/cladding Yb-doped fiber amplifier using anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling

A core/cladding Yb-doped fiber amplifier configuration is presented that relies on anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling for effective heat mitigation in high-power operation. In the proposed design, the inner cladding of the double-clad fiber is doped with the same ion as in the core; therefore, the excess heat generated from the background absorption is removed by the anti-Stokes fluorescence in both core and inner cladding. We consider silica and ZBLAN glasses for the host material in the core/cladding Yb-doped fiber amplifier. The model incorporates the spatial profiles of the signal and pump intensities as well as the amplified spontaneous emission. The total linear heat density and temperature distribution in the fiber amplifier are calculated. The results show that the anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling in the core/cladding Yb-doped configuration can mitigate the generated heat effectively in high-power operation, which obviates the need for an external cooling system.
Long-Term High-Altitude Hypoxia and Alpha Adrenoceptor-Dependent Pulmonary Arterial Contractions in Fetal and Adult Sheep

Autonomic innervation of the pulmonary vasculature triggers vasomotor contractility predominately through activation of alpha-adrenergic receptors (α-ARs) in the fetal circulation. Long-term hypoxia (LTH) modulates pulmonary vasoconstriction potentially through upregulation of α1-AR in the vasculature. Our study aimed to elucidate the role of α-AR in phenylephrine (PE)-induced pulmonary vascular contractility, comparing the effects of LTH in the fetal and adult periods on α-AR subtypes and PE-mediated Ca2+ responses and contractions. To address this, we performed wire myography, Ca2+ imaging, and mRNA analysis of pulmonary arteries from ewes and fetuses exposed to LTH or normoxia. Postnatal maturation depressed PE-mediated contractile responses. α2-AR activation contracted fetal vessels; however, this was suppressed by LTH. α1A- and α1B-AR subtypes contributed to arterial contractions in all groups. The α1D-AR was also important to contractility in fetal normoxic vessels and LTH mitigated its function. Postnatal maturity increased the number of myocytes with PE-triggered Ca2+ responses while LTH decreased the percentage of fetal myocytes reacting to PE. The difference between myocyte Ca2+ responsiveness and vessel contractility suggests that fetal arteries are sensitized to changes in Ca2+. The results illustrate that α-adrenergic signaling and vascular function change during development and that LTH modifies adrenergic signaling. These changes may represent components in the etiology of pulmonary vascular disease and foretell the therapeutic potential of adrenergic receptor antagonists in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
“She had snatched their trophy”: “Lanval,” “Beowulf,” and the Weaver-cum-Warrior

How was masculinity defined, and for whom, in medieval English epic? Employing Marie de France’s “Lanval” and the anonymous “Beowulf ” as example cases, when examining the social role of gender rather than focus on sexuality as defined by genitalia, these poems flip the script. Wherein titular male-identifying characters swap social responsibilities with female-identifying foils; Beowulf and Lanval become “weaving” humans, while Lanval's lover and Grendel’s Mother take on the “weaponed” roles in order to protect the material existence of their communities. By examining these exchanges, as well as characters that embody the gender role that is expected of them, I argue that early medieval English epic consistently presented a vision of society where a critical part of maintaining healthy communities necessitated the inversion of gender roles. Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth E. Tavares