cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The coBFIT toolkit

We have developed a software toolkit, called CoBFIT, that implements a comprehensive suite of protocols for efficient and dynamic replication of a stateful service in an asynchronous environment such as the Internet. The CoBFIT toolkit can be used to make a generic service fault-tolerant using the state machine replication approach [7], provided the service can be structured as a deterministic state machine. The toolkit is implemented in C++ using the ACE object-oriented network programming toolkit [6] and is on the verge of an open-source release. Figure 1 shows the various components in the CoBFIT toolkit. The framework components form the foundation upon which protocol components are built. Detailed descriptions of all the CoBFIT protocol and framework components are given in [5]. The CoBFIT toolkit implements many framework components that provide a common foundation not only for the specific protocols that we have implemented, but for similar distributed fault-tolerant protocols as well. The foundation includes several services that are commonly needed for implementing distributed protocols, including event handling, network communication, management of protocol components, and cryptographic primitives (by interfacing with the Cryptlib library [1]). The CoBFIT suite of protocols is unique in that unlike the protocols in previous group communication systems, ours do not make correctness conditional upon the ability to remove suspected members from the group. The CoBFIT protocols can be utilized individually to provide their specific properties (e.g., reliable broadcast) as well as together in concert to realize a dynamic replication group that satisfies the virtual synchrony property [4] in the asynchronous model. The toolkit includes the following asynchronous Byzantine-faulttolerant protocols:
Some Properties of Polymer-Impregnated Cements and Concretes

POLYMER-IMPREGNATED CEMENT AND POLYMER-IMPREGNATED CONCRETE WERE PREPARED BY VACUUM-FILLING CURED AND DRIED CEMENT AND CONCRETE WITH A LOW-VISCOSITY MONOMER AND POLYMERIZING THE MONOMER BY A THERMAL-CATALYTIC OR GAMMA- RADIATION METHOD. THE STRENGTH AND DURABILITY OF THE PRODUCTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THOSE OF THE UNIMPREGNATED MATERIALS. SOME OBSERVATIONS INVOLVING MONOMER LOADING, POLYMERIZATION, AND POLYMER DISTRIBUTION ARE DISCUSSED. A SIMPLE MODEL IS PRESENTED WHICH DESCRIBES THE VARIATION IN STRENGTH OF CEMENT AND CONCRETE WITH POLYMER CONTENT; THE MODEL IS COMPARED WITH EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS. /AUTHOR/
The Integrated Genome Browser

Summary: Experimental techniques that survey an entire genome demand flexible, highly interactive visualization tools that can display new data alongside foundation datasets, such as reference gene annotations. The Integrated Genome Browser (IGB) aims to meet this need. IGB is an open source, desktop graphical display tool implemented in Java that supports real-time zooming and panning through a genome; layout of genomic features and datasets in moveable, adjustable tiers; incremental or genome-scale data loading from remote web servers or local files; and dynamic manipulation of quantitative data via genome graphs. Availability: The application and source code are available from http://igb.bioviz.org and http://genoviz.sourceforge.net. Contact: [email protected]
Interregional Payments Compared with International Payments

I. Interregional trade in the United States, 392. — II. Traditional explanations, 393. — III. Payments data for the United States, 396. — IV. The role of Treasury transfers, 400. — V. Summary, 407.
Silicon-based composite anodes for Li-ion rechargeable batteries

Si–C and Si–C–Al composite powders have been synthesized by thermal treatment of high-energy mechanically-milled composite precursors comprising graphite, silicon, aluminium and several types of polymers such as poly(acrylonitrile), poly[(o-cresylglycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde] resin and poly(methacrylonitrile). The polymers have been used to suppress the interfacial diffusion reactions between graphite, silicon and aluminium, which otherwise lead to the formation of electrochemically-inactive SiC and Al4C3 intermetallics during high-energy mechanical milling. The resultant Si–C composite obtained after thermal treatment of mechanically milled powders of nominal composition [52.5 wt% C]–[17.5 wt% Si]–[8 wt% PAN]–[22 wt% resin] exhibits a reversible capacity of ∼630 mA h g−1 with excellent capacity retention when cycled at a rate of ∼160 mA g−1. On the other hand, the Si–C–Al composite of nominal composition [52.5 wt% C]–[14 wt% Si]–[3.5 wt% Al]–[30 wt% PMAN] exhibits a reversible capacity of ∼650 mA h g−1 up to 30 cycles at a charge/discharge rate of ∼340 mA g−1. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of electrochemically-cycled electrodes indicates that the microstructural stability and the structural integrity of the Si–C and Si–C–Al composite is retained during electrochemical cycling, contributing to the good cyclability demonstrated by the composites.
Allergy and Infection: V. Proof of Infectious Etiology

(1967). Allergy and Infection: V. Proof of Infectious Etiology. Journal of Asthma Research: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 269-282.
Equations for Predicting Stature in White and Black Elderly Individuals

In an anthropometric nutritional assessment, elderly individuals are frequently unable to assume the positions needed for many measurements. This is especially true for stature, which is affected by mobility and skeletal deformities, and as a result measurements may be unreliable and inaccurate. An alternative is to use a surrogate value of stature. We developed predictive equations using data from elderly subjects in Cycle I of the National Health Examination Survey (NHES). The developed equations were cross-validated using two separate independent and more contemporary samples of elderly White men and women. The possible predictor variables were knee height and buttocks-knee length in the men and knee height and age in the women. For both the men and the women, the majority of the variance in stature was accounted for by knee height. Selected equation models were cross-validated, and a single equation was recommended for each elderly group that included knee height rather than buttocks-knee length as predictor variables. This selection was based upon the performance of the equations, and also upon the practical ease of collecting the possible predictor variables. Included with the recommended equations are the RMSEs and the standard error for predicting stature for an individual (SEI). The successful application of the recommended equations with two recent sets of elderly persons indicates the current utility of the recommended equations in White elderly Americans.
Listening: Important to the Stuff of a Life

The author presents ideas from Parse's humanbecoming paradigm, including living quality as the stuff of a life. The following question is explored: In what way could listening be important to living the core knowings of living quality? Three ways of viewing listening as connected to living quality are presented: listening as silence, listening as dialogue, and listening as ethics.
Integrating transcriptional and protein interaction networks to prioritize condition-specific master regulators.

Background Genome-wide libraries of yeast deletion strains have been used to screen for genes that drive phenotypes such as stress response. A surprising observation emerging from these studies is that the genes with the largest changes in mRNA expression during a state transition are not those that drive that transition. Here, we show that integrating gene expression data with context-independent protein interaction networks can help prioritize master regulators that drive biological phenotypes.
Designing for Mixed-Initiative Interactions between Human and Autonomous Systems in Complex Environments

The purpose of the paper is to discuss human centered design implications for shared decision making between humans and autonomous systems in complex environments. Design implications are generated based on empirical results from two research paradigms. In the first paradigm, an intelligent agent (Robo Leader) supervised multiple subordinate systems and was in turn supervised by the human operator. The Robo Leader research varied number of subordinate units, task difficulty, agent reliability, type of agent errors, and partial autonomy. The second paradigm involved human interaction with partially and fully autonomous systems. Design implications from both paradigms are evaluated -- relating to multitasking, adaptive systems, false alarms, individual differences, operator trust, and allocation of human and agent tasks for partial autonomy. We conclude that mixed-initiative decision sharing depends on designing interfaces that support human-agent transparency.
Freedom of Testation / Freedom of Contract

This Article argues that lawmakers ought to recategorize inheritance law and contracts law as cognate bodies of doctrine within a larger genus of transfers law. The Article proceeds to examine comparatively the justifications for freedom of contracts and freedom of testation, concluding that their underlying rationales are largely, although not entirely, symmetrical. This conclusion suggests the usefulness of comparative analysis of substantive limitations imposed on each of the two freedoms, which may prove inconsistent with each other or, what is worse, incompatible to the extent that contractual forms of transfer can functionally substitute for testamentary forms of transfer. In fact, such inconsistencies and incompatibilities do exist within several of the doctrines currently limiting a testator's freedom to craft an estate plan. These findings suggest the need to reconcile substantive doctrines within the fields of wills and contracts, a process that will require lawmakers to redraw the boundaries of freedom of testation.
Response to azacitidine in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with marrow fibrosis

7089 Background: The Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterized by aberrant hematopoietic progenitor cell maturation resulting in ineffective hematopoiesis, cytopenia and progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Some individuals with MDS also have fibrosis within the marrow. MDS with marrow fibrosis appears to be biologically and clinically distinct from myeloproliferative disorders with marrow fibrosis such as agnogenic myeloid metaplasia. While azacitidine (AZA), a DNA methyl transferase inhibitor has known activity in MDS, little is known about its efficacy in patients with MDS with marrow fibrosis. Methods: The records of 41 patients with MDS with marrow fibrosis treated with AZA were reviewed. The degree of fibrosis was determined by reticulin staining and ranged from 1+ to 3+. Patients who received at least 2 cycles were considered evaluable for response. All patients were evaluated for toxicity. The International Working Group standardized response criteria for MDS were used for evaluation of re...
Hot medium effects on J /ψ production in p + Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5.02 TeV

Abstract Based on a kinetic description of J / ψ dissociation and production in an expanding quark–gluon plasma that is described by a 2 + 1 dimensional ideal hydrodynamics, we have studied the hot medium effects on J / ψ production in p + Pb collisions at s NN = 5.02 TeV . Including also the cold nuclear matter effects, we are able to reproduce recent experimental results on the nuclear modification factor R p Pb ( J / ψ ) measured by the ALICE Collaboration. We have also made predictions for the R p Pb of J / ψ and the double ratio R p Pb pro ( ψ ′ ) / R p Pb pro ( J / ψ ) of prompt quarkonia produced in the most central 10% p + Pb collisions. We find that different from the cold nuclear matter effects, the R p Pb ( J / ψ ) is slightly smaller than that in the minimum bias collisions, and the double ratio is significantly less than one at backward rapidity.
Cryopreservation of Equine Embryos

Abstract Equine embryo transfers have increased dramatically in the past decade, but in spite of the advantages of cryopreservation of equine embryos, this technology has not increased proportionally. Lack of a superovulation protocol for mares and the inability to freeze embryos >300 μm have been the limiting factors impeding equine embryo cryopreservation. Data from both controlled laboratory settings and commercial embryo transfer facilities have shown that small embryos can be slow cooled or vitrified and, after thawing and transfer, provide pregnancy rates of 50%–70% similar to that obtained with bovine embryos. In contrast, studies have shown that embryos >300 are damaged more during slow cooling or vitrification than those 300 μm.
Putative mechanisms mediating tolerance for audiovisual stimulus onset asynchrony

Audiovisual (AV) speech perception is robust to temporal asynchronies between visual and auditory stimuli. We investigated the neural mechanisms that facilitate tolerance for audiovisual stimulus o...
Feeding Responses in Larvae of Anthrenus flavipes

Feeding responses by larvae of the furniture carpet beetle, Anthrenus flavipes LeConte, were determined by use of a bioassay technique and statistical analysis in conjunction with various treatments of fabrics. Larvae showed a definite differential feeding response toward materials previously exposed to feeding. Also, differential response resulted which was related to the p H of the food material used in tests. Results with buffered samples showed that other factors were operating with p H. Washing treatments applied to test materials produced responses which indicated the existence of additional factors. Other than materials previously fed upon, those having less substance foreign to the fiber itself were more attractive.
The Food Plants of the Leafhoppers

The writer‗s major scientific interest for many years has been in the life histories and food plant relations of the higher Homoptera. The greater number of publications to date have been along systematic lines, not due to interest, but to necessity of naming species before it was possible to publish life history studies of a group. In fact, the first result of an intensive life history study of any given group is usually the discovery that we are dealing with a much larger number of species than had previously been recognized, that these species have definite food plants and that their life histories are very diverse but remarkably well adapted to the development of the particular part of the plants used as food.
Clinical Value of Prenatal Ultrasonic in Screening Fetal Malformation in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

Objective To explore the clinical value of prenatal ultrasonic in screening fetal malformation in the second trimester of pregnancy. Methods 145 pregnant women whose gestational age scope was 20~24 weeks were diagnosed as fetal malformations by prenatal ultrasonic examinations and confirmed as fetal malformations by labor induction or postpartum results from January 2009 to September 2012 in our hospital. The clinical data of these women were analyzed to classify fetal malformations and summarize the influence factors of fetal malformations. Results There is no correlation between fetal malformations and inhabitancy areas of pregnant women while fetal malformations would more likely to be occurred in pregnant women whose ages are above 35 years old. Conclusion Prenatal ultrasonic plays an important role in screening fetal malformation in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Evaluation of the effects of dense endoscopic ligation for bleeding esophageal varices (21cases report)

[Objective] To evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of dense endoscopic variceal ligation(DEVL)for bleeding esophageal varices.[Methods] Patients with a history of esophageal variceal bleeding underwent regular DEVLs with a 3 week interval between 2 sessions until their varices disappeared at the lowers 5～6 cm part of the esophagus.Follow-up study and gastroscopy were performed at 3,6 and 12 months after the final DEVL in all patients.The results at 3 months were classified as short-term effects and those after 6 months as long-term ones.[Results] 21 Patients underwent DEVLs with 40 sessions and 321 ligations;each patient was ligated with a mean of 1.9 sessions and at 15.3 points.The short-term rate of variceal eradication was 100% and no rebleeding occurred.After a mean of 10.6 months follow-up period,the recurrence of esophageal varices was observed in 5% patients,but no rebleeding occurred.[Conclnsion] DEVL was very useful and effective in both short-term and long-term variceal eradication and prevention of variceal rebleeding.
Pseudotumour formation and subsequent resolution in metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty following revision: Instructional review and an illustrative case report with revision using a dual mobility design

The use of large-diameter metal-on-metal (MoM) components in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is associated with an increased risk of early failure due to adverse local tissue reaction to metal debris (ARMD) in response to the release of metal ions from the bearing couple and/or head-neck taper corrosion. The aim of this paper was to present a review of the incidence and natural history of ARMD and the forms of treatment, with a focus on the need for and extent of resection or debulking of the pseudotumour. An illustrative case report is presented of a patient with an intra-pelvic pseudotumour associated with a large diameter MoM THA, which was treated successfully with revision of the bearing surface to a dual mobility couple and retention of the well-fixed acetabular and femoral components. The pseudotumour was left in situ Resolution of the intra-pelvic mass and normalisation of metal ion levels was observed seven months post-operatively. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:736-40.
Interests, institutions, and policy feedback

Politicians pursuing retrenchment face a difficult challenge; just how difficult will depend on the political context in which they operate. These actors seek their goals within specific environments. The distribution of political resources and the institutional rules of the game help to determine the prospects for successfully pursuing various strategies, as well as the benefits and costs associated with particular outcomes. This chapter considers the aspects of this broader context that are most relevant for retrenchment politics. Existing scholarship offers only limited help in this effort. The recent shift in the welfare state's fortunes has been widely noted, but so far there have been few attempts to explain retrenchment outcomes. This absence stands in stark contrast to the flourishing literature on the origins and development of welfare states. A wealth of detailed research has generated clear analytical perspectives on the main factors contributing to or retarding welfare state expansion. Two such theories have been particularly influential. One emphasizes the power resources of labor movements, whereas the other focuses on the role of institutions. There is a natural inclination to turn directly to those theories to explain contemporary welfare state politics. In a study of retrenchment, however, these arguments need to be carefully reappraised. As I have already noted, there is little reason to assume that theories designed to explain outcomes in a particular context and involving the pursuit of particular goals will still apply once the environment and the goals of key actors have changed.
The Limits of International Political Economy

Political economy has been a contested terrain since its emergence as a field of knowledge and practice concerned with securing material abundance through the proper ordering of the emerging commercial societies of late seventeenth-century Europe. Political economy concerned itself with understanding both the production of wealth and the social and political order that sustained the workings of an increasingly complex market system; early capitalism promised to overcome scarcity but at the price of destabilizing the old order. In the context of these uncertainties, political economy emerged as a field of knowledge concerned with understanding the conditions of possibility for order and abundance and driven to investigate the extent to which the disharmonies of the emerging order could be managed or redirected, at least for a time. Disputes and exclusions emerged early on: According to the founding lore of the discipline, Adam Smith dealt a ‘mortal blow’ to Sir James Steuart, Smith’s well-known and better-traveled contemporary, when he failed to cite his fellow Scotsman’s An Inquiry into the Principles of Political Oeconomy (1767) in The Wealth of Nations (1776) — ‘even in places where his arguments directly confronted those of Steuart’ (Blaug 1991: x). Lest we assume the slight is accidental, a 1772 letter from Smith to William Pulteney suggests otherwise: ‘I have the same opinion of Sir James Steuart’s book that you have. Without once mentioning it, I flatter myself that any false principle in it will meet with a clear and distinct refutation in mine’ (as cited in Rae 1895: 253).
Assessing context and learning for isizulu tone recognition.

Prosody plays an integral role in spoken language understanding. In isiZulu, a Nguni family language with lexical tone, prosodic information determines word meaning. We assess the impact of models of tone and coarticulation for tone recognition. We demonstrate the importance of modeling prosodic context to improve tone recognition. We employ this less commonly studied language to assess models of tone developed for English and Mandarin, finding common threads in coarticulatory modeling. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of semi-supervised and unsupervised tone recognition techniques for this less-resourced language, with weakly supervised approaches rivaling supervised techniques.
Multi-model ensemble forecasting of North Atlantic tropical cyclone activity

North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) and hurricanes are responsible for a large number of fatalities and economic damage. Skillful seasonal predictions of the North Atlantic TC activity can provide basic information critical to our improved preparedness. This study focuses on the development of statistical–dynamical seasonal forecasting systems for different quantities related to the frequency and intensity of North Atlantic TCs. These models use only tropical Atlantic and tropical mean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) to describe the variability exhibited by the observational records because they reflect the importance of both local and non-local effects on the genesis and development of TCs in the North Atlantic basin. A set of retrospective forecasts of SSTs by six experimental seasonal-to-interannual prediction systems from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble are used as covariates. The retrospective forecasts are performed over the period 1982–2015. The skill of these statistical–dynamical models is quantified for different quantities (basin-wide number of tropical storms and hurricanes, power dissipation index and accumulated cyclone energy) for forecasts initialized as early as November of the year prior to the season to forecast. The results of this work show that it is possible to obtain skillful retrospective forecasts of North Atlantic TC activity with a long lead time. Moreover, probabilistic forecasts of North Atlantic TC activity for the 2016 season are provided.
Case Study: Supporting Multiple Tile Clients

The purpose of this chapter is to present specialized techniques for tile serving that will support a wide variety of mapping tools. We will build an interface for Google Earth using the Keyhole Markup Language (KML). We will also build an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Service (WMS) server.
Facets for continuous multi-mixing set with general coefficients and bounded integer variables

Bansal and Kianfar (2015) introduced continuous multi-mixing set where the coefficients satisfy the so-called n-step MIR conditions and developed facet-defining inequalities for this set. In this paper, we first generalize their inequalities for the continuous multi-mixing set with general coefficients (where no conditions are imposed on the coefficients) and show that they are facet-defining in many cases. Next, we further generalize the continuous multi-mixing set with general coefficients by incorporating upper bounds on the integer variables. We introduce a family of valid inequalities for this set through a unified generalization of the n-step cycle inequalities and the mingled n-step MIR inequalities. We indicate how to separate over these inequalities in polynomial time and present the conditions under which a subset of these inequalities are facet-defining.
The Demon is in the Configuration: Revisiting Hybrid Mobile Apps Configuration Model

HTML-5 hybrid apps have the potential to dominate the mobile and IoTs market as hybrid platforms are providing a promising development choice. This approach "wraps" standard web code (HTML, Javascript, and CSS) into a thin native layer, enabling the same code base to run on several platforms. This approach also provides a mechanism to access device native sensors, such as camera and geolocation, through Javascript code. Apache Cordova is an open source library that is a common component in many hybrid platforms, such as PhoneGap and IBM Worklight. Yet, its configuration model suffers several security limitations including a coarse-grained access control model, risky defaults, and for many developers, a non-trivial configuration process. Hybrid app development is an intricate task as is, not to mention configuring these apps securely. Given the increased popularity of the approach itself and the proven tendency of developers to use platform-provided default settings, this paper presents a novel approach to automatically generate configurations that are more aligned to the app requirements, more granular, and more conformant with Least Privilege principle. We argue that having aligned configurations forms the first line of defense against attacks similar to injection attacks. Such attacks could have been voided if the app configurations were more granular and tailored. Our approach generates initial configuration settings based on modeling app behavior. The model generates twofold policies, one centered around APIs access and another around controlling app states transition. We have successfully instrumented Cordova library to implement our approach. We have tested the instrumented version, and our experiments demonstrate that the instrumented version is a practical and performant alternative.
The GenePattern Notebook Environment.

Summary Interactive analysis notebook environments promise to streamline genomics research through interleaving text, multimedia, and executable code into unified, sharable, reproducible "research narratives." However, current notebook systems require programming knowledge, limiting their wider adoption by the research community. We have developed the GenePattern Notebook environment (http://www.genepattern-notebook.org), to our knowledge the first system to integrate the dynamic capabilities of notebook systems with an investigator-focused, easy-to-use interface that provides access to hundreds of genomic tools without the need to write code.
Students' Self-Perceptions of Apologies to Instructors.

Adopting retrospective verbal report, or RVR as the instrument, this study reports an analysis of the perceptions of native-English-speaking (NES) and non-native-English-speaking (NNES) students, who apologised to their instructors in coursework-related situations. Sixty NESs from different levels and disciplinary areas and 63 NNESs (Arabic and Chinese L1s) from an Intensive English programme were sampled to represent the student population in a US university. Each participant was asked to complete a discourse completion task (DCT) in response to three apology situations, and this resulted in a total of 369 apology messages. A RVR was conducted immediately following the completion of the DCT. Students’ perceptions gathered through the RVR were categorised according to four factors, including apology strategy use, professionalism, contextual variables, and language use. Results showed that NES and NNES students had different considerations in producing institutional apologies. For example, multiple NES students addressed the severity of the apology situations, which was not mentioned at all by NNES students. Both groups reported having minimal or no instruction on how apologies should be made in academic communication, an area that warrants pedagogical interventions.
Art Expertise and the Processing of Titled Abstract Art

The effect of art expertise on viewers’ processing of titled visual artwork was examined. The study extended the research of Leder, Carbon, and Ripsas by explicitly selecting art novices and art ex...
A novel temperature swing adsorption process for natural gas purification, Part II: Performance assessment

Abstract A novel temperature swing adsorption-based natural gas purification cycle using a monolith consisting of adsorbent-coated microchannels is investigated in this two-part study. In the accompanying paper, Part I, the development of a full process simulation model, and selection of geometric parameters and adsorbent and heat transfer fluid were reported. This paper, Part II, develops a comprehensive performance map of the process that involves determination of ranges of product purity, CH4 recovery and process capacity, and energy requirements. The TSA-based process in the present work is found to produce up to two orders of magnitude more purified product than that from adsorbent bed-based PSA processes reported in the literature, while product purity and CH4 recovery values remain competitive. This concept is also found to reduce the system footprint by 82% when compared with a TSA process that uses separate microchannels for the flow of working and coupling fluids. Additionally, methods for reducing process energy requirements are considered, along with enhancement of product purity via a staged purification scheme. The energy requirement for the process is found to be lower than that for MEA absorption systems, indicating the potential for large-scale installations based on this process.
Acoustic Emission: Nature’s Ultrasound

Acoustic emission refers to the ultrasonic signals (elastic waves) emitted by materials undergoing microscopic changes of stress state. This naturally generated ultrasound is distinctly related to the source process (dislocation motion, fracture, and some phase changes). For example, the waveform of an acoustic emission from a crack propagation increment contains information about the location, growth distance, velocity, and orientation of the crack. Acoustic emission then is of interest as a naturally occurring phenomenon for the characterization of deformation and fracture mechanisms. It is also of interest as a possible passive monitoring technique for detecting, locating, and characterizing defects in structures. The current state-of-the-art of these applications is reviewed here in the context of an emerging science base, and future trends discussed.
Workshop on Thermochemical Conversion of Municipal Solid Waste

Mass burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) “as received” in large waterwall combustors in small modular systems to produce steam and/or electricity are the most technically developed MSW technologies. Although these technologies are in commercial use, research aimed at improving the economics and alleviating the environmental concerns still needs to be carried out. Technologies using refuse-derived fuel (RDF) continue to require research to be economically viable. Thermal gasification/liquefaction, aimed at producing transportable liquid and gaseous fuels, are still in the research and development stage.
Jiki-fu: A Japanese Aesthetics of Taste

Jiki-fu is a coffee table book but it has some scholarly significance, having been produced by the University of Tokyo Museum. It is a visually stunning book, as one would expect from a title that ...
Semantic Frame-Based Information Extraction from Utility Regulatory Documents to Support Compliance Checking

Computer-aided compliance checking is always a challenge in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) domain. In recent years, semantic compliance checking has gained a lot of attention. As the critical ingredient of the checking system, rule information needs to be extracted from regulatory texts and be formalized into machine-readable format. This paper proposed a semantic frame-based information extraction method with a focus on domain semantics and lexical semantics. The extraction process is characterized by the enrichment of lexical semantic frames and the mapping with the domain semantic framework. Natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) techniques were used to implement the extraction mechanism. The preliminary experiment shows a promising performance when extracting rule information from Indian Utility Accommodation Policy.
Correlation between quantitative liver and spleen volumes and disease severity in primary sclerosing cholangitis as determined by Mayo risk score

Abstract Objectives To correlate total and lobar liver and spleen volume with disease severity in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) as determined by Mayo risk score. Methods This HIPAA-compliant single center retrospective study included 147 PSC patients with available imaging studies (MRCP/CT) and laboratory data between January 2003 and January 2018. Total and lobar (right, left and caudate) liver volume and spleen volume were measured. ANOVA test was performed to assess the differences in volumes between low, intermediate and high-risk groups (Mayo risk score 0, >0 and 2, >2, respectively). Correlations between volumes and Mayo risk score were calculated. ROC analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of the variable with the strongest correlation to PSC severity to predict Mayo risk score. P value Results The mean age of this cohort was 45 ± 17 years; 58% were men. Absolute volumes of left lobe, caudate and spleen and volume ratios of left lobe and caudate to total liver volume of the high-risk group were significantly higher compared to those of low and intermediate risk groups (p Conclusions In this single institution large cohort study, the left lobe to total liver volume ratio was the best quantifiable volumetric biomarker to correlate with severity of PSC as identified by Mayo risk score.
Acute Hemodynamic Effects of Different Pacing Strategies in LVAD Recipients

Purpose Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves quality of life and survival in patients with heart failure, but it has not been rigorously investigated in LVAD patients. Furthermore, the effects of different pacing strategies on hemodynamics in LVAD recipients is unknown. Methods Hospitalized adult LVAD patients with a CRT device and a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in place were eligible to be enrolled. Patients who required vasopressor or high-dose inotropic support, or who had been shocked from their defibrillator in the prior 24 hours were excluded. The following pacing strategies were tested for each patient: right ventricular pacing (RVP), left ventricular pacing (LVP), biventricular pacing (BiVP), and no pacing. Right atrial pressure (RAP), pulmonary artery systolic (PASP) and mean (mPAP) pressures, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and cardiac index (CI) were measured after 5 minutes at each pacing setting. Mean values of each hemodynamic parameter were compared between the different settings. Results Between 9/1/2017 and 8/31/2018, 5 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 66.7 years and mean frequency of biventricular pacing at baseline was 71.8%. Two patients had HeartWare and 3 patients had HeartMate III LVADs. RAP appeared similar across all settings. PASP, mPAP, and PCWP were each slightly lower at the “no pacing” setting compared to RVP, LVP, or BiVP. CI was highest at the “no pacing” setting (Table). Statistical testing was not performed due to the small number of patients enrolled. No adverse events were observed. One patient developed atrial fibrillation during the study period that resolved spontaneously within 24 hours. Conclusion While all pacing strategies were safe and well tolerated acutely, the “no pacing” strategy was associated with a possible signal towards the most favorable hemodynamic profile. Whether these differences will persist upon further enrollment and meaningfully impact quality of life, exercise tolerance, or survival in LVAD recipients requires further study.
Nation‐wide failure of voluntary folic acid fortification of corn masa flour and tortillas with folic acid

Background The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required all enriched cereal grains to be fortified with folic acid in 1998. In April 2016, the FDA published regulations allowing voluntary fortification of corn masa flour with folic acid to address the high prevalence of folic acid-preventable spina bifida and anencephaly among Hispanics. Our objective was to survey folic acid-fortified corn masa and corn tortilla products in the country using a national social media campaign. Methods In January 2019, we conducted a social media campaign (#FindFolicAcid) engaging citizens nationwide to survey local stores for folic acid in corn masa flour and corn tortilla products. Photos of products and nutrition labels were shared with the researchers on various social media portals (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). The posts were summarized for a descriptive analysis. Results People from 28 states shared photos of 132 products, including 43 unique corn masa flour or corn tortilla products. Of those, only three corn masa flour products included folic acid: (a) Maseca Instant White (4.4 lb bag); (b) Masa Brosa Instant; and (c) Masa Brosa Instant Blue. None of the corn tortilla products were fortified. Conclusion There is a failure of voluntary folic acid fortification of corn masa flour and products nationally. Until folic acid fortification of corn masa products is implemented fully in the country, Hispanic women of reproductive age should take a daily vitamin supplement which includes at least 400 mcg of folic acid to prevent spina bifida and anencephaly.
A Fast Method to Estimate Peak Local SAR under MRI With RF Shimming

Radio frequency (RF) shimming is widely used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to improve the imaging quality by optimizing excitations of RF coil. However, the changes of RF excitations can significantly change the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution, and thereby, the peak local SAR inside human bodies under MRI. It is important to estimate the peak local SAR for patients under MRI with RF shimming techniques in real time. In this study, a fast method is proposed to estimate the maximum local SAR under RF shimming. Numerical simulations were performed to model the SAR under different excitations of RF shimming, then space averaging filters were designed to estimate the local SAR. Results are compared with IEC standard method, as results suggested, this method is capable of estimating both location and value of mass averaged SAR under different excitation modes.
Applications of Machine Learning Tools in Genomics: A Review.

To overcome the challenges presented by the manual analysis of large datasets inherent to DNA sequences, machine learning (ML) tools are commonly employed due to their relative accuracy and ease of implementation. However, no consensus exists regarding the most broadly applicable and effective machine learning tool for performing multiple analysis on DNA sequences, with many researchers instead opting to utilize proprietary hybrids. Review determined that the modal techniques among the literature surveyed were support vector machines and neural networks, both existing in modified proprietary forms to best fit DNA sequence analysis. Analyses were principally focused on site specific activities which were then used to create inferences regarding the whole of the molecule. These findings suggest neural networks and support vector machines as verified by Bayesian statistics may be the optimal approach for analyzing long DNA sequences.
Open optical communication systems at a hyperscale operator [Invited]

Open optical networks present a variety of benefits to service providers and enterprise network operators, such as freedom from single-vendor dependence and the potential to select best-in-class solutions for each individual network role (e.g., line system or optical terminals). In this paper, we discuss two open optical network models: one enables transponder–line system interoperability, whereas the other goes a step further and enables line system–line system interoperability. We examine these models in more detail in the context of an open optical system already deployed at scale. We present real-world experiences and lessons learned with respect to optical link design, software and controls, deployment, and operation, as well as recommendations for future evolution of the network.
Evaluation of Ixekizumab Treatment for Patients With Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris: A Single-Arm Trial.

Importance Pityriasis rubra pilaris is a rare and disabling cutaneous disease that is frequently recalcitrant to conventional therapies and appears to involve interleukin (IL)-17 overexpression. Objective To investigate the clinical response and safety of ixekizumab in treating pityriasis rubra pilaris. Design, Setting, and Participants Single-arm, investigator-initiated trial conducted in adult patients with moderate to severe pityriasis rubra pilaris at a single-center academic university from June 2018 to January 2020. A total of 41 patients were screened, 12 were enrolled, and 11 completed the full duration of therapy. A referred, consecutive sample was used during participant selection. The treatment period and primary outcome occurred over 24 weeks with additional patient follow-up through 36 weeks. Intervention Subcutaneous administration of ixekizumab, a humanized IgG4 antibody that binds IL-17A, at the US Food and Drug Administration–approved dosing schedule for treatment of psoriasis for 24 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the mean change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index at 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included change in affected body surface area, quality of life, induction of sustained remission, and association of improvement withCARD14genetic variations and cutaneous cytokine expression. Results A total of 12 white patients (mean [SD] age, 49.8 [15.1] years; 8 male [67%]) were enrolled between June 2018 and April 2019, with 11 completing the full course of intervention. The mean (SEM) improvements in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, affected body surface area, and Dermatology Life Quality Index were 15.2 (2.1) (P Conclusions and Relevance In this single-armed trial, ixekizumab was associated with reduced clinical signs and symptoms of pityriasis rubra pilaris in a subset of patients, including those in whom other systemic therapies have failed. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT03485976
Social Justice Pre-Practicum: Enhancing Social Justice Identity Through Experiential Learning

The counseling profession calls counselors to engage in social justice advocacy and charges counselor education programs to prepare students for this work. While most counseling programs promote social justice knowledge through a single course and infusion model, there remains a standard practice in providing students with experiential opportunities in advocacy to improve their learning. A qualitative study used a focus group methodology to examine the effectiveness of a social justice pre-practicum in the development of a social justice identity with counseling students. The study examines whether participation in a social justice pre-practicum reinforces a personal connection to and a broader understanding of social inequalities and advocacy work, as well as encourages more engagement in systemic advocacy in current employment. The purpose of this article is to encourage counselor education programs to equip students with real-life experiential opportunities in advocacy work by adopting a similar social justice pre-practicum course in their curriculum.
Three-dimensional biomechanical model of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

A morphologically descriptive 3-canal mathematical model was developed to quantify the biomechanical origins of gravity-dependent semicircular canal responses under pathological conditions of canalithiasis and cupulolithiasis—conditions associated with the vestibular disorder benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The model describes the influence of displaced calcium carbonate debris (particles) located within the labyrinth on the time-dependent responses of the ampullary organs. The particles were modeled as spheres free to move in the canal lumen (canalithiasis) or adhered to a cupula (cupulolithiasis). The model predicts canal responses to the diagnostic Dix–Hallpike maneuver, and to a modified Epley canalith repositioning (CRP) treatment. Results for canalithiasis predict activation latencies and response magnitudes consistent with clinical observations during the Dix–Hallpike maneuver. The magnitude of the response evoked by the Dix–Hallpike test was primarily due to the total weight of the particles while the latency to peak response was due to the time required for the stone to move from the ampulla to the posterior apex of the canal. Results further illustrate the effectiveness of the Epley CRP in repositioning the particles and relieving the symptoms of the canalithiasis type of BPPV.
Corrigendum: Architectures for wrist-worn energy harvesting (2018 Smart Mater. Struct. 27 044001)

This document concerns a statement made in error about optimal rotational architectures that appears in the original publication, with supporting data, and also serves to correct some other minor errors in the original publication.
ₛ: computable semantics for differentiable programming with higher-order functions and datatypes

Deep learning is moving towards increasingly sophisticated optimization objectives that employ higher-order functions, such as integration, continuous optimization, and root-finding. Since differentiable programming frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow do not have first-class representations of these functions, developers must reason about the semantics of such objectives and manually translate them to differentiable code. We present a differentiable programming language, λS, that is the first to deliver a semantics for higher-order functions, higher-order derivatives, and Lipschitz but nondifferentiable functions. Together, these features enableλS to expose differentiable, higher-order functions for integration, optimization, and root-finding as first-class functions with automatically computed derivatives. λS’s semantics is computable, meaning that values can be computed to arbitrary precision, and we implement λS as an embedded language in Haskell. We use λS to construct novel differentiable libraries for representing probability distributions, implicit surfaces, and generalized parametric surfaces – all as instances of higher-order datatypes – and present case studies that rely on computing the derivatives of these higher-order functions and datatypes. In addition to modeling existing differentiable algorithms, such as a differentiable ray tracer for implicit surfaces, without requiring any user-level differentiation code, we demonstrate new differentiable algorithms, such as the Hausdorff distance of generalized parametric surfaces.