cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic analysis of inefficiently-used containers

The goal of this work is to identify suspicious usage of containers, as an indicator of potential performance inefficiencies. To analyze container-related behavior and performance, we propose a dynamic analysis that tracks and records the flow of element objects to/from container objects. The observed interactions among containers and their elements is captured by a container-element flow graph. This graph is then analyzed by three detectors of potential container inefficiencies, based on certain patterns of suspicious behavior. In a promising initial study, this approach uncovered a number of performance problems in realistic Java applications.
Perceptions of Americans and the Iraq Invasion Implications for Understanding National Character Stereotypes

This study examines perceptions of the “typical American” from 49 cultures around the world. Contrary to the ethnocentric bias hypothesis, a strong agreement was found between in-group and out-group ratings on the American profile (assertive, open-minded, but antagonistic). In fact, Americans had a somewhat less desirable view of Americans than did others. Within cultures, in-group ratings were not systematically more favorable than out-group ratings. The Iraq invasion had a slight negative effect on perceptions of the typical American, but people around the world seem to draw a clear distinction between U.S. foreign policy and the character of the American people. National character stereotypes appear to have a variety of sources and to be perpetuated by both cognitive mechanisms and sociocultural forces.
A system reduction method to efficiently solve DSGE models

Abstract The paper presents a system reduction method (SRM) to improve the computational time to solve a large class of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models with the methods of Anderson and Moore (1985) , Klein (2000) , Sims (2002) or Uhlig (1995) . I measure the efficiency gains with seven models ranging from 47 to 333 equations. The time reduction for the Anderson–Moore algorithm aim ranges from 10% to 71%; Klein's function solab reduces its time between 51% and 79%; the time reduction for Sims' function gensys increases from 25% to 59%; Uhlig's function solve reduces its time between 31% and 87%. The time reduction can be crucial for Bayesian estimation of medium to large scale models.
Simulated microwave propagation through tropospheric turbulence

A two-dimensional parabolic equation/split-step algorithm is used to march the wavefront through random refractivity fluctuations. The index of refraction is modeled to include small random fluctuations from boundary layer turbulence superimposed upon a deterministic refractivity profile. Three-dimensional spectral models from the atmospheric literature are used to derive the one-dimensional transverse spectra of refractivity that are necessary for parabolic simulations. Realizations of the medium consistent with the spectra are generated and propagation studies are conducted. By repeating the propagation study and averaging across an ensemble of realizations, the appropriate statistics of the field are estimated. Good agreement is observed between the numerical results and existing theory for a benchmark problem. The limitations of two-dimensional models are discussed. Two models for the inhomogeneous structure constant of turbulence in the boundary layer are considered. >
Work in progress - improved approach for delivering an introductory computer science course

In this work, we present a new teaching approach that we have implemented in our introductory computer science programming course. The methodology consists of team teaching, a hybrid delivery system, recorded lecture retrieval capability, readiness assessment activities, objective assessment of student progress, and cooperative learning through team work. The two new aspects of this approach are team teaching and objective assessment to provide additional feedback to students. Details of this work, including its advantages, disadvantages, and student feedback, are included in the paper.
Ovarian follicle selection and granulosa cell differentiation

Abstract The reproductive strategy for avian species that produce a sequence (or clutch) of eggs is dependent upon the maintenance of a small cohort of viable, undifferentiated (prehierarchal) follicles. It is from this cohort that a single follicle is selected on an approximate daily basis to initiate rapid growth and final differentiation before ovulation. This review describes a working model in which follicles within this prehierarchal cohort are maintained in an undifferentiated state by inhibitory cell signaling until the time of selection. Ultimately, follicle selection represents a process in which a single undifferentiated follicle per day is predicted to escape such inhibitory mechanisms to begin rapid growth and final maturation before ovulation. Several processes initiated within the granulosa cell layer at selection are dependent upon G protein-coupled receptors signaling via cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and several critical processes are described herein. Finally, reference is made to several practical outcomes that can result from understanding the process of selection, including applications within the poultry industry. Proximal factors and processes that mediate follicle selection can either extend or decrease the length of the laying sequence, and thus directly influence overall egg production. In particular, any aberration that results in the selection of more than one follicle per day will result in decreased egg production. More generally, in wild birds these processes are modified by prevailing environmental conditions and by social interactions to influence clutch size. The elucidation of cellular processes that regulate follicle selection can assist in the development of assisted reproductive technologies for application in threatened and endangered avian species.
The use of CorMatrix extracellular matrix for aortic root enlargement

This manuscript presents a published record of the use and efficacy of the extracellular matrix CorMatrix and why it may be superior to other materials used for aortic root enlargement. The potential benefits of an extracellular matrix are the natural ingrowth and development of native arterial cells and structure.
“The Notorious Mrs. Clem”: Gender, Class, and Criminality in Gilded Age America

This essay explores the story of Nancy Clem, an outwardly respectable Indianapolis confidence woman and alleged murderess, in the context of changing constructions of class, gender, and criminality. It examines various ways in which lawyers, newspaper reporters, and ordinary citizens struggled to understand a woman who did not fit preexisting conceptions of gender and crime. A series of high-profile cases involving bourgeois criminals and (more than likely) Clem's own social aspirations allowed cultural commentators to portray her as a “genteel murderess.” Upon her release from prison after an abortive fifth trial, Clem could not sustain her newly acquired social identity, in part because her erstwhile refinement was a journalistic creation and in part because the changing nature of class, gender, and space in Gilded Age Indianapolis provided her with fewer opportunities for self-fashioning. Clem's social odyssey from half-literate “Butternut” to genteel murderess to uncultured “capitalist” reflects slippery, yet significant, transitions between social fluidity and relative rigidity, antebellum respectability and Gilded Age gentility.
Thiol-Related Genes in Diabetic Complications A Novel Protective Role for Endogenous Thioredoxin 2

Objective— Our laboratory and others have found that deficiencies in cellular thiols may be importantly involved in the development of diabetic complications. However, the role for specific thiol-related genes in diabetic complications is unclear. Methods and Results— We began the present study by systematically determining the expression level of 11 thiol-related genes in three tissues from rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Several thiol-related genes were found to exhibit diabetes-associated, time-dependent differential expression. Thioredoxin 2, a mitochondrion-specific thioredoxin whose role in diabetes was unknown, was suppressed in the aorta from rats with two weeks of diabetes. When thioredoxin 2 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells was knocked-down by small interfering RNA, high-ambient glucose-elicited substantial injurious effects (n=5 to 9, P <0.05), including increases in cytosolic cytochrome c (by 2.2±0.6-fold), lipid peroxidation (by 40±8%), fibronectin expression (by 35±7%), and oxidized glutathione, and decreases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression (by 79±15%), basal accumulation of nitrite/nitrate (by 68±16%), total free thiols (by 42±8%), and glutathione (by 6±1%). In the absence of thioredoxin 2 knockdown, high-ambient glucose did not have significant effects on any of these measurements. The effect of thioredoxin 2 knockdown appeared to be associated with increases in glucose consumption and glucose transporter 1 expression. Conclusion— These results provided the first expression profile of thiol-related genes in a model of diabetes and demonstrated a novel role for endogenous thioredoxin 2 in protecting cells against high ambient glucose.
Organizational identity orientation: The genesis of the role of the firm and distinct forms of social value

This article fleshes out a recently introduced and empirically grounded framework of organizational identity orientation, which refers to the nature of assumed relations between an organization and its stakeholders as perceived by members. I suggest that individualistic, relational, and collectivistic orientations engender distinct patterns of relations with external and internal stakeholders and provide unique potential to advance certain forms of social value. I pay particular attention to relationships with customers, nonprofits, and employees. This framework may advance stakeholder theory and research on interorganizational relationships, the employment relationship, and intraorganizational relationships.
The Impact of Devegetated Dune Fields on North American Climate During the Late Medieval Climate Anomaly

During the Medieval Climate Anomaly, North America experienced severe droughts and widespread mobilization of dune fields that persisted for decades. We use an atmosphere general circulation model, forced by a tropical Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction and changes in the land surface consistent with estimates of dune mobilization (conceptualized as partial devegetation), to investigate whether the devegetation could have exacerbated the medieval droughts. Presence of devegetated dunes in the model significantly increases surface temperatures, but has little impact on precipitation or drought severity, as defined by either the Palmer Drought Severity Index or the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Results are similar to recent studies of the 1930s Dust Bowl drought, suggesting bare soil associated with the dunes, in and of itself, is not sufficient to amplify droughts over North America.
Scenario-Based Specification of Automotive Requirements With Quantitative Constraints and Synthesis of SL/SF Monitors

Requirements of embedded systems often describe the system behavior with quantitative constraints over parameters such as timing, memory, and other resources. In this letter, we present a visual language suited for scenario-based specification of requirements with quantitative constraints. Our language, known as event sequence charts with quantitative constraints (ESC-QC), is inspired by message sequence charts (MSC) and its variants. We introduce ESC-QC notations through an example from automotive requirements and then describe the formal syntax and semantics. Besides being useful for formal documentation and analysis of system requirements, ESC-QC specifications can be translated into monitors and used for run-time verification of designs. In automotive systems Simulink/Stateflow (SL/SF) is widely used for design of control systems. We have developed an algorithm for automatic synthesis of SL/SF monitors from ESC-QC specifications. We have used this algorithm for generating monitors for verification of controller models from active safety and body control applications.
What Race and Ethnicity Measure in Pharmacologic Research

Advances in genomic technology have put the utility of collecting racial and ethnic data into question. Some researchers are optimistic about the potential of moving toward "personalized medicine" by using a person's genome to administer medications. Genetics will not erase the importance of race and ethnicity because race and ethnicity do not measure genetic composition. Unlike genes, race and ethnicity are social constructs; 2 persons with identical genetic makeup may self-identify as being of different race or ethnic origin. Race and ethnic categories have been subject to change over time; a person's self-identification may vary according to the context, wording, and format of the question asked. Despite the fluid nature of the concept, self-identified race and ethnicity can capture something that genes cannot, namely, aspects of culture, behavior, diet, environment, and features of social status that commonly used measures of socioeconomic status, such as income, education, and occupation, cannot measure.
Multivariate Analysis of Traffic Factors Related to Fuel Consumption in Urban Driving

The influence of various urban driving conditions on automobile fuel consumption was studied in an experiment involving 383 km of driving in the Detroit metropolitan area. The detailed speed, acceleration, and fuel consumption records were analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques. The objective of the study was to identify pertinent measures of traffic related speed-time characteristics that influence fuel consumption in urban driving. The results showed that average trip time per unit distance was the single most important factor in explaining the variability of fuel consumption. The results can be explained in terms of the physical properties of the engine-vehicle system and the interrelationships among the traffic related variables.
The Meaning of “Being Chinese” and “Being American” Variation among Chinese American Young Adults

Few studies have investigated how the meanings attached to being of a particular culture vary within cultural groups. The meanings of “being Chinese” and “being American” were compared among three Chinese American groups: 122 American-born Chinese (ABC), 119 immigrant Chinese who arrived in the United States before or at age 12, and 112 immigrant Chinese who arrived in the United States after age 12. Participants completed the General Ethnicity Questionnaire (abridged version). For each group, the relationship between “being Chinese” and “being American” and the specific cultural domains (e.g., engagement in American activities, Chinese language proficiency) on which they were based were assessed. Results suggest that “being Chinese” and “being American” were unrelated for ABC, but were negatively related for immigrant Chinese. Results also suggest that for immigrants, the domains on which “being Chinese” and “being American” are based change with increased stay in the United States.
Modeling Simulink Diagrams Using Input/Output Extended Finite Automata

We develop a modeling approach for Simulink diagrams. Simulink is a commercial graphical representation tool for representing and simulating dynamical systems. We propose a recursive approach for modeling a class of Simulink diagrams as input/output-extended finite automata (I/O-EFA). A model of a Simulink diagram can be used for further analysis such as test generation and formal verification. The modeling approach is sound and complete: The input-output behavior of an I/O-EFA model, as defined in terms of a step-trajectory, preserves the input-output behavior of the corresponding Simulink diagram at each sample time.
Evaluation of Head Orientation and Neck Muscle EMG Signals as Command Inputs to a Human–Computer Interface for Individuals With High Tetraplegia

We investigated the performance of three user interfaces for restoration of cursor control in individuals with tetraplegia: head orientation, electromyography(EMG) from face and neck muscles, and a standard computer mouse (for comparison). Subjects engaged in a 2-D, center-out, Fitts' Law style task and performance was evaluated using several measures. Overall, head orientation commanded motion resembled mouse commanded cursor motion (smooth, accurate movements to all targets), although with somewhat lower performance. EMG commanded movements exhibited a higher average speed, but other performance measures were lower, particularly for diagonal targets. Compared to head orientation, EMG as a cursor command source was less accurate, was more affected by target direction and was more prone to overshoot the target. In particular, EMG commands for diagonal targets were more sequential, moving first in one direction and then the other rather than moving simultaneous in the two directions. While the relative performance of each user interface differs, each has specific advantages depending on the application.
Time dependent behavior of laminated composites at elevated temperatures

Models are presented for describing the time dependent viscoelastic and viscoplastic stress-strain relationships of unidirectional fiber reinforced thermoset matrix composites exposed to elevated temperatures. For Fiberite T300/976 graphite-epoxy com posite the constants in the stress-strain relationships were determined from data obtained in four point bend tests over the range 75 to 350°F. A procedure is also described which, together with the stress-strain models developed in this study, can be used to calculate the stresses and strains in loaded multidirectional laminates at high temperatures. Strains in loaded multidirectional Fiberite T300/976 laminates were measured as a function of time at temperatures varying from 75 to 350°F. Strains calculated by the models were compared to these data, and good agreements were found between the analytical and experimental results.
A20, a modulator of smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis, prevents and induces regression of neointimal hyperplasia

A20 is a NF-κB-dependent gene that has dual anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic functions in endothelial cells (EC). The function of A20 in smooth muscle cells (SMC) is unknown. We demonstrate that A20 is induced in SMC in response to inflammatory stimuli and serves an anti-inflammatory function via blockade of NF-κB and NF-κB-dependent proteins ICAM-1 and MCP-1. A20 inhibits SMC proliferation via increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21waf1 and p27kip1. Surprisingly, A20 sensitizes SMC to cytokine- and Fas-mediated apoptosis through a novel NO-dependent mechanism. In vivo, adenoviral delivery of A20 to medial rat carotid artery SMC after balloon angioplasty prevents neointimal hyperplasia by blocking SMC proliferation and accelerating re-endothelialization, without causing apoptosis. However, expression of A20 in established neointimal lesions leads to their regression through increased apoptosis. This is the first demonstration that A20 exerts two levels of control of vascular remo...
Estimating the Institutional and Network Effects of Religious Cultures on International Trade

Economists have increasingly emphasized the role of institutions in shaping economic activity. Among the many studies on institutions, however, there has been relatively little research on the economic role of religion in modern societies or in recent episodes of economic growth and change. This lack of research is surprising because religious practices, traditions, and philosophies are important components of national cultures that shape institutions. Religious cultures are clearly legitimate subjects for scientific study. This is not to imply that all economists have been reluctant to deal with religion. Adam Smith (1776) discussed religion from an economic perspective, arguing in his Wealth of Nations that religious participation was a rational device by which people enhanced their reputations. Smith also provided economic explanations of the behavior of clergy and religious organizations. Recent studies on the economic impact of religion include Freeman (1986), Cochran and Akers (1989), and Lehrer and Chiswick (1993), Levin (1994), and Evans et al. (1995), who examined the relationship between religion and crime, drug use, divorce, suicide, and health, respectively. Barro and McCleary (2002, 2003), Grier (1997), and Noland (2003) examined how religious cultures influenced economic growth. Ensminger (1997), Kuran (1995, 1997), and Ragab (1980) specifically examined the influence of Islamic culture on economic growth, and Uppal (1986) focused on the growth effects of Hinduism. Allen (2004), Anderson and Tollison (1992), Delacroix (1995), Kaufmann (1997), and Samuelsson (1993) recently disputed Weber’s (1905) well-known ‘Protestant ethic’ thesis. However, Iannaccone (1998) argues that the continued widespread acceptance of Weber’s 100-year old hypothesis by economists
Piezoresistive response of conductive Hot Mix Asphalt mixtures modified with carbon nanofibers

Abstract In recent years, “smart structures” experienced significant popularity in civil engineering. Such structures, referred to as intelligent structures, are built with combination of smart and conventional materials and have intelligent systems that cannot only gather information and perform tasks, but also sense variation in conditions of the materials and adapt accordingly. Conductive Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) mixtures are constructed by modifying with electrically conductive materials. Conductive HMA mixtures would potentially make many technologies applicable to pavements including, but not limited to; thermal electric de-icing of airport runways or highways, cathodic protection of concrete bridge decks, pavement damage sensing, truck weigh-in-motion, and so forth. Dispersing carbon nanofibers (CNF) in HMA mixtures makes it a smart material as it develops a piezoresistive effect. The main objective of the study is to develop a smart HMA mixture by using electrically conductive material such as carbon nanofibers (CNF). The CNF modified HMA mixtures would have the ability to respond to loading. An exploratory investigation for piezoresistive response of CNF modified HMA mixtures under various types of loading, frequencies, and temperatures were evaluated. Stress–strain response due to applied load and its relationship with the change in resistivity was discussed. It was found that out of two type of CNF used in the study one provide better piezoresistive response of HMA. It was determined that embedment of copper wire electrodes is the most effective method to achieve smooth and consistent electrical response. Furthermore, polymer modified binders showed promising piezoresistive effect for medium to high temperature range.
BRINGING THINGS TO THE CENTER:: THE CENTER FOR THE CULTURAL RECORD OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

Despite the death threats against schools of library and information science (LIS) that were rampant during the final decades of the twentieth century, LIS graduate programs are alive and well and have a promising prognosis for the twenty-first century. The challenge, however , is to adapt to the changing personae of the American university and the emerging roles of information professionals in all aspects of our society. Today’s university is less concerned with maintaining the strict boundaries of traditional disciplines and instead encourages thinking that is transdisciplinary. Although this new model respects the uniqueness of various subject areas, it celebrates collaboration . . .
Coupling the Hand with the Handle: An Improved Notation of Touch, Grip, and Grasp

This is a classification of hand-handle couplings by the geometrical interactions between handle surfaces and anatomical sections of the hand.
Wide-Field Fluorescence Sectioning With HiLo Microscopy

HiLo microscopy is a wide-field fluorescence imaging technique that provides depth discrimination by combining two images, one with non-uniform illumination and one with uniform illumination. We discuss theoretical and practical results regarding this new technique.
Study partners perform essential tasks in dementia research and can experience burdens and benefits in this role

Most studies that enroll individuals with dementia require a study partner for each participant. Study partners-usually family members-perform several key roles: accompanying the participant to visits, providing information about the participant, and assisting with procedures such as taking medication. Little is known, however, about their experiences when performing these roles. Dementia researchers and institutional review boards need to know these experiences because the study partner role is one key factor in a study's success. This prospective qualitative study, using up to three semi-structured interviews with 62 study partners involved in a range of dementia studies, documented their subjective experiences. Content analysis demonstrates that study partners perform a range of tasks-often within the context of being a caregiver-that enable cognitively impaired individuals to participate in dementia research. These tasks present study partners with unique burdens and benefits, some of which dementia researchers and institutional review boards can address.
Communication and Remote Control of Integration Platform for Automatic Monitoring System on Water Diversion Project

An automation of water diversion project and its measurement subsystem is mainly introduced.And integration platform based on the unity information query and analysis for the scheme of device monitoring and control is presented.The principle,structure and process of the integration for communication and control are discussed.Besides,the features and control mechanism of the design pattern are analyzed.It offers a feasible design and architecture for integration and monitoring subsystem of water diversion project.
Photoperiod and heat stress influence on lactating sow performance and photoperiod effects on nursery pig performance.

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate sow and piglet productivity under extended photoperiod. In Exp. 1, 98 crossbred, lactating sows were housed in one of four treatments: thermoneutral air temperature (23.6 degrees C) in either (h of light:dark) 1:23 or 16:8 photoperiods, or heat stress (30.4 degrees C) in either 1:23 or 16:8 photoperiods. Heat stress reduced (P less than .05) sow feed intake, piglet mortality and piglet weaning weight and increased (P less than .01) sow lactation weight loss. Number of pigs weaned per litter was increased (P less than .01) when sows were heat-stressed. Extended photoperiod reduced (P greater than .05) time for sows to rebreed postweaning by .4 d. The interaction between air temperature and photoperiod was significant only for sow lactation weight loss. Heat stress increased sow lactation weight loss, but this effect was more severe in the 1:23 than in the 16:8 photoperiod. Experiments 2 and 3 examined the effects of 1:23 or 16:8 photoperiods on nursery pig performance when pigs were weaned from sows experiencing 1:23 (Exp. 3) or 16:8 (Exp. 2) photoperiods. In both nursery studies, photoperiod did not influence (P greater than .10) postweaning pig mortality, feed intake, weight gain or gain:feed ratio. In conclusion, extended photoperiod reduced days to return to estrus and reduced sow lactation weight loss, especially during heat stress. No benefits in preweaning or postweaning piglet weight or survival were observed by use of extended photoperiod.
Regulation of Plastid Transcription and RNA Accumulation During Barley Leaf Development

Chloroplast development is coupled to leaf mesophyll cell development and is controlled, in part, by light (rev. 1, 2, 3). The extent of light control over chloroplast development varies considerably between plant species and leaf type. However, a common sequence of events can be discerned in most plants which leads from undifferentiated proplastids to photosynthetically active chloroplasts (1). This sequence of events has been studied extensively in monocots such as barley because of the spatial separation of stages in chloroplast development in these plants (4–7). Barley leaf cells are produced primarily by a meristematic zone located in the leaf base. These undifferentiated dividing cells contain 10 to 15 proplastids (5, 7). Proplastids accumulate 120 to 150 copies of plastid DNA but exhibit low overall transcription activity (7). Once cells in the leaf base stop dividing they are displaced toward the leaf apex due to cell enlargement and continued formation of cells in the leaf base. During the phase of cell enlargement, plastid transcription activity increases (7). The activation of plastid transcription is light-independent as is the accumulation of most soluble proteins and many membrane proteins found in chloroplasts (8). However, acquisition of photosynthetic competence and accumulation of chlorophyll and the chlorophyll-apoproteins requires light (9). When barley plants are illuminated, leaf chloroplasts become photosynthetically active and after 12 to 24 hrs of light, overall plastid transcription and translation activities decline (10).
First Described Case of Group B Streptococcus Pelvic Abscess in a Patient with No Medical Comorbidities

Background. Group B Streptococcus is an organism that commonly infects a wide range of hosts including infants in the first week of life, pregnant women, and older age adults as well as adults with underlying medical comorbidities. Case. Large pelvic abscess in a nonpregnant patient found to be caused by Group B Streptococcus was treated successfully with IR guided drainage and antibiotics. Conclusion. Though rare, GBS can still be a cause of invasive infection even in individuals who are nonpregnant and have no underlying comorbidities. Empiric antibiotic coverage for this organism should be kept in mind when treating an abscess.
The initial 41Ca/40Ca ratios in two type A Ca–Al-rich inclusions: Implications for the origin of short-lived 41Ca

This paper reports new 41Ca–41K isotopic data for two Type A CAIs, NWA 3118 #1Nb (Compact Type A) and Vigarano 3138 F8 (Fluffy Type A), from reduced CV3 chondrites. The NWA CAI is found to have carried live 41Ca at the level of (4.6±1.9)×10-9(4.6±1.9)×10-9, consistent with the proposed Solar System initial 41Ca/40Ca=4.2×10-941Ca/40Ca=4.2×10-9 by Liu et al. (2012a). On the other hand, the Vigarano CAI does not have resolvable radiogenic 41K excesses that can be attributed to the decay of 41Ca. Combined with the 26Al data that have been reported for these two CAIs, we infer that the 41Ca distribution was not homogeneous when 26Al was widespread at the canonical level of 26Al/27Al=5.2×10-526Al/27Al=5.2×10-5. Such a 41Ca heterogeneity can be understood under two astrophysical contexts: in situ charged particle irradiation by the protoSun in the solar nebula that had inherited some baseline 10Be abundance from the molecular cloud, and Solar System formation in a molecular cloud enriched in 26Al and 41Ca contaminated by massive star winds. That said, more high quality 41Ca data are still needed to better understand the origin of this radionuclide.
iRAM: Sensing memory needs of my smartphone

Our study reveals that facilitating warm launch of just five smartphone applications is extremely expensive, using up to 36 percent of memory. Further investigation of 20 popular applications indicates that rich multimedia applications have high heap usage and go above allowed boundaries, up to 5.63 times more heap than guaranteed by the system, and may cause crashes and erroneous behaviors. Therefore, we present iRAM, a personalized system that maintains optimal heap size limits to avoid crashes, efficiently maximizes free memory levels, and cleans low-priority processes to reduce application delays. The evaluation on memory hungry applications indicates that iRAM reduces application crashes by up to 14 percent, and reduces launch delays by up to 78.2 percent. In addition, the results confirm that iRAM increases free memory levels by up to 4.8 times. This performance gain comes with 3.5 percent of CPU overhead and 0.9 percent of power overhead.
Championing Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology: The New Investigator Review Award.

After three full years shepherding the journal, our editorial team has debated how best to continue the broad focus and tradition of the journal and how to attract more authors. While our Impact Factor, submission rate and "time to first decision" have remained relatively stable, we recognize that just as the American Physiological Society is seeking to develop initiatives to reverse the trend of the greying of our membership, so must our journal seek to attract and encourage manuscripts from Early Stage Investigators.
Optimization and comparison of hybrid-resonant switched capacitor DC-DC converter topologies

This paper explores methods to optimize and compare a variety of switched-capacitor (SC) DC-DC topologies that can be operated in a resonant mode. A figure of merit is developed that is a proxy for minimum achievable power loss, based on conduction and frequency-dependent losses in the active semiconductor components. Similar to past work on pure SC converters, the method leverages a charge-multiplier approach and is used to show the impact of energy or area constraints on capacitors, and tradeoffs between power loss and volumetric overhead of inductors. An analysis and detailed breakdown is provided for several common and emerging topologies.
Understanding the role of positive constraints in sparse bilinear problems

This paper considers a certain class of sparse bilinear problems that arises in blind spike deconvolution and array calibration. Existing works based on the idea of lifting attempt to solve this problem by imposing subspace constraints to reduce the number of unknowns, and developing probabilistic guarantees. The goal of this paper is to understand the role of positivity in sparse bilinear problems and develop deterministic guarantees for exact support recovery without additional subspace constraints on the unknown quantities. We derive the necessary and sufficient number of measurements needed to exactly recover the location of two spikes simply by exploiting positivity of the spike amplitudes and the blurring kernel. This is the first result of its kind. An interesting consequence of this analysis is to show that exploitation of positivity can lead to exact support recovery even when the number of equations is fewer than the number of unknowns. The theoretical claims are verified through simulations and compared against lifting based algorithms.
Enhancing FPGA security through Trojan resilient IP creation

In recent years FPGAs have become vulnerable to hardware Trojan attacks due to their increased use in different applications like defense, automotive, image processing, etc. Among several types of hardware Trojan attacks in FPGAs, one of them is implanting hardware Trojans using the bitstream modification. These types of hardware Trojans exploit the empty resources in FPGA by modifying the original design by bitstream modification. In this paper, Trojan Resilient IP is created by adding original design with the dummy logic design in order to provide security and trust for FPGA-based designs. Covering the unused resources with dummy logic design incurs power and delay overhead for FPGA design when the dummy logic circuit is in operation. This paper also addresses the power and delay overhead for Trojan Resilient IP Creation using different ISACS'89 benchmark circuits.
Nano-dispersed platinum(0) in organically modified silicate matrices as sustainable catalysts for a regioselective hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes

Nano-dispersed platinum(0) particles stabilized in a range of organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) matrices are investigated as sustainable catalysts for the hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes. In this study, five different siloxane matrices including triethoxysilane (HTEOS), methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), ethyltriethoxysilane (ETES), triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) and propyltriethoxysilane (PTES) are investigated, and the distribution of the metal particles in these materials analyzed by transition electron microscopy (TEM). The particles appeared to be generally of a small size, with a diameter of ca. 2–5 nm in each of these catalysts, however the distribution is not equally uniform from one matrix to the other. HTEOS, MTES and ETES that respectively carry a hydrogen, a methyl and an ethyl group on the triethoxysilane moiety, displayed a more uniform distribution, while particles appeared to be more scattered in the remaining matrices. Catalysts with a uniform particles distribution produced higher and consistent yields, while those with poor particles distribution produced lower and almost random yields, suggesting that the uniformity in particle distribution, and by extension the nature of the siloxane matrix, are important for the catalytic properties of these materials. The scope of the reaction was broadened to a range of olefins, with a goal of investigating the tolerability of the reaction toward a number of reactive functional groups, resulting in the preparation of 28 compounds. This catalytic system also enabled the hydrosilylation of a limited number of alkynes under the optimized reaction conditions.
C-28: ISBER best practices in action at CDC’s CASPIR biorepository

The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER), has developed a set of best practice guidelines for repositories, reflecting the collective experience of its members and repository professionals. The enterprise has been driven by the need for standardized, evidence based methods for collection, long-term storage, retrieval and distribution of specimens, to ensure availability of high quality biological and environmental specimens for research use. The ISBER Best Practices document represents effective strategies for the management of specimen collections and repositories, and is regularly revised to incorporate new advances. Biorepostories represent the infrastructure that includes both the physical facilities and the full range of activities associated with the repository. The Best Practices address all aspects of a repository required to ensure the quality of both specimens and associated data. A self-assessment tool is available from ISBER to assist repositories gage how well they adhere to the Best Practices. The CASPIR (CDC and ATSDR Specimen Packaging, Inventory, and Repository) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is an example of a large, long term biorepository that utilizes the ISBER Best Practices framework to ensure consistent management of specimens and associated data. The CDC accrues millions of irreplaceable specimens in the course of Public Health investigations, including a variety of human, microbial and environmental samples. CASPIR was established as a centralized facility to preserve the integrity of CDC’s unique and valuable specimens for future research in a secure facility, with continuously maintained uniform conditions and standard operating procedures and quality measures.
FTY720 enhances the anti-tumor activity of carboplatin and tamoxifen in a patient-derived xenograft model of ovarian cancer

Abstract Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Although most patients respond to frontline therapy, virtually all patients relapse with chemoresistant disease. This study addresses the hypothesis that carboplatin or tamoxifen + FTY720, a sphingosine analogue, will minimize or circumvent drug-resistance in ovarian cancer cells and tumor models. In vitro data demonstrate that FTY720 sensitized two drug-resistant (A2780. cp20, HeyA8. MDR) and two high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell lines (COV362, CAOV3) to carboplatin, a standard of care for patients with ovarian cancer, and to the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen. FTY720 + tamoxifen was synergistic in vitro, and combinations of FTY720 + carboplatin or + tamoxifen were more effective than each single agent in a patient-derived xenograft model of ovarian carcinoma. FTY720 + tamoxifen arrested tumor growth. FTY720 + carboplatin induced tumor regressions, with tumor volumes reduced by ∼86% compared to initial tumor volumes. Anti-tumor efficacy was concomitant with increases in intracellular proapoptotic lipid ceramide. The data suggest that FTY720 + tamoxifen or carboplatin may be effective in treating ovarian tumors.
Network Neutrality Is About Money, Not Packets

The topic of network neutrality has occupied engineers, economists, and telecommunication lawyers since at least 2003. Network engineers often largely perceive this as yet another debate about quality-of-service, but this constitutes probably the least interesting part of the problem and has served more often to distract from other, more important, issues. Almost all network neutrality problems are rooted in economic incentives, and thus are likely to require approaches related to pricing and enhancing competition.
O-004 Endovascular therapy in large infarct core strokes: a subgroup analysis of the trevo registry

Introduction The recent thrombectomy trials were largely limited to patients with small strokes on presentation. We evaluate the outcomes of thrombectomy in patients with large strokes on baseline imaging. Methods Patients were derived from a large prospective multicenter international stent-retriever registry (n=2,010). Baseline NCCT-ASPECTS and Infarct Core Volumes on CT perfusion (rCBF 50 mL if age Results A total of 1,193 patients were included in the ASPECTS analysis. As compared with patients with higher baseline ASPECTS, low baseline ASPECTS (0–4, n=78; 5, n=78) patients were generally younger, had higher stroke severity, and tend to have less comorbidities and undergo thrombectomy at later times (table 1a). TICI-3 reperfusion was higher in the higher-ASPECTS group but other reperfusion outcomes were similar. Safety was comparable. 90-day mRS 0–2 rates were significantly higher in the high-ASPECTS group (p Conclusion Patients with large baseline cores may still achieve favorable outcomes with endovascular treatment. Disclosures R. Nogueira: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular. D. Liebskind: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular. E. Veznedaroglu: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular. R. Budzik: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular. R. Gupta: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular.
Abstract 426: Laminin Downregulation Facilitates Cardiomyocyte Coupling in situ to Increase Contractile Function

Aging is associated with extensive remodeling of the heart, including basement membrane extracellular matrix (ECM) components that surround cardiomyocytes. Remodeling is thought to contribute to impaired cardiac mechanotransduction, but the contribution of specific basement membrane ECM components to age-related cardiac remodeling is unclear, owing to current model systems being complex and slow to age. To investigate the effect of basement membrane remodeling on mechanical function in genetically tractable, rapidly aging, and simple model organisms, we employed Drosophila melanogaster, which has a simple trilayered heart tube composed of only basement membrane ECM. We observed differential regulation of collagens between laboratory Drosophila strains, i.e. yellow-white (yw) and white-1118 (w1118), leading to changes in muscle physiology, which were linked to severity of dysfunction with age. Therefore, we sought to understand the extent to which basement membrane ECM modulates lateral cardiomyocyte coupl...
Effects of mindfulness, coping styles and resilience on job retention and burnout in caregivers supporting aggressive adults with developmental disabilities.

Background Considering the growing body of studies investigating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on caregivers supporting people with developmental disabilities, the current study aimed to explore the role that the cognitive processes of mindfulness, coping style and resilience played in predicting caregiver retention and burnout among a sample of direct support professionals working with aggressive adults with developmental disabilities. Methods Ninety-seven direct support professionals were surveyed to determine level of mindfulness, coping styles, resilience and burnout and were interviewed 3 months later to determine if they were still working with the aggressive adult. Results Mindfulness skills of describing non-judgmentally and observing one's environment, as well as problem-focused coping, emerged as protective factors against burnout, while avoidance-focused and maladaptive coping emerged as risk factors. Mindful openness acted as the only predictor of job retention. Conclusions These results support that paid caregivers should receive trainings in mindfulness and positive coping mechanisms as part of their job trainings, to promote positive outcomes for both themselves and the people they support.
Carboxyhemoglobinemia and Anemia are Associated with Unreliable Pulse Oximetry in the LVAD Population

Purpose Although continuous pulse oximetry (SpO2) is applied ubiquitously to assess oxygenation in the LVAD population, its reliability has been unconfirmed. By case-control analysis, we sought to identify clinical scenarios where SpO2 was discrepant from the gold standard, arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) measured by co-oximetry. Methods We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent implantation of a continuous flow LVAD at a single institution between July 2016 and July 2018. Simultaneous oxygen measurements for SaO2 by arterial blood gas co-oximetry and for SpO2 by transcutaneous pulse oximetry were collected. Case patients, defined as having simultaneous SpO2 and SaO2 difference > 3% at anytime after index surgery, were compared to controls ( Results A total of 123 subjects constituted our study cohort of whom 44 cases and 55 controls were identified. Table 1 presents baseline clinical measures. Utilizing a logistic regression model, we identified that elevated COHb has an increased risk (OR= 2.04 (95% CI: 1.02- 4.02; p=0.05), and that elevated Hgb has a protective effect (OR= 0.74 (95%CI: 0.56- 0.94; p= 0.02) on developing >3% difference between SaO2 and SpO2 measures. Conclusion In patients after index LVAD implantation, total hemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin are associated with discrepancy between SaO2 and SpO2 and should be taken into consideration when evaluating hypoxemia.