cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Run-Time Management for Multicore Embedded Systems With Energy Harvesting

In this paper, we propose a novel framework for runtime energy and workload management in multicore embedded systems with solar energy harvesting and a periodic hard real-time task set as the workload. Compared with prior work, our framework makes several novel contributions and possesses several advantages, including the following: 1) a semidynamic scheduling heuristic that dynamically adapts to runtime harvested power variations without losing the consistency of periodic tasks; 2) a battery–supercapacitor hybrid energy storage module for more efficient system energy management; 3) a coarse-grained core shutdown heuristic for additional energy saving; 4) energy budget planning and task allocation heuristics with process variation tolerance; 5) a novel dual-speed method specifically designed for periodic tasks to address discrete frequency levels and dynamic voltage/frequency scaling switching overhead at the core level; and 6) an extension to prepare the system for thermal issues arising at runtime during extreme environmental conditions. The experimental studies show that our framework results in a reduction in task miss rate by up to 70% and task miss penalty by up to 65% compared with the best known prior work.
Effects of electrode density and electrolyte spreading in dense array electroencephalographic recording.

Abstract Objective : High-density EEG recording offers increased spatial resolution but requires careful consideration of how the density of electrodes affects the potentials being measured. Power differences as a function of electrode density and electrolyte spreading were examined and a method for correcting these differences was tested. Methods : Separate EEG recordings from 8 participants were made using a high-density electrode net, first with 6 of 128 electrodes active followed by recordings with all electrodes active. For a subset of 4 participants measurements were counterbalanced with recordings made in the reversed order by drying the hair after the high-density recordings and using a fresh dry electrode net of the same size for the low-density recordings. Mean power values over 6 resting eyes open/closed EEG recordings at the 6 active electrodes common to both recording conditions were compared. Evidence for possible electrolyte spreading or bridging between electrodes was acquired by computing Hjorth electrical distances. Spherical spline interpolation was tested for correcting power values at electrodes affected by electrolyte spreading for these participants and for a subset of participants from a larger previous study. Results : For both the complete set and the counterbalanced subset, significant decreases in power at the 6 common electrodes for the high-density recordings were observed across the range of the standard EEG bands (1–44 Hz). The number of bridges or amount of electrolyte spreading towards the reference electrode as evidenced by small Hjorth electrical distances served as a predictor of this power decrease. Spherical spline interpolation increased the power values at electrodes affected by electrolyte spreading and by a significant amount for the larger number of participants in the second group. Conclusions : Understanding signal effects caused by closely spaced electrodes, detecting electrolyte spreading and correcting its effects are important considerations for high-density EEG recordings. A combination of scalp maps of power density and plots of small Hjorth electrical distances can be used to identify electrodes affected by electrolyte spreading. Interpolation using spherical splines offers a method for correcting the potentials measured at these electrodes.
Biochemical and Mechanical Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Desmin-Related Myopathy

An R120G mutation in αB-crystallin (CryABR120G) causes desmin-related myopathy (DRM). In mice with cardiomyocyte-specific expression of the mutation, CryABR120G-mediated DRM is characterized by CryAB and desmin accumulations within cardiac muscle, mitochondrial deficiencies, activation of apoptosis, and heart failure (HF). Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is often a hallmark of HF and treatment with antioxidants can sometimes prevent the progression of HF in terms of contractile dysfunction and cardiomyocyte survival. It is unknown whether blockade of ROS is beneficial for protein misfolding diseases such as DRM. We addressed this question by blocking the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), a superoxide-generating enzyme that is upregulated in our model of DRM. The XO inhibitor oxypurinol was administered to CryABR120G mice for a period of 1 or 3 months. Mitochondrial function was dramatically improved in treated animals in terms of complex I activity and conservation of mitochondrial membrane potential. Oxypurinol also largely restored normal mitochondrial morphology. Surprisingly, however, cardiac contractile function and cardiac compliance were unimproved, indicating that the contractile deficit might be independent of mitochondrial dysfunction and the initiation of apoptosis. Using magnetic bead microrheology at the single cardiomyocyte level, we demonstrated that sarcomeric disarray and accumulation of the physical aggregates resulted in significant changes in the cytoskeletal mechanical properties in the CryABR120G cardiomyocytes. Our findings indicate that oxypurinol treatment largely prevented mitochondrial deficiency in DRM but that contractility was not improved because of mechanical deficits in passive cytoskeletal stiffness.
An environmental sample chamber for X-ray microscopy

SUMMARY The manufacture, construction and performance of a special specimen holder for biological samples suspended in aqueous solution is described. The holder was designed for use in a scanning transmission X-ray microscope. Using it, we have successfully obtained high-resolution images of fresh cellular and subcellular specimens in suspension and have been able to vary the sample environment during viewing in the microscope.
The epidemiology of ovarian cancer: a population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1935-1991.

Abstract PURPOSE: To determine trends in incidence and survival between 1935 and 1991 and to evaluate risk factors for ovarian cancer among Olmsted County, Minnesota women. METHODS: All newly diagnosed cases of ovarian cancer among Olmsted County women in 1975–1991 were identified using the medical records linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project. In order to assess trends, incidence rates in the subset of Rochester women were compared with Rochester rates for 1935–1974. Survival was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. A case-control analysis of risk factors compared Olmsted County women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer and an age-matched group of women from the community by logistic regression. RESULTS: Altogether, 129 Olmsted County women were newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1975–1991. The age-adjusted (to 1970 United States whites) incidence rate was 22.5 per 100,000 person-years. Median survival from initial diagnosis was 3.7 years. Compared to an equal number of controls, the 103 women with invasive epithelial disease were more likely to be nulliparous (odds ratio [OR] 1.9; 95% CI 0.95–3.9) but less likely to have a history of thyroid disease (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2–0.8), hypertension (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.1–0.9) or nonsteroidal estrogen use (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.2–0.9). Prior hysterectomy (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.2–0.9) and unilateral oophorectomy (OR 0.2; 95% CI 0.04–0.7) were also associated with reduced risk. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ovarian cancer in this community in 1975–1991 was little changed from rates 20 years earlier. There has been some improvement in survival from ovarian cancer in this population compared to 1935–1974, but still less than 50% survive for 5 years. Prior hysterectomy and unilateral oophorectomy appear protective for ovarian cancer.
Drawing the Line on Opprobrious Violence

Deliberate and indiscriminate targeting of civilians, most particularly in a non-war environment, is an unjustifiable form of violence that can be defeated most effectively through multilateral efforts, according to Norton, and must not be fathomed as anything but pure and simple terrorism, which is not to be tolerated. The U.S. State Department's definition of terrorism is too ambiguous to allow delineation between what is permissible in time of war and in time of peace, and creates more controversy than consensus: one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. Fortunately, fertile ground for the multilateral combating of terrorist activities and states promoting them (Lybia, Syria, Iran) was laid in 1989 with an unofficial U.S.-USSR agreement to exchange vital information to prevent such acts. The author places great hope in this new dialogue.
DISPERSAL LIMITATION, INVASION RESISTANCE, AND THE STRUCTURE OF POND ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES

For a species to colonize a site it must both arrive there by dispersal from another site and maintain positive population growth in the local environment. I experi- mentally tested the role of dispersal limitation in structuring the zooplankton communities of fishless ponds in southwestern Michigan. An average of 12.9 new species of rotifers and crustaceans from the region were introduced at the beginning of the experiment into the intact resident communities of seven ponds in large in situ enclosures (the invasion treatment). Introduced species were found at least once over three months in six of the seven ponds, and one species consistently colonized all three replicate enclosures in three of the ponds. However, the success rate of the introductions was low as >91 % of the species introduced immediately became extinct. In addition, introduced species remained rare throughout the experiment in every pond, comprising only 0-2.5% of total zooplankton community biomass. No effects of the invasion treatment were detected on total zooplankton diversity or biomass, on the biomass of native species, or on chlorophyll a concentration, suggesting that relaxing dispersal limitation for the regional pool had minimal effects on local community structure. Both the biomass of exotic species and the proportion of species introduced that successfully colonized the invasion treatment were negatively correlated with native species diversity. These patterns support the hypothesis that diversity confers resistance to invasion. The results of the invasion treatment indicated a minor role for dispersal limitation in structuring pond zooplankton communities. To test the role of interactions with resident species in excluding potential invaders, a second experiment was performed in four different ponds the following year. In addition to the control and invasion treatment, a second treatment (the resistance treatment) was imposed where the abundance of native species was reduced by filtering before the intro- duction of invaders. The goal of this treatment was to weaken interactions between resident species and invaders while maintaining the abiotic environment intact. Among the four ponds, 3.8 times more exotic species were found in the resistance treatment than in the invasion treatment, and their total biomass was 16.4 times greater. The contrast between the invasion and resistance treatments indicated an important role for species interactions in repelling invaders. The two experiments showed that zooplankton communities were nearly saturated with species and that biotic interactions excluded many potential invaders.
Life Ownership Orientation and Attitudes toward Abortion, Suicide, Doctor-Assisted Suicide, and Capital Punishment:

Initial support is presented for a new scale that assesses one's life ownership orientation or the extent to which one believes that God, the individual, or society has the power to control and gov...
Categories of Resistance to Biotype I Greenbugs (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Wheat Lines Containing the Greenbug Resistance Genes Gbx and Gby

Abstract The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), is a major pest of wheat in North America, reducing U.S. wheat production by $60 to $100 million each year. Experiments were conducted to determine the categories of resistance to greenbug biotype I controlled by two different resistance genes in wheat germplasm lines ‘KS89WGRC4’, containing the Gbx gene, and ‘Sando's 4040’, containing the Gby gene. Antixenosis (non-preference), antibiosis (lowered greenbug intrinsic rate of increase) and tolerance (reduced plant tissue and chlorophyll loss) assays were conducted using plants of Sando's 4040, KS89WGRC4, ‘Jagger’ (susceptible control), ‘Largo’ (antibiosis control), and ‘TA1675’ (tolerance control). Neither Sando's 4040, KS89WGRC4 nor the controls exhibited antixenosis to greenbug biotype I. There was an antibiotic effect on the greenbugs confined to Sando's 4040 (rm = 0.122), that was no different than the rm of aphids on the resistant control, Largo (rm = 0.144). Antibiosis was not present in KS89WGRC4...
Drugs and Violence

The war on drugs has increased the United States prison population by tenfold. The foundation for the war on drugs and unparalleled increase in prisoners rely on the premise that drugs and violence are linked. Politicians, media, and scholars continue to advocate this view either explicitly or implicitly. This Article identifies the pervasiveness of this premise, and debunks the link between drugs and violence. It demonstrates that a connection between drugs and violence is not supported by historical arrest data, current research, or independent empirical evidence. That there is little evidence to support the assumption that drugs cause violence is an important insight, because the assumed causal link between drugs and violence forms the foundation of a significant amount of case law, statutes, and commentary. In particular, the presumed connection between drugs and violence has reduced constitutional protections, misled government resources, and resulted in the unnecessary incarceration of a large proportion of non-violent Americans. In short, if drugs do not cause violence — and the empirical evidence discussed in this Article suggests they do not — then America needs to rethink its entire approach to drug policy.
Functional Properties of Parathyroid Hormone Receptors in Kidney and Bone

It is well established that the renal and skeletal actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) contribute to the maintenance of calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Considerable evidence exists for the involvement of cAMP in mediating some of the effects of PTH in the kidney: 1) in vivo administration of the hormone rapidly increases urinary cAMP and subsequently induces phosphaturia1; 2) cAMP mimics this response1,2; and 3) renal plasma membranes contain PTH-responsive adenylate cyclase activity3. The role of cAMP in PTH regulation of bone metabolism is less clear. Although it has been shown that PTH stimulates production of cAMP in whole bone4 and in cultured bune cells5, evidence exists both for and against the involvement of cAMP in PTH-induced bone resorption, osteocytic osteolysis, inhibition of bone formation, and skeletal lactate production6.
Modeling Sewer Flows Using Time Series Analysis

A method of modeling the probabilistic process underlying combined sewer flows is covered. Recently increased national attention directed at the combined sewer overflow problem has caused computer modeling to become an increasingly important tool in the long-term planning and design of wastewater treatment plants. Statistically valid hypothetical flows are an important adjunct to the use of such modeling tools. Specific results obtained through time series analysis methods are presented for historical flow series at two separate sites. Finally a technique for generating hypothetical flow series that have the same statistical properties as the original series is given.
High Quality Sn-Doped In2O3 Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

High quality Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) thin films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on glass, flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and single crystal yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates for use in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Critical electrode issues for the OLED are related to the optical transparency, electrical resistivity, work function and surface roughness of the ITO film. Our research has focused on improving the properties of the ITO film to increase the efficiency of the OLED. Films were deposited using a KrF excimer laser (248nm, 30 ns FWHM) at fluences of 2 J/cm2 at substrate temperatures ranging from 1 to 100 mTorr. For ITO films (∼ 100 nm thick) deposited at the optimized conditions, a resistivity of 4.1 × 10-4 Ω-cm, 2.2 × 10-4 Ω-cm, 1.8 × 10-4 Ω-cm was observed on PET, glass and YSZ, respectively. The average film transmission in the visible range (400 - 700 nm) was about 90 % and the film surface roughness was about 0.5 nm for the film grown on glass. The Hall mobility and carrier density for ITO films (300 nm thickness) were observed to be in the range of 28 - 34 cm2/V-s and 1.0 - 1.2 × 1021 cm-3, respectively. We have used the ITO films, deposited by PLD on glass, plastic and single crystal YSZ substrates, as an anode contact in OLEDs. The OLED device performance based on PLD ITO anodes is compared with that of the device fabricated on the commercial ITO anode.
A Pattern-based Machine Translation System Extended by Example-based Processing

In this paper, we describe a machine translation system called PalmTree which uses the "pattern based" approach as a fundamental framework. The pure pattern-based translation framework has several issues. One is the performance due to using many rules in the parsing stage, and the other is inefficiency of usage of translation patterns due to the exact-matching. To overcome these problems, we describe several methods; pruning techniques for the former, and introduction of example-based processing for the latter.
A Case for 'Allied Finance Associations' Meetings

I argue that Eastern and Southern Finance Associations, two prominent US based finance associations should consider combining their annual meetings and hold a joint meeting sometime in February of each year. The meeting has the potential of complementing the very successful fall FMA meetings by providing a venue for an attractive spring job market for economics and finance Ph.D. candidates and graduates.
Michael Brawne, The New Museum: Architecture and Display

(1966). Michael Brawne, The New Museum: Architecture and Display. Art Journal: Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 220, 222.
Heterocyclic pleiadiene analogs: VI. Electronic properties of perimidine

The UV, PMR, and ESR spectra as well as the magnetic susceptibilities of 1- and 2- substituted perimidine, aceperimidine, and a number of compounds related to them were measured and discussed. The results obtained indicate that the distribution of the π-electron density in the perimidine system is very nonuniform, which is in agreement with quantum-mechanical calculations. This is particularly manifested in the depressed diamagnetism of perimidines, the presence of an ESR signal for them, and in the shift of the chemical shifts of the protons to high field. Owing to the high-lying upper occupied molecular orbital, the perimidines are extremely strong π donors and readily form charge-transfer complexes.
Abstract 3086: Interactions of nucleolin and ribosomal protein RPL26 in the translational control of human p53 mRNA

Our lab has previously shown that the ribosomal protein RPL26 enhances p53 translation and induction after DNA damage and that this regulation depends upon interactions between the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTR) of human p53 mRNA (Takagi et al Cell, 2005; Chen & Kastan, Genes & Dev, 2010). In contrast, nucleolin (NCL), a multifunctional nucleolar protein, suppresses the translation of human p53 mRNA and its induction after DNA damage. Interestingly, RPL26 and NCL also interact with each other. In order to understand how these two proteins cooperate with/antagonize each other to regulate p53 translation after stress, we first recapitulated the translational control of p53 by NCL in both an in vitro transcription/translation system and a cell-based, luciferase reporter system. In both systems, NCL repression required the presence of both the 5′UTR and 3′UTR of p53 mRNA. Further, NCL binds to the same 5′-3′ UTR interaction region that is critical for RPL26 recruitment after DNA damage. We also observed that NCL protein interacts with itself; the ability of NCL to dimerize/oligomerize and its reported ability to stabilize double strand nucleic acid structures suggests the possibility that NCL may stabilize the double-strand RNA structure involving the two p53 mRNA UTR9s. Domain mapping demonstrated that the RNA binding domain of NCL participates in binding to p53 mRNA, is required for both NCL dimerization and NCL-mediated translational repression, and is the domain of NCL that interacts with RPL26. RPL26 was able to disrupt NCL dimerization in cell-based immunoprecipitation assays. We also identified the domain of RPL26 that is required to interact with nucleolin and found that point mutations in this region of RPL26 reduce RPL26-NCL interactions and attenuate both RPL26 binding to human p53 mRNA and p53 induction by RPL26. These observations taken together suggest a model for the interplay of NCL and RPL26 in the translational control of human p53 mRNA after DNA damage: NCL binds both p53 UTR9s and NCL dimerization/oligomerization facilitates the double strand RNA structure by stabilizing the base pairing between the 5′ and 3′ UTR9s. This “closed” structure of p53 mRNA might inhibit its translation by affecting the access of general translational machinery to the message. Upon stress stimulation, RPL26 binds to this double-stranded RNA structure containing the two UTR9s and occupied by NCL, leading to a disruption of NCL dimerization and enhancement of p53 translation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3086. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3086
RECOVERING LOST GOODNESS Shame, Guilt, and Self-Empathy

In this paper, I explore self-empathy as a component in the healing of moral injury in war. I have written recently on this subject, in The Untold War, and in particular, on how soldiers experience guilt as a response to good and bad moral luck, such as surviving buddies or causing their deaths by accident (Sherman, 2010). This kind of guilt is obviously not restricted to war, but war provides an important and timely context for studying it. Imposing guilt on oneself, I argue, is a way of taking responsibility, even if one overimposes it. It can be morally fitting and admirable, even when not justified or warranted. In some cases, it is a way of defending against a harder-to-uncover feeling of shame. Understanding better the notion of moral recovery is urgent. By some counts, the number of suicides in the U.S. military during recent years has exceeded that of deaths due to combat. The issue deserves public attention and an exploration of psychological and philosophical concepts that may be part of reversing the trend.
Development of Methods to Assess Self-Reach Capability

Body armor worn by soldiers adversely affects the performance of some physical tasks. These restrictions may also affect the ability to “self-reach” to locations on their own bodies or on their body borne gear. This paper describes the development of laboratory methods to quantify self-reach capability and the results of pilot testing. Participants rated the perceived difficulty of each self-reach motion on a 10-point scale. With data from a larger study population, logistic regression models could be developed to make predictions of the difficulty rating distribution for target populations. UNCLASSIFIED: Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release.
Design and implementation of an RSVP-based quality of service architecture for integrated services Internet

The paper presents the design and implementation of a quality of service architecture for the Internet. The architecture is based on the emerging standards for resource reservation in the Internet, namely the RSVP protocol and the associated service specifications defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force. Our architecture represents a major functional enhancement to the traditional sockets based communication subsystem, while preserving application programming interface and binary compatibility with existing applications. It is scalable and supports a variety of network interfaces ranging from legacy LAN interfaces, such as token ring and Ethernet, to high speed ATM interfaces. We also describe our initial experiences with the implementation of this architecture on the IBM AIX platform.
Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for inferior vena cava filter retrieval procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
An introduction to the special issue on Geoscience Papers of the Future

Advocates of enhanced quality for published scientific results are increasingly voicing the need for further transparency of data and software for scientific reproducibility. However, such advanced digital scholarship can appear perplexing to geoscientists that are seduced by the concept of open science yet wonder about the exact mechanics and implications of the associated efforts. This special issue of Earth and Space Science entitled “Geoscience Papers of the Future” includes a review of existing best practices for digital scholarship and bundles a set of example articles that share their digital research products and reflect on the process of opening their scientific approach in a common quest for reproducible science. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Meat toughening does not occur when rigor shortening is prevented.

The objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that meat toughening during the first 24 h postmortem results from sarcomere shortening during rigor mortis development. Eleven market-weight lambs were used to measure changes in shear force of clamped longissimus during rigor development. Within 15 min of exsanguination, while attached at both ends, each longissimus was separated from the vertebrae body and clamped between three sets of metal plates to prevent muscle shortening (six clamped sections per lamb). Five of the clamped sections were placed at -1.1 degrees C for 0, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h. After storage at their respective times at -1.1 degrees C, the samples were placed at -30 degrees C for 90 min and then at -5 degrees C for 8 d. The sixth section (168-h section) was stored at -1.1 degrees C for the first 24 h, at 4 degrees C for 144 h, and then treated the same as other sampling times. Sections were sampled for pH, sarcomere length, shear force, and Western blot analyses before and after storage at -5 degrees C. Shear force values were the same (P > .05) from 0 to 24 h (4.5 kg at 0 h to 4.9 kg at 24 h) then declined (P < .05) to 3.3 kg at 168 h postmortem. As evident by lack of statistical difference in the sarcomere lengths, we were successful in holding the muscle length constant. Western blot analyses of nebulin, vinculin, and troponin-T indicated that minimum degradation occurred through 12 h, was slightly increased by 24 h, and was relatively extensive by 168 h postmortem. Although limited proteolysis occurred during storage at -5 degrees C for 8 d, this by itself had no effect on shear force. Results indicate that shear force values do not increase during rigor development when muscle is prevented from shortening; thus, the toughening that occurs during the first 24 h of slaughter is most likely due to sarcomere shortening.
Protection of Assets from Scan Chain Vulnerabilities Through Obfuscation

High-test coverage is essential during integrated circuit (IC) testing in order to avoid production flaws. In order to test ICs, scan-based testing has been commonly used due to high coverage and simple infrastructures. However, IC testing has opened a gateway to new kinds of vulnerabilities that could potentially be used to breach the assets of a system. There have been several attacks reported in literature. In addition, the increasing number of cryptodevices in modern applications and trust issues associated with the fabless semiconductor model has also given rise to major security concerns in ICs. Thus, the importance of scan chain security to protect assets of an IP/design has been increasing with the ubiquitous use of cryptochips. In this chapter, you will learn: The importance of powerful scan-based IC testing structure and how scan chain can be used as backdoor for accessing and attacking assets. Assets that need to protected against potential scan-based attacks. The use of logic obfuscation to prevent potential scan-based attacks. The use of logic obfuscation to prevent IC piracy, overproduction , out-of-spec ICs in modern horizontal semiconductor business model.
Higher Education in Management: The Case of the United States

The earliest business schools in the USA trace their founding to the late 1800s, with the Wharton School of Finance and Economics, founded by Joseph Wharton in 1881, often cited as the first (MacKenzie 1966; Flesher 2007; Spender 2016). Business Schools were founded at the University of California and the University of Chicago in 1898, and nearly 75 business schools opened over the next three decades.
Electroporation ablation of bronchial smooth muscle cells: A novel non-thermal asthma therapy.

Objective Asthma is a common disease which places significant burden on the US healthcare system and which can be associated with significant patient morbidity and mortality. Current medical therapies are costly and not curative. A new approach for a more permanent asthma treatment is the use of radiofrequency ablation. However, this radiofrequency approach is thermal-based and can result in deleterious effects to the airways, such as stenosis or ulceration. We describe a novel, improved therapeutic approach for smooth muscle ablation using non-thermal DC electroporation ablation. Methods We developed and tested prototype electroporation ablation devices that access the airways both endoscopically and via a bronchoscope. We tested the feasibility of this approach and demonstrated proof-of-concept in 2 mongrel dogs. In order to assess for smooth muscle function, we performed functional studies pre and post ablation with methacholine challenge to assess for airway reversibility. We also evaluated bronchial lesions via direct vision with bronchoscopy. Results We developed novel electroporation catheters to delivery energy to the bronchial smooth muscle through an endoscopic approach. We tested these catheters in 2 acute canine studies and successfully demonstrated the ability to destroy smooth muscle tissue via novel prototypes and saline irrigation for widespread non-thermal electroporation ablation. Our functional studies demonstrate the efficacy of this approach. Conclusion We report a novel method for non-thermal bronchial smooth muscle ablation using novel prototypes and electroporation with normal saline. These early findings require further evaluation in larger, chronic canine studies to assess for use as a potential curative therapy.
Trajectory training of feedforward neural networks for DC motor speed control

This work discusses the use of template trained neural networks for DC motor speed control. It proposes the use of input-output trajectories to train the neural network instead of using data points as is normally done for feedforward neural networks. Experimental results show that the trajectory trained neural network can successfully perform speed control of PMDC motors when compared to neural networks trained using conventional training methods.
Conflicted Immediacy Provision

The two roles of a dealer, immediacy provision and matchmaking, create a conflict of interest---the dealer prioritizes inventory turnover for immediacy provision, rather than making matches between customers. Compared to a counterfactual scenario without this conflict, dealers in equilibrium provide immediacy to more customers in order to extract extra rents. Compared to the counterfactual, this conflict decreases equilibrium price for immediacy but increases bid-ask spread. The conflict lowers welfare for assets with high substitutability, but raises welfare for assets with low substitutability. Our analysis has potential policy implications for the Volcker Rule, which can be viewed as the counterfactual.
How Acceptable Are Their Obstacles to Reentry? Attitudes of Community Corrections Professionals Toward Collateral Consequences for Sex Offenders

ABSTRACTNumerous collateral consequences have been attributed to current sex-offender management policies. The present study analyzed the perceptions held by community corrections professionals toward the acceptability of various collateral consequences experienced by sex offenders in the community. Potential influencing factors including demographic variables, belief in the cause of sex offending, and punishment philosophy were considered. Results indicate overall low levels of acceptability for collateral consequences as by-products of current sex-offender management policies; however, noticeable portions of community corrections professionals were either unsure of their feelings or felt certain collateral consequences are acceptable. Furthermore, to varying degrees, punishment philosophy, belief in the cause of sex offending, age, parental status, and race were significant predictors of perceived acceptability.
Modeling Origin-Destination Uncertainty Using Network Sensor and Survey Data and New Approaches to Robust Control

Abstract This study develops new methods for network assessment and control by taking explicit account of demand variability and uncertainty using partial sensor and survey data while imposing equilibrium conditions during the data collection phase. The methods consist of rules for generating possible origin–destination (OD) matrices and the calculation of average and quantile network costs. The assessment methodology leads to improved decision-making in transport planning and operations and is used to develop management and control strategies that result in more robust network performance. Specific contributions in this work consist of: (a) Characterization of OD demand variability, specifically with or without equilibrium assumptions during data collection; (b) exhibiting the highly disconnected nature of OD space demonstrating that many current approaches to the problem of optimal control may be computationally intractable; (c) development of feasible Monte Carlo procedures for the generation of possible OD matrices used in an assessment of network performance; and (d) calculation of robust network controls, with state-of-the-art cost estimation, for the following strategies: Bayes, p-quantile and NBNQ (near-Bayes near-Quantile). All strategies involve the simultaneous calculation of controls and equilibrium conditions. A numerical example for a moderate sized network is presented where it is shown that robust controls can provide approx. 20% cost reduction.
Marginal structural model to evaluate the association between cumulative osteoporosis medication and infection using claims data

Due to the suboptimal persistence to osteoporosis (OP) treatment, factors triggering treatment discontinuation/switching may be causing time-varying confounding. BP treatment was associated with the risk of overall infection in opposite directions in the unweighted Cox model versus the weighted MSM. The discrepancy of effect estimates for overall infection in the MSM suggested there may be time-varying confounding. Due to the suboptimal persistence to osteoporosis (OP) treatment, factors triggering treatment discontinuation/switching may be affected by prior treatment and confound the subsequent treatment effect, causing time-varying confounding. In a US insurance database, the association between joint treatment of bisphosphonates (BP) and other OP medication and the incidence of infections among postmenopausal women was assessed using a marginal structural model (MSM). Stabilized weights were estimated by modeling treatment and censoring processes conditioning on past treatment, and baseline and time-varying covariates. BP treatment was associated with the risk of overall infection in opposite directions in the unweighted Cox model {incidence rate ratio [IRR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.15 [1.14–1.17]} versus the weighted MSM [IRR (95% CI) = 0.79 (0.77–0.81)], but was consistently associated with a lower risk of serious infection in both the unweighted Cox model [IRR (95% CI] = 0.79 (0.78–0.81)) and the weighted MSM [IRR (95% CI) = 0.71 (0.68–0.75)]. Similar results were found when current and past treatments were simultaneously assessed. The discrepancy of effect estimates for overall but not serious infection comparing unweighted models and MSM suggested analyses of composite outcomes with a wide range of disease severity may be more susceptible to time-varying confounding.
Active Noise Control in Ducts: Feedforward/Feedback Design by Blending H∞ and QFT Methods

Abstract In this paper we take a closer look at the prevalent notion that adaptive filters are preferred to fixed-filters in cancelling noise in ducts. For this purpose, we consider an active noise control (ANC) system with configuration similar to that used in most adaptive implementations; i.e., a duct equipped with both feedforward and feedback sensors and a control speaker. Our design of a linear, time-invariant controller involves three steps: (1) system identification from the experimental duet frequency response, (2) H ∞ synthesis using the identified plant and model errors, and (3) use of Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) to further improve performance by sequential tuning of the feedback and feedforward filters by using the experimental data. Preliminary experiments indicate that attenuation levels of at least 10-20 dB are achievable over a 400 Hz band. An important consequence of LTI designs is that the performance is guaranteed for wide-band noise as well as pure tone disturbances and, unlike adaptive schemes, stability and performance can be guaranteed beforehand.
Game of TOR - The Target of Rapamycin Rules Four Kingdoms.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin, mTOR, is a downstream effector of many signaling pathways critical to human health. The 2017 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research recognizes its discovery.
Legislative Efforts to Reduce Concussions in Youth Sports: An Analysis of State Concussion Statutes

Sport-related concussions are a serious public health issue. While concussions are prevalent among all age groups, youth sport participants are at a greater risk of sustaining such injury due to their immature brain structure and the lack of concussion management policies at the organizational level compared with those found in intercollegiate and professional sports (Kim, Spengler, & Connaughton, 2016). To address this problem, legislation has been adopted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to mandate some of the standardized measures of concussion management. The purpose of this study was to review the existing state concussion statutes. The statutes were obtained via the LEXIS/NEXIS and West Law databases. Key categories were selected by the researchers and language was compared among statutes. Although the vast majority of concussion statutes shared some similarities, a comprehensive review revealed wide inconsistencies in language. Suggestions that promote more consistency among statutes o...
Structural Acoustic Physics Based Modeling of Curved Composite Shells

Abstract : Understanding sound wave propagation through a curved shell geometry is essential for a wide variety of underwater applications. The objective of this study was to use physics-based modeling (PBM) to investigate wave propagations through curved shells that are subjected to acoustic excitation. An improved understanding of the absorption and reflection properties of materials, such as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, will enhance the design methods for a variety of Navy products such as acoustic sensors, acoustic windows, and unmanned underwater vehicles. The research documented in this report investigates the reflection and transmission coefficients of both flat plates and curved shells for steel and composite materials. Results show that the finite element computational models accurately match analytical calculations, and that the composite material studied in this report has more desirable reflection and absorption properties than steel for typical Navy applications. This research also explores the use of coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) modeling approaches in place of the current, traditional Lagrangian approach. Unfortunately, these approaches were found to be unsuitable for the type of acoustic analyses performed throughout this research. However, results from the traditional Lagrangian approach confirmed the validity of current modeling techniques and allowed for the study of the acoustic properties of various geometries and materials. This can help drive future research on composite material applications and enhance design methods for future Navy products.
Classification accuracy of individual and combined executive functioning embedded performance validity measures in mild traumatic brain injury.

The development of more sophisticated performance validity measures is important due to concerns with coaching as well as providing clinicians with a greater variety of options when assessing perfo...
Body mass variability is represented by distinct functional connectivity patterns

Abstract Understanding weight-related differences in functional connectivity provides key insight into neurocognitive factors implicated in obesity. Here, we sampled three groups from human connectome project data: 1) 47 pairs of BMI-discordant twins (n = 94; average BMI-discordancy 6.7 ± 3.1 kg/m2), 2) 47 pairs of gender and BMI matched BMI-discordant, unrelated individuals, and 3) 47 pairs of BMI-similar twins, to test for body mass dependent differences in between network functional connectivity. Across BMI discordant samples, three networks appeared to be highly sensitive to weight status; specifically, a network comprised of gustatory processing regions, a visual processing network, and the default mode network (DMN). Further, in the BMI-discordant twin sample, twins with lower BMI had stronger connectivity between striatal/thalamic and prefrontal networks (pFWE = 0.04). We also observed that individuals with a higher BMI than their twin had stronger connectivity between cerebellar and insular networks (pFWE = 0.04). Connectivity patterns observed in the BMI-discordant twin sample were not seen in a BMI-similar sample, providing evidence that the results are specific to BMI discordance. Beyond the involvement of gustatory and visual networks and the DMN, little overlap in results were seen between the two BMI-discordant samples. In concordance with previous findings, we hypothesize that stronger cortical-striatal-thalamic connectivity associated with lower body mass in twins may facilitate increased regulation of hedonically motivated behaviors. In twins with higher body mass, increased cerebellar-insula connectivity may be associated with compromised satiation signaling, an interpretation dovetailing prior research. The lack of overlapping results between the two BMI discordant samples may be a function of higher study design sensitivity in the BMI-discordant twin sample, relative to the more generalizable results in the unrelated sample. These findings demonstrate that distinct connectivity patterns can represent weight variability, adding to mounting evidence that implicates atypical brain functioning with the accumulation and/or maintenance of elevated weight.
Force and Contact Location Measurement Errors of the VERASENSE.

BACKGROUND The OrthoSensor VERASENSE knee system is a commercially available instrumented tibial insert that provides real-time intraoperative measurements of tibial contact force and contact location to guide surgeons toward improving outcomes in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the device has been used contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations in several studies and lacks published accuracy data. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the device's error in tibial contact force when used according to and contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations, and also to evaluate the device's error in anterior-posterior (A-P) and medial-lateral (M-L) contact locations. METHODS The error in tibial contact force in single compartment distributed loading was evaluated by applying known forces in ranges within and exceeding that recommended by the manufacturer, with rezeroing as recommended by the manufacturer, and without rezeroing. The error in tibial contact location in single compartment concentrated loading was evaluated by applying known forces at known locations on the articular surface. RESULTS Exceeding the maximum allowable load and not rezeroing did not adversely affect the bias (i.e. average error) (p > 0.05). The maximum absolute bias without rezeroing was 2.9 lbf. Rezeroing more than doubled the bias. The maximum root mean squared error in tibial contact location was 1.5 mm in the A-P direction. CONCLUSION The device measures tibial contact force with comparable error well above the maximum allowable load and without rezeroing, contrary to the manufacturer's instructions.
A Survey of Recent Progress on Level-Crossing Problems for Random Processes

Since Blake and Lindsey’s [19] comprehensive survey of results and techniques for level-crossing problems for random processes appeared in 1973, a number of interesting new results addressing both classical and new problem areas have been developed. As there are many diverse areas of application of level crossing results, the theoretical literature is fairly widely dispersed. The present survey is intended to be an update of Blake and Lindsey’s and is intended to be similar to theirs with an emphasis on explicit analytical results for continuous parameter processes. As they discussed many of the techniques and methods available in an accessible tutorial fashion, the present survey will be confined to an overview of the results that are available.
Efficacy of FDG-PET in the detection of malignancy in paraneoplastic neurological syndromes

1614 Objectives: In this study we assessed the utility of FDG-PET in the management of patients paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS). A total of 23 cases with a diagnosis of PNS were examined with special reference to the FDG-PET findings in order to explore its efficacy for detecting the primary malignancy. Methods: To assess the performance of whole-body FDG-PET imaging and CT for the diagnosis of the underlying tumor in patients with antibody-positive paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS). Results: A new tumor or tumor recurrence was eventually detected in 10/13 patients (5 small cell lung cancer, 2 ovarian cancer, and 1 each neuroblastoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and lymph node metastasis of adenocarcinoma). The presence of a tumor except for one with good clinical evidence for a small cell lung cancer, was confirmed histologically. CT was positive only in 3 of 10 (sensitivity of 30%), and FDG-PET in 9 of 10 patients (sensitivity of 90%, difference between methods p Research Support (if any): Supported in part by the UICC under ACSBI fellowship.