cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Framework for Enhancing Web Services Security

The applicability of the security protocols, such as WS-Security, WS-Trust, WS-SecureConversation, WS-Federation, WS-Authorization, and WS-SecurityPolicy, is limited as they only protect SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) communication between two trusted parties with an established security association. The pervasiveness of Web services and SOAP API that can be invoked by anonymous consumers introduces security vulnerabilities are not addressed by the existing standards. In this paper, an Integrated Application and Protocol-based Framework is proposed to tackle the existing WS security problems. The proposed IAPF techniques are envisioned to be a part of the design and implementation structure of a Web service endpoint within the application and transaction handling logic of the SOAP/Web service producer. These techniques will empower application level Web services developers to design and implement SOA producers to the IAPF standard to firstly prevent DoS and DDoS based attacks and secondly mitigate the effects of these attacks.
Selective modifications of PMMA for effective decay of electrostatic charges

Modification par copolymerisation radicalaire en masse avec le dimethacrylate de cuivre, les acides acrylique ou methacrylique, le dimethacrylate de plomb ou le methacrylamide
Crystal structure of the surface oxide layer on titanium and its changes arising from immersion

The passivating surface oxide on titanium is one of the elements considered in the explanation of the favorable biologic response of this metal in implant applications. In the present study, transmission electron microscopy was used to identify the crystal structure and morphology of the oxide film on commercially pure titanium specimens before and after immersion in simulated physiologic fluids. The results show that the oxide layer is composed mainly of anatase and rutile, both of which are tetragonal in structure. Although the simulated physiologic fluids did not induce an observable change in the crystal structure for the immersion times investigated, the results indicate an immersion-induced change in microstructure from a fine-grained to a coarser-grained structure. The grain growth observed could be attributed to the growth of the native oxide crystals; however, it most likely results from the formation of a new oxide layer. The results also support oxide thickening as one of the processes associated with passive dissolution of titanium.
Defining Yellow-bellied Marmot social groups using association indices

We evaluated the utility of using association indices to define Yellow-bellied Marmot ( Marmota flaviventris ) social groups. We analyzed locational data collected by trapping and regular observations using the program SOCPROG 2.2 (Whitehead 2004); a program traditionally used to study marine mammal associations from observational data. We first focused on simple groups (i.e., those with only a single adult female) to explore various analysis options and then applied them to interpret association patterns in more complex social groups. We suggest that social groups can be defined as groups containing those individuals with a = 0.5 association index. Given our sampling protocols, sufficient data were obtained only when we used the year as the unit of analysis. When applied to more complex social groupings, this criterion meshed with observers’ less quantitative estimation of group memberships. In conclusion, calculating association indices using SOCPROG is a novel way to describe marmot association patterns and to define social groups quantitatively.
VIBRATION SUPPRESSION OF FLEXIBLE SPACECRAFT DURING ATTITUDE CONTROL

This paper presents a new approach to vibration reduction of >exible spacecraft during attitude control by using pulse width pulse frequency (PWPF) modulator for thruster Cring and smart materials for active vibration suppression. The experiment was conducted on the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)'s >exible spacecraft simulator (FSS), which consists of a central rigid body and an L-shape >exible appendage. A pair of on-oE thrusters are used to re-orient the FSS. To actively suppress vibrations introduced to the >exible appendage, embedded piezoelectric ceramic patches are used as both sensors and actuators to detect and counter react to the induced vibration. For active vibration suppression using the piezoelectric ceramic patches, positive position feedback (PPF) control targeting at the Crst two >exible modes of the FSS system is used. Experimental results demonstrate the eEectiveness of the control strategy of PWPF modulation for attitude control and PPF for active vibration suppression. ? 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Activation of NF-κB drives the enhanced survival of adipose tissue macrophages in an obesogenic environment.

Objective Macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue (AT) during obesity contributes to inflammation and insulin resistance. Recruitment of monocytes to obese AT has been the most studied mechanism explaining this accumulation. However, recent evidence suggests that recruitment-independent mechanisms may also regulate pro-inflammatory AT macrophage (ATM) numbers. The role of increased ATM survival during obesity has yet to be explored.
Existence of solutions to the Reynolds' equation of elastohydrodynamic lubrication

Abstract In this article, we prove theorems establishing the existence of solutions to a highly nonlinear variational inequality arising in the study of the flow of an incompressible Newtonian lubricant between elastically-deforming bearings. The problem is formally equivalent to Reynolds' equation in elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory. The key to the analyses of this class of problems is that they are characterized by pseudomonotone operators, which means that established results on pseudomonotone variational inequalities are applicable.
Limb regeneration in higher vertebrates: Developing a roadmap

We review what is known about amphibian limb regeneration from the prospective of developing strategies for the induction of regeneration in adult mammals. Prominent in urodele amphibian limb regeneration is the formation of a blastema of undifferentiated cells that goes on to reform the limb. The blastema shares many properties with the developing limb bud; thus, the outgrowth phase of regeneration can be thought of as cells going through development again, i.e., redevelopment. Getting to a redevelopment phase in mammals would be a major breakthrough given our extensive understanding of limb development. The formation of the blastema itself represents a transition phase in which limb cells respond to injury by dedifferentiating to become embryonic limb progenitor cells that can undergo redevelopment. During this phase, rapid wound closure is followed by the dedifferentiation of limb cells to form the blastema. Thus, the regeneration process can be divided into a wound-healing/dedifferentiation phase and a redevelopment phase, and we propose that the interface between the wound-healing response and gaining access to developmentally regulated programs (dedifferentiation) lies at the heart of the regeneration problem in mammals. In urodele amphibians, dedifferentiation can occur in all of the tissues of the limb; however, numerous studies lead us to focus on the epidermis, the dermis, and muscle as key regulators of regeneration. Among higher vertebrates, the digit tip in mammals, including humans, is regeneration-competent and offers a unique mammalian model for regeneration. Recent genetic studies in mice identify the Msx1 gene as playing a critical role in the injury response leading to digit tip regeneration. The results from regeneration studies ranging from amphibians to mammals can be integrated to develop a roadmap for mammalian regeneration that has as its focus understanding the phenomenon of dedifferentiation.
Determinism within human–environment research and the rediscovery of environmental causation

The popularity of the work Guns, germs and steel (GGS) has served to bring the question of human–environment connections once again to the forefront of popular thought. We assert that the recent success of GGS represents both a persistence of environmental determinist logic and a contemporary trend that privileges the environment as the primary influence on human–environment relationships. The historical development of the human–environment field is reviewed from the cultural and political ecology (CAPE) perspective, with particular attention to illustrating the varying emphasis between humans and their environment. GGS is situated within this developing field through a critical analysis of the arguments and methods forwarded by Jared Diamond. The book is found to mirror earlier environmental determinism by failing to take into account many of the advances in human–environmental thought since the early twentieth century. Its popular success suggests the pitfalls of failures to acknowledge the complex, intertwined and indivisible relationship that exists among humans and their environment. Furthermore, there is evidence that the environmental determinism espoused in GGS has caught the attention of international development policymakers potentially influencing future outlays of aid and assistance to the developing world. These conclusions raise cautionary flags against repeating past theoretical mistakes by accepting simplistic, causal explanations based largely on a deterministic conception of the natural environment.
Computer Graphics: Preferences by Gender in Grades 2, 4, and 6.

Abstract We examined preferences for computer graphics among 316 students in Grades 2, 4, and 6. Based on 10 guidelines developed after examining the literature, we constructed three groups of pictures: high female interest (FI); high male interest (MI); and equal interest (EI), with mixed elements of high female and male interest. Students rated the pictures that were created with Storybook Weaver (MECC, 1991a, 1991b) and projected from a computer to a TV monitor. The girls rated FI pictures highest and MI pictures lowest; the opposite was true for boys. Gender differences in ratings of FI and MI pictures were significant and persistent through grade levels, whereas gender differences were not found for EI pictures. The results support the use of the guidelines to design pictures of appeal to girls and boys. Intermediate ratings of EI pictures showed that it is possible to strike a balance between conflicting preferences.
Representation and Rights: The Impact of LGBT Legislators in Comparative Perspective

This article focuses on the link between the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in national legislatures and the existence of equality laws focused on sexual orientation. It addresses three interrelated questions: how many “out” LGBT legislators have served in national parliaments, what explains the cross-national variation in their legislative presence, and what is the relationship between the presence of gay legislators and the enactment of laws that treat gay and straight citizens equally? There is an established literature arguing that the representation of women and ethnic minorities “descriptively” in national legislatures improves the realization of their policy preferences and the position of the group within the society as a whole. This article draws on that literature and extends the analysis to LGBT communities. It finds that the presence of even a small number of openly gay legislators is associated significantly with the future passage of enhanced gay rights, even after including controls for social values, democracy, government ideology, and electoral system design. Once openly gay legislators are in office they have a transformative effect on the views and voting behavior of their straight colleagues. This “familiarity through presence” effect is echoed in studies of U.S. state legislatures and levels of social tolerance of homosexuality in the population at large.
Circulating Leukocyte Counts, Activation, and Degranulation in Dahl Hypertensive Rats

Previous evidence has shown that rats with spontaneous hypertension have on average about twice as many circulating leukocytes in comparison with their normotensive counterparts, the Wistar-Kyoto rats. Since such high levels of leukocytes may increase the risk for vascular complications for hypertensive animals, it is useful to ascertain whether a comparable derangement is present in other forms of hypertension. The present study deals with the properties of the circulating leukocytes in rats exhibiting another form of experimental hypertension; Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) hypertensive rats were compared with Dahl salt-resistant (Dahl-R) control rats. Measurements were performed to determine the following: circulating hematocrit levels, leukocyte counts, differential counts, number of activated leukocytes (by means of nitro blue tetrazolium [NBT] reduction), leukocyte adhesion in vitro and neutrophil CD-18 expression, alkaline phosphatase activity in individual neutrophils and in the plasma, and myeloperoxidase activity in neutrophils. The experimental cohort consisted of Dahl-S and Dahl-R rats maintained for a 6-week period on a 6% NaCl diet. The results show a highly significant elevation in the number of total leukocytes, neutrophil and monocyte counts, and NBT-positive neutrophils and monocytes in Dahl-S but not Dahl-R rats. There was a significant loss of alkaline phosphatase and myeloperoxidase activity in the neutrophils of the salt-treated Dahl-S rats but not in the neutrophils of the untreated Dahl-S or Dahl-R rats. No significant differences were found in neutrophil adhesion under in vitro test conditions between the two strains maintained on the salt diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Upregulation of MUC8 and downregulation of MUC5AC by inflammatory mediators in human nasal polyps and cultured nasal epithelium.

Polyps are believed to be the source of mucus hypersecretion in chronic inflammation of the sinus. However, it is not clear which mucins are responsible for the hypersecretion of mucus by nasal polyps. We describe the over-expression of MUC8 mRNA in nasal polyps and the upregulation of MUC8 mRNA expression and downregulation of MUC5AC mRNA expression by inflammatory mediators. We found that the level of MUC8 mRNA, but not the level of MUC5AC mRNA, increased in nasal polyps. We also found that there was an increase in intracellular mucin in nasal polyps, compared to the normal nasal inferior turbinate. A mixture of inflammatory mediators increased MUC8 mRNA expression and decreased MUC5AC mRNA expression in cultured normal human nasal epithelial cells. Among inflammatory mediators, IL-4 is responsible for the decrease in MUC5AC mRNA and MUC5AC mucin secretion. These results indicate that MUC8 may be one of the major mucins secreted from the polyp epithelium and that it may play an important role in the pat...
Interactions between integrin receptors and fibronectin are required for calvarial osteoblast differentiation in vitro

We previously showed that anti-fibronectin antibodies or soluble fibronectin fragments containing the central cell-binding domain inhibit formation of mineralized nodules by fetal calvarial osteoblasts in vitro. These findings suggest a critical role for fibronectin in osteoblast differentiation and morphogenesis. In this study we tested the hypothesis that fibronectin's effects on osteogenesis are mediated via direct interactions with integrin receptors for fibronectin on osteoblasts. Immunocytochemical analysis identified the integrin fibronectin receptor alpha5ss1 in fetal rat calvarial tissue and in cultured osteoblasts at all stages of differentiation. Three other integrins, alpha3ss1, alpha8ss1 and alphavss3, which can bind fibronectin, as well as other matrix components, were also identified in tissue and at all stages of cell culture. Immunoprecipitation data showed that alpha5ss1 levels are constant throughout osteoblast differentiation whereas levels of alpha3ss1 and alpha8ss1 decline in mature mineralized cultures. To determine whether integrin fibronectin receptors are required for osteoblast formation of mineralized nodules, we examined the extent of nodule formation in the presence and absence of function-perturbing anti-integrin antibodies. The antibodies were present continuously in cultures beginning at confluence (day 3), and nodule formation was measured at days 10 and 20. An anti-alpha5 integrin subunit antibody reduced nodule formation to less than 5% of control values at both time points. Inhibition of nodule formation was reversible and did not affect cell attachment and viability. Function-perturbing antibodies against alpha3ss1 and alpha8ss1 also reduced nodule formation, to less than 20% of control values. In contrast, function-perturbing antibodies to alphavss3 and alphavss5 did not affect nodule formation, indicating that the inhibitions noted were indeed specific. To determine the effect of antibody treatment on gene expression, steady-state mRNA expression was examined and found to be suppressed for osteoblast markers alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin. Together, these results indicate that direct osteoblast interactions with the extracellular matrix are mediated by a select group of integrin receptors that includes alpha5ss1, alpha3ss1 and alpha8ss1. We further conclude that the specific alpha5ss1 fibronectin receptor mediates critical interactions between osteoblasts and fibronectin required for both bone morphogenesis and osteoblast differentiation.
An empirical investigation of technology literacy at the executive management levels and firm performance

Past research posits that executive technology literacy influences strategy development, technology adoption, and firm success (Lefebvre et al., 1997; Thong et al., 1995; McGee et al., 1994). Others have supported the need for a chief technology officer to specifically exploit the ever-expanding universe of technological opportunities available to the firm (Adler et al., 1990). The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between executive technology literacy and financial performance in IPO firms. Based on the theory, four hypotheses were developed to examine the relationship between executive technology literacy and firm performance. Specifically, the hypotheses suggest that the existence of a technology experienced chief executive officer (CEO) or a chief information officer (CIO) or chief technology officer (CTO) enhances average sales growth over three years. To test the hypotheses, 67 firms in computer-related industries who completed IPOs by the end of 1997 were randomly identified for this study. The computer industry sector was selected because in many new ventures have emerged due to the fast paced evolution of information technologies. IPO firms were selected for this study because they present a unique opportunity to evaluate firms that are undergoing significant change.
Current Status of the Tardigrada: Evolution and Ecology

The Tardigrada are bilaterally symmetrical micrometazoans with four pairs of lobopod legs terminating in claws or sucking disks. They occupy a diversity of niches in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments throughout the world. Some have a cosmopolitan distribution, while others are endemic. About 900 species have been described thus far, but many more species are expected as additional habitats are investigated. Most are less than 1 mm in body length and are opaque or translucent, exhibiting colors such as brown, green, orange, yellow, red, or pink in the cuticle and/or gut. Marine species are more variable in body shape and overall appearance and generally exhibit low population density with high species diversity. Reproductive modes include sexual reproduction and parthenogenesis, but much remains to be known about development. Tardigrades have a hemocoel-type of fluid-filled body cavity, a complete digestive tract, and a lobed dorsal brain with a ventral nerve cord with fused ganglia. Recent molecular analyses and additional morphological studies of the nervous system have confirmed the phylogenetic position of tardigrades as a sister group of the arthropods. The ability of tardigrades to undergo cryptobiosis has long intrigued scientists. Although tardigrades are active only when surrounded by a film of water, they can enter latent states in response to desiccation (anhydrobiosis), temperature (cryobiosis), low oxygen (anoxybiosis), and salinity changes (osmobiosis). Cryptobiotic states aid in dispersal.
Social science as a tool in developing scientific thinking skills in underserved, low-achieving urban students

Abstract Engagement in purposeful problem solving involving social science content was sufficient to develop a key set of inquiry skills in low-performing middle school students from an academically and economically disadvantaged urban public school population, with this skill transferring to a more traditional written scientific thinking assessment instrument 3 weeks later. Students only observing their peers’ activity or not participating at all failed to show these gains. Implications are addressed with regard to the mastery of scientific thinking skills among academically disadvantaged students. Also addressed are the efficacy of problem-based learning and the limits of observational learning.
Quadrature two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (Q-2DCOS)

Abstract Quadrature 2D correlation spectroscopy (Q-2DCOS) is introduced. The technique incorporates the effect of the perturbation into the traditional 2DCOS analysis by building a multivariate model, merging the information of the perturbation variable and spectral responses. By employing factors which are 90° out of phase with each other, pertinent coincidental and sequential spectral intensity variations are adequately captured for the subsequent 2D correlation analysis. Almost complete replication of the original 2DCOS results based on such a simple rank 2 model of experimental spectra suggests that only the dominant spectral intensity variation patterns in combination with its quadrature counterpart seems to be utilized in 2DCOS analysis. Using the linear perturbation variable itself as the basis for generating the primary score vector is equivalent to the least squares fitting of a quadratic polynomial with spectral intensity variations. Q-2DCOS analysis may be displayed in terms of a graphical plot on a phase plane in the vector space, so that coincidental and sequential matching of the patterns of spectral intensity variations is represented simply by the phase angle difference between two vectors. Q-2DCOS analysis is closely related to other established ideas and practices in the 2D correlation spectroscopy field, such as dynamic 2D IR dichroism, PCA 2D, quadrature orthogonal signal correction (Q-OSC), and perturbation correlation moving window (PCMW) analyses.
Forced Convection Heat Transfer

Convection is the term used for heat transfer mechanism, which takes place in a fluid because of a combination of conduction due to the molecular interactions and energy transport due to the macroscopic (bulk) motion of the fluid itself. In the above definition, the motion of the fluid is essential otherwise, the heat transfer mechanism becomes a static conduction situation. When the term of convection is used, usually a solid surface is present next to the fluid. There are also cases of convection where only fluids are present, such as a hot jet entering into a cold reservoir. However, the most of the industrial applications involve a hot or cold surface transferring heat to the fluid or receiving heat from the fluid.
Fumigation of Tribolium confusum Adults with 80:20 (CCI1:CS2) During Carbon Dioxide- Or Nitrogen-Induced Respiration Elevation or Depression

Individual lots of 100 2-week-old adults of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum (Jacquelin duVal), were exposed to dry, flowing (100 cc per min) carbon dioxide or nitrogen and then fumigated for 24 hours in an LC50 atmosphere of 80:20 mixture (CCI4:CS2 by volume) at 30°C. Previous studies indicated that ½-hour exposures to either CO2 or N2 produced extreme respiration depression. Two-hour exposures to CO2 or N2 followed by I-hour and ½-hour recovery periods, respectively, induced maximum respiration rates. When insects were fumigated at minimum respiration (no recovery period permitted) the resulting mortality was greater than the additive effect of the individual preconditioning and fumigated treatment mortalities. Nitrogen exerted a greater synergistic effect than did carbon dioxide, No increased susceptibility to fumigant was noted when the insects were fumigated during peak respiration in the recovery period following CO2 or N2anoxia. In a control series, 4 replications of the following insect lots were evaluated: neither treated nor fumigated, fumigated but not treated, air-treated (100 cc per min, 2 hours) but not fumigated, and both air-treated and fumigated. Mortality of insects air-treated but not fumigated was more than 3% greater than natural mortality and was statistically significant. These data suggest that dry airflow produced stress in adult confused flour beetles.
Selection of a Nondiapausing Race of Apple Maggot

A laboratory race of the apple maggot, Rhagoletis Pomonella (Walsh), was developed and carried through the F4 generation, which did not require a pupal cold treatment to insure consistent adult emergence. The elimination of such a cold treatment was achieved by inbreeding and subsequent selection from the nondiapausing late summer 2nd-generation adults.
National hospital input price index.

The national community hospital input price index presented here isolates the effects of prices of goods and services required to produce hospital care and measures the average percent change in prices for a fixed market basket of hospital inputs. Using the methodology described in this article, weights for various expenditure categories were estimated and proxy price variables associated with each were selected. The index is calculated for the historical period 1970 through 1978 and forecast for 1979 through 1981. During the historical period, the input price index increased an average of 8.0 percent a year, compared with an average rate of increase of 6.6 percent for overall consumer prices. For the period 1979 through 1981, the average annual increase is forecast at between 8.5 and 9.0 percent. Using the index to deflate growth in expenses, the level of real growth in expenditures per inpatient day (net service intensity growth) averaged 4.5 percent per year with considerable annual variation related to government and hospital industry policies.
Glomerular and hormonal responses to dietary protein intake in human renal disease

The effects of dietary protein on glomerular and hormonal function were studied in twelve adults with a variety of glomerular diseases. They were randomly assigned, using a crossover design, to two 11-day periods, one on a high-protein diet (2 g.kg-1.day-1) and the other on a low-protein diet (0.55 g.kg-1.day-1). Improvement in glomerular permselectivity on the low-protein diet was manifested by a decreased 24-h urinary excretion of total protein, albumin, and IgG by 33, 40, and 25%, respectively (all P less than 0.02); a fall in the fractional clearance of albumin (10.1 +/- 6.3 X 10(-3) to 5.8 +/- 3.3 X 10(-3)), and IgG (6.9 +/- 5.1 X 10(-3) to 3.5 +/- 2.3 X 10(-3)) (both P less than 0.02); and a decreased fractional clearance of neutral dextrans of molecular radii 48-56 A (P less than 0.05), when measured on the final day of each dietary period. The high-protein diet was accompanied by a higher plasma renin activity (6.9 +/- 1.6 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.8 ng angiotensin I.ml-1.h-1) (P less than 0.02), and increased excretion of prostaglandin E and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha. We conclude that a low-protein diet rapidly improves the size-selective defect in glomerular permselectivity.
Comparing the Timing of Movement Events for Air-Drumming Gestures

New air-instruments allow us to control sound by moving our bodies in space without manipulating a physical object. However when we want to trigger a discrete sound at a precise time, for example by making a drumming gesture, the timing feels wrong. This work aims to understand what aspects of a performer’s movement correspond to their subjective sense of when the sound should occur. A study of air-drumming gestures was conducted, and the timing of eight movement events based on movements of the hand, wrist, elbow joint, and wrist joint are examined. In general, it is found that movement events based on peaks in acceleration are better because they occur earlier and have less noise than do events based on changes of direction.
Practical and illustrated summary of updated BI-RADS for ultrasonography

The American College of Radiology released the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in 2014 (copyright 2013), which includes the expanded second edition of the ultrasound BI-RADS lexicon. This review provides a practical summary of the updated lexicon, including selective illustrations with original clinical images, a discussion of overarching concepts, and examples of current clinical applications.
Reliability of 30-Day Readmission Measures Used in the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program.

Objective To assess the reliability of risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRRs) for medical conditions and surgical procedures used in the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). Data Sources State Inpatient Databases for six states from 2011 to 2013 were used to identify patient cohorts for the six conditions used in the HRRP, which was augmented with hospital characteristic and HRRP penalty data. Study Design Hierarchical logistic regression models estimated hospital-level RSRRs for each condition, the reliability of each RSRR, and the extent to which socioeconomic and hospital factors further explain RSRR variation. We used publicly available data to estimate payments for excess readmissions in hospitals with reliable and unreliable RSRRs. Principal Findings Only RSRRs for surgical procedures exceeded the reliability benchmark for most hospitals, whereas RSRRs for medical conditions were typically below the benchmark. Additional adjustment for socioeconomic and hospital factors modestly explained variation in RSRRs. Approximately 25 percent of payments for excess readmissions were tied to unreliable RSRRs. Conclusions Many of the RSRRs employed by the HRRP are unreliable, and one quarter of payments for excess readmissions are associated with unreliable RSRRs. Unreliable measures blur the connection between hospital performance and incentives, and threaten the success of the HRRP.
An alternative format for plastic packaging — Wafer/panel level encapsulation: Its challenges and solutions

This work will discourse on the challenges and solutions that a packaging and/or equipment engineer will face during the molding process of 5S (five-sided) and/or 6S (six-sided) packages at a wafer and/or panel level. This form of packaging is known as large format packaging (LFP). Technical solutions and in particular encapsulation assembly are discussed from the viewpoint of drivers of LFP, CLAP design, encapsulation equipment/tool design, encapsulant and moldability. Based on this work, LFP as a packaging solution is a viable option provided that package co-planarity, optimal encapsulant design, and optimized molding process are enforced. The keys are optimization of equipment, tool and molding process control.
The emergence of autism spectrum disorder: insights gained from studies of brain and behaviour in high-risk infants.

Purpose of reviewWe review studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), proposing that the earliest manifestations of disrupted brain development can shed light on prebehavioural markers of risk and mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity of ASD.Recent findingsProspective, longitud
Impact of tropical cyclones on modeled extreme wind-wave climate

The effect of forcing wind resolution on the extremes of global wind-wave climate are investigated in numerical simulations. Forcing winds from the Community Atmosphere Model at horizontal resolutions of ∼1.0° and ∼0.25° are used to drive Wavewatch III. Differences in extreme wave height are found to manifest most strongly in tropical cyclone (TC) regions, emphasizing the need for high-resolution forcing in those areas. Comparison with observations typically show improvement in performance with increased forcing resolution, with a strong influence in the tail of the distribution, although simulated extremes can exceed observations. A simulation for the end of the 21st century under a RCP 8.5 type emission scenario suggests further increases in extreme wave height in TC regions.
The Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor and Neurosteroids in Hepatic Encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) represents one of the most common events in terminal liver failure. Acute HE (fulminant hepatic failure, FHF) presents with the abrupt onset of delirium, seizures, and coma, and has a mortality rate of about 90%. The principal cause of death in FHF is brain edema associated with increased intracranial pressure. Chronic HE, sometimes referred to as portal-systemic encephalopathy, most often occurs in the setting of cirrhosis and is characterized by change in personality, altered mood and behavior, diminished intellectual capacity, abnormal muscle tone and tremor (asterixis), stupor and coma. For reviews, see (Rothstein and Herlong, 1989; Lockwood. 1992).
Developing Capacity in Nutrition

Nutrition is increasingly recognized as a crosscutting issue with massive implications for the social and economic development of nations. While experience and best practices have been amassed with respect to what to do to alleviate the burden of malnutrition, capacity continues to be the critical limiting factor for the scale-up—in both coverage and impact—and sustainability of programs to address malnutrition. Calls for investment in capacity development in nutrition are not new, but are the subject of renewed attention in the face of mounting external pressures on the delivery of successful nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive services. Contributing to the already demanding challenge of addressing malnutrition are the current and anticipated issues that will cause a shift in the global burden of disease, both in type and locus, leading to an increase in food insecurity, a change in food environments, and new pressures on the health system. Capacity development will remain a critical feature of nutrition and development agendas in the coming decades. The Sustainable Development Goals offer an opportunity to excite, inspire, and guide the world in the post-2015 era; it is critical that advancing good nutrition be recognized as an underlying and crosscutting prerequisite to promote sustainable development. To maximize the impact of investments in nutrition, we must intensify efforts to develop the capacities of the future workforce for nutrition. Failure to do so will render the well-meaning goals and targets of the future unattainable.
Who owns Chinatown: Neighbourhood preservation and change in Boston and Philadelphia:

The survival of Chinatowns and other ethnic enclaves in cities is largely determined by who owns property. Ethnic enclaves such as Chinatowns have traditionally played important economic, social and cultural functions as places for recent immigrants to live and work, though Chinatowns have long faced redevelopment pressures. In North America, as Chinese immigrants and their descendants settle in the suburbs, and as historic Chinatowns’ locations close to revitalising downtowns attract increasing investment, the future of these historic enclaves is shaped by various, often intense and divergent, forces. This article describes changes in the patterns of property ownership in Boston and Philadelphia’s downtown Chinatowns over the last decade (2003–2013) and relates them to changes and continuities in these neighbourhoods’ population, commercial activities and building stock. The trends we observe simultaneously reinforce and complicate debates about gentrification and longstanding efforts to preserve these C...
GATSim: Abstract timing simulation of GPUs

General-Purpose Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) have become an integral part of heterogeneous system architectures. Ever increasing complexities have made rapid, early performance evaluation of GPU-based architectures and applications a primary design concern. Traditional cycle-accurate GPU simulators are too slow, while existing analytical or source-level estimation approaches are often inaccurate. This paper proposes a novel abstract GPU performance simulation approach that is based on flexible separation of functional and timing models, combining a fast functional execution either on existing simulators or native GPU hardware with a light, fast and accurate abstract timing model. Micro-architecture timing of individual GPU cores is abstracted through static, one-time pre-characterization of code, and only the dynamic scheduling effects are simulated. Using a native GPU for functional execution and excluding pre-characterization, our GPU simulation achieves a throughput of more than 80 MIPS. This is on average 400x faster with 4% error compared to a cycle-accurate GPU simulator for standard GPU benchmarks. Moreover, our simple timing model provides flexibility to target different GPU configurations with little or no extra effort.
Taming Intuition: How Reflection Minimizes Partisan Reasoning and Promotes Democratic Accountability

The success of democratic governance hinges on an electorate's ability to reward elected officials who act faithfully and punish those who do not. Yet there is considerable variation among voters in their ability to objectively evaluate representatives' performance. In this book the authors develop a theoretical model, the Intuitionist Model of Political Reasoning, which posits that this variation across voters is the result of individual differences in the predisposition to reflect on and to override partisan impulses. Individuals differ in partisan intuitions resulting from the strength of their attachments to parties, as well as the degree to which they are willing to engage in the cognitively taxing process of evaluating those intuitions. The balance of these forces - the strength of intuitions and the willingness to second guess one's self - determines the extent to which individuals update their assessments of political parties and elected officials in a rational manner.
Self‐Reported Function More Informative than Frailty Phenotype in Predicting Adverse Postoperative Course in Older Adults

Background/Objective Current preoperative assessment tools such as the American College of Surgeons Surgical Risk Calculator (ACS Calculator) are suboptimal for evaluating older adults. The objective was to evaluate and compare the performance of the ACS Calculator for predicting risk of serious postoperative complications with the addition of self-reported physical function versus a frailty score. Design Prospective cohort. Setting Two tertiary care academic medical centers in Massachusetts. Participants Individuals aged 65 and older undergoing any surgery with a risk of serious complication of 5% or greater (N = 403). Measurements We measured self-reported physical function using the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI FUNCTION) and frailty phenotype (FP), which has a score ranging from 0 to 5 based on slow gait speed, weak handgrip, exhaustion, weight loss, or low activity. Using c-statistic and net classification improvement (NRI), we then analyzed capability of LLFDI-FUNCTION versus FP to improve the ACS Calculator for predicting an adverse postoperative course (serious complication, discharge to nursing home, readmission, death within 30 days of surgery). Increase in c-statistic and net reclassification improvement (NRI) for LLFDI-FUNCTION versus FP in addition to the ACS Calculator for predicting an adverse postoperative course (serious complication, discharge to nursing home, readmission, death within 30 days of surgery) Results Over 30 days, 26% of participants developed an adverse postoperative course. The increase in c-statistic for the ACS Calculator (baseline value 0.645) was slightly greater with LLFDI-FUNCTION (0.076) than with FP (0.058), with a bootstrapped difference in c-statistic of 0.005 (95% confidence interval = 0.002–0.007). NRI was also better with LLFDI-FUNCTION. Conclusion The LLFDI-FUNCTION predicted postoperative complications slightly better than the FP. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and validate the use of the LLFDI-FUNCTION with the ACS Calculator for preoperative assessments of older adults.
Pipelined parallel contrastive divergence for continuous generative model learning

In this paper we propose a method for continuously processing and learning from data in Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs). Traditionally, RBMs are trained using Contrastive Divergence (CD), which is an algorithm consisting of two phases, of which only one is driven by data. This not only prohibits training of RBMs in conjugation with continuous-time data streams, especially in event-based real-time systems, but also hinders training speed of RBMs in large-scale machine learning systems. The model we propose trades space for time and, by pipelining information propagation in the network, is capable of processing both phases of the CD learning algorithm simultaneously. Simulation results of our model on generative and discriminative tasks show convergence to the original CD algorithm. We finalize with a discussion of applying our method to other deep neural networks, resulting in continuous learning and training time reduction.
Racial Differences in Patterns of Use of Rehabilitation Services for Adults Aged 65 and Older

Objectives To examine racial differences in the use of rehabilitation services and functional improvement during receipt of services. Design Secondary analysis of the 2016 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Setting Standardized in-person home interviews. Participants Community-dwelling Medicare enrollees (N = 6,309), 1,276 of whom reported receiving rehabilitation services in the previous 12 months. Measurements Self-reported use of rehabilitation services, setting (inpatient, outpatient, home based), reason for use, and perceptions of change in functioning after receiving services. Results Controlling for sex, dual eligibility for Medicaid, age, number of chronic conditions, functional mobility at the prior round, income, and geographic region, the odds of receiving rehabilitation services in any setting was 1.38 times as great in whites as in blacks (95% confidence interval = 1.09–1.75). Of those receiving therapy, whites were more likely to receive home-based and inpatient rehabilitation services, but there were no racial differences in improvement in function. Conclusion Strategies are needed to identify possible barriers to use of rehabilitation services for vulnerable groups of aging individuals who need rehabilitation services, particularly older blacks.
Efficacy of an asynchronous electronic curriculum in emergency medicine education in the United States

Author(s): Wray, Alisa; Bennett, Kathryn; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; Wiechmann, Warren; Toohey, Shannon | Abstract: PurposeThe aim of this study was to measure the effect of an iPad-based asynchronous curriculum on emergency medicine resident performance on the in-training exam (ITE). We hypothesized that the implementation of an asynchronous curriculum (replacing 1 hour of weekly didactic time) would result in non-inferior ITE scores compared to the historical scores of residents who had participated in the traditional 5-hour weekly didactic curriculum.MethodsThe study was a retrospective, non-inferiority study. conducted at the University of California, Irvine Emergency Medicine Residency Program. We compared ITE scores from 2012 and 2013, when there were 5 weekly hours of didactic content, with scores from 2014 and 2015, when 1 hour of conference was replaced with asynchro-nous content. Examination results were compared using a non-inferiority data analysis with a 10% margin of difference.ResultsUsing a non-inferiority test with a 95% confidence interval, there was no difference between the 2 groups (before and after implementation of asynchronous learning), as the confidence interval for the change of the ITE was -3.5 to 2.3 points, whereas the 10% non-inferiority margin was 7.8 points.ConclusionReplacing 1 hour of didactic conference with asynchronous learning showed no negative impact on resident ITE scores.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Campylobacter Species: Mechanisms and Genomic Epidemiology.

The Campylobacter genus is a large and diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria that are known to colonize humans and other mammals, birds, reptiles, and shellfish. While it is now recognized that several emerging Campylobacter species can be associated with human disease, two species, C. jejuni and C. coli, are responsible for the vast majority of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Infection with C. jejuni, in particular, has also been associated with a number of extragastrointestinal manifestations and autoimmune conditions, most notably Guillain-Barre syndrome. The antimicrobial drugs of choice for the treatment of severe Campylobacter infection include macrolides, such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, or azithromycin. Fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, are also commonly used for empirical treatment of undiagnosed diarrheal disease. However, resistance to these and other classes of antimicrobial drugs is increasing and is a major public health problem. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 300,000 infections per year are caused by drug-resistant Campylobacter. In this chapter, we discuss the taxonomy of the Campylobacter genus, the clinical and global epidemiological aspects of Campylobacter infection, with an emphasis on C. jejuni and C. coli, and issues related to the treatment of infection and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. We further discuss the use of next-generation sequencing for the detection and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance genes.