cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance driven optimization of network length in physical placement

A novel technique to significantly improve the performance of a design by the movement of sets of gates during or after timing driven placement is proposed. A method to identify optimal set of circuit (gate) movements to enhance timing is presented. Experimental results with a min-cut placement tool indicate that the proposed approach of direct manipulation of circuit locations, significantly improves the timing of large partitions of a chip.
Computational implications of microcircuit specializations in forebrain circuits for motivated action selection

Recent decades have seen dramatic progress in the brain sciences. Much attention has been attracted by non-invasive techniques, such as fMRI, which enable imaging of brain activities that support human cultural behavior, such as language. Less attention is paid to the cumulative progress in neural path-tracing and microcircuit specification in primates. The flood of such information poses a huge challenge for computational neuroscientists striving to bridge from microcircuits to flexible cognition, and to build models that can accurately predict individual differences in efficacy of neurological therapies. Recent models have made progress toward specifying how cortical circuits that enable planning and voluntary actions interact with adaptive sub-cortical microcircuits in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are key to understanding voluntary behavior, because they are strongly implicated in reinforcement learning and in all behavior over which the frontal lobes exert flexible control. This key role of the basal ganglia shows that ancient vertebrate designs have proven adaptable enough to support recent primate innovations, including speech and language generation. This paper summarizes recent models that have incorporated realistic representations of microcircuit features, and traced their computational implications. These efforts extend an emerging theoretical synthesis based on an interlocking set of computational hypotheses regarding frontal cortex interactions with basal ganglia. These hypotheses specify how microcircuits utilize specialized electrical and chemical connections to solve learning and procedural control problems inherent to a massively parallel system.
Ultrashort electron bunch length measurements at DUVFEL

The DUVFEL electron linac is designed to produce sub-picosecond, high brightness electron bunches for driving a short wavelength FEL. Four experiments have been commissioned to address the challenge of accurately measuring bunch lengths on this timescale. In the frequency domain, a short 12 period undulator is used to produce both off-axis coherent emission and on-axis incoherent single-shot spectra. The total coherent infrared power scales inversely with the bunch length and the spectral cutoff is an indication of bunch length. The density of the power spikes in the single-shot visible spectrum may also be used to estimate the bunch length. In the time domain, the linac accelerating sections and a bending magnet are used to implement the RF-zero phasing method, and a subpicosecond streak camera is also installed. The beam measurements with comparisons of these methods are reported.
An Investigation of the Operation and Performance of Coherent Microwave Photonic Filters

We present a theoretical analysis of coherent microwave photonic filters (MPFs), which employ intensity modulation and direct detection. Expressions for the frequency dependent power gain are derived. The noise and distortion performance of MPFs is also analyzed. Two example filter implementations are given which provide a 100-MHz passband centered at 40 GHz.
On the Mutual Information and Power Allocation for Vector Gaussian Channels with Finite Discrete Inputs

In this paper, the mutual information and power allocation are discussed for vector Gaussian channels with finite discrete inputs. It is shown that the classic waterfilling and mercury-waterfilling policies, which are allocating power to a bank of independent parallel channels, may lead to significant loss compared to the original system without power allocation for finite discrete inputs. A generalized linear precoder, which is a non-diagonal and non-unitary matrix, is proposed for cross-channel power allocation to maximize the mutual information for vector channels. Numerical examples show that the new precoding-based power allocation provides significant gain for a broad region of signal-to-noise ratios.
Modeling and Control of an Upper-Body Exoskeleton

In this paper we propose an upper body exoskeleton to augment a soldier's ability to maneuver and fire a heavy weapon. After describing the initial design concept, we model the system dynamics both using Lagrange's method and the SimMechanics software package. We derive a controller for our upper body exoskeleton, loosely inspired by the novel approach used on the Berkeley lower body exoskeleton (BLEEX). The approach is to combine the computed torque method, along with a nearly marginally stable linear feedback law. The resulting controller can track the wearer's movement with without the need to measure muscular activation levels. We simulation results for the controller with a human torque input. The contributions, while modest, are an important first step in evaluating the feasibility of this approach for an upper body exoskeleton.
THE JOB EVALUATION PROGRAM OF THE STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANIES COMPARED WITH THOSE OF OTHER LEADING INSURANCE COMPANIES AS TO METHODS OF INTRODUCING AND CONTENT

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY was to present a case history of the installation of job evaluation and a formal program of salary administration in a large insurance company; to compare the job evaluation and salary administration practices of this company with those followed in other large insurance companies in the United States; to compare procedures and practices in the insurance field with those recommended by the authorities in the field of job evaluation; and to indicate methods which these companies have used successfully. Three major sources of information provided the data for this research. First, a complete analysis was made of the procedures and methods utilized by state farm insurance companies in installing and administering their program. Secondly, a five-page questionnaire was sent to the personnel directors of eighty insurance companies. Both life and automobile insurance companies were surveyed. Fifty responses, or 62.5 per cent, were received in answer to the first mailing. Follow-up letters were sent to the remainder which raised the response to sixty-six, or 82.5 per cent. Finally, a review of the latest published material in the field of job evaluation and wage and salary administration was undertaken. The case history of the state farm insurance companies was written and their practices were compared with those reported by the co-operating insurance companies. The procedures recommended by the experts in the field were used as criteria to determine to what degree accepted practices were followed. The comparison of the methods used to introduce and the content of the job evaluation program of the state farm insurance companies with those of other leading insurance companies revealed that in practically all cases these companies followed the same basic methods. In addition, these organizations followed primarily the techniques and procedures recommended by the authorities in the field
Overview: hormone refractory prostate cancer

P cancer is the most prevalent tumor in men. Although prostate cancer frequently has an indolent course, there are still 40,000 men who die of the disease each year. Despite stage migration, approximately 180,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 19991,2; 10% to 20% of those cases will be metastatic at the time of diagnosis. When one considers that approximately 50% of patients who receive treatment for local disease ultimately fail, the number of patients with advanced disease becomes considerable. It is clear that additional research needs to be done to understand why some men have an adequate response to hormonal manipulation, whereas others have a rapidly progressive disease that does not respond to this form of treatment. In this overview, the theory behind the development of hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is discussed. The spectrum of advanced disease, including the classification for stage D disease, is explained. Early attempts at treatment of HRPC are reviewed, and new treatment strategies currently in development are presented.
Does Social Capital Protect Against the Adverse Behavioural Outcomes of Child Neglect

LONGSCAN was a longitudinal study of the risks and consequences of child abuse and neglect conducted between 1992 and 2012 among five sites across the US. Interviews with mothers of at-risk children began when the children were four years of age, and mothers and children from age six to age 18 years were interviewed every other year. Maltreatment reports were obtained from departments of social services, and subjects’ self-reported abuse was obtained at age 12. Generalised estimating equations were used to investigate the impact of informal social control, social cohesion and trust (SCT), and caregiver depression at ages 12, 14 and 16 years on externalising behaviours, smoking and alcohol use among 18-year olds who had been neglected prior to age 12. In models controlling for child age and gender, maltreatment types other than neglect, maternal education and study site, SCT significantly reduced the impact of caregiver depression on externalising behaviour and alcohol use among the neglected children at age 18. This moderating effect was not seen among non-neglected 18-year-old children. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages: Child neglect is a significant predictor of adolescent health risk behaviours. Caregiver depression increases the risk of neglect and increases the adverse behavioural outcomes of neglect. Among children neglected before age 12, in the presence of caregiver depression, SCT reduce externalising behaviours and alcohol use at age 18. Identification and treatment of caregiver depression, along with supporting community cohesion and neighbourhood trust, can ameliorate some of the negative outcomes associated with child neglect. ‘Child neglect is a significant predictor of adolescent health risk behaviours’
Print-Focused Read-Alouds in Early Childhood Special Education Programs:

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of print-focused read-alouds, implemented by early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers alone or in conjunction with caregivers, on the print knowledge of children with language impairment (LI). Using random assignment to conditions, children with LI were exposed, over an academic year of preschool, to one of three conditions specifying the way in which teachers and caregivers were to read storybooks with them. Based on a print-knowledge composite, children whose teachers used print-focused read-alouds had significantly better print knowledge (d = .21) in spring of the year compared to children whose teachers used their typical reading practices. When teachers and caregivers implemented print-focused read-alouds simultaneously, children’s Spring print knowledge was modestly higher (d = .11) than that of children whose teachers and parents used their typical reading practices, but the effect was not statistically significant. Examination of interv...
Transport Equations for a Mixture of Two Binary Molten Salts in a Porous Electrode

Concentrated solution theory is generalized to provide a framework for the description of isothermal transport processes in a mixture of two binary molten salts with a common ion. Electrochemical flux equations are derived for several, commonly used reference velocities. Nonsteady‐state material balances and conservation equations, based on the macrohomogeneous theory of porous electrodes, are also presented, together with a relationship for the ohmic potential drop in the solution. These equations can be used in conjunction with information on electrode kinetics to predict the behavior of molten salt electrolytes in porous media or in free electrolytic solutions.
The new validation of popular culture: Sense and sentimentality in academia

In recent years the study of popular culture has gained legitimacy in American universities. Several intellectual developments have stimulated this: a sociological perspective on the “production of culture” that tends to minimize the differences between high and popular culture; work in anthropology and other fields that has broadened the concept of what can be studied as a “text” and increasing attention in several disciplines to the role of audiences in constructing the works of art they read or interpret. This essay critically reviews these developments and discusses their implications for the university.
Probabilistic analysis of the effects of climate change on groundwater recharge

[1] Groundwater recharge is likely to be affected by climate change. In semiarid regions where groundwater resources are often critical, annual recharge rates are typically small and most recharge occurs episodically. Such episodic recharge is uncertain and difficult to predict. This paper analyzes the impacts of different climate predictions on diffuse episodic recharge at a low-relief semiarid rain-fed agricultural area. The analysis relies on a probabilistic approach that explicitly accounts for uncertainties in meteorological forcing and in soil and vegetation properties. An ensemble of recharge forecasts is generated from Monte Carlo simulations of a study site in the southern High Plains, United States. Soil and vegetation parameter realizations are conditioned on soil moisture and soil water chloride observations (Ng et al., 2009). A stochastic weather generator provides realizations of meteorological time series for climate alternatives from different general circulation models. For most climate alternatives, predicted changes in average recharge (spanning −75% to +35%) are larger than the corresponding changes in average precipitation (spanning −25% to +20%). This suggests that amplification of climate change impacts may occur in groundwater systems. Predictions also include varying changes in the frequency and magnitude of recharge events. The temporal distribution of precipitation change (over seasons and rain events) explains most of the variability in predictions of recharge totals and episodic occurrence. The ensemble recharge analysis presented in this study offers a systematic approach to investigating interactions between uncertainty and nonlinearities in episodic recharge.
Using multi-stage and stratified sampling for inferring fault-coverage probabilities

Development of fault-tolerant computing systems requires accurate reliability modeling. Analytic, simulation, and hybrid models are commonly used for obtaining reliability measures. These measures are functions of component failure rates and fault-coverage (probabilities). Coverage provides information about the fault and error detection, isolation, and system recovery capabilities. This parameter can be derived by physical or simulated fault injection. Statistical inference has been used to extract meaningful information from sample observation. The problem of conducting fault injection experiments and statistically inferring the coverage from the information gathered in those experiments is addressed in this paper. We perform statistical experiments in a multi-dimensional space of events. In this way all major factors which influence the coverage (fault locations, timing characteristics of the fault, and the workload) are accounted for. Multi-stage, stratified, and combined multi-stage and stratified sampling are used in this paper for deriving the coverage. Equations of the mean, variance, and confidence interval of the coverage are provided. The statistical error produced by the injected faults which do not induce errors in the tested system (also known as the nonresponse problem) is considered, A program which emulates a typical fault environment was developed and four hypothetical systems are analyzed.
Hidden knowing of working-class transnational Mexican families in schools: bridge-building, Nepantlera knowers

Reframing immigrant families as transnationals, this article highlights transnational families' ways of knowing. This study is based on a three-year, multi-sited critical ethnographic set of case studies of four families in the USA and Mexico. Transnational families in this study demonstrated Nepantlera knowing, or liminal, bridge-building knowing which continually endures remarkable transformations through oftentimes ambiguous and conflicting circumstances. Families experienced the world as liminal knowers, or people who lived the ambiguities of being in-between and as shape-shifters who navigated that in-betweenness. They also knew the world through their bridge-building efforts and through the risks, pain, and satisfaction of bridge-building work. Families managed multiple tensions of knowing in such an in-between space, and they were path-breaking in the ways they reached out to disparate groups by bridging differences. This article includes recommendations for educators and researchers towards creati...
Mapping the Ties That Bind: Legitimacy, Representation, and Alienation

any of the most worthwhile theoretical and methodological challenges social scientists face spring from phenomena that link different levels of aggregation. For some concepts, the system-level manifestation is the summation of properties of individuals aggregate demand for a product or district partisanship, for instance. For these, the challenge is in properly formulating the aggregation rule that produces the social choice. The difficulty of this task should not be underestimated, but its practitioners do begin from a single, consensual perspective methodological individualism and this facilitates coherent theorizing by grounding key concepts in a common foundational assumption. Other multi-level constructs lack this characteristic feature. Legitimacy is a paradigmatic example, a systemlevel property that has no direct individual-level counterpart. Research on legitimacy is particularly difficult because the key decision, choosing the right theoretical perspective, presents a dilemma for which there is no necessarily correct solution. Proponents of a macro viewpoint note that evaluating a political system's claim to legitimacy depends on the presence of constitutional guarantees of access and equality, properties that can be competently judged by an outside observer. Moreover, they warn that popular support is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for legitimacy, since history shows examples of regimes widely judged legitimate that were overthrown and others that retained their incumbency through manipulation or force in spite of being clearly illegitimate. But proponents of the individuallevel perspective also have a strong claim to define how legitimacy should be conceptualized and research on it organized. Even the most
Renewed Roles for Librarians in Problem-Based Learning in the Medical Curriculum

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching-learning process or method of instruction that is widely used in medical education curricula. Librarians play important roles as facilitators for PBL as well as guides for information resources. Involvement in PBL activities presents unique opportunities to incorporate library resources and instruction into the medical curriculum. This article reviews the problem-based learning method within the conceptual framework of the learning theory of constructivism. It describes how a medical librarian at a U.S. medical school used emerging technologies to facilitate PBL small group case discussions, guide students to quality information resources, and enhance the learning environment for the PBL process.
HISTORICAL AND CURRENT PERSPECTIVE IN THE USE OF THYROID EXTRACTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the history, refinements, implementation, physiology, and clinical outcomes achieved over the past several centuries of thyroid hormone replacement strategies. Methods: A Medline search was initiated using the following search terms: bioidentical thyroid hormone, thyroid hormone extract, combination thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) therapy, homeopathic thyroid hormone therapy, and thyroid hormone replacement. Pertinent articles of interest were identified by title (and where available abstract) for further review. Additional references were identified during a review of the identified literature. Results: A rich history of physician intervention in thyroid dysfunction was identified dating back more than 2 millennia. Although not precisely documented, thyroid ingestion from animal sources had been used for centuries but was finally scientifically described and documented in Europe over 130 years ago. Since the reports by Bettencourt and Murray, there has been a continuous documentation of outcomes, refinement of hormone preparation production, and updating of recommendations for the most effective and safe use of these hormones for relieving the symptoms of hypothyroidism. As the thyroid extract preparations contain both levothyroxine (LT4) and liothyronine (LT3), current guidelines do not endorse their use as controlled studies do not clearly document enhanced objective outcomes compared with LT4 monotherapy. Among current issues cited, the optimum ratio of LT4 to LT3 has yet to be determined, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not appear to be monitoring the thyroid hormone ratios or content in extract preparations on the market. Taken together, these limitations are important detriments to the use of thyroid extract products. Conclusion: The evolution of thyroid hormone therapies has been significant over the extended period of time they have been in use to treat hypothyroidism. Although numerous websites continue to advocate the use of thyroid hormone extracts as a superior therapy for hypothyroidism, none of the most recent guidelines of major endocrine societies recommend thyroid extract use for hypothyroidism. Abbreviations: AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists ATA = American Thyroid Association BMR = basal metabolic rate FDA = Food and Drug Administration FT4 = free thyroxine 131-I = radioactive iodine 131 LT3 = liothyronine LT4= levothyroxine NDA = new drug application PBI = proteinbound iodine T3 = triiodothyronine T4 = thyroxine TSH = thyroid-stimulating hormone TT3 = total triiodothyronine USP = U.S. Pharmacopeia
Overexpression of a synthetic insect–plant geranyl pyrophosphate synthase gene in Camelina sativa alters plant growth and terpene biosynthesis

A novel plastidial homodimeric insect–plant geranyl pyrophosphate synthase gene is synthesized from three different cDNA origins. Its overexpression in Camelina sativa effectively alters plant development and terpenoid metabolism. Geranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GPPS) converts one isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate to GPP. Here, we report a synthetic insect–plant GPPS gene and effects of its overexpression on plant growth and terpenoid metabolism of Camelina sativa. We synthesized a 1353-bp cDNA, namely PTP-MpGPPS. This synthetic cDNA was composed of a 1086-bp cDNA fragment encoding a small GPPS isomer of the aphid Myzus persicae (Mp), 240-bp Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA fragment encoding a plastidial transit peptide (PTP), and a 27-bp short cDNA fragment encoding a human influenza hemagglutinin tag peptide. Structural modeling showed that the deduced protein was a homodimeric prenyltransferase. Confocal microscopy analysis demonstrated that the PTP-MpGPPS fused with green florescent protein was localized in the plastids. The synthetic PTP-MpGPPS cDNA driven by 2 × 35S promoters was introduced into Camelina (Camelina sativa) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and its overexpression in transgenic plants were demonstrated by western blot. T2 and T3 progeny of transgenic plants developed larger leaves, grew more and longer internodes, and flowered earlier than wild-type plants. Metabolic analysis showed that the levels of beta-amyrin and campesterol were higher in tissues of transgenic plants than in those of wild-type plants. Fast isoprene sensor analysis demonstrated that transgenic Camelina plants emitted significantly less isoprene than wild-type plants. In addition, transcriptional analyses revealed that the expression levels of gibberellic acid and brassinosteroids-responsive genes were higher in transgenic plants than in wild-type plants. Taken together, these data demonstrated that this novel synthetic insect–plant GPPS cDNA was effective to improve growth traits and alter terpenoid metabolism of Camelina.
The synthesis and single crystal structure of a ferrocene derivative

The condensation reaction of Fc C 6H 4 CO 2 C 6H 4 CHO with H 2N C 6H 4 OC 4H 9 has been found to give Fc C 6H 4 CO 2 C 6H 4 CH=N C 6H 4 OC 4H 9(Fc,ferrocenyl),which is a potential organometallic liquid crystal with single crystal structure.It crystallized as triclinic crystal system,P1 space material group,a=1.2074(2)nm,b=1.23790(10)nm,c=2.0825(4)nm,α=77.980(10)°,β=85.580(10)°=66.430(10)°,Z=5,V=2.7903(7)nm 3,Dc=1.327mg/m 3,F(000)=1168,9785 independent reflections,R=0.0460,wR=0.1063.
Engineering Surface Energy and Nanostructure of Microporous Films for Expanded Membrane Distillation Applications

We investigated the factors that determine surface omniphobicity of microporous membranes and evaluated the potential application of these membranes in desalination of low surface tension wastewaters by membrane distillation (MD). Specifically, the effects of surface morphology and surface energy on membrane surface omniphobicity were systematically investigated by evaluating wetting resistance to low surface tension liquids. Single and multilevel re-entrant structures were achieved by using cylindrical glass fibers as a membrane substrate and grafting silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) on the fibers. Surface energy of the membrane was tuned by functionalizing the fiber substrate with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) having two different lengths of fluoroalkyl chains. Results show that surface omniphobicity of the modified fibrous membrane increased with higher level of re-entrant structure and with lower surface energy. The secondary re-entrant structure achieved by SiNP coating on the cylindrical fibers was found to play a critical role in enhancing the surface omniphobicity. Membranes coated with SiNPs and chemically modified by the FAS with a longer fluoroalkyl chain (or lower surface energy) exhibited excellent surface omniphobicity and showed wetting resistance to low surface tension liquids such as ethanol (22.1 mN m(-1)). We further evaluated performance of the membranes in desalination of saline feed solutions with varying surface tensions by membrane distillation (MD). The engineered membranes exhibited stable MD performance with low surface tension feed waters, demonstrating the potential application omniphobic membranes in desalinating complex, high salinity industrial wastewaters.
SU-D-204-03: Comparison of Patient Positioning Methods Through Modeling of Acute Rectal Toxicity in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer. Does Quality of Data Matter More Than the Quantity?

Purpose: To determine if differences in patient positioning methods have an impact on the incidence and modeling of grade >=2 acute rectal toxicity in prostate cancer patients who were treated with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Methods: We compared two databases of patients treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer: a database of 79 patients who were treated with 7 field IMRT and daily image guided positioning based on implanted gold markers (IGRTdb), and a database of 302 patients who were treated with 5 field IMRT and daily positioning using a trans-abdominal ultrasound system (USdb). Complete planning dosimetry was available for IGRTdb patients while limited planning dosimetry, recorded at the time of planning, was available for USdb patients. We fit Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) model to IGRTdb only, and Univariate Logistic Regression (ULR) NTCP model to both databases. We perform Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis to determine the predictive power of NTCP models. Results: The incidence of grade >= 2 acute rectal toxicity in IGRTdb was 20%, while the incidence in USdb was 54%. Fits of both LKB and ULR models yielded predictive NTCP models for IGRTdb patients with Area Under the Curve (AUC) in the 0.63 – 0.67 range. Extrapolation of the ULR model from IGRTdb to planning dosimetry in USdb predicts that the incidence of acute rectal toxicity in USdb should not exceed 40%. Fits of the ULR model to the USdb do not yield predictive NTCP models and their AUC is consistent with AUC = 0.5. Conclusion: Accuracy of a patient positioning system affects clinically observed toxicity rates and the quality of NTCP models that can be derived from toxicity data. Poor correlation between planned and clinically delivered dosimetry may lead to erroneous or poorly performing NTCP models, even if the number of patients in a database is large.
Composite and Part Correlation

This chapter provides an overview of composite and part correlation. Although the equations describing simple relationships between two variables are basic building stones and often produce valuable statistics in their own right, the interest of most researchers centers about more complex aggregates of variables. Experimentalists have long been aware of the dangers of studying the effect of one variable on another without controlling or taking into account all other variables. If one wish to find the relationship between study and grades, then one may find that failure to control for intelligence level and motivation will lead to a negative correlation between the time spent on study and the grades received. Students ill-equipped to take the course and about to fail may study for many hours whereas the bright student, satisfied with a C, may decide there is no need to study. Test scores over many items are of more interest than are single item responses, which represent a smaller sample of behavior. To determine a test score, item responses are added or subtest scores to obtain a more meaningful predictor. In doing so, weights are applied to the subtests or items even though one is not be aware of it.
Preparing for Renovation: Estimating Shelf Occupancy to Inform Decision Making Regarding the Redevelopment of Library Space

ABSTRACTUniversity Library at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is in the process of repurposing space currently occupied by the print collection. To prepare for further reallocation of library space, reliable estimates of stacks space were needed. Two members of the Access Services Team applied systematic random sampling to estimate existing—and anticipated—empty shelf space. Results indicate that more than 30% of the shelf space is empty, while over 25% is occupied by journals, most of which are available in electronic format. These estimates would be used to inform decision making about shifting and/or withdrawal of library materials in preparation for the renovation of additional library spaces. The data-gathering process as well as data analysis and application used during the project may be applicable in other academic libraries.
The role of computer graphics cards in advancing electromagnetics education

Over the past decade video cards have grown from simple interfaces to the monitor to powerful computational engines. The rise in advanced graphics for games has driven the manufacturers of video cards to a more rapid development cycle producing computationally powerful chips. The current generation of advanced graphical processing units (GPU's) has over four times the number of transistors than the standard dual core CPU's. The vast majority of the transistors in these GPU's are dedicated to the calculations required by high end video games. Recent developments in programming languages has allowed the processing power of these chips be used for general mathematic processing. With the current development cycle of graphics processors outpacing their CPU counterparts at every twelve months, these chips only aim to get even more powerful in the future. One of the major problems encountered with teaching electromagnetics is simulating devices that are being taught. Often the analytical formulas will be discussed and simulations will be assigned as homework. Since the simulation time required even for smaller problems is prohibiting for demonstrations in class. Harnessing the power of the video cards for electromagnetic simulations allows the time required to analyze the devices being taught to be reduced from minutes down to seconds. Simple graphical user interfaces (GUI's) have been built to demonstrate the operation of simple electromagnetic devices such as patch antennas, microstrip filters, and printed dipoles with simulation times of under 30 seconds. This has been accomplished by interfacing a Matlab GUI with a GPU based FDTD simulator. With these GUI's the instructor or students can vary all the parameters of the devices and examine the effects in a matter of seconds. This allows the instructor to show what happens in a device when it is designed a certain way rather than just talk about the formulas in an abstract sense. The students can also use these programs to explore the operation of these devices.
Parameters associated with design effect of child anthropometry indicators in small-scale field surveys

Cluster surveys provide rapid but representative estimates of key nutrition indicators in humanitarian crises. For these surveys, an accurate estimate of the design effect is critical to calculate a sample size that achieves adequate precision with the minimum number of sampling units. This paper describes the variability in design effect for three key nutrition indicators measured in small-scale surveys and models the association of design effect with parameters hypothesized to explain this variability. 380 small-scale surveys from 28 countries conducted between 2006 and 2013 were analyzed. We calculated prevalence and design effect of wasting, underweight, and stunting for each survey as well as standard deviations of the underlying continuous Z-score distribution. Mean cluster size, survey location and year were recorded. To describe design effects, median and interquartile ranges were examined. Generalized linear regression models were run to identify potential predictors of design effect. Median design effect was under 2.00 for all three indicators; for wasting, the median was 1.35, the lowest among the indicators. Multivariable linear regression models suggest significant, positive associations of design effect and mean cluster size for all three indicators, and with prevalence of wasting and underweight, but not stunting. Standard deviation was positively associated with design effect for wasting but negatively associated for stunting. Survey region was significant in all three models. This study supports the current field survey guidance recommending the use of 1.5 as a benchmark for design effect of wasting, but suggests this value may not be large enough for surveys with a primary objective of measuring stunting or underweight. The strong relationship between design effect and region in the models underscores the continued need to consider country- and locality-specific estimates when designing surveys. These models also provide empirical evidence of a positive relationship between design effect and both mean cluster size and prevalence, and introduces standard deviation of the underlying continuous variable (Z-scores) as a previously unexplored factor significantly associated with design effect. The magnitude and directionality of this association differed by indicator, underscoring the need for further investigation into the relationship between standard deviation and design effect.
Consequences of perinatal infections with rubella, measles, and mumps

Measles, mumps, and rubella have recently taken the stage as re-emerging diseases of public health importance-particularly in regards to the consequences seen with perinatal infections. Effective vaccination strategies have successfully reduced the spread of measles, mumps, and rubella in the United States, but a current trend of increased vaccination hesitancy, fear of vaccine safety, and spread of misconceptions surrounding the science of vaccines have led to a relative resurgence of these diseases in the developed world. This article aims to explore why measles, mumps, and rubella should continue to be on the radar of medical professionals, and why the study of these diseases is important for understanding other teratogenic viruses of public health importance.
Lung Metabolism and Inflammation during Mechanical Ventilation; An Imaging Approach

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause of mortality in critically ill patients. Patients are currently managed by protective ventilation and alveolar recruitment using positive-end expiratory pressure (PEEP). However, the PEEP’s effect on both pulmonary metabolism and regional inflammation is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate the effect of PEEP on pulmonary anaerobic metabolism in mechanically ventilated injured rats, using hyperpolarized carbon-13 imaging. Pulmonary lactate-to-pyruvate ratio was measured in 21 rats; 14 rats received intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric-acid, while 7 rats received sham saline. 1 hour after acid/saline instillation, PEEP was lowered to 0 cmH2O in 7 injured rats (ZEEP group) and in all sham rats; PEEP was continued in the remaining 7 injured rats (PEEP group). Pulmonary compliance, oxygen saturation, histological injury scores, ICAM-1 expression and myeloperoxidase expression were measured. Lactate-to-pyruvate ratio progressively increased in the dependent lung during mechanical ventilation at ZEEP (p < 0.001), but remained unchanged in PEEP and sham rats. Lactate-to-pyruvate ratio was correlated with hyaline membrane deposition (r = 0.612), edema severity (r = 0.663), ICAM-1 (r = 0.782) and myeloperoxidase expressions (r = 0.817). Anaerobic pulmonary metabolism increases during lung injury progression and is contained by PEEP. Pulmonary lactate-to-pyruvate ratio may indicate in-vivo neutrophil activity due to atelectasis.
Identification and Isolation of Differentially Expressed Genes from Very Small Tissue Samples

Identification of differentially expressed genes from tissue samples weighing only a few milligrams has remained a major challenge. Here, we describe a novel and simple strategy that uses standard ...
Lipoxins: eicosanoids carrying intra- and intercellular messages.

The lipoxins are a recent addition to the family of biologically active products derived from arachidonic acid. Compounds of this series contain a conjugated tetraene structure and can be generated by the actions of the major lipoxygenases of human tissues (5-, 12-, and 15-LO's). Biosynthesis of the lipoxins from cellular sources of unesterified arachidonic acid is triggered by the initial actions of either the 15-LO or 5-LO followed by additional reactions. Recent results indicate that lipoxins are also generated by receptor-mediated events during cell-cell interactions with the transcellular metabolism of key intermediates. Lipoxin A4 and lipoxin B4 each possess a unique spectrum of biological activities unlike those of other eicosanoids in bothin vivo andin vitro systems. Lipoxin A4 stimulates changes in the microvasculature and can block some of the proinflammatory effects of leukotrienes (in vivo). Lipoxin A4 and lipoxin B4 both inhibit natural killer cells (in vitro), and lipoxin B4 displays selective actions on hematopoietic cells. The finding that lipoxin A4 activates isolated protein kinase C suggests that it may also serve an intracellular role in its cell of origin before it is released to the extracellular milieu. Thus, cell-cell interactions, along with multiple oxygenations by lipoxygenases, generate compounds that can regulate cellular responses by serving as both intra- and intercellular messages.
Estrogens and Growth Factors in the Development, Growth, and Function of the Female Reproductive Tract

The mammalian uterus undergoes significant growth on a regular basis. For example, in a mouse within an estrous cycle of four days, the number of uterine epithelial cells must double within two days and return to normal levels in the next two. This process is repeated throughout the reproductive lifetime of the animal, which means that the murine uterine epithelium will be reconstituted approximately 90 times in one year. This remarkable growth potential obviously requires numerous controls. A single prime stimulus for initiation of uterine epithelial proliferation is a female sex hormone, estrogen, in the appropriate pharmacological form. Although estrogen is the apparent proximate effector of uterine epithelial cell division, the actual mechanism whereby its mitogenic signal is transduced within the uterine tissue or cell is still not completely known. Certainly, at the molecular level, the estrogen receptor (ER), functioning as a transcription factor, is involved in regulation of expression of specific genes, some of which may be involved in estrogen-induced mitogenesis; these pathways, however, remain to be established. At the same time, results have been presented that raise the possibility that peptide growth factors (or polyfunctional regulating factors) are involved in uterine cell biology.
High-Power Higher Order Hermite–Gaussian and Laguerre–Gaussian Beams From Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers

We report a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) with an optical pumping scheme for the generation of higher order Hermite–Gaussian transverse modes. The VECSEL chip with emission around 1068 nm in a linear cavity configuration is capable of delivering a variety of higher order modes with Watt-level output power. A very good agreement between the modeling and experimental results validate the ideas underpinning the method. Additionally, simultaneous lasing of two independent and collinear transverse modes from a single laser cavity is demonstrated. An external astigmatic mode converter is finally utilized for the conversion of Hermite–Gaussian modes into corresponding Laguerre–Gaussian modes.
A Hong Kong Way of Social Equity

In this chapter, Jordan discusses the Hong Kong way of social equity, which brings together historical, governmental, and civil society forces to create unique opportunities for gender, housing, and employment equity. A careful balance of contemporary political forces, multiple languages, and colonial and post-colonial histories in Hong Kong produces what seems on the surface to be rampant inequality but an underlying commitment to equity for Hong Kong people.
Structural Symbolic Interaction and Identity Theory: The Indiana School and Beyond

This chapter provides an overview of the development of symbolic interaction and identity theory as a prelude to introducing the theoretical and methodological advances to these traditions contributed by authors of subsequent chapters in this book. Built on the pioneering work of George Herbert Mead and others, symbolic interactionism focuses on the reciprocal relationship between self and society, in which shared meanings constructed through interaction with others influence social behavior. Where the paradigm originally centered on analyzing micro-social encounters, highlighting specific characteristics of situations and actors, over time it extended its focus to understanding patterns in interaction across situations and time, suggesting that social structure explained these patterns. In the late 1960s, Sheldon Stryker began to codify the premises of structural symbolic interaction. From this, identity theory developed and, over the next five decades, came to encompass both structural and perceptual research agendas. Where the former elucidates behavioral processes relating hierarchies of identity salience structuring the self to patterns of identity commitments and role behaviors, the situational enactments of which are embedded in networks, groups and social institutions, the latter elucidates perceptual control processes exercised by the mind in response to the feedback that self receives from others in interaction. Over time, identity theory’s initial focus on role identities broadened to include group identities and person identities, and bridges developed between identity theory and other theories and paradigms in sociology and the social sciences more generally. These include bridges to theories such as affect control theory and identity accumulation theory, built upon symbolic interactionist premises, and bridges to theories and paradigms beyond symbolic interactionism, including exchange theory and social identity theory. The chapter ends with a preview of ideas and findings developed in the rest of the book.
Measles-based Zika vaccine induces long-term immunity and requires NS1 antibodies to protect the female reproductive tract in the hCD46 IFNα/β receptor knockout mice.

Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause devastating effects in the unborn fetus of pregnant women. To develop a candidate vaccine that can protect human fetuses, we generated a panel of live measles vaccine (MV) vectors expressing ZIKV-E and -NS1. Our MV-based ZIKV-E vaccine, MV-E2, protected mice from the non-lethal Zika Asian strain (PRVABC59) and the lethal African strain (MR766) challenge. Despite 100% survival of the MV-E2 mice, however, complete viral clearance was not achieved in the brain and reproductive tract of the lethally challenged mice. We then tested a combination of two MV-based vaccines, the MV-E2 and a vaccine expressing NS1 (MV-NS1[2]), and we observed durable plasma cell responses, complete clearance of ZIKV from the female reproductive tract, and complete fetal protection in the lethal African challenge model. Our findings suggest that NS1 antibodies are required to enhance the protection achieved by ZIKV-E antibodies in the female reproductive tract.
TRIM: A Design Space Exploration Model for Deep Neural Networks Inference and Training Accelerators.

There is increasing demand for specialized hardware for training deep neural networks, both in edge/IoT environments and in high-performance computing systems. The design space of such hardware is very large due to the wide range of processing architectures, deep neural network configurations, and dataflow options. This makes developing deep neural network processors quite complex, especially for training. We present TRIM, an infrastructure to help hardware architects explore the design space of deep neural network accelerators for both inference and training in the early design stages. The model evaluates at the whole network level, considering both inter-layer and intra-layer activities. Given applications, essential hardware specifications, and a design goal, TRIM can quickly explore different hardware design options, select the optimal dataflow and guide new hardware architecture design. We validated TRIM with FPGA-based implementation of deep neural network accelerators and ASIC-based architectures. We also show how to use TRIM to explore the design space through several case studies. TRIM is a powerful tool to help architects evaluate different hardware choices to develop efficient inference and training architecture design.