cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust shearsort on incomplete bypass meshes

An incomplete 2-D bypass mesh is a rectangular m/spl times/n grid of p processing elements (PEs) in which faulty PEs have been bypassed in their respective rows and columns. Thus, two PEs that are separated only by faulty PEs in the same row or column become neighbors. We show that given O(log m) PE faults in each column, a robust version of the sorting scheme known as shearsort has the same O(m+n log m) asymptotic time complexity on such an incomplete mesh as on a complete mesh. We also demonstrate how the ability to compute on incomplete meshes is relevant to fault tolerance by presenting reconfiguration schemes to convert meshes with faulty PEs into incomplete bypass meshes. >
Is Non-Timber Forest Product Harvest Sustainable in the Less Developed World? A Systematic Review of the Recent Economic and Ecological Literature

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provide material subsistence and cash income to millions of rural people, particularly in less developed countries. This paper offers a systematic review of recent trends (2000-2010) in the ecological and economic sustainability of NTFPs. Of 101 NTFP ecological studies, most addressed harvest consequences at the population-individual level (62.4%), and over half (52.5%) were carried out in Latin America. Nearly two-thirds of research (63.3%) reported that extraction was sustainable or likely to be so, compared to less than one-fifth (17.8%) that found it to be unsustainable. Extractive enterprise in Latin America was most often reported as ecologically sustainable (82.6%), and least often in Asia (58.8%). Because little of the economic NTFP literature identifies whether extractive returns meet the financial needs of extractors, at least on a daily basis, we outline economic sustainability criteria in terms of whether returns surpass an absolute poverty line or alternative wage. Of the 71 articles presenting financial data, over two-thirds met or exceeded the threshold of economic sustainability. Roughly 75% of studies demonstrated that gatherers earned more than USD$2 PPP/day (the international absolute poverty line) or more than a local wage. These positive results do not, however, demonstrate that gathering reduces long-term poverty because forest dependence, and likely tenure security, remains low among these populations. Caution must be exercised in terms of extending these results into the future, as changing economic conditions, rates and sources of habitat modification, and climate change all point to increased extractive pressures on tropical forests and savannas.
Comparative genomics and the role of lateral gene transfer in the evolution of bovine adapted Streptococcus agalactiae

In addition to causing severe invasive infections in humans, Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B Streptococcus (GBS), is also a major cause of bovine mastitis. Here we provide the first genome sequence for S. agalactiae isolated from a cow diagnosed with clinical mastitis (strain FSL S3-026). Comparison to eight S. agalactiae genomes obtained from human disease isolates revealed 183 genes specific to the bovine strain. Subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening for the presence/absence of a subset of these loci in additional bovine and human strains revealed strong differentiation between the two groups (Fisher exact test: p < 0.0001). The majority of the bovine strain-specific genes (~85%) clustered tightly into eight genomic islands, suggesting these genes were acquired through lateral gene transfer (LGT). This bovine GBS also contained an unusually high proportion of insertion sequences (4.3% of the total genome), suggesting frequent genomic rearrangement. Comparison to other mastitis-causing species of bacteria provided strong evidence for two cases of interspecies LGT within the shared bovine environment: bovine S. agalactiae with Streptococcus uberis (nisin U operon) and Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae (lactose operon). We also found evidence for LGT, involving the salivaricin operon, between the bovine S. agalactiae strain and either Streptococcus pyogenes or Streptococcus salivarius. Our findings provide insight intomechanismsfacilitatingenvironmentaladaptationandacquisitionofpotential virulence factors, while highlighting both the key role LGT has played in the recent evolution of the bovine S. agalactiae strain, and the importance of LGT among pathogens within a shared environment.
Carotid revascularization treatment is shifting to low volume centers

Background Expansion of the endovascular and surgical workforce in the USA might lead to carotid revascularization procedures being carried out at low volume centers. Objective To evaluate trends in the treatment of carotid stenosis at high volume centers in the USA and compare outcomes by hospital volume. Methods Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we evaluated trends in the proportion of carotid revascularization procedures performed at high volume centers in the USA from 2005 to 2011. High volume was defined as combined endarterectomy/stenting volume ≥130 patients/year, carotid endarterectomy volume ≥117 cases/year and carotid stenting volume ≥38 cases/year. In-hospital mortality, discharge to a long-term facility, intracranial hemorrhage, and postoperative stroke rates were compared between high and low volume centers. Results A total of 181 972 patients were included in this study. Overall, 63 442 patients (34.9%) were treated at high volume centers. The proportion of patients treated at high volume carotid revascularization centers decreased from 38.3% in 2005–2006 to 30.2% in 2010–2011. The proportion of patients treated at high volume centers decreased from 35.7% to 30.0% for carotid endarterectomy (p Conclusions A trend toward a lower proportion of patients with carotid stenosis being treated in high volume centers from 2005 to 2011 is concerning as these high volume centers had lower complication rates.
Identification of a carbohydrate-based endothelial ligand for a lymphocyte homing receptor

Lymphocyte attachment to high endothelial venules within lymph nodes is mediated by the peripheral lymph node homing receptor (pnHR), originally defined on mouse lymphocytes by the MEL-14 mAb. The pnHR is a calcium-dependent lectin-like receptor, a member of the LEC-CAM family of adhesion proteins. Here, using a soluble recombinant form of the homing receptor, we have identified an endothelial ligand for the pnHR as an approximately 50-kD sulfated, fucosylated, and sialylated glycoprotein, which we designate Sgp50 (sulfated glycoprotein of 50 kD). Recombinant receptor binding to this lymph node-specific glycoprotein requires calcium and is inhibitable by specific carbohydrates and by MEL-14 mAb. Sialylation of the component is required for binding. Additionally, the glycoprotein is precipitated by MECA-79, an adhesion-blocking mAb reactive with lymph node HEV. A related glycoprotein of approximately 90 kD (designated as Sgp90) is also identified.
Assessing Context Effects on Test Validity of the National Board Dental Examination Part I

In support of actions taken by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, two changes—the inclusion of testlet items and the random presentation of items in an interdisciplinary format—were made to enhance the test validity of the National Board Dental Examination Part I in 2007. As a result, the examination was changed from a conjunctive to a comprehensive format. It was assumed that validity would be enhanced with regard to the examination’s internal structure, while not disturbing item performance and examinee score. This study of the results found that 1) three underlying variables were extracted from the conjunctive Part I but only two underlying variables from the comprehensive Part I and 2) the differences in item performance and examinee score were generally small in effect size across formats. Factor analyses revealed that Part I was more discipline-sensitive for the conjunctive format but more item format-sensitive for the comprehensive format. The revision of Part I changed the nature of the examination from a discipline-based format to a more clinically relevant, interdisciplinary format, a favorable outcome anticipated by the Joint Commission. The results of this study provide evidence supporting the validity of the revised Part I examination for its intended purpose in the licensure process.
Point Based Value Iteration with Optimal Belief Compression for Dec-POMDPs

We present four major results towards solving decentralized partially observable Markov decision problems (DecPOMDPs) culminating in an algorithm that outperforms all existing algorithms on all but one standard infinite-horizon benchmark problems. (1) We give an integer program that solves collaborative Bayesian games (CBGs). The program is notable because its linear relaxation is very often integral. (2) We show that a DecPOMDP with bounded belief can be converted to a POMDP (albeit with actions exponential in the number of beliefs). These actions correspond to strategies of a CBG. (3) We present a method to transform any DecPOMDP into a DecPOMDP with bounded beliefs (the number of beliefs is a free parameter) using optimal (not lossless) belief compression. (4) We show that the combination of these results opens the door for new classes of DecPOMDP algorithms based on previous POMDP algorithms. We choose one such algorithm, point-based valued iteration, and modify it to produce the first tractable value iteration method for DecPOMDPs that outperforms existing algorithms.
Neuroepithelial structures associated with the subepithelial nerve plexus of taste buds: a fortuitous finding resembling the juxtaoral organ of Chievitz

Numerous embryologic epithelial remnants are described in the oral region, when intimately associated with peripheral nerves, may pose a diagnostic pitfall for pathologists. The literature contains cases in which the juxtaoral organ of Chievitz (JOC) was identified in specimens removed because of a malignancy and the correct recognition of this structure potentially avoids unnecessary treatment. To our knowledge, this is the description of neuroepithelial structures similar to the JOC were found in the posterior tongue in close association with the subepithelial nerve plexus of taste buds. Four cases are reported. The nerve fibers of the subepithelial nerve plexus showed strong positivity for S-100, CD56, and synaptophysin, and were intimately associated with epithelial islands. CD56 showed positivity around the periphery of the epithelial islands. Proper recognition of these anatomic structures is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma with perineural invasion.
Three-Dimensional Gravity-Jitter Induced Melt Flow and Solidification in Magnetic Fields

A full three-dimensional transient numerical model is presented for gravity- ( g-) jitter induced melt e ow and solidie cationphenomenawithandwithoutexternallyappliedmagnetice eldsduringthemeltgrowthofSn-dopedBi singlecrystalsin microgravity.Themodel isdeveloped basedonaEulerian‐ Lagrangian e niteelementformulation, coupled with a mesh-deforming algorithm to track the solidie cation front. Extensive numerical simulations are carriedout,andthestudiedparametersincludesoluteconcentration-dependentmeltingtemperature,solidie cation interface morphology, magnetic e eld direction and magnitude, idealized microgravity condition, and synthesized and real g-jitter data conditions. Computed results show that g-jitter induced melt e ow is time dependent and exhibits a complex three-dimensional structure and that the e ow can have detrimental effects on solute concentration distribution. The g-jitter induced melt e ow and its deleterious effects on solidie cation can be suppressed by externally applied magnetic e elds. The three-dimensional numerical simulations suggest that a two-dimensional model is useful in providing some essential features of g-jitter induced e ow and solidie cation behavior with and without externally applied magnetic e elds and that a three-dimensional model is required to resolve fully the complex spatial e ow structure when all g-jitter components are operative during a realistic space e ight.
ENERGY-INERTIAL SCALE INTERACTIONS FOR VELOCITY AND TEMPERATURE IN THE UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERIC SURFACE LAYER

Triaxial sonic anemometer velocity and temperature measurements were used to investigate the local structure of the velocity and temperature fluctuations in the unstable atmospheric surface layer above a grass-covered forest clearing. Despite the existence of a 2/3 power law in the longitudinal velocity (2 decades) and temperature (1 decade) structure functions, local isotropy within the inertial subrange was not attained by the temperature field, although a near-isotropic state was attained by the velocity field. It was found that sources of anisotropy were due to interactions between the large-scale and small-scaleeddy motion, and due to localvelocity-thermal interactions. Statistical measures were developed and used to quantify these types of interactions. Other types of interactions were also measured but were less significant. The temperature gradient skewness was measured and found to be non-zero in agreement with other laboratory flow types for inertial subrange scales. Despite these interactions and anisotropy sources in the local temperature field, Obukhov’s 1949hypothesis for the mixed velocity-temperature structure functions was found to be valid. Finally, our measurements show that while a 2/3 power-law in the longitudinal velocity structure function developed at scales comparable to five times the height from the ground surface (z), near-isotropic conditions wereachieved at scales smaller than z/2.
Skeletal benefits of alendronate : 7-year treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women

We report here the second 2-yr extension of a clinical trial among postmenopausal women; 235 women continued blinded treatment with 5 or 10 mg alendronate daily, and 115 women who had been treated with alendronate for 5 yr were switched to blinded placebo. Continuous treatment with alendronate (10 mg daily) for 7 yr increased lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) by 11.4% compared to baseline. After the initial 18 months, each additional year of treatment through yr 7 increased spine BMD by 0.8% for the 10-mg dose and 0.6% for the 5-mg dose, with significant increases during yr 6-7. Previously reported increases in BMD at other skeletal sites and decreases in biochemical markers of bone turnover remained stable during yr 6-7. Among women previously taking alendronate for 5 yr who were switched to placebo, there was no significant decline in BMD at the spine or hip, whereas small, but significant, decreases in BMD at the forearm and total body and small increases in biochemical markers were observed. The safety and tolerability profiles were similar to those of placebo. This is the largest published long-term study of antiresorptive therapy. Our findings indicate that long-term alendronate treatment is well tolerated and effective for 7 yr. Increases in spinal BMD continue for at least 7 yr, and other skeletal benefits are maintained. Discontinuation does not lead to accelerated bone loss, but continuous treatment yields better skeletal benefits than shorter treatment.
Abrechnungsmodelle und mobiles Bezahlen

Wahrend im EC weithin noch immer traditionelle Zahlungsverfahren wie Nachnahme oder Lieferung auf Rechnung dominieren, ist eine Abrechnungsmoglichkeit im MC typischerweise erst dann adaquat, wenn sie wesentliche Eigenschaften des mobilen Angebotes teilt, zu dessen Abrechnung sie verwendet werden soll, insbesondere die Allgegenwartigkeit. Damit ruckt mobiles Bezahlen und Abrechnen in den Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Mobiles Bezahlen wird als Mobile Payment (MP) bezeichnet.
Modeling and Forecasting Sales Data by Time Series Analysis

Time series modeling technique is used to model a series of sales data in which seasonality causes distinct spike peaks. The analysis of actual sales data shows that the seasonality in the data can...
Investigation on occupational health status among gas station workers in a city

[Objective]To understand the health status among gas station workers,explore the influence of gasoline and benzene exposure on workers' health.[Methods]The concentrations of gasoline and benzene in gas station air were detected,and health examination was performed in 347 workers. The concentrations of gasoline and benzene in air of different posts were greatly lower than the occupational exposure limits.[Results]The rate of hypertension,abnormal results in blood routine examination,abnormal results in urine routine test,abnormal ECG,and abnormal B ultrasound of liver and spleen was 3. 2%,16. 1%,3. 2%,5. 5% and29. 7%,respectively. The detection rates of hypertension,and abnormal B ultrasound of liver and spleen increased with the increasing age( P 0. 05). The detection rates of abnormal ECG,and abnormal B ultrasound of liver and spleen in males was significantly higher than those in females( P 0. 05).[Conclusion]The detection rates of abnormal results in blood routine examination,and abnormal B ultrasound of liver and spleen in gas station workers are higher in this city,so the gas stations should carry out the regular occupational health examination and occupational hazards monitoring among workers.
Implementation of conformance test software based on MMS-EASE for ACSI services of intelligent device

The ACSI services of intelligent device are published to clients with MMS protocols and clients use the MVL program framework supplied by MMS-EASE to assemble the MMS request packets and send them to the ACSI services.The intelligent device sends message to response clients'call,which can be used to test the conformance between ACSI services of intelligent device and IEC61850 standards.The GetDataSetValues service in DataSet of intelligent device is taken as an example to explain the coding procedure in detail.The mapping of ACSI in IEC61850 standards to the objects in MMS protocol is analyzed and the conformance test based on MMS-EASE for the ACSI services of intelligent device is introduced.It is proposed to apply the QtScript module in the programming of conformance test software to improve the test efficiency.
Changes and Effective Factors in Myocardial Enzymes of 103 Patients Underwent Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization

Objective The relationship between the changes in myocardial enzymes and their effective factors after transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) was analyzed for preventing postoperative complications. Methods Myocardial enzymes were measured by the speed method in 103 patients before TMLR and from the 1st day to the 5th day postoperatively. The superior values of myocardial enzymes were analyzed on the basis of 87 cases without postoperative myocardial infarction,and possible factors which affected the change in myocardial enzymes were analyzed in all cases. Results Creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme MB (CK MB) had reached to peak at the 1st day postoperatively which was different significantly comparing with the baseline,then descended gradually,and was going on normal at the 2nd day postoperatively.The superior values of myocardial enzymes post TMLR was analyzed.According to the analysis of possibly effective factors, CK MB was increased significantly in the patients with lower ejection fraction (EF40%) from the 2nd to 4th day after TMLR. Conclusions The superior limited values of CK MB are 55,138,112,41,35,17 IU/L,respectively during the six days post TMLR.There is a signifficant relationship between lower ejection fraction (EF40%) preoperatively and the changes in myocardial enzymes postoperatively.
Endolithic Microorganisms and Their Habitats

Endolithic microorganisms are widespread in desert biomes, where hostile environmental conditions limit the majority of life to rock habitats. In these habitats, microorganisms receive light for photosynthesis, moderated and warmer temperatures, protection from UV radiation, and prolonged exposure to liquid water. In general, these microbial communities are composed of phototrophic microorganisms as well as fungi and heterotrophic bacteria. Microbial composition is distinct from soil communities, suggesting these habitats select for microorganisms best suited to this environment. The habitat is not nutrient limited, which explains why these microbial communities colonize a wide range of lithic substrates with different mineralogies; however, greater environmental pressures select for those able to tolerate increasingly harsh conditions. Growth rates vary primarily as a function of moisture availability, resulting in long-lived communities in the driest deserts. While most microorganisms require liquid water for growth, some lichens with an algal phycobiont can photosynthesize with water vapor alone, a significant advantage in these water-limited biomes. Additional strategies against stress include synthesis of pigments, EPS, and osmoprotectants, which significantly offsets the growth of biomass. Microbial activity leads to physical and geochemical weathering, but can also result in stabilization of the lithic habitat. Identification of endolithic biosignatures and microbial fossils has resulted in their study from an astrobiological perspective in the search for life on other planets.
Managing the Halo Phenomenon in Services Marketing

This paper uses the example of the cable television industry to examine the halo phenomenon in service industries. The cable service offering contains three components: a technical dimension consisting of equipment and technical expertise; an interpersonal or social dimension providing interactive service encounters for information transfer and customer support; and the core benefit of the service comprised of programming. Results of two survey research studies of cable subscribers indicate considerable association or a halo effect between the three service components. The paper points out key marketing management issues and suggests strategies for dealing with “halos" in services.
"In Every Rancher's Mind": Effects of Drought on Ranch Planning and Practice

On the Ground Ranchers' responses to drought differ depending on where they live and specific circumstances of their ranches, but there are striking similarities across regions. Changes in practice after a drought reflect a general desire to buffer one's operation against disruptions, rather than being specifically aimed at the next drought. Interviewees often pointed to good things that arose from the bad situation of drought. Energy development helped offset drought impacts in two cases, but interviewees generally preferred to diversify their income streams through agricultural rather than non-agricultural enterprises. Ability to respond to drought is somewhat constrained by federal tax laws and agency grazing regulations, as well as by ranchers' specific circumstances.
To admit, or not to admit? An exploratory study of graduation rates of “special-admit” student-athletes within the “Power 5” conferences

ABSTRACTAccording to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) manual, a student-athlete may be admitted to a university under special exception to the normal entrance requirements. Currently, the NCAA does not require data to track the outcomes of specially admitted student-athletes. Pragmatism, within the context of education, warrants regular evaluation of policies and procedures to see if they are achieving the desired purposes, and subsequently making changes to reflect values and beliefs as needed. The purpose of this quantitative study was to gain a pragmatic understanding of educational outcomes associated with specially admitted student-athletes within the “Power 5” conference institutions. Findings show the majority of student-athlete special admits (51%) graduated within six years from their initial institution while 6.06% were dismissed for academic reasons. Furthermore, student-athletes within the “Power 5” conference institutions graduated at a higher rate (68%) than Division I stu...
Child Work Safety on the Farms of Local Agricultural Market Producers: Parent and Child Perspectives.

Agriculture is a hazardous industry, yet children face few regulations on the ages at which they may engage in farm work. Local agricultural market producers (LAMPs) are a growing subset of farmers within “sustainable agriculture” who engage in direct-to-consumer and direct-to-retailer enterprises. This study explores the occupational health and safety perceptions of parents and children for children who work on their families’ LAMP farms. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 parent-child dyads from LAMP farms in Illinois and North Carolina. Four themes emerged from these 24 interviews; parents and children perceived that: (1) the nature of small farms makes them safer than industrial agricultural operations; (2) child safety on farms is common sense; (3) avoiding hazardous tasks keeps children safe; and (4) parents know best (compared to regulations) about ways to keep their children safe. Some of these themes echo the results of earlier studies conducted with more conventional farms. Further research is needed to develop programs to improve child occupational safety on LAMP farms.
America's family forest owners

The number of family forest owners in the conterminous United States increased from 9.3 million in 1993 to 10.3 million in 2003, and these owners now control 42% of the nation's forestland. The reasons why people own forestland are diverse. Some of the more common ones are aesthetic enjoyment, the tract is part of a farm or homesite, and to pass the land on to heirs. Half of the family forest owners have harvested trees, but only 3% of them have a written forest-management plan. Trends in owners' ages and future land-use intentions suggest widescale transfers of family forestland in the near future.
Sleeve Gastrectomy for Obesity in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: a Pilot Study Evaluating Weight Loss and Fertility Outcomes.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with obesity and infertility. Gastric bypass has been shown to be effective in treating these symptoms. However, the efficacy of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) has not been studied in the PCOS population. This study analyzed weight loss and fertility outcomes of VSG in this population. A retrospective review of patients with PCOS and without PCOS (CON) undergoing VSG from 2008 to 2016 was performed at two bariatric centers. BMI and percent excess weight loss (%EWL) were collected at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Patient characteristics and postoperative pregnancy status were compared between the two cohorts. One hundred nineteen PCOS patients were compared to 119 CON patients. Similar attrition rates were seen between cohorts at 3-month (5 vs 8%), 6-month (13 vs. 14%), and 12-month (18 vs. 13%) evaluation. PCOS patients had greater ΔBMI at 3 months (− 7.64 vs. − 6.82; p = 0.05), 6 months (− 10.56 vs. − 9.49; p = 0.02), and 12 months (− 12.43 vs. − 11.49; p = 0.04). PCOS patients also had greater %EWL at 12 months compared to CON (66 vs 60%; p = 0.05). Twenty-two percent of PCOS patients became pregnant within 12 months, 69% of which were previously nulliparous. Compared to non-PCOS patients, PCOS patients had greater postoperative ΔBMI and %EWL at 1 year. The majority of patients becoming pregnant after VSG were previously nulliparous. This study shows that VSG is effective for weight loss in PCOS patients with obesity and may positively augment effect fertility rates.
Cryptanalysis of Lempel-Ziv Compressed and Encrypted Text: The Statistics of Compression

Modern secure communication systems typically follow a pattern at the transmitter of first compression encoding followed by encryption, and then additional encoders to mitigate the effects of channel noise, etc. One of the purposes of the compression algorithm is to remove statistical information about the plaintext, so as to render the ciphertext impervious to statistical attacks. It is well known, however, that in practice there is no such thing as a universal compression algorithm; thus, some statistical information about the plaintext tends to survive the compression process. In this paper, we consider Lempel-Ziv Welch compression and analyze its effectiveness in removing statistical information from English plaintext. Specifically, we present several techniques for exploiting the structure of the compression algorithm to launch a successful statistical attack on compressed and encrypted data. All attacks are ciphertext only, and one of them relies on linear programming. Although our attacks indicate that an eavesdropper may require additional ciphertext to carry out a successful attack if compression is used, the specific adaptive nature of the Lempel-Ziv compression technique leaves its own statistics on the message, which can be exploited by an attacker.
Review of the Computer Science and Engineering Solutions for Model Sharing and Model Co-Simulation

The process of developing, parameterizing, validating, and maintaining models occurs within a wide variety of tools, and requires significant time and resources. To maximize model utilization, models are often shared between various toolsets and experts. One common example is sharing aircraft engine models with airframers. The functionality of a given model may be utilized and shared with a secondary model, or multiple models may run collaboratively through co-simulation. There are many technical challenges associated with model sharing and cosimulation. For example, data communication between models and tools must be accurate and reliable, and the model usage must be well-documented and perspicuous for a user. This requires clear communication and understanding between computer scientists and engineers. Most often, models are developed by engineers, whereas the tools used to share the models are developed by computer scientists. Computer scientists often struggle with implementing methods for exchanging data between models while simultaneously maintaining the usability that engineers desire, and engineers often struggle with utilizing the tools that computer scientists have developed. In the process of developing tools and interfaces for model sharing and co-simulation, much is lost in the communication between computer scientists and engineers. This paper seeks to ease the communication barrier associated with model sharing and model co-simulation by clearly and simply discussing some of the commonly associated challenges and solutions, and then providing clear and concise implementation examples.
Robustness of Interdependent Cyber-Physical Systems Against Cascading Failures

Integrated cyber-physical systems, such as the smart-grid, are increasingly becoming the underpinning technology for major industries. A major concern regarding such systems are the seemingly unexpected large scale failures, which are often attributed to a small initial shock getting escalated due to intricate dependencies within and across the individual (e.g., cyber and physical) counterparts of the system. In this paper, we develop a novel interdependent system model to capture this phenomenon, also known as cascading failures. Our framework consists of two networks that have inherently different characteristics governing their intradependence: first, a cyber -network where a node is deemed to be functional as long as it belongs to the largest connected (i.e., giant) component; and, second, a physical network where nodes are given an initial flow and a capacity , and failure of a node results with redistribution of its flow to the remaining nodes, upon which further failures might take place due to overloading (i.e., the flow of a node exceeding its capacity). Furthermore, it is assumed that these two networks are interdependent . For simplicity, we consider a one-to-one interdependence model where every node in the cyber-network is dependent upon and supports a single node in the physical network, and vice versa. We provide a thorough analysis of the dynamics of cascading failures in this interdependent system initiated with a random attack. The system robustness is quantified as the surviving fraction of nodes at the end of cascading failures, and is derived in terms of all network parameters involved (e.g., degree distribution, load/capacity distribution, failure size, etc.). Analytic results are supported through an extensive numerical study. Among other things, these results demonstrate the ability of our model to capture the unexpected nature of large-scale failures, and provide insights on improving system robustness.
Effects of frequency of supplementation on dry matter intake and net portal and hepatic flux of nutrients in mature ewes that consume low-quality forage

Our objective was to determine the effects of frequency of soybean meal (SBM) sup- plementation on forage intake and net portal-drained viscera (PDV) and hepatic flux of nutrients in ewes that consume low-quality forage. Six Polled Dorset ewes (BW ± SD = 82 ± 9 kg) fitted with hepatic venous, hepatic portal, abdominal aortic, and mesen- teric venous catheters were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. Ewes consumed bromegrass hay (7.5% CP; DM basis). Treatments were no supple- ment (control), SBM fed once every 24 h, or SBM fed once every 72 h. In the SBM treatments, SBM was fed to provide 80 g/d of CP. Blood flow and net flux measurements were made on the 3rd d of each period so that ewes supplemented every 72 h were sampled the day of, the day after, and 2 d after supplementa- tion. Arterial concentrations of a-amino N (AAN) and ammonia N were lower ( P < .01) when SBM was fed, whereas arterial concentrations of urea N and oxygen were higher ( P < .01). Feeding SBM increased net PDV release of AAN and ammonia N, net PDV removal of urea N, and oxygen consumption. A SBM × sampling day interaction ( P < .05) occurred and resulted in greater net PDV absorption of AAN and ammonia N on the day after SBM supplementation when ewes were fed SBM on a 72-h interval. Net hepatic removal of AAN, ammonia N, and oxygen, and net hepatic release of urea N were greater ( P < .01) with feeding SBM. The results indicate that the interval of SBM supplementation may affect the pattern of absorption without affecting the net absorp- tion of nutrients.
Influence of an ester directing-group on defect formation in the synthesis of conjugated polymers via direct arylation polymerization (DArP) using sustainable solvents

Direct arylation polymerization (DArP) is a synthetic methodology that allows for the preparation of conjugated polymers via C–H activation, facilitating a streamlined synthetic pathway for accessing monomers, while providing a reduction in the number of synthetic steps, hazardous waste, and toxic reagents. Improving the aspects of sustainability by changing the solvent or transition metal catalyst to a more sustainable alternative has recently garnered attention, and constitutes great importance for establishing DArP as an appealing alternative to commonly employed polymerization methods. Interestingly, while directing-groups are often employed for various small-molecule C–H couplings, use of these moeities have remained relatively unexplored despite their potential to enhance the reactivity of a given monomer. Towards these ends, we explore the use of the sustainable solvents cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) and anisole for the synthesis of a diester functionalized bithiophene using DArP to afford the copolymer poly[5,5′-bis(2-butyloctyl)-(2,2′-bithiophene)-4,4′-dicarboxylate-alt-5,5′-2,2′-bithiophene] (PDCBT) with a molecular weight (Mn) of 13.8 kDa and a yield of 59%. However, we observe the likely presence of branching (β) defects through analysis of 1H-NMR spectroscopy, GIXRD, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy measurements. In order to determine if defect formation can be avoided, we study the occurance of defect formation as a function of the aryl spacer by employing the electron rich thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (PDCTT) and electron deficient 2,2′-bithiazole (PDCBTz). We find the optimal conditions provide PDCTT and PDCBTz with molecular weights of 26.4 and 4.9 kDa and yields of 90% and 46%, respectively, where PDCBTz was prone to form insoluble, branched polymer. This demonstrates that PDCBTz has a heightened reactivity towards defect formation, relative to PDCBT, while PDCTT does not, and indicates that such defect formation can be controlled through the appropriate selection of monomers. This study provides valuable insight regarding functional group tolerance and the capacity for esters to potentially function as directing-groups, leading to the undesired couplings of distal protons.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Arthritis Among US Adults, 2016

INTRODUCTION More than 54 million US adults have arthritis, and more than 15 million US adults have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Arthritis and COPD share many risk factors, such as tobacco use, asthma history, and age. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between self-reported physician-diagnosed COPD and arthritis in the US adult population. METHODS We analyzed data from 408,774 respondents aged 18 or older in the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to assess the association between self-reported physician-diagnosed COPD and arthritis in the US adult population by using multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Overall crude prevalence was 6.4% for COPD and 25.2% for arthritis. The prevalence of age-adjusted COPD was higher among respondents with arthritis than among respondents without arthritis (13.7% vs 3.8%, P < .001). The association remained significant among most subgroups (P < .001) particularly among adults aged 18 to 44 (11.5% vs 2.0%) and never smokers (7.6% vs 1.7%). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, arthritis status was significantly associated with COPD status after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, risk behaviors, and health-related quality of life measures (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.4-1.5, P < .001). CONCLUSION Our results confirmed that arthritis is associated with a higher prevalence of COPD in the US adult population. Health care providers may assess COPD and arthritis symptoms for earlier detection of each condition and recommend that patients with COPD and/or arthritis participate in pulmonary rehabilitation and self-management education programs such as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, the proven benefits of which include increased aerobic activity and reduced shortness of breath, pain, and depression.
Nonlocal Transport and Implied Viscosity and Diffusivity throughout the Boundary Layer in LES of the Southern Ocean with Surface Waves

AbstractObservations from the Southern Ocean Flux Station provide a wide range of wind, buoyancy, and wave (Stokes) forcing for large-eddy simulation (LES) of deep Southern Ocean boundary layers. A...
Wind Sensing by Millimeter Wave Communications

Millimeter wave is a core technology in the 5G cellular communication networks because of its large bandwidth and high data transmission rate. In practice, outdoor fixtures of millimeter wave devices may be affected by oscillations due to wind, thus causing significant frequency/phase change in the communication signal. It can be interpreted as Doppler effect or amplitude modulation. In this paper, the Doppler effect and amplitude modulation caused by wind-triggered oscillations are studied through experiments in the 60GHz band. A mathematical model is built to analyze the relationship between wind speed/direction and frequency/phase oscillation. Based on the model, a wind velocity estimation algorithm is proposed to evaluate its performance through simulations.
An Integrative Perspective to LQ and $\ell _\infty$ Control for Delayed and Quantized Systems

Deterministic and stochastic approaches to handle uncertainties may incur very different complexities in computation time and memory usage, in addition to different uncertainty models. For linear systems with delay and rate constrained communications between the observer and the controller, previous work shows that a deterministic approach, the $\ell _\infty$ control has low complexity but can only handle bounded disturbances. In this article, we take a stochastic approach and propose a linear-quadratic (LQ) controller that can handle arbitrarily large disturbance but has large complexity in time and space. The differences in robustness and complexity of the $\ell _\infty$ and LQ controllers motivate the design of a hybrid controller that interpolates between the two: The $\ell _\infty$ controller is applied when the disturbance is not too large (normal mode) and the LQ controller is resorted to otherwise (acute mode). We characterize the switching behavior between the normal and acute modes. Using our theoretical bounds which are supplemented by numerical experiments, we show that the hybrid controller can achieve a sweet spot in the robustness-complexity tradeoff, i.e., reject occasional large disturbance while operating with low complexity most of the time.
Frames of the Algerian War: Pontecorvo’s La Bataille d’Alger and the “War on Terror”

This article examines frames of the Algerian War. Specifically, it brings together Judith Butler’s Frames of War with Gillo Pontecorvo’s La Bataille d’Alger (1966) to analyze the cinematic frame an...
Utah FORGE: Hydrogeothermal modeling of a granitic based discrete fracture network

Abstract Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) are engineered reservoirs that have been stimulated to extract efficiently heat from low permeability hot rock. Generating efficient hydraulic pathways for heat exchange is crucial. A 3-dimensional Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model was developed for simulating and determining the optimum hydraulic fracture network for the proposed Phase 3 injection and production wells at a Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) site in Utah. Numerical simulations are used to study hydrogeothermal transport in the fractured media. The effect natural fractures contribute to hydraulic fracture growth were studied in regard to changes in natural fracture intensity, flow rate, hydraulic pathways, permeability, and perforation cluster spacing. Post hydraulic fracturing networks are incorporated into a hydrothermal modeling package where a possible range of heat extraction values are determined from the reservoir over a 30-year production period. Results suggest that DFN modeling in an EGS setting has exceptional value. The study serves as a benchmark for developing an improved understanding of the effects of the existing FORGE natural fracture systems. The simulations suggest an optimized pumping schedule that generates conductive post-stimulation fracture networks between hypothetical Phase 3 injection and production wells and establishes an effective hydrological thermal model under various fluid flow conditions. A more viscous fluid increases the fracture height and significantly effects fracture growth in the middle cluster. Injection temperature and flow rate are two of most important parameters that control the production temperature and heat recovery.
Microstructures and mechanical properties of an Al-Cu-Mg-Sc alloy reinforced with in-situ TiB2 particulates

Abstract TiB2 reinforcing particulates (4 wt %) were produced in-situ via salt-melt reactions in an Al2618 wrought alloy containing 0.11 wt % Sc. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the TiB2/Al2618 composite are studied both as-rolled and T6 treated. Microstructural analyses revealed submicron-sized in-situ TiB2 particulates dispersed in both the intergranular and intragranular regions of the matrix. Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) discovered a high tendency of Sc enrichment in association with Al-Cu-Ni and Al-Cu-Mg intermetallics in the as-rolled composites. After T6 treatment, the Al-Cu-Mg type intermetallic is dissolved. Meanwhile, Al-Cu-Ni type intermetallic with the enrichment of Sc element remains. The TiB2/Al2618 composites have an evidently higher hardness than the Al2618 matrix alloy. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) are increased by 20% and 8% respectively with the introduction of TiB2 and a minor amount of Sc, while the ductility is affected adversely under both as-rolled and T6 treated conditions. Analysis on the strengthening mechanisms revealed an obvious beneficial effect of Sc on yield strength after T6 treatment, however, a limited role on the yield strength at the as-rolled state.
A Houston Toad Call Detection Initial Approach Using Gated Recurrent Units for Conservational Efforts

Conservation management of endangered amphibians requires efficient and consistent detection. Consequently, detection of species using automatic animal voice detection from audio recordings is a topic of interest in bioacoustics. This is necessary for amphibian population stewardship as well as assessing the health of those natural systems. The Houston Toad is an endangered chorusing amphibian species, and researchers of the Biology Department at Texas State University are working on a project to prevent its extinction. The researchers' initial approach is an Automated Recording Device (ARD), Toadphone-1, which is an embedded solution. It has shown limited success in identifying toad calls. If a species is not Houston Toad but has a frequency spectrum close to Houston Toad, then Toadphone-1 falsely identifies it as a Houston Toad. Hence, the current ARD solution produces high false-positives. This paper experimented with a modified software solution for existing ARD using 39 Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) with delta and delta-delta coefficients as audio features and Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) as a classifier to detect Houston Toad. Results show that this experimented software solution produces 98.82% training accuracy and 97.50% validation accuracy. Test accuracy for detecting Houston Toad is 88.57%, which is approximately 20% greater than the accuracy presented by the existing software solution of Toadphone-1.
The Spatiotemporal Evolution of Storm Pulse Particulate Organic Carbon in a Low Gradient, Agriculturally Dominated Watershed

Streams and rivers integrate and transport particulate organic carbon (POC) from an array of aquatic and terrestrial sources. Storm events greatly accelerate the transport of the POC. The sequences by which individual POC inputs are mobilized and transported are not well-documented but are predicted to be temporally transient and spatially dependent because of changes in forcing functions such as precipitation, discharge, and watershed morphology. In this study, the 3rd-4th order agricultural stream network, Clear Creek in Iowa, U.S.A., was sampled at a nested series of stations through storm events to determine how suspended POC changes over time and with distance downstream. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were used to identify changes in POC. A temporal sequence of inputs was identified: in-channel algal production prior to heavy precipitation, row crop surface soils mobilized during peak precipitation, and material associated with the peak hydrograph that is hypothesized to be an integrated product from upstream. Tile drains delivered relatively 13C- and 15N-depleted particulate organic carbon that is a small contribution to the total POC inventory in the return to baseflow. The storm POC signal evolved with passage downstream, the principal transformation being the diminution of the early flush surface soil peak in response to a loss of connectivity between the hillslope and channel. Bank erosion is hypothesized to become increasingly important as the signal propagates downstream. The longitudinal evolution of the POC signal has implications for C-budgets associated with soil erosion and for interpreting the organic geochemical sedimentary record.