cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gendered sense of humor as expressed through aesthetic typifications

Abstract The skillful use of joking to achieve characterization, within the essentially male world of the recent American film, Sling Blade , is the focus of this paper. The elusive yet socially highly significant notion of ‘sense of humor’ is assumed to reveal itself in social practice through joking interaction. For an appropriate analysis of situated discursive practice, I take a broad interpretation of ‘joking’, within an interactional sociolinguistic framework, to indicate any shift of footing from ‘serious’ to ‘non-serious’, whether signalled proactively or retroactively in the interaction, whether taken up or not by other interlocutors. Characterization is achieved through different styles of joking, representing typifications of gender role behavior within the rural American Southern world of the film. Good ol’ boy Bill, the fix-it shop owner, uses typical solidarity joking, including ritualized joking associated with conversational routines, narrative jokes, and teasing or ‘ritual insult’ joking. Bigoted and abusive ‘redneck’ Doyle uses joking to express his own hostility, either in the form of sarcasm, or as a retroactive ‘cover’ for his intentionally insulting remarks. Vaughn, a gay man, uses irony as his main style, symbolic of his veiled gender identity. Karl and Frank, who have the most important emotional bond in the movie in the form of a friendship across generations, engage in the only joking which constitutes a true empathic connection. The main female character, Frank's mother Linda, existing in an essentially male world in the screenplay, operates in a mode of seriousness, participating in joking only by responding as socially required. Her one ambiguous attempt at joking, as a social control move on Doyle, is ineffectual. A narrative dirty joke, first occurring among men at the fix-it shop, is used effectively for characterization when Karl later tries to tell it to Linda in the mistaken belief that it constitutes an appropriate way to be sociable. Billy Bob Thornton, a native of rural Arkansas in the American South, not only wrote and adapted the screenplay for the film (for which he won an Academy Award in 1996), but also directed the film, and portrayed the starring character. The joking styles are analyzed as aesthetic typifications which can be used in the service of characterization. The treatment of joking within Brown and Levinson's (1987) pragmatic framework is critiqued, and a more comprehensive analysis is offered, one which combines the pragmalinguistic and the sociopragmatic.
Avatar-mediated face tracking and lip reading for human computer interaction

Advanced human computer interaction requires automatic reading of human face in order to make the computer interact with human in the same way as human-to-human communication. We developed an automatic face tracking and lip reading system through a 3D face avatar to facilitate HCI applications in speech learning, emotional state monitoring, and non-verbal human computer interface design. The system implements a novel active face feature tracking algorithm with an uncalibrated camera. The 3D face pose is estimated and tracked by a Kalman filter-based matching process with a dynamic face model updating and constraint. The obtained facial motion parameters are transferred to an individualized 3D face avatar. As a result, a person's lip shape or expressions can be cloned to the animated 3D face avatar, by which all lip shapes from the same speech of different subjects can be easily compared and measured. This real time system targets the automatic facial expression analysis and synthesis for the next generation of HCI design.
Notes on accuracy of finite-volume discretization schemes on irregular grids

These notes rebut some overreaching conclusions of Svard et al., 2008 [19] concerning relations between truncation and discretization errors on irregular grids. Convergence of truncation errors severely degrades on general irregular grids. Such degradation does not necessarily imply a less than design-order convergence of discretization errors.
A spectral theory for the stationary transport operator in slab geometry

Abstract Patterned after the operational calculus of functional analysis, a spectral theory is constructed over a general function space for stationary transport operators in plane geometry as they occur in neutron theory, radiative transfer, etc. As an application, the general solution of the corresponding transport equations is given in closed form. It is shown that the spectrum of the isotropic transport operator consists of the union of a discrete spectrum of exactly two points, either real or pure imaginary; and a continuous spectrum which extends from ± 1 to ± ∞ of the real axis. If the discrete spectrum of the anisotropic operator consists of two points only, as is the case in practical applications, the spectrum has the same properties as in the isotropic case. Proof and additional properties of the spectrum are derived under the assumption that the scattering functions have the physically important form ƒ(Ω, Ω′) = ƒ(Ω · Ω′) > 0 .
ENZYMATIC PRODUCTION OF (+) threo-9,10-DIHYDROXYOCTADECANOIC ACID IN THE SPORES OF PLANT RUSTS

Evidence is presented to show that an epoxide-hydrolyzing enzyme system is present in the uredospores of Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp. tritici Erikss. and Henn. race 15B and in the teliospores of Gymnosporangium clavariiforme (Pers.) DC. Incubation of the spores results in a partial conversion of cis-9,10-epoxy-octadecanoic acid, which is present in the spore oil as a glyceride, to (+) threo-9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid.
The Heat Transport Capacity of Micro Heat Pipes

The original analytical model for predicting the maximum heat transport capacity in micro heat pipes, as developed by Cotter, has been re-evaluated in light of the currently available experimental data. As is the case for most models, the original model assumed a fixed evaporator region and while it yields trends that are consistent with the experimental results, it significantly overpredicts the maximum heat transport capacity, In an effort to provide a more accurate predictive tool, a semi-empirical correlation has been developed. This modified model incorporates the effects of the temporal intrusion of the evaporating region into the adiabatic section of the heat pipe, which occurs as the heat pipe approaches dryout conditions. In so doing, the current model provides a more realistic picture of the actual physical situation. In addition to incorporating these effects, Cotter's original expression for the liquid flow shape factor has been modified. These modifications are then incorporated into the original model and the results compared with the available experimental data. The results of this comparison indicate that the new semiempirical model significantly improves the correlation between the experimental and predicted results and more accurately represents the actual physical behavior of these devices.
Improved Multiple Target Tracking via Global Motion Compensation and Optoelectronic Correlation

Camera motion estimation in image sequences generally focuses on the recovery of the frames when the camera is mounted on a moving platform. Global motion in video sequences is more complex and involves camera operation, camera motion, and other nontarget motions. Global motion compensation is usually handled by compensating the dominant motion using estimation and segmentation techniques. To enhance tracker performance and accuracy, frame recovery operation plays a crucial role by estimating undesired motion. In this paper, a normalized correlation-based regional template-matching (TM) algorithm has been developed to accurately recover frames before the application of the tracking algorithm. Then, a robust multiple-target-tracking system has been developed using a combination of fringe-adjusted joint transform correlator and TM techniques. Joint transform correlation detects a target optoelectronically, while TM technique is performed digitally. To increase the tracking system speed and decrease the effects of clutter, a subframe segmentation and local deviation-based image-preprocessing algorithm has been proposed. The improved performance of multiple-target-tracking system is tested using real-life forward-looking infrared (IR) imagery video sequences obtained from IR sensors mounted on an airborne platform
Metallothionein Link to Bicuspid Aortic Valve–Associated Ascending Aortic Dilatation

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect, occurring in 1% to 2% of the general population.1 Given the high incidence of sequelae, including aortic valve calcification and dysfunction, congenital aortic malformations, and aortic dilatation and dissection, it may account for considerable morbidity and mortality compared with other congenital cardiac abnormalities. The aortic dilatation that occurs with BAV occurs more frequently and at a younger age than it does in patients with trileaflet aortic valves, and the clinical significance of the correlation between BAV and ascending aortic dilatation is based on the potential for aortic dissection and rupture.2 Defining a potential molecular biological basis for aneurysm formation in BAV is critical for understanding disease progression and designing strategies for intervention. Medical treatments that might mitigate or halt the progression of aneurysmal expansion may significantly decrease the incidence of rupture and death and reduce the number of patients requiring high-risk surgical interventions. Potential targets for medical therapy have only recently begun to be elucidated, and much remains unclear about the mechanism of aneurysm formation and expansion. Article see p 2498 Unfortunately, the precise mechanisms underlying the development and progression of thoracic aortic disease in BAV patients have not been clearly delineated. Two logical considerations are most frequently believed to play a major role in this context: that the increased hemodynamic load placed on the proximal aorta may result in progressive aortic dilatation and that an as-yet unidentified genetic or developmental abnormality in the proximal aortic tissue clinically results in altered integrity of the extracellular matrix with consequent weakness of the aortic wall. Although the first hypothesis has the advantage of relative simplicity, several studies suggest that hemodynamic alterations alone cannot be responsible for aortic dilatation in these patients. In fact, aortic dilatation occurs in the presence …
Sparing the larynx and esophageal inlet expedites feeding tube removal in patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To evaluate the effect of larynx and esophageal inlet sparing on dysphagia recovery after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for stage III-IV oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Study Design: Retrospective study. Methods: Of 88 patients treated with IMRT, 38 were planned with a larynx + esophageal inlet mean dose <50 Gy constraint, 27 with a larynx alone mean dose constraint of <50 Gy, and 23 without a larynx/esophagus constraint. All had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placed before IMRT, which was removed when the patient could swallow and maintain weight. All IMRT plans were retrieved, and the larynx; esophageal inlet; and superior, middle, and inferior constrictors were contoured. Dosimetric data were correlated with PEG tube dependence duration. Results: The PEG tube was removed within 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after IMRT in 24%, 61%, 71%, and 83% of patients, respectively. Median times to PEG tube removal were 3.7 and 8.6 months (P = .0029) in patients planned with or without a larynx/larynx + esophageal inlet dose constraint. A mean dose to the larynx + esophageal inlet of ≤60 Gy reduced the median PEG tube duration from 10.8 to 6.1 months (P = .02), compared to >60 Gy. Mean pharyngeal constrictor doses in patients receiving a mean dose to the larynx + esophageal inlet of ≤50 Gy versus >50 Gy were: 60 Gy and 69 Gy, 55 Gy and 67 Gy, and 47 Gy and 57 Gy, for the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors, respectively (P < .0001). Conclusions: A dose constraint on the larynx and esophageal inlet during IMRT planning reduces dose to pharyngeal constrictors and expedites PEG tube removal.
Mechanical versus herbicidal strategies for killing a hairy vetch cover crop and controlling weeds in minimum-tillage corn production

The development of production systems that provide the benefits of reduced tillage and also reduce or eliminate herbicide inputs presents a challenge to practitioners of sustainable agriculture. This research was conducted to evaluate management approaches for minimum-tillage corn production in a hairy vetch cover crop, specifically, mechanical versus herbicidal methods for pre-plant cover-crop kill and for post-emergence control of emerged weeds. Pre-plant treatments included 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] plus residual herbicides, 2,4-D alone, flail mower, corn stalk chopper, light disk and heavy disk. The pre-plant herbicide treatments were followed by a post-emergence treatment of dicamba, whereas the pre-plant mechanical treatments were followed by post-emergence cultivation, as needed, for weed control. The mechanical treatments that kept residue on the soil surface (mower, stalk chopper and light disk) killed hairy vetch when it was flowering, but not when vegetative. The herbicide treatment with pre-plant 2,4-D alone, followed by dicamba post-emergence, controlled annual broadleaf weeds (the dominant species in these experiments) similarly to treatment with 2,4-D plus residual herbicides, suggesting that residual herbicides may be eliminated in cover-crop-based no-tillage systems. The pre-plant mechanical treatments followed by cultivation did not control annual broadleaf weeds as well as herbicide treatments, but did maintain final populations below threshold levels in two of four experiments. The stalk chopper and light disk left high levels of vetch residue on the soil surface, and reduced initial broadleaf weed populations compared with the heavy disk that incorporated residue. However, broadleaf weed populations were reduced with less efficiency by cultivation of unfilled soil following the stalk chopper or light disk (38–69%) than by cultivation of tilled soil following the heavy disk (87–95%). Thus, although maintaining surface cover-crop residue without tillage initially reduced weed emergence, it also reduced the efficiency of cultivation, leading to similar final weed populations in all mechanical-based, pre-plant treatments.
Death by a Thousand Cuts: The Illusory Safeguards against Funding Pervasively Sectarian Institutions of Higher Learning

This article discusses Establishment Clause jurisprudence, focusing specifically on public aid to religious colleges and universities. The article examines the trilogy of cases in which the Court addressed these issues: Tilton v. Richardson, Hunt v. McNair, and Roemer v. Board of Public Works of Maryland, noting that the jurisprudence in these cases was neither as internally consistent nor as compatible with the then-current jurisprudence as is commonly thought. The article also examines some of the more recent cases in the lower courts involving challenges to aid to sectarian schools, explaining why it is difficult to tell whether these decisions are best construed as applying or as repudiating existing doctrine. The article concludes that the current Establishment Clause limitations on public funding of sectarian institutions of higher learning are so weak that they do virtually no work except, perhaps, to lead to the dilution of Establishment Clause guarantees more generally.
A Mathematical Model of Collagen Lattice Contraction

Two mathematical models for fibroblast–collagen interaction are proposed which reproduce qualitative features of fibroblast-populated collagen lattice contraction. Both models are force based and model the cells as individual entities with discrete attachment sites; however, the collagen lattice is modelled differently in each model. In the collagen lattice model, the lattice is more interconnected and formed by triangulating nodes to form the fibrous structure. In the collagen fibre model, the nodes are not triangulated, are less interconnected, and the collagen fibres are modelled as a string of nodes. Both models suggest that the overall increase in stress of the lattice as it contracts is not the cause of the reduced rate of contraction, but that the reduced rate of contraction is due to inactivation of the fibroblasts.
Migration to Multi-image Cloud Templates

IT management costs increasingly dominate the overall IT costs. The main hope for reducing them is to standardize software and processes, as this leads to economies of scale in the management services. A key vehicle by which enterprises hope to achieve this is cloud computing, and they start to show interest in clouds outside the initial sweet spot of development and test. As business applications typically contain multiple images with dependencies, one is starting to standardize on multi-image structures. Benefits are ease of deployment of the entire structure and consistent later management services for the business applications. Enterprises have huge investments in their existing business applications, e.g., their web design, special code, database schemas, and data. The promises of clouds can only be realized if a significant fraction of these existing applications can be migrated into the clouds. We therefore present analysis techniques for mapping existing IT environments to multi-image cloud templates. We propose multiple matching criteria, leading to tradeoffs between the number of matches and the migration overhead, and present efficient algorithms for these special graph matching problems. We also present results from analyzing an existing enterprise environment with about 1600 servers.
First long-term evidence supporting endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms

The traditional method of treating abdominal aortic aneurysms with open surgical repair has been steadily replaced by endovascular repair, thought to be a more minimally invasive approach. It is not known, however, whether the endovascular approach is truly less invasive for operative physiology; in addition, this approach has a different spectrum of complications. As such, it is uncertain whether elective endovascular repair of nonruptured aortic aneurysms reduces long-term morbidity and mortality compared with traditional open approaches. In this article, the authors evaluate a recent publication investigating long-term outcomes of a prospective randomized multicenter trial evaluating patients with asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms treated with either endovascular or open repair, and discuss the results in the context of current evidence.
Machines versus medication for biventricular heart failure: focus on the total artificial heart

ABSTRACT The medical/surgical management of advanced heart failure has evolved rapidly over the last few decades. With better understanding of heart failure pathophysiology, new pharmacological agents have been introduced that have resulted in improvements in survival. For those patients that fail to improve, mechanical circulatory support with left ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts (TAHs) have served as a beneficial bridge to transplantation. The TAH has continued to play a significant role as a bridge to transplantation in patients with biventricular failure and more selected indications that could not be completely helped with left ventricular assist devices. Improved survival with the TAH has resulted in more patients benefiting from this technology. Improvements will eventually lead to a totally implantable device that will permanently replace the failing human heart.
Application of design for environment concepts to the semiconductor industry

Motorola has traditionally focused on cost, yield, performance, and logistics as primary drivers for decision-making. In the semiconductor industry, environmental issues have resulted in major modifications of tools and process steps because they are not routinely considered when making process design and manufacturing choices, nor is their impact on cost, yield, and cycle time. Certain business driving forces, such as cost, sustainability of processes/tools, time to market, market access, and market share, are leading Motorola to a cultural change in which environmental impacts must be considered during product and process design; however, design and process engineers have not been able to adequately address these impacts. Motorola's Advanced Process Research and Development Laboratory (APRDL) in the Semiconductor Product Sector (SPS) has recognized this and has established its own environmental group (separate from the site environmental compliance group) to implement a Design for Environmental (DFE) strategy. This group works with several project teams to address environmental issues in process development. To empower engineers to consider the environmental impacts of their materials and processes at the earliest possible stage, the APRDL environmental group has also developed a DFE training course. This web-based course targets semiconductor design and process engineers and is available through Motorola University, the corporate training institution. In the broadest terms, DFE is a systematic management approach for evaluating and mitigating environmental concerns at the earliest possible stages of process design or product life cycle. It includes ongoing evaluation during the product life cycle, while optimizing the balance between environmental priorities and factors such as cost, yield, cycle time, performance, etc. This optimization requires that Motorola make value judgments based on the best information available. The course is designed to provide semiconductor engineers with the neccesary background to understand the concepts of DFE and the tools to incorporate consideration for environmental impacts into their daily routine with-qut adding a significant burden to their workload.
Stopping outgoing spam

We analyze the problem of preventing outgoing spam. We show that some conventional techniques for limiting outgoing spam are likely to be ineffective. We show that while imposing per message costs would work, less annoying techniques also work. In particular, it is only necessary that the average cost to the spammer over the lifetime of an account exceed his profits, meaning that not every message need be challenged. We develop three techniques, one based on additional HIP challenges, one based on computational challenges, and one based on paid subscriptions. Each system is designed to impose minimal costs on legitimate users, while being too costly for spammers. We also show that maximizing complaint rates is a key factor, and suggest new standards to encourage high complaint rates.
Learning Bounds for a Generalized Family of Bayesian Posterior Distributions

In this paper we obtain convergence bounds for the concentration of Bayesian posterior distributions (around the true distribution) using a novel method that simplifies and enhances previous results. Based on the analysis, we also introduce a generalized family of Bayesian posteriors, and show that the convergence behavior of these generalized posteriors is completely determined by the local prior structure around the true distribution. This important and surprising robustness property does not hold for the standard Bayesian posterior in that it may not concentrate when there exist "bad" prior structures even at places far away from the true distribution.
Optimization of MEMS Ku-band phase shifter

Summary form only given. Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches and phase shifters built from these switches have been demonstrated in several papers (Guan-Leng Tan et al., 2002, 2003; Hacker, J.B. et al., 2003; Kim, M. et al., 2001; Pillans, B. et al., 1999). Potential applications include: military radar, including active and passive electronically scanned arrays; aviation radar; reconfigurable wireless networks; satellite broadband communication networks. MEMS phase shifters offer low insertion loss and parasitics. In addition, the MEMS phase shifters may provide cost and weight advantages for large arrays. The poster addresses the optimization of a 15 GHz switched-line phase shifter in which every delay bit is implemented separately. The size of the phase shifter is one area to be optimized. Also, it is intended to develop a hybrid design to reduce the number of switches in the phase shifter.
Shared Space Invasion and Race

The tendency of shoppers at a suburban shopping mall to walk between conversing black, white, or mixed-race male dyads was observed. Both male and female shoppers (N = 508, 93.7% white) were more likely to walk through the black dyad than through the white or the mixed-race dyads. These results are interpreted as indicating a relative lack of consideration for the black dyad's interaction territory. When walking around a mixed-race dyad, shoppers more often chose to pass behind the white member. These findings suggest that the often subtle effects of racial attitudes can be studied unobtrusively using the invasion of shared space paradigm.
Antibodies to a surface-exposed, N-terminal domain of aggregation substance are not protective in the rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis.

ABSTRACT The aggregation substance (AS) surface protein fromEnterococcus faecalis has been implicated as an important virulence factor for the development of infective endocarditis. To evaluate the role of antibodies specific for Asc10 (the AS protein from the conjugative plasmid pCF10) in protective immunity to infective endocarditis, an N-terminal region of Asc10 lacking the signal peptide and predicted to be surface exposed (amino acids 44 to 331; AS44–331) was cloned with a C-terminal histidine tag translational fusion and expressed fromEscherichia coli. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the purified protein revealed the correct sequence, and rabbit polyclonal antisera raised against AS44–331 reacted specifically to Asc10 expressed from E. faecalis OG1SSp, but not to other proteins as judged by Western blot analysis. Using these antisera, flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that antibodies to AS44–331 bound to a surface-exposed region of Asc10. Furthermore, antibodies specific for AS44–331were opsonic for E. faecalis expressing Asc10 in vitro but not for cells that did not express Asc10. New Zealand White rabbits immunized with AS44–331 were challenged intravenously withE. faecalis cells constitutively expressing Asc10 in the rabbit model of experimental endocarditis. Highly immune animals did not show significant differences in clearance of organisms from the blood or spleen or in formation of vegetations on the aortic valve, in comparison with nonimmune animals. Although in vivo expression of Asc10 was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, these experiments provide evidence that immunity to Asc10 does not play a role in protection from experimental infective endocarditis due toE. faecalis and may have important implications for the development of immunological approaches to combat enterococcal endocarditis.
Transformation of time-variable systems to canonical (phase-variable) form

The problem of transforming a single-input, single-output, time-variable linear system to phase-variable form is considered in this paper. Specific criteria for the existence of an equivalent canonical form are derived together with a method for obtaining the form when it exists. This method, when specialized to fixed systems, is particularly simple, and results in an easilyconstructed explicit form for the transforming matrix. Furthermore, the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors necessary in previously published techniques is avoided.
Generalized admittance matrix for a slotted parallel-plate waveguide

An integral equation for the slot electric field in transverse magnetic (TM) scattering and radiation by a slotted parallel-plate waveguide is solved using the moment method. By using piecewise sinusoidal functions for expansion and testing in the moment-method technique, a generalized admittance matrix associated with the slot is obtained in functional form as opposed to numerical integration. >
An End-Time Constrained Receding Horizon Control Policy

A predictive control policy that utilizes a finite time horizon with end-time constraints is described. The control law minimizes actuator movement while satisfying both process and control output constraints imposed at the end of the time horizon. A single user definable parameter, directly related to the desired settling time of the process, can be used to tune the controller. System response to set-point and load disturbances for different linear time invariant plants is presented to illustrate the significant features of the algorithm. Performance relative to conventional PID control is demonstrated as are robustness characteristics for a specific system
Winter Is the Infanticide Season: Seasonal Risk for Child Homicide

This study investigates the circannual pattern of U.S. child homicide rates. Analyses of 23,067 child homicide records extracted from 1976 to 1998 FBI Supplemental Homicide Reports reveal a winter peak for infants and toddlers (age less than 2 years) and a summer peak for primary and middle school children (ages 5 to 14). Logistic regressions find distinct risk factors for the two peaks that support the prevailing developmental risk theory. The risk factors suggest guidelines for a more rational allocation of prevention resources both across the year and among different developmental subpopulations. It has been known for centuriesthat homicidesrise in the summer and drop in the winter (Cheatwood, 1988). Early scientific explanationsfor the annual cycle pitted biological theoriesagains t sociological theories. Noting that suicides follow the same cycle, for example, the 19th-century Italian School exemplified by Ferri and Morselli, argued that homicide and suicide had an identical cause: ambient temperature stress on the central nervous system (Durkheim, 1897/1951, p. 108). Rejecting thisexplanation, Durkheim argued that the common cycle reflected the annual ebb and flow of social activity. To support his sociological explanation, Durkheim (pp. 118-119, fn. 119) cited the lesser known, shorter cycles in homicide and suicide. Although biological causes may be plausible in long annual cycles, Durkheim (1897/1951) argued, they are implausible in weekly cycles. What biological variable can explain the fact that homicides rise and suicides fall on weekends?
An update on the management of acne vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disorder that can affect individuals from childhood to adulthood, most often occurring in the teenage years. Acne can have a significant physical, emotional, and social impact on an individual. Many different treatment options are available for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Commonly used topical treatments include benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, sulfur and sodium sulfacetamide, azelaic acid, and retinoids. Systemic treatment is frequently used and includes the use of systemic antibiotics, oral contraceptives, antiandrogens, and retinoids. Other treatment modalities exist such as the use of superficial chemical peels as well as using laser and light devices for the treatment of acne. With the multitude of treatment options and the rapidly expanding newer technologies available to clinicians, it is important to review and be aware of the current literature and studies regarding the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Analysis of a Multi-Stream QoS Game for Multi-Path Routing

This paper introduces and analyzes a game theoretic approach to routing of multiple real-time multimedia streams through multiple shared links of different link quality metrics. The objective of the proposed method is to achieve fairness and bandwidth efficiency for each stream in the utilization of high quality links. Traditionally this task is managed through pricing and service agreement, and the solutions are frequently sub-optimal. In this paper, the problem of path link sharing among multiple streams is formulated as a non-corporative QoS game. Each stream is a player, whose strategy space is the percentage of utilization of the high quality links. A unique payoff function is introduced, and each player attempts to maximize its expected payoff independently. The existence and uniqueness of a Nash equilibrium (NE) is analyzed. Numerical analysis and simulations are conducted, and the results demonstrate that the NE solutions is able to maximize the successful transmission rate of individual streams with fair link usage.
Optimization of waveform diversity and performance for pulse-agile radar

The transmission of different radar waveforms within the set of pulses constituting a coherent processing interval (CPI), otherwise known as pulse-agile radar, has several potential applications. However, with regard to interference cancellation a problem arises due to the modulation of clutter as a result of the different range sidelobe structure for the different waveforms. Recently, a joint Least-Squares (JLS) mismatch filter design was proposed to partially alleviate this clutter modulation effect. In this paper, JLS receive filtering is used in conjunction with Marginal Fisher's Information (MFI) waveform design to optimize both the waveforms and filters within the pulse-agile radar paradigm.
Learning grammatical gender: The use of rules by novice learners

Two experiments successfully trained novices to categorize French nouns by grammatical gender, resulting in high levels of performance after delay. Training with a frequent exemplar and training with a more diverse exemplar set led to equivalent learning. However, providing explicit rules with correctness feedback led to better generalization and retention than did correctness feedback alone or feature focusing without explicit rule information. This suggests that, at least for some grammar tasks, explicit information about form-function mappings improves learning. Moreover, the advantage of rule instruction was robust to testing and training under time pressure. Thus, rule instruction may be helpful even when speeded performance is required, supporting the prediction that practice leads to proceduralization of declarative grammatical knowledge.
β-Adrenergic agonist modulation of monocyte adhesion to airway epithelial cells in vitro

β-Adrenergic agonists are commonly used in the treatment of obstructive airway diseases and are known to modulate cAMP-dependent processes of airway epithelial cells. However, little is known regar...
Improving implant aesthetics: prosthetically generated papilla through tissue modeling with composite.

UNLABELLED Dental implants provide clinicians with a predictable means of replacing the function of lost natural teeth. Whereas innovative restorative materials and techniques have yielded predictable "white aesthetics" for a tooth, comparable success with the "pink aesthetics" of implant restorations has been more problematic. This article describes a technique for improving the aesthetic outcome of implant dentistry by contouring soft tissue around implants through a buildup of composite to a "UCLA-type" abutment. From this technique, it is believed that a similar procedure for other implant systems can be easily and successfully extrapolated. LEARNING OBJECTIVES This article discusses a technique that allows for implant placement in cases where the emergence profile has been compromised. Upon reading this article, the reader should: Understand why the pink aesthetics of the patient's smile are as important as the "white aesthetics". Learn how to contour the soft tissues surrounding implants.
Removal of residual cavitation nuclei to enhance histotripsy fractionation of soft tissue

Remanent bubble nuclei generated by primary cavitation collapse can limit the efficiency of histotripsy softtissue fractionation. When these residual bubbles persist from one histotripsy pulse to the next, they can seed the repetitive nucleation of cavitation bubbles at a discrete set of sites within the focal volume. This effect—referred to as cavitation memory— manifests in inefficient lesion formation, because certain sites within the focal volume are overtreated whereas others remain undertreated. Although the cavitation memory effect can be passively mitigated by using a low pulse repetition frequency (PRF) that affords remanent nuclei sufficient time for dissolution between successive pulses, this low PRF also results in slow lesion production. As such, it would be highly desirable to maintain the high per-pulse efficiency associated with low pulse rates when much higher PRFs are utilized. In this vein, we have developed a strategy for the active removal of the remanent bubble nuclei following primary cavitation collapse, using low-amplitude ultrasound sequences (termed bubble-removal sequences) to stimulate the aggregation and subsequent coalescence of these bubbles. In this study, bubbleremoval sequences were incorporated in high-PRF histotripsy treatment (100 Hz) of a red blood cell tissue-mimicking phantom that allows for the visualization of lesion development in real time. A series of reference treatments were also conducted at the low PRF of 1 Hz to provide a point of comparison for which cavitation memory effects are minimal. It was found that bubble-removal sequences as short as 1 ms are capable of maintaining the efficacious lesion development characteristics associated with the low PRF of 1 Hz when the much higher pulse rate of 100 Hz is used. These results were then extended to the treatment of a large volume within the tissue phantom, and optimal bubble-removal sequences identified for the singlefocal- spot case were utilized to homogenize a 10 × 10 mm region at high rate.
Equivalent outcomes with standard and heparin-bonded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts used as conduits for hemodialysis access.

Background Obtaining and maintaining dialysis access after failure of autologous access sites remains a significant concern for patients on hemodialysis. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is the most common conduit used. Heparin-bonded expanded PTFE (HB-PTFE) grafts have recently been introduced as an improved conduit, with suggestions that HB offers benefits because of its resistance to thrombosis. In this retrospective study, the outcomes of HB-PTFE were compared with standard wall PTFE (S-PTFE) arteriovenous grafts (AVGs). Methods From January 2004 to December 2014, 483 adults (46% male; mean age, 60 years; range, 25-87 years) with end-stage renal disease underwent placement of AVGs (234 HB-PTFE and 248 S-PTFE). The two groups did not differ significantly in demographics or access history. Patency, reintervention, infection, and functional dialysis rates were examined. Results Technical success was 99% in HB-PTFE and 98% in S-PTFE. The 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events were 2% in HB-PTFE and 3% in S-PTFE. Mean time to access was 5.1 ± 1.8 weeks for HB-PTFE and 6.9 ± 1.9 weeks for S-PTFE ( P = .0001). Median follow-up was 23 months. The 2-year primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency rates were 20% ± 7% vs 18% ± 8% ( P = .85), 35% ± 8% vs 28% ± 7% ( P = .51), and 38% ± 6% vs 36% ± 7% ( P = .83) for HB-PTFE vs S-PTFE, respectively. Both groups underwent a similar number of secondary interventions (2.1 and 1.9 interventions per person-year of follow-up for HB-PTFE vs S-PTFE respectively; P = .87). There were no significant differences in infection (11% vs 12%) or pseudoaneurysm formation (5% vs 6%) between HB-PTFE and S-PTFE groups. Functional dialysis durations were equivalent between HB-PTFE and S-PTFE groups. Conclusions HB-PTFE grafts offer no distinct advantage over S-PTFE grafts for hemodialysis and should not be considered a preferential conduit for AVG.
Territoriality, map-mindedness, and the politics of place

Political sociologists have paid closer attention of late to the territoriality of political communities, and have even begun theorizing the theme of territoriality’s legitimation. To date, however, the field has mostly overlooked the topic of maps, the quintessential territorial tool. Thus, we know little regarding maps’ crucial role in shaping modern subjects’ relationship to territory. This article argues that “map-mindedness”—i.e., the effects of map imagery on how subjects experience territory—can be productively theorized by working through the social-scientific concept of “place.” Using a range of modern and contemporary examples, I illustrate how maps can draw on and manipulate political subjects’ experience of place. Maps, I submit, allow political communities to render themselves more place-like, thus bridging the phenomenological distance between these abstract, territorially vast units and their “emplaced” subjects. More specifically, maps solve this “problem of distance” through three ideal-typical processes: 1) they render the political community as a proximate “object in the world”; 2) they present the political community as a body-like target for cathexis and identification; and 3) they mediate the traffic of meaning between the local and the national to produce a multi-scalar sense of place that can be harnessed in the service of the political community. Maps are a potent means of “re-personalizing” politics; their study suggests that territoriality is not only a form of “impersonal rule,” as recent works have observed, but always also implicated in the production of political subjects.
Modeling the Thermoelectric Properties of Nanocomposites

Modeling the thermoelectric properties of nanocomposites is difficult due to the complex grain boundary scattering processes which scatter both electrons and phonons. In this work we describe a code we developed which numerically calculates the electrical and thermal properties of bulk and nanocomposite thermoelectric materials using the Boltzmann equation under the relaxation time approximation. The code is capable of calculating all the relevant thermoelectric properties over a wide range of temperatures, doping concentrations, and compositions, allowing for a full characterization of the material. We model nanocomposites by incorporating a grain boundary scattering rate based on a simple model we developed and models in the literature. The code and grain boundary scattering models are validated on bulk data and data from nano-SiGe, and are then applied to other candidate thermoelectric materials to see if they would be good candidates for nanocomposites. The analysis shows that GaAs might be promising as a nanocomposite thermoelectric material.© 2008 ASME
The distance of visual targets affects the spatial magnitude and multifractal scaling of standing body sway in younger and older adults

The spatial magnitude of standing body sway is greater during viewing of more distant targets and reduced when viewing nearby targets. Classical interpretations of this effect are based on the projective geometry of changes in visual stimulation that are brought about by body sway. Such explanations do not motivate predictions about the temporal dynamics of body sway. We asked whether the distance of visible targets would affect both the spatial magnitude and the multifractality of standing body sway. It has been suggested that the multifractality of movement may change with age. Separately, previous research has not addressed the effects of target distance on postural sway in older adults. For these reasons, we crossed our variation in target distance with variation in age. In an open-air setting, we measured standing body sway in younger and older adults while looking at visual targets that were placed at three distances. The distance of visual targets affected the spatial magnitude of body sway in younger adults, replicating past studies. Target distance also affected the spatial magnitude of sway in older adults, confirming that this relation persists despite other age-related changes. Target distance also affected the multifractality of body sway, but this effect was modulated by age. Finally, the width of the multifractal spectrum was greater for older adults than for younger adults, revealing that healthy aging can affect the multifractality of movement. These findings reveal similarities and differences between the spatial magnitude and the multifractality of human movement.
Un revêtement d'alliage de chrome dur à haute résistance à la corrosion

Le chrome applique en revetement est, en soi, chimiquement resistant et garantit une protection a la corrosion superieure dans divers environnements a l'exception des atmospheres corrosives contenant des chlorures. Recemment, des arbres hydrauliques chromes montes sur des engins de terrassement utilises en bordure de mer et dans les regions froides, ou du CaCl 2 est utilise comme produit de degivrage routier, ont rencontre des problemes de corrosion. Il s'agit de la corrosion de la couche de chrome elle-meme. Cet article discute de la meilleure protection contre la corrosion offerte par des couches d'alliage de chrome dans les atmospheres corrosives contenant des chlorures comparee au chromage simple et de la protection amelioree contre la corrosion apportee par les revetements de chrome et les alliages de chrome qui subissent ensuite une operation de cuisson.
BINOCULAR SPACE PERCEPTION

Euclidean geometry was accepted as the natural description of space. Much new geometry has since been developed, and some have found applications to the description of physical models. This chapter describes perceptual space. It describes the relationship between the iseikonic transformation on the one hand and perceptually equivalent configurations on the other. It discusses the frontoparallel lines, that is, those curves in the horizontal plane that are perceived as lines perpendicular to the midline between the eyes. The chapter presents numerous experimental determinations of such curves in reduced cue situations. In some of these, the subject fixates on a point lying on the midline between his eyes and arranges a set of point sources of light along a frontoparallel line through the fixation point. In other cases, the subject is allowed to move his eyes freely as he aligns the point sources on a frontoparallel line through a reference point.
Obesity Prevention Program in Childcare Centers: Two-Year Follow-Up:

Purpose:To assess the impact of an early childhood obesity prevention intervention “Healthy Caregivers–Healthy Children” (HC2) on dietary patterns and body mass index percentile (PBMI) over 2 school years.Design:Randomized controlled trial.Setting:Childcare centers.Participants:Low-income families.Intervention:Intervention centers (N = 12) received HC2 which consisted of (1) menu modifications, (2) a healthy eating and physical activity curriculum for children, and (3) a parent curriculum for healthy meal preparation, reinforced through a role-modeling curriculum. Control centers (N = 16) received an injury prevention/safety intervention.Measures:Child PBMI and parent report of child’s consumption of fruits/vegetables and unhealthy food.Analysis:Confirmatory factor analysis verified the psychometric properties of factor scores for children’s consumption of fruits/vegetables and unhealthy food. Growth curve analysis assessed the impact of HC2 on change in consumption of fruits/vegetables and unhealthy food...